"prelude to the lost"
chapter 2: the eyes find the eyes
Music?
Kaoru walked down the darkened hall – night already creeping into the near empty school. One hand started to reach for the handle leading into the classroom she had left only minutes before, but she paused midway.
-"Can't even get outta my door."
It was louder here, and she simply stood in the doorway at the sight that awaited her.
-"That's enough trouble"
A young man – probably no older than 21 – sat in the abandoned classroom at a desk almost lackadaisically; both legs propped up on the seat of the desk in front of him.
She started to open her mouth to speak, but a small gasp emitted itself from her rather than words.
-"To make a poor girl wonder"
The slight sound caused the man to stand immediately.
At the sight of him, Kaoru's jaw dropped.
Her eyes gently glided over the stranger's body. He didn't appear to have an ounce of fat on him; his collared shirt unbuttoned just enough to see the beginnings of a well chiseled chest. His legs were lean, but not lean from lack of nourishment.
He had crimson hair, so beautiful in the near-gone light filtering through the windows. One could say that his hair was his most impressive feature - until they saw his eyes.
They were molten gold with traces of amethyst piercing his irises.
His entire face was well chiseled, easily accommodating his wide eyes and the jagged, cross-shaped scar on the right side of his face. The crucifix didn't seem to mar his delicate features, instead make them more magnificent.
He coughed to get her attention. The action made Kaoru blush a vibrant red.
Desire flooded the man's being at her blush.
Anyone with half a mind couldn't miss the way his molten eyes ran over her figure. That gaze made her want to melt into the floorboards. Or into his arms, she thought wistfully. At that thought, she clapped a hand over her mouth. What am I talking about! I'm turning into that wanton woman everyone thinks I am!
"Where she wanna go…"
"Where she wanna go…"
"Where she wanna go…"
"Your record is skipping," she managed, trying to get the attention off of her tomato colored face.
His amber eyes slipped away from her body and he nodded. He still had not uttered a single word.
He gracefully turned around and shut off the record player, the sad notes of the blues singer fading into nothing more than silence.
"Bessie Smith, right?" she said gently, not minding the quiet that had permeated the room.
His eyes met hers again. "So you like the blues?"
She struggled against the heat washing though her bones. "Yes."
"Who's your favorite singer?"
Kaoru smiled. "Ma Rainey, you?"
"It depends upon the occasion." His eyes pierced her and she realized that he meant nothing less than what he said.
"You new around here?"
"Just enrolled," the redhead said. "In this time and age, my father says it's best to have a solid education."
She nodded. He looks like a westerner, but his Japanese is perfect. I wonder…"Is this your first time in New York?"
"No." He responded with an air of indifference or reluctance. "I have lived here for a number of years with my father."
"Are you from Japan?" she blurted, quickly covering her mouth with one hand. "I don't mean to pry…"
"Yes, but that place has ceased to be a home."
He did his best to hide the emotion in his voice, but the girl saw his fists clench and tighten with each of his words. At the same time, a painful tightening encased her heart.
"All this talking and I haven't even introduced myself," she said quickly, an obvious attempt to relieve the tension between the two. The raven haired girl bowed deeply with, "I'm Kamiya Kaoru, and it's nice to meet you…"
The man bowed back slightly and replied, "Himura Kenshin."
Both stood up straight and Kaoru smiled.
"Well, it's late," she said, reaching for the text she had left on a nearby desk. "My roommate will probably start to worry if I'm not home soon."
Kenshin looked at the girl before him strangely. She didn't look exactly helpless.
"She's just paranoid about getting robbed – it's rumored in this district that there are quite a few thieves out."
"It's become more common all over the world, rather than centralized in one location," he replied hesitantly. After a moment he added, "Would you like me to escort you back home? That way, your roommate wouldn't have to worry."
Kaoru turned the option over in her thoughts. Possible attack by thieves or possible questioning by Misao…
She would have to endure hours of uncomfortable questioning by her overexcited friend, and who's to say this man wasn't a murderer himself?
Oh well…
"Thank you, I'd appreciate the gesture, Mr. Himura," she finally answered. His gaze was again eating through her – at this rate she would be a pile of mush, never mind Misao's relentless banter.
The redheaded man stood in one fluent and utterly graceful movement. He straightened his suit jacket and tie before reaching for his overcoat and hat on an adjacent desk.
"Were you waiting for someone?" she asked when he did not speak.
"No," he replied simply. "It appears the professor has left for the night."
She nodded, unsure of what to say. It was strange that this man could make the usually confident Kaoru feel very nervous.
She allowed her gaze to fall to her feet, but Kenshin snapped her out of her revelry with, "Shall we go, Miss Kamiya?"
Kaoru's head snapped up. "Of course."
She tried to not flush at the look he was giving her and failed.
It was one of raw interest that was tainted with carnal desire.
However, the moment was broken with the squeak of weak hinges opening on the classroom door. To hide her embarrassment, Kaoru tucked her jacket around her more firmly and walked through the door in such a way as to ignore Kenshin's staring.
She heard him behind her close the door and they were alone in the night.
In the time that Kaoru had been trying to ignore him, Kenshin had put on his jacket and hat without a single sound. It was after her eyes met his again that he said, "You seemed interested in where I was from, so are you new to the East?"
Kaoru nodded. "I've only lived here a handful of years, but change comes so rapidly here that it's always been hard to adjust."
"What brought you here?"
The eerily quiet man's voice seemed to soothe the night and Kaoru's nerves effortlessly. She wondered when he had become comfortable enough to ask questions so willingly. However, she wasn't going to complain. Even as she replied, she found her gaze wandering to anywhere other than his face. "It didn't feel comfortable to live there anymore."
Kenshin sensed her discomfort but asked anyway, "What part of the country?"
She smiled at the memories. "Tokyo. And you, Mr. Himura?"
"Kyoto," he replied, "and please, call me Kenshin, Miss Kamiya."
"Kenshin," she repeated, liking the way his name sounded. "So Kenshin, what brings you to New York?"
"Business," he answered. "I was transferred to help a business executive expand to New York."
"In what field?"
The redhead paused. For a moment, nothing but footsteps filled the silence.
Finally he relinquished. "Banking. Mostly stocks and bonds now that modern business has moved to America."
The two continued talking until they reached Kaoru's apartment building.
She smiled at the redhead who had escorted her home.
It seemed strange that in such a short time she had learned so much about this mysterious man standing before her. He was a puzzle, but Kaoru knew that she would find opportunities to figure him out.
"When will you start classes, Kenshin?"
"Actually, tomorrow."
He looked strange standing under the streetlight with the faint rays of light highlighting his red hair. His black overcoat caused him to blend into the shadows of a city consumed in night.
Both knew little to say, so Kenshin took matters into his own hands.
The handsome redhead took Kaoru's hand into his and kissed it through her thin glove. "It has been a pleasure, Miss Kamiya."
Startled, Kaoru managed, "I agree. Thank you for the escort."
He gave her a slight smile.
Such an action caused Kaoru's heart to melt. The tiny expression of happiness transformed his entire face and caused a certain boyish charm to be restored.
Kaoru was about to ask if she would see him again when Kenshin asked, "Miss Kamiya, would you be interested in going dancing tomorrow night?"
He moves fast, she noted. However, Kaoru smiled and replied, "I would like that very much."
His amber eyes met hers for the endless time that night and he replied, "How does eight sound?"
She was entranced with his gaze. It seemed to both examine and excite her at the same time, arousing feelings that were foreign to her.
After all, Kaoru had only known pain and fear.
"I'll pick you up at eight then," he said softly as he read the expression in her eyes.
She nodded. "Until then, Kenshin."
He removed his forgotten hand from hers in a swift and gentle manner before responding, "Until then, Miss Kamiya."
Kaoru shook her head. "Kenshin, call me Kaoru."
That small smile graced his expression once again.
"Until then, Kaoru."
He then bid her goodnight, disappearing into the city's shadows.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Ok, so the plot thickens…
Hopefully the characterization in this isn't too horrible – or OCC. Bear with me, the story gets much more interesting as Kenshin and Kaoru interact more and more.
If this seemed like a random place to start the second chapter, you're right. It was entirely random, and I couldn't think of a good transition from the first chapter to the second. Next time things should be a bit less choppy, but no promises as of yet.
Here's a brief disclaimer and I'm outta here!
I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, Bessie Smith or Ma Rainey, Franz Ferdinand, (The chapter title is from a line in their song "The Dark of the Matinee"), or the word "wanton" in either inflection.
shinigami cloudiko
NEXT:
Chapter 3: Into the Unknown