AN: A couple of people have asked about the pairings, it is Kenshin/Kaoru.
I'm sorry I'm so late in posting this. When I went to post the chapter my computer pretty much crashed. To make up for the delay I'm going to post Chapter 9 today, and Chapter 10 tomorrow.
Also, Thank you to those who reviewed: Eternal Spring89, sapphireracoongal, Threedaysunrise, Desanity Rin,
Hitokiri Hisao Yukihime- I couldn't possibly do that to Enishi! Yume-chan agrees with you though...I can understand why people don't like him, but personally he's my favorite character.
noneedforprozac27- They weren't riding in the same car. Misao convinved Kenshin to come at the last minute, so he drove himself.
Anonymous but very interested- Misao and Megumi do know of Kenshin's feelings, but there really isn't much they can do to help him. Kaoru's just too stubborn for her own good, lol. Tomoe is Enishi's sister, I could never write her as anything else, she plays too big ofa part in Enishi's life for me to change that. I like answering questions, sometimes anyway. I look forward to your reviews, because you always ask intelligent questions, or mention something that everyone else seems to overlook until it becomes an important factor. Also, the pairing is Kenshin and Kaoru, but Enishi isn't going to be left out, he also ends up with someone else -
Sorry if I forgot anyone.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, or the song "The Funeral of Hearts" by HIM
Always and Forever
Chapter 8- The Club
Kaoru sat at a table off to the side of the dance floor, a drink in her hand. They'd been there for a couple of hours already, and Kaoru found herself getting bored. She wasn't fond of dancing, though Megumi and Misao had dragged her out on the dance floor several times, much to the amusement of Enishi. Kenshin, who hadn't said a word to her all night, sat beside her, watching her fidget with her glass.
Laughing, Kaoru watched as Enishi danced with Megumi, who had, at Kaoru's insistence, pulled him onto the dance floor. As Kaoru watched the two, Misao flopped down in the chair next to her.
"You've sat here enough tonight, Kao-chan," Misao grinned evilly. "Besides, you haven't danced with Kenshin yet."
"I don't want to dance with him," Kaoru responded quickly, picking up on Misao's idea.
"You owe him though."
"No, I don't." She glanced at the man beside her. He sat there, idly sipping his own drink, while pretending not to listen to their conversation.
"Yes, you do. He waited five years for you; he never even so much as looked at another woman while you were gone. I think the least you can do, for making that five-year wait be for nothing, is dance with him. Isn't that right, Kenshin?" She leaned back in her seat so that she could see the red head on the other side of her friend. Kenshin gave her a questioning look.
"Come on, Kaoru, you have to dance with him at least once," Misao pestered, deciding that the red head wasn't going to help.
"No, Misao. I'm engaged to Enishi, it just wouldn't be right to dance with my ex when I'm engaged." A warm arm wrapped around her waist.
"Go on, love, you can dance with him," Enishi told her softly.
"Are you sure?" She asked quietly.
"Yes," he kissed her cheek before pulling away to grab his jacket from one of the other chairs.
"Where are you going?" Kaoru asked, confused.
"I'm heading back to the dojo. You should stay and have fun with your friends while you're here." He gave her a quick peck on the lips and disappeared into the crowd in the general direction of the door.
Misao grinned at the two sitting at the table, then turned and went to request a song for them. She returned a few minutes later to find the two still sitting at the table ignoring each other.
"What song?" Kaoru asked when Misao returned.
"This one," Misao grinned as the song changed. "Go on!" She pushed the couple towards the dance floor. With a sigh, Kenshin took Kaoru's hand and lead her onto the dance floor. Kaoru looked over her shoulder in time to see Misao and Megumi laughing while watching her and Kenshin.
Kenshin prevented her from wondering what her friends were up to by turning her away from them and slipping his arms around her waist. A spark of pleasure ran through him as he realized that Kaoru and Enishi hadn't danced like this. Kaoru wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying the feel of him in her arms more than she thought she should.
Love's the funeral of hearts
An ode for cruelty
When angels cry blood
On flowers of evil in bloom
The funeral of hearts
And a plea for mercy
When love is a gun
Separating me from you
Kenshin steered them towards a corner away from everyone else.
"Enishi was stupid to let you dance with me," he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
"He was," she agreed without thinking.
She was the sun
Shining upon
The tomb of your hopes and dreams so frail
He was the moon
Painting you
With its glow so vulnerable and pale
Love's the funeral of hearts
And an ode for cruelty
When angels cry blood
On flowers of evil in bloom
He chuckled at her, running a hand up and down her back.
Kaoru couldn't think straight, not with Kenshin as close as he was, not with him running a warm hand up and down her back. She had known it wasn't a good idea to dance with him. His touch was driving her crazy,driving all thoughts of Enishi out of her mind.
The funeral of hearts
And a plea for mercy
When love is a gun
Separating me from you
She was the wind, carrying in
All the troubles and fears you've for years tried to forget
He was the fire, restless and wild
And you were like a moth to that flame
"I'm sorry," she whispered, breaking the silence.
"About what?" He pulled away just enough to look into her eyes.
"Everything. For slapping you. For breaking our promise."
"You're forgiven."
The heretic seal beyond divine
A prayer to a god who's deaf and blind
The last rites for souls on fire
Three little words and a question - why?
Love's the funeral of hearts
And an ode to cruelty
When angels cry blood
On flowers of evil in bloom
"How can you forgive so easily?" The question slipped out before Kaoru could stop it.
"When you love someone, forgiving them comes as easily as loving them."
The funeral of hearts
And a plea for mercy
When love is a gun
Separating me from you
Kenshin pulled back a little as the song ended. Kaoru looked up at him curiously. He took the chance the slight movement gave him and leaned in to kiss her, pausing when his lips were barely brushing hers. Kaoru's blue eyes widened when his amethyst gaze locked with hers. Seeing this, Kenshin started to pull away, only to be stopped when Kaoru tightened her arms around his neck.
"Kaoru…" he started, only to be cut off by Kaoru's lips on his. He smiled into the kiss, surprised, yet happy, that she'd initiated it.
Slowly she pulled away, her eyes locking with his for a moment. Her blue eyes widened suddenly, she pulled away and quickly made her way back through the crowd to where her friends were.
"Misao, I want to go home now," she'd barely reached her friends before the words were out of her mouth. Without waiting for Misao to respond, she pulled her heels back on, grabbed her purse and jacket, and headed for the door.
"I don't want to leave yet… but I suppose I have to," Misao turned to grab her jacket when she felt a hand on her arm.
"I'll take her home," it was Kenshin.
"She probably asked Misao to take her home for a reason, Ken-san. She didn't look to happy….." Megumi trailed off, leaving her sentence open for Kenshin to explain.
"We had an argument, Megumi, it's something her and I need to talk about, whether she wants to or not."
Misao looked likeshe wanted toprotest athis statement when Aoshi stepped in.
"Let him take her home, Misao." Misao looked torn between arguing and doing as her boyfriend asked her.
"All right," she conceded.
"Just don't push her, Kenshin," Megumi warned.
"I won't," he said, grabbing his jacket and following Kaoru's path towards the door.