The boy's eyes stared down into his, deep, fathomless, agonizingly innocent and gentle eyes... He seemed so surprised, so baffled, to be thrown off his childish attack with only a touch...
Sweet little fool... He knew what he was.
He let that shaking fist fall, turning away from that boyish face that pained his so, to meet eyes he knew well, slitted amber eyes that laughed with triumph. Idiot, to think this meant he won... He would never win, not now, not ever, not while those precious children still lived, not while little, still-innocent Sano stood to his back, in danger...
Stand down, Saitou Hajime, Hitokiri Battousai said coolly, tensing easily as a familiar prickle ran down his spine. It had been so long... So long had that pacifistic, loving child ruled over them... but it mattered little. When Battousai was needed, Battousai would be there... because Himura Kenshin could not be trusted to handle a situation like this.
Battousai. You truly expect me to back away now? There was little to no challenge in the taller man's voice, only mild questioning. It had always been rare to see Saitou break his calm. It appeared things were no different now. So close to seeing you meet your just end?
My end? Battousai cast a quick glance about, spied the bucket that lay on one side by the wall, and took a slow step towards it, returning his golden stare to the wolf who stood a few yards away. Tell me you're kidding.
Yare yare... such confidence, when you've not fought a man in a decade... Saitou cocked his head, smugness glimmering in the inhuman amber depths. You've been rotting in complacency in this backwater hole, dwindling away to a mere shadow of the thing you once were...
His fingers closed on the thin metal loop of a handle that spanned the top of the bucket, and Battousai let himself smirk a little. Oh, how little he understood... You're completely wrong, as always, he revealed with more than a little relish. You're the one who's been rotting, searching and searching for me without rest, without sharpening or furthering your skills, spending every waking moment struggling to come closer and closer to your own death... While I've been only sleeping!
With an explosion of power from his legs, Battousai sprung at only half his speed across the hallway, feeling his feet leave the ground and not fall back until he had landed on one heel beside his once-and-now opponent, swinging the janitorial bucket in a smooth arc towards his head. It felt good to move again... And it was a relief that little Kenshin had kept them in shape. Or those threats would lack about half their force... and no matter how he let himself speak, defeating Saitou as he was now would require more than the previous narrow margin. He wasn't eighteen anymore...
How old was he...? He'd lost track...
His wrist shook with the impact as a nightstick clashed into the base of his impromptu weapon. Battousai grinned ferally. This wouldn't be an easy fight... things had never been easy against this one. But it wouldn't be so difficult to end it swiftly... if everything went in his favor...
So he changed path within a shaved half of a second, bending nearly double and diving forward through the widened space between Saitou's knees to roll across the floor and catch a heel, springing back forward with that added velocity to catch the recoiling nightstick within the confines of the bucket. With a quick coil of the muscles in his arm, he released the handle and flung both his weapon and Saitou's backwards down the hallway, in little Sano's direction.
Battousai stood again, heart pumping wildly and blood churning, but not a bead of sweat broken across his skin. Saitou stared down at him, similarly unruffled. An unassuming hand went towards the black belt of his uniform, and Battousai noticed too late the other weapon there. A handgun....
His own palm went instinctively towards his hip, and when it encountered nothing but dead air, he cursed mentally and froze. Dammit, Kenshin! You couldn't even carry a pocket knife? How much of a deluded idiot are you?
The very air about them seemed to freeze, and Battousai searched his agile mind for anything he could use to his advantage. Anything at all... It would be too difficult to get down the hallway in time to retrieve either the bucket or the nightstick, and neither would have a chance of standing up to the firearm the other man carried. In fact, nothing short of another gun would, and since little Kenshin would never dream of owning one, let alone carrying it, he was most likely out of luck. And it would be humiliating to run... Not to mention the danger to all the others... It had been so much easier when he'd been protecting no one but himself...
But times changed, and battle plans had to change to fit the times.
So he could do nothing but-
This looks like quite the old-West standoff! exclaimed an unfamiliar voice.
Battousai had felt the tell-tale prickle of another's presence only the instant before the unknown man had spoken, and his gaze snapped directly to the figure that had paused beside Saitou.
He was a tall man, dark-haired, not unattractive... Disturbingly aware eyes gazed out of a face that was darkened in places by the unmistakable ravages of burns, taking in both Battousai and Saitou, then lingering on Sano behind him.
Shouldn't you be in class? he inquired mildly. The voice was soft, but the undercurrent of ominous warning was nearly tangible.
Battousai stared unwaveringly at the man, unable to shake the strange feeling that prickled just outside the range of his senses. Why...? It wasn't a feeling he cared much for. Did he know him?... No. He had never seen the man before. he was certain he had never seen the man before...
Little Kenshin's awareness nuzzled insistently at the edge of his, insisting he was familiar, for some reason. Familiar... he must work in the school. That would make sense, if he was familiar to the little one... It would make sense. But why the unshakable feeling of foreboding, of distrust...?
Sure, Mr.Sherman, he dimly heard Sano's deep voice reply. I was just goin' back... stopped to talk to Mr. Himura, here.
Ah. So I see... The sharp gaze flicked over each one of them once more, then away, seemingly disinterested. See that he gets back then, Mr. Himura...
The term of respect seemed a sly joke from those lips, and Battousai bristled. He didn't know just why, but he did not like this Sherman person. He didn't like him the slightest bit...
The three watched the strange man pass them and continue down the hallway towards the language and History building, seeming not even to breathe. There was total and complete silence, until the soft squeak of heel against floor.
On that note, said Saitou's voice dryly, I shall take my leave.
Battousai fixed a sharp glare on him, then nodded his grudging consent. Do as you will. But the next time we fight, blood will stain the floor, and it won't be mine.
As you say...
Once the tall man was gone around the corner, he felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. and sighed in some relief. Perhaps next time, he would be more prepared... It would be a good idea to prod the little one to carry a defensive item of some sort. A pocket knife, a handgun...

The soft voice was so pained, so frightened, that the constant nuzzling at his mind became a more frantic pushing. The little one wanted to come back... He was pleading, in his warm husky voice, and Battousai turned to face the boy, relinquishing control with a little sigh. All was safe now. He would do what he could about the next fight that was inevitably-
-and his poor Sano, to have to see all that... Kenshin blinked, feeling the other recede, and stumbled forward, aching for the confused fear in his soft brown eyes. he whispered, oh, Sano, are you all right? Did he-
I'm okay, Kenshin, but... Sano reached up a shaking hand, then let his long fingers settle onto the skin of his cheek. Kenshin blinked up at him, brow furrowing in worry. he whispered. You were...
Kenshin nodded a little sadly, trying a reassuring smile for his beloved. he whispered gently. I heard Saitou outside the door de gozaru. And he... he pushed through. What was happening de gozaru ka?
Sano's lips moved, but no sound came forth. It's not important, he finished finally, something undefinable in his deep eyes. Don't worry about it. It's all over now, naa?
Kenshin agreed softly, taken with an immeasurable relief. It's over now de gozaru yo. For now.
Sano smiled down at him, his fingertips still resting against his cheek, the warmth of his hand radiating against Kenshin's skin, seeming to sear down into the bone. I should probably get back to class, he whispered, but there was little conviction in his tone.
Kenshin scowled up at him, recognizing the soft light that was dancing in those eyes. Sano, go to class de gozaru.
I'm sure I could milk a few more minutes outta Lasek, the boy considered aloud, that spark fanning into a burning fire within the depths of those beautiful eyes... He doesn't care if I'm there or not. He'd probably be glad to get rid of me.
Kenshin protested faintly, his heart fluttering, taken with the heat that burned from both his gaze and his touch.
I wanted to get some things revised for next semester anyway... Move some stuff around, put some things places... Think you could do that for me? The sly innuendo in the teenager's deep, rumbling voice was nearly unbearable.... and Kenshin blushed deeply, squirming, casting his gaze to his feet.
S-Sano! You should go to class de gozaru! he protested weakly. I can help you with your schedule a-after school or you could make an appointment with the office or... aagh... Sano, go back to class de gozaru yo!
Sano pouted. Aww, Kenshin... he cooed softly, tracing his jaw with one graceful fingertip. Just a few minutes... it's not gonna hurt anybody...
Kenshin scowled at him fiercely, trying to repress another flush. Behave! Go to class de gozaru yo! With a good deal of effort, he managed to wrench himself from the light touch and fled to his office door. His fingers fumbled on the handle, and he mumble faint annoyances under his breath, then sighed as it finally obeyed and opened beneath his hand.
Are you sure? the boy grinned mischievously, eyes dancing.
Kenshin scowled, then thought a moment and smiled slowly, leaning back into his office. I'm quite sure de gozaru, he returned slyly. And besides, I'm not so sure I want anything that would only take a few minutes...
His ears caught a frustrated as the door closed.

*** *** ***

It came upon a midnight clear... that glorious song of old... from... erm... anou... from angels...? La la la la la la la laaa... to touch their harps of gold!
The crystal soprano echoed throughout the small apartment, accompanied by cheerful thumps as Kenshin placed various pins in various wall to hold up various decorations to decorate the walls in various places...
Sano poked his head into the hallway, eyeing the little redhead bouncing around the living room with no shortage of caution and worry. He had gotten into the boxes directly after they had gotten back from school... paused briefly to cook dinner... then dove right back into it again. And he'd never once stopped singing.
Admittedly, Kenshin had the most beautiful voice he'd ever heard, without a doubt, but his grasp of tune and actual lyrics wasn't always the best... He seemed to make it up as he went along, and some choruses weren't always the same tune... or rhythm... But he had fun. And Sano guessed that was more important than anything else.
He sighed, judged that now was a safe a time as any, and wandered down the hallway into the half-decorated living room. Kenshin was at the moment balanced precariously on the edge of a kitchen chair, humming something that seemed to be vaguely related to Jingle Bells, and hanging garland along the edge of the ceiling.
Oh wie man da singt und lacht in einer Winternacht, hey! Sano added along with a grin, remembering the raucous good time they'd had singing foreign carols in German class that day. Need some help, koishii?
Kenshin twisted about, large amethyst eyes peering down at him hopefully. Ah, Sano! he said cheerily, leaning over a dangerous amount to nudge Sano's arm with one foot. Go get that other box and find the nativity scene with the goats and the sheep de gozaru.
Sano knelt obediently by the cardboard box, pulling it open. Are we Christian in this house? Not that it really mattered, but it would probably be good to know what religious affiliation he was sleeping his way into...
Oro? Oh, not especially. I just like the goats and the sheep de gozaru. And Misao-dono likes to play with it. And it was free if you bought a crockpot de gozaru yo.
A... crockpot...? Sano peered up at him, bemused and struggling not to burst into nervous laughter.
Hai, hai. It was a nice crockpot... I had it for several years before Kaoru-dono accidentally burnt out the bottom de gozaru. Then I bought a new one and got the snowglobes with the frogs and the bunnies de gozaru. Those over there, see? Kenshin waved a distracted hand over at the little coffee table, where indeed sat two snowglobes, one decorated with frogs and the other with white rabbits.
Sano eyes the snowglobes, then the nativity scene he held. Then he blinked owlishly up at his lover. Kenshin, sweetheart, where on Earth did you buy those damn crockpots?
Kenshin laughed merrily. The same place I buy all my crockpots de gozaru yo!
Sano opened his mouth, blinked down at the decoration he held, then resigned himself to accepting the untold volume of crockpots and free gifts thereof and lifted up the nativity scene with a heavy. It was a nice one...
Where's it go? he asked fondly, peering up at the blissfully humming redhead.
Kenshin pondered, then pointed. On the cabinet, there... With the dishes.
Sano stumbled across the floor and obediently placed the heavy box onto the shelf/ Wanna arrange the things yourself, or...?
Let the children do it later de gozaru, Kenshin suggested. Perhaps Yahiko can join them this year... Do you think he'd like that de gozaru ka? There was a dreaminess to his voice... and Sano felt his heart turn warm in his chest.
I'm sure he would, he returned, carefully placing the little animals and other carved figurines beside the nativity scene. He'd never say it, but he does love having... siblings, I guess...
I'm glad. I know the girls love having a little brother now de gozaru na... Everything fits together, even though it hasn't been very long at all de gozaru yo.
Sano crossed the floor again, unable to wipe the silly grin form his face. I was just gonna say that, he informed. Stop readin' my mind, koishii. He reached out and tugged hard on Kenshin's precariously balanced leg.
Aagh- ORO! SANO-! The little redhead toppled off the chair with an outraged squeak, tumbling into Sano's waiting arms. He grinned and bounced his slender beloved in his embrace. Kenshin squirmed about, then scowled cutely up at him, eyes scrunched up and lips pulled tightly in a familiar pout.
You oughta be more careful, he advised with a cheeky grin. Fallin' all over th' place.... gonna hurt yourself, tiny little thing. No bone mass, no cushioning... Ya'd just snap right n half. Oughta eat more. Drink your milk.
Sano- Sano, I would not have fallen if you hadn't- Oro! My bone mass is fine de gozaru yo! And I eat enough-
Sano dropped him calmly-

-and caught him right before he hit the floor, folding easily to his knees and bringing Kenshin easily to the floor. His lover blinked up at him in mute surprise, eyes wide, lips slightly parted.

Sano drew a hand along his cheek, gazing down into his crystalline eyes, not speaking a word, knowing Kenshin could read it all in his eyes. You're too beautiful to not be breakable, he whispered.
The redhead blushed deeply, casting his gaze away, and Sano leaned down to kiss him softly, pulling him tightly to his chest, fingers tangled in the fall of crimson hair. Kenshin sighed softly, quivering with unspoken delight under his fingertips, and snuggled closer, arms sliding around his shoulders. Sano tightened his grip on the back of Kenshin's neck, moving one arm to hug his waist tightly, letting the fingers of that hand drift freely to run light caresses over a slender thigh. Thin little redhead's thin chest heaved shakily, his breath catching with a husky gasp against Sano's lips.
Sano pulled back from him only slightly, eyes half lidded and his own breath starting to come faster. he began to whisper, ore wa-
In that instant, the telephone rang in the kitchen.
Sano swore briefly and filthily, clutching Kenshin's slender form to his side stubbornly. Kenshin made a soft noise of discontent.
I- I have to get that de gozaru yo. he whispered against Sano's pounding heart.
I know.
But regardless of that knowledge, he held him close a few more short moments, inhaling deeply against his soft hair, hands gripping more tightly on his thin sides. For some reason, he was more than loath to let him go... For some reason... Something he couldn't read in his own thoughts, something that spoke of terrible anxiety...

He loosened his embrace, allowing the redhead to slide up from beside him and hurry into the kitchen. Sano watched him go listlessly, remaining on the carpeted floor, hands limp by his side, the right aching a little...
He heard Kenshin answer the phone, a little breathless from having moved quickly, but otherwise calm and businesslike. It was only a few seconds later that his voice dropped to inaudible.
Sano stared down the hallway form his position on the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on his arms, something pulling harshly at his stomach. It seemed impossible, that the slim figure he'd seen flit up the hallway was the same one of this afternoon...
He'd not thought about it until then, but the harsh ringing of the phone and the breaking of his amorous haze had shifted it loose to float about his mind. Battousai... had it truly been Battousai?... and Saitou...
Those gentle amethyst eyes had transformed to glittering, cool, golden orbs that had seemed so tranquil at first, and yet... burned deep within with... some fury, some rage, some violence that had seemed unthinkable at the time...
He didn't understand. And a little voice inside him suggested he never would. It was Kenshin... but not Kenshin... how could he have two such drastically different people inside him? How could someone live like that? And... why had Battousai protected him? There was so much his mind refused to connect, and yet it all seemed somewhere just beyond the reach of his grasping hands. Kenshin...
The click of the telephone being returned to its receiver in the kitchen startled him from the sad puzzle, and Sano craned his neck to peer over the couch down the hallway. There was no Kenshin exiting, and no sound from the kitchen. Just... an oppressive silence... Complete silence, no sound from either the girls' room where they were doing homework with Yahiko or the kitchen where his beloved still stood.
A floorboard creaked, and Sano staggered to his feet to pad across the rumpled carpet in the hallway and peer worriedly into the kitchen. he called softly, who was that on the ph-... Kenshin...?
He found his lover in a miserable ball against the cabinet, face buried in slender hands, shoulders stiff and trembling. His long crimson hair fell forward to shadow his hidden face, draped over his shoulders and arms like an artful shawl, sliding softly over the folds of his shirt as he shook. Tiny whimpers crawled their way out of his throat, arms tensing as his hands quivered violently against his white skin.
Sano murmured in deep concern, kneeling down on the tile beside him, laying on his thin shoulder and squeezing tightly. What... what's wrong? Who was that?
No answer came to him for a long while, but Kenshin lifted his pale face from the cradle of his hands and let sorrowful amethyst eyes entreat him silently. Sano furrowed his brow, then understood without a word and shifted to sit beside him on the floor, drawing Kenshin close to his chest with the secure embrace of one arm, his fingers drifting gently over the back of his neck, toying with the strands of crimson hair there. Kenshin clung to his chest silently, shivering in his arms, nuzzling his face deep into Sano's shirt and breathing deeply but shakily.
They sat in silence for a long time, holding onto each other, curled up in the corner of the tiny kitchen while the clock ticked steadily above them. After what seemed like an anxious eternity, Kenshin lifted his head and looked up into Sano's eyes.
It was the social workers at the agency, he sad softly, lips trembling. They're sending an employee out in three months to check on affairs in the home situation de gozaru. They're- they're going to evaluate me again de gozaru.
Sano hugged him closer, understanding with a sudden pang of guilt why this was bothering his love so much. It certainly wouldn't look good on records that the father was carrying on an active relationship with someone only a little older than the children... And they wouldn't care about finding out the entirety of the situation. No one would ever really understand it, unless... Unless...
I... apparently, on a routine check of files, someone got wind of my... problem awhile ago... and they discussed it with the hospital de gozaru. And now they're coming back. Kenshin huddled into his chest with a shaky sigh. In three months de gozaru yo.
Sano closed his eyes and leaned against his hair, pulling his lover close. What could he say...? There was nothing he could...
So he just held him close, letting the redhead rest against the warm beat of his heart, stroking his hair and aching deep inside.