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Rurouni Kenshin Fan-Fic - GOJOU	By : KikueMugen Category: Rurouni Kenshin > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 10110 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I am NOT the owner of Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, nor do I receive monetary PROFIT from the humble fan-fiction, "Gojou".

Chapter List
- 20
- 21
- 22
Words you may not know

*Geisha – Japanese singing and dancing girl. May sometime be referred to as prostitute.

*Shamisen – Japanese three string instrument.

*Sai – Japanese fighting prong weapon.

*Sobaya – Buckwheat noodle restaurant.

*Hana - *Flower; Flower petal.

A rap on the front door stirred Saitou from a deep sleep. He forced himself out of bed, slipped into his yukata and quietly slipped out of the bedroom, so not to disturb Sano. Another succession of taps at the door followed by an announcement, it sounded urgent this time.

“Fujita-sir, it’s Cho, are you there?”

After three attempts, Cho concluded that Saitou hadn’t returned from work yet, but as soon as Cho took the first couple of steps in the other direction to leave, the front door slid open.

“Oh, so you are in. Did I catch you at a bad time?” Cho asked when he realized that he’d just awaken Saitou.

“Not at all, come in,“ Saitou bowed and gestured Cho to advance. “We can talk and have ocha in the kitchen.” Saitou led the way. “I will have ocha on the chabudai in a few minutes, let me set the pot on the fire.” Saitou sluggishly walked to the next room and filled the tea pot with drinking water from the water container.

“I hate to disturb you, but there’s been a few developments at the precinct and with Horie,” Cho spoke up, deciding to dismiss the small talk and get on with the facts. Cho knew fairly well that Saitou does not appreciate idle conversation.

“Hmn, you can fill me in after you tell me if you are honoring my request by not getting involved with Mitsu,” Saitou quizzed looking directly at Cho sternly.

Saitou’s straightforward question apparently startled Cho causing the young man to waver.

“Hesitation is always a dead giveaway, Cho. When you are slow to speak I can immediately tell that you are being tempted to disobey my orders, if you have not done so already,” Saitou said accusingly as he locked onto Cho’s eyes with his own golden orbs. “Why do you suppose I am making it an issue for you to stay away from Mitsu? Horie will not stop short of taking your life if you trespass onto his territory, or attempt to gain his possessions. You must have figured that out for yourself by now, have you not?”

“Fujita-sir, you got it all wrong,” Cho said, trying to sound convincing. “I would never, in my right mind, go against your orders.”

“Knock it off Cho, you know that is exactly what I am referring to. A woman, who has a motive to do so, is capable of controlling a man’s mind. You are speaking of being in your right mind, but if your mind is being manipulated, you will easily turn your back on doing what is right.”

Saitou carried the teapot over to the chabudai, poured ocha for the both of them and seated himself across Cho. Saitou dreaded having to have such discussions, but he also felt a responsibility to build Cho up to be careful, as well as aggressive. Saitou believed that these little lectures and warnings will benefit Cho in the long run. The rest is up to Cho, whether to heed advice, or sow his oats.

“I reckon the only choice I have is to be straight with you.” Cho shrugged his shoulders and began to fess up. “I don’t know what happened, but the first time I laid my eyes on that woman I felt that something was not quite right. I mean, she’s beautiful and cheerful when I’m around her, but her eyes tell me different.”

“Keep your distance, otherwise I will have to dismiss you from the assignment and I don’t what to have to do that since you have, at least, gotten yourself into the organization. Understood?” Saitou observed Cho’s reaction to his request.

“Hai, I understand,” Cho nodded.

Saitou poured Cho more tea, and then more for himself. “Now that we have that issue covered and agreed upon, tell me about Horie.”

As Cho filled Saitou in on Horie’s intentions to include Serizawa as a partner in crime, a sharp pain snapped Sano awake. It shot across his chest in his attempt to roll over in his sleep. Sano groaned and looked over at Saitou’s side of the bed and sighed when he realized Saitou was no longer lying there beside him.

“Saitou!” Sano called out hoping that Saitou didn’t leave the house on an assignment emergency. “Saitou, are you here, where are you?”

Upon hearing Sano’s voice coming from Saitou’s bedroom, Cho raised a brow and glanced up at Saitou. “Sounds like the natives are restless to me,” Cho said as he tried to keep from acting like there was anything unusual going on.

“Excuse me,” Saitou said as he got up from the chabudai and went to the other room to answer Sano’s summons.

Sano looked over at Saitou with a pitiful expression on his face and said, “I’m thirsty,” in hopes of getting a little loving attention from the wolf.

Sano reminded Saitou of how a spoiled child behaved. “Get up and get some water if you’re in need of a drink.” Saitou turned to leave Sano there on the bed. “I am in a meeting discussing a case right now.”

Surprised at Saitou’s response, Sano shook the sleepiness from his head. “Huh? Meeting?” Sano laid there on Saitou’s bed and stared at the now vacant doorway that Saitou was standing in just seconds ago. “What an asshole!” Sano grunted in frustration under his breath.

Saitou rejoined Cho in the kitchen, sat and resumed the meeting. “Now… where were we?”

Cho placed his hands over his eyes and said, “I’ll just ignore everything that goes on around me, but I’d be lying if I said I’m not curious.” Cho lowered his hands and blinked wide. “Was that ‘Rooster-Head’ I just heard calling to you from your bedroom?”

“That would be none of your business,” Saitou answered in all sternness.

“Look, the precinct already got the report about Sanosuke Sagara getting himself shot. One of our guys filled me in on all the ‘what, where, when and how’ it all went down. And I’m here to fill you in on the ‘why’ it happened.” Cho gulped down his tea.

“Hmn,” Saitou nodded. “Kenshin and Sanosuke both reported that two men were involved in the robbery."

“Hai,” Cho agreed, “the ‘why’ factor, or motive for the robbery was drug related. They were just a couple of hard-up drug users in need of a fix, so they set out to rob the merchant. The merchant, being an old war samurai surprised them both when he pulled out his katana and started after them.” Cho held up his fists and illustrated in his usual playacting mode. “That’s when Sanosuke got a hold of them. Another, ‘slam, bang, beat ‘um up encounter by the ex-fighter-for-hire, Sanosuke Sagara!”

Saitou sat there, silently listening to Cho’s report about Sano. He recalled getting the news from Kenshin about Sano having been shot, but at the time, nothing else mattered to Saitou, except Sano’s condition. Yes indeed, Saitou cared very much for that young man who was resting in his bed. And now, after what Cho said about Sano’s involvement in capturing the two men who attempted to rob the merchant, Saitou felt proud of Sano, even though Sano can sometimes be a thorn in his side.

Cho interrupted Saitou’s thoughts. “So, how is Sanosuke doing?”

“He’ll live,” Saitou answered.

“Hell yeah I’ll live,” Sano entered the kitchen area and stood before the two men almost right on cue.

“Well, it looks like I’ll soon have to ask you for your autograph since you’re getting famous. Not too long ago you knock out a rowdy patron at the Akabeko, then today, you wipe out crime and get yourself a new hole in your side to let all the hot air out!“ Cho saluted with his gesturing hand.

“Get over it, Broom-Head, I already did. I just need something to drink, preferably something that will ease the pain,” Sano said, holding on to his side as he looked around the kitchen for Saitou’s stash of sake.

“It’s in the box out back, Sanosuke,” Saitou shouted and pointed to the back of the kitchen.

“Yeah? Well, don’t either of you bother to get up to help me. I’ll handle this all by myself and stay out of your way since you two are having your sweet-ass meeting in here,” Sano said sarcastically.

Cho looked at Sano, then glanced at Saitou and realized that he'd better keep his silence at the moment, because he’d be risking his head from being chewed off by either of them. It did seem more tensed than usual between the two of them. Cho opted to keep his mouth shut for a change and let the desert wind blow on by.

Sano found what he was looking for, grabbed a sake cup from the dish bin and headed back to the bedroom without saying a word to either men on his way.

“I guess I don’t blame him for the shitty mood he’s in,” Cho said to Saitou.

Saitou overlooked the interruption and continued on with the meeting. “Back to business, shall we?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mochi Hana sat quietly in the nomiya at the very last chabudai in the corner of the dimly lit room and patiently waited for her contact’s arrival. Carefully, she looked around the room at each person to make sure she wasn't noticed by anyone who could give her identity away. Dressed in dark garment and a shawl over her head, Mochi Hana hoped that her wait will not continue into night. There were times when she had to wait hours for a client to show up.

The entertainment began and three *geishas enter the room and took center stage in dance. A couple of special *shamisen players also began their performance song. Mochi Hana enjoyed the show. The geisha’s slow, story-telling, hand movement always had a peaceful effect on Mochi Hana. There were no geisha where Mochi Hana was born and raised. Everyone who lived in her village dedicated their early lives to training in the martial arts. There were hardly any time to do much else.

A scrubby, weathered man in his thirties made his way to where Mochi Hana sat and nodded at her in passing as he made his way to the exit. Mochi Hana quickly settled her tab with the hostess and caught up with the man. They both exit the nomiya together and walk a few yards from it, away from the evening traffic.

“Do you have the merchandize?” the tall man hastily asked Mochi Hana while he made sure the both of them were not seen by anyone as they slip into an alley together.

This is not the first time Mochi Hana has done business with this particular man. In the past, he proved himself a good customer, but recently he began neglecting payments. Serizawa was usually lenient about missing a couple payments, just as long as it was paid in full, and with interest within a reasonable amount of time. Mochi Hana suspected that the man had developed a habit to dipping into his own merchandize and was starting to lose his grip on the business end.

“Hai, can you afford it this time?” Mochi Hana asked as she inspected the man’s sunken dark eyes to see if he had any opium before meeting with her.

The man avoided making eye contact with her and kept glancing away nervously, as though there was something else that had him preoccupied from the transaction at hand.

“I’ve never had to have a backup present to deal with you before.” Mochi Hana took a step back, crossed her arms in front of her and slipped her hands under her kimono sleeves, “But... there is something about you this evening that is not quite right.”

“There is nothing wrong tonight,” the scrubby man said snickering. “As a matter of fact, everything couldn’t be more right!”

Mochi Hana sensed danger, and immediately jumped back, pulled a *sai out from each of her kimono sleeves and blocked the man’s sword thrust, preventing it from making contact with her neck’s jugular.

The man’s eyes narrowed and Mochi could smell the stench of his breath. “I haven’t the money to pay you right now, but I do need the merchandize! I will take what I cannot purchase,” the man hissed in a demanding tone as the whites of his eyes shown brightly in the early onset of the night.

“So it is as I thought,” Mochi Hana crouched close to the ground in a stance not familiar to the desperate ronin. “You are bitten by your own poison!” Mochi started to move, knees bent and her upper trunk hunched over. She circled the man slowly, like a cat, waiting for the right moment to pounce as she watched his chest rise and fall as he breathed. She was ready to react to whatever the man decided to do next.

“Just give me the opium and I will not harm you.”

Mochi Hana cackled in a menacing low tone, almost unable to stop as she found his cocky comment amusing, rather threatening.

“You’re not only pathetic, but you seem to be confused, as well.” Mochi Hana tried hard to cease her laughter. “You are the one who will end up being harmed. By the looks of you, I’ll only be doing you a favor by putting an end to your suffering. You began your own hell when you decided to become the opium’s slave.”

Mochi Hana lunged forward, spin in mid-air and sank one of the sais into the man’s temple and the other coursed through the middle of his heart. He dropped the sword without having a chance to raise it against her.

It all happened so quickly that the man’s life hadn’t ceased yet, but as Mochi Hana’s feet touched ground, the dazed ronin realized the warm liquid showering upon his shoulder from the wound in his temple. His damaged brain rendered him incapable to respond in anyway, but as the blood drained life from his wounded heart muscle, he was left with no strength to keep himself standing. His body collapsed under him.

Mochi Hana walked up to the limp, lifeless body that was laying face down. She bent over it, and wiped both of her sais on the kimono’s fabric upon his back creating an ‘X’ mark as his blood stained her signature upon him.

Mochi Hana then slipped further into the alleyways, out of sight to blend into the night’s shadows.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After all day at being at the storefront, Horie treated a handful of his men to a meal at a nearby *sobaya. It seemed that everyone were craving the noodles since midday and it’s been the topic of conversation. No matter what the conversation started out on, it didn't fail to end up on the many ways one can prepare, and eat soba. Soba was definitely, a favorite among Horie’s men.

In the meantime, Mitsu declined the invitation to go to the sobaya. Instead, Mitsu decided go for a long soak at the furoya, since there wasn't a bath facility at the shop where they would be staying until a permanent place to reside was found.

Going to the furoya wasn't a chore at all for Mitsu. It was a welcome break from having to be at the storefront all day. It was also great way to end the day and leave her cares behind, at least for as long as she decided to soak.

“Mitsu-san!” The furoya’s attendant, Miyoko, gleefully short stepped her way to Mitsu. “So good to see you again. Will you need us to draw you a private bath this time?”

“No, don’t bother doing that for me.” Mitsu shook her head. “Horie-sama will not be joining me this time, I will bathe normally, arigato gozaimasu.”

“Hai, please follow me,” Miyoko smiled and led Mitsu to the rinse-room. “It looks like you’ll have it all to yourself for now.” She handed Mitsu a towel and slid the door close leaving Mitsu to her pre-rinse before she walked through to the next room where the soak bins are.

Mitsu didn't hesitate, for she was eagerly anticipating the hot soak to help ease her tense muscles and enjoy time away from the men and Horie. It had been intense around the storefront with having lost two men so far. What laid ahead for the organization was anyone’s guess now that Horie was bored with structuring the opium business and had taken on the weapon trade.

Mitsu eased herself into the very warm, almost hot water, and sighed a breath of relief. She was finally where she wanted to be and she intended to enjoy every minute of it. The steam rose and filled her lungs, bringing on yet another sense of relaxation that eased her mind as well. If there were any contentment for Mitsu to savor, it was then.

Daydreams and wishes were suddenly interrupted when another figure approached the bath bin where Mitsu was adrift in tranquil cognitions.

It is not at all unusual that several people share the larger bath bins. At this popular furoya the herbal baths lured many customers who are in need of physical cleansing. Whether it was a normal bath, or a medicinal herbal bath, followed by a full body massage, one who visited this furoya had a choice from a diverse list of services, including spiritual cleansing at the temple located out back.

“I hope you don’t mind me soaking with you this evening.” A tall, lean athletic woman spoke in a low soft tone to Mitsu.

“I don’t mind at all, please make yourself comfortable.” Mitsu sat up straight and moved over a bit in the large bath bin. “The herbs used tonight are very relaxing, you are very welcome to share it with me.”

“Arigato gozaimasu,” the tall woman thanked Mitsu and entered the water slowly, allowing her skin to get used to the temperature change. “I need a good relaxing this evening.”

“My name is Akatsuki Mitsu. I am new to this area and we are trying to settle into our new shop, so I don’t know many people yet.”

“Welcome to Tokyo, Mitsu. I am, Mochi Hana. That is what everyone calls me.”

“That is an interesting name you have. Does it have any special meaning?” Mitsu asked out of curiosity.

“The name was given to me a very long time ago, even before I can remember,” Mochi Hana said as she paused and reflected back to her youth. “There lived a very wise old woman in our village that used to make the most wonderful mochi out of sweet rice. She added the essence of sweet, aromatic *hana to it which made the mochi very unusual and very special. When my parents were killed during a skirmish between an opposing village, the people of my village raised my brother and I. The old lady used to call me Mochi Hana, so did everyone else in the village.”

“That is a special story behind your name.” Mitsu said instantly liking the friendly woman she was sharing her bin with. “And your brother? Is he still at the village, or has Japan’s turmoil swallowed his destiny as it has for so many?

“That I do not know, for even before unrest came to Japan our village suffered from the famine. Because of that, the other villages finally over powered us and split our village apart. Many were killed, including that sweet old lady that gave me my name. A handful of us escaped into the woods, and we lived in caves until we were old enough to find work. Since most of us were skilled in the arts, we became spies for the shogun. My brother…” Mochi Hana paused. The look of emotional pain became evident on her face. “My brother was taken from us as a prisoner, or maybe a slave. I don’t know, perhaps I will never know, for I’ve never seen him again.”

“I’m sorry to hear you had such a trying life. I hope it will all get better for you now that we live in the Meiji and life seems to be changing for everyone,” Mitsu said trying to comfort Mochi Hana. “I’m sure it hasn’t been easy for you.”

Mochi Hana saw more in Mitsu’s eyes than what was verbally exchanged between them. “I have a feeling the same thing can be said for you,” Mochi Hana said. “It seems that if were not connected with the upper samurai, we were all destined to hardship."

“Hai,” Mitsu agreed. “Hopefully this new era will turn promising and all the hardships can be left behind.”

Mochi Hana smiled, “Why don’t we begin now?”

Mochi Hana’s suggestion surprised Mitsu. “What do you mean? How do we begin?”

“Let’s go and have a meal together, I’m hungry and would love the company. What do you say to that?” Mochi Hana asked.

“Oh! Good idea, but please...” Mitsu dropped a request, “...please call me Mitsu-san.”

“Alright, Mitsu-san, shall we have some fun?” Mochi Hana laughed.

“Hai!” Mitsu agreed, “Lets!”

The two women exit the bath bin with Mochi Hana in the lead. As Mitsu followed Mochi Hana noticed a little tattoo on Mochi Hana’s left shoulder blade that caused Mitsu to audibly take in a sharp breath in surprise.

“Are you alright?” Mochi Hana quickly turned to look at Mitsu and hands her a towel to wrap herself with.

“Hai, I am fine, but, your, your shoulder… that tattoo,” Mitsu stuttered.

“Oh, you noticed it,” Mochi Hana snickered. ”It is my village han’s symbol. I keep forgetting it’s back there until someone notices it and reminds me. When we were children the elders had the children tattooed because so many of the children were stolen from our villages by rival villages and set to work in their rice fields, or sold to brothels. It was a way to keep track of our people.”

Mitsu remembered seeing that symbol elsewhere and took another look, just to be sure.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Saitou walked to his bedroom after the meeting he had with Cho and stopped at the door to check on Sano. Despite Sano’s condition, Saitou found Sano sitting at the edge of Saitou’s bed fully dressed with the sake bottle in one hand and his hachimaki in the other.

“I take it you are planning to go somewhere, Ahou?” Saitou leaned against his bedroom doorframe and folded his arms across his chest. “As I recall, the doctor gave you strict orders to rest. Perhaps you will explain the reason for acting like a moron by ignoring instructions, hmmm?”

“Fuck you, ass hole,” Sano shot his mouth off in his usual bad-tempered tantrum.

“I would if I could, but unfortunately I wear my piece opposite my hole,” Saitou said as he walked over to the table beside the bed to retrieve his tobacco pouch. “I’m going outside for a smoke. If you’re leaving, I suggest you take with you the sack of bandages. No doubt you will need it to stop the bleeding again due to your refusal to heed the doctor’s instruction.”

Sano reached out and grabs onto Saitou’s wrist as Saitou reached past him to pick up his tobacco pouch.

“Sanosuke?” Saitou looked over at Sano who was obviously in pain.

“Of all people, why does it have to be that damn ugly shit, Broom-Head? Why do you have to spend so much time with him?” Sano pouted.

“Jealous, are we?” Saitou sighed and rolled his eyes. “I believe we already discussed this matter previously. I happen to work for a living, and part of that detail includes working with Cho.”

“Yeah, but why Cho? Right after we fought Shishio and you vanished; when I thought you were dead, you were with Cho, and I was here in Tokyo driving myself insane thinking I’d never see you again,” Sano tried hard to explain his feelings to Saitou.

“Sanosuke, that is all in the past. You should leave it where it belongs and move on.” Saitou finally sat next to Sano on the edge of the bed.

“How can I leave it in the past when every time I see that ugly Broom-Head I’m reminded of it all over again? Sometimes I wonder if there’s something that’s already been started between you and Cho, and that was why you took so long to return to Tokyo. You stayed in Kyoto with Cho doing who knows what. Maybe I’m the one who is cutting in between the two of you!”

“I see,” Saitou patiently listened and considered Sano’s words. Saitou reminded himself of how fortunate he was to have Sano in his life, and how lonely he had been without someone to share life with. Before Sano, Saitou was miserable. Living only to perform daily routines and cope with the images of his past in his mind, dodging the haunting that accompanied it all.

Saitou looked over at the young man that was sitting next to him. How innocent Sano was. The young man's hand had never taken a life, and he genuinely cared for his fellow human being. It was a life that deserved to be protected and preserved, perhaps even tutored to be what Saitou, and his dead comrades fought so hard trying to accomplish in Japan.

“Nothing ever happened between Cho and I in Kyoto, nor here in Tokyo, for that matter. Nothing will ever happen beyond our working relationship. Cho is a bright energetic young man who had it tough in the beginning. Underneath it all, he needed the right direction to expend his energies for the good of Japan.” Saitou took a deep breath in order to continue. “I too was in a similar situation as Cho when I was younger and someone helped me to see the right direction. When I met Cho I was compelled to keep a good man from getting lost in the current.”

Surprised that Saitou shared as much as he had, Sano realized the wisdom of the older man he’d fallen in love with. There was just so much Sano wanted to know about Saitou and his past, but Saitou was never known for sharing such details with anyone. Sano had hope in that, perhaps Saitou will disclose some of the mystery that shrouds the Mibu Wolf.

“Yeah! I think I see it now,” Sano said feeling a little stupid for making an issue about Cho. “Damn, you’re even deeper than I give you credit for. Who helped you out back then?”

“Kondo Isami,” Saitou lowered his head and the look of pain deepened the lines that shown on Saitou’s face.

Sano’s eyes widen, “The chief commander of the Shinsengumi?”

“Hai,” Saitou nodded, then looked at Sano. Saitou’s countenance still shown the residue of pain from the distress of his past memories. “Shall we move on from this point?”

Saitou stood up from the edge of the bed and began to walk out of the bedroom.

“Hey, where you going?” Sano asked.

“Out for a smoke, I thought you were leaving.”

Sano, now felt like a child after throwing a senseless tantrum. He looked up at Saitou and blushed. “Well, the doctor did tell me to rest.”

Saitou looked down at Sano still sitting at the edge of the bed, sake bottle still in his hand, but empty.

“Moron,” Saitou shook his head and walked back to the bed, bent over and placed his lips over Sano’s lips while gently pushing Sano back toward the bed.

Sano didn't resist, instead he eagerly repositioned himself to a laying position and made sure he left room at the edge of the bed for Saitou to sit, or hopefully, lay next to him.

Saitou broke the kiss and disapprovingly shook his head. “Not this time Sanosuke. You need to rest and I’m going outside for a smoke.”

“Well, I need to piss out the sake, so I’m going with you,” Sano said as he struggled to get back up to a sitting position.

Saitou sighed, gave Sano a hand, and helped him out of bed.

“Hey!” Sano rang out with an idea. “Maybe you can hold it while I take a piss!” Sano raised and lowered his eyebrows in succession as he presented his suggestion to Saitou.

“You moron!” Saitou shook his head and exited the bedroom with his tobacco pouch in hand.

Sano shrugged his shoulders and followed his lover out.
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Rurouni Kenshin Fan-Fic - GOJOU