Disclaimer: Does it look like I own Kenshin, or am profiting by way of the redhead? That honor goes to Nobuhiro Watsuki, Studio Gallup, Sony, Shueisha, ADV Media Blasters, Fuji TV, Shonen Jump and Viz. Away from me, O lawyers of greed!
A/N: The lake I mention in this story is the lake I mentioned in Hidden Lake, a lemon I have posted on and under the same screen name.
Betad by Night-Mare-Chan
Glossary: koshishi - lion cub, bento box - a picnic box, fusuma - sliding rice paper door
July, 1884
Kamiya Dojo
Kenji sat at the edge of the koi pond, watching the fish swim around. Lately he'd become fascinated by the brightly-colored creatures with the buggy eyes and goofy faces that lived in the water. Whenever he wasn't eating, training, tormenting Yahiko-nii or helping one of his parents with the various household tasks, he could be found out here, staring at the fish for hours on end.
Today was a frightfully hot day. The sun beat down mercilessly and baked everything with its unforgiving rays. The trees themselves seemed to wilt in the heat and retreating to their shade did no good. Kenji lowered his hand into the water and felt how good and cool it was. He decided to beat the heat by taking a swim in the koi pond. He pulled off his sandals and stuck his feet in the water. That felt so nice!
Kenji stood up and waded out a bit farther till he was in the water up to his knees. The fish darted away from him as he invaded their home. Laughing, Kenji plunged his hands into the water in a half-hearted attempt capture the slippery creatures. Just as he was about to go out farther, he heard the fusuma slide open behind him.
"Kenji, the koi pond is for fish to swim in, not boys," said Kenshin, pulling his son out of the water.
"But it's hot and I wanna swim like the fish," protested Kenji.
"You won't have much fun swimming in this tiny pond. But I know of a much bigger place you could swim in," said Kenshin.
"Where? Where?" squeaked Kenji.
"Before I tell you, you must promise to keep it a secret. You can't tell anyone, not even Yahiko-nii," said Kenshin, gazing solemnly into his son's blue eyes.
"A secret. I can keep a secret," said Kenji, eyes widening with delight.
"Promise?"
"Promise," said Kenji, meeting Daddy's gaze solemnly.
"OK, after lunch your mother and I will show you our swimming place," said Kenshin with a smile.
"Yay!" said Kenji, eyes lighting.
After the family had eaten, Kenshin led his wife and young son through the countryside, into the deep forest and out to his and Kaoru's hidden lake. For the past four years, the tiny lake had remained a tightly guarded secret between husband and wife. Nobody else knew of it.
When they came into the clearing where the lake was, Kenji's blue eyes opened wide. It was a huge and beautiful place surrounded on all sides by thick growth. The water was a deep, dark blue and looked so inviting. This was like a hidden place in the many stories Mommy and Daddy told him.
The three quickly divested themselves of all raiment, stacking them in three neat piles. Kenshin waded out into the cool water. Kenji stood close to Mommy, watching as Daddy's legs disappeared into the water. Now Kenji could only see the top of his dad's body. Going down on his knees, Kenshin opened his arms and smiled at his little boy, gesturing for Kenji to come out to him.
"C'mon out, Kenji," he called gently.
Kenji looked around him. This lake was huge! He'd just never seen so much water in one place. This was much bigger than the koi pond in the backyard. It was a bit intimidating for the lad and he shied from it, hiding behind Kaoru.
"Go on, Kenji. Daddy's waiting," encouraged Kaoru.
Again the little boy didn't move.
"You're not afraid, are you?" asked Kaoru.
Afraid? No, Kenji didn't think he was exactly afraid.
"Daddy and I won't let anything happen to you," promised Kaoru softly.
Kenji looked up into Mommy's face and saw her smiling at him. Then he looked out to Daddy, who was also smiling at him. There was nothing to fear. Kenji trusted his parents in everything. Marshalling his courage, Kenji left Kaoru's side and walked into the water toward Kenshin.
"C'mon, son. That's it. Just a bit farther," said Kenshin, gesturing for Kenji to reach him.
Kenji smiled as he reached the safety of his father's arms. Kenshin hugged the boy and smiled at him.
"Good job, koshishi. I knew you could do it," he said.
"Yeah," said Kenji.
Kaoru waded out toward her two redheads. Together, the three of them went out a bit into the deeper water. While Kenji watched from the safety of Kaoru's arms, Kenshin began dog-paddling around them. Although he wasn't as graceful as the fish, Daddy was fast in the water. Kenji wanted to do that.
"I wanna try," he told Kaoru.
Kaoru nodded and called to Kenshin.
"Kenshin, Kenji's going to come to you," she said.
Kenshin stopped and stood up in the water, then held out his arms. Kenji was a very bright boy and could pick up new moves just by seeing or hearing about them once. He didn't usually need things shown to him a bunch of times. It wouldn't surprise him if Kenji learned how to swim in just a day or two.
Kaoru let Kenji go and the boy started forth. As Kenji went along and kept his eyes on Daddy, he knew he could make it. Just for a second, he took his eyes off his father and looked at the deep water all around him. It was so deep and so dark. Suddenly, panic set in. Kenji stopped swimming and started thrashing about. When Kenji's head disappeared under the water, Kaoru let out a shriek and Kenshin went into action, disappearing under the water and reappearing with the coughing boy in his arms.
"Daddy!" cried Kenji, then burst into tears.
With a nod to Kaoru that Kenji was alright, Kenshin held the little boy in his arms. He rubbed Kenji's back gently, trying to calm him down a bit.
"It's alright, Kenji. You were doing fine. I think you just got a little distracted," said Kenshin softly.
"Dis-trac-ted?" asked Kenji, looking at Daddy with tear-stained face.
"Mmm hmm, when you stopped thinking about your goal and started thinking about the water instead," said Kenshin.
"How'd you know?" said Kenji.
"A lucky guess," said Kenshin simply. "It would make me happy if you tried again. This time, keep your eyes on the goal in front of you and don't think about what's around you. Just go to your mom and don't worry about the lake. Your mom and I won't let anything happen to you. Try again?"
"OK," said Kenji, recovering himself quickly.
Kenshin nodded to Kaoru, who held her arms open. He then set Kenji down in the water. Kenji started forward, keeping his father's words in his head and his eyes fixed on his mother. This time, he made it with no problems. Kaoru pulled him into her arms, hugging him proudly.
"I knew you could do it," she said softly.
"I didn't get dis-trac-ted this time," said Kenji. "I wanna go back to Daddy now."
Kaoru set Kenji back down in the water. This time he made a B line for his father, keeping his eyes fixed straight ahead. They repeated this a few more times, Kenji getting stronger and faster with each pass. Kenshin was very impressed. As a boy, he had struggled when Hiko taught him how to swim, but it seemed to come naturally to Kenji.
After about twenty minutes, Kenji was showing signs of tiring. Kenshin took the boy on his back and dog-paddled around the lake while Kenji clung to him, holding his hair like reins. Kaoru swam in leisurly backstrokes, splashing water at the two redheads when they neared each other.
After swimming around for a bit, the three just messed around in the shallower water, splashing each other in the face. Sometimes Kenshin and Kaoru would yank each other under the water by the ankles. Kenshin tossed Kenji up into the air and caught him several times, Kenji's laughter ringing out each time he neared the sky.
The sun was nearing the western horizon, taking the warmth of the day with it. The family headed toward the shore, all three swimming under their own power. Kenshin's surmise was correct; Kenji had picked up the forms of swimming in one day and could now swim quite well as long as it wasn't too far.
Once they were out of the water, the three dried off with the large fluffy towels brought from home, then quickly dressed, Kenji declining any help from Mommy. After they were dressed, Kenshin spread out the blanket and Kaoru opened the bento box. The three spent the rest of their time there liesurely snacking on onigiri and Kenji's favorite, takoyaki.
Carrying the bento box and towels, Kenshin led the way home followed closely by Kaoru who carried a sleeping Kenji in her arms. Kenshin looked back at Kaoru and exchanged a quick smile with her before his violet eyes settled on the little boy whose head rested on his mother's shoulder.
Kenshin was very proud that his little boy had learned to swim in only a day. Kenji seemed to have an eery knack for mastering new feats quickly and easily.
'He's a genius,' Kenshin's heart swelled fatherly pride at the thought.
Immediately, his thoughts darkened.
'Genius can be a great danger if it's not caught and harnessed at a young age. I must be careful about what things our son is exposed to as he grows older.'
For now though, there was time to just enjoy Kenji's childhood. The troubles of tomorrow would keep till then. Pushing the dark thoughts aside and permitting himself a smile, Kenshin led his family home as the sun cast its dying rays out, bathing the land in crimson light.
Owari