A Note From Sedjet:  Alrightyroo.  Here is another chappie.  I will warn you, however, that my summer schedule is even worse than my school schedule.  I will be holding down two jobs and taking a summer school course.  sigh  I'm trying to complete my degree and graduate next spring.  WOOT!  So, you know my schedule, and I only ask that you be patient with me.  I will try to update as frequently as possible.  I love you guys, and I want to keep you happy!

Koishii Sweet --  Thank you for reading!  You're always so supportive!

Hellhound --  I'm glad you liked it!  I hope you like the next chappieJ

Lyphta --  Thanks!  I hope you stick around for the rest of it!!

Engel Star 13 – Thanks for the nice review.  I will definitely check out your stories.

Rent:

Chapter Five

Over the Moon

Kaoru reached for Kenshin's arm, but he shied away, offering her an apologetic almost-smile.  She nodded, trying to hide her sad expression, but failed miserably.  Sano noted the exchange and draped a large, heavy arm over Kaoru's shoulders.  He leaned down to whisper in her ear, and Kenshin frowned.

"Don't be put off.  He's just weird about this kind of thing.  He hasn't had a date in over a year.  You just have to go slow and be patient.  Don't get discouraged."  Sano murmured in her ear.  A sad smile crossed her face, she nodded her head solemnly.

Sano ruffled her hair, "Don't worry, Jo-chan.  I've got a good feelin' 'bout this."

Kenshin watched the exchange with a jealous eye.  Why did Sano get along better with everyone than he did?  What was it about him that made people open up to him.  What was it about him that made Kaoru smile like that.

It's because he has come to terms with his disease, a reasonable voice answered Kenshin's thoughts.  He has accepted his fate.  You haven't.  It is really as simple as that, you know.  His attitude makes the difference.  Sano was right to have called you a hermit earlier.  You don't go out.  Kaoru is the only person you have made an effort with.  Perhaps you should just—

Perhaps you should just shut the fuck up, you annoying lil' pacifist, before I kick your ass to kingdom come. 

That is quite enough!  You trash mouthed hooligan!

I will kill you.

Kenshin pushed the voices out of his mind.  His two drastically different personalities tended to battle it out for dominance.  Actually, it was more like his dominant personality just beat the shit out of the weaker and that was that.  Generally, Kenshin tried not to listen to either of them.

The pacifist had a point, though.  Sano had a wonderful attitude if you considered that he was dying in the slowest and perhaps most emotionally painful way possible.  Kenshin couldn't figure the man out.  He was going to these group therapy meetings that "helped him deal with his disease."  Kenshin had only scoffed when Sano had invited him along.  He didn't need poems or songs or mantras to give him hope.  His hope had been ripped away from when Tomoe chose to take herself out of the world rather than staying with him so they could help each other through it. 

Kenshin turned away from the smiling pair of kindred souls.  "We better get going or they'll be pissed," he muttered. 

Kaoru frowned.  She ran ahead of Sanosuke to wrap her arms around Kenshin, but backed off immediately when he cringed and shot her a belligerent look. 

"I'm sorry," she murmured, intently studying her purple polished nails.

"'S ok."  Kenshin was quiet for a while.  "I'm just not used to being touched, and it kinda weirds me out."

"Oh!  You should have said so!  I'm sorry.  I'm a touchy-feely person.  That's how my family is.  It's how we show our support.  I'll try to remember that you're not comfortable with it."  She offered him an awkward smile.  They walked in silence for a moment, "So…who are we going to see?"

"Misao.  She's doing a protest show against the closing of her lot."

"Her 'lot'?"

"I told you we were going to see a show at the lot on B and 10th, right?  Well, she considers it her lot.  It's her stage.  She's been performing there for years.  Now, an…ex-friend of ours has decided that he's going to shut down the lot.  He's just being a dick.  Anyway, she says she is protesting the closing of the tent-city in that area, but I'm skeptical.  Misao'll protest for any cause as long as it will get her some notice."  He shrugged, "She can't help it.  It's an actor thing."

Kaoru smiled, "Well…Thanks for inviting me.  I think I am really going to enjoy it."

Kenshin gave her a measuring look, "We'll see.  My friends are…different."

Kaoru just smiled, shaking her head, "You know where I work, right?"

Kenshin laughed out loud at that, "Yeah.  Ok.  So, maybe you'll fit right in."

Kaoru stopped, and Kenshin turned around to see what was wrong.  "What?"

She smiled, "You should laugh more often.  It brightens your entire…everything."

Kenshin blushed.  "Um…thanks?"

Sano watched them from a few paces back.  It was the first time Kenshin had laughed in over a year.  Kaoru was going to heal the broody musician's soul, and Sano was looking forward to being around to see it.

The trio walked the short distance to the lot, and Sano and Kenshin were surprised at the turnout.  Soujiro was there with his blasted video camera.  Jake was there with a pretty hot chick, which surprised them both, because Jake was the gayest of the gay.  Aoshi and Misao were there, or coarse and Megumi, a nurse-friend of Aoshi's.  In the distance, leaning against a red Jeep Cherokee was a familiar white-haired cretin. 

As they approached the group, Kenshin elbowed Soujiro, "What's that asshole doing here?  I'll fuckin' gut him."

Soujiro totally ignored his roommate's comment, "Whoa!  Who's the girl!  She's cute!"

Kenshin, in turn, brushed off Sou's comment about Kaoru with a curt, "She's with me.  Why the fuck is Enishi here?"

"With you?!  Is it a date?!  Where did you meet her?  She looks familiar…"

Kaoru watched the exchange between the two men.  When she was tired of being talked about in the third person, she held out her hand, "Since Kenshin seems incapable of introducing me, I suppose I'll have to introduce myself," she smiled that bedazzling smile of hers, "I'm Kaoru Kamiya."

"You look familiar.  Have I seen you somewhere before?"

She laughed out loud, "Everyone asks me that…"

"Heeeeeeeeey Kenshin!  Who's the girl?!?!  Are ya on a date?  Is she your giiiirlfriend?"

"Ah, Misao, this is Kaoru Kamiya." 

Kaoru eyed the enthusiastic creature with more than a little worry. 

She leaned over to Kenshin, "Is what she has contagious?"

"I don't think so.  If it were, Sou and I would have caught it already…and as you can see…" He made a grand gesture to include himself and Soujiro who was wearing a most sour face.

"I see your point," she giggled, "Misao, it is nice to meet you."

"Don't let these two sour pusses tell you lies about me!  They're just jealous because they aren't as cute as I am."

Kaoru laughed.   

 

Soujiro:

Misao is a bright eyed, beautiful, special young woman with a desire to perform and to be known.  There is a burning passion inside of her that many people (including me) want to be near, want to be a part of.  She shines.  She shines on those around her.  All she has to do is give you one coy glance, and you are gone.  Did I mention that she is an incorrigible flirt?  sigh  Yeah.  She was mine once.  I adored her.  I worshipped the ground she walked on; but in the end, I suppose we weren't compatible enough to make it.  Did I mention that she would flirt with anything that moved?  You must pardon me.  Since she found Aoshi, I have become ridiculously jealous.  I would never admit this to anyone, mind you.  I try to play it off as indifferent, but I think Kenshin knows.  Hell, I think everyone knows…except Misao.  She always was a little clueless.  Ok, she was always really clueless and pretty flighty.  She seems to be different with Aoshi, though.  She hangs on his every word.  The way she looks at him.  shudder  It makes me sick and jealous as hell.  Why couldn't she have looked at me like that?  What did I do wrong? 

Anyway.  Enough wallowing for me.  Tonight.  Christmas Eve.  Have I mentioned, yet that this all happened on Christmas Eve?  Yeah. So, we were all going to watch Misao's protest of the closing of her favorite performance lot.  Kenshin and Sano showed up with this strange girl that looked oddly familiar.  I had to have seen her somewhere before.  As I shook her hand, it hit me:  The Sex Kitten!  Yup.  That was it.  She danced at the Sex Kitten.  We had all gone there for Enishi's bachelor party.  That was before Tomoe died and he went all wacky and scary.  Not that he wasn't always wacky and scary.  Enishi was always just a little bit off.  But we put up with him because he was Tomoe's brother and that had to give him a few redeeming qualities.  Why would Kenshin bring a stripper to see Misao's protest show?  I suppose stranger things could have happened.  Kenshin could have smiled.

Everyone was watching Kenshin and the new girl with keen interest.  This was a most interesting development to say the least.  Kenshin was behaving in a most un-Kenshin-like manner.  He seemed almost shy around Kaoru.  They had these cute moments that made me thankful I had brought my trusty camcorder.  I got snippets of the stomach turning cuteness, so that when Kenshin tried to deny it, I would have the proof of his sickening behavior.  Don't get me wrong.  It was refreshing to see Kenshin having normal, human interactions.  It just made me a little jealous.  The way she smiled at him was enough to make any man do anything he could to keep her smiling like that.  I just had this sinking feeling that Mr. Poor People Skills was going to do something to fuck it up by the end of the night.  Kenshin was so fucking bi-polar.  sigh

Misao's show was…interesting to say the least.  It was a thinly veiled, selfish attempt to get Enishi to change his mind about shutting down "her lot."  Of course, Misao would never admit this to anyone.  In her warped little mind, she had already convinced herself that this was a protest against the mistreatment of the poor and homeless.  I, for one was amused when she decided to do Maureen's performance piece from "Rent".  "Over the Moon" was so way overdone for protests.  I just sat back and watched as Enishi chuckled to himself.  He had shown up to watch Misao make a fool of herself.  He and Misao had never got along.  It could be because he was a broody, crazy s.o.b and because Misao was so chipper (when she was getting her way).  It tended to put most people on edge.  I suppose I can't blame him for disliking her.  Hell, she got on my nerves most of the time, too.

General:

After the protest, the gang went to the Akebeko to hang out and bum free food from Tae and Tsubame.  Kenshin was still shying away from Kaoru in an attempt to make it clear to everyone that they weren't an item.  Soujiro noted the disappointment on Kaoru's delicate features and cursed Kenshin for being a cowardly, cold little bastard.  Sano also noticed Kenshin's treatment of Kaoru and asked her to dance.  She accepted the invitation with a grateful smile and Kenshin was forced to watch mournfully as his best friend got freaky on the dance floor with Kenshin's date.

"You have absolutely no right to sit there and sulk, you sorry asshole," Soujiro quipped.  "You've been ignoring her since the protest."

"Shut up."

"Oh, nice comeback," Sou said sarcastically.

Kenshin pushed away from the table and went out the side door of the restaurant.  He couldn't stand to watch people have fun.  It was a mistake for him to have come tonight and to have brought Kaoru with him.  So full of life…He shuddered and closed his eyes against a fresh wave of pain.  He wanted her to reach out to him and hold him, but he couldn't let it happen.  He just couldn't stand to look at her sometimes, the way she shone so with warmth and light.

Not long after Kenshin left, Enishi showed up.  He and Misao had had a battle of wits, and Misao lef tin a huff, hauling a displeased Aoshi along behind her. 

Sano and Kaoru came back from the dance floor and Kaoru cast a look around for Kenshin, her shoulders drooping in defeat. 

Enishi caught sight of her and sauntered over.  By the way she acknowledged him, the collected group could tell that there was a history and that she disliked the man immensely.  He asked her if they could go somewhere and talk.  She nodded in acquiescence and followed him outside.

"What do you want, Enishi?  I thought we agreed that you were going to leave me alone.  Didn't I make it abundantly clear that I didn't want to see you again?"

"Hey, cool it, babe.  I saw at the protest and thought I would just come and say hi.  There's no harm in that, is there?"

"There is when it's you, you fuckin' freak."

Enishi grabbed Kaoru by the throat and slammed her into the brick wall of the building.  "Don't talk to me like that you, cheap whore," he spat. 

"Fuck you!"  She gasped, her eyes clenched shut against the pain that shot through her skull.

Enishi didn't notice the petite man lurking in the shadows.  He didn't notice him creep up until Kenshin grab a fistful of moonlight white hair and yanked him away from Kaoru. 

"What the fuck?!"  Enishi swore, staggering up off the pavement.  When his eyes finally focused on Kenshin, Enishi's lips curled into an ugly sneer.  "Ah, Kenshin.  Dear, dear brother-in-law."  Kaoru gasped, but neither man acknowledged her.  "How sweet of you to come to the defense of a worthless whore.  You dishonor my sister's memory."  He spat.

Kenshin ignored the barb.  He was used to it from Enishi, "Never lay a hand on a woman in anger, you sick bastard.  I tolerated you while Tomoe was alive, but I will not tolerate you now."

"Don't you dare speak her name!"  Enishi hissed.  "You murderer!  Don't you dare soil the name of the woman you killed."

Kenshin reared back and punched the man as hard as he could.  "Get the fuck out of here, you crazy fuck," he panted.  The emotion was threatening to overwhelm him.  He was going to break.  He grabbed Kaoru's wrist and hauled her after him, into the building.   

"Thank you, Kenshin."  No reply.  She tried again, "I wondered where you ran off to.  I was worried that—" Kaoru started.

"Don't speak to me right now."  Kenshin muttered, his voice deadly.

Kaoru's eyes narrowed, "Fine."  She yanked her hand out of his and an alarm went off somewhere in her bag.  "Shit."  She cursed silently and began to dig in her very large messenger bag.  "Where is it?!"  She began to dig frantically.

Kenshin's curiosity got the better of him, "What are you doing?" he asked in guarded tones.

Kaoru's head shot up and she glared icy daggers at him, "I'm looking for my AZT.  Do you have a problem with that?"

Kenshin's eyes widened, "You…you have…?"

"Yes, Kenshin," she snapped, "I have AIDS."

Kenshin's gaze softened.  Nineteen years old.  Nineteen with AIDS.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't know."

"Yeah, well, I hide it well."

"But you—"

"I'm a stripper, Kenshin.  I don't turn tricks to make a living.  I would never knowingly endanger someone's life."

"I didn't mean—"

"You never do.  You seem to have a problem speaking before you think."

"I'm sorry."

"I really don't care, Kenshin.  I can't find my AZT.  I'm going home."

"Umm…Kenshin dug in one of the lower pockets of his plaid pants, "I could loan you one of mine…" he offered.

Kaoru looked up at him, tears springing to her eyes, "You?"

He nodded, not meeting her gaze.  She took his chin between delicate fingers, forcing his gaze to meet hers.  "Listen to me.  There is nothing to be ashamed of.  It's just something that happens.  Gods, I knew there was something wrong with you.  You're so angry."  She caressed his face with gentle fingertips, and he pulled away from her.

"Don't."

"Don't pull away, Kenshin."  She pleaded.  "There are places you can go.  There are classes and support groups…"

"I don't need any of that self-help shit.  I'm fine."

"You're not fine, you stubborn asshole!"  She shouted at him.  "You're fucking dying inside and you can't even help yourself!"

"I am dying, Kaoru!  You're dying.  Sano's dying.  We're all dying, and there's not a fucking thing we can do about it."

She studied him for a moment.  "You can live, Kenshin.  You just have to have the desire.  You have to live while you can."

Kenshin was quiet for a long time.  Suddenly, very softly, without making eye contact "When did you get sick?"

Kaoru answered as a young woman who had accepted her impending death, "I was diagnosed last spring."  She laughed bitterly, "My boyfriend at the time knew and infected me anyway." 

"Fuck!"  Kenshin swore violently.  How could someone knowingly infect someone like that?!  Especially a woman so young and full of life.  It enraged him.  He looked around the alley, clenching an unclenching his fists, trying desperately to get himself under control. 

"Look at me, Kenshin," she commanded, softly."  He did.  "I have come to terms with my disease.  There isn't anything I can do to change it.  It's that, or let the anger and fear eat me up inside.  I choose not to live in fear, Kenshin.  I choose to live.  And I'm ok with that."  

He gazed at her and forced himself to calm down.  After a moment he said, "You're just a baby and...just like that!" He snapped his fingers.

Kaoru drew herself up to her full height, affronted.  "I'm a big girl, Kenshin.  I'm dealing." She spat.  After a moment of uncomfortable silence, she softened, "What about you?  When did you find out?"  Something shifted in her companion.  She felt it immediately.  "You don't have to tell me, If you aren't ready.  I don't mind."  There was another awkward silence, "So…How old are you?"  She shifted uncomfortably.

Kenshin looked sideways at her, "Old."

She laughed and he smiled, "You can't be that old."

"You're nineteen, right?"  She nodded, "I'm a decade older than you."

She blinked and studied him for a long moment, "I'll buy that.  You look younger, but your eyes give you away."  She reached up with her delicate hands to cup his face.  "So much hurt."  Very softly, she added, "Your eyes are so sad."

Kenshin wanted so badly to lean into her touch like a great big feline, but he forced himself to be still.

"Why don't you like to be touched?" She asked softly.

"Why are you touchy-feely?" He snapped back at her.

She sighed and took her hands away from his face.  Kenshin's body protested the loss of her touch, cried out for her delicate, caressing fingertips. 

"Look, I think coming here with you was a bad idea, Kenshin.  I'm just going to go home."  She turned away from and began to walk away.

No!  Don't let her go!  The Pacifist cried out.

If you fuckin' let her walk away, I'm gonna kick your sorry, disease-ridden ass, the scary one threatened in a deadly growl.

Kenshin battled with himself for a moment before leaping into action.  He literally leaped after her, grabbing her wrist and wrenching her around.  He pushed her roughly against the wall, crushing his lips against hers.  He was vaguely surprised when her hands found their way into his hair, tugging roughly, but kissed her all the more frantically.

Neither Kenshin or Kaoru heard the side door of the Akabeko open, nor did they see Soujiro and Sano poke their heads out.  The two unsuspecting observers were surprised to find their best friend had pinned the stripper against the brick side of the building and thrust one of his knees between her legs so that she was riding him.  Sano whistled lowly and Soujiro just stared in rapt fascination.  Soujiro nudged Sano and the two young men went back into the restaurant, letting the door close with a barely audible "click". 

Soujirou giggle, "Wait until Misao hears this!"

"Man, Megumi'll be pissed!"

"Why do you care.  You've had a hard on for her ever since you started going to the clinic."  Sou jibed.

"Shutup!" 

"You know it's true—OW!  Dammit, Sano!"

"Shit, man!  I didn't mean to hit you that hard.  Guess I don't know my own strength," the thug drawled.     

Author's Note:  Ah, another chapter complete.  It was a long time coming, and I am sorry about that.  I don't have as much time as I thought I would have.  Just be patient with me.  I'm doing my bestJ