IV
Kaoru took up staying up at night later than usual, even if the nightmares did not return. She felt uneasy when night fell, and she was starting to hear things that she knew were probably animals and other noises that came with living in front of the woods.
She had tried forcing the basement doors open, but had been completely unsuccessful. So unsuccessful that one of the times she had been trying to pull the doorknob so the door would open, she had broken the doorknob and ended up flying into Kenshin's arms . He had been very helpful in that ordeal, doing everything she asked for.
In the end she had broken the door, and now she couldn't even use the doorknob as leverage.
She had spoken to both the agency and Kenshin about the dojo, and both had been remorseful about keeping her in the dark. More so Kenshin than the agency, as they could care less as long as they sold the house.
Kaoru tried to put the images of the dojo behind her, and Kenshin had confessed he had just not wanted her to up and move out. He had tried to play it as less than it was, but he knew that it wasn't. He had apologized about lying to her, and tried to make up by helping her with the renovations that she had started after the terrifying nightmare she had about the place.
She had not wanted any reminders that what she had dreamt about had most probably happened in that place.
While renovating they had become closer.
Kenshin was a very interesting man who loved the sword arts the way she did, and whose talent for cooking and other chores somehow left her envious.
They talked a lot, and learned about each other. Not much about Kenshin though, only about his time at the manor and dropped hints about a seemingly dark past.
His passion was his garden, and he enjoyed working with his hands. He told her it was a different life than the one he lived when he was younger. He said that it was calm and peaceful, and that now, working for her, was different than when he worked for previous owners.
After much blushing and stuttering, she'd told him about her life. About her job as a kendo instructor, and about her friends. She told him about the reason she had moved so far away from her hometown, but did not tell him the entire truth. Just, her need to grow inside again, and become who she had used to be.
That she had preferred to run, rather than to confront her problems head on, shamed her in the most painful way.
Over a short period of time, they established a sort of routine: in the morning they had breakfast, later went to work in the dojo (Kaoru ignoring the stains, and trying to stamp down the nauseous feelings they invoked), and afterwards they had lunch.
When they finished they went their separate ways, each tending to other chores such as the garden, or shopping for supplies, or exploring the new town. By the time dinner came around they once again sat together and talked about their day.
Still, she had not gathered the courage to ask Kenshin about the couple who had owned the manor before her. She wanted to ask him if the husband had showed signs of mental problems, or if his behavioral change had been sudden.
She was afraid to ask.
The following (and next to come) has been brought to you thanks to my brand spanking new and awesome beta: Lady P. I took just a little longer to post after she edited this for me, but here it is.