Sorry it took so long to get this out.
Conflict for Kaoru and Kenshin and more to come
Enjoy!
Shiin
Arariel was right.
Magic was harder than cooking.
But at least when things exploded it was (usually) because they were supposed to.
The lessons started almost immediately. The actual spell-casting starting later. Kaoru spent several days just meditating to help focus her chi. It wasn't as hard as it could have been, years of Kendo and martial arts helping her, but at the same time it was really, really boring.
Kenshin made himself scarce during her lessons and Kaoru hated to see the look in his eyes when she'd finish up after a lesson, the scent of magic clinging to her.
His eyes held equal parts wariness and sadness and seeing it made her heart twist.
She didn't blame him. He had a long and bad history with magic especially when wielded by a Kasshin.
Kaoru wanted that look to fade in his eyes and disappear
"Today," Arariel announced, sitting cross legged across from her on the ground, wings folded against his back. "We will work on conjuring fire."
He was wearing a black t-shirt and pants that he had created himself. Kaoru was glad that he could just see clothes (Kenshin's) and copy a pair of his own, usually adding a twist or two here and there. The reaction to her bringing Arariel out in the daytime would have been near or equal that or Kenshin's.
"Fire?" Kaoru blinked in surprise. "You seriously want me to conjure fire?"
"Yes," Arariel nodded, smiling slightly at her expression. "Don't worry I've put a protective barrier around us."
Kaoru concentrated and felt the tingling against her skin.
"Okay," Arariel nodded. Kaoru still had to keep herself from calling him Demon. She could see so much of his former form in him that she often half-expected him to turn back into a cat.
"Kaoru."
Kaoru blinked, "huh? hmmm?"
"Pay attention," Arariel eyed her and she bit her lip.
"Sorry."
"Okay... as I was saying. Picture a flame in your mind and concentrate on holding that picture."
Kaoru nodded and closed her eyes, picturing a flame in her mind.
"Good," Arariel nodded.
"Now keeping the image in your mind open your eyes and concentrate on making it physical."
Kaoru opened her eyes slowly. She could still see the flame on the back of her mind and felt sweat bead her forehead. She concentrated harder... physical, physical...
There was a burst of light and suddenly Kaoru was staring at a tongue of fire hovering in front of her eyes.
"Good!" Arariel clapped. "Very good for your first try!"
Kaoru stared at the flame. "...I did that?"
"Yep," Arariel grinned at her expression. "You can touch it, it won't burn you. You created it."
Hesitantly Kaoru reached out and touched the flame. It was warm and the fire curved around her hand as she passed it through. Pulling her hand back she touched it wonderingly. It was warm but not burned.
Arariel shook his head in amusement at her expression. Kaoru raised her eyes and smiled wryly.
She felt more than heard Kenshin behind her and turned her head to see him staring past her and at the fire with something in his eyes that made her stomach lurch uncomfortably.
"Kenshin," Kaoru got to her feet and walked over to him.
He still hadn't moved, still staring at the flickering fire.
"Kenshin..." She touched his arm lightly.
He blinked rapidly and then jerked his arm away form her.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru tried again.
His eyes were dark and haunted. "Don't Kaoru... just don't..."
"But..." Kaoru tried, he whirled and vanished down the hallway before she could think of running after him.
"Why is he acting like this?" Kaoru asked Arariel softly.
"He's not had the best experiences with magic," Arariel murmured softly, rising to his feet. He waved at the little flame she had created and it extinguished itself.
"I know that!" Kaoru replied. "But, if he thinks just because I can do magic... I would never do anything to him with it!"
Arariel sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Do you know how many times he had been told that he would have magic used against him only to discover in the worst way possible they had lied to him?"
Kaoru closed her eyes remembering the brief glimpse she had seen of Kenshin's past.
Arariel shook his head, "what you saw is nothing. That was physical abuse. Magical abuse is so much worse than that. Compulsions... obedience spells... they did things to him that I cannot tell you and only he may speak of to you."
Kaoru felt a lump grow in her throat. "I'm not even that powerful - I'm not even trained." It amazed her at how easily she had grown used to the idea of magic. Used to the idea she was now living with two Fallen Angels, one of which who was her boyfriend... Kaoru found herself just waiting for the thing that would push her over the edge and land her in the loony bin.
"You're magic is awakening. Once it is fully awake, it will grow by leaps and bounds and training will become unnecessary, it will teach you itself."
Kaoru sighed.
"Though," Arariel admitted. "Kenshin is being an idiot acting like this."
Kaoru snorted, "no argument there."
Arariel made shooing motions at her, "go talk to him. I'm going to make lunch."
He shared Kenshin's love - and talent - at cooking and the two of them often traded making meals. It was either a Fallen Angel thing or being imprisoned magically/not truly being able to taste food thing.
Kaoru wasn't sure which.
All she knew she was now eating better than she ever had in her life and had learning magic not used up so much energy, she probably would be several pounds heavier than she was currently at the moment. As it was she still felt like Kenshin and Arariel wanted to fatten her up.
"Thanks," Kaoru smiled.
"Mmm..." Arariel murmured, mind already focused on planning lunch. "How do Swedish meatballs sound?"
Kaoru blinked at him, "someday you will have to tell me where the food comes from. Neither you nor Kenshin have been shopping recently. And you won't even let me near a supermarket unless it is to buy ice cream."
Arariel winked at her, "that's a secret. Now go pound some sense into that idiot's skull before I do it myself. And it's better you than me because; you're much nicer than I am about it."
"Will do," Kaoru replied.
Arariel hummed under his breath and walked into the kitchenette to make lunch.
Kaoru found Kenshin curled up in their bed on his stomach, wings stretched out across his back and head resting on his arms. The lights were turned off and he closed his eyes when she appeared and she frowned at him.
"Stop sulking."
"I am not sulking," he replied without opening his eyes.
"Laying here in the dark... alone… yeah that's sulking." She flipped on the light switch and closed the door behind her.
Kenshin hissed softly and opened an eye to glare at her. Looking for all the world like a very pissed off cat.
"Kenshin..." Kaoru sighed and stepped closer to the bed. "Talk to me please."
Kenshin pressed his lips together and shook his head. "There's nothing to talk about."
"Yes there is," Kaoru insisted.
"No there isn't."
Kaoru huffed at him. "Fine! Why are you acting like me learning magic from Arariel is the worst thing in the world?"
She could faintly hear the sound of his teeth grinding together but he didn't reply.
"I am NOT going to suddenly turn evil and abuse you." Kaoru snapped.
"You're about the fifty fifth person to say that." Kenshin muttered softly.
Kaoru closed her eyes and sighed. "I am not them. Don't compare me to them."
"You're still Kasshin," Kenshin's voice was a whisper.
"You seemed quite happy about that earlier if I may recall." Kaoru snapped.
"That was..." he stopped himself.
"Before I started learning magic?" Kaoru asked softly.
"Yes."
Kaoru bit her lip. "Do you think I'm evil?"
Kenshin's eyes flew open. "What?"
"Do. You. Think. I'm. Evil." Kaoru repeated slowly.
"No!"
"Do you think me learning magic will corrupt me or turn me evil?"
Kenshin's eyes shuttered and Kaoru balled her hands into fists.
"Kenshin..." Kaoru sighed softly. "I promise you. I will never use my magic against you. If... if it starts to corrupt me... I want you to kill me."
Kenshin's sharp intake of breath was loud and his eyes were huge in his face. "Kaoru..."
Kaoru shook her head, "no. You've been hurt too many times by too many people in your life. I... I won't add myself to that list if I can help it."
Kenshin uncoiled himself from the bed and stepped toward her, his eyes dark. "Kaoru..."
Kaoru's feet carried her the distance between them and she buried her face against his shoulder as his arms wrapped around her waist. "Promise me," she murmured.
"I can't..." Kenshin's voice was anguished.
"Then have Arariel do it... or Saitou..." Kaoru kept her face pressed against his shoulder, refusing to look at him.
"Are you sure?" The emotions in his voice made her heart break.
She nodded and raised her eyes to meet his. "Positive."
Kenshin closed his eyes tightly. "I'm so sorry."
Kaoru attempted a grin. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I would have asked this even if your reaction to me learning magic was different."
Kenshin's arms tightened around her and she sighed softly letting herself melt against him. Kenshin dipped his head to rest against the side of her neck and she wrapped her arms around his waist content for just to have them holding one another.
"I love you, you big idiot," Kaoru said softly after several moments.
"Love you," Kenshin replied his voice hushed.
"You promise then?" Kaoru touched his cheek and made him look at her. "You promise that if I start going insane or evil or something… that you will kill me?"
"I promise," it took several tries for Kenshin to say the words.
"Thank you," Kaoru kissed him gently on the mouth.
Kenshin sighed softly and pressed his face against her neck, fingers winding through her hair.
The rumbling of Kaoru's stomach made shake her head in exasperation. "Come on. Arariel has lunch made for us."
Kenshin nodded against her, pressing a light kiss against the skin of her neck and then let go of her. Kaoru threaded her fingers through his and together they stepped out of the bedroom.
Arariel was curled up in a chair at the kitchen table, cradling a cup of tea between his hands.
Two plates of meatballs and spaghetti were on the table a tongue of fire hovering over them to keep them warm.
The fires vanished as Kenshin and Kaoru sat down and began to eat.
"Kaoru?"
"Hmm?" Kaoru looked up at Arariel, her mouth full of meatball. "What?" She asked as she finally swallowed.
"How did your parents die?"
Kaoru blinked at the unexpected question. "When I was nine. They died in a car crash."
"Aa," Arariel murmured.
"Why do you want to know anyway?" Kaoru asked curiously.
"Just trying to figure out some of your family history since so much time has elapsed," he explained taking a sip of tea.
Kaoru could feel Kenshin's eyes on her and shook her head. "There's nothing much to tell really…. The Kamiya's were a low-positioned samurai clan who turned merchant after the Bakumatsu in order to flow with the change of times. Currently my family's – my company –" she made a face at that. "Is one of the richest manufacturing companies in the country."
"I see," Arariel murmured softly.
Kaoru shrugged, "Computer parts and plastics are what we specialize in. I couldn't tell you anything since anything that has to do with computers makes my head spin." She laughed softly. "My dad used to always shake his head about that."
"Is this your only property?" Arariel asked.
Kaoru snorted, "hardly. I have a hundred acre tract of land about two hours from the city. Haven't been back to the mansion in four years. Don't plan on anytime soon. Is there a reason you're asking me this?" She cocked her head at him.
"Yep," Arariel replied.
"The reason being?"
"The Kasshin have spell books which are tied to the bloodline much as Kenshin is." Arariel explained. "Since you being alive is evidence the Kasshin bloodline survives, the books survive as well."
"What do these books do exactly?" Kaoru asked voice suspicious.
"They contain old, old magic." Arariel explained. "Spells that have been forgotten."
"You think…?" Kaoru's eyes darted from Arariel to Kenshin.
"The spell for undoing Kenshin's binding might be in one of them." Arariel nodded, ignoring Kenshin's sharp intake of breath.
"Kenshin…?" Kaoru asked softly.
He shook his head, "I remember the books. I could never touch them as they were warded against me. The spell to unbind me may be there…" His pressed his lips together in a thin line. "The magic is very, very advanced and old and requires sacrifice. I will not let you do it, if it may cost you something dear."
"But don't you want to be free?" Kaoru asked.
Kenshin's eyes flashed. "More than anything, but not if it means you are hurt in the process."
Kaoru tried to smile, "I'm just beginning. I won't be up to the level the magic in the books – if they do indeed exist – for a very long time. You needn't fear."
Arariel grinned at Kenshin, "I wouldn't be much of a demon in charge of protecting people from stupidity if I let her tackle them without proper training."
Kenshin sighed and shoved himself away from the table, getting to his feet.
"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked softly.
"I'm going flying for a bit." He replied without looking at her.
Kaoru cursed softly as she watched him walk away.
000
Kenshin didn't come back for a long time and Kaoru curled up in one of the couches with a book to await his return. Arariel bid her goodnight and vanished into the second bedroom for his own sleep.
Kaoru sighed and put on some music and tried to concentrate on her book. A novel about a South American family of psychics and seers. It was a good story but she couldn't seem to read it, her mind was too busy.
Everything had become so complicated. Ok everything already had been very complicated ever since she'd unwittingly released Kenshin from the pendant – but Arariel's regaining his power and his form and teaching her magic only made it more so.
She'd managed to knock some of Kenshin's aversion to her using magic – or so she had thought – out of him, though the lines she had drawn made them both hurt. But if there was a chance she could unbind him, she would take it, whether he liked it or not.
He had been hurt too much – even though he hadn't told her a tenth of what had happened to him – she didn't want him to hurt anymore than he already had. He deserved his freedom.
She sighed and let the book drop onto the floor and laid her head on the armrest of the couch. She wanted him to stop hurting; she wanted all of them to stop hurting… Kenshin and Arariel had been abused by the Kasshin. Now Arariel – Demon – was free and she wanted Kenshin to be too.
Her eyes drifting close Kaoru sighed and gave herself up to sleep.
Kenshin descended the stairs from the trapdoor and pushed them back up neatly into the ceiling. The lights were still on in the apartment. Kaoru must have forgotten to turn them off as she went to bed.
Raking his hair out of his eyes he padded into the living room adjacent to the kitchenette to turn off the lights.
He found Kaoru curled up on the couch fast asleep.
She was smiling a bit sadly in her sleep, her hair curling around her face and he felt a stab of sadness. He could practically taste the magic in her. It had been dormant and weak when he'd first met her but after several weeks of Arariel's lessons it had grown stronger and he could feel it emanating off her in an almost tangible way.
He turned off the lights, eyes adjusting instantly to the dark and padded over to where she lay. Careful not to disturb her, he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom they shared.
Kaoru made a soft sound as he laid her down and covered her with the blankets. Vanishing his wings, he curled up alongside her and let sleep claim him.
Sometime during the night he felt Kaoru stir next to him, her movements fitful and jerky.
"Kaoru?"
"…Did I wake you?" Her voice was soft.
"Yes," he murmured.
"Sorry," there was a hitch in her voice that made him bite his lip.
"I'm the one that should be sorry."
Kaoru shook her head, her back still turned to him. "No… you have every right to feel that way… but dammit! It's me Kenshin! Me! I'm not like the others. I won't be like the others!"
She suddenly turned to face him and even though it was dark he could sense more than see the tears in her eyes.
"I've trusted you with everything. I've never questioned you and I've respected you. By all rights after what Shoutarou did to me I shouldn't even feel comfortable near a man, much less put my faith in one."
There was anger and sadness in her voice. "You knew what I was when you came out of that damned pendant. You knew and thus you knew what I was or could be capable of. But then at the first sign of me being what everyone says I am, you turn and retreat from me. Not willing to trust or believe that I am different." Her voice choked. "I am not them! I'd kill myself before becoming like those that hurt you!"
He reached her for and she slapped his hands away. "Don't! Don't touch me! Holding me and saying you love me doesn't make it all better because you don't believe the words that you tell me!"
"I love you." Kenshin murmured softly.
"You have a great way of showing it," Kaoru snapped.
Light suddenly flooded the room, tongues of fire dancing in the air above them.
Kenshin flinched and drew away but she grabbed his arm.
"Don't! Don't pull away Kenshin!"
Kenshin closed his eyes as the fire descended downward to hover a handbreadth above him.
"Open your eyes," Kaoru's voice booked no argument and so he did so.
She cradled a tongue of fire between her fingers, her other hand holding onto his wrist so that he couldn't pull away. She blew a soft breath and released it. It skittered across the skin of Kenshin's side and he closed his eyes expecting to be burned.
Instead he felt warmth fall over him like a blanket. Cautiously opening his eyes he saw that the fire had lined up across his side from shoulder to hip, just resting there.
"Do relax Kenshin," Kaoru's voice was sharp.
Kenshin stared at her and slowly let out the breath he'd been holding.
"I am not going to hurt you. I will never hurt you." Kaoru punctuated each word by vanishing a tongue of fire.
"I believe you," Kenshin said softly.
"Do you?" Kaoru's voice was softer but still held an edge.
"Yes," Kenshin said raising his eyes to meet hers.
"I believe you," Kaoru murmured echoing him. The final tongue of fire went out with a sharp snap with her words.
Kenshin felt the bed shift as she rolled off of it.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm sleeping on the couch. Good night."
The door slammed behind her.
000
Arariel raised his eyebrows as he walked into the living room to find Kaoru asleep on the couch.
He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Kenshin coming out of the bedroom.
"You two have a fight?" He questioned softly.
"Something like that," Kenshin said quietly.
"Then you better make it up to her. I suggest chocolate and caffeine."
He looked at Kaoru and stepped toward her but Arariel grabbed him. "Food first. She'll be less inclined to rip your head off."
Kenshin nodded and disappeared into the kitchenette to make breakfast.
Kaoru woke up a short time later to chocolate chip pancakes and fresh brewed coffee, which she ate without a word.
She was still angry and Kenshin thought it best to stay out of her way.
Afterward she took a quick shower and left murmuring something about going to the library.
000
Kaoru fumed as she stomped down the street. The people around her eyed her and stepped a bit to the side to give her berth. She fought the urge to snap at them, as a substitute for who she was really mad at.
Kenshin.
Gah, she thought they'd worked through his little insecurities – nope. Kaoru had hoped that by leaving the bedroom the night before and sleeping on the couch would give him time to think and then he would either have joined her on the couch or brought her back to bed.
Neither had happened.
So either he was still thinking and working through his problems or he was just being an ass.
Fine two could play at that game.
An 'I'm sorry I doubted you.' Would be nice. 'I love you and will never doubt you again.' Would be even better.
Dammit she'd basically bared her soul to him, demonstrated she would never hurt and told him that she loved him.
And what did she get?
An: I believe you.
Ok, great he "believed her."
Actions spoke louder than words and he hadn't done a thing to demonstrate that.
Kaoru sighed and ducked into a nearby bookstore cum café. After buying ten books and a chai latte she felt somewhat better. Picking up the nearest book to her she settled down in the overstuffed couch to read.
000
Arariel sighed softly as he eyed Kenshin who was looking every five minutes or so up at the clock.
"I'm going to go flying, do you want to come?"
Kenshin shook his head, "no thanks."
"Fine then," Arariel shrugged and left.
He returned a while later to find that Kaoru still hadn't come back and Kenshin was looking antsy. The apartment was sparkling and smelled of vanilla from the candles that Kenshin had managed to unearth. Kenshin was sitting on the couch with a cup of green tea.
"Do you think she's all right?" Kenshin asked softly, cradling a mug of green tea between his hands.
"She's fine. She'd call you if she needed you or something happened. Just give her some space." Arariel advised.
Kenshin nodded but still looked unconvinced.
Kaoru finally did turn up about two and a half hours later lugging a large black bag full of books. She dumped it on top of the table and both Arariel and Kenshin winced at the loud thunk it made. Still not speaking to either of them she stalked off into the backroom where she kept her bokkens.
"What does she have in there?" Kenshin asked softly eyeing the bag contemplatively. "Bricks?"
"I'm willing to bet it's not the karma sutra." Arariel murmured.
Kenshin choked on his green tea.
An hour and a half later the door was wrenched open and Kenshin caught a flash of Kaoru stomping down the hallway and into the bathroom. A moment later there was the sound of the shower going on and water running.
"How long is she going to stay mad?" Kenshin questioned.
"A long time?" Arariel offered.
"Obviously," Kenshin agreed.
The hinges squealed as Kaoru yanked the door open, clad in a towel with another wrapped around her hair and vanished back into the bathroom.
"Should we make lunch?"
Arariel shook his head, "I think I'll make it, if that's ok with you."
"Sounds good," Kenshin was torn between going into the bedroom and attempting to talk with Kaoru (which would probably result in getting his head bitten off) or just waiting for her anger to fade.
The phone ringing loudly brought Kaoru out of the bedroom. She had thrown on a tank top and jeans and her hair was pulled back into a high pony tail. She raced past them to grab it.
"Hi Misao!" Kaoru's voice was cheerful. "Going clubbing tonight? Sure sounds fun! Yes… I am fine… why are you asking? … Yeah well there's a first time for everything right? I guess you won't have to drag me out by my hair tonight…. Two hours? I'll be ready in an hour. Yes! I am feeling well, stop asking me that! Okay… Okay… I'll see you. Bye!"
She hung up and turned toward them. "Arariel do you want to come clubbing with us?"
Arariel did some quick calculations in his head… alcohol, dancing, drugs, and God only knew what else…. He shook his head, "no thanks the sheer amount of stupidity will make me homicidal. I'll go another time if that's fine with you? Kenshin will go with you."
Kaoru's eyes sharpened. "Fine, Kenshin get yourself ready I have to change."
Nope there was no invitation that could be found in that sentence.
Once more Kaoru disappeared into the bedroom, slamming the door loudly.
She reappeared about forty five minutes later and Arariel took one look at her, one look at the expression on Kenshin's face and shook his head in despair. The poor bastard didn't stand a chance…
Kaoru was showing more skin than with her previous outfit: a black silk halter that left a good portion of her stomach bare, a knee length mini-skirt that had a slit up her thigh. She was wearing a simple choker and long dangly earrings. She had curled her hair and pulled the front half out of her face with sparkly combs, but left the back of it hanging loose around her shoulders. On her feet were two inch sandal-like heels. Black eyeliner contrasted sharply against the blue of her eyes and she was wearing extremely shiny lip gloss.
Kenshin had changed as well into a blue mesh shirt that was the twin of his former clubbing gear a long with black leather pants and knee-high boots. Kaoru's eyes ghosted over him blankly.
Kenshin had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.
This was not going to end well.
Kaoru jerked as the doorbell rang and opened it to a grinning Misao who let out a whistle.
"Maybe Megumi and I should let you pick your outfits more often."
Kaoru grinned wryly, "ready to go?"
"Yep!" Misao bounced. "Hi Kenshin!" She waved.
Kenshin nodded and Misao's eyes narrowed darting between him and Kaoru.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"Nothing," Kaoru replied. "Let's go."
Misao blinked at her and then nodded.
Once they reached the car Kaoru slipped into the front seat beside Misao, leaving Kenshin alone in the back. Kenshin closed his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth as Misao drove to the club.
Kaoru glanced over her shoulder at him once or twice her face expressionless as Misao drove.
Once they stopped in front of the club, Kaoru got out and vanished into the crowd. Kenshin made to follow her but Misao grabbed his hair and yanked, stopping him in his tracks.
"What did you do to her?" Misao's eyes were narrowed.
"Nothing," Kenshin said.
"Kaoru's pissed. And when she's pissed she withdraws and doesn't talk to who she's mad at. Since she's talking to me – a little – and not to you, that means she's mad at you. So what the hell did you do and talk fast before I grab Megumi and she breaks out the knives."
"It's not what I did – more of what I didn't do."
"Can't get it up?" Misao asked darkly.
Kenshin's eyes widened and he sputtered. "No!"
"Okay… so what is the problem?"
"It's a trust thing…" Kenshin said a bit uncomfortably.
Misao eyed him, "do I really want to know?"
Kenshin's face turned red. "Not that!"
"Oh good," Misao finally let go of his braid and crossed her arms over her chest still glaring. "Do we need to break out the knives?"
Kenshin blanched, "hopefully not. I'm going to work on it."
"Good boy," Misao smiled. "Then get to work."
They entered the club, Misao abandoning him when she caught sight of Aoshi and the others. Kenshin scanned around looking for Kaoru. He finally spotted her dancing off to the side… with another guy…
He didn't remember crossing the floor but then he was beside Kaoru.
"Hey!" Kaoru yelped as she suddenly found herself dragged away from the guy she was dancing with.
The guy she was dancing with stepped toward him, saw the look in his eyes and quickly decided against it, quickly backing away and then fleeing.
"Kenshin," Kaoru snarled. "Let go of me. Now."
"No." Kenshin replied shortly.
"Let go now!" Kaoru seethed.
"We are going home." Kenshin replied voice tense.
"No we are –" Kaoru's eyes widened as she suddenly realized they were no longer in the club and were in fact standing in the middle of her living room. "… not?"
She looked at him, "how did you do that?"
"… I have no clue," Kenshin replied looking around.
"That makes both of us," Kaoru replied, her anger having vanished.
Kenshin nodded, still looking around.
"Yes this is my apartment Kenshin," Kaoru said dryly.
"Just making sure," he muttered.
"Guess Arariel was correct when he said you'd be getting shiny new powers."
"Guess so," Kenshin replied. "But we are not going back to the club."
Kaoru narrowed her eyes at him and glared.
"Why are you acting like this?" Kenshin asked softly.
"Because you are still acting like an idiot," she snapped.
"And you aren't?"
"I'm not!"
"Yes you are. Being pissed at me and trying to piss me off because you are pissed at me is idiotic."
Kaoru grit her teeth fuming at him.
"Why are you still mad? Didn't I say I believed you and trusted you?"
"Yes but that's all you did!"
Kenshin blinked, "pardon?"
"You said you believed me and did nothing, absolutely nothing to show it." She touched his cheek with her fingertips. "You're still flinching when I touch you. You still have that look in your eyes... sad and wary. It wasn't there before my magic was awake and Arariel was training me in it."
Kenshin bit his lip, "I am trying."
"You've been abused magically for as long as you've been alive. The very binding between you and I is an abuse." Kaoru's voice was sad.
"You think that if I wasn't bound to you I'd walk away?" Kenshin said softly.
"I don't know what to think." Kaoru said. "You're bound to me whether you like it or not. As I am to you."
"Even if I wasn't bound to you, I'd stay with you."
"I believed you… before." Kaoru shook her head. "Now with the magic in me… if I you were not bound to me would you not run, just to escape, it regardless that it is me who wields it?"
"I…" Kenshin shook his head, bangs falling over his eyes. "I don't know… I hate the magic that runs in your veins… but I do not hate you. I could never hate you."
"I want you to be free. If the magic of the Kasshin has ever done one thing right by you I want you to be set free. I want to set you free. I'm not asking you to like the fact that I can use the magic in me. I'm just asking you to accept it."
"Why do I feel like we keep going in circles?" Kenshin asked wryly.
"Because you're being an idiot stuck in a rut?" Kaoru asked.
"I'm sorry. I believe you. I'll try?" Kenshin offered, pulling her against him and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "That better?"
"It's a start," Kaoru admitted.
"Not mad at me anymore?" Kenshin asked.
"A little," Kaoru replied. "Not going to be an idiot any more?"
"I'll do my best not to," Kenshin captured her mouth and felt her relax against him sighing.
"I love you," Kenshin murmured softly. "With magic or without – though I'd much prefer the later."
Kaoru snorted softly and tucked her head underneath his chin. "Idiot. If I could get rid of my magic for you I would… but everything in me tells me I can't. So we're both stuck with it."
Kenshin sighed and tightened his arms around her.
"So… what we going to do about your new shiny power?" Kaoru asked.
"I have some ideas…"Kenshin murmured.
Kaoru blinked as she suddenly found herself with him in the bedroom.
"You know that wasn't what I meant…"
"Mmm…" Kenshin murmured as bent his head to nip at her neck.
"Kenshin…" Kaoru moaned as his hands began to wander, his mouth following.
"We're alone. I've warded the apartment – for once we are not going to be disturbed." Kenshin's voice was determined.
"Arariel?" Kaoru asked faintly, trying to keep rapidly scattering thoughts together.
"He'll live." Kenshin's mouth captured hers once more effectively halting any further protests.
And for the rest of the night there were no more protests from either of them.
