Disclaimer: I do not own Kenshin.

Kenshin: Oro?

Crisa Rei: But he is my boy toy. –brings out the bondage and smirks-

Kenshin: ORO?!?!

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Romance/Action/Drama

Rating: PG-13/R

Reader Discretion is advised

Please forgive an misspellings or grammar errors

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Gun Smoke and Sword Blades

Chapter 6: Lunch Time, Creeping Crime

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A day before battle...

For the past few days Kaoru has only had one week to train for battle. She was a little off still, but she practiced everyday and at anytime. She tried to stay late as she aimed and shot. She wouldn't give up and Kenshin would sit their and watch.

He would readjust her stance, her aim and her hold on the gun, strongly reminding her to remember each step. "Miss Kaoru," he would say in her ear, "Not like that." He'd step closer to her and wrap his arms around her arms and correct her arms. He'd give a slight kick at her left foot, reminding her to keep it forward.

Over the week Kaoru and Kenshin's relationship grew to much better friends than before. Kaoru learned to trust Kenshin as much as he trusted her.

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"Kaoru!" Megumi shouted from downstairs. "We're leaving!"

Kaoru murmured into her pillow and kicked her legs softly. The muffled shouts from Megumi weren't enough to wake her up. She was so exhausted.

"Kaoru!" Megumi's muffled voice sounded again. "I said 'We're leaving!' Which means, out to eat! For lunch!"

Lunch...For lunch...It had suddenly hit her and she jumped out of bed. "Coming! Wait!" she shouted as she stumbled around her room, looking for something nice to wear. "Megumi!"

"We're waiting!" was her response and Kaoru sighed as she pulled on a pink skirt with a white top. She washed her face and brushed her teeth quickly. She pulled her hair back into her ponytail and applied some quick make-up as she slipped on her white sandals.

She ran down the steps, grabbing her purse along the way. She was greeted by Sano, Megumi, Yahiko and Kenshin. She sighed. "Sorry," Kaoru apologized.

Kenshin shook his head. "It's quite all right Miss Kaoru. You need your rest."

Kaoru smiled and blushed. "I can't believe I slept that long."

"You slept in later," Sano remarked. "Anyways, let's go get some food. I'm starving from all that practice...Tomorrow is when we leave."

Megumi clasped her hand around his as her eyes glazed over. "I'm coming...I choose to go and help the injured as a doctor..."

"Megumi!" Sano was about to protest but Kenshin stepped forward.

"I greatly accept your answer, Miss Megumi," Kenshin said. "I am greatly pleased as well, that I am. I ensure your safety. I promise."

Kaoru hugged Megumi. "It'll be okay, Megumi. Kenshin will be there to protect everyone one of us."

Kenshin nodded. 'I promise Kaoru, I will protect you with my life as well as the others on my side.' He smiled at Kaoru and Kaoru smiled back, cheerfully as well as confidently.

Yahiko was grumbling. He didn't take it too well when he couldn't fight and was instructed to stay at home and take care of the house.

The car ride wasn't long, not to Kaoru. She looked at Kenshin. 'His past...I wonder...who it was he fell in love with...What happened to her?'

Kenshin thought about the time where he asked her questions. That story she had told him about the girl who was afraid of the daytime. What did it exactly mean? He wanted to know, but would she tell him. No, he would solve this one on his own.

"Kenshin. Kenshin!" Kaoru said as she opened the door and he looked over at her. "We're here. You can get out now."

He nodded and clicked off his seatbelt as he stepped out and closed the door. "Miss Megumi! You needn't have brought us to such an expensive place."

"'The Dragon' isn't that expensive," Megumi smiled. "I'm not paying. You and Sano are of course."

Kaoru laughed as Megumi and her entered the restraunt, leaving Sanosuke and Kenshin digging around for money. "I think there's five dollars in the car..." Sano said.

"The car is locked..." Kenshin pointed out.

"...Can you pick lock it?"

"...Perhaps..." Kenshin inspected the keyhole. "But that would be dishonest, that it would."

"It's our car!" Sano argued.

"True," Kenshin replied as he took out his pin and stuck it in the keyhole.

"Kenshin! Sano! Come on! We already paid!" Kaoru's voice yelled as Kenshin got the door unlocked.

"Oro?" Kenshin was standing there, his hand on the door handle, as the door was wide open. "But...I just...opened the door..."

"We can leave the tip," Sano grabbed the money in the car. "So you won't feel too bad."

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Kaoru was seated across from Kenshin and she had a plateful of the Japanese Buffet in front of her. She ate with a soft, pleasant smile.

Sano was drinking the sake wildly as Megumi stared. "So this is what you will do before we go to the battle camp?"

Sano nodded. "'Course I won't get drunk or nothin' though."

"That's reassuring," Megumi said sarcastically.

Kaoru laughed. "I bet he will get drunk."

"Kaoru!" Megumi looked at her with a startled expression.

"Relax, Miss Megumi," Kaoru said, "He won't die a drunk." She took a sip of her tea. "Plus this will be our last night here. We should enjoy it like there's no tomorrow, right?"

Megumi looked down at her plate, "Of course we should, but I still think we are responsible adults and we shouldn't be acting like were five years old. Take this war seriously."

"If we do," Kaoru said, "then I'd be in tears." She shrugged. "That's why I don't normally think of the bad outcomes, but the good outcomes."

"Good thing too, Miss Kaoru," Kenshin said. "It wouldn't be best to think of the bad things of this war for that will get you're confidence level down, that it will."

Kaoru smiled like a child being praised.

"Well that's Missy for you," Sanosuke explained. "She has always looked at the bright side of life. No matter what. Even as a small child."

Kaoru looked at Sanosuke, "Sano!"

"What? I didn't say anything about your past!" Sano defended.

Kaoru looked away angrily. He had almost said too much. She couldn't allow any more people know. Not now any way. She was going to deal with this on her own.

"So Kenshin," Kaoru said. "The Americans, will they be separated from the Japanese?"

"No," Kenshin replied, putting down his napkin. "They will be staying in the same camp as everyone else. They will both be treated differently. Nor will they treat us in any way other than humans. That is part of our compromise."

"When will we actually be battling?" Megumi asked.

"Whenever the enemy attacks," Kenshin replied.

"How will we know?"

"I have spies," Kenshin replied. "Saitou is an excellent spy. He will inform me when the enemy will attack. We will be prepared, I ensure you that."

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They arrived home and Kaoru opened the doors widely. "What a beautiful day! Don't you guys think so?"

"Sure," Sano said, shrugging.

"It seems as though we're going to die," Megumi said. "That this is our last day."

"In a way it is," Kenshin spoke, "This war will change your lives forever. You will see death. So much to the point where you will vomit. You will kill so much to the point where you want to see birth. You will go through hardships such as food rations and near death experiences. Fear will dance up your spine. Every sense will intensify and soon you will here the soft touch of a butterfly's wing on a rose."

"Very...gloomy," Sano said as the awkward silence passed.

Kaoru looked down and Kenshin noticed this. "But there's no need to look at it that way. I'm sorry if I troubled you, Miss Kaoru. I had no intentions of doing so."

She looked up at him and shook her head. "No, it's fine. I expected as much coming from someone as experienced as you."

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That night...

Kaoru was sitting in the couch her eyes drooping.

"Miss Kaoru, you should get some rest, that you should," Kenshin said, her voice making her wake up once more.

"Yeah," she agreed, but made no attempt to move. "I just...I think I'll sleep on the couch. I'm too tired...to...walk..." She lolled her head on the arm of the couch.

"Poor Missy," Sano said, "She's pooped."

"I agree," Megumi said. "She's going to have on hell of a morning to wake up to." Megumi stood up and stretched. "I'm off to bed."

"Me too," Sano said, "but for me, a shower first." He followed Megumi down the hallway.

Kenshin looked at Kaoru. 'What caused that eye of yours, Kaoru?' he wondered to himself as he watched her breathe in and out. He smiled softly at her and brushed her fingertips to move her raven locks from her face, across her skin. He then scooped her up with a soft, half awake protest from her.

He carried up to her room and then set her softly on the bed.

"Kenshin..." she mumbled as she opened her eyes and then grabbed his hand before he could turn away. "Stay for a while...I'm...nervous."

He nodded and sat on the bed as her hand slid from his arm down to his hand and he took it in his. "All right Miss Kaoru," he answered back, ignoring his own needs for sleep.

She closed her eyes once more and fell asleep.

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Crisa Rei: Yes that is sadly the end of the chapter. I felt the need to make their relationship grow more. So him staying with her so she could fall asleep is a pretty slightly fluffiness...slightly... well see ya

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