Fanfic by Blueroseulan

November 12, 2005

Standard Disclaimers Apply! Rk doesn't belong to me!

AN: Hey guys! Another chappie! I won't rant on, but I will remind you to leave a review though! ;)

Please review!

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It was true for the fact that when one of the senses is dulled, another one is sharpened. Whilst Kaoru's eyesight truly faded away, her sense of hearing had sharpened to the point where it was almost as good as Kenshin's. She had also slowly learned how to move around the house through touching the walls and feeling the textures of the objects around her. Kaoru was glad that slowly, bit-by-bit, she was starting to once again live without fully depending on him.

On one occasion, Kenshin had secretly gone to town after Kaoru had slightly dozed off one afternoon. Reaching home in time to watch her wake, he handed her one parcel during dinnertime.

"What's this?" she asked softly.

"Guess."

"Hmm… let's see." She said, brows knitting in mocked concentration. "It's lumpy. And it's soft. Kenshin, what is this?"

He was adamant, much to her annoyance and excitement. "Why don't you open it?"

"Mou! Fine. I'll open it then. You sure it won't bite?" she joked

"Of course not. "

Slowly, she began to unravel the brown wrappings that covered the item. Eyes slowly widening as a spark of realization hit her.

"Kenshin… it's a.."

"A kimono." He finished.

"Yes…"she whispered, long fingers running on the soft cloth. "It's made of silk…" she murmured.

Though surprised with how she knew it was silk, he neared her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Do you like it?" he breathed in her ear.

His breath seemed to tingle along her spine as she nodded her head fervently. "Are you kidding me? I love it! Tell me… why did you buy me this Kenshin?"

He shook his head. It's not yet time to tell her, he rationalized.

"You'll know when the time comes…"

"Could you describe it for me?" she asked, eyes wide.

A flash of pain crossed his features along with the thought that she was indeed asking him to tell her how her own kimono looks like. But he quickly dismissed the fact, reminded himself that she was becoming better and more optimistic with her blindness.

"Well you see… er—um… it's got the color of lilac…"

"Lilac? That's my favorite!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands. He nodded, glad that she was happy and continued. "It's also got a mix of midnight blue. Um… I'm really not good at this love…" he trailed off.

"Never mind! Go on…" she gushed, excitement evident in her tone.

"Um… eto-- It blends pretty well with the lilac hue. And hmmm… let's see… there are printed sakura blossoms all over the dress, and the sleeves are voluminous, not slim fitting to the arm. The obi... Let's see… it's bluish-transparent… with gold trimmings with it and a few printed lilacs dusted in pink. There. That's how your kimono looks like." He added, a wide smile spreading at his face.

A graceful smile lit her face as she deftly reached out for his arm. "At first, I thought going blind was the worst thing that could ever happen to me… but now I know, I could still see perfectly and clearly when you're with me! Thank you Kenshin… for the gift... And of course for everything…." She beamed. Her head somewhat ending up burying at the crook of his neck.

"It's nothing koi… demo Kaoru?"

"Hmm?"

"All I ask is for you to wear that tomorrow at sunset."

A look of curiosity crossed her face. "Why?"

Impishly, he grinned. "You'll see. Just wait love."

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The next afternoon, Kenshin had hastily excused himself after lunch telling her that he had an urgent business to take care in town. "Don't forget to wear your kimono!" he called out in the porch.

"I will!" she shouted back, waving her hand.

And so, the next couple of hours were spent in front of her mirror while Kaoru fixed herself. Wondering what the man was up to, she thought that Kenshin was a man, which held plenty of surprises. To say she was excited would be an understatement, for Kaoru felt nervous, tensed and all emotions of the like. For him to buy her such an extravagant kimono, surely, he was definitely up to something.

It was a good thing that after all of those years, Kaoru had been so much experienced tying an obi elegantly around her waist even without the use of her sight. Expertly handling the obi, she was surprised to find that it was not like the usual ribbon that ended just below her waist. No, the bow was long and elegantly trailed over her back, like a robe she guessed. She had no idea how she looked, but she hoped she looked fine.

After putting on everything and slipping on her zhori, she proceeded to the living room and sat patiently, to wait for him.

As if on cue, the gate swung open and Kaoru's sensitive ears picked up the sound of footsteps and turned her head in fervent anticipation to hear his voice.

"Kaoru tada—"

He stopped short, breath taken away by the captivating picturesque that she made. She was perfect. Her hair was tied halfway towards the crown of her head and tied by a single bow. Her kimono never looked as wonderful as it did now, for it hugged her body in almost all the interesting ways, and true to his words, the sleeves were voluminous and slipped past her arms, baring the creamy skin of her shoulders. The midnight sky color of the cloth contrasted against her pale skin and even her dull eyes seemed to radiate a mysterious glow.

"Kenshin? Is that you?" she asked, head turning towards the other side.

"Hai, it's me love." he murmured, nearing her and wrapping her palm inside his.

She smiled graciously glad to have him back. "What took you so long? I thought it would take you forever." She said, pretending to pout but looking adorable in its stead.

"I had some business needed to be taken care of. And I also needed to get you this." He breathed into her ear, fishing out an item inside his gi.

"Another one? What's gotten in you ana-" her words were completely dispelled when she felt the article in her palm. Am I holding what I'm really thinking?

"It's a box." She said rather dumbly.

He laughed at her speechlessness. Indeed it was a velvet box and he was more than dying with anticipation for her to find out what was inside. Admonishing her to open it, she did so and gasped.

Had he not encompassed his long fingers against her shaking ones, he was sure she would have dropped it, provided with the shock she felt.

"Ken-shin…" she breathed out… fingering the rounded object that lay on the center of her palm.

"It's a ring…" she murmured, heart suddenly ramming painfully hard on her chest.

He gulped, calming his senses for a bit. It's time.

"Kaoru…" he started, assisting her to her feet and kneeling in front of her. " I know we've been through a lot of trials. Trials, which will forever leave their marks in our hearts… But I know we could overcome them all… if we are one…"

She gasped, "Kenshin…"

"Love, I don't care if all odds are against us… if I would forever carry this pain to make you happy…I don't care Kaoru… all I'm asking is for you to be always at my side… always and forever… marry me Kaoru…" he finished, heart beating mercilessly against his ribcage.

For a moment, time stood still, with both of them trapped in its grasp. That 5-second silence was the most terrifying moment of his life, knowing that at one wrong answer, his world could completely crumble. He was shaking, his fingers trembling as he held hers in a firm touch.

It seemed as if an eternity had passed before slowly, thin films of tears began to run in Kaoru's cheeks. She remained immobilized, and Kenshin kept his breath.

"Kenshin… I… Of course I'll marry you!" she finally exclaimed, hands wrapping itself lovingly at either side of his face. And as euphoria erupted in his chest, he slipped the ring on her finger, unbelieving at how perfectly it looked at her.

"How does it look like?" she asked softly, fingering the ring.

Disappointment could not affect him at this moment and he gushed out. "It's a gold band with a sapphire diamond on top. It looks… perfect on you…" he said, voice thick with happiness.

"But," he stopped, "We're not finished yet." He said to a much-surprised Kaoru. "Since you've agreed to marry me, then, you will marry me, NOW. "

"NOW?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes! Come love! The priest is waiting outside."

Although she could still not believe how things flew so fast, she allowed him to escort her towards the garden, where she felt the soft dew, cool on her feet and the scent of honeysuckle catching in the air.

"Watanabe-san… this is Kaoru… my wife to be…" he introduced. "Kaoru, this is Watanabe-san, the priest that will marry us." She bowed gracefully.

And soon, in that garden, in that same garden where she had once chased him, where butterflies and fireflies drifted in the wind, and where the rarest flowers bloom, they were married. It was so simple, only held with the three of them, but it was enough. It was truly enough to bind them as one in the eyes of Kami-sama, the highest god of all forms in Shinto.

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That evening as husband and wife snuggled closer to each other's naked body, Kaoru had asked him, how he was so sure of her answer that he even brought the priest with him.

"That's easy." He chuckled, a deep masculine laugh rumbling in his throat, making her shiver. "I know we've been through a lot. I also know for the fact that our life will never be easy. But you and I could both discern the need for the other right?" he asked, nuzzling her face and stroking her hair.

"But what if I said no instead?" she teased.

He grinned. "Hmmm… you wouldn't."

"And why not?"

He spooned her closer to his side. "Because you love me ne?"

"Yes…" she whispered thoughtfully. She was tired. It could still be done, much to her amazement, even without her sight and decreased stamina. His touches made her all the more sensitive. The way his fingers had made her crazy was still fresh in her mind and her body was still filmed with sweat.

"Sleep now…love." She heard him shush. Resting his chin atop hers and wrapping the blanket securely around their naked forms. Gone was the Battousai inside, he thought. In it, a domesticated man has been replaced. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined falling in love with a prostitute, having passed through so much suffering, heck he didn't even think he would be domesticated enough to cook food, do the laundry or clean the house. It was all a woman's chore in his eyes before. But her fragile condition proved him all wrong. And now, he'd finally married her. It was so foreign. The incredible happiness he felt in his chest that the man was afraid the gods would be asking something from him as payment. He didn't deserve her. Gods, he knew that. And he was afraid they'd take her away. It was absurd, really. Because, if proved earlier, Battousai wasn't afraid of anything, more so death. It had become a common lingo for an assassin like him. The scent of blood forever in his mind and the taste of death lingering as a bittersweet feel on his tongue.

But now… while holding her sleeping form, he suddenly felt afraid. Holding her body closer, he silently prayed for the gods to guide her. Not necessarily him, it would be too much to ask for, just her. Keeping her safe was enough.

Tbc…

AN: Awww… , I made up for all the drama in the last chapter ne? This chapter was filled with mush! I tell ya!

Hmmm… if you're wondering how come KnK got hitched that easily, well… I'm wondering too… I just thought, hey! wouldn't it be different if this is the way things happened:D I hope I don't get violent reactions with that… anyways, I believe it was kinda sweet ne? And besides… they're running out of time… OOPPSS! Covers mouth with hand Uh… well… Sweatdrops Sorry for ranting on… Um..Sweatdrops… I better go! Runs away

Don't forget to review okay?