“Up and down Kenji, not like you’re attempting to take someone’s head off,” Kaoru scolded him softly from where she was reading her book with one eye and watching Kenji with the other. Kenshin was cleaning his blade, and Kenji was doing everything he could to get his fathers attention. It had become almost ritualistic now. When Yahiko taught the advanced classes, Kenshin would practice in the yard, shielded from the dojo by the home. Kenji would watch with rapt fascination, and when Kenshin sat about to polish his sword, more of habit than anything, Kenji would demand his attention while he mimicked moves.
“Like this Tou-chan? Kenji holds right? Like this?” He asked, practicing the movement he had watched Yahiko teach the younger students, his little face turning a faint pink from the sun. He was panting, after chasing around a frog he had found, and several grasshoppers. Kaoru had put her foot down when he attempted to bring her a large beetle and insisted that his father would want to see that instead.
Kenshin had done that morning’s laundry, since Yahiko was teaching and Kaoru wasn’t allowed to do anything like that since she had almost accidentally ruined several of her Kimono. Kenshin had learned that his wife was excellent at being a taskmaster but she was not so good at either at laundry or cooking. Granted, she had learned how to make a few simple dishes to feed herself and Kenji when Kenshin was gone for a night to help Saitoh with a case, but beyond that required the careful supervision of her husband.
Kenshin looked up at his son and carefully looked at his grip. Kenji could pick up a stance easily and had already been mimicking Yahiko and his Kamiya Kasshin so Kenshin had allowed it. There were still a few years to go before he was going to teach him Hiten Mitsurugi and until then, Kamiya Kasshin would do him no harm. In fact, the defensive stances would probably help him out. Hiten Mitsurgui wasn’t as good for subduing people as it was killing them. He wanted his son to have the principles of Kamiya Kasshin but he also wanted him to understand that sometimes only the sharp side of the Katana was the way to solve a situation.
The snake that was dead couldn’t come back to attack the soft heels of his family.
He and Kaoru had stayed up many a nights, arguing those points. He had been stubborn and refused to give in, and she was just as stubborn. He figured he had another year or so until she saw his point. He didn’t altogether mind. He was almost positive his new little one had come from one of their make-up sessions.
“Very good Kenji,” He softly praised his son. Kenji’s eyes lit up just like Karou’s did when he brought her something special and he smiled affectionately at his son. “Can you practice that down-swing some more for me?”
Kenji nodded in his normal, frantic manner, and did as he was asked.
Kaoru sighed, “If only Yahiko had been that excited about practicing his strokes.”
Kenshin put his sword down and tangled her fingers with his. “It’s getting late in the day, Kaoru. If you want that walk today, we should go now.”
Kaoru made a little noise and set her book down. Yahiko walked out of the dojo, a towel slung behind his neck and noticed the expression on Kaoru’s face. “I’ll watch him. In fact, I imagine I would love the help, Kenji-chan, if you think you would want to move practice equipment.”
Kenji walked over and carefully put his little stick down next to his fathers sword and carefully ran the cloth his Tou-chan had been polishing his sword against his own. They had been teaching him to be responsible with his things and he took his sword very seriously. Kenji bit his lip in a replica of the expression his mother used when she was concentrating on something. Kaoru had to pick up her book to hide her giggles, and Kenji nodded in head in satisfaction when the sword was put next to his fathers. Then he carefully put the cloth down and scampered off to Yahiko.
“Don’t start laughing, Koishii,” Kenshin warned lightly as he helped her stand, playing with the ends of her hair. “He will want to know what he missed.”
Kaoru shook with her silent laughter and she opened mirth filled eyes when he began to lead her down the steps towards the dojo-gate. “Do you think if we leave Yahiko in charge of dinner he will manage?” Kenshin asked mysteriously as he placed a hand in the small of her back.
Kaoru grinned at him as they slowly made there way out onto the path. “It will be good practice for him. I find it difficult to believe that he will be getting married soon. It seems just like yesterday that we were pulling him off the streets.”
Kenshin slid an arm around her shoulders and nuzzled her temple. “Perhaps, but I am sure Tae is far more excited about the wedding than you are.”
“Tae isn’t sixth month’s pregnant,” Kaoru informed him crankily, her lower lip puffing out in a temper. “Besides, if I remember, correctly, and I am sure I do, Tae didn’t have a lot of time to be excited about my wedding because someone dragged me to a temple and…” her words were cut off as he pulled her behind a tree on the path. It was usually empty at this time of day, but he didn’t want to take the chance. His mouth met hers soundly so that when he pulled back she was breathless.
“This, I believe, is what got you into trouble the first time.” He told her in an amused voice as she raised her lashes to show off her eyes. He loved that look in her eyes. All clouded and dreamy; her slightly parted lips moist, he leaned back down and took her mouth again, his hand spanning the curve of her waist where his child kicked against his hand.
“We’re supposed to be walking,” Kaoru told him breathlessly, but her hands were clutching his shoulders, fisted lightly in his gi.
Kenshin leaned down and rubbed her noise with his. “Your argument for leaving has several holes in it, Koi. The first being that we have a few moments with no Kenji racing around,” Kaoru opened her lips to respond, her eyes glinting with laughter, but he had plans for the next few moments and he gleefully took advantage of her open mouth.
When they finally started back toward the dojo, she was still a pink faced and leaning against his shoulder. There fingers were tangled together and they were enjoying themselves.
“As soon as Kenji sees us,” Kaoru told him softly, “he is going to pester us to death with questions.”
Kenshin grinned. “He is your son.”
Her elbow shot out and caught him in the stomach and she huffed and let go of his hand while he caught his breath. The effect would have been more dramatic if she didn’t waddle a bit as she stomped and he moved to catch up with her about the same time that Kenji caught sight of them.
“Tou-chan! Kaa-chan, you left Kenji!” His little voice rose out and Kenshin kissed her temple and turned to catch his son who was racing for attention. “We will finish this later,” he warned her.
Kenji flew at his father, and Kenshin swung him up and tossed him lightly into the air as Kaoru moved through the dojo gates.
“I helped Yahiko-nii cook!” Kenji informed his father brightly. There some sticky pieces of rice in his bangs, and flour dusted his face. Kenshin wiped at his little nose with gentle fingers and Kenji wrinkled the object with a smile.
“What did you make?” Kenshin asked lightly and Kenji frowned.
“Temp…temp…stuff with batter!” He said happily.
Kenshin carried his son forward where Kaoru was attempting to set the table, but her tummy kept getting in the way, and he moved to help her. Kenji squirmed to be put down and went racing into the Kitchen where Yahiko made a noise of alarm and if the sound of two voices sighing said anything, disaster had been avoided.
“You’re awfully pink cheeked, wife,” Kenshin teased as he helped her.
Kaoru glared at him. “I’m fat.”
He smiled. “How about I rub your back after your furo?”
A smile started across her face. “If you give Kenji his bath as well, you have yourself a deal.”
Kenji came in at that note and demanded that they eat.
Kaoru turned from where she was braiding her damp hair as Kenshin brought in their sleepy little-boy. He was rubbing his eyes and his face was tearstained. “Someone wants Kaa-chan,” Kenshin said in a dry voice and Kaoru opened her arms.
“Kenji-love, what is wrong?” Kaoru crooned as she settled back and held him as best she could. She made a point to hug and love on her oldest as much as possible and Kenji sniffled a bit and put his face in her neck.
“Want Kaa-chan,” Kenji whispered, his little hands wrapping around her neck to press against her braid. “Kaa-chan.”
Kaoru looked at Kenshin, who shook his head to show he had no idea what was bothering his son. Kaoru smoothed her hand down Kenji’s hair and simply held her baby for several long moments. “Kaa-chan wants Kenji,” Kaoru told him softly, nuzzling his cheek with her nose. “Kaa-chan love Kenji.”
Kenji sniffled again and looked up at her with her eyes. “Kenji love Kaa-chan.” His little lip pressed out. “Kaa-chan love baby?”
Kaoru felt her heart constrict at the look on his face. “Kaa-chan loves Kenji and baby.” Kaoru told him softly. “Kaa-chan will need Kenji’s help though.” Kaoru told him, tugging on his bangs. Kenji was excited about the baby, but she had been expecting this.
Kenji lowered his eyes and played with the collar of her yukata. “Kaa-chan wants Kenji to be nii-san to baby.” Kenji whispered.
Kaoru kissed his little cheek. “You’re so smart, Kenji. Baby is going to be so lucky to have someone as smart as you for a nii-san. I don’t have a nii-san,” she told Kenji in a conspiring whisper. “You will have to show me what is likes to be a nii-san.”
Kenji looked up and the faint smile crossed his face. “Kaa-chan love Kenji?” His eyes darted towards his father. “Tou-chan love Kenji?”
Kaoru nodded and brushed a hand down his bangs. “You’re my Kenji,” she told him simple. “You’re the only Kenji Kaa-chan has.” Kenshin leaned forward to ruffle his sons hair.
“Tou-chan loves Kenji as well,” Kenshin reaffirmed.
Kenji nodded and buried his face in her throat. “Kenji stays here.”
“Just until you fall asleep,” Kaoru warned. “Then Tou-chan will take you back to your bed.”
Kenji nodded in agreement and Kaoru shifted to lie back against the futon and suddenly Kenshin’s hands were there helping her recline since her arms were full with their son. Kenji snuggled against her side for a moment and then sat up.
He looked down at her tummy. “Kenji-nii love baby,” he told her tummy and patted it carefully. “Night baby. Night Kaa-chan. Night Tou-chan. Kenji love.” Then he turned and buried back into her. Kaoru brushed a hand through his hair until he started to snore. Kenshin careful disentangled Kenji from her body and took him back to his room. Kenji had insisted that he was a big boy, and so they moved the small futon from their room to his new big-boy room.
Kaoru was dozing off when Kenshin came back in.
“You’re going to sleep on me,” He softly whispered, brushing her beloved face with his fingers. Kaoru opened her eyes and smoothed his bangs away from his face.
“Go talk to Yahiko,” she softly whispered, “I will be fine for a little while.” She smiled at him. “But hurry back, because I really have a hard time sleeping like this without you.”
Kenshin brought the center of her palm to his mouth, kissing the flesh there. “You have a hard time sleeping without me period, Koi. Admit it.”
Kaoru made a face at him and closed her eyes.
Kenshin walked out of the room to the back-porch where Yahiko was waiting for him.
“The letter was from Sano,” Yahiko softly spoke, not once looking up. “He sent his greetings.”
Kenshin sat down, his eyes a hard amber. “What did he say about the Rurouni,” Kenshin asked harshly, his voice tight. If the Rurouni was back in Japan it was possible that he would stick his head in to check on his family and he couldn’t let that happen. Kaoru still didn’t know the truth. He doubted he would ever tell her. It would simply break her heart.
He refused to allow the Rurouni to cause her anymore pain. Even now, with Kenji and another little one on the way, even with his arms wrapped around her securely each night he was there, some days he caught the look in her eyes. It was always there when he came home from an assignment with Saitoh: the look of terrified hope. Only the fact that he enjoyed being able to provide for his family and the grudging respect between the men, curtsey of their wives, allowed him to leave her at all. Even now she wasn’t sure if he would come home every night, if he would be there for his children.
His fist curled into a tight ball.
“He is dead.” Yahiko said flatly, handing Kenshin the letter. “On the way home he came down with consumption and died two nights after they docked. Sano apologizes for not being able to save him and made some noise about going to see Megumi, and wandering around. He doesn’t feel comfortable coming back yet.” Yahiko’s voice was tight. “He apologized, like that would cushion her heart if she heard the news.”
Kenshin was silent as he read the letter. He felt nothing. There was nothing for him to feel. He had left Kaoru, Kenji, the new baby, would have thrown all these possibilities to the wind because of guilt. He would have forced his unwilling counterpart, locked deep inside him, to travel to China and to die.
His mouth hardened.
Yahiko turned. “I feel pity for him,” he admitted. “That he never found this,” he let his hand scan the grounds. “Never saw what in front of him. Never learned to live in the word he created with his blade. But they were his choices.” His voice was quite. “Are you going to tell Kaoru?”
“No,” Kenshin said flatly. “No, I won’t. And if I have my way she will never find out. She is happy, content, but there are still shadows I am working to rid her eyes of. It’s going to take many years for her to trust me completely. I will not forgive them for that.” He looked Yahiko right in the face, his eyes flaring bright-gold. “If Sano comes back to Tokyo, he will attempt to say something, to give his friend the grief he believes the Rurouni deserves.”
Yahiko nodded in agreement.
“I will not let that happen.” Kenshin told him softly, his eyes hard. “I think of Sano as a friend, but if he ever lets it slip, or seems to make a single move to destroy her happiness, I will kill him. It is not something I wish to do, but I will never tolerate her tears.” There was almost a flicker of regret in his eyes, but it moved so fast Yahiko couldn’t quite catch it.
He unfolded his limbs and tossed the letter back to him. “Burn it.”
Yahiko felt a moment of sadness, but as he listened to the sound of Kenji’s snores, he found he couldn’t blame him.
He wasn’t the only one who would kill to keep them happy.
Yahiko raised his face to the moonlight.
Kenshin watched her sleep. Or, he thought in amusement, attempt to sleep. Her face was a bit disgruntled and he slipped out of his clothing, put on his soft sleeping robe and slid in next to her, sliding an arm under her head and helping her arrange her limbs as comfortably as they would go.
“You smell nice,” she drowsily told him. Kenshin shushed her, one hand sliding under her robe to caress the skin of her tummy, feeling his daughter kick once before she settled.
Kaoru sighed against his shoulder and drifted off but he laid there for a long time, feeling his daughter under his hand, the way Kaoru fit against him, and the sounds of Kenji in the other room.
“I would have died for you, if you had asked it.” Kenshin told her softly. “Now I just want to live for you.” Kaoru was silent, but he had expected no answer. “No one will take your smile away again.”
‘No one.’
The End ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeez! I am so excited! My second finished chapter story! As always, chime in and let me know what you think!