Chapter Text
Kenshin walked down the deserted streets of Kyoto. The harsh winter wind blowing snow up into his face and forcing his jacket open. Kenshin pulled the jacket back together and continued on with his patrol. He was about to head back to headquarters when he sensed a group of people nearby. Kenshin stepped out into the middle of the nearest intersection and waited; hand on the hilt of his sword. He didn't have to wait long. Okita Sōji, Leader of the First Squad of the Shinsengumi, and several of his men stepped out of the shadows. His men quickly fanned out around Kenshin. Kenshin glanced at them, but he didn't consider them much of a threat.
"Himura the Battousai…." Okita said quietly drawing his sword. He stepped into the circle his men made and settled into his stance. "Are you prepared to die?"
"I will not be the one to die this night." Kenshin answered his voice even and confident. He had already knew which man would attack first and waited for that moment of tenseness before the man launched himself at Kenshin. The men around them fell quickly, most falling to the ground without a sound.
Kenshin flicked their blood off his blade and turned to face Okita. They studied each other for a moment; both looking for weaknesses and the tell tale sign of muscle movement that would begin the battle. Okita shifted his weight slightly and the battle began. Their blades clashed several times in a matter of seconds. Kenshin smirked when he heard Okita's breathing roughen and he pressed his attack. Kenshin's next attack forced Okita backwards; his geta slipping in the bloody slush. His right foot hit the body of one of his fallen men and his right knee gave way with a sickening pop. Okita let out a small cry of pain but brought his sword up in time to defend against Kenshin's downward slash. Kenshin knocked the sword out of Okita's hand.
"I told you that I would not be the one who died this night." Kenshin said driving his sword down into Okita's throat. Kenshin pulled his sword free and wiped the blood off with a piece of one of the dead men's jackets. He walked down the street for a few minutes before hearing another approaching. He turned to see Hajime Saito, Leader of the Third Squad of the Shinsengumi, running towards him. There was blood on his hands and his clothes; probably from checking on Okita. "Ahhh….another Wolf of Mibu….come to avenge your pack?"
"I've come to kill you Battousai." Saito said his eyes narrowing at Kenshin's mocking tone. He settled his hand on the hilt of his sword and watched Kenshin intently.
"That was what Okita said." Kenshin said settling into a sure footed stance. "You saw how well it worked out for him, did you not?"
"Blood soaked devil!" Saito snarled drawing his sword. He eased into the first stance of the Gatotsu and then attacked. Again, the sound of swords clashing filled the air. Saito lashed out with his right hand when Kenshin came close enough and clipped Kenshin's jaw. Kenshin fell back and landed hard against the wall behind him. "Now you die!"
Kenshin deflected the Gatotsu aimed at his chest and Saito's sword tip slammed into the wall; snapping the blade into two pieces about halfway up the blade. Saito leapt back to avoid Kenshin's thrust but couldn't avoid it completely. Kenshin's blade caught the inner part of his left thigh, slicing through his femoral artery and sending Saito to the ground. Kenshin stood slowly and rubbed his jaw. He looked down at Saito, who was crouching in an ever growing puddle of blood, trying to stop the bleeding. Kenshin slid his bloody sword beneath Saito's chin and forced his head up to meet his still defiant gold eyes.
"Now you shall join your pack." Kenshin said pressing his blade forward quickly. The blade sliced through Saito's throat easily, severing the jugular and then the carotid artery as Kenshin pulled the blade free; spraying him with blood. Saito fell back, clutching uselessly at his ruined throat. Kenshin stood over Saito and watched as the snow beneath Saito turned to crimson slush.
Saito reached a bloody hand towards him and gasped out. "Ken…shin…"
The man before Kenshin blurred and changed. Saito was no longer wearing his Shinsengumi kimono or had a long topknot. His police uniform was soaked in blood and his short hair in disarray. They were no longer in the war torn streets of Kyoto, but in the peaceful streets of Tokyo. Kenshin backed away from Saito in horror. Saito's hand fell limp and he drew his final breath; his golden eyes staring blankly up at Kenshin.
Kenshin woke up gasping; his blanket tangled around his waist and his body trembling. He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes hard for a few minutes before wiping the tears from his face. He could still feel the rush of the battle and the heat of the blood that had splattered across his face when he pulled his blade free. Kenshin slowly untangled himself from his blanket and grabbed his clothes; he had to make sure that Saito was alright.
Slipping out of the dojo silently, Kenshin headed directly to Saito's house. As he got closer to the gate, he saw smears of blood along the wall; barely dried at along any of the edges. Kenshin moved forward quickly, his pulse beginning to pound in his ears. The gate was partially open and the handle covered in blood. He pushed it open the rest of the way and rushed towards Saito's open bedroom door. There was a single lantern lit near the back wall, leaving the room mostly in shadow, which was why Kenshin almost missed Saito's police jacket right inside the doorway. He grabbed the jacket off the ground and felt around for holes. He had to know what he was dealing with. All that he found were a few small holes in the front and back of the right shoulder. It was drenched in blood. "Saito!!"
"What?" Saito asked from the dark doorway that lead to the rest of the house. Kenshin jumped, turning quickly towards the door. Saito walked further into the poor light, revealing a clumsily wrapped bandage around his shoulder and dried blood on his chest. Kenshin dropped the jacket.
"What happened?" Kenshin asked hurrying over to Saito's side to help him sit on his futon. He knelt down on Saito's right side and reached for the bandage.
"Just leave it alone." Saito said shifting away from Kenshin's reach. Kenshin raised an eyebrow at him and lifted the edge of the bandage anyway. Saito growled quietly at him but stayed still when Kenshin peeled the bandage off. He glanced at the wounds and then back at Saito.
"What happened Saito?"
"Raid on a suspected opium dealer." Saito said through gritted teeth as Kenshin probed one of the holes in his shoulder. "Didn't see the idiots he had hired until it was too late. They started shooting at us. One bullet hit the wall behind me and shattered, while another hit the crate I was leaning against. I think it's just debris from that in my shoulder."
"Let me get Megumi." Kenshin said watching the blood seep over his fingers. Saito pulled his fingers away from his shoulder and shook his head.
"You do it." Saito said pointing over at a large box in the far corner of the room. It was already open and Kenshin could see medical supplies in it. Kenshin let out an unsteady breath and nodded; going over to drag the box closer to them. He wasn't surprised to see his bloody hands shaking already. He was surprised when Saito caught his hands between his own and held them for a moment. "I trust you Kenshin."
Kenshin took a deep breath and let it out slowly, already feeling a bit calmer. He looked around and spotted another lantern near the door. He lit it and glanced at the door. "I'll be right back. Need some clean water."
Kenshin went over to the well and pulled up a bucket of water. He reached down to pick up the bucket and saw his hands again. 'Saito's blood. I'm covered in Saito's blood.' Kenshin thought before leaning over next to the well and throwing up what little there was in his stomach. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and plunged his hands into the water; scrubbing at them to get rid of the blood. He dumped the dirty water when he was finally sure that there was no blood left and pulled a new bucket up. He hurried back to the house when he realized he'd been gone longer than he should have been. Saito was finishing a cigarette when he came into the room.
Kenshin set the bucket down next to the futon and began to clean around the wounds carefully. He knew that Saito was watching him. Saito lit another cigarette.
"Why did you come here tonight Kenshin?" Saito asked as Kenshin made sure all of the dried blood was washed off of Saito's chest. "And why are you suddenly disturbed at the sight of blood?"
Gathering all the supplies he'd need Kenshin sighed. He placed the needle and thread in a small bowl of alcohol and rubbed down a long-nosed tweezer with an alcohol soaked rag; he set it down with shaking hands. "I had another nightmare. It was so real this time Saito. We were back in Kyoto; I killed Okita….horribly. I killed you. And when I woke up, I could still feel your blood on my skin. Could still see the life leaving your eyes."
"And now my blood is on your skin…" Saito said finishing his cigarette and crushing it out on the floor. There were several burn marks there that hadn't been there the last time they were together in this room. "You didn't hurt me Kenshin. Drug addled idiots did. My blood is on your hands because you're trying to help me."
"It just felt so real this time." Kenshin said quietly, taking another deep breath. He leaned over and pressed their foreheads together, looking into Saito's very alive eyes. "I couldn't breathe when I thought that I had killed you."
Saito changed the angle that they were pressed against each other and the kiss he gave Kenshin was surprisingly gentle. He pulled back and gave Kenshin a small smirk. "You are an idiot. You could never kill me."
"Not now, but back then….. I wouldn't have hesitated for a moment." Kenshin whispered pulling away from Saito and looking down at the floor. He closed his eyes and shuddered at the memory of hot blood covering his face and drenching his clothes over and over again. "I would have fought you with everything I was back then. I would have made sure that either one of us or both of us died on that battlefield."
Saito grabbed Kenshin's chin and forced him to look up. He leaned forward and kissed Kenshin a little rougher than before, drawing a startled moan out of Kenshin when he bit down on his lower lip. Saito pulled back. "I would have done the same thing, we both know that. Now stop acting like an ahou* and dig the debris out of my shoulder. It's beginning to ache."
Kenshin snorted and reached back to grab the tweezers with his right hand; steadying Saito's shoulder with his left. Saito winced as Kenshin probed the largest wound with the tweezers and pulled out a long sliver of wood. It didn't take long to remove all of the wood from Saito's shoulder. Kenshin picked up the needle and thread, carefully sewing up the deepest cuts with small, even stitches. He bandaged the shoulder without a problem. He glanced up at Saito, who had been quiet throughout the entire process, to find him dozing off. Kenshin smiled and gently pushed Saito backwards; easing him onto he futon. Saito's eyes opened for a moment before closing again when he remembered what was happening.
"Stay the rest of the night." Saito murmered as Kenshin stood to put the remaining supplies away and dump out the water. Saito shifted over slightly on the futon to make room. Kenshin blew out the lanterns and settled onto the futon next to Saito's left side. Saito pulled him close and Kenshin let out a sigh. He finally felt calm again.