Disclaimer: Neither Rurouni Kenshin nor its characters belong to me. Sigh.

AN: Hello my lovely readers! Thank you for your patience! I'm back to writing! A little! When I can! I need a new job. For serious. I get paid next to nothing to do a whole lot of stuff. This is some kind of unfair. (Also, I just made myself hungry defining culinary terms below this note. Ugh.) By the way, I tripped and fell for the first time in like, a dozen years (don't get me wrong, I trip all the time, but I usually can catch myself before I hit the ground, though.) Semi-serious damage. Hardwood floors are SUPER unforgiving, those jerks.

As always, please forgive any typos.

Terms used:

Sukiyaki – a type of nabemono (see term "nabe" below): generally thinly sliced meat (typically beef) and vegetables set to simmer in a shallow pot (usually iron) containing a mix of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. (Mirin is a type of sweet rice wine used in cooking.)

Nabe - general term to indicate hot pot/one pot dishes, usually cooked at the table. Traditional pots are made of clay or thick cast iron – heavier soup or stew-based dishes are done in clay pots, while dishes like sukiyaki are generally done in the shallower cast iron pots.

Chapter 13

Aoshi and Kaoru walked quietly along the wooded path, back to the little town.

After some time, Kaoru broke the silence.

"Aoshi?"

"Hm?"

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" Kaoru glanced nervously at the stoic man.

"Of course not." Aoshi replied easily.

"Do you… are you… Do you plan on getting married?"

Aoshi stopped short, his heart leaping into his throat from surprise. Was she…?

"I mean," Kaoru continued, "in the future, you know. Misao's had her heart set on you for as long as I've known her, and obviously since before that. Would you… uh…"

Kaoru stopped too, not quite meeting Aoshi's gaze. She tugged an errant lock of hair that had fallen into her face.

Aoshi's heart plummeted from his throat to his toes. Did she really think he would want to marry Misao?

Gently, Aoshi reached out and stopped Kaoru's tugging. He tucked the lock of hair behind her ear and then tipped her face up to look her directly in the eyes.

"I hadn't really thought about it before, but I'd like to settle down, yes. Japan is enjoying a new era of peace, and I'm comforted to know I can still have a place in this world."

"So… do you have someone in mind? I mean, I'm sure the women in Kyoto are all over you…"

"I'll tell you this for certain, Kaoru. When I decide I'm ready to marry, I will not court Misao. I've known her all her life, and raised her for quite a bit of it. I do not, nor could I ever, harbor romantic feelings for her."

Kaoru smiled a little bitterly, with understanding and resignation. She could see Aoshi's point of view, but she knew all too well Misao's unrequited love. She wondered if Kenshin felt about her the way Aoshi felt about Misao. The thought made her melancholy. Pulling away, she started walking again.

From behind her, Aoshi declared, "Thinking about it now, I believe I do have someone in mind."

Kaoru's heart stopped. She turned to look at him as he approached her. Who had captured Aoshi's interest? In response, Kaoru only managed to utter a strangled, "Who?"

Eyes glinting mischievously, Aoshi asked, "So, Kaoru, I know the parameters of what you're looking for in a potential husband. Now let me ask you this: what would it take to win your heart?"

Puzzled at first by the shift in conversation, Kaoru realized what Aoshi was attempting to do. She turned back around and started walking, arms crossed in front of her.

"Oh, I get it. You're trying to change the subject, right? Fine, I'll leave it alone for now."

Aoshi stopped walking again, staring at Kaoru's back as she went ahead, clueless. He sighed a little helplessly before catching up with her.

"So, Aoshi, what should we do for dinner?" Kaoru seemed to determine to drop the subject altogether, so Aoshi had no choice but to comply.

Well, he could push, but he knew that would probably not be the wisest course of action at this point. He could try again later.

"I think, since we're in Kiso-Fukushima, we should try a nabe dish. I believe the sukiyaki may be prepared in a slightly different way here than in Tokyo."

"Then I can't wait to try it!"

They headed back into town, side by side, sticking to safer topics like the surrounding plants and trees and the regional specialties of crafts and foods.

# #

# #

The afternoon wore on as they explored a little more. To their great annoyance, it seemed as though the woman from the dojo earlier had decided not to give up her pursuit of Aoshi, accidentally bumping into them at various shops and stalls. She'd exclaim each time that it was fortunate coincidence, and wouldn't Aoshi please call her Tsugumi since it seemed to be fate for them to run into each other so frequently?

Kaoru seethed every time that woman tried to tag along. Aoshi politely declined each time, but Kaoru felt as if his dismissals weren't strong enough because it seemed like every time they turned around or went down a new street, there she was.

As they continued on, some streets had surprisingly dense crowds, and eventually Aoshi silently took Kaoru's hand and tucked it securely around his arm as the afternoon wore on. It wouldn't do for them to become separated. A gentle flush stole across Kaoru's cheeks, but she was thankful for the contact. She marveled at the warm, solid feel of Aoshi's bicep beneath her fingertips.

Little did Kaoru know, but Aoshi had noticed men stealing speculative glances at Kaoru as the two of them walked the streets, and he did not appreciate it one bit. Also, he was pretty sure he spotted that shameless Tsugumi woman lurking behind them a few storefronts back, and he really had no desire to deal with her again. She was ruining his afternoon with Kaoru, and he had the sneaking suspicion that she was the one who told those eager young men that Kaoru was single. Better to give her, and anyone else, the idea that neither he nor Kaoru were available for the duration of their stay here. Their interlocked arms granted Aoshi and Kaoru at least a little bit of peace (and Aoshi a good deal more peace of mind) before they decided to pick a place to have dinner. It's not like they weren't leaving in the morning, anyway, but better safe than sorry.

And if any of those young men eyeing Kaoru even dared to approach her, he would really be sorry.

Unfortunately, during dinner, Aoshi's good luck did not hold. Tsugumi had the audacity to approach their table at a quaint little nabe restaurant and boldly ask if she could join their meal as they had a seat open and there was surely enough room for another person. It was like a train-wreck of bad dramatic theater, right in front of their faces. Aoshi knew some pretty tenacious women, but honestly!

Aoshi's expressionless face could have been carved from granite for all most people could tell, but having spent just about every waking moment with him over the last week or so, Kaoru could tell that he was irritated by the interruption. Thus, Kaoru took it upon herself to play the possessive girlfriend, and was a little shocked to discover that it wasn't difficult at all for her to conjure up feelings of jealousy up over Aoshi.

"Excuse me, but can't you see we're enjoying a private dinner?" Kaoru frowned. "We did not invite you to join us. It's not like we even know you."

The buxom woman leaned close to Kaoru, whispering, "Ah yes, but I want to get to know him much better." She eyed Kaoru in what was clearly an insulting manner. "I doubt you're woman enough for a man like him."

Shocked speechless, Kaoru's mouth dropped open in anger and embarrassment. Aoshi caught the distress washing over her face and he frowned fiercely.

He stood swiftly and took the woman by the arm, surprising both of the women. For a moment, Kaoru looked betrayed, as if he had taken the woman's side. Seeing Kaoru's face, the troublemaker smirked triumphantly, thinking she had captured Aoshi's attention.

"I've been polite, but enough is enough. I have no interest in you, and I have no desire to have you anywhere near me, or us. I don't know what you said to my companion here, but I will not tolerate your presence any longer. Anything you do, or say, that hurts her in any way, insults me. I do not know what game you are playing it, but you lose. Leave."

With that, Aoshi pulled her to the front of the restaurant where he told the shocked owner that the woman was disturbing their meal and requested that she should not be allowed back in under threat of losing his paying customers.

The owner, having seen the woman enter and make a scene, was only too happy to oblige.

Aoshi returned to the table with intense eyes and an annoyed frown. Kaoru sat there, her hands pressed to her cheeks, trying to cool her blush and calm her pounding heart. The way Aoshi had just stood up for her… well, if she wasn't already in love with him, what he had just done would have been the tipper. But could she hurt Misao this way? She knew how uncontrollable emotions and feelings could be.

Interrupting her thoughts, Aoshi gracefully returned to his seat, eyes still on Kaoru. He reached across the table, cradling her face and hands with his own. Smirking slightly, he asked, "What's with this face?"

"Nothing! Nothing!" Kaoru exclaimed. "Just a little warm from the nabe pot. Very hot, you know."

Aoshi watched her for a long moment. Kaoru felt strangely transparent, and she wondered if he could read her thoughts. She could feel his eyes roaming her face. His gaze softened imperceptibly as he tenderly took her hands away from her face. He kept one of hers in his, once again rubbing circles with his thumb on the back of her hand. It seemed almost like an unconscious gesture of comfort on his part, and Kaoru wondered if he was aware that he was even doing such a thing.

Finally, he pulled his hand back and picked up his chopsticks and bowl, saying, "Of course. Let's continue with our meal."

Kaoru couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something had shifted between them. She wondered if Aoshi felt it, too, or if it was all in her head. Perhaps only something had shifted within her? Looking down at her bowl, she snuck a glance at his face from beneath her lashes, only to find him gazing at her gently.

"Is there something on my face?" Kaoru asked hesitantly.

"No. I was just wondering what you were thinking. You seem to be in better spirits."

She set her bowl and chopsticks down and decided to be bold in her answer. "Well, I'm having a delicious dinner with the most handsome man in the room. My night can't be too terrible."

Surprised by her frankness, Aoshi couldn't help the light blush that dusted across his high cheekbones and nose. It made him look so much younger and less formidable. Kaoru laughed delightedly, causing a slightly deeper color to bloom on Aoshi's face.

He smiled tentatively at first, embarrassed, but as her laughter faded away and she continued to smile happily, a full smile of his own emerged. If a little of his embarrassment brought her such joy, well, he'd be willing to suffer it anytime.

Aoshi realized that he was willing to do a lot if it kept her smiling and happy, and her happiness fueled his own, in turn. Her eyes wandered over his face, absorbing his expression. His gaze grew dark and heavy, and something inside Kaoru tingled. Suddenly nervous, Kaoru's eyes flickered to his lips, and her own lips parted with an unconscious little sigh.

Before he could stop himself, before he could consider the wisdom of his actions, Aoshi reached out and cupped Kaoru's face with one hand, his thumb ever-so-slightly tracing the edge of her bottom lip. Kaoru's breathing seized, the tingling in her stomach exploding instantaneously into a riotous frenzy of butterflies.

Light-headed, Kaoru whispered Aoshi's name breathlessly.

"Just for tonight Kaoru, allow me this." Aoshi said in his deep voice, his fingers sliding to the back of her neck. She felt herself being pulled gently forward, saw Aoshi leaning over the table to meet her halfway, eyes a dark, stormy blue, so unlike his normally clear, icy stare.

Kaoru's eyes fluttered shut a millisecond before Aoshi's lips touched her own with soft, but firm, pressure. With her eyes closed, Kaoru's sense of touch went into overdrive. She felt the heat of his hand burning against the back of her neck, his surprisingly warm mouth barely moving against hers. She had never been kissed like this before (she was certain parental kisses did not count, and even then, they were nothing remotely like this,) and the feelings rushing through her were indescribable. Her lips moved beneath his with a shaky gasp.

Aoshi had meant for it to be a short, chaste kiss, he really did. He thought that he had been doing a good job of keeping the kiss nicely innocent (well, as innocent as kisses can be,) but when her mouth opened that tiny bit, the iron grip he normally had on his control slipped.

Fingers tightening reflexively in Kaoru's hair, Aoshi tilted Kaoru's head back and really kissed her. Suddenly, his mouth was demanding and hot on hers, electrifying. Kaoru thought she had been breathless before, but this… She felt dizzy and off-balance, like there was a whirlwind roaring through her head and her face was burning. The brief snatches of air that she could get made her lungs feel as if they were on fire.

Aoshi nipped her bottom lip with his teeth, and Kaoru's mouth dropped open further from the onslaught of pleasure, and he took it as an invitation to go further. His tongue laved her lip briefly before he fused their mouths together, lips and teeth dancing. Kaoru felt Aoshi's tongue, so very sure and somehow gentle, working against her own. So overwhelmed, Kaoru was unsure where her mouth ended and Aoshi's began, so skillfully was he kissing her. And he seemed to be kissing her everywhere, leaving no centimeter of her mouth untouched.

Kaoru, feeling too much and yet wanting more, blindly lifted her hands, one clutching Aoshi's sleeve, the other rising up to touch Aoshi's face. The soft caress seemed to snap Aoshi back to awareness. He pulled back slowly, nipping her bottom lip again teasingly. He slightly nuzzled Kaoru's cheek with his nose before resting his forehead against hers as he struggled to get his breathing back to normal. He could feel Kaoru panting softly, her breath fanning across his chin. How had he let it get so out of control?

Still, Aoshi couldn't help feeling very pleased with himself. Kissing Kaoru was all he imagined it would be, and it had felt so right. And, he was very pleased to note, she was just as affected as he was by the kiss, if not more so. He finally sat back, eyes on Kaoru's face the entire time. Her lids fluttered open slowly, her eyes glassy with newly awoken passion, lips swollen from his attentions, face flushed.

Well, now he wanted to kiss her again.

To Be Continued…

AN: I hope you all enjoyed that. I'm thinking I can knock the next chapter out fairly quickly (here's hoping no work emergencies.)