One Bright Day in the Middle of the Night

Chapter 10: Hostage for a Day

I sat drinking my sake as the woman, Alexis, left for the evening with Sasuke. It was only the second time I have met her. She is surprising, and for some reason, her very presence puts me on edge. The woman very clearly belongs to Sasuke. I finished my glass, and called for more sake, a smile crossing my face. It was stroke of genius though, the idea of using the woman as a way to get Sasuke to fight. That worked quite well.

I wasn't quite sure why I came up with that idea. It was her eyes, those deep blue eyes, like looking into the ocean. She looked at me, wary but otherwise unafraid. I didn't like it. The flash of fear I caught in her eyes when I announced she was my hostage. That, now that, was what I was used to. That was what I wanted to see. It had nothing to do with wanting her for myself. No. Of course not. Why would I want that? I have no use for women, weak and fragile as they are.

Still.... I caught myself staring off into my empty sake cup. There is something about her. I couldn't believe what I had said earlier, and I was still pissed off at myself about the whole thing. It was purely her fault, that bold look she kept giving me. The obvious challenge in her eyes. She seems different, stronger somehow, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Seal those lips of hers? Oh, yes, but I really didn't want to use sake. It was only though quick thinking that I was able to recover. It's not like me, to make that kind of mistake. To even hint at such weakness. But still.

Sasuke sat back down at the table, apparently having come back from walking that woman home. He sat down across from me, filling our sake cups. I waited as he drank, wanting to ask about her, but there is no way I would.

"Kenshin," Sasuke stared at me until I looked at him, an irritated frown on my face. "She's the closest thing I have to a sister. Keep that in mind."

"As if I care." I downed my sake and poured another, strangely pleased with his words.

..................

I met up with Kenshin and Sasuke the next day and they took me out to an open field out of town for their 'training exercise'. Standing a fair distance away, I watched the two of them and waited.

After Sasuke woke up last night, he walked me within sight of the castle gate, but said they were going to keep drinking afterwards, too. Despite their late night of drinking, the two of them showed no signs of being hungover. Lucky them. I had a bit of a headache myself, but I wouldn't let them know that.

"If you want to rescue the hostage, then you'll have to come at me with all you've got, Sasuke."

"You don't need to tell me twice. I won't go easy on you just because we are on the same side, Kenshin." I detected a slight hint, a possible undercurrent of conflict beneath their words.

"Words are meaningless. Prove it with your blade." Kenshin's katana flowed out from the sheath like a silver stream of water and just as silent.

I could sense the lust for conflict, for battle in his words, in just his stance. The tension that filled the air was so intense I could scarcely breathe. My own heartbeat accelerated in response as I watched. I can see why they called him the God of War. Kenshin's strength poured out, seen just looking at him. He didn't even need to move. It was in the way he stood, the way he held himself. That undercurrent of barely leashed violence that took my breath away.

Sasuke didn't even flinch and pulled his sword with similar skill. It surprised me. Had he gotten that much better since we fought and sparred what would be five years ago? He's so calm. I would have never guessed he had only been in this time period for four years. I narrowed my eyes, wondering how much his skills might have improved in that time. I used to pound the guy into the pavement when it came to a sword fight. Can he beat me now?