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, yaoi, adult themes, swearing, non-consent
Italics indicate 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.
Ashitaka
Kenshin's POV:
Silently, I pushed myself up closer to Sano as we left our small camp and headed into the town ahead of us for supplies. He's even promised us a stay at an inn and baths, all luxuries I admit that I surprised he'll spend on us. The two women walked ahead of us as they chatted together happily looking forward to town. We pushed our way out of the woods and back onto the road, I stumbled over a raised root of a tall tree, only to have Sano catch me before I faceplanted onto the ground. I looked up, blushing madly, into those intense dark eyes of his as he wrapped his arms around me to help me back to my feet.
"Thank you Sanosuke." I murmured softly, blushing, as I stared at my clumsy feet.
"Aw shucks little one, you know it isn't anything to help someone so sweet as you." I looked up as I felt my face flame even more so as he looked down at me and chuckled. "No need to be so shocked that I am willing to help you little one. You more then deserve to be treated gently." He pulled me closer to him, whispering into my ear for me alone to hear.
"Thank you all the same." I stammered as he set me aside from him so that we could continue down the road. He reached down and interlaced our fingers together gently as we walked to catch up to the women who had stopped to wait for us. I could see them smirking away behind their hands as they giggled at us.
"Oh, shush you two! Misao you'll be even worse then I'll ever be once we get to Kyoto and you meet up with your fiancé you know. Then we'll see who's laughing!" He grinned at the ladies as they started to walk ahead of us again.
"Oh, you are so right on that Sano! Misao is just going to be sickening to be around don't you think little Kenshin?" Megumi slid over beside me to whisper loading to me grinning.
"Do be quiet you two! You'll frighten poor Kenshin away with all your gooey talk." Misao turned on her head heading towards me. She reached out her hand, pulling Sano's from mine, to replace with her own small hand. She pulled me ahead to walk with her as she turned her head back to Sano and Megumi. "You two can gossip all you like back there while Kenshin and I discuss more important things." She put her small nose up in the air and pulled me along faster. Once we were out of earshot of the others, she looked over at me as if she was inspecting me or something. It was rather disconcerting really.
"So Kenshin, just what are your intentions towards Sanosuke?" She looked me in the eye as she bluntly asked.
"This one doesn't know what you mean." I stammered, looking away from her unnerving gaze embarrassed.
"Oh, I'm sure you know what I mean. Sanosuke uprooted his entire life to go on the run to save you. You must have some kind of intention towards the man."
"This one didn't really mean for any of this to happen. This one didn't want Sanosuke to give up anything. No one needed to save this one." I stammered as I tried to explain things to her, as I tried to explain I didn't want that kind and generous man to give up his life for me. I wasn't worth anything, not like how a great man like Sanosuke was worth.
"Oh, come on Kenshin. He cares for you. I mean really cares for you. I just don't want to see him get hurt because you don't care about him in return." She turned her look completely serious for the first time since we had met. All I could do was look her in the eye and nod. I hoped that would convince her that I meant no harm to him.
"Well, now that's settled Kenshin, tell me about yourself." She grinned at me as she seemed to take me at my word.
"This one doesn't have much to say about oneself." I muttered bashfully to her as she squeezed my hand.
"That's nonsense! I don't believe a word of it. How does one like yourself get tied up with –" She stopped midsentence and squealed as Sanosuke had run up behind her and grabbed her from behind, pulling her up into the air.
"That's enough out of you miss chatterbox!" Sanosuke laughed as he swung her over to set her back onto her feet on his other side. "Kenshin doesn't need you to natter his ears off." He laughed again as he laced our fingers together, pulling me closer to him. "I know all I need to about my little one." He smiled down at me.
Sanosuke's POV:
I couldn't help the smile that shaped itself on my face at the wide-eyed gaze of Kenshin's violet eyes up at me. I gave his hand a little squeeze and turned my attentions to the ever-increasing crowd that were funnelling into the town ahead. The crowds crowded in closer, leaving the ladies to clasp their hands together and rush to keep up with us in the surge of people. Once passed the entrance into the town the crowds eased up as everyone headed off to do their own thing. I looked back at Megumi and indicated that we should head to a nearby bar, and did so on receiving her acknowledging nod in return.
Once we'd all been seated in the bar, a bar maid came and took our orders for food and drink. Kenshin and I sat on one side of the table as the girls sat on the other. Kenshin was gazing around quietly as if he was taking his judgment of the place. I wrapped my left arm around his small body, and pulled him closer into my side, loving the feeling of having him pressed to my body.
"So, what do you ladies think of the town so far?" A young man asked as he came over to the table with the maid bringing us our orders as he served Kenshin, Megumi, and Misao all the while eyeing them.
It's a good thing that Kenshin has such a feminine appearance, it really aides in his disguise. I eyed the man disgustedly as I wrapped my arm around Kenshin even more so.
"My wife and sisters are grateful for a chance to have a break from travel."I stated bluntly to the man, whose gaze widened as he inspected Kenshin like he was some prized meat.
"Mhmm. You have good taste in wife my good man." He grinned at me, shark like.
"Yes, I do. We're very happily married." I hoped that the man would take the hint and back off.
"I take it you are travelling to your new life, with your sisters in tow? That's strange." He laughed.
"My sisters are my only family besides my wife, and we wanted to remain together. There's nothing strange about it, its what families do." I glared up at him as the maid stood beside him and started to tug on his sleeve.
"We should go back to work now Kai before ma and pa see us loitering about." The girl said softly.
"Oh fine, what ever. I will be around to act as a guide for you ladies if your old man wants his beauty rest." He winked at Megumi and Misao before turning to slide his hand down Kenshin's arm suggestively. "Any time especially for you miss." He grinned at me before turning to walk back to the bar.
"Oh, I'll act as your guide too buddy." I growled under my breath causing Kenshin to look up at me startled as he softly patted my hand where it rested on his hip.
"It's okay Sanosuke. This one can protect oneself as well as the ladies." He spoke gently, to calm my anger I think but it didn't really help matters. I know he's a tough swordsman, but it doesn't mean I want to have him prove it.
"Any who, now that the entertainments over, why don't we eat?" Megumi smiled at me before rising her cup of sake.
"Yay! Food!" Misao cheered happily before she started to shovel down her food.
"Well slow down there champ. There's plenty to go around." I smiled at her enthusiasm and took a drink as I watched Kenshin out of the corner of my eye gracefully start eating his rice. "Once we're done eating, we don't we find a nice inn, where we all can bath and clean up before we sit down to decide on what supplies we need to replenish."
"That's a promising idea Sano, I personally wish to carry on in my own filth." Megumi sighed wistfully. "It'll be so nice to bath." She leaned towards me from her seat across from me. "What do we do about Kenshin's bath? He can't bath with the men if our plan is to work." She murmured softly to me. I turned to watch as Kenshin and Misao eat their meals beside us, ignoring our conversation.
"Maybe I should book the bath privately? For Kenshin and I, saying we're newlyweds or something."
"I think that'd work. I don't see that anyone would question it." She shrugged her shoulders. "You two do very much for all intense purposes appear to be a happily married couple." She smiled softly at the two of us. I couldn't help but to smile embarrassedly back at her before turning my gaze down to Kenshin's flushed face.
"Yes, we are a happily married couple." I smirked at poor Kenshin who started to squirm on the bench beside me embarrassed as he ate his meal.
