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Warnings: Yaoi.
Characters from Rurouni Kenshin. All disclaimers
apply.
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The sun shine into my eyes, and for once I see it with colours. I can feel it!
The wind that points me to my direction. I walk towards it, I can see it. It is shining, everything has a new colour. Have I found myself?
He stands in the light, a few yards from me. I call out, "Himura!"
He turns, his orange hair still as soft as it had been some years ago. "Seta!"
"Nah, call me Soujirou." I smile at him.
"How are you, Soujirou? So many years since our duel..." He once again faces the sun, reaching the horizon.
"I feel... I know... I've learnt many things since your duel with Shishirou-sama. You? 'Kenshin', how had you done so far?"
He smiles, his frail form standing less strong than I have seen before. Unlike me, he seems to have shrunk since our last duel. He has grown... Old. He is as beautiful as I have remembered, flaming like a fire. But, now, he seems to be flickering. "Fine..."
"How's Kaoru and the others?"
"I've... Left them."
"Why?" I ask, wondering what made him do so, what made him so frail.
"I... Can't live with them, 'Soujirou'. Where have you been all these years?" He turns, so that he now sees my eyes.
I look into his eyes. "Wandering, and looking for a place... I have not found one so far, but I've learnt a lot... And... I can feel, a bit."
"I'm happy for you..." He stops smiling suddenly. "Once a wanderer, always a wanderer."
"Un?"
"I cannot stay, not with them."
"Why?"
"Because..." He sighs. "I realize I've been missing someone all along. I realized I could not have deceived myself anymore. I have friends, but, I cannot deceive myself. But... What happiness could be derived from loving an unfeeling person?"
I still smile, and I wonder what he means. I still cannot forget him...? Not even after these years? I remember him, as the man who is strong. But now, he is... confused. He needs something, someone... Just as I had been when I was very very young. When I just met Shishirou-sama...
He sighs. "Soujirou... I'm happy to meet you... I have always been happy to have met you."
He turns now so that he faces the forest to my right.
"Sayonara, Soujirou..."
He begins to walk. I follow him, and he begins to sprint. I sprint after him as well, and catch up very fast. I know what I want and who I need. I know that he is trying to escape. I grab hold of his shoulder, making him face me.
I throw a punch at him, and he is stunned. But I let it stop just a few millimeters before reaching his face. He falls, on his bottom.
"Why...?" He askes, his face contorted in pain. "I..."
I smile at him. Indeed, he is no longer the Kenshin Himura whom I have seen. This Kenshin... Is a weak Kenshin. "For so long we have not met. Since we meet, why not let's wander together? We are both wanderers..."
He looks surprised. "Soujirou...?"
"No?" I am afraid... That he will say no. Will he?
His lips resolve a curve upwards. "Yes..."
I smile wider. "Thank you..."
We walk further into the forest.
***
It is red now. The sunset has dyed everything red. It is the first sunset that I can actually "enjoy". It is finally gold, sunset or me… For so long it had been day for me. So long… That everything had not been new for me. But now, I have seen a "new" Kenshin, I have seen a "new" sunset. Now…
Everything is red, his hair is flaming red. His face is flaming red…
For once, I have something I want. Someone I want.
This sunset bears a great meaning to me… It is gold.
***
The guns can be heard all over the place.
A shot sounds extra loud… And in a split moment that seemed to freeze, I feel pain in my side.
We had ran for so long, trying to stay alive for so long, trying to be normal for so long… We could have easily escape from it. But, it was my fault, I made a mistake. I was so careless…
My sides feel numb in an instant with pain, and I can see th blue sky above my head, seemingly spinning. He turns back at me, and, dodging the bullets, takes me in his arms and dives into a bush. "Soujirou!! Soujirou…!"
His eyes are wet. I can feel his pain, now, almost as if it is mine… It is day now… For how long haven't I been feeling before he appears into my life?
"Soujirou… Soujirou…!"
I smile up to the fading image on top of me. "Ken… Shin…" My hands feel wet, wet with blood.
'No…"
"Remember that… Night… When you said… That you thought… loving an unfeel… ing… Person will only bring pain…?" I smile at him, my brows furrowed in unspoken pain… "I had… Never… Told you… And… I feel… For you…"
Now his face is wet. "Soujirou… I… I love you too… The next morning, you were waking up late… I… I remember…"
I smile painfully. I had never thought it would hurt so much to even smile. "Thank you, Kenshin… But now… A feeling person will bring pain also…"
"Soujirou…! Soujirou…! Soujirou! Soujirou……"
His voice fades, as my smile feels numb, and… Everything feels numb… Now, I am unfeeling.
Faintly, in the peace of sleep, I hear a choke of pain, and a voice saying, "Soujirou… I love you too…"
A faint image of a painful figure flash across my soul. A painful image of blood, pain, death…
I walk on in my dream. He will join me soon.
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