KanetsuguNaoe: Thank you very much for the review, it was much appreciated.

Note: This takes place during and after Mitsuhide's rebellion against Nobunaga. Game events are tweaked according to necessary, and those that follow are fictional. This is a yaoi story, meaning man-to-man fluff. You have been warned. But those who love yaoi and Mitsumaru, read on!

Disclaimer: Sengoku Musou and none of its characters belong to me. If it had been mine, Mitsuhide x Ranmaru would have been canon, and so would have Yukimura x Mitsunari.

Excuse the shortness of this chapter.

Chapter Two: The Wilting Blossom

It was still dawn when Mitsuhide and Ranmaru reached a small village located a few kilometers away from Honnoji. He had meant to arrive when the villagers were still asleep so he would have time to change into less conspicuous clothing. He was determined to unite Japan under the Akechi banner in respect to Nobunaga's wishes, but he was too weary from the battle to even think. However, the image of the mighty Demon King being killed by a gunshot refused to leave his mind's eye.

I must find out who the marksman is! He cannot get away with such a grave sin.

Mitsuhide knew that he was going to be the primary suspect for Nobunaga's murder, and it would be a difficult position to get out of, as there had not been any witnesses save for Ranmaru. Still, it was a burden he could live with. As long as Ranmaru knew he was innocent, he could accept anything thrown at him.

I wish I could protect you, he thought, brushing the stray hair away from Ranmaru's sleeping face. I wish I could stop all these wars so you may live in peace. It's the one thing left I can do for you, Ranmaru. In all other ways, I have failed you.

He stopped his horse at the door of the farthest inn, and then carefully alighted, cradling Ranmaru in his arms. Making sure he had his cloak and ronin gasa on, he used his foot to tap lightly on the door. It wasn't long before it was opened by a plain-looking, middle-aged woman dressed in an ordinary kimono.

"I'm sorry to trouble you", Mitsuhide bowed respectfully. "But if you do have a spare room…might I use it? My companion is exhausted, you see, and he needs a comfortable place to rest. I will gladly pay the required amount."

"Oh, it's no problem at all, sir", the woman smiled, bidding them to enter. "We innkeepers are long used to expect guests arriving at any hour of the day. Don't worry; we will be able to accommodate you. Would you like an extra futon in your room?"

"We'll make do with whatever is there, good lady", Mitsuhide replied. "We do not have much at the moment, so we'll settle for the simplest that you have. Oh, I brought a horse along with me. Might there be a stable in which he can stay in?"

"Yes, we do", the woman replied. "My husband will take care of him. You should retire for the night, sir. Just take the hallway to your left. You'll find a series of empty rooms there. Please get a good night's rest and enjoy your stay."

"Thank you, kind miss", Mitsuhide bowed again. "I will pay before we leave."

He sought out the room furthest down the hall, carefully setting Ranmaru down on the tatami mats so he could fix the futon. He only needed one because he was perfectly fine sleeping in a seated position, as being a warrior required his ability to adapt to any type of environment. His first priority was Ranmaru. Once he has fixed the futon, he lifted Ranmaru into his arms again, and then placed him on the warm mattress. Just as he was about to tuck the sleeping youth in, Ranmaru's eyes fluttered open.

"…Lord Mitsuhide?"

"Rest your weary body, Ranmaru", Mitsuhide said softly, placing a finger on his lips. "It is still dawn, and you need all the rest you can get. I'll just be here against the wall if you need me."

"No, my lord…" Ranmaru protested, sitting up. "Please take the bed. I've caused you enough trouble. I've already had my share of rest, and I can clearly see that you haven't."

"I'm used to this, Ranmaru. Go ahead and lie down. We'll talk about what to do tomorrow morning. For now, get some rest"

"No!"

Ranmaru Mori was as stubborn as a mule, and Mitsuhide knew this. Sighing, he braced himself, ready to fight a losing argument. Ranmaru was as hot as Mitsuhide was cool.

Let's see if you can get me to lie down, young Mori.

"Please, my lord", Ranmaru begged. "I feel terrible for having to pit you through all this…the least I can do is offer you the remaining comfort we have for now."

"Those puppy eyes won't work on me, Ranmaru", Mitsuhide shook his head. "You are my first priority, so please just agree and go to sleep. I'm worried about you."

"I am a samurai too, Lord Mitsuhide", Ranmaru rose to his feet so he would tower above the older man. "I am neither a delicate little girl nor a geisha, my lord. I am a page, and it is my duty to safeguard my master…which is you, in this case."

Mitsuhide smiled, much to Ranmaru's surprise.

"Your fire hasn't died out, and I'm glad. But you must listen to what I have to say, Ranmaru. I am neither your master nor your teacher now. The Oda clan is finished. We are now ronin of equal rank. From now on, I would like you to address me casually."

"…Mitsuhide", the younger boy said softly, testing the word with his lips.

"There we go."

"…we still haven't settled the dispute about the futon", Ranmaru looked mildly annoyed.

"If I were a clown, I would say we share it", Mitsuhide said in a flat tone.

"…actually, that's not a bad idea."

Mitsuhide blinked. Had Ranmaru lost his mind?

"…are you sure?"

"It's big enough to fit the both of us, isn't it?" Ranmaru prodded the edge of the futon with his toe. "And it's not like you haven't shared a tent with me before, right?'

Sharing a tent and sharing a futon are two different things!

But cool as he was, Mitsuhide refused to reveal his anxiety. For him to retain his poise, he merely sighed and drew up the sheet. Wordlessly, he slipped off his cloak, hat and armor before lying down. Ranmaru remained standing, though. His hands were on his hips and he was wearing a livid expression. Mitsuhide stared at him, puzzled.

"What now?"

"You were intending to lay me down despite the fact I'm still wearing my armor?!"

"Keep your voice down, Ranmaru", Mitsuhide said calmly. "And no, I was actually predicting that you would wake up, so I decided to be a gentleman and let you handle your own clothes."

"I'm amazed at how you can retain this…coolness around you", Ranmaru remarked as he began ridding himself of his armor. "I can never do that. My little temper always gets the best of me, and I just have to state my opinion."

"Your mouth and your face certainly don't go together", Mitsuhide agreed, staring at the ceiling. "But that's what makes you Ranmaru. I would be bored if you behaved like a delicatessa."

Ranmaru laughed. He untied the yellow ribbon holding his hair up, letting it cascade down his back. From the corner of his eye, Mitsuhide observed him, trying to repress the strange feeling building up in his heart. Ranmaru looked ethereally beautiful bathed in the moonlight. Yes, he was aware of how beautiful the younger man was. People were always praising him for his beauty, which usually ended up with Ranmaru shooting his mouth off. However, this was the first time that he was seeing Ranmaru like this. It was almost as if he was seeing him for the first time.

Is this how everyone else feels when they see him? Is he truly this captivating?

He was mesmerized. Ranmaru was claiming his senses in a heartbeat. As for heartbeat, he could feel his beating quadruple its normal rate. He just hoped Ranmaru didn't notice.

"We really should get some more casual clothing", Ranmaru sighed as he slipped into the futon next to Mitsuhide. "Not only are these clothes conspicuous, they're difficult to deal with on normal days. Let's go shopping tomorrow, ne?"

"Sure, sure", Mitsuhide chuckled. "Goodnight, Ranmaru."

"Goodnight, Mitsuhide", Ranmaru scooted closer to Mitsuhide, eager for warmth.