Chapter 5: Mission Impossible?

Kenshin stayed awake most of the night, agonizing over his inadequacies.

I can't believe I'm 29 and I still haven't asked a girl out.

We were kind of busy with other things, idiot.

HEY! Who's the idiot here?

You, why?

You're pretty idiotic yourself, oh Great Battousai! I seem to remember a time when the Shinsengumi attacked in the middle of your birthday celebration, and what did you do, oh great one?

Oh, shut up.

YOU INVITED THEM TO STAY FOR A DRINK!

At least they let their guard down because of it.

THEY WERE LAUGHING SO HARD THEY COULDN'T STAND UP!

So I've made a few mistakes, calm down...

A few? How about the time you-

ALRIGHT! I got it! That's enough! Can't you give a guy some credit for trying?

I'm just saying we have to be better this time. No flubs, no screw-ups, we must be perfect.

Agreed.

Good. Now we should get some sleep before our big performance.

Too late. Can't you see the sun's up?

Oro? ...ORO!

So as the sun rose, Kenshin had it all planned out.

Sort of.

Stage one. He thought to himself as he put the fishing rod over his shoulder. I need to practice…

"Kaoru-dono," He called. Almost immediately she popped out from behind the shoji next to him.

"Yes, Kenshin?" Kaoru at your service, hot stuff!

Kenshin blushed and looked at his feet.

"Um, sessha is going fishing, that I am." Kaoru looked at him, puzzled.

"Why?" That one word froze Kenshin in his spot.

Uh oh, she's curious, thought the rurouni. That's not good…

"Uh, w- we need fresh fish, don't we?" He pulled up the fail-safe, better known as the rurouni smile.

Oh, just great, he's hiding something from me. I'll get him good when he comes back, I swear. Or… I could… Mwahahaha… Kenshin started sweating. He knew that evil laugh too well. It was the same laugh he had heard his rivals use when they were sure they were going to win.

What's so bad she couldn't even think it?

"We already have fresh fish, Kenshin, Dr. Gensai brought us some." Whatcha gonna do?

I have got to get away… he thought desperately.

"Well, we could always use some more!" And he left, leaving Kaoru with a sigh of relief. As he walked (well, ran, really) toward the nearest river, her mind's laughter followed him.

First, that dono's got to go. He thought. He turned to a nearby tree and took a deep breath.

"Kaoru-dono. No. Kaoru…" He winced at his own lack of resolve.

"…dono." Oh, I'm pathetic! In the back of his mind, Battousai snickered. Shut it, Battousai.

I'm just having fun watching you make a fool of yourself, rurouni. You really are pathetic. He clutched his sword hilt nervously.

This is hard enough without your comments!

"How should I do it? Nobody ever says how hard this is!" 'Come see the stars with me' isn't exactly romantic. She'd laugh. …Would she?

He's so cute when he's agonizing over something.

Kenshin froze. Kaoru's unguarded thought came from the bushes behind him.

She followed me! She actually FOLLOWED me! …Oh, Kami-sama! I was speaking out loud! She'll think I'm an idiot. Gah! I AM an idiot!

Oh, does he know I'm here?

I gotta act like she's not here…

"U- Um, s- sessha should catch some fish now, I should." He turned toward the river, only to see Kaoru's fishing rod.

Floating gently downstream.

My fishing rod! Kaoru thought.

"Her fishing rod!" Quickly he stripped off him gi and zori and jumped into the river.

KENSHIN YOU IDIOT! Kaoru abandoned her hiding place and ran down the bank. Shaking his sopping wet red hair out of his eyes, Kenshin grabbed the errant rod.

"I got it, Kaoru-dono!" He said enthusiastically. Then he broke down laughing.

Kaoru came up next to him, blistering lecture ready on her lips. "Just WHAT were you thinking!" She blinked, and really looked at him.

He was sitting in three inches of water, still laughing helplessly.

"S- Sorry…heh heh… Kaoru-dono. Heh heh, sessha doesn't… heh… think there are too many fish in this river…" Kaoru stared at him dumbly for a moment then collapsed in a fit of giggles. Kenshin crawled to the shore and flopped down next to Kaoru.

Kaoru glanced over at him. "Are you all right?"

"Sessha is fine, Kaoru. You shouldn't worry about me." He blinked.

IDIOT! Battousai screamed at him. You forgot the dono too soon! This is why I wanted control… Kaoru stared at him.

Did… he just… Kenshin groaned inwardly.

Cover-up time.

"Is something bothering you, Kaoru-dono?" He smiled sweetly at her. Kaoru sighed and looked away.

Now look what you've done! She's sad again!

Battousai, you are a part of me that will never die. Sometimes, though, I wish you could.

Hey!

Suddenly Kaoru blushed. He's not wearing a gi! She gave him a sidelong glance that made his face heat up again. Man, he is definitely well built…

Suddenly self-conscious, Kenshin stood and fetched his gi from where he had tossed it. An awkward silence fell. Gi firmly in place, he sat back down.

I wonder if he knows I was watching almost the whole time. I'm a fair maiden who blushes at flowers, and I have to sneak after my man to make sure he's not going to leave me or get a sword stuck in him sometime. It's pitiful, isn't it? Oh, how Megumi would laugh at me. I was so dumb to come out here, I know better than anyone how well Kenshin can take care of himself. I was just… worried, I guess. Ah, look at me; I've gone from crybaby to worrywart at hyper speed.

Her man? When did that happen and why wasn't I informed? Kenshin wondered. Ah, well, I better break the silence.

"So." Kaoru looked over at him, startled out of listing her faults.

"Yes, Kenshin?"

"Why did you feel it necessary to follow me?" Kaoru looked out across the river.

"I… was afraid you had gotten a letter of challenge and didn't want to tell me." Kenshin smiled.

"Did you think sessha would fight without you to cheer me on? Sessha'd lose." Oh, that was stupid. Why did I say that? Kaoru blushed.

Is he actually flirting with me? Whoa, calm down, I may be overreacting. "I- "

"Yes?" She blushed and fidgeted with her toes.

"Well, you were up most of the night. I was… a little worried, I guess." He looked over at her, surprised.

"How did you know sessha was awake?" Kaoru blushed and looked embarrassed.

"Well, you have a nervous habit. When you're thinking seriously-"

Brooding. She thought darkly.

"-You flick your sakabatou in and out of its sheathe." Kept me up all night just listening to it.

"Sessha is sorry to have kept you awake, that I am. There were just things that needed to be thought about."

Kaoru blushed. "Oh, don't worry about it. Soo… Want to tell me?" Let's see if he can work up the courage. Kenshin winced inwardly again.

Even Kaoru knows I'm too chicken usually to ask her out. But I can do it. I can. I'm Battousai, aren't I?

No, I'm Battousai, and I never asked a girl out either.

Oh, gee, thanks! Kenshin thought sarcastically. He took a deep breath.

"Yes. Yes I would." He said, with just a hint of Battousai in his voice. Kaoru looked over at him, a little startled by the firmness of his voice. Unfortunately, that was as far as his courage stretched.

"W- Would you… mumble mumble mumble… me?" Kaoru stared at him.

"What?" Kenshin panicked.

"Oh, of course you wouldn't, just thought I'd try-"

"No, what did you say? You were mumbling so bad I only heard three words." Kenshin blushed to the roots of his hair.

"Oh. Heh. Of course." She's going to make me say it again? Oh, man. Here goes…

"Um, I would be very honored if you… would… um… g- go out with me." He finished, rather lamely.

"OK." Kenshin gaped at her.

"OK?" Kaoru turned to him and smiled.

"Yeah, OK."

"Oh. Alright, then. We should, uh, probably be getting back."

Oh, rurouni, I'm ashamed of your lameness.

She said yes! She said yes! She said yes! She said yes! She said yes! Kenshin was almost dancing with happiness. He stood, and then turned to give her a hand up. A little flustered, she accepted and pulled herself to her feet. Kenshin held her hand as long as he dared, and let go reluctantly. Suddenly Kaoru turned to him.

"On one condition." Kenshin, whose mind was miles away and up in the clouds, looked at her, puzzled.

"Sorry?"

"I'll go to dinner with you tomorrow on one condition."

"Just name it, Kaoru-dono" Kenshin replied, a little worried.

"STOP it with the DONO." Kenshin winced at her vehemence.

"Ah, sessha is working on it …Kaoru." She flashed him a smile that nearly blinded him. Yes! Finally! Woo hoo!

"Good. Then I'll race you home!"

"What?" Laughing, she took off through the trees. Hurriedly Kenshin gathered his items, hiked up his soggy hakama, and jogged after her.

"Wait up!" When did I say anything about tomorrow?

Hah! Kenny finally asked Kaoru-chan out! But is he ready? Not in his wildest dreams! … speaking of dreams, next chapter: Troubling dreams and burning gis! Catch you later!

Dono: Milady or Miss

Shoji: door

Sessha: this unworthy one

Kami-sama: quite literally, Lord God

Gi: shirt

Zori: sandals

Sakabatou: Kenshin's sword