Clutching absently at his pink sweater, Kenshin peered out the living room window. Amidst the immaculately white hills and massive hail of snow, he caught two tall figures getting off a car and then forcing their way through the front lawn.

"They're here," the redhead announced. He glanced across the room at the dark-haired man in the violet turtleneck, sitting in the armchair by the fireside.

In response, Aoshi simply gave his shoulders a brief shrug, not once lifting his eyes off the book in his hand.

Tearing his pensive gaze away from him, Kenshin turned to leave the room.

A few moments later, the doorbell rang.

Promptly Kenshin opened the front door. Before him stood Sanosuke, brushing the snow off of his wool coat.

"Hi, Kenshin," the brunet smiled.

"Hello, Sano," Kenshin forced a smile in return. "Come in."

Eagerly Sano stepped inside the receiving hallway.

Just following the young man, Saitou closed the door carefully behind him. "We'll leave as soon as the snow stops," he curtly told Kenshin.

"Don't worry about it, Saitou," Kenshin said. "You two can stay the night in any case, as I've told Sano on the phone earlier. It really isn't any bother, that it isn't."

"Thanks, pal," Sano flashed him another smile, shrugging out of his damp coat. Now in only his white cardigan and ripped jeans, he yanked off his boots and stepped his socked feet up onto the shiny raised parquet floor. "Gee it's so warm in here."

"Yes, isn't it?"

"Where's Aoshi?"

"...He's in the living room," softly Kenshin replied.

"'See. Hey ya got anythin' to eat?"

"Ahou," Saitou frowned, stripping down to his black pullover and gray pants. "No one's asking you if you're hungry."

Kenshin let out an easy laugh. "It's alright. I've got dinner all ready, actually."

"Yes!" Sano's brown eyes twinkled. "Let's go fill our bellies then!"

Dinner was fairly quiet, and quick -- almost business-like, even -- as all four men ate their rice cakes and shrimp balls with hardly a word.

When they were done:

"I'll clear the table," Aoshi volunteered, taking the plates and cups as he stood.

"I'll help," then grunted Saitou. He picked up the rest of the clutter on the table, ignoring the looks of disbelief thrown his way by his three companions.

Together, Kenshin and Sanosuke watched Aoshi and Saitou disappear into the adjacent kitchen.

And then:

"Did you guys have a fight?"

Kenshin blinked. He turned to Sano beside him and asked, "What?"

"You and Aoshi. You had a fight, didn't you."

"Uh... well..."

"You've had that sad look on your face since we arrived, y'know."

Kenshin heaved a sigh.

Sano shook his spike-haired head. "I knew it."

Kenshin looked down, the sadness in his purple eyes not fading.

"Wanna talk about it?" Sano asked with concern.

A pause. "I don't know, Sano."

"What did ya fight about anyway?"

"...We didn't really fight."

"Well then what happened?"

Once again, Kenshin sighed. "I just woke up this morning to find him suddenly cold towards me, for no reason. I asked what was wrong, and he said I kept crying out Tomoe's name in my sleep. But I don't even remember having dreamt about her. And he wouldn't talk to me since."

"Just like that?" said Sano, incredulous.

Slowly Kenshin nodded.

"That's lame," Sano snorted. "How could it even bug him, man, I mean your wife's been dead for ten years!"

At those words, Kenshin's face turned a distinct sadder.

"Sorry, Kenshin," Sano was quick to blurt out. "I didn't mean it to sound that way."

"It's alright, Sano, I know what you mean." Before Sano could say any more, Kenshin turned to the fruit pie across the table and asked with a smile, "Want some dessert?"

Without hesitation, "Sure," Sano nodded.

At once Kenshin reached for the pie tray and placed it before Sano, who promptly took a knife and a fork and began making short work of the pastry.

"You haven't told me yet about your fight with Saitou."

Sano blinked and paused a moment. "I never said we had a fight."

Kenshin shook his head. "Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

"Yeah, well." Sano tore his fork through the pie, and took in a big mouthful. "He started it," he said as he chewed. "He wouldn't tell me why his ex-wife called this morning. Again. So I split, bad weather and all, straight to Katsu's. Then jealous old prick went after me and, and he threatened to blow Katsu's brains out if I didn't come home with him."

"Really?" Kenshin raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, and idiot me fell for it." Sano stuffed down more of the pie into his mouth, his brow now furrowed tightly as he stared at the kitchen doorway.

"Oh..."

"Waita minute." Sano dropped his fork momentarily. "How long's it been now?"

"What?"

"How long's those two been in the kitchen now?"

"Huh?" Kenshin turned to the kitchen doorway. "I don't know, about a few minutes, maybe. Why?"

"How long does it take to dump the dishes in the sink anyway?" Sano said, his dark brows knotting.

Kenshin stared at his younger friend. "What do you mean, Sano?"

"Somethin' funny's goin' on in there." Sano's fists clenched.

"Oh let's not jump to conclusions now, Sano, what would they --"

"Then why the hell are they taking too long in there?!"

In resignation, Kenshin sighed once more yet, shaking his head.

"Bastards." Sano now took a bigger mouthful of his dessert, growling as he chomped on it.

Just then, Aoshi came walking out of the kitchen, Saitou close on his heels. Without a glance in Kenshin and Sano's direction, the two men casually made their way straight to the living room.

Sanosuke looked out the living room window. "Damn this snow ain't gettin' any thinner!"

Quietly, in three separate armchairs, Kenshin, Aoshi, and Saitou together watched the news on TV, something about some stupid president trying to wage some stupid war.

"I'm bored," sighed Sano. "Kenshin, you still got that PS2 hooked up?"

"No, I already put it away," Kenshin said. "It's right up there, though." He gestured at the stuffed overhead shelf in the corner.

"Good." Quickly Sano snatched himself a chair, and stepped on up to reach for the slim black video game console.

He then began to pull out the unit, not at all noticing the big heavy wrench that was stuck underneath. The metal tool eventually fell off the shelf, hitting him smack in the left foot.

"OW!!!" Sano howled, leaping down from the chair clutching his foot.

"Ahou!" Saitou cried, bolting up from his seat.

Kenshin and Aoshi likewise stood up in surprise.

Sano hoppity-hopped along to the nearby couch. He leaned back against an armrest and took off his left sock, revealing a bruise of pale red color across his foot.

"Shit!" Sano winced. He lifted his foot up to the seat and began to rub it.

"Let me," Kenshin offered, turning off the TV as he sat down on the couch, and took Sano's bare foot in his small, pale hands.

Saitou and Aoshi approached, stopping stiffly before the couch.

"Does that feel better?" Kenshin asked, giving Sano's foot a gentle massage.

"Ahhh, yeah, yeah, that's good," Sano said, if not moaned.

Saitou scowled. "That's no way to treat a bruise," he sternly told Kenshin.

"He just said that it's good, that he did," Kenshin shot back, and rubbed Sano's foot further.

Clearly, this time, Sano moaned.

"You'd better stop," Saitou narrowed his golden eyes at Kenshin.

"Just shut up, Saitou, and leave Kenshin alone."

"I don't think your foot really hurts," Aoshi curtly pointed out.

"Oh yeah?!" Sano flared up. "Then comere and lemme drop that big fucking wrench on your foot and see if it doesn't fucking hurt, bitch."

Aoshi glared. "I'd hold that tongue if I were you, Sagara."

"Oh will you just stop harassing him?" Kenshin shot Aoshi his own glare. "Can't you see he's in pain?"

"And I can see you like it that way," Aoshi retorted, his tone ice-cold.

"What are you talking about, I'm just trying to help him."

And then Sano moaned. Again.

"Drop that foot at once," Saitou gnashed his teeth at Kenshin.

"Ah fuck you, Saitou," Sano scowled. "Why don't you two just slink back into the kitchen and carry on making me and Kenshin jealous."

"Just what are you talking about?" demanded Saitou, his voice menacing.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about! What the fuck were you doing in there anyway?!"

"In the kitchen?" Saitou frowned.

"He was just asking about the shrimp balls," Aoshi said, very matter-of-factly.

"What about the shrimp balls?" Kenshin frowned.

Saitou slightly bristled.

"He wanted the recipe," Aoshi shrugged.

"Shut up, Shinomori," muttered Saitou.

"You lie," Kenshin shook his head, and worked his massaging hands harder.

Yet again, Sano moaned.

"That's it," Saitou seethed. "Get your hands off his foot, Himura, or --"

"Or what?" Kenshin hissed, his eyes turning golden all of a sudden.

Sano gulped. "Whoa, Kenshin, take it eas --"

"Sit back!" he barked at Sano, who wisely obeyed.

Carefully, Aoshi put a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "Kenshin?"

Kenshin whipped his gaze up, and the instant his eyes locked with Aoshi's, the purple in his irises gradually returned.

"You are one fucked-up little man," Saitou shook his head in disgust.

"No he's not," Aoshi darkly snapped.

"Hey don't snap at him like that, bitch!" Sano yelled.

"Will you stop calling him names, Sano?!" Kenshin cried.

"I'll put an end to this nonsense," Saitou declared. With that, he bent down and took Sano easily in his sturdy arms. Swiftly, then, he carried him upstairs, leaving Kenshin and Aoshi alone in the room.

For a few moments neither of the two men stirred nor spoke, until Kenshin stood up from the couch to leave.

Before he could take a step away, however, Aoshi took his wrist in a firm grasp and spun Kenshin around to face him.

"Forgive me, Kenshin," Aoshi said, his voice unusually emotional.

Kenshin gasped. Just as he was to say something, the taller man pulled him closer and locked his parted lips in a full kiss.

Kenshin kissed him back, letting Aoshi lay him gently down on the couch.

When the kiss ended, Kenshin stared up into his lover's jade-green eyes and gave him a sweet smile. "There really is nothing to forgive, Aoshi."

Then the two men did a fervent repeat of their kiss.

Aoshi ran his hands up Kenshin's slender torso, but as he began to tug at his pink sweater, Kenshin broke the kiss and reminded him that, "We have guests."

"Yes, but this is our house." Aoshi stared at him intensely. "We can go to bed here wherever we want."

Kicking open the first door he saw, Saitou marched into the bedroom and dropped the cussing Sanosuke onto the big, lone bed. He sat down on the mattress and grabbed hold of Sano's left foot.

"Let's see if this doesn't ease your pain," he scowled, then began massaging Sano's bruised foot.

"Oh God," Sano moaned, throwing his head back into the pillows.

Suddenly, then, Saitou stopped and sat still, staring quietly at his young lover.

Sano stared back at him, his gaze just as intent.

For a few moments neither of them stirred nor spoke, until Sano dropped his eyes to the bed and softly uttered, "I'm sorry, Hajime."

Silence.

"I promise I won't nag you 'bout the ex-wife again."

Still silence.

"It's just that, well, I get real jealous, you know, whene'er she calls, 'cos it's not like... I mean, sure I know it's your kids she talks to you about, but still you know, I mean, can you blame me if...mmmnpfh..."

Sano stretched himself out on the bed, embracing Saitou's firm body now on top of him as the lovers sealed their hungry lips in a deep kiss.

Then:

"I-I don't think this is the guestroom, Hajime," Sano whispered, as Saitou now ran his tongue down the boy's throat.

"No?"

"This is Kenshin and Aoshi's bed."

"Hn. Believe me, they can make do with the couch for now," Saitou smirked, before kissing Sano deeply once again.

Shortly, the bed rocked.

And downstairs, so did the couch.

END