[Souji nods in agreement with the sword's words, fondness softening his smile for a moment. Even if he might complain at times, or still get jealous that the job takes so much time away from him, he's still utterly, overwhelmingly proud of his man. And he knows that somehow, incredibly, Hijikata is proud of him as well, finds admirable traits in him as well, so how can he feel anything else?
But as the other speaks of a feeling of being at ease together, of the sensation that has followed him everywhere ever since he was a child, of old connections waiting to be rediscovered, of locked rooms in his mind waiting for the right key... he grows more still, more solemn, watching the younger man's face raptly. Apart from Hajime, no one's ever really come out and said it quite so quickly before. This boy... is rather odd, isn't he? But Souji doesn't mind odd, has lived his whole life with people finding him strange, so he's often drawn to it quite naturally.]
You have that feeling too, huh? Like we were meant to meet, somehow?
[But while Souji is used to this sensation by now, used to no longer questioning why history seems to play such an active role in his life, twisting it into new shapes as it sees fit... this is quite new. No one's directly asked about a name before, simply accepted the situation in this way. And that voice is so full of... what? Fragile awe; blind and trusting longing; a desperate need which Souji has no idea how to fill? All of that but not quite, as if the feeling is too vast and complicated to properly grasp for an outsider, for someone who has never felt it.
And he's asking for Souji.
Looking down at their linked hands, Souji slowly twists his around so that he can gently entwine their fingers, as if he needs a firm hold to be sure of what is real.]
That's me. My name is Okita Souji. Have- Have you been looking for me?
WOW RUDE maybe I beat my enemies with my hair
But as the other speaks of a feeling of being at ease together, of the sensation that has followed him everywhere ever since he was a child, of old connections waiting to be rediscovered, of locked rooms in his mind waiting for the right key... he grows more still, more solemn, watching the younger man's face raptly. Apart from Hajime, no one's ever really come out and said it quite so quickly before. This boy... is rather odd, isn't he? But Souji doesn't mind odd, has lived his whole life with people finding him strange, so he's often drawn to it quite naturally.]
You have that feeling too, huh? Like we were meant to meet, somehow?
[But while Souji is used to this sensation by now, used to no longer questioning why history seems to play such an active role in his life, twisting it into new shapes as it sees fit... this is quite new. No one's directly asked about a name before, simply accepted the situation in this way. And that voice is so full of... what? Fragile awe; blind and trusting longing; a desperate need which Souji has no idea how to fill? All of that but not quite, as if the feeling is too vast and complicated to properly grasp for an outsider, for someone who has never felt it.
And he's asking for Souji.
Looking down at their linked hands, Souji slowly twists his around so that he can gently entwine their fingers, as if he needs a firm hold to be sure of what is real.]
That's me. My name is Okita Souji. Have- Have you been looking for me?