Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

Author's Note—Kenshin is a woman in this story. I apologize to those who enjoy this story that I take so long to update. I'm such a slow writer, sorry! And yes, the Okita/Battousai-Kenshin fandom is greatly underappreciated. Please help it grow! -smile-

15. Telling you the truth

"The festival?" Himura asked thoughtfully as she walked with Okita. It was evening and she should have been working in Miss Mae's restaurant, but instead Okita had pulled her out for a walk in the misty rain so that she could put her new umbrella to use. It was a pale pink with dark pink cherry blossoms and a blue bird painted across it-- surprisingly cheerful for the dreary weather.

"It is only a small local festival but quite fun. I thought you would like to go with me," Okita said, happy as usual. He was even happier since he got to walk next to Himura as she shared her umbrella with him.

"When?"

"In two days."

Himura looked up at the underside of the umbrella, chewing on the inside of her lip; an expression Okita had come to associate with times when she was weighing her options of what she wanted to do and what she had to do. "I could take the night off..." she said.

"I, as well," Okita said, not asking what she was taking the night off from. He knew she was not working at Miss Mae's on that day.

Himura gave him one of her rare smiles and was about to say something more when they both stopped in the middle of the road and tensed. There had not been many people out and about because it was raining and getting dark, but the strangers were anything but innocent passerby. There were four thug-looking men, sneering at them as they fanned out and blocked the road. The one on the left looked bored to be there but the other three seemed to enjoy what they were about to do. Not for the first time, Himura cursed her womanly appearance and lack of swords.

"Captain Okita," said the leader of the thugs, "we've been looking for ya. It's time to pay up that debt ya owe our gang."

"You must be mistaken. I already repaid that debt in full, with interest," Okita said, keeping his voice light. Himura could sense that he was ready to draw his sword at a moment's notice. Her own grip on the umbrella handle tightened.

"Ya forgot the friend-to-friend charge. Just 'cause we let ya take yer friend's debt doesn't mean ya get to pay the same price. Besides," grinned the gangster greedily, "ya paid Masuyo and he got knocked off by some Imperialist who stole his collections. And with all that interest pilin' up, I'd say ya owe us double by now."

"I fail to see how any of this is my problem. It is not my fault that the Imperialist scum," he missed Himura's wince, "killed your friend. I already paid you and thus we have no more business together."

"Don't make us have to rough ya up in front of yer lady there," warned the thug.

"Or perhaps we should just get her to pay for ya," suggested another of the men, giving Himura the once-over and smiling lecherously. Himura couldn't keep the look of disgust off her face.

"Let us pass and you will not be hurt," Okita said, sinking into the serious role of a true swordsman. Himura felt herself also losing the small grasp on normality that she held when she was around Okita. Subconsciously she closed the umbrella and let her arm drop to her side. Though not as good as a sword, it was still a weapon, and she could see that it would be sufficient against these fools. Only the strange look that the quiet gangster gave her distracted Himura from her thoughts before they refocused on the attack that came.

It was hardly an attack though. The men really were just low-level thugs who could never match the skill of the sword that Okita possessed. The three that attacked were killed neatly and swiftly. One that stumbled forward as he bled out through the gash in his chest was diverted by Himura who used the tip of the umbrella to turn him aside. He collapsed to her right. Okita cleaned his sword and sheathed it, glancing at Himura before turning to the last standing man.

"Hey, I'm not gonna try anything," he said, holding up his hands in a harmless gesture. He shrugged. "I gotta report back and all. Nothing personal."

"I understand," Okita said in dismissal. The man shrugged again and folded his arms inside his shirt, walking past them. Before he left he looked once more at Himura and she saw the suspicion in his eyes, and wondered why. She didn't have time to think on it as Okita turned to her, frowning. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"It is all right."

"Slay evil immediately. That is the motto I live by as a Shinsengumi. I shouldn't have bargained with those men in the first place."

Himura approached until she was only a few steps away from Okita. The rain was slowly soaking them both. "You are an honorable man," she said, hoping she had spoken in the higher octave that she had adopted in Okita's company. It wouldn't do to speak to him a low voice meant to help her masquerade as a man.

"Are you saying that to make me feel better?" Okita asked with amusement. He smiled as he always did but his eyes held sadness in them. He raised a hand and touched the bandage on Himura's left cheek where a few drops of spattered blood had marred the white color. "I have tainted you with blood. What a horrible monster I am."

"I am not as innocent as I look. I am just as much of a monster as you," she informed him.

"Is that what you are keeping a secret from me, Miss Himura?" He moved his hand under her chin and tilted her face up so he could look into her eyes. He was surprised to see they were an amber color, rapidly fading into the blue that he knew. He said nothing about this though.

Himura held up the umbrella as it popped open, cutting off the soft sting of rain that had been falling on them. Without breaking his gaze, she replied quietly, "It is."