So happy to see some familiar names, as well as some new ones! 😊

Chapter Two

Who could do such a thing? And why? Offended rage burned the spark of his soul into the white-hot flames of purest life… or destruction. As he stood before her, he consciously had to remove his hand from her skin to keep from burning her in his moment of abandon. Instantly her mouth shut, and she balled both hands beneath her chin in uncertainty. But her eyes, they stayed on him, and their sapphire pools watched as he lost control for the first time in several hundred years.

This was not why he had fought in the war. This was not the world he had hoped to create when he had committed himself to the rebellion. Hurting others just because they were smaller, causing others pain just for the pleasure of it, these were concepts he wanted nothing to do with. To see another treated so despicably reminded him of things he had thought long since buried, and for them to resurface now threatened to upend the stability of his new life.

Stuck in a swirling chaos of anger, Kenshin's shaky mind slowed to a crawl as he watched in perfect clarity the corners of her lips tilt happily upward. A smile, the first he had seen on her face, changed the entire ambience of her persona. Though covered in dirt and layers of grime, she glowed with whatever joy she had found in that moment. Staring up at him, her blue eyes full of awe, she smiled softly and reached one steady hand towards his face. Captured by her innocent desire, he didn't think to stop her.

A pained wince sucked air between the crevice of her lips, and she jerked her burnt fingers back into her chest. Upset by her pain, Kenshin forcefully struggled to pull in one long, deep breath to calm his racing heart. Turning the entire city to ash would not solve the problem he had been presented with, and hurting her only added to it.

"I'm sorry." The fire of his being cooled reluctantly, and Kenshin knelt before her as she flopped back down on the bench. The slight twitch of her legs hinted that it was the pain in her feet and not her fingers that had demanded she find stability once more. It did nothing to dampen his guilt. Twin blue irises peeked up at him through the clumped strands of her hair, and he was surprised to find that her smile had not disappeared. In fact, it widened just slightly as she watched his own features twist in regret. Quickly her head shook, and she showed him her hand as if to prove that it wasn't as bad as he had imagined. While the first two fingers on her right hand were red and irritated, the skin had not melted or deformed. It was only a mild heat burn and nothing more.

Swallowing down his unsteady emotions, Kenshin focused himself on the metal he could just see glinting back at him from under her chin. "Who did this to you?" A frown barely touched at the lines between her eyebrows, and her head tilted minimally to one side. Again, she held out her fingers, and he shook his head. "No. This." He indicated the steel plate, but made sure not to touch her. "Who did this to you?" The two burnt fingers retreated, and she touched the nail of her longest finger against the metal, almost as if she had only just noticed it there. After a moment of thought, she met his gaze, held his gaze, and then dropped her chin into her chest. The expression of shame that contorted her smile was unexpected. Slowly, her head shook once again.

She either doesn't want to tell me, or doesn't know. Either way, this situation has become much more complicated than before. If he took her to a hospital now, they would have more questions than he would be able to answer. Trying to explain her feet was already going to be difficult, but he was confident enough in his storytelling that he could come up with something believable. Once anyone caught sight of the metal plate and ball pinning her tongue in place, the police would undoubtably be called. Apparently, that was something she did not want to happen, for whatever reason. For now, he would trust that reason, simply because he had no clue what was going on. That meant he would have to find some other way to get her treatment and figure out who she was.

Scratching at his scalp, Kenshin turned his head away and bit back a curse. This was about to get complicated anyway. Glancing back at the young woman, his eyes closed to find her studying him curiously. So be it. It's my own fault for trying to find something to get me out of that lunch date.

Once more the phone was dug from his pocket, and he hesitated on a shaky breath before hitting the call button. A few tense rings droned in his ear, and then the gentle voice of the woman he had stood up answered. One more swallow. "Hey, it's me… Sorry about lunch." As hard as he tried, he could not keep his voice from softening. Not for her. "Something came up on my way there. I… kind of need your help." Despite standing her up, and despite his less than genuine apology, she graciously glossed over his shortcomings and agreed to offer whatever help she could. Making a face, he stepped away from the bench and provided a brief explanation of his current predicament.

Without even a single change of tone, the woman on the other end of the phone gave her understanding, and promised to meet him at his apartment. A part of him didn't want her to be there, but he knew it was only because he was trying to avoid her. Too late now. A light tug on his sleeve demanded his attention, and Kenshin smiled down at the woman stretched awkwardly on the bench. "I've found someone else who is willing to lend a hand. It means you'll have to come back to my apartment, though. Is that alright with you?" A blink, a tilt of her head, and she nodded. "Good. Unfortunately, it's not close by." Looking her up and down, he thought over his options. "How about a ride?" Facing away from her, he knelt on the ground again, and held his arms out to either side to indicate she was to climb on his back. "You probably shouldn't walk anymore."

There was silence for a long time, and then ever so lightly one of her fingers tapped him on the shoulder. He craned his neck around to see what she needed. A new first. Embarrassment distorted her mouth, and she looked down at herself even as she pulled on the hem of her dirty sweatshirt. "Ah… that's alright. Clothes wash, and it won't hurt me." He smiled again, this time in encouragement. "I promise it's alright." The tiniest bite of her lip stalled for time, and then she shifted forward on the bench.

She weighed nothing. Through the thick sweatshirt she was wearing, he could feel the harsh bones of her arms where they wrapped over his shoulders. Where her legs rested on his forearms, he could feel only the hard length of her thighbones. It felt more like he was carrying a skeleton than a young woman. More like a doll than a real creature.

They earned many strange or shocked looks as they made their way back to his apartment, and he could only imagine what it looked like to others. She was a tiny, dirty thing that appeared to be more hair than flesh. Did it even look like he was carrying someone, or did it look like he was the host of a parasite demon feeding off his energy? It was an amusing thought that entertained him during the long walk back.

At his apartment, he found that his lunch date had beat him there, and she stood like a lady should; with spine straight, shoulders back, and her feet together. Long, coal black hair hung flawlessly straight down her back, and her pale skin glowed with soft ambience. She was a beauty, no matter how one looked at her, and when she saw him, she bowed in a perfect ninety-degree angle. Next to her he always felt awkward, and slightly off-balance.

"Himura-san." Though she had known him for too long, she still addressed him with respect and a slight distance. He preferred it that way. When she was straight once more, her deep, black eyes slid to the small demon draped over his back. With careful scrutiny she observed what she could, and then waved a hand for him to lead on. "She appears to be in bad shape."

"Did she fall asleep? I can't really tell." Despite weighing next to nothing, the walk had been long, and the muscles in his arms, shoulders, and back were starting to cramp. Grumpily, her face rubbed against his shoulder, but one of the hands hanging limply over his chest tapped him. She was awake, but barely.

The small apartment occupied the space above the restaurant where he worked. The owner allowed him to live there, as long as he provided heat for the building in winter and fire for the cook stoves. It was a tiny, single room, with only a small kitchenette, a sink, and a toilet in a separate, closet-like space. There was no bath, but then again, he didn't need one. Carefully, Kenshin settled the young woman onto the only cushion in the room, and tried to steady her even as he turned to face her.

"I should have bought her a change of clothes." The soft declaration almost startled him, and Kenshin closed his eyes as her presence became unescapable. "She really needs a bath as well. This level of neglect is not healthy for her." Gracefully, she knelt beside him, and reached a hand to touch the corded hair on the young one's head. Irrationally, Kenshin didn't want her touching that hair, and a frown deepened the lines next to his mouth before he looked away. Only because it is dirty, and she shouldn't be dirty.

"I have some extra clothes she can have for now." This time a brief frown touched her mouth, and she turned away to open a bag she had brought with her.

"First I would like to look at her feet."

Removing the slippers finally produced a lucid reaction from the young demon now in his home. The glazed fatigue weighing down her lashes evaporated, and she jerked as the material of the slippers stuck to the opened wounds of her feet. A wince hissed from her mouth, and she wrenched her head up to stare at the new presence he had brought before her. To say she was shocked was obvious, but her frantic and almost angry scramble to escape their looming presences tore through everything between her and the far wall.

"Whoa, it's okay!" Crouched on his toes, Kenshin leaned forward so that he was half standing on his bent knees. Both of his hands lifted again to announce peace, and he tried to calm her as best he could. "It's okay. She's not going to hurt you." Frightened breathing heaved her chest, and she darted a look between him and the still calm woman kneeling at his side. "She's here to help. She's a doctor. For your feet." A gesture towards the fresh blood now oozing from her wounds tried to persuade her of the urgency of her situation, but she continued to cower in the corner as far from either of them as she could get.

"Forgive my sudden appearance, young one. My name is Yukishiro Tomoe. I mean you no harm." The soothing tone of her voice never changed, and even though she rarely smiled, she exuded a gentle aura that invited those near her to relax. Even the muscles in Kenshin's shoulders unloosened, and his lashes fell in a bid for patience. More than anything, he did not want her to be there.

It seemed Tomoe's calming effect had reached her, as the young demon slowly relaxed from her scrunched and defensive position. An adjustment pushed her into a more comfortable and upright posture, but her hands kept returning to clutch against her chest. She really is a pitiful thing. But not when she smiled, he remembered. Offering out his hand, Kenshin tried coaxing her into coming back.

"You're safe here, miss. I promise." Blue eyes connected with his, and the rest of the tension left her body. Whatever trust he had previously won, had been regained. Both hands curled around his fingers this time, and she allowed him to help her back to the cushion.

With practiced ease, Tomoe spoke to the young woman while she examined each foot. It was meant to distract her patients, especially for injuries that were scary or painful. It seemed to work, as the small demon stared at Tomoe, her blue eyes drinking in every aspect of her face in a strange type of wonder. One of her hands, however, stayed firmly grasped in his.

Tomoe was what those three demons on the street had accused him of being; a coal demon. Her constitution made it possible for her to conduct heat, but she could not produce any of her own. It gave her an advantage as a doctor, as she could remove heat from burns, heightened fevers, and even inflammation. The nature she had been blessed with was mellow and comfortable. A direct contrast to his own wild and fiery personage.

"I would like to soak her feet. It will help clean the wounds and remove any impurities. Do you have anything we can use?" Kenshin frowned in thought, before standing to rummage in his kitchenette cabinets.

"I have this large bowl."

Tomoe's head bowed graciously. "That should work. Please fill it with warm water. I will prepare a solution to add to it." The forgotten bag she had brought along was pulled closer. "This will be a little painful, young one, but do not worry. I will include a numbing agent in the solution to make it as bearable as possible." Without a hand to now cling to, the small demon's fists returned to ball under her chin. "After the soak, we will use wet dressings soaked in antibiotic ointment to wrap your feet. This will help remove dead tissue and stimulate the healing process. You will need to do this for several days." Gently, one of Tomoe's hands touched her shoulder. "After we dress your feet, I'd like to help you wash up. Would you be agreeable to that?"

Still staring with her deep blue eyes, she blinked as if coming back to reality, and then glanced down to grasp at her dirty clothes self-consciously. Timidly, she nodded.

While her feet soaked, Tomoe transferred her attention to the more alarming situation of her mouth. With Kenshin once more sitting on her other side, she asked about the steel plate and ball. A smaller surge of anger filled him at the reminder, but he was able to keep himself in check this time. Perhaps because the shock had worn off, or perhaps because Tomoe's personality made it easier for him to stay in control of his emotions.

"Will you show her what you showed me, miss?" Irises as deep as the ocean darted a look at him, but strangely she seemed less inclined to share now. With a slightly stubborn pull of her lips, her chin ducked into her chest and she shook her head. Red eyebrows lifted in surprise. "What's wrong? You showed me immediately when I asked before." Petulantly, both of her arms crossed over her chest, and she turned away from him. Why is she acting like this? Is it because of the way I reacted before? A wry twist of his mouth agreed with the assumption. I suppose I did overreact a little.

Deep black eyes studied them both. "No matter, young one." Like the soothing flicker of a candle, Tomoe's voice interjected. "Why don't we figure out your name instead? Can you write it for us?" The young demon looked thoughtful for a moment, before she nodded enthusiastically.

A small, foldable table was brought, as well as a piece of paper and pencil. Upon first grasping the pencil, however, she dropped it when the first two digits of her right hand reminded her of the burn they still suffered from. Without question, Tomoe reached forward to wrap her hand around the red area, and the pain instantly disappeared. Shocked, the young woman jerked her hand away to stare at her still dirty but now healed fingers, and then shoved them abruptly in Kenshin's face for him to see as well. He smiled kindly, but secretly felt awful that Tomoe had to come behind him and fix a pain he had caused.

Shakily, as if unpracticed, the small demon fumbled with the pencil, but eventually the kanji for her name came to life on the page. Squinting over her shoulder, it took Kenshin longer than Tomoe to read it, but he agreed with her interpretation when she spoke.

"Kaoru." Dark eyes lifted to connect their gaze. "Is that correct?" A small smile and nod confirmed. Picking up the paper, Tomoe studied the kanji closer. "I wonder why the kanji is written like a boy might." Glancing up, she shared her puzzlement with Kenshin. "Are you sure she's a girl?"

Thinking of her light weight resting against his back, Kenshin rubbed an eye to hide any shame or embarrassment in his confession. "Fairly sure." A small nod accepted his response without question.

"What about a surname, Kaoru-san. Can you give us your family name as well?" An unsure look melted the joy from her expression, but she could not give a response this time.

After her feet were fully cleansed and properly wrapped, Tomoe shooed Kenshin from the apartment to allow them some privacy. Seated on a small stool next to the tiny sink, Kaoru watched Tomoe prepare an old rag they would be using to free her of as much grime as possible. "Himura-san only has dish soap in his apartment." Kneeling gracefully next to her, Tomoe lifted the wet rag and carefully began wiping away the dirt on her forehead. A hair tie had already been unearthed, and was now barely containing the almost dreadlocked mass of her mane. "Unfortunately for us, he has no need for soap. Fire demons cleanse their body naturally, without the use of water. You will find no cleaner being in the world." A small smile pulled at her lips. The young demon was eating up her words, as if unused to being spoken to. I can only imagine that means she is used to being spoken at. "You have beautiful eyes, Kaoru-san. Like twin sapphire gems." With one cheek cleared of filth, a blush became noticeable and flushed her skin pink.

The underclothes beneath her heavy sweatshirt and pants were just as soiled as her outer clothes. Worse, Tomoe was dismayed to realize that she could easily count each of her protruding ribs. A soft brush of her hand across the young girl's cheek conveyed reassurance, and she set to work spot-washing her as best she could. She was grossly underweight, and the clothes that Kenshin had provided for her use hung about her arms and legs almost comically. Due to her state of health, she did not even fill out the bra she had been wearing, and so Tomoe tossed it out with the rest of her clothes.

A small mirror hung above the sink, and Tomoe found Kaoru staring into it as she wrung out the now brown rag. Slowly her fingers touched the area under her eyes, and there was a light smile on her lips. But then her fingers drifted lower to her red-streaked cheek. The smile melted, like wax under heat, and her fingers curled away. Quickly her eyes peeked over at Tomoe, almost shamefully, and then her chin ducked and her brow-line scrunched. Empathy washed over Tomoe, and she put down the rag to help her back onto the cushion in the middle of the room. A girl indeed.

"Health comes first, Kaoru-san. Beauty will follow." The declaration was mulled over seriously, but must have resolved something inside her mind. Only a few moments later, the small demon took a quick, decisive breath before lifting her chin all the way back. Just as Kenshin had described, a metal plate sat directly at the center between her jawbone. Tomoe had felt its presence when cleaning her, but had not pushed her to see it clearly. Now she was able to study just how raw and aggravated the skin surrounding it was. Some of that could be the fault of the wash rag.

"May I see the inside of your mouth?" Lightly she cupped the girl's chin in one hand, and tilted her slightly to each side to direct light upon the round, metal ball sitting upon her tongue. "Does it hurt you?" A frown formed around her eyes as she thought. "Do you feel any sharp pains?" The frown convulsed briefly, before she lifted a hand perpendicular to the floor. A back-and-forth shake conveyed her answer. "Sometimes?" Her head nodded. "How long has it been there?" This time she was unsure. "Do you taste any blood?" No. Her next question was softer with hesitance. "Do you know who did it?"

An observable swallow tugged at her throat, and her lips came back together as she looked away. Shaking, almost desperate shaking, denied Tomoe an answer.

"Alright, young one. That's enough questions for one day." Stroking her cheek again, she dropped both hands to clasp around hers. "Himura-san is an excellent cook. Would you like for him to make you a meal?" Painfully, her stomach answered with a demanding gurgle.

Kenshin was allowed back in, but was surprised to find that Kaoru refused to show him her face. A small, almost sad smile pulled at Tomoe's mouth in response, but she distracted him by conveying her promise that he would cook Kaoru a meal. While Kaoru busied herself with scribbling on the piece of paper left for her on the foldable table, Tomoe assisted Kenshin with the food.

"She's painfully malnourished." A frown darkened Kenshin features, but a quick duck of his head hid the look behind his hair. "We will need to make sure her food is bland for now, and avoid any rich flavors." A noncommittal hum announced he understood. Tomoe continued in that calm tone he both hated and was grateful for. "I would like to take her to the lab."

He glanced at her, and she could see it in his eyes that he disliked the idea. She knew that lab did not hold any good memories for him. Almost desperately, he searched for a reason to deny her. "She didn't want any authorities involved. The lab would have to report her presence."

"Not if I kept her presence off the official reports." Patiently she explained her reasoning. "She allowed me to look at the pin in her mouth, but I will need a scan of it before we can determine how to remove it safely. The lab also has a proper bath. I did what I could, but I would prefer she soaked her entire body and her hair. I found… lots of scars that I was unable to fully study." He blinked, but kept his attention on the food. "There is also evidence of some recent trauma to her outer thigh. It appears to be fairly acute. You mentioned that she was limping, and I thought it was because of her feet at first, but there might also be some underlying condition in her leg that will need addressed."

A deep breath pulled silently into her lungs. This was what he would hate the most. "I want to consult with a colleague."

"No." The scribbling stopped as the one hot word filled the small room. Trying to remain calm, Kenshin flattened his hands on the tiny counter space and consciously lowered his voice. "Not her."

"She's the best, Kenshin." Red lashes fell hard like a door slamming shut. Don't. A soft sigh announced she understood her mistake. "I'm sorry, Himura-san, but I think she could be a benefit."

"I disagree." The temperature in the room was rising. A telling sign that he was angry. Lowering black eyes to her folded hands, Tomoe took a small step back.

"I couldn't find any markers." Finally, his full attention settled on her, and his red brows were lifted in surprise. "I can't tell what kind of demon she is."

X

A/N: Another new aspect! I wasn't originally going to include Tomoe in this story, and then it was only going to be briefly. As it looks now, she's going to have a rather large part in this story, but… I'm actually kind of happy about it. She's a refreshing character to write, and the more I thought about her impact on the progression, the more I liked how it encourages even more love and growth. I also wanted to make sure that there is a difference in the way that Kenshin interacts with Kaoru versus how he interacts with Tomoe, and I want to work hard to make sure it comes across the way it feels in my imagination. I hope everyone will embrace her presence as much as I, unexpectedly, have as well. Please let me know if you still like where this is going.