Disclaimer: I do not own Hakuoki. This amazing anime was created by Asuka Yamazaki, Kazuhiko Hasegawa and Mitsutoshi Ogura. I only created my Asuna and some side characters.

Beta Reader: Waffle (Thank you for being the bestest!)

Rated Teen for violence, blood, coarse language and / or sexually suggestive scenes (rating will change to Mature in the future as story progresses, readers have been advised).

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Kiss Of Snow

By: Swanna

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Chapter 25: The Ancient Ones

Kazama's rage was a searing hot flame, filling his head with pain and clouding his vision. Not only had he almost let his slashing violence ruin his carefully laid plans for Einosuke, he'd also deliberately put himself in danger when he wasn't obligated to. Considering his responsibility to his clan as the head of the family, this was unacceptable. Even worse, he had now sustained an injury that weakened him in both body and mind. He was bleeding profusely; the flesh felt warm and wet. The biting iron scent of fresh blood was befuddling and sundering his will.

Right now, he was the real threat.

Kazama left his horse behind tied to the tree, and hastened on foot instead. He didn't trust himself to be near Asuna right now. Conscious of his tenuous self-control at the moment, he was afraid that he'd cave to his vicious hunger for her and lose his capability for rational thought. He was fully aware that she was following him, but so far, he hadn't acknowledged her by so much as a backward glance. It didn't matter how hard he tried, because it was impossible to ignore that natural scent of hers that resembled freshly bloomed flowers and something that he knew instinctively was simply her.

Lost in thought, he continued to stride aimlessly and followed the soft sound of flowing water. He soon came upon a small stream deeper into the woods, not far away from the house. Several trees had fallen around the bank of the stream, and the water rippled endlessly against the small stones. Unfortunately the peaceful scenery did nothing to ease his mind or calm the heavy thudding of his heart. Finally turning around to face Asuna, he chose his next words carefully in an attempt to distance himself and protect her. The effort cost the remnants of his strength.

"You got what you wanted, so why are you still following me?" Kazama paused, feeling the frenzy threatening to break; his voice was an unsheathed blade, ruthless and cutting. "You've been wanting me gone since the first day, and now is your chance to be rid of me."

Asuna didn't say anything or move any closer, as if she could sense his inner turmoil. Instead, she stood watching him, studying him with those clear blue-green eyes that seemed to shimmer in the fading sunset. He forced his gaze away and sat leaning on a fallen tree by the edge of the stream, his back towards her.

"Just turn around and take my horse back up the trail," he stated in a quiet tone as he fought the finest edge of his rage.

Without looking, Kazama already knew his eyes were now the burning crimson that belonged to his demon form. His demon side woke in response to the presence of the woman he wanted to mate with, and he needed to suppress that side of himself. He was too hungry and too strong to risk the chance of losing control, knowing that he could break her.

It wasn't long before Kazama noticed that she had turned on her heels to leave. He sat in a casual pose with an elbow resting on his bent knee, listening until he could no longer hear her receding footsteps. Once she'd left, he could inhale again.

Now that he was alone, his thoughts reverted to Asuna again after fighting desperately to keep it upon other things. His mind recalled the way he'd protected her from harm and how he had used his own body to brace the attack for her. He hadn't had a second to think, he'd just reacted and stood between her and danger. For a moment, he wondered at his willingness to sacrifice himself and die for her rather than letting Einosuke get to her. He had protected her at the possible expense of his own safety, of his own life. And Kazama had never done anything even remotely like that for anyone else, because he'd always valued his life above others.

To say he was stunned by his reaction to her would have been an understatement. Not only by how strong it was, but also by how quick it had happened. Not to mention the fact that Asuna clearly wanted less than nothing to do with him. And yet, none of those reasons made him any less drawn to her. Perhaps he was really the fool Einosuke had claimed him to be.

Kazama made a sound of disgust and closed his eyes. Heat was burning beneath his skin as he sat meditatively to bring himself under control. Drawing in a slow breath, he forced the pounding of his pulse to slow and the tension coiling in his muscles to dissolve. He wasn't sure how long he had remained sitting there as the sun set and light streaks of pink appeared across the sky. Suddenly a rustling of leaves and cracking of dry brushwood was heard on his left, attracting his attention. Then with the familiar scent and soft, measured steps, Asuna reappeared again with his horse.

Surprised, Kazama watched as she led the horse to the stream to drink before she approached him, stopping merely inches away from him. Clenching his jaws, he tried to steel himself against responding further to her nearness, which once again proved impossible given the way her eyes flicked over him in a look that missed nothing. Didn't he tell her to leave? Why had she returned and what was she thinking? He could only stare at her, waiting for her to break the stifling silence.

"Take my blood," she said, drawing back her sleeve and offering her wrist to him.

Kazama went absolutely motionless. "What?"

"My blood will heal your wound. You're injured from protecting me, so this is the least I can do for you in return."

"You're offering me your blood?" he asked again.

A strange blend of admiration, confusion and doubt overcame him. She must've known that drinking blood between demons was an act of intimacy, and for some it was even deemed more intimate than copulation. Was she not aware that her suggestion would only heighten his desire and instigate his plans to satisfy it? If he didn't know any better, if she were any other demoness, Kazama would have thought she had made such an invitation on purpose. But considering the way she had always put as much distance between them as possible, yet still acted as though that wasn't far enough, he knew that was not her intent.

Asuna craned her neck to look at him. "Are you waiting for me to change my mind?"

His throat tightened. He'd been longing to taste her blood, but now that she was offering it so willingly, hesitation hampered him. All this was very unlike him. But if not now, then when? Kazama decided to slow himself down, knowing that he couldn't afford to antagonize her as he didn't want her changing her mind.

Taking her wrist, he circled it with his longer fingers and lifted it to his lips. His tongue licked her pulse point before his fangs punctured her flesh, at which point he heard her sharp intake of breath. Asuna tasted hot and salty, like tears. Like life. She tasted as good as he'd imagined, if not better. There was never any doubt. Her blood filled him and made his head reel, relieving the gnawing ache of hunger. But at the same time, it also ignited deep and powerful yearning inside that caught him unprepared.

The instant he removed his fangs, she was already pulling away, seeming eager to put distance between them again. But he didn't want that just yet and he was faster. Much faster. With his unnatural speed, he tightened his grip on her before she could get away, and drew her closer until she almost toppled into his lap. That intoxicating scent of hers immediately flooded his senses when Asuna fell forward. And it only intensified as her hair slid over her shoulders.

Kazama always knew she had the most striking eyes imaginable, but looking into them this close for the first time, he could see just how truly extraordinary they were. A vibrant green ran along the rims of the pupils, but everywhere else was filled in with blue. Those eyes could enslave even the strongest of all men.

And right now, those same eyes were scrutinizing him with barely veiled suspicion. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm not done yet," he told her, his voice was heavy with desire even to his own ears.

Kazama trailed the tip of his tongue across her skin and licked off the remaining traces of blood from her healed wounds. Only slower and harder this time, allowing her to feel the full stroke of his tongue. He held her gaze the entire time and closely watched her reaction to his touch. Their connection caused both to suck in a breath, and he felt the scorching heat in his blood. He swore her pupils dilated a split second before she tried to wrench out of his grip. He only tightened it more in spite of her resistance so she couldn't move, not to hurt her but to let her feel the power in his hands, his strength.

"Let me go." Her curt words a cold command.

She could try to deny it all she wanted; the truth was inescapable. Kazama knew she felt the arousal he induced in her and she wasn't averse to it. Not completely, anyway. That meant lust was always a possibility.

"Why?" he asked, dropping his gaze to her mouth and seizing the opportunity to further appreciate the full curve of her lower lip. He wanted to cover that soft mouth with his and steal back the swift breath she'd just taken. "What do you think will happen?"

Asuna's irritation was now combined with indignation. "Don't make me regret my decision to give you my blood, Kazama."

Her tone held an unmistakable edge of warning, but it certainly didn't stop him from relishing the way his name sounded on her lips.

He stared at her for several minutes. Although that initial icy barrier that she had put up between them seemed to have thawed slightly, she still wasn't anywhere near ready to trust him yet. Furthermore, as much as he wanted to keep her right where she was, he certainly didn't want her to run from him either. Especially when he'd only been a means to the end so far. Now that he'd helped her to accomplish what she'd wanted, he was of no use to her. For these reasons, he reluctantly released her.

"I have no intention of taking by force what a woman doesn't choose to give, so you have nothing to worry about." A complete truth.

Kazama may have found pleasure in the thrill of the chase, but he would never do anything hurtful or take a female against her will, no matter who she was or how much he wanted her. In fact, he would much rather have his women beg him for his attention, his caresses.

Though he was unable to voice what drove him to make such a statement in the first place. Particularly when he usually provided information on a need-to-know basis instead of voluntarily disclosing it. Maybe Asuna did need to know it, or he felt insulted by the implications of her words. Perhaps it might even be his inclination to prove his trustworthiness to her, and overcome her innate wariness of him.

If there was one thing Kazama was certain of, she had a strange effect on him that other demonesses didn't. Being around her long enough had somehow made him say or do things he wouldn't normally on his own. Asuna brought out emotions in him that he hadn't known existed until now. Almost as if she had a hold on him, a grip that had tightened over the years since the first day he'd met her.

"Tell me more about The Ancient Ones," she suddenly said as she edged away. Something about her expression told him that a barrage of questions ran through her mind now. "Who are they?"

There was so much to tell, so much to explain and marvel over. "They are the highest ranking and oldest of known demons in our world. Some say they embody omnipotent and indestructible power; their strength is undeniable."

"My father told me about them," she began slowly, after a thoughtful pause. "He said they were the first-generation blood-born demons, and those first ten were known as the Creators. But since no one has ever seen them, it's become a common belief that they are nothing but a myth."

Kazama looked out at the stream and watched the swirl of water behind the little rocks. "There are only four of the original ten remaining. They've never made their presence known to us in the past, but their existence is very real."

The story was common and interposed in many fables and folklores, about creatures of the night that lurked in the deepest shadows of the wilderness, haunting and pulling mortals into the darkness. These fatuous tales barely touched on the truth. It was much more than any could imagine. The Ancient Ones were what nightmares were made of. Humans had always been subjected to fears and nightmares, but they would be their worst. Kazama's first taste of this nightmare had come in the form of death.

His father's death.

He had watched his father die, seen it in glorious detail. He had learnt very early in life that in this world, their world, it was all about the survival of the strongest. He'd also learnt that even the most brilliant demon could be lost to the corruption of power and greed; derailed from his own steady and firm course just like any mortal. His father had let his guard down, had not thought things through. A mistake Kazama was determined to never make.

His father's death had made him wary, made him cold. But it had also freed Kazama to grow at his own pace and made a child into a man well before his time. It had made him embrace violence and aggression, and accept it as a normal and essential survival skill in their demon realm. He'd accepted his way of life, all of it, with a fervor that his father would have been proud of.

Since then, he was resolved to rise in the world he had been catapulted into and make a name for himself. He would eventually give some meaning to his father's name, after all that had happened.

"What happened to the rest of them?" The sound of Asuna's voice drew him out of his dark reverie.

"Even the most powerful demons can be killed under the right circumstances. The other six were discovered and inevitably destroyed over the years, hunted down and killed, either by mortals or other rival demons. They struck back when possible, and most of their enemies who dared to oppose them died."

But no demon could win every battle no matter how powerful they were, or how great their achievements. Ultimately, they all met their end, his father included.

"Why are they showing themselves now?"

"Since the genocide, they've made their appearance. Their sole purpose was to reunite the remaining demons to ensure the continuation of our race. They also re-established the Demon Code for all of us to follow, rules that were meant to protect demons from humans and to provide guidance in times of peril."

It was easy to understand the logic behind it all, in light of obligations to their race - the acts of one would impact the outcome of all.

"And they punish those who break the Demon Code." Asuna made the deduction before falling silent, as if thinking about what he had said. "But what if they're wrong?"

"They're The Ancient Ones, they know everything so they're never wrong."

"How would they know if demons presented before them are telling the truth?" Her tone was neutral, but her questions seemed to hold hints of the deepest curiosity.

Was she always this inquisitive about everything? A shaft of excitement raced through Kazama's bloodstream at the thought of what it might mean for him to have a curious mate. That thought alone brought satisfaction, and even pleasure, knowing he would be the one to teach her everything she wanted to learn and more. So much more.

"By taking their blood," he answered her query over his thoughts. "With just a single drop of blood, they can see through any demon's mind and seek the truth."

Another pause. "What will become of Uchiyama Einosuke?"

"The only thing left for him is execution." And if he was lucky it would be quick. After all, there would be no escape for Einosuke and no hope for redemption. None at all.

"What is Amagiri's involvement in all of this?"

Although he took much delight in feeding her curiosity, she could certainly satisfy some of his own demands too. "I answered many of your questions. I think it's time for you to share something with me in exchange for that information."

Asuna gave him a sharp glance. "What do you want to know?"

Kazama mulled over the question in his mind. He wanted to know her more closely. He wanted to know what went on in that head of hers. He wanted to know what gave her that wild reckless courage and raw determination. There was so much he wanted to ask her, but he figured the right moment wasn't now. If he forced her to talk too much, she would only take refuge in silence anyway. His inquisitiveness could wait.

"You were adamant in taking Einosuke's leadership position. What were you planning to do with it?"

To his surprise, she answered him. "Like I said, I never intended to become the clan leader. I only wanted to use the position as a bargaining tool."

"You wanted to enter into negotiation with Einosuke in exchange for your life?" His eyes searched her face, full of wonderment. It never failed to amaze him how such a delicate-looking female demon could have such a heart of courage. A strange sense of pride raced through him and he didn't even need to question where that came from. Kazama knew the exact moment he had developed the proprietary feelings for the woman he was protecting. "It would have been an effective plan, except you made a mistake and misjudged his character. He is a demon without honor."

No sarcasm or mockery intended this time. It was an outspoken response, but one that Asuna didn't take offense to. She also didn't question or comment further.

"It's your turn to answer my question."

"Since The Ancient Ones' reappearance, they've been bestowing titles and duties upon others to assist them in maintaining the ruling of demon hierarchy and enforcing the Demon Code amongst us. They occasionally also carefully select one of us to begin training to become Executioners."

It suddenly struck Kazama that the intensity with which Asuna was pursuing this line of inquiry likely wasn't due to her simple curiosity. Wariness began to kick in, though it was already far too late.

He added before he could talk himself out of it, "Very few demons could complete the training successfully, but those who have become Executioners will act on the behalf of The Ancient Ones when ordered to do so. And when an Ancient One passes on, an Executioner will then take their place in the hierarchy. Amagiri isn't only the leader of his clan, he's also a selected Executioner."

"You were with me the entire time. When did you have the opportunity to make plans with Amagiri and Senhime to bring down Einosuke?" Asuna asked another question without waiting for his response to the first. Her mind seemed to work very rapidly. "Was that why you were late that morning?"

"Why does it even matter now?"

"It matters to me if it was about me. Why didn't you tell me about the plan?"

Subtle she wasn't, Kazama thought. Though he must admit it felt rather natural around her. With everything she did, every decision she made and every word uttered, there was never any pretense or hidden intent.

"Would you have been more agreeable?"

"No." She answered unequivocally.

"Then there was no need to tell you. Besides, I wanted to see how you were going to handle yourself out there." Asuna's eyes collided with his as if in response to his intense gaze; her mouth pressed together firmly. The innocent, yet defiant gesture drew his attention to her lips again. The lushness of her soft lips made him want to bite her in the most erotic way. Fronted by temptation, he leaned in towards her, never once breaking their gaze. "One thing I don't understand. Why didn't you just kill Einosuke?"

"Killing him wouldn't make any difference for me. His family will nevertheless try to avenge his death and it would ultimately do nothing to break the cycle of violence," she replied as he approached her. Her blue-green eyes, unflinching and eerily captivating, watched him unblinkingly.

"Is this why you didn't want me to kill him?" With a slight tilt of his head, he searched her face for an answer to the mystery. "Because you don't want to put me in danger?"

Kazama wondered if she understood what she would be admitting. More than that, he wanted to know if she really did care for him. Which was truly madness, because the only thing demons cared about were themselves and their own people, and they paid no attention to other groups or the lives of unrelated demons.

Except his every instinct suggested that Shinohara Asuna was different.

"You're reading too much into things that don't exist. If Einosuke was fated to die then I wanted to be the one to end his existence. That's all there is to it."

He would have believed her, except that she had turned her face away from him. And Kazama reckoned it was because she found him disturbing to her peace of mind. It irritated him that he was enthralled by her while she remained unmoved.

Closing the already miniscule gap between them, he forced her attention back to him. "It took you a few breaths too long to answer that, and why are you looking away from me? Do I unnerve you? Or do you have something to hide?"

Maybe she did care for him after all. The unexpected warm feeling that stole over him was unfamiliar, but he didn't mind it at all. And despite the small distance separating them, he could almost taste her. Everything about her invited his senses and he finally decided to give in to the urging of his desires.

Kazama reached over and touched her hair, lightly at first, before possessively gliding down the length of it to her waist. Surprised at its silky softness, he let strands of her hair sift through his fingers like water.

Asuna jerked away. "What are you doing?"

"I wanted to feel your hair in my hand." It was an honest answer as he had no wish to lie or invent an excuse for himself. He was someone she could trust to speak only the truth, even if it wasn't something she wanted to hear.

"Don't let it happen again. You do not want to get carried away by your curiosity in ways that will only lead to trouble for yourself." She leveled him with a reprimanding stare. "It's getting dark, I will collect firewood to build a fire here. In the meantime, you should clean off your blood by the stream."

She was on her feet before he could voice an objection. His eyes followed her quick movements until she was hidden behind trees, out of sight. Kazama took a deep breath. The air should have smelled of earth and forest, but instead it held teasing traces of fire and femininity.

Remaining seated, he considered his next course of action. Their relationship seemed to have come a long way since their first meeting. They had gone from her never wanting to see him again, to the two of them protecting each other, to her willingness to bear small touches from him. Asuna wasn't cold, no matter how much she tried to pretend otherwise.

However, all this still didn't negate the fact that she was far from accepting the kind of touch he craved. Kazama also knew that the instant he asked more of her than she was willing to give, he would lose her. And that could not happen. Ever. So where did that leave him?

"Step by step," he murmured under his breath, his body tightening with anticipation.

Shinohara Asuna was about to be claimed. He had no desire of harming her, but he would break down the sheer ice walls that separated them. By the time he reached that point, she would be enslaved by her own body's hunger and reach out for him. It would take patience, much patience, but he intended to take his time. As a man who had known pleasure, Kazama knew how to extend it and make the most out of it when he found it, until he could take his heart's desire.

X X X

"Have you bought everything you need to send back home?" Hijikata asked as Kondou walked out of the old medicine shop, placing his coarse cotton coin purse back in the breast pocket of his kimono.

Kondou glanced down the street to their left. "Let's go over to the fabric shop at the corner. I want to buy some rinzu silk for Otsune."

They began to stroll down the path in their dignified and unhurried manner. The streets bustled with the furor of life as vendors plied their trade and local merchants engaged in their business transactions. Many civilians and travelers proceeded in their day with purpose, continuing their daily customs and traditions of their homeland.

The Shinsengumi had risen their visible presence in the city for quite some time now. It was a silent warning to ronin, samurai and enemies of the shogunate. However, the Shinsengumi still weren't any closer to running down all of them, especially those crazy Choshu bastards. It would take them substantially more work to keep the city safe for civilians. But for now, the Shinsengumi's focus was clear.

"You're one lucky man that you have her. Your wife is the cleverest and most cordial woman I've ever known."

He had met Kondou's wife a few years back. She was no doubt a woman of good breeding, and had an uncommon keen sense of both wit and good humor; a great company. Everything she did, she did to help Kondou and the others. She did it for her love of Kondou and their daughter, Tama. She was a wife that any man would be a fool not to be proud of.

Kondou's eyes gleamed. "You're absolutely right, but is that envy in your voice? You know you can have all this too, Toshi, if you want it bad enough. Over the years, so many eligible marriage matches have been offered to you, but you refused them all. I can't tell if you're being overly critical or you just have no intention to ever wed anyone."

Hijikata would've agreed with him, except that wasn't who he was. "In choosing a wife, I'm also choosing my way of life. And I'm not the kind of man to settle down with a family and live the so-called normal life."

He would be lying if he said the thought of having a desirable wife and a child whom he would love had never crossed his mind. But was it even possible for him? With his way of life, there was no way he could have a wife and family. He didn't deserve that option. Not when he held the notion that his existence was to live a meaningful and purposeful life, pursuing the path of a warrior. It had always been his dream to not only elevate Kondou's greatness, but to also contribute more to the country than he received in return.

At least that was the meaning he'd always had for that specific word, for Hijikata had never, in all of his life, dreamed.

Hijikata wasn't some ignorant idiot. He wasn't born knowing he was going to become a samurai. He hadn't had a clue how everything was going to work out when he'd decided to embark on this journey with Kondou years ago. All he'd known was that he had the drive and fighting spirit to do whatever it took. And he was nowhere near achieving the dream that was living in his heart. But one day he knew he would bring it all to life so he could change lives, and make an impact and create a legacy for Kondou and the Shinsengumi.

"Who told you that you can't do it? You need to find your own happiness in your own way. People can shape their lives in any way they wish, as long as they take responsibility." Kondou's voice was stern, almost reprimanding, but his eyes expressed concern. That was when Hijikata realized their Chief was anxious about him, despite all the nonsense that he threw at him. "Find someone who can make you happy, Toshi. I don't care who she is and what she does. Trust me when I tell you that you'll be happier with a partner than you will be alone."

Hijikata's violet eyes settled on him in the form of a disgruntled scowl. "You're treating me like one of those damn kids now. Sometimes I think you forget that we're friends, and I know you like the back of my hand. You don't usually give so much advice regarding my personal life."

"And perhaps I should've spoken up more before, but I also know you like I know myself. There may be people out there who don't need anyone, but you aren't one of them. Maybe even the world would've been a much more peaceful place if more people could find happiness with others. I've been convinced of it for a long time. Long enough that you couldn't change my thinking if you tried."

"How did you manage to twist the conversation from being about you to being about me?" Talks like this somehow made Hijikata feel as if he could never live up to Kondou's expectations. Especially when he knew their Commander cared deeply about his family life. "Enough about me. Maybe you should find time and go back to Hino in the near future. I know you've wanted to visit them for a while now. It would be good to be close to them again."

A slow nod of the head in agreement. "Yes, you should come with me too since you haven't met Tama yet."

"And leave the Shinsengumi unattended during both of our absences?" He almost winced at the suggestion.

Hijikata and Kondou rarely traveled together. Because typically that was always when an unexpected problem would arise which required the Shinsengumi's involvement, or someone would try to stir up trouble for them.

"The headquarters won't fall apart without us in only a few days. You should leave things to the others and stop trying to carry the world on your shoulders. Learn to trust other people's abilities and judgements if you're serious about getting work done more efficiently. It will also help you delegate more effectively too. Sannan-kun and the others will hold down the fort until we return."

Unfortunately Hijikata couldn't concede. Being the Vice-Commander was about more than his responsibility to the Shinsengumi and their members. It was about the responsibility for their Commander as well. If they were to return to their headquarters a minute late after a conflict, that was still a minute too long, offering an opening for a dilemma of some kind.

"The same could be said about your working relationship with Itou. He's an honorable leader, good at his expertise and he treats his men quite well. He will make a good addition to the Shinsengumi and serve us well if you will give him a chance to do that."

"If you want my opinion," Hijikata said, "I would avoid revealing too much of our strategies and important operations to him and his men. I don't really like his attitude and you should also watch yourself around him."

"So now you're giving me orders?" A rhetorical question accompanied with a grin from ear to ear.

"I'm serious. Trust takes time and I won't trust him until he proves himself."

Kondou looked at him and gave a slight disapproving shake of his head. "You and your preconceived notions. It looks like there's nothing I can say to convince you otherwise."

"You don't need to convince me. I'd rather be cynical and pessimistic than receive a surprise blade in my back."

It was no secret that Hijikata always took these precautions. He was never easily convinced on what he hadn't seen with his own eyes and go against his better judgement. He could never be too careful, not when it came to the welfare of Kondou and the Shinsengumi. Whatever ambitious reason Itou had to be close to Kondou, he knew the man was not acting on instinct, but with dishonest intent. He'd felt it, and that much he couldn't ignore.

"It reminds me of you and Asuna." Kondou smiled in his fatherly way again. "You didn't trust her at first too, but given the circumstances, I can understand why you jumped to the conclusion that she wasn't trustworthy. Afterwards it seemed like the more time you both spent together, the more you let your guard down around her."

Hijikata blinked in surprise, not expecting that. He did not answer as he didn't know how to. But then, what could he say?

Back then, he'd trusted Asuna about as far as he could throw her, which wasn't very far. Even now he still didn't know how or when she had managed to turn the tide on him. When had desire replaced distrust? And since when had he wanted to get closer to her when he'd known damn well he should've ran the other way all along?

Hijikata couldn't hide the sense of fate that seemed to be at work right from the beginning. At times, he felt as if his entire life had led to this woman and a future that became more and more ambiguous each day. He couldn't seem to win. Every time he had let his guard down around Asuna, he'd only felt more helpless to give her anything she needed. Every time he had raised the guard between them, he had been helpless to protect her.

But if he failed to protect her, then what right did he have to be with her?

The only answer he had for himself was the strength of his conviction. He needed to hold on to her. If they were destined to be, then they could defeat their obstacles and fear together. Even if that certainty didn't promise any future.

"Is that Asuna over there?" Kondou's startling question had Hijikata stopping dead in his tracks. "When did she return to the city? And who's that man with her?"

Immediately he turned his head in the direction Kondou was gesturing toward, and his blood ran cold. There she was standing with her back to him, next to Kazama who had his arm around her waist and her hand rested on his shoulder. What the hell were they doing here? Together? A furious mix of rage and pain threatened to blind him, but he forced himself to tamp it down before it got out of control.

Completely unaware of his anger, Kondou said, "I didn't know she was involved with someone already, and they seem to be quite close too. Even Asuna has found someone she can be happy with, and I suppose you had to expect it, leaving a young woman here all alone. They actually look good together when they stand next to each other, don't you think, Toshi?"

Those words fell on deaf ears. He kept his stare fixed on them without moving an inch of his body. All he could think of was the possessive way Kazama was holding Asuna, and her expressed willingness as he took her into his arms.

"Toshi?" Kondou gave him a curious glance. "What's the matter?"

The question was still met with heavy silence as Hijikata lapsed back into thought.

It was without question that their open display of affection indicated a change in their relationship. Had something happened between them while they were gone? He was almost certain it had and it frustrated him even more when he knew so little about the situation.

The acute, piercing soreness in Hijikata's hands dragged him out of his raving jealousy. He glanced down at his palms and noticed the inflamed marks caused by his nails digging into flesh. His eyes darted back to the two in time to see Senhime advance towards them and breaking them apart. This was followed by several minutes of back-and-forth conversation before Kazama finally left, leaving Asuna to stare after his retreating back.

That felt like another stab at Hijikata's already wounded heart. Why was she staring after him that way? Did that mean she didn't want him to leave her?

It didn't take long for Senhime to notice their presence and instantly glancing over to greet them with a graceful nod of her head. Noting her distraction, Asuna turned right then and there, and her aquamarine eyes locked with his, causing his heart to ratchet up a couple of notches.

Hijikata cursed under his breath. Why did she have to do this to him?

X X X

AUTHOR NOTE:

Hi folks, sorry for the delay. It's been a hectic week for me and I only had free time to write right before bedtime. Even so I barely stayed awake and had to use toothpicks to keep eyes open…just joking lol but can you imagine that? (Bet the image is stuck in your head now)

Anyway, I've also been feeling a bit restless. Probably because I missed my social life and traveling, especially since I tend to travel once a year to unwind. But meh, it's not the end of the world for me, I guess…I will just order myself some bubble tea (I don't care if it's 11:44 pm right now) and stay up to play some Call of Duty to get myself out of this dump.

And yes, there's the reunion at last! Man, it's only been three chapters but I think even I was starting to experience separation anxiety for those two since I'm their biggest fan. Anyway, time to go now so see you next time!