Lost and Lonely

Lost and Lonely Chapter Four:




Okay, So I know that It’s been a while since I updated this but I’ve been busy. I hope you all like it!


Hint! If you see text in “ “ they are spoken words if text is in ‘ ‘ than it is thought!


Sorry but I don’t own anything of Rurouni Kenshin I only wish I did. But believe me…if they were real I would sooooo fight for custody! Lol! JK.


*In the café*


Sitting on the edge of the booth, leaving a fairly large gap between herself and Kenshin, Kaoru stares at Misao. ‘I swear Misao is going to be the death of me…that is, if I don’t kill her first.’ Misao sat next to Sano grinning as she grabs Sano’s menu from him. “Oi! What cha ya think you’re doing weasel girl?” Misao glares at him and within seconds the two are in an all out war over the menu.


Kaoru buries her face in her hands to hide from the site of two grown adults fighting over something so trivial. ‘How embarrassing! I can’t believe I know these two. Let alone that one of them is my best friend!’ When Kaoru feels a hand on her shoulder she is so startled from her thoughts that she almost jumps. Turning to the source of the contact she sees Kenshin looking at her with a kind smile, his eye dancing with laughter at what she really isn’t sure. His hand is resting on her shoulder with just enough weight that she can feel it and it is kind of unnerving her having him that close. When she tries to brush the hand away with a shrug of her shoulder Kenshin’s hand seems to press down harder insisting that she look at him. “Kaoru if you sit any farther to the edge of the seat you’ll fall off.”


Blushing, Kaoru moves a little closer to the center of the bench, consequently causing her to sit rather close to Kenshin. He simply sits there smiling at her as his hand drops from her shoulder, but she has a funny feeling that even though he isn’t facing her, he is still watching her.


Kenshin just seems to throw himself into his menu however, as he quickly picks out a small meal for himself. After he has decided on his meal he turns to Kaoru and hands the menu over to her. Looking at him quizzically Kaoru declines the menu. “I’m not hungry.”


“But Kaoru,” Kenshin begins to plead. It seems like he wants to keep her there as long as possible. “You must be hungry. And I’m sure you could use the rest. Why don’t you just relax and order something?” Smiling kindly Kenshin attempts to push the menu into her hands. As he did so Kaoru swore that she sees a hint of something in his eyes, however she simply can’t put a finger on what emotion is running through his eyes. Almost as if he were reading her mind Kenshin blinks and whatever had been present in his eyes was all of a sudden gone.
“No, really…I don’t need it. I ate before I came I’m fine really.” Kaoru moves slightly closer to the edge again, trying to space herself away from Kenshin. ‘Can you say awkward? This guy just won’t take no for an answer. What is up with him? I need to get out of here.’


Frowning at her Kenshin places the menu in front of her and whispers in her ear, “Just in case.” He gives her a coy wink as he turns his attention to his friend who is currently trying to pry the menu out of Misao’s hands.


Kaoru blushes looking away. Sighing, she leans her head on her hand and attempts to drown out the sound of Misao and Sano’s bickering. A few minutes later she finds herself beginning to get lost in her thoughts trying to find a way to get out of the present situation. She is jolted out of her thoughts when she hears a disgruntled sound from across the table. Looking over Kaoru couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. Misao has Sano in a head lock and is holding the menu just out of his reach. Laughing Kaoru looks over at Kenshin who is obviously embarrassed at his friend’s incapability to win against the small girl.


“Misao…let poor Sano go.” Kaoru manages to say in between laughs.


Pouting Misao releases Sano’s head from her grip. Once the table has settled down Kaoru becomes uncomfortably aware of her surroundings and yet again feels uncomfortable when she realizes just how close she is to Kenshin.
He seems to always be watching her, and that just creeps her out. Plus it didn’t help matters that now that Misao has basically won against Sano and is quiet studying the menu, while Sano sulks in the corner like a two-year-old. Their dispute before had allowed Kaoru a distraction from the present situation, but now everything is so quiet.


‘I really need to get out of here…but how?’ Smiling Kaoru perks up a clever idea floating into her head, which instantly catches Kenshin’s attention. Eyeing her warily Kenshin asks her if something is wrong.


“Well I just remembered that I left my Bokken in the training room.” At the mention of her wooden sword Kenshin’s expression immediately changes. ‘So she knows how to use a sword huh? I guess I’ll just have to test her skill.’ An amber glint could be seen in his eyes as he turned to question Kaoru about her sword skills. Unfortunately he didn’t get very far.


“Misao…” The girl looks up at the mention of her name eyeing her friend quizzically. “I need to go back and get my Bokken. Will you come with me?” She gives her friend the best look she could muster to try and get the point across that she really wants to leave.


“Just leave it. We have more practicing to do anyway. No one is going to touch it.” Misao gives Kaoru a pouty look trying to get her friend to stay.


“Misao, you know I don’t trust leaving it.” She sees Kenshin look at her obviously very interested in the conversation out of the corner of her eye and ignored it. “Besides, I’m getting tired and it’s getting late so I think I’ll just go get it and then leave.”


Frowning Misao crossed her arms in front of her and glares at her friend. “But Kaoru you’ve only been here a little while! We didn’t even get to spar yet! You promised that we could fight. My kunai vs. your Bokken, Remember! You Promised!” Misao is almost in tears at this point.


Giving Misao a pleading look Kaoru bites her lip feeling a glimmer of shame for wanting to abandon her friend. The feeling leaves however as soon as it came when she feels the stare of the purple and amber eyes of the man next to her, her resolve coming back Kaoru immediately straightens. ‘I’m sorry Misao as much as I’d like to stay here,’ she gives a look at Kenshin and then back to Misao ‘I just can’t be around him…I just don’t trust myself enough.’ “I know Misao…but…”


Misao cuts her off standing up and looming over her still sitting friend. “No buts! You promised and I’ve never known you to go back on a promise Kaoru!” Kaoru could see the small tears in her friend’s eyes.


Standing up she pushes slightly past Misao. “I’m sorry Misao.” It almost kills her to break Misao’s heart like that. She is right after all; Kaoru never breaks promises especially just because of a guy. ‘I can’t do it though. I just can’t sit here with him staring at me like that. It’s unnerving!’


Turning back to the table she looks at Sano, “Sano…don’t forget to go back to the Aioya. You are responsible for Yahiko, Not me and not poor Okina and the people at the Aioya.” Turning to Kenshin she makes sure not to look him in the eye. “Good-bye Kenshin.”


Turning around Kaoru goes back to the training room she can hear Misao pouting at Sano and Kenshin and trying to make up excuses for her friend. Once she reaches the room Kaoru immediately begins using her Bokken to beat the stuffed dummy. If it had been a real man it would not only have become a tenor but he would most likely not be living much longer.


*Back at the table*


Kenshin watches Kaoru leave as he ponders the woman. ‘She is defiantly a woman worth pursuing. And the fact that she uses a sword...’ He grins to himself, ‘I have to find away to get her alone and find out more about her. But something tells me she isn’t going to be cooperative about our date later, not to mention the fact that if I got her alone I think she’d try running away the first chance she got. So how do I corner her and make sure she will not be able to escape me or flake on our date?’ Looking at the table he sees Sano looking confused and Misao pouting and ranting about how Kaoru never acts like this and blaming poor Sano for scaring her off. Kenshin of course knows the real reason for her friend’s abrupt leave; Kaoru is simply uncomfortable not having control of the situation. That would be a boundary that he would have to push if he could manage to get her alone.


As the waiter came up to the table Kenshin has a plan working through his mind. While the waiter took Sano and Misao’s orders Kenshin finalizes his plan. Turning to Kenshin the waiter asks him what he would like to order. Grinning he stands.


“Sorry Sano but I don’t think I’ll stay,” he turns to the waiter who is now looking at the red-headed man very confused. “I won’t be having anything, but put whatever they order on my tab.” Nodding, the waiter retreats into the kitchen to prepare Sano and Misao’s orders. Telling Sano and Misao goodbye Kenshin hurries off determined to catch up with the raven haired woman before she can make a full escape.


Walking into the training room he was in earlier, Kenshin grabs his things and starts heading towards the door. On his way through the gym he looks into a nearby room and is taken aback when he sees Kaoru inside beating the stuffing, rather effectively he might add, out of a practice dummy.


Slipping into the room unnoticed Kenshin watches from the shadows, his gaze never leaving Kaoru’s body as she practices, silently picking apart her fighting style and grinning to himself every time he finds a weakness in her stance. She remains oblivious to the amber eyed man however as she takes all of her anger and frustration out on the poor dummy.


“I can’t believe Misao!” Hitting the dummy with every word in various vital organs, Kaoru keeps tormenting the poor thing and at this point it barely even looks like it is (or at least was) a human figure. She has all but ripped off one of the arms of the dummy; the left leg has a rather large whole going from where the knee should have been up about 2 inches. Not to mention that the head is no longer standing straight up, rather it lobbed to the side the stitching just barely holding it together.


“That girl doesn’t know when to shut her trap! I love her dearly but Kami knows…Urgh!” Giving the manikin another hit Kaoru stands in front of it to admire her handwork finally beginning to calm down. Kaoru sighs and places the Bokken at her side her free hand resting on her forehead lightly.


Kenshin watches intently burning her image into his mind. He is about to come out of his hiding place in the shadows when she began to speak again. “But…If it weren’t for Misao…then…” She notably slumps mentally berating herself.


‘Then you wouldn’t be thinking of a certain red-head? You know you like him Kaoru. But…but there is no way, he doesn’t know anything about me so he can’t possibly like me. Well how can he if you keep running away from him!’ Sighing she shakes her head. “But still…if it hasn’t been for her…” Kaoru sighs again and sits down on a bench, placing her Bokken beside her. Once both of her hands were free she covers her face to think and sort out her jumbled thoughts.


Deciding that this is as good a moment as any, Kenshin swiftly moves in front of her and begins to speak, “What would have happened if it hadn’t been for Misao?”


Hearing the familiar male voice Kaoru freezes. Looking up she sees the object of her thoughts standing in front of her. She quickly hides her face and blushes as if he can read her thoughts. ‘How much did he hear?’
Seeing her body tense when he had spoken and then hide her face from him he knew he had picked the right question and his interest peaked even higher, if that is at all possible. “Kaoru, if Misao hasn’t first called me…would you have?” Looking up shyly Kaoru shakes her head, not trusting her voice around him. “Why?”
Shrugging Kaoru looks away. “I would have been too scared.”


Blinking Kenshin is shocked. ‘This fire ball…this woman would be scared to make a phone call? But why? Probably because you came on too strong you dope! Oh yeah like that is my fault.’ Yelling at his other persona to shut up, Kenshin pushes it aside to focus on the woman before him.


“But…You wanted to…right?” When she nods Kenshin lets out a soft breath that he hadn’t realized he had been holding. ‘So she does like me, even the slightest bit. Then there may be hope left yet.’Continuing Kenshin looks down at her to see that she is still refusing to look him in the eye.


“Kaoru, look at me.” Slowly looking up at his face she pauses a moment before looking into his half golden half amber eyes. She is immediately transfixed by the sight. She blinks for a moment thinking that she could see the amber and violet in his eyes swirl and change right in front of her. Grinning Kenshin continues with his plan of “attack”.


“I’ll make you a deal Kaoru.”


Startled she looks at him strangely. “What kind of deal?”


Smirking he picks up her Bokken and hands it to her. “If you spar with me…and happen to win…I’ll leave you alone.” ‘I have no intention of losing however…and she has no idea what she’s up against.’
“And if I lose?” She takes her weapon and stands, still eyeing him warily.


“If you lose and I win,” He pauses thinking of a suitable wager that won’t scare her off immediately, “than you will have to join me tonight night for a formal dinner date.” He knew she was about to protest since they had already planned a date for that evening but he figured that this would be the best way of ensuring that she didn't back out. "I understand Kaoru that we already agreed to have a date tonight but I have the feeling that you were not keen on seeing me. Besides," Kenshin smirks slightly "this way you also know what type of outfit you should wear tonight. If you don't agree than we can simply have a simple date tonight."


He could see the wheels in her mind churning. Picking at how much of a chance she thought she has against him. 'So...if I win I can get out of this whole date thing, and ask him out if and when I'm ready to...' she considers this for a moment, 'but, if I lose...' Kaoru begins to size Kenshin up trying to guess at how good of a fighter he might be.


Grinning slowly Kaoru looks at her new opponent. ‘He’s so frail and tiny. Yet…there’s something about him. No matter I bet I could whoop his butt with no problem. There’s no way he can beat me.’ Stepping away from him, Kaoru takes a fighting stance. “You’re on.”


Grinning, Kenshin picks a Bokken from the nearby rack and stands across from her. ‘This should be fun.’ Taking his stance across from her Kenshin smiles kindly intending on letting her attack first. ‘She has no idea what she’s getting into.’


“Whenever you are ready, Kaoru.” Kenshin’s smile never leaves as he watches her trying to figure him out.


Nodding Kaoru grins. ‘What in the world is he smiling at? He probably just figures that because I’m a woman he’ll be able to beat me. Well I got news for him. I am not going down without a fight.. .’




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I think that’s a good spot to leave it. Hope you guys enjoyed it! It took me a while to post this but here it is. Give me some info on what ya think okay ppls? Well till later! Please have patience it will all come together I promise! Oh and thanks to my amazing boyfriend I figured out the HTML to make the thoughts into italics. Let me know if you like this method better than simply breaking the thoughts away from the rest of the dialogue.


Till later! And remember…the more you review…the sooner I’ll update. ;) Adios!