Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Hakuouki franchise. I only own my OCs and any original ideas.

I haven't really finished checking over this chapter, but I really really wanna publish it so I'm going to do it anyway. If anything seems off or if their are any glaring typos, please let me know!

As always, enjoy!

"You let her run by herself into a burning shop and you're surprised why she has this many wounds on her body?" Hijikata had Saito up against the wall by the collar of his kimono, a menacing look on his face. Behind him, Chizuru tried to calm the men but was held back by Sano and Heisuke.

The vice-commander was in a fit of rage, at a complete loss as to why one of his commanders had allowed a girl to run headfirst into danger. The girl had been under the care of the Shinsengumi, his responsibility, and now she lay immobile and unconscious. One of his close friends and fellow commander, Sannan, had already been injured under his watch. It was disgusting for him to acknowledge the fact that someone else, a girl, had also been injured.

"Hijikata..." Chizuru's soft voice did little to abate his fury and the vice-commander fought desperately to contain himself and prevent his emotions from spilling. It was his duty to look after his subordinates and those weaker than him. How could he support Kondou if he couldn't even look after one girl or keep Saito in check?

Saito placed a hand on the arm that was holding him up and Hijikata loosened his grip. The other commander whispered lowly, "We're all worried about her too, but I don't think getting angry is going to do anything."

"He's right, Hijikata. We just have to wait and see when she wakes up." Sano said grimly, knowing that their words were like wind to the vice-captain's ears. He was beyond reassuring right now. With a stern look at the others in the room, Sano turned and left without another word. The others followed quickly, Heisuke turning back to glance at the unconscious girl on the floor once more.

His eyebrows furrowed when the light flickered and he caught sight of a scar trailing down Shizue's arm, covered mostly by her sleeve. Heisuke shook his head and left, not bringing the subject up. That could be mentioned after she had woken up.

Chizuru remained in the room with Hijikata after the others had left. She was looking at the vice-commander with worry, but his eyes did not leave Shizue's face, his expression set and his mouth drawn down. "You shouldn't worry too much, Hijikata. I'm sure she'll wake up soon!"

Hijikata did not move and Chizuru sighed in defeat. She stood up and left, closing the door softly behind her.

With the room finally being silent and empty, Hijikata allowed his thoughts to roam freely and his guilt to consume him. His eyes swept along Shizue's face, stopping at her lashes and her lips, which were parted slightly and chapped.

Seeing her like this raised feelings of insecurity within the vice-captain. Was he not strong enough to lead? Was he not capable enough for people to rely on him?

Shizue, who had held herself with a solemn strength and wisdom in her eyes, was now injured and unconscious because of his decision to allow her out of the headquarters. Her distance from the members of the Shinsengumi had made it hard for him to determine her character and yet despite this he had allowed her to leave.

He knew now she had a heart larger than she gave off and bravery that bordered on stupidity. A large part of him wished to commend her for running so blindly into the burning building, but for the most part, all he wanted was for her to wake up. Would she confirm his insecurities and blame him for her wounds?

The vice-captain bowed his head and succumbed to his darker thoughts. The lull of Shizue's soft breathing and the flicker of the light sent him to sleep, easing his worries.

Shizue was asleep for five days.

During those five days, her slumber was plagued with dreams, memories and nightmares. The time stretched on infinitely, it seemed to her, and everything blended into one. By the fifth day, she no longer knew if what she saw was real or a figment of her imagination.

Throughout all of this, a prominent figure seemed to be present in every scene; a tall and large man, who held a kira*. He was always standing and observing her, whether she saw visions of joy or whether she was battling off monsters and demons.

Shizue twitched in her sleep.

Her dreams shifted again and the man was standing in front of her, with his back facing the girl and his kira still gripped tightly in his hand. His stance shifted slightly and his right foot turned outward. Shizue braced herself.

With a roar, he whirled around and swept the weapon at her, its blade swiping against her stomach and drawing blood, even as she jumped back. The girl fell to the ground, covered in her warm blood and aching all over her body. The man stood above her and stared menacingly down at her. There was a flicker and she felt herself being drawn away from the scene. A cry erupted from her lips.

"No!" Shizue sat up, sweating and breathing heavily as her eyes came into focus with her surroundings. The burns on her arms caused her pain as she propped herself up. Her attention was drawn to the person slumped in the corner, snoozing softly.

The girl observed Hijikata as he rested, admiring the way his chest rose and fell with every breath and the long strands of his hair fluttered softly. In all the time she had become acquainted with the vice-captain, she had never been in a room with him long enough to get to know him. It was a warm feeling for her to be here, despite her injuries.

Despite being a girl whose attention lay very far from beauty, Shizue couldn't help but to acknowledge the man's brilliance. To her, his features reflected his personality rather well, from the angle of his eyes to the sharpness of his jaw and chin. But perhaps, the most attractive thing about him at that moment was the fact that he was present in the room with her. Having woken from a rather intimidating memory, seeing his face and the apparent safety it held lit a warmth inside of her.

She slowly rose from her mat and stood up, stretching to release the tension in her limbs. She walked quietly over to the door and, with a final glance at the vice-captain, slipped out to enjoy the night's breeze.

It seemed to Shizue that she had been asleep for a while, for the air had warmed considerably and the smell of spring was abundant. The image of cherry blossoms brought a smile to her lips and she closed her eyes in contentment. Despite her troubles and her frustration at the familiarity of the man who had been in the burning shop, Shizue allowed herself to relax as the soft wind caressed her skin.

She didn't know how long she sat on the steps, relishing in the night but her peace was interrupted by the sound of the doors sliding open behind her. She opened her eyes but did not turn around. She could feel Hijikata's eyes on her back, and for some reason was too shy to turn to face him. Perhaps it was her embarrassment at having been in such a weak state in front of him. Or perhaps her earlier thoughts had caused her usual bravery to dissipate.

"You're awake." There was a gliding sound as he moved closer to her. If she turned around right now, she was sure that she would be able to reach out and touch his kimono, so close was their distance.

"...yeah." She replied softly.

Hijikata paused for a moment before moving to sit beside her. Neither person turned to face the other and instead looked toward the garden in front of them. For Shizue, her heartbeat had sped up for a reason unbeknownst to her, and goosebumps had laden themselves on her arms. She tried to still her thoughts but failed.

For Hijikata, his position beside the girl reminded him of the night he had seen her and Saito. Perhaps too an onlooker, he too would seem to have shed his bloodied blade. Maybe, even, he might have looked peaceful and not like a killer. A soldier.

"You know..." Shizue brought him out of his thoughts, "you didn't have to stay and wait for me to wake up. I wouldn't have died from a few burns like that." She turned to face the vice-captain, momentarily admiring his poignant beauty in the moonlight.

"It was my responsibility to look after you. And you got hurt. Of course I had to stay to make sure you woke up." His reply was simple, as if he expected her to have already known it. As if it was expected for him to do what he had done.

Shizue was hit with understanding. She felt a wave of empathy flow through her as the reality of the situation dawned itself on her.

"You feel guilty, because you could not save Sannan, and you could not save me." She let her words ring out in the air and continued to watch his face. Hijikata's expression never changed and his strength didn't waver. She was so sure she had broken through his shell, but the vice-captain stayed ever impassive and hard to read.

When he didn't reply, she turned back to face the garden and sighed. "Sorry. That was out of line for me to say."

At her words, the man turned to face her, trying to gauge her intent. Since her arrival at the headquarters he had not heard her apologise. And after reading him like an open book, she had shed the words of apology so genuinely. He could not imagine this to be the same girl who had fought the Rasetsu and who had run straight into a burning building.

There was a serenity about the girl who sat beside him, and she had the expression of someone who was faced with a difficult choice but had accepted her fate. To him, he could not see her making rash decisions akin to the ones she had made before. To him, he could only see a mental strength that had been wizened from experience.

To him, she was familiar.

"I can leave you, if you'd like. Sorry for prying." Shizue made to stand up, propping herself on one of her arms. Hijikata did not move but instead spoke softly.

"No, you may stay."

And so the girl sat back down and continued to gaze at the garden, illuminated by the moon. The beating of her heart had calmed and she was back to normal. The man beside her no longer caused her anxiety, as he had when she first woke up. Instead, she now acknowledged the complexity of his nature and allowed herself to accept it. Not all mysteries had to be solved upon discovery.

The two of them sat for a while, each wandering in their own thoughts but sharing together their solitude. When they finally headed off to bed, the other's presence was so familiar that neither had to say a word. They simply exchanged a look and went in their respective directions.

A/N

OMG. Hijikata and Shizue finally have a moment. Aren't you excited?

But don't worry, I'm not going to rush anywhere anytime soon. I haven't even started planning any romance for Shizue yet. It's just character interaction right now.

But I mean, who wouldn't be in awe of Hijikata after waking up and seeing him dozing off in your own room. *squeals*

But anyway! Until next time ^-^

Thank you~