When Dusk Hits

The Many Colors in Personality

(Quick AN: If you haven't seen/read the Shogun Assassination Arc, there are few spoilers. Very small details, but you've been warned.)

Present

My eyes gravitate towards the sky again, no surprise there. Scanning the horizon, I carefully examine the scene in front of me. There's just... Something about it... This time of the day... It reminds me of her. It's been 528 days— over a year— since she left and I still can't get her off of my mind. Not that I've been... Counting the days or anything.
The sky was still as vibrant and colorful as before, a huge canvas of contrasting and various colors mixing together. It's breathtaking. I think, and can't help but think about Kagura, damn her for mentioning it.

There have been a few days, where China and I didn't try to get on the other's last nerve, days we would just hang out. Though, we refused to let anyone else know about those times.

Flashback

"Hey, Sadist."
"What?"
"I really love spending time looking at the sky."
"Um... So?"
"So, Sou-chan... I just feel like people don't appreciate it enough. I think it's beautiful... And I guess it's kind of stupid but... I feel like the colors express something."
"What do you think they express, then?"
"I don't know, it's dumb."
"No, it's funny because I agree, Ka-... China. It's not dumb."

A week later

I walked around patrolling on my route, doing my job as I always do. Walking around, I kept an eye out for crime and did so amazingly I might add, so great in fact I clearly deserve a higher position in the Shinsengumi. The area was calm as usual, and I ended up slacking off- I mean, taking a little break at the park. Reaching the park, I saw a familiar figure with red hair and approached her.
"Personality and emotion" Kagura said out of the blue as I was just behind her, totally not about to pull a prank on her or anything of the sort.
"Huh?"
"That's what I think colors express." Kagura eyes me for a second and jumps up from the bench quickly, triggering my reflexes as I usually see her do this when we were about to fight. She extends her arm and I prepare myself for whatever attack is about to happen, but she hits me with an attack I didn't quite expect. Her gross, surprisingly soft hand that was clutching sukonbu earlier clutches mine and she begins to lead me.

"China, what are you doing?" I complain, trailing behind her as she drags me around.
"We're going to a festival, Sadist." She says in a nonchalant manner.
"You mean you're going to a festival while you force me to come with you? Oi, China, a festival? I didn't know you were this lame. Or is this just an excuse to hold my hand?"

************************************

Kagura and I arrive at the festival, Kagura full of smiles and excitement, while I was full of pain. Let's just say she wasn't happy with the remark I made...
"Why did we come here?"
"I want to show you what I mean by the colors. Let's agree to not be rivals today, okay?" She holds her pinky out and grins at me. "Mommy used to make promises with me like this." I can't help but laugh a little at her innocence. It's kind of adorable. "What?" She asks, pouting at my reaction.
"Nothing," I say and hold out my pinky "Okay."

Yellow-Friendship

Throughout the day, Kagura tried to hype me up for a firework show after the festival, and assuring I would see what she meant. She was actually pretty great to be around when she wasn't trying to kill me. She had a contagious bright energy and approached every new thing with childlike wonder. I take that back, she's pretty entertaining to be around when I tease her, as well.

We challenged each other at a lot of games, and we were eventually at an even 14-14.
Kagura searched the park for anything else she could beat me at, but there weren't any games left. We settled for a food eating contest, which she obviously won. It wasn't even a contest, it just seemed like I was treating her out to dinner. We killed a couple of hours to stroll around the festival and try out the activities there, but there was still some time before the main event Kagura was eagerly waiting to show me.

We decided to relax in the shade, and as we arrived to our destination, I don't think I've ever seen her wear such a happy expression around me as she did now. Her face seemed like it was permanently fixed to a wide smile and her posture was relaxed around me since we got here. Why don't we hang out like this more often?

Green-Relaxation

Finding a tree, Kagura hurriedly sits down and motions at me to sit by her. Once I started leaning against it, she lays her head on my shoulder. I gaze over at her, noting this sudden shift in her comfort with me in order to do this. Kagura doesn't take notice of me looking at her, while she scouts the vicinity and points at objects to use as an example. She continues to explain to me what she believes about colors, and I can't help but stare into the blues of her eyes. I watch her talk so calmly yet... Somehow energetically about it. I wore a stupid grin on my face for a few seconds seeing her face light up as she talked. This is what's so interesting about her. I get to see different sides of her in these moments we can actually be around each other without the "hate".

Blue-Trust

"Can I tell you something?" Kagura suddenly says, straying from the subject. She looks pretty upset.
"Yeah, what is it?" I ask, studying her face. Her expression was blank and her eyes were clouded by tears. I feel an urge to just... Comfort and hold her, but I refrain and ball my hands up into fists.
"I think about this often... And I know this isn't the time or place to talk about it... But I can't stop thinking about it." She looks to see me nod and she continues. "I don't like talking about him," Him? "but lately... I've been worried about him. Well, more... About him showing up again. I wasn't strong enough."
"If you don't mind, who are you talking about?"
"My baka Nii-chan," Kagura replies bluntly. Now that she does mention it... Is that the Yato I fought? He looks just like her... " I want to stop him... He does bad things. If I joined Papi, then maybe I could stop him." I look at Kagura, her face contorts as I can see the confusion, anger, and distraught feelings reflect on her face. He is causing her so much pain and worry without even being there. I picture the state I saw him before and my face scrunches up in disgust. His lust for blood and crazed expression... He even dared to say the two of us were alike.
I can't believe she has such a shitty brother...

Pink-Caring

"Sadist? Are... Are you okay?" Kagura taps my shoulder and gets close to my face. She peers down at me with a worried expression on her face, the corners of her lips pursed and downturned. I find myself laying my head in her lap... Which was damp. The warmth on my face made me suddenly realize that I was crying. I usually hold my emotions back. "Why are you crying? If it's because of what I said about my baka Nii-chan, don't worry, I'm sorry."

"No... It's not. This talk reminded me of-" No point in holding back tears now. She already saw them. Maybe she'll forget this day. My vision gets cloudier by the minute as more tears forms. Kagura wipes the tears on my cheeks. "You never knew this... But... I had a sister."
"Sister? Is there something wr-"
"Had." I interrupt her and my voice probably cracked when I said so but I was too upset to notice. Kagura has no response. Did I just make it awkward? "She was beautiful and nice... You two would have gotten along." I say, trying to lighten the mood while sitting up trying to compose myself. The moment I sat up, Kagura wrapped her arms around me tightly. Eventually I hug her back and burrow my face into her shoulder. Maybe she'll forget this, but I won't.

Later that day

"It's finally time, now I can show you what I was meaning to show you, Sadist!" Kagura excitedly grabs my hand and begins to run, and I'm forced to run along with her unless I want to dislocate my arm. We found a good spot and a fireworks show began.
"Fireworks represent colors?" I ask, smirking at Kagura.
"Mhm! Aren't they exciting?" She replied joyfully, her eyes lighting up at the various swirls and flashes in the sky.

Present

Ne, China, I think I've found a certain colorful someone who I find a bit more exciting than fireworks.