A/N: mostly Souji in this chapter, folks. just to let you know. other than that, enjoy!

disclaimer: i don't own Hakuouki; Kawa belongs to me.

Chapter 10: Fading, Bleeding Sakura

He made a face.
I exhaled patiently and placed the cup of soup next to him. "You're gonna have to eat it sometime." I declared, crossing my arms at my chest.

He lowered his gaze before looking up at me. "You look really beautiful in that haori." He mused, indicating my uniform haori.

I blushed slightly and huffed, smiling gently. "Shut up and eat your soup." I scolded, knowing he was only paying compliments because he was trying to worm his way out of eating the soup.

Souji smiled softly at me, lifting a hand to rub the back of his neck. "Geez, every time I look at ya, ya act more like Hijikata-san." He griped.

I blinked before lifting a hand to scritch the back of my head. "Bakkero, don't lump me together with him." I grumbled.
He laughed lightly, perking my ears; my eyes softened.

It'd been a while since I'd heard him laugh.

He started coughing again, putting his handkerchief to his cover his mouth; I moved forward to rub his back soothingly, feeling his shoulders shake slightly.

"I-I'm alright, Kawa-chan," he managed, pulling the handkerchief away from his mouth to look down at the small wad of blood that stained the white cloth.

I winced slightly and shook my head, resting my cheek on his shoulder. "Don't lie to me like that," I scolded.
Souji glanced up at me and quieted, lifting his hand to run his fingers through my hair. "It's a wonder yer not a better nurse," he muttered.

I smirked slightly and pressed my cheek to his shoulder. "Because nurses don't brain their patients for not listenin'." I quipped.
He chuckled. "That a threat?" He wondered.

I smiled and shook my head. "Not today." I replied.
He sighed. "Yer no fun." He seemed to pout.

I rolled my eyes and poked his cheek, lifting the cup of soup. "It's not gonna kill you." I mused.

Souji eyed the soup before he sighed in defeat. "If ya weren't so damn beautiful, I'd say no." He grumbled, taking the cup from my hands and sipping some of the warm liquid.

I smiled gently at him. "Of course you would." I mused, leaning forward to kiss his cheek lightly before I pulled away to get to my feet.

He looked up at me before taking another sip. "Where're you off to?" He wondered as I fixed the haori and pulled it onto my shoulders.
I looked at him and smiled lightly. "Nii-san asked me to patrol with Hajime." I shrugged.

Souji huffed quietly to himself and sipped the soup. "Ya've been spending a lot of time with him; he's not treating you bad is he? I'd have to kill him if he is." He wondered.

I nodded and pursed my lips. "He's treating me fine, Souji. Don't worry; I can look out for myself." I assured him.

He looked up at me with one green eye and seemed unamused. "Yeah, I've heard that one before. Need I remind you of the Masuya raid?" He pointed out.

My cheeks burned slightly and I huffed. "Shut up, that was a fluke." I grumbled.
He looked at me and his eyes softened. "Ya look really beautiful when you blush." He mused.

I scratched the back of my head in frustration. "Shut up," I scolded.

Souji laughed quietly. "Get moving then, she-wolf." He teased, perking my ears.
I looked at him, feeling my cheeks warm up. "Damn that Hajime," I grumbled, looking away shyly.

"It really suits you, actually. It beats 'warrior princess'; ta be honest, you do resemble a wolf, sometimes." He noted calmly, sipping the soup.

I looked at him again. "Y'really think so?" I wondered quietly.
"Mm-hm. Keep decking guys with that sucker punch of yours and that name will stick." He mused lightly.

I smiled softly, kneeling next to him to hug his neck; he put the cup down and held onto me, hugging my waist.

"What's that for?" He wondered in my shoulder.
I pulled away to ruffle his hair. "Because that was the nicest compliment you've ever told me." I said with a shrug.

Souji's cheeks warmed slightly and he huffed, smirking at me. "Keep hugging me and I'll make you stay here in bed with me for the rest of the day," he warned teasingly.

I rolled my eyes and pulled out of his arms. "Letch." I chided.

He chuckled, smiling at me. "Don't get in over your head out there. Otherwise I really will hafta kill Hajime-kun for letting it happen." He advised.

I nodded and straightened to my feet, smiling at him again before heading to the door. "Stop worryin' and finish your soup. I really will hafta brain ya if you don't finish it." I warned nonchalantly over my shoulder, sliding the door open.

Souji chuckled softly. "I will, She-wolf of Mibu." He teased gently.

I glanced back at him and winked before stepping out into the cold December afternoon and closing the door behind my leave, walking down the pathway.

Something bad was going to go down.
I could feel it in my bones and it made me shiver.

I stepped out of the meeting room, being met with the chilly nighttime air; I shivered again and pulled my haori closer, trotting down the pathway.

Souji.

My feet picked up the pace as I sprinted to his room.
I don't know why I felt like I had to see him, this late at night; but something was wrong this time.

If anything happened to him… A pair of red sneering eyes flashed in my mind.

My teeth clenched together.

Damn that Kazama. Damn him back to hell!

I skidded to a halt short of rounding the corner near his room, hearing him throw the door open as he sounded like he stumbled inside.

Souji.

I looked down at my hands to see they were shaking; they balled into fists, my knuckles turning white from the tightness.

"I… can still fight!" His muffled voice sounded, perking my ears.

I clucked my tongue and rushed forward.
"Souji!" I declared alertly as I stopped short of his doorway; my eyes widened as he was drinking something from inside a small vial.

Those red eyes…

"Souji, NO!" I exclaimed, watching the vial drop to the floor.
He cried out in pain, doubling over and holding onto his neck.

"Souji," I rushed to his side, holding onto his back. "Souji, are you alright?" I asked worriedly, looking down at him and hating that Kazama bastard with each second.

His eyes seemed to widen as I gasped slightly; his hair color shifted to the color of snow, and I saw that his canines sharpened.
"Souji," I said softly, pulling away as he sat straight.

He looked at me with red eyes; I widened my eyes slightly.
The image of that first Fury I'd seen three years ago flashed in my mind when I looked into his red eyes that replaced his beautiful green eyes.

My hand shook as I reached for the hilt of my katana at my hip.
He grabbed my hand, surprising me; I met his red eyes again.

He shoved me away so I crashed into the wall; I grimaced and sank against it, my head spinning as I heard the rustling of clothes before his footsteps left the room.

His teasing smiles appeared in my mind.
That day after the Ikedaya incident flashed by.

"I swear that I'll protect you, Kawa." His voice sounded like a growl.

I shook out of it, looking around the room to see he was gone.
"Souji," I looked down at my katana and closed my eyes tightly.

I sprinted out of the room after his leave, vainly praying that I could find him before he did something stupid.
"Kawa-chan!" I skidded to a halt at seeing I was passing by the well, meeting the brown eyes of Chizuru.

"Chizuru," I began, seeing her eyes look down at my katana I held in hand; they lifted up to meet my gaze.

"What's wrong?" She asked.
I shook my head. "It's Souji." I replied.

Her eyes widened before she nodded; she dropped the bucket and trotted to my side as I kept running.
"Is he alright?" She wondered.

I lowered my gaze, my hand gripping the katana. "No, I think he's in trouble. Come on." I said, perking up as we almost ran into Sannan-san and Heisuke.

"Heisuke, Sannan-san, what the hell's going on?" I asked, looking to the both of them for an answer.

"They're just trying to challenge us." Heisuke answered, indicating the gunshots I'd vaguely listened to in the distance.
"Just now Okita-san ran out by himself!" Chizuru informed them, surprising both Fury.

"Let's go," I declared, taking off at a sprint into the darkness.
Chizuru ran to fall back at my side as Heisuke joined us.

Souji, please don't do anything stupid!

::::::::::oOo:::::::::::

"Souji!"

"Okita-san!"

I could blearily see his silhouette in the mist; I gritted my teeth and willed my feet to go faster, feeling relieved that he wasn't hurt.

"Kawa, stay away!" He shouted at me, perking my ears.
He ran forward.

"Souji!" I declared.
Two gunshots went off into the night air.

"NO!" I screamed.

He stood tall infront of one of the alleyways for a long agonizing moment before sinking to his knees.

"Souji!"

"Okita-san!"

I dove forward, catching him in my arms as he fell backward, feeling hot tears threaten to fall down my cheeks as I gathered him to my chest.
"Souji, please," I cried, looking down at him.

He cracked open an eye, a smirk making his lips twitch. "I said I'd protect you," he reminded weakly.

The tears fell down my cheeks; I clenched my teeth and heard a strangled whimper in the back of my throat. "You're such an idiot." I croaked.
He limply raised a hand to my cheek. "Don't cry, okay? Not for me…" He pleaded before his eyes closed and he fell unconscious.

I closed my eyes tightly and buried my face into his hair, holding him to my chest as I heard Chizuru and Heisuke come forward.

"Osaka?" I looked up at my brother.

He met my gaze and nodded. "Otherwise, he won't heal from those silver bullets." He replied.

I looked down at Souji and nodded slightly, lowering a hand to stroke his brown hair. "You'd better come back from this, or I'll never forgive you for it." I whispered quietly.

"Kawa-chan, maybe you should rest," Chizuru began quietly.

I looked up at her and nodded slightly again. "Yeah," I replied, smiling weakly before I straightened to my feet and opened the door.
My eyes flew down to Souji's sleeping form before I exited and slammed the door behind me, walking away to go to my own room.

Once I got to my room, I all but screamed my head off.
My fists slammed into the pillow as I let the angered tears fall, damning those ronin, damning Kazama, damning the Satcho bastards that started this whole mess.

I buried my face into the futon, closing my eyes tightly. "Why did you protect me, Souji?" I demanded into the mattress, sniffing and holding the pillow to my chest.

Someone knocked on my door outside. "Kawa?" I heard his familiar voice ask quietly.

I lifted my head and rubbed my nose gingerly. "It's open," I replied, my voice sounding hoarse to my own ears.

Hajime slid the door open, closing it behind his entrance.
I sat up and wiped the tears from my cheeks, sniffing. "Hajime," I said in slight surprise, wondering why he of all people had come to see me.

He lowered his gaze slightly, looking at the pillow. "I just came to see if you were alright," he said quietly.
I lowered my gaze as well and shrugged. "I've had better." I replied.

He quieted and reached for my hand; I looked down at his hand and squeezed it in mine, looking up at him before I leaned forward to hug him.

Hajime held me, letting me cry into his shoulder.

I sniffed and pulled away a little in his arms to meet his blue eyes. "Hajime," I began softly.
He brushed the tears away, looking at me curiously. "What is it?" He asked.

I blushed slightly and smiled at him. "I love you." I said quietly, catching him off guard.

His blue eyes widened slightly before they softened a moment later; he gently pulled me into another hug, holding me close to his chest.
I felt the blush warm my cheeks again and smiled, resting my cheek on his shoulder.

"I love you, too." He replied, perking my ears.

I nodded a little, closing my eyes contently.

I love you, Saitou Hajime. Don't ever leave me.

A/N: just an FYI, this is before the final battle at Toba-Fushimi in Shinsengumi Kitan. yay, last episode of the first season! lol yeah that kinda sounds retarded.. anyway~ the Kawa/Hajime ship is still set sail! just a reminder.

you guys know the drill, yeah? review please; thanks~