The Devil's Workshop
MysticShadowWanderer
*****
Chapter Seventeen: Its Better This Way
Kaoru laid and stared up at ceiling, she knew Battousai wasn't really asleep, but at the same time, wasn't really awake. Whether it was meditation or something more, she couldn't tell. It wasn't important, she supposed.
'He said it, he told me he loves me,' she thought, her heart rising to her throat.
Sleep would not come easily to her this night, her mind was working even faster than usual, keeping her up to think so many heavy thoughts. It seemed unreal, what she'd just done. The fresh memory made her tremble, how could something that seemed terribly wrong feel amazingly right? Had she imagined all of it? No, she reminded herself by removing her arm from Battousai's grip and tracing the smooth line with her fingertips. She cringed; it still stung to the touch. In this silent moment of aloneness, in the menacing dark, she hated the world, hated Battousai, hated herself. Ghosts of memories tore at her mind, as if they knew how fragile she was and that only a little more and they could break her, bend her to their will. She hated them, too, hated all of it.
Inadvertent reassurance and comfort came to her now with Battousai's near silent sighs and the way his skin felt under her fingers. That was how she knew she truly loved him. She may have hated everything that he stood for, and the way he had always and would always live his life, but she loved him with more than all of her heart and soul. She didn't understand, she was only human after all, but she accepted it for what it was. She couldn't really even explain to herself what love meant. That word alone didn't seem enough to define her feelings for him. To her, the rush that she felt when she looked at him was something much more than could be captured by human definition. She didn't want love to be something that could even be defined at all, it was so much more than that.
Battousai slipped his arm around her as he willingly let himself fall into a deep, healing sleep. He could sense that she needed to know he was there. After what they'd just gone through, he could understand, perhaps better than she did. There were times when he'd needed someone, but no one had been there, and he wasn't about to let her feel the same way. She had him, for what it was worth. He sighed heavily as he let his mind go completely into the world of fantasy and illusion.
Kaoru couldn't help but smile at how contented he seemed to be. His comfort was enough to once again assure her that things were, for now, alright, and she allowed herself to become drowsy. She visualized her thoughts as words and shapes, sliding down her arms to free her mind, emptying it for sleep. With a yawn, she slid her eyes closed and joined Battousai to walk cloudy meadows.
***
"We're leaving, pack your things," was the first thing she heard upon opening her eyes.
Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs left by fading dreams, she sat up and watched him move about and put his clothes on. "Why?"
"It's not safe here anymore." Seeing the question and hurt in her eyes, he said, "It has nothing to do with last night, love." He paused to look at her. Her fingers were reflexively outlining the cut on her wrist again. "You're beautiful. Now, pack your things. Quickly, if you would. I'd like to make good time."
He was confusing her, but she followed his directions and shoved her things back in the bag she'd been carrying ever since she'd left home. 'Home...' It seemed so distant and insignificant now, here with him. And, in a way, it was. She'd been all alone there, it had been so lonely it was nearly painful.
"Come, pretty," he said. "We should be able to make it to the edge of town by daybreak if we leave now and walk quickly."
Kaoru yawned. "What time is it?"
"About three in the morning," he replied. Neither of them had claimed much sleep the night before.
"But you're still sick!"
"I'll be fine. Come on, stop wasting time."
Taking her by the uninjured wrist, he led her through the halls of the Aoiya only to be stopped at the entrance by Aoshi's presence. He didn't say anything, merely nodded to them as they left. Kaoru got the feeling they knew something she didn't, but she shook it off as Battousai pulled her out of the Aoiya and into the street.
Kyoto was nearly silent, but Battousai paid no heed to the eerie dark of the city. Kaoru tried to take strength in him and ignore the creeping sensation that the city was dead. It was foolishness, she knew, but she couldn't help it.
"Battousai," she said in a hushed voice. "Where are we going?"
He turned to look at her while they walked. "I really don't know. It doesn't matter."
"It's unsafe there, isn't it?" she asked. "Those assassins weren't the last of the troubles you're going to see?"
Battousai nodded. "You may be too smart for your own good, love."
Kaoru didn't like the way that sounded, as if she shouldn't be smart because she were a woman. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Her voice was accusing.
"There are people who aren't going to like that, and I have enemies who will play on that," he tried to explain without getting himself in further trouble with her. "Just use what you know carefully, is all I mean to say."
"Bastard," Kaoru muttered, and she fell silent.
'What the hell? I swear this woman does these things just to get on my nerves.'
***
They stopped at a crossroad about two hours after they started walking, and Battousai seemed to be thoughtfully considering which road to take. Kaoru watched as he closed his eyes and stood motionless. Each way looked the same to her, besides the fact that one ran to the east and the other to the west. After several minutes Battousai opened his eyes and looked at her.
"Where would you like to go, Kaoru?"
"I... hmm." She bit her bottom lip, intent on what he asked. "I... don't know. It's not really important..."
"Hm, I see. We're going to Hagi, then," he said resolutely.
"What?!" Kaoru exclaimed. "But... that's... so far away!"
"Precisely my reasoning, love," he replied offhandedly, already leading her down the path that would take them in a westward direction. "It's better to be farther away."
"Why'd you ask me then?"
"If there was someplace you wanted to see, I would have taken you there," He shrugged. "It gives you the feeling you aren't being forced to go anywhere, right?"
Kaoru stared at him, not really sure whether he was being kind or infuriating; she went with kind, simply because she didn't have the energy to argue with him. With every step her eyes and legs grew heavier and she was having a hard time stifling her yawns now. Battousai listened to her and smiled slightly. He could tell she was tired, but he wanted to put just a few more miles behind them before they stopped to rest. He didn't need as much sleep as she did, the few hours he'd gotten were enough to keep him going throughout the day, but he would have to stop at sunrise anyhow. Traveling in the daylight disagreed not only with his eyes, but with his sense of safety. People would be moving about in the day, they would be seen by several passers-by, which would cause more problems than the traveling time was worth.
Battousai slowed his footsteps to be next to Kaoru instead of a few feet ahead of her. She glanced at him with tired eyes and he gave her half a smile. Raising her hand to cover another yawn, she looked at him imploringly.
"Just a while longer, lovely," he reassured her. "Here, give me your bag."
With a grateful smile, she shifted her bag off her shoulder and handed it to Battousai, who slung it easily next to the one he already carried that was full of food and other necessary supplies. Sometimes he was more considerate than she'd have ever thought possible of a heartless killer. But, then again, she had come to learn that he wasn't so heartless. He was cold, brutal, and bloodthirsty, but he was not entirely heartless.
***
As the first rays of light began to creep over the tree tops, Battousai took them off of the road and deep into the forest. After giving Kaoru instructions to stay where she was and not make any sound, he went on his own to find some place for them to stay. He returned after not longer than fifteen minutes and motioned for Kaoru to follow him.
Stepping through a thick grove of trees, Kaoru was surprised to see a small stream. She knelt by its side and, despite the cold weather and the frigid temperature of the water, splashed her face to clean it of the dust she'd accumulated while walking. Battousai had built a small fire and was leaning against a large tree, just watching her. His face was creased by the slightest frown, brows just barely furrowed, when she looked over at him. She wondered what he was thinking, why he always seemed to be like this.
Battousai knew she was observing him, but he didn't move, his eyes seeming to stare right through her. She wanted to understand him, but she never could. The insanity that was his being, it was too dark and terrifying for her to begin to comprehend. But he stopped himself. Perhaps he was wrong, he remembered the past night, when she so willingly let him cut her skin. Maybe she could understand, and it was his own fear keeping him from telling her.
With the load snapping of a branch, Battousai was brought out of his trance-like state. He and Kaoru froze, and he listened intently, feeling for unfamiliar ki. Someone was there. Wondering briefly who could possibly have been following them and why, he rested his hand on the hilt of his katana. Glancing at Kaoru, he could tell by the look in her eyes as they met his that she understood the situation. He moved to her side.
"I will protect you," he whispered. She nodded, she hadn't needed him to say it to know. Now even Battousai wasn't sure what to do, being torn between staying with her for precaution and going into the forest after their trackers. It seemed safer to stay, even though there were only two of them. They really were fools, not even bothering to hide their ki. Battousai closed his eyes to listen, they weren't far away now, and they weren't doing an even half decent job of keeping their voices too low for him to hear.
They weren't after him, he quickly discovered. They wanted Kaoru. Battousai snorted in disgust, not only were they stupid, they were drunk. Added to that, they didn't even know who he was. They picked the wrong traveler to steal a woman from this time.
"I will go to them," he said quietly. "Stay here, don't do anything to get yourself in trouble."
When she nodded her comprehension, he walked easily off into the trees. Kaoru could hear a yelping scream followed by slurred pleading before she heard the swish of air being displaced by a katana and the loud thud of a body hitting the ground. But there had been two of them, she remembered. Where was the second one? Her question was answered by drunken footsteps crashing through the undergrowth and a disoriented man falling out of the forest only a few feet away from her. He stood up and, seeing Kaoru, ran behind her and pulled a knife, holding it to her throat. She stilled reflexively and watched wide-eyed as Battousai's form slowly became visible through the thick trees.
She could feel the arm that held the knife against her neck trembling. This man was terrified, as was justifiable. He had done something so utterly stupid that he would regret it for the few minutes he had left in his life.
"You would be wise to let her go," Battousai said calmly, but Kaoru could see the fury in his eyes. "If you let her go now and do her no harm, I will kill you swiftly and painlessly. If you do not, I will make you scream and plead to die before I have finished with you."
"Put down that sword," he said, his fear making his intoxicated voice clearer. "Or the woman dies." Apparently he'd had far too much to drink than his rational mind could handle.
Battousai took a few steps forward, lazily, flowing almost like liquid rage. His fingers gripped his katana so tightly that his knuckles were going white, his hands were trembling, Kaoru noticed. She had never seen anyone this angry, it was overwhelming and frightening. The man holding her was too drunk to see this, though, and it spelled his doom.
'I mustn't hurt her. I have to get to him without so much as shearing a single hair or thread on her kimono,' Battousai thought as he moved to stand right in front of Kaoru, not touching her, but so close that he could feel the heat of her body.
She gasped as she felt the knife prick her skin. He really would kill her. "Battousai, stop." Her voice was small, terrified. "He's going to kill me if you take one more step."
Battousai froze where he was, if she wanted him to stop, he would, but he wasn't going to let this man escape with his life. Kaoru's eyes held his, and he could she was scared. He would rather have himself injured than have her scared, so he remained standing, waiting for the other man to move. Impatiently, he let out a low growl. The knife at Kaoru's throat tightened; a few drops of blood slid down her neck. With a deep, emboldening breath, she reached out to Battousai's waist swiftly, snatching his wakizashi from its sheath.
Without a second thought, she drew her arm backward and sent the blade to the hilt into the man's stomach, simultaneously grabbing his wrist and wrenching the knife from his grip. As he hit the ground with a scream, she fell forward into Battousai's arms, dropping the knife with a cry.
Battousai caught her as a reflex, still stunned by what had just happened. As he wrapped his arms around her and held her head to his chest, he looked over her shoulder to see that the man was most assuredly dead. He pressed a rough kiss to her temple, all the while thinking how beautiful she'd looked with that look of grim determination overriding the fear in her eyes. He could feel her trembling breaths as they rushed past her lips and he tightened his hold on her. To his surprise, she wasn't crying.
"It's alright now, love," he murmured into her hair.
Kaoru didn't want to let him go, not now or anytime until the ending of the universe. She felt so safe and warm in his arms. She whimpered when he eased her out of his embrace to hold her by the shoulders and stare intently into her face. His gaze was piercing, eyes hot; she shivered.
"You," he said slowly. "Are beautiful when you kill."
Kaoru gasped, he was the darkest creature she'd ever met. Something about the way he spoke of death sent thrills down her spine. How could he be so seductive? She closed her eyes, she didn't want to see the body of the man she'd killed. Battousai noticed this and led her off into the forest a short ways. He instructed her to wait for him, and slipped away back to their camp.
Battousai stared down at the man his innocent Kaoru had killed. She truly was a marvel to him, she didn't even know the half of it. He swiftly removed his wakizashi from the man's stomach and flicked the blood off it effortlessly. After dragging the two bodies downstream where the water was deeper and faster, and tossing them in, he sat for just a moment. What would happen now? He'd seen no regret in Kaoru's eyes, just fear and shock. Maybe regret would come later. He wasn't sure whether he wanted that or not. She'd never killed before, he knew that much, what if she turned out like him? Somehow he didn't think that was possible, but it was hard to tell. Once she'd felt what it was like to hold the power to take someone's life, he desperately hoped she wouldn't become addicted to it like he had. He would worry about her safety if she couldn't, though he knew she had skill with wooden swords at least, she wasn't like him. She wasn't nearly invincible. He would die if she were killed.
Finally, he returned to her, to find her lying on the cold ground, crying to herself. He couldn't help but give a small smile; she was safe. Scooping her into his arms protectively, he carried her back to the clearing and set her down on a blanket next to their almost dead fire. He coaxed it back to life and went to sit next to her, staring into the flames.
"You never cease to amaze me, Kaoru," he said after some time.
Kaoru didn't know how to respond to that and just let a few tears slip down her cheeks. Battousai wiped them away and let his hand trail down her throat to where she had a small cut from the blade. He drew his fingers over it and watched her wince. The smallest wounds always hurt the most to the touch, he'd learned.
"Some wounds never heal, love," he whispered as he gently kissed the mark. "Don't let this become one of them."
She whimpered softly. "I never wanted to kill," she said, her voice cracking with tears.
"I know," he replied. "But it was inescapable. Somehow I think it's better for both of us that you did."
He laid himself down and pulled her into his arms. Battousai had always believed that everything happened for a reason, and this was no exception. There were no coincidences in the life they lived, and they would have to come to understand this later, when things were clearer.
*****
MysticShadowWanderer
*****
Chapter Seventeen: Its Better This Way
Kaoru laid and stared up at ceiling, she knew Battousai wasn't really asleep, but at the same time, wasn't really awake. Whether it was meditation or something more, she couldn't tell. It wasn't important, she supposed.
'He said it, he told me he loves me,' she thought, her heart rising to her throat.
Sleep would not come easily to her this night, her mind was working even faster than usual, keeping her up to think so many heavy thoughts. It seemed unreal, what she'd just done. The fresh memory made her tremble, how could something that seemed terribly wrong feel amazingly right? Had she imagined all of it? No, she reminded herself by removing her arm from Battousai's grip and tracing the smooth line with her fingertips. She cringed; it still stung to the touch. In this silent moment of aloneness, in the menacing dark, she hated the world, hated Battousai, hated herself. Ghosts of memories tore at her mind, as if they knew how fragile she was and that only a little more and they could break her, bend her to their will. She hated them, too, hated all of it.
Inadvertent reassurance and comfort came to her now with Battousai's near silent sighs and the way his skin felt under her fingers. That was how she knew she truly loved him. She may have hated everything that he stood for, and the way he had always and would always live his life, but she loved him with more than all of her heart and soul. She didn't understand, she was only human after all, but she accepted it for what it was. She couldn't really even explain to herself what love meant. That word alone didn't seem enough to define her feelings for him. To her, the rush that she felt when she looked at him was something much more than could be captured by human definition. She didn't want love to be something that could even be defined at all, it was so much more than that.
Battousai slipped his arm around her as he willingly let himself fall into a deep, healing sleep. He could sense that she needed to know he was there. After what they'd just gone through, he could understand, perhaps better than she did. There were times when he'd needed someone, but no one had been there, and he wasn't about to let her feel the same way. She had him, for what it was worth. He sighed heavily as he let his mind go completely into the world of fantasy and illusion.
Kaoru couldn't help but smile at how contented he seemed to be. His comfort was enough to once again assure her that things were, for now, alright, and she allowed herself to become drowsy. She visualized her thoughts as words and shapes, sliding down her arms to free her mind, emptying it for sleep. With a yawn, she slid her eyes closed and joined Battousai to walk cloudy meadows.
***
"We're leaving, pack your things," was the first thing she heard upon opening her eyes.
Shaking her head to clear the cobwebs left by fading dreams, she sat up and watched him move about and put his clothes on. "Why?"
"It's not safe here anymore." Seeing the question and hurt in her eyes, he said, "It has nothing to do with last night, love." He paused to look at her. Her fingers were reflexively outlining the cut on her wrist again. "You're beautiful. Now, pack your things. Quickly, if you would. I'd like to make good time."
He was confusing her, but she followed his directions and shoved her things back in the bag she'd been carrying ever since she'd left home. 'Home...' It seemed so distant and insignificant now, here with him. And, in a way, it was. She'd been all alone there, it had been so lonely it was nearly painful.
"Come, pretty," he said. "We should be able to make it to the edge of town by daybreak if we leave now and walk quickly."
Kaoru yawned. "What time is it?"
"About three in the morning," he replied. Neither of them had claimed much sleep the night before.
"But you're still sick!"
"I'll be fine. Come on, stop wasting time."
Taking her by the uninjured wrist, he led her through the halls of the Aoiya only to be stopped at the entrance by Aoshi's presence. He didn't say anything, merely nodded to them as they left. Kaoru got the feeling they knew something she didn't, but she shook it off as Battousai pulled her out of the Aoiya and into the street.
Kyoto was nearly silent, but Battousai paid no heed to the eerie dark of the city. Kaoru tried to take strength in him and ignore the creeping sensation that the city was dead. It was foolishness, she knew, but she couldn't help it.
"Battousai," she said in a hushed voice. "Where are we going?"
He turned to look at her while they walked. "I really don't know. It doesn't matter."
"It's unsafe there, isn't it?" she asked. "Those assassins weren't the last of the troubles you're going to see?"
Battousai nodded. "You may be too smart for your own good, love."
Kaoru didn't like the way that sounded, as if she shouldn't be smart because she were a woman. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Her voice was accusing.
"There are people who aren't going to like that, and I have enemies who will play on that," he tried to explain without getting himself in further trouble with her. "Just use what you know carefully, is all I mean to say."
"Bastard," Kaoru muttered, and she fell silent.
'What the hell? I swear this woman does these things just to get on my nerves.'
***
They stopped at a crossroad about two hours after they started walking, and Battousai seemed to be thoughtfully considering which road to take. Kaoru watched as he closed his eyes and stood motionless. Each way looked the same to her, besides the fact that one ran to the east and the other to the west. After several minutes Battousai opened his eyes and looked at her.
"Where would you like to go, Kaoru?"
"I... hmm." She bit her bottom lip, intent on what he asked. "I... don't know. It's not really important..."
"Hm, I see. We're going to Hagi, then," he said resolutely.
"What?!" Kaoru exclaimed. "But... that's... so far away!"
"Precisely my reasoning, love," he replied offhandedly, already leading her down the path that would take them in a westward direction. "It's better to be farther away."
"Why'd you ask me then?"
"If there was someplace you wanted to see, I would have taken you there," He shrugged. "It gives you the feeling you aren't being forced to go anywhere, right?"
Kaoru stared at him, not really sure whether he was being kind or infuriating; she went with kind, simply because she didn't have the energy to argue with him. With every step her eyes and legs grew heavier and she was having a hard time stifling her yawns now. Battousai listened to her and smiled slightly. He could tell she was tired, but he wanted to put just a few more miles behind them before they stopped to rest. He didn't need as much sleep as she did, the few hours he'd gotten were enough to keep him going throughout the day, but he would have to stop at sunrise anyhow. Traveling in the daylight disagreed not only with his eyes, but with his sense of safety. People would be moving about in the day, they would be seen by several passers-by, which would cause more problems than the traveling time was worth.
Battousai slowed his footsteps to be next to Kaoru instead of a few feet ahead of her. She glanced at him with tired eyes and he gave her half a smile. Raising her hand to cover another yawn, she looked at him imploringly.
"Just a while longer, lovely," he reassured her. "Here, give me your bag."
With a grateful smile, she shifted her bag off her shoulder and handed it to Battousai, who slung it easily next to the one he already carried that was full of food and other necessary supplies. Sometimes he was more considerate than she'd have ever thought possible of a heartless killer. But, then again, she had come to learn that he wasn't so heartless. He was cold, brutal, and bloodthirsty, but he was not entirely heartless.
***
As the first rays of light began to creep over the tree tops, Battousai took them off of the road and deep into the forest. After giving Kaoru instructions to stay where she was and not make any sound, he went on his own to find some place for them to stay. He returned after not longer than fifteen minutes and motioned for Kaoru to follow him.
Stepping through a thick grove of trees, Kaoru was surprised to see a small stream. She knelt by its side and, despite the cold weather and the frigid temperature of the water, splashed her face to clean it of the dust she'd accumulated while walking. Battousai had built a small fire and was leaning against a large tree, just watching her. His face was creased by the slightest frown, brows just barely furrowed, when she looked over at him. She wondered what he was thinking, why he always seemed to be like this.
Battousai knew she was observing him, but he didn't move, his eyes seeming to stare right through her. She wanted to understand him, but she never could. The insanity that was his being, it was too dark and terrifying for her to begin to comprehend. But he stopped himself. Perhaps he was wrong, he remembered the past night, when she so willingly let him cut her skin. Maybe she could understand, and it was his own fear keeping him from telling her.
With the load snapping of a branch, Battousai was brought out of his trance-like state. He and Kaoru froze, and he listened intently, feeling for unfamiliar ki. Someone was there. Wondering briefly who could possibly have been following them and why, he rested his hand on the hilt of his katana. Glancing at Kaoru, he could tell by the look in her eyes as they met his that she understood the situation. He moved to her side.
"I will protect you," he whispered. She nodded, she hadn't needed him to say it to know. Now even Battousai wasn't sure what to do, being torn between staying with her for precaution and going into the forest after their trackers. It seemed safer to stay, even though there were only two of them. They really were fools, not even bothering to hide their ki. Battousai closed his eyes to listen, they weren't far away now, and they weren't doing an even half decent job of keeping their voices too low for him to hear.
They weren't after him, he quickly discovered. They wanted Kaoru. Battousai snorted in disgust, not only were they stupid, they were drunk. Added to that, they didn't even know who he was. They picked the wrong traveler to steal a woman from this time.
"I will go to them," he said quietly. "Stay here, don't do anything to get yourself in trouble."
When she nodded her comprehension, he walked easily off into the trees. Kaoru could hear a yelping scream followed by slurred pleading before she heard the swish of air being displaced by a katana and the loud thud of a body hitting the ground. But there had been two of them, she remembered. Where was the second one? Her question was answered by drunken footsteps crashing through the undergrowth and a disoriented man falling out of the forest only a few feet away from her. He stood up and, seeing Kaoru, ran behind her and pulled a knife, holding it to her throat. She stilled reflexively and watched wide-eyed as Battousai's form slowly became visible through the thick trees.
She could feel the arm that held the knife against her neck trembling. This man was terrified, as was justifiable. He had done something so utterly stupid that he would regret it for the few minutes he had left in his life.
"You would be wise to let her go," Battousai said calmly, but Kaoru could see the fury in his eyes. "If you let her go now and do her no harm, I will kill you swiftly and painlessly. If you do not, I will make you scream and plead to die before I have finished with you."
"Put down that sword," he said, his fear making his intoxicated voice clearer. "Or the woman dies." Apparently he'd had far too much to drink than his rational mind could handle.
Battousai took a few steps forward, lazily, flowing almost like liquid rage. His fingers gripped his katana so tightly that his knuckles were going white, his hands were trembling, Kaoru noticed. She had never seen anyone this angry, it was overwhelming and frightening. The man holding her was too drunk to see this, though, and it spelled his doom.
'I mustn't hurt her. I have to get to him without so much as shearing a single hair or thread on her kimono,' Battousai thought as he moved to stand right in front of Kaoru, not touching her, but so close that he could feel the heat of her body.
She gasped as she felt the knife prick her skin. He really would kill her. "Battousai, stop." Her voice was small, terrified. "He's going to kill me if you take one more step."
Battousai froze where he was, if she wanted him to stop, he would, but he wasn't going to let this man escape with his life. Kaoru's eyes held his, and he could she was scared. He would rather have himself injured than have her scared, so he remained standing, waiting for the other man to move. Impatiently, he let out a low growl. The knife at Kaoru's throat tightened; a few drops of blood slid down her neck. With a deep, emboldening breath, she reached out to Battousai's waist swiftly, snatching his wakizashi from its sheath.
Without a second thought, she drew her arm backward and sent the blade to the hilt into the man's stomach, simultaneously grabbing his wrist and wrenching the knife from his grip. As he hit the ground with a scream, she fell forward into Battousai's arms, dropping the knife with a cry.
Battousai caught her as a reflex, still stunned by what had just happened. As he wrapped his arms around her and held her head to his chest, he looked over her shoulder to see that the man was most assuredly dead. He pressed a rough kiss to her temple, all the while thinking how beautiful she'd looked with that look of grim determination overriding the fear in her eyes. He could feel her trembling breaths as they rushed past her lips and he tightened his hold on her. To his surprise, she wasn't crying.
"It's alright now, love," he murmured into her hair.
Kaoru didn't want to let him go, not now or anytime until the ending of the universe. She felt so safe and warm in his arms. She whimpered when he eased her out of his embrace to hold her by the shoulders and stare intently into her face. His gaze was piercing, eyes hot; she shivered.
"You," he said slowly. "Are beautiful when you kill."
Kaoru gasped, he was the darkest creature she'd ever met. Something about the way he spoke of death sent thrills down her spine. How could he be so seductive? She closed her eyes, she didn't want to see the body of the man she'd killed. Battousai noticed this and led her off into the forest a short ways. He instructed her to wait for him, and slipped away back to their camp.
Battousai stared down at the man his innocent Kaoru had killed. She truly was a marvel to him, she didn't even know the half of it. He swiftly removed his wakizashi from the man's stomach and flicked the blood off it effortlessly. After dragging the two bodies downstream where the water was deeper and faster, and tossing them in, he sat for just a moment. What would happen now? He'd seen no regret in Kaoru's eyes, just fear and shock. Maybe regret would come later. He wasn't sure whether he wanted that or not. She'd never killed before, he knew that much, what if she turned out like him? Somehow he didn't think that was possible, but it was hard to tell. Once she'd felt what it was like to hold the power to take someone's life, he desperately hoped she wouldn't become addicted to it like he had. He would worry about her safety if she couldn't, though he knew she had skill with wooden swords at least, she wasn't like him. She wasn't nearly invincible. He would die if she were killed.
Finally, he returned to her, to find her lying on the cold ground, crying to herself. He couldn't help but give a small smile; she was safe. Scooping her into his arms protectively, he carried her back to the clearing and set her down on a blanket next to their almost dead fire. He coaxed it back to life and went to sit next to her, staring into the flames.
"You never cease to amaze me, Kaoru," he said after some time.
Kaoru didn't know how to respond to that and just let a few tears slip down her cheeks. Battousai wiped them away and let his hand trail down her throat to where she had a small cut from the blade. He drew his fingers over it and watched her wince. The smallest wounds always hurt the most to the touch, he'd learned.
"Some wounds never heal, love," he whispered as he gently kissed the mark. "Don't let this become one of them."
She whimpered softly. "I never wanted to kill," she said, her voice cracking with tears.
"I know," he replied. "But it was inescapable. Somehow I think it's better for both of us that you did."
He laid himself down and pulled her into his arms. Battousai had always believed that everything happened for a reason, and this was no exception. There were no coincidences in the life they lived, and they would have to come to understand this later, when things were clearer.
*****