Disclaimer: Not mine. Never was, never will be. But if it were, I might have gone back to it sooner than Watsuki did. Just sayin'. But 2012 is shaping up to be a good one.

Going Gentle

Spring had arrived quicker than anticipated, an unexpected week-long warm spell ushering in the blossoming of trees and sprouting of fresh grass. It had drizzled a bit the night before, but most of the moisture had been simmered away by an insistent sun, leaving nothing but a fresh, healthy scent in the air. Kenshin sat on the engawa, an extra Gi thrown about him upon his daughter's insistence, soaking up sun in his usual spot. Kaoru always said eventually he would wear a groove in the wood with his behind, but there simply was something to be said for this specific bit of the house. Firstly, he had a clear view of both the gate and the door to the Dojo, so he'd have a constant eye on strangers and family alike. His garden patch was close by, so in spring and summer, he could enjoy the scent of fresh earth and fresher produce along with his tea. A post right next to him provided support, and from late morning onwards, the rays of the sun could make their way through and eventually past the trees, pleasantly warming increasingly aching joints. The nearby chopping block could easily be rolled over to accommodate Kenji on visits, who preferred having tea face to face rather than side by side, and he enjoyed listening to his daughter's swearing from the kitchen right behind him, whilst his youngest son, Jin, shared his enthusiasm for the sun, but preferred sprawling all out on the engawa's boards like a decidedly oversized cat, occasionally reading out snippets from one of the countless books or western papers he'd always study.

Yes, it was a good spot.

Presently, Kenshin was leaning sideways against his post, eyes closed, tea cooling forgotten next to him. Just resting his eyes. Not dozing. Certainly, definitely not dozing. He could feel her presence before she made herself known, and quirked an eyebrow in anticipation.

„And what are we smirking about, mister?"

He opened his eyes to smile at his wife, sun bouncing off the grey streaks in her hair, laugh lines thrown into more pronounced relief by her smirk.

„There you are." He stated, pleasantly.

„Yes. Here I am. How's the butt-groove coming along?" and, suddenly, a flash of her at 19, as her eyes twinkle with merriment, then perhaps 34 as the light shifts and catches the curve of her neck, hair momentarily midnight dark and inky again with the sun blinding him. No matter: still, yet again, always beautiful. Always his Kaoru. She stepped closer, stood between his knees. He leaned forward to rest his forehead against her stomach in lieu of his post. „I am investing all my energies into its completion." He informed her, and he could feel the her abdomen bounce as she chuckled. Her left hand went to the nape of his neck.

„Good. I want you to diligently commit to that task." She informed him as she pressed a kiss to the crown of his head. They remained thus, Kenshin could not tell for how long, her stroking his neck, him taking measured breaths, the fingers of his right hand curled tenderly around the back of her knee. Then a loud crash from the kitchen and a string of unfiltered profanity from their daughter's mouth broke the afternoon peace. Both parents cringed.

„For fuck's... supper in five minutes!" she called to no-one in particular. Several affirmative voices answered from all over the compound. Kenshin tightened his grip on Kaoru.

„She is one hundred percent you. Every day." He murmured into her obi. She yanked lovingly at his hair in response.

„Hey, don't you dare lay all that temper down on my doorstep. That's a joint effort." He glanced up and smiled. Her right hand made for his cheek, caressing its plain. „Hm." She uttered with a slight frown.

„What?" he asked as her palm flattened across his marred face.

She smiled. „Nothing. It is just getting really hard to make out your scar." He turned his face sideways and pressed a lingering kiss to her palm, grasped her wrist. „I love you." He stated, as he had so many times before.

She sighed. „I know."

His breath shuddered, he squeezed his eyes shut. „I miss you."

„I know."Her other hand was still entangled in his hair, her fingers moving about ever so slightly, fingernails gracing his scalp, like they always had. She sighed contentedly and let her hand rest atop his head for a second before it slid down, a hint of well-loved calluses cradling his jawline. He looked up then, straight into her smiling eyes and the blue sky beyond.

"'Tousan, come on! Daylight's burning, not to mention the fish!" came their daughter's impatient voice from within.

"It is time, isn't it?" he asked his wife. His fingers were now toying with the wispy sleeve of her kimono, hers with the point of his chin.

"Yes, love."

He sighed, closed his eyes, smiled. "Good.", he said. And, as she turned away tugging at his hand, he got up to follow the trail her fingers marked for him as they left his face.

–

Ten minutes later, the shoji clattered as it was thrown open with gusto. Sayuri came blazing onto the engawa.

"Seriously, 'Tou-san, if you don't come now, there won't be any left, I mean..." she jumped off the engawa and onto the yard with a lack of decorum that belied her 38 years to round his slouched form "there's only so much I can do once the brats ha...'Tousan?"

Her knees hit the packed dirt as her right hand went for the pulse point on his neck. Fingers pressed to the underside if his jaw, all tension left her body. Her shoulders sagged, and she sat back on her knees, face turned downwards, her probing hand traveling down to press against his chest, brushing old scar tissue. Other than a bit of residue warmth from the sun - nothing. Briefly, the impulse to race for her medical supplies zapped down her spine, her legs already straining to follow the command, but no use; she knew that. Then she spotted the smile lingering on his features.

So, instead, she clasped his hand and sat down in the dirt fully with a somewhat watery smile of her own.

"Sayonara, To-to. Say hi."

A/N: a)So. That's my first RK fanfic off my chest (mind you... it is not the first I hacked out... just ask Sumiregusa. Whom I'd also like to thank AND apologies to for, apparently "making me cry, you horrible woman!".

b) yes, I went there. I hope you'll forgive me for not given the now customary character death warning, but I personally find those awfully spoilerish and prefer being blindsided occasionally

c) I'm sorry, but I just cannot figure how in a non-seisouhen Universe (otherwise known as canon) Kenshin and Kaoru would have only Kenji. So, in my head-canon, their daughter Sayuri (who calls her father "To'to" for no reason other than "because my deranged brain says so) enters the picture two or three years later, and five years after her, as a bit of a straggler, the youngest boy, Jin. *shrugg* (sidebar: long bus commute to Uni: I has them. Make up ALL the head-canon)

d) I tried to steer away from fangirl japanese as much as possible, safe for perhaps "engawa" (because "porch" jarred me when I set up the scenery) and "Sayonara"... just because. That is all. I hope you enjoyed it. :) (P.S.: Observe the pretentious Dylan reference in the title. *hurgh*)