Love at first sight (Heisuke x OC)

Chapter 1: Another encounter with ronin

"Mmm...Huh?" I stretched as I woke up, but I found my movement restricted. Huh? I slowly opened my eyes and covered my mouth to muffle my cry of surprise. Toudou-san's sleeping face was right in front of my shocked one. Why the heck is Toudou-san holding me?! And how long has he been doing so?! My heart began to pound in my chest. I've never been in bed with a man before! Okay, calm down Chiyeko...just try to get free. I squirmed around in his grip, but I couldn't wriggle free. My attempts seemed to have disturbed Toudou-san, which resulted in his awakening. At first he simply stared at me sleepily, not really registering what was in front of him. His green-blue eyes stared into my red ones. My cheeks heated up under his lazy, but intense gaze. My voice was stuck in my throat leaving me unable to do anything, but stare back at Toudou-san. He blinked a few times before recognition lit up in his eyes and they widened substantially. His face turned a bright shade of red as he swiftly let me go. His warmth suddenly leaving me made me wrap my arms around myself to remedy the cold. I finally found my voice and asked: "W-why were you holding me Toudou-san?" I tried to keep my voice calm, but the embarrassment caused my voice to rise in volume.
"G-Gomen Chiyeko-chan! There were no ulterior motives behind it!"
"Really?" Knowing that made relief travel through my tense body. "That's good to know, but it doesn't answer my question" My face was still a bright shade of red.
"It's just..." As was Toudou-san's. "...you were whimpering a lot in your sleep...I tried to wake you! I really did! But you wouldn't respond so I thought a hug would make you feel better..."
"Oh..." Last night's events caused various scenarios to sprout in my mind, none of them pleasant. Those scenarios must've been the source of my sleep discomfort. "...but if that's the case, then why were you still hugging me when I woke up?"
"Ah, about that...I was really worried about you so I was really glad that you stopped whimpering when I hugged you. The relief kinda made me tired and I fell asleep still holding you..." He admitted rather bashfully.
"I see..." I'm glad Toudou-san was worried about me, even though I'm a total stranger to him. "Arigato Toudou-san!"
"You're not angry at me for invading your personal space or something like that?" He looked at me confused.
"Iie I'm not. You hugged me because you care for me, even though you know next to nothing about me. It makes me really happy that you hugged me" I smiled brightly at him which he responded with incoherent mumbling accompanied by an extremely red face.
"You should get dressed..." Was the first intelligible thing I heard him say after my thanks.
"Okay" I giggled. I confirmed he wasn't looking before changing into my black kimono decorated with pink cherry blossom branches. I tied my pink obi around me and slipped my feet into my zori sandals. I let my hair down before putting a small section of it into a ponytail. "I'm done, you can look now"
"I think I'll pass" Toudou-san must still be embarrassed. He's kinda cute...I giggled to myself quietly.
"Excuse me" I left his room and pondered. I want to thank Kondou-sama and Hijikata for letting me stay here, but what can I do? Just then, my stomach growled hungrily. I covered it with a blush and quickly searched around. I sighed when my search was complete. Lucky no one was around to hear that...
"You must be really hungry huh?" I jumped at the unexpected voice from behind me. Someone actually heard it?! How embarrassing! I turned around to see the seemingly carefree and impish brown haired and green eyed man, smirking at me.
"P-please forget you heard that!"
"Hmm...that's gonna be hard. It was really loud" My face burned out of embarrassment. "I'm just kidding with ya" He laughed and I let out a sigh of relief. Hmm, that's it! That's what I can do to repay them!
"Um mister...could you please tell me where the kitchen is?"
"Why? You planning to steal our food?"
"Of course not! I wanted to repay Kondou-sama and Hijikata for letting me stay here so I thought I'd cook them breakfast"
"Okay, I'll believe you. It's down that way"
"Arigato mister!"
"It's Okita Souji"
"O-Oh, arigato Okita-san!" I bowed before heading to the kitchen. I found it empty which allowed me to move around easier. "Now then, let's get started on three hearty Japanese breakfasts!" A traditional Japanese breakfast consisted of; gohan, Miso Shiru, yakizakana, umeboshi, ajitsuke nori, kobachi and a steaming cup of green tea. I have my work cut out for me! I rolled the sleeves of my kimono up and got to work. After a good 10 or 20 minuets, their breakfasts were done. Although I don't particularly want to...I should give Hijikata his breakfast first. I picked up a tray and asked around for Hijikata's room. After a while, I found myself standing in front of it. Here goes nothing...I took a deep breath before knocking and announcing my presence. "Ohayō Hijikata-san...Um, I-I made you some breakfast...!" I heard footsteps before his door slid open, rather roughly.
"What do you want?" His eyes gazed at me coldly and I gulped. "Well?"
"Er...I made you b-breakfast...for letting me stay the n-night..." I moved the tray towards him. "I hope it's to your liking...!" He eyed the tray for a few seconds before taking it. "If you'll excuse me...!" I turned to leave when Hijikata spoke;
"Arigato kid..." He quietly said.
"Nani?" I turned around, but he had already closed his door. A small smile made it to my lips. Maybe he's not so bad after all. I went back to the kitchen to retrieve a second tray for Kondou-sama. After asking around a bit more, I found myself in front of another man's room. Thankfully, Kondou-sama is MUCH more friendly than Hijikata. I knocked on his door. "Ohayō Kondou-sama! May I come in?"
"Certainly" His voice sounded slightly hoarse from behind the paper screen door. I slid the door to the side and stepped inside his room. "Ohayō Chiyeko" That's when I realised why his voice was so hoarse. He had just woken up and his night kimono was open revealing his muscular chest.
"Ah!" My face turned red and I stumbled backwards out of shock. I'm going to fall and spill the food!
"Be careful!" I felt someone support me from behind. I opened my eyes to see Kondou-sama had caught me and the breakfast tray. "Are you alright?"
"A-Arigato Kondou-sama, but your kimono it's..." I trailed off not wanting to seem disrespectful. He looked down and his face turned bright red.
"Gomen Chiyeko!" He quickly fixed his clothing and I could look at him again without blushing brightly. "So what brings you here?"
"Oh right!" The whole fiasco had almost made me forget why I came here. "I prepared breakfast for you!"
"That's most kind of you, but why?"
"It's my way of repaying you for the gratitude you showed me last night"
"I couldn't let you sleep outside and get attacked, no real man could turn his back on a damsel in distress" I wanted to point out that he was technically saying Hijikata wasn't a real man as he had done just that, but I felt it would be better if I didn't-In case Hijikata somehow found out.
"Please accept my gratitude, I would feel much better if you would"
"Alright then" I handed him the tray.
"I hope you enjoy it" I bowed before leaving. "Just one tray left..." I went to the kitchen and picked up the last tray. I hope he'll like it...I went to his room and knocked. "Toudou-san? May I come in?"
"Sure" He sounded confused. I slid open his door and entered his room. "What are you still doing here?"
"Ouch Toudou-san, you want to get rid of me that much?"
"I-iie, I-I didn't mean it like that-!"
"Calm down Toudou-san, I was just kidding"
"Right..." He chuckled weakly.
"I wanted to repay you for saving me more than once" I held out the tray to him.
"Oh, arigato Chiyeko-chan!" He accepted the tray and started eating.
"I'm sorry making you breakfast was all I could do to repay your multiple acts of kindness..."
"Don't be! This tastes great, you're an amazing cook!"
"Arigato gozimasu..." His praise made me blush. "Well, I guess I'll be going now" My stomach rumbled again, louder than the previous time. "Excuse me...!" My face turned a deep shade of red.
"You're hungry...why don't we share?"
"I-I couldn't do that...! I made it for you to enjoy...!"
"You did make it for me, meaning I can now do what I want with it since it's mine. And I want to share it with you"
"If you're sure..."
"I'm super sure!" He patted the space next to him and I reluctantly sat down. "Don't be shy, help yourself!"
"Okay then..." I ate some gohen and umeboshi.
"That's more like it!"
"You're rather stubborn Toudou-san" I stated after swallowing my food.
"As long as it gets me my way" Toudou-san smiled and I found myself smiling in response. I wonder if...
"Hey Toudou-san?"
"Yeah?" He asked as he ate some yakizakana.
"Um...I was wondering if...I've always wanted to..."
"To what?" He asked with his mouth full.
"To..." For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to ask him. "...never mind" I sighed.
"You sure?" He looked concerned.
"I'm sure...sure that I'm going to steal the rest of that yakizakana!" I announced to redirect his attention.
"Not if I eat it first!" I reached out for the yakizakana, but he quickly brought it to his mouth. "Victory is mine!" He cheered with a stuffed mouth.
"Then I guess I'll just have the Miso Shiru!" I picked up the bowl quicker than he could react to and brought it to my lips. "Now who's victorious?" I teased before drinking the soup.
"Iie I've been defeated!" He cried out dramatically.
"Chill out, I'm not going to drink all of it. That would defeat my purpose of making the breakfast FOR you" I handed him the bowl once I was finished with it.
"You're too kind" He stated in a funny voice causing me to giggle. He finished off the Miso Shiru and put the bowl back on the tray. I looked at him and began to laugh. "Hey! What's so funny?"
"You have a soup moustache, that's what's funny!" I pointed to his upper lip as I laughed. He licked it off while blushing. I've never enjoyed myself this much with anyone, but my parents. I smiled as Toudou-san ate more of his breakfast. It's nice. After we finished breakfast, I said goodbye to the Shinsengumi and hello to the streets of Kyoto.