Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin
Kenshin didn't find excuses to avoid Kaoru, Sano and the others after that day. But he did find even more excuses to avoid Ayeka. Kenshin's routine resumed to what it was before Ayeka ever appeared, he cooked for his friends, get the groceries, and any other chores Kaoru seemed to remember. And if Ayeka happened to be there, he acted friendly, polite, as if nothing ever happened. Although he would acknowledge her presence, he never went out of his way to say hello, it was only said if she had said it first, he would politely respond and nothing more.
Ayeka would of course try to talk to him but he would only find reasons to leave, chores that needed to be done, cooking that had been unattended to. And once again, Ayeka tried to speak with Kenshin, "Kenshin." She called just as he was about to leave to pick up the groceries for the week, "mind if I go with you? I think there are some things we need to discuss."
He nodded solemnly, "Kaoru-dono! I'm going to go get our groceries for the week. Ayeka-dono will be accompanying me."
Kenshin waited patiently for a response before he head Kaoru yell back from the dojo, "All right Kenshin! But you better get back soon, both capable chefs in this dojo will be gone!"
The former hitokiri gave a small good-natured smile, "We will return soon Kaoru-dono, that we will."
The pair left and the walk throughout the city was awkward. As Kenshin bent over to look at vendor's good, Himura Kenshin took what few little bold steps he had, "Ayeka-dono, I'm sorry for the other day, I'm not sure what came over me. Gomen." He turned to look at her, slightly bowing his head.
Ayeka gave a nod of understanding, "Don't bother asking me to forgive you Kenshin, it wasn't as if I was pushing you away either. I'm at fault as much as you are Kenshin. So don't try blaming it all on yourself."
The red-haired swordsman gave a nod and smiled at the vendor, he walked towards the river before stopping at its edge and breathed out deeply, "You've gotten better from what I remember."
Ayeka bit her lip, "Well, so have you. We both had a little more than decade didn't we? Although, you've had much more experience than I've had."
"Experience I do not take pride in Ayeka-dono. Although, I can't deny that the skills I have gained have not proved useful even in this peaceful Meiji-Era."
She didn't bother looking at Kenshin, she only say on the lush, green grass at the edge, letting the tips of her fingers graze the water. "I'm sure you've seen a lot wandering the country."
"Hai, that I have Ayeka-dono." Kenshin took a seat next to the woman next him, "let me see your hand."
"What?"
He pointed to her right hand, "The scar. May I see it." Ayeka nodded numbly and extended her hand to him, he took her small wrist in his hands and ran his thumb against the scar, "It healed well."
"Hai, I barely notice it anymore." Ayeka gave a tiny smile. "Although, I'm glad I can still see it."
Kenshin cocked his head confusingly, "Why? I remember how long it took to stop the bleeding."
"I know it may sound rather pointless but, whenever I saw it. It reminded me of you, wondering where you were. How you were doing." She swallowed hard but continued to say what needed to be said, "I don't mean to pry Kenshin, but did you ever fall in love again?"
Kenshin looked out onto the water, watched how it rippled and moved, "I'm not quite sure Ayeka-dono, it had been a whole year that I had been a hitokiri, I had learned to suppress my remorse, my guilt. I felt nothing. But then, I met a woman named Tomoe.
"It was raining one night, I had been in town, I was attacked. I quickly disposed of the assassin but she saw me. I didn't know what to do. So I took her back with me, to the inn. She worked there, the men talked about her but I wouldn't have it.
"And then, my master suspected a spy working among us, my master sent Tomoe and I away to the country to hide. The Shinsengumi was looking for an assassin, not a married man. We stayed there for a few seasons, then it struck, I thought I had fallen in love with her. I asked her to be my wife, for real. She accepted I was so happy, once the war was over, I would lead a quiet life with her.
"But the next day she was gone. A man who was from my clan came to tell me that she had been the spy. He told me to read through her journals, I had killed her fiancé a year earlier on one of my earlier assignments. He gave me the first half of the cross-shaped scar. I was so confused; I didn't know what to do. I went after to her, I fought my way to get to her. But in the final battle, I was about to finish off my opponent, she though I was in danger, she got in the way.
Kenshin's eyes began to burn as he turned away, "She didn't have to. I would have killed him. But, she sacrificed herself for me. Her dying moments, she completed this cross-shaped scar. I became lost, I was in turmoil, I still don't know whether or not we were in love, but I never felt the way I about you again."
Ayeka looked around for an escape but found none, "We were crazy kids weren't we? Always sparring like that whenever we got the chance, just trying to point the other's point was completely wrong."
Although she had tried to divert the subject, it was a full round trip, "Falling in love." He added, his eyes staring into hers, "Do you think, we were rather young to know what love really felt like? Do you know what I mean?"
"You've thought about that too."
"I've had since the beginning of this era to think about it Ayeka."
The female swordsman gave a soft smile, "That's the first time you've called me Ayeka since I got to see you again."
"There seem to be a lot of things that I've been doing lately since I've seen you."
Ayeka looked on with a sincere curiosity, "Like what?"
"Engaging myself in a fight for the sole purpose of proving my point. Avoiding subjects, or people all together. But that I just took to an extreme when I was faced with the reality that you are Ayeka."
"I have that much of an effect on you Kenshin?"
"You do have a substantial amount of power over me Ayeka." He looked at her nervously and paused, "More than you think."
"I don't understand."
"You bring up feelings in me that I thought weren't possible anymore. Shishou did warn me of this before he left, I thought he was just being paranoid. But it turned out, he was right."
Ayeka nodded in agreement, "That's what Shishou told me to be wary of in his letter to me. He told me to be careful of my actions."
"As much as I respect Shishou, I was never one to listen to him."
"What are you trying to say Kenshin?"
"I haven't the faintest idea yet Ayeka. You make me do rather impulsive things."
"Then tell me," Ayeka said, "tell me what impulsive things I make you do."
"I can't." Kenshin stated softly. His eyes stared into the depths of hers as he gently touched her face. Half conscious of his actions, he skimmed her shoulders and leaned in to kiss her softly.
Less than a few moments had passed but it seemed a perfect peace of eternity for them both. Ayeka leaned her forehead against Kenshin's, her eyes still closed and the kiss still hot on both of their lips. "Do you think it's strange that I feel like I never left for the revolution Ayeka?"
She gave a soft smile and tilted her head back to stare at him, "Like we were Shishou's apprentices again. Like the night we spent in Kyoto at the festival."
He spent a moment to just stop and look at her, burning the memory into his memory forever and brushed a lock of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear, "When I think about it, I guess we really were in love back then."
"Yeah," Ayeka held Kenshin's hand against her face, enjoying the feel of it once again, "Do you think," she paused, "we're still in love?"
"I know this Ayeka, I love you and I never want to be without you again." He kissed her softly again and Ayeka gave no sign of disagreement, and as the rest of the afternoon left them, they spent the time learning about the other all over again as Kenshin had his arm around her.
"Excuse me, I know this may sound rather strange, but I'm looking for a woman. Uh, this high, black hair, her name's Ayeka." A young man with brown hair that grew out to the length of his eyes as he constantly brushed them aside. On his back he carried a parcel only wrapped in white cloth and stood in the doorway of the Kamiya dojo.
"You're looking for Ayeka?"
"You know her?" The young man started hopefully, "Ayeka-san?"
Yahiko looked skeptically at the young man, "Uh, Kaoru! Could you come over here?"
The young man looked at him confusedly but Yahiko could only offer a grimace as he heard Kaoru's footsteps and ran off, Kaoru soon replaced him and looked around for him. "Yahiko?"
The man gave a smile, "I think you're friend ran off in that," he pointed to the back, "direction."
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure why he ran off." Kaoru shook it off quickly and looked at her guest, "So how can I help you?"
"Hai, I'm looking for my sensei, Ayeka-san?"
Kaoru's eyes widened, "I'm sorry, did you say sensei?"
The young man bowed his head respectfully, "Gomen na sai, my name is Hiroyuki, but I suppose just Hiro will suffice."
"Hiro," she offered him inside, "I'd be happy to help you out, but Kenshin and Ayeka went out earlier to pick up some groceries. If you'd like you can stay here and wait for her."
Hiroyuki smiled politely and followed her, "I very much appreciate your hospitality...."
"Oh," Kaoru suddenly remembered, looking at Hiroyuki, "I'm Kaoru, and I'm sure you've met Yahiko already."
"A pleasure to meet you Kaoru-san."
The vigorous young woman blushed at the sound of her name on his lips, "Kaoru will suffice Hiro."
Hiro kept his polite but conservative smile, "Please, it would only be proper to address you properly." Kaoru again blushed but continued, "You mentioned that my sensei was with Kenshin."
"Hai, they're old friends, I think she was helping him get the groceries this morning."
"It may not be my business, but is this Kenshin, might he be one in the same with a Himura Kenshin? A former student to Sejirou Hiko?"
Kaoru stopped dead in her tracks at the statement, "How do you know so much about Kenshin?"
Hiroyuki bowed again in silently respect, "Gomen na sai, it is not my place. I will go and look for my sensei in the city."
As he turned to leave, Kaoru ran after him and tripped and clung onto him to keep from falling, "Gomen Hiro. I did not mean to do that."
"I mean no disrespect Kaoru-san, but you are not like most people I have met."
She shook her head, "I'm sure you mean not like most women you've met." Hiroyuki managed a grimace as he heard her, "I'm the assistant master here."
"Really?" The young man asked, "If I may, what style do you teach?"
"Kamiya Kasshin Ryu." She answered simply.
Hiroyuki listened on with sincere interest, "The sword that revitalizes, I have not heard of such a sword style before."
Kaoru only shook her head understanding him. "No, I suppose you wouldn't. My father created it when he came back from the turbulent times of the Tokugawa regime.
"Hai, they were indeed turbulent times."
"Hiroyuki," the young man winced at the sound of it, "Gomen, Hiro, you said you were Ayeka's apprentice?"
"Hai, it must be strange, learning the ways of Hiten-Mitsurugi in this peaceful Meiji-Era."
"We've seen quite a few things happening in the past year alone. You'd be surprised what goes on behind the public's view."
Hiroyuki gave a genuine smile, "I'll try and remember that Kaoru-san." He looked at her and smiled, pulling the parcel off his back and throwing away the cloth that had wrapped what was now revealed as a sword, "I'm not sure how much Himura-san spars with you. But perhaps you would like a match, although I can't promise anything too difficult."
Kaoru smiled and looked into the honest eyes that she felt drawn to.
For everyone who was expecting Finding You. I will be updating my stories every other week, so one week it's A Shadow of Love and the next week is going to be Finding You. Get it? Got it? Good?
NOT ONE SINGLE REVIEW ON THE LAST CHAPTER!!! WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FAITHFUL REVIEWERS!!!!!!!!
Breathes out deeply. Ok, I'm better now. Please, at least one review this time. R&R