Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.
She couldn't see beyond the darkness that encircled her; the tension and the unease that seemed to cling tightly to her chest as she stared deeply into the shadows. She was blind; no better than a child as her hands clasped tightly on the sword's sheath in a desperate attempt to ease the discomfort within herself. She didn't want to be afraid of this darkness; not when that irrational fear could possibly make this job all the more dangerous.
"Fuck!" the curse leaving her lips when the darkness within the building seemed to grow colder; her breath becoming visible to her as her limbs seemed to tremble from the temperature change. What the heck is going on? Her blue eyes wide from the sudden changes, and her lips pursed into an angry sneer as the deathly silence remained prevalent.
I should have researched a little more into this assignment before agreeing to this, the thought the only one discernible in the sea of doubts and fears within her head. The sound of shuffling within the darkness caused Kaoru to stiffen where she stood. Definitely should have paid a little more attention; growling in exasperation as she tried to stifle the negative thoughts in her mind. This is not the time to start doubting yourself, Kaoru!
She glanced at the sword within her hands, the only thing visible within the shadows that engulfed her and turned her gaze quickly away.
It just wasn't fair! How could she have known that shit was going to hit the fan the moment she stepped into this building? Her day had had been going so well; rainbows and freaking ponies were flying off in the horizon from how remarkable the day had set itself up to be. She cursed under her breath again, feeling wetness at the corners of her as she glared once more through the darkness.
She clenched her hands tightly on the sword; trying to drown out the sudden footsteps that began to emanate from the shadows. She could hear the crunch of gravel, and she felt herself flinch when a chuckle was heard much too close to her. The hairs on her arms began to stand on end when the footsteps grew louder with his proximity. She'll be damned before she let go of the sword and ran in panic. This was her assignment and her burden to bear; she will make it through damn it!
She felt her eyes pierce through the darkness in search for the figure lurking beyond her sight; quelling the nagging voices at the back of her mind when they whispered all the evil things that could be done to her. No! She fought the voices off; her eyes casting a faraway look as she takes her battle the confines of her own mind. This is not the time to be distracted. Her voice of conscious and clarity spoke then; spurring her rage and determination as Kaoru broke away to feel a deep breath behind her neck.
Kaoru whirled her way, stifling a yelp as she met nothing but black. "Stop messing around!" She screamed into the shadows; face flushed with her rage. She stood within the darkness waiting for the man to finally emerge; ignoring the prickling of her skin and the trembling of her form as the footsteps came from behind her.
Kaoru could feel his amusement permeate from the void surrounding her, and she was quick to note how easily he could reach her. She clenched her teeth when the familiar ghost of a breath fanned over her neck again; choosing to ignore it this time. Shit like this really made me want to quit my job, she mused as the breath persisted. I knew I shouldn't have taken this damn assignment; it looked too good to be true! She finally turned, no longer thinking herself capable of restraining her ire and met the glowing yellow orbs of her tormenter. "Shit!"
The word tumbled from her lips just as quickly as she turned and ran from the man. Shit shit shit shit shit! She didn't know where she was going through the darkness, but all she knew was that she wanted out now. She tumbled over something in her haste to escape, but refused to release the sword tucked underneath her arm. After all the trouble the sword put her through, there was no way that she would give it up now.
She rose quickly from where she landed, and almost screamed when rough hands seized her from behind. She struggled beneath her aggressor, hands wrapped tightly around the sword as she jerked in his strong hold. The man did not release her no matter how much she jerked in his hold; it only seemed to make his hold tighten around her torso.
"Little bird, you can't escape," the deep voice murmured into her ear; smooth and gentle like the sweetest of a lover's caress.
"Like hell," she retorted and quickly began to kick at his shins with her foot with her determination. Like hell that I'm going to give up. She hissed when his lips pressed against her ear and chuckled softly into it. She wanted to scratch and claw his eyes out but found that his hold refused to ease from her form.
"So much fight," he growled into her ear. "And all for just a useless sword that means nothing to you," she felt him purse his lips against her ear and growled low in her irritation.
"I will not give you this sword, I'd rather die first," she hissed and felt the lips turn up in a smirk as he pressed his face fully against the side of her face. She felt fear prick at the back of her mind as the words she spoke finally registered. Damn it, Kaoru! She wanted to kick herself for throwing herself under the damn bus.
"Death will not save you from me, little Kaoru," and she trembled when his lips opened and took the shell of her ear into his mouth. Just what had she signed up for? She felt her limbs begin to shake when one of his arms rose to caress her neck in a mocking gesture of gentleness. There was nothing gentle about the assassin intimately lavishing her neck with his calloused fingers. "The sword would only be an added benefit after I take you, tonight."
Her limbs locked from the fear that seemed to well up in the pit of her stomach, and she clenched her teeth in order to stop herself from gasping in shock. He knew who she was! God damn it, they promised her that she would be safe after this mission was over! Saito, you lying wretch! Kaoru clasped onto the sword and shifted it in order to hit him in the gut. The man behind her had not expected her to retaliate and released her with a grunt.
She was running again through the blackness of the warehouse; searching desperately for an exit to the nightmare that lurked not too far from her. Shit hitting the fan is a clear understatement from how much trouble she was literally in. That man knew her identity and that in itself meant she had a target stuck on her forehead for anyone to see. Fuck.
She nearly tripped on the same wooden board on the ground again, but quickly stabilized her equilibrium as she finally reached one of the walls of the building. She felt along it quickly, hoping and praying that somehow she would find the door before the man could catch her again. Sweat beaded on her forehead as her search grew more desperate as the wall continued to yield no form of escape for her.
She felt something along the wall, and stifled the cry of utter joy that wanted to escape her as she turned the knob and opened the door quickly. The brightness of the moon met her own sapphire gaze in an almost comforting manner and she finally allowed a smile to break across her face as she shut the door behind her and ran across the pavement. I made it, oh god, I made it.
She felt exhaustion tug at her mind, but she quickly silenced the voice. She wasn't out of the woods yet; resting would only be tempting fate. She quickened her pace when the silence of the woods grew more prevalent; she could no longer hear the chirping of the crickets. She ran quickly into the first clear space she found in the shrubbery; nicking her shin when a stubborn weed refused to let her through.
She felt another curse build in her throat when she heard the sound of thumps not too far from her. She quickly ran to the nearest thickest tree and crouched behind it. She couldn't afford to get caught when she had managed to escape with the sword. Damn it Saito, you better pay me extra for all the damn-
"There you are," crooned a voice before cold hands grabbed her shoulders and dragged her up the tree quickly. She jerked in his hold, and felt his chest press against her own. Her hands, along with the sword, were sandwiched between their bodies and Kaoru screamed in frustration. The man smiled at the aggravated look she gave him, and threw her head forward to try to head butt him. "Not this time, little Kaoru," the man murmured, his hands sliding down her arms in a caress.
"Let me go!" she finally said, and felt the man's chest begin to tremble with laughter. His hands took a firm grip of her biceps and forced them away from the sword. It dropped onto the uneven floor, and Kaoru shook with her rage at just how easily he had found her. Why couldn't he just take the damn thing if he finally won? "You've got the sword, what else could you possibly want?" she yelled, and glared into the masked face of her captor.
"I intend to finish what was begun, and you, will be a pleasant reminder of how I regained my sword," he murmured before he stepped away from her, grabbing the sword at her gaping expression. His sword? She felt her face blanch at just who she had been assigned to protect the sword from. She saw his hand reach and remove the mask from his face; golden eyes sparkling with dark amusement as Kaoru leaned against the tree in support.
"Battousai," the word tumbled down her lips nervously as his gaze trapped her own. The eyes commanded submission and seemed to spark a fear she had tucked away since her escape from the warehouse. This was no stranger that had somehow known her identity; this was a man of power that could virtually destroy her if he so much as made the order. She tried to quell the ongoing fears inside her bosom, but couldn't help the tears that welled up at the corner of her eyes as the entire situation fell onto her shoulders. The leader of the organization for assassins knew who she was, and there was not a thing anyone could about it. "I don't fear your title."
A laugh seemed to rumble at her words, and she glared in false bravado at the man that continued to eye her with overt interest. "Your fear me, as many should," he murmured into the night; his golden eyes seeming to glow brighter as he shifted his gaze to her body. "Especially," his voice grew deeper as his eyes roamed over her trembling body "someone I've grown very interested in," his eyes shifted back to hers and she closed her eyes in anxiety. She could hear his laugh, but she refused to look back into those eyes. Kaoru couldn't erase the message communicated by the molten gaze that threatened to devour her until she was nothing but quivering flesh.
This was not what she signed up for when Saito had given her this job; she was not to be discovered and let alone assaulted by the leader of the assassins. She opened her eyes, and knew that the dark promise behind his eyes would become real if she did nothing to fight it. She couldn't give in to the desires of a man that bathed in the blood of women and children. Not when her own stomach was sinking with her own fear and anxiety. "Come with me, little Kaoru," his lips whispered into her ear; a gasp escaping her lips at the sudden closeness. "One way, or another, I'll make you come," he breathed out.
"Never," Kaoru seemed to whisper; eyes shut tight in refusal. She will not bend, not without a fight. "I'd rather die," her eyes opened quickly to glare into his amused visage. She could feel nervous pinpricks deep within her stomach as his eyes gleamed with arousal. She tried to ignore it; ignore the attraction and the fear that he seemed to instill within her. If she had known this was what would happen, she would never have agreed.
"Let's hope it doesn't have to come to that, Kaoru Kamiya."
Author's Note: After reading many Battousai/Kaoru stories, I finally wrote something about them! Hazzah! This is a one-shot inspired by a drabble I had written a year ago. I hope you enjoy my hand on this relationship (A bit rusty actually) and please let me know if you catch any typos or grammatical errors! The little things help; since I have no BETA.