Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

Flight of the Wounded Dove	By : ShaeyaSedjet Category: Rurouni Kenshin > General Views: 3102 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
A
Note From Sedjet: I felt really bad about taking over a
month to update, so my gift to you all is a second chapter update!
Happy Thanksgiving!

Disclaimer:
I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters!!! That's why
it's called FANfiction, people.

Flight
of the Wounded Dove

Chapter
Four:

Reunion

The
trio reached Yokohama in the early afternoon. Luckily, Tae had
made reservations for them at the Golden Dragon Inn, and Sanosuke
hired a carriage to take them to their destination.

Despite
its name, it was a western-style inn. It was more than a bit
strange for the three travelers. The innkeeper had been given
instructions to give Sanosuke the key to Kaoru’s room, and he
led an unsuspecting Kenshin right to his heart’s desire.

Kaoru’s
room was on the second level of the four story inn. The trio of
young men trudged up the stairs in single file with Sanosuke leading
the way, Kenshin following Sano and Yahiko bringing up the rear.
The inn was nicely furnished with rich, burgundy wallpaper embossed
with golden designs. The trio had never seen anything so nicely
furnished, and they admired their surroundings.

When
they reached Kaoru’s room, Sanosuke slid the key into the
keyhole. Kenshin was admiring the craftsmanship of the ornately
carved western style door right before Sanosuke opened it to reveal a
young woman sitting at a dressing table.

“Tae!
Why didn’t you…”her eyes settled on Kenshin,
“…knock?”

At
the same time she began to speak, Kenshin averted his gaze and began
to spout a rapid stream of apologies. “There must be some
mistake! Gomen nasai, miss. The innkeeper must have given
us the wrong…key,” he finished with her. He had
realized in the middle of her reprimand just who the voice belonged
to.

He
turned to look at her and stood frozen. Suddenly, realization
crashed down on him They had planned it all. Tae, Sanosuke and
Yahiko had somehow managed to plan this entire ‘vacation’.
They had brought him to Kaoru to cheer him up. And yet, he
could only stare at her. She was so beautiful in a kimono of
deep purple with a lavender obi. Her hair was unquaffed and
hung in a silken mass down her back. She, too was frozen, her
brush poised to stroke once more through her glossy raven hair.

For
her part, Kaoru was stunned. Kenshin was the last person she
had expected to pass over the threshold of her room at the inn.
Frankly, he was the last person she desired to see. She was
suddenly self-conscious. The way he was staring at her made her
feel as if she were on exhibition, and the fact that he was even
standing in her room made her a bit peevy. However, the look on
his face—the relief that was so apparent softened her.
She wanted to reach out to him, but she did not dare. She
commanded herself to stay put.

Kenshin
snapped out of his trance and crossed the short distance between
them. He took her into his arms and clutched her to him as if
she might vanish in a poof of smoke.

“Kaoru!”
he whispered desperately, and she was startled by his dropping of the
honorific that was always used in conjunction with her name. “I
am sorry.”

Kaoru
gently, but firmly extracted herself from his embrace. She
sighed. She too had figured the equation. Tae had told
them where she could be found. “I know exactly how you
found me, but what I want to know is why.”

“Well,
that’s a fine how-do-you-do!” Sanosuke muttered, “We
drag our butts all this way by train,” he emphasized the
word because she was quite familiar with his disdain for the iron
horse, “And we don’t even get a ‘hello, how are
you?’ Well, how’s that for friendship.”

Kaoru
planted her hands on her hips, “I want to know why you came,”
she demanded.

Sanosuke
leveled a look at her, “Because we were tired of Kenshin moping
around. All he has been doing since you left is eat, sleep and
pout. It’s disgustin’.”

Kaoru
turned her wide-eyed, slightly disbelieving gaze on Kenshin, “You
missed me?”

Kenshin
wore a faint blush and a wry smile, “Of course I have,”
he scratched the back of his head self-consciously, “Although,
I did not realize it was so obvious.”

Yahiko
rolled his eyes and Sano stared incredulously wondering what he could
throw at the silly rurouni.

Kenshin’s
confession prompted a smile that lit Kaoru’s entire face.

Kenshin
reached out with a tentative hand to touch the corner of her mouth,
“It is good to see you smile again.” He reached for
her, and this time she came willingly into his arms. He rested
his head atop hers, stroking her silken hair with sword-calloused
hands. The expression on his face could only be described as
blissful.

At
that moment, Tae popped up out of nowhere wearing a triumphant grin.
Her sudden appearance caused Sanosuke and Yahiko to face-fault into
the room’s luxuriously carpeted floor.

“She
can be sooooo scary,” Yahiko whispered to Sano as they regained
their feet.

Tae
shot them both a look, but as she turned her attention back to the
couple, she wore a pleased smile, “I think we should leave
Kenshin and Kaoru alone for a while.”

“Yeah,”
Yahiko seconded, “They’re makin’ me sick.”

The
reunited couple paid no attention to him. They were too
engrossed with each other.

“Let’s
eat!” Sanosuke said, rubbing his hands together greedily.

Neither
Kenshin nor Kaoru noticed when their three compatriots took their
leave.

Kenshin
clutched her to him, “Don’t run away from me again.
I am sorry for everything. I never meant to hurt you! I
did not realize. You should have told me.”

Kaoru
pulled back a little in order to look at him fully, “I know
that you would never deliberately do anything to hurt me.”
She placed her palm on his cheek, “There were some things I
needed to work through—for myself.”

Kenshin
nodded, “Have you worked them through?” he asked,
hopefully.

She
hesitated. “Not quite. There are still a few things
that I am working on.”

“May
I ask what you are working on?” he queried softly.

She
buried her head against his chest, “You would laugh at me.”

Kenshin
placed a hand on either side of her face, lifting her face gently.
He looked her directly in the eyes, “I promise you that I will
not,” he murmured solemnly.

She
nodded, hiding her face against his chest. “I have been
learning how to cook,” she mumbled into his gi.

Kenshin
smiled. He was flattered. There was no doubt in his mind
that she was learning to cook in order to please him, and it gave him
an odd sense of pride. He hugged her, chuckling. He
sighed softly, cupping her face in his calloused hands. “What
a pair we make. Two people who cannot simply admit their
feelings for each other.” He stroked a stray strand of
hair away from her delicate face, “Instead, we spend our time
trying to show how we feel through our actions. You are
learning to cook. I do everything in my power to keep you safe,
even if it means alienating myself from you.”

Kaoru
searched his eyes for a long moment. She saw nothing but
complete sincerity…and something else—something she
could not identify.

Kenshin
was suddenly very serious, “A naked blade needs a sheath,”
he murmured, stroking her face. He studied her thoughtfully,
“You are my sheath…koishii.”

Kaoru’s
eyes went wide. The impact of his words sank in, and she
pressed a delicate hand to her lips. She sobbed, and tears
slipped down her alabaster cheeks.

Kenshin
cupped her face in his hands, “Please do not cry, koishii.
I have been the cause of enough of your tears…more times than
I care to think about.” He caressed her hair, his gaze
roaming over her face, “I love you, Kaoru.” He
pressed a kiss against her forehead and inhaled her scent of jasmine
and woman, “It feels good to finally say it out loud.”

“I
am so happy,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion.

He
brought her into a gentle embrace, “Sit with me a moment,
koishii. I would like to hold you for a while.”

She
nodded, smiling shyly and offered him her hand. He led her to
the western style bed, and sat down on it. He was a little
bewildered by the softness of the mattress as he sank into it.
He decided he liked it and moved so that his back was against the
wall. He offered his hand to Kaoru and helped her to settle
herself between his legs. When they were situated, her back was
nestled against his chest, and his chin was resting against her
shoulder.

“I
am sorry that emotions do not come easily for me,” he murmured,
absently stroking her hair, “If I seem cold, always know that I
am thinking of you. Always know that I care for you more than
anyone or anything else.”

Kaoru
bowed her head, “I thought you were still in love with your
wife,” she murmured softly.

Kenshin
raised his head from her shoulder and dropped a kiss on the top of
her head, “Our marriage was a charade. It was founded on
nothing but lies.” He sighed sadly, “I was so
young, then and I was completely fooled.”

“May
I ask what happened to your wife?” came the tentative question.

Kenshin
hesitated, but decided it was time to tell her the truth, “She
was killed by my blade as she tried to protect her father. She
died in my arms.” He sighed, “In the end, I think
she may have returned my feelings.” He took deep,
cleansing breath, “But I was a different person then.”
He gazed down at her with loving eyes, “I have finally found my
life partner.” He smiled softly, “And in the most
unlikely of places.”

Kaoru
turned shifted in order to rest her head against his shoulder, “I
have loved you so long, Kenshin, and with all of my heart,” she
murmured, near tears.

Kenshin
tightened his hold on her, “I have tried desperately not to
love you, but I love you more than life.”

Kaoru
laughed, “Listen to us! We are like silly, gushing
teenagers!”

Kenshin
pressed a kiss against her exposed temple, “We have to make up
for all the times we have neglected to say, ‘I love you.’”

A
light rapping interrupted their reverie. “Kenshin,
Kaoru? May I come in?” Tae queried from outside.

Kenshin
untangled his limbs from beneath Kaoru’s and made to open the
door. On the other side, Tae looked more than a bit
disappointed.

“Is
something wrong, Tae-dono?” Kenshin asked, concerned.

“I
was hoping the two of you would be…indisposed.”

The
couple blushed profusely.

Tae
merely shook her head, “In any case, we are going out.
Are the two of you up to going with us?”

Kenshin
turned to Kaoru, “Are you feeling well enough for dinner out,
koishii?”

Tae
smiled a secret smile. She was perversely proud of her
underhanded method of bringing Kenshin and Kaoru together.

Kaoru
graced him with a soft smile, “I have never felt so wonderful
in my life.”

Tae
beamed, “Alright. Kenshin, grab your clothing and go
dress in Sanosuke’s room. I will help Kaoru dress here.”

Kenshin
grabbed up his pack from the floor near the door. On his way
out, he stopped in front of Kaoru, who had followed his progress.
“I will see you shortly.” He hesitated only a
moment before swooping in and pressing a soft kiss against Kaoru’s
cheek.

Kaoru
could only stare after him with a silly grin on her face.

Kenshin
paused at the door and looked back over his shoulder. He did
not want to leave her—not for one moment, but he made his way
to Sanosuke’s room with the expectation that the sooner he got
out, the sooner she would be ready and the sooner he would be able to
see her again.

Kaoru
stared after him, and Tae waved a hand in front of her face, “Kaoru!
We must be quick. You know San-chan. He is liable to
murder Yahiko and cook him over an open fire if we do not eat soon.”

This
provoked a peel of hearty laughter from Kaoru. Then, a thought
struck her. She turned desperately to Tae, “What am I
going to wear???”

Tae
looked at Kaoru as if the younger girl were and complete and utter
dimwit, “The evening sky kimono, you silly girl! What
else?!”

Kaoru
ducked her head, blushing, and Tae merely shook her head.

“I
had forgotten that love makes fools of the young,” she smiled,
shaking her head. “Let’s get to work.”

To
be continued…

There!
I hope you like it! This chapter was a little longer than the
others…a little over five full pages. If I am feeling
brave, I may even venture to post the fifth chapter before the end of
the weekend. We shall see how things go…
- 3
- 4
- 5
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Flight of the Wounded Dove