Rurouni Prom

The next day Kenshin called Kaoru and asked her on a date before he and Sanosuke ran into town on an errand. It took several hours before they found what they were looking for but they finally managed and Kenshin dropped Sanosuke off at home before he headed off to Kaoru's house. He checked his watch and sighed, he had just enough time to make it, he was supposed to pick her up by seven and it was already six-thirty. Once he got to Kaoru's house he went up to the door and was greeted by Kaoru's mother, "Hello Kenshin, come to kidnap my daughter again?"

"Yeah, only this time I'm keeping her."

"Not in this lifetime." Kaoru's father yelled from the other room.

Mrs. Kamiya laughed and let Kenshin in before she shut the door back, "Where are you two going?"

"I'm taking her to Seijiro."

"Isn't that a dance club?" Kaoru's father asked as he came in and sat down

"Yeah, it's where me and the guys do a lot of our gigs, I know the owner personally and he said he'd make sure I behave."

Mrs. Kamiya giggled and patted his shoulder, "That's good, I'm going to go see if Kaoru's ready yet."

She left the room and Mr. Kamiya motioned for Kenshin to sit beside him, "Sit down, Kenshin."

"Yes sir."

Kenshin sat in the chair next to him and Mr. Kamiya looked around before he leaned in close to where only Kenshin could hear him, "How much do you care for my daughter?"

Kenshin raised an eyebrow at him, "I care for her very much, sir."

"Answer me straight out, do you love her?"

Kenshin flushed slightly and smiled to himself, "Yes sir, I do, with all of my heart."

"In that case why don't you tell her your secret."

"My secret? What do you mean, Mr. Kamiya?"

"You know very well what I mean, when are you going to tell her about your past, about who you really are?"

Kenshin's face turned pale and his eyes went wide slightly as he looked at the older man beside of him, "Do you... know who I really am, sir?"

"Yes I do, I know full well who you are, Battousai."

Kenshin almost jumped at the sound of his old name and looked down at the table in shame, "I'm sorry... I can't change the past and I can't change what I've done but... I have changed, Mr. Kamiya, I'm not an assassin anymore."

"I know, I was there the day you quit."

"Sir?"

"I heard you talking to Katsura at the police station, I was an officer for several years and everyone knew who you were. I saw you several times coming in and out from assignments but I never spoke to you but I knew you were a child. The first time I saw you I thought you were there because you ran away from your parents then they told me you were the assassin and I couldn't hardly believe it."

Kenshin sighed sadly, "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be sorry, just answer some questions for me."

"Ask away."

"Why did you become an assassin in the first place?"

"I... thought I could help, sir. Katsura told me that if I killed murderers and rapists then... I could help save lives and protect the innocent," Kenshin laughed bitterly, "Stupid, huh? I was young and ignorant, I should've known better but... I listened to him and wound up being a cold-hearted killer."

"And yet you're here, saying that you love my daughter?"

"I do love Kaoru, she's the only woman I've ever truly loved. It's true, in my past I had no emotion, I didn't care if I felt or not, I couldn't afford to feel back then but when I threw down my sword I... made myself change."

"Is that when you got into music?"

"No, I've loved music since I was very little, but it was after I stopped killing that I made it my life. I figured that if I used my hands to make music then I could... somehow make people happy and repent for what I've done. That was a childish notion and I realize that I'll never be forgiven, all I can do is help as many people as I can and make sure that I never pick up a sword again."

"If it came down between never drawing a sword again and drawing one to save Kaoru's life what would you do?"

Kenshin looked him dead in the eyes and Mr. Kamiya saw them flash briefly, "I'll do whatever it takes to protect Kaoru, she is my life and if I have to kill again to protect her then I will. If I get killed or injured it won't matter to me, if she's safe and sound then that's all that matters to me. I can live with the guilt and the blood on my hands and the scars on my body if it means seeing her smile and be happy."

Mr. Kamiya smiled brightly and ruffled Kenshin's hair, "And that's why I trust you with her. I know you've made mistakes for your duty, I have taken many lives myself, I don't care if you still kill or not, the only thing I ask of you is that you take care of my little girl and protect her."

"I will do that, Mr. Kamiya, I swear on my life."

"Good."

At that moment Kaoru and her mother walked in and she hugged Kenshin, "Hey handsome, did my dad threaten you again?"

"No, we were just talking, but we'd better get going."

"Bye Mom, bye Dad."

They headed out the door but before he shut it Kenshin turned to Mr. Kamiya and bowed, "Thank you, sir."

With that he left and followed Kaoru out to his car, once he got in she smiled and poked him, "What did you and my dad talk about?"

"I was telling him where I'm going to hide your body after I kill you."

"You wish, I can beat you."

"Oh really? Well we'll see, won't we?"

They laughed and Kenshin started the car and the drove off towards town. It only took about twenty minutes to reach the club but when Kaoru tried to get in the guard stopped her, "Hold on, you're too young, kid."

"It's ok, Miyaki, she's with me." Kenshin said as he came up beside of her

"Oh this is the girlfriend, huh? Well go on in, just don't order anything you're not supposed to, alright?"

"Yes sir."

"Oh and a warning, if he wants to go off in the back with you tell me and I'll toss him out for ya."

Kaoru giggled as Kenshin gave Miyaki the bird before he let them into the club. Kenshin took her hand and led her through the crowd to the dance floor where they started moving to the beat of the fast music. After three more songs Kaoru got tired and decided to sit down at the bar. Kenshin sat next to her and stopped one of the waitresses, "Hey Kira."

"Oh hey there, Mr. Himura, what can I get ya?"

"The usual for me and something virgin for my friend."

"Will do."

Kira went off and Kaoru poked Kenshin in the ribs, smiling playfully at him, "An old flame?"

"No, she's hit on me before but she's not my type."

"What is your type, Kenshin?"

"Strong girls who aren't afraid to take care of themselves but will let me protect them when I want to and a girl who I can go head to head with."

"Oh a girl like me, huh?"

"That's right, you're the perfect woman."

Kaoru giggled and kissed his cheek just as Kira came back with their drinks. Kaoru took a sip of hers and found out it was a Shirley Temple and smiled, she figured that's what she would get. She looked over at Kenshin and saw him chug back his drink, it was in a small bowel and her curiosity got the better of her as she raised an eyebrow at him, "What're you drinking, Kenshin?"

He smiled, "Sake."

"I didn't know you drank."

"I do sometimes, I used to all the time but I got out of the habit about ten years ago after I became a performer."

"I've been meaning to ask you, just how old are you, Kenshin?"

"Twenty-five."

"No way! You look like you're eighteen!"

"I know, I've always looked younger than I really am."

"Yes, you look and act like a two year old."

Kaoru looked in front of her and saw a very tall, well built man standing in front of her, he had long black hair pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck and almost black eyes. Kenshin groaned and looked down at the table, "Don't start with me, Hiko, I'm likely to hurt you."

"You couldn't beat me when you were living with me, what makes you think that you can beat me now?"

Kaoru tapped Kenshin and whispered to him, "Who is this guy, Kenshin?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Kaoru, this is Seijiro Hiko, he's the owner of the club and he's also my old master."

Hiko nodded and shook her hand, "Nice to meet you, young lady."

"You too, sir, I'm Kaoru Kamiya."

"Kamiya, huh? Is your father Koshijiro Kamiya by any chance?"

"Yes he is."

"He's a good man, I met him once or twice when he came in here looking for someone, is he still a police officer?"

"No, he stays at home with my mother now."

"That's good, but let me ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Why are you dating my stupid apprentice? He's nothing but trouble."

"Hiko!"

Kaoru smiled and watched the fight as Kenshin glared at his former master, "Don't you have anything better to do than to embarrass me in front of my girlfriend?"

"Nope, you're my entertainment, besides, I can't let my stupid apprentice get into trouble, now can I?"

"I'd rather you just let me handle myself and you go about your own business, Hiko."

"You handle yourself all the time, or was that just until you got Kaoru here?"

Kenshin spit out his drink in shock and turned the color of his hair as he glared at the older man, "MASTER!"

Hiko laughed, "I got the old name out of him, I win."

"Should I leave?" Kaoru asked nervously

"No, I just love to embarrass him, I've been doing it since he came to live with me. Did he ever tell you about the first time he got drunk and..."

Kenshin cut him off, "Don't you have some customers to attend to... Master?"

Hiko understood the warning in the way he said 'master' and he took the hint, smiling cheerfully, "Alright, I'll save that story for later, have fun you two."

Hiko went off and Kaoru looked over at Kenshin, smiling at the flush on his face, "What was he talking about, Kenshin?"

"I got into the sake when I was ten, I thought it was water but by the time I found out it was too late and I was drunker than Cootie Brown and I made a complete fool of myself over the next two hours."

Kaoru laughed and hugged his arm, "What did he mean since you lived with him? Did you live with him during the summer to train?"

Kenshin's face fell slightly and he sighed, "No, Kenji and I went to live with Hiko after our parents died."

Kaoru gasped, "What happened?"

"They were killed in a car crash, we were with them but we survived and when we got out of the hospital Hiko took us in."

"I'm so sorry, Kenshin, I didn't..."

"It's ok, I do miss them but that won't bring them back, right?"

Kenshin put on his usual smile and Kaoru finally realized something, "You smile most of the time for me, don't you?"

"Why would you say that?"

"Because I can tell when you smile for real, most of the time you just put on a fake one and go on like nothing's wrong."

"It's an old habit, I had to hide my emotions when I was younger and the easiest way to do it was to smile, it's not because of you, but lets not worry about that right now. I brought you out here to have a good time and you're going to have fun if it kills us both."

Kaoru laughed and hugged him, "Alright, I'll get you later, though."

A slow song came on and Kaoru smiled, "Oh, I love this song, dance with me, Kenshin!"

"Alright."

Kaoru led him out to the floor and put her arms around his neck, leaning into his shoulder as he put his arms around her waist, "I love dancing with you, Kenshin."

"Why?"

"I feel safe when I'm in your arms, I feel like nothing can hurt me."

"I'm glad, and know this, as long as you're in my arms nothing will ever harm you, I promise you that."

Kaoru sighed happily and nuzzled her cheek against his collarbone, getting an affectionate squeeze from Kenshin as she did so. After a couple more hours they both got tired and Kaoru decided to go home. Kenshin walked her up to the door and pushed some hair away from her eyes, "So when's graduation?"

"Next week, are you coming?"

"Wouldn't miss it, goodnight my sweet Kaoru."

"Goodnight Kenshin."

Kaoru gave him a quick kiss and watched him get in his car and drive off before heading into the house to fill her mother in on the details of the evening.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

1. A "virgin" drink is one that has no alcohol in it, it's clean but that's just the term they use for it so don't think it's anything nasty (Looks to my cousin)

2. A "Shirley Temple" is a Coca Cola with a cherry in it, it's not the cute little girl with the curls (Again looks to cousin who just smiles innocently)

3. I'm not really sure what Kaoru's father's real name is, I just made up one, but if you know his real name please tell me and I'll change it, thanks.

Cousin: His name's Alfred! I know! I'm smarter than the writer, she was the only one of us born without a brain.

Hitokiri Shinta: Get off of my computer you jerk! Sorry about that, he gets out of his cage once in awhile :).

Cousin: You love me, besides, man, I'm bored.

Hitokiri Shinta: That's why I'm trying to find him a girlfriend so he LEAVE ME ALONE:).