Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic
Rurouni Kenshin & Samurai X Original Japanese Version ©N.
Watsuki/Shueisha * Fuji-TV * SME Visual Works Inc. * Sony Pictures
Entertainment
All Fanfics created by Chiruken (me) were written for the
sole purpose of shared entertainment and not intended for publication or sale.
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Kaoru shifted
nervously. She’d never seen Kenshin
like this before. It was as if her were
engaging in verbal sparring…something he’d never done for as long as she knew
him. It was time to put his mind on
another path. She didn’t think it would
be a good idea to let him speculate too much on their reasons for being
here. “Um…Kenshin…Are my clothes dry
yet?”
“Not quite, Kaoru-dono.” He turned his attention on her. “Did you have a nice visit with shishou this
morning?” He watched as she paled. It was just as he thought. Hiko had opened his big mouth.
“Yes, well, actually…“She laughed
nervously. “It was…enlightening.”
“I’ll bet it was.” Kenshin muttered under his breath as he
averted his gaze. He frowned as his
gaze fell on a rather familiar object next to Aoshi. Though it had been over a decade since he last saw that journal,
it was easy to recognize. “Aoshi…“ He met Aoshi’s gaze slowly and gestured
towards the book. “Engaging in a little
light reading I see.”
Aoshi had no idea how to reply to
that. They’d been caught, red-handed so
to speak, and he had no clue as to how the Battousai had figured it out. It was disconcerting to say the least. He decided silence was his best option at
this point. He hadn’t realized just how
much cunning Himura Kenshin hid behind his smiling rurouni exterior.
Kenshin held his hand out and waited
patiently as Aoshi and Kaoru exchanged quick, agitated looks. Obviously they’d read the journal. He wondered how Kaoru felt about the
revealing information contained within the decade old diary written by his
first wife.
Aoshi sighed inwardly and passed the
journal to the Battousai. There was no
doubt in his mind that the other man knew exactly what this book was and where
it came from. The question was how
would he react when he discovered that they’d already read it through?
Kaoru held her breath as Kenshin
brushed his fingers over the weather worn journal and closed his eyes. Now what?
What would he say? Was he angry? She honestly couldn’t tell just by looking
at him and he wasn’t speaking yet.
Kenshin sighed and slowly opened his
eyes to stare at the book he held.
“Thirteen years is a long time, that it is.” For a moment he was tempted to toss it in the fire where it
belonged, but instead he held it out to Kaoru.
“This was written by a sad and lonely girl whose destiny was filled with
tragedy.” He met her startled gaze
directly. As much as he wanted to keep
Kaoru as far removed from the unpleasantness of this part of his past, he
couldn’t hide it from her anymore. “It
is a sad lesson in what bitterness can do to a person.”
Kaoru looked at the book she held
and drew in a shaky breath. “Who was
she?”
“Her name was Yukushiro Tomoe…“He
paused for a moment, then sighed sadly.
Kaoru had probably already read the journal. There was no point in attempting to conceal Tomoe’s identity. “She was my wife.”
Kaoru lowered her gaze to her lap,
eyes filling with tears. So, the author
of the journal hadn’t lied. It was all
true. Kenshin had been married. How…depressing. “I see.” She kept her
head down, the words coming out in barely a whisper.
Kenshin leaned forward, studying
Kaoru’s bowed head. “I said ‘was’,
Kaoru-dono. Tomoe-san died thirteen
years ago.” He shook his head
slowly. There was no way that he was
going into detail about that particular tragedy. It was hard enough to just speak of Tomoe. “It is ironic that this is the place that I
would be telling you of that time, that it is.”
Aoshi shifted, drawing the Battousai’s
attention back to him. “Why is that?”
“This is where Tomoe-san died.” Kenshin replied simply. The pain of that night had slowly faded with
the healing power of time. Now he found
that he could speak calmly about one of the most painful moments of his life
without becoming an emotional wreck. It
truly was amazing what the intervening years and resulting maturity had taught
him. Despite all this, it still wasn’t
a subject he was comfortable discussing under any circumstances.
Kaoru peeked at Kenshin through her
eyelashes in an attempt to judge his frame of mind by his expression. He looked sad, but not devastated as if this
Tomoe had been in his heart all these years.
She held the journal out to him again.
“This belongs to you, Kenshin.”
Kenshin shook his head quickly. He wanted nothing to do with the thing. It was filled with bitter memories he’d rather
not relive. “No thank you,
Kaoru-dono. It was Tomoe-san’s, not
mine. Do with it what you will, but I
don’t want it.” He forced a bright
smile, knowing just how transparent it really was. “I read it before and that was more than enough.”
Aoshi winced inwardly. He didn’t doubt for a moment that the Battousai
was less than pleased at being reunited with his dead wife’s diary. Especially one that spoke eloquently of her
bitter hatred for him. He certainly
didn’t look pleased. He turned to
Kaoru. “The other object. Perhaps it should be returned to the Battousai.” Now, Aoshi thought in satisfaction, I will
get my answers.
Kaoru looked at him blankly for a
moment. “Oh!” She nodded and reached under the blanket for the spinning
top. She held it out to Kenshin with a
smile that quickly faded when she saw his expression. “Kenshin?” She said his
name softly, questioningly.
Kenshin’s features tightened when he
saw the wooden toy. This was just one
surprise too many for his peace of mind.
“Where did you find that?” Of
all the things that Kaoru could have possible found, it had to be that damnable
toy. He turned away, refusing to so
much as look at it, never mind touch it.
The spinning top, the final link to his past before he met Hiko Seijuurou,
held too many bitter memories for him.
Aoshi studied the Battousai’s set
features closely before glancing at Kaoru.
She looked both puzzled and hurt.
He returned his gaze to the other man.
His eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“Who was Shinta?”
Kenshin stiffened in surprise. “Where did you hear that name?” It came out sharper than he intended. To the best of his knowledge no one living,
except for Hiko, should have any awareness of that name.
“That is the name engraved on this
spinning top.” She explained quickly.
When the Battousai remained silent
Aoshi leaned forward and put voice to his earlier suspicions. If he were wrong, he’d apologize later. If he were right…then he’d finally
know. “Is that the name of your son?”
Two sets of startled eyes focused on
Aoshi and two voices spoke in unison.
“What?!”
“Aoshi! What…“ Kaoru choked on
her outrage.
Kenshin leaned forward, head bowed
and shoulders shaking. He wasn’t
certain if he should be amused, angry or insulted. At the moment he was literally too stunned to find words to fit
the situation, so he settled for his usual exclamation. “Oro?”
**To Be Continued…**
***
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Author’s Notes:
1.I had Kenshin refer to Tomoe as
“Tomoe-san” on purpose. I wanted there
to be no doubt that his affections are now completed devoted to Kaoru. This is strictly for Kaoru’s benefit.
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Definitions:
Tomoe-san:
Miss Tomoe