Disclaimer: RK isn't mine, I merely borrow the characters for my story.
A.N. This is a mix of emotions. Not just comedy in this chapter! Thanks for taking time to read and comment on this story, I really appreciate it! I also apologise for taking so long, but real life gets in the way, and I am a terrible procrastinator. I admit it. I will continue to write though!
Anyways! On with the story!
R&R!
Enjoy!
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A Forgotten Night – Chapter 14
"What do you mean 'cousin'?" Kenshin asked slowly, sliding his eyes slowly back towards Sano.
"Cousin! Our mothers are sisters! Cousin! She's a doctor, and she's getting married next week to some... rooster... head." Kaoru replied, slowing her words when she realized what she had said. She had been merely repeating her cousin's exact words after all. Could Sano be the rooster head!
"She told you I was a rooster head!" Sano exclaimed.
Yup. He could be.
"YOU'RE MARRYING MEGUMI?" Kaoru exclaimed.
"I AM NOT A ROOSTER HEAD!" Sano exclaimed.
"KAORU! YOUR SHEET IS SLIPPING!" Yahiko exclaimed, turning his head before he saw his sister naked. Yuck.
With the 'gentle' reminder that she was in nothing but a sheet, Kaoru flushed bright red.
"HEY!" Kenshin shouted angrily. Everyone shut up. Sano froze in place, Yahiko suddenly formed a large lump of fear when he heard Kenshin yell, and Kaoru clutched the sheet closer, staring at Kenshin wide-eyed. "That's better. Sano, you and Yahiko go to the other room and sit down. We're going to have a little chat. Kaoru, go get dressed... again... and come join us."
Kaoru grabbed her overnight bag and started for the bathroom. Sano and Yahiko immediately left the room, no hesitation. Kenshin waited for the door to click shut and crossed the room in two strides, meeting Kaoru in the door to the bathroom. He roughly grabbed her to him, causing her to drop her bag.
Kenshin seized Kaoru's lips hungrily, passionately. His hands ran up her arms over her shoulders and down her back. Kaoru responded immediately, wrapping her arms around Kenshin's neck and burying her fingers in his thick hair.
Her skin was smooth beneath his fingertips, her scent was intoxicating. Kenshin broke the kiss off before he was completely consumed by her.
Kaoru opened her eyes slightly, staring into deep amethyst eyes.
"We are going to finish what we have started once we deal with those two out there." Kenshin said. Kaoru nodded, unlocking her arms from around his neck, and lightly brushing her fingertips against his lips. He playfully nipped at them, and she smiled, dropped her hands to her sides. Kenshin's arms remained firmly pressed against her back, holding her to him.
"Are you going to let me go?" Kaoru asked.
"Normally I would, but in this instance if I let you go, then the sheet will be on the floor and nothing would stop me from making love to you then." Kenshin replied. His lips curved slightly and he looked down between their bodies. The sheet had fallen away from Kaoru's back, and the only reason it was still covering her front was because it was wedged between their bodies. Kaoru blushed deeply and quickly grabbed the sheet to her, covering herself as best as possible.
Kenshin released her, and took a small step back, to distant himself from her... somewhat. He smiled slightly at her blushing face, leaned over and gently brushed his lips against her cheek. He leaned away from her, smiled, and left her in the doorway. She watched him cross the room, grab his shirt, pull it on over his head, and disappear through the door leading to the sitting room.
The door clicked closed, and Kaoru stared at it for a moment. She touched the spot on her cheek where Kenshin had kissed her and felt warmth spread throughout her body. Not the warmth associated with passion, but the warmth associated with love.
She was absolutely head over heels in love with that man. And it terrified her.
With a sigh, Kaoru dropped the sheet and quickly got dressed. She also wanted to know what was going on. Something was up. Sano being Megumi's fiancée was a little too coincidental for her liking.
With the thought of Megumi, Kaoru recalled the one of the last times she had seen her cousin.
"Oh come on Kaoru! He's hot! Go for it!" Megumi giggled, sending a sly look over at the man sitting across the crowded bar, eyeing the four women.
Kaoru sat with her two best friends, Misao and Tae, and her cousin Megumi. They were in the middle of getting nicely drunk during Megumi's stagette party. The wedding wasn't for another couple of weeks, but Megumi couldn't get any more time off from the hospital. She had already taken three weeks for her honeymoon, so she was pushing her luck no further.
Instead they had held the stagette a couple of weeks beforehand. Tae and Megumi were the only two women who were in serious relationships at the table, so they were taking it upon themselves to find men for the two singles sitting with them. Misao and Kaoru were not only horrified at their companions, but they were absolutely embarrassed at their antics.
"Megumi, he is very nice looking, but –" Kaoru started. The slamming of a shot glass had her sentence cut short.
"Nice looking? Honey, that man is more than nice looking. He's GORGEOUS!" Tae declared loudly.
"Will you keep it down?" Misao whispered furiously, her face turning red. "He'll hear you!"
"I hope he does, YOHOO! SEXY! OVER HERE!" Tae yelled, rising slightly out of her chair and waving to the man. Misao grabbed Tae's arm and hauled her back down into her seat. Kaoru grabbed the bottle of tequila and slide it out of Tae's reach.
"Good God Tae! You're an embarrassment!" Misao said.
"I wouldn't be an embarrassment to you two if you got laid once in a while!" Tae snorted.
"Tae!" Kaoru exclaimed, her embarrassment increasing tenfold. Lord why had she agreed to go on this stagette? Oh yeah, because Megumi was her cousin and her friend. Plus that and she was a member of the bridal party.
"Ugh, you girls are a drag." Tae declared, reaching across the table and snatching the bottle of liquor again. Kaoru scrambled to grab it, but missed and watched Tae take a mouthful straight from the bottle. "When was the last time either of you had a man in your bed?"
"Excuse me!" Misao exclaimed.
"I refuse to answer that question." Kaoru retorted.
"That long, huh? Well all the more reason for one of those men to come over here." Megumi replied smoothly, sipping her martini.
Kaoru rolled her eyes and rose from the table. Tae and Megumi both grabbed an arm each.
"Where are you going?" they both asked at the same time.
"To the bathroom." Kaoru shook free of their grasp. "Excuse me."
Misao was hot on Kaoru's heels when they entered the bathroom. Their eyes met in the mirror and without a word Misao went into one of the stalls
"Remind me why we came?" Misao asked.
"Because she's my cousin and our best friend." Kaoru replied. She braced her hands on the counter and looked up into her reflection.
Her long black hair was left down, and slightly curled at the bottom. It had been Megumi's idea which Kaoru had gone along with at the time. She wasn't a huge fan of getting all dressed up with makeup and high heels, but there she was. With light makeup on, only accenting her classic features even more, a knee length black skirt, pale blue halter top, and black strap-y heels making her a couple of inches taller. Everything she wore had been borrowed from Tae and Megumi. Kaoru didn't even own heels.
Misao finished in the bathroom stall and came out; Kaoru caught her friends appearance in the mirror. Misao was also dressed up more than usual. Her standard braid was gone, and her standard shirt and shorts were also gone. Misao wore a skirt as well, and heels, and a tank-top, AND makeup. She didn't look too pleased, but she had gone along with the idea because it was for Megumi, and as much as the taller, more beautiful doctor drove the two crazy most of the time, they still loved her for her loyalty and devotion to her friends, family, and even patients.
"I feel like an idiot." Misao grumbled, washing her hands.
"You and me both." Kaoru sighed. She made a feeble attempt to tame her hair, but it merely bounced back to the 'just out of bed' look Megumi had given it.
"Why did we come?" Kaoru signed, bowing her head and staring at the countertop.
"Because she's your cousin, and our best friend." Misao replied, verbatim, what Kaoru had said moments before.
"Oh yeah."
"C'mon, let's go." Misao said, grabbing Kaoru's wrist and dragging her from the bathroom.
They arrived back to the table where Tae and Megumi still sat; fresh drinks had been placed at all seating places. The two sitting women were grinning ear to ear at the two women who had just returned.
"Why are you two so happy?" Misao asked, looking down at her new drink. Champagne. Kaoru slid into her chair and eyed all the drinks. All champagne.
"What's going on?" Kaoru asked.
"Tae's trip this weekend fell through." Megumi said. Kaoru had known that Tae was supposed to take a weekend trip with her cousin to Las Vegas. It was all the woman could talk about for the longest time.
"I'm sorry Tae! That's terrible! You were looking forward to that trip so much!" Misao exclaimed.
"Why are you in such a good mood then?" Kaoru asked uneasily, eyeing the glass full of bubbly.
"Well, we can't waste the trip! The hotel is booked and everything." Tae said.
Kaoru looked from Tae, to Megumi, and back again. Both women were grinning widely looking at Misao and Kaoru. Misao was equally as confused as Kaoru. Why were they in such a good mood? And how could they not waste the trip.
"Wait a –" Misao started.
"You're not suggesting that WE go on your trip, are you?" Kaoru exclaimed.
"All expenses paid." Tae said melodiously.
"We can't possibly go." Misao replied.
"Nonsense! We won't take no for an answer." Megumi said, lifting her glass in a toast. Tae immediately followed suit and they both stared at Misao and Kaoru, waiting for them to do the same.
Kaoru looked over at Misao and they two women locked eyes.
"Las Vegas" Kaoru said.
"All expenses paid" Misao replied.
For the first time in her life, Kaoru didn't think anything to death. She had always wanted to experience the bright lights of Las Vegas herself. Now this opportunity was thrust upon her, and she couldn't refuse!
"Cheers." Misao said, reading Kaoru's mind. The four women clinked glasses and sipped their champagne.
Kaoru stood inside the luxurious bathroom of Kenshin's suite, partially dressed. She had pulled her jeans and her bra on (a different one from the one Kenshin had discovered on his mini-bar just hours beforehand). She had her shirt fisted in her hand and she stared at her wide-eyed reflection in the bathroom mirror.
She had been set up from the very start.
Megumi and Tae had sent her here; knowing full well that Sano and the others would have been here too. It was all part of her successful cousin Megumi's ultimate plan to get her poor unfortunate, plain cousin Kaoru into a relationship.
The first question that popped into Kaoru's mind was 'Why?' Why had Megumi done such a thing? Then the next question flew into her head, and made her stomach knot. Was Kenshin in on this plan?
The mere thought that Kenshin was in on a plan to deceive her caused great fat tears to well up in her eyes. It was that exact moment there was a soft knock at the door.
"Kaoru?" Kenshin's voice called. "Are you okay? You've been in there for a while."
Kenshin watched the door fly open, revealing Kaoru. He noticed only one thing; she was crying.
"What's wro-" Kenshin's worried question was cut off by a slap to his face. He felt only shock. He looked at Kaoru with wide wondering eyes.
"You were in on this from the start!" Kaoru cried, brushing past him into the room. She had her bag in her hands, and she was zipping it up, as she started for the door. Completely bewildered, Kenshin had no idea what she was talking about. All he knew was that the women he was sure he was meant to spend the rest of his life with was angry and walking out.
"Wait! What the hell are you talking about?" Kenshin exclaimed, striding across the room and grabbing hold of Kaoru's wrist. He was not about to let her walk away from him.
"You! And Sano! You planned all this, just to fool me!" Kaoru shouted, trying to wrench her wrist free from Kenshin's grasp.
The yelling had drawn the attention of the boys in the sitting room. Sano and Yahiko poked their heads through the open door to the bedroom only to see a crying Kaoru and a very confused Kenshin.
"Uh oh." Sano mumbled.
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." Yahiko replied.
"Planned? I planned nothing! What are you talking about?" Kenshin asked.
"This whole thing! The Vegas weekend, the cancelled plans, maybe even the marriage! I am such an idiot, now let me GO!" Kaoru cried, tears blurring her vision as she tried harder to free herself. Kenshin's grip loosened and he let her go. Kaoru took two steps away from him and swiped at her eyes with her hand angrily.
"I don't know what you're talking about, but I planned nothing. I'm here this weekend because Sano wanted to come here for his bachelor's party." Kenshin replied truthfully. Kaoru shook her head. She tried to ignore the pleading look in Kenshin's eyes, and she tried to ignore the honesty in his voice. All it did was make her cry harder. Kaoru dropped her bag and buried her face in her hands, trying to compose herself enough to exit the room with dignity.
Kenshin took a tentative step closer to Kaoru. Seeing those tears coming from her caused him nothing but agony. He wanted to do anything and everything in his power to stop those tears. He gently reached out and pried her hands away from her face. Cupping her cheeks gently, he brushed away her tears.
"Please stop crying. Please. It kills me to see you like this." Kenshin whispered, brushing his lips over her damp cheeks, kissing away the tears, then resting his forehead against hers.
Sano took a step away from the door, and pulled Yahiko away. He quietly shut the door and turned to leave.
"Wait! Don't you want to stop them like usual?" Yahiko asked. Sano shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced over his shoulder at the kid behind him.
"Nope, not this time. This time it's much more serious. C'mon, let's leave them alone." Sano said, and started for the door again. Yahiko looked at the closed bedroom door one last time, then followed Sano out of the suite.
The soft brush of his lips, the gentle caress of his hands, and the warmth of his body so close to hers, all caused Kaoru to relax. However, the tears just wouldn't stop. Physically and emotionally exhausted, Kaoru just didn't have the energy to stop herself from crying.
"Please Kaoru, tell me what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"You're lying. Please, explain to me what you meant by cancelled trip?" Kenshin asked.
Kaoru didn't have the energy to resist. Before she knew it, she had opened her mouth and spilled the beans on how Tae couldn't come on this trip, and sent Kaoru and Misao instead. She told him her theory that it was all a set up just so she and Misao would get laid, or start a relationship, or just plain loosen up. Kaoru also told him how she thought he had been in on the set up.
"Kaoru, I swear to you that I had no knowledge that you were going to be here. This was a last minute trip for us to! Sano proclaimed he wanted to come here just last weekend! It was all thrown together. He also demanded we stay at this hotel! God knows why since he hates Saito, but here we..." Kenshin trailed off, lost in thought. "When was this trip given to you?"
"Last weekend. Saturday night." Kaoru replied, sniffing slightly, and trying to stop her tears again.
"Saturday night. That was when Sano came up with this crazy idea." Kenshin stated.
"What?"
"Kaoru, I didn't set you up, nor was I aware of this plan before. I would never do anything to hurt you, Kaoru, I love you." Kenshin said and then froze.
Uh oh.
Maybe she didn't hear him. She was still distracted from crying after all. Kaoru suddenly became very still.
Don't panic.
He did love her, but he didn't mean to tell her that until they had spent at least 24 straight, sober hours together.
Don't panic.
Kaoru raised her eyes to his. They were wide, and she was no longer crying. Her mouth was slightly open from the shock of hearing what she just heard.
"You love me?"
Eep.
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A.N. Well, one of them had to say it, I figure why not the red-head? Men don't say it enough! Just kidding! Anyways, it's certainly a mix of emotions for the folks in this chapter. I'm sure you've all caught onto the scam by now. It'll be fully explained in future chapters, but the general idea is out there. I hope no one is too confused, I wrote the last portion of this chapter very late one night. I edited it before I put it on the site (when I was a little more awake). So I hope it's okay. Until next time:D
Sakura-san
