Night Stalker
MysticShadowWanderer
Disclaimer: The lines are drawn in the sand across the caress of time.
Whee! Pre-stroy A/N!: Ok, this one's just for fun. Truth is, the entire reason I wrote this is to be able to picture Kenshin driving an Enzo and wear black and a trenchcoat ^_^ That said, please enjoy!
*****
Chapter One: The Angel of Death
"It's a dangerous game you're playing, Battousai. One mistake, one tiny mistake, and your life will be forfeit."
Himura Kenshin, known by night and victims as Hitokiri Battousai, sighed and ran a hand through his crimson bangs as he recalled the words of his "colleague," another one of scores of faceless, nameless thieves, counterfeiters, and murderers. Sometimes he wondered why he did this, why he didn't just quit, leave the syndicate entirely. Then he reminded himself that he had nowhere to go and nothing else to do. And every time he killed, the ecstasy of feeling flesh, bone, and muscle tearing and cracking under his blade, or the beauty of blood and smell of gunpowder, was what tied him down. There was no escape for him now. He couldn't say that he wasn't doing well, though; these days, crime paid, and well.
The Ferrari Enzo he parked alongside the street was proof enough of that, as well as the way he parked it so carelessly. Material belongings were replaceable; he didn't like to worry. He stepped out of the car, and tossed his katana on the passenger side floorboard; it leaned itself against the seat suspiciously, so he removed his black leather trenchcoat and draped it across the seat and the sword. The fact that it wasn't exactly legal to carry around weapons like that didn't bother him, there was always someone to pay off that would turn their head, but the last thing he needed was for some punk to try to steal his most prized possession. Things like that were valuable anymore, not to mention "cool" enough for some half-wit kid to try to snatch.
He had left his car a respectable distance from his destination, which happened to be a nightclub. Though he was an assassin by title and nature, that didn't mean he didn't like to have a good time, after all, he was only twenty-four. Although, to him, a good time generally meant sitting at the bar drinking and, if he was lucky, getting in a few fights. He was the typical lone wolf, unless joined by his only real friend, Sagara Sanosuke, in which case they might find other means of entertainment. Street racing, illegal gambling, or just good old fashioned knife fights, Himura liked anything dangerous enough to be life threatening.
As he walked, he wondered if Sanosuke had beaten him there. When he heard the tolling of the clock's bell, it was only midnight. He grinned; that left plenty of time to give the city hell tonight. A slight chill ran up his spine, the cold weather getting to him even through his thick black sweater. Even so, he knew he'd soon be too hot wearing clothes like that in a club. Walking past the line of people waiting to get in and the bouncers, they knew him, this was one of the syndicate's clubs, he stepped inside to be assaulted by music loud enough to threaten to make his ears bleed. Ignoring the fact that his heartbeat felt like it had just changed to keep tempo with the pounding bass and throbbing floor, he pushed his way through throngs of people and sat down heavily on a barstool next to a tall, spike-haired man.
"Sanosuke!" he shouted. "Nanika shi masho!"
Sanosuke turned to look at him. "Konbanwa Kenshin! Doko–"
"Hey chaps, English if you would!" The bartender called in their direction.
"Sorry, man, you know how it is," Sanosuke said amiably, they were both friends with the man, or at least as much as you could count a bartender as a friend.
"Sure, sure," he said, setting a Vodka in front of Kenshin. "I like to know what's going on at my bar."
Kenshin nodded his thanks for the drink and turned to Sanosuke again. "What's the plan for tonight?"
"You wanna try out that new little car of yours?"
Kenshin snorted as he tossed back the drink in his hand. "Yeah, a V12 and 660 horses says it's little."
"Hey man, it's an easy five grand or so," Sanosuke shrugged.
"You're kidding."
"Not a chance, some rich kid and his dad's money. I'd say take the opportunity while you've got it. Guy's only eighteen, he's new. If you don't win I'd give you the cash myself, your odds are that good."
"Tell him to bring his car and his money out to the freeway and I'll show him how it's done. How long can you have the road blocked?"
"Long enough."
"Damn British teenagers, never know what they're in over their heads."
Despite his words, Kenshin had so far enjoyed his stay in London. The culture was different from his native Japan's, and he found himself amused by all the trouble he could cause. It wasn't as if he'd had a choice anyhow, if the syndicate wanted him to go somewhere, off he went. Eagerly taking the new glass the bartender handed him, he spun around to watch the dance floor. You never knew when you'd see someone interesting.
***
"Kaoru? Hey Kaoru, snap out of it!" Her friend snapped her fingers in Kaoru's face. "Who have you been staring at for the past fifteen minutes, anyhow?"
Kaoru pulled her friend away from the group of people dancing to lean against an open space on the wall. "That man, the one with the long red hair and cross-shaped scar who's all in black."
"You've been in London for three days and already have your eyes on the most gorgeous and most notorious man in the city?" Kaoru laughed. "You know he's from Japan, too?"
"Really? Is that so..."
"Don't go after him, I've heard some nasty things about that man."
"I was only going to talk to him, maybe."
"You haven't got the nerve."
"Sure I do." With that, she walked off to the bar, leaving her friend in a state of temporary shock.
Kaoru slid onto a barstool right next to the redhead's. The bartender handed her the strawberry margarita she'd ordered before stopping to take a closer look at her.
"Hey Himura, this yours?" he asked. Kaoru gaped for a second, then flushed.
The redhead, Himura the bartender had called him, looked where the man was gesturing, clearly expecting to find some dropped article and was stunned to see a young woman sitting there. He quickly took in her embarrassed countenance, as well as he delicate features, and shot a glare at the bartender, whose attention had suddenly turned to wiping dry a few shot glasses that had conveniently appeared. Shifting his attention back to the girl, he decided to act on his suspicions.
"Hajime mashita. Watashi wa Himura Kenshin desu. O namae wa?" He sounded polite enough to Kaoru; perhaps her friend had been making things up.
For a moment she was flustered before she pulled herself together. "Kamiya to moshi masu. Kaoru."
He smiled gently, seeing how nervous she was, and began to answer before the bartender cut him off. "What did I say about Japanese, Himura?"
Kenshin sighed and apologized, saying something vague about arrogant English types and psychotic Brits; Kaoru giggled. She was amazed at how well things had worked out for her. As a general rule, she never said anything to a man before he addressed her, so it wouldn't have been likely that she would have talked with him if not for the rudeness of the bartender. She could feel her friend glaring at her from across the room.
"So, what brings you to London?" he asked.
"My friend invited me." She turned and nodded to the girl that stood at the wall.
"Yours?" Kenshin asked, and when Kaoru assented, he caught the other girl's eye and waved slightly, chuckling quietly as her face went red and she not-so-subtly slipped away.
"That was mean!" Kaoru exclaimed while trying not to laugh.
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself." He grinned and they both burst into laughter.
They sat in easy silence as Kaoru sipped her margarita and Kenshin had a few more shots. Kaoru had been watching him nearly the entire time he'd been there and was impressed to find that though he'd been drinking nearly the whole time, he didn't seem even slightly intoxicated. When she turned her attention elsewhere, he took the opportunity to observe her. Her long black hair was tied up, making him wonder what it would look like if it were down. She was attired in a tight fitting red halter top that didn't quite reach the top of her short black leather skirt, and heavily buckled black boots that reached to just below her knees. Instantly he knew there was more to her than she let on; she had some edge, but was hiding it from him. This was, of course, intriguing, so after a few more minutes, he tapped her lightly on the shoulder. When she looked at him, he smiled, stood, and held out a hand.
"Want to dance?"
***
When Sanosuke returned to the bar, he was more than a bit surprised to find that Kenshin wasn't there. He asked the bartender, who just inclined his head toward the dance floor. Sano's mouth dropped open when he saw his best friend actually dancing. He sat down with a thud, rubbed his head with one hand, and met the bartender's gaze.
"I think I need a drink."
***
Kaoru was hesitant at first, not that she had never danced with anyone before, but there was something about Kenshin that made her heart race. Soon enough, though, she began to get the feel of the music and couldn't help but let herself go with it. Where Kenshin's touch before had been light, when he felt her become more comfortable, he tightened his hold. All at once her back was pulled to his body and his hand was low on her stomach, tracing the exposed skin and toying with the hem of her top. As if of its own will, Kaoru's hand traveled upward to his head, fingers winding into his hair and staying there as she moved into his touch.
Sanosuke turned again to watch his friend. "Holy fucking shit," he said softly. "What the hell does he think he's doing?"
"I believe that would be called dancing," the bartender offered.
Sano shot him a glare. "I know that. But you know who he is, what could happened if he gets involved..."
The bartender nodded sagely, also being a member of the syndicate, though one of the lower tier members. He'd much rather have been out doing jobs like the two men he'd been giving drinks to all night, but he just didn't have the skill and so was stuck slipping free alcohol to the syndicate's most prized assassin and his self-proclaimed accomplice. Life did so seem to hate him.
Glancing back at his friend, Sano couldn't help but watch the way the two moved sensuously against each other. It was as if they already knew one another, which was a bit odd. Even though he saw people dance like that all the time, it seemed so strange when it was Kenshin. After staring at him long enough, Sano caught Kenshin's attention and merely raised an eyebrow, a gesture which Kenshin returned. Laughing, Sano raised his glass in a mock-salute.
'Damn. He IS going after her. This could be bad... Have to admit, though, the man is slick. She doesn't look remotely drunk.'
Kaoru didn't know if she could keep dancing much longer after at least ten minutes straight. Kenshin seemed to sense this and took her by the hand, leading her back to the bar. The bartender, seeing them coming, had already poured Kenshin another round. He downed it quickly before peeling off his now far too heavy sweater to reveal a simple black v-necked t-shirt. Kaoru looked him up and down and, still breathing slightly heavily, asked if he wore anything but black. Chuckling, he told her that he generally didn't.
"Hey, one more round, my friend, before I call it a night," he said to the bartender before glancing at Kaoru. "Want one?"
"Uh... sure," she said uncertainly. "Don't you think you've had quite a bit already?"
Kenshin laughed outright as he handed her a glass. "Yeah." He shrugged and tilted his glass to his lips, draining it promptly. "I'm used to it."
"You should see this man drink," came a voice from the side.
"Sagara Sanosuke, Kamiya Kaoru," Kenshin said by way introduction. The both nodded to the other and Kaoru cautiously sipped at her Vodka.
"Not used to it?" Sano asked, and she shook her head. "Someone's gonna have to teach you to drink sometime. Normally I'd offer Kenshin's services to ya, but the man's gotta be sober enough to drive in..." He checked his watch. "An hour and a half. You gonna be ready to test that car by then?"
Kenshin mimicked Sano and looked at his wrist watch, which read 1.36 AM. "Of course."
Kaoru vaguely got the idea that they were talking about car racing, which was something she had previously had no experience with. Naturally, the idea was fascinating. She knew a little bit about cars, but not much.
"What kind of car is it?" she asked as she took a seat.
Kenshin was surprised that she was even interested. "Enzo," he said absently.
Her eyes grew wide and she whistled softly. "Jesus..."
Sanosuke smiled. "My sentiments exactly. The big surprise is this, though... it's black."
Kaoru laughed and Kenshin tried to glare at him, but was unsuccessful. He grinned sheepishly and shrugged as if to say 'What can I do?'
"So, do you race for money?" she asked nonchalantly.
Kenshin was floored for half a second, but recovered valiantly. "Uh... yeah."
She smiled. "You much be good."
"I do alright." She knew what that meant; he was VERY good.
"Hmm."
"Kaoru!" her friend called and made her way over, refusing to meet Kenshin's eyes. "We're getting out of here, put that drink down and come on!"
"Right," she replied, somewhat reluctantly, turning to leave.
"Hey," Kenshin said, grabbing her arm. "Give me your number, and I'll teach you how to drink sometime. Promise."
Blushing, she scribbled her cell phone number on a napkin and he pocketed it. "See you around, I guess," she said with a wave as her friend dragged her away by the arm.
Cold air hit them as they burst outside, and they immediately stopped. Her friend looked as if she didn't know whether to laugh or berate Kaoru. She started saying something about drinking with strangers and how dangerous she'd heard he was, but Kaoru stopped her.
"I'm sure it will all be fine can I borrow your car?" she said quickly, all in one breath.
"WHAT?!"
"Do you think you can get a ride? I'd really appreciate it if I could borrow your car, just for tonight."
"I can't believe you..."
"I'm twenty-three, I can take care of myself. Please?"
"Oh for Christ's sake... Yes, yes. But please, don't get yourself lost or hurt. I trust you, you know." She tossed Kaoru her keys.
"Thank you so much, I promise I won't wreck it or anything." With that, Kaoru took off, carefully checking up and down the street for cars and then crossing and hurrying off to where they'd parked.
'First thing, find an Enzo. No hard. The hard part is following without getting caught.'
***
"Hey man, chew some gum or something," Sanosuke said. "You may not act or even be drunk, but you sure as hell smell like it."
"Right, right," Kenshin waved it off as he tossed a piece of gum in his mouth. "Happy?"
"You know where I'm parked, right?" Sano ignored his comment. Kenshin nodded. "Swing around and meet me, and you can hand me whatever illegal shit you got this time."
"Sure." they split ways and headed for their own cars.
The two had a deal of sorts. Kenshin did the majority of the racing with Sanosuke acting as his "manager." Sano would set up races and then find one of his ingenious ways to block the road they'd be using. More or less, he'd do all of the work save the actual driving. In return, however, they split whatever money Kenshin won, and if the police happened to show up, Sano ran for it and only Kenshin got caught. That was the reason Kenshin would stow anything that he had that happened to be undesirable for an officer to see in Sano's trunk. If he was going to be arrested, he might as well make the charges as simple as possible.
"Only the katana this time, Sano," Kenshin said, handing him the sword almost reverently. "You let anything happen to this and I will personally slaughter you."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." The threat fell on deaf ears. "Hey buddy... I'm not one to tell you how to drive, but watch out for this kid. I hear he likes to try to run the other guy off the road. Wouldn't want to mess up your pain job."
"He'll have to catch me first, what's he drive?" Kenshin grinned.
"Some kind of souped up Corvette. Nothing you can't handle."
"Straight shot?"
"Yup, simple and fast. Just punch it and don't forget to stop before you hit my road blocks. You've got this one."
***
It was more than convenient that Kaoru saw Kenshin drive past; headlights off, she followed, feeling just slightly foolish. She sat outside the parking garage he drove into and waited, not really sure what she'd do next. Sanosuke came out first, his odd hair unmistakable, and headed off down the road. Kenshin would follow soon, she knew, ans so she devised a quick plan. Pulling forward quickly, she completely blocked the exit. She groaned as he suddenly appeared from around the corner; he looked angry enough to kill. Slowly she stepped out, yanking the keys out of the ignition and tucking them into the pocket of her leather jacket. Kenshin's eyes widened when he recognized her. Throwing his cars into park, he jumped out and stood in front of her, arms folded across his chest.
"And just... what... are you doing?" he said, his voice bordering on a low growl.
"I'm not moving," she said firmly, jutting her chin out in defiance.
"Why would that be?" His tone was slightly strained.
"Not unless you take me with you." Even Kaoru was shocked to hear herself say that; that wasn't what she'd been planning. Then again, what had she been planning in the first place?
"You... I... wait... what?!" He was dumbstuck.
"You heard me, take me with you."
"Do you possibly know how very dangerous that is?"
"Yes."
"You're lying."
"I know... I could be arrested, injured, killed," she said as if it were an everyday matter. "You only live once, right? Please?"
"You'll move the car?"
"Yes."
"You won't turn me in, or even tell anyone about this?"
"No."
"You'll accept full responsibility for anything that happens?"
"Absolutely."
He sighed heavily. "Alright. Move your damn car."
Kaoru nodded happily and quickly moved the car to park on the side of the road. Making sure to lock it and put the keys safely in her inside pocket, she slid into the passenger set of Kenshin's Enzo. Silently, she admired the interior, restraining the compulsory urge to reach out and press some of the many buttons. Kenshin handed her his huge leather trenchcoat.
"Hold this, if you would be so kind." He was starting to sound slightly less angered. "And for Christ's sake, put your seatbelt on."
Kaoru couldn't help but smile. "No problem."
"Do absolutely everything I say."
Kaoru looked insulted. "Of course! It's not as if I would force you to take me along and then not listen to your instructions."
"Sorry," he mumbled, finally breaking down and smiling at her. "It's just that I've never let anyone else ride with me when I race."
"Then it's an honor to be the first." Kaoru attempted a grand bow, but it wasn't very feasible.
"Enough talk, let's get going," he said, and let the engine rumble back to life. He swung out of the parking garage and roared down the street in the opposite direction of Sanosuke.
"Jesus Christ," Kaoru muttered. "Th thing's got enough power to haul about ten horses."
Kenshin grinned. "But why trailer livestock when you can fly?" His tone was serious, almost solemn.
"I'd never thought of it that way..." Kaoru mused. "Racing means a lot to you, doesn't it?"
"Yes," he said simply, before reaching for the stereo. "You like American music?" He deftly changed the subject.
"I don't really listen to it much, I guess," she replied.
"Do you mind?"
"No."
He pressed a few buttons and loud rock music came blaring out at them; he turned it down to a more tolerable level.
"What on earth is this?" Kaoru asked.
"Band called Shinedown," he replied. "I like the lyrics."
"Where the hell'd you get this?"
"Part of the perks of my job, I can get pretty much whatever I want. I just took to American rock, so I get whatever's good. Satellite radio, you know, I get all kinds of stations." He almost slipped up there, and started talking about his job, but he hoped he'd averted the topic.
Kaoru sensed that he wanted to avoid the subject, so she lapsed into silence. Closing her eyes, she let the music wash over her and listened to some of the lyrics he liked so much. She could see why he did, they had a lot of meaning. Surprisingly enough, for a man she'd been so highly warned of, she found that she liked him and enjoyed being in his company. She had the feeling that he, like the music listened to, had a lot of meaning.
Kenshin looked over at the woman sitting next to him and wondered why he'd let her come. Something about her told him that she would enjoy the feeling of tearing down an open stretch of road, and appreciate it the way he did. Perhaps he shouldn't have brought her along, but she knew the risks and was willing to accept them. He wasn't sure what it was about her plea that had left him unable to deny her. It just seemed right that she was here beside him. Easily handling a corner which he took at a speed far too fast, he found the familiar freeway entrance.
Kaoru opened her eyes as she felt Kenshin's gentle breaking. She smiled; even though he drove too fast and pushed his car to its limits, he was still trying to take care of it. In a strange way, it was sweet. The sight that greeted her was somewhat thrilling. A small group of people clad in expensive clothing was clustered around what looked like it used to be a Corvette.
"Poor car..." she murmured. "He killed it."
Kenshin laughed aloud. "What a monstrosity that is."
Kaoru nodded. "That's practically screaming 'I race my car illegally.'"
Kenshin shot a grin at her and flipped off the music as a teenage boy with dark blonde hair leaned in the now open window.
"You gonna let her ride with you, mate?"
"Yes." Kenshin's tone was instantly superior.
"Then let's get going."
***
Sanosuke could hear the roar of two powerful engines from where he stood. Silently, he prayed that Kenshin remembered to fill his tank recently, seeing as how the man loved to drive absolutely everywhere. Distant shouts could be heard as two cars were thrown into gear and two gas pedals were slammed to the floor. Sanosuke timed it. Less than a minute, he estimated.
"They sure as hell better not hit my barriers, I'll kill 'em both."
***
Kaoru's heart jumped to her throat as Kenshin hit the accelerator. Her hands were twisted in his trenchcoat and vaguely, in the back of her mind, she thought that he was right, that it really was flying. The terror she had originally felt was bubbling into laughter, but she held it back, thinking it better to give him nothing to concentrate on besides driving.
Because he was concentrating so much on driving, he was correct in thinking that the kid would never catch him, Kaoru heard the screaming sirens and saw the flashing lights long before he did. He was pushing 150 when he heard her.
"Oh, shit." Her voice was quiet and grave, which was how he could tell that it was bad.
He listened for a second before putting the breaks on. Tires squealed and he fought to keep them going straight as he assessed the situation. The kid had freaked, slammed on the breaks, and spun out. He would be in cuffs within minutes.
"What do you want to do?" he asked quickly. "We can either try to run or get taken in."
"Your choice." He found it hard to believe that she trusted him so much when she barely knew him.
Sano was long gone, so there was no longer a roadblock, but Kenshin knew that highspeed chases seldom turned out well. They'd be caught eventually if he didn't play his cards exactly right. One tiny mistake and everything would go wrong. That was all the assurance he needed as he floored it and took off down the freeway. That small chance was what he lived for. Kaoru said nothing, just leaned back and offered him a supportive smile.
"Looks like we're stuck with each other for a while."
*****
A/N: Wasn't that fun? I know I had a good time writing it ^_^ I've started work on chapter two, but I'm both busy and grounded, so don't expect me to have it posted TOO soon. I'll try, I promise. Also, I'm open to suggestions, so if there's something particular you want to see happen, let me know and I'll consider it. Whee! Time for the happy dance!
MysticShadowWanderer
Disclaimer: The lines are drawn in the sand across the caress of time.
Whee! Pre-stroy A/N!: Ok, this one's just for fun. Truth is, the entire reason I wrote this is to be able to picture Kenshin driving an Enzo and wear black and a trenchcoat ^_^ That said, please enjoy!
*****
Chapter One: The Angel of Death
"It's a dangerous game you're playing, Battousai. One mistake, one tiny mistake, and your life will be forfeit."
Himura Kenshin, known by night and victims as Hitokiri Battousai, sighed and ran a hand through his crimson bangs as he recalled the words of his "colleague," another one of scores of faceless, nameless thieves, counterfeiters, and murderers. Sometimes he wondered why he did this, why he didn't just quit, leave the syndicate entirely. Then he reminded himself that he had nowhere to go and nothing else to do. And every time he killed, the ecstasy of feeling flesh, bone, and muscle tearing and cracking under his blade, or the beauty of blood and smell of gunpowder, was what tied him down. There was no escape for him now. He couldn't say that he wasn't doing well, though; these days, crime paid, and well.
The Ferrari Enzo he parked alongside the street was proof enough of that, as well as the way he parked it so carelessly. Material belongings were replaceable; he didn't like to worry. He stepped out of the car, and tossed his katana on the passenger side floorboard; it leaned itself against the seat suspiciously, so he removed his black leather trenchcoat and draped it across the seat and the sword. The fact that it wasn't exactly legal to carry around weapons like that didn't bother him, there was always someone to pay off that would turn their head, but the last thing he needed was for some punk to try to steal his most prized possession. Things like that were valuable anymore, not to mention "cool" enough for some half-wit kid to try to snatch.
He had left his car a respectable distance from his destination, which happened to be a nightclub. Though he was an assassin by title and nature, that didn't mean he didn't like to have a good time, after all, he was only twenty-four. Although, to him, a good time generally meant sitting at the bar drinking and, if he was lucky, getting in a few fights. He was the typical lone wolf, unless joined by his only real friend, Sagara Sanosuke, in which case they might find other means of entertainment. Street racing, illegal gambling, or just good old fashioned knife fights, Himura liked anything dangerous enough to be life threatening.
As he walked, he wondered if Sanosuke had beaten him there. When he heard the tolling of the clock's bell, it was only midnight. He grinned; that left plenty of time to give the city hell tonight. A slight chill ran up his spine, the cold weather getting to him even through his thick black sweater. Even so, he knew he'd soon be too hot wearing clothes like that in a club. Walking past the line of people waiting to get in and the bouncers, they knew him, this was one of the syndicate's clubs, he stepped inside to be assaulted by music loud enough to threaten to make his ears bleed. Ignoring the fact that his heartbeat felt like it had just changed to keep tempo with the pounding bass and throbbing floor, he pushed his way through throngs of people and sat down heavily on a barstool next to a tall, spike-haired man.
"Sanosuke!" he shouted. "Nanika shi masho!"
Sanosuke turned to look at him. "Konbanwa Kenshin! Doko–"
"Hey chaps, English if you would!" The bartender called in their direction.
"Sorry, man, you know how it is," Sanosuke said amiably, they were both friends with the man, or at least as much as you could count a bartender as a friend.
"Sure, sure," he said, setting a Vodka in front of Kenshin. "I like to know what's going on at my bar."
Kenshin nodded his thanks for the drink and turned to Sanosuke again. "What's the plan for tonight?"
"You wanna try out that new little car of yours?"
Kenshin snorted as he tossed back the drink in his hand. "Yeah, a V12 and 660 horses says it's little."
"Hey man, it's an easy five grand or so," Sanosuke shrugged.
"You're kidding."
"Not a chance, some rich kid and his dad's money. I'd say take the opportunity while you've got it. Guy's only eighteen, he's new. If you don't win I'd give you the cash myself, your odds are that good."
"Tell him to bring his car and his money out to the freeway and I'll show him how it's done. How long can you have the road blocked?"
"Long enough."
"Damn British teenagers, never know what they're in over their heads."
Despite his words, Kenshin had so far enjoyed his stay in London. The culture was different from his native Japan's, and he found himself amused by all the trouble he could cause. It wasn't as if he'd had a choice anyhow, if the syndicate wanted him to go somewhere, off he went. Eagerly taking the new glass the bartender handed him, he spun around to watch the dance floor. You never knew when you'd see someone interesting.
***
"Kaoru? Hey Kaoru, snap out of it!" Her friend snapped her fingers in Kaoru's face. "Who have you been staring at for the past fifteen minutes, anyhow?"
Kaoru pulled her friend away from the group of people dancing to lean against an open space on the wall. "That man, the one with the long red hair and cross-shaped scar who's all in black."
"You've been in London for three days and already have your eyes on the most gorgeous and most notorious man in the city?" Kaoru laughed. "You know he's from Japan, too?"
"Really? Is that so..."
"Don't go after him, I've heard some nasty things about that man."
"I was only going to talk to him, maybe."
"You haven't got the nerve."
"Sure I do." With that, she walked off to the bar, leaving her friend in a state of temporary shock.
Kaoru slid onto a barstool right next to the redhead's. The bartender handed her the strawberry margarita she'd ordered before stopping to take a closer look at her.
"Hey Himura, this yours?" he asked. Kaoru gaped for a second, then flushed.
The redhead, Himura the bartender had called him, looked where the man was gesturing, clearly expecting to find some dropped article and was stunned to see a young woman sitting there. He quickly took in her embarrassed countenance, as well as he delicate features, and shot a glare at the bartender, whose attention had suddenly turned to wiping dry a few shot glasses that had conveniently appeared. Shifting his attention back to the girl, he decided to act on his suspicions.
"Hajime mashita. Watashi wa Himura Kenshin desu. O namae wa?" He sounded polite enough to Kaoru; perhaps her friend had been making things up.
For a moment she was flustered before she pulled herself together. "Kamiya to moshi masu. Kaoru."
He smiled gently, seeing how nervous she was, and began to answer before the bartender cut him off. "What did I say about Japanese, Himura?"
Kenshin sighed and apologized, saying something vague about arrogant English types and psychotic Brits; Kaoru giggled. She was amazed at how well things had worked out for her. As a general rule, she never said anything to a man before he addressed her, so it wouldn't have been likely that she would have talked with him if not for the rudeness of the bartender. She could feel her friend glaring at her from across the room.
"So, what brings you to London?" he asked.
"My friend invited me." She turned and nodded to the girl that stood at the wall.
"Yours?" Kenshin asked, and when Kaoru assented, he caught the other girl's eye and waved slightly, chuckling quietly as her face went red and she not-so-subtly slipped away.
"That was mean!" Kaoru exclaimed while trying not to laugh.
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself." He grinned and they both burst into laughter.
They sat in easy silence as Kaoru sipped her margarita and Kenshin had a few more shots. Kaoru had been watching him nearly the entire time he'd been there and was impressed to find that though he'd been drinking nearly the whole time, he didn't seem even slightly intoxicated. When she turned her attention elsewhere, he took the opportunity to observe her. Her long black hair was tied up, making him wonder what it would look like if it were down. She was attired in a tight fitting red halter top that didn't quite reach the top of her short black leather skirt, and heavily buckled black boots that reached to just below her knees. Instantly he knew there was more to her than she let on; she had some edge, but was hiding it from him. This was, of course, intriguing, so after a few more minutes, he tapped her lightly on the shoulder. When she looked at him, he smiled, stood, and held out a hand.
"Want to dance?"
***
When Sanosuke returned to the bar, he was more than a bit surprised to find that Kenshin wasn't there. He asked the bartender, who just inclined his head toward the dance floor. Sano's mouth dropped open when he saw his best friend actually dancing. He sat down with a thud, rubbed his head with one hand, and met the bartender's gaze.
"I think I need a drink."
***
Kaoru was hesitant at first, not that she had never danced with anyone before, but there was something about Kenshin that made her heart race. Soon enough, though, she began to get the feel of the music and couldn't help but let herself go with it. Where Kenshin's touch before had been light, when he felt her become more comfortable, he tightened his hold. All at once her back was pulled to his body and his hand was low on her stomach, tracing the exposed skin and toying with the hem of her top. As if of its own will, Kaoru's hand traveled upward to his head, fingers winding into his hair and staying there as she moved into his touch.
Sanosuke turned again to watch his friend. "Holy fucking shit," he said softly. "What the hell does he think he's doing?"
"I believe that would be called dancing," the bartender offered.
Sano shot him a glare. "I know that. But you know who he is, what could happened if he gets involved..."
The bartender nodded sagely, also being a member of the syndicate, though one of the lower tier members. He'd much rather have been out doing jobs like the two men he'd been giving drinks to all night, but he just didn't have the skill and so was stuck slipping free alcohol to the syndicate's most prized assassin and his self-proclaimed accomplice. Life did so seem to hate him.
Glancing back at his friend, Sano couldn't help but watch the way the two moved sensuously against each other. It was as if they already knew one another, which was a bit odd. Even though he saw people dance like that all the time, it seemed so strange when it was Kenshin. After staring at him long enough, Sano caught Kenshin's attention and merely raised an eyebrow, a gesture which Kenshin returned. Laughing, Sano raised his glass in a mock-salute.
'Damn. He IS going after her. This could be bad... Have to admit, though, the man is slick. She doesn't look remotely drunk.'
Kaoru didn't know if she could keep dancing much longer after at least ten minutes straight. Kenshin seemed to sense this and took her by the hand, leading her back to the bar. The bartender, seeing them coming, had already poured Kenshin another round. He downed it quickly before peeling off his now far too heavy sweater to reveal a simple black v-necked t-shirt. Kaoru looked him up and down and, still breathing slightly heavily, asked if he wore anything but black. Chuckling, he told her that he generally didn't.
"Hey, one more round, my friend, before I call it a night," he said to the bartender before glancing at Kaoru. "Want one?"
"Uh... sure," she said uncertainly. "Don't you think you've had quite a bit already?"
Kenshin laughed outright as he handed her a glass. "Yeah." He shrugged and tilted his glass to his lips, draining it promptly. "I'm used to it."
"You should see this man drink," came a voice from the side.
"Sagara Sanosuke, Kamiya Kaoru," Kenshin said by way introduction. The both nodded to the other and Kaoru cautiously sipped at her Vodka.
"Not used to it?" Sano asked, and she shook her head. "Someone's gonna have to teach you to drink sometime. Normally I'd offer Kenshin's services to ya, but the man's gotta be sober enough to drive in..." He checked his watch. "An hour and a half. You gonna be ready to test that car by then?"
Kenshin mimicked Sano and looked at his wrist watch, which read 1.36 AM. "Of course."
Kaoru vaguely got the idea that they were talking about car racing, which was something she had previously had no experience with. Naturally, the idea was fascinating. She knew a little bit about cars, but not much.
"What kind of car is it?" she asked as she took a seat.
Kenshin was surprised that she was even interested. "Enzo," he said absently.
Her eyes grew wide and she whistled softly. "Jesus..."
Sanosuke smiled. "My sentiments exactly. The big surprise is this, though... it's black."
Kaoru laughed and Kenshin tried to glare at him, but was unsuccessful. He grinned sheepishly and shrugged as if to say 'What can I do?'
"So, do you race for money?" she asked nonchalantly.
Kenshin was floored for half a second, but recovered valiantly. "Uh... yeah."
She smiled. "You much be good."
"I do alright." She knew what that meant; he was VERY good.
"Hmm."
"Kaoru!" her friend called and made her way over, refusing to meet Kenshin's eyes. "We're getting out of here, put that drink down and come on!"
"Right," she replied, somewhat reluctantly, turning to leave.
"Hey," Kenshin said, grabbing her arm. "Give me your number, and I'll teach you how to drink sometime. Promise."
Blushing, she scribbled her cell phone number on a napkin and he pocketed it. "See you around, I guess," she said with a wave as her friend dragged her away by the arm.
Cold air hit them as they burst outside, and they immediately stopped. Her friend looked as if she didn't know whether to laugh or berate Kaoru. She started saying something about drinking with strangers and how dangerous she'd heard he was, but Kaoru stopped her.
"I'm sure it will all be fine can I borrow your car?" she said quickly, all in one breath.
"WHAT?!"
"Do you think you can get a ride? I'd really appreciate it if I could borrow your car, just for tonight."
"I can't believe you..."
"I'm twenty-three, I can take care of myself. Please?"
"Oh for Christ's sake... Yes, yes. But please, don't get yourself lost or hurt. I trust you, you know." She tossed Kaoru her keys.
"Thank you so much, I promise I won't wreck it or anything." With that, Kaoru took off, carefully checking up and down the street for cars and then crossing and hurrying off to where they'd parked.
'First thing, find an Enzo. No hard. The hard part is following without getting caught.'
***
"Hey man, chew some gum or something," Sanosuke said. "You may not act or even be drunk, but you sure as hell smell like it."
"Right, right," Kenshin waved it off as he tossed a piece of gum in his mouth. "Happy?"
"You know where I'm parked, right?" Sano ignored his comment. Kenshin nodded. "Swing around and meet me, and you can hand me whatever illegal shit you got this time."
"Sure." they split ways and headed for their own cars.
The two had a deal of sorts. Kenshin did the majority of the racing with Sanosuke acting as his "manager." Sano would set up races and then find one of his ingenious ways to block the road they'd be using. More or less, he'd do all of the work save the actual driving. In return, however, they split whatever money Kenshin won, and if the police happened to show up, Sano ran for it and only Kenshin got caught. That was the reason Kenshin would stow anything that he had that happened to be undesirable for an officer to see in Sano's trunk. If he was going to be arrested, he might as well make the charges as simple as possible.
"Only the katana this time, Sano," Kenshin said, handing him the sword almost reverently. "You let anything happen to this and I will personally slaughter you."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." The threat fell on deaf ears. "Hey buddy... I'm not one to tell you how to drive, but watch out for this kid. I hear he likes to try to run the other guy off the road. Wouldn't want to mess up your pain job."
"He'll have to catch me first, what's he drive?" Kenshin grinned.
"Some kind of souped up Corvette. Nothing you can't handle."
"Straight shot?"
"Yup, simple and fast. Just punch it and don't forget to stop before you hit my road blocks. You've got this one."
***
It was more than convenient that Kaoru saw Kenshin drive past; headlights off, she followed, feeling just slightly foolish. She sat outside the parking garage he drove into and waited, not really sure what she'd do next. Sanosuke came out first, his odd hair unmistakable, and headed off down the road. Kenshin would follow soon, she knew, ans so she devised a quick plan. Pulling forward quickly, she completely blocked the exit. She groaned as he suddenly appeared from around the corner; he looked angry enough to kill. Slowly she stepped out, yanking the keys out of the ignition and tucking them into the pocket of her leather jacket. Kenshin's eyes widened when he recognized her. Throwing his cars into park, he jumped out and stood in front of her, arms folded across his chest.
"And just... what... are you doing?" he said, his voice bordering on a low growl.
"I'm not moving," she said firmly, jutting her chin out in defiance.
"Why would that be?" His tone was slightly strained.
"Not unless you take me with you." Even Kaoru was shocked to hear herself say that; that wasn't what she'd been planning. Then again, what had she been planning in the first place?
"You... I... wait... what?!" He was dumbstuck.
"You heard me, take me with you."
"Do you possibly know how very dangerous that is?"
"Yes."
"You're lying."
"I know... I could be arrested, injured, killed," she said as if it were an everyday matter. "You only live once, right? Please?"
"You'll move the car?"
"Yes."
"You won't turn me in, or even tell anyone about this?"
"No."
"You'll accept full responsibility for anything that happens?"
"Absolutely."
He sighed heavily. "Alright. Move your damn car."
Kaoru nodded happily and quickly moved the car to park on the side of the road. Making sure to lock it and put the keys safely in her inside pocket, she slid into the passenger set of Kenshin's Enzo. Silently, she admired the interior, restraining the compulsory urge to reach out and press some of the many buttons. Kenshin handed her his huge leather trenchcoat.
"Hold this, if you would be so kind." He was starting to sound slightly less angered. "And for Christ's sake, put your seatbelt on."
Kaoru couldn't help but smile. "No problem."
"Do absolutely everything I say."
Kaoru looked insulted. "Of course! It's not as if I would force you to take me along and then not listen to your instructions."
"Sorry," he mumbled, finally breaking down and smiling at her. "It's just that I've never let anyone else ride with me when I race."
"Then it's an honor to be the first." Kaoru attempted a grand bow, but it wasn't very feasible.
"Enough talk, let's get going," he said, and let the engine rumble back to life. He swung out of the parking garage and roared down the street in the opposite direction of Sanosuke.
"Jesus Christ," Kaoru muttered. "Th thing's got enough power to haul about ten horses."
Kenshin grinned. "But why trailer livestock when you can fly?" His tone was serious, almost solemn.
"I'd never thought of it that way..." Kaoru mused. "Racing means a lot to you, doesn't it?"
"Yes," he said simply, before reaching for the stereo. "You like American music?" He deftly changed the subject.
"I don't really listen to it much, I guess," she replied.
"Do you mind?"
"No."
He pressed a few buttons and loud rock music came blaring out at them; he turned it down to a more tolerable level.
"What on earth is this?" Kaoru asked.
"Band called Shinedown," he replied. "I like the lyrics."
"Where the hell'd you get this?"
"Part of the perks of my job, I can get pretty much whatever I want. I just took to American rock, so I get whatever's good. Satellite radio, you know, I get all kinds of stations." He almost slipped up there, and started talking about his job, but he hoped he'd averted the topic.
Kaoru sensed that he wanted to avoid the subject, so she lapsed into silence. Closing her eyes, she let the music wash over her and listened to some of the lyrics he liked so much. She could see why he did, they had a lot of meaning. Surprisingly enough, for a man she'd been so highly warned of, she found that she liked him and enjoyed being in his company. She had the feeling that he, like the music listened to, had a lot of meaning.
Kenshin looked over at the woman sitting next to him and wondered why he'd let her come. Something about her told him that she would enjoy the feeling of tearing down an open stretch of road, and appreciate it the way he did. Perhaps he shouldn't have brought her along, but she knew the risks and was willing to accept them. He wasn't sure what it was about her plea that had left him unable to deny her. It just seemed right that she was here beside him. Easily handling a corner which he took at a speed far too fast, he found the familiar freeway entrance.
Kaoru opened her eyes as she felt Kenshin's gentle breaking. She smiled; even though he drove too fast and pushed his car to its limits, he was still trying to take care of it. In a strange way, it was sweet. The sight that greeted her was somewhat thrilling. A small group of people clad in expensive clothing was clustered around what looked like it used to be a Corvette.
"Poor car..." she murmured. "He killed it."
Kenshin laughed aloud. "What a monstrosity that is."
Kaoru nodded. "That's practically screaming 'I race my car illegally.'"
Kenshin shot a grin at her and flipped off the music as a teenage boy with dark blonde hair leaned in the now open window.
"You gonna let her ride with you, mate?"
"Yes." Kenshin's tone was instantly superior.
"Then let's get going."
***
Sanosuke could hear the roar of two powerful engines from where he stood. Silently, he prayed that Kenshin remembered to fill his tank recently, seeing as how the man loved to drive absolutely everywhere. Distant shouts could be heard as two cars were thrown into gear and two gas pedals were slammed to the floor. Sanosuke timed it. Less than a minute, he estimated.
"They sure as hell better not hit my barriers, I'll kill 'em both."
***
Kaoru's heart jumped to her throat as Kenshin hit the accelerator. Her hands were twisted in his trenchcoat and vaguely, in the back of her mind, she thought that he was right, that it really was flying. The terror she had originally felt was bubbling into laughter, but she held it back, thinking it better to give him nothing to concentrate on besides driving.
Because he was concentrating so much on driving, he was correct in thinking that the kid would never catch him, Kaoru heard the screaming sirens and saw the flashing lights long before he did. He was pushing 150 when he heard her.
"Oh, shit." Her voice was quiet and grave, which was how he could tell that it was bad.
He listened for a second before putting the breaks on. Tires squealed and he fought to keep them going straight as he assessed the situation. The kid had freaked, slammed on the breaks, and spun out. He would be in cuffs within minutes.
"What do you want to do?" he asked quickly. "We can either try to run or get taken in."
"Your choice." He found it hard to believe that she trusted him so much when she barely knew him.
Sano was long gone, so there was no longer a roadblock, but Kenshin knew that highspeed chases seldom turned out well. They'd be caught eventually if he didn't play his cards exactly right. One tiny mistake and everything would go wrong. That was all the assurance he needed as he floored it and took off down the freeway. That small chance was what he lived for. Kaoru said nothing, just leaned back and offered him a supportive smile.
"Looks like we're stuck with each other for a while."
*****
A/N: Wasn't that fun? I know I had a good time writing it ^_^ I've started work on chapter two, but I'm both busy and grounded, so don't expect me to have it posted TOO soon. I'll try, I promise. Also, I'm open to suggestions, so if there's something particular you want to see happen, let me know and I'll consider it. Whee! Time for the happy dance!