Okita Souji x Yukimura Chizuru

As she finished washing the dishes the petite woman got out the kitchen and started walking slowly in the headquarters, appreciating the nice breeze of the night. Autumn was here and the night came early, overpowering the sky with its black colour while shining stars were hidden by the clouds. She already missed summer; day was terrible and damp but night was beautiful and calm. Well, it was quiet now too; awfully quiet and lonesome. Chizuru continued her path slowly, her mind wandering and eating her happy mood again. Souji didn't come.

Dinner always was a kind of ritual in the Shinsengumi. The captains had issues but always throw them away while eating, forgetting their hard days and laughing as much they could for some of them. But Souji wasn't here anymore. This cherishing moment; he couldn't have it anymore, tuberculosis slowly eating his lungs and his sanity. The young woman stopped her steps, clenching her fists as hard as she could when the tears appeared from her beautiful brown eyes. Beautiful eyes which only show sadness and grief at this particular moment.

Biting her bottom lip, the young demon tried not to make a single noise; not wanting the Shinsengumi's captain to see her in such a state. She then sat on the edge of the engawa, putting her hands on it too and keeping her face down, her bangs hiding her wet eyes. The young woman took a long breathing, calming her down with the now cold and yet soothing wind. With no one approaching her, Chizuru took off her ponytail, letting her hair breath and fly following the winds direction. Her eyes then wandered and stared her pale hand; her small and pale hand who couldn't do a single thing to save the one she loved.

She could definitively say it, she loved Okita Souj. And he was slowly dying in front of her. Is this how everything would end? An illness taking his life like it was a simple game? Who decided these rules? Was it the world, fate, bad luck, karma? It was awfully unfair and no one could do a thing about it. What was the usefulness of being a demon if she couldn't save the one person who needed to be saved? Life, you're a game, so why can't we beat you? Her tears continued to flow silently, making this moment harder than she thought it would be. She couldn't be next to him; he would reject her. She couldn't talk to him; he would kill her with his words.

I'll kill you.

Chizuru didn't know how many times she heard those words. She didn't even know for how long she started missing it. His playful tone was gone; his beautiful smile too. Not being around him was too sad for the young woman. At least, she could see his bright face in her memory.

"Chizuru-chan, crying alone in front of my room is no good you know?" She heard, almost jumping and lifting her head.

"O... Okita-san?!" Chizuru reacted, quickly withdrawing her tears with her cold hands.

"You weren't coming so I thought I would check out. So? What are you doing here?"

She couldn't answer. She had come in front of his room without seeing it. Did she miss him that much so her body would walk towards his room automatically? Chizuru stayed still, waiting for man to sit next to her. His moves were slow, weak but determined. It was such a contradiction but represented his whole situation. The young woman couldn't help wanting to help him nevertheless she wouldn't; it was like an implicit dialog. Do not help me, I can do it alone. Alone, she was certain he felt alone; she knew that she was alone too.

"You really are strange. Why crying for me?" He asked, lifting his head towards the black sky.

Could she answer? His face looked pale and tired; tortured by an enemy he couldn't beat, an enemy no one could win over. His voice; she had miss it so much that she could even cry for it. Listening to it was like a melody, a sad one. She wanted to change that; transform this gloomy sound into a hopeful one; yes hope. It was the sole feeling that could save her; and him maybe. So Chizuru got up and placed herself in front of him, her heart still heavy but her reason brightening; following the clouds opening a space, letting the full Moon show its pale glow and lightening the two desperate people.

"Because I'm just a pitiful girl who can't do a thing to save the man I love." She quietly said, smiling at her own sad words and bending down.

"Loving me? I'm a blade. I'll kill you." He seriously answered, almost wanting to add some sarcastic words before she cut him with her smooth gest.

Souji didn't know when he started accepting her touch. He didn't know when he started missing her presence. The man originally though he was going to hate her for pitying him; he felt no pity in her tears, eyes and voice either; just pure and clear sadness. Chizuru had already put her small hand on his cheek and forehead on his so he wouldn't run away. He couldn't. Maybe he didn't even want to in the first place.

"You're better than this Souji." She finally said, her eyes never leaving his and her hope shining like the Moon above them.

Story written thanks to a prompt ! I hope you'll like it :D