Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters. I am just a fan girl with a wild imagination.
***Kaoru POV***
After ten grueling minutes of peddling, the red gates of the shrine loomed over her. A cry escaped Kaoru's mouth as she felt a wave of relief. Kaoru couldn't get into the shrine fast enough. She continued to ride her bike through the courtyard, all the way towards the shed. Sloppily, she got off her bike and didn't even bother to put it away.
Kaoru made her way to the main house without even looking back to see if Kenzo was following her. In the back of her mind, she knew that he would. At the moment she was still trying to process everything that just happened to them.
She was attacked. Kenshin was a demon. It was all too much.
Kaoru stumbled into the main house and headed straight for her room. She threw her sweater in the trash and put on a long t-shirt that was grabbed from a dresser drawer. She then removed her pants and crawled into her futon, pulling the covers up to her chin. Kaoru curled up into a fetal position and let the tears fall.
***Kenshin POV****
Kenzo padded into the room after her. He made his way over to Kaoru's bed and heard her crying. He felt guilt claw at his heart, and the urge to comfort her. He had been a spectator to the scene of Kaoru's depression before, but this time was different. She was traumatized.
It's all because of me. I've brought nothing but pain into her life.
Approaching Kaoru slowly from behind, Kenzo nudged her neck carefully with his muzzle. He sniffed her and licked her face trying to get a response. She responded by curling into herself more and crying harder.
He took a step back and thought about what to do. His inner demon was screaming at him at him to act. It was equally as worried about Kaoru as he.
Do something.
Like what? I'm a little lost here-
I don't care, use your knowledge of human women, and fucking do something to make it stop.
You care about the fact that Kaoru is in distress? How sweet
No, it's irritating!
Kenshin smiled a little internally. His demon mirrored his own feelings for Kaoru. It was Intune with her, ever observant of her emotions. Her intense emotions were beacons of distress, calling out to him.
Kenshin allowed himself to transform back into his human form and slide in behind Kaoru. He threaded his arms around her, holding her. Kaoru whimpered and responded by uncurling herself from a fetal position into a more elongated posture.
What is it about this woman that made him act recklessly?
He decided he would comfort her until she fell asleep and then change back.
It's the least I can do for her at this point.
Sure, demons could sense him from outside the shrine. In general demons have a harder time entering holy grounds and withstanding the strong spiritual atmosphere. The main problem was that they could post up and wait for him to leave the shrine, then attack.
Tomorrow he would have his sword again so any demons that came for him would pay with their lives. He needed to be careful about transforming for a little longer.
"Please don't cry Kaoru, I am here. Nothing will harm you."
Kaoru was too exhausted to engage with Kenshin. She simply sagged against him and hiccupped in an effort to stop crying. Her new sense of reality was distorted, she was afraid that she no longer knew what was real and what was fake.
Kenshin? This feels like another dream.
Kenshin used one of his hands to tuck Kaoru's long hair behind her ear. The other arm remained around her waist. He pressed his lips close to the shell of her ear, and softly spoke again.
"I am sorry Kaoru; Please forgive me for getting you wrapped up in all of this."
Kaoru stilled in his arms at his words. She turned around so that her face was level with his chest. Kenshin loosened his arms, before pulling her close to him again when she was settled.
"Kenshin, I don't blame you." She pressed her face into his chest and laid a soft kiss there.
The gesture was sweet.
He could feel her warm tears on his chest as well, making it bittersweet.
"Let's rest now Kaoru. Help me tomorrow, and I will answer all of your questions. It pains me to see you like this."
Kaoru nodded her head against his chest in affirmation and snuggled back into him.
As long as I can stay with him like this..yes.. Was Kaoru's last thought for the night.
Kenshin listened to her breathing change and continued to hold her. She felt right in his arms. Kaoru brought out a softer side of him.
He hadn't realized how much he had missed being close to someone, until he had spent time with Kaoru.
After a few more minutes Kenshin carefully changed back into Kenzo. He remained pressed against Kaoru, and they cuddled that way until he too fell asleep.
****Soujiro POV***
Soujiro made it back to Shishio's hideout in Osaka in the early hours of the morning.
After he had tracked the battousai, he waited to be sure that he wouldn't move from his location.
When it became obvious that the battousai wouldn't leave, Soujiro headed out.
Despite the odd hour, Shishio sat on his familiar Victorian couch sipping on sake in his office.
He was as alert and regal as ever, choosing to don a silken men's kimono.
Draped over his arm smoking from a long thin pipe was Yumi, his mistress.
This sleek yet busty woman refused to wear her kimono properly, leaving her large breasts almost fully exposed at all times.
If one were to view them from the outside, they seemed lost in their own little world.
Yumi was always doting over Shishio, and despite his tough exterior, he liked the attention.
Shishio was the one of the most feared fire demons, known for his cruelty and unmatched skills on the battlefield.
Somehow, during his bloody rise to power he had met Yumi, a powerful witch and sorceress who was posing as one of the most popular geishas in Kyoto.
Despite his rough exterior, she had fallen in love with him and his darkness.
When Soujiro entered, they sat up more attentively.
It wasn't like Soujiro to bring news in the early hours of the morning unless something more serious had occurred.
"Soujiro, I see you're back at an odd hour. What have you been doing?"
"Lord Shishio, I was in Kyoto when I picked up on the aura of the battousai."
"I see. The battousai lives after our last battle." Shishio stroked his chin with his thumb and forefinger thoughtfully.
"He has been hiding at the Heian Jingju in Kyoto.
"At the Heian Jingju? A Holy Shrine? HA! Now that is unexpected."
"He also seems to have taken a liking to a human woman. After observing them it appears she resides at the shrine."
"Astounding, the mighty battousai has fallen for a human woman! Hahaha!"
"Lord Shishio, how would you like me to proceed. Should I attack? the battousai is unarmed at this time."
"While I do remember breaking that wimpy old sword of his... No. Soujiro stand down. This new turn of events has shifted my focus. We will capture this human girl and find out what she means to the notorious battousai."
"Lord Shishio, what are your plans for Itochu?"
"Itochu will fall, eventually. In order for that to happen we need to cut down their pillars one by one."
"The battousai is one of their pillars."
"Yes, without him itochu wouldn't be what it is today. Him, and Hiko."
"Understood, so capture the girl and bring her back here?"
"Yes, I want to have a word with her." Shishio's red eyes glinted with malice.
A word with her could mean a variety of things, but a simple chat was not one of them.
Shishio liked to break down his victims slowly over time.
Shishio paused to sip his sake and share a look with Yumi, who grinned back at him encouraging him on.
"I want to use her to bait the battousai into revealing his true self to me. I want to see the look on his face when I slice her neck to navel. I want to see him burn with hatred. Then, we will have a real battle. Our last battle was a utter disgrace, he held himself back."
Shishio spat out the last words of his tirade with a venom. He crushed the sake glass he held in his hands and felt warm blood run down his knuckles.
Soujiro's next words redirected his attention.
"Then it is decided. I shall bring her to you. I know that if I wait patiently enough, the right opportunity will present itself."
Shishio looked over at him and nodded.
Soujiro had been the one demon over the centuries that remained forever loyal to him.
He couldn't have chosen a better ally to serve at his side.
***Kaoru POV***
The next morning:
Kaoru yawned and stretched her arms over her head. She had been gifted with soothing dreams of being snuggled and kissed by Kenshin.
They had wandered to beautiful grottos, grassy fields, warm hearths with blazing fireplaces; whispering sweet nothings to each other.
She looked down to see Kenzo glancing up at her with uncertain eyes.
He was studying her. Smiling down at him, Kaoru reached down and pulled him up into her arms.
"Ya know Kenzo, I am going to miss you like this. It has been nice having a dog around."
Kenzo responded by covering her face and neck into sloppy kisses rapid fire. Kaoru squealed in response and squirmed. She brought her hands up to shield her face.
"Stopp! Kens-Kenzo! You weirdo."
Kenzo ceased his movements and looked up at her with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.
He was trying to be silly.
Kaoru treasured this moment, he really knew how to cheer her up.
Kaoru pressed a kiss to his muzzle and unwound herself from him to get out of bed.
She went about her morning routine, getting ready, preparing breakfast, and feeding Kenzo.
Now that she knew he was a Demon, she made Kenzo a meal of steak and rice.
To which, he gobbled down hastily, in appreciation.
Once they had finished eating, Kenzo sat by Kaoru as she got ready, patiently waiting for her.
Once she was ready to go, he gawked at her.
She looked stunning.
She wore a white blouse, and a pair of short denim shorts that showed off her long legs. She had a pair of white tennis shoes on her feet, and her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail with her signature pink ribbon.
"Ready?" She asked grabbed his leash. When he didn't move, she frowned down at him.
Then he shook his body as if he had just taken a bath.
Kaoru smiled and took that as a sign to head over to him and put on his harness.
"Okay, so I don't know where I am going, so I will need you to direct me."
In his dog form he nodded and led Kaoru out the door and out of the shrine.
***Author's Note****
Okay, all caught up? Good, next new chapter is coming out tonight. I have a crap load of ideas, but organizing them has been hard these last few months. The next chapters will center around Kaoru getting to know Kenshin's true identity, conflict with Shishio, and getting to know some new characters away from the shrine. 😊