A/N: I have decided to try my luck with a new fanfiction. This one is sure to have angst, ROMANCE, and humor, not to mention a thief! I hope that you will all read and enjoy this new work as you have done with others! =) I want to be a happy authoress and write more and more for you guys so review at the end and tell me how the opening chapter came out! Arigatou and enjoy!

Truly, Madly, Deeply

"Kaoru-dono?" Himura Kenshin called out from his room in their very large dojo. He innocently put his ear against his closed door and to his surprise heard no cheery response from her. "Kaoru-dono?" He tried again. There was still bitter silence that filled the entire atmosphere, causing his expression to sour up. I wonder where she went, that I do. She had told me that we were supposed to go out together to buy ingredients for tonight's dinner… Kenshin put a hand to his forehead and sighed heavily as he calmly slid his door open. As his eyes shot up, he noticed that Kaoru was standing right there, with a new kimono that she wore, obviously modeling for Kenshin.

"Hee hee! Do you like it, Kenshin?" Kaoru twirled once and her smile widened on her face as she noticed the clueless, dumbfounded look implanted upon Kenshin's face. The silence that Kenshin gave off made Kaoru pout and bite her lip. "Well, okay…I guess that you don't like it," She said with a noticeable little huff. "And anyway, it's too late to change out of it now since it's about two."

"No, don't change now!" She looked at him with wide eyes, wanting him to back up what he just stated. "I never said that I didn't like it, Kaoru-dono. It befits you very nicely, that it does." Kaoru blushed faintly as she heard that Kenshin fished out that compliment. The kimono that she wore consisted only of beautiful earth tones that caused her skin to appear darker than it normally would if she were to wear her sunflower colored kimono. The rurouni stared at the colors on her kimono and smiled. He really did think that it looked good on her and he was glad that she took the time to dress nicely so that they could spend the day together. Secretly, he loved spending every minute of the day with her and he wished that their moments together could last for eternity but he was simply a rurouni and there was no time for romance…according to his standards. "Well shall we head out to the market, Kaoru-dono?"

"Umm…Kenshin?" Kaoru questioned. His innocent and carefree amethyst gaze locked with her azure pigment in her eyes and smiled warmly as a response. "I forgot to tell you…or ask you I mean…" He noticed that she was fidgeting with her fingers the entire time that she spoke. "I have tickets to see a play and…and…I…" Kenshin took hold of her hand nodded. "I wanted to ask you before but you were always so busy with chores."

"I apologize, Kaoru-dono, that I do. Demo…hai, I would love to go see a play with you now." Kaoru smiled and grasped the tickets firmly. "But I guess that means that we will have to hold off on preparing dinner, isn't that right? And I promised Sano that I would so that he could eat here…" Kenshin looked down, resulting in hiding his eyes from Kaoru.

"Oh stop piling everyone's problems onto your shoulders!" Kaoru huffed.

"Hai! Yes ma'am!" Kenshin replied quickly. She released a heavy sigh and Kenshin closed his door to his room and both of them silently walked out of the dojo. Since Yahiko was at the Akabeko, helping Tae and Tsubame with customers and whatnot, their abode was completely silent and it irritated Kaoru in someway. She wanted Kenshin to talk with her about everyday life or anything that would involve friendliness. But of course, the rurouni's lips stayed sealed as she walked by Kenshin's side the entire time.

It had been about ten minutes of walking and because of Kenshin's request, they had decided to take the route that cut through the town instead of the secluded path. He had seen how much the silence was bothering Kaoru and he figured that he could be nice and allow her to feel comfortable as they walked down together. Occasionally, Kaoru would 'accidentally' bump into Kenshin as she moved, hoping that they would strike up conversation. But much to her dismay, the crimson haired swordsman would just smile and continue looking forward. Kaoru just couldn't take his antisocial behavior anymore…it was starting to anger her. "Umm, Kenshin. Don't you want to talk about anything? Is anything on your mind? Anything at all?"

"On my mind, Kaoru-dono? Well…I like how it seems to be a perfect day. The sky is a pure color and the sun is out. I couldn't ask for a more perfect day." Kaoru nodded, anxious for him to continue. She just wanted him to open up to her, as he had never done before. She was looking straight at him, not paying attention to the bustling townsfolk around her. Because she was not paying attention to where she was going, she bumped into a man who accidentally ran into her, not looking where he was going either. This impact caused her to fall backward onto her shins. "Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin cried as he rushed to pick her up from the ground. "Are you alright? I was concerned about --"

"Oh my gosh, ma'am! Daijoubu ka!" The man said as he came back and helped her up, practically shoving Kenshin out of the way. "I cannot believe that I was so clumsy and foolishly shunned everyone around me! Are you all right? I am so truly sorry for this!" The man rambled on, as he looked straight into Kaoru's eyes. Kenshin watched the two and arched an eyebrow, suspecting that the man may be trying to flirt with Kaoru. Oh…why should that bother me? Kaoru-dono and I aren't involved so I shouldn't be acting as if we are, that I shouldn't. But I can't help it if it irritates me even in the smallest bit. Kaoru smiled at the man and walked back to Kenshin, lightly touching his arm. "Please! If there is anything that I can do to make up for this…let me know!" The man continued, staring at Kaoru's porcelain colored face.

"Uh, no." Kaoru said, a little confused as to why the man was so persistent. "Everything is fine, sir. Now I must go," Kaoru said politely. "Goodbye," was the last thing that she said before she turned around with Kenshin and walked in the direction that they were headed in the first place. The man continued to stare at the way that Kaoru walked…he seemed to think that she was beautiful even at first glance. I must learn her name. She is the most beautiful creature on this planet and that I am sure of! He waited until Kenshin and Kaoru were out of his sight before he continued on his way.

Kenshin and Kaoru walked a little closer together ever since that incident in the town streets. Maybe because Kenshin felt that Kaoru should be with him instead of that man…he was just too naïve to admit it. "Kaoru-dono, are you sure that you don't want me to carry you the rest of the way? It looks as if you are hurt because of that fall." Kaoru shook her head and continued to walk, even though it hurt. "Please, Kaoru-dono. I don't want you straining yourself. Let me help you…admit it, it will be easier for you wouldn't it?" He concluded with that innocent, sweet tone of his. He put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "Is it that you don't want me to?"

"No, Kenshin…why are you pushing this?" The rurouni simply stared at her with his violet eyes and to this she sighed. "I just don't want you bothering to carry me when I know that everything is fine. Besides, there's only a little bit more walking that we have to do and I don't think that it'll kill me if I have to move my legs." Kenshin's heart began to pound in an unfamiliar way when Kaoru stared back at him. I don't want her putting such stress on her body. It's not good for her, that it isn't. So I guess I don't have much of a choice. I'll only carry her for a little while…

"Sumimasen, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin said quickly as he scooped her off of her feet and into his strong arms. He noticed that her eyes were as wide as can be because of the decision that he made…he didn't care. He just wanted to make sure that she was okay after her collision with that strange man that they had encountered in the marketplace. "I don't want you saying things that you don't mean. I can see you limp when you walk and forgive me for saying that it pains me to watch you push yourself." Kaoru said nothing. Instead, a sheet of crimson wrapped tightly around her face and to this, Kenshin couldn't stop looking at her with those big, amethyst orbs of his.

"Ken…shin…?" Kaoru started slowly.

"H-hai?" He replied back in a quivering voice, he had never felt so strange before. The way that she felt in his arms made him comfortable and warm. Tensions mounted as her blue eyes widened at him, piercing through his own private thoughts. The thoughts about what he really felt for her. Kaoru didn't reply quickly and he silently urged her to continue with her trail of thought. For some reason, he didn't feel as if he knew Kaoru at that moment. He felt her to be a stranger, someone that he was quite uneasy around.

"Ken…shin. We're here…" She said as she touched his arm. He nodded slowly and gently put her down on the ground, his eyes never left hers…not even for an instant. "You look very pale. Maybe this was a bad idea, after all." She said as she put a hand on her hip. "I don't want you getting sick, Kenshin. Let's go back."

"No, Kaoru-dono. You were kind enough to bring me here and I will feel foolish if I have to turn back at the last minute. Besides, I'm fine, that I am. So I'm ready to go in." Kaoru smiled warmly and pulled out the tickets that were in her kimono. They both headed for the ticket table and Kaoru slid the two to the man at the booth. "I'm glad that I can finally relax for a day, that I am," he said, accompanied by a heavy sigh. Looking down at her, he saw her with a grin from ear to ear, completely excited that they were going to spend the day together…just the two of them.

Kaoru's impish grin was for reasons that Kenshin may or may not know about. Heh, heh. I bought these tickets knowing full well that he would go with me because he's too sweet not to. And he doesn't even know that it's a romance that we're going to see. Maybe now I'll be able to tell him how I feel and maybe he'll return the affection that I have for him. She looked over at her favorite rurouni and saw him fumbling through his gi in a cute kind of way. Her grin never faded as she slowly took his arm and leaned on him, loving the way that his manly scent wafted in and out of her nostrils. "Oro?" He yelped as Kaoru nuzzled his arm in a way that he never dreamed of.

"Oh, I'm sorry for that, I didn't know that it bothered you so much… Uh…let's just go in now! Yeah, that's right," she said nervously. And what made her even more nervous was the fact that Kenshin was completely surprised by the way that she was trying to show her affection. Me thinking that Kenshin felt the same way was just a silly little thought that sat in the back of my head. No, of course I shouldn't have expected that he has feelings for me…that would only happen in the wildest of my dreams.

Kaoru-dono seems to be acting differently, that she does. I didn't mind the way that she leaned on me…it just all happened a little too fast. I-- what am I saying? I have no time to play with Kaoru-dono's heart. It must be the heat today that's driving everyone a little crazy. Huh, well I guess the both of us can relax when the play begins. Kenshin shook his head and the both of them walked side by side into the theater where they would soon view a play that may make Kenshin even more fervent than he was when Kaoru touched him in the way that she did.

A/N: Did you like the first chapter? I hope so. And even though the introduction didn't have K/K waff, the next chapter is SURE to have some…ahem…graphic scenes! I hope that you review and make me a happy authoress! I'll have the next chapter up soon, minna-chan!

Ja ne! Review onegai!

Son Christine