Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all characters therein belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: Ah, life. Life is... bugfuck crazy. But I've finally had a chance to take a breather enough for a little trickle of inspiration to appear! So hopefully it's worth the wait. ... And enough to tide everyone over a little longer.

Siege

Old Habits

"There, you see? He's a perfectly agreeable sort." Kamatari tapped his spoon lightly on the edge of his coffee cup to shake off any stray drops before elegantly placing it back on the table. He watched the young man bow his way out through the quaint little fence surrounding the dining patio where Kamatari had arranged the impromptu introduction. Discreetly studying the younger man's movements with the same calculating precision he applied to every last detail in his work. "Don't act like you couldn't see that he has a natural eye. A little rough around the edges, but then, he's still very young. We'll beat some of that out of him."

"It's oddly sweet of you to be so willing to give new photographers a chance to build their reputation," Kaoru murmured as she made a notation on the page in front of her.

"Mmm..." Lips quirked up with wicked delight, he added, "Then we'll add another photographer to the pile when working with us makes him famous and bask in the rewards for our brilliant foresight."

Kaoru glanced up from the report beside her plate, shaking her head at the smug tilt of his lips. "Nevermind. I haven't said yes, remember? I'm still angry at you for the article, and I have real work that needs to get done tomorrow."

Kamatari frowned at her over the rim of his cup, stubbornly taking a sip, and lowering it with a distinct clink. Crossing one leg over the other, he folded his hands in his lap and pinned her with a disapproving stare. "We have real work to do, and a schedule to keep, darling, to get these samples ready for syndication. I don't mind you playing with your hobby-"

"Technically-"

"I've even gone to the trouble of arranging the set in a studio so we can work around it," Kamatari continued talking over her as though she hadn't just tried to interrupt. "I'll have a car waiting at that horrible, tacky place at six, and you will be in it."

Kaoru crossed her arms over her chest, arching one brow at the precise orders. "You've gotten way too used to being spoiled rotten and striking fear into the hearts of everyone around you."

Kamatari flipped his expertly styled hair back away from his face, more for dramatic effect than out of any real need considering the chin-length style. "I am internationally acclaimed, Kaoru-love." Breaking the arrogant image with a bright giggle, he leaned forward and tugged on her bangs with a sly smile. "So are you."

"Don't remind me," Kaoru sighed heavily, curling her fingers around his hand to stop him from pulling her hair again. "This is a big project, Kamatari, and Himura-san is counting on me to arrange all the reports from the division heads in time for the conference. I don't know if I can take the time out for a shoot right now."

"Darling, I have gone through eight 'models,' to say nothing of the ridiculous amount of time, energy, and shoes I've wasted trying to get these samples finished." The way his lip curled ever so briefly said more about the future career possibilities for those unfortunate girls than any stories he might have told her.

Although she suspected those would come soon enough.

"Do you have ANY idea how badly these new girls wear my clothes? It's an insult to my vision and reputation!" Kamatari pulled a slim, silver cigarette case out of his purse, adding a few more descriptive words for the whole mess that were best not repeated in polite company.

"I couldn't get home fast enough!" Gesturing to the waiter with one hand while he flicked the little case open with the other, he selected a cigarette, snapped the case closed, and absently tapped the filter end on the engraved surface. "But I wouldn't have had to if a certain someone had been on location where she belonged."

Kaoru habitually reached into her own purse for the lighter with matching engravings, striking the flame, and holding it up for Kamatari with practiced ease. He barely paused in his complaints to lean over to her and accept the light, inhaling deeply while he sat back with all the regal poise of a queen holding court.

"You know you're my face, Kaoru." Kamatari turned his head to exhale away from the table, smiling in thanks when the waiter obligingly placed an ashtray on the table beside his coffee. He tapped the excess ash off, and pointed at her scoldingly. "Now stop teasing me about this paperwork nonsense."

Smiling at his disgruntled expression, Kaoru set her lighter on the table for easy access and gathered up the files to sort the last page she'd checked. "If I finish up the reports, I'll help you out."

"Kaoru! What did I just say?!" Kamatari whined with exaggerated misery. "How can you torture the most important person in your life?"

Kaoru's lips twitched with suppressed laughter as she drawled out thoughtfully, "I did promise Yahiko I would go home for his succession exam..."

Kamatari shot her a dry, unappreciative look.

This time Kaoru couldn't hold it in, covering her mouth with one hand in a futile attempt to muffle her laughter. When he turned up his nose with an offended hmph, her laughter only increased. Finally, she managed to get a handle on her amusement and wound down to softer giggles. Clearing her throat, and smoothing her hands over her hair and clothes while she brazenly ignored Kamatari's patented, unamused glare.

"Are you done?"

Kaoru tilted her head, pretending to consider the question just to see his perfectly sculpted eyebrow twitch in irritation. "Yes."

"The car will be waiting at five."

"You said six," Kaoru reminded him.

"Penalty hour for unacceptable disrespect."

"You big baby," Kaoru scolded, pausing only when the waiter approached with a fresh carafe of coffee to refill their cups. After he'd stepped away to continue through the other tables on the deck, Kaoru tapped Kamatari in the shin with her foot. "I'll be in a conference taking notes until five-thirty. I can't leave until it's finished."

Kamatari silently took another deep drag off his cigarette before sighing in resignation and nodding. "Fine, fine. It'll be there at six. I'm going to fit you for the underwear and the main outfits tonight to save us time at the shoot. Then all we'll have to worry about the little adjustments." Thoughtfully, he tilted his head and ventured, "Although, it would be even more helpful if we woke up early and went to the salon before you insist on leaving me."

Kaoru made a face and decided to let that last bit slide, focusing instead on pouring cream into both their fresh cups. "I thought we were saving the three in the morning shoots for outside work."

"Give up your hobby and we wouldn't have to wake up until ten," Kamatari suggested with a shrug.

"You're going to call my job a hobby forever, aren't you?" Kaoru accused with a half-smile.

"Well it's not like you NEED it!" He pointed out, rolling his eyes while he added two sugar lumps to his cup and one to hers. "Honestly, what is in that cramped little office that's so attractive to you?"

"I like my job."

Kamatari made a rude noise in the back of his throat, stubbing out his cigarette while he muttered, "You spent too much time managing your father's dojo. It tripped some bizarre little switch in that beautiful head just to make my life difficult."

Kaoru silently rolled her eyes.

"Honey, how many times do I have to tell you that you're not built for doing such boring work?" Kamatari went right back to scolding her in between sips of coffee. "Do you know some of the designers have had the gall to accuse me of not treating you with the love and adoration required for a model of your expertise?"

Kaoru nearly choked on the sip she'd taken, rapidly adjusting her cup to prevent any spills, and setting it down for this particularly ridiculous turn of conversation. "Excuse me?"

"Do you remember that skinny idiot with the bizarre fascination with using animal prints in unnatural colors?" Kamatari lifted his hands around him to pantomime an over-sized skirt. "The one we met at the show in Thailand? With the gold and pink nails and the mauve lip-gloss."

"Klahan?" Kaoru blinked in surprise. "I thought you swore you'd never talk to him after he told you the silver sheath dress was too boring to be within fifty feet of real runway?"

Kamatari distractedly glanced back toward the kitchen as though he could see through the wall and find their orders. "He keeps showing up at parties and coming up to me to 'socialize' when I'm in front of the gossipy reporters."

"Sneaky bastard."

Kamatari hummed in agreement, turning his attention back to the table when his plate failed to materialize. "Anyhow, someone told him that you were working here while I was doing the spring runway show in Milan without you and he accused me of running you into the arms of another man!"

Kaoru's brows rose in surprise. "How on earth did you manage to not call me with this when it happened?"

"And give him the satisfaction?" Kamatari pressed his hand flat to his chest as though the mere thought wounded him. "You should have more faith in my self-control, darling!"

"In the depths of your spite, you mean." Kaoru's eyes narrowed in suspicion, studying his face and finally asking, "Exactly how long ago did this little conversation happen?"

"You don't need to worry about that." Kamatari made a dismissive gesture before examining his manicured nails carefully and promising, "I'm handling his behavior properly."

"Mm-hmm."

"Your suspicion hurts my soul."

"I'm sure your soul will survive, honey," Kaoru assured him, moving her files back to her briefcase when she caught a glimpse of their waiter coming toward them with their orders. "At least until after we eat."

Kamatari huffed in annoyance, but obligingly settled back and smoothed his napkin over his lap. "If this is how you get after I've been on vacation so long, I'll have to remember to come home regularly to remind you that you love me far too much to be so cruel."

Kaoru snickered quietly as the waiter gently arranged the plates to his satisfaction before bowing and leaving them to their meal.

...

"What is it?"

"Youichi's Café."

"What?"

"They're having lunch."

Silence met that declaration for a long moment, finally broken with the low answer, "I'm on my way."