iThis is dedicated to my BFF Sano. Thanks for everything and all the good times we've had, and NEVER EVER change or I'll cut your head of with the Zanbatou! This is also for my BFF SD. We'll be there for each other forever and ever! Also for Bakura, who has been there for me countless times and has never gotten mad at anything I've had to say. For Trissie, who keeps me in high spirits and holds us all together. For Shura, who was my best friend when the rest of the world forgot about me. Thanks to all of you, and this fic is about all of us in general. I'm sure you'll see the similarities!!/ip
"Uncle Ken! Uncle Ken!" Ayame and Suzume's tiny voices floated down the hall to Kenshin's bedroom. The two girls were charging down the hall laughing about their new discovery. Kenshin sat up in bed and stretched with a smile. He caught a glimpse of the sun filtering through the slitted opening in the doorway.br
"Uncle Ken! Come play with us!" Ayame, the elder sister, said.br
"Yes, Uncle Ken! Play!" Came the complimentary echo of Suzume, who always copied what her older sister said. They both tugged on Kenshin's hands yelling for him to get up.br
"Alright alright!" Kenshin laughed. He got up and walked out of the room with the two girls holding one hand each.br
A form lurked up from behind in the room. "Hey Kenshin," said Sanosuke. Kenshin turned around and smiled once again at his friend.br
"Hello, Sano. Up early, I see?"br
"Yeah." Sanosuke spat out the fish bone he had been chewing on. "Kaoru said to help Yahiko with his new sword. The kid shouldn't handle a fly-swatter, let alone a blade. He nearly killed himself."br
"He's coming along," was Kenshin's only reply. Yahiko was walking around the corner.br
"What were you guys talking about?" He asked suspiciously.br
"Nothing. Sano was just saying how poor a job you did earlier, that's all." Kaoru was grinning as she stepped out from her room.br
"That's not funny, Sanosuke! I'm doing just fine, for your information!" Yahiko jumped up on Sanosuke's back and started pulling his hair.br
"Hey! Get off of me, you brat!" Sanosuke flipped Yahiko onto the floor. "KAORU!" He screamed.br
"I'll be going now!" Kaoru grabbed Kenshin and yanked him out the door.br
"YAY! UNCLE KEN IS GOING TO PLAY WITH US!" The two girls shouted happily.br
"Now what was it you girls wanted to show me?" Kenshin asked.br
"Oh yeah! Over here, Uncle Ken!" Ayame ran over to the hole under the house. Inside was a litter of puppies, only a couple weeks old. "Aren't they cute?!" Ayame was jumping up and down. Her little sister joined in, echoing as usual. "Yes, cute!"br
"Kenshin!" Sanosuke's voice rang out from the house like a shot. "Your girlfriend's an idiot!"br
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Kaoru whirled around. Her face was one of utter anger. "SANOSUKE SAGARA! YOU GET YOUR BUTT DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT SO I CAN KICK IT ALL THE WAY TO NEW MEXICO!"br
Kenshin shook his head and bent to stroke one of the puppies while Kaoru chased Sanosuke around the house. It wasn't the first time someone had called Kaoru his girlfriend, and it wouldn't be the last. He knew they were just friends, so that was all that mattered.br
"Whatcha got there, Kenshin?" Sanosuke had lost Kaoru back at the last turn. She was still looking for him in the house. "Puppies?"br
"Yes, that they are, Sano. Ayame and Suzume found them earlier."br
"I see." Sanosuke picked up one of them and examined it.br
"Can we keep them, Uncle Ken? Please!" "Yes keep!" Ayame and Suzume were jumping up and down with a puppy each.br
"I'd say you'd have to ask Miss Kaoru, that I do," Kenshin replied with a smile. The little duo raced to find Kaoru. Once they were out of earshot, Sanosuke leaned over to Kenshin and whispered, "The day Kaoru lets them keep a bunch of puppies is the day all hell breaks loose."br
"Yes, but they still have a remote chance," Kenshin laughed. "Miss Kaoru would have to admit, they are a cute bunch."br
"Whatever you say." Sanosuke plucked a piece of grass and chewed the end thoughtfully.br
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Kenshin warned.br
Sanosuke looked up. "Why not? I chew grass all the time."br
Kenshin laughed nervously. "Because that's the puppies'...um..."br
"Bathroom spot," Yahiko finished, stepping out the door onto the porch and grinning at Sanosuke.br
Sanousuke's eyes went wide and he spat the grass out onto the ground. "KENSHIN! WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN ME?!" He clenched his fists.br
Kenshin backed up fast, so fast that one of the puppies had to roll away just in time to avoid being squashed. "I did, Sano. You KNOW I did."br
Yahiko jumped down off the porch. "Want me to bite him?"br
Sanosuke dropped his fist and muttered something about idiots then walked into the house. Yahiko picked up one of the puppies and stroked its soft head. "I hope Kaoru lets the girls keep these. They're so cute! I'm gonna go ask her." Yahiko opened the door and took the puppy in to ask Kaoru.br
Kenshin was alone again. He decided to count the puppies. The less there were, the more likely Kaoru was to let them keep them. i9,/i he finished. iOh, ten, can't forget the one Yahiko has.../i He stood up and stretched. There was so much to do that day. Kaoru had assigned chores that morning, claiming that they should stop being free loaders and actually do something for a change. iLet's see, I have to do the laundry, then wax the floors, then pick apples.../ibr
"Kenshin?" Kaoru padded lightly down the porch steps. "Yahiko said you found some puppies..."br
Kenshin smiled. "Oh no, that wasn't me, it was Ayame and Suzume. They were so excited. Will you let them keep them?"br
Kaoru sighed. "Well, I HAVE been promising them a pet for a long time, so...well...ok. But on one condition."br
"Wait. Everyone needs to hear this." He walked into the house and rounded everyone up. "Miss Kaoru said that you can keep the puppies. BUT-" He raised his voice as Yahiko, Suzume, and Ayame all cheered-- "she has a condition. Go ahead, Miss Kaoru."br
"It's not my responsibility to take care of them. Yahiko, you and the girls will take turns feeding and washing them. I think their mother was killed a couple days ago for trying to break into a chicken coop. Sanosuke, Kenshin, you two will guard them at night for at least a month-"br
"WHAT?!" Sanosuke screamed. "I DON'T GET ENOUGH SLEEP AS IT IS!"br
Kaoru looked unfazed. "Maybe you WOULD if you wouldn't go gambling every night. So like I was saying, Sanosuke and Kenshin will watch them at night. I'll get the food for them."br
"ALL RIGHT!" Screamed Yahiko, Suzume, and Ayame. They all ran up and hugged Kaoru simultaneously.br
"Ok ok ok ok, you're welcome, so go do your chores. Yahiko, you stay here. I want you to feed this to the puppies." She handed him a side of beef. "I have to go teach my classes. We've gotten a lot of new students since people learned the Battousai was staying here!" She beamed at Kenshin.br
Kenshin looked away. "Miss Kaoru, please don't call me the Battousai."br
Kaoru clamped her hands over her mouth. "Oops..."br
Sanosuke smacked her on the back. "Good going, Missie."br
"Nono, it's quite alright," Kenshin smiled. "I just prefer not to talk about my past, that's all."br
Kaoru laughed nervously. "OK, everyone, CHORE TIME NOW!" Everyone took off in different directions.p
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"Why do iI/i have to do the dishes?" Sanosuke complained from over at the sink.br
"Because you dirty most of them," Kenshin replied. He pulled one of Yahiko's shirts from the pile and scrubbed it clean.br
"But it's idisgusting/i," he muttered, scraping chicken bones from a crusty plate.br
"Then maybe you should try cleaning them right after you eat off them."br
"But I don't have time!"br
"Sure you do. It only takes a few extra seconds. Everyone ELSE cleans their plates after they eat, even Ayame and Suzume, and they're only little girls."br
"HI UNCLE KEN!" Ayame came into the room holding fresh flowers. She tried to reach the vase on the table, but wasn't tall enough.br
"Hello, Ayame. Need some help?"br
The little girl nodded. Kenshin dried his hands on his kimono and lifted her up to the table. She took the old flowers out and put new ones in. "Thanks Uncle Ken!" She ran out of the room.br
"So, Sano, what chores did Miss Kaoru assign to you?" Kenshin asked, going back to the laundry.br
Sano snorted. "I have to do the dishes, serve as a a href=" bag/a (click here to see how he looks) in the dojo, and weed the garden. What do YOU have to do?"br
"I have to do the laundry, wax the floors, then pick the apples."br
Sanosuke turned back to the dishes. "Feh. You get all the easy stuff."br
"Hello boys!" Kaoru came in with the shopping. "I want you to put these away after you're done with what you're doing. Kenshin, did you get the apples yet?"br
"Sorry, Miss Kaoru, I've been busy with the laundry. I was going to do that last. But I DID wax the floors."br
"Good. Sanosuke, what have you gotten done?"br
Kenshin hid a smile. Sanosuke had just started with the dishes after a long "meditation time". "Meditation time" usually meant gambling in the town. He listened closely to see how Sano would get out of this one.br
Sano looked at Kenshin for ideas. Kenshin purposely looked down at the laundry. "Um...I've done the dishes..."br
"Is that all?" Kaoru looked at him suspiciously.br
"I...um..."br
"You'd better have a very good excuse for this."br
"He was helping me wax the floor," Kenshin said. "Thanks to him I got it done a lot faster."br
Kaoru looked at Sanosuke. "That was uncharacteristically nice of you. Oh well. You'd better get it done or no dinner." She walked out.br
As soon as she was out of earshot, Kenshin elbowed Sanosuke. "You owe me big time. Next week, YOU wax the floor."br
"Hmph. Fine." Sanosuke turned back to the dishes.br
"Not even a thank you?" Kenshin asked. "Maybe I'll go tell Miss Kaoru what you were REALLY doing..."br
Sanosuke whirled around. "You wouldn't! All because I didn't say thank you?!" But Kenshin was already walking out of the room. "KENSHIN COME BACK!"br
"Oh, Miss Kaoruuuuuuuuu..." Kenshin called in a singsongy voice. He heard her lecturing Yahiko.br
"Yahiko, I don't think the puppies like to be poked with a stick. Stop it! Oh, yes Kenshin?"br
"NO KENSHIN DON'T TELL HER!" Sanosuke tore down the hall.br
"Tell me what?" Kaoru looked at him.br
Kenshin laughed. "I didn't say a word, Sano."br
Sanosuke growled. Kaoru shrugged, decided it was something she didn't want to hear, then took the puppy away from Yahiko. "Kenshin, could you watch the puppies tonight? I think Sano must be exhausted from all that gambling."br
Everyone laughed as Sano turned bright red.p
***
p
Later than night, Kenshin sat outside under the stars, guarding the puppies from any wild animals that might try to attack them. So far there had only been one attempt. A fox had slunk out from behind the bushes and eyed the litter hungrily, but Kenshin had thrown a stick and it took off again. He sighed and put his head back against the wall of the house. iThe stars look so beautiful tonight.../i he thought sleepily. His eyelids started to droop and he yawned. "Gotta stay awake..." He murmured. He twirled a strand of ruby hair around his finger, then his chin slid forward onto his chest.br
"Kenshin, you can't go to sleep yet, it's barely past midnight!" Kaoru was standing on the porch, a candle flickering in the twilight. She stepped lightly down off the last step and settled down on the ground beside Kenshin.br
"Miss Kaoru, what are you doing up?"br
"I thought I would check on you. I didn't want you to be lonely, out here all by yourself." She smiled and looked sheepishly down at the ground.br
"Thank you, but I think I'm fine. You should get some rest." Kenshin took a puppy out and stroked it.br
Kaoru laid her hand on Kenshin's. "Kenshin, why do you insist on being alone so much? You don't have to be a wanderer anymore!"br
Kenshin turned and looked at her. "Miss Kaoru..." He took her hand and set it in her lap. "I am a wanderer. It's just who I am, and who I'll always be. I can't stay in one place for too long, I'll...I'll...I'LL HURT SOMEONE!" Kenshin put his head in his hands, hiding the tears that had just fallen.br
Kaoru sat in silent shock. "You? Hurt someone? But you don't kill!"br
"You're forgetting my past," Kenshin said quietly. He put the puppy that was in his lap back in the hole.br
"What about it? You've put it completely behind you!"br
Kenshin smiled sadly. "Yes, it's true I HAVE put most of it behind me..."br
Kaoru put her arms around his waist. "Kenshin, don't do this to yourself... I can't stand seeing the one I lo-"br
"NO!" Kenshin shook out of her embrace. "I won't let that happen again!"br
Kaoru looked stunned. "Let...iwhat/i...happen again?"br
Kenshin put his hand against the wall. "Well, let me tell you a story. A story of a time before the peace of the Meiji Government." He closed his eyes, and released the formerly silent remnants of his past... and deepest secret.p
i"A long time ago, before I gave my vow never to kill again, I was an assassin for the government. A manslayer. It was my lot to take on certain..."jobs"...for any politician currently in command. So I was a cold hearted killer for many a year. That is, until I met HER...br
A young girl named Tomoe stepped into the tavern I was staying in one night. She was alone at a table, and I didn't pay her much heed until some drunkards started harassing her. For some reason, I just had to step in. I beat them off and asked her for her name.br
After that we met several times, all by accident. I was beginning to grow soft towards her, and always wanted to take her hand and stroke it, and ask her to be mine...So one day I did, and she accepted. It was the happiest day of my entire existence, which had been turmoil and bloodshed from the beginning.br
But on the day before the wedding, we were attacked by a rebellious manslayer and his allies. He had loved Miss Tomoe from afar, and he wasn't going to give her to me easily. We were forced to fight to the best of our abilities. I beat off the manslayer and struck the final blow, then went to find Miss Tomoe. I found her. Oh, did I find her alright. She had been killed in the fray, by MY sword. There was no mistaking it, for the way the strokes were executed left no doubt. I had killed my own fiancee.br
So there and then, as my tears fell meaningless on her blood-ridden face, I swore never to kill again. And I kissed her for the first time, the first sign of emotion I had expressed for a long time. In fact, the memory of ever NOT being a cold hearted manslayer seemed to not exist at all, erased from existance. But my kiss went unheralded, for she was dead and there was no way to bring her back. So I buried her in the town cemetary, along with all the villagers we had killed, then used my sword so stained with blood as the cross, marking the spot where my beloved lay. But I had to get away. So I became a wanderer, someone who lingered from town to town, never staying long, seeing something that reminded me of...her."br/i
"And that's why I can't love YOU, Miss Kaoru. Something will go terribly wrong. I don't want to hurt you." Kenshin's tears fell to the ground now, something to see as they glimmered in the moonlight.br
"Kenshin...I...I..." Miss Kaoru's tears fell as well. "OH KENSHIN!" She flung her arms around his shoulders. "Oh, Kenshin, I'm SO sorry! I had no idea!"br
"Miss Kaoru, let go of me. I'm not ready to try this again." Kenshin pushed her gently away. "In fact, I don't know if I'll EVER be ready. That scar will forever bleed on my heart, and I don't think I can repair it. I won't hurt another person close to me. So go inside, Miss Kaoru. I'm going to take a walk. The puppies will be fine for a few minutes."br
Kaoru nodded stiffly and walked inside. "Goodnight, Kenshin..." She said softly.p