Across the Hallway
Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin et al is owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro. I'm just a Sessha follower that dreams…
A/N: Sorry for not putting up the disclaimer in the other chapter, I forgot... anyway, was that OOC for Aoshi or what? Anyway, this chapter is dedicated more to the KK relationship, so enjoy! Thanks again to azuma ninja for the review. Please R&R! I'd like to ask, do you write too, if so, what fanfic so I can return the favor and read your material too... :D I think my email's in the profile so just email me if ever, ok? :)
PS. Rated for adult thoughts, just to be on the safe side.
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Chapter 8
The Walk Home
"Have a pleasant evening sir! Would you like for me to call you a cab?"
At the sound of the voice, Kenshin turned from the elevator bay, shaken out of his shock. "No, thank you, good sir, I think I would much rather take a walk…" he managed to call out to the doorman in a strangled voice. It's a wonder I can even think at all much less speak!
He took to the open streets once again, deep in thought. Aoshi and Misao are for S&M? Who would've thought? Aoshi never reveals anything, damn his icy eyes, and for heaven's sake, Misao looks like a kid even if she's in her twenties.
Who are you, their maiden aunt?
Just shocked out of my wits. This week is endless in discoveries. Not that I should mind though. This is New York, anyway. Maybe I am getting too old.
Feh! You should really get ourselves laid. You're starting to sound like a dried up prune. Stake out cute-ass-blue-eyes. You do have a plan, don't you?
Fuck off. I'm taking it slow.
Any slower and you'd be dead.
Well that would be familiar territory, wouldn't it?!
A passerby gasped and pointed, startled at the redhead's eyes changing color from deep shades of purple to slashes of amber. Kenshin just pulled up his overcoat's collar and walked faster, alarmed that his eyes were the center of attention again. As he walked down alleys and shortcuts, he decided that maybe the best thing to do was to get an ice cream, the real, fattening, oodles of sugar home made kind that always made him feel better. It was one of the few pure pleasures left to him from his past after what he felt was a lifetime of killing. And he knew just the spot too, just 6 or 7 blocks away from the Sekihoutai, in a little shop that opened at midday and closed at about 5 in the morning, ensuring that even in the middle of the night, there would be ice cream. Typical of the city that never sleeps.
"Hey Kenshin, coming for your regular dose?" A wizened old man greeted Kenshin as he pushed open the door of the little ice cream parlor that looked like it belonged to a movie set from the fifties.
"Good evening, Verdu-sama, how are things this evening?"
"Oh just fine, not much of a crowd, but then the discos and other things are more popular on the weekends… Just one other customer aside from you, a pretty young lady over there by the window. Seems odd for a Saturday night, but then again, young people nowadays!" Mr. Verdu cackled. "Okay here you go, your regular dark chocolate mint with chocolate syrup, I know you won't have it any other way." He handed Kenshin his ice cream dish.
Kenshin took the dish and paid for it, used to the old man's one-sided ramblings. He was about to turn and sit in his favorite spot when Verdu told him in a man-to-man kind of whisper "Maybe you should go over there and introduce yourself… She's a pretty little thing, and lonely to boot! If only I was a decade younger, I know I would! I mean, you always come in here alone, she's alone, maybe magic could happen…" and the old man went to the back room, whistling. Kenshin gave him an odd look, surprised at what he had said, and turned to look at 'the pretty little thing' sitting by the window.
He froze. It was Kaoru. Luckily, her back was turned to him so she hadn't seen him yet, but even though they had just known each other for less than a day, there was no mistaking the blue-black hair or the aura she carried herself with.
Kaoru was staring at the window glass of the little ice cream shop, lost in thought about the day she had. What an odd day! First, I had that weird dream where somebody yelled my name in my ear, then Yahiko kept giving me these little weird looks when he thought I wasn't looking, and then he got that call on his mobile and rushed out of my class without saying a word! It's so unlike him! And then I go to Akabeko, and find him there with Tsubame obviously dressed to go out, but then both of them give me weird looks and ran away from me! What is it, push Kaoru's buttons' day? I wouldn't be this mad if he just told me he had this prior thing to go to, but why so sneaky? Am I turning to be too strict? Too old maidenly? At 24?!!!
At this point a vein in her forehead was starting to visibly strain against the turn her thoughts were taking and she gripped her spoon as if she wanted nothing better but to snap it in her fingers. And to make it all worse, I had thought I would get a glimpse of Mr. Gorgeous-next-door-who-occupied-my-thoughts-the-whole-day but noooo… there was no one around when I thought of coming over to their place to get to know him better. Am I too aggressive? Is that it? I've been out of the dating circle so long I'm not sure how things are anymore…
Kenshin was observing her, watching the myriad of emotions on her face reflected in the glass of the window in front of her, seeing her go from contemplative to angry to melancholy in an instant.
Old man Verdu was right, she does need company.
Himura-no-Baka, it wouldn't matter what her feelings are, fact is she's in a cute little mini skirt showing off her long legs and a tight fitting top that just emphasizes how good her perky breasts look. You'd have to be a saint not to approach her!
Oro?! Okay, okay, you win. I admit. I want to go over to her because she's got my interest really piqued. I will put Phase I of my plan into effect.
Sheesh… Interest really piqued? Phase I? What hell kind of language is that?! No wonder its been a while since Tomoe, what kind of loser plan would put romancing a girl into phases? Just say, Yes, Battousai, I want to go over there because my pants have become uncomfortably tight. (Battousai was laughing hard at this point.)
This is not a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'm type of plan. Not yet, anyway.
So go for it, you dog you! And by the way… I notice that your SWORD down there is still at attention… (Battousai was still laughing as he faded away.)
Kenshin stood from his seat and approached the girl he had been mooning about the whole day.
"Umm, hello Kaoru-dono" Kenshin smiled in greeting, inhaling her flowery fragrance that he noticed from their first meeting.
Kaoru's eyes flew up and widened in shock. Was she thinking too hard and this was an illusion? Then she saw his smile falter a little. Illusions are not insecure. And this illusion was looking rather good in a rumpled sort of way… the turtleneck and jeans under the tan overcoat hung quite well on his frame.
"Kenshin! I never would have thought you were the type to come here…" The minute she said that, she winced. Great, Kaoru. Real polite and suave of you. Next thing you can do is beat him off with a stick, Kaoru thought sarcastically.
"This Seshha has gone through a long day and needed some pick-my-spirits-up food, that I did. May I join you?" Kenshin asked, already starting to doubt his decision to join her. Maybe she wants to be alone.
Kaoru was staring at him wide-eyed.
"Kaoru-dono? I can take another seat if you'd rather be alone…" he trailed off weakly. Man oh man, talk about a plan going all wrong…
"Huh? Oh! Of course you can! I'm just surprised that's all… Today was a rather off day for me, too, don't mind me!" Kaoru snapped out of her stupefied state.
"So I guess I'm not the only one who needed some sugar after all! Want another serving? I'm buying, that I am." Kenshin said, smile back in place now that he was back in the game.
"Oh no, I need to lose a few…"
"Are you kidding me? You look great! Better than great, I should say" Kenshin's words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them. There was an awkward pause, then Kaoru smiled warmly at him and said "Then I guess I could go for that second serving after all!"
-o-
They talked the whole night away, telling each other their life stories (which Kenshin knew already beforehand) and other things. Kenshin discovered that she had a sweet tooth like him and her favorite ice cream flavor was cappuccino fudge brownie, that she liked sunrises more than sunsets, was the all round athlete in her hometown and never went to her prom or things like that because of the traumatic death of her father, and how she met Tae and Tsubame. With each story he was becoming more and more captivated by her, because he saw that she was really pretty not just on the outside, but just as pretty and gracious, not to mention tough, inside as well.
Kaoru, on the other hand, learned that he was raised by his godfather since he was seven, and his lighter stories about his life in the army and the secret service, as well as how he had met Sano who eventually became his partner in the business, and that he liked to cook and do laundry. She laughed at this, because she could not cook anything well even if her life depended on it and it wasn't for lack of trying. Her stories about her exploits in the kitchen kept them laughing until Verdu chucked them out at closing time, and the sun was rising already.
"So, would you like to buy some fresh bagels before we head on home?" asked Kenshin, still a little breathless from laughing so hard. He hadn't laughed like that since forever!
"Sure, because if I try to bake it, we'd probably dig a hole in our stomachs trying to eat it!" Kaoru replied, bringing forth another round of laughter from both of them.
They walked to the bakery still talking animatedly, it seemed that they could not run out of things to talk about. Omigod, he's just so easy to talk to! Kaoru thought, her heart fluttering. And we really have a great connection going--- I swear if we do end up together, we'll be heating up the whole city! Kaoru blushed at her thought, not caring since her hand was tucked in the crook of Kenshin's arm and her head was leaning on the side of his shoulder, away from his view.
He was walking on air. Phase I without a hitch! My plan is going along smoothly… I got to know more about her… Funny though, it wasn't hard at all to tell her things about me, its usually hard for me to open up to other people. But she's… magic… Kenshin grinned at his thoughts, happy that fate for once was not going against him. I swear I will do my best not to screw this one up. He looked at the woman whose head was leaning on his shoulder, as if they had always walked that way. Together. It felt inescapable, at least to Kenshin's mind. I don't know why I even questioned it!
Because you were always more stubborn than I am. You know we always think clearer when I'm in charge.
Kenshin just rolled his eyes at Battousai.
-o-
After bagels and coffee at the meatpacker's district, Kenshin and Kaoru walked home, watching their surroundings sleepily start their Sunday mornings. They shared the walk in companionable silence, both cherishing the previous night but not knowing quite how to end it. Finally, they had reached her door.
"Kaoru-dono?"
"Yes, Kenshin?"
"I had a great time running into you, that I did." He looked into her eyes as he said this.
Kaoru blushed. "Me too." She was tongue-tied, not knowing what to say.
"Would you like to run into each other sometime soon? Like later or tomorrow?" He smiled his trademark smile, but there were amber glints lurking beneath the purple gaze.
"Ken-san, your eyes…" Kaoru stared at this phenomenon, since it was the first time she saw the color changing.
"We'll leave that for next time, ne?" He smiled even wider.
"Oh… Okay then, tomorrow. I'll go over there? Or how?" She said a little breathlessly, thrilled that he asked her out again.
"Come over and I'll cook dinner. Would you mind if Yahiko and Sano are around?" The rurouni in him was hard to ignore.
"Of course, I don't mind. I'll even bring dessert… Ice Cream?" She laughed, knowing how both of them liked the stuff.
Kenshin laughed with her. "Tomorrow night then, just across here, around sevenish." He said firmly, so nothing would be mistakenly understood.
"Alright. Good morning, then."
"Good morning to you too, Miss Kaoru. Be safe. Lock the door tightly behind you."
-o-
Kenshin smiled as he walked back to his place, amazed that his feet were still on the ground. He could still smell her on his clothes… Maybe he won't wash the coat for a while… As he walked through the door,
"Good morning! And just where have you been, Himura-san?" Sano's voice boomed out to him from the couch. A sleeping Megumi was curled up beside him, wearing presumably only the blanket wrapped around them, due to all the clothes scattered on the floor.
"Ahhh… I just came from breakfast." Kenshin said, rurouni smile back on his face, a little smug looking. He held up the extra bag of bagels he bought for his roommates.
"Sure and monkeys just jump out of my butt in glee. I'll have you know, mister, that we came here directly after Aoshi's… and if you notice, we would have seen you walking in through that door if you came in last night. And just in case you might be interested, I also know that Little Missy next door wasn't there, we knocked last night to see if she was around so we can give her the welcome wagon. So anyway, what happened to you?" Sano raised an eyebrow and started chuckling. "Come one, we're all adults in this house, we wanna KNOW…"
"Urmph… Shut up, rooster head, it's Sunday morning…" Megumi mumbled sleepily against Sano's chest.
"Oi, Kitsune, Ken-san's here… he just arrived… argh! Why'd you bite my nipple for?!"
"I think your room might be more appropriate… Yahiko might walk in, you know…" Kenshin had already turned his back on them, fixing some coffee and putting the bagels in the oven. Megumi just murmured and went back to sleep.
"Actually, I already did. Doesn't matter now, I think everybody within 5 miles heard the racket they were making last night." Yahiko yawned as he walked toward the table in the kitchen, barefoot and rubbing his eyes sleepily.
"Shut up, kid. You'll understand when you grow older, if you don't, yet."
"You mean, how to have sex? Baka-rooster head, I knew everything since I was nine. Get a grip, I'm sixteen. What makes you think I'm still a virgin?"
"Hey, who you calling stupid, stupid?!"
"Sano, quit moving! I'm still tired!" Megumi snapped.
"Maa, maa, here now, how about coffee and bagels for everyone? Or does anyone like French toast instead? I can make some if anyone likes that instead of this…" Kenshin, always the peacemaker, stopped what looked to be the beginning of a three sided fight between Yahinko, Sano and Megumi.
"Ooooh… that smells great." Megumi stood up, the blanket wrapped around her like a toga, and walked towards the table. Sano was left behind naked.
"Oi, now what am I supposed to cover myself with?"
Kenshin and Yahiko laughed, and fox ears popped up on Megumi "Well, get inventive! Babe, you're great looking but seriously, get a brain cell! Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho!" Sano threw her a dirty look and walked unabashedly to his room to look for clothes. Kenshin and Yahiko were too used to seeing Megumi around their house to mind her state of undress, and Sano was always an exhibitionist.
"Kenshin? Why are you wearing the clothes you had on last night? Didn't you come home?" asked Yahiko, just noticing for the first time.
"Well, because I just came home a few minutes before you woke up."
Megumi's and Yahiko's eyes sharpened in curiosity but didn't ask anything. Sano reappeared wearing boxers and joined them at this point. Fox ears appeared on Megumi.
"So, what were you up to last night?" asked Sano, grabbing the nearest cup to him and filling it with coffee.
"I ran into Miss Kaoru last night at Verdu's. We talked until the sun came up. Then we bought bagels. Then I walked her home." Kenshin answered, very matter-of-factly but staring at his cup while he did, his ears slowly turning red.
"Really? You were with the neighbor? So that's why no one answered the door last night! Are you sure that's all you did? Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho!"
"You guys do nothing but talk, don't ya? Get it on, will you?" Sano commented.
"Please, its just been 2 days! Besides, I think it was very productive, that I do."
"You mean you guys didn't even make out?" Yahiko asked, just laughing at everything.
"That's really crude, both of you. Just because Ken-san's got more sensitivity in his little toe than both of you combined doesn't make him less of a man." Megumi frowned her best physician frown at the two.
Both men in question ignored her and just laughed.
"Anyway, did you guys connect?" Megumi decided to ignore the laughing pair.
"Yes, we did." Memories of the previous night came to him and he smiled at nothing and particular.
Megumi smiled. Well done, Ken-kun. You deserve to be happy.
-o-
"Well, that about does it for me… everyone please excuse me, I have to catch up on my sleep." After the grilling about the night before that Kenshin went through with Sano, he felt exhausted.
"HA! But you haven't even told us when your next date is!"
"Gomen, gomen, it's Monday night dinner, here. Feel free to join in if you feel like it. Tsubame is also welcome, Yahiko-kun." Yawned Kenshin in reply.
"Oh really?---" A riot of questions followed the announcement.
Kenshin really couldn't take it anymore. Although he knew it was rude, he just stood up and went to his room, closed the shoji on all of them and slept a blessedly peaceful sleep amid the noise.
_________________________________________________A/N: Verdu is real. It's this little family owned ice cream shop in Spain that has the best home made ice cream ever, even better than hagen dasz, and since I'm addicted to ice cream... of course, Kenshin and Kaoru have to be too!!!! Comments and suggestions welcome...
Don't forget to R&R!
