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A Life Worth Living	By : yenie Category: Rurouni Kenshin > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 4549 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
Chapter 6: Can You Feel My Pain?

Author: Misanagi

Disclaimer: no money, not mine

Warnings: Yaoi, Angst, N/C, Child
Abuse, Eventual salvation

A/N: Creating a shift here. The monotony of Soujiro�s abuse will finally come to an end as our savior comes
to his rescue.

Rose: thanks for liking my story. I hope I don�t fail you.

Tania: I know how you feel for Sou-kun�but
I can�t seem to keep myself from writing hardcore angst. It�s like an
addiction, ne? But I think you�ll find that this
chapter would be more to your liking.

Kami: thanks for the insight. We
just can�t get enough of Sou-kun�s abuse! I�m sorry I
took too long�please don�t kill me�

Amethyst: you�ve been such a dear. Luv
ya! Please don�t hate me for posting this so late�

Kurenai: I�m glad you liked the Enishi factor in my plot. More Enishi
and Sou-kun to come!

Deity: Ok, I�m giving Sou-kun a
break here. Hope this pleases you.

Serenity: hope your friend�s ok. It�s been months now! I�m
telling you, always be there for your friend. Cherish every moment together.
Don�t worry, I also have the habit of using ��s.

Shin-chan: Have no fear! Our hero
rescues our beloved Sou-kun

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Enishi looked at the serene face
of Soujiro�s mother. If one could look deeper, it was
still etched with worry and fear; not for her life but her son�s. The young man
desperately avoided situations like this. As much as possible, he didn�t want
to be involved at all. But he couldn�t just leave her here. Life was already
being harsh on her and her family; he wouldn�t be any different from her
husband�s family.

He closed his eyes and remembered the frail brown-eyed boy
he rescued in the alley. He had looked weak and ready to collapse. His face,
sunken and pale. The side of his left eye had a healing bruise. His lips
chapped and quivering in the relentless cold. His long fingertips were bluish
and could barely hold on to the too big cloth.

The boy had sent an aura of fear, pain and shock yet still
had the determination and the will to live sparking somewhere inside of him.
His body could not cope with the hope still within him. It was diminishing. He
was dying a slow death.

Grumbling, he rubbed his eyes and decided to help her get
her son back. The staggered breathing told so much about her health. She
wouldn�t last the winter...

He went outside and thanked the doctor but told him to stay
for a while.

�I might bring back someone who needs your help too,� he
added wryly.

The doctor looked at the man impassively and nodded, before
heading out to the pub just beside the inn.

Enishi was now at a loss as to how to get to Soujiro. He
went to the innkeeper and asked for details.

�The Seta, eh?� the innkeeper sighed and crossed his arms.
��Em people... not really someone you�d want to be friends with.�

�Er...I�m not...�

�Terrible lot, that family. Underpays and cheats.� He sighed
and went back to his task of counting and arranging money, �But if you really
have to go, they live a few miles outside town in the west side.�

The paused and glanced at the window, which was brimmed with
snow.

�Winds are harsh today, why don�t you go tomo-� he stopped
and stared at the space where the young man was.

He sighed and went back to counting his money.

__________________________________________________________

Enishi tried to move as quickly as possible to where
Setsuko-san�s son is. He was rattled by the fact that the woman had not much
time to live. Putting two and two together, there would probably be nothing
left of the boy to �rescue� by the time his relatives have learned of the boy�s
unfortunate encounter with bullies.

He stared up at the quickly darkening skies in the
mid-afternoon. It was ironic, that these menacing-looking clouds could bring
forth such tiny, weak-looking snow that promised more cold. Irony of ironies.
He gripped his cape to himself tightly to keep the cold away and headed for the
outskirts of town.

Snow had already covered the ground but the tiny speckles seemed
to rain down on the earth endlessly. It blanketed the town in a dull white
blanket. Eventually, the cluster of houses disappeared and was replaced by
trees and farmlands now unfit for planting. He continued to walk further, until
he saw a rather ominous house. It was surrounded by a huge, wooden fence and a
couple of huge oak trees, as if daring the intruder to enter. It didn�t invite
guests, it intimidated and induced fear.

____________________________________________________

Senka was relieved to hear the boy�s breathing had evened.
She looked worriedly at Soujiro. A sick child, let alone a child should be
staying here in the harsh winter. The storehouse was full of sacks, barrels and whatnot,
not a very nice place to rest and get healed. The boy had nothing to sleep on except for a
thin blanket to separate his body from the wooden floor and a lumpy pillow.
Staying there at a time like this would not be possible.

And yet... she stared at the corner where the boy squeezed
himself to keep the warmth from getting out of his body. The rough material he
had helplessly put together to make a blanket is not enough. She felt so
helpless, being merely a spectator. It probably felt more horrible than
actually inflicting the pain.

She watched the boy shift on his side, in too much pain to
lay on his stomach or back. But she saw the hips...darkened by one too many
crashes against hard objects... bruised by one too many ruthless grips. She
fought back tears. He needed someone who could actually reach out to him. Help
Soujiro heal. She could never be that person, although she tried her best.

___________________________________________________

Enishi made his way over the fence by climbing over a tree
that loomed over it. It was a bit far from the main house so there was little
to no reason for him to get caught. As he hid behind the branches, he inspected
the interior before going down.

The nearest building from his location looked like a
storehouse. To its right was probably the main house. Enishi contemplated if
the boy was in the main house. He jumped down from the wooden fence and
crouched down, looking around.

But before he could take another step, the large door to the
storehouse opened. Enishi�s eyes twitched and his instincts kicked in. He
crouched as low as possible while maintaining the soles of his feet on the
ground. An offensive and defensive stance. He saw a woman quietly exit the
storehouse. She looked around nervously before totally coming out in the open.
She quickly barred the door with a piece of wood and hastily went back to the
main house.

Enishi waited a few moments before coming out of the snowy
bushes. He swiftly made his way to the door of the storeroom. With expert ease
and silence, he lifted the wood and entered the storeroom.

The storeroom was designed to circulate outside air
throughout the whole structure, that�s why there wasn�t much difference between
the temperature outside and inside. It was fairly dark. Enishi squinted,
pulling his eyepiece down. There were rows and rows of barrels, sacks and
farming materials. Methodically, he went to scan the area with hopes of finding
the boy. Finally, at the far end of the storehouse, a huge, dark lump seemed
out of place. It was carefully tucked in a corner, as if trying to be
invisible.

____________Soujiro____________

The boy shivered in the cold, coughing as the pained body
tried to fit itself within the confines of the �blanket�. He was still naked
underneath, unable to find the strength to lift his arms to dress himself. The
hard floorboards were digging into his hips as he tried to lie on his side, the
least painful position. He stared at the wooden wall in front of him. The pain
was slowly turning into a numbing sensation. It didn�t even faze him. He
welcomed the cold and the darkness. It did not hurt him and for Soujiro, it was
something of a blessing.

He heard a soft creaking sound and had this intense
sensation that he was not alone in the storeroom. Senka-sama might have
forgotten something�

Or could it be Wakame, who forgot to give another
punishment?

Soujiro cringed at the latter thought. He pressed his body
together, praying not to get hurt. He bit his lip while choking on his hitched
breaths. He could not hear the steps but he felt the vibration from the
floorboards. Whoever this person was did not want to be found out. If this was
a robber, then Soujiro would be the last thing he would take. He suddenly did
not care anymore. Let the robbers take anything they want. Besides, these were not
his. His body felt numb, despite the unbearable pain. With a final shudder, he
closed his eyes and gave in to the darkness.

____________Enishi_______________

He crept silently while thoroughly checking every space
where the boy could possibly lay. Finally, he reached the other side of the
storehouse. As he looked around, he noticed at the far off corner a pile of
what looked like rags. The lump could easily be mistaken for trash had it not
been for a shaky rise and fall within the rags.

He silently approached the said object. He was willing to
bet his life that this is what he is looking for. He crouched down beside the
figure and stared at the poor excuse for blankets. They could barely keep the
cold away. He slowly uncovered the �blanket�, his heart clenched at the boy
that lay inside.

Soujiro was lying on his side, facing the wall. His chestnut
hair spilled messily but adorably around his head. The innocent eyes hidden
behind long-lashed lids. His cherry lips were slightly parted as breaths grazed
his bruised cheeks. His hakama was draped over his bruised and beaten body.
Hips were covered with what looked like finger-shaped bruises in all colors.
Enishi�s eyes mellowed as he saw the welts decorating the boy�s back. His spine
could easily be seen as the boy curled up more on himself.

Soujiro unconsciously curled into a fetal position to keep
the heat from escaping his battered body. His hands lay beside his chin,
swollen and blue. His wrists had rope burns, some of which had bled.

Enishi clenched his fists in the sack as rage poured over
his being. He instantly stopped as he saw the boy shudder in pain and cold.
Cursing himself for exposing the boy to the harsh cold, he took off his coat
and placed it on the boy, together with the hakama and sack-blanket. He wrapped the
boy tightly in them before gently carrying the boy in his arms. He wanted to
get out and give the boy proper treatment.

A few minutes later, Enishi and his bundle were out of the
estate and he began trekking the woodlands. The snow had risen to just below
his knees so it somewhat slowed them down. Enishi kept looking at the face,
slightly covered in his coat, just to make sure the boy was still alive. It was
already dark and he wanted to get back in the inn as soon as possible.

He then felt the burden in his arms shift a bit. The boy was
coming to. Enishi stopped for a while, mesmerized.

Soujiro winced a bit as he felt the sores in his body
return. He felt a weird sensation. Before he passed out, the floor had been
cruel and hard�now�

His eyes snapped open and stared at the face above him.
Instinct and panic overrode his senses. He gave a yelp and wriggled out of the
grasp. The man had been surprised and had loosened his grip on the boy.

Soujiro winced as he rolled out of the sack and cloths, leaving
him naked outside on a winter day. His feet were buried under the snow but he
didn�t seem to care for now. His brown irises were laced with fear. He didn�t
want another man violating him so soon. His insides burned with white hot pain,
reminding him of the day with Wakame�

He forced his body to move, to keep as much distance from
the man as possible. He turned around and began to move as fast as he can. His
breathing was heavy, painful for someone who�s had his ribs cracked and
bruised.

Enishi stared at the boy as he ran away. The boy did not
recognize him, yet. Fear had seized the opportunity to recall the man who had
saved him in the alley. Still holding the pieces that kept the boy warm, he
made his way towards the boy.

�Wait, stop!�

Soujiro�s heart stopped beating as he heard the man. He was
coming to get him! Without looking back, he ran as fast as his thin legs could
take him, digging through the snow. He didn�t want this anymore. Please,
anybody� help me�

A hand caught his wrist and Soujiro was forcefully turned
around. Immediately, the boy�s free arm ran up to cover his face.

�Please� please don�t do this�� the boy had begged,
shivering, desperately trying to loosen the hold on his hurt wrist. He couldn�t
make a fist to protect his fingers, too swollen and too painful to move the
digits around.

The hand had loosened itself and the naked boy lay back on a
tree, wincing as the welts connected with the rough bark. His head was still
bowed down, unable to see his attacker. His breath came in staggered gasps.

Enishi stared at the boy in front of him. He didn�t want to
be a part of this right now; but he didn�t want anyone else to be here too�

Each moment felt like agony to him, seeing this naked boy in
the dead cold of winter, trembling more likely in fear than in cold. He wasn�t
used to this kind of feeling. The feeling of having your heart crushed as you
helplessly stare. He had felt this only once in his life�

A tender sob brought him back to his senses.

�Hey, kid. Don�t you recognize me?� he stared hopefully at
the frightened child before him. He winced as he clearly saw the damage done to
the once unblemished skin.

Hitching sobs were heard from the child but he slowly looked
up at his abductor as arms automatically wrapped around themselves, futilely
keeping himself warm. His tear-stricken eyes widened as he recognized the older
youth.

�Y-you�� Soujiro was at a loss for words. He did not expect
the guy to take him away. He felt confused. Does he want the boy for himself
too?

Soujiro�s head began to ache, unable to bear the pain, the
cold and the confusion.

�W-who are you? Why di-did you take me here? Wh-w-what do
y-you want with m-me?� he stuttered, afraid of the answer. Surely the man took him
just so he could hurt him the way Wakame did, right?

Enishi stared hard at the boy, but decided not to look
beyond the stomach. He felt his face heat up at the thought.

�Look, we can talk about this when we get back to town,� he
held up the clothing in his hands, �Let�s get you warm first�!� He frowned when
Soujiro held one bruised hand in front of him.

�Stay away! You�I-I have to go back, Bajira-sama will get
mad at me.�

�B-but your��

�Please,� Soujiro voiced out in a softer, more painful tone,
�You don�t know what it�s like when Bajira-sama gets mad.� He put his arm down,
feeling very tired. He shivered again.

�Please let me get back home. I can�t deal with more pain.�
His head started to throb.

�Soujiro, I�ve come to take you away. I know your mother,
she�s at the��

�Please!!� Soujiro screamed at him, heaving in anger as
tears began to fall down pale cheeks, �My parents are dead, I have no one! I am
alone! There�s no need for you to desecrate my memory of them��

He wrapped his arms around himself, shaking, he bowed his
head as crystalline tears fell from disturbed irises, �Why are you doing this
to me?! Why does everyone love to torment me and see me in pain? Don�t you
realize I�m human too?�

�Souji��

�All I wanted is to be recognized and be treated like a
human being. I wanted to be loved. Is that too much to ask?� Soujiro slid down
and fell to his knees, clutching himself, sobbing. �What did I do to make you
all hate me? I do my best� I�m sorry I make mistakes��

Otousan�Okaasan, it
hurts so much. Why did you leave me? I want to be with you�

Enishi stared helplessly at the crying child. He wanted to
comfort him, and tell him that he is not alone. He remembered himself when he
was younger� the pain he had felt that time�.

Crying�

Helpless�

Afraid�

He clutched the cloths tightly as he made his way to the
child. Soujiro looked up in alarm as the man neared him.

�No-no..! Stay away��

Enishi kneeled in front of the child, who had raised his
hands up, shaking wildly. Silently, Enishi wrapped the clothes around the
scared boy and held him close.

Soujiro felt the cold escape his body and subconsciously
welcomed the heat.

It. Felt. Nice.

He put his arms down as the man hugged him. Even though his
body felt sore, he liked the strange sensation. The man close to him had
smelled like leaves and musk; something more pleasant than Wakame�

As they broke away, Enishi reached towards the boy and wiped
the tears away. �I know how it feels to be alone, Soujiro-kun. It hurts here,
ne?� He dragged his hand to the boy�s left chest.

�Why?� Soujiro whispered, �Why are you doing this?�

�Because you deserve better. A better life, a better
family�� Enishi trailed off.

�Wha-what are you talking about?�

�Your mother is still alive. She�s sick but she�s still alive,�
he watched the boy�s reaction calmly, �She wants to see you and I don�t think
there�s much time.�

�My mother?� Soujiro�s eyes grew wide as he digested the
fact, �Wha-how did you know? Who are you?�

�Enishi. Yukishiro Enishi.�

Enishi. Soujiro stared
at the face. Can I trust this man?

A/N: Sorry about the long wait. I deeply apologize. A lot of
things happened and I could not cope up with all of them. My best friend passed
away last December, to leukemia. It was so sudden I wasn�t able to say goodbye�

But, I don�t want to give up on this fic. Please let me know
if this is still worth reading. I think I need your support more than ever. Any
form of response will do.

I appreciate it. Happy New Year.

Misanagi--xx
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A Life Worth Living