Reunion | Hakuouki | Souma x Chizuru

Reunion [One-Shot]

Souma was returning to her at last.

Three years had passed since his surrender and subsequent arrest as the final Chief of the Shinsengumi and not a day of that had gone by when Chizuru hadn't found herself yearning to be by his side after all they had been through. She kept replaying their final night together in her head on a loop during those first initial months when she'd been terrified that she might wake up to the news of Souma's execution.

Fortunately, that hadn't happened and today they would be reunited.

Not to mention she had something to tell him.

Or rather, someone for him to meet.

"Okaa-san? How much longer?" The small child in her arms wriggled around, his brown hair unkempt while the breeze that surrounded them on the docks where they were waiting only added to his unruly mess of hair.

"Just a little longer." Chizuru murmured to him, pecking his forehead affectionately.

It had been difficult starting over when Souma had left. Everyone she had known within the Shinsengumi was either dead or missing. The only person she had left to turn to was Dr Matsumoto who had graciously taken her in as an apprentice where she studied rigorously under him. He'd also been the one to recognise the signs of her pregnancy first. When she'd found out she wanted nothing more than to tell the father of her child, but she'd been allowed no contact with him.

And so they had to wait it out.

There had been no shortage of names to choose from when Matsumoto placed a bundle into her exhausted arms and told her she'd had a healthy baby boy. Chizuru had known so many good men who had given their lives for their country, and whom had given their lives so that she and Souma could live to see this day.

But there was one young man in particular who had sacrificed himself during their mission to commandeer the Ironclad warship so that Souma would return to her.

Risaburou Nomura - Souma's best friend.

And much like his namesake, her little Risaburou was exceptionally lively and ungodly cheeky.

Chizuru couldn't wait for Souma to meet his son.

"Is that you Chizuru-san?" It was his voice! She relished hearing it for the first time since his departure 3 years ago.

Immediately she spun around to see him standing before her and a smile bloomed across her face, her cheeks warming as blood rushed to them.

"Souma!" Their eyes met and before she knew it she'd hurried forward to place her hand against his cheek, savouring the touch of his chilled skin under her palm.

He brought his hand up to hold hers against his face and he closed his eyes with a smile.

"I dreamed of this moment for so long. I can't believe I'm really here." He smiled again and his eyes shined.

She was pulled back to attention when Risaburou poked her cheek indignantly.

"Okaa-san! What about me?"

Chizuru chuckled to herself and for the first time she saw Souma look at their son, perhaps having not noticed him after being caught up in the moment of their reunion.

"Who is...?" Souma couldn't hide his uncertainty on his face. He almost definitely had already thought of the correct answer but wasn't quite willing to dare to share his thoughts.

Chizuru beamed. "This is Risaburou. He's your son. Our son."

Souma was rendered speechless as he processed what she had told him. When he finally came to he couldn't stop the shock from leaking into his voice.

"Our son...? Son...? I have a son...?" Then he met her eyes again.

"Risaburou? That name..."

"I thought it was what you would have wanted," she said softly. "He was your best friend after all."

Already Souma had bowed his head eagerly and regarded Risaburou with bright eyes that were verging on tears. "I'm happy to meet you, Risaburou!" It was perhaps a strange way to greet a small toddler but Chizuru sensed the sincerity behind the gesture.

Risaburou pouted a little. "You're my Otou-san?" Chizuru smiled sheepishly at Souma.

"He's just being shy. Ever since I've told him you were returning he's been chatting non stop. He's told every patient who came to see Matsumoto that he was going to meet you."

Souma blushed. "I hope as a father I can live up to those expectations."

The three of them returned to Dr Matsumoto's clinic where Chizuru and their son had been living with the doctor for the past 3 years. Matsumoto was currently out of town which meant that after Chizuru had put Risaburou to bed, only she and Souma remained in the sitting room.

She took a place beside him and he quickly entwined their fingers, a blush on his face.

"What are you thinking?" She asked him, her heart already fluttering from the warmth of their joined hands.

"I can't believe... that I'm really a father." He murmured, eyes trancelike before he snapped out of it and she saw traces of guilt flicker in them instead.

"It must have been difficult bringing up a child without a father." He squeezed her hand but Chizuru gave him a small smile in response.

"Maybe. But I had Dr Matsumoto to help me. And you're here now." The emotions she'd withheld earlier for the sake of their son now poured down her cheeks.

"I missed you so much! There wasn't a day that went by when I didn't think of you, Souma." She didn't know when he'd drawn her into his embrace but she pressed her ear over his rapidly beating heart, taking in the familiar smell of chestnuts.

"I was the same." He whispered into her hair. "Thinking of you and what was waiting for me if I got out - that was what got me through the years. I just didn't think I'd have a family to protect when that time came."

His voice cracked and he hugged her tighter. "Thank you for waiting for me Chizuru-san. Thank you for bringing our son into the world." She nodded.

For a while longer they stayed like that, wrapped in each other's embrace until his hoarse whisper - rough from his tears - reached her ear.

"Marry me."

Chizuru let out a small gasp and untangled herself to meet his earnest eyes.

"From now on I'll never leave your side. You and Risaburou. I'll protect you both with my life. I promise. So would you do me the honour of being my bride?"

Her lips were on his before he could say another word, her hand reaching to meet his cheek as she kissed him tenderly before drawing away, breathless.

"Of course." She whispered to him, resting her forehead against his. "I love you Souma."

"And I you, Chizuru-san."