Chapter 9
And They're Off
Kaoru did not allow any emotions to show as she waited for Asad to respond. She simply studied his image through the video phone, and noticed it seemed to take him awhile to even process what she had said, and then even longer to formulate a response. She supposed she could understand. As the youngest, she saw his family coddle him, and he usually got what he wanted. Finally, he swallowed and forced himself to speak.
"I don't understand. Megumi assured me your case was dire and you did not have much time left. If you were to come with me, we could reform the bond. Has everything been explained to you?"
"Yes, yaar, I have had everything explained to me."
"Then why will you not come?" He gave her a look that was almost pouting, and Kaoru frowned a bit at the expression which probably got him everything he had ever wanted. It was terribly cute, but not enough to sway her decision.
"Because now that I know what you are, and now that you are married, I really have no desire to try and assimilate myself into two cultures I do not understand as a second wife."
"But, you wanted to come before."
"Yes, yaar, I did. Before you married someone else, before you chose someone else over me."
"But the chances of you dying are great, and you are my responsibility. Bonding with more than one dragon isn't unheard of and my parents would have to allow it and help save you. You have to come with me." She could see his eyes getting wider. He was always so controlled, but he looked somewhat strained, as if he was trying hard to make her see his way. Kaoru wondered if he would try and force her to come with him. She knew he could not. If he was around her too long then she would die, and she very much doubted whether Kenshin or the others would allow her to come within range of her to even see her, let alone take her.
"No. And no. Once I might have been your responsibility, but that's over now. I don't want to be a third wheel. I don't want to be stuck having to share you with someone. I don't want there to be that uncomfortable unspoken awkwardness around your family. No-" she interrupted his trying to refute that, "No, you can say it wouldn't be like that, but I know it would, and I don't want to live like that. If I did rebond with you, all it would do would lengthen my life. It would not give me the life I wanted. Please, yaar. Had this gone any other way I would have stayed with you. But I can't go back to you."
"I just..." He ran a hand through his hair, and looked away, thinking. "I know it's my fault, and I feel like I should help. You used to be so logical, and now you aren't making any sense."
Kaoru couldn't help but smile at his determined look, and how cute he looked when flustered and frustrated. He had never had much occasion to look like that, but it was endearing. "Well, you did teach me to be a little crazy, I'll definitely blame you for that one, but everything that happened was because of me. Had I not perused you like I did, well, then we wouldn't be here at all. But if you really would like to do something, what you can do is just talk with Megumi, help her with what she needs to know, and then go back to your wife. She looks adorable, by the way." She grinned at him.
"When did you see her?" He asked, confused.
"I snuck in to your wedding..." she said slyly. "I was just so curious, since you had closed out all your accounts and had gotten rid of your phone."
"Who helped you with that?"
"If I said, 'Asad' would that mean anything to you?" She laughed at his confused look. And then once again at his comprehension.
"I have way too many friends named that." He finally said.
"Truthfully though, I could have gotten any one of your friends to help, and you would still be having the same problem. But seriously, yaar, if you feel you have to do something, just help Megumi and I'll let you know if everything works out. I trust everyone here. You would be leaving me in good hands."
Kenshin slowly relaxed as she talked, realizing that he was not going to have to run off with her to save her from a jealous ex. He pouted, a bit disappointed that he was not going to take her to a much more secure place. He liked the thought of her safe with him. But he supposed that if Kaoru had become more wild because of the young dragon, then she had been a calming influence on him. Despite wildly running around with Misao and himself, Kaoru had always seemed thoughtful and understanding, always caring about those around her. She had rushed to his side the moment he had fallen, and had helped with the car. And though they had to ban her from helping in the kitchen, she had at least tried to make them tea and food.
He wondered how much of a calming effect she had on the young dragon, and decided that had anyone else brought the news to him, Chaudry would have reacted violently, no matter who had been in the room with him. Dragons, no matter where they were from, treated things or others in their care with an almost irrational devotion. Kenshin tried to imagine his own feelings if Kaoru were to leave. He wondered if even Kaoru would be able to calm him, and realized that she probably would be able to. She had a confidence, and an almost hypnotic logic. She kept things light, and almost did not seem to understand her own power. He observed her, as she talked, not really paying attention, until one phrase caught him.
"I'm not just going to let a man fix me because he can. It isn't like that."
Kenshin's sudden realization overcame him, but he was careful not to react. How could he have been so stupid? He had been looking for someone with a broken bond, because his time was almost up. And he was just going to assume that they wanted to be saved as well. Megumi and Misao were right. His grand plan was terribly lacking. Find anyone and fix them both up and then... and then what? Kaoru had just said it. She wasn't going to let a man fix her just because he was able. Kenshin was so busy feeling terrible about his complete lack of thought about the situation that he didn't notice Kaoru had stopped talking and was looking at him, expecting an answer. He stared blankly at her for a second before she huffed a bit.
"He's talking with Megumi now, and he'll probably have to stay because of the long trip." Kaoru ignored Kenshin looked that clearly stated he was not happy with this turn of events at all and just kept talking, "Misao was wondering if there was somewhere you would like to go, and you and I could hang out there for awhile. Or I could ask Misao..."
It took Kenshin a while to realize that she had finished talking and had already hung up. He was watching her just looking at him and he swallowed, wondering what would be the right answer. He didn't want to just take her off, even though his dragon instincts were screaming at him to horde her away and to do that immediately.
"Kenshin?"
"It is up to you." He finally said, not daring himself to look into her eyes as he talked, "There are several places we could go if you would like. If you would rather Misao, I could have her go with you." He did not look up at her, but kept his gaze somewhat down. He did not notice Kaoru's confused look at his somewhat strange behavior.
"I am sure Misao would prefer to spend more time with Aoshi," Kaoru finally said thoughtfully, trying to will Kenshin to look at her.
He kept his eyes hidden in his bangs, as he got up quickly.
"If you would stay here then, I will go get your things, and we can leave. Miss Kaoru." He gave a small bow, leaving Kaoru feeling somewhat hurt, though she could not have told anyone why, or what had just happened between them, and wondering if she had made the right decision.
"You are in a rotten mood. You probably should not have changed either. Wrecks havoc on your system."
"We're you not supposed to be questioning our guest?" Kenshin asked irritably, spitting out the word 'guest' in the tone of voice he'd normally reserve for the word 'vermin'. He was busy folding Kaoru's clothes and quickly stuffing them into her bag. He always kept a bag ready for himself.
"Misao is showing him to his room. Where are you going to take Kaoru?"
"Probably into town, there is an inn...Ow!" Megumi had hit him, and he looked at her with wide eyes, holding the back of his head, not having expected that.
"You'll probably have a week and you're going to take her to an inn? Take her to one of your houses, Kenshin. You're trying to woo the girl and you don't have much time."
"I don't think that's such a good idea now." He looked away from Megumi, turning back to Kaoru's bag.
"What are you talking about Kenshin? Is this about her bond mate?"
"No, this is about Kaoru and what she wants. We just took her. We actually just sort of kidnapped her."
"Had you not, she would have died. Kaoru had no idea about the bond, and you saved her. Yes, you were looking for another to bond with to save yourself, but you are saving her as well."
Kenshin turned his fire bright eyes to Megumi, "And what if she does not want to be saved? What if she doesn't want to just bind herself to some random person to save herself. I was so stupid."
"No." Megumi interrupted him, her cinnamon eyes narrowing dangerously. "You are so stupid." she bit out. "So, completely moronic. You listen to me, as your doctor, I'm telling you to go somewhere else, further away, nicer. Take Kaoru someplace she will like if you are going to be so completely thick. Ask her where she wants to go. Don't make my other patient miserable because you are. I will call you when I'm done here." And with that, Megumi stomped out of the room, in the graceful way only she could manage to stomp, and left Kenshin staring after her.
"I can't believe you two flew all the way here, and with him. How did he take the trip?"
Sano was in the kitchen, raiding cabinets and pretty much making a giant mess. Misao was doing her own share of raiding, looking for food for dinner, and between the two of them it looked like a small tornado was going through with food being the main target.
"He didn't complain, didn't say much of anything, truthfully. I think he was just glad I didn't let anything slip in front of his folks and woman, but I'm not that stupid."
"Well, I don't know about that, he's sleeping now and Megumi will...Oh, gross, Sano, don't open those fish here, go take them to your room or something. I thought I got rid of those!"
"You're the one who's been throwing my food away?" He looked at her with wide eyes.
"Just those nasty... Ew! Don't open them here!" But it was too late and Misao made a gagging noise as he opened the can of kippers.
Megumi chose that moment to walk in and wrinkled her nose. "That is disgusting." She said to Sano and then turned to Misao. "I am going to kill Kenshin."
"Why? Has he done something mean to Kaoru? Did he kill our guest?"
Megumi sighed as she pulled one of the bar stools out and hopped on, letting her head fall into her hands as she sighed. Misao was shocked as her friend never showed this much emotion about anything.
"Oh my God! He has done something horrible!" Misao said, frozen in the middle of what she was doing.
"Yes, the idiot fell in love with Kaoru and now he's having some sort of guilt trip! I don't understand what happened, and I had to force him to take Kaoru somewhere nice, instead of just an inn in town." She looked up and sighed, trying to regain some composure after her outburst. Misao looked horrified that Kenshin wasn't taking the opportunity she has managed to suggest without anyone becoming suspicious as to her true motive of trying to get the two alone for longer periods of time.
"Wait, Kenshin likes the new miss?" Sano said around the fish he was eating. "Was that part of the original plan?"
"No, Rooster head, you were there for the original plan! Since you've been gone, the plan kind of changed. The original plan also didn't involve humans and foreign magic and family bonds and a whole bunch of work on my part. It also didn't involve Kenshin falling in love with the human. The whole thing was just supposed to be a quick Band-Aid for two people's problems until I could get it fixed for both of them."
"Him falling in love was just a bonus so it could be permanent!" Misao chirped. "He's been head over heels for weeks and we were so hoping it would work out!"
"Well, what are we going to do? I can all Aoshi while he's out and get him to..."
"No, We can't do anything."
"Sano!" Both Misao and Megumi stared at the dragon who was busy trying to dig the last bit of fish out of his tin and not paying them any mind. Finally, when it looked like they wouldn't ever stop glaring at them, he gave up and answered.
"Well, we really can't do anything. If we let on that there was a plan to begin with, do you think Kaoru is going to stick around? She isn't going to feel that Kenshin's feelings are sincere, even if they are. And if we say anything to Kenshin, the dude is going to clam up even worse. Or pull rank."
"That's..." Megumi didn't know what to say.
"Surprising lucid thought for you." Misao looked at him strangely.
"I... I just know how guys think. I'm going to my room. It's been a long trip. Just, get the information you need from Chaudry, we leave the couple on their honeymoon for a bit longer than necessary, and hope they aren't too thick."
"Please just don't say..."
"What could go wrong?" Sano grinned and Megumi groaned.
"That always used to get us in trouble."
A/N - You know the last two chapters before this had the exact same word count? I thought that was pretty amazing. I didn't even try. I am very thrilled at how many visits and views I had in August. Over 1000 people and over 3000 views for the last half of the month. Awesomness! I'm completely floored and really grateful that so many seem to be reading my little story all the way through. I certainly did not expect that when I started. I didn't even expect reviews, but, here we are! Thank you to my fabulous reviewers *hugs and cookies for all* If I owned Kenshin I'd let you all borrow him :D He makes an excellent quiche.
Also, I'm trying to go through and read stories by everyone who has commented or favorited, to try and return the favors. I've been a bit busy with friends coming up from Isaac and cousins having babies along with lots of random work I'm trying to get done with being evil. But I'm working on it! I swear!
Note on 'jaan' and 'yaar' which I haven't really addressed in text: When Kaoru first talks about her former bondmate, she refers to him as 'jaan' because she wanted to remember happier times and she still does care for him. However, with him coming back and being married, she switches to 'yaar' as it is just something you would call a friend. 'Jaan' feels a bit too intimate for her to call someone else's husband to their face. And just a bit of random information, the word for "lion" which I found in Japanese was "Shishi" and that almost made me choose Shishio as her ex bond mate, but I just couldn't write that! The character would not work.
Anyway, this story is nearing completion I think, and for my first one, I'm pretty happy with it. I've already got another one I'm outlining and I can't wait to write it! Unfortunately no fantasy elements in the next one, but I'm also working on a prequel for this one that will not only continue to have dragons, but also a lot more action/adventure/death and stuff. And more familiar characters. XD I can't wait! Oh! I also corrected some stuff in my other story, and hope to have time to update corrected chapters soon. But it's already 1 and I'm beat. I hope you enjoy what I have now!