Chapter Two

Author's Notes: Sorry for the long wait. Comment please and no flames.

Eiji took a sip of tea the geisha had served him as he thought about the samurai he had fought the other night. Two nights has passed since their encounter and to Eiji's surprise, he couldn't get his mind off the samurai.

His attention was taken to the geisha who danced gracefully; twirling her fan in front of him and the group of men he sat with. Most nights he would have been found the geisha beautiful and the most exquisite art he had ever seen. Tonight, however, he could care less about the artisan that danced before him.

Not able to take it anymore, Eiji set out to look for the samurai. From the uniform the samurai had been wearing he was not from the police or the Shinsengumi. He also knew that no normal samurai would be out at that time of night. He must be a part of that group called the Seigaku, a group that were on the same side as the Kyoto police and the Shinsengumi. Atleast now his search had been narrowed greatly and finding his samurai would be much easier.

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"So, Echizen, did you enjoy the party?" asked Momo as he swung his arm around the other samurai's shoulder.

"What was the point of going when all you were going to do is get drunk?" asked Ryoma smelling sake on the other's breath. He pulled Momo's arm off his shoulder. "And don't put your arm around me."

"Awe, what is the matter? You are just so kawaii,"exclaimed Momo with a smile. Ryoma glared at him in reply as they stepped into the yard that led to the Seigaku dojo.

The yard was defiantly decorated, something one wouldn't expect from a group of samurai. There were small ponds everywhere that held lily pads and koi fish. Bamboo decorated the rest of the yard along with the large, Zen sand garden. Ryoma stopped when he noticed a samurai swiftly cut down bamboo with one strike and quickly sheath his sword.

"I see you are still cutting down the bamboo, Kaido-san," said Ryoma with a smile.

"Tezuka-sama didn't put them here for decoration," replied Kaoru.

"Hai, but we are going to have to buy more bamboo if you keep this up," said a voice that startled the three. Fuji came out of the dojo with a smile on his face. When Kaoru glared at him in reply, Fuji turned his attention to Momo and Ryoma. "Well I hope your evening was well." Momo nodded and Ryoma snorted.

Fuji let out a chuckle at Ryoma's reply before suddenly turning his attention to the trees outside of the Seigaku wall. Ryoma noticed Fuji's ice-blue eyes glare at the trees and his hand go for the hilt of his katana. Ryoma took his eyes to the trees and his eyes widened in surprise. It was the ninja he had fought the other night.

He turned to see Momo and Kaoru had noticed the ninja too, their eyes glaring and swords unsheathed. He turned his attention back to the ninja who didn't even have any weapons in his hands. In fact, it looked as if the ninja didn't want to fight at all.

Ryoma took a step towards the tree the ninja was in. "Let me deal with this one, he and I still have a score to settle," said Ryoma to the others. He noticed a smile form on the ninja's face as he jumped out of the trees. Ryoma glanced over his shoulder to see bewildered eyes looking at him before he followed the ninja.

It wasn't until they were a good ways away from the dojo did the ninja finally stop. Ryoma stopped behind him. "Why did you bring me all the way out here?" he asked, grabbing the hilt of his katana.

"You shouldn't draw your weapon at a defenseless person, Ochibi," said Eiji.

"Stop calling me that, the name is Ryoma Echizen," growled Ryoma.

"Yoroshiku, Ochibi, my name is Eiji," replied Eiji as he took a step towards Ryoma. Ryoma didn't know whether to unsheathe his sword or not because Eiji still hadn't drawn any weapons.

Eiji walked towards Ryoma until he had the samurai backed up against a wall. Ryoma's eyes widened in shock as Eiji quickly grabbed the hand Ryoma had had near his sword and pinned it tightly against the wall. Ryoma cursed himself, knowing Tezuka would be furious if he saw him like this.

Eiji's eyes looked into Ryoma's bewildered ones. "Why?" he noticed the question made the samurai jump but he continued, "Why is it ever since I met you I can't get you off my mind. You frighten me because you seen to haunt me in my dreams. Can you tell me why, why I now look at you differently than when I did when we first met?"

Ryoma shook his head, unable to answer the question. He tensed when the other's hand gently caressed his cheek. He felt his cheeks grow hot and his heart pound hard against his chest. He noticed Eiji's head lean close to his own where their noses almost touched. He began to squirm under the strong grip that held him only to have Eiji's body press against him to keep him still.

Eiji smirked at the he had captured, noticing how beautiful the small rays of moonlight that made those green locks shine and eyes that looked so submissive. His hands lightly touched the other's cheek before he leaned down to brush his lips against Ryoma's.

Ryoma tensed with the other's lips against his own; trying to squirm free but to no avail. The ninja took his lips away from the other's and looked down at him.

"Ninja!" came a loud voice which echoed through the quiet neighborhood startling both

ninja and samurai. Eiji glared at the owner of the voice and Ryoma looked to see who it was. His eyes widened to see Tezuka, eyes full of rage and sword unsheathed.

Tezuka pointed his sword at Eiji. "Let Ryoma go or your blood will swim against my blade." Eiji glared at him still before letting go of Ryoma. Ryoma glanced at Eiji and noticed a sad look in the ninja's eyes. He blinked before Tezuka's voice startled him, "Lets go, Echizen, I am not in the mood to kill tonight." Tezuka then sheathed his sword towards home. Ryoma slowly following and not looking back at the sad-eyed ninja.