End of A Weary Day--Formating Revised 12/21

A/N:Ok, this is the next to last chapter. There is only one left, and I will be posting it quite quickly. I just have to do some finishing touches on it, and then we are all done. It\'s been real, and its been fun... but I don\'t know if I can say its been real fun. But at least we made it. Thanks everybody. Oh, I do have an idea roasting in the hopper for my next adult offering... so this is not the end of Kanzen ne Tsuki. I\'l bac back.

Glossary:Koishii=Dear/Darling, Aisai=Beloved Wife, Anata=Beloved Husband, Inazuke=Finace\', Saiai=Beloved, Jou-chan=Young Miss/Missy, Aishiteru=I love you

Chapter Eleven
Part One

Friend or Foe?

It was difficult for the light of the Sun to penetrate the density of the smoke, but once out of the heart of the devastation it was much easier to notice that sky was returning to its normal azure blue. However, that fact had little to nothing to do with the fact that grief and sorrow remained a heavy companion within the Western Quarter of Tokyo where the rains and floods had hit the hardest, and although the beginnings of restoration had been started, the inability to bring the people together as one body and move forward in a singular effort to reclaim what was left of their homes blocked any real progress toward bringing order back to the lives of those whose had been so savagely shattered.

That was until today. Today HE had walked back into the Quarter big as life looking just like he had so long ago just before he had left them all behind to pursue a life of ‘respectability\'. There had been rumors circling around that HE was going to come back and take over everything again and pull everybody back together, but no one had dared believed a word of it. He had left them all to flounder down here while he had gone off with his new airs and high and mightiness

thinking he was too good to ever come back, and many of them would have just as sooned he stayed gone... but... HE was back. People swore that they had seen him standing in the smoke with Masuka Edo only an hour or so ago, and he had brought a pretty black-haired woman with him who somebody had overheard saying she was a doctor. If all that were true... perhaps? Maybe he had come back after all. Maybe he had not completely abandoned them the way they had all thought he had. Maybe... maybe Zanza had come home at last, and if he had, then maybe everything was going to be all right... That was if he meant to stay and really help, but could they trust HIM?

Only time would tell. Only time held the answers to any of their questions, and it seemed time was about the only thing they had left.


\"Y-you two know each other??\" Edo glanced back and forth between Sano and Xander feeling as thoa roa rope were being slowly tightened around his neck. How come he had not known or been informed of ‘this\' little piece of VERY important information? ‘KUSO! This could ruin everything.\'

\"Of course, dear Edo.\" Xander\'s cool voice floated across the small space and lashed at the cringing man like a silk whip. \"It has been several years since Zanza and I faced each other, but when a relationship as meaningful as ours occurs, it is rarely easily forgotten. Isn\'t that true, Zanza?\"

\"Sure, whatever you say, Xander, but I have been spending most of my time forgetting all about you... so, I hope you won\'t be too pissed off to know that this is the first time I\'ve thought about you in over two years... or is it three? Shit, I can\'t really remember. I guess you didn\'t make as big of an impression on me as I did on you. So sorry.\"

\"Sano!\" Megumi elbowed him sharply in the ribs making him wince. \"This is neither the time nor the place to start picking a fight over something that happened God knows how long ago. Now you better start trying to remember what we came down here for.\"

\"Well, well, well... it would appear, dear Zanza, that once more, you have found someone who is much smarter than yourself to help keep your rashness in line... that explains why your still breathing air after all this time.\"

\"Must be... what\'s your pathetic excuse, pretty-boy? Can\'t be your manners, those were what usually got you into the most trouble, and it can\'t be women because they got you into nearly as much trouble as your smart, smooth talking mouth...\"

\"Sanosuke... stop it now! Both of you stop it... this is not about either one of you.\" Megumi\'s anger was starting to get the better of her as she listened to the two old adversaries taunt each other. \"I thought we were here to discuss the best way to help bring some order and sanitation back to these poor people, and the two of you having a pissing contest to see who has the bigger balls is not going to help THOSE people. So you better get a grip on your priorities and decide what it is you are going to do right now, because I\'ll be damned if I am going to put up with one more minute of this childish behavior from either one of you.\"

\"Phew... is she always like this?\" Xander looked sideways at the silent Sano who merely nodded and pursed his lips in petulant defeat. \"Now I know why you aren\'t getting into any trouble...Damn!

\"You have no idea, Xander, no idea.\"

\"And she is?\"

\"My Inazuke.\"

\"Your WHAT?\" Xander\'s blue eyes grew wide with stunned surprise as he turned to meet Sano\'s now passive face. \"You are going to MARRY this WOMAN?\" He swept a hand out to indicate the still fuming Megumi and then broke out into uncontrolled laughter. \"Oh Old Friend, I pity you more than I can say.\" He howled. \"There is not much of anything worse I could do to you, other than kill you, than leaving you to the cats-claws of this woman... and that would be too merciful.\"

\"Shut-up, Xander.\" Sano growled and turned his back on the guffawing man. \"You wouldn\'t know a descent woman if she came up and bit you in the ass.\"

\"Wouldn\'t I?\" The blue-eyed man smirked and waved at someone who was standing out of sight to everyone\'s left. \"Come, my dear. Come and meet your great hero, Zanza.\"

Sano whipped around and Megumi turned to look as a dark-haired woman slowly materialized from the shadows of the room. The couple collectively gasped as she walked into the light that was filtering through the open shutters revealing the smooth comely dark-green silk kimono she wore and the white obi that secured it around her tiny waist. However, it was not really the kimono that caught their eyes as it was the incredible color of her eyes as they twinkled from beneath a heavy mop of short curling dark broair.air. They were the color of expensive green glass, and as they caught the reflection of the Sunlight, Sano\'s brain shuddered in chilled response. Suddenly his mind was filled with clear images and sounds from that single lost night of his life, and this woman\'s face, her eyes, her smile, her voice, they were all there inside of his mind with a perfect record just waiting for him to remember. Then the last thing he expected to happen occurred, he opened his mouth and said...

\"I have been looking for you.\" At that moment, Megumi began to cry, the woman\'s face turned ashen, and Sano found Xander\'s sword lying along side his neck and pressing threateningly into his flesh causing a trickle of blood to spill down his chest. ‘That was the wrong thing to say,\' He thought as the fog of the moment passed. \"I guess it\'s time for explanations, isn\'t it?\"

\"If you want to keep your worthless life, Zanza, an explanation would be a very good thing, but I warn you. If I don\'t believe you... I will kill you.\"

\"You know what, Xander?\" Sano reached up and violently flipped the slender blonde man\'s blade away from his neck. \"I don\'t give a bloody hell right now what you fucking believe or not, you get me? My life has been turned upside down, inside out, and nearly ruined beyond repair by what happened one night between this pretty lady and me, but I was too damn drunk to remember anything except what she looked like. But I remember now...\" His dark brown eyes turned to looked earnestly into the brilliant green gems of the trembling woman before him. \"And I need her to tell my Megumi what happened. I need her to know that NOTHING happened between US, and that what her little ‘spy\' told her was complete bullshit. Onegai?\" He reached out a hand toward Kazuio. \"Onegai, will you help me? Do you remember that night? The night you tripped and fell? You were wearing that yellow kimono and pink obi? You were dancing with some old geezer and everybody was drunk... you tripped and fell right into my lap. It surprised us both, and it took us a minute or two to get our feet under us because we were laughing so hard, but I helped you up and sent you on your way. Do you remember?\"

All during his pleading explanation, Kazuio had listened and allowed her mind to drift back to a night a couple of weeks ago when she had gone out with a ‘trick\' on an all night binge hitting nearly every bar in the gambling district. She remembered getting drunk and giddy, and she remember dancing and spilling her wine on someone\'s silk shirt. She remembered laughter and music and noise and... \"Yes, I remember... Zanza-san. I remember that night.\"

\"You do?\" Sano sounded more than relieved. He sounded almost vindicated. \"And did it happen the way I said...\"

\"Yes, only it was me who spilled the wine on the old man\'s shirt.\" She looked down at the floor and shrugged. \"He was very rich and very drunk. I was afraid he would be very angry that I had ruined the shirt, it was really expensive looking silk and I was trying to leave, but I tripped and fell into your lap. You just laughed and said, \"Where ya going in such a hurry, pretty lady?\" and then you helped me stand up, and pushed me back over into the dancing again.\"

\"I\'m sorry, did I push you very hard?\" Sano looked worried.

\"Oh no... You were very gentle. You said, \"Off you go, back to the fun.\" and then you went back to your drink.\"

\"Was the old man angry like you thought he would be?\"

\"No... H-he gave me 500 yen for the night and we didn\'t even... we didn\'t...\" Her voice was low and embarrassed as she found herself admitting to him what she was.

\"No it\'s ok. You don\'t have to say anything else.\"

\"I-I don\'t?\" Those amazing g eye eyes looked up at him in shock. \"But don\'t you want me to tell ‘her\' everything? I mean, I will if it will help you, Zanza-san. I did not know that what had happened had caused you so much trouble. I really didn\'t.\" She turned to a pale-faced Megumi who was trying to dry her tears with the sleeve of her kimono. \"I didn\'t do anything to him, Jou-chan. I swear I didn\'t. I was there with someone else, and.... and I... I had already been paid to be there.\" Head drooping in shame, Kazuio began wringing her hands. \"You have got a good man here. Zanza-san was always one one who made sure things ran right out here on the streets when he was down here before. People always said you could trust him, and he would do right by his word.\"

\"He didn\'t always keep his word.\" The low growl that issued from her lover drew Kazuio around angrily her eyes flashing daggers at him.

\"Killing somebody doesn\'t count, Xander, an nev never took any money from you for that... so it is time you stopped holding it against him. Zanza made a choice for his own reasons, and the man he chose not to kill is one of the most honored and honorable in Japan... and you know it.\"

\"What are you talking about?\" Megumi rushed up next to Sano and grabbed his arm trying to make him look at her, but he refused so she grabbled hold of the green kimono and pulled Kazuio back around to her anxious brown gaze. \"Who was he supposed to kill? What Man?\"

\"Himura-san.\"

\"KENSHIN??\" Megumi was horrified as she turned and faced Sano\'s strained face. \"You were supposed to kill Ken-san? Sanosuke?\"

\"It was a long time ago, Megumi. Forget it, Ok?\"

\"No, I don\'t think I can do that. He is your best friend... How could you do that?\"

\"He wasn\'t my best friend at the time!\" The sinister sound that oozed from Sano\'s throat was not something Megumi everever heard before, and it made her take an involuntary step back unconsciously taking Kazuio with her. \"So, just then there wasn\'t much of a morality issue if you get my meaning?\"

\"You... you are saying you would have killed Ken-san for money?\"

\"That is what I did back then, Megumi. I beat up people, and sometimes I would kill them... and I did it for money. It was my job, and I was good at it. Hell, I was the best at it, and that was how I kept control of the streets... me and my ‘wolves.\' We kept everybody safe from the slime that came down here, but we used that same slime to keep food in our bellies and roofs over our heads.\"

\"Oh Sano... I...\"

\"If you are waiting for me to castrate myself and apologize for what I used to be, save it. I came to grips with that a long time ago... the night I found Kenshin and learned what life, dignity, and true honor was all about. No body can take that away from me. Not even you, Xander.\" Slowly Sano turned to face the now confused European as he jammed his hands into the pockets of his trousers. \"I don\'t live like that anymore, and Megumi\'s right. This isn\'t about you and me anymore, it\'s about those people out there who have lost everything they ever had. Now, Edo here tells me that it was actually you who sent for me to down here and try to get these people to pull together because the bunch of think they might be willing to liste me me because of ‘who\' I used to be. Ok... if that is why I\'m here, then you and me better fucking find a way to work together or this will never work.\"

\"I suppose you are right, athough you have no idea how much it galls me having to admit that.\" Sano smiled but remained silent. \"Perhaps we have BOTH grown into different men and the time has come that we can work together, God knows, these people need us too.\"

\"Yes, they do, Xander. Can we put the past behind us and leave it there?\"

\"It is something I have never tried to do before. I have always enjoyed the grudges I carry with me... they keep me warm at night, you know.\"

\"Naw... you got her to do that now.\" Xander grinned as Sano tipped his chin toward Kazuio who began blushing furiously. \"And, unless, I\'m mistaken, I\'ll bet she\'s a hellofa lot warmer than a fucking grudge.\" Both men burst out laughing and Xander cast an affectionate if not lascivious eye on his beautiful lover just before extending his open hand to one of his worst enemies.

\"Indeed. Much warmer.\" They continued to laugh as they shook hands and brought their animosities to an end and sealed and unspoken agreement to work together for the benefit of the people suffering around them.

\"Man, is this going to be tough...\" Sano was muttering to himself as he released Xander\'s hand and turned to face his Inazuke.

\"What is that, Sagara-san?\" She asked as she sauntered over to him with pride showing in her brown eyes.

\"I\'m going to be stuck between YOU and HIM for God know\'s how long... How much culture and education can one poor old country boy stand in one lifetime?\"

\"You rotten rat,\" She purred into his face as she stepped closer and placed a hand on his broad chest. \"You\'ll stand as much as I say you can, and then some.\"

\"Oh really?\" He covered her hand with his and smiled gently down into her sparkling gaze. \"And just exactly who made you the boss, Jou-chan doctor?\"

\"You did?\"

\"ME?? I did not.\"

\"Yes you did.\"

\"When?\"

\"The minute you introduced me as your Inazuka.\"

\"Shit! I knew that was a bad idea. I can just imagine what you\'re going to be like after I marry you.\"

\"Can you?\"

\"Yup.\"

\"How?\"

\"Completely out of control. Then I really will never win an argument will I?\"

\"You don\'t anyway, so what\'s the difference?\"

\"You\'re a mean, mean woman. You know that, don\'t you?\"

\"Of course... but someone has to keep you on your toes.\"

They shared a small knowing smile just before Sano leaned down and covered Megumi\'s mouth with his and swept her away in a deep loving kiss that had their small audience gapping in shock.

\"I didn\'t think he had in him.\" Edo smirked and looked over at the other couple who were in the process of snuggling up to each other. \"Ahhh, man.\" He muttered as he made his way to the door. \"It\'s getting thick in here, can\'t you people give an average guy a break?\"

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

Part Two

Long Enough

Slowly one by one the people who were staying with Kenshin and Kaoru at the Dojo were beginning to leave and trying to start the process of picking up the pieces of their own lives instead of waiting for the red-haired Samurai and His lover to do it for them. It was difficult for Kaoru to see them go despite the fervent lecture she had so angrily heaped upon their heads that day when she had lost control of her streaming temper, but she knew the only way to begin anew was to reach out and grab control of ones life with ones own hands. So, as each of them left, she and Kenshin would hug and cry with them, and offer to them their emotional and spiritual support as wes les letting them know if they needed help again the Dojo was always open.

It had been a rough and trying two weeks since the flood, but there was already word that work on a new bridge was being discussed by the city so an eventual future of reunion with friends and family was on the horizon. Food had been hard to come by, but thanks to several generous business owners from further to the north, rice, tofu, and vegetables had been donatedhelphelp get the starving people by until a more organized food transportation system could be set up.

Things were working out slowly as the city Government came in to take over control of the geographical and city wide concerns of the tragedy, and the wheel of organization and repair had finally been set into motion. At last, things were going to be all right and the whole city could breath a collective sigh of relief.

\"Kenshin! Kenshin!\" Kaoru came running across the yard to where the red head was trying to wash clothes, and he raised up from his task just in time to catch her body against him as she launched it through the air. Bending his knees in reflex and spinning on his left foot, he absorbed her headlong rush into him and swung her around lifting her feet high up off the ground making her squeal in girlish delight. Chuckling he reluctantly lowered her back down until her toes were touching, and then smiled with twinkling violet eyes into her flushed face.

\"Nani, Kaoru-Koishii? Why are you so excited? What has gotten you so wound up that you nearly had us both swimming in soapy wash water?\"

\"A letter.\" Was the breathless reply as she pulled back and began waving the now crumpled envelope in his face. \"It\'s a letter from Megumi.\"

\"Megumi-san??\" Immediately Kenshin dropped her all the way to her feet and took the letter from her hand. As he examithe the hand writing, he could see it was, indeed, from Megumi and the return address was...

\"The lower West Quarter?? Is ‘that\' where she has been?\" He and Kaoru exchanged confused looks, and Kenshin carefully opened the letter and began to read.

Dear Ken-san and Kaoru,

I am sorry but this is the first chance I have had to send word to you that I, that WE are all right. Sanosuke and I are both down here in the middle of the Lower West end of Tokyo. This seems to be where the flood hit the hardest. Oh Kaoru, you should see these poor people. They have lost everything; their homes, their belongings, and even their loved ones. The streets have been filled for days with the bodies that keep being brought back. Bodies that are being found way down river. People who were swept away without warning when the water jumped the riverbank and destroyed this place. We have to burn them all because they are so badly decomposed. There just isn\'t time to bury them now. There are thousands upon thousands of rats coming to infest this place. They can smell the rotting flesh and they are coming in droves. It is a desperate fight to rid the community of the cause for the rats being here while still trying to be as respectful of their losses as possible. But the threat of disease is so great... it can\'t be helped.

There is a man here who is helping. He is a very rich European who is voeerieering his time and his money to help these poor people. It really is quite amazing all of the things we are starting to do, but it has only been a couple of days. The amount of work that needs to be done is beyond description, but thanks to the fact that Sano used to be ‘Zanza\' down here, these people are starting to cooperate with what has to be done to restore order and sanitation to their lives. They are finally starting to understand the deadly threat these rats represent and how perilous the rest of their lives are if they do not listen to us and help us.

It is going to be a long time before we make it back home. We received word that the bridge had been washed away, and that is really why I am writing. I know that things up there have to be terrible for everyone right now. Food and clothing must be short. I want you to go to my room at the clinic and pull my armoire out of the corner. There is a loose board in the floor underneath it. Pull it up and you\'ll find some money that I have been keeping. I want the two of you to take it and use it all for whatever has to be done. Use some of it for yourselves too, I know the two of you, and you have probably already exhausted your entire food supply at the Dojo by feeding everyone else. So, use some of it to replenish what you need.

I will not hear ‘no\' for an answer from either of you. This a great time of need for us all and that is the only way I can hthosthose who are my family. So take it and do what I said.

I am fine here. Sano and I are happy. He has finally asked me to Marry him, and once things are finally under control here, we are going to make it official. I am sorry you are not here only for that reason, but don\'t hate us for not waiting to be home. We will have a huge party when we are all together again. WE love and miss you both. Take care of each other and be happy. Oh, by the way... our mystery has been solved, and Sano\'s green-eyed lady is now my dear friend. I will tell you all about it later.

Much love,

Megumi

\"They are getting married...\" A warm knowing smile crossed Kenshin\'s face as he refolded Megumi\'s letter and then slipped it inside of his gi. \"Astonishing.\"

\"What about the part about the ‘green-eyed lady\'? Do you understand that?\" Kaoru looked quizzically at the faraway look on her lovers handsome face as he slipped his arm around her waist.

\"Hai. They must have ‘found\' her down there and somehow everything has worked out.\"

\"Sounds fishy to me.\"

\"You are always so suspicious, Koishii.\" Kaoru giggled as Kenshin burrowed his nose into her neck and began nibbling. \"Just be happy for them that they have finally had an end to this ‘thing\' and they are happy with each other at last.\"

\"But I am, Kenshin, I just cannot help but wonder what happened, that is all.\" arm arms snaked up around his shoulders as she pulled him closer to her.

\"Well, it is time for you to stop wondering and pondering over Sano and Megumi-san now, Saiai... It is time you started wondering and pondering on a far more important subject. One that WE have left unspoken between us for far too long.\"

\"Nani, Kenshin?\" Her voice sounded worried as she pulled back from him and searched the dancing violet crystals theemeeemed to be laughing down into her face. \"Wh-what have we left unspoken?\"

\"Our own marriage, Kaoru. You may call me ‘Anata\', and I may call you ‘Aisai\', but we have not been joined in marriage before Kami-sama, that we have not.\" Kaoru gulped in sudden nervousness as Kenshin\'s face became completely serious. \"Do you want to marry me, Kaoru? Do you want to speak the promise words before a Priest and Kami-sama and become my wife, or.... or are you content to remain as we are. Either way, my heart, my soul, and my life are completely devoted to you and I will never leave your side. You are my chosen life-mate, and I will stay with you for the rest of my life, and I will love you until the stars fall into the ocean and the sands of time are swept away by the winds of Eternity... that I will.\"

\"I...\" It was difficult for Kaoru to speak because of the lump forming in her throat, but she knew her heart was shining from her eyes when a tender smile of love curved Kenshin\'s mouth. As her hands cupped his face, the wetness of unbidden tears began to slide down her cheeks and drip unnoticed from her chin. Gently he lifted a hand and wiped some of them away as well as smooth a few errant strands of hair from her brow.

\"Is this a ‘yes\' you want to be my Wife, or a ‘yes\' you want to stay the way we are, or are you just trying to tell me you love me and you don\'t know what you want?\"

\"Kenshin...\" Standing on her toes, Kaoru pressed her parted lips into the tender smiling line of his and began to shower him with damp teary kisses. \"Aishiteru, my Saiai... Aishiteru. All I have ever wanted was to be with you... just be with you in whatever way you would let me.\" Resting her forehead against his, she pressed her trembling body against his and sniffled. \"Tell me what you want from me, Kenshin... I will be whatever you want me to be.\"

\"Dear God, Kaoru!\" Suddenly his voice was raspy and thick with heavy emotion as his hands moved around her and spread out across her back holding her against him. \"You are my whole life, Koishii. You are the reason I want to get up in the morning... or over sleep. I love you in a way I never dreamed one person could love another. Your heart beats my blood, Saiai... without you I am death itself.\"

\"Kenshin.\" She whispered and buried her face against his throat. \"I need you too. I could not live without you now. I-I would die if you ever left me. My heart would never be able to survive with you gone... you\'re the other half of me.\"

\"Then be my Wife, Kaoru. Kneel before Kami-sama and speak the promise words with me, and lets swear our lives to one another for always.\"

\"You... you would be my husband?\"

\"How else are we going to make babies, silly girl?\" His voice was suddenly full of laughter again, and in the next moment he found himself gazing into the most perfect sapphire blue diamonds he could have ever imagined. \"You are so beautiful.\" Love glowed in the depths of his deep purple eyes as he brushed his nose against hers. \"I love you so much, Kamiya Kaoru... Will you marry me?\"

A giggle escaped her, and then she was blushing as if they had never shared a moments intimacy between them in their entire relationship. This brought a deep rumbling chuckle from Kenshin as bent and nuzzled at her lips making her giggle more.

\"Will you?\" He pressed as he chased her mouth. \"Will you, Kaoru?\"

\"Yes.\" The answer burst from her lips as she threw her head back and began laughing out loud. \"Yes, yes, yes....\" Further speech was made impossible as Kenshin cupped the back of her head and pulled her back to his hungry mouth which all but swallowed her smiling lips entirely. A low moan of pleasure and contentment rose up from her as her arms help him close and one of her h bur buried itself into the thickness of his hair. She loved being kissed by him. She loved the way his mouth felt as it moved over and across her\'s in its loving massaging motions as he molded the softness of her lips beneath the firm desire of his. She loved how he tasted when he she opened her mouth and let him press his tongue in upon her... so male, so musky... so Kenshin. He made her senses swim when he kissed her like that. He made her want, he made her yearn, he made her ache and need... he turned her into something hungry and primitive that she hardly recognized as herself, but she liked it. She liked what he did to her once he aroused that hungry primitive beast within her. He did things to her body that were almost shameful in the amount of pleasure they brought to her, but having come to know and taste those decadent pleasures he shared with her, Kaoru knew she would never again be able to live without them... or Him.

\"I love you, Himura Kenshin.\" She breathed against the moistness of his mouth. \"And I love the sexy unpredictable Battousai that burns within your soul, and I love the beautiful caring desirable man that you are the rest of the time. I don\'t know where I would be without you.\"

\"Married to someone boring who would never understand your moods, or put up with your temper, or ever fully see the wondrous and beautiful woman you are.\" A cascade of girlish giggles vibrated against his lower lip as she agreed with him in her own way and he hugged her closer to his chest and kissed her again. \"But you are not without me, Saiai, and I love you just the way you are... I do not want you to ever change.\"

\"On one condition, Himura Kenshin.\"

\"Nani?\" He asked smiling into her sparkling eyes.

\"You are not ever allowed to change either. I love you just the way you are too... and you cannot take the Battousai away from me. I love him too. Besides... he can be so much fun to have around.\"

The bright violet of Kenshin\'s eyes began to glow at Kaoru\'s heart-felt words, and in but a moments passing were taking on a hint of shimmering amber around the pupils. \"I would not think of trying to deprive you of your favorite playmate, Koishii.\" His voice dropped to a lower tone as he started to nuzzle around her lips again. \"After all, you said it yourself, he is so much fun when he comes out to ‘play\'... for both of us.\" Kaoru giggled again and then deliberately found and stopped his teasing lips with her own.

\"Stop playing around, you rotten rurouni...\" She growled as she nipped at his mouth with her teeth. \"Stop playing around and kiss me again.\"

\"You already trying to order me around, Koishii?\"

\"What do you mean ‘already\'? I\'ve been doing for ages, just not like this.\"

\"Hmmmm... this is true. Who am I to try and change something that is already working?\"

\"I don\'t know? Who are you?\"

\"The man who loves you, little one.\"

\"Hmmmm... I like the sound of that.\"

\"Ka, then you will like the sound of this much better.\"

\"Nani? The sound of what?\"

\"You moaning, Saiai... You moaning.\"

\"Oh,\" She sighed and held on to him as he scooped her up into his arms and began walking back toward the Dojo and their room. \"I think you are right about that, Anata. That I do.\"

A/N: Don\'t Kill Me!!! There is an Epilogue coming... and with it the final Lemon to send our couple sailing off into the proverbial sunset.
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