Title: Different Lives
Pairing: SanoKen
Warnings: Spoilers, AU
Rating: T

Chapter VI: Comes in Threes

"Where's the fire?"

The question was casual—Sanosuke was even chuckling as he asked it—but Kenshin's answering smile didn't reach his eyes.

Police littered the streets. Kenshin watched as they occasionally pulled people aside and questioned them. He knew he heard the word 'Battousai' mentioned. Worse yet, he saw armed police walk the streets, eyes cold and hard, real swords at their sides. The rumors of Battousai had obviously lured them here, but why were the sword corps here? Surely by now they had learned that the Battousai was a fake?

What else were they looking for?

Sanosuke's hard grip on his shoulder startled Kenshin from his thoughts. "What's wrong?" the brunet inquired quietly. Kenshin blinked. When had the younger man stopped smiling? Had he been so lost in thought?

Kenshin flashed a bright smile at him, one violet eye on a policeman walking close by. "This one was wondering about that boy from earlier," he replied. Not a true lie: he had been wondering. It just wasn't his primary thought. "This one hopes he is all right."

Such proud eyes . . . they made something within him ache.

Sanosuke's step faltered. One hand firm on Kenshin's shoulder, Sanosuke glanced around the street. "All these cops must make the thieving slim," the tall brunet observed. "He's probably ducking low somewhere."

Kenshin made a low sound of agreement, even as his mind wandered. Perhaps the boy was. For some reason, Kenshin doubted it.

Sanosuke's hand tightened on Kenshin's shoulder again. When Kenshin looked at him, the young man was looking around the street again. "I have a couple things to do this afternoon," Sanosuke commented casually. "While I'm out, I'll keep an eye out for him. Shouldn't be too hard to pick up something."

Kenshin's smile finally reached his eyes. "Thank you," he murmured, almost too softly to be heard. He thought he knew what those 'couple things' were, but in this case, it was truly the thought that counted. And if Kenshin did his own 'couple things' in the meantime, well, none needed to be the wiser. Kenshin met Sanosuke's eyes, his smile warm. Sanosuke didn't say anything, only tightened his grip on Kenshin's shoulder.

"C'mon," Sanosuke said abruptly as another policeman walked past them. "Let's get you back to my place. The last thing you need right now is one of those guys seeing your sword."

Ducking his head so Sanosuke wouldn't see the amusement in his eyes, Kenshin hummed his agreement. He wouldn't mind a moment to himself to think: the mysterious boy, the odd gathering of police, the assassination attempt on Sanosuke, and of course, the strangely familiar kanji on Sanosuke's back.

And he thought his time here would be boring.

Allowing a small smile to escape at the thought, Kenshin raised his head again and looked around. Sanosuke's hand slid back down to the small of Kenshin's back, but the young man remained silent as he led Kenshin away from the busy street. It took the redhead a moment to realize that Sanosuke was taking them along the water, away from the police. The route to Sanosuke's home was longer this way; was Sanosuke truly so disturbed at the idea of the police seeing Kenshin's blade?

Sanosuke's hand warm on his back, the young man's side hard and reassuring against his, Kenshin couldn't find it within himself to care.

Smiling—when was the last time he had smiled so much, so genuinely?—Kenshin trailed his eyes along the edge of the water. Ignoring the police, this area truly was nice. He wouldn't mind—

Kenshin's eyes narrowed. Even from a distance, he recognized that form.

"Sanosuke sir," he inquired mildly, "isn't that the boy from earlier?"

His hand itched. If needed, he could. If needed . . .

Sanosuke's eyes snapped up from wherever they had been staring. "Yeah," he murmured grimly. "And that looks like Tanishi's gangsters to me."

Kenshin's sakabatou was in easy reach. "And the sword corps," he added softly.

Young Myojin Yahiko was sprawled on the ground between the large four men. Kenshin could smell the child's blood in the air, but to his relief, Yahiko's fighting spirit still pulsed strongly around him. However, the rest of the scene was less than reassuring. Kenshin's eyes glittered, noting how the sword corps and the gangsters were laughing together, careless of the broken body at their feet. The itch in his hand grew when he saw a gangster hand one of the sword corps something, which the policeman idly placed in his pocket.

Some things remained the same, no matter the era.

"Taking bribes," Sanosuke growled beside him. Kenshin glanced at his companion, watching him crack his knuckles. "Crooked pieces of shit!"

A hard light blazed in Sanosuke's dark eyes. Kenshin hesitated, his hand falling from his sakabatou. "Sanosuke sir—"

Sanosuke placed a hand against Kenshin's chest. "Stay back," he ordered. "I'll take care of this."

This one knows that, Kenshin wanted to say, but who will take care of you?

But that wasn't his place. Instead, Kenshin nodded and watched Sanosuke stalk towards the group. He casually shifted his feet; in case of trouble, at least he knew he would be able to move.

The small group quieted at Sanosuke's approach. From this angle, Kenshin could not see his companion's face, but he knew regardless that the young man's face would be a mimicry of negligence. Any true warrior would be able to read the contrast in Sanosuke's fighter spirit and would be prepared, but Kenshin doubted any of the group would be able to tell the difference. One of the gangsters pointed and laughed at Sanosuke, who raised a single balled fist. Challenging them to a fight, perhaps? Judging by the sudden laughter, Kenshin thought so.

Kenshin reminded himself of Sanosuke's strength, Sanosuke's grace, and forced himself to remain still. If worse came to worse, he knew he could move quickly enough.

Watching Sanosuke move closer, Yahiko struggled to rise. "Get out of here!" the boy shouted. "They're—"

The boy got one knee up before an officer calmly kicked it out from under him. Kenshin tensed. "You heard the boy!" the man called. "Leave!" He smirked, and Kenshin's eyes narrowed. "This is official police business."

Another wave of laughter and Kenshin's fingers itched. Something burned inside his gut. All of them laughing, a broken child at their feet, that child's blood on their hands, and Kenshin knew that he could stop them, he knew—

"Last warning," Sanosuke's voice reached Kenshin's ears, stopping the swordsman. For some reason, the dark undertone in the youth's voice soothed him. "Or this fight's for free."

One man, still laughing, stepped forward and raised his sword. Kenshin calmly fingered his sakabatou, but he realized a second later that he needn't have bothered. The man's sword flew in the air as the man himself clutched his bleeding nose, a strangled scream escaping his throat. A second later and the man's screams had been silenced. Unimpressed, Sanosuke stood over the policeman's unconscious body.

"Is that all you got?" Sanosuke asked scornfully.

One member of the sword corps left and he quickly yanked out his sword, dark eyes blazing. The gangsters, on the other hand, stepped away from Yahiko, pale and sweaty.

"Zanza," one whispered.

"Zanza," the other breathed, backing away.

Kenshin's gaze snapped to Sanosuke; the fighter's expression remained unchanged. Zanza . . . Zanza . .. The redhead hummed thoughtfully to himself.

"Cowards," Sanosuke growled, turning to the policeman. Fear had finally entered the man's eyes, and he desperately gripped his sword.

"Do you know who you're messing with?" the man spat, but Kenshin saw his foot edge backward. "I am a member of the sword corps! You'll be hunted down like a dog after this!"

Sanosuke snorted. "Can't take me on by yourself, you little shit?" The man flinched, and Kenshin sighed inwardly at the fire in the man's eyes: not spirit but the anger of a spited bully. "Get out of here. I don't want to see your face around here anymore."

The man snarled but one step from Sanosuke helped him on his way. He shouted threats over his shoulder as he ran, but Sanosuke didn't even seem to hear him. He glanced once behind him at Kenshin and then walked over to the fallen boy.

"Hey, you okay, brat?" Sanosuke asked, offering a hand.

Blinking back humiliated tears, Yahiko slapped his hand away. "I didn't need your help!" he snapped. "I had everything under control."

As Sanosuke bristled, Kenshin decided now would be a good time to step forward. "We know you didn't," Kenshin offered quietly, kneeling before him. "However, they were impeding our path." He smiled. "And this one believes my friend has a strong dislike for … those people."

Sanosuke's low growl lent strength to Kenshin's words. Still, Yahiko stared suspiciously at the pair. Kenshin didn't move, steadily staring into the boy's eyes. Slowly, slowly, Yahiko relaxed.

"Yeah, whatever," Yahiko grumbled. The boy eased himself to his feet, and Kenshin stood and stepped back. "Just so you know I could have taken them on."

"Of course," Kenshin soothed him, his smile never fading. "Would you like to accompany us?" As the boy's eyes sharpened, Kenshin gestured towards his sakabatou. "This one would like another pair of eyes to watch out for the police. This could get this one into trouble." He smiled apologetically, aware of Sanosuke's disbelieving eyes on him.

Yahiko considered him for a moment and then nodded decisively. "Yeah. I can do that." He jerked a thumb towards Sanosuke. "You need more protection than this guy."

As Sanosuke sputtered indignantly, Kenshin blinked in surprise. Well. That was unexpected.

And thus Myojin Yahiko joined their group.