Kenshin stared at the hardwood floors in a contemplative state. This was Koaru-dono's dojo, he would not sully it with the blood of his enemy, or anyone's blood for that matter. He had made a promise, long ago, that he would never kill again, not out of anger, not for love, not for anything. He was free of his old persona, he wouldn't shackle himself with the role of killer again, not even if it meant his own death. Saitoh would have to learn this about him. His insistence on another duel was proof enough that the man had not given up hope of reviving the Battousai. A futile effort.

Or was it? For the first time in a long while, Kenshin began to truly fear for himself. It wasn't a fear of pain or death, he'd seen and caused enough of that to be on close terms with them, but a fear born of what he might become. In a flash of fire and blood, he could see the battles of ten years ago, smell the death and decay, feel the beast that lay dormant in his soul, a beast that lusted for the kill. He could still remember the unholy joy a true fight would bring him, how he would savor the kill. The odd thing was, the more he had killed, the less impact it would have, until finally, he was simply searching for the hardest challenges he could find. Like a drug addict, the amounts needed to satisfy have to gradually increase just to keep the pleasure quality the same as when you had taken your first hit. Finally, you realize what kind of monster you've become but it's too late. God, he'd rather die.

Saitoh was so misguided. They had been enemies, true, but they had also shared a strange kind of comradeship. This must be what was leading Saitoh to seek him now, but why? It had been so long ago. One night. Only one. Kenshin shook his head then ran a hand through his red bangs to push them out of his face. Was he seeking the Battousai for his skills, as he claimed, or was he seeking him for a missing comrade? A missing... No! He wouldn't let himself remember the comfort they had shared one night, so long ago. Doubtless, Saitoh didn't even recall it.

"I see you are still a man of your word, Battousai." Saitoh leaned his tall muscular body against the doorframe. "Shall we begin?"

The way Saitoh was leaning against the doorframe, his subtle, graceful movements and the exquisite form of his flawlessly toned body were beginning to stir something deep within Kenshin. Something he immediately smashed with a mental sledgehammer. "My name is Himura Kenshin, and I always keep my word."

Kenshin stood soundlessly and waited for Saitoh to make the next move, keeping his blue-violet eyes trained on the former Shinsen Gumi leader. Saitoh moved slowly to the center of the room, careful not to provoke an unwarranted attack.

"You *are* the Battousai. Release yourself. To defeat me, you'll have to."

"Those days are over Saitoh. I'm only a rurouni now, I protect the ones I love, that's all."

Saitoh's eyes narrowed, "Then protect them now!" His sword flew with lightning speed but Kenshin was aware of the provocation in his words and had already parried the attack. Moving too quick to be seen he set up his strike with expert precision, sliding to the left of Saitoh, he brought his Sakaba down for a reverse Sho-cut to the base of Saitoh's neck. Saitoh, however, was equal in skill, if not more skilled, than Rurouni Kenshin and easily sidestepped the attack. His sword flew back to take a piece of Kenshin's sleeve.

Kenshin's eyes rounded in shock. He knew that to come anywhere near beating Saitoh, he'd have to revert to the Battousai. This wasn't their first duel since meeting again, so he knew that Saitoh wouldn't hesitate to kill Rurouni Kenshin, but he wouldn't kill the Hitokiri Battousai. He was too useful, or so he had said. His willingness to kill his new persona is what drew out the old, Kenshin knew that's why he fought him with such deadly force.

Why couldn't Kenshin let him kill him? He always told himself that he'd rather die than be the Battousai again, to kill again and yet he had already reverted back twice in Saitoh's presence. Truth be told, he had reverted back more than that during his brief sojourn at Kaoru's home. He told himself that he could control it. That the moment the battle was over, Rurouni would take over once more. But that was starting to have a ring of falsehood to it. Saitoh smelled like blood, and he drew on Kenshin's old instincts like nothing else had before. God help him, he was beginning to enjoy it.

Saitoh moved in for another strike but Kenshin seemed to vanish before his eyes. Aware of Kenshin's favorite move, Saitoh turned his gaze upwards. "Shimatta!" He wasn't there. His feral eyes took in a brief sweep of the room. He felt a slight irritation at his throat, then realized what it was. Kenshin's blade, the right side, was resting so gently at his throat that for the briefest of moments, he had failed to even notice it. Kenshin's deep voice and the way he referred to himself using "ore" told Saitoh that he was now dealing with the Battousai.

"I don't want you to come back, this marks the end of our dueling."

The long thin strands of hair, which always hung in his face, were suddenly irritating to him as the edge of Kenshin's blade pressed ever further into the soft flesh of Saitoh's throat. "Kill me. Kill me Battousai. Or are you afraid of what you are?"

The sword fell away from Saitoh's throat. "Saitoh, I cannot be. This is a new era, the one I fought for. I will not help destroy what I fought so hard to create. All the bloodshed..."

"Yes, the blood. Don't tell me you don't miss it."

"Rurouni Kenshin does not miss it."

"Ah, but you do."

"I am of no consequence."

"You are, dammit!" Saitoh was turning red with rage. "We were once comrades, I understood you. To live by the sword was everything. What is Japan without her swordmasters? That is the world you wished to create? I cannot believe it."

"Peace is all I ever wished for."

"Lies."

"What is it you truly want Saitoh? I grow weary of explaining myself to you." The Battousai's eyes were narrow and yellow. He was surrounded by an aura of deadly calm, he even smelled like the Battousai, like blood, like Saitoh. Saitoh looked at the ageless face in wonder. It had been ten years and he still looked like a boy, in Battousai form, he simply looked dangerous, but young nevertheless. It made Saitoh wonder how old the man was. He was surely no boy, not even back when...

"I want the Battousai by my side when we reintroduce Japan back to the Samurai."

"Now who is lying?"

"Nani?"

"You want something more, I'm not blind." Kenshin sheathed his sword and faced Saitoh as the Battousai, his old comrade, for the first time without a sword since the war.

Saitoh debated silently with himself before he finally let himself speak. "Yes, I want what he used to have"... He hated himself the moment the words had left his mouth. They had sounded so weak.

The Battousai moved forward slowly, "I understand Saitoh, you can't change who you are and that leaves you alone in this new era. In essence, I've done this to you, haven't I?"

Kenshin moved to put a hand on Saitoh's shoulder, which he grabbed instantly. "I don't need your pity."

The Battousai's eyes became deadly and Saitoh let go of his hand. Sometimes it was easy to forget how dangerous the strange boy/man standing before him was. Saitoh was not someone to trifle with either, but he knew when not take chances. Besides, he hadn't talked, actually talked, to this Kenshin in years, not since their one night.

"So, you pretend to enjoy this life of self-enforced purity?" It was hard to contain the bitterness in his voice.

"You should try it, you may find that you don't miss the burden of guilt."

"I don't have guilt."

"You mean you think you don't. I was unaware of it as well."

"Ha, so now that you don't kill people anymore, you no longer have guilt?! That's quite a trick. What about the hundreds of people you slaughtered during the war? They no longer count? Are you free of their memory, free from the guilt of their deaths? How convenient for you."

"No, I'll never be free from it, but I can stop adding to it. It will always be with me but Kenshin, Rurouni Kenshin, helps people. He begins to make up for what I've done."

Saitoh threw his head back and laughed humorlessly at that statement. "You make up for your past crimes against humanity with a hero you created to ease your own guilt. How ridiculous!"

Kenshin felt his own anger begin to rise. "If you don't like it, that's your problem. This conversation is over."

"Matte! Let me ask you this, if you're so willing to forget the past, are you willing to forget the good things too? The discipline of the sword, it was a good and noble thing. A few people abused it true, but you are aware of the benefits. The samurai spirit is a part of Japan, it will always be. And what about comradeship? No one understands you better than someone who went through the same thing. Hell, even our skills were matched. I think it would be a safe bet to say that I have the advantage now, however, ten years of nothing couldn't have done much for your skills."

"True, but you won't kill me. You even let me slip my sword under your throat, how foolish."

"I have nothing to fear from you Battousai, you would never kill me. It would damage your precious alter-ego to a point beyond repair." Saitoh moved to stand directly in front of the shorter samurai. "We still have some things to discuss, would you mind if we moved the conversation to a more private location?"

Kenshin eyed him with suspicion. "Fine. Lead the way."

They moved swiftly and silently through the town and then down to the river. There was a small hut inside a copse of trees on the bank. Saitoh's current lodgings, obviously. Kenshin leaned against a tree and folded his arms across his chest. He watched Saitoh enter the hut, then emerge sans sword and with his jacket open. The night was warm and smelled of summer blossoms, moonlight reflected off of the river and fireflies flickered around the shore.

Kenshin seemed...sad. Saitoh walked over to the tree he was leaning against and placed a hand next to the right side of his head. "You're lonely, Himura."

"I have my new friends, I'm not lonely."

"Yes you are and no you don't."

"What?"

"They don't know you, they're not your friends. They're friends with Rurouni Kenshin, this stranger you've conjured up out of your misguided guilt."

"You don't know me Saitoh, at least not as well as you think. It's you who's causing me pain right now."

"Yes, it hurts to be real doesn't it? It must be comfortable for you to hide in your own skin. This doesn't have to be painful, if you'd just accept who you are." Saitoh brought up his other hand to gently trace the scars on Kenshin's left cheek.

Kenshin's hand came up to grab Saitoh's wrist. "I can't be this way anymore, please understand."

"Ha! What is there to understand?!" He yanked his wrist out of Kenshin's grasp. "You want to throw it all away, the skills you worked your whole life to achieve, our friendship..."

"Our friendship? We were never friends, Saitoh."

Saitoh put both hands on either side of his head and leaned in close. "Then pick a name for it, peers, comrades...lovers." Kenshin's eyes widened in shock. "Did you think that I had forgotten? It may have only been for one night, but it has *never* left my mind. It was my only moment of solace during the whole bloody conflict, and yours too, I would wager."

The Battousai was speechless, he didn't even move when Saitoh's head began to descend toward his own. Frozen with equal parts of fear and desire. This was what he'd been secretly hoping for, he realized with dawning panic, this was the Saitoh that was most dangerous to Rurouni Kenshin.

His lips brushed over Kenshin's with a feather touch, then become more insistent, coaxing. Kenshin turned his head into the kiss, responding with burgeoning passion. Just this once, he would let himself have this. He needed it so badly, the Battousai, he needed it as he had before, needed the balm for his tortured soul. He was surprised to find that his feelings had not changed. It was still there, deep in the recesses of his heart, the need for companionship and the warm embrace of this man's arms. He still ached with such bittersweet longing.

Saitoh's hands began to slowly work open Kenshin's kimono top, finally freeing the jacket so that it hung open to reveal Kenshin's chest. He dragged his mouth from Kenshin's and bent his head to trail kisses down his neck and then down his chest, his hands moving and caressing Kenshin's torso in light circular patterns. Kenshin sighed with pleasure as Saitoh dropped to his knees and let his arms encircle Kenshin's waist. His lips were hard and demanding on his abdomen, then softened, tongue flicking out to tease the taut flesh.

Kenshin gritted his teeth and let his hands run through Saitoh's hair, gripping it almost painfully in desire. Saitoh chuckled softly as his fingers began toying with the obi (belt) that supported Kenshin's hakama (pants).

Kenshin couldn't believe this was happening to him again. The raw, unleashed passion that he had shared with Saitoh should have been a distant memory, both in body and mind. Yet he found that his treacherous body responded with the same quickening of pulse, the same rampant ardor that he had experienced during the war. Saitoh stirred his blood like nothing else did.

Suddenly, Saitoh stood and stared intently into the red-haired samurai's eyes. With a soft growl, Saitoh reached around Kenshin's waist and yanked his body against his own. They kissed passionately as Saitoh's hand worked its way up Kenshin's back to release the red hair from its confines. It spilled wild and unruly down Kenshin's back and over his shoulders. He let his fingers run through the crimson mass.

Kenshin closed his eyes in pleasure. So good. It was so damn good to feel his touch again. This was right. This was what he had been missing.

Saitoh felt his partner's capitulation and smiled to himself at the small personal triumph. He grabbed a handful of the loose jacket and led Kenshin slowly into the hut.

The second they were inside the hut they let go. Saitoh turned with the speed of a mountain cat and reclaimed Kenshin's lips with a feral growl. Kenshin felt his hands move of their own volition, tearing off Saitoh's uniform with blatant need. His hands were just starting in on Saitoh's pants when another hand impeded their progress.

Kenshin tore his mouth away, his eyes flew back to Saitoh's who was shaking his head, his lips turned up in a positively wicked grin. They stood staring at each other in the few rays of moonlight which were streaming in through the small window of the hut. Their breath coming in soft pants, both were aware of each other's intense need. Kenshin took a step toward Saitoh. It might have been a plea, it might have been an offering, perhaps it was a little of both.

Saitoh moved slowly, carefully relieving Kenshin of his jacket, he let his fingers brush teasingly over his shoulders and arms, sending slight tremors of anticipation down Kenshin's spine. Saitoh moved in close and dropped the jacket on the floor behind Kenshin. Placing both hands on either of Kenshin's shoulders, he held the red-haired samurai close, breathing in the scent of him. They stood there for a long time, just being close, Saitoh's cheek resting gently on Kenshin's head.

For Kenshin, it felt like an eternity. Saitoh was good at teasing and prolonging enjoyment but he was ready now! Deciding to take matters into his own hands, he carefully experimented with the buttons on Saitoh's pants. When he was met with no resistance, he let his hand slip down and grasp Saitoh's aroused member. The soft hiss of Saitoh's quick inhalation was enough to tell Kenshin that his administrations were most welcome. He melded with Saitoh's lithe frame and gently began flexing his hand, softly pulling and releasing in an instinctual rhythm.

"Oh God!" Saitoh's fingers dug into Kenshin's shoulders. "Don't stop!"

Kenshin grinned lazily and began sinking to his knees as Saitoh had done earlier, trailing warm, moist kisses down the line of Saitoh's abdomen. The air dried and cooled the places where Kenshin's tongue had been, the chilling sensation an erotic contrast to the heat of Kenshin's mouth. He released Saitoh's erection and smiled at the moan of protest from above. He gently placed his hands on the taller samurai's hips and slowly pulled down his pants. Saitoh's erection sprung free and Kenshin immediately re-grasped it, then guided it slowly into his warm mouth, his tongue dancing around the sensitive tip.

"Himura! Uhn!"

Saitoh threw his head back in pleasure, one hand grasping a handful of long red hair. His pants were around his knees and Kenshin still wore his. Saitoh could care less how they looked at this point, his entire being was focused on the incredible sensations shooting up his spine and throughout his body, consuming him in ecstasy. Kenshin took him deep into his throat, suckling harder and harder, his other hand came up to lightly stroke Saitoh's testicles, causing Saitoh to release a soft cry of pleasure. He was almost there, it was building, building and....

Then Kenshin stopped. Removing his mouth with a final soft lick to the tip of Saitoh's erection, he stood. "How's that for teasing?" Kenshin inquired wickedly.

"Damn you!!" Saitoh snarled in indignation and lust. "I believe it's my turn again."

Saitoh gave Kenshin a soft shove towards the soft mattress he was using as a bed. The smaller samurai smiled with false innocence as he walked slowly towards the makeshift bed and lowered himself on it. It was surprisingly soft and warm. Kenshin stretched himself out full-length on the mattress, raising his arms and crossing them behind his head, his eager eyes following Saitoh's every move.

He moved quickly, ridding himself of his burdensome shoes and pants, then turning to take in the heady sight of Kenshin's body lying languidly on his bed. Saitoh's ravenous yellow eyes promised sweet revenge and pleasure at the same time, they were making Himura's heart race. He could feel his blood pumping throughout his body, his already hard erection beginning to throb almost painfully. He knew that Saitoh would not be met with much of a challenge but decided to try and play the game for as long as he could. After all, where was the fun in given up right away, better to make it last. Kenshin purred softly at the sight of the Wolf's tall naked body standing over him, gloriously toned and very obviously aroused.

"Another contest, my dear Himura, it seems we will always be involved in some competition. This one, however, I'm afraid you are destined to lose." The challenge shone brightly in Saitoh's eyes and Kenshin's eyes danced in response, even more excitement pouring through his veins. God, Saitoh knew him so well, his very words already adding fire to Himura's pulsating arousal. "Now as I said before, it's my turn, so I want you to lie still, don't move."

Saitoh crawled over Kenshin so that he was on all fours above him, the heat emanating from his body began to slowly wash over Kenshin's exposed flesh, infusing his being with instant need. The desire to pull Saitoh down was overwhelming but he resisted. He would not lose this game.

"Ah, good, don't make this easy..." Saitoh lowered himself onto his forearms and bent his head to Kenshin's throat, not touching but letting his breath run hot over his sensitive skin. Kenshin closed his eyes tightly and tried to focus on anything except his rampaging desire. Then Saitoh's tongue flickered out and sent a jolt of pure sensation through Kenshin's lithe frame.

"Ah!" Kenshin couldn't help it. The sound had escaped before he could stop it. The soft chuckling at his throat told Kenshin that Saitoh was extremely pleased with his response. His muffled words adding fuel to the blazing inferno in Kenshin's loins. "So sensitive Himura, try to restrain yourself a bit longer, I want to have my fun as well..."

"Ha." Kenshin's teasing rejoinder made Saitoh's head rear up and then grin with lazy amusement. His response was to lower his body with slow calculation onto Kenshin's, making him moan at the feel of erection against erection. He took Kenshin's lips in a slow sweet kiss, which became more impassioned as Kenshin began to eat at Saitoh's mouth, obviously unable to resist his raw lust. Saitoh pulled free of the kiss and stared down at Kenshin. Himura's eyes had turned positively feral. Saitoh knew that it was taking him every ounce of that legendary strength to hold himself back. The grin that worked its way across Saitoh's face was echoed in Kenshin's heart. They both knew who was going to win this game because they both knew what Saitoh was going to do next... and deep down, as it had been before, Kenshin found that he liked being dominated by this man.

His mouth returning to Kenshin's throat, Saitoh let his tongue dance across Himura's burning flesh then delve into the hollow at the base of his throat, gently suckling and lapping at the tender area. "Ah!" Again, Kenshin couldn't stop the verbal response as the waves of sensation hit him like lightning bolts. Saitoh's hips began to thrust in a very slow deliberate rhythm, his rock-hard cock rubbing against Kenshin's in sensual friction. The fire and need Saitoh was building in Kenshin was unreal, he couldn't hold back much longer, it was so close. Saitoh was merciless, he reached down into Kenshin's hakama to grasp his erection and stroke it softly.

"God!" He couldn't hold it, he knew he was going to come.

Saitoh immediately let go. "Don't."

"Uhn!!" Kenshin gritted his teeth in concentration, sweat beginning to drip from his brow.

Saitoh stared down at Himura who was too damn close to climax to finish the game properly. "I see that we'll have to speed things up, how unfortunate. We'll take things slower next time Himura, I don't want to miss any part of you." With that statement, Saitoh closed his teeth around one sensitive nipple and tugged gently.

"Shit! Saitoh, it's going to happen if you don't goddamn hurry!" Saitoh's smoldering laugh was the only response. It seemed to be one of Himura's habits to swear close to climaxing, he had forgotten that cute little quirk.

Saitoh wasted no more time, his hands were at the waist of Kenshin's hakama, which had already been loosened. He began to pull them gently down Kenshin's hips then stopped to sit up and pull them all the way off. He pulled off Kenshin's tabi (socks) and ran his fingers over the sensitive arch of Kenshin's insteps. Letting his fingers continue to trail softly over the top of his feet, up his calves, over his thighs then letting his left hand fall to the side of Kenshin to support himself as he let his right hand continue to draw lazy patterns on Kenshin's thighs. Kenshin's breath was coming in sharp pants of anticipation and a small bead of semen was forming at his tip. It was too much, the fire Saitoh kept fanning then cooling, he was driving him insane. Himura's fists were clenched tightly at his sides and his eyes screwed shut in concentration.

Saitoh dropped his head and licked off the bead of semen with a soft flick of his skilled tongue. His right hands worked far enough up Kenshin's thigh that the backs of Saitoh's knuckles were brushing lightly against Kenshin's sensitive testicles. It was the last straw for Kenshin.

"God, you win, dammit, just hurry!"

Saitoh was already grinning in triumph. "Ah yes, that's what I was waiting to hear, I win..." He took Kenshin into his mouth and began to apply gentle suction. Kenshin cried out in relief and the pleasure began to building on a new level now. The primal pleasure, building in him as it had been in Saitoh earlier, and just as quickly as relief had come, it was replaced with a new urgency. The pressure of the suction was increasing and Kenshin's hips were bucking violently in response. Saitoh's hands moved to either side of Kenshin's hips to steady him. "Aaah! Saitoh!"

Then he stopped. "Saitoh!! Shit, Goddamn you, Christ...!" Kenshin's hand was already starting to reach down to finish himself off when Saitoh's hand stopped him.

"Easy, Battousai, I won't be as cruel as you, I just want to share the moment." He reached over Kenshin's head and retrieved a small jar of cream that had been hidden at the base of the mattress. Once he had opened the jar, his left hand wrapped comfortingly around Kenshin's cock while his right dipped into the jar and then disappeared between his own thighs to lubricate his rigid member. His fingers returned to the jar and the disappeared again, this time between Kenshin's thighs. He felt gently for Kenshin's entrance and then carefully inserted one finger, then two. Kenshin was moaning noisily. "Now Saitoh, please...!"

Saitoh lifted Kenshin's hips and slowly slid to the hilt in Kenshin's velvet warmth. Kenshin was too far-gone with pleasure to feel any pain, he was reeling in sensation after sensation. Saitoh was driving slowly in and out of Kenshin while his hand matched his rhythm on Kenshin's erection. Kenshin's head tossed back and forth on the mattress, his red hair splayed like fire, small noises of exquisite pleasure escaping his throat with every thrust. Saitoh let go of Kenshin's erection and fell forward onto his forearms once more, his thrusts speeding up as the pressure built, Kenshin's erection was trapped between them and was rubbing against their stomachs, jerking rhythmically as Saitoh thrust again and again. The speed was rapid now, they were at the breaking point... Kenshin's cry signaled his release and seconds later, Saitoh's grunts turned into a small yelp of bliss and they joined each other as their world shattered into a million silver shards of ecstasy. They were one.

Finally, Saitoh collapsed on Kenshin who began applying soft kisses to his forehead.

When his breathing had slowed, Saitoh rolled to his side and detached himself from Kenshin but kept him in his arms. He pulled the red-haired samurai close, Kenshin's head tucked under his chin. They fell asleep easily in each other's arms.

*******

The dawn came too swiftly for Saitoh, he rolled over and stretched out an arm which met with nothing. He bolted upright forced his eyes to sweep the hut, not caring if they hadn't adjusted to the light yet. His eyes closed in and focused on the figure pulling on his clothing.

Why was he surprised? He knew that Himura would have to go back to his little dojo, this shouldn't be affecting him the way it was.

"Leaving so soon?" Saitoh tried to infuse as much nonchalant flippancy in his voice as he possibly could.

Kenshin snapped his jacket in the wind before sticking an arm through it, then turning towards Saitoh with that mask of happiness he always seemed to be wearing. "Saa, Kaoru-dono must be wondering where I am, and Yahiko is probably causing some mischief. The little ones will be missing me as well." He was back, this bothersome persona of his. Oh well, he knew their moment of reality couldn't last, but he was going to be damned before he gave up on him.

He moved with feral grace as he quickly pulled on his pants and grabbed something from his own jacket. Kenshin pulled on his tabi then went to the door of the hut where he had left his zori (sandals). Sliding them on he began to walk away from the hut and back towards the dojo.

Saitoh followed him outside barefoot then leaned against the tree after Kenshin had passed it. He lit up the cigarette he had retrieved from his jacket, then shot out a parting remark.

"Keep on pretending Himura, and I'll keep taking pleasure in bringing you back to your senses."

Kenshin stopped in his tracks then slowly turned around. "This was the end Saitoh, it's truly over now."

Saitoh smiled at Kenshin's retreating back. This was just the beginning and deep down, Kenshin knew it. He was good at hiding things from himself but not from Saitoh.

He pushed himself away from the tree and started walking back to the hut. He would stick around and continue to watch Kenshin. There were more challenges ahead for Himura, challenges which this Rurouni Kenshin would not be able to face without the help of the Battousai. Yes, he would keep a close eye on Himura, opportunities were bound to present themselves again and he would not fail to make use of them.

He smiled to himself as he recalled the previous evening. This was turning into a fairly promising day, he hadn't felt this alive in years.

He knew what he wanted, for the first time in a long time, and he was going to get it.

***************

Owari

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