Sweet Mistake

Breathe

By Seabreeze

A/N: Holy FREAKIN' cow! I haven't updated since BEFORE Christmas! This is so weird, I always feel like this story is one of my new babies! Its not new anymore. . . believe it or not, I had chapters 5 and 6 written and saved on my computer but then my dad killed it, so I lost them both, and I have forgotten what I wrote so I have to come up with completely new stuff on my new computer. Anyways. Enjoy reading, and please excuse the long wait.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or "Pretty Baby".



"5 more sets. Good job, Miss Kaoru, you're doing well." Kenshin surveyed his one and only student, arms crossed, a smile of approval on his face. Despite being her very first practice ever, Kaoru was determined. He knew she had tired over half an hour ago, but she was still going. She had perseverance. And potential.

Kaoru, on the other hand, had no room for thoughts. Her arm and back muscles burned from the repetition of strikes, so much so that it felt her bones had turned to liquid. Her stomach muscles ached from the sit-ups and crunches he'd had her do, and her lungs were continuously constricting. Sweat rolled down her face and made her skin slick. Because her breathing had become more labored, less oxygen was getting to her brain and she couldn't think.

However, she was going to finish the last sets he gave her if it killed her.

'Keep. . . going. Keep. . . going. Keep. . .' she thought. Distantly, she heard Kenshin saying something. She clenched her eyes shut to concentrate on his voice.

". . .you're almost there, Miss Kaoru, one set left. . ." at that, her eyes snapped open and she began striking hard as ever. Only ten more! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1!

Kaoru finally gave into her knees and let herself hit the ground with a thud. She folded her legs , held the bokken on her lap, and let her head drop heavily. Air. Air! She sucked it in heavily, quickly. Faster. Again. She kept going until she realized there had been a slight weight on her shoulder, and someone was kneeled in front of her. His mouth was moving.

"Miss Kaoru?" his lips said. "Can you hear me?" No. Just the lips moving. She shook her head no, and Kenshin knew instantly that he had overworked her. She was hyperventilating. Kenshin took her by the shoulders and shook her gently, to interrupt her breathing pattern. She looked up at him, eyes panicked. Why had he stopped her from breathing? She'd never get enough air. Her ears roared and she swayed, keeping her eyes focused on his mouth.

She couldn't hear him, so Kenshin would just have to show her the right way to breathe right now. Very obviously, he took in a long, deep breath. Kaoru, catching on, followed. When she tried to exhale quickly, he shook his head and made her hold it for a second before releasing slowly. After a minute or so of this, Kaoru was nearly back to normal. She could hear and see perfectly, and the only evidence that nearly a minute ago she felt like she would die was the sweat on her forehead.

She looked up again to see a very concerned Kenshin staring at her, for any sign of injury. Kaoru lowered her head in shame.

"I'm sorry, Kenshin, but maybe I'm just not cut out for the Kamiya Kasshin style. I'm not very strong."

"No, Miss Kaoru, that's not it at all. I worked you too hard, that I did." Kenshin was, once again, absolutely disgusted with himself. "I shouldn't have expected that caliber a workout from a beginner. Can you stand?" Kaoru nodded and began to, but Kenshin grabbed her elbow in a strong grip to help her up. "Would you like to lie down?" he asked. Kaoru shook her head.

"No, that's not necessary. I'm fine." She smiled to reassure him, and he returned it doubtfully. He knew he had made- yet another- huge mistake, and nearly hated himself for it.

"You're probably beginning to question whether coming here was a good idea," he joked, but there was little humor behind his words. Kaoru looked at him for a moment.

"Not at all." She said, confused. "Why would I? This is my first. . ." she blushed, and swallowed. "This is my first real home. Why would I ever question coming here?" Kenshin watched her for a moment, and let himself smile a little.

"Things will get better, I promise. And next time tell me if it gets that bad, all right?"



Kenshin gave Kaoru the rest of the day off, insisting she not perform her chores until tomorrow, at least. He had sent her to rest in her house, leaving him to his chores and his thoughts. He had severely overestimated Kaoru's physical abilities. She had looked incredibly fit, but obviously it wasn't the "fit" Kenshin was used to. She most definitely had potential and the ability to become better, but he'd have to build up her strength and endurance. While he could play some part in that, there needed to be something else to help him help her. . . and luckily, she had given him the answer a day before he had asked the question.



Kaoru slept the rest of her second day at Kenshin's, and begun the third in a fury to complete all her chores. She acted annoyed with Kenshin for letting her sleep, but was actually grateful. It seemed all she had needed was a long, long nap to regain her energy. She began with scrubbing the floors, because to her eyes they looked as if they hadn't been cleaned for several months. She spent the morning running the rags back and forth along his wooden floors, with him trying in vain to stay out of her way. Next she helped him with the laundry, or, more accurately, learned how to do the laundry. As an exotic dancer, her clothes had always been washed, dry cleaned, and folded for her.

"I forgot to tell you, Miss Kaoru," Kenshin began amicably as he handed her some folded shirts. "Tonight we're having my neighbors, Dr. Gensai, Ayame, and Suzume, over for dinner." He smiled, but Kaoru panicked.

"Neighbors?! But Kenshin, do they know about me? I'm not a lady! What will they think? What if they-"but Kenshin covered her mouth with his hand.

"I told you, Miss Kaoru, I don't care what people think. Besides, Dr. Gensai and his daughters are not ones to judge. Ayame and Suzume will love you, this one is sure of it." He removed his hand slowly, but her wide blue eyes were still doubtful. Kenshin sighed. "I know you do not believe it, but you will just have to trust me. Ok?"

Kenshin had locked his violet eyes on Kaoru's own blue ones, and she had no choice but to give her assent. She nodded wordlessly. Kenshin smiled.

"Good. Once we have finished, would you like to help this one prepare dinner?" he asked. Kaoru nodded hastily.

"I still have yesterday AND today's chores to work off!" she exclaimed. Kenshin chuckled, shaking his head.

"This one's not counting." He reminded her. Kaoru glared at him.

"Well, I am. Now let's finish this laundry so we can make an acceptable dinner for your neighbors!" with that, Kaoru gathered the clean, folded laundry and hurried to put it all away. Kenshin smiled and stood to begin preparing the dinner.



By the time 7 o'clock had rolled around, Kenshin and Kaoru had a warm dinner prepared and laid out on his table. Kenshin had changed into clean clothes and Kaoru had struggled into the light yellow kimono Kenshin had bought her just the other day. In the end, she had been forced to ask Kenshin for help with the obi, and he had complied (though Kaoru blushed furiously).

At 7:03, they were completely ready. Dr. Gensai and his granddaughters arrived minutes later. Kenshin and Kaoru greeted them at the door, and led them into the dining room. Kaoru had not expected Ayame and Suzume to be so young, but Kenshin's hunch on them had been correct. They immediately clung to Kaoru and fought over who would sit next to her at dinner. Kaoru giggled and hoisted the smaller of the two onto her hip while she held the elder's hand. She led them in behind Dr. Gensai –Kenshin, as always, walked behind her- and sat each girl on either side of her grandfather.

"I hear you are Kenshin's assistant, Miss Kaoru." Dr. Gensai said politely as they began eating their rice. Kaoru nodded.

"Yes, Kenshin is teaching me the Kamiya Kasshin style. I started training yesterday." Kaoru smiled proudly, looking to her sensei for approval. Kenshin nodded.

"Miss Kaoru's doing very well. She's already impressed me with only one session, that she has." Kenshin said. Dr. Gensai grinned, missing teeth making him seem as young as his granddaughters.

"You've found someone to carry on the Kamiya Kasshin style, have you, Kenshin?" he chortled. Kaoru grinned appreciatively.

"I want to learn the Kamya Kashin style, too!" Suzume exclaimed. Ayame quickly chimed in.

"Me too, me too! Kamya!" The three adults laughed out loud.

"Maybe when you're a bit older," Dr. Gensai promised, and both girls turned huge eyes to Kaoru.

"Will YOU teach us, Lady Kaoru?" Suzume asked. Kaoru blushed at the honorific way her name was used, and glanced at Kenshin.

"Oh, no! I'm just barely getting my start from Kenshin! If anybody, he'll be the one to teach you."

When Dr. Gensai, Ayame, and Suzume had left, Kaoru felt as if she had made three new friends. Ayame and Suzume idolized her immediately, so before they left she played a very small game of catch with them in the yard while Kenshin and Dr. Gensai were left to talk.

"She's your new assistant, is she?" Dr. Gensai asked, giving Kenshin a look that was hard to understand. Kenshin nodded slowly.

"Yes. She lives in the cottage at the edge of my property."

"Ah. Where did you find a beautiful young student like her?" Dr. Gensai asked, and Kenshin shifted uncomfortably.

"Miss Kaoru was an exotic dancer, and I decided she was too young to be living that life. I brought her here." Dr. Gensai's eyebrows rose as this information was uncovered.

"Exotic dancer? How'd you manage to meet one of those?" Dr. Gensai asked suggestively. Kenshin felt a part of himself grow very angry at the slight insinuations Dr. Gensai was making, but shrugged them off.

"Sano brought them to my bachelor party." He said flatly. "But that is a life that Miss Kaoru no longer associates with. From now on, she is my student and assistant- that is all. I want no one gossiping about her, because there is no longer anything to gossip about."

To his surprise, Gensai cackled.

"Of course. Good luck training her, Kenshin. My granddaughters have sure attached themselves to her, so we will probably stop by more often now." He grinned as they turned to see Kaoru tossing a low ball to Ayame.

"Good catch, Ayame-chan!" she called encouragingly.

"Come on, Ayame, Suzume!" Gensai called. He turned to Kenshin. "We'll see the two of you around."



A/N: Ok, I realized something on my long break from this story. Tomoe is completely out of character. Sadly, I like her MUCH better in my story than in reality. Can I rant? She's a WIMP! WIMP WIMP WIMP!!!!!! I cannot STAND her. So, poll: do I keep her like I already have her, or change her to the way the real Tomoe is (was?).

Ooh, one more thing. In both Sweet Mistake and Xtreme Dating Challenge (another of my Kenshin/Kaoru fics) Kaoru is out of character. However, they're both AU so Kaoru was raised differently. Don't worry, though, she'll become herself eventually in both. And now that I think about it, Kenshin too. In XDC, he's kinda grumpy. Heh. I still love him.

Thanks:

SweetCherries- aw! Thanks! I hope you enjoy the rest.

Princess Steffy- Happy summer! Oh boy, am I late. Guiiiilt!

PEACH - I can't say I think she's a btch, but she's such a WIMP (as seen above.) I swear, I try to watch the Oav's and end up like convulsing in annoyance.

Koishii Sweet- Uh. . . soon enough? I highly doubt it. . . sorry!!!!!

Friend of InuyashaKagome- Tomoe's at home. Waiting for Kenshin to purify himself. Knitting. Just kidding, at least about the knitting part.

Anime-Master7- Maybe. Or she might just be really tired ;)

Celesta1- LOL I'm so glad you like my story. I'm big on happy endings and all. I haven't quite decided how to get Kenshin and Kaoru together, but I have many, many options. Its going to be good, I promise you. And it WILL happen.

RK-128- Funny how a one-time inside joke is no longer funny. LOL, that was really mean of me. Sorry! Thanks for reading my story (and liking it, to boot!) Its good to have a bouncerbuddie. You have no clue how excited I am for Liquid Dreams. Ooh! And Dancing, Kendo, and Everything in Between! Ah! Excitement! She thinks my ears are fuzz-y!