January 1877
The west was at war with another rebellion in Satsuma this time. Funny, since they were the ones who opposed the Bakufu in the first place and created this new government. Yet, they were disgruntled with the new reforms, the choices about opening the country to westerns and their culture, the ban of the swords... A Satsuma leader visibly gathered a lot of samurai in Kagoshima under the pretexte of an academy. That was actually to prepare an armed militia, an army to oppose the government. A navy was sent to oppose them and take back the control of the west.
That's what Souji told Haruhi, reassuring her that this rebellion, like the previous ones, would probably be crushed in weeks. There was no need for him to depart in the west, even if he wouldn't mind a bit of action. Yet, Haruhi prefered him not to have action and to stay here with her instead of getting a chance to get killed. Souji just shrugged, telling her that she'd just have to go and pick him up again, no big deal.
Katsu was growing strong. Now four months old, the girl was smiling all the time and discovering the world with curious emerald eyes shimmering like comets. Everything seemed to amuse her a lot and especially her parents. Haruhi was spending all her days with her. She still wasn't back at the dojo but she didn't mind as much as she thought she would. Being with her daughter was enough. Later, maybe, she'll leave the girl in Chizuru's care. Maybe they could take turns looking after Katsu, Kaede and Tsubaki so that Haruhi could go to the dojo and Chizuru could be a doctor again. That would be great. Maybe they could find the same agreement with Tama when she'll have children too.
Tama was happy. She didn't mind being a farmer's wife and Haruhi was seeing her everyday at the market. It was a bit strange not to see her at the inn anymore but the Fujita seemed to manage without her.
Souji stayed home three days, telling everyone he went to Hino. He brought back sad news to Tama, about her mother taken by a sudden fever a few months ago. Tama shed more tears than Haruhi thought possible. She was feeling responsible for abandoning her mother in dire need and nothing could confort her. Souji said to Haruhi to give her time. It was better that way anyway than to know that he killed her, more than two years ago now.
Even after two years of marriage, Souji was still coming back to her every evening. That was pretty impressive. Not that Souji used to be a womanizer or anything but men weren't really known to be faithful creatures. Most of them surrendered pretty easily to their instincts and desires and two years, that was a long time to stay with solely one woman. And yet, he was coming back straight to her after work everyday and even when he was going out, it was at the inn and they were going together. She loved him like day one but she knew she would never stop loving him.
It was always the same, when he entered the house. « I'm back~ », « welcome home ». He would come near her and kiss her, sometimes squeezing her hips with his strong calloused palms that were still ones of a warrior. He would smile and make a snide comment about her idleness, complaining that tea wasn't even ready to greet him home and that she really sucked at being a wife. With a smile, Haruhi would make tea immediately and they would share it, with Katsu if she was awake. Souji was taking her on his lap and holding his cup for her to try and drink in it. She was still very clumsy and Souji wasn't the most careful man so usually, the girl ended up with tea all over her clothes and Haruhi had to wash them but Souji was still doing that every single day, assuring her that practice was key.
The father and daughter already were sharing a strong bond, anyone could see that. Katsu was more docile with her father and more conciliatory. With Haruhi, she was throwing her toys everywhere. With Souji, she was handing them to him with a smile. She completely had him wrapped around her finger. Could a four month old baby already be so manipulative or was it Haruhi's imagination ?
« I'm back~ ! »
« Ah, Souji ! » smiled Haruhi « welcome home ! »
Just like every day, her husband circled her with his arms, from behind since she was already making the tea in the kitchen.
« Hum... » he hummed in content « that smells good... Jasmin tea ? »
« Yes. » she smiled « Chizuru had a lot at the inn so she gave some to me. One of her suppliers gave her too much. »
« Great. » he nodded, kissing her cheek « Where's my daughter ? »
« Sleeping. » she answered, leaning to grab some cups for the tea.
« Is that so... » he whispered.
Already, the fabric of her kimono was rolling up her legs and Souji's hand venture on the skin of her thighs, getting upper and upper until it cupped her womanhood possessively.
« What are you doing ? » she scolded.
« Nothing. » he replied, nibbling on her neck « don't pay attention to me, keep making tea. »
She tried to ignore him but his fingers entered her underwear, massaging intentionally the spot that would drive her crazy. Her breath shortened as the heat became a brazier in her bundle of nerves, sending hot waves in her entire body. Unintentionally, she arched her back, hands clenching at the kitchen furniture, pushing her core against Souji's fingers and rolling her hips slightly.
« Hum... Souji... » she whimpered.
« Ara, I love to see you like this... » he whispered, hot breath in her ear « that's a lewd, sensitive body you have, my lovely wife... »
« Stop talking Souji... » she implored.
He bit her shell and she whimpered again, trying to contain her cries of pleasure not to wake up their daughter. It would be a pity to be interrupted by Katsu's cries now...
« The... tea... » she managed to say.
It was going to infuse too much and having her eyes on the teapot was making her mind focus solely on it.
« Well, pour it, Haru-chan... » replied Souji playfully, his fingers even more insistent « I don't want that to go to waste. »
Trembling, she caught the teapot, trying to ignore her husband's touch. She poured the tea into the first cup without spilling but when she did it with the second one, Souji slipped a finger inside her, making her hips jolt forward. The tea went everywhere except in the cup and Souji clicked with his tongue in disapproval.
« Ts Ts Ts... Haru-chan... » he scolded « that's not a way to pour tea... »
« Shut up, that's your fault. » she hissed « Ah ! »
Souji had slipped another finger inside her and he was pressing on that sweet spot that was making her see stars. She heard his other hand working on his own clothing, unbuckling his belt and pulling slightly his trousers down. Soon, she could feel him against her, skin against skin, and her excitement rose even more, pushing her backside against him, rocking her hips at the rhythm of his teasing fingers.
« Such a sexy wife... » he breathed in her neck before biting painfully « Just the sight of you in that state is enough to get me hard. »
« Just... stop... talking... Gods... » she whimpered.
« I'm taking you now. » he whispered « you are mine. »
« Ah... Yes... » she said.
With that consent that he was still asking for every single time, he shove himself inside her, making her escape a wanton cry of pleasure. It wasn't as difficult as before. After the birth, it took her some time, two months or so, before desiring her husband again but when she did, she realized how much motherhood had changed her. Her body was more sensitive, a lot more, she could orgasm easier and most of all, she could finally feel it, the pleasure to be one with Souji. Was it in her head or was there a real changement in her flesh, she wasn't really sure. But now, she could really feel him without it being uncomfortable or painful. She could be one with him and he didn't need to be as careful as before.
Hands clasped at each of her sides, Souji was thrusting in her with small groans, making her escape a moan with every shoving in a blissful frenzy. With his force, her hands had to quit the kitchen furniture and she put her palms against the wall to hold her up and keep her in place so she wouldn't land face on the boiling teapot. Crying in pleasure, she begged him to go faster and he gladly obeyed his wife's commands.
« Ah... Souji... Souji... » she kept repeating, in awe « Please... Please, more... »
« What a demanding wife I have... » he chuckled, his hand snaking between her legs to press on her core again « Be careful not to be too loud or I'll have to gag you. »
Pleasure was extreme, inside and outside, and she yelled her husband's name in cloud nine, muffled very quickly by his palm. Panting, her legs began to weaken and she had trouble to stay in this standing position, shaking. Souji pulled out and turned her over, grinning.
« I'm gonna put you on a furniture. » he chuckled « otherwise, you're gonna collapse. »
Yet, before he could pick her up, she fell to her knees, panting. Instead of letting her husband help her get up, she caught him and swallowed him eagerly.
« Ah ! » he gasped « Okay, Haru-chan... That's fine for me too. »
Now, it was Souji who had problems to keep standing and he used one of his hands as support as his wife was suckling on him with expert movements. With their previous lovemaking and her prowess, it didn't take long before he reached extasy with a groan a bit louder than his previous ones. He squeezed his eyes and he was panting loudly when he opened them again, looking down on Haruhi with a smirk. He buckled back his belt and caught the full cup of tea next to him.
« Since you already drank, I'm gonna take the tea. » he commented snidely « the other cup is of no use. »
Haruhi didn't bother to answer, her face still flushed from her recent orgasm. Chuckling, Souji brought the tea to his lips and sighed with content.
« Now that, is a welcome. » he stated with laughing emerald eyes.
A strident cry replied to him from the bedroom and Souji put his cup down.
« Ara... You probably woke my poor little daughter up... » he pouted « Don't worry, Katsu~ ! Papa's Here~ ! »
« Maybe you woke her up. » smiled Haruhi « you've been loud. »
« Hum... » he smirked « then maybe you should be the one to gag me next time. »
« Don't tempt me. »
Souji chuckled again and slid the shoji, coming back with his daughter in his arms who, of course, had stopped crying as soon as she was in Papa's arms. He took back his tea cup and sat at the table, Katsu on his lap. He presented her the tea but she didn't seem to want it and so he drank it all, looking tenderly at the small being that was his. Haruhi made more tea for herself and joined them at the table. She would need to take Katsu out of Souji's arms to feed her at some point but she still had time to enjoy her tea.
« Smell that ? » asked Souji wryly, waving his fingers in front of Katsu's eyes « that's where you come from ! »
« Souji ! » yelled Haruhi, outraged. She pulled her daughter in her arms and slapped the top of her husband's head « go wash your hands ! And stop saying that sort of things to Katsu ! »
« Ara, but it's true. » he chuckled, getting up to obey his wife and wash his hands « don't worry, Haru-chan, she's too young to understand a single thing I'm saying ! »
« I wonder... » she muttered, loosening her kimono to feed Katsu « I bet she understands a lot more than you think. »
Souji shrugged, mocking her with his gaze to the ceiling and he came back to the table with them.
« Ne, I'm going to the inn tonight, gonna practice with Hajime-kun and drink some sake. Wanna tag along ? Maybe you could train too, you know, leave the brat to Chizuru-chan. »
« Sure. » she smiled, nodding « I'd love to. »
« Great, then I'm ready when you are ! » he grinned in return.
« I'm ready when she is. » chuckled Haruhi, looking at her daughter voraciously suckling on her breast.
« I love you. » muttered Souji, kissing her cheek while his hand was caressing his daughter's hair « now and forever »
« Me too. » she smiled lovingly « I love you, Souji. »
That peaceful life that she never wanted, marry, have kids, be a woman... She rejected it for so long and yet, with Souji, it had been easy. She was happy, serene and accomplished, as a woman, a wife and a mother and she was married to the man she loved all her life. However she could try, she couldn't think of another way she would have liked to live. Her life was here, in his arms and with that small girl which was so much like him.
The EndIf you want more :
When Katsu was satisfied, her belly full of milk and a big smile painted on her face, they both took the direction of the inn and were surprised to find Hajime outside, sharpening his katana, dressed as a soldier, although he still had his long ponytail, with numerous grey hair perking from his dark mane.
« Hey ! » waved Souji « Hajime-kun ! Watcha doing ? »
Hajime didn't even raise his gaze from his blade, his eyes burning with a frozen flamme of anger which was the only sign or his fury.
« I'm going at war. » he said coldly.
« Satsuma ? » asked Souji, surprised.
« Kazama. » replied Hajime, lifting his gaze « Tsubaki has been abducted. The Yukimura clan is going to war. »
Author note : the sequel
SO ! This is the End of the Mirror ! (Whaaaat ?! On a cliffhanger ?!) Yes... I hesitated a lot about posting it here but what can I say... This AU has a life of its own now ! It lives !
The SaiChi was 4 parts... 370k long...
now the Mirror 160k when I just wanted a small spin off.
And now... Boom ! Another plot ! So if you want to follow my favorites warriors again, it will be in the sequel of the sequel : The lasts of the Yukimura
This one will probably be more action packed but also shorter. (Hahaha, as if I could do short fics, I love lying to myself)
Author note 2 : Souji the good guy
This note is a bit out of place maybe but I feel like I must do it so let's go. I know that people reading here are mostly girls and some of you can be young or not have a lot of experience in relationships. IT IS OKAY to fantasize on fictional characters and to idealize them. IT IS OKAY, to fantasize on non-con or a dominating relationship. Yet, if one day a man in real life behaves like Souji with you, RUN. (Of course not speaking about SM where consent is key)
A rough childhood is no excuse. A fear of abandon is no excuse. If a man hurts you, even only verbally, RUN.
BE CAREFUL with men telling you they need you, they are nothing without you, telling you that you are the only person who can save them from themselves, that you are their light, their beacon. These are LIES. Sometimes, they don't even know it themselves but you are not a nurse, you have no super power and you can't save them. Only thing that's gonna happen is that you will grow dependent of him, because you believe he needs you, poor thing. He is not a poor thing. RUN.
Maybe you read this and you think « hey, she's not my mother and Souji's a good guy ». Yes and Yes. Souji is a good guy because I decided, as author, that he was a good guy. Because he is fictional and because he comes from another time when women rights weren't the same. In real life things are different. If you think Haruhi is a strong character, think again because she isn't. She is a girl a bit lost, that loves someone unconditionally and could accept anything from him. She is fierce but only as a defense mechanism and Souji always wins in the end. She is the kind of girl easy to prey on. Of course in this fic, Souji and Haruhi truly love each other. She isn't preyed on.
I have been a victim of abuses. It lasted years and I stayed because he was telling me that I could save him, that he would drown without me. It wasn't true. I have been hurt, physically, sexually and verbally and I took a long time to heal. I think that girls need to be warned about these kind of men. Anyway, sorry for being a bit « motherly » and sorry if this author note bothers you but when I write characters like Souji, I prefer to set straight that this behavior IRL is unacceptable.