Work Text:
There are often things you realize after coming face to face with death.After the battle at the Kamunabi, Hakuri had one of those moments.
He was in love with Chihiro.
It seemed too obvious to anyone else, but for someone who's been used to swallowing his emotions down, it came as a bit of a surprise. He didn't quite grasp what this meant for them yet. He'd never really felt this way before. He didn't even have the slightest idea of what to do about this emotion, and hearing about the battle that was being waged outside didn't help any.
As Hakuri paced nervously in his room, the door opened.
“Hakuri! Chihiro and Samura are here. Since Azami and the others are still recovering from the stuff with the Shinuchi, I guess I have to be the one to tell you this. Whatever.”
Kiri popped in then immediately popped out to harass Natsuki. Guess Uraha and her are quite similar in that respect.
“HE’S..WHAT?” Hakuri ran outside. Chihiro and Samura were, in fact, there. They were injured, but still alive. Hakuri has never been so relieved.
He'd heard about how Chihiro managed to convince Samura to not dispel the contracts of the other sword bearers of the enchanted blades. He'd heard that the sword master somehow took Yura’s body.
But he didn't hear about Chihiro’s relation to the sword master, or his name, or that he had threatened Hakuri’s life.
“Chihiro?” The mood in the room was incredibly solemn. It was quiet, so quiet that it was suffocating.
“Hakuri..” Chihiro spoke softly, but as soon as he saw him, he smiled slightly. “I’m glad you're safe. Can we talk for a minute? I have.. a lot to tell you.”
Shiba had teleported them in, and shared a look with Samura, but they ultimately decided to let the two teenagers have their time. It was definitely going to be an important conversation for the two.
Hakuri was worried, of course. What could he possibly have been through to put the mood like that? Even Shiba looked distraught. Samura looked as if he was barely keeping it together in terms of injuries. Even the Suzaku couldn't heal all the wounds from the sword master?
“Is it alright if we talk in your storehouse? I think it'd be good to go somewhere to clear my head.”
Now Hakuri was really worried. He obliged, of course, and he transferred him to the storehouse. He sat next to him in silence for a couple of seconds that felt more like hours.
“Um, your suit is cool.” He awkwardly commented. Nice going, Hakuri. Really smooth.
“It was given to me by the Masumi. But that's not really relevant right now. You're..in danger. The sword master…Akemura Soga,my..uncle. He wants to kill anyone related to the Sazanami. That includes you, and he especially commented on the fact that you have the powers of the patriarch.”
Chihiro furrowed his brows, deep in thought.
“I’m sorry, Hakuri. I brought you into this. If it weren't for me-”
“Chihiro, if it weren't for you, I’d be dead already. You know that. Don't blame yourself. Please.” Hakuri took his hand, squeezing it tightly. Chihiro stared into his eyes for a moment, so intensely that it made the white haired boy’s face flush.
“I couldn't bear losing you. I realized that. You're more than important to me. I was scared enough when you were incapacitated after overusing your sorcery, but now.. I'm terrified. If Soga succeeds, I won't just lose you,I'll lose everything. I can't have that.”
Chihiro intertwined his fingers with his, and drew closer.
“I love you, Hakuri. That's why I'll fight for you. I'll be your samurai.”
Hakuri felt as if he was going to spontaneously combust. He didn't care about the major bomb Chihiro just dropped about Akemura, which was probably stupid on his part, but he just said he LOVED him. He said he'd be his samurai.
“I love you too. I promise I'll stay with you through this.” He whispered, his voice barely coming out from how nervous he was. Was confessing after someone confesses to you supposed to be this embarrassing?
Chihiro gently brushed Hakuri's cheek with his hand, then kissed him on the lips. He broke the kiss after mere seconds, but Hakuri kissed him back, again and again.
He didn't care if it was shameless. Chihiro was his light, the one who set his soul on fire, the one who saved him from everything he used to be. He wanted to kiss him for as long as humanly possible.
Chihiro pulled back, laughing. Hakuri loved his laugh. He loved Chihiro unconditionally. It was ridiculous, how taken he was with him. How he didn't even realize it until nearly dying was beyond him.
“That was.. unexpected. I didn't expect you to kiss me so intensely.”
Hakuri felt heat rise to his face.
“I’m sorry! I got carried away..”
Chihiro smiled, intertwining his fingers with his again.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve never kissed anyone before, so I thought it would be more awkward. But it was..nice.”
Now it was Hakuri’s turn to laugh. “Could’ve fooled me! You really haven't kissed anyone before? Neither have I. I just did what I've seen in those lame romance movies Shiba had for some reason. He said they were Hinao’s, but when I asked about them, she acted like she had no idea what they were.”
Chihiro could only shake his head in disapproval of his guardian.
After a brief moment,he looked at Hakuri again. “Hakuri, can you promise me something?”
Hakuri blinked. “What is it?”
“If anything happens that makes it seem like you might be in danger that you can't get out of, go to your storehouse. Take as many people with you as possible, of course, but think about yourself, too. Please.”
Hakuri nodded. “I promise. I want you to do the same,too. If something happens and you can't get out, contact me. I can get you out with my sorcery, since you're registered.”
Chihiro gripped his hand tighter.
“Of course. I promise I'll do that as well. Just don't overdo it. I don't want to see you in a hospital room again.”
“I know. I don't want to ever see you hurt, either. It’s hard enough seeing you all defeated like you were when you arrived at the headquarters earlier.”
“I can't promise I won't get injured. We are in a war with the Hishaku and Akemura. But I'll rely on Samura as much as possible.”
As much as Hakuri hated the idea of him getting injured again, he was right. With what they were dealing with, it was inevitable. Still, he wished he could protect him from it in some way.
But he couldn't. He felt powerless.
Still, he wanted to. He wanted Chihiro to be away from all of this, this dangerous world that seemed to be working against him.
Hakuri had to hold back tears. He didn't want to worry Chihiro more than he already has.
He decided he'd do something he wanted to do since he collapsed after overusing his sorcery.
He untied his ribbon and handed it to Chihiro.
“I want you to have this. Take it as a reminder of me, a reminder to take care of yourself. A reminder that I care about you and love you.”
“Are you sure? You never told me why, but it seemed like it was important to you.”
“Of course I'm sure. Everyone in my family had one.. it's something of a memento, I guess. Regardless of what happened, having it comforted me. But I can carry my memories of that without it. I trust you completely, I know you'll take care of it.”
Chihiro tied the ribbon around his wrist and took the other boy into a gentle embrace.
“I promise I will. No matter what happens, I'll keep it safe.”
How Hakuri wished he could stay this close to him forever, just listening to his heartbeat and feeling his warmth.
It was a simple gesture, but it meant the world to them both. No matter what happened, they'd keep each other in their thoughts, always.
Perhaps because they were both exhausted, the two drifted off to sleep. Since the storehouse is more or less deactivated when he's unconscious, they were teleported to Hakuri’s room in the Kamunabi.
Shiba came into his room to check on them after about 15 minutes, somehow knowing they'd be there. Chihiro was mumbling something in his sleep, and Hakuri was nestled with his head against his chest. Shiba simply sighed and closed the door. No use waking them up. They needed the rest, after all.
Chihiro vowed to himself that he would become the samurai he aspired to be. Hakuri’s samurai. And Hakuri vowed that he'd be by his side, even if not physically. Neither of them said it out loud, but somehow it seemed like they both knew about the other's vow. Regardless of what happened, they'd stay true to those vows. Like the ribbon that now was around Chihiro’s wrist, their lives were forever intertwined. No matter what fate had in store for them.