Embers in the snow
by Uenki
I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.
Blood covered his vision as he walked through the alley, blood red hair dancing gently with the moving air. Tears fell from the heaven, and they caressed his scrawny figure. The downpour came as quickly as it goes, and he shivered. He stepped in the shack and found her waiting for him, his only source of comfort. He raised his head gently and saw her heart-warming smile… It was like a warmer in the cold rain. A futon was laid; in her hands were some fresh bandages, few fresh rags and a basin of water.
"Sit on the futon and don't move," she commanded in a murmur, he took off his shoes and went to the futon, sitting on it, cross-legged. She held his hand and frown at the deep slash on it, and she raised her head. Azure blue met molten gold.
"Bakayaro…" she muttered under her breath, as she took off his gi. Not even filching, she cleaned his wounds like an everyday matter.
She tied the bandages and stood up, untying her raven black hair and retying then again, to be neater after all the work. She said nothing and took up the basin of water and rags and walked towards the room. Kenshin hesitated for a moment.
"Thank you, Kaoru-neesan." It was a barely audible whisper. With her back facing the boy of fifteen, she stopped in her tracks and a soft chuckle came.
"It's alright, Kenshin." She said softly and stepped out of the door. With the shoji door slid close, the boy allowed a small smile to creep up to his lips. No matter how red is the lake dyed with crimson, the rain would always come to purify the water. Sometimes, he would still wonder, why had she come to him in the first place, but soon he would brush it off, as it was all the makings of his master.
"You know, his stupidity could only be covered up by your intelligence…" that was what his master said while talking to Kaoru, and she soon came to him. It was always her, his pillar of support that held him together, not to be shattered by the cruel fate of the war. Crimson shedding crimson seemed like burden, and he soon changed his thoughts about changing the future with a sword.
"You know, it's unhealthy to change you mind once you have set it…" his Kaoru-neesan always said that one shouldn't change you mind when you find faults in what you have done, once you have set it, you must complete it. So he was determined to complete this 'job', even if he knew that it was hard, but he still have his Kaoru-neesan. However, he knew that he was relying too much on her… Yet she would always give that gentle smile and pull him into the embrace that he loved so much, coaxing him.
"It's alright… You are not hard on me…" her voice was soft like music, stringing in his ears.
"He is alright, you shall not worry about this boy…" Kaoru said, in the depth of her eyes was a caring feeling for the boy. Kogoro Katsura handed the cup of sake to the woman of twenty-three, and she accepted it with a smile. Katsura look at the woman, who felt like his own daughter, which was working so hard to make the boy feel at home.
"I'm glad that you came back here to your Aunt after you went missing eight years ago… Also, you have taken a great deal of effort to care for this boy." Katsura commented, taking a sip of sake from his wine cup. Kaoru laughed softly, and brushed away the stray hairs on her face.
"It is a coincidence, really. If Kenshin hadn't been here, I am afraid that I would not be here sitting and talking to you. Besides, there is still Hiko-sama to put in account for." The smile lingered on her lips, as she shifted to a more comfortable position.
"I see… Would you speak more of this Hiko person? Maybe he could help out for the clan?" Kaoru shook her head as the smile faded, azure blue eyes hardened.
"No. I refuse to speak of Hiko-sama," she stood up, and bowed, "if there is nothing more to say, I shall go." Slid the shoji door open and went out of the door. Katsura looked at the woman and said nothing, but to shake his head continuously.
Kaoru stepped into the room of the boy, expecting to see him to sleep in a sitting position, with his sword by his side, for defense, ready to kill. But she didn't. She went in to see Kenshin sleeping onto the futon, curling into a ball. She smiled. She went to the closet and pulled out a futon and covered it on him, sitting but his side and brushed away those crimson locks on his face.
"Sleep well, Kenshin… Sweet dreams…" she said softly, and the boy murmured something that she couldn't hear well.
Please don't leave me, Kaoru-neesan…
Spoilers: Kaoru is obviously older than Kenshin, and Tomoe will still be in the story... this is set in the Bakumastu, and personalities are changed.
OOCness and AU.
