Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Lessons of the heart ❯ Chapter 1

Lessons of the heart

 

By kira

 

Author's note: the following was written for Media Miner's Maximum Challenge Drabble Contest for May.

 

Theme: “Lessons learned.”

 

Word count: 480 words according to MS Word.

 

I don't own them; Nobuhiro Watsuki does.

 

 

888

 

 

Kenshin stood quietly in front of Tomoe's grave. He heard his wife, Kaoru, cough discretely behind him but he ignored it. He was finally letting go of his past, laying it to rest so to speak, along with his feelings for his first wife. He looked over his shoulder and smiled briefly at Kaoru. His second wife stared back at him anxiously, as if uncomfortable to be standing around in a graveyard. She had not been herself since two days into their trip and he cursed himself for reminding her of unpleasant memories.

 

“I'm sorry, I should never have brought you here,” he started to say when she interrupted him.

 

“It's okay, Kenshin.”

 

He looked at her, his eyes full of the love he had for her.

 

“I like to think she taught you how to love,” Kaoru said softly much to his surprise.

 

“Really?”

 

She nodded. “You loved her enough to get married, no?”

 

Kenshin sighed. “Yes and no.” At her questioning look he added, “We had little choice in the matter, but yes, I did come to love her.” He reached out and gently enveloped her in his arms. “But it's you, my darling, who I love with all my heart.”

 

“I know...”

 

“You know you taught me something too.”

 

“I did?”

 

“Yes,” he murmured. “You taught me that I can accept my past and learn from it and move on. That was a hard lesson for this one, that it was,” he said, playfully softening his words by falling back into his Rurouni persona.

 

Kaoru giggled. “Oro?” she teased.

 

He chuckled and pulled away from their embrace. Putting his arm around her, Kenshin started to lead her back into town. A brief silence stretched between them as they walked. Breaking it, he continued his earlier explanation, “Seriously, you taught me the value of friendship. That even one's old enemies can become one's friends in the end. But most importantly, you taught me how precious life is. Tomoe tried to teach me that, but I wasn't able to listen.”

 

“Oh...”

 

“And for that I'm really grateful.” He stopped, turning to face her. “Thank you, Kaoru-dono.”

 

“You're welcome, Himura Kenshin,” she replied just as formally.

 

He leaned in and kissed her cheek.

 

“Kenshin...?”

 

“Is something wrong?”

 

“No... I just realized I learned something too.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes. I learned that despite everything that had happened to you, and shaped you, and made you the Battousai, the man I love is a sweet and gentle soul called Himura Kenshin.” Kaoru smiled as she caressed the scar on his cheek. “And he is a man I am proud to call the father of my child.”

 

Kenshin's eyes went wide and she nodded. Pulling her close, he realized he had learned the most important lesson of all; happiness comes when one is not only forgiven by others, but one is forgiven by oneself...