Warnings: Spoilers from the manga. Read at you own risk.
Disclaimer: If Kenshin would be mine... I can't even imagine how could it be the world with Kenshin by my side. So it's ovious that we live apart... x
Italic – thoughts Italic and bold - lyrics "..." - dialogue
KISSING YOU
Blue eyes, wide with worry, followed the battle developing right in front of her. The man who owns her heart… against the man who grasp him back to his bloody past!
Revenge, hate, honor… such powerful emotions had leaded those men to the battlefield… while she, impotent, looked at it and hoped… no… trusted, believed in victory, because the reverse would mean… death…
"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu Ougi Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki!!"
"Watoujutsu Zetsugi Kofuku Zettousei!!!"
The exchanged blows made her heart stop for a moment. Tears slowly rise to those deep blue eyes…
"A second later and we would have killed each other…" said that man, Enishi, who had dared to challenge her beloved Kenshin.
Next to her, she heard Sanosuke wonder, both surprised and intimidated "How… how could he be faster than the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki? Why didn't the vacuum from the first attack work on him?"
She tried to hear the answer Saitoh gave. "…The claws and teeth of the dragon that soars the heavens can't reach a tiger gone to earth."
However, she couldn't figure out the words. All her focus was on the battle. She could see hurry behind the mask Kenshin used to hide. Although he tried to cover his feelings, deep down she could feel them. She could sense him, as their hearts were beating as one.
"You're good. You figured it all out at a glance." Enishi proceeded "But the important thing isn't the details. The important thing is that my sister smiled for me. Does it hurt, Battousai? The same wound you gave my sister? But it hurt my sister far more. If you died now it would all be over. That's why I held back. Preparations are complete. Now we begin the true Earthly Justice!"
While he talked, smoke poured out of the Iwanbou, cutting Kenshin and Enishi off from the others.
"Now we can avoid all unwanted distractions." Smirked Enishi.
Unable to hold her fear, she heard herself screaming his name "Kenshin!"
With a smile, Enishi concluded, "In the end… in the end, death is only an instant of pain. That wouldn't appease my sister or my own hatred. You stole my sister's fiancé. You stole my sister from me. Now it's my turn. Now, I'll steal the one most precious to you! I'll thrust you into living hell! This is Yukishiro Enishi's ultimate Earthly Justice!"
He stepped through the smoke towards his rival's friends. Kenshin tried to stop him, but his injuries didn't really help him…
"So you can still stand? Fine, stay there and watch. It'd ruin my revenge if you died…"
Kenshin punched him in the face, knocking him down and his glasses fell to the ground.
"I won't allow this, Enishi . . . Even if Tomoe is smiling down on you, I won't allow this!"
The smoke blew forward, obscuring Kenshin and Enishi from view.
"Kenshin! Kenshin!" Kaoru started screaming.
Megumi held her by the arm "Idiot! Get out of here!
Sanosuke came to where the girls stand and hurried them in the opposite direction "We'll take care of Kenshin! Megumi, take the girl and run!"
Meanwhile, Enishi picked himself up, and spitted blood out. "Good. The more you burn to protect her, the greater the shock when she's gone…"
Kenshin punched him in the stomach. Another blow to the chin sent him flying against a wall. "Enishi… I will stop you here. I won't let you lay a finger on Kaoru-dono!"
"You fool… I'll show you my Earthly Justice!"
Kaoru tried to free herself, all the while screaming his name, but Megumi didn't let her "Hurry! This is no time to mess around!"
Her gaze returned to Megumi, her eyes filled with tears "But, Kenshin's…"
Megumi slapped her. "Pull yourself together! You said it yourself! If you died, Kenshin would blame himself and suffer, so you're not going to die! Now it's time to come through on that!"
Once more, her gaze floated to the battle. I trust him with all my heart. He won't fail. He won't… For you Kenshin, only for your own good, I'll leave… Determination marred her features "Let's go".
They run away, while the battle intensified. Kenshin smashed Enishi across the ribs, then in the head… but before help could be achieved, a huge hand reached out and grabbed Kenshin. It's Kujiranami, one of Enishi's comrades. He smashed him into a wall.
A shocked smile appeared on Enishi's face. "Who would have thought my onetime comrade could still prove useful. I'll play any number of cheap tricks." He put his glasses back on. "It seems even Heaven is an ally to my Earthly Justice!" He disappeared into the smoke.
"Wait, Enishi!" Calling him is all Kenshin is able to do. "Enishi!"
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The smoke surrounds her. As dead fingers, invade her body almost reaching her tormented soul. Worried heart aches, growing heavier at each step that took her away from her love.
Why do I feel that I'm forgetting something? "Yahiko!" she screamed, stopping in her track.
Megumi looked behind, a bit irritated "What is it now?"
"Yahiko! We can't just leave him." Concerned was pretty evidenced in her features.
Knowing her stubbornness, Megumi didn't even tried to dissuade her. "Fine! I'll go get Yahiko. You get out of…"
A sudden gust of wind plunged them in smoke.
"Megumi? Megumi?" Kaoru asked. Her blues eyes scattered her surroundings. The feelings that were eating her alive, were even more obvious now that she was all alone. The smoke didn't let her see her path, the tears, now running free, were also obscuring her vision.
Pride can stand a thousand trials
The strong will never fall
Kenshin! Somehow, she found anew force slowly built upon her. For him, she would be strong. She wiped the tears away. As she found her sort of answer, the skies rejoiced with her, opening a bit the smoke, letting her gaze to the stars.
But watching the stars without you,
My soul cries
Kenshin was strong, he would go back to her, like that time in Kyoto. She trusted him, and so, she had to hang on, to make him proud. Although worried for her other half, she wouldn't give up. Never! I'm waiting for you, my love!
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Kenshin roared and forced Kujiranami's fingers away from his neck, whom was holding him as strong as steel.
Heaving heart, it's full of pain
Oh, oh, the aching
Kujiranami pulled back a fist for another blow, when Sano and Saitou appeared to help him. Sano punched him to stand him, and Saitou hit him with the Gatotsu.
The wind blew around them, lifting the smoke only far enough to let Kenshin gaze to the stars for a second.
Cause I'm kissing you, oh
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A small noise broke the silence. Immediately Kaoru turned around, searching among the smoke "Megu…"
Her mumbling was broke off, by the sight she saw. Right in front of her, stepping out of the surrounding shadows is no other than Yukishiro Enishi.
"I bear you no ill-will, but for the sake of my Earthly Justice, I must take you victim here." He said.
Her hold on the bokken rose, and she assumed a fighting stance.
"You can try to string this out, but Battousai isn't coming. When he tried to fight, the outcome was clear. If you come quietly this will all be over soon." Enishi adverted.
However, his conversation only endured Kaoru's resolution. "I know I can't beat you, but I'm not going to just roll over and die. Kenshin told me that no matter how hard, he'd fight to the end to protect the present. So he'll be here as soon as he can, like always. As long as Kenshin won't give up, I can't either!"
I'm kissing you
She looked directly to his eyes, with determination.
"I see." Resonating Enishi. "But it won't matter."
After that, he seemed to disappear among the smoke, only to appear behind her. "This may be rough, but bear with me."
Touch me deep
He clamped a hand over her mouth, to prevent her to scream.
Pure and true
Her blue eyes, clears and dark as the sky above them, widened in surprise.Ken…
"Give up." Murmured Enishi, with disdain.
She felt her lungs resented by lake of oxygen. Her vision started to blur, the world revolving around them. She could feel her strength evade from her body, as sand in her hands. The sword dropped from her hand. …shin…
Give to me, forever
She looked once more to the sky and to all the stars shimmering in the distance, silent testimonies of her fate. And her last thought was the smile of the red head whom she provided a home, he who dwell in her heart. With that, she passed out…
Cause I'm kissing you, oh
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I'm kissing you
Suddenly, Kenshin felt all the hairs from his neck and arms stood up, while his heart tied so strong that his fists closed. Kaoru!
Sanosuke, came near him with his cast down, and started mumbling, apprehensive "Kenshin, the white-hair's…"
Kenshin took off running, didn't even let him finishing the sentence.
"Hey!" protested Sanosuke, sprinting after him, letting Saitou to battle alone with Kujiranami.
"I see . . . So his spirit is greater than his body as well." Observed Saitou.
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Kenshin, using his full speed, raced towards the dojo. Kaoru-dono! Kaoru-dono!
He rushed past Megumi, without even notice her, although she kept on calling him. Then, he felt something in the air, which awoke his senses, something that resembled his past… That scent… That's…
Enishi appeared out of the fog "White plum. For me, my sister's perfume. For you, now…"
Kenshin in his fury, interrupted him, screaming "Enishi! What have you done with Kaoru-dono!"
Obviously content, Enishi replied, "The scent is your guide. Go and see. The answer you're looking for is there."
Kenshin sprinted past him, while Enishi savored the bittersweet flavor of the inhuman vengeance he's leading on. Look well, with those eyes! Mourn! Wail! Repent! And then weep yourself to death!
Where are you now?
Kenshin run to the dojo, all the while his mind keeping screaming her name. On those few steps that separated him from the dojo, he remembered each second of the time he spent with her, since the first time he saw her, when he meet her on the streets, on the blessed day he crossed Tokyo, until the last afternoon, by the river, when they watched the sunset together.
When he reached his destiny, he stopped, transfixed. The time seemed to stop, the wind stopped to blow. Everything disappear, it was as nothing else existed but the sight right in front of him! The reality that he met was too much to be bear. How long he stayed there, he couldn't say… But it was a long time before his heart sunk in, with all the information he was retaining.
And where are you now?
Sanosuke and Megumi finally catch him. A horrified scream was heard.
With that sound, Kenshin seemed to wake, and dropped his sword. "What was the Hiten Mitsurugi school." His weak body failed on him, and he fell to his knees. "What was Himura Kenshin… Once again, I couldn't protect the one I truly loved…" Tears started forming from those violet tortured eyes "Kaoru… dono… Kaoru…"
Cause I'm kissing you
Kaoru's body was sitting flaccid against the dojo wall, her enormous blue deep eyes were open. Enishi's sword was piercing her skin, throughout her heart and a cross scar was scratched on her cheek…
I'm kissing you, oh
......................................................................Owari...............................................................
Author note: This fic came out inspired by the beautiful son from Des'ree Kissing you. If you can read the fic while hearing the song, you'll understand why I choose it... The dialogues were taking from Maigo-chan's translation of the RK manga. Hope you liked!