Title: A Different Type Of Battlefield
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and its characters are property of their respected owners. I haven't a penny to my ever-changing alias, so please don't sue me.
Warnings: SPOILERS on Saito...
Author's Notes: A slight spin off on my Kamatari/Misao fic. Please, please review!
Dedicated to Jisusaken, due to a conversation we had earlier today...
The fiery-haired man sat crouching at the edge of the riverbed. Worried thoughts were scattering across his mind, each one more chaotic than the last. He was troubled by the fierce woman he had fallen for over the year. He couldn't explain how or even why, but he had fallen for her and was now paying the price. A man brought up by blood and swords couldn't possibly grasp the emotions that were swooping down upon his heavy head. Oh, what could he do?
The setting sun glanced dying beams upon the river waters, the reflections shimmering across his scarred face. Violet eyes gazed aimlessly around, as heavy sighs catapulted from his lean chest.
What was he to do...?
"Hm, Battousai," came a long, harsh drawl behind him.
The man sprung up from his crouch and whipped around to face his adversary. One hand was flung out before him in defense as the other flew to his sakabato, the reverse-bladed sword at his waist.
"Calm down," the opponent mocked silently, as a drag of smoke passed through two bared canine teeth. He had a tall stature with narrow, amber eyes and smoke-black hair that was neatly cropped. A Japanese sword hung at his waist, yet neither of his hands reached for it. Instead he seemed occupied with a long cigarette. "Now, what's your troubles?"
"Saito!" snarled the shorter man, starting into the Battoujutsu attack stance. But the wolfish fiend before him waved off the combat with his hand, smoke wafting around his presence.
"Take a seat, Battousai," came a relaxed order, as the wolf sunk in to the weeds. "I can sense that you're having woman troubles."
"Why are you here?" growled Kenshin, eyes ambering fervently. "What do you want?"
"I was merely taking a stroll," bit back the wolf, eyes narrowing more than normal, "when I found your sorry ass. Now, what have you done to the raccoon-brat?"
"I didn't do anything to her!" stormed the fiery-haired swordsman, enraged at the thought of harming Kaoru Kamiya. "This is none of your business, Saito!"
"Yes," agreed Saito, smirking devilishly. "But your appearance is irritating... If I fix your problems, then you'll leave this riverside and let me think in peace."
Kenshin rolled these thoughts over in his head, weighing the pros and cons of Saito's possibly good advice. "Okay," he sighed. "I'll listen.... now what do you want to say?"
Saito raised an eyebrow and repeated in an exasperated voice, "What do I want to say! Damn you, Battousai, first tell me your problem. Then I'll speak my peace." Sometimes it was far more than obvious how surrounded by fools Saito truly was...
"...mmnnn...," came the incoherent mutter from the red swordsman, as he yet again found himself crouching cowardly on the bank. The wolf cocked his head toward his blushing prey. "..mmmnn...hhmm...hmnn..."
"Didn't quite catch that, Battousai."
"...I've... well, I've fallen in love...with Miss Kaoru...," admitted the swordsman through clenched teeth. At some point after his confession, Kenshin realized the oddness of relating this to his old rival. Especially since this was the one area - the area of love - where the young, scarred man could be criticized. Yet now there was no turning back...
"No!" replied the Shinsengumi captain sarcastically. "You don't say. Please, skip the schoolboy details and tell me your damn problem." A puff of cigarette smoke was blown into the younger man's face. Kenshin responded by coughing vehemently.
"SAITO! ALL I WANT TO KNOW IS HOW TO TELL HER!" roared the swordsman, his face turning a shade of dark crimson. But no sooner than he had revealed his dilemma, he clamped his hands over mouth and a blush overcame his rage.
And he couldn't stop what was about to happen next...
"HA HA HA!" howled the wolf, legs kicking into the air as his snickered... "HA HA HA!"
"Shuddup!" cried Kenshin, grasping the man by the neck and shaking him violently. "Shuddup, wolf!"
But Saito merely landed a kick on the furious swordsman's face, pushing the Battousai off him. Kenshin waited silently, eyes narrowing into slits for the wolf to compose himself. Saito had no tact when it came to people. And his laughter caused the young samurai to be even more ashamed of his failure at love... After many more minutes of this embarrassment, the wolfish samurai managed to choke down the rest of his howls.
Finally, he stated, "What a weakling."
"Stop it, Saito, or I'll draw my sword!" threatened the hitokiri.
"Coming from a man who can't even admit he's in love," mused Kenshin's enemy, "then I'll take my chances."
The Battousai opened his mouth to speak, but when no words came out he clamped his teeth together and turned his back to the wolf, fuming. Saito, however, paid little heed to the childish actions of his old rival. Instead, he stretched backward, sprawling out on the smooth river banks. And he calmly waited for the right time to begin the discourse again, when...
"What would a man like you know about love?" snapped the Battousai, finally finding the correct insult to fling at the wolf. "You're just a cold, heartless, sniveling dog that -"
"-is married, or did you forget that detail?" Saito silently remarked, closing his eyes in peace.
When Kenshin couldn't rack his brain to find a suitable comeback he stuck with the timeless "Hn."
Silence engulfed the two... It was clear who was winning his battle with Cupid and who was falling helplessly to the god's sharp darts.
After some time, the wolf cleared his throat. "May I suggest -"
"- no, you may not," spat back the fiery-haired swordsman.
"- that you buy the raccoon some thing nice and elegant to surprise her with," Saito advised nonchalantly, "and try to create the right atmosphere when you express your feelings."
"Atmosphere?" Kenshin repeated uncertainly, making mental notes. "Like clouds and stuff? And gifts? Like flowers or something?"
"This might take a while..."
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Kenshin walked down the streets of Tokyo carrying a half a dozen white lilies and a beautiful, new silk kimono for his certain someone. Sighing, he pushed his way into the small dojo's gate, which the stars sparkled down upon him....
The courtyard was tranquil and quaint in the evening. A half moon shone around the man, kissing his cross-shaped scar and furrowed eyebrows. The grass motioned slowly to a slight breeze that strolled by, dewed by the oncoming morning's mist. Fireflies were dancing about... Just about much atmosphere as the samurai could get without bringing down the heavens.
"Kenshin!" came a worried voice and a woman's form ran into the moonlight. She was strongly-built with flashing eyes and long, raven locks that fell from the top of her head in a ponytail. "Where have you been, you jerk!"
"I've been - well - uh...," flustered the swordsman, his face plummeting into a rich ruby color. "I - uh -"
"Kenshin, what do you have?" Kaoru asked in a softer tone than before, eyes widening at the sight of the gifts. The mere sight of the flowers enticed her, making her anger drop from her lovely face, fall into the rich moonlight and disperse.
"Uh - here!" Kenshin shoved the flowers and kimono into her arms frantically. "They're from - uh - YAHIKO!" And the former Battousai rushed out of the courtyard and into the safety of the shadowy dojo.
Kaoru stood in shock, holding up the gifts, as one word passed through her lips: "...Yahiko?"
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
... there was at least one battlefield on which Kenshin couldn't ever win against Saito - the battlefield of love, that is.
The End
Author's Notes: Yay! I finished it! Review, pretty please!