Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Time Changes All ❯ These Are The Hands ( Chapter 17 )

Answering Questions: I've gotta clear some stuff up, someone asked me if Aoshi and Misao are cousins. . . well my answer to that is "hell no!" Misao is the granddaughter of Okina but Aoshi isn't related by blood to Okina or Misao. I mentioned this in the chapter but Okina is the god father of Aoshi. . . I'm catholic and in all technicalities your god father doesn't have to be related to you (mine is my uncle but he's not related by blood), so this would make Misao and Aoshi not related. . . yay! They can be together!. . . oh and someone asked me a question on how Kaoru can live alone in an apartment when she's not of adult age. . . well I'll answer that question for ya easily, in japan some of kids end up moving away from their hometown (and their parents) and rent out an apartment or a dorm to be close to their new school. This is because unlike in the USA you're not obligated to go the pulic school in your area. Where did Kaoru get the money? Well in Japan you have to be in high school to get a part-time job, because a lot of places don't want to hire kids in middle school. Since she's in high school she could work, and she does but only on weekends and we have yet to touch on that. . . and to start up in her apartment she used the money she had been saving to move out, she didn't want to be a burden to Soujiro's family (I might explain this more in the story, but just in case I forget now u know). . .

Author's Notes: Sorry about the weird symbols at first in the last two chapters, they're fixed now~ This chappie is short I'll get around to the next one right after I type this it should be out soon. . . well I hope u enjoy~! Plz review~!

Disclaimer: Kenshin doesn't belong to me. . . u know why? He belongs to Kaoru!^o^

". . ." dialogue

`. . .' Kaoru's thoughts

*. . .* Kenshin's thoughts

(. . .) author's useless commentary

These Are The Hands

By Hoshi-ni-Onegai

"Kenshin?" Kaoru's eyes fluttered open in the middle of the night as she felt a protective hand grip hers. She turned her head still rested upon the pillow to look at the owner of the hand. Just as she thought it was Kenshin. His hair was untied from its usual low pony tale and was spewed around him. Arms crossed upon the bed and his check resting upon his arms he looked like an innocent child. But Kaoru knew he was far from innocent, his eyes showed it. Even though they always shown with their jovial shimmer underneath his façade there was something he was hiding. Amber flames would invade his rippling violet. When switching from one to the other they would swerve together creating, in what was Kaoru's opinion the most beautiful hue to grace eyes. Kaoru gazed intently with her blue ones taking advantage of the rare chance she got of just admiring him. But soon she remembered what had happened the day before at practice.

`You came to save me. . . why? You didn't seem to care before. . .' She reached over with her free hand fingered a lock of his hair twirling it between her fingers. The red hair of the little boy she remembered and the man sleeping next to her were of the same color and texture. `When did you change so much? Did you change or did I? Did time change us?'

The tingling feeling a person gets when someone plays with their hair was happening to Kenshin.(you know what I'm talking about right?) As blissful as it felt human nature caught up to him as did his past life and he woke up with a start grabbing her wrist that had been holding his hand and used his other hand to grip her around the neck. Blazing amber eyes met with petrified blue. He held that vicious glare for a long moment until realization hit him and the intensity in his stare diminished to fear along with the rest of his face. He let go of Kaoru's neck as if he burned himself and was about to push away from her when her hand gripped the still locked hands tighter. Kaoru looked still frightened but she had courage enough to hold onto his hand. Fear was the only thing written on Kenshin's face, so was Kaoru's until she felt his hand still trying to pull away from hers. She clenched his hand and looked him straight in the eyes, fright gone from hers and sternness entering.

"Kenshin!" Her authoritative voice stopped him from pulling away but fear was still apparent on him. He didn't answer her so Kaoru repeated his name again, "Kenshin!"

"I-i almost h-hurt you. . . let go of my hand Kaoru. . . let go of my hand before I really hurt you! Let go before I kill you too!"

Kenshin continued pulling on his hand but Kaoru now used both hands to pull him into an unyielding embrace. Although she was scared about his last statement she knew she wasn't afraid of him.

"No Kenshin. I'm not letting you go. You won't hurt me. You won't kill me." Her voice began to tremble now. "I-if I was afraid you would hurt me or kill me I wouldn't have. . . wouldn't have. . . fallen in love with you." The last part she barely whispered and was only caught by Kenshin because he was so close.

Kenshin went stiff eyes going wide unable to respond so Kaoru continued speaking.

"I fell in love with you more times than I can count. Every sweet gesture, kind word, tender look made me fall in love with you again and again. You might not return my feelings. . . that was my greatest fear ever since I could remember. . ." She paused took in a shaky breath and continued. "But I was naïve. My greatest fear should have been what you did yesterday. When you did what I truly wish for by saying that. . . I was stupid to believe, but that my fault. Even if you could never really love me I know you wouldn't hurt me physically. Ken-chan wouldn't and Kenshin wouldn't either." She struggled to hold back her tears. "I don't know what happened in the past ten years while you were gone, but I know you wouldn't do anything without a true reason. If you can't tell me. . . I understand."

Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around her. Kenshin buried his face in the crook of Kaoru's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"About what?" Kaoru gave a gentle smile and stroked Kenshin's hair and back.

"About everything."

"You can't take blame for everything."

"I can and will. What I said yesterday was true. I love you too. I love you so much it sometimes hurts to just look at you."

"You can end the suffering and stop loving me. I don't like to see you hurt Kenshin."

"Telling me to stop loving you is like telling me to stop breathing. I don't plan to stop either one of those. I'm also sorry about my past."

"Your past?"

"And what it made me into, to make me attack you."

"You didn't attack me, it was a reaction."

"It shouldn't be one towards you."

"What happened that changed you?"

". . .My given obligation."

"Obligation?" Kenshin now gently pried away from Kaoru's embrace and put both hands on either side of her shoulders to look her full in the face.

"Do you really want to know the ugly things I've done? The pain and suffering that was created by my hands?" He brought his hands in front of his eyes looking with such intensity of hate towards them. "The very hands of the devil are cleaner than mine."

"I don't know what your hands have done while away from me, but there are things I do know." She clasped the hands that had been hovering in front his face into her own. Holding them gently she pulled his left hand with her right one to her lips kissed the inside of his palm and did the same to the other. "These are the hands of the boy that I held hands with at the park so he wouldn't get lost. These are the hands of the boy that tried to protect me from the two boys with the cutters (exacto knives) at the park getting himself scarred. These are the hands of the boy I pinky swore with to get married. These are the hands of the boy that bought me my engagement ring protectively fisted in his hands. These are the hands of the boy that hugged me at the train station. These are the hands of the boy that saved me two years ago. These are the hands of the boy that carried me to the hospital the same night. These are the hands of the boy that pulled me out of Takaomi's embrace on the first day of our reunion. These are the hands of the boy that beat me at kendo. These are the hands of the boy that caught me when I fainted in the street after yelling at him. These are the hands of the boy that cleaned my family burial sight with me. These are the hands of the boy that held me and refused to let me cry alone. These are the hands of the boy that I woke up to the next morning. These are the hands of the boy that made me breakfast. These are the hands of the boy that gave me my first real kiss. These are the hands of the boy that saved me from Takaomi. These are the hands of the boy that held me even as Takaomi kept attacking. These are the hands of the boy that said I was his. These are the hands of the boy that carried me home. These are the hands of the boy that held my hand when I was asleep. These are the hands of the boy I woke to find the past hidden in his eyes. These are the hands of a man that has done so much for me." She looked him in the face now instead of his hands. "These are the hands of a man that I would trust my life with. Kenshin, looked at these hands. They are not stained. I only see compassion in them."

"Kaoru. . ." Kenshin was unsure of how to respond to her.

Kaoru leaned in place a chaste kiss upon his lips and pulled back after the quick kiss and smiled at him with eyes filled with tears that had yet to fall. "These are the hands of the man I choose to love. And I think I'm the luckiest person in the world to be able to say that these are the hands of a man that says he loves me too."

Kenshin immediate went in and kissed her as well. She dropped his hands to wrap her arms around his neck and he put his around her waist. Unlike the previous kiss this one was longer but still just as tender.

Noticing that Kenshin was hesitant to make the next move Kaoru parted her lips giving him permission advance. He took the opportunity willingly to explore the inner contours of her mouth, taking time as if trying to memorize the feel of it. He changed angle as to deepen the kiss even more. They drew apart from each other to draw in much needed air and Kenshin gasped out, "What did I do to deserve you?"

Kaoru turned her head slightly kissed his left cheek and whispered into his ear, "My questions is: What did I do to deserve you?"

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A/N: *extreme blush* sorry but the last kiss I wrote had no tongue involved and I was blushing like crazy, think about how bad I am after what I just wrote. . . I think I need to go to the hospital to get my blood flowing again. . . well c ya next time when I have circulation! Jaane!

I haven't done this in awhile so let me just answer a few reviews that I got! Plz don't be offended if ur not here, it doesn't mean I didn't read you review or it was appreciated, I just can't respond to all of them. I'm sorry, I love you all so much! Thank you~!

Kurai Mori: When I saw your review my eyes shot out of my head at how long it was and after I started reading I was extremely touched and encouraged to write more. Your commentary was extremely useful and I really appreciate you saying that I'm stupid to say that I'm bad author and this story is also bad. Being a reader and Silver's fanfic I'm flattered about your comment about how good it is that I'm more emotionally attached. Your are right you gave me more confidence especially with your waving of the Japanese flag. I thank you so much! This chapter is dedicated to you!

Funaru Kutsuteru: kinda got scared there with the choking threat so asleep with one eye open. . . hehe. . . thanks for your enthusiastic and threatening review~

Drake Dragon: thanks for reading so far~ hope to see u In future reviews

Innocence: Megumi will come out! Just wait for Sano's story, remember everyone has a story w/ Kaoru~

Crystel: The end has yet to come~! HAHAHA

Flyinangel777, CurlsofSerenity: I fixed my computer mistake~ yay~

Azura Dea: read the author notes at the top that'll answer ur question about Aoshi and Misao~

Dragona, blUrrEdIsiOn07, Aryanne, SVZ, Setine, Kitaru15, l3al3yanime, omochi, XP-DarkAngel, Souryusen, SilverLightning: Thanks for your reviews~ I lovve everyone of them~ yay~