~*~ Paying the Tab ~*~
            by Alyssa Tay Tanoko

                     ~*~

The fog rolled along the streets with its
clinging damp residue and stirred restlessly
at the slightest movement. Sano shuffled
through it, half-aware of his surroundings,
senses dulled by the day's shocks and
overload. His hand ached worse than awful and
he stuck it in his pocket, grimacing at the
blood that had seeped and stained through the
linen wrappings even after Megumi's careful
tending. If he kept this up, his hand *would*
be ruined for good.

Lit lamps at odd intervals along the street
cast a flickering, fog-refracted light that
shivered into pieces, obscuring rather than
illuminating the way. It was so hard to
believe. This whole atmosphere was surreal,
making the day's events less solid. Kaoru was
dead, and Kenshin... Sano barely took note of
the dark lean figure that took shape from
layered shadows and wan, clinging fog until
he realized the man was blocking his door.

"Oi," he growled, not in the mood for
obstacles, "get outta my way...nn!?" His eyes
slitted as he took a good look at the man.

Sano stumbled back and assumed a fight-ready
stance as he realized just who was blocking
his doorway.

"Temee! Did you come to finish our fight!?"
he demanded, fists at the ready. "Ch'. Sure
as hell took you damned long enough. If you
were actually alive after all this time, why
didn'tcha..."

Saitou Hajime regarded him with calm, narrow
amber eyes and lifted a burning cigarette to
his lips. The tip glowed cherry-bright for a
moment then he quirked his lips and a trail
of smoke issued from the corner of his mouth,
mingling instantly with the shroud of fog.
"Ahou," he spoke the insult with detachment,
"don't try to accomplish impossible feats and
be stupider than you look. You're in no shape
to fight me."

"What did you say!?" Sano flared back, his
temper sparking like starved dry tinder.
"I'll show you -- bastard, I'll show you how
much stronger I am now! I took out Banjin,
and you--"

With a crisp flick, the cop sent ashes
fluttering and merely raised one brow, the
relaxed lines of face and body proclaiming he
was unimpressed. "I'm not here to fight, ahou
ga. But if you want to waste your last
reserves and break your hand for good, by all
means I'll oblige."

Sano was torn between a snarl and curiosity
for the reason behind Saitou's motives. He
hadn't known the slanty-eyed bastard even
knew where he lived, much less was inclined
to come dropping by. And why now? Kaoru was
dead. Kenshin... Kenshin was... Sanosuke
stood shifting slightly from foot to foot,
fists still slightly half-raised. Finally, he
muttered a grudging, "What do you want?"

It must have been a trick of the fog, and the
wan lighting -- Saitou's eyes *gleamed.*
Nah...Sano dismissed it. The lamps were dim
in this quarter. "I need someone's
perspective on Kenshin's state of mind,"
Saitou told him, tone cool as he lifted the
dwindling cigarette to his lips again. "What
will he do, now that she's died? Yukishiro is
still a threat. He's an unknown."

Sanosuke's own mouth twitched. Saitou wanted
him to predict what a grief-rent Kenshin
would do? How could any of them know.

"Right now?" he raised his eyebrows.

Saitou shrugged and sent the cigarette butt
tumbling to the dirt. "Now's good."

Sano made a long face and scratched at his
head. An idea was creeping. "...I'm hungry,"
he voiced, giving the cop a sidewise glance.
Would he be as obliging as Muraki-shoucho?
The least he could do was bum a meal off the
older man. Sure, Saitou might think less of
him for taking advantage at such a time, but
hell. Saitou already didn't think much of
him.

The amber-eyed cop returned his glance then
searched his pockets, face expressionless for
a moment before dredging up another
cigarette. "Fine. I wouldn't mind some soba,"
Saitou returned, lighting up and then
brushing past him, walking down the street.

A grin stole over Sano's features. If he
played his cards right.... "Oi!" he turned,
striding after the older man, "I know this
great place, the Akabeko..."

***

The Wolf of Mibu cast a long look over the
rim of his bowl as he slurped up his soba
broth. Sanosuke was oblivious to his glance,
as he was unaware of how carefully he was
being stalked. Saitou was keenly aware of it
-- right down to the instant the 'fledgling'
had become more than an amusing diversion to
him, this toying with a boy who'd obviously
been Himura's conquest. It had been that
startling moment when Sanosuke had made more
than a leap of intuition, mastering the
defense of Futae no Kiwami. From that point
on, Saitou took him seriously.

But he was still an ahou.

"Oi, Tae-san!" the ahou was calling,
wriggling the empty sake bottle in the air
with a doltish expression on his face. "We
need more..."

Saitou snatched it from his fingers and the
younger man turned with blinking eyes,
expression giving way to anger. "No, you
don't," Saitou curled his lip, "you already
smell like a distillery." And, Saitou added
to himself, would taste like one if things
progressed as he planned. Sake inflamed his
senses and he didn't want to be out of
control, tasting it on Sano's mouth.

The owner of the Akabeko turned with a
puzzled smile. "Did you need something,
gentlemen? More what?"

"More tea," Saitou interposed before Sanosuke
could get his request in.

Tae bobbed her head and moved off.

Sanosuke was glaring at him fit to kill.
"What's with you?" he asked, testy.

Saitou merely raised a brow. "Since I'm
paying, you're hardly in a position to
protest." He raised his chopsticks and calmly
continued to make inroads on his yakisoba.

"Eheh..." The ahou's expression turned
vaguely sheepish and he rubbed at the back of
his head.

"You thought I wouldn't realize, maybe?" he
prodded dryly. "Ahou ga. You're a penniless
brawler who depends on dicing and the
dearly-departed Kamiya girl for a living. I
expected to pay the bill."

Sanosuke pounded the table, making bowls and
empty sake bottles flirt and rattle. "Don't
say shit like that about jou-chan! And stop
calling me that!"

"Stop acting like one."

"Temee--"

"You're too noisy, ahou. There are paying
customers in here."

Sanosuke subsided into a slouch, arms
crossed, eyes burning. There was a real
intensity in his gaze, simmering just beneath
the surface. Saitou was very much looking
forward to this. It wouldn't be gentle by any
means, but that was only better, as he liked
it. He had sensed from that one raw, stolen
kiss in Kyoto back in the police station that
Sanosuke was a very responsive young man --
he had begun to return the gesture before
struggling. And Kenshin had left this
responsive young man untouched for a long
while.

That kiss had been a very long while ago. But
Saitou was good at rekindling memory.

Earlier in the meal they had spoken of
Kenshin's grieved, haggard state and there
had been a flicker in the ahou's eyes, there
and gone. He knew it was over but there was a
part of him that yearned, yet... But of
Kenshin's state, he was as Saitou had
expected. His fighting had been focused and
absolute, but when it came to adhering to his
code, he had been helpless against Enishi.
And then the Kamiya woman... Saitou
speculated that Kenshin wouldn't be able to
finish matters himself. Perhaps, if nothing
had happened to the raccoon girl...

Tae returned with the steaming tea and
regarded them with a pleasant smile, eyes
crinkled shut. "Will there be anything
else?"

Saitou waved a hand, his smile equally
pleasant and fixed in place. "Yes, the bill
please."

Tae bowed her head and moved off.

Sanosuke was looking at him speculatively.
"Oi, you. I've got this little tab...I'm sure
it would be nothing to a salaried man like
you..."

Saitou suppressed a smirk. The ahou was so
transparent sometimes. "I'll think about it."

"You will?" Sanosuke looked suspicious now.

Now Saitou did smirk. "Depending on your
behavior."

The ahou continued to look clueless.

***

Sano turned as they stepped off the
restaurant porch, feeling stuffed-full and
satisfied. The last thing he would've
expected in the world was this bastard buying
him a meal...but the world worked in strange
ways. At one time he would've boggled at
losing to a man like Kenshin, or begging food
from a raccoon. Then he bowed his head for a
moment. This had been a good place in his
life, and now in Enishi's wash of blood it
was gone. Sano hated it. They'd fought their
hardest, and at the last, found Kaoru pinned
to the wall of her own dojo with the length
of Enishi's gleaming sword, bleeding
cross-shaped wounds sliced into her dead
cheek. Sano shook his head to get the image
out of his eyes. He was leaving here. He'd
leave even before the funeral, maybe. But he
couldn't stay here, anymore.

Sano began to amble up the wide dusty street,
hands tucked loosely in his pockets, then
started a little as he realized the lean cop
was following him.

"Oi..." he said, a little uneasy. "Don't you
have a home or nothin'?"

"You're going my way, ahou," Saitou responded
calmly.

Sanosuke began to bristle, recognized it as
useless, and just kept walking. He was too
full to fight. Not that it had ever stopped
him before -- but it might be rude,
considering that Saitou *had* paid for the
meal that filled him.

He was staring straight ahead, so he missed
the sudden wicked gleam in the predatory
golden eyes.

When they reached Sano's neighborhood, at
that point he began to have serious
suspicions. "Oi. The police offices ain't
anywhere near here, and I really doubt you
live in my part of town," Sanosuke flicked
another sidewise glance at Saitou. He nearly
gasped but silenced the sound before it left
his lips -- Saitou's eyes were scrunched shut
in that deceptively-pleasant facade, the one
he used to mask how truly serious he was.
Sano had seen that look before...when Saitou
was on the hunt.

"That's right, I don't," Saitou
agreed...almost amiably.

Sanosuke nearly choked but he regrouped and
sprang away from him, pulling his hands into
readiness, entire body quivering with battle
tension. "Temee! You did that to lull me into
complacency, didn't you?" Sano accused in a
low growl.

A chuckle broke the silences of the cool,
still evening. Saitou lifted his head and he
was laughing at him, which only made Sano
clench his fists harder.

"You do remember that instant in Kyoto? That
was my calling card for *you.*"

That was all the warning he got.

The former Shinsen Gumi captain slammed him
up against the wall, eyes searing and feral
and Sano felt his own blood heat up, body
clenching in battle readiness. He'd show h--
"MMPH!" A hard mouth overturned his
exclamation and sealed their lips together.
Saitou's hard mouth--Saitou's lips, tasting
of soba and cigarettes... *Saitou.* Sano's
mind promptly shut down.

Silence reigned in the deserted alleyway for
several heartbeats.

Lips moved against his, warm and urgent. The
scent that filled his nostrils was musk and a
faint trace of sweat, an overwhelming
masculine presence. Then teeth were tugging
at the bottom lip and his mouth opened. The
first questing slickness of tongue brought
him to his senses and Sano lashed out, his
right fist making a fast track for Saitou's
midriff as his eyes popped open and he tore
his mouth away. "What the HELL--"

Saitou released one shoulder and caught his
fist. Promptly Sano launched the left one and
Saitou caught that too. "Temee..." he
growled, and when Saitou's golden eyes
glittered in amusement he brought his knee
up.

All the breath left his lungs as in one
blinding-swift movement his fists were
released, one hand burned briefly on his
thigh as it deflected him off to the side,
and he was slammed to the wall once more --
this time, with Saitou's lean muscled body
pinning him in uncomfortable familiarity. His
knee was still extended somewhere near
Saitou's waist and Sano's face burned. "Get
off me, dammit." He let his leg drop and
tried to insert it beneath Saitou's -- to get
the man *away* from his pelvis.

"Why should I?" Saitou returned, his voice
perfectly reasonable. Sano kept his face
averted, cheeks dusky-warm. The police
officer was pressed against him in a damnably
intimate fashion and could no doubt feel the
humiliating arousal that was making itself
known. Saitou didn't have a spare ounce of
flesh but his body was firm, toned, and his
grip was solid -- and while Sano's first
instincts were bristling to beat the shit out
of him for treating him like this, his own
body was responding to the touch and the raw
moment of those lips on his.

It had been such a damned long time. Even
simple human warmth was......something.

He caught himself starting to relax against
the warm grip and tensed, glaring into
Saitou's unfathomable amber eyes. "Why
shouldn't you?"

"Ahou," Saitou uttered, "you--"

"Nani!?" Sano snarled, beginning to struggle
again and two callused, tapered fingers were
laid over his lips. He subsided for a brief
instant, eyes resentful, resisting the urge
to try and bite off a finger or two. But
knowing Saitou the old wolf would only choke
him.

"Don't be impossibly dense." He would have
said something but the fingers pressed more
firmly against his mouth, Saitou's golden
eyes flashing brief warning, and then the man
continued in low, reflective tones. "It's
possible you're unaware of your own
attraction. You've been around Kenshin too
long. Ahou. I like my men to look like men."

Sano was aghast. He wrenched away from those
quelling fingers. "What the hell are you
saying?"

Saitou merely sighed and gave him a
long-suffering look that was 'ahou' and
exasperation all rolled into one. "A--"

"And don't say 'ahou' or I'll toss you into
the dust and shut the door on you," Sano
snarled, "I don't care if you paid the tab or
not."

Sano blinked for a moment. Saitou's remark
about the tab.... *"I'll think about
it...depending on your behavior."*

He tried to squirm away and glowered as
threateningly as he could.

With a small smirk Saitou eased his hips
against him. Sano's eyes startled wide --
pressing taut against him was something that
could only be the other man's erection.
"You'd try," Saitou corrected with that
infuriating smug expression, "but you're
hardly in the condition. What I am saying--"
with a visible effort, the 'a' word was
prevented from slipping past his lips, "is
simply this: I will have you."

Sanosuke could only glare at him. He was
wedged between the wall and Saitou and his
own mounting reaction to the man's proximity.
Underneath the overlying odor of cigarette
smoke, there was a musk, a distinct scent
that told him it was Saitou, and it was thick
in his senses. He remembered the moment
Saitou had taken his mouth, back in Kyoto --
releasing him in the next instant to spin
away. That had been before Kenshin had ended
things between them, quietly, regretfully,
but without fanfare. Back then, he had had a
reason to reject Saitou's advances; the
promise of Kenshin and Tokyo, together.
Now...

All he'd had since returning was a cold empty
bedroll and the ever-increasing tab at the
Akabeko.

Sanosuke almost laughed in Saitou's face. The
man was offering to solve *both* problems for
him.

He could feel Saitou's breath stirring over
his moistened lip and he was prisoned by
Saitou's arms and his own indecision,
immobile both ways. It made him even angrier.
What could he say to that? --what did *he*
want? He'd thought he was still smarting from
Kenshin's rejection....but here Saitou was
fitted against him and it seemed more than an
answer to emptiness....but *Saitou!!* What...
Then as simply as he'd stated his intentions,
Saitou cut through the storm of confusion and
kissed him again.

With sudden hungry elegance he was enfolded
and Sano crushed his own lips back against
the other's, determined not to give way to
the older man. A growling noise might have
left his lips but he was focused on the hard
mouth and teeth playing predator to his lips
and the arms that ground him against the
wall. *Saitou...* The flicker of thought was
mostly surprise but part wonder.

There was nothing tender about their kisses.
The difference spread like flash-fire through
his veins as they fought, mouths locked, for
control. Abruptly Saitou yielded and Sano's
tongue plunged into his mouth, swirling and
furious. On some level he was filled with the
keen battle-readiness peaking, clamoring to
conclude their fight and it made their
kiss...more intense. Of course, he didn't
have time to analyze it -- the feelings
coursed through him and took over and next he
knew he was grinding back against Saitou,
anger and desire yoked to that rare pitch of
bone-thrumming unison.

Saitou tore his mouth away and Sanosuke
glared at him mutely, harsh panting breath
falling into the space between them. But he
pulled away only inches before running his
tongue along Sano's flushed and bitten bottom
lip.

"I am going to leave now," Saitou's low voice
informed him calmly, transmitted in a
resounding shiver against his lip, "unless I
have a reason to stay." His tone was firm and
matter-of-fact; a statement and not a plea in
any way.

Sanosuke tried to get a grip on his
breathing. He averted his eyes, some of the
flush creeping back into his face. His heart
was pounding so queerly in his chest it was
almost as if they had fought, but fighting
had never made his skin ache like this.

"Sou ka." Saitou's expression wasn't
disappointed, merely amused as he began to
pull away.

He made a half-noise of protest, feeling his
knees would betray him if Saitou let go just
now, and the former Shinsen Gumi's strong
hands pressed against his upper arms.
Narrowed golden eyes regarded him, taking his
expression apart by each feature.

There was no graceful way to surrender -- his
pride wouldn't allow it. His throat felt
raspy as he cleared it. "Let's go inside,"
Sanosuke gave in hoarsely, dark eyes glancing
up into Saitou's with resentment. He didn't
want to feel this way. He didn't want to be
giving in, not in the slightest. But...

"Hn." The corner of the cop's mouth quirked
up but he made no comment; merely released
him and indicated with a small gesture that
he should precede him.

Sano shuffled over to the door rubbing at the
bristles of his dark hair and wondering what
the hell he'd gotten himself into. *Saitou.
Am I really that hard up?* But if he was
honest with himself, he knew that wasn't it.
*I want him.*

*I......want him to 'have me.'* That thought
by itself pissed him off, and he swung around
with his fists bunched, ready to tell Saitou
he'd changed his mind -- he'd rather beat the
crap out of him than sleep with him.

Instead he was dragged into long muscular
arms, the skilled mouth pressing down before
he could lodge any possible complaint.

As if he'd read his mind, the older man let
him take the lead in kissing, after the first
long swirl of mouth on mouth. He dragged
Sano's tongue between his lips with the same
ease as a hit of smoke and Sano pressed
close, practically dragging him to the mat as
raw confused feelings stormed through him. He
took it out on Saitou's mouth, tearing almost
brutally.

Hands slid up his arms, toying with the neck
of his jacket -- then yanking it off. Sano
growled into the parted dark cavern and felt
himself being pushed back, Saitou rearing up
over him. He braced himself and pushed in
return at Saitou's shoulders, biting down
when a tongue slid damply into his mouth.

Pressure bore down on his shoulders again,
and Sano refused to yield, muscles straining
as Saitou moved to ease him to the tatami. He
bit Saitou's lip this time and the cop
grunted and nipped him back.

Saitou was backing him inexorably into the
uke corner. Sano pushed at the wiry arms
closing around his shoulders and the older
man paused, slanted eyes glittering. He knew
his own eyes were probably a curious mixture
of ire and hunger. He didn't want...but he
knew there was no chance in hell *Saitou*
would let himself be taken.

The rangy cop leaned away and freed himself
of jacket, then shirt. He folded them with
meticulous precision and set them near the
wall in a neat pile. Sanosuke couldn't
control the short spurt of laughter that
welled up. "Neatnik."

Gleaming amber eyes flicked back to him.
"Ahou," Saitou returned with infuriating
coolness. But his lips quirked.

"Temee--" Sano returned with automated heat,
launching himself at the exasperating face,
striking for a body hit. Saitou caught him by
the wrists, wrenched, and suddenly he was
falling over the older man's lap. Sanosuke
growled and writhed, upset at himself for
falling so easily into such a position, but
Saitou had him in an inexorable grip and he
was pulled taut against the lean chest, their
lips sealed once more.

Saitou began to push him to the tatami again
and in a flurry Sano was struggling, striking
out with fists and knees and even trying to
clip an ear with his foot. In his mind's eye
he was seeing Kenshin and himself, he
lowering Kenshin down, Kenshin's face
ecstatic and submissive beneath him as he
entered. But here in the dark, all he could
see was Saitou's intent face before a strong
hand clamped on his mouth. He tried to bite.

Saitou sat on him.

"Aughh! Bastard!" Sano half-yelled as his
mouth was freed, then the older man smothered
his mouth with his own lips this time. He
tried to bite down on the squirm of tongue
that explored him but was frustrated by the
clack of teeth against his own, the wet slick
organ retreating with timed precision. Mibu's
wolf was kissing him, delving his mouth at
leisure -- he *was* pinned beneath him -- and
eventually coaxed Sano's tongue back into his
mouth. The kiss broke.

For a long moment they panted together.
Sanosuke honestly wanted to kill him -- at
times -- and he wasn't sure but he thought it
just made this a hell of a lot more arousing
than it had ever been with Kenshin.

A steady throb was making itself known
against the track of his inner hip, matching
the pulse of his own arousal. "What do you
want?" Saitou asked at last, amber eyes
slitted. Waiting.

"I..." Sanosuke moistened his lips. He knew
that seme wasn't even an option here; it was
pointless to ask. Saitou had made it obvious
during their struggling displays of dominance
that he considered himself to be in charge.

Maybe he was.

"Get off me," he finally said, and Saitou's
eyes flashed. His lips compressed in a thin,
rigid line but the older man eased off him,
regarding him with narrowed eyes the color of
a harvest moon. They widened slightly when
Sanosuke flipped over onto his belly, not
breaking the line of their locked gazes.
"Like this," Sanosuke said hoarsely.
Not...the other way. It reminded him too
much.

Toned muscles rippled in the liquid dark as
the cop sat up, and with a damning lack of a
search Saitou reached into the pocket of his
folded jacket and retrieved a small jar. He
smirked and set it aside, then began to tug
at the waistband of Sano's pants.

Saitou prepared him carefully, as if he'd
done it before. Sanosuke didn't have a doubt
in his head that it was true -- he had taken
his mouth and was moving to take more now
with the precision of a man who knew what he
wanted, that desire stemming from experience.
Sano stifled the soft moans that welled up
into his hand -- he didn't want the older man
to know it didn't hurt, just felt achingly
good.

He buried his head in his arms as Saitou
urged him to lift himself up -- there was
still a slight haze in his mind from the
sake; it was just enough to pretend at times
this wasn't really happening. But in this
imminent moment before penetration, he was
stripped of illusions.

There was a pause and a rustle and he knew
the older man was folding his pants with the
same precision as shirt and jacket and Sano
could barely repress a snicker. Then he
gasped as he felt Saitou's hands, grasping
the sensitive points of his hips and
squeezing. He raised himself and closed his
eyes tightly. This couldn't be happening. It
couldn't be real.

His eyes flew open as a slickness inserted
itself, easing into place. Pausing.
Infuriating. "DO it already!!" the words
burst from his lips, and it must've been the
trigger required, because Saitou's hands went
taut on his skin and the slippery tip
*pushed* and then slid and he groaned, barely
aware of Saitou groaning too.

After giving a few thrusts Saitou stopped,
hands stilling on his hips. "N-nani...?" Sano
blurted, jolted out of the pure immersion of
sensation, his molten focus on the
give-and-take. He groaned softly as a hard
arm snaked around his belly, pulling the
juncture of their bodies close together.

Saitou eased back on his heels, the arm
around Sano's belly pulling him down with
him, and the younger man grunted as the slick
hardness was pressed all the way deep.
Saitou's languid groan was a rumble in his
ears. Sano's head arched back against
Saitou's shoulder, eyes wide, mouth round --
it had never felt like this before! They
remained nearly motionless for long moments
and Sano was less aware of the stinging
within than of being filled, a slight pulsing
-- and wanting more.

"K'so -- Saitou..." he growled, and heard a
'hmph' next to his ear, then lips pressed
damply to it. Teeth latched onto the rim and
sampled, indelicate but not painful. Hands
pressed against his hipbones and he groaned
aloud as he felt it, the slow, regular throb
as Saitou pushed into him, shallow aching
thrusts. Too slow. It was the barest shift of
his hips...not enough. "Saitou, dammit!"

"What do you want, Sanosuke?"

Sano's eyes startled wide and wild.
*Sanosuke.* Not 'ahou.' It was that
distinction that allowed his lips to open
around what he really wanted to say. "K'so --
just fuck me, damn you!"

One hand curled around to touch the inside of
his thigh. The other hand slid up to press
against his flat belly and the stomach
muscles quivered. Saitou's lips were an
intimate warmth against his ear. "Do it
yourself," he rasped.

Sano growled and shifted his own hips
clumsily in response, inordinately pleased by
the quick intake of breath he got from
Saitou. His thighs, braced against Saitou's
legs below him, quivered and then he rose up,
eyes falling shut, the only sensation
glowing-hot places where Saitou's hands
touched him and Saitou's cock filled him.
Slowly he lifted himself until there was
barely anything joining them, then he relaxed
his tensed thighs and settled back onto
Saitou with one quick jolting drop and his
eyes popped open. "Unnh!"

With a groan he rolled his hips for several
strokes, Saitou's length sliding and pressing
against him in strange and interesting ways.
Then he began to move up and down again
instead of merely rocking and heard Saitou's
breath catch again. "Is this what you want?"
he demanded, hands clutching at the lean
thighs beneath him as he shifted himself in
Saitou's lap again, pressing him deep and
deepest. He nearly went still as he was hit
with the realization that it was deliberate,
Saitou was buried full-length inside him but
letting him do the fucking part because he
retained some small measure of control and
maybe, just maybe it was the only way he'd be
able to tolerate Saitou fucking him at all.

The hand slid from his belly down to his
thigh, moving in a quick purposeful caress,
then Saitou's strong tapering fingers
encircled his own hardness and stroked,
taking him by touch alone.

He was lost. His mouth widened and his head
arched back against Saitou's sinewy shoulder,
hands grasping for any handhold, finding only
sweaty skin. He latched onto Saitou as the
older man's thumb closed on the head of his
penis, rubbing circles of searing-focused
fire into the slit at the tip. Sanosuke
thrashed in Saitou's lap, bucking up and
down, tip plunging to an ultimate depth.

The noise that left Saitou's lips was a
strange sort of purring growl and the hand
moved from his hard throbbing length and both
hands were on his hips again then he was
being shoved forward, sprawling on his hands
and knees and Saitou was pumping furiously,
screwing him for all he was worth. He growled
a response and bucked his hips, trying to
brace himself on one arm to reach between his
legs. Saitou, in return, seized his hips even
harder in a bruise-knuckling grip and
shifted, thrusting from a different angle.
Sano's eyes went wide and he forgot about
reaching between his legs.

"Uhnn...ahh...!" Suddenly it did not matter
that he wanted to flatten this man to the
turf; it didn't matter that he had vanished
mysteriously for months and he didn't care if
Saitou was doing it for relief -- it was too
intense, a molten hottest-summer of sticky
nights. It had never felt like...*this*...and
Saitou was still pushing into him, and he was
rocking back to meet it and he *wanted* it
like he never had before...almost....there...

Sano panted harder, feeling it rolling
towards him, the tidal rush of release and
the sudden spate of frenzied thrusts warned
him that Saitou was even closer. He threw
back his head and felt teeth clamp into the
curve of shoulder and neck. "Ite -- ah...AH!"
The minor pain was flood-buried over with the
climax that shuddered through his body and
left a pearlescent spatter against the
tatami. He clamped down hard on the length
buried inside him and heard Saitou groan
around the fold of flesh he was still
mouthing.

"Ahh...nn..." Sano's eyes fogged.

He was lowered to the mat, an arm hooked
around his belly, then felt curiously vacant.
Saitou pulled away but was still close enough
for his body heat to prickle over Sano's
skin. For a moment he closed his eyes, his
body thrumming in the wake of such a forceful
peak but mingled overtones of shame and anger
were creeping back. He hefted himself up and
over and stared into the lean, long face.
Saitou was still breathing hard, his
amber-gold eyes fixed squarely on Sano. His
gaze was silent challenge and a small measure
of smugness all in one.

"You bit me," Sano accused, eyes flashing.
"Wh--"

Saitou interrupted him, "Ahou, you--"

"Nani!?" Sano bristled, one fist lashing out
to strike. This was not exactly the languid
post-coital fugue he'd come to expect.

Saitou caught his fist, eyes narrowed, and
gave it a squeeze. Since it was the injured
hand Sanosuke subsided with a yelp then
Saitou was gripping his arm, the golden discs
of his eyes burning. "As I was saying," he
continued with his typical calm, "one man's
pleasured shouts could be taken for
self-gratification -- or being with a woman.
But two men shouting their climax would have
your sleeping arrangements broadcast in your
neighborhood by morning."

Sano glared at him, chagrined. He didn't
*want* to be grateful for Saitou's apparent
thoughtfulness. Nah -- he was probably just
protecting his own reputation. Then he was
caught by a stray thought, remembering
Kenshin rocking underneath his thrusts,
biting his lip so hard he drew blood -- when
normally he came quite noisily. So *that* was
why...

"Besides," Saitou continued after a long
pause, "you liked it."

Sano snorted and turned his face away. "Hn."
He could still feel the imprint of Saitou's
teeth. Liked it, hell.

Saitou turned on his side and groped for the
fallen uniform and Sano scowled. So that was
it. He was done, and now he would don his
uniform again and be on his way, this passing
encounter promptly forgotten...just another
notch on the hilt for Mibu's wolf.

Shit, he could be so *stupid* sometimes.

His eyes were falling shut -- he didn't have
to *watch* the bastard get up and leave;
knowing was enough -- when the deep voice
reached his ears. "Don't fall asleep on me
now, ahou." He cracked one eye and the rasp
of a match being struck greeted him. A
cigarette dangled from those thin sensual
lips and the amber eyes were still fixed on
him, a faintly predatory look in their
depths.

"Hmph. Don't blow that shit in my face," was
all he said, but he pillowed his head on one
arm and watched Saitou smoke, turning on his
back and exhaling into the air. "You're not
actually suggesting an encore."

"Why not?" Saitou turned his head, lips
twisting. He blew another long stream away
from Sanosuke.

"You're pretty spry for an old man," he
sniggered. Sanosuke rolled onto his back and
tucked his arms under his head, grinning
gleefully. Then he yelped as Saitou ground
out the cigarette butt onto the bandages
wrapped tightly around his stomach. "OUCH!!
You bastard!" He sat up and half-turned to
slug him. "Do I look like your ashtray?"

Saitou caught his fist and tumbled him to the
floor. Sano thrashed, struggled, and put up a
fight while Saitou flung a leg over him and
kept him pinned, expression inscrutable.

"What, the truth hurts?" Sano couldn't resist
adding another jab, although Saitou did have
him in a rather....er, compromising position.
"Old man."

"Hn." That wicked, almost manic grin quirked
Saitou's lips, then the leg he'd thrown over
him was *flexing* and Sano gasped, eyes
rolling back as it rekindled sensation. "I'll
show you how old I am, brat."

Sano's eyes fell shut. *At least he didn't
call me 'ahou.'*

***

Golden warmth was flooding over his face,
burning painlessly, shifting over his skin by
inches. Sanosuke slitted his eyes and glared
at the morning sunlight that had woken him.
His body ached in all of the typical places
that told him 'fight' from the day before,
and a few new and interesting ones. Sano
struggled up to one elbow. He was *sore* back
there and he meant to roll over and punch the
bastard who'd done it to him--

And the bastard was...gone.

Not even a trace of Saitou's presence was
left. Sano took a survey of the room. Not
even a fuckin' note. There was a pile of
ashes and a couple of cigarettes in the
corner, though. Okay, so there was *one*
trace of the old man's presence left.

Sano rubbed his stubbled jaw. His lips were
still bruised from yesterday. That had been
damned hot. Who'd 'a thought Saitou was good
in bed?? Who'd 'a wanted to know? Until the
minute their bodies had moved together like
that, the answer was -- Sano didn't give a
shit, on both counts.

He went painfully through the motions of
getting ready to face the day. What a shitty
day. Kaoru was dead and Kenshin, he knew, was
leaving. There had been a dull, hopeless look
in his violet eyes that meant the rurouni
wouldn't stay much longer. There was too much
hurt sunk into this one place for him to
remain. Kaoru had been like some kinda
anchor, and now that she was gone, Kenshin
didn't even have rage left. Just... nothing.

Sanosuke shoved his door shut. He felt like
breaking things. His body ached and if
possible, his soul hurt even worse. Maybe
Saitou had done it for the distraction factor
-- he certainly didn't feel something over
Kaoru's death, or Kenshin's fugue. Sano did,
though, and he'd felt close to falling apart,
himself. But for some reason... Saitou seemed
to... well, dunno... like him. Sano snorted.
Yeah, right. And Chou was a sweet little
taproom server.

He headed for the Akabeko. If nothing else,
drinking himself into a stupor sounded like a
good way to spend his day. Maybe, with his
luck, he'd get into a drunken brawl and
actually die for a change. Yeah, right.
Fuckin' invincible constitution was what he
had. Even Banjin with his metal gauntlets
hadn't been able to hammer him apart. Heh.

Tae was red-eyed, but still serving
customers. Even on the heels of tragedy, the
restaurant had to be run. Tsubame was nowhere
in sight, though, which made Sano pretty sure
the kid had broken down once they'd heard of
Kaoru, and was off crying somewhere.

"Sanosuke-san..." Tae approached the table,
tray in her hands. "I didn't expect to see
you here."

Sano grimaced. "Yeah, well..." He rubbed the
back of his head. How was he supposed to ask
for a favor in this situation? "Listen, about
my tab..."

Astonishingly, Tae beamed at him. "It's
wonderful, isn't it?"

Sano blinked at her. "Uh... what?"

Tae sobered abruptly. "I'm sorry. I didn't
mean... I mean, it's not much in the light of
such tragic events, but... but you won't have
to worry about the tab anymore, Sano-san, so
that's something, ne?"

Sano blinked again. "What do you mean?" Did
Kaoru give him an inheritance, or something?
No. That wasn't like her. Besides, she didn't
have much besides the old dojo to give.

"A gentleman stopped by this morning,
Sano-san." Tae's brow creased into a puzzled
expression. "I would have thought you knew...
Anyhow, he paid your tab."

Sano leapt to his feet. "What the fuck!?"

"Sanosuke-san!" Tae exclaimed, shocked. She
held up her tray like a shield.

"Sorry," Sano muttered, suspicions growing in
his mind. They took root. He tried to shake
them. They wouldn't shake. "What did he look
like?"

"Tall," Tae frowned, holding up her hand,
"dark hair, strands in front, and yellow
eyes... and he was smoking." Her nose
wrinkled.

Sano was beyond disbelief. "Did he... say
anything?" A sick sort of fascination was
creeping over him.

Tae nodded. "He said, and excuse my language,
'tell the ahou I'll see him next time he
wants to pay the tab.'" She frowned slightly.
"What did he mean, Sanosuke-san?"

Sanosuke flushed. "Never mind," he told her
shortly, then sat back down.

"Will you be ordering something, Sano-san?
I'd be happy to... your tab *was* paid, after
all." Tae was actually smiling at him for a
change, and the expression didn't look like
it hurt her.

Sano gritted his teeth. "Uh, give me a
minute, Tae." She bobbed her head and moved
off to take care of another group of
patrons.

He had to think about it. Because if he
placed an order here... Saitou'd take that as
a direct invitation. And he didn't want that.
...Did he?

Sano flushed again.

Tokyo wasn't the greatest place to be
anymore. Too many memories. He could still
see Jou-chan sitting in the other corner,
laughing, her chopsticks flashing as she beat
Yahiko to a tasty morsel. And Kenshin's 'maa,
maa,' as he sat and smiled and watched it
all. Maybe Kenshin had something right, and
leaving was the only thing. When the hurt was
this deep... one had to find something else,
to make it go away.

After awhile, Sanosuke called Tae back to his
table. And he placed a very, very large
order.

~owari~