1 A Day Without Rain
Chapter 2: Smiles and Chances
By Clay
Tomoe kept her eyes locked on Kenshin's. She paused, considering the absurdity of her next words. Kenshin watched her, his eyes dull, closed, and she made up her mind.
"I don't know how to swim."
Kenshin stared at her and she hurried on, sheer embarrassment coloring her words. "When I was a girl… the boys, they would play in the water, but I…I was never allowed."
Hesitantly, she reached out, gently closing her fingers over Kenshin's. They were warm in her palm, strong and callused. He turned his eyes away from hers, studying their entwined hands for a moment before returning the light pressure. "The lake…" He looked up again and she caught his eyes. "Would you join me?"
His lips curved upwards into a confused smile. "Swimming?" His hand shifted slightly, pulling back to entangle their fingers.
Tomoe found herself smiling as well, mimicking his amused expression. "I don't know how, but… I would like to cool off."
She lightly tugged at Kenshin's hand, her own loosening so that he could pull away if he wished. Wordlessly, he began to follow her as she made her way to the path below the garden. Once they reached the road, Tomoe stopped, waiting for Kenshin to take the lead. He did so without question and she fell in step, the proper ten paces behind. There was no one here. No one to see, to make sure they behaved, but still she insisted on staying behind. To do otherwise would be assuming too much. But it would be nice.
She glanced down at her hand again, remembering the warmth of his fingers as they wrapped around her own. Remembering the few times before when she had dared to touch him so intimately, the feel of his thumb as it slid across her knuckles. The memory alone sent shivers up her spine and she focused her eyes on her husband's back, letting her mind drift. She imagined the muscles encased in that sweat-dampened material, wondering what they'd feel like…
She suddenly stopped and Kenshin turned around, warm eyes concerned. "Tomoe?"
Tomoe caught herself blushing, but nevertheless gave a reassuring nod. "I'm all right." She started walking again.
Kenshin turned away and continued on and Tomoe once again found herself watching the muscles in his back. The realization of what she was about to do scared her, excited her. The thought crossed her mind that she actually didn't know what she was about to do. She had invited Kenshin to join her in the lake, but could she even go through with it? She wasn't even sure what to do. She couldn't very well undress in front of him… could she? But… she couldn't go into the water like this…
All too soon they had reached the lake's edge and Kenshin turned to her expectantly. Tomoe walked to the water, staring at the black, inviting depths. She knelt down and ran her fingers through the water. It was cool, lifting the dirt and sweat from her hand. Adrenaline surged through her, driven by fear. Tomoe stepped back into the grass and slipped out of her sandals. She leaned down, unbound the hakama and unbuttoned her tabi; out of the corner of her eye she could see Kenshin, still as a statue, his eyes locked on her every movement. The grass felt cool and soft on her bare feet. Another wave of excitement washed over her as she wiggled her toes, remembering this feeling from her childhood.
"Tomoe?"
She straightened, her eyes locked with Kenshin's. Without another thought, she reached back and tugged at her hakama ties.
To be continued…
-----------------------------------
Author's notes: Okay, damn, this was short. There will only be one more part to this. It'll be the good part and the real reason I wrote this story. Yeah. And probably no sex. That would disrupt my vision of T&K's first time. And I need Sevarem to help me out with that. I mean, I could do it myself, but it wouldn't be fair to her. ^_^
04/28/02
Chapter 2: Smiles and Chances
By Clay
Tomoe kept her eyes locked on Kenshin's. She paused, considering the absurdity of her next words. Kenshin watched her, his eyes dull, closed, and she made up her mind.
"I don't know how to swim."
Kenshin stared at her and she hurried on, sheer embarrassment coloring her words. "When I was a girl… the boys, they would play in the water, but I…I was never allowed."
Hesitantly, she reached out, gently closing her fingers over Kenshin's. They were warm in her palm, strong and callused. He turned his eyes away from hers, studying their entwined hands for a moment before returning the light pressure. "The lake…" He looked up again and she caught his eyes. "Would you join me?"
His lips curved upwards into a confused smile. "Swimming?" His hand shifted slightly, pulling back to entangle their fingers.
Tomoe found herself smiling as well, mimicking his amused expression. "I don't know how, but… I would like to cool off."
She lightly tugged at Kenshin's hand, her own loosening so that he could pull away if he wished. Wordlessly, he began to follow her as she made her way to the path below the garden. Once they reached the road, Tomoe stopped, waiting for Kenshin to take the lead. He did so without question and she fell in step, the proper ten paces behind. There was no one here. No one to see, to make sure they behaved, but still she insisted on staying behind. To do otherwise would be assuming too much. But it would be nice.
She glanced down at her hand again, remembering the warmth of his fingers as they wrapped around her own. Remembering the few times before when she had dared to touch him so intimately, the feel of his thumb as it slid across her knuckles. The memory alone sent shivers up her spine and she focused her eyes on her husband's back, letting her mind drift. She imagined the muscles encased in that sweat-dampened material, wondering what they'd feel like…
She suddenly stopped and Kenshin turned around, warm eyes concerned. "Tomoe?"
Tomoe caught herself blushing, but nevertheless gave a reassuring nod. "I'm all right." She started walking again.
Kenshin turned away and continued on and Tomoe once again found herself watching the muscles in his back. The realization of what she was about to do scared her, excited her. The thought crossed her mind that she actually didn't know what she was about to do. She had invited Kenshin to join her in the lake, but could she even go through with it? She wasn't even sure what to do. She couldn't very well undress in front of him… could she? But… she couldn't go into the water like this…
All too soon they had reached the lake's edge and Kenshin turned to her expectantly. Tomoe walked to the water, staring at the black, inviting depths. She knelt down and ran her fingers through the water. It was cool, lifting the dirt and sweat from her hand. Adrenaline surged through her, driven by fear. Tomoe stepped back into the grass and slipped out of her sandals. She leaned down, unbound the hakama and unbuttoned her tabi; out of the corner of her eye she could see Kenshin, still as a statue, his eyes locked on her every movement. The grass felt cool and soft on her bare feet. Another wave of excitement washed over her as she wiggled her toes, remembering this feeling from her childhood.
"Tomoe?"
She straightened, her eyes locked with Kenshin's. Without another thought, she reached back and tugged at her hakama ties.
To be continued…
-----------------------------------
Author's notes: Okay, damn, this was short. There will only be one more part to this. It'll be the good part and the real reason I wrote this story. Yeah. And probably no sex. That would disrupt my vision of T&K's first time. And I need Sevarem to help me out with that. I mean, I could do it myself, but it wouldn't be fair to her. ^_^
04/28/02
