Indeed, I come to you with another update! I hope all of you enjoy this chapter, and that you all had a wonderful holiday! I know that some of you have started school back up (or will be soon) so I wish you all the best with your oncoming semester. Mine is going to be lots and lots of history, dates, and geographic regions, so my time is going to be limited. I shall pump out chapters as quickly as possible, for you guys.
A big thanks to the lovely J.D, or Jane Drew, who takes the time to beta my stuff and get it back to me so promptly. A nice "hope your going good" to Pai, and her Alaskian winters, who is currently taking a breather as my Beta, but who's wonderful touch with words I miss...
Now that I am done spouting like an academy award winner..Enjoy!
Ravyn
Warning: Mild Lime...with hints that suggest wishes to do otherwise.
Note: I do not own. No ownership for me. No stock, no money, and nothing but my time used for this fic.
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Yahiko and Kenshin were busily preparing breakfast as Kaoru got sleep they both felt was well-earned. There had been the beginnings of circles under her eyes, lines around her mouth that shouldn?t have been there.
They were chopping up fish to grill, the miso slowly coming to a boil. Yahiko was in charge of the rice and both men were quiet.
?So, how are things coming with Kaoru?? Yahiko asked, his eyes never leaving the bowl.
?I thought you didn?t want me here?? Kenshin questioned as he flipped the sizzling meat.
Yahiko reached over and stirred the miso thoughtfully, his face set in an expression of determination. ?I hate the Rurouni.? Yahiko?s words were matter-of-fact. ?If he ever comes back, I think I might be tempted to kill him.?
Kenshin raised a brow at that statement, his eyes tinted gold. He did nothing as the boy stirred the soup a bit more violently then needed.
?There are things where I can compare you to the Rurouni, and then there are things that are completely different.? Yahiko continued, his jaw set. ?The Rurouni never looked at Kaoru with anything but kindness?you do.?
There was only unspoken communication between the two men after that.
?You know, I think its perspective.? Yahiko finally candidly informed Kenshin.
?Excuse me?? Kenshin questioned.
?You?re not making her see you as anything besides the Rurouni. She can hide behind her?distaste for that part of her past if she sees you as him. I imagine that if you can convince her that you are not him, she will be willing to get to know you.?
?He hurt her that badly, did he??
Yahiko turned and sighed. ?You have no idea.?
?Yahiko?? Kaoru?s sleepy voice echoed down the hall. ?Why didn?t you wake me??
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Kenshin shot Yahiko a glance that assured him his words hadn?t gone un-noted and both finished breakfast rapidly so that they could serve the sleepy Kaoru.
Kaoru was slowly going crazy. What was with the man today? If he wasn?t giving her bone-melting glances, then he was touching her. Nothing inappropriate, of course, just casual touches on her arm or wrist; and the first time he had done it, Yahiko had gotten a rather strange look on his face.
Then there was that damn smirk.
Kaoru brought her shinai down hard, her movements fluid, fast and dangerous, as she worked out her frustration after that morning?s class. He had to go and give her that damn, smug, male, and totally lust-inducing look of both desire and admiration that shook her.
Kaoru continued her strokes, mentally calling him by every dirty word she could think of. Her vocabulary was no longer as?innocent as it had been when her father was around. Between Sano, Yahiko and Misao (who had picked up quite a bit on her search for Aoshi) she could thoroughly swear in both Japanese and English. Granted, sometimes she wasn?t exactly sure of the context of the English swear words, but they sounded impressive.
Kaoru swept her shinai down as she completed the complicated movements Yahiko had only just begun to learn, and panted.
?You have improved.? His rich tones sent -another- shiver down her spine and she grunted.
?Fighting for your life has the tendency to hone your skills.? Kaoru quipped, turning to face him.
He had a particular look on his face, one she hadn?t seen before. It was similar to the look on his face when Gohei had threatened to give her to his ruffians, but there were slight differences.
The fact that she wasn?t in mortal danger was one of them.
?It does indeed.?
Kaoru shifted from foot to foot, attempting to deal with some of her nerves. He had been making a point to treat her differently, going so far as to make Yahiko do the laundry. She was still curious as to how he had managed to do that.
?You still aren?t comfortable around me.? There was a dry quality to his tone.
?You are not trying to make me comfortable.? Kaoru pointed out wryly. There were none of the Rurouni?s easygoing, gentle attempts to make her comfortable.
?Afraid I might eat you?? His voice was lower, darkening with emotion.
Kaoru flushed with color, her face darkening. ?No.?
?Little liar.? He murmured, his eyes lightening to pale amber. ?Perhaps I should waylay those fears.?
Kaoru took a step back, her face betraying her quick thought of ?That?s not the Rurouni?, because his mouth tightened.
?I will be free of that ghost.? It was said softly, and Kaoru really didn?t think he meant her to hear, but between one heartbeat and the next, her back was flat against a wall.
?Kenshin?? Kaoru started, before the warm press of his mouth against hers stole her words.
Kaoru stiffened, but he was insistent, the press of his hands warm against her sides, the strong play of muscles under her hands as she grasped his shoulders.
Kaoru moaned, and he took the opportunity to slide his tongue into the depths of her mouth. His tongue swirled against hers, gentle in his exploration. Kaoru slid one arm around his shoulders, the other hand clutching at his forearm.
Kenshin nipped at her bottom lip, his mouth sliding to the smooth skin of her jaw, slowly moving down?
?Oh shit.? Yahiko?s slightly panicked voice jerked Kaoru?s head forward from where she had leaned back to give Kenshin better access. Yahiko simply turned and dove out the door, his footsteps pounding.
Kaoru was panting, her eyes staring into Kenshin?s. His were a dark gold, filled with something that looked an awful lot like lust.
He sighed. ?We are going to have to get rid of the distractions, Koishii.?
Kaoru frowned but Kenshin dipped his head and caught her bottom lip between his, kissing her softly. He succeeded in melting her knees, and then he pulled back. He watched for her a moment, her eyes glazed with passion and her face flushed.
Groaning, he stood back and left the room, intent on finding Yahiko. He just didn?t know if he would kill him or thank him.
Kaoru put a hand to her tingling mouth, running her tongue over swollen lips, tasting the last of him. ?Not?the Rurouni.?
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?What do you mean he killed them?? The voice was drenched in irritation.
?All of them. None of them returned, and when we investigated they said some unmarked bodies had washed up in the river. They had been gutted.? This voice was quivering, shaking with the knowledge that he might strike out against him.
?And Mibu?s Wolf?? The voice was a bare hiss of sound.
?Nothing. He hasn?t shown his face since you attempted to take out his wife.?
?I want them both killed. If you have to, make them kill each other. I want anything and everything that can be used against them used. Do I make myself clear??
The smaller man bobbed his head, bowing repeatedly.
?One more thing...?
?If you fail me again, I will feed you to them personally.?
Kaoru had worked herself into a fine rage. Actually, she had cried and -then- worked herself into a rage. It had been easy enough at first, going to the market to get the tofu Yahiko had complained about needing, and since he was going to do the laundry, she had left.
Left before that stupid, red-haired, gorgeous, idiotic, kissing fool had discovered her plan; she wasn?t sure what she had thought of that kiss. She wanted to be outraged, her heart raging with turmoil and indecisiveness. She wanted to rail at him, to drag him by his hair and throw him out of the dojo, but her heart wasn?t in it.
Traitorous thing.
She needed time away, to think, to contemplate, to consider the differences in the man who was with her and her mind?s denial of them?she couldn?t deny his touch or his kiss, though. The Rurouni would never have done that, ever.
It had been easy to slip into one of her good kimonos. It had been a present from Tae, Tsubame, and Yahiko her last birthday. It was the same color as her eyes, with small golden flowers intertwined with swallows.
She loved it.
Which was why she was so damn furious.
She swung the gate open with a thud and slammed it behind her. Yahiko looked up from where he was sweeping and stared. Kaoru didn?t even pause. She walked into the kitchen, slammed the tofu onto the counter where Kenshin was chopping vegetables, spun on her heel, stomped her way to her room, and shut the door hard enough to rattle the thin wall.
Kaoru slipped from the ruined gown and fingered the torn fabric. If it had torn at a seam, she might have been able to repair it. However, it was the actual fabric that was ruined, and whatever he had spilled on it had caused the color to bleed and seep into the golden flowers and pale swallows.
Kaoru gripped the kimono so tightly her knuckles turned white. It was stupid to be so upset, but she loved her pretty things, and this one was special because it was the first one she had ever been given.
As a child her mother had sewn them for her, and later her father had bought one a year once she stopped growing. Before he died she had had close to five, but a few had to be put aside because of wear.
Then Tae, Tsubame, and Yahiko had surprised her in an attempt to help her get over her depression, and it had worked. She fingered the soft material and slumped.
No need to cry over spilt tofu.
Kaoru?s lower lip trembled as she thought about the real reason for her earlier tears.
Easy, taunting words that really shouldn?t have stung so badly.
?So, I hear the Tanuki wasn?t enough to hold a Hitokiri?s attention.?
Saitoh could be amazingly cruel when he wished it. Kaoru slipped into the warm, familiar comfort of one of her yukatas and attempted to figure out how she could salvage some of the material.
Perhaps a new hair ribbon?
Kaoru caught the scents of dinner, but since crying always stole her appetite, she decided against going. Wiping her still-wet eyes, she decided sleep sounded good. Carefully folding the ruined gift, she slid it into her trunk and slid under the covers, pulling them over her head and hiding as she had as a child when she was hurting, not wanting to cry.
Kaoru ignored the sounds of her door opening and the near-silent footsteps. Her hands tightened on the covers and she stubbornly ignored the presence.
?Koi?? His warm voice asked a question but she refused to answer.
?I know you?re awake.?
Kaoru remained silent, although she really wanted to get up and beat him over the head for the endearment. She was not his Koi! Wishing for the energy and having it, however, were two different things.
She heard his sigh and could feel his annoyance. ?So be it.? Kaoru gave a yelp when she was picked up, blanket and all, and tossed over his shoulder.
?Himura!? Kaoru screeched, but her words were muffled as he walked them to wherever he was going. She heard Yahiko?s surprised exclamation and she screeched again when she was dropped off Kenshin?s shoulder and into his lap.
The blanket was pulled away from her head and her hair ribbon fell away, leaving her hair a tangled mess in her face. Kaoru rescued her hands, shoved her hair out of her face, tilted her head, and glared.
?What in all that is holy? what do you ?think- you are doing?? Kaoru snapped, her face flushed from hanging upside down.
?Yahiko and I want to know what happened in the marketplace.? Kenshin returned easily, his eyes darkening. Kaoru couldn?t know what she looked liked, flushed and wrapped in a blanket.
If it wasn?t for the redness of her eyes that told him she had cried then he could easily imagine her flushed from?other activities.
?You were crying.? His voice dropped into the pitch the Rurouni had avoided at all costs. It was a deeper, richer tone that did nothing to inspire security; instead, it brought every possible vulnerable situation to mind.
Kaoru ducked behind her hair and began to curse everything she could think of. She didn?t want his attention, his interrogation, or his concern! She had already had that once?
Kaoru took a mental bokken to that thought. She didn?t want to think about it?
?Kaoru? What happened to your kimono?? Yahiko asked, his voice hurt.
Kaoru cringed. ?There was an accident, Yahiko. I?m sorry I ruined your present.?
?How did you ruin it, Kaoru?? Kenshin asked mildly, wanting a name. Her voice was distressed and he loathed it.
?There was a?scuffle and I managed to catch the end of it, and I got stuck. Let?s just say an individual took interest.?
Yahiko sniffed and winced. ?Saitoh??
Kaoru slumped. ?The smoke??
?Not unusual with the market, but you wouldn?t have been around it long enough unless he singled you out, the bastard.? Yahiko frowned. ?Did he ruin your kimono??
Kaoru was aware of the strong muscles behind her, and the bunching of his hands in her lap. ?Sort of. I provoked him a bit, I think.? Her voice lowered in anger and Yahiko frowned.
?What did you do??
Kaoru sighed. ?Let?s say I reacted to something he said okay? Look, it was a beautiful kimono, but I am more upset over the memories than the actual thing.? She shot Yahiko a smile, ?You know I don?t need much.?
?What did he say?? There was an edge to Kenshin?s voice that Kaoru wanted to melt into. The Rurouni had never cared this much. She felt tears well into her eyes at that thought and she bit her lip hard. Unfortunately, her actions didn?t go unnoticed.
?Kaoru?? Yahiko?s voice was worried and Kenshin turned her in his lap to look at her face.
?Koishii??
?I am NOT your Koishii!? Kaoru wailed, her temper rising unbidden. He should have let her sleep, dammit! ?Will you stop??
Kenshin smiled. ?Tell me why it bothers you so much. Why do you deny what you want??
Kaoru was aware of Yahiko getting up and leaving, muttering things under his breath. She attempted to turn and ask him what his problem was but Kenshin brought his hands up and framed her face, his thumbs feathering over her cheekbones.
?Stop.? Kaoru whispered, attempting to jerk away from him, her emotions too bruised and battered to allow him to touch her. Not like this.
?No.? Kenshin answered firmly. ?I can?t! I won?t!?
?You can!? Kaoru snapped her eyes tormented. ?I can?t do this, Kenshin.?
Kenshin paused. ?You said my name.? His words were still dark, his tone telling her all she needed to know. She had forgotten she had sworn never to whisper that name again?
Kaoru averted her eyes, her mouth tightening. ?Listen, you can?t keep doing this! I can?t take this anymore! Stop! I don?t want your attentions!?
?That?s not what your mouth said this afternoon!? He hissed, his temper igniting with hers. His eyes darkened to clear amber, twisting fires in their depths.
?I never!...? Kaoru started then froze as his eyes dropped to her lips.
?Do you want to know what that tongue of yours told me?? He asked, raising his eyes back to hers.
Kaoru stared at him.
?That you want me too. Why don?t you give in, Koishii? I can love you, if you let me.?
Kaoru opened her mouth, and shut it. Then she did the one thing that horrified Kenshin beyond all others: She burst into tears.
Kenshin gathered her close, holding her sobbing form as she cried, her small hands fisting in his shirt as she buried her face into his chest. He simply rocked her back and forth as she cried, waiting for the flood to die down into hiccups.
?You can?t.? Kaoru whispered, the end of what appeared to be a sentence, but he had missed the first half, caught up in the feel of her.
?What??
She shoved back then, and he was surprised to see the fire in her eyes, daring him to argue with her. ?You can?t! I will not allow this again! I will not.? She grabbed the front of his gi and yanked. ?Do I make myself clear??
Kenshin frowned at her. But before he could say anything she went on.
?I will not fall in love with you again to have you break my heat three times instead of just two. Two is a nice round number; can?t you be happy with that? Kaoru demanded, furious, her hands shaking him with each sentence.
All he could do was stare.
?Koishii?? Kenshin tried, his voice soft, attempting to keep his temper in check when all he wanted to do was fling her on top of her blanket and kiss her senseless.
?I am not your Koishii! What have you done to earn that right? You left me once to go to Kyoto, having no faith in me at all! Then you leave me for Sano and China of all places. I don?t want you back! You?ve proven your point.? Kaoru finished on a whisper. ?Saitoh was right.? She slumped then, her fire gone.
Kenshin froze, eyes edging into furious amber. ?What did Saitoh say??
Kaoru shrugged, almost unaware of the words that spilled from her tongue. ?He said I couldn?t hope to hold a Hitokiri?s attention.? Her eyes slid to his in horror, her body shifting to disentangle her from his hold.
Kenshin went completely still. He assembled the pieces of the puzzle, snapping them together so quickly that his grip on her tightened. She looked up and blinked.
?Himura? Can you let me go, please?? Her voice was that of a child?s as she stared at him.
Something inside him broke and he didn?t know that he was growling until she started trying to edge away again. He reached for her with one hand and yanked the blanket loose from her with the other.
He couldn?t even begin to articulate his fury with Saitoh now, but Kaoru?s emotional damage was more important, and he crushed her to him, wrapping her in the blanket and kissing her hungrily.
He didn?t know what she thought, but he plundered her mouth savagely, one hand sliding to the small of her back while his other fingers buried themselves in her hair, and he let out a groan when she hesitantly kissed him back, her tongue sliding sweetly in counterpoint to his movements.
Nevertheless, when one hand shyly slid up his chest while the other clung to his wrist he knew he was in trouble. He couldn?t hide what she was doing to his body; he didn?t plan on trying. In fact, he tipped backwards and let her straddle him as he took the brunt of the cold floor while she sprawled against his chest. They kissed, heatedly nipping at each other?s mouths, tongues tangling, until they ran out of breath, and when they were breathing, he was exploring the smooth skin of her neck.
Eventually he tugged her to his side, aware that she wasn?t ready for a physical relationship, and that he wasn?t ready to let her go yet. Every part of him was demanding that he take her into her room and claim every inch of her skin, but dammit!
?Let me set the record straight.? His voice was husky and dark and Kaoru raised dazed eyes to his face.? There is nothing about you that doesn?t hold my attention. Do I make myself clear??
Kaoru stared at him, her eyes pools of confusion. ?Why do you keep doing this to me?? Her voice was desperate.
Kenshin stared at her, noting the dark circles under her eyes. As much as he wanted to continue their antics, he knew she needed to rest.
Seduction of her sweet little body could wait. He was a patient man when it came to harvesting the fruits of her delightful form, and he was more than willing to wait.
Ignoring her question, he caught her back in his arms. Scooping her up, he carried her into her room, tucking her carefully into the futon, pretending not to notice the haunted, terrified look in her eyes.
?I can do little else.? He finally answered, smoothing her hair. ?Go to sleep, Thistle.?
Kaoru glared at him, but he refused to be distracted. Sliding away from her parted lips, he shut the door just as her indignant squeaks echoed in the room.
And the Rurouni had thought she hadn?t liked ?Kaoru-dono?!
Kenshin slid down on the wall, listening to her hissing under her breath, the snap of the blanket as she rolled over, the sounds of her tiny fists hitting the futon in agitation. Her soft hiccups. Only when her Ki evened out, and her breathing had smoothed, did he go to Yahiko?s room.
?You want to come or not?? He knew the child was smart, and he had no intention of waiting for him. He was either prepared or not. If Yahiko was serious about protecting his sister, then he was going to have to learn to keep up.
Yahiko was waiting for him. A bokken was strapped to his back, and he wore the dark blue of Kaoru?s school. ?Yes.?
Kenshin paused at her door, double-checking her softly breathing form, and then he stepped outside. He wouldn?t be gone long, and he would trust in her to take care of herself. It galled him, but he had to make sure he separated himself from the Rurouni; he would have waited until the next tofu run.
He had no desire to wait that long. He wanted to get his point across and he wanted it now. He had little time to spare for fools, and Saitoh had to have known that comment was misplaced.
In fact, Kenshin was counting on it.
Saitoh was already testing him. If he wanted to play dirty, then Kenshin was going to have to remind him of his priorities. Yahiko was there to remind Kenshin of what was important to him, and to drive that last of the incompetent memory of his other half from the boy?s memory.
If he had thought Kaoru would get the message the same way Yahiko was going to, he would have carried her sleeping body with him. However, Kaoru had always been appalled not so much by the act of violence, but the fact that it revolved around her.
She had stared at the dead body of Jineh and not batted a lash. She had faced down Juppugotana members with a smile, and she had handled a crazed Enishi. There was a story there; he would get it one day. There wasn?t a woman alive who could stare at a bloody, battle-torn body that was as gruesome as Jineh?s and not flinch. Not unless she had seen something worse.
Kenshin ignored the nagging thought and approached the yard he knew belonged to Saitoh. He had learned it long ago. Before he had left for Kyoto to deal with his master and the Oniwabanshu.
Saitoh had become more careless than he realized. He had grown accustomed to his softer half, and Kenshin needed to rectify that mistake. Leaning against the gate, he waited.
He wasn?t disappointed.
?What does the Battousai want?? Saitoh?s drawling voice demanded. Kenshin turned at the faint smell of a cigarette and he offered Saitoh the full impact of his own golden gaze.
?You are warned.? Kenshin informed him softly. ?I have not grown soft through the years, Wolf, and I will take it out on your pack if I must.?
Saitoh blow a cloud of smoke, his eyes narrowing. ?You threaten what is mine??
?Yes.? Kenshin said without pause. ?If you come near what is mine again.?
Saitoh gripped his sword, his eyes narrowing. ?Is that so??
Kenshin turned. ?You are not a stupid man. What was your reason for harassing Kaoru in the market today? You know that I will not tolerate your insulting her, Saitoh.? Kenshin spat the words out. Saitoh could recognize the threat; there was no reason to continue threatening.
?Someone attempted to kill Tokio.? Saitoh said flatly, his eyes hard. ?I had a promise to keep to a certain Okashira, and it has been kept. You will get no more warnings from me. If you come near my family, I will kill you, Battousai.?
Kenshin gave him a dangerous look. ?If I go near you family, I shall also be coming for you.? He motioned to Yahiko and they left, leaving no trace that they had ever been there.
Yahiko had the decency to wait until they were halfway home before speaking. ?Someone went after Saitoh??
Kenshin nodded thoughtfully. ?More precisely, his wife. I imagine the man is dead. The question is, why does someone fear both Saitoh and I enough to risk our wrath by killing what is ours??
Yahiko frowned. ?I thought all your enemies in the past were accounted for.?
Kenshin frowned. ?Most of them. There are a few left, and I know about them. The Rurouni should have been keeping better tabs on those left, but he didn?t. I shall have to make a few trips to a friend to make sure that this isn?t over political power.?
?Who would threaten you for political power?? Yahiko asked quietly.
?Not all the spies were eliminated, and a few are most likely in powerful positions in the government. It?s why Yamagata wanted me back. To eliminate those threats.? Kenshin softly informed him, his senses scanning to make sure they weren?t being followed.
?So that?s why they came after Kaoru and me.? Yahiko rolled his eyes, his shoulders squaring. Kenshin eyed Yahiko. The boy was close to fifteen now, and seemed to have finally started to grow into his face and feet.
He was the same age Kenshin had been when he was terrorizing Kyoto. He would be fine. ?Yes.?
Yahiko nodded his head. ?When are you going to tell Kaoru?? There was a challenge in Yahiko?s voice. Kenshin professed to be unlike the Rurouni, had discussed things with her. If he wished to be her partner, then he was going to have to prove it.
?After breakfast. She isn?t coherent enough to understand anything until she gets some warm tea in her.? Kenshin informed him, the corners of his mouth tilting.
Yahiko nodded.
Kenshin jumped over the wall, and unlocked the gate for Yahiko. The boy was smart, but Kenshin had known the question was going to come up. If Yahiko thought that as a student, he was more likely to trust him than Kaoru, who was well-versed in her own defense, then the kid was going to get a rude awakening.
He had his reasons for taking Yahiko with him tonight.
Tomorrow, he was going to begin the end game for winning Kaoru?s affection.
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Kaoru opened her eyes, aware of muted voices and the smell of morning food. Lying on her side, facing the wall away from the door, she sighed. Last night had been a mistake.
Yesterday had been full of mistakes. She had let him kiss her, twice. Had enjoyed it both times. Kenshin was a drug more potent to her than the opium Megumi had once made.
It couldn?t happen again.
Kaoru fisted her blankets into her hands, her eyes sliding shut. She would not let it happen again. It could not happen again. If she let him any closer, every wall she had would fall apart, crumble at her feet, destroying every defense she had. The brush of his tongue, the feel of his hands, all were a guilty pleasure she couldn?t afford.
Sitting up, her mouth setting into an expression that would have sent Yahiko to his knees, she knew what she had to do. If Himura Kenshin thought a few kisses and fascinating glides with his hands were going to break her, he was wrong.
As far as she was concerned, she would never be his. Couldn?t, wouldn?t, refused to belong to a man who would only shatter her. She had barely picked up the pieces; she would not let him take them away again.
This time, she would be strong enough.