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Suggested Listening: Secret Place by CloZee
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Of Pride and Honor
Chapter Twenty Two: Welcome Home
Kagome woke in layers. The first thing she noticed was the warmth of Okita's body. The heat radiated off of him like the humidity after a summer rain shower. He'd kept her close to his heart in the few hours she'd fallen asleep on him. It was comforting in a way she'd never truly experienced before. The fact that this man had carried her so far without batting an eye caused her flush to deepen. She tucked her head further into the crook of his neck. The second thing she'd noticed was how tightly the corded muscles of his arms were wrapped around her. The man groaned in discontent. His eyes began to flutter. She smiled.
He'd called her a grouchy riser once, but Okita was even more so. If the poor man was woken prematurely then he'd be irritable for the rest of the day. He enjoyed his rest and acted much like a child when he didn't get it. He just wouldn't admit to it.
"Rise and shine." Kagome pressed her lips against his. "It's dinner time," She glanced towards the darkened corridor just beyond the partially opened shoji screen. The warm light of paper lanterns lit the hallway. The sounds of the other Captains' chatter flowed like a dull thrum in the background. The scent of curry carried over them. At least that was her assumption. It was far too dark to be morning and it had still been afternoon when she'd napped on Okita. Her face heated.
"I think it is, anyways." The young woman added for good measure. From this distance she could still hear their conversation but not very clearly. The topic revolved around her from the short bits she could glimpse thanks to Nagakura's overwhelming baritone. Things were still chaotic since the interrogation. The young woman gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. Much of the excitement passed over her like a blur. She wouldn't let herself get hung up on the crazy rumors or snide comments. She came here with a purpose and it was laying right beside her. Kagome nudged her husband again.
"Come now, dear." She used a sultry tone to rouse his interest. "We can't stay in bed forever." He grumbled something that sounded oddly like 'watch me' but it was too muffled for her to be certain. The arms around her tightened the more she tried to sit up. The stubborn mule.
Kagome thought back to Hijikata's accusations. It'd unsettled her to say the least. The reality of their relationship was one steeped in mystery to these men. They couldn't know about the well. They couldn't know about her era or the world that laid beyond the river of time. In order for that to be kept secret, she had to do what she could to assimilate to this era.
In her previous travels she'd grown accustomed to wearing her miko garb and allowing Miroku to handle the conversations with the villagers they'd come across. She hardly spoke out of turn and she got through by simply keeping her head down. This time things were different. Okita wasn't forcing her to be subservient to him. So she now needed to find the balance of power that she didn't have before.
The ronin tucked his face into the crook of her neck. She felt the heat of his breath warm her shoulder with his sigh. Kagome trailed her fingers lightly over his back.
"You know you're hungry." She tried again. The faint rumble of her stomach echoed between them. Her face grew warmer, "And apparently so am I." That got Okita to move. He shot her a heated glance.
"I'll feed ya. Nothing to worry about there." In a single fluid movement he rolled her onto her back. He laid atop her and pressed his mouth against the line of her jaw.
Kagome folded her arms over his back, "We can't." Her voice sounded soft even to herself.
"We can." Okita was insistent. In that moment she knew it was a lost cause. He could only focus on a single thing when he was in this sort of mood. Thick hands moved to loosen her obi. Kagome turned her head in the crook of his neck. Without warning, she bit down on him just hard enough to get his attention but lacked the strength to actually harm him. An imprint of her teeth remained visible upon his skin.
Okita paused. Half-lidded eyes pinned her with an unamused glare.
"I said no." Kagome stated more firmly. Her stomach growled on cue, emphasizing her point. "I'm hungry." She added for extra measure.
Okita's expression thawed. A playful grin spread over his lips, "Alright, guess it's time to feed the beast."
"Hey!" She objected to his teasing. "Don't make me sound so gluttonous." Kagome sat up. Okita rose with her. His arms never left her waist as he did so.
The man smiled against her neck. She felt his palms upon her hips, pulling her into his lap. He tucked his legs under her and prevented her from leaving too quickly.
"Only a minute." Her husband raised his mouth to her ear. The heat of his breath caused a shiver to run down her spine. How was he always so good at that? Her muscles relaxed. She felt the warmth of his tongue trail against her neck sensually. She bit into her bottom lip. He could play her own body against her too easily. She needed to find his weakness.
A flicker of determination sparked her boldness. Kagome parted her kimono partially to lure him closer to her. Okita shifted forward. He latched his mouth onto the junction of her neck. She felt his teeth graze against her. She moved her hands from his face to behind his ear. Her husband hardly noticed; too enthralled in the attention he was heaving onto her flesh.
The two froze at the sound of heavy footsteps outside their door.
"Yeah, I'll go grab them!" Nagakura thundered down the engawa. Kagome hardly had enough time to refasten her parted yukata and loosened obi before the door was slid open with all the force of a raging bull. "Hey love birds, dinner's…." The man trailed off at the intimate sight she and Okita must have made.
"Shin," In that moment her husband's voice took on a dangerous edge. His hands moved to grip at her yukata. He roughly helped her close it all the way before peering up at his colleague. "Shut the damn door." Kagome cringed at the irritation in his tone. She'd never really heard him use it before. Not on her, nor her family. The one he'd used on the recruits was more akin to the kind that brothers would use during their squabbling. This was much fiercer. A shiver of pleasure went down her spine. He was protecting her. A slight flush crossed her cheeks. It felt nice.
Nagakura blinked. His mouth agape as he slowly slid the shoji screen closed. They waited until they'd heard the heavy padding of his feet disappear down the hall way. Moments after he left, raucous laughter emanated from the Common Room. She could only guess as to why that was.
Okita loosened his grip over her. She saw his jaw clench in his frustration.
"Souji?" Kagome splayed her fingers over the contours of his cheek. "You upset?" He leaned into her touch. The edge in his features softened somewhat. He lifted one hand to gently grasp her own.
"I'm fine, just annoyed." He pulled her palm to his mouth. She felt him press his lips against the skin with a gentleness that still surprised her. Before Okita, no one had ever really touched her like this. No one had truly protected her so fiercely.
The man reluctantly released her. His smile turned teasing, "Guess we've gotta face the crowd now. We keep sittin' here and they'll just bitch about it tomorrow." He extended his hand towards her. Kagome gratefully slipped her fingers over his palm. She stood gracefully with the small force he'd used to pull her up. The young woman leaned into his bare chest.
"Sounds fine by me." She pressed her lips against his exposed collarbone. Just as quickly as she'd done it, she stepped away to fix the rest of her clothing. Okita really was good with his hands. He'd almost had her fully undressed before Nagakura interrupted.
Her husband stared after her. The heat of unfulfilled desire burned in his gaze. Kagome threw a coy smile at him.
"Shall we eat?" She held a sultry tone to her voice. The slight hint of her innuendo was not missed.
Okita grinned, "You love riling me up, don't you?"
Kagome lightened her voice into something that sounded innocent, "Whatever do you mean?" She gathered up his kosode and haori. She passed them over to his awaiting arms. Wordlessly she began to take the black kosode and pull the sleeves over his arms.
Okita shot her a heated look. A voiceless question wrote itself across the quirk of his brow. He was suspicious of her.
Kagome moved behind him, making a show of stretching the cloth to his other arm and doing much the same.
"Is it not the duty of a wife to dress her husband*? I'm just doing what I should." She allowed him to fold the clothing as he preferred. Her arms wound around his waist. She trailed the tips of her fingers up the line of his abdomen. She paused briefly at the wall of muscle that greeted her. His body was so firm. It were as if he'd been cut from steel and cast into the mold of a man. But she knew that there was more to him than just sharp edges and death. She rubbed her fingers over him affectionately. She knew better than most the kindness that he reserved for her.
Kagome dropped her hands away. She moved back and started tying her hair into a high ponytail. She didn't have her comb to fix the mess, so she'd just hide it as best she could for now.
Okita looked at her for a long moment. Then he glanced at the haori still clutched between his fingers. A flash of realization went across his features.
"You little tease." He smirked at her. "Was that your payback for earlier?"
Kagome laughed, "Of course it was! You tried leaving more hickies on me so I decided to make you uncomfortable!" She laughed even harder as he stared down in dismay. The problem she'd caused was something that wasn't likely going to die away any time soon.
Okita threw his haori onto himself. He hastily tied his sash then pinned her with an unamused glare.
"Just you wait. I'll have my revenge after dinner." He jutted a thick finger in her direction. She knew exactly what he'd meant by that. Unfortunately for him things weren't going to go the way he wanted them to. At least not if she had a say in it.
Kagome pushed at his shoulders, "Let's go! Revenge can wait until later. Right now I'm starving." He obliged her. Padding along the engawa with his arms folded low over his abdomen.
The pair entered the Common Room with a mixture of amusement and, in Hijikata's case, irritation.
She chose to excuse themselves before Okita could say something incriminating, "Our apologies. I do hope we aren't too late." She offered a bright smile to the others. Okita led them to the empty seats beside Saito. He took the furthest, placing her squarely between them.
Kagome didn't hesitate. She followed her husband's lead and settled upon her spot with a mild amount of grace. Okita reached over to pour her a fresh cup of tea from the kettle before they'd switched off. She looked to Saito. Would it be rude to not offer him any? Her eyes shot down to his nearly empty cup. The young woman lifted the kettle into the reserved man's view. She cocked her head to the side and wordlessly carried her inquiry to him.
Saito blinked, then pushed his cup towards her. She smiled brightly as she poured his as well. She couldn't very well leave a bad impression after what Nagakura walked in on. The other men stared at the interaction with not-so-subtle awe.
Okita looked them in the eye before asking, "What? Unlike you lot she's got some manners."
Kagome fought against the urge to laugh. She set the kettle down before focusing on her meal.
"Oh come on, you just gonna act like nothing happened?" Nagakura clapped a hand over his face. "My poor eyes! They had to see you," he jutted an accusatory finger towards Okita. "Almost naked! Can't you show even a little bit of sympathy?"
Kagome turned her head away. Nope, she was not going to jump into that hole. Her husband could deal with it on his own.
Okita grinned sharply at his companion, "Then don't open a damn door without knocking. Be grateful that was all you saw. It could've been worse than that."
Beside her Saito's ears had turned an interesting shade of red. He could hardly look away from his tea without blushing.
She kept silent. Nope, she wasn't going there either. Just let the guys deal with it. Yup, that was exactly how she was going to let this play out.
The man who'd introduced himself as Harada gave a loud snort of laughter, "He's got a good point." He took a sip from his cup of sake. "Told you it'd be a bad idea to interrupt. Closed doors means closed doors. If you catch my drift."
Kondou laughed nervously, "That aside we're glad to have you here." The man's smile was the warmest she'd ever seen. It reminded her a bit of her father somehow. "Things might be a bit rowdy but they're all good men here."
Kagome smiled back at him, "Souji's told me as such." She looked between the men. "He speaks very highly of each of you here." Her eyes landed on the Commander. "Even you Hijikata-san." There was a brief look of shock before it dissipated.
Okita nudged her, "Hey don't go giving away everything." The mirth in his eyes hadn't let up. The slight curl of his lips caused her own to turn upwards even more.
"What? You never said it was a secret." Kagome turned her attention back to the others. "I must thank you for permitting me to come here." Her eyes landed on Hijikata intently. "I'm sure it mustn't have been easy considering the circumstances." She kept her tone polite. As much as she disagreed with Hijikata's assessment of Okita, she couldn't deny the fact that the man had every right to be concerned. Her very presence could disrupt more than just the morale here. She had to play her cards carefully to ensure that her transition into a new life in these compounds was an easy one. She could not afford to cause Okita or his colleagues any issues at this point.
Hijikata softened somewhat. The sharp lines of his expression dropped with his sigh.
"We were definitely surprised." The Commander started in on Okita. "This idiot just dropped it in the last line of his letter like he was just mentioning the weather."
Her husband had a conspicuously self-satisfied grin pulled across his lips. She knew that look very well. Kagome shot the ronin an admonishing glance. It was not missed by the Commander or the other Captains for that matter.
"He didn't…" Her voice trailed off, looking at Okita with all the ferocity of a furious grizzly. He'd told her that he handled it! Had he really been so lackadaisical about their announcement? Surely more than a single sentence as a afterthought was necessary for these things.
Heisuke grinned, "Oh he did. Knocked the wind out of Hijikata-san the first time he read it."
Another round of laughter went up. She was going to kill her husband at this rate. Okita shrugged nonchalantly from beside her.
"What? I said that I'd deal with it and I did." He leaned over to cast her a playful grin. "I just never said how."
"You're awful." Kagome prodded at his cheek. "You wanted this to cause a ruckus didn't you!" That man, he was looking for a reason for her to skewer him. She just knew it.
Okita looked away. The confident smirk still upon his lips, "Can't have there being any misunderstandings."
Nagakura braced his palms over each knee. He threw a knowing smirk at them, "Souji's just an attention hog. He just wanted everyone to see his new wife and show her off a bit." Kagome blinked at the odd third-person reference he'd used for her. Was she not visible or did it merely slip by him?
Okita's shoulders sagged, "I can't catch a break with you idiots." Emerald eyes narrowed at them. "You guys think the worst of me."
Kondou was quick to intervene, "How are you settling in so far?" It was an obvious change of topic. She was more than eager for a shift in subject as well.
"We went out earlier so I could get used to the town." She started in on the curry. It was a good flavor but the spice was a bit on the mild side. Did one of the men prefer weaker seasonings? She made a mental note of her discovery. Kagome continued, "So far everything's been a bit hectic but I'm sure it'll be just fine." She smiled widely at the burly male. "I've got Souji here with me so it's not like I feel completely uncomfortable."
If she didn't spot it herself, she might have missed the very slight twinge of red that dashed across her husband's nose. It was cute. Not that she'd tell him that. It'd be an insult to his masculine pride to be called such a thing.
Saito spoke from beside her, "That is good." It was simple, direct and most of all, shocking to the rest of the group. Even her husband craned his neck to look at him oddly. Was it really that strange to hear him speak?
"Saito talked to a girl." Heisuke gaped at him wide eyed. Then shifted to look at Okita, "Hey Souji, I think you've got competition."
Her husband grinned sharply at the youngest of their group, "Hey Heisuke," He didn't wait for the teen to respond. "Keep it up and I might just practice my stabbing techniques on your gut."
The boy paled at the threat.
"Demon! You're a demon!" Heisuke looked to her quickly. "See? He's always like this. So how'd you get him to be nice?"
Kagome tapped her chin, "Well probably because I'm a girl." She grinned at him, "The only boy I've seen Souji be sweet to was my little brother. Outside that he's always rather protective." She looked to him. "Isn't that right?"
Okita's smirk grew wider, "Who knows." Now she was curious. Had she really been the only person he'd opened up to like this? His coy smile did little to answer her question.
"Do you intend to keep training?" Sanan interrupted the flow of conversation. His eyes fell to her wakizashi upon the floor beside her.
Kagome blinked, "I hadn't intended on letting my skills get rusty." She brushed her hand along the lacquer of her sword's sheath. "So I believe the answer to your question would be yes. I do want to train more while I'm here." She let the question soak a bit more. On her own or as a one-on-one training session with her husband wasn't bound to cause any issues. If she could continue to fight then she'd be satisfied.
Saito looked at her wakizashi with an unreadable expression. His eyes turned towards her.
"How much do you know currently?" There was no undercut of condemnation in his voice. A sincerity reflected in his eyes. He wasn't underestimating her.
Kagome went on, "I have a lot of my offensive strategies down thanks to Souji. Overall I think my strongest point is my speed, but my defenses still need work." She looked to Okita. "He's got a good idea about my style as well."
Her husband swallowed the mouthful of curry he had, "You best watch this one." He pointed towards her. "Let her observe you long enough and she'll copy your moves into her own attacks." Ah so he's caught onto that. Admittedly she'd tried to copy his offensive style before but failed miserably. So she stuck to his defensive maneuvers and adopted them into her technique. It was rough but she'd gotten better since the last time they'd fought together.
He took another drink from his tea. "But she's better at strategy. Daichi couldn't keep up with her because she adapts so fast."
Okita grinned viciously at Heisuke, "She's got you beat by a mile."
All eyes turned to her conspicuously. Well, he definitely liked singing her praises. She couldn't tell whether he was just bolstering her image to them or if he truly felt that way.
The teen stood up, "Oh I gotta see this! You feel like sparring tomorrow?"
Kagome smiled. It felt oddly sharper than normal. Given Heisuke's sudden look of surprise then a tiny dash of fear, she assumed that Okita's personality might have rubbed off on her a bit too much.
"Sounds good to me." Which reminded her of something. She looked to Nagakura. "Oh that's right. You fought with Maeda-kun today, right? What'd you think?" She was curious to see how he felt about the boy. Their fighting techniques were similar enough but his was much less kind—sharper in a way that she could not replicate.
The burly man dropped his head down.
"He's a bloodthirsty little shit! Souji, how'd you even find these guys?" He gestured towards a small cut on his neck. "He damn near took my head off this afternoon!"
That sounded about right. She'd fought beside him on several occasions during their training. He was an amazing fighter—slipping past enemy defenses as if they were nothing. The only one of the recruits who could counter him effectively was Hideyoshi with his years of experience behind him.
Okita gestured towards her, "Try fighting him while these two are on a team. They damn near gave me a run for my money."
Now he was pushing it.
The young woman interjected, "It wasn't that close. Your wild nature makes you unpredictable. So you're extremely hard to pin down."
Her husband smirked, "You just don't give yourself enough credit." He pointed towards her. "Don't let this one fool you. She'd have you believe that she only knows the basics but then will knock you flat on your ass. She's devious."
Now why did that sound familiar? Ah yes, their very first sparring match. He'd been particularly stubborn about leaving his daishou behind that time but it'd been necessary. She was just glad that he'd had the sense to listen to her.
Saito spoke up again, "If it is not too much trouble, I would like a match as well."
Her husband looked at him oddly. She saved it in the back of her mind for later.
"Of course. I'm not opposed to it." She finished her meal, setting aside the dishes while the conversation continued.
Kondou's threw her a concerned look, "Are you certain? You don't have to feel forced into this."
Kagome shook her head, "It's no trouble at all. Besides it'd be a nice change of pace to spar against new people." Her smile grew into a bright grin. "It's like they say, you can only grow stronger by expanding your horizons."
All eyes looked at her then to Okita.
Hijikata was the first to speak, "Edo women."
There was a collective nod of agreement. What? Had she said something weird? She tipped her head towards Okita.
The man shrugged, "It's a compliment."
Was it? She couldn't tell by the solemn head nods going around the room.
Sanan stood, "Please excuse me. I must tend to my duties." His eyes landed on her from behind his full moon spectacles. There was a calculative glint in then that put her on edge. "It was a pleasure to officially meet you Kagome-san. I shall be watching tomorrow's matches as well."
Nagakura jumped up, "Oh man I've gotta see this! A girl that can take on Souji and Saito? Count me in!"
Harada shook his head. An exasperated smile played upon his lips, "Well that's to be expected. It'd take a strong woman to handle a guy like Souji."
Her face flushed again. Somehow she'd received more compliments on this single dinner conversation than she had in her entire time traveling to the Feudal Era. Her expression softened on her husband's form. It was nice.
Kondou approached them, "Ah before you go, why don't you guys tell us more about how you got married?" The wide smile was so warm and welcoming. She couldn't bear to tell him no; especially not with the near childlike exuberance he showed for their relationship.
Okita's features brightened at the man. A boyish grin lit up his face.
"It all started six months ago."
Kagome settled in beside him. This night might end up being long, but it'd be well worth it. Seeing his eyes light up caused her to smile at him. This was all she ever wanted.
Kagome woke to the sound of a crowing rooster. She blinked. Had she missed that yesterday when they arrived? Her body ached the moment she tried to sit up. By the time she and Okita had gone to bed the previous night, they'd been too tired to do much other than sleep. Her legs screamed in agony over the harsh treatment they'd received over the course of the week.
The young woman rolled onto her side. She felt Okita's arms tighten securely around her waist. His knees pressed into the back of her legs as his body curled around hers protectively.
She relaxed in his embrace. Her eyes closed. Just as she drifted off to sleep again, another crowing of a rooster forced her eyes open. Okita grunted his displeasure by her ear. The pair reluctantly woke from their slumber. It appeared that there would be no sleeping in today.
Kagome rolled within the warmth of his arms. Her eyes fell to the scowl written across his features. She wanted to see that bright smile again. Like the one he had last night. It'd been so full of boyish optimism, so vastly different from his typical sardonic smirk. The young woman cupped his cheeks between her palms. She pressed herself closer to him, her lips brushing against his in a ghost of a kiss.
Okita cracked his eyes open. A warm smile spread across his lips. It wasn't the same as last night, but the raw affection reflected brilliantly in his emerald gaze. She lifted her head to rub their noses together.
"We've got a big day today." Kagome kept her voice low and welcoming. "We can't waste away the daylight, now can we?"
Okita's hand tangled in her hair. He combed his fingers through it with long strokes.
"I've gotta get you something today." He gave her scalp a short massage on the next stroke. "I talked to Hijikata-san last night before bed." She vaguely remembered him leaving after ensuring she was settled in their futon. At the time she'd assumed that he had important matters to discuss with his colleagues. Given the shift in his demeanor now, it seemed as if her assumption was correct. His eyes drifted down to hers intently. "I'll be joining the day patrols starting tomorrow. It would've been today but he thought it'd be best if I kept an eye on you for a little while."
Kagome shook her head, "More like watching me so I don't cause any trouble." Her brows furrowed somewhat. "Speaking of which, what exactly should I be doing? I don't really know a whole lot about what's expected of me here."
She was fully aware of the fact that he knew exactly what she'd meant. This wasn't an era she was used to. What was acceptable? What wasn't? What were her duties supposed to be? She couldn't very well sit on her ass bored out of her mind all day. She needed something to keep her active.
Okita pressed his forehead against hers. He flashed her a kind smile, "Just be happy." His arms pulled her closer to his heart. "Do whatever you want that makes you happy. That's it."
It was both a vague yet heartfelt answer. It was the first time he'd ever stated it openly in such a way. He'd usually defer to his coy humor to unbalance her whenever she asked these sorts of questions. Kagome pressed her lips against his. She felt his hands reach for the sash that kept her clothes securely fastened. Her own hands sought out the flesh that lurked beneath his white, sleeping yukata. That morning neither of them paid any heed to the outside world. There'd only been his body and hers and the pleasure shared between them both.
Kagome found herself sprawled out beneath him. Her legs trembled around his waist as the last waves of their sex rushed through her. She'd never grow bored of this. She'd always desire his touch, his warmth and his scent. She laid supine upon the mussed sheets of their futon.
She shivered as they parted. The heat of his ragged pants warmed the side of her neck. She felt his arms shake violently from around her back and waist.
The young woman trailed her fingers across his bangs, pushing them out of the way.
"We should get up."
His body went lax on top of her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her heart. Okita rested his ear above where she knew he could hear it beat. His eyes remained half-lidded with an expression she couldn't name. It was warm yet solemn, as if he were lamenting something. Her lips pressed into a thin line. Her fingers brushed through the loose strands of his hair affectionately. She wouldn't push him. When he was ready, he'd tell her himself.
The pair paused at the sound of footsteps outside their door.
"Breakfast will be ready in an hour. Don't be late." Hijikata's authoritative tone pierced through them. They both listened as he padded down the hallway; away from their shared quarters.
Okita sighed against her. He lifted himself onto his forearms.
"Can't very well ignore an order from the Demon Commander." He leaned down to kiss her one last time. Kagome sighed against him. The rest of the morning had been fairly uneventful. They'd prepared themselves for the day and joined the others for breakfast.
Kagome noted the small buzz of excitement in the air. Rank-and-file soldiers milled about the inner courtyard. She paused as she helped gather the used dishes. Cocking her head to the side she looked out at them. Were there that many soldiers wandering around yesterday?
Okita came to stand beside her. A wry smile spread across his lips, "Looks like the cat's out of the bag." She cast him a curious glance. His smile deepened, "They're hanging around because news of your sparring matches got out. So they're just here to watch." Her husband threw a blistering look at Heisuke.
The teen raised his hands defensively, "Hey it wasn't me!
I didn't say a word!" He shrunk into himself some at the dubious look the ronin shot him. "Okay… so maybe I talked to Shin about it."
Nagakura glared at him, "Don't you bring me into this! You're the blabbermouth. Running off about all that shit where they can hear." He crossed his thick arms over his chest indignantly.
Kagome sighed. Well at least they couldn't say that life here wasn't boring. She laughed into her hand. She paused as a figure caught her attention at the far side of the engawa. She took her dishes to the kitchen before trailing down the corridor.
At the corner where the building curved, Kagome spotted Saito. His expression was still as unreadable as it had been the previous night. The only difference was the palm full of seeds. Her eyes shifted towards the courtyard below them. The rooster that'd woken them up strutted about. It's feathers were fluffed as if aggravated. She cocked her head to the side.
"Is it hungry?" She knelt beside the Captain. There was an arm's length between them. Enough to keep an appropriate amount of space without being rude. The man gave a noncommittal grunt in response. He tossed the seeds into the courtyard. The little creature clucked happily, darting back and forth with a speed she could barely keep up with.
"You still taking care of that stupid beast?" Okita sat beside her. His eyes narrowed on the chicken with disdain. "Watch yourself, that thing is a demon in disguise." She blinked. Did he not like animals? She thought back. No that couldn't be it. He adored Buyo and the array of stray cats that wandered onto their shrine. He seemed impartial to dogs so did that mean he just didn't like livestock?
Saito didn't respond verbally. He merely tossed another palm of feed for the rooster.
"How is it a demon?" Her eyes shifted to the little animal. Certainly roosters could have a temper but they were often fine if left to their own devices.
Her husband glared down his nose at it, "Because the damn thing charges everyone except Hajime-kun here." He shrugged his shoulders. "The only reason we keep it around is because it's damn good at chasing off foxes from the hen house."
Kagome blinked, "So it chased you before?" The image of Okita running away from an enraged rooster came to mind. She laughed into her hand at the thought. Now that would be a sight to see! Her vicious husband petrified of a little chicken!
He turned an unamused glare onto her. He lifted his hand to play with the the strands of hair that hung low from her ponytail.
"Hey, don't laugh. That little cock is evil." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against his side. Now that he mentioned it, the men wandering around the courtyard had given the rooster and oddly wide berth. Could it be that the little creature had chased just about everyone?
Kagome relaxed into her husband's side. She took his hand and intertwined their fingers together, "Don't be rude." She glanced to Saito. "Does it have a name?"
The man shook his head negatively. She tapped her chin in a thoughtful manner. If even Okita was cautious of the feathered animal then it had to have a dominating personality. Something fierce that even the Shinsengumi couldn't deny.
An idea came to her.
"How about Oda Nobunaga!" She grinned widely between them. "If it's as fierce as you say then why not name it after the demon himself?" She looked back at the oblivious rooster. "Although that might be a bit too long. Ah, Oda-kun! What do you think?" She glanced at her husband.
Okita shrugged his shoulders, "I don't care what you call it, so long as it winds up on my plate tonight."
The rooster's eyes settled on him. It's feathers fluffed out as it bowed its chest. Oh boy. She knew what was about to come next. Okita stiffened beside her. His free hand shot down to his daishou.
"You lookin' for a fight?" His thumb flicked at the hilt of his katana.
Kagome pushed her index finger into his cheek, "You're not fighting a chicken." She focused back onto Saito. "Would you happen to have more feed for it?"
The silent man passed his closed palm over to her. She opened her hands beneath his and waited as seeds fell into her grasp. She smiled gratefully at him. The young woman took a small portion into one hand and casually threw it s short distance away from them. The rooster clucked. It darted to the food while keeping an eye on her husband.
She didn't dare approach it. Roosters were volatile creatures by nature. Like many other things, they required space, respect and a healthy dose of caution. It gradually moved closer to them. It's eyes shifted from Okita to the food it knew to be cradled in her palm. She leaned over and opened her hand. The chicken clucked happily as it devoured the last of the seeds from her palm.
Once finished it strolled back and forth between herself and Saito.
She held up her hands, "Sorry but that's it." She'd expected it to wander off. Perhaps even gobble at her in frustration. Instead it flapped its wings, flew up to the engawa and perched itself quite comfortably atop her lap. Kagome blinked. Well that was unexpected.
The spurs along its legs pressed into her thighs. It didn't hurt but it served as a reminder as to why the others were so fearful of it.
The chicken made itself right at home. Her fingers dropped to the feathers of its back. She's heard once that certain breeds of chicken were quite dog-like in personality. Perhaps this one was similar? Kagome combed her fingers over its back lightly. It's clucking began to resemble a cat's happy purr. She looked back between Saito and Okita.
"I think it likes me."
The three cocked their heads behind them at the sound of thunderous feet. She had a feeling she already knew who that was. Oda-kun tensed in her lap. Its head swiveled to the newcomers as its feathers bristled again.
This wasn't good. Saito quickly plucked the rooster from her lap before it could take off. He folded it into his arms and carried it towards a small fenced over pen. Kagome blinked. She'd hardly seen him move let alone stand up. Okita mentioned that he used the iai technique. It was a style based on lightning speed and force. If that was the case then her match against him could prove very difficult.
"You ready?" Okita offered her his hand. She smiled, slipping her fingers into his palm.
"As ready as I'll ever be." She came to stand beside him. Nagakura, Heisuke, Harada, Sanan and even Kondou rounded the corner. Had they gathered together and simply headed over at the same time? She waited as they greeted them.
Heisuke jutted a finger towards her. A confident grin split his lips, "I ain't gonna go easy on ya!"
Kagome smirked back at him. Somehow, it felt oddly sharp compared to what she was used to. Had Okita's personality rubbed off on her that much? She hazard a glance at him. Spying the smug expression she had to assume so.
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Kagome responded. She pulled her hair into a quick ponytail. "Where do you want to spar?"
Heisuke pointed towards the courtyard, "Right here will be fine. Saito's got that demon bird put up for now." She quirked her brow. Were these men really that afraid of a little chicken? The young woman shook the thought aside. She stepped out into the open and waited patiently as Heisuke came to a stop in front of her.
"Don't go crying when she tears your ass up, Heisuke-kun." Okita taunted the youngest captain.
"I'm not that weak!" The teen tried to defend himself against the accusation. His eyes drifted back to her. He was excited but there was an edge of concern stitched into the slight furrow of his brows.
Kagome interrupted them, "The moment you underestimate your opponent you lose the battle." She smirked at him. "So I wont be holding back. You shouldn't either." She shifted into her offensive stance. Low to the ground, evenly balanced and her palm firmly clutched around her hilt. "It wouldn't be a fair fight otherwise."
Men gathered around them. A buzz of excitement cackled through the air. She could hear the faint chatter of other conversations. They would all have to disappear. She closed her eyes. The white noise of the background faded away. Her ears focused only on the sound of her opponent's uncomfortable shifting. There was only one thing she needed to focus her senses on. Just one person she needed to fight.
Nagakura approached them. He raised his arm high into the air, "Ready!" He cut his arm down in a vertical slash. "Begin!"
Kagome pushed off against the earth. Her feet had gotten lighter in the time they'd traveled. Her speed was faster, more graceful that it had been before. Heisuke raised his sword as if to parry her attack. She pivoted on her heel, curving around to the side before slashing across in a horizontal line.
Heisuke shot forward, barely escaping the tip of her wakizashi as he did so. His feet skidded in the ground. His balance lost somewhat, she rushed forward again.
Her eyes observed the desperate arc of his blade. A forward slash. She ducked beneath his strike. Gripping one hand onto the back of the hilt, she thrust her sword forward. Heisuke twisted to the side. That time he did not trip. He jumped back to give them some space. Kagome rose to her feet. She stared him down intently. How was he going to play this?
Heisuke's stance tightened. He lowered his sword to prepare for an offensive strike. Her eyes narrowed. This was it! She went after him once more. Just as his sword curved towards her, she sped past him to press her back to his. Thrown off by the move, she slashed at him, stopping only as her wakizashi touched the exposed flesh of his neck.
"Match point!" Nagakura called the fight.
Kagome lowered her sword. She looked back to ensure that she hadn't accidentally cut him. Heisuke stood frozen to the spot. His eyes were wide with shock and a brief flicker of fear flashed through them.
She sheathed her blade.
"Oh man, you weren't kidding Souji!" Harada gave a low whistle. "That's some speed you got there."
Kagome offered a polite bow to the youngest Captain, "Thank you for the fight." Her brows furrowed as he collapsed to the ground. "Were you hurt?"
He shook his head, "Damn, I didn't even see it coming. One second she was there and the next…"
Heisuke was interrupted, "You lost your head." Okita grinned down at the teen. "Told you she'd devastate you. She's not quite the bloodsport that Maeda is, but she's got a strong attack. If you don't get around quick enough you'll be dead on your feet."
"Yeah, no kidding." Heisuke sighed. "Man, I wanted to win too." She thought he'd be upset but she was surprised at the wide grin that flashed over his face. "No wonder Souji's so crazy about you!" The teen pushed off the ground, patting his legs and thighs to clear them of dirt.
She didn't quite know how to respond to that one. All of their attention landed onto the crowd forming along the outskirts of the inner courtyard. Boisterous cheering rose up from the group. Her face suddenly felt hot at the attention that was placed on her. When had the crowd grown that big?
Saito stepped forward, "Are you rested enough for the next fight?" There wasn't even a brief sense of condemnation in his tone. Her shoulders straightened. Her body was well within its limits. She didn't have to worry about overexertion. What she was concerned about was whether or not she had the skills necessary to defeat him.
The young woman nodded firmly. She slid back into her offensive position as before. Saito moved into one similar to her own. This would be a battle of speed. In order to defeat him she'd have to find a way around his iai. The first strike was going to be the hardest.
The atmosphere grew thick. The heat blazed down upon them. She needed to focus. Her eyes remained on his sword. That first strike. Where would he go for first? The side? Or the neck? She had to make a guess.
"Ready!" Nagakura lowered his arm again. "Begin!"
Kagome didn't think. She allowed her instinct to guide her movements. She chose to move to the side, dodging his swing in the time it'd taken her to blink. A rush of wind brushed past her. It hadn't been caused by nature, but by the sheer force of his strike.
She pushed forward, slashing at his exposed side. Saito anticipated her. He curved his katana downwards and parried the attack; pushing her back a few feet.
Kagome buried her feet into the ground. This time she waited for him. Azure eyes didn't leave his hands. She observed as his body shifted. The left hand attacks were difficult to predict but not impossible. She just needed speed on her side.
The young woman raised her wakizashi. In an instant both hers and Saito's blades met. They clanged loudly in her ears. The force caused her hands to nearly go numb, but she held firm. She wouldn't let go. The edge of his sword was leveled at the same height as her neck. She knew it. His technique was similar to Okita's in that regard. His target point was either the neck or point of her shoulders. She pushed against him.
They parted for a moment. Both watching the other for the slightest hint of an opening. Her mind observed every tiny shift in his stance. His sword lowered and his foot turned slightly inward. He was going to strike.
Kagome ran forward. This would be the fight that determined who would emerge as victor. Every instinct in her body was on edge. They struck against each other, parrying before meeting again blow for blow. She swung with all of her strength. She couldn't pull back on that. Without her full force, she'd never be able to defeat him.
A sheen of sweat collected on the back of her neck. Her energy was wearing thin. She needed to end this soon or else she wouldn't have the strength necessary to fight. Looking upon him she realized that Saito was much in the same predicament. His brows were furrowed in concentration. His hand was upon his sheathed blade as sweat covered his skin.
This would be the last strike.
The tension grew thick. She hardly took notice of the men watching intently. Everything was silent save for the occasional rustle of the wind. Her hair picked up in the breeze. She shot forward one final time. He'd go for the neck. All of his attacks had done so thus far. Kagome moved to strike at his side but found cold metal pressed against her own. She froze.
"Match point!"
She'd lost. Kagome smiled to herself. She slid her blade back into its sheath and offered Saito a polite bow.
"Thank you for the match."
He returned the action much the same. His eyes were not smug but rather a glint of honest respect reflected within them.
"You are a worthy fighter." Saito's tone was cool. He kept his demeanor passive as he assessed her skills. "Your speed is your strength but your defensive stances require work."
The young woman laughed a little at that, "Yeah I kinda figured. I've been working on it a bit with Souji." She looked to her husband who seemed entirely too pleased with himself. His smug smirk had turned into a full grin. "So I've just got to practice a bit more." She finished, wiping the sweat from her skin with the sleeve of her kosode.
Saito nodded once, "You've done well." Kagome smiled gratefully at the man. She didn't get the feeling that he was just giving her an empty platitude. There was something very earnest in the way he spoke about her fighting style. She returned to Okita's side. He'd been leaning against the engawa. His face was brimming with the proudest look he'd ever worn. Clearly, he was quite happy with her raw abilities.
She felt his hand lightly grab at her own. They intertwined their fingers together as she leaned against his arm. The weight of that fight began to wear down on her. Limbs grew heavy as exhaustion caused her eyes to droop.
The group stared on with astonishment for a few seconds. Then a loud roar of excitement erupted around them. Ah, she'd forgotten. They'd collected quite the gathering of observers.
Sanan approached them. A cool smile graced his lips, "Would you be interested in joining our training sessions? I believe that our men have much that they could learn from you."
Kagome thought on it for a minute. She looked to her husband who merely shrugged with indifference. This was something he obviously wanted her to decide for herself.
"As long as you believe that my presence won't cause a disruption then I have no qualms with it." She rubbed her thumb over Okita's knuckle in a circular motion. "But for now I think we should focus on moving our quarters. It's already starting to get late." Her husband looked away. A sly grin upon his lips as he pretended not to hear her. Apparently he had other plans for the day.
Sanan's smile remained as it was, "But of course. Do take your time to get settled in." With that he sauntered off. He was an odd one but she didn't get any bad vibes off of him. Perhaps he was just naturally more stoic than the rest of the men.
The mood was shifted by Nagakura's hearty laughter, "You weren't kidding, Souji! She's something else!" The man took to her easily. "I wouldn't mind having a go tomorrow."
Kondou shook his head, "Let's give them some time today. Souji's going back on patrols tomorrow so it'd be best if we leave things here." The burly man smiled so warmly at them. He gave off an air of fatherly affection; lightening up the atmosphere with his paternal presence. Her expression thawed. How long had it been since she felt such kind of warmth? "Welcome to the Shinsengumi." Kondou offered her one last smile before ushering the men away.
Kagome felt her husband's hand grip hers a bit more firmly. The callus of his fingers gently rubbed over the skin of her knuckles. His message was clear:
Welcome home
A/n: …. Lol. So I'm on a spree right now I supposed. XD this chapter I wanted to keep strictly in Kagome's POV. Namely since this portion was simply about Kagome finding her place amongst a house full of men. She's going to be doing some balancing for a bit but thus far she's trying to adapt to this era without losing her independence. It'll be a little while before she fully discovers that perfect in between for herself.
We'll probably have other perspectives again in the next chapter, along with reactions to the possibility of Kagome joining their training sessions. So that's going to be rather interesting.
And for the record, Oda-kun was always meant to appear. XD He's going to be an interesting presence for a little while. Anyways I hope you all enjoyed!
**Dressing the Spouse—In Edo period it was common for the wife of a samurai to dress her husband.