Chapter 12

Finale.

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A few days later.

Kagura stood by the rails on the hospital roof watching the sun set. The early evening breeze was cool and tussled her loose hair and patients gown. Deep red glazed over the scene, Kagura herself looked almost a demon in a world of fire and brimstone.

The roof-top door creaked open behind her, she didn't pay the newcomer any attention as footsteps approached and stopped beside her.

In silence, the two watched the last rays of the sun go down.

Kagura interrupts the quiet with an unexpected laugh. "Haha, remember when you left with the Shinsengumi? We were both standing on that bridge and I kicked you off into the water." She gave him a mischievous smile and nodded toward the 200 ft drop below them.

Sougo peered down at the abyss below and hoped she was joking.

He almost didn't catch her whisper. "You kept your promise that time."

But he did, so he scoffed. "Hah, I didn't go travelling around the universe with two monsters hunting aliens for 2 years, yet I can still beat your ass to the ground. Frankly, I'm disappointed."

"In your dreams. As if you've ever even come close to beating me." Kagura rebutted.

"Let's go then, an official duel. I'll win even with my handicapped arm." He challenged, then shifted his eyes up and down her body nonchalantly. "How's yours? Not healed yet? I thought you had super-fast healing abilities. Tch."

He knew it hadn't, he had kept close tabs on it. The gunshot wound to her leg was good as new but the large damage to her stomach was still on the mend. Even now, the breeze occasionally lifted the corners of her shirt and he could glimpse bandages wrapped around her stomach.

And just as always, she was easily provoked. Her face flushed from his scrutiny. "Pffft. You don't even have your sword! You do know Yato excel at hand to hand combat." She cracked her knuckles.

"I don't need my sword, you don't have to worry about that."

They both lowered their centre of gravity, their eyes alight. Stuck in a hospital for days had them agitated. In that moment, adrenaline pumped through their blood, the thrill made their hearts beat faster and the excitement almost had them shaking.

Kagura rushed forward first, quick as a flash.

No time to think! Sougo instinctively blocked her elbow with his injured arm then kicked out at her position in front of him.

She dodged by flipping backwards, pulling her stomach, and landed on her feet, facing him.

They scrutinized one another in silence.

The fight lasted all of about 1 second.

After staring at each other and holding their positions en garde, they seemed to reach a decision at the same time and simultaneously collapsed, rolling around in agony.

"AUGHH, my tummy! You Do-S Bastard! The doc said I could finally eat solids tomorrow, if he changes his mind, I will kill you, you hear, kill you dead!"

"Back at you, idiot China! If that crazy bitch ass nurse shrieks at me one more time about not resting, I'm taking you down with me."

"You're the one who challenged me first! Look at you now, cocky chihuahua."

"Not like you're in any better shape, and after that shit you sprouted about never being beaten. delusional pig."

Yeah, this continues for a while as you can imagine. But believe in your hearts that these are the times they are at their happiest. Anyway, the night gets darker and their self-inflicted pain eventually fades.

After a brief silence, Kagura unexpectedly asks. "Did you see Papi downstairs?"

Did he or what. Her father was definitely a man hard to miss (and not because he was the universe's greatest alien hunter) it was really more the fact that Sougo felt his stare burning a hole through his head every time he was within the man's vicinity. Safe to say, he didn't think Umibouzu liked him very much.

There was the brief incident where the man had come up to him and thanked him for following his daughter when she was captured. Sougo still gets chills from thinking about that encounter though. The eyes! The eyes and the words didn't match at all!

However outwardly, Sougo simply drawled. "Yeah, I did. Danna too. You know it's rude to leave your visitors waiting."

Kagura scoffed. "Better than trying to kill them."

"Hijibaka's different."

She rolled her eyes and sat up, facing away from him. She took a deep breathe. Sougo stayed silent.

"Papi said he's thinking about leaving again. He wants me to come."

She stares up at the twinkling stars, her hand rises and clenches, imagining the stars can be caught in her fist.

Sougo stayed silent.

Well, that... hit harder than anticipated. He had thought he prepared himself for this, she had left before. He just... he thought there would be more time, there were so many things still left unsaid, unknown. His mind in turmoil, Sougo closed his eyes and clenched his fists, rising from where he laid.

He couldn't be angry with her, he had left his only family once and that forever tore at him, how can he expect the same. He couldn't and he didn't want to, it was just... he would miss her.

Not being beside him.

Again.

'Don't go.' He wanted to say. 'I don't want you to go.'

"I don't want to go."

Those weren't his words.

He turned and saw her facing him with determined eyes and red cheeks. She stood up and resolutely closed the distance between them, leaned up on her tippy toes and smashed her lips to his head on, their noses squashed together painfully for an instant. But before he could even blink, she had ducked her head back down hiding behind her fringe.

"I, I don't want to go, be- because I love you!" As she spoke, her voice gradually grew louder till she was practically shouting. He couldn't see much with her face covered, except that the very tips of her ears were inflamed and redness was creeping down her neck beneath her patient's gown. "and I'll miss you too much! But not just you, bastard, so, so don't get it wrong! Gin-chan too, and Shinpachi, and Sadaharu and Anego and, and Zura and- - - -"

While she continued listing off a never-ending list of names, Sougo stood stunned for a moment. Then,

"Pftt." He chuckled.

Kagura, still red-faced but now outraged, looked back up on the verge of exploding.

She stopped when she saw he was struggling to get his arm out of his sling.

The bullet wound had been stitched up well enough but the muscles around the site were still extremely sore.

"What are you doi-" Kagura began before Sougo managed to take it off and fling it behind him, then using his now free arms he encircled her and brought her closer.

"Was that supposed to be a kiss, China?"

"Sh, Shuttup!" She replied. But though his tone was teasing, his movements told another story. He was slow and his touches gentle, one circling her waist, the other guided her hand to his chest where she felt the rapid beating of his heart, similar to her own if not more so. His eyes especially, told her everything she needed to know. Kagura immersed in them.

He leaned his face in and whispered to her. "I love you. I don't want you to go." He smiled depreciatively. "You showed me up again, China." Reaching up and cupping the back of her neck, he lightly tilted her head, his lips millimetres from hers. "Can I kiss you?" Kagura replied with a whine.

He took it as a yes and leaned down all the way, pressing his lips gently to hers. Warm and soft, it was like all those TV dramas she loved watching but even better. He licked her lips and she allowed him entry, slowly they explored each other, lost in the feeling, entrenched in the moment.

Neither knew how much time passed, on one hand it felt infinite, on the other too quick.

Unconsciously, their hands wandered, Kagura's hands found their way to Sougo's back and sculpted over his muscles there, one of Sougo's tangled in her smooth fiery hair while the other dipped and curved along Kagura's contours all the while moving dangerously south. He'd likely have an issue soon if they didn't stop.

He pulled back first but she wasn't having any of it, chasing after him with her lips till they connected again. She could feel his lips stretching against her own and a rumble in his chest that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle but at that moment she couldn't care less.

Finally, when they did separate, they leaned against each other, catching their breath.

Content in their embrace.

"D'you know what would be a good idea?" Sougo contemplated after a silence, playing with a lock of her hair. Kagura mumbled incoherently. "After some time, I can join you on a trip to outer space, we can fight aliens together." Kagura looked up at him in surprise. "I can get to know baka-aniki and papi better."

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The sound of an unrestrained carefree laughter could be heard echoing throughout the hospital.

Umibouzu, situated inside, heard the sound and felt a cold chill run down his spine. Inexplicably, on the other side of the universe, Kamui also thought he heard laughter and felt the same deathly chill.

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FIN.

-and onto the next journey, haha. Nah, I'm not, no plans for it. And that's it guys, it's over! Endings are hard to write.

Thank you guys for sticking this far with my first long-ish fanfic. I really hope you enjoyed it, I had fun writing it 🙂. Reviews please? anything you liked or didn't really like, I'd appreciate it.

Hope to see you around. Bye bye.