Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Nor do I own the character Nokishite Hayami, who belongs to Hiteozakura.

This fic was written for The OC Exchange, on Hiteozakura's character Nokishite Hayami. You can read about Hayami in The Wolf and the Geisha.

Enjoy!

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You always thought yourself clever, not just a pretty plaything. You and Tokio, you were not so different. She, a quick tongue and wild beauty. You, wits and a lovely face. You knew who could be trusted and who couldn’t.

But somehow you made a mistake. Was it the desperation to see your friend again, or your own naiveté? You trusted, just for a moment, a second, and you paid dearly for it.

But it didn’t keep you from trusting again, and you did, putting your pitiful life in one man’s hands. And for once, the trust was not misplaced.