Fanfic by Blueroseulan
Standard Disclaimer's Apply: RK doesn't belong to me!
AN: Oh Gosh… thank you guys for those reviews… and if ur really wondering why the hell did I use my name( somebody told me I had insulted myself ", ) well it's alright. It's better than typing in another name and offending somebody else. But guys, you're the best!
Don't forget to review!
Previously on chapter 4:
She looked so beautiful, so angelic, with her head cradled at the crook of his neck and her perfume wafting in his senses that he had no heart to deny her request. The way she clung to his gi made him all the more convinced that he should give in to what she wanted. So, settling back to his earlier position, he adjusted her, where she would be more comfortable, and contented himself with just watching her fall asleep, his own eyelids falling heavy, and mentally noting to wake up before the sun rises in star-lit canopy.
Chapter 5:
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It already had been a routine for Kaoru to wake up in the morning inside her room on her own futon, alone and searching for a red headed man. But normally, mornings wouldn't be accompanied with such a pain spreading on her chest and an uncertain heaviness weighing down her body. Wondering what was wrong with her, the woman tried to stand up, fully intending to forget her sunup woes and start her household chores in teahouse.
But that was not so.
She fell back on her feet, surprised and unsteady, azure eyes blinking with confusion and disbelief as her body gave way and settled back on the thin futon that rested on the floor. Groaning in pain for her poor back, Kaoru decided to try once again, undaunted, and rationalizing that it must have been stress and tension that might have caused her discomfort at that moment.
Again, that was not so.
If it were only for the coughing, Kaoru would not have been so surprised and shaken. After all, Coughs and Colds were a thing common in the teahouse.
But Kaoru did not expect to see blood.
So astounded was she that the woman didn't even realize that Maeba had entered the room, witnessing the whole scene. Shrieking as she hurried towards the prostitute, Kaoru was almost deafened with her aunt's shrill loud voice.
"Kaoru! What on Kami-sama's Name have you been doing! Oh dear gods! What trouble have you gotten your own fucking body into?
If Kaoru had any more answers on her already dry tongue, it was all garbled with the hoarse painful coughing that erupted on her throat making her spill blood in the process and fall back on the floor. Tears were already leaking on her eyes. Mingling with fear, panic, and pain too easy to feel, too hard to disperse. How she wished Kenshin were here! She wanted nothing more than to be comforted with the solace he offered to be assured with his soothing voice that everything would be alright and she was going to be okay. She wished that he would be beside her, and not the old woman she called her aunt who seemed to be more furious than concerned.
And true to her words, Maeba was far more furious and concerned with the money she would be losing and not the welfare of her niece.
"If that coughing doesn't wear off till tomorrow, I'm going to take you to a doctor… Hell my money is going down the drain…" the woman muttered under her breath, colorful curse words, surrendering on her nasty tongue.
"Get dressed. That doesn't give you the excuse to lounge around all day. If I aint going to use yah tonight, might as well make you a bit useful in the house today!" she cackled, slamming the door, footsteps heavy on the stairs.
Kaoru bit back a sob, trying very hard not to cry and not to accept the panic creeping down her spine. She was too weak to move, too feeble to even get up but she provoked herself, fumbling to even get at her own two feet.
Dressing proved to be far difficult, especially when every after two seconds, you run short of breath. She only managed to survive in walking towards the main hall when she thought of Kenshin. Him at her side, smiling and sharing his own set of silent deep observations. She missed him. Even if it had only been a matter of time since they last saw one another.
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The night was still young but many men could be seen piling towards the exit of the Red Dragon Teahouse, as the Hitokiri Battousai's keen eyes observed. Curious, he made his way inside and asked one of the men who was unsuccessfully trying to squeeze himself out of the hullabaloo on the door.
"Sumimasen… Why are you all leaving?" he asked in a monotonous voice, careful to hide his face under his cloak, lest the man identified him as the most famous shadow assassin of the Bakumatsu era.
Grunting, the man replied with an angered voice. "Hell! Bluerose aint playin' tonight! Goddamned paid a lot of money just to see her shake that gorgeous body of hers! Hey You! That old woman! Gimme my money back! " He roared, raising his fist and forgetting that he was in fact talking to someone.
But Battousai had already heard enough. And it certainly was enough to cause panic bells ringing on his mind.
She isn't performing?
Why?
Did something happen?
I swear if someone touches her…
These thoughts were reeling on his head as he made way towards the desperate hag who tried to make men stay… although she proved futile of her intentions.
"Sumimasen Maeba-san… I just want to know why isn't Bluerose performing tonight?"
The woman yelled to his ears and this was enough to make Kenshin almost pull out his katana and have her head. Save that from the fact that she was indeed Kaoru's aunt.
"I told ya ya goddamned men! That woman is sick! She aint available for tonight! That bitch! Destoyin' me business! "
Sick.
Not available.
Not performing.
And so of course, with theses words running all over the red head of his, Himura Kenshin otherwise known as the Hitokiri Battousai found himself naturally climbing his way towards the windowsill where the Bluerose rested, stealthily and cautiously making his path on where she was.
Dropping to the floor with a silent 'thud' he made his way towards her sleeping form, mirroring the frown that was on her face when he felt she had a high temperature. Beads of sweat had already condensed in her forehead and she was moaning in her dreams, as if in silent pain and torment. He didn't know what really happened, never was aware of what was her true ailment, but his heart was already crying out to her, wanting nothing more than she be healed, cured and could join him again.
Resting his palm on a tender cheek. He felt her move and it made his heart beat thunderously against his chest.
Dull feverish blue eyes met concerned frightened amber ones as their gazes locked. Before Kaoru could even mutter a word, he had already slowly descended his lips against her, muffling any coherent words she had on her tongue.
And at once, she was drinking on him, conveying all the emotions she felt that morning. The pain, the longing and the passion, she tried to express on a single fiery kiss.
And he understood.
"I'm sorry… I… what happened?" he tried to ask, while still out of breath, catching her lips at the same time.
Shaking her head negatively, she kept quiet, just held his hand fastly with hers.
"Tell me… what happened?" he coaxed.
When she bade no reply, he decided to leave it with that, knowing she was still very feverish.
"You better rest…I will.."
Before the man could even finish his sentence, her hand had shot up to grasp his arm, eyes wide and pleading and repeating the similar words she had declared only a night ago.
"Please…stay here… I need… want you to stay… Please…"
He smiled affectionately. Squeezing her hand in reassurance.
"Baka Kaoru… Of course I wouldn't leave you… You never let me finish. I said I would just stay here because it's not best to carry you out in the cold night. I'd just stay and keep watch."
Kaoru then finally released a grateful sigh; happy to be spending the night close to the one she loved. Nestling her head atop his lap, she finally allowed herself to succumb in a peaceful slumber.
Kenshin watched as the woman he loved finally fell asleep, glad that she was in better condition than from the first time he had seen her tonight. With ideas entering his head, he pondered over the thought with how much effect she had on him. Before, he couldn't even consider himself loving or even being loved himself. He never felt cherished and cared. He was only a tool, an instrument for killing, murdering other people's lives for the sake of others.
Not anymore.
Kaoru gave him another chance to live again. To at least feel once again. She slowly defrosted his icy benumbed heart with warmth, compassion and humility. She had never been low in his standards. If he considered her something so lowly, then what would he think of himself?
He was surprised with the change inside him. He was never vocal; never showy with his affections, never cared, never loved, and never even appreciated something. But here he was, watching over the person he cherished the most, not wanting anything more than to embrace her and forever seal her as his.
She was his. Something in their first meeting made him fully brand her.
Unmistakably, surely and definitely his.
He never once thanked the gods for anything, yet the Hitokiri found himself in gratefulness towards whatever life force that sent her spiraling on his life.
He never felt so much blessed.
Shifting to stroke her cheek while his other hand ran along her hair, he watched intently as her face curved into an upward smile, clearly indicating that she was happy whatever dream she may be having. Sighing in satisfaction, Kenshin sat silent, content of just gazing at her sleeping form and wary of any intruder that may break their peace.
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It must have been a miracle or some stroke of luck when Kaoru woke up that morning, realizing that Kenshin never found out what her true ailment was. The fact that she didn't end up coughing and spewing blood all over the poor man would have been a good stroke of coincidence itself.
But wonderful her morning was, Kaoru didn't fail to notice that her coughing was going a lot like hell and her blood was more on its volume than usual. When Maeba-san saw this, Kaoru was terribly afraid that the woman was going to hit her. After hearing the uproar she herself had created yesterday, Kaoru dared not to disobey whatever orders Maeba-san gave, this serving as her apology for what she had done.
The woman pushed her into hardwork, beating her worn body with duties, tasks and responsibilities until Kaoru could not even stand any longer. The aggravating pain she felt on her chest burnt her throat as she tried to cough up whatever was the thing causing her pain. She would hide the fact that blood was indeed coming out from her and assured everyone she was all right.
"Kaoru-san… daijobou desu ka?"
She looked behind finding a fearful Tsubame, hazel eyes wide with concern.
"I'm okay." She assured. "I gue—" She didn't have anytime to finish her sentence when the coughing began once again, but this time, not escaping the observant wide eyes of the teenager of fifteen standing in front of her.
"Kaoru-san!"
Alarm over came her when she saw that the girl had witnessed the whole scene. All Kaoru could do was kneel and hold Tsubame's hands desperately, trying to tell the girl everything with a single gesture.
"Please… don't tell anyone… Tsubame-chan… Onegai…"
Although Tsubame had wanted to say something in disagreement, her words were drowned by Maeba-san's booming voice telling Kaoru to hurry up with the chores. Said woman could only gaze sadly before offering the young whore a sad smile and walking away.
TBC…
AN: TUT TUT! What's this! Kaoru, sickYou gotta stay to learn what would happen to her! More drama ahead… and of course romance and waff! (YEY! I love waff!)
I told you from the start that Battousai would be a bit different in this fic. Less brutal and more showy of his affections to our dear sweet Kaoru. somebody told me that the story was just going too fast. I'm really really sorry but I wanted the plot to go on faster for there's a lot to include in this fic and if I slowed down the plot… it would get me at least 20 plus chapters to finish… so please bear with me… Anyways, I appreciate your reviews!
I'll try to update as soon as I can!
Don't forget to review!
JA!
Bluerose