Mornings After
By hye kyo
Disclaimer: Nope, RK isn't mine…
Author's Notes: So this came out later than what I originally planned. Anyway, this is a bit short and if you think this is just another phase of fluff-and-then-something-wrong-happens then you are…probably wrong. Since we are nearing the end I am putting in more KK moments, leading to the lemony lime in chap 28 or 29…hahaha
Anyway, please do read and review.
P.S. To thos who want to read something humor ( and not humor-ish angsty) try my other story, The Consequences…it would have something I haven't done before…but well, don't expect too much. I will be posting it in three parts. So there, so much for plugging…
On with the story!
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Chapter twenty four: crashing
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Megumi gave birth the following Friday. As Kaoru rushed to the room, she met Kenshin in the elevator.
"Hi," he said.
She smiled. The elevator doors opened. They both stepped in.
"You just got off from work?" he asked as he pressed the button.
"Yeah. You?" she asked. He looked so sullen.
He nodded.
"Anyway," she cleared her throat, "I've been meaning to…"
"Don't worry," he smiled at her.
She shook her head, "Let me apologize, at least properly, I have…I have been very rude."
He looked at her and said, "It was nothing. I think I deserved it."
And the elevator doors opened.
--
"You are late," Misao pouted as Kenshin came through the door.
"Oh Kaoru, you're here too!" Megumi exclaimed.
"But you're still late," Misao shook her head. She was sitting at the edge of Megumi's bed.
Sano came from the bathroom. He looked at Kenshin, smiled at him and then at Kaoru.
"Sano," Kaoru nodded.
"Well, the nurse just took away Ryo-chan," Sano said, scratching his nape.
"Ryo-chan?" Kenshin asked quizzically.
"Ryosuke," Megumi said as she shifted, Misao assisted her. "Cute name eh?" and she laughed.
Kaoru smiled. Megumi looked so happy.
"Why don't you two visit the nursery?" Megumi suggested. "And then tell me whether Ryo-chan looks more like me than the rooster."
Kaoru laughed.
Sano turned to Kenshin, smiling goofily he said, "Yeah, sounds good. And don't forget to bring coffee. I'm dying to have one."
Kenshin looked hesitant for a moment but when Kaoru said, "Sure", he turned to Sano and nodded tentatively.
"Come on Kenshin," Kaoru said, glancing at him.
"We'll bring coffee," Kenshin said as Kaoru held the door for him.
Sano turned to Megumi, "Oh, I think our boy's finally growing up." And Megumi gave him a puzzled look.
--
The nurse brought the crib closer to the window and as Kaoru watched the sleeping Ryosuke, she thought of the green pjs they bought months ago.
"Does he look like Sano?" Kenshin asked, leaning closer to the window.
"Yeah, they have the same nose. I want to see his eyes, I think they resemble Megumi's more than Sano's."
He smiled. He was thinking of the same thing. "If we had…" and then he trailed off.
She turned to him, looked at him thoughtfully and said, "Probably something closer to your name."
"E-eh?" Kenshin shot her a puzzled look.
"You were going to ask me what name would I give if we had a baby. Right?" she said without blinking.
He looked down on his feet, "Y-yeah…"
She looked back at the sleeping baby. Perhaps their baby would have Kenshin's hair color and his nose and his mouth and perhaps their baby would get her eyes. Perhaps their baby would be a little boy who would resemble Kenshin so much, aside from his eyes which, as she said, would come from her. He would have Kenshin's habits and manners, would talk like him and sit and stand like him. He would be a little Kenshin. But then again, she sighed, that would never come true.
"By the way," Kenshin cleared his throat, "I already found an apartment."
She stood straight, "So you were serious."
He nodded, "It's close to where I work."
"Really?" she gazed at his face. He wasn't looking at her, nor at the baby. He was looking through the glass of the window and through the sleeping baby like he was seeing something other than what Kaoru could see. "So where is it?"
And he told her.
She tapped a finger at the window, "It's practically closer to my apartment than to your workplace."
He laughed, "Really? That's a coincidence."
She frowned but found his comment funny nevertheless.
"Are you formally…on a relationship with that Seta guy?" he asked out of the blue.
She said a wordless answer that actually didn't mean anything.
"So?"
She shrugged. "Why?"
"Nothing…" and he took a deep breath, "I just thought that if you are really happy…I guess…I guess there's really no reason for me to worry."
"Yeah." She wanted to say it as a question but it sounded like a declarative.
"He's a good guy, I think." And he turned around. "Well, I'd better get coffee." And he turned around the corner and down the cafeteria.
--
It's been eight days since she last saw Kenshin. She thought Kenshin was deliberately avoiding her. She hadn't told him about her meeting with Tomoe. She knew it would probably not affect him. And if it would, it would probably only be negative. And so she didn't tell him.
She was almost tempted to call him and tell him about it, just so she would have an excuse to call him. But she didn't, wanting to protect him, and her, because she thought that if she would tell him Tomoe still loves him, he would immediately go back to her and would forget about her. Not that she was hoping. Because she wasn't.
--
Soujiro sat beside her, looked at her and said, "We've known each other for only a short period of time…"
She smiled quizzically. After the blind date, they seemed to have been dating more often than she thought.
"But I feel like I've known you for a long time," Soujiro murmured. He took her hand, held it and said, "I wish we couldbe together more often…"
"Y-yeah…" and she faked a grin.
"Really?" he smiled.
"Y-yeah…" and she tried to smile back. She would consider Soujiro and probably accept him in the end if he asks, because she knew now that there was no possibility of her ending up with the stupid redhead. Not that she was hoping.
"Good," he said and suddenly pulled her into a hug.
--
Misao had asked him where he had been staying. He told her he finally found an apartment and that he had been meaning to show it to her as soon as the furnishings were done. Actually the apartment was complete. Only, he didn't want to show it to Misao yet. He doesn't want to actually.
He in fact never told anyone, except for Kaoru whom he doubted remembered the address he told her ten days ago when they saw each other at the hospital. So he was quite surprised when he drove through the gate that night with the guard telling him someone was expecting him. He thought it was Kaoru but shooed the idea away. She would never come, even if he asked her to.
--
And even though he thought it could probably be Kaoru he was still surprised to see her sitting on the floor in front of his door. She was shaking, with nothing but a large blanket draped across her shoulders.
"Kaoru?" he asked, and as soon as he said it he regretted ever coming home late that night. He wished he had been there earlier, he wished he had been there when she came so that she might've gotten better quicker and that he might've not had to suffer from this feeling that he had abandoned her.
--
She was trying hard not to cry. But she was still shaking. He looked at her bare arms and found bruises on her. He ran his fingers on them and she winced.
"I just need some sleep," she said, covering her arms with the blanket.
"Kaoru," he looked at her intently.
She looked away, "Can I use your bathroom? And maybe a spare shirt if you don't mind?"
"Kaoru," he insisted. He held her.
"I'm sorry," she was still shaking, "But this is only for tonight—"
"Stay here for as long as…" he pulled her abandoning what he was thinking of saying, "I won't ask now. But promise to tell me tomorrow."
She meekly nodded.
He stood up, "I'd just prepare your bath."
--
He lay wide awake on his bed when a knock came. He had sent Kaoru to the guest room and he thought she was probably having a hard time sleeping. He stood up, opened the door and found Kaoru, dressed in just an oversized shirt and holding a pillow, looking timidly at him.
"Why?" he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I couldn't sleep," she murmured, "Could I sleep here?"
He smiled, "Of course." And he ushered her inside.
--
He placed a tentative arm on her waist. When she didn't stir he pulled her closer.
She turned around, buried her face in his chest and suddenly began crying.
He closed his eyes, at least crying would help bring her to sleep.
--
He woke up, felt for her beside him. When he realized the space beside him was empty he quickly stood up.
He found her in the kitchen, looking through his cupboards.
"Good morning," she greeted, trying to be cheerful, "I'm sorry I was trying to make breakfast. But it seemed as if I can't get past boiling water. I'm simply not that talented" and she laughed.
Kenshin frowned. He walked over to her, touched her arm and said, "I need to know."
She looked hesitant, "Could I stay here for just a couple of days? After which I'd go."
"Kaoru," he said trying to sound stern but couldn't. He was so worried about her that he couldn't find it in him to sound stern, "You could stay here for as long as you like. But at least I have to know."
She became silent. She took a step back from him and with a reluctant voice said, "I…I just needed a place to stay…until…until someone moves in at the apartment beside mine."
He frowned. He was still not getting anything from her. He inched closer, placed his hands on her shoulders and brought her to sit on the stool at the bar. "Tell me, please."
She looked away, shame crossing her face. "I had just been…been a little…careless."
He waited.
"I knew I locked the doors. I came home late last night, I was tired. All I was thinking of was getting some sleep. I knew I locked the doors."
He rubbed her shoulders. She was getting shaky.
"After I finished my bath I heard noises at the door. The units beside mine had been recently vacated so I thought those were just my ex-neighbors gathering some stuff they left…when the noises grew louder I was terrified and then…" she started heaving, "And then out of nowhere there was this man…he was trying to…" and she cried, "I don't know maybe he was just trying to steal but I was there and I was…"
Kenshin had now pulled her into his chest.
"But I managed to hurt him and threw him out the apartment. I quickly locked it, alerted the guards and just grabbing a blanket I hurried down the fire escape…and then I went here."
"Did he—" he was trying to ask the inevitable but couldn't.
"No…no…it actually seemed like he wasn't trying to do that…he just wanted me to shut up because I was screaming…"
Kenshin wanted to hurt himself, because he had tried to avoid her and because he had tried to forget about her, because he had tried not to think about her. He wanted to hurt himself because he had neglected her.
"I think…I think the man just…just felt a little brave into breaking in because the units beside my apartment were empty…It never happened before."
"You'll stay here," he said seriously.
"Just until someone moves in," she took a deep breath.
"No, I'm not letting you live alone like that anymore," he buried his nose on her hair.
"Kenshin," she said, "I had just been a bit careless."
"Maybe but still—"
She had pulled herself from his embrace, "I appreciate your concern but I had just been careless. I won't be from now on."
He knew that by the look on her face any argument on his part would be futile. Perhaps he would just talk to her into moving in with him some other time.
"Kenshin," she slowly said his name.
"Hn?" he asked, tucking hair behind her ear.
"Could you accompany me later? I had to get some clothes…"
"Of course," and he smiled for the first time since she arrived.
--
He didn't go to work. He phoned in and told his temporary secretary he'd be taking a leave probably for a couple of days and that whatever papers he had to sign she'd just have to leave them on his desk. He said he'd finish his work at home and his secretary duly complied and asked for no further instructions.
"Aren't you going to work today?" Kaoru asked as she slipped on the couch beside him.
"Nope, you aren't too," he said, making space for her.
"I told Tae. She was asking where I was staying."
"What did you tell her?"
She shrugged and then looked at him, "She was just concerned about me."
"You told Seta?" he asked, he just couldn't stop himself from asking.
I nodded, "I told him some other excuse. I didn't want him to get worried. I told Tae not to tell him anything."
He nodded. At least there were still things that Seta guy doesn't know. He somehow felt a little proud of himself. At least he was still accorded a special place.
She leaned on his arm, "Thanks Kenshin."
He laughed, "Where do you want to go today?"
"Just here. I just want to stay here."
He pinched her nose, "Good then."
--
"I'm sorry about wearing them," she said as she placed a bowl of popcorn on the table. She took her seat beside him.
"It's okay," actually he liked seeing her in his shirts.
"It's just that it's comfortable to be in them." And she laughed.
"Come here," he murmured and she inched closer. "What movie do you want to watch?"
"Something period." She said, "Something historical."
He frowned, "That's boring."
"I know," she laughed, "I wanted to sleep. That's why."
And he laughed at her too.
"You've told Misao?" she asked all of a sudden.
"About what? The apartment? Or you staying here?"
"Both."
"Yes, no and no, no."
She looked up at him. Her back was pressed against his chest, her arms resting on his knees.
"I've told her about the apartment but I didn't tell her the address. I also didn't tell her about you staying here and about what happened to you."
She smiled. "Good. I don't want her to worry about me. I don't want her to find me here either."
He looked at her slyly, "Why?"
"Because…" she swallowed hard, "That would cause a lot of problems."
"Like?"
She shook her head, refusing to explain further.
He only laughed.
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A/n: So how was it? Chap 25 will be uploaded soon…