I can no longer leave this alone. No man would ask his woman to humor a rival so he can avoid a fight. I was wrong to have asked that of her. Wrong. It doesn’t matter that she asked me to avoid him, he has crossed the line by putting her and my child in danger. No. -You- did by asking her to endure something against her will.
Kneeling down, I stare at my sword for a while and pick it up. Retrieving it from its scabbard, I examine the blade. It has not seen any use since the burning of Yoshiwara. Placing it back to its saya I place it back into my belt. I dare not look up to the flag that’s staring down at me. You shall not involve yourself in private fights. But that was an old rule, for an old time. Besides more than the rule that the Demon Commander put into place, didn’t Kondou himself said that the other duty of a man is to protect his family? I had failed twice. There will not be a third time.
Kill evil swiftly. Is a man like that evil? Or is it I who cannot seem to protect this house?
Leave the sword or sever your ties. Ah those voices… Just like back then in Mibu, they got in the way. Hijikata-san, Yamanami-san, Todou, Okita, Shinpachi… But Kondou-san never stopped me.
I must do -something- before I leave for Aizu, otherwise I cannot leave and I must leave soon before our child comes. It’s then that I remembered, she knows the name should it be a boy. Gennoujo, The name of her father who I thank for his hospitality and support during those bloody days, but also as a sign of respect and love as she is her father. But should it be a girl… I place the sword back to its stand. I finally know what name I want for a girl, maybe not as ideal as Makoto’s name but certainly not lacking in meaning. She should know that at least before I leave.
“Ohayo!” A voice announces himself and I hear the children come into the house. He’s been here a lot lately, mostly hanging around Yuki-ko. I stand up to greet them on the engawa. It’s a nice golden afternoon.
“Otou-san.” He smiles at me, “I didn’t think you’d be home.”
“Can’t a man be left at peace?”
“Ah but you’re a workaholic. Everyone knows that.”
“Eiji-kun don’t tease Uncle.” Yukiko laughs. It’s good to see her laugh once in a while. Sometimes I feel I’ve done her a disservice by taking her from her home. But even if it’s imperfect, I know my brother Hiroaki would rather his only daughter be with my family than with strangers even if they are considered friends.
Eiji looks at me as if he knows something. I shrug and grin at him, leaning on the engawa I light a cigarette – watching my two children. One standing like a stick immovable by the swing and my daughter moving a bit too much like a bird.
(OOC: Saitou is with people outside waiting for Hide before he leaves.)
I hear the burst of sound that accompanies the return of the children to our house. I’ve been told to expect Midori-chan some time soon but today’s not the day – but Eiji-san is here!
Yukiko-san seems to lighten up when he’s around. He’s -good- for her.
I take off my apron and go outside. I’ve been in a flurry of cleaning and re-arranging every morning, lately. This last bit of pregnancy… I’m anxious and excited all at once.
But the spectre of the man in the cape hangs over me, dampening the joy I should be feeling at this time.
“Good afternoon,” I say to the assembled group, “wash up, Makoto-chan, Tsutomu-kun, I have your afternoon snack ready.” I grin at the other two. “And there’s plenty for the two of you, as well – it’s peach daifuku that my brother brought from Kyoto.” I was a little surprised when he presented them upon leaving – but our first day was a little upended, after all.
Hajime is smoking, leaning against a post, and seems… contemplative. I go over to him. “There’s enough for you, too,” I say, teasing a little, and taking his hand.
Hajime:
The two children run inside to do as Hide says and wash up. I watch them scamper off.
“There’s enough for you, too,”
I flick the half smoked cigarette away as she takes my hand and I want more so I settle her against me, her back against my chest. “You know when I used to bring you fruit, I always mistook peaches for pears.” I laugh a little. “How about you just take my portion and eat it later?”
It’s funny Eiji is about just gawking at me and looks away, while Yukiko who is sitting on the engawa pretends she’s not seeing Hide and I. I could send them away but at some point, the people in this house needs to start being comfortable with us being ourselves.
I kiss her cheek. “How have you been? And our little one, has it been behaving?”
Eiji coughs but I ignore him. I about half expect him to leave but curiously enough he’s hanging around and so is Yukiko.
You know when I used to bring you fruit, I always mistook peaches for pears. How about you just take my portion and eat it later?
I laugh, and settle in against him, where he’s moved me, and I close my eyes a moment, to savor this… the warmth and solid strength of his chest. “That explains so much… but fall will be here soon, and with that the -best- season for pears. But to help you remember… peaches are soft and fuzzy,” I pick up his hand and touch it to my cheek, “pears are firm and smooth.” I touch his cheek back.
It’s then I notice that we’re not alone. The younger ones have gone – but Eiji-san and Yukiko-san remain, and are fairly obviously -watching- us. At least she’s not screaming, like she did when she caught us kissing on the morning of my birthday.
I wonder about their parents… were Eiji-san’s loving? Was Hajime’s brother in a loving marriage?
But Hajime seems comfortable with them here, so I stay where I’m comfortable. He’s been gone so much lately – coming in late and leaving early, that I’m glad for this bit of a beautiful late summer afternoon.
I lean my head back, to tilt my head back, to get a good look at him. “We’ve been good. The big-little one is as active as always.” Looking to the other two, I add, with a smile, “he thinks that this one is already listening to him, and is very obedient.”
Eiji:
Yukiko seems a little embarassed at the display of affection between Otou-san and Yagi-san. It’s always just been her father and her in the house. No mother so I assumed her mother died early. I could never ask her back then.
Yagi-san tries to include us in their conversation and I know they’d rather be alone but I’m onto him. He wouldn’t come home in this odd time for nothing.
“he thinks that this one is already listening to him, and is very obedient.”
I smile at her and throw my eyes at Otou-san who’s obviously just ignoring us. “Well that will be a first.” His sons are good but not obedient. That’s should be very obvious. My eyes though, keep going back to Yuki… Now she is obedient. No complaints just a nice girl.
“I’m sure Otou-san will cherish a child that’s obedient, very much so Yagi-san.”
Hajime:
“That explains so much… but fall will be here soon, and with that the -best- season for pears. But to help you remember… peaches are soft and fuzzy,” “pears are firm and smooth.”
“Ah well I hope you weren’t too disappointed when I brought you peaches so many times.” I grin at her, “Back then you were still rather soft… Plump even.” I’ll get slapped I know.
She tells me that she and the baby is good, while she tries to keep the other two engaged. But I don’t pay them much mind.
“I’m sure Otou-san will cherish a child that’s obedient, very much so Yagi-san.”
I look at Eiji who’s staring at me. He’s been coming here the past week. That’s unusual especially since he hasn’t really said anything to Yukiko and was avoiding Yukiko the rest of the time. Ah whatever…
I turn to Hide and whisper, “I’ll be gone the first few days in September but I’ll be back in the latter part of the 1st week.” I tell her. I can’t quite get myself to say it’s work related because it’s not.
“But I didn’t want you to keep researching names.” I lean my head on her shoulder and let my hand go around her waist, touching our child. “I’m not sure if you’ll like the name I picked but, you can pick another if you don’t like it and tell me which you like better when I get back?”
Well that will be a first.
I laugh, “Makoto is mostly obedient, especially if it’s her father,” I tell them. But she’s spirited! It’s then I catch Eiji-san’s eyes on Yukiko-san.
“Ah well I hope you weren’t too disappointed when I brought you peaches so many times.
“Well you see now, peaches are Makoto’s favorites so perhaps you do influence our children before they’ve even born,” I answer, laughing. It’s easy to laugh right now, in a golden afternoon.
Plump even
“Maaa… you never seemed to mind,” I grin back at him, reaching around to pinch his side. “And despite how much I cooked for you, I couldn’t even get a little -pudge- on you.”
Eiji-san has responded to our attempts at inclusion, but Yukiko-san remains quiet.
I’ll be gone the first few days in September but I’ll be back in the latter part of the 1st week.
He says this as a whisper, meant only for me. I know he’ll make it in time, unless Japan is burning again… I look at him and nod, “well, you tell your -obedient- child to stay put until you return.” And I wonder what is the situation with Shindou-san? I will feel better if he’s back on the TMPD – either being Hajime’s right hand in the field, or a trusted person back at the precinct.
But I didn’t want you to keep researching names. I’m not sure if you’ll like the name I picked but, you can pick another if you don’t like it and tell me which you like better when I get back?
I sigh, happy, as he embraces me and this long-awaited child. “Oh, what did you come up with?” I never got to discuss the name of a potential son with my brother, but I don’t think they’ll mind. They passed on family names during Hanako’s first pregnancy due to issues with her family.
Hajime:
“Well you see now, peaches are Makoto’s favorites so perhaps you do influence our children before they’ve even born,”
“I see.” I chuckle, “That’s very good then.” I never thought of it that way but I like it.
“And despite how much I cooked for you, I couldn’t even get a little -pudge- on you.”
“Well I have my ways of keeping fit.”
I suddenly hear a groan from somewhere. I’m not sure if it’s Eiji or it’s Yukiko. Likely Eiji?
“well, you tell your -obedient- child to stay put until you return.”
“Ai! Make sure you stay -put- until your Father returns! Otherwise your mother will be very cross with the both of us but take it out on me!”
I say our childs name. She asked for it.
A name that simply meant “Love”. I wasn’t sure why I didn’t want this child, if it happens to be a girl, be connected or a remembrance for others. I’ve always thought of our children as a reflection of us, of what we are to each other. Oh I know she said we won’t know if it’s a boy or girl but knowing what Hide wants… It will likely be a girl. “You can decide if you want it in kanji or something simple like your name in hiragana.”
Yukiko:
Uncle is acting very freely this afternoon. Embracing Yagi-san like that. On one hand, it’s nice to see. After the problems that the caped man brought us a few weeks ago, I thought, they’d never be back to how they were. I know I must’ve looked very naive when I used to balk at them being affectionate. I couldn’t even imagine my own father and mother like that. But then when I thought this affection would disappear it made me very sad and the only person I could talk to was Eiji.
I smile at Eiji-san as Uncle says the name of their next child out loud and jokes that he’ll be in trouble if it is disobedient and comes while he’s away.
“Eiji-san should we leave them alone?” I whisper but he doesn’t answer me. I can see he seems intent to stay here. Maybe he’s waiting for Yagi-san and Uncle to leave instead?
Well I have my ways of keeping fit
Despite there being -company- out here, I know there’s a glint in my eyes at that comment… and had we been alone….
And then one of the young people groans – I suspect it would be Eiji-san, connecting the dots on -that- comment.
Ai! Make sure you stay -put- until your Father returns! Otherwise your mother will be very cross with the both of us but take it out on me!
I turn around to face him, a wide smile on my face. I had focused on the values of the samurai… but he found an important one beyond that. One that is core to us – both individually and together.
“I think that’s a -perfect- name.” I look down at our child. “Well, there are your orders, Ai or Gennojou, whoever you may be – listen to your father – for his sake!”
You can decide if you want it in kanji or something simple like your name in hiragana.
“My daughters will all have name in kanji,” I say – on this point I’m rather stubborn. It’s a name given with meaning, and every part of it should reflect that.
“Ah, here you did it again… finding the perfect names.” I give him a light kiss, mindful of the company. I don’t want to be -too- instructive!
She turns and faces me. I’m a little nervous of course – I wasn’t sure if she’d like the name. It was so simple and maybe too obvious.
“I think that’s a -perfect- name.”
Oh… I slowly grin and watch as she tells our child it’s orders. Then -tells- me that all her daughters will have kanji in their names. A long time ago I think she told me, she didn’t like hers – so simple and yet I could tell her I like that simplicity. I can almost imagine it her being in school and writing her name simply with a proud smile on her face.
“Ah, here you did it again… finding the perfect names.”
We kiss for a moment and I savor it but I know she’s mindful of the company as it ends as soon as it begins.
“Ah now that my job here is done.” I let Hide go. The sun is starting to set.
“I’m due back to work on something.” Stretching my arms over my head a little, “Don’t wait up. I’ll be back sometime tomorrow.”
“Why don’t you just work on that something -early- tomorrow Otou-san? It’s almost dinner after all.” Eiji interjects, “I’m sure Yagi-san has something good to eat.”
“Oh she’s used to my schedule.” I step off the engawa and give Hide a grin. “How about you just stay for the night Eiji? I’d much rather have a man in the house.”
He gives me that disapproving look of his. Taking my cap, I tip my hat and secure it back to my head. “Ja matta.”
(OOC: Saitou is leaving and save for a big or obvious issue, cannot be stopped.)
He starts to leave and I know where he’s going. I can hear him walking away but casually I slip into the house real quick just to confirm… I go to the alcove and just as I thought. He left it behind. Back then, he did the same thing didn’t he? Back then after meeting Okita-san, he started acting weird just like now. I can read him like a book back then and now.
I take a deep breath and take the sword. I’m not sure what he has in mind but that place is not a place of friends nor allies for him. It is at least a place of one powerful enemy, one who has already bested him before. Not again. I must do something but how do I, leave with his sword?
(OOC: Eiji is trying to think deeply and is in a hurry so he’s distracted. Someone can notice him or not. What he does depends on whether there are still people in the engawa or not.)
(Hide)
Ah now that my job here is done. I’m due back to work on something. Don’t wait up. I’ll be back sometime tomorrow
“Be safe,” I tell him, but he’s not taking his sword, so it’s likely he’s being chained to his desk to do paperwork… but if he’s having to go away soon, he’ll have to deal with the less interesting side of his job first. I touch the side of his face and look into his eyes. Like before, these golden afternoons are never long enough…
I’m surprised as Eiji-san tries to get him to delay, but Hajime is fixed on his duty. With a grin, saying that I’m used to it and I certainly am… and he invites Eiji-san to stay. That would be nice!
(Makoto)
WHERE IS EVERYONE?
Well, they’re too late now!
I go back out towards the engawa and there’s Eiji-san… is that chichiue’s sword?
“You’re too late for sweets, Eiji-san.” I stop and look at him. “Tsutomu-kun ate them ALL.” Well, I did help… but he ate the most. I do love peaches!
“What are you doing with Chichiue’s sword?” I ask. Where did he go?
I look out and everyone has dispersed. I heave a sigh of relief and start to leave.
“You’re too late for sweets, Eiji-san.” I stop and look at him. “Tsutomu-kun ate them ALL.”
I laugh nervously, “Oh did he? Well that’s okay Makoto-chan.” I pat her head. “i’ll be going…”
“What are you doing with Chichiue’s sword?”
“Ah he let me borrow it. I’ll give it to him directly.” I smile. “By the way, tell your mother I couldn’t stay after all. I appreciate the offer but I’m busy tonight. Now go back inside it’s getting cold.”
With that I leave in a hurry. No need to let the little girl ask too many questions.
(OOC: Close. I’ll go ahead and write the kamiya dojo piece partly tomorrow night and so on and handle the people there unless you feel like you want to play kenshin. it’s fine if you don’t).
OOC – Kenshin will not be at the dojo at the time of Saitou’s arrival.