**Pechan does not own any of the Rurouni Kenshin franchise. And she would
thank anybody who is still reading this boring fic beyond this point.
~ Homecoming ~
Saito cursed himself at letting himself rest for a minute. He didn't have the time or the luxury of a nap. He had to get to a hospital. Now.
He stumbled up, and fell again. Disgraceful. He strained himself, and dragged his hands underneath him, pushing himself up. He started to breath heavily, his chest aching as it expanded for air. He looked ahead of him, at the muddy path. How long was he running before he passed out again?
He groaned, and stood up, wobbling. Using his sword as a cane again. He sunk the tip into the ground, to steady himself. He leaned on it, with one hand. The other tentatively touched his wounds. The burn did no bleed. His chest had slowed down too, a bit. But he guessed that the reason why his blood was coming out less was that he was running out of it. He pulled up his hand, and looked at it. The white was covered in dark brown, mixed from mud and dried blood from a few hours ago. Hours, or days? He didn't know.
New stains of red layered his brown stains when he touched his wound. He wiped it against his pants, and walked quickly over the mud. How far was he from home? Where was he, for that matter? With the sun down, it would be hard to tell east from west. He couldn't see the North Star, there were clouds from the rain blocking it. He could have been lost in the middle on no where for all he knew.
Suddenly, he heard a police whistle.
He jerked his head up. He heard some people far away, and the sliding of doors. He couldn't believe it. He was close to Kyoto.
He picked up his pace, and ran, ignoring the new burn in his legs. He might actually make it.
He came until he collapsed against a wall. The wall to a house on the outskirts of the city. He was about to collapse again, in that he had reached his goal. He had made it.
But no, there was still more. He had to get to a hospital. If he didn't get himself stitched, then all that labor on the way here would have been for nothing. And Saito hated to waste his time.
But he stopped himself. He hunched over, and felt his throat burn. Great, his body was on the verge of giving up. It was starting to empty his stomach. He shut his eyes, and gasped. He had to get help admit, he was going to end wasting his time after all. This was it.
He dropped his sword, and clutched his stomach, as it twisted and turned. Burns, cuts, and wounds. And now his stomach was disagreeing with him. The certainly was the worst he had inflicted upon himself.
He looked up, inhaling, and exhaled with a sigh. If this was it, then he wanted to end it where he wanted it to.
~~
Tokio Fujita was brushing her hair, sitting in her futon. She wore a simple yukata, with red crosses as a pattern. It gave the fabric a pink color from afar. She was biting her lip, thinking about her husband. He promised to be him by tonight, yet he was no where to be seen. And she hated going to bed without him when he promised he'd be back soon. It was embarrassing, waking up to find him there, smirking at her because when she slept, she tossed and turned and ended up in the most awkward positions. Of course, when he held her during sleep that seemed to keep her from kicking and moving too much.
She hated sleeping alone. It felt cold without him. And he was probably out, slicing up people, making a difference and blah blah blah. No matter how many ways you put it, he was still killing people. He always came home with another sin added onto his body.
Tokio frowned, closing her eyes. He was so stubborn. He wouldn't even stay a full week with her without him running off to some part of Japan that was too far away form her reach. Sometimes he could bring her, but he had to limit her actions, as to where she wanted to go and what she wanted to do. He always had to play low key, and she usually had to wait in the inn room. Sometimes it really irritated her, and she usually spent the whole day loathing the idiot that couldn't make time for her.
But all feeling like that melted away when he came home. She'd kick herself for forgiving him so easily; she was supposed to yell at him sometimes. And yell at him for reals, not to get his attention. She usually made a big fuss over something just for him to notice her.
She laughed, and tossed her hair back, preparing to lie down. "Not that he'd ever notice, anyways............"
She gasped, and looked at her door to the hallway. Someone was there. Goro usually came home late like this, but he would've announced it to her. Did someone break in?
She gulped, and then frowned. She picked up whatever weapon close at hand- her hairbrush- and crept to the door. She put her hand on the door, and narrowed her eyes.
She yanked aside the door, preparing to strike, and gasped, "GORO!!"
Her husband leaned against the door jam on one hand, and he was hurt. He was hurt so bad, she dropped her brush in surprise. His blue uniform was red, and drenched from the rain earlier. There was mud on his pants, and on his gloves, and all over his wounds.......
Tears brimmed to her eyes, "Oh God, what happened to you?!!"
Her husband never got cut. In all her years of knowing him, Goro was never stupid enough to get himself hurt. But what............ what monster did this to him?!! Her unstoppable husband, he was........
He opened his eyes, and that amber spark within them was dulled. His mouth was slightly open, and he whispered, "Tokio......"
He fell limp, and Tokio jumped underneath him. He was heavy, and her shoulders were against his chest, as he slumped over her. Tokio had her chin hooked over his shoulder, and she was gasping, "Goro!! Goro, what happened?!! What........."
She pulled her face to his, and lifted his face with her free hand. His eyes were closed, as if he had slipped out of consciousness. (Well, this wasn't the first time today he passed out from bleeding too much)
Tokio's eyes trembled, and she dragged her husband on the futon. Oh God oh God, he was hurt so very much........
She tore off his jacket around his waist. There was an incredibly large bruise and gash on his right shoulder blade.
Tokio moaned, "Oh Goro, what happened to you........?"
She tossed aside the muddy, bloody jacket, and laid her hand on his abdomen. My God, how long was he bleeding?!
Her eyes darted up and down his body in panic, not knowing what to do. Oh the idiot!! Why didn't he go to a hospital?!! She gulped, and placed her hand on his forehead, pushing his bangs aside. She kissed him on his cheek, and whispered, "Goro, honey, I gotta get you a doctor, can you hear me?!! If you wake up, please, don't go anywhere!!"
She got up, but stopped when she felt her hand tugged. She looked down, and Goro was sitting up, and looking at her. Her eyes trembled, he was bleeding so badly.....
His hand stayed on her wrist, and his narrow eyes looked somewhat tired.....
"Goro? Goro, are you okay?"
'No, I'm not okay, idiot,' he wanted to retort. But she looked so distressed. He shook his head slowly, "Stay here."
"N-No, you're hurt, I gotta get the-"
"Stay here. With me," his eyes closed, and he dropped his head, "Tokio, please............"
Tokio went to her knees, and held his hand close to her chest. She shook her head, and got close to her husband, "Goro, I have to get you a doctor, I mean, I wouldn't know how to fix you!! You're all cut, and you dirty, and you're....... you're hurt badly, I ...... what am I supposed to do?"
Goro opened one eye, looking at her, "Stay with me. I......." he forced a smirk, and closed his eyes, looking away, "I want to feel you when I pass away, alright?"
Tokio widened her eyes, gasping. Her husband said nothing more, as his fingers slowly uncurled around his wrist. His body went slack, as he sunk back into the futon. Tokio was so shocked at his words, that she was left staring at the spot where he was sitting up right, her pupils shrunk to the size of dots. Why would he say that? Why.......
"You............... you jerk!! Don't say that!! It's not funny!!!"
Goro didn't reply, just breathed slowly. So slowly, she nearly mistook him for not breathing at all. She whimpered, and gently placed his hand on her head, as she held it close, "Goro............. I..........I gotta get the doctor, please.................... oh god, please................"
She sniffed, and kissed those calloused fingers that handled her with such gentleness and affection.
"Please don't die, you jerk..............................."
Then she laid down his hand, bit her lip, and took off for a doctor.
~ Homecoming ~
Saito cursed himself at letting himself rest for a minute. He didn't have the time or the luxury of a nap. He had to get to a hospital. Now.
He stumbled up, and fell again. Disgraceful. He strained himself, and dragged his hands underneath him, pushing himself up. He started to breath heavily, his chest aching as it expanded for air. He looked ahead of him, at the muddy path. How long was he running before he passed out again?
He groaned, and stood up, wobbling. Using his sword as a cane again. He sunk the tip into the ground, to steady himself. He leaned on it, with one hand. The other tentatively touched his wounds. The burn did no bleed. His chest had slowed down too, a bit. But he guessed that the reason why his blood was coming out less was that he was running out of it. He pulled up his hand, and looked at it. The white was covered in dark brown, mixed from mud and dried blood from a few hours ago. Hours, or days? He didn't know.
New stains of red layered his brown stains when he touched his wound. He wiped it against his pants, and walked quickly over the mud. How far was he from home? Where was he, for that matter? With the sun down, it would be hard to tell east from west. He couldn't see the North Star, there were clouds from the rain blocking it. He could have been lost in the middle on no where for all he knew.
Suddenly, he heard a police whistle.
He jerked his head up. He heard some people far away, and the sliding of doors. He couldn't believe it. He was close to Kyoto.
He picked up his pace, and ran, ignoring the new burn in his legs. He might actually make it.
He came until he collapsed against a wall. The wall to a house on the outskirts of the city. He was about to collapse again, in that he had reached his goal. He had made it.
But no, there was still more. He had to get to a hospital. If he didn't get himself stitched, then all that labor on the way here would have been for nothing. And Saito hated to waste his time.
But he stopped himself. He hunched over, and felt his throat burn. Great, his body was on the verge of giving up. It was starting to empty his stomach. He shut his eyes, and gasped. He had to get help admit, he was going to end wasting his time after all. This was it.
He dropped his sword, and clutched his stomach, as it twisted and turned. Burns, cuts, and wounds. And now his stomach was disagreeing with him. The certainly was the worst he had inflicted upon himself.
He looked up, inhaling, and exhaled with a sigh. If this was it, then he wanted to end it where he wanted it to.
~~
Tokio Fujita was brushing her hair, sitting in her futon. She wore a simple yukata, with red crosses as a pattern. It gave the fabric a pink color from afar. She was biting her lip, thinking about her husband. He promised to be him by tonight, yet he was no where to be seen. And she hated going to bed without him when he promised he'd be back soon. It was embarrassing, waking up to find him there, smirking at her because when she slept, she tossed and turned and ended up in the most awkward positions. Of course, when he held her during sleep that seemed to keep her from kicking and moving too much.
She hated sleeping alone. It felt cold without him. And he was probably out, slicing up people, making a difference and blah blah blah. No matter how many ways you put it, he was still killing people. He always came home with another sin added onto his body.
Tokio frowned, closing her eyes. He was so stubborn. He wouldn't even stay a full week with her without him running off to some part of Japan that was too far away form her reach. Sometimes he could bring her, but he had to limit her actions, as to where she wanted to go and what she wanted to do. He always had to play low key, and she usually had to wait in the inn room. Sometimes it really irritated her, and she usually spent the whole day loathing the idiot that couldn't make time for her.
But all feeling like that melted away when he came home. She'd kick herself for forgiving him so easily; she was supposed to yell at him sometimes. And yell at him for reals, not to get his attention. She usually made a big fuss over something just for him to notice her.
She laughed, and tossed her hair back, preparing to lie down. "Not that he'd ever notice, anyways............"
She gasped, and looked at her door to the hallway. Someone was there. Goro usually came home late like this, but he would've announced it to her. Did someone break in?
She gulped, and then frowned. She picked up whatever weapon close at hand- her hairbrush- and crept to the door. She put her hand on the door, and narrowed her eyes.
She yanked aside the door, preparing to strike, and gasped, "GORO!!"
Her husband leaned against the door jam on one hand, and he was hurt. He was hurt so bad, she dropped her brush in surprise. His blue uniform was red, and drenched from the rain earlier. There was mud on his pants, and on his gloves, and all over his wounds.......
Tears brimmed to her eyes, "Oh God, what happened to you?!!"
Her husband never got cut. In all her years of knowing him, Goro was never stupid enough to get himself hurt. But what............ what monster did this to him?!! Her unstoppable husband, he was........
He opened his eyes, and that amber spark within them was dulled. His mouth was slightly open, and he whispered, "Tokio......"
He fell limp, and Tokio jumped underneath him. He was heavy, and her shoulders were against his chest, as he slumped over her. Tokio had her chin hooked over his shoulder, and she was gasping, "Goro!! Goro, what happened?!! What........."
She pulled her face to his, and lifted his face with her free hand. His eyes were closed, as if he had slipped out of consciousness. (Well, this wasn't the first time today he passed out from bleeding too much)
Tokio's eyes trembled, and she dragged her husband on the futon. Oh God oh God, he was hurt so very much........
She tore off his jacket around his waist. There was an incredibly large bruise and gash on his right shoulder blade.
Tokio moaned, "Oh Goro, what happened to you........?"
She tossed aside the muddy, bloody jacket, and laid her hand on his abdomen. My God, how long was he bleeding?!
Her eyes darted up and down his body in panic, not knowing what to do. Oh the idiot!! Why didn't he go to a hospital?!! She gulped, and placed her hand on his forehead, pushing his bangs aside. She kissed him on his cheek, and whispered, "Goro, honey, I gotta get you a doctor, can you hear me?!! If you wake up, please, don't go anywhere!!"
She got up, but stopped when she felt her hand tugged. She looked down, and Goro was sitting up, and looking at her. Her eyes trembled, he was bleeding so badly.....
His hand stayed on her wrist, and his narrow eyes looked somewhat tired.....
"Goro? Goro, are you okay?"
'No, I'm not okay, idiot,' he wanted to retort. But she looked so distressed. He shook his head slowly, "Stay here."
"N-No, you're hurt, I gotta get the-"
"Stay here. With me," his eyes closed, and he dropped his head, "Tokio, please............"
Tokio went to her knees, and held his hand close to her chest. She shook her head, and got close to her husband, "Goro, I have to get you a doctor, I mean, I wouldn't know how to fix you!! You're all cut, and you dirty, and you're....... you're hurt badly, I ...... what am I supposed to do?"
Goro opened one eye, looking at her, "Stay with me. I......." he forced a smirk, and closed his eyes, looking away, "I want to feel you when I pass away, alright?"
Tokio widened her eyes, gasping. Her husband said nothing more, as his fingers slowly uncurled around his wrist. His body went slack, as he sunk back into the futon. Tokio was so shocked at his words, that she was left staring at the spot where he was sitting up right, her pupils shrunk to the size of dots. Why would he say that? Why.......
"You............... you jerk!! Don't say that!! It's not funny!!!"
Goro didn't reply, just breathed slowly. So slowly, she nearly mistook him for not breathing at all. She whimpered, and gently placed his hand on her head, as she held it close, "Goro............. I..........I gotta get the doctor, please.................... oh god, please................"
She sniffed, and kissed those calloused fingers that handled her with such gentleness and affection.
"Please don't die, you jerk..............................."
Then she laid down his hand, bit her lip, and took off for a doctor.