A/N: I am on a roll, which is something you guys won't really notice because these will probably be all uploaded like when I have time to do that stuff. And yeah. So, lately I've been going through changes myself and well it was pretty hectic and emotionally draining as well as some mondo roller coasters. But in the end I sat down and I looked at this story again. I thought "I can do this!" And so here I am.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, however I do own Hikaru and this plot line.
Warnings: Teenage rage and angst, Aoshi and Kaoru dating/kiss
Kenji stood rigid for a moment before heading towards the man who was biologically his father. Dark blue eyes met violet and the tension increased almost ten fold. Still no one at the party moved really just waiting to see what Kenji was going to do. The younger red head grabbed the present forcefully from his father and glared.
"Welcome," he snapped.
"That didn't sound like much of a welcome," Kenshin forced a smile as his son just glared.
"Yeah, well you don't deserve one and where is she?" Kenji looked around trying to spot the doe-eyed woman his father was dating. Kenshin looked startled for a split second before composing himself. He hadn't even thought of Tomoe when he went finished his job in a rush only to get to his son's birthday party. He'd only had time to take a change of clothes and wash his hands before coming over.
"Tomoe couldn't come," Kenshin tried to supply and that only caused Kenji to narrow his eyes. That had been the wrong thing to say no doubt.
"So she would have come! You would have invited your lover to my birthday party and rub it in her face," Kenji swung his fist and it connected with Kenshin's jaw. The older man was shocked not because Kenji had hit him, if Kenshin really wished he could have stopped the boy, but what he had said had struck a cord with in him. It hurt that Kenji had just plainly stated that he was the reason for all of Kaoru's pain. Yet, it seemed his silence was another wrong answer as the boy leapt forward and preceded to try and pummel his own father. Kaoru let out a cry of shock along with Sanosuke.
The next thing Kenshin knew Sanosuke was pulling Kenji off of him and the brown hair man was looking at the red head with wonder. He was probably wondering how Kenshin could allow someone to beat him so harshly with out raising a hand to defend himself or stop the boy.
Kaoru rushed up to her ex-husband and helped him stand. Her eyes narrowed towards her son and she pursed her lips clearly annoyed and angry. She pulled his arm around her shoulder and led him into the kitchen. He didn't fight; actually he enjoyed the little contact he had with Kaoru. It had been the first contact he had had in years with her. Once she got him to sit down Kaoru let go of his arm as if touching him would be the end of her. Kenshin winced at the act. She turned her back to him and began to fuss with some cups in the kitchen. Once picking out the one she seemed to think was the best she turned to scoop some ice into a towel.
While she busied herself, Kenshin took that time to look around the kitchen. Since he had been there last, which had been Kenji's birthday last year, they had managed to finish painting and wallpapering the walls. It had a do it yourself feel to it, but that fit the whole house's décor. Along with that fact Kaoru had most likely done it herself. Actually, she had probably roped in Kenji and Sano at least. Kaoru was good at that. She'd always brought them together at least once. Well, he had been apart of that group but ever since their divorce most of their friends preferred not to be in the same room as the two of them.
"I see you got the kitchen done," he mused as she handed him the ice filled towel. Kaoru turned from him and looked at the kitchen as if it was the first time she saw it as well. Her beautiful blue eyes searched the room before she turned back and gave him a forced smile.
"Yeah, we got it done a few days after Kenji's birthday," she wrung her hands. They had gotten it finished so quickly because after seeing Kenshin she hadn't been able to sleep or stop moving. It hurt and when it did hurt she would try to work through it. So, all by herself with only a few times when Kenji couldn't take her working all alone she striped, painted, and wallpapered the whole entire kitchen and after that she cleaned the floors. By the end of it, she hadn't seen Kenshin in a week and she could finally rest. Still Kaoru wondered why he could still make her heart pound with only a look and yet make it crumble when she remembered he wasn't hers any more. "Though we still have the guest bedroom to fix up now," she turned her back to him and busied herself. This was worse than last year, last year she had been prepared for seeing Kenshin and for maybe seeing Tomoe. But not this year, no, Kenshin had come without her knowing before hand. Still she couldn't blame him today, of course not when he had come to their son's birthday party.
"Oh, well good luck on that. If you ever need anything don't hesitate to call me I've remodeled my home too," Kenshin gave her that easy smile that use to send her knees quaking and her heart pounding. When she had been a teenager Kenshin had been the heartthrob of her world. Actually he still had that place even now after sixteen plus years. Kaoru shook her head. She really needed to get over the man. He was blatantly already over her. He was practically proving that he only saw her as a friend now. She bit her lip while her back was turned to him trying not to let the tears that were threatening to over take her come. She wasn't a cry baby! Kenshin took her silence as something else completely and he struggled to right himself. "I didn't mean that you can't do it Kaoru, I just want to give you a helping hand if you ever need it, not that I'm saying you really need it," he struggled for words and if she hadn't been feeling like she was about to cry Kaoru would have giggled at his reaction. Sometimes he seemed to cool, confidant, and just above everyone else, but then he showed this side. It was the fumbling, bumbling twit, side of him which made him so human in her eyes.
"Don't worry Kenshin I didn't take your offer as an insult to my capabilities. I know you know better than that," she cleared her throat and looked back at him giving a smile that she hoped was real. "Anyway I need to get our son and have him apologize. You didn't deserve to receive a black eye no matter what you said," as she spoke her hand involuntarily moved to cup Kenshin's abused cheek and face. Quickly, Kaoru drew the appendage to her side and walked outside to fetch their son.
Kenshin sighed when she left. She still affected him after these years. A simple glance could probably send him over the edge. If she had touched him like she almost did, Kenshin was sure he would have kissed her right then and there. But he had Tomoe and he should let Kaoru go. All he did was hurt her, wound her, and so he should just let it all fall, drop the torch. His thoughts were cut short by Sano shoving Kenji into the room and leaning against the threshold. Kenshin mused that Sano had most likely been sent to guard the only escape Kenji could use with out going near his father. The red headed boy in question shuffled his feet and sighed.
"I'm sorry for punching you," Kenji spoke off to the side and didn't even look a little guilty. Though Kenshin didn't find himself able to blame him, he would've punched himself if he were in Kenji's shoes. However, he was sure he would have done it for a little different reasons.
"No, it's fine you can just repay me by coming to stay with me this next weekend. I agreed with your mother to let you stay here for your birthday," Kenshin shrugged. He saw it coming before Sano did the fist that came from unbridled fury. But this time he didn't let his son land a hit. Instead Kenshin caught the boy's wrists with unnatural ease. "I allowed you to hit me the other times, but I'm not about to become your punching bag," he looked down at Kenji his eyes flashing it seemed. The boy seemed to be confused not only as to why this was happening but mostly as what to feel.
Kenji frowned, he didn't know if he should go with the anger that was heating his veins or with the fear that chilled them. Never in his life had he seen his father look or act like that, no that was a lie. But Kenji had never seen his father look at him with those killer eyes. The one with the warning so clear and that said what ever was said when those eyes were out was something that should be followed.
"Kenshin let him go I'm sure he won't try to swing at you again," Sano spoke from behind them. His father dropped his grip that hadn't even been that strong after Kenji's shock. In all actuality Kenji would have been able to pull his fist away if he really wanted to. "And since there is no threat of a brawl I'll go tell your mother that you decided to spend next weekend with your father," Kenji whipped his head around and stared as Sano left the kitchen.
"I hate you," he growled. Kenshin, he noticed, only sighed and rubbed his bruised face. He didn't comment on the fact that Kenji had just shouted that he hated him, but he did have a drawn look on his face. "I'm going back to the party!" With that he, as in Kenji, stomped back outside still fuming. His father hadn't even tried to say anything about the fact that he was hated he didn't even pull up the cheesy line of "you may hate me but I still love you". The red head gritted his teeth and almost felt the need to punch something. His father was so useless and he was an idiot.
A week later, Kenji was sitting on the front lawn of his house waiting for his mother and Aunt Misao to finish doing whatever they were doing before he left for hell. Hell, was a nice term for his father's house. A cold unfeeling place that seemed like neither Kenshin nor Tomoe spent much time if at all within the walls. It felt impersonal just walking into it, unlike his mother's home. Plus the doe eyed woman would be there trying to relate and befriend him. That was definitely not going to happen. Early on when Kenji had first met Tomoe he had believed that his parents would go back to being happy if she was just out of the picture. It was then he decided that he would not welcome the woman into their family. Still even if his parents didn't get back together he was too far into the habit of hating her; he wasn't about to change now.
"Hey," Kenji looked up to see Hikaru standing on the sidewalk in front of him her hands jammed into the pouch of her hoodie. She gave him a smile and Kenji gave her one back. Not far behind her were Yahiko and his girlfriend of two months, Tsubame, they were discreetly holding hands. "We, uh, came to kind of see you off since you know we were all planning to go to the movies and stuff," she shrugged as if she lost all words she could have said. By that time Yahiko and Tsubame had arrived behind her and were looking kind of down.
"I had huge plans about the awesome action movie that just came out," Yahiko grumbled giving Kenji a mock glare. The red head returned it and folded his arms over his chest.
"Yeah, well it's not like I had a choice! They ambushed me with the whole thing! My dad told me I could repay him by staying with him for a weekend, Sano told my mom I agreed, and she was so steamed she didn't care if it was a lie and so she told my dad it was fine!" Kenji complained.
"Oh, we know you complained about it for the rest of your birthday partying ruining the rest of it for us," Yahiko gave a growl and smack his head, hard. Kenji winced at the blow and touched the now sore skin.
"That hurt!" he complained.
"Well, that's what you get for being a selfish prat. We spent the majority of your birthday party trying to cheer you, but nooooo you were still pissed because you had to go to your dad's," the older boy snorted. Kenji sent Yahiko a withering glare before turning his gaze away from him a pout settled on his lips.
"Come on Yahiko let it go. It doesn't really matter," Tsubame tugged at her boyfriend's sleeve not wanting the boys to get into another brawl. The black haired boy gave her a sheepish look before returning his gaze to his red headed friend. They were both silent for a while, Yahiko shifting his weight slightly before sighing.
"Fine, truce?" Yahiko struck out his hand for Kenji to shake, but the red head was as stubborn as his mother and blatantly kept his eyes adverted. He was ignoring Yahiko and he was letting the boy know that. "Fine then screw you!" Yahiko snapped. He sent a fist towards Kenji's face and it connected. Both Hikaru and Tsubame gasped at the action and the ones the followed it. Kenji was not one to take a beating with out sending out a few hits of his own so once Yahiko made the first move Kenji retaliated by launching himself angrily at Yahiko. The attack caused Yahiko to topple over backwards Kenji on top of him. Soon they were only a tangle of limbs rolling around on the ground cursing at each other. The girls didn't wait long before they both rushed in trying to pull the boys apart. Hikaru and Tsubame were almost successful until Kaoru and Misao caught sight of what exactly was happening.
"Kenji Himura!" Kaoru cried out as if his name were an oath, "Get off of Yahiko!" she stormed over and yanked her son off of his friend. By the time she had set him back on the ground both of them were breathing deeply. "You are so lucky you are staying with your father this weekend," she seethed. Stomping off to the Misao's car she jabbed her index finger towards the back seat and demanded that he get in the car or so help her God. The red headed boy seemed to think it would be in his best interest to follow his mother's orders, he quietly climbed into the back seat. Misao gave him a look of pity.
"Bye, Kenji," Hikaru rubbed the back of her neck. Tsubame was too busy trying to comfort Yahiko, while the older boy was trying to fend her off, to say good bye. She probably didn't want to anyway, Kenji sighed, he had just gotten into a fight with her boyfriend. His only reply was to wave good-bye to his friend before both his mother and Misao climbed into the car.
It was a mostly silent ride, except Misao couldn't stand it being completely silent turning on the radio, but at a low volume. Still, Kenji could tell it wasn't enough. The woman whom had become something akin to his aunt was shifting in her seat and sending worried glances at his mother, whom was still sitting in stony silence.
"So, uh," a nervous glance to his mother, "Kenji what did you get for your birthday?" When his mother hadn't sent a withering glare in either of their direction, Kenji decided it was safe to answer his surrogate aunt.
"Just some video games, clothes, and this one present from my dad," he shrugged.
"Ooh, what was it?" Misao asked, and he could see the glittering of her eyes in the rearview mirror.
"You know it was, you know," he struggled with acting like he knew what his father had gotten him despite just sliding it back into the chaos that was his closet.
"He hasn't opened his father's gift," his mother's chilled voice cut through the atmosphere.
"So, do you know what Kenshin got him?" Misao asked her eyes darting towards the blue eyed woman.
"Yes, you remember that particular object that was a special heirloom?" Kaoru's voice ascended a little and Misao gasped almost jerking the car to the shoulder.
"He gave him THAT!" she screeched. Kenji could imagine his aunt jumping up and down if she were not strapped to her seat.
"Yes, and he'll soon be getting a second gift from his father, probably something more useful," Kaoru once again hinted to something only Misao seemed to get as the shorter woman oo'd and aww'd. Or maybe they were trying to yank his chain, Kenji glared a little.
With Misao babbling about random things it didn't take them long to arrive at the mall parking lot where they would meet his father. Surprisingly enough his father was already there leaning against his blatantly expensive car. He was also talking on the phone and by the way his mouth was set he wasn't too happy about what was being said by the other line. When Misao's tiny car pulled up beside him, Kenji watched as he quickly said good-bye and hung up. Who was that? He wondered.
All three of them piled out of the car, his mother seeming the most reluctant, well actually she was still second to him though. Misao was practically bouncing on her feet when she greeted his father.
"So, who was that Himura?" she prodded.
"You know the same blood sucking ticks that I work for," his father's smile was chilled and Kenji felt uneasy. This was not the man he remember more than half the time his father was cheery and somewhat moronic, unless he got a call but even then he would retreat into his "office" and hide out.
"Oh," Misao's mood dampened a bit, as if she knew what he was talking about. Doesn't Aunt Misao do something like acrobatics what does that have to do with what my father does, Kenji wondered. "Yeah, well those ticks!" she punched his shoulder lightly while laughing uneasily.
Both Kenji and Kaoru frowned at the display. What did Misao know that they didn't? "So, anyway you go take your kid and I'm gonna go drag Kaoru off to shop some more," she chuckled with a nervous glance away from Kenshin, when she noticed the dual looks of confusion.
"Right," Kenshin nodded. "Just put your bags in the back." Kenji did as he was ordered and soon they both drove off leaving his mother to Misao's devious hands.
The braided woman turned and grinned mischievously at her taller friend, "So I heard you have a date, and with Aoshi Shinomori!" Kaoru blanched and tried to explain why she was going on a date with Aoshi. "No, don't worry I said I'm over that jerk! Now, I'm going to make you look fabulous!"
Saturday afternoon shows were being played out on his father's enormous flat screen TV, and Kenji was playing zombie. It wasn't like he was really enthralled with what was going on but it kept his father or Tomoe from asking him questions or even trying to connect with him. Actually it was more of a defense for Tomoe as the woman was far too polite to make him stop watching the shows. Instead she just sat next to him her hands clasped in her lap. His father had left a few hours ago after getting a phone call that not only seemed to irritate him but Tomoe as well, and he had yet to return.
"Where'd he go?" Kenji asked, startling Tomoe. She jumped a little when he spoke which made the younger boy grin.
"Your father? I believe his boss called him in for something," she spoke softly and smoothly. Like ice, Kenji mused, she was so much like ice. So was Aoshi, he noticed.
"Is he getting overtime?" Kenji asked his eyes still glued to the screen.
"I believe so," Tomoe nodded. "Would you like something to drink?" It was that sentence that alerted Kenji to the fact that they were getting too comfortable.
"Nah, I'm good," he shook his head. Mentally he sighed in relief when Tomoe didn't press the issue. He was also lucky because at that point his father had walked into the house.
Kenshin strode through the room with long purposeful steps, all he wanted right then was to drop his things off in his "office" before putting on the face of a normal father. Luckily this job had dealt with little to no dirt and so he was clean, no need for an extra shower, which would allow Tomoe to give him a disapproving look. Like she had any right, Kenshin snorted, but then he stopped and shook his head. No, she had every right. She wasn't part of the craziness anymore. He made sure he kept his body between the things he'd rather Kenji not see and the living room. The door to his office was closed tightly and it looked undisturbed. Reaching forward he pushed the door open. It was like always and Kenshin didn't need to turn on the lights to see where he was going. The clunk of him case being set on the shelf told him all he needed to know before he snuck back out of the room.
Kenji was still on the couch and Tomoe with him. She looked almost like someone had stuck her with a safety pin, her body tense and tight. Glancing at Kenji, Kenshin took in the fact that his son didn't look particularly smug or uncomfortable himself. Instead he was staring at the television like he did all the time. Nothing had seemed to go on between the two of them, so it must have been his returning home. Kenshin sighed not ready to get into a fight about his job.
But Tomoe didn't seem to listen to his internal plea as she got off the couch. She gave him a look that said for him to follow, and despite not wanting to get into it Kenshin would rather not suffer the looks over dinner if he blew her off. Shoving a hand through his hair he readied himself for the confrontation. Stuffing his hands in his pockets he looked at Tomoe, he felt guarded.
"Yes?" he asked. He tried to keep his tone from being irritated, but it was hard. He and Tomoe had been over the topic of choice many times before, and yet they always reached a stalemate. She should've known how hard it was to get out of the world he was in, she had been caught in the under current of it until he had stepped in.
"Kenshin, how could you not tell them?" Tomoe started, just like she usually did. Today, however, Kenshin felt a pang of hurt. He had never trusted his ex-wife and son with his darker side, but he never felt like he could dirty them. He would've done just that if he had let Kaoru into his dark world. She had never been weak or fragile, but she had been pure idealistic and sweet. Rolling around the thoughts in his head he gave a sigh.
"I couldn't. I wanted to keep those two worlds far away from each other," he answered. The look on Tomoe's face was more than enough to tell him that she didn't think his answer was sufficient. It wasn't, even he could admit that, but it was all he had. All he could do to keep himself from walking straight up to Kaoru and hurting her more by telling her he had never gotten over her.
But he couldn't do that, because he wasn't changing. At least not yet, and his job had already proven to the catalyst to their end. That damned letter how he had hated it before, but now was slightly thankful that it had woken him from his fantasy of being able to be two different people. It had been unfair to Kaoru and Kenji.
Tomoe shook her head, the look on her face said it easily. She pitied him and Kenshin knew that it was only a matter of time before her pity could only stretch so far before she up and left him. He didn't blame her or feel any resentment for the ending he knew was coming. Just acceptance. Tomoe had known him, the dark and tainted him. Yet it wasn't as if he had trusted her more than Kaoru. Her involvement with him had stemmed directly from his job. She had come in knowing what she was getting, but he had selfishly and stupidly kept his complete self from Kaoru.
Stupid.
"They will eventually find out Kenshin," Tomoe cupped his cheek. Her sad doe eyes giving him a pang in his chest. Step one, the untangling from him. But Tomoe probably could no longer ignore the fact that Kenji and Kaoru had always come first to him. While Kenji had never bother her, he knew his feelings for Kaoru were like a ticking bomb.
Kenji couldn't hear what his father was saying, but he knew that by the intensity that he and Tomoe had picked back up that it was most likely a fight. Great, he didn't want to sit around and listen to their spats. Sometimes he would actually wonder if he were the reason for their arguments, but then who knew they could be fighting like cats and dogs all the time. It wasn't as if his father had any other people over except for maybe Uncle Sano. And he never said anything to him about his father's spats.
They spent another ten minutes in the kitchen talking in low voices before his father walked out of the room, Tomoe stayed in the kitchen and from the sounds decided to make supper. Kenji unleashed a glare when he father sat next to him on the couch, but surprisingly Kenshin didn't talk. He just relaxed into the couch and watched the television screen flicker. For the first time Kenji noticed how tired his father looked. There was a bone deep exhaustion he was emitting.
Giving a small frown Kenji wondered where his father had been, but instead of asking or showing any interest despite the fact that he was unfortunately very interested. Neither of the males spoke but both seemed aware of each other's presence. It stayed like that until Tomoe poked a head out of the kitchen and said, "Dinner's almost ready."
Aoshi was walking along side her with a stuffed raccoon tucked under his arm. He had won it earlier for Kaoru and she had laughed so hard when he had presented it to her that she was still chuckling every single time a teenager would glance at him strangely. Still Aoshi didn't say anything; his face was forever stoic causing her to laugh even more. He seemed out of place with his seriousness, and yet he still seemed to fit. A chameleon in a good sense she supposed. It was almost like he stood out enough but still could slip into hidden places.
"Have you enjoyed yourself so far?" he asked politely. He was also incredibly polite too Kaoru smiled. It wasn't that she had been around too many people who weren't polite, (well Sano, Saito, and Hiko weren't terribly polite) but it was nice to be respected. Aoshi had never undermined her or treated her any differently from the others. Actually the fact he had asked her out, well it had shocked her and scared her a little. At first she had wondered if accepting would be a good idea, and then she had thought that maybe just maybe she could find a way to be happy. She had put her life on hold for Kenshin way too long.
He had shown that he was more than capable to move on and to get a new life and while he didn't flaunt his relationship with Tomoe in her face, she knew that people just didn't throw five years away with someone they weren't interested in. And quite frankly she liked Aoshi. He wasn't like Kenshin, but he was compatible with her enough. Actually he didn't seem to mind her giggle at what he looked at with a raccoon under his arm.
"Yes, I am enjoying myself immensely," she said giggling. Aoshi gave her a slight arch of a brow before cracking a tiny smile. Kaoru internally cheered, she had made him smile. But even as she cheered she felt her face warm. It had been a while since she had wanted to make one of her dates smile. While she had never been particularly cold there had always been one thing that kept her from completely engaging in a date: Kenshin Himura. Kenji was also a hurtle but then again Kenji usually had his moment of say. He always had a chance to tell her if he didn't like someone, and maybe it was sad but Kaoru found herself more willing to give up a relationship if Kenji felt uncomfortable.
"Good," he said. He placed an arm around her shoulder before leading her closer to the food. Her stomach rumbled and growled as the sounds of food wafted towards her, another blush stained her cheeks. Aoshi gave a soft chuckle. "I could go for a pretzel." Kaoru grinned at his offer it was quite sweet, seeing as he didn't mention that her stomach was the one that alerted them to food.
"Kaoru are you hungry? Come on let's get a pretzel. I can't let my fiancé starve herself now can I?"
His voice rang rather uncomfortably in her mind. If only she could rid herself of those memories half the time. She and Kenshin had had too much history, though, for her ever to hope to erase him from her memories. Plus Kenji, she couldn't forget his father even if the man had burned her more than once. She had been a wounded creature when she and Kenshin had first called it quits. But then hope had crippled her when the divorce was finalized.
Yet that had been nearly eleven years ago Kenji had been five and didn't remember what it had been like to have his parents happy together.
Kaoru shook her head trying to ride herself of the memories again. Even when she fought it them it was like she had opened the floodgates. Looking at Aoshi, she forced a smile onto her face and said, "Sure that'd be nice."
Aoshi noticed the tenseness in her face. It seemed memory lane wasn't kind to her, but it was rarely kind to anyone. Aoshi couldn't help but remember that he had to cut his date short due to his second job.
His monitor was one of the few lights he had in his office room of his day job as some of his colleagues liked to joke. But it was his other job took place mostly at night. Rubbing a hand over his face Aoshi gave a small sigh. He had been somewhat excited to go on a date with Kaoru. An actual true blue date with a normal woman, not some ninja or assassin or someone who was in the ring. One could rarely trust those who knew their way around the darkness. But Kaoru, she was normal. Of course she had her baggage, but who didn't in days like now? But even after her brief security check (yes he was that paranoid) she came out nearly smelling like a rose.
She had gotten married at a young age and had her son soon after, but other than that Kaoru had lived a relatively underworld free life. Though, Aoshi had to admit he had only gone through her information any links to her husband or son he had left alone, he didn't want to feel like a stalker, and he had wanted to learn about her like a normal person would.
However, it seemed like his actual job had other ideas. Due to new movement of an old foe the organization wanted him to bring in an old friend. Aoshi had never actually met the man or seen him. But the stories were that of legend. Even in days like these the man was proficient with guns and swords.
A message blinked on his computer cause Aoshi to put his thoughts on hold before reading the text. It gave him a time, the date (today), and where the fabled man was staying. All was left up to Aoshi was to get the man to say yes, but how did one corner the fabled Battousai?
This time Kaoru dragged him out of his memories. Her hand finding its way to his and clasping it made him almost smile again, but really two in one day that would be far too much for him. Still the fact that being with her made it so easy for him to smile that meant something. And, if it actually did Aoshi promised himself he would let Kaoru in. He wouldn't hide the darkness from her, he was sure sometime he would need her to help him find the pieces of himself that the job liked to take away.
Turning to face her, he saw for a moment she was curious as to what he was about to do, but she quickly hid it. Somewhat adorable he had to acknowledge her shyness towards him. But as he leaned down to press his lips to hers, Kaoru didn't shy away actually she began to go up on her toes to return the kiss. Their lips brushed and held for moments and for Aoshi the world stilled for a moment. There was only Kaoru.
Honestly dinner had been a bust, but Kenji didn't wake up from his sleeping position on the couch due to the fact that he hadn't eaten enough. Actually he had devoured the entire meal. The uncomfortable part had been the silence between Tomoe and his father and the silence that had happened after he had bragged about his mother having a cool new boyfriend. So why was he awake? It didn't make much sense until he heard two male voices. They weren't loud by any means actually it sounded like they were trying to be quiet. One he immediately could tell was his father's he had heard him whispered fight with Tomoe more than enough to even recognize when he was keeping his voice low. But the other voice, it was familiar yet not. Where had he heard it before?
Gingerly, Kenji sat up and peeked over the top of the couch. The two men were near the backdoor of the kitchen, and Kenji could clearly see both of their profiles. It was that sight that chilled his blood. The second man, he was far too familiar, yet not at the same time. Though it was that vagueness that caused Kenji to realize exactly who the man was: Aoshi Shinomori. His mother's boyfriend was talking to his father, and they were in the kitchen. Did his father know Aoshi's relationship with his mother? Did Aoshi know that he was talking to his girlfriend's ex husband? The questions rolled around his mind. But he wouldn't get any answers if he stayed on the couch, so with movements that would've made his father proud Kenji crawled from the couch and made his way silently to the doorframe. He made sure to keep out of sight of either men, his father was oddly perceptive and he didn't know if Aoshi was the same.
"We need you to work back in the states," Aoshi whispered. Kenji frowned at the words: work back in the states. Didn't his father work in the states? Actually didn't he work in the city he lived in now?
"I told you already I am not doing it! I don't care if Makoto is at your doorstep I am not helping you or your group again. And the working out of country is what keeps my family and me safe! I am not that crazy fifteen year old anymore!" His father's voice seemed to go above a whisper but he reigned it down. Kenji heard Aoshi sigh, and he peeked around the corner trying to catch sight of the man. As he did, he saw his father's eyes briefly flicker towards him before his face returned to normal. Kenji jerked his head back hoping that Aoshi didn't see him. By his next words he probably didn't.
"No, but you still are The Battousai, and Makoto isn't just sniffing around us he's looking to cripple every single person who is a threat to him. You are at the top of the list," Aoshi warned, but Kenji was still hung up on the name Battousai. It sounded familiar but then not. And why was Aoshi calling his father that name? Nothing made sense. Trotting back to his bed on the couch Kenji curled up in the blankets and waited until he heard the back door close, but instead of hearing father come back into the room his father had seemed to leave with the man. Sitting up once more, Kenji looked around. His eyes settled on the closed door of his father's personal room. It was time that he got some answers.
A/N: So, uh yeah this was finished about two weeks prior to its being unleashed. Yeah, but I just finished the third chapter today. So it's catching up on me! Oh no! Anyway tell me how you liked the chapter (the rewrite if you read the original) and yeah. I hoped I did Tomoe a little more justice and Kenshin as well. Also, while I reread this I noticed… I made Kenji fight a lot. Wow, he's like a little fire cracker. Anyway, suggestions, comments, anything the ends in you reviewing makes my day ten times better.
Thanks so much to: miniwoo, poems2songs, ScaryLady, and kagomes heart. Thank you all for reading and giving me feedback. I hope that this version will keep you all hooked and interested. Also tell your friends about it I like hearing from the people.