« Hajime. » called Chizuru « can I come in ? »
« Ha. » I answered, sitting up.
According to our sleeping compromise, that I was diligently following, she was carrying the mail and paperwork of the day that she had already sorted, making me gain one or two hours of sleep in the morning without losing any time. She put it on the desk and came near the futon to kiss me, a package in hand.
« Good morning. » she said with a kind smile « You slept well ? »
I nodded. I was still amazed how caring she could be even after getting her neck ravaged by my teeth. I wasn't deserving it. She leaned over to kiss me again, a mellow kiss, tender, filled with love. I knew she was doing all this to reassure and soothe me but even if I knew it, it was working. She didn't speak to me about her research so I supposed there was nothing new but she did make new medecine. I had some in my desk and she was also keeping some on her in case of need.
« You slept about 3 hours. » she told me « you know, you really need to sleep more. Why not take a small nap in the afternoon ? »
« What's that package ? » I cut her, not eager to repeat the same conversation again and again.
« Your new uniform. » she smiled « apparently, you need to wear it starting today. »
I nodded again and Chizuru came behind me to comb my hair and attach them in a ponytail, as usual. She wrapped her arms around me and kissed my cheek. I flushed, wondering why she was so nice to me. I really couldn't understand her. If someone had attacked me the way I attacked her, never would I act like this with that person. And she'd probably already be dead.
« Why are you so obliging to me ? » I asked, unable to refrain myself.
« Because you're my husband. » she replied, cheek against mine, still holding me from behind.
« I see. It's by obligation, then. » I stated.
That indeed made sense. It was a wife's duty to care for her husband.
« No, idiot. » she laughed « It's because I love you. »
I tried to turn to her and she let a bit go of me so I could catch her and bring her on my lap. She looked at me with a gaze full of love and truth. There was no hint of fear, of resentment or of lies. I sighed and put my forehead against hers.
« I don't deserve you, Chizuru... » I muttered.
« Stop saying nonsense and get dressed » she chuckled « Everyone is supposed to meet downstairs. »
I nodded and let her go, opening the package. I got out all the different pieces of my new attire and laid them on the tatami, trying to remember which one to put on first. I started with the underwear and the shirt and Chizuru watched me struggle with the buttons. Seriously, what was wrong with ties ? I couldn't help but become totally red under her amused gaze and my eyes threw daggers at her when she started chuckling.
« I'll leave you alone. » she laughed gently before heading out.
I was glad that she decided to step out. I could struggle with less embarrassment. When I finished putting on my shirt, victorious, I had to do it all over again with the waistcoat. Buttons everywhere, even on the trousers... I sighed and looked at myself in the mirror. That was a nightmare and I didn't even have the coat on yet...
Chizuru came back inside at that moment, carrying books and papers, and she grinned at me. It wasn't mischievous though. There was something sparkling in her gaze.
« What is it ? » I asked, probably already blushing red.
« You look handsome. » she replied and my mouth fell agap.
« I beg your pardon ? » I said, believing that I misheard.
« I never thought I'd see you dressed like the French in Osaka one day but I have to admit you look rather dashing. » she smirked, crossing her arms.
« Da.. Dashing... » I repeated, stuttering stupidly. I had no doubt now that I was as red as a tomato.
« Turn around, let me see ! » she ordered playfully and I complied.
« I look ridiculous... » I muttered so low that I wasn't even sure she heard it.
« It is really form-fitting. » she continued « It highlights your every feature. Edo women are gonna love this. I'd better keep an eye on you ! »
« I have no interest in Edo women. » I replied, still red.
She had something playful and somewhat hungry in her eyes that both made me pleased and very uncomfortable. Was this the way I was looking at her every time I was thinking to myself how gorgeous she was ? She came close to circle me with her arms and I escaped a surprised gasp when she squeezed my ass.
« Chi... Chizuru ! » I scolded, embarrassed.
« What ? » she asked with feigned innocence.
Already, my body was reacting to her teasing and with my new clothes, it was totally impossible to hide it. It was too tight to leave anything unnoticed. And of course, Chizuru did notice.
« What a pity that you are awaited downstairs... » she whispered in my ear and her voice sent a shiver in my whole body.
« You are a demoness. » I said very seriously, taking her hands off me.
« Maybe you shouldn't have married an Oni. » she replied playfully, leaving a soft kiss light as a feather on my neck.
She chuckled and backed off but the lust was still very perceivable in her eyes and it was really hard for me to ignore it. Nonetheless, after what happened, I wouldn't touch her again and we both knew it so there was no point in teasing me this way. If she was trying to make me lose my mind, it wouldn't work. I still had no desire for blood but when I attacked her, I wasn't experiencing the pain of bloodlust either. No, I just wanted to eat her up. It was just a desire and I surrendered to it so easily that it was scary to me. I wasn't going to make the same mistake again. I'd wait for a cure since it was the only way to keep her safe.
I crouched and took the coat on the ground to put it on. Again, I struggled with the buttons but Chizuru came to help me with it and I let her. I looked at her little hands working on my chest, closing the buttons one after another. She then curled the collar to show the inside of the coat where I could see the blue and the bamboo leaves kamon. The coat was long on the back but short on the front, allowing me to move freely and I did a few movements to test it.
« Is it hard for you to move with such tight sleeves ? » asked Chizuru, amused.
« Not particularly. » I answered, calming down now that she wasn't touching me anymore.
I looked at the two last pieces of the attire, two white clothes. I deciphered the long one to be a sash for my swords and I put it on. The other one though was a mystery to me. I picked it up and looked at it, trying to decipher what its purpose could be.
« It goes around your neck. » commented Chizuru, looking at me with laughing eyes.
« I know. » I replied as if I wasn't struggling seconds ago to figure out what it was. Pride, I guess.
« Let me help you » she chuckled and she came close to wrap it around my neck and stash the longer part inside my waistcoat « Now it's perfect. »
I looked in the mirror. I couldn't understand why she would find me handsome with this. It was too tight, too fitted. I was feeling completely naked, although fully dressed. I could see my arm muscles, my chest, my hips, my thighs and even the small bulge of my now calmed manhood. At least, my ass was hidden by the long coat. I never had been particularly bashful about my own body but I wasn't really keen on showing it to the world either. I wanted to put on a kimono and hide all this under the long fabric.
« What's the matter ? » asked Chizuru, concerned.
I didn't answer and just shook my head to make her understand it was nothing. I had to obey orders anyway and I had to admit that although tight, these clothes were very easy to move in.
« You're not only the best swordsman of the Shinsengumi now, you're the most handsome. » she chuckled.
« Nagakura would probably object to both these statements. » I frowned.
« Yeah, well Nagakura-san can't even compare. » she smirked « If it was up to me, you'd never leave this room. »
« I think you already made this pretty clear. » I replied with a smile « but I wouldn't let you. »
« That's what you think. » she objected with a grin.
« That is the truth. » I frowned again.
« Come on, go. » she laughed « You're already late. I hope everyone struggled as much as you did otherwise you will have your fair share of snide comments. »
« Alright. » I nodded and headed out but as I slid the shoji, I turned around « Thank you, Chizuru. »
« Why are you thanking me ? » she asked, perplexed and understanding that I wasn't thanking her for buttoning my coat.
« For being you. » I answered.
« I love you, idiot. » she smiled genuinely « but you are late. »
I nodded and got downstairs to find the others. Nagakura was showing off, flexing his muscles to feel the range of movement in his uniform. Sannan and Toudou were there too, despite that it was daytime, and Harada joined shortly after me. Sannan's uniform had a long coat like mine but his was also long on the front. I wondered if it could hinder his movement but at least, he was more covered than the rest of us. Not that it seemed to disturb Harada and Nagakura the slightest. The both of them didn't even completely button their shirt so they could expose their bare chest a little.
Hijikata arrived with his uniform. It seemed made for him. Well, it was since it was tailor made, but he really was looking like a commander. Everything in him reflected authority. He was followed by a short man with scissors and introduced him to us.
« The hairdresser. » he said « everyone gets a haircut. No more long hair. »
« What?! » yelled Toudou « What's wrong with ponytails ?! »
« I said, short hair for everyone. » Hijikata-san frowned. « Sannan, Nagakura, yours are short enough already, you can dismiss. »
« But... But... » protested Toudou, nervously playing with his hair. « you realize how many years it took me to have them that long ? If I don't put them up, they nearly go to my knees... and you Hijikata-san, of all people you should understand... Yours are nearly hips long... Aren't you going to miss them ? »
« No. » he said harshly « Now you all comply and cut this hair. »
I knew for sure that I would personally miss my ponytail. Having Chizuru comb my hair was something that I loved and now, she wouldn't need to do it anymore. What was going to be her reaction to me with short hair anyway ? She repeated quite a few times how much she liked it long.
Harada was the first one to get the haircut but we all followed grudgingly. The hairdresser wasn't cutting too much though and I was glad for that. I wouldn't have liked getting super short hair or if he cut my bangs. I looked at my raven-like hair falling on the ground and hoped Chizuru wouldn't be mad about it.
She joined shortly after with tea and open wide eyes when she saw all of us with our hair in hand. Toudou was crying, clenching his long ponytail while the scissors were cutting it.
« What do you think, Chizuru-chan ? » asked Harada with a seductive voice « Am I not super sexy with my new haircut and my western style ? »
« You are, Harada ! » she replied with a laugh.
She then turned to me and I saw that the spark I witnessed earlier hadn't left her gaze even now that I had short hair. She put a hand to hide her lips to the others and mouthed a single word to me « handsome ».
I turned my eyes away and blushed red like a teenager. Really, this uniform seemed to have a daunting effect on my wife that I wasn't sure was very safe for my sanity.