Blood, Steel and Tears Part II
Eiji, the small, determined, young boy, had come running into the house to see Saitō and Tokio in each other's arms. Eiji was surprised to see the wolf man, he heard from Tokio that Saitō had died in Kyoto in an explosion after Shishio had been defeated. The boy rubbed his eyes to make sure his eyes were not playing tricks on him. But they were not, there he was with his deathly looking wolf glare, Saitō Hajime stood. Saitō smirked at the boy and let go of Tokio, making his way towards Eiji. The boy couldn't move, no matter how he wanted to and Saitō eventually stood right in front of him, but knelt down to even the height difference somewhat. Eiji couldn't figure out what to say or anything like that and Saitō put on the innocent look, with the half mooned shaped eyes, that were seen when Saito went to go leave the Battousai his gift. Though this time, Saitō was sincere in his look towards Eiji.
"You've soften since living here?" Saitō asked Eiji and the boy nodded and Saitō smirked and looked quickly back to Tokio then back to Eiji.
"She does that, tries to bring out the best of people in men she shouldn't associate with" Saitō didn't turn around to Tokio this time, but knew she was rolling her eyes. "How have you enjoyed your stay?"
He stuttered at first but eventually formed a full sentence. "I have, Sir, very much so. Your wife, Tokio has shown me great hospitality. I cannot thank her enough for it all" Eiji said quickly and looked down at his own feet to avoid Saitō's gaze.
Saitō stood up and messed up Eiji's hair and walked back over to Tokio. "So what was that about dinner?" He smirked.
Tokio shook her head and looked at Eiji. "Eiji, dear, can you set the dishes up, I will get the food and Saitō… you can sit since you just came home." She walked into the kitchen and Eiji quickly made his way to set up the dishes. Saitō knelt where he usually had always been before he left for Kyoto. He no longer had the half moon shaped eyes, but they squinted slightly open to watch Eiji.
Eiji knew Saitō was watching him, the burn on his back would not seem to go away no matter how much he fidgeted, but he ignored him and his gaze the best he could, hoping not to draw any more attention to himself. Eiji knelt down on the opposite side of Saitō and Tokio came and brought, rice, finely sliced pieces of tofu and bread to the table. And of course she had simply plain Soba, Saitō's favorite. He smiled genuinely to his wife.
"I've made it every day, just in case you did happen to show up." She knelt down onside of Saitō and smiled. All 3 took what they wanted Saitō mainly went after his Soba. He simply couldn't refuse it, especially when his wife made it.
Dinner had no conversation, Saitō and Tokio never talked but that's how they liked it. Eiji on the other hand, had always talked during dinner with Tokio, but with Saitō he wasn't sure if he could. Once everyone finished Tokio cleared the food and left Saitō and Eiji in the same room. Saitō looked at Eiji and smirked "You aren't as determined from the last time I saw you. You don't even look any stronger. Gave up on your promise?" Saitō asked plainly, with no sympathy or arrogance in his voice. Eiji looked down and shrugged, Saitō cleared his throat and Eiji looked up to Saitō's squinted eyes.
"Never look down, it shows weakness. Keep your head high and yourself in high spirits, if you want show anyone your stronger, this is the first step." Without realizing it, Saitō had given him a lesson on how to be better and the best. Saitō got up and Eiji did the same, Saitō leaned against the wall waiting for Tokio to come out of the kitchen and Eiji made his way to his room for the night.
Saitō gave up waiting for his wife and casually made his way to their bedroom. There he saw is 3 months old sleeping son, Tsutomu. He quietly glided against the floor, not to make sudden movements to wake the child. Kneeling down, Saitō gently ran his callused fingers through Tsutomu's thin black hair that was starting to grow out. He heard a noise outside the room and moved quickly to the other side of the room and began to remove his police jacket. Tokio comes in and see's Saitō's back and her son soundly asleep, just as she left him.
"He is growing well," Saitō said, turning around totally forgetting of the crossed shaped scar that had been engraved into his chest by Makoto Shishio. Tokio unconsciously covered her gapping mouth with her hand, in shock at what souvenir Saitō received while being away. She firmly remembers there not being a scar of that magnitude on her husband's chest. Saitō looks down at his chest and smirks, "Just a token of my enemy's failures, no man alive can kill the Wolf of Mibu." Tokio shook her head, "You aren't invincible, Hajime, maybe men can't kill you but maybe one day those wounds will. Then what will I and your son have left?"
Saitō was completely thrown off by her harshness she is usually so understanding of him and his sense of just Aku Soku Zan. "It won't kill me, not yet anyways." He said and she got red in the face. "You can't live by Aku Soku Zan forever, Hajime" When she said his name, he cringed he knew it was bad when she had to say Hajime. "You can't have a family and that, it's one or the other" And before Saitō could respond back, she pointed to the door. "You don't want to be in my warm arms tonight" he said hoping to regain a little composure with his snide comment and win this argument. "Either alone or in your arms, I still endure the coldness, and your selfishness" He sighed heavily, mumbling on the way out the door. Saitō wasn't pleased being kicked out his bedroom when he's only been back for less than a day. But he wasn't about to go back in and see what hell was truly like, or more like a woman's scorn, he much rather go to hell.
He eventually made his way out to the back yard where he leaned against an old tree that had seen as many winters as him. He light up a cigarette, re-enforcing the bad habit that he adapted too so long ago, and heard a creek come from the floor boards. Saitō didn't look over, he was to indulged in his cigarette, until a small figure appeared next to him. "Go back to bed Eiji" The young boy shook his head. "I have a question, then I'll go" Saitō growled lightly in his throat and put out the cigarette, turning his head to Eiji, giving him is undivided attention.
"Now that your back… will I be going back to my village?" Saitō hadn't thought about it, especially with only being back for less than a day. But to him, it was Tokio's choice since she would have to feed his arrogant mouth, Tsutomu and Eiji's, though he knew his income could survive another mouth or two, since he just got a generous raise from his commander.
"I don't cake, it is up to you. Stay or go, makes no differences to me." Saitō sounded cold and indifferent about what he wanted Eiji to do. "But pose the question to yourself, would you want to live amongst a bunch of cowards ready to feed you to the maggots at the cost of them living in fear." Saitō tapped his pants pockets in hope he had another cigarette laying in wait, to be smoked into nothing. Eiji looked up at the sky and looked back down to the ground, his calm hands hand formed fists. "I want to be stronger and never let another person I care about die again" His fist began to shake, and Saitō finally found his cigarette and lit it. He casually spoke with superiority in his voice "Then stay, and I will teach you the proper way to fight with a sword and with your hands" He took a long drag of his cigarette and watched Eiji out the corner of his amber eye.
Eiji thought for a long while on what Saitō had said, but didn't know how long because of how fast he smoked his last cigarette. He wanted another one, but that required going into the room where his wife's scorn would even scare the Battousai. "Alright I will stay, thank you… Saitō" Saitō gave a nod and Eiji bowed before he left Saitō to his thoughts.
Another hour had past and Saitō started his way back inside, hoping that his wife was not awake.