Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters.

Doubled

Chapter 1

By Lixia42

Kaoru hummed contentedly, doing the morning's laundry. It was a happy day outside, with glorious sunshine and beautifully puffy clouds. Kaoru stopped washing one of Kenshin's shirts and just closed her eyes, savoring the warm feeling that engulfed her.

"Kaoru?" came a voice. Kaoru spun around and saw Sanosuke in the doorway of the dojo. He sheepishly scratched the back of his head and smiled at her. "Breakfast is ready. I made it since you were working."

Kaoru smiled. "Thanks, Sanosuke. That was really sweet of you." Sanosuke blushed and muttered some noncommittal disclaimers before vanishing back into the dojo. Kaoru sighed. It was getting more obvious by the day that Sanosuke wanted to court her. And she really didn't want to complicate matters by doing that.

She thought of love and immediately Kenshin came to mind, with his gentle demeanor and astounding thoughtfulness. She loved the innocence in his violet eyes, and loved the way they sparkled just for her when they were alone.

She remembered when she had first kissed him. He had been training himself when she had come in and watched him. She could never cease to be amazed at his level of skill. His sword was a blur, and only his eyes remained frightfully steady.

Hearing her, he had quickly finished his routine and stopped, his back to her. "Close your eyes," he demanded hoarsely. There was such intensity in that demand that Kaoru immediately obeyed without thinking. She felt a gust of air and the "thud" of Kenshin's steps-two quick strides-and then he was there.

She felt the sweat from his body soaking into her clothes, felt herself pressed against his chest as he cradled her head like she as something precious. He lashes fluttered and he kissed them shut. She understood.

Leaning down, he had given her a searing kiss, his mouth warm against hers. She could feel the roughness of his palms against her cheeks, felt the surge of heat from his body. Abruptly he released her, gently turning her around. When she opened her eyes, he was gone.

Kaoru smiled. It had been almost a frightening experience, with the intensity scaring her, but that was how Kenshin felt about her. And she knew she returned those feelings. He had always been gentle to her, always reserved about being too forward. Except for that one day she had just reminisced over.

He had come back, hours later, apologizing for his misconduct. She had watched with large eyes solemn until he had finished, his violet eyes tender and worried. Then she had quietly walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek. He had looked so stunned. She giggled out loud. He was adorable.

"Kaoru?" came from the dojo. Oops! She had spent so much time daydreaming that she had forgotten about breakfast!

"Coming!" she called out cheerily. She was gathering the clothes when someone took it from her.

"Kenshin!" she said delightedly. "I was just thinking of you!"

He smiled gently, eyes twinkling in that sweet way when they were together. "And I you, Kaoru. You're never far from my mind." At her blush, he gently brushed his fingertips across her cheek before carrying the laundry basket chivalrously into the house. Kaoru exhaled. The things he made her feel! She was sure that she loved him.

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He knew what Kaoru had probably been thinking of. That day he had lost just a bit of his control. He had accidentally glimpsed Kaoru coming from the bathhouse. Steam had been coming off of her skin and light tendrils of hair had escaped from her bun. But what had made him snap was the fact the she had no towel around her body. He had immediately fled from the bathhouse, not for embarrassment but for his control.

In hid mind's eye he could still see the swells of her soft breasts, her slim waist, the utterly innocent way she was drying herself, up her calves and thighs and finally, tentatively, she had...he growled with frustration.

FLASHBACK

His eyes bled gold as he rushed to the practice area. He had to get rid of some of the tension piling inside him. He went through exercises, going faster and more precisely until he was almost exhausted. And that's when Kaoru had slipped in to watch him. He stopped his exercise. This could be dangerous to his plan. His eyes were gold now, he couldn't change them; his mental facilities were too shot from his memory of her.

"Close your eyes", he demanded, his voice rough with need, courtesy not even recognizable to him now. He felt her obey him and he rushed forward to her, holding her with the restrained gentleness that Kenshin would of treated her with. He hardened very painfully as he pressed her to him, and let himself think...Just a little taste, that's all I'll take...

It would be a test of his self-control.

Brushing his lip against hers, he poured all of his intensity into that one ensuing kiss that bespoke of his obsession for her. He felt her tentatively returning the kiss, felt her soft mouth part just a little, felt his tongue move forward and taste her overwhelmingly sweet flavor...Then, slowly, gently, he pushed her away. He was gone before she could open her eyes.

END FLASHBACK

He had rushed away to the nearest whorehouse and had gone through five whores with long black hair before he was physically sated. But his mind's obsession for her could never be quenched.

Battousai chuckled darkly as he put the laundry basket down. Soon, he would no longer have to play the Kenshin farce. Soon, he would have Kaoru's mind and body, would have her beneath him, if she was not willing the first time she would learn to be...He directed his mind away from those thoughts. Patience is what it took.

He could have taken and claimed her when he first saw her, when he first detected that impossible, unearthly scent, so sweet and pure and heavenly coming from her. But then there would have been a chance for her to escape. There would have been a chance that he would not keep her in the end. And so he would wait until the time was ripe, until she was ripe, and then he would take her. And she would forever be his.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru has come in behind him. Deciding to give her some foreshadowing of what was so soon to come, Battousai didn't reply. In the dark shadows of the windowless room, he slowly turned around, eyes glinting with gold. He flashed her a razored grin before turning around again.

Kaoru gasped. "Kenshin? Are you alright?"

He stepped out into the hallway, into the light. His mild violet eyes looked questioningly at her. "I am finished with the laundry, that I am. Is Kaoru not feeling well?" His worried gaze calmed her and she smiled.

"I just thought I saw...I don't know. Something odd." Kaoru shyly brushed her hand against his. "It's time to eat. Sanosuke made breakfast."

Nodding to Kaoru, he frowned when her back was turned. Yes, Sanosuke and Yahiko would have to go. He would kill them for forcing him to keep this façade more guardedly than if it had just been Kaoru and him.

Yahiko was just the most annoying little boy. "Kenshin" had been a great big brother or father figure, but Battousai seethed at the boy's sentimentality. The boy was a weakling and would have to go.

And then there was Sanosuke. Battousai wasn't blind. Sanosuke had dared set his eyes on Kaoru in want, had dared to blush in her presence like a lover, had dared to love her...for that he would die. Battousai grimaced. He would have to do it soon, quickly and quietly so his Kaoru wouldn't dwell on the thought. There were more important things she would have to worry about soon.

Eyes golden, he again grinned a fanged grin before kissing Kaoru atop her head. He felt her blush and giggle, a little dove so unwittingly caught in his trap. Oh, how she would cry when she found her Kenshin dead, had never even existed.