[Date/Rou] towards the brand new sun ahead

[mayovice]

Because it is Date's birthday and he totally needs a log to celebrate it, yes. Once again, set in the world of theskytides with that AU of Hijikata being taken under the Oshu clan, a month or two down the road after this log.

"You have the day off today

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[itsadate]

Date knew that THIS was the only day that was for himself. The rest of the year meant that he was the Oshu's, of the people of Sendai. His life was not his alone. But on this day, they give him reprieve, letting him do whatever he wanted to do. And the first thing he wanted to do was relax and spend the day with Hijikata however his search turned out fruitless when he saw Hijikata leaving the compound.

He asked Katakura where the other man had gone and his right eye merely smiled, looked towards the direction of the gate, and went ahead. If that was a cue, it was a pathetic one. But given that this was HIS day, he knew nothing and no one could stop to take his foot outside that gate.

The road was clear but Date will definitely find Hijikata.

[mayovice]

No matter how many times he was out in the town, the crowds always somehow had a way of unsettling him. Hijikata supposed he was just not a crowd kind of person, though the fact that he was used to all the hoohaa in the main compound was quite contradictory... then again, he was much more used to them than a bunch of total strangers out here who he didn't know at all.

...why am I even thinking about this, the retainer stopped himself then, pausing in his steps to give his surroundings another look as he got his mind back to the real topic at hand - getting something for Date. Really, it was hard to think up of anything to get for his lord - he already had pretty much everything and then some, so just about anything he did manage to think up was quickly shot down moments later by his own mind.

Hijikata let out an annoyed sigh before he started to move again, still keeping an eye around him and seeing what the shops were offering. Hopefully one of them would have something he could give to Date as a worthwhile present.

[itsadate]

Of all the days that Hijikata CHOSE to be around town was on THIS day. Honestly. Had his lover known better, he should be servicing him in bed or at least doing something... nice.

As Date walked passed crowds he pondered on why Hijikata would even do this. Maybe he didn't care. Maybe he really didn't love him as much as he said.

...nice, eh. /waggles eyebrows

[mayovice]

It was kind of surprising, now that he thought about it, just how varied the things that were available around Sendai was. For being not one of the major towns on the continent, it had its surprisingly fair share of things on offer as well. Hijikata kept glancing around as he looked at the shops he passed by, seeing what was on display. There were tea shops, candy stores, grocery places, a love hotel, convenience shops-

-a love hotel?!

The retainer abruptly stopped in his tracks as he turned around to look at the place he passed by moments ago; there it was, as clear as day... a love hotel. Hijikata found himself staring a fair bit at the establishment and trying to ignore the heat rising to his cheeks. He... certainly had no plans for anything like that at all... but... maybe in the future, perhaps...

...anyway. The young swordsman made a small cough as he turned right back around and went on his way again, once again searching for that something he could get for his lord. This was really a lot harder than he thought it would be.

AND SO WE SKIP LATER IN THE NIGHT

[mayovice]

The day went on much faster once Hijikata found himself busy with work at the establishment, and it was evening by the time he was done. There was no time to rest though, and he was chased out of the place by Takagi the moment everything was done. The retainer supposed he couldn't blame her, though - it was already past seven, and the way back to the Date compound would take him a good half hour if he hurried enough

WHAT IS THIS FAST FORWARDING!?!

[itsadate]

The One Eyed Dragon was nowhere in his room. In fact, he chose to stay far from it and insisted that he was going to spend the day doing work. At least what Kojurou allowed him to work: training.

After that trip around town, Date took the only thing that truly calmed him in times of great distress: his sword. With little hesitation, he invited his loyal servant, asked him to give him a challenge, anything that could distract him from this sudden weight on his shoulders. And the man was at it for hours. If one had gone to the training room, one could see the leader of Oshu shout from the top of his longs.

AWESOME FAST FORWRDING, THAT'S WHAT.

[mayovice]

Time seemed to pass at a torturous crawl as Hijikata waited for Date, trying his best not to be impatient as he did. Many years of living in Sendai under Date had done well to temper his once fiery spirit - it was still there, of course, but countless sessions of meditation and training (read: being pummelled half to death by Katakura) had managed to properly temper his impatience.

Still, nothing about this involved training or anything like that at all, and it was only too soon did the retainer start to worry about what might have happened to his lord. Where did he go? Did he get himself into some trouble or something? Or was he elsewhere without him...?

Hijikata fidgeted in his spot, not quite sure what to do now. On one hand, he wanted to go out and find Date, but on the other, he didn't want to ruin the surprise as well. What to do, what to do...

ugh you

[itsadate]

His sparring with Kojurou ended past the party and dinner and right smack when his men were already creating a ruckus in the main hall. Date stopped by the hall for a while to give his gratitude to his men and then headed back to his room much later than what he wanted.

He did want to relax, enjoy, smile, kiss, and maybe more for this day. Guess that's not happening. Not after he had witnessed such a thing. With a heavy sigh, Date opened his door, eyes down on the ground, looking glum for his birthday.

He is so disappoint, he moves to a new comment. :T

[itsadate]

And it was only then that Date looked at him, eyes pained by the outburst, the denial more painful than the last.

"Please."

Nooooooooo ;;

[mayovice]

Hijikata stopped when he saw that look, effectively stopped in his tracks right there and then. He really didn't even do anything - why did Date even think of him like that anyway - but those eyes...

"Sir, I..." he tried again. "I swear to you, nothing happened at all. Takagi-san just brought me to her embroidery shop and she helped me with making your present." And pricked his fingers one too many times in the process, as the notable amount of band-aids around his digits would prove.

T^T)

[itsadate]

The man's eyes drifted towards those fingers, taking note of the bandages on it. Those were not there earlier.

"Are you saying you sewed this kimono?"

T_T)

[mayovice]

The retainer quickly nodded in response. "I was told that the best gifts were the ones that you made yourself, so... that was what I did." He paused after that, and lowered his head a little more in a mix of shame and embarrassment (and some fear). "I-I'm not really good at things like these, so Takagi-san and the other workers at the shop helped me with it."

Another pause, and then he glanced back up at his lord, nervous and hopeful at the same time. "I-I hope you like it."

[itsadate]

"It's a lot warmer down here, Hijikata." There was no denying that cold evening breeze was nowhere better than the warm onsen. Date proved that by swimming across to the other side just so he could turn around and sit and watch Hijikata slip in.

"C'mon."

[mayovice]

The evening breeze was quite cold, and the fact that Hijikata was only wearing his yukata wasn't helping with things either. The retainer tried his best not to shiver, though more and more the onsen and its steaming hot water was becoming quite appealing compared to the harsh and bitter cold. But still, there was the whole thing with Date...

...a while won't hurt me, thought the younger samurai as he eyed the hot waters with some caution. Its not like I have to do anything while in there... Yes, all he had to do was to soak himself in there for a little while to warm himself up and please his lord, and then he could get out. Right, that was all.

Having decided that (and steeling himself just a little more), Hijikata proceeded to undo his obi, slipping out from his yukata and then getting into the onsen. The hot waters were excellent, and the retainer couldn't help but let out a soft little sigh as he sank into the warmth that the waters gave him.

THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK, HIJIKATA

[itsadate]

Date's lips curled as he watched Hijikata undress and slip his naked skin under the water. He smirked just a little at the sound of the sigh, wading back to where he once rested, closing in with his arm slipping around Hijikata's neck.

"How does that feel?"

fffffffffffffffft

[mayovice]

A bit too caught up in his own comfort at the water, he failed to notice Date closing in until the other's arm was around him and Hijikata had to jump just a little out of surprise.

"A-Ah, um..." he started, fumbling over his words once again while he felt his face burning in embarrassment. "I-Its nice, sir." Very nice indeed, although Date just seemed a little too close for comfort now...