I apologize for the swearing. BAD HIKO!
For those who aren't familiar with the term, "Sofu" means "Grandfather."
I own nothing.
"Konnichiwa!" Himura Kenji called out as he entered the Aoiya, a restaurant in Kyoto owned by his family's friends.
"Kenji-kun!" A middle-aged woman with sparkling green eyes ran and threw her arms around the young man, squeezing the breath out of him. "How are you! Your mother sent us a letter you were coming to train with Hiko-san, but that was two weeks ago! Why haven't you come to visit us?"
"Gomen, Misao-oba," Kenji replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. (A habit he had picked up from his father.) "Sofu …eh …Hiko-sensei has been keeping me busy with training. I'm only here because he sent me to get his refill of sake."
Misao pouted. "Darn that man! I swear he hasn't changed a bit! Anti-social as ever!"
"Misao…" A much older, yet still very tall Aoshi entered the room, stopping his small wife from continuing her rampage about old, senile, egotistical sword masters. He turned to Kenji. "Okaeri, Kenji-kun."
Kenji bowed. "Arigato, Aoshi-oji. I'm glad to see you all again."
"Will you be staying long? Aiko and Michio would like to see you if you have time."
"Is that Kenji-kun?" A girl a year younger than Kenji, with black hair and her father's eyes, appeared from the hallway.
"Kenji!" a boy cried behind his twin sister. "You're here!"
Kenji laughed. "Hai, Shishou wanted me to get his sake for him."
The boy, Michio, rolled his eyes. "Hiko-san loves his sake."
"Hai, that he does," Kenji agreed, smiling.
"How is your family, Kenji-kun?" Aiko asked politely.
"Hai, hai!" her mother agreed excitedly. "How are Himura, Kaoru-san, and Kaori-chan? And how's that idiot rooster doing with Megumi-san and their children? And Yahiko and Tsubame and Shinya?"
"Well, Sano-oji is fine if you don't count Megumi-oba's abuse," Kenji said, chuckling. "She still calls him tori-atama. Sozo and the twins are doing fine as well. Sozo is taking lessons from his dad in fighting, which Megumi-oba isn't so happy about." The group laughed at this.
"Yahiko has been teaching at our dojo, while Tsubame-nee is still at the Akabeko, and Shinya has recently started taking kendo. My sister is doing well in her training too. Okaa-san and Otou-san are very proud of her.
"Okaa-san is doing well, even though she's let Yahiko take over most of the teaching. I think she misses it sometimes. But she and Otou-san are very happy."
"How about your father's health?" Aoshi asked.
Kenji sighed but gave a slight smile. "As Kaa-san said he's seen better days, but he still keeps his strength compared to ordinary men. Megumi-oba has been giving him some medicine to help."
Aoshi nodded, while Misao smiled sadly. It really was a shame that Kenshin's sword style had brought his health down so low.
"Well," Misao said, putting on a cheerful smile. "How about that sake?"
oOo
With the sake jugs hanging over his shoulder, Kenji waved goodbye to the Shinomoris and began his way out of Kyoto to his grandfather's, well now master's, mountain. His face was solemn, and he was lost in thoughts that had appeared after the conversation with his aunt and uncle and cousins.
Is Tou-san happy?
Well, I know he's happy with Kaa-san and Kaori and I, but does he sometimes miss being a swordsman? Does he ever feel regret about not being able to help anyone with his sword anymore? He gave the sakabatou to Yahiko, and now he keeps a bokken at his side, but he can barely wield that anymore. A simple kata is all he can do.
Kenji felt his throat closing up. I've never thought of it before. Tou-san always has wanted to help people, but can he do so now?
Kenji was so wrapped up in his thought that he didn't notice a large stick coming straight at him. He fell to the ground groaning.
"Orororo."
"Baka-chan! How many times do I have to tell you to keep your guard up!" the voice of Hiko sounded, with the nickname he had crowned his "grandson."
Kenji sat up, rubbing his wounded head. "Gomen, Sof –"
Hiko growled. "Shishou, baka-chan."
"Hai, hai, Shishou," replied Kenji with scowl. "You caught me in my thoughts."
"A swordsman should always be ready for an attack no matter what. It's how I taught your father, so stop complaining and get off your ass." Hiko turned and began to walk back to his pottery, but it didn't stop him from hearing Kenji whisper sadly, "Tou-san."
"Humph."
oOo
Kenji was very quiet throughout dinner, and it was starting to bother Hiko something fierce. The boy had been chatterbox ever since he was small, and whenever he clammed up, something was wrong.
"You've been silent ever since you got back from the ninjas' place. What's bothering you?"
Kenji looked up to face the one he called grandfather and put on a smile. "Oh, nothing, Shishou. I was simply thinking, that I was."
Hiko muttered something into his sake cup that sounded like, "He's your damn double," but then spoke up. "You're lying, Kenji. That's your fake smile. I've dealt with that damn smile before only it was your idiot father. You can't fool me, baka."
Kenji said nothing and looked at his food.
Hiko grunted. "Go on, what's harassing you? A swordsman must have a clear head, which you do not have. So spit it out."
"Shishou… no… Sofu."
Hiko raised an eyebrow at the title.
"Was I… was I wrong to ask Tou-san to let me learn Hiten Mitsurugi?"
Hiko sipped his sake.
"Sofu!" Kenji cried angrily, annoyed he was being ignored.
"Quiet, baka-chan!" Hiko growled. He set down his cup; no humor was in his face. "What kind of stupid question is that?"
Kenji swallowed, his throat beginning to close again. "I begged Tou-san to let me train in Hiten Mitsurugi, which he did relent to, but I think I'm causing him more pain than anything else."
"And why is that." It was a statement.
"I think Tou-san is some ways misses being a swordsman. He no longer has the sakabatou, and his strength is slowly deteriorating, causing him to lose his skills. He can no longer help anyone because he's lost the only way he knows how to."
"And?"
"Well… maybe… He feels inadequate and now I'm trying to do what he wishes too and –"
"You mean you think he's jealous."
Kenji looked at Hiko. "Well…"
"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard come from your mouth!" Hiko bellowed, slamming down his sake jug that Kenji jumped and thought it almost broke. "I thought you had more sense than your father, but it seems I was wrong, baka-chan!"
Kenji simply looked at his feet and waited as Hiko's rage continued. "I know Kenshin was reluctant to have you train in Hiten Mitsurugi, but what in the seven hells gave you the thought that he was JEALOUS!"
Kenji's jaw tightened and his anger rose. "Tou-san can't use his sword anymore, and then I ask him if I can do what he can't. What do you think I would come to!" he screamed.
Hiko smirked at the boy in front. "Fine," he said. "But, IF your father had a thought like that, what would you do with that?"
Violet-blue eyes widened, as the anger disappeared from Kenji's face, replaced with surprise and confusion. What would I do? What can I do? Sofu, what are you getting at?
"Think, baka. What does your father wish he could do?"
Kenji immediately answered, "Why to help people, of course. I already said that. Sofu, where are you –"
"And what do you want to do?"
What do I want to do? Me? I always to learn the Hiten Mitsurugi to prove to my father that I could help… The realization hit him, and Hiko smirked a smile at the light in his grandson's eyes.
"Have you figured it out?"
Kenji nodded and smiled proudly. "Hai."
Hiko stood and turned away. "Get to bed. I want you up early for training. Just because I let you call me grandfather doesn't mean I'll go easy on you."
Kenji stifled a groan. "Hai, Shishou."
Hiko humphed in satisfaction and disappeared outside, leaving Kenji to his thoughts.
Don't worry, Tou-san. I'll make sure to train hard, then I can help people with all the strength I have, so you won't have to worry about it. I'll earn the sakabatou and take your place!
I know a weird kind of twisting, but it popped into my head, and I rolled with it. So here's another one-shot you my dear readers!