Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment, respectively. FF is non-profit, meant for entertainment only.
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Irresistible
Chapter Six
*************
Kaoru whimpered as he bandaged her left hand. The cut wasn’t too deep but it ran all the way from underneath her wrist to her index finger. And like most cuts, it’s always the small ones the hurt the most.
Kenshin felt a deep stirring somewhere in the depths of him. This close he could smell her, not like he could after her bath but he could smell her just the same. He finished wrapping her hand, securing it safely. He moved his eyes away from her hand and gazed at her face. She looked at him with so much trust and kindness. There was something else there too, something better left alone. For his sake, he’d have to leave it alone.
Kaoru gave him a grateful smile. She fisted her hand and found it hurt. Her expression changed from content to pained. “I better not use it for a while.” She said as much for him as for herself.
“Maybe you should avoid practice for a while.” Kenshin suggested.
Kaoru looked at her hand a pout forming on her lips. “Just as well, the spring fair will be here for the weekend and Tsubame asked me if I could spare Yahiko.” She glanced at Kenshin who seemed to be stepping away. “You know he spends more time there than here.” With a deep sigh she spared a glance out the window. “I already agreed to let him go. He’ll be helping Tae for the next four days.” She glanced back at him. “I guess it’ll be just us, huh?”
He nodded at her, stopping where he stood. She cared for everyone so much. She usually went out of her way to help people.
“Lets’ have lunch out.” She said suddenly. “We’ll go to the Akabeko.”
“Sessha can go out and get it Kaoru-dono. You don‘t have to go.” He really didn’t want to be with her once she was all dressed up. She’d look beautiful and then he’d be tempted. He still hadn’t been able to get a good night’s sleep since he’d seen her in the throes of passion. The tingling came back to his hands. He shouldn’t have thought of that with her in the room. He fisted his hands and waited for her.
“No Kenshin I want us to eat out.” Her voice didn’t really leave much room for argument. He nodded his head and went out to finish his wash.
Kaoru looked after him strangely before she went to find Yahiko. She’d give him the good news before she headed of to her bath.
*************
Kaoru dusted light powder on her face as she finished getting read. Today she’d decided she’d to wear on of her favorite kimono’s. It was deep red with blue and golden flowers, a blue obi and a matching hair ribbon. It was by far the best present he had ever given her. She loved the whole ensemble and she had a tendency to only wear it on rare occasions. She held the ribbon in her teeth as she grabbed her hair into the familiar ponytail. Something stopped her from doing it that way though. Instead she placed the ribbon inside her kimono just incase she changed her mind later. She put her hair into a loose bun holding it place with deep black chopsticks that blended in with her hair. She dabbed the perfume in the usual spots, giving her face a last once over in the mirror she decided she was ready. She stepped out of her room, closing the door behind her and made her way to the yard where they waited for her.
“Took you long enough.” Yahiko said not really looking at her.
Sano and Kenshin though had and they’d stopped their conversation when she stepped out. Kenshin tensed, she looked extremely beautiful. It was like she was doing it on purpose. She smiled at them, her eyes lingering on him the longest before she began to walk down the steps.
All three of them stopped when they smelled her. Yahiko blushed, Sano mumbled something and Kenshin stilled. She turned back at the gate to see she was walking alone. All three of them were still in the same place. “Are you coming?” She called out to them.
Sano and Yahiko ran past her, almost knocking her down while Kenshin walked towards her slowly. She noticed his eyes were downcast, his long bangs shielded his eyes. She thought it strange but she didn’t say anything about it. She merely stepped out and waited for him to lock up.
They walked down the road in silence. Usually he would have said she looked nice but today he hadn’t even said that. She sighed and continued to walk.
The spring air picked up from time to time caring the smell of her to him. He felt his emotions struggling against each other. She was wrecking havoc with his senses. He drew closer to her as they passed other men who took too long in noticing she was not walking alone. One look at his eyes though sent them scouring off. His ki rose the more others stared. He would be surprised if he didn’t end the day with a fight. He was feeling on edge.
The Akabeko was full when they arrived. Sano and Yahiko had run off ahead of them and now they sat in booth, waiting for them.
Kaoru looked the two in the booth giving them a small smile. They mumbled and shifted in there seats. She dismissed their behavior and took her seat.
Kenshin’s eyes glowed with a warning, he sat close to her, more so than he usually did. His eyes were an eerie blue usually reserved for his opponents while his mouth was set in a thin line.
Kaoru finally got a look at his eyes and almost gasped. She stopped herself at the very last moment. His eyes had been searching the crowd who for some reason kept turning to look in his direction when he heard the intake of breath. His mind noted her wide eyes and her parted lips. She gave him a weak smile which he did not return.
Their meal was served and everyone ate in a strained silence. Everyone kept away from their table including the waitress. She seemed afraid when she finally approached them at the end of their meal.
“I’m going to stay and help out. I’ll see you guys later.” And with a deep blush on his face Yahiko ran off.
Sanosuke peered the Kenshin and Kaoru. He was looking ready to pound someone while Kaoru looked on, oblivious to what Kenshin might do. “I’ll see you guys.” He said as they parted at the door.
Shouts from the street made him turn around. He caught sight of Kenshin sheathing his sakabatou back into place. A man laid on the floor with a pouch not too far from his hand.
“Thank you, thank you for stopping him.” A man ran to thank Kenshin.
Kenshin only nodded and guided Kaoru through the crowd that had been starting to gather. She looked at him with a light in her eyes that shook his sense of right and wrong.
“You were wonderful Kenshin.” She began in her praise of him.
He forced a smile as he looked at her.
*************
Dinner was much the same as lunch. She didn’t understand why he was moody, she was aware that something was wrong but for the life of her she couldn’t figure out what it was. He was too quiet and his eyes were guarded.
She helped him with the dishes hoping for him to talk to her instead there was more silence. With a heavy sigh she turned to him as they walked down the hall towards their room. “Goodnight Kenshin.”
“Goodnight.” He said as he kept walking.
Her hand reached for him, holding onto his arm, she asked. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He responded.
She walked closer to him, wanting for him to confide in her. She walked around him till she stood in front of him. Her hold on his arm never lessening. “There is. Why won’t you tell me.”
“There is nothing wrong . . . .sessha‘s.” He forced himself to say. “ . . . Sessha’s just tired.” Her smell was drifting into his lungs again. He could have her if he wanted to. She was so close all he had to do was take her. She’d be so willing. He dropped his gaze and began his walk again but she stopped him with her body.
“Kaoru-dono.” He pleaded though he was aware it did not sound as it was supposed to. His voice had deepened and she shivered in response. His hands fisted when she began to blush. The lust he kept so well hidden lurked just behind his eyes, enticing him with images of her naked form pleading for him to . . . .
She let her hand drop and he was able to get away. That had been too close. Another minute and we wouldn’t have had any self control left. Willing or not . . . He didn’t want to think about it. He made it to his room and closed the door behind him without looking. He could feel her just outside. He moved away from the door to a corner of the room. He didn’t bother to set up his futon anymore he wouldn’t be able to sleep and if he did sleep his dreams were filled with images of her and what he couldn‘t do.
Kenshin woke up to a very beautiful women caressing him. His mouth opened in surprise and though her name remained at the tip of his tongue he didn’t say it. He didn't want to spoil the mood. “What happened?” He asked as he tried to remembered the last thing he’d done. She was very pale in the moonlight. She reached for him again, this time he kept quiet and watched her intently. Her blue eyes were conveying something he didn’t understand But his body responded.
"Kenshin" she whispered it so low he almost didn't hear her. It stopped him making him stay completely still. All his attention was focused on her again. She really was very beautiful. Though she did look a bit older since he’d met her she was just as beautiful if not more so now. Her hand trailed from his cheek to his throat and took rest over the plains of his chest. He felt the warmth she radiated. “I was dreaming of how you were before." she said in a quiet voice.
“Sessha." He began.
“Sshh Kenshin,” She said raising her finger to his lips. The gesture made him panic. 'Hitokiri’s don’t panic,' a voice reminded him. The panic increased at the suggestion of the voice. He wasn’t him, not anymore. He pulled away and looked at her. "Please tell me" He asked.
Her eyes dilated as she looked at him. He was surprised by the reaction. “I think it can wait.” She said as she leaned into kiss him. He waited for her to move back, to shy away. She bit his lip instead making them part in surprise. ‘It was getting to be too much,’ he thought as she slipped her tongue into his mouth. He felt his heart stop. Three years he’d waited to kiss her. Three years. She took his face into her hands, tilting his head back to get a better angle. He felt her stirring something within him. Something which laid dormant in the recesses of his soul. She pressed herself against him and then he groaned. He wrapped his arms around her small waist pulling her closer. She smiled into the kiss. She leaned into him when they broke apart for air. “Battoussai,” She whispered into his ear.
Kenshin eyes snapped open. His sleeve wiped the beads of sweat on his forehead and upper lip. He didn’t like where this was going.