My Reluctant Cupid
By: Rubi A.K.A. "Phi-Dono" 2/20/o5 sun.

Disclaimer: Rubi-dono does not own the RK franchise - Nobuhiro Watsuki does! and i love that man everyday for creating it! (- winx -)

X: Summary: Enishi, after breaking out of jail, tries to come to terms with himself. he still wants to kill Battousai, but knows it's wrong. it's not what Nee-san wants. plus, amazingly enough, he misses that Kamiya girl... not knowing what to do with these conflicting emotions, he turns to Tomoe. it seems as though she's content with how Kenshin's life is going, but wants him to be happy. happy with Kaoru. since Kenshin and Kaoru haven't made too much progress, she sends her little brother off in hopes of making the Rurouni confess his love for the kendo instructor. the only problem is, why is Enishi seeing green whenever Kenshin is around the Kamiya girl...? (KaoKen)(KaoEni)(KaoBatt)

"talking"
'thinking'
(- occasional authoress note -)/(- actions in the authoress note -)
actions in the fic
/emphasized/

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X: Chapter One: She smiles )

The breeze was sweet. It carried the pure essence of the sea - the salty water crashing against the shores made up of either jagged rock or fine sand. Yes. Surrounding him was his home. Really, the only thing he /could/ call home. Grinning ironically, he remembered when he was a young boy, how he used to say his home was anywhere his sister was.

'Nee-san...'

Tomoe was his world. His home, his sister, his mother...his everything.

Swirling his wine in the crystal goblet thoughtlessly, the mafia leader let his mind's eye wander to the fateful day his sister was taken from him. By that...that /monster/...

The wine stopped its fluid movements. Everything seemed to stop in this instant. The seagulls had seemed to fly away, silencing their cries for food. The flapping of the curtains behind him ceased, as though the wind had suddenly grew tired of playing with the fabric. Even the once soothing sounds of the sea grew so silent, it was as though it had just disappeared all together.

He sucked in deep, ragged breaths to calm his raging nerves. He could feel the disgustingly familiar /hate/ build up in him again. Normally, he would have been content with the feeling he's come to know so well. He /has/ been living with it for a few years now. But... Nee-san didn't want this. She didn't want him to kill the Battousai.

"It was not his fault..." he could practically hear her say.

With a growl, the young man who sat leisurely in the cot placed outside on his balcony, slammed the glass in his hand down powerfully onto the table that was set up next to the cot.

'How can my own sister defend a demon like that after what he had done to her!' he thought, furious at the images of a red-haired swordsman slicing his sister's shoulder with such great /ease/... The bastard!

Shutting his eyes tightly to control himself, the white-haired man clenched and unclenched his hand - which was now bleeding due to the broken shards of glass that lay scattered around his little table.

'No... Nee-san doesn't want this... I've... I have to stop... Think of something...pleasant...'

Immediately, his mind conjured up the image of his sister. She still wasn't smiling for him.

"Sister..." he spoke out loud, his eyes still tightly shut as he let his head roll back. "Sister... Please... Tell me what to do, what /you/ want me to do..."

Silence greeted him. As usual.

"What do you think I should do, sister...?"

...Slowly, the birds came back. In the back of his mind, he registered the sound of the ocean hitting against the sides of his fortress.

Sighing, he let his shoulders slump. He had hopes of her answering him, but of course, she wouldn't. He knew she wouldn't.

Pushing himself out of his seat, the younger brother of Tomoe Yukishiro stalked back inside, making his way over to his bed. Untying the robe he had loosely dressed himself in, he tossed it somewhere into oblivion and sunk into his bed, naked, under the cool sheets.

'Sleep...'

Though sleeping always brought nightmares of blood and gore, he would still be able to see his sister. Hear her voice clearly. Relive, at least in that moment, what the last conversation that he had with her was like. See her smile, at least for a split second. See that smile he's pined for since he could remember, before he would see the pain cross her face as /his/ sword ripped apart her shoulder - a blow that would kill her within moments.

However, as sleep did claim him, it wasn't to torture him with nightmares. Instead, this was a world which he was unfamiliar with. Surrounding him was a warm summer day, and underneath was a dirty road - a trail more so, he figured as he noticed the thin width of it. To his left was -surprisingly enough- a sakura tree. He hadn't seen a sakura tree in years... For the exception of his trip to the Kamiya dojo.

'Kamiya...'

Scoffing, he rid his mind of thoughts of the ill-tempered tomboy. This dream -if indeed it was that- was most certainly made for Tomoe. He wouldn't allow himself to ruin a dream, which to him was something rare, with thoughts of Battousai's woman. No. Kamiya didn't /deserve/ to be in his mind at all, let alone in such a precious thing as a dream. She loved and sheltered the Battousai, even though she /knew/ of his sins. Which, in a sense, made her almost as bad as /him/. Feh, the foolish girl...

Suddenly, a figure appeared and stood under the sakura tree. Her back was facing him, and immediately he knew it was his sister.

"Tomoe..."

The woman didn't turn around when he called out to her. Instead though, she reached up and tried to grab a flower from the tree. Smiling a true, genuine smile - one that didn't hold malice or hatred in it, he walked over to her side and, with no effort used at all, reached up and plucked a single flower from the frail branch. Bringing it down to his level, he took a moment to inhale the sweet scent of the sakura flower. Shocked as he realized it smelt of jasmine, he shook his head to push back the image of the Kamiya girl smiling up at him.

Smiling again, he lowered his hand so that his sister could retract the strange flower easily. Her long bangs obscured her face from his point of view, but he had no doubt it was his sister. Only his sister could bring this feeling of serenity to him.

She smiled warmly at the flower in his hand. He saw this, and his smile softened as he realized that this dream was the best thing that has happened in his life, since...since... He didn't know since when, but he /indeed/ knew that this dream would be something he would cherish for the rest of the years he lived on this bloody earth. It would be the only pure thing he could own to keep himself from reaching /total/ insanity.

As she slowly took the flower from his descended hand and brought the flower (clasped in her hand) up to settle on her chest, she turned her face up toward his and thanked him.

His eyes widened in shock, his lips parting at the mere reality that this woman... She...

Sapphire eyes met turquoise eyes.

"Arigatou...Eni-kun..."

"...Kamiya..."

Kaoru smiled at Enishi, a slight coloring sweeping across her cheeks as he said her name. Suddenly, she reached up and with gentle motions, removed his tiny sunglasses. Enishi found himself stunned that he had not stopped her. More so with the fact that she was in his /dream/. Of all the people to involve in a dream, it had to be /her/...

"You shouldn't hide your eyes... They're too beautiful to keep hidden from the world..."

Did she... Did she /actually/ just say that to him?

And as though this wasn't obscene enough, he found himself reply with, "The world, or just you?" His voice was low, and thought it sounded almost...almost... /Teasing/...

Again, the blush lit up her face beautifully.

'Beautifully? No! This is wrong! She's Battousai's woman! Nothing more than a slip of a girl! ...But... It is hard to deny that she is attractive...'

Slowly, as though he would scare her away, Enishi reached over and brushed his fingers over her delicate cheek bone. She closed her eyes in...pleasure... Feeling something inside him expand with...joy...he cupped Kaoru's cheek, fully enjoying the softness of her silky skin against his calloused hand. (- no, it's not a perverted thing -)

"Kamiya..."

"Say my name..."

Confused, he didn't know how to reply.

"Say my name, please...?" she questioned again.

Suddenly, it hit him.

"Kaoru...?"

She sighed contentedly, leaning toward him and resting her head against his chest. He swallowed as he noted that he could actually /feel/ her heat, the contours of her body against his as though this were /real/...

"Oh Kami, Kaoru..." he mumbled, tilting his head down to kiss the top of her head. "Kaoru..."

"Again, Eni-kun, please?" she asked, snuggling further into his body, pressing more of herself against him.

This was it. This must be what.../happiness/ was like... He chuckled dryly as he figured that Kaoru would be his bliss. This girl, who had been on his mind since Battousai had defeated him. Since he escaped the cells of the jail. Since he escaped complete insanity.

"Kaoru, Kaoru, Kaoru..."

"Enishi..."

"Kaoru, Kaoru, Kaoru, Kaoru... Kaoru, Kaoru Kaoru, oh Kaoru..."

His eyes fluttered open, to reveal his dark ceiling. Nightfall had obviously already come. Blinking to get rid of the remainder of sleep, Enishi stared blankly at the ceiling.

'Kaoru... Kamiya Kaoru...'

He wanted to know why she plagued his mind, and now why she was in his dream. What did she have to do with him?

Because it was already night (and in hopes of continuing that strange dream), Enishi closed his turquoise eyes to fall back asleep. Suddenly, Tomoe's face entered his mind. And what took him off guard was the fact that he hadn't even done so himself. Before the situation could further confuse the young man, she smiled. She... Smiled...

"T-tomoe..."

Her smile was bright, and oh-so comforting.

"Tomoe, sister..." His voice softened, feeling his eyes water at the so desired image.

Her face, for a brief moment, flashed into Kaoru's, before returning to the magnificent smile.

"Kaoru?" he asked anxiously. "Sister! What do you want me to do with Kamiya? What do you need me to do!"

Behind his closed eyelids, Kenshin walking away with his arm over Kaoru's shoulder flashed into his mind.

"...You... You want me to pull them together?" (- i know that was sudden! gimme a break, i'm anxious to get to the juicy parts! lol -)

Tomoe was still smiling at him.

Enishi grinned, but not out of humor. Of something else...

"Alright Tomoe, alright. Whatever you want, sister..." he answered in a monotone voice.

Then, she disappeared.

Opening his eyes slowly, Enishi stared at the ceiling once more - this time /willingly/ bringing up the kendo instructor's smiling face.

"Kaoru Kamiya..."

After a moment had passed, he tossed the sheets off him and swiftly grabbed the receiver off the hook from the phone that rested on his bedside table. Dialing the number quickly, he arrange to have a boat ride back to Tokyo. Within a few moments, the arrangements had been made. If he hurried, he could make it there by noon tomorrow. (- ok, so maybe they didn't have phones back then. but! for argument's sake, let's just say only really rich ppl can afford phones, ok-)

Standing and moving over to his closet, he pulled an outfit from it along with many others. Dressing quickly, he made up the agenda in his head.

After he had finished packing what he needed, he grinned - another grin that lacked humor.

He was against setting up the Kamiya girl and the Battousai, but if it was what his sister wanted... He would give the world to her, especially after that smile.

Slugging his bag over his shoulder, his feet quickly ate up the distance from his bedroom to the front door. It was eleven thirty-four he noted, as he passed the clock above the threshold. Trying to find something that he could get out of this bizarre mission his beloved sister had sent him on, Enishi thought of the Kamiya girl's blushing face - the one from his dream...

'Maybe...' he thought, entering the small forest that surrounded his mansion. 'Maybe we can relive the events in real life...'

Finding himself a purpose now, he raced even quicker to the docks. The sooner he got there, the sooner this dating game bullshit would be over with. And the sooner he would get to see Kaoru's smile. (- (- sigh -) i'm /well aware/ of the fact that the dating game didn't exist back then! i just wanted to add that in there... NO flames about this -)

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Next Chapter: Mr. Dark glasses

Summary: Kaoru's arguing with Yahiko. Sano comes back from a lost gambling game. Kenshin's cooking everyone lunch. yeah, it's pretty normal around here. wait a second, who's that?

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Japanese translations: in order of appearance: (let me know if there were any i missed)

Dono - more respectful than san; today would be used as 'Milord so-and-so' (- though i don't use it like that on myself. i'm not /that/ egotistical... -) As used by Kenshin, it indicates both respect and humility.
X-San - Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms
Battousai - man slayer, murderer
Nee-san - older sister
Rurouni - vagabond, wanderer
Kendo - sword arts
Sakura - cherry. referring to the cherry trees
Dojo - training hall
Arigatou - thank you, thanks
-Kun - a suffix used with people of equal/younger age. also, mostly used between boys, but can be shared with girls too
Kami - God
-
-Chan - can be used as diminutive (i.e.: with a small child - like "Little Yahiko" or "Little Shippou"), or with those who are grown, to indicate affection ("My dear...")
Manga - Japanese comic
Ja ne - see ya later, bye for now

ok. i /really/ don't know why i wrote this, but the idea came to me a few days ago and i felt as though i needed to write it. i love Eni-kunz, and of course Kao-chan and Ken-kunz. i love the KK relationship, hard-core fan here! but i /also/ love the AU coupling of KE! i thinks they is so cute together! (- squeals -) so yea. i guess i just wanted to toss em in here to create a love triangle. yay! it's my first love triangle :) and yet, i don't know who'll she'll end up with... 90 percent Kenshin - duh! the other 10 percent is Eni-kunz, but i really don't know what to do... ahh well! i'll think about that later! (- sheepish grin -) just review for me PLEASE! this is my first time writing about Enishi and i need to know if i kept him in char. i've only got manga's 1-10, and i haven't seen all the episode's in the anime. i'm just basing his char off what fics i've read. same with Tomoe.

speaking of Tomoe, i hate her and love her. i hate her for the fact that i'm simply jealous (yes! yes it's true!) that she was with Kenshin in the /first/ place! plus the fact that i can't stand fragile girls like her. she doesn't look like she can kick someone's ass at any given moment. however, i love her for the fact that she did /indeed/ make Kenshin into who is is today. or, erm /then/... whatever!

just review plz! i /feed/ off response! so gimme some good stuffz please! (- winx -) til the next chappie (which i dunno when that'll come up...), ja ne! (- waves -)

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Phi-Dono rox