WARNING: WAFF. I'm not satisfied with this part, but I can't write it better, so please be nice.. Saitoh's secret gardens
Story 3: Newcomer.
Mountains around Kyoto - July 1879 (Meiji 11)
As usual, Saitoh felt the weight of the world leaving his shoulders as he entered the garden of his Kyoto house. Well, there was actually still a weight on his shoulders, but it was a sleeping boy. His house was away from the main roads, and to avoid being followed by Shishio's spies, they had walked through the woods all the way from Shingetsu village. His intuition had been right: the boy had never complained, never whined. He had some temper. And, like a certain someone, he was not afraid of him. The brat had walked until he fell which exhaustion, which had allowed Saitoh to carry him.
"Welcome home, captain," said a very familiar voice.
He growled: "I'm only lieutenant now, Hatsue."
"As you wish, captain"
He gave up. The old crone was stubborn and he didn't have any time to loose in sterile arguments.
"Where is she?"
"In the garden, captain, with the little master. She's having a kakigori."
Saitoh pinched his lips. "It's too hot for her to be outside."
Hatsue looked at him without a word, but the dubious expression in her eyes talked millions. Try to get Tokio out of her beloved garden in summer.
"And how is she?"
"Oh, she's perfect, captain. Don't worry"
He pinched his lips again. "Who said I was?" he muttered, then turned his back to the old servant. "I'm going to see her. Take care of him."
He let the boy slid down from his back into her arms, but the movement woke the brat up and he jerked, landing on the ground, a hostile light in his eyes.
"We arrived", explained Saitoh, flatly. "This is Hatsue. She is going to give you a bath, some clothes, and bring you to me in the garden."
The boy calmed down, stood up and bowed stiffly. "I'm Mijima Eiji. O sewa ni narimasu."
"What a polite boy!" beamed Hatsue. "Come with me"
Saitoh smirked as the boy bowed briefly to him before following her inside. During the trip, he had only talked to make clear that he didn't want charity and would repay Saitoh for helping him. Having the matter settled, he obviously didn't feel the need to make all a fuss about that again. He had some sense, thought Saitoh, walking on the little way that led to the other side of the house, were was the bigger garden. It was the complete opposite of their Tokyo one, which was a pure marvel of tradition (he suspected his wife paid a particular attention to that point after he had been reluctant about the only half-japanese style house). The Kyoto one was full of grass, of colorful flowers, and was shadowed by old, big willows at the very end. It was there that she liked to rest. He spotted her, on a mat, leaned on cushions, finishing to eat a cup of ice. And few meters in front of her was...
"Otosan."
Tsutomu, their 3 1/2 years old son, ran to meet him, holding the small shinai he had asked for his last birthday. Saitoh lifted him in his arms.
Tokio smiled inwardly, because they looked at each other with the same inquiring expression. How can a son look so much like his father! Tsutomu had taken absolutely nothing from her. Of course, his features were still round and cute, but he had the same expressions and the same temper. He was never yelling or running around like the other kids of their Tokyo neighborhood did, and refused to make friends with them. She had tried to talk about that with Hajime, she even dragged him to the park to show him Tsutomu's behavior. All he had done was snorting disdainfully at the pack of kids, and said: "I knew from the day he was born that my son was not a moron". And he had taken a for once thrilled Tsutomu to the dojo, to show him a few basic kendo moves. She shook her head as they were talking.
"You took care of your mother?" asked sternly Saitoh to his son, putting him back on the ground.
"Yes. Did you stopped the bad guys?" he answered in this little, serious voice of his.
"Some of them. They are quite a lot."
"When I'm old I'll be strong and I'll help you" stated confidently the boy.
A proud and satisfied smile appeared on Saitoh's face. "Of course you will, my son." He paused. "I interrupted your training. Go ahead, I'll check on you later."
Tsutomu nodded and Hajime turned at last to Tokio, whose face was expressing both bemusement and exasperation. As he kneeled next to her, she reproached, smiling: "You are even worse than Hatsue. This boy is going to have serious ego problems."
He didn't answer, examining her. She seemed tired and her complexion was a bit pale, nevertheless she was glowing in serene happiness. She lifted delicately a brow, in a so familiar gesture.
"Satisfied with your wife?"
He leaned and took her mouth, in a deliberate, possessive kiss, releasing her only when she was panting.
"Not nearly but I can't do much more in front of the kid, right?"
His wicked smirk softened as he caressed her round belly. "Is it me or you're bigger than when you were expecting Tsutomu?"
"This is very rude, Miburo" she stated calmly. "You could take a few lessons from your son." Then she called: "Tsutomu!" The boy turned immediately to her. "Can you tell your father what happen to rude people in this house?"
He gave his father a "You are in big trouble" look. "They don't have dessert," he finally answered. She nodded, and their son focused on his moves again.
Tokio stared at her husband, her silver eyes shining with mischief. "See?" He grinned, and bent to kiss slowly the most sensitive spot of her neck, whispering: " Will you do that to me? I thought that you liked dessert very much too.." She sighed with pleasure: "If you behave.." As he ended his teasing, she gave him a serious answer.
"Yes, I am. Hatsue said that it's because the baby is probably bigger this time."
He managed to stay noncommittal, but winced inwardly. He still remembered the birth of Tsutomu. He couldn't fool her, though: she put reassuringly a hand on his arm. "For a second child, it takes usually less time, you know."
She paused a while. "By the way, I wasn't expecting you that fast."
"Really? You didn't seem surprised. And isn't that kakesoba I'm smelling?"
She smiled guiltily. "I had a craving. So you really fixed that problem that fast?"
" Far from it."
"I see. Has Battosai accepted to join that mission?"
" I'm persuasive." He didn't want to talk about that now.
She gave him a dubious glance. "And how is he doing?"
" He has been quite sensible, lately. But he still refuses to kill."
" How embarrassing" she mocked.
"By the way, does the name Makimachi, from Kyoto, rises a bell? It sounds familiar but I can't place it."
She frowned. " A very old guy?"
"Weasel like girl, something like thirteen. It's not really her that bothers me, more her ninja outfit."
Tokio's face brightened. "Of course! The Oniwabanshu Okashira's name has been Makimachi for several generations, before." She shut up as it was Saitoh's turn to frown.
"She doesn't seem able to play a double game."
"Would you explain?"
"The Okashira."
"Shinomori Aoshi. Who was working for that disgusting drug dealer," she provided, anger stinging in her voice.
"Yes. He lost it. Totally."
"I thought he had disappeared, and you said you didn't have time to loose searching for him. You met him?"
"Before leaving Tokyo. He is decided to kill Battosai at any cost."
"Too bad. Rest in peace."
Saitoh shook his head. "I didn't fight him."
She gasped: "Wait. You need Battosai alive, Shinomori wants him dead, and you let him free to look for him?"
Saitoh had taken a cigarette, and lit it. "He won't have to. I told him Battosai was heading to Kyoto."
"WHAT? Hajime, are you crazy? Why?"
He took one puff and blew the smoke very slowly. He quite enjoyed her astonishment. Now he had to tell her.Not that he had planned to.
" To prevent him from killing someone before I could do anything about it."
"And who would be so important?" She was a bit pissed. She took his job as seriously as he did.
"Takani Megumi."
Her anger disappeared at once, and she lifted his hand to her lips, kissing his palm. "I just made a fool of myself. Thank you. How is she?"
" Well, we obviously don't have the same definition of "sweet". She has a bad temper, quite a bad mouth too, and in Battosai's circle is referred to as "Fox". But she is also known as a good doctor, and had the guts to send Kawaji's blackmail back to his face. He was not happy about that when he told me." He grinned, and added: " Don't worry about Shinomori. I'm sure I will find a way to use him."
She stayed silent for a while." About that ninja girl.It is notorious that Shinomori had no contacts with Kyoto for years.And I remember that the Makimachi family had been slaughtered.Wait a second. I heard something about a baby that survived.I could reach my Kyoto old "friends" and try to find out."
" Tell me who I have to contact. I don't want you to be mixed with this."
She sighed. "I guess that in my state.."
He nodded absently. " I could ask the boy too.."
"What boy?"
He tossed his cigarette in a somewhat apologetic gesture. "Sorry, I should have told you first."
Eiji liked the bath, even if it was a onsen. It reminded him of Shishio and the way his parents had died. The old lady, Hatsue, was nice to him AND she was not treating him like a baby. He stayed more than one hour in the hot water, trying to wash away the events. He was dozing off when the old woman came back. She had washed his clothes. They were still a bit wet but with the overwhelming heat, they would dry quickly.
"Come on, Eiji-kun. I'm gonna take you to Tokio-sama and the captain."
He wanted to ask her why she was calling the policeman like this, and didn't dare. He looked carefully around while following her. It was a great house. They were probably quite rich. There were a few toys lying on the tatami, in the main room. Does he have kids? Eiji wondered. He stopped as he arrived in the garden. The leaves and grass were so green under the July sun, with flowers everywhere. As he started to walk again, he felt somewhat better, his pain and bitterness strangely fading.
"Tokio-sama, this is Mijima Eiji."
Eiji was unable to move, eyes widened, mouth opened. It was a lady, a real lady, and she was so beautiful. His mother used to tell him stories about samurai and hime-sama, when he was little, and this is exactly how he imagined the latter should be. She smiled gently at him.
"Welcome," she said in a melodious voice. She turned to Hatsue: "I sent Hajime and Tsutomu to make some new kakigori for me. Would you go and give them a hand?"
The old woman patted him on the shoulder, and left with a bow. It made him regain his brains, along with his good manners. He stiffened and bowed deeply.
"Come here, Eiji-kun," she went on, the same musical intonations reaching pleasantly his ears. "And let's forget about property, because I'm in no condition to bow." She put her hands on her huge belly. Her eyes were shining with happiness, but behind the lights he could see strength, and strong will. She was looking at him with gentleness, not pity, and he decided that he liked her. So he sat next to her as she had asked.
"I'm Saitoh Tokio. You're welcome here as long as you want." As he opened his mouth, she had a disarming smile. "My husband told me you don't want charity, and I understand totally. But you do need time to clear-up."
He couldn't help to smile back at her. There was something soothing about this lady. And he had the strange feeling that she understood what he felt, which was stupid because there was no way this delicate lady could have witnessed something like he had.
A conspiratorial expression crossed suddenly her face, and she asked: "You really told him to back off after seeing what he can do with a sword?"
He nodded, wondering if she was going to be shocked that he had lacked of respect to her husband. She laughed, that made her looking very young, and she rubbed his hair affectionately. "So you are very special, Eiji-kun. I think you and me are going to get along. I'm glad that he brought you here."
" I'm glad too." It was true. He had been there for less than two hours and he felt good. Maybe Himura and Misao were right. He didn't know why they had been so surprise to learn that Saitoh was married, well it was true that he looked like a lone wolf, but they had guessed right because she really looked like a goddess.
Saitoh came back, with a tray in one hand, a cigarette in the other, followed by a boy, who was at the same time so looking like him and so..cute, that it was almost frightening.
"This is our son Tsutomu," said graciously Tokio. "Tsutomu, this is Eiji- kun, whom your father just talked you about."
Eiji stood up, and faced the little boy. He swallowed as the amber eyes seemed to stare into his soul. Tsutomu seemed satisfied, then widened his eyes, looking at the sword Eiji had refused to let go.
"You have a real sword?" He seemed impressed.
" Yes. It was my big brother's."
" So you know kendo?"
Eiji shook his head. "Not yet." He was astonished to see a very confident smile curving the little boy's lips.
" You can learn with me. You will show him too, Otosan, Okasan?" he asked to Saitoh, who had sat by his wife, still smoking, while she was eating one kakigori.
Tokio had that warm smile again. "Of course." Saitoh was grinning. He proposed: "Tsutomu, why don't you show your room to him? Hatsue is fixing you something more consistent to eat, but you can begin with that ice," he added, nodding towards Eiji.
The boys seized each a cup, and looked at each other again. Both of them were smiling this time. As soon as they were in the house, Tokio sighed.
"I guess that for his next birthday he's going to ask for a real sword." She leaned into her husband's embrace." I like him. And Tsutomu too. It seems that you have a way with your son."
Saitoh shrugged. "He would have liked him even if I didn't talk to him. My son just doesn't want to have morons for friends, that's all." He grinned again. "And you know it. You just needed a pretext to get some more ice."
She laughed, then asked quietly. " When are you leaving?"
" Tomorrow morning."
She turned impulsively to him. " You stay tonight?"
"Yes. But I'm not going to come home for a while afterwards. Tokio?"
" Yes?"
"Go back to Tokyo. It's not safe here."
"It's not safe anywhere. I've been here for 2 months and nothing happened. Do you really think I can afford to travel in my state? I will go back in September, as I have planned. Except if you fail and Shishio takes over the country, of course."
He snorted. " You, idiot."
She sighed and shifted in his arms. "Hajime? Can I have the last kakigori?"
"It was supposed to be mine." His voice was suggestive.
She shivered, and protested: "Come on! You don't even LIKE sweets."
He laid teasingly light kisses on her neck. God he had missed her." You taste sweet...I like that." he argued.
She tried to remain even. She had missed him so much. " Maybe we can trade?" she proposed hopefully.
He said nothing, just took a spoon of ice before turning her head to him, and kissed her. She moaned as the sensation, his hot tongue and the cold ice, the sweet taste of the syrup and the bitterness of the cigarette melting in her mouth. He parted, gave her the cup and the spoon, and murmured in her ear: " I take this only as the first part of the bribe."
"Killjoy," she mumbled.
"Can you develop this interesting way of thanking me?"
She gazed at him boldly. "I thought that ice would satisfy my cravings but now."
Want began to burn in his narrowed eyes and their mouths were almost touching when they heard the kid's voices.
"Don't even dare to wish they were not here," she warned, although regret showed in her silver pools.
For once, he got the last word. "Of course not. I was just wishing WE were someplace else."
The end.
Author's notes:
First, thank you to the people who reviewed the previous chapter!
I noticed that I made Tokio pregnant again here. My best friend was expecting a baby at the time I wrote these stories, so I guess it kind of influenced me!
I know contemporary Japan better than old Japan, so I don't know if they were celebrating birthdays. I happen to know that there was no dessert at that time, or usually in Japanese meals, but I wanted to use the good old dessert cliché so I just ignored the fact (Yes I know it's lame but I like this cliché..I plead guilty!). I don't know when kakigori appeared in Japan, it's though a traditional sweet, made of piled ice covered with very very sweet syrup. There are sold everywhere during summer, and are a good way to deal with the HEAT ( laundry dries in less than one hour, believe me!).
I think Eiji knows Saitoh's real name (not Fujita), but didn't know that Saitoh was a Shinsengumi captain when he was brought to his home.
Hatsue appears in a long fiction that I hope to post soon, which also explains why Saitoh has another house in Kyoto, and how Saitoh and Tokio met.
For the people not familiar with Saitoh's history, his wife, Takagi Tokio, was from Aizu. As it is also Megumi's city I made out that they knew each other back then. The Takagi were important and Megumi's father a famous doctor, so I thought it was not so unlikely. I also thought that Saitoh didn't give a good reason for saving Megumi's life at Kamiya Dojo, so I prefer to think that it was because of his wife rather than out of sudden chivalrous feelings. (well it's only my opinion) The Tokio/Megumi line is supposed to be explained in another longfic, which takes place after the end of the manga. (I'm NOT supposed to have the time to write fics. My supervisors are going to kill me if they know AAAAAH! But I'm too obsessed.)
Thank you for reading!
Kamorgana