Broken

Chapter 8: Splintered

Kenshin entered Guy's room to see how he was doing. For the first time in a while he was doing something other than sleeping, origami. There were paper frogs, balls, seals, shuriken and all kinds of other stuff Kenshin didn't recognize at first.

"Having fun?"

Guy barely reacted. It seemed as if he hadn't noticed Kenshin's presence. Maybe didn't care.

"Um…are…"

"Wait" Guy said interrupting him.

He seemed deeply focused on whatever he was doing.

"Done!"

He extended his arm toward Kenshin. He wore the same triumphant expression he had had days ago. Was it more than one day already? Of course Kenshin had better things to think about so he just shrugged it off.

He couldn't really make out whatever it was, what Guy was showing him.

"It's supposed to be a crane."

Kenshin almost laughed, but preferred not to. However the idea of him being able to make so many different things and not be able to make a crane just couldn't fit in his mind.

"It's all wrong." He said.

"Let's see YOU try then."

Kenshin sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed the piece of paper. Unfortunately it was so bent out of shape that he broke it trying to unfold it. So he took a completely new one and started folding. In a matter of seconds he finished.

"There."

Guy stared wide eyed for a while. He made it look so easy.

"Do you have any children, Mr. Himura?"

Kenshin couldn't place the question. Why did that have anything to do with what he had just done?

"No, why?"

"Well, I've heard that kids love these." He said grabbing the paper crane with a bony hand. "That's why I've been practicing but am no good at it."

"You have kids?"

"Oh, yes, three; I love kids. They may get insufferable sometimes but it's worth it."

Then silence took over, not awkward, just plain old and sort of comforting silence. At some point Kenshin couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be a father. To his own surprise he actually looked forward to it.

"Helloooo."

Kenshin almost leaped out of his seat as his thought bubble was burst.

"Huh, what?"

"I said how come you don't have kids?"

"I don't know, it just hasn't come to me yet."

"I don't mean to tell you how to live your life, but you really should. Just watching the little bastards running all over the place makes you forget about all your troubles. It literally changes your entire life for the better."

He was lost in thought yet again.

The silence was broken by the doctor who couldn't have entered more abruptly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better." Guy replied almost instinctively.

"Well, good news. Even though you lost a lot of blood your wounds weren't that bad. Which means that in a few days you'll be walking out of here, on crunches but still, and I never have to see your face around here ever again!."

He spoke awfully cheerful, like it was a joke or something. After that he just took off the same way as he came in.

"That was…creepy." Said Guy.

They both laughed for a few seconds.

Kenshin kept thinking.

"I have to go for now."

"Okay, see you later then?"

He nodded and stepped outside.

A few days.

"Kaoru doesn't even know where I am."

He thought about her, the dojo, Yahiko, the assassin. He thought about what would happen if he didn't get there in time.

"I could at least warn her."

And so he found himself fumbling through papers, hoping that it wasn't too late.