Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment, respectively.
A/N: This is the second chapter after almost a year of posting. I hope you'll love this. There might be some OOC there so enjoy.
Italic – in thoughts
"…" - in words
Chapter 2 : The Start of Their Pretense
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"What is your name?" she asked shyly all of a sudden
Silence
"If I'm going to stay with you, I want to know the name of my companion."
Silence.
When she thought that he will not speak at all, he said his name in a hard tone.
"Kenshin, Kenshin Himura is my name."
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Kaoru looked at him through her eye lashes in wary as she sat down in the boulder near the entrance of the cave. She hugged her knees close to her chest and dropped her chin on it. She watched Kenshin as he started to build a fire to light the dark cave. Her stomach abruptly growled in hunger and her mind raced with questions about her current situation. What am I going to do now? He held me captive but I look like a free woman. He doesn't look like a captor but he sure as hell a handsome one. Wait a second where did that come from? Her browns snapped together as she stared at the fire while playing with the hem of her kimono, struggling with every effort to calm her stomach. She looked at the other person, who was now sitting in an unfamiliar position, opposite from her and swallowed. "Kenshin…am…is there any food I could eat?" She started, uncertain of the amber eyes looking at her. Her body shivered from coldness and from his chilling eyes as though he was going to devour her right that minute.
Kenshin looked at her and stood up. He tied the hilt of his scabbard on his side and removed his haori and tossed it at Kaoru's direction. "Wear it and don't call me Kenshin" he ordered in a low growl, his manner was turning cold and impassive "And if you are planning to escape, don't try it or you won't like the consequences I'll inflict upon you. Have I made myself clear?"
Kaoru nodded silently not bothering to look at him but when she looked up, she saw him leaving, and panic rose up to her throat. "Wait, where are you going? I..I don't want to be left here all alone!" Because her mind was centered on Kenshin's departing form, Kaoru started to stand up but the hem of her kimono got trapped in her feet and she fell on the ground face first. She straightened immediately and started to laugh at her own foolishness, her cheeks darkened with color, her teeth were biting her lips in helpless mirth. She slowly stood up and tried to repair some semblance of order with her kimono, not bothering about her appearance, while she looked at her feet in shame.
Kenshin stared at her and grinned, she was exasperating girl and clumsy too. He let out a sigh and said in his cold and hard tone, leaving no room for arguments. "I'm going to get some food, you stay here." He turned his back at her and proceeded outside. Kaoru stood there and sighed, "Well I'm going to sleep here, you go" She murmured, mimicking his tone a while ago. She sat down and tucked her legs inside the fold of her Kimono and covered herself with his haori. I can't comprehend why I find that arrogant captor handsome at all! Of course he has red hair, amber eyes, sexy body, he is pleasant to look upon…no not pleasant but he is beautiful to look upon. But Kami-sama with those looks I can't believe he is as arrogant, barbaric person who you can't predict his mood! Why, if I'm his wife, I would have thrown myself at the nearest river. She shivered from her unprincipled thoughts and smiled as leaned back on the cold stone. She rubbed her hands together and closed her eyes, exhaustion covered her and she fell asleep immediately.
Kenshin started walking down the eerie forest, as quietly as possible, to hunt food for his captive, he shook his head at the sudden thought occurred to him, I looked as though I was the slave. His hunt went well for another hour as he sauntered back to the cave. He saw her slumped on the floor like a wet rag and cotton ball. Her knees were enclosed in a tight hug and her head was rested on the cold stone while his haori was her blanket. Kenshin took out small twigs from his arms and placed it across the flame that made a perfect roasting place. He placed their supper on the twig and started to cook it. The aroma got on Kaoru's growling stomach making her eyes slowly opened and Kenshin was the first thing she saw in an almost dark cave.
Kenshin looked at her and nodded, telling her without a doubt that he was successful in his hunt. Kaoru rose from her sleeping position and sat opposite from him. She unconsciously licked her lips in hunger and stared at the meal in front of her. She waited patiently while she started wringing her hands with the tension that suddenly creeping between them. She opened her mouth to form a good conversation but from the look he was giving her, she clumped it instead. After a while, Kenshin offered her the first meal that was cooked. Kaoru took it graciously and started eating it, not bothering about her captor's sake. Her eyes lit with joy as she tasted the delicious food in her hand. She chewed it silently as she looked Kenshins's hard and indomitable face. "What's this?" She pointed the meat she was eating.
"It's rabbit!" Kenshin answered calmly while Kaoru clamped her mouth with her hands as her stomach lurched in protest. "Haven't you eaten a rabbit before?" Kenshin asked, amused by her pale face.
Kaoru shook her hands and swallowed the food and took a deep breath, "Can I have some water?" she asked softly. Kenshin tossed a jug of water at her and she caught it easily. Her mind dug for a better conversation when it landed on the last thing she could ever think about, "Why did you kidnap me?" Kaoru blurted out abruptly.
Kenshin stared at her; it didn't take him so long just to know that she switched to another topic. "It is none of your concern, woman" Kenshin answered, the scowl on his face was threatening and Kaoru almost regretted her sudden question. Kenshin's eyes narrowed at the girl, Is she timid? I could scare her easily! He thought angrily
Kaoru looked at his eyes and almost snorted out loud, He look murderous all right, was he thinking that I could be a very delicious feast right this minute? Oh Kami-sama, I would hate to loose my body parts…Kaoru why the heck are you scared anyway. You just got out of your fiancé's clutches and you should celebrate. You are Kaoru Kamiya, successor of the Kasshin Kamiya Fighting Technique and no one can make you cower so easily. Kaoru said to herself and smiled sweetly at him. Her ki suddenly changed from scared to undeniably bold and daring. "I really want to know why you kidnap me." She insisted, she trussed her chin up in defiance and looked at him straight in the eye. She looked serene as she sat on the floor in her bridal kimono while her hair cascaded down her back like free water in the river but her hands were clenching and unclenching on her side.
"Very well, I kidnapped you with every intention of selling you to the highest bidder or to kill you without mercy or to make you my slave or to be my wife instead." Kenshin answered her with truth, searching her face for a sign of fright or terror but what he saw was something he didn't expected: Fury and disbelief.
Kaoru stood up and looked at him with. "I am no one's slave! And you can't sell me because you do not own me!" She seethed, "And about the matrimony, I'd rather die first than to become your wife!" She shouted at him, she forgot all about her hunger as she turned around placed her food back on the twig and walked towards the far corner of the cave. She looked at him behind her shoulder and whispered threateningly, "If you try to rape me…you'll find yourself dead." She lay on the hard cold stone and tried to close her eyes.
Kenshin stared at her and smiled at the threat she just gave him. Don't worry, my little captive, before I rape you I'll kill myself for being out of my mind to consider you. He thought sarcastically. He rose and doused the fire until the cave became pitch black. Kenshin sat down on the entrance of the cave and place his sword at his shoulder and closed his eyes.
"Do you see him, Aoshi?" A young girl asked him with impertinence as she scanned the place like a hawk. She climbed on a thick branch and looked at him.
"Misao, will you go down from that branch?" He ordered
Misao looked at him and pouted, "You cannot be serious! I heard Kenshin has a mission and that he would kidnap a bride. I want to know if she is beautiful and I doubt I will like her. What do you think Aoshi?" she looked at the dark forest again and smiled at the beauty before her.
"I think you are being stupid." Aoshi said icily and left her.
Misao climbed down and hurriedly followed him, "Oh come on Aoshi, I just want to have a friend. All my life I was dressed like a boy, act like a boy, walked like a boy. And the only thing I wanted right now is to meet the first woman that will become my friend."
Aoshi looked at her and cursed silently. He stopped and took hold of her shoulder, "Misao….." He trailed off while Misao looked at her expectantly. Her eyes were gleaming with mischief as she stared up at him. "Yes…?" she imitated him.
"Kenshin could have done something to her right now and you might not see her at all." Aoshi said.
"If that is the case, pray Aoshi because I won't talk to you!" She removed his hands from her shoulder and walked out. Aoshi stared at her and shook his head.
Kaoru opened her eyes and squinted from the light coming from the opening of the cave. She lifted herself up on her elbow and jerked her head from left to right and slowly laid back and went back to sleep. Kenshin looked at her and squatted down until he was mere inches from her and nudged her awake. Kaoru was too busy trying to go back to sleep so she batted his hands away from her and snuggled comfortingly on the haori beneath her.
Kenshin growled low in his throat and picked her up and went outside towards the creek, hidden behind the trees. When he reached the bank he dropped her on the water and walked away. Kaoru was instantly awakened from the cold water. She screamed and started to stand up hastily, but her gown ripped up to her thighs, "You bloody, Ken---" she remembered that she can't call him by his name, she replaced it by something instead, "Captor!" she screamed at him and started to stand up slowly.
"I, woman?" he asked, with exaggerated look of innocence on his face while he propped himself against a tree and stared at her
"Yes you!" she raged, "One of these days… I'll get you for this!" she fervently vowed through clenched teeth.
Kenshin laughed at her and turned his back at her, "You can try woman. I'll be looking forward to that" He left her without any other word and started to hunt for their next meal.
Kaoru smiled wickedly and mumbled, "Try me, Captor, just try me." She walked to the banks and stripped her wet clothes and hanged it in a low branch and went back to the water for a swim. After half an hour, Kenshin returned on the cave and looked for his captor and when he found her nowhere, he cursed silently and went down towards the creek. There he found her, naked with her glorious body facing him as she sat on a stone wringing the water from her hair. She straightened out and went to her almost dry kimono and wore it immediately. She then started to go back to the cave when she found a small dog or a pup lying underneath a tree. She approached it slowly and crouched down, Kenshin started to shout his warning when Kaoru patted the dog with infinite care while he waded his tail at her. Kenshin came charging at her and hauled her to her feet. "What are you doing with that dog?" He asked murderously
"The dog was hurt or wounded or anything. Why do you care anyway?" She asked, jerking her arms from his tight hands.
"Because if there is going to be any killing, I'm the one who is going to kill you not that damn dog!" He answered, enunciating every word in a mocking rage.
Kaoru could only stare at him and shook her head "He is just a pup Captor, he won't bite neither will he kill me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to help this dog instead of talking to you," She picked it up as she marched back towards the cave. Kenshin stared at her and rolled his eyes heavenward. Nuisance!!!
They spent the rest of their afternoon inside the cave. Kenshin sat down, looking at her in a wary dismay as she played with pup. Unable to stand the silence any longer, Kaoru announced that she and the dog will be going out for a while; she stood and went outside, leaving an infuriated Kenshin.
Kaoru put the puppy down looked at him as she sat down on the ground, "What will I name you?" She asked no one in particular. She placed her pointing finger on her forehead and tried to think while the dog sat on her legs, rolling on his stomach and licked Kaoru's other hand. "I knew it. I'll call you Snowie because of your white and black fur or I'll name you after my friend, Sano. It's between the two." She looked at the dog and smiled at him sweetly. "I've decided that I'll call you Sano" The puppy barked in agreement and the two started playing with in their own world. Kenshin watched the exchange from a distance. She has her way with animals. He shook his head at the sudden conflicting emotion he felt and cursed under his breath as he turned his back at them and went to farther part of the cave to practice with his sword.
When she arrived Kenshin could only stare at her, he didn't talk to her or bring himself to a good conversation. He just sat opposite form her as though nothing happened and silence permeated again.
After an hour, Kenshin decided that they have to leave the cave because it is too dangerous to stay there. Kaoru could only nod at him as she grabbed the sleeping Sano and placed her in the arms like a baby as they started to walk away from the cave.
"Where are we going?" Kaoru asked. She clutched her torn kimono with the other hand while she held the dog with the other as followed him, treading down the forest. When no words came from him she decided to ask again, but silence is still his respond, she asked for the third time there is still no answer from him. Kaoru thumped her foot in frustration and rolled her eyes. They walked for three hours and when Kaoru was about to start screaming like a demented waif for bloody mercy, Kenshin stopped to a nearby cottage. He knocked and was greeted by an elderly man.
"Oh it is you my boy, what are you doing here?" The old man asked in a hoarse tone
"I did some errands." Kenshin answered
"Oh yeah, Katsu visited me yesterday and he told me you will kidnap a young girl and you might sell her." The man said with so much delight as he looked at Kaoru's sorrowful condition. He nodded towards her and looked back at Kenshin. "Is she the girl you are going to sell?" He asked, suddenly interested.
Kenshin was about to answer when he felt Kaoru glare at him and stepped beside him as though they were equal. "Mister," Her attention was centered on the elderly old man grinning like a lunatic at her, "I think you are mistaken for Kenshin will never sell me!" She said, using for the second time her captor's name, glaring all the while at Kenshin's back then she glared at the other man too.
The older man looked at her and asked, "Why won't he sell you?"
"Because he owns me. I am Kenshin Himura's wife." She said with lot of conviction.
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A/N. So how was that? I hope you loved it and please review and read thank you for the reviewers I'm sorry I cannot respond to you for now. o