|
|
by: K. C. "Kaoru-Sensei" Hulsman
(*Author's Note: The following story has revenge arc spoilers, and has been written on several assumptions of what I believe the outcome of the Revenge Arc to be. It may change, especially since Watsuki is still working on this storyline. The characters are all Watsuki's work, I'm only borrowing them to appease the Kenshin obsessed fans amongst us. ^_^)
The battle is finally over…
Kaoru surveyed the extensive damage to the dojo and sighed.
It is going to take at least a month to repair all this damage. Oh well. Buildings can be repaired, lives and hearts cannot. Poor Kenshin…
Kaoru looked towards where the badly injured but recovering Kenshin was resting. It wasn't so much the physical wounds that worried Kaoru, but more the cruel wounds inflicted upon his heart.
Kaoru felt completely helpless, when she would go in to check on Kenshin, making sure he ate, she just saw this aching lost expression on his face. She wanted to comfort him, but knew not how. So she had let him be, giving him her quiet support.
She finished sweeping up the last of the worst of the debris from the kitchen, put up the broom, and decided that it was time for her much anticipated bath.
* * *
Kaoru emerged from her bath feeling oddly refreshed and truly relaxed for the first time all day, especially since the end of the battle. Before going to her room she decided to check on Kenshin, she went by his room and found the door open, and the room vacant.
Kenshin…
With a frown of worry on her face, Kaoru looked into the kitchen hoping to find him there, but before she ever reached the kitchen she saw him sitting on the dojo steps, gazing but not seeing the stars.
She approached him quietly from behind.
"Kenshin, you should be resting," she said her voice full of concern as she laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"I couldn't sleep. I'm sorry for worrying you."
"Mmm, It's okay," she spoke softly as she sat down beside him.
"Kenshin, would you mind if I read the diary?"
Startled violet eyes gazed into her sincere midnight blue ones.
Kenshin closed his eyes and with a barely audible voice asked her, "why do you want to?"
"I want to know what she was like, what she thought, how she felt for you. I… I want to be able to share the memories you have of her. I know she will always have a piece of your heart, and that she is a part of you."
Sad, heartfelt eyes opened and gazed deeply into Kaoru's eyes. And hidden in the violet haze was the faintest shimmer of tears.
"Kaoru-dono," Kenshin choked back on a sob, and found himself embraced in the warmth of her arms.
For the first time in years, he gave into his grief, his guilt, and finally allowed himself to indulge in tears, finding comfort for the first time with another over Tomoe's death.
Kenshin…
Kaoru gently caresses and stroked his hair soothingly, holding onto him as if he were a doll of glass. He was so fragile, fragile from the physical pounding he had taken, and fragile from these old fresh wounds on his heart.
The tempest in Kenshin's heart slowly abated, and in the wake of his tears a healing peace slowly overcame him. He didn't smell the ghostly white plums that had been haunting his senses, but smelled fresh lavendar after a spring rain.
Kaoru felt him begin to stir and gently loosened her hold on him sa he pulled back and looked into her eyes. With shaking fingers, he gently and tentatively caressed her face seeing a hint if tears there.
"Tears? But why?"
Kaoru smiled sadly, "For you, the pain you feel."
Kenshin blink quite taken aback and then like the sun breaking through a layer of dark thunder heads in the sky smiled softly at her.
"Kaoru-dono," he spoke the words reverently as he gently brushed away the last remnant of her tears. "Arigato, I owe you so much, you've brought peace to my heart. Something I never thought I would have."
"I'm glad," she whispered half closing her own eyes as she gently captured his hand with her own and held it affectionately to her face. "I care for you so much, I want you to be happy, you deserve happiness."
"I don't deserve happiness, not for the blood on my hands, but it's the desire of those that love me that think I do, and through them I am happy. "
He looked away then into the twinkling night sky, then looked back at her.
"I thought I wasn't worthy of happiness, that I wasn't worthy of you. But I realize now, I want to make you happy, and I think I can… Kaoru-dono… I love you."
Tears slowly fell through Kaoru's eyes as she wrapped her arms around him for a second time that night. Sharing the joy in her heart with him. She looked up at him smiling through her jubilant tears, and smiled teasingly at him.
"Well then if you love me you don't want to worry me, so get to bed and get some sleep," she winked slyly at him and was rewarded with a soft heartfelt chuckle from him.
"Hai, hai."
They raised to their feet and unison and Kenshin began to walk away, Kaoru put a hand gently on his arm stilling him, and she leaned forward and lightly brushed her lips against his cheek.
"Kenshin you make me happy. I am no longer lonely. Sweet happy dreams," she whispered as she brushed her lips lightly across his forehead, and walked in a dream like trance to her own room, floating with a joy in her heart, knowing that it was only a matter of time now. A matter of time before they would truly be together, but Kenshin still needed to heal.
I can be patient, looks like those meditation exercises are going to pay off.
Somehow he made it to her room without walking into a wall, Kenshin smiled bemusedly after her as he went to his own room.
Maybe I don't deserve you, but I know I desire you Kaoru-dono. One day…. one day we'll be together.
The End