Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or anything of the characters. I am just a fan girl with a wild imagination.
Red..
All he could see was a chilling shade of crimson as he stumbled forward, one hand clutching his side, the other barely keeping him upright.
The sun hung low in the sky, setting over Kyoto and casting long shadows that stretched across the ground, highlighting the struggling figure of a man retreating from battle. A small trail of blood marked his path, large dark splotches staining his gi, a testament to the fierce struggle he had just endured.
...Damn... I need to find a place to hide...
As he trudged on, the silhouette of large red gates emerged from the encroaching dusk, their foreboding archway beckoning him closer. The majestic gates, framed by towering, ancient trees, offered a semblance of sanctuary. His gaze shifted to a carefully arranged wall of ancient sake casks near the right entrance, standing guard like silent sentinels. Behind the gates, the imposing structure of a shrine loomed in the background, its presence both tranquil and daunting.
...The Heian Shrine... that'll have to do.
With a surge of determination, the redhead forced himself to press on, even as blood and sweat oozed from his wounds, draining his energy with each laborious step.
The sun dipped lower now, enveloping him in a shroud of darkness, the shadows growing more ominous by the second.
Yet, he managed to push through the front gates, collapsing into the courtyard in a broken heap.
...Fuck... I can't move...
That was the last thought he could muster as his eyes fluttered shut and his head fell heavily against the ground, surrendering to the darkness that beckoned him.
Kaoru's POV*
As the sun began to set, Kaoru busily counted the ticket and charm sales for the day at her desk in the administration office, whistling a cheerful tune as she worked. She loved her role at the Heian Jinguu, where happiness and contentment seemed to emanate from her very being.
Long, blue-black locks cascaded from a high ponytail, framing her delicate face with soft bangs. Her large lapis lazuli eyes were focused intently on the task at hand, carefully counting and documenting every detail, ensuring nothing was overlooked.
Dressed in the traditional garb of a shrine maiden, her athletic yet curvy build was adorned in the striking red and white outfit, a perfect contrast to her vibrant hair and captivating eyes.
Kaoru had been born into the family that ran the Heian Shrine, and while it afforded her a simpler life, she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. The allure of the high-tech, materialistic world that modern Japan had become held no appeal for her.
"There! I'm done, thank God," she sighed, closing up the drawer and turning off the lights.
As she left the ticket stand, she quickly grabbed a large straw broom and dustpan. Sweeping the front courtyard at sunset was one of her favorite parts of the day, providing her with a serene moment to watch the sun dip below the horizon, painting a breathtaking scene over the main gates.
Later in the evening, she would wander the grounds, feeding the cats that often visited the shrine, enjoying the quiet companionship as she patrolled.
As Kaoru approached the courtyard, she noticed a lump of red and blue off to the side of the main entrance.
"What the… is that a man?" she thought, her heart racing as she hurried her steps.
As she drew nearer, panic surged through her, and she broke into a run.
The closer she got, the more the lump revealed itself to be the crumpled figure of a man lying in a puddle of blood.
"Oh my god, it is a person!" Kaoru blurted, her voice quivering with urgency.
She carefully knelt beside him, her fingers trembling as she sought his pulse against his neck.
Is he dead? No... there is a pulse, but it's very faint. Fueled by concern, Kaoru tried to gently move him, placing her hands on his shoulders and attempting to roll him over.
"Oomph... he is heavy," she muttered, a surge of adrenaline propelling her to take action.
Kaoru strained to lift the man's torso, and he let out a soft moan of pain. Panic gripped her as she noticed the puddle of blood beneath him thickening, and she screamed for help, cradling his head in her lap.
"GRAMPS…MISAO, HELP! SOMEONE IS HURT, PLEASE COME QUICKLY!" Kaoru yelled across the courtyard.
His breathing was alarmingly shallow, each breath a struggle.
Kaoru reached into her pocket and fumbled for her cellphone, dialing the only doctor she knew nearby. After a few rings, a soft yet stern female voice answered.
"Hello?"
"MEGUMI! You have to get down to the shrine now, there's a man… he's hurt… he's bleeding everywhere...'" Kaoru screamed into the phone.
"Kaoru, what the fuck?! Calm down, call an ambulance!'"
At those words, the man began to stir and moan in her lap, gasping softly,
"...No…h-hospitals… please… please…" His voice was strained, barely a whisper.
A shiver ran down Kaoru's spine. His tone was deep yet fragile, as if he were a porcelain figure at the brink of shattering, and her heart ached with sympathy.
"Megumi, please! I can't move him; I don't think they'll make it in time to save him!"
"Shit, shit, shit, Kaoru!… okay… just give me two minutes; I'll be right there." Then she abruptly hung up.
As Kaoru ended the conversation, she heard shouting across the courtyard. Two figures came into view, racing toward her—a young woman with a blue braid in a shrine maiden outfit and an older man with striking white hair clad in traditional priest robes.
"Kaoru, what is going on?!" Misao yelled, bursting with energy and urgency.
She rushed up to Kaoru, kneeling beside her to get a good look at the man's face.
"We have to call the police and an ambulance; this man is in dire need of medical help," Okina stated, his expression turning serious as he knelt down to assess the situation.
"I called Megumi, but I don't think they'll make it in time; he's lost so much blood…" Kaoru trailed off, her voice trembling as she took in the ghostly pallor of the man's skin and the way his breathing had begun to slow.
"WHAT? He could be a fugitive; I don't want to be responsible for him!" Okina exclaimed, instinctively backing away.
"We can call the police later if we have to; right now, we have to help him, Gramps," Kaoru reasoned, determination hardening her resolve.
"Yeah, Gramps! Calm down; he won't put up much of a fight right now anyway," Misao chimed in, her voice a steady anchor.
"We will do what we can for now, but I'm still calling the police or an ambulance if Megumi can't help him," Okina offered, the urgency in his voice impossible to ignore.
Kaoru nodded, fully aware that protesting was futile against the stern old man's instincts.
Together, they knelt to help Kaoru and Misao lift the man's limp body. Okina grasped the man's shoulders and draped him over his own sturdy frame, while Misao and Kaoru lifted his legs with a sense of urgency.
With a collective effort, they carried him as swiftly as they could into one of the back staff shrine houses, gently setting him down on the tatami mats, the atmosphere thick with the gravity of the moment.
Luckily, just as they were maneuvering him inside, Megumi arrived.
"Help me!" Kaoru directed, ushering Megumi into the house as she began her work, her expression shifting into professional focus.
Over the next several hours, Kaoru watched, her heart racing, as the man's face contorted in pain while Megumi labored to bring him back to consciousness. Remarkably, he never cried out. As fatigued as she felt, Kaoru couldn't bring herself to leave his side, an inexplicable compulsion weaving through her thoughts.
She felt... a connection to him?
No, that wasn't quite right. She was simply worried about his safety, caught in a morbid curiosity about this stranger.
She had never encountered a man like this before—this strange redhead.
Is his hair natural? what was up with his state of dress?
Kaoru donned traditional garb due to her role at the shrine, but this man looked as if he had stepped straight out of the revolution, clad in tattered clothing that spoke of past battles.
Hours earlier, when Megumi worked to undress him and assess his wounds, they uncovered a broken sword in a black sheath tucked beneath his clothes.
Naturally, this discovery only fueled Okina's conviction that the man was a fugitive or embroiled in some form of criminal activity. Thankfully, Megumi had shooed him away during her work, forcing him to fume elsewhere, leaving the two women to focus on the task at hand.
With a traditional Japanese sword in his possession, there was no way he could be a foreigner, right? This whole situation was utterly bewildering.
Kaoru pressed her hands against her temples, beginning to massage them in an attempt to alleviate the mounting tension and confusion within her.
"There! That's as good as I can do for now," Megumi sighed, her voice a mixture of exhaustion and relief.
She started to put her blood-soaked tools back into her bag, methodically cleaning up after the chaotic events. Megumi was a miracle worker—she had expertly cauterized the man's wounds with a hot knife, a skill honed by years of experience.
Furthermore, she had arranged for two IVs to be delivered to the shrine by a fellow coworker who was on call that night: one with type O blood and another filled with fluids and vitamins to keep him hydrated. Years of working in overseas jungles had equipped Megumi to handle any medical emergency with limited tools—a true beast in her field.
"Thank you, Megumi. Will he make it?" Kaoru asked, her voice laced with concern as they both stood over him, peering down at his sleeping face.
"I think so," Megumi replied, a thoughtful frown creasing her brow as she regarded him. "His body is badly wounded, but he's a fighter. He seems relatively healthy otherwise."
She glanced down at the man's torso, taking note of the network of scars that adorned his skin. Sadly, this was not his first battle. Megumi sighed, pondering the kind of life this man must have led. Despite his battered appearance, there was a strength about him; his physique resembled that of a finely chiseled statue of a Greek god, though he was shorter than most men she knew.
"Kaoru, you need to be careful," Megumi warned gently, the gravity of her words hanging between them. "This man, whatever he is involved in, it's dangerous."
Kaoru slowly nodded, her own intuition echoing Megumi's concerns. She, too, had noticed the scars and old wounds that spoke of a warrior's life. They would all need to tread carefully moving forward.
"Megumi, please stay tonight. You've done so much; I'd like to treat you to dinner, and you need to rest," Kaoru urged, her tone genuine.
"Of course, and I don't want you to be sleeping alone in the room next to him. He might need more help in the middle of the night," Megumi replied, a reassuring smile creeping across her face.
Both women reached an agreement, and together they quietly shut off the light, leaving the room behind. They drew the shoji screen closed, momentarily shutting the world outside as they prepared to face the night together.
Battousai POV*
"…that scent… it's gone…"
Bloodshot amber eyes flickered open briefly, only to close once more as weariness washed over him. The young man breathed a sigh of relief; he was safe.
Safe—for how long?
He pondered the uncertainty of his situation. What would these kind people do if they knew they were harboring an ancient demon and skilled assassin within their midst? The thought sent a shiver through him, and he resolved that he would have to leave as soon as he could stand on his own.
Trust was a luxury he could not afford, especially not with humans who might offer support only to betray him.
His mind wandered back to that girl—the one whose scent had pulled him from the brink. He realized he didn't even know what she looked like, but her fragrance had instantly brought him an indescribable peace.
It was reminiscent of jasmine and lavender, and he had never encountered a scent so pure before. A longing stirred within him; he found himself wanting to breathe it in once more.
In his state of delirium, he clung to the hope that he might meet her again soon, feeling a strange connection to her essence.
With that thought lingering in his mind, he drifted into a deep sleep, exhaustion finally taking over as the chaos of his world faded into darkness.
Kaoru POV*
After dinner and a refreshing bath, Kaoru and Megumi both settled onto their futons in the room next to the sleeping redhead.
Megumi fell asleep almost instantly, her weariness claiming her as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Kaoru, on the other hand, found it difficult to drift off. She tossed and turned for what felt like hours, unable to shake the thoughts swirling in her mind about the man in the next room.
Curiosity gnawed at her relentlessly.
What if he bled out in his sleep? What if he was thirsty? Who would be there to take care of him?
The need to check on him grew insistent; otherwise, she would spend the entire night worrying about his well-being.
Strengthening her resolve, Kaoru slipped out of bed, clad in her white sleeping yukata, and set off to do just that.
Cautiously, she slid open the shoji screen, ensuring it closed gently behind her.
At first, Kaoru could barely make out his form in the dim light, but as her eyes adjusted to the low illumination, she navigated her way toward him, drawn by an unexplainable need to be close.
Moonlight poured in through a distant window, casting a silvery glow that illuminated the small corner where he lay.
Kaoru settled beside him, her heart racing as she looked for any fresh blood stains on his bandages. To her relief, there were none.
Letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, she turned her gaze to his sleeping face. He looked so peaceful and serene, a stark contrast to the turmoil of the day.
With a delicate motion, Kaoru raised her hand and brushed his bangs away from his forehead, revealing an old cross-shaped scar etched into his skin.
What could have caused that scar?
Lost in her musings, she failed to notice the subtle shift in the redhead's breathing until it deepened.
As he inhaled, the scent of jasmine and lavender flooded the Battousai's senses, calming yet exciting him all at once, a reminder of the extraordinary connection that had begun to weave itself between them.
…She's here….
She can't be trusted.
It was time to test her intentions. A Battousai could never let their guard down, even in moments of rest.
One moment, Kaoru was watching his sleeping face, and the next, his eyes snapped open, revealing fierce amber orbs that glimmered with raw intensity.
Before she could react, Kaoru found herself pressed against the back wall near the window, nose to nose with the now wide-awake redhead. He had ripped out his IVs, which lay tangled and forgotten beside his futon.
His piercing amber gaze locked onto her frightened blue eyes, his powerful arms gripping her collar with a fierce possessiveness.
"Who are you?" he growled, his voice low and intimidating, as if he were probing for the truth hidden within her very soul.
Kaoru froze for a heartbeat, grappling with the transformation of the man she had been aiding into someone so intimidating and imposing. Yet, fear quickly morphed into anger as she struggled against his grip, her hands gripping his forearms while her legs kicked in defiance.
"Who am I? Who the fuck are you?" she retorted, her voice rising with indignation. "You show up here half dead, and I'm the one being questioned?" Her frustration bubbled to the surface, her words laced with escalating fury.
Her rapid shift in emotion, combined with the force of her ki, sent a thrill through him—a fleeting respect mixed with intrigue. The Battousai found himself appreciating her fiery spirit, even amidst the chaos.
However, he couldn't allow her to wake the entire house.
Swiftly, he covered her mouth with one of his hands, silencing her protest as he used his opposite forearm to press down firmly against her chest. He maneuvered one of his legs between hers, pinning her against the wall to quell her struggling.
"I will be the one to ask the questions, and that I will," he smirked, a mix of amusement and dominance in his tone as she attempted to yell at him through his hand
His eyes, fierce and unyielding, combined with the harsh tone of his voice, made it clear to Kaoru that he was serious. Instinctively, her body entered a state of fight or flight.
Would he hurt her?
Even as the gravity of the situation pressed down on her, a new alternate reality became unavoidable. His hot breath washed over her face, the way his forearm pressed against her chest through the thin fabric of her yukata, and the unsettling contact of their lower abdomens sent her mind reeling.
Kaoru had never found herself in such an intimate position with a man before, let alone with a man as strikingly handsome as him. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to center herself, to remain calm.
Yet this effort proved futile as heat pooled between her legs, a dark flush creeping across her cheeks. She found herself breathing heavily against his hand, confusion and desire mingling in a tumultuous storm inside her.
What is wrong with my body?! This guy is clearly insane!
Kaoru quickly realized that reasoning with her body was a losing battle; she had felt her attraction to him hours ago, and now, she was mentally berating herself for it.
The scent of her arousal flooded the Battousai's senses, catching him off guard for an instant as his eyes widened, only to narrow critically at the realization.
This little fool… she is innocent, naïve, ripe for the picking. She has never been touched by a man.
The Battousai could sense that no one had ever claimed her; her body language betrayed her. He could take her now if he truly wanted to.
He too, felt his resolve wavering, acutely aware of the intimate position they occupied. He didn't like the power it held over him; her scent was intoxicating, calling to something deep within.
Right now, however, he needed to gather his thoughts—to ascertain where he was and if these humans posed a threat to him.
Though, that didn't mean he couldn't have any fun in the interrogation process.
"What's wrong, little bluebird? You seem quite worked up. Could it be that you've never been this close to a man before?" he teased, his smirk shifting into one of arrogance, the condescension lacing his words igniting Kaoru's frustration.
That was the last straw. Not only had she extended kindness to him by helping his wounded form and allowing him refuge in her home, but now he was taunting her about her lack of experience with men?
Oh HELL no.
Behind his hand, Kaoru let out a low growl, a primal response to his provocations. The Battousai arched a delicate eyebrow, caught off guard, but then noticed the open palm flying toward his face.
With all the strength she could muster from her precarious position, Kaoru brought her right hand down, delivering a sharp slap that whipped his head to the side.
The force of the blow caused him to loosen his grip on her, and finally, she found her voice.
"WHAT the ACTUAL FUCK is wrong with you? I'm trying to help you, asshole!" she yelled, the frustration spilling over as she kneeled him hard in the chest.
As her knee struck, he winced in pain, the motion reopening one of his wounds, resulting in a pained groan escaping his lips as he sank to the floor.
A small bloodstain began to spread on his already stained bandages, and Kaoru's heart raced at the sight. Realizing what she had done, she instinctively reached out, trying to catch him as he fell.
"I'm sorry! Oh shit, I am so sorry!" she exclaimed, panic flooding her senses.
Just then, Megumi burst through the door, flipping on the light with urgency.
"Kaoru! What in the HELL is going on? What is all this ruckus?!"
Seeing the redhead sprawled on the ground in Kaoru's arms, coupled with the fresh blood staining her yukata, Megumi rushed over to help, her expression shifting to one of focused concern.
"Megumi! He tried to get up and move around! I came in here to check on him!" Kaoru explained, her voice a mix of anxiety and disbelief.
Why was she lying for him? He had been trying to intimidate her; he was acting like a complete jerk!
Kaoru did a double take as she looked down at the man. His once vibrant golden eyes now appeared dull and half-lidded, a shadow of their former intensity.
"What is going on?" she thought, confusion settling over her as they gently lowered him back onto the futon, working together to position him comfortably.
His eyes—they had changed.
"Kaoru, I need to get more bandages. Don't let him move around anymore. I'll be right back," Megumi instructed briskly before leaving the room.
Once again, Kaoru settled beside the unconscious man. As soon as his frazzled violet eyes turned toward her, she began to speak.
"Hey, I'm sorry for overreacting. My name is Kamiya Kaoru; I work and live here."
"Kaoru…?" he rasped, his voice barely above a whisper.
It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to keep his eyes open; all the recent activity had drained his remaining strength.
"Yes! What's your name?" Kaoru asked, gripping his hand gently as she leaned in closer, her head hovering near his mouth to hear him better.
"…K-Kenshin."
With that, the world faded to black for him once more, his eyes sliding shut as he slipped into unconsciousness on the futon.
Megumi returned, urgency driving her movements as she pushed Kaoru out of the way to resume her work, swiftly resealing Kenshin's wounds and reinserting his IV.
"Kaoru, what was all of that about? I heard yelling. Are you okay?" Megumi probed, eyes still focused on the injured man before her.
Kaoru glanced at her, a hint of worry creasing her brow.
"Um... no, he didn't hurt me. He calmed down when you left. He said his name is Kenshin."
Megumi wasn't entirely convinced by Kaoru's answer. The young woman seemed visibly flustered and upset, but for now, Megumi decided to table her suspicions for a later conversation.
For the moment, a precaution was necessary to ensure this man didn't wake up and further injure himself.
Megumi prepared a sedative, carefully mixing it with the IV bag filled with water, determination guiding her as she readied to administer it to the injured man.
"This should keep him down for the rest of the evening."
Note from the Author*
Hey guys! I revised the story, I made chapter breaks and made it a little bit easier to read. I realized that I need to give more scene cuts, character point of views, change vocabulary in some areas. This is my first story; your feedback has been appreciated. Also, I am going to use bold to show the battousai's thoughts and inner dialogue.
I have new chapters to post this week. Stay tuned.