Authors Notes: Hiya! This time I'm going to make the chapter nice and long! - Not much to write here...'cept the fact I still have another freakin week of school left -- anyway, on with the show! (in this case, chapter) Oh and Kanzen Ne Tsuki! I'm glad that my "illness" has disappeared! All thanks to your notifying it! Thank you!! :)
Chapter 19: Deal with the devil
Battousai stared helplessly at the unconscious Kaoru as he tried to think of a place for her to stay. He kept the light low since the incident with Kuchiro. He didn't want anyone else bothering him and his Kaoru. He decided to take a risk, and ask Katsura for someplace to keep her where no other men could...'get' her. He picked her up carefully, and walked over to the door. He was just about to open it when the door opened suddenly, revealing Katsura himself, right there.
'Well that saves me some trouble of searching for him' Battousai thought. He did run over the fact that he would be walking around with an incredibly gorgeous lady, unconscious in his arms. He thanked the gods for his luck.
"Oh. Himura. I would have expected you to be at dinner now. I came in here to see if you actually might be here. Anyway, I came to ask you if you could do-" He didn't finish his sentence. He finally noticed the unconscious girl in Battousai's arms. "Well...Himura I never knew that you could cause such an after effect! You're so young too!" Katsura said with a look of surprise on his face.
"KATSURA YOU PERVERT!!! I did NOTHING of that sort!!" Battousai yelled almost dropping Kaoru in the process.
"I'm only kidding. Anyway, I heard from some of the men that Scythe brought you this young lady. Is she an acquaintance of yours?" Katsura asked with interest. Battousai lowered his head to look at her, and let a rare smile form on his lips.
"Yeah...we...are really close...and I can't believe...that she came all this way...just for me..." Battousai said. His voice was soft and loving. He then shifted her fragile frame in his arms, and cradled her with one arm while moving some raven lochs out of her gentle face, and tenderly began to stroke her cheek. Katsura felt a warm aura emanating from Battousai. It was a peaceful aura. A comfortable aura. He smiled as he watched them. Battousai then stopped his caressing, and focused on the task at hand.
"Katsura. I need a place for her to stay. She can't stay in my room because I'm worried about all the men getting to her. Where can I keep her?" Battousai asked as he looked hopefully into Katsura's eyes. Katsura looked into his younger comrades eyes as well, and almost gave out a sigh, but he held it in.
"I'm sorry Himura but...she's only going to be an obstacle for the men here. She is just going to have to leave." Katsura answered in an apologetic tone. Battousai's face fell.
"What?! Obstacle?! There are an uncountable amount of whores in this place!! And you say that SHE is an obstacle?!" He yelled at Katsura. He couldn't let Katsura just send her away like that. What he didn't know was that he had been alone ever since he joined the Ishin shi shi. He didn't want to be alone again. Katsura just shook his head.
"Himura...I know that this isn't what you were planning, but she's an innocent girl. She could easily be tainted by one of our men. I'm sorry but...she'll have to leave. And if she ever comes here again...I'll be forced to kill her. I'm sorry...but it's the way it has to be. You may never see her again but that isn't a problem I want to deal with." He replied, then turned away and slowly began to walk away until he heard the faint shuffle of clothing. He turned around to see Battousai's head bowed, and his body shuddering. 'Is he...crying?' Katsura asked himself. Suddenly, Battousai's head whipped up to face Katsura. His eyes were blazing with anger while un shameful tears streaked down his face.
"You don't know what it's like to be alone! Cooped up in this base, day in and day out!! With not one person who cares for you or can love you! I've been sitting in that room for a year now, and during that time that you've kept me here, my heart has grown cold and black! I would fall asleep every night, wishing that someone could come embrace me to keep me warm! To just whisper sweet nothings to me while I drift off! To protect me from the shadows of my nightmares that have haunted me! You have a wife!! Someone you can love and cherish forever! She's the only person in my life who can warm my soul and can keep me warm! And you say that if she does that, if she tries to chase my nightmares away, or if she tries to comfort me, or if she tries to wipe away my tears, you'll kill her?! So what you're saying is, you're going to murder my happiness! My love! My comfort!? Is that it?!?!" He screamed, eyes blazing with hurt and sorrow. Katsura then cast his head downward, and mumbled the words that Battousai was dreading.
"I will if she isn't removed by yourself." He then walked away without another word. Battousai just stood there, bewildered. HE then dropped to his knees, and lowered his head and cupped Kaoru's frame close. He couldn't let her go. No matter how hard he tried. He couldn't let her slip away. He then lifted his head, and stood again.
'If he won't let you stay, I'll make your presence unknown!' He said to himself. He then scurried off across the yard. He decided that he could use the bath house as a home for the precious bundle in his arms. He opened the bath house door, and sneaked in. A while back when he first came here, he discovered something that no one has come across yet. There was a hidden trap door on the floor of the bath house. There was a small room with a bed and a small window. It had enough space to fit about eight people, but no more. He decided to use his unknown hiding place as her hide out. He opened the trap door by tapping on it three times. It tilted open and a small staircase was revealed. He walked down the stairs and entered the room. He walked over to the bed and tenderly placed her onto it. He laid her out on it so that she would be comfortable. He smiled down at her sleeping form, and brushed another raven loch out of her face. He then noticed that there was a strange warmth that was emitting off of her. He gently placed his hand on her forehead to find that she was burning up. He gasped silently, and hurried up the steps to retrieve a wet wash cloth. Once he closed the trap door and hurried out of the bath house, he just fallen into an oblivious trap.
He rushed into the kitchen, trying to keep unseen, and quickly grabbed a wash cloth. He then hurried outside to the well, and dipped it in the cold water. He ringed it out, and grabbed an empty bucket and filled it with the water. He placed the cloth into the bucket, and headed toward the bath house once more. He opened the door and walked in with a small smile as he thought about spending time with his Kaoru. He closed the door with his foot to save time, and walked over to his secret hide out. Or...at least 'was' secret. When he reached the trap door, it was wide open. His eyes widened in fear as he threw the bucket of water, and rushed down the steps into the room. There he found Kaoru, being held upright, with a dagger placed at her throat. The one who was holding the dagger, along with the sickening Kaoru...was Tomoe.
"Tomoe what the hell are you doing!!??! Get away from her!!" He yelled as he sped towards the couple.
"Don't come ANY closer babe! If you want her to live, stay where you are! If you move one more inch, I'll slit her throat and then rip off her pretty little head!" Tomoe screeched as she laughed like a psycho path. Battousai snarled at her.
"You...Bitch!" He hissed at her. His fists her clenched so tight that blood started to seep out. His eyes were glazed over with burning hatred and anger at the woman who stood before him. He then shut his eyes with much difficulty, and shadowed his eyes. He muttered a question that he wished he never did.
"What do you want..." He knew she wanted something out of threatening Kaoru. And that if he refused...she would either kill her...or she would tell Katsura. Either one ended up the same. He would lose her. He would rather get married to Tomoe then lose her. And if that's what the reason was, he had to admit. It was easier said than done. But...if she did want something from him, he wouldn't give up so easily.
"What do I want?...Hmmmm...well that's simple! I want you." Tomoe said in a cocky tone. She was mocking him, and he knew it. She was being too cocky. He took that advantage, and drew his katana; and using his got like speed, he rushed over to Tomoe, and grabbed Kaoru away from her, and thrust the blade up to her throat. He stopped it right when it hit her flesh. Tomoe was surprised at first, but then smirked.
"Like you could kill me...you don't have the guts! Besides if you do kill me, you'll just me punished by killing a woman. But if you don't kill me, I'll go tell Katsura that you're hiding your little whore in this place, and he'll kill her. Either way she's gonna die. Or...you could just give up and let me take you, and I'll keep quiet. What's your choice?" Tomoe asked, practically spitting on Kaoru. Her eyes were clear to read. As easy as a book. They said 'you can't kill me. You know you can't. So just give up.' Battousai smirked and raised his sword.
"The hell I can't!" He slashed the blade down and was about to make contact with a shuddering Tomoe when a faint cry was heard.
"No...please...don't kill her...please..." It was Kaoru. Her eyes were brimmed with tears as he stopped dead in his action. His eyes grew wide he dropped his blade. "Don't kill her...she just has...a corrupt mind...don't punish her...for something she was raised to do...she doesn't know...anything else...so please...don't kill her..." Kaoru gasped out before she fainted in his arms again. He lowered his head so his orange red bangs covered his eyes again. He then held Kaoru close and muttered to Tomoe through Kaoru's shoulder,
"Go...and if you speak a word...even her gentle pleas will not stop me..." Tomoe nodded, and rushed out of his presence again. He sighed in relief, and placed her on the bed again. He walked up the stairs to retrieve the now empty bucket that was thrown to the side, along with the cloth. He then headed towards the well to fill the bucket with water again. He then glanced up to the sky and sighed. He then though peacefully to himself while walking back to the bath house
'I was so close...so close to making a deal with that devil...and Kaoru saved me again...now I know why I love her so much...she is my guardian angel...my little angel...'
(That was LONG!! :DDD)
