Kaoru/Kenshin oneshot. Rurouni Kenshin © Nobuhiro Watasuki
"Hurry up!"
Sunlight glittered like wild fire on the golden stalks of barley, a gentle wind breathing across the fields. The sky was like an oil painting, all cream and gold and deep purple, the sun a bloody red disk on the horizon.
His hand trailed through the barley, his sandals leaving slight imprints on the soft, crumbling soil. On an impulse he plucked a wild flower, cupped it in a rough, calloused palm. Fingers traced the red and orange petals almost tenderly.
"A flower? For me?"
Lines crinkled at the corners of violets eyes as he smiled. He could see her when he closed his eyes- that vulnerable, almost naïve expression, the way her mouth curved when she smiled, that special way she tied her hair ribbon, the perfume she used- cherry blossom, with a hint of spring.
"Are you alright?"
The lavender polish he used on the dojo floors, the light odour of sweat, the heady tinge of wild flowers, the smell of rain, and that bewitching perfume. He looked into her eyes, and smiled. Blue as forget-me-not petals, summer skies, and mountain springs.
She blushed and looked at her sandals, before turning away and hurrying along the beaten track. Beautiful.
He focused on the patterns of her kimono, blue and green and turquoise, interlocking and blending, striped with gold that caught fire under the red sun. The colours shimmered like polished dragon scales, rare and precious, glittering jewels. A white stork perched by a flowing river, purple and blue birds flying overhead, and white clouds descending to drown the scene in mist. It was her favourite kimono, once her mother's, tied with a purple and cream obi, all crisp colours and flowing patterns.
The wild flower fell from his hand as she spun round, throwing that dazzling smile at him, "bet you can't catch me!"
He laughed, following her, and they ran under the dying red sun, into the horizon of cream and gold and deep purple.
I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We'll walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold
-Eva Cassidy, Fields of Gold