I Was a Page Boy

by SakuraSamuraiGirl

We all know of the story of Tetsunosuke Ichimura and his life with the Shinsengumi. But here's a what if! What if Tetsunosuke was a Tetsunami force to pretend she was a boy to stay within the walls of the Shinsengumi. The Final Chapter

11. Chapter 11

I Was a "Page Boy"

January 13, 2007

By: SakuraSamuraiGirl

Disclaimer: Peacemaker and all its characters belong to the wonderful Nanae Chrono.

Summary: We all know of the story of Tetsunosuke Ichimura and his life with the Shinsengumi. But here's a

What if! What if Tetsunosuke was a Tetsunami force to pretend she was a boy to stay within the walls of the Shinsengumi?

I would like to thank you for the reviews and for your patience with me and this story;

"Saya, I'm so glad to see you again."

Tetsunami smiles gently and squeezes her close to her chest. Saya slowly smiles and embraces her back. Tetsunami sighs and looks down at Saya. Back in the room Heisuke smiles thoughtfully.

'What a cute little couple." He thought.

Hana comes out of the room and taps Tetsunami on the shoulder.

"Hey you two! Toudo-san has set up a room for ya' two!"

"A room, for the two of us!?" Tetsunami blinked.

"Uh huh! Oh, Saya you're so lucky to be with a cutie like Tetsunosuke!"

Saya snorts and begins to giggle. Hana stares at her confused. Tetsunami sighs and scratches behind her head.

"Hey, Hana. There's something that I gotta tell ya…promise not to freak out to much, kay'?"

Women laugh and cry out with delight. Men laugh and taunt one another as one of them men chase after the women in the room blindfolded. As they joked a young boy sits away from them. Suzu growls and tries to ignore what's going on around him. The door near him opens and Hana, with a face full of amazement, bows and looks at him.

"Er…ahem…I'm sorry but, Sister Akesato is tending to other customers."

"That was not the arrangement!"

"I'm sorry but the arrangement wasn't made at our office."

Suzu growls louder.

"Hey, asking for a woman by name for on your first time?"

The blindfolded man laughs and grabs Suzu.

"Haha! Gotcha'…huh why's you're stiff, hon…AGH!"

Suzu roughly removes himself from the man and gets up to leave the room.

"I'm only here under as my master's representative. Don't think I anything like you!"

Suzu walks away from the room and hears them talking about he sighs and continues down the corridor. He places a hand on his forehead and leans against a wall. He slides down and stay stills for while. He whimpers and covers his face with both hands. His face explodes into a glowing pink and whines again.

"Those guys got the wrong idea! There's no way I would fool around with these women!"

A thought comes to him and he looks up from his hands. Running in his thoughts were the memories of Tetsunami flashing before his eyes. How helpless she looked when she fell down that hill lying on her back, face flushed from the heat of the summer air and chasing after him, wild, red brown hair, soft pink lips and oh…her large brea….

"AGH, no, no, no! What am I thinking!?"

Suzu groans and bows his head. Laughter reaches his ears from across from him. He looks up.

"Where are you!?" A muffled voice calls out.

Suzu glares.

'They all get drunk and act like children!"

"NOW I GOT YOU!"

The door falls towards Suzu and he cries out. The door falls on him and Suzu breaks through it.

"Ow, that hurt!" His voice and another mimic.

Suzu opens his eyes and sees another pair of familiar brown eyes. Tetsunami gasps and then they both...

"AHHHHH!" They screamed pointing at each other.

Saya comes between and covers their mouths.

"What was that noise!?"

The three gasp and scramble back into the room.

"Uh…hey are you okay!"

"Yeah, I'm okay! Good thing nothing broke or anything!"

"Thank goodness for that, hahaha!"

There is silence for a moment and Tetsunami peeks around the doorway.

"Whew, they're gone."

Saya breathes a sigh of relief. Tetsunami grins and then looks back at Suzu.

"So, what are you doing here?"

"I can ask the same thing to you."

Tetsunami grumps and stares at him for a bit and smirks.

"What were you doing out in the hall? The ladies didn't find you man enough!"

Suzu starts.

"What!? Well, what about you!? Are you looking for work here?"

Tetsunami frowns and was about to smack him silly and yell at till she got an idea. She winks at Saya and Saya smiles back and giggles. Tetsunami crawls on all fours towards Suzu and smiles sweetly.

"Hmm, you got me! Some of the customers here kinda get a kick out of cross-dressing girls. Tell me…"

Suzu gulps and blinks at her as Tetsunami was inches away from his face with each hand resting on his knees. Apparently she was wearing some sort of cologne but mixed with her skin, Suzu thought she smelled very appealing. Suzu comes out of his scented dreamland and blushes as her overcoat slips off of one shoulder along with her shirt. She puckers out her lip and leans in.

"What kind of girl do you want me to be?"

Suzu forgot how to breathe and grips his shoulders tightly. Tetsunami smirks and instantly grabs and pulls his cheeks.

"Owowowow!"

Tetsunami throws back her head and laughs.

"Hahaha! Saya, did you see his face?!"

Saya was blushing and blinking at the display she just seen and quietly begins to giggle. Suzu blushes harder and pushes the laughing Tetsunami away from and gets up to leave.

"I'm going back! Sorry to interrupted you playtime."

Tetsunami and Saya instantly grabbed hold of Suzu's pant leg. Suzu looks down and blushes a little as two cute girls look up and smile sweetly at him.

"Aw, c'mon! I was only teasing, right Saya?"

Saya nods and tugs on his legs.

"Come join us, please."

Suzu sighs and nods.

"What do you want to?"

Tetsunami grins slyly and holds out a blindfold on the edge of her finger.

"Blindfolded tag, you're it!"

Tetsunami, Saya and Suzu played blindfolded many rounds of blindfolded tag. Tetsunami and Saya took turns in confusing and teasing Suzu. When Suzu actually grabbed one of them Tetsunami would call out the body part Suzu "touched" causing the poor boy to yell out she was liar until the blindfold was removed and some of the time Suzu actually did touched that part, mostly on Tetsunami. They finally wore one another out over the game and decided to calm done and play cards. Tetsunami was playing poorly.

"Geez, Saya! You're really schooling me!" Tetsunami whines.

"That's because you keep jumping at the wrong cards!"

Tetsunami yells Suzu and sighs.

"Man, all this playing around is making me thirsty. I wouldn't mind something to drink right now!"

Suzu and Saya rise up from sitting. Suzu gasps and stops.

"Uh..heh…I got up out of habit."

"You look like you can make a really good page."

"So you can tell, huh?"

"Really, I'm a page, too!"

"Seriously, to have someone like you for a page you're master must be a really mild-tempered old man! And a pervert."

Tetsunami giggles and shakes her head.

"No, he isn't any of those things! Well, maybe a pervert." She giggles. "Besides, he doesn't have any idea that I'm a girl!"

"What, he doesn't!?"

"Oh, please when you met me you fell for it didn't you! Until you saw my boobs!"

Suzu blushes and glances at them.

"Be quiet."

"Anyway, I'm the page of a really important guy…he's oh…uh…"

Tetsunami realizes that she isn't allowed to tell who she works for.

"Um…I just remembered uh! I can't really…He's really well known, honestly!" Tetsunami blushes.

"Whatever…well, not to brag or anything but, my master is a person I can't mention either and he doesn't go out very much."

"Hmph, suspicious!" She said in a sing-song voice.

Suzu smirks and looks at her.

"Like you're master isn't!"

Tetsunami smiles and leans back on her hands.

"Hey, is you're name a secret?"

Suzu shakes his head and looks at her.

"My name is Suzu Kimura."

"Suzu…that's a cute name."

Outside, Saya returns with tea, candy and snacks. She pauses and listens to the two giving one another their names. Suzu blushes at Tetsunami's comment.

"My name's Tetsunami Ichimura."

"You have a cute name, too, Tetsunami."

Tetsunami blushes. Suzu's eyes widen a little and smiles softly at her.

"It goes well with you're cute face."

Tetsunami gasps and blushes more.

"You know, the more you blush the cuter you get."

"Shut up! You're cuter when you blush, too…oh crap!" Tetsunami slaps her hands over mouth.

Suzu takes her hands from her mouth and holds them. Tetsunami stares up into Suzu face.

"Suzu…"

Suzu brings his head forward and their lips touch. Saya blushes and tries not laugh. Suzu pulls away but Tetsunami grabs his arms and pulls him back and kisses him harder. Suzu makes a surprise sound but kisses her back. When they were done they looked into each other's eyes.

"Wow…"

"Yeah…"

"You're first, Suzu?"

"Yeah…"

Tetsunami smiles sweetly and wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him. Suzu returns her hug and buries his nose into her neck.

"Tetsunami…"

Saya smiles and walks in. She makes a soft sound. Tetsunami and Suzu start and pull away from each other.

"Oh, hi Saya…we were just…uh…"

Saya giggles and makes a kissy face. Tetsunami blushes growls at her.

"Stop it, Saya!"

Saya looks to Suzu who was blushing madly. She sets the tray down and sets it up while giving them knowing glances.

"Uh, Suzu…um…what's your…uh…master like?"

"W-what? What's he like..uh…he's uh…let me think here…he wraps his strong body in a black kimono."

'Black kimono?'

"His black hair flow behind him playing the wind! Handsome, piercing black eyes with a penetrating gaze!

'Piercing eyes!?'

"There's not a woman in this city who wouldn't want to be with him!" Suzu beams proudly.

Tetsunami blinks.

'Man, our masters are really alike!'

Tetsunami sighs and grins at Suzu.

"You sound like you really like you master, Suzu."

Suzu looks back at Tetsunami.

"Is it the same for you?"

Tetsunami shrugs and picks at her pants.

"Well, he is handsome, like you're master. I did have a little crush on him especially when his…uh, friend told me that he thought I was cute. Sometimes he a little harsh we me but, I think he sort likes having me around. Sometimes I'm afraid that if he ever finds out I'm a girl that he would be very upset."

Suzu looks out her with concern. He touches her hand and smiles at her.

"I don't think he'll be too upset. Surprised, yes, but he won't hate you for it. Besides, it was you're older brother's idea. I think he would be most upset with him than with you."

Tetsunami smiles and nods.

"Yeah, maybe, thanks Suzu."

Tetsunami kisses his cheek. Suzu touches one side of her cheek and kisses her lips. Tetsunami sighs and kisses back. Saya covers her mouth and watches them in wonder. Behind Saya Tatsunosuke appears and his mouth drops open seeing his baby sister kissing a boy that was somewhat familiar.

"Oh…my…god….TETSUUUUUU!"

Tetsunami screams and pushes away from Suzu.

"TATSU!"

"OHMYGODYOU'REHEREINSHIMABARAKISSINGBOYINEVERSEENBEFOREMYSISTERVIRGINTIY….OHMYGODHASYOURVIRGINITYBEENTAKEN!!!"

Tetsunami's face was flaming red with embarrassment. Saya's face was red with Tatsunosuke's words. Suzu was sweating bullets.

'Oh my god, that's her older brother! He looks like he's about to snap…'

Suzu slowly begins to crawl away. Tatsunosuke snaps his attention on to Suzu. Suzu jumps and whimpers.

"Uh…hello…Ichimura-san…um…"

"YOU!!!"

"me?"

"YOU…"

"Tatsu! Don't you dare!" Yelled Tetsunami.

Tatsunosuke lets out a war cry and tries to tackle Suzu to wring his neck. Suzu scrambles out of the way and makes a break for the door. But, Tatsunosuke, with his adrenaline pumping, was faster and caught Suzu around his throat. Tetsunami and Saya immediately grab Tatsunosuke and with time pulled him off of Suzu. Suzu gasps for air and coughs.

"Tatsu, are you insane!? We just kissed that's all!"

Tatsunosuke cries out and then collapses in a heap onto the ground. Everyone stares at him for awhile. Tetsunami sets in from of him and shakes him.

"Tatsu?"

Tatsunosuke's body begins to shake. He slowly wraps his arms around Tetsunami's waist and then he begins to sob.

"How can you do this to me, Tetsu! How can you come to such a place with out telling you guardian!?"

Suzu watches him and his eye soften as Tetsunami sighs and gently places her brother's head in her lap and pets the top of his head with one hand and twists his ponytail in another.

"Tatsu…"

"If it all came down to it, I was ready to slight my stomach and apologize to mother and father in the world beyond!" He sobbed.

Tetsunami sighs again and rolls her eyes,

"Tatsu…I'm okay. My virginity it still intact…don't you laugh Saya!"

Saya snorts and covers her mouths to stifle the giggles.

"Saya!"

Tatsunosuke rises up from her lap and sniffs. He looks at Suzu and Suzu flinches was preparing to make another run for it.

"Hey, wait…we have met before! Yeah, you're the boy that help my sister with her ankle and led her out of the forest back to me!"

"Y-yes sir."

Tatsunosuke lets out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank goodness, so, you're not a bad kid! I wanted to thank you for dealing with my hard-headed sister. I hope she wasn't much trouble."

"Uh, no…she wasn't…AH!"

Tatsunosuke sternly looks at him and lowers his voice.

"I'm glad that you helped my sister and all, but I hope you don't do anything to her more than kiss! I don't want to an uncle early! Got it!"

"Y-yes sir!"

"Tatsu, what are you saying to him!?"

"Oh, uh, just giving him some rules. Uh, what's her name?"

"Heh, this is Saya! We've met a long time ago before I met Suzu!"

"Please to meet you. Thank you both for helping my poorly raised sister!"

"What do you mean poorly raised!? You're the one who raised me!"

Suzu's eyes widen and he bolts up straight from the ground. Tetsunami looks up at him and stares.

"Suzu, what is it?" Tetsunami asks.

A cold presence fills the room and everyone turns towards the door. In the doorway was a tall man in black. He lifts a finger at Tetsunami. Tetsunami gasps and clutches herself.

"Suzu, get away from there! You'll be tainted!"

Tetsunami's eyes snap open from a horrible dream. She dreamed of fire, her father lying dead and her mother singing stroking her had a dark figure brings down her sword upon her. Tetsunami whimpers and curls up in a ball.

"Mother…" Tetsunami whispers.

'That man…he feels…just like…' Tetsunami's voice quivers.

She buries her face in her hands and cries. Yamanami watches her tremble in her bedding. He turns and holds his chin in concern and slowly leaves. Tetsunami cries and tosses and turns in her bed for hours. Soon it was evening and Tetsunami stares up at the ceiling. Her thoughts turn on Suzu. When the man ordered Suzu to leave Suzu immediately without hesitation left and followed his master out. Tetsunami watched him leave with a pain her heart but when Suzu looked back at her his face was sad. Tetsunami touches her lips as she remembers the kisses that were exchanged before the man came to take him away. She sighs and sits up.

'If I ever see Suzu again…I have to ask…I have to ask him about his master…but I hope…I hope that it doesn't ruin what we had just started. Even if it does…I'm willingly to suffer for it. I just have to be sure.'

Tetsunami leaves her closet and walks out of the sleeping quarters into the night. As she closes the door behind her she sees a beautiful woman in a kimono walking out. The woman stops and turns to look at her.

'Could that be…Yamazaki?'

"Yamazaki!"

The woman stares at her and Tetsunami becomes confused.

"Uh?"

"Tetsunosuke?"

Tetsunami jumps in surprise and grins sheepishly.

"Um, no, never mind, sorry."

"No,no!" The woman shifts her hair about and smiles. "Ta da!"

"Ayu-nee!?"

Tetsunami and Ayumu set out on the walkway and talk.

"Oh, I see, so what you're doing is tag team with you brother. You two acting out the same woman or something, huh? Wow, you know you two can pass as twins. But, he wears more makeup than you do."

"What are you trying to say!? He's more of a doll than me!?"

"No, ew, of course not! What have you been…"

"Hold it right there young lady! I got's some questions I need to ask you."

"Oh, okay."

"What's wrong with you today? You haven't eaten at all!?"

"I've been thinking for it bit. Can I do that!?" Tetsunami pouts.

"Hmph, if you're going to take that tone with me I should of given that little helping of dinner that I saved for ya' to the dogs."

Tetsunami smiles sheepishly and scratches behind her head.

"Oh, I'm sorry Ayu-nee. Um, can I some?"

Ayumu smiles.

"Envy you and brother. How you can say what you mean to one another. I don't won't you thinking to much over complicated things. I if you need solve somethin' be honest with yourself and go through with it. Anything else it would against your lively character of your's."

Ayumu ruffle Tetsunami's hair. Tetsunami giggles and begins to laugh.

"Huh, what's so funny?"

"You're really are just like a big sister, Ayu-nee!"

Ayumu gasps and stares at Tetsunami as she beams up at her. For a moment she sees a glimpse of her brother when he was young. She reaches out for Tetsunami and hugs her tightly.

"Tetsunami! I beg you; even it's just a little bit. I want you to be friends with Susumu. Having fights with him and cheering up. I feel that you're the only one who could do that. Teach how to live life and be happy. How to have fun. I want you teach him all those thing I couldn't teach him in my place!"

Ayumu begins to cry. Tetsunami looks up at Ayumu and slowly wraps her arms around her.

"I promise Ayu-nee."

Tetsunami was back to her usual self again performing her chores at top notch. She thought back to what Suzu said about liking their masters and wanted to learn to like Hijikata a little more. Tetsunami was feeding and giving the pigs a little attention when she saw Shinpachi and Sanosuke go out. They wave at her and she waves back.

"I have fun patrolling you two!" She shouts and turns to wash up.

Sanosuke and Shinpachi grin as she goes.

"He's so cute!" Sanosuke chuckles.

"Careful, Sano you're starting to sound like Heisuke."

A lot of the men were fond of little Tetsunami. They couldn't help themselves but watch her work when they could. They all joked about how silly it was mooning over little pageboy. Tetsunami was in the training hall straightening things out. She turns towards and smiles.

"Do you need laundry done?"

"Yeah, I left it out there!"

"Got it!"

"What's this you're awfully lively?"

Tetsunami grins happily and shrugs. She left a few of the men blushing.

'So cute…for a boy!' They thought.

Tetsunami was carrying out the laundry when she heard a soft laugh. She looks out and sees Souji out reading outside.

"Hey, Okita-san! Why are you so happy?"

"Oh, doing some reading. It's a collection of haiku, but it's a real riot!"

"Oh, haiku, huh so who wrote them? You?"

Souji laughs.

"Wrong!"

"Aww, can I read one haiku! Please, please?"

Tetsunami gives Souji her puppy face. Souji laughs and shakes his head.

"Alright, alright, I'll make this one little exception just for you."

Souji snaps the book shut and a stern look comes on his face.

"Truth is that this book contains many secrets of the Shinsengumi. If anything of this slips out heads will roll!"

Tetsunami drops the laundry in her arms in fright and begins to tremble. Souji stares at her for awhile then laughs out loud.

"Hahahaha! Aw, c'mon now Tetsu I was kidding…goodness you look like you're about to wet your pants any minute now…"

"Hougyoku Haiku Collection…who's 'Hougyouku'?"

Saizo snorts and looks at Tetsunami. Souji nudges her.

"Oh who care and turn the page already!"

Together Tetsunami and Souji flip from page to page reading aloud haiku.

"In a run down shack it is most cold, I see the spring moon!"

"Ha, ha! I'm sure it's going to cold in shack! Ha ha ha!" She laughs.

"Every single one is just hilarious! So who's the guy who wrote this, Okita-san!?"

"Well…that would be…"

"That would be what?"

"ggggGGGWARRRRRR!!!!"

"Huh, what was that?"

"Uh, Tetsu, could you do me a favor!?"

"W-what! Hey what are you doing!? Wait a minute!"

"Souji!"

Hijikata looks around and spots Tetsunami outside. Tetsunami begins to shake in fear.

"Damn, he got away."

"Um, Hijikata-san…?"

"Did he read it to you!?" Hijikata growled.

"What!?"

"The haiku!" Hijikata snarled lifting his sword.

"So, that means…the collection of haiku were written by you…"

"SOUJI! COME OUT AND GIVE ME MY COLLECTION OF HAIKU RIGHT NOW!"

"Uh, I gotta go and continue my page duties…excuse me, please."

"Ichimura…they way you're walking is kind of pecuiliar?"

"O-oh you think s-so?"

"It looks like you got something in your shirt there, Ichimura?"

'Ohnoohnoohnoohno! This is bad, very bag! If Hijikata-san sticks his hand down my shirt, he's going to find something more than haiku!"

"Let's have a quick look…of what you got THERE! AGH!"

Souji comes from out of nowhere and tackles Hijikata to ground. Tetsunami turns.

"Run, Tetsu! I'll hold onto Hijikata! You must run and take that collection of haiku and run to the ends of the earth!"

"Souji, dammit! Let go!"

"Okita-san!?"

"Go, hurry!"

Tetsunami runs away leaving behind Hijikata. Hijikata struggles and kicks Souji off him and takes off after her after she had been gone for a distance. After a little while of running a thought came to Tetsunami.

"Hang on, why am I the one running with this stupid thing?"

"How dare you call it 'this stupid thing'!"

'Oh, yeah! I remember now!'

"Aaaahh!"

"Give it back to me!"

Tetsunami runs out of headquarters.

"Someone help, he's going to kill me!"

Out of nowhere the man with the sunglasses and dreadlocks runs up beside Hijikata laughing gaily!

'Who the hell is this!?' Growled Hijikata.

The man snickers and takes off with Hijikata racing beside him.

"You should watch you back partner, hahahaha!"

Tetsunami stops and blinks.

"That idiot vice commander just took off!"

Tetsunami shakes her head.

"Okay, I safe for a little while, thanks to guy. That Okita is so mean leaving me with this!"

"Hey, puppy boy!"

Tetsunami sees Shinpachi and Sanosuke.

"Hey! What you got there?"

"There was a farm not to far down the road and was giving away some of his vegetables."

"That's great! I can try to make you guys dinner tonight!"

"Huh? You make dinner?" Sanosuke asks.

"Why not!? Ayu-nee taught me a thing or two. And living with my older brother's cooking for me to cook on my so, yeah!"

"Sounds good to me." Shinpachi grins. "By the way what's that in you hands?"

"This it's uh haiku…"

"Can I see?"

Shinpachi flips through a few pages and reads it with Sanouske. Suddenly they burst out laughing.

"Are these good or bad or what?! They're so nonsensical I can hardly tell!" Sanouke bellows.

"'Though you have one bloom…Sano, my heart's melting, hahahaha!"

Tetsunami groans and bows her head.

'Why did I give it to them!? Stupid!'

"Tetsu, these are some really nice poems. Can you tell me the meaning of them?"

"What, I didn't write those!"

"If you tell us what they mean we can get a better understanding of them and give you a critique!"

Tetsunami begins to shiver and points behind.

"uh…uh…uh…uh…."

"You want to know, what does haiku mean!?" A voice growls.

Shinpachi and Sanosuke freeze and slowly turned their head to see and flaming angry Hijikata.

"Well, do ya'!?" Hijikata growls.

"Wait, don't tell me…is he…"

"That's what I'be been trying to tell you!" Tetsunami shouts.

"Is that what you want to here from me!" Hijikata screams.

They all turned tail and ran away from Hijikata.

"What the hell's going on!?"

"How should I know!?"

"This is Hijikata-san's collection of haiku!"

"What! Why didn't you tell us!"

"Come back here you bastards!"

Shinpachi loses his grip on the vegetables and drops them.

"Ack, I lost the vegetables!" He cried out.

Hijikata's foot steps onto a potato.

"Aaaaah!"

He slips and falls on his back in a daze.

"Oh, no!"

"Now we done!"

They looked at each other and quickly left Hijikata behind.

They run throughout the city into the alleys.

"Hey, Tetsu. We need to split up. You go right; we'll go left!"

"Got it!"

Tetsunami takes off down the directed path back to the Shinsengumi. On her way there she couldn't help but slightly hear a cry out for someone's mother.

Tetsunami arrives back the headquarters and rests on her hands and knees as she catches her breath.

"Oh, you've been able to keep the haiku safe from Hijikata-san! Good work!"

"Okita-san!"

"You must be tired."

Souji takes the book from Tetsunami, places it between and with one hand takes her hand and the other cups her cheek.

"Tetsunosuke."

"Okita-san…" Tetsunami blushes.

"Tetsu…" Souji leans forward.

"Okita-sa…"

THUMP!

"Huh!?"

They both turn to see Shinpachi on the ground in exhaustion.

"please…forgive us…"

Sanosuke stumbles forward and lands on top of him.

"Ichimura!"

Tetsunami gasps as Hijikata limps towards her.

"Ichimura!"

"Uh, here you go Tetsu, I don't want it anymore! See ya'!" He laughs and leaves.

"Ooooh, that's just cruel!"

"Ichi…mura…agh…"

Hijikata collapses on the ground. A few feet away, Yamanami shakes his head and flicks a bead across his abacus.

"Hmm. Hijiakta, 1; Tetsunosuke, 3…"

"Tatsu!"

Tatsunosuke rushes out the door and looks down to see Tetsunami on the ground with a book in her hand.

"Here, take it!"

"What is it!?"

"Give it back! My secret treasure…"

"Run, Tatsu! I beg of you…"

"Give it…"

"Here you go," Tatsunosuke hands over the book. "now please, sir, regain your composure!"

"Thank you."

"Aww, Tatsu, you not only betrayed me but Okita-san as well!"

"Is that so, huh?

Tatsunosuke grabs Tetsunami's shirts and screams.

"What about you, huh! Is it okay for you to betray your master!?"

Tetsunami grimaces and blushes in embrassment.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to Hijikata-san."

Tetsunami bows her head and sighs.

"Okay."

Tetsunami lets out a large sigh and wipes her brow and looks down. Before her was dinner of the vegetables that Shinpachi and Sanosuke had brought; including the ones that were stepped on by Hijikata. She sets it up in the dining hall and serves everyone. The men were a bit reluntant.

"You made this puppy boy?"

Tetsunami pouts and places her hands on her hips.

"Yes, I did. Would you rather Shinpachi make it!?"

They all shuddered and remembered the last time Shinpachi volunteered to cook when Ayumu was sick with a cold. Shinpachi growls and tells Tetsunami to be quiet. Heisuke takes the bowl and takes a bite of it and chews. The others look at him carefully. Tears start pouring down Heisuke's face and he sobs.

"This…this…"

Heisuke reaches out and grabs Tetsunami in a crushing hug!

"This is the most delicious meal I ever tasted! It almost mimics Ayu's!"

"Ow, let go! You're hurting me!"

Heisuke lets go of her and returns to eating. Tetsunami regains her breath and softly smiles at him with a slight blush.

"Thank you, Heisuke-kun."

Heisuke stares at her for a moment blushing.

'He called me "Heisuke-kun"!' He thought happily.

Encouraged, everyone began to eat and once they tasted it began to devour it and thank Tetsunami. Tetsunami blushes and receives the praises humbly and turns to serve the commander and vice commander. She serves the commander with a smile and slowly approaches Hijikata who was smoking his pipe heavily. She swallows a nervous lump in her throat and sets his meal beside him.

"I'm very sorry, Hijikata-san. I guess I got up with Okita-san."

She becomes silent for a moment and laughs lightly.

"But, you were kind of funny! I didn't think you would react that way. I was still feeling a little down and you and Okita-san made me feel a whole lot better. Thank you, Hijikata-san."

Tetsunami bows and leaves the room. Kondo smiles affectionately at the door Tetsunami walked out of.

"What a nice boy that little Tetsunosuke is. If he was a girl I would of named her my granddaughter!"

Hijikata snorts and removes his pipe from his mouth and glances at the meal Tetsunami prepared.

"This is excellent, Toshi! You should try while it's still hot!" Kondo called out.

Hijikata sighs, takes the bowl and eats. His brows arch up and he takes another bite.

'It really is pretty good. I guess being in the kitchen helping Ayumu was useful.'

Hijikata smiles softly sets down his food to take his collection of haiku from his shirt. He opens his book and begins to tremble. Kondo notices this and stares.

"Uh…what's the matter, Toshi?"

"Souji…..!" Hijikata hisses.

In his hands was not his collection of haiku but sketches of starring Souji's pet, Saizo.

"DAMMIT YOU THINK YOU CAN PULL A FAST ONE OF ME AND GET AWAY WITH!!!!"

To be continued….

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