'Bound for the Sun'
001;

This is a Saito/Chizuru fan fiction. I know at this moment it doesn't seem as such, but I want to establish relationships of the others before I attempt to bring romance in the picture between Saito and Chizuru. Saito will not play a major roll in this first chapter but hopefully next chapter he will be. I am sorry if there is OOCness of characters, but I am trying my best. I hope that they are still a good percentage in character. If I have miss-spelled or gotten, a fact wrong for anything please let me know. I want to be as accurate as possible.

As a side note, the war/wars going on will not be used here. I guess you could consider this a "peaceful" time where they do not have to go to battles that are severe (petty squabbles will most likely occur though). Also, please know this is after when they had to get their haircut, rather than before. It is a simple thing to say but I feel it should be said. I will try to not use names of places because I don't know them very well. I don't want to be foolish and think I can. So just, assume they are in Edo regardless of the impossibility of it given the events that take place during this 'time', hahah.

Honorifics will not be used. Sorry for so many changes. I just disobey everything normal and logical.

. . .

The sun brought comforting warmth to Chizuru as she basked under its bright rays; the sun seemingly the only warmth to be found in the beginning lapses of autumn. Chizuru missed the thick smell of flowers and good earth, but she admired the brittle, yet sturdy smells of autumn. Autumn was full of wonderful things, she smiled; many beautiful things. The act of the leaves changing from a slick green to a rusty red, a deep yellow and crisp umber was magical. Pausing to look down at the stubborn gravel caking the cold stone pathway reminded her of her chores. She gasped and furiously swatted at the gravel with her broom, with more determination than should be exercised in sweeping.

"You know Chizuru you don't have to try so hard. I do not think it is a good idea to take advantage of the gravels inability to defend itself in your brutal beating. It is just gravel after all," she bristled at Okita's dry humor. He had a way of making Chizuru laugh deeply, but at times, his humor brought her on edge. Especially in this instance when she did not expect it, "Okita, you shouldn't be walking while you are sick, especially in this colder weather."

Okita sighed; he was tired of being cooped up in that room to himself. Rarely did anyone come to visit him he actually wanted to visit him, but he did know Chizuru had a valid point in her worrying. However, it still made him agitated at the lack of movement on his part. He watched Chizuru drop her broom and begin pleading for him to return to his room-"I will make Okita tea if it will appease him to go back to his room." He grinned at her sorry attempts at persuasion, though a cup of tea made by Chizuru seemed pleasantly satisfying compared to the others.

"I suppose if I can get Chizuru's tea out of it, I'll appease her by returning to my room."

Chizuru's mouth twitched upward at Okita's playful demeanor. She was glad to see he was in better health these days than before. However, he was still sick and needed rest but she sympathized with his predicament. She watched as his lips fluidly returned her smile with his own version.

. . .

They walked side by side to his room, a platter of tea in Chizuru's delicate hands.

"I am glad Okita kept his hair longer. The others look wonderful with shorter hair, but I feel you wouldn't be the same with a hair-cut." Okita laughed at her random conversation starter. She did always try to include him in everything so he did not feel left out, even if it was for something petty such as haircuts. "Chizuru, if I cut my hair, I would have little to no hair."

Chizuru shook her head at her foolishness, he did have a point. His hair was already short to begin with. Cutting it even farther would have seemed pointless. "Though, I appreciate the gesture." Chizuru felt the warmth circulate through her, she was happy to have given someone something to appreciate.

After shooing Okita to his room with his cup of tea, she walked back to her place by the gate, the broom lying peacefully where she had dropped it. Picking it up, she continued her rapidly declining attempts of keeping the stones perfectly clean of debris from past squabbles between the Shinsengumi members. They always seemed to do something else to disrupt her cleaning. She understood who they were and what they did, but wished some of them had better destructive habits-which meant none at all.

"Men will be men, as boys will be boys." Chizuru smiled at her use of a cliché saying, but felt it fit the situation at hand.

Just as she had finally swept the entire grounds that needed it, something else caught her attention that needed to be done. This then led to her remembering hoards of things she needed to finish by the day's end. First, there was dinner for the members of the Shinsengumi, and then she needed to go through stock and see what needed to be bought. Then she had to see what food would soon parish, and to make sure and use it before it did so. Heisuke helped her with stock normally as a way to avoid Shinpachi and his teasing; however, when Shinpachi and Sanosuke left Heisuke rarely helped her. He had to take on responsibilities that before were shouldered between them all, but now bigger problems had to be placed on fewer shoulders. She saw what it did to them all, and tried to relieve as much as that as she could by providing good food, and an ear to listen. She didn't mind doing the stock count by herself, it was a good time for her to think and reflect. Few people did stock at night but she had a habit of doing too much at once and then forgets to do stock, so it ended up being done late at night. It had just become a routine even when she remembered it needed to be done.

. . .

Chizuru walked to the kitchen and placed the vegetables she had pulled on the worn wooden counter. She raised an eyebrow when she saw pans already set out to cook. Maybe someone who knew her basic routine had been nice enough to get them out for her? She had to remember to thank whoever had done that, as it was rather sweet of them to remember.

Before she had even begun to clean the vegetables a quick shuffle made her turn her head to see Saito abruptly standing by her side, his kimono sleeves pulled back, ready to work.

"I would like to offer my services for dinner."

Chizuru brightened at the unexpected company; Saito was a mystery to her and any time she could potentially get to know him better was something she longed for. He was the only person she knew the least about. He shared very little with her, and from what someone had told her, he didn't share much else with them either; people he had known for years but she knew, if nothing else, Saito was one to keep to himself regardless who it was.

"Thank you Saito, you don't have to if you don't want to. I can manage on my own." she hoped he didn't take her words to heart and opt to leave instead of stay. Seeming to sense this he simply picked up some vegetables and began to prep them to be cut and cooked.

She was glad for Saito's help. Because of his help, she had cooked up a fine dinner, better than ones they had had in weeks. It was amazing what a second hand could help someone accomplish. Out of all the Shinsengumi members, it seemed Saito was the best at cooking; she had seen him cook only once before and was relieved to know it actually had a taste that was not repulsive. She was happy to still have her taste buds after that meal, unlike many others when the guys had thought to "help" Chizuru only to make inedible things that she had to swallow for fear of feeling guilty if she did not.

Walking towards Saito, Chizuru smiled widely at him as he finished dishing out the meals into bowls. "Thank you so much for you hard work! I appreciate the helping hand. It was nice to cook with you, Saito." He barely offered her a nod in acknowledgment but she took no offense to it. The fact he had acknowledged her was enough.

"Would you like help taking it to them?" The sudden speech from him caused her to jump slightly but instantly she replied, "No thank-you, I can manage this by myself. Maybe you could help by gathering everyone to eat…?" She didn't want to feel like she was commanding him to do something, as he was an officer and did rank above her, plus she didn't like giving commands to people when she didn't feel it was justified.

Saito nodded quickly, "I shall go and do that now."

Chizuru let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, after he left. Being around Saito was like walking on eggshells. She had no idea what to say to him, and didn't know what she could and could not get away with. For example, though Heisuke was above her in rank, she could talk to him as she would a friend. All of them treated her like this in some regard, allowing her to joke with them and get away with things most commanding officers would not allow. While Saito seemed overall the same, she felt a deep respect for him and his abilities. She felt she needed to act more mature and polite around him more so than the others did. Maybe it was because she felt small compared to him, but she didn't feel overwhelmed by his presence either. Like with Hijikata, she felt protected and safe but extremely limited in what she could offer to them.

As she walked to the room where they would all gather to eat, she felt a deep longing to try and get to know Saito better, even if by a little bit. Hijikata had finally done so; it was only natural for her to want to know Saito as well, right? Her face changed from being blank to being soft and pleasant. Yes, she wanted to get to know the man called Saito Hajime very much.

. . .

Finished with Chapter one! Hallelujah! Plot is somewhat predictable but ah, I don't claim to be especially original in that sense. Gah, Saito is hard for me to portray…I must listen and watch his mannerisms more in the anime to become better versed in his tendencies and manner of speech.

Hopefully that was a decent first chapter!