Endlessly
Chapter 1 – Curry Rice
staralure

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the work of Nobuhiro Watsuki. I do not claim any ownership over any of the characters or canon plot. This piece of work is for entertainment purposes only.

With a glint in her eyes, Kaoru raised her chopsticks.

Slowly now, slowly…

The rice wobbled precariously and began to slip off the chopsticks. Desperate, Kaoru tightened her grip and watched dejectedly as the rice slid back onto the plate with a happy plop. She growled, stabbing the 'Curry Rice' repeatedly. Despite the mouthwatering smell, her appetite disappeared as she stared at the now forlorn looking mixture of rice and curry on her plate.

The dish that Tae invited them in to sample was foreign, but they were more than willing to give it a shot since she had proclaimed that it was like 'Heaven on Earth'. But trying to eat it using chopsticks? Kaoru was this close to plunging her hand into this delicacy and licking it off her fingers, manners be damned.

God, it was so frustrating.

She huffed and glared at Yahiko. He grinned cheekily, slurping up the thick fragrant sauce mixed with sticky rice before waving a spoon in the air, sending a few drops splattering across the table.

"How are the chopsticks coming along? Heh. I can eat this every day for the rest of my life, you should try some and stop playing with your food.

Correction: Her spoon.

That kid is too smart for his own good. She shouldn't have fallen for his taunts and she was such a fool. She watched the men in her life stuff their faces in around the table.

Sano shovelled spoonful after spoonful into his mouth, exclaiming about how fantastic the sauce tastes; Yahiko is on his third mouthful, making appreciative noises and nodding enthusiastically with cheeks stuffed full with rice. Even Kenshin was happily savouring the new concoction and eating quietly with a happy expression on his face, bite after bite without a single pause.

She, on the other hand, hadn't even sampled a single morsel of rice.

Blowing her fringe skywards, she muttered empty threats under her breath and stabbed the rice again, cursing the lack of spoons in Akabeko. Kaoru had to admitted grudgingly that she only has herself to blame; she should have sensed that something was wrong when her young apprentice challenged her to use only chopsticks to finish this semi-liquid meal in order to 'exemplify the spirit of perseverance of the Kamiya-kasshin spirit'.

If nothing else, Sano's knowing smirk should have tipped her off. Instead, she had seriously considered his suggestion and enthusiastically agreed, naively thinking that this would be good practice for both her and Yahiko.

And Megumi and Kenshin had just sat there and chatted and watched her run to her doom.

She definitely realised something was wrong when said apprentice immediately swiped away her spoon and high-fived Sano with a loud cheer. After the first few seconds of shock, Kaoru could only sit at her spot and fume silently; making a scene at Akabeko wouldn't do when their host had so graciously offered to treat them to a meal.

She. Will. Control. Her. Temper.

She silently swore that Yahiko would be begging for mercy during tomorrow's training session.

Mixing the curry together with the rice in an attempt to make it easier to pick up, she took in a deep breath and raised her chopsticks with a murderous glint in her eyes, physically and mentally prepared for the third Curry Rice and Chopsticks Battle.

"Kaoru-dono."

A warm calloused hand surrounded hers and broke her death grip on the chopsticks, before deftly plucking them out and replacing it with the heavy weight of a spoon.

Caught by surprise, she stared at the spoon in her hand for a moment and glanced at Kenshin, who had picked up his own chopsticks and was already eating his curry rice with much greater success and minimal spillage.

The sudden rush of warmth made her grin and her eyes lit up with delight, the test of perseverance all but forgotten as she dug in with gusto. She chewed happily on her first mouthful, exclaiming at the mellow and slightly spicy taste, and went for a second bite.

Kenshin glanced at the grinning kenjutsu expert and felt his own spirits lift.

Examining the cheerful girl with calculative eyes, Megumi smirked. She placed her spoon down and gave an exaggerated gasp, bringing a hand to her mouth, effectively getting everyone's attention. Her eyes sharpened suggestively and she tittered.

"Oh my! Sharing a spoon! Is that what they call an indirect kiss?"

Kaoru choked.

"How sly of you Ken-san!"

Kenshin turned red and he waved his arms around helplessly, his protests drowned out by Sano's roars of laughter and Yahiko's loud whoops.

"Kaoru-dono was having a hard tim…calm down you two!"

Kaoru threw her chopsticks at the two boys, manners completely thrown out of the window as she lunged across the table and grabbed their half-eaten bowls of rice. Sano and Yahiko roared in protest, bringing their fists down onto the table with a loud bang. Kenshin desperately tried to calm them down, a strained smile on his face as he discreetly avoided and caught a flying spoon aimed right at his eye. Aware of the commotion erupting at their table, Kenshin glanced around, and quelled under the reproachful glances of the surrounding customers. He threw Megumi an exasperated look.

Megumi picked up her spoon and continued eating, hiding a smile as she surveyed the chaotic scene.

A/N: Japanese curry was first introduced by the British who had India under their administration at that time ;)

Kenshin and Kaoru are so fun to write about, I love the idea of their love, it's so pure and realistic and sweet. They were best friends first before they became lovers and I think it reflects the idea of love really well without the twisted ideas of romantisation. They're difficult to write about though.

I'm wondering about whether to finish writing everything and post it under a one shot, or update it slowly chapter by chapter. I'm about halfway done so, opinions?

Comments are much appreciated, thank you for reading!(: