Saizo (SLBP PART 1)

Chapter Three

"Lina! An amazake please!" Uesugi Kenshin's voice rang out as he sat himself far away from his long time rival, Takeda Shingen...

"Hai Lord Kenshin!" Lina called out from the kitchen as Lord Shingen and Lord Kenshin stared each other down before huffing and crossing their arms, looking away..

"What's up with those two?" Toshiie asked as Ieyasu sighed.

"They've been long time rivals so to suddenly be ruled under Lord Nobunaga and forced to make peace make them less tolerable of each other..."

"Peace doesn't mean less tolerable." Lord Nobunaga muttered.

"It doesn't seem those two understand it anyway..." Ieyasu shrugged as he nodded at Lord Masamune then at Yukimura.

Mitsuhide nodded in agreement.

"Yea look at these other two. They're also long time rivals yet ever since the peace contract I've never even seen them talk to each other as comrades..."

"I wonder why he took out his sword and started brandishing it around though..." Toshiie asked out loud again.

"As far as I know Lord Shigezane loves to tease his cousin a lot so I'm guessing that's what happened." Lord Nobunaga answered as Mitsunari pursed his lips.

"But Kojuro was threatened too. I know Kojuro respects his lord a lot and wouldn't even dream of teasing him at all..."

"Hai here's your order!" Lina interrupted cheerfully as she sat three plates on the table and Yahiko beside her, set the other three...

"Ahh finally! I was wondering when our food will arrive!" Toshiie grinned as Ieyasu winked at Lina.

"I was wondering instead when our beautiful Lina will arrive."

Hideyoshi smiled as he reached out to caress Lina's hand that was setting their tea when Mitsunari slapped his hand away.

"Enough Lord Hideyoshi! Please contain yourself!" Mitsunari scolded his lord who pouted and Yahiko frowned at him and Ieyasu.

"Come on you guys gotta stop flirting with my sister! And you too nee chan! Please don't encourage them any further!" Yahiko turned to his sister and scolded her.

Lina gave a small smile.

"I'm not really encouraging them if they get ahead of themselves..."

Hideyoshi's and Ieyasu's faces turned depressed at her shot down as Lord Nobunaga and the other three guys chuckled at the scene..

*~*

Lina's P.O.V.:

I huffed after my work shift to the forest at the back of the restaurant. I had to walk for at least around seven minutes before I reach my designated point...

Where is the guy anyway???

I looked around and suddenly a breath of warm air blew onto my neck.

"Thought I wouldn't show up did you little lady..."

"Oh god!" I cried out in shock before turning around and instinctively gripped onto the person's shoulders behind me. "Stop scaring me like that Saizo!"

Saizo chuckled as he held both my elbows and gently caressed them...

Wait, he's never done this before... I mean he has shown me affections but not this kind...

I cleared my throat in an attempt to clear the awkwardness as I pulled my arms away from his shoulders.

I reached into the insides of my yukata and pulled out a small pouch.

"Here, I couldn't make much because there was barely any ingredients left..."

Saizo frowned at the weight of the pouch when he took them.

"Aww how am I going to complete my mission and return to you with this amount of dango little lady?"

I rolled my eyes when he pouted at me.

"Saizo you know my grandma is particular and petty about the restaurant's stocks and supplies! She'll ask me why I'm using next day's ingredients when there's no more customers already! Besides, Yahiko will rat out on me if he finds out!"

Saizo gave me a grin before ruffling my hair.

"So your grandma and Yahiko doesn't know about our secret trysts yet?"

I crossed my arms as I smirked at him.

"Don't get ahead of yourself lover boy. You make it sound as if we're in a relationship."

Saizo faked hurt as he held his chest.

"Are we not?"

I rolled my eyes as I leaned against the nearest sakura tree.

"Not a chance."

"What? Why not? Do you not find me attractive?" Saizo gave me another boyish grin as I leaned forward a bit to smack his shoulder.

"Stop complimenting yourself my dear Lord assassin!"

"Well-well look at that. Little lady has picked up on my speech habit.."

"Stop it! Stop teasing me!" I pouted as I turned to walk away from him.

Immediately Saizo was in front of me again.

Damn it I know I wouldn't be able to outrun him even if I tried.

"What is it now? You already have your dango so hurry up with your mission already!" I snapped as Saizo chuckled at my irritation.

"That's exactly what you said 16 years ago when you offered dango to me, a helpless hungry boy, under this same tree..."

My eyes widened at his statement...

"What? How do you even know it's the same tree???"

Saizo smiled before pointing at something, at the tree I was previously leaning against.

"I carved our names there... Along with the date that we first met..."

I turned around quickly and a filling of warmth came over me.

"Saizo... Does our friendship really mean that much to you..." I whispered as I caressed the engravements...

"Yes... Yes it does..." Saizo whispered as I saw a kunai at the side of my eye which was in his hand and he used it to carve a heart around our names and the date...

"What-..." I asked, extremely surprised as Saizo turned me around to face him, pocketing his kunai and placing his hands on my shoulders.

"Lina... I'm in love with you."