Disclaimer: In your dreams and mine, will I own Rurouni Kenshin... well,
maybe just my dreams.
Author's Notes: Yay! I feel like a billion bucks! Okay, maybe not that much, I still cough/hack/have to take one form of medicine/can't play sports, but I feel much much better! Not to mention, you're probably all getting very impatient with me by now... * hears calls in the background that sound like, "SG'S UPDATING SUCKS!" * Well, I can't really think of anything to say... so, just read chapter.
Dedication: * looks at reviews, mostly at number of them * Wha-ho... to everyone who has reviewed this story or any of my other ones, or anyone who reviews in the future! You guys make me write!
The Message to Her Heart - Chapter Three - Is It Love or Stupidity that's
in the Air?
// Reprise from last chapter //
Kenshin sincerely tried to apologize, he really did. It only resulted in him pecking her on the cheek again. They both turned strawberry and continued doing dishes. They reached for the next plate and brushed hands, which set off enough fireworks, but something else would soon light the entire blockbuster.
// Begin new chapter //
Slowly, the dish stack started to fall. By now, it was fortunately very small from a few hours of work soaked in soap suds, but the shift was almost over. There were only five dishes left, but each one of them held the key to both Kenshin and Kaoru's job. Kenshin and Kaoru looked at each other panicked, and they both dove for the dishes. They both caught two each, one in each hand, and the last one landing neatly on Kenshin's head. Both of them were in a literal tangle of arms and legs, but they both stayed still and sighed, relieved. Kaoru felt a wisp of Kenshin's red hair float over to her nose carried by his gentle exhale of breath, and couldn't refrain a sneeze right in Kenshin's face. He oro'ed, and the plate fell off his skull and shattered on the tile floor. Shishio strolled right in, and placed two slips of bright pink paper on the floor next to the unlucky workers. He walked out of the room, leaving Kenshin and Kaoru to fend for themselves, and yelled something over his shoulder.
"Keep the shirts as a parting gift, burn them if you wish, I really don't give a crap. Oh, and don't let the door hit your asses on the way out!"
Kaoru growled, and only then realized how close she and Kenshin were to each other. She squeaked, and quickly pulled away from him, and picked up the piece of paper with "Kaoru Kamiya" written at the top. (Okay, I don't actually know what a paper like that looks like, I've never had a job. I've never needed one.) Only then she realized that after hearing about Kenshin's past, he NEEDED that job to keep him alive.
"Kenshin, gomen nasai, I didn't mean for this to happen... this is all my fault. My hand slipped on that dish, bumped yours, and caused the pile to go over and..."
"It is alright, Kaoru-dono. It is nobody's fault, that it isn't."
"But, it's NOT alright, Kenshin no baka! You LOST YOUR JOB! You NEEDED that job!"
"Hai, but, I only got it a week ago, and I managed until then, that I did."
Kaoru was beginning to get fed up with Kenshin's kindness. Actually, he was lucky she hadn't already clocked him upside the head. Of course, she did just that.
"KENSHIN NO BAKA! You really ARE stupid! HELL~O? WHERE do you plan to find WORK?"
"Orororororo......Kaoru-dono, I'll manage, that I will. I'll work another bike shift, don't worry about me. What about you?"
"I just needed something to DO during the day... I already have enough money from my departed parents, I could never work a day in my life and I'd be fine! Of course, I can't just sit on my ass all day, but, I'LL be fine!"
Kenshin eased away from Kaoru's death glare, and tried some way to calm her down. That spitfire attitude was something he loved about her, but there was a time when it could really scare him. Actually, Kaoru scared him even more than the gang members he had met many a time before sometimes, and he hadn't really even spent much time with her. He had heard this whole fairy tale before somewhere, but he couldn't place a finger on it.
Kenshin pulled on his jacket, and saw Kaoru put the sweater that was around her waist back on over the shirt. They both left the restaurant, and Kaoru started following Kenshin.
"Don't you have someplace better to go then with me?" he asked, trying not to be rude.
"Kenshin no baka, it's called HELPING people. I want to HELP you with your JOBS."
"Can you ride a bike?"
"Oh... I guess I should go home then..."
Kenshin cut her off again.
"You can come with me, that you can. Just... you're going to have to ride on the back." he said, unlocking his bike from the rack, and pointing to the two pegs attached to the back wheels. Kaoru felt the blood drain from her face. Her brother had wound up with a broken leg in the hospital when he rode on pegs with his friends. Then again, his friends were young morons who were dodging cars and swerving in and out of people against his will.
'Poor Yahiko... should I do it? Well, I can fend for myself, so... I'll try.'
"I'll go."
"Alright, we just have to stop at my apartment first, okay? I have to get changed and eat something, but you're welcome to join me, Kaoru-dono."
"That's fine, arigato."
Kenshin got on the bike, and braced it with his feet as Kaoru cautiously got on behind him. She gripped on his shoulders nervously and tightly, and felt the world move around her. It was scary, eerily calming, but she couldn't help but enjoy where she stood.
"Hey, watch where you're going, asshole!"
"Shut up!"
Kaoru sighed at the usual road rage. It was like this almost every day in the city. Preachers stood on corners and were yelled at by many of the citizens, stores opened and shut busily, beggars stood with their hats in front of them, slowly collecting quarters, and artists painted their caricatures on the grasses of Central Park. Anybody who had lived in New York for a long time would have treated this normally.
"We're here."
Kaoru looked at the apartment. Now, she didn't mind this, but, the wood on the doorframe was rotting, the bricks were cracked, a few shingles were missing on the roof, and there was more greenery growing on the walls than there was in the whole city.
Kenshin unlocked the door, and Kaoru stepped in. For such a cruddy looking house, it was very neat and orderly, except the fact that the paint was starting to peel in some sections of the walls and the couch had a few rips in it. The coffee table looked like it would break if you even attempted to put a cup on it, and the rug was a little bit ratty.
"Kenshin, could you point me to the bathroom?"
Kenshin froze. The whole incident that morning with the blood and the pillow... HE HAD LEFT THE BLOODY PILLOWCASE OVER THE SIDE OF THE BATHTUB! He started shaking, and Kaoru noticed this.
"Oh, you have to go too?"
Kenshin thanked his good luck, and quickly nodded.
"........well, what are you waiting for?" she asked. Kenshin quickly ran to the restroom, and thought of what he could do with the pillowcase. He had to hide it somewhere, but where? He quickly shoved it in the medicine cabinet, hoping that Kaoru would buy the whole thing, and flushed the toilet. He left, and hoped for the best. It wasn't like Kaoru was going to invade his medicine cabinet though, was it? Well, something along those lines DID happen, but, it was more like the medicine cabinet invaded her. The tiny magnet on it couldn't hold the force of the pillowcase pushing on the front, and it opened right on Kaoru as she opened the door to leave the bathroom.
"Eep!"
Kenshin quickly ran out of the kitchen, and saw the open door of the bathroom. On the floor, he saw Kaoru tangled in a blood soaked pillow case, flailing around in a sitting position on the floor. She tried to get it off her, and as she did, kicked Kenshin in the back of the foot, causing him to trip and fall on top of her. There was more screaming from Kaoru, and much oroing from Kenshin. They both calmed down after a few seconds, and realized that somehow, they had gotten so close to each other that their noses were touching.
"Kenshin?"
"Hai, Kaoru-dono?"
"Why was their blood on that pillowcase? And why was it so crammed into your medicine cabinet that it sprung out and attacked me?"
"Oh... the blood came from.... when an old cut on my shoulder re-opened."
Fib one was a success. Now for fib two...
"And it was crammed in there because my shisho was going to come over today, and he always looks at my stuff except for what's in my medicine cabinet. And since I didn't have the time to wash it before he was supposed to come, I figured I'd put it there so he didn't make any remarks and say something like I was lying about the cut on my shoulder and that I really had a dream and-and-and..."
Kaoru started giggling.
"Kenshin, calm down. You don't have to defend yourself, I believe you."
Kenshin oro'ed and Kaoru laughed at him. She stood up and helped him up after her. They both stood there, until Kenshin's digital watch ruined the moment as usual.
"Oh no......."
"Don't worry, that was only signifying that my original first shift was over. So, we still have time."
Kaoru nodded, and let out a sigh of relief. If she caused Kenshin to be late for work AGAIN she would pretty much want to kill herself. He quickly ran into the kitchen and took the hot dogs on the stove out with a fork.
"Sorry if these don't taste that good, I'm really not a good cook."
Kaoru took a cautious bite after hearing this.
"You're..........better than me."
Kenshin let go of a playful smile, and Kaoru smacked his arm.
"How dare you say this doesn't taste good! After putting up with my own cooking for three years, this is heaven to me!"
Kenshin laughed a little, and sat down opposite to Kaoru at the small table. They continued the very quick meal in silence, and Kenshin walked to his room when they were done. Kaoru walked into the small area where a couch and an old black and white TV sat. On top of a shelf, she saw a picture of a blue-green eyed girl with long black hair in a braid. Kaoru knew that face from somewhere...
"That's my cousin, Makimachi Misao."
"She looks sweet."
"She is, really energetic too. Sixteen years old, is in love with one of my customers, and.........."
Kenshin looked at his calendar.
"She's supposed to visit Saturday the 29th."
"...................Kenshin?"
"Hai, Kaoru-dono?"
"That means she's visiting today."
"Oroooooooooo....."
OWARI (for now)
Alright, I slapped you all up with another chapter hot off the press, here are your translations, and reviews would make me happy, and thank you to anyone who told me to get better, now I am.
gomen nasai: I'm sorry
-dono: basic translation is "Miss"
Kenshin no baka: Kenshin you idiot
hai: yes
oro: how Kenshin says he is surprised, basically means "huh" or "what"
arigato: thank you
shisho: master
owari: end
Author's Notes: Yay! I feel like a billion bucks! Okay, maybe not that much, I still cough/hack/have to take one form of medicine/can't play sports, but I feel much much better! Not to mention, you're probably all getting very impatient with me by now... * hears calls in the background that sound like, "SG'S UPDATING SUCKS!" * Well, I can't really think of anything to say... so, just read chapter.
Dedication: * looks at reviews, mostly at number of them * Wha-ho... to everyone who has reviewed this story or any of my other ones, or anyone who reviews in the future! You guys make me write!
The Message to Her Heart - Chapter Three - Is It Love or Stupidity that's
in the Air?
// Reprise from last chapter //
Kenshin sincerely tried to apologize, he really did. It only resulted in him pecking her on the cheek again. They both turned strawberry and continued doing dishes. They reached for the next plate and brushed hands, which set off enough fireworks, but something else would soon light the entire blockbuster.
// Begin new chapter //
Slowly, the dish stack started to fall. By now, it was fortunately very small from a few hours of work soaked in soap suds, but the shift was almost over. There were only five dishes left, but each one of them held the key to both Kenshin and Kaoru's job. Kenshin and Kaoru looked at each other panicked, and they both dove for the dishes. They both caught two each, one in each hand, and the last one landing neatly on Kenshin's head. Both of them were in a literal tangle of arms and legs, but they both stayed still and sighed, relieved. Kaoru felt a wisp of Kenshin's red hair float over to her nose carried by his gentle exhale of breath, and couldn't refrain a sneeze right in Kenshin's face. He oro'ed, and the plate fell off his skull and shattered on the tile floor. Shishio strolled right in, and placed two slips of bright pink paper on the floor next to the unlucky workers. He walked out of the room, leaving Kenshin and Kaoru to fend for themselves, and yelled something over his shoulder.
"Keep the shirts as a parting gift, burn them if you wish, I really don't give a crap. Oh, and don't let the door hit your asses on the way out!"
Kaoru growled, and only then realized how close she and Kenshin were to each other. She squeaked, and quickly pulled away from him, and picked up the piece of paper with "Kaoru Kamiya" written at the top. (Okay, I don't actually know what a paper like that looks like, I've never had a job. I've never needed one.) Only then she realized that after hearing about Kenshin's past, he NEEDED that job to keep him alive.
"Kenshin, gomen nasai, I didn't mean for this to happen... this is all my fault. My hand slipped on that dish, bumped yours, and caused the pile to go over and..."
"It is alright, Kaoru-dono. It is nobody's fault, that it isn't."
"But, it's NOT alright, Kenshin no baka! You LOST YOUR JOB! You NEEDED that job!"
"Hai, but, I only got it a week ago, and I managed until then, that I did."
Kaoru was beginning to get fed up with Kenshin's kindness. Actually, he was lucky she hadn't already clocked him upside the head. Of course, she did just that.
"KENSHIN NO BAKA! You really ARE stupid! HELL~O? WHERE do you plan to find WORK?"
"Orororororo......Kaoru-dono, I'll manage, that I will. I'll work another bike shift, don't worry about me. What about you?"
"I just needed something to DO during the day... I already have enough money from my departed parents, I could never work a day in my life and I'd be fine! Of course, I can't just sit on my ass all day, but, I'LL be fine!"
Kenshin eased away from Kaoru's death glare, and tried some way to calm her down. That spitfire attitude was something he loved about her, but there was a time when it could really scare him. Actually, Kaoru scared him even more than the gang members he had met many a time before sometimes, and he hadn't really even spent much time with her. He had heard this whole fairy tale before somewhere, but he couldn't place a finger on it.
Kenshin pulled on his jacket, and saw Kaoru put the sweater that was around her waist back on over the shirt. They both left the restaurant, and Kaoru started following Kenshin.
"Don't you have someplace better to go then with me?" he asked, trying not to be rude.
"Kenshin no baka, it's called HELPING people. I want to HELP you with your JOBS."
"Can you ride a bike?"
"Oh... I guess I should go home then..."
Kenshin cut her off again.
"You can come with me, that you can. Just... you're going to have to ride on the back." he said, unlocking his bike from the rack, and pointing to the two pegs attached to the back wheels. Kaoru felt the blood drain from her face. Her brother had wound up with a broken leg in the hospital when he rode on pegs with his friends. Then again, his friends were young morons who were dodging cars and swerving in and out of people against his will.
'Poor Yahiko... should I do it? Well, I can fend for myself, so... I'll try.'
"I'll go."
"Alright, we just have to stop at my apartment first, okay? I have to get changed and eat something, but you're welcome to join me, Kaoru-dono."
"That's fine, arigato."
Kenshin got on the bike, and braced it with his feet as Kaoru cautiously got on behind him. She gripped on his shoulders nervously and tightly, and felt the world move around her. It was scary, eerily calming, but she couldn't help but enjoy where she stood.
"Hey, watch where you're going, asshole!"
"Shut up!"
Kaoru sighed at the usual road rage. It was like this almost every day in the city. Preachers stood on corners and were yelled at by many of the citizens, stores opened and shut busily, beggars stood with their hats in front of them, slowly collecting quarters, and artists painted their caricatures on the grasses of Central Park. Anybody who had lived in New York for a long time would have treated this normally.
"We're here."
Kaoru looked at the apartment. Now, she didn't mind this, but, the wood on the doorframe was rotting, the bricks were cracked, a few shingles were missing on the roof, and there was more greenery growing on the walls than there was in the whole city.
Kenshin unlocked the door, and Kaoru stepped in. For such a cruddy looking house, it was very neat and orderly, except the fact that the paint was starting to peel in some sections of the walls and the couch had a few rips in it. The coffee table looked like it would break if you even attempted to put a cup on it, and the rug was a little bit ratty.
"Kenshin, could you point me to the bathroom?"
Kenshin froze. The whole incident that morning with the blood and the pillow... HE HAD LEFT THE BLOODY PILLOWCASE OVER THE SIDE OF THE BATHTUB! He started shaking, and Kaoru noticed this.
"Oh, you have to go too?"
Kenshin thanked his good luck, and quickly nodded.
"........well, what are you waiting for?" she asked. Kenshin quickly ran to the restroom, and thought of what he could do with the pillowcase. He had to hide it somewhere, but where? He quickly shoved it in the medicine cabinet, hoping that Kaoru would buy the whole thing, and flushed the toilet. He left, and hoped for the best. It wasn't like Kaoru was going to invade his medicine cabinet though, was it? Well, something along those lines DID happen, but, it was more like the medicine cabinet invaded her. The tiny magnet on it couldn't hold the force of the pillowcase pushing on the front, and it opened right on Kaoru as she opened the door to leave the bathroom.
"Eep!"
Kenshin quickly ran out of the kitchen, and saw the open door of the bathroom. On the floor, he saw Kaoru tangled in a blood soaked pillow case, flailing around in a sitting position on the floor. She tried to get it off her, and as she did, kicked Kenshin in the back of the foot, causing him to trip and fall on top of her. There was more screaming from Kaoru, and much oroing from Kenshin. They both calmed down after a few seconds, and realized that somehow, they had gotten so close to each other that their noses were touching.
"Kenshin?"
"Hai, Kaoru-dono?"
"Why was their blood on that pillowcase? And why was it so crammed into your medicine cabinet that it sprung out and attacked me?"
"Oh... the blood came from.... when an old cut on my shoulder re-opened."
Fib one was a success. Now for fib two...
"And it was crammed in there because my shisho was going to come over today, and he always looks at my stuff except for what's in my medicine cabinet. And since I didn't have the time to wash it before he was supposed to come, I figured I'd put it there so he didn't make any remarks and say something like I was lying about the cut on my shoulder and that I really had a dream and-and-and..."
Kaoru started giggling.
"Kenshin, calm down. You don't have to defend yourself, I believe you."
Kenshin oro'ed and Kaoru laughed at him. She stood up and helped him up after her. They both stood there, until Kenshin's digital watch ruined the moment as usual.
"Oh no......."
"Don't worry, that was only signifying that my original first shift was over. So, we still have time."
Kaoru nodded, and let out a sigh of relief. If she caused Kenshin to be late for work AGAIN she would pretty much want to kill herself. He quickly ran into the kitchen and took the hot dogs on the stove out with a fork.
"Sorry if these don't taste that good, I'm really not a good cook."
Kaoru took a cautious bite after hearing this.
"You're..........better than me."
Kenshin let go of a playful smile, and Kaoru smacked his arm.
"How dare you say this doesn't taste good! After putting up with my own cooking for three years, this is heaven to me!"
Kenshin laughed a little, and sat down opposite to Kaoru at the small table. They continued the very quick meal in silence, and Kenshin walked to his room when they were done. Kaoru walked into the small area where a couch and an old black and white TV sat. On top of a shelf, she saw a picture of a blue-green eyed girl with long black hair in a braid. Kaoru knew that face from somewhere...
"That's my cousin, Makimachi Misao."
"She looks sweet."
"She is, really energetic too. Sixteen years old, is in love with one of my customers, and.........."
Kenshin looked at his calendar.
"She's supposed to visit Saturday the 29th."
"...................Kenshin?"
"Hai, Kaoru-dono?"
"That means she's visiting today."
"Oroooooooooo....."
OWARI (for now)
Alright, I slapped you all up with another chapter hot off the press, here are your translations, and reviews would make me happy, and thank you to anyone who told me to get better, now I am.
gomen nasai: I'm sorry
-dono: basic translation is "Miss"
Kenshin no baka: Kenshin you idiot
hai: yes
oro: how Kenshin says he is surprised, basically means "huh" or "what"
arigato: thank you
shisho: master
owari: end
