A/N: Unfortunately, for some of you, I don't think this will be a
Sanosuke/Kaoru/Kenshin love triangle thing. I've never really pictured
Sanosuke falling in love with Kaoru, more like Megumi or something. But you
never know. I don't exactly know where this is headed yet, if you couldn't
already tell, so we'll see.
Kenshin walked slowly into the trees. He was glad that Miss Kaoru was all right. But why did she have to come back to him? Why? It would have been a bit easier to leave if she hadn't. He couldn't bear to leave her and the rest of his friends. He knew that Sanosuke and Yahiko would do their best to look after Miss Kaoru and Miss Megumi. But was that really what was bugging him? Was that the reason, Miss Kaoru and Miss Megumi's safety, that caused him to stop walking?
He had left so many times before. This was just the same. It was just the same. Kenshin had to keep telling himself this. He was a wanderer. It should be easy to leave, to go wander. But then why hadn't he started walking yet? Something was nagging at him. Something. Kenshin knew what it was but he didn't want to believe it. So he pretended to be oblivious to the reason. He pretended to not know. He pretended to think of her just as he thought of all his other friends. As a friend.
Kenshin sighed and looked back at the dojo. This would be his last time seeing it. Trust had been broken, Miss Kaoru had been injured, and his world had been shattered. He had gone back to being the Batoussai, the legendary manslayer. He had kept his past hidden deep inside him for the longest time but it finally had surfaced. It had to, eventually. And that was why he had to leave. He had to protect those he loved most. He had to protect them from evil men using them to get to Kenshin. But most importantly he needed to protect them from himself.
Kenshin slid his foot forward a step, then another, and another. It wasn't that hard. All he had to do was focus on the path before him and not think of the people he was leaving behind. He had to think of the dark night, of the full moon being his only light, of where he was going to go next. If he could keep these thoughts in his head he could make it.
Fireflies. Fireflies were flying around him, lighting the path where the moon failed to do so. Was this a sign? He remembered watching the fireflies with Miss Kaoru once before. Miss Kaoru. Kenshin stopped walking and his gaze dropped to the ground. This was best for her. It was. She was so kind to him. Always. And how did he repay her? By stabbing her. By almost killing her. Kenshin reached out his arm and loosely caught one of the fireflies, entrapping it in a type of small cage he made with his fingers. He watched it flash its light and fly around, trying to escape what it thought was certain death.
Kenshin opened his hand and let the firefly back into freedom. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of the fresh night air. Freedom. This could also be something to fill up his mind with. He was free to wander wherever he wanted. He didn't have to worry whether someone would wonder where he had gone. He didn't need to worry if anyone would be safe while he was gone. Not if he was free to wander. Free.
Kenshin opened his eyes. His hand fell from the hilt of his reverse blade sword, which he had picked up on his way to the Kamiya dojo. It was sheathed, of course. And it would most likely stay sheathed for a while. Kenshin bowed his head. He stared sadly at the ground ahead of him, trying to get his thoughts straight. He listened intently to the chirping crickets and other animal noises that went on in these woods. These sounds helped him concentrate. Kenshin took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh.
"Miss Kaoru," he whispered to the person behind him.
A/N: Sorry if this chapter is a little boring and uneventful. I wanted to explain Kenshin's feelings a little more. I felt as though Kaoru's feelings were dominating greatly over Kenshin's.
Kenshin walked slowly into the trees. He was glad that Miss Kaoru was all right. But why did she have to come back to him? Why? It would have been a bit easier to leave if she hadn't. He couldn't bear to leave her and the rest of his friends. He knew that Sanosuke and Yahiko would do their best to look after Miss Kaoru and Miss Megumi. But was that really what was bugging him? Was that the reason, Miss Kaoru and Miss Megumi's safety, that caused him to stop walking?
He had left so many times before. This was just the same. It was just the same. Kenshin had to keep telling himself this. He was a wanderer. It should be easy to leave, to go wander. But then why hadn't he started walking yet? Something was nagging at him. Something. Kenshin knew what it was but he didn't want to believe it. So he pretended to be oblivious to the reason. He pretended to not know. He pretended to think of her just as he thought of all his other friends. As a friend.
Kenshin sighed and looked back at the dojo. This would be his last time seeing it. Trust had been broken, Miss Kaoru had been injured, and his world had been shattered. He had gone back to being the Batoussai, the legendary manslayer. He had kept his past hidden deep inside him for the longest time but it finally had surfaced. It had to, eventually. And that was why he had to leave. He had to protect those he loved most. He had to protect them from evil men using them to get to Kenshin. But most importantly he needed to protect them from himself.
Kenshin slid his foot forward a step, then another, and another. It wasn't that hard. All he had to do was focus on the path before him and not think of the people he was leaving behind. He had to think of the dark night, of the full moon being his only light, of where he was going to go next. If he could keep these thoughts in his head he could make it.
Fireflies. Fireflies were flying around him, lighting the path where the moon failed to do so. Was this a sign? He remembered watching the fireflies with Miss Kaoru once before. Miss Kaoru. Kenshin stopped walking and his gaze dropped to the ground. This was best for her. It was. She was so kind to him. Always. And how did he repay her? By stabbing her. By almost killing her. Kenshin reached out his arm and loosely caught one of the fireflies, entrapping it in a type of small cage he made with his fingers. He watched it flash its light and fly around, trying to escape what it thought was certain death.
Kenshin opened his hand and let the firefly back into freedom. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of the fresh night air. Freedom. This could also be something to fill up his mind with. He was free to wander wherever he wanted. He didn't have to worry whether someone would wonder where he had gone. He didn't need to worry if anyone would be safe while he was gone. Not if he was free to wander. Free.
Kenshin opened his eyes. His hand fell from the hilt of his reverse blade sword, which he had picked up on his way to the Kamiya dojo. It was sheathed, of course. And it would most likely stay sheathed for a while. Kenshin bowed his head. He stared sadly at the ground ahead of him, trying to get his thoughts straight. He listened intently to the chirping crickets and other animal noises that went on in these woods. These sounds helped him concentrate. Kenshin took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh.
"Miss Kaoru," he whispered to the person behind him.
A/N: Sorry if this chapter is a little boring and uneventful. I wanted to explain Kenshin's feelings a little more. I felt as though Kaoru's feelings were dominating greatly over Kenshin's.