This story is complete; it will be posted one chapter at a time. I'm quite proud of it. Hope you find it a good read as well. ;)

WARNING: This story contains shounen-ai and soon, lemon-lime yaoi (which I will no doubt edit to fit the proper rating for FP). If you are unfamiliar with these terms, they mean a romantic and/or sexual relationship with one or more men aka homosexuality. If you are bothered by this, I suggest you click the 'back' button right now. Flames are not tolerated especially if you're complaining about the gay content as I clearly am warning you now.

However, for those who wish to continue onward, please enjoy. :) And yes, a good chunk of the dialogue does not match the history's language at the time, but eh. XD

This story, its characters, etc. are all copyright me sankyuu muchly.

Ai no Nitanita

(Grinning Love)

By, PinkLemonade aka Bre-chan

Dedicated to: Tina & everyone who reads my stuff! :D

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Prologue:

A Boy and His Cat

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When I was born, the age of the samurai was coming to an end. My father had been a highly respected samurai; he was ruthless, cunning, fierce. He was a favorite of the lord he served, because he held no respect for anyone else but his master. He did not speak to any other samurai, he had no friends, but he did not care. He spent his days running errands for his master, which often involved the death of rivals and enemies, or meditating in the gardens.

Before my grandparents passed away, they had asked my father to pass along his strong genetics to a child. So, through an arranged marriage, he betrothed my mother. My grandparents both loved and feared my father, so they offered him a bride of similar power and views as he. My mother was just as solitary and cold as anyone else, but father and her fell in love the moment they saw one another.

When his lord died, the heir, his son, knew that samurai were no longer needed in this era. My father was forced out of work, much to his anger and dismay. However, my parents had inherited the fortune of my grandparents when they passed, and lived comfortably for many years. But my father was a stubborn man, and refused to spend his life in retirement. So, day to day, he went out, looking for jobs. He found many, but most were only simple tasks that paid very little.

I was born two years after father was left without his job and they had moved into my grandparent's mansion. I was treated like the other people who had been in my parents' life. They avoided me if they could, they spent their time alone whenever they had the time. They spoke to me as if I were an adult, and expected highly of me, even as a baby. I was raised to be tall, strong and to obey a master as my father had been taught. In this case, my master was my father.

We never fought, but we barely ever communicated. When we saw one another, I bowed and did not make eye contact as he passed by. I did not know what tender love was as a child, so I never complained about the distance my parents gave me and the lack of warmth they offered.

However, when I was eight, I found a stray cat in an alley way while going to the market place one day. He was very social and sweet, still a kitten. His fur was jet black with eyes like yellow gold. I felt compelled by this kitten and of course, I was just a child, so I demanded I keep him.

Mother did not mind, but when father found out I took in an animal a week later, he was infuriated. He did not like animals, and was actually allergic to cats. By the time he came to my room, the cat and I had become close friends; he was my only friend, in fact. I had even named him: Nitanita.

At the time, a story had been published in another country by the name of "Alice in Wonderland." One of the my mother's rich friends had a brother who lived in this country and had sent her a copy of this book. I read it one day; there was a cat who grinned in it. The Cheshire Cat. He reminded me very much of my fuzzy little kitten, who seemed to smile when I picked him up for the first time.

My father had taken out the kodachi he carried on him and went to cut off the cat's head as my punishment. However, Nitanita moved back just in time. Alas, his eye was sliced, and it fell out. It was a frightening sight; I ordered Nitanita to run out the open window before he could be killed. Nitanita obeyed and left in a hurry, leaving a trail of blood and painful yowls behind.

After that, I was beaten. It did not bother me; as I received painful swats on my back for an hour, my father cursing at me the entire time, the only thing I could think about was Nitanita. Was he alive? Was he all right? Where did he go?

I spent two days in my room, recovering from my wounds. I thought I'd never seen Nitanita again, but to my surprise, he had slipped through the window and come back! He immediately sat beside me; I was sad to see the bloody scar over his now closed eyelid. I knew there was no longer an eye inside.

I opened a couple wounds in my back as I ignored my own pain and focused on healing his. I cleaned the cut, then dressed it. I was in bed for another day and a half, Nitanita sleeping with me in my arms. He'd always duck into the closet when someone came in, though, so as not to get caught. So from then on, I had to keep Nitanita in secret.

A few days had passed, and my father was gone for a week because of a job. I was outside one day, soaking my feet in the koi pond as Nitanita tried to catch the fish when my father came home a day earlier than expected. When he saw the cat, he went to kill him. I stepped in front of Nitanita this time, and protected him. I argued with my father for many hours until he finally let me keep Nitanita. Although we rarely ever spoke as it was, it was a month before my father uttered a single word to me again.

As time went on, and I grew older, Nitanita and I saw very little of one another. I was always doing work, as I was home schooled. I got very little sleep as it was. When I turned fourteen, father sent me off to train at an official Kendo and Archery Academy. I would become a soldier like him, in a time when soldiers were not needed.

I was forced to leave Nitanita behind.

I was twenty when I returned home, a new man. I realized I was cold and ruthless as my father, and it pained me to see my reflection in the old man's face. So, only after a day of my return, I ran away. I left a note, declaring my hatred for what I had become. Little did I know, this letter would enrage my father.

When I came home a week later to pick up my things, my mother revealed that Nitanita had run away. She told me he had waited for me for many years, just sitting at my windowsill, watching the gates for my return.

"He must have realized you had run away," she said, "so he ran away, too."

I was hurt; my only friend was gone. And it was my fault. Sadly, I gathered my things and left, without saying goodbye to anyone.

It has now been three years later since I left home.

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1873

Meiji Period

Edo had now officially earned its name as Tokyo in this period of Japan. Times were changing, and the Land of the Rising Sun was growing in power. Many changes were made to the government and the people involved. Things were shifting, and people from all over the world were slowly making their way into the country.

In the capital Saikyou (which was to be soon called Kyoto), there was a town known as Kita-ku. It was a little lively little place, its back turned to mountains and meadows. These mountains would one day be covered with more and more homes and buildings as time went on. Until then, it was a quiet little mountain town populated by dense woods and wildlife.

There was, however, a little house sitting on the outskirts of the forest. It looked like a wooden shack, with only two rooms inside. Smoke billowed from the chimney, suggesting it was occupied.

Indeed, this tiny cottage belonged to a single person.

Kusarigama Yari had very little contact with the outside world. He only visited the town below of Tsukuba when he needed food or the like. Many people found him intimidating, because he was a man who barely ever spoke, stood tall and strong, and never smiled. There was always ice in his frown, a glare in his black eyes, glowering behind the thin lenses of his glasses.

Yari always had his long black hair tied into a neat ponytail, with bangs that hung down his face, ending where his neck met his shoulders. You could not see his profile from such long bangs when looking at him from a side angle. With his black hakama pants and geta shoes, he wore a matching black kimono with thick sleeves that hid his pale hands. He was beautiful, nicely built; a handsome man despite his icy demeanor.

Because of all the black he wore and the fact his face was often hidden behind his bangs, he was nicknamed Otoroshi. Otoroshi were a type of Japanese demon who hid in throngs of shadows and its long, black hair. Only a pair of glowing eyes and curved tusks could be seen protruding from within the darkness of this monster's form. Little children would point at him when he walked through the market place and whisper.

"He is coming to get food, you know," one little boy said, "but not like the food we eat. He has come for a bad child!"

"A bad child!?"

"My brother told me he only comes down from his house in the mountains to eat a child who has not been praying to the Shinto gods or respecting nature. Some kid must have insulted him!"

"Oooh, that's so scary!!"

"You."

The three children immediately froze, a sense of fear washing over their gangly little bodies. They all looked up and paled. Yari was standing before them, glowering as usual. The three trembled where they stood, clinging to one another. Yari stared coldly at them for another moment, before asking in his usual monotone, "Where is the Korokke stand?"

"Aaaaahhh!" they screamed.

"We did nothing wrong!" one of them sobbed.

"We'll repent!" the girl cried.

"Let's go! Hurry, before the Otoroshi eats us with Korokke!!" the second boy exclaimed. In a blink of an eye, the three kids were sprinting off to the temple to fix any mistakes they may have done to "insult the Otoroshi."

Yari just stood there, blinking. Then, with his brows knit, he turned and continued through the market, on his quest for fresh Korokke.

In actuality, Yari was not a big, scary monster who ate people. Because he did not talk or ever socialize, everyone figured he was nasty and mean. But, in reality, Yari was one of the most gentle people in the world.

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It was one damp afternoon, as rain clouds slowly moved over the mountain towards the town, when Yari was returning from his evening walk. As he was almost to his cottage, he stood when he noticed two men by his house. As they were about to knock, Yari called out, "How may I help you?"

One of the men jumped against his friend's back. "He's not an Otoroshi like those people say!" the other man scowled angrily. Yari pretended he did not hear him. The man then smiled and bowed to him, kicking his friend to do the same. "Good evening! Are you perhaps Kusarigama Yari?"

"Yes."

The man grinned wider. "My name is Nakamura Inoue and this is my colleague, Kobayashi Ito," he introduced himself and his friend. The man behind him bowed slowly, still terrified that the rumors of Yari being a demon were true.

"What is it you need of me?" Yari asked, walking down towards the two. Ito flinched as Inoue shoved an elbow into his back.

"We are here on Kusarigama Igarashi's account," Inoue answered, adding slowly, "your mother, that is."

Yari's frown deepened. Yari had not spoken to his mother for over three and a half years, not since he ran away from home. "What does she want?"

"Well... it's more about her will."

Yari cocked a brow. Her will...?

"You see, we regret to inform you, Kusarigama-san, that both your mother and father passed away a week ago," Inoue stated, bowing along with his partner.

Yari didn't seem to act nor look like he cared. In a way, it was a little upsetting, but not very much. "How did they die?" he inquired.

"Pneumonia, we're afraid," Inoue sighed. "Your father caught it along with your mother, and they both passed away after fighting it for over three weeks. Your father, however, killed himself two days after your mother died. We're deeply sorry."

"Our condolences," Ito whispered.

Yari just made a little 'hmph.' "No surprise. My father knew he was going to die, no matter what. But his stubborn pride refused to let him die of something as 'pathetic as the flu.'"

Inoue and Ito felt a little uncomfortable with his strange, uncaring emotions. They were used to telling people these types of things, but it was rare they ever had someone react without sadness or even anger. "So, what about her will?"

Inoue coughed and turned to Ito, who produced a parchment. He bowed and offered it to Yari. Yari took it from him, broke the seal and adjusted his glasses as he read it over. To his surprise, his name was at the very top.

"As you can see, your mother left their house and all its furnishings to you," Inoue explained.

Yari suspected his mother did this behind her husband's back. He would never allow a son who disowned him to have their entire estate and all its riches. He was a bit surprised; it seemed Igarashi did care for him still after all. "I'm not interested," he stated as he handed the roll back.

Ito gaped. "Not--not interested, but you've been given a gold mi--"

"I'm not interested."

Yari turned his back on the two and went inside his cottage, shutting the door on their faces. "What do we do?" Ito whined, tugging at Inoue's arm.

Inoue shoved him off and scowled. "Let me do the talking," he snapped. He cleared his throat, saying loudly, "At least come to their funeral. I am sure that is what they would have wanted."

"They would have preferred me to be the one turned to ashes."

The two gulped. This man was creepy! "Well, your mother would at least like it. I believe so since she left you all this. Come to the funeral, and stay for at least a couple days. Then make your decision if you'll keep the estate or throw it away."

"What have you got to lose?" Ito added.

It was quiet. Inoue and Ito were waiting for some sort of reply with bated breath. Then, the door opened and they practically leapt backwards. Yari glared at them both tiredly and grumbled, "I'll go to their funeral."

---

The next day, Inoue and Ito prepared atrain for Yari to take him to Tokyo, the famous capital of Japan. Tokyo was heavily populated at this time, and would continue to grow and evolve as the years passed. Yari had packed only a few of his belongings, intending to have a brief visit of two to three days. Inoue and Ito met him in town and escorted him to a small train station two miles from the village.

By train, the journey had not been very long. Yari slept through most of the ride, not caring to talk with Inoue or Ito. Ito was a little offended but Inoue just smiled at the solitary man tucked away in his own little passenger car.

"I've been working with the Kusarigama family for a few years now. They are not a very social family; they avoided any unnecessary meetings and conversations as much as possible. They prided themselves on their solitude and secrecy," Inoue explained calmly. "Young Yari-kun there is a spitting image of his father."

The two men chuckled, unaware Yari was awake and had heard them. Once again, being compared to that man... Yari squeezed his eyes shut, fingers digging into the seat as he let the anger simmer into sleep.

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I hope you have enjoyed the prologue and will come back for more. :) But, for now, let me give you some explanations to a few words/things used in here.

After Notes:

Nitanita: Japanese for the word "grin." I'd show the kanji, but I'm afraid FP wouldn't allow it. (scowl)

Kodachi: This is a type of ancient dagger.

Kusarigama: Kusari-gama are a type of Japanese weapon; a sickle with a chain at the end.

Yari: This is also a Japanese weapon; a long (about three feet or so) sharp spear that can come with or without a crossbow.

Korokke: Japanese food based off a French dish. From wikipedia's article on korokke: "Korokke is made by mixing cooked chopped meat, seafood, or vegetables with mashed potato or white sauce, rolling it in wheat flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs, then deep frying this until brown on the outside."

Alice in Wonderland: This book was published in 1865. And, yes, a favorite of mine as I simply adore the Cheshire Cat. :3

EDIT: 1/13/09: An anon reviewer mentioned that Wikipedia is not always a reliable source and indeed that's true. By their comment, I felt compelled to remind readers here who don't know this that if this information seems off to you, I apologize. I use other sources of information, as you'll see throughout the story. But yeah, just a heads up! Thank you, Anon. :)