It was a dark midnight. Everything was calm. A lone man stood in the middle of the street, silent and still. His intense golden eyes gleamed in the pallid moonlight. He was the night. He was darkness. He knew all of the secrets of the night, bloody and stifling. It was as if his eyes held all of the secrets of the world.
The man tilted his head slightly, as if testing the still air. A wolf cried to the moon from afar, and the man disappeared in the blink of an eye. All was still again, and the night resumed its lonley presence.
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
Kaoru Kamiya glanced up from her vigorous training with Myojin Yahiko. Both were sweating from three straight hours of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. Kaoru paused in dodging a blow from Yahiko and countered with a strike to the left. They are running low on food.
"Kenshin!" she called. The shoji door slid open and Kenshin's head popped in.
"Oro?" he replied. His violet eyes twinkled.
"Can you go to the market and byt some more rice and dashi?" Kaoru requested.
Kenshin stepped towards the door and wiped his hands on his apron. "Hai, Kaoru-dono. Anything else?"
Kaoru paused, placing her hands on her hips. "Um...we have miso and shoyu, so just buy rice, dashi, and tofu, please."
Kenshin nodded and took the apron off. "I'll be back around dusk," he said as he slipped on his zori sandals.
Kaoru smiled. "Arigato!" she called after him.
The door slid shut and Kaoru gazed off into space after Kenshin. Ever since that man had joined the Kamiya dojo, she has been happier and livelier. Hitokiri Battousai, the name which had struck fear and hatred in many hearts, was of no longer. Hitokiri Battousai had died, then resurrected as Himura Kenshin, the man who would take the legacy of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu to his death. And that is theonly man she knew him as.
Yahiko gripped his shinai. His fingers curled tightly around the hilt and he swung upwards. Haoru didn't even notice. He was just about to let the bamboo sword hit her head when she turned towards him.
"Class dismissed, Yahiko-kun. You can go to your arubaito at Akabeko..." Kaoru said. She returned her shinai to its place and walked out of the training room.
Yahiko stared after her. Did she forget that he wasn't working today? Yahiko sighed and shook his head. "Get your head out of the clouds, Kaoru. He's a rurouni."
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
A red-headed man with a cross-shaped scar decorating his left cheek glided down the busy streets in a graceful stride. He carried buckets for rice and a container for tofu.
Many people smiled at him. Most people knew him as the strong man that had saved them from the tyranny of the 'sword corps'. The gentle-looking man that accompanied lady Kaoru on shopping trips. The man that was beaten up when Sanosuke, the fighter for higher, said something about Kaoru's cooking.
He smiled and bowed his head to man as he made his way to a small store shoved away in a corner. Smiling, he nodded politely at the clerk.
"Rice, please. And dashi and tofu," he requested to the clerk's wife, who was standing behind the counter. She smiled at him before scooping pails of rice into his buckets.
"The usual, Kenshin-san?" she asked. Kenshin nodded. "Please, just Kenshin. This one prefers Himura Kenshin."
"As you wish," she chuckled. Turning to the back, she grabbed a small pouch of dashi and five squares of tofu.
Kenshin dug in his wallet for the currency needed.
They swapped items, and Kenshin bowed his head. "Domo arigato."
He picked up his items and turned to leave when he bumped headlong into Sanosuke.
"Ororo!" he cried out.
Sanosuke raised his eyebrows and steadied Kehshin before the light man toppled over. He eyed the food.
"You cooking tonight?" he questioned.
Kenshin ran his fingers through his red hair and nodded.
"Well then," he addressed the clerk's wife, "I'll take a sake."
Kenshin smiled and said, "Kaoru-dono won;t be pleased..."
Sano took teh bottle from the manager's wife and winked. He led Kenshin out and hoisted the rice buckets over his shoulder.
"Not if I do a little work!" he grinned.
Kenshin rolled his eyes.
"Let's go!" Sanosuke glomped Kenshin. Kenshin fell foreward and fell with his eyes bugling out of his head.
"Even if you did a little work, spoiling the food will not help," Kenshin sighed. He eyed Sanosuke from the ground and managed a small smile.
"Eh heh..." Sano grinned. Kenshin picked himself up and brushed off. He picked up his belongings.
"Kaoru-dono is waiting," he said, arranging his posessions neatly. He stared walking towards his temporary home.
Sanosuko caught up to him in two large strides and glanced sideways at his gentle friend. It was hard to imaging that this red-dressed, scar-faced, carrot-topped, law-breaking, girly man was the Battousai. Even when he did his reseach and fought him.
"Sumimasen," he snickered. He hung his wrists on the wooden pole that carried the two buckets.
Kenshin glanced at Sano from under his bangs and smiled to himself.
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
Kaoru wrung a cloth dry and placed it on her forehead. She slid deeper into the large wooden tub so that only her nose, eyes, and forehead were not emerged in the warm water. Her blue eyes roamed through space. When would Kenshin be back again? Oh yes, dusk. Her head turned and she looked up towards the small window where steam could escape. The sun was just about to set. Kenshin will be back soon.
She got up and slowly wrapped a thin towel around her body.
Bam! Bam!
Yahiko banged on the door. Kaoru's expressions averted to aggravation.
"Nani!" she snapped at the door.
Yahiko rolled his cat-like eyes. "Kenshin's gonna be coming back soon, ya know! You can't stay in there forever!"
Kaoru bit back a remark. What was the point of arguing with a ten-year-old? She heard Yahiko's footsteps recede. He was right, though. She has been in there for a long time. And she got out out of the water too fast; she shouldn't have done that. Kaoru swayed, then steadied herself against the wall.
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
Yahiko brightened at the sliding of the shoji door. Kenshin was back, which means that they can eat soon. He was hungry. He darted to the entrance of the dojo and stopped.
"Ugh, it's you!" he smirked at Sano.
Sano smirked back. "Well, if it isn't for the shrimp, Yahiko." Sano sprinted foreward and gave Yahiko a noogie.
Kenshin blinked. "Todaima?"
Yahiko pushed himself away from Sano, ribbing his head and gritting his teeth. "Okaeri," he muttered.
Kenshin took the merchandise to their kitchen and started preparing for dinner. He steamed the rice and brought out the dried seaweed. Soon the air summer air wafted with the aroma of meat and rice.
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
Kenshin removed the contraption that held his sleeves back adn carefully brought the food to the low table. "Bangohan." he called. He didn't really need to. Yahiko and Sanosuke were following him around like dogs awaiting their meal.
Kenshin looked at them and frowned. "Kaoru-dono?" he questioned.
"Wakaranai," he shrugged. Then he grabbed ohagi from the plate. "Oishii!" he gulped it down quickly.
Kenshin looked around the room. "Kaoru-dono?" he called. He slipped out of the dining room and checked each of the rooms. "Kaoru-dono, bangohan!" he called. That was odd. Their bathroom was locked and steam was slowly pouring out of the crevice in the door.
He put his ear agains the wooden door. "Kaoru-dono?"
Nothing was heard inside. But someone was in there. Their Ki was draining away. He could feel it.
"Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin's eyes widened in concern. Yahiko's head poked around the corner.
"Nan da?" Yahiko asked. He glanced at the steam. "Kaoru is still in there? That baka."
Sanosuke strode over to Kenshin, whose eyebrows were furrowed. He made to knock down the door but Kenshin flung out his arm.
"If we break down the door, it will probably crush her. We'll go through the window," he said. Kenshin turned and darted outside, rounded the building, and jumped onto the roof. Yahiko and Sanosuke followed behind.
"Yahiko, how long has Kaoru-dono been in there?" Kenshin asked hurriedly while using the reverse side of his sakabato to cut the wooden bars of the window. Yahiko glanced at Kenshin. "Since you've been gone."
"Go get Megumi-san! There's no air in the room. Haraku!"
"Hai!" Yahiko gulped and sped off.
Sanosuke folded his arms and watched Kenshin slip inside the room. Fragrant steam billowed out through the tiny opening.
Kenshin frowned through the steam and made to fan it away.
A limp shadow was slumped against teh wall on the other side of the room.
As Kenshin made to approach it, the warm mist stirred and drifted upwards, creating a gold-tinted vapor surrounding Kaoru. She resembled a celestial being. Kenshin's heart sped up and he knelt down.
Kaoru was breathing shallowly. Kenshin placed his hand under her bangs and felt her forehead. It was cool. The skin was so soft...it made him want to take her and hold her. Pressure rose to his head and he was left dazed. His eyes trailed to her lips, and then her bare shoulders. He licked his lips nercously and gazed down. Blurry spots were beginning to cloud his vision. He swallowed. A towel was loosely wrapped on her body, the steam from both her body and the warm water caused the towel to cling to her form. He saw every curve of her body; he could feel another side of him awakening.
His golden tinted eyes averted back to her face, but trailed to her lips. They were so pink and inviting. His hand reached up slowly and touched them. They were so soft and moist. His body inched foreward without him controling it. He yeared to be with her, always and forever.
'What is this one doing! This one has to get her out before we both pass out!' Kenshin's eyes closed as he leaned foreward.
Kaoru and Kenshin were only a few inches apart.
"Kenshihn!" Sanosuke's voice cut through the stifled air.
Kenshin's head snapped up and his violet eyes flashed. He shook his head wildly.
Kaoru stirred. Her crystal blue eyes half-opened and Kenshin's eyes widened. She mumbled something incoherent and Kenshin placed a finger on her lips. His eyes were hooded as he slid one arm under her to support her back, and the other under her knees.
"Ngh..." Kenshin hoisted Kaoru up and made towards the door. His slender funers inched towards the door and fumbled with the grip.
"Kenshin," Kaoru murmured. Kenshin's face shot down and he gazed at her in concern. Her hand was clutching at the hem of his yukata. The side of her face was snuggled against his chest, right below his heart.
Kenshin held his breath. 'Kaoru?'
The pounding of feet were heard right outside the door. Yahikowas panting next to Megumi. She straightened, then flipped her dark hair out of her face.
"Ken-san?" her eyes were blazing. How dare she...
Kenshin coaxed the door open and stepped out of the small bathroom. The thinning steam seemed to cling to him and Kaoru.
Megumi glanced at Kaoru and her eyes widened. Her face blushed deep red and one hand covered her mouth. Sanosuke and Yahiko gulped. Kenshin looked down. Kaoru's towel was coming off.
"Ana!" Megumi cried while snatching Kaoru away from Kenshin.
She staggered under her weight, then steadied herself and made her way to Kaoru's room.
Kenshin glanced worriedly glanced at Kaoru.
"Daijoubu ka?" Sanosuke questioned. Yahiko's head was steaming and he blushed madly. Suddenly blood splurted out of his nose.
"Kuso!" He muttered nasally as he pinched his nose and stalked off for something to aid the nosebleed.
Sanosuke nudged Kenshin as soon as Yahiko was out of sight.
"I bet Keoru did that on purpose, ne?" he smirked. Kenshin said nothing. Nobody said anything for a while.
Sanosuke sighed. "Well, I'll go eat now," he muttered.
Kenshin gazed off into space at the steam. 'Kaoru's body, it was so smooth and soft...this one has never seen such a beautiful body,' he jumped back to his senses and pinched himself.
"C'mon, Kenshin, yuo have to eat!" Yahiko called from the dining room.
Kenshin walked to teh plates of food and grabbed a bento box. He filled it with the food he had made a while agao and left the room. Sano and Yahiko were busy stuffing their faces. Kenshin reached the door and gently slid it open. Megumi glanced at Kenshin, then placed a cool cloth over Kaoru's forehead.
"This one has brouth you some food. It's not all that, but it is something," Kenshin said to Megumi. She smiled at him.
"Arigato," she replied.
Kenshin placed a light hand onto Megumi's shoulder. "This one will take care of her. You can gi and eat with Sanosuke and Yahiko."
Megumi smiled again. "Arigato..." she stood up, accepted the bento box, and left the room quietly, gently closing the door behind her.
Kenshin gazed at Kaoru's face. Her face was well porportioned; her cheekbones were high enough and her dark eyelashes laced her beautiful eyes. Thin eyebrows were arched elegantly, and the upper curve of her lip gave her an innocent impression.
"Kaoru-dono, you silly girl," Kenshin muttered. He knelt on a zabuton and sighed. What was she thinking, staying in the bath for so long?
I bet Kaoru did that on purpose, ne?
Kenshin blinked. That couldn't be true. Kaoru-dono wouldn't do that. She was a conservative but utsukushii onna.
Kenshin smiled.
(Flashback)
"Do you think that I'm going to run this dojo by myself! The least you could do is help me out! I don't care who you used to be!" Kaoru demanded hotly, adjusting the hem of her gi.
"You should've cared who Kihei used to be," Kenshin pointed out.
"I'll be more careful..." Kaoru muttered.
"This one's help will not be good for you. You have a chance to take the taint from you name. Being linked with any Battousai will make it harder." Kenshin had said at the door.
"I'm not asking the Battousai to stay," Kaoru yelled, "I'm asking you, the rurouni--" Kaoru's eyes widened and she gasped, covering her mouth with one hand. Kaoru sturggled, then gave up and spun around so that her back faced Kenshin. "F-forget it! If you want to go, GO! But...before you go tell me you name. 'Battousai' is a warrior name, right? What's you real name? Or do you not want to tell me?"
There was no answer. The door of the dojo rattled, then shut. Kaoru stared sadly into space. Disappointment ran through her body. Then...
"Kenshin."
Kaoru spun around.
"Himura Kenshin. That is my name...today. This one is weary from traveling. As a rurouni, one never knows when or where one will be off next...but please excuse the intrusion for a little while," Kenshin smiled.
(End flashback)
Kenshin smiled at the mere memory. Deep inside his heart, he felt happiness. Happiness to be accepted as he was, not because of his past.
Withouth thinking, he reached foreward and stroked Kaoru's soft cheek. She withdrew her hand from the inside of her blanket and placed it on top of Kenshin's subconciously.
His eyes widened in pleasant surprise, but then he smiled. He continued caressing her cheek.
Kaoru's brow furrowed. "Otou-san..." she whispered. Kenshin gazed concernedly at her sleeping form. Kaoru was probably remembering her family...she's an orphan, just like him. In a rustle of clothes, he got off his heels and leaned foreward. He placed a small kiss onto her forehead to soothe her.
Kaoru smiled slightly in her sleep and held tighter onto Kenshin's hand.
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
dashi: seasonings to flavor rice, soup, etc.
shoji: the Japanese paper doors
zori: Japanese sandals that are made of tatami or vinyl, that do not have a separate heel
shinai: A bamboo sword Kaoru and Yahiko use for Kamiya Kasshin Ryu
domo arigato: thank you very much (arigato by itself means 'thank you', and domo means 'very')
sumimasen: excuse me, or sorry. Depends on where you use it.
todaima: I'm home/I'm back
okaeri: welcome home/welcome back
bangohan: dinner
wakaranai: I don't know
oishii: delicious
neh: like 'hey!'
nan da: what happened
kuso: crap! damn! curses! depends on situation
sakabato: reverse-blade sword
hayaku: hurry
ana: oh my!
daijoubu ka: he/she/you/they alright?
utsukushii: beautiful
onna: woman
otou-san: dad/father