Valentine's Day Blues Part 1

Sunday Evening

"W-why is there a slit down the middle?" Kenshin croaked nervously, red staining his cheeks.

Saitou took a long, slow drag from his cigarette, his eyes smirking mischievously in Kenshin's direction. "They're crotchless panties, my friend."

"I don't know if this would be an appropriate gift for Miss Kaoru. And Saitou, you shouldn't be smoking inside the store, that you shouldn't."

Saitou rolled his eyes in annoyance, and then stubbed his cigarette out by burning it into a mannequin. "I really don't care what I do; especially inside the mall, with hearts and chocolates everywhere. Valentine's Day shopping makes me sick." Saitou walked towards Kenshin, his large stride clipped and calculated, and then reached for another cigarette from within his coat pocket. Kenshin watched in fascination as the much taller man lit the cigarette, and then took another long drag.

"It just seems… there should be more material on these panties," Kenshin mused then, examining the frilly piece of undergarment beneath scrutinizing eyes. He had the panties parted in between his index fingers, wondering who in the world created such a thing. "W-what this one means to say is that, that-" He was at a loss of words, embarrassed that his procrastination when it came to shopping landed him at an adult sex shop. With Saitou, the Chief of Police, of the same department he worked for, shopping with him.

Kenshin wanted to get Kaoru something different this year. Last year's Christmas gifts consisted of chocolates and flowers and jewelry; the typical things you would give to someone you loved. He bought her a kitten for her birthday, and an expensive cruise for their anniversary. The joy in her eyes ignited his heart, warming his soul. She deserved the world. And Kenshin promised himself that he would find his beloved the right gift for Valentine's Day. The only problem was that he was running out of time, and had no idea what to give Kaoru.

He had walked into Saitou's office the other day, head bowed, his bright red bangs hiding his mortification. The much shorter man announced that he needed gift ideas for a woman, to which Saitou just leaned back in his chair, watching Kenshin with amused, slit eyes. The only response Kenshin received from his superior was a flick of a lighter and a cloud of smoke that crept in his direction. And then a time and place to meet at later in the week.

Saitou immediately snagged the underwear from Kenshin's hands, and then brought the garment to his nose, breathing in deeply.

"Oro!?"

"Are you just going to stand there and daydream, or are you going to buy a pair? I remember the first time I bought Tokio something like this," Saitou blabbered, with Kenshin gawking. "It must have been more than a decade or so ago. She loves wearing such delicate and lacey things. Do you know why there is a split down the middle?" Saitou started to part the panties with two fingers. Kenshin could only stare dumbfounded, the situation starting to scare him.

"Flowers and chocolates sound like a better gift, that they do," Kenshin chirped, trying his best to avoid Saitou, turning on his heel.

"Hold on a second…." Saitou ordered. "There are more options."

"Options?" Kenshin asked, turning to see Saitou grab a few items from a nearby clearance rack.

"Here," he barked, shoving a couple of DVDs, a set of hand cuffs, and other items in Kenshin's arms. "Start with these; look them over when you go home. Watch the DVDs. One is a how to guide. The other DVD is crap that will rot your mind. Women seem to have swooned over it the last few years." He waved to Kenshin, intending to leave.

"Fifty Shades of Grey? The Ultimate Guide to Sex?" Kenshin read, his purple eyes widening. He shuffled the items in his arms, securing them tightly. Two shiny, marble-sized balls caught his attention. He felt sweat bead down his brow. "Ben Wa Balls?! Where the hell are these suppose to go? Oro!"

"You were the one who wanted my help, Kenshin. Go home, do some research. See me in the morning," Saitou threw over his shoulder, making his way out the store through the double glass doors.

"Indecent human," Kenshin cursed under his breath.

Monday Morning

"Himura!" Saitou greeted rather happily, as Kenshin ambled into his office. "Good morning. You look like crap! What happened last night?"

The red head glared at his superior, his eyes crossing dangerously. Saitou smirked, still happy to know the shorter man had the capacity to deliver quite the death glare. Kenshin placed a tall coffee on Saitou's desk, pushing it forward. "Pike Place, soy milk, 5 sugars in the raw."

"Quite the thoughtful man," Saitou replied. "You're late."

"Traffic was bad this morning, and this one had a bad night."

"Oh?"

Kenshin sighed, taking a seat from across the large Cherrywood desk. "Miss Kaoru found the Ben Wa Balls…."

"Did you insert them into-"

"We don't need to get into details," Kenshin cut in. "This one watched both DVDs when she was out shopping."

"And?" Saitou begged him to continue, as he sat back sipping his coffee. Sugar, he thought, it still needed more sugar.

"It's very hard wrapping one's head around the idea of BDSM, that it is. Who is supposed to be the master?"

"The Dom, and the sub," Saitou corrected. "I would hope that you are considering being the Dominant."

"There was a lot of spanking, and hair pulling, and…and whipping in the movie," Kenshin relayed. He had hesitated to plug his blu ray player with the DVD last night, being cautious to not let Kaoru witness what he was about to watch. She was getting annoyed with his trying to evade her, that she opted to go shopping with a friend in hopes of taming her anger. Kenshin had settled down with a light dinner, slurping up some miso and soba noodles, while trying to watch a video guide about various sex positions. And then the movie about some smug billionaire who was into some freaky shit.

"That's not the point, Kenshin," Saitou interjected. "Hog tying Kaoru down will be fun for you," he lit a cigarette then. Kenshin absentmindedly nodded his head to the statement while sipping his coffee, not quite registering what it was that Saitou was saying.

"Yes, hog tying should… wait, what?!"

"I have to leave soon for a meeting," Saitou stood up, smiling. "We'll get back to your dilemma some other time…."