Harada Sanosuke x Yukimura Chizuru
After slowly getting up without waking up the man next to her, the young woman dressed up discreetly, wanting to make the least noise possible. Her hair still down, she carefully left the room and closed the sliding door so delicately that no noise was heard. She quickly took her ways towards the kitchen, hoping to keep herself busy with something. She was mostly trying not to let her mind wander about the wonderful moment she passed with this man last night. The young demon blushed at this simple idea, strengthening her choice to do her best to distract herself by a way or another. Arriving in the kitchen, she tied her messy black hair, not giving a lot of attention about some missing locks. She just needed to look the more usual as possible.
She didn't wait any longer to start working, making simple rice dumpling for breakfast. She raised the usual quantity, hoping that it would please her friend who was going to war again. This modest thought prevented her to continue her activity, letting the half-ended rice dumpling on the cutting board. She closed her eyes, remembering the discussion she had last evening with the auburn-haired man before he kissed her. He confessed everything she wanted to hear; she knew he weighted those words and he proved it by spending the night with her. And yet, doubts were still here; less than last night, for sure, but still present in her mind.
The young woman knew what kind of dilemma this man had to answer. He already did his choice and didn't seem to regret but it didn't change the fact that she blamed herself for some reason. It was her fault if he was leaving his soul brother to stay with her; it was because of her presence that he had to take care of all the damages her father was causing. When she was thinking like that, she even resent herself for coming in Kyoto in the first place four years ago. Could she imagine a life without this event right now? Could she imagine a story without the Shinsengumi, without all the losses she had seen in front of her eyes? Could she consider a life without this man? A tear flowed below her eye as to remind her weakness she showed during the different stand-off she had to face.
All of the sudden, her hands started trembling, her mind and her body strangely remembering every bad and dangerous moment she crossed since she left the family home and the false protection her father gave to her; furies, demons, war and all the death which followed. How could she accept such events...? How could she look forward her life when she was regretting every single move she had done? The young woman was so immersed in her dark thought that she only felt the presence of the man when he put his big hand on her fine shoulder, surprising her and making her jump of one meter. She turned back as a reflex to find the man she spent the night with.
"Harada-san..." She whispered, her eyes already locked on his.
He gently put his warm hand on the cold cheek of the young woman, withdrawing the tear which flowed with his thumb. His gaze didn't leave the woman's one, trying to detect what could have make his beloved one feel such a state. He didn't need to ponder for a long time to understand her disarray and the doubts consuming her mind. Nonetheless he understood that it was finally time to express what he wished to say without any shame: he wouldn't let unsaid words take part of their relationship from now. It already hurt them before; he wouldn't do the same error twice. Hurting himself wasn't a real problem in itself but hurting her was another story.
"You remembered everything that happened since you arrived in Kyoto did you?" He asked with a sweet voice, surrounding the young woman with his arm.
The concerned one didn't even know if she had to be surprised by the question of her lover or just be happy to remark how much he could guess her thought and know her. This simple rhetorical question was enough to answer all the questions she asked herself some time ago. These words acted like a balm to the heart despite not being their first objectives. Warmed by the presence of her man, she smiled and almost forgot the strange state she just experienced. Their future was unknown and yet, the simple fact of having this man next to her sufficed to gather all the courage she needed. They had already consumed their love after all; she couldn't go back and deep inside, she didn't even wish it.
The only fact that he was here surrounding her small body with his big arms was a reason not to regret her previous actions. Maybe her leaving Edo, being attacked by furies, meeting the Shinsengumi and falling in love with Harada Sanosuke was a simple choice made by fate, a fate that she would continue with him. And as she was thinking about the future, she approached her face to his and kissed her lover lightly, her cheeks in fire but still not wanted to leave him. She felt his surprise; a surprise which quickly transformed into desire. He strengthened the embrace he had on her and this little kiss turned into a passionate one which reminded them that nothing could part them away.
Finally, they were just a simple couple who tried to survive in a cruel and dangerous world. They would always walk in pair, catching the one who could fall in the future. A future that they were going to build without going back as they promised the day before when they ended up exchanging their undeclared feelings. Sacrifices existed; nevertheless their choices would always be the same: they would stay together until the end of their life.
This is the English version of the story I wrote in French. I did the translation myself so if there are some grammar error do not hesitate telling me ! I hope you'll like it :D It was inspired by the same art that inspired me the Shinpachi x Chizuru story.