Hakuouki: Demons Within

薄桜鬼 13

I hadn't had the chance to think much about it, but now that there was nothing but our survival and motives to plan, I tried to vividly remember who and what had killed my parents. Yet as much as I tried to look back on my memories, the identities of my entire villages murders were unknown. Souji must have noticed the odd look on my face, as he wrapped and arm around my waist. The other two sitting in the room, Hijikata and Kondou, looked on in amusement as what I interpreted as disbelief displaying on their faces.

'What's the plan now, anyways?" Okita asked. Kondou glanced at Hijikata, then stared at the floor.

"We fight back. This plague will only spread like fire. At some point, it must be exterminated." The commander stated flatly.

"We don't have adequate weaponry at the present time." Hijikata spoke up. Kondou nodded in acknowledgement.

"Send scouts then. Two different sets; one set for securing the area, or at least noting each fury seen, and the other set for gathering supplies." Okita suggested. The commanders reply was delayed with contemplation.

"Good idea Souji." Kondou commented, a small smile flashing onto his face.

"W-wait! What if there are survivors?" I added.

"She's got a point, they'll probably make a scene and beg for help." Okita stated.

"You can't just leave them out to die!" I cried.

"Kaori, there are some things you must understand. In this particular case, it is either them, or us." Hijikata's sentence left me speechless. I turned towards the ground, flustered.

"Pouting now, huh? Aren't you a little old for that?" Okita teased. I tensed under his arms.

"Haha, getting upset?" His grip tightened around me and he nuzzled into my neck, to mine and others surprise. Kondou wore a soft grin. Just then, Nagakura returned. He stumbled through the doorway, drenched in blood.

"Shinpachi!" Hijikata raised his voice as he hurried over to his wounded comrade. To see this level of weakness with any of the captains...This was serious. Okita came to his feet, and assisted me to mine as we prepared a room for him. The house we were in was a commoner's home, and so it wasn't the most spacious.

"Clean up in there, I'll go find some bandages." Okita said in an urgent voice. I walked into the room, ignoring the sharp throbbing in my side. I pushed aside scrolls and candles as I cleared more than enough space for Nagakura. I walked out to my wounded friend and guided them into the room as Okita returned with a medical kit. Nagakura was eased onto the futon I'd laid out with a groan.

"What happened Shinpachi?" Kondou asked. Taking a deep breath through clenched teeth, Nagakura spoke.
"It's not just the furies, they have...allies...Human allies, samurai... I've never seen them before..." His face twisted in pain. It was agonizing to watch.

"Kaori, how are you doing?" Kondou asked, referring to my stab wound. Nagakura lifted his head from the futon to look me over. He laid back with a thud and sighed.

"Oh, don't worry about me, I'm fine!" I smiled, waving my hand and dismissing the subject.

"Don't lie, Kaori-chan. You need some help too." Okita insisted. I laughed nervously under my breath. He was right, but now was hardly the time to worry anyone. 

"I'll get to that later. First, help me out." He said, pushing linen strips towards me. He held the rags beside him, dipped in water that he must've collected. He used the wet rag to clean the wounds Nagakura had. It saddened me to see my friend striped in red. After Okita was done cleaning him, I wrapped the linens around his torso and secured them. His breathing was shallow and quick, but he'd be alright. Nagakura wouldn't die even if he was killed, and I thought that for all the captains.

"Now for you." Okita muttered, the corners of his mouth turning up into a sly smile. I stepped back.

"Oh, stop that and come here...." He said. I frowned, and briskly walked out of the room. Okita chased after me, laughing. Fleeing from him was painful as I sped up, but fun. He caught up to me quickly and tackled me against the wall. I panted, and suddenly the surface behind me shifted. I fell in onto my back, and Okita came in after me, his face still holding the serious look from before. I whimpered as I sat up, meeting Okita's gaze with a nervous look in my eyes. He kneeled beside me, pushing me down. The action was a little unsettling, but I was sure he had no other motive but to help me.

"Loosen up your kimono." He commanded. I hesitantly slipped it off my shoulders, then my breast wrap, pulling it down to my waist. I held the linen of my kimono over my chest . My cheeks were red, but hidden under my long bangs. He snickered, but stopped as he took a closer look at my wound. His silence changed the atmosphere in the room from light to stressful. I could feel his fingers prod around my wound, making me flinch with every hurtful touch. I felt the cool liquid from the rag glide over my skin, roughly cleaning my wound as the fibers irritated my exposed flesh. I grit my teeth, trying to hide the pain I was experiencing from the cloth. He continued, and then wrapped leftover linen strips around my abdomen.

"All better." He finished. I exhaled, and relaxed my jaw. I had unconciously dug my nails into my upper chest, leaving marks. I quickly tried to cover them up before Okita saw, but it was too late.

"I know that hurt, sorry. I'm not the best medic around.... Hey..." He grabbed my wrist firmly with his hand.

"Move your other arm." He ordered, even though my other arm held the kimono over my chest, and the marks.

"U-uh, what?! No way!!" I snapped back. He sighed.

"Move your arm, I'm not asking you to do that for the reason you're suggesting. Perhaps you are a bit dirty minded?" He asked. I blushed.

"I'm not moving it." I was sure of it, he saw the marks.

"Have it your way." He pushed me down onto the tatami mat, and even though I struggled beneath his weight I was no match for him. He sat on my thighs, hovering over me as he peeled my arm away and held it to my head. He looked down at the nail marks I made on the upper part of my chest. He frowned.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it hurt that bad. I can make it feel better..." He said, the end of his sentence in a tone I've never heard from him before. He brought his lips down to my neck, my body shivering under his touch.

"O-Okita-san...What are you doing?" I stuttered. Just then, the grip he had on me tightened and his body tensed. I glanced up to him with panicked eyes. His hair was white and his eyes red. I slid out from beneath him as he fought against his bloodlust. To see him in pain was unbearable. If he took my blood...would he be satisfied? It was digusting but...If it helped him...I crawled over to the wooden frame of the shoji, pulling off a loose splinter. This would do. I brought it to my arm and stabbed it, dragging the wood upwards. I whined, but crawled back to Okita and held it to him. He looked at me with conflictedeyes, then brought his mouth to my gash. His tongue reluctantly met with my skin, licking my blood as if to taste it, then he wrapped his lips around my cut.

"T-Thanks." He said, his voice hoarse and deep. It was also the effects of being a fury, wasn't it? His body eventually resorted back to normal, and he laid against the wall, exhausted.

"It's been a long day..." He said. He pulled me closer to him, my head resting on his chest. I nodded against him in agreement to his statement.

"Go change and get some sleep." He suggested, more of a command than request.

"Y-You're okay with this?" I questioned.

"Yeah, it's fine...There's a spare robe over in the corner. It'll be big on you though." I thought I saw him blush, but I might've been wrong. After changing, I nestled into the futon. Feeling safe beside him, I quickly fell into a deep sleep.