And here it is, the final installment in this tale! Enjoy, minna-san!
Chapter 12: Kenshin's Gift and Who Kisses Whom?
"Hey, fox."
"What do you want, rooster head?" Sano grinned.
"20 sen says he kisses her tonight." Megumi laughed and grew fox ears.
"There's no way, not on the first date. If anyone kisses anyone, Tanuki-chan will kiss Rurouni Dense!"
"Then we're on?"
"Oh, yeah!" They turned, and walked back into the dojo.
Dinner passed in relative silence, with both concentrating on their food more than each other. Every time Kaoru looked up, though, Kenshin was watching her with an odd look in his eyes. As soon as he realized she was looking at him, he'd quickly go back to his meal.
Soon they both set down their bowls and sighed.
"Thanks for dinner, Kenshin."
"No, thank you for accompanying me, Kaoru." He paid for the meal as she gazed out at the river. He turned to her, and for a moment he was torn with indecision, fingering a small package in his sleeve.
Do I do it now? No, the time's not right. Not now. He walked up beside her. She didn't notice him, still gazing out at the fabulous view.
"We should be going, that we should." He whispered in her ear. She jumped, turned, and then nodded. He took her arm and escorted her out. Once outside, he got an idea.
"Kaoru? Let's go home this way." Kenshin pointed to a different path. She looked at it in confusion.
"I don't know that way." Kenshin smiled.
"Sessha does. Trust me?" Her eyes lit up, and she nodded. He led her through the tree- lined path in the twilight. She looked around, soaking it all in. They walked up a bridge, and stopped.
"Oh, wow!" The last rays of sunlight sparkled across the lively creek, and reflected in Kaoru's sapphire eyes. For a moment Kenshin stood, mesmerized by the sight. She blinked, and he was free of her spell. She turned to him, eyes shining, before turning back out to the setting sun.
"Oh, Kenshin, it's beautiful!" Hesitantly he put an arm around her shoulders, then relaxed as she made no sign of rejecting him.
"Sessha is glad you like it, that I am." For a moment they stood in comfortable companionship, enjoying the dying lights and each other's company. As the sun set, Kenshin tried to read Kaoru's thoughts one last time.
…So happy…
So happy, indeed. He thought idly. He sighed in resignation at the loss of his gift, and reached into his sleeve.
Both arms around Kaoru, embracing her from behind, he pulled out a small wrapped parcel. He heard her gasp.
"Kenshin?" He chuckled.
"You didn't think I'd forget to get you a gift, did you?" He asked, intentionally dropping the 'sessha.' He carefully placed the parcel in her hands. With unsteady hands, she unwrapped the gift.
A red rose bud encased in gold leafing fell into her fingers. She gasped in shock. It was the most delicate and beautiful thing she'd ever seen. She turned to face Kenshin, eyes brimming with tears.
"Do… do you like it, Kaoru?" He asked hesitantly, seeing that she was at a loss for words. She gave him a blinding smile.
"Oh, Kenshin, it's the most beautiful, the best, the greatest, the most wonderful…" Kenshin chuckled.
"I get the idea."
"But where…" Kenshin laughed again, somewhat regretfully.
"I don't think you'd believe me if I told you. Sessha thinks everybody in Heaven, Earth and Hell is trying to get us together." She laughed, and admired the rose in her hands. She seemed to waver for a moment.
"You know…"
"Aa?" He prompted, his arms still around her.
"Tae told me the Europeans consider the rose a symbol of everlasting love…" She looked into his eyes, searching for something. He grinned.
"I had heard that…" Her eyes lit up and she hugged him so tight he couldn't breathe for a moment.
"K- Kaoru, sessha needs to breathe, that I do!" Kaoru giggled, and loosened her hold on him.
"Oro… You have a very powerful grip, that you most certainly do…" Playfully she looped her arm through his and started tugging him down the road.
"Come on, Kenshin!" He laughed and let himself be pulled down the thankfully deserted path.
"But, Kaoru, you said you didn't know the way!" She stopped.
"Oh. You're right, I don't." Kenshin smacked his forehead.
"Actually, if you keep following this road, it leads right up to that side path by the Akabeko, that it does." Kaoru looked off to a side road.
"Where does that one go?" Kenshin shook his head ruefully.
"I don't know." Kaoru grinned impishly at him.
"Want to find out?" Not waiting for an answer, she let go of him and skipped on ahead down the road. Kenshin ran after her.
"Kaoru! Wait up!" She stopped just ahead of him.
"Look, Kenshin! It's the riverbank!" No sooner had he caught up with her than she took off again, this time toward the river, and the log by the bank.
"This is where I gave you my ribbon, and Jin-e captured me." Kenshin stepped up beside her.
"This is also where I got that ring I accidentally gave to you last Tanabata." Kaoru laughed.
"I really couldn't believe that one. I thought someone was playing a dirty trick on me." She frowned. "I should have noticed something fishy about that." Kenshin blinked.
"Something… fishy?" He choked out. He burst out laughing. He sat on the log and laughed and laughed. Kaoru sat next to him.
"It wasn't that funny!" Kenshin just shook his head, unable to speak. Finally, he calmed down.
"Kenshin?" Kaoru lifted the rose to her face.
"Yes, Kaoru?"
"I need to hear it from your mouth." Kenshin looked over at her, but her eyes were decidedly on the rose. He gulped, his mouth suddenly dry.
"Alright. I… I…" He gulped again. "I love you, Kaoru." He said in a tiny voice. She tackled him to the ground with an ecstatic hug.
He wondered later how it had been so natural. All he did was tilt his head slightly and lean forward, yet suddenly the sweetest sensation was enveloping him. After a moment or two he broke the kiss, their FIRST kiss, waited anxiously for her reaction. Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at him in utter shock.
"Ooh. Let's do that again." Kenshin laughed and kissed her tenderly. Kaoru sighed happily.
"I could definitely get used to that." Kaoru rolled onto her back and they watched the moon rise and the stars come out.
At last, Kenshin sighed.
"We should probably be going back soon. The others will make assumptions if we are alone too long, that they will." Kaoru sat up and stretched.
"You're right. And we'd just hate for that to happen, wouldn't we?" She teased. Hand in hand, they started back down the road to their home. Suddenly Kaoru stopped and turned to him.
"Oh, goodness, I almost forgot!"
"Oro?" Kaoru leaned over to him and kissed his scarred cheek.
"I love you, Kenshin." Giggling, she ran ahead. Kenshin stood rooted to the ground, and he raised a hand to touch his cheek.
She loves me, huh? I wonder how that happened?
He ran after her.
A short while later.
"Come on, Kenshin!" Laughter.
"Shh, Kaoru, they'll hear us!" More laughter.
"Let them! Get in here!" Kenshin and Kaoru made a not- so- quiet entrance. They opened the door to find Sano and Megumi gambling.
"Hey, there! It's about time you two got back. The kid couldn't stay up, so he went to bed a couple of hours ago." Sano grinned at the lightly blushing couple. "So, you two have fun?" They blushed a little harder, and nodded. Sano draped an arm over Kenshin and dragged him aside.
"So? How'd it go?"
"Well, I was glared at, accused, cried at, and giggled out of my mind, but sessha enjoyed it." Sano rolled his eyes.
"That's not what I meant! I mean did you…" He leaned down and whispered in the smaller man's ear. Kaoru watched with interest as Kenshin turned a furious shade of red.
"SANO! Sessha did NOT! It was our first date, for crying out loud!"
"Hmph. I thought Hiten Mitsurugi masters were known for their speed, Kenshin." Kenshin glared up at him.
"Shishou, maybe, but not me! Sessha intends to take my time courting Kaoru!" He put a hand over his mouth. "Oops." He turned back to Kaoru. "I told." Kaoru smothered a giggle.
"It's okay, I was going to tell them anyway." She showed the two Kenshin's rose. "I finally got this baka to confess his feelings to me…" Sano's and Megumi's smiles widened.
"And?" Megumi encouraged. Kaoru blushed.
"And… He kissed me." Megumi's shoulders slumped. She reached into her purse and pulled out 20 sen and handed it to Sano. He grinned.
"Ya gotta have a little faith in our Kenshin, Megitsune!"
"Yeah, yeah." She walked out. Sano sighed.
"That fox'll never learn…" He walked out after her. Kenshin and Kaoru listened from inside.
"I do NOT need an escort, ESPECIALLY not some rooster-head with a useless hand!"
"There's no way I'm gonna let you walk down the streets alone at night! If something happens to you, there'll be no one in Tokyo who can fix my hand."
"Your hand? There's no one ho can fix your BRAIN!" Kenshin and Kaoru grinned at each other. Kenshin rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a twinkle in his eye.
"20 sen says he kisses her tonight." Kaoru turned to him, eyes twinkling.
"There's no way-"
SMACK!
"HOW DARE YOU, YOU MISERABLE ROOSTER!" Kaoru sighed.
"You win."
Elsewhere…
A blonde haired, silvery-purple eyed girl giggled. A man with similar eyes and a gold gi and silver hakama sat nearby.
"I told you they wouldn't need much of a push." The girl declared. The man sighed.
"And I'm a fool for not listening to my daughter sooner. Forgive me?" The girl nodded and ran over to her father.
"Now about Misao and Aoshi…"
Owari
(pops open a bottle of champagne) Yay! Done at last! Before anyone asks, I have already started the sequel/ spinoff. Hehe.. the fun I'll have…
And in honor of finishing DYHWIH, I've invited Kenshin and Kaoru over! (they walk in)
Kenshin: Oro? The girl who gave me the rose!
Enfiniti: Shh! Not so loud!
Kaoru: Do you know her, Ken-chan?
Enfiniti: Aww! Ken-chan? How cute!
Kenshin: (Quailing under the glare from Enfiniti) Er, nope! Never seen her before!
Enfiniti: Anyway! Congratulations! When's the wedding?
Kaoru: (blushing) W-Wedding?
Kenshin: (blushing) Ano…
Enfiniti: (looking from one to the other) Don't tell me you haven't asked her yet! (looks pointedly at Kenshin)
Kenshin: (fidgets) Ano, Kaoru?
Kaoru: Hai?
Kenshin: Sessha-
Kaoru: Hey!
Kenshin: eep! I would be honored if… (pulls out box from pocket) …if you would do sess- me the honor of marrying me?
Kaoru: HAI!
Enfiniti: and so they all live happily ever after. Except Misao and Aoshi. For them, the torture is but beginning… bwahahaha!
Thanks to all of you who stuck with me!