Disclaimer: Still no plushie. But I do almost have enough for the Trigun cat plushie out at Suncoast Video in the mall.
Warnings: Shounen-ai (it's going to get there I promise), possible slight oocness
Time to Wander
Chapter 4:
It had begun to downpour, matting his hair heavily against his scalp, droplets pooling at the ends of the ember strands before streaming down his cheeks one by one. He flew over the unstable footing, the ground black and slick beneath his feet, giving him no traction. He was running, just as he had in the days of the revolution, the days when Tokyo was still Edo and he was still the dreaded assassin of the Ishinshishi, Hitokiri Battousai. Tonight though, he was not a youthful herald of death, just a foolish man fleeing his home in the rain. His home, he thought wildly. My home. His mind's eye clouded with images of the dojo, its occupants, and his friends. They persisted and dogged at him, smiling sadistically and trailing behind his every move, until he finally allowed the hitokiri within enough control to guide him, while he kept the remainder of his mind painfully vacant.
His path drew him nearer to the river, to the place where the sakura had started to fall only days ago, coating the bridgeway and playing coyly around the ankles of the unsuspecting passerby. It was in this unnatural state that he slowed to walk as he neared the edge of the footpath, and sunk to his knees where the grass met inky pavement. Only there, with his hakama soaked through with mud, hands buried deep into the dense grass, did he allow his thoughts to roam, some remaining angry, others confusing, and no few admonishing him.
Baka, look what you've done now. Your friends are going to be worried, angry, and you've probably drawn them out here, through the pouring rain to look for you. And when they find you you'll receive more then just a few good whaps with a bokken for this, and to be truthful, you deserve them. In fact you should to be kicked out, forced back to roaming the lonely roads of Japan, friendless, and dealing with your adversaries as they come your way. Just us, you and I again, Himura, sooner or later because you can't keep yourself torn forever. A call through the crevice in the barricade between his selves.
A strong ki passed into his range of observation close by, startling him back to reality. He slowed his breathing to near nothing as he waited, the air going to and from his lungs cutting him like ice blades. Wrong, his conscious yelled, everything feels wrong. It isn't safe. Sano, Kaoru, Yahiko, they may in danger. You've got to go. Go, hurry, now!
Alone? said the voice, I think not. You'll need my
skills tiny wanderer, if it turns out your companions are in the thick of
things. Kenshin could feel the battousai
whispering seductively, let me help you, you've already relied on me
once tonight. The shame of having needed
the killer to keep him unharmed was more then enough to move him from his
slouched position to a hiten mitsurugi ryu defensive stance as he surveyed his
surroundings. He was appalled, the realization that he'd no clue what may have
been stalking him from behind, or what could have very well walked right up to
his front, without his notice disgusted his warrior pride. You may
not have consciously taken it in,
murmured the Hitokiri again, but
in the depths of your subconscious I did. You knew you were safe, else you
never would have let down your guard.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It feels as though it's been hours since he stormed out, but I'd place a bet on it being no more then an hour, tops. I'm almost there though, I think I can see the bridge from here. He confirmed the notion as he bolted across the road. I hope he isn't in any trouble. The idea of the little redhead trying to defend himself in his presumed condition made him propel himself faster. Shit, what if he looses it? Something's wrong with him. Whatever it is was enough to make him loose his temper with Kaoru, and enough to send him out here to begin with. He didn't want me to help earlier, had I even known what to do, so how in the hell can I take care of him if the Kenshin I find is the manslayer?
Past the rain his sight found a smallish form standing in the middle of the street beyond him. Sano skidded to a halt, searching frantically for a hint of color that would tell him that it was Kenshin from his magenta gi or white hakama. He took one cautious step forward. Is it him? Is it- The figure's head turned to meet him, stopping him point blank. The only thing he could make out through the onslaught of weather pummeling his face were the iridescent honey colored outlines of his eyes. Son-of-a-bitch. He inhaled a catching gulp of air, steeling his will before asking, "Kenshin?
Sano? The amber light pulsing behind his irises began to dissipate. It is him. Where are the others? Focusing his eyes he could indeed see the taller man's figure peering at him, albeit oddly. Worry about that later, important matters first. "Sano? Where are the others?
Where are the- Sano grinned broadly, he's all right, he's thinking about Kaoru. Barely repressing the urge to capture Kenshin in a bear hug he settled for grasping his shoulders and well, looking at him. He seemed to be physically untouched, but the small droop in the corners of his mouth disclosed the idea that something was not quite right with him again. But that's not of my business, not now. We need to get back before we catch our deaths or someone takes notice of us. I do not want to deal with a rampaging missy for a second time today, he thought flushing uncomfortably as he remembered how he'd Ôdealt' with it the first time. "Kenshin," the redhead pulled himself out of his thoughts. "We should get out this and go back to the dojo. Kaoru must be worried sick.
The idea of being coddled like a child renewed his irritation, but not so much that he couldn't see the sense in Sanosuke's suggestion, I'll go but I never said I'd be sociable. He muttered, "Right," dipping his head shortly before stalking off toward home, leaving a blinking Sanosuke in his wake.
Well, this is different. Sanosuke turned and raced to catch up to the rurouni fading quickly into the darkness.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: So sorry for the delay in updating. I had the most horrific case of writers block, and while during the week I wrote about 5 pages of mindless blathering, there was no update to be had.
::looks around::
And yes I know it's short too. And late, but the next one is already underway, and I promise it will be better behaved.
Thank yous to all readers and reviewers, I like having reviews in my mailbox.