Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic

Fanfic By: Chiruken

Kamiya Kaoru, the Assistant Master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, closed her sapphire blue eyes, brushing long dark strands of hair that escaped from her high ponytail behind her ear with one hand while gently rubbing two fingers against her throbbing temple. With a soft sigh she opened her eyes again to gaze lovingly down into the sleeping face of the man she loved. "Sano…" She whispered softly, eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

Makimachi Misao, green eyes downcast and filled with remorse, stood just inside the shouji and watched Kaoru as she fussed over Sanosuke’s still unconscious form. Finally she cleared her throat softly, gaining the other young woman’s attention. When Kaoru looked up at her questioningly Misao stepped forward reluctantly. "Kaoru…I-I just wanted to say how sorry I am…" Her voice trailed off into nothingness for a moment as her throat closed in with tears before she forced herself to draw in a deep, calming breath, swallowing nervously before continuing. "I-I didn’t mean to…to…" She sniffed and quickly swiped her arm across her eyes as tears threatened to fall. "It was an accident, Kaoru…"

Kaoru closed the distance quickly and placed her arms around the younger girl and hugged her close. "I know, Misao. I know it was an accident. Sanosuke will be fine…don’t worry." She closed her eyes and drew in a shuddering breath. "Misao…" She began hesitantly, tone reflecting her reluctance to broach the subject. She cleared her throat and forged ahead. "When did you and Kenshin…" She trailed off, feeling a blush infusing her cheeks.

Misao blinked and pulled back slightly, expression betraying her confusion. "What?"

Kaoru laughed nervously and glanced over her shoulder towards the Sanosuke. Seeing that he was still sleeping, she turned back to her friend and, face flushing with embarrassment, continued. "You know…Get together." She added extra inflection to the words, hinting at a hidden meaning.

"Get…together?" She frowned uncertainly when Kaoru’s blush deepened, turning her face an interesting shade of red. Suddenly her eyes widened in shocked understanding, her face rivaling Kaoru’s for brightness. "Kaoru!" She pressed her hands to her flaming cheeks and giggled nervously.

"Well?" Kaoru leaned closer and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Come on, Misao! Details!"

"Kaoru! Nothing’s happened…" Her blush brightened, becoming a beacon of red. "Er…nothing much at least." She giggled again, her nervousness increasing.

Raising one eyebrow curiously, Kaoru smirked. "Sure. What, exactly, is ‘nothing much’? Hmm?"

"A kiss! Okay? Just a little kiss…" Her voice trailed off as she remembered just how stunning that simple little kiss had been.

"Must’ve been some kiss…" Kaoru frowned and glanced back toward Sanosuke when she heard something that sounded suspiciously like a snort. Turning back to her friend, she linked arms and turned her towards the shouji again. "Come on, Misao. Let’s go sit on the engawa. It’s too nice of a night to stay cooped up inside, right?"

Glancing towards the window where sharp jagged bolts of lightning flashed across the sky frequently, accompanied by the odd loud crash of thunder, Misao blinked and turned uncertain eyes towards the other young woman. "Uh…if you say so…"

Once out in the hall, Kaoru grinned and pulled Misao towards the stairs. "I didn’t want Big Ears to hear this conversation. Girl talk should stay between girls, right?"

"Big ears?" Eyes wide with embarrassed understanding, Misao silently followed Kaoru down the stairs and out to the bathhouse. "I thought we were going to sit on the engawa…"

"Well…it’s more private out here." Pulling the door open, Kaoru pushed Misao inside the steamy bathhouse.

"Hey!" Both girls froze at the indignant shout. "Someone’s in here! Wait your own turn!"

"It’s all right, Megumi. It’s just us."

"Kaoru?" Out of the steam Megumi’s form appeared wrapped in a large towel. "What do you think you’re doing?"

"Looking for a private place to have a little girl talk." Kaoru grinned at the older woman and gestured towards Misao. "Misao was just about to give me the hot details of her relationship with Kenshin."

Misao’s mouth opened and closed several times before she could get any sound out. "I was not! Honestly, Kaoru, there are no details. It was only a little kiss, for crying out loud!"

Kaoru laughed and pushed Misao further into the bathhouse. "Then why are you blushing, hmm? Come on, Misao, give over!" A sly look entered her blue eyes. "I’ll tell if you tell…"

Misao folded her arms over her chest and leveled a smirk at her friend. "Why would I care about the intimate details of your love life, Kaoru?"

"Hush, Misao! I want to hear this!" Megumi brushed her dark hair out of her face and gestured towards the steaming furo. "Kaoru, be a dear and put some more wood on the fire…" She smiled at the younger women, a mischievous glint in her dark eyes. "And Misao? Would you go find some sake? Hmm?"

Misao and Kaoru exchanged quick looks before turning back to Megumi. "Sake, Megumi?" Misao asked softly, a slow smile spreading across her face. "Do I detect the hint of a little party?"

"Absolutely!" As Megumi laughed Kaoru was almost certain that she could see fox ears poking through her dark hair.

Misao dashed across the yard, green eyes sparkling with excitement, a grin spreading across her features as she entered the kitchen at a run. "Misao-chan!" She skidded to a halt at the indignant dry from behind her. She spun to see Okon frantically trying to balance a tray laden with teapot and cups.

"Oh! Okon! Quick…where do we keep the sake?"

"Huh? It’s inn that cupboard over there like always. Why?" Okon managed to regain her balance and gently set the tray onto the counter with a soft sigh of relief.

Misao laughed and spun with a wink. "A party, of course!" She pursed her lips thoughtfully before reaching for the cups. "Megumi, Kaoru and I are having a little party in the bathhouse." She turned back to face Okon, giggling at her shocked expression. "But don’t tell anyone, okay? It’s just for us girls."

With a happy laugh, Misao bounced back out the door, missing Kenshin and Aoshi poking their heads through the other open door, each wearing identical expressions of curiosity and worry. Exchanging quick looks they straightened and regarded each other for several heartbeats. "Do you think we should be worried, Battousai?" Aoshi finally broke the silence.

"Um…" Kenshin rubbed the bridge of his nose, violet eyes thoughtful. "Kaoru-dono isn’t much of a drinker, Aoshi, that she is not." Turning to watch Misao disappear into the bathhouse across the yard his eyes gleamed with wicked amusement. "Perhaps we should…"

Aoshi nodded, cutting him off abruptly. "Absolutely. I’ll get an umbrella."

Kenshin smiled innocently, violet eyes scrunching up in his familiar rurouni expression of good-natured humor when he caught Okon’s open-mouthed shocked stare. "It’s all right, Okon-dono, that it is." He turned back to the door, his smile changing slightly, becoming more devilish somehow, and causing the ninja to blush and fan herself at the heat in his suddenly amber gaze. "It’s always good to know where one stands with their chosen mate…" He glanced back at her. "Don’t you agree?"

**To Be Continued…**