Thanks to my reviewers: caseyedith, SRAS9, No one special, geckohawaii, LimeGrass, Scarred Sword Heart, Miztical-Dragon, Althea M, donhisiewen, kokoronagomu, and Emi Violet.
Beek
-verb
To bask or warm in the sunshine or before a fire.
Today there was battle with the Shogunate troops, hot and quick and bloody, and tomorrow there will be battle again. For now Kenshin and his mobile unit are snatching a few hours to sleep, to gulp down some warm food and the sake someone brought out of nowhere. They are taking this time to renew themselves, as much as possible before the next span of hours taxes their meager resources.
Kenshin sits at the edge if the circle of light, watching the men around the fire. They will not grudge him a place beside them—he has saved all their lives more than once—but the warmth will diminish and the light will dim; the laughter will be strained.
And he will still be alone.