Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Drowning of Thyself ❯ Drowning ( Chapter 7 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
The Stages of Drowning Thyself
Part 7: Drowning
---
The telephone was her enemy.
Kaoru eyed her cellphone with distrust, contemplating whether she should take it with her or not.
It had been almost a week since her unprecedented reunion with Yukishiro Enishi. Kaoru frowned at the name and continued to glare at her phone. Since that meeting, she had been deathly afraid of who would be on the other end of a call and what would be the message delivered to her.
“Just put me out of my misery, damn it!” Kaoru growled at the phone.
She felt ridiculous talking to the phone that way but her nervousness was starting to show at work and she needed to blow off steam. She wondered if she was going crazy, maybe all that pressure and stress had finally gotten to her brain and she was now facing its effects. Kaoru doubted any sane person would come out of this kind of situation unscathed.
Kenshin had come over to check on her again and though she knew he would have wanted her to tell him about her encounter with Enishi, she held her tongue and decided to skirt to more safe topics. Kaoru knew he would've done something drastic and she was never one to allow anyone to solve her problems for her. Being a damsel in distress was never her forte and she preferred - she needed - to know that she could take charge of her own life.
One good thing that had come out of her meeting with Enishi was that Tae was free from her troubles. She hadn't the heart to tell her how she'd gotten about his signature, so she had concocted a hazy story filled with many holes that were too obvious to be ignored. Tae had tried to grill information out of her but she'd managed to either not answer or run away from the topic altogether.
Kaoru sighed and then jumped when the cellphone started to sing a familiar tune.
Grabbing her phone, she immediately pressed the receiving button, her heart doing somersaults when she saw that it was an unidentified number.
“Hello?” Her voice sounded as if she was particularly mad about something but she couldn't be bothered with that little thought at the moment. “Who's this?”
“Kaoru.” That roll of his voice was unmistakeable.
She felt herself hold her breath. She pursed her lips when she realized that he hadn't answered her question.
“What?” She was being intentionally rude.
“Dinner, tonight, 7 p.m. I'll come pick you up.” His tone didn't allow for any argument on her part.
Kaoru frowned and wondered why she was so irritated by him. Maybe it was because of the way he treated her. Like he already owned her. She suddenly had the urge to break her cellphone.
“Fine.” Kaoru managed to say, hanging up before he could say anything else.
She exhaled loudly, not realizing that she had been holding her breath even through their short conversation. She buried her face in her hands and groaned.
`Tonight then.'
---
Enishi stared at his receiver and realized that Kaoru had hung up on him. He placed the receiver back in its place and continued to stare at the phone, torn between amusement and annoyance.
`Well...,' he thought to himself, `She's not getting rid of me that easily tonight.'
Somewhere between his villainous chuckle and his plans on dinner, he realized that he was actually anticipating the night to come.
---
“Jou-chan?”
Kaoru started at the sound of Sano's voice. She took her head out of her closet long enough to notice that he had arrived in front of her bedroom. She gave him a quick nod to allow him entrance and then proceeded to continue digging through her clothes.
Hanging up on Enishi had been a bad idea. She had essentially forgotten to ask what she was supposed to wear for dinner.
Kaoru shook her head angrily as she tried to find an outfit that would balance formal and informal enough so that it wouldn't look horrible on either occasion. Sano was watching her with curiosity, wondering why she was looking so annoyed.
“Jou-chan, what the hell are you doing?” Sano grinned, looking at her concentrated figure.
“What does it look like I'm doing?” She snapped, not taking her attention away from her closet. “I'm trying to find something to wear.”
“Big date tonight?” Sano ventured, still grinning.
He saw her shoulders tense before she continued her search through her closet.
“I don't know what to wear.” Kaoru changed the subject easily, still rummaging through her small collection. “I have no idea where I'm going and I don't want to look... well...”
“Black is always a safe color.” Sano suggested.
That statement got Kaoru to look up from her search. For the first time since her meeting with Enishi, she gave a genuine smile.
“I didn't know you were quite the fashion expert.” Kaoru mused, “But thanks, that's true enough.”
Kaoru eyed her black top with the plunging neckline and shook her head. She wasn't interested in tempting the devil, she needed something safe and modest. She reached for her turtleneck and gave a sigh of relief. It was long-sleeved, a bit form fitting but it was definitely a safe choice.
“You're gonna wear *that* on a date?” Sano asked, his nose twitching slightly, looking at her turtleneck as if it was offensive.
“I'm not out to seduce the guy,” Kaoru smiled, “It's just dinner.”
Sano sighed.
“Really, Jou-chan, you should start taking dating more seriously. How else are you gonna get laid?”
Kaoru threw a hanger at Sano but he managed to duck just in time. She scowled at him and he laughed.
“I don't need to get `laid'.” Kaoru said, a bit indignantly. “I just need this to be over and done with as soon as possible.”
“Why are you going out with this guy if you hate the idea of it so much?” Sano looked puzzled and then his expression looked suspicious. “What're you not telling me?”
“That's something for grown-ups to think about, it's too complicated for a kid like you.” Kaoru stuck her nose in the air and proceeded to find something to match her top.
“I'll have you know I'm a good two years older than you are.” Sano looked miffed. “Just because I know how to have fun doesn't mean I'm a kid.”
Kaoru laughed as she pulled out her slacks. Another safe choice and all she had to do to get ready was to pull her hair up and she would look like a perfectly boring date.
“Don't worry, Sano.” Kaoru placated him. “It's nothing I can't handle.”
---
Yukishiro Enishi was a stickler for time. The clock had barely chimed 7 when she heard the sound of a knock on her door. Kaoru had just then decided to put on some gloss and was pulling on her shoes as she ran to get the door. Sano watched with a barely concealed grin as she cursed while hopping on one foot, trying to cram her feet inside the strappy heels.
“Coming! Just a minute!”
Kaoru composed herself and opened the door, her stomach twisting and turning inside out at the perfect vision of the man in front of her.
“Kaoru.” He seemed to be able to make her name sound like an invitation as well as a tease. His lips quirked into a half-smile as he gave a stiff nod. “Are you ready?”
“Um..., yeah...,” Kaoru's voice slightly wavered as she tried to get a grip on her senses. She turned to Sano and looked serious, “Don't bring any girls over and don't mess up my house! Lock up after me!”
Sano was frowning at Enishi but waved her comments away, his face easing just a little.
“Your house will be in one piece when you get back, Jou-chan. You have fun.”
“Well then, shall we?” Enishi offered his arm to her.
Kaoru felt somewhat self-conscious as she placed her hand on his arm, allowing herself to be led into a familiar-looking car. As she eased into the soft leather seats, she had a sense of déjà vu when he climbed in after her.
She looked at him, trying to assess the situation.
He caught her staring and smirked.
“It's the same car that I took you home in.” Enishi supplied that bit of information.
Kaoru felt a blush rising to her cheeks and instantly covered it with a cough.
“I was just admiring the interior. It's very... uh... cozy.” Kaoru finished lamely.
“It should be.” There was that smirk again, a teasing glimpse of a half-smile. “I spent a lot of money to make sure it would be.”
Kaoru laughed, trying to make herself comfortable. She kept on crossing and uncrossing her legs, avoiding eye-contact with Enishi.
“So..., where are we going for dinner?” Kaoru attempted a conversation.
“That's a surprise.” Enishi answered, one finger playfully raised to his lips to indicate secrecy. Kaoru felt her breath hitch in her throat when her attention was focused on his lips. “But you won't be disappointed, don't worry.”
The ride to the mysterious destination was pretty much uneventful- Enishi mostly kept quiet, his gaze either on her or on nothing in particular. Kaoru wasn't sure of how to go about the silence so she decided that, for the mean time, she would also keep her mouth shut. If he did anything inappropriate later, then she would definitely have a reason to be vocal.
“We're here.” Enishi announced.
When she stepped out of the vehicle and looked up at the tall building in front of her, she felt a strange pang of familiarity come over her. Kaoru looked at Enishi suspiciously.
“Yukishiro-san...,” Kaoru started.
“I think we're well acquainted enough for you to call me by my first name.” Enishi interrupted, taking her by the hand and leading her inside the building.
A bellhop bowed deeply as they passed. Kaoru felt the same awkward sensations rush over her.
“Enishi,” Kaoru yelped as she was unceremoniously pushed inside an elevator, “Enishi! Where are we? This doesn't look like a restaurant!”
“It's not a restaurant.” Enishi said stoically, his feet tapping the floor impatiently.
Kaoru frowned and watched as the numbers continued to flash in front of her. Again, she felt as if she was reliving a particular dream of hers...
There was a `ding' at the 16th floor and the doors to the elevator opened.
Kaoru's eyes bulged and she took several steps back and pressed herself flat against the walls of the elevator.
“This is... this is...,” Kaoru stammered, unable to finish her sentence.
“It's my home.” Enishi pried her off the walls and practically pulled her out.
“No...,” Kaoru fought against his powerful grip, struggling to free herself, “No! This wasn't part of the deal!”
“Kaoru.” His tone had taken on an impatient edge, “We're having dinner in my home. You agreed to a date and this is a date. I've already done my part of the bargain, you do yours.”
Kaoru glared at him, twisting her arms out of his grip. She suddenly wished she had her bokken in her hands.
“I am not going into your home.” Kaoru seethed with anger, she felt incredibly stupid for allowing herself to be blindly led into this trap. “I'm not about to - hey!”
Enishi had snatched her before she could blink, hauling her easily over his shoulder. Kaoru kicked her legs and hit his back, not about to be dragged down without a fight.
“What the hell do you think you're doing?!” Kaoru yelled, thumping her small hands against his back. “Put me down! I did not agree to this!”
“I've had enough of being a gentleman for this evening,” Enishi growled, walking purposefully towards his bedroom.
As the lights of the apartment came on, Kaoru had several stabbing flashbacks as she remembered what had transpired more than a year ago. She felt panicked and increased her efforts to climb off of his shoulder.
“Yukishiro-san!” Kaoru screeched, continuing to beat at his back. “Put me down!”
“Just wait a minute.” Enishi opened the door to his room and flung her inside, closing the door shut as soon as he had set her down. “There's a dress there that I think would fit you fine. When you're done, you can come join me for dinner outside.”
Kaoru glared at the closed door, her perfect ponytail in disarray, tendrils of raven hair covering her eyes. She puffed them away, standing up to dust herself off. She felt particularly miffed, once again feeling as if Enishi had manipulated his way around her to have her in a situation that he knew she would protest against.
Looking around the room, she noticed a satin dress, midnight blue in shade, lying on the bed. Walking over to it, she bit her lip at the luscious look of the fabric. It wasn't anything she could afford in years and she was afraid to touch it- she had a knack for ruining things that were too fine for her taste.
Tentatively, she fingered the fabric and sighed.
`You've got to hand it to him...,' Kaoru thought to herself as she picked up the dress, `He's got great taste.'
Kaoru realized that he had probably foreseen all her actions and thoughts when he had asked her out. She wondered if there was any winning with this guy. He seemed to have the upper hand in everything.
Kaoru sighed again.
“Might as well get this over with...”
---
It was a good 15 or 20 minutes later that Enishi started to wonder if he was going to have to yank that dress on her himself. He was beginning to get impatient and he didn't particularly enjoy waiting on people. Usually the women were flinging themselves into his arms, and though Kaoru had once acted in the same manner (Enishi smirked to himself at that thought), in her more sober state, she produced more resistance than any force he had ever encountered.
It was a situation he was not used to and he wasn't sure how to handle it.
Drumming his fingers on the table top, he contemplated skipping dinner altogether when he heard the bedroom door click open. Turning slowly, he had to quickly catch himself to make sure he didn't gawk at her.
The dress was a perfect fit, skimming of her curves gently to accentuate her figure, the sweeping neckline showing just a hint of cleavage that made him slightly uncomfortable in his seat. The dress had a slit on the side that ran up to her thighs, displaying an ample amount of creamy skin. She had let her hair down and it was a vision of ebony tresses.
Enishi looked away quickly, signalling to his chef to come out.
She came to his side and stood there silently, apparently waiting for him to acknowledge her. Enishi pushed his chair back and stood up, going over to her chair to pull it out for her. At moments like these, it was better that he focused on civilities instead of how tempting her skin looked in the dim light.
It took several moments to realize that she wasn't moving to sit down.
He looked up at her impatiently.
“Well...?”
Kaoru surprised him when she bowed low, her hair spilling over her shoulders and nearly touching the floor.
“Gomen nasai, Yukishiro-san,” her voice sounded deeply apologetic, “I haven't been honouring my part of the bargain well. I know there's no excuse for my behaviour except that I don't do well with shock. Again, gomen nasai!”
Enishi wasn't expecting an apology from her. He had been contemplating many things from her but again, she had managed to surprise him. When she looked up, slowly rising from her bow, Enishi wondered what kind of untapped power she had that could make him lose his footing so.
“There's no harm done.” Enishi waved off the apology, gesturing to her chair once more. “You should sit.”
Kaoru offered him a small smile and sat herself down. Enishi joined her at their table and thought about whether he should voice the thoughts that were trailing through his mind.
“Um...,” Kaoru's voice brought his attention to her face again, “It's a beautiful dress. I was afraid I might damage it by being in it.”
She laughed softly, looking slightly exasperated as she smoothed her skirts.
“You look lovely.” Enishi decided to just be frank with his thoughts- she seemed to be able to handle his straight-forwardness. “No one else could wear it so well.”
He felt as if his words were rewarded by the faint pink blush that rose to her cheeks.
“Well!” She coughed, changing the subject with a bright smile, “Since you've brought me for a private dinner, it should be good!”
“It is.” His lips curled into a smile.
---
Kaoru wondered at their rapport. There were moments when she felt completely at ease and then there were times when she wanted to hit him with her plate. The awkward moments were aplenty and she was kept constantly on her toes, only to be coaxed into a comfortable conversation that would turn slightly hostile once in awhile. Which was why she was quite confused; she wasn't able to fully assess whether he was safe or dangerous territory.
“Dinner was great.” Kaoru beamed, honestly amazed at how delicious everything was. “I don't know half of the stuff I'd eaten but it was all great.”
“That's good.” Enishi's lips quirked into his half-smile. “I wouldn't have wanted anything less.”
That sorry-excuse-for-a-smile of his really wrecked havoc in her nerves. She didn't like his easy confidence that she would automatically be taken by his sly charm. Kaoru particularly didn't like how she was so close to falling for that same charm.
As that thought flew through her mind her smile froze on her face, making her look like a troubled looking marble statue.
“Well...,” Kaoru cleared her throat, “Thank you for dinner. I should probably be getting back now.”
“Why are you jumping all around me?” Enishi looked at her with a knowing grin on his face.
Kaoru frowned.
“You obviously know why- why are you bothering to ask?”
“Because you don't seem to know it yourself.” Enishi leaned forward slightly, smiling to show his perfect canines. “Calm down, I won't bite.”
“I'm sorry to say this but you look like you're going to eat me alive.” Kaoru sat back, her eyes still narrowed suspiciously.
“The last time I did, you didn't have any objections.” Enishi smiled.
Kaoru rolled her eyes.
“Bringing that up isn't going to unnerve me anymore. You're going to have to find a different tactic.”
“Fine.” Enishi sat back against his chair, looking utterly relaxed and rested, his knowing smile lingering on his lips. “I like you. A lot.”
Kaoru's eyes widened and stared at him, pure unadulterated shock evident in her features.
Enishi looked amused at her reaction and chuckled.
“It seems as if my tactic worked.” Enishi's voice was quiet as he sipped the remainder of his drink.
Kaoru mused at his sudden statement. She bit her lip, watching as Enishi continued to stare at her. He was too beautiful to be human, too crooked to be an angel and too tempting to her senses. She felt a sudden urge to have her palms against his skin and feel their inviting warmth.
Cocking her head to one side, Kaoru stood up slowly, keeping eye contact with him as she approached his side of the table. Raising a hand, she placed it gently against his cheek, unconsciously smiling at the childish puzzlement that ran through his face. Bending down so that the tip of her nose touched his, she ran her free hand through his hair, bringing his face up for a kiss.
His lips reminded her of stoked passion, the way they accepted her, drew her for more kisses, tasting of bittersweet memories. His hands guided her onto his lap so that she sat across his lap, caressing her bare arms with knowing intimacy.
Breaking contact with his lips, she breathed a sigh against his cheeks.
“You really are something else.”
She heard him chuckle, a deep rumbling sound that made her inside twist and flutter. His fingers played with the straps of her dress, teasing touches onto her shoulder.
Kaoru laughed and reached for his hands, taking them away from her dress.
“And when I let my guard down, you always try to take advantage of me.” Kaoru shook her head, trying to look reprimanding but failed when she grinned.
“Really? I thought that you had invited me to.” Enishi held her hands, kissing her lips briefly.
“You're not getting any tonight.” Kaoru returned the kiss and got off of his lap. “I've got to wake up early tomorrow.”
Kaoru walked towards the direction of his bedroom, turning back to flash him a grateful smile.
“It really was a great dinner. Thank you.”
---
Enishi watched as Kaoru disappeared behind the doors of his bedroom. He slumped against his seat, wondering why he felt so shaken. It wasn't she who had let her guard down - he had also bared himself in her presence. He twirled the wine glass, watching the light bounce off of its surface before turning his thoughts towards the woman in his bedroom.
`I'm not about to just let that fact go by without something happening.' Enishi grinned toothily, standing abruptly and making towards his room.
Opening the doors easily, he was surprised to find them unlocked. He was also surprised to see Kaoru in a state of half-undress. Her eyes were wide with surprise and he quickly masked his own.
“From the way you left the doors unlocked, one would have thought you were inviting something to happen.” Enishi closed the doors and leaned back against them.
Kaoru smiled uncertainly.
“I suppose I thought you wouldn't come in while I was changing.” She hesitated before looking at him, “This really had been a great night, Yukishiro-san. Couldn't we leave it that way?”
He pushed himself away from the doors and walked to her, his smile growing at the way she seemed to shrink away.
“The next time you forget to call me by my name, I'll have you on your back and screaming it till it's impossible for you to forget.” Enishi pulled Kaoru into his embrace, tilting her face up so that he could read her expressive eyes. “For now, I'll let you off with a warning.”
He took his time with his kiss. He didn't know when he would have her in his bedroom, in any state of undress again. He needed to keep his calm and play his cards right. She didn't shy away from his touch but she was tentative in returning his touches. The curve of her breasts swelled over the low cut of her bra and his fingers skimmed over them, itching to undo the clasp in front. Enishi pressed his lips harder against hers when she reflexively pushed her chest into his hands.
“Easy darling,” he breathed as he broke off the kiss, “This is only a warning. You've got to get up early tomorrow, right?”
Blurred eyes raised to meet his.
“Huh?”
He wanted to ravish her just then but only allowed himself to laugh forcefully. Cupping her face, he leaned down for another taste of her mouth, his tongue seeking refuge within her. Her arms were entangled around him, her body snug against his in familiarity.
He broke away from her again, holding her at arms length.
“Kami-sama, you have no idea how close I am to taking you to bed right now.”
His voice was a low growl and he watched as her eyes wore several emotions, waiting for him to move. Enishi cursed to himself as he released her and turned away, exiting the room.
---
Kaoru finished dressing quickly and saw that he was waiting for her. She wondered at what she should say. A part of her wanted to stay the night, a part of her was yelling to make him work a little bit harder for her.
They stared at each other for the longest time before she realized that he wanted her to say something first.
Kaoru smiled and walked to him, standing on tiptoes to whisper close to his ear.
“Bring me out on a proper date next time. No throwing me over your shoulder like a sack of potatoes.”
She kissed him briefly and felt him return her kiss gently, his hand holding her steady against him.
“Thursday then.” Enishi smiled.
---
End of Part 7: Drowning
Notes: That took me long enough! I'm sorry but semester has started and it's been really crazy lately. It took a long time for me to get back to feeling the chemistry between Enishi and Kaoru... huhuhu... Hope those who read this enjoyed it! C&Cs anyone? ^0^