Chapter 11
The gentle morning light shone through the window as the sun rose to greet the new day. Still lieing on the futon with Kaoru in his arms, Kenshin slowly, relunctantly opened his eyes to the new light. He smiled. /This is so nice... I wish I could do this every single day.. mmmm.. Kaoru sure feels good../ He ran his hands up to the back of her neck, then gently, timidly kissed her lips. His eyes fluttered shut as the warmth washed over him. "Mmmm.." He smiled again and opened his eyes. /Kaoru.. my sweet kaoru... mmm kami-sama you're beautiful../ He leaned in to kiss her again, but balked when Kaoru's body sleepily shifted and moved. Her eyes fluttered open.
"Oh Kenshin.. it's you.." She yawned and stretched her arms out, then hugged Kenshin at the waist. "Domo arigatou Kenshin.. I feel much better. Domo for sleeping next to me like I wanted." She smiled at him.
"D-doitashimashite, Kaoru-koishii." He smiled back. "I.. also enjoyed being able to sleep next to you... however, we.. should refrain from doing this in the future."
Kaoru looked slightly hurt. "Why not?" She looked up at him, her eyes wide.
"Ahh-" Kenshin lost his words when he looked into her eyes. /Nnn.. she's so sweet and innocent.. I told her I couldn't do this before, and she didn't look hurt then! But now.. she has to ask me -now-, when I can feel her sweet, gentle body up against mine and remember the taste of her lips../ He gritted his teeth while trying to avoid her gaze. "Nn.. aahhh Kaoru-koishii it's- it's just not proper for me to sleep with you when we are only engaged..." /Did I just say 'sleep with you'? Aw, jeez! And I just had to steal that kiss from her too.. now I'm imagining what her skin tastes like../ His face grew hot as he blushed from his thoughts. /I should really learn to stop that.../
Kaoru became confused. "K-kenshin.. you're acting kinda strangely.. are you okay?" /Why is he blushing?/
"Uhm.. yes.. yes, Kaoru-koishii. I'm fine." Kenshin smiled. "Well, better go uhmm make breakfast or something.. bye bye." He flashed a smile and quickly kissed her before leaving the room to the kitchen.
Kaoru giggled. /I wonder if he knows he still has his yukata on?/
Kenshin had already started cooking some miso soup when he noticed he still had his yukata on. "err.. oops.." He mumbled to himself. /Ha ha.. I left in such a hurry I forgot to change clothes.. mmm heh heh I wish I could change in front of her.. or even better, just-/
Kaoru interupted his thoughts. "You want me to stir the soup while you change, Kenshin?" Kaoru was smiling across the table. Somehow, she had managed to get dressed in the little time after Kenshin had left the room.
"Uhm.." Caught completly by suprise, Kenshin barely noticed how hot his face was from blushing. "Y- yes, sure thing Kaoru-koishii.. ah- arigatou.." He hurried into his room to change while he scolded himself. /I can't believe I was thinking like that! And when she was in the same room, too.. aw man I hope I didn't say anything out loud.. I really need to learn to control my thoughts../ He walked back into the kitchen. "G- good morning... koishii." He smiled and wrapped his arms around her.
/Ahh... this is so perfect.. just like I want to live.. mmmm../ She giggled.
"Something funny, Kaoru?"
"Huh? Oh, it- it's nothing.." She blushed, embarrassed. /Kaoru no baka! Stop daydreaming and snap into reality! Sano and Yahiko are probably home.. if they catch us love-birding we'll never live it down!/ "Ano.. umm Kenshin.." She gently pushed him away. "I don't.. I don't think you should do that.. wh- when Yahiko and Sano are.."
Kenshin nodded. "I understand, Kaoru-dono." He lifted her chin up and kissed her forehead. "I love you.." He smiled at her, and she smiled back.
"I love you too, Ken-"
"Hey, ugly!" Kaoru twitched as Kenshin let his hand slide off her neck. "Where's breakfast?"
Kaoru glared daggers at him. "It's cooking. Are you blind?!" She gritted her teeth.
"Ahh-- Kaoru-dono, why don't I finish cooking? Ermm.. you should- you should um rest..."
"What, is ugly pregnant or something? Why does she need so much rest?"
SMACK!!
"OF COURSE I'M NOT PREGNANT, BRAT! FIFTY SWINGS!"
"What? But I'm not even traini-"
"NOW!"
Yahiko sulkily went into the other room, where he carried out her orders. Kaoru turned around and sat down on the floor, grimacing. "Why the heck did he say I was pregnant? I mean, jeez! I don't even LOOK pregnant! I don't act it, either! What do you think, Kenshin? You think I act pregnant?"
"Ano.. well.." He scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Sessha is not sure.. but.. Kaoru-dono has been a little more aggresive than usual in the past few days.. sessha.. sessha thinks it has something to do with sessha's diary.. um.. sessha is..."
Kaoru started twitching. /He's calling himself sessha again.. I hate it when he does that.. he KNOWS I hate it when he does that..!/
"But sessha thinks that you can be excused for your behavior.. for example, there's the possibility you are experiancing um ermm feminine difficulties... but sessha thinks you're acting just fine.. sessha thinks Yahiko was too harsh on you.."
/Oh geez. If he calls himself 'sessha' one more time, I'm going to../
"But.. sessha doesn't know why Yahiko called Kaoru-dono pregnant.."
/That's IT!/
BONK!
"KENSHIN! IF YOU SAY 'SESSHA' OR 'KAORU-DONO' ONE MORE TIME, I'M GOING TO-"
Kaoru was cut off when Kenshin covered her mouth with his hand and forced her halfway to the ground.
Breathing heavily, Kaoru looked up into Kenshin's eyes. /Amber.. they're amber.. why are they amber?/ Her eyes squeezed shut, and she started to tremble. /They.. they were amber when he was fighting.. fighting Jineh.. but../ "Ken..?" She tried to say, but it came out more like 'mem'.
Kenshin let his hand slide off her mouth to the back of her neck, where he forced her to look at him.
"Ken... kenshin..?" Her voice betrayed her, trembling with each letter.
/She's scared to death of me./ His eyes blinked back to soft violet. "Hai, Kaoru?"
"I- I-.. you-.. I-"
"Shhhh Kaoru." He gently placed a finger on her mouth. "I'm sorry I frightened you. Will you forgive me?"
"Ah.. ah.. ha- hai.. g-gomen.. I shouldn't have yelled-"
"Shhh..." He smiled at her as he pulled her up to stand. "Are you alright now, Kaoru?"
"uh huh.. hai.." She smiled back at him.
"That is good. I am glad... I.. I need to get back to cooking, Kaoru. I'm very sorry to have angered you."
"Uh huh.. okay.."
"You should go.. take a bath, or something. Should I prepare one for you?"
"No.. no thank you.. not yet.. I'm going.. to train Yahiko.."
"Okay, Kaoru. I'll call you when breakfast is ready."
Yahiko quickly ducked back into the training hall. /What was THAT all about?! ..Should I ask busu about it? Kenshin looked so.. violent../
Kaoru walked into the training hall with Yahiko. "Well, what are you staring at me like that for? Have you done your fifty strokes yet?"
"Well, no.." /Oh jeez, I hope she doesn't figure out I was spying on her and Kenshin!/
"Well, go ahead! I'm waiting!" /Whew./ Yahiko thought as he picked up his shinai and started swinging.
Back in the kitchen, Kenshin frowned. /What was THAT for? I mean, all she did was yell at me, and hit me in the head.. she didn't deserve such a violent reaction.. usually I just rub my head and say 'Gomen'. Why did I have to handle her body so hard? I know it hurts her..! I mean, jeez! I could feel her shaking! Why did I have to scare her so badly?! I mean, really,/ "What is WRONG with me?!" He yelled out in frusteration.
"I dunno, Himura-san. Is something wrong with you?"
"Ah-? oh, it's you, Misao-dono." Kenshin smiled brightly at the young ninja girl. "How are you today?"
"I'm okay.. look.. I wanted to thank you for letting me stay.. these past few days.."
"It is no problem, Misao-dono. Would you please start serving breakfast while I get Kaoru-dono and Yahiko?"
"Um.. yeah sure Himura-san." Misao smiled at Kenshin as he left the room. /Huh.. weird guy./
"Kaoru-dono! Yahiko-kun! Breakfast is ready!" Kenshin had to raise his voice over the sounds of fighting, but they immediatly stopped and rushed to the kitchen. The rurouni smiled and followed them.
As Kaoru, Yahiko, Kenshin and Misao sat at the table eating, a silence fell over them. /Huh, that's odd../ Kenshin thought as he slowly ate the noodles. /Usually Kaoru and Yahiko just pause to get at the table, then start fighting again../ He chuckled. /Sure is funny./
"Something funny, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, still somewhat annoyed with Yahiko.
"Huh? Oh nothing Kaoru-dono. Would you like some more soup?"
"Yes please, thank you." Kenshin nodded and spooned some more soup into her bowl. She smiled and looked around. "Oh.. there's so much because Sanosuke isn't here. That's why it's so silent here. I wonder where he's gotten off to?"
Yahiko shrugged. "I dunno, but that way there's more for me."
Misao giggled slightly watching Yahiko slurp up his soup. /Come to think of it, all of these people are weird. But especially the.. the.. the shrimp in the red gi./ She giggled at the thought of a big but short shrimp in a red gi.
"Wait.. are you all playing a joke on me or something?" Yahiko looked up suspiciously from his noodles. "You keep laughing and smiling and giggling and stuff."
"Who's giggling?" Kenshin asked, puzzled.
"You!" Yahiko pointed at Kenshin. "You're the one that's giggling!"
"How am I giggling, de gozaru?"
"Like a girl!" Kaoru burst out in laughter.
"Hey! That's not nice Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin faked like he was going to cry. "you.." he chuckled slightly. "You hurt sessha's feelings."
Kaoru doubled over in laughter. "What's so funny? I don't get it." Misao looked around at everyone laughing, chuckling herself. "And why is the shrimp in the red gi acting so hurt?"
"SHRIMP de gozaru yo?!" Kenshin looked at Misao, faking he was appalled. "Are you referring to me?" Misao nodded, grinning. "That's.." He laughed. "That's so mean! I think I'm.. I'm going to cry!" He started laughing so hard that tears spilled down his face. "See? I'm crying!" Everyone laughed harder.
Eventually things quieted down, and everyone finished their soup. Kaoru's face was still red from laughing so hard. "Ken.. Kenshin.."
"Hai, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin looked up from the water bucket where he was washing dishes and smiled at her.
"Um.. could you prepare a bath for me now?"
"Certainly Kaoru-dono." He smiled as he got up and wiped the dishwater off his hands. "Is something wrong, Kaoru-dono?"
"Well.. I'm kinda worried about Sano.. and, even though we all had a good laugh over breakfast, I- I don't know why you- I mean I- I mean-" She started to fidget nervously.
"Shh..." Kenshin slid an arm around her waist. He looked around to see if anyone else was around before he softly placed his lips on hers, kissing her. After they broke the kiss he wrapped his other arm around her and whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry, koishii. I shouldn't have done that to you. I... was really stressed out about the mention of you being pregnant. I guess.. I just flipped out. I will talk to Yahiko about it when I am done washing the dishes. Okay?"
Kaoru's face was even redder from the kiss. "H.. hai.. anata." She smiled as she snuggled herself in Kenshin's arms. "It's okay.. I'm not mad at you.."
Kenshin smiled. "I am glad. We should go prepare your bath, ne? After I talk to Yahiko, I will go around and find Sanosuke. Okay?"
"Okay." She smiled and nodded. "Let's go... um.."
Kenshin let his arms gently slide off her as he stepped back. "Hai, let's go prepare your bath." He smiled.
End of Chapter 11
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Author's Notes: Hahaha.. what a weird chapter. Sorry about taking so long... umm this chapters a bit disjointed because of the breaks and mood changes in between the different parts. Gomen. Kinda odd how Yahiko asked about Kaoru being pregnant, huh? Well don't worry, it'll all be explained next chapter.