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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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Hot Summer's Night

by Chiruken

Chapter 1

Kamiya Kaoru leaned back against the support post of the engawa with a weary sigh, lifting a small, callused hand to fan ineffectually at herself as the stifling heat of the late morning's humid summer high temperature beat at her, sapping her of all ambition to move. With another sigh she listlessly turned her head to stare at Kenshin where he knelt in the yard, elbow deep in laundry. "Ne, Kenshin..." She called softly, her voice seeming absurdly loud in the deserted doujou's yard.

Himura Kenshin, once known as Hitokiri Battousai, paused in his scrubbing and looked up slowly, strands of red hair clinging damply to his moist skin. "Yes, Kaoru-dono?" He offered the young woman a somewhat weak and tired smile, the heat having sapped even his usual abundance of good cheer.

"You should leave the laundry, Kenshin. It's much too hot to be working like this.” She leaned back again, closing her eyes. “Come sit in the shade.” She patted the smooth boards of the engawa beside her, lips curving upwards into a welcoming smile.

Kenshin sat back on his heels and swiped his forearm across his forehead before looking up at the position of the sun. “I should get it done now, Kaoru-dono, that I should. If I leave it, the day will only get hotter, that it will.” He lowered his gaze back to the young woman reclining on the engawa and offered her another typical rurouni smile. “But perhaps a short rest wouldn’t hurt, hmm?”

Kaoru smiled and nodded, slowly opening her sapphire blue eyes and brushed at a few stray strands of her dark locks falling in to her eyes having escaped the indigo ribbon tying her long hair back in a high ponytail. She watched appreciatively as Kenshin stood slowly, brushing grass and dust from his hakama, and shifted to give him more room beside her, patting the boards again for emphasis, knowing that if she allowed it, he would sit at a “respectable” distance from her yet again, effectively pushing her away as well. Closing her eyes again she allowed her head to fall back against the rough wood behind her. Reaching up to brush her dark hair away from her face, Kaoru sighed and shook her head slowly from side to side. “It’s so hot…”

“Aa…that it is.” Kenshin agreed as he slowly lowered himself to the engawa beside her with an inaudible sigh of relief. The shade was a welcome respite from the sun beating down on the exposed yard relentlessly. He did feel a little guilty about leaving the laundry undone, but he had to admit that Kaoru had been correct…it was too hot of a day to be laboring over the washing. He glanced over at her again, seeing the familiar pretty features of the young woman who’d taken him in and given him a second chance at happiness…at life, he amended silently…and smiled. His violet eyes were soft and gentle as they moved over her face, memorizing, yet again, each intimate detail from the way her dark hair framed her delicate heart-shaped face to her beautiful blue eyes…eyes the colour of a deep lake, he thought wistfully…closed, the dark lashes brushing against her flushed cheeks. His gaze rested briefly on her lips, watching the small smile tugging the corners upwards, the small, pink tongue darting out to touch against the rosebud shape…he tore his gaze away and stared out across the yard, swallowing with some difficulty. The heat seemed to be sapping what little intelligence he had in his faculties. His lips curved into a smirk at the thought, quickly hidden behind his usual cheerful rurouni mask. He couldn’t afford to offend Kaoru…he needed her stabilizing influence in his life. Without her I’m…He shook his head sharply, thrusting the thoughts away forcefully before they finished forming. Those were dangerous waters to be treading into unprepared. He’d best get his mind on something else he decided.

“Kenshin?” Kaoru looked over at her companion in concern, noticing the serious expression tugging his mouth down into a frown. “Is something wrong?” She bit her lip anxiously. “If you really want to do the laundry, I won’t stop you. I just thought it would be better to wait until the evening when it isn’t as hot.” Though she knew the laundry couldn’t possibly be the cause of his sudden withdrawal, she offered it as an easy excuse. She turned her eyes upwards, to the clear sky, and watched a bird flying in lazy circles over the doujou, blinking back the tears that blurred her vision momentarily. She knew that Kenshin hid a lot of things from her, that he did it out of reflex, automatically pushing her away when she got too close to him, hiding his feelings from everyone behind that cheerful smile of his, blissfully unaware of how transparent it really was to those who cared the most about him.

Kenshin blinked in surprise. “Oro? Oh no, no, Kaoru-dono…it isn’t anything like that, that it is not.” He offered her a wide smile and leaned back against the wall, forcing his tense muscles to relax. “You were right, that you were. It is better to wait, that it is.”

Kaoru frowned, hearing the slight catch in his voice that usually signaled his deeper emotions…the ones he tried so hard to pretend weren’t there. With a soft sigh she shook her head and leaned back as well, resolving to give him his space he so obviously wanted. She closed her eyes and sighed again. Oh Kenshin…when are you going to realize that I’ll always be here to listen…even if what you have to say isn’t always happy and carefree?

Kenshin glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, noting the look of melancholy shadowing her expressive features. He sighed inaudibly and turned his gaze to the yard again. Why is it that I always make her sad when all I want is her happiness? Studying the dry yard he frowned thoughtfully. There had to be a way to make it up to her for all the worry and hardships he’d brought to her home. His shoulders drooped as the truth of the situation registered. As a rurouni he had nothing to offer her…nothing at all. What a depressing thought…

“Kenshin?” Kaoru leaned closer seeing the sadness filling his gentle violet eyes and placed a light hand on his arm, surprised to feel his muscles tense under her fingers. “Are you all right?” She asked softly, sapphire blue eyes filled with concern as she gazed at him steadily and he averted his own gaze to stare at the wooden boards of the engawa instead. “Ken—“

“I’m fine, Kaoru-dono, that I am.” His tone was lower than usual, causing her worried frown to deepen. He offered a sweet rurouni smile and covered her hand with his own in an endearing offer of comfort. “I was just worried about the garden, that I was.”

Kaoru blinked and stared at him for several heartbeats before snatching her hand back with a scowl. “Kenshin you jerk!” She jumped to her feet and strode across the yard towards the bathhouse, the stiffness of her shoulders and back attesting to the level of her ire. She spun on her heal and glared back at Kenshin who was still sitting on the engawa with a bewildered look. “I can’t believe you! Every time I think you’re ready to trust me, to confide in me, you go and say something stupid!”

“Oro?” Was his soft reply as she disappeared into the bathhouse, slamming the door behind her with enough force that dust rained down from the roof followed by several loose tiles.