When Innocence is Given

By Rabid Turtle

Author: Kenshin's POV.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is not mine and will never in a million years be mine. Thanks for rubbing that point in. (grumble)

Chapter 3: Of Threats and Invitations

At least in my house, dinnertime consisted of the most awkward moments in life.

"What happened at school today Kenshin?" I watched fascinated as my Uncle Hiko slowly chewed on his dinner, lingeringly taking swigs out of his jug of sake. Hiko always eats so slowly that I'm surprised it's not lunchtime when he is done with his breakfast.

My uncle did not take kindly to me ignoring his question while I contemplated his eating habits.

"Hey idiot! I asked you a question!"

I blinked. "Oh, today was ordinary. Nothing much happened."

"Good."

Silence ensued except for the sound of two mouths chewing. It was extremely uncomfortable. It's not like I hate my uncle. In fact, I'm grateful to him. He has taken care of me ever since my mom....passed away. It's just that we don't communicate very well. Actually, I don't think my uncle communicates well with anyone. It's a good thing that he's a potter or else he would actually have to interact with people throughout the day. Trust me, that would be a disaster. And it would bring a lot of lawsuits.

Trying to break the silence I asked him a question "So, what did you do today?"

"Worked."

"Err...You finish anything?"

"A vase."

"Oh." I shifted in my chair uncomfortably.

"Do you want something Kenshin? Or are you just trying to annoy me?"

"No. I'm just trying to have a conversation with an antisocial old man. It's not going so well." There. That would get him talking.

Hiko glared at me. "I see. Since you have so much energy to talk tonight you can clean the dishes AND the kitchen." He then promptly left the table to go back to his studio.

I scowled at his back as he sauntered away. Bastard.

- - - - - - - - - - -

The rain kept me up that night. The dreams I have when it rains aren't...pleasant. Too many memories. I sighed. Might as well try to get some of my homework done. I couldn't concentrate though. She didn't seem to want to be forgotten and pushed out of my thoughts tonight. I rubbed the cut on my face where she had scarred me and the other cut where I had scarred myself. I sighed and looked out at the rain falling from the sky.

I missed my mother.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Spanish class, as usual, was horrendously boring and uncomfortable. I always seemed to make a fool of myself in there. I still remember the time in my freshman year when the teacher made each of the students say a color in Spanish. Mine was "gold" and, of course, that was the only color I didn't know. When it was my turn I hopelessly stared at the ground in defeat. A girl named Misao took pity on my poor soul and whispered that gold was 'oro'.

"Oro?" I muttered.

The teacher demanded I say it louder.

"Oro!!"

I wasn't rolling my r's properly enough for the hag.

"Oroo?"

"Orro?"

"ORO?!"

"ORRRRO!!"

Needless to say the entire class was rolling around on the floor, laughing their heads off, while I wished I could just melt through the floor and get away from this insane teacher and her oro's.

Today, however, we had a substitute in Spanish so the class was going wild and the sub had long since given up in trying to take control. Kamitari, Aoshi, and I were discussing the finer points of Sano's party.

"So how many people are invited?" I asked Kamitari as I lazily threw a paper ball at no one in particular.

"He said about 20 to 30 people but knowing Sano the entire school was invited," Kamitari chuckled, "I wonder how he got his parents to agree to this."

Both of us were shocked when the usually silent Aoshi answered in his deadpan voice. "I overheard Sanosuke saying that his parents were out of town. They do not know about this."

Kamitari grinned impishly "A party and no parental units! You know what that means? Alcohol!! Lots and lots of alcohol! Ah... I can see it now. Me and a bunch of drunken hot guys getting all close and cuddly..."

"Until you all start throwing up everywhere, flailing about like assholes, and, finally, blacking out in your own vomit." I said, frowning at the mere mention of getting drunk.

" Kenshin, just because you've gone on a holy crusade of abstinence from alcohol doesn't mean others can't enjoy the delightful times of being drunk. Anyway, I remember quite well when you used to chug it down with the rest of us drunkards..." Kamitari stopped teasing me when he saw the look on my face.

"You know why I quit." I softly whispered.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, buddy. Just teasing you a bit...Hey isn't that the girl you're in love with? Kaoru right?"

Glad that Kamitari had changed the topic, I glanced over at Kaoru, who was sitting quietly reading a book.

" Haven't I told you a thousand times that I do NOT love her?!?" I said, pretending to take offense.

"Well it's hard to come to that conclusion when you spend half the period watching her read a book."

" I wasn't looking at her. I was looking through the window behind her." I said defensively.

"Riiiight." Apparently, he didn't believe me.

"I wonder if she has been invited to the party," Aoshi randomly cut-in.

Uh-oh. I could tell where this was going.

"Hmm...that's an interesting question Aoshi. Kenshin, why don't you invite her to come along with us? Maybe she'd actually start being social if she were away from the educational environment. I too know how it feels to be oppressed by the hordes of unwashed miscreants, to feel alone surrounded by imbeciles that infest this school, to be-"

"Kamitari, shut up." The guy was striking dramatic poses and people were beginning to notice. Sometimes Kamitari was oblivious of the outside world.

"But seriously Kenshin, you should ask her."

"It's not my party."

"So what? You think Sano would care? The more the merrier he would say."

"But it's not my party."

"Kenshin I heard you the first time. Don't be repetitive. However, if you refuse to invite her I will be forced to use drastic measures. Yep. Hamlet. I threaten you with Hamlet. If you're not talking to the love of your life in ten seconds I will recite as much Shakespeare as it takes for you to whither away to nothing."

What else can a person do when threatened in such a way? I did as I was ordered and soon was sitting next to Kaoru.

"Hey Kaoru! What's up?" I tried to smile charmingly.

"Oh nothing. Just trying to finish my English homework."

She seemed nervous. Was I that intimidating? I was barely taller than she was!

"Well, I was wondering if you ..uh.. were invited to Sano's party this weekend. The entire school is going and I thought you might want to come to get to know people better and...yeah. So would you like to go? If transportation is a problem I know a few people who could help with that..." Real slick ace. Way to sweep her off her feet.

There was an awkward pause and then...

"I'm so sorry. I can't Kenshin. I really can't. I want to but I...forgive me." And with that Kaoru ran out the door, leaving me sitting there with my mouth hanging opened, stunned.

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Author: Muhahaha...yes I know I'm being evil stopping like that but hey, it gives everyone something to look forward to right? Right? Err...nevermind. Anyway, this is the story of the oro. One day I was in Spanish, bored out of my mind (I swear that my teacher did the voice over for Charlie Brown's teacher) and I was flipping around in my Spanish/English dictionary and saw that oro meant gold. If however, my dictionary is lying to me or I just can't read correctly, I beg all you Spanish speakers out there to forgive me. Anyway, make me happy and review!!

To Reviewers:

I Hate You/I Love You: (evil grin) Let's just say she's a bit traumatized...

ameamepeaches: A substantial fanbase? I only wish... Yay!! I have intrigued you!! My life feels complete!!