Gintama; Takasugi X Reader (part 2) [Save Me]

Chapter 2 {Y/N}

     "Y/N, are you sure you're okay?" Senya asks for like the fourth time since morning. "I mean, you can always help me once you're all better."

     "I'm going to say the same thing even if you keep on asking you know," I say, wiping between the tatami mats with a dry cloth. I rotate on my knees to face her.

Senya stands by the threshold, holding a pile of unwashed dishes. At her look, I sigh and add, "I'm fine, really. And I want to help."

Though unconvinced, she finally relents and descends down to the backyard. I resume my task on cleaning the house, which is, in fact, already clean. It's more of my conscience to help around with something rather than stay bed-ridden like a gravely sick patient when I am not anymore. Rough movement does cause some pain, but no movement at all instead causes my mind pain. From factors more than one.

After brushing the floor of the entire room, I head outside to yard, intending to bring in the dishes Senya is washing. Momo is sniffing at something of the soil at the small garden and wags his tail at me as I slip on my scandals. Sweet scent of marigolds mingles in the air at a the side along with some other violet and pink flowers that I don't know the names to.

It's only noon but the sun has long been shielded over by a thick layer of clouds, coating the world in an endless white. Cool winds blow by, promising the chance of summer rain. Distant wind chimes clang like an indistinct melody. The peacefulness almost seems surreal. Hadn't I been somewhere else, admiring this view from afar? The lack of a presence beside me leaves me forever aching. A hollow never again fulfilled.

I force away the feeling.

Senya is about to finish washing some utensils when I approach. Her long brown curls hang gorgeously down her back.

     "No, wait," she says when I reach for the pile of clean wares. "I'll bring them all in once I finish. You shouldn't carry anything heavy if you can help it."

I sometimes forget that she's around my age due to the level of her protectiveness. "I'm not that fragile," I tell her, resisting an urge to sigh. "Is there anything else I can help then?"

     "Nothing more, I guess," Senya says, furiously rubbing off a stain on the pot she's washing. "What about you? Do you want to have a walk around the village?"

I've spent nearly a month away staying cooped up in her house, considering if my previous condition and all. These past days had been a great improvement. It's about time I start to move forward. Senya turns off the tap.

     "A walk is nice," I say. "But do you know if I can get work somewhere here?"

     "Work?" She sounds like she hadn't expected that.

I nod. "Any work at all. And before you start saying I'm not well enough again, I am."

Senya straightens and stretches her back like a cat. Her height dominates over mine. "Why would you want to work though?" she asks.

If I say it's a kind of recompense for all my medicine fees then she's going to refuse to tell me for sure. "I want to help you," I say instead. "And save up an amount to be able to return home."

     "Oh." Disappointment is plain on her face, but she tries to hide it by bending down to pick up the dishes. Seeing it breaks my heart.

     "I won't leave you behind, Senya," I say and wrestle the pot from her. Sudden tears flood my eyes right after the words left me.

My parents might be worrying sick, but I've never planned to walk away from the one who gave out so much effort to save me, and whom I'm beginning to count as my family as well. I can only hope mom and dad had that letter I've asked Takechi to send out.