Title: Goukanzai
Author: KawaiiChica
E-mail: KawaiiChica@hotmail.com
Rating: R - strong language and adult content, but not too detailed. (Some but not a lemon scenario)
Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: This story is not for the faint of heart and has nothing to do with my other R-K story. Some sappiness, but dealing with a very serious topic. I warned you so no flames please.
" " Speaking
[ ] Thoughts
+++ Flashbacks
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile:
Kenshin entered the room where Sano, Saitoh, and Yahiko waited, feeling awful about his behaviour towards Kaoru again.
¨So what´s this about Saitoh?¨ Sano asked impatiently.
The man said nothing, merely lit another cigarette, eyes on Kenshin, ¨You sure she´ll be all right? Its not over.¨
¨So it wasn´t him?¨ Kenshin asked, ignoring the other´s questioning looks.
Saitoh nodded, ¨Hai, and it doesn´t look like they´re giving up anytime soon. I´m still trying to find out who these men are and they´re reasons for wanting to kill you.¨
¨Arigatou¨ Kenshin opened the shoji and frowed as he saw it had started raining.
¨You think she listened to you?¨ Saitoh asked from where he sat.
Kenshin shrugged, ¨Sessha´s not sure, Kaoru-dono is a grown woman, she does not have to listen to anyone.¨
¨Its about time you realize it,¨ Saitoh mumbled under his breath.
¨What is that supposed to mean?¨ Kenshin asked quietly.
Saitoh shrugged, ¨You know, I may call her tanuki, put her down, criticize her, but I do respect Kamiya-san. She´s a woman who´s been on her own for a long time now, and has done one hell of a job taking care of herself. Reminds me of my wife Tokio.¨
¨He´s right about that, Jou-chan is one tough cookie.¨ Sano spoke up, ¨But what´s this about someone wanting to kill you again, and why the heck didn´t I know about it Kenshin?¨
Kenshin sighed and closed the shoji, coming forward to explain what had happened over the past month or so. ¨You see, it all started when I got this letter...¨
: an hour later :
¨... so you think they might try to use Kaoru to get to you?¨ Yahiko mumbled, scratching his head thoughtfully.
¨Yeah, and to get the idea that she matters to you out of their heads, you act like a total jerk to poor, clueless, Jou-chan.¨ Sano finally understood Kenshin´s recent behaviour.
¨If the men think she doesn´t matter to Himura, they´ll be less likely to harm her or try to kidnap her, so far its worked.¨ Saitoh continued.
Kenshin nodded, ¨One of them attacked me yesterday while I walked back from buying tofu. We fought a bit, I knocked him unconcious, and Saitoh took him back to the station.¨
¨I came today to inform Kenshin that the man killed himself overnight, his name is yet to be found.¨ Saitoh chewed on the end of his last cigarette.
He continued, ¨From the level at which the threats came and the way he attacked, its pretty obvious we´re not dealing with amateurs. These men have had years to plan things out and have been pretty tough up until now.¨
¨Aa, I see...¨ Sano looked at Kenshin, who kept glancing behind him at the door. ¨She´s probably with Fox at the clinic helping with the girls or a patient.¨
The sound of the doors slamming against something cut him off and had the four of them on their feet the next instant. Sliding the shoji open, Yahiko looked out and squinted towards the shadowed entrance. Recognizing the color of the person´s hakama he quickly shoved it open and ran out, ¨Kaoru!¨
Reaching the doors, they were astonished at the sight that greeted them. A drenched Kaoru lay there unconscious, her clothes filthy and askew, blood stains on them. The blue hakama had been apparently ripped open. Having fallen face-down, she was filthy with mud, her skin was deathly pale, a nasty bruise starting on her right cheekbone, and worse were the ugly red marks on her neck.
Kenshin froze in shock as he stared down at her [Kaoru...]
¨Kami-sama! Jou-chan!¨ Sano kneeled beside her and checked for a pulse.
¨Kaoru!¨ Yahiko shook her shoulders.
[No please! I thought I got away] Kaoru felt herself being shaken, someone was yelling at her. Her voice sounded terrified and extremely weak as she protested. ¨Onegai... Kenshin... tasukete...¨
Kenshin kneeled beside her, tears mixing with the rain as he tried talking to calm her down, ¨Hai Kaoru, I´m here... shh... ochitsuku Kaoru-dono...¨
Picking her up carefully, Kenshin held her close and headed into the dojo, Sano went with Yahiko for Megumi, while Saitoh helped Kenshin lay Kaoru down in her room.
¨You can´t leave her in those clothes,¨ Saitoh opened a nearby youdansu and pulled out a clean nemaki. Turning to Kenshin, he handed it to him. ¨Here, change her into this.¨
¨Oro?¨ Kenshin stared at the material in Saitoh´s hand.
¨She´ll be worse if you leave her in those Himura.¨ Saitoh dropped the namaki beside Kenshin and walked out.
Closing the shoji, he suddenly stopped, saying quietly, ¨Muzan, ne-?¨
¨Nani?¨ Kenshin asked without turning away from her.
¨You put her through all that to keep her safe, and look what happens to the little kimusume.¨ Without waiting for a reply, he stepped out and left the dojo.
Kenshin kneeled beside her, hesitant to take her clothes off. [Gomen Kaoru-dono, but Saitoh is right.] He carefully began to remove her soaked clothing, making sure not to move her too much once he saw the bandages around her ribs. [Yahiko hit you that hard the other day?]
His tears were still falling silently down his cheeks as he cleaned her up. [Gomen nasai Kaoru... this is all my fault...]
After changing her into the nemaki, he picked up the wet items he´d taken off her and set them outside her room, relieved to see Sano and the others coming down the hallway.
¨Ken-san how is she? What happened?¨ Megumi asked as she entered, gasping as she looked down at the girl on the futon.
¨Goukanzai¨ she whispered sadly, ¨Poor Kaoru.¨
¨Will she be all right?¨ Yahiko asked, coming closer to her.
¨Hai, I just need to check for sure if...¨ Megumi didn´t finish the sentence, just asked them to leave the room. Tears formed in her eyes when Kenshin handed her the cloth he´d used to clean her with, confirming her earlier fear.
She covered up Kaoru and was dismayed to feel a fever settling over her. [Poor Tanuki-chan, what were you doing out in the rain?] Getting to her feet, she asked Kenshin to watch over her while she went to prepare the herbs she´d need.
¨How is she?¨ Kenshin asked.
Megumi nodded sadly, ¨Physically all right, running a bit of a fever. Demo, I´m not sure about emotionally. Tanuki´s a tough girl but something like this could really affect her.¨
¨Doushite?¨ Yahiko asked, glancing into her room.
¨Think about it, Kaoru´s the shihondonai of the Kamiya Kashinn Ryu. Not being able to protect herself when she´s teaching you to protect others is a harsh blow.¨ Sanosuke explained, ¨Not to mention the fear and shame she must have felt when...¨
A whimper interrupted him, focusing their attention on the fevered girl in the room. Kaoru´s flushed expression worried them all, Megumi went out to the kitchen, Sano went to help, Yahiko closed the shoji and moved up beside his sensei, and Kenshin sat opposite him, tears in his eyes as he wiped her forehead with her wet hair ribbon.
Her breathing became rougher, face paling. At the feel of the cloth against her forehead, she whimpered and sighed, tears falling down the sides of her face. Kenshin and Yahiko exchanged worried looks as she seemed to get worse. Megumi came in with a foul smelling bowl with Sano a few steps behind holding another bowl and a small stack of cloths.
They moved silently, Megumi taking Yahiko´s place, tending to Kaoru carefully. Kenshin helped hold her up as they re-bandaged her ribs and wiped down her face and arms with cool cloths. Megumi set another one with the foul-smelling water over her chest and rubbed her legs to bring down the fever.
Sanosuke and Yahiko both stayed back and out of their way, worry evident in their eyes and features. Kenshin felt his heart break at each sound Kaoru made, her wimpers, her sighs, the sound of her shallow breathing were all agonizing.
Half-way through the night, while Yahiko and Sano slept leaning against one another, Megumi dozed lightly beside her, and Kenshin once again wiped down her fevered forehead, Kaoru opened her eyes and looked up at him. ¨Ken...shin...¨
¨Hai Kaoru-dono?¨ Kenshin sighed as he figured the fever was going away.
Kaoru´s breathing worsened as the tears escaped her eyes and she closed them, ¨Onegai... tasukete...¨
¨I´m here Kaoru-dono, you´re safe at home.¨ Kenshin whispered, holding her hand tightly against him.
¨Iie... you... can´t be... ken... shin.¨ Kaoru protested weakly with her eyes still shut, sleep pulling at her.
Kenshin frowned, confused by her statement. ¨Doushite?¨
¨Because Kenshin... doesn´t... care about...¨ her next word was said in a pained sigh before she lost consciouness again, ¨Me.¨
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Nani?] Kaoru moaned against the light in the room, blinking a couple of times.
¨What happened?¨ she whispered, wincing as she tried to sit up.
[I´m home]
Taking in the familiar items in her room, she gave a relieved sigh, wiping her clammy forehead. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she winced as she touched her right cheek. [Iie, it was just a bad dream!] Throwing off her blanket, Kaoru winced as she pulled her legs closer to stand. [It had to be a nightmare! It HAD to be!]
Standing slowly, Kaoru took one step and dropped to the floor from the pain in her legs, ribs, and another certain area. [Iie!] She lay there frozen for a few moments, realization that it hadn´t been a nightmare sinking in.
Suddenly the other´s came into her room. Sano was the first one there, since he had been standing closest. Opening the doors, he almost cringed at the sight of her, although better than before. Her skin had lost some of its paleness, the bruise was now a nasty purple on her cheekbone, her hair was loose, eyes watery but obviously unwilling to cry.
¨Ohayo Jou-chan!¨ he greeted cheerfully. ¨Glad you´re fever´s gone down!¨
¨Sanosuke...¨ Kaoru smiled at his efforts, staying where she was.
¨Kaoru shouldn´t you be in bed?¨ Yahiko asked as he came in.
Kaoru arched an eyebrow, ¨What? No busu? I´m sure I must look worse than usual.¨
Yahiko sighed and shook his head, ¨Nah, you look nice as ever, you know I don´t mean that whole `busu´ thing.¨
¨Right¨ Kaoru sighed, her legs too sore to move. ¨I can´t...¨
¨Don´t worry about it,¨ Sano came over and helped her back into her futon.
Kenshin came in and watched them, guilt tearing through him at the site of her. Looking up at the door, her voice was soft and unsure as she greeted him, ¨O-Ohayo Kenshin.¨
¨Ohayo Kaoru-dono, ogenki desu ka?¨ He asked, coming in and sitting beside her feet.
¨Genki desu,¨ she whispered, suddenly too ashamed to look at any of them, instead focusing on a spot behind Sano.
As they sat in an awkward silence, Tae-san suddenly appeared in the doorway, the bowl of soup dropping to the floor as she saw Kaoru. ¨Kami-sama what happened to you?!¨
¨Kaimu,¨ Kaoru replied in a shaky voice, keeping her gaze averted from the others. [I don´t need to see the disgust in their eyes]
¨But Kaoru something must have happened!¨ Tae looked to the others,
Yahiko and Sano were gaping at her, Kenshin looking on with an unreadable expression on his face.
¨Hontoo, its nothing Tae-san, I had a bad night is all.¨ Kaoru shrugged and tried to sit up, smiling as much as she could. ¨What brings you to the dojo?¨
Tae bowed her head, looking at the food she´d dropped. ¨Megumi-san asked me to bring you some soup. She said she had another emergency but that you needed to eat this.¨
Looking down at the mess, she sighed and promised to come back with another bowl, heading into the kitchen to make some more.
¨Arigatou¨ Kaoru pushed up further, flinching as her ribs started throbbing.
¨Lay back Jou-chan, your body needs to heal.¨ Sano pulled her back carefully, making sure she was comfortable on the pillow.
¨You should sleep Kaoru-dono,¨ Kenshin spoke softly, almost hesitantly.
¨I don´t want to,¨ Kaoru sighed and looked up at Sano. ¨How long ago did Megumi-san leave?¨
¨A few minutes,¨ he answered, looking down at her sadly, ¨She was needed by Dr Genzai.¨
Kaoru frowned, ¨How long was she here? How long has it been?¨
¨Three days,¨ Yahiko spoke up, holding a hand to her forehead. ¨You´ve had a really bad fever and kept crying and saying stuff and...¨
Sanosuke´s glare made him stop as he pulled away, looking down into her clouded eyes. ¨Gomen.¨
That brought Kaoru out of her thoughts, ¨For what Yahiko?¨
He looked down in his lap uncertainly, ¨For babbling and for... what happened.¨
Kaoru took his hand and smiled softly at him, ¨Its ok, I´m used to your babbling and... what happened wasn´t your fault.¨
Yahiko nodded, glacing up at Kenshin coldy, ¨I know.¨
Kaoru shook her head, ¨Iie Yahiko, its not...¨
¨Don´t EVEN say it Kaoru! You´ve been nothing but kind to him and look at what he caused!¨ Yahiko said angrily, ¨Its HIS fault for throwing you out like that. I can´t believe he would do it...¨
Kaoru held his hand tighter, ¨But you didn´t...¨
¨Think anything serious about it since I thought Kenshin would never put you in danger, but he did, look at what happened to you because of him.¨ Yahiko´s anger suddenly died down as he looked down at her.
¨I don´t know why I didn´t say something then, I thought it was kind of funny seeing busu being kicked out of her own dojo by her best friend for a moment, demo...¨ tears slid down his cheeks as his voice wavered, ¨I should have gone with you Kaoru, you´re teaching me to protect the innocent and I can´t even protect...¨
Kaoru shook her head and pulled him down beside her, pulling his head onto her chest above her ribs, her hand stroking through his hair soothingly. ¨You couldn´t have known Yahiko... I´m a big busu girl, I can...¨
¨You´re not ugly,¨ he mumbled through his tears.
¨Ok then, I´m a big girl who should have been able to defend herself.¨ Kaoru said, crying now too. ¨Gomen nasai for putting you through this guilt Yahiko... gomen nasai...¨
¨Stop it!¨ Sanosuke yelled, ¨I can´t believe you´re apologizing to us Kaoru! Its not your fault! None of it is!¨
Kenshin finally spoke up, ¨Iie... its mine.¨
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Japanese Vocab.
Tanuki - Racoon
Ochitsuku - Calm down
Youdansu - chest with drawers, like a dresser
Nemaki - Nightgown, PJ´s. sleepware
Muzan - Pity, Sad, - like saying ´what a shame´
Kimusume - Innocent
Goukanzai - Rape
Shihondonai - Head teacher, Master (I think)
Ogenki desu ka? - How are you?
Genki desu - Fine thanks, ok, good
Kaimu - Nothing
Hontoo - Really
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gomen nasai its so short, I promise the next chapter will be longer and won´t take quite so long. Arigatou to my reviewers!
~ K.C. ~
Author: KawaiiChica
E-mail: KawaiiChica@hotmail.com
Rating: R - strong language and adult content, but not too detailed. (Some but not a lemon scenario)
Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: This story is not for the faint of heart and has nothing to do with my other R-K story. Some sappiness, but dealing with a very serious topic. I warned you so no flames please.
" " Speaking
[ ] Thoughts
+++ Flashbacks
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile:
Kenshin entered the room where Sano, Saitoh, and Yahiko waited, feeling awful about his behaviour towards Kaoru again.
¨So what´s this about Saitoh?¨ Sano asked impatiently.
The man said nothing, merely lit another cigarette, eyes on Kenshin, ¨You sure she´ll be all right? Its not over.¨
¨So it wasn´t him?¨ Kenshin asked, ignoring the other´s questioning looks.
Saitoh nodded, ¨Hai, and it doesn´t look like they´re giving up anytime soon. I´m still trying to find out who these men are and they´re reasons for wanting to kill you.¨
¨Arigatou¨ Kenshin opened the shoji and frowed as he saw it had started raining.
¨You think she listened to you?¨ Saitoh asked from where he sat.
Kenshin shrugged, ¨Sessha´s not sure, Kaoru-dono is a grown woman, she does not have to listen to anyone.¨
¨Its about time you realize it,¨ Saitoh mumbled under his breath.
¨What is that supposed to mean?¨ Kenshin asked quietly.
Saitoh shrugged, ¨You know, I may call her tanuki, put her down, criticize her, but I do respect Kamiya-san. She´s a woman who´s been on her own for a long time now, and has done one hell of a job taking care of herself. Reminds me of my wife Tokio.¨
¨He´s right about that, Jou-chan is one tough cookie.¨ Sano spoke up, ¨But what´s this about someone wanting to kill you again, and why the heck didn´t I know about it Kenshin?¨
Kenshin sighed and closed the shoji, coming forward to explain what had happened over the past month or so. ¨You see, it all started when I got this letter...¨
: an hour later :
¨... so you think they might try to use Kaoru to get to you?¨ Yahiko mumbled, scratching his head thoughtfully.
¨Yeah, and to get the idea that she matters to you out of their heads, you act like a total jerk to poor, clueless, Jou-chan.¨ Sano finally understood Kenshin´s recent behaviour.
¨If the men think she doesn´t matter to Himura, they´ll be less likely to harm her or try to kidnap her, so far its worked.¨ Saitoh continued.
Kenshin nodded, ¨One of them attacked me yesterday while I walked back from buying tofu. We fought a bit, I knocked him unconcious, and Saitoh took him back to the station.¨
¨I came today to inform Kenshin that the man killed himself overnight, his name is yet to be found.¨ Saitoh chewed on the end of his last cigarette.
He continued, ¨From the level at which the threats came and the way he attacked, its pretty obvious we´re not dealing with amateurs. These men have had years to plan things out and have been pretty tough up until now.¨
¨Aa, I see...¨ Sano looked at Kenshin, who kept glancing behind him at the door. ¨She´s probably with Fox at the clinic helping with the girls or a patient.¨
The sound of the doors slamming against something cut him off and had the four of them on their feet the next instant. Sliding the shoji open, Yahiko looked out and squinted towards the shadowed entrance. Recognizing the color of the person´s hakama he quickly shoved it open and ran out, ¨Kaoru!¨
Reaching the doors, they were astonished at the sight that greeted them. A drenched Kaoru lay there unconscious, her clothes filthy and askew, blood stains on them. The blue hakama had been apparently ripped open. Having fallen face-down, she was filthy with mud, her skin was deathly pale, a nasty bruise starting on her right cheekbone, and worse were the ugly red marks on her neck.
Kenshin froze in shock as he stared down at her [Kaoru...]
¨Kami-sama! Jou-chan!¨ Sano kneeled beside her and checked for a pulse.
¨Kaoru!¨ Yahiko shook her shoulders.
[No please! I thought I got away] Kaoru felt herself being shaken, someone was yelling at her. Her voice sounded terrified and extremely weak as she protested. ¨Onegai... Kenshin... tasukete...¨
Kenshin kneeled beside her, tears mixing with the rain as he tried talking to calm her down, ¨Hai Kaoru, I´m here... shh... ochitsuku Kaoru-dono...¨
Picking her up carefully, Kenshin held her close and headed into the dojo, Sano went with Yahiko for Megumi, while Saitoh helped Kenshin lay Kaoru down in her room.
¨You can´t leave her in those clothes,¨ Saitoh opened a nearby youdansu and pulled out a clean nemaki. Turning to Kenshin, he handed it to him. ¨Here, change her into this.¨
¨Oro?¨ Kenshin stared at the material in Saitoh´s hand.
¨She´ll be worse if you leave her in those Himura.¨ Saitoh dropped the namaki beside Kenshin and walked out.
Closing the shoji, he suddenly stopped, saying quietly, ¨Muzan, ne-?¨
¨Nani?¨ Kenshin asked without turning away from her.
¨You put her through all that to keep her safe, and look what happens to the little kimusume.¨ Without waiting for a reply, he stepped out and left the dojo.
Kenshin kneeled beside her, hesitant to take her clothes off. [Gomen Kaoru-dono, but Saitoh is right.] He carefully began to remove her soaked clothing, making sure not to move her too much once he saw the bandages around her ribs. [Yahiko hit you that hard the other day?]
His tears were still falling silently down his cheeks as he cleaned her up. [Gomen nasai Kaoru... this is all my fault...]
After changing her into the nemaki, he picked up the wet items he´d taken off her and set them outside her room, relieved to see Sano and the others coming down the hallway.
¨Ken-san how is she? What happened?¨ Megumi asked as she entered, gasping as she looked down at the girl on the futon.
¨Goukanzai¨ she whispered sadly, ¨Poor Kaoru.¨
¨Will she be all right?¨ Yahiko asked, coming closer to her.
¨Hai, I just need to check for sure if...¨ Megumi didn´t finish the sentence, just asked them to leave the room. Tears formed in her eyes when Kenshin handed her the cloth he´d used to clean her with, confirming her earlier fear.
She covered up Kaoru and was dismayed to feel a fever settling over her. [Poor Tanuki-chan, what were you doing out in the rain?] Getting to her feet, she asked Kenshin to watch over her while she went to prepare the herbs she´d need.
¨How is she?¨ Kenshin asked.
Megumi nodded sadly, ¨Physically all right, running a bit of a fever. Demo, I´m not sure about emotionally. Tanuki´s a tough girl but something like this could really affect her.¨
¨Doushite?¨ Yahiko asked, glancing into her room.
¨Think about it, Kaoru´s the shihondonai of the Kamiya Kashinn Ryu. Not being able to protect herself when she´s teaching you to protect others is a harsh blow.¨ Sanosuke explained, ¨Not to mention the fear and shame she must have felt when...¨
A whimper interrupted him, focusing their attention on the fevered girl in the room. Kaoru´s flushed expression worried them all, Megumi went out to the kitchen, Sano went to help, Yahiko closed the shoji and moved up beside his sensei, and Kenshin sat opposite him, tears in his eyes as he wiped her forehead with her wet hair ribbon.
Her breathing became rougher, face paling. At the feel of the cloth against her forehead, she whimpered and sighed, tears falling down the sides of her face. Kenshin and Yahiko exchanged worried looks as she seemed to get worse. Megumi came in with a foul smelling bowl with Sano a few steps behind holding another bowl and a small stack of cloths.
They moved silently, Megumi taking Yahiko´s place, tending to Kaoru carefully. Kenshin helped hold her up as they re-bandaged her ribs and wiped down her face and arms with cool cloths. Megumi set another one with the foul-smelling water over her chest and rubbed her legs to bring down the fever.
Sanosuke and Yahiko both stayed back and out of their way, worry evident in their eyes and features. Kenshin felt his heart break at each sound Kaoru made, her wimpers, her sighs, the sound of her shallow breathing were all agonizing.
Half-way through the night, while Yahiko and Sano slept leaning against one another, Megumi dozed lightly beside her, and Kenshin once again wiped down her fevered forehead, Kaoru opened her eyes and looked up at him. ¨Ken...shin...¨
¨Hai Kaoru-dono?¨ Kenshin sighed as he figured the fever was going away.
Kaoru´s breathing worsened as the tears escaped her eyes and she closed them, ¨Onegai... tasukete...¨
¨I´m here Kaoru-dono, you´re safe at home.¨ Kenshin whispered, holding her hand tightly against him.
¨Iie... you... can´t be... ken... shin.¨ Kaoru protested weakly with her eyes still shut, sleep pulling at her.
Kenshin frowned, confused by her statement. ¨Doushite?¨
¨Because Kenshin... doesn´t... care about...¨ her next word was said in a pained sigh before she lost consciouness again, ¨Me.¨
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Nani?] Kaoru moaned against the light in the room, blinking a couple of times.
¨What happened?¨ she whispered, wincing as she tried to sit up.
[I´m home]
Taking in the familiar items in her room, she gave a relieved sigh, wiping her clammy forehead. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she winced as she touched her right cheek. [Iie, it was just a bad dream!] Throwing off her blanket, Kaoru winced as she pulled her legs closer to stand. [It had to be a nightmare! It HAD to be!]
Standing slowly, Kaoru took one step and dropped to the floor from the pain in her legs, ribs, and another certain area. [Iie!] She lay there frozen for a few moments, realization that it hadn´t been a nightmare sinking in.
Suddenly the other´s came into her room. Sano was the first one there, since he had been standing closest. Opening the doors, he almost cringed at the sight of her, although better than before. Her skin had lost some of its paleness, the bruise was now a nasty purple on her cheekbone, her hair was loose, eyes watery but obviously unwilling to cry.
¨Ohayo Jou-chan!¨ he greeted cheerfully. ¨Glad you´re fever´s gone down!¨
¨Sanosuke...¨ Kaoru smiled at his efforts, staying where she was.
¨Kaoru shouldn´t you be in bed?¨ Yahiko asked as he came in.
Kaoru arched an eyebrow, ¨What? No busu? I´m sure I must look worse than usual.¨
Yahiko sighed and shook his head, ¨Nah, you look nice as ever, you know I don´t mean that whole `busu´ thing.¨
¨Right¨ Kaoru sighed, her legs too sore to move. ¨I can´t...¨
¨Don´t worry about it,¨ Sano came over and helped her back into her futon.
Kenshin came in and watched them, guilt tearing through him at the site of her. Looking up at the door, her voice was soft and unsure as she greeted him, ¨O-Ohayo Kenshin.¨
¨Ohayo Kaoru-dono, ogenki desu ka?¨ He asked, coming in and sitting beside her feet.
¨Genki desu,¨ she whispered, suddenly too ashamed to look at any of them, instead focusing on a spot behind Sano.
As they sat in an awkward silence, Tae-san suddenly appeared in the doorway, the bowl of soup dropping to the floor as she saw Kaoru. ¨Kami-sama what happened to you?!¨
¨Kaimu,¨ Kaoru replied in a shaky voice, keeping her gaze averted from the others. [I don´t need to see the disgust in their eyes]
¨But Kaoru something must have happened!¨ Tae looked to the others,
Yahiko and Sano were gaping at her, Kenshin looking on with an unreadable expression on his face.
¨Hontoo, its nothing Tae-san, I had a bad night is all.¨ Kaoru shrugged and tried to sit up, smiling as much as she could. ¨What brings you to the dojo?¨
Tae bowed her head, looking at the food she´d dropped. ¨Megumi-san asked me to bring you some soup. She said she had another emergency but that you needed to eat this.¨
Looking down at the mess, she sighed and promised to come back with another bowl, heading into the kitchen to make some more.
¨Arigatou¨ Kaoru pushed up further, flinching as her ribs started throbbing.
¨Lay back Jou-chan, your body needs to heal.¨ Sano pulled her back carefully, making sure she was comfortable on the pillow.
¨You should sleep Kaoru-dono,¨ Kenshin spoke softly, almost hesitantly.
¨I don´t want to,¨ Kaoru sighed and looked up at Sano. ¨How long ago did Megumi-san leave?¨
¨A few minutes,¨ he answered, looking down at her sadly, ¨She was needed by Dr Genzai.¨
Kaoru frowned, ¨How long was she here? How long has it been?¨
¨Three days,¨ Yahiko spoke up, holding a hand to her forehead. ¨You´ve had a really bad fever and kept crying and saying stuff and...¨
Sanosuke´s glare made him stop as he pulled away, looking down into her clouded eyes. ¨Gomen.¨
That brought Kaoru out of her thoughts, ¨For what Yahiko?¨
He looked down in his lap uncertainly, ¨For babbling and for... what happened.¨
Kaoru took his hand and smiled softly at him, ¨Its ok, I´m used to your babbling and... what happened wasn´t your fault.¨
Yahiko nodded, glacing up at Kenshin coldy, ¨I know.¨
Kaoru shook her head, ¨Iie Yahiko, its not...¨
¨Don´t EVEN say it Kaoru! You´ve been nothing but kind to him and look at what he caused!¨ Yahiko said angrily, ¨Its HIS fault for throwing you out like that. I can´t believe he would do it...¨
Kaoru held his hand tighter, ¨But you didn´t...¨
¨Think anything serious about it since I thought Kenshin would never put you in danger, but he did, look at what happened to you because of him.¨ Yahiko´s anger suddenly died down as he looked down at her.
¨I don´t know why I didn´t say something then, I thought it was kind of funny seeing busu being kicked out of her own dojo by her best friend for a moment, demo...¨ tears slid down his cheeks as his voice wavered, ¨I should have gone with you Kaoru, you´re teaching me to protect the innocent and I can´t even protect...¨
Kaoru shook her head and pulled him down beside her, pulling his head onto her chest above her ribs, her hand stroking through his hair soothingly. ¨You couldn´t have known Yahiko... I´m a big busu girl, I can...¨
¨You´re not ugly,¨ he mumbled through his tears.
¨Ok then, I´m a big girl who should have been able to defend herself.¨ Kaoru said, crying now too. ¨Gomen nasai for putting you through this guilt Yahiko... gomen nasai...¨
¨Stop it!¨ Sanosuke yelled, ¨I can´t believe you´re apologizing to us Kaoru! Its not your fault! None of it is!¨
Kenshin finally spoke up, ¨Iie... its mine.¨
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Japanese Vocab.
Tanuki - Racoon
Ochitsuku - Calm down
Youdansu - chest with drawers, like a dresser
Nemaki - Nightgown, PJ´s. sleepware
Muzan - Pity, Sad, - like saying ´what a shame´
Kimusume - Innocent
Goukanzai - Rape
Shihondonai - Head teacher, Master (I think)
Ogenki desu ka? - How are you?
Genki desu - Fine thanks, ok, good
Kaimu - Nothing
Hontoo - Really
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Gomen nasai its so short, I promise the next chapter will be longer and won´t take quite so long. Arigatou to my reviewers!
~ K.C. ~