AN: I haven't written a RK fic in, like, three years or something. So I hope enjoy reading, because I certainly enjoyed writing. I only had to up load this FOUR (though technically this is the sixth time… I was horrified by some edits I had missed) times because FF hated me and my page breaks. I don't like these ones, but they are functional, so I won't complain. This is my final note.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.
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Kenshin ignored the taunt of an idiot as he left his classroom. He had just given a presentation on his personal hero- a very stupid assignment, he thought. However, is had some students questioning his sexual orientation. He didn't regret his choice for his presentation; he just wished he could do something about insecure and ignorant boys.
"Hey."
The tone was demanding but not demeaning, so Kenshin turned to focus on the speaker.
"Yes?" He inquired of Kaoru Kamiya. A few of their friends were dating and they shared a class, but he didn't know her very well- to Kenshin's regret.
"Why did you choose Julia Child?" she seemed genuinely curious, not mocking.
"I like to cook," he said simply. He had already explained why he admired Child in his presentation.
"You like cooking?" she looked and sounded flabbergasted.
Kenshin wondered why she thought he chose Child if he didn't enjoy cooking. But that was why she had asked him. Still, her reaction was amusing.
"What do you cook?" She stepped closer. She smelled like jasmine. He liked it.
"I can cook or bake just about anything."
She considered this. "You busy tonight?"
Kenshin shook his head.
"Good, you're making me dinner. I'll be over around seven."
Kenshin blinked. "Okay."
Kaoru pursed her lips at him. "You shouldn't blink, the angels will get you." With that, she spun on her heel and left him standing in the hall.
"What just happened?" He asked.
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Kenshin had to admit, if only to himself, he was a little nervous. Kaoru hadn't told him what she liked, so he went with something simple. Well, as simple as a Julie Child recipe could be. He made angel hair pasta with shrimp and lemon cream sauce. He very deliberately did not use special dishes when he set the kitchen table. He was very grateful Hiko wasn't home.
Kaoru arrived right at seven, which Kenshin appreciated. He also he knew he had made the right choice about making everything causal. She was still in the clothes she had worn to school.
"I like your house," she commented as he led her into the kitchen.
"… thank you." He was never sure what was going to come out her mouth, but it was usually amusing.
"This looks good, what is it?"
Kenshin explained how he made the dish as she sat down and served herself. He sat on the other side of the four chair table. She moaned and her face took on expression of pure bliss on her first bite. He didn't know if he had ever seen anything sexier.
"You like it?" It seemed like a redundant question, but he wanted to hear her actually say it.
"Holy crap, I have never tasted anything better in my life," she paused. "Except maybe those really nice Belgium chocolates Megumi had that one time. It might be a tie."
They ate in silence, Kaoru making sounds that had him wanting to blush. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "What did you mean about the angels?"
She gave him a curious look.
"When you told me not to blink."
Her expression cleared. "Oh, a Doctor Who reference." Before he could ask what Doctor Who was she scowled at him. "And if you knew the Doctor, you wouldn't have to ask."
"Doctor Who?"
"Exactly. This weekend, you are going to make a sweet, chocolate dessert and you're going to come over and we're going to watch some of the reboot."
"Alright." Kenshin wasn't opposed to spending more time with her, but he wasn't sure about what ever Doctor Who was. He was assuming it was a movie or a TV show, because they would be watching it.
"Good." She nodded. "But I've got to go now. See you tomorrow." She took her dishes over to the sink and rinsed them off.
"Thank you," he said, because most people weren't considerate enough to help with cleaning up.
"Welcome. But I've got to go, so sorry I couldn't stay and help a little more." She let herself out of his house while he sat at the table.
"Will all of our conversation end with her walking away?"
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Kenshin went to Kaoru's house Saturday afternoon. He had made simple chocolate brownies. They had two cups of coco, a cup of white sugar and a cup of brown sugar in them. He hoped they met her standards. He only waited on her front porch a few moments before the door opened and she literally dragged him through her house and into the living room.
"If you don't like this show," she informed him as she took the brownies from him and shoved him onto her couch "there is something wrong with you. Wait here."
She returned with milk shortly.
They watched three episodes of Doctor Who. Kenshin found it interesting. Science fiction wasn't his favorite genre but the writing was, for the most part, good. He also enjoyed the British humor. What he enjoyed most was the fact that half way through the second episode Kaoru had decided to use him as a pillow. He would watch worse quality shows for such a reward. Plus, she gushed over his baking skills. She ate half the brownies. Kenshin counted the afternoon as a win.
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Kenshin had convinced Kaoru that he needed a break from TV. He had no idea how she stayed so fit, because all she seemed to want to do was watch that show. Or eat food.
Koru frowned at him. "I'm not entirely positive that this is really a good idea, but I'll cede to your wishes, in this one instance. So, we're going to the park."
Kenshin hastily made his way to her front door before she could drag him there. The park was close to her house, fairly large and nice looking. They bought ice cream and walked by a small baseball field were several boys were practicing kendo. Kaoru sent a miffed look their way.
"You don't like kendo?"
"I love kendo. I just don't like them. They're jerks, and they can't even get basic form right. They're in my bother Yahiko's class. He could wipe the floor with them, but noooo, they're the hot stuff." She went on about how they weren't doing it properly. Kenshin had to interrupt her before she got herself in to a rant.
"You know kendo?"
"My dad teaches it, and I'm his assistant. We teach our family's style." She took a bite of her ice cream.
Kenshin had a sinking feeling. Or maybe he was falling in love. He wasn't sure.
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"I like you," Kaoru informed him before their one class together.
Kenshin choked on air. "What?"
"What?" She looked at, clueless.
"I… never mind."
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They were walking through the park again. They hadn't spoken to each other in a few minutes. It was a comfortable silence, one Kenshin found he enjoyed.
"What did you mean by your earlier comment?"
"What comment?"
"When you said you liked me."
"Exactly what I said."
"Ah." Kenshin didn't know how to explain what he was asking, wasn't even sure he could vocalize it.
"Look, I do like you. We've been doing this" she gestured between them "for about two months now. You bake me stuff, and watch Doctor Who with me. We can talk kendo and spar. You're kind of a rarity."
"Thank you. I like you too. Even if sometimes I do think you're insane."
Kaoru threw her arm around his shoulders. "And that's why we have a beautiful friendship."
Before Kenshin could really savor the feel of her, she had removed her arm and asked him about a homework assignment.
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"Hey, Kenshin!" Sano greeted him as he sat down at the lunch table. It was just the two of them. The rest of their group would be there soon. "What's up with you and Kaoru? You've been spending a lot of time together."
"She's been making me bake and cook for her, as well as watch Doctor Who with her."
Sano laughed. "Can't believe she suckered you into watching that."
"Its growing on me."
Sano considered him with a thoughtful look. "I like both of you."
Kenshin cocked his head to the side.
"Just- look, her favorite desert is snickerdoodles."
"Alright." For all his brashness Sano knew his friends well. He knew Kenshin liked Kaoru, then he must think Kaoru liked Kenshin back in a romantic way as well, enough to offer advice. "Thank you."
"Good. Just remember, no sex before marriage."
Kenshin choked on the drink he had just taken a sip from.
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Kenshin let himself into Kaoru's house and made his way to the living room. He had started doing this after the third time he had been over. It was easier than her dragging him around. He queued up the DVD for the next Doctor Who episode and waited. Kaoru wondered in shortly.
She saw the snickerdoodles he had brought and attacked them with vicious glee. After she had devoured three of them Kenshin found his lap full of Kaoru. "We're dating now." She informed him.
"Over cookies?"
"Nope. That was just the tipping point."
"Ah."
"To make it official, we're going to have a movie night with Megumi, Misao, Sano and Aoshi."
"Aren't you moving a little fast?"
"Naw. Once I make up my mind, I go for it. I've made up my mind about you. Why, do you have objections?"
Kenshin hugged her close and she relaxed against him. "No, no objections." He held her close, enjoying the feel of her against him. "Movie night sounds like fun. I will make something good."