Subject: [RKFF] Kristin Olson's Begging the Question Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 08:53:11 -0500 From: RobinKloster To: rkfanfics@makelist.com kolson00@yahoo.com Here's another little prelude-to-the-wedding-night-fic sort of fic. ^-^ This one is only possible in the anime version of RK, due to the nature of the Kaoru-Genzai relationship, but I thought it would be fun to write, so I went with it, anyway. Oh, and this obviously takes place before 'Butterflies.' C&C? Also at http://www.crosspaths.net/~kolson/fics/question.html -Kristin _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com Begging the Question Dr. Genzai sighed as he waved away the last of his patients in the light of the setting sun. That dark-haired young woman with her new baby--when she turned her back to him, her retreating figure might have been Kaoru's, even down to the blue kimono. He smiled fondly, thinking of beginnings. The baby girl was strong and healthy; he and Megumi had delivered her only a month ago. Was it merely his imagination that there had been more births in the past few years than at any other time in his memory? Perhaps not, he thought. With the peace of the new era, families felt it safer to bring children into the world. He turned back into the clinic to find his assistant already coming towards the doorway. "Going out?" he asked, mildly surprised. Megumi pursed her cherry-red lips. "I have an...engagement with someone," she said evasively, slipping into the geta that awaited her on the front steps. Dr. Genzai's eyes nearly vanished amid wrinkles as he smiled. "Does that mean a date?" "Nothing of the sort," Megumi sniffed. "That baka Sanosuke has been looking for handouts again, and somehow he talked me into this dinner." She heaved a massive sigh, as if disgusted with herself for allowing such a lapse of judgement. "I'm supposed to meet him at the restaurant." "I see." The old doctor decided not to inquire why she had chosen to wear precisely that brand-new kimono for the occasion. "Well, have a good time. Don't stay out too late." He winked. Megumi flipped her hair at him in scornful response. "With him? Hmph. Never!" The clopping sound of her wooden sandals echoed on the path as she left, swinging her handbag saucily all the way. Dr. Genzai shook his head. So headstrong, these modern girls. He could recall a time when no respectable young lady would have ventured out into the evening unaccompanied. Well, times were changing, sure enough. If they'd changed enough that people were beginning to welcome a lady doctor, then certainly a woman going out alone at night was not so radical. Either way, Megumi would not be told yea or nay in one thing or another, and he knew much better than to try. It was the same with his adopted granddaughter, he thought, easing himself down on the steps to enjoy the cooling air. Raised by her late father as something of a tomboy, Kaoru would have her way about things, whether that meant continuing to run the Kamiya Dojo alone, taking off in vengeful pursuit of villains, or inviting a complete stranger to live with her...although the last, Dr. Genzai had to admit, had turned out all right, despite his initial trepidation. Miraculously all right, in fact. There was no way around it, he mused, certain events were simply fated to happen. No matter how incomprehensible it was to outsiders that he would let his unmarried and very pretty eighteen-year-old ward house an equally unmarried and handsome young man, who happened to be a former assassin, at her kenjutsu dojo, well--the doctor could only shrug. Aside from keeping a watchful eye on the situation, he had taken no hand in it. It would be wrong of him, he felt, to do so. When the dance of the constellations brought two people together, the circumstances of their connection might not always make sense to the rest of the world. More important was whether they made sense to the two hearts that counted. His eyelids, which had been slowly drooping, closed altogether. Woolgathering again, he thought ruefully. If this kept up he'd probably fall asleep on the porch. Megumi would find him when she came home after her non-date with Sanosuke, and tsk about old men staying up past their bedtimes... "Genzai-sensei?" There was no mistaking that voice. The doctor started and glanced up--although not far up--into a pair of concerned violet eyes. Dr. Genzai blinked. Either the swordsman had materialized out of nowhere, or he had drifted off, after all. In Kenshin's case, however, materialization out of nowhere was perhaps equally probable. "Ah, Kenshin. Konbanwa," he said, sitting up straighter. "Is everything all right?" the young man asked politely, leaning forward as if to proffer assistance. He was dressed, as usual, in hakama and gi, with the reverse blade in its sheath slung comfortably at his side. Tonight, however, the doctor could have sworn that the clothing seemed of finer make than Kenshin's normal fare--less worn, at least--and he'd added a haori over the gi, as well. Well, it was starting to get cool at nighttime, so a jacket was scarcely out of order. "Oh, fine, fine, I just dozed off a moment ago. Things like that tend to happen when you get as old as me." The doctor chuckled at his own foible, and Kenshin smiled, though he did not entirely relax. Dr. Genzai was surprised at the tension evident in the set of his shoulders, the tightness of the hands held at his sides. The violet eyes, too, seemed more somber than usual. Something was clearly afoot. "What brings you here this evening?" he asked. "I hope all is well at the dojo." Another brief smile, more open this time. "We're all fine. Kaoru-dono says that the little girls are welcome to come over tomorrow, if you like." The smile faded, to be replaced by an expression of earnest...nervousness? "But that's not why I came. Actually, I had hoped to speak with you about...a matter of some importance. If you are not otherwise occupied." A matter of some importance? Dr. Genzai wondered. After a cursory examination, he decided that Kenshin was looking much too serious for his own good. The doctor hid the beginnings of a small smile. This had the potential to become very interesting, indeed. "Of course, I'm not the least bit busy. But come in, there's no need to stand about loitering out here. I'll make some tea and we can talk inside." Slowly he rose to his feet, brushing aside Kenshin's offers of aid. Such an excessively polite young man, Dr. Genzai thought. Such good manners. One would never guess he'd once been an expert killer. But time changed all things, particularly people. Himself, for instance, he thought wryly. He was certain there'd been a time when he was able to walk without his bones creaking. Or without creaking quite so loudly, at least. Kenshin followed him silently through the clinic toward the house, his feet making no sound on the smooth wooden floors. He paused for a second, only once, as they passed by Megumi's examining room. "Is Megumi-dono here tonight?" Dr. Genzai could detect nothing in the question beyond casual curiosity, so he answered in kind. "She isn't. As a matter of fact, she's out on what is avowedly not a date with that young Sagara fellow." "Sou de gozaru ka." This time a smile tinged the swordsman's soft voice. "Sano didn't mention it to me, but somehow I'm not surprised." Dr. Genzai turned, opened a sliding door, and gestured into a sitting room. "Please, make yourself comfortable. He's trustworthy, isn't he? That Sagara." Kenshin blinked at the question as if startled to have it thrust upon him. "I would trust him with my life," he answered plainly. "Parts of his past...are nothing to be proud of, but he's an honorable man." The swordsman's mouth quirked. "Megumi-dono is certainly safe with him. I'm not so certain about the other way around." "Yes, she's rather like that, isn't she...well, I'd assumed good things of Sagara, even if he does look like a gangster, since you seemed to think highly of him." Dr. Genzai glanced at the young man, who was hovering uncertainly. "Please sit, Kenshin. I'll be back with tea." "Really, it's not necessary to--" The anxious reply was cut short as the doctor shut the door behind him and went to the kitchen. He boiled the water leisurely, thinking that he had better make Kenshin stew a little. Otherwise the trip wouldn't have been worth his time. If nothing else, the doctor thought, he'd be able to face the grave of Kaoru's father with the knowledge that he'd done his duty as well as he could. He returned to the sitting room to find his guest at last doing just that, if awkwardly. The reverse blade waited at its master's side, a faithful, if silent, companion. Life must have been lonely indeed, the doctor reflected, during ten long years with only a sword for company. But the stars had circled since then. If that steely companion found itself neglected in the years to come, so much the better. "Your tea," he said, handing a cup to the young man before seating himself on a cushion across from him. "I'm sorry to interrogate you about your friend, but I do worry about the girls. Megumi, and Kaoru-chan of course." The doctor sipped from his mug serenely. "They both have good judgement, but still, there are plenty of unsavory types out there. I'm sure you understand what I mean." "Er, yes." It might have been the lanternlight, but Kenshin was beginning to look green enough to match the tea. "Of course." "But I'm prattling. What was it you wanted to speak to me about?" He fixed his eyes on the young man with an expression of alert interest. Kenshin swallowed visibly. He set his teacup down beside him as if it might be the last act of his life. Then, quickly, as if to stave off any lingering timidity, he placed his hands on his lap and bowed deeply, bending over entirely at the waist. "Genzai-sensei. This unworthy one humbly requests your permission for me to seek Kaoru-dono's hand." A pause, then, "In marriage." A longer pause, and then the babble began. "I know I'm not worthy of her. I don't even come close. I have nothing to give her, and people are always trying to kill me." A gulp of breath. "But still--I think--I might be able to make her happy. I want to try. If you--if you'll permit me." The doctor waited, pretending to deliberate for what he judged to be a sufficiently agonizing length of time. Then he frowned testily. "You're asking me?" Kenshin looked up, dumbfounded. "Ah...yes. I...I am. Since...since Kaoru-dono's honored father and mother are no longer living, and you, I have always been given to understand, are her guardian..." he broke off, blinking in shock as Dr. Genzai slowly shook his head. "Dame yo, Kenshin." The doctor set his jaw firmly. "D-dame de gozaru?" A note of quiet desperation strained the ever-gentle voice. "Dame." Dr. Genzai looked down at his supplicant, a glint in his eyes that might have been sternness--or wild amusement. "You shouldn't be asking me." "Eh?" Confusion sprang anew, and with it, hope. "I--I shouldn't?" The swordsman sat upright, still blinking rapidly. "Kenshin." At last the doctor allowed his face to soften. "It was good of you to come here. As an old man with old-fashioned ideas of good manners, I appreciate the gesture. But it isn't me you must ask. It's Kaoru-chan." Slowly Kenshin began to absorb this. "But--" "I have never made decisions for that girl, and I'd be a fool to try to start now. If you're looking for acceptance, take it with my blessing. I believe in my heart that you are an honorable man, even if..." he paused, remembering the phrase, "...even if parts of your past are nothing to be proud of. Permission, though--that I can't give you. I have no right to." He stood then, perforce inviting his guest to stand as well. Kenshin was still looking slightly befuddled, but he had gathered that the answer was not precisely "no, you can't have her," and this much reassured him. "There is only one real concern that I have," the doctor continued. "The time you left to go to Kyoto--" he noticed as Kenshin's eyes closed and his head bowed, and decided that further accusations were unnecessary here. "At that time, you thought you might return to wandering. Is that right?" "I thought...I might have to. Yes." "Could something of that sort happen again?" "No," Kenshin said, his eyes opening wide with relief. "No. I'm not going anywhere. Not as long as she'll let me stay." "Fine," the doctor said, nodding as he turned to lead the way out to the front door. "That's all I wanted to know." The night was cool when they emerged, the sky bejeweled with stars. Kenshin, the doctor thought, had the air of a man just escaped from purgatory. So, you think the ordeal is over, do you? he asked silently, chuckling a little. Well, perhaps it was. Asking Kaoru was bound to be quite a different--and probably more enjoyable--affair than asking him had been. Kenshin slipped into his sandals and bowed deeply to his host. "Is there anything else?" he asked, returning to the comfortable mode of ordinary politeness. "One last thing. This isn't the same as granting permission, but..." the doctor paused, considering what to say. "I want you to know, I will not be sorry to see my sometime granddaughter made happy." For the first time that evening, Kenshin smiled with no shadows at all. "Arigatou, Genzai-sensei." He bowed deeply once more. "I will do my utmost." He turned, then, and padded off into the night, the sheathed blade swaying quietly with his footsteps. The doctor watched him go, standing on the step in the place of his earlier dozing. High above, the constellations turned in their mysterious wheel, deciding, determining, decreeing. And connecting. There, Kamiya-san, he thought, gazing upward at his memory of the man. You can rest easy. Your daughter has found herself a true and steady helpmeet. Dr. Genzai hid a smile as he turned back into the house. And with the amount of trouble she gets into, she needs him. * * * Notes: geta--wooden sandals worn with a kimono konbanwa--good evening hakama, gi, haori--articles of clothing. Kenshin wears a hakama on his bottom and a gi on his top. A haori is a sort of jacket worn over gi. sou de gozaru ka--rhetorical "is that so?", Kenshin-style dame yo--dame = no good; yo = emphasis particle purgatory--Yes, I realize that purgatory is a Western, Judeo/Christian concept, and that it would never enter into Dr. Genzai's head. Consider it artistic license. Rurouni Kenshin and all related characters belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shueisha, Sony Entertainment, et al. This unworthy (and destitute) author is merely borrowing. ____________________________________________________________ List Site: http://www.findmail.com/list/rkfanfics/ To unsubscribe, send to rkfanfics-unsubscribe@makelist.com FREE group e-mail lists at http://www.findmail.com