Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: The second half. After writing the first part, I just had to see what Kaoru would think. Kind of loosely connected, and they could stand alone, but I figured it might be nice to put them together.

Waiting Up

It was very late, when Kenshin quietly slid open the back door of the Aoiya and slipped inside. The inn was dark, and he assumed everyone had already gone to bed. He had, after all, told them his errand would be lengthy, and had asked them not to wait up.

He padded quietly through the dark inn, intent on climbing the stairs up to his room and falling gratefully into bed. He had stayed longer at Hiko's than he had intended, and the walk between the mountain and Kyoto was a goodly jaunt. A yawn escaped him as he headed for the stairs.

The barest sense of a presence, and a sudden, slight movement were his only warning. Kenshin had just enough time to throw an arm up to catch the bokken before it connected with his head. He made ready to swing his free fist when the identity of his attacker registered. Kaoru's shadowy form was tense and aggressive. He immediately checked his swing and let go of the bokken. He had nearly hit... "Kaoru-dono? What--"

"Where have you been? Do you have any idea what time it is?" Kenshin shook the confusion away. Time? He nearly hit Kaoru-dono, and she was worried about the time?

"This one is sorry, Kaoru-dono, for..." He waved his hand feebly, unable to articulate properly. It was much too similar to another incident, long ago. After visiting with Hiko, these thoughts were much closer to the surface than he would have preferred.

Kaoru stared at him a moment in the dimness, confused. Why was he flapping so? And what did that have to do with the late hour? Exasperated, she huffed out a breath and began again. "Kenshin, where have you been? It's so late, and we have to get up early to catch the train home! And you come back--" she paused, leaning a little closer, inhaling deeply, "--smelling like sake? What did you do, take a bath in it?"

"Eh?" She was too close, and he could hardly think. Wasn't she concerned about his display at all? He could have hit her! Sure, he was no Sano when it came to fists, but he could hold his own, sometimes...in a pinch. But all she wanted to know was why he smelled?

He muttered a soft, "Oro," and tried to sort through Kaoru's tirade. "Kaoru-dono, were you waiting up for this one?" In the dark. Why didn't she use a lamp?

Kaoru's growl of irritation and raised bokken answered for her. He shrugged off the questions in favor of catching the bokken again. Kaoru made a small, surprised noise as he said quietly, "Please, Kaoru-dono, not tonight." He was strung a little too tightly tonight to play Whack-the-Rurouni.

She gave her bokken a small tug, and he released it. Her brow crinkled in concern. "Kenshin, are you all right? Nothing happened, did it?"

Kenshin regarded her a moment. No, nothing had happened. At least not until she scared the daylights out of him this evening. He had not been expecting anyone to be awake at this hour, although, thinking on it now, he shouldn't have been surprised. It wasn't the first time he'd had someone wait up for him.

"No, Kaoru-dono. Nothing happened. This one...wasn't expecting anyone to be awake."

A knowing look came into Kaoru's eye, and Kenshin wondered nervously, what, exactly, it meant. "I startled you, didn't I?" Then she broke into a fit of giggles. Kenshin grimaced. She knew him too well.

"Oh, Kenshin, I'm sorry. It's just that it was well past dark and you weren't home yet. I know you said not to wait up, but well..." She trailed off, fidgeting with the handle of her bokken.

"You were worried?" Kaoru nodded. He smiled reassuringly. Well, trouble did seem to follow him like a shadow. Kaoru's concern came from experience. He felt guilty for worrying her, but at the same time, had to admit it was kind of nice having someone who worried. His smile broadened.

"This one went to visit Shishou. It's a bit of a walk, and was bound to make for a late night."

"Oh...so that's why--" Kaoru regarded Kenshin critically. "You're not drunk, though."

"Oro?"

"You stink of sake, but you're not drunk...are you?" She leaned in close again, and peered up into his face.

"Er, no. Uh, this one...spilled some." Kenshin waited with resigned patience as Kaoru once again began to snort softly with laughter.

"Bet Hiko-san wasn't too happy about that!"

Kenshin smiled and shook his head in response. It had been an interesting visit. In some ways it was almost painful; the situation was so reminiscent of a time long past. Yet he was happy to share something as simple as a drink with Hiko.

At his silence, Kaoru looked at him again, and asked, "Are you sure you're all right?"

"This one is fine, Kaoru-dono." He smiled again, but it didn't feel quite genuine, and Kenshin winced internally at Kaoru's concerned expression. Apparently, it didn't look too genuine, either. Perhaps he should find a quiet spot and try to sort through his thoughts before going to bed. The roof might be a good place.

She regarded him silently, waiting. It was as though she was seeing how long it would take for him to crack.

Kaoru's staring was starting to unnerve him. Greatly. She was making a heroic attempt at boring a hole through his skull. With a chuckle he asked, "Can you see in there yet?"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Kenshin's grin slid away, and he shrugged. "Not really. It's fine, Kaoru-dono. This one just did something that hadn't seemed possible before..." And he proceeded to crack, just as Kaoru had hoped.

He told her about his visit, and sitting by the river with Hiko. He told her about wondering how things might have been different had he stayed on the mountain. He explained how those very musings led to the sake stains. He even told her about his horror over nearly hitting her this evening.

The latter earned him a friendly swat and an affectionate, "Idiot." He was still a bit rattled by his reaction, but Kaoru's words helped. Would there ever be a time when she didn't forgive him? He quickly shoved that question away. He couldn't doubt her kindness. That would just open a door to a place he didn't want to contemplate.

What he didn't share, however, were Hiko's parting words on the riverbank. He decided to reserve that precious approval for just himself. No need to ruin Hiko's image.

By the time he had finished, they were both sitting side by side on the bottom step of the stairs leading up to the other rooms. Kenshin yawned widely, and realized with a start that Kaoru, just by listening, had helped him sort through the evening's events. Everything seemed right, and good, and in its proper place. He looked over at Kaoru, and smiled sleepily. Well, almost everything.

Kaoru returned his smile, took his hand and pulled him up, then tugged him up the stairs. "C'mon, we've an early start in the morning. Make me wait like that again, and I'll whack you for sure!" Kenshin wrapped his fingers around her smaller ones, and allowed himself to be led.

At the top of the stairs, he gave her hand a little squeeze, and let it go. "Good night, Kaoru-dono."

She gave him a smile and stifled a yawn behind her hand. "See you in the morning, Kenshin."

He watched her retreat down the hall, and waited until her door slid closed. He sighed. There wasn't much of the night left, but a few hours of sleep would be better than none at all. He disappeared into the room, thinking of the train ride home, and Yahiko waiting for them when they returned.