Hakuouki in its entirety belongs to IDEA Factory/ Yone Kazuki-sensei; Kawa belongs to me.
**edit: combining my take(s) on eps 9&10 in the anime in this chap. just an FYI. enjoy~
"Cur, you do it." He growled.
She slipped past her brother and Kondou-san into the room, kneeling to help the bluenette up. "Ibuki-kun, are you okay?" She asked concernedly, looking at the busted lip and swollen cheek he donned.
He grimaced and reached for a red comb that had fallen out of his clothes, putting it back before she could see.
"That is your punishment for opposing your master." He ground out.
She glared up at him. "Serizawa-san, that's enough! These women didn't do shit, and you're not in your right frame of mind…" She began to explain as she stood infront of the boy defensively.
"Keep your mouth shut, you damn whore." He snarled, swinging a hand at her.
She caught it quickly in her right hand, gritting her teeth and growling. "Leave Ibuki-kun be." She spat, shoving him back roughly.
"T-to hell with that… There's no way I'll ever do that!" He exclaimed, perking her ears.
Her gray eyes softened slightly. It's about time you grow a backbone, she mused.
FWHACK.
"Kawa-chan!"
She spat out blood, her head slightly spinning from being knocked down by the mere slap of that man's hand, pain radiating up and down the right side of her pretty face.
"Yasakawa!" Her brother rounded on the behemoth man, anger blazing in his steely violet eyes at seeing that man strike his sister.
"Toshi, it's okay." She promised quietly, perking his ears and making him look to see her stagger to her feet; she smiled at him, her cheek slightly swollen and a wry look crossing her eyes and pretty face.
"Souji," he beckoned sharply, to which the brunette slipped inside and took one look at her face before his green eyes turned hard and he ushered her out of the room with his arm around her waist.
:::::::x|x:::::::
"Ow." She winced slightly as she touched her cheek.
He made a face. "Don't touch it, Yamazaki-san said not to, remember?" He scolded, perking her ears.
She sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I know. Sorry." She mumbled sheepishly.
"So how's the spitfire?" Both of them looked up to see her brother standing in the doorway, arms folded across his chest.
Her eyes softened and she smiled. "It's not as swollen as the other day." She offered.
His shoulders slumped slightly and he nodded, smiling a little. "I'm glad, though you took a good hit. But I'm glad you're doing better." He mused, his eyes tightening as he recalled the image of that overgrown bastard slapping her across the face.
The brunette snorted. "Speak for yerself, Hijikata-san, that man's just lucky I didn't run him through on the spot for hurtin' the woman I love." He grated, scowling at the newly-polished katana she had in her lap.
She blushed slightly at his open declaration, looking at the blue fabric on the hilt. "Souji," she mumbled shyly.
Her brother lifted a brow before he smirked softly. "I contemplated that too, that night. Either way, according to Ibuki's sulking form, Shimabara doesn't take too kindly to us now because of what went down in Osaka." He mused, scowling slightly.
She lowered her gaze at the mention of the boy, sighing. "I would imagine, given how fast gossip travels nowadays." She mused, sheathing the katana in her black scabbard.
Both men looked at the quieted woman with slight concern.
'Okita-kun, please search Kawaramachi, and take Yasakawa-kun with you.'
'Neh, Sannan-san, isn't the Choshu Domain in Kawaramachi? That's a bit dangerous, isn't it?'
'That is the very reason I'm sending Yasakawa-kun with you, Okita-kun. Because it's dangerous. Besides, two sets of eyes are better than one, and the same goes for two blades.'
He does have a point, but still... he mused, looking at his partner. "You're up to this." He didn't ask.
She nodded and smiled at him. "It was just one hit, it's not like I broke a rib. Besides, you're going to need help even though you don't say it." She added, elbowing him gently.
He sighed and nodded, slinging his arm around her shoulders affectionately. "You're one hell of a woman, y'know that?" He mused.
"So I've been told." She chuckled, smiling again.
He briefly glanced back to see a familiar head of blue walking to sidle up to his right side. "Need something?" He wondered, continuing to walk with his lover in tow.
"I'm going; he's in Shimabara, right?" The bluenette guessed.
He scoffed. "Deadweight; you'll only get in our way if one of us hasta protect you while fighting the Rasetsu." He rebutted.
"I don't plan on askin' for your help, I'm going for my own reasons. If you think I'm in your way, then cut me down." He fired back, his tone dismissing the conversation.
He glanced at him. "Hmm," he muttered.
She smiled wryly. "Neh, Ibuki-kun, you've finally grown a backbone, I'm so proud I could cry." She teased.
He smiled back. "Save it for after we get rid of the Rasetsu," he remarked, hearing her giggle.
::::::x|x::::::
"You're over there, neh; ya smell just like the last Rasetsu that fled from our headquarters!" He called to the growling figure at the far end of the alley.
She smirked softly and shook her head, drawing her katana and holding onto the hilt. "You really are too cocky." She sighed.
He smirked and followed suit, the katana leaving the scabbard quietly. "Shut up, ya still love me for it." He flew forward, the Rasetsu named Saiki blocking his strike on instinct before knocking him back.
"Blood; give me blood!" He snarled out from the blood-stained maw of his.
She leaped past him, her katana's blade swiping at his unused arm and severing it. "Fine, but it's your damn funeral." She growled, flicking her wrist and shedding the blood from her blade as he howled in pain, retreating to her companion's side.
"Kawa, go for the head, I've got his heart." He ordered, perking her ears.
She nodded. "Hai!" She flew forward as he fell in step after her.
Both of them perked up as Saiki leaped into the air to hit them from above, skidding to a halt.
"Shit!" He growled.
"Look out!" A jar was thrown at the lunging Rasetsu, slightly surprising them both, as the creature dropped near where the jar had been thrown; he rounded his gleaming red eyes on a slightly spooked Ibuki.
"Now!" Souji flew at him.
"Ibuki-kun!" Kawa bolted at his heels, watching him ram the katana's blade through his heart as she hopped up to deliver the killing blow, severing the head at the base sharply and neatly.
The Rasetsu's beheaded corpse fell when he yanked his blade free; she landed nimbly, flicking her wrist again and sheathing her katana as he also did the same.
"Souji!" The voice of Shinpachi sounded as they heard the rest of the men coming forward.
He looked at her and smirked at seeing a small splotch of blood on her mended cheek, lifting a hand to wipe it off with his thumb. "I had a feeling you'd look beautiful even covered in blood." He mused softly.
She blushed and smiled humbly, kissing his cheek. "I told you you'd need help." She crooned.
Souji chuckled and tousled her hair, slinging his arm around her waist on reflex as the others appeared and looked at the slain Saiki.
"Ibuki-kun, thank you for distracting him." Kawa declared, smiling warmly at the bluenette and dipping her head in a slight bow.
Ibuki's cheeks colored pink as Souji sent him a death glare, laughing weakly. "It's no trouble, really! T-Ta be honest, I owe it to you for taking that hit back in Osaka." He admitted, perking her ears.
She blinked before laughing softly. "It gets pretty boring when ya see that man always beating on just one person." She shrugged, feeling her lover's arm tighten around her waist on reflex.
"Regardless, you both did well." Toshi declared, perking her ears.
Kawa smiled sheepishly. "Wasn't much trouble, really, nii-san." She mused.
Souji rolled his eyes and squeezed her waist. "Just accept the compliment that we work good as a team," he grated.
She blushed and then huffed, elbowing his ribs. "Shouldn't I be telling that to you?" She teased.
Her brother sweatdropped and shook his head knowingly. "Both of you can go rest up back home." He advised calmly.
"No need to tell me twice; c'mon, she-wolf." He sighed, dragging her after his lead away from the scene by the hand.
She blinked and then smiled, looking over her shoulder at her brother and smiling again before following.
:::::::x|x:::::::
She smiled slightly when he offered the cleaning liquid, lifting her katana up by the hilt so the clear fluid washed down the length of her blade. "So you want Souji to be the Roshigumi's blade, then." She guessed as she wiped the katana's blade with her spare handkerchief.
"Given that a blade needs a scabbard, it would only seem fitting for you to be the scabbard, Yasakawa-kun." He nodded, smiling slightly.
She blinked and tilted her head to one side curiously, sheathing her katana. "You want me to be his partner." She didn't ask.
He nodded again. "It seems right that that be your role. Aside from the knowledge that you two are together." He replied.
He pouted slightly as he also sheathed his katana, crossing his arms. "That's it, remind me to maim Hijikata-san next time I see 'im, spilling the beans…" He grated.
She rolled her eyes patiently, punching his shoulder in scolding. "Be nice, will ya?" She chided.
Sannan-san smiled patiently at the couple.
"Man, I missed the best part!" Heisuke grated.
A sweatdrop formed on her brow. "When the ground trembled? Honestly, I don't see what men find so friggin' interesting in two blubbery buggers body-slamming each other into the dirt. It's so trivial." Kawa ground out, a pout on her full lips.
"It's sports, babe." Souji sighed patiently, earning a scowl from his lover.
::::::x|x::::::
Kawa frowned slightly at the noise that had resounded in her ears.
Cannons. But who was attacking at this hour?
"You're all here; this is a surprise." That man mused as he sat down near the door, stirring her attention away.
Toshi scoffed, "Of course we are. We heard that outrageously loud noise." He remarked calmly.
"The roar of artillery seems to have come from the Imperial Palace." Sannan-san added.
"Shouldn't we be heading over there?" Shinpachi wondered.
A flow of murmuring rose up amongst most of the men as they seemed to debate over whether his question was a wise suggestion or a foolish one.
"No, Aizu hasn't given us orders to mobilize yet; we should avoid acting on our own." It was Sannan-san that spoke again.
Toshi piped up, "Yamazaki and Shimada have already left to investigate. We're on standby until we receive their reports."
Well that's great, then I shoulda gone back to sleep, she deadpanned, making a mental note to lecture her brother on the fine art of beauty sleep at a less-time-pressurized moment.
::::::x|x::::::
'Shinsengumi', huh? She sipped aimlessly at her sake.
The name certainly was different, she'd admit that; but a part of her liked it… Especially since it was a place reserved for only those who excelled in military arts.
Have I really come this far? She wondered, looking down at the clear alcohol in her cup.
A long arm draped across her shoulders and pulled her into a kiss to the forehead, stirring her from her thoughts.
"Quit frownin', it doesn't suit you." He purred, smiling down at her.
She blushed softly and then caved, smiling back and kissing him, feeling his arm around her squeeze on reflex.
'Given that a blade needs a scabbard, it would only seem fitting that you be the scabbard, Yasakawa-kun.'
She smiled into the kiss, stroking his cheek. If that's the case, then I'll definitely be the scabbard, if not for my brother and Kondou-san and the others, then for you, Souji, she inwardly vowed.
review please; thanks~ ;'D