Aw, I've missed the Souji/Kaiya interactions. Kaiya is my top 2 favorite OC that I've written. I'm afraid my Abby Grimes is my favorite badass but still. I'm having quite a bit of fun re-reading my old fanfiction. This was my first one that was really successful (for me) and the writing just poured out of me. Unfortunately the only thing I write these days are essays...anyways, this was last re-edited in February 2021. ;)


Six months later

Kaiya sat inside a villager's house inspecting the injury of a farmer. He had sustained a deep cut a couple weeks ago while harvesting the early spring harvest, nearly cutting off his hand. Beside her, the farmer's wife watched worriedly as she inspected his stitches.

"Well, so far there isn't any infection. Keep on cleaning it and give it a couple more weeks and it should be all healed up."

The woman gave her pleading eyes, "Are you sure it won't heal quicker, Kaiya-sensei?"

Kaiya shook her head as she rewrapped the man's wrist. "I'm sorry I can't force nature to work quicker. Maybe one day there will be better alternatives to help heal injuries faster but right now, that's all I can do."

"But we need him to able to work, I can't do it all myself."

"I'm sorry. Maybe one of the neighbours can help you."

Kaiya collected her supplies and put them back in the bag she had carried them in. Kaiya left without another word and headed towards the market. Since her return to her home village, she had completely healed; the break in hear arm didn't leave her with any lingering impairments and she could barely tell that anything had happened. Which was the way Kaiya wanted it. She didn't need any reminders.

Kaiya finally walked onto the main street which the market was located on. Today, she was only looking to buy some meat to add to her meal, maybe visit with Haru. In the following weeks after their reunion, he was always around, helping her with her garden, repair things in and around her house; he had even managed to coax the story out of her little by little. Kaiya wasn't particularly attracted to him anymore, but she had no other potential prospects right now. He was really good to her and despite everything he knew about her, he was still sticking around.

Last week the man had finally worked up the nerve to kiss her. It was…nice but it wasn't amazing. Haru spotted her approaching and gave her one of his enthusiastic waves. When she got close enough, he gave her polite kiss on the cheek.

Kaiya smiled. "Well, that was bold."

Haru shrugged his shoulders and gave her an embarrassed smile. "Like no one here knows how I feel about you. So, what are you getting here today?"

"Oh, just some meat. One of few things I can't really do myself. Father never really taught me how to raise chickens or any other livestock, let alone butcher them. But that was probably because he didn't know either." Kaiya chuckled at the thought of her father raising livestock. It just seemed too ridiculous for such a refined man to do.

Haru chuckled also, "No I don't think they teach that sort of thing to sons of nobility. You know Kaiya-chan…"

Just then, Haru was interrupted by a group of men shouting. When they turned to look down the street to where they had heard the sound come from, they saw six ronin surrounding two other men and you could hear the distinct clank of swords hitting other swords. There was a momentary gap in the men when one of the ronin got cut down, giving Kaiya a quick glimpse of the men who'd been surrounded.

Kaiya's first instinct was to run and hide, she wasn't sure if they'd come after her next but the next and more powerful instinct was to go and help. For it was Souji and Saitou who stood trapped in the centre of those men. Still though, she hesitated. Even if they didn't kill her, which she wasn't sure Souji could do, she might still get in their way. After all, they were some of the best swordsman the now Shinsengumi had to offer.

"Kaiya-chan! What are you doing!?" Haru reached for her as she moved towards the battle.

Kaiya moved out of his reach and approached a merchant table with butcher knives on it and watched the battle continue. Kaiya saw Saitou strike down one more man down but as he did so, he lost track of another man who moved in behind him. He finally took notice of him but a moment too late, as the man's blade ripped across his chest.

"Saitou-kun!" She screamed.

Kaiya grabbed the knife she'd been eyeing up and quickly closed the distant between her and the battle. She brought the butch knife up and swung it as hard as she could at soft spot between the ronin's neck and shoulder; he instantly crumpled to the ground.

Saitou had fallen to his knees and clutched his chest just after the man had stuck him. When he heard Kaiya scream his name, he had looked up startled. When the man crumpled to the ground, his partner took notice of Kaiya and came at her. She quickly dodged out of the way with admirable speed. This also put the man within reach of Saitou's blade, so with the last bit of his strength Saitou came up and in one swift motion, removed the man's head.

Saitou crumpled immediately after the blade passed through the man's neck and Kaiya rushed forward to catch him. The last two didn't last long as Souji dispatched them in two more strokes. Souji stood there a moment longer, making sure no one else would get up again to challenge him then rushed over to Saitou and Kaiya, swinging his blade to remove the remnants off blade and sheathing it.

"Kai?" Souji knelt down beside them, looking back and forth between her and Saitou, not knowing who to focus on.

"Not now Souji. We need to get Saitou-kun to my house where all my supplies are."

He nodded and started to reach for Saitou's arm when he sensed somebody behind them. He quickly shot to his feet turning around as he got up and placed his hand on his katana. He was about to draw it when Kaiya caught his hand. Behind them stood Haru, looking worriedly between the three of them.

"It's alright Souji, he's just worried about me. I'm fine Haru, this is my cousin Souji. He will make sure I'm safe."

"Kaiya-chan, you said they would kill you if they found you again."

Kaiya saw Haru glance at the blade she had dropped on the ground. Souji pressed his mouth in a hard line and glared at Haru. Kaiya yanked on Souji's hand trying to get him to help her again.

"Souji won't hurt me and Saitou-kun can't right now. Souji help me!" She finally exclaimed as she got frustrated with Souji staring Haru down. "He's going to bleed to death if I don't repair him!"

Finally, Souji bent down again and grabbed the other side of Saitou and hauled him to his feet. Saitou was somewhat conscious, but his eyes were blank and unseeing. They started away in the direction Kaiya indicated but Haru persisted.

"You can't go with them and save them. How could you save your would-be killers?" Haru shook his head uncomprehendingly.

"Because I'm a healer and that's what I do. Its time I face the consequences of my actions." Said Kaiya as Souji used the toe of his foot to flip Saitou's blade in the air and caught it.

"Your actions? What about…"

"That's enough Haru!" Kaiya said harshly, as Souji shot the man a death glare and he stopped following them.

After they were out of earshot, Souji couldn't help but ask.

"Who's that? He seems awfully friendly with you."

Kaiya could see her house now. "Not now Souji."

He didn't ask any more questions as they approached the house and Kaiya guided them inside to the room that Kaiya used to treat and house patients. They finally laid Saitou down on a futon in the center of the room. He was now sweating profusely, and his breathing was becoming shallow as the blood ran down the front of him. Instantly Kaiya started giving Souji some instructions.

"Open up that window there. Then take that bucket and fill it with water from the well outside and bring it back here."

As Souji rose to his feet, he had bit of a smirk. "Yes sensei."

Kaiya quickly inspected the wound, luckily no organs had been hit. The cut was deeper by the shoulder and got shallower as it went from left shoulder almost down to the right hip. Saitou must have been able to step back somewhat, just not enough. She grabbed the supplies she required and when Souji brought the water back, she washed away as much blood as possible.

She worked from the deepest part of the gash first, so that she could slow the bleeding and worked her way down, repairing blood vessels, muscles and other such things below the surface as she came across them. After she was done her work, she covered the wound with her famous ointment and covered his wounds by laying strips of fabric over them, not yet wanting to wrap his wound.

Kaiya finally sat back and wiped her forehead with her sleeve. Her whole face as covered with sweat as was her back. After taking a quick check of Saitou's pulse, she stood up and motioned Souji to follow her out of the room. They sat in total silence as Kaiya made them some tea. When she handed Souji a cup she saw him staring at her intensely.

Finally, he said, "We thought you were dead, you know. There was blood in your room and Saitou-kun found the dagger he had given you, also covered in blood. We thought that maybe one of...them got you."

"One of who?" Kaiya looked at him confused.

Souji shook his head. "It doesn't matter. What happened? Why did you leave?"

Kaiya bowed her head uncertain what to say. If she told the truth, who knows what Souji would do to Serizawa. Souji waited patiently while she wrestled with what to say. Finally, she decided that the truth was the best, maybe they could forcibly remove Serizawa. When she finished her story, Souji looked angrily into his untouched tea.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you like I said I would. I know it doesn't change what happened. I've never regretted my involvement but damn am I glad I was there when Hijikata killed him." He said, rage evident in his voice.

Kaiya looked up shocked. "Dead? Serizawa?"

Souji nodded, "Yeah, the same night you disappeared. He knew we were going to kill him so that's probably why he…attacked you." He rubbed his face roughly with both hands and let out a sound of frustration. "Why did you leave?" He asked again after taking a moment to collect himself.

Kaiya looked at the floor. "I did try to find someone originally. But neither you nor Saitou-kun were in your rooms and Yamazaki-kun wasn't at the clinic. Then I went to the tea house where I figured you might be…it took me a while to get there with my sprained ankle and just barely got on to the street to only to see Ryunosuke-san, Heisuke-kun, Nagakura-kun and Saitou-kun all running back in the direction of the compound. After that I guess I just panicked. I couldn't face Serizawa-san again and I was ashamed of what happened. So, I fled…like a coward." Kaiya hung her head in shame.

Souji sighed again, then moved beside her and gave her a tight hug. He kissed her on top of the head and whispered. "You're not a coward."

Kaiya returned his hug as she bit back the tears that wanted to come. They remained so for several minutes until they became uncomfortable from staying in the same position for too long. Souji sat down again and drank his tea in silence. When he finished, he looked up at her and gave a strange look that she couldn't interpret.

"So, are you gonna tell me who that guy is now?" A small smile finally broke across his face.

Kaiya couldn't help but laugh, only Souji would go from a serious conversation right into a lighthearted one.

"A friend." She said finally with a sigh.

"Do you call all your friends just by their name? The last time I checked, you only did that with me."

Kaiya sighed again. "You haven't really known me all that long really. But Haru has known me since we were small children and he's been looking out for me since my father died."

"Does he know you're just friends? 'Cause he seemed to think you were more."

Kaiya gave him an incredulous look, "You saw him for like a few seconds. How could you know that?"

"So, I'm not wrong." He gave her an 'I got you cornered' kind of smile.

Kaiya said nothing at first then said, "It's not like I have lots to choose from and I can't survive on my own forever. And shouldn't you be worrying more about Saitou-kun who's practically on his death bed?"

Souji shrugged, "I trust you and it's not like there's anything I can do. Now do you even like the guy, let alone love him? He seems to me like a bit of a…tool."

"Souji!" she scolded as she smacked him as hard as she could. "You don't even know him!"

"Answer the question, Kai!" He tried to give her a serious look, but he was very rarely successful when talking to her.

"He's a nice man! He takes good care of me but…" Kaiya sighed as she confessed what she's been trying avoid saying or thinking, "No, I don't love him."

Souji gave her a big smile. "See that wasn't so hard!"

Kaiya just scowled. When the moment passed, Kaiya reached into her sleeve and pulled out the money she had stored there and tried to hand it to Souji. He just looked at her confused.

"Take it Souji, and go back to the market and buy some meat for you and I, then I'll prepare it. That's why I was there in the market to begin with. I'll stay here and look after Saitou-kun."

Souji made a sour face, "Feh! I don't need your money. You need it more I'm sure. I'll go buy us some meat with my own money. Besides you saved us today. Also, I should probably get a message sent to Kondou-san and Hijikata-kun about us being delayed. How long do you think before Saitou-kun will be road worthy?"

"He's lost a lot of blood and there is strong potential for infection, especially on the road. I wouldn't dare move him for at least another month. You could still return you know. I can look after him by myself."

Souji shook his head. "No, that's not a good idea. We have enemies out here too, like you just witnessed. They might try to come after him and I would never forgive myself if something else happened to you."

"Are you going to mention me?" Kaiya tried to not sound apprehensive.

Souji touched her cheek gently and smiled, "No, not just yet. You told that Haru-san character the truth. I could never do you any harm." Souji got to his feet and left.

Once Souji was gone, Kaiya got to her feet to go and check on Saitou. His breathing was still shallow but steady. Kaiya grabbed the bucket of now red water and emptied it outside and refilled it with refresh water. Once back inside, she returned to Saitou's side and started washing his body. Kaiya figured that being a samurai, that he must be fairly well muscled, but she never guessed how well muscled he truly was. In his own way, that he was almost as muscular as Nagakura, his was more a lean kind of muscle that he hid beneath his layers of clothes. He also had several scars that looked rather old, probably acquired in his late teenage years.

Once she was done tending to Saitou, she then returned to her living area and made a tea that would help bring down his fever and help fight off infection. When she returned, she knelt beside him and carefully lifted his head. She then slowly poured it down his throat, careful not to cause him to choke.

As she returned to living area to prepare the fire to cook on, Souji came in carrying some pork and followed closely by Haru. When he saw her, he rushed to her side.

"Kaiya-chan! Thank goodness you're alright!" He wrapped her up in a tight hug.

Kaiya pulled him a way. "I told you I'd be okay. I can't believe Souji let you follow him!"

"Let is a strong word but he is one persistent bugger, I'll give him that. And I didn't think you'd appreciate me killing your boyfriend." Souji handed her the meat, smirking as he looked down at her, then sat down and stretched out his legs. Kaiya glared at Souji as he sat down then looked back at Haru.

"He could've killed you; you know. He's quite good at what he does. Harmless to me but to everyone else, he's quite the lethal."

"Hey at least I'll warn somebody before I kill them!" He said if it was a kindness. "Well…usually."

Souji gave Haru that weird smile he gave people he didn't like. Haru gave Souji a distasteful look then looked back at Kaiya.

"I was worried for your safety. I know he's your cousin and all but like you said, he's a dangerous man." Haru looked at Souji again. "Why are you here anyways? To arrest her?"

"Tch, no. We thought Kai was dead. We came here and to the surrounding villages to recruit."

"Recruit? Why out here? Your Shinsengumi are way out in Kyoto."

"Yes, but we originated from near Edo. Kondou-san and Hijikata-san were both farmers once, they like giving others a chance to accomplish what they have. Your village was our last stop before heading back to Kyoto. Those ronin who attacked us were Choshu sympathizers…unfortunately skilled ones since they managed to get to Hajime-kun."

Kaiya had started chopping up vegetables and the pork as she had decided on a stew, while they talked. It made sense to her what Souji was saying, having known Kondou and Hijikata but Haru looked at Souji suspiciously.

"You aren't going to let him stay here with you, are you? Even if he isn't a threat to you, what if he attracts others here?" Haru looked back at her.

"Then I'll help him ward them off. I'm not quite as defenseless as you think I am." She didn't even bother to look up from what she was doing.

"Apparently you're not quite as good as you think you are, since that Serizawa character forced himself on to you." Haru barely managed to finish that sentence before Souji was grabbing him by the throat with one of Kaiya's kitchen knives at his throat.

"Do not speak of things you know nothing about, flea bag!" Souji snarled as Haru stared wide eyed at Souji's rage filled face.

Kaiya got up and gently grabbed Souji's hand with the knife. "He didn't mean it like that Souji. Please, let him go."

Souji relinquished the knife but held the man's throat a moment longer before thrusting him backwards and letting him fall unceremoniously to the ground. "It'd be wise to leave before I change my mind about not killing you."

"N-no, I think I should remain to make certain Kaiya-chan is safe."

Souji lurched forward but was intercepted by Kaiya. "I think you should listen to Souji, Haru. I'll be perfectly okay." Reluctantly Haru got to his feet, dusted himself off then turned and left.

Souji glared down at her. "He's definitely a tool."


Eventually I plan on going through all of my fanfiction (especially My Life, My Way. Holey guacamole are there errors!) and fix grammar errors and flow issues but that's likely years down the line. Its really naughty that I'm doing this when I should be writing 2 essays right now...

-Shockra