Usual disclaimer and warnings apply. See chapter one.
Beware, much yelling and arguing, and general use of the most horrid language that can be put into a PG-13 story. I want to use stronger, but that would require upping the rating.
Chapter 17
When Kaoru came around an hour or so later, she found the two men laughing fit to be tied.
"You…" Kenshin spluttered in between gasps of air, "you sold that piece for that much? It was worth twice that amount! You are such a softie!"
Kaoru leaned against the doorframe, bemused.
"Ah!" cried Kenshin's father. "Sleeping beauty has awoken!"
Kenshin gave a rueful shake of his head. "Kaoru, meet my father, Eric Himura. The biggest sap on the planet, and a horrid womanizer. Keep your hands to yourself, father."
"My, my," drawled Himura Sr. "so possessive."
Kenshin went scarlet, causing his father to break into ringing laughter, and Kaoru to smile. It was wonderful that they got along so well, she thought, and that Kenshin's father accepted him completely.
Her opinion of that changed, however, a few days later when she woke to shouting. Pulling on a robe, she went out into the hall; the yells and curses were coming from the library. Standing in the doorway, she could see Kenshin sitting in a chair, looking weary, while his father paced in circles and railed at him.
She took the time before they had a chance to notice her, although that didn't look likely at the moment, to let her gaze wander over Kenshin. He was wearing black pants and a loose shirt that fell open halfway down his chest, the laces loose. The pants looked like velvet, and the shirt silk. Had she been in any sort of relationship with him other than former employee or friend, she would have gone and settled in his lap, head pillowed on his shoulder. However, she instead watched various expression flicker across his face while his father's back was to him: hurt, annoyance, exasperation, horror, and finally fury before he leapt to his feet, eyes flashing.
"Would you SHUT UP? I'm twenty-six, I've been an adult for years, and can take care of myself! I'm GAY, and I like it that way! Why can't you accept that there's a bloody unlikely chance of my having a family? Why don't you go bug Hiromi? She's younger, she's attractive..."
"She's a nun."
Kenshin stopped dead in his tracks en route to throttling Eric. His voice had gone quiet. "She's what?"
"She has entered La Coure, and has given herself to God. So you're the last of the family. As such, it's YOUR responsibility to produce…"
"Damn you, father! You KNOW I've never been attracted to a woman in my life! I've never felt anything for…"
Kenshin's father smirked. "And what about the lovely lady living with you who's heard all of your undignified ranting?"
Kenshin whirled so fast that he nearly lost his balance. His face went white at Kaoru's half furious, half hurt expression and could do nothing but stare, jaw hanging slack as a fish. He was utterly mortified that she'd heard everything and hoped that she wouldn't leave, but could scarcely blame her if she did. Her subsequent actions, however, floored him.
Regaining her composure she stalked across the room to Eric ans slapped him so hard that her palm was red. It set his teeth rattling as his head whipped to the side. Glowering, she proceeded to give him a lecture such as he'd not heard since his mother had scolded him twenty years ago about leaving is wife to raise the children while he went in search of art to sell. Kenshin, meanwhile, was still staring at them, slack-jawed. Soon, however, his shock began to fade, and he started to laugh silently. She was finally back to her old, infuriating self, and he was actually glad of it, glad to hear her railing at someone. He'd found that when she was angry her logic became sharp as a harpoon her sarcasm coming to the fore, and…those were words he'd never heard before. He grinned. True, she'd been a courtesan, but she was very well learned even for a courtesan. He found himself wondering for the first time just what her familial background was.
Twenty minutes later found Kenshin's father looking cowed, and slinking from the room. Kaoru stood, hands on her hips, glaring at his back as he left, and Kenshin was now laughing so hard that his eyes were watering. "Kaoru, my dear girl, you really surprise me. No one has stood up to him like that in years."
"Then it's high time, isn't it? He shouldn't treat you that way. Honestly!"
He smiled softly, and stood, walking over to her. "I can't blame him…he's getting old, and wants grandchildren, but it doesn't look as though that will happen."
"You could always adopt…I'm sure there are homeless children out there who need to be taken in."
"And for him that would be…quite a letdown. He's the type of man who wants blood relatives, which requires…well…you heard what he thinks."
"So…why not marry some girl, get drunk… It's been done before, and one time might be enough. I suppose the problem would be in finding someone who wouldn't care that you're gay…"
"Actually…I've been thinking about that…" he guided Kaoru to the closest chair and sat her down. "Kaoru, I was wondering how you feel about marriages of convenience."
"Well, I believe marriage should be for love, ultimately, but if convenience is needed, it's possible for love to grow…"
She had, Kenshin thought, an adorable, confused frown, a thought which made him mentally smack himself. You're gay, he thought. You just told your unfeeling idiot of a father that you'd never been attracted to a woman before! But, a tiny part of his brain queried, isn't there a first for everything? Was it possible that he was beginning to love Kaoru? He'd noticed, despite how she tried to hide it, that she had feelings for him. Would marriage make it easier for him to figure out his feelings for her?
"Kaoru…" he cleared his throat. "Would you be willing to marry for convenience?"
"Well…I suppose. It would mean that I would no longer be a courtesan, but yes."
"Would you be willing…that is…what I mean to say is…well…Oh bloody hell, why is this so damn difficult?" He stood, and began pacing. "You've known me for a while…you probably know me better than I do myself. Would a woman ever want to marry me, gay bachelor that I am?"
Kaoru watched him, smiling. "You're intelligent, handsom, and wealthy. You should see the looks you get at parties. Oh yes, many woman would love to be your wife."
"And what about you?"
"Me? I…wait. Are you asking me? To marry…you?"
Kenshin's words were a babble. "Yes, Kaoru, I am. Purely out of convenience of course, I mean, it's not as though I'm…" He stopped, for Kaoru had fainted again. Shaking his head, he lifted her and carried her into his room, settling her on the bed before sitting beside her, waiting for her to come round again.