Kaoru placed one hand over her forehead and sighed, staring at the ceiling. She lay in her futon. Yahiko had informed her earlier that Kenshin was called out by the police. He hadn't come back yet.
Kaoru got up and started folding the futon and putting it away. She stuffed it in the closet and exited her room. She closed the door quietly behind her and walked down the raised wooden foundation. Her tabi enveloped feet padded down the path. She rounded a corner and gasped, stopping short. Kenshin stood there, wide-eyed, staring at Kaoru. His hand clutched at the wound on his chest. Blood seeped through his fingers and stained his gi. It was wet and sticky.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried out concernedly. She hopped down from the raised foundation and ran to Kenshin, who lowered his head. "Daijoubu, Kenshin!" she gently removed Kenshin's hand from his injury and inspected the wound. It was not deep. She would have to cleanse the gash and bandage it.
Kenshin lowered his eyes and muttered softly, "It's nothing..." He tightened his clutch on his wound. The blood had almost stopped. Kenshin felt guilty; he had smelt the tears on Kaoru's face. Inwardly, Kenshin sighed.
Kaoru pulled gently on his arm. "Come, Kenshin, I'll tend to your wounds," she said softly.
"H-hai..."
Kaoru led him back to her room. Kenshin followed obediently behind her. She slid open the door gently and led Kenshin inside. Closing the shoji, she let go of Kenshin's hand and knelt in front of her small chest of possessions. Kaoru rummaged around and brought out strips of torn cloth and a small handkerchief. Water was always at hand in her room, so she set down the items before Kenshin and knelt in front of him.
Kenshin gritted his teeth and his grip tightened on his chest. Pain surged through his wound. Kaoru moved slightly forward suddenly, a hand outstretched in concern. Kenshin closed his eyes as if to numb the pain. It was only a little gash, why did it hurt so much?
Kaoru made a noise of uneasiness.
"Anou...Kenshin, let me--" Kaoru gently pried Kenshin's hand off of his wound. The blood had already seeped through his hakama.
Kaoru bit her bottom lip. It wasn't very deep, but it burned an angry red. She dipped the cloth into cool water and wrung it out tightly. Her anxiety was transferred into stress on the cloth.
Kenshin stared at his bloody hand while Kaoru tended to him. Subconsciously, he saw Kaoru's gently hand moving closer with the cloth.
It stung. Kenshin let out a small gasp of surprise. Kaoru quickly retracted the towel.
"Daijoubu?" she asked with wide, fearful eyes.
Kenshin nodded. He took Kaoru's hand and guided them to his wound. Even though the cool water twinged on his raw flesh, he strangely wanted for Kaoru to keep on touching him. She tended the wound slowly, as to not cause anymore pain.
Kenshin's heart began to melt, but something else aroused within him. Blood and a beautiful woman...
Kenshin could not inhale enough oxygen.
The shorter strands of Kaoru's hair that had escaped her hair ribbon framed her face. She shook her head to clear her eyes of the offending matter. Her eyebrows were furrowed in concentration...the spot where he had claimed.
Kaoru gave the wound another tender wipe before tending to the bandaging.
Kaoru let the cloth drift down further into the red water as she tended to the bandages. This was not the first time she had to bandage someone up; her swift gently fingers moved with ease. She wrapped her arms around Kenshin gently as she searched for the end of the long, narrow material. Several layers went around Kenshin's slenderly-built body.
Kenshin was not bulkily strong, he was strong in another way. The muscles in his chest were not obvious, but they definitely existed.
Kaoru longed to stroke Kenshin. She wanted to hug him close and never let go...
Kaoru inhaled Kenshin's scent. He smelled...good. Not in a perfume or soap way; his scent was natural but---delicious. Kaoru's eyes trailed down to the fresh, clean bandages she and finished her job.
The bandage was carefully wrapped; not too loose and not too tight.
Kaoru tucked her hair behind her ear in a fluid movement as she gently but firmly tied the wrap. She smiled and kissed the center of his wound lightly.
"That's better, isn't it?" she teased, adjusting Kenshin's gi. She pulled the hem over his shoulders and smoothed out the wrinkles.
'What! He doesn't love you, Kaoru! Get your head out of the clouds! You'll just end up hurt, like last time...' the words screamed in her head. She tried to ignore it. But still, despair slowly invaded her eyes. They looked up at Kenshin to seek solitude.
There was something with Kenshin's eyes. They weren't quite the same as before...Kaoru's expression set. Was there something Kenshin wanted to say? His eyes filled with longing...Was he going to tell her how he really felt?
Kaoru prepared herself.
Tears threatened to spill out of Kaoru's eyes. She almost stopped breathing. There was definitely something going through Kenshin's mind...she could almost read it.
Kenshin reached forward and gently cupped her chin in his palms. He gazed into Kaoru's sapphire eyes as he pulled her closer. His own golden-tinged ones closed slowly.
Their lips met and Kenshin shuddered deep inside with indescribable pleasure. How he had longed to...
Kaoru's lips moistened his own; hers gently caressed and soothed his needs.
Kenshin could taste the sweet essence of Kaoru. She lifted one hand off the ground and touched Kenshin's cheek. Kenshin's arm slowly encircled her and drew her closer.
Kaoru stumbled on her knees towards Kenshin. She was weak with a pleasing tingle down her spine. Their lip-lock continued as Kenshin ran his fingers through Kaoru's soft, dark hair, undoing her hair tie.
A sheet of shimmery black hair fell out of the secure ribbon and curtained her back. It was silky in Kenshin's sword-calloused hands.
Kenshin gently sucked on Kaoru's bottom lip, then trailed upwards and ran his tongue over her soft lips, seeking an entrance. Kaoru moaned and let it inside her mouth. Their tongues danced and caressed each other down.
Kenshin savored Kaoru and then slowly retracted his tongue. His lips found the downward curve of her mouth and he placed fluttery kisses along it. Kaoru gave a shuddering sigh and she closed her eyes.
She wished this would never end...
Kenshin pushed his hand harder against her back, driving her chest further into his own. He felt the gentle swell of her breasts push against him and he gasped.
More...
Kaoru licked his lips, satisfying his aroused need.
Hormones raged inside of Kenshin. He has never...done this to a...woman. Yet it was so easy to take her over...
His eyes averted to gold and Kenshin's heart's rhythm sped up. Her scent was driving him crazy.
He wanted to claim her as his...
Kaoru's lips were so soft...but Kenshin had never seen her spend time on her beauty. She was special... Other geishas had to powder their faces, tie up their hair in a certain way...Kaoru didn't need to. She was beautiful even without make-up.
And her scent...it was so enticing.
Kenshin inhaled Kaoru's aroma. She smelled of flowers...not sweet like sakura, but beautiful like the night-blooming jasmine. She was definitely a rare one.
They slowly broke away, Kenshin's hand trailing down her chest. His fingertips yearned for the touch of Kaoru's soft skin. He had seen it before, why not again?
Kaoru's yukata loosened as Kenshin ran his hands slowly down the middle of it. Kaoru felt a fluttery sensation snake down her spine.
His fingertips met the swell of her breasts, and trailed down further. They met an obstacle: her wrap. His fingers slipped under the wrap and down her crack soothing her tender skin.
Kenshin's breathing came out ragged. His fingers itched to rip off Kaoru's simple night yukata.
"Kaoru," he rasped. Kenshin swallowed hard and tried to calm himself down.
Kaoru felt Kenshin's stance weaken. He fell backwards, her with him. She broke with the fall with her hands, one on either side of him. Kenshin was on the tatami flooring, breathing harshly with Kaoru positioned above him. Her glossy hair slid off her shoulders and veiled them both.
They stared into each other's eyes for a long time, neither breaking contact. Then, Kaoru looked away, blushing. Kenshin caught her chin with a finger.
"Anou..." he let go, then pulled her to him, making her loose balance with her hands and falling onto him. She let out a small gasp as she fell onto Kenshun's sturdy chest.
Kenshin cradled her head on his torso, which steadily rose and fell. She smiled. He was so warm. Kaoru felt drowsy; she wanted to sleep like this...at least for a while...
Kaoru suddenly let out a gasp and pushed herself away from Kenshin. He watched her with questioning and slightly hurt eyes.
"Y-your wound," Kaoru stuttered. "Gomen nasai." she apologized, evidently flustered.
Kenshin propped himself up with his elbows. "Daijoubu, it doesn't hurt anymore, not after you treated it like that..." he smiled, one corner higher than the other.
Kaoru blinked. Did Kenshin just smirk? Before she could do anything, Kenshin pushed himself forward and tackled Kaoru towards the wall. He pinned her against it tightly, his eyes tracing her body.
Kaoru shook. What was Kenshin doing? It was so unlike him...
Kenshin leaned his face towards Kaoru's, then veered to her neck. Kaoru gasped as Kenshin licked a tender area of her neck and kissed it. Fluttery kisses were sprinkled on her neck, and Kaoru's legs began to weaken.
"Kenshin...please..." Kaoru moaned. "S-stop," Kaoru managed weakly.
"Stop?" Kenshin asked between little kisses. He paused slightly. and watched Kaoru out of the corner of his eyes. "You want this one to stop?"
Kaoru was out of breath. "Y-yes..." she gasped.
Kenshin gave a rough kiss onto her chest.
"...No..."
"Yes or no?" Kenshin kept his eyes on her as he bent forward to place another kiss on her neck.
Kaoru's legs sank onto the ground. "No...no...don't stop..."
Kenshin nibbled on the soft warm skin on her neck. "Thought so," he murmured between kisses.
Kaoru gave a small gasp as Kenshin pierced her skin and drew blood. He sucked on the wound and then licked it. Kaoru's hands meekly searched for anything to hold onto. She found Kenshin's hakama and pulled on it, further loosening it.
Kaoru collapsed onto her knees and Kenshin followed her. The spot on her neck was already dark red. Kenshin eyed it and brushed his lips over it one last time before returning back up to her lips.
Kenshin had claimed two more places...her whole body to go.
His hormones raged inside of him. Kaoru was so helpless now...he could take her then and there. The inner Battousai growled at him. Do it, it whispered.
Kenshin berated himself inwardly. He couldn't do that...
Yes...do it!
The lust for Kaoru Kenshin had dimmed as Kaoru's chest pushed into him. They were so soft.
Kenshin's body heated up. Kaoru was the only woman for him, but he had to stop. He could not disgrace her in this time of age. Women in the Meiji era were conservative and respectful. He could not ruin Kaoru's social future. He would wait for her. He would wait until she was ready.
Kenshin gave one last kiss before breaking away, sighing.
Kaoru gazed at him in soft puzzlement. "Kenshin?"
"Now is not the time," Kenshin murmured softly. He looked Kaoru in the eye. "This one must refrain...this one shall go back to his room."
Kaoru nodded, still confused. She noticed Kenshin was blushing extremely hard.
She felt a sudden unge to soothe his brow and tell him everything is all right.
Kenshin got up, his knees cracking as he did so. He scooped up the small container of the blood-mixed water and softly walked outside, gently closing the shoji door behind him.
Kaoru gazed after him. Kenshin's scent still lingered on her. She lifted her yukata and smelled it with closed eyes. "Kenshin..." she murmured into the fabric, "I didn't know you were so good at kissing..."