A/N: That last update...kinda mean, I'd like to say it was unnecessary, but I got enough reviews that I feel better. I feel like people care, I feel like I can write long chapters either one a week or once every two weeks...either way I hope it to be up very soon. Also, I'd love to say that this chapter will have waff in it, but I can't promise anything.
"Quiet down. So, like I was saying, This camp ground is next to a forest preserve so don't mess with the animals or wildlife of any sort..." The booming, enthusiastic voice of the male gym teacher floated into the bored ears of hundreds of students.
"Hey." A seductive masculine voice drifted into Kaoru's ears. All the students were sitting quietly, their ears preoccupied by the gym teacher, at large picnic tables. Kaoru hadn't noticed the seat next to her had suddenly been occupied. A smile lit her face as her body quickly whipped around, hoping to see the figure of her Enishi. However, all that was there was the towering Sano. His chocolate brown eyes washed over her irritated blue ones and his large spiky hair stuck into the air, but looked gentle and soft. He had that same goofy grin plastered on his face, just as he always had, and a piece of grass sticking lazily out of his mouth.
Kaorus hand reached up and she snatched the vegetation out of his mouth. "He just told us not to mess with the wild life, that includes grass." Kaoru said in a hushed voice, not wanting to get reprimanded by a teacher. A light chuckle rumbled from his chest at her protest.
"Whatever, so who are you sharing a tent with?" Sano asked nonchalantly, Kaoru was skeptical of his question. He had been her partner in class a few times, but she didn't ever talk to him out of school, unless she was adding insult to injury by telling Kenshin he was friends with an oversized retarded rooster. But she really didn't have anything against Sano, it was his friend she didn't like.
"Misao and Megumi, Soujiro depending on how big the tents are, and if they are coed." Kaoru said giving her shoulders a slight shrug as if it should be assumed.
"Your sharing a tent with the fox? Hey, could you do me a favor?" Sano asked, at the mention of Megumi his eyes perked up and his whole attitude changed. Now she knew his alternative reason for talking to her. Kaoru nodded, knowing he wouldn't stop pestering her if she refused.
"Be respectful, listen to your supervisors and listen!" The male teacher said forcefully, his eyes averted to the couple. A pink blush captured Kaoru's cheeks as she smiled guiltily, Sano just stared at the teacher. He hated that man, and he wasn't about to listen to him. The man smiled, nodded his head as if satisfied with their responses and continued with his speech.
"Could you find out what she thinks about me, really. Normally I'd ask the girl myself, but Megumi's different, she's...she's-" Sano trailed off his words dying in his throat. Thinking of her caused him to loose focus and his eyes glazed over with thought.
"Special, so god-like that it makes you wonder if your even good enough, and so gently intimidating that you almost want to forget about the whole thing, but your so drawn to them you can't forget, you couldn't imagine a life with out em' even if it's just as friends." Kaoru said, her eyes losing focus as she thought of her beloved, Kaoru was a very lyrical person, and that was part of her definition of love...so far.
Sano just stared at her, his mouth slightly agape, his eyes large. "Yea, how'd you know?" He asked curiously.
"I can...see it in your eyes." She paused for dramatic affect, just like in the movies. Apparently if you looked hard enough, words would appear in peoples eyes, like a Teleprompter, and you could read their emotions. Kaoru had never had much skill to defer what was happening in a persons head unless they told her, but it seemed like the right thing to say. She smiled, the thought of her Enishi returning to her thoughts. Suddenly, the picture of Kenshin, smiling widely, his sparkling purple eyes watching intently, yet calmly, and his large red hair washing around his face like the waves of the ocean, appeared in her head shadowing Enishi. Kaoru physically shook the thoughts from her head, that picture of innocents, that portrait of nonchalant ease...he was...it was...to much for Kaoru. Her eyes refocused and she realized that the very red head running through her thoughts was sitting across from her.
'That's why, I saw him before I began to day dream and his picture stuck, that's all.' Kaoru thought, her mind seeming to race for an explanation to this strange phenomenon. Kaoru thought about him often, but never in that sort of context, she never thought of him in the same category as Enishi. In fact, when she thought of Enishi she liked to take about half an hour to rid herself of the love effect in her mind before she thought of things to do to make Kenshin miserable.
Kenshin already looked miserable, time for Kaoru to rub it in, whatever it was. She was wracking her mind for something, anything negative that would make him look this way. "Awe, What's wrong kenshin?" She asked, her words slurred, drawing out her w's so se sounded as if she was five, her tone sarcastic. His harsh violet eyes snapped up to stare into hers, telling her to back off, however, she wasn't about to back down from one little glare.
"Are you having a bad day?" She asked, tilting her head to the side a bit, her words more enunciated but still containing a childish tone. Kenshin's purple eyes began to swirl with an amber color. Kaoru's playful smirk seemed to shrink into a thoughtful frown. 'Since when are his eyes golden? Maybe I should stop, with eyes like that, he might finally snap, and I'd be his target.' She thought, just as her thoughtful mouth opened to ask about his eyes she felt a sharp jab in her side. Both hands flew to the injury covering up the sensitive spot and her blue eyes landed upon Sano's worried brown eyes shaking his head furiously.
Kaoru's mouth closed, if Sano knew to keep her quiet, then he knew what was wrong with Kenshin, so she'd pry it out of him later. Kaoru turned her attention to the loud speaker standing in front of the crowd. She fidgeted a bit in her seat, feeling the penetrating eyes of Kenshin still locked onto her. She coughed nervously, the sound of it seeming to echo in her ears. His stare never affected her this way before, he could make her blush on occasion, be it out of anger or embarrassment no one could ever tell, and he could make her want to vomit with his intimacies with Tomoe, but he never affected her this way. She had never once been afraid of him in her life, until now. She had faced him, weaponless, injured and grief stricken at Kendo club and she still didn't fear him, even though he was the president, she the vice president.
But this cold, unrelenting stare, filled with melancholy anger and homicidal rage bursting at the violent seems. That's what scared her shitless. The thought of curling in to Sano for comfort crossed her mind, but she then would be branded a coward and a cheater, so she sat there, uncomfortably wiggling in her seat, to afraid to move to much, and to proud to leave.
Soon the speaker was finished and Kaoru's friends found her. Megumi stood idly near Kaoru, closer to Sano than her friends. "So Megumi, you wanna room with me?" Sano asked wiggling his eyebrows at her in a playful way. "I'm supposed to room with Kaoru and Misao... But, if Ken is in your tent, why not?" She asked, chuckling to herself. With the mention of his name Kenshin looked up to see Megumi staring at him and giggling, a light blush on her cheeks. Kenshin couldn't discern weather the red was from make-up, actual blushing, or booze, but either way Kenshin knew he didn't want her in his tent. Kenshin coughed and Sano looked over to him, Kenshin gave him a look and Sano smiled.
"We're kidding Ken, chill... Don't let her get to you." Sano said emphasizing Kenshins short pet name given by Megumi, and whispering the last sentence. Sano, of course, was talking about Kaoru, but Kenshin refused to admit she got under his skin. Sano winked and continued with his shameless flirting with Megumi. Kaoru was chatting away with her friends, when that same loud voice from before reached her ears.
"Quite down! Quite down! Head towards Your gym teachers, they will assign your tent to you!" His voice gradually washed around the room. And suddenly there was chaos. People were rushing to their teachers, desperately trying to find their friends, girls were crying, like they always do at large gatherings for one reason or another. Kaoru lead the way towards their gym teacher, all of her friends behind her chattering away and Kenshin and his mob drifting slowly behind.
Kaoru had this air of importance, this leadership quality that some would call charisma, others would call get-up-and-go. Either way Kaoru was like Moses, she could part the seas if she wanted to.
"Kaoru, Misao, and Megumi, tent 12, better known as Sassafras.
Kenshin, Sano, and Aoshi, Tent 13, better known as Poison Ivy."
Her gym teachers voice rang from her mouth, announcing the groups. Kaoru hadn't paid attention to the man speaking earlier, so she didn't know how to get around the park, but she had Misao, who loved to camp. Misao was more at home sleeping in a tree than in a bed. The girls worked their way towards their tent, the boys following close behind since theirs was the next one over.
"Kaoru, please, it'll just be for a sec. I promise. Please, just slow down so Megumi and I can talk to them...please." Misao pleaded, her eyes wide and her bottom lip jutted to give the puppy dog look. Kaoru sighed, exasperated, since this was going on the whole way.
"Come on man! Look at that ass, you can't tell me you wouldn't like to even just walk behind her a few steps and look at it closer." Sano pleaded pointing to Megumi's round bottom. Kenshin shook his head. "She's a bag of STD's I swear. I wouldn't touch her with a thirty foot pole." Kenshin said shaking his head, Being in nature with his friends was calming his angry mood, but all this pestering to go talk to them was sparking his rage.
He nodded, she nodded, they squealed, they cheered. Slowly Kaoru rolled to a halt, and just as slowly, Kenshin's strides got bigger to match his friends eager strut. "We can keep going, right now." She said. "We can slow down right now." he said. "They'll never notice." They said.
"Aoshi!" Misao said turning around and jumping onto the tall man, holding him in a bear hug. She was small but she was fierce and when she loved, she loved strong. Aoshi knew that first hand. She began to slip, so she held tighter, and Aoshi, giving up on the idea that this hug would be short, wrapped his large arms around her small waist.
"Megumi." Sano said in an energetic, yet sexy way. Megumi looked at Misao, and silently wished she were so energetic that someone like Aoshi knew she was going to jump on him and didn't avoid it. Sano could see she wasn't sure what to do so he draped his arm around her shoulders and turned her in the right direction. Misao fell from around Aoshi's neck and the two couples began to walk.
Kaoru stared that them both, Enishi was all she could think of. All of these actions reminded her of him, jumping, hugging, walking, arm on the shoulder, everything. Her gaze turned slowly towards the person next to her and she was startled to see Kenshin was staring at her, that same look in his eyes as before, except now the large gaps of amber had turned into small wisps, barely visible.
"Looks like your friendless." Kaoru's voice rang out into his ears, with all the dense trees surrounding them, no noise moved past the path.
"You shouldn't be talking. Once your friends saw the guys they dumped you like a bag of potatoes." Kenshin said, his voice dull. He started walking, Kaoru walking next to him, matching his pace, stride for stride.
"They...what can I say? You hang out with some hot guys...why they befriended such a short ugly guy I don't know, but I guess that's why some girls like you, your hot by association." Kaoru said, poking fun at him in a light way, not mean enough to get him all angry again.
"So, what your saying is...you think I'm hot?" He asked, his old sense of humor returning.
"That's not what I said, I said your hot because you have hot friends." She said her voice raising in pitch as she became angrier.
"You just said it. I'm hot. Face it Kaoru, you have a deep love for me that you hide under hatred." He said smiling. The wind picking up and causing his hair to blow quietly in his face. A light carefree laugh escaped her lips, as if she were joking casually with an old friend. Her hair whipped slowly in the wind, dancing around the edges of her face and blithely blocked her eyes. She opened her mouth to say some other snide comment since he was becoming more playful but she was stopped short when her foot caught a large rock and she lost her balance. As she toggled back and fourth her arms flew out in front of her, helping her to regain her balance. She had managed to stay on her feet, since she was agile from so much Kendo practice. She looked up to see Kenshin standing a few paces ahead of her, smirking.
"Kamiya, your such a klutz." He said, standing perfectly still. His red hair bounced lightly and his imperial eyes watched her clumsy body with amusement and glee. His hands were in the pockets of his light jeans, and the blood on his shirt was a light brown color. Kaoru righted herself and brushed off the non-existent dirt from her shirt.
"Yeah? Well, you're the rude one who watched me stumble and laughed. Besides..." She said standing up straight and walking up to him. She grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and examined it for a second then smiled. "I'm not the one who hurt myself." She said, hoping her assumption was correct.
"You're a klutz and your dumb. I'm surprised you even have a boyfriend! You think another man is hot, you're a klutz, you couldn't find your way out of a paper bag," Kenshin replied, listing things off on his fingers. Kaoru waved his hand away.
"I could list things about you to, but I don't want to sink to your level." She said flipping her hair and walking away from him. He watched her walk for a few seconds, then quickly followed.
"Sink to my level? You started this whole thing!" He said quickly, he wasn't sure why but he was feeling better. Arguing with Kaoru rejuvenated his energy. She glanced over at him and tossed her head, releasing a small haughtily laugh.
"I would never!" She said loudly, as if it were absurd for him to even think she would start a fight. It was Kenshin's turn to snort in laughter at her statement.
"And you lie, I'm surprised Enishi doesn't just break it off right now. I wouldn't be surprised if he was cheating on you while you were gone, that's why he didn't come." Kenshin said, his voice calm yet harsh. Kaoru's simple features quickly twisted into hard stone like anger, her jaw set and her fists clenched. Her lips pursed, Kenshin swore every hair on her head raised, to make her took even angrier. Her face paled and reddened at the same time, making her look like she was out for blood.
"Enishi would never cheat on me, he loves me, and I love him. Don't ever think or say otherwise." She said, her voice hard as her features and Kenshin could feel a chilled wind whip past his face.
"What? You don't want me to say he's cheating on you because you don't want to admit it. Right? He hasn't been spending as much time with you, occasionally blowing you off, seeming distant and the sparkle has vanished from his eyes. Does that seem about right?" Kenshin asked, his tone almost melodic as he listed the symptoms of cheating like it were a common disease. But inside, Kenshin's stomach was filling with large angry butterflies that found ramming into his lungs a fun game. His heart wrenched with each word he squeezed from his chest. He desperately wished he hadn't mentioned cheating, because this was one large juicy detail that he didn't want to know about Kaoru's life. Because, All those "symptoms" listed above Kenshin had experienced first hand, and he worried he was experiencing them again. Tomoe was becoming flaky, unreliable, and besides her helping Kenshin when he got hurt, distant and seeming to never come around. He was worried and hoped no one would ever have to go trough that kind of unusual punishment.
Tears began to fill Kaoru's large eyes, yet so did a look of determination and storm. She was determined not to let him get to her, determined not to cry. But the tears welled anyway, and her blue eyes became hazy. A tear found its way onto her cheek racing down it, heading for her chin in eager haste. It was quickly wiped away by an unsuspecting culprit. Kaoru's downcast eyes found themselves staring at that hand, still poised near her cheek. Slowly it fell to Kenshin's side and her eyes worked their way up to his face. She wished it wasn't that repulsing man that just touched her, but it was.
"Kenshin, what was-" Kaoru started when he held up his hand, silencing her.
"That was uncalled for. Cheating isn't a light subject. I'm sorry, if Enishi says he loves you, then he does." Kenshin said his face serious, Kaoru was surprised he was able to say sorry. It takes a big man to say sorry for something they said that was mean. A smile crept up on Kaoru's face at his words, but before she could thank him for his apology he turned, and walked away. She watched his back for a few seconds, analyzing what had just happened and what she should say.
Her eyes shrunk to slits, and a conniving smile swept her innocent grin off her face. She began to sprint, Kenshin had gotten kinda far from her by now, and it would take some running to catch up to him. Just as her body was about to collide into his she leapt from the ground, her arms wrapping around his neck and her legs swinging around to the front of him, causing him to lose balance. Kaoru had planned on him losing balance, but not on him actually falling over. Just as Kaoru was regaining control of her wild actions, she could feel the pillar beneath her falling. Before she knew it, she was staring up into the face of Kenshin. She could feel his weight lift slowly off her as he nonchalantly began to move to get up. Seeing her touching opportunity slipping from her grasp she wrapped her arms around his upper arms, causing him to fall completely on top of her. She hugged him tightly, her eyes squeezed shut.
"Thank you Kenshin." Her soft voice drifted, through his hair, into his ear. The skin on his neck tingled with her light voice, and he couldn't help but smell the jasmine in her hair, since his face was shoved into it. Kaoru released him once the hug felt awkward and he lifted himself onto his hands, taking his weight off of her. He didn't like be pressed up against another woman, especially when Tomoe wasn't there. He stared down at her, into her soft, sincere blue eyes. He preferred her eyes tear free, but he would be ashamed of himself if he wished tears upon anyone.
Just as he was about to lift himself off of her when her face fell. "Kenshin...promise me something." She said quickly, her voice hushed and almost nervous. He shook his head, "What?"
"Don't...Let's keep this between us." She said quickly, trying to keep her voice tranquil in her worried state. His smile grew.
"Don't worry, I wont tell anyone else. But you know what this means don't you?" He asked pushing himself off of her and standing up, holding his hand out. She reluctantly took his hand and stood up as well, seeming very interested in the rest of his sentence.
"You do think I'm hot." He said turning around and beginning to walk again. She started walking as well, her cheeks red, in anger or embarrassment, she couldn't tell.
"What makes you say that?" She asked quietly, almost not wanting to know.
"Well, you practically pulled me onto the ground, and you held me pretty tight. What other explanation could it be than you want to get with me?" He said, his voice smooth yet it held humor. Kaoru couldn't help but release a loud laugh. For some reason, Kenshin was making funny jokes today, and Kaoru had a sense of humor.
"Kenshin, if I wanted you, I'd have you by now." Kaoru said confidently, declining his last statement and ruffling his feathers. Kenshin was taken aback, but smiled.
"Oh you think so?" Kenshin asked, and was shocked to see her nod. Just as he was about to open his mouth to comment on her again a loud voice boomed into his ears. The voice was familiar, obnoxious, and belonged to none other than Sano.
"Kenshin, what were you and Kaoru doing in the woods for so long? We got here and unpacked already!" Sano said loudly, his hand cupped around his mouth to amplify his already vulgar voice. This of course brought about the attention of a few other students drifting around. Both of them reddened slightly, though Kenshin was usually good with jokes like that.
"Yeah, haha, funny Sano." Kenshin said, his voice loud and sarcastic, some students began to turn away form the dying scene. But Sano just wouldn't quit.
"I guess you should have taken the condoms too, huh?" Sano said, his voice drifting along the path. Kenshin was getting fed up, but so was Kaoru. Just as Kenshin opened his mouth to tell Sano to shut the hell up Kaoru spoke.
"Well Sano, you know how it is... or wait...maybe you don't." Kaoru said, taking bold steps towards the tall boy. She turned her head, flashing a sympathetic yet mocking look towards Kenshin.
"Are you joking me? I'm the king!" Sano said, then he heard a 'humph' from Megumi who was standing next to him. "But, I haven't done it with to many girls." He said looking down at Megumi who crossed her arms and turned from him. A grin played across her face.
"Sure, maybe the king of contradictions." She said patting his shoulder reassuringly then turned around, leaving Sano stumbling for a comeback. Kaoru found her things near her tent and she quickly picked them up and set them up inside. It wasn't really a tent, more like a small cabin. It was a wooden platform with a large canvas draped over a small house-like wood outline. Kaoru set her stuff on a small cot and unpacked, Megumi and Misao soon joining her.
Soon Megumi ran off to go see Sano, she needed to talk to him about his and Kaoru's conversation earlier. So it was just Misao and Kaoru left in the tent. They both decided to go out to explore the woods around their tent. It was already about 5 in the afternoon, so it was getting late, but they still had some sun light and they wanted a feel for the woods, plus, Misao loved nature and begged to go out into it. Kaoru had agreed, because she didn't want to be eaten alive in the tent all by herself. But as they were walking through the darkened forest a dark figure came looming behind them. Kaoru turned around to see a large man, a small smile gleaming in the setting suns rays. She yelped and gripped onto Misao who instantly began to shake with fear.
The grinning man got closer and Kaoru saw it was Aoshi, who was looking to ask Misao a question. Misao instantly detached from Kaoru and onto Aoshi, asking him what he wanted and showering him with flirtatious behavior. Kaoru, not wanting to feel like a third wheel, told them her good byes, claiming she wasn't feeling well and wanted to go back to the tent. Kaoru found her way to her tent quickly, finding her and Misao barely walked past the nearby boys tent. As Kaoru timidly stepped into her tent, the stairs squeaking beneath her feet. She pushed open the screen door and was in for yet another unpleasant surprise. There was her other best friend, lying on her bed, and Sano bent over her. Kaoru let the door shut loudly behind her, and the couple jumped apart. Kaoru stood in the door way darkened. Her black hair shrouded her dark Amytal eyes, and her body seemed to be engulfed by a dark aura, making the room seem cold and tinted.
"Megumi, get out, go do that in his room." Kaoru said, not bothering to lift her head to look at them.
"We were just talking." She said, her voice seeming sincere, but they were to close to be talking
"That close?" Kaoru asked, shuffling slowly to her bed.
"Uh...good night Kaoru." Megumi said dodging the subject and skulking out of the room, her hand clasped in his, as if she were pulling him from the room. Sano watched Kaoru and when her eyes looked up to his brown ones, a critical smile was what she saw. Kaoru sat down on her bed with a heavy sigh. Dealing with friends who ignore you for boys was hard work. Especially since she got up so early so she was already tired.
She allowed her body to fall limply to the side, her head resting on her pillow. She pushed her bag off her bed, and closed her eyes. She didn't bother to change out of her clothes she just pulled a blanket over her body and closed her eyes. Soon she slipped into a blissful, much needed sleep.
"I have to tinkle." Kaoru said in a refined way, her nose stuck into the air. She was talking to a sleeping Misao...actually a half sleeping Misao. She heard Kaoru get up and had rolled over, asking her were she was going. Misao really didn't care, it was an action she used so often she did it in her...well, in her sleep.
Kaoru slipped out of her tent quietly, with relatively no trouble, besides forgetting her tooth brush, she had forgotten to brush her teeth earlier, but she could do that in the morning. She stepped into the bathroom, her hands shoved in her small white zip up hoodie. It was very dark outside, but the lights were on in the co-ed bathroom so someone must have been up. Kaoru was grateful for the lights but she couldn't help but be grossed out at the dirty gray floors and bug covered walls and ceilings. She hoped the stalls were more comfortable. Since the sun had set hours ago, the earth wasn't even warm, and Kaoru was so cold, she was grateful the bathroom was somewhat close to her tent. There was no colder wind than the wind at night when your camping.
Kaoru closed the stall, wishing not to sit down on the seat of the toilet but she had to go. Once she was finished with her business and managed to keep her white hoodie pristine. She wiped her pants, as if spiders or dirt would be on the rear of her pants, more for comfort reasons. When she got out to the sink area she saw the same locks of red hair she had seen all evening. She sighed loudly, almost to prepare herself for the confrontation. She hadn't seen him since she saved his embarrassed ass from Sano picking on them.
Kenshin stood there holding his hands under the water, the faucet pumping out warm water. He didn't bother to look at her, just glancing through the mirror.
"Kamiya." He said, her last name became a greeting.
"Himura." She answered back. She turned on the sink, feeling awkward. She never stood next to him without saying something mean. "I hate you." She said after a while, looking over at him. He looked at her through the mirror, then turned his bazar look upon her.
"What?" He asked his voice full of shock, he was used to hearing her say those words, but not so causally. Normally they would be dripping with sarcasm or anger.
"It felt weird not saying it." She said her voice sounding shy, and a sheepish smile accenting her lips. Kenshin smiled for a second, then it fell to a disappointed frown.
"If you wanted to talk to me Kamiya, you could have just said something." He said slowly, his tone joking but his face serious.
"You know what I meant! I always say I hate you, and I'm sadly, never not talking to you when I'm around you...so what do you expect me to say?" She asked incredulously. He was getting on her nerves since she was still tired.
"You could have just...left me alone." He said lathering his hands with soap, Kaoru did the same.
"Why?" Kaoru asked quickly, looking at him quizzically.
"I don't want to talk to you."
"You don't have to be so rude."
"I'm not rude, I'm just tired."
"Me too, I got up in the middle of the night, and it wasn't to argue with you. Why are you so tired?"
"I fought with my dad before I left." Kenshin said, the words just slipped from his mouth. He had been meaning to tell Sano when he was away from every one else, just to get it off his chest, but Sano couldn't remove his face from Megumi's. He held his lips closed tight, feeling like he betrayed himself.
"Oh, he beat you?"
"No! He didn't "beat" me."
"Don't be so sensitive."
"What is wrong with you? I joke around that Enishi is cheating on you, which is a possibility, but I apologize, but you can openly mock me about some thing so serious as child abuse?" Kenshin asked, his voice raising. He had a point, and Kaoru knew it, but he wasn't the kind of person Kaoru could just openly admit she was wrong to.
"I always make fun of your parents beating you." Kaoru said quickly, her voice quiet, she just wanted to go back to her tent and sleep.
"Because you don't have parents yourself." Kenshin finished her sentence for her. She was shocked, she wanted to just shut her mouth right then, but he always knew how to push her buttons.
"Parents are overrated, but don't make fun of mine." She said defensively. A sarcastic, almost angered face settled upon Kenshins features.
"Don't give me that crap!" Kenshin shouted.
"What crap? I loved my parents!" Kaoru yelled, her voice reaching his volume.
"Parents are only overrated if they're mine, but if they're yours, its different?"
"Well, yeah! My parents loved me, your parents make beating you a game. Even you don't deserve that!" Kaoru said, closing her mouth and easing up, her muscles were so tense she looked like she was standing on the edge of a cliff. Kenshins mouth stopped moving as he looked at her strangely.
"What?" He asked, his voice seeming shocked, he didn't know why he was so surprised. He didn't deserve it, but Tomoe was the only one who ever said it, at least, anyone who didn't say it out of pity. And Kenshin found through the years that you speak your mind in a screaming match, you can see who thinks on their feet, and who's a fool. Obviously Kaoru didn't hate him as much as she thought. Kaoru stalled, stuttering and tripping over her words as she frantically searched for an explanation for her slip up.
SLAM!
The screen door next to Kaoru swung open with such ferocity she jumped into the air, the hair on the back of her neck rising and her eyes wide and full of fear. She turned around slowly to see a tall outline in the door way, it took a few steps into the light and the height became stunted, revealing a very short female gym teacher. She looked irritated, her long blonde hair was tied up tight in a large bun atop her head, she was wearing gray sweat pants, and a long sleeved white shirt. Her sleepy blue eyes scanned the area and her limp limbs soon came alive, ready to reprimand the both of them. Her flip flops clicked as she took a step towards them.
"What are you two doing up so late?" Kaoru looked guilty, not only had Kenshin witnessed the nice side of her two times that day, but she was the one who started the whole argument.
"We were just going to bed." Kaoru said quickly. Kenshin stood there, his hands at his sides, dripping. He was staring at the teacher, the same dumbfounded stare he had given Kaoru on his face. He was still shocked.
"I'm tired, so keep this short. Why were you two fighting, especially loud enough that the staff tent could hear you?" She asked crossing her arms, waiting for an answer. Kaoru blinked.
"It was stupid, not worth wasting your time. We always fight." Kenshin said, still standing there, not moving anything except his mouth. Once he was finished with his sentence he wasn't sure if he had even spoke, that's how stupid he felt at the moment, it just...came out.
"You always fight?" They both nodded. "All the time?" They both nodded again. "Names?" She asked, her small voice full of wonder.
"Kamiya Kaoru." Kaoru said dully.
"Himura Kenshin." He said still standing still, his hands getting cold form being wet.
"Oh! The infamous rivals. I've heard of you two, and I was told not to get in the way...your pretty...competitive." She said smiling wickedly. Kaoru turned her head and looked at him, her face worried.
"I got one for you..." The teacher started, her smile widening. "In the morning I want both of you to pack your things up, and come see me at the dining hall. Both of you will be rooming together at red fern, the farthest tent." She said her voice a threatening tone.
"No, please. I'll...clean the bathrooms!" Kaoru gave in, she didn't want to room with him.
"I'll, tutor stupid kids." Kenshin said quickly, not really thinking before he spoke. The teacher looked at him strangely for a second then decided to wave it off.
"Meet me at the dining hall at 9:00 or you'll room together and fulfill your promises." She said turning on her heel and walking back to her tent, the faint sound of her flip flops could be heard in the distance. Kaoru turned around and looked at Kenshin, no smile, or even a frown was on her face, it was just blank.
"I didn't mean anything by it, you don't deserve to be beaten, unless it's by me." Kaoru said her comeback a little late but he still understood. Kenshin smiled and nodded, though he wasn't looking forward to the next day, he still thought her slip up was cute. Kaoru exited the bathroom and walked slowly to her tent, her arms crossed from the cold, but her steps still sluggish. She dreaded the next morning and she hoped this night would go by slow.
However she was wrong, and before they knew it, morning had arrived. Kaoru set her watch to go off at eight o' clock and that's when she awoke. Kaoru got dressed, before she packed, in tight light blue jeans and two shirts, one underneath the other, a long sleeved white shirt, and the other, a dark blue shirt that said 'blue bird tattoos'. She began to pack her things, and about halfway through Megumi and Misao awoke to their alarms.
"Kaoru, what are you doing?" Misao asked as she sat up on her elbows, watching Kaoru pack.
"Misao, last night when I went to the bathroom, Kenshin was there. We got in a fight and woke up a teacher, and she had heard of our 'infamous' fighting. So she took that as a challenge and told us to pack up and meet her at the dinning hall at 9. She's moving both Kenshin and I into red fern." Kaoru said slowly. A tear welled in her eye, she was going to miss them already, even if they ignored her.
"Red fern? Like the book? Isn't that the farthest tent from...anything?" Misao asked disappointed. She knew Kaoru's fierce hatred for Kenshin was going to get her in trouble somehow. Kaoru nodded solemnly. She was finished with her packing and was sitting on her empty bed. Megumi was listening intently.
"Before you leave, I want to say sorry for last night. You seemed upset, are you ok now?" Megumi asked curiously. She was trying her hardest to look troubled for her friend, but she was curious how this was going to turn out.
"I'm fine, I just don't want to go, but if im not there on time I'll have to clean the bathrooms too," Megumi and misao gave her quizzical looks. "You don't want to know." Kaoru said then smiled. She picked up her things. "I have to leave guys, later." She said getting up and walking slowly to the dinning hall.
By the time she got there she still had five minutes. She set her things down and looked about her to see if anyone there was looking at her strangely. She felt someone tap on her shoulder and she turned around slowly to see the short gym teacher from before. Soon after Kenshin walked up, laughing and joking with Sano, next to him. He was wearing a dark turquoise shirt underneath a orange collared shirt. His dark pants were loose but not baggy, and adios clamped onto his feet. His dark green suitcase was in his hand, he set it down, then looked at both of them.
"Later Sano. Hello ladies." He said in a very gentleman like voice. Apparently he was in a good mood that morning. Kaoru smiled, just glad he made it in time, when she said she would scrub the bathrooms, she was kidding. The gym teacher smiled,
"You two will eat together, live together, and survive together. There will only be a few more group meetings that you two wont have to be together in, but if I were you I'd get used to each other now, because when your out in the wilderness for a week together, you'll need to cooperate." The teacher said, directing them towards the dining hall. They had to eat breakfast then they would go unpack.
The teacher smiled once more then walked off, a light chuckle on her tongue. Kaoru looked at Kenshin, then sighed, walking towards the dining hall. Both of them ate at opposite sides of the table, managing to coax their friends into eating with them, and not each other. Kaoru barely ate, she had lost her normally large unrelenting appetite. Mainly, she just talked to Megumi and Misao.
"Well, we have to eat together live together and cooperate for a week. This is going to be an interesting week. I'm sure he's going to take the fight right out of me, I'll be exhausted from yelling so much. And I swear to god if he tries to sell me something!" Kaoru started, her fists balling already at the thought. Kenshin, as I mentioned earlier, was this towns best salesman and business man, so why wouldn't he try to coax Kaoru into some sort of deal. She always had to be careful around him.
"This week is going to be something else, that girl's got a set of lungs on her, so there's no doubt in my mind we'll be fighting a lot. I just hope she doesn't try to show me any of her dance routine." Kenshin said, and he got a laugh from the group. Kaoru was a fantastic dancer but to be so great you have to practice often, even on vacation. Soon the lot of them were finished with their meal and Kaoru and Kenshin walked sluggishly towards their suitcases. So far, neither of them has spoken a word to the other, and they were hoping to keep it that way.
The teacher gave them directions to get to the tent and let them find their way. Kaoru walked silently, even her steps were noiseless from her years of Kendo and ballet. Kenshin on the other hand, walked upright and proud, looking handsome and business like form his experience in the selling and buying field. The two were quite a pair.
"Kenshin, I think we turn this way." Kaoru said in a small voice, more out of lack of energy, than shyness.
"She never said to turn left." Kenshin said, his voice biting yet gentle. He didn't want to get in another argument but he didn't want to get lost either.
"Are you sure?" Kaoru asked her voice becoming more bold.
"Yes." He said his words meaning to be final.
"Because I thought she said-"
"She said go straight on the path clearly marked until you reach an intersection, then turn right." Kenshin finished her sentence not minding the fact that he cut her off. Kaoru stayed quiet, she didn't feel like arguing, her aunt and uncle always argued in the car about were they were going and she didn't want to turn into that. If Kenshin heard right, then it was right.
They continued to wander silently Kaoru just watching the trees instead of the same old boring path. The sun was beginning to beat down on her and she was feeling hot. She felt like someone dropped a warm towel over her head and her clothes clung to her uncomfortably. Normally, if she were with Enishi or her friends she would take her shirts off since she always wore a sports bra incase she had to run or dance or do some other physical activity. But she felt weird doing it in front of Kenshin, so she left her shirt on and suffered through the walk.
Kaoru began to hum, it was a lullaby her mother used to sing her, but it was a very happy one. It was full of happy notes major but in a slow tempo. She hummed this quietly, hoping the virtually nonexistent wind would carry her voice away from Kenshin so it didn't bother him. When Kenshin heard the tune he smiled. Kaoru was a topnotch singer, even when she was humming and the song sounded so beautiful. It was like he was in a dream, a dream that takes place back when his parents didn't beat him. Back when Kaoru's were alive and both sets of adults were the best of friends. Kenshin remembered back then, he thought of it often, but the lullaby his mother and hers sang to them at night had escaped his memory. But she brought it back, what she was humming just now, it was the lullaby, his lullaby...their lullaby.
Kenshin couldn't help but hum with her, in his octave. Kaoru blinked and looked at him, her humming stopping abruptly. "Sorry, when I get bored, I dance, and when I can't dance, I sing." She said quietly, averting her eyes back to the trees next to her.
"No, it's fine. Do you remember when we were younger. When your parents were still alive?" He asked, as if she could forget something like that.
"Yes." Kaoru said in a cold voice.
"No, I didn't mean it like that." Kenshin said softly. Kaoru looked over at him again, her eyes sad but she had shed buckets full of tears since then, so talking about it almost felt good now. Kenshin fell silent, he looked at her for a few more moments then back ahead of him.
"It was hard for me too." He said quietly, he had never shared this with her, because as kids they would play fight, but once her parents died she became reclusive, and Kenshin didn't like to be with her because she made him sad. Shortly after that tragic event Kenshins parents took to hitting him, and he blamed Kaoru for it. But he didn't anymore.
Kaoru stayed quiet, she didn't want to talk about it. She never continued to hum, she just looked at the trees. Kenshin was in a better mood than before. Soon Kaoru forgot about what he had said, and just like Kenshin had described, there was an intersection, they turned right, and there was the tent. However, it wasn't a tent, it was a cabin. Kaoru's eyes grew wide, as did Kenshin's.
"I thought this was a tent?" Kaoru asked in a hushed voice as she stared at its large magnificence.
"It must be because it's so far out here, that's why no one was assigned to it. Do you think that gym teacher knew?" He asked, his voice just as quiet. Kaoru shook her head unbelievingly and a smile jumped to her face. She ran up to the cabin and flung the door open to reveal the inside to the world. She flipped on a light switch and Kenshin suddenly appeared by her side.
The inside of the cabin was glorious. The walls were beautiful red wood with a glossy coat, The floors were half carpeted half wooden, unscathed. The white carpet was fuzzy and alluring. There were light brown couches that looked bristly like a teddy bear. There was a small wooden box with two open sides and a large plate of glass set on top for a coffee table. There were two large beds, one side of the bedding the same creamy brown as the couches, the other a light blue. A small table with two chairs was set up in a corner, next to a large marble fire place. A small radio was set on top of the table. There was a large open door way that was open to a kitchen. The kitchen had scrubbed white tile floor a large oak table with six chairs placed around it. A large black and silver refrigerator was sitting against a wooden wall. A small chandelier was hanging from the roof, lighting the room. One wall was lined with white counters with cabinets near the ceiling. There was a microwave and stove sitting on the far end. At the end of the kitchen the room opened up once more to the living room. Kaoru walked through the kitchen, awestricken.
"This is fantastic!" She shouted, breaking the silence. Kenshin was a bit startled by her sudden burst, but all he could do was nod in agreement. Kaoru walked around in the living room, making sure she stayed off the carpet with her dirty shoes. She pulled them off, her eyes never moving form the room around her. She had dropped her suitcase in the door way. She opened another door to a bathroom. The cabin had it's own bathroom! It had a shower, two sinks and a toilet. It was actually pretty big.
"Kenshin, we have our own bathroom!" Kaoru shouted from inside that very room. Kenshin walked towards her a smile on his face.
"Great, now I wont have to go outside in the cold to pee." Kenshin said happily.
"And this time if we get in a fight no one can hear us!" Kaoru said happily. She was giddy, her hands flew to her mouth as she tried to suppress a squeal. She wasn't looking forward to living in a cold tent, but now she had a warm cabin, suddenly Kaoru's features dropped.
"We can't tell anyone." She said her voice grave as she stepped slowly from the bathroom. Kenshin stared at her then nodded. "Right, or else the gym teacher might find out." Kenshin said, actually agreeing with her, it felt weird.
"Do we even know her name?" Kaoru asked curiously, the smile returning.
"I dunno. I think it might be Miss Taylor." Kenshin said in an inquiring tone, her name was American and it felt weird on his tongue. Kaoru walked up to Kenshin, and put both hands on his shoulders.
"We have a cabin!" She said her voice excited and upbeat. Before Kenshin could say something she was gone again, looking at the cabin. Kenshin stared at her, watching her erotic movements. She was wandering around the cabin in her socks that her half hanging off her feet. She was cute sometimes...wait, what was he saying? This was Kaoru...The girl who hates him, the girl who strives to make his life hell, she wasn't cute.
Kenshin stared at the two beds, resting side by side. Kenshin shivered with distaste, yes he had a cabin with heat and air conditioning, and carpet, and a fridge and microwave, but he was sharing it with Kaoru. He took a deep breath, this was going to be a long week.
A/N: This seems like a good place to stop. The reviews helped a lot, without them I wouldn't have been driven to pull this out of my butt in what? A week? Also, red fern is from the book 'were a red fern grows' I think the story goes that when two lovers die a red fern grows between the bodies. Anyway, here are responses to the reviews.
The-Lone-Lemon It's good to know you like it, I like it to. And I would love to tell you that there will be a love scene soon, but I can't make any promises, I mean, it has to be somewhat realistic. But I got them together, so this is were it begins!
Lurid Gash Thank you SO much for correcting my errors, I appreciate it a lot, the only reason I ask is to make sure I'm not making any unbelievably huge errors. Also, the soujiro thing, I'm still deciding weather or not, probably, I guess you'll just have to keep reading.
Reignmashii Yes, I updated, it's weird updating just this story, but I'm stuck on my others, and this one is getting good.
firebird7o4 That's fantastic to hear you really like this so much. I'm trying really hard but I have this feeling this chapter is boring, and I would hate for you to think this is good then read a boring chapter and be like "oh, well it WAS good"
1kenshinlover Good! Your supposed to hate his parents, I hate them to, but I'm trying to make the situation more realistic. I don't know if it's working though.
nilnil your welcome...I think...anyway. I was mad, I tried to make it nicer but I needed all of you to know. So you think this is formal? Is that a good thing? I hope so, I try not to make it to much conversation because that just gets ridiculous.
Thanks guys! Keep reviewing please, I don't care, you can flame me, just let me know. Thanks again.