It's long and I'm tired.

But I do hope you enjoy this chappie.

Happy reading, little doves.

'I'm still mad at you, don't sit beside me.'

'Oof that's rough, buddy.'

'Sanosuke...'

'Sanosuke you can sit with me.'

The tall brunette laughed at a crestfallen Kenshin as he accepted the invitation, settling comfortably beside Kaoru. Kenshin sighed and sat beside the boy he had caught, caging him against the wall to keep him from dashing away.

'Thanks, Kaoru,' Sanosuke smiled at the sensei, before grinning smugly at a fussing Kenshin. 'I told you my plan would work.'

'What do you guys want from me?' Yahiko demanded, having grown impatient from enduring their banter from the market. Sanosuke turned his attention to him and scowled.

'You just shut it punk.' The older brunette snapped at Yahiko with a viciousness that made even Kaoru flinch. The boy reluctantly backed down, grumbling to himself as Kaoru reached for Sanosuke's hand. The bounty hunter sighed, softening his expression as he turned back to her.

'Sanosuke-' she started to speak, but he took her hand reassuringly and leaned over to whisper quietly to her.

'I know it looks cruel now and I haven't even started yet. But believe me when I say this is necessary. Take a good look at the kid Kaoru,' she followed his gaze on the subdued boy. His eyes were still bright and his expression was defiant, but he had been silenced alright. 'He's been in the business for years; he is not a victim. They're a tough bunch - his type - and they don't comply without force.'

Kaoru sucked in her breath, before shaking her head.

'Sano, he's just a boy - how can you say he's not a victim?' She frowned when he gave her a doubtful look. 'Can I at least try to reach out to him?'

'Okay,' he sighed and leaned back into the seat, his head facing the ceiling, 'but I warned you alright.'

Kenshin watched them with a passive expression on his face, dismissing all the ill gut feelings in his insides at the sight of his partner holding Kaoru's hand. She didn't notice, but Sanosuke did and he smoothly withdrew from the contact in a faux yawn.

'Hello Yahiko,' she smiled sweetly leaning forward to meet eyes that bore mistrust and resentment. 'It's going to be a while before we leave, so can we get you anything to eat? What would you like?'

'Save your pity bait for a sucker, you fat tanuki.'

Silence hung on the table of the booth like the last moments of a death row convict. Sanosuke's head snapped back up and the bounty hunters exchanged a pensive look, too afraid to be amused.

'I'LL KILL YOU!'

'KAORU CHILL OUT!'

She clawed desperately to get out of Sanosuke's bear-sized hold that was restraining her from tearing the boy before her into pieces. He shot Kenshin a pleading glance and the amused redhead hid his chuckle behind a fist, clearing his throat. Kaoru was still screaming obscenities at the boy who had insulted her; the child was trying his hardest not to burst out laughing, afraid that it would only make her angry enough to break out of Sanosuke's restraints.

'Yahiko Myojin.'

Kaoru and Sanosuke stopped mid-struggle to look at Kenshin, who was facing Yahiko with his eyes closed and his smile warm.

'My friend has opted to show you kindness in the face of your situation, and yet here you are showing her contempt,' he sighed and shook his head, eyes pressed beneath his fingers in a pinch. 'You who has bounties amassed upon his head from the police and gangs that rival the ones you work for. Neko-teme, is it?' Kenshin's eyelids opened enough for Yahiko to see how dark and threatening they were. 'You're a menace on Tokyo's crime-spotless streets and your head can stock up our ship for weeks, yet you were shown kindness. We eat you and yours for breakfast, and you scorn the pity that is saving you from our clutches.'

'Kenshin wait-' Kaoru tried to intercede but he didn't look at her. He raised one hand to support his face in a chin-pinch hold, his icy disposition scaring the boy to bits.

'Now apologize to the missus, or I won't bother thinking about keeping the police from you.'

'I am so sorry, so very sorry!' Yahiko shot to his feet to bow profusely to Kaoru. 'Forgive my attitude onee-sama, it won't happen again!'

Kaoru nodded tiredly and wordlessly waved him back into his seat, uncomfortable with the whole arrangement. A familiar waitress approached by their table and the sensei smiled in relief at the opportunity to break the ice.

'Yahiko-kun what drink would you like?'

'Sake.'

Kaoru blinked repeatedly as Sanosuke burst into snorts of laughter, holding his sides like he was holding for life.

'A true son of the street!' He chuckled after calming down and winked at the waitress who had stopped by. 'Hello again Fae-chan, it's been a while.'

'It has! Welcome back!' Fae beamed, whipping out her notepad to take their orders. 'What would you like?'

'I'll have a shot of liqueur in my latte, darling,' Sanosuke crooned, his smile turning into a teasing smirk. Fae blushed as she scribbled it down. 'The brat would like orange juice.'

'Hey-' Yahiko started his protest, but a look from Kenshin shut him up and he nodded grudgingly. 'Yeah... okay, the juice is fine I guess.'

'Irish mocha is fine Fae-chan,' Kenshin smiled politely and nodded in Kaoru's direction. 'Can I also get iced lemon tea with a twist for the lady? Thanks.'

'Hey!' Kaoru snapped and glared at him, an act that made Yahiko giggle quietly. Kenshin ignored her, making an order for doughnuts as well. When Fae left he returned a smile to Kaoru, who narrowed her eyes at the redhead. 'I don't need you to order for me! I am still upset with you.'

'Kaoru-dono, you'll never forgive me.'

'Says who-!'

'This lover's spat can continue in the evening! We're working here!' Sanosuke put his finger on that table forcefully, silencing the two into inaudible murmurings. Satisfied, the hunter faced Yahiko. 'Alright punk, what's your deal? Why are you following the hot broad?'

Yahiko wore a doubtful expression as he sized Kaoru up but wisely chose not to voice said doubts, before shaking his head stubbornly.

'You may as well kill me now. Because I'll be dead before the end of the day if I answer any of your questions.'

'I'm a bounty hunter, not child-support services so that isn't really my problem,' Sanosuke rolled his eyes and scoffed. 'But if that's your worry I can easily turn you in and you won't have to worry about getting killed inside juvy.' Yahiko's eyes hardened and he crossed his arm across his chest, but Sanosuke steeled himself against the boy's vulnerability. It was an act, but he knew and any sliver of sympathy only make him resilient. 'Pout till the dome breaks if you like; you make me angry enough and I'll send the broad home so I can stop playing nice. Wanna test that, kid?' Kaoru watched as the stubborn shell of her young stalker started to crack, the boy squirming uncomfortably under the pressure.

'I know a lot of people in a lot of places, Myojin and I've known about you for a long time. Your family ran out of old money years before you came along. They were killed and you were collected as a mortgage. You've traded hands at least 6 times before ending up with the Hiruma Brothers, and three of those yakuza are out for your head for giving them the slip. You're pretty well known here too - slickest pickpocket in the entire division. You're good kid, real good. But my partner and caught you today because we're better.'

Yahiko gulped and shirked in his seat, all the fight in his body leaving him. No one had a such a complete, accurate profile of him - at least he tried to make sure of it. Otherwise, everyone would be vying to do him under and make tons of money off of his head. But yet two strangers and a woman had managed to track him to the last letter, backstory, bounties and all.

He had failed his mission to tail the woman and he would have to leave to avoid the death sentence that was surely waiting for him. The Hiruma brothers didn't tolerate failure after all. But with someone knowing exactly who he was, giving the brothers a slip wouldn't make a difference. He was screwed whichever way his life from there went. He slouched in his chair and hung his head, his breathing heavy as he fought his hardest not to cry.

'Yahiko-kun, are you crying?' Kaoru's heart broke, unable to bear seeing the boy put under so much pressure any longer. She reached out to touch him, but he shirked away, his body shaking with contained sobs. She bit her lip to keep from crying as well and turned pleading eyes to a neutral faced Kenshin. He seemed startled by her reaction and attention, so he looked at her questioningly. 'Kenshin,' her voice was just a whisper as she leaned over to hold his hand. 'Please do something...'

Personally, he did sympathise with the boy, feeling a sort of kindred spirit to him, but Sanosuke needed to break the boy's will so that he would cooperate. He had certainly never considered what would happen with the child after, but he could imagine. Without any guarantee of protection, he was a sitting duck for anybody with a grudge or lust for wealth. He was like an abandoned pedigree pup, with nowhere to hide and nowhere to go and everyone after the skin on his back. Kaoru was probably facing this reality fo the first time, and she clearly couldn't stomach it. He sighed and nodded his head, reaching over to squeeze her hand reassuringly.

'Not all hope is lost though, you know that, right?' Yahiko stopped his quivering at the sound of Kenshin's words but didn't lookup. Kaoru's glistening eyes turned hopeful as she looked at Kenshin, who gave her a gentle reassuring smile.

Sanosuke rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. Sure, let him look like the bad guy for doing grunt work. He let out a long sigh and glanced at Kaoru. When he realised she was near tears he sobered up with remorse pretty quickly, uncomfortable with how sad her empathetic nature had rendered her to be.

'I mean it. You've led a life of mistakes, none of which you can take back. But I have made mistakes too, far more than you can imagine,' Kenshin scooched closer and bent low enough to be face to face with the boy had he looked up. 'While we're alive we are lucky enough to atone for those mistakes. I do it by saving lives and putting criminals behind bars.'

Sanosuke snorted, 'and to make enough money to buy a dango and ice cream shop.'

Kenshin ignored him with the serenity of a young and still awed father. 'You're luckier because there's still so much of life ahead of you - you can atone too and I can help you while you do that.' His voice laced with gentle encouragement. 'If you're willing to turn your life around, I'll make sure nothing ever harms you. Hunters have immunity off their pasts you know.' Yahiko finally looked up to meet Kenshin's warm gaze, his own brown eyes full of unshed tears. Kaoru let out a small gasp and covered her mouth at the child's expression. He shot her a look that failed to be menacing, but Kaoru only smiled behind her hands. Kenshin held Yahiko's shoulder. 'If you help me protect my friend, life doesn't have to be so bleak anymore, Yahiko.'

The boy wiped his eyes with the sleeves of his dark blue haori, sniffling and clearing his throat before fitting a determined look on his face.

'Would I be taught how to use a sword?'

'On my word, you'd be taught anything we can teach you.'

Yahiko wiped at his eyes again until they were dry and then looked at everyone in the booth with resolve in his eyes.

'What do you want to know?'

At that moment Fae arrived with their orders, for drinks and a whole bowled of assorted doughnuts. Sanosuke smirked when Yahiko's stomach growled in anticipation and handed him a doughnut.

'Let's start with how much you can eat, punk.'

...

'One of the conditions I had set for us to partner up was to not go about adopting strays.'

Kenshin stopped mid-eating away at his dango to stare curiously at his partner. They were on the porch of Kaoru's dojo, watching amusedly as the sensei repeatedly handed Yahiko's ass back to him in her evaluation kendo match. His amber eyes crinkled as he smiled, resuming the consumption of his sweet.

'Oh yeah, I remember that.'

'And yet here we are, responsible for a street brat.'

'Oh was that what you meant?' Kenshin's question earned him a prompt glare. 'I always thought you were referring to a stray dog or a kitten.' Kenshin wore a brief pondering look, before shrugging and continuing his snack. 'Oh well then, what is done is done.'

Sanosuke silently sneered in mimicking his partner, before groaning and lying down flat on the wooden floor of the porch.

'Hey, Kenshin.' He lifted his head up just high enough to look at his partner.

'Yeah?'

'Think we can ditch him with the tanuki and make a run for it?'

'You can definitely try, I'll be here to rat you out, and I can safely watch the aftermath knowing I was smart enough to not make that decision with you.'

Sanosuke groaned out loud and fell back on to the wooden porch.

'Traitor.'

Kenshin chuckled and turned his attention back to the spar before them. Kaoru had not broken a sweat, whilst the boy seemed to be throwing everything he had at her. He lacked zero training and had no iota of innate kendo talent peeking through, but there were telling signs of the skills he did possess. His endurance, for one thing, could easily compare to grown man's, given how quickly he attacked Kaoru despite being beaten repeatedly. The way he held the sword also showed he had a history with weapons - just not one as long as the one he was holding. He was quick on his feet, never falling for the same trick used against him twice.

And for a boy as rash, as he was, he kept a very cool and level-headed demeanour throughout. Kenshin was impressed with the enormous potential the boy clearly possessed. And he wasn't the only one.

Kaoru, having spent four minutes gauging the performance of an absolute kendo layman, decided to end things quickly. Yahiko charged for her with his sword pointed straight for her stomach. Kaoru knew ducking and disarming him would not work twice, and neither would side-stepping him on either side. So she leapt up into a somersault and stroke his wrist with her bokken. He yelled in pain and let go of the sword, while Kaoru landed on one knee, her sword held facing her back. She stood up and turned back to the wincing child, ignoring Sanosuke's mocking cheers.

'To think I would have to evade like that from a completely hapless novice. Well done.'

Yahiko couldn't help the smug grin that found his way to his face, but his pride was short-lived as Kaoru headed towards the porch.

'That was abysmal though - a completely terrible performance.' She scoffed and had her nose in the air as she breezed past him. 'I'd say you've never held any type of training sword in your life.'

Yahiko's jaw dropped and he clustered furiously, indignation creeping into his voice.

'You just said well done! I-'

Kaoru stopped briefly to cross her arms and smirk, cocking her head as she interrupted him.

'I was appraising your actual skills: observation, memory retention, muscle reflexes, speed - it's all well and good, nicely done.' She nodded her head and put a hand on her hip, pointing the other at him. 'Your actual kendo skills, though? Abysmal.' She was already moving again, and she kicked Sanosuke in the knee when she reached the porch, ignoring his groggy complaints.

'I'll arrange a training regimen for you to get on as soon as we're done.' She turned to raise her brow at him, smirking smugly. 'That is if you give us what we want.' She then looked down at Kenshin, who had since resumed happily eating away at his dango without a care at the world. With a sigh, she collected the treat from him and devoured it in two bites. He stared at her, horrification seeping into his puppy dog eyes but she only frowned and crossed her arms defiantly. 'We have to find out what the deal is with the Hiruma brothers.'

Kenshin opened his mouth to tease her, but then thought better of it and sighed, rising to his feet as he nodded. He stared at Sanosuke, then turned is attention to Yahiko. He motioned his head to the dojo and climbed up the porch, Kaoru following after. Sanosuke rose to his feet waited for Yahiko to follow suit. Once the boy reluctantly filed into the dojo, Sanosuke trailed him and shut the Shoji door.

The three males settled down in the centre while Kaoru went on to retrieve the snacks they had bought earlier that day, only sitting down after with them after she had served them snacks. Kenshin, of course, had offered to help, but she glared at him - a silent indication that she was still upset with him.

Sanosuke didn't hesitate much, immediately diving into the process of interrogating the boy of the intentions of his and his employers. Yahiko had been grudging, his replies coming out with reluctance and his answers full of jeers and snark. He was still bitter about Kaoru's criticisms, and it made him want to pull back on the deal and find his own way. She had tried a gentler hand, but he had snubbed her sympathy yet again, going so far as to declare that he might possibly prefer being on the run than having to bear with a sensei who bore so much resemblance to a tanuki.

The entire cafe scene replayed itself out, with Kaoru desperately vying to free herself from Sanosuke's grip with the intentions to fulfil her insistent screaming of "I'LL KILL YOU!' and "YOU MANGY STRAY CAT!" Kenshin had decidedly kept quiet, silently enjoying the free show that came with his chomping down on his dango. It was when the last of his meticulously clean stick clattered on his plate and he cleared his throat that the heated debacle came to a pause. Kenshin smiled, pleased to have gained everyone's attention

'When Kaoru-dono told us you were a kid, Sanosuke here immediately ran a screen check of all the alley brats that operated in the streets of Tokyo.' He smiled as he dropped the information. The boy looked back at the man he had snubbed curiously, then looked away. 'He didn't get any actual name of course, but he did hear of the slickest pickpocket around. You're so good no one traced it back to you actually. You're a mystery to pedestrians and vendors everywhere. Thankfully,' he flashed his partner a brief glance. 'Sanosuke has a good network of underbelly citizens who knew the phantom thief. He soon got word from one of his contacts that Hiruma Brothers had needed a new "bird" to help establish his territorial reach into Kanto division, one with money magnet hands and ears to the ground. You were recommended and signed into the gang.'

'I didn't sign anything!' Yahiko sneered, leaning forward to glare at Kenshin. 'I didn't sign a single thing.' He repeated, the words seething from his mouth.

'You're right. You didn't sign.' Kenshin agreed, cocking his head in a brief side nod. 'You were blackmailed.'

Yahiko narrowed his eyes, but the redhead sighed and rolled his eyes.

'I don't understand what your obstinance is about. We had this discussion about a needed change in your attitude and we already came to an agreement.'

'Ah well.' Yahiko shrugged and rolled his eyes, unwilling to admit that Kaoru's judgements on his lacklustre kendo skill had hurt. 'Old habits die hard.' He frowned and scoffed. 'And for all I know, you're bluffing. You don't enough to have Tokyo's authorities after me. I'm just an alleged pickpocket.' He raised his hand in mock helplessness and smirked. Kenshin smiled and closed his eyes.

'Gohei or his brother, one of them threatened you,' he insisted with a smile. 'Our line of work as bounty hunters, Sano and me, demand very sharp memory Yahiko.' He spoke as though teaching a child to spell a word with more than one syllable. 'Because memory serves us well when we're hungry and we need to catch prey to eat. Just recall an old unresolved case and start hunting.'

Yahiko narrowed his eyes on him but didn't say anything.

'Sanosuke said there were about four bounties on your head, none of which just came up in the last six months. Same description, but different names. Except for the very first one - Yahiko Myojin, the son of debtors - old money gone dry.' The samurai was satisfied to see the boy's mouth had gone slack. 'The Hiruma brothers know the loan sharks in Kansai's region Okasa who put that first bounty, and the vigilante biker gang in Chubu's Niigata who put down the last. And as long as you worked for their own gang, those two never needed to know you still existed. The other two in the middle were other mobs and gang looking for the same spiky-haired, cat-eyed, double-crossing punk, all from divisions that saw a brief surge in pickpocketing stats.' He opened his eyes and sighed, leaning forward to meet Yahiko's now wary expression. 'Am I really the kind to bluff, Myojin?'

Yahiko leaned back, you're not one the kind to fuck around with at all, he thought warily. Feeling foolish about his acting out, he nodded at Kaoru.

'Gohei had it out for your dad. Something about kendo and honour.' He said with a non-committal shrug. 'You ever got nagged about this property before?'

Kaoru considered his words as she quietly nibbled on a Pocky stick. She frowned as she tried to remember.

'After otou-san died,' she blanched as she remembered her father's passing. 'The lawyer kept trying to pester me about a potential buyer. A family friend helped me tell them off. Three months later someone caught me at a restaurant asking about the property.' She tapped her chin as she jogged her memory. 'Since then... when I finished my degree education which was like five years later... then last year after the final class before the summer break.' She frowned even more as she focused back on Yahiko. 'The brothers' want my family home?' Indignation crept into her low, raspy voice. Shadow was cast on her eyes when she nodded, and she looked down. 'What was it about kendo and honour?'

'Family feud. Your old man was Gohei's sensei back in the day. Strict about your family's fighting styles and all that. Gohei thought your family philosophies were all crap-bull and shit,' he grinned mirthlessly when he saw her flinching at then the sound of his vocabulary. 'His brother had sent him here to check out the property though - they were looking for an operating base at the time, so I heard-'

'In the residential sector. With tax-paying, law-abiding citizens... in crime-less Tokyo.' Kaoru's voice was dry and the boy shrugged.

'I wasn't around then so do what you will with what I know,' he offered defensively. 'Anyways Gohei got testy when your dad went off on him for bringing a gun and threatening another student. He wanted a match against the old man - he bet the property deed on if he won, and his membership of the dojo otherwise. They wanted to scam the guy out of the house.' Yahiko shook his head and snorted. 'Then the goofball underestimated the guy, got his right hand all banged up and became a lefty.' He smirked again. 'An accumulation of blatant disrespect against them from your family. They tried to dupe you of your house but that didn't work. Then Gohei went insane enough to go on a killing spree as divine justice to avenge himself.' He paused and then shrugged. 'Or something like that, really.'

Kaoru nodded slowly and blinked, before laughing and shaking her head.

'A turf war with a law-abiding citizen,' She cackled and fell back against the floor in hysterical bliss. 'To think otou-san thought Tokyo was timelessly crime-free.' She sighed and threw an arm over her face. The bounty hunters glanced at her worriedly, before turning back to Yahiko.

'So where and when were you going to report back to them?' Sanosuke asked, his brows furrowed in thought.

...

'Kaoru-dono~'

Silence met his teasing call and he sighed. Sanosuke had just relieved him of his shift to monitor a sleeping Yahiko, in case he decided to be funny. He was hoping he could talk with her before he went to bed. But she was clearly insisting on stubbornly resisting him.

He couldn't, for the life of it, understand why she stayed this long being mad at him.

'Kaoru-dono. This charade must end sometime soon you know.'

No reply came. Kenshin rolled his eyes and let his forehead fall against the door lightly.

'I really am sorry love, that I am.' He sighed and brushed his fingers against the doorknob. 'I'll come to check in tomorrow. Goodnight.'

He sighed again when no reply came, then walked away.

Not knowing that no one was on the other side of the door.

COVID-19 is evil, Draco X Hermione fanfics are of the devil, and I missed all my online classes.

Happy quarantine everyone!

And a happy Good Friday indeed.