Picking up on her change in demeanor, Sanosuke frowned and squeezed her shoulder. "Sakura? Are you alright?"
The hair at the back of her stood on edge, and without answering him, her gaze was drawn to the section of the roof not illuminated by the moon. There they stood. Three figures that Sakura wished she had never laid eyes on.
Oh no…
She immediately pulled out a kunai, a move that alarmed the captains around her. They followed suit and unsheathed their weapons, following the direction of her gaze.
The three figures jumped down from the roof, landing gracefully a few feet away from them.
"You!"
Kazama smirked, his red eyes glinting dangerously. "Hello, Sa-ku-ra. I have returned for you."
Immediately, Sanosuke and Okita stepped in front of her, weapons at the ready. Souji pointed the tip of his blade at the Oni. "You lay a hand on her and you die."
Kazama scoffed. "Lay a hand on her? You fool. I'm not here to hurt her. I'm here to take her with me."
Gritting his teeth, Sanosuke took a threatening step forward. "Over my dead body."
Kazama's face contorted into an expression of disgust. "You again? The culture and the nose of a dog, I see."
Hajime glared at him. "One could say the same about you."
"I figured you were here for the Shogun's head." All eyes turned to see Hijikata approaching, sword drawn. "What do you want from our medic?"
"I do not care for you or your Shogun right now. The matter concerns me and Sakura alone."
Sanosuke tightened his grip on his Yari. "Heh…Haven't seen these punks since that day in the forest and look at them now. Barging in and demanding that we hand over one of our own."
Kyo smirked, cocking his pistol. "I guess we're fated, aren't we, Harada? Can't say I'm particularly happy."
Amagiri stood beside him. "If you are going to be in our way, then we have no choice but to fight."
Hajime glared at him. "Go on, make something happen."
Chikage shot him a dismissive look. "While the looks on your faces appear formidable, I have no interest in the likes of you. Hand over the woman, and we will go in peace."
"Like hell we're going to give you Sakura-chan!"
Unsheathing his own sword, Kazama rolled his crimson eyes. "This is getting tiring fast. You wouldn't want me to deliver on my promise, would you, Sakura?"
"Huh? What promise?" Heisuke asked, glancing at the medic over his shoulder. "What is he talking about, Sakura-chan?"
Taking a deep breath, the woman took a few steps forward, coming to stand a few feet away from the Oni. She glared at him heatedly, her hand on the hilt of her sword. "You have a lot of nerve coming all the way out here just to threaten my friends, Kazama."
"I told you I'd return for you the last time we met."
The woman shook her head. "You said you'd return for my decision. Do I really have to spell it out for you?"
His eyes bore into her. "I don't think you realize the kind of steel and fire this decision of yours will rain upon everything you care about."
In a flash, Sakura had her sword drawn and pressed to his neck. The others tensed around her, but Kazama was the only one she could see in her furry. "Say that one more time. Talk to me, Demon. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now," she growled in his face, repeating his own words from that day in the woods.
Kazama chuckled darkly, raising his hand to twirl a lock of her hair between his fingers.
"Don't touch her, you son of a bitch!" Sanosuke's voice was harsh, a snarl that promised pain.
"You better rein in that dogs of yours, Sa-ku-ra. He's getting out of line, and I just might decide that I want his head as a trophy."
How dare you…
Eerily composed, Sakura's eyes bore into Chikage's. "I'm not going to take your head as I desire neither to start a diplomatic episode nor a quarrel with that clan of yours, but I think you have overstayed your welcome, Kazama. Take your sidekicks and leave now that you still can. You are outnumbered, and one word from any of us will have the Shogun's troops attacking you on sight. Last time I was lenient, but I won't be this time."
Kazama regarded her with an unreadable expression on his face. A few moments later, he placed a kiss on the lock of her hair still in his hold and smiled cruelly at her. "This decision of yours will haunt you for the rest of your life," he said, as he stepped back. "I can promise you that, Sa-ku-ra."
The woman glared. "Good. Because I am going to haunt you for the rest of yours."
"Amagiri, Kyo. We're leaving."
"Oh man! And here I was in the mood to wipe the floor with Harada's face."
"I'd like to see you try, Shiranui."
Putting some distance between them, Kazama bowed mockingly. "Do not think for one second that this is over. I will have you. I hope to see you soon."
"You'd be the only one."
She watched them leave, her eyes never straying from their figures until the disappeared into the night. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what was to come.
Well, shit…
Turning to the others, she saw every single one of them watching her expectantly.
"Let's go somewhere quite where we won't be overheard. Fetch Kondou too. There's something I need to tell you."
XxxxX
When Sakura finished recounting her last meeting with Kazama, she let the captains and Kondou take a minute to absorb her words.
Kondou sighed. "You should have come to us right away, Sakura. That same night."
"I realize that now. It was foolish of me to keep it from all of you. After all, he did break into the compound. He could have hurt any of you in the process." She shifted uncomfortably on her feet. "You know very well by now, Kondou-san, that there are very few things I wouldn't do to protect my people, the Shinsengumi included. Kazama threatened Konoha's interests. He promised war and riots instigated by his family's allies hiding in plain sight all across the Shinobi Nations. I had to get word to Kakashi-sensei to ask for his advice. This is my village he threatened."
"Did you manage to get word to Hatake?"
The woman nodded. "I sent him a message right away. He has ordered an internal investigation. The other Kage have been informed too. No stone will be left unturned."
"I understand. You have been put in a difficult position, Sakura. However, as you said, Kazama broke into the compound, directly threatened a member of the Shinsengumi, and could have harmed you or worse…Should anything similar happen in the future, I want you to report it immediately."
"Yes, Kondou-san. You have my word."
"Having said that, I would like to thank you for taking our wellbeing into consideration too."
She tilted her head, frowning. "Into consideration? Kondou-san, I'm more worried about you than I am about Konoha. Kazama is here, he's close to the Shinsengumi. Closer than he'll ever be to my village. Right now, if it comes down to choosing between protecting the Shinsengumi and protecting Konoha, I'll choose you. From now on, I'll always choose you."
Her declaration was met with stunned silence. She was perfectly aware of the implications of her announcement. She was willingly putting the Shinsengumi above Konoha. Were she to say that in front of the Council back home, she'd be branded a traitor in a heartbeat. But for the life of her, she just didn't give a damn.
Konoha was strong. It had Kakashi, and Naruto and Sasuke, and an army of very capable shinobi to keep it safe. The Shinsengumi though…Against the forces of demons, who did they have to protect them?
As friendly as the Shogun had looked during their meeting, she had no doubt that if push came to shove, he'd send the Shinsengumi to their deaths without a moment's hesitation. And she just couldn't bear the thought of that.
She had worked too hard to convince them to condemn that cursed Water of Life and Yukimura's program to let the ambitions of Kazama ruin everything.
"Aw, come on, Sakura-chan! You're going to make me tear up!"
With Shinpachi's proclamation dispelling a great deal of the tension in the room, Sakura released a breath and smiled. "Now, Shin-kun. Did you really expect me to allow any harm to come to my favorite Shinsengumi?"
"Ha! In your face, Harada! Didn't I tell you I'm her favorite?"
"Don't flatter yourself, Nagakura. Pinky is obviously talking about me."
"Shut up, Souji! Your ugly mug could never be Sakura-chan's favorite."
"She's put her hands all over my body, Nagakura. I win."
"Zip it, Okita."
"Jealous, Harada?"
Despite the situation, the medic found herself laughing. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she saw Kondou smiling down at her.
"You see, Sakura, I think there's one thing you got wrong."
"Huh?"
"You want to protect everyone, but to me it seems like everyone here wants to protect you."
XxxxX
Sanosuke found her later that night, laying on the grass and staring up at the night sky. Her eyes were closed but her breathing told him that she was not asleep.
Without a word, he laid down beside her, crossing his arms behind his head. For a few minutes, they remained silent. Sanosuke never had any problems with talking to women but this time he didn't know what to say to her.
He kept his eyes on the stars, forcing himself not to look at her. Every time he did, all he saw was Kazama touching her and kissing her hair. It made his blood boil dangerously.
He felt her shift beside him, and in the corner of his eye, he saw her turn her body towards him.
"Are you mad at me, Sano-kun?" she whispered, almost as if she were afraid of the answer.
Sanosuke hummed in thought. "I guess I am a bit mad." In the corner of his eye, he saw her wince at his words.
"Please forgive me, Sano-kun. I never intended to lie to you. I truly believed that keeping it a secret was me keeping you safe."
Sanosuke chuckled humorlessly. "You don't get it, Sakura. It's not you I'm mad at."
"Huh?"
He kept his eyes on the sky, mulling over what he meant to say next. "I'm mad at myself."
"Mad at yourself? Why?"
"Because I let Kazama get to you. I promised to be your knight, and yet that son of a bitch slipped past us and found you. He was in your room alone with you. The things he could have done…" He gritted his teeth, clenching his fists as all kinds of terrible images flooded his mind. "I am a failure."
The woman sat up abruptly, her eyes wide. "Sano-kun, no! Please, don't say that. You…You are one of the bravest men I've ever known."
Sanosuke stared at her for a few seconds before he shook his head. "Brave? How is a man like me brave? A man who can't even protect the woman he…" Realizing what he was about to say, he caught himself just in time. "Women shouldn't be asked to protect themselves against the likes of Kazama."
"You know I can take care of myself, Harada."
He offered her a small smile. "That's not what I meant, Sakura. I know you can protect yourself. Hell, I'm in awe of you every time I see you, but…What kind of warrior am I if I'm not able to protect those I cherish?" He thought he heard her breathing hitch, but he brushed it off as his mind playing tricks on him. "How am I going to look you in the eye, knowing I let that scumbag get so close to you?"
He wasn't sure what he expected her to say, but she left him completely bewildered when she took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her.
"Like this," she said firmly, "You're going to look me in the eye like this, and you'll continue to do so for the rest of your life, Harada. Do you want to know the best way to protect me? Do you?"
Her emerald eye bore into his, wild and determined, and despite his shocked state, he managed to nod.
"Then never change. Be yourself, be the man I know you are. Because that Harada Sanosuke is one of the greatest men I have ever met."
Sanosuke stared at her, committing her features to memory. From the furrowed brows and tight mouth to the disheveled hair and bright eyes, he wanted to remember everything. Giving into an urge that he found himself both unable and unwilling to control, he circled his arms around her body and pulled her flush against him.
You stubborn, compassionate, beautiful woman…
He held her tight, feeling her heartbeat against his chest even through the layers of fabric separating them. He had heard sweet songs before, but he was certain that if he were to become deaf the very next minute, he would spend his last seconds listening to her heartbeat.
"Sano-kun?" she whispered, her voice questioning, probably confused by his sudden actions.
He shrugged, flashing her a lopsided grin. "You looked cold."
It was a terrible lie and they both knew it, but she didn't say a thing. Instead, her eyes softened, and she laid her head back down on his chest, pressing herself closer to him.
For the first time in a really long while, Sanosuke felt light. Lighter than he had ever felt before. Even when Sakura's breathing evened out and she fell asleep on him, he stayed awake, unwilling to spend a single second in the darkness of slumber. He had her in his arms, and he was going to cherish it and enjoy it for as long as it lasted, if only for a single time.
I love you, Sakura.
XxxxX
"Sakura. Sakura, wake up."
The medic opened her eyes with difficulty, only to shut them immediately when light assaulted her sensitive irises.
"C-Chizuru-chan?" she said groggily, squinting to make out the figure above her.
"Good morning!" the younger girl said cheerily.
Sitting up, Sakura ran a hand through her hair. "What time is it?"
"It's an hour past noon."
"Eeeh?" Sitting up abruptly, Sakura's eyes widened. "An hour past noon? Oh no…Oh no! I slept in!"
Jumping to her feet, she threw her clothes on and hastily brushed her hair, tying it in her usual braid. "My pouch, I need my pouch," she murmured under her breath, completely ignoring Chizuru who was watching her rummage around her room with an awkward smile on her face.
"Wait." As if suddenly remembering something, Sakura stopped. "How did get in here? I don't remember returning to my room last night."
"Um, about that, Sakura-"
"I went out after the meeting," she mused, securing her sword in place, "and I sat down to stargaze. Then, Sanosuke-oh."
Chizuru coughed in her fist. "Harada carried you back last night. He came to find me after he dropped you off to tell me to come and help you change into more comfortable clothing. He said you were exhausted and to let you sleep in. He'd explain your absence to the others."
Sakura's mouth formed a perfect 'oh' as she took Chizuru's words in, and a soft smile touched her lips without her noticing.
I don't deserve someone like you in my life, Sano-kun…
"I see," she said, and grinned at the younger girl. "Thank you, Chizuru-chan. I really appreciate your help. Do you have any idea where the others are?"
The girl nodded. "Hijikata-san sent me to fetch you. Another meeting is to take place in a few minutes in Kondou-san's office."
Sakura nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Chizuru-chan. I'll be on my way. Would you like to head to the market later? I need to stock up on a few supplies."
"Sure! Please count me in."
"Great! I'll see you later, Chizuru-chan." Beaming at the girl, Sakura left her room to head to Kondou's office.
She knocked on the door, and the moment she stepped inside, her eyes immediately sought Sano's. He smiled at her from beside Nagakura.
"Good afternoon. Please, excuse my tardiness," she said bowing.
Kondou smiled at her kindly. "Sakura. Good, you're here. Do not worry. Yesterday was a difficult day, for you most of all." Then, his expression turned serious. "And today doesn't seem any better either. Yamazaki, if you will."
Yamazaki Susumu was a man Sakura had only seen a handful of times. Usually silent, the only thing she knew about him was that he used to be the resident medic before her and that he now put his ninja skills to good use as a spy and informant.
For him to be here…Something big is happening.
Yamazaki cleared his throat. "We have reason to believe that Choshu rebels are plotting an attack on Kyoto. We do not know when or how many of them there are, but we do know that a high-ranking official will arrive in town within the month. He'll probably use an alias and a disguise, but our contact from within reports that they will be staying in Shimabara."
Souji crossed his arms across his chest. "Shimabara? Seems like a strange choice of accommodation for a rebel leader."
Sakura hummed thoughtfully. "Or a really clever one. Shimabara is very crowded. It's easy to get lost amidst the myriad of faces that come and go every day. It's also a place that one wouldn't think to search when looking for paramilitary officials."
Hijikata nodded. "That is correct. Yamazaki, will our contact be able to tell us the name of the place the rebels will be staying at?"
Yamazaki nodded. "He'll send us a coded message with the place once he finds out. He will help us identify the leader when the time comes for it."
"Good. That leaves us with one last obstacle to overcome. We need to find a way to infiltrate the place and make the arrest."
Souji snorted sarcastically. "You're not asking for anything difficult, are you, Hijikata?"
Sakura cleared her throat to gain their attention. "I have an idea. And you're not going to like it."
TBC
HEYA!
How are you wonderful people?
I know Kazama is not exactly a lovable character in this story but Chikage lovers, rejoice!
My ChikageXSakura one-shot is officially out and ready to be read by all you, lovelies. Look up "Fire and Silk" and let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy it!
Moving on to this story, have I ever mentioned how much I adore Sano? He is a badass mf with a heart of pure blood and he just makes me swoon. Thinking back on playing his route, it just makes so much sense to me that he'd berate himself and feel like a failure for allowing anyone to harm/try to harm the woman he loves. His noble character was so prevalent in the game, he just kept trying to protect his precious people at any cost.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope you are in the mood for A LOT of drama because, boy, oh boy…it's coming!
If you have a minute to spare, drop me a review. Reading your thoughts always makes my day.
With "Fire and Silk" finally uploaded, the next one-shot will be a SoujiXSakura story so keep an eye out for that.
Until next time,
Lots of love!