A/N: Chapter two is up only one day after the first! I got a decent amount of views on chapter one so I got excited to write more! I hope this chapter isn't too angsty. I edited this myself, so any criticism is greatly appreciated! See you on chapter 3 and let me know what you think of the direction I took this story so far! ~A-chan
Bitter.
Cheapest sake in Edo.
Kenshin brings the small white cup to his lips and drinks, his head beginning to feel warm and muddled with the effects of alcohol. His eyes wander from the table in front of him to his surroundings. The only other patrons of the tavern: two frail old men and a group of younger swordsmen in the far left corner.
One of the swordsmen's voices echoes from across the room. He boasts loudly waving around a half-empty bottle of liquor.
"I've been playing this girl for months. Now that her dad is finally out of the picture, I'll get what I'm after. She was really taken care of if you know what I mean, so I can make a small fortune off of some of the goods in that place."
Night falls.
Urgh….my head is –still- pounding.
Pressing two fingers on her temple, she sits up in her futon, strips of glistening black and violet hair falling all around her shoulders.
If only I didn't drink so much last night...
Her mind drifts to…Kenshin. His kindness. His warm smile. His concerned words. They reminded her of her father.
Abruptly, the main shouji door of the dojo slides open.
Who...? At this time of night?
Kaoru's heart throbs thick in her chest and her breathing momentarily stops. For what feels like minutes, she is frozen in fear and can only stare, wide-eyed at the sliding door to her bedroom.
I have to do something. I can't just lay here. Move...now!
She quickly grabs her wooden sword with a shaking hand and slides across the wooden floor to the shouji door to her room. As she opens it, a dark shadow appears directly in front of her.
"Ah...Shuuji! You scared the life out of me!" Her hand clutches the fabric of her kimono at her chest and she breathes a heavy sigh of relief.
The man in front of her begins to grin, bearing his teeth like a wolf.
"Kaoru...don't worry. It's just me. And I'm only here...to get what I deserve."
"What are you talking about...Shuuji...?" Her eyes meet his and she purses her lips in confusion.
"Did you really think I would care for a girl like you? Your body is toned, not supple. You have muscles like a man. You're flat chested, dark skinned from the sun, and sweaty from sword-fighting. Now that your worthless father is out of the way, I'm taking what I've had my eye on all along."
Kaoru's legs collapse from underneath her. She hits the floor hard like a rock and brings her hands to cover her face, partly in shock, partly in shame.
Normally, her brash personality would have taken over and she would have attempted to knock his brains out with her sword... but after losing the last man in her life that she loved, she could only breathlessly sob as he ripped her dojo asunder in search of anything of monetary value.
At the next moment, she is picked up effortlessly from behind by firm yet gentle hands and placed back on top of her futon with ease.
"Kenshin! ...Wh-What are you doing here?" she stammers, tears still clinging to her eyelashes and cheeks.
"Miss Kaoru. Please stay here unless I tell you otherwise." His voice was protective and stern.
She obeyed and stayed put, assessing the damage of her bedroom. The contents of her drawers were dumped out and scattered on the floor.
She did not hear any clanging of metal, only the sound of fist on flesh, and body on floor. She watched Kenshin drag Shuuji by the front of his kimono outside the dojo from her window. He effortlessly dragged him across the grass to the main gate, leaning down to whisper in his ear. She did not know what he said, but Shuuji, wide-eyed, abruptly stumbled to his feet and ran from the premises.
When Kenshin slid the door to her room open gingerly, she felt tears forming in her eyes, blurring the vision of the red-haired, fair-skinned swordsman standing in front of her.
"Kaoru, I..."
Don't say it. I don't want your condolences or sympathy remarks. Just...don't leave.
Tears desperately flow freely down her face, helpless eyes shining dark, sapphire-blue in the moonlight.
Kenshin, sensing her fear and vulnerability, quietly enters the room and slides the door shut behind him. He sits down with his back against the wall, propping his sword up beside him.
Feeling some sort of relief from his presence, she sinks like dead weight into her futon. Clutching a fist of blankets, she sobs silently, her only thoughts clinging desperately inside of her; Stay.
Thank you for reading this chapter! Please let me know what you think of the story so far!