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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by Chiruken
Chapter 2
Mikaradetasabi
Kenshin
sighed and sat back on his heels away from the wooden washtub, absently rubbing
at the dull ache in his shoulder, oblivious to the suds he left behind on his
comfortably faded and worn gi. Reaching
up and brushing his hair out of his eyes with a dripping hand, he gazed up at
the clear, cloudless sky with a soft smile.
It was nearly time for his son to be returning home from his
lessons. Turning his gaze to the engawa
he smiled at his wife and stood slowly, a slight grimace of discomfort marring
his features before he brightened again with his usual good cheer. “I will go prepare dinner, Kaoru, that I
will.”
With
a sweet smile Kaoru nodded and went back to surveying the yard, eyes focused on
the front gate as she awaited the arrival of their son while her hands deftly
mended the torn hakama she held in her lap.
“All right, Kenshin. Do you
suppose that Yahiko will stay tonight?”
Tilting his
head to the side in thoughtful consideration, Kenshin pursed his lips as he
regarded Kaoru silently for a moment.
“Yes, I think today is his day off from the Akabeko, that it is.”
“I wonder if
he’d rather spend the time with Tsubame-chan…” Kaoru smiled knowingly as she
set the mended hakama to the side and reached for a ripped training gi. “I think it’s sweet how close they’re
becoming, don’t you?”
Kenshin
smiled indulgently and stepped up onto the engawa with a slight limp he hastily
hid from his wife. “Yes, it is nice to
see their relationship grow, that it is.
However, I believe Tsubame-chan is spending the evening with Tae-dono,
that I do.”
Kaoru laughed
softly and nodded slowly. “Ah yes. I nearly forgot. So I suppose Yahiko will be joining us after all. It’ll be just like old times, don’t you
think? Did you need my help with
dinner, Kenshin?”
“No,
that’s fine. You rest, Kaoru.” Slowly making his way into the kitchen,
Kenshin wondered at the increasing weariness he’d been feeling lately. His joints ached with jarring frequency and
he’d been finding that his strength wasn’t what it used to be either. “Perhaps a visit to Megumi-dono is in
order…” He murmured softly, and then shook his head with a wry smile twisting
his lips upwards. Megumi had moved to
Aizu three years before. Chuckling
under his breath, Kenshin mildly berated himself for becoming so absent minded
as he set about preparing dinner for his family.
After
washing the rice and setting it over the fire to cook, he swiftly gathered the
ingredients for the miso soup and set the pot over the fire as well to
simmer. Pausing, he bent over the pot
and inhaled appreciatively. Miso soup
was one of his favourite dishes to prepare.
Reaching for the cooking knife and the daikon simultaneously, Kenshin
froze and stared at his hand in shocked disbelief before closing it into a
fist. But that didn’t stop the slight
tremor that he’d detected. If anything,
his hand shook ever so slightly more now that he’d tried to stop it. Staring straight ahead, he silently
acknowledged that there was something dreadfully wrong and had been for some
time now…he’d just been too stubborn to admit it.
Drawing
in a deep, calming breath, he set the daikon on the counter and carefully
sliced it into meticulous spears and rounds before setting the knife
aside. There was no point in worrying
over something without having more information first. With a slight grimace, Kenshin decided that he’d worry after
he’d visited with Genzai-sensei and asked his advice.
Sensing
the approach of a familiar ki, Kenshin peered through the open door towards the
front gate in time to see his son dart through and bound towards the engawa
where Kaoru sat with a welcoming smile.
Yahiko followed at a much more sedate pace. Brows puckering in a frown Kenshin wondered not for the first
time if they were doing the right thing by sending Kenji to school at such a
young age. After all, he was barely
five years old…still so young, so in need of his mother and her loving
attention. With a soft sigh he turned
back to the simmering meal to stir the soup.
I worry too much. He
thought with a sheepish smile, knowing that Kaoru would lecture him for being
so overprotective towards their son.
“’Tou-san!” A young, exuberant voice echoed off the
doujou’s walls. “Is dinner ready yet,
‘Tou-san?”
Smiling
indulgently, Kenshin poked his head out the door again and smiled cheerfully at
the miniature version of himself. “It
will be done very soon, Kenji-chan, that it will.” Ignoring the scowl sent his way, Kenshin returned to his soup and
rice, making the final preparations needed before it could be served to his
family.
“Hey,
Kenshin…what’s for dinner?” Yahiko stepped
inside and grinned at his friend and mentor.
However, his smile faded and was replaced by a frown when he saw the
tremor in Kenshin’s usually steady hand and the stiff way he held his right
shoulder. Stepping closer, the former
yakuza pickpocket lowered his voice so his words wouldn’t reach Kaoru or Kenji
sitting outside on the engawa.
“Kenshin, how long have you been sick?
Have you gone to see Genzai-sensei yet?”
***
Definitions:
Mamorigami: Guardian (Deity)
Mikaradetasabi: paying for one's mistakes; getting
one's just deserts; suffering the consequences (of one's own
actions); reap what you sow
Author’s Notes:
Lizzie, Shiomei, Crystal and Species 125…thanks for reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it. I just finished watching the Seisouhen…I can’t remember the last time I cried so much! I’m currently suffering from Post-Seisouhen Depression…so please forgive me if my chappies reflect on this. As for where this plot is going…well…I don’t really know for sure. I can say that it will be VERY similar to the Seisouhen for the first few chapters…then it’ll go off on its own and (hopefully) become something else entirely. I’m afraid that the updates will be somewhat sporadic due to the lingering effects of Writer’s Block…I still haven’t found my Plot Bunnies. I can’t really say if it’ll get any sadder…probably, but I don’t really know! This is quite the predicament…um…if you’ve seen the Seisouhen, then you know what happens, right? Then you know that this’ll be a little sad (‘k, I lie…it’ll be a LOT sad) since it does follow the ending OAV fairly closely…but eventually it’ll…**grins** Oops! I almost gave it away! I can’t say what my plans are, can I?