Disclaimer: Ruroni kenshin belongs to nobuhiro watsuki
"Habits"
There was something captivating, about the way Kaoru brushed her hair.
Barely two weeks had been completed since Kenshin had arrived at the Fushimi Inari Shrine; fourteen exact days of routines and teachings in the company of her new friend and one or another new character. And although the activities were varied during the day -mostly because of affairs from the people of Kyoto- the night routine was the same, and it seemed at least that it would remain the same.
Every night Kaoru was first in the room, no matter how much Kenshin rushed with his dojo cleaning duties, how much he got ahead of his chores the next day or reduced his time in the shower, she was always first. And apparently with time to spare if the arranged futons gave proof of this.
Just like then, breathing hard and almost out of breath, he had wandered through the shoji to find his partner already set.
Oh, right. Also, the way she received him.
"Welcome Kenshin." The girl smiles at him.
"Tadaima (I'm back/I'm home)" He answers.
It is then that Kenshin enters the room as always and amuses himself by arranging his clothes on the furniture next to his bed. The distance allows him to watch his friend across the room as she brushes her hair in front of a round mirror, which is supported by a metal base.
The miko's apprentice runs the comb through her black hair and the fall makes a snake-like hiss.
Once again the samurai apprentice has been spellbound by the movement.
When was it that he had started admiring her? He questions himself. Barely fourteen days and he no longer locates the day, the night, the exact moment in which he had fallen prey to that spell; but is unable to contain himself.
The comb moves up and down as Kaoru spreads the strands and braids them. The boy admires the curve of his companion's neck and the reflection of her closed-eyed smile in the mirror. Then she leaves the instrument on the chest of drawers, with her hair over her left shoulder - always her left - the girl begins to braid her hair in a loose braid. Just as she's about to finish, the redhead agrees to break contact and settle on his futon.
Just 5 seconds later, the apprentice looks at him before turning off the lamplight.
"Kenshin, oyasumi," she whispers.
"Oyasumi, Kaoru dono" he answers in the same whisper.
And then they both go to sleep.
Kenshin stays for a moment, however, staring blankly at the wooden ceiling above his head. Then he closes his eyes and draws in his mind those previous moments in which his partner had combed her hair. He can't quite say why, but there's something in that task that is known to him, almost familiar; as if he had been witnessing that for months, a year even, to the degree that it gives him peace of mind.
He sighs.
If his teacher saw him, he would warn him to be careful as it is evident that he is about to fall in love.
Then he chuckles.
"How absurd!" He thinks, "She's just a girl."
Then the memory of seeing a young woman brushing her hair through two half-open shojis creeps into his mind. He is older then, and has stopped dead in his progress down the hall towards his room, when that sight has captured him and he can't take his eyes off of her.
Kenshin frowns, opens his eyes again, and looks over his shoulder.
"She's just a girl." He is convinced.
And then he finally falls asleep.
A/N: Feel free to tell me what do you would like to know more about the sanctuary events.
