Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is copyrighted to Nobuhiro Watsuki, Sony, Shuiesha Jump... mumble mumble...
Susan, thank you so much for the encouraging e-mail. I have been considering your suggestions for quite some time now.
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Kenshin
Kenshin watched with Sagara Sanosuke and Saitou Hajime as Shishio's ship blazed and sank into the water. "Good thing Katsu gave you those bombs, Sano."
Saitou blew out some smoke. "Yeah. Pretty good, for an somebody who's an idiot..."
"OI!" Sano fumed.
"Maa maa..." Kenshin raised his hands. "No need to get all riled up, Sano."
Saitou placed the cigarette back into his mouth. "We leave for Shishio's stronghold in the morning, so I suggest you all get some good night's sleep. Oh and Battousai..."
"Nani de gozaru?"
"Spend as much time as you want with the tanuki, while you still can."
Kenshin was taken aback. Kaoru-dono?
Saitou turned on his heel and began to walk away.
"Oi, Kenshin," Sano spoke, a hand on his shoulder. "Let's get going. Knowing Jou-chan and Yahiko, they'll be waiting for you in Aoiya."
"How are they?"
"I haven't seen them since I left Tokyo. I ended up in jail here and had a run-in with the wolf," Sano rolled his eyes. "Next thing I know, I was running around with you two and throwing grenades at a metal ship."
Kenshin smiled. "Let's just get going, ne?"
"Can't wait to see Jou-chan, eh?" Sano grinned when Kenshin flushed. "Can't say I blame you. I'll be feeling the same if Kitsune was here..."
Kenshin's smile turned amused. Sano hardly ever showed his tender side to Megumi, hiding it behind their name-calling and arguments.
I am lucky to have Kaoru-dono here. The gods have blessed this unworthy one, despite all my sins...
He was so surprised when Kaoru appeared in his master's door. Looking into her blue eyes became the most difficult thing he ever did. His heart wrenched when he saw the hurt in her eyes. He didn't see them before, not that night when he held her to him.
And yet behind the hurt there was a sparkle of joy. Joy at seeing him again? It takes so little to make her happy.
He thought he would never see her again, thinking she would hate him forever because of that.
But she followed him.
Kami-sama... How I love her...
Yahiko's brown eyes lit up when he saw them approaching, then turned and yelled, "Oi, Busu! They're back!"
Slowly the shoji slid open, and he saw one of Kaoru's eyes peek out. Sano huffed in impatience and yanked the door open. She yelped and stumbled out. Kenshin smiled.
"What's taking you so long anyway, Jou-chan?" he asked, entering the dojo.
She raised her eyes towards Kenshin, and seeing the smile, blinked for a moment.
"I'm so happy to see you again, Kaoru-dono. I hope you're happy to see me."
She responded with a smile of her own.
"I am."
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A/N: NOOOOOOO!!! Not over yet!!! ^_^ I am so evil..........
Errr... how did I do on Saitou, Yahiko and Sano? Were they OOC?