Imposter

Chapter 7

Tetsu stood over the beheaded body of Kichisaburo, while he stood panting. He threw down the sword onto his body and turned to a very injured blood soaked Okita.

"Are you going to be ok?" asked Okita to Tetsu as Tetsu helped him up out of the yard and back to the headquarters of the Shinsengumi.

"I will be fine," said Tetsu as he threw Okita a smile.

Okita smiled weakly as the blood from his wounds left a trail where he had walked.

Within fifteen minutes, both had successfully made it back to the dojo, leaving their fallen sliced and diced comrades behind.

"Okita!" said Mr. Hijikata as he ran over to his comrades' side. He helped Tetsu with Okita as he allowed Okita to put some of his weight on him.

"Tetsu, I am relieved to see that you are safe," said Hijikata.

"The imposter?" said Hijikata looking at Tetsu.

"He's dead as are almost all of our comrades," said Okita as he started to cough up blood again.

"Easy Souji," said Hijikata as the Shinsengumi medic came running from around the corner.

"He's in a bad way," said the medic as he applied a clean cloth to Okita's open cuts to stop the bleeding.

"These sword wounds are some of the worst you have had. I'm surprised to see you wounded at all Mr. Okita," said the medic.

"You are going to need stitches," said the medic as two members of another squad lifted Okita off his feet and into the operating room.

Tetsu watched Okita being carried to the makeshift operating room while Tatsu, who had been worried sick about his younger brother, hugged him and led him to the wash room to let Tetsu bathe off the blood.

Tetsu was badgered with a hundred questions by Tatsu.

"Tatsu, please. I'm fine. See me here? I'm alive, with all limbs attached," said Tetsu as he washed away the blood and sat letting his cuts heal with the hot water that the fire had made so soothing.

Tetsu closed his eyes as he allowed himself to relax after that entire ordeal he had been through.

"I can't believe I killed again," whispered Tetsu.

"Was Mr. Hijikata right? Am I on my way to becoming a demon? A soulless killing machine with no reference to life and death, right or wrong?" he asked himself.

"I'll think about it later," said Tetsu as he got his naked body wrapped up in a towel and exited the wash room, where Tatsu carried him into their room, waiting for Tetsu to get into his sleeping yukata.

"Tatsu?" asked Tetsu.

"You need something?" asked Tatsu.

"Can I please sleep next to you in your futon tonight please?" asked Tetsu as his eyes welled up with tears.

"Sure," said Tatsu as he hugged his brother.

Mr. Hijikata had seen the two boys and watched from a distance.

"I am going to have to have a chat with him," said Mr. Hijikata as he turned and left the corner from which he watched the scene unfold on.

Tatsu let Tetsu visit Okita, who was sleeping soundly in his room.

Tetsu took Okita's hand in his and squeezed it tight, not daring to look at the bandages that covered his freshly stitched together skin.

"Thank you," said Tetsu as tears fell from his eyes and landed on Okita's hand. Tetsu got up and exited the room quietly to not wake Okita.

After the shoji door shut, Okita opened his eyes and smiled.

"You're welcome," said Okita then he shut his eyes and let sleep take him.

Tetsu and Tatsu got 2 futons ready and together cuddled close.

Tatsu could feel Tetsu's body shaking like a leaf in the wind.

"It's ok Tetsu," said Tatsu as he rocked Tetsu back and forth trying to calm his brother down.

"I'm here. Nothing is going to happen to you. You are safe. There is a bunch of security patrolling the boarder to this place. Rest now," said Tatsu as he continued to rock his brother like his parents had done for them both when they were both little boys. He kept rocking his brother until indeed Tetsu was fast asleep.

Tatsu stayed with his brother for 2 days while Tetsu slept without waking once. Not for food. Nor to use the bathroom. He just cuddled up in his brothers' lap.

His breath came is short and long breaths, signaling he was having a restful non nightmarish dreams

Sano and Shinpachi were kind enough to bring food for Tatsu as he watched over his brother who had for the past two days slept very soundly, not making a peep.

"He sure is sleeping a lot," whispered Sano as he and his friend Shinpachi walked away from the brothers.

"No kidding you big dope. Tetsu was put through hell. I'd probably sleep for 2 months if I had to endure what he did," said Shinpachi as both he and Sano walked over to the training hall to watch other members practice their sword skills.

"Tetsu, you will be fine. You have guardian angels watching over you," said Tatsu as he continued his watch.

"Sweet dreams my little brother," said Tatsu.

THE END