Name: Androgene

Website: www.angelfire.com/space/noir13

Email: androgene@lycos.com

Title: The Wolf and the Abyssinian - Act 7

Summary: a Rurouni Kenshin and WeiB Kreuz crossover, with both worlds fused into an alternate one.

Date of completion: 25 December 2001

Category: Drama, action, angst, yaoi

Pairings: SaitoxAya, hints of YohjixAya

Rating: NC-17

Disclaimer: All characters belong to their individual creators. Rurouni Kenshin™ is created by Nobuhiro Watsuki and WeiB Kreuz™ is created by Takehito Koyasu and Project WeiB. I don't own them and I don't profit from using these characters.

Author's comments: I can't help it. The idea of a SaitoxRan pairing just popped in my head while I was writing my other fanfic and it won't leave!

Warning: This is a yaoi story, meaning it had homosexual themes in it. Whether or not there are sex scenes, I don't know yet. But when that happens, I'll warn ya. So if you're uncomfortable with yaoi story, don't read it. It's as simple as that.

~ The Wolf & The Abyssinian ~

a WeiB Kreuz-Ruroni Kenshin crossover

Act Seven Scene One

Aya stared up the silver length of his blade at the cold golden eyes, searching desperately for a hint of warmth and finding none. He loves me, right? He asked himself wildly. He wouldn't do it…would he?

Saito drew back the katana, the barest of a smirk curving his thin lips.

Over the pounding of his heart, Aya heard the faint whiz of an…arrow? In rapid succession, the headlights of the cars shattered, casting the warehouse in darkness again. As Takeda's guards shouted in alarm, Aya instantly yanked his arms free and hit the ground, just in time as gunfire erupted and he heard the dull sound of a blade cutting through flesh. Warm blood splattered over him.

A bomb went off, lighting up the place with a spectacular fireball. In the fiery light, Aya saw Yohji and Ken attacking Takeda's guards. Up above them, on the railing, Omi covered them with well-placed arrows.

Omi? Since when he got here?

There was no sign of Takeda himself or Saito. But his bloodied katana rested on the ground in front of him and both his captors had been savagely slain. Aya wasted no time in joining the fray. He snatched up his katana and threw it, striking the guard that was about to stab Yohji from behind through his chest.

The blond nodded his thanks. He threw out his cutting wires again, effortlessly beheading another guard. "Go and find Takeda!" he shouted over the din. "We can handle things here!"

Aya said nothing, simply pulled out his katana and took off. His friends were more than capable in handling goons with guns.

Through the falling snow, he saw the distinct figures getting further and further away. Aya set off after them, sprinting hard to catch up. He heard the staccato spat of automatic rifle and saw the lean lanky figure of Saito throwing himself down on the wet ground to avoid being hit. The redhead veered off, attempting to cut them off from a different direction.

Saito sprang to his feet again and charged forward at a ferocious speed. In a fluid motion, he unsheathed a long slim blade from his walking cane and held it in the ready position. Before the guard could react, Saito cut him down swiftly and savagely.

Takeda's eyes widened in recognition of the fighting style. "Getatsu! Mibu's Wolf, Saito Hajime!"

Saito simply smirked as he slain another guard with brutal speed.

"This way, Takeda-san!" One of his guards said urgently and pulled him towards an alleyway.

A flash of metal and his guard died with a gurgle of a scream, leaving him all alone. Takeda backed away from the alleyway fearfully, eyes darting between the lean menacing figure of the Mibu's Wolf and the pale vengeful ghost that slinked out from the alleyway.

"Takeda Kanryou," Aya said coldly. "You have been found guilty on several counts of drug trafficking."

"M-matte. Surely we can talk this over. If it's money you want, I have lots of it. How much? Twenty hundred thousand? Thirty hundred thousand? Name your price!"

"Money won't save you now, Takeda." Saito replied in an equally cold voice as he advanced towards the terrified man.

Takeda began to hyperventilate. "Who-who are you?" he squeaked.

"WeiB," Aya answered. He raised his katana in a ready stance. "White Hunters of the dark."

Abyssinian charged.

Too late, he saw the gun in Takeda's hand rising to aim point-blank at him. He tried desperately to slow down, throw himself to one side, anything to avoid getting shot. He felt a heavy mass slamming into him, knocking him to the ground, at the same time a gunshot shattered the night.

Aya's back hit the concrete painfully, the breath squashed out of him for a moment. The redhead shook off the pain and heaved himself up, orchid eyes widening with sudden shock. Somewhere, very faraway, beyond the sudden roaring of blood in his ears, someone began to scream in his mind.

Saito lies at his feet, silent and still.

Act Seven Scene Two

Takeda began to laugh, a high-pitched manic sound of glee. "I fell the Wolf! I fell the Mibu's Wolf!"

The insane laughing finally penetrated Aya's devastated soul. Orchid eyes, brimming with tears, glared at Takeda. The purple orbs blazed with an icy searing hatred. Lips pulled back in a vicious snarl, Aya rose to his feet.

"Shi-ne!" The anguished scream resounded through the night as he struck the killing blow.

Takeda gaped almost comically, looking incredulously at the katana sticking deep into his chest. His dimming gaze darted back to Aya's grief-stricken expression.

"Burn in hell, Takeda." Aya twisted his katana, disemboweling him further. He pulled it out, letting the dead body fall to the bloodstained ground. He stood above the dead drug lord, trembling with anguish barely held in check, as his loss finally sank in. Again he had lost what is most precious to him. Again he was alone, truly alone now forever.

"I see you have killed him," croaked a voice, familiar and somewhat breathless, behind him.

It took a moment for Aya to register the voice. He spun around so fast as to nearly give himself whiplash and stared uncomprehendingly at Saito sitting up on the ground. He tried to speak but no sound came out.

"Saito…?" He finally said very faintly.

"Not bad, kitten. Your blow was swift and to the point."

In a flash, Aya had dropped his bloodied katana and was by his side. He ran his hands over Saito's torso, frantically searching for any injuries. He unbuttoned the jacket and shirt, nearly tearing the cloth in his haste, and stared speechlessly at the Kevlar vest beneath the clothes. The flattened bullet right above his heart stood out against the dark fabric of the Kevlar.

"Lucky thing I wore this," Saito said wryly. "Or I'll be dead for sure."

Relief, strong and cold, washed over Aya. Overwhelmed, he threw his arms around Saito's neck, hugging him tightly. Taken aback, Saito hesitantly and gently wrapped his own arms around Aya, holding the trembling redhead close against him.

Nothing was said in the silence of the night. The pair lies embracing under the falling snow; Saito letting his presence convinced Aya that he was alive and well.

Abruptly, Aya pulled away and punched him resoundingly.

"Bastard!" he hissed. "Get up and follow me!"

Act Seven Scene Three

By the time they reached the warehouse, Aya had calmed down somewhat, retreated behind his usual impassive mask. Saito was quiet beside him, wisely keeping his mouth shut even though he badly wanted to know why the redhead had slapped him. There was a glint in those purple eyes that hinted of anger still unabated.

The warehouse was burning merrily to the ground when they arrived. Against the fiery glow, three silhouettes waited near where their getaway vehicles were concealed.

"Abyssinian!" Ken called. Suddenly he dropped into a couch, the claws of his bugnuks snapping forth. Beside him, Yohji pulled out his wire as well. "Get away from him, Abyssinian! He's one of them!"

Instinctively, Aya took a step to his right, shielding Saito protectively. "Yamatte! He's a friend!"

"Nani?"

"He's working undercover to destroy Takeda's operations," Aya explained rapidly.

"How would you know that?" Yohji questioned tensely.

"I met him before," Aya answered evasively. Somehow he didn't think the fact he was sleeping with Saito would go over well with them.

Yohji's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I can vouch for him," Omi spoke up unexpectedly. They all turned to the youngest Takatori who in turn was staring at Saito and Aya with an odd expression. "He's the Mibu's Wolf, a former agent of Kritiker."

"No way," Ken said flatly. "They were all killed."

"All but one." Omi turned to Aya. "Takeda?"

"Dead."

"Good. Then it's time for us to leave as well." Omi held up a hand, forestalling further questions. "Everything can be settled by tomorrow."

Aya nodded, relaxing somewhat now he knows his friends wouldn't attack Saito. "I'm taking the Wolf back to his safe house. There are some…issues we have to settle."

Again the odd expression came over Omi's face. Then it was gone. "All right. We'll drop by tomorrow noon, if the Wolf doesn't mind."

"Iie."

"Get into my car," Aya practically ordered Saito as he turned away, missing the look of sudden comprehension flashing across Yohji's face.

* * *

The ride back to Saito's safe house was made in absolute silence. Both Aya and Saito did not speak to each other during the journey, not until the Porsche was parked in the garage of the safe house. Aya sat behind the wheel for a moment longer, and then very deliberately, got out and made his way around the house to the backyard.

Saito followed. He paused when Aya came to a stop in the middle of his backyard, drinking in the pale beauty of the man as he stood amidst the falling snow.

The redhead turned around and looked at him, purple eyes hooded and impassive. From a pocket, he took out a rosebud stalk, the flower somewhat flattened but otherwise intact. Saito stared at the rosebud, recognizing it instantly as the one he gave to Aya just yesterday.

"I kept this with me all the time, not knowing when I'll see you again." Aya said softly. "I return this to you."

Slowly Saito accepted the rosebud.

Aya stepped away. Saito watched silently, a brow quirking upward, as the redhead very formally drew his katana. The bare blade glimmered coldly under the starlight.

"A duel?" he guessed.

"Hai." Aya tossed back his crimson bangs, a motion at once sensual and wild. His stance was solemn; the lift of his chin was proud. "I accept your apology, Saito Hajime. But if you want to claim me forever, come and defeat me."

For a long silent moment, golden eyes locked with purple, measuring the strength of Aya's determination.

"Che," Saito said at last. "As you wish, kitten."

As Aya watched, Saito disappeared into the house and came out, this time carrying his Nippon sword. "A proper duel requires a proper sword." He unsheathed his sword and held it lightly in his grasp. "I won't hold back."

"Neither will I." Aya dropped into a ready stance.

"Hn." Saito lifted his sword parallel to the ground, left shoulder and arm pulled back and his right hand lightly touching the tip of his sword. "Koi."