AN: Soooo this is random. Circus!Kenshin and Kaoru. Can't you just see Kenshin being a clown tripping all over himself and being silly? I can!
He loved to watch her fly through the air, she'd been picked up by the circus troop after they'd found her trying to sneak into a show by herself. She explained that her father had promised to take her, but had died recently, so she decided to go by herself. They had adopted her into giving her meaning and work as a trapeze artist.
And an artist she was. Graceful and small she could fly like no one else, it was like she'd been born to be in the air. He would watch as he was juggling, it was a good exercise in multi tasking for him. Her partner, Sano, a lean man who doubled as their strong man act would catch her and hold her before she jumped. He was jealous of Sano, he was a simple just clown and stayed far below the top of the canopy.
Yahiko threw him another ball to juggle. He'd been with the circus for years, it was a good way to disappear and when he put on his make up painting a grin on his face he almost felt happy again. He'd watched Kaoru grow up from the teenager to the woman who flew and amazed. At first he'd kept his distance, he didn't want any attachments in case he needed to make a hasty retreat, but she found him any way. She was always nice to him, polite and cheerful, it made his day when she sat next to him during meals. Though that was rare. He didn't mind sitting by himself, the crackle of the fire was comfort enough. He was kind of the odd clown out.
Kenshin began to throw the balls back to Yahiko who began to juggle as well, soon they were going through their newest routine. Kenshin launched his up into the air at the exact moment that Yahiko did, they both dove and somersaulted to switch places, Kenshin managed to catch all of the balls that Yahiko had thrown, but Yahiko missed a few of Kenshin's. Kenshin was helping the boy collect his when he heard a giggle from high in the maze of wires. When he looked up Kaoru was sitting on the tight rope walker's rope in the middle; just sitting there peacefully, completely at ease on the taunt rope. Megumi had been teaching her, but Kenshin still worried about her.
She put her hand over her mouth realizing she'd been caught. Kaoru giggled again, and then bristled when Yahiko decided to pick a fight with her. Kenshin sighed, they were like siblings, and the bickered like them too. Kaoru stood up on the rope and Kenshin's senses came alive. He watched the rope begin to sway, Kaoru powerful legs trying to keep her balanced, her position shifted, her eyes widened and she lost her grip. Kenshin leapt before he could think, there was no safety net to catch her, and she'd die if she hit the hard dirt floor.
He heard her gasp when he wrapped his arms around her, Kenshin flipped in the air and landed on his feet in a crouched position before letting his legs collapse beneath him and falling onto the ground with Kaoru safely tucked under his chin.
Aoshi, their daring dagger thrower and ring leader and his flexible and overly energetic assistant Miaso ran from their practicing area to the clown and the trapeze artist. Aoshi sent his wife to get Megumi, the resident doctor and tight rope walker, he had a feeling she wouldn't be needed, both Kenshin and Kaoru seemed fine. But Megumi would want proof that they were finally together, she was going to win the bet anyway.
Once Megumi was able to convince Kenshin to let go of the girl and deemed them both just fine, the small crowd left to go see who had officially won the bet of "When the two love birds would finally get together." Kenshin was left with a very embarrassed girl, she was more upset that she had fallen than that she had almost died. He offered a small smile, hoping to make her feel better. Kaoru sighed and leaned into him trying to hide her face in the sleeve of his over sized shirt. He'd been surprised, but smiled a real smile and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He didn't even need his painted grin to be happy anymore.
Aoshi was announcing the clowns' act, Kenshin took a deep breath getting ready to put on a wide smile and begin juggling. He fell right into character until a beautiful woman in a tight and water colored leotard rushed up and grabbed his face in between her hands kissing him. He'd dropped the bowling pins he was supposed to start juggling at that moment and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her to him. They broke apart, and Kenshin picked her up and spun her around laughing. The curtains opened, but instead of freezing, Kaoru jumped onto Kenshin's shoulders and they walked out together with the other clowns. She would jump down, do back flips and entertain, getting the crowd clapping to the music and then run back to Kenshin to give him a dramatic kiss on the cheek. It became a normal part of the routine. As she would fly through the air during her trapeze act, he would try to chase her, back and forth, tripping and somersaulting, trying to give her a rose. Head over heels in love they called it.