The sleeping man (Hakuouki modern AU - Hijikata)

Gion festival

Heavy rain pelted the ground around them, splattering the bottom of his yukata and tabi socks as they huddled against each other. But Toshizō's mind did not register the slowly rising level of damp cloth against his chins, for he stood in front of a familiar mon.

He did not dare take a step forward, neither one backwards. Just as he remembered, the structure held fast and proud. Memories from a young Toshizō, dragged by his father and grandfather, flooded his mind. At the time, he'd cursed their choice to call him by the name of his ancestor, awed and intimidated by that invisible weight upon his shoulders.

But today, Yagi house felt more inviting than the doomsday building he'd visited in his youth. In the wind danced the Makoto flag, gold letter over scarlet cloth, coaxing him forward. Under the tiles of the gate was draped a banner that proudly displayed the white and light blue of the Shinsengumi's first uniforms. That is, until they decided on something more inconspicuous to patrol through the night. The Yagi kamon – the family crest of the family – contrasted with the white drapes, daring him to set foot, once more, in the first sanctuary that had created the Shinsengumi.

For years, Toshizō categorically refused to return, making his own way into the world, seeking to shed the mantle of such a heavy ancestor. But today... today, the energy of the place did not seem so bold, so burdensome anymore. He felt stronger, more accomplished, and honoured that his father had found him worthy to bear such a name, even though he still often suffered from the publicity.

Mesmerised by the sight of Yagi house, a sight his ancestor had probably faced a thousand times as he retreated from patrol, Toshizō barely noticed when an umbrella opened to shield him from the rain. The young man blinked, shaken out of his stupor, only to find a pair of worried blue eyes set upon his face.

"Are you alright, Toshi ?"

Sarah's concern warmed his heart, and he brushed her hand in assent.

"Yes. It is just... overwhelming to return here..."

The young woman just nodded, and he wondered if she had looked into his name after his colleagues' blunder. Who, in Japan, could pretend to ignore the mighty name of Hijikata Toshizō ? Everyone had an opinion about the stubborn man who'd gifted fame to his entire lineage, despite there being no direct descendants. For a moment, the sound of water rushing in between tiles and pavement lulled his mind.

"Why ?" she eventually asked, her eyes filled with wonder. "What does this place mean to you ?"

Ignorance is bliss. Why does it feel so liberating ?

Rather than pondering on the feeling of elation, he asked :"Do you know anything about the Shinsengumi ?"

"A bit, but not nearly enough. To us foreigners, this period of Japanese history is very complicated and I admit I didn't dig overly much into it."

Head cocked aside, Toshizō tore his eyes from the gorgeous woman in her yukata to return to the Makoto flag.

"Have you researched my namesake ?"

"No", she stated, and the very notion humbled him. "I refused to look for information about you on the internet. I surmised you would tell me whenever you wanted to share."

Her admittance echoed under the umbrella, shattering his mind into a thousand tiny pieces under the heavy rain. All his life, he'd been mocked, teased, and sometimes worshipped for his name. To be anonymous, once more, was an inestimable present. She only saw him.

And so, he dragged Sarah a little closer to Yagi house to shield them from the rain. Pointing to the Makoto flag that caused his stomach to churn – always – he started explaining, exactly, what this place meant to his ancestors. How Hijikata Toshizō, stubborn like a mule, had refused to submit to his rank and risen from the ashes of a farmer's family to become the great man Japan remembered. Executioner to some, genius to others, general of the Ezo republic and last figure of the samurai Era... he certainly was a difficult man to live up to. A legend whose ghost lingered upon his shoulder.