Author's worthless ramblings: This story is a sequel of sorts to my first RK story, Alone. Reading Alone is not necessary to understanding and enjoying this story, however. Alone was actually not my very first fanfiction. I've been writing Gundam Wing fanfiction for the past two years. But you all aren't here to read my ramblings ^_^ so this is a sweet conversation between Kaoru and Kenshin that takes place after Kyoto, and once again, I bring in the fireflies. I don't think there are any spoilers present since I've only watched up to episode 39 of the series. I may have messed up a few weapons terms in here. Please forgive my ignorance. Arigatou for reading, minna-san!
By the Light of the Fireflies
By Gray Nymph
"Come back tomorrow, Sano!" Kensin smiled at his friend's retreating back.
Sano's only reply was an uplifted hand as the breeze flapped his shirt around, partially hiding the symbol for "bad" on his back. Kenshin watched Sano disappear down the road and then turned from the gate, closing it behind him. The sun was beginning to set and the fading sunlight colored the dojo in a tinge of red. Kaoru was sitting on the porch, her gaze dreamy. Kenshin walked over and sat down beside her. A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth.
"Why are you smiling?" Kenshin asked, unable to keep himself from smiling as well.
Kaoru giggled, lifting a hand to her mouth as she glanced over at Kenshin. He could see the humor dancing in her blue eyes. "If you listen carefully, you can hear Yahiko snoring in his room."
Kenshin laughed with her. "I guess you worked him hard today, Kaoru-dono; otherwise, he would be out here with us."
"Or practicing with his shinai." The smile left Kaoru's eyes as well as her face. "Yahiko has so much potential, Kenshin. Sometimes I wonder if I'm worthy of teaching him."
Kenshin hated it when Kaoru put herself down in such a way. He reached over to take her hand from her lap. "Kaoru-dono, you are a wonderful teacher. Contrary to what you hear in his insults, Yahiko has a respect for you that he has for no one else."
Kenshin was glad to see the smile return to her face. She squeezed his hand gratefully. "Thank you, Kenshin." She sighed and then turned to look at him. "I'm so glad…" Her voice trailed off.
Kenshin waited patiently, her hand still held in his.
"I'm so glad that you're here," Kaoru whispered, looking away to hide the blush in her cheeks.
Kenshin smiled gently. He wanted to put his arm around her shoulders, but he knew that there was more she wanted to say. The fading sunlight gave way to rising twilight, the tinge of red changing to a deep blue. Like Kaoru's eyes. Except that in her eyes, there was always a hint of sunlight.
"And I'm even glad to have Yahiko here. And Sano and Megumi. Friends. It's so nice to have friends," Kaoru said thoughtfully. She pulled her hand away from his to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "I used to sit here every night after my father died and watch the sky change from fiery red to subdued blue. I had no one to share it with. I was so lonely, Kenshin."
When Kaoru said those words, Kenshin realized that perhaps they weren't so different after all. Kenshin had often sat at a campfire during his wanderings before coming to the Kamiya dojo, wondering if he would always be alone, lonely, homeless. He saw his presence at the Kamiya dojo as a way of repenting for his crimes, a way of learning how to protect with his sword, a way of learning to love again after ten years of wandering. He could never leave this place for good. It was home. Home. Kenshin rolled the word around in his mind. He had never really had one before Kaoru, Sano, and Yahiko. A home was filled with laughter, teasing, companionship, and love. All the places he had lived before the Kamiya dojo had always had the edge of some darkness hanging over them.
Kenshin nodded. "It's nice to have a home, that it is."
"Yes, a home. Do you think of this place as home, Kenshin?"
Any place you are is home, Kaoru. Kenshin grinned at the thought of her reaction to his saying that aloud. "Yes, Kaoru-dono." He thought of the Kamiya dojo as home even more so now. After his horrific experience in Kyoto, coming home had been comforting.
"Good."
The twilight had darkened to night and fireflies buzzed around the courtyard in front of them.
"Fireflies…" Kaoru said. "They always stay in groups. One by itself is not as pretty as five of them flying together."
Kenshin gazed at Kaoru's thoughtful face. "Kaoru?"
"Mhmm?" Kaoru replied absently. She had not even realized that Kenshin had dropped the honorific he usually attached to her name. It was just as well.
"The night before we met, what did you dream of?"
Kaoru bit her lip, and again Kenshin had to resist the urge to put his arm about her. She propped her chin on one fist and looked at him, blue eyes distant as she searched her memory. Then, her eyes brightened as she remembered.
"I dreamed of my father's voice. He said," Kaoru looked down at her lap and then back at Kenshin, eyes widening in surprise, "'Tomorrow, you will no longer be alone.'" She shook her head. "I had forgotten about that."
"I heard the same words, but in a different voice." Kenshin reached over to take her hand again. "I guess our dreams came true."
Kaoru laughed. "Oh, Kenshin. Our first meeting, I'll never forget how you leaped into the air to avoid my bokken and actually let me get a hold of your sakabatou. You could have defended yourself, but you didn't." Kenshin watched as her eyes softened; he could still see the sunlight in her eyes. "Even though you had just met me, you still protected me."
Now. Kenshin gently placed his arm around her, and she leaned against his shoulder with a sigh. It was a sigh of contentment. With a mischievous grin, Kenshin picked her up in his arms and stood to his feet. He looked down into Kaoru's eyes to see that they were filled with surprise. It was the exact same look she had given him when he had saved her from Gohei a few moments after their first meeting. Kenshin walked to the middle of the courtyard, scattering the fireflies. His mind flashed back to another time, when he had left for Kyoto. That time there had been fireflies around them as well, but Kenshin had had to say goodbye to Kaoru, and he had held her in his arms for what he had thought would be the last time. But she had come after him, her stubborn will refusing to let him go, to let him stray from home, from her, forever. Her stubborn will had saved him from himself.
"Kenshin, what are you doing?" Kaoru asked.
Kenshin did not reply. Instead, he stood silently in the middle of the courtyard, staring down at her. She looks beautiful in the moonlight. Her eyes were opened wide, but there was a happiness in them he had never seen before. He waited for the fireflies to surround them in their luminous light. One of them hovered by Kaoru's hair, casting a soft glow on her face, lighting up her eyes. He remembered how the fireflies had lit the tears in her eyes before he had gone to Kyoto. Now, he saw only contentment, peace, and… love. It was a comfort to know that he was the one who brought those feelings to her.
"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked. Her hand reached up to his forehead, testing his temperature. She was smiling hesitantly. "Are you feeling all right?"
Kenshin held her closer. "I'm fine." He lowered his head, saw Kaoru close her eyes in response, and kissed her tenderly, hoping that she would not be offended, that she would not push him away, that she would return the kiss. He closed his eyes as Kaoru's arms encircled his neck; he responded by holding her tighter, not wanting to stop, wishing he could stand like this forever, protecting her from all the evil in the world, and knowing that he could not. He should not have let himself go like this. But he had let his feelings pour out of him, the dam broken, and he could tell Kaoru had let down her carefully constructed walls as well. Gently, he broke off the kiss and set her on her feet. She resisted slightly and then sighed when Kenshin drew her close to him again. Kenshin lay his head on her shoulder and he felt her arms come up around him in an understanding embrace.
"Kenshin…"
"Hmmm?" It was Kenshin's turn to be distracted. He was busily memorizing the scent of her hair. Jasmine. He hoped she would never change the perfume she wore.
"I…I…" He felt her arms tighten around him as she tried to pull him closer.
"I love you too, Kaoru," he whispered teasingly, saving her from saying the words.
"Kenshin!" She smacked him on the shoulder. She pulled away, and Kenshin felt himself grow cold as her warmth left him. "I was really going to say it!" Her mouth pulled into a pout, something that he saw often on her face but never tired of.
Kenshin laughed as he stepped toward her. "Then say it, Kaoru." She stepped back as if she were going to run away, but he was too fast. He leaped forward like lightning and grabbed her around the waist. "I don't think so, Kaoru." He was sure he felt a flash of Battousai flare up within him as he stared down at her. She was imprisoned against his chest, gazing up at him.
She reached up to touch the cross-shaped scar on his cheek, tracing the lines tenderly. "I love you, Kenshin Himura."
When she said those words, Kenshin realized that she accepted both parts of him, the Rurouni and Battousai. And he knew that she had tamed both, claimed both, and that she loved both. The flare died down to a gentle flame. Both parts of him would give their lives to protect the woman in his arms. Kaoru settled her head against his chest and sighed. He looked down at her and smiled.
Kenshin held Kaoru in his arms for a long time, the fireflies dancing around them.