=Disclaimer=
I do not own any of the characters from Rurouni Kenshin.
----------------------------- Chapter 4 -----------------------------
Kaoru wandered into the kitchen the next morning, half expecting . . . well she didn't know what she was expecting regarding the incident between her and Kenshin last night. Whatever it was, apparently was not the sight that greeted her. "Ohayou Kaoru-dono! Did you sleep well? Sessha made your favorite food." That stupid rurouni grin was plastered on his face, but his eyes betrayed how he really felt, so why couldn't he just be a normal human being for once?! Mou!!! The young woman's fists bunched up at her sides, closing her eyes, trying to count to ten. Ok fine. Be like that. Pretend as if my embarrassing confessions to you last night didn't occur. I'll let this slide, although you're treading on pretty dangerous grounds right now. "Ano . . . Kaoru-dono?" Kaoru opened her eyes to see Kenshin leaning towards her, looking slightly uneasy. "Sessha wanted to apologize for last night's behavior. Eeto . . . Sessha hopes that Kaoru-dono finds the happiness she is looking for." She could only stare at him in utter disbelief, as he congratulated her. She noticed the distraught look from earlier had been replaced quickly by another goofy grin. She also noticed however that he had practically spoken the last few words through clenched teeth. Kenshin, you moron, like I can't see through you! "MOU!" The rurouni never knew what hit him. By the time he managed to sit up, Kaoru was gone.
"Ohayou Kenshin." The spiky haired student yawned, sitting himself down in the spot where Kaoru had been seconds ago. "What's wrong with busu? She was practically spitting fire when I passed her." The only response Yahiko got was a low groan that sounded oddly like an "Oro!".
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Kaoru! Kenshin! Tae needs me to work a late shift at the Akabeko, so I'm not joining you guys for dinner." Yahiko said, poking his head into the room where the other two residents sat, picking at their food. Oro! Yahiko you little liar! Kenshin thought mournfully. He knew Yahiko was just trying to get away from the dojo, or more specifically, his sensei. In the past, he would've never minded the opportunity to be alone with Kaoru, however presently he found that he was afraid to be left alone with her death glares. Yea so he was the legendary ex-assassin, but with Kaoru, he was left pretty much defenseless. Kenshin paled slightly at the thought of his precious Kaoru scheming up evil ways to torture him. Peeking over his rice bowl curiously, he saw a pair of icy blue eyes watching him warily. He didn't know what he'd done this time. Ever since that morning after he'd practically given her his blessing to marry that Tatsuha guy, she'd stopped talking to him completely. As a matter of fact, she avoided him unless necessary and when she did talk to him, she spoke in a distant tone. What bothered him most was that she'd begun calling him "Himura-san". He thought she'd be happy that he wasn't going to intervene with her pursuit of happiness, but it was obvious she wasn't. He was so confused.
Mou! Stop sneaking peeks at me like you're afraid of me! And to think that you used to be the legendary hitoriki, Kaoru fumed. She was still angry over how easily he had given up on her. She was truly beginning to think he didn't care much for her at all and it hurt. So the best thing she could do to move on was to avoid the dense rurouni for the time being especially since she didn't want to have a repeated episode of the other night, when she'd broken down in front of him. Well whatever, at least I still have Tatsuha who I know loves me. Aa, but he's not Kenshin, her mind replied sadly. Finally having had enough of the peeking games the older man seemed to be playing, Kaoru stood up abruptly, taking her bowl and chopsticks with her and stomped towards the kitchen. She stood there for several minutes, trying to calm her temper and bristled slightly as she noticed the other presence.
Kenshin stood in the doorway, watching the young woman cautiously. He really didn't want to tick her off any more than she apparently was at the current moment. "Ah . . . Kaoru-dono?" His voice was meek and he inwardly cursed himself for sounding like such a wimp.
"Leave me alone, Himura." Came the cool reply. Oh, had he forgotten to mention that Kaoru's tone was icy enough to freeze up an entire room? No wonder why Yahiko hadn't even attempted to insult his sensei like he usually did.
"Forgive me Kaoru-dono, but Sessha doesn't know what he did wrong. Please tell Sessha so that he can makes things right again?" I'll apologize for anything, Kaoru, just tell me, please.
Baka! How can you possibly apologize and make all of this right? Before Kaoru could tell the rurouni to go away again, a soft voice coming from the dojo yard drifted into the kitchen. "Kaoru-chan?" Tatsuha? What on earth was he doing here so late? Kenshin froze in place as Kaoru walked by him, practically running out to meet their surprise visitor. At the sound of Kaoru's enthusiastic "Ta-chan!", he slowly turned and walked out to the porch, clenching his jaw at the sight of the young man holding HIS Kaoru.
Kaoru momentarily forgot her earlier anger as she hurried over to her fiancé. He pulled her into his arms, holding onto her tightly and then planted a kiss on her forehead. "Kaoru-chan!"
"Ta-chan! What are you doing here so late?" He was so sweet. In time she would learn to willingly give her heart to him completely.
"Gomenasai koishii, but I just had to see you again." Tatsuha put a finger to her lips, silencing her protest of amusement and nodded. "I know that we are to be wedded in no more then two days, but I just wanted to see you just once more as Kamiya Kaoru." Kenshin could see Kaoru's face brighten at her fiancé's words. He tensed up as Kaoru's "Ta-chan" touched her face tenderly. Yet he could sense no danger from the young man's ki. There was no intention of endangering Kaoru, just pure adoration. He was as smitten by the young woman's fiery nature as Kenshin was. Suddenly, the startled young man looked up and spotted the older man. "Konbanwa! Gomenasai for disturbing you this late." Kenshin just nodded curtly, not noticing the look on Kaoru's face, and slipped back inside to clean up the remains of their meal.
He tried not to pay any attention to what was going on outside, as he noticed that the couple was sitting on the steps, chatting. However the voices soon toned down to soft whispers and delighted giggles that drifted in to where he sat; distracting him, almost forcing him to listen. Kaoru's laughter rang out throughout the night like the musical tinkling of bells and Kenshin found himself slumping down into a void of self-pity, realizing that he could never possibly make her as happy as she sounded. It cheered him up a bit, knowing that his beloved would at least be in good hands, hands that were unstained, unlike his own.
After Yamada-san left, he would talk to her about his decision of wandering once more.
----------------------------- Chapter 4 -----------------------------
Kaoru wandered into the kitchen the next morning, half expecting . . . well she didn't know what she was expecting regarding the incident between her and Kenshin last night. Whatever it was, apparently was not the sight that greeted her. "Ohayou Kaoru-dono! Did you sleep well? Sessha made your favorite food." That stupid rurouni grin was plastered on his face, but his eyes betrayed how he really felt, so why couldn't he just be a normal human being for once?! Mou!!! The young woman's fists bunched up at her sides, closing her eyes, trying to count to ten. Ok fine. Be like that. Pretend as if my embarrassing confessions to you last night didn't occur. I'll let this slide, although you're treading on pretty dangerous grounds right now. "Ano . . . Kaoru-dono?" Kaoru opened her eyes to see Kenshin leaning towards her, looking slightly uneasy. "Sessha wanted to apologize for last night's behavior. Eeto . . . Sessha hopes that Kaoru-dono finds the happiness she is looking for." She could only stare at him in utter disbelief, as he congratulated her. She noticed the distraught look from earlier had been replaced quickly by another goofy grin. She also noticed however that he had practically spoken the last few words through clenched teeth. Kenshin, you moron, like I can't see through you! "MOU!" The rurouni never knew what hit him. By the time he managed to sit up, Kaoru was gone.
"Ohayou Kenshin." The spiky haired student yawned, sitting himself down in the spot where Kaoru had been seconds ago. "What's wrong with busu? She was practically spitting fire when I passed her." The only response Yahiko got was a low groan that sounded oddly like an "Oro!".
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Kaoru! Kenshin! Tae needs me to work a late shift at the Akabeko, so I'm not joining you guys for dinner." Yahiko said, poking his head into the room where the other two residents sat, picking at their food. Oro! Yahiko you little liar! Kenshin thought mournfully. He knew Yahiko was just trying to get away from the dojo, or more specifically, his sensei. In the past, he would've never minded the opportunity to be alone with Kaoru, however presently he found that he was afraid to be left alone with her death glares. Yea so he was the legendary ex-assassin, but with Kaoru, he was left pretty much defenseless. Kenshin paled slightly at the thought of his precious Kaoru scheming up evil ways to torture him. Peeking over his rice bowl curiously, he saw a pair of icy blue eyes watching him warily. He didn't know what he'd done this time. Ever since that morning after he'd practically given her his blessing to marry that Tatsuha guy, she'd stopped talking to him completely. As a matter of fact, she avoided him unless necessary and when she did talk to him, she spoke in a distant tone. What bothered him most was that she'd begun calling him "Himura-san". He thought she'd be happy that he wasn't going to intervene with her pursuit of happiness, but it was obvious she wasn't. He was so confused.
Mou! Stop sneaking peeks at me like you're afraid of me! And to think that you used to be the legendary hitoriki, Kaoru fumed. She was still angry over how easily he had given up on her. She was truly beginning to think he didn't care much for her at all and it hurt. So the best thing she could do to move on was to avoid the dense rurouni for the time being especially since she didn't want to have a repeated episode of the other night, when she'd broken down in front of him. Well whatever, at least I still have Tatsuha who I know loves me. Aa, but he's not Kenshin, her mind replied sadly. Finally having had enough of the peeking games the older man seemed to be playing, Kaoru stood up abruptly, taking her bowl and chopsticks with her and stomped towards the kitchen. She stood there for several minutes, trying to calm her temper and bristled slightly as she noticed the other presence.
Kenshin stood in the doorway, watching the young woman cautiously. He really didn't want to tick her off any more than she apparently was at the current moment. "Ah . . . Kaoru-dono?" His voice was meek and he inwardly cursed himself for sounding like such a wimp.
"Leave me alone, Himura." Came the cool reply. Oh, had he forgotten to mention that Kaoru's tone was icy enough to freeze up an entire room? No wonder why Yahiko hadn't even attempted to insult his sensei like he usually did.
"Forgive me Kaoru-dono, but Sessha doesn't know what he did wrong. Please tell Sessha so that he can makes things right again?" I'll apologize for anything, Kaoru, just tell me, please.
Baka! How can you possibly apologize and make all of this right? Before Kaoru could tell the rurouni to go away again, a soft voice coming from the dojo yard drifted into the kitchen. "Kaoru-chan?" Tatsuha? What on earth was he doing here so late? Kenshin froze in place as Kaoru walked by him, practically running out to meet their surprise visitor. At the sound of Kaoru's enthusiastic "Ta-chan!", he slowly turned and walked out to the porch, clenching his jaw at the sight of the young man holding HIS Kaoru.
Kaoru momentarily forgot her earlier anger as she hurried over to her fiancé. He pulled her into his arms, holding onto her tightly and then planted a kiss on her forehead. "Kaoru-chan!"
"Ta-chan! What are you doing here so late?" He was so sweet. In time she would learn to willingly give her heart to him completely.
"Gomenasai koishii, but I just had to see you again." Tatsuha put a finger to her lips, silencing her protest of amusement and nodded. "I know that we are to be wedded in no more then two days, but I just wanted to see you just once more as Kamiya Kaoru." Kenshin could see Kaoru's face brighten at her fiancé's words. He tensed up as Kaoru's "Ta-chan" touched her face tenderly. Yet he could sense no danger from the young man's ki. There was no intention of endangering Kaoru, just pure adoration. He was as smitten by the young woman's fiery nature as Kenshin was. Suddenly, the startled young man looked up and spotted the older man. "Konbanwa! Gomenasai for disturbing you this late." Kenshin just nodded curtly, not noticing the look on Kaoru's face, and slipped back inside to clean up the remains of their meal.
He tried not to pay any attention to what was going on outside, as he noticed that the couple was sitting on the steps, chatting. However the voices soon toned down to soft whispers and delighted giggles that drifted in to where he sat; distracting him, almost forcing him to listen. Kaoru's laughter rang out throughout the night like the musical tinkling of bells and Kenshin found himself slumping down into a void of self-pity, realizing that he could never possibly make her as happy as she sounded. It cheered him up a bit, knowing that his beloved would at least be in good hands, hands that were unstained, unlike his own.
After Yamada-san left, he would talk to her about his decision of wandering once more.
