Disclaimer: Ruroni kenshin belongs to nobuhiro watsuki


"Rematch."

Kenshin was once again debating whether or not he should cross the screen. It was his third day in the sanctuary, and he did not wish to repeat the events of the previous morning. The miko's apprentice had the arm of a sailor, he reminded himself.

But on the other hand, he also didn't want to have to rush like yesterday, not to mention that the episode of changing clothes had been quite embarrassing.

He sighed.

Then, using what he had learned from his master, he slipped out of the room, taking his clothes with him.

The girl moved behind him then, and the young man risked a look over his shoulder.

"How can she sleep so much?" He questioned.

The apprentice was huddled on her futon, her lips slightly parted.

Something stirred in the heart of the young samurai. After all, this same young girl had been the one who had offered him a new roof, as well as food on the table and company. No, more than company, she had given him her confidence and clearly offered him her friendship.

"Shishou was right," he thought to himself. "I am a baka deshii."

Kenshin returned to the private room again and stood close to the shoji but still on the other side of the screen.

"Kaoru dono, I think now you should get up." He told the apprentice.

The girl barely stirred.

"Five minutes more." She said.

The samurai's eyebrows almost meet.

"I'm afraid not." He told her "Kaoru dono, it's late."

In response, the little girl let out a grunt, followed by covering herself with the futon cover until she was completely hidden under it.

Kenshin seemed to have a small vein pop on his left temple and his right eye twitched.

After containing the urge to yell at the young woman, he decided to do something a little more sensible -at least for himself-. Going out to the second room and closing the shoji, he took a breath before speaking.

"What do you say Kago kun? Yumi sama is coming here?" He pretended without losing attention to the reaction of the girl's ki, which had seemed to give a little jump. "That will be a problem, Kaoru dono is not ready yet, she is still under the covers."

"Kenshin! I'm awake!" Kaoru yelled then.

In her career, she had ended up throwing the futon and forcefully opening the shoji doors, while holding on to their frame.

Kenshin blinked innocently.

"Oh, good morning Kaoru dono. Did you sleep well?"

Kaoru blinked a few times in confusion, looking around the room for a chokkai that had evidently never been there.

When she understood, she looked suspiciously at the redhead.

"That was cruel," she complained with a pout.

Kenshin kept smiling innocently.

"Would you rather I had let you sleep late? Kaoru dono, such decency!"

Anger dominated the black-haired girl for a second before she reminded herself that she shouldn't really get angry; in the end, he had saved her from a possible scolding.

"I guess I should thank you." She growled.

"There's no need. Although..." The young man said, suddenly looking at his companion's appearance.

She also looked at him somewhat confused.

Kaoru was still in a yukata, and her hair—despite having been braided—was somewhat tangled, with strands going in all directions.

"That hairstyle really suits you." The young man told her.

Color rose from her neck to the top of her head and smoked out of her ears.

"Kenshin!"

This time, the young man managed to cover himself with the tatami.


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