Brave 10/ブレイヴ・テン 1. Chapter 1

Title: Lessons Learned  
>Rating: PG-13<p>

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Brave 10. However, I do own many of the wrongs :D

Word Count: 2,952

Characters: Saizou, Kamanosuke

Summary: In which Kamanosuke discovers that feelings can be sharper than swords.

…

"It's not fair," Kamanosuke muttered to himself as he walked through the woods on the edge of the Sanada grounds, the weak evening light fading with each step he took. He could hear the noise of the others in the distance behind him, laughing and shouting, and he could heard someone singing faintly; Yukimura probably. Kamanosuke pictured the look Rokuro would have on his face at his Master's inappropriate behavior and began to smile, then frowned instantly. Everything was _wrong_; he wasn't meant to be here with people. With them. People weighed you down, and ended up as baggage. He didn't need or want any of them.

Except he did.

He sighed noisily as he dropped his head down to his chest. This was all very complicated and confusing, and he really wished he could get it all sorted out and get back to how it was before. The thrill of the fight, of losing himself in the battle – win or lose, live or die; he didn't really care which, as long as it was worth it. As long as his blood sang, it didn't matter. And so far – in his short, violent life – nothing had come close to the feeling he felt when his life was on the line.

Until now. The feeling of Saizou's hand on his head, the warmth that spread through his body at the touch, had made him shiver more than he had done in the height of his greatest battles, and it scared him. The thought alone was laughable - Yuri Kamanosuke, scared of another person. He wasn't scared of anyone, of anything. He courted death. Or so he had thought, but now… When he saw the cautious kindness in Saizou's eyes when he spoke with Isanami, or the hesitant understanding when dealing with the rest of the Braves, even when the words themselves were harsh, the tone and the meaning weren't. Feelings didn't come easily to that man and yet, there they were, and whenever he saw the man talking to the Priestess it made him feel jealous. Of who or what, he wasn't quite sure, but one thing he was sure of was that it annoyed him to no end. He looked up and rolled his eyes in frustration, and that was probably what saved him from death.

The slice of a sharp blade still took him by surprise, cutting open the side of his neck in a blaze of hot, bright pain. It stunned him and took him off-balance, and there was another jab of pain in his side. _Masumune's ninja! _He thought with some surprise as he let out a war cry and he reached out for his blade, but his hands were too slow and too uncoordinated. Too late, he realized the reason – the knivess had been coated in a viciously fast-acting poison. He could feel it racing through his veins, tracing a path of fire through his body and he reacted instinctively, but the poison already had a hold on him. For the first time ever, he fumbled as he reached for his weapon, and it was his mistake.

He felt, rather than saw, the ninja approach him and there was a small thought at the back of his mind that this was the most unfair thing of it all, that he couldn't even go under the hands of Saizou, with those dark eyes staring into him and releasing him of the weight of his past. The edges of his vision were going black and his legs gave way underneath him. He dropped to his knees and he was just waiting for the inevitable, when he felt the force of a hurricane flash past him, and the last thing he saw before his world went dark was a familiar figure, clad in black with a great sword in his hand.

…

"Saizou?"

The man lifted his head at his name from the unmoving figure lying in front of him and turned towards the open shoji door to see Isanami standing there, looking uncomfortable and awkward. She looked at him and blushed slightly, rubbing the edge of one sleeve with the opposite hand.

"Yes," he asked shortly, then cut himself off. He took a deep breath and tried again. It wasn't as if he was angry with her. "What's the matter, Isanami?"

The girl looked at him, then at the floor. "I-I just wanted to see how he was doing," she said quietly and her head rose briefly to look at the man curled up in the small futon on the floor. "Is he going to be ok?" She looked up at him, and Saizou all but flinched at the raw emotion in her eyes. The fact that the small girl that had - not so long ago - actually been kidnapped by this crazed man and was now almost in tears at the thought of him being at death's door was just bizarre.

Yep. He was definitely surrounded by the strangest of people..

"He'll be fine." He looked back to the redhead who was breathing quick and shallow but even. "The poison was pretty nasty, but it seems his body is as stubborn as his personality so I'm sure he'll be ok."

Isanami smiled. "I'm glad," she said, as she went to leave the room. "I'll come back with some tea, ok, Saizou." The latter was a statement, rather than a question, and he didn't bother to reply. She probably wouldn't have listened to what he said anyway.

"It's ok. She's gone now." He watched as Kamanosuke's breath faltered, and felt him hesitate before opening one eye, then the other. He blinked in the light of the late afternoon sun coming through the closed door.

"You're sharp," Kamanosuke said blankly, then his eyebrows furrowed. "But you didn't have to be mean about me if you knew I was awake." He scowled.

"Mean?" Saizou replied. "You are stubborn. It's a fact."

Kamanosuke huffed and rolled over to face the opposite wall. "I don't know what you're doing here if you're just going to insult me." Saizou rolled his eyes.

"Fine," he sighed and pushed himself off the floor. He didn't know what he was so annoyed about - it wasn't as if he was expecting a thank you or anything, but still…

"Why are you here?"

He barely caught the words as he got up, but they stopped him in his tracks. "Huh?" He glanced back.

"Why are you here? With this lot?" Kamanosuke repeated, and he turned over to look straight at Saizou, his eyes gleaming in the light as he sat up, his hair falling around his face and over his shoulders in a way that the ninja thought was so opposite to it's crazy, chaotic owner.

Saizou shrugged as he glanced away, feeling as awkward as he did when Sasuke had confronted him in the garden not so long ago. There was still that feeling that he was betraying himself deep inside, but he knew now that it was nothing of the sort. He now had people to look after, to look out for, and that was something he had sworn he would never do again and yet, here he was. He looked down at the brilliant green eyes staring back at him. How did he get himself into these situations?

"Do you have siblings?" Saizou asked, as he sat down again, legs crossed over one another as he made himself comfortable.

"What kind of a question is that?" he got as a sulky reply.

"A very valid one." Saizou replied, as he folded his arms in his lap. He had a feeling this was a loaded question. Hell, if anyone had asked him the same one he probably would've sliced them open by now, but he'd noticed something that he'd not seen before. That he hadn't wanted to see before, maybe. The kid was young – yes, a kid – much younger than him, and yet he'd seen so much. Too much. He wasn't exactly a role model but he could tell Kamanosuke had been through more than he could imagine. For his part, the redhead looked wary. Reserved, even. For a few moments, it looked like Saizou was going to be ignored, and then he got a reply.

"I had two older brothers," Kamanosuke started, as he lay on his back to stare at the ceiling, careful not to catch Saizou's eyes, and he noticed the reflection on the ceiling from the small carp pond outside the room. The pattern shifted and changed in front of him, melting from one thing to another, always coming back to the same thing. "I was always the youngest and the weakest..." He trailed off, words left unspoken.

Saizou now understood how Sasuke had felt before. He wasn't the kind of man that would take a flying leap off a roof to head-butt a man into talking – well, ok, maybe he was, but not in this case. He felt as if he were dealing with a wild animal here, one false move and it would take flight and run away. For some reason, he felt a strange kind of affection for Kamanosuke – something that probably stemmed from similar past experiences. "I didn't have siblings, but I had someone I looked up to. He was almost like a brother to me. He taught me everything I know."

There was a pause, and Saizou held his breath. He prayed to any god that was listening that Isanami didn't appear in the next few minutes – not that he disliked the priestess, not really, but he knew that her outwardly carefree personality would make Kamanosuke retreat into his shell again and who knows when he'd get him to open up again. Not that he was entirely sure _why_ he felt it was so important he did so, but he has recently given up trying to understand his own actions anymore. Just being in Yukimura's vicinity seemed to do strange things to people.

"The strongest survive, right?" Saizou carried on. "Those who are weak will die and, therefore, whomever they leave behind must be strong… They left me behind and I survived, I killed and I fought. That makes me strong, right?"

Saizou had no answer to the obvious question. _Does killing really make you stronger?_ He had asked himself that question many times throughout his journey, when he saw those he believed in cut down in front of him like nothing more than reeds in a stream. How could he explain it to someone else when he didn't even know himself. "It depends on what you believe, I suppose. If you believe in karma, in fate, or in youself." Saizou shrugged. "Only you can decide what is important to you." He stood up, straightened his clothes out, and made his way to the door giving one last glance over his shoulder. "Once you're well again, you'll get your fight." He saw the excitement glitter in the deep green eyes before his slid the door shut on them.

"Ah, Isanami – he's resting now so won't need any tea," he said as he passed the young girl outside the room and he gave a small smile as he walked away, leaving her looking confused.

…

"You're not gonna get away easily!" Kamanosuke shouted as he whirled the bladed edge of his kusarigama over his head, the fingers of his other hand playing with the chain as though he was petting it lovingly, the links running through his palm with ease. He could feel the blood running through him, and for the first time in days, he felt normal, alive, _ready. _"I've been waiting for this, Saizou. Come at me!" he shouted.

The ninja widened his stance, one foot slightly behind the other, bent his knees and reached behind him to unsheathe his sword. He wasn't entirely sure he'd made the right decision here. He wouldn't put it past the kid to be crazy enough in the heat of bloodlust to defy Yukimura's orders and actually strike the killing blow, even though Saizou was quite sure he didn't really want to kill him. He closed his eyes briefly, listened to what was around him, shifted his weight slightly then opened his eyes and attacked with a cry of intent.

It was apparent from the first few blows that their styles were leagues apart. Kamanosuke relied mostly on surprise and his wind attack and threw himself into every battle with everything he had. Saizou had learnt early on in the fight that if you took the element of surprise away from him, his strength diminished considerably, and if you made sure he was on the defense all the time he didn't have the time to call the wind. Saizou took advantage of this knowledge and moved quickly and deftly in and out of Kamanosuke's space. The kusarigama only worked if you had the space to spin either the blade or the weight at the end of the chain and he worked to deny him this, darting in close to force a reaction, then coming in from the other side, or behind, or in front, constantly pushing him into reacting rather than acting.

Kamanosuke didn't know what had happened. When the fight began, he was confident, full of energy and focused on enjoying the fight, but the other man stopped every move he tried to make. His attacks shortened each step and cut off each swing, and soon he began to get impatient and frustrated. He began to lose his timing, his throws and attacks off-balance and he was constantly half a step behind the other man. He shouted in frustration, lunged in for an attack, and that's when it happened.

Saizou saw his chance, stepped in and sliced upwards with his sword, catching the blade of the kama underneath and, with one last blow, separated the blade from the chain. The two men watched as it spun off into the trees at the edge of their battlefield then they turned back to face each other. Kamanosuke looked back to where his blade had fallen, then down to his hands.

"But… I don't…" He sunk to his knees, still staring at his now-empty palms, and then brought them up to cover his face. "I don't _understand_." He wailed in confusion. Saizou felt a rather surprising stab of pity in him, and he wondered if he'd been too harsh in his teaching. He knelt down next to the fallen man and reached out. "Go away," Kamanosuke shouted as he waved the other man's hand away, and Saizou blinked, then snorted.

"I didn't know if you would understand the lesson, but I know you have."

"Don't patronize me, you bastard!" he got in response, and Saizou waited a few more minutes until the sobs had subsided before he spoke again.

"I'm not patronizing you, I'm trying to help - and I know you know this, because if you didn't then you wouldn't care. So shout at me all you want."

Kamanosuke sniffed and wiped his nose surreptitiously on the back of his sleeve. "No", he said, almost pouting and Saizou couldn't help it. He threw back his head and laughed.

"Oh, thank god. I thought I might actually have broken you there, but then where would the fun be in that?" he smiled at the kid glaring at him through the loose hair that had covered his face. "You know why I beat you, don't you? It's no use relying on things like strength and surprise when you can't read the opponent. Relying on the same tricks over and over again makes you complacent and predictable - and in a battle, predictable means dead. Yeah, of course you're strong, but strength means nothing if you can't react to a situation."

He got a sniff in response. "But if I can't fight, what am I meant to do?" Kamanosuke said in a quiet voice, his eyes focused on the ground. "What else _can _I do?" he looked up suddenly, and Saizou saw the very real look of fear in his eyes, which made him feel a little guilty – but lessons like this had to be learnt the hard way, especially with guys as headstrong as him. Words didn't mean anything unless they were accompanied by actions – preferably those with sharp, pointy blades.

"That depends," he said, as he walked over to the fallen man, arms crossed in front of him. "You can stay, or you can go. Of course, I can't promise that Sanada wouldn't hightail it after you if you chose the latter – he seems to have seen something interesting in you, that's for sure." He bent down and reached out his hand.

Kamanosuke hesitated, and Saizou could see the inner struggle, one that he'd gone through himself not so long ago. He was lost for a moment inside his head before he was interrupted.

"If I stay, can we play again soon?" Kamanosuke asked, as he reached up to grasp Saizou's extended hand and got to his feet. "Can we?" his eyes were shining brightly in anticipation.

"You really are crazy aren't you," Saizou said with a small smile. "Fine, ok, whatever you want," he replied and reached out the tousle the kid's hair. "Who am I to refuse such an interesting offer?"

Kamanosuke grinned and went running off to pick up his broken kusarigama which was still lying in pieces in the grass. "Next time, I'll beat you – just you wait and see!"

Saizou watched the small figure run off into the distance. _I don't think I'll be bored for quite a while, at least, _he thought with a small smile.


	2. Chapter 2

…

Kamanosuke sat in the corner of the small, dark room of his sleeping quarters, his back up against the wall as he listened and waited. He could hear the sound of a few people that had yet to turn in – of course, Yukimura was still up and, by association, he could assume Rokuro was still awake, sat quietly in the corner of the room, watching everyone, silently. He wasn't sure what he thought of that man yet – though, of course, he wouldn't pass up an opportunity to face him in a fight. He knew that looks could be deceiving, as he had played to his advantage with the number of people that had taken his slight build to mean he was weak. He could assume Isanami was already asleep, not that he cared much for the annoying brat anyway. He scowled at the thought. There were other faint voices, maybe a female one – so Ana was still up – but he couldn't make out anyone else.

Suddenly Saizou's laugh rolled through the night and he felt something stir somewhere deep inside him that, in turn, made him scowl. His fingers played restlessly with the chain of his kusarigama, the feel of the chain running between his fingers making his heartbeat quicken. He pictured what Saizou would be doing to make him laugh like that and a stab of something that he couldn't quite place…

_Shut up!_ He said to himself, angrily. This was stupid, he was being stupid. What the hell was he doing here? He just wanted to fight, to kill, to chase that thrill he felt running through him that made him feel alive that he couldn't get any other way - or so he had thought.

And yet, he sat there, waiting for things to go quiet. He counted everyone as he listened, and ignored the hitch in his breath as he heard Saizou walk past - he knew it was him by his footfalls, the sound and rhythm of his walk. _I could ambush him now! Jump on him while he wasn't expecting it! Then I would have fun…_but he didn't move. Kamanosuke counted another half-hour, just to make sure everyone was asleep before he got up quietly, slid the door open silently and crossed the courtyard. The night was still and held an air of anticipation as he made his way through the trees, the weak moonlight filtering through the branches enough so that he could see where he was going but not enough to make him feel conspicuous. He all but marched through the forest, muttering to himself about how stupid this idea was and how he didn't know why he was doing it, but doing it nonetheless. The faster he walked, the more annoyed he got and vice-versa, so by the time he reached the small lake at the outskirts of the Sanada territory he was frustrated, out of breath and really, _really_ pissed off.

The sky was clear and as he approached the water, he saw that the half-moon shone brightly on the surface of the lake. For a moment, Kamanosuke stopped his inner tirade mid-thought. _It really is pretty, _he thought to himself, and then reached up to grasp fistfuls of his own hair in frustration.

"Ahh!" he cried out in annoyance, as loudly as he dared. "What is going on?" His mind was in a state of confusion as he had never experienced before, and his fingers itched for his weapon. It was the only way he knew how to quiet the uncertainty in his mind – the only way he could calm his mind was through blood and pain. Feelings left you open to weakness, and weakness got you killed. This was why he had spent so many years building a wall between him and anything other than surviving. He didn't want to be reminded of the past, of the pain and suffering caused by caring about anything but himself. That was all he had known so far in his life so far but it was almost as if he couldn't help it. What if it _was_ possible? The thought terrified him and yet… he couldn't let it go.

Which had all lead up to this.

Kamanosuke kicked a rock petulantly and sighed. _Better get this done and over with, _he thought with resignation. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes briefly as he exhaled noisily then made his way over to the edge of the water where he sat down and crossed his legs underneath him. He felt faintly ridiculous, but didn't move – when he decided to do something, he would do it no matter what.

_"You'll never beat him with strength alone," Sasuke had told him the previous day, his voice coming out of nowhere like a spirit deep in the trees. When he looked up, Kamanosuke saw the small ninja perched in the branches above him, looking thoughtful. _

_"Why should you care?" he'd replied with a huff, annoyed that the man was even talking to him. He turned to walk away._

_"You'll never beat him with strength – he fights with strategy, planning all possible outcomes and working towards the one he desires most." Sasuke stood on the branch with his hand resting against the large tree trunk as he looked down. "You need to use your head and your heart as well, and you can use neither of them unless they are quiet. Spend some time doing that and then try again."_

Kamanosuke had scowled and turned to tell the ninja to try keeping out of his business, but before he could say a word, he was gone as quietly and as quickly as if he had never been there in the first place.

But that was all he wanted – to beat Saizou once, just once. To have in his hands the feeling of power and pain and pleasure, and to see that look in Saizou's eyes – a look of fear and anger and excitement as he submitted to him. To gain that, he would do just about anything. He shivered as he looked out across the water, took a deep breath and then closed his eyes.

…

Saizou crouched low in the trees where he was hiding and looked confused. What the hell was Kamanosuke doing? He'd followed him since he'd picked up the sound of the shoji sliding open, not even bothering to try to hide his steps as the kid had made enough of a racket to hide any noise he might have made. That was one thing he could be sure of at least; he hadn't been raised in any ninja school that he knew of. And now – after picking a fight with a rock and shouting at the trees – Kamanosuke had sat down in a huff and done… nothing.

He sat and watched. After a few minutes, he heard another string of expletives and saw Kamanosuke pick up a nearby stone and throw it into the lake and he blinked in surprise. From this angle, he looked so miserable, so frustrated, his head hanging down with his hair falling loose around his shoulders in disarray. There was obviously something going on in his head, and Saizou suddenly found that he felt quite sorry for him. He felt a strange kind of affinity and, despite not knowing any of his background, could probably work out a lot of his story so far. Without second thought, he jumped down from his vantage point and made his way over to the edge of the lake.

"What you doing?" he asked, in a loud, clear voice.

Kamanosuke literally leapt up from the ground, his hands already reaching for his kusarigama tied behind his waist. In a split second, Saizou stepped forward and reached out to grasp his hands in his own. He was momentarily surprised at the difference in size, the bones feeling small and almost fragile in his grasp, before he remembered his situation.

"Whoa! Don't kill me!" he shouted, as he readied his body to leap away at a split second. It was obvious the boy had learnt to react before thinking – was probably the only reason he was still alive – and Saizou had a rather strong desire to keep his head attached to his body.He felt Kamanosuke wrestle against him like a wild animal caught in a trap, and he acted on instinct. Instead of letting go, he did the opposite and pushed down, lowering his arms and all but wrapped his arms around the boy to try and at least limit the damage he could do. In response, he felt Kamanosuke freeze and then, quite unexpectedly, he took a deep, shuddering breath, dropped his head into Saizou's shoulder and started sobbing.

Frozen to the spot, Saizou had no idea what to do. Of all the reactions he could possibly have imagined, this had not been one of them. He looked around desperately on the off-chance that Sasuke was hiding around somewhere – the Koga ninja was more used to dealing with shit like this than he was – but, typically, the one time he needed him the stupid monkey was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey," he said softly, as he turned back to Kamanosuke who had, for the most part, stopped crying and was now making small hiccupping sounds, which made his slender body twitch under Saizou's hand. Without thinking, he cupped the redhead's chin with his hand and when Kamanosuke raised his head to look at him, he saw the fear and confusion and frustration swimming in the clear emerald eyes.

Without knowing why, Saizou leant forwards and kissed him.

It was probably a tie to say who was more surprised. Saizou recoiled almost instantly and stood there as if he'd been hit by Ana's ice attack, eyes and mouth open with shock. For his part, Kamanosuke had stopped mid-sniff and was currently staring at the other man with a look as if he'd just been run through. Then, without saying a word, he struggled free of Saizou's hold and in a second he was gone, disappeared through the woods before the ninja even had a moment to think.

_Oh, crap,_ was Saizou's only thought as he watched the small figure retreat into the distance.

…

_What the hell!_ Kamanosuke thought to himself desperately as he ran through the trees blindly, oblivious to the branches and thorns that tore at his skin and clothes. A branch whipped against his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood, but he felt nothing, could think of nothing but running. What was he doing? What happened? One minute he was sitting by himself, deep in thought about how it would feel to have Saizou underneath him, on his knees and begging for mercy, and the next the ninja had appeared in front of him like a ghost. It was when he felt those arms around him, warm and strong and protective that something in his brain had short-circuited, and he lost control of himself.

He was terrified. The only time that had happened before was in the heat of battle, when he surrounded by cries and the sound of metal-on-metal, the feeling of holding life or death in his hands. This was the only time he felt truly real and he had never stopped to think about anything else, or anyone else. He didn't follow people, people followed him, because of his ruthless nature. He had locked away all thoughts of intimacy with someone else so long ago that he wasn't even sure he remembered what that desire had felt like and yet this man had just stepped up to him and, with one touch, had torn down his barriers as if they were merely paper in a shoji screen.

Without know what, or who, he was running from, Kamanosuke put his head down and ran faster with no heed to where he was going.

"What did you do to him?"

Saizou looked up from where he was sitting on the edge of the porch outside him room and sighed. Of all the people he wanted to see right then, the Koga brat was not high on his list. The day had already been a long one, without the added oddness of the night before and Kamanosuke actively avoiding him at his every turn. He spent the day getting more and more frustrated to the point where he couldn't focus on training. To his embarrassment, the old man had looked at him with a look that said _I know what's going on,_ and dismissed him for the day. And now this. _Fucking perfect, _he thought to himself. "What are you talking about?" he asked flatly as he pointedly refused to look up at the man standing in front of him.

Sasuke folded his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Is such mature behavior standard for an Iga?" he said, his voice carrying just enough of a hint of sarcasm to annoy him.

"Go away," he said as he stretched out backwards onto the porch, as much to get the other man out of his sight as to look at the sky. It was a beautifully clear night, the stars shining bright in the darkness and, not for the first time, the view made him feel more than a little insignificant in the grand scheme of things. And more frustrated.

"It's not hard to figure it out; he's been following you round like a fourteen year old girl with her first crush until today when he developed evasion techniques that took most of us years to learn. Though it's not like he's being subtle about it - I overheard Sanada asking Rokuro if he thought you two needed some alone time." Sasuke scowled. "Personally I think you're as annoying as each other and deserve one another, but for the sake of everyone you need to sort out whatever it is that's going on. With Date and the rest of the them starting to make their moves we don't need anyone who isn't focused, because one lapse of concentration can mean death for us all. And I'm not going to put my life on the line for a pupil of Iga." He delivered the words calmly but with a deep-seated conviction.

Saizou grudgingly agreed with Sasuke's words, though didn't say so out loud. He knew that a split second could mean the difference between winning and losing, and if they lost... He frowned as he sat up and took a deep breath to reply to the ninja but, as usual, he'd disappeared without even as much as a goodbye. He scowled even more - that was just rude.

But he also had a point. He did need to sort this out, whatever "this" was. It wasn't the fact that Kamanosuke was a guy that was causing him to hesitate - he had learnt early on that being ronin meant you took whatever you could find whenever you needed it, and sometimes he had actively sought out other men to be with, as opposed to women. He found it hard to understand women, felt awkward with them and couldn't help feeling clumsy and unrefined in their presence. With men, all that mattered was the physicality of it all, the raw act of quenching a mutual need. It was simple and honest. However, his situation was different now, no longer without a Master or people to rely on, and who relied on him. He needed to sort this out one way or another, or someone was going to get hurt.

… 


	3. Chapter 3

Kamanosuke sat in his room feeling angry – with himself, with Saizou, with just about anything he could think of. He felt _different _now, as if something had changed that he couldn't put his finger on, and it made him feel strange and unsure of himself. His fingers didn't itch to cause chaos and mayhem, his heart didn't cry out for pain and fear. Instead… instead, everything felt quiet, almost calm – the white noise that usually filled his head had silenced, and he felt more aware of what was going on around him. For the first time since he'd arrived at the castle he had looked around him, noticed things like the difference in the trees surrounding the grounds, the birds that flew overhead and how really, _really _annoying Isanami was.

OK, maybe the not everything had changed.

Now he'd had a chance to calm down, Kamanosuke realized that he wasn't so scared anymore. It had, however, left him curious – and when something intrigued him, he didn't let it go easily. Saizou was the first person he hadn't been able to overcome through strength alone and after recent events, he found he couldn't let it go. Instead, he decided he was going to deal with it the same way he did with everything – head on.

He was just thinking of how fun it would be to surprise Saizou when he heard footsteps outside his door. They were muffled, as if the owner was trying to hide his presence, and Kamanosuke had just enough time to slide into the shadows before the screen door slid open to show Saizou, silhouetted in the doorway. He held his breath with surprise, and then grinned. He couldn't believe that the perfect opportunity had literally walked into his path and he waited until he saw the figure step into the room and then, without making a noise, rushed into him, slamming them both against the wall. Still without saying a word, Kamanosuke pressed them both harder against the wall and got a sharp thrill at the muffled cry that came from Saizou as he did so. He knew he had winded the other man, could hear him try to catch his breath, but he was undeterred. Without warning he reached up, grabbed a fistful of hair at the back of the ninja's head and pulled down hard, forcing Saizou's head down and bringing their mouths together in less of a kiss than a full-frontal attack. He felt Saizou struggle underneath him, felt him try and fail to gain a foothold as he continued struggling to catch his breath, and it was addictive. He'd never felt this way before, it was different to the feeling he got when fighting, this reaction he had when physically dominating someone using just his body as a weapon. He was so caught up in what he was feeling that he let his guard down.

Suddenly, Kamanosuke was the one with his back against the wall, with Saizou looming over him in a manner that made him catch his breath, his own heart racing against his chest as though it were trying to break free. He stood for a moment like a startled animal, eyes wide and mouth open as he breathed heavily, silently challenging the other man to make his move and daring him to do something.

"Heh," Saizou breathed softly as he lent forwards, his forehead touching the wall so his mouth was level with Kamanosuke's ear. "Of all the reactions I was expecting, that wasn't one of them." He looked sideways, expecting some witty retort or curse, but instead he got nothing but the sound of the other man's breathing, still labored and irregular. Curious, he pulled back and brought his hand up to brush a few stray stands of hair that had fallen loose, obscuring the brilliant green eyes that were still staring at him. As his fingers touched damp skin, Kamanosuke flinched under his touch and Saizou bit his bottom lip. "Uh," he started, hesitantly. "I have to ask. Are you… I mean, have you been with a man before?" He got nothing in reply as Kamanosuke broke off their gaze to stare at the back of the room and his eyes widened. "Umm… have you been with anyone before?"

"Shut up," Kamanosuke muttered sullenly, his face flushed red from a heat he didn't quite understand. His body felt heavy and he was acutely aware of everything, including how close Saizou was to him. He felt the man pressing against him, covering what felt like every inch of his skin but instead of feeling trapped, he felt strangely secure. For the first time in a long while, his mind felt quiet.

"Are you ok?" Saizou asked with genuine concern.

"Of course I'm ok!" Kamanosuke replied with a scowl as he looked up through his hair, and Saizou was relieved to see the fire back in those bottomless eyes. They seemed to reflect his feelings so openly it was almost painful to see.

Without thinking, Saizou bent down and bit gently on the sensitive skin exposed by the collarbone. Kamanosuke let out a surprised cry and it served only to encourage him. As his hands grasped fistfuls of material, he pushed himself harder against the deceptively small frame and he felt himself grow hard at the desperate gasps by his ear, shallow and uneven. With slight trepidation, he slid his hand down, tracing the smooth curves of waist and hips and continued south where he hesitated slightly before sliding his hand over cloth covering hard, hot skin. He pressed the heel of his hand into Kamanosuke's cock, which certainly got a reaction.

"Fuck," he heard as he felt hips press against him. He had never felt so nervous before, had never been in such a situation and he swallowed dryly as he realized the extent of his own desires. He had to hold himself back from letting himself loose on the kid, had to keep himself from pressing him further into the wall and fucking him til he screamed but even he had enough self-preservation and awareness to know that doing that would probably be the last thing he ever did. For one, Kamanosuke's kusarigama was still tied at his waist. He had to do something though.

"Are you still going to kill me?" he asked almost nonchalantly as he continued to press and release his hand. It never hurt to ask.

"Of course," was the gasped reply as he felt hands grasp at the back of his shirt. "Just… not right now."

Saizou gave a low chuckle and grinned. "I'm looking forward to our next fight," he said with a low growl as he slid his hand down between hot skin and cool material. He got a gasp as he encircled the other man's cock and gave a harsh squeeze, which drew a surprised cry from Kamanosuke, who rounded his back so that his forehead was on Saizou's shoulder and his hips tilted up to gain better grip, his breathing shallow and erratic. Saizou felt him shudder under him as he started to move his hand, slow at first then speeding up when he got a rather desperate whimper in response. He could feel the struggle Kamanosuke was going through, the uncertainty competing with raw desires, and his breath hitched at the thought.

"I won't go easy on you," Saizou whispered roughly.

"Idiot," was the gasped response he got, and it made him smile. It had been far too long since he had gotten to play like this, to be the predator with such… interesting prey. He felt something dark come out in him, something that he would never usually let out in such a situation. He bit back the temptation to play as a cat with a mouse, teasing and tormenting, pulling out every second as long as possible until each nerve was screaming. No, this was not the time. Not yet. Instead he reached up, grasped a handful of bright-red hair and yanked hard. Kamanosuke let out a surprised cry but didn't fight back; instead letting his head rest against the wall, mouth half-open and eyes closed and his face flushed a bright red. Saizou bent down and bit hard at the soft skin between the neck and shoulder – harder than he meant to - and he got a choked-off whimper in reply and felt hands reach up to grasp hold of his clothes.

In the end, it took only a few strokes, a few flicks of the wrist before he knew the kid was close. Saizou felt fingers slide in between his skin and his jacket, and then nails clawing into his back so roughly that he was sure he could feel blood seeping from them, a thin, hot line tracing its way down his back. A sharp stab of pain shot through him and he clenched his teeth as he heard a muffled cry, then his hands and fingers were covered in warm and wet. He gave a few slower strokes then withdrew, wiping his had rather discretely on his trousers. They stood for a few moments, the only sound their heavy breathing until Saizou spoke.

"You ok?"

He got a sharp nod in reply, could feel Kamanosuke desperately try to collect himself enough to form a reply. Saizou didn't let him.

"Tomorrow, you'll get your rematch," he said in a rough voice, his mouth level with Kamanosuke's ear, who in turn swallowed dryly and he lent against the wall for support. He watched from heavy-lidded eyes as Saizou stepped back, smiled mischievously and turned to make his way to the door. The ninja gave him one last look and then left, leaving him exhausted, slightly confused and strangely desperate for a fight.

Kamanosuke frowned as he tried to calm his breathing, aware of the silence that seemed so deafening, now he was alone. He stood and stared at the door for a few more minutes, then closed his eyes and sighed, pushed himself off from the wall and made his way to the futon across the room, stripping off his clothes as he went. As usual, he left his kusarigama coiled up next to his bed - it would have to be an especially unusual situation for him to leave that anywhere else.

As he got into the futon, he realized he was hard again and bit his lip sharply as he stretched out and trailed a hand down over his stomach to rest between his legs. The temptation to get himself off there and then, while the memory of the evening was still strong, was almost irresistible. With an annoyed huff, he withdrew his hand and turned over to lie on his back, his hands clasped behind his head as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. Surely, he should be angry or feel taken advantage of or _something _along those lines. But instead he felt intrigued and strangely interested. He'd known there was something different about that man the moment their blades had crossed; that was when he'd realized that he was up against someone like him, yet vastly different. He couldn't help being attracted to someone like that.

Kamanosuke closed his eyes as his thoughts changed to having the chance again to face Saizou, and his fingers flexed. Suddenly he grinned into the darkness.

He knew, now, that he was going to win this time.

…

The next day had passed unbearably slowly, and by the time afternoon came, Kamanosuke was wound up tighter than a spring. The smallest thing made him snap and, after managing to make Isanami cry and Sasuke run off into the trees, he'd gone off on his own into the forest.

"What the hell am I doing?" he muttered to himself as his thoughts went again to Saizou. He hadn't seen the man all day, and he'd almost gotten to the point where he'd almost convinced himself that last night hadn't actually happened when all of a sudden the ninja appeared out of nowhere to block his vision. He hated that most about _them,_ the way they crept around in the shadows. He always thought it was a weak way of doing things. Let your opponent know you were there, was his motto – then they could see who defeated them!

"You've not forgotten, I hope." Saizou said, leaning in close. Kamanosuke looked around furtively and hoping no-one was around to see them so close. When he saw the coast was clear he looked up and snorted with wry amusement.

"You wish, ninja," he said, and then his eyes narrowed. "I'm looking forward to beating you!" Saizou laughed, a deep, throaty sound that made him both want to smash the his face in and… do other things. He swallowed and tried to focus, which was something he found harder than usual. He remembered the dreams of the previous night, memories that had invaded his dreams, and he'd woken up in a hot, sticky mess, his hair tangled and his body covered in sweat. He fought to banish those thoughts from his mind.

"I'll see you at dusk," Saizou said softly, a strange voice that made Kamanosuke blink, but before he could reply, the man had disappeared.

"Goddamn it!" he shouted in frustration to the empty space in front of him, before he decided to go back to his room. He needed time to think.

…

He sat and watched the light outside get darker before he slid the door open and made his way through the forest to the clearing they'd fought in before, this time taking his time getting there. When he got there, he saw that Saizou was already waiting, hand on his hips and that stupid cocky smile on his face. _I'm going to wipe that off of you! _He thought to himself as he played with the chain of his kusarigama. The reassuring weight of it in his hands calmed him, as he flexed his fingers in time with his heartbeat, feeling that familiar spark of anticipation. This time it felt different though – oh, the bloodlust was still there, the overarching _need_ to see this man defeated by him, to see the blood on his skin, to feel their heartbeats synchronize….

"You gonna go back on your offer now?" he asked with a grin, spinning the heavy weight on the end of the chain. Even if the ninja had turned round and said yes, he wouldn't let him get away. This was too important.

Saizou laughed and narrowed his eyes. "Hah – as if!" he said as he moved into position, feet apart and one in front of the other. He realized that was looking forward to this match, more so than he had in a long while. He could see a difference in Kamanosuke, saw it in his stance and his eyes and he was intrigued at how this would affect their fight. He hated to admit it, but he saw much of himself in the younger man; at least, before he'd gotten so jaded. Maybe that had been what he'd found so interesting - and so goddamn annoying. Saizou thought back to their first meeting, their first fight, and how angry he felt at the accusation:

"_You've killed more people than me!"_

It was probably true – and at the time he had killed it hadn't been an issue, but that was then. This was different. They were different. Not just because of the previous night, but because of everyone. Maybe there _was_ a different way. He didn't have time to finish his thought though. Saizou caught something in the corner of his eye and looked up just I time to see his opponent lock eyes, draw back and then fly at him with an ear-piercing yell.

As soon as their blades hit, Kamanosuke felt the difference. As they continued to fight, it felt like less of an explosion of unfocussed power and more like a very intricate dance, to which neither of them knew the steps, and where the wrong move could mean the difference between life and death. He felt his pulse quicken as he stepped neatly out of the way of Saizou's blade, felt the wind rush past him as it cut only air. He laughed out loud, enjoying himself in a way that was so different to before and he couldn't help but grin – was this what Sasuke had meant about clearing his head and his heart? Though, if so, he was sure the tree-ninja hadn't expected him to achieve it quite the way he had. Out the corner of his eye, he saw the sword coming towards him. Feinting left, he waited for Saizou to take his lead, and then he quickly twisted out the way, turning in the opposite direction to the one he'd been in before. With a flick of the wrist, he sent his chain spiraling outwards to wrap around Saizou's hand, securing it to the handle tightly and he pulled hard. He saw the taller man stumble slightly as he became off-balance and Kamanosuke took his chance. He stepped forwards so that they were almost touching - so close that he could see straight into Saizou's eyes and a thrill ran through him at the shock and hint of fear that he could see in them. "Surprise!" he said with a grin, and pressed his hands against Saizou's chest. He hadn't planned this – not as such – but it was a good opportunity to try something he'd suddenly thought of that morning.

"_Yuri Kusarigama Ougi!" _he shouted and for a moment, nothing happened - then suddenly there a deafening roar enveloped him, everything went black, and he suddenly found himself on his knees. When the ringing in his ears had died down, he looked up and saw a whirl of leaves fall down around him from the sky, swaying gently on the breeze that was remaining and as he looked across from where he was kneeling, he saw a dark figure on the ground and his pulse quickened. _Could it be? _He thought as he leapt to his feet and practically flew across the clearing, unable to keep the grin off his face when he saw Saizou lying on the ground, staring at the sky with a dazed expression on his face.

"What the…?" was all Saizou managed to get out before his vision was filled with brilliant green eyes boring into him so intensely he was half-surprised that he didn't spontaneously combust. Kamanosuke stared at him, leaning over him with his legs straddling his hips.

"Did you like it?" Kamanosuke asked with a grin. "I wasn't sure it would work but…" he laughed with almost innocent glee. "I've never done that before, but I wanted to try it after you said I only used it from a distance. I wanted to try it out on you_._" His eyes went dark. "I'm going to call it _destroyer of ninja!_"

Saizou blinked and then burst out laughing, his hand covering his face as he did. This kid was so totally and utterly crazy and he couldn't help but love it. Plus he'd never had someone name a move after him before - he felt quite touched, in a rather bizarre way. He looked up to saw so and then stopped as he saw Kamanosuke looking at him oddly. "What?" he asked, frowning.

"Umm," Kamanosuke started, then blushed and looked away self-consciously. "It's just… you're not bleeding," he said petulantly.

Saizou rolled his eyes and tried not to laugh out loud. God, the kid was such a strange one, but who was he to deny him? He'd been beaten fair and square, it was only just that he gave something up. He sighed and closed his eyes. "Go on then," he said.

"Huh?" Kamanosuke said, confused, his fingers still playing restlessly with the chain of his kusarigama.

"Cut me. Bleed me. Make your claim – quickly, before I change my mind."

Kamanosuke looked confused for a moment then grinned. "Yay!" he exclaimed – a bit too happily for Saizou's liking – and then drew up his blade. "Where can I mark you?" he asked as he ran a thumb alongside the sharp edge of the blade.

Saizou swallowed dryly. He was suddenly very aware of where Kamanosuke was sitting, and the fact that various parts of his body were doing things he wasn't entirely happy about. The raw lust in Kamanosuke's eyes seemed to trigger something deep inside him, regardless of what it was actually for. "My neck," he growled, and he watched as Kamanosuke licked his lips obscenely and then leant in, his blade in his still-gloved hand and he barely felt it as the metal sliced through the skin. He did, however, feel the warm trickle of blood as it flowed down his neck and he watched as Kamanosuke used his teeth to pull off his glove and lean forwards to brush his thumb over it, smearing the blood across his skin and Saizou saw the flame of something dark and addictive burn in those emerald eyes.

"I've marked you now," Kamanosuke whispered hoarsely, and Saizou just nodded once in reply.

…


	4. Chapter 4

A/N – This chapter rated MA

…

The late afternoon air was warm, and the sun was just beginning its long descent across the sky. It would have been a lovely evening, were it not for the noise coming from the group of people arguing in the middle of the garden.

"I think they might need some time off," Yukimura said with a thoughtful look as he sat on the edge of the veranda watching the group. Isanami was clinging onto the sleeve of Sekai's top, desperately trying to hold him back from confronting Kamanosuke who was mostly ignoring him, instead glaring daggers at Saizou who, in turn, was shouting something at Sarutobi who had turned a rather alarming shade of red in either anger or embarrassment – he wasn't entirely certain.

"It's true that there are… certain tensions within the group, Yukimura-sama," Rokuro said tactfully and he got a snort of amusement in response.

"I think someone might actually end up permanently injured if they don't let off some steam in a more controlled environment," the Sanada lord said as he watched as the Koga ninja flew off into the trees, after which Saizou turned round to confront Kamanosuke and the entire group did an about-turn. "I've decided. Tonight, we'll have a party!" He nodded and clapped his hands together decisively.

Rokuro looked up hesitantly. "A party? With sake? Are you certain?" He was sure that this couldn't end well, but he could also see that Yukimura had made up his mind. The one thing he had learnt from his years of service was that once the man had an idea in his head, he was like a dog with a bone and wouldn't give it up without good reason.

"It'll be fun," Yukimura said confidently, and Rokuro raised a questioning eyebrow.

"For who?" he asked drly, but all he got was a grin in reply.

…

So far, things were pretty much going as well as Rokuro had expected them to. Which was, to say, not too smoothly.

Isanami had kicked up a fuss when, after everyone had finished eating, Yukimura had announced that neither she nor Benmaru were allowed to drink.

"But _whyyyy?" _she asked petulantly, and Yukimura just shook his head.

"I'm not having kids drunk on my watch," was all he said. Rokuro looked at him –although he knew there was more to it than that, he sat quietly and said nothing. It wasn't his place to speak up.

"But _he's _drinking!" Isanami pointed at Kamanosuke, who had already downed half a flask of sake and was grinning, He stuck his tongue out at her, which just made her more annoyed.

"_He_ is older than you… I think." He leant forwards closer to Isanami's face. "Besides, are you going to tell him to stop?" he whispered conspiratorially, and she scowled.

"Fine!" she declared and stood up. "Benmaru and I will go find something exciting to do istead!"

"Really?" the boy said excitedly and he jumped to his feet. "Can we go on an adventure?" He ran up to her and grinned.

She smiled back. "Of course! We'll have much more fun!" she declared as she took his hand and, without looking back, walked out of the room.

Yukimura watched them leave and bit back a sigh. It was all for a very good reason but he still felt a bit mean. Still, he was sure they would actually have more fun together than they would if they'd stayed with the rest of the group. He looked up as Sekai glanced over at him then followed in Isanami's wake, and he relaxed a little. At least they wouldn't be alone.

"Come on then!" Yukimura said as he turned back to the rest of the room when he saw the rest were out of earshot and raised his sake cup in a toast to a round of cheering.

…

Kamanosuke had decided he was having fun. It had taken him a while to identify what it was that he was feeling – initially he'd felt slightly awkward, a bit frustrated and had an overwhelming sentiment that he should be doing _something_ but wasn't quite sure what and he wasn't sure that he would go and do it even if he did remember what it was.

Not that he'd have let anyone know it but it was a nice feeling, to be around people that weren't actively trying to kill him or, he had to admit, the other way around. He'd kept an eye on Saizou the whole evening so far – it had been a couple of days since their… whatever it was… and Kamanosuke was feeling a bit uncertain. He'd avoided Saizou the next day, and he wasn't entirely sure why – it wasn't that he'd hated what had happened, more that he wasn't sure what happened next. It was a bit of unchartered territory for him and all this thinking was really getting on his nerves. He raised his cup to his mouth and realized with surprise that it was empty – along with the two flasks by his side. He reached out for a third flask sitting in the middle of the room, and almost knocked it over as his coordination failed him. Scowling, he tried again, this time managing successfully to wrap his fingers around the flask and he poured another cup for himself. As he took a sip, he looked across the room at Saizou and watched as the ninja sat in the corner with Yukimura. They were obviously discussing something important and he scowled – it looked serious, and he wanted to know what they were talking about. Deciding that he wanted in on the secret he got up a little unsteadily and made his way across the room.

The sake was stronger than he'd thought and he was halfway to his destination when he managed to slip on the tatami mats covering the floor. He went to regain his balance but instead felt two strong hands clamp around his hips. Confused, he looked down to see Jinpachi staring up at him with a grin.

"You sure you're not a girl?" the pirate said with a drunken grin as he brushed a thumb over Kamanosuke's hips who, surprised, blushed in response.

"Let go of me!" he demanded and tried to pull free of the larger man's vice-like grip, but it was impossible. He felt rooted to the spot and, after a brief flush of confidence from the sake, he felt a faint wave of panic start to spread from somewhere inside him.

"I can let you pretend you're a girl if you want?" Jinpachi continued and he was just about to lean forwards when Kakei put a hand on his shoulder.

"Old man, I've decided - I will take you up on your challenge after all!" Kakei declared loudly, his face serious but showing the faint flush of the alcohol. Jinpachi looked at him, confused for a moment, and then laughed.

"Excellent idea! We can find out once and for all who the better shot is!" Jinpachi declared and stood up, letting Kamanosuke twist free as his hands let go. He watched as the young man stared at him. "I can come back for you if you want?"

"Dammit, I'm not a girl!" Kamanosuke shouted in Jinpachi's face and the pirate blinked in surprise and then laughed.

"Let me know if you change your mind," he said cheerfully, and he waved goodbye as he and Kakei made their way out the door into the courtyard to set up their shooting targets, arms around each others shoulders as they boasted of how great a marksman they were.

Kamanosuke huffed in irritation and spun round. He was annoyed and frustrated and embarrassed and, more than anything, wanted to take it out on _someone._ As he looked around he caught sight of Rokuro sitting quietly by himself near to where Saizou and Yukimura were and he stormed over.

"You're more of a girl than me! Why aren't people mean to _you?_" he said accusatorily as he leaned close to Rokuro and poked him in the chest, and the man instinctively drew back, uncovered eye wide in surprise.

"Uhhh…" Rokuro started, but his words were cut off.

"You have pretty hair! And wear those hakama!" he jabbed a finger in mid air. "It's not fair!" Kamanosuke continued as he leant forwards even more, bringing them closer.

"You think we should interrupt?" Saizou asked Yukimura lazily, as they watched from across the room, though he was only really asking to be polite. In reality, he had been kinda enjoying the show, even if he did now feel a bit sorry for Rokuro. He knew how it felt to be in the crosshairs of a rather inebriated Kamanosuke, but he couldn't deny that the way Jinpachi had handled the young man had been quite intriguing. And, yes - he had drunk enough sake to also realize that it had been… intriguing, to see the boy handled that way, the pirate's large hands making Kamanosuke's slender frame seem even more so.

And maybe it had made him a _little_ jealous.

Yukimura looked over to the two men and laughed softly. "It's fine. He can handle himself quite adequately. Plus, I think he likes the attention," he added with a wink and Saizou had to swallow a laugh. He watched as Rokuro scowled and said something back, which obviously affronted the redhead in some way as his face turned almost the same color as his hair.

"I didn't know there'd be entertainment tonight." Saizou said off-handedly, as he downed the last of his sake, and it was Yukimura's turn to snort in amusement. He tapped his closed fan against his chin as he pretended to be deep in thought.

"Maybe we should get Isanami to teach him some of her dances for next time?"

The mental image of Kamanosuke dressed up in one of Isanami's robes doing a temple dance was too much – he put down his cup on the floor and let out a laugh.

Kamanosuke stopped in the middle of what he was doing and looked up as he recognized that laugh. As he thought, Saizou was looking at him, a grin on his face and his eyes bright with amusement. He scowled. How dare the ninja make fun of him! Standing up, he forgot about his previous target and found a new one in his sights as he made his way over.

"What?" Kamanosuke demanded, hands on hips, as he bent over Saizou, his hair falling over his eyes, which were shining brightly from both the alcohol and the lamps around the room. He knew somewhere in the back of his mind that he really shouldn't confront Saizou here – not in this state, not after what had happened, and yet… he couldn't stop himself. The man was making fun of him and he couldn't let that go. No-one humiliated him!

Saizou closed his eyes and shook his head. "I think you've had enough," he said bluntly and placed his hand on Kamanosuke's chest to push him away gently - which was obviously the wrong thing to do.

"Don't touch me!" he shouted and automatically went to reach for his kusarigama, remembering too late that he'd left it back in his room. He froze mid-reach and was just trying to work out what to do next when he felt an arm wrap around his shoulders.

"Time for bed," Saizou said as he stood up. He could see it had gone on too long, and he'd seen the confidence and fire replaced by frustration, and he felt he had to do something otherwise it would all end up tears or, more likely, blood – and he really didn't want to lose any more than he had done so far. With a perfunctory nod at Yukimura, he grabbed Kamanosuke by the collar and all but dragged him outside, ignoring the swearing and threats coming from his captive.

"You think they'll be ok," Rokuro said with slight concern as he moved to stand behind his master as they watched the two of them leave, and Yukimura smiled at the echo of concern he showed.

"They'll be fine, I'm sure. Though someone will be sore in the morning," he added with a laugh. "Now, look – my guests have all left and it's just the two of us again! Ah well, will you keep this old man company tonight?" Yukimura asked with a smile and he was pleased that he got one back in return.

"If that's what you want," Rokuro said with a small smile as he leant forward to pour another cup of sake for them both.

…

"Get in there," Saizou said as he slid open the door to Kamanosuke's room. _What a way to end the night, _he thought as he rolled his eyes and steeled himself for the inevitable comeback.

"Why?" Kamanosuke scowled through his wayward hair and went to lean on the door, which was when he suddenly realized that his current depth perception was about as reliable as his spatial awareness. He missed the doorframe by a few inches and his eyes went wide as he felt himself fall into the room when, for the second time that night, he felt someone catch him – this time, strong fingers wrapped around his upper arm.

"_Che!_" Saizou swore as he saved the kid from landing on his face. "You are the worst drunk ever. Have you never had sake before?" he asked incredulously as he all but marched them both into the room, sliding the door shut and sighing, shaking his head. He turned round, ready to face the oncoming tirade and blinked in surprise.

"It's all your fault," Kamanosuke said quietly as he stood in the darkness, his head handing down dejectedly. Saizou blinked in surprise and was about to say something when suddenly Kamanosuke raised his head and the fire was back in his eyes. "It's all your fault!" he shouted and, without warning, lunged at the other man. Unfortunately for him, the ninja was taller, stronger and significantly more sober than him.

"The fuck…?" Saizou swore as he saw a red-headed whirlwind fly at him. Maneuvering out the way easily, he quickly grabbed Kamanosuke's wrists, spun him round and pushed him against the nearby wall, pinning the kid to the wall with his hands above his head. Saizou felt him struggle in his grip, felt his pulse quicken from it, and swallowed dryly. Maybe he wasn't as in control as he thought.

"Hey, calm down!" he said sharply, and Saizou was relieved when Kamanosuke actually obeyed him, all but going limp in his grip. He took a moment to collect his thoughts, and he noticed that his entire field of vision filled with bright red hair. _It really is something_, Saizou thought randomly, and he bit back the urge to touch it.

"Better?" He asked, and took the silence as acquiescence. Saizou leant forwards, close enough so that their bodies were almost touching entirely from toes to head and he took a moment to enjoy the sense of power and dominance it gave him, then he swallowed it down. Showing too much of it in front of someone like him would be the wrong move – especially now they were back on familiar ground with a familiar weapon a few feet from where they were. "Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?" For a few moments, Saizou thought he was going to be ignored then Kamanosuke spoke up.

"I hate it! I hate you! It was so much easier before!" he spat out, and he was surprised and frustrated at how sharp his voice was with emotion. "Why can't you leave me alone?" he said viciously and tried to escape from Saizou's grip.

Saizou pulled back slightly. "Is that what you want?" he asked quietly.

"Yes!" Kamanosuke shouted, and then instantly added, "No! I… I don't know!" and he stopped struggling once more. _I don't know what's going on anymore, _a small voice said inside him, and it terrified him. He would rather face an army of opponents on the battlefield than his own emotions – and, in fact, had managed to do exactly that for many years. _Why now? Why him? _he asked himself, but he had no reply.

"I'm not going to force you to do anything. You need to make a decision as to what you want me to do…" Saizou said with surprising self-restraint. _Fuck, I really am no good, hitting on a drunk kid who has no idea,_ he thought to himself as he tried to resist the expanse of smooth skin in front of him at the junction between Kamanosuke's neck and shoulder.

"I… don't know."

"Is that a no?" Saizou asked roughly. It was getting harder to keep control – fuck, what was wrong with him? He hadn't felt like this in so long, wasn't sure that he'd ever felt like this, a raw emotion that had seemed to come from nowhere that he was finding harder to keep in check.

"No!" Kamanosuke replied hotly, "it's just…I don't know…" he trailed off, clenching his fists in frustration and he swore under his breath.

Saizou couldn't resist any longer and bent down to take the soft skin between his teeth, biting down hard. He felt Kamanosuke shudder underneath him, and he moved to secure both of the small wrists in one hand against the wall, the other trailing down over smooth curves that no man should ever have.

He wanted more.

Reaching around, he pressed his palm against pale skin and he paused for a moment as he felt Kamanosuke's shallow breathing. Taking a deep breath of his own, he slowly moved his hand down until he slid his hand between skin and material and found that they were both as hard as each other, and he quickly fumbled at the fastenings to free himself as he wrapped his fingers around Kamanosuke's cock. It was hot and hard and, as he did so, he felt the boy round his back and tilt his hips forward to push it deeper into his fist, a soft moan coming from behind closed lips. He leant in further, pressing them both against the wall but leaving enough room for his hand to move – slowly at first, lingering at the tip, where he slid the pad of him thumb against sensitive flesh and felt his fingers become wet and sticky. Saizou bit his lip as he slid his hand down and forced himself to stay there.

"You want me to stop?" he asked huskily as he leant in close.

"No… fuck, _no_" Kamanosuke managed to gasp out, surprised at how needy he sounded yet almost beyond caring. The alcohol combined with whatever Saizou had awakened in him seemed to be a lethal combination. "I need… more."

"I can give you more," Saizou said softly as he move his hand from the front to the back and, in one smooth movement, pushed down material to expose Kamanosuke's ass to the chill evening air. He trailed a finger between his cheeks, lingering briefly at his entrance, and he felt the kid tense briefly, then relax as he began to massage at the tight muscle there. "It will hurt," he said without thinking, then bit back a laugh.

"I don't fucking care," Kamanosuke snapped suddenly as he pushed backwards against Saizou's hips. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he did know what he wanted. "Just give it to me," he demanded.

"Such a pushy bottom," Saizou said with amusement as he pressed further against the hole. It resisted slightly, and then gave into the pressure, and he was able to slide one finger in, quickly joined by another.

"_Fuck,_" Kamanosuke swore, his mind overtaken by new, overpowering sensation.

Saizou moved his hands from Kamanosuke's wrists and briefly clamped them over his captive's mouth instead. "_Che, _do you want the whole of Ueda to hear you?" he hissed as he thrust another finger in, moving his hand back and forth, as he curled his fingers inside the heat. "Can you imagine what everyone'd say if they caught us like this; if they caught _you_ like this?" He got a muffled curse in response and he grinned. It was like playing with fire – beautiful and addictive but potentially very painful.

For who, he wasn't quite sure.

Saizou withdrew his fingers briefly, which caused Kamanosuke to complain until he replaced them with something else. He took himself in his hand and gave himself a few long strokes, coating himself in enough precum to provide some lubrication. He paused for a moment with his head up against tight skin, and then eased forwards slowly. The feeling of tightness sliding over his sensitive skin made Saizou inhale sharply and he had to pause halfway in to try to catch his breath, something that was made even more difficult by Kamanosuke trying to effectively impale himself on Saizou, all the while swearing and cursing under his breath.

"Fuck, can you stay still for a second?" Saizou muttered as he finally managed to get himself fully in, and he took a deep breath. "You ok?" he asked, without thinking.

Kamanosuke nodded without speaking, his breathing shallow and his head down. Saizou couldn't resist any longer and reached up to grasp a handful of long hair in one hand, the other still pinning his wrists to the wall and he pulled back hard. Kamanosuke let out a surprised cry which served only to make Saizou start thrusting again, long and slow to start, almost completely withdrawing before plunging back in, leaving them both sweating and gasping, Kamanosuke clawing at the wall trying to find some purchase to grasp onto.

"I can't hold on much longer," Saizou said quietly and he got a single nod in response. Taking that as confirmation, he began to move faster, alternating the deep thrusts with shallow, quicker ones, his focus narrowing down to the feeling of tightness and need. After a few moments, he felt a familiar feeling inside him, a small flame of desire that was burning hotter. Without thinking, he reached forwards, grasped Kamanosuke's cock in his fist and started moving his hand up and down in an erratic rhythm to his hips.

"Saizou, wait… no, don't stop!" Kamanosuke gasped as he lost all sense of control. He felt free, his mind clear of anything else but this strange, addictive and almost painful contentment. He closed his eyes, blocking out anything else other than _feeling_, and it hit him almost by surprise, one last surge of nerve blasting pleasure-pain and then he was coming, hard and fast which left him gasping.

It took Saizou by surprise as well, though the moment he felt the hot, sticky liquid flow over his fingers he didn't have to do much before he came himself in one long, shuddering breath. It always felt different with another man, more depraved, more raw, and as he spilled into Kamanosuke he took a mouthful of air and tried to catch his breath, then exhaled and leant against the wall, their bodies barely touching and awaited the incoming tirade.

Initially, there was silence, and then he felt Kamanosuke shudder under his touch. For a moment, he thought the kid was crying and he had had a brief moment of panic before he realized it was laughter. Saizou blinked in confusion then took a small step backwards, fastening his trousers as he did so – who was to say he wouldn't need to make a hasty exit – but when Kamanosuke spun round to face him, he had a smile on his face, different from his usual look and not one that hid thoughts of pain and chaos. It lit up his face and made him seem younger, more innocent, and Saizou inwardly snorted with amusement at the last thought.

"That was fun," Kamanosuke declared after a moment, a mischievous grin on his face. He looked up at Saizou and then he dropped his head to glance up at through dark eyelashes and his eyes narrowed wickedly. "It doesn't mean I don't still get to kill you – though I might hold off a while."

Saizou looked down at him and raised a eyebrow, then closed his eyes. "You get weirder every day," he said with a sigh, then broke into a grin of his own. "But I suppose I can deal with that."

…

_Omake chapter_

Kamanosuke stretched as he got up from the futon and immediately winced as various parts of his body protested at the movement. "Ow!" he swore aloud as he clamped a hand on his hip. It wasn't that he minded Saizou being so rough – hell, he actively _encouraged _ it – but he was a little worried he might end up permanently injured at some point. The man could be surprisingly enthusiastic when given the chance and really didn't like to stop in the middle of something, especially if he was enjoying it. Not that Kamanosuke could blame him – they'd eventually stopped when they'd both collapsed in a pile on the mattress, breathing heavily and unable to even move their heads. He grinned at the thought and reached up with his hands to try to gain some kind of control over his hair. Yet again, he'd forgotten to tie it back before going to sleep and it was now tangled and damp from sweat.

"I give in," he muttered to himself as he lost the battle with his own hair and he made his way over to the shoji door, sliding it open slightly. It was still early – too early for most people to be up – and the perfect time to have a bath. He pulled on his trousers that he'd found lying on the floor in the corner where they'd obviously been discarded last night, but despite his best efforts he couldn't find his top anywhere. "What the hell?" he said, confused as to how it had managed to disappear and then sighed. It wasn't far to the bathhouse and no one would be around, and he could get there and back no problem. He grabbed a towel as he left – apparently one of the few things he _could _find, thankfully – and slipped out the door, straight into something.

Into someone.

"Yuri-san?" Rokuro said in surprise as the redhead walked straight into him, just about managing to keep hold of the tea set he was carrying.

"Aah!" Kamanosuke cried as his eyes went wide. He hadn't expected anyone to be out at this time and it took him a second to realize who it was that he'd managed to plough headfirst into. He looked up to see the taller man regarding him with interest, then saw his eyes drop south and widen slightly. Too late, Kamanosuke realized that he was covered in bruises, bites and other marks that he hadn't thought about in his hurry to get to the bath. Panicking, he brought the towel up to try to hide his chest, which, in hindsight, had probably just made it worse. He felt himself staring at Rokuro with a mixture of surprise and embarrassment, and he could feel his face flush.

Rokuro closed his eyes briefly and inclined his head. "Please forgive my rudeness - I have to get this tea to Yukimura-sama," he said with the barest hint of a smile and then turned to carry on down the walkway towards where head of the castle stayed.

Kamanosuke stood rooted to the spot in disbelief as he watched the man walk away unhurriedly. Of all the people…. He reached up to grab a fistful of hair in frustration and swore silently to himself as he made his way to the bath.

This was not going to be a good day.

…

Kamanosuke made sure to wrap the towel around his upper half before stepping out of the bathhouse. Of course, he didn't meet a single person on his way back to his room, despite it being late enough that everyone should've been awake. Sighing with resignation, he opened the door and stepped into the room and as he turned to close the door, he noticed something small and round by the wall. Curious, he bent down to have a look. It was a small, round glass jar, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, and seemed to be full of some kind of cream or liquid. Kamanosuke saw there was a small paper note attached to it and, curious, he picked it up and untied the note:

'_Useful for healing scars, bites, bruises and other injuries caused by over-enthusiasm.'_

…

"Did you hear that?" Yukimura tilted his head up from where he was sitting cross-legged in the middle of his quarters, his usual pipe in one hand and a mug of tea in the other.

Rokuro hesitated for a second and placed his own mug down on the floor carefully then lifted his own head to look up. "Hear what, Master?" he asked blankly.

Yukimura pursed his lips and looked puzzled. "I could've sworn it sounded like someone shouting your name," he said as he looked at the other man curiously.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean," Rokuro replied, his face and voice calm as he placed the dirty cups onto a small tray. "I'm going to check on the food now, if you'll excuse me?"

"Of course," Yukimura replied and nodded his head. He watched as the young man got to his feet lightly and slid the door open silently, stepping out without a sound as agile as a cat. When he was finally alone, he placed his mug down on the floor and burst out laughing.

It was proving very amusing indeed having his Braves around him.


End file.
