Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Reincarnated ❯ Chapter 5

Disclaimer: ::sigh:: Try as I might, RK still doesn't belong to me.

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------***------ = flashback

REINCARNATED

"Misao, that couple we took home last night?"

"Tomoe and Kenshin?"

"Yeah, you got a good look to their house, right?"

"Yeah, but it's really Tomoe's house."

"Oh," *So, he's marring into her family.* Kaoru pulled over. "Misao, show me the house."

"Are you sure?" She asked as they traded places.

"Well, we didn't thank them properly. Oh, stop at that little shop in the next block that sells the china sheep your mom like."

Half an hour later, both girls were on the porch, gift in hand.

"I'm so nervous!" Kaoru whispered. Misao giggled and started to ring the bell, but the door opened and Kaoru finally got to a good look at Kenshin in the light of day.

*My God; he's beautiful.*

*~*

Kenshin was up to early. He'd finally managed to convince his father to come to Japan, but he didn't really sleep, Kaoru still very much on his mind. He finally gave up all pretence of rest and went down stairs to start the coffee pot. When it was done perking, he decided to sit on the porch, something he really couldn't do in New York. He opened the door and nearly spilled coffee on himself.

"Miss Kaoru!"

She looked down at the package in her hands then back at him. "Um . . .here. I brought this for you . . . and Tomoe. As a wedding gift. Also to say thank you. For last night."

Kaoru knew she was talking a mile a minute, but she couldn't stop herself. She could see Misao giggling out of the corner of her eye. How could she not be as incoherent as Kaoru? Here was the hottest man alive standing bare chested, clad only in low slung pajama bottoms, thick red hair falling down his back and shoulders.

*Kaoru, stop it. You're hyper!*

Kenshin stared at her, dumbfounded. She was wearing baggy jeans, an equally baggy t-shirt, and big chunky boots, but she was beautiful.

"Um . . . thank . . . you?" She held out the box and after a second, he took it and placed it on the railing. "Uh . . .sit, please."

The girls perched on the swing, Kaoru kicking her legs nervously. Kenshin drank coffee and studied the box.

"What is it?"

Kaoru shook her head. "Not telling."

Kenshin smiled. "Oh, come on, please?"

"Nope, nope, nope---won't do it."

"Oh, pretty please with ice cream and lots of fun stuff on top?"

She giggled, shaking her head and Misao rolling her eyes, was beginning to understand why her friend lost patience with herself and Aoshi.

"Oh, for the love of God! It's a foot high knight in armor!"

"Misao!"

"Really?" Kenshin looked at the box with renewed interest, though he hated to stop teasing Kaoru.

"Yes." She ducked her head and blushed. He smiled into his coffee mug and Misao took the opportunity to kick her friend.

"At least pretend you're nearly 20, please!"

"I am nearly 20. Tell Aoshi I want a car for my birthday,"

Kenshin looked away from them. *She's 20? Oh, thank God! Okay, can we bridge a 16 year age gap? Probably not; when I was wearing safety pins to look cool, she needed `em to stay dry.*

"Ken . . . shin, is something the matter?"

"No, Miss Kaoru." *I love the way she hesitates when she says my name.* "I hope you didn't have to much trouble about last night."

"Nah, The Wolf thinks he's all teeth and drooling murder, but it's really more like a yippy lapdog with bad breath."

"The Wolf?"

"Yeah, my dad's nickname is the Wolf."

------***------What's wrong Battousai, are you going to allow her to feel my Gotozu as

well?------***------

Kenshin put down his mug before he dropped it as those words and a sharp, blinding pain shot through his brain.

"Hajime Saito!" Kaoru looked at him oddly.

"You know my father? Well, that's very merry!"

"Satio . . .is your . . . father?!" Dread filled Kenshin as the mental dam broke, his memories of his old life came flooding back.

Tomoe, Enishi, Saito! ---What ever happend to Sano? Tomoe! *Oh, no! Akira Kiyosato--- I . . .killed him before. Kenji, my son. Miss Kaoru . . .*

Kenshin slowly sat up, vivid memories filling his mind of the time before with Kaoru. He looked at her sitting before him now, so alike in face and form, but different in temporment and personality. He smiled at her and she felt hugged from top to toe. He slid off the railing and knelt in front of her, taking her hands.

"Kaoru-dono," she felt mightily annoyed at the title, why she wasn't sure. "I need toy and Miss Misao to go home for now. I'll meet you---is the Akabeko still there?"

She smiled. "It's the best place to eat in the world."

"I'll meet you there this afternoon, say five thirty, six? Okay, you must go now."

He stood. "And thank you for the gift." He kissed the hand he was still holding and Kaoru wasn't sure how she got back to the car, only that Misao was driving, taking her away from Kenshin.

"Misao . . . what happened . . . just now?"

"I'm not sure. He got this real funny look then he said we had to leave. Kaoru, you look odd. Are you okay?"

"Yes," Kaoru sighed. "Isn't he the hottest thing on two legs?"

"Um . . . sure. If you day so. Oh, hey! Since you've burnt the home bridge for the day, where do you want to go?"

"What? Oh, well, let's go and rescue the Ice Man from the Wolf and go hang out at your place."

"Okay."

When they got back to the house, Aoshi was still on the roof. They pulled up, he slid off the top of the house to the garage roof and from there jumped down to the ground and got into the car without asking any questions.

"ImÅto, I think that stupid Yukishiro called the house."

"Oh, no!"

"Oh, yes. Guess who got the call? I'll give you two guesses and the first one doesn't count. By the way where did you go?"

"I went to see my Kenshin."

"Your . . ." Aoshi and Misao looked at each other, then back at Kaoru.

"ImÅto, in case you didn't notice, Kenshin's getting' married. To Tomoe."

"No, he's not," she said with finality. "This time, I get him first."

"HU?"

Aoshi sat forward. "Makimachi, did she hit her head somewhere?"

"Not. . . that . . .I saw. By the way, she calls you the `Ice Man.'"

"Kaoru!"

Kaoru stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Well, I wasn't going to mention it as you're so talkative today."

Aoshi scowled and turned back towards Misao, which put his lips about an inch or so away from her mouth. He could hear her breathing, smell her skin, her hair. Kaoru's presence faded; he was only aware of Misao and the irrespirable urge to kiss her. So what that she was driving and would probably crash and kill them all? He lowered his head slightly and brushed his lips across the corner of her mouth and her cheek.

Misao felt like she was being consumed by a whit hot flame of pleasure and pain. Her first kiss from this insufferable man and she couldn't even participate. She held herself rigid, unmoving while she was being slowly tortured.

Kaoru smiled slightly and turned to look out the window. *I wish Kenshin would kiss me. Oh, Kenshin, I know it's only a few hours, but it feels like forever; each horrid, slow second.*

"Ken . . .shin." Suddenly, she knew what she had been holding in her dream that morning---their son!

*But how can that be? And why was Kenshin wearing a pink gi?*

She turned to glance at her brother, but he was now slouched across the back seat, legs akimbo, trying to find some more room. Being 6'7" sucked in a car meant for someone 5'8" max. She glanced at Misao, who had pulled the seat all the way up so her tiny, 4'9" body was right up on the steering wheel. She was sitting rigid in the seat, face red. Kaoru was afraid to say anything to her in case she suddenly exploded.

*~*

They finally arrived at Misao's house and Kaoru had to drag Aoshi into the room and force him into a chair.

"Stay!" she hissed, then she and Misao bounced onto the bed and began chatting like magpies. Aoshi listened to them eyes closed, amused, but jealous of Kaoru's easy way with her.

*Of course, Kaoru isn't in love with her. I shouldn't be either. Kissing her was a bad idea. But she's so sweet . . .I need her. No! We're not touching her any more. Ever. Even if it kills us, and it probably will. Ohh, I always wondered how I'd survive being tortured.*

He slumped in the chair, jean clad legs stretched out before him carelessly. He half opened his eyes, watching Misao like a hawk. She was leaning over the side of the bed to get something off the floor to show his sister and her shorts were stretched taught across her round little bottom. Aoshi groaned mentally.

*And now I know. Not very well.* He took a deep breath. *Look, yes, touch, hell no.*

He forced his eyes away her and surveyed the room. It was painted blue and white with clouds on the walls and lace everywhere, giving the room the feel of being on a cloud. Everything in the room was lowered to suite her height, making him feel that despite her impressive knife collection, he was in a doll house.

*I have to get out of here. Otherwise, I might have to put Kaoru out and start something.*

"I'm outta here."

"No, Aoshi, please don't leave." Her voice was low, plaintive. He paused, liking the sound of his name on her lips, but kept walking.

"What time are you meeting Kenshin?"

"Five thirty, six; Akabeko." Kaoru answered, glaring at her brother. Could he not see the pain in Misao's eyes? She liked having his brooding presence in her room.

He nodded shortly. "I'll be back before then.." He went out, closing the door quietly after him.

"Kaoru, you know him better than ANYone; what's his PROBLEM? What AREN'T I doing?"

Aoshi could hear her through the door and couldn't resist. He waited to hear what his sister said.

"Well, Misao, I know it's cold comfort, but it's really not you. Aoshi was like me in a not-so-small way influenced by Daddy. We were always taught by him that emotions were a weakness."

"Why?"

"I don't know. We'd spend one day or a week with Daddy, then he'd be called away on assignment and give us four months with Mom to unlearn all his shit. But it did stick, quite a bit. Aoshi closed up and I . . .attempt rebellion at every turn." She sighed. "You can be sure, Misao, my brother loves you more than the very air he needs to breath. I can see it when you come to visit or stay the night."

"What does he do?" Misao sounded excited and Kaoru sighed again.

"Well, he finds excuses to sit near you. Since he sets the table, you always sit where he can watch you without turning his head too much. He picks on me more, like this morning, and he teases you. And . . ." she sounded like she was smiling. "And he changes clothes and hogs the shower if he knows beforehand you're coming."

Kaoru lowered her voice slightly and Aoshi had to open the door slightly to hear her.

"I think he dreams about you sometimes."

Aoshi was mortified but Misao giggled happily. "Really? That means he does like me! Well, now, Kaoru, I'm determined. May I have your permission to court Aoshi?"

Kaoru laughed. "Sure, knock yourself out." Aoshi hurried away on silent feet.

*Well, she's noticed more than I've given her credit for. Aggressive Misao; I don't think I can handle that.*

*~*