AN: Long time no see right? I bet you all thought I died or something. Well I didn't... just discovered DeviantArt.com, the FanFiction.net for art. ^___^


7 Colors of Love

Yellow

"YAHIKO!" I screamed smacking the spike haired youth on the top of his head with my fist. It was particularly satisfying watching a large bump began to grow through the mounds of dark hair. My blue eyes were blazing, teeth grinding down as a growl escaped my lips. "Look what you did!" I waved my hand across the dark stain on my kimono from the tea he threw at me.

Yahiko stuck his tongue out at me, his cinnamon eyes flashing angrily. "Not like it's that big of a deal busu! It's so old and ugly anyway! Besides it makes you look fat!" He laughed loudly and taking a few precautionary steps back.

How I suddenly wished there was a shinai in my hands so I could whack him some more. Instead I let out a gurgled screech lunging at him with my hands outstretched ready to strangle and beat some sense into the impudent little punk. Lucky for the short brat Kenshin was there waving his arms frantically before me, he held onto my arms and in my blind fury I just switched my attack from Yahiko to Kenshin.

I began to slam my fists onto whatever flesh I could find. I was so angry… angry and hurt. This was my favorite kimono. The last gift my father gave me before… before…

"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked softly, his voice carrying tones of concern. It wasn't until her spoke to me that I realized that it was hard to breath, that there was a tightness in my chest… that I was crying.

"Kaoru-dono?" He asked again as I calmed down and hung my head in shame. I was worrying him again… sending my frustrations on him again. I'm so pathetic. He's got enough to worry about—enough sadness for the both of us really. He doesn't need to see me like this—doesn't need another sadness to enter into his life.

I said nothing and just shook holding back the sobs that eventually escaped past my lips. I could feel his dark violet eyes boring into my skull wondering why I was such a mess, probably also asking why I was so pathetic, crying over a stain. But he never said anything and just drew me in for a hug and patted my head softly. I cried harder then. It was something my father used to do.

"Yellow is my favorite color," I told my father once. "It's like sunshine! It makes me happy!" It was such a naïve and childish thing to say but it was true. There was something about the glowing orb that would swallow me up with an undefeatable happiness. The sun didn't just affect me. It affected the other children, adults in the market place, flowers, trees, everything living was touched by the sun and given a small amount of happiness and energy to carry out the rest of the day.

"And you're my sunshine, because you make me happy." He responded caressing the top of my dark head with calloused fingers. I never forgot how happy that made me.

When my father's assistance was requested for the war I begged with him not to go. The day before he left he presented to me a package wrapped in brown colored paper and string. Inside was a yellow kimono with bright butterflies fluttering about the material.

"So that you remember that you are my sunshine, Karou." He said. "Shine brightly so that I can come back to you. But most of all so that you can be wrapped in sunshine and be happy." I cried so hard hugging the kimono to my chest. He had remembered what I had said so long ago.

The next day, when he left, I wore the kimono in hopes that the sadness that would consume my heart may be lit by the brightness of the cloth. It still hurt, but the kimono was soft and reminded me of his words. Everyday I wore that kimono in hopes that he would return quicker. The sadness I felt would disappear a little as I went about my days. Then one day I tripped and dirtied my kimono so I had changed… then I received the letter of my father's death with only two words carried over by a soldier: "My sunshine."

I had felt as if I had not shone brightly enough and my father had lost his way home. I made yellow a bigger part in my life after that, trading in my white gi for a yellow colored one. I would be my father's sunshine in everything I did. I would shine brightly everyday, making sure I was happy and that others were too. I would be my father's sunshine.

Then Kenshin came and I found I wanted to be his sunshine, to live my life shining brightly on him and making him happy.

I stopped crying but Kenshin had not stopped his rhythmic petting nor had he loosened his hold around my shoulders. I pulled away slowly not knowing what to say, how to explain. I shivered missing the warmth his body had momentarily provided. I didn't want to. I wasn't ready to say it. We were silent for a very long time.

"Why don't you change Kaoru-dono, I'll wash your kimono right away." Kenshin never asked me why I had cried instead he began to clean up the split tea and cups that had fallen all over the tatami floor.

I watched him briefly as he crouched over the straw mats and lifted the clay cups carefully. He paused momentarily and looked at me with his fathomless eyes. A lump grew in my throat as I struggled to find words and he just smiled.

It was then that a part of me realized that I had stopped being his sunshine and he had become mine. Kenshin my sunshine, my happiness.

"Thank you, Kenshin."


AN: Well, I know a lot of people reading this thought I was going to match yellow with Battousai's eyes. Though that is really a good idea I feel it's been over done and very unoriginal. When I was thinking of something other than that yellow eyes, I saw Kaoru's kimono, the one she always wears, and thought of this. Hopefully this was a bit more emotionally fulfilling. And don't worry Battousai will be bought on later. ^___^