Red

There are many things recruits from the first division admire about their captain. He's known as the prodigy of the Shinsengumi and is one of the most feared samurai in their era despite his young age. He's confident and though sadistic he knows how to lead the division perfectly and had in his mind the lives of his crew. He's handsome and popular with women and even during patrols women would gaze at him dreamily.

"Isn't captain too perfect? How is it even allowed?" A young recruit complains to his comrades. It's been one month since they've become members from the first division but they can't help but wonder— their captain doesn't talk a lot, always wear a poker face and his talents far outweigh his flaws.

Surely, he is not as perfect as he appears to be.

"Yamazaki-san you've been in the Shinsengumi since a long time right? Have you never seen the captain weak?" Another member asks as Yamazaki sit down near them to fold the freshly dried laundries.

"I can't say it's a weakness but captain Okita does have a soft spot for someone."

"Ah, isn't that China-san from the Yorozuya?" An older crew member pipes up with a grin, joining into the gossip circle.

"China?"

"She's an Amanto who worked for the Yorozuya and she often spares with Captain. They were rivals."

The recruits gulp, "what kind of alien girl can stand a fight with the captain? What does she look like?"

"Oh, she's not green with horns or anything. She looks just like us. She's flashy though, pale skin, red hair, blues eyes and always in a red Chinese dress; you can't really miss her."

"You just said she was a rival right?"

Yamazaki finishes folding one kimono as he intervenes again, "China-san is close to captain Okita because of their rivalry. They're married now."

"Huh?"

The recruits start to chat loudly amongst them. They've been observing him for a while but they can't find any ring around his fingers or anything that might prove his status.

"Yeah, it's been two years now." Yamazaki doesn't quite know if he should be happy or sad upon remembering the whole wedding fiasco with Okita and Kagura eloping together and both the Shinsengumi and her family trying to run after them. It certainly has been a memorable wedding in the end.

"Doesn't she come back today?"

"Ah, you're right. You guys are lucky, if she comes back captain Okita will be more clement."

"Can he be even clement? He's been pushing us one hell of a training!"

"Captain and the word clement don't belong together. Clearly."

"You two will see," the senior member laughs and pats them on their shoulders. Both him and Yamazaki exchange a knowing glance.

Okita is sitting in his room in the compound. His wife has decided to go to space and take an important mission from the Alien Hunter Association. He doesn't really like it when she leaves Earth and him but he can't be selfish, he's her husband now and he's proud of her. Soon she will be a famous alien hunter and her happiness as also his.

However, even though they have a nice house close to the Shinsengumi he decides not to stay there. It's their home but when she's not here it's cold and he misses her even more. Sleeping alone in a double bed is something Sougo can't stand.

As he mechanically signs paperwork he wonders when she's coming back and if she's safe and sound. He can't help but think of the worst when she's away. It's true that she's strong, stronger than him but she's still his wife and he worries because she's a careless idiot.

It's a wonder how just two years of marriage change a man. He's all mushy mushy now, disgusting.

It's all because of those nightmares where she's lying on the floor, covered in red with her eyes closed. Red is obviously her colour, but this exact shade isn't allowed to cover her and he will do anything so it never happens but what can he do, when she's on another planet?

It pains him to think of her so he abandons the brush in his hand and falls down to the tatami. Damned China. He can't even work correctly now and that's all her fault he's going to nap instead of completing his job.

Okita closes his eyes and dreams of red.

Kagura has a sheepish smile as she comes back with her arm plastered. Injuries happen often when you're an alien hunter but Kagura heals faster than most species, it's the first time she comes back looking this bad and she already sees the sadist getting angry.

She doesn't expect to be the one angry but she explodes when she discovers the state of the house. The dust is everywhere and she can't even stop coughing, the fridge is empty and it looks abandoned. Or to be exact, Sadist is the one who abandoned their house.

She immediately rushes to the Shinsengumi compound, how does he expect her to feel when she sees this? The feeling of a wife discovering her house in a pitiful, pathetic state?

Recruits look at her oddly as she dashes like a tornado to their captain's room and kicks through the door.

"Sadist!" She screams as the poor door is thrown at him. As expected, Okita wakes up and dodges the door easily— he's not the first division captain of nothing.

However, at the moment Okita doesn't look anything like the dignified captain he is. He's rubbing his eyes and wears a rather confused, childish expression on his face.

"China?"

Kagura ignores the rare soft tone he's using, as he calls her by her pet name and promptly starts connecting her plastered arm to his head. Quite brutally.

"What have you been doing sadist? Chilling here while making me worry? Is that how you treat your wife?" She hits him once more, not minding that the recruits are now observing the scene, bewildered. "Who told you could abandon our house? I thought you were gone! If I find that you cheated on me with Mayora I'll kill you!"

Did the captain and the vice chief had this kind of relationship?!

Kagura doesn't stop rampaging until Okita finally catches her arm and suddenly pulls her closer. He's frowning and stares at the plastered arm, "how did you get this?"

"The alien had a kid. I didn't know," she mumbles. She doesn't dare to look at Okita because she knows he'd red from anger. He never appreciates when she gets injured.

"You—" Okita almost yells but he stops midway, he knows it's not a good idea. "Why are you so careless? Just because you're a Yato doesn't mean you can jump at any aliens like that, stupid."

"It will heal in a week or so, the doctor said. But you left our house for months, you're the idiot!"

"Even if it's just a week you have to take care of yourself!" Okita groans and slides his arm around her waist, gently pulling Kagura in a hug. He's been tired and worked out by her absence, and arguing right now isn't something he wants. She's finally home. "What will happen if you get pregnant uh?"

At the mention of pregnancy and its process, Kagura can't help but blush and hide her face in her husband's chest. "This won't happen yet."

"We'll see tonight," he smirks.

"You just missed me!"

"That's also true."

Kagura and Okita lean toward each other, easing closer and closer to seal their lips when the recruits suddenly scream.

Ah, the recruits. They've been watching the whole scene in awe, catching the captain being gentle, full of affection and love is not something they can see every day.

Kagura laughs with plenty of innocence, but for the recruits, the sudden red spreading to their captain's cheeks is more interesting than his pretty girl of a wife. Okita Sougo is rarely bashful, after all.

It's too late when they realise that the red stain of embarrassment is turning to one of anger