Chapter Forty

The noise and adrenaline from the festivities filled the air with excitement as Cho leaned against a half wall and slurped up the remains of his Yakisoba. Grinning at a small child that stopped to stare up at his lanky form, Cho winked mischievously. A toothy smile was his reward, and the child took off running with a squeal. A short distance later, and the kid slammed into his parent's leg and received a mild scolding.

Huffing an amused laugh, Cho returned his attention to his current objective. When they had first arrived at the festival, Saitou had directed him to follow the suspected wind spirit from a distance while the wolf demon watched from a different angle. Throughout the entire evening, nothing the young man had done had appeared suspicious to Cho. As a result, he was getting a little bored. Especially after waiting for a full hour while the kid and his little date watched an overhyped dance recital.

Of course, it had not escaped his notice that the fire demon known as Himura Kenshin was with them. It complicated things, but luckily, he was preoccupied with some little woman as well. Currently, their small group, now plus one of the dancers, had gathered up for food. The suspected wind spirit had wandered off deeper into the crowd, and Himura had gotten dangerously close to his own position next to the food stalls. With the young man finally alone, his boss had exposed his own impatience and followed after.

Cho debated on following his boss to help him corner the young man, but Saitou Hajime wasn't one to need help. Besides, an idea had begun develop in Cho's mind, one that had more to do with the vulnerable members of the group and not the strong ones. It had occurred to him the moment his eyes had landed on the suspected wind spirit and his date, that there was a way to catch a wind spirit. They couldn't be caged, but there would be no need for a cage if he could just make him do whatever he said. With the right leverage, anyone could be manipulated. His date was such a cute little thing, too, and the young man seemed protective enough of her. It was cliché, but if it worked, there was no need to get creative about it.

Throwing away his trash, Cho watched as the fire demon returned to the group like some delivery person. A few seconds later, and he disappear in the same direction as the young man. Grinning, Cho sauntered his way over. With the fire demon away, there was no better time to remove the girl from the group.

"Excuse me."

Trying to appear as non-threatening as possible, Cho smiled directly at the small floral demon. The koi demon to her left and the other woman to her right both jerked their heads in his direction.

"Did you come here with a young man? Yahiko?"

The girl stood, and her hands clasped together at her breasts. "Yes. Has something happened?" Her soft, sweet voice was full of concern.

"He's fine, but there has been an incident. He's asking for you." Still smiling genially, his hand extended. The other woman stood next to her, and his eyes darted to her quickly while his brain immediately concocted an excuse for why the girl needed to come alone. It was then that he finally recognized who the other woman was from her missing person photo.

Freezing in place, his eyes widened.

"Kaoru?"

The name slipped from his mouth before he could stop it, and irritation tinged his thoughts for giving himself away. The recognition from someone she did not know frightened her, and her blue eyes widened. Barely a moment later, the pins holding back her hair burst outward like dangerous projectiles, freeing her hair in a burst of fire. It swirled over her shoulder, and formed into a creature of hard edges and sharp points. It stood unsteadily across the back of her shoulders, and two leathery wings flapped awkwardly as if it was unused to having them. Nevertheless, it stared him down with eyes of golden rage, and bared its teeth at him threateningly. Despite its smaller stature, the power rolling off its body was enough to give Cho second thoughts on his choice of vocation.

X

Tsubame gasped next to Kaoru as the salamander's hiss sounded like a gas leak waiting to ignite. Extending one arm outward to block Tsubame from danger, Kaoru reached up with her other hand to steady the now cat-sized salamander. It was slimmer than before, and had longer legs, but its claws were still sharp and its muscles still hard. As before, fire flickered at the tip of its tail and huffed from its nostrils, and its blood-red scales were at once beautiful and foreboding. It didn't seem to know what to do with its newly acquired wings, but with Kaoru's support, they folded hesitantly at its back.

"Hold on, now." The strange man with long, spiky blonde hair held up both of his hands and produced a strained laugh. "I'm not here for you. I only came to get the little flower lady."

Kaoru's heart was pounding hard, and her thoughts raced. This man knew who she was. Worse, his intentions were not innocent. Otherwise, the salamander would not have appeared as suddenly as it had. Was he connected to Sōjirō? Was Sōjirō nearby?

But… why does he want Tsubame-chan?

A frown darkened her features, and she shook her head.

No. You can't have her.

"Calm down. No one's in trouble. I just want to take her to Yahiko." Cho continued in his attempts to placate her, but his expression was becoming less and less convincing.

Yūtarō finally stood as well, and crossed his arms. "Oh yeah, what for?"

"He's asking for her."

"What? For?" The question was repeated, slower, and Cho shoved his hands in his pockets. Something about his demeanor changed from amiable to treacherous in an instant, and he sighed almost resignedly.

"Come on. I get a bit cranky when I don't get my way. Let me take the girl and I won't have to hurt you." Tsubame backed up, and Cho tilted his head. "I know how that thing works, you see." His head jerked at the salamander. "As long as I don't attack her, it won't attack me. Since I have no intention of harming Kaoru, I can hurt you all I want."

Yūtarō's weight shifted indecisively, but Kaoru stepped between them.

I said no!

Cho laughed. "Don't you think I have ways of getting around you? Step aside, Kaoru. This has nothing to do with you."

His eyes looked over Kaoru's shoulder at the young woman behind her, and desperate anger snapped inside her mind.

Stop! Don't even look at her! Look at me!

A step towards him brought him into range of the salamander, and its sharp teeth chomped at the grass demon. Cho jerked back, and his eyes finally reconnected with hers.

Look at me!

A partially confused frown creased his face, but now that his eyes were caught, he could not look away.

You will look only at me!

When he blinked, it was sluggish, and the deep abyss of his pupils dilated until there was barely a sliver of his iris left visible. Slowly, as if caught by time itself, his expression melted into vacancy. The muscles in his shoulders and arms slackened, and he appeared suspended by his head, which tilted strangely to one side. Like a broken doll.

A cold, hard rock formed behind Kaoru's sternum, but she ignored the uncomfortable sensation to stare down this man who had threatened her friends. There was no room in her mind for anything other than her desire to stop him, to hold him, to keep him from moving one step closer.

You will look only at me.

As the foreign power took hold of her body, she knew intrinsically that he would follow her anywhere, and a burst of triumph colored the back of her mind. Suddenly, it was important that she lead this man away. Holding him place wouldn't do. He needed to follow her. He had to follow her away from his intended path until he was lost, or forgotten. Then. Then, she could lure him in close…

Her mouth opened. There was no other way to order him to follow, after all, but the words lodged in her throat. Anger melded with frustration, and her features twisted into an ugly representation of the two emotions. Her inability to fulfill her desire was maddening!

Flickering warmth touched her cheek, and a light gasp rushed past her lips. Deep inside her chest, something hot but tender answered. It was not a part of her. Not like the coldness was, but it was gentle and full of life.

W-wait. I… I don't want this.

Her eyes, however, remained fixed upon the grass demon, and she could feel the foul distortion of her face.

Help! Please! I don't want this!

Liquid cold as ice slid down her cheeks.

Make it stop! I don't want it!

Barely a breath later, and Kenshin's back filled her vision, effectively cutting her off from everything. Long red hair tickled her face, heat from his body evaporated her tears, and his shoulders looked strong enough to carry the world. Clinching her eyes shut in sharp relief, she fisted her hands into the back of his yukata and buried her nose in his ponytail.

X

Unchecked trembling jerked and tugged at the back of his clothes, and Kenshin scowled at the grass demon opposite him. Due to the proximity of their bodies, the salamander was forced to step up so that its front feet braced on Kenshin's shoulders. Its back two feet stayed firmly on Kaoru. Next to Kenshin's head, the salamander's neck lowered, like a beast ready to pounce, and its golden eyes glared daggers at the man shaking himself free of Kaoru's lingering effects.

"W-wha…?"

It took almost a full minute, but Cho jumped when his eyes finally focused on Kenshin.

"H-hey." For a moment he looked anxious, but confusion washed over him quickly, and his eyes drifted blankly to one side. "What… was I doing?"

A hand landed firm and harsh on his shoulder, and Cho jumped again. Behind him, the yellow eyes of the okami glanced at Kenshin in brief acknowledgement and wariness, before jerking his head at his subordinate.

"What are you doing? It's time to leave."

"Oh… right." Cho looked more confused than ever, but shrugged his shoulders in an attempt appear stable. "After you, boss." As he turned, he winked back at Kenshin. "See ya later."

Kenshin did not relax until he was certain they were officially gone from the festival. Only then did he slowly turn so that he was facing Kaoru. Her hands released him reluctantly, and instead covered her face. The salamander dug all of its weight into his shoulder until it was perched solely on him. Once Kenshin was facing her fully, the salamander snuffled her hair with its pointed nose.

Yahiko had rushed past him earlier, and was now seated next to Tsubame. Her hands were cinched around his, and her eyes were squeezed shut in relief and lingering anxiety. Yahiko's face was as red as Kenshin's hair, but he was trying his best to reassure her that everything was fine. Yūtarō remained standing with crossed arms.

"What happened?"

Yūtarō briefly explained the encounter, and Tsubame's head nodded every so often in agreement of his telling. It seemed simple enough to Kenshin, and the hands he had braced on Kaoru's shoulders moved to uncover her face. She glanced at him hesitantly, and he smiled. He didn't know exactly what Kaoru had done, but the power seemed to frighten her. Kenshin unfortunately had first-hand experience when it came to fearing his own powers, and a part of him did not want her to go through the same. If he had learned anything from his time with Hiko, it was that it was better to learn control than to stamp the power down out of fear.

"You did good, Miss Kaoru. You protected Tsubame-san and Yūtarō-san. With some practice, you'll learn better control. I'll be right here to help you, okay?"

Every muscle in her face scrunched, and her upper body shuddered on an indrawn breath. There was still uneasiness in her flame blue eyes, but his words had successfully reassured her. The arms she held to her chest extended to wrap around his ribs, and she hugged herself to him tight. Comfortably, he returned her embrace without a second thought, and lifted one hand to pet the back of her head gently. Over her shoulder, Yūtarō's face flushed red, and he looked straight up in embarrassment. Yahiko blatantly stared as if shocked to even see such open affection, and Tsubame covered her happily blushing features with a soft gasp.

As everyone's nerves calmed from all the excitement, the group finally dug into the festival food. The salamander returned to its dormant state, but had to hook itself to Kaoru's yukata in the absence of any hair tie to secure it. Afterwards, the girls expressed a need for the facilities, and Tsubame reset Kaoru's hair into its low, soft bun. A new sprig of cherry blossoms was also provided, as the other had burned up by the appearance of the salamander, and the hair charm was twisted into an easy accessory to one side.

It was fully dark now, and the crowd buzzed with excitement for the planned firework display. There were designated areas for the spectators to watch from, but Yūtarō bragged loudly about a private spot he knew of on the roof of a nearby building. They were invited to join him, of course. Yahiko scowled, but since Tsubame seemed genuinely excited about it, he reluctantly agreed. Kenshin took Kaoru by the hand and declined with a smile.

"Thank you for the offer, Yūtarō-kun, but I found a quiet place to watch the display earlier. We'll be heading in a different direction."

"Oh, alright." Yūtarō looked disappointed, but shrugged his shoulders.

Yahiko's face brightened, and he grabbed Tsubame by the hand. "We should probably go with Himura-san."

His body stopped short when the floral demon tugged.

"We shouldn't, Yahiko-kun." His dark eyes blinked at her in confusion and surprise, and Kenshin chuckled.

"Sorry. I would like to spend the rest of the evening with just Miss Kaoru. You're on your own from now on."

"B-but…"

Kenshin smiled at Kaoru as he turned them to walk away, and the return glow in her irises eased his heart. She had finally relaxed after the earlier incident. He had worried they might have to cut their evening short if she continued to appear uncomfortable. To know she trusted him deeply enough to let go of her worries humbled and pleased him. Going forward, he wanted to make sure she never doubted that trust she had in him.

The area the festival was located in backed a large, wooded park. It was technically closed because of the festival, and was dark to deter anyone from wandering around it. Once he was sure they were deep enough into the trees that they would not be seen by anyone nearby, he conjured small flames to light the path at their feet. Kaoru gasped, and strained her head around to watched the line of flames appear a few steps in front of them, and then disappear a few steps behind them. The small lights cycled as they stepped, and were gentle enough not to disturb the quiet environment. Both of her hands wrapped around his one, and she grinned up at him as her only way to express her thoughts of the practical power. Her excitement never ceased to amuse.

Quite a way into the wooded park was a small clearing with a few benches to rest on. In front of one of the benches, Kenshin stopped them, and pointed with a hand at the opening directly across from where their bench faced.

"The fireworks will be in that direction. I thought we could watch them more comfortably from here."

Kaoru glanced down the line of his finger, and then nodded her head vigorously. Briefly he wondered if she knew what fireworks were. Whether she did or not, she was appropriately excited about witnessing them.

"They should start up any time now, but…" He pulled at one of the hands gripping his forearm and turned her so that they were facing one another. "I wanted to say something first."

Her head tilted at him curiously. The small flames at their feet melded together into one ball of light, and he lifted it so that it hovered to one side. Taking a moment to compose himself, Kenshin bowed his head to her, but kept his gaze on her face.

"I'm sorry, Miss Kaoru." Dark lashes blinked, and her brows creased. "For being so slow."

Purposefully, he formed four hand signs in the muted light from his flame. The same four hand signs she had worked up the courage to present to him almost two weeks before. Blue eyes widened as she watched, and then the bottomless depths of her irises darted up to meet his as red flushed her cheeks.

"It took me too long to figure out what this meant, and I made you wait."

Her teeth bit down on her bottom lip, and she shook her head as if to say it was fine. Cupping her jaw in both hands, he tilted her chin up to keep her eyes on his.

"It's late, but I'd like to give you my response."

Dark lashes blinked, and her features had softened to an expression he had never seen her make. Briefly, he realized, with his face so close to her own, that her lashes were darker than normal and synthetically enhanced. It changed the normally playful and cute angles of her face into something more mellow and elegant. Forced to catch his breath, Kenshin stroked his thumbs against her skin, and leaned closer to gently press his mouth over hers.

Over the years, Kenshin had conceded certain advantages to having a human form to conceal his true fire demon body. Touch was one of those advantages. With a buffer, he was able to appreciate touch without melting or burning everything his hands reached for. Simple things, such as smooth wooden surfaces, or loose grains of uncooked rice, were slightly sensory for him. Dry surfaces were his favorite, and were calming in a way. For the first time, however, Kenshin found greedy enjoyment of something just slightly moist.

To maintain some space and dignity, Kenshin resolutely ended the kiss after a brief four seconds. The large sapphire depths of Kaoru's eyes were wide open now, and he had to struggle hard not to laugh. Especially to see the harsh flush of red tinging the tips of her ears. Stroking her jawline in reassurance, he smiled as he softly confessed.

"Me, too, Miss Kaoru. I've fallen in love with you."

Her hands reached up abruptly to grab the fabric at his chest, and the scrunch of her brows spoke of a joy so acute she looked in pain. Instantly concerned, Kenshin covered her hands with his and urged her to the bench so that she could sit down. She refused to release him until he brought one of his hands back to her face, at which point she decided she wanted to keep that hand there at all costs. Both of her own came back to cover his knuckles, and she leaned into his palm with such a fierce look of happiness and love, he had to struggle to maintain the distance between them.

It was as they sat there, waiting for her emotions to settle, that the first of the fireworks burst to life in the sky. She jumped, and jerked her face skyward to stare at the sparkling remnants fade into the darkness. Then more popped into life, over and over again in an array of beautiful colors and sparks. It was mesmerizing, even for Kenshin as he watched the reflection in the luminescent globes of her eyes.

After a few minutes, her eyes squeezed shut, and her body trembled. A heartbreaking smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and then her chin lowered and she opened her eyes once more to look at him. They pulled him in, and beckoned with swirls of hypnotic blue flames. They looked into him, saw his true self, and still loved everything that he was. It was an expression of happiness too deep for him to handle, and he swallowed harshly before taking her face once more between his hands.

"I'm afraid… I'm feeling quite greedy."

His voice was strained by his desire to keep this moment innocent and sweet, for her. It did little to stop his body from falling prey to his desire, however. A second kiss was pressed upon her lips, but she willingly, although shyly, accepted his avarice as well. That sweet reception reinforced his wish to protect all of the emotions blossoming between them.

When he finally drug himself away this time, it took much longer than four seconds. Honestly, it was the shockingly disappointed realization that her mouth was dry that finally brought him to his senses. When he questioningly pulled away, though, he was instantly humbled by the bright red and general overheated appearance of Kaoru's face and neck. The barely parted heaviness of her gaze relayed confused overstimulation, and sweat even beaded across her forehead in quiet reprimand.

"I-I'm sorry."

Sitting up immediately, he made sure to put some distance between them in order to allow her to cool off. She huffed out a breath to fluff her bangs out of her face, and then waved both hands at her cheeks to create a false breeze for cooler air. The soft skin of her lips was obviously dry and slightly cracked.

"Should we go back and get you something to drink?"

Her hand grabbed his before he could stand, and she shook her head even as she swallowed. At first her expression was earnest, but turned shy after a moment and she had to look away. Settling himself back in his seat beside her, he watched as her eyes returned to the fireworks and her hands continued to fan her face and neck. The red of her skin slowly dissipated, but remained high on her cheeks.

Turning to flatten his spine directly into the backrest, Kenshin tilted his head back to watch the fireworks as well. Looking at her only exacerbated this newfound greed, and for now it didn't seem wise to encourage it. A few seconds later, her fingers curled around the hand he had rested between them. He glanced at her from out of the corner of his eye, but found she too was resolutely watching the firework display.

It was a good official first date, he decided. The first of many more, he hoped.

X

A/N: Well… I'm late! Sorry about that, but this last week was… weird? I'm not sure what happened. I had a hard time finding time, and when I did have some time, I couldn't find any motivation to write. Which, I've discovered, is not the best time to try to write. Sometimes I can power through it and then get my inspiration as I go along. Other times, I hate everything I write and it's not a good thing. This was one of those latter times. I also had a birthday party to go to Saturday for my great aunt. So, I attended hoping being with family would ease whatever stress and/or anxiety was affecting me. I'm happy it worked! I've never been particularly social, and I'm awkward as hell when it comes to verbally interacting with others, but I like listening to others talk. My grandma says I'm an old soul. Maybe that's true, but I also just like listening to older people tell me about their lives. I find it interesting. Anyway, that's more about me than I planned to talk about, lol. I'm so happy for this chapter. It turned out so well considering I was having so much trouble writing it. Maybe I'm just happy for the mush scene at the end, though, lol. I love the lovey stuff. Then again, this story is supposed to be about love, in many different forms. So, enjoy the love, know you're loved, and bask in the warmth. I've got some more sweet stuff for the next chapter, but I'm switching it up with a different pair. Hope to see you this coming Saturday!