Notice: I am not the creator of any of the characters of Rurouni Kenshin;
so do not give me credit for it. Just sit back and enjoy the story and let
me know what you think!
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The Fireflies. She couldn't take her eyes off of them. The way they seemed to dance across the water, it was almost like she was watching a beautiful ballet. She had come back to that spot several times before, but it never appeared to her as the same, always different, always inviting. To passerby's it looked as if she was just enjoying the cool spring evening, but her thoughts were occupied elsewhere. They belonged to that one night, the night she thought she had lost him forever. She could still feel his warm breath on her neck, his strong arms around her body, the way the fireflies gave them the chance to see only one another.
The breeze played with her hair as a single tear ran down her face. The dark strands tickled her face, making her smile, something that she was still getting used to again. They had been through so much in the past months that she never had time to really smile. From that moment on it would be different, no one to worry about, no wars to fight. He had no reason to leave her; he was finally home. She couldn't imagine life without him; that fire red hair, that cross-shaped scar on his cheek, the all too familiar Kaoru-dono.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her nose filling with the scent of flowers. Looking up, she opened her eyes to see the full moon surrounded by dozens of tiny stars. Suddenly, a shooting star flew across the night sky and into the horizon. She had heard about how westerners made wishes on them, just one of many tales about the west. She also heard that if you wished on one, your dream would come true. So she closed her eyes and thought about what she wanted.
**************************************************************************** *****************
He stood and watched as she gently laid her head back and closed her eyes. He knew what she was doing, he had been told the same story about the wishing star. He couldn't help but smile at her, at the way she looked standing in that spot, their spot. Standing there in the moonlight he noticed all over again just how beautiful she really was; her long black hair, the bow that kept it back, the way her kimono blew in the wind.
He didn't want to disturb her, she looked so peaceful, a look he hadn't seen in awhile. He was the reason she would worry all the time. She had risked everything time and time again and it had all been for him. She had been in danger more times than he wanted to think about, and he was the reason why. Did he really deserve to be with her? He had already lost one person he loved, was he willing to try and take that chance once again? But she was different from the first one, a lot different. She had a pure innocence about her, an experience that he had never had the chance to go through. That is, until he met her. From the first moment he had picked her up in his arms, to the very minute that had just passed, he knew that she was something special to him.
He suddenly realized that he couldn't remember why he was out there in the first place, but he also didn't care. Looking down at his feet he noticed a single flower. Its petals still had drops of water on them from the rain the night before. Leaning down carefully, so as not to surprise her, he picked the delicate plant. Standing back up, he held the blossom in his hand, his heart suddenly beating faster. Just as he was about to say something, a single firefly landed on the bud, giving the flower a green glow. It almost seemed like the little insect knew what he had on his mind, and was there to give him a hand. He looked back up to find the sparkling dark eyes he loved, his face growing hotter with the sensation of her gaze upon his. Walking up to her, he handed her the glowing flower. He didn't have to say anything as he saw the look of happiness in her eyes. Those eyes, the same eyes he had looked at before, sparkled.
**************************************************************************** ***************
She took the flower in her hands, the light from the little firefly made it seem magical. She looked up at him, and placing her hand on his cheek, she slowly traced the X shape. His skin was so warm, but soft at the same time. She could see the years of pain on his face, but they were being covered by new feelings, feelings that they would both go through. He placed his hand overtop hers and closed his eyes. She couldn't help but blush at the thought of him returning her feelings.
Taking the flower from her hands, he placed it behind her ear. The firefly finally took off, knowing it was time to leave. His thoughts returned to that one night, the night he thought he might not come back, that he might not come back to her. She was the reason he wanted to live, the person he got all of his strength from. The black hair, the kimono, the calloused hands, even the bad cooking, he wanted it all. He wanted her, and no one else. He placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her into his arms, the same way he had done that painful evening months ago. But this time, he was going to stay in those arms; nothing would break him apart from the one person he cared about so much.
She put her head on his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his body. This was how it should have been all along. Instead of crying as he walked away for what might have been the last time, she would stay by his side. She could feel his breath against her neck, the rough spot of the scar against her cheek, his heart beating along with hers. She knew that this was it, that he was finally hers, and that they would spend the rest of their lives together. She wanted to have his children, she wanted to be called his wife, and she wanted to hear the three little words that she had longed for so long.
"I love you, Kaoru-dono."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------
The Fireflies. She couldn't take her eyes off of them. The way they seemed to dance across the water, it was almost like she was watching a beautiful ballet. She had come back to that spot several times before, but it never appeared to her as the same, always different, always inviting. To passerby's it looked as if she was just enjoying the cool spring evening, but her thoughts were occupied elsewhere. They belonged to that one night, the night she thought she had lost him forever. She could still feel his warm breath on her neck, his strong arms around her body, the way the fireflies gave them the chance to see only one another.
The breeze played with her hair as a single tear ran down her face. The dark strands tickled her face, making her smile, something that she was still getting used to again. They had been through so much in the past months that she never had time to really smile. From that moment on it would be different, no one to worry about, no wars to fight. He had no reason to leave her; he was finally home. She couldn't imagine life without him; that fire red hair, that cross-shaped scar on his cheek, the all too familiar Kaoru-dono.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her nose filling with the scent of flowers. Looking up, she opened her eyes to see the full moon surrounded by dozens of tiny stars. Suddenly, a shooting star flew across the night sky and into the horizon. She had heard about how westerners made wishes on them, just one of many tales about the west. She also heard that if you wished on one, your dream would come true. So she closed her eyes and thought about what she wanted.
**************************************************************************** *****************
He stood and watched as she gently laid her head back and closed her eyes. He knew what she was doing, he had been told the same story about the wishing star. He couldn't help but smile at her, at the way she looked standing in that spot, their spot. Standing there in the moonlight he noticed all over again just how beautiful she really was; her long black hair, the bow that kept it back, the way her kimono blew in the wind.
He didn't want to disturb her, she looked so peaceful, a look he hadn't seen in awhile. He was the reason she would worry all the time. She had risked everything time and time again and it had all been for him. She had been in danger more times than he wanted to think about, and he was the reason why. Did he really deserve to be with her? He had already lost one person he loved, was he willing to try and take that chance once again? But she was different from the first one, a lot different. She had a pure innocence about her, an experience that he had never had the chance to go through. That is, until he met her. From the first moment he had picked her up in his arms, to the very minute that had just passed, he knew that she was something special to him.
He suddenly realized that he couldn't remember why he was out there in the first place, but he also didn't care. Looking down at his feet he noticed a single flower. Its petals still had drops of water on them from the rain the night before. Leaning down carefully, so as not to surprise her, he picked the delicate plant. Standing back up, he held the blossom in his hand, his heart suddenly beating faster. Just as he was about to say something, a single firefly landed on the bud, giving the flower a green glow. It almost seemed like the little insect knew what he had on his mind, and was there to give him a hand. He looked back up to find the sparkling dark eyes he loved, his face growing hotter with the sensation of her gaze upon his. Walking up to her, he handed her the glowing flower. He didn't have to say anything as he saw the look of happiness in her eyes. Those eyes, the same eyes he had looked at before, sparkled.
**************************************************************************** ***************
She took the flower in her hands, the light from the little firefly made it seem magical. She looked up at him, and placing her hand on his cheek, she slowly traced the X shape. His skin was so warm, but soft at the same time. She could see the years of pain on his face, but they were being covered by new feelings, feelings that they would both go through. He placed his hand overtop hers and closed his eyes. She couldn't help but blush at the thought of him returning her feelings.
Taking the flower from her hands, he placed it behind her ear. The firefly finally took off, knowing it was time to leave. His thoughts returned to that one night, the night he thought he might not come back, that he might not come back to her. She was the reason he wanted to live, the person he got all of his strength from. The black hair, the kimono, the calloused hands, even the bad cooking, he wanted it all. He wanted her, and no one else. He placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her into his arms, the same way he had done that painful evening months ago. But this time, he was going to stay in those arms; nothing would break him apart from the one person he cared about so much.
She put her head on his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his body. This was how it should have been all along. Instead of crying as he walked away for what might have been the last time, she would stay by his side. She could feel his breath against her neck, the rough spot of the scar against her cheek, his heart beating along with hers. She knew that this was it, that he was finally hers, and that they would spend the rest of their lives together. She wanted to have his children, she wanted to be called his wife, and she wanted to hear the three little words that she had longed for so long.
"I love you, Kaoru-dono."
