Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, Samurai X, or any of the characters.
Author's Note: This is only my second fanfic, and I've only been working on it since Christmas, but I think it's coming along quite nicely. Unfortunately, I've been skipping around in the writing of this, so the second chapter may be a while (I do currently have parts of chapter 4 and 5 written, though).
Although I do love Kenshin/Kaoru romances, I decided to write something a little less cliché, so here it is - an Enishi/Kaoru romance. Also, I only had the flashback to this event from Samurai X to base things off of, and I changed things around a bit. For the most part, the story follows what originally happened (plus a few added things). Hope you guys enjoy - I've had fun writing it up to this point.
Chapter 1—Stranded
It had been three days since she had been kidnapped. And Kaoru longed to see Kenshin more than anything. Actually, she longed to know what was going on more than anything. And her prayers were about to be answered. Ebony locks shifted as Kaoru Kamiya turned her head. Heavy footsteps carried Enishi Yukishiro out onto the patio, where Kaoru stood. "Kaoru Kamiya." His voice was like water falling over rocks—smooth, yet coarse at the same time. "As far as I can tell, you're the one the Battousai holds sacred in his life right now. Am I correct?" The man turned his gaze upon the young woman.
"What do you want with me?" she almost begged.
"I want the Battousai to suffer like I did. When he arrives, I'm going to kill you right in front of him, like he did to my sister. Then I'm going to kill him." Enishi grinned, pushing his glasses over the bridge of his nose. "If he doesn't come," he shrugged, "I don't care what happens to you."
Her face was stricken with dismay. It was not her own life she feared for, but Kenshin's. Oh, how Kaoru longed for him to rescue her—she knew he would—and yet, she wanted him to stay away for his own sake. Already deep were his wounds and it was not her intention to make them any deeper. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Every moment of every day, she longed for the rurouni to accept her, and for her to be able to heal his scars. But she knew that she alone could not heal him.
Kaoru was pulled from her thoughts as Enishi's heavy footsteps carried him back into the house, away from Kaoru and the scent of the fresh open breeze. Moments after Enishi left, Kaoru turned and walked into the house. Her footsteps were light pitter-patters on the wood behind Enishi's heavy thuds. "What do you want, girl?" he called out as Kaoru continued to follow him. His voice seemed heavy, dragged down by his own remorse.
Kaoru's footsteps immediately stopped. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. When she said nothing, Enishi turned to glare at her with turquoise eyes, and caught her gaping. What she was gaping at, he had no clue. Enishi gave her a questioning look, and Kaoru promptly shut her mouth.
With a disgruntled look, Enishi turned back around and continued down the hall. Kaoru did not follow him, but went back in the direction she had come, and then headed toward the kitchen.
While Kaoru made her way to the kitchen, Enishi returned to his room. There he slumped into an old oak chair. Reaching into his coat pocket, he removed a worn leather-bound diary, which he promptly began to read. Turquoise eyes cast a pained look over the pages as he read. The words his sister, Tomoe, had written on these old pages confused him no matter how many times he read them.
"Why sister? Why nee-chan? What did you see in the Battousai? What does this girl see in him?" he questioned, slamming the book shut with a disheartened sigh.
"Excuse me," came the timid voice of Kaoru as she slid his door open with a foot and a hip; her hands were occupied by a tray. "I just thought you might like some breakfast." She paused, watching his face for a reaction. "I mean, it's not any extra trouble to cook for two instead of one." Enishi's expression remained blank, his face emotionless. Kaoru's face dropped as she silently stepped over to him and set the tray on the small table beside his chair. She turned and left without another word.
As Kaoru slid the door shut, she slumped to the floor with a heavy sigh. Enishi's non-sociability bothered Kaoru, and yet she felt some motherly compassion for the guy. His depressed manner, however, seemed to drain her of energy. It just was not the same without Kenshin to keep her cheery disposition present.
As Kaoru sat in deep thought just outside the room, Enishi did the same within. This young woman made no sense to him. Why would she take the trouble to do something kind for him, when she knew he was just going to kill her in the end? Ever since he had brought the girl to the island, his mind had begun searching for answers to questions he had never paid any mind to before. Was he wrong in seeking revenge? Miss Kaoru was becoming an awful lot like Tomoe had been—a mother, as well as the lover of the Battousai. "Nee-chan, am I doing the right thing?" he questioned aloud, before shaking his head. Of course I'm doing the right thing. That bastard murdered my sister in cold blood. A heavy fist slammed against the table, rattling the tray on it, which caused Enishi to glance over in shock. In his rage, he had almost forgotten about the breakfast Kaoru had made for him.
With a heavy sigh, Kaoru stood from her place in the hall and returned to the small room Enishi had denoted as hers during her stay. The door was shut silently behind her as Kaoru made her way to the small window in the room, which gazed across the patio and out over the open sea. When will he come for me? she questioned as she rested her elbows on the windowsill, and in turn rested her head in her hands. Although it had been merely days, it seemed likes eons had gone on since she had seen Kenshin. Until this last encounter with Enishi, she hadn't actually realized how much she longed to see Kenshin again. Unlike her captor, Kenshin was kind, gentle, understanding, and a hell of a lot more sociable. A heavy sigh escaped Kaoru as she watched the sea spray coming from the waves crashing against the cliff.
In the room next door, Enishi was staring at the same sea spray, his thoughts slowly drifting from Tomoe to Kaoru. What was this strange thing he was suddenly feeling for the girl? The food she had cooked for him had been mediocre, but better than anything he himself could cook. Her kindness was genuine, but it wasn't as if he had never received kindness before. Enishi simply could not figure it out. It frustrated him to a point of exhaustion, so he simply curled up comfortably in his chair. Within minutes he was sound asleep, muttering the name of his long-dead sister.
It was growing dark when Kaoru entered Enishi's room. Her plan was merely to pick up his tray and leave, but she was suddenly distracted by his rasping voice. "Sister," his voice called out into the darkness. Kaoru shushed him gently, taking a blanket off a well-worn chest and slipping it over him. She tucked the corners in, casting him a motherly glance. "Good night," she cooed, before picking up his tray and leaving.
The next morning, Enishi awoke warm, a feeling of comfort and safety washed over him. The girl had obviously come during the night. He would see to it that it never happened again. While he slept, he was vulnerable—not a state he wanted anyone to see him in. Casting the blanket aside, he stood and stretched. Reaching over to the small end table, he poured himself a glass of wine, which he took with him as he exited the room.
As he had expected, Enishi found Kaoru gazing out over the ocean, watching for any sign that Kenshin had come to rescue her. For all Enishi know, Kenshin didn't really hold Kaoru sacred, and was willing to let her rot in the natural prison of his island. Unfortunately, Kaoru had no doubt in her mind that the Battousai would come.
As Enishi's heavy footsteps reached the young woman's ears, Kaoru turned. The look Enishi received was forlorn. It was obvious she was desperate to be rescued; she wanted to be with Enishi no longer. "Don't give me that look, wench," he spat. "It's not as if I enjoy being around you, either." Her eyes were doubtful as he spoke. After seeing her face, he turned right back around and sulked into the house. Enishi was still sulking when he grabbed his Wanbato in his free hand and left for the small dojo-like building he used to train in.
Enishi grumbled angrily under his breath as he stormed off to the training hall. His wine slopped lazily as he hastily moved, large red droplets spilling over the crystalline edges of the glass. It had been a long time since he had allowed someone like her to get the better of him. Of course, the only reason was because he wouldn't allow himself to slay her. No, not yet, he thought. She's no use to me dead. At least, not until the Battousai has arrived. The thought of killing the girl in front of Kenshin made him giddy, and a sadistic smile crossed his face, giving him the look of a homicidal maniac.
Meanwhile, Kaoru had remained on the patio, her forlorn gaze cast once more over the ocean. Strom clouds were approaching—an ominous sign. A storm means that Kenshin certainly will not arrive today, or tomorrow, or the day after that. Kaoru sighed. Only a fool would sail through a storm like that. The rough wind that preceded the storm had arrived. It yanked at Kaoru's hair, whipping the ebony locks in every direction. Her hands grew red as a cold front approached, strengthening the already harsh wind. But she felt as if it were her duty to stand and watch for her beloved to arrive, no matter how harsh the storm.
Soon, however, a heavy rain began to fall, drenching Kaoru. She returned inside, only to find herself being watched by Enishi, who had apparently returned from training. "There are spare clothes in your room."
"Thank you." Kaoru entered her room to find that he had left a new kimono on her bed. Upon unfolding it, she found it was the most beautiful kimono she had ever laid eyes on. The majority of the cloth was a pale pink, almost white, with the hem and sleeve ends fading to black. An ornate flowering plum tree had been painted across the span of the dress. Kaoru immediately put it on, admiring herself in the mirror that stood by the door.
When she left her room, Kaoru found that Enishi had been waiting for her. A small smile crossed his face, although it was gone in an instant—Kaoru, however, had been fast enough to see the smile grace his normally indifferent face. Now that Enishi had seen her in the kimono, he promptly returned to his room. Kaoru was flustered; she followed after him. "What is with you?" she demanded. "You wait until you can see me in this kimono, and then you sulk off like it were any other day. You make no sense to me."
Enishi had stood and walked over to her, and was now circling her like a hawk. "I don't make sense, eh? Would you like me to come onto you?" At his words, he brought his face close to the side of hes. His breath was heavy on her neck and chin, and she could smell the sweet stench of sweat on his body. Enishi was too close for comfort, Kaoru decided, as she took a step back from him; he matched her step with one of his own, which carried him even closer to her than he had been before. Again, his breath fell heavily on her neck, causing her to flinch. "What's wrong?" he questioned mockingly. "I thought this was what you wanted." A wicked grin crossed his face as he wrapped an arm around her slender waist, pulling her to him.
Kaoru squirmed in his grasp, causing him to hold on tighter. Soon, he had her grasped so tightly her feet had been lifted off the ground. She kicked her feet out, but to no avail. The kimono she was wearing prevented her from kicking out too far. Kaoru gasped as her obi sash fell to the ground, Enishi having untied it. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she almost screamed.
He pressed his lips to hers before she had time to say anything else, however. As she pulled back from him, a sadistic smile graced his face. "Now wasn't that fun, precious?" Enishi asked, throwing her to the ground with a chuckle.
Kaoru whimpered when she hit the hard floor, her kimono falling open to reveal her undergarments. As soon as Enishi's back was turned, she grabbed the obi sash and sprinted out of the room. Her breath came in heavy gasps as she flung herself onto her bed, soaking the sheets with her tears. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep, sprawled out on her bed, her kimono open. Some time around midnight, Kaoru subconsciously heard a rustling in her room, and felt skin against her own. She was in too deep of a sleep, however, to consciously recognize it, and so dozed on.
She later awoke, the sun blazing across her face, and the covers of her bed pulled up over her body. A strange sensation swept over her as she attempted not to recall the events of the night before. The harder she tried to forget, however, the faster the memories flooded back. Kaoru decided she would have to make an attempt to avoid Enishi until Kenshin came to rescue her.
As she crawled out of bed, she found it was odd that she was wearing a robe, even though she didn't remember changing. The kimono she had been wearing had been hung up on the wardrobe door. Taking the kimono from the wardrobe, she dressed and left her room. She did not make it very far, though, as she ran head-on into Enishi, who had been exiting his own room. "Sorry," she mumbled, casting her gaze to the floor. Enishi made no comment, but picked up his Wanbato and left for the training hall.
Kaoru spent a very lonely day inside, brooding over the events of the previous night. She was confused by what had taken place between the two of them. Enishi had most certainly kissed her, but for what purpose? "More importantly, why did the bastard have to be my first kiss?" she whined, throwing her body backwards onto the bed.
Kaoru had been saving her very first kiss for the only man for her—Kenshin. But Enishi had gone and wasted it. He's going to pay, she thought, her outlook on the situation changing from avoidance to murderous intent.
