Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic
Rurouni Kenshin & Samurai X Original Japanese Version © N.Watsuki/Shueisha * Fuji-TV * SME Visual Works Inc. * Sony Pictures Entertainment
All Fanfics created by Chiruken (me) were written for the sole purpose of shared entertainment and not intended for publication or sale.
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New Paths, Old Roads, and Unlikely Allies
by Chiruken
Chapter 8Smothering a tired yawn with the back of my hand, I trudge across the moonlit yard to the storehouse…and some much needed sleep. Kami-sama but I'm tired. I shrug, trying to work the tense kinks out of my shoulders and smile grimly. Morning would bring another confrontation with Matsumoto. I needed to prepare myself. My smile fades as I push open the door and enter the darkened room, the only light illuminating the shadowed interior coming from the barred window that allows a meager amount of moonlit into the dimly lit storehouse. Setting my sakabatou carefully against the wall, I stretch my arms over my head and arch my back, waiting for the satisfying pop. Stifling another yawn, I rock back on my heels and stretch one last time. After my cramped night in a tree, I really needed that.
Carefully arranging myself under a blanket, my sakabatou resting comfortably against my shoulder, I lean back against the wall and hug my raised knee to my chest. Releasing one last sigh, I cast my eyes around the dim interior of the room before closing them and allowing my body to relax into sleep. Tomorrow was going to be another eventful day, this I knew. I needed to get all the rest I could get in order to be prepared for the inevitable battle of wills that would accompany morning. I just want Matsumoto gone.
I come awake with a start, gripping the saya of my sakabatou tightly, eyes narrowed to slits as I survey my surroundings, searching for what awakened me so abruptly. Thumbing the blade partway out of the sheath, I tensed my muscles, preparing myself to spring into action in an instant. Nothing seemed out of place at first. Then a noise, faint and barely heard above the natural creaking of the building and the wind blowing outside. My eyes snapped to the door in time to see it opening, inch by inch, painfully slow, yet the unmistakable sound of hinges badly in need of oil resounded loudly in the dark. Placing my free hand on the familiar worn hilt of my sakabatou, I feigned sleep, waiting for the intruder to reveal himself. He was SO going to regret waking me up.
The door stopped opening and a small figure squeezed through, turning to slowly close the door again. I frowned, not understanding why a prowler would go to such lengths. My frowned deepened as I observed the movements of the small form, something striking me as familiar about this person. Slowly I relaxed my grip on the hilt and breathed a silent sigh of relief as the figure turned to face me and slowly began to creep across the floor, taking care to avoid the squeaks and creaks of the wooden floor with practiced familiarity. There seemed to be a small bundle clutched in the prowler's arms. "Kaoru-dono, what are you doing?"
She dropped the bundle with a muffled shriek as she clamped her hand over her mouth, eyes wide and reflecting the light of the moon. Panting to regain her composure she fixed a glare on me. "Kenshin! You scared the life out of me!"
I stand slowly and approach her cautiously, warily eyeing her lest she produce her ever-present bokken to wallop me over the head with skull-crushing force. I'm surprised I haven't received permanent damage yet. "I'm sorry, that I am."
She presses a hand against her chest and that's when I notice she's dressed in a loose fitting sleeping yukata. "Well, I guess I'm partly to blame." She shrugs and smiles. "So you're forgiven."
She bends to retrieve her dropped bundle. "What's that Kaoru-dono?"
"My blanket, of course."
"Blanket?" I study her averted face carefully. I have a bad feeling about this.
"Yes. You didn't expect me to sleep without one in the middle of winter, did you?"
"But…" I pause and watch dumbfounded as she settles herself against the wall, next to where I'd been sleeping before she'd woken me up. "Kaoru-dono, what are you doing?"
"Getting comfortable, of course." She smiles up at me and I sigh, knowing that it's going to be another long night. "Come on, Kenshin…it's your fault, you know." I tilt my head to the side, curious despite my morose thoughts. "Whatever you did to Matsumoto-san, it's keeping me awake and I need to get a decent night's sleep since I have to work in the morning." She fixes me with a stern glare. "You wouldn't want me to be fatigued when I have to work to support this doujou, would you?"
I stare at her helplessly for a moment before my shoulders slump. "No, Kaoru-dono, I would not." I sigh dejectedly and approach her slowly. I stare down at her for a moment before taking up my previous position, carefully putting a bit of distance between the two of us…for proprieties sake, of course. I feel a blush heating my cheeks when she follows and snuggles up close against my side. "K-Kaoru-dono…what are you doing?"
"Getting comfortable, of course. Come on, Kenshin. Relax. Get some sleep…I know I'm going to." She yawns and rests her head on my shoulder.
I'm torn. On the one hand, my body is screaming for much needed rest, and on the other, I know that having Kaoru pressed up intimately against my side is going to make it all but impossible to give in to the sleep pounding in my temples. I sigh softly and shift, placing my arm around her. I may as well…I'm half way there already, I may as well go the rest of the way. I smile slightly when she snuggles even closer. "Comfortable?" I whisper against her fragrant hair.
"Mmmhmmm…" Her soft, muffled reply warms me like nothing else ever could. I know it's wrong to feel this way, but I can't stop myself. How can it be wrong when it feels so right? "'Night, Kenshin…"
"Good night…Kaoru." I hesitate a moment before deciding to leave off the customary honorific. I think we've finally moved on to the next stage of our relationship. I smile a little and allow my muscles to relax. I don't know exactly where we are now, but I'm certain I'll find out in time. As I drift off to sleep, I silently remind myself to ask about that letter in the morning. I want to see for myself whether it truly is from Yamagata or if it's a forgery.
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**To Be Continued…**
Author's Notes:
Very, very sorry about how long it took to update! **sigh** I lost my notes…then I found them…only to discover that the chapter that I needed (chapter 8, this chapter) was missing still. So…after much debate and swearing, I decided to just try to rewrite it. Since I started writing this story originally in 2002, I can't really remember what I had written before…so I hope this is a decent substitute. Sorry that it wasn't as long as the other chapters. I just wanted to get it out! I hope it doesn't ruin the continuity of the story…
^_^x
Chiruken
