To Love A Beast

Chapter 24

"Choushuu?" Osamu asked loudly. Kazma smacked his head, other people were turning around, "You moron, the Shinsengumi hussies are at war with them".

Osamu blinked boredly, he could care less about those things. Although, he does recall that he has to fight along the Shinsengumi, even if it sounds like a drag. Osamu shoved Kazama, he doesn't like being hit, only Chizuru can. He secretly liked it when she scolded him while he picked at the food. Sometimes he'd even do it on purpose to get her to yell at him.

Osamu looked the way where the odd man went, not liking that he got close to Chizuru. "Tch. Do we follow him?" he asked clicking his tongue. Kazama scoffed and turned to the wolf, "No, go back and make up with Chizuru. I don't want to risk her being harmed by her stubborness".

"She doesn't want to see me, Kazama" Osamu whimpered

The Oni rolled his eyes, never in his years of knowing Osamu has he heard him whimper. Not even when they injure one another does he whimper like a puppy. "Fine. Then you'll be the one to give testimony at my bride's funeral" Kazama bellowed before he disappeared.

Osamu perked up, he can't let that happen. But how? When Chizuru might push him away. He misses being next to her so much. Clingy as it may sound since it has been like two days already.

"Nee, Chizuru. Pay attention to me" Souji waved his dango stick infront of Chizuru's dazed face. She hasn't seen Osamu around and was worried something bad happened to him. She snapped out of her daze and gave him a small smile,"I'm sorry, S-Souji. I just feel a little worried".

"About?"

"W-ell, I haven't seen Osamu-san lately, I hope nothings bad happened to him" she replied looking out the door.  She knows he would get jealous be either way he would get her to say the truth so might as well just be hinest and not waste seconds.

Souji raised his eyebrow, he positioned himself to be laying on his right arm instead of leaning on Chizuru. She noticed the small movement and looked at him, " I see, thinking about another while with me" he said disappointed. Chizuru widened her eyes and made gapped her mouth in panic, Souji put his fingers over her lips, "No need to say anything Chizuru. I should've known you would never want a sick man like me". As he started to get on his feet, Chizuru couldn't think of anything but wrap her arms around Souji's waist. He looked down smugly, "Eh? Don't you want to be with another?".
She knew what he was doing, he wanted her to say she loves Souji only, or Souji is the only one. He took a peek at her face, she was really red, "Saying such things..." she said quietly.

"Don't tell me it's not true, Chizuru" he smirked.

"It's not! I l-love, Souji" she said looking away, it's still emberrassing to say it. She heard Souji chuckle and returned to his original position, leaning on Chizuru's shoulder. Chizuru didn't know what to say, she awkwardly gave Souji a kiss on his cheek. He grabbed her face to smash their lips together, another lovely evening of sweet kisses was here.

Osamu paced back and forth feeling really impatient. After almost interrupting Chizuru and Souji's nap, he almost ripped his head off but he'd rather straighten things out than fight. He is just glad they haven't gone further than kisses, or else he would rip ogf Souji's head and the other men for allowing him to touch Chizuru in an unforgiving way.

So many thoughts went through his head, while patiently waiting for Chizuru to come out. (Ugh, why the hell should I bother? I didn't even ask her to talk) he sighed. Osamu walked to the wooden box he placed near Chizuru's room and took a nap. If anything, he would hear her coming outside.

It felt a little after midnight when Chizuru was woken up by Souji's coughs. She felt his temperature and put him in a more comfortable position. Time to get some water, honestly speaking, she was very tired to go out to the well and heat the water. But Souji comes first before her state of energy.
Chizuru quietly snuck out to not wake him. She really wanted to check on Osamu to make sure he was alright but Souji needed her. "I shouldn't have pushed him away" she said quietly, looking sadly at the moon. All he tried to do was protect her, deep down in her heart she knew he was not of any evil sort. His cruel nature was made by someone else, not himself.

Chizuru poured water into the bowl, it almost froze solid due to the cold. She would have to heat it so Souji won't get sick. A gust of cold wind surged in the air, the breeze went through her loose sleeping yukata (A/N: I don't know what they used in the Edo era for pj's) and sent shivers thriugh her spine. Someone else was there with her, she could feel it. Chizuru slightly turned to her side, being almost afraid of what was next to her...nothing.

It suddenly got eerily quiet, almost too quiet to be comftorable with. Not even the owls were whooing, or even the buzzling town got silenced.

(What's going on?) she thought to herself, trying to shoo away the unsettling feeling.

She went back to filling the bowl with freezing water, hurrying a little more. As she finished the last drop, Chizuru held the bowl carefully not to spill any water on her small hands. Her eyes were to focused on the water, that she didn't notice the towering digure infrontof her. She bumped into it splashing water everywhere, Chizuru froze wondering if the figure could be Spuji or another one of the captains. But a certain white robe reminded her other wise, when she looked up, Kazama's ruby eyes met with hers.

"K-K-Kazama-san?" she stammered being a little too creeped out this time.

Kazama grinned, not the usual smug one he carried but as a dangerous man.

"Hello my future bride" he said with a low voice.

Fearing his change of tone, Chizuru took a step back discreetly, "W-Wha-What are you doing here? And at this time of night..." she said.

His pupils dialated, turning into those well know demon slits, "Is my future wife not happy to see me?" he asked unappealingly.

Chizuru wasn't sure if to nod her head at all, Kazama was definetly different this time, not even his voice was the same.

"A-Ano, I-I have to go...excuse me" Chizuru looked down and tried to walk by him but he grabbed herwrist and pulled her towards him.

"How inconsiderate of my wife to run off with a poor sick oaf, when I have come to take her home" he growled.

Chizuru flinched at his comment, she tried pulling her wrist off but the Oni squeezed tighter, "I am not your future bride, Kazama-san. Please, let go of me, you're frightening me" she snapped back.

She seemed to regret her words when he growled even more, she thought Osamu was the only one that growled. She didn't know demons could also growl like that. Kazama grabbed her faceand brought it close to his, "I'm growing tired of you pushing me away. You are to be mine" he said.

He looked down to her lips, deciding on his own to kiss her again. Chizuru widened her eyes and tried pushing him away, through muffled sounds. He bit down on her drawing out blood to lick her wound,"See? We're bound to eachother, only my blood is accepted by your body." he taunted her.

Chizuru glared before slapping him, whil holding her lip with the free hand. Kazama turned to her with his demented eyes, cleary not pleased she would even hit him. He took out his katana, "Ka-Kazama-san! P-Please, put down your sword" Chizuru stuttered stepping back,Kazama narrowed his eyes and hit her right in the stomach. Chizuru yelled "Osa-!!", and knocked out on Kazama's arms, "You will be my wife" he growled. Kazama lifted her bridal style to take her away.