Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki. I claim no ownership over this wonderful series.
Bond
By: Beyond Doubt
July 18th, 2012
A fresh warm wind coursed through the man's flaming hair. The traveling sack thumping against his back that was once bulging with a full capacity of supplies had begun to disipate in size the farther he walked across the land.
He figured such a thing would happen. Afterall, ten years was enough to make one well aware of the circumstances he should face along the journey.
I suppose Tokyo is where I am by now, he thought.
Of course, the thought was all but comforting to the lone swordsman.
Years of wandering had softened both his wounded heart and the cross-shaped scar branded across his skin, that much was true. But it had failed to entirely erase the dark memories embedded in his mind. Little had he expected that he would one day leave behind the shattered soul of the Hitokiri Battousai to wander alone the stretching streets of Japan.
It had been a task in itself upon the young man, for who would house such a murderous assassin?
Nonetheless, he learned that that type of luxury was something he did not deserve. He took the scornful glares, angry shouts and pelting of rocks and various objects of the villagers who came to know the legend of the man he once was.
No matter how much it hurt, he refused to let it show.
That was what his travels had turned him into: just a simple and kind ronin with a sworn oath to protect those in need. The sheathed sakabatou by his side signified his claim.
The length of the path he now walked was scattered by sakura trees popping up on either side. He took in the serene sights with a smile. It has been quite some time since sessha has come across cherry blossoms, de gozaru.
The bright pink trees carried a delicate fragrance of which the swordsman found relief in smelling. Something about the sakura's seemed to put him in a relatively calm state for a moment or two before being forced back into reality. However, he enjoyed it anyways, even if it was for a short time.
"Kenshin..." A femine voice called his name, causing him to turn.
"Oro?" The redhead arched a crimson brow.
"Kenshin...!" The voice became louder, more familiar to his ears as the minutes rolled by after hearing the call. Finally, Kenshin was aware of his surroundings and the sakura lined road became a figment of his imagination as he took a hold onto actuality. When he glanced to his side, a sapphire-eyed young woman met his wandering gaze.
Kaoru was staring at him worriedly. They had been walking down the street for nearly an hour, talking without a care until he had zoned out halfway through the conversation.
She asked, "Are you alright? I've said your name five times and you didn't answer me."
He gave her an apologetic nod. "Gomenasai, Kaoru. I did not realize I was lost in my thoughts."
A hushed silence passed between the two. Then, Kaoru dipped her head and smiled in understanding. "Don't worry, anata," she said. "I know you must have a lot on your mind right now. Especially with... you know..." She allowed for her sentence to trail off, knowing her husband would realize what she meant without her having to voice it aloud.
Kenshin's eyes softened. "I know," he murmured, grinning.
He pushed aside her unkempt black bangs, leaving a chaste kiss on her forehead. His lips lingered there for quite sometime after, but he refused to break away from the tender moment he and his wife were sharing. The open palm of his hand came to rest over Kaoru's rounding belly. He could feel the slightest kicking vibrating under his touch.
"Aishiteiru, koishii."
Kaoru bowed her head, ghosting her hand over his own. "I love you too... Kenshin."
Owari
Authoress Note: I wrote this without so much as a spark of inspiration for the past week. I've been wanting to write something for the fanfiction community, but I couldn't figure out what of or where to so much as begin... when this little idea popped into my brain just as I was on my last strand of sanity. In all honesty, this was not at all how I first anticipated it to start. I thought of making it a longer story instead of just a one-shot, but I think we all know once we get a story going, our ideas are bound to change somewhere in the middle of progression, ne? I hope you liked it anyways despite it's short length (at least what appears to be short to me.) I'd love to hear any thoughts and opinions on the fanfic itself. Please feel free to review. Whether you liked it or not, even a single review is better than cold silence. Thank you.
-Beyond Doubt