Disclaimer: *holds out a cardboard sign reading: Will work for tuition money* I'm poor. Leave me alone.
Notes: Haaaahhhhh, so I have a lot o' people reading this who really don't like shonen ai but are reading it just because they like the setup. Sorry. I really did try to keep the shonen ai content mild. No wild, kinky sex here. No sex period. Hugging? Yeah. Kissing? A little. And a little Aoshi/Misao to keep things somewhat normal.
Warnings: Slight shonen ai content. Angst and sap. Possible (probable) mistakes about tuxedos. Frisbees. Yeah. I think that's it.
Kaoru: *walks in wearing a tux*
Kenshin: *follows, wearing a dress*
Kenshin and Kaoru: *look at each other in mild amusement*
Kaoru: Kenshin! You look good.
Kenshin: Thanks. So do you. Shall we dance?
Kaoru: Of course!
*Kenshin and Kaoru waltz around the room*
Fitz: O.o
Life's a Dance
"Hey, Kenshin!"
Pausing in his path to the lunch table, Kenshin looked over his shoulder to see Sano walking toward him, lunch tray in hand. Eyes grazing over the amorphous blob on Sano's plate, Kenshin crinkled his nose in distaste.
"What is that slop you're putting in your system?" he murmured as the tall boy fell in beside him.
Sano tilted his head at the red and brown pile of stuff on his tray.
"It's a hot dish," he said after a moment. "I think."
"Looks appetizing," Kenshin returned, obviously meaning the opposite.
"You look at this yet?" Sano paused near a table that had been set up by the wall near the lunch line. Kenshin glanced over the display and at the two men in uniform behind the table. One of them smiled at Kenshin and Sano and turned his full attention toward them.
"Do you have any questions about the ARMY?" he asked genially.
Sano shook his head and nudged Kenshin's shoulder with his elbow.
"What's your plan for when you graduate?"
"Actually, I was accepted at Brown University," Kenshin picked up a complimentary pencil from the table and studied the green embossment. "Hiko thinks I should go. You?"
"I'm going to boot camp in July," Sano shrugged. "You ever given the military a thought? It would help pay for college too."
"That's right," the recruiter at the table added. "If you sign up for the reserves, the ARMY would pay for part of your tuition, and you would only have to give up one weekend a month of your time."
"Plus eight weeks of basic training and two weeks of service during the summer," Sano snorted. "They don't always tell you that up front."
"Would you like to receive information?" the recruiter produced a brochure, to which Kenshin held up a declining hand.
"They also require you to undergo an intense physical," his smile was a bit strained. "Which I would fail. Sano, you know that."
"Hey!" Sano chuckled dryly. "I was just trying to get some company. I tried everyone else."
Kenshin waved politely at the recruiter as they walked away from the table, setting the pencil he had picked up on Sano's tray. He looked at his tall friend.
"It would not take them long to figure out the multitude of medication I have in my bloodstream," he shook his head. "And I'm not exactly a conformist. Neither are you, if you don't mind me saying."
"I'm willing to give it a shot," Sano grinned. "Can you see me marching around in fatigues?"
"Actually..."
Sano laughed and sat down at the table next to Kaoru. Everyone else was already there. Misao sat between Kaoru and Aoshi, positively glowing with the attention the latter showered upon her. (He was listening to her talk, nodding on occasion.) Okita turned away from the one-sided conversation and immediately started digging through Kenshin's lunch when the redhead sat beside him. Kenshin drank his water and looked back to Sano curiously.
"You never said you were going into the military," he pointed out.
"It never came up," Sano shrugged carelessly. "And you didn't say anything about Brown University before now, either. That's pretty prestigious."
Mirroring Sano's shrug, Kenshin took his sandwich from Okita's hand, smirking at the boy's mock pout.
"Brown?" Okita picked up on the conversation. "Way to go, Himura."
Smiling faintly, Kenshin bit into his sandwich, keeping quiet. Sano, Okita, and Kaoru--who had been listening in--looked at the boy curiously.
"That's on par with Ivy League, isn't it?" Kaoru murmured.
"Mm," Kenshin nodded, swallowing before he replied solemnly, "I've never seen Hiko look so proud in his life."
"Then why the glum face, Red?" Okita tugged on Kenshin's ponytail lightly.
Kenshin just reached in front of the other boy to take his fruit container back.
"We'll see what happens," he said vaguely. "I'd rather keep an eye on things that are happening sooner."
"That's right!" Kaoru grinned suddenly, pointing her fork in the general direction of Kenshin and Okita. "Prom is coming up, and neither one of you has a date."
"And what about you, Class VP?" Okita retorted with a smirk. "Still waiting for Kenshin to ask you?"
"As a matter of fact!" Kaoru scowled, her face a nice shade of pink. "I'm not! I'm going with Soujiro."
"Soujiro?!" was the response of the others--minus Aoshi, who already knew.
"Soujiro as in the main competition for speedy here?" Sano jerked his thumb toward Kenshin.
"As in always smiling? That Soujiro?" Misao added.
"He's always been nice to me," Kaoru stuck out her tongue at her friends. "What's wrong with him?"
"I just thought you would have jumped at the chance to go to prom with a senior," Okita was struggling not to smile. "That, and it's a well-known fact that Soujiro can't dance to save his life."
"I heard his last dance partner ended up in the hospital with a broken toe," Misao giggled.
"Guys! Come on!" Kaoru whined.
"You don't go to a hospital for a broken toe, Misao," Kenshin remarked quietly, earning a grateful smile from Kaoru.
"Awww, you always poke holes in the rumors!" Misao groaned, glaring at him in feigned irritation.
"Anyway, neither of us had dates, and since we're already friends," Kaoru smiled and drank her milk. "We're going to have a fun night together. Actually, between me, Soujiro, Aoshi, Misao," she gave a pointed look to the girl, who smiled brightly, "and whoever else wants to come, we were going to hire a limousine for the night."
"So," Sano leaned forward on the table and winked at Kenshin and Okita knowingly. "I'm taking my cousin. That just leaves the two of you."
"Which cousin?" Okita wondered.
"Sae," Sano grimaced. "Tae is too pushy. Last time I took her to a dance, she kept trying to lead."
"I'm surprised you remembered the difference," Okita laughed. "You've always mixed those two up before."
"You're dodging the question," Sano grunted.
Rolling his eyes, Okita sat back in his chair, crossing his arms casually.
"So, Kenshin?" Misao leaned forward excitedly. "Rumor has it, you've already avoided several invitations. Everyone wants to go with the school's prettiest senior. Yet you've avoided ever getting asked."
"Ah..." Kenshin blushed. "Almost. Tae asked me... on Fine Arts night."
"Is that what you were blushing about?" Kaoru burst out laughing. "I was wondering what Tae had said to you."
"I barely even know her!" Kenshin grumbled, slouching down in his seat uncomfortably. "And..." he trailed off, mumbling under his breath. His cheeks were flushed with embarrassment.
"I'm sorry, Himura," Okita grinned and leaned over, making a show of trying to hear the boy. "It's loud in here. You'll have to speak up."
"Kamatari asked me!" Kenshin said loudly into Okita's ear, making the boy cringe away, plugging his ears in attempt to ward off the ringing.
"Kamatari?!" the group responded much in the way that they had when Kaoru had announced her date. This time, there was quite a bit of laughing involved.
"Okay, maybe Kenshin's not the prettiest boy in the class," Misao snickered. "Kamatari doesn't even have to wear a dress to pass as a girl."
"I still think Himura's prettier," Okita offered.
That set the others to staring at them, the same thought running behind their eyes. Kenshin blushed and stood quickly.
"I have to go!" he declared. "The nurse's office awaits."
"Why don't you take Okita with you?" Misao asked with a suggestive waggle of her eyebrows.
Kenshin fled while the others laughed good-naturedly. Sano glanced over at Okita with a curious lifting of his eyebrows.
"I didn't hear you protesting, Okita," he remarked.
Strangely, there was a slight flush of pink across Okita's face. He shook his head and picked up his books.
"I have some homework to finish before next hour," he muttered, leaving the table. Sano, Kaoru, Misao, and Aoshi watched him retreat before exchanging dubious glances. It was Aoshi who finally broke the silence.
"I think that if it was not such a controversial topic," he said contemplatively, "Okita would not be so hesitant to ask Kenshin to the prom."
"Are you serious?" Kaoru blinked. "I thought all that was just talk and joking around!"
Aoshi shook his head solemnly. Kaoru's face fell.
"What about Kenshin?" she asked worriedly. "Does he know?"
"Who knows?" Sano snorted. "You can never tell with Kenshin."
"Prom is three weeks away still, right?" Misao asked. She grinned and leaned forward, motioning for the others to do the same. "I have an idea."
^_^
Aoshi stood in front of a three-way mirror on a small step stool, his arms held out horizontal to the floor. He was as stoic as ever, watching the reflections of his friends in the mirror while a tailor took his measurements once, twice, and three times. It was a tedious process, but the man insisted it be done properly, whatever that meant. All Aoshi knew was that his arms were getting tired, and Sano had better stop making faces at him, or he might start to laugh, upon which occasion the tailor might insist he begin the measuring process all over again.
"Sano," Kenshin was oblivious to the tall boy's antics, his eyes on the mannequins along the opposite wall. "Which one are you wearing?"
"The middle one," was Sano's reply, the boy not even turning to look.
"Why that one?" Kenshin persisted, still glancing back and forth between the different versions of formal suits and tuxedos. "Why not the next one?"
"Sae said she was wearing a beaded dress," Sano said, as if that explained everything.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Kenshin demanded, exasperated over the daunting prospect of--gasp!--choosing a tuxedo.
Sighing heavily, Sano turned away from his game, much to Aoshi's relief, and met Kenshin's frustrated gaze. He pointed at the lapel of the tuxedo he had chosen.
"This one doesn't have any satin," he stated.
"Sooooooo...?" Kenshin gave him his best 'Thank-you, Captain Obvious' stare.
"So," Sano smirked. "Satin snags. Sae's wearing beads, and it'll scratch up everything it comes into contact with. I don't want to pay for a ruined tux."
"Why Sano," Kenshin chuckled, looking back to the mannequins. "I never knew you had such an acute sense of fashion."
"He's just repeating what Sae told him," Aoshi interjected abruptly, appearing behind them. He gave Sano a pointed glare. "Your turn."
With a disarming grin, Sano turned and walked over to the mirror. He hopped up onto the stool, held out his arms, and smirked at the tailor's reflection.
"Do your damnedest," he said cockily.
Shaking his head, Aoshi looked down to Kenshin.
"Don't listen to his advice," he warned. "If Sanosuke had his way, you'd be in a dress as well."
Unable to contain his blush, Kenshin scowled.
"I am never going to live that down!" he grumbled. "So what's your opinion?"
"Go with something simple," Aoshi pointed at one tuxedo. It was a three-piece, with a standard, narrow lapel, and tapered at the waist. "You can always go with something other than black for the vest beneath the jacket. A blue would look good on you."
"But why not something like what Sano chose?" Kenshin insisted, frown deepening. "And why am I getting a tuxedo anyway? I don't even have a date!"
Aoshi sighed and very deliberately guided Kenshin away from the suit Sano had chosen.
"If you tried to wear something with such a broad lapel, you would be overwhelmed by the suit," he stated bluntly. "As Hiko mentioned, you are not really built to wear men's formal wear. Shoulder pads and wide lapels make you look like a child in a football player's uniform."
"Well now you've got me imagining myself in a football jersey at prom," Kenshin groaned. "And you never answered my question earlier!"
"What question?" Aoshi asked blandly, pretending he did not know what the petite redhead was talking about.
Kenshin groaned loudly, smacking his palm to his forehead and dragging it down his face in frustration. Aoshi smirked and pointed at the tuxedo he had first chosen.
"Get that one."
"Why?" Kenshin asked in a small voice, hoping, praying for a straight answer.
"Because I have better taste in men's clothing than Sanosuke does," Aoshi replied easily.
"Aaaaargh!" Kenshin tugged at the ends of his loose hair in an open display if frustration. He glared at Aoshi only half in jest and pushed past him to talk to the woman who was obviously the manager of the store. Aoshi watched, a little half-smile on his face as the woman stepped back, eyeing Kenshin critically, then walked over to a wall where suits were packed onto a hanging rack. She pulled one out and held it up for Kenshin to see, and Aoshi could not help but chuckle. It was the same one he had picked out.
Kenshin's shoulders slumped, and he nodded as the woman kept talking. A minute later, he returned to Aoshi's side, much subdued and sulking.
"All right," he murmured. "I'll get that tux."
^_^
If there was one thing Okita hated about airports, it was that they overcharged on everything. He glared at his two-dollar hot dog and soda of the same price. He was surprised they had not charged for the napkins. Next time, he decided, he would buy lunch before he got to the airport. It certainly beat waiting until the in-flight meal, not that the meal was worth much anyway.
He found Kenshin laying across several chairs near the immense windows overlooking the runway. The little redhead had his arm flung over his eyes, a sealed bottle of water clutched in his other hand, down by the floor next to his backpack. Okita knew he was less than happy about being in the airport, let alone getting onto one of those planes.
"How're you doing?" Okita asked cheerfully, sitting in the chair next to the one where Kenshin's head rested.
"I'm trying to pretend I'm on a beach in the Bahamas," Kenshin replied quietly.
"I really appreciate you coming with me," Okita's words were garbled by the mouthful of hotdog he spoke around. "It won't be a long flight."
"I know, I know," Kenshin lowered his arm and blinked a few times to clear his vision. He smiled weakly up at Okita. "You look like a gopher from this angle."
"Thanks," Okita swallowed the rest of his hot dog and washed it down with a long drink from his soda. Finally, he set the cup down and folded his legs up on his chair so he could turn to look out the window without craning his neck. "On the flip side, I love airplanes. I used to want to be a fighter pilot."
"You don't anymore?" Kenshin asked, closing his eyes again.
"You have to have twenty-twenty vision," Okita shook his head. "I wear contacts."
"That's too bad," Kenshin opened his eyes as an announcement blared over the loudspeakers. He groaned softly. "Why'd you choose business class again?"
"Because I'm not paying for this, and business class in much more comfortable than coach," Okita stood, shouldering his duffel and nudging at Kenshin to get the boy to sit up. "Come on."
"But we have to be on the plane longer," Kenshin groaned, reluctantly picking up his backpack and following Okita to the boarding line.
"You get to get off first, too," Okita added brightly. "Come on. You can get comfortable and sleep through the flight. I brought a book."
"I could just see you off and then drive there," Kenshin stiffened when Okita wrapped an arm around his shoulders, took his arm, and pushed him into the little tunnel that led to the plane. They earned some amused and annoyed glances, what with Kenshin stopping dead in his tracks at the hatch. Okita stumbled and looked at him, surprised he had been unable to force the smaller boy forward. Kenshin's voice was a strangled groan as he tried to back away. "Okita..."
"Just another step, Himura," Okita prodded.
"There's a line, young...ster," one flight attendant said, ending rather lamely when he failed to call forth the proper gender.
"He is just a little nervous," Okita said bitingly. He turned back to his friend. "Come on, Himura. Two hours. That's it."
Kenshin gave him such a stricken look, that Okita almost broke down and took him off the plane. But this was important to him, and he did not want Kenshin to let his fears get the best of him.
"Kenshin," he said sternly. "You promised."
Moaning weakly, Kenshin narrowed his eyes at his friend.
"You owe me big time," he mumbled. Okita grinned triumphantly as he reluctantly stepped forward, into the airplane.
"Remind me that again when we get on the return flight," he retorted. Kenshin turned around. "Wait! Himura!"
^_^
The one irritating thing about being in a different state was that all the television channels were different. Kenshin spent the better part of an hour just flipping through the channels, trying in vain to figure out the TV guide, and finally settling on an old black and white film. That lasted about five minutes before he was quickly changing the channel, having discovered he was watching Frankenstein. A classic, to be sure, but not something he cared to watch. It was almost one in the afternoon when Okita returned. Kenshin was watching an Andy Griffith rerun and munching on a granola bar.
One look at Okita's brooding expression convinced Kenshin to keep his mouth shut. He held up a McDonald's bag, proving that he had indeed left the hotel room for a short time that morning. Okita took it silently, flopping down on the full-sized bed next to Kenshin and raiding the paper sack.
"I brought along a movie," Kenshin announced.
"You have to pay big bucks to use the VCR here," Okita mumbled around his cheeseburger.
"Already taken care of," Kenshin smiled faintly and pushed in the video. A few seconds later, gentle music floated through the room, and there were animated seagulls flying across the television screen. Okita began to laugh.
"You're incredible," he chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "The Little Mermaid."
"Thought you might want to look at a hot redhead for awhile," Kenshin grinned.
"Who needs Ariel when you're sitting right there?" Okita replied, lifting one eyebrow at him suggestively.
Kenshin just rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the movie. Still chuckling softly, Okita leaned over to shut off the light before stretching out on his stomach next to Kenshin. A few minutes later, he was caught up in the movie, face gone blank as he forgot everything but the characters in the story.
^_^
"There's a park with a duck pond a few blocks north of here."
Okita looked up from his math homework at Kenshin's quiet observation. The boy was standing by the window, but his head was turned, and he was smiling lightly at Okita. Returning the smile, Okita nodded and set his book aside.
"Okay."
Forty minutes later found Okita holding Kenshin's discarded bag of bread crumbs, tossing them into the pond while Kenshin settled on a low branch of a nearby tree. Okita was astounded by the way Kenshin just swung himself up into that tree, and he commented now, after his friend was already comfortable on his perch.
"When you fall and break your neck, don't come complaining to me."
"I won't fall," Kenshin chuckled good-naturedly. "I'm practically related to squirrels. I could jump to that tree branch--"
"You wouldn't dare!" Okita stared on in horror as Kenshin started climbing to his feet. "Himura!"
All he received was a wily smirk. Kenshin sat back down, and Okita breathed easier. He eyed the branch Kenshin had pointed at, a good ten feet away. Granted, it was probably only a seven foot jump to the side, two or three foot lower than the branch Kenshin was already on. But it was still a daunting leap.
"You're just joking, right?" he asked cautiously. "You couldn't make that jump."
Kenshin lifted his eyebrows and smiled mysteriously.
"Himura?" Okita tried again.
This time, Kenshin had mercy on him. He nodded solemnly.
"I could make it," he said after a moment. "But if I did it now, I would only be showing off and putting myself in needless danger. Besides," he grimaced, "I'm already doing that tomorrow."
"It's just a short plane ride, Himura," Okita smirked.
Shrugging almost carelessly, Kenshin changed the subject.
"Was it a long trip?" he asked abruptly. "How was the ride in the police car?"
"It was longer than I thought it would be," Okita threw the last of the bread crumbs at the ducks, watching as they pecked at them, feathered butts poking into the air as some went so far as to follow the bread into the water. "The ride was smooth. Those patrol cars have impressive shocks. You've been in a police car before, though, haven't you?"
"In the back seat."
"Ah," Okita smirked.
"What did he look like?"
Okita's smile faded. He looked out into the park, at the children playing on the swings and in the sandbox. A golden retriever barked, tail wagging as it ran back and forth between several men, women, and more children, chasing a Frisbee.
"He was taller than I expected," Okita murmured. "Brown hair with a lot of gray now. He's only forty-three. He works out."
"Not a whole lot else to do, I'm sure," Kenshin observed quietly.
"His eyes were blue," Okita's eyes glazed over a bit, and he shook his head to clear it. "There's a hot dog vendor down the street. Let's get one."
"You had a hot dog yesterday," but Kenshin dropped down off his branch and followed Okita through the park. "And you ate a hamburger less than... oh."
"Right. Almost five hours ago," Okita glanced at the sky. "It's almost six now. I'm hungry. What about you?"
"I'll eat later, when I take my meds," Kenshin replied easily.
"Planning meals around your medication," Okita laughed. "There's a new one."
"You eat your pig remains, and I'll have my strange schedules," Kenshin retorted.
"Do you know what hot dogs are made of?" Okita tossed back.
Kenshin caught the Frisbee that very nearly rebounded off Okita's forehead. He laughed at the boy's startled blink, then fell over as a large, enthusiastic golden retriever tackled him. It was Okita's turn to burst out laughing, enjoying the sight of the short boy on his back on the ground, shoving at the dog that insisted on licking every inch of his face.
"You... are you... okay?" Okita managed between fits of laughter. "Himura?"
"Just... fine..." Kenshin had hold of the dog's collar and was forcing the animal back, climbing to his feet once that was accomplished. He smiled and waved the Frisbee under the excited dog's nose tantalizingly. "He just wants the toy, don't you? Yes, you do."
"Sandy!" a man called, jogging toward them. He caught the dog's collar, freeing Kenshin's hand before smiling at them. "I'm sorry about that. You two okay?"
"Thanks to Himura's quick reflexes, I don't have a bump on my head," Okita grinned at Kenshin, who thwacked him in the arm with the Frisbee.
"Hope this ruffian didn't ruin your date," the man rubbed the dog's back and smiled brightly.
Kenshin blushed bright red, while Okita coughed loudly to keep from laughing.
"We're not on a date," Kenshin mumbled.
"Maybe you should think about wearing your hair shorter, Himura," Okita snorted.
It was the stranger's turn to turn red.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I didn't-- I thought--"
"I get that a lot, actually," Kenshin sighed. "It's okay."
The man was mortified. Kenshin was frustrated. And Okita thought it was about the funniest thing he had ever heard.
"Come on, Himura," Okita tugged the Frisbee out of his friend's hand. "I still want that hot dog, and you've embarrassed the guy enough with your feminine wiles."
Kenshin shoved him, then laughed as Okita shoved him back. The man with the dog was relieved that the boys--yes, plural boys--seemed to have forgotten his rather embarrassing blunder, and he ran off to join his family once more. No doubt, he would have quite a story to tell his wife. The dog bounded after him cheerfully. And Okita chased Kenshin across the park to the hot dog vendor.
^_^
Exhausted as they were from their day, neither Okita nor Kenshin went to bed immediately. Okita spent an hour flipping through the television channels, and Kenshin had dinner and took a shower. They spent a couple hours doing the homework they had brought along, Kenshin giving Okita some pointers on his math, and Okita returning the favor when Kenshin attempted to write an essay for his composition class. By eleven, they decided it was time to get some sleep. Okita set the alarm for five, and they shut off the lights.
According to Kenshin's bleary perception, the glowing red digits of the clock read 1:07 with the little red dot marking AM when the toilet flushed. He closed his eyes again, fully intending to go back to sleep as he heard Okita moving around in the room. Then, something touched his shoulder.
With a noisy gasp, Kenshin lurched into a semi-upright position. Okita moving around, okay. But he had never actually expected anything to come so close to him.
"Easy," Okita's quiet murmur sent him back to his pillow, trying to calm the rapid beating of his heart.
"Okita?" Kenshin stared at the shadowy figure that was his friend. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing," Okita assured him, but when he was whispering, the inflection was lost. Kenshin stared at him, sorely tempted to just accept it at that and go back to sleep. But Okita would not have disturbed his sleep over nothing.
"Come on," Kenshin pushed the covers back and scooted over to make more room. He patted the bed. "Don't just stand there."
Without a sound, Okita accepted the invitation, not resisting when Kenshin rolled back toward him, hands tugging on Okita's pajama top lightly. Okita took the hint and shifted so that Kenshin could wrap his arms around the taller boy. Kenshin held him gently, not saying a word, waiting for Okita to decide whether or not he wanted to talk about it.
"He was really nice," Okita said after a few minutes of that peaceful quiet. "Asked me how I was doing in school and if I had many friends." Kenshin rested his cheek against Okita's sleep-tousled hair. "He told me to be patient with Mother because she didn't know how to live without someone taking care of her. He said he'd write more, that he hadn't written much before because he didn't think anyone wanted to hear from him." Okita sniffed loudly, and when he spoke again, Kenshin could tell he was trying not to cry. "He was so happy that his son cared enough about him to come see him even while he was in prison."
Okita curled up on his side, arms around Kenshin's waist, head on Kenshin's chest. Kenshin sighed softly and rested one hand on the back of Okita's head, his other arm trapped beneath the boy. He remained quiet while Okita cried silent tears into his chest. The only indication that Okita was crying was the dampness of Kenshin's shirt and the boy's frequent sniffling. The glowing red numbers of the clock read 1:44 by the time Okita spoke again.
"Sorry," he mumbled.
"It's okay," Kenshin hugged him lightly. "I'm glad you felt you could talk about it with me."
"Thanks," Okita lifted a hand to rub at Kenshin's shirt. "I got your shirt all wet."
"You can repay me by washing it."
Okita chuckled and started to pull away. Kenshin's arms tensed, fingers pressing into Okita's shoulders, and Okita was surprised at the strength he met in those thin limbs. He could not move.
"Stay," Kenshin whispered. "It'll just feel empty if you leave now."
Okita nodded and laid back down. Kenshin relaxed and closed his eyes.
"Thanks, Okita," he mumbled, already more than half asleep.
"For what?" Okita stretched out to rest his head on the spare pillow. "I've been dragging you all over the place and into my screwy problems."
"Hummm, yes," Kenshin's voice trailed off, and Okita thought he just might fall asleep before finishing his statement. "But everyone hides their problems from me... as if I couldn't handle them. You don't do that..."
His breathing slipped into the steady, even whisper of sleep. Okita stared at the darkened features of his friend, startled by this new revelation. He smiled faintly and pushed an errant lock of hair out of Kenshin's face before settling down as well. It was some time before he fell asleep, and when the alarm went off, scaring the heck out of both boys, he felt he had only just closed his eyes. Nothing would ever make him wish the weekend had gone differently.
^_^
Long-winded notes: Thank you, thank you. I have managed to insert another big plot hole. Brown University. One, it's not 'on par' with Ivy League. It is Ivy League. Two, if someone wants to go there, even if already accepted, he/she darned well had better be sure because, if I'm not mistaken, you have to send in a deposit loooooong before the end of the average high school year. So Kenshin, babe, indecisiveness is not acceptable. I won't even go into the Early Decision bit.
As far as military goes… Oh, I know all about that. *waves arms around* Anyone else out there a military reject? Yes, Fitz failed the physical. Well, not the physical, but the background check. Gee, apparently they think I'm not mentally sound. You go to a counselor for a few months, and suddenly your future is shot. Am I bitter? Nooooooo. You people only wasted three months of my life!!!! Jerks.
Yes, so everyone knows what was happening with Okita, right? He and Kenshin went to West Virginia (federal prison and all that) to visit his father. We covered this in the last chapter. Right, so I'm done talking now. Until next chapter! We have prom night!
Reviewers! Again! Hi.
nemo: And what's wrong with band people, may I ask? *waves around a clarinet and points at a piano* Ahem! And the bet wouldn't be moot if Kenshin turned out not to like either one.
Shishio: *pouting* That's where I put my money!
Yeah, so the rest of your review left my head spinning, so I think I'll stop trying for now. I'll just stick with being confused and let it go at that.
Vesca: Whoa. Okay. You're always jumping ahead of me. The whole Tomoe thing is a bit that I am still tweaking and trying to make sense of. I have a scenario in my mind that I'm trying to explain without telling another story entirely… if that made any sense whatsoever. It seems that Okita and Kenshin are getting close. And wow. Thanks for the compliment (and the wolfie! ^_~)
Jason M. Lee: Given that I only have the dub as far as the Kyoto Arc goes, please excuse my translation blunder. And I am rather sensitive on the homosexuality issue, so I will just keep my comments to myself. I do respect your opinion, and I will ignore my soap box for the time being.
Crystal: I don't believe I've seen you before. Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like it.
mae: *snicker* Yeah, I had a few things in mind, but nothing I wished to write down. And I'm sorry. Perhaps I'm just a bit obtuse at the moment, but what did you mean by 'convo'?
marstanuki: I once read a Kenshin/Misao thing. It was so mild that it could barely be considered a romance. Cute, but nothing I would go out of my way to read. I still hold by the classic couplings for Kenshin, but for my occasional (such as this story) deviations.
Black Soul: The way you put that at the end—'since my others doesn't mean anything to you'—my! But you make me sound heartless! I'm sure that was unintended (I hope) because I certainly would read that Kenshin fic if you finish and post it. I have never seen Weiss Kreuz (sp?), although I want to. So I would be scrambling to figure out what was happening. Anyway, that matters not, and thanks for the explanation on your name.
Koneko-chan: Kenshin has been declared bisexual. *snicker* On my birth certificate, they marked the little box labeled 'F,' so I guess that means I'm female.
Amara: Ooooh, another new reviewer. Your flattery is making me blush. And you were right. I intentionally made Tomoe seem out of character. In the manga/anime, she was supposed to be a beautiful, secretive woman, so I modernized her and added some coolness points to her meter.
Man! These got long again! Sorry to those who find them annoying.