Kaoru smiled and touched her lips. She was bursting with happiness. Ah...she was overjoyed when Kenshin expressed his feelings.
It was unlike him. He was the kind of man who kept his feelings, thoughts, and secrets to himself. Kaoru had never seen this side of Kenshin before; it was new and exciting. Even thrilling.
'But still, it doesn't mean that he loves you, right? You know that, don't you?' a nagging voice turned on inside her head.
Kaoru's eyes darkened for a moment.
"Ah, who cares?" she asked breezily to nobody in particular. "I'm happy."
She got up off her knees and almost skipped out of her room. She paused after opening the door and blushed, one hand over her mouth. She giggled, then slid the door shut as she went out.
Kenshin's eyes flashed in the darkness of his room. If he hadn't stopped himself in time...
Kenshin shuddered. He would have made a fool of Kaoru and himself. And he couldn't do that. Not yet, at least.
Kaoru's probably not ready. She is probably unstable after her parent's death. She is alone. She needs his support. Not his child.
Kenshin shifted uneasily. He shouldn't be thinking about this. But still...the Battousai raged inside of him.
Battousai did not only specialize in sword arts...
Battousai was angry. He could have dominated.
Kenshin shrugged off the nagging Battousai He sighed and closed his weary eyes. Kenshin hadn't had much sleep these days. His desires kept him awake. During the night, he would lie awake in his futon, staring at the ceiling. Maybe he should catch some sleep...
Kenshin walked over to his futon and slid into it. The linen was cool through his clothes. He closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep.
Sanosuke grabbed Yahiko by the collar of his yukata and dragged him into a small dark room.
"Sanosuke? What the hell are you doing?" Yahiko demanded, struggling. Sanosuke growled and shut the door. It was pitch black inside the small closet. Not to mention cramped.
Yahiko heard Sano's light breathing as he checked for any eavesdroppers.
"Okay," Sano finally whispered.
Yahiko folded his arms. "What do you want? If you want money to pay off your tab at Akebeko, forget it."
Sanosuke rolled his eyes. "Have you noticed anything..strange lately?" he prodded Yahiko in the stomach on accident while he shifted.
"Oof...noo...not that I have noticed," Yahiko replied, massaging his torso. Stupid Sanosuke...
"Oh yea...what was I thinking, asking a kid like you. I must be out of my mind," Sanosuke sighed, He was about to open the closet door when Yahiko grabbed Sano's sleeve.
"Tell me," he demanded.
Sano looked Yahiko's dim body over skeptically. "Fine, fine...Kenshin's been...I don't know, he's--it looks like he's been holding back on some things these days. Him and Karou have booth been acting stra---"
Blinding light shone suddenly on Sanosuke and Yahiko as Kaoru deliberately slid open the door.
"Oh!" she mocked, placing a hand over her mouth. "Was I interrupting something?"
Sanosuke grumbled and stalked off, complaining about women.
Yahiko glared at Kaoru, who had her hands on her hips. Her kimono looked a bit wrinkled...
Kaoru sighed impatiently and spun around.
Might as well make dinner.
Kaoru bustled around the kitchen, attempting to make a beef hot-pot. Sweat glistened on her forehead; the steam rising translucently from the pot was scalding. She chopped some Chinese cabbage and dumped it into the container, careful not to splash herself with the boiling water.
It was not turning out well.
For goodness sake, she spent one hour just to cut the ingredients up.
Kaoru sighed and wiped her hands on her apron. The beef wasn't cooked enough; it needed to be soft enough to chew and swallowed easily. She couldn't just dump the pot and let it go to waste; beef was expensive. It was also in high demand because of Emperor Meiji's taste in meat. Beef was popular.
But still...Kaoru sighed. She'd probably kill off everyone in the dojo just from one bite of the hot-pot. She better play it safe and dump it...
Kaoru was getting frustrated. Why couldn't she cook! Even Yahiko made better food than her, though she would never admit it. She bit her lip and watched the contents in the pot bubble.
"Kaoru-dono, it smells good," Kenshin remarked. He stepped in the tiny kitchen and closed the wooden door behind him.
"Nani? Oh..." Kaoru gazed at the steaming pot sadly. "Anou...Kenshin?" she asked softly.
"Hai..." Kenshin moved closer to her.
"Would you please help me cook this?"
"..." Kenshin peered into the still-boiling pot. The broth was still water and just slightly pink. It was supposed to be a warm brown. Kenshin raised an eyebrow at the strange concoction. "We'll manage."
Kaoru smiled. "Arigato."
Kenshin's lips curved up. Karou might be an excellent swordswoman, but she was helpless at cooking even the simplest of soup. Inwardly, Kenshin sighed, shaking his head.
He opened a container of pickled vegetables and got to work.
A while later, a warm, fragrant aroma wafted throughout the air. Kaoru carefully observed as Kenshin cut the ingredients in equal sizes and carefully slid them into the pot. He added pinches of flavoring; dashi, salt, chopped cilantro, and other herbs. The revised concoction was bubbling merrily. Kaoru smiled behind Kenshin. He was such a great man; he could cook, keep little kids busy, he was agile and protective... Kaoru sighed happily in her mind. He would be a great father. Karou blinked.
Wasn't it too early to be thinking of those things? She was kidding herself. Hahaha, see? Kaoru rolled her eyes at herself. Stupid mind...
"Karou-dono," Kenshin looked at her.
"Mmm?" she was snapped out of the musings and battles with her mind.
"You need to learn by doing," he said.
Karou was taken aback. "No! I would ruin it!"
Kenshin shook his head. "The strength of a human is to recognize his mistakes and learn from them. Now, come." he beckoned to Karou.
Reluctant, Kaoru stayed behind Kenshin, but then she gave up. Kenshin...she couldn't deny Kenshin.
"Alright..." Kenshin grabbed a blow of cut meat and guided Kaoru's hand to several seasonings. Holding her hands gently in his own, Kenshin showed her the simple steps to season the meat. Seemed easy.
Kaoru's body tingled at the touch of Kenshin. Her heart felt light again. Everything was bliss...
Together, Kenshin from the back, guided Kaoru in adding the ingredients and stirring occasionally. Why? He didn't need to touch her in order to teach her. He could just instruct her from the side.
Kenshin guided Kaoru to slowly pour in the meat. They barely splashed.
Kenshin had to feel her again. He felt as if he had gone blind without Kaoru. Kaoru helped him see his surroundings.
Body warmth began to for in-between them. Kenshin leaned in closer in order to let Kaoru know to take the pot off of the fire. His clothed chest touched her back.
Karou's brow was furrowed in concentration. If she touched the pot, it would result in burned fingers. And she didn't want that. It had happened too many times before. It was painful.
Kenshin's heart lodged in his throat. Being so close to her was affecting him. Kenshin let go of Karou's hands and took a step back before anything happened.
Karou put the pot onto the wooden counter to cool and turned around hastily. "Kenshin?" In her haste, Kaoru accidentally brushed her fingers against the burning pot.
"Itai!" Kaoru breathed, examining her hand. She burned the tip of her middle finger...again. What was it, the seen thousandth time? The skin formed an angry red.
Kenshin stepped forward again. He cursed his stupidity. Why did he leave her so suddenly? Kenshin berated himself silently.
Kenshin took Karou's hand into his own again and examined the blister that was forming. It looked painful...he gently placed it in his mouth. Kaoru looked at Kenshin. She was slightly surprised.
The pain lessened and stopped throbbing. Her finger cooled down in Kenshin's mouth. Kaoru almost blushed. She could feel his tongue...
Kenshin slowly extracted Kaoru's finger and examined it again.
"Daijoubu?" he asked.
"I'm fine," Kaoru smiled. "Arigato."
Kenshin ripped a piece of clean cloth from the kitchen table and tenderly bandaged her finger.
Kaoru placed the hand with the bandaged finger on her forehead, back of her palm on her head. She had trouble falling asleep.
She sighed and her eyes roamed the room. The shadows of wispy trees outside lingered across the room, stretching out and reaching for her. She knew it was childish to be afraid of the dark, especially at night. But she never had parents to comfort her during the endless hours of darkness. She had to sleep by herself since she was very little. Sure, sometimes doctor Genzai comforted her but….
Kaoru scooted herself to the middle of the small futon, her eyes darting around.
Somewhere throughout the dojo, the wind picked up its pace.
A couple of noises disturbed the silence of the night.
Kaoru stayed rigid in her bed. Why did everything seem scarier tonight?
A night bird called to another, and outside Kaoru's room, a twig snapped.
"It's probably a cat," Kaoru breathed to herself. "Just a cat."
It did not reassure her. Kaoru drew her body together tightly and hugged herself under the thick blanket.
Her eyes wandered to her makeshift window. The moon was really round….And was it Kaoru's imagination, or was it slightly red?
Karou felt as if she could not breathe properly. Didn't the red moon mean disorder and chaos? Evil?
Suddenly, a dark shadow loomed across he barred window soundlessly, and in the blink of an eye, it disappeared. Karou's breath hitched in her throat. What was that? She stayed still for a few tense moments. It was deadly silent.
Kaoru's body was frozen to the spot. She remembered a story she had heard while shopping for groceries--a woman was attacked by a burglar when he thought she was asleep…it could happen to Kaoru…Kaoru felt a scream try to break free…but she couldn't--Yahiko, Kenshin, and Sanosuke would think that she was an idiot.
Her wide eyes stared at the ceiling, and her mouth opened slightly. Nothing came out.
Her voice was stuck in the back of her throat.
"Uungh…"
Blam! Kaoru's brush fell off her stand and hit the ground noisily.
Kaoru accidentally let out a scream. She clasped her hands to her mouth as she boldted up to a sitting position.
Karou's breaths came out ragged. How stupid was she? Screaming because a comb fell off her stand. But still, the night seemed lonely…
Kenshin…
Light footsteps were heard outside and Kaoru stiffened. Kaoru looked at the door. Did she lock the dojo doors? Did she? Kaoru let paranoia set in. Her insides squirmed.
The door slid open a little and a dark outline of a person stood still in the doorframe.
Kaoru was frozen again. She couldn't breathe.
"…Kaoru-dono?" a soft voice called.
Kaoru let out a long sigh. It was Kenshin.
"H-Hai?" she managed shakily.
Kenshin stepped into the room. "Daijoubu, Kaoru-dono?" Kaoru saw his creased brow. Despite the heavy pounding in her chest, Kaoru smiled meekly.
"Hai, Kenshin. Daijoubu." Karou felt foolish.
"What happened?"
"Nothing…I guess that I was just tense…" Kaoru murmured, looking away. She bothered Kenshin at this time of night. They both needed sleep.
Kenshin walked in further. He stooped and picked up Kaoru's brush.
"Ahhh…" he placed it lightly back onto the stand. "You…alright now?" he questioned.
Kaoru nodded, blushing. Men were not supposed to enter a young girl's room. If it did, it usually meant they were married or engaged.
Kenshin knelt down next to Kaoru and placed a cool hand on her forehead.
"You're very warm," he said.
Karou stared at the fabric that made her blanket. Suddenly the stitching win the material seemed very interesting. She opened her mouth to speak.
"Kenshin…I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," she fidgeted with the blanket.
"You didn't wake me up," Kenshin assured softly. He tucked a strand of air behind Kaoru's ear.
"Ohh…"
"…"
Kaoru looked at him. His eyes - they were so…mystifying. Kaoru could not help but stare into his eyes. They seemed to be edged with gold…it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
Then, she was staring into Kenshin's fathomless eyes. Now, Kenshin had Kaoru locked by the lips.
Kaoru loved the taste of his soft lips, the scent and warmth of his body, so close to hers. He lifted a hand and slowly ran it through Kaoru's hair. Ebony strands of hair pooled silkily through his fingers in locks. Kenshin slipped in his tongue, then pushed in further hungrily. He needed Kaoru…without her, he was nothing. He realized that.
Kaoru whimpered softly, then allowed his tongue to caress hers in a soothing manner.
Kenshin slipped his tongue out and then sucked lightly on Kaoru's bottom lip.
She was tantalizing.
Kaoru held onto the hem of his gi as if her life depended upon it - she pulled hard and it slipped off his shoulder. Neither took notice; Kenshin crawled slowly over Kaoru.
The warmth of her skin…
The taste of her lips…
Kenshin wanted it all for himself.
Kaoru moaned and pulled on Kenshin's fiery red hair. The tie holding the locks together slipped out, and a curtain of fire draped over both of them.
Kenshin edged his hand under Kaoru, then lifted her up so that she was close to him. He felt every gently curve of her body. He slid his tongue in again as Kaoru's breasts pushed against his own chest.
They both lowered themselves onto the futon, Kenshin sliding his hand under Kaoru's yukata and up her thigh.
Kenshin felt Kaoru's lips leave his, then she placed her face along the nook of his neck. She placed small, fluttery kisses along the curve of warm skin. Kaoru felt Kenshin's neck arch in pleasure, then his head lowering to claim her lips once more.
Kaoru 's fingers danced across his chest, then lowered to the tie of his hakama, and tugged at the tie. Kenshin's lips left hers, and he looked into her sapphire eyes, as if questioning if she really wanted it.
Kaoru lifted her other hand and tilted his face toward hers, to run her tongue over his lip, then suck gently on it.
It was a yes.