Comfort in the Midst of the Storm
a Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction by Besa
Disclaimer: Just think about it really hard for a moment or two and the answer will come. . .
"Hmm. . . " Himura Kenshin, boarder at the Kamiya Dojo, stood and looked up from the wooden tub full of laundry that he had just finished washing. "It looks like it shall rain, that it does," he said to himself. He turned to where the assistant master of his current home sat in meditation.
"Kaoru-dono?" Kamiya Kaoru jerked alert and glanced over at the rurouni.
"Nandesu ka, Kenshin?"
He gestured to the basin beside him. "It shall rain today. Sessha would like to know where to put these, that he does." Kaoru tilted her head to the sky, noting the ominously dark clouds rolling in. She shuddered a little, a fact that did not go unnoticed by her companion.
"Perhaps we can lay them on the porch for now, and then hang the laundry on the line after the rain stops." She got off her knees and went to help Kenshin gather the wet clothing.
"Ah, Kaoru-dono does not have to help Sessha!" She glared at him.
"Mou! Kenshin no baka! I want to help. Besides, I don't even have Yahiko-chan here to force into it." The last part was said under Kaoru's breath. Kenshin smiled when he heard it.
"Do not worry, Kaoru-dono," he said as he picked up his half of the wet laundry, "Sano will return Yahiko in one piece, that he will."
Kenshin could hear Kaoru mutter to herself as she passed him, "He better. . ."
Together the both of them finished laying out the items in less than ten minutes. And in those same minutes, the rain began to fall. Not very heavily at first, just a refreshing drizzle, but gradually it worked itself up in intensity until it became a heavy downpour.
Later that night the raging storm spat lightning down onto the earth, and Kaoru lay awake on her futon. With every boom of thunder, she pressed her hands to her ears and curled tighter into a ball on her side. But despite the drumming of the angry raindrops, and her best efforts, Kaoru couldn't block the sound out. After an unusually loud clap of thunder, she couldn't help but utter a thin, shrill scream.
Kenshin, who was also awake due to force of habit, raced into Kaoru's room, ready for any attacker with his sakabatou's naked blade gleaming in the dim light. Although he saw no threatening figure, his violet eyes were still flecked with gold when they fell upon Kaoru's shivering form. Kenshin quickly sheathed the weapon and knelt next to her.
"Kaoru!" he called, shaking her a little, not noticing that in his worry he dropped the honorific - and distancing - suffix.
Lightning streaked through the sky visible from Kaoru's window, soon followed by a burst of thunder. The girl squeezed her eyes tighter shut and whimpered.
Her shivering stopped, however, when two strong arms wrapped around her yukata-clad body. Kaoru's eyes snapped open. "Ken. . . shin?" she whispered. The arms dragged her onto a warm lap and settled her back against his chest. Kaoru could feel the rise and fall as he breathed.
The same breath was on her cheek as he murmured into her ear. "Hai, Kaoru, it's me. What has upset you so much?"
Kaoru had blushed crimson at his close proximity, but paled as she heard another bout of the dreaded noise. Only Kenshin's gentle-yet-firm grip on her arms kept her from clapping her hands over her ears again. "It's the thunder," she said very softly, "It's always the thunder. She turned her upper body to face him with pleading sapphire eyes. "Please don't tell anyone. . . " Kenshin nodded.
"Why don't you try to get back to sleep now?" Kaoru opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "Let's just try, shall we?"
"Alright" she agreed hesitantly. Kenshin released his hold and she scrambled off his lap onto the futon, cringing in sync with the thunder. Another protest formed in her throat when Kenshin moved to get in with her, but her placed a finger against her lips.
"Trust me, Kaoru. I won't do anything inappropriate, that I shall not. But I'll leave if you wish." Kenshin stood.
"Iya!" She clutched at his clothing to keep him from leaving, resting her face against his back. "Iya," she repeated quietly. "I trust you, Kenshin. . . " The storm, both the one outside and within Kaoru, seemed to lull for the moment, although ready to come back at full force. He turned back to her, grasping her hands in his own.
"Do you trust me enough to hold you while you sleep and not take advantage?" His violet eyes locked with Kaoru's cobalt ones.
"I trust you with my life." And heart. . . and soul. . .
"Kaoru. . . " I would that you would trust me with more than just your life.
"Yes, Kenshin?
". . . It does not matter." That it does not, for now. Kaoru decided to drop the subject. She sank back down into a sitting position on the futon, lightly pulling Kenshin with her.
"So now what happens?" she questioned.
"We lay down and, hopefully, sleep." He nudged her to one side of the futon so that he could lay down as well. When they were under the covers, Kenshin gathered Kaoru to him as close as he dared. He buried his face in her hair as he drifted off, and she fell asleep with his steady heartbeat in her ears.
Owari.
AN --
Yes, this is my first Rurouni Kenshin fanfic. I think it's okay, if not the best - I just wanted a little waff for my first foray into this fandom. Please forgive if there's any misspellings I failed to catch, or any major OOCness.
~Besa