Red Autumn

Written for the Hostile Takeover's challenge of Appearance. Just playing with the timeline and setting a little heh. :p

Kenshin finally stopped, looking back to check if Kaoru had indeed followed him. Sighing in relief when the rurouni saw nothing, he started to take in his surroundings, all the while thinking of the inevitable battle that he would fight in Kyoto.

Autumn leaves fell, painting the landscape with a warm red. The sounds of a soft, cool breeze could be heard, swiftly followed by the rustling of leaves, almost like the passing of a god. He couldn't help but breathe in wilfully, enjoying the surreal tranquillity that lay in the air. His mind seemed to clear, and he couldn't help but draw his sword, to reflect his eyes.

Those violet eyes, deeper than the purest amethyst, calm as the autumn forest around him. The eyes that had always held a tone of serenity, a touch of assertiveness, but gentle. Then, flipping his blade, Kenshin had almost recoiled when he saw another colour.

Gold.

These eyes were different. They were ice cold, and while equally serene, they were filled with menace, like a predator stalking his prey. The eyes of a Hitokiri. The autumn scene around him seemed to deepen, creating the colour of crimson akin to blood, horrifying him.

Kenshin sheathed his sword, and started breathing heavily as his thoughts turned to Kaoru, who would undoubtedly try to follow him.

Kenshin did not want Kaoru to see those eyes, those shameful eyes. He knew that he would have to kill at some point in this battle, becoming someone that he hated, someone that he had denied to be for the past decade. He feared Kaoru's presence, how she would see those cold golden eyes, how she would see him not as Rurouni Kenshin, but as Hitokiri Battousai.

More than anything, Kenshin was afraid. He was afraid she would not see him as a warm autumn, but a deep crimson. He knew that she was probably upset at him leaving her behind, but tried not to care, leaving it at the back of his mind, while he focused his attention on his future battles.

Kenshin hoped, she would understand.

He was, after all, trying to protect her from many things… including himself.

Hmm, I guess I could have done better with a few things, but I'm pretty satisfied. :)