A birthday fic for the wonderful @impracticaldemon! Enjoy!!!
Saito’s lips pulled into a small smile. There was no use suppressing it, he was pleased with his work—proud actually.
The round shape of the cake he had made was near perfection. The full moon would be envious of its shape, Saito thought. He was no baker or cook, he admits that wholeheartedly, but goddamn, his skills with a knife were masterful.
Saito was far from sentimental, and he wasn’t the most thoughtful Shinsengumi captain (that title belonged to Shinpachi, he mused), but he felt it necessary to give a gift to the old woman who managed the local orphanage. “She’s raising future Shinsengumi members,” Chizuru once said.
When Chizuru caught wind of the woman’s birthday, she went right into her knitting mode to make her a scarf. Shinpachi, Harada and Heisuke were buying books for the children—a suggestion they stole right from him during patrol one night.
“She needs a cake,” Chizuru had said during breakfast. It was more demanding, actually, and Saito decided to take her up on that challenge. “A cake,” he whispered to himself. “Simple enough.”
It was a quick trip to the market and he had the kitchen to himself for an hour. He spent half the time preparing the night’s dinner, the other half making the cake. He pictured Chizuru’s bright smile, the sound of her giggle and the surprised gasp she would make when she sees his gift for the old woman.
He smoothed the knife on top, gliding it slowly to test the evenness of the surface. Perfect like an undisturbed lake in Spring. He let out a silent chuckle.
“Saito-san! Saito-san!” Chizuru’s bright voice approached the kitchen and Saito’s heart thumped a bit more rapidly with the sound of her pattering footsteps.
Chizuru’s head peeked through the window and Saito’s eyes met her big brown eyes with delight.
Her jaw dropped, mouth so wide open her gasp came out breathlessly. Saito’s body twitched in surprise. The sound Chizuru had made was like a lightning bolt that shocked his soul. Gods, what he would do to hear that sound again.
“Saito-san, that cake looks so beautiful, I could marry you,” Chizuru cooed, her voice dripped in so much happiness, Saito contemplated quitting the Shinsengumi to make cakes for the rest of his life.
“Chizuru-chan, do you mean it?” Saito held his breath, willing his heart to slow down right now.
Chizuru giggled and closed the distance between them, laying a hand on top of his trembling arm. “Of course, Saito-san,” she said softly, batting her brown lashes at him. “It’s a beautiful cake.”
Saito exhaled shakily. He gripped the edge of the table, knuckles so white they matched the frosting of the cake. “Oh, I meant, do you want to…”
“Hey, you two!” Heisuke’s bright smile interrupted the left-handed samurai. “We’re all heading to the orphanage now.”
Chizuru’s fingers lightly squeezed Saito’s arm. Saito’s muscles tensed at her touch, subconsciously flexing. “What were you saying, Saito-san?”
Saito cleared his throat. His body was relaxed, his heart a steady normal beat. “Oh, it was not important,” he replied, voice calm as ever.
“Come on, already!” Heisuke shouted. “The old woman ain’t getting younger.”
Saito nodded and Chizuru giggled at the young Master Forerunner. “All right, let’s go!”
pixelskylines
izzy806
vaporwave
jacobvanloon
yousharknotpass
amandla
gummygunk
