Chapter 2 Monday

After breakfast, the boys cleaned the dishes and got ready for school, "Okita hurry the hell up we're going to be late…again…if we get yelled at by that asshole teacher I'm blaming you." He growled.

"Mr.Masato?" Kio asked from his seat in the living room where he was rocking Kenji.

"Yeah" Saitou snorted, watching as Kenji fiddled with master's shirt.

"Well if he gives you two any trouble just tell him I made you two train early this morning, and if he has a problem with that he can come talk to me directly." Kio smiled.

"Master you actually want us to lie?" Okita asked sarcastically, looking shocked.

"Oh it's not a lie, not if I make you train the moment you step back through that door after school." He smirked.

"Ahehehe...damnit." Okita sighed.

"Come on let's go." Saitou growled, as he watched Okita run up to Kenji.

"As for you are you going to be a very naughty boy and drive Master crazy today?" Kenji looked up at Kio who in turn lifted an eyebrow and smirked, then Kenji turned to Okita, raised his arms and squished Okita's cheeks, then giggled hiding his face in master's shirt. "Didn't think so…" Okita sighed and rushed out the door after hearing it slam closed probably because Saitou was growing impatient and left without him.

"Hey Saitou, wait up." Okita huffed finally catching up to him.

"I don't know why you insist on getting attached to the kid, social services aren't going to let him stay with us, anyways they're probably going to find his family or some lost relative to take him in."

"You know you are such an asshole, he's three years old for shit's sake and after what he's been through I'd still be scared. Yet right now he's happy with us. And for some reason he likes you...of all people." Okita mumbled.

Hearing the bell ring they both rushed in the school and to their first class, of course being late Mr.Masato had a few choice words for them, "Don't you two have clocks in your home, or a parent responsible enough to wake you on time?"

Both Okita and Saitou hated this teacher and scowled at the last comment he gave. "Yes we have clocks in our home, and no we don't have parents you inconsiderate asshole." Saitou growled.

Okita didn't like where this was going and got in front of Saitou. Saitou always stood up for Okita on this touchy subject, they had grown up together, they were best friends, they considered each other as brothers.

XxX Flashback XxX

When they were young, hired bandits had pillaged their little fishing village setting it ablaze and slaughtering every single person there, apparently the land was worth a lot more if there weren't any people living on it. Okita's and Saitou's mothers quickly gathered the four year olds and tried to get them to the river in the woods where they deemed it safe while their husbands fought off the bandits, but they were quickly tracked down.

The boys were thrown aside in the bush. Saitou hit his head against a rock in the river, while Okita watched in horror as the bandits raped and slit their mother's throats. Finally realizing that his best friend was not next to him Okita tore his eyes from his mother's pale face and looked to the water, if he hadn't gone to Saitou in that instant he would have drowned. Staying in that spot leaning against a tree the entire night, shivering and softly crying Okita held on tightly to Saitou who was still unconscious blood trickled down his face from the wound he'd received when he hit his head.

That's when Kio had found them, he had seen the smoke from his campsite and went to investigate. Finding the two boys, he assured them that he would not harm them. Gathering an unconscious Saitou in his arms, he held out his hand to Okita who quickly took it, and brought them to his campsite where he cleaned them up and fed them soup, waiting until Okita was asleep which didn't take long, Kio quickly made his way to the burnt down village.

There was nothing left, bodies were burned, the houses and huts were nothing but ash. He did a quick search for anymore survivors, which there were none, he would have stayed longer but he didn't want to leave the boys alone for too long. Running up a trail he found two women who were slain on the ground near where he had found the boys, "Fuck..." he swore. Holding his head in his hand he made a silent promise to the women that their sons would be well taken care of. There was nothing he could do, picking up one of the women he carried her back to the village, then did the same with the other carefully laying her down beside the other where they would surely be found and given a proper burial. Kio quickly made his way back to his campsite.

XxX End Flashback XxX

"What are you talking about, what about Kio, the man you two live with?" Mr.Masato sighed.

"He's our guardian, you shithead." Saitou seethed, not caring that the whole class was watching their argument in silence.

"The hell with this…" Okita whispered and left the room, Saitou following close behind.

Mr.Masato came out of his classroom and shouted after them. "Boys wait."

"FUCK YOU!" Saitou yelled as he followed Okita down the steps and through the doors that led outside. Mr.Masato ran down the hall to try and stop them.

But when he got outside, they were nowhere in sight. Rushing back in, he went to the principal's office and called the boys home.

XxXxX

Kio who was folding the laundry with the help of Kenji turned his head when he heard the phone ring, draping a towel on top of the boy's head Kio chuckled when Kenji pulled it off his head then lied down and snuggled up in it relishing the warmth it gave off. Walking to the phone he quickly picked it up and held it to his ear. "Hello." He answered glancing in the living room at Kenji as he peeked from under the towels.

"Yes is this Kio Yuri?"

"It is, who is this?"

"This is Mr.Masato, I am a teacher from Okita and Saitou's school."

"What did they do now?" Kio sighed not sounding too surprised.

"Well I'm afraid that they've run off."

"What...why the hell would they do that?"

"Well they arrived in class late again, and we had a bit of a tiff, then they left."

"A TIFF?...How big a tiff?" Kio asked amused. 'What the hell is a tiff?'

Masato cleared his throat as he answered, "Well I asked if they had any clocks or a...um..." Masato grew very nervous from the sound of the man's voice on the other line.

"Or a what?" Kio asked through clenched teeth.

Masato cleared his throat again and continued "…or a parent responsible enough to wake them on time."

"You what?"

"I'm terribly sorry Mr.Kio I had no idea that their parents were..." he tried to apologize but Kio quickly cut him off.

"Well now that exactly wouldn't be any of your business, now would it, now you better listen, if ANYTHING I mean anything happens to my two boys, you'll be sure to get a visit from me personally, and I swear that if you even mention anything concerning their parents and all the hell those two went through again. They will never find your fucken body do you understand me." Kio growled.

There was a long silence on the phone until Kio heard what sounded like a tiny squeak. "Surely you're joking...right?"

"Concerning my boys...I never joke." Kio hung up and sighed.

Mr.Masato was now sweating profusely and leaned back in his chair, 'Did he actually growl before he hung up?'

XxXxX

Picking up the phone again Kio called the university where he taught Kenjutsu and other various forms of martial arts and had all his classes cancelled for the day. Looking down at Kenji who was now playing with a few blocks Kio kneeled down and locked eyes with the boy. "Do you want to go for a walk?" he asked.

Kenji looked at Kio and slowly stood careful not to put any weigh on his wrist, with a smile on his face.

"Heh I'll take that as a yes, c'mon let's get you dressed." He smirked picking him up. After putting on very warm clothing on the three year old, who was still a bit exhausted from the last days events Kio picked him up and went to the kitchen.

Packing up a huge lunch and a few bottles of water, Kenji's formula and medicine in a back pack which he slung over his shoulder he had no idea how long they'd be out for, he held out his hand to Kenji who took it and they were off to look for his two so called missing deshies. Kio knew very well that they could take care of themselves, but he still worried...a little. The last time their parents were mentioned they didn't come home until three days later. Saitou was mostly over their deaths, but since Okita had witnessed it, it took a lot of energy to try and calm the teen.

XxXxX

Arriving at the school

"Okay now you pay attention," he gestured to Kenji, who nodded and giggled. "Now this will be your first lesson in tracking down someone..." Kio waved his hands in front of him, narrowed his eyes he then smirked. Kenji laughed. "Alright I'm pretty sure that considering those two arguing with Mr.Masato who will get his butt kicked sooner or later be it by me or Saitou, would very easily get them pissed off. Now they had to get away from him quickly so they most definitely..." Kio looked around and pointed to a tree "Climbed up that tree until Mr.Asshole left, then they would want to find a nice quiet place to yell out their frustration and brutalize anything in their paths. So in other words they're in the woods where we usually train." He deducted.

"Sato...Kita?" Kenji looked around.

Kio smiled as he bent down and helped the little boy on his feet. "Yes…very good now come, let's go find those two eh." Kio held out his hand, again Kenji took it as they walked for several minutes down the street and continued down an old wooded path walking for about fifteen minutes the two stopped at a stream where he picked up Kenji and jumped across, Kio carried Kenji the rest of the way as the lush forest hid the path well and you couldn't get through unless you tree hopped, so Kio jumped from tree to tree until they could hear what sounded like a waterfall and yelling.

Saitou was sitting on a rock listening to Okita yell his little heart out and skipping stones across the river, "I should have just shoved a ruler down his throat and tell him to go to hell..."

"Hn Okita you could never do well in telling someone to piss off, in other words you're too nice...especially talking about your parents which you always tend to avoid...and concerning assholes like that prick of a teacher…"

"Fucken Asshole." Okita grumbled.

"There you go...that's the spirit..." Saitou smirked.

"SATO...KITA!" Kenji screeched in excitement.

Okita and Saitou quickly turned towards the voice, "Now you two really shouldn't be talking that way in front of a three year old." They both relaxed a little when they recognized who it was. "Heh heh you boys hungry?" he asked jumping down to their level and threw the back pack at Saitou, who caught it easily. Okita was about to say something when he was cut off by Kio, "Sit and eat, after that we are going to have a little talk." Kio carefully put Kenji down and the boy quickly made his way to Okita and hugged his leg. Okita smiled, picked him up and hugged him tightly.

"Hello Kenji-chan."

"Hi..." Kenji cheered squeezing Okita's cheeks together making his face look like a fish. Okita laughed and hugged him again. "Kita..." Kenji chirped and wrapped his tiny arms around Okita's neck.

"Just what I needed..." Okita whispered and sat down on a rock placing Kenji on his lap.

"You all right Okita?" Kio asked watching him closely. Okita looked at his master, then at Kenji and nodded with a smile. They all sat down quietly and ate their lunch.

"How'd you know that we weren't in school?" Saitou asked not really caring.

"Oh that well, Mr.Masato gave me a call...apparently you three had a tiff."

"A tiff?" Saitou looked amused.

"TIFF...TIFF...TIFF…" Kenji started chanting. Okita laughed and gave him a piece of bread to chew on.

"What the hell is a tiff?" Saitou continued.

"Are you done?" Kio asked Saitou shrugged, "Anyways he felt bad...I threatened his life, I'm sure he's pissed himself during the call." Saitou couldn't help but chuckle at the thought.

Kenji was starting to fuss and complain a little, Okita looked to Kio. "There's a bottle of formula in the thermos, it should still be warm. There's also his medicine give him a spoonful of that before the formula." Okita took out the medicine and gave it to Kenji who made a face after swallowing it, Saitou looked around in the pack for the thermos and took out the bottle and gave it to Okita.

After talking for a few hours Kio watched Kenji for a moment who desperately tried to stay awake. "Alright it's starting to get cold out here let's get this little tyke back home."

The boys nodded and after making their way back to the main road Kenji was fast asleep in Okita's arms.

XxXxX

That night

Kio was training his two deshies in their own little private dojo, while Kenji slept in his room. "Again…" Kio commanded. "Keep your knees bent...Good Saitou your Gatotsu has improved, alright that's enough training for tonight, go do your homework."

"What homework, we ditched school remember." Okita chided.

"No homework? Okay then clean the dojo, and if you're done before ten clean the house."

"Okita you really have to learn to keep your mouth shut." Saitou growled.

"Hehe sorry Saitou."

As the two teens were arguing and straightening up the dojo, Kio smiled and decided to check on Kenji, slowly sliding the shoji open and approaching the boy's bed Kio shifted Kenji so he'd be more comfortable, and sat down on the bed listening to him breathe softly. When he heard a knock at the door, quietly getting up and closing the door, he went to the front entrance to greet their visitor. Knowing very well that his deshies wouldn't answer since they were still arguing in the dojo.

The moment Kio opened the door he was greeted with a smile. "Hello master Kio, how have you been?" Tokio a sixteen-year-old girl, with honey colored eyes and long ebony hair in a ponytail smiled as she gave him a hug.

"Tokio...I'm very well thank-you, oh where are my manners come in...How was Kyoto?"

"Eh boring, I would have much rather stayed at home."

Kio chuckled, and winced when he heard something crashing within the dojo.

"Cleaning the dojo...what did they do now?" Tokio raised an eyebrow to Kio.

"Aheh, they ditched school today." He said as they made their way towards the yelling that was starting to get louder. "For the love of...will you two keep it down, I doubt Tokio wants to hear you two bickering all night."

"Tokio?" Saitou asked as he quickly turned around half a smile plastered on his face.

"Half a smile...that's all I get?" Tokio said as she slowly approached Saitou and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Hey none of that in my dojo." Kio mocked and smirked, Tokio was about to protest when she heard a scream, and saw Kio run out of the dojo.

"What the hell was that?" Tokio asked as Okita ran out after him.

"Come on." Saitou told her as he grasped her hand and led her out.

Entering the room with all the screaming Tokio saw Kio pacing the room with a child in his arms, Okita stood in the doorway watching, not being able to calm the child, Kio looked to Saitou. Realizing what his master was about to ask Saitou started to protest. "Oh no your not...aww why do I even bother, just give me the kid." Smiling Kio gently put Kenji in Saitou's arms, and again after a few moments Kenji stopped crying. Hiccupping and whimpering little Kenji leaned his head on Saitou's shoulder.

Kio checked Kenji for a fever, "You all right now?" he whispered, Kenji looked at Kio and sniffed. "You better stay with him tonight Saitou."

"Yeah, yeah…" Saitou whined

"I mean it." Kio warned.

"I will." Saitou assured him, and watched as the boy stared at the newcomer in his room.

As Kio left the room Tokio approached Saitou, "Hi..." She smiled and gave Kenji a little wave. Kenji only sniffed and hid his face in Saitou's gi, "Who's the sweetie and why is he not horrified of you like most children that cross your path are?" She curiously asked while watching Saitou sit in the reclining rocker and proceeded to slowly rock the child to sleep.

"That's Kenji, Saitou found him while we were training in the woods a couple days ago, he was badly injured, police haven't found anything on him yet. Doctor Suki released him in master's care."

"I can't believe I'm seeing this." Tokio looked at Saitou amazed. "So...how'd this sweetie get Hajime wrapped around his tiny little finger?" She asked a wicked grin plastered on her face, as Saitou scowled at her, Tokio stuck out her tongue at him.

"He doesn't have me wrapped around his finger, Kenji has his uses from us, if he wants to play he goes to Okita, if he's sick or wants the pain to go away he goes to master, and if he's scared he comes to me." Saitou plainly answered her question.

Tokio only smirked "Well I totally agree with little Kenji, if I was scared I'd want to go to Saitou too he'd scare anything away with that scowl of his." Okita laughed and left the room. "Where are you going?"

"Well seeing that four is a crowd, and that you just got back from your trip I'm sure that you would like some alone time with Saitou...just don't do anything that will make the kid go to therapy." He laughed "See you tomorrow Tokio."

Tokio giggled "Anyways it's getting late I really should get going," Tokio stood up and brushed the boy's hair back she smiled he was fast asleep. Tokio leaned down and kissed the boy's cheek, "One for you…and one for you…" she smiled then lifted her head and kissed Saitou. As she deepened the kiss Saitou moved his head and shifted his body slightly which moved Kenji and made him whine a bit from being moved from his nice warm pillow. Tokio leaned back and smiled at the boy, kissing Saitou lightly on the lips. She stood up straight "Night Wolfie, see ya tomorrow?" Saitou nodded as she left the room and slowly got up. Carrying the three year old to his room Saitou carefully laid him on his bed, and went to get ready, turning off the lights in the room Saitou lay down next to Kenji and fell asleep.