In the Night...

by Hotaru/Amber

There's a dark storm covering the moon,

And I feel the scattered light,

Faint through the clouds,

Dance across my eyes.

I'm alone,

Following some thunder-like rhythm only I can hear.

Rain starts to fall beside me.

As if reflected in a mirror,

My face stares back from the puddles,

Quickly forming around my feet.

I'm soaked through when I reach the Kamiya dojo,

And I stand,

For a minute,

For an hour,

For the storm,

At its door.

Safe within these walls,

Those I care about should sleep soundly,

In peace.

Only I stand here,

Out in the rain,

Out in the storm,

Naked to the heart that would wonder at such a man.

Stare,

Stare at those gates,

At that world.

How close and how far...

I lie against the wall,

And in the sharp and cutting rain,

Fall to sleep.

Rain strikes my eyes -

Is that light on the horizon?

It's faint...

A sound -

Where?

Familiar footfalls...

So quiet through the rain,

Yet so paced...

I stand,

And the mud runs off my gi,

As I stand and face the man once known as

Hitokiri Battousai.

He's cut...

Bleeding...

And his eyes flicker with a burning gold light,

Like the fire of a dragon dancing across its enemy.

I say nothing -

Where I my words?

He left -

Suddenly -

Alone.

Again -

alone.

I feel the cold wind ruffle my clothes.

"Kenshin,"

I say.

He looks at me -

Does he recognize me?

Do those golden eyes know mine?

I can't tell.

His eyes scan the horizon,

Scan his memories,

See into the past as I cannot.

It pulls him in,

Away from us

And their little world.

"Kenshin..."

He looks at me,

His eyes narrowing for a moment.

I almost wonder if he sees an enemy...

Some long forgotten man,

Most likely killed by his sword.

"It's cold."

He blinks,

And the wind blows again,

Dropping the thinnest band of light possible

Onto us.

I look at him for a moment.

"It's time to go back inside."

Colour... maybe a trick of the light...

But violet eyes look up and smile slightly at me.

"Hai."

I offer him my arm,

And help support him to the door.

The wind blows again,

And the dawn comes...

Golden, red, purple,

Light cascading over the distant ocean

And back into us.

I look at him, and his blood-stained clothing.

"Kaoru's gonna be..."

He shakes his head.

"I'll change before she wakes up."

He looks through the door, at the dojo.

"Will you come in, Sano?"

I look, and see the world they've made

Shining in the light.

"Nah... sorry. I've gotta get home and get some sleep. I'll see you later?"

"Later," he repeats, nodding.

His eyes stare at me for a moment,

But he turns,

Their violet hues vanishing from my sight,

Back into the sunlit-world

After the rain.

And as he returns to his home,

I put my hands in my pockets

And walk quietly away.