I only wish I owned 'Rurouni Keshin'. Sadly he belongs to his creator, publishing/animation/filming companies.

Expected

He knew well in advance when it was coming. It came to the point that he even anticipated and took perverse pleasure in the way her ki exploded, her expression changed and in the magnificent beauty of 'her' before she walloped somebody with her bokken.

He, of all people knew exactly how much she actually checked her swing before she connected; he would even angle his body into it slightly to magnify the force a bit.

It amused him that this amazingly vibrant and innocent creature would tolerate his presence and fearlessly dare to swing at him after knowing what and who he was. It didn't really shock him that right away she realized that he had been pushing into the blows, then compensating and altering her trajectory pulling back just enough.

His shishou used to hit him much harder, so he found her strikes as mere love taps in comparison—and those expressions of affection were his guilty little pleasure.

Published previously at livejournal's 'rk_challenge' community.