The Truth
"What did you say?" Aoshi said in a quiet voice becoming slightly dangerous.
"A way to survive." she repeated.
"What do you mean by that?"
"You don't know, do you?"
"Kaoru, just tell me." his voice growing demanding.
"I can't, it will just bring more trouble. And please don't ask anymore."
"Kaoru." Soujirou said from behind her, his eyes never leaving the window. "He will understand, though he may be against it."
"You know?" Kaoru said, wide eyed in surprise.
"Let's just say I know my history."
"Tell me now Kaoru." said Aoshi.
She paused for a minute, wondering if it would be the right thing to do. Looking at Aoshi's impatient face she decided to tell.
"You know that with one touch of my skin I can suck out anybody's soul, right?"
"Yes."
"When I do, I take it into myself and that creates an imbalance in my body. With the energy of two souls, my body won't be able to take such immense energy and I...I die."
Aoshi's piercing gaze made her uncomfortable.
"It's why they've been so nice to me lately. Making the last of my days more pleasant before my job with Shishio is done."
Kaoru gave a brave smile but was suddenly being shook by Aoshi.
"You little idiot, you're dying for the sake of the government?" Aoshi said in a strained voice.
Kaoru gently put a gloved hand on Aoshi's arm and pushed his hands off.
"Please, don't touch me. I don't want to take any chances."
"Damn it. Damn it." Aoshi said, his fists clenched and aching for something to punch.
"I'm not dying for the government, I'm dying for the people who have been affected by Shishio's wrongdoings. Someone needs to stop him."
Aoshi's fist clenched harder but Soujirou put a hand on his shoulder.
"You know that there is nothing you can do but protect her till the fated day. He is an opponent that even we cannot beat physically. Kaoru has come to accept what she has to do, so you must as well."
"How the hell can you take this all so calmly?"
"There is no other way."
Aoshi looked Kaoru's calm eyes and took a deep mental breath. He relaxed his hands and closed his eyes.
"Damn it. You have so much to live for."
"Aoshi-sama, you know as well as I that how I live isn't a full life. This is what I am destined for and I can't stop it. Nobody can take my place because I'm the only one."
Aoshi gave another sigh and opened his eyes.
"You're right, I am against it. But I hate being powerless."
Kaoru's eyes shimmered.
"That makes the two of us."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kenshin took a light nap in his rooms. A light nap to him meant merely closing his eyes and putting his mind at a cautious rest. A sort of meditation that always worked on his tired reserves. He wondered if the two bodyguards were guarding Kaoru well enough. He couldn't fully rest, knowing that there were strangers downstairs looking after an ignorant girl. He finally gave up and started to head downstairs. *If you want something done right, do it yourself* He could hear a strained voice talking loudly.
The thick library doors were made of a heavy wood and greatly muffled the sounds inside. Eavesdropping was something he never liked to do so he opened the doors without knocking. Soujirou and Aoshi were gathered around Kaoru. Soujirou looked calm and cheerful as always, but Aoshi...Aoshi looked troubled and angry. Kenshin could see a strain in Kaoru's emotionless face. She was trying very hard to keep her face blank and unreadable.
"What are you doing here? I thought you said two bodyguards were enough for me."
He swore mentally. He couldn't think of an excuse, and he couldn't flat out say he didn't trust the other men. Aoshi saved him by walking towards the library door.
"I need time to think, you may take my place."
He brushed passed in a hurry and left to go outside. Kaoru stared at Aoshi's back till it was out of her sight, regret showing in her eyes. What had happened during the time he had been gone? An argument perhaps? Kaoru looked at the book in her hands and hugged the cover to her chest, hiding the title from his eyes. Kenshin's eyes narrowed slightly at her act but didn't say anything.
"Perhaps I should go after Aoshi-sama and talk to him?" Soujirou asked.
"If you want, you may go Soujirou." Kaoru said blankly.
Soujirou wordlessly followed after Aoshi and closed the doors behind him. The two left in the room silently stood for a few seconds till Kaoru moved towards the windowsill. She sat down, leaned her back against the fluffy cushions and began to skim through the book. Kenshin watched her every movement while still keeping his senses up and alert.
"Stop staring at me," she said without looking up from the book. "You can go and read a book if you want, but don't just stand there and stare. You're making me nervous."
"Why was Aoshi upset?"
Kaoru laid her book down on her lap.
"Why do you keep on prying into my life?"
She had a good point, why was he prying into someone's business? An act that he never would have done before, but doing now in the presence of her. Something about her made him wonder what secrets she held. Why she went about doing strange things and trying to make up weak lies for it. Why why why. He suddenly felt like he loathed her. This girl raised too many questions in him, when he had always been sure of himself before. The feeling of being unsure and unconfident was making him feel like he was loosing his strong grip on the world.
Control was something he had always prized above everything in his life and to start loosing that? It was unacceptable.
"You're right, why should I pry into your business?" he said in the coldest voice he could muster. Kaoru was taken back by how icy he sounded. She had only meant to ask why he was prying. *Am I offending him or something? *
"Your life is of no significance to me and I only intend to get my job done."
"That's right. You must get YOUR job done and I must get MINE done as well." Kaoru said bitterly.
"My apologies for ever making you doubt your JOB, bodyguard." she continued. She closed the book and stormed out of the room. Did he imagine it, or did he see the glitter of a tear on her cheek?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kaoru miserably walked to the front door when it swung open. She jumped away just in time to avoid being hit in the face with the door, only to trip over the ends of her kimono and fall.
A hand caught her waist just in time and effortlessly pulled her up. She looked up into the eyes of a hardened but jovial man with the wildest hair she had ever seen. His clothes said everything about his history. They were the clothes of a street fighter but were kept clean and well mended.
"Sorry about that, you ok?"
"Yes, thank you for catching me...oh!"
Kaoru jumped out of his grasp and bumped into someone's chest. She turned her face to look at the amber eyes of her bodyguard. *Gold eyes? But his eyes are lavender, why did they change? *
"Who are you?" he asked.
The wild haired man gave a grin.
"So it's true, the Battousai is the leader."
"That is a name I do not go by anymore."
"Sorry about that. I'm Sano, one of the bodyguards."
"A common street fighter?" Kenshin said, showing a tinge of disdain.
Kaoru could feel her blood boiling at how he was treating Sano.
"You jerk! Don't sound so high and almighty just because you're a swordsman. A street fighter can have the equal skills as any!"
"And why," Kenshin asked, glowering. "Are you defending him?"
"Your arrogance tires me and you judge people too quickly by how they look. Outside qualities don't always show who the person is within."
"You trust people to much." he argued.
"At least I trust people."
Kenshin glared furiously and could feel his hand unknowingly inch towards his sword. Sano noticed this and stepped in.
"Hey man, no hurting the assignment. So put that hand down or we might have a little conflict right here."
"Street fighters." Kenshin spat out as he spun around and walked to his room.
"Swordsmen." Kaoru replied right back in the exact same disgust.
*That arrogant but undeniably handsome Kenshin has done it again, pissed off Kaoru. But don't worry; romance is going to start soon. Review!!!!
"What did you say?" Aoshi said in a quiet voice becoming slightly dangerous.
"A way to survive." she repeated.
"What do you mean by that?"
"You don't know, do you?"
"Kaoru, just tell me." his voice growing demanding.
"I can't, it will just bring more trouble. And please don't ask anymore."
"Kaoru." Soujirou said from behind her, his eyes never leaving the window. "He will understand, though he may be against it."
"You know?" Kaoru said, wide eyed in surprise.
"Let's just say I know my history."
"Tell me now Kaoru." said Aoshi.
She paused for a minute, wondering if it would be the right thing to do. Looking at Aoshi's impatient face she decided to tell.
"You know that with one touch of my skin I can suck out anybody's soul, right?"
"Yes."
"When I do, I take it into myself and that creates an imbalance in my body. With the energy of two souls, my body won't be able to take such immense energy and I...I die."
Aoshi's piercing gaze made her uncomfortable.
"It's why they've been so nice to me lately. Making the last of my days more pleasant before my job with Shishio is done."
Kaoru gave a brave smile but was suddenly being shook by Aoshi.
"You little idiot, you're dying for the sake of the government?" Aoshi said in a strained voice.
Kaoru gently put a gloved hand on Aoshi's arm and pushed his hands off.
"Please, don't touch me. I don't want to take any chances."
"Damn it. Damn it." Aoshi said, his fists clenched and aching for something to punch.
"I'm not dying for the government, I'm dying for the people who have been affected by Shishio's wrongdoings. Someone needs to stop him."
Aoshi's fist clenched harder but Soujirou put a hand on his shoulder.
"You know that there is nothing you can do but protect her till the fated day. He is an opponent that even we cannot beat physically. Kaoru has come to accept what she has to do, so you must as well."
"How the hell can you take this all so calmly?"
"There is no other way."
Aoshi looked Kaoru's calm eyes and took a deep mental breath. He relaxed his hands and closed his eyes.
"Damn it. You have so much to live for."
"Aoshi-sama, you know as well as I that how I live isn't a full life. This is what I am destined for and I can't stop it. Nobody can take my place because I'm the only one."
Aoshi gave another sigh and opened his eyes.
"You're right, I am against it. But I hate being powerless."
Kaoru's eyes shimmered.
"That makes the two of us."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kenshin took a light nap in his rooms. A light nap to him meant merely closing his eyes and putting his mind at a cautious rest. A sort of meditation that always worked on his tired reserves. He wondered if the two bodyguards were guarding Kaoru well enough. He couldn't fully rest, knowing that there were strangers downstairs looking after an ignorant girl. He finally gave up and started to head downstairs. *If you want something done right, do it yourself* He could hear a strained voice talking loudly.
The thick library doors were made of a heavy wood and greatly muffled the sounds inside. Eavesdropping was something he never liked to do so he opened the doors without knocking. Soujirou and Aoshi were gathered around Kaoru. Soujirou looked calm and cheerful as always, but Aoshi...Aoshi looked troubled and angry. Kenshin could see a strain in Kaoru's emotionless face. She was trying very hard to keep her face blank and unreadable.
"What are you doing here? I thought you said two bodyguards were enough for me."
He swore mentally. He couldn't think of an excuse, and he couldn't flat out say he didn't trust the other men. Aoshi saved him by walking towards the library door.
"I need time to think, you may take my place."
He brushed passed in a hurry and left to go outside. Kaoru stared at Aoshi's back till it was out of her sight, regret showing in her eyes. What had happened during the time he had been gone? An argument perhaps? Kaoru looked at the book in her hands and hugged the cover to her chest, hiding the title from his eyes. Kenshin's eyes narrowed slightly at her act but didn't say anything.
"Perhaps I should go after Aoshi-sama and talk to him?" Soujirou asked.
"If you want, you may go Soujirou." Kaoru said blankly.
Soujirou wordlessly followed after Aoshi and closed the doors behind him. The two left in the room silently stood for a few seconds till Kaoru moved towards the windowsill. She sat down, leaned her back against the fluffy cushions and began to skim through the book. Kenshin watched her every movement while still keeping his senses up and alert.
"Stop staring at me," she said without looking up from the book. "You can go and read a book if you want, but don't just stand there and stare. You're making me nervous."
"Why was Aoshi upset?"
Kaoru laid her book down on her lap.
"Why do you keep on prying into my life?"
She had a good point, why was he prying into someone's business? An act that he never would have done before, but doing now in the presence of her. Something about her made him wonder what secrets she held. Why she went about doing strange things and trying to make up weak lies for it. Why why why. He suddenly felt like he loathed her. This girl raised too many questions in him, when he had always been sure of himself before. The feeling of being unsure and unconfident was making him feel like he was loosing his strong grip on the world.
Control was something he had always prized above everything in his life and to start loosing that? It was unacceptable.
"You're right, why should I pry into your business?" he said in the coldest voice he could muster. Kaoru was taken back by how icy he sounded. She had only meant to ask why he was prying. *Am I offending him or something? *
"Your life is of no significance to me and I only intend to get my job done."
"That's right. You must get YOUR job done and I must get MINE done as well." Kaoru said bitterly.
"My apologies for ever making you doubt your JOB, bodyguard." she continued. She closed the book and stormed out of the room. Did he imagine it, or did he see the glitter of a tear on her cheek?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kaoru miserably walked to the front door when it swung open. She jumped away just in time to avoid being hit in the face with the door, only to trip over the ends of her kimono and fall.
A hand caught her waist just in time and effortlessly pulled her up. She looked up into the eyes of a hardened but jovial man with the wildest hair she had ever seen. His clothes said everything about his history. They were the clothes of a street fighter but were kept clean and well mended.
"Sorry about that, you ok?"
"Yes, thank you for catching me...oh!"
Kaoru jumped out of his grasp and bumped into someone's chest. She turned her face to look at the amber eyes of her bodyguard. *Gold eyes? But his eyes are lavender, why did they change? *
"Who are you?" he asked.
The wild haired man gave a grin.
"So it's true, the Battousai is the leader."
"That is a name I do not go by anymore."
"Sorry about that. I'm Sano, one of the bodyguards."
"A common street fighter?" Kenshin said, showing a tinge of disdain.
Kaoru could feel her blood boiling at how he was treating Sano.
"You jerk! Don't sound so high and almighty just because you're a swordsman. A street fighter can have the equal skills as any!"
"And why," Kenshin asked, glowering. "Are you defending him?"
"Your arrogance tires me and you judge people too quickly by how they look. Outside qualities don't always show who the person is within."
"You trust people to much." he argued.
"At least I trust people."
Kenshin glared furiously and could feel his hand unknowingly inch towards his sword. Sano noticed this and stepped in.
"Hey man, no hurting the assignment. So put that hand down or we might have a little conflict right here."
"Street fighters." Kenshin spat out as he spun around and walked to his room.
"Swordsmen." Kaoru replied right back in the exact same disgust.
*That arrogant but undeniably handsome Kenshin has done it again, pissed off Kaoru. But don't worry; romance is going to start soon. Review!!!!