Standard Disclaimers Apply
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Chapter 1: Night Visit
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Kaoru lay on her futon quietly, the chirping of the crickets filling the night. She could not get any sleep, a few reasons behind it. Yahiko's snoring was one, since he was on the other bedroom. She didn't worry about Kenshin too much, but his nightmares were sometimes...violent, and he often cried out in his sleep. But, for now, there was no sound.
The main reason was she could feel something--or someone--watching her. Kaoru had options in getting up and see this person as to what he--or she-- wants. After all, people sleep in the night, and spying on people in the middle of the night was certainly suspicious.
Finally, Kaoru decided to follow her instincts, and got up. She slid the shoji door open, welcomed by the cool night air. She sat on the porch, her gaze resting on a tree. Narrowing her eyes, she could see a shadowed form on the branch.
"Come on out, I know you're there," Kaoru stated, not flicking her gaze away. "And besides, I cannot sleep while you are there. It makes me uncomfortable." A slight rustle, and then, she could her a faint, manly chuckle.
"Aww, come on, Kao-chan." The form said, walking into the moonlit yard. His hair was of darkest black, his eyes a color between green and blue, piercing, but not cold. They radiated warmth directed to her.
Kaoru sighed, recognizing who it was from the eyes. "Rei-chan, don't you think you should be out somewhere?" She asked, voice soft. "I've been feeling your presence, and it bothers me."
Rei shrugged, sitting beside Kaoru on the porch. "My duty." He said simply, not bothering to explain more.
It elicited another audible sigh from Kaoru. "I don't think you should be here. Kenshin might sense you--"
"I have no ki." Rei interrupted. Kaoru's eyebrow shot up. "Well, ordinary ki, that is." He added sheepishly.
"That's right, not ordinary, which means there is a possibility Kenshin will notice you," Kaoru told him. "And besides, Hoshi might know where I am." She said.
"Ah, Hoshi," Rei said, shaking his head. "Yes, she does know, ever since okaa-sama went here."
Kaoru pouted. "Why did you not inform me in the past?"
"It isn't in the topic." Rei answered lamely.
"Fine," She said. "Where is she, by the way?"
"Somewhere in Europe by now," Rei answered. "Having her meal, I suppose."
Kaoru shuddered. "Meal, huh? I don't suppose it contains a few human blood in the list?"
"Somehow, I think you're psychic," Rei teased. "How did you know?"
"A lucky guess," Kaoru replied dryly. "Well, if she dines, why don't you?"
"You know I hate human blood."
Kaoru looked at him, a confused expression on her face. "You do? But I thought I'm the only one in the clan who refuses to drink blood."
"Do you think I like it when I do?" Rei asked. "It sickens me."
"You're forced to, right?"
"Correct, my dear Kaoru," Rei answered. "But I mostly eat ordinary food. My favorite is tofu, I guess. Mapo tofu."
"Spiciness in your life, Rei," She grinned.
"Yeah, I know," He said. "It's the only food I can think of that does not contain blood, purely soybeans. Then, there's also vegetables."
Kaoru smiled. "Then, you could visit sometime, in broad daylight. I'm sure I can welcome you with food." She paused. "Kenshin's cooking, I might add."
Rei laughed. "I guess I will, He said, standing up. "My visit's over. I have to return."
"Something's up?"
He shook his head. "No, just a little this and that." He said, then winked at her. "I'll tell okaa-sama and Honou-san what we have talked about, ne?"
"Privately?"
"Of course."
She looked at him for a moment. "Tell them I said hi," Kaoru told him.
"They'll be delighted." Rei answered, before he left in a fog-like state.
Kaoru sat there for a few minutes, before going in to her bedroom. She had two cousins, Rei and Hoshi, from her mother side. Rei had been supportive of her, protecting her from the claws of their clan, as Yume and Honou did. He had been ruling the clan with Hoshi, as far as Kaoru knew.
Her thoughts then drifted to her female cousin, Hoshi. She had been persistent in getting Kaoru to join in more ways than one, but she had always failed, since her father had been there, and Hoshi's own father refused to let her win. Years had passed and Hoshi hasn't struck yet. Her father was gone, but she had her friends now. It was a matter of time before explainations about her 'other life' could emerge.
As Kaoru slept for the night, another pair of eyes, piercing green, narrowed at her form. Then, it disappeared, like an illusion from the moonlit night.
--====--
Chapter 1: Night Visit
--====--
Kaoru lay on her futon quietly, the chirping of the crickets filling the night. She could not get any sleep, a few reasons behind it. Yahiko's snoring was one, since he was on the other bedroom. She didn't worry about Kenshin too much, but his nightmares were sometimes...violent, and he often cried out in his sleep. But, for now, there was no sound.
The main reason was she could feel something--or someone--watching her. Kaoru had options in getting up and see this person as to what he--or she-- wants. After all, people sleep in the night, and spying on people in the middle of the night was certainly suspicious.
Finally, Kaoru decided to follow her instincts, and got up. She slid the shoji door open, welcomed by the cool night air. She sat on the porch, her gaze resting on a tree. Narrowing her eyes, she could see a shadowed form on the branch.
"Come on out, I know you're there," Kaoru stated, not flicking her gaze away. "And besides, I cannot sleep while you are there. It makes me uncomfortable." A slight rustle, and then, she could her a faint, manly chuckle.
"Aww, come on, Kao-chan." The form said, walking into the moonlit yard. His hair was of darkest black, his eyes a color between green and blue, piercing, but not cold. They radiated warmth directed to her.
Kaoru sighed, recognizing who it was from the eyes. "Rei-chan, don't you think you should be out somewhere?" She asked, voice soft. "I've been feeling your presence, and it bothers me."
Rei shrugged, sitting beside Kaoru on the porch. "My duty." He said simply, not bothering to explain more.
It elicited another audible sigh from Kaoru. "I don't think you should be here. Kenshin might sense you--"
"I have no ki." Rei interrupted. Kaoru's eyebrow shot up. "Well, ordinary ki, that is." He added sheepishly.
"That's right, not ordinary, which means there is a possibility Kenshin will notice you," Kaoru told him. "And besides, Hoshi might know where I am." She said.
"Ah, Hoshi," Rei said, shaking his head. "Yes, she does know, ever since okaa-sama went here."
Kaoru pouted. "Why did you not inform me in the past?"
"It isn't in the topic." Rei answered lamely.
"Fine," She said. "Where is she, by the way?"
"Somewhere in Europe by now," Rei answered. "Having her meal, I suppose."
Kaoru shuddered. "Meal, huh? I don't suppose it contains a few human blood in the list?"
"Somehow, I think you're psychic," Rei teased. "How did you know?"
"A lucky guess," Kaoru replied dryly. "Well, if she dines, why don't you?"
"You know I hate human blood."
Kaoru looked at him, a confused expression on her face. "You do? But I thought I'm the only one in the clan who refuses to drink blood."
"Do you think I like it when I do?" Rei asked. "It sickens me."
"You're forced to, right?"
"Correct, my dear Kaoru," Rei answered. "But I mostly eat ordinary food. My favorite is tofu, I guess. Mapo tofu."
"Spiciness in your life, Rei," She grinned.
"Yeah, I know," He said. "It's the only food I can think of that does not contain blood, purely soybeans. Then, there's also vegetables."
Kaoru smiled. "Then, you could visit sometime, in broad daylight. I'm sure I can welcome you with food." She paused. "Kenshin's cooking, I might add."
Rei laughed. "I guess I will, He said, standing up. "My visit's over. I have to return."
"Something's up?"
He shook his head. "No, just a little this and that." He said, then winked at her. "I'll tell okaa-sama and Honou-san what we have talked about, ne?"
"Privately?"
"Of course."
She looked at him for a moment. "Tell them I said hi," Kaoru told him.
"They'll be delighted." Rei answered, before he left in a fog-like state.
Kaoru sat there for a few minutes, before going in to her bedroom. She had two cousins, Rei and Hoshi, from her mother side. Rei had been supportive of her, protecting her from the claws of their clan, as Yume and Honou did. He had been ruling the clan with Hoshi, as far as Kaoru knew.
Her thoughts then drifted to her female cousin, Hoshi. She had been persistent in getting Kaoru to join in more ways than one, but she had always failed, since her father had been there, and Hoshi's own father refused to let her win. Years had passed and Hoshi hasn't struck yet. Her father was gone, but she had her friends now. It was a matter of time before explainations about her 'other life' could emerge.
As Kaoru slept for the night, another pair of eyes, piercing green, narrowed at her form. Then, it disappeared, like an illusion from the moonlit night.