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

Standard disclaimers-I do not own ruroni kenshin or any of those wonderful characters. They are a product of Jump Comics Inc. Etc.


Glossary: Saiai-beloved, Aijou=love, Koishii=dear or darling, Kuso=shit or bullshit, Hai=yes, Sakobatou=reverse blade sword, Aman=lover, Setsuai=love deeply, Aishiteru=I love you, Ren\'ai=making love


Chapter Three

Autumn\'s Twilight


\"Ouch!\" Dammit!!

Kaoru looked at the large cut that was open and bleeding along her left forearm. Her angry blue eyes shot poisonous daggers at the sly branch peaking out from beneath the otherwise neatly trimmed edge of her favorite rose bush. A long painfully sharp thorn dripped red with the fresh blood it had just gouged from her tender flesh, and it splattered unbecomingly on her pale yellow silk Kimono as branbranch bounced a gay dance in the wake of their unfortunate meeting.

\"Ohhhhhh! Just look what you did to my Kimono, you stupid bush.\" She fumed as she examined the smattering of tiny stains polka-dotting the front of the fragile material. \"I ought to rip you right out of the ground for that... I know you knew this was my favoite dress, and look at what you did to it. Gosh-darn stupid... stupid... oh, damnit anyway.\" Stomping away angrily, Kaoru vowed to return and give the errant rose a good clipping just as soon as she figured out a way to get the blood out of her Kimono.

\"Stupid roses... I do not know why I keep them around anyway... they aren\'t really good for anything except esthetics and scent.\" She sighed heavily and entered her room closing the fusuma behind her with a firm \'thud\'. In only moments, the Kimono was removed and Kaoru had donned a servicable pair of brown hakama and a light brown gi, and then she was headed back out into the yard towards the wash tubs.

\"Kuso...\" She looked around nervously checking to see if Kenshin were anywhere in the near vacinity because she knew if he caught her cursing again he was really going to let her have it. It had been several weeks now since this had all really started, but he had decided to take it upon himself to break her of her bad habit of swearing everytime she became angry or upset. However, so far he had not had very much luck. It seemed for Kaoru, that old habits were just too hard to break, and the cuss-words just continued to slip out of her dainty mouth no matter how hard she tried to curb her tongue. It had gotten so bad the last few days that Kenshin had actually threatened her with a sound thrashing if she did not at least show she was putting forth some sort of effort to change her ways, but it was just so difficut when there were so many things in life that just screamed to be sworn at.

Like Yahiko for instance. That rotten brat was constantly on her nerves or in her way, and he never did anything she asked or told him too. Now if that was not deserving of a good curse or two, then she did not know what was, but Kenshin was not going to budge on this issue so Kaoru had found herself having to dand and dodge him so as not to get caught in the act.

So when she found the wash area empty of one red-haired ruroni, she heaved a massive sigh of relief and counted herself more than a little luckey because she had no doubt whatsoever that Kenshin would make good on his threat and beat her soundly if he heard her cussing.

\"Thank-you Kami-sama.\" She raised her hands in praise to the heavens and then picked up one of the tin tubs and took it to fill it with cold water and soap. She did not really mind lugging the weight of the tub once it was full of water, but it was times like these that she missed Kenshin when he was not around. He lifted the water-laiden tubs as if they were filled with nothing more than air, and sometimes it was more than a nice thing to have him around to help with the heavy things. Of course, that was not the only reason she liked having him around. A wicked smile curled her full lips and her deep blue eyes began to dance with merry mischief as she let her mind slither sensously through some of the other reasons she liked having Kenshin at the Dojo.

It was a new twist in their on going and on-growing relationship, and it was something that brought out both a decedant teasing and playful bashfulness in her personality which were things she had never thought herself capable of. However, when certain things happened between the two of them, she just could not seem to help herself and she would become somewhat of a wicked stranger even to herself. A full rich bubble of laughter escaped her as she considered how much Kenshin had changed since they had finally decided that being in love was much preferable to being alone.

He was almost as carefree as a man ten years his junior, and God knew he seemed to have found the energy to match. The man was absolutely insatiable when it came to the pleasures they shared together in his bed. As she thought about those particular \'pleasures\', Kaoru bit her lip and felt the heat of an unconscious blush rise to stain her cheeks. She was learning things in his arms she had never even dreamed of, let alone thought could be possible. Surely it must be a sin for something to feel \'that\' good, but for the life of her she could not think why. All she knew was her love for Kenshin grew stronger with each passing day, and with it came a desire and a hunger for the Battousai within him to touch her, kiss her, taste her, devour her. It appeared Kaoru had found something in the world more addicting than opium. Sex with the Battousai and love with Kenshin.

Kaoru knew she would be lost without him in every aspect of her life because he had also remained her truest and most trusted friend as well.

Carefully she dunked the yellow silk into the cold soapy water and began a rhythmic scrubbing motion with her hands which she kept up for several moments before she rinsed the gown and inspected it. After a short perusal, she could see that the stains had only faded from the material a small amount, so back into the water it went and she subject it to another round of scrubbing. This proceedure was repeated several times before she allowed herself to inspect the Kimono again.

\"Dammit!\" She threw the gown into the water in frustration as the obvious proof of her failure contiued to stare her in the face. \"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!\" She ran a soapy hand across her damp forehead trying to wipe away the sweat of her exertion, but, much to her own consternation, only managed to spread soapy water on her skin. \"Ohhhhh Kuso! I hate washing clothes!!\" Standing up in a huff, she whirled around intent on marching back to her room for a dry cloth before trying to tackle the Kimono again, but pulled up short with a shocked squeak.

\"Kenshin!\"

\"Hai,\" He was looking at her with slightly amused amethyst eyes and a dry half smile on his boyish face. \"You seem to be having some... ah, difficulties, Koishii. That you are.\" He approached her very nonchalantly with his hands clasped behind his back, and when he reached her side, Kenshin looked down into the sudsy water lapping against the sides of the tub and raised one dark brown eyebrow before casting a meaningful sidelong gaze in her direction. \"You are... washing something, I presume?\" At her wide-eyed nod he continued in a dry, almost conversational voice. \"I see. Hmmmm, well, it would appear, my dear, that you are struggling with this...ahh, task. Am I correct?\" Again she nodded, and Kenshin allowed a small smile of irony to cross his lips as he noticed how careful she was being about not saying a single word during this conversation. \'Sorry, my love,\' He thought mischieviously, \'but I cannot let you get off that easily. That I cannot.\'

\"You are trying to wash a....\" He looked at her pale wide-eyed face expectantly waiting for her to answer his open ended question.

\"Ahhh, Ahem. I-I was trying to w-wash one of m-my Kimono\'s that g-g-got dirty.\" She stuttered and stared at a piece of yellow silk peaking out of the sudsy water. \"I g-got some blood on it.\"

\"Blood?\" He queried.

\"From the rose bush.\" She valia sho showed him the angry looking gouge in her hand as proof then quickly lowered her eyes avoiding his pointed gaze.

\"Ahhh, I see, and the stain would not come out?\" He reached out and put a finger beneath her chin and turned her to face him.

\"Uh-huh...\" Little white teeth appeared and bit down on her bottem lip nervously as long lashed eyelids blinked rapidly over anxious blue eyes. \"But no matter how much I scrubbed, it just won\'t come out... and I tried really hard too.\"

\"I am sure you did, Koishii. That I am.\" Kenshin was struggling not to laugh or let a full smile cross his face as he watched the play of anxious emotions dance across her lovely face. He knew exactly what she was thinking about, and he knew why she was thinking it, and it was effecting certain parts of him in very interesting ways as his mind began presenting him with very vivid images. \"It does seem to me, Koishii, that your little temper tantrum was a bit harsh for just doing some washing... do you not think so as well?\"

\'RATS!! I was afraid he heard me.\' \"Ummmm.... well... but, Kenshin you do not know how long I have been trying to get that damned dress to come clean..... EEEP!\" She clapped both hands over her mouth in horror as she realized what she had done, and then she started to back up away from her lover as she watched the color of his eyes deepen from a pale violet to a brilliant dark purple. A little sliver of excited fear laced its way up her spine as she suddenly realized that she was out of viable defenses in her own behalf, and the look on Kenshin\'s face told her he knew that as well. Kaoru was backed into a proverbial corner and all out of options.

\"My, my, my.\" Kenshin shook his head in mock disappointment. \"But it does appear to me that someone is in dire need of a stern lesson in vocabulary etiquite as well as an attitude adjustment. That it does.\" Dark velvety purple eyes pinned Kaoru to the spot as he raised that elegant brown brow at her once more in a perfect display of the disapproving sensei. \"You really need to be more aware of yourself and what you are saying, Koishii, that you should.\"

\"B-bb-but Kenshin... It was just a couple of little slips... that is all... I swear it was. I will do better from now on, I promise... I really will.\" Her eyes were beseeching and her voice filled with aching entreaty, but she could tell he was not going to give an inch on this issue. (At least not when he was having so much fun watching her try to squirm her way out of it.)

\"No, dearest, it was far more than just a couple of slips as you say. I seem to recall a full-blown leap off the cliff of socially acceptable vocabulary just as I was arriving, and that has nothing to do with your most recent lapse right here to my face. No, I am afraid it is time I took drastic measures in trying to alter this on-going \'problem\' of yours.\"

\"Drastic measures??\" She squeaked. \"What drastic measures?\"

\"You leave me no choice, Koishii. You really do not.\"

\"What do you mean, \'no choice\'? What are you going to do to me, Kenshin?\" She was backing up farther and farther, and he was following slowly but surely in her wake.

\"Why... beat you, of course, Koishii.\"

Kaoru\'s eyes grew so round with alarm that they looked as if they might explode out of her pale surprised face. \"You... w-wh-what...?\"

\"I am quite certain you heard me, Kaoru. Now do not make this more difficult on yourself than it needs to be.\" He advanced on her with a calmness that shattered what was left of her composure, and with a stifled scream of disbelieving terror, Kaoru turned and fled towards the dojo. Kenshin finally allowed the smile he had been supressing to flash across his handsome face just before he took off after her at half-speed.

Kaoru looked over her shoulder and saw a lightening quick flash of brilliant red very close behind her and instinctively pealed off to her right dodging the arm that shot out to grab her.

\"OOOOOOOOOOOO NOOOOOOOOOOOO!\" She screamed as she dashed wildly down the pathway towards the koi pond ducking beneath the hanging branches of the old willow tree as she went. As she fled from Kenshin\'s sure and swift feet, her headlong flight took her past the large cement bowl and out beyond the back property boundary. Down the open street she ran until she spied the bridge where she and Kenshin had often met in the past. A quick look over her shoulder assured her that he was not behind her so she dove swiftly beneath the promised hiding place and pressed herself against the cold bricks as tightly as she could. Then, desperately, Kaoru sucked in a mouthful of air and held it trying to force herself to be as quiet as she possibly could.

After feeling like she had waited for an eternity, Kaoru wondered what was going on because nothing happened. It seemed Kenshin had given up the chase and had not come after her. So, breathing a great sigh of relief, Kaoru carefully edged her way out from under the shadow of the bridge and looked around cautiously still half expecting him to jump out and pounce on her at any moment, but he did not. Instead she was greeted by nothing more than the sounds of the rushing water in the swift moving stream.

Ironically, she almost felt disappointed that he had given up so easily in his pursuit of her. She could not help but wonder what would have happened IF he had caught her. Would he had really beaten her as he had threatened, and what exactly was he implying when he said \'beat\'? She did not think he meant to actually \'beat\' her, but WHAT would he have done to her? She was certain he would have done something, but WHAT would remain a mystery now. A wistful smile passed over her lovely features as she looked at her swirling reflection in the greenish water at her feet. A very naughty part of her was whispering in a teasing voice that it might have been fun IF he had caught her, but it was too late now because the moment had passed and she was here while he was still at the dojo. \'Oh well,\' She thought to herself and shrugged. \'There is always tomarrow, I suppose.\' Then, deciding she could not exactly go back right then, she turned and began to wander back along the grassy bank of the stream until she had disappeared into the trees.

A soft laugh floated down on a cool autumn breeze and then was swept away along with the current of the crisply moving water as Kenshin leaned over the edge of the bridge and watched his lover wander around the bend of the stream and vanish. \"Where are you going, Saiai?\" He asked softly to her departing form. \"And may I come along?\" With twinkling violet eyes and a boyish smile, he nimbly lept over the edge and dropped soundlessly to the ground. Then with the Battousai\'s stealth, he proceeded to followed her.


Kaoru walked, climbed, and wandered up along the bank of the stream for an hour or so just enjoying the fact that she had out smarted Kenshin for once. It was only a small victory, but it tasted very sweet to her because it was something that happened so rarely. It was true, she could frequently overcome him with her bokkon but only when she caught him off guard, and she could often out wit him in verbal battles, but when it came to confrontations of this sort, she was almost always the loser. It was not that she minded losing, because he usually made it up to her in one way or another, it was just that she hated the idea of losing at all. Especially to Kenshin.

Kaoru was not sure why that was so, but she hated to lose to Kenshin for any reason. Ever since he had come into her life, she had felt a fierce competitiveness where he was concerned for some reason, and she just could not seem to get over it. So, whenever she gained any sort of tactical victory over him, it was always cause for a mini celebration inside her ego.

Spying a large flat rock that angled off into the water on one side, she decided to stop and rest for a bit. Walking over to it, she pulled off her sandals and tabi and sat down to dangle her feet in the cold water. A satisfied sigh escaped her as the pleasure of the coolness closed around her aching calloused feet.

The current was not as swift here and as it swirled up and around the base of the large rock, it formed a fairly large pond that looked to be about waist deep, and through the blue-green clarity she could see little fish swimming in and around her feet. Kaoru giggled like a little girl as they began to nibble at her toes causing little shivering and tickling sensns tns that made her wriggle her feet in unconscious response. This made the fish dart quickly away, but it was not long before they came back to investigate the sensitive toes.

Kaoru played with the fish for a few moments before she decided that maybe it would not hurt to take a little swim. After all, it would be getting cold soon now that Autumn was almost upon them, and there would be so few opportunities left for that particular pleasure. Besides, she was all sweaty and sticky from her long walk as well as from trying to wash that damn kimono, so she stood up and quickly removed her gi, breast bandages, and hakama laying them in a neat pile off to one side. Then slowly and with great care, she eased herself into the cool water sucking in her breath as it reached her middrift, but after only a moment or two, she was used to the cooler temperature and submurged herself past her shoulders. The pond was large enough and deep enough to swim in so she began to lazily stroke her way around enjoying the pull and stretch of her muscles against the resistance of the water.

This was how Kenshin found her when he finally emerged soundlessly from the trees. A naked Goddess basking in an Enchanted Pool of glittering gems of Aqua-blue. The pale perfection of her skin slipped through the water as if she were a true born forest nymph, and he watched as flashes of pink and white heralded the exquisite beauty of her breasts as they occassionally peeked out above the lapping waterline. Hair as black and glossy as polished obsidian gleamed and glistened beneath the brilliance of the setting sun, and eyes bluer than the finest cobalt seemed to beckon and call to his heart and soul, \"Come beloved... come to me and be with me... come my Aman and make me yours once again...\"

Kenshin knew he was lost to the Battousai\'s burning lusts from the moment he had laid his eyes on her. All thoughts of a playful romp ending up in his bed were completely forgotten as his eyes changed and deepened into a rich golden-amber color, and the heavy heat of his growing desire moved along the top of his left groin and then twitched violently as it made its presance known.

\"Saiai-aman...\" His voice was a hoarse whisper that seemed to catch in his throat as his mouth became dry and his breathing turned ragged. A trembling left hand rose to fiercly grasp the ever presance hilt of Kenshin\'s sakobatou as the Battousai at last gained full control of the body, mind, and emotions.

With chin down, and a wolfishly hungry gaze looking out from beneath his arching brows, Battousai walked forward on the silent feet of the preditor he was and stealthfully approached his unsuspecting prey while she continued to languidly swim about the pond totally oblivious to his presance. The Enchanted Nymph Goddess was about to be captured by none other than the Battousai, and he intended on making a meal out of her. A very, very long meal.

The last of the sunlight disappeared behind the rolling hills leaving only the pale yellows and oranges of Autumn\'s Twilight. The glory of the burning sunset.

The water felt cool and clean on her skin, and Kaoru was reveling in it. She dove beneath the surface of the pond and pulled herself through the glittering blue-green glory until her lungs began to burn, and then forced herself uds sds so that she burst from the water with a great splash. The blazing orange brilliance of the sunset burned into her eyes as she resurfaced, and she was forced to raise a hand to shade her eyes in defense of the brightness.

\"Beautiful.\" She breathed reverantly as she gazed at the vision of burning colors. \"I wish Kenshin were here to see this with me.\" Kaoru lowered her hand as a sharp pang of disappointment jabbed at her heart. If she had gone back to the dojo instead of coming on her walk, she could have shared this beautiful site with him, but she had not so she was looking at it alone.

\"Kenshin...\" A deep sigh of regret escaped her chest, and then she shrugged in defeat. \"I should have gone home.\"

Suddenly a pair of very very strong, and very purposeful hands gripped her waist from behind, and the breath of a husky voice mingled with the water on the left curve of her throat sending gooseflesh across her shoulders and down her spine. Kaoru would have screamed and turned to fight if she had not recognized the touch, the voice, and the spirit.

\"No, Koishii-aman. If you had come back home, I would not have had the pleasureable opportunity of discovering you... like this.\" Then that mouth was openly pressed against her sensitive quivering flesh, and those warm calloused hands rose from her waist to cup and squeeze her pink-tipped breasts while her left arm rose to curl around his head and hold him against her.

Battousai captured a taut nipple between the fingers of each hand and began to pinch them with increasing pressure until Kaoru cried out his name, and arching her back against his chest, she wantonly pressed those aching tender mounds of flesh even more fully into his palms while her head dropped weakly into the curve of his shoulder. He responded to her ardently by gripping her breasts almost violently, and pulling harder on those sensitive dusky nipples until they grew larger and longer, and the sounds of her moans rose into the high octaves of pleasure.

His engorged errection was pressed tightly against the soft crease between her buttocks, and his soaring passions forced him to thrust and grind it against her in primitive need as his right hand snaked down beneath the surface of the water to find the quivering lips of her hungry sex.

\"OOOOOOOOOO...!\" She cried out when he parted her and found the smaller stiff errection of her need and began to rub it and pinch it provacitively between his thumb and index finger. Her trembling right hand slid down his forearm and covered his hand pressing it closer against the raging core of her urging him on... begging him for more while her left hand buried itself deep into the mass of this red hair at the back of his neck. A deep growl rumbled in his chest as he reached farther around her and slid two fingers up inside and then lifted them up against her at a harsh angle.

Kaoru shuddered violently against him and a ragged groaning sound tore its way free from her vitals as her body responded by grinding down against that hard hand, and the exquisite pleasure-pain it was producing deep within the heart of her womanhood.

\"Kennnsshhhinnn...\" It was an agonized moan from deep in her throat as she turned her face and found her nose pressed against the hard edge of his jaw. \"Onnnegaiii...\" She arched her neck and her strong pink tongue darted out to trace a pathway of molten fire along the smooth heated flesh of his throat, and then up to his ear where a well placed nip brought a deep growling moan from him.

\"Setsuai-aman...\" Battousai rasped and turned his face into hers and devoured her open mouth within his own sliding the heat of his tongue deep inside to find hers. Kaoru responded by turning in his arms and pressing the fullness of herself against the hard planes and contours of his rock solid body. He groaned at the touch of her softness against him, and his arms wrapped around her crushing the fullness of her breasts against his muscular chest while he cocked his head and opened his mouth farther deepening their kiss
.
Kaoru\'s arms wound around his neck and shoulders, her left hand, buried deep in his thick hair, held his face pressed against hers so she had the leverage to launch a passionate response to his kiss. The wettness of her tongue slid free of her moist lips and sensuously traced the curve of his lower lip before it slid over the top and down the inside of it where it massaged the sensitive tissue next to his teeth. Battousai was suddenly standing very still and not moving even the least little bit as he relaxed his mouth and let explexplore the cavern of soft moist flesh. Her tongue slid over his teeth and inside the furrows next to his cheeks then, ducking her head at a sharp angle, she let it slide languidly up into the hollow of the roof of his mouth where it slickly traveled the full length ending up behind his front lip which she caught sensuously between her own teeth and nipsuggsuggestively. As she pulled back, huge blue pools of smouldering cobalt rose to meet the golden embers of her lovers burning desire, and she caught her breath at the look she read in those extraordinary eyes.

\"Battousai-saiai,\" She whispered and brought both hands around to cup his face and caress the smoothness of his skin. Her heart fluttered and skipped a beat as she watched eyelids heavy with passion and desire drop down over those beautiful eyes, and, as his head fell back a fraction and his mouth turned to capture one of her fingers and suck it inside, she watched a look of pure pleasure and love flow over the handsome features. \"Aishiteru, my saiai-aman.\" She leaned into him and replaced her finger with her lips and kissd him with all of the love in her heart and soul.

\"Make love to me, Battousai-Kenshin. Make love to me, my beautiful, beautiful man.\" Kaoru rubbed herself against the man in her arms, and felt him shudder against her even as he buried his mouth against her throat again. \"I need you to make love to me, koishii Battousai.\" She mewled softly into his ear as she shifted her hips against the hardness that was pressing into her lower abdomen causing a hoarse moan to be torn from deep inside the Battousai.

\"Ren\'ai saiai\" He rasped. \"I am making love to you, my angel. What else do you think I have been doing for God\'s sake?\" His voice was tinged with barely repressed violence but she could hear a small twinkle of humor within it as well, and it brought a smile to her full mouth.

\"Stalling for time?\" She nipped the smooth skin on his shoulder and then let the tip of her tongue slip a slow maddening path along his throat until he was forced to raise his head so she could reach the tip of his chin. \"After all, my fierce warrior, you did say you were going to beat me. Remember?\" She felt his mouth spread into a wicked smile as he rubbed his cheek against hers in a rough caress.

\"Indeed I did, but I have thought of something much more fitting to do to you as punishment for your... lapse in etiquette.\"

She pulled away far enough to look into his amused passion filled eyes, and raised one delicate black eyebrow in question. \"And what would that be, my-aijou?\"

Smiling a wicked sweet smile, he bent and brushed a kiss against her pouting lips then scooped her up into his arms and hauled her dripping wet out of the water. Then, with the most tender of care, he laid her down on his gi, which was spread out on the soft grass. Kaoru held her arms out expecting him to come and lay with her, but he shook his head and simply ran his hands down her heated sensitive flesh until he reach the mound of damp curls between her thighs. Golden eyes lifted to meet smokey blue and their gazes locked, and his eyes watched her very carefully as he lowered himself down towards that ebony treasure.

Kaoru was trembling and her eyes were frozen on Battousai\'s face as she watched him lower himself towards the center of her. \"Wh-what are you g-going t-to do?\" She asked as her body began to tremble with anticipation of the unknown. \"Kenshin?\"

He paused a mere inch from his goal and she fone one of his hands slid provacatively down her leg, nudge it away from its mate, and then begin to trace an intricate path of tantalizing pleasure up the inside of her naked thigh seemingly intent upon reaching the same goal his mouth was reaching for only a moment before.

\"Kenshin?? What are y-you...\"

\"You forget yourself, my saiai-aman.\" His husky voice sent shivers of excited anticipation along her heated flesh as he dropped the last inch to his goal. \"I am your Battousai-aman, little angel. Himura Kenshin would never consider doing to you what I am about to do.\" And he smiled his wickedly alluring grin just before closing his beautiful eyes and sliding his tongue out and slipping it deftly between her delicate folds for a long loving taste of her tangy sweetness.

\"OOOOOOOOOOOOOO KAAMMII!!\" Kaoru\'s hips arched violently up off the ground as the sensation of Battousai\'s tongue rubbing and slipping in and out of her most private place sent her mind and rational senses spinning out of control. Liquid heat flared and exploded outward from her central core as he licked, nibbled, and sucked at her most sensitive flesh. Her head thrashed violently from side to side as moan after moan ripped its way free from her shuddering body, and hands that could no longer find a place to settle, dug themselves deeply into his flaming red hair, and gripped tightly as her need burgeoned to outrageous proportions.

Battousai\'s hands were both beneath Kaoru, each holding one of her buttocks cupped in its open palm as he lifted her up to his hungry mouth. His eyes were closed in pure pleasure as he laid his mouth on her again and again savouring every taste, every flavor nuance, every shuddering response. \"So perfect...\" He breathed as he rose and cast a tender look into his lovers flused and disoriented face. \"I love you.\" Battousai whispered as he moved up her body and claimed her lips with his own letting her taste the tangy sweetness of herself from his mouth. \"You are my Soul, Kaoru.\" His knees gently spread her trembling thighs apart as he lowered himself between them. With a gentle hand he reached down and slowly guided the hardness of his love and desire for her into that sweet moist treasure he had been savouring so selfishly but a moment before. \"Tell me my Angel...\" he muttered against her lips as he sheathed himself fully within her heated depths. \"Am I making love to you NOW?\" His mouth trailed down over her cheek and jaw and finally closed over the hardened tip of one pink nipple. \"Is this what you want from me, saiai-aman? Tell me... is this what you want?\"

\"Yessssss....\" Her voice was barely audible or understandable as she pulled her legs up and wrapped them around his hips. Her arms slid upward along the smooth muscular exspanse of his naked back until she could grip his shoulders and pull herself up off the ground. \"I... want... you... inside....\"

Battousai bit her nipple hard once and then rose to meet her glazed look of yearning. \"I am inside of you, saiai-Kaoru.\" He breathed huskily as he lifted his hips and then thrust down into her hard and deep drawing a harsh high pitched screaming moan from her lips as he did. \"I am inside.\" Then he began moving in and out of her at a thunderous pace that sent her voice ringing through the trees and up into the heavens.

As the stars began to wink into being in the ever darkening sky, the lovers rocked, thrust, and fought together as they struggled toward the peak of release and filfullment that waited for them in that wonderous golden place they always found within each others arms, and, as always, first one reach the pinnacle and then the other followed close behind.


Peace came to the two souls that inhabited the closely entwined bodies lying wrapped around one another beneath the starlit skies. After several long moments of quiet, as they spiraled back to earth, one spoke to the other.

\"Did I hurt you, saiai?\" The voice was a little apprehensive and definitely worried and the tip of a cold nose nuzzled against the warmth of a creamy throat.

\"No, koishii. I am not hurt.\" Tender arms squeezed more tightly around the firmly muscled body, and another cold nose found refuge against a warm shoulder.

\"You are cold,\" The first voice spoke laced with even more worry. \"The sun has set and the air has turned cool. You could catch your death out here with your hair so wet. Kuso! I am such a baka.\"

\"Hush,\" The second voice chided the first. \"Your hair is just as wet as mine, and could get just as sick so stop fussing over me.\" The mouth beneath the cold nose smiled and pressed soft kisses against the other mouth until it finally smiled as well. \"There, now lets get up, get dressed, and go home. I\'m starved.\"

\"Starved?\"

\"Yes, starved. We have not eaten sence lunch. Remember?\"

Rich laughter was the only answer that was offered. Shortly they were dressed and picking their way back through the trees and rocks along the streambank. Once they reached the bridge, He helped Her climb up the short hill and they walked back to the dojo hand in hand with her head resting on his shoulder.

\"Kenshin?\"

\"Hmmmm?\"

\"Were you really going to beat me for cursing today?\"

\"No, but I was having fun making you think I was going to, that I was.\"

\"You are a rat, you know that?\"

\"Of course, but I would have made it up to you, koishii.\"

\"Really? Would it have been as fun as what we just did by the stream?\"

\"I do not know, Kaoru. You know those things all depend on whether or not Battousai shows up or not... and what I had planned was not exactly along the same lines as his usual tastes. I was more interested in chasing you around the yard and THEN ending up in bed for a little fun.\"

\"Hmmmm, I see. Well, that is just as well because you could not in your best conscience punish me now anyway.\"

\"Oh,\" A brown brow rose in mock indignancy. \"And why not?\"

\"Because you cursed today too.\"

\"I most certainly did not.\"

\"DID TOO.\"

\"When?\"

\"When you said I might get sick with my hair being so wet. You said, \"Kuso, I am such a baka!\"

\"Oh my...\"

\"Told you so.\"


Even small victories tasted sweet.