"Kenshin, what are you doing?"

At the sound of her voice, he sat up, to the loud protest from Suzume and Azame. "Practicing the Hiten Mitsurgi Tickle Technique, Kaoru-dono."

"The Hiten Mitsurgi Tickle Technique?" she repeated, not sure she'd heard him right.

He nodded. "It is a very difficult technique," he said solemnly. "This one is fortunate that Suzume-dono and Azame-dono are such patient teachers." And though his face was still very serious, his violet eyes were bright with laughter. He had such expressive eyes. "I fear this one makes a very poor student."

"It sounds very difficult," Kaoru said, barely concealing a smile. "Do you think I could learn it too?"

"No," Little Azame said, with all the confidence of being two. "Just Ken."

"That's alright," Kaoru said, as Kenshin opened his mouth to protest. "Hiten Mitsurgi isn't my style anyway. I'd rather practice the Kamiya Kasshin Tickle Technique." She crossed her arms. "It's much better."

"It is?" Azame asked. "Really?"

"Of course," Kaoru said. "It's guaranteed to make anyone start laughing. And it's lightning fast, so no one can counter it. But that's not the best part."

"The best part?" Suzume echoed.

"Yes." Kaoru lowered her voice. Even Kenshin leaned forward to listen. "The Kamiya Kasshin Tickle Technique can make people laugh without even touching them."

The girls' eyes went as wide as dinner plates. "How does it work?" Suzume asked.

"Like…this!" The girls shrieked with laughter and scattered as Kaoru lunged at them, wiggling her fingers. "See?" she said triumphantly.

Kenshin got to his feet with a smile. "This one can tell he will have to be very careful around you, Kaoru-dono, with such a dangerous technique at your disposal."

She blushed. "But I don't know where you're ticklish," she mumbled. You idiot, her brain scolded her, you don't know where he's ticklish?

Kenshin blushed as red as his hair.

"Here!" Little Azame jabbed at a point right along Kenshin's ribs. He jumped. "Ken is ticklish here!

"And here!" Suzume tickled the back of Kenshin's knee.

"Azame-dono! Suzume-dono!" Kenshin cried. But too late. He went down in a wave of laughter, the two girls on top of him. They wrestled, Kenshin trying desperately to defend himself, Azame and Suzume tickling every little bit of him they could reach.

Kaoru stood there for a moment, listening to him laugh. The sound filled her with joy and sadness both at once. Joy, because Kenshin's laugh was infectious. Sadness, because she so rarely heard it.

"Cowroo?"

Kaoru jerked out of her reverie to find Suzume and Azame both staring at her. Kenshin propped himself up on his elbows. Suzume wrinkled her nose. "Are you okay?"

"Tickle Ken?" Azame invited. Kenshin looked positively alarmed.

Kaoru had to laugh. "No, you two go ahead." Then she put on her best 'Master of the Kamiya Kasshin Dojo' voice. "Keep me updated on his progress."

The little girls beamed. "Hai!" they cried in unison.

"Kaoru-dono!"

She waved a finger. "No buts. I want to see you training hard."

He smiled and nodded. "Hai!"

"Practice! Practice!"

And Kaoru walked away to the sound of laughter.