Wild Flowers

A Rurouni Kenshin fanfic by Heli-chan (alaris@jusenkyo.com)

****************************

Disclaimer: Me and Watsuki-sensei made a deal: he would close his eyes and hum for a minute and I would take as many characters from RK as I could crab a hold of. I got Hiko and Kamatari and now I'm playing with them a little game called 'Obey The Fic-Writer Mistress'. We're having a good time and I'm negotiating with Watsuki-sensei about getting the complete ownership and all the rights to change some things in their lives. I'll let you know

if it works out.

Author's blabbering: This started as an omake idea and this was supposed to be an omake, but I don't know how to write one. This is an alternate pairing – reaaaally alternate – so if anyone feels insulted about it, then you don't have to read it. I don't know how to categorize this, I suppose this is a *sort* of a shonen ai fic – though I wouldn't categorize this as such, someone just gets confused – or waff/sap/angst, but this is not hentai or ecchi. You can mail to me and give me your opinions about this. But flamers are going to suffer, mark me words. And by the way, the things written in Italics mean thoughts.

This is dedicated to Aino-kaasan and Ness, who both helped me with various things and who encouraged me.

***************************

Chapter One: At First Sight

Rain poured down from the dark clouds. The wind sang softly outside, singing a lullaby to the mountains, swirling through the autumn forests, humming with the rain. It danced around a lonely cottage high on the mountains. Raindrops stammered against its roof. Their sound was calm, soothing, like a mother whispering to her baby child. Inside the cottage a fire rattled silently in the fireplace, the flames creating ever-changing shadows on the walls, mixing them with an unmoving shadow of someone.

A small clank of a lowered sakepot broke the peace of the rainy day. A heavy sigh was let out. Another sigh, a bitter sigh, followed it after a while. Then it was silent again. But not for a long time. Soon a white ceramic cup was thrown to the floor and a muffled curse echoed unnaturally loudly in the cottage. Then someone stood up and picked up the cup on its way to the fireplace. The bright flames lit the person's face when he, or she, kneeled down to put a log into the fire. The face belonged to the master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Hiko Seijuro the 13th. But this time the flames didn't see the usual smirk or the calm, self-confident expression on his face. No, an unusual expression of bitterness controlled his handsome features and especially his dark eyes.

He just couldn't forget her. Her cheerful, mischievous voice, her slim, graceful frame, her soft features, her honest blue eyes. The eyes that had hidden so much from him. Kuso, why did she have to be...? Even now he couldn't think of that word. How could she...? He cursed aloud, standing up. This wasn't helping him at all. He should just forget her. He walked to the window and sat down to the floor. He looked outside in the rain. The sky looked so calm, so beautiful. Once again it reminded him of her, just like it had reminded him for weeks. Even the clouds and the rain made him think of her. The raindrops were so much like teardrops, he noticed. Like the teardrops in her eyes...

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"Konnichi wa, Hiko-san!" a happy shout rang through the restaurant as the tall, muscular man walked in. He smirked at the owner of the restaurant, seating himself in his usual place near the window. A young waitress walked to him. She looked like a new one, at least he hadn't seen her before. She had short, dark brown hair and flirtingly shimmering bright blue eyes. She looked attractive in her light red kimono and white apron. He smiled at her confidently.

"Konnichi wa, kind sir. What would you like to have?" she asked softly. His expression didn't show that his heart had taken few extra pounds.

"Sake, please", he said calmly, still smiling that confident smile of his. He noticed that she smiled at him as confidently as he did. She had a beautiful smile. It made her look so utterly cute and all the more attractive.

"Hai, coming up just in a moment", she said cheerfully, bowing then and walking away. He watched after her, noticing that she had a lovely frame. His smile faded slowly, but inside he was still smiling. He chuckled silently as he recalled her face while waiting for his sake. She was clearly in her twenties. She had a bit boyish features, but she definitely was a woman. Her soft, cheerful voice proved it, just like her frame which showed it more clearly. She obviously had long legs and a thin waist. But she was a bit... well, formless. But it wasn't really that important. She was an attractive young lady.

Hiko was so sunken into those thoughts that he barely noticed when the owner brought to him the sake and sat against him.

"So, Hiko-san, how have you been?" the owner, a slim, bald man in his mid-fourties, asked from his regular customer. He gave Hiko a small push on the arm when the man didn't answer to him. Hiko turned to look at him, smirking arrogantly. Kuso, I was drifting away because of her... He laughed silently at the happily grinning owner.

"I've been well, Toyotomi-san", he said, pouring some sake for himself and the owner. The owner shrugged his shoulders still grinning, and toasted for his old friend. Hiko nodded and took a sip from his cup. Sake tasted better than in months. He wasn't sure why, but he had a good guess. He took another sip and closed his eyes approvingly, nodding slowly. Yes, the taste was a lot better than in years. Hell, it hadn't tasted so good ever. Well, onna, at least you made my day better.

Suddenly he heard someone shouting. Without hesitating he lowered his cup and opened his eyes. He looked around and saw the pretty young waitress being shaken by some man who was already drunk. The waitress tried to get her arms free from the man's grip, but she couldn't. The drunk was obviously stronger than she was. Still she tried, saying something that made the drunk even angrier. He let go of her other arm, but only to hit her. Hiko saw how she flinched and let out a small yelp of pain. For some reason, he didn't know why, he rose onto his feet and walked to the drunk and the waitress.

"Oi, baka, let go of her", Hiko said in his own calm, confident way. The drunken man looked up at him. His eyes tried to focus as he babbled to Hiko his objection.

"Ke-e-ep yer noz outta ot'ers bus-bus-busi-business, d'ya 'ear me?" the man shouted. To that Hiko shrugged and then grabbed the man's arm and twisted it so that the drunk shrieked out of sheer pain.

"Let go of her, baka", Hiko repeated still calmly, this time getting his message through. The drunk let go of her arm reluctantly. She took a few steps back, her eyes shining menacingly. The owner walked to Hiko and the drunk.

"Domo arigatou, Hiko-san", he said, his voice trembling a bit, few beads of sweat clearly glistening on his forehead, and then turned to the drunk. "Now then, why don't we go out to get some fresh air..."

As he and the drunk went outside the waitress walked to Hiko, smiling shyly. There was a red mark still glowing on her right cheek, contrasting with her pale skin. Her gaze was grateful, but still flirting. Hiko's heart made once again more pounds. He smirked confidently, maybe a bit arrogantly, in order to hide it from her.

"Domo arigatou gozaimasu ", she thanked softly. Hiko shrugged his shoulders like saying that he did it all the time. She smiled mischievously. "May I ask my saviour's name?" she then said with something more in her voice than just simple gratitude. It made Hiko's heart pound faster.

"My name is Hiko Seijuro", he finally said, trying to calm his heart. Che, what are you doing to me, onna? She smiled cheerfully, flirtingly and walked even closer to him. She rose to the tips of her toes and placed a light kiss on his cheek. Hiko smelled a sweet scent lingering around her.

"Domo arigatou gozaimasu, Hiko Seijuro-sama", she whispered into his ear. Then she lowered herself to her feet, turned and walked away, her hips swinging softly in the same rhythm with her silent steps. Hiko looked after her in inner awe. Then he snapped from the illusion she had woven him into and walked back to his seat and sat down. He brought the sake cup onto his lips and took a small sip. It tasted even better than earlier. The owner came in and sat against Hiko. They both were silent for a moment.

"Oi, Toyotomi-san, what's her name?" Hiko asked finally from the man, sipping his sake seemingly calmly. But to tell the truth, he was still awed by what she had done.

"She? She's a new one. Her name's Honjo Kamatari."

Hiko nodded, bringing the sake cup again to his lips. This time a soft scent mingled with the scent of sake. It was the same scent which had lingered around the waitress. The fresh scent of wild flowers.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

A lightning bolt struck somewhere near the cottage. Hiko opened his eyes slowly and sighed. He had drifted away, recalled the day he had met her. She had been so lovely that day. There were no tears in her eyes that time, nor had she been scared of what had happened. She had just stood back with a menacing look in her eyes, but she had allowed him to take care of the drunk. Even though she had had the mark of the hit on her cheek, she had looked so attractive to him. And she had kissed him as her thanks.

The lovely Honjo Kamatari of the Juppon Gatana. When he had heard her name he had been surprised. He would never had guessed that she had been Shishio Makoto's underling. Nor that she had survived and stayed in Kyoto. She hadn't told about it to him. And her past hadn't been the only thing she had hidden.

She put a spell on you, Hiko, old boy. She put a spell on you... he thought bitterly. But he had to admit, even if only to himself, that he had wanted it. But she was the one who had lied to him. She had lied to him about everything.

Another lightning bolt struck. Hiko sighed again. Oh well, that was then. Now he knew better than that. And he was glad that he had put an end to it. Or was he...?

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Hiko walked through the silent streets of Kyoto. It was already darkening as the sun sank slowly behind the horizon. He had stayed in the restaurant for a while after the incident, and then he had left to do his... well, shopping. After all, even hermits do need some food and other stuff. He smirked at himself and to that thought. It wasn't so awkward, or was it? Oh, what the heck...

He stopped when he saw a familiar figure walking in front of him. But this time she was wearing a lovely deep ocean green kimono and instead of an apron a yellow, richly embroidered obi. The last rays of the setting sun made her look like she was glowing with some inner fire. Once again he felt his heart pound faster.

Oh, kami-sama... he thought to himself. Don't tell me that I'm dreaming. And as an answer to his thought she turned her head and met his dark eyes. Those bright blue orbs could have drowned him in that instant. She smiled mischievously, waving her slender hand at him. Before he could stop himself he had waved back at her. What the heck...?!

She started walk towards him. He saw how she gathered looks of approval and admiration from the men out in the street. She really was a beauty. Not beautiful in the traditional way, but beautiful in the same way as the flowers. Hell, she was like the flowers. Sweet and lively, yet so fragile. He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself, trying to calm his battering heart. But he just couldn't. And before he noticed she was standing in front of him.

"Konban wa, Hiko-sama", she greeted him cheerfully. Hiko merely nodded, barely able to speak as she stood so close to him. She still smiled that smile of hers that sent shivers up his spine. But it didn't feel uncomfortable. Actually, somehow it felt good. And then he smirked at her in his usual way. She laughed silently at that.

"Oi, Hiko-sama, no need to be so tense. Or are you perhaps... afraid of me?" she teased him and winked. "My brave saviour couldn't possibly be afraid of little ol' me, now could he?"

Hiko growled silently, but laughed then. Even though her voice was mocking and her manners were arrogant, he couldn't help the warm feeling inside him.

"Afraid of the girl whom I saved today? Don't make me laugh ", he answered as arrogantly as always. That only elicited more laughter from her. It sounded like the most beautiful music in the world to him. Hiko smirked at her again. "What are you doing out this time of evening?" he then asked, looking more serious. For some reason he suddenly felt worried. Only gods knew what kind of perverts and drunks there were out...

She laughed again. "I'm going home, baka. My shift just ended, so I'm going to my house and planning to take a hot bath." For a moment she was silent. Then, "Would you like to join me? Not in the bath, of course."

The faintest of blushes rose to Hiko's cheeks. Che, onna... But then he laughed silently, hiding this unusual and definitely uncomfortable blush.

"Yes, why not. Who knows what kind of drunks and perverts are walking in the streets of Kyoto", he stated arrogantly. She glared at him, but then smiled.

"Hai, who knows..." she said mockingly and began to walk down the street. Hiko shrugged his shoulders and walked after her.

"Arigatou, Kamatari-san", Hiko thanked the lady as she put in front of him a pot of sake, a bowl of rise and a delicious-looking fish. She nodded, seating herself against him. He had walked her to her house, and stayed as she had asked him for a dinner. "You must be hungry", she had said softly. And all of a sudden, he had been. He realised he hadn't eaten all day and he was starving. So he had accepted her offer.

"So, Hiko-sama. Where do you live? I haven't seen you around here ever" Kamatari asked, watching as he ate.

"I have a cottage up in the mountains. I live there", he answered while taking a sip of sake from his cup. It tasted even better than it had tasted earlier. Onna, you have really made my day a lot better. Even the sake tastes better than ever...

"Oh. It must be lonely to live up there", Kamatari pondered aloud, a small smile playing on her lips. "I mean, there's no one to talk with, no one to spend time with." Hiko was going to say that it didn't bother him, that he enjoyed his loneliness, but then he realised that it DID matter to him now, for some reason. So he just nodded, eating his rice.

Suddenly he felt a feather light touch on his arm. It sent shivers up his spine, but he didn't allow it to show on his face or moves. Slowly he turned his eyes to the slender, pale hand that rested on his arm. His unreadable gaze followed the outlines of her hand to the narrow wrist, ocean green sleeve, up to the shoulder, the neck and finally to her face. The expression on her face seized his breath. She looked so understanding, so caring, so utterly tender. Her eyes were suddenly more serious than before, gentler and more beautiful than before. Her lips were slightly open, as though she was going to say something. Hiko swallowed slightly, watching the beauty sitting next to him.

Oh kami-sama, you're so beautiful... he thought, feeling how his heart pounded faster. And then he just couldn't stop himself. He put down the cup and the rice bowl, keeping an eye contact to her all the time. He felt he was drowning into her bright eyes, but he didn't care anymore. There was only one thing in his mind: the desire to touch her.

He lifted his calloused hand to her face, brushing gently the soft skin of her cheek. He saw, how a spark of fear flickered in her eyes for a moment. He smiled reassuringly to her. Then he brought her face nearer to his own, cupping her face with his both hands. First he pressed a small kiss to her soft lips. They tasted like honey. He felt how the scent of wild flowers wrapped around him. Then he kissed her again, this time longer, savouring the taste of her lips, wanting to know more. He felt how she sighed against his lips before answering to his kiss, first insecurely, then more trustingly, finally with a similar desire that burned inside Hiko's heart. He allowed himself to sink in that kiss, just like she allowed herself. And he didn't want to rise from it ever again.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Hiko felt empty when he looked out of the window of his cottage at the rainy landscape. He sighed silently. For a while she had been his all, all that he wanted, all that he needed. But he had been so blind. So fucking blind. But once again he had to remind himself that he had been the one who had started it, he had been the one who had wanted it, the one who had k... Kuso, I can't even think about it now!

Her kiss had been so sweet, so soft. He remembered it so well. But beyond that it hadn't gone. He hadn't allowed it and she hadn't allowed it to go further. Now he was glad that they hadn't gone further. Or was he? He didn't know what he felt about it.

But even though he was bitter about what had happened, he couldn't blame her or hate her. And it made him feel weaker, as though she had beaten him in a fight. Which she had done. But not in a fight. She had beaten him in love.