Legacy
An RK Fanfic
Chapter Three - "You've
got 'in-laws'!"
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"Did you miss me while you
were looking for yourself out there?"
Train
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"Kaoru honey, I thought
you didn't have any living relatives," Kenshin said carefully as he and
Kaoru set the dinner table together.
Kaoru sighed, "Hideki and
her father left Japan years ago, I really didn't think that they would
return," she replied standing up, "To tell the truth I didn't even
know if they were still alive as my father and I hadn't heard from either of
them since."
"There, at least that was
part of the truth." she added mentally.
"Sou de gozaru ka?"
Kenshin said thoughtfully. To be honest, when he had married Kaoru he was
relieved that she had no relatives to object to their union. The difference in
their ages alone would have been enough for them to kick a fuss, plus there was
the issue of his past to deal with. He could only hope now that Hideki was the
understanding type. "Well I'm glad that she is."
"I'm not so sure…"
Kaoru mumbled.
"Nani?" Kenshin asked
looking up.
"Hm? Oh, nothing
anata," she replied walking toward the door, "I'm just going to tell the
others that dinner's ready alright?"
"Alright,"
Kenshin agreed.
"Anata?"
"Hai?"
She smiled softly and blew him
a kiss, "Aishitteru."
Kenshin smiled back, "I
love you too koishii."
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For dinner, Hideki changed out
of the men's clothing she had arrived in and into a light pink kimono with blue
flowers on it. She raised her arms and crossed them experimentally. It had been
a long time since she had worn Japanese clothing; it took her twice as long to
tie her obi than it should have out of lack of practice. Her birth-land's ways
had become so alien to her in the past five years. Sighing, she made her way
outside to the hall that led to the dining room. How she had missed this old
house, she remembered playing with Kaoru in the dojo after practice was over,
trying to see who could slide all the way across the room on tabied feet.
"Hm, that sure was a lot
of fun," she mused, "I wonder if…"
Looking left and right to make
sure no one was around, she took a short run and stopped suddenly, slipping
across the smooth wood as she had in years past. Unfortunately, someone was
coming in the opposite direction at the same moment.
"Oh no!"
CRASH!
"Itai!" Kaoru
squealed angrily as she rubbed her sore behind, "How old are you
uni-chan?!"
"Old enough to know you
should stop calling me that, you little tanuki-chan!"
"Why you!!"
For a few moments there was
silence as the two women glared at one another, but soon that changed as
Hideki's face struggled to keep it's frown but it faltered and then disappeared
completely as she both and Kaoru fell victims to peals of loud laughter.
"Gods I've missed you
little cousin."
"I m-missed you too."
Kaoru replied as she wiped away a stray tear with her kimono's sleeve.
"Oh Gods no," Hideki
chuckled, leaning over to look into Kaoru's face "you don't still do that
do you? If you cry like that all the time how am to know if you're happy or
not?!"
"I'm h-happy," Kaoru
declared sniffling, "I j-just thought I'd n-never see you again!"
"But I'm h-here now!"
Hideki exclaimed, mocking Kaoru's sobs. "Now dry your face and let's get
down to dinner, I'm curious as to how good your husband's cooking really
is." she affirmed while extending a hand to help Kaoru up.
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"Her father almost singed
his eyebrows off trying to put the fire out!!!" Hideki squealed before she
collapsed with laughter.
Everyone, including Kaoru, was
consumed with hilarity at the dinner table as Hideki related some of her and
Kaoru's first attempts at cooking. Her blunt, yet animated method of
storytelling as well as her easygoing manner was a hit with the rest of the
Kenshin-gumi. It was obvious right from the start that Hideki was one of those
persons who was simply born to be the life of the party.
Kaoru wiped away the tears that
had come with laughing too hard, "Gods, I'd forgotten all about
that."
"After we almost burned
the entire dojo down?! Not likely!" Hideki snickered.
"Man, I knew Jou-chan was
a bad cook but not that bad!!!" Sanosuke roared.
"Yeah," Yahiko added,
"I heard about too many cooks spoiling the feast but busu had to burn the
whole kitchen down!” he howled with delight.
"Remind me not to let you
two try that again." Kenshin chuckled.
"Oh don't worry we
won't." Hideki promised, blue eyes twinkling.
Kaoru smiled as she watched her
cousin tease, cajole and laugh her way into the hearts of her new family.
Hideki caught her looking and gave her a single conspiratorial wink that got
her giggling all over again.
"So Kenshin," Hideki
said, suddenly changing the topic, "Kaoru's birthday is going to be in a
couple of days, I sure hope you guys are planning a party for her."
Kaoru suddenly turned very
pale, in all the fun she had forgotten all about it. Her twentieth birthday
should have been something to be celebrated but Hideki's very presence
suggested otherwise.
"Um, I don't think…"
she began.
"Hey that's a great
idea!" Sano agreed cutting Kaoru off.
"Hai," Kenshin
agreed, "It would be nice to have all our friends come and celebrate with
us, that it would. Don't you agree koishii?"
Kaoru looked exactly like a
deer caught in the headlights at Kenshin's innocent question. Forcing a smile
onto her rice-powder white face she nodded in agreement, "What a lovely
idea anata, shikashi, I wouldn't want to put you all through so much
trouble…"
"Nonsense!" Hideki
interrupted, "Nothing is too good for my baby cousin."
Kaoru's smile widened,
"You're too sweet Hideki-chan." she whistled through clenched teeth.
"I'm going to kill you
Hideki."
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Japan-speak
Aishitteru- I love you
Anata- you, from wife to
husband it is translated as "darling"
Hai- yes (polite form)
Koishii- sweetheart, luva,
sweetie-pie, love-sponge (take your pick)
Nani- what
Shikashi- but
Sou de gozaru ka? - Is that so?
(Kenshin style)
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