Author's note: I know nothing about art. The process used probably isn't a process used by anyone, but it's convenient for the story.

Chapter 2

The next morning was beautiful. Everyone was already working as the sun rose.

"We have more guests arriving. Please finish in here," Miss Tami, in charge of the maid service, told the four working in a recently vacated room as she walked down the hall.

"While we're working like hell, Kenshin gets to play hooky," griped Yahiko as he and Misao worked on cleaning the floor.

"Kenshin isn't playing hooky," Kaoru said absently as she scrubbed a tabletop.

"She's right," Misao agreed. "Higashiyama-san had him up ages ago. He was really anxious to get to work on his art."

Sano growled.

"The minute we're off work, we better go check on them. I still don't trust that pervert." Yahiko looked up from his work wide eyed.

"You don't think he'll try anything, do you?"

Misao laughed. "I'm sure Himura of all people can take care of himself."

Sano frowned. "I don't know. He just seems so innocent about this kind of thing."

Yahiko looked confused. "What kind of thing?"

The awkward silence stretched until everyone hurriedly finished up what they were doing and fled the room.

"Hey!"

***

Kenshin stood uneasily in Ryuzaburo's room, wondering if maybe he should have listened to Sano after all as the artist stared at him hungrily.

"Um. What would you like me to do," he asked tentatively.

The artist jumped into action.

"It's best that you are as comfortable as possible; I'll want you to stay in one position for a long time. How about lying on the bed?"

Kenshin stared at him wide eyed.

"No, you may not be comfortable like that. Sano-san probably wouldn't be too happy either."

The redhead visibly relaxed.

"This chair is very nice. Hmmm, where should I put you? Here, out on the patio? Sit down."

He took a few steps back looking at Kenshin critically.

"Yes, that spot's perfect. Now lean back. Don't get stiff you'll be all uncomfortable. That's good. Are you comfortable?"

"Yes. This is a nice chair, de gozaru."

"I'm glad!"

Ryuzaburo sketched for several hours, starting a few, then setting them aside. He explained he would use the best for oil paintings later.

After a long period of silence, Ryuzaburo tentatively spoke up.

"Kenshin-san?"

"Yes?"

"I know I promised Sano-san not to get you to take your clothes off or anything, but could you do me one small favor?"

Kenshin stiffened. /Sano was right! This guy *is* a pervert, de gozaru. I never should have agreed to this./

"Can you take off your hair band?"

Kenshin blinked.

"My. hair band?"

"I'm sorry! I made you uncomfortable. Please forget about. Let me draw you still. Oh no, please don't tell Sano-san! He'll kill me!"

"No, no, calm down. It's OK. I don't mind, and he probably won't either, de gozaru," Kenshin assured the fearful artist. He reached behind him and undid the navy tie that held his hair in his usual low ponytail. His hair fell down to frame his face. He looked at the artist uncertainly. "Is this better?"

Ryuzaburo looked at him with reverence.

"Excellent!"

He immediately started on a new page.

***

Sano, true to his word, hurried to see Kenshin as soon as he was off work. With Yahiko right next to him, he slunk into the room nervously, half expecting to see Kenshin tied up in some dark corner while the artist cackled madly, waving his paintbrushes around.

Instead the room was quiet. Ryuzaburo stood in the middle of the room, paintbrushes out, concentrating deeply on the rapidly filling canvas in front of him. And Kenshin.

Misao and Kaoru who had followed him into the room made quiet little aw noises. Even Yahiko looked slightly touched.

Kenshin sat out in the patio in the fading daylight. Sometime during the day, he had curled up and fallen asleep on the cushioned chair. He was curled on his left side with his head on his hands, scar obscured, and strands of his released hair on his face. His face was relaxed and carefree as a child's.

"Kawaii," Misao breathed. Sano had to agree. Kenshin was adorable.

Kenshin, perhaps sensing the arrival of his visitors, stirred a little, making sleepy noises. Then he suddenly bolted upright, violet eyes wide and alert.

"Gomen nasai Ryuzaburo-dono! I didn't mean to fall asleep!"

Ryuzaburo shook his head. "That's alright. You are very still when you sleep."

Kenshin looked mortified.

"Still, I should have stayed awake, de gozaru. You are paying me."

"No, no this was fine. We're actually done for the day, but I didn't want to wake you. Same time tomorrow?"

*** The next day Sano quit working. He had already made enough to pay for his continued stay with a tiny bit of extra coin left over and wasn't interested in doing grunt work any longer. He could always use the extra to make more cash gambling. Misao, Kaoru, and Yahiko opted to stay longer since the manager was happy with them and they could use the extra money. They really didn't have any place to be anytime soon.

That day, Sano stuck around Ryuzaburo's room, still not completely trusting the little perv. He saw the artist's gradual change throughout the day. As Kenshin posed unmindful in the chair on the patio, Ryuzaburo grew more and more agitated as the day drew on, ripping paper off his sketchpad, and furiously starting anew.

At the end of the day, the rest of their party crowded into the room, requesting to see the work that had been done.

Misao peered at the sketch still on the easel.

"It's awesome! It's drawn just like Himura."

Kenshin was sitting in the chair against the blue sky. His head was bent upwards and he appeared to be looking at the clouds above him, eyes wide and thoughtful.

"He says that it's still a rough sketch, de gozaru. He's still in the middle of the process," Kenshin told her.

"You aren't so bad," Sano told Ryuzaburo grudgingly. "You're not such a pervert after all."

Ryuzaburo had been silent through their appraisal. He sat in front of the easel, head down and eyes shadowed.

"This is not Kenshin-san..."

"Eh?"

"It's only a shell." He lifted his head to reveal burning eyes. "This isn't even close to the real Kenshin-san!"

He shredded the picture before him and lunged for his sketchbook, murder in his eyes. Sano grabbed his arm and stopped him. He had seen the sketches in that book and thought they were wonderful.

"What the hell are you doing," he demanded.

"Yeah, you drew that so well!" Misao said indignantly.

Sano could feel the artist shake with emotion. He released his arm and Ryuzaburo fell to the ground dramatically. He gestured to the picture.

"This might display Kenshin-san on the surface. However, the picture doesn't capture any of his emotion!"

"Huh?"

"Right now I'm not able to capture those feelings." He shook with passion. "It's. It's because of. I-I've fallen in love with Kenshin-san!"

This declaration led to shock all around. Kenshin looked at him, frozen in one place.

Sano spoke slowly. "You're in love with Kenshin?"

"Yes. Since I've been drawing Kenshin-san, I wanted to know more and more about him. It's true, I'm totally smitten with love."

He lifted his heart and gazed at Kenshin with adoration.

"However, these emotions block my direction as an artist."

"Your feelings," Kaoru started uncertainly, looking extremely uncomfortable with the whole situation.

Ryuzaburo didn't let her continue. He looked at Kenshin wildly.

"Kenshin-san please, let me court you. I'll be able to capture your feelings one day. When that time comes, my life as an artist will be complete!"

"Court me?"

"Sano was right! This guy is a pervert! He's a man!" Kaoru practically shrieked.

"Kaoru, don't let that be the only reason," Misao said sensibly. "Shiro and Kuro of the Oniwa Banshu have been together for years. This sort of thing was very common among samurai who fight together for long periods of time."

She grinned.

"In fact, I've heard some wild stories about the Ishin Shishi during the revolution.

All eyes turned to a nervous Kenshin. He fidgeted.

"I was still very young.they mostly left me alone. I've never ever actually participated in any. acts, de gozaru."

Yahiko looked confused.

"What acts? What's going on?"

There was an awkward silence and Kaoru wordlessly took a protesting Yahiko by the ear and led him out of the room.

More awkward silence.

Ryuzaburo broke it by lunging at Kenshin.

"Let me love you please!"

"Oro!"

Kenshin ducked and Ryuzaburo went crashing into the wall.

"Please!"

"Sorry, but no. I don't think I should model for you anymore, de gozaru."

Kenshin had his hands up and was backing towards the door, more nervous than Sano had ever seen him in battle. Kenshin was never good at taking any sort of proposition.

Ryuzaburo noticed him edging toward the door and moved quickly.

"No, please, don't lea-oomph."

He hit the door that slammed shut in his face.

TBC