A/N: Sorry, this chapter's a bit short... well, really short... forgive me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
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~02~
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Yahiko Myojin stood outside of the dojo, swinging his practice sword. Kaoru stood near him, watching his every move carefully, like a cat watching her prey. Sano and Megumi sat on the deck, watching, as if they were waiting for Kaoru to pounce. Sano's expression was concentrated, Megumi's worried. Yahiko swung with a determined air. He made an invisible mistake, however; Kaoru glared.
"That was horrible."
Yahiko stopped and looked up at Kaoru.
"What? Aww, lighten up, that was perfect."
"That wasn't perfect. That was horrible."
"Aww, come on, Kaoru. Just 'cause you miss Kenshin doesn't mean you have to take it out on me."
Kaoru glared harder, if possible.
"That's it."
Kaoru raised her own wooden sword and lunged at Yahiko. Sano tensed up; Megumi's hand flew to cover her gaping mouth.
Yahiko raised his sword to block Kaoru's attack just in time. They stared each other down for what seemed like forever. Then they pushed off of each other's swords and jumped away from each other. Again, there was a long silence. Everyone else seemed to disappear to the two. It was like they had crossed to their own little world; like no one else existed.
No one knows who moved first. It happened too quickly. They were together again, swords pushing against each other. Yahiko spoke first.
"Why are you getting so upset?"
They vanished then appeared again a few feet back. Kaoru spoke through gritted teeth.
"How would you feel if you were all alone!?"
The two pushed their swords and jumped away from each other again. Another stare-down. Then Kaoru lowered her sword and walked away. Sano and Megumi were frozen to the spot. Yahiko was as well. He had a stunned, pale face as he watched Kaoru disappear into the dojo. Were those tears he had seen running down his sensei's cheeks...?
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Misao walked into the guest bedroom and plopped down beside Kenshin. She looked over at him; his eyes were icy stone.
"Don't worry, Kenshin. You're free to stay here as long as you like."
"Thank you, Misao."
Kenshin's eyes shifted to Misao from whatever he had been staring at, and he smiled. Misao gave a weak smile, a half-hearted smile, but she was worried. So she changed the subject.
"Aoshi-sama is getting better. He'll be back to good health soon."
"That's good to hear. I'm sorry I had to hurt him, that I am."
Misao shook her head.
"He doesn't blame you at all, Kenshin. He... he's grateful. Though he'd rather die than admit it."
"He is really proud, isn't he?"
Kenshin gave a grin and Misao couldn't help but laugh. After a few seconds, however, the fake cheerfulness wore off, and the two were staring at the opposite wall. Finally, Misao spoke.
"Are you scared...?"
Kenshin looked over at her, question in his blue eyes.
"I mean, does it ever scare you, to think about how many people you would kill... if you ever went back to the way you were?"
Kenshin's gaze hardened, like when he was really serious, narrowing. He looked back at the wall. It was a minute before he responded.
"Why do you think... that I left Miss Kaoru, Misao?"
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Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
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~02~
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Yahiko Myojin stood outside of the dojo, swinging his practice sword. Kaoru stood near him, watching his every move carefully, like a cat watching her prey. Sano and Megumi sat on the deck, watching, as if they were waiting for Kaoru to pounce. Sano's expression was concentrated, Megumi's worried. Yahiko swung with a determined air. He made an invisible mistake, however; Kaoru glared.
"That was horrible."
Yahiko stopped and looked up at Kaoru.
"What? Aww, lighten up, that was perfect."
"That wasn't perfect. That was horrible."
"Aww, come on, Kaoru. Just 'cause you miss Kenshin doesn't mean you have to take it out on me."
Kaoru glared harder, if possible.
"That's it."
Kaoru raised her own wooden sword and lunged at Yahiko. Sano tensed up; Megumi's hand flew to cover her gaping mouth.
Yahiko raised his sword to block Kaoru's attack just in time. They stared each other down for what seemed like forever. Then they pushed off of each other's swords and jumped away from each other. Again, there was a long silence. Everyone else seemed to disappear to the two. It was like they had crossed to their own little world; like no one else existed.
No one knows who moved first. It happened too quickly. They were together again, swords pushing against each other. Yahiko spoke first.
"Why are you getting so upset?"
They vanished then appeared again a few feet back. Kaoru spoke through gritted teeth.
"How would you feel if you were all alone!?"
The two pushed their swords and jumped away from each other again. Another stare-down. Then Kaoru lowered her sword and walked away. Sano and Megumi were frozen to the spot. Yahiko was as well. He had a stunned, pale face as he watched Kaoru disappear into the dojo. Were those tears he had seen running down his sensei's cheeks...?
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Misao walked into the guest bedroom and plopped down beside Kenshin. She looked over at him; his eyes were icy stone.
"Don't worry, Kenshin. You're free to stay here as long as you like."
"Thank you, Misao."
Kenshin's eyes shifted to Misao from whatever he had been staring at, and he smiled. Misao gave a weak smile, a half-hearted smile, but she was worried. So she changed the subject.
"Aoshi-sama is getting better. He'll be back to good health soon."
"That's good to hear. I'm sorry I had to hurt him, that I am."
Misao shook her head.
"He doesn't blame you at all, Kenshin. He... he's grateful. Though he'd rather die than admit it."
"He is really proud, isn't he?"
Kenshin gave a grin and Misao couldn't help but laugh. After a few seconds, however, the fake cheerfulness wore off, and the two were staring at the opposite wall. Finally, Misao spoke.
"Are you scared...?"
Kenshin looked over at her, question in his blue eyes.
"I mean, does it ever scare you, to think about how many people you would kill... if you ever went back to the way you were?"
Kenshin's gaze hardened, like when he was really serious, narrowing. He looked back at the wall. It was a minute before he responded.
"Why do you think... that I left Miss Kaoru, Misao?"
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