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—Thank you Midori Natari Himura, fujifunmum and April-san for reviewing the last chapter, I know how hard it is to read the story somewhere else and then come back just to review.  April-san, yes they will make it back before the wedding and as for Cho and Kamatari, well that is a secret although some of it comes out in this chapter.

A Reason for Love

Chapter 14: Promise for Love

As Soujiro slept, Aoshi waited, enduring the delay with ninja patience.  Understanding what sake could do to a body not accustomed to its poison, and knowing Soujiro was just recovering his health, the possibility of the young man being sick again concerned him.

He calculated that the tea he had made Soujiro drink would help the young man with the after effect of the sake and should wear off around midmorning.  He couldn't remember how many times that Naoaki had made this same tea for him.  He had been so carefree then with the war over and nothing to do but get drunk and try to forget the lost glory that should have been rightfully theirs.

Looking down at the sleeping young man, Aoshi felt a sudden chill run through him.  Soujiro's normal color had faded giving his skin an ashen hue.  He reached out and touched Soujiro's cheek and quickly pulled back when his skin had a chill to it.

Searching for the other blanket, Aoshi covered him and then sat down again to wait.

~          ~          ~          ~

After drinking the tea, Soujiro lay back down on his futon, his head still spinning in circles.  The cool cloth that Aoshi had placed on his forehead smelled of spices mixed with the musk scent, reminding him of Aoshi.  Thoughts of eating candy drifted in his head as he settled into a comfortable sleep, his body slowly relaxed as the throbbing pain and aches quickly faded away. 

The pillars of the temple reached up into the sky as far as Soujiro could see.  A black smoke lazily snaked its way from the rifts in the stone pillars, threading their way through the growing darkness towards the powder blue sky. 

Mesmerized, Soujiro stood staring at the temple until his eyed refused to focus, the building becoming one big blur.  "Aoshi," Soujiro breathed, glad that the older man was with him. 

Unable to turn his head away from the temple, his chest tightened as he worked to force air into his lungs.  Falling to his knees, he closed his eyes, gulping in a large quantity of air.  Shooting pains stabbed at his lungs as the air entered, causing him to double over holding his chest. 

He felt Aoshi's hands around his arms, pulling him up to stand on his feet.  With Aoshi standing behind him, Soujiro once again looked at the temple.

A strong gust of wind whipped between him and the building slapping him backwards into Aoshi then circled behind them making a wider pass before slamming into the temple door. 

The force blew the tall door open revealing a darkened interior.  The door, unable to withstand the sudden force, broke from its hinges crashing to the ground.   The darkness from within the temple crept towards him, sending a chill down the length of his spine. 

Feeling the evil that he knew was inside the once holy building, Soujiro reached behind him to where Aoshi had been just moments ago.   But his hands grabbed a handful of air, as Aoshi was no longer there.  He turned back toward the temple in time to helplessly watch as Aoshi entered the temple.

He raced to the building, compelled by his urgent need to follow Aoshi.  Ignoring his feelings of danger, he slowly entered the building.  Once inside the door, he was greeted by a haunting laugh that echoed throughout the darkened room.

Looking straight ahead, he could see a small pinpoint of light in the distance.  As he walked toward it, the light began to shine so bright that he could see nothing but the light.  Placing his arm in front of his face, he used it as a shield to look around the room.  

Littered on the floor were bodies clothed in the brown robes of the temple monks, everyone covered in blood.  Aoshi, where was Aoshi?   Franticly he continued to scan the room, searching for the ninja, when he felt a force push into him. 

Startled he looked down, his clothes covered in blood, a katana protruding from his body.  He followed the katana to the hands that held it, to look into the face of…

He screamed, crying out for it to stop when suddenly everything around him melted into nothingness.  His body tensed then started shaking uncontrollably as tears fell shamelessly from his eyes.

Then security.  Warmth as two strong arms wrapped around him, pressing his shaking body against a solid chest.  Soujiro opened his tear filled eyes just enough to visually reassure himself that he was no longer dreaming. 

Soujiro relaxed as he felt himself being pulled into Aoshi's lap, the pressure from the older man's embrace tightening around him.   The security of holding onto Aoshi's clothes helped to ease the fear that had stabbed him in his dream.

 "Are you all right?" Aoshi softly asked while waiting for Soujiro to loosen his grip on his clothes.

"Yes," Soujiro softly whispered, snuggling his face closer against Aoshi's neck.

"How are you feeling?" Aoshi asked, relief washing over him when he felt the coolness of the young man's forehead against his neck.

"All right," Soujiro mumbled.  With the dream still fresh in the forefront of his mind, he pressed himself against Aoshi, concentrating on making the spinning inside of his head go away.  He thought to ask Aoshi for some tea with a piece of candy but forgot about it when Aoshi asked him if he had a bad dream.  Shaking his head, yes, Soujiro relaxed into the comfort of Aoshi's embrace.

"We all have demons that haunt us.  But we have to survive and overcome them. For they won't go away by themselves," Aoshi said.  As he spoke the words in an attempt to comfort Soujiro, Aoshi stalled at the though that he himself had been running from his own demons for so long that he had almost lost the reason why he started running.

"Aoshi?" Soujiro asked.  Feeling the change in Aoshi, he pulled back to look into the ninja's face.

"Hn," Aoshi replied, shifting his sitting position, which caused Soujiro to tighten his hold.

"If anything happens to me, will you deliver the Takara to Youhio for me and make sure that Chiko gets the money?" Soujiro asked, holding on to Aoshi's clothes.  With a frightened look on his face, he begged, "Please promise me?"

"Do you think that something bad will happen to you?"  Aoshi asked, studying the younger man's face for any sign that could help explain the sudden need for such a promise.

"No, nothing is wrong, I'm all right," he slowly answered, shaking his head.  But lowering his eyes, he whispered,  "But…"

"I promise but you rest for now.  Do you think you can eat something?" Aoshi asked.  Relaxing his hold on the young man, he made Soujiro lay back down.  Unable to stop himself, he reached out and lightly stroked Soujiro's cheek then leaned in and kissed his forehead.

"Yes I am hungry," Soujiro said, smiling at Aoshi.

~          ~          ~          ~

Cho finished the last button on the overcoat to his suit, his fingers not yet used to pushing the little round bone circles through the stiff fabric.  "Do I really have to wear these clothes?  You know I'll do anything for you but this is…" he started to whine, when he was silenced by two fingers pressed against his lips. 

"Now I told you that you look very handsome in those clothes.  And you are dressing for me," Kamatari softly said, capturing Cho's eyes with his.  Giving Cho a quick kiss on his cheek, Kamatari turned him around and said, " Now sit down so I can fix your hair."

Cho sat down, grumbling under his breath as Kamatari brushed his golden locks.  Humming a soft tune, he tied Cho's hair high on his head like a samurai's with strands coming down to outline his face.  Finished with Cho's hair, Kamatari pressed his chest against his lovers back wrapping his arms around him.  Nestling his face in the blonde's neck, he started purring.

Twisting to the side, Cho pulled Kamatari into his lap and was about to kiss him when there was a voice outside the shoji asking, "Cho?"

Kamatari pulled Cho to his mouth stealing the kiss that was interrupted then scrambled to his feet, and backed off to the side while Cho boldly went to the shoji, sliding it open.

"Inspector Fujita said to deliver this to you."  The messenger handed a piece of paper to Cho then disappeared down the hall.

Reading the note, Cho automatically closed the shoji.  He looked up at Kamatari with a worried expression on his face.

"Free time is over.  Wagashi is here in Kyoto and I have to go back to work," Cho said, crumpling the paper angrily. 

"You think he is after Soujiro?" Kamatari asked, walking over to Cho.

"I don't know.  Saitou seems to think that he is trying to put pressure on some of the politicians by using any method that he can to gain control of the government.  But you know how Saitou can be about people messing with the government," Cho said, tucking the crumpled paper in his coat pocket.  

"I am going to go see Soujiro," Kamatari said, untying his yukata, "That man can only be trouble for him."

"Be careful.  I've gotta go," Cho whispered, bringing Kamatari close he hugged him then left the room.

Kamatari smiled then finished getting dressed.

~          ~          ~          ~

Aoshi stayed in the room until he was sure that Soujiro was resting comfortable.  Before leaving the room, he glanced back at Soujiro then slid the shoji closed.  He felt like he should be meditating to get his feeling in perspective, but the fact that it never really worked before made him think that it would be a waste of time. 

Walking into the kitchen, he was taken back to the days of long ago before he left the Aioya when there was always cheerful laughter along with the normal chatter of friends teasing each other.  Although he didn't participate, he enjoyed listening to the constant chattering of the members of his clan.

Which brought him back to thinking about his men and how they would tease each other yet when it came to doing a job they would perform their jobs as if they could understand each other without needing to speak.  But that was in the distant past, where it should remain, Aoshi though, so why must I keep thinking about it?

"Can I help you?" a young servant girl asked.  A tray covering the front of her, she stood waiting for him to answer.

"Ah, yes.  I need two meals delivered to our room," he told her, scolding himself for getting lost in thought.  "And an extra teapot of hot water," he added as an afterthought.

"I will bring them right up," she responded, giving Aoshi a small bow, she turned to get the food ready.

Aoshi retreated out of the kitchen heading back to their room.  Why am I here, taking care of Soujiro when I am so afraid that I will do something to hurt him?  The answer was so simple that he stopped walking to wonder why he had not realized it before.  He did love the boy but why was he fighting it so much?  Would he truly do something that would hurt the boy?

Retracing his steps back to their room he just crested the stairs to the second floor when he looked down the hall to see Kamatari standing outside their room.  Hastening his step, he watched as Kamatari turned to look at him.

"Shinomori-san," Kamatari said, surprised at the sudden appearance of Aoshi in the hall next to him.

Aoshi stood, waiting for Kamatari to explain why he was standing outside their room.

"I… ah… came to see Sou-chan.  Is he all right?"

"Yes."

"Can I see him?"

For his answer, Aoshi slid the shoji open then waited until Kamatari entered, following close behind.

Once inside the room, Kamatari pulled a small package from inside his kimono sleeve before kneeling down beside the futon where Soujiro was laying. 

"Kamatari-san," Soujiro said, smiling weakly at his visitor.

"Sorry kiddo, I couldn't find the sweets that you like but I did get you some mint candy," he said.

"Thank you," Soujiro said sitting up.  Weaving slightly, he put his hand to his head to stop his head from spinning.

"Are you feeling dizzy?  " Kamatari asked worry evident on his face, "Now tell me honestly," as he reached out to help steady the young man.

Soujiro slowly looked up at Kamatari, nodding slightly.  Kamatari placed his hand on the younger man's cheek pulling his hand away when Soujiro's cheek felt cool and clammy.  He gently pushed him back onto the futon.

"You really need to take better care of yourself," he scolded the young man, "I should do more than scold you but I'll let you get away this time."

Aoshi opened his mouth to talk but a voice from outside the shoji announced the arrival of the meals he had ordered.  Opening the shoji, he thanked the girl who had delivered the meals and then brought the trays inside, setting them down next to Kamatari.

"Oh good there is some hot water," Kamatari said reaching for the teapot.  Pouring a small amount of hot water into a cup, he put several pieces of candy into the water.  Swirling the water around until the candy melted, he helped Soujiro to sit up and drink the sweet water, settling him back on the futon after he had drank all the sweet water.

"Thank you, Kamatari-san," Soujiro sleepily said, closing his eyes.

"You just get some rest and everything will be all right," Kamatari replied, straightening the blankets around him.

Kamatari waited until he was sure that Soujiro was asleep before turning to face Aoshi.

"Will he be all right?" Aoshi asked.

"Yes he'll be ok now.  Something about the candy keeps him going, sometimes giving him added strength.  It was our secret.  Soujiro only had one time when he was very sick.  Luckily Shishio-sama was away.  I happen to have some candy and offered it to him.  He is such a cutie, had he been a little older I may have…" Kamatari paused, turning he smiled at Aoshi, and then sighed.  "He regained his strength after eating the candy.  After that whenever he felt even the slightest bit weak, he would just take some candy and then his strength would return." 

Aoshi quietly sat listening, waiting and after an uncomfortable silence, Kamatari folded his hands in his lap, released a heavy sigh and then continued.

"When I found out that Shishio-sama was gone, I wanted to follow him to the grave but Cho came and told me that Shishio-sama believed that I should be the spokesman for his ideals.  I believed it at first and thought to live by his rule of being the strongest.  But I guess, somewhere inside myself I knew that it was wrong."

"So I started recruiting some of the members from Shishio-sama's men and began forming a group of my own spies.  We work for the government, mostly undercover.  But it gives us a purpose in life.  So before I left Japan, I made sure that someone would always know where Soujiro was and see to it that he had the candy that he needed."

"And now you know more than I wanted to tell you, but you can appreciate the position that I find myself in," Kamatari finished.  He lowered his eyes to his hands clenched tightly together in his lap.

"Yes it does make more sense now," Aoshi agreed, turning to watch the young man sleeping on the futon.

"Did Tsuka really give you Shishio-sama's seal?" Kamatari asked, failing to keep the excitement from his voice.

Aoshi nodded.

"May I see it?" he asked, unable to contain himself.

Standing up, Aoshi retrieved Soujiro's travel bag.  Reaching inside, he pulled out the top that Soujiro had asked for, the map that Ryochi had made for them and the rest of Soujiro's belongings, but the seal was not in the travel bag.

Aoshi dumped the travel bag upside down, giving it a violent shake as if that would jar it loose allowing it to fall out but there was nothing left inside the bag.

Watching as Aoshi searched for the seal, Kamatari began to fidget.  Something was wrong and he didn't like the scowl that flashed across Aoshi's face.

Returning to where Kamatari was sitting, Aoshi sat back down. 

"We no longer posses the seal," he stated the emotion completely gone from his face.

"But without it you can't get the Takara," Kamatari blurted out.  Realizing what he said, he put a hand against his mouth, his eyes widening.

Aoshi sat, staring intently at Kamatari.

"I… uh…I was the one who helped Tsuka to steal the Takara and seal," Kamatari said angrily, "I was mad, angry and very jealous of that woman who stole Shishio-sama's heart from me."

"Do you have it now?" The question startled Kamatari, looking from Soujiro back to Aoshi, he sighed.

"No, I wouldn't keep it from Soujiro and no one else has been in your room," Kamatari said, returning his eyes to the young man sleeping on the futon.

Aoshi stood up, abruptly leaving the room. 

As the shoji whished shut, Soujiro moaned before opening his eyes.  With a great deal of effort, he pushed himself into a sitting position before Kamatari could react.

"Kamatari-san?" he asked, holding his head in his hands.

"Yes," Kamatari answered, reaching out to help steady the young man, "Are you sure that you should be sitting up?"

"I'm all right now," he whispered, raising his head he looked over at the shoji before asking, "Where did Aoshi go?"

As Kamatari explained about the missing seal, he watched the reaction of the young man sitting before him.  After being around him for so long with no expression on his face, it was entrancing to see the amount of emotions that could range on his face, from concern to anger to surprise.

"Don't you worry about anything but eating.  I am sure that Aoshi can find it," Kamatari said.  Placing the tray over Soujiro's legs, he placed a set of chopsticks in Soujiro's hand.  "Do you think that you're strong enough to eat by yourself?"

Blushing slightly, he took the chopsticks and proceeded to eat.  After he had finished half the meal, he suddenly stopped and slowly said, "I think I know what happened to the seal.  When we were riding in the carriage, I took the map out to look at it and the seal may have fallen out."

"Aoshi will be back soon and maybe someone found it outside the inn," Kamatari said, trying to boost the young man's spirits.

A short time later, Aoshi entered the room.  "I didn't see it on the ground outside the inn," Aoshi simply stated, " and no one at the inn remembers seeing anything that resembles the seal."

"It's my fault," Soujiro quickly said, "I took the map out on the trip into Kyoto and the seal must have fallen out of my bag.  I'll go…"

"No," Aoshi said before he could finish his sentence.  Walking over to Soujiro, he knelt down and said, "I will go.  That will give you a chance to rest."  Looking over at Kamatari, Aoshi asked, "Is there any other way to get the Takara?"

"Only if Tsuka were to make an appearance.  The monk that she gave it to is completely devoted to her," Kamatari said his voice low and strained.  "Now finish your meal," he ordered his face softening as he looked directly at Soujiro.

"Yes," Soujiro said before drinking some of his miso soup.  Peering over the bowl to look at Aoshi, he smiled for he could see a change in the older man's face.  Aoshi's eyes, they looked alive, gone was the dull sheen that had added to the darkness of his face.

"Will you keep watch over Soujiro until I return?" Aoshi asked careful to keep his voice from betraying the turmoil that he was feeling inside.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of things here.  Just find that damn thing and hurry back."

The next instant Aoshi was gone.

"Now finish your meal and don't you worry, he'll be back and with the seal or Tsuka.  So you eat and don't you ever do that again or I may have to do something extreme," Kamatari threatened, smiling he patted Soujiro's arm.

"Thank you, Kamatari-san."

~          ~          ~          ~

To be continued…