Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, but that's okay. I like fantasizing.
Yukishiro Tomoe:
Teasing
I accepted the tray from Okami-san just when the Battousai came through the door in a panic, calling out the innkeeper's name frantically. Seeing that he had been worked up over nothing, he lost his composure and fell to the floor. I did nothing when I saw this. My expression didn't change, but inside, I felt a little lost.
The Battousai, the murderer of many, was acting like a young one, more than I ever did at his age. I had been informed of his age, and had been surprised at his youth, but I still hadn't expected him to be like this, so unprepared at dealing with me...
"Oh, good morning, Himura," Okami-san greeted him. "Despite appearances, your girlfriend is a very good worker."
Was I the only one who heard the slight teasing in her voice? No, because Battousai, Himura, turned red.
This boy was Akira-sama's murderer? But he was a fearful assassin. I saw so last night. But the way the innkeeper addressed him so casually, it's like she's talking to a child.
My thoughts stopped as the Battousai looked at me. Quickly, I swept out of the room, deciding to focus on my new chores rather than start a confrontation with him. However, he picked himself up and followed me, obviously disgruntled.
"Um… what's your name?" he asked behind me.
Give as little information as possible. You must find a way to fix yourself among them. Do not let him throw you out.
"Tomoe," is all I say. I can feel his confusion and exasperation.
"Tomoe, what are you doing?"
"Can't you tell?"
The reply is out before I can stop it. I keep walking, going a tad faster, just in case he'll strike me from behind at such a rude answer. He does no such thing.
"Helping out in the kitchen," he states, just as lost at my behavior as I am to his.
I think I'm beginning to see why Okami-san jests with him so. He really doesn't know how to respond to such acts. At least, acts from women.
All right, then, I think. This is how it will be.
"So you did know," I say, with only a hint of mockery. I stop in front of a screen and sink to my knees before sliding it open, as is proper.
"Excuse me, I've brought breakfast."
Whistles and hoots boom out from the room, and Battousai… Himura, is knocked aside. The Choshu men call out approvingly, but also rudely. Now this is behavior I am used to. No matter how much I ignore them, the men always seem to notice me. Just like those brutes from the bar, last night…
I sighed inwardly. They were all the same. Loud, rude, and making assumptions right away. Himura's girl, they were already saying, just because of one night in his room, when furthermore, nothing happened. But try telling that to these men. However, I could use this to my advantage. The more I appointed myself as Battousai's woman, the harder it would be for him to make me leave. And then I would get revenge for Akira-sama, the one man who treated me like an individual and was killed by the boy behind me.
"My name is Tomoe," I say conversationally. "How nice to meet you."
"Hey, knock that off!" Himura screeches behind me. I pay him no mind, and he steadily turns redder. What a revenge.
"Oh, embarrassed, lover boy?" cries one of the men, sidling up next to him, a wide grin on his face.
"Iizuka-" he protests angrily.
"Sooo, how was she?" he hoots gleefully.
I frown and get up to leave, having done my duty. There was nothing left for me here. Let Battousai handle this.
Battousai.
Quick as a flash, his hand is at his sword hilt, thumb ready to unsheathe it. Iizuka and the other men back away quickly, the noisy atmosphere turning shocked.
That's right. He's Battousai.
"I almost forgot," Iizuka muttered hoarsely. "Just teasing him is taking your life in your hands."
That's right. He's not just a boy. He's Battousai.
I exit the room silently, and no one notices me leaving. As I walk back down the hall to Okami-san, who will surely give me more chores, I think of how quickly I had been fooled.
The way the Battousai acts is already affecting the way I think about him. Sometime he acts like just a boy, but he's a killer, nonetheless. If he thinks I will excuse his crimes for his youth, he is incredibly mistaken. He will soon be shocked back to reality. I'll make sure of it. I'll make him see his crimes.
Author's Notes:
I was trying to find out why Tomoe started asking him questions that would make him think about what he was doing, instead of just being silent and sticking to the plan; finding out his weakness.
(His weakness is teasing! Ha-ha!)
So I was trying to put myself in her shoes and think her way, and this is what I came up with. O.o Looking at it again, it seems a little mean… but I don't really think so. She's just helping him "become a real man", so says the Trust Betrayal DVD summary. :P And that means shaking him out of his idealism and truly understand what's going on.
Thank you to reviewers! I think I'll try changing the second chapter to "Kenshin-ojisan" later on. I didn't want to use "Ken-niisan" or "Ken-nii", because I thought it was too childish. The kids who play with Kenshin in Otsu seem older than Ayame and Suzume. Oh, and yes, I am using Maigo-chan's transalations. So there's definately credit to her!
