Fool's Heart [Katsura x Reader]

Chapter 6- I promise

You joined your hands to pray, and carefully poured water on the tombstone, offered the flowers and burned the incense. You wished serenity for your parents. At the end of every month you would go and visit your parents grave. Today was especially more salient. It was the death anniversary of your father, to say you missed him would be an understatement. Your eyes were moist when you left the grave. The wind blew your sleeves of the Kimono and your hair away. You were missing not just your parents but a stranger you had met recently.

Before Katsura went missing he told you he had some work to do. At first, it was just a week you didn't even notice but now it had been more than a month just where was he?You could definitely say he was working, lately there had been many infiltrations in foreign embassies, many officials had been captured by joui and since it was rumoured that shogun would come for the summer festival the security was tightened. Not to mention it was rumoured Katsura's faction was rumoured for all these incidents. Shinsengumi was more than desperate to capture him. However, for you he was not someone this dangerous. He was someone who would do anything to pet a cat or would go to any lengths just to make Gintoki join his faction.

While sitting in your bedroom you watched the full moon. The moon was looming over your window. It felt so close that if you tried to reach out from your window you could touch it but yet so lonely. The wind was strong but it felt desolated. Maybe it was the weather but you were just not feeling good. You felt you were alone, no one was with you. You missed your dad. You were missing that fool who would always succeed in getting a smile on your face. You decided to look at the photo album to make you feel better. But it was not a very good decision.A small you holding a sword in your hand, your father standing behind you with a hand on your head and your mom kneeling beside you...Few drops fell on that photo. You questioned yourself why everything ended up this way. If only the Joui war didn't happen maybe things would have been different. While lost in your thoughts you heard a loud thud at the door. Someone had entered. An intruder. You took your father's sword and quietly descended the staircase ready to attack. Just as you were about to attack you saw the intruder. A flowery-kimono, hair tied beautifully in an updo with minimal makeup. But it was not a woman, he was Katsura.

"Katsura - san"
"Katsura janai zurako da, y/n dono can you help me I need a spare kimono"

It was when he said that you realized, his right sleeve was barely attached if he were to move more it would fall apart. On that sleeve was something even more concerning. The cut in his kimono showed his wound clearly, a large one starting from his shoulder running down his back with blood-stained around the cut.
"Katsura your wound"
"Its ok just let me change quickly I didn't had a sword with me and couldn't defend myself"
You took his hand and forced him to follow you could not just let him go like this. He tried to protest in the start for a few seconds but gave in to your tenacity. You gave him a yukata and told him to wait for a while. You came back with first aid and told him to take off his yukata so that you can treat his wound."I can't undress in front of you, this is very indecent."You gave him an angry look which was enough for him to take off his yukata and was facing in a way his back faced you.You knelt down. His wound was very deep, while you cleaned it you couldn't help but feel him flinching when you put antiseptic on his wounds. When you asked if it hurt he replied a samurai should not be bothered by such pain.
" What in the world were you doing that you were so hurt ?"
"You shouldn't bother with it much y/n dono the more you know the more troubles you will invite for yourself "

He said it so coldly as if you were nothing to him. But how could you ignore it when his back looked so similar to your dad's but it was covered with so many scars. He was so young yet he had so many scars on his back. You couldn't help but place your hand on one of them.
"Does it hurt , where did you get so many scars ?"
"It doesn't hurt now, I think you didn't know but I participated in the joui war, it is funny how I was known as 'rampaging noble' but I cannot do anything for our country now?
Hearing those words made you realize something, he was one of the joui war leaders. But more than that your dad had told you about him that his faction was working with kotaro's faction. Your dad had praised him for being so valiant and intelligent at such a young age enough to plan attacks for so many factions.
"Can I ask you something?" Katsura said now facing you.
"Yes"
"Are you (any name) san's daughter?
You nodded, you were out of words. The world was so small you thought.
Katsura started speaking about how much he respected your father. He admired him as a very skilful swordsman but more than he was like a mentor to him. He would always come to your father for advice.
"Your father would always talk about you and would always end up praising you that how brave you were that you never cried "But after saying that his face showed remorse.

What he said after that broke your heart in so many pieces that emotions just flowed through your eyes.
"I was out for an attack for another base but when I came back I found that your father was gravely wounded. When I went to see him he just said "I hope my daughter stays brave just the way she is but it would have been wonderful if I could see her smile one last time but I guess it won't happen that way", and then he closed his eyes.

"Her daughter is not brave, she cries when you are not here, please come back..." and you cried, bawling your eyes out. As if your father would come back if you cried. Katsura stood up and leaned your head on his chest, while he gently patted you back
"Its ok you can cry as much as you want, you don't have to be brave you can be coward and cry if you need to"
You clinged onto his kimono and cried your heart out. You don't know why but you felt everyone would just leave you alone and in that moment you requested Katsura,

"Please don't leave me alone, don't do anything that will be dangerous , please promise me ?"

Katsura pov:
After I had finished talking I saw y/n dono crying. I don't why but I felt I needed to comfort her, Before I knew I held her in my arms with her face buried in my chest. I gently patted her back. She was so fragile, she could be broken at any moment. Maybe because I respected her father maybe because I respected her I don't why I vowed myself and her father something.

I promise to you and your father that while I am here I will not let tears come in your eyes, I will make sure you always have that smile on your face.

(he said it in his head)
While I gently patted her back she requested me something, if I could not leave her alone and not do something dangerous. Without thinking much I replied,(end of pov)

" I promise", he said with a smile.Katsura placed his hands gently over my face and wiped my tears away.

Note:
Ooh, that was long. I had thought to give zurako more screen time but I couldn't. I hope it wasn't too dramatic . I know my writing is not that good but try to imagine what happened. I know Katsura would not hug but it is fanfic so why not. I changed the cover did anyone notice ? Thank You so much for reading it. :)Here's a pic of a doujin, idk why everyone draws katsura with back scars.