Chapter two: Anything for a diversion
Kaoru glared into the eyes of the single being responsible for her irritation which was quickly becoming fury. 'MOU!' thought Kaoru. 'I don't believe this guy! No manners at all… he is definitely no Romeo or Prince Charming, that's for sure!
Although, considering his appearance, he did look rather attractive. 'A kind of rugged, handsome type in this light. And his eyes… I've never seen any like them before… they're so…intense… they seem to switch between violet and almost an indigo color with flashes of amber…like a lightening storm.' Kaoru silently reprimanded herself, still not breaking the staring competition she was having at the moment with the stranger before her. 'More like a freak lightening storm… I mean who compares eyes to a storm… only me! Still… I felt something when our eyes met… like electricity or something. It was strange. I still feel it a little. My fingers are tingling…so are my toes! Plus my stomach feels like it just did a flip… must be that burrito I ate for dinner. Meg warned me about that… why do I never listen! Yup. That must be it! What am I thinking? Electricity…lightening storms….whatever. It's just his gaze… too intense… can't keep this up much longer…' Kaoru abruptly looked away from Kenshin… blinking rapidly in the process.
Kenshin didn't know what this feeling was, but it felt…warm…nice. This woman was distracting him from the matter at hand, but Kenshin gladly accepted the diversion—anything to numb the pain at least momentarily.
The moment sapphire blue had clashed against violet eyes struggling to take control, Kenshin had felt as if a bolt of energy had been sent through him. He had felt the electricity in the air…all around him. It was, simply put, odd. So, he did what he usually did with things he was unfamiliar with and felt he had no control over…he ignored it. They had been staring at each other for a few minutes now…and it seemed to Kenshin, this woman wasn't ever going to let up. And during this little staring competition, Kenshin was able to see a mixture of emotions mirrored in her eyes the entire time. He saw mostly flashes of frustration and anger, which was understandable enough. However, he would occasionally see hints of confusion and amusement flicker across her features as quickly as a candle being blown out. When she finally looked away, Kenshin squeezed his eyes shut for a second or two before reopening them, thankful to get a chance to allow some moisture to return to his eyeballs which had been starting to feel a bit dry. 'Strange,' mused Kenshin. 'I don't think I ever could, no, would have looked away if she hadn't looked away first. Yeah, that sounds as if it makes any sense!' As usual, Kenshin just brushed this thought out of his head. He then noticed that the woman in front of him still had her gaze adverted away from him and was now focused on a distant object to her right somewhere. It wasn't until now that Kenshin was able to appreciate her looks due to the fact that he had only concentrated on her eyes. Eyes, which in his opinion, were the most shockingly exquisite and animated eyes he had seen in his life. She had high cheekbones, a fine nose, and a slender neck that had been partially covered with a dark, chocolate brown turtleneck. She already radiated beauty even though her hair, which was as dark as a raven's feather, was tied up in a messy bun in the back, causing strands to fall over her neck and face in random locations. Not to mention the fact that she was wearing a beige overcoat, which was damp and soiled by dirt at the hem, along with a pair of denim jeans and a pair of black boots. If the circumstances and the timing had been any different, he may have asked her out.
But now was not the time to be thinking about women.
"WHAT?"
'Oh yeah,' Kenshin reminded himself. He had forgotten how they had bumped into each other only moments ago. He mentally shook himself. Why was he suddenly acting so weird? He had to stop; he was scaring himself!
"Well? What are you staring at? Really." Kaoru peered up at the man in front of her and sighed in exasperation. She crossed her arms across her chest. This man had been staring at her intently even after she had lost their little staring contest. She had felt his gaze. If his eyes were a laser, she would have a hole the size of Tokyo in her head by now.
"I need to concentrate on the important matters at hand, not a feisty, impatient, ill-mannered woman," muttered Kenshin. Whoops. Had he said that aloud? He hadn't meant to…
"EXCUSE ME?" exclaimed a rather startled and even more infuriated Kaoru. "WHO is the ill-mannered one around here? I don't think it's me, do you?" Kaoru asked no one in particular while looking around to her left and then to her right. She stopped her imaginary search as she faced Kenshin once more. "I think…No. Wait. I KNOW, it's not me. Now, I won't say WHO I think it is," Kaoru looked directly into Kenshin's eyes, "but I think we both know who it is, ne?"
"Nope. Who is it exactly if it isn't you?" Damn. He just couldn't stop his big mouth and that smart aleck, sarcastic bit. Kenshin was on this person's last nerves, and he knew it. He was a little sorry, but he didn't show it. It may not have made the woman in front of him feel any better, but it made him feel a tiny better. Who knew why?
"THAT'S IT BUDDY!" Kaoru dropped her bag on the muddy ground. "YOU WANNA SEE ME MAD? WELL, HEH. WISH GRANTED!" She put two fists in front of her face and imitated a boxer's stance. "I don't usually like to resort to violence… but JUST 'CAUSE I'M A GIRL DOESN'T MEAN I CAN'T HANDLE MYSELF! C'MON! YOU AND ME RIGHT HERE! C'MON!" Kaoru gestured to Kenshin to bring it on.
Kenshin was half amused and half in shock when he found out this woman wanted to fight him. He couldn't fight her…that would be just…wrong. She would get hurt, maybe seriously, and Kenshin didn't want to apologize or get sued anytime soon. He just wasn't in the mood.
"WELL?"
"Oro?"
"WHAT?" Kaoru stared in disbelief at her supposed challenger. Had he just said…oro? Well, that was unexpected. Actually, it was so unexpected, Kaoru temporarily forgot her anger and stared in complete bafflement at the red-head. 'ORO?' Kaoru shook her head, a smile slowly emerging onto her face, lighting it up. 'Oro. Who would have thought a tough guy like that would respond to a challenge to fight like… well…with that? Hmm… maybe there's something actually human behind that tough wall he's putting up.' Kaoru shook her head again. She had thought she had seen a glimmer of a smile flash across his handsome face. 'Woah! Handsome? When did I decide he was HANDSOME?' Kaoru thought in shock.
Kenshin didn't know what he had said until it was too late. Oro. He hadn't said that in years…since he had been a child. Why all of a sudden now? He had then saw her break into a brief smile. She looked so happy, so… well, damn it all. She looked beautiful. He couldn't help but smile for a second as well. And then it disappeared into thin air once more, not even leaving a trace of smile anywhere on his face. Suddenly he heard a pair of feet shuffling in their direction.
"Oi! Kenshin! The car's revved up and waiting right over there. A cop offered to watch over it while I fetched you! Hey! Who you talkin' to…" Sano had been pointing over in the direction of his car when he noticed the person Kenshin had been chatting with.
"Eh? Kamiya Kaoru? I thought we weren't going to see you 'till tomorrow! Did you change your mind and find Kenshin… to get to know each other?" Sano winked.
"Oh! Agent Sagara! Umm… Sanosuke, right? No. I don't know what you're talking about. I still plan on meeting you and your friend tomorrow…" then it all dawned upon Kaoru. She stood there in shock.
"You mean you don't know? Both of you?" Sano looked quizzically between both Kenshin and Kaoru. He looked straight at Kenshin, giving him a look that sent across a message saying 'You don't know who she is?' Kenshin sent one back saying 'Beats me.'
"We just…ummm… bumped into each other…" muttered a Kaoru who looked still very much in shock.
"Oh. I see." Sano grinned. "Ok. Then I guess it's up to me to make the introductions, ne? Kamiya Kaoru, this is Kenshin Himura. Kenshin, this beautiful woman right here is Agent Kamiya Kaoru, your new partner."
"WHAT?" Kenshin exclaimed. "P-p-par-partners? With her?" Kenshin gestured towards Kaoru meekly. He had never needed a partner before. Why now? Why not Sano at least!
Sano looked confused as he studied the two people in front of him. Had he missed something? Had something happened he wasn't aware of?
"H-he's my, my, p-partner? HIM? HE'S KENSHIN HIMURA?" Kaoru stared expectantly at Sano as if expecting him to correct her.
Sano looked at Kaoru.
"Yep. He's the one alright."
Kaoru glared up at the so called Kenshin Himura. Her new partner.
Sano looked at Kenshin. His buddy wore a shocked expression.
Sano studied the both of them, intrigued.
Kaoru continued glaring.
Kenshin stared back a bit dazed with the news he had just heard. He still wasn't sure he had heard right. 'Partner? Her? Kamiya Kaoru? This woman?'
"Oro!"
Author's notes: Ok. Hope you all liked it! Please read and review!
