A/N: Well, this was something I wrote a long time ago and just never got around to posting. I hope you enjoy this. Don't worry I'm not slacking on Husband for Hire. And I'm very pleased by the response I received for my Rurouni Kenshin Shorts. So this is a thanks! I appreciate it!
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. However, if he ever appeared on my doorstep and begged me to own him, I would not hesitate in complying with his wishes.
The Great Laundry Caper
She rummaged through her drawers in exasperation.
"Where are all of my kimonos and gi's?" She yelled to no one in particular. She threw aside the sliding doors to her closet. Empty.
"What the heck? Mou, where are all of MY CLOTHES!"
Fortunately, no one was around to hear her bouts of irritation and frustration. She walked briskly to the front door of her house and peered out to see if any laundry was drying on the poles. Her face fell wen she spotted none. Was this a cruel joke?
She got a strange feeling in her bones and decided she better find clothing. She passed by a certain guest's room and then walked up to it. Touching the door softly, she opened it and found it void of any life at the moment. Well, except her own, of course.
She felt like she was trespassing, even though this was her home, and she entered the room. It was so inviting though, smelling of Kenshin... She stopped in front of his dresser and then opened it. He certainly didn't own many articles of clothing, she thought.
'Maybe I should take him shopping...' She felt the material of a dark blue gi lying folded in the drawer. It was old and worn, but so was everything else in his room. He was utterly humble.
'Hope he doesn't mind,' she thought as she pulled the gi on along with hakama, and sank into bliss at being surrounded by Kenshin's scent. She closed her eyes and giggled. The gi was very loose on her. Although, it was probably loose on him too. Her cheeks warmed with the image of Kenshin and his gi hanging open to reveal his chest...
She heard noise outside and then two rambunctious voices entered the house. She left Kenshin's room quickly and made haste to greet them. More like... interrogate them.
"Shut up Sano, I did not!" The little boy's voice whined. Kaoru ignored them and searched for Kenshin, but he was not there yet.
"Oui! Jou-chan, nice new wardrobe," Sanosuke pointed out as the Rurouni entered. Her eyes made contact with his. She blushed and his eyes rounded.
"Oro...?"
"I c-couldn't find any of m-my c-clothes!" She explained. Sano smirked and patted Kenshin none too gently on the back.
"At a boy, Kenshin, I was wondering when you two would get at it!" He chuckled as Kenshin became red and Kaoru narrowed her eyes.
"Sagara Sanosuke! You will not be eating lunch with us today. Please LEAVE!" She yelled, obviously very upset.
She turned to Yahiko, her intention clear on her angry face. He left to go do his swings without question. Sano was still there, smirking. She put her fists on her waist.
"Unless you know where all of my clothes disappeared to, go away Sano!"
"Kaoru-dono, gomen. Sessha can vouch for Sanosuke, We were gone all morning-" Sano silenced Kenshin.
"I know where your clothes are, Jou-chan. But you haveta do something for me in order to get them back."
"No." And with that she left them.
"Oro... that wasn't very smart, that it was not, Sano," Kenshin stated, continuing on towards the kitchen.
"You'll thank me later..." He said with a grin.
"And why will Sessha be thankful?" Kenshin grew very weary.
"Oh,... you'll see." Kenshin didn't like the sound of that. He stood by the sink and began to wash off some vegetables as Sano came to stand by him expectantly,.
"Eh?" Kenshin didn't like how Sano was acting, staring at him so intently.
"So, how did you like seeing Jou-chan in your clothing?" He nudged the Rurouni in the side. Kenshin didn't respond.
"Aie... Kenshin, what am I going to do with you?"
"You could cut up those cucumbers," Kenshin offered.
"I didn't mean that," he moaned. Kenshin didn't say anything to that and Sano noticed he was watching something rather intently outside. Sano followed his buddy's line of sight to fall upon the figure of the assistant master of the dojo. She was working up a sweat with her pupil at her side. It was odd seeing her in the dark blue gi, though he wondered what Kenshin was thinking. He turned to the silent man and patted him before leaving.
"Sano?" He paused to look back at the wanderer. "Give Kaoru-dono a break and give her back her clothes, onegai?" His voice seemed a little strained. Sano only smiled and then left Kenshin to his vegetables.
Kenshin turned back to the young woman outside and sighed. Why did his friends always make things so complicated? He averted his eyes when she turned and made way inside. She took a big whiff of the air and made a pleased sound.
"I wish I could cook like that."
"You can, Kaoru-dono," he said with a smile. She knew he was just being nice and just let it be as she began to set the table.
"Ahh, you don't mind that I'm borrowing your clothes, do you?"
"Of course not, Sessha understands, that he does."
"Okay, arigatou Kenshin."
Throughout dinner, Kenshin couldn't help but look at Kaoru. Every time his eyes rested on her, in his clothes, he felt weird. His Battousai part was radiating off a cocky, proud chi and his Rurouni part was no better, although a little more reserved about it.
You should take her now, she's practically begging for you to.
'Oro, I would not dare do such a thing. She is merely borrowing...'
Borrowing! Sure, whatever. If she's going to start wearing our clothes...
You're assuming too much, that you are. Sessha will remind you that Sanosuke is planning something and it is most probably that he has Kaoru-dono's clothing, that he does.
You guys are unbelievable...
'Uh... I agree with Rurouni on this.'
Sessha believes that's two against one.
I believe that I count as three!
'Oro,.. Battousai thinks too much of himself. Pride goeth before a fall...'
Boy is Sessha glad that is settled.
"Kenshin?"
"Hai?"
"Are you okay?"
"Sessha is fine. Gomen."
When all of the dishes were finally cleaned and put away in their proper storage places, Kaoru came in and tugged on Kenshin's sleeve.
"What is it, Kaoru-dono?"
"We're going to follow Sano to find my clothing," and she pulled him out of the house and towards the Akabeko.
"But, how do you know Sanosuke is at the Akabeko?" She looked back at him and smirked.
"Because I asked Tae to feed him."
Sneaky.
'I know...'
I admire that in a woman.
'...I know...'
He let her lead him on to the restaurant and let her lean on him when they finally reached it and she wanted to spy. He enjoyed their proximity silently, though, breathing in her scent and staring at her hair and her skin.
Some unknown time later...
"Okay, there he goes... Come on." She tugged on his sleeve again and took his hand, pulling him along behind her. They followed Sanosuke to a farm and Kaoru was shocked to find her clothing was acting as scarecrows for the crops.
"GAH! SANO!"
"Uh-oh..." Kenshin inched back ever so slowly.
"Jou-chan!"
POW!
Kenshin leaned over the fallen bloody fighter for hire and empathized with him.
"Sessha believes you need to visit Megumi, that he does."
"Whatever gets me away from the missy in one piece!" And Sano disappeared quickly after that.
Kenshin approached the huffing tanuki cautiously, lest she pop him one right in the eye or nose too. She was grumbling about something while she retrieved her clothing.
"Such a small garden too! Why the heck do they need all of these scarecrows!" She paused at one of her old gis and decided to leave it there, as it had holes and stains in it that couldn't be saved.
"Okay, let's go."
Sano didn't explain his plan very well, earning him a few more punches and bruises. But while he had been helping out a buddy in need, he had also wanted Kenshin to make a move. Which, never even passed through the poor Rurouni's mind... not that he would admit to having such thoughts anyway.
However, when Kenshin finally got his gi back, he decided against washing it. He wanted it to smell of jasmine for as long as it would. He even thought about, when it did lose it's jasmine scent, kidnaping Kaoru's clothing himself so that she would wear his again.
It was very... tempting, that it was.
The End.