Tiny Dancer [Sanosuke Harada x Reader]

Moonlight gradually spread it’s silver light over the whole silent town as you stepped out the bar. Blessing the chipper’s singing, a not so cold breeze quietly made the way throughout the place, slowly shaking the apron on your lap and wiping away few sweat drops on your forehead.

“Man, those guys certainly are noisy…” – You mumbled to yourself, stretching your arms.

“Aren’t they?”

Suddenly, you felt a hand pressing against the back of your head and someone rustling your hair. After the first moment of dismay, you sighed with relief by seeing Harada stepping closer and quickly throwing his weight to the left, stopping in front of you after a quick spin.

“Sorry” – He added, a smile playing on his lips – “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Don’t worry” – You answered, turning your gaze to him – “Won’t you continue on drinking?”

“No thanks. Those guys are totally freaks.”

An awkward silence followed the conversation. Sanosuke absentmindedly lifted his eyes, gazing the starry sky above your heads – for a moment you thought he was actually trying not to stare you, but this thinking vanished when he spoke again:

“Will mind if I walk you home?”

You blinked twice, being dragged again to reality.

“I beg your pardon?”

“I asked if I could follow you home, dummy” – Harada smiled again – “Edo’s streets are dangerous at night. You usually leave earlier, but it’s risky for you to be alone at this hour”

Your poor Japanese didn’t allow you to fully understand the sentence, neither the intentions behind the same. Even though it wasn’t really difficult to see Harada’s innocence self-hidden on the tough golden eyes, when guys said something of the style back in your hometown, it usually meant trouble.

The samurai, seeming to notice the uneasiness in the air as you slowly walked back a few steps, kindly placed his firm hand on your shoulder.

“I won’t do anything to you, (L/n)” – He spoke, a little slower for you to fully understand – “My job is to keep you safe.”

“What about Shinpachi-san?”

“Guess he will be fine on his own” – Harada shrugged – “I always go home earlier than him”

The heartbeats emanating from your chest seemed so loud you feared he might have listened.

“Fine. My house is a little far away. Can I explain?”

Harada gently turned and stretched both arms, giving you passageway to stand in the front and guide him around town. You walked and stopped, pointing at the street.

“We need to reach the end of the main road, turn left, than right on the first street. After that, we will continue on walking until reaching a small memorial. My house is near it.”

A small smile made it’s way to Harada’s mouth, and he shook his head.

“Your accent is so cute…”

Luckily enough, the guy started walking in inchmeal steps, inducing his hands to nearer the face and wagging - a frustrated attempt to minify the hot weather - not seeing the heat running by your cheeks, that slowly acquired a light bashful hue.

Little you knew about the red-haired samurai walking side by side with you, absently staring the whole city; yet, you knew more about him than anyone else in town. Weekly he and the best friend Nagakura went to the bar where you worked as a waitress to drink and have fun. Harada didn’t usually drink – A few sips, but rather to stay sober – And  started talking trivialities with you, were the guys totally drunk or not.

From the first day you stepped in Edo and started working on the bar, Sanosuke showed really charisma while speaking and telling a few stories about the famous Shinsegumi. Also, he displayed a special way on speaking to girls, always ending up with one enlaced by his strong arms by the end of the night. At first, it seemed perfectly normal to you – A handsome guy, famous samurai, and kind by heart indeed made someone’s heart beat faster – But after a year and few months you’ve known him, you figured out your heart jumped in your chest as much as you imagined the women’s to beat, at the same time you envied the girls resting their heads on his large and confortable shoulders, and usually caught yourself wishing to be one of them, even if just for a moment.

“Missing your place?”

Afraid Harada noticed what you were thinking about, you turned your head to the ground and nodded.

“What is it like?”

Your face brightened up again when memories from your hometown passed through your mind. You merrily began to talk about the place and how you passed your childhood in the middle of beautiful green fields, the starry skies and the dances with autumn’s wind. Ever since your father came to Japan under military orders and you moved to peaceful Edo, staying away from war, there wasn’t a single day you didn’t remember the place you were born – And for a few seconds, you wished Harada could share those moments with you.

“You have to go with me one day!”

The cogitation suddenly slipped from your mouth, and with a quickly move you placed your right hand over the lips, fearing Harada disliked the proposition. He only smiled and raised an eyebrow.

“Go with you?”

“Pretty please?” – You said, the voice purring from your throat.

The man suddenly started laughing – an innocent laugh, pure and happy, like he was in the midst of virtuous bliss.

“Did I say something funny?”

He stepped closer and, with both hands over your shoulder, pulled you closer in a tight hug.

“I'd love to!”

Harada’s warmness quickly dispersed throughout your body, from tip to toe, blowing your mind away. Your head met his chest – He was so tall that, if curled, could involve most part of your body – And your cheek rustled on his bare skin, uncovered because of some unbuttoned fabric from the black and white western clothing. He looked even more handsome like that – Shipachi said that even when he dressed traditional Japanese clothing and had longer hair, ladies would always accompany him, whenever he was. A small hint of jealousy arose from your soul, but quickly disappeared when he gripped you tighter.

Harada slowly let go of the embrace, coughing awkwardly. Although you were in height of summer, your body was abruptly hit by a sudden coldness from God knows where.

Maybe from your heart.

“We are almost reaching the memorial.”

You glimpsed a light shade of pink covering his cheekbones. You’ve been so lost in thought that forgot where you were going – As soon as your house started to appear in distance, sadness stood out from your heart. Before you could say anything, he asked:

“What do you miss the most about your hometown?”

“The parties” – you sighed – “I never danced with anyone, but they were pretty fun.”

“Dance?”

“Yes, waltz. My mom said I was too young to dance with men” – You shrugged – “So I only watched couples dancing and dreamed.”

“Waluts?”

You remember that, at the same time your Japanese wasn’t really rich – even though you’ve been living in Edo for more than a year and took few Japanese classes - Harada’s ability for foreign languages also wasn’t the best. The way he pronounced ‘waltz’ was so funny you couldn’t contain a smile.

“Waltz” – You repeated calmly – “A guy invites a girl to dance, asking if he may have this dance, than if she accepts, he places the hand over her waist, holds her hand and they waltz around the room…”

As you said how the dance worked, you started making the same moves you spoke about, lifting one arm and passing the other above your body, as if for reach some invisible guy’s shoulder and demonstrate the pace.

Two steps for right, two steps for left – You spun around the street, concentrated on the rhythm, humming a few classical songs. Harada stood in the same place, smiling brightly while watching the little woman’s dance. She stopped afterwards, feeling a little tired, laughing to the ground.

“(L/n)?”

“Yes?” – You answered, lifting your head and seeing Harada’s hand in front of you.

“I hope it’s right…” – You heard him whisper -“…May I have this dance?”

But oh how it feels so real
Lying here with no one near
Only you and you can hear me
When I say softly, slowly

Color vanished from your face. You took into account the possibility of being trapped into a dream – A sweet dream, which made you want to never wake up. So you gripped Harada’s hand and smiled when he put his strong arms around your waist, interlacing the opposite hand with your fingers, holding you tightly against his body.

It was quite difficult to accompany, since both of you never dance together – Actually, never danced in your entire life – and eventually he would clumsily step on your foot, kindly apologizing just after and asking if you were fine. Then, the two of you would just laugh softly at each other’s mistake.

Harada paused the movements and you took the opportunity to hide your face on his chest. He pulled you closer to his body, shortening the distance – before countless – to only a few inches and caressing your hair in slow movements.

Hold me closer tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today

I guess the strangest moment in one’s life is when they see they are in love – When the world becomes painfully brighter, you realize how it feels to love someone immensely. Your feelings for Harada were so sorrowfully clear that emerged from your eyes in form of small little tears, spilling over his shirt. You were in your beloved’s grip, and even if he didn’t feel the same passion, you quietly prayed for this lukewarm sensation to never cease.

“Don’t cry” – He nicely ran his fingers over your cheeks, wiping the few tears.

“Why me?”

Perhaps the dumbest question seemed the fairest at that time. You doubted if a Shinsegumi warrior would like to get engaged to a foreigner.

“I love the cute way you talk. The small wrinkle that forms right here” – he touched your forehead – “When you are concentrated. I am jealous of the guys when you smile at them, even if it’s your job. It just… makes me want to hit them. Can’t you see how much I love you, (Y/n)?”

The ragged breath coming up and down from your chest halted, and you placed your hands over his torso in hesitation. His words were perfectly clear, the emotion attached to them was undeniable, he even called you by your first name – Earth stopped and the Angels above sang your happiness. The only man willing to talk to you without interest, the only man whose you loved from deep on your soul corresponded your feelings in the same intensity as you.

Sanosuke beamed, laying forward with his weight and hitting your lips with his own. Cupping your cheeks with both hands, he pulled your face nearer his at the time you passed your arms over his shoulders, supporting your weight on the handsome figure.

“I will be here to protect you” – He whispered just after – “So you don’t need to cry or to be afraid anymore.”

C’est la vie en rose.