For the first time in his life, Kenshin Himura did not feel like moving on. This would be the final time he would let something happen to someone he loved, and the final time he would allow someone to be killed because of him, and his enemies.
The samurai now had his sword chained, it couldn't be drawn, even by him anymore. He never looked up from his spot, never noticed the people who talked to him, although he was sure they were trying to encourage him, telling him that it wasn't his fault, as dutiful friends should do.
He was sure everyone knew it was, no matter what was said, or by who. Just the fact that he'd sworn to always protect made it his fault, the fact that it was his enemy that had killed her made it even more so, and, of course, he had been there, but him, the legendary Battousai, had failed to protect her, the one girl he had loved more than Tomoe was now dead, just like her.
Kenshin heard more voices , Sano maybe, but he couldn't be sure, it sounded too distant. He didn't lift his head up or try to listen to his friend.
He felt a pain on his face and was dimly aware someone had hit him, not that it mattered, his body was almost completely numb.
For some reason he felt they would eventually give up on him, that was what he wanted, before they got killed as well, or maybe he was imagining it and they wouldn't.
Did it really matter anymore? He really couldn't be any worse off than he already was, and at this rate he would die in a few more days. No, it didn't matter anymore, nothing did. Except Kaoru, the girl who had stayed by his side, who struggled to make a living for them at times, who'd cried when he left for Kyoto, and the girl's whose funeral had just taken place