Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin

Rating: T

In Your Embrace

By Nymphe

Summary: Just a little tale about four people finding a home, love and a family. One Shot! KxK

The silhouettes increased in size. The different colors in the sky vanished into blackness.

Two small persons wandered through the streets, heavy loaded and looking for a place to sleep. Everywhere they came, people avoided them. They didn't care. They were used to it. You could tell on how they carry their burden that they lived this life for a while now. At night they traveled; thankful for the darkness that provided them a cape to blend in. No matter how much they tried… They didn't fit in. The culture on this island was close-minded. Everyone who looked or acted differently was an 'oni', a devil of the worst kind.

In daylight, their red hair stroke fear into the town. Only the bravest of men would stand up to them and would want them to leave town. But you had to be careful around them… If you crossed swords with 'oni', then even the bravest one will fail. You could see that the eldest was exceptional with his sword. His posture was rigid and he was always on guard… Yet no one knew that he only wielded a sword to protect.

It was past midnight when the two walking figures crossed Edo and arrived at the outskirts. They didn't want to walk any further, but they had to find a place to sleep. With eyes, that had seen too much in this life, he searched for something available to sleep in. His companion pointed out a small abandoned shack. He opened the cracking door and looked inside. This will do for the remaining night, but early in the morning they had to leave.

The youngest one took the blankets out of his bag and made a make-shift bed on the cold floor. The eldest one held his bundle close to him. The two persons slept that night with the bundle safely protected in between them. The moonlight chased the darkness away and three young faces were visible.

The sun rays shone through the giant wholes of the roof, waking two redheads. The eldest brother became seventeen yesterday, but they didn't celebrate it anymore. They didn't have a happy moment since they were obligated to wander around the island. He was the one that carried the bag with their belongings, his sword and the precious bundle that the brothers will protect with their life. She was only two years old, but you could see that she looked like her mother. The more reason that her brothers will make sure that she was out of harms way. The other brother was almost ten years younger than him, yet he took a part of his older brother's responsibilities on him. He didn't want his brother to suffer alone. When their parents died of a disease, they were evicted from the house with the few possessions they had. No one wanted to look after them. His brother took care of them and he wanted to be beside him as a way to thank him to stay with them.

Later that day the eldest brother left his younger siblings under a bridge. Without them it would be easier to do little chores and to steal in town. That was the way they were living. Day in and day out. They didn't like it, but it was the only way to survive on the island.

When he returned, they were gone. Traces of a fight were visible on the ground. Emotions swirled in him. With rage and worry by his side he sped into town to find the ones close to his heart.

---

What a beautiful day. The sun is shining; there is no cloud in the sky… The birds are singing… Just what I need to make my lonely life bearable. No slacking off, Kamiya!!! It's time for some chores. Before I go out, I have to eat, clean the bathroom and do the laundry. I wished it rained… Then I can skip laundry duty.

Dressed in a simple kimono the young girl of fifteen went out to get some tofu for dinner. On her way back she heard a distressed scream from a child.

"Onii-chan!"

There it is again.

She dropped her bucket of tofu and ran to the riverside. Three men were terrorizing two children with unusually red hair. She took her shinai and confronted the men. The youngest one was crying loud while her brother lied motionless on the ground.

"Why don't you pricks take some one of your own size!"

"Listen girl. Stay out of it! We are trying to get rid of these onis!"

"Look closer! They are mere children!"

"Killing them is for our towns good!"

"Not when I'm around."

The brave girl advanced towards them. One of them drew his sword and attacked her. He didn't have a chance; she was more advanced than him. In a mere minute he lied on the ground and his partner carried him away.

"You should have let us take care of them! They will bring you nothing but misfortune!"

"I will take my chance on that!"

The girl searched for broken bones and felt that the boy's right arm was broken. He had some bruises, but otherwise he was fine.

"Your brother will be fine, little one. Where are your parents?"

"Dead."

"We have to take your brother to a doctor. He is a friend of mine. Will you come with me? My name is Kaoru."

"Akame."

The girl pointed at her brother.

"Shinta."

"All right, Akame. Will you help me bring Shinta to a doctor?"

She nodded.

"Climb on my back and hold tight! I will carry Shinta."

She took the unconscious boy in her arms, she ran towards Genzei-sensei's practice.

Three hours later, Shinta came back to his senses. He was scared, no terrified!

"Where am I? Where is Akame?"

"She's here. Akame, your brother is awake."

"Shinta!"

She jumped happily on the bed and hugged her brother tight.

"I'm glad you're all right. Who are you?"

"I'm Kaoru. I found you and Akame."

"Those two men…"

"No need to worry. I took care of them."

"Where is Kenshin?"

"Kenshin? Who is Kenshin?"

"Keshi is brother of Akame."

"He's our older brother."

"Where did he go?"

"He went into town to earn some money…"

"Stay here. You will be safe. The doctor is a friend of mine. I will search for your brother. Does he have such red hair too?"

"Yes, he has…"

---

He was worried sick. He looked everywhere. He was losing his senses fast. He tried to ask people, but they ran away or just ignored him. Two hours, almost three hours, were gone and he had not a single lead in the search to find his siblings. Grabbing his sword hilt tightly, he tried to stay calm. Out of the blue, someone grabbed his arm. He drew his sword while he pushed her into the stone cold wall. His sword pinned to the person's neck.

"Kenshin?"

He had pinned a young girl with eyes as blue as the nightly sky to the wall. A stray of blood tickled down her neck.

"How do you know my name?"

"Shinta told me."

His grip on the sword hilt tightened.

"Where is he?"

"Let go of me and I will lead you to him."

"What about my sister."

"Akame is alright."

He sheathed his sword and looked at her.

"Then lead!"

"The hell I won't! You have to apologize first!"

"What?"

"Didn't you hear me?"

"Why should I?"

"Because you have scared me without reason… You just pinned me against the wall!"

He snorted.

"If you have lived my life, girl. You would react the same way I did. When someone touches you, let's just say, they never have good intentions."

"Well, I had! You should change your opinion on people! There are good persons in the world…"

He looked at her quizzically while she waited for her apologize. When she finally realized that the stiff-head wasn't going to give in, she lead him towards the doctor's practice.

"Keshi!!!"

His little sister attacked him ruthlessly with kisses.

"Akame! Are you alright?"

"Yes, Shinta too."

She pointed at her brother. He picked her up and looked at Shinta.

"Shinta…"

"No, Keshi! Brother sleepy!"

He took a seat and kept looking at his brother.

"Then we shouldn't wake him up. I'll just wait here."

"Ok, Keshi. Akame go play with Kaoru."

"Akame? What happened under the bridge?"

"Two bad men beaten Shinta. Kaoru beaten bad men."

"And what happened then?"

"Shinta to doctor. Kaoru helped. Shinta woke. Kaoru brought Keshi to Akame! Can Akame go play now?"

"Sure."

She was tiredout... He put her on a blanket and covered her. Now his two siblings were sleeping… With a last look to them, he searched for Kaoru. She was making the table for dinner. She was setting it for five.

"You need to treat your wound."

"It's nothing. It's just a little scratch."

"It still could get infected."

"If you are that worried…"

In a cabin she found a small medical kit. She opened it and took a cotton out of it. He took it from her and started to clean the cut.

"Thank you."

"Huh?"

She looked startled at him for intruding the silence.

"Akame told me the story."

"It was nothing."

"It was to me."

He grinned.

"So you kicked their butt, he."

She turned red.

"I teach ken-do."

"You're a girl."

"What's that supposed to mean!"

"I didn't mean it like that! It's just… Why don't you avoid us?"

"Why should I? You're people."

"Yet every one else want nothing to do with us. Why are you different?"

"I teach ken-do and I'm a woman… I don't want to inflict pain to others… Do you have a place to stay? Shinta has to recover."

"No, but we will find something."

"You are welcome to stay at my home."

"What! And your parents?"

"I live alone. My mother died when I was three, my father died two years ago. So what do you say?"

"Thank you."

With the sleeping Akame in Kaoru's arms and Shinta in his, they left Dr. Genzai's practice.

Her futon was unrolled and she laid Akame in it.

"Put Shinta here with her. Then we can clean another room for the two of you."

"There are three of us!"

"Well, Akame is a girl and will be sleeping in the girls room!"

"But?"

"Those are the rules!!!"

"Fine."

---

A year later. The three redheads still lived with Kaoru. All of Kaoru's friends became theirs. The two youngest didn't want to travel anymore. They liked to live in the dojo. And she was happy to have them.

Winter came and the nights became colder. The blankets were divided under the four people living at the dojo.

Little Akame crawled closer to Kaoru for some warmth. She was shivering and the three blankets weren't enough to keep the two girls warm. With Akame in her arms she took the three blankets and walked down the hall. She knocked at the boy's bedroom and waited for a response.

The two boys couldn't fall asleep. With their backs to each other they tried to keep warm, but the two blankets couldn't provide much shelter against the cold. They were glad that they didn't have to sleep outside. They were glad to have found Kaoru-dono. Someone knocked on their door. Kenshin opened the door and saw a shivering Kaoru with a small bundle in her arms.

"Kaoru-dono, what's wrong?"

"I… I was thinking… Can we sleep here tonight?"

"Sure, come in."

Kaoru laid Akame between Shinta and her. Closing the door, Kenshin got into bed next to Kaoru while she covered the two little children with three blankets. The little ones fell asleep, but Kaoru was still shivering. She tried to hide it, but Kenshin felt it.

"I'm sorry."

"For what, Kenshin?"

He put his blanket over hers and crawled under the two blankets. He wrapped his arms around Kaoru and pulling her closer. His warmth soothed her into a fast sleep.

Kaoru felt warm and safe. She wanted to stay there for the next hour. Cradling her head in a very comfy spot, she heard some one chuckle in the background. Disturbed by the sound she opened one eye. A green clothing covered her face. Again she heard a chuckle and this time she felt her 'pillow' move. Curiously she looked at her make-shift pillow. Her eyes widened and she turned bright red. In her slumber she snuggled her head in the yukata of Kenshin. She swiftly changed her position and hid under the blankets. That action made him laugh even more. She hit him in the abdomen.

"Sorry Kaoru, but you were so cute and…"

He stopped abruptly when he thought about what he said. This time he was the one that turned bright red.

"What did you say?"

She looked up at him.

"Well… euh…, you are."

The rest of the day took his normal course. The small affection was seemingly forgotten between them. There were times when they looked at each other and simply blush when their eyes met. There were other times that they were looking at the sky and floated away from reality.

Shinta knew what was happening between them and smiled. This game of tiptoeing around each other will be a long play and he will be enjoying the show.

They didn't dare to speak about it. They were afraid for the consequences.

Yet their love for each other grew and each morning they longed for the night. It was in the night that they could become themselves, without the other one knowing. At night they could sleep in each other arms with the excuse it was too cold to sleep alone.