#okisaiweek2018

[hakuyamazakisensei]

Hurt - A What-if Story for OkiSai week....

Thank you, @okisaiweek for hosting this!!!

This story is a what-if...so does not follow canon, but keeps it...close-ish? Nope probably not.  What if Saito got found out while investigating Ito and his group?!

 Day 1: Weapon or Warrior....Which IS he??

I hope you enjoy! 

Souji ran through the darkened backstreets, his anger as sharp and deadly as the sword that hung from his hip. Behind him, he could hear the shouts of whichever men Kondo-san had sent to give chase, but he ignored them. He had to reach Hajime-kun!

He had known from the beginning that something was amiss. Hajime-kun would never join Ito’s faction of his own volition. And to make matters worse he, as the first unit captain, had been kept in the dark while that damned shinobi knew everything. And Hijikata-san...this whole fiasco was his fault. Souji was certain that it was Hijikata-san’s suggestion that kept Kondo-san quiet about the ‘plan’ they had laid out for Ito and his cronies.

But none of that mattered now. Yamazaki—the bastard—had brought word that Hajime might have been found out. Of course, he hadn’t bothered staying to see if Hajime needed help. No, he had run back to headquarters, to Hijikata-san. While the Hijikata-san laid out plans and took far too long to decide on how best to deal with situation, Souji had taken it upon himself to bring the third unit captain back home.

As he neared Gesshin-In Temple, he heard the shouts of many men. Fear stabbed through his heart and he pushed himself to move faster, rounding a corner in time to see Hajime stumble.  Several men swarmed around him, and in the middle of the chaos, Heisuke came running from the inner yard with his sword swinging wildly into the fray.

“Souji!” Heisuke shouted.

“Get to Hajime-kun!”

Both men fell silent as their weapons carved a path through the combatants who had once been Shinsengumi members but were now the enemy. Souji kept his eyes trained on the place where Saito had fallen, fury and fear swirling in his stomach. He inched forward, sweat filling his eyes, the smell of blood acrid in the evening air.

“Hajime-kun!” he heard Heisuke call out as he leapt from place to place, his katana a blur of motion.

From behind, Souji could hear the footfalls of more men joining the battle and he cursed under his breath. Surging forward, he slid past the last wall of men that blocked his way to Hajime, who knelt on one knee before him, his sword held above his head, holding off blow after blow. Blood trickled from a slice on his shoulder, but other than that, he looked to be holding his own.

Burning fury exhumed Souji’s thoughts at the sight. He stormed forward with blade swinging, knocking two men down in his haste to reach Hajime’s side. When he reached him, he took up an aggressive stance, allowing the younger man to get to his feet at last.

“Hajime-kun, why is it that you have all the fun, ne?”

Souji heard a small puff of air behind him and chuckled. That was as much of a laugh as he could expect from Saito Hajime. The man did not relinquish control of his emotions at all. Still, the relief he felt on hearing such a small thing almost made him lose focus on the task at hand. Luckily, Heisuke was there to bring him back.

“Oi, Souji! What the hell is going on?”                                    

The youngest Shinsengumi captain worked on his way toward them, Souji fighting back to back with Hajime, who staggered more than once.

“Get over here, Heisuke! We can’t hold them off forever, you know!”

“You might have had a better chance if you’d waited on us,” a voice shouted from the left, and Souji spun to face the new menace.

“Shinpat-san! Sano-san!” Heisuke shouted, relief filling his voice at the appearance of the two men.

“Hey, squirt! Looks like you’ve caused enough trouble here, don’t you think?”

“It wasn’t me this time!” Heisuke shouted with a grin, dashing toward his friends, slashing at the enemy as he went.

“I’m getting Hajime-kun out of here. You can handle the rest, right?” Souji asked, pulling Saito’s arm over his shoulder.

“We got it...Go!” Harada shouted as he brought his spear up to deflect another blade.

Not waiting for a response from the other two men, Souji hefted most of Saito’s weight onto himself and began the slow walk back toward Nishi Honganji. It was a grueling journey for both men, and Saito worked to keep both feet moving as the blood dripped from the wounds he received.

“Just a little further, Hajime-kun,” Souji murmured, shifting the younger man’s weight slightly.

“Aa,” came the strained reply, but he kept in step with Souji.

They reached the gates of the temple, and Saito stumbled as they crossed the courtyard. Souji pulled him closer, carrying most of the injured man’s weight himself. From the corner of his eye, he saw a blur of purple, and anger flooded him.

“You did this,” he snarled, wrapping a protective arm around Saito’s shoulder.

“Souji...” Saito reprimanded weakly.

Hijikata stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening and then narrowing at the accusation. He moved his gaze to Saito, and scowled. “Damn it,” he muttered, striding forward once again. “Sai...”

“Don’t,” Souji interrupted, his glare pinning Hijikata to the spot. “He was there because you sent him. He’s just a tool for you to use. Try and deny it!”

“Now isn’t the time! He needs....”

“Then get out of my way!” Souji pushed passed him, wincing when he saw Kondo step out onto the engawa.

“Is that...Saito-kun?” he asked, hastening forward. “Souji, are you hurt?” In his worry, he didn't wait before firing off his next question. “Toshi, is Yamazaki-kun nearby?”

Pressing his lips together, Hijikata looked from Souji to Kondo and back again. Finally letting out a frustrated sigh, he turned to the commander. “I’ll fetch him.”

Kondo nodded and moved to assist Souji. “Let me take some of the weight. Are you hurt, Souji?”

“No, just Hajime-kun...this is his blood, Kondo-san.”

Kondo frowned and lifted Saito’s free arm to place over his shoulder. Together, he and Souji adjusted their hold on him and walked him to his old room. When they crossed the threshold, Kondo kept a tight grip on him as Souji laid out the futon and prepped the space. They settled Saito onto the thin mattress, and waited in silence until Yamazaki arrived with water and bandages.

“About damn time,” Souji muttered, but Kondo placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Let’s give him some room, ne, Souji?”

Reluctantly, Souji backed away, but kept his eyes on Saito. Yamazaki knelt down and peeled away the layers of cloth covering the wound and then turned to Kondo.

“There is substantial blood loss, Kyokuchō, but it is not a fatal wound. He will need time to heal, but should do so completely. I will need to suture the wound.”

“Will you need someone to hold him steady?”

“I have him, Kondo-san,” Souji said, looking to Yamazaki for instruction.

“What of the others, Souji? Were there any other injuries?” Kondo asked, worry evident in his voice.

“Not when I left. I think Sano-san and Shinpachi-san have everything under control. Oh...and Heisuke, too,” he added, looking quickly up at Kondo.

Beaming at the news, Kondo smiled and squeezed Souji’s shoulder. “Well that is a relief!  I’m sure the boys will bring Heisuke-kun back where he belongs. Yamazaki-kun, once you’ve seen to Saito’s wounds, come to the common room. If any of the others have been hurt, I want them looked at as soon as possible.”

“Hai, kyokuchō!”

Turning his attention to his protégé, he added, “Souji, I’ll leave you to watch over Saito.”

Souji crossed the floor and sat next to the futon, with Yamazaki sitting on the opposite side. They both looked to Kondo when he spoke again.

“I want word the moment anything changes. Saito-kun, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, but make sure and do exactly as Yamazaki-kun says.”

He left the room, leaving all three men in silence. Souji refused to look at Yamazaki; the shinobi had known of Saito’s mission all along and that irritated the first unit captain no end. Still, the medic was good at what he did, and his quick action would help Hajime-kun, so for now, he was granted leniency. So long as Hajime-kun was alright.....

[cloudyskies48]

Barely in time, but here’s something for day two of Okisai weekend 2018 (@okisaiweek) for the prompt: passion!

Cosplayers: me (cloudyskies48) as Saitou, and my partner in crime Sugar Song as Souji. You can find more of them at: https://www.instagram.com/sugarsong_kitty/?hl=en

Photographer: Will be known as Hidden Face 

Posted with permission!

[okisaiweek]

Song of OkiSai

Warmup game! The task is simple:

Which songs do you think describe the relationship of Okita and Saitou? Choose at least one and tell us why and in which situations does it apply to their dynamics.

Friendship or romance? Kisses or fights? Maybe something for a prompt? Completely up to you!

When finished, tag this blog and three other people whose responses you'd like to see. Please use tags #okisaiweek2018 and #song of okisai as well!

Share away and have fun!

[okisaiweek]

Song of OkiSai Masterpost

Thank you all for your headcanons and amazing songs you’ve sent in! In this post they can all be found in one place, along with a playlist.

Playlist (from the links shared, some are AMVs)

[Explainations under cut, ordered by answer length]

@kondo-hijikata:

The Call by Regina Spektor paralleling when saito left the dojo, just to show up in kyoto…and when he goes off to fight while okita remains behind

Don’t Be So Shy by Imany the sait is shy when the clothes come off ;)

Sakura Nagashi by Utada Hikaru translation in the cc. this is…………………………….fine.

@soujthings​:

Partners in Crime by Set it off I mean… Look at the title. (Okay, that’s not a good reason.) I really feel the refrain fitting their teamwork, the way they belong to and depend on each other until the very end. In all of the other parts it’s the music: the rythm and effects remind me of a swordfight, it has a pulse similar to calculated but instinctive movements. It’s just awesome, like the two of them fighting side by side, lives on the line.

Flesh by Simon Curtis (Uhm… How does one make this sound good? ) This is the song that inspired me to write my first OkiSai smut (it’s in Hungarian and way too long to translate alone, sorry). I can’t explain it, somewhy I can totally see them engaging in more violent bedroom activities to let steam out from time to time. I know their job is a violent one too, but maybe that’s exactly why. I mean… Souji is good with knots and his hands, both of that is canon, right?

@impracticaldemon:

Angel With a Shotgun by Imagine Dragons This could be either romance, or deep friendship, and/or deep understanding. There is the sense of fighting for a cause without regard to moral standpoint; more than that, the person is saying I will stop being an “angel” ( a “good” person?) in order to do whatever has to be done: to me that’s both Okita and Saito, not so much for the Bakufu, but for the Shinsengumi (Kondo and/or Hijikata) and very much including each other.  Whatever else they may be to each other, the thing that comes across very strongly is the sense of “this is the person I trust at my back absolutely”.  Whatever it takes for me to protect this person, we fight together.

The Greatest by Sia This exemplifies the concept that these two are each other’s peers - rivals, comrades, more-than-friends (the concept of nakama comes through for me).  The one person that they pit themselves against, over and over again, and in whose strength and skill they trust absolutely (as a peer, not a leader/parent).  This song also brings in that concept of exhaustion, and fighting through exhaustion, that I associate with both of them as they strive to be the best because they have to be.  Incidentally, I’ve always had a strong head-canon that Souji is low-key jealous of Saitou as time goes on, especially after Serizawa fans the flames.*  (This is also worsens as Okita’s health fails, while Saitou remains healthy and mostly undefeated - depends if you’re counting Kazama.  But this is a personal hc.) Anyway, there is both exhaustion and desperation about the song, along with a keen edge of brutally-won victory. That’s a feeling, an aura, which I perceive swirling around these two very young, damaged, brilliant swordsmen. Again, I think this song could work for friendship, or for a romantic, and/or a sexual relationship.  But I think I prefer it for something strong - it would be a profound ‘beyond words’ kind of thing, even if non-romantic, and I see a potential sexual edge to it.

*Serizawa points out Saitou to Souji saying “now there’s a man who has killed” (effectively) - and it conveys a strong weight of “being a ‘real’ man.”  That triggers Souji’s increasing bloodlust and/or need to prove himself (which Saitou never does approve of, in my opinion).

[okisaiweek]

OkiSai Weekend 2018

I gladly announce that the blog is up (though in pre-alpha status so far) which makes this a great time to announce the event itself!

Date: 27rd ~ 29th July

Theme: Love of Blades

The theme is symbolic to the way their philosophies oppose and overlap each other, emphasizing their identities as blades of the Shinsengumi along with they way they attract to both literal blades and one another.

Prompt list:

There are two sets of prompts that can be freely chosen from or combined however you like! The ones written first are more related to the original story of Hakuouki, yet the second set focuses on themes constant in their lives as samurai.

Day 1: Weapon or Warrior

Day 2: Passion or Duty

Day 3: Blood or Honor

Not feeling like any of those? No problem! All other works can be submitted under Blank Canvas any day of the event.

You also don't have to make them a romantic pair to have your story featured. Non-romantic works will have their own tag, #mirroring blades.

Any kind of your original work will be accepted.

Fanfiction (any length), poetry, fan art, essay, cosplay pictures, AMVs, edits, moodboards, gifs... you name it. The point is to unleash your unique imagination and have fun.

Rules:

1. Post own works only.

2. Use tag #okisaiweek2018 and tag the event blog (@okisaiweek) to make sure your work is found and featured.

3. Insert cut into entries that are longer (2+ pages) or not safe for work.

4. Tag nsfw accordingly, within first five tags.

5. In case of cosplay pictures, ask permission of photographer and all models and credit their main social media/tumblr properly (artist name+link).

I'm really looking forward to all your submissions! Don't push yourselves, participate much or as little as you like. The point is to celebrate this nice romance/friendship and have fun together!

Huge thanks to everyone for sharing their opinions or reblogging earlier posts, especially @hakuoukishippingweek for making Hakuouki shipping events a thing in this fandom, and for @impracticaldemon who helped me rearrange my prompt list so I could finally post this today without even more delay!

[okisaiweek]

Well, this post is very, very late but-

Huge thank you to all participants of OkiSai Weekend, your works were a delight to see/read, and an honor to feature here!

Soon, an index page will be made, that is to be used for all upcoming events.

Equally huge thanks goes to every kind person who reblogged the rules, featured the blog/submitted stories on their own blog or even helped me in setting things in order on time!

For now I'll go on to planning the next shot... The first HijiOki event I also promised to host later this year!

[hakuyamazakisensei]

Just to See you Smile....An OkiSai story

For Day Two of OkiSaiWeek2018 ( @okisaiweek)...Again, I used both prompts, sort of, so Passion and Duty. I hope you like!

Saito felt a mix of emotions as he sat in silence just behind Hijikata and Kondo as the meeting progressed. His return from the secret assignment he had been given—infiltration of Ito’s faction—had placed him in an all too familiar position. Once again, he was on the outside looking in. The trust he had gained among the men was shattered, and even the captains were frustrated and seeking answers.

It was understandable. He had left the Shinsengumi, at least in their eyes. He had turned his back on them, or so they had thought. And though he understood their need of explanations, in the end, their judgement didn’t matter. He would take the same assignment again and again should it prove helpful to the Shinsengumi and to Hijikata-fukuchō. He had survived many years of hatred and hostility, of resentment and rancor. He would do so again, if need be.

But—and he was loathe to admit it, even to himself—there was one who he hoped understood. He risked a quick glance toward Souji and found sharp green eyes boring into his own. His own eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly reined in the feelings swirling in his mind. He wanted to look away, but could not. He had done nothing wrong. He would not feel....shamed. He straightened his spine and noted the slight rising of Souji’s brow. The man missed nothing. Letting out a small sigh, Saito closed his eyes once more.

He needed to meditate; he had had very little time to do so while he was away. When he hadn’t been gathering information, he had been keeping a close eye on Heisuke, who was suffering with the choice he had made. Saito had hated leaving the youngest captain with Ito more than anything. He hadn’t realized quite how difficult it would be, mentally. Heisuke was not like the others. Though a strong and talented warrior, Heisuke was more open, and therefore more easily influenced by heart over mind. Another small sigh escaped Saito, and this time, Kondo noticed.

“It has been a long day. Let’s eat and then everybody can rest—except those going on patrol, of course. Saito-kun, I’m sure Toshi will want to get you back into the swing of things quickly, but for tonight, you should rest.” Kondo glanced to his right, catching the eye of his vice-commander.

“Agreed. You have done enough for now,” Hijikata stated firmly. He then turned to face the remaining captains. “As for you lot, try to keep it down this evening.” He met and held Shinpachi’s gaze before adding, “And no trip to Shimabara.”

A few muttered complaints filled the air, but were quickly hushed with a glare from the vice-commander. He and Kondo took their leave, and the captains circled around Saito, their expressions grim.

“So it’s true then? Ito has targeted Kondo-san?” Nagakura asked, his arms folded across his chest.

“Aa.”

“What about Heisuke? Why didn’t he come back with you?” Harada wanted to know.

Saito faced away, devoid of expression. “Heisuke is unaware of the situation.”

“What? Why? He would have come back if....” Harada nearly shouted.

“It was not my place to make such a decision. I had my orders.”

“That’s bullshit!” Nagakura said, before a hand fell on his shoulder.

“Gentlemen, I believe Saito-kun was told to rest,” Gen said quietly, looking each captain in the eye.

Letting out a deep sigh, Nagakura acquiesced. “Yeah, sorry about that Saito. It’s not your fault. I know the squirt can make his own decisions. I just wish he had talked to us!”

Okita, who had kept his seat when the other captains swarmed Saito, rose to his feet slowly. He gave Saito an indecipherable look and then left the room. Saito watched him go, his hands flexing on his thighs the only indication that he was upset. Closing his eyes, he waited until the other captains gave up trying to converse and then excused himself.

Walking toward his room, he let his thoughts whirl out of control. Perhaps he should have tried to speak with Heisuke. But Hijikata-fukuchō had been adamant that Saito keep his directive confidential. Saito did not like self-doubt. It made him hesitate, and that could be deadly.

He paused in the middle of the engawa, changing direction as the sakura tree came into view. He had always found peace beneath its branches; it quieted his mind to be close to something so sound and corporeal. Just before he stepped down into the courtyard, however, a hand clutched his wrist in a near-painful grip. Saito didn’t have to look to know who it was.

“Souji,” he said without turning.

“Come with me.”

Saito felt a tug on his arm and he side-eyed the man who pulled on him. Pursed lips and clenched jaw spoke of anger, and Saito resigned himself to being led back toward the captains’ quarters. He didn’t always give in to Souji’s whims, but there were times he felt it best to let the older man get things out of his system. If Souji wanted to yell, or spar, or antagonize him in some way, then today, he would allow it—up to a point.

He wasn't surprised when he was led past his own room and to Souji's instead. What did surprise him was Souji sliding the shoji shut behind them and immediately pushing him against the door. Bright green eyes burned into his, and Saito had only a moment to prepare before Souji bent his head down to capture his lips with his own.

Eyes opened wide, Saito felt his face heat up as Souji ran his tongue along the seam of his lips, seeking entrance. With a small moan, he opened his mouth and gasped as Souji deepened the kiss. Unsure of whether to push him away, or draw him closer, Saito clutched at Souji’s shoulders. When Souji pressed in closer, their bodies mere inches apart, liquid fire ran through his veins and pitted in his stomach. Souji pulled back slightly, peering into Saito’s flushed face with a devilish smirk. He grasped the younger man’s jaw and held his gaze as he spoke.

“This is the second time you’ve left me and come back, Hajime-kun.”

Saito opened his mouth to refute the claim, to explain that he hadn't necessarily left Souji, but his words were cut off when his lips were claimed again. Before he could respond, Souji released him once more, choosing to feather kisses along his jawline instead. Saito sucked in a breath, his heart hammering against his chest, his fingers gripping tightly to the folds of Souji’s clothing.

“Souji...”

“Hmn?” he murmured, raising his head.

“What are you doing?” Saito asked, trying to reel in his thoughts.

Souji snickered and moved a step back, his eyes glinting with amusement. “If you can’t tell what I’m doing, you’re more inexperienced than I thought.”

Closing his eyes, Saito huffed out a breath. “That is not what I mean.”

“Oh?” Souji teased.

“Why?” Saito asked, the seriousness of his expression causing Souji to drop his smile.

“Does it matter?” he asked, his tone defensive.

“Aa.”

Growling in frustration, Souji pushed away and turned his back. “I guess I misread you,” he muttered, his tone dark.

“I did not say that.”

Turning to face the younger man, Souji frowned. “Then what’s the difference? Why question it?”

Saito let his gaze fall to his hands and back up, capturing Souji’s eyes with his own. “I...do not know.”

Souji studied him for a moment, noted the confusion in his eyes, and sighed. “Hajime-kun, sometimes you are your own worst enemy.” He moved toward him once again. “What were you thinking when you looked at me during the meeting?” he asked suddenly.

Blinking at the abrupt change of subject, Saito responded, “I thought many things...”

“Don’t give me that! The moment our eyes met, I knew exactly what was on your mind. You were thinking we would abandon you! You were thinking I would.”

“No...”

“Yes! Hajime-kun, I’ve never seen your thoughts so clearly as today. And that’s why I brought you here—to show you—because words mean nothing without the action to back them. And I want you to know...no, I need you to understand that I will not abandon you. It won’t happen. The others might not get it, but they don’t know you. I do.”

He punctuated his statement with another kiss, fierce and searching. Saito hesitated for only a moment as relief flooded him, and then he reciprocated, completely surrendering to his own needs and wants. Of course Souji would understand, would not blame him for the choices that weren’t choices at all. He sighed as Souji cupped his face and pressed their foreheads together.

“Stay with me, Hajime-kun,” Souji whispered.

Stay with him? Did he mean now? Or was it an invitation for something more? Did it matter? No...he had already decided on his answer.

“Aa.”

Souji lifted his head and smirked. He turned on his heel and went to the cabinet on the far side of the room, pulling the futon from its recesses. He lay the mattress out, and Saito finally came to his senses, moving quickly to help spread out the thin blanket. They stood looking at the bed for some time, both coming to terms with the fact that their friendship—their relationship—was about to change forever.

Finally, Saito made up his mind and reached for Souji’s hand. Their eyes met, and they both knelt next to the futon. Saito reached up and brushed his fingers over Souji’s jaw before leaning in to offer a brief, chaste kiss.

Souji chuckled, wrapped his arms around Saito, and hauled him closer. “So modest...”

Saito expelled a self-conscious breath and then, mimicking Souji’s motions from earlier, placed his hand behind Souji’s head, drawing him in for a deeper kiss. He felt Souji grin against his lips and pulled away, giving him a questioning look.

“Gomen, gomen,” Souji told him. “You’re being so serious. I can hear your wheels turning! Just...look at this like sparring, ne? It’s more instinct than thinking...you go with what you feel.”

An impish look crossed Souji’s face, and Saito stiffened, trying to guess what might be coming. But he was not prepared when Souji tightened his grip and fell onto the futon, bringing Saito down on top of him. Before he could even begin to assimilate the feelings that soared through him, he was rolled onto his back, their positions reversed. Saito automatically grasped Souji’s shoulders, his eyes wide and lips parted.

“Souji...what...?”

“No thinking,” Souji whispered as he brought his lips to Saito’s ear. “Feel.”

He bit down gently on the lobe, and then ran his tongue behind it, reveling in the reactions he was eliciting from the third unit captain. Saito trembled as goosebumps erupted over his skin. Fire blazed in his stomach and moved lower, and he sucked in a heady breath.

“Hmn...you’re feeling something now, ne, Hajime-kun?”

Color blossomed across Saito’s cheeks and he adamantly refused to acknowledge the question, since he was well aware that Souji knew the answer. Not to be outdone—and thinking about how he would proceed if sparring—Saito retaliated by sitting up and pushing Souji into a seated position. A rare, small smile graced his lips as he leaned in to press tiny kisses along Souji’s collarbone.

“H-Hajime!” Souji gasped, taken by surprise. He looked up and held still, his hand reaching out to touch Saito’s lips. “That...is what I’ve wanted...” Confused, Saito remained silent and waited for an explanation. Souji shrugged, a touch of color rising as he explained. “Just to see you smile.”