Hakuouki: The Masked Cherry Blossoms

Chapter 31

I came back with a new light. No more worry, at least not as much as before. Everyone came to hear my news.

"Sakura, your shoulder..." Kondou says, staring at the red stained bandages.

"It's nothing, I'd like to think of it as a 'nice to meet you' parting gift. Anyways I sorta already healed." He pauses for a moment, averting his eyes.

"I had forgotten, sorry." I sigh rolling my eyes.

"I don't care, no need to get like that." I say. "Anyways..." I retell them about the truce and the two new boys that could pop up.

"You made a treaty without consulting us?" Hijikata asks.

"Yes, because I pick your safety over your pride, which would've been the main reason you'd turn down the proposition."

"But how did this come about? I feel like you're leaving out a few details." Sannan says softly, making me smile, nodding.

"I am, but those details have no relevance to you and only for me. But he wanted information and we traded. Don't worry, the information won't affect us, in fact I gave him some useless background that wouldn't get him to far." They're silent.

"Well if Sakura-chan says not to worry than I have no problem." He grins at me. Slowly the others give in, agreeing with Souji. Someone knocks and comes in... Yamazaki.

We hadn't made up but I wasn't "torturing" him either. "Souji told me of your bandages, I found these in my supplies from our trip. I also brought you a wet cloth to clean up the blood."

Was that really him trying to patch things up? "Thanks." I say taking them but make no move to actually do the task. He hesitates before silently turning away and walking out.

"Sakura, I think he's had enough." Kondou tries to reason.

"He has but it's his own fault. He's the one keeping us from making up. I want an apology, not a rag and bandages. It isn't that hard but I want an actual effort from him. This," I say holding up the bandages and rag. "Is just cheap. Whatever that is keeping him from actually apologizing is no excuse. He has to actually work to repair this between us."

I see Souji snicker and I look to him questionably. "It's funny... Hiro actually told us about that when he noticed you and Yamazaki weren't getting along." I shrug.

"Hiro has experience with this. It took him weeks to apologize." Souji was at my side.

"Here, I'll-" He's about to untie the bandage until I push his hands away.

"I can do it by myself later." I say trying not to sound too apprehensive.

"It's just an arm, we see the other bare one all the time." He jokes trying to get at the bandage again but this time I gently but firmly push his hands away.

"I said I can do it by myself, Okita." Firmly but with enough force for him to get the message.

"I don't see what could possibly be on your arm because you're a fury." Hijikata muses.

"Yes, in theory you shouldn't even have a scar from when you were human because of your high regenerative abilities." Sannan says matter-of-factly.

"Look, this is personal territory. But I should add that anything can be possible, like being a fury was impossible only decades ago. Now I'm gonna go wash up." I say standing. "And Yamazaki," They look to me confused. "Eavesdropping isn't a good habit." You heard a small thump as I walked out.

~~~

I was fixed up and relaxing in my room when Yamazaki ran in. "Sakura, Okita was just ambushed. I need you there to help me." I nod and wordlessly follow.

When I walk in he's in the middle of the room in obvious pain and bloody bandages. Everyone watches in horror but relief is evident when they see me. "Sakura, the wounds are too deep. He won't survive the night. I wanna make the call." I curse myself.

"It won't work on him. His body would already be use to it." He looks at me confused.

"I've been using it on him secretly. I put it in his food because I knew he was gravely sick."

"Than what do we do?" Yamazaki says. I run a hand through my hair.

"Can you do anything?" Kondou asks.

"Yamazaki, when I say to, add my blood to the vial, enough to turn it pink, and immediately give all of it to him."

"All? But isn't that dangerous?"

"My blood will level it out but help his injury. Just do it, but don't touch it." I say in a hurry as I hear him groan and shift in pain. "Someone hold him still and make sure Yamazaki can get it all in his mouth. It'll burn him so he needs to be restrain and his head secure."

They nod as I tie a sash around my eyes. I pull out my fan for him. "I'm ready." Yamazaki says. I nod and take a deep breath.

I let out my energy with a small breath of pain. "N-now!" I feel a quick slash of pain on my palm. I squeeze it into a fist so it dribbles down.

I hear him yell in pain. "Catch it!" Someone yells and I do. Without hesitation I force it down his throat.

I feel my form shift back to normal and I yank off the sash just as I hear him yelling in a strained voice from the pain. I bite my lip feeling tears well up but turn to Yamazaki who was gripping his injured hand. I take it from him with regretful eyes.

"I'm sorry." I whisper as I begin to bandage it and wince each time I hear Souji's pained cries.

When I finished his bandaged I held Souji's hand unflinching at his painful grip. "Are you sure this is helping?" Someone asks but I don't look up from Souji's hand.

"Yes, although the process will take an hour. He will be back at full health by then. If you want all of you can rest while I tend to Souji. He won't wake up immediately. He'll probably sleep until morning."

"Thank you, Sakura." I feel a small kiss on my temple but I say nothing.