Disclaimer - ::looks around room:: Nope, still not even a plushie. Just a
laptop at 2 am.
Warnings: possible slight oocness, Sanosuke/Kenshin shounen-ai, slight influence from watching/reading too much Gensomaden Saiyuki
Time to Wander Chapter 2:
"Kaoru... I'm hungry."
The blue haired missy did a quick mental inventory of her food supplies and grimaced. "I'm going to have to send Kenshin out shopping, it's good thing it's still early."
The little flame haired man's head popped up from his folding (it fortunately hadn't rained on his laundry). "That you do, Miss Kaoru," he added, willing to take the bustle of the market to get out of the dojo for a bit.
She watched him curiously all the while as he finished. After there was a neat pile on front of him she went into her room, got some money and a shopping list, and walked him to the road, leaving Yahiko to get ready for sword lessons. Before she gave him his list she stepped in nearer to him, causing him to flush uncomfortably. "I'm sorry I always have to send you out to do things, but I don't have time to go, and I can't send Sano anywhere with any hopes of getting something substantial," she told him taking his hand in hers and averting her eyes. "And I'm sorry for yesterday too. You just had me worried, that's all."
Kenshin just stared at her, not sure what to do, his mind set on making a fast, polite escape. 'I think Sano was right when he said she likes me.' He pulled his hand from hers, taking a step back in the process before plucking the paper from her free fingers. "It was my fault, that it was. I became lost in my thoughts and troubled you." He flashed a grin at her, and it was mirrored back. "And speaking of problems I should be leaving if I wish to be back in time for lunch, yes?"
She nodded, hair ribbon bouncing. "Right, here's your yen, and don't forget anything." With that she gave him an awkward hug and hurried back in to her awaiting pupil.
Kenshin had walked about twelve steps before he turned back around, not knowing what he was looking for, but being glad Kaoru had indeed gone back indoors. He released a breath he didn't remember having held in, in relief. He could still feel her arms, asking him the same thing she asked every time she touched him. He couldn't help trying to excuse it by her youth. 'She doesn't know the extent of what she wants, or even what she would be offering if I were interested, that she does not.' That idea brought him to an argument he'd been having with himself as of late, what to do about the enthusiastic teen.
On one hand, he wasn't particularly fond of the idea of being any more intimate with her then he was currently. On the other, everyone, the people he considered his family, appeared to expect things to go that way, and despite not having had a whole lot of family, he knew that one generally did what they thought was best. How many times had Sanosuke jabbed him the ribs with some slightly rude, or on occasion vulgar comment about what seemed to be the general idea of what went on between them. Or could he miss Yahiko's stares during meals when small talk ruled the conversation, the young child keeping his eyes focused on the interactions between the little samurai and his mentor. Even Miss Megumi had given them sideways glances, and she could regularly be found talking with Kaoru, he supposed about girlish things. Kaoru's obvious attraction was likely one of them. Thinking too much about it gave him a headache, and he put it once again on hold as he finally turned to head towards the center of town. Right into a large block of white, that when he had removed himself from his bottom (@.@;) turned out to be Sanosuke.
"Hello Sano," he said giving himself time to regain a bit of his punctured dignity.
"A bit preoccupied were we Kenshin? You didn't even notice me come up did you," it was far more of a statement of the obvious then an inquiry. He threw an arm around Kenshin pulling him closer and stared down into the smaller man's face, grinning. "C'mon Kenshin, you know you can always tell me what's on your mind."
"Nothing of great importance right now," Sanosuke's eyes narrowed skeptically, and Kenshin decided it was time to turn the conversation someplace safer, for now. "In fact it was silly of me to be thinking at all, that it most certainly was. I should be well on my into the market by now acquiring foodstuffs for the rest of the day. Miss Kaoru will be angry again if I'm terribly late." He made to step out of Sano's hold, and instead had his friend walking with him. Inside Kenshin sighed. 'It isn't his fault my head is so full of jumble. He evidently thinks he is being helpful.'
"You sure there isn't anything going around that red-haired skull of yours that you'd like to talk about?" Now he looked more worried.
"No, I can't think of anything at the moment," he grinned reassuringly. "And we'd best be moving faster unless you want to explain why we were back after noon."
'Have it your way for now Kenshin. Maybe you'll want to open up a bit later. Heaven knows your silence is too much for one person to hold in forever. I hope you let some of what's troubling you sooner rather then later.' He nodded in agreement with the rurouni's last statement, and getting an idea waited a moment before asking, "You aren't thinking about Kaoru are you?"
"Oro?" a brief pause that had he not been listening for it he would have missed it in his response, then laughing, "Nothing quite so interesting as you seem to think that should be."
"I just had to ask, you know me." Inside his interest grew, 'Gotcha,' as they kept their quickened pace onward.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Another chapter finished, slightly longer, and once I have a clear shot to where this is gonna lead, the length will continue to increase (I tried to make this longer but I reached a tidy stopping point). Uber thank yous to those who reviewed, once I have a long time on the computer on Tuesday I'll be sure to go read some of your works as well (I'm updating on my mom's work computer cause I'm on vacation from school). It was awesome to go check my mail and have review notices in there, because I wasn't expecting any till this got a bit longer, and thus you all have a faster update. I put aside my current DDR and Saiyuki addictions (neither of which I assume responsibility for) to finish this chapter. Umm... what else can I say?... Oro!?
Warnings: possible slight oocness, Sanosuke/Kenshin shounen-ai, slight influence from watching/reading too much Gensomaden Saiyuki
Time to Wander Chapter 2:
"Kaoru... I'm hungry."
The blue haired missy did a quick mental inventory of her food supplies and grimaced. "I'm going to have to send Kenshin out shopping, it's good thing it's still early."
The little flame haired man's head popped up from his folding (it fortunately hadn't rained on his laundry). "That you do, Miss Kaoru," he added, willing to take the bustle of the market to get out of the dojo for a bit.
She watched him curiously all the while as he finished. After there was a neat pile on front of him she went into her room, got some money and a shopping list, and walked him to the road, leaving Yahiko to get ready for sword lessons. Before she gave him his list she stepped in nearer to him, causing him to flush uncomfortably. "I'm sorry I always have to send you out to do things, but I don't have time to go, and I can't send Sano anywhere with any hopes of getting something substantial," she told him taking his hand in hers and averting her eyes. "And I'm sorry for yesterday too. You just had me worried, that's all."
Kenshin just stared at her, not sure what to do, his mind set on making a fast, polite escape. 'I think Sano was right when he said she likes me.' He pulled his hand from hers, taking a step back in the process before plucking the paper from her free fingers. "It was my fault, that it was. I became lost in my thoughts and troubled you." He flashed a grin at her, and it was mirrored back. "And speaking of problems I should be leaving if I wish to be back in time for lunch, yes?"
She nodded, hair ribbon bouncing. "Right, here's your yen, and don't forget anything." With that she gave him an awkward hug and hurried back in to her awaiting pupil.
Kenshin had walked about twelve steps before he turned back around, not knowing what he was looking for, but being glad Kaoru had indeed gone back indoors. He released a breath he didn't remember having held in, in relief. He could still feel her arms, asking him the same thing she asked every time she touched him. He couldn't help trying to excuse it by her youth. 'She doesn't know the extent of what she wants, or even what she would be offering if I were interested, that she does not.' That idea brought him to an argument he'd been having with himself as of late, what to do about the enthusiastic teen.
On one hand, he wasn't particularly fond of the idea of being any more intimate with her then he was currently. On the other, everyone, the people he considered his family, appeared to expect things to go that way, and despite not having had a whole lot of family, he knew that one generally did what they thought was best. How many times had Sanosuke jabbed him the ribs with some slightly rude, or on occasion vulgar comment about what seemed to be the general idea of what went on between them. Or could he miss Yahiko's stares during meals when small talk ruled the conversation, the young child keeping his eyes focused on the interactions between the little samurai and his mentor. Even Miss Megumi had given them sideways glances, and she could regularly be found talking with Kaoru, he supposed about girlish things. Kaoru's obvious attraction was likely one of them. Thinking too much about it gave him a headache, and he put it once again on hold as he finally turned to head towards the center of town. Right into a large block of white, that when he had removed himself from his bottom (@.@;) turned out to be Sanosuke.
"Hello Sano," he said giving himself time to regain a bit of his punctured dignity.
"A bit preoccupied were we Kenshin? You didn't even notice me come up did you," it was far more of a statement of the obvious then an inquiry. He threw an arm around Kenshin pulling him closer and stared down into the smaller man's face, grinning. "C'mon Kenshin, you know you can always tell me what's on your mind."
"Nothing of great importance right now," Sanosuke's eyes narrowed skeptically, and Kenshin decided it was time to turn the conversation someplace safer, for now. "In fact it was silly of me to be thinking at all, that it most certainly was. I should be well on my into the market by now acquiring foodstuffs for the rest of the day. Miss Kaoru will be angry again if I'm terribly late." He made to step out of Sano's hold, and instead had his friend walking with him. Inside Kenshin sighed. 'It isn't his fault my head is so full of jumble. He evidently thinks he is being helpful.'
"You sure there isn't anything going around that red-haired skull of yours that you'd like to talk about?" Now he looked more worried.
"No, I can't think of anything at the moment," he grinned reassuringly. "And we'd best be moving faster unless you want to explain why we were back after noon."
'Have it your way for now Kenshin. Maybe you'll want to open up a bit later. Heaven knows your silence is too much for one person to hold in forever. I hope you let some of what's troubling you sooner rather then later.' He nodded in agreement with the rurouni's last statement, and getting an idea waited a moment before asking, "You aren't thinking about Kaoru are you?"
"Oro?" a brief pause that had he not been listening for it he would have missed it in his response, then laughing, "Nothing quite so interesting as you seem to think that should be."
"I just had to ask, you know me." Inside his interest grew, 'Gotcha,' as they kept their quickened pace onward.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Another chapter finished, slightly longer, and once I have a clear shot to where this is gonna lead, the length will continue to increase (I tried to make this longer but I reached a tidy stopping point). Uber thank yous to those who reviewed, once I have a long time on the computer on Tuesday I'll be sure to go read some of your works as well (I'm updating on my mom's work computer cause I'm on vacation from school). It was awesome to go check my mail and have review notices in there, because I wasn't expecting any till this got a bit longer, and thus you all have a faster update. I put aside my current DDR and Saiyuki addictions (neither of which I assume responsibility for) to finish this chapter. Umm... what else can I say?... Oro!?