The Beauty Of The West

Chapter 18:Acceptance

(A/N: This chapter containes Mushy Mitsu Moments. Feel free to blush or squeal )

"And what the HELL is that supposed to mean?!" Mitsu went back to yelling at me.

"He wouldn't make the trade for my safe return. The Oda wanted money, and he wouldn't. And Kanbe was the one who tried to stop them. But no one believed him."

It wasn't hard to tell that Mitsu was shocked. The one man he idolized was a false prophet.

"So.. It paines me to say.." He gritted his teeth again. "Ieyasu was right."

"I wish this wasn't the reality. I know how much you loved him. And actually, I wish he was still alive so I could tell him how pissed off I am now that I know the truth. I can tell you right now that if Ieyasu hadn't killed him, I would have."

Mitsunari glared at me, but the glare soon melted away. Clearly he blamed himself for my capture and absence for the past years.

"(Y/N)." He had trouble keeping eye contact with me. "I was foolish. I offer up my life as penance for my Lord's deeds."

"What? You mean you want me to kill you?! That's a stupid idea!"

"What?! How dare you-"

"Mitsu! Calm down." I grabbed his clenched fists gently and looked in his amber eyes. "Please..you can't expect me to live here without you, now can you?" I smiled. It was silent again.

"...if there is one thing I will not stand for, it is betrayal. Lord Hideyoshi... He DECIEVED me! Yoshitsugu.. He too has betrayed me." He grabbed his sword and pulled it from its sheath. "This sword will taste his blood next!!!!"

I hardly knew what to say then.

"The Eastern Alliance has gone to kill them. We don't have to worry about it.." I explained.

"I will be the one who will take Yoshitsugu's head!"

"Okay, okay..." I backed up a little. "Then, I shall accompany you."

"We'll leave in the morning. Make necessary preparations. And you..." He trailed off.

"Yes, my lord?"

"You are not leaving my sight."

"...yes, my lord." I smiled. I wasn't sure if he wanted to keep an eye on me to protect me, or if he just didn't trust me. Either way, I did feel like I wanted to be near him.
___________

It seemed Kanbe had disappeared and left me completely alone with Mitsu. I didn't mind though, because after all this time, we needed to catch up.

I was in my room a little later on, so I could refamiliarize myself with my surroundings. After all, I would be spending my life there.

After a while, I felt compelled to return to the dining hall. I didn't have a chance to ask Mitsu about the ceremony, and thought that maybe if I sat where I did those years ago again, I would remember something. So I went, and I sat, and thought really hard. I was in there for a good hour, and nothing.

"(Y/N)!!" I heard Mitsu yell, and it echoed throughout the castle. I heard him running all over shortly after.

"I'm in the dining hall!" I called, and he showed up moments later.

"The hell are you doing?!" He scolded me, probably because he was scared once he saw I wasn't in my room.

"I apologize, Mitsu I just need to know what happened here. What was the ceremony for, and why was it so important?"

He turned away. "Do you wish to know that badly..."

"Yes." I kept my answer short and sweet, thinking he would tell me sooner. But it was for nothing, as he still took his time.

"...it was a unification ceremony." He finally muttered. Still it wasn't clicking so I waited for him to explain more. "It was a symbol of an alliance between my family and yours. We were betrothed that day."

Betrothed... Now why didn't I think of that?

"I see...and...are we still?"

"By all technicality, yes. However with the Toyotomi gone, there hasn't been a need for a peace treaty."

"They're not all gone...so what does that mean? Should we still..."

"That's not my decision to make." He walked out of the room but I followed. There was no doubt, I still wanted to carry on with my family obligation. But did he?

"Wait, Mitsu." I caught up with him. He stopped walking and stared at me. I had nothing prepared and had no idea what to say next. "Tell me what you think."

He didn't say anything, just stared at me again and continued to walk. I walked with him, grabbing his hand, which stopped him again, but he just held tighter.

It was plain as day. Yeah..he wanted me.

He led me to the roof, near the cannon but a few steps away. We sat there, staring at the full moon, which was beautiful. The air was crisp, and it wasn't too cold. I couldn't help but smile, but when I looked back over at Mitsu, he had the same straight face I was used to seeing at that point. I just reached over, and lifted the corners of his mouth into a smile. It worked, well he wasn't smiling, but he was smirking.

"You didn't change much." He stated.

"Maybe it seems that way because my soul is happy to be reunited with yours." I smiled wider. "But you..you've changed a lot."

"I know."

"I understand why, you thought everything was taken from you, by the ones you cared for most. Its no wonder you are the way you are. No one could stay happy through that."

"You always were the one who understood me." He kept his gaze on the moon. "Why is it..that the fates allowed you to return to me."

"Maybe because..we are supposed to be together." I suggested. He was quiet. I looked at the moon with him. "There is nothing more beautiful than a full moon after a storm.." Symbolically speaking of course. Right then, looking at the moon with Mitsu I felt peace after a life time of storm.

"I can think of something." He smirked, and was looking at me in the corner of his eye while his face was still pointed at the moon.

I blushed. Part of me knew what he might say, but part of me still wanted to ask. I just leaned on his shoulder. He didn't move away though.

My heart was beating so fast. Is this what it felt like to love someone? Sure, I loved Keiji and the Maedas, I loved Kanbe and Sensei..but this was different. I though my heart would beat through my chest, and I could barely breathe.

"(Y/N)." Mitsu finally spoke after a long silence.

"Hm?" I continued to lean on his shoulder.

"We must be up early. We should sleep for the night."

I didn't really want to leave him, but I complied, standing up slowly. He looked at me, then scooped me up in his arms.

"What.." I wanted to ask what he was doing, but half of me didn't care. It was nice.

"You are a Toyotomi. The very ground isn't worthy for your feet upon it."

"Um..." I covered my face in embarassment as he carried me from the roof to my room. I wanted to ask him to stay because I was afraid of being alone.

"I'll be near." He said, as if he had read my thoughts. "I give you my solemn oath that you will never again know pain or abandonment. Should this mean I will never sleep, so be it." He picked up my hand and brought it to his lips, leaving a light kiss upon it. Then, he turned around, and left me to sleep.