Nothing, but everything
Birth dates weren’t something any of them cared. Not at all. Achievements were much more important, but since Souji got sick, Hajime thought more about the beggining than about the end. Especially because he was in deep denial, always telling himself that Souji still would get better and at least have strength to fight beside him again.
If not beside him, at least fight again for the Shinsengumi.
Although it was unfair believing that Souji didn’t spent every minute of every day in bed fighting. Fighting to live and be able to die fulfilling his duty. Hajime understood that without the other ever mentioning, because he was the same. They were different in many aspects, but in some… They were the same, and that’s exactly how he felt everytime Souji and he crossed swords, or fought side by side.
Since Ikedaya though, one of Souji’s swords broke, and Hajime kept an eye for something new. Until he found it, just the day before, and since he was coming back from a mission, he bought it.
No, they didn’t make much money, but Saitou knew how to administrate his money at least. Also, he never cared about possessions besides his sword. And it had been a while since he bought one… His worked completely fine and he was proud of it.
Quietly, he walked inside Souji’s room. It was night, so it was no surprise that he found the other sleeping, but looking really tired and, somehow, peaceful at the same time. Yukimura must have been doing a good job keeping an eye on Souji.
Hajime put the new sword beside Souji’s futon, next to his left hand, since that was the place Hajime used to lay next to him. However, that night he was feeling like just guarding Souji’s sleep, especially when a storm began and made him remember when the other told him he was born in a stormy night… Probably much like that one, and made Hajime wonder how different his life would have been if Souji had never been born.
Not a thought he appreciated. Not at all. But while thinking, his hand grabbed one of Souji’s and he caressed it with his thumb, really slowly while realizing that living without was completely possible for him, but…
“I love you. I don’t want to live without you… So, keep fighting, Souji.” Hajime knew he was asking a lot as he planted a kiss in the other’s forehead, but it was the least Souji could do after making the younger captain fall in love with him.
tennen-rishin-ryu:
Birthdays… Who would really care about birthdays in that era? Souji definitely not. Their responsibilities were much more important for care with dates or something like that. It seemed like ages since Souji celebrated his last birthday. His mom always made candys for him and after he was left by his sister on Kondou’s dojo, the older one always tried to give him a gift or something in that date, mostly bringing dangos. The last gift was Souji’s sword, the only sword was left after Ikedaya.
But since he was sick, Souji forgot about his own birthday, it wasn’t important when everyday he fight for his live, to be able to cross swords for Shinsengumi again, to fight beside Saitou one more time.
“Hajime-kun…”
He called for the other during the sleep. It had been a while since he saw the other samurai, for some reason Hijikata started to give a lot of missions to the other, and because of this, Saitou spent much more time out of the headquarter than in there. And it didn’t help a lot in Souji’s recovery. He missed the other, his presence, his voice, his smell, the blue of his eyes… Even the way he give scolded him for not eating or to being out of the room at night.
Souji didn’t woke up when Saitou came inside of the room, but even during sleep, somehow, he could feel the other around him, giving that sensation of comfort, the warm feeling he knew so well. When the storm began, Souji shrank a little inside of the blanket, hiding his face. He was born on a storm day, and during all his childhood he was afraid of storms, afraid of the sound of the thunders.
He sighed feeling the heat of Saitou’s hand, waking up little by little while feeling the slow caress but so comforting. He sighed again, opening the green eyes and looking at him with that feline smile after the kiss. “I thought you knew me more Hajime-kun… I’ll keep fighting. For you… for us…”
Souji grabbed his hand and led it to his lips planting a kiss. “I love you too.”














