Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

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Toy Store

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Oil Change

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Misao was really lucky it was warm outside again, because if it'd been winter and she'd been this late picking her up, Kaoru would have been angry with her. As it was, she was mildly annoyed, but she'd been in the office all day, and it was such a nice day outside that she was a little grateful Misao was late. And it had been her fault for forgetting to get an oil change for six months anyway. The mechanics said it was a miracle the car had run at all. Where was her father to remind her of things like this? It was lucky Misao's car had been fixed a few days ago, or they both would've had to beg Aoshi for rides, and Kaoru knew he didn't like her as much as he did Misao.

Her cell phone vibrated in her purse. Thank the Lord, it was Misao.

"Where are you?"

Misao's tone was apologetic. "I can't come. I'm working late with Aoshi and then he's taking me out to dinner."

"What!" Kaoru shrieked. "You're ditching me for a man! We swore we'd never do this, Misao!"

"Quit flipping out. I sent Kenshin to pick you up. He said he didn't mind."

"You sent Kenshin!" Kaoru yelled.

"Yeah. He knows where you are since his brother works there. He should be there any moment."

"Any moment!"

"I didn't call you until now to minimize the time I knew you'd spend yelling at me. Smart huh?"

"Misao! Come and get me right now!" Kaoru demanded childishly, just as Kenshin pulled up in front of her in a silver convertible.

"Sorry, Kaoru, but I plan on spending a wonderful night out with Aoshi Shinomori."

"Never mind, dear. I'll talk to you later," Kaoru said sweetly.

Misao started laughing. "He's there, isn't he!"

Kaoru hung up on her.

"Hey," Kenshin said, leaning over so he could see her. "Misao told you I was coming right? You seemed upset when I was pulling up."

"My, um, cousin ate my last carton of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. I just really need some when I get home," Kaoru lied. About her cousin that was. Now that Kenshin was here, she did really need a carton of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.

"I'll buy you some before I drop you at the mechanics and you can eat it in the car," Kenshin said easily. "Hop in."

"Alright," Kaoru said warily, opening the door and slipping into the front passenger seat. It was a nice car. She loved leather interiors. He waited until she shut the door and buckled in before he put his foot on the gas. He drove fast. It was the exact opposite of how she'd thought he would drive. He showed off and drove with his knees, even around corners, and surprisingly, instead of scaring her it made her laugh. He pulled into a gas station, and while he was filling up, bought her half a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and a whole pack of plastic spoons because they didn't come in singles.

"I've been thinking about what you said on Monday," he said when they were a couple minutes away from the mechanic shop.

"Oh," Kaoru said carefully. She didn't want to risk the new peace and easiness they had between them. It was different from their relationship when he'd been going out with her sister, but she'd found out that she still liked him as a friend, and more importantly, she could probably trust him again. In fact, she did trust him again, although she resented the fact that she was so easily won over.

"And I wish I could take back some of the things I said about your sister. They were uncalled for, and it was immature of me to let my temper take over."

"Don't be so formal, Kenshin. I've already forgotten about it." And she couldn't help smiling at him because it was true and he'd bought her ice cream.

"I wasn't ready for a new relationship anyway. I've been jumping into things before I was ready all my life."

"It's okay," Kaoru assured him, her smile faltering a little. Did this mean he was ready now? Did she want him to be?

He smiled and dropped her off, making sure her car really was fixed before driving away.