A/n: Well I was searching FF.net for a really good Soujiro/Kenshin fic. but  I couldn't seem to find one, so I did the next best thing, created one! This is my first Kenshin fic. So please read and enjoy.

The Pursuit

            He passed undetected through the streets of Tokyo, even to those whom were merely a foot away. He could have made himself noticed, that would have made his task easier, but he preferred being inconspicuous for the simple fact that he wasn't sure he could control his emotions if he wasn't. Anyway, the one he was looking for would still find him, so along with staying emotionally stable, he would still get his answers.

            Him. He was the entire reason that he was here. What he had said, the look on his face. He was the reason for his mental breakdown, his loss of faith. He needed to find him, the one that had changed his entire perspective on life. He had questions unanswered, questions that squeezed his mind and made his head spin. Everything he had once believed was wrong. Well, not necessarily wrong, just different now. Back then it had been right, he had done what was needed, but now, everything was different, he wasn't sure what was right or what was wrong, or rather then the question of what, but who.

            He came to a sudden halt in front of a restaurant, as the aroma drifted out and clung to his nose. Food, something he had been lacking for days. But even though his stomach was fighting too force him in, his mind willed to go on. Food wasn't even on his list of priorities right now. Searching was. And even if he had gone in, he had no money, so it would be trivial. Before he could break away though a string of voices, one very familiar, caught his attention.

            "I'm not paying! Why should I have to pay! It was your ideal to go out to eat anyway!"

            "Yeah but you ate all the food, including mine! You never pay for anything anyways Sano! I have to support all 3 of you by myself, you can at least help a little!"

            "Kenshin stick up for me! Tell her that it was her ideal to come here so she should pay!"

            "No stick up for me Kenshin! Tell him he ate all the food so he should have to pay!"

            There was a moment of silence, a million thoughts running through his head. Had he finally found him? The name wasn't that popular, it had to be him, it just had to! He still wasn't sure though, who knew? Kenshin could be a highly popular name in this area. The next word spoken cinched it for him though.

            "Oro." Then there was a crash, as if some kind of china had been broken. Yup, it was definitely him, but he had others around. He couldn't approach him now, this wasn't the time. He'd just have to wait it out, wait for him to be alone.

            He leapt to the roof of the building and waited, his eyes just over the edge, begging for him to come out, to see him. He needn't wait long though, for after mere minutes the doors of the building opened and out came a man with radiant red hair, glissoning in the mid day sun. He bore a smile on his face and was soon followed by 3 others. They weren't important though, only him.

            Gracefully he jumped off the edge and landed cat like on the ground, as silent as ever. He began to follow in pursuit, moving gingerly amongst the crowd of people, slowly to make sure he was unnoticed. After a short while they cleared the main mass of people and were on a lonely dirt road that lead to an array of many grass hills. This would be harder, and he knew it. He had less protection here, it would be much easier for him to be spotted, and he didn't want that to happen. He wanted to confront him alone; it would be much easier that way.

            The sun was beating down on him, and obviously the others too for they had decided to take a detour and moved to a small creak alongside the road. The 3 males of the group dropped down and drank water out of cupped hands, where as the female simply laid down in the grass, basking in the glory of the day.

            The water sparkled in the light of the sun, crystal like, as if by merely breathing the air coming off of it you would be refreshed for hours. It was beckoning him closer, he hadn't had much to drink for days. Water seemed to be much harder to come across then food. He slowly edged toward it, his body's urges taking over, even as his mind told him that he couldn't do it, he would be spotted for sure. As his foot stepped forward he heard a crack. Not a loud crack, but merely the breaking of a twig. But even as this noise died, not even the birds around noticing, he saw a change in the one he had been tracking. A small, straitening of the back, and a twist of the neck so small it was hardly noticeable, and just as quickly as these changes occurred they vanished, no one in his company noticing at all.

            After a few minutes of praying, hoping that in was a coincidence, the group stood back up and made their way back along their trail. The rocky dirt road soon became much cleaner, and a building came into site. It wasn't a massive building, but yet it seemed to grab the attention of those passing by. There was something unique about it, just from looking you knew that something special resided there. The company of 4 made their way through the front gate, where a sign hung, stating the name of the building; Kamiya Dojo, of the Kamiya Kastushin style.

            As the gate creaked back shut he leapt up onto the wall the gingerly back to the ground. His eyes then followed the 4 as they came to the door of the main building. The sun was slowly beginning to set, and he wondered just how long that walk had been, how long had he been searching. He knew his search would soon be ended though.

            "Aren't you coming in Kenshin?" the lady asked, after the other two had already entered.

            "No, I'm going to the storage shed to search for something right now." His voice seemed normal enough, to her at least, but there was something about his voice that was not quite right, as if he was inviting something.

            "Want me to come help you, it'll go a lot faster." Her invitation was sincere enough, but Kenshin refused.

            "No that's okay Ms. Kaoru, you stay here. I'll be quick enough, yes I will."

            "Okay, if you say so, just don't be long." With the Kaoru entered the main building.

With a slight nod of his head Kenshin made his way around the building at a rather fast pace. He kept up though, he wasn't going to loose him now. After making it around the building another one, about half the size, loomed into view. Kenshin opened the doors and entered 3 steps, then stopped and waited. Slowly the doors creaked closed behind him, emptying the room of all light except from the windows, which was still quite plentiful.

"Why have you been following me?" This was spoken with an attitude that demanded an answer. After no reply came Kenshin the slowly turn around, about to ask again, but what he saw left him speechless. "So… Soujiro." Soujiro was standing right there, not one foot away from him. That alone would surprise Kenshin any day, but what was even more was the look upon his face, which was a smile as usual. But it wasn't like usual, and that was what startled him. This smile was different; this smile seemed, for lack of a better word, real. His face was glowing with pure joy.

            Soujiro had planned to confront Kenshin for a while now, but no matter what the extent of the planning he couldn't prepare himself for this. He was happy, he had finally found him, he was finally going to explain everything to him. But how to start, that was the question of the hour.

            Soujiro slowly crept up on his tiptoes until he was level with the slightly taller man, and graciously touched lips with his.

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a/n: well tell me what ya think. Good? Bad? No hope for return? Anything will help me write more, until next time.