(Untitled)

[first_captain]

The afternoon out had been tiring for Souji, although he was smiling when they returned home. He couldn’t believe how comforting it was, to have someone he could speak to-in Japanese no less--who knew everything. While there was certainly denial regarding his health

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[yamazaki_san]

Susumu sat with his legs tucked under him, staring towards a window until the young samurai returned to the room. He heard him enter but tilted his head in the other man’s direction only after the tray made contact with the table.

“I don’t have anything else to do with my time.” He said; returning Souji’s smile not with one of his own, but with a softer tone of voice than he normally used.

[first_captain]

Souji watched Susumu staring out the window as he poured the tea and slid a cup to him.

"Of course you do." He replied, pouring his own tea, and smiling at it.

"I don't have much time left." Souji said quietly, pulling a small package of folded paper from his sleeve and tearing a corner, letting the contents settle to the bottom of the cut.

"I don't want you to waste your time. If you have something you'd rather be doing..."

[yamazaki_san]

The ninja‘s eyes narrowed, and he put an open palm to the floor. The fabric of his yukata made a ‘swish’ against the wood as he turned himself to face his companion in one movement.

“Don’t give me that self-pity bullshit, Okita.” he spat.

When Souji talked like this, it was so unlike him. Susumu care for it at all.
“I haven’t had ‘anything to do with my time’ since Hijikata died, not anything useful, and you know that. Besides; I wouldn’t have come all the way to this awful place without a reason. So shut your damn mouth.”

[first_captain]

Souji leveled his eyes at Susumu. Not angry but hardened. "I'm not pitying myself." He said. Souji had promised himself no one would know his feelings on dying and he was not going to change that.

"I'm telling you not to waste what time you have left. You say you don't have anything to do with your time. That's bullshit, Susumu. You can have life again! The wars are over. We lost. We're still alive. You can have a real life..."

Souji realized his voice had risen, taking the same edge and harness to his eyes. It was dangerously close to becoming an argument. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

"Make me smile, Susumu. What will you do, once I've died and you can go back to Japan? Give me something to look forward to, so I wont feel guilty for leaving you alone..."