Disclaimer: I don't own jack!
Pairing: Okita/Kagome
Suggested Listening: Sugar by Robin Schulz (Feat. Francesco Yates)
Of Pride and Honor
Chapter Six: Joys of Today
The year was drawing to a close. In fact there were only a few days left before a new one would be upon them. School had let out recently and the crowds that visited the shrine were growing more excited. Even from his room Okita could hear the low chatter of people offering up hopes and prayers. The man yawned into the palm of his hand. Rolling over on his side, he set to work on his morning routine of dressing himself, performing the proper hygiene protocols of this era and taking his medicine. His lips thinned at that last thought. The doctor had called him on his new phone recently and informed him that the specific disease was called Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis. According to the doctor much of the damage was still minor. It'd be some time before the scarred tissue would heal over but the antibiotics were working quite fast on eliminating his symptoms.
His main issues were the recurrent fevers later in the night. Unlike his first few days in the shrine, they were mild but definitely an annoyance. He'd taken to using fever reducers as a means to alleviate the effect they had on him. Still, his body was in the process of regaining its strength. The week of bed rest he'd been initially put on by the Higurashi family had done its damage to his body. He'd grown far weaker than he should have and he'd lost a good percentage of his body weight. He had another visit with the doctor planned for the end of next month—so the ronin hoped that by then he'd be able to get his weight back to where it was supposed to be and to have regained much of his strength as well.
The major thing that sucked though was the news that he couldn't stop taking his antibiotics even if he was feeling 'fine'. It was a six-month regiment that would end in early June. The doctor had sternly warned him that stopping his treatment early because he felt 'normal' would risk not eliminating the disease entirely and pushing it into a 'latent' state that could crop up later, sometimes even years after the initial treatment. Okita glared up at the ceiling. Even if the well were to reopen by the end of the night, he couldn't leave this place until this regiment was over. His hands clenched into tight fists. If only he could just send word to the other side. Something to prevent the Shinsengumi from assuming the worst from his sudden disappearance.
"Souji-kun!" Kagome called out ecstatically from the other side of his door. The man blinked and cocked his head towards the commotion—casting a wayward glance in the direction he heard her voice. "Come outside, you have to see this!" He listened as her feet rushed down the stairs and out of the shrine. The man heaved a sigh between his teeth. At least he could say that he wouldn't be bored during this wait. He had more than enough things to keep him occupied. A small smile pulled at his lips. Slipping on a pair of shoes that their mother had given him, he made his way outside as well. The clothing here was oddly tight fitting and not all that comfortable to wear. He had settled on a basic, black colored button down collared shirt and jeans. Everything else either situated oddly on his frame or he simply disliked the way the fabric felt on him. Still, the shoes were a massive pain in the ass. The first few days of wearing them caused a few of his toes to blister.
"Out here!" The young woman cried again as her azure eyes caught sight of him exiting the shrine. He trailed after her silently. The ronin was briefly forced to cover his eyes with the back of his hand as he stepped outside. The blinding light of the sun's rays momentarily left him unable to see. Blinking, he slowly took in the change in these familiar surroundings. A snowstorm had swept through the city the previous night. Now a thin coating of ice encased tree branches and other such surfaces—creating a crystal-like effect on the once monotonous settings. More than that though was the veil of white that blanketed the ground, trees and shrine. A grin spread across his lips. No wonder she was so excited. It was the first fall of snow. "Come on!" Kagome reached over and pulled at his fully healed hand. Her fingers curled over his knuckles as she ushered them towards a small corner by the Goshinboku. He took a breath and a pillar of white smoke left his mouth. Despite winter's official arrival, it wasn't all that cold to him. In fact, his smile grew just a bit wider at the grin his host flashed him, it was rather bracing.
"By the way," The man inquired, looking her up and down in a lazy fashion. "What are you wearing?" It was reminiscent of a man's outfit back in his era. Complete with a white haori, deep navy colored hakamas and a black chest protector. He didn't mind the look so much but it definitely seemed a bit out of place on her. It was far too masculine and reduced the image of femininity she always seemed to project. A regular kimono would've suited her much more. A flush of red went across the young woman's nose before she beamed up at him with pride.
"It's for kyudo. A couple of the club members will be coming over for practice soon, so I went ahead and changed into this." Noticing the curious look he was giving the plate covering her chest, she continued. "This is a muneate*. It's to protect the area in times when the tsuru* snaps." He nodded once. So that was it. Well still, he would've preferred to have woken up to her in a decorative kimono. Or maybe nothing at all… The man ceased his trail of thought as they reached their destination.
"Alright, we can't let this opportunity go to waste!" Kagome cried out enthusiastically, widely gesturing to the snow blanketed compound. Souta, who'd been up long before him, was already waiting for them. The child was bundled up in a large overcoat, jeans and some kind of boot he hadn't seen before. The boy held a snowball in his hand as he shot them a wicked smirk.
"I say we have ourselves a battle royale!" To emphasize his point, he cocked his arm back and loosely tossed the snowball at his head. Okita craned his neck to the side and smirked as the projectile crashed harmlessly against a tree behind him.
"I dunno. I don't think you've got the skills to keep up with me." The ronin briefly reached down and rolled the snow into a semi-large ball within his hands. "Think you can take me down all on your own?" He tossed the snowball ominously up in the air and caught it in his palm. It was no idle threat. He was good at both swordsmanship and snowball fights. He'd had it out with Heisuke and the guys enough times back in the Shinsengumi to know what to anticipate. His grin grew malicious. "I won't be holding back."
Souta quirked his brows and suddenly shot him an odd look, "You're doing it again, nii-san." Oh right, his resting serial killer face. Okita closed his eyes and allowed his grin to grow even wider.
"Heh. Your choice." He tossed it up in the air once more. However instead of the familiar feeling of the snow's cold hitting the palm of his hand, it instead struck him in the center of his face. His eyes snapped open as he stared over at the offender in shock. Did she just hit him with a snowball?
"I think we can manage, right Souta?" Kagome drew her arm back as a vicious smirk spread across her lips. Oh it was on now. He had to avenge that unsuspecting strike. The siblings paired together as Souta prepared the snowballs while Kagome took to throwing them wildly at his exposed form. With all the grace and speed of his warrior traning, Okita rolled to the side. He'd always been quick with his hands and this was no different. With efficiency that the Higurashi siblings couldn't compete against, he was rolling snowballs and throwing him even quicker than the blink of an eye.
"Faster, Souta! We must win!" The young woman grinned, cocking her arm back and throwing with all of her might. The ronin ducked and gave a quick under throw. The snowball roughly hit her muneate; shattering the harmless weapon object across her shirt. "This isn't over yet!" She declared loudly. Souta passed her yet another snowball.
"Keep trying, kid!" Okita taunted, dodging and weaving around every projectile aimed at him. In the dojo Kagome was quick. However outside of fighting she was clumsy and slow. A fire burned in her azure eyes as he somewhat stumbled over a rock hidden in the snow. Taking advantage of the distraction, she let her arsenal fly. A barrage of snowballs rained down on the man. As much as he tried to maneuver his way through the flurry of attacks, a few still managed to strike at the cloth of his shirt and ghost across his cheek. Damn, he was losing!
An idea suddenly came to the man's head. A wide grin spread across his lips as he darted across the space that separated him from the siblings.
"Enemy attack!" Souta called out, diving to the side and out of his range. However the man hadn't any interest in going after the boy. He slipped behind his host and let loose a quiet, almost sinister laugh between his lips. A tiny billow of white smoke drifted up in the air. Kagome froze as his arms swiftly locked themselves under her shoulders and pulled her small frame tightly to his chest.
"Now kid!" He smirked at the boy eyeing him in both shock and admiration for the speed he'd just used to get one over on his sister. "Now's your chance to get her!" Realization dawn in Souta's eyes as he began to smirk as well. Horror flashed across the young woman's expression.
"Traitor!" She thrashed wildly in his grip, tossing herself from one side to the other; attempting to free herself with all of her might. Okita just held her back even tighter to his chest. His grin grew vicious as he saw the boy creep ever closer to his sister. The kid splayed out his fingers and threw a victorious smirk at her.
"Sorry nee-chan, but I can't pass this up." With that, he pounced. Souta dove forward and began to strike at her sides, tickling her with all the determination of a fierce soldier. Tears welled in her eyes as wild laughter tumbled from her mouth.
"Stop! Stop it!" Kagome's voice rose to a pitch he hadn't ever heard her use before. She kicked her legs into the snow and laughed so hard that she started to wheeze. "I won't surrender! I'll never surrender!" She cried out.
Okita turned his head and gave a small, sinister laugh into the cool flesh of her neck, "Too late. You're already our prisoner. You can fight all you want but," His arms tightened as she began to throw herself even harder against the vice-like grip he had on her. "You've already lost."
A tiny blush spread across her cheeks but a fierce determination filled her eyes. He could admire her ferocity in the face of defeat. However, the man eye's narrowed as she started to slip from his grasp, he wouldn't lose! As the first division's captain of the Shinsengumi, his sense of honor depended on it!
Suddenly Kagome tucked her legs and managed to duck out of his grasp. His shock was only interrupted after she rolled on her back and stood a short distance away. Snow coated her hair as her chest heaved with each breath she took. Her face was still flushed from the mild chill and bout of laughter they'd put her through. A smile tugged at the ronin's lips, he liked the look of it.
"I haven't given up yet!" She turned her sights onto Souta. The boy pivoted on the heel of his foot and attempted to flee, but his sister was faster. She locked one arm around his neck while the other set to work on tickling his side, just as he had done mere moments ago. "Say it!" The girl cried out enthusiastically as the boy writhed in her grip.
"Never!" Souta growled, attempting to slip away from her. Still, her grasp on him tightened.
"Say it!" She demanded once more.
"Nii-san! Save me!" The kid reached a desperate hand towards him. He curled his fingers inwards towards his palm repeatedly in a show that could only be labeled as 'grabby hands'. Okita closed his eyes and gave a quick nod of approval. Ah, things were going just as he had hoped.
However before he ran to the rescue, he glanced up to see something he hadn't expected. Emerald eyes narrowed as he spied a figure approaching from the far end of the complex beyond Kagome and Souta's struggling forms. They had their backs facing the entrance and therefore could not see the person who was fast approaching them from behind. The ronin's grin widened. With measured speed and grace, he dipped his hand into the thinning coat of snow. Using both of them, he scooped a significant portion into his hands and formed a snowball nearly half the size of his head.
The young woman's gaze widened in fright at the sight of his rather intimidating weapon. "Look out!" Kagome cried, pushing her brother away and diving off to the side. Souta tumbled clumsily head first into the snow. It really wasn't necessary though. Neither of them were his target. He leaned back and with all the might and force of his body, he threw the object as hard as he could at the male that'd stumbled into his path.
The snowball smashed heavily against Takeshi's face. It broke apart and fell lifelessly to the ground. The dark haired teen blinked momentarily, as if stunned that he'd been hit in the first place. He took a few brief seconds to glance between Okita's wildly grinning face and the crumple of snow at his feet. The male sucked a breath between his lips.
"I take it that's your revenge for the other day?" His voice was oddly calm but a deep seeded fury raged in his onyx eyes. Oh yeah, the guy was pissed.
The ronin folded his arms over his chest, "It might be. That depends though. Are you willing to give me a proper apology?" He allowed the familiar spike of killing intent to enter in his own gaze. He'd toned down his instincts for the sake of the Higurashi family so he wouldn't cause them any trouble during his stay here. However he wasn't about to let this opportunity slide. Especially not at the chance of embarrassing Kagome. She flustered so easily. He couldn't help but want to do it more often.
Takeshi pointedly ignored his request. Instead he refocused his attention onto his host, "Sasaki-san and Okada-san are on their way up the stairs now. Do you think we could go ahead and prep the practice room?" Okita's lips thinned as he was so blatantly passed over. Well this was a pain in the ass. How was he supposed to have fun with this guy if he didn't rise to his bait? He certainly had him pegged wrong. He was so sure he'd jump at the chance to start a fight with him. Maybe Kagome's verbal thrashing really had knocked some sense into him. A smirk tugged at his lips. Now that was something he was glad to have witnessed.
The young woman straightened her clothing and gave a quick nod, "Sure. It's back this way." The life and fun they'd just had suddenly drained away as a feeling of seriousness seeped in. She started off towards the shack that they'd previously been using for their sparring matches. Souta looked between the two, shrugged then trailed back towards the house. It was obvious the kid hadn't any interest in getting involved with the kyudo club or overseeing any interaction between his sister and Takeshi. Probably because the guy was such a damn killjoy—especially given how quickly things turned sour once he arrived. So the ronin chose to follow after them in the child's stead. It was his job to cause her as much trouble as he could, after all. She was the one that said they were family and therefore he'd live up to that station by causing her as much trouble as he could. Okita trotted after the two lightly, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans and coming up to Kagome's other side. She shot him a curious glance but otherwise didn't question his presence.
Takeshi took note of his following them but wisely kept his mouth shut on the matter. The air between the pair shifted as they approached the shack. Her expression blanked as she began to ignore most of the sly glances her captain was throwing her way. Kagome reached forward and slid the door back, allowing the other two to enter into the tiny building. It was just as dusty as the last time they were here. However the man observed as his host's eyes narrowed upon the line of targets in the back.
"If there's only going to be two more coming in then we should set up four aisles. That way each of us can get some practice in." The other male nodded at her statement. It was fairly obvious what needed to be done. He sat back and watched curiously as the scene unfolded before him. Even as they moved about, the other male's eyes never left her form. A dark heat burned in Takeshi's gaze as he allowed himself to observe the fluidity in which the young woman gracefully shifted about the practice area. By now the ronin was certain that his own expression was holding an edge of violence just beneath the surface. He wasn't jealous but rather he simply disliked the obvious want reflecting in the other male's eyes. The guy really couldn't handle himself well, could he?
Kagome and Takeshi swiftly set to work on arranging the targets in the far corner of the room. They'd pushed them into evenly spaced aisles with four rows in total. His host, who'd largely ignored the captain and his stares, quietly tasked Okita with moving their blades in a safer spot. So the man carried the rack with their swords towards the entrance. He gently set it down in the far corner before returning his attention to the other two. He didn't like where this was going but he'd sit back and allow her to handle it. She'd done a perfectly good job at it the other day so he saw no reason to intervene.
An awkward tension filled the air as Kagome shuffled about the room. Her eyes were narrowed as she retrieved a long bow that had been stored behind the targets. Odd, he never even noticed it there. Perhaps she'd done that on purpose? The young woman pulled at the tsuru, testing its strength and durability. Takeshi observed her for a moment. The other male's eyes were soft as something akin to longing flickered within their depths. Then he blinked and glanced in his direction. Okita had to give the guy some credit, he didn't pour out all the hatred in his soul to glare at him like a petulant child. Instead Takeshi briefly closed his eyes before pulling his own bow from his shoulder and copying Kagome's actions.
The ronin cocked his head to the side as the door suddenly opened. Two new people entered the shack, their chests heaving and a sheen of sweat upon their brows. They were both female and clearly just a year or so shy of Kagome's age. The first thing he noticed was that apparently the trip up the shrine had been a particularly adventurous one for them. The second thing he noticed about the newcomers was that they also were dressed in matching uniforms as his companion with their bows slung over their shoulders. So these must be the other members of the kyudo club. At the very least they didn't seem all that intimidating. In fact, his eyes roamed over their frail forms analytically, they hardly seemed capable of wielding their weapons. They had hardly any muscle mass in proportion to their frames. Unlike Kagome who, despite her small stature, was well built and muscular from her time spent hunting youkai. Well at least that was what he liked to believe. His brows furrowed slightly.
"Hey guys!" The young woman greeted the duo enthusiastically. "I'm glad you could make it Sasaki-san," She grinned at the shorter, dark haired girl to the left. "… And Okada-san." Her excitement didn't cease as she pulled the other, slightly taller girl with her. She ushered them towards a small makeshift line that Takeshi had drawn with a roll of tape. "Go ahead and pick an aisle. We're just going to be doing basic training today." They nodded at her, offering the young woman their own greeting in return. Without a word, the group worked in a cohesive unit—each one helping the other to prepare and string their bows correctly.
Before they began the two glanced in his direction curiously. As if sensing their unasked question she continued on, "That's my cousin, Higurashi Souji." He gave a nonchalant wave as they threw another look in his direction at the mention of his name. "He usually does kendo but today he wanted to observe our kyudo practice. Don't worry too much about him though. He'll leave you alone." The young woman threw a meaningful glare in his direction. The ronin couldn't help but smirk back at her. What? He couldn't make fun if they screwed up? Given the ferocity of her glare, he assumed that it'd be best if he remained silent for the duration of this practice. The man settled into a corner and watched from afar. At least it wouldn't be that boring. Once the younger members had chosen their aisles, Kagome went to work on correcting their posture.
"Don't let your arm fall so low." She used the back end of her own arrow to gently nudge the smaller girl's elbow upwards. "Think of it as a straight line from the tip of your arrow to the point of your arm." The girl, Sasaki he believed her name was, nodded fiercely. She pulled the string as tautly as she could but her arm began to shake from the effort that it took. Kagome's eyes watched with the keen intensity of a master archer. "Take a breath. When you release it, let your arrow fly." The other woman did as instructed. She sucked a breath between her lips, narrowed her eyes at the target at the opposite end of the room, before opening her fingers and releasing her breath all at once. The projectile whirled across the room and struck on the outer rim of the target. Kagome rubbed her chin thoughtfully for a moment.
"Are you having trouble pulling back the tsuru?" The teen inquired sharply. Takeshi threw a sharp glare in their direction before he continued in his practice. The girl briefly caught sight of the look and hunched her shoulders in defeat. From where Okita was sitting, that was quite clearly the case. Sasaki hadn't the power to draw the string as far back as necessary. She needed to increase her arm strength in order to gain more control over the direction of her arrow.
Sasaki hung her head, "I'm sorry. I know I'm not very strong and that my skills aren't the best…" The girl's voice trailed off as her lip began to quiver. Aw hell, was this kid about to cry? The ronin turned his head and allowed his host to handle the situation. He was not about to get sucked into comforting a crying female. He absolutely sucked at it. He should know; Harada had made fun of him enough for his lack of sensitivity towards the opposite sex back in his era. Then again the ronin doubted that anyone could have as much luck with women as Harada did. The man definitely had a silver tongue and face to match.
Kagome smiled gently, "It's alright. The strength will come with time. For now just focus on drawing your bow. Don't worry about releasing your arrow until you can pull the tsuru back without issues. The more times you do it, the better you'll get." She stepped to the aisle beside her. Pulling her own bow from her shoulder, she demonstrated the process in which she used to draw her arrow.
"Now watch what I do carefully." The dark haired woman lifted the bow high above her head, parallel to her own body. She took three fingers and carefully began to pull at the string. As the tsuru became taut, she lowered the bow back in proportion to her own body. "All I want you to do is to practice those movements until it becomes easier for you. Think you can do that?"
"Yes Higurashi-senpai!" Sasaki chirped, having gained more confidence since her failed strike. Okita sat back and rolled his shoulders. Kagome made for a pretty good teacher from what he could see. Still, his eyes shifted to Takeshi who'd busied himself with practicing with his own bow, he wondered why it was that only she was ruling the tutoring session.
"Higurashi-senpai," Okada piped up from beside them, "Could you help me with my aiming? I keep just missing the center." His host brightened up as she guided her fellow club members in the art of archery. He could clearly see how dedicated she was to the practice. She was motivated and empathetic with her students. So just how good was she in a real battle though?
An hour went by quicker than Okita had anticipated. During that time Sasaki and Okada obeyed Kagome's directions to the tee while Takeshi stood to the side—his eyes remaining focused on his target save for the spare few moments he'd cast a longing glance in Kagome's general direction. However every once in a while he'd spy him observing his movements closely and thus return to practicing with his bow without delay. The ronin gave a soft snort through his nose. Good, let the idiot sulk in silence. By the time the practice came to a close, Takeshi had collected an array of arrows around the center of his target.
"Higurashi-senpai, why don't you practice with us? You were so busy helping that you never got the chance to take part." Sasaki quietly suggested. The girl's bright hazel eyes shone with admiration and respect as she clasped her hands in front of her in a desperate plea.
"Yes, I'd like to see you in action as well." Okada joined in, lowering her bow and sparing a glance towards the captain of their club. "Perhaps a competition would be best?"
Takeshi blinked but shrugged his shoulders at the notion, "I am not opposed." He shot yet another wayward glance in his direction. Okita allowed a slow smirk to spread across his lips. That's right kid, keep on trying. The ronin leaned back against the wall and watched with anticipation as his host heaved a deep breath between her teeth.
"You guys really just want me to show off, don't you?" She pressed, lifting her weapon and notching an arrow. They didn't acknowledge her question. "Alright but don't say I didn't warn you." This time she threw a confident smirk at their captain. "I'm not going to be holding back just because this is practice."
Takeshi threw his head from side to side negatively, "As if I'd want you to." The pair stepped up to their respective aisles. Each drew their bows and took a breath. Okita sat up and watched with extreme curiosity. Was he finally going to see her in action? Sure it wouldn't be as interesting as chasing after a moving target, but he hoped that Kagome would at least show some significant skill. In an instant both arrows left the hands of their masters. They pierced the air and buried themselves into their respective targets. Kagome and Takeshi drew a second time. Much like before they aimed and released simultaneously. The man attempted to peer around Sasaki and Okada's excited forms however they crowded around their leaders and thusly blocked his view of the targets. Damn it, now he had to move just to see. He swiftly rose to his feet and attempted to creep a bit closer to see what had occurred.
"Final draw!" Okada commented as she lifted her hand into the air. "Now!" He wasn't able to witness the strike of the arrows, but he definitely heard the tell tale 'thump' of the head of the weapon digging deep into their targets. It was over. Okita immediately came to Kagome's side. He peered over her shoulder at her target. Three arrows protruded within exceptionally close proximity from one another at the dead center. Each one was a measure distance from the other, as if she'd purposely aimed to keep from destroying her arrows. Smart girl. He slid his gaze to Takeshi's targets. They were all within the center circle however they were staggered and one even appeared to be almost falling into the next ring layer. Kagome was the clear winner.
A devious idea suddenly came to him. Takeshi didn't come around often for obvious reasons, therefore there would be a limited time in which he could screw with the guy. With all of this talk about jealousy Okita briefly wondered how far he could push things before the other male snapped. The man smirked as he looped his arm around Kagome's shoulders, "Nice job. I knew you were good but I didn't think you were this good." Three pairs of eyes stared owlishly at his bold behavior. The young woman's face turned slightly pink but she did her best to level a blank expression at him.
"Souji-kun," Kagome began, folding her arms over her chest. His smirk grew wider, knowing exactly where this conversation was headed. Still, he tightened his arm just a bit, he would rather her be vocal about her wishes than fall away into the corner like some wilting wall flower. She was cuter when she was frustrated. "Think you could help with the breakdown? I want to have a pep talk with the girls before they go." The man blinked. Well that wasn't what he was expecting. He fully believed that she was going to chew his ear off for presuming to touch her in such a way. Then again she did fall asleep on his chest not too long ago. Maybe she was simply letting it slide since it could be considered payback? His smirk widened even further as his confidence grew just a little bit bigger.
"As you wish." Okita dipped his voice, slowly dropping his hand from her shoulders. His fingers traced meaningful lines down the back of her shoulder blades as he shot her heated glance. The redness in her cheeks darkened as he flashed her a purposeful grin. Yup, he still had it. Suddenly the man turned his attention to the only other male in the room. "You going to stand around all day imitating a fish or are you going to help out?" He snapped at Takeshi. The other teen had opened his mouth and widened his eyes at the interaction. Then without warning he snapped his jaw shut and clenched his fists in frustration. Kagome spotted the change in his behavior but swiftly turned on the ball of her heel and refocused on her fellow club members. Ah, now he understood. That sly little she-devil was testing Takeshi. She wanted him to learn how to control his jealousy. What a sneaky little trickster. Still, Okita definitely enjoyed himself and he was damn sure going to let her know later.
"Come on, they won't fix themselves you know." He decided to taunt him just a bit more. Takeshi glared in his direction with all the fires of hell. However he wisely remained silent and trailed after him. The two men quickly pushed the targets back against the wall and in a neat formation. All the arrows were gathered and then evenly split between the kyudo club members. Kagome offered her goodbyes to the group before ushering them outside into the December chill.
Just as Sasaki and Okada departed from the shack, Takeshi turned on the both of them. "Higurashi-san…" The dark haired male tried to begin.
The young woman held up her hand, "I'm not interested in talking right now. This visit was strictly club-related. If you want to talk then you'll have to wait until after you apologize to Souji-kun." At the mention of his name, he stepped up next to her and casually draped his arm around her shoulders once more.
"So what's it going to be?" He knew he was taunting the kid well beyond what any man would normally stand for. He also knew that his host had just about had enough of the guy's bullshit. If he wanted to be jealous and possessive of her that was one thing. However she'd made her feelings known about his behavior and she wasn't about to let him get away with it—even if it meant humiliating him. Okita's smirk turned vicious. That was where he was the most skilled. Humiliation had always been a trade of choice when dealing with an overbearing commanding officer. This would be no different. In fact it'd be even easier since his target riled so quickly. Just a few nudges here and the game was as good as over.
Onyx eyes narrowed as pale lips thinned, "Is this really you? You're not being influenced by anyone else?" He threw a look in his direction. If it was meant to ruffle him, then it only had the opposite effect. In fact, Okita grew even more confident in the turn of events.
"Well I think we both know what that means, right Kagome-chan?" He turned his head and gave her a heated look. It was mostly meant to infuriate Takeshi but the blush he received from her was also well worth the risk. She really did fluster so easily. "What do you say we call it a day?"
She rubbed her index finger and thumb over her brows in exasperation, "Look I've made my offer. Take it or leave it but don't expect anything from me." The young woman reached up and tugged on the sleeve of his button down shirt. "Let's go inside. I think dinner should be ready."
The captain of the kyudo club threw a longing glance in Kagome's direction before he too disappeared down the stairs of the shrine. Okita dropped his arm from her shoulders and swiftly tilted his chin in the air with prideful arrogance.
"You're welcome."
The young woman turned and playfully prodded a single digit into his chest, "You didn't have to do that but I'll let it slide for now. You helped me to get Takeshi to back off a little, so I owe you." She dropped her hand and silently splayed her fingers between his. Unlike the other night, there wasn't any hesitation in the touch. He gave a soft snort of laughter.
"I expect to be paid back for it, you know." Okita followed after her as they made their way in the shrine. She shrugged nonchalantly.
"I think I can handle that."
The rest of the night went off without a hitch. The family discussed the division of duties for tomorrow. Because the shrine wouldn't receive many visitors, they'd only decided on cleaning the main areas prior to opening. However there were still things that needed to be done outside of the shrine. It was decided that while Kagome and Souta would spend their morning cleaning the shrine, he and their mother would go out on the town and finish all the shopping that had to be done before New Year's. The older woman had stated that she'd need an extra pair of arms to help her carry all the bags home, so as any well mannered guest would, Okita obliged.
The next day he found himself waiting by the torii gate; arms folded over his chest. Snow fell in tiny flurries around him as he took a breath between his lips and then enjoyed the billow of white smoke that left his mouth. So far the cold hadn't agitated his condition much more than usual. He was able to go long periods of time without coughing. The chest congestion and fevers were still present but definitely much less intrusive in his everyday life. The antibiotics were clearly working.
"Are you ready, dear?" The Higurashi matriarch inquired as she approached. She held a small bag over her arm as she shot him a grateful smile. "It'll be a bit of a long day, so I apologize in advance."
The ronin waved nonchalantly, "It's fine. It's not like I had anything else planned anyways."
She gave a quiet laugh before patting his arm reassuringly, "I'm sure Kagome would have found something for you to do. She doesn't like letting you be bored." The woman shook her head momentarily, "She mentioned that you can get rather persistent when left to your own devices for too long."
Okita didn't answer her verbally. Instead he merely allowed his smirk to widen and eyes to thin in amusement. Well she wasn't wrong, per say. He just didn't like to leave Kagome alone for a spare minute when he was bored. Annoying her was always a fun pastime for him. He never knew if he was going to get the sweet girl from the modern era or the she-devil willing to raise hell on earth. If only to himself, he sometimes would wager on which part of her personality he'd get to experience.
As the pair made their way into town an awkward silence fell over them. It'd only been a short while since their talk in the well house. He hadn't ever really spent much time with the mother of the woman who'd taken him under her wing. There was obviously a lot of concern about where Kagome would wind up going once it was time for him to return to his era. However he hadn't really brought himself to contemplate that aspect for too long. There were still so many things that needed to be handled first before any of them could tackle that issue. If he were honest with himself, he knew it'd be wrong to take the young woman with him when the time came. She had a home and family here. She was living in a time of peace. She'd already fought her battles in the past that he had no part in. There was little reason for him to drag her into his era of vicious wars and violence. If he had his way then she'd never again see the battlefield.
"I have a favor to ask if you don't mind." Her mother suddenly piped up. The laugh lines around the woman's face creased as she smiled up at him. "I know that I might be asking too much here but do you think you could take Kagome out tomorrow?" His brows rose into the line of his bangs. Say what now? Tomorrow was the New Year's Eve celebration. Now he wasn't an expert but he fully believed that the Higurashi family often performed some sort of offering service for those wishing to bring in the New Year. Was she going to allow Kagome to skip out on what would normally be her duties as the shrine priestess? He definitely hadn't anticipated that. "Don't worry, I'm not asking you to take her out on a date or anything. Rather she's spent so much time studying and working these past few weeks that she hasn't really given herself a chance to rest." The older woman sighed as they boarded their train. "You see my daughter has a pretty bad habit."
She turned her attention to the city flying past them in a blur of colors and wind. "If you leave her be when she starts working herself like this, she'll eventually make herself ill from the stress. Kagome doesn't often let others know when she's having issues. In fact she's even gotten pretty good at hiding her exhaustion. Still," Her eyes darkened with maternal worry as they train slowed to a stop, "I know she's been having some trouble lately. Particularly when it comes to men." The Higurashi matriarch shot him a meaningful stare. Okita held up his hands as if to surrender. Hey, it wasn't him! He'd helped her the previous day. It wasn't his fault that the guy was a stubborn as a pig. "I think giving her the chance to enjoy herself tomorrow would be the best way to get her to relax. She'll just shut me down if I or Souta ask but if you do…" Her voice trailed off as her azure eyes sharpened with an intensity he wasn't used to.
Oh. Oh! Well damn, that took him by surprise. However he supposed that she was right. If either Mrs. Higurashi or Souta were to ask that she give herself some free time and enjoy the celebrations then she'd likely just turn it down—citing her duties for the primary reason. But if he did and put it in as a request that she show him around town then she'd be unlikely to turn away the idea. A smirk spread across his lips. Now, how to approach her with the topic?
"I get you." He folded his arms as they departed the station. "So I assume that's the real reason you asked me to come with you, correct?" He cocked his head over at the smaller woman; smirking even wider as she nodded in affirmation.
"Well that and I need to get the both of you some proper clothing for it. Can't bring in the New Year in normal clothes." She shifted her purse further up her shoulder as it began to slip. "Plus, we need groceries. We don't have a car so you'll have to help carry them home." She shot him a wide, pointed smile at that declaration.
The man laughed as they trailed down the crowded streets. Of course. As it stood, he was now the muscle of the household. It'd only be natural that they'd ask him to do the heavy lifting. He closed his eyes and smiled. It was nice to be depended upon like that. The rest of the day was spent threading between the crowds and visiting one shop to the next, stopping at any building that remotely caught the Higurashi matriarch's eye. Okita quickly learned why it was that neither Souta nor Kagome preferred to leave with her when she went on these shopping sprees. They lasted forever! The only upside was that he managed to select his own men's festive kimono for the following evening. Unfortunately Mrs. Higurashi had taken advantage of the time he spent looking over his own options to buy Kagome's own kimono, therefore he never had a chance to sneak a peek at it. He supposed that he'd just have to see her in it tomorrow. A smirk spread across his lips. He was definitely looking forward to that.
"Oh, that's right!" She suddenly perked up beside him. He shifted the bags settling heavily on his arms to cast a curious glance in her direction. "You've been here for a little while now but we haven't exactly gotten you anything to spend your time. Was there something that you like to do?" While normally a request like this one wouldn't raise any alarms, there was an edge in the way she stared up at him—as if attempting to judge the kind of man he was through his hobbies. Okita shrugged.
"Not necessarily. I don't mind reading every now and then but I usually spent most of my time out on patrol." It was true enough. Really though he often passed his free days either causing Hijikata trouble or playing with the local kids. As much as he embraced violence and the necessity of committing the act of murder for keeping peace, he still preferred the innocence of childhood. Perhaps because of the abuses in his past he could fully appreciate just how precious such a peaceful existence truly was. The other captains often teased him for being so popular with the children but the ronin didn't mind so much. In all the deaths he'd had a hand in, it was nice to take part in something so simple. Maybe that was why he enjoyed spending so much time in this era? It was noisy, but peaceful.
"Then let us stop at the bookstore. It's on our way back anyways." Mrs. Higurashi smiled up at him. There was still an undercurrent to the emotions she displayed but they were less sharp than before. The man nodded and silently followed after her. They hadn't spent much time in the store itself, mostly because it was far too crowded for him to browse the sections he would have preferred. However he did spot a title that he was more than a little interested in.
Hogyoku Haiku Collection
A wide grin spread across his lips as he plucked the book from the shelf. He briefly flipped the pages and allowed a sinister laugh to leave his lips. This was the collection Hijikata had been working on before he was sent to this era. The man never allowed anyone to peek at its contents. He guarded it fiercely and would never willingly allow anyone else to read the haikus he'd composed.
"I'll take this."
If Kagome's mother was surprised then she didn't show it. Instead the older woman simply gathered a collection of different books. Each one had wildly different images and fonts—suggesting the wide array of sub-genres now available in this time period. He was a bit intrigued to be honest. He turned his attention back to the haiku collection. Besides just simply being curious, this would provide him with ample ammunition to tease the man with when he returned. Oh the things he could make their commander do when armed with this collection.
They quietly made their way through the check out process and yet another bag was loaded onto his already full arms. By the time they'd reached the train station to return home, he hadn't any space left to hold onto the railings above his head. Okita didn't mind so much though. It was a real pain in the ass being treated like a child all the time so this was a nice change of pace—even if he were just being used as a pack horse.
"What do you intend on doing when you go back?" The question came quicker than he'd ever anticipated. The man blinked as he took a moment to process what'd just been asked. He didn't immediately answer like he normally would have. Instead he took a few seconds to collect his thoughts and broach the subject as tactfully as he could. Despite the implications of the inquiry, Okita knew what he would do when he returned to his era. It wasn't a question of if but of when. Kondou was waiting on him and he couldn't fail the man. He still had a mission to fulfill after all. However what he was going to do wasn't what she really wanted to know. It was whether or not he'd take her daughter with him when he returned to his era. This question was merely just an ice-breaker to get to the issue that lurked just beneath the surface.
He took a breath between his lips and gave as straight of an answer as he could muster, "I'm not going to force her, if that's what you want to know." It was true as well. He turned his gaze towards the flurry of people and buildings flying past. His eyes became unfocused as he mulled over the turbulence that plagued Kyoto from his time. Kagome had already spent her time in an era she didn't belong in. He'd seen the scar and witnessed her skills first hand. What right would he have to drag her from the peace and prosperity of her home into a place that held nothing but danger for her? It wouldn't be fair to her or her family.
"I'm going to return to the Shinsengumi one way or the other." He ensured to keep his voice low enough as to not be heard by the crowds surrounding them. "I may not know a lot about the well or even how it works, but I have full faith that I can pass through without Kagome-chan having to follow me. It let me through once, so it should allow me to do so again." At least that was what he hoped. The very last thing he wanted was to put the family who'd taken such great care of them in a painful situation. They deserved better than that. "So don't worry. I'm not some monster that's going to steal her away. Although she is rather cute…" He let his voice trail off as her mother suddenly erupted into laughter.
"I suppose that my daughter was right. You are quite the charmer when you want to be." The older woman gave him a soft pat on the arm. "Alright, I believe I'll let you off with that. I won't interrogate you any more for tonight." The laugh lines around her face creased once more as her smile widened, "Don't mind me so much though. I tend to worry a bit more than I should."
Okita gave a small snort of laughter, "Isn't that what mothers are for?" He grinned as he looked down his nose at her, "Kagome-chan picks that broody nature up from you, by the way. I practically have to shoo her away from me when she thinks I'm sick."
Azure eyes narrowed in amusement, "Is that so? I seem to recall a few nights ago when you told her that you had a fever…" She trailed off. He widened his eyes and closed his mouth. Oh crap, she'd heard that? "You also said that you couldn't sleep without some company and asked her to talk to you after you took your medicine." Aw shit, he was in trouble now. He could have sworn that the rest of the family had been in bed. Her eyes pierced him with all the ferocity of a grizzly. This woman was a ninja, as he so affectionately recalled that television show from the other day. "As much as you complain about her fussing over you Souji," She referred to his first name with a hint of sharpness to her tone. "You also seem to enjoy the attention she gives you." The older woman folded her arms over her chest as she shot him a knowing look. "Do you think you could explain that one to me?"
He turned his back, lifted a bag-weighed arm and pointed towards the fast approaching platform, "Oh look, it's our stop!" Okita could feel the piercing edge of her stare upon his back. This family was sharp. She was onto him faster than anyone else had been before. How in the hell had she snuck up on him though? He thought for sure that they were all asleep! Damn, he needed to be extra careful next time. They'd returned home and quietly set to work on putting away all of the items in their proper places. The ronin helped as much as he could, partially because he felt like he needed to and also partly because he was attempting to bribe the older woman into silence.
Kagome and Souta returned to the house a little worse for wear. Both of the siblings were covered in dust and wore sour expressions. The older of the two was the first to speak.
"You know, the next time you throw dirt on me I'll rub your face in Buyo's litter box." She crossed her arms and leaned heavily on one hip. Ooh, did the kid get into trouble? He cocked his head and listened in on their conversation.
"Hey! I didn't throw anything on you!" The boy retorted hotly, turning on his heel to pin a fierce glare on his sister's form. "I was just dumping out the bin when you walked in the way!" Okita snorted into the palm of his hand at the image. Somehow he doubted that to be the truth. The kid was just trying to cover his tracks and failing miserably while he was at it. It'd just be better if he gave in to the punishment.
"You filthy little brat!" Kagome reached over and locked an arm around the child's neck loosely. Using her free hand she began to rub the knuckles of her fist over the top of his head. "I'll show you!"
"Children!" Mrs. Higurashi piped up from her spot in the kitchen. Both siblings immediately stilled and peered over at their mother's form with wide, fearful eyes. "Cease and desist before I staple you both to each other!" They released each other without a word. However the moment the older woman turned her back, Kagome threw a soft punch at her brother's arm. He reached up and rubbed it meaningfully, a cringe scrunching his youthful face.
"I'm going to shower." The young woman turned on the base of her heel and marched upstairs. A smirk splayed across Okita's lips as he quirked a brow. He was sorely tempted to make a vague comment however he held his tongue as her mother was just a few steps away. Given the interrogation the older woman put him through earlier, he didn't think it wise to push the Higurashi matriarch. At least not yet.
The rest of the evening continued as normal. The family gathered around the table and conversed about their day. The ronin sat back and commented every now and then, teasing both Kagome and Souta about the mini dustball fight they'd had earlier in the day. Once they finished their food, he ensured to follow her upstairs and back to her room. It'd been a habit he picked up a while back. Originally it started because he'd been bored and he found entertainment in driving Kagome crazy. However tonight he needed to fulfill a the request Mrs. Higurashi had given him.
The man settled himself upon her bed and flipped open the collection of Haiku's the family had bought him earlier. He pretended to be interested in reading as the dark haired teen took a familiar spot by her desk and booted up her computer. Even during the winter break she didn't stop studying. It was just as her mother had said. From this distance Okita could spy dark bags underneath Kagome's eyes and the pale complexion of her flesh. She was definitely going to get sick if she kept this up. It was only by good fortune that the café she worked at had chosen to close for New Year's Eve as compensation to its employees for being open the following day. She didn't seem to mind too much as a great deal of the celebrations took place around midnight. Plus it didn't seem that Kagome had many plans other than to help her family with the crowd sure to visit.
"Hey," The man began, holding the book over his face and just barely peering out from the top of the object. "You think you can do me a favor tomorrow?"
She suddenly swirled around in her chair and cast him a wary glace, "That depends on what kind of favor you're asking." Kagome's tone was sharp and full of worry. She likely suspected him of trying to pull one over on her. Not that he'd blame her but his intentions were just a bit different this time.
"There's a bunch of festivities going on tomorrow night, right?" The ronin led her into the topic subtly. "I don't really get to get out much and it's been stuffy sitting around the house." He dropped the book even lower and pinned the young woman with a pointed stare. "Do you think you could show me around then? It'd be the best time for it anyways, what with all the celebrations."
Kagome sucked a breath between her teeth as she thought over his suggestion, "Did you ask kaa-chan yet? As the main priestess of this shrine I sort of have a few obligations to fulfill tomorrow." She trailed off, her eyes moving to glance out the window of her room. She pressed her lips into a line as her brows furrowed in concern. "It's not that I'm opposed to the idea but I don't think she'd appreciate me jumping ship like that."
A wide grin split across his face. Ah so it wasn't because she didn't want to. It was just that she felt that she couldn't. He was in the clear. "She was the one that suggested you take me." The young woman's widened in shock as he continued on. "If you're worried you could just ask her. I don't think she'd mind." She mulled over his suggestion, rubbing her chin as she processed what was just said.
"Are you sure?" Her tone was drawn and suspicious.
His grin grew even wider, "What? You think I wouldn't ask in advance? I'd rather you be the one to take me. After all you keep shoving it off on Souta and your mother. You do still have a promise you owe me." At that her azure eyes blinked and a sudden laugh tumbled from her mouth.
"You're right, I do keep putting you on them don't I?" She rolled her shoulders and shook her head, "Okay but only if kaa-chan gives us the go ahead. We'll probably head to the shrine on the other end of the district though. It's a lot bigger and they actually have food stalls and what not each year." She held up her index finger and placed it upon her lip, "We don't really get a whole lot of visitors so it's usually just locals who like to come here to pray."
Okita nodded sagely, "That makes sense." Although he didn't really care much one way or the other. He sharpened his eyes and allowed a victorious smirk to spread across his face, "It's a date then."
Kagome laughed even harder, "If you say so." And indeed he did. The man leaned back and flipped open his book. Now, where to start?
The following evening Okita found himself shifting uncomfortably beneath the torii gate. Although Kagome had reluctantly agreed to go with him, he still found himself slightly nervous about the night. As expected of New Year's Eve, a mass of people had descended upon the shrine. Unfortunately this one didn't have a bonshou* bell, so as Kagome had suggested the night before they decided to trek over to the other side of the district to be able to take part in the 108 bell rings*. While that in and of itself wasn't terrible, it was the idea of possibly getting separated in the amassing crowds that drove the normally collected ronin to fret.
That man shifted once more. Of course such an event as the ushering in of a new year could not go unmarked by way of celebration. The Higurashi matriarch had gone out of her way to ensure that both he and her daughter could fully indulge themselves in the festivities tonight, so he was not going to back out now. Not when it meant giving Kagome a night to relax. He'd seen the paleness in her complexion and lines of stress already creasing at her face. She was starting to get sick and if she didn't rest soon then she'd likely fall ill by tomorrow morning. Worry creased his brow as he tried to shoo the thought from his mind. Now wasn't the time for that. The cloth of his sleeves rose up his arms as he folding them over his chest.
The man momentarily glanced down at his men's festive kimono. He'd chosen it because it was comfortable to wear, however now he wondered if he'd made the right decision given that he hadn't the chance to peek at Kagome's. Would they match? Well he supposed it wouldn't matter all that much if they didn't. It wasn't unusual for a woman to wear a different color than her date. He smirked at that last thought. At least she didn't deny it.
The fabric was of a deep navy color with black trimmings and sash. Normally he wasn't the type to dress up for these kinds of things but Okita felt that he couldn't miss the opportunity to wear clothing reminiscent of his era without drawing curious glances. So he decided to go along with it. Besides, there was one other reason as well.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to make you wait!" Kagome ran out of the shrine. Using one hand, she lightly held up the cloth of her kimono so as to not trip over it. Okita had to blink twice. He hardly recognized her.
He'd gotten so used to the skirts, jeans and form fitting outfits of this age that he'd forgotten about the simplistic beauty of a kimono. Even though it was much more loose on her body in comparison, the silken fabric fell over Kagome's figure in an elegant hour glass—tucking just under her breasts before following the outline of her waist and legs down to her ankles.
"Never thought I'd see you wearing one." The ronin commented lightly to himself. He placed a hand on his chin and rubbed it thoughtfully. The colors matched her personality perfectly. It was a bright powder blue with decorative Sakura print that curled around her should and twirled in semi circle designs until it fell below the pink obi* and traced along the side of her body to her ankles. Beneath the collar of the kimono was the trimmings of a nagajuban* that matched perfectly with her obi. She'd even put her hair up with a hana kanzashi* that dangled sakura petals over her dark-colored hair, highlighting the colors of her outfit. Her hair itself had been pulled back into an elegant bun with only two strands falling around her face to frame it. Okita was surprised. The look suited her quite well. A smile pulled at his lips. It'd be nice to see her wearing a kimono more often.
The young woman laughed, "Well it's a special occasion!" She gently pushed at his shoulder blades to encourage him to start walking. "We should hurry though. The other shrine is going to get pretty crowded soon." He closed his eyes and did as she wished. However before they traversed down the long winding staircase to the city below the shrine, he stopped beneath the arch of the torii gate and held up his arm.
"Can't have you falling down now. It'd mess up your cute look." The man teased lightly. Kagome shook her head before looping her arm through his.
"Hey I'm only clumsy because I'm not used to these shoes." She lifted a foot and pointed towards her zori*. The man gave a soft snort of laughter.
"Sure it is. You like me and doing this gives you the excuse to hang onto me. Just admit it." The two started down the stairs as Kagome's free hand came up to grip the cloth of his sleeve for support.
"You're really pushing it, aren't you?" She held onto his bicep tightly, taking one timid step after the other as if fearful she'd tumble down the winding trail.
He moved his own free hand to grasp at her, "You make it easy." Okita turned his attention to making it down safely. It didn't take them too much longer than normal.
However as they breached the bottom step, Kagome attempted to release him from her hold. His hand, though gently, gripped hers a bit tighter. "It's like I said, I can't have you falling down. You're clumsy enough in regular shoes." Okita gave a quick laugh as he pressed forward. "You think I'd let you risk hurting yourself in shoes you aren't used to? Nice try but I'm not letting go." To emphasize his point, he curled his fingers over the edge of the hand around his bicep. Truthfully he just wanted to. He knew that. Kagome damn sure knew that. It was a pretty obvious move. Instead of rebuffing him or making some sort of barbed remark, the young woman merely nodded and followed after his lead.
The walk to the other shrine was a long and crowded one. They'd taken a train connection and pushed themselves through the thickening crowd to ensure their arrival. By the time they managed to crest the top of the torii-covered staircase to the top of the shrine, it was well past night fall.
Kagome gently tugged on his arm as she pointed towards a set of stalls set up on the far side of the compound. The scent of mochi and other delicious treats drifted up towards them. He gave a quick nod at her and they set off in the direction of the food.
"Did you want something sweet first?" She inquired, gesturing towards a stall filled to the brim with premade Kagami Mochi*. The man leaned over and eyed the snacks hungrily. He pointed at a stack and smirked at her.
"I'll take all of these."
She laughed and moved to buy only a couple of them, "You really know how to pack away the sweets don't you? You've already devoured all the yogurt we bought you."
He rolled his shoulders and plucked the treat from her as she put away her change, "Hey, I'm a man. I need the energy more than you."
They swiftly shuffled to the side as more people crowded around the stall—eager to buy some of the dessert for themselves. The young woman shook her head but didn't say much else. Instead the pair quickly devoured their food and did what they could to stay out of the swelling crowds. She took the plastic wrap from his hands when he finished and swiftly recycled it in its proper disposal. It'd be a few hours before the bells would begin, so they had a bit of time to themselves. The man took his arm and quietly slipped it around her shoulders. She threw a questioning glance his way as a light shade of pink crossed the line of her cheeks.
He dipped his head and whispered into the shell of her ear, "I said it earlier. I'm not going to let go. It's getting too busy here and I don't want to take that risk." Her face darkened but she didn't push him away. Much to the ronin's surprise, she even leaned slightly into his ribcage and gave a short nod of acknowledgement. Did this mean she was getting more comfortable with him touching her? A small smile spread across his lips. Progress. They trailed from one stall to the next, taking time to enjoy the trinkets and samples of food on display. He grew interested in a fox mask and immediately requested to buy it. Whether she was feeling indulgent or simply because she wanted to, Okita walked away from the stall wearing the white and red painted mask over his face.
"You know, I think it suits you." The woman laughed as she poked at its wooden surface. "You're definitely tricky like a fox."
Although she couldn't see it, he smirked beneath the mask, "Don't you mean handsome like a fox?" As if on cue her eyes roamed over his form. His smirk grew even wider as the blush returned in full force. "I saw that." The man commented lightly, wrapping his arm tighter around her shoulder.
"You saw nothing." Kagome turned her head to the side and tried to pretend as if she weren't flustered. She was so damn stubborn. It was cute.
"You just checked me out, didn't you?" He lowered his voice. "I saw it all. You can't say no."
She increased her pace and attempted to leave the conversation as it was, "I was wrong. You're as devious as a wolf!"
This time Okita gave a full-throated laugh, "Hey at least it's still handsome!" She had nothing to combat against that. Instead she merely tugged on his arm and pulled him towards yet another crowded display. It was fairly large, nearly the size of a building. However it seemed to be made up mostly of shelves and a few canisters were put on display at its counter.
"It's the omikuji*!" Her azure eyes brightened as she tugged them towards the line forming around the odd stall. "We can't do New Year's without getting our fortune's told!" It'd taken close to half an hour before either of them reached the omikuji. Kagome fished into sleeve of her kimono and withdrew ¥200 for the both of them. Once she finished paying she went through the process of showing him how to draw his fortune.
"Take the canister here and give it a good shake." She pointed towards a metal, hexagonal object sitting atop the display. "It might take a few tries but shake it up until you're able to draw one of the sticks from that hole." She moved her hand to show him a tiny cut out opening at the bottom. He followed her directions without question. He moved his arms and shook it until one of the objects within came loose and nearly tumbled out. He swiftly held up the stick and glanced over the number written at the tip. It was thirty-seven. Kagome gave a quick nod, "Right, now locate the number in the shelves here and pull out your fortune." His emerald eyes roamed over the lists. Forty-six. Twenty-nine. Oh, there it was! Thirty-seven. He tugged at the tiny drawer and quietly withdrew the paper on top.
Both he and Kagome peered down at the fortune.
"It's a future blessing!" She cheered, reading over the paper carefully. "Let's see here, what you aim to get is well within your grasp. Patience will be your key." The young woman cocked her head to the side. "Well, at least it wasn't a curse. Now it's my turn!" She enthusiastically returned his stick to the object and took the canister from his hands. Without another word she shook it as if very her life depending on it. Okita snorted with laughter.
"I take it you really like having your fortune told?" The man took his slip and folded it into a tiny square before tucking it into a small pouch he'd kept hidden in his sleeve. His gaze was soft as she pulled her own number from the oddly shaped object.
"Well it isn't really fortunes themselves I like." Her eyes scanned each drawer until it came upon her number. A bright grin spread across her face as she quickly pulled her own fortune. "Before tou-chan died we used to do the omikuji a lot. He said that it was better to bring luck home then let it fall upon you." She laughed as she looked over her own slip. "He was always a bit superstitious that way." The ronin blinked. This was the first time she'd ever openly talked about her father. It were as if there was some sort of unspoken agreement among the family members not to mention him unless for just brief moments of time.
The young woman's expression suddenly grew sour, "Aw man, it's a great curse!" She pressed her lips into a line and pouted like a child. "I always get the curses!" He leaned over her shoulder and read the fortune out loud.
"You will face extraordinary hardships and trials. Fate has more in store for you than can be told." He read through the rest of it in a grave voice, "To spare yourself, you must work hard and give thanks every night for the blessings you've had until now. Fear not," He quickly lightened his tone into something more teasing, "For you have Okita Souji on your side."
"Souji-kun!" Kagome whined, playfully prodding at his chest with her index finger. "That wasn't funny!"
He laughed heartily, "I thought it was."
"Well your sense of humor sucks!" She shot back at him, her brows furrowing into a non-threatening glare. He lifted his mask and shot a playful wink at her.
"Admit it, you loved the voice."
She turned her nose up in the air petulantly, "I'm not dignifying that." Ah so she did! She wouldn't have avoided it otherwise. They quickly scuttled away from the mass of people swelling by the fortunes. Instead they walked a short distance to the side where a stand full of tiny racks stood. The little wooden pegs of each rack was tied to the brim with paper slips. He supposed that this was where they were to dispose of the 'bad fortunes'. Kagome quickly folded the paper with her 'great curse' and tied it into a neatly shaped knot on a lower rack.
"There! Now to leave the curse behind!" She turned on the ball of her heel and pulled them towards a stream of colors and noise. "I think I saw some more stalls this way." The rest of the night they'd spent trying out new foods, toying with the occasional trinket and chatting amongst themselves. While he had managed to convince Kagome to purchase him a fox mask, she ended up buying a white and blue painted cat mask for herself.
"Now we match." She teased, pulling the object over her face and flashing a peace sign at him.
He tugged his own mask over his face and swiftly pulled her closer to his side, "All the better." The man teased. The two cocked their heads to the side as the bonshou bell began to ring out over the crowds.
"It must be almost midnight." Her hand came up to grasp at his, "Did you want to go somewhere a little less crowded? It'll be hard seeing the bell first hand with all of these people."
The ronin nodded in affirmation. They threaded their way back through the mass of people towards the entrance of the shrine. Even over the noise of excited chatter and an off beat countdown of voices, they could still hear each strike of the bonshou. Okita cast a glance down at his companion. With the cat mask, he couldn't see her expression but she'd still had a firm grip on his hand and she could hardly hold still—bouncing from the tips of her toes to the balls of her heels. He smiled. She was definitely excited.
A loud cheer roared over their heads as the final bell tolled. He nudged his face closer to her neck.
"Looks like it's the New Year."
She relaxed in his grip and nodded, "Looks to be so." They watched in silent contentment as the crowds cheered and celebrated. Groups crowded around the omikuji and mochi stalls—seeking to find their fortunes and fill their bellies. With a quick flick of her wrist, Kagome removed her mask and turned under his arm to face him.
"Did you want to go somewhere else to wait for sunrise? I don't think it'd be all that fun to partake in Hatsuhinode* in a place so crowded." A light blush returned to her cheeks as she turned her head away from him. "Also I don't feel like going back just yet." He took note with no small amount of masculine pride at the way her voice wavered and became quieter with her rising shyness. He moved his free hand and also removed his mask.
"Sure, got somewhere in mind?" He questioned.
A light smile tugged at her lips, "Only the best place."
The ronin followed after his companion as she led him back down the shrine steps and away from the mass of people. They traveled through the city and out towards an outer-lying park they'd missed on the way previously. The young woman smiled up at him kindly.
"The whole family used to come here when I was a child. At that time it was myself, kaa-chan, tou-chan, oji-chan, oba-chan and jii-chan." She took his fingers between her own and led him down a narrow and winding path up a small hill. Tree branches created a canopy effect overhead and blocked out much of the natural moonlight. "Souta hadn't been born yet at the time. After midnight on New Year's we'd come up here and wait for the sun to rise. Ah!" She stopped as they crested the top of the hill. There were no benches or any other type of object the could sit on. Instead it was just a mild clearing in the midst of the forest still left untouched in this modern era.
Kagome pointed towards the sky above, "You can't really see them all that well here in comparison, but I used to get so happy when we came here as a child. It was one of the best places to go star gazing. Tou-chan and I would map out all the different constellations." A warm smile spread across her lips as she closed her eyes. "Those were the most fun times we'd ever had. I wouldn't trade those memories for the world." Despite those words, her expression quickly grew melancholic as her eyes became clouded over.
As curious as Okita was, he didn't wish to press the subject with her. This was the first time he'd ever seen such a smile on his host's face. Whatever caused her father's death could be tackled at a later time. Right now he simply wished to enjoy this moment with her and not allow anything to come between her and the happiness she'd shown moments before. An idea suddenly came into the man's mind. He wasn't certain if she'd go for but he quietly made up his mind.
With measured strength, the ronin gently wrapped both of his arms around her shoulders and pulled her back to his chest. No words left his lips as he leaned down and pressed his face into the side her of neck. It was a show of comfort. Both of them knew it as such. Still, a part of him expected Kagome to push him away or at least verbally berate him for being so bold. However the only thing he received in return for the gesture was the soft feeling of her hands on his arms. She leaned into his embrace and smiled lightly against his cheek.
Okita knew that this couldn't last forever. It wouldn't be wise of him to pursue a relationship with this woman. They were separated by more than just their births. An ocean of time would eventually tear them apart and separate them for eternity. Even if she could pass over to the other side with him, would it be worth the pain that'd inflict upon her family? His arms tightened as the thoughts and fears ran through his mind. He couldn't do that. Not to the people who'd done nothing but give him their kindness.
As they stood in each other's arms, the first rays of dawn began to color the sky into a monochrome of periwinkle blue. At the very least Okita knew one thing. Regardless of what would happen in the future, he wanted to enjoy what he had right now. Come pain or suffering, he'd take it all. Just so that he could carry these memories with him to the other side of the well.
A/n: You guys have no idea how many times I had to check myself to make sure I didn't write "snotball" instead of snowball. I sometimes have some very odd yet hilarious typos when writing. Such as "funton" versus "futon". Lmfao at least this one would've been a hilarious image though—if not a bit disgusting. Anyways of all things the part that gave me the most trouble in this chapter was the damn date. Lmao of course it'd have to be the one part I was most looking forward to writing XD At the very least I loved writing out that last part. Can you tell I'm a huge fan of the fluff? Muwahahah I swear these two take a life of their own when I get to writing them. XD
**Muneate – A specific piece of equipment in Kyudo only meant for women. Its main function is to protect the female chest area from being struck by the string when they snap.
**Tsuru – The string of a long bow.
**108 Bell Rings – A Buddhist tradition during New Years Eve and New Years. A Bonshou bell is rung 107 times in the minutes leading up to New Years Day and one time at midnight to signify the 108 human sins. This is to celebrate the cleansing of these sins and to usher in the new year.
**Bonshou bell – A bell used on shrines during prayers and festivities like the 108 bell rings.
**Obi – Also known as a 'sash', are apart of the tradition kimono used to help tie the fabric together. Sometimes they can be folded over to create an added effect with contrasting colors.
**Nagajuban – The under fabric for many kimonos. They can be of any color and design. They're usually made of cotton or silk.
**Hana Kanzashi – Literally a "flower hairpin". They can come in many different designs and shapes, but each one will have a floral decoration of some sort.
**Zori – The sandals worn with kimono and yukata.
**Omikuji – Fortune strips that are often given out for ¥100. They can range from anywhere between a great blessing and a great curse. If a person has drawn a curse, they can tie the paper onto a branch to leave the curse behind.
**Kagami Mochi – A two tier stack of rice cakes with a Japanese bitter orange on top. It's a traditional treat for New Year's.
**Hatsuhinode — The tradition of welcoming the first sunrise of the new year.