A/N- Hello to anyone who reads this fic. May I say this is my first ever- real romance RK fic so do please be gentle. Though I'm not new to making fanfictions I just hope you like and review this story because I worked really, really hard on it. Also I do not own any creative rights to RK so don't sue me.

Warnings of chapter: A little OOC ness

Symbols: "..." Talking, (...) Me talking to you, '...' Thinking,

Swords and Roses

One Notice

"I want you to do the exercise again and no mistakes this time!" Hiko yelled at his students.

"Hai!" The voices ranged. "1 2 3!"He counted. "Hiya!" The boys cried as they repeated the offence to defensive drill again.

Once done the trainees went back into perfectly straight lines of 5 boys per rows.

"Better, but not perfect either." Hiko stated as he finished his observations. When all the sudden, Master Hiko of the Hiten Mitsurugi Style, doors to the training room slid open and a messenger nearly fall in head first.

"Sit down and relax students." Hiko ordered. All the boys scrambled to do as they were told.

"Hiko! Hiko bad news!" The messenger shouted over and over again. "Shut up you babbling fool and tell me what's the matter!" He roared. "Your brother! It's your brother." He said at last. Hiko looked hard at the man who dared to interrupt his teaching.

"I have no brother. I disowned him along time ago." Hiko said emotionless. "But...but he's dying and he has left but one request for you in his will that he wishes to get to you before the government do." He stuttered. Hiko considered the new piece of information for a second.

"What is it?" He said finally.

"He wishes that you would take his daughter under your wing until she is of age to inherit the Kamiya Dojo sir." "You mean I have a niece?" Hiko blurted out. "Yes and a wealthy one. She is only 16 right know and when she is 18 she will inherit not only the Dojo but her family wealth as well from her mother who left it all to her when she died sir." The man answered.

"We need your approval of this matter now sir before the government takes her and gives or take away the family fortune." The man added.

'That would be just like the government to do such a thing.' Hiko thought.

"Why not. I have nothing against the child, just her father." Hiko consented. "Oh thank you sir! Lady Kaoru has a glimmer of hope left after all." The mansaid as he bowed and left. Hiko sighed as his green bangs covered his eyes.

What had he done? This was his brother's child he just let in to his home for the next 2 years. He hated his brother and yet he was welcoming the daughter of the man he hated most in the world into his home without so much as a fight. But it was as he said to the man that had just left. It wasn't her fault and he didn't hate her. It was her father he despised more than anything, not her. And besides he barely knew her. So how could he hate what he didn't know?

"Master are you alright?" Kenshin, one of Hiko's most beloved and devoted students, walked up and asked.

"I did not call on you Kenshin." Hiko barked. "All of you... Go home now. We will resume tomorrow." Hiko ordered. "Yes sensei!" The boys yelled. They quickly ran to their rakes and put up their swords. Then as quickly ran out of the dojo to go home. All but Kenshin and Hiko remained in the training room.

"Are you sure?" Kenshin asked again. His amber eyes soft with concern.

"No Kenshin. It troubles me that I have to do a favor for someone I hate." Hiko said with anger. "But he is your brother and she your niece." Kenshin tried to reason. "It doesn't matter about that factor Kenshin. You can be family and still hate one another. But you are right she is my niece and I can't hold the fact that I hate her father against her since I know only little about her." Hiko said.

Kenshin nodded.

"I'll prepare dinner then for us." Kenshin said as his eyes began to turn into beautiful pools of lavender. "Very well then I'll take a bath until dinner is prepared I guess." Hiko said with a sigh.

Kenshin nodded again and headed towards the door to go to the kitchen.

"Hey Kenshin I have a question for you." Hiko called. Kenshin turned around towards Hiko.

"You mean to till me after all this time and toughening up I did to you, you still have the need to play house wife?" Hikoasked mocking him. Immediately at the insult Kenshin's eyes flared amber and glared at Hiko.

"You may have saved me and gave me a new name and home, but you don't have to mock me for ways I try to repay you." Kenshin said gravely. "Yeah, yeah now where have I heard that from before?" Hiko said with sarcasm.

Kenshin merely shook his head and went back about his business. 'I swear. You can take a dog off the street, give a name and home, then get rid of it's flea's but you just can't teach it new tricks.' Hiko thought as he walked out to prepare the bath.


The sounds of chopping could be heard from the kitchen as Kenshin chopped a carrot. With each slice he chopped away a piece of his anger until finally he was calm and his eyes were lavender again. As Kenshin chopped he didn't hear the kitchen door open and Sano stepped in.

When Kenshin was done chopping the carrot he scrapped the pieces into the soup and turned around to get the tofu he nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Sano.

"Heh and I thought all that training with that old man was suppose to make you strong and aware. Ha that's a laugh." Sano taunted. Kenshin narrowed his eyes at the 19-year-old gansta.

"I though Hiko made it very clear the last time that all strays stay away from here." Kenshin retorted.

Sano snorted and leaned against the far wall as he sat on the floor Indian style. His dark hazel eyes glinting.

"Kenshin I came here for your help." Sano stated being serious now. "What else is new?" Kenshin replied unfazed. Sano had grown use to Kenshin's unexpected cruelness and wasn't in the least offended.

"I have no money to pay my rent this month and I have to give up my room." "So basically you want me to house and feed you right?" Kenshin stated more than asked, cutting Sano off. He had known Sano almost as long as he known Hiko.

Sano nodded and even though Kenshin had his back turned, he knew he was.

This wasn't the first time Sano had came up to him asking this favor.

"And what have I told you about gambling away your money and home?" Kenshin asked in an annoyed voice. "Gosh Kenshin if I wanted to be scowled I would have went to Hiko myself." Sano said as he looked at another corner of the room.

"Yeah that would be the day you grew balls." Kenshin taunted. "Shut up will you. I swear Kenshin sometimes you're as relentless as the fox." Sano complained. "Sano I don't know if you will be staying in all honesty. Master is having his niece move in with him for the next 2 years now." Kenshin stated.

"WHAT!" Sano shouted.

"Hey Kenshin I thought I told you not to drag in anymore trash in my house." Hiko said referring to Sano as he entered the kitchen.


A/N- Well what do you think? I'm trying to melt Battousai and our lovely ruroni into one person if you will that react on impulse. So do please excuse any OOC ness in any chapter concerning Kenshin. But I can easily say the same when I introduce you to Kaoru and Megumi. Please R&R

Peace