Title: Saving Him
Category: Anime/Manga ยป Rurouni Kenshin
Author: Ashitaka99
Language: English, Rating: Rated: M
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor do I make any profit from this story. The owner of these characters is solely Nobuhiro Watsuki. This story is AU so as such, I have taken several liberties with the timeline of the original story which is parallel to my story, just like an alternate universe. With my own original characters added in as well.
Warnings: violence, abuse, non-con., yoai, adult themes, swearing, non-consent
This is a Sanosuke x Kenshin centric written mainly from the first-person point of view of Sanosuke. It's the first time I have written a story like this, so please forgive any errors on my part.
Italics indicate a character thinking to themselves.
Underlined subtitles such as this: Kenshin indicate a change in the point of view to either a character or third person.
Reviewers for Defending Him:
Lucil: I agree that a Beta Reader would help me detect any mistakes in my writing. I was thinking of finding one myself.
Lyrian Chase: As always, your comments lighten my heart. Thank you!
countrylovinfangirl: You'll be happy to note that I plan to do just that!
Scarred Sword Heart: Sano is awesomely protective of our Kenshin!
KenDan55: Thank you! I like to think it is worth the wait! You are right, no one deserves to be hurt like that, but just keep on reading and find out if everything turns out ok!
Ashitaka
"Where did that come from?"
Third Person POV:
A figure stood in the shadows across from the entrance to Sagara's home, watching as a young man left the home, walking down the empty street singing a drinking song to himself. Turning, the figure nodded to another in the shadows who turned and ran from the scene while a third stealthily followed the young man away from the home leaving the figure alone in the shadows, an evil grin spreading across his face.
Kenshin's POV:
Reaching out for Sano as he walked out of the house hurriedly, I dropped to my knees in shock. What have I done? He cannot possibly love me! It is only a matter of time before Kamiya-sama finds me, what will happen then? Will he just turn me over to her once he's had his fun? Oh god...I'm so confused! I don't know what to do. I don't know what to think. Should I run?
At that last thought, I realized I had been kneeling in that same spot for a while, long enough that it had grown quite dark outside. If I'm going to run, I need to do it now. I need to keep Sagara-sama safe from Kamiya-sama and her yakuza! Who knows what they will do to him! I can't let him get hurt because of me, not after everything he has done for me.
That decided, I nodded to myself as I got up, grabbing my sword on my way over to the door. Just as I was pulling it open, someone shoved the door in knocking me backwards. My eyes widen as I realized just who was standing in the doorway.
She grinned down at me maliciously before turning the men who were crowding their way into Sano's home, sneering down at me. Her blue-black long hair was tied back in a ribbon and she had bound herself to wear her gi and hakama, giving her unrestricted movement.
"Grab him! I think it's about time that he learned who owned his ass." Her eyes narrowed down as she looked at me, speaking without turning to whomever she was speaking to behind her. A large man stepped into the house, around her, smirking horribly down at me. He reached down to twist his hand into my hair as I flinched away from his touch, reaching up to try to pull his hand from my hair.
I watched at his face twisted into a horrible wolf-ish grin as I recognized the large swordsman, Hajime Saito, the Mibu no Okami who worked as a spy and as a personal body guard to the woman. Reaching back, he removed my sword from me, as he turned to her.
"Kamiya sama." He pulled me by the hair over to her where he handed the sword over to Myojin Yahiko who took it before he stepped to stand slightly behind Kamiya. I closed my eyes in pain as I grasped Hajime's wrist in vain to loosen his grip on my hair. I could feel the hard grasp of a hand on my chin which was forced upward as I tensed to the touch. There was silence for a moment before a hard-backhanded slap sent me to the floor and out of Hajime's grasp where I lay before she sent a hard kick into my ribs, causing me to curl in on myself.
"Do you think that you can ignore me, you worthless worm? You never listen even if I apply my lessons through my 'gentle' scolding's." Kamiya smiled serenely as she crouched down in front of me, petting my hair. Tilting her head to the side, she pinched my cheek hard before continuing on. "You will never listen will you my pet? You don't care that I can provide a better life for you than where you were headed when I 'saved' you, do you? But you can never learn. You never do." She stroked my cheek lightly, as she turned to look up at Hajime who was standing beside her. "I do have one method of teaching that we haven't tried yet. Who do you fear the most in the world? It's not me. I know that you fear me, but who do you really fear? I wonder..."
I looked up at her as I felt fear start to race throughout my body as my gaze shifted unconsciously from Kamiya's face to the wolfish man beside her. Not daring to make a sound in my fear.
"Mhmmm... Hajime, is it?" She grinned wickedly up at the man as I snapped my gaze back to hers, silently pleading. She slid her hand up into my hair where she grasped it, pulling on it as she rose to her feet despite my gasps of pain. She pushed me to land at Hajimes' feet. "Hajime, come. You have earned yourself a reward for your years of service to my family and I. Please enjoy with my blessing." She spoke softly as she gave her blessing to the large man in front of me.
"Thank you Kamiya sama. I will enjoy your precious gift. I will not forget the kindness you are showing to one such as I." Hajime closed his hand into a fist before placing it onto his chest and bowed to her. He then grinned his horrific customary wolf-ish grin down at me before he wound his hand into my hair, pulling me to my feet with a cry of pain and fear.
Cringing, my hands flew back up to my hair in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain that Hajime was causing. I felt the tears that were threatening to overflow build up, but bit down on my lower lip in order to prevent them spilling over.
I refuse to show that weakness in front of this monster! Sagara sama will come for me... I know he will! He has to! I repeated silently in my mind as I was pulled up and over Hajime's shoulder and carried back to the compound that fronted as a dojo, which was the home base of Kamiya's yakuza before Hajime parted ways with the rest of them. He carried onto his own house with a parting wave to the others along with some passing jests and sniggering.
Sanosuke's POV:
Sitting at an empty table at one of my favorite drinking establishments, I couldn't help but give out a happy sigh as I raised my sakazuki to my lips, draining it. My happiness wasn't long lived though as I spotted a tall, black haired woman making a beeline towards my table. The smile slipped from my face as she stood in front of me.
"Sano, may I have a seat?" She gestured to the empty seat across the table from me. I grunted in response, which she took as permission and promptly sat herself down in the chair with a smirk on her face. "I must say, you look positively glowing today my dear. Could you possibly have a new love interest?"
"And how exactly is that any of your business?" I growled in her direction.
"You know that I only care for your well-being." She murmured softly at me as she grabbed the tokkuri and poured me another sakazuki full of sake.
"Oh yeah? And when did that start Megumi?" I barked out a harsh laugh.
"I know we haven't been on the best of terms, not since we ended it between us, but I still care about you Sanosuke."
"When we ended things?" I started at her incredulously as I took my sakazuki back and sipped at it. "Is that what you told yourself when you left me that day to chase your medical dreams?" I snapped at her, barely holding back in my half-drunk state.
"Oh Sanosuke. You knew things wouldn't work out between us. They couldn't have. We are just too different and too stubborn to work otherwise. You know that medicine is the only way I have to make things right again just how your defending the weak and fighting are yours." She spoke softly as she reached out and took my free hand in her warm, petite one. "You and I are meant for different things, but that doesn't mean we can't still be friends, does it?"
With a sigh, I put my half empty sakazuki down as I turned my hand over to hold hers within it. "You are right, we can still be friends. You know me, I'm a stubborn block head." I sent a half smile in her direction. "I am happier now than I have ever been."
"I knew something good has happened! Tell me, who is she? When can I meet her?" She smiled brightly at me as I felt my face heating up.
"Ah...see that's the thing, my little one is not what you'd expect. This person is very special to me." I let me smile grow wider. "I will ask when they would like to meet you. I shouldn't want to chase my future away with my past."
Megumi let out a peal of laughter at that as she rose from her seat. "Well in that case, I will wait for now. But I expect to meet your lady love soon!" She grinned at me as she turned to walk away. Grinning to myself, possibly looking the fool, I paid my bill and steered myself towards home, singing to myself softly. My heart felt light as I folded my arms up behind my head, making my way home lazily as I fantasized of being home with my little one in my arms.
"Time, is going by, so much faster than I,
And I'm starting to regret not spending all of it with you.
Now I'm, wondering why, I've kept this bottled inside,
So I'm starting to regret not telling all of this to you.
So if I haven't yet, I've gotta let you know...
You're never gonna be alone
From this moment on, if you ever feel like letting go,
I won't let you fall...
You're never gonna be alone
I'll hold you 'til the hurt is gone.
And now, as long as I can, I'm holding on with both hands,
'Cause forever I believe that there's nothing I could need but you,
So if I haven't yet, I've gotta let you know..."
I made my way through the streets and alleys in my drunken stupor on my way home, flushing whenever my thoughts strayed towards the beautiful red head waiting at home for me, grinning my way through my song.
That stopped immediately when I rounded the last corner on my way home, seeing a large group of yakuza standing outside and around the front of the house. Slinking back into the shadows, I leered out at what was happening, my heart stopping when I glimpsed my little one being dragged out of the house by his long red hair, struggling and crying out against a tall man wearing a wolf-like grin on his face.
I ground my teeth while I fisted my hands. There wasn't anything I could do against so many in such an open area like this. Don't worry little one! I'm going to rescue you. Like hell I'll leave you to the hands of that brute!
Japanese Translations or Authors Notes
Mibu no Okami = Direct translation into Wolf of Mibu
Sakazuki = a flat, saucer like dish for drinking sake
Tokkuri = a small, usually ceramic flask for serving sake
Sake = refers to any alcohol in Japan, but commonly to rice wine or Nihonshu
Lyrics of Never Gonna Be Alone by Nickelback. No, I don't own the rights to this song, never will. These are exclusive to Nickelback, and copyrighted to Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. and Arm Your Dillo Publishing Inc.