Chapter Text
The first time Doppo sent a Touken Danshi to the frontlines, he thought it was a disaster.
It was his first time putting his power as a Saniwa to use. And despite Konnosuke assuring him he did a great job for a first timer, Doppo felt bad for sending Yamanbagiri on a mission to god knows what period of history.
What’s worse was that when Yamanbagiri returned from his mission, he came back all bloodied and bruised. Doppo almost took the young man to Jakurai-san, but Konnosuke assured him Yamanbagiri could recuperate in the Citadel.
“You just need to take him to the repair room, Aruji-sama!” Konnosuke said confidently.
Doppo was sure the talking fox was out of his mind. As far as he could tell, what Yamanbagiri needed was to go to the hospital.
“Touken Danshis resemble humans, but they are actually tsukumogami,” Konnosuke explained. “They will be healed through repairs, like the actual swords they were.”
Doppo thought that didn’t make sense but he did as he was told. Yamanbagiri was taken to the Citadel’s repair room. Less than an hour later, Yamanbagiri came back, all clean and healthy, as if he never went to battle in the first place.
Doppo realized he had a lot of things to learn.
“Aruji-sama,” Konnosuke suggested one day. “Yamanbagiri-san shouldn’t fight alone. I think you can forge another Touken Danshi.”
Forge? Doppo didn’t even have any knowledge of smithing. How could he possibly make a sword?
“I’ll guide you Aruji-sama!” Konnosuke said confidently. “I may be a new employee, but I can guide you throughout the basics of being a Saniwa!”
Just as he did from the moment he got hired, Doppo decided not to stress out and just went along with the talking fox’s shenanigans. The Citadel was such as huge complex, so much that he hadn’t explored it entirely. In fact, he just found out it had its own smithy when Konnosuke took him and Yamanbagiri there.
The smithy was located in a smaller building separated from the actual mansion. Doppo never really saw an actual forge before, but he presumed the smithy would resemble those buildings during Japan’s Sengoku Era.
“We have limited resources at the moment,” Konnosuke explained, “but we can replenish them later on. Aruji-sama, use any amount you wish.”
“Huh?” Doppo was gobsmacked by the idea of him squandering precious resources for forging despite lacking knowledge in sword making. So he decided to take as small amount as possible, 50 of each charcoal, steel, coolant and whetstone.
“Yamanbagiri-san will assist you with forging, Aruji-sama.”
“Right...how do we do this?” Doppo was all the more confused, but he was glad there were no bosses around to scream at him should he fuck up.
“Once you get the right amount of resources you need, you can leave the rest to the smith.”
“What smith – waah!!!” Doppo almost jumped when he realized they weren’t the only ones in the room. A small person? Was it a boy or a girl? All he could tell was that the creature was dressed in traditional blue clothes, and resembled a tiny humanoid spirit or fairy.
The so-called smith took his resources and did its work. Well, the work seemed more like magic, as the smith managed to forge a sword in such a short time.
“Aruji-sama,” Konnosuke handed him a token made out of wood. “You use this to finalize the job faster. Your new Touken Danshi will be summoned immediately!”
Doppo, who was still quite bewildered by the strange things happening around him since the day he became a Saniwa, accepted the token and held it close to him. Truth be told, had no idea how he would summon a Touken Danshi – his first meeting with Yamanbagiri Kunihiro remained like a dream, and he has yet to grasp the idea that he had power to send people back in time. But he wanted to believe everything – this was his new life, after all, and unless Hifumi slapped the truth that he had actually gone mad, he would have to believe everything that was going on was real.
He was so immersed in his deep thoughts that he didn’t realize the Touken Danshi manifested before him already. It was a young boy clad in navy-colored uniform and hat, and donning what appeared to be a bronze armor that was a tad too big for his tiny frame. His hair was pink and fluffy like cotton candy, and his big eyes twinkle with innocent curiosity like a real child.
Doppo stared at the boy for a moment, dumbfounded. His heart began to race as he panicked. Did he make some sort of error? He then noticed the dagger hanging by the young Touken Danshi’s side.
The boy smiled at him so purely. “I am Akita Toushirou,” he introduced himself. “I'm so excited to be able to go outside.”
Doppo staggered as he glanced at Konnosuke and Yamanbagiri, who looked at him with worry. “D-did I do something wrong?!”
Surely he was mistaken? He accidentally summoned a child to battle? Wouldn’t that be illegal? Then again, Yamanbagiri looked like a minor himself, so shouldn’t it have been illegal from the beginning?
“Calm down, Aruji-san,” Yamanbagiri tried to reassure the fledgling saniwa. “Akita is a tantou. Believe it or not, he is as capable as I am. If not better...”
“Is there something wrong?” Akita looked slightly baffled by the commotion. He stared at Doppo in wonder, which only made the Saniwa-in-training feel rather embarrassed and guilty.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Doppo attempted to assure the young tantou, although he sounded more like he was trying to reassure himself. “I’m glad to meet you, Akita Toushirou.”
“Eeeeh, are you the new Touken Danshi?” Hifumi’s eyes twinkled with delight upon meeting Akita Toushirou. “So cute!”
It didn’t take long for Hifumi and Akita to get along. Not only did Akita look cute and adorable, he had the pure and innocent curiosity about the world, which made people want to protect him. Then again, if what Yamanbagiri said was right, then it was more likely that Akita would be the one protecting others instead.
“Hifumi, stop cuddling him too much,” Doppo said, albeit he couldn’t help but smile at the pair. He knew Hifumi would immediately be fond of Akita, as if the tantou was his own child.
Their own child. Doppo inevitably blushed at the idea. He found himself surprised for not minding the prospect of having a kid with Hifumi.
“Are you all right, Aruji?” Yamanbagiri asked.
“I-I’m fine,” Doppo denied as he glanced away in embarrassment. He continued watching Hifumi and Akita chatting and reading a story book together in the citadel’s living room.
“Are you still worried?” Yamanbagiri asked in an uncertain voice.
“Huh?”
“About Akita Toushirou going to the front lines with me.”
“Well...” Doppo furrowed his brows in deep thought. “I can’t help it, I guess. Everything felt unreal to me right now. You may think you and Akita are merely soldiers or weapons, but for me you are just a pair of normal kids. I should be raising you properly.”
“Raise?” Yamanbagiri arched his eyebrows in confusion.
“You know, like a parent to his children - “ Doppo was quick to realize the implication of his statement and became flustered. “I-I mean, we’re all living in this Citadel together, right? Like family...”
“Like...family?” Yamanbagiri stared at the Saniwa thoughtfully, as if he had yet to grasp the concept. “Even if I was mean to Hifumi-san?”
Doppo remembered the day when Yamanbagiri and Hifumi argued over cleaning Yamanbagiri’s cloth. “I know you didn’t mean it. And Hifumi can be pushy sometimes, but he just wants to get along.” He smiled at the Touken Danshi despite himself. “I...I also want to get along with you.”
Yamanbagiri glanced away shyly. “You’re my master. I will always be with you even if we don’t get along.”
For a moment, Doppo’s heart sank. It seemed he wouldn’t be able to reach out to the Touken Danshi even if he tried. “Is that so...”
“But if that’s what Aruji-san wants.” Yamanbagiri hid his face with his hood. “I will try my best.”
“Eh?” Doppo gazed at the young blonde in surprise. He wanted to ask Yamanbagiri whether he meant those words, but the Touken Danshi already turned his back and left the room. Doppo wondered if he was able to get closer with Yamanbagiri at last.