I claim to be tired of disclaiming, but I keep on writing. This known as a paradox. Or whining. No money, no sue.

June 8th, 2000 3:30 PM

Kenshin ran from the room leaving Sanos feeling as if he'd been hit with a tire iron. Teo Gaudro was Kenshin's wife? Why would an out lesbian marry a man? A gay man? What kind of hold did she have on him?

Ken flew down the hall. Teo was at the door, the "twins" standing just outside, gawking. "Please Teo stop! Talk to me!" He darted for the door, pushing Teo back and glared at the two on the landing. "You bitches! I will get you for this, you two! Prepare to die today!" He slammed the door in their faces; just as Tim said "Two-toned?" and realized for the first time he was still nude. "You're dead, bitches! Dead!" he shouted, slapping both palms flat on the door; hearing the panicked footsteps tumble downstairs. He turned to his best friend and wife.

"Teo listen! Those two little bitches knew who I was with! I introduced Dave to them both. Damn their bitter little black hearts! They could have told you who I was with and you'd have known I was okay. They just wanted to make everyone as miserable as them!" He tried to take her hand, but she pulled away, not looking at him. "Please, Shinju-chan, talk to me! I'm sorry you were scared!"

"We'll talk later; I just needed to know you were okay." She tried to open the door – Kenshin pushed her hand away. "I said we'll talk later, I have work to do, Kenshin!"

"No we'll talk now, or you'll hide from me and stew in your own pain! It's all right for you to love me, koi. You don't have to be afraid or hurt for loving me. Please, Makabashira, stay and talk to me!"

Long ago, when he had first stayed with her, Ken had many terrible nightmares. Teo would sit by him in the bed and read from a two-volume translation of Tales of The Genji, which Hank had picked up for his mistress.

Night after night she would read to him in her soft, rich voice; her real voice, heard by few. She would gently tease him by calling him the "Shining Genji" the book's hero; loved, and pursued by many for his beauty and charm. He had come to know her life a little better by the time she read the name that was perfect for her. A young girl was driven from her home by the cruelty of her father. She was called Makabashira -"the handsome pillar," on the title page in this translation of the novel.

It made him think of his Teo: tall, straight, and desperately sad. She hid her sadness and pain, turned it into force and power. She could frighten and control others with it. But she was always gentle and kind to him, and he saw in her the wish to spare him from the same sorrow and shame. He gave her his love and faith in her goodness; she returned his love with a tender, unshakable devotion. Those names had become their most intimate ones for each other, never spoken in public. She would turn back to him whenever he called her by it, even if he had hurt her terribly. He knew because he had hurt her before.

She turned now, wide hazel eyes filled with pain. He opened his arms to her and she leaned her forehead onto his naked shoulder." Oh, Genji, my shining boy, I was so afraid!"

"I know, my love, I'm sorry. It was a terrible, nasty trick on those idiot's part and a mistake on mine. But you know how hard it is for me to fuck and think at the same time don't you?" She started to laugh, then swept him up tightly and started to cry. Ken guided her towards the couch so she could sit down, but she perched on the arm instead, still crying into his hair. He started to cry too and they were soon a sniffly mess.

Teo pulled a packet of tissues from her jacket pocket and gave him one. They laughed through tears at their appearance; "all wet and snotty" Teo said. She smiled a little and brushed his hair back and then froze, staring. Kenshin looked down at the darkening marks of teeth on his left shoulder. "Shit! It's all right, koi; you know how easy I mark. I'm fine!"

Teo whipped off her jacket and covered him, her eyes a hard, glittering green again. "How dare he hurt you? You should never be hurt, my Genji!"

"I'm not hurt; we just got a little wild, that's all. It's not my first love bite, you know?" Please don't look at my back he thought, pulling the jacket tightly around him and looking away.

It only made her suspicious; the green eyes became even narrower. "Let me see your back, Nezumo-chan." He shook his head, but she spun him around and lifted the cloth to see. There were bites all the way down his white back and on both buttocks.

Kenshin pulled himself back around to face her. "I asked for hard and fast and I didn't complain while he was doing it! Don't blame him. Please."

She took a deep breath and sagged a little. "I will blame who I blame, my love…"

Just at the world's worst moment, Sanos made his appearance, fully dressed and in a fighting temper. Kenshin swore to himself- just as she was starting to calm down! He didn't need this.

"Listen Gaudro," Sanos began, but stopped when he saw the fierce green eyes boring into him over Ken's shoulder.

"How dare you?" Her voice was low and soft, but it crackled with danger. "How dare you hurt him and keep him from me?" Kenshin held her tight and braced himself to keep her from getting up. She could go almost mad over something like this if she was afraid for him. He had seen her so.

"I didn't hurt him! And I'm sorry about the phone, but how were we to know?" He didn't understand why Ken was holding her so tightly, pushing her back almost.

"You didn't hurt him? What's this?" She pulled up the cloth so he could see the bruised back while Kenshin cringed inside in case he lost control of her. Please keep your mouth shut, Dave. "Did he ignore the phone or did you stop him from going? Don't bother answering, I see your face, and I know the truth. Get out of my house."

"It's Kenshin's house too!"

"Get out, Dave." Kenshin's voice was sharp and cold.

"What?"

Kenshin looked back over his shoulder, still intent on holding Teo. "Get out now, please. I will talk to you later. I need to talk to Teo now."

"If you're in danger, Kenshin…"

Kenshin's eyes were almost as cold as Teo's now. "Don't be stupid. You are the one in danger here, not me. Don't try to tell me what to do or think, Dave. I've loved this woman for more than twenty years. I think it counts for more than one good fuck. Go home or wherever you have to go now. I need to talk to my wife."

Sanos felt as if he'd been gut-punched. He couldn't say another word. He walked out of the apartment, down to the street and stood at a loss. The bookstore had a "Closed" sign in the window and two pair of frightened blue eyes peeped out at him. He took a deep breath and headed for the sound of the sirens. That must be the crime scene's location.

Back upstairs, Teo sank into the couch with Ken on her lap and gave a deep sigh. He slid his hand up her short right sleeve to uncover a goldfish armband tattoo identical to his own. These were their "wedding rings" an unbroken line of Koi, which also meant "Love." She turned her head to kiss him. "At least he doesn't chew tobacco, I guess."

"Don't be nasty. I was a good safe boy. So was he. You know I bruise easily- he didn't. And you still sneak cigars down in the shop sometimes, don't say you haven't, I smelled it today."

"I just smoked one. And I've never bruised you, my love."

Kenshin made a theatrical chest grab. "Only my heart! Don't snigger at me witch! Promise you won't damage him, koi; I like him a lot. It was just an unlucky chance that this happened."

"What your love life puts me through, my Genji! My lovers are all well-behaved." She sighed and ran fingers through her unbound silvering hair.

"They'd better be, hadn't they?" They both giggled at that. "It's good to hear you laugh, Kuroshinju-sama, I haven't heard it much since this case started."

"Speaking of which, I must go now. Stay close to home, little one, and watch out for strangers. This is too close for my liking."

"Can I kill the twins now?"

"Let 'em sweat – the bitches. You're right, that was a very nasty trick to play on us. We will take our sweet time with revenge. Let's see how long it will take them to come crawling."

"Can I at least glare at them?"

She pulled her hair back into its clip. "And people accuse me of being evil! They just don't know how fierce you really are. Is that why you keep dyeing your hair, to hide the sign of your temper?"

Kenshin made a face at his wife and went to pull on some clothes. "Do you have Dave's phone numbers, Shinju-sama? Write them down for me, Teo, and don't write down the wrong numbers or I'll be pissed!"

"I hear and obey, Kenshin-sama!" She finished writing just as Ken came back, tucking in his shirt. "Here are sleazy eye candy's numbers: home, office, cell. I have to go now."

"I'll walk you down. And come right back up, I know." They stopped on the landing and shared a long, sweet kiss.

"Minty fresh now, eh Nezumo-san?"

"Bitch, bitch, bitch. You complained before. I gargle. You still complain. I give up! I love you though."

"And I love you too. Come on; let's go rattle the twin's cage."

They stood in front of the shop, looking at the "Closed" sign in the window. Teo rapped on the door. "Closing isn't till six o'clock fools! Open back up and don't cost me business! I have all the keys anyway, you can't keep us out!"

Tim and Charlotte took down the sign and timidly opened the door. Teo and Kenshin just stood there and looked at them. Then Teo walked away quickly and Ken went back upstairs. The "twins" started to shake.

Kenshin went back into the flat, grabbed a beer, and hit the answering machine button. As he listened to Teo's increasingly frantic messages, he began to plot terrible vengeance on those two twits downstairs.

Oh well, at least the sex had been good.