Complete 100% WAFF alert here.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
Kaoru kicked the vacuum and then grabbed her foot, swearing at the pain in her bare toes. Growling, she reached up with one hand and rubbed her eyes. This wasn't the way it was supposed to go. There wasn't supposed to be this much stress! This was why she had wanted to stay single; avoiding the pressure of a family. Dropping the end of the handle of the machine that refused to work, Kaoru stomped her way across the apartment, ignoring the fact that her downstairs neighbors probably hated her and walked into the bathroom. Flopping down onto the lid of the commode and she glared at the man in the shower.
"The vacuum broke!" Kaoru declared fiercely, crossing her arms. There was only the sound of the water hitting the wall for a moment and then Kenshin peaked around the curtain, his damp hair clinging to his cheekbones and neck.
"What?"
"The vacuum stopped working. The fish they gave us for our wedding died last week. Sano ate the lasagna you made last night for tonight's dinner and now we don't have anything to feed your parents." Kaoru gave him a frustrated look. "They're going to be here in an hour! You," her voice was accusing, "are in the shower."
Her husband's violet eyes watched her from behind dripping bangs. "You're nervous."
Kaoru pursed her lips together. "I am not. It's the first time they are going to see us since the wedding and nothing is going right. I'm frustrated!"
A dark brow inched its way upwards.
"You're nervous." He repeated. When his wife's features didn't move he shook his head. Reaching upwards, he wound his hair into a coil, ringing as much of the water out as he could. The last thing he needed was Kaoru letting him have it because he had made a mess on the floor, never mind that there were two showers and his parents would never see the inside of this one. Pulling back the curtain, and shivering at the cold air, Kenshin stepped out of the shower.
Kaoru's eyes were wide as he moved forward.
"My parents love you," he reminded her before reaching down and picking her up, ignoring the way she spluttered his name before he set her directly under the facet. The way she shrieked was faintly amusing, but he ignored it in favor of stepping in after her, closing the curtain in the hopes of keeping some of the hot air in the little shower area.
"You," he told her as he pulled the bottom of her shirt up to her chin, waiting until she finally lifted her arms to help before he pulled it off her head and tossed it out of the shower carelessly. "Are being silly."
Kenshin paused to admire the way her bra turned sheer under the warm spray. Kaoru swore at her husband, unzipping her jeans and leaning against him as she attempted to keep her balance.
"I just want things to turn out all right." She confessed, leaning against him with a sigh. She rolled her eyes when Kenshin unsnapped her bra while she shoved her panties down before kicking them off the end of one foot out the curtain. "You realize that all my clothes just made a really big mess?"
"Honey," Kenshin scolded, shifting them so the spray of hot water hit them both. "Shut up."
He grinned faintly at the utterly furious look she shot him.
"I already talked to my mother and she was okay with the idea of ordering out tonight. I can remake the lasagna for tomorrow." When her features remained grumpy, Kenshin leaned down and kissed her nose. "I'll fix the vacuum when we finish here, okay?"
Kaoru kept her stubborn expression for a moment before she allowed her shoulders to slump.
"Alright." Sighing she rose up to kiss his jaw. "Thank you."
Before she could slide back down his body and reach for the shampoo, he tilted his head and caught her mouth with his, his hands settling on her hips. Kaoru opened her mouth willingly, her back hitting the steam slick tile on the wall.
Kaoru relaxed against him, enjoying the press of his skin against hers and the way his mouth moved. Threading her fingers into his hair she allowed him to hold her up as she pressed against him, shifting so that her breasts rubbed against the muscles of his chest. He groaned, sliding a hand down her hip to settle against the curve of her bottom. As her heels left the floor she stiffened, pulling away from his mouth to stare at the door of the bathroom with a growing horror.
"Was that the doorbell?"
Kenshin paused and sighed, his breath ghosting across her ear. "Yes."
Kaoru whipped her head around and stared at him. "Kenshin… are your parents outside our door… right this instance? Without the floor being vacuumed and the dishes in the sink and your shirt across the back of the couch and the load of jeans that you needed for work still across the chair and…." The look he gave had her teeth clicking shut. Her eyes were wide with panic and the way her fingers were twisting almost violently in his hair as the doorbell rang again had him wincing.
"Kaoru… I'll get dressed and see who it is, alright?"
"The apartment is a mess." Kaoru managed her voice high and panicked.
"I'll even clean the apartment before I open the door."
"But…"
"Kaoru."
She shut up because he had only used that tone on her a handful of times before. Biting her lower lip hard enough it sting, she continued to watch him. The loud noise of the doorbell broke into their moment and he kissed her nose.
"Trust me."
Then he was gone, leaving her alone in the hot water.
X
Kenshin opened the door, a towel between his damp hair and his shirt. His mother lifted a brow and then smiled, her blue eyes dancing. "Did we interrupt something?"
"I had just finished. Kaoru is still washing her hair." He kissed his mother on the cheek after he had hugged her and accepted his father's handshake. Kenshin eyed his father and sighed mentally. His hair was greyer than at the wedding. He held his tongue though, waving them inside.
"I have until she gets out to finish cleaning things up. Mother, do not touch those clothes. Kaoru will murder me."
Aimi snorted at her son, folding the jeans neatly. "Go and do the dishes, Kenshin. You father can finish vacuuming."
"It's broke," Kenshin said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Kaoru probably sucked up the cat's yarn again." He paused and looked around, searching for Moto, Kaoru's fat tabby. "Who I think is hiding under the bed." The sound of the pipes groaning as they turned off had Kenshin shifting into a flurry of activities.
By the time a pink faced Kaoru came out of the bedroom, dressed in a different pair of jeans and a red sweater, he had finished cleaning and was pouring ice-tea into several glasses. Aimi and Katashi stood and Kenshin hid a smile at his wife's uncertain features as she was pulled into hugs and several kisses, firmly planted on the couch, the re-emerged cat settled into her lap and a barrage of questions. The fact that Kaoru was an orphan had always endeared his mother to her and it wouldn't surprise Kenshin in the least if there were several presents for his easily startled wife in their suitcases.
"So," Kenshin questioned as he set the tray down on the table, settling next to Kaoru easily, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Have you decided where you want to eat?"
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