Here And Now

by: MrFoshizzlePro

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki's wonderful mind. I do not own anything except for the idea that shaped this story.

"Oro? Kaoru-dono, I never knew you cooked."

"Yep!" She chirped happily, placing a plate piled high with onigiri on the table. "I learned from my father when I was little. He taught me practically everything I know. Considering the fact that I've grown up around boys my entire life, he thought it was best for me to at least learn a few basics about cooking in case I wanted to settle down and raise a family of my own someday."

"Ah," Kenshin murmured. She never had a mother, then. That explains why she has taken up swordsmanship...

The melody of songbirds rang through the treetops as the cool March sun glimmered brightly in the sky. He absentmindedly began observing the outside world through the opened shoji, imagining what life must have been like for Kaoru after her father's passing.

"It must have been very lonely indeed for someone as young as Kaoru-dono..." He mused aloud.

"What must've been lonely?" Kaoru inquired, taking a seat at the end of the table, her eyes fixed on the rurouni as if urging him to continue.

Kenshin shook his head. "Nothing," he said. "This unworthy one was only thinking, that I was."

"Hm." Kaoru reached across the table and grabbed a rice ball from the plate, saying, "If there's anything on your mind that you'd like to get off your chest, don't be afraid to let me know. You don't have to explain your thoughts to me. I just wanted you to know that I'm always willing to listen if you need to talk." She blushed profusely shortly after finishing, taking a bite of onigiri to distract herself from the hidden meaning implied in her words.

Nevertheless, Kenshin's lips curved up in contentment. "Thank you for your concern, Kaoru-dono." He glanced back to the tabletop, remembering the plate of onigiri she'd set out. He followed suit and took a ball of rice from the middle of the pile.

Before he was able to bite into it, Kaoru's voice broke him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see her fidgeting nervously in her seat, eyes glued to the floor. Softly, she muttered, "I have to confess that I'm not the best cook in the world. You might end up hating my food once you eat enough of it..."

Kenshin lowered his hand from his mouth. A reassuring smile splayed across his gentle face. He replied, "This unworthy one has tasted his fair share of bad food, that I have. But I am certain your food will taste wonderful!"

Without waiting for a response, he brought the burnt onigiri to his mouth and bit off a large fraction of the rice ball. Kaoru quietly bit her lip, anxious. It took all he had to swallow the foul crisp ball down his throat while ignoring the urge to vomit. As he composed himself, he breathed a sigh and met her gaze.

"This is very good, Kaoru-dono!" He commented.

Kaoru blinked, baffled beyond belief. "You like it?"

Kenshin nodded rapidly, "Indeed I do." Then, politely, he added, "But I do have one bit of advice."

Curious, she leaned forward as if to capture every last word before it would disappear into oblivion. "And that's?"

"Try not to cook the rice for too long next time. It leaves quite an unpleasant aftertaste; something along the lines of burnt fish, I believe."

"Kenshin..."

"Oro?"

"...you JERK!"

"OROOOOO!"

Author's Note: I'm guessing this short drabble was MrFoshizzlePro's view of what tasting Kaoru's food for the first time was like for Kenshin. Poor guy. My guess is he got a horrible pummeling after saying that to her face.

Well, as promised, here's another piece to add to the series I suppose. Still not entirely sure if anyone wants to request anything to be written for this series, but my friend said if you want, you're more than welcome to give an idea or two for the next one-shot, drabble, etc. So long as it follows the canon storyline, it's alright. And thanks for your kind reviews! I'm sure MrFoshizzlePro will be happy to read them once he's up to it. Well, I'm off now. My bed is calling and it's almost 12 in the morning here (have school tomorrow. Yikes!) Thanks a lot for sparing your time to check into this! Really, it means a lot to both me and MrFoshizzlePro that you're taking an interest in his more recent works.