Still Be Free
~~~Hey everyone! For those of you who don't know me, I'm Vixen. Usually I tend to write GW/SM crossovers, but occasionally I step outside myself and attempt something new. I've wanted to write a Rurouni Kenshin for quite sometime, but I've refrained simply because I haven't wanted to spoil the excellence of the series with a pitiful attempt. Now I'm ready to give it a go, so please be patient! Sometimes I write long fics, sometimes short, sometimes dark, and usually sarcastic. I don't know how this one will turn out, I never do. Just go with the flow! Much love- Vixen~~~
~RATED R- I never know where I'll go in a fic. Lots of lime, mild violence, adult themes.
~I DO NOT BELIEVE IN DISCLAIMERS
Chapter One: Goodnight, Good Night
*The night air was heavy with a dampness that was unusual for the time of year. The thickness had set in earlier in the evening, and the dark ominous clouds that covered the blackened sky foretold of the weather that was about to be unleashed on the city of Tokyo and the surrounding countryside.
No one walked the streets on such a night- not even the ruffians that typically enjoyed moonless nights for their criminal activities. Everything about the night seemed evil, and no one was willing to risk falling under the spell that had been cast over the land.
Then again, Kenshin thought wirily, Kamiya Kaoru was not just anyone. On the contrary, she was a great someone. A someone of great intelligence, a someone of great wit, a someone, of great skill, a someone of great beauty, and a someone who was very dear to him.
Kenshin sighed to himself and looked out upon the courtyard of the dojo. In the center stood Kaoru. Her kimono had been traded for a fighting gi that made more movement possible. Her long black hair with navy highlights was pulled into a taunt ponytail high atop her head, and her bokken gripped firmly between her hands in a stance that screamed strength and stability. Kenshin's trained eyes could pick out her slightly labored breathing, the beads of sweat that gathered along her forehead, and the intensity that plagued her tired azure eyes.
Again and again she thrust the bokken into the night air, her breath clouding before her in ghostly white plumes and wafting away like smoke in a breeze. Her pink-stained lips were parted slightly, and with every move she made, a light grunted of effort managed to sneak its way through them. Each controlled movement rippled through her muscles, and Kenshin fought back the groan that rose in the back of his throat.
"Miss Kaoru." He finally formed her name upon his lips. She paused in her kata, alarmed and surprised to find him standing there.
"Kenshin? What are you doing out here? You should be asleep." Her soft voice echoed in his ears musically.
"I'm sorry Miss Kaoru, but this unworthy one heard noise and grew concerned. I did not know you trained so late in the evening."
"Oh." Kaoru's face became lightly tinged with a pink hue. "I don't usually. But tonight…" She trailed off. Kaoru was no longer surprised that Kenshin would be watching her. In fact, she was angry with herself for not realizing he would wake with her noise. And she hadn't even heard him leave the dojo.
"Why tonight?" Kenshin asked, his eyes questioningly soft. Those were the same eyes Kaoru loved so deeply. Such soft violet eyes that held innocence and compassion. Then her eyes darkened.
"I simply couldn't sleep."
"I see." She was lying to him. At least, she was not telling the entire truth. After living with her for so long in the dojo, Kenshin had learned to tell when Kaoru was not being completely honest with him- and this was one of those times. But why? She never lied without good reason- and she never lied to him.
"Well, I think I'll go in now." Kaoru said uncertainly. Lowering her bokken, she looked up to see that Kenshin's eyes were no longer that gentle violet; instead they were a harsh amethyst. He knew she was lying. Kaoru could feel blood rush to her cheeks as embarrassment flooded through her veins. She hated lying to people, and lying to Kenshin of all people…
"I'll draw your bath." Kenshin finally decided to ignore her secrecy.
"A, a bath?" Kaoru blinked. Thank goodness he wasn't going to push her into telling him anything.
"Yes." He smiled warmly. "You must be hot and sweaty after your training. I'll go quickly."
"Oh no, Kenshin, it's fine. Don't worry about it. You shouldn't even be up this late, let alone working! Really, I'll do it."
"Miss Kaoru, please allow this unworthy one to assist you."
"Kenshin." Kaoru felt the urge to growl at him. He was the must annoying man she had ever met! Always thinking he was undeserving, disgraceful for his past deeds. It drove her to the brink of insanity to see him wallow in his own grief as he did. In fact, it broke her heart.
"Miss Kaoru?" He asked. What was she hiding? She seemed to be so secretive tonight, first with her lie, and now with her words. He knew she wasn't telling him what she was thinking, and it greatly perturbed him.
"I'm sorry. Kenshin, don't worry about the bath. I can do it. Please, go to sleep. You must be tired- after all, you, Yahiko and Sano did have a busy morning." Both she and Kenshin grinned at the memory of the day they has only just completed.
She, Kenshin, Yahiko and Sano had been in town helping to rebuild a home that had burned down in a fire a few nights earlier. But Sano and Yahiko had decided that they needed a break, and had bothered Kenshin until the redheaded man had relented. Kaoru had watched them head down towards the river to cool off, and watched when they walked back up the bank, Yahiko laughing hysterically at the two men, who were soaking wet. They wouldn't tell her exactly how it had happened, but apparently Kenshin had 'lost his balance' and fallen in- dragging Sano along for the ride.
"It was a nice way to cool off, that is certain, indeed it is." But Kaoru caught his blush and knew that he, too, was not saying all he was thinking.
As they stood there in silence, each shifting their eyes to watch anything but the other, small drops of chilled liquid began to plop onto the dust ground. Little clouds of dust puffed up from where the raindrops landed, but soon the ground was too wet for even the dust.
"Miss Kaoru, please, let me draw you a bath. You'll catch cold if you don't come in and get warm right away." Kaoru nodded. Sheathing the bokken, she quickly made her way onto the deck that surrounded the dojo. Wiping the rain from her cheeks and ringing out her damp hair, she failed to notice Kenshin gaping at her openly.
He stood, awed by her incredible beauty. Even with her hair wet, clinging to her neck and face, even with her clothes, semi-soaked and dirty with sweat and dust, even with her sword at her side and dirt streaking her pale cheeks, she was beautiful. Kenshin swallowed hard, wishing dearly that he could reach out and take her into his arms. He wanted to hold her, to feel her body close and pressing against him. To feel her soft skin, to run his hands through her silky hair, to taste her sweet lips… he wanted her.
"Goodnight Kenshin." Kaoru's words brought him out of his reverie.
"But your bath…"
"I'll take one in the morning. Really, I promise I'll be fine. Goodnight." She smiled lightly at him, then turned and walked back into the dojo as quietly as she could so as to not disturb her other boarders.
Kenshin remained, quite dumbfounded. He knew he could not force her to take a bath, but if she got sick, he would never forgive himself. Then, without warning, he yawned. Smiling slightly at himself, he turned towards the door. She was right- it was a good night.
"Hold it Kenshin." His head turned around and his vision picked out the form that rested against the railing of the porch.
"What's wrong Sanosuke?"
"You had the perfect opportunity, and you wasted it. That's what's wrong."
"What do you mean?" Kenshin asked, very confused. Last time Sano had begun a conversation like this, he had ended up in the river. Kenshin hoped this time it would be different- he didn't want to be that wet again for a while.
"What do I mean? I mean, you could have taken her into your arms and kissed her silly, that's what I mean! If you had, you'd probably be in there, in her room, warming her bed right now, but no!" Kenshin's hope flew out the door. Same conversation. Sanosuke was pushing it again.
"Sano, I think you had a little too much sake tonight."
"I haven't had anything to drink- I was over at Megumi's clinic helping her with a few things. And you're avoiding the subject Kenshin."
"What subject?"
"How is it that you can have this much willpower? I don't get it."
"Willpower for what?"
"To hold yourself back from Missy? And don't lie to me Kenshin. I've seen the way you look at her when you think no one's watching you. You're head over heels for the girl- and you don't do anything but talk to her about the wash, or cooking, or swords. Maybe the occasional weather chat. Other than that, you have little to no contact with her, and you live with her!" Kenshin stiffed as Sano pushed himself from the railing and made his way towards him. He did not like where Sano was heading with this conversation.
"Goodnight Sanosuke."
"I don't think so Kenshin. We're going to have this out. Why won't you just tell Kaoru that you have feelings for her? Hell, for that matter, why don't you just tell her you love her?"
"Goodnight Sanosuke."
"Are you truly that much of a coward?"
"Goodnight Sanosuke."
"You are! You're that cowardly. You can't even confront the woman you love to tell her. You aren't even man enough for that."
"Sano." Kenshin stopped, his glaring indigo eyes falling upon Sanosuke. "I am less than a man for my sins. A man does not do what I did with so little regard for life. To call me less than a man is not an insult- it is the truth. But yes, if you want the truth, I am a coward. I cannot tell her." With that, he turned and walked back into the dojo.
"You'd better hurry and get over your fear Kenshin- she won't wait forever." Sanosuke sighed to himself. *