Edited 8/22/06. Changed title from "Reminiscence: Okita".
A/N: Run for your life. You just came to one of my fanfics. You're staying? Suit yourself. You have been warned. I did my best to stay historically accurate and in character, but I have a knack for making everyone at least a LITTLE OOC. Sorry. I did my best. On with the show.
Disclaimer: I don't own RK, but really THEY don't own Saitou or Okita, since they're real people. O.o ...And isn't that an infringement of TOS? To write something about real people? Does that mean all RK fanfics are evil little outlaws? O.O GET BACK YOU RULE-BREAKING HEATHENS! ...sorry about that.

Thick

Anyone who glanced at Saitou today could tell you he was in a very bad mood. Hell, he looked like he would skewer anyone who would speak to him. Saitou wasn't a person to live in the past, but today it was inevitable. The Wolf of Mibu sat sullenly at his desk, wanting nothing more to be alone, and today everyone was glad to give him space. When had it happened? Ah yes—the Ikedaya Jiken.

Saitou cut through the rebels swiftly, a few other Shinsengumi members at his side. Soon, they were all dead and they quickly set off to find other patriots. Saitou went a bit slower than the others, looking out for a rear attack. A sharp, sudden noise make him whirl around. It was coughing. His eyes swept the area and landed on... Okita? The younger swordsman was leaning against a wall, coughing horribly.

"Okita?" He called, but was given no attention. Saitou took a few steps closer, careful to look for any hostile ki—he didn't need to be killed by some lowly fighter. The coughing stopped for a moment and Okita looked up at him, confusion in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak... but was silenced by another coughing fit. Saitou placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, trying to get a better look at him. Then he smelled it. Blood. Okita was coughing up blood.

He sharply looked up to call for another Shinsengumi member, but the others had already moved out of sight. When he looked back, he caught Okita's eye. They were glazing over. The fit stopped and Okita stood, trying to take a breath, but began to cough again. He swayed and fell, Saitou grabbed him and turned the Wolf over in his arms. Okita was out cold, blood streaking down his mouth, splattered on his uniform, and collected on his hand.

"Dammit."

That was the day it was discovered Okita had tuberculosis. Saitou had soon spotted Harada Sanosuke and had him bring Okita to the hospital (which, to his mild surprise he actually seemed to have done...). The next morning was still clear in his mind...

Saitou had gotten to the headquarters late, or rather, early, since it was the next day and the sun was already peaking over the horizon. The Fourth, Seventh, and Ninth Units were to take care of the after effects of the Ikeda Inn, the rest were fortunate enough to get some sleep. Upon seeing Harada again he shouted out to him.

"Yeah, I made sure he got to hospital ... No, I don't know what happened ... I was trying to get back to the battle! ... Good night... er, morning, Saitou-san."

The spear-wielding Miburo stalked off to his room to get some sleep. Saitou did the same.

Saitou was awake before Harada even began to knock on his door.

"Saitou-san, the First, Second, Third, and Tenth Units are going to patrol, get ready."

The First Unit? So Okita was fine then... He would have to ask what the hells happened later... As he walked to the front of the headquarters he was casually greeted by the returning Units, all looking quite tired. He arrived where the other Shinsengumi Captains and their subordinates were just preparing to leave. Nagakura Shinpachi, the Captain of the Second Unit, was casually chatting with Harada and it seemed like everyone was there but...

"Where is Okita?" He asked coolly. Nagakura looked up.

"He's not here, still in the hospital from what I hear..."

Saitou narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "If he's not here, who the hell is going to lead the First Unit?"

Nagakura shifted. "I have been assigned as temporary Captain."

"I see."

When Saitou returned later that night, Okita had returned to the headquarters, claiming to be perfectly fine, really.

"The doctor says I'm okay, I was just hit hard in the stomach and coughed up a bit of blood, that's all."

Okita had been smiling sweetly as he said this, but Saitou didn't buy it. No one ever hit Okita, not even him.

It had taken a month for his suspicions to be confirmed. Okita had been very discreet about his affliction, always dismissing his cough as just a cold and nothing more. There was no way to tell the difference between the blood of his enemies and his own blood that stained his blue haori. Okita couldn't hide the disease from Saitou forever, though he made a valiant effort.

Okita sat in his room, coughing. It wasn't a loud, racking cough, but it was thick and wet, and if you could hear it, you would note it in the back of your mind. The Shinsengumi Headquarters, though, was mostly empty. And so alone Okita sat, coughing, scarlet liquid dripping from his hand and landing on the floor. Saitou heard this from his room, which was very nearby.

At long last, the horrible cough subsided. Saitou hesitated and approached Okita's door, knocking lightly. After a moment, the shoji slid open, revealing the ever-cheerful Wolf. Saitou, however, noticed that his right hand stayed hidden behind the shoji. And he smelled blood. His eyes narrowed. There, near Okita's lip was a almost unnoticeable drop of blood that had been neglected to be wiped away. Saitou reached out swiftly, attempting to grab Okita's right arm, but the younger Miburo, not about to be slowed by his sickness, jumped out of reach, his smile disappearing and eyes narrowing.

Leaving his blood-covered hand clear for Saitou to see. Okita understood his mistake in a second. For the first time since the two had met, Okita looked away. No words were exchanged. None were needed. The sentence hung thick in the air as if Okita had said it for all to hear.

"I am dying."

And he was. Okita had died quite young, he had only been twenty-five. Saitou heard of his death immediately, guilty that he had not been at the boy's death bed. Okita was not a friend he forgot easily, and every year he would travel to his grave, usually by excuse of police business, and pay respects. And whenever he saw a young man smiling cheerfully or playing with children he would scowl, remembering the foolishly happy Wolf he had befriended.

End Thick

Terms:
Haori: A light Japanese jacket.
Harada Sanosuke: Not really a term... Harada Sanosuke was the Captain of the 10th Unit of the Shinsengumi, also the base for Sagara Sanosuke. In the RK universe, he looks like Sagara in a Shinsengumi outfit.
Ikedaya Jiken: The event in which the Shinsengumi stopped the Rebels from burning down Kyoto with only one causality.
Ki: Short for kenki, it's the spirit of a swordsman, only the best swordsmen can sense it, according to legend
Miburo: Means 'Mibu Wolf', Mibu being where the Shinsengumi originated. A Shinsengumi nickname.
Nagakura Shinpachi: Another Shinsengumi Captain (of the 2nd Unit). He would occasionally also lead the 1st Unit when Okita was too sick.
-San: Honorific, similar to Mr. or Mrs.
Shoji: A sliding paper door in Japan.
Wolf: Shinsengumi members were often compared to wolves; it's a nickname