Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

The Bargain
Little Child

Little child, won't you dance with me?

I'm so sad and lonely

Baby take a chance with me

February

He heard the tell-tale beeping of his front door lock and smiled, knowing who was coming inside his apartment.

A stressed Kaoru, regardless of how she looked, was always adorable in his eyes. And he loved how comfortable she had become in his home. Smiling, he listened as she took off the strappy heels she was wearing and let her violin case and other belongings crash on the floor.

They didn't carpool to school that morning like they've been doing since the last month because of an event she had to attend off-campus that afternoon. Normally he would've insisted that they do, but he had two exams that day that he needed to cram for. So the two of them had agreed to have dinner at his place instead to wind down.

Kenshin was currently finishing the braised beef noodle soup he had prepared, stirring a few more spices into the pot. He saw her walking over to where he was, likely headed for the fridge to get a glass of water.

He was about to taste the readiness of the soup when he froze, feeling her lock him into a gentle embrace from behind, her head resting face-first into the middle of his shoulders.

Chuckling at her affectionate gesture, he placed his free hand tenderly over her crossed arms. "Tough day, love?"

She sighed, and the warm rush of air that went through his cashmere sweater almost made him shiver. "Like you wouldn't believe." She muttered, the sound muffled by his clothes. "I love kids, I really do. Just not when they're screaming."

Laughing, he put the soup ladle down by the boiling pot and turned around to return her embrace. "Well, you're home now." He replied affectionately, kissing the top of her head as he did so. "Why don't you sit down and we'll have some hot noodles and just enjoy this shriek-free zone?"

She nodded into his shirt, giving him another squeeze before stepping away. "What's for dinner?"

"Beef noodle soup", he shrugged as he turned off the stove and started dividing the noodles into two bowls. "Figured comfort food would help us ward off the chill."

"I know how we can ward off the chill properly." Kaoru said seductively. "Soup can be for dessert."

He grinned. "Love, we're the only ones here. I could do whatever I want with you and no one would know." Carefully maneuvering his way around the blue-eyed girl, he continued. "Be careful what you wish for, yeah?"

She laughed at that and grabbed some utensils, following him into the dining table and sitting at her usual seat adjacent from the redhead who sat at the head of the table. The bowls of soup were placed in front of their respective seats, ready to be devoured.

Her mouth watering at the scent, she reached over and kissed him innocently on the cheek. "Thanks for dinner, Red."

He smiled and told her to dig in, taking his spoon and enjoying the warm broth as it slid down his throat. He watched Kaoru do the same and hum in appreciation, her free hand reaching for his on and off throughout the meal.

Since it was a Friday, they had the luxury of enjoying some free time before they had to dive back into their schoolwork. Kenshin scrolled leisurely through his Netflix on his TV in the living room as he waited for Kaoru to finish cleaning up so she could join him on the couch as per usual. They had asked if their other friends wanted to join them that night, but all of them had other businesses that they had to attend to.

Honestly though, Kenshin was happy that they were busy. He was unabashedly getting used to being alone with Kaoru and her warm attention. The routine they had now felt so familiar that it was like they've been doing this for years—and it wasn't at all awkward to jump in.

They've been nearly inseparable since the day that they talked, and she had opened up to him so easily that he sometimes forgets that they're just friends; and that it's Kaoru's nature to be affectionate. He had seen her being similarly close to Sano, and the hugs and kisses she would shower Aoshi with went by unnoticed by everyone as well. It was just the way she is, he thinks. She wants everyone around her to feel loved. Besides, she isn't like that to every guy she knows. Just the ones that she trusts and holds close to her heart, which was a short enough list as it is.

He had seen how she acted around other people, and it was vastly different from how she was around their group of friends and her fellow musician, Enishi. There was a vague coldness to her that isn't really evident at first glance, but it's something one can feel when making an effort to get to know her. She still gave off a welcoming vibe, but there was a limit that she would enforce on unfamiliar interactions.

He noticed how she would stand a bit straighter, smile a little less warmly, and mostly keep her hands to herself—making sure that she was out of reach and inaccessible. She had calculated responses that, while it didn't throw people off from wanting to be closer to her, just made the boundary between her and them clear as day.

Which is why he was so grateful that she let him in; and even more grateful that she felt so comfortable around him. He knew he was in dangerous territory though—for himself, not for his friend. He knew that he would soon long for her little loving gestures even if she wasn't nearby, and that he would want even more from what they already shared.

He had thought about asking her out before, but he was too afraid of how it could play out. This fear stopped him from doing anything, even though he knew that everyone around them—including schoolmates who would see them around campus, already thought that they were dating.

It had become a running inside joke among their friends, though. Every time Kenshin or Kaoru would invite them to do something, it would always be followed up with snide comments about how they didn't have to keep up appearances and act like nothing was going on between them. Kenshin always looked at the blue-eyed girl's reaction afterwards, just to see if she was as affected as he was. Unfortunately though, he still has not acquired the talent of reading her mind—or even her body language. So for now, he decided to just go with the flow.

Admittedly, seeing her behave in the same manner towards Sano, Aoshi, and Enishi still pinged his surprising jealousy. But he was thankful that, at the very least, she wasn't seeing someone romantically. There have been a few courageous souls who have tried approaching her through him, of all people, but he was quick to inform them that "no, she's not available".

Sighing to break out of his thoughts as she laid her head on his lap sideways so she could look at the screen comfortably, he brought the arm closer to her down so he could run his fingers through her coconut-scented hair.

"That feels nice," she purred, letting the arm not pillowing her head stretch over his lap to give him an odd hug.

He chuckled. "You say that every time."

"Because it feels nice every time."

Kenshin didn't bother responding anymore, watching as her eyes stared blankly at the screen in front of them. "Do you have plans tomorrow?"

"Rehearsal. I booked one of the studios under the auditorium from ten to five." She sighed. "Could've spread it out, but I didn't want to touch my Sunday."

"Ten to five?" his eyes widened. "It's a weekend though."

"Yeah, which is why I was able to book it, I think." Kaoru said absently. "Lots of people are trying to get more studio time. I'm sure Misao has the same problem."

The redhead thought back to earlier that week, when he noted how the usually energetic girl did seem a bit tired. "I guess you have a point."

"Why? Did you want to go somewhere or whatever?"

"No, I was just curious." He said, not pointing out the fact that they always spent their weekends together these days, with or without their friends. Quickly changing his plans, he offered—"want a ride? I'm staying at the library tomorrow. I need to work on my thesis."

Her brows furrowed at what he just said, and she turned to look up at his purple eyes. "That might be difficult, no?"

Kenshin rolled his eyes, "Don't be ridiculous. The library's right next to the auditorium and has a shared parking space. Also," he pointed out, "isn't this why phones were invented?"

She laughed and went back to her original position, sighing happily as her friend continued his earlier ministrations. "I guess so. Okay then, meet at the café downstairs for breakfast?"

"What, getting tired of my cooking?" He teased.

Scoffing, she said, "More like wanting to give you a break from mothering."

"I like taking care of you, Kaoru."

He knew his sudden seriousness caught her off guard because he felt her tense up for a second, but only for a second. She shook her head and rubbed her nose against his jeans, muffling out an "I know" before focusing on the screen again.

She pointed to a movie that looked interesting and he clicked on the Watch Now button, dimming the lights through his phone and settling down to enjoy the lighthearted family flick with her.

And that appeared to be that.

"I'm dead," groaned Sano, leaning heavily against the yellow couch in Kaoru's apartment as his friends chuckled around him. "I'm dead-er than dead. I'm just dead."

Their host, who was seated between him and Kenshin, reached for the stressed man's arm and wrapped it around herself, snuggling deeper into the half-embrace she had made for them and swinging her legs so they hung in between his. "Aww, long day, buddy?"

Snorting callously, he replied. "I've been up for almost 48 hours now. This is more than a long day."

She hummed and closed her eyes, happy with the cocoon of warmth she got from her typically brutish friend. Kenshin felt her wiggling around to get to a more comfortable position, keeping his eyes trained on the glass of wine he was holding and trying not to let any sign of jealousy manifest itself in front of everyone.

The group was together again, though not on purpose this time. They all just happened to trickle into the violinist's apartment one by one throughout the day. The first to arrive was Misao, still in her practice clothes underneath the long emerald green coat she wore, complaining about the difficulty of her graduation piece. She was followed by Megumi and Aoshi a couple hours later as the ballerina napped in the guest room, then Sano—who was looking for Megumi.

Which is why Kenshin was surprised when he heard them laughing and talking merrily when he entered her flat with a nice bottle of Merlot. There hasn't really been other people around since he began his almost daily visits to his blue-eyed friend, so he was used to being greeted with silence, music, or light sounds from the television whenever he'd drop by.

There was an assortment of takeout food on the counter, and he helped himself to a burger that was still relatively warm and offered a glass of wine to those who wanted one.

It was the third week of February now, and everyone was gearing up for the conclusion of the last month of their university life. The weight of the unknown and what comes next hung around them like a raincloud, but it wasn't something they could pay attention to right now given the weight of their schoolwork.

Each of them had rough plans, though. Kenshin and Sano would, as expected, join his Uncle's company's workforce as middle-management trainees and work their way up. This way, they would get a chance to rotate among the different departments and choose which one they would like to really specialize in after about six months. It would be a nice professional experience, though Kenshin knew that his Uncle would eventually pull him into higher-level things as soon as he felt ready. It's what's expected of him, after all.

Megumi had already received an early acceptance into the university hospital in the middle of the city—which she was very happy about. So happy, in fact, that when she sent in her confirmation, she dragged all of them to a club and shoved tequila shots down their throats to celebrate. It was the first time that they had seen her let loose, so it was a very amusing night.

Kaoru ended up spending the night at Kenshin's apartment, throwing up in his bathroom while he nursed her back to sobriety. Since he was pretty shit-faced too though, they had ended up falling asleep on the cold bathroom floor, her head on his lap as he leaned against the cold tiled wall.

He remembers that night fondly now as one of those college moments you'll never forget. But more importantly, it was the night that his more-than-friends attraction for Kaoru was cemented. Only infatuated people can look at someone's wasted and groggy face and still think that that someone was beautiful after all.

Misao, who felt like she was not ready to take on the whole brunt of the ballet community just yet, had opted to enroll part-time into their university's extended dance program. This would give her a chance to rehearse at a higher caliber than the bachelor's class, while still having time to receive more training from the Tokyo Ballet, where she had been accepted as a new member of their Corps de Ballet.

Aoshi would be continuing his law studies in the same university, not wanting to risk getting some of his class credits disregarded, and putting him on the right track to be eligible to take the bar exam in three years' time.

That leaves Kaoru, the petite girl who was sitting beside him and looking increasingly tired as every minute passed. He had tried asking her several times before about her post-graduation plans, hoping that she would stay somewhere within reach instead of jetting away to a more prestigious music school abroad.

He knew that it was selfish of him to think that, and he often gave himself a firm mental scolding whenever he did, but he couldn't help it. 'Why did it take so long for me to see her?' he bemoaned.

Alas, he had to take what he was given even though it made his chest hurt something awful. Not that he was being given much anyway, he told himself. She always found a way to avoid answering his innocent queries; and he most certainly did not have the right to press her for more. Her affectionate gestures did not mean anything, which was made evident by who was currently on the receiving end of those affections.

As if on cue, Sano, who usually shirked away from such gestures, turned his lazy gaze over to the redhead on the other side of the couch. He must have seen something in his carefully guarded expression because instead of getting up and gently pushing Kaoru away, he had looked into his eyes as he placed a tender kiss on the musician's forehead, earning him a bright smile from the woman in his arms.

Kenshin's face twitched and he almost growled at the display, wanting to beat the smirk off of his long-time friend as he looked away. He knew that Sano was goading him—he had been since he found them cuddled up on the couch a couple weeks back, but it was difficult to not give into his rising temper.

"What about you, Kenshin?" Misao asked.

Caught off guard by the question because he was lost in his thoughts again, he shook his head and smiled sheepishly at the ballerina. "Sorry, Misao. I missed that."

The petite girl rolled her yes. "I asked if you wanted to do a post-graduation trip. We all have a couple weeks off after graduation before the real world starts kicking our asses."

Shrugging, he glanced over at Sano. "I'm sure my uncle wouldn't mind us not starting at the company right away. Where were you thinking?"

"God." Misao moaned. "It's like you don't pay attention to anyone who isn't Kaoru."

The redhead felt his face slowly matching the color of his hair at what his friend said. Still, he tried to maintain his dignity amidst the low chuckles of the group and Kaoru's mirthful gaze. "The beach?" he asked lamely, clearing his throat and swallowing the spoonful of embarrassment he had just been served.

"Cambodia, maybe." Megumi interjected, having pity on him but still wearing a teasing grin.

"Don't they eat dogs there?" Sano asked lazily as he played with Kaoru's hair.

Scoffing, the doctor-in-training replied, "There are places all over the world where dogs are acceptable cuisine. But we're not going there for the food."

"Who's interested in the Angkor Wat?" Kenshin asked.

Kaoru finally, thankfully sat up from Sano's lap and joined in. "I am. And Aoshi wants to see the Killing Fields."

"The Killing…" the tall business major sat up straight, a baffled look on his face as he looked at the cold man standing by the window. "The Killing Fields as in the movie?"

Nodding expressionlessly, Aoshi replied. "There is indeed a movie called The Killing Fields, but that movie was inspired by the actual Killing Fields from the Khmer Rouge regime."

Sano blinked a few times at what he just heard, and looked around the room to see if anyone was fucking with him or if they were all genuinely interested in what the usually silent man just said. Disturbed by what he did see, he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "You know, people here actually think we're cool." He continued, "You're telling me y'all want to spend the one carefree vacation we'll have in months on a school trip? 'Cause that's what all of this sounds like."

"Not everyone wants to be an ignorant oaf like you." Megumi pointed out. "And no one's forcing you to join us, rooster-head. You can stay here and do whatever it is that you like doing."

Shaking his head, he mumbled. "The only thing worse than going there with you is not going."

"Great!" Misao clapped, jumping up and tallying the room again. "Kenshin?"

"Why abroad? We can stay at my parents' house in the mountains, if that would be easier for everyone. I'm sure they won't mind if I bring friends over for a few days."

"By house, he means summer palace." Sanosuke teased.

Shaking her head, Misao looked at the two boys. "It'll be fun if we go overseas for this one." She said excitedly. "Besides, don't you want adventure? New place, new people, new food. We'll explore in the day and drink ourselves silly at night."

"The drinking," his best friend pointed out with a raised finger. "The drinking is something that makes sense to me. I'm in."

Kaoru giggled as she stood up to stretch. "I'll go too. It'll be fun to travel, especially since I just got my passport."

"You've never been out of the country?" Kenshin asked.

There was a brief moment of silence as everyone looked at him and he bit his tongue harshly, punishing it for being a stupid piece of shit.

Her eyes widened, but she masked it quickly with a shake of the head, playfully saying, "Not everyone grew up like a prince, Himura-sama."

Sighing in relief, he nodded; not trusting himself to say anything else aside from, "I'll come too."

The rest of the group confirmed their participation, electing Aoshi to make the travel reservations and final itinerary. The law student agreed nonchalantly, as if he was expecting the responsibility to be given to him the minute they all started talking about traveling together.

The discussion seemed to have energized all of them. Talks about the stress they were facing because of schoolwork faded into nothingness as they talked instead about interesting places they would like to go during their stay there, and what they would like to do.

Kaoru, at one point, ended up leaning against him as they listened to Misao talk about the appropriate amount of time to stay in the country. Sano, amazingly, was also participating in the planning.

It was decided that they would stay there for two weeks, split into two cities. One week in Siem Reap, for Kaoru's Angkor Wat visit, and another in Phnom Penh to see the Killing Fields, as Aoshi had suggested.

Kenshin had fallen silent, content with supporting Kaoru's head as she slowly nodded off. He was interested in the trip, yes, but he was also content to just go along with what his friends would come up with.

He was also getting distracted by the musician's coconut-scented hair, but he was not going to let himself go too deep in that line of thinking.

Noticing that their host was now soundly asleep, they slowly and quietly bid goodbye to the redhead, who was obviously tasked with making sure that Kaoru was alright. Everyone saw the dark circles under her eyes—which really wasn't any different from theirs as they were products of late-night cramming and exhaustive studying. Nodding to everyone, Kenshin waited for the click of the door's automatic lock to slide in place before he started moving.

Slowly, he maneuvered his hand in between her head and his shoulder, to make sure that she remains mostly undisturbed while he steps away. He didn't want to risk waking her up by carrying her to her bedroom as he has done multiple times before, so the yellow couch would have to suffice for the night.

Once she was settled with her head on one of the throw pillows he managed to reach, he walked into the guest room and grabbed the printed duvet to make sure she had something to keep her warm. As he was tucking her in though, she opened her now red-rimmed eyes and looked up at his sheepish face.

"Guess I wasn't moving as stealthily as I thought." He whispered. "Do you want to go to your bedroom or stay here? I can clean up before I go."

"Don't." she said, sleep heavy in her throat.

Confused, he asked, "Don't what?"

"Don't go."

His heart stopped as he stared at his beautiful friend. Not wanting to get the wrong idea, he pushed his screaming thoughts away and took a breath before he replied, as innocently as he could. "I can stay in the guest room if you want?"

"No", she whispered, tugging his hand so he knelt down next to her. "I don't want you to stay there. I want you with me."

Sighing, she pulled herself up so she could sit in front of him. A gracious queen in front of her kneeling subject.

"With you?" he asked, voice low and eyes scouring hers for a sign of what he thought she was implying.

"Yes. With me." She hummed softly.

It was like every move she made was synchronized with the beating of his heart which pounded heavily in his chest. He dared not shift as her hands came up to the crown of his head and slowly glided down the sides of his face, as if blessing him with some invisible power.

She gingerly tucked stray strands of red hair behind his ears, all the while just staring into his eyes. He watched her watch him as if in wonder as his lilac eyes melted into amber with each heavy breath he took.

Even slower now, they both started leaning towards each other. In every daydream he's had of this moment, he always thought he'd either be completely passive as she took the lead, or be the one who initiates everything after a perfectly romantic night.

Now, however, he matched her movements inch by inch—wanting to reassure her that yes, he wanted this, and that he was here. With her.

Their lips finally touched and he had to stop himself from pouncing on the girl, testing the waters first. He could taste the honey-flavored chapstick she loves to wear, and feel her delicate hands sliding down to the crook between his neck and shoulders. His hands rose to cradle her head in his palms, kissing her as gently as possible, but wanting her to know that it's okay for her to want more.

Slowly, she pulled away and he could feel hear breathing just as heavily as he was.

"Kaoru?" he asked, his face masking his thundering emotions into an expression of calmness.

She looked into his eyes again and nodded. "Stay with me."

The next kiss wasn't as gentle as the first—wasn't as adoring and grateful and cherishing of the moment. No, this one was heavier. Fueled by passion and lust and the power to take from each other what the other was giving.

Unable to stop a small growl from rumbling in his chest, he could felt her giggling a little as he pushed her gently down the couch.

"What's so funny?" he whispered into her ear, feeling her shiver as he followed the question with wet kisses that trailed down to the base of her neck.

Her hands glided into his hair, tugging it lightly to get him to look at her. "How long have you been waiting to do this?"

Grinning, Kenshin kissed the tip of her nose. "A while".

She smiled and raised her head to catch his lips once more, opening her mouth to let his tongue explore every crevice, her moans of pleasure giving him heavy encouragement to kiss and lick as he so desired.

His eyes were molten lava now, and every time he saw hers, all heavy-lidded and dark with lust, he thanked the gods. Thanked them for the opportunity to hold her like this, and to explore her body inch-by-inch. She was the one who initiated more. He felt her clumsy fingers unbuttoning the shirt that he wore, her cold hands feeling surprisingly good against his burning skin.

He sat her up and looked into her eyes as he let his hands slowly slide under her shirt, wanting to see how she reacted to his touch.

She did not disappoint. He could tell that she was trying to be still, trying to show control, but the second his hands covered her breasts, her breath came out in a huff and she melted against him.

She leaned forward to kiss him once more, sitting heavily on his lap as she ground herself against him as he touched her everywhere he could. Kissing back with as much ferocity as her.

He went still and put his arms around her waist, effectively halting her seductive movements. "Kaoru," he breathed, kissing his way from the bottom of her chest to her lips. "Kaoru," he called again.

Kaoru pulled away to make space—just enough for her to give him the attention he wanted. "Yes?"

"We need to stop."

Confused, and a little hurt by the rejection, her eyebrows folded together. "Why?"

"Because soon I won't be able to stop." He explained darkly, illustrating his point by pushing her down hard against his hips.

Now understanding his hesitation, the vixen in front of him locked her legs around his waist, and her arms around his neck. "Who says I want you to stop?"

"Kaoru", he breathed, pushing his face against her neck.

"Kenshin," she sighed. Grabbing his face tenderly, but with a slight sense of urgency, she showed him that she meant what she was saying. "I'm sure. I want this. I need this." She whispered against his lips, letting her hips move against his once more. "Now take me somewhere more comfortable and just let go."

Hard as a rock, he wanted her to know just how much she was turning him on. He pushed her hips down again so she could feel his body's reaction to what they were doing and heard her moan deeply as he licked and bit her earlobe.

"God, Kenshin," she purred. "I need you to fuck me."

He kissed her sweet, sweet mouth long and deep, standing up easily despite her full weight in his arms. The pounding of their hearts blended together as he thought, 'Who am I to deny you?'

He woke up to the sound of a toilet flushing.

He immediately realized that he wasn't in his apartment when he opened his eyes, seeing a messy oak dressing table against bright white walls. He was naked under the thick, warm duvet, and the pillow he was half-holding smelled beautifully familiar.

"Good morning, sunshine." Kaoru greeted warmly as she stepped out of the en-suite bathroom, walking over to the bed in nothing but an oversized white shirt. She snuggled her legs under the covers and leaned against the cushioned headboard, assessing the redhead beside her happily, albeit with a little bit of trepidation.

Memories of the last night flooded his brain in the space between a breath and a heartbeat, and he smiled. Flipping over so he could face her fully and reaching out to hold her closer to him, he smiled.

"Morning, beautiful."

The blue-eyed girl started to blush out of nowhere, and he chuckled. "What? Feeling shy?"

She grabbed a pillow and hit him with it lightly on his face. "Ass."

"Alright, alright." Kenshin laughed. He studied her in the morning light, and he could feel her bashfulness increasing in the silence. Deciding to have mercy on the poor girl, he tugged on her shirt. "What the hell is this?"

That dragged the musician's attention out of her thoughts and back to him. "Er… a shirt?"

"I don't think this belongs here." He mused.

"What?"

Smiling, the redhead sneaked his hand under her shirt, and placed it against her hip, enjoying the warmth and realness of her soft skin. "I think it belongs on the floor."

Kaoru laughed heartily, making his smile grow wider as he settled back into the soft pillows. She was trying to squiggle her way out of his grasp, but he just squeezed her back to make her stay in place.

"I didn't know you were such a big perv, Himura."

"You were the one who jumped me, Kamiya."

She had to give him that. "I guess I did."

Kenshin felt like he was treading dangerous waters, but he wanted to push on. This was something they were going to have to talk about anyway, and it's better to get it done sooner rather than later.

With a sigh, he kissed the top of her thigh which was within his reach and sat up, his bare torso emerging from underneath the covers. "Why did you?" he asked lightly, but he knew she didn't miss the serious undertone.

"Why did I what?" she retorted casually. Her eyes were shining, and her raven locks were a mess around her face. Still, the way she was acting now, you'd think she was wearing a ball gown.

"Jump me—for lack of a better word."

"I think bang would be a better word." She teased.

When he didn't respond, she stretched out her legs and placed her dainty hands on top, fingers interlocked.

She measured him up quietly, and he didn't miss the look she had when her eyes ran over his chiseled frame. Finally, her blue eyes locked with his and she stated simply, "I wanted to."

"Oh? That's it?"

"Does there have to be another reason?" she asked with a raised brow.

He thought about that for a second. He feels like she's implying that there shouldn't be, but he had to be realistic as well. He was talking to the queen of impulsivity here. "No, I guess not." He breathed. Sitting up straighter and zoning in on her even more, he asked, "So what happens now?"

She scoffed. "You mean if we're Facebook-official or not?"

It was his turn to blush, feeling the heat crawling out from the back of his neck. "I guess I just want to know where we stand."

Seeing that the man in front of her was really asking for some sort of reassurance, she slowly went on all fours so she could crawl over the short distance to where he was sitting on the other corner of her bed. "I like you." She said, kissing his forehead and making him look at her. "You like me". A kiss on the tip of his nose. "I don't see where the problem is here." She continued, smiling before she kissed his lips.

The cute gesture made him smile, but he still wasn't getting the clarity he wanted. "I don't sleep around."

"I think I should be the one saying that." She said with amusement. She sat down right in front of him, the fingers on her right hand drumming against the blanket on his thigh.

He chuckled. "Fine. Enough games. Are we going out or not?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me what you want to do from here."

"I want this," she gestured, pointing at the space between them.

"But?

"Why does there have to be a 'but'?"

"Because it sounds like there is one." He pointed out.

Kaoru rolled her eyes at him and sat up straighter as well, trying to match his height. "Look, Red. I swear there's no looming "but" here. I'm not after some high school drama where someone wants the relationship to stay a secret, and I'm not into the whole are we exclusive or not bullshit." She said seriously. "Like I said, I like you. I'd like to see where this goes, but I'm also open to last night being just an honest mistake, if that's what you want."

The last remark sounded tough, and she most certainly delivered it very well. The problem though, is that he was sitting literally right in front of her face, so he could see proof of every minute thought that dashed through her mind. And when she said that last bit? About last night being a mistake? He saw the slightest sign of self-consciousness mixed with a little vulnerability through her twinkling blue eyes.

Her speech was endearing, if not completely heartwarming. Admittedly, he thinks that this was something he should have been saying instead of the other way around. But given his inability to read her, he needed to hear what she wanted, instead of him calling all the shots.

Well, they're on even ground now. And the relief he felt bubbling inside him when he saw her upon waking up was now threatening to overwhelm him.

"Only an idiot would say it was just an honest mistake." He said, smiling brightly as he watched her absorb his words.

She giggled, relief apparently flooding her as well as she roughly reached out and put her arms around him. He couldn't help but laugh with her. This was exactly what he wanted, and he was lucky enough that she wanted it too. Hell, she even made the first move!

She was holding him so tight that he was having trouble breathing, but he didn't care at all. If this was how he was meant to die, then oh what a way to go.

Wrapping his arms around her petite frame as well, he squeezed her tightly and breathed her in. Once her hold on him started to slack, he took the opportunity to kiss her—foregoing the light pecks and going in straight for the kill.

Kaoru moaned as he pushed her back on the bed, her arms moving down so she could tangle her fingers in his hair. The gentle scraping of her nails against his scalp made him shiver, the motion making the blood rush from his head to his groin.

He was about to rip the sheets away from them when Kaoru tugged on his hair again, asking for his attention once more.

Happily, he obliged. Whatever she had to say from now on would be music to his ears. The girl he had been mooning over for the last month was finally his.

"Kenshin," she began seriously.

"Yes, love?"

"Go brush your teeth. Your breath smells shit."

Author's Note: What originally started as a re-write is now heading in a completely different direction! Happy to be writing this for myself with the hope that I'd be able to finish this at some point. Still taking cues from The Bargain, but overall, it's a completely different storyline now. Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it!

PS - if someone sees any mistakes/typos, please let me know! I read through chapters twice before I post them to get a feel of the flow and do a few checks, but I may have missed something here and there.

Much love!