Chapter Twelve

Bright and golden, the eyes in her dream refused to look at her. They always refused to look at her. As she stood, directly before the blazing fire demon, Kaoru tried to move, tried to speak, but was able to do nothing more than stare up in jealous envy of that golden gaze. Would they ever look at her? Would she forever be tormented by their indifference?

Look at me! Why won't you look at me?!

Moments later, and a fairly new sensation invaded her dream. A tight pressure pushed against her sternum, and it made it difficult to breathe. It was a focused force, instead of a dead weight on her lungs. For two weeks, she had suffered from this new occurrence, but with her eyes glued to the fire demon's averted gaze she could not be sure of the source. Tonight, for the first time, her chin lowered, and she looked down upon the reason for her discomfort.

Red-orange flames in the shape of a single finger was pushed into the middle of her chest, directly between her breasts. As soon as her brain recognized that the fire was touching her, a burning sensation accompanied the pressure. The longer she stared, the more uncomfortable it became, and for the first time, she was afraid.

But not of the pain.

Kaoru woke with a start, and her hand went immediately to her sternum. Hunting fingers pushed and searched through the material of her shirt in frantic motions, before stopping seconds later over the sensation of raised scar tissue between her breasts. Frowning, her fingers pressed harder, as if to make certain it was real, or flatten it back into her skin to make it not real.

Was… that always there?

Tossing back her blanket, Kaoru settled her feet gently against the cold floor and stared briefly at Tomoe sleeping peacefully in the spare bedding. Carefully, so as not to wake her, Kaoru gathered the crutches they had replaced her wheelchair with and stood. With her feet fully healed, and her thigh close behind, she had been informed that she would soon start working on physical therapy for strengthening. Apparently, Enishi was going to help her with it, since neither Tomoe nor Megumi had the time or skill to assist. Enishi, being a stone golem, knew much about strengthening, or so he had bragged.

After their first meeting, Enishi had returned afterwards in a different form. Instead of his tall and rather imposing adult body, he now presented himself to her as what she assumed was an early teenager. Their heights were roughly the same, and his features were much less intimidating. Kaoru understood that he was still the same person, but she had to admit that it did put her at ease. It helped that his personality had also started to soften, somewhat.

As quietly as possible, Kaoru swung herself to the door with the crutches taking most of the weight off of her left leg. Across the hall and in the bathroom, she closed the door firmly, and set the crutches aside. A long mirror took up part of the wall in the shower area of the bath, and she studied herself hesitantly in the harsh overhead light. Quivering fingers gripped tight the edge of her shirt, and then she lifted the hem up past her breasts.

Sapphire eyes squinted at the mirror, before dropping immediately to look at her sternum. Directly in the middle, her skin was puffed and raised as only a healed burn could. It wasn't quite circular, but instead oval-shaped with licks of the burn reaching away from her center. Dropping her shirt, Kaoru felt herself tremble and sought comfort from the length of red hair Kenshin had left for her. While she slept, she liked to keep it wrapped around her wrist, and she was glad for it as her heart raced.

I don't remember that being there before. Uncontrolled breathing overworked her lungs, and she leaned into the wall when her leg twanged in pain. Was it always there and I just didn't notice it, or… or…?

Pressing her face into the length of crimson braid, she fought against fear. Fear for something she didn't understand. I want to remember but… a part of me really doesn't. Why? What is this dream trying to tell me? Unsteadily keeping herself upright, she focused on the warmth seeping through the red strands, seeking comfort. I don't like this. This isn't what I wanted. Before, I thought what I felt was simple longing. Now, this fear feels too much like… anger.

It was several minutes later before she thought herself calmed enough to return to the bedroom. Instead of the cot, Kaoru put aside her crutches and climbed under the covers of the futon Tomoe occupied. Dark eyes came open drowsily, but the coal demon was no longer surprised by her nightly intrusions. Cuddling her in her arms like a mother might a child, Tomoe settled her chin on the top of Kaoru's head and let out a long, gentle sigh.

"Are you feeling lonely, my little blue-eyed one?"

Soothing tones wrapped around her, and Kaoru clenched her eyes shut. Fighting the tremble of her mouth, she nodded. A soft hum vibrated Tomoe's chest in response, and one hand warmly stroked the back of her head. Kaoru loved this open indulgence. It was a luxury she felt compelled to shamelessly take advantage of as often as possible. Tomoe appeared to be such a calm and composed woman, but was in fact filled with such warmth and love.

"Don't be afraid. You're not alone. I may not be as strong as Himura-san, but I will keep you safe in his absence. You have nothing to fear."

Hugging herself tight to Tomoe's chest, Kaoru released a shaky breath. Seconds later, a low tune hummed from the woman's throat, like a lullaby for a troubled child. It felt nostalgic, like some vague memory from a time so very long ago. Relaxing within a cocoon of safety and warmth, Kaoru felt herself gratefully falling back into the realm of sleep.

You're strong, Tomoe-san…

X

For three months, Kenshin did nothing but run all over the mountain. He had always thought himself to be physically fit, and in fact in better shape than most. Being on the mountain, though, had shattered that illusion like brittle glass. He had learned fast that Hiko was not easygoing or a liar. What he said went, and he allowed for nothing less than perfection. In order to achieve that perfection, Kenshin had been informed that he would have to learn more about his own body and how far he could push his physical limitations. Until then, Hiko had nothing to teach him.

Instead, Ayame and Suzume were his trainers, and their self-proclaimed titles of Swift and Strong were alarmingly modest. They had promised him, in their sweet voices, that they would do their best to get him in shape for the real training. After a few days, Kenshin had wondered if he would survive the beginner level to make it to what Hiko had to offer. If he was stronger than the two komainu, which Kenshin imagined he was, he feared what that meant for not only his sanity but his self-esteem.

Ayame's swiftness pushed his lungs and his legs to the absolute limit every day. Suzume's strength beat his reflexes into shape like a swordsmith hammering a katana. Sometimes, Ayame and Suzume would chase him around the mountain, and sometimes he would have to chase them. He never caught them, but they certainly caught him most of the time. For a while, he feared he would be permanently bruised.

In the beginning, the days seemed to crawl, and what time he did have to himself was spent sleeping. He rarely saw Hiko, who largely kept to himself, but would sometimes appear for meals. There were moments when he felt that the master was watching him, though, and he knew better than to assume Hiko had no grasp on his progress. Slow as it seemed to be.

It took three full months, but Kenshin only happened to notice his own progress in an abrupt moment of clarity. What felt like overnight, he was able to breathe easier, and the movements he had struggled to keep up with felt smoother. He was adapting to the environment, as well, and even though there was no way to increase the oxygen levels in the air, his body was able to maintain what he considered to be the perfect temperature while utilizing less energy. The simplicity of the exercise made him want to berate himself. It wasn't only about physical fitness and cutting out unnecessary movements, but also removing excessive energy consumption. Everything he did was to fine tune his own power.

Feeling blessed with more energy and less fatigue, Kenshin started offering to assist with breakfast and the evening meal. He had learned that whenever only one of the komainu trained with him, the other would go to town to shop for groceries or essentials. They were also apparently responsible for cleaning. Used to living alone, it felt wrong to Kenshin for someone else to do all of the house chores. They were skeptical of him cooking at first, but learned quickly that he was quite good at it.

They were cheerful demons, despite their age and strength. While they trained, it was easy to remember that they were powerful guardians. During every other moment, however, they seemed to be content with acting like children. At least, after they had warmed up to him.

"What's for supper tonight, Ken-nii?" Ayame's right paw curled up a section of his pant leg, and she strained up on her tippy-toes to see over the lip of the countertop. When they cooked, they had stools to accommodate their height.

Kenshin bit back a laugh, but failed to hide the smile that crinkled his eyes. They both had fallen into addressing him this way, and it was amusing considering the age difference.

"It's getting colder, so I thought a hot pot might be welcome."

"Yay!"

Suzume's giggles lit up the interior of the house, and he braced himself as she threw herself against his other side. After weeks of training, they had both become used to being in contact with him, whether while attacking him or doctoring him. In the end, they showed no hesitance in using him like a jungle gym. He enjoyed their innocence, though. In a way, they reminded him of Kaoru, and he hoped that one day she would be as carefree and fearless as they were.

The invasive reminder of their continued separation was accompanied by a gentle ache in his chest.

The back door opened, and Hiko's large frame squeezed into the small kitchen. Both of the girls greeted him without delay, but neither moved from Kenshin's side. Bowing slightly himself, Kenshin welcomed him home with all respect. Dark brown eyes blinked at him, glanced at the knife he had in his hands to chop up the ingredients, the komainu hanging from his hips, and the apron covering his front.

"I believe I agreed to train a fire demon, not prepare you to be someone's wife."

Both guardian lions snorted with laughter, but Kenshin continued to smile quite happily.

"I believe the term is house-husband, and there's no reason I can't master both."

The girls were laughing in earnest now, and Kenshin chuckled at their open hilarity. Even one side of Hiko's mouth cracked a small smirk.

"Not on my watch, boy. If you have enough energy to do house chores, you're ready to start training with me. We'll start tomorrow."

"Awwww." The light-hearted laughter turned to petulance in a flash, and the two little lion demons clung to him sadly. "Ken-nii won't be playing with us anymore?"

"You knew that was the deal from the start."

"But… we want to keep him now."

A heavy crease formed between Hiko's brows. "He sure as hell isn't staying here forever. If he wants to play with you two, he'll have to make his own time to do it. If he's still alive."

It was Kenshin's turn to frown at the insinuation, but he winked down at Ayame and Suzume's upturned faces. "Don't worry, I'll make some time." Both bared their pointed teeth in triumphant grins.

With night fully set in, Kenshin walked himself away from the house. The komainu were sleeping, and Hiko had once more disappeared. It was generally the only time he had to himself, as well as to check his phone for updates on Kaoru. Some progress had been made on identifying the seal in her mouth, and Kenshin was hopeful that they would soon have a way to remove the pin holding her tongue in place. In the interim, Kaoru was also putting on weight and muscle from her physical therapy, and her progress could be clearly seen in every picture Tomoe provided to him. It was heartening to see, and to know that she was still such a silly thing by her poses or actions in every photo.

For the first time, though, Tomoe had provided not only a picture but a video as well. Though the picture was sent second, he peeked at it first, and found that it was not of Kaoru. Instead, the phone in his hand framed a drawing she had done, once more of a fire demon. Her skills had improved dramatically with constant practice, and Kenshin blinked at what was obviously a drawing of him. An unwilling smile tugged at his features, and he studied what she had accomplished until it became embarrassing.

Swiping away the image, he turned finally to the video. At first, he didn't know what he was supposed to be looking at. The picture swung about without focusing on really anything, in what he recognized as the rec room of the lab. Then it settled on Kaoru seated at her desk. She was facing away from the camera, and seemed quite intent on whatever project she was in the midst of coloring in. A headset noticeably covered her ears and cradled around the top of her head, but he was still confused by the significance of the video until Tomoe drew closer.

Soft and almost haunting, humming filtered through the speaker of his phone, forcing him to immediately hold down the side button to turn up the volume as far as it would go. For a solid minute, Kenshin did nothing but stare. The sound was captivating, and he held his breath without thinking. Every muscle in his body had frozen, causing the fingers holding his phone to almost painfully clench in place. Despite a lack of words, the song flooded him with emotion. Every wonderful emotion, including heartbreak. And he wanted to listen to it forever. He wanted to follow it anywhere.

Abruptly it ended, and he sucked in a deep breath as if water had been thrown in his face. Left feeling bereft, he thought to play the video again, when a deep voice off to his left interrupted his plan.

"A beautiful voice."

Jerking his chin towards the intruder, Kenshin blinked at Hiko sitting plainly next to a large kiln. The fire under the kiln had been perfectly maintained.

"I am reminded of a light I once saw, hundreds of years ago now." His eyes never left the fire, to make certain it perfectly heated whatever clay pot was within the kiln. The story was offered without any prompting. "I was exactly where I am sitting now, and it hovered out in the woods. Just there." His arm lifted to point, but his gaze did not. "It sang to me for a time. Then left."

Surprised, Kenshin came closer. "What was it?"

"Something long since extinct." The words were low and astonishingly sad. Unexpectedly, dark eyes steadied on him. "Tell me, boy. You fought in the war with the humans. Did you do so merely for survival, or because you hated them?" Instant revulsion and hatred twisted Kenshin's features before he could turn his face away, and Hiko grunted. "That, also, tells me a lot about you."

"It matters little now." Though he spoke the dismissive words, his face was still locked in a recognizable expression of disgust. Hiko studied that expression, before continuing on.

"Indeed. But I do miss them visiting me. No other species in this world were quite so full of wonder."

What does he mean by that?

Unwillingly, Kaoru's face appeared in his mind as it was the day they first met. She had gazed up at him with such an expression of awe and delight, even while he lost his temper. Not for one moment, even while pained, had she lost that wonder of him and his fire. It was such a blessing, when most of everyone else only ever looked at him with fear.

Thinking to correct this man who thought only humans could be full of wonder, he was cut off by the dismissive wave of his hand.

"Get some sleep. You're going to need it."

X

In the chill morning air, Kenshin found himself standing next to a waterfall. The spray battered him with cold droplets of water, and he shivered even as it sizzled and popped on his heated body. A small ravine next to him dropped into a pool the waterfall had created at its base, and then disappeared down the mountain stream. Peeking over the edge curiously, Kenshin wondered what they would be doing, while a sick churning in his stomach could guess.

"Today, you're going to use your fire."

Surprised, Kenshin turned his head back towards Hiko standing next to him, and he was instantly flooded with relief. That meant the water was only for safety. Two seconds later, and one large hand settled on his shoulder.

"Down there."

Open air enveloped him before he understood what the large demon meant, and his lungs seized at the same time his limbs flailed futilely. Desperation took hold of him, and he knew he needed to say something, but could manage nothing in his current state of shock. When he finally hit the water, that shock turned quickly to panic.

His entire body submerged under the liquid, and his terror heightened. Thrashing about frantically, he managed to break the surface long enough to gulp in some air, but misjudged the motion and sucked in a mouthful of water as well. Again, he went under, and his next resurfacing produced an awful projection of water from his lungs, but allowed no time for additional air to be taken in. It wasn't until his fourth, and most feeble, breakthrough that Kenshin managed to yell.

"I can't swim!"

Standing atop the sheer incline, Hiko listened to the echo recede.

"Shit."

The cape was discarded before he jumped over the ledge and into the water below. Kenshin was already sinking towards the bottom when he dived down to retrieve him, and when they surfaced the fire demon barely wheezed. Flopping him up on a rock along the edge, Hiko pulled himself up to sit next to him.

"You're losing your form."

Curled onto his side and shivering, Kenshin looked at his hands to find that his skin appeared to be melting. A suppressed cough jerked his entire torso, and he swallowed.

"Were you trying to kill me?"

"You can't handle a little water? What do you do when it rains?"

"Stay inside." The reply was immediate and slightly higher pitched than normal.

A chuckle rumbled Hiko's chest. "How pathetic."

Kenshin grunted, but ignored the jab to focus on reforming the core of his flame. Usually, it was something he did unconsciously, even when exposed to water. Large amounts of water with constant exposure, however, threatened to extinguish him and he had never attempted such lunacy before.

"New plan."

Once more, Hiko's large hand reached for him, but this time fisted in his shirt before tossing him again into the water. Thrown directly back into a state of alarm, Kenshin fought against the liquid that wished to drag him under. Until that same hand locked around his arm and forced him upright.

"Stand up, boy. It's not even that deep here."

Thrusting both feet down, he stood, but automatically clung to the larger demon for stability.

"Can you maintain your form? Boy!" The hand shook him, and he snapped his eyes upwards. The impatience on Hiko's face faded as he stared down on him. An uncomfortable grumble rubbed against his throat, but his stern tone seemed less forceful. "Focus."

Slamming his eyes shut, he pictured the barrier of his body and where it met the water forming around him. "Yes."

"Good. Now lay back."

"W-what?" Violet eyes came back open.

"Look, baka, if you can't swim, you can't learn. Now lay back. Even fire can survive on the surface of the water."

Hesitantly, Kenshin lowered his weight backwards into the pool, but was only partially reassured by the large hand suspending him under his upper spine.

"Now relax completely, but keep focusing on your form."

It took several tries, but the moment Kenshin found himself capable of floating on his own filled him with a sense of accomplishment. After all, water was a natural enemy to fire, and he was in the process of conquering it.

"I'm doing it!"

Deep, amused laughter echoed off the walls of the ravine as Hiko threw his head back. Chagrined by his own childish enthusiasm, Kenshin sank under the water.

X

A/N: Well, it's a day late, but I've been wanting to switch my post day to Saturday anyway. It gives me a little extra time, and I won't feel so stressed about it while I work. I also took a little bit of a necessary break this last week, but found myself thinking about this story all the same.

There's a lot to say about this chapter, but not a lot that I can voice. I enjoy getting to write happy characters, so I was a bit sad by Kaoru's POV moments, but it was also necessary for her progression. I also wanted to stay true to Kenshin being a more upbeat character in this story, as I first introduced him, so it's nice when I get to write him that way. Everyone has their own issues to deal with, but that doesn't change who they are fundamentally. I also wanted show the development of relationships between Kaoru and Kenshin with other characters and not just each other. I'm still quite surprised by how much I like Tomoe in this story.

Next chapter might introduce a new level to the training with a revelation I've been waiting for. Please let me know if you still find this interesting, and I'll keep working hard to deliver. Much love!