AN: Grrr! I had more planned for this chapter but once I exceed 6000 words, I worry about giving too much for readers to read all at once. Sometimes I'll push it to 8000 words but I felt for this chapter it was best to end it where I did. By the way, pretty sure I took a huge risk writing this chapter and went way out of my comfort zone. I hope it was worth it!
He took a moment for himself and sighed in relief as he closed the door behind him to the bath house he was exciting from. He had finally got to properly clean himself up before putting on his new clothes. He felt like a whole new person. It had been humiliating losing so easily to Sanosuke and being seen in the state he was left in with his blood stained, tattered clothes. He imagined Sanosuke must have relished the sight of seeing Shishio's former right hand man having fallen so far since his defeat.
But no matter how Sanosuke thought of him right now, Soujiro knew better than to let himself drown in the shame and humiliation. He had more reason to be thankful right now. Both Koharu and Avaron had picked him up and kept his feet moving despite him wanting to give up. Avaron had particularly held true to her word in making sure he was taken care of. Instead of being vexed over what had happened between his fight with Sanosuke, Soujiro found himself being more worried on how he could ever make up for what Avaron was doing for him. It wasn't just that he felt obligated, but he truly desired to do something for her.
He felt his heart elevate at just the thought of her.
I wonder if this is how Yumi made Shishio feel. I remember her sometimes not feeling good enough for him and feeling useless to Shishio because she could never make up for what he does for her... It's understandable considering how Shishio could do everything for himself, if not, I was trusted with it. I'm sure that made her feel even more useless. He leaned back against the door and crossed his arms. "I sure can relate to you now, Yumi. Lately, I'm the one that needs the rescuing and I have nothing to show for it. I really have fallen far from what Shishio expected of me.…" His master was his master after all and it would never be easy to accept what Shishio would think of him now. "But there's no doubt in my mind Shishio still loved and valued you, Yumi. I can hope, right?" He then chuckled to himself. "I'm talking like she can hear me.…"
"Sou!"
He raised his head to see Koharu running out from the inn they were residing in for now at the edge of town. It was a humble, but cozy Inn Avaron had arranged for them to stay in while he recovered his strength.
He suppressed his laughter when Koharu tripped and face planted into the ground. She clearly hasn't quite grasped how to move in her new dress. He hadn't taken the time to notice her new kimono until now because of their earlier excitement. She had picked earthy colors that almost exactly matched het previous worn out clothe. He still couldn't help but feel it didn't suit her as well as it should. I guess we both have to get used to it.
Koharu was off the ground and rushed up the steps out of breath. "Thank goodness. I was getting worried," she panted softly.
He raised a brow and kept his arms crossed. "Why on earth were you worried?"
"Of you drowning," she hugged at her arms anxiously. "I asked Avaron what if you passed out while you were taking-" her eyes got wide with embarrassment. "Not that we were picturing you-"
"Koharu." He held up his palm while squinting his eyes shut. There was a moment of silence before he spoke again. "I'm just going to stop you right there," he said before he walked passed her down the steps.
Koharu laughed embarrassingly to herself before she could will herself to follow after him. Once she caught up, she clasped her hands together innocently behind her and cleared her throat before speaking again. "So you looked like you were deep in thought again."
"Hai."
"Probably thinking about Avaron," she muttered irritably to herself. Soujiro clearly heard her when he came to an abrupt stop causing Koharu to bump into him from behind. "Ow. Cut that out!"
"How did you know?"
She growled as she crossed her arms. "Well, I know I didn't exactly make a great first impression with you, but you detested the thought of touching my hand the day we met." She looked away and dropped her arms sadly. "You must really like her to be allowing her to touch you the way she does. It's pretty obvious, Sou."
He couldn't help but laugh. "Koharu, are you jealous?"
Her pout made it clear.
"Don't forget, I'm wearing these only because of you," he said as he held up his wrist to expose the jade beads. "That's something I wouldn't do for anyone else, not even Avaron."
Koharu fought the urge to smile at that. "You don't have to keep wearing them like that, you know."
He nodded. "I know, but they are what allowed me to finally strike that thug earlier. The look on his face when he saw them was priceless. Who knows when I'll need that kind of distraction again," he said as he smirked at her. He seemed almost too serious about that.
Koharu giggled. "You can be so silly."
When the two returned to their room within the inn, they found Avaron knelt down on the floor before a table pouring freshly brewed tea into cups for each of them. She smiled as soon as he entered the room after Koharu and got up to meet him first with a cup for him. "Here. At least I poured it first before handing it to you."
They both laughed leaving Koharu wondering why she felt out of the loop and why that had been funny at all.
"You look much better...health-wise," she felt the need to add. "Koharu picked out the colors for your clothes."
"No kidding," he mumbled before taking a sip of his drink. He was still clad in blue.
"He wouldn't be aoi-tori if he wasn't wearing blue," she grinned.
"I told you I didn't like to be called that."
"Didn't?"
Soujiro ignored her and turned his attention back to Avaron. "I am grateful for what you are doing for me Avaron, but I can't help but wonder if your aunt is going to be concerned with you being away this long."
Avaron gave an unsure shrug herself. "Perhaps. But it's not like I have to lie to her. I really am just spending time with friends. It might thrill her to know that," she then forced a laugh that even made Soujiro raise a questionable brow. She straightened her posture and glanced at Soujiro like she held some sort of authority over him. "Now, you shouldn't be standing anymore. The point of all this is for you to recover and I promised Megumi to get you off your feet until you do recover."
He rolled his eyes but knew better than try to argue with her. He approached the table she had poured their tea at and made himself comfortable on one of the cushions surrounding the small table and sat down. The other two eventually joined him, Koharu sitting next to him of course, and Avaron on the opposite side. Soujiro nervously took another sip of his tea before placing it back on the table. "Again, Avaron, I am in deep graditude and I will make it up to you…but…." He hesitated. This was the conversation he had been dreading all day.
"But?" She questioned. She placed her cup down when she saw how serious he was.
"We need to limit our time together from now on. In Kofu, Koharu's life was threatened by the people who are after me." He had heard Chou's last words and they had haunted him since escaping on the train. She was dead the moment you took her in! "I never wanted to drag either of you into this and I don't want to put you in the same position I put Koharu in."
"I have no regrets Sou," Koharu stated promptly.
"I know," he smiled at her. He looked back at Avaron. "Please understand. I just can't risk putting you in anymore danger."
"Are these people trying to kill you?" Avaron asked.
"They sure tried," Koharu muttered into her cup before taking a sip. She felt Soujiro's glare fall on her. He was trying to be direct without further worrying Avaron. "That was before you easily overcame them." She added.
Avaron wasn't reassured. "What if something does happen to you and I never know?"
Soujiro wouldn't meet her stern gaze and had the nerve to shrug it off. "It's really not your problem. You've done enough as it is." He jumped when Avaron slammed her cup against the table.
"That's right! My efforts aren't going to be wasted, Soujiro."
"Does it not bother you you're aiding a criminal?" He finally had the nerve to ask. He had wanted to ask her since the train ride but had truly been afraid of her response.
"You could die if I don't!" She exhaled to calm herself. "I'm partly to blame for half your troubles right now. It would haunt me all over again if I turned my back on you. Besides, you'll trust no one else but me to help you. So I'm doing everything I can to prevent a death here while trying to appease the stubborn fool," she narrowed her gaze at him before taking a sip out of her cup. "I see no wrong in what I'm doing. I'll respect your wishes, Soujiro, and limit or visits but I'm not turning my back on you. What are you smiling at?" She asked after watching it grow across his face.
He softly chuckled. "Forgive me."
"If there's something more I can do I am prepared to do it. Being my father's daughter, I have learned to do everything humanely possibly to protect life. Especially if I'm being trusted with that life. If there's something you're not telling me that could help, you need to tell me now while I get to be here with you."
"You've done enough." He couldn't seem to make that clear to her.
"He needs a sword," Koharu suddenly interjected.
They both turned their gaze at her. Soujiro was already frowning in dismay at the nerve of that comment. "We're not requesting a sword out of her."
"I'm not asking her to buy it," Koharu spat. She then clutched his left forearm and held it up openly to expose the jade beads around his wrist. "She can trade this for money."
Avaron couldn't help but giggle as Soujiro embarrassingly yanked his wrist from her grasp. "I already told you these beads wouldn't cut it. Even with adequate money, a sword is difficult to find in this era."
"It doesn't mean we shouldn't try!" She then eagerly turned to face Avaron. "If you want to guarantee his survival, he needs a sword. Even in a hopeless situation, he rises above it. It's why they call him Tenken, isn't it?"
"Koharu-"
"Isn't it?" She glared at him. She didn't wait for him to respond and continued running her mouth. "Even in his state now, even with his injured arm, no one would be able to touch him. That street fighter wouldn't have been able to lay a finger on him if Sou had a sword." She spoke so passionately and so sure.
"Drop it, Koharu. It's expansive and against the law. Anyone who has a sword anymore mainly have it because it's been handed down.I'm not particularly sure if it's legal to have one made."
"Even so, Soujiro. You're not denying anything else she's saying," Avaron chuckled. "She speaks as if any sword empowers you."
"Hai!" Koharu confirmed.
"Do I really need to deny something like that out loud for you not to believe it?"
Koharu clenched her fists before clutching the collar of his shirt into them and nearly spilling his drink. "Baka! You know full well how invincible you are with a sword. Stop playing stupid! This is your life we're talking about. Now give me those beads."
He held his arm behind him when she started to grab at it. He began to reprimand her before she suddenly threw herself at him and thrust his back against the ground. Avaron cringed at the aggressive act and the loud thud Soujiro's back made when he hit the ground.
"Koharu-"
"Give me those beads, Sou!" She started to clamber over him in an earnest effort to retrieve her beads back. He kept them just out of her reach. Even though he clearly had the upper hand, he couldn't believe what they were fighting over.
"You remember what I said about not fighting those stronger than you?" He felt the need to remind her.
"Yeah, so-"
He thrust her aside just as aggressively and pinned her beneath him as he raised a fist. "Stop wasting my time."
"Soujiro!" Avaron was in shock.
He turned an innocent grin at her and lowered his first. "You didn't think I actually hit her, did you?"
"I have no problem hitting you!" Koharu lunged at him while he was distracted and wrapped him in a head lock to try to pull him back down.
Avaron shook her head hopelessly at the two as they continued to wrestle with each other. "You two are impossible."
"Give me those beads!"
Once Koharu finally could accept she wasn't going to get anywhere near her beads, she left him alone with the exception of trying to snatched the beads off when she thought he wasn't paying attention. As evening approached, Koharu had barely relented in her efforts to retrieve her beads back and was about ready to start another wrestling match with him. That's when Avaron finally felt the need to put her foot down. She even threatened to take Koharu home with her if she didn't settle down and leave him alone. Within that same hour Avaron managed to put Koharu in her place, Koharu ended up passing out on her bed out of boredom. She encouraged Soujiro to do the same thing and while she finally managed at some point to get him in bed, he merely only sat upon the futon clasping his arms around his knees. She sat beside him on her cushion occasionally fetching him a drink or even something to eat. He didn't talk much at first and seemed to ask just the right questions to get Avaron to converse with him and delay her departure. They both knew they probably weren't going to get to see each other soon enough and were certainly trying to make use of the time they had now.
Avaron quickly got sick of hearing mainly just her voice and attempted to move their conversation in a direction so she could hear him speak more. She was curious on how Soujiro started his path down as a swordsman.
"So you left your family to go with this Shishio?"
"Hai." He skipped the part where he murdered his family and let her assumed he had run away with Shishio instead after hiding him from the police and then becoming an apprentice to the greatest swordsman alive.
"And then you became his personal assassin to use at whim." She stated sadly. She didn't like to think him having to endure the life he had with his abusive family, but it certainly didn't seem any better he had truly been trained to kill for the benefit of someone else. All his life, she saw people only used Soujiro and it angered her to see how much he still looked up to his former master even now. He was in the mess he was in now because of loyally following the man. But she kept that part to herself.
"Avaron?" He asked softly when she remained in somber silence. "I am sorry. I know it can't be easy to hear all this after what you've done for me and to know what I've become since you last saw me as a child." He thought her last statement was directed angrily towards him rather than Shishio. He thought he might have given her more reason to fear him.
"It changes nothing what I said earlier," she affirmed for him. "And it's no longer who you are. Besides, what do I have to fear when that little girl will defend you to her dying breath," she smiled as she looked towards Koharu off in the corner sleeping. She was sprawled across her stomach snoring softly. She chuckled softly at the sight until she gazed back at Soujiro. He seemed alarmingly lethargic and his eyes weighed heavy upon him. "Perhaps I should leave you to rest. You look exhausted."
The moment she tried to stand, however, his hand instinctively clutched at her wrist. She was encouraged on her own initiative to sit back down. It was the first time he had voluntarily reach out for her. She was actually mistaking his exhaustion really for his heartache. It was never going to be easy to bring up his past and the fact that he got to be honest about it with such ones like Koharu without it affecting her view of him meant so much to him. Now that Avaron knew darker secrets about him, he was still skeptical despite all her assuring words. It seemed too good to be true. He thought she might be leaving because she now felt anxious in his presence. He turned his gaze towards her as his hand touched over her knuckles and fingers. He carefully grasped his hand over hers.
"You're trembling."
"You think I'm afraid of you now?" She asked point blank.
"Why are you trembling then?" His own voice shook in his bitterness. He was starting to believe her words had just been words after all. That all she was doing was being kind out of a mere sort of duty she felt she owed him or to life itself.
She didn't know what to say. She even tried opening her mouth but no words ever came through. She eventually forgot to speak when she could only stare at his hand covering her own. When the silence grew too long, he released her hand and brought his back around his knees and faced forward. Getting angry was not going to help at all, especially if his story had frightened her. Though, there was a physical ache in his chest when she stood to leave.
She wasn't leaving, he found, when she bent down and tucked her fingers under his jaw to make him gaze upwards at her. "People don't tremble only when they're afraid. I'm completely out of my element. These pass few days have been quite the adventure for me compared to the sedentary life I have with my aunt." She forced a chuckle. "Maybe I'm a little afraid and even terrified for you, but I'm not afraid of you, Seta Soujiro." She fell on her knees on his bed to better face him. "More than anything, I think its just excitement. I haven't had anything this much excitement since my father was alive." She sat against his legs for support as she leaned ever closer towards him. "But one thing I'm sure of is I'm not afraid of you." He looked down when she placed her hand back over his and felt her fingers fondle at the jade necklace still wrapped around his wrist.
He had slowly straightened his back away from his knees the closer she came towards him. "I guess I should know better. Since the moment I saw you, you've been awfully audacious." He sure wasn't against it and he made that clear when when he turned his palm upwards to grasp her wrist. It did seem strange that a girl of her status was acting as she was. He had to remind himself she wasn't always of the higher class. She had spent her younger years traveling with her father both to Japan and England. She may have never been poor, but she certainly wasn't pampered her whole life and expected to act as a lady and no less. He assumed her aunt to be the type to make her act ladylike and now that Avaron was unsupervised and not in the public scene, she could be free to drop the facade and be herself. She had mentioned her aunt would be thrilled to know she was spending time with friends. Perhaps this was the first time in a long time she actually got to feel relaxed and truly be herself with someone else. She was the same charming girl he had been getting to know, but more laxed and opened.
She chuckled at his last statement. "Awfully?"
"Hai. Perhaps too much for your own good." He smirked as he gave a playful tug to her arm to pull her closer to him.
She reached her arm over to his opposite side to support herself as she reached her other had up to touch his face and bring it towards hers. "Hm. Maybe that's why we get along so well." She was close enough so that their noses nearly touched. He nearly caved and had even leaned in himself to take the risk to finally be able to kiss her...
….That was before a loud snore erupted from the corner Koharu resided in as she slept soundly. Soujiro lowered his head below Avaron's gaze and released the breath he had been holding in and burst into soft laughter so not to wake Koharu.
She chuckled softly, not just at Koharu, but at Soujiro when she realized he had held his breath at some point for her sake because he still feared of infecting her.
"This is just torture now. We're both being reckless," he uttered out still keeping his gaze turned away. "Probably shouldn't be doing this while Koharu is here anyway."
Despite those words, she could tell he was smiling and directed her hand to caress through the side of his hair while his head was still turned away. "You at least believe me now, don't you? That I have no fear of you?"
"Very much so." He reached his hand for the third time to grasp hers still stroking his hair.
There had been such little human contact he's felt that was so gentle. Yumi had probably been the first to display similar affection for him and Koharu had her moments, but nothing compared now to how Avaron made him feel and how she displayed her affection for him.
Part of it still scared him. Over the course of the last few months, his emotions had pushed him to an edge that had made him feel weak and vulnerable all over again. Anger and sadness had particularly played the biggest role as a result of Koharu' s own ignorance and stubbornness, or even his own flaws. In some ways, it had trained him how to handle his emotions with care, but he knew in other cases, he would still be far too quick to cross the line to the extreme. Fear had recently made him act to such extremes.
While he felt no negative emotions with Avaron, he knew he was feeling strongly for her. He didn't know if it was his own untrained emotions pushing him back towards the edge where he shouldn't be daring to near, or if it was normal to be feeling this way. It was new and he couldn't be sure to be cautious or lower all defenses completely. It still seemed too good to be true. Koharu was proof, however, that he could be accepted and loved as he was despite his dark past. He just hoped Avaron could accept it all too.
"I wasn't kidding when I said I need to leave you to rest," she lowered her hand to Soujiro's dismay. "I don't want to be impeding your recovery."
"You're not in the least," he assured her. "I don't sleep well anyway." He neglected to think that time of how long she had spent away from home...or chose to ignore that fact.
Avaron only smiled and stood from him. "That won't do." She approached the table where the wrap she had gotten for him was folded. She knelt down behind him and placed the wrap over his shoulders and kept her arms draped around him to encourage him to lean against her. "All my efforts to get you well will be useless if you won't sleep."
How she held him now brought him back to how often he remembered seeing Yumi hold Shishio in such a way. Despite being the strongest man alive, Yumi had still been protective of him and Shishio never prevented her from being able to hold him in such a way. Why couldn't he let Avaron? He used to scoff at the sight of Yumi and Shishio being a little too affectionate with each other, but now because he had witnessed how the two cared for each other, he knew he didn't have to reject to how Avaron cared for him.
He gently clasped his hand over one of her protective arms and leaned back against her. He was happy to have her remain by his side just a while longer. They only ended up exchanging some words within the next few minutes, but it wasn't long before Soujiro was already closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.
"You know, Soujiro," she continued conversing. "I never met him, but my late uncle served as an imperial soldier. He died long before I came to stay with my aunt but-"
"Hm?" He grunted softly. Maybe he was being a little selfish. He was falling asleep faster than she expected.
Once she saw how far along he was to sleeping, she didn't dare risk trying to disturb him anymore. She smiled fondly as her arms became more snug around him and she leaned her head against his. "It can wait…." She whispered as she closed her eyes.
The next morning, Soujiro was woken up by a soft shake of his shoulder. His brow arched from the disturbance before he opened his hazy eyes to see Koharu knelt down beside him. "What is it, Koharu?" He woke up to find himself laying comfortably on his side.
"I'm just concerned is all.…Is everything all right?"
"Hai." He smiled rather dreamily. "It's actually the best sleep I've had... ever." He yawned as he shifted to his back to stretch and yawn…. His eyes snapped wide when he felt another stirring next to him. It took a moment before he could will himself to crane his head to the side. He saw nothing but tangled auburn hair fill his view.
"You could have left her more room then," Koharu said as she crossed her arms shamefully at him.
"Avaron!" He yelled as he sat up on his palms.
Avaron immediately sat up in alarm but still with her back to him. "What?" She then twisted around to face them to see Koharu' s perplexed face, but particularly Soujiro's mortified face. She immediately backed away onto the floorboard and bowed shamefully. "Forgive me. You're right. It was improper of me. I did try to make sure to leave you adequate room and slept with my back turned."
"And gave you the whole blanket," Koharu felt the need to draw attention to.
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" He yelled at both of them.
"Well, what else was I supposed to do?" She rose halfway from her bow. "Walk alone in the streets of Tokyo at the darkest hours?"
Soujiro had not even considered that until now. In fact, if he would have woken up to find her gone, he would have been concerned about that very thing. He would have been just as mortified if she had chosen to sleep on the floorboard.
He knelt down before her and made her sit up straight from the unnecessary bow. "No. You're absolutely right." He couldn't help but notice as he raised her from the bow how her wavy locks of hair had fallen from her braid and fell over her shoulders down to her waist. He didn't think he had ever seen a woman with her hair let down before. "I'm just concerned about your reputation is all. People saw us coming in together and if they see you exiting alone.…" He dropped his head into his palm. "This is my fault." She even tried to leave at a decent hour and I made it too obvious I wanted her to stay.
He was most perplexed when Avaron began chuckling out loud. "You had me worried. I thought you might actually be angry." She didn't seem bothered by her reputation being affected.
He shrugged. "It's not like I have much of a reputation to uphold. That must have been evident to you yesterday," he said, referring to his fight with Sanosuke. "You know, you could have slept more comfortably with Koharu. I'm sure she wouldn't have mind sharing-Ow!" He yelled when Koharu smacked his right arm that was still injured. He glowered at her as he clutched his arm. "What the heck was that for?"
"And you think I'm daft," she crossed her arms again. "She obviously felt the need to stay with you. Maybe she just wanted to despite being uncomfortable. You'll just embarrass her saying that though. And you're a samurai for crying out loud. Aren't you trained to be more aware of your surroundings or something like that? Like sense stuff? Like another human being laying next to you?"
He was the one embarrassed now. "You have a point.…" He could admit. "But I'm prone to sense danger or an attack before it happens. Last thing I felt was danger when waking up this morning." He smiled at Avaron.
Avaron had slowly turned red from both their comments. She humbly clasped her hands on her lap without meeting his gaze. "Actually, it might surprise you to know my reputation isn't so noble. There's no need to stress yourself over it."
Soujiro raised a questionable brow and was caught between questioning it out loud or not. Before he could think about questioning it out loud, Koharu spoke up first. "I don't really understand what the matter is. But if it's so bad for you two to be seen together, than just leave when no one can see you."
"And how do you expect me to do that?"
Koharu pointed at the closest window.
Her brow flattened. "Koharu, we're two stories high."
Koharu shrugged as she crossed her arms. "It's no problem for Sou. He's flown me across rooftops before." It almost sounded like she was bragging. "That's really how he earned Aoi-tori as a nickname. It's not just because he wears blue."
Avaron gazed doubtfully at her and looked to Soujiro to side with her on the matter.
He laughed as he got to his feet. "It's actually not a bad idea. If no one sees you leave, it can't be assumed you stayed overnight with me." She still thought he was joking until he approached the window and opened it. "It's not a main road and it's clear right now. Come on," he said as he extended his hand out to her. "I can get you down easily."
It was Avaron's turn to be mortified. She stood straight with her fists clenched. "Seta Soujiro! You're not jumping out a second story window!"
"Oh?" He smirked as he faced her completely. She practically just challenged him. "Are you afraid?"
"Obviously! I'd rather risk my reputation." She only seemed to blink and stepped back nervously before he was gone from view. A second later, she bumped into him from behind and yelped before he clasped his hand over her mouth and restrained her against him.
He arched her head back just enough to whisper into her ear. "I'd rather not. Try not to scream, okay?"
She barely managed to muffle out an angry scream before she was shoved forward. She would have tripped by how fast he was maneuvering if he didn't take her into his arms right before jumping through the open window. By the time Koharu rushed to look out the window, Soujiro was already placing her safely on her feet. "Very good, Avaron," he gave a small clap for her. "Koharu fainted the first time."
"I heard that, Baka!"
Avaron clenched het fists before she whirled around raising her finger up to his face. " Why you little-"
"Watch it. We are trying to protect your reputation." He reminded with a crooked grin.
She dropped her finger from his face. "How you-how did- Didn't that hurt you at all?" She finally managed a full sentence.
He shook his head nonchalantly. "Nope."
"Oh…." Her demeanor changed completely to astonishment. "That was… incredible." She then hid her chuckle behind her hand. "….aoi-tori."
He frowned and dropped his shoulders. "Not you too-"
She clasped the side of his face and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Arigato, Soujiro." She looked up towards the window at Koharu. "Make sure he continues resting… especially after performing that stunt."
"Well do, Avaron." Koharu waved.
"Take care," she said, lowering her hand from his face.
"Hai…." It was all he could manage while fighting the urge to blush. He was still failing miserably. He slouched against the wall as he watched her leave, appearing a little more than content.
Just before she could turn completely off the street, she remembered something she wanted to say before he had fallen asleep the night before. "Oh, yes. Sou-" She turned to face him to catch him before he left. Her jaw dropped.
He was already no longer leaning against the wall where she last left him, but now perched back in the window. "How on earth did-" She stopped when he smirked at her like he could hear her even though she had traveled to the other end of the street.
"Show off," Koharu spat. "I didn't even know you could do that."
He jumped from the window back inside. He turned to offer Avaron one last wave. She returned a halfhearted wave. "How do you think I got us on that roof that day we met?"
"I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. I was.…" She stopped and looked up at him to see him already smirking down at her. "…sleeping at the time."
As promised, Soujiro, for once in his life, took a day off. He couldn't remember a day in his life he had done so little activity. The first sunlight in days beamed into their room not allowing room for rest. He also couldn't just leave Koharu to take on the quiet and inactivity herself…she would end up bugging him anyway. He couldn't blame her. He would probably be the same way. Instead, he found different ways to keep themselves entertained and started with trusting her to bring them some tea. He only prayed the poor girl wouldn't trip and fall while having to carry the dishes up a flight of stairs in her new kimono. Then came lunch, which provided an opportunity for Koharu to practice using her chopsticks. Koharu was finally eating her meal the smoothest Soujiro has been able to see her manage.
Koharu placed her empty bowl on the table they were seated at and gazed at Soujiro with confidence beaming in her ebony eyes. "I almost don't feel like the same person I was when we met. I couldn't even use chopsticks." She clicked her utensils together as if it was something to show off. "Here I am now in a beautiful kimono, eating and drinking tea like a proper lady."
"I think you have a long way to go still before saying 'proper' lady," he teased.
She glowered.
He chuckled and sipped on his leftover tea. He lowered the cup and smiled for her. "No, you're right, Koharu. I'm proud and happy for you."
"This is how it should be for us," she went on excitedly. " In spring and summer, we shall wander all over the world, and then in autumn, we decide where we want to take shelter through winter and reside there for the whole season. It will be like taking a vacation from our vacation." She giggled.
He scoffed. "Even before meeting you Koharu, it's been everything but a vacation for me... but I see what you mean. I guess you still think being wanderers is the life that suits us?"
"Hai. This is great in small doses," she held up her cup while gazing at her surroundings she thought luxurious. "But my happiest and fondest memories will be traveling by your side... us against the world. I've never been happier and I'm far from being ready to have it over."
He chuckled again.
Koharu raised her brow. She could tell by how he forced his chuckle and his lack of enthusiasm that he didn't feel as strongly as she did. "You don't want to keep wandering?"
"That's difficult for me to answer right now. I know I have much to learn still, but part of me is wanting to belong somewhere already." He shrugged, as if confused by his own words. "You've brought a lot of light into my life Koharu and you have yet to understand how you did that. And because I met you and took you in, it led me to Avaron, which also led me to remember an important part of my past. I never would have risked opening up to her if you didn't force your way in my life first.… " He stared down at his cup getting lost in his own reflection seen in his drink. "….. And the past two days being with both of you here in Tokyo, I almost feel like I've always belonged here. It's a feeling I've never experienced before... and I love it." He then laughed to himself. "It sounds absurd saying it all out loud."
Koharu was grinning from ear to ear. "I don't think I ever heard you use love in a sentence. You must really mean it." She giggled.
He smiled fondly and admitted it with a shy nod.
His smile slowly dissolved. "But as long as long as the Meiji keeps coming after me…." He couldn't even finish the sentence. He closed his eyes. "None of this can ever be real."
"Sou!" Koharu spat angrily. She got to her feet to stare down at him.
He opened his eyes.
"I think you're becoming a little too soft! I love you as this sweet Seta Soujiro, but I think you need a lesson from Tenken no Soujiro."
"You didn't know me as the Tenken." He now shifted his gaze up towards her.
"I have gotten a pretty good idea!" She placed her hands on her hips. She then held out her fingers as she went down the list. "He was loyal to his master and his master's beliefs, and he wouldn't let anything stand in his way. He never gave it a second thought. He knew he was strong and never doubted his abilities. He knew he would succeed no matter the task given him."
Soujiro was stunned. It was like she had known him after all.
"Instead of being loyal to your master's ways and beliefs, you need to be loyal to your ways and beliefs now. Know that you're strong and that you'll succeed in the things you want now. Don't ever doubt any of it. I bet Tenken no Soujiro would simply want it, and take it." She smacked her fist into her palm to make her point.
It was an interesting thought. He knew Kenshin no longer wanted to be associated with his former name and Soujiro naturally thought himself he needed to leave his former name completely behind. But a twelve year old was saying otherwise. Want it, and take it. She makes it sound so simple. She's right though. Tenken no Soujiro knew he was always going to succeed. He hid his smile as he finished his drink.
He couldn't deny it now. He missed having that confidence.
Unlike Kenshin, he actually found himself missing some aspects of his former self. It wasn't just suppressing his emotions that made him act so fearless. The Tenken knew that he was also just that good. What happened to that confidence? …. I guess Kenshin did that much damage. He sighed inwardly. Though, I think Koharu just ended up telling me how to rebuild my confidence.….
You need to be loyal to your ways and beliefs now. Know that you're strong and that you'll succeed in the things you want now. Don't ever doubt any of it.
She's asking if I can remain the person she's come to know with just some aspects of the Tenken. She wants both, he laughed inwardly. Just when I thought it couldn't get anymore complicated.
AN: Just because I said it isn't a love story didn't mean I wasn't going to eventually add it in. I just wanted it clear from the beginning it's not a love story between him and Koharu.
Honestly, it's not really my thing to write… at all.… to write a love story let alone romantic scenes. But most good stories (Not saying this is any good) have a love interest, right? And since this is about Soujiro discovering himself, it's bound to be something he'll discover on his own and learn why Shishio made it apart of his life XD…. yep I feel ridiculous. I went way out of my comfort zone here!
I also think it's funny on my part how there's some medieval influence in my fanfictions. Avaron (again means Avalon) and how I've drawn and described her is the typical medieval maiden I like to sketch but now with a Japanese twist. I love it! Before writing fan fictions, Medieval or medieval/fantasy is what I typically wrote and I think its safe to say the creation of Avaron is influenced by other characters I've created in the past and no one ever got to read about. :( She's definitely a special character to me!
I joke with my brother how Kenshin has to be part Irish because of his red hair. (Not that they're the only ones born with natural red hair) I don't think there's any other character in the show with red hair so it can confirm my theory.
Fan fiction idea: Kenshin's European heritage!
….sorry if I'm just ruining a good show all around.….