Chapter VI Set Aside the Differences; Kaitou's Confession A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction Original Storyline by: Nobuhiro Watsuki New Storyline by: Zac ---------------------------

Kaitou had been up for a few hours, just lying there with his eyes open. He was listening to the birds sing, and he liked feeling the warm light of the sun on his face. He looked over at Sanosuke, his cheeks still red from being drunk, and Kaitou just smiled and laughed a bit. "Gee Sanosuke, you sure drank a lot last night didn't you...?"

Kaze walked in, and smiled. "Hi little brother! Glad to see your doing ok now!" She walked in, bringing him breakfast. "Thanks..." Kaze looked over at Sanosuke. "I guess he's tired..." She said. "Yeah I guess..." Kaitou replied. "Heeey! I know what's going on! You like him don't you! Heh!" Was all that Kaze said.

Ayame just walked in. "Whats all the noise about? I thought you were sleeping Kaitou..." She looked at Sanosuke. "Well I thought at least one of you were sleeping..." She just laughed and sat down next to Kaze. "So what now?" She asked, breaking the silence. "Well... we have to find this 'Silent Anubis' guy and make sure he doesn't start the second Esper War..." Kaitou said.

Then Kaori walked in. "I SMELL FOOD!" She screamed. "NO! IT'S MY BREAKFAST!" Kaitou shouted back. "I still want it!" Kaori jumped up in the air, but stopped mid way because Ayame was holding her up with one hand. "... I'm sure Kaitou hasn't eaten for days now, so just let him eat at least this meal ok?" Ayame put Kaori back down, watching her so she doesn't attack Kaitou.

"So what exactly happened?" Kaze asked. "Exactly what I told you when I got here in the first place..." They all looked at Sanosuke, apparently he had woken up. He yawned and stretched his long arms. "Oh your awake? Did you sleep well?" Kaitou asked. "Yeah, I did. Thanks." Sanosuke got up and went to the door. "I would like to talk to you later tonight Kaitou if that's ok with you." Kaitou nodded and Sanosuke left.

"Oooh looks like someone has a crush!!" Kaze teased. "Oh hush Kaze, romance is romance no matter who it's between..." Ayame said. "Yeah fine whatever... Heh, I can't wait to tease you..." Kaze whispered. "I heard that!!!" Kaitou threw his plate at Kaze, just barley missing her face. "You jerk!" Kaori shouted. "What? What did I do to you?" He asked.

"You threw away perfectly good food!!" Ayame, Kaze, and Kaitou just fell down to the floor. "Whatever the cause may be sure I threw it, but you'll just scrap it off the wall and eat it..." Kaitou said getting up. "Er..." Kaori and the others got up and walked out into the sunlight. "Ah, the sun feels good!" Kaze said stretching. "But it's too bright..." She said closing her eyes.

True, the weather was nice out today, Kenshin was in the kitchen making food for tonights dinner, and Yahiko found his way to Ayame. "Hey Ayame! Will you tell me some more about your thievery stories?" He asked. "Sure kid, now this one is about the Black Lotus..." She trailed off as her and Yahiko walked around.

"I'm gonna go check out the village, I hear they opened a new restaurant there, so I wanna see if it's any good..." Kaori said, smiling and running off. "Esh, I better go with her to make sure she doesn't attack anyone..." Kaze laughed and ran off with her. "Geez, leave me here. You sure are a supportive family!" He shouted only kidding of course.

"I thought they would never leave..." Kaitou turned around and found Sanosuke leaning against a tree. "Sanosuke..." He just walked out from the tree. "Let me just get to the point, thanks for back at the village last night. I... really can't thank you enough for what you did." Kaitou just blushed. "It was nothing, really..."

Sanosuke smiled, a small blush appearing on his cheeks too. "I... at least wanted to repay you with one thing though... I was talking to Kenshin last night when you were uncontious and he told me that... you like me. Is this true?" Sanosuke asked. "... It's... um... yeah... It's true..." Kaitou said, looking down. I'm making a complete fool of myself! Kaitou thought.

Sanosuke just smiled again and put his hands on his shoulders, he took a deep breath and inched his face nearer to Kaitou's till... "Heeey guys what ya doin!?" Sanosuke just frowned and growled a little. "Maybe later Kaitou..." Sanosuke walked away and Kaitou just stood there, his face as red as could be. "Uh, h-hey Kaoru, what are you doing?" He asked. "Nothing much, I'm really bored, Yahiko went off with Ayame so I have no one to train..." She pointed. "Why is your face all red?"

- Commercial Break -

"Really? That's so cool, I can't believe you actually wiped out the entire Shinobi Samurai army with one hit! That's so cool! You're my new role-model Ayame!" Yahiko said. "Heh..." She looked down with a devilish look on her face. "I know, I know... I'm just soooo cool aren't I?" She smiled as Yahiko nodded.

Meanwhile at the village, Kaori and Kaze were window-shopping. "OUUUU! Look at those!" Kaori pointed at some meatballs cooking in the grill. "... You think they look good? They look sick... but then again I'm not hungry right now." Kaori just huffed. "For your information I think they look really good!" She said.

"Yeah but you think everything looks good!" Kaze just groaned and saw Kenshin. "Hey... whats Kenshin doing here." She ran over to Kenshin. "Hey Kenshin! What are you doing here?" Kenshin smiled. "I'm buying more things for tonights dinner that I am, I lost more than half when some birds came in and decided to take all the food away that they did." Kaze just laughed a little. "Well then tell Yahiko to keep the door shut at all times!" Kenshin nodded and walked home with the ingredients.

"It's so boring here now... no action or fighting or anything going on around here... I want to talk to Kaitou but too many people will start interrupting... and it's going to piss me off... I'll just wait until nightfall then..." Sanosuke said. He was sitting up against a tree drinking some sake. Better be careful not to get myself drunk this time... Sanosuke just rolled his eyes. "Damnit... Kou and Sakio are going to pay... I don't see why they tried to kill me last night..."

- Sanosuke Flashback -

"You were always better then I was Sanosuke!"

- End Sanosuke Flashback -

"Jealousy? Could Sakio be jealous of me? But why? What did I ever do to him..." Sanosuke just sighed. "Sometimes I just don't understand other people..." He sighed again and took another drink of sake.

During nightfall, Kaori and Kaze were outside running around catching little fireflies that flew around the pond. Kaori's jar of fireflies had around six in them, and Kaze's had around ten, but when they looked over at Kaoru's jar, hers had around twenty seven. "I don't know how you do it but your really good at this Kaoru." Kaori said. "She's a bug! And she attracts other bugs!" Yahiko said, getting smacked in the head.

"Thanks Kaori, you guys are looking forward to another big day tomorrow right?" She asked. "I dunno, maybe. I'm hoping nothing TOO big happens..." Kaze said. "By the way where is Kaitou?" She asked. "He's around, hanging out with Kenshin and Sanosuke. "Augh, men, I'll never fully understand them..." Ayame just sighed from the tree and watched her sisters catch fireflies.

"So, your saying the world might be in danger is this 'Silent Anubis' guy starts another Esper War right? Exactly what is it that destroys the world?" Kenshin asked. "It's out desperation attacks... we haven't used them at all, but if we did we wouldn't be talking here right now. But, all four of us has one, as do the Saint Beasts who watch over us." Kaitou explained. "Saint Beasts? Who are they?" Sanosuke asked.

"Suzaku, the crimson phoenix that watches over the Northern part of Japan, and Kaori, Genbu, the jade wolf that watches over the Eastern part of Japan, and Ayame, Byakko, the silver tiger that watches over the Western part of Japan, and Kaze, and Seriyuu, the blue dragon that watches over the Southern part of Japan, and myself..." Kaitou said.

"So, Suzaku, Byakko, Genbu, and Seriyuu are the four Saint Beasts and you Kaze, Ayame, and Kaori are the four Espers right? Now who is more powerful?" Kenshin asked. "The Saint Beasts are far more powerful, were actually... the children of the Saint Beasts, but most of our skills come from them." Kenshin nodded. "Well it's getting late, I better go make sure everyone is ready for bed. Good night you guys, I'll see you tomorrow!" Kenshin got up and walked inside.

Now only Sanosuke and Kaitou sat outside under the moon. "Uh, about earlier today... I still can't thank you enough Kaitou..." Kaitou just smiled and nodded. "Really, it wasn't much, I wish there were more I could have done to save you." Sanosuke looked at him and smiled. A pair of brown eyes met a pair of sapphire eyes, Sanosuke blinked once and leaned in, his lips pressing against Kaitou's.

After a few seconds, they parted and Kaitou looked at Sanosuke with a large blush on his face. "That's what I've been meaning to do earlier today, I hope you didn't mind..." Kaitou shook his head. "N-no I don't..." He looked down and smiled. "Thank you Sanosuke..." Kaze tiptoed to them and just screamed out. "BED TIME!" Both Sanosuke and Kaitou fell down, their ears ringing. "Gee, thanks for the info Kaze." They got up and walked inside.

So our hero's end their day once again, making their way into their beds where they can catch up on their sleep for the adventures that await them in the future...