Rating: Pg
warning: Kissing thats about it
Pairings:Kenshin and Sano
Disclamier: As I am sure everyone knows I don't own the rights for the charcters or the genral storyline and tradmarks and all that other stuff yada yada don't sue.

The air was thick and heavy with humidity. The leaves hung motionless on the branches. The endless drones of cicadas only added to the laziness of the summer evening. It was the oppressiveness of the world that drove Sagara Sanosuke to a small lake. He hoped to chill himself in the cool waters. Dropping a hand into the water a frown crossed his face.

“Ahh… Sano-san, why the long face?”

Sanosuke sighed and stood up and wiped his wet hand on his pants. “Curse this weather. Even the water is too warm. I would give anything for a cool breeze.” Sanosuke stated. He then turned to look down at his red haired friend. Smiling a bit to see him he asked “ So, Kenshin what are you doing this far out? I figured Kaoru would be keeping you busy at the Dojo.”

Kenshin didn’t answer him and just gave him a warm smile. “Sano-san, why don’t you come and walk with me? I’m sure a breeze will come as the sun goes down.”

Sanosuke did not have any real plans that night nodded to him. They slowly began to walk the perimeter of the lake. They spent their time talking about the people they knew and what they had accomplished in their lives. Like the winding down of a clock time slowly passed for them and eventually Kenshin pointed out a small rise in the landscape. He suggested that they sit upon it and watch the sun set over the hills.

“Sano how do you know if you’ve fallen in love?” Sanosuke stared at Kenshin and could only blink as the samurai stared off into the growing darkness of the horizon. He would never in a thousand lifetimes have imagined that Kenshin would ever ask for his advice on anything, let alone love.

So stunned was he by Kenshin’s question that all he could reply was “Oro?”

The samurai let out a warm chuckle at Sanosuke’s response. “Don’t worry about it Sanosuke. It was a silly question.” Heaving a great sigh Kenshin lay back on his elbows and tilted his head up towards the sky.

Sanosuke kept pondering the smaller man’s question. The meaning behind it kept rolling in his thoughts like the waves of the ocean beating on the shore. “I’ve never been in love Ken-san. I wouldn’t begin to know how to explain it to someone else. Why?”

By this time the sun had completely set over the horizon and the full moon provided the only light for Sanosuke to see clearly and he was gently surprised when Kenshin finally answered him. “I think I have fallen madly in love with someone. I’m just not sure if this Someone would- …could love me back. I just wanted to make sure that I was in love before I ruined a good friendship.”

“Don’t worry Ken-san. I know that without a doubt Kaoru is head over heels for you. Trust me, with her all you have to do is hand her some flowers and she will jump at the chance to be with you.” Sanosuke replied, laughing lightly at the mental picture of Kaoru jumping on Kenshin and squashing him.

Out of the darkness Kenshin responded in a hushed voice. “I’m not in love with Kaoru. It’s someone else.”

A soft moan was heard as a gentle night breeze wound its way around the low hills and shallow valleys that surrounded the countryside. Small ripples slowly moved their way across the lake, disrupting the mirror of the stars, turning their quiet reflection into a dance of light. Kenshin pulled the tie out and let his hair move freely in the air, the red strands rising and falling with the crest of the wind, each one creating a pattern that was never meant to be copied or repeated, each a separate path to be lost in the winds of time.

Sanosuke stared in awe at the untamed dance of light silk. He wanted to forget the world and her people. All he wished for was to hold out his hand and let the red hair wind and wrap around his fingers like a lovers arms holding their beloved. Sanosuke shook his head of the thought. The idea of Kenshin’s arms around him made him feel foolish. He was suddenly very grateful for the night as it hid his flushed cheeks.

The wind had died down. For the moment only a small breeze could be felt flowing softly over his skin like the breath of a playful child. Sanosuke felt the silence around them was far too deafening. He thought for a moment and remembered Kenshin’s last comment. Sanosuke felt that it deserved a little bit of attention. It was not often in life that one fell in love, and the fact that Kenshin loved someone other than Kaoru caused a certain amount of curiosity to rise within him.

“Who is it?” he asked politely.

“Huh, what?” the samurai started “What did you say Sano san?”

“Who do you love? If it’s not Kaoru, then who is it? Tae-san, Megumi-san, who?” Sanosuke wished he could see Kenshin’s face when he rattled off the names of the prettiest girls in town. If he could put down money he would put it on Megumi, the foxy doctor. She was the loveliest creature in town according to all the young men.

“Well... ano…” Kenshin mumbled as he started to pull up blades of grass. “I… well, to be honest, I love...” The wind suddenly rose up again and, like a hawk with its prey, carried Kenshin’s words away.

Sanosuke strained to hear what he said, but couldn’t. If it had been a topic of less importance he wouldn’t have asked Kenshin to repeat what he said, but Sanosuke felt like this was something he should know. Kenshin was his best friend and confidant. If Sanosuke knew anything about Kenshin it should be who the love of his life was.

“I’m sorry, Kenshin. I didn’t quite catch the name. The wind was too loud. Who do you love?”

Sanosuke was surprised when Kenshin leaned close to his ear, his warm breath tickling his ear lobe. With a hushed whisper Kenshin filled the small void between his lips and Sanosuke’s ears with the answer. “I love you, Sanosuke.” With those words spoken Kenshin put his hands under Sanosuke’s chin slowly, gently turning his head he placed a quiet kiss on his lips.

Sanosuke was frightened and exhilarated. The world seemed to fall away and surround him. It felt like everything was moving and standing still at the same time. Kenshin’s lips were soft and warm against his. They were kind and pliant like a rose petal that has fallen into wet grass. Like sugar on the tongue the rush quickly dissolved as Kenshin pulled away.

“Gomen, Sanosuke, I don’t know what’s come over me. I should go. Kaoru will be wondering about me.” Kenshin quickly stood up and looked around. Pushing his loose hair away from his shoulders, he moved to walk away.

Sanosuke did the first thing that came to his mind. He reached out and grabbed Kenshin’s wrist, his long fingers wrapping around it completely. He stared up at Kenshin, his hair falling around his shoulders, framing his delicate face. Crimson fingers tracing the scar on his cheek as well as caressing the stars in the sky.

“No, Kenshin. Stay here with me, please.” He said what he had wanted to, the words falling from his mouth like petals from a cherry tree, soft and slow each one taking it’s time to reach the ground before the other one followed. Like his words Sanosuke let go of Kenshin’s wrists, letting his arm fall back into his lap. For a brief moment Sanosuke feared that Kenshin would keep on walking, leaving him alone on the hill, alone in the night with nothing but the stars to keep him company.

He felt a warm hand fall on his shoulder and clothing brush up against him as Kenshin sat down next to him. Turning to face each other they slowly moved closer together, their faces inches apart, each one feeling the breath of the other on their face.

Tentatively, like light rain on dry ground, they touched their lips together for a second time. Sanosuke lifted his hand to run it through Kenshin’s hair, letting it flow through his fingers like water flowing in a mountain stream. He pulled Kenshin closer to him, deepening their kiss and letting Kenshin’s essence flow through his veins like nectar from a forbidden flower.

Up in the sky a bright round moon shown down upon the lovers while the stars twinkled with joy in the inky darkness of the heavens. Upon the earth the wind blew the songs of the cicadas across the lake, pausing a moment to dance around the two, laughing in delight as they slowly wrapped their arms around each other in a tight embrace, before it had to travel along it’s merry way again.

~Owari~