The afternoon was calm and peaceful, the kind of day that made you forget all the battles and bloodshed of the past. Perfect for running errands. But if the Revolution had taught me anything, it was never to let my guard down. As Kaoru and I walked along the street, I kept my senses sharp, scanning the surroundings for anything out of place. "Yahiko added his favorite treat to the list again," Kaoru commented, breaking the silence.

I glanced over at her, trying to hide my amusement. "We can just tell him we didn't see it, like last time."

She shook her head, a slight grin on her lips. "That won't work. He made sure we'd see it this time." She handed me the crumpled list, and sure enough, Yahiko's scrawled handwriting was right at the top.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Guess we've got no way out of it this time, then."

Kaoru smiled back and shrugged. We continued down the street, chatting about nothing in particular, when a piercing scream cut through the air. Our eyes met, a mutual understanding passing between us before we both took off running towards the sound. Rounding the corner, we found three thugs cornering a terrified woman. One of them brandished a sword, a clear violation of the law. Then again, I carried a sword too, though mine was a reverse blade.

"Hey tough guy! Pick on someone your own size!" I shouted, drawing their attention.

The thug with the sword sneered as he stepped toward me. "See? The boss said Battosai's little sister would come if we caused a ruckus."

My heart sank. So they were after me. This wasn't the first time the Juppongatana had sent their lackeys after me, but it was the first time they'd gotten this close. They had been hunting me since long before I met Kaoru, and while I didn't know who their boss was yet, I knew they wouldn't stop until they had me.

"Kaoru, stay back," I whispered urgently. "These guys were hired by the leader of the group that's been after me."

"No way! I can help!" she protested, her eyes blazing with determination.

I sighed in defeat. There was no arguing with Kaoru when she set her mind on something. "Fine, but stay close."

The thug lunged at me, and I quickly drew my sakabatou, blocking his strike and redirecting his blade away from me. "Your boss must be getting desperate if he's recruiting thugs like you," I taunted. "During the Revolution, the Juppongatana were known for being elite warriors. I guess that was back when their leader had some brains."

"You're just a bunch of jerks!" Kaoru yelled as she charged at one of the other thugs, but he was quicker than she expected. His blade flashed, and she yelped as a thin line of blood appeared on her arm.

"Kaoru!" I cried out, my heart skipping a beat. "I told you to stay back! Are you okay?"

She nodded, her face pale but resolute. "I'm alright."

"Good. Now stay put," I ordered, turning back to face the thugs. I couldn't afford any more distractions.

I attacked again, this time with more force, but the thug was stronger than he looked. We clashed for a few minutes, the sound of steel on steel ringing through the street, until he managed to land a heavy blow on my right shoulder. Pain shot through me, and I stumbled back, clutching the wound with my left hand.

"Aka!" Kaoru exclaimed, rushing to my side.

"I'm fine," I gritted out, though the pain was almost unbearable. My shoulder was bleeding heavily, and I knew I wouldn't be able to use my sword effectively now.

"This is your end," the thug sneered, raising his sword high. "Today, the boss will reward us greatly."

"Not this time," a familiar voice rang out, strong and sure.

I turned toward the sound, my heart pounding.

That voice... it couldn't be...

The thugs spun around, and there he was—red hair, a cross-shaped scar, and the unmistakable aura of a seasoned warrior. "You! You're the Battosai!" they cried, panic creeping into their voices. They rushed at him, but they were no match for his skill. The way he moved, the precision of his strikes—it was the Hiten Mitsurugi style, without a doubt. My heart swelled with a mix of pride and relief. This was no impostor. This was my brother, Kenshin Himura. The battle was over in moments. The thugs staggered away, nursing their wounds, and disappeared into the crowd.

"Kenshin!" I shouted, ignoring the pain in my shoulder as I rushed to him. I threw my arms around him as best as I could with my injured shoulder.

"Akasuki?" he asked, his voice tinged with surprise and recognition.

"You bet," I grinned, holding him tight for a moment before pulling back and punching him lightly on the shoulder with my good arm.

"Ow! Hey, what was that for?" he asked, rubbing his shoulder with a mock frown.

"That's for leaving training early to fight in the Revolution, knucklehead," I shot back, though my tone was more teasing than angry. He didn't reply, just smiled that soft, warm smile I remembered from when we were kids. And despite the pain in my shoulder, I found myself smiling too.

Back at the Kamiya dojo, the usual chaos was in full swing. Kaoru and Yahiko were chasing each other around, their shouts echoing through the courtyard. "Ugly! Ugly!" Yahiko taunted, sticking his tongue out as he darted around a corner.

"Yahiko! You little—get back here!" Kaoru yelled, hot on his heels.

I leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching the two with amusement. "Are they always like this?" Kenshin asked beside me, his tone carrying a mix of exasperation and fondness.

"Yup, pretty much," I chuckled. "But you get used to it. Honestly, it's kinda entertaining once you do."

Kenshin sighed, but a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. It was the kind of smile that came when you realized you were stuck with something—whether you liked it or not—and you'd decided to just roll with it. "How's your shoulder?" he asked, his gaze shifting to the bandage peeking out from under my sleeve.

I rolled my eyes slightly, trying to brush it off. "It's fine. I'll live—it's just a scratch."

He gave me that look, the one that said he wasn't buying my nonchalance for a second. "That looked deeper and more painful than simply a scratch, that it did."

I smiled faintly and shrugged, immediately regretting it as a sharp pain shot through my shoulder. I bit back a wince. Kenshin didn't miss it, but before he could say anything, Kaoru approached, holding out a familiar piece of paper. "Aka, could you run out to the store? We never finished our shopping," she said, her eyes darting briefly to my shoulder before settling back on me.

I took the list from her, glancing over it.

"Sure thing," I replied, pushing myself up to my feet. As I turned to leave, Kenshin stood as well.

"I'll come with you," he said simply.

I frowned. "No thanks, I won't be very long. I can handle a simple grocery run."

"I wasn't asking," he countered, his voice calm but firm.

I narrowed my eyes slightly, irritation creeping into my tone. "Kenshin, I don't need any help. I'm fine."

He met my gaze steadily, his expression soft but unyielding. "You never know what could happen. You could get attacked again."

I let out a small groan, the thought of another argument making my head ache more than my shoulder. I knew that look—there was no point in arguing when he got like this. Stubbornness ran in the family, after all. "Fine," I muttered, throwing my hands up in defeat. "But if we miss anything on this list, it's on you."

Kenshin just smiled that serene, infuriatingly patient smile of his, and together we headed out of the dojo, side by side.

-time skip brought to you by the Shinsengumi-

It had been about a month since I found my brother, and though the initial joy of our reunion had lingered, the reality of our relationship was more complicated. We got along fine—most of the time. But when it came to fighting, things always took a turn for the worse. Kenshin had this infuriating habit of telling me to stay back, as if I were fragile or needed his protection. And I, just as stubborn, never listened. I couldn't bear the thought of losing him again. If I wasn't there to watch his back, who would? The fear gnawed at me constantly, though I'd never admit it out loud.

Today was one of those days when tension brewed just below the surface. We were standing in a dimly lit office, talking to the police chief about a string of assassinations that had been plaguing the city. I leaned against the wall with my eyes closed, listening to the chief's report, but staying as detached as I could manage. "He's known as Korugasa," the chief was saying, his voice low and serious. "He somehow paralyzes his victims before killing them. He always warns them beforehand, giving a specific time—usually at midnight—when he'll strike."

I cracked one eye open, just enough to catch the chief's expression. His face was lined with concern, the kind that only deepened the longer he talked. "Do we know his next target?" I asked, keeping my voice calm, though the weight of the situation pressed heavily on my mind.

The chief nodded, his gaze shifting between me and Kenshin. "Yes, and we would like you Himura Twins to be there. The officials are counting on you both."

"Understood," I began, but Kenshin was already stepping forward, cutting me off before I could say more.

"I'll go alone," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument—or so he thought.

Both my eyes snapped open, and I pushed off the wall, glaring at him. "No way. He said both of us."

Kenshin turned to me, his expression serious, a shadow of worry passing over his eyes.

"Aka, this man is dangerous, that he is. If he's who I think he is—"

"You think I don't know that?" I interrupted, my temper flaring. I took a step closer, meeting his gaze head-on. "I was in the Revolution too, Kenshin. I fought in the same battles, saw the same horrors. I know exactly who he is, and I'm not going to sit this one out."

Kenshin's jaw tightened, and for a moment, he looked like he was about to argue. But then his eyes softened, and I could see the conflict there. "I just don't want you to get hurt. Korugasa is—"

"Save it," I snapped, cutting him off again. My hands clenched into fists at my sides as I tried to rein in my frustration. "I'm going, and that's final."

Kenshin sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly in resignation. "You're as stubborn as ever."

"Guess it runs in the family," I shot back, a small, bitter smile tugging at my lips. I turned to the police chief, who had been watching our exchange with a mixture of unease and respect. "Where's the location?" I asked. He handed me a slip of paper with the address, his hand shaking just slightly. I took it, glancing at the address before slipping the paper into my sleeve. Without another word, I headed for the door, the tension between Kenshin and me hanging thick in the air.

As I stepped outside, I heard the familiar sound of Kenshin's footsteps behind me. I knew he wasn't going to let this go, and I wasn't going to back down. This was one of those fights neither of us would win, but it was a fight we had to have, whether we liked it or not. I wasn't going to lose my brother again—not now, not ever.