Konnichiwa minna! Welcome back once more to Fading Futures. I haven't been too well over the last week or so, but you guys and your reviews are really making me feel so much better! I want to thank everyone who's reading – reviewer or not, but special thanks has to go to Bree Mcgregor and Hitokiri Taijiya for your heart-felt reviews of my ickle Fic. Arigato gozaimasu!
I also want to apologise for the slow update. First I got ill for over a week, then I had to catch up with the work I missed and THEN, to top it all off, I had to prepare for an interview for Uni. Waaaa! Well, I'm back now, will a new chappy for you to enjoy!
I would still like to know you ideas for 'Fading Futures: The Oro Files' – basically the bloopers of Fading Futures. I have a few ideas myself, but I am willing to do dedications in bloopers. If there was something you wished had happened too, I could do some for that too!
I really hope you like this chapter, but either way, PLEASE REVIEW! You'll make Sessha sooooo happy!
Disclaimer: In no way, shape or for do I own RuroKen… maybe later? (Shakes magic number 8 ball, which answers "No way in hell"). Kuso! Still, Shinya and any character that doesn't already exist in the Manga or Anime is all MINE!
Last time on fading futures:
Kenshin and Kaoru finally got let out of the dojo, but an innocent request gets Shinya ready to get more plans underway. However, no-one seems to realise what he's scheming…
Tanoshimimas! (Enjoy!)
Chapter Eleven
The Kitchen Incident
It was almost three weeks before Shinya could utilise his plans. Three weeks since Kaoru and Kenshin had asked for lessons from the younger Himura. However, contrary to what some people may believe, Shinya was patient by nature. He knew quite well how to handle such situations. If personal experience in matchmaking was to be learned from, Shinya had learned long ago that such a situation could not be rushed and turn out successful. He couldn't show them just how eager he was to get the ball rolling on this new scheme – he had to wait for them to make the first move. Rushing things could only make things worse… for all of them.
So it was with a little trepidation that Shinya glanced up from the book he was reading to look at the young shihondai trying to get his attention.
"Lessons…?" He asked curiously as she 'reminded' him of his promise, a look of mild interest on his face.
"Uh huh," Kaoru answered with a cheerful smile, "You promised several weeks ago that you would teach Kenshin and I how to make that meal you made for us."
Shinya thumbed his chin with a thoughtful expression, his eyes glittering mischievously. "Oh yeah, I did, didn't I."
Kaoru face faulted while Shinya burst out laughing at her expression – it was hilarious! "Maa, maa" he chuckled when he had calmed down enough to speak coherently, "I'm not that stupid – I hadn't forgot. I just didn't want to force you if you didn't feel up to it." He knew exactly how that felt – Kiyoshi and he kendo-practice-every-night-or-else being prime example. Shinya suddenly felt a wave of sadness wash over him, but he ruthlessly squashed the feeling. Concentrate Shinya no baka – you've got a job to do. Forcing a smile on his face he continued, "Plus having the same thing too often takes the novelty, ne? Especially if you can't make sod else" he added under his breath. Kaoru giggled at the comment.
"So, you'll do it today, ne?"
Shinya grinned and flipped the book shut. "Sure. I'll have to get some stuff for it from town, but then I'm all yours"
Kenshin, who was standing a few feet away finishing up the laundry, smiled over his shoulder. "Sessha was about to go to town after he finished up. Sessha could get it for you, that he could."
Kami, couldn't he be a little less nice for once? Shinya thought with exasperation, but he only smiled and shook his head negligibly at the rurouni's question. "Nah, I'll come with you." He jumped off the porch and brushed the creases from his midnight-blue hakama. "Besides, you wouldn't know what to get! Anyway, only the best ingredients'll get the best results" …in more ways than one.
o0o
Sanosuke and Yahiko, conveniently, had other places to be that day. Yahiko had left for his job at the Akebeko ("besides, I don't want to get food poisoning!" - which had promptly got him several new and bloody lumps growing on his head) and wouldn't be back for several hours. Sanosuke had gone out with several of his other friends (gambling most likely), so it was only Kaoru, Kenshin and Shinya present at the Kamiya dojo. This was fine by Shinya – he hadn't told the other two about his plans in any event. After the incident in the dojo – which still had Kaoru glaring daggers at the unfortunate person who even hinted at the thing – Shinya wasn't sure he could even unintentionally hint at anything else. And they called him 'Ko-oni'. Honestly!
Standing in the tiny kitchen, cooking utensils and ingredients crammed into every nook and cranny, Shinya began to organise his would-be students. All three stood with their sleeves tied back as Kenshin and Kaoru waited for instruction from the diminutive 'sensei'. Shinya, of course, let nothing on as he flashed them his own version of Kenshin's classic rurouni smile ™, and began to explain what to do – what to start chopping, how much of what needed to go where. He was in the middle of explaining the measurements for the rice when he suddenly slapped himself on the forehead.
"Chikusho," Shinya sighed "I knew I'd forgot something…"
Kenshin and Kaoru looked up from what they were doing to see what was wrong. Seeing their glance, Shinya sighed again.
"I forgot an ingredient we really need later on – don't worry, I'll get it" he added quickly, seeing Kenshin open his mouth to offer.
Kenshin looked a little uneasy. That would leave him alone with Kaoru. Not that he wouldn't have minded normally - Hell, he would love to have years alone with the girl – except that at this moment in time they were cooking and Kaoru was notorious for her, to put it bluntly, awful cooking. It really didn't help that Kenshin had little idea of what to do himself to try and make it any less toxic for human consumption.
Shinya did a double take at the expression and burst into a fit of laughter. "Maa! I'll write the instructions down!" Shinya grinned "follow 'em and you'll be fine. I'll be back soon anyways."
It wasn't long before Shinya had scribbled down the instructions ("Gosh, Shinya, Your handwriting's almost as bad as Kenshin's!") and cheerfully went on his way.
Shinya slid the fushuma-door shut and crouched down next to it, surprising his ki, as his grandpa had taught him. Of course, Shinya hadn't actually forgotten anything – he had merely left it outside the kitchen, hidden behind a shelf. He had just needed an excuse to leave each other alone together at close quarters. Actually, he had to hand it to Sanosuke. The dojo idea had actually been quite a good one. It had meant the hopeless cases alone with nothing else to do but stare at each other. However, the results had been rather painful… for the conspirators anyway. Shinya was just developing on the idea, so it wouldn't result in having concussion for several weeks afterwards. This time, they were not being pushed. This time, the atmosphere was much more relaxed.
Shinya let an impish smile grace his lips. Perfect.
Back in the kitchen, Kenshin and Kaoru had deciphered Shinya's scribbles and began to read through the instructions.
"Well, it doesn't look too hard, that it doesn't" Kenshin commented after a moment. Kaoru nodded in agreement, a smile gracing her lips that made Kenshin's heart melt on the spot. As she lent down to look at the instructions again, her soft hair brushed against her cheeks, giving him the irresistible urge to brush them back, to run his fingers through the silky strands. Kenshin swallowed, trying to control himself and wrenched his eyes away from her dazedly, a faint blush escaping his control.
Shinya, ear pressed against the door, silently egged them on. It was the perfect opportunity for them to confess their feelings. He sighed smugly. Just a little longer. Just a little longer before they confess, and the Himuras would be safe once more – his ancestors would be happy and Shinya—
"What the heck are you doing?"
"Eep!" Shinya jumped a mile and spun round to find Yahiko looking at him suspiciously. "Yahiko! Don't do that! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Shinya rubbed his chest where his heart was thudding a million miles an hour, "What're you doing back so early? I thought you said you were working."
Yahiko shrugged. "Yeah, I was, but Tae let me off early. But what were you doing." He glared at the other boy, who blushed scarlet at being caught. Shinya flinched and instinctively rubbed his temples at the sharp note in his voice.
"W-well, I… It's a long story—" Shinya found himself cowering as the smaller boy's glare deepened. He threw up his hands in defeat. "Alright! Alright! I wasn't going to tell you, but seeing as you're doing Yahiko's version of the famous-Battosai-death-glare, I'll tell you!" Jeez, if looks could kill…
Quickly, he grabbed Yahiko's arm – hoping their convocation hadn't disturbed the events unfolding in the Kitchen – and dragged him outside. "Come on, follow me."
o0o
Kaoru noticed the sudden movement of red and glanced at the rurouni and glanced up from chopping vegetables to look. His head was bowed, crimson-gold tresses brushed his cheeks, flushed pink. His amethyst eyes seemed a little wider than normal. Kaoru wondered what he was thinking about that made his cheeks colour. Was he thinking about her? She hoped so. It would only be fair, seeing as how he had stolen most of her fantasies. The sun flashed golden on his hair, making it seem like a sea of auburn. His hair always fascinated her – so exotic – it enticed her. She wanted to hold him, to be able to run her fingers through crimson locks. She imagined them to be smoother than a silk ribbon—
"Itai!" Kaoru yelped, dropping the knife she had been using. Stupid, stupid Kaoru, she berated herself, sucking her bleeding finger. Letting her fantasies run away with her. Why not chop your hand off next time, no baka!
"Kaoru-dono?" a concerned voice asked worriedly. Kaoru glanced up into Kenshin's concerned face. "Daijobu ka?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. I got a little… distracted, that's all" Distracted by you, Kenshin no baka, she added. She couldn't tell him that, of course.
Kenshin stepped a little closer. "Let me look at it" he said softly. Kaoru's breath caught in her throat at the tender look in his eyes that she could only nod her head and comply with his wishes. Kenshin took her hand and looked it over, his rough, gentle hands brushing her skin as he checked the wound. "It's only a shallow cut" he said after a moment. "We just need to wash it and wrap the wound – it shouldn't take long for the bleeding to stop." He let go of her hand to get some water to wash the cut, leaving Kaoru distractedly staring at her hand from the loss of warmth. It wasn't long before Kenshin returned and gently began to care for the wound.
Kaoru watched, fascinated, as Kenshin expectedly washed the wound and took out a small tin from within his gi. Opening it, he began to apply it to the wound. Kaoru wrinkled her nose at the smell, but said nothing. She expected the wound to burn and sting, but was pleasantly surprised at the cooling sensation as his gently massaged it into her skin, the pain subsiding to a dull ache.
"Hey, what is that stuff?" she asked as Kenshin worked.
Kenshin glanced up for a moment before continuing, causing Kaoru to pout a little at the lost eye-contact. "It was something Sessha learned, a long time ago."
Kaoru blinked in surprise. "You… made this?"
Kenshin nodded, mind elsewhere. "Aa, Sessha was a… apothecary of sorts, once" Kenshin closed his eyes for a moment, a flash of another woman entering his mind, but was surprised that the usual pain that usually accompanied it was missing. Sure, it still hurt, but it wasn't the crippling sadness that drowned him. Somehow, in Kaoru's presence, the guilt was somehow diminished. Kenshin smiled a little. "And Sessha learned a lot by watching." He wasn't about to tell her that the watching was usually while someone was treating his own wounds.
Kaoru glanced at him sharply, but, despite what some may think, Kaoru knew tact and so remained silent, instead watching skilled hands finish applying the cream to move to a cupboard to take out some bandages. Kenshin knelt back down and began to wrap the wound gently. Kaoru found herself blushing at Kenshin's closeness, his face so near to hers. It would be so natural, so natural, to just lean forward a little more to brush her lips against skin…
Shinya and Yahiko held their breath, so close, so close. Do it!
Kenshin gently tied the cloth and looked into her eyes – shining pools of sapphire he would love to lose himself in. he could only stare at the amount of emotion shining in his eyes. He wasn't blind – they mirrored his own perfectly. He could just lean forward and press his lips on hers. But should he? Can he?
Kaoru's eyes made the decision for him. Hai.
Kenshin lent forward a little, as did Kaoru. They were mere inches away now, moving closer…
"Oi! Jou-chan, Kenshin! Where are you guys?"
Everyone fell over anime style. Kaoru and Kenshin jumped and parted, blushing furiously. Outside, Yahiko began to bang his head against the wall, while Shinya fumed. "That… Stupid… Rooster…"
Sanosuke burst into the kitchen as Kenshin flashed his rurouni smile. "There you go, Kaoru-dono!" he said cheerfully, secretly disappointed while he imagined himself strangling the ex-fighter-for-hire. If he hadn't made that vow…
Shinya decided to get the walking dead man out of the room and poked his head round the door. "Oh, I was just looking for you, Sano. Can you come here a min?" and he literally heaved the man out the room.
Bangwackdoof!
Yahiko strode away, shinai over his shoulder muttering curses under his breath, while Sanosuke lay in a bloody heap on the floor from the duel attacks, while Shinya stormed off fuming. Glancing round the door again, he noticed the rurouni and shihondai standing at opposite sides of the room, furiously getting back to work. Damn Sanosuke to hell!
Shinya forced himself to push all thoughts of killing the man at the back of his mind, along with the sick feeling in his stomached, and walked into the room. "Okay then, where were we?"
To be continued…
Chosha's notes.
Um… I think people are going to kill me for that ending… Don't worry, I want to get them together in a more romantic setting.
Just so you know, I can't cook one little bit unless it involves a microwave, so I don't know what Shinya's ingredients were, but what he made was real dishes. If people haven't killed me in Sano's place, see you next time!
By the way, Merry Christmas to all my readers if I cant update before the holls!
Next time on fading futures,
Kenshin's got the idea, Shinya's in a crisis and everyone's favourite ninja makes a show! Next time, in chapter Twelve: forget me not
Ja ne for now!
Chosha Kurenai xXx
