A/N: Oh my God. You guys. I have over three hundred reviews. That sound you just heard? That was me fainting. Dead away. BOOM. Thank you all so much! Not much else to say about this chapter...hm...

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

After the first day, the men move the child into Kenshin and Kaoru's room. Katsu lays out the spare futon beside their larger one, and Sanosuke lays the boy down. Kaoru fusses over his quilts, tucking him in and worrying over how how she should cover him - to the chin or just under his arms? - before Sanosuke slaps at her hands.

"It's fine," he half grumbles and half laughs. "You worry too much."

It is probably the exhaustion, but it makes Kaoru's temper - never well held, anyways - flare up in a bright flame.

"Asshole!" She half snarls, balling up her fist, punching him so hard in the shoulder that it gives the crack of a dislocated joint, while her hand burns hot before turning numb from the shock of the impact. Sanosuke whimpers, eyes widening as he tumbles from a kneeling position to an ungraceful sprawl on his butt, cursing under his breath when he unthinkingly attempts to catch his weight on the arm of his own dislocated shoulder. "Are you laughing at me?"

"You're terrifying," Katsu says approvingly, before he elbows Kenshin and gives him a manly sort of look, one that is part leer and approval. "And feisty! You know what they say about the feisty ones, don't you? Eh? Eh?"

Kenshin thumbs his sword upwards, giving Katsu a narrow glare. The younger man giggles like a little boy.

"Katsuhiro," he says in the quietly warning way of a large animal who offers no second chances. "That is no way to talk about my wife."

"Sorry," Katsu is still giggling helplessly, flapping both hands in the air. "Sorry! I didn't - I'm so tired - I can't think!"

"Ow," Sanosuke finally manages to get out. "Ow! Jou-chan, you just - you -!"

"Oh, shut up," Kaoru grumbles. "You can pop it back in, no problem."

"Well, yeah, but still - you hit me!"

"You've been hit tons of times!"

"But - but you're a girl!"

"You wanna make something of it?" Kaoru hisses, and perhaps it is still the exhaustion talking, but she has never been so close to stealing Kenshin's sword and splitting a man open than she is at that moment. Sanosuke, apparently cowed by her expression, quickly finds his feet.

"We're leaving," he announces, all indignation and wounded pride. "Come on, Katsu. Let's get out of here before the wonder couple here kills us."

"Agreed," Katsu finds his feet, bowing deeply to Kaoru. "Sorry I - uh - said that. You know. Sometime my mouth gets in the way of my brain, and...anyway. Goodbye!"

"I want you home before dawn!" Kenshin calls after them, leaning forward to lock a glare on their backs as they leave. "No bringing home prostitutes!"

"We only did that once!" Katsu defends loudly, while Sanosuke calls,

"Yes, dad!"

Kaoru wheezes at the expression Kenshin wears in response to Sanosuke's parting comment.


Word Count: 511