Chapter 13 “Battousai…” Enishi looms from the doorway. “Hello Enishi. Liya-dono is a very nice woman. You are very lucky.” Kenshin tries to keep things light, but to no avail. The man now entering the room is fuming with barely suppressed rage. “What are you doing here Battousai?” His eyes show an anger that was already present before he even got to the clinic. “I do not go by that name anymore Enishi.” His speech just changed again. I believe he is prepared to fight if need be. Please don’t fight. This is a clinic. There are sick people here. My eyes dart from one man to the other. “I came because Kaoru and I were worried about Yahiko when he did not show up for his lesson, that we were.” Enishi narrows his eyes making him look even more dangerous. Something is slung over his shoulder. He didn’t have that when he left the clinic today. He also has…blood on him. There are thick splotches of the red liquid all over him. Did he kill? My eyes widen. Enishi has noticed what I’m looking at. I can see it in his eyes. “I see Saitou gave you back your sword. I trust you will use it wisely.” A growl sends shivers down my spine. In an instant, the blade is freed from its cloth prison. Enishi raises it so that the tip points at Kenshins throat. “Onee-san doesn’t want me to kill you, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make your new life a living hell…Battousai…” Kenshin closes his eyes as if he is thinking. He is very brave to close his eyes at a man who has a sword at his throat. “I understand. I was just leaving anyway.” Violet eyes open to fall upon me. He gives me a polite smile. “It was nice meeting you Liya-dono. Sessha hopes we can talk again some time.” With his finger, he removes the threat from his throat. His finger bleeds from the contact with the blade. He gives me a slight bow before picking up the tray of tea and leaving the room. Much to my astonishment, Enishi doesn’t follow to make sure Kenshin is leaving. With the way his eyes are shimmering with hate, I would think he would. My mouth opens to ask. “When Battousai says he’s leaving, I know he’s leaving.” How did he know I was going to ask that? He sheaths his sword and lets it lean against the wall. “Enishi…I-” “You didn’t know. It’s okay.” No. It’s not okay, but I will not argue with him. My eyes begin to lower in order to submit to his command, but I will not succumb to that. Instead, I continue to peer into his pools of glowing teal. I step forward, still watching him, to silently inquire about the blood on his clothing. My fingers touch the dark splotches that adorn his clothed chest. It is fresh blood. I rub it with my index finger and thumb. It’s very fresh. He stares at me with slowly calming eyes as I explore more droplets of blood. “He did not die.” I nod and continue my inquisitive wandering. “It is not all his blood.” My eyes shift to look at him. “I was attacked on the way here.” My eyes narrow with urgency. What happened? Now, my search includes looking for any injuries on him. I circle him to check his back. Almost amusedly, he spreads his arms to make my investigation easier. I remove his cape-like jacket. There aren’t any tears in the fabric, but that doesn’t mean anything. He could have taken it off while he was fighting. It looks like he did. There are more blood spots on his back, yet no injuries. “Your clothes need to be cleaned before the blood stains them.” “The men were only stupid minions of Michio. They are dead. Their boss was testing my ability with the sword.” I nod again as I circle to face him. Innocently, my fingers slip the buttons out of their prison. It needs to be cleaned. So do his pants actually, but he can take those off. If I were to do so…it would be too improper. My objective has been reached, his eyes show no lingering hate toward Kenshin. Instead, they are hungry with amusement as he watches me remove his clothes with the diligence of a dutiful wife. At last, I slide the garment off of him. It gathers on the floor in a heap of fabric and blood. All that is left is a thin, black, sleeveless undershirt of sorts. It is tight showing me all the muscles of his chest and arms. I can’t help but look and admire. His hands catch me off guard as they rest on my hips. “You are doing this on purpose.” I smile and press my luck. My fingers work of their own accord as they run up his chest. Things are too tense, especially since Kenshin visited. Perhaps this can lighten the atmosphere. More slowly than before, I unfasten the clasps of his undershirt. He is smirking now. I am doing well. Ever since I was first forced to please the men of the yakusa, I vowed never to please a man again. This is different though. This is the man I love. I don’t have to worry about my honor with him. He can help me redeem my father’s good name. Even if he takes me before we are wed, he can do no harm. I am willing to please him because he will love me in return. “You do realize what you’re doing?” He raises his eyebrow as he shrugs out of his shirt. My eyes tell him that I do indeed know what I’m doing. My fingers semi-innocently explore the contours of his chest and arms. He is still so tense. Perhaps I should give him a massage. That would certainly loosen him up. “We need to clean your clothes.” My voice is overly immaculate. I let my fingers trail along his chest as I circle around to pick up his clothes. “You should bathe as well. Your face has blood on it.” I bend to retrieve the garments. His eyes are on me with the intense gaze he had the night before. * * * What is she up to? I watch her pick up my clothes. She purposely bends at the waist. I find myself smirking at her successful attempts to turn me on. She really doesn’t have to do much actually. Her eyes beckon me to follow. I eagerly, yet calmly obey. I wanted to wait until this threat was eradicated, but she did start this. “Will you be joining me?” “I was going to wash your clothes, but if it pleases you.” My right hand nearly breaks through the wall in my attempt to block her path. She gasps and backs into the wall. Closing in on her, my smirk widens. “Only if it pleases you.” She smiles at that. Gods how I love her smile. I could survive on that alone. “Then we should wash your clothes first.” That sounds fine to me. I lean closer to her as my arms wrap around her waist. If anyone has a problem with this public show of affection, they’ll just have to deal with it. Once again, my clothes are on the floor and a replay of last night ensues. I feel Kaemon come around the corner. One last little kiss and we will go wash my clothes. I release her with a genuine smile. The other man will have to get used to not getting his way all the time. I noticed Ms. Tae looking at him while we were there…before he was drunk. Perhaps he should try for her instead. * * * “I see you found out about Enishi’s threat.” I don’t even bother to look up at the familiar voice. “He slaughtered them.” I feel the blood stained ground. Bodies litter the street. They attacked first. He merely defended himself. They were nothing but pawns. Enishi knew that, yet he still slaughtered them. “He defended himself. Some of us don’t believe in not killing like you.” I have to admit, Saitou has a point there. “Why are these people after him?” “They’re after his woman, he just happens to be in the way.” I walked into that obvious remark. Rising, I decide these remains won’t help me solve the enigma. “Is there any way I can help?” Enishi won’t want my help, but perhaps I can give my services from the shadows. My debt to Tomoe hasn’t been fulfilled yet. I owe her this much. He has just found happiness and now he has been threatened. “I think he can handle this on his own. He handled the interrogation of that yakusa member rather well. You being brotherly would merely pour salt on his healing wounds.” He’s right. I will step aside on this and be satisfied with watching. * * * I must be very tense. Even the simple task of washing clothes is turning me on. Her arms are elbow deep in the water as she scrubs the blood out of the fabric. She may not be very strong, but I still like watching her muscles flex with the effort. I never really got to experience the ravenous adolescent years most men brag about. Perhaps my body is making up for it now. She is manipulating me much too easily, but that’s alright. She’s allowed to manipulate me. I’ll do whatever she wants me to do. “You are staring like you’ve never seen a woman work before.” She chuckles at my intense gaze as she wrings out the last garment. With a firm shake, droplets glisten in the late afternoon sun. They sparkle around her with picturesque precision. All I can do is smile. If I were to respond to that, I would run the risk of sound too romantic. I don’t consider myself to be a romantic. I think with my pants like any other man. I just happen to be in more control than most. * * * Look at them washing clothes together. Or…Liya is washing Enishi-kun’s clothes and he’s watching like a hungry tiger. Her occasional glances tell me she wants him just as much. What is this feeling I’m getting? I want to show her that I’m better. I want her to see me. She never had any intention of considering courting me like she hinted at in the Akabeko. She loved him the whole time. I should be happy that she is happy, but I can’t. I just can’t. He’s older than her. Shouldn’t she fall for a man more her age? I’m the same age as her. To top it off, Enishi isn’t the most mentally stable man. I saw him when he first showed up at Rakuminmura. He mumbled to himself constantly about how his revenge failed. He still reads that damn book. The pages should be falling out soon. He talks to some dead woman as if she’s still alive and smiling at him. He screams in his sleep. True, he hasn’t done that in a while. In fact, he hasn’t done that since Liya showed up. That can’t be just a coincidence. So she’s tamed the beast known as Yukishiro Enishi. She calms him. That’s a good thing. Right? What about me? I was certain she would be a good mother for Cho-chan. They certainly get along like a mother and daughter should. What went wrong? Why was I not good enough? Now they’re getting up. The clothes are hanging up to dry. He sneaks behind her and wraps his arms about her waist. I cringe as I witness him whispering in her ear. She giggles and leans in to him. I should have been the one to get her to laugh like that. I want to be the one to whisper sweetly in her ear, to make her blush. It’s not fair. It’s just not fair. * * * I move behind her. “You know…” I move her hair and whisper in her ear. “Your kimono is dirty now too.” She giggles at feel of my breath on her ear. She’s already so responsive. I want to show her how good pleasure can be. All she knows is the abuse surrounding it. It’s always been a hateful experience for her. I want to change that. If she does come with me to the bath house, I will make sure to show her. Kaemon is nearby, but that doesn’t matter. He won’t be able to follow where we’re going. We can escape his negative ki when we enter the bath house. “Then what do you suggest?” Her voice is a bit too pure for the implications flowing from her sentence. I could suggest a lot of things, but it wouldn’t be proper to do so in such a public place. Instead, I lead her to the bath house. * * * Che…They’re going to take a bath together!? I don’t even want to think about that, especially since I can’t do anything about it. Enishi is much stronger than me. Does she realize what a dangerous man he is?! Of course she does, that’s why she trusts him to protect her. Turning, I swiftly make my way into the clinic. Yahiko is still here. Maybe he can watch Cho. I’m going into town for a while. I can get my mind off things if I go to the Akabeko for a little bit. I’ll just…sneak a little money off Enishi-kun. He deserves it. I find his purse and take a decent amount. He won’t miss it if I don’t take too much. * * * Author's Notes: Hiya guys! Thanks for still reading my work! I really appreciate it! I hope this chapter was to your liking! I hope I got all the characters right! Thanks again for reading!