Misao frowned down at her teacup, her expression black. “Are you sure he is…I mean... If he leaves you again, I swear I will use every resource I have to tear every strand of red hair out of his head and then remove that bald head.”
Kaoru snickered into her tea and then rolled her eyes. “He isn’t…well, okay, it does seem like he wants to take things past where the Rurouni did, but Misao…I don’t know if I can.”
“Damn straight! Your emotional fortitude has been battered! He has gone and left the drawbridge for emotional agony!” Misao thumped the table. “If he thinks he can just walk…was he being romantic or simply overbearing.”
Kaoru set her cup down and frowned. “Whose side are you on?”
“Yours!” Misao assured. “Oh…let’s talk about this later. I want to…Kaoru?”
Kaoru was digging around for the sen she just knew she had put somewhere…the clanking of coins from Misao’s own purse had her dragging her friend out of the building. “Kenshin said that Tokio- you know who that is?”
“Buddha.” Misao commented.
“What?” Kaoru asked, skidding to a stop.
“Um…nothing. So go on!” Misao frantically encouraged.
Kaoru gave her a weird look but continued dragging her. “Anyway, he said that Tokio was also attached. When Kenshin told us Saitoh was married…I did some investigating. I wanted to know what would marry Saitoh. There.” She nodded her head, and Misao turned, her mind mentally going over the fact that her friend would have a made a kick-ass ninja.
Misao stared. The woman was not exactly what she would consider beautiful, but there was something about her features that made you look twice. Her eyes were the same color as wet earth, and her hair was pulled into a proper knot on the top of her head.
It was the large, friendly smile on her face that shocked Misao. Her eyes were warm, and…she was pregnant.
“Let’s go.” Kaoru said, marching forward.
“Where are we going?” Misao demanded.
“Well…once I figured out who Tokio was, I got to know her and we became friends. Especially these last couple of months when…anyway, she is a darling. You will love her. I don’t care what Saitoh wants us to believe, but she wears the pants in that family.” Kaoru cheerfully stated as she dragged her best friend along. “Besides, she might know something about the attackers. I haven’t talked to her in a while, since someone has kept me occupied.”
Misao paused. “So…you’re friends with the Wolf of Mibu’s wife?”
Kaoru flashed her a very dangerous smile. “Yes. I think Saitoh is going to, in the words of Sano, shit kittens once he finds out.” Besides…she had her own bone to pick with him, and who better to have a word with him on his involvement with pedestrians than his wife?
Misao shuddered; she really had been spending too much time around the Battousai if she was adopting that smile. The sad part was…she was right. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
Ever.
“Excuse me, Fujita-dono?” Kaoru asked, bowing low and looking at her through her bangs. Misao stared at her. Damn…being around the Rurouni sure had helped her manners! The two women were going through some crazy necessities to keep Saitoh off their trail.
“Yes?” Tokio asked in confusion, accepting the bundle of noodles from the vendor and bowing her thanks before turning. “Can I help you?”
If Misao didn’t know that Kaoru and Tokio were friends, she would have been completely fooled by the little act. Well, damn. Maybe she could still recruit Kaoru into the Oniwabanshu…perfect way to get her away from the Battousai…
“Fujita-dono, we would like to have a word with you, if that is acceptable. I am afraid that a complication has come up with the lessons you had planned for your sons.” Kaoru stayed in her low bow, hiding her features.
“Oh dear…please, come with me. I live near here. Goro won’t be back for several more hours, so you won’t have to fear him.” Tokio assured them. “We should be alone.”
Misao and Kaoru followed her closely, Misao with a bit of stunned silence as Tokio navigated easily through the bodies. She was true to her word, and it didn’t take long before they were all sitting in her house, sipping tea that was almost better than Kenshin’s.
“Now, what can I help you two with?” Tokio asked. “It has been too long since you came by, Kaoru. I have worried about you.”
“It’s about those men who attacked you. We were wondering if you saw any face, or heard any names.” Kaoru asked. “I don’t know if Saitoh said anything, since I know he knows, but my dojo was attacked as well.”
Tokio sighed. “He isn’t the types to share information. In fact, what I do hear is mostly from his ranting while he eats dinner.” She smiled and petted her stomach again. “You two ladies come by tomorrow, and I shall tell you what I can. Hajime will be getting off soon, and I don’t want you to get into trouble with him.”
Kaoru nodded her head. “We shall.”
“Kaoru,” Tokio said softly as she dug into her obi. “Here…I believe this will replace that kimono of yours my thoughtless husband ruined. He didn’t say anything, but that tofu vendor was telling me about it. I shall have words with him tonight.”
Kaoru started to protest but Misao lunged forward and accepted the money. “Thank, Fujita-dono!” Misao cheerfully chattered as she bowed low. “I shall make sure this is used properly.”
Tokio smiled at her, and Misao was stunned at the regal look on her face. “You do that. Kaoru doesn’t spend enough time taking care of herself. You must be Misao! I insist that you come with Kaoru tomorrow. My boys just love playmates.”
Misao smiled and bowed, tugging a protesting Kaoru with her. “I shall!”
“Thanks for nothing, Tokio!” Kaoru wailed as she was protesting dragged out.
“Yes, thank you Fujita-dono!” Misao cheerfully replied.
“Call me Tokio. Anyway, when I was your age, I probably would have been doing something very similar. I think Hajime finally agreed to marry me for the sheer preservation of his sanity.” Tokio replied, patting her large stomach happily.
Misao smiled a slow, dangerous grin. “So it does work.”
“Very well, young Okashira.” Tokio agreed as she saw them out. “Tomorrow you might be attacked by my boys, since they are spending the night with my mother. Tomorrow they will not be.”
Both woman bowed again and fled back to the dojo.
“I think, besides the fact that she is…married to Saitoh she seems to be a nice woman.” Misao managed, her mouth twitching. Her eyes had been lit like fireworks since Tokio’s words about the reasons behind there marriage.
Kaoru nodded her head, but was busy with other thoughts. How was she going to get herself out of the house tomorrow? Lie and say she was teaching kendo? Then she would be expected to come home with money…
“Shopping is necessary.” Misao finished with a flare.
Kaoru stopped and stared. “What?”
“You need a new kimono, and shopping for one after we speak to Tokio will be a perfect way to get out of the dojo. You are going to use the money Tokio gave you if I have to get your measurements in your sleep and take them to the seamstress myself. This way at least you get a say in what color.” Misao said firmly. “If you’re going to win that yummy…” She paused as she caught Kaoru’s eyes.
There were entering the dojo, and the men looked up at their approach. “I mean…that yummy tofu vender. He had the cutest eyes…Aoshi-sama?”
“Misao,” Aoshi said, and Kaoru thought she saw something like…um…thawing? Fewer icicles in his expressions? Whatever it was, Kaoru thought it might translate into something like relief.
“Aoshi-sama! You don’t trust me either?” Misao’s expression went from happy to dangerous to flat-out depressed in the amount of time it took to breathe between each.
“A note next time,” Aoshi informed her. “You could have been kidnapped.”
Misao rolled her eyes. “I waved to the spy you have on the train, and the idea that I am so easily kidnapped is rather insulting.” Her words were as pouty as her bottom lip and Kaoru grasped her hand and dragged her away.
Flashing a bright smile at the three men watching them she headed toward the kitchen. “Here Misao, you can help me with dinner. Kenshin has been working himself silly. Aoshi, have Kenshin get the guest room set up for you, Yahiko, pick your mouth back up and keep it shut.”
Yahiko had the grace to wait until they were out of sight, and throwing range, before he groaned. “My stomach…”
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Kenshin had discovered that Misao was an ally. It was in the way she was watching him, with beady little eyes. He had to keep a stern mask on his face all night, because the glances she kept tossing him; well, they had him very gleeful.
Kaoru’s greatest ally was fixing to be recruited to the opposite team.
Aoshi’s arrival put a bit of a damper on his plans, since Aoshi was watching Misao with the same intensity that she was watching him. Kenshin’s advice was to get himself laid. Really. Misao seemed like she was more than capable of taking up her duty as half the team.
“I will help with dishes.” Misao declared. “Kaoru, go and take your bath!”
The argument that broke out was loud, forceful, and ended with Kaoru losing. Perfect.
Once the kitchen had cleared out, and Aoshi and Yahiko went to get ready for their own beds, Kenshin waited for her to bring the subject up. She would not have volunteered for this unless she had a kunai to pick with him.
“I meant what I said earlier. If you hurt her again, I will kill you myself.” Misao warned. “You won’t see it coming. It may take me years, but I swear to you, I will dance on your grave.”
Kenshin nodded his head. He wasn’t going to argue with her, since the situation she threatened him with was never going to happen. “I want her, Misao.”
Misao snorted. “You have eyes in your head. Of course you do. However, that wanting has not proved to do more than keep you here as long as you think it’s safe. Loving you will never keep her safe, but neither will you’re leaving keep her any safer.” There was an angry tone in her voice that caused Kenshin to fight another smile.
Kaoru really did have the ability to inspire loyalty.
“I want her in my arms. I want her as my wife.” Kenshin replied softly. “I will do whatever it takes, Itachi; do not think you can stand between me and my goal.”
Misao raised a brow at him, determination in her eyes. “Think that if you want, Himura, but I am in no way easy to kill. Don’t hurt her.”
Kenshin went back to washing, handing her the slick dishes to dry.
“So…how exactly do you plan on getting her into bed with you?”
Kenshin started at that, his expression bemused. “I would think that is none of your business.”
Misao finished drying the last of the dishes. “You know, no matter what they say, girls liked to be romanced. However, there also comes a time when a man has to buck up and use the balls he has been given. Don’t be afraid she will break. She might try to claw your eyes out, but I believe that part of Kaoru needs to be swept off her feet…physically if necessary. You’ve got muscles, big boy…use them. However, give her time to say no, or she will cut them off.” Misao patted his shoulder and waved. “Night, night!”
Kenshin stood there slightly dumbfounded. Well…he had never had it put quite that way before. He didn’t think that Kaoru was quite ready for…what Misao was suggesting yet. However, that didn’t mean that he couldn’t work with it.
Baby steps.
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Kaoru came out of the bathhouse and sighed in pleasure. The warm breeze teased at her damp hair and she leaned against the side of the bathhouse with a contented smile.
Dragging a hand through her bangs, she felt slightly guilty at leaving the towels for Kenshin to pick up; so, stepping onto the porch, she thought about going back in there and picking them up.
“Don’t. I will get them later,” His voice brushed over her ears, and Kaoru flushed at having spoken out loud.
Kaoru turned and glared at him. “How many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me?” He never made the noise that the Rurouni had made when walking around. He was content to move like a cat. Silent, balancing on the balls of his feet, always moving with a careless grace she would sell her eyes for.
“Really, Kenshin you have to stop! A girl has to have some privacy.” Kaoru scolded him, pouting when he smiled.
“I give you the illusion of privacy.” He soothed her, his eyes laughing.
Kaoru felt her eye twitch. He was teasing her. Kaoru rolled her eyes and swatted his shoulder, relaxing. This was still Kenshin, even if it was an amorous and slightly weird Kenshin. “Kenshin…you seem to be suffering from a head injury. If I told you I was only giving you the illusion of privacy, how would you feel?”
Kenshin moved close, grinning down at her suddenly startled face. “Hmm…hard question, Thistle. The idea of you in my personal space is rather tempting. You can give me an illusion, but I keep hoping that you will take it away.”
He was suddenly very close. As in his breath was stirring her bangs close. As in his mouth was…Kaoru sighed into his lips as he leaned down and kissed her. Perhaps it was the bath, or the way his hands framed her face, but whatever it was, when his tongue slid along her bottom lip she parted her lips. Her hands rose to his forearms, and clutched as he skillfully kissed away whatever filling her knees had after the warm water was done with them.
It wasn’t until she remembered that leaning against his chest, somehow clutching his shoulders instead of his arm, and the warm feeling of his arms, was not what she wanted that she pulled away and lowered her head. The only reasons she stayed in his arms was because if she tried to move away, she was going to fall flat on her ass.
“I can’t.” Kaoru desperately whispered. Her hands clutched at his sleeves, her fingers twisting tightly. She didn’t expect his hands to cup her cheeks, or to pull her face back upwards.
If he kissed her again…
“Your trust needs some improvement, little Thistle. I have no intention of biting just yet. I will do whatever it takes to prove I am not going anywhere, regardless of who or what I have to go through to do it. I am warning you now, Thistle, that I will have you. What I get, I keep. Every weakness you show, I will exploit. I will have you, and I will keep you. I refuse to let you go.” He brought her wrist to his mouth and kissed it softly. “If you need to run, Kaoru, do so. Just remember, when you round that final corner, I will be waiting for you.”
He stepped back and brushed her bangs. “Go to bed.”
Kaoru fled.
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She lay down, aware that Misao was awake and curious, but Kaoru ignored her and watched as the shadows began to turn into the darkness of midnight. An idea... a bad one, perhaps, but an idea... was slowly sparking in her mind.
She couldn’t keep him. Really, she couldn’t. She had learned the hard way about her Rurouni and what he needed; open roads figured into that. However…that didn’t mean she couldn’t keep a part of him.
Closing her eyes, Kaoru decided that it was something she would keep to herself for a while, and that she would think it over later.
For now…she had to get some rest so she could pull off a great acting job. Really…perhaps she could convince Misao to let her use the money on Yahiko. The last thing she wanted was to parade around in a new kimono in front of Kenshin.
It might be taken as an invitation.
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