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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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A Love Story
“Stupidity’s the deliberate cultivation of ignorance.”
--William Gaddis
Shinomori Aoshi,
implacable expression firmly in place, green eyes slightly narrowed in
suspicion, raised his cup and sipped thoughtfully, savoring the sweet flavor of
his tea, all the while watching his companion sitting beside him on the engawa
of the Aoiya overlooking the lush garden warily. As the silence stretched on uncomfortably he barely resisted the
urge to fidget, which he knew would draw the unwanted attention of Himura
Kenshin, formerly known as Hitokiri Battousai, to him. Slowly he lowered the cup, noting that as he
did so his hand was shaking almost imperceptibly, but enough to attract that
unwanted attention he was trying to avoid.
Exercising extreme self-control he steadied his hand and attempted to
cover up his blunder by swirling the remaining liquid in the cup.
Himura Kenshin, violet
eyes flecked with amber, sat motionless beside his nervous companion and stared
straight ahead out over the lush gardens of the Aoiya, barely holding his
temper in check. The former leader of the
Oniwabanshu thought to hide the obvious from the former hitokiri. Kenshin’s eyes narrowed, his hand tightening
around the cup, knuckles turning white, expression hard and grim. He wasn’t stupid, contrary to common
belief. It didn’t take a genius to see
the signs either. Finally, patience at
an end, he turned to Aoshi, setting his cup on the engawa with a bang, eyes a
hard, steely blue. “Stupidity of this
magnitude has no excuse, that it does not.”
Aoshi swallowed with
difficulty and set his own cup aside with infinite care, schooling his features
into cold impersonal blankness…his usual expression. “What are you babbling about, Battousai?” He asked coolly.
Kenshin rolled his
eyes, not bothering to keep up his usual simple rurouni demeanor. “Oh please.
I’m not a fool, Aoshi, and neither is Misao.” He ignored the other man’s incredulous expression and plunged
ahead, tone censuring. “I don’t care
about your private affairs or whom you chose to include in said liaisons but
for kami’s sake, at least have the decency to cover the evidence of your
nightly escapades!” He gestured towards
Aoshi’s neck, a faint flush staining his cheeks. “Even an innocent girl such as Misao could figure that out.”
Aoshi closed his eyes
and groaned, reaching up to pull the top of his kimono closed in a belated
attempt to hide the ‘evidence’ Kenshin was referring to. “Point taken.” He murmured softly.
“And next time, make
certain that Megumi-dono understands the possible consequences leaving such an
obvious mark could lead to.” Kenshin
turned back to his earlier perusal of the garden, ending the discussion
abruptly.
Aoshi felt his face
heating at the smaller man’s words.
“Er…yes. Of course.” He pulled his collar closed tighter. The silence stretched on for several long
moments before he finally cleared his throat.
“Battousai…How did you know?”
Kenshin rolled his eyes
again and sighed impatiently. “It was
obvious, Aoshi, that it was.”
“Do you think Misao
knows?”
He turned slowly to
face Aoshi, amber ringed violet eyes narrowed with unmistakable fury. “Yes, Aoshi, she knows. Does it please you to know that you broke
her heart? She deserves better than
this. The least you could’ve done is
told her yourself rather than letting her find out on her own.” He stood and rested his hand on the hilt of
his sakabatou. “You owed it to
her to tell her the truth.” With that
said, he spun on his heel and stalked away, needing to put some distance
between himself and the man who’d shattered Makimachi Misao’s trusting and
innocent heart and threw her love back in her face before he forgot himself and
did something he’d regret.
Megumi stepped forward
slowly and lowered herself to the engawa beside Aoshi. “Why didn’t you just deny it?”
“Battousai can sense
lies with terrifying skill. Denying the
truth would have incurred his wrath.”
“And you call his
reaction calm?” Megumi pressed her lips
together tightly and clasped her hands in her lap. “Aoshi…Why do you think Ken-san found it so upsetting?”
Aoshi was silent for
several long moments before answering, considering the various
possibilities. “I believe the answer is
because he is in l---…” His words were cut off by a loud crash from just above and
behind them and a sharp cry of surprise, followed by a loud thud as a body fell
heavily to the ground before them.
**To Be
Continued…**
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