Disclaimer: I don't own Ruroken at all. Wish I did. Wouldn't mind owning Sano as well… hehehe… Another quick note, given that this story is set directly during this scene in the manga, that's what the dialogue is based on. I'm not trying to rip the verbal dialogue off. It's paraphrased when possible. Thanks!

Aku

I'd been listening to that stupid argument developing at the table next to mine for the past ten minutes while I tried to enjoy my beef pot. Freedom fighters… Feh! I'd seen enough of that sort in my life. Corrupt idiots with big mouths. They weren't any different now than they were years ago. Back when they were called the Ishin Shishi. I scowled into my meal. Those memories always left a bad taste in my mouth. If I hadn't been so hungry, I'd have just gotten up and left…

I glared down into my sake, then pushed it aside. Well, I was through with that, anyway. Those idiots were drunks. I had never drunk enough to lose my edge, even when I was at my worst. I knew how much sake I could handle. But their drunkenness made the drink less appealing. I sighed. What a waste…

With my appetite fading, I glanced around the busy restaurant again. Those guys were so different from the average families and couples around us. One such group a short distance away caught my eye. Laughing and joking. Ordinary folks… Then my eyes fell on the young man in the group and I froze. Flame-red hair, and a katana placed carefully to his right. Comfortably within reach.

Maybe not so ordinary after all. Though with the careless way the redhead was laughing with the others, the deadly weapon at his side seemed out-of-place. Strange…

The guy stiffened just then, falling silent. The laugh dying on his lips. Interesting. He shifted slightly in an almost calculated movement a fraction to his left, blocking my view of the girl.

The sake bottle cracked into the swordsman's head a moment later, throwing him forward, almost into the girl's lap.

I could feel a slow, surprised grin spreading across my face. Huh… didn't know there were still guys left like that. Willing to take a hit to protect the girl…

The runt with him had started screaming at the drunks, provoking an even less mature reaction from them. The girl kept switching between comforting the swordsman and glaring daggers at the careless bastards.

Surprisingly, the swordsman quietly picked himself up and said nothing. No whining about his injury or boasting about saving the girl. No drawing his sword and threatening an indoor brawl. None of it. In fact, he acted as though nothing had happened, trying instead to calm his companions' heated defense.

Completely humble. Guys like you really exist? I shook my head, smile widening. My eyes falling back on the sword, reevaluating him. You'd be worth a fight. Perceptive. Tough. Not doing anything to boost your ego. And if you aren't trying to swing that sword around for your own benefit, then it's probably not just for show. I'll bet you really know how to use it.

I had to admit, I was enjoying this. In fact, I was kind of hoping that someone would do something stupid enough to make that redhead challenge them. I wanted to see if I was right about this swordsman.

But, before it could suitably heat up, the little lady who owned the place approached, politely asking them to stop.

Feh… so much for the fun. Sighing, I went back to my food.

The girl never made it through her entire request.

CRACK! The sound of skin hitting skin.

I was out of my seat without thinking, already knowing what had happened without having to see. Assholes. I was quick enough to catch the girl in her backwards fall before she could hurt herself worse. She seemed okay except for a reddened cheek. It was probably going to bruise.

"Aren't you freedom fighters supposed to protect the weak?" I growled at them in irritation, supporting the girl against my arm. "Or do you only defend the right to get drunk and violent?" God, I hate these types… Hypocritical idiots. And, big surprise, as soon as I berated them for their drunken violence, they challenged me to a fight.

Predictable hypocritical idiots. Even better.

The fight would be boring. These types were never worth my time.

I agreed anyway. Sometimes a guy has to do things so he can sleep at night.

I was actually kinda surprised that the swordsman didn't step in. Maybe I was wrong about him? I doubted it. More likely, he just saw the same thing that I saw. Men who were weak in every way. It wouldn't take two of us to drop them. I'd just stepped in first.

We went outside.

And… the fight sucked. There's really no other way to describe it. He attacked with a suntetsu, and all I got was a little cut on the forehead. Probably going to have a headache tomorrow, but that's it. Lame.

One little hit from me, and he went down.

I thought I heard a the click of an unsheathed katana, but through the babble of voices, I couldn't be sure. My eyes roved the crowds, searching for the redhead. Not hard to spot. Like a fire in the crowd. By the time I spotted him , the redhead's sword was sheathed. He was talking quietly to his friends.

For taking such a header earlier, he seemed to have sprung back pretty quickly. Heh. Just like I thought. It was a show. Pretty good one, too. Everyone else seemed to buy it. Shame, though. The guy deserved some credit. At least from his friends.

I grinned and walked over. Figured I probably should check on him anyway. Kill two birds with one stone.

"Swordsman!" I called, picking my way through the crowd.

His head snapped up, a surprised look in his eyes. "Oro?"

What the hell…? I shook my head, ignoring the strange word, and motioned to him. "Swordsman… how's your head?"

At that, he smiled faintly. "Not so bad." He rubbed it absently, as though suddenly remembering that it was supposed to hurt.

I smirked. "Good. Would've been a shame if you were seriously hurt from taking the hit on purpose."

His face betrayed nothing. I might have doubted myself except for the slight raise of his eyebrows, and the tiniest change in his eyes. But even that was enough. I could tell that the tables had shifted. He was suddenly assessing me.

Meanwhile, the girl and the kid just turned to stare at him.

Good. Give the guy a little credit… My smirk stretched into a grin, and, for their benefit, I added, "If you'd have dodged it, the little lady would've got it in the face. So, you took the hit for her."

I didn't think it was possible for their eyes to get wider, but apparently it was. Hell, they were his friends. You'd think that they of all people would know what kind of person he was.

Again, something flickered in his eyes when I called him on it, but just as quickly, it was gone. He simply smiled and commented lightly. "You give me too much credit…"

The hell I do…

"Such modesty," I replied, studying him for a moment. Short. Skinny. Girlier than his little missy. He looked almost like some innocent kid. Except for that scar. Where did that come from? And there had been cops walking by, ignoring the fight, which was typical. Ignoring his sword, which was unheard of. He was somebody.

But who? Important enough to be allowed his sword? But with morals? Who the hell was he? My eyes were drawn to that vicious scar again. And how many has he fought?

How many has he killed?

He would be worth my time… I made a fist. "I like you, swordsman. Wanna fight me? I'll bet it would be a good one."

His mouth dropped open in surprise and he took a step back from me, shaking his head. "No, no." He smiled again. "Thank you, but this unworthy one will pass."

I blinked at him a moment. Unworthy…? What? "Well," I continued, trying to regain my bearings with this walking contradiction, "if you ever change your mind, I'm at the Gorotsuki Nagaya on the outskirts of the city. I'll be waiting for you." I shot him a wave. "Later."

And with that I walked away, my thoughts circling quickly enough to make me dizzy. Running through and discarding options of who this guy could be. No way he was a politician. No way in hell he was from the sword police. Red hair and a scar… something about that rang bells in the back of my mind, but I couldn't make the connection. Feh… I'd figure it out eventually.

I always did.

Author's Note: A big thanks to sueb262 and lolo popoki for their beta work. And thanks to you all for reading it. Please review!

Sirius