AN: I AM HUMILIATED BEYOND BELIEF! Thank you for directing my attention to my incorrect usage of the word "Battousai". I am so shamed by this mistake that I wanted to punish myself much like Dobby the House Elf from Harry Potter (for those of you who don't know, he slams his hands in the oven). I've been wallowing in my disgrace for who knows how long now, and it is too much to go back and change everything to "Hitokiri" so I must sit here and wince as I continue to wrongly use the term "Battousai".
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Sanosuke locked the apartment door. He couldn't believe it! Magdaria liked him too! So….did that mean they were boyfriend/girlfriend now? He'd have to call her later and find out. But as he turned around, he realized he would have to wait. Everything would have to wait.
Soujiro looked up at him with apologetic eyes as he crept out of the kitchen.
"I'm sorry, dude. I tried not to let her in but she freaking punched me." Soujiro pointed to his left eye, which was bruising terribly. He put his bag of ice back up to it, and dragged himself back to his room. Sano whirled on the woman sitting sternly on the couch.
"Adzuma, you didn't have to fucking hit the boy. He's just a kid." Sano gestured toward the hallways where Soujiro had previously exited.
"Sano, we're moving in three days. You're coming with me, and you're checking into rehab at the nearest hostpital." Adzuma stood, face to face with her younger brother. She was as strong-willed as he was, her strength nearly matched his, but there was a glimmer of fear in her eyes. Sanosuke would always be more powerful.
"I'm not going. I'm living with Kenshin now, he helped me get the papers and everything."
"I'm still your legal guardian, Sano. Didn't you need my signature to check into a dorm?"
"What makes you think I didn't forge it?"
"Sano, this is why I want you in rehab, before you do something that will land you in prison." Adzuma spat. Sano balled his fists.
"I'm not leaving with you. I'm staying here."
"Where's this Kenshin character?" Adzuma asked, looking around the room as if he'd be hiding under the couch.
"He's with his parents in Japan. They're adopting twin girls."
"I can't believe Kenshin would let a jerk like you board with him. Do you even have your own room?"
"What does that matter? I sleep on the couch back at the apartment anyway! I haven't had my own room since I was fucking seven!" Sano bellowed. Suddenly, Aoshi walked in from getting off of work. He surveyed the scene, and walked toward the brother and sister. He was a measly one inch taller than Sanosuke, but that didn't stop him from being intimidating to the both of them.
"Is there a problem here?" He asked icily. Sano stared at him in shock. Aoshi had never ever come to his aid before, and he didn't quite know how to answer him. Adzuma might get the police involved.
"It isn't any of your damn business," Adzuma fumed.
"My lady, you are incorrect. My roommate is being harassed in his own dorm, and I see a need to intervene." Aoshi fired back..
"I'm his sister, for Christ's sake!" Adzuma screamed back, throwing her hands up in the air.
"Sister or not, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You're aggravating me."
It was then Adzuma brought her fist to meet Aoshi's jaw. Aoshi was completely taken by surprise, but it made sense, what with her being related to Sanosuke. Adzuma's temper rivaled his.
"What the hell was that for?" Sano bellowed. "You have no right to go beating the crap out of my roommates!"
Adzuma took a step back: her arms were crossed defiantly, feet apart in a military stance. Her position practically screamed 'I dare you to try and fight back'. Aoshi knew it would be an unwise, EXTREMELY unwise move to try to do so. By the look on her face, she'd call security in no time flat, and no one would care that she had punched him or not. Sanosuke, however, did not seem to think about this.
"I hate you!" Sano shouted, swinging at his sister. Obviously, she had not expected him to, and she fell back from the force of his blow onto the couch. She wasted no time in jumping right back up and registering a swift kick to Sanosuke's ribs, but not before Sano caught her leg and pinned her to the floor.
"Listen to me, NOW. I am NOT going to move with you. I've had it with your attitude and your sympathy. Thanks for taking me in and everything, but it's time I went out on my own. I've found a reason to live again, Adzuma. I've found a reason to quit drugs, stop drinking, and get my life on track. Did you even bother to ask if I had tried quitting since I ran out? No. That just proves how unchangeable you think I am. And if you don't know me now, you never will. I'm going to stand up, now, and you're going to get the hell out of my dorm." Silence ensued, and the siblings glowered at each other as they fought to catch their breath.
Sano fought back angry tears as he stood. Adzuma showed now sign of being upset, though she did not speak another word. She held Sanosuke's glare for the last time, then turned away as her eyes began to shine with tears. Aoshi stepped out of her way and watched her go. She did not turn around, never said goodbye, just slammed the door with all her might; causing a mug to fall off the edge of the coffee table and shatter. Sano heaved a sigh, and sank down into the couch. Aoshi watched him with a slight notion of pity, and turned when he heard a bedroom door squeak. A petrified Soujiro was peeking out from behind his door, and he cautiously made his way to the living room.
"Is she gone?" Soujiro asked, shifting the melting bag of ice over his eye. Noticing this, Aoshi began to register the pain in his jaw, and moved his fingers across what he believed to be the bruise.
"Fuck!" he hissed, pulling his fingers away. Soujiro looked up at him in awe.
"She punched you too? What a fucking spaziod! I can't believe I got a black eye from a girl!"
"I can't quite believe it either," Aoshi sighed, heading toward the kitchen for some ice.
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Misao walked home from Daisuke's dorm. She had cringed when his roommates gazed after her, sinister grins on their faces. She dreaded to know just how many friends Daisuke had told.
{Prostitute…}
Misao battled with tears of fury and shame. She was sorry she had sunk this low in life, but it had started out as just one night, just one hundred dollars. And it turned into another and another. Why? Her grandfather could barely afford to let her board at Eldewater. She didn't have the guts to ask Kaoru to help her out and she had been turned down at every job she applied at. She looked down at her newly earned $80, shoving it into her pocket. She had hoarded enough money for the next two months of renting, and if her grandfather helped pay, she could probably spread it out to five months..
"Screw you, Daisuke." She seethed. Her hips ached, along with other areas of her body, but she made her way carefully to the dorm. She met Soujiro on the way out.
"Hey Misao," he smiled, holding an ice pack to his eye.
"Hey," she said, averting her gaze. She was absolutely humiliated about imagining his face while being with Daisuke. "What happened to your eye?" she asked.
"Um…well, to tell you the truth, I got punched by Sanosuke's older sister when I tried to keep her out of the dorm."
"Holy shit!" Misao's eyes widened. "Can I see your eye?"
Soujiro reluctantly pulled the ice pack away and showed her the bruise.
"Man, I am so sorry. How did everything turn out? Why was she over?"
"Well, she wanted to throw Sano into rehab for all of his drug use, but he claims he's been cutting back and intends to quit, all on account of Magdaria. He didn't tell his sis about Magdaria though, just yelled and went at it. Aoshi got beat too. A fist to the jaw."
"Sounds like a determined woman."
"Well, not so determined now. Sano pretty much completely severed himself from her."
"I see." She replied, leaning up against the wall. "So, Sano and Magdaria are together now?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"That…..is soooooo CUTE!" she squealed, practically hopping up and down. "Awwwww I can't believe Sano's finally gonna settle down, and Magdaria's so good for him, she'll calm him down, I know it-"
"Dude, it's not like he's getting married, chill out." Soujiro held his hands up as an attempt to calm Misao down.
"I've got to go tell Kaoru!!!" she squealed, scampering toward the elevator. Soujiro watched her go in bewilderment, then turned to go back inside the apprehensive apartment. Things had been strained since Kenshin left, since no one sincerely wanted to get along anymore. Aoshi and Sano were indifferent to each other, Soujiro already had some crazy love-hate relationship with the towering block of ice, and Sanosuke still felt unwelcome despite Soujiro's efforts to get him settled in the dorm.
"Kenshin, hurry up and get home." He muttered, closing the door behind him.
Aoshi was slowly but surely warming up to his job. Well, his attitude was still quite aggressive, but he hadn't thrown plastic straws at a customer in weeks. His co-workers were still wary of him, and hadn't even been aware of the fact that the drinking straws could become lethal weapons (anything could, in Aoshi's hands). But there were still many, many embarrassing encounters waiting for him.
A familiar face came into the restaurant yet again from the photo studio across the street. It was her lunch break, and what with the convenient location, she had decided to dine at the Kickin' Chicken Palace. Aoshi paled at the sight of her.
"Shit! Arashi!" Aoshi swiftly hid himself in the kitchen, leaving the cash register to be run by some new kid named Yahiko. Once inside, he was bombarded by new-times employees that were in a panic.
"The french-fry machine thingy is jammed, it won't work!" once cried at Aoshi.
{Why am I stuck with these incompetent children?}
Aoshi sullenly walked over to the menacing machine, reached inside with a spatula, and pulled out a charred, mangled potato.
"All right, who tossed in a whole potato? POTATOES GO THROUGH THE SLICER FIRST!" Aoshi shouted, waving the had-been potato in the air. No one answered.
"Never mind. I don't care anymore. Just remember. Slicer, then the frying vats, thennnnn they go in …this….pointless machine that….does something." Aoshi came to the end of his speech, eyeing the machine.
"I think it kinda….dries them from the oil and keeps them warm…..for the customers. And then we salt them." Yahiko ventured.
"Yeaaaaaah…." Aoshi replied, still staring at the machine.
{Wait a minute….}
"Yahiko, what are you doing in here? Who's taking orders?!"
"Uhhhhhhhhh…." Yahiko replied, stunned by the outburst.
"YOU IDIOT!" He bellowed, starting to run for the cash register. He was stopped by the assistant manager.
"SHINOMORI! YOU ABANDONED YOUR STATION!"
"This isn't the military, I did not abandon my 'station', I left Yahiko there."
"I don't care what you did, you're serving tables now."
"WHAT?!" If there was anything Aoshi hated more than taking orders, it was serving tables. Why couldn't he just work in the freaking kitchen, away from all the customers?
"Do it, now. Table number 12." He shoved a tray into Aoshi's arms and tossed him out of the swinging doors. Grumbling, he headed toward table twelve, then promptly turned back for the kitchen. Arashi had seated herself there, and Aoshi was not willing to let her see him in his ridiculous yellow and orange uniform. Kenshin was so lucky, he had a job at Chaotic Records, a store especially made for the alternative music style. They had given him a great vacation leave as well.
"Shizuko," Aoshi snapped, "Take this to table number 12." He handed the tray to the girl he had previously admired as beautiful. But now…now? He could see everything clearer. Shizuko had a false beauty that was only a layer of well-applied make up. Attractive, maybe. But beautiful? No. No one could be beautiful in Aoshi's eyes any longer. Beauty took personality, intelligence, and sincerity. No one had that.
{Maybe…Arashi? Maybe Arashi is beautiful.} Aoshi thought, rather hopefully.
{Or maybe she is just like every other girl I've ever known.}
"Alright, Aoshi, Table number 7." Tsubame handed him a much larger tray, accompanied by a second one. "I couldn't possibly carry this by myself, so everyone advised me to send it to you."
Aoshi turned, handling the trays in his strong hands, balancing them high above his head. He could compare being a waiter to performing an intricate dace; weaving around other customers and tables, avoiding corners and fallen utensils, making graceful twists and turns as they kept the trays high.
Table number seven was filled with four high school boys. He didn't immediately recognize them, so he figured it was safe. Aoshi nodded toward some waitress he didn't know, who promptly got him a foldable stand to place one of the trays on.
"Who had the vegetarian chicken?" Aoshi asked, handing the plate onto the table.
"Me," One answered. Aoshi continued giving out plates until they were all done. He picked up the stand and the trays, then looked up to tell the boys that if they needed anything, they could call him, but he found himself staring into the worst coincidence yet.
Hanya was gazing straight back at him.
"…Aoshi?" he asked. Aoshi resisted the urge to let his jaw drop in horror as he surveyed the rest of the table. Yep, all the previous Oniwaban members were present. It was not his day, but then again, it never was. Not at the Kicken' Chicken, anyway. All the boys were looking up hopefully at him. He had not seen them for nearly a year, and he was surprised at how much they had changed. Aoshi masked his emotions with indifference once again, casting his ice blue eyes over all of his teammates for what he hoped to be the last time.
"Aoshi, it's been a while. You want to….sit and talk?" Hanya asked.
"Enjoy your meal." Aoshi turned around without once audibly acknowledging the boys, and strode back into the kitchen. He slowed down once inside. Aoshi had half a mind to quit right then and there, but he had no other way of paying for his share of the dorm. Looking up at the clock, he saw that his shift was over. He tore off his apron and ran to the bathroom to change clothes.
Once clothed in a black shirt and cargo pants, accompanied by the comforting presence of his brand-new white trench coat, Aoshi hurried as fast as he could out of the restaurant. The hurt looks of his old comrades had been painful, painful enough to invite tears. He swore, though, that he would not cry for anything after his mother died. No one deserved any emotion from him, but her.
{Somehow, I miss you, Mom. I wasn't close to you, but I miss you.}
Aoshi got into his car and sped out of the parking lot, far away from the job from hell.
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Kenshin fidgeted nervously, wishing he had a bracelet or something to play with. They had been standing in the same room for more than thirty minutes waiting for the children to arrive. Many other families that had adopted were milling around the room anxiously as well, chatting with other parents and sharing their experiences with the agency. Kenshin paced back and forth along the wall, watching Julie and Lisa converse with a man and woman who had also adopted from Japan before.
"There he is. That's Kenshin. We adopted him 15 years ago, when he was two." Julie gestured for Kenshin to come meet the couple. They smiled at him.
{They're probably wondering how I could possibly be Japanese…} he thought to himself.
"Are you excited to be having new sisters?" the woman asked.
"I guess so. I mean, I'm a junior in high school so I won't be seeing them as often as I'd like, and I've been an only child for all these years. It will take some getting used to." Kenshin shrugged, wishing he truly felt that confident. Suddenly, a murmur arose. A woman shouted from across the room.
"They're here!" she pointed fervently at the window. A crowd of parents-to-be rushed to the window. Sure enough, the cars with the orphanage employees and the children were arriving one by one. Kenshin felt like passing out. They weren't his children, he would only be their brother, and yet…
And yet he was still so full of love for them, without having met the two.
The agency director stood at the front of the room, calling up the parents as the children came in. It felt like an eternity before he shouted "Julie and Lisa Vanner, please come to the front for Ayame and Suzume!". Kenshin pushed his way through the crowd, holding onto Lisa's hand as she followed Julie to the front. His heart raced, and in no time, they were there, standing in front of the newest additions to the family.
Ayame and Suzume were absolutely terrified, and naturally, began crying as the two orphanage employees handed the girls to Julie and Lisa. Kenshin smiled, though he felt bad that his sisters were so upset.
"Do you want to hold her?" Julie asked, turning so Ayame could face Kenshin.
"I'd better not…I read that they'd want to be held by women first, then gradually warm up to men, since their primary caregivers have been female up until now. Plus…I don't look Japanese….I'm a big scary monster to them right now." Kenshin smiled good naturedly, though Julie gave him a sad look. Ayame held her hands out at Kenshin as she wailed, and said a something he couldn't understand. She sobbed the word again, and Kenshin's eyes widened in surprise.
She wanted him to….hold her?
"Did she say what I think she said?" Kenshin asked Julie. Julie smiled and nodded.
"I think she knows you were once in the same boat." Julie replied.
"But I don't look-"
"It doesn't matter. Here, do like she says. Hold her."
Kenshin awkwardly accepted Ayame into his arms, who then buried her face into his black Linkin Park shirt and balled her fists in the material. Kenshin broke out into a proud smile. Ayame's sobs quieted down as he stroked his hand up and down her little back. He patted her head, and she looked up at him with her large, innocent eyes.
"I'm Kenshin." He whispered. Ayame looked at him blankly. "I'm your big brother." Ayame seemed to understand.
"Niichan," she whimpered before resting her head on his shoulder again. Kenshin rocked from side to side until she fell asleep, and by then, Suzume was asleep as well and they were ready to go back to the hotel.
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"Hey…is Magdaria there?" Sano asked, shuffling his feet nervously as he stared back at a very displeased Amakusa.
"She is unavailable at the moment." Amakusa replied coldly.
"I'm in the shower, Sanosuke, just walk by my brother and have a seat, I'll be out in a minute!" Magdaria shouted from inside the apartment. Sano looked back at Amakusa. Even if Magdaria had told him so, he was not willing to walk by the intimidating monster she called her "brother".
"Um…you wouldn't…kill me would you?" Sano asked.
"I won't kill you. I am a good Christian. On the other hand, I would have no scruples about Uncle Saitou taking you out." Amakusa replied.
"Well…I'm going to do like the lady said," Sano grinned, shoving his way past Amakusa and sitting on the couch next to Saitou. Saitou either did not notice, or believed him to be Amakusa, as he continued watching a documentary on Japanese Royalty.
"Dude, where's the action? Here…" Sano changed the channel to some music video station, and began head banging to POWERMAN5000's "Free".
"Get off my couch." Saitou quipped. Sano obeyed, still mouthing the lyrics and swinging his head around to the music. Magdaria walked out of the bathroom and giggled. Amakusa squeaked and Saitou had to suppress a gasp.
"MAGDARIA THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE ATTIRE FOR RECEIVING GUESTS!" Amakusa exclaimed. Magdaria stopped, shifting the towel she had wrapped around her body.
"Thanks Amakusa, now everyone is staring at me! I have to cut across the freaking living room so I can get to my bedroom to change!" Magdaria ran down the hall and slammed her bedroom door.
"Your niece has a damn sexy ass…" Sano grinned. His smile fell as he took in the faces of Amakusa and Saitou. "Aw, damn, I said that out loud, didn't I?"
Sano found himself waiting for Magdaria outside her apartment. She finally stepped outside, blushing and apologizing profusely for her family. Sano shrugged it off, smiling as he always did.
"I just…had to see you again." He said.
"Oh…I see."
They stood in an awkward silence, before Sano faced Magdaria with one hand on the wall behind her.
"Have you ever made out with anyone before?" Sano blurted. Magdaria's eyes widened in surprise, and she held back her laughter, which turned into a strangled snort.
"Absolutely not! You're the first boyfriend I've had in ages."
"So we are boyfriend and girlfriend!" Sano exclaimed, thoroughly excited.
"I don't think you would have asked me if I had ever made out before if we weren't boyfriend and girlfriend." Magdaria chuckled, crossing her arms. "You're in my face. I'd like my space back, unless you had something else in mind."
"Oh, I have something else in mind all right." Sano started to lean in, but Magdaria's hand came imbetween their faces.
"I forgot to mention that I'm really bad at kissing."
"How bad?"
"Like 'never-been-kissed-until-you-did-at-the-New-Age-show' bad."
"That wasn't bad."
"It wasn't making out though, was it?"
"I can teach you."
"Alrighty Professor Love Monkey. Kissing 101."
"Um…well….you…ah….the lips play a very important role in this, but do not underestimate the role of the hands. And you should do this with your eyes closed, it's rude to stare."
"And how do I know where I'm going if my eyes are closed?"
"That is why you always, always, always kiss someone who has had experience for your first time."
"How much experience?"
"Oh, a little this, a little that, a few games of spin the bottle, no serious relationships." Sano laughed nervously, trying to squeeze himself through the tough spot.
"I see."
"Now then. You just…um…the lips. Hands are very unimportant right now. So…you…move them. Over the other person's lips. You can kiss other things but the lips are very nice for beginners. And…um…well….oh, hell, just follow my lead!"
Sano took Magdaria's head into his hands and pressed his lips against hers. Magdaria had been right about being inexperienced. Not bad….just inexperienced. She refused to move at first, but with gentle persuasion, she brought her own touch of passion to the kiss. And one kiss turned into another, and another, and soon Sano was getting a taste of Magdaria's neck when Magdaria opened her eyes for a split second and saw that the two of them had drawn an audience.
"They're….so….cute!" Misao squealed, and Kaoru nodded enthusiastically. Soujiro's jaw had practically dropped to the floor. Aoshi had just walked up the stairs from work and had frozen in his footsteps.
"Sanosuke, did you know that you're in a very easy position to be caught by Saitou?" Aoshi asked slowly. Sano started to answer back, but his grin fell as he heard a malicious tone behind him.
"Oh, he already has."
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"Okay, now that we've experimented with singing and are pretty comfortable with our assigned instruments, I think I'd like the begin the process of music-making. Any suggestions before I throw out my own ideas?" Soujiro asked, pacing the room. They had all gathered in Misao's dorm while Kaoru was out shopping.
"Let's write a song that damns over-protective Creative Writing teachers," Sano muttered darkly. After he had been caught by Saitou with Magdaria, Sano had watched Saitou jerk Magdaria back into the apartment and had the door slammed in his face. He had not heard Magdaria protest, which had been slightly disturbing to him, but then again she did not strike him as the type to scream and fight for what she wanted. Calm negotiation was her department.
"Let's not and say we did," Soujiro smiled happily as he turned to Aoshi. "Aoshi? Any suggestions?"
"A song…of the decomposition of beauty."
"Oooh, cryptic! Me likey! I'm already hearing the tune in my head!" Soujiro began scribbling madly on a piece of paper.
"I…already have something in mind. Lyrics-wise." Aoshi interrupted.
"That would help considerably, Aoshi. What do you have?"
"Winter flowers that burn in July's sunlight
Starved bodies plague our TV screens
They twist and turn and shatter their ribs
Such it the price of beauty, love
Such is the price of beauty
Paint yourself to perfection
And someday you'll be the perfect bride
If you drink six glasses of water a day
They'll praise you like the good child you are
Oh, such is the way of beauty
Oh, such is the outcome of beauty
Shall I put you up on a billboard
For all the world to see?
Your decomposing body
Is all that matters to me
Can't you see your eyes are rotting out?
Your insides crawling across the floor?
Don't you know you're dying?
I said, don't you know you're dying?
Such is the price of beauty, love
Such is the price of beauty
Reflections can only give you
The layer of skin you've dyed and
Painted with your own blood.
Can you see what's happening?
Do you know what's really going on?
We're talking about the death of beauty
Shall I put you up on a billboard
For all the world to see?
Your decomposing body
Is all that matters to me
Can't you see your eyes are rotting out?
Your insides crawling across the floor?
Don't you know you're dying?
I said, don't you know you're dying?
There's hell to pay for homeliness
Three seconds of Paradise for charm
Metal corsets replace your own skeleton
A porcelain cast substitutes skin
Flash those pearls, don't you want us to see?
Or is it too painful to move your face again?
Such is the price of beauty, love
Such is the outcome of beauty
Shall I put you up on a billboard
For all the world to see?
Your decomposing body
Is all that matters to me
Can't you see your eyes are rotting out?
Your insides crawling across the floor?
Don't you know you're dying?
I said, don't you know you're dying?
Such is the price of beauty, my love
Such is the outcome of beauty."
"Aoshi, have I ever told you that I lurve you?" Soujiro asked.
"No, and I'd rather you not start now."
"All right guys, time to start working. I'll write the guitar pieces…"
By the end of the week, the song was completed. A new one was under way, and Misao and Aoshi were working together on vocals. It would be a hard duet…their voices were very different and Aoshi would have to do all of the screaming. Aoshi played the melody on the keyboard as he tried to keep himself and Misao on beat.
"Hold on, wait…you're a little too fast right there."
"I'm sorry."
"No, it's all right. Let's pick up from line two, measure three."
Soujiro was practically skipping around the room with glee, holding advertisements for another band at some night club.
"Just think, at least four songs and we'll be able to have a nightclub debut!" Soujiro nearly squealed with excitement. "I can't wait until Kenshin gets back!"
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Kenshin bounced Ayame up and down as she wailed, getting off of the plane. The flight had been absolutely horrendous. Both girls had been extremely nervous, and Suzume had even gotten sick, but nothing compared to the ear-splitting screams of Ayame. She had refused to be torn from Kenshin, so Lisa had given him a baby carrier that could be strapped to his front to prevent his arms from giving out. He felt absolutely ridiculous wearing all black, and a ducky patterned baby-carried, but it wasn't like Ayame had given him a choice.
"Keep up, Kenshin!" Julie scolded over her shoulder.
"I'm coming!" Kenshin wheezed, hurrying after the two. Some girls giggled as they watched him rush through the crowd, but he didn't care. Ayame stopped crying as she looked around at the blurred people. Kenshin began sprinting, and Ayame clapped her hands with glee.
"So you like fasts rides, huh? Lisa is going to kill me if she sees me running with you." Kenshin muttered as he slowed down to turn the corner. Ayame was disappointed when he came to a halt at the luggage pick-up, but had decided to stop crying. He leaned over to pick up the suitcase with one hand on Ayame's back to make sure she didn't fall out of the carrier, when Lisa shouted "Hey, Kenshin, look over here a minute!"
"What?" he shouted back, turning around.
FLASH!
"CRAP! Lisa, what did you do that for?!" Kenshin yelled, rubbing his eyes. The camera had effectively blinded him. Lisa frowned as Kenshin blinked, trying to follow the green and purple lights that floated around the room.
"Don't say that word around the kids, they might pick it up." Lisa reprimanded. Julie laughed heartily and took another picture.
"You look so cute with that baby carrier." She giggled, putting the lens cap back on the camera. Kenshin glowered at them for a moment before dragging his suitcase behind him toward the exit. Lisa and Julie laughed again, causing Suzume to mimic them. After hailing a taxi, Kenshin's mood had calmed down a bit. Ayame fell asleep sucking her thumb, and Kenshin smiled.
"One more picture?" Lisa asked with a pleading look in her eyes and a pout.
"Just one more." He whispered. The flash went off, and this time, Kenshin remembered not to look directly at the camera.
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"Kenshin, that is so cute! You're such a good big brother!" Kaoru squealed as she gushed over the photographs with Misao and Magdaria. Aoshi, Soujiro, and Sano; being men, sat around coolly sipping their sodas.
"Awwww you look so good with that ducky print!" Magdaria smiled.
"I think I'm getting tears in my eyes, this is too adorable to bear!" Misao sniffed. Magdaria got up to get herself a drink from the kitchen and Sano followed her, grinning from ear to ear. As she poured water into a cup, Sano crept up behind her to nuzzle the back of her neck. He loved the scent of her hair and how soft it was, and he took a nip at her skin. Puzzled by the strange flavor, he licked his lips. Magdaria gave him a quizzical look as she dropped some ice cubes into her cup.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"You…taste like soap." Sano said in surprise.
Magdaria blinked confusedly, then burst into laughter. Sano was slightly taken aback as he watched her double over and back into the stove. He, for one, did not find his revelation so amusing.
"What were you expecting, strawberries and cream? I like to stay clean you know!" Magdaria wiped tears from her eyes, smearing the black liner across her face. Sano smiled and rubbed the dark streak off, trailing his finger down to her jawline. He could feel the blood rushing in his veins as if it were molten lava. Only Magdaria made him feel that way. He was always so excited to be near her, to kiss her, to touch her. She would always smile politely, but he had no idea if she felt the same things he did.
"Magdaria? Remember how I said I …liked you?" Sano asked hesitantly. He watched Magdaria's expression became suspicious.
"Yeah," she replied.
"I want to change that." Sano sighed. Magdaria's face fell, and she waited for him to continue. So she was disappointed? Maybe she did feel the same way after all. Well, they weren't boyfriend/girlfriend for nothing were they?
"I love you!" Sano exclaimed. Magdaria broke out into a smile as she threw her arms around his neck, crushing her lips to his. Sano wanted to melt right there. It was pure bliss to have her so passionate toward him. Sanosuke gasped for air as she pulled away, shocked and dazed.
"I take it that was an 'I love you too'?" Sano breathed. Magdaria nodded, and Sano swept her into his arms for yet another kiss.
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"I guess…you know everything about me now." Kenshin shuffled his feet as he stood outside of Kaoru's dorm. She looked away, nervously shifting her keys in her hand.
"Yeah. That news report was just horrendous, they were so rude to mention your name at all. And…I'm so sorry about Enishi, Kenshin. He didn't mean it, he's just having a hard time grieving over Tomoe."
"I figured. I feel sorry for him really. But…I…wanted to talk to you about the kiss, you know. That one that seemed like so long ago."
"Yeah, back in the Spring. School is almost out now."
"Um…I'm sorry." Kenshin scuffed his shoe around on the carpet. Kaoru blushed and pulled on a strand of her hair.
"I was just surprised that's all."
"No, you were scared. I'm a freak. If I had ever dared to ask you out, you would have refused. We're different in more ways than one, drastically so, and it would have never worked. You would have always been…afraid." Kenshin began trembling. He couldn't believe what he was saying, but it kept rushing out as if it had no end. "So I'm 'Gothic'. So fucking what? Beauty is only an opinion! I'm quite content with the way I am right now, thank you very much! I've got plenty of friends, good grades, and I'm back on track with my parents. Is it because they're lesbians? I'm not gay, and I have no intention of becoming so. I'm completely straight, I've had a girlfriend before, I'm still capable of happiness! Just because I wear different clothes, listen to different music, have a different taste in art doesn't mean I don't appreciate things at the opposite end of the spectrum. Why do you think I like you? You're strong willed and vibrant, you carry yourself well, you're happy with the way you are….that's beauty, Kaoru. THAT is beauty.
"I believe in balance….and to bring balance to this disillusioned world, I bring the darkness in to weigh out the light. It isn't a bad thing. 'Good' and 'Bad' are only opinions…only words that were created to control and create meticulous traditions. I'm not psychotic, I don't want to kill people. And death…do you want to hear about death? Death should be a respected event in life. It shouldn't be feared, it should be admired with awe. Death is only the next step into a greater meaning. It isn't the end, it's only a change, a change in life. It's not something I long for, but at the same time its not something I'll reject. And so I respect it…and…" Kenshin lost his train of thought.
Kaoru was in tears. Kenshin had blown up in front of her without even realizing it, just rambling on and on and on..
"I'm sorry," Kenshin offered mechanically. He was sorry he had made her cry, but what he had said was all true, and it had felt good to spit it out as fast and furious as he had.
"You've got Enishi, anyway." Kenshin muttered. Immediately he wished he hadn't said it. He knew Kaoru hated Enishi and wanted out of their relationship. If anything, he should have been helping her. Kaoru stopped crying, out of shock. Kenshin stared nonchalantly at her, and started to turn around to leave when something completely surprising happened.
Kenshin blinked, not believing what had just occurred. He put his hand up to his face, and winced.
Yeah, she had hit him all right. Right square in the jaw with her purse. The pain began to settle in and Kenshin's eyes watered
"Shit, that was hard!" he hissed. Kaoru's face looked absolutely furious.
"While you may have known Enishi in the past, that doesn't mean you know him now. He doesn't know how to deal with his grief and neither do I. He needs help, and I need to get out of this relationship." Kaoru entered the apartment, and Kenshin stared after the door with a hint of regret. He decided to do something that would most likely turn out into an argument, but he pulled out his cell phone anyway.
"Hello, Misao? I was wondering if you could get Enishi Yukishiro's phone number for me."
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Another AN: I almost went on before I realized this chapter was 17 pages long and should keep you all satisfied for the moment.
I do not know the absoulute correct term for older brother in Ayame's case, so I used Niichan. Don't kill me, I'm Japanese-illiterate.