Chapter Four
Confused
Kenshin stared at the moon, murmured to himself. He could sense the presence of someone behind him, immediately recognizing the strong ki as Yahiko's. Although he was acutely aware of Yahiko's attendance, he did not turn to look or speak. He stood, the moon's silvery glow calming his troubled mind.
"Can you believe the torture endured in a lifetime; torture that is so painstaking that you cannot even share it? Can you imagine the endless suffering; the fact that you shall never be truly accepted? Being alone, living your false life. Trying to fit in with those around you when you know you cannot." Kenshin said softly, as if speaking to the moon itself. He heard Yahiko begin to walk toward him, quietly and slowly, as if hesitant.
"Kenshin?" he asked gently, standing beside his friend and looking him in the eye. As brown met gold, Yahiko's confidence in speaking dropped.
"Yes Yahiko?" Kenshin replied, shifting his gaze back to the sky, though the raven-haired boy knew very well that Kenshin was still watching him.
"Do you hate Kaoru?" he asked; curiosity and worry lingering in his voice. Sighing deeply, Kenshin put a hand against Yahiko's back, guiding him to a bank of large boulders near the river. Both men climbed the rocks and sat at the top, gazing out at the lake and river that led to it.
"I do not honestly hate her…" he answered uneasily.
"You look like you do," the young man said, a mistake obviously.
"Well…maybe I do. I am not sure. I am angry, but there is nothing I can possibly do to change anything. It was ultimately my fault." The red haired man said solemnly. The two were silent for a while, watching wispy clouds pass the moon and stars. Yahiko raked his brain for something to say, but he couldn't think of anything.
"I'm sorry," he eventually said. Kenshin looked at the darker skinned boy, surprise lurking in the coldness of his eyes.
"Why do you say that?" Kenshin asked.
"Because nothing seems to have gone right for you. I wish I could do something, anything, to help you live happily." Yahiko admitted. Their eyes met and Kenshin felt all of his anger vanish. Lavender returned to his eyes, reflecting the beautiful nightly colors of the water.
"You've already made my life happier," he said softly, looking back down at the water.
"How?" Yahiko gave a small snort of a humorless laugh.
"You actually care," Kenshin said so softly, so gently, that it was almost lost in the sounds of the evening. Yahiko turned to look at his role model, watching him as he stared into the shallow waters. Yahiko noticed a small twitch in Kenshin's lip before he saw the redhead's eyes grow glittery. The atmosphere around the men slowly shifted into understand, friendship, and a gentle care. Kenshin felt his eyes sting and burn, until finally he let five years of pain and sorrow spill.
The sun rose lazily in the clear sky, casting warm rays of light into the room Sano had chosen for the four to stay in. He sat up and rubbed his face with his hands before looking around the room.
"Kaoru, where's Yahiko?" he asked, an edge of concern on his voice. Kaoru yawned and sat up, picking up Hana from where she lay beside her and placing the child in her lap.
"He probably just went to eat or something." She replied, running her fingers through her long hair. Hana started crying then, until Kaoru stood to go get her something to eat. Sano got up and got dressed, taking the crying girl until Kaoru had finished dressing.
"I'll go look for him," Sano said, heading out of the room with Kaoru behind him, though she was headed for the dining area. The brown haired man walked outside, blinking hard in the harsh sunlight at first. Glancing around, he spotted to figures seating atop towering boulders. He could definitely make on out as Kenshin; it'd be impossible to miss his flaming hair. He then identified the other as Yahiko, sitting on a rock that was level with Kenshin's. Strolling idly over, he shouted up to them.
"What are you two doing?" he called. Kenshin glanced down at him but did not reply. A tension was felt between the two, and even Yahiko felt it.
"We couldn't sleep," the youngest of the three answered; a partial lie. Kenshin turned to Yahiko and murmured something before standing and leaping off the rocks. He landed multiple yards away, heading for the inn without so much as a greeting to his 'best friend'. Yahiko climbed down, looking at Sano.
"What's wrong with him?" Sano asked; confusion in his tone.
"Oh, he's just not feeling too great." Yahiko gave a fake smile before quickly walking off toward the inn. Sano stood, hand on his hip, staring after his little friend.
"They're very strange." He thought before shrugging and heading to the inn himself.