Hello again everyone! The usual disclaimer: I can only claim that this fic IS mine.
First up, to clarify, Ao and Mi are NOT married YET. Then, JML-san, I had the notion that knitting might have landed already in Japan around the Meiji era. Thanks about the basket thing; we still have those in my country, so I know what you mean. Also, Kaoru can SEW decently, from what I've seen in the manga and anime. That's why Kenshin doesn't have patches on his clothes. ^^
Oh, and thanks for the encouragements about my tests, Chiki and C-Chan. ^_^ Aaack! I so HATE enumeration tests!! I am the worst at enumeration!
Itai----Ouch!
Daijobu desu ka?----Are you alright?
(reformatted)
……………………………………………….
Armed with two months worth of Kenshin's salary and a shopping list, Misao and Kaoru set out into the town market, in search of a crib. At least they would buy THAT as soon as possible, Misao reasoned. "What IS it with Himura now?" Misao grumpily asked Kaoru. "He gave us the money, like he was parting with his life!"
"Misao, Kenshin earns the money now, since I stopped work for the baby. He makes sure that the salary goes into the right places, to the point that he scrimps it terribly.
"I can get Aoshi-sama to talk to him, can't I?" Misao pleaded.
"Misao-chan. I know my husband, and I more-or-less know your Aoshi-sama. Both of them are dreadfully stubborn when they want to be. And I am telling you, Kenshin is VERY stubborn about our finances!"
Misao sighed. "Well, I did meet Himura as a poor man. Force of habit from those wanderer days, I suppose. But enough about Himura! Let's go into this furniture shop and see what we can get!" She yanked Kaoru into the shop.
"Alright, alright, Mis----------OWWWW!!" Kaoru anxiously and painfully held the lower parts of her bulging abdomen. "ITAIIIII!" She began to let out hard and short breaths.
"Kaoru, daijobu desu ka?!" Misao inquired, her hands quickly on Kaoru's back and stomach. She was dreadfully concerned, as the pregnant woman's face crumpled into a grimace.
Two more minutes of the ordeal passed, before the breaths became slower, longer, and more relaxed. Kaoru gave out a final sigh of relief. "I'm alright now. My stomach just tightened terribly for a while. It's gone. Let's go in. And slow down, please. My back is killing me………."
………………………….
Kenshin reentered the dojo with the empty laundry basket. The white sheets were blowing gently in the breeze outside, hung on the lines in perfect symmetry. It was as if snowy clouds were passing the Kamiya dojo, ducking under the trees. The whiteness of the ground was beginning to have patches of brown and green, showing spring growing underneath.
As he passed the practice area, he found Aoshi, seated on the floor, in front of the dojo's little shrine. He was obviously lost in his meditation, and Kenshin walked on , not wanting to disturb him.
But the okashira suddenly spoke. "Himura, may I have a word with you?"
After the trainer got over his initial surprise, he entered the practice area, leaving the basket by the door. "Yes?"
The okashira did not look away from the shrine, but began to speak. "What do you think of married life, Himura?"
The trainer acquired the clueless-rurouni face. "PLEASE don't tell me, this is the only reason you and Misao are in Tokyo, and in our house…………"
The okashira ignored the comment. "Do you love her more--or less--being married to her?"
"You are asking sessha these questions, Aoshi-dono, because…….?"
"Misao has been insulting my intelligence and capabilities as an Oniwabanshuu okashira recently," Aoshi explained, as he finally looked behind him at Kenshin. "She has been dropping these obvious clues and hints about, 'tying the knot', she calls it. She got me to agree to visit Tokyo on an 'intelligence mission', not realizing her true intention."
Kenshin hung his red head.
"Now please answer truthfully," a plea in between Aoshi's official words, "How has it been, being married?"
Kenshin was silent for a long while. He looked around the practice area, staring at every little nook and cranny, remembering some fond memories. He started to pace the length of the large room, and walked with soft, even steps. He slowly closed his eyes, let out a long sigh, and responded.
"I never enter this room without remembering something about Kaoru-dono," he began. "Here, she first told me that she wanted the rurouni to stay, not the Battousai. She first asked me my name, and told me that my notorious reputation did not matter to her. Here, too, she held me back, dreading the worst, as I first faced Saitou. The rest of the nation did not matter to her as much as I mattered to her. Sometimes, on the saddest of days, I even return to that day when Enishi fought me……and took away my happiness. But when those days come, by some strange premonition of hers, she appears before me, and assures me that she is here to stay.
"I would be lying if I said that it has been easy every day. Sometimes it has been my fault, sometimes it has been hers. She can't cook very well, no matter how hard she tries. She tells me that I am too stingy with our finances. She gets on my nerves occasionally, and I irritate her pretty often. But still, I would not trade any of the days I have spent with her, for anything in the world. Seeing her beautiful face only once in a day, reminds me of all my promises to her. My promise to live for her, to die for her, to do anything in my power to do for her. Every new day tells me that those promises were not made in vain, that those promises will never be broken, as long as I am alive to keep them." He ended his long speech with fire in his eyes and a broad smile on his face.
Aoshi, satisfied, nodded his head.
Then, he added, "………………Have you told her so?"
Kenshin was taken aback. "Not in so many words………" he replied, faltering.
"Do you intend to?"
Kenshin could not reply. A sharp realization dawned on him. "I will get back to you on that, Aoshi-dono." He picked up the basket and left the practice area.
…………………………
"What about this one, Kaoru-san?" Misao pointed at a Western-style crib, wooden with railings at the sides, headrest, and footrest. "It's new, it's elegant, it's in fashion…….."
"It's also expensive," Kaoru completed, as she peered at the price tag tied to the top of one side. "Besides, HOW are we going to take it home?"
"We can ask Sano to pick it up and bring it home!" Misao answered with optimism.
"Let's see another one, Misao-chan…….." Kaoru ordered.
A few more minutes of silent perusal passed before Misao stopped at another crib. "This one! It's beautiful, it's cheaper, it's sturdy……."
"And too large for our room!" Kaoru finally evaluated.
"You're too hard to please, you know!" the ninja sulked.
Misao walked deeper into the store, then examined at a small, traditional crib. It was a large, brown, oval basket, ordinarily laid on top of an old, heavy table. "I don't know if you'll like this one, Kaoru-san," she said with hesitation. "I mean, it's small, it's light, it looks a little old…….."
"But it's cheap, Misao! Take a look!" Kaoru's eyes brightened, and she pointed at the price tag. This crib would only use a quarter of the money they brought. She began to be excited, and looked over the crib with delight.
"Cheapskate!" Misao folded her arms and grumpily sought the store owner, who soon returned with her.
But the owner of the furniture shop declared, "It's not for sale, ladies, I'm sorry."
"Well, can't we buy it from you?" Kaoru begged.
"You can't, we bought the crib from a traveling salesman, and we don't know how it could be replaced." The shopkeeper replied sadly.
Kaoru sighed. "Oh, dear, that's too bad, right, Misao? I suppose Kenshin can forgive us for using up more money than we expected………"
"Yeah, Himura will understand," Misao agreed.
"Himura?!" the man suddenly asked the women. He looked at the pregnant one and inquired earnestly, "You are Himura's wife?"
Kaoru nodded shyly. "What about it?" Misao queried with high head.
"I owe Himura-san a favor!" the shopkeeper's eyes bulged, and he became uneasy. "I was about to be robbed one night on a deserted street, when he came along and summarily left ten men lying on the snow! He did not ask for anything, but I promised that I would pay him back somehow……….and now you are here!"
Kaoru's eyes filled with pride for her courageous yet humble husband. Her baby kicked a little just then. Someday you're going to do things like that for others, my child, Kaoru hoped silently.
"In exchange for your husband's kindness, I'm giving you this crib, for free." The man removed a few beddings that remained in the little basket, and offered it to Kaoru. "May your child grow up to be like his father."
Kaoru looked in surprise at the man, then at the basket she held. "But, sir, allow us to pay you a little for your trouble. And what about your grandson----"
"His generosity to me is payment enough, oba-san," and the man bowed to her. "Please take it with my thanks. I will just make a crib for my little one, don't worry."
Kaoru bowed in return and accepted the gift. Then she and Misao left the shop, too shocked to say any more words.
"I have one more place to go before we head home," Kaoru told her as they walked down the market streets. "I need to get more yarn…………"
………………………
Kaoru and Misao scratched their heads when they arrived at the Kamiya dojo, found washed and dried linen, but no redhead. Aoshi was vague with his explanations. He only said that Himura had left. Sanosuke was no help, either; he had not seen his best friend in town all afternoon, and he had been all over town. Neither was Yahiko. The only person he kept a tab on nowadays was Tsubame.
Night had fallen for several hours before Kenshin came home. Kaoru heard a few clattering noises in the kitchen, then the slow patters of her husband's steps on the wooden floor to their room. She waited for him, sitting up and leaning on a wall.
"Konbanwa, anata," she quietly greeted. "Where have you been?"
"Fishing." He absently replied.
"Fishing? In winter? At THAT lake?"
"Thinking."
It was highly unusual for her husband to be speaking in one-word sentences. That was more like Aoshi, so she wondered exactly what influence the okashira had on her anata while she was away shopping.
"Oh! I almost forgot! You took such a long time in coming, that I managed to finish it tonight!"
"Finish……..?" he asked blankly.
From behind her, Kaoru retrieved her knitting project, and spread it before him. It was complete, a yellow scarf to replace his old and worn one, exactly the right length for him by some beginner's luck, with slightly uneven fringes at both ends. Her arms were spread out before her, her face in a beaming smile of victory. He stepped ever closer to her by inches, looked intently at the project and finally comprehended all of her mysterious ways. He gave her a slight smile.
"I'm sorry I'm a little late with it. I know it's almost spring, so you might not get to use it much until next winter. But I wanted to finish it anyway, and give it to you as soon as possible. It's not the best work around, I'm just a little better at knitting than cooking, as you can see. I hope you like it all the same. You can even say you paid for it, since I got your money for the yarn, but it's cheaper than if you bought it ready-made at the store. Oh, by the way, you have the see the new crib! We got it for free this afternoon, so you don't have to worry about……"
Without warning the man kneeled down, scooped up his wife, and locked his lips with hers. He placed a hand on her soft cheek, as the other caressed her long black hair, released from the day's adornments. Taken in surprise, the woman first resisted his kisses, then welcomed them, drawing him closer in her loving arms. Soon her arms were wrapped around his small but lithe frame, and she felt its gentle and loving warmth. Bulging abdomen and kicking baby were forgotten in the moment.
What was three minutes in reality, seemed to last forever. Neither wanted the moment to end. It came rarely to them, because of choice and because of circumstance. The opportunity to hold each other, so closely that they felt each other's warmth, and seemed to think exactly the same thoughts. The time to be truly one. This time would stay this way as long as they wished………
"AAAAACK!"
The door of their room opened with a sudden snap, and a dark form tumbled inside.
"MISAO (-dono)!!" The couple quickly separated and looked at the young woman with surprise, disappointment, and irritation.
"I told you this would be a bad idea," they heard Aoshi's voice from behind the paper screening, then saw him grab the young woman from the back of her outfit, as a mother cat would carry her kitten.
"Leggo of me, Aoshi-sama!" the kitten squirmed and wriggled. "This is part of my intelligence gathering! Let go of me!"
"What's all the noise about?" Yahiko also appeared at the door, grumpily rubbing his eyes. "Some people have to get some sleep, you know! I have to work tomorrow!"
"Ooooh, the couple is at it!" Sanosuke piped in from behind Aoshi, as he helped him restrain his frisky and noisy little kitten.
"GET OUT!!" Kaoru screamed in annoyance. "GET OUT, ALL OF YOU!!"
All four were gone in half a second, and silence once again reigned in the Kamiya dojo.
"Itaiiiii…….." Kaoru winced quietly, and held her stomach. It had tightened again, and it hurt as much as the one she had that morning. She was extremely annoyed. Such wonderful minutes with her husband, ruined by well-meaning but nosy friends, and a terrible pain in her belly. "I guess that's all for tonight, my dear."
"Eight months……."
"Huh? Anata, I've only had this baby for seven months so far!"
"Eight months……..eight months that I have not held you so, Kaoru-dono……..since that night………"
Kaoru ran in her head through the twists and turns of their adventure through marriage and pregnancy. Kenshin was right. "That long already?" she asked, as she wondered where the time went. "But, my dear, I don't want to do it, yet. Not until this baby is safely out," as she patted her still painful side.
"Aaa. Naruhodo." Kenshin understood. "Demo sa, Kaoru-dono, I just realized this afternoon, how much I………um, anou, etto……….I……still…….." he fumbled for the right words to say at that precise moment.
"……..I still love you?" Kaoru completed his sentence.
"Sou, de gozaru." That is correct.
His wife tenderly raised the long red hair a few inches off his back, and wrapped the scarf around his neck. "I know even if you don't tell me, but I am still happy that you do." To which, he simply gave her a final kiss on a cheek.
"That's it?! That's all there is? Man!" A high voice grumbled in a whisper from behind the shut door.
"GO TO SLEEP, Misao-dono!" Kenshin dictated with a little laugh.
……………………………
Naruhodo---I understand
Sou desu---That is right, I agree, etc.
Demo sa--- But, then
Anata---(if you've forgotten) loving term for a spouse, when not used as "you".
Gomen, sessha is horrible with mush, very horrible.
I've just been running through Kya-kyaff's AU fic "Fragile Balance". She deserves all the many reviews she gets. ^^ It's seldom that someone gets an RK AU fic so right. I'm working in the established universe, and I'm still having problems.
See you all again soon!