Koishii Chapter 2

Sneak

"You can take a break," Saitou yelled over to his young page, wondering if the girl had ever worked so hard in her life. Probably not… her hands were soft, and she was panting, with a dizzy look in her eyes.

"Must you be so rough on Hidejiro-kun?" Okita had been watching for some time, although Saitou had a suspicion that it wasn't so much to see his training techniques as it was to keep an eye on comings and goings from the Yagi house.

"He's not had any training." He hid a grin as the girl gulped down water from the well and then demurly patted down her neck and the skin. A man would have stripped to the waist after getting hot and sweaty from training. "And he was trying to sneak out on me this morning," he added in a loud voice, to make sure she heard.

"Ah, well Kondou-san was saying that it's good that you've taken the Yagi boy under your care. We want to do something for the family since they've taken us in, but he was worried that he wouldn't have time to do it himself." They both watched her as she carefully set her sword down, moving slowly like someone who was sore and tired. They both remembered those early days of their own training well.

Hide heard the two talking and made a face down at the water. She wasn't sneaking to get away from him but to try to get to the bath her mother made for her early each morning, where they could make sure she had privacy.

The water felt so good… how she just wanted to dive in headfirst into the well. To clean up and cool off but also to get away from that man who held her secrets. How much more of this training? Maybe he would get bored with her soon. Or perhaps she wouldn't have to dress as a boy forever.

The night before, her mother had asked her, "Hide-chan… do you think anyone has figured this out?"

"Do you think so?" Maybe if she simply confessed to her mother… then this entire charade could be over. She could be herself again.

"I hope not," her mother frowned, "your father truly believes this to be the best course of action. They'll only be here a short time." She shook her head, "some, like Kondou-san, seem to be very good men but some of the others… it's just for the best, your father and I agree."

It's just for the best…

"Hidejiro! Don't take all day!" Suddenly he was up behind her.

"Where did Okita-san go?" The broadness of his shoulders and his height prevented her from seeing too much as he blocked her path.

He chuckled, "what's the matter, Hidejiro? Craving the company of Okita-kun? You probably think him to be much kinder than I," his voice was low. An edge of danger there.

"I-I-"

He stepped back as suddenly as he had came, he enjoyed how easily she was flustered. "He went sniffing after Serizawa's woman," he shook his head. They all had better things to do. Even in this game of training this girl he was getting some practice in… as opposed to those who went from teahouse to teahouse until the early morning hours.

"And you smell… is not bathing a part of your charade as well?"

"You got in my way this morning," she answered, "that's where I was going, Okaasan has made sure I had some time before everyone else woke up." She raised her gaze to look directly at him, "not to sneak away from training, Saitou-sensei."

So she did hear. "Tch." Just another part of this family's deception. "Did you say anything about being my page?"

"To my parents, yes." She had heard them, arguing about it after she had closed the door but then nothing had been said about it this morning… this morning that she had awoken and realized that the day before wasn't a dream, that she had indeed agreed to play along for the sake of her secret.

No details, "Do one hundred more swings with your sword then we'll see…"

See what? She wanted to ask, but bit her tongue and went to work, her aching arms protesting the entire time. No not just her arms but her entire body. Why wasn't she using a practice sword? Those wooden ones were much lighter…

Afternoon was late until he finally called an end to it. She was obviously tired, but he was hungry. "Hidejiro, that's enough."

She wanted to drop the sword out of celebration and dance around, if she was able to move, beyond nodding and securing her sword back on her side. Wondering what was for dinner… no breakfast, no lunch, nothing but well water, gulped down during a rare break.

Hide began to walk towards the house but Saitou grabbed her arm. "No, we'll go to my place," he told her, and she looked down, hoping her face wasn't red. She followed him through the streets of Kyoto, his long strides leaving the much smaller woman almost running to catch up. Through the maze of Kyoto streets to a small building that looked like the others… and Hide had a sinking feeling that they were near the infamous district in Kyoto known as Shimbara.

"Here?" she looked doubtfully at the building, and then to him.

Saitou sighed, opening the door and nodding at the woman sitting up front, and led her through the halls, and back outside to a walled courtyard. Of course a girl from a family like hers would only think the worst of a place like this. "It has a bath. And food. Or do you prefer to smell and starve all night? Either way I don't care." He looked down at her, she was pitiful really, obviously exhausted, her hair hanging down alongside her face and she was still out of breath.

"Here," he showed her the door. "It's still quiet at this hour but I'll wait outside so you won't be disturbed."

Hide almost squealed in delight at the site of the bath, but first she had to take precautions. She still didn't understand why all the sudden kindness after the hell she had gone through today. Maybe this was all a plot to get to look at her… her cheeks flamed red at the thought and she frowned, scrubbing herself down in a corner as quickly and then sinking into the steaming water.

Saitou stood outside, wondering why she was taking forever. Were women always this slow? Smells from inside of main the building drifted back and some of the staff of the teahouse had come by, wondering why he was standing guard outside of the bathhouse. He simply scowled at those unlucky enough to cross his path.

Idly he wondered if she hadn't fallen asleep or something. Maybe he should go in? He grinned, his eyes glancing at the door. See this girl once and for all. No, it probably wouldn't be worth all of the screaming and shrieking that it would cause. One thing she had correct in her disguise was the figure of a boy, she was probably a scrawny little thing and he liked to see a woman who looked like one. Soon enough he would go to Shimbara, where he had seen a girl with just such a figure and dancing black eyes…

The door slid open and she finally came out. He took one look at her fresh-scrubbed face and pink cheeks and muttered, "you look like a girl."

Hide made a face at him behind his back as he led her to the main room of the teahouse. There he claimed a table and ordered for the both of them. It arrived quickly enough, and both were quiet as they ate.

I wish I was at home… thought Hide as she helped herself to some udon. Strange cooking in a strange place, surrounded by men. She wondered what her mother and grandmother were serving tonight? Something with nice spring vegetables, no doubt.

As she ate, his eyes scanning the room and as he remained alert even while eating. A group of loud men had entered, and were lead off to a table in the corner. His eyes narrowed and then he glanced at the small cross-dresser sitting next to him, who of course had no idea…

"Hidejiro… go up to my room." She looked up at him, her eyes questioning, and he immediately reprimanded her, "don't look like that. I have to take care of some business. Go through the kitchen, up the stairs, it's the third room on the left, room twelve."

"And don't come out until I come for you." She could barely defend herself at this point, and he wasn't going to get others involved in his past business. "No matter what you hear. Understand?"

Hide nodded and stepped out, wanting to turn back and look. By the time she was at the stairs she heard shouting, and she ran straight to the room he had directed her to, sliding the door shut behind her. From downstairs was the sound of fighting, and she wondered what was happening?

It seemed like hours passed… she didn't think to bring a lamp with her and she sat in the dark. He better not be doing something stupid… like getting himself killed. Then it was quiet, and the quiet was even worse.

Footsteps coming down the hallway. She rested her hand on the hilt of her sword but really, what could she do?

She wondered if it was him. Wouldn't he say so?

Doesn't he know that I'm going crazy in here waiting? The door slid open and she held her breath until she determined that it was him, but he didn't even acknowledge her. He faced away, staring out the window.

"Where have you been?" She sighed and rolled her eyes, her tone showing exasperation. She went to touch his arm so he would turn around… she may be the page but he deserved to know something after what had happened. "I was worried -" Wet…, she realized, withdrawing her hand… that the arm of his kimono was soaked and the horrible smell of blood registered in her senses.

"Saitou-san?"

"I'll take you home in a minute," he almost growled at her. Probably worried about her propriety in a place like this, and staying out late at night with a man like him.

"Are you hurt?" When he remained silent, she asked again, her voice displaying an edge of sternness, "are you hurt?"

"It's nothing." He glanced down at his arm. He'd had worse. The girl was just overreacting. Women always did at blood. At least she didn't scream or faint. He kept his eyes trained on the window. Nobody else is coming.

Then she was at his side, pushing his sleeve up to his shoulder. "I should still wrap it up." She frowned at it, and then at him.

"I told you-" but she was already rummaging around the room.

"Don't you have anything here I can use for bandages?"

He nodded at some sheets, "those." She went to work, tearing off strips. Stubborn man.

Saitou was a little surprised at her fussing - her bustling about, with an efficiency he hadn't seen from her yet. And when she had begun to say she was worried, was it not about herself but him?

"How do you know this?" He looked over at the stack of bandages she had made.

Hide gave him a puzzled look, "I do have a younger brother… and he has friends. When they do something stupid they don't always want to go to their mothers to get bandaged up… apparently it's not as bad when I fuss at them for running with sticks or whatever it is little boys do." It was amusing then, but she wondered, with the men staying at her family's house - and the reason why they were staying - would she be called to do more than tend to childhood scrapes?

He didn't answer as she did her best to clean up his arm and bandage him up. Really, he could have managed on his own, why he only let her, after all. Saitou looked out the window again. Still quiet and clear, and they could go out the back. He still had things to deal with but not with her around.

"There," she finished and patted his arm. "Just looks like a scratch but it made a mess…"

She had done a good enough job and he grunted slightly. These past couple of years he tended to injuries on his own, after all. It was strange, all the fussing, and it left him feeling slightly uncomfortable. She should hate him after all, he was blackmailing her. Was she that naïve?

Their walk back to Mibu was mostly quiet. He noticed her looking around as if she had never seen the place. At his look, she said quietly, in her normal voice, "I never come out at night, unless there's a festival." All this trouble… at least she was seeing something different, another side to the place she had always known.

"Wait, Hidejiro," he stopped before they got to the gates of the Yagi estate. She stopped and looked up at him. "If you think this," he nodded down at his arm, "will get you out of training, you're very wrong." He smirked at her, and the expression on her face that was something like surprise. "Or at least," Saitou glanced down at his blood-stained kimono, his smirk widening into a grin, "you can do my laundry."

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Author's Note: A blending of the NHK/RK universes. All characters belong to their respective creators/owners, I'm just writing this for fun. As always a big thanks to those who inspire me.