Love at first sight (Heisuke x OC)

Chapter 54: Upsetting discovery

I was outside doing some training with Aka Tatsu. I was by myself since Heisuke was currently asleep. As I swung my sword, I noticed Sanan leaving the building. Why's he up right now? Does he have business in town or something? I sheathed Aka Tatsu and ran after him. Heisuke was told to keep an eye on Sanan, but since he's asleep I'll do it for him! I hid my presence as best I could as I followed Sanan. He walked through the crowded streets of Edo. I nearly lost him several times, but managed to spot him again just before he got too far away from me. After around ten minutes of following Sanan, he turned and walked into an alley. Where's he going? With my guard up, I walked into the alleyway. Huh?! Sanan was nowhere to be seen. "Where'd he go? I swear I saw him come this way..." Did I mistake him for someone else? Iie, there's no way I could confuse Sanan with another person. But then, where has he gone?
"Kon'nichiwa Kazama-chan, would you care to explain why you were following me?"
"Ah!" I jumped and turned around to see Sanan standing behind me. He was smiling, but I could tell he wasn't happy in the slightest.
"Well?"
"Um...I just saw you leaving headquarters and...was worried about you since it's daytime so I decided to follow you to...make sure you'd be okay" I quickly made up a lie on the spot.
"Hai, I can see how me being up during the day would arose suspicion"
"I didn't say that"
"But you are suspicious of me, are you not?" I kept silent and averted my gaze from his. "As I expected. It makes sense though, I have nearly killed you two times now. You'd have much reason to be cautious around me" The way he talked about his actions showed no hints of remorse or regret. Instead, it was quite the opposite. I took a step back in fear as I put my hand to my sword hilt. "You have the right to be suspicious as I lead you here on purpose" My grip tightened around Aka Tatsu's hilt.
"Why?" I asked, keeping my voice as level as possible.
"Because I have something to ask of you and I would love if you cooperated"
"...Depends on what you're asking"
"The Fury Corps are the key to winning this war, but in order for them to be effective, they must be improved. We must expand their usefulness...Perhaps I could learn something if I examined you..." Out of all the things he could've asked me to do, I never would've guessed he'd ask something like that.
"U-Um...I..." His request left me at a loss for words.
"You're special. Don't you want to use these amazing powers you've been given to help your nakamas? To help Toudou-kun?"
"I..." Of course I wanted to help Heisuke, but...not like this.
"There's nothing to be afraid of..." He took out his wakizashi and cut his palm with it.
"W-What are you doing?!" He sheathed the blade and took a step closer to me.
"I'm making you see reason, all you need to do is drink this..." Why is he trying to get to drink his blood...? Unless-! Something Sanan proposed during our conversation with Sen-chan rose to the surface of my mind;

"So if what you claim is true, a human who were to drink the blood of a fury would, theoretically, become a fury themselves"

He's trying to turn me into a fury! "I'm not gonna drink your blood, you crazy person!"
"You must!"
"Iie!" I tripped over my own feet as I backed up and fell onto my butt. Sanan approached me with his bloody palm held out. "Get away from me!"
"Lady Chiyeko clearly does not want you experimenting on her" I jumped at the sudden voice.
"Amagiri!?" He had, at some point, come up behind Sanan and grabbed him. Stopping his advance towards me.
"It is wrong to try and force people to become furies against their own will" Amagiri let go of Sanan before walking in front of him and standing between him and myself.
"This matter does not concern you" Sanan's tone of voice became low and angry. He wasn't happy that he'd been interrupted.
"Anything threatening Lady Chiyeko's life is of concern to me" He then turned to me. "Go back to your headquarters Lady Chiyeko, I will wrap things up here"
"O-Oh, okay...!" I quickly bowed in thanks and ran back to headquarters.

Evening

I was in town with Heisuke, per his request. He caught me when I was preparing to start dinner and asked if he could take me out for dinner instead. Of course, I was pleasantly surprised by his invitation and gladly accepted it. Although, during our date Heisuke seemed preoccupied and kept glancing at the multiple couples around us. When I asked him if something was wrong, he just smiled before saying that it's about time to go. Before I could question him, he paid for our meal and left the restaurant. "Heisuke wait!" He stopped, but didn't turn around. Talk about deja vu, at least he paid before leaving this time. "What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me...? A lot is wrong with me..."
"Heisuke, you know that isn't what I meant" When I reached him, I heard him sniffle causing my eyes to widen. "H-Heisuke, are you crying!?" He turned away from me and rested his head on his closed hand with a self-depreciating smile on his face.
"Each one of those couples in there have found someone they can handle all of life's ups and downs with. Must be nice"
"But we have that too...don't we?" Heisuke chose not to answer my question and continued;
"Who knows? In a few years some of 'em may even have a cute kid or two and before they know it, that kid'll be all grown up. Maybe when some of 'em grow old together, they'll be surrounded by tons of adorable grandchildren. The more I think about it, the more I realise that I'll never get to experience anything like that..."
"Heisuke..."
"That's not even the worst thing...The worst thing is, I'll never be able to give you those things"
"What are you saying...?"
"You should find someone else, someone who can give you those things. Someone you can have children with and grow old with"
"I don't want to find someone else. I want you Heisuke..."
"You'd rather stay with me, instead of finding someone ya deserve? Someone who can offer you a future outside of all this craziness?"
"Hai" He had become keenly aware of all he could miss because of his affliction. Simple pleasures and milestones may be becoming increasingly out of reach for Heisuke, who was forced to watch the world turn without him. However, it would do good to remember that these things "could" or "may" happen. As long as I was here, I would try my absolute hardest to make sure that Heisuke wouldn't miss out on everything life had to offer. Attempting to convey this to him, I quietly nestled up closely to Heisuke. His familiar scent comforted me and gave me the courage to speak my mind;
"I have you, just like you have me..." I took a breath before continuing. "Even if, one day, minna else were to disappear, I would still be here Heisuke. I would still be right beside you" His back shivered as I ran the tips of my fingers against it
"You're making a mistake...I've got no clue how much time I have left. No clue at all. There's nothing for you to gain in staying with me" His tone was derisive, that was painfully clear, but it was a reaction that required no explanation. Perhaps there is a hint of truth in his cynical claim, it could be likely that he would not live for much longer. Maybe he's interpreting my concern for him as pity and has finally given up fighting the inevitable. Even if all of that is true...I am determined to support and be there for Heisuke.
"I...I'm not staying with you because I expect to gain something from it...I'm staying with you because I don't want to be apart from the one I love"
"You're a real weird one, you know that?" At the beginning of our conversation, Heisuke's voice was meek and quivering, but thankfully by the the end it appeared that he had turned a corner, showing me a playful grin that reassured me he wouldn't push me away.
"Being weird just makes me more unique"
"Well, you've certainly got one thing right"
"Nani?"
"You're an extremely unique girl and I'm extremely lucky to have ya"
"Glad I managed to get through that thick skull of yours" I joked.
"...Me too" He smiled tenderly before kissing me softly. "Me too Chiyeko..." He mumbled before resuming the kiss.