Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin

Italics:Flashbacks of the past before the end of the Backumatsu


Chapter One: Not as innocent as they look

Okita and Saito had just got by with the brush they had with the Battousai but knew it far from over. Sure enough, as soon as they reached head quarters, Harada gave them a apolgetic look and quickly escaped before they could question him about what brought that on. Saito turned to Okita with a malicious grin and launched into conversation.

"I think either Hijikata or Kondo is going to give us a shouting of a lifetime and if that's the only thing they're going to do then that isn't the least of all our troubles," Saito said as they headed upstairs to report to their superior.

"I promise that whatever happens I will be with you one hundred percent," Okita told him with an innocent smile.

Saito glared.

Okita always seemed so innocent that anybody that didn't know him would ever believe that he was a Shinsengumi nor could they fathom that he'd willingly cut down a man without hesitation. What got Saito was the fact that he didn't let the killings stop him from being happy. He doubt that the legendary Battousai was like this but then he probably slain more men than Saito and Okita put together. He also knew that Okita wasn't one hundred percent innocent as he appeared though. He was the one that snuck Hajikata's books of Haiku's and switched them with Harada's porn books. He was a troublemaker and a lot of the times it was hard to know what times he was purely innocent and the times he was as guilty as sin.

"I think I've heard that before. Hmm, I can't seem to put my finger on it for the moment," Saito mused aloud distracted when Okita's smile wavered a bit and seemed to arch into a part mischievous one as well.

He hated those smiles on his friend the worst! He could never tell what he was thinking and/or if he was up to something troublesome. It was almost as bad as the dinner surprise that Okita had cooked the men one fine evening when everybody got sick of Sanosuke's regular. But on the bright side, none of the men actually complained about Harada's food afterwards, Saito thought grimly. He wouldn't admit it, but Okita had destroyed everyone's taste buds for a while after that. He swore that Okita was a lot of things; prodigy, handsome, boyish, childlike, kept some innocence that many lost at the expense of killing another, and sanity. One thing he wasn't and never was going to be was a good cook! They really needed to hire a cook once he thought about it. Harada cooked the same thing every time, Shinpachi cooked burnt food, and everyone else that even considered volunteering weren't all that great either. But still he'd rather have someone who burnt food than having his best friend poison everyone however much of an accident it was.

"Hijikata, you wanted to see us," Okita broke his moment of thought for which Saito was glad.

"Why did you leave your posts when you had strict orders to stand guard," Hijikata asked sternly.

"But sir, the Battousai was on another rampage," Okita told him.

Kondo interrupted.

"Because of that, they almost got our most important documents that our allies tried to remove," he told them gravely mad at them for the near screw up.

"But look at the bright side, those we couldn't remove were burnt beyond recognition and the rebel scums couldn't get to them," Saito spoke up for the first time since they had been in the room.

Kondo sighed while Hijikata eyed the men. They were two of the best men they had besides Shinpachi and even though they tended to go easy on them for that, this wasn't going to be the case. They had orders to follow that out did any wish to bring them the Battousai on a silver platter no matter how extreme the circumstance unless of course, he was threatening the place they were supposed to be at.

"He was the one that challenged the Battousai though. I merely made a comment that the Battousai was a man without words," Okita quickly got out before either superior could speak again.

Saito smirked before hitting Okita on the top of the head with his fists, not hard enough to do damage but enough to let the brat know that he hadn't gone with him one hundred percent.

"And while you two were egging the man on, they almost got into the place you were supposed to be," Hijikata emphasized the last part to make it clear.

He suddenly understood why everyone had a headache around Okita. Okita the optimist whose bubbly personality would make it easy for you to get along with or if you were angry with him then a quick decking was within question too. Sighing, Kondo decided to speak up again.

"I see you guys have been making bets recently during supper," he stated, it was a fact not a question.

"Yup, we made a bet that Mr. Himura is a man of so little words and so far, I'm winning," Okita added.

"Great, now as much as I like your humor and everything, you two will not escape punishment," Kondo continued. "You both get to teach the new recruits tomorrow instead of the patrol that was originally planned.

Saito glared while Okita just chuckled innocently and put a hand behind the back of his head.

"All well, guess we should stick to what we are supposed to do," Okita said to himself aloud. Then he said to the superiors still in a foul mood and asked, "Are we dismissed now?"

"Go we have no use for you now although he hope you learn from that little incident," Hijikata added waving his hand to shoo them out.

Both Okita and Saito bowed before exiting the room. As Saito walked briskly beside Okita, he suddenly realized something he had forgotten. They had indeed planned to stay there and guard the very thing they were sent to protect with their life. But suddenly he remembered something else. Okita had said he had him backed one hundred percent then too. He was a terrible liar come to think of it but that wasn't the issue right now. Digging into the pockets of his hakama, suddenly he got the whole picture. The Battousai had distracted him when he was going to ask his going to be dead best friend where his cigarettes were. Eyes gleaming, he turned to Okita casually.

"Okita where did you misplace my cigarettes, hmmm," As casual as Saito tried to be, the smile on Okita's face froze in place.

Putting his hands up in surrender, he turned to Saito hoping his friend would be forgiving.

"Mou, Saito I just couldn't help but see that you are going to destroy your lungs. As your friend, I was helping you," Okita told him or tried.

"You sold me out twice and used our famous Ishin enemy as a way to distract me. Okita how long did you think I would go without noticing the lack of my cigarettes," Saito asked bemusedly.

"Longer than this," Okita spilt out before stopping himself.

Smiling real big Okita continued, "I believe it is my turn to cook Saito and the menu for today is Soba."

With that he ran, with Saito left there for a moment before he himself came to his own senses.

"You weren't-get back here Okita. I don't want everyone in the hospital again just because you can't even boil water correctly," Saito shouted after him. "And you will ruin my taste for soba, imbecile."

Back in the office doing paperwork, Kondo grinned. If they didn't have someone liven up the atmosphere every now and then they would have probably lost the war ages ago. That and since Okita was such a bad cook, they learned to appreciate good food when it came. That was one thing they had that those Ishin scums never would and Kondo would never admit it but it made him bad enough to pity them.


Three months and Saito was wondering if he went crazy. Everyone thought it was good of him to take on the little girl when they realized she wasn't actually his but a friend's and told him he would do fine. Talks about bonds and how he should cherish the moment since he would surely miss this. He wondered if Okita had ever said anything about kids the whole time he knew him. He did invite him to the temple where Okita usually visited the children but then he had only gone with his friend once and it was only because Okita had gave him an altimatim; come with him or kiss his cigarettes goodbye.

If those women held some truth their sayings then he would surely miss the screeching, the biting, the No's, more importantly the looks of innocence she passed on even though he knew she was a demon in disguise. She most definitely took after her dad in that aspect. Looking at the child who was now writing on a paper at the table, he wondered if it would be considered wrong to give her away. No, he wouldn't do that to Okita even if his friend hadn't known he was going to be a father when he was alive. Sadly, her birth also reminded him of Okita's death. He had wanted to be there but current issues had got in the way and Okita died alone without anyone.

"Papa, see wis papa," she called out showing his the page in which she coloring on.

Saito just glanced at it noticing that it was horribly done although he wouldn't tell a two year old that. Also, it didn't have any definite meaning as he still couldn't distinguish what it was. Two year olds and their imaginations! He decided that he deserved this. He was mean to everyone around and now Karma was paying him back through this monster.

"It's......pretty," he added after a pause.

Smiling she went back to idly singing something he couldn't make out and drawing on a clean one. As long as she was distracted he didn't mind. Her brown hair was pulled back into a blue ribbon and she was wearing a blue kimono with a pink obi which would be ideal for a bit but he couldn't let her get away with wearing it another day.

"We're going shopping," he announce and she jumped for joy.

He helped her put her sandals on and took her hand in his as they headed outside. The first place they decided to go was to get the blasted clothses. He couldn't put that off because she needed them badly. Gazing at her, he wondered if she would grow up to be peaceful in this new era or if she would want to take on the ideals that her father had believed in. Either way, with the ban on weapons, she would most likely won't be needing the skills of kenjutsu nor the aku soku zan method.

He hurriedly made sure they spent at least twenty minutes there before they left laden with kimonos and obis of about thirty vibrant colors. This would keep her in good terms for now, Saito thought as he eyed her again. She was smiling widely, a little too big for a two year old and he again began to wonder if she were up to something.

Sighing, he decided to make his way to the resturaunt as a treat. Smiling she hugged him as they made their way to the table. Sitting down, she started drumming her arms on the table and looking around with the utmost curiosity for a child her age. The brat was proving to be a prodigy even at her small age.

"Papa, wha papa," she said with a smile.

He didn't get the gibberish as she preferred to speak the majority of the time. It was when the waitress appeared that Souja stopped her bantering and looked up with her oh so adorable expression.

"What would it be today," She asked.

"Soba and tea, green tea if you have any," Saito said right away.

The woman wasn't beautiful but she wasn't bad looking either. Brown hair and dark colored eyes, she had the air of someone who didn't think highly of themselves but had the confidence and that wasn't a bad combination either. Souja looked away shyly and Saito grinned maliciously. You aren't shy, I knew you were a demon under that little angel facade, Saito thought.

"Right, it'll be a few minutes but please try to enjoy your day," She said looking at him apolgetically and he got what she meant.

So she understood how much of a hassle children could be. He was glad somebody did. This monster took up a lot of time and energy. Yet, when he thought about it, he didn't feel as horrible as he did before. It had been two years since Okita died and even though he hadn't had the time to see his grave, he would never forget his only friend. He was alone and with his failing marriage, he knew that the only thing that had kept him from his serious dilemma was Okita's distractions and humor. The man had a lot of childish qualities but when it came down to it, he almost read Saito like a book. His friend had two sides, the innocent side and the side that all Mibu wolves had. But Okita knew when he was upset and knew when he needed to be left alone. He knew when he needed someone to start something to get his mind off things and when to just be there and listen. Everyone there was truly blessed to have Okita as long as they did before tuberculosis had finally claimed his life. Even though he was gone, Saito was no longer alone. Because even in death, Okita gave him something to look foreword to and this time he gave him company in the shape of an innocent little heathen.

Putting his hands in his pocket, he was surprised when he came up empty handed. Sighing, he decided to get this finished with once and for all.

"Souja, where'd you put my cigarettes?"


The brat was finally asleep and Saito finally saw how peaceful little kids could be in this state. Yes, he needed to have her nap more and up less. The waitress went by again to pick up the table they were currently at and Saito burst into askance.

"Do you have kids," he asked.

"No," she answered quizzically.

"You seem to know that kids are a hassle," Saito answered her quizzical look and she nodded.

"I have a nephew though and even though I don't see him as much as I would like to, I wish I could turn back time to when he was this young. This stage goes by way too fast and they have grown up in the blink of an eye it seems," she added.

Saito nodded.

He'd remember that. Create memories to cherish. Don't go hoping they'd grow up and move out just because your annoyed. Raise them to know your ideals. Let them know you love them at least once each day. Smile, play, love, teach, watch, and be patient. A day will come when you want it all back but they will be grown before you know it.

"What's your name," Saito asked.

"Tagaki. Tokio Tagaki," she answered with a small smile.

"Maybe I'll see you later," Saito said with a smirk.

She smiled broadly and left back to work. He picked up their purchases with one arm and had her on him back in no time. As he began to walk the five miles back to the house, he began to wonder. It didn't hurt to be this innocent most of the time. She was definately worth all the headaches and hopefully she was going to grow up knowing what it was like to have a bond like this one. But most of all, he wondered if he should be proud that she had started calling him papa. She stopped asking for her mom though and that thought left him grim. She will never know the woman who had her and raised her for a short time nor would she know the one person he knew that was the closest to a saint that he could think. But she has you, his mind thought. Even if he didn't have his cigarettes at the moment, he knew where they were. Such a daddie's girl he thought with a smug look.

She definately wasn't as innocent as she looked.