Disclaimer: You know the drill; I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters. Sad, I know.

I must also give credit to Misaki- Toyodome, she's written an absolutely brilliant Saitou x Tokio story called The Courtship of Lady Tokio. If you haven't read it, go read it. It is one of my absolute favourite SxT stories.

Why am I giving Misaki-Toyodome credit? Because this story is inspired by certain events from CLT. Readers of CLT will be able to tell (I hope). So thank you Misaki-Toyodome for your permission in using the afore-mentioned events! I won't say anymore because then I'd be giving too much away. ;)

While I am out thanking people and setting disclaimers, thank you Anreg for your support and editing skills! A really really big thank you.

It was a tiny little shop, easily overlooked, and located right behind Tokyo's busiest streets. Time and weather had long since worn out the shop's name leaving behind only a faint trace of paint. Within the nameless shop there was very little space to maneuver and with every turn you were in danger of knocking something over, something that may or may not be worth a lot of money. Despite its cramped space there was nothing stuffy about it; in fact, it was well lit and it had plenty of what people liked to call "character".

However, Saitou cared little for the character of the shop. It was a good shop and if one had the patience to look, it always wielded something worth your while.

When he entered the shop Saitou was greeted with a warm and feminine "Welcome" from somewhere closer to ground level.

Saitou turned a corner and almost smiled at the sight before him. Takagi Tokio was sitting on the floor, bare feet stretched out before her, hair swept up into an off kilter bun, and sorting through a box of old records. As was usually the case with Tokio she seemed to belong in that little shop and at the same time she didn't. Tokio didn't even bother looking up at Saitou as he approached.

Saitou smirked, "Looking for Footloose?"

Tokio still didn't look up, she didn't have to, she knew exactly who was there, but that didn't stop her from rolling her eyes, "That was terrible."

He gave a dismissive shrug of the shoulders and said, "It wasn't my best." Saitou nudged her foot with his shoe and in an almost bored tone said, "You should put on some shoes. You might step on something or stub your toe."

"It's too hot for shoes." Tokio said tapping Saitou's shoe with her foot. "And I know my way around here. I'll be fine." Saitou didn't miss the note of defiance in her tone.

Tokio finally looked at Saitou, tilting her head far back. There he stood, dressed in a three piece suit with his hands shoved into his slacks looking completely at ease. She couldn't help but scowl, "Saitou-san . . . you're too tall."

"It has its advantages." He smirked and was rewarded with a twitch of her left eye.

"I doubt you need another reason to look down on people," was her snide response.

Saitou chuckled softly, "Your grandfather?" Tokio's grandfather was the true proprietor and he knew Saitou well, usually reserving items he thought Saitou would be interested in. However, he had fallen and broken his knee several weeks ago, leaving Tokio to man the store alone.

Tokio smiled and her tone coloured with affection, "He's doing much better, frustrated about his lack of mobility but better." Then slyly she added, "He asked me the other day if you had been in and he says you should be nicer."

Tokio knew her grandfather had a secret wish that his favourite patron would take an interest in his granddaughter. She, however, did not see it happening; her grandfather was getting old and delusional.

"Does he now?" Saitou almost laughed but he managed to suppress it. It wouldn't do to ruin his reputation as a hardass. The old man had been witness to many of Saitou and Tokio's arguments. Always sighing and lamenting their behavior, as they used their sharp tongues and scathing wits to undo one another.

Tokio could hear the humour in his voice and it made her smile. "He misses the shop but he'll be back soon and he'll fuss about all the changes I've made."

When Saitou didn't reply, Tokio looked up from her spot on the floor to see that he had made his way over to the glass case. So she got up and made her way to him. "Engagement rings Saitou-san? Did you find a woman that can tolerate your snarky self?"

He looked over at her and Tokio was surprised to see that his usual wolfish grin was missing; instead it was replaced with something she could not quite read. Saitou was always a hard man to read. "Come here and tell me which one you want."

Tokio caught herself from tripping but she couldn't save herself from stubbing her toe. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, her eyes watering from the impact. That didn't stop her from throwing black looks at Saitou's back.

Saitou leaned against his fist and tried to hide his amusement. He didn't have to see her to know what had happened. When he had regained control, he once again turned to face her and with a smug look said, "I don't have all day."

Tokio threw him one last ugly look silently daring him to say anything and tried not to limp. There was no way she would give him the satisfaction. "What can I help you with?" Idiot, the man loved to torment her and he always knew exactly how to push her buttons. She just hadn't found a way of ignoring him.

" . . . You have a good eye," she said. Saitou had pointed out a set of kanzashi. Each one was masterfully made to represent a different season. Tokio carefully displayed Winter, Fall, and Spring before Saitou.

Saitou watched her as she laid each piece out. Tokio looked wistful and there was a longing in her eyes that made Saitou want to hold her until it disappeared. He, wisely he thought, squashed that particular impulse, twice for good measure.

Maybe she felt his eyes on her for Tokio looked up at him and smiled. "They're beautiful. The woman who brought them in was reluctant to let them go and I don't blame her. Sadly there's one missing."

Saitou nodded, picked each one up, and carefully examined them. They were well made, jasper fashioned into a camellia blossom for Winter, pink mother-of-pearl for the cherry blossoms of Spring, and a gingko leaf to represent Fall.

"What do you know about them?"

"I could only trace their history to the late 1800s but I know they're older than that. They belonged to a Lady of Aizu, a gift from a man below her in station, a samurai. As I understand it they kept their relationship a secret. Like I said, we're missing one. Summer. According to the lady, it was a very special piece."

Tokio looked up and blushed Saitou was grinning at her, eyes full of mischief. "What?" If her tone was a little defensive, it couldn't be helped. He was doing it again, unnerving her.

"I didn't realize you were such a romantic Takagi."

"Just because you don't believe in something so basic," Tokio replied with a little more edge than was necessary. "Anyway, they were torn apart by war and the samurai held onto Summer until they could be together."

Tokio hurried through the last part and turned her head away from Saitou, still blushing and frowning slightly.

Saitou leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "But I do believe." Tokio felt the shock of having Saitou so close. First she felt her ears heat up, and then she felt a delicious chill run down her back, followed by goosebumps. Unfortunately, Tokio was so surprised that she turned her head so fast that she crashed right into him.

Saitou grunted, stepped back and held his nose.

"Saitou-san! I am so sorry! Are you alright?" Tokio asked horrified, but suddenly it became all too funny and she couldn't keep from laughing.

So she laughed, her left arm around her stomach and her right hand covering her face. Saitou's glower did little to calm her; she did try though. Kinda. Not really.

"When you are done," Saitou snarled. "You can wrap these up for me."

"Wh-what? Oh." Tokio blinked and then smiled, back in business mode. "They'll make someone very happy. I hope she's worthy of them."

"Sometimes I wonder," Saitou threw her a dark and pointed look. He did not like being laughed at.

After a bit more back and forth Saitou made his way towards the door, package in hand. "Give your grandfather my best."

"Why don't you tell him yourself, he'll be back soon." Tokio asked leaning against the glass case.

"I'll be away for business." Saitou turned towards her, hand on the door.

Tokio sighed, a little sadly, the damn man was always so secretive. "Well, I guess I'll see you. Send me a postcard if you're somewhere interesting."

Saitou raised an eyebrow, "I'll be busy."

Hands on her hips, a roll of the eyes, "Just so I know you're alive." Then with a sweet smile, "We can't lose our best customer."

And with that, Saitou turned and sent her a single wave over his shoulder.

- A few months later -

Tokio looked at the clear blue sky, the richly green forest, and the striking castle before the mountain peaks. It was all so very picturesque, as it ought to be. The top right hand corner of the postcard proudly proclaimed Germany. Tokio turned it over to see that it was blank except for her address, written clearly with a good strong hand.

Smiling, Tokio taped the postcard next to the others on the shop's wall. All from Saitou and all blank. He sent no well wishes and none of that "wish you were here" but he continued to send her cards. And for Tokio that was enough. It was already more than she expected.

"Tokio-chan, this place is a mess!"

Tokio turned to see her grandfather using his cane to poke at various items. Smiling fondly at the old man, she stated simply, "If you mean organized, then I suppose it is."

When her grandfather was no longer able to stand his peace and quiet, he had returned to his beloved shop. That had been a month ago and every day since he fussed over the changes.

Her grandfather made a noise in the back of his throat but before he could say more he was distracted by the phone.

Tokio rubbed her neck, rolled her shoulders back and then looked about the shop. It was empty, her grandfather having retreated into the back room for tea. From behind the counter she could see through the open door that the rain was coming down in sheets, bouncing off the sidewalk. It was no wonder that few dared to venture out. Tokio didn't blame them, days like these made you want to sleep in. And so Tokio supposed she could send Saitou an email.

She had pulled his email from their customer records after the first postcard. His cards never carried a return address and she had wanted to thank him for his thoughtfulness, if you could call it that, and maybe she missed him. Maybe.

At first her emails were short and succinct but then as she started to write regularly, her emails became longer.

That was how Tokio's grandfather found her, typing away on her laptop. He smiled, "Writing your pen pal?"

"I think for him to be a 'pen pal' he would actually have to respond."

"What about the postcards?" Tokio's grandfather gave her a knowing look coupled with a sly smile. "I think he likes you."

Suddenly his smile grew, "And you like him."

Tokio gave him a flat look. "Remind me to make you an appointment, you're becoming quite delusional."

He laughed, "There may be plenty wrong with me young lady but there's nothing wrong with my mind or eyes for that matter. And I know what I see."

"Of course." Tokio hoped he would drop the subject and so she set her glare upon her computer screen. Then muttered, "I wish you would write."

Without thinking about it or realizing it, she wrote just that into her email to Saitou. And because fate liked to speed things along, a strong strange wind came into the shop knocking things asunder. Tokio stopped writing, hastily hitting the send button before running to set things right.

TBC

So, this was supposed to be a one-shot, but as you can see it's not. Did you catch the CLT references? I was going through SxT withdrawals and unable to continue my current story I wrote this. I was inspired by my love of antique shops. Also historical Saitou was supposibly known for visiting antique shops too.

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Thank you for reading and reviews are always appreciated.

Did anyone notice that I did some editing? I hope it came out ok. I am not completely happy with parts of it but I decided to post it otherwise I'll just keep finding things to change. When I was talking to my brother about how I wanted to edit this story he told me it needed to be more realistic. According to him Saitou probably has a motorcycle (yes!) and he meets Tokio at a bar and he said a bunch of other stuff but I stopped listening because it wasn't romantic. Or Fun. So let's say they meet at a bar and Tokio rides off with Saitou into the sunset. End of story.