Accidental Fate

Chapter 10

Kazuhi POV

"I'll carry her."

"Souji I can do it."

"I don't care, give me her."

"No why should I?"

"She likes me better."

"I highly doubt that kid."

"Don't even-"

Slapping them both forcefully, I hopped on one foot, leaning on...my dad....for support. "I will carry her." He said and picked me up carefully, swearing colourfully at every slight movement we began walking back to the Shinsengumi headquarters to be greeted by the entire force waiting for us at the gates.

"Toshi! Kazuhi!" Kondo-San rushed forward to us, "Is she alright?" He asked my dad, who was holding me! "She. Can answer for herself and I'm fine, just slightly battered." I shrugged.
"Kazuhi you're not fine, you have four six-inch slices on your thigh, your right eye is swollen shut and your nose hasn't stopped bleeding since I picked you up."  He listed as the men gasped.

"...Okay, so I'm not totally fine." I admitted, a blush crept up my neck as the men stared at me in my father's arms. Pushing off him, I wobbled on one foot and stood as tall as my injuries let me. "I can walk myself-shit!" Slipping on the mud three pairs of arms caught me. Souji, Harada and my...father stared worriedly at me. "Enough shit." Souji swooped me up and carried me in through the gate.

"Let me down Souji!" I hit him over and over, he sighed, "Kazu-Chan, I'm helping you. Swallow your damn pride." He scolded me, I went red in the face but let him, grudgingly. My leg burned in pain, as he set me down in an empty room, he sat in front of me as Yamazaki, Chizuru and Sannan-San came through. My ...father along with Harada came through and sat with their backs against the wall.

"Everyone," Sannan-San spoke softly, "Please give Yukimura and Yamazaki Kun some room." He ordered them out politely. "Scram basically." I chuckled, wincing. "I'm not leaving, I dare any of you to try and make me." My father spoke lowly, his eyes closed.

Souji and Harada decided it was best to wait outside as the medics started to work on me: Yamazaki took a knife, slicing above my eye. Blood splashed my ruined kimono so I didn't care, but I could actually see as the once blood filled sag of skin above my eye disappeared. He slathered some ointment over it, pressing cloth to it and wrapping it around my head.

How attractive.

Sannan-San and Chizuru poured alcohol into the slices on my leg and I hissed, biting into my sleeve. I felt a warmth behind me, glancing over my shoulder my father had moved and was right beside me. He held out a hand to me, swallowing my pride I grabbed it, squeezing it tightly as the alcohol burned away any lingering bacteria from the wounds.

It was quickly bandaged as the sweat beaded and rolled off my skin, the pain was blinding as I screamed into the rag as the slices were sewn shut, "It's alright, shh." He attempted to soothe and gripped my hand as I crushed his fingers. Tears squeezed from the corners of my eyes as the steady 'plunk plunk' stabbed through, pulled together and pushed back out of my skin.

After what felt like grueling hours, I was exhausted. "We're finished. All we can do is wait for the wounds to heal. She needs a lot of rest. No walking, you are not to put any pressure on your leg whatsoever." Sannan-San said softly. Yamazaki came in holding two wooden crutches. "Use these to walk. Only let your left foot touch the ground." He said, handing them to me.

I was scooped up carefully by my...dad... And carried to a room closer to the commanders. "Why am I so close to you and Kondo-San?" I asked him. "I'm not letting you out of my sight, or at least my hearing range." He spoke honestly.

I want to hate you. I want, to want to tear you apart but I can't. Not anymore. I still blame you for her death Toshizo, and when you die it will be by my blade that I swore and that I will stand by. It may just be later than I thought.....

***

Harada POV

Souji and I sat listening to her muffled screams, his jaw was set, I could see his teeth clenched from here. Her screams were terrible, I glared at the sky trying to block them out as much as possible. "I can't stand her screams." He muttered through gritted teeth, "We should have tortured those bastards, their death was far too merciful." He seethed, that sadistic twinkle in his eye.

"Why do you call her Kazu-Chan?" I asked him. "She's not that much younger than you." I stared and he shrugged. "It's just a nickname I gave her, make sure everyone knows she's spoken for....eventually." He grinned and turned to me. "There's something about her, it's exciting." His green eyes practically glowed in the night.

My chest was tight at his words, "Have you fallen for her Souji?" I asked bluntly. He was taken aback but smirked, "I think I might have. Figures, I fall for the one and only daughter of Hijikata-San." He chuckled lowly, "I think she likes me too." He added and I chuckled. "Oh really?" I asked.

"Well, we have kissed multiple times. Nearly went further too. Plus what girl wouldn't fall for me?" He chuckled. I shook my head, "I think she may like me better." I chuckled, "A simple kiss here and there amount to nothing compared to spending the night together..." I trailed off. Her screams had stopped.

The door slid open, Hijikata-San stood there with a glare on his face; an exhausted Kazuhi was breathing heavily in his arms, drenched in sweat, wrapped in bandages and smelling strong of rubbing alcohol. "Meet me in my room. Immediately." He growled at us. He walked towards the commander's section of the headquarters.

Souji and I looked at each other and gulped, "Shit."