Gintama; Takasugi x reader (Finale) [Take Me With You]

Chapter 45 {Ayano Yokade}

     His words are like a punch to the gut.

     "Shounou Ryougen," Y/N's mother repeats the name on her tongue.

     "He's the mayor of a village there and he can protect you," Commander says. Although he's speaking to the two elders seated in front of him, his eye glares at me so intensely anyone wouldn't be wrong to think he'd murder me any second.

Nearly under the sheer pressure of his gaze alone, I'm convinced its best to keep my mouth shut. For now.

     "Yamanashi?" her father says, "I thought-" His wife suddenly puts her hand on his lap, stopping him from finishing.

Y/N's mother instead says, "Even if so, how can we trust you?"

The Commander reacts to her frankness with an easy smile. Then he stands up and moves to the window behind him, the spouses looking after him. 

     "Your daughter had placed your lives and safety to me. Even now she is being sheltered and treated under my men." He turns to us, the smile on his face no longer teasing. "Do you need more reasons to trust me then?"

None of the elders says anything afterward. Y/N's father doesn't return his wife's look as he considers.

The Commander returns to watch the view outside, and the room plunges into thoughtful silence. I can't keep my mind still in the quietness.

Glancing up to see if I'm the only one who's tensed, my eyes instead lay on the man with his back turned to us. He lied so flawlessly there's no way I can find out what he's thinking or feeling right now.

     "Alright," Y/N's mother finally says. "We will leave with our daughter."

I can nearly imagine the Commander's smile, because there's one of mine that I'm trying to suppress. When he looks back at us, I see that I'm not wrong. For once in awhile, the Kiheitai leader does show some pleasant looks.

     "Yokade," he calls.

     "Yes."

     "Show our guests to their room and meet me back here."

     "Yes, sir." I get up and move to the door as the spouses quietly take their leave. Surely, they must be stunned about hearing the events befalling their daughter and now the sudden need to leave. I almost feel sorry for them as I guide them to a room not far from the Commander's cabin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't wait for his permission to enter this time.

     "Commander, why didn't you tell them the truth?" I ask the minute the I slip in and shut the door.

He's perching on the window sill, looking out, at what I can't tell. There's nothing outside save for the pitch black night melting into a line with the reflecting dark sea. His raven haori matches nicely with the view.

     "The truth won't bring them anywhere," he simply says. When I'm about to protest again, he adds without looking at me, "I need to convince them that there's more than one reason why I'd choose Yamanashi beside it being a remote area where nobody cares to disturb."

I take a step closer and press, "But why the mayor particularly?"

At first I thought I'd hear his reason, but then he simply ignores my question and blinks once as he glances out.

     "Why are you so desperate in helping Y/N?" he asks a moment later.

With him barely sounding like he usually does, I'm somehow certain that the question isn't a test. He's just curious. And I have nothing to hide as well.

     "She resembles a younger sister I had," I tell him. "Akane was her name. And like Y/N, she made the same choice; she fell in love with a rebel."

I feel his gaze on me as I stare at the floor. The words flow out freely as I continue. "Every time, she would sneak ointment and bandages from the house to heal the guy whenever there was a fight. I told her that it was too dangerous, but she didn't listen. And well, I love her. If she was happy then I was too.

     "But then one day, another man started to show up. He made it clear that he wanted to date my sister, but of course, Akane refused. When I thought I should talk to him to get things straight, it was already too late." Memories slowly swims back, filling my head with her bright smiles and cheerful remarks and tightening my chest with their vividness.

Yokade-nii, I'll be away for a moment. I promise I'll be back soon. This time, with him.

     "The man she refused turned out to be someone from the government, sent to my sister so that he could use her to lure the rebels out. My sister told me that the rebel she loved would quit and live a new life with her. She went with him to meet his group, but didn't know they were being followed. The spy leaked their hideout and the rebels were all killed. Including my sister."

Pain and anger flare in my body equally when the image of her lifeless body surfaces behind my eyes even as I force them shut. It's been four years since that tragic day, yet my wound hasn't healed.

I hear the Commander's voice over my own breaths saying, "So now you're trying to do for Y/N what you could not for your sister."

I concentrate on the weight of the sword in my grip, abolishing what's past. "That's right."

The Commander swings his leg back to the floor and makes his way to me. "Then prove your will," he orders. "You will be the one guiding her and her parents out of this place. You will protect them not only through the journey, but also afterwards until I finish things here." He stops in front of me. "You will be the commander once this boat departs at dawn."

Cool shivers running down my spine, I drop to the floor and bow low before him. "Understood."

     "Good," he says, and walks to the door. "Then you'll move according to plan."