DISCLAIMER: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or any characters in it. I only
own my own little world and the imagination that flows through it...
The red-haired man leaned up against the side of the building, enjoying the wind that played with his hair and made the leaves sing in the trees above. He took a deep breath and sighed. "This day. It is a very pleasant day, that it is. I do hope the others wake up soon to enjoy this with me before the sun makes it too hot."
As if to answer his wishes, the door opened and closed and out stepped Yahiko. "Hey Kenshin! I'm going to the Akebeko. Tell Ugly I don't feel like practicing today. It's too pretty!"
"I agree, Yahiko," Kenshin whispered, "it's too perfect to spend the day inside the dojo." He waved to the little boy as he ran off and out of sight. He looked out a moment over the serene day before him, then quietly tiptoed inside. He made his way to Kaoru's room and knocked on the door. "Miss Kaoru? Are you awake yet?" he whispered.
"Is that you Kenshin? I'm almost dressed. Be out in a minute," came the soft reply.
Kenshin felt his heart jump inside his throat. Every time he heard her speak, his heart ached for her. He wanted so badly to hold her in his arms, to feel her body against his. So many times he had tried to work up the courage to speak to her, but...even a samurai couldn't be brave enough to confront such an angel.
Kaoru finally came out and saw him smiling at her lovingly, the way he always did when they were alone together. Oh, how I love it when he looks at me that way, she thought, smiling and clasping her hands behind her back. It makes me want to hold him and kiss him...but who would want me, a simple little teacher, to love them? And especially this strong, war hero? I don't deserve him...but if only for a moment I could hold him!
"Miss Kaoru, Yahiko told me on his way out that he was going to the Akebeko today. I have a feeling he was going to visit a certain little girl there...what do you think?" he asked with a smirk.
Kaoru giggled. "I bet you're right Kenshin. They are so cute, aren't they?" She looked down at her feet and then back at those intoxicating violet eyes. "So, that means we'll be alone most of the day, right?"
"I guess so. Sano was spending the day gambling with his friends...and Yahiko left a minute ago. I guess we will be by ourselves for a while, that we will," Kenshin said, his hand clenching and unclenching under his sleeves. If there was going a time to tell Kaoru how he felt, it would be best to do it now. No one to barge in (like they did so many times before) and such a beautiful day would add to the mood. He opened his mouth to speak, but caught his breath and looked down.
"What's wrong...something you want to tell me?" Kaoru asked, concern lingering on her voice. She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder.
He felt his heart flip-flop again. He raised his hand and placed it on top of hers. "Yes. There is something I want to tell you. No, I need to tell you, before it tears me apart." He took a deep breath and looked deeply into the blue eyes of his lover. "I love you."
Kaoru gasped. Could this be true? The one whom she had been pining for endless nights laying awake in her bedroom loved her as well? She felt her knees shaking and her breath coming in short gasps.
"I think I've loved you from the beginning," he continued, "but I was too absorbed in my own lonliness to admit it to myself." Now he took both her hands in his and drew her closer. "But now I see that I was never alone. As long as I have you I will never be alone. You may not like me in the slightest, but if I didn't tell you now while we were alone, I would die of never being able to—"
Kaoru silenced him by pressing her fingers to his lips. "I love you. I love you too, more than anything else on earth! I feel how you feel, that if I didn't tell you soon, I would die. I've wanted to hold you for so long...to be with you." She laid her head on his strong chest and sighed. "I lied in my room for hours every night, wishing I could be in your arms. I thought you could never love me. I was too simple for you, the samurai war hero who's seen so many wonders. To you, I must be so horribly boring."
Kenshin was feeling the most wonderful things running through him. The woman he was longing for accepted him! Even loved him back! Now, finally, she was beside him, admitting her love. He rested his chin on the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her as close as possible without suffocating her. "No. You aren't plain or boring. You're fascinating and beautiful! The most wonderful creature I ever laid eyes on. You are the only one for me..." He leaned back and Kaoru's head lifted, looking longingly at him. He touched her cheek with one hand and he felt her whole body shiver.
Kaoru squeezed her hands together, subconsciously gripping the cloth of his shirt tightly. He brushed her hair our of her face and behind her ears. Kaoru thought this would be the moment to kiss him, but she supprisingly felt the need to prolong that moment.
Kenshin was stroking her hair gently when he undid the ribbon in her hair and let it fall limply to the ground. Her hair fell around her face and shoulders gently. "You look so beautiful with your hair down," he whispered, barely able to find his voice. He started running his fingers through her silky hair, watching it tumble back to her shoulders as he reached down to grab another handful each time.
Kaoru felt his touch soothing and loving, like a mother would stroke a child. She felt like she was in heaven. She took her arms and put them around his neck and pulled herself closer to him. I wish this moment could last forever, she thought desperately.
Kenshin stopped playing with her hair and tied his arms around her back. She was pulling herself closer, and he found his chance. He leaned his face in towards hers and pressed his lips against Kaoru's. His eyes closed and his breathing stopped. His heart felt like it had been enlarged and was about to burst through his chest.
Kaoru took in a sharp breath as she felt his lips touch hers. She melted into his arms and closed her eyes, letting out the air she had taken in slowly. She felt him push into the kiss, and she pushed back, letting everything go that she had kept locked away for so long. All her emotion was pouring into this kiss, all her love for Kenshin.
The two stayed in the loving embrace for minutes, swaying back and forth long after the kiss was over. After what seemed like hours, they let go of each other and stared into each other's eyes.
"Do you feel better?" Kenshin asked breathlessly.
"Yes...yes my love. Oh, I've waited so long to call you that." Kaoru blushed suddenly and seemed to go back to her old self for a moment. "Come on, let's get out of the hallway. We'll go sit in the other room, alright?"
Kenshin followed her and sat down beside her. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
"A little bit. I just woke up and haven't had a chance to eat yet, you see. Could you whip me up some of those delicious riceballs for me, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked sweetly. "Your cooking has always been better than mine," she added sheepishly.
"I like your cooking Miss Kaoru. Maybe the others are just picky about their food." He pulled her into another hug.
She felt her shoulders go limp and she gave up all her body weight to lean on him. "Stop trying to make me feel better, Kenshin. I love you."
"I love you too, Miss Kaoru."
"What's going on here?"
Kaoru and Kenshin fell backwards and looked up to see Sanosuke's form in the doorway, a frightened yet curious expression on his face.
"Heh heh heh...hello Sano..."
The red-haired man leaned up against the side of the building, enjoying the wind that played with his hair and made the leaves sing in the trees above. He took a deep breath and sighed. "This day. It is a very pleasant day, that it is. I do hope the others wake up soon to enjoy this with me before the sun makes it too hot."
As if to answer his wishes, the door opened and closed and out stepped Yahiko. "Hey Kenshin! I'm going to the Akebeko. Tell Ugly I don't feel like practicing today. It's too pretty!"
"I agree, Yahiko," Kenshin whispered, "it's too perfect to spend the day inside the dojo." He waved to the little boy as he ran off and out of sight. He looked out a moment over the serene day before him, then quietly tiptoed inside. He made his way to Kaoru's room and knocked on the door. "Miss Kaoru? Are you awake yet?" he whispered.
"Is that you Kenshin? I'm almost dressed. Be out in a minute," came the soft reply.
Kenshin felt his heart jump inside his throat. Every time he heard her speak, his heart ached for her. He wanted so badly to hold her in his arms, to feel her body against his. So many times he had tried to work up the courage to speak to her, but...even a samurai couldn't be brave enough to confront such an angel.
Kaoru finally came out and saw him smiling at her lovingly, the way he always did when they were alone together. Oh, how I love it when he looks at me that way, she thought, smiling and clasping her hands behind her back. It makes me want to hold him and kiss him...but who would want me, a simple little teacher, to love them? And especially this strong, war hero? I don't deserve him...but if only for a moment I could hold him!
"Miss Kaoru, Yahiko told me on his way out that he was going to the Akebeko today. I have a feeling he was going to visit a certain little girl there...what do you think?" he asked with a smirk.
Kaoru giggled. "I bet you're right Kenshin. They are so cute, aren't they?" She looked down at her feet and then back at those intoxicating violet eyes. "So, that means we'll be alone most of the day, right?"
"I guess so. Sano was spending the day gambling with his friends...and Yahiko left a minute ago. I guess we will be by ourselves for a while, that we will," Kenshin said, his hand clenching and unclenching under his sleeves. If there was going a time to tell Kaoru how he felt, it would be best to do it now. No one to barge in (like they did so many times before) and such a beautiful day would add to the mood. He opened his mouth to speak, but caught his breath and looked down.
"What's wrong...something you want to tell me?" Kaoru asked, concern lingering on her voice. She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder.
He felt his heart flip-flop again. He raised his hand and placed it on top of hers. "Yes. There is something I want to tell you. No, I need to tell you, before it tears me apart." He took a deep breath and looked deeply into the blue eyes of his lover. "I love you."
Kaoru gasped. Could this be true? The one whom she had been pining for endless nights laying awake in her bedroom loved her as well? She felt her knees shaking and her breath coming in short gasps.
"I think I've loved you from the beginning," he continued, "but I was too absorbed in my own lonliness to admit it to myself." Now he took both her hands in his and drew her closer. "But now I see that I was never alone. As long as I have you I will never be alone. You may not like me in the slightest, but if I didn't tell you now while we were alone, I would die of never being able to—"
Kaoru silenced him by pressing her fingers to his lips. "I love you. I love you too, more than anything else on earth! I feel how you feel, that if I didn't tell you soon, I would die. I've wanted to hold you for so long...to be with you." She laid her head on his strong chest and sighed. "I lied in my room for hours every night, wishing I could be in your arms. I thought you could never love me. I was too simple for you, the samurai war hero who's seen so many wonders. To you, I must be so horribly boring."
Kenshin was feeling the most wonderful things running through him. The woman he was longing for accepted him! Even loved him back! Now, finally, she was beside him, admitting her love. He rested his chin on the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her as close as possible without suffocating her. "No. You aren't plain or boring. You're fascinating and beautiful! The most wonderful creature I ever laid eyes on. You are the only one for me..." He leaned back and Kaoru's head lifted, looking longingly at him. He touched her cheek with one hand and he felt her whole body shiver.
Kaoru squeezed her hands together, subconsciously gripping the cloth of his shirt tightly. He brushed her hair our of her face and behind her ears. Kaoru thought this would be the moment to kiss him, but she supprisingly felt the need to prolong that moment.
Kenshin was stroking her hair gently when he undid the ribbon in her hair and let it fall limply to the ground. Her hair fell around her face and shoulders gently. "You look so beautiful with your hair down," he whispered, barely able to find his voice. He started running his fingers through her silky hair, watching it tumble back to her shoulders as he reached down to grab another handful each time.
Kaoru felt his touch soothing and loving, like a mother would stroke a child. She felt like she was in heaven. She took her arms and put them around his neck and pulled herself closer to him. I wish this moment could last forever, she thought desperately.
Kenshin stopped playing with her hair and tied his arms around her back. She was pulling herself closer, and he found his chance. He leaned his face in towards hers and pressed his lips against Kaoru's. His eyes closed and his breathing stopped. His heart felt like it had been enlarged and was about to burst through his chest.
Kaoru took in a sharp breath as she felt his lips touch hers. She melted into his arms and closed her eyes, letting out the air she had taken in slowly. She felt him push into the kiss, and she pushed back, letting everything go that she had kept locked away for so long. All her emotion was pouring into this kiss, all her love for Kenshin.
The two stayed in the loving embrace for minutes, swaying back and forth long after the kiss was over. After what seemed like hours, they let go of each other and stared into each other's eyes.
"Do you feel better?" Kenshin asked breathlessly.
"Yes...yes my love. Oh, I've waited so long to call you that." Kaoru blushed suddenly and seemed to go back to her old self for a moment. "Come on, let's get out of the hallway. We'll go sit in the other room, alright?"
Kenshin followed her and sat down beside her. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
"A little bit. I just woke up and haven't had a chance to eat yet, you see. Could you whip me up some of those delicious riceballs for me, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked sweetly. "Your cooking has always been better than mine," she added sheepishly.
"I like your cooking Miss Kaoru. Maybe the others are just picky about their food." He pulled her into another hug.
She felt her shoulders go limp and she gave up all her body weight to lean on him. "Stop trying to make me feel better, Kenshin. I love you."
"I love you too, Miss Kaoru."
"What's going on here?"
Kaoru and Kenshin fell backwards and looked up to see Sanosuke's form in the doorway, a frightened yet curious expression on his face.
"Heh heh heh...hello Sano..."