Chapter 7
Yahiko, being somewhat perceptive for a kid, yawned, stretched and made a polite but hasty exit to his room.
Kaoru started to gather the dishes and take them to the kitchen. "Here, let me help you with that, Kaoru," Kenshin said, still not looking at her, his voice soft and deep.
"No, no, I'm at least capable of doing the dishes, even if I'm a terrible cook," Kaoru said, making a small grimace at her own remark.
"Anyone can cook, Kaoru, there are more things to life than cooking, that there are," murmured Kenshin.
"I'm trying to apologize for being a shrew to you, Kenshin, the least you can do is listen while I eat dirt!" she exclaimed, her legendary temper getting the better of her.
He put down the dishes he was carrying in the bucket to soak, and took hers from her hands.
"I don't want you to 'eat dirt', Kaoru, I want you to be happy," he said simply, "There's no need for apologies between, um, friends, is there?"
"Maybe there is, Kenshin, maybe its because you're always here that I've taken you for granted, and forgotten how special you are, all the things you've done for me." She took a deep breath. "There's no one in the world I feel closer to than you, don't you know that?"
He shook his head, "I'm not special. Being able to kill in no way makes one special."
"You're right, that's not what makes you special. I've known more than one man who could kill, but I'd never think of them the way I think of you." She looked at him, taking his careworn hands in hers.
"I've told you before, I love you, even if you think you're unworthy."
He finally looked up from under his thick bangs of red hair. His expression was unreadable for a fleeting second, but then he smiled, gently and leaned over and kissed her on her still slightly open mouth.
Kaoru blushed and leaned in to rest her head on his shoulder. His arms went around her, and they stayed like that for an eternity that lasted a few minutes.
Finally, he drew a deep, cleansing breath and looked down into her dark, sparkling eyes.
"Care to help me do the dishes, Kaoru?" he asked, chuckling.
"I'd be honored to, Kenshin," she said with a giggle.
Yahiko, being somewhat perceptive for a kid, yawned, stretched and made a polite but hasty exit to his room.
Kaoru started to gather the dishes and take them to the kitchen. "Here, let me help you with that, Kaoru," Kenshin said, still not looking at her, his voice soft and deep.
"No, no, I'm at least capable of doing the dishes, even if I'm a terrible cook," Kaoru said, making a small grimace at her own remark.
"Anyone can cook, Kaoru, there are more things to life than cooking, that there are," murmured Kenshin.
"I'm trying to apologize for being a shrew to you, Kenshin, the least you can do is listen while I eat dirt!" she exclaimed, her legendary temper getting the better of her.
He put down the dishes he was carrying in the bucket to soak, and took hers from her hands.
"I don't want you to 'eat dirt', Kaoru, I want you to be happy," he said simply, "There's no need for apologies between, um, friends, is there?"
"Maybe there is, Kenshin, maybe its because you're always here that I've taken you for granted, and forgotten how special you are, all the things you've done for me." She took a deep breath. "There's no one in the world I feel closer to than you, don't you know that?"
He shook his head, "I'm not special. Being able to kill in no way makes one special."
"You're right, that's not what makes you special. I've known more than one man who could kill, but I'd never think of them the way I think of you." She looked at him, taking his careworn hands in hers.
"I've told you before, I love you, even if you think you're unworthy."
He finally looked up from under his thick bangs of red hair. His expression was unreadable for a fleeting second, but then he smiled, gently and leaned over and kissed her on her still slightly open mouth.
Kaoru blushed and leaned in to rest her head on his shoulder. His arms went around her, and they stayed like that for an eternity that lasted a few minutes.
Finally, he drew a deep, cleansing breath and looked down into her dark, sparkling eyes.
"Care to help me do the dishes, Kaoru?" he asked, chuckling.
"I'd be honored to, Kenshin," she said with a giggle.
