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A/N: I wrote this fic out of a challenge to myself to write different pairings. I've often become to dedicated to certain pairings, that I can't bring myself to think of anything else. It's not good for an author to be closed minded, therefore, I wrote this. My hope was to change my initial view of character relationships, while keeping them in character. (I'm very bad at writing in-character in the first place) I hope the readers might also enjoy seeing new pairings done, even if they have been fanatics of the others.
Be warned, there is some very mild Shonen Ai in here.
Just so you know, I'm not writing it to appease the Yaoi fangirls, it's simply my own interpretation of the characters. And if you're offended by it, I don't need to hear about it.
I don't write Yaoi, and I don't write lemons.
That's about all. Thank you very much for coming to read, and remember, I thrive on reviews!!!!
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The rain fell out of the gray sky and on to the thirsty earth, as a dark haired boy walked on beneath the cover of rooftops from nearby houses. He looked forward and pleasantly smiled, as the grim faces of passers by moved in the opposite direction.
'Rain,' He said to himself, stepping out onto the path once he was all out of roof cover, 'It makes everybody so sad.'
He continued on his own, getting strange looks from people when they saw he smiled through the dreariness, and even more so, when they saw he carried a sword. Occasionally, there was a group of ladies beneath their flowered umbrellas who made a sign of a smile and spoke amongst themselves saying,
"Well would you look at that young man!"
"Isn't he so cute?"
"Yes, but a sword? Do you suppose he could even use it?"
"I don't think that smile is one of a swordsman."
And they would walk on, leaving him on his way. He supposed it was a good thing that nobody suspected anything of him. After all, much could be hidden behind an innocent smile.
By the time he made it to the place he had been searching for, his sandals were muddy and his light gi was soaked all the way through, plastered to his skin, but he seemed so unaffected by it all, and kept his expression steadfast.
He stepped up to the gate, requested entrance and stood back to wait. As the time passed, marked by the raindrops, he stood back and admired the lovely bold kanji writing on the plaque beside the post,
"Kamiya Kasshin Ryu".
"Hai?" A woman's voice called, muffled between the space and falling drops, "You can come in!"
He walked through the front gate, and up to the door, where a girl stood in the frame, hands folded. Taking no hurry, he went past the well, and the laundry post, and looked at every detail of the dojo before he finally approached her, with a friendly smile.
"K-konnichi wa," the girl said formally, "How can I help you?" She took a moment to study the appearance of this rainsoaked visitor and realized that the question really answered itself.
"My name is Seta Soujiro, ma'am." He said, looking up at the girl in the yellow kimono, "I have heard that Himura-San lives here. Is it true?"
Her eyes widened.
"A-ano..." She thought about what she had been told about Soujiro- San, before finally concluding that he didn't seem to present a threat.
"Please, come in." She said, "And let me get you some dry clothes. You'll catch your death of cold if you stay like that."
"Arigatou," He said, still smiling. He would have told her not to trouble herself, but then he saw it would be rude to simply enter the house dripping all about.
"Kaoru-Dono?" a head of red hair came behind the girl just as she turned to get Soujiro-San a change of clothes, "Who is it?"
She stepped out of Kenshin's way and let him see for himself the visitor that had come to the dojo.
"Seta... Soujiro." He said, eyes widening.
"Kenshin, do you have any extra clothes that our guest could wear."
"Guest?"
"Kenshiiiin. Don't be rude. Soujirou-San needs a change of clothes."
"H-hai." Kenshin said, in a state of shock, and ran to his room to fetch something. He returned to the boy with a folded yukata and a towel.
"Sessha dosen't have much clothing, de gozaru." He said, handing Soujiro his things, and stepping out of the way.
"That's alright, Himura-San. I just need something dry is all." He bowed and Kaoru showed him a spare room to change in.
Sliding the shoji door shut, she went to Kenshin to ask about the sudden strange guest.
"Wasn't that the boy that was with Shishio?"
"Aa."
"And he tried to kill you?"
"Aa."
"Why would he be coming by in such a friendly manor now?"
"Sessha dosen't know. But Aoshi-Sama once tried to kill Sessha as well, de gozaru."
"That is right..."
The door slid open and Soujiro stood with the yukata on, and the wooden basin under his arm with his rolled wet clothes in it.
"I'm sorry to be a bother to you." He said, coming towards the two.
"It's no trouble at all, de gozaru."
"Ano... we were just about to begin lunch." Kaoru said, "Would you care to join?"
"That would be great, if I'm not imposing. But I really do need to speak with Himura-San." The boy looked at them with sweet eyes.
"Very well. But we should eat first, ne?" Kenshin said, motioning down the hallway.
"Did you make enough, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, tightening the ribbon on her ponytail, "It seems we have everybody over today."
"I think we have enough to feed half of Tokyo, de gozaru." He responded, with a well practiced smile. The girl's eyes wandered over the two, from the young man, to the older one, and noticed how their smiles matched so well. Although each seemed innocent, they both hid a certain sadness, and insincerity.
The dinner table was already teeming with conversation once they had made it there. It seemed there was hardly room to fit one more physically, but there was warmth in conversation, and a family aura that welcomed any new member.
On one side of the table, there was a tall white-clad man with a bandana in his wild hair, and a fishbone between his teeth, his posture revealing most everything about his attitude. Beside him, a short boy with spiked hair was arguing with him, and apparently enjoying it. Farther down, a beautiful woman, a fox it seemed, was involved in the quarrel, her rouge lips twisted in a smirk while she peered through her low hanging bangs and occasionally shot clever comments and let out a little "Ohohoho!"
On the other side, where Soujiro was placed, while Kenshin and Kaoru sat at opposite ends of the table, was a more interesting pair. Soujiro took time in quietly observing the intriguing couple, more so, the girl. It seemed the two were as seperate as night and day.
He was tall, centered, and spoke very little, letting most things pass with mild consideration, as he quietly sipped his tea. Peering more closely, he studied the man's calm face, unsmiling mouth, and mostly his ice blue eyes. For the most part, the man seemed youthful, but his eyes held such a glow of age and pain; they were the eyes of a wounded man.
To his side was a vivacious young girl, with deep potent eyes, sparkling full of life and energy. She was nearly half the size of the man beside her, making it seem as though they may be siblings, but the way she often took his arm or smiled happily at him would lead one to believe she thought much more of him.
As Soujiro was brought around the table, Kaoru, trying to appear as the best hostess, introduced him.
"We have another guest tonight," She said, properly. The man in the bandana turned around, and nearly choked on his fishbone.
"J-Jou-chan! Have you lost your mind?" He spluttered.
"Maa maa, Sano." Kenshin argued, putting his hands up to calm his friend, "Soujiro-San is our guest right now."
"Yeah! So be nice!" Kaoru scolded, bonking Sanosuke over the head with her fist.
"Itai!" He yelled, rubbing his head.
"Ohohohoho!" Megumi laughed, little fox ears popping out.
"I'm... an old acquaintance of Himura-San's." Soujiro said, smiling even more.
"The hell you are!" Sano argued, not at all ready to sit for lunch with this former enemy, "You worked for Shishio and tried to kill Kenshin!"
"It's not like Himura to hold someone's past against them, and you know that." The short girl spoke, waving a friendly hello to the new guest, all the while clutching on to her companion's arm, "Right Aoshi- Sama?"
'Aoshi...?' Soujiro's thoughts raced for a moment before he came to a memory, 'Shinomori Aoshi... that was the man that gave Himura-San those cuts on his neck on the day we fought... so it appears the rurouni has taken more than one old enemy under his wing tonight.'
"Hey you!" Sanosuke pounded a bandaged fist on the table, startling Soujiro a bit, before he made eye contact.
"Nani? You mean me?" he asked.
"Yeah, you. What are you thinking about?"
"Huh? I wasn't thinking about anything."
"Sure you were. What else did you have that big ass smile on your face for?"
"I just felt like smiling."
"If you're planning something, I'm on to you."
"You really need to settle, Sano, de gozaru." Kenshin piped in, "You don't want dinner to get cold."
"Well... You know I wouldn't waste a meal." He folded his arms suspiciously, "But still... I've got my eye on you, buddy."
"As if you could stop him, were he planning anything," Megumi chuckled sarcastically.
"Hey, I'm right here!" The boy beside Sano said loudly, "I didn't disappear! Now I wanna know just what the hell is going on!"
"Watch your language, Yahiko-CHAN!" Kaoru scolded.
"Don't call me Chan! Besides, all I said was he-"
"You need to act with an attitude more fitting to the successor of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu."
"I can say what I want, Busu!"
"Don't call me Busu!"
"Busu! Busu!"
"Settle down, please," Kenshin attempted, weakly.
"Listen to Himura, guys. I'd rather start eating." Misao said.
"What do you have to say about this, Weasel girl? You weren't even there!" Sano fumed. Three kunai quickly sailed past his face and thudded into the wall.
"Don't call me a weasel!" She glared at him intently, as though she planned to step across the table at any given moment to break his neck.
The quarreling moved on between each person and the fights grew louder and more intense before a whistle finally pierced the sound.
Everyone froze and turned to the source of the whistle, where Aoshi calmly sat, bringing the tea cup to his lips, slowly drinking and setting it down.
"Now, Battousai has worked very hard to make us this meal, and we should at least give him the respect he deserves by quieting down to eat it." He spoke without passion, or more words than it was necessary for him to say.
Slowly, Misao pulled her Kunai away from Sano's face, Kaoru loosened her grip on Yahiko's shoulders, and Kenshin let out a long breath as though he had been holding it in the whole time.
"Arigatou, Aoshi-Sama."
"No problem."
Kenshin set the food out on the center of the table and busied himself serving the rice, and helping everyone with their meal.
The table quickly returned to normal conversation as if no fight had ever taken place there. While the occasional spats took place, the essence of fond feelings still resonated.
Soujiro's attention was still drawn towards the girl he sat beside. She was always so spirited, and affectionate towards Aoshi, and yet he never responded. Sometimes he even seemed annoyed.
The meal proceeded, as Soujiro quietly took his time learning about each person that was there in the room, keeping note of their habits, their quirks, and their bothers.
Kenshin finished early and excused himself, motioning for Soujiro to follow him, which the boy did obediently.
They stepped outside, and headed for a distant empty room where they wouldn't be disturbed. The dreary air wafted through the thin walls, and creaks sounded through the floor. Kenshin lit an oil lamp and sat down on a mat, inviting his guest to sit opposite of him.
Both men sat in silence for a while, studying eachother, sensing the air, thinking of things to say.
"I suppose you wonder why I came here Himura-San." Soujiro began, lowering his smile to a grim expression. He had retained his signature grin, even after he began wandering, and felt that only Kenshin could understand the weight of a false smile.
"Hai," Kenshin said, encouraging Soujiro to continue.
"Well..." He began, straightening the end of his Yukata, "I've taken after your decision to begin wandering. It's helped so far, I suppose. I haven't quite found myself yet, though."
"That's not unnormal. Sessha still has trouble with that, de gozaru."
The flame on the oil lamp stretched upward into a thin cone and drew back down again, in a liquid motion, casting long slender shadows on the paper walls.
"But... somehow it dosen't seem to work. I'm..."
"Lonely?"
"Yes."
Kenshin breathed calmly and blinked slowly in search of a response.
"I... I really don't know where to go now."
Still no response from Kenshin.
"Couldn't you help me, Himura?"
"Sessha..." Kenshin paused, "Sessha is lonely also."
"You? But you live here. You have all of these people who care for you."
"But have you ever felt that, Soujiro-San? Being surrounded by so many people, and still feeling alone?"
'Every day when I was young,'
"Yes." was the only response Soujiro gave.
A pause full of thought and gravity followed.
"Himura-San..." The young voice spoke, pausing again.
"Himura-San, there's more to me than you may know." He finally said. Kenshin gazed forward with his violet eyes, "There are things... things I've done. Things that other people would be disgusted by. They wouldn't understand."
"Soujiro-"
"I knew you would understand, though, Himura. You lived through the Bakmatsu. You slayed men. You know the scent of blood, and the way it feels on your hands. You've cried the tears of a guilty man." Soujiro was leaning forward, a pleading of consolance in his eyes.
"Shishio-Sama's group was all I had for a family," He said, while tears formed in his eyes, "He, Yumi-San, The Juppongatana. They were the only ones who cared for me. And then you came along. And you told me Shishio Sama was wrong. And for the first time in so long, I felt rage. I felt anger and hatred rising up inside me. Not just for you, but for myself. For so long, I never questioned what Shishio-Sama taught me."
He saw how far he had leaned forward, and sat back, carefully.
"Then you came along. You changed everything I thought I knew. You confused me to the point of breaking. I thought you had to be insane, and therefore weak... and therefore had to be slain."
Kenshin nodded slowly.
"And then I left to become a rurouni like you. But I discovered nothing. I realized... what I want is to be with you. To learn from you. Maybe then I can find rest."
"Soujiro-San." Kenshin asked quietly.
"Nani?"
"What did you do that was so horrible?"
Another long potent pause filled the air, and pulled the seconds by.
"Perhaps it's better left unsaid."
"If you wish to keep it that way... So now what?"
"I-... I want to stay here."
"You'll have to ask Kaoru-Dono."
"But you wouldn't mind?" Soujiro's eyes brightened, revealing the youth he truly had.
"Of course not. I would be honored to have you stay."
"Arigatou." Soujiro said, bowing slightly, "Arigatou gozaimas. Ano..." He looked up.
"Nani?"
"What can you tell me about that Misao girl?"
"Misao-Dono?"
"Yes."
"She's current Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu, de gozaru."
"That little girl?" Soujiro gaped.
"She may look little, but she is sixteen, de gozaru."
"Ano... Himura?"
"Hai?"
"Is she in love with Aoshi-Sama?"
"It would seem so."
"Does... does Aoshi-Sama love her?"
The rurouni tilted his head to the side in question, and considered the question.
"Sessha... dosen't know much about the subject of love, de gozaru."
Soujiro averted his gaze and sighed with a longing of understanding.
"Sessha wonders... why do you ask?"
The boy looked back up,
"Misao-Chan... dosen't seem happy."
"Oro?"
"She's lonely. I can tell."
"Then perhaps you have far more skills at reading people than any of us, de gozaru."
"She looks so happy dosen't she?"
"Ano..."
"She is a far better faker than either of us."
With this observation, Soujiro stood up, and slid the shoji screen open, and closed it again, walking down the hallway. Kenshin stayed in his sitting position, listening to the light sound of Soujiro's footsteps down the hallway, until they finally faded away.
"Misao-Dono..." He whispered, and slowly leaned over to extinguish the oil lamp.
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Afternote:
Oi! That was a lot of Japanese. In fact, almost too much. I'll try to keep it down, especially considering I don't speak Japanese. I'll write translations, because I myself find it annoying when authors don't put translations.
Konnichi wa- Good Day/ hello
Hai/Aa- They both mean yes, or, okay. It seems more men use "Aa", and women use "Hai."
Ano- "Um" or "Excuse me"
Arigatou- Thank you
De Gozaru- The way Kenshin always finishes his sentences
Sessha- "This unworthy one" The way Kenshin says "I" or "Me".
Jou-Chan- "Little Missy"
Maa maa- Now, now
Itai- Ow!
Nani- What
Busu- Ugly/ hag (Yahiko's favorite word for Kaoru)
Oro- "Huh?" Kenshin's word. Most people say "Ara?" but, Kenshin needs his signature words.
San- Mr./Miss
Chan- title for young people, often affectionate. Yahiko resents being called Chan
Sama- Lord/Lady
Dono- Old fashioned form of San. Only Kenshin uses this.
Gi- Shirt, like the one Kenshin wears.
Yukata- A thin cotton Kimono
Okay, there's your Japanese 101. (Goodness Gracious, we could start a language class!) The next chapter will be longer, with some less Japanese, hopefully. Be warned, this will get pretty Soap Opera-ish. -_-;
Please leave a review on your way out! I like to know how many people read my stuff.
Just clicky on that little box, and I'll give you some pocky! Ja ne!
A/N: I wrote this fic out of a challenge to myself to write different pairings. I've often become to dedicated to certain pairings, that I can't bring myself to think of anything else. It's not good for an author to be closed minded, therefore, I wrote this. My hope was to change my initial view of character relationships, while keeping them in character. (I'm very bad at writing in-character in the first place) I hope the readers might also enjoy seeing new pairings done, even if they have been fanatics of the others.
Be warned, there is some very mild Shonen Ai in here.
Just so you know, I'm not writing it to appease the Yaoi fangirls, it's simply my own interpretation of the characters. And if you're offended by it, I don't need to hear about it.
I don't write Yaoi, and I don't write lemons.
That's about all. Thank you very much for coming to read, and remember, I thrive on reviews!!!!
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The rain fell out of the gray sky and on to the thirsty earth, as a dark haired boy walked on beneath the cover of rooftops from nearby houses. He looked forward and pleasantly smiled, as the grim faces of passers by moved in the opposite direction.
'Rain,' He said to himself, stepping out onto the path once he was all out of roof cover, 'It makes everybody so sad.'
He continued on his own, getting strange looks from people when they saw he smiled through the dreariness, and even more so, when they saw he carried a sword. Occasionally, there was a group of ladies beneath their flowered umbrellas who made a sign of a smile and spoke amongst themselves saying,
"Well would you look at that young man!"
"Isn't he so cute?"
"Yes, but a sword? Do you suppose he could even use it?"
"I don't think that smile is one of a swordsman."
And they would walk on, leaving him on his way. He supposed it was a good thing that nobody suspected anything of him. After all, much could be hidden behind an innocent smile.
By the time he made it to the place he had been searching for, his sandals were muddy and his light gi was soaked all the way through, plastered to his skin, but he seemed so unaffected by it all, and kept his expression steadfast.
He stepped up to the gate, requested entrance and stood back to wait. As the time passed, marked by the raindrops, he stood back and admired the lovely bold kanji writing on the plaque beside the post,
"Kamiya Kasshin Ryu".
"Hai?" A woman's voice called, muffled between the space and falling drops, "You can come in!"
He walked through the front gate, and up to the door, where a girl stood in the frame, hands folded. Taking no hurry, he went past the well, and the laundry post, and looked at every detail of the dojo before he finally approached her, with a friendly smile.
"K-konnichi wa," the girl said formally, "How can I help you?" She took a moment to study the appearance of this rainsoaked visitor and realized that the question really answered itself.
"My name is Seta Soujiro, ma'am." He said, looking up at the girl in the yellow kimono, "I have heard that Himura-San lives here. Is it true?"
Her eyes widened.
"A-ano..." She thought about what she had been told about Soujiro- San, before finally concluding that he didn't seem to present a threat.
"Please, come in." She said, "And let me get you some dry clothes. You'll catch your death of cold if you stay like that."
"Arigatou," He said, still smiling. He would have told her not to trouble herself, but then he saw it would be rude to simply enter the house dripping all about.
"Kaoru-Dono?" a head of red hair came behind the girl just as she turned to get Soujiro-San a change of clothes, "Who is it?"
She stepped out of Kenshin's way and let him see for himself the visitor that had come to the dojo.
"Seta... Soujiro." He said, eyes widening.
"Kenshin, do you have any extra clothes that our guest could wear."
"Guest?"
"Kenshiiiin. Don't be rude. Soujirou-San needs a change of clothes."
"H-hai." Kenshin said, in a state of shock, and ran to his room to fetch something. He returned to the boy with a folded yukata and a towel.
"Sessha dosen't have much clothing, de gozaru." He said, handing Soujiro his things, and stepping out of the way.
"That's alright, Himura-San. I just need something dry is all." He bowed and Kaoru showed him a spare room to change in.
Sliding the shoji door shut, she went to Kenshin to ask about the sudden strange guest.
"Wasn't that the boy that was with Shishio?"
"Aa."
"And he tried to kill you?"
"Aa."
"Why would he be coming by in such a friendly manor now?"
"Sessha dosen't know. But Aoshi-Sama once tried to kill Sessha as well, de gozaru."
"That is right..."
The door slid open and Soujiro stood with the yukata on, and the wooden basin under his arm with his rolled wet clothes in it.
"I'm sorry to be a bother to you." He said, coming towards the two.
"It's no trouble at all, de gozaru."
"Ano... we were just about to begin lunch." Kaoru said, "Would you care to join?"
"That would be great, if I'm not imposing. But I really do need to speak with Himura-San." The boy looked at them with sweet eyes.
"Very well. But we should eat first, ne?" Kenshin said, motioning down the hallway.
"Did you make enough, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, tightening the ribbon on her ponytail, "It seems we have everybody over today."
"I think we have enough to feed half of Tokyo, de gozaru." He responded, with a well practiced smile. The girl's eyes wandered over the two, from the young man, to the older one, and noticed how their smiles matched so well. Although each seemed innocent, they both hid a certain sadness, and insincerity.
The dinner table was already teeming with conversation once they had made it there. It seemed there was hardly room to fit one more physically, but there was warmth in conversation, and a family aura that welcomed any new member.
On one side of the table, there was a tall white-clad man with a bandana in his wild hair, and a fishbone between his teeth, his posture revealing most everything about his attitude. Beside him, a short boy with spiked hair was arguing with him, and apparently enjoying it. Farther down, a beautiful woman, a fox it seemed, was involved in the quarrel, her rouge lips twisted in a smirk while she peered through her low hanging bangs and occasionally shot clever comments and let out a little "Ohohoho!"
On the other side, where Soujiro was placed, while Kenshin and Kaoru sat at opposite ends of the table, was a more interesting pair. Soujiro took time in quietly observing the intriguing couple, more so, the girl. It seemed the two were as seperate as night and day.
He was tall, centered, and spoke very little, letting most things pass with mild consideration, as he quietly sipped his tea. Peering more closely, he studied the man's calm face, unsmiling mouth, and mostly his ice blue eyes. For the most part, the man seemed youthful, but his eyes held such a glow of age and pain; they were the eyes of a wounded man.
To his side was a vivacious young girl, with deep potent eyes, sparkling full of life and energy. She was nearly half the size of the man beside her, making it seem as though they may be siblings, but the way she often took his arm or smiled happily at him would lead one to believe she thought much more of him.
As Soujiro was brought around the table, Kaoru, trying to appear as the best hostess, introduced him.
"We have another guest tonight," She said, properly. The man in the bandana turned around, and nearly choked on his fishbone.
"J-Jou-chan! Have you lost your mind?" He spluttered.
"Maa maa, Sano." Kenshin argued, putting his hands up to calm his friend, "Soujiro-San is our guest right now."
"Yeah! So be nice!" Kaoru scolded, bonking Sanosuke over the head with her fist.
"Itai!" He yelled, rubbing his head.
"Ohohohoho!" Megumi laughed, little fox ears popping out.
"I'm... an old acquaintance of Himura-San's." Soujiro said, smiling even more.
"The hell you are!" Sano argued, not at all ready to sit for lunch with this former enemy, "You worked for Shishio and tried to kill Kenshin!"
"It's not like Himura to hold someone's past against them, and you know that." The short girl spoke, waving a friendly hello to the new guest, all the while clutching on to her companion's arm, "Right Aoshi- Sama?"
'Aoshi...?' Soujiro's thoughts raced for a moment before he came to a memory, 'Shinomori Aoshi... that was the man that gave Himura-San those cuts on his neck on the day we fought... so it appears the rurouni has taken more than one old enemy under his wing tonight.'
"Hey you!" Sanosuke pounded a bandaged fist on the table, startling Soujiro a bit, before he made eye contact.
"Nani? You mean me?" he asked.
"Yeah, you. What are you thinking about?"
"Huh? I wasn't thinking about anything."
"Sure you were. What else did you have that big ass smile on your face for?"
"I just felt like smiling."
"If you're planning something, I'm on to you."
"You really need to settle, Sano, de gozaru." Kenshin piped in, "You don't want dinner to get cold."
"Well... You know I wouldn't waste a meal." He folded his arms suspiciously, "But still... I've got my eye on you, buddy."
"As if you could stop him, were he planning anything," Megumi chuckled sarcastically.
"Hey, I'm right here!" The boy beside Sano said loudly, "I didn't disappear! Now I wanna know just what the hell is going on!"
"Watch your language, Yahiko-CHAN!" Kaoru scolded.
"Don't call me Chan! Besides, all I said was he-"
"You need to act with an attitude more fitting to the successor of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu."
"I can say what I want, Busu!"
"Don't call me Busu!"
"Busu! Busu!"
"Settle down, please," Kenshin attempted, weakly.
"Listen to Himura, guys. I'd rather start eating." Misao said.
"What do you have to say about this, Weasel girl? You weren't even there!" Sano fumed. Three kunai quickly sailed past his face and thudded into the wall.
"Don't call me a weasel!" She glared at him intently, as though she planned to step across the table at any given moment to break his neck.
The quarreling moved on between each person and the fights grew louder and more intense before a whistle finally pierced the sound.
Everyone froze and turned to the source of the whistle, where Aoshi calmly sat, bringing the tea cup to his lips, slowly drinking and setting it down.
"Now, Battousai has worked very hard to make us this meal, and we should at least give him the respect he deserves by quieting down to eat it." He spoke without passion, or more words than it was necessary for him to say.
Slowly, Misao pulled her Kunai away from Sano's face, Kaoru loosened her grip on Yahiko's shoulders, and Kenshin let out a long breath as though he had been holding it in the whole time.
"Arigatou, Aoshi-Sama."
"No problem."
Kenshin set the food out on the center of the table and busied himself serving the rice, and helping everyone with their meal.
The table quickly returned to normal conversation as if no fight had ever taken place there. While the occasional spats took place, the essence of fond feelings still resonated.
Soujiro's attention was still drawn towards the girl he sat beside. She was always so spirited, and affectionate towards Aoshi, and yet he never responded. Sometimes he even seemed annoyed.
The meal proceeded, as Soujiro quietly took his time learning about each person that was there in the room, keeping note of their habits, their quirks, and their bothers.
Kenshin finished early and excused himself, motioning for Soujiro to follow him, which the boy did obediently.
They stepped outside, and headed for a distant empty room where they wouldn't be disturbed. The dreary air wafted through the thin walls, and creaks sounded through the floor. Kenshin lit an oil lamp and sat down on a mat, inviting his guest to sit opposite of him.
Both men sat in silence for a while, studying eachother, sensing the air, thinking of things to say.
"I suppose you wonder why I came here Himura-San." Soujiro began, lowering his smile to a grim expression. He had retained his signature grin, even after he began wandering, and felt that only Kenshin could understand the weight of a false smile.
"Hai," Kenshin said, encouraging Soujiro to continue.
"Well..." He began, straightening the end of his Yukata, "I've taken after your decision to begin wandering. It's helped so far, I suppose. I haven't quite found myself yet, though."
"That's not unnormal. Sessha still has trouble with that, de gozaru."
The flame on the oil lamp stretched upward into a thin cone and drew back down again, in a liquid motion, casting long slender shadows on the paper walls.
"But... somehow it dosen't seem to work. I'm..."
"Lonely?"
"Yes."
Kenshin breathed calmly and blinked slowly in search of a response.
"I... I really don't know where to go now."
Still no response from Kenshin.
"Couldn't you help me, Himura?"
"Sessha..." Kenshin paused, "Sessha is lonely also."
"You? But you live here. You have all of these people who care for you."
"But have you ever felt that, Soujiro-San? Being surrounded by so many people, and still feeling alone?"
'Every day when I was young,'
"Yes." was the only response Soujiro gave.
A pause full of thought and gravity followed.
"Himura-San..." The young voice spoke, pausing again.
"Himura-San, there's more to me than you may know." He finally said. Kenshin gazed forward with his violet eyes, "There are things... things I've done. Things that other people would be disgusted by. They wouldn't understand."
"Soujiro-"
"I knew you would understand, though, Himura. You lived through the Bakmatsu. You slayed men. You know the scent of blood, and the way it feels on your hands. You've cried the tears of a guilty man." Soujiro was leaning forward, a pleading of consolance in his eyes.
"Shishio-Sama's group was all I had for a family," He said, while tears formed in his eyes, "He, Yumi-San, The Juppongatana. They were the only ones who cared for me. And then you came along. And you told me Shishio Sama was wrong. And for the first time in so long, I felt rage. I felt anger and hatred rising up inside me. Not just for you, but for myself. For so long, I never questioned what Shishio-Sama taught me."
He saw how far he had leaned forward, and sat back, carefully.
"Then you came along. You changed everything I thought I knew. You confused me to the point of breaking. I thought you had to be insane, and therefore weak... and therefore had to be slain."
Kenshin nodded slowly.
"And then I left to become a rurouni like you. But I discovered nothing. I realized... what I want is to be with you. To learn from you. Maybe then I can find rest."
"Soujiro-San." Kenshin asked quietly.
"Nani?"
"What did you do that was so horrible?"
Another long potent pause filled the air, and pulled the seconds by.
"Perhaps it's better left unsaid."
"If you wish to keep it that way... So now what?"
"I-... I want to stay here."
"You'll have to ask Kaoru-Dono."
"But you wouldn't mind?" Soujiro's eyes brightened, revealing the youth he truly had.
"Of course not. I would be honored to have you stay."
"Arigatou." Soujiro said, bowing slightly, "Arigatou gozaimas. Ano..." He looked up.
"Nani?"
"What can you tell me about that Misao girl?"
"Misao-Dono?"
"Yes."
"She's current Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu, de gozaru."
"That little girl?" Soujiro gaped.
"She may look little, but she is sixteen, de gozaru."
"Ano... Himura?"
"Hai?"
"Is she in love with Aoshi-Sama?"
"It would seem so."
"Does... does Aoshi-Sama love her?"
The rurouni tilted his head to the side in question, and considered the question.
"Sessha... dosen't know much about the subject of love, de gozaru."
Soujiro averted his gaze and sighed with a longing of understanding.
"Sessha wonders... why do you ask?"
The boy looked back up,
"Misao-Chan... dosen't seem happy."
"Oro?"
"She's lonely. I can tell."
"Then perhaps you have far more skills at reading people than any of us, de gozaru."
"She looks so happy dosen't she?"
"Ano..."
"She is a far better faker than either of us."
With this observation, Soujiro stood up, and slid the shoji screen open, and closed it again, walking down the hallway. Kenshin stayed in his sitting position, listening to the light sound of Soujiro's footsteps down the hallway, until they finally faded away.
"Misao-Dono..." He whispered, and slowly leaned over to extinguish the oil lamp.
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Afternote:
Oi! That was a lot of Japanese. In fact, almost too much. I'll try to keep it down, especially considering I don't speak Japanese. I'll write translations, because I myself find it annoying when authors don't put translations.
Konnichi wa- Good Day/ hello
Hai/Aa- They both mean yes, or, okay. It seems more men use "Aa", and women use "Hai."
Ano- "Um" or "Excuse me"
Arigatou- Thank you
De Gozaru- The way Kenshin always finishes his sentences
Sessha- "This unworthy one" The way Kenshin says "I" or "Me".
Jou-Chan- "Little Missy"
Maa maa- Now, now
Itai- Ow!
Nani- What
Busu- Ugly/ hag (Yahiko's favorite word for Kaoru)
Oro- "Huh?" Kenshin's word. Most people say "Ara?" but, Kenshin needs his signature words.
San- Mr./Miss
Chan- title for young people, often affectionate. Yahiko resents being called Chan
Sama- Lord/Lady
Dono- Old fashioned form of San. Only Kenshin uses this.
Gi- Shirt, like the one Kenshin wears.
Yukata- A thin cotton Kimono
Okay, there's your Japanese 101. (Goodness Gracious, we could start a language class!) The next chapter will be longer, with some less Japanese, hopefully. Be warned, this will get pretty Soap Opera-ish. -_-;
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