~Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Rurouni Kenshin characters. This story was not written for sale or profit. Don't forget to review.

A/N-Our site is operational. I want to take this opportunity to thank a very special person, "Susa bunny" who did the layout for our pages. She did a marvelous job and without her help, we would still be struggling to get our site going. So come take a look around and see what she has done for us...

I am posting this cut up version to keep in line with ff.net's rules. But the full version is posted on our site. If you can find your way back to leave a review I would be eternally grateful. If not then please sign our guest book and if you want updates on our stories leave your email address. Or site address is:

www.wandering-samurai.com



A Reason for Love



Chapter 13: Emotional Love





~Soujiro quickly glanced back where Aoshi was practicing and then started walking after Cho. He had forgotten how fast the man could walk, for he had to jog to keep up with him.

"Why don't ya come to my room and say hi to Kami-chan. I am sure that he would love to see ya again," Cho asked once they were insight of the inn. "It will only take a few minutes. You don't. like ah. have some girl waiting. do you?" he asked cocking his head while smiling at Soujiro.

"No. it's just that I. ok sure," Soujiro stuttered unsure of what he should do. What would a few minutes matter, he knew where Aoshi was and that he would return to their room. So why not, he thought.



~Leaving the foliage, Aoshi started down the path, thinking that he would find them before he returned to the inn. But he was back at the inn and still no sign of the two men. His concern heightened but, unsure of what to do, he went to their room.

Entering their room, he expected to be greeted by the young man but instead there was only darkness and silence. Lighting a candle, he looked around not wanting to believe that he was not there. He checked their belongings. Nothing had been moved from when he was there earlier in the evening. His hands grasp the handle of the kodachi as he heard footsteps outside the door.

Waiting inside the room, Aoshi stood still as the footsteps continued down the hall past his room. He wanted to scream, shout and cry out the boy's name but he did nothing. And he just couldn't bring himself to go looking for him. Not yet. I must let go, he thought. Isn't that what I have decided to do, a small voice inside him asked.



~Entering the room he shared with Kamatari, Cho looked around for his roommate. Finding him sitting on his futon, Cho grinned and said, "Kami- chan, look who I found while I was out walking."

"Oh, one of my favorite people," Kamatari cooed when he saw Soujiro.

Soujiro just stood by the door smiling.

Kamatari stood up and going over to Soujiro, he remarked, "Why you do look good all cleaned up and with a little meat on your bones."

"Thanks," Soujiro mumbled, a blush coloring his cheeks.

"Come, you must sit down and tell me what has been happening since I saw you last," Kamatari said, gently pulling at Soujiro's arm.

"I told the servant to bring up some sake. That always gets Kami-chan in the mood," Cho said, smiling at Kamatari, he picked up the futons to make room for them to all sit down.

Soujiro followed Kamatari over to the open area that Cho had cleared, sitting down next to Kamatari.

A knock on the door announced the servant bearing the sake. Cho took the tray from the servant and set it down in the middle of the three. Pouring two cups of sake, he handed one to Soujiro. Kamatari picked up the sake jug, handed Cho a cup and poured his sake. Setting the jug down, he picked up the one that Cho had poured for him.

Cho and Kamatari each took a sip of sake while looking intently at each other, Soujiro could feel the tension surging between them. Soujiro took a small sip, letting the warm liquid roll over his tongue and down his throat, spreading a warm feeling into the core of his body. Taking another sip, the warm feeling spread farther through his body.

Kamatari put his cup down and leaned back, giving a heavy sigh. Looking at Soujiro, he asked, "Did Chiko bring you more trouble? You should stay away from that girl. She will only use you, you know?"

"No, nothing that I can't handle," Soujiro answered very fast, finishing his cup of sake.

"Well at least she made you eat and clean up,"

"It wasn't because of her. It was someone." Soujiro stated taking another sip of sake.

"Someone else, huh? Now who could have done that," Kamatari asked, smiling while giving Cho a quick glance.

"Kami-chan, leave him alone," Cho interrupted, looking at Soujiro, he smiled, "Whoever it is I am sure that Soujiro is happy."

Kamatari pouted then reaching over, he poured more sake in Soujiro's cup.



~The longer Aoshi stood waiting, the more his mind would dwell on his young traveling companion. Is he safe? Is he in danger? Is he going to come back? These questions kept racing through his head until he decided that he needed to do something. Part of him knew that the young man was able to take care of himself but the visions of the condition that he was in still plagued him.

Walking out of the room, he retraced his steps back to the path where he had last seen Soujiro talking to the stranger.



~The conversation had turned from Soujiro to the exploits of Kamatari during the first months of posing as an overseas spy for the government. He took particular delight in retelling how he had managed to act like a female in front of all the foreigners. Laughing at them the whole time.

"It sounds like you have found your place in life, Kamatari-san," Soujiro said marveling at the stories he had just told. The more he sat listening to the two men talk the better the sake tasted.

"Well as fun as it was being in a foreign country, I must admit that the best thing that happened to me was coming back to Japan and finding out that Cho was here waiting for me," Kamatari said, smiling as he flirted with Cho. A blush stained his cheeks, making his face glow. Filling Soujiro's cup once again, he picked up his own, taking a small sip.

"But does it feel the same for both of you? I mean. I know how I feel but I don't know how he feels about me," Soujiro asked Kamatari his voice slurred. Staring intently at Kamatari he took another sip of his sake, letting the warm feelings run through his body.

"Give him time. After all what is not to like about you?" Kamatari said cupping Soujiro's warm cheek with his hand. "He'll come around."

"Do you really think?" Soujiro smiled.

"Yes I do," Kamatari said, sitting back up, "Oh I am so tired." Taking another sip of sake, he leaned back, letting himself fall onto the futon just behind him. His legs spread open, giving Cho a great view of his upper thighs from the opened yukata.

Cho licked his lips and started crawling toward Kamatari.

Soujiro leaned back looking from one to the other and politely said, "Excuse me but I have to go now." Getting to his feet, he swooned spilling the last of his sake on the front of his clothes then stumbled to the door. Quickly leaving the room, barely able to close the shoji behind him, Soujiro could not get his body to respond as he tried to navigate down the hall.

Instead he stumbled and fell face first on the floor.



~"He'll help us," Kamatari said, looking up at his lover.

"What about."

"We'll just have to wait," Kamatari replied, "Now kiss me, baka."



~Aoshi stopped where Soujiro and the stranger had stood earlier. Searching the ground, he started walking back to the inn. With no sign of any struggle or anything out of place along the path, Aoshi felt better. By the time he returned to the inn, he had calmed down enough to accept the fact that he didn't know where the young man was but he had gone willingly so there was no reason to worry.

Walking up the stairs to the second floor, he took one step down the hall to his room when he heard a low moan coming from down the hall.

Leary in case there was someone waiting to ambush him, Aoshi slowly walked down the hall. In the dim light of the hall, he could see that just past his door there was a person lying face down on the floor.

While lifting the body to turn it over, he made the startling discovery that it was Soujiro. He held his breath as he rolled him over, noticing the flush cheeks just before the strong odor of sake accosted his nose, making him put his arm to his face.

"Aoooo. sssssshi," Soujiro grinned, his voice slurred while trying to say his name.

"Soujiro," Aoshi quietly said, pulling at the young man's shoulders to make him sit up. "Come on lets get you to our room," Aoshi said, lifting him from under his arms, making him stand.

"Ooook," Soujiro breathed, clutching the front of Aoshi's clothing with both hands as he sagged against him. With his face pressed into Aoshi's chest, he took in a deep breath then whispered, "Mmmm you smell. like a man."

"I am a man," Aoshi said softly under his breath while pulling him back. He draped Soujiro's arm around his neck before bodily picking him up and carrying him into their room.

It was all Aoshi could do to keep his mind set on getting inside the room when all he wanted to do was keep him as close as possible and never let go. But once inside, he set Soujiro on his feet, wanting him to stand while he prepared the futons.

But Soujiro had other ideas. Clinging onto Aoshi, he took in another deep breath then sighed.

"You have to let go so I can get the futon laid out," Aoshi insisted, his arms now wrapped tightly around the young man.

"I'll fall, if I let go," Soujiro softly warned, his lower lip protruding as he mournfully looked at Aoshi.

"I won't let you fall," Aoshi answered, resting his chin on top of the younger man's head.

"Promise?" Soujiro asked, smiling as he slowly loosened his grip on the older man's clothes.

"Yes," Aoshi answered. Pushing Soujiro back to arms length, he held his arms to help him stead himself.

"Ok," he said, splaying his hands out. Weaving a bit, he dropped his arms then closed his eyes, concentrating on finding Aoshi thus he was able to stay upright. Standing where Aoshi left him, he followed him with his ki as he set out the futons.

Quickly, Aoshi spread out the futons. Relief had now been replaced by anger. He mentally berated the young man for allowing himself to get into such a state. Sake was one taboo that he would carry to the grave. Finished with the futons, Aoshi returned to Soujiro.

For a moment, Soujiro couldn't feel where Aoshi was. Hugging himself, he searched the room, finding the older man standing directly in front of him. Delighted, he smiled and leaned into the hand that was outstretched towards him as tingles flooded through his warm body.

Aoshi's touch created vivid color sparkles behind his closed eyelids, increasing the warmth that he felt from the sake.

Aoshi had planned to put Soujiro directly to bed and let him sleep off the effects of the sake. But as the young man stood before him, leaning into his touch, all thoughts of sleep left to be replaced by desire.

When Soujiro wet his lips, Aoshi's body took over allowing no room for hesitation. Leaning forward, he gently licked Soujiro's moist lips getting a small taste of the young man. Wanting more, his tongue pressed between the young man's lips entering a veritable fortress of wonderful flavor.

Soujiro relaxed taking in a deep breath as Aoshi's tongue explored his mouth. He moaned when contact was taken away, leaving him wanting more.

Pulling back, Aoshi pushed his emotions aside wanting to get Soujiro to lie down and sleep off the effects of the sake.

"You need to lay down and get some sleep," Aoshi gently said, starting to undress him, "We still have a long way to go before its over."



(Here is where the story is "chopped up". I am sorry but I cannot rewrite the part that I had to cut out. So I will just say that Soujiro passed out. I am sorry but the story just isn't the same this way.)



~After what seemed like an eternity, Aoshi slowly and carefully got up. He felt wonderfully elated and extremely sore both at the same time. Looking down at the sleeping young man, he knew what the morning would bring.

Tightening his belt after he put on his yukata, Aoshi left the room to find the bathhouse and prepare a bath for the younger man.

Soujiro had not moved at all in the time he was gone. Wrapping him in a blanket, he picked him up and took him to the bathhouse. Standing him up, he gave him a complete bath before dressing him in his yukata. The young man followed where Aoshi led him but never once did he open his eyes.

Back in their room, Aoshi laid him on a futon and tucked him in. He was about to lie on the other futon when he heard Soujiro softly call his name. Slipping under the covers with the young man, Aoshi held him tight. Just for tonight, he told himself, just for tonight.



~Soujiro slowly became aware of the brightest lights he had ever seen. The sounds around him were intensified a thousand fold making him clasp his hands to his ears to keep from hearing the simplest of sounds. As someone entered the room, the shoji swished loudly back and forth, then the footsteps as they walked across the floor pounded in his head.

"Soujiro," his name floated on the wind of Aoshi's voice comforting his shattered concept of the way things should be.

"Aoshi, where are you? The light is so bright," Soujiro softly whispered. Placing his hands on the futon, he tried to sit up but something was holding him down.

"Don't move," Aoshi quietly instructed him, placing a cool cloth over his forehead, covering his eyes also. "This will help."

"What happened?" Soujiro asked his need for information over riding his need for quiet, "I feel awful."

"What is the last thing you remember?" Aoshi asked his voice a mere whisper.

"I remember. walking down the hall and. Did someone beat me?" Soujiro asked, fear tingeing his shaky voice.

"No, I found you."

"Thank you," Soujiro said. Taking the cool cloth from his forehead, he squinted up at Aoshi.

"Think you can sit?"

"Yes," he answered, slowly sitting up on his futon.

"Drink this," Aoshi commanded, handing Soujiro a cup, "All of it."

Soujiro put the cup to his lips, and drank. As the warm liquid took control, his body slowly relaxed, the pains and aches fading away.

"Rest," Aoshi said, placing the cool cloth back on Soujiro's forehead.



To be continued.

Don't forget to leave a review.