"Y/n be careful! Your going to fall"
"Stop fussing Toshi! Come on!"
"Watch the long grass, be careful of the snakes"

I waited for my fiancée lagging behind, as we walked together up the hill.
It's been a very long time since I've seen Toshizo, even though we are to be married soon, he sent me off to live deep in the countryside, Toshizo won't let me be near him, he says it's too dangerous for me to be around and that the life he leads has so many risks. At first I wanted to be near him and help with the Shinsengumi anyway I could, but after a while I realised the best thing I could do to help Toshizo would be to make it so he doesn't have to constantly worry about me being in danger, so I agreed.

We've been walking for quite a while but it would be worth it when we reached the place we where trying to find again.
We used to go there all the time in fact that was where we first met,when we were young and now as we haven't seen each other for a while we decided to go and spend our afternoon there.
If only we could find it...

Ah, this brought back so many memories...

"Hey Toshi! remember we used to come up here all the time when we were young, you'd always take a stick with you to poke the grass to check for the snakes."
"That was a very long time ago y/n..."
"You'd always insist going first so I wouldn't be bitten, you were so protective of me back then"
"You were and always will be younger than me, I felt the need to protect you, those feelings have only become stronger"
"You say that and yet your telling me to slow down, and...we're together now" I said as he caught up and stood next to me.
"Your a child when you become excited, I don't know where you get your energy from and I suppose you have a point"

"Don't be such and old man Toshi! We have many years yet..."

"Hm...Hopefully..."

I was fully aware of what the Shinsengumi were up to and yet I chose to ignore it, the fact remained that Toshizo may lose his life someday but I just wanted to enjoy the time I did have with him for as long as possible, in the here and now.

We continued up the hill until we came to some rocks, this sure was some walk, I never had a problem with it when I was a kid.

"Wait here ,I'll go look on ahead to see if I can see how far we are" He said rubbing my back.
"Alright" I said as I sat down on the rocks.
"Will you be alright on your own?"
"Yes Toshi, I have my dagger don't worry, we want to find it before it gets too late"
"I won't be long"

And with that he walked off.

I sat there a while just staring out watching the grass blow in the wind, I only get to see Toshizo once every month, either I go to him or he comes to me, I had come to him this time. It was good to know he was surrounded by friends he could rely on and trust, it made me happy and reassured me. My friends keep telling me to leave him saying he's never around to help me. But I know he would be with me if he could, he's doing such admirable work, I couldn't ever take him away from that.
I wonder where he-

Just then I felt something slimy slither across my foot I jumped up with a start and looked down .
Mamushi...

One of the deadliest snakes around here, Toshi nearly got bitten by one when we were young...

I tried to get away quickly...
However the snake was faster and was ready to kill...

It bit me on my ankle and held on and wouldn't let go...

I screamed and cried...

I screamed for Toshizo to help me...

Still the snake held on ,it's fangs deep within my ankle.

I fell down on the grass, and about a minute later I saw Toshizo running at me as if his life depended on it.

"Y/N! What happened! What is-"
Then I guessed he spotted the snake on my ankle.
"Y/n!"

Toshizo drew his sword and stabbed it down onto the ground, I felt a great pressure suddenly release from my ankle, the snake had let go. But I could feel the blood pouring out, it wasn't a pleasant feeling.

"T-Toshi, I-I can't breath..."
"Hold on, I'm taking you back to Head quarters! Don't you dare die on me! It was meant to be me who dies first not you!"
"Toshizo...."
"Don't speak just rest"

The last thing I remember seeing was a flash of white and....his eyes that crimson red...
That colour I hated...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hijikata-san , there isn't anything I can do the venom's spread..."
"NO! Don't give me that crap! Yamazaki....It couldn't have travelled round her body that quickly!"
"Toshi look at her she's in great pain that much is clear..."
"Why not just put her out of her misery? I'm sure she'd appreciate it"
"SOUJI! Don't talk like that Toshi has enough to deal with"
"I was serious...Kondou-san"
"SOUJI!"
"What about the-"
"NO!!!"
"Toshi...it might be her only hope..."
"No...I don't want her to suffer the way I do I wouldn't even wish that on my enemy let alone my own wife! And besides Yukimura's research also showed that women who take this....aren't able to have children, y/n always wanted children..."

..............................................
"Jeez she's not even your wife yet why not just find someone else..."
"Get out Souji....NOW!"
"Fine"
"Toshi, what do you want to do...no one would blame you if you-"
"No one...No one could replace y/n"
"......."
"Hijikata-san! I'm losing her! What do you want to do?!"
"............"
"Toshizo!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up and felt someone holding my hand, I recognised this hand...it had held mine so many times before.
"Tosh-I?"
"y/n!...Are you..."
"What happened?"
"............You were bitten by a snake...."
"That's right.....I remember now"
"............................"
"Toshi, what's wrong?"
"............................"
"Toshizo your scaring me..." I said sitting up in bed.
"You should rest y/n..."
"I'm alright I feel....surprisingly okay..."
".................."
"Toshi, what aren't you telling me?"
".................."
"Come on we promised no secrets remember?"
"Then I have been lying to you..."
"What?"
"y/n....Happiness Is Your Biggest Enemy. It weakens you. Puts doubts in your mind. Suddenly you have something to lose....in my case that something is you....I've given you 'the water of life'....I did it without consulting you, I'm sorry"
"Toshizo.....It's alright, I forgive you, you did it to save me"
"But it was selfish of me to bring you back, instead of letting you pass on,I turned you into a monster like myself burdened with such a pain..."
"Toshizo, you really are an idiot, I love you through thick and thin and we will get through this 'pain' together as long as your here with me the pain your talking about doesn't exist to me."
"Y/n, but you won't be able to have children"
"Now you and I both know that isn't certain, don't we Toshi"
"I guess....I love you y/n, I'm not ever letting you leave my side again..."
"Alright Mr Over-protective"
"Can you blame me?"
"I guess not...I love you too Toshi"
"Hm, well you've changed"
"S-shut up!"
"Hahaha"

It's good to hear Toshi laugh....I haven't heard it in so long...