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Author’s Note: Thanks for all the support from everyone who’s interested in this story. I appreciate it a lot!
For those who don’t know, I’ve started a collection of drabbles called ‘Pieces of Sunset’ that deals with Kenshin and Kaoru’s past from this story, ‘Tendrils of Sunset’. If you’re interested, be sure to drop in and read!
A special thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter – chakitattyla2h8, toxiclollipop, sapphireracoongal, Tree, ShadeSpirit, I Heart Edward Cullen, Kristy-chan, sulou, Shauntell, trunksgirl85, blooded wyngs, Royal blueKitsune, guardian forever, Jasmine blossom625, Mizz-Clumsy, ixchen, ChildlikeEmpress, skenshingumi, nightshade, inuwolf04, Ma-meido-chan, loviegurlie, unknown beedee, KawaiiInuyasha14841, Nanakiyoda, Animekitty07, Raven2120, Madosie, Anonymous but very interested (thank you very much), Unforgivable Horror, and kingleby.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
Tendrils of Sunset
Chapter 16
“Expect the Unexpected”
She was comfortable and warm despite the chill that the night wind carried over her exposed skin. The dock beneath her back was sturdy and familiar, and the sound of the water as it lapped against the aged wood was soothing. Eyes caught by the ethereal sheen of the stars, Kaoru sighed, and crossed her arms over her chest.
Head pillowed by Kenshin’s stomach, Kaoru let a small smile curl her lips in response to the chuckle she felt rumble through his body. He must have found something Yahiko said amusing. Kenshin was lying vertically on the dock, she horizontal. His head was supported by his folded arms, hers by his body – it was a position they had often taken before, when they had been younger and full of laughter. The shaking of one’s body as they were wracked with mirth had always been fun to experience this way.
Tonight…it was merely for comfort and closeness.
Above, the stars cradled within the night’s grasp seemed as elusive as they had always been. The gentle sparkle they exuded was like a playful wink amidst the blackness. Kaoru scanned the small dots, her gaze narrow. Her search was in vain, though, as the sky remained unchanged.
“So exactly when is this supposed to happen?” she asked.
“Three a.m.”
“It’s 3:30 already. Did you get the time wrong?”
Kenshin sighed tolerantly. “No. Have a little patience.”
Kaoru pursed her lips. “I’ve been patient for quite awhile now.”
An annoyed voice piped up a few feet away from them, saying, “Kaoru, just shut up, will you? I was enjoying the silence. Your voice grates on the nerves, you know.”
For the first time in quite awhile, Kaoru resisted the urge to get up and pummel her arrogant, young cousin. Though Yahiko had stepped out of line again while addressing her, she was just too damn relaxed to move. Kaoru let out a small humph in response, and let her lips take on a belligerent slant.
Yahiko was about ten feet away from them, his arms stretched out on the wood as he laid back watching the stars. Beside him, Sanosuke reclined, his mouth wide open as he snored.
“Where did you find the information about this meteor shower?” Kaoru asked, returning to her interrogation of Kenshin as she fidgeting slightly with increasing impatience. She felt Kenshin reach down and slide his fingers through her bangs, letting the smooth strands tangle with his gently moving digits.
“The newspaper. The time they stated was just an estimation. Let’s give it a few more minutes. I’m sure we’ll see some soon.”
“What if we don’t?” she retorted, narrowing her gaze to stare at a moving dot. Nope, she sighed…only a passing airplane.
Kenshin was silent for a moment before saying, “Ice cream. On me. Tomorrow after school.”
Yahiko snorted. “You better be glad that Sano’s asleep. He’d make you broke with a promise like that.”
“I didn’t say unlimited,” Kenshin replied, amused.
“That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t make it unlimited.”
A sudden, mischievous grin crossed Kaoru’s features and twisted her arm around to jab a finger into Kenshin‘s side. He let out a small grunt. “Get me ice cream either way.”
Kenshin chuckled. “Why would I do that?”
“Just because.”
“Because what? I need a valid reason.”
“We haven’t gone to get ice cream together in a long time.”
He couldn’t argue with that. It really had been a long time since they had journeyed to an ice cream parlor together and enjoyed the cold treat. Kenshin sighed, “I’ll think about it.”
Yahiko made an odd noise of protest. “If Kaoru’s getting ice cream either way, so am I. Come up with another alternative now,” Yahiko said.
“I said I’d think about it. I didn’t agree to it.”
“But, you will,” Yahiko mused. “Don’t deny it.”
Kenshin felt Kaoru shaking against him. He lifted his head to look down at her and found her pressing her hands to her lips in a poor attempt to conceal her amusement.
“You two aren’t getting anything.”
Kaoru squawked in protest. “But, it was all him!”
“Doesn’t matter.”
This time, her comfortable position against Kenshin wasn’t enough to stop her from bolting up and lurching menacingly at her cousin. She wasn’t quick enough, though. Tight arms caught her from behind, one wrapping around her waist while the other restrained one of her outstretched arms. Yahiko chuckled at the odd picture Kaoru made before turning away nonchalantly and infuriating her even more.
Kenshin pulled her floundering form tightly against his, bringing her more fully against his chest. She slowly stilled, settling somewhat belligerently in his arms. She grabbed at his hands and shoved in a feeble attempt to escape. But it was half-hearted and after a few seconds, she sighed and pinched the skin of Kenshin‘s hand as a form of rebuttal.
Suddenly, Yahiko bolted upright, his eyes trained on the night sky above. “I saw one!” he exclaimed, causing Kaoru and Kenshin to look up simultaneously.
One was understatement. A silver streaking of hundreds of meteors streamed through the darkness, leaving glowing trails that lasted less than a second. It was a sea of illumination that fell between the unmoving stars and descended magically through the darkness. Kaoru’s breath caught and she could do nothing but stare. Kenshin’s arms tightened reflexively around her waist, and Kaoru leaned fully against him, letting her head fall back against his collarbone. He was warm and solid, a soothing reassurance in the cool, crisp air of the night.
She could feel the heat from his breath against her cheek as she watched the glorious display of the heavens. The hued light of the falling stars was reflected in the gentle ripples of the lake, shimmering with added silver splendor.
As she watched, she slipped her hand into Kenshin’s and intertwined their fingers. “I wish I had the materials needed to photograph this properly,” she murmured.
Kenshin lowered his head, brushing his cheek against hers. “Maybe another time?”
A slow smile spread over her lips. “I think that’s a wonderful idea.”
He looked back up, his eyes skimming over the lighted brilliance. “Good.”
There were murmurs of agreement, and some of her students shifted anticipatorily in their seats.
“Unfortunately, we can’t conduct the field trip during school hours for various reasons. I’ve arranged a situation like the one when we went to the carnival. I scheduled the visit for this Saturday. If you aren’t able to go this weekend, I can schedule an additional one for later in the month. Personally, I think that the earlier you go, the better. The end of the semester is approaching faster than you might realize, and you’ll need all the time you can get to develop everything that you need for your projects.”
Kaoru looked at her students. “I have a handout for you to take home and show your parents. I’d like for everyone to inform me of what they plan to do tomorrow. If not tomorrow, as soon as possible. These trips are not required. If you don’t wish to go, I will not force you. This experience is only something that will hopefully help you meet the requirements I’ve given you for your projects. And, of course, it’s for you to have a fun time as well. Green Goose Island is known most for the wildlife, but there are wonderful landscapes and nature pieces that can be taken there as well.”
A couple teenagers raised their hands and asked simple questions, which Kaoru answered quickly, because the class period was nearing its end. The bell rang, and the students got up accordingly, departing from the classroom as they spoke quietly with one another.
Kaoru reached down and gathered her materials from the desk, placing them in an organized fashion in her briefcase. She slid the strap over her shoulder, and left the room as the teacher who taught the next class in the same room entered. They nodded politely to each other while she walked through the doorway.
Kaoru walked briskly down the hallway, her heels clicking on the checkered linoleum floor. There was a thick flow of students hurrying to their next class. The sound of slamming lockers, conversation and laughter filled the hall. She turned a corner, and then came to halt in front of the doorway that she knew led to Kenshin’s classroom.
There were still a few students milling about in the classroom from the previous period. One young girl was at Kenshin’s desk, leaning over a piece of paper placed on the surface, the utmost concentration schooled on her features. Kenshin was going over something intently with her, so Kaoru moved to the back of the classroom, and set her briefcase down on a small table that was pushed up against the wall. Kenshin looked up briefly before going back to his student’s question.
Kaoru pulled out some papers to work on, and spent the next ten minutes doing so while he was busy. It wasn’t until she heard him say, “Give this note to your next teacher to explain your tardiness, Melissa,” that she knew the small meeting was over.
The girl nodded, grabbed her backpack, and quickly left the room.
Kenshin walked over to her slowly, and quirked an eyebrow. “This is new. You hardly ever come to my room during this time.”
Kaoru sighed and nodded. “I needed to talk to you about this weekend.”
“What about it?” he asked, sitting down at a desk across from where she sat.
“I invited my students over to Green Goose Island so they could photograph it, and I need some other chaperones to help me with them. If the whole class attends, there’s no way I can be attentive with everyone there. Are you free to help?”
Kenshin cocked his head to the side. “Of course.” He frowned and leaned forward. “I don’t have to help teach, though, right? You know I’m horrible with explaining photography.”
She snorted. “Of course, you won’t have to teach. I just need you to help keep track of them all.”
“Do you have anyone else lined up?”
She smiled somewhat weakly. “Kamatari.” Kenshin made a funny sound in the back of his throat. She rolled her eyes at him. “Kamatari’s not that bad, Kenshin. I would have asked Sano, but I know he‘s working this weekend.”
Kenshin sat still for moment, his lips drawn in a straight line making him appear as if he was deciding whether he wanted to tell her something he thought vital. He reached up a hand and rubbed his palm against his forehead while sighing. “You do know one of the reasons he’s here is to get…romantically involved with you?”
“Uh…well, about that,” she started, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. “He, uh, has delusions of grandeur sometimes -”
“Seemed pretty serious about it to me.”
“You shouldn’t worry about him.”
“You protecting him like this makes me more nervous, you know. He hasn’t tried anything has he?” Kenshin’s face was intent, his eyes probing. “He definitely strikes me as a sly person.”
“You have no idea,” she murmured softly to herself. If Kamatari really was after her, there were many ploys he would have already put into action. Ambushing her in the shower, sneaking up on her while she was sleeping, hiding in her darkroom – there were a lot of scenarios she could imagine him performing. She had watched him try to snare many, many men when traveling with him in Europe. Kamatari took romance seriously. Almost too seriously.
It surprised her that in the past few days, he hadn’t bothered her. Even though he was just playacting to get Kenshin nervous, she hadn’t expected him to be this…quiet. The past week that he had stayed in her house had definitely been milder than she had originally expected.
“What did you say?” Kenshin asked.
She looked up at him. “Oh, nothing. Just mumbling to myself.”
“And you’re not going to fill me in?”
“Nope,” she said, smiling sweetly at him.
“I don’t know. Give me time to choose,” Yahiko muttered, eyeing the large containers of ice cream through the glass in front of him.
“I’ll bet it’s… Cotton Candy Madness.”
Yahiko glared at her.
“Batman?”
He turned away from her.
“Oh, I know! It’s Barbie Bubblegum.”
He stalked away from her.
“You shouldn’t tease him so much,” Kenshin whispered into her ear.
“The boy has thick skin. If he can dish it out, he can take it.”
Kenshin sighed.
“Do you know what you want, sir?”
Kenshin looked up to see a young teenage girl garbed in the aqua uniform of the ice cream parlor. He looked over at Kaoru and watched as she pointed to a label in front of them. He nodded. “I’d like two regular cones both with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.”
“Two scoops?”
“Yes.”
Yahiko plodded over, a cone of chocolate ice cream in his hand. Once the girl had given both Kenshin and Kaoru their ice cream, Kenshin paid, and they moved to sit down at one of the vacant tables.
Kaoru took several generous bites of her ice cream, causing Yahiko to shudder.
“How can you bite it like that? Doesn’t it hurt?”
She shrugged. “Tastes better this way.”
“I don’t see how.”
Kenshin chuckled. “She’s always eaten her ice cream that way. Does the same with popsicles and the like.”
“Seriously, Kaoru…it hurts to watch.”
“Then don’t watch.”
“It’s kind of hard not to. We are sitting at the same table.”
She sighed in exasperation. “You are a royal pain in the butt, you know.”
Yahiko merely grinned at her.
Even though she hated to do it, Kaoru compromised grudgingly, moving to lick her cool treat instead of biting hunks out if it.
The trio was silent for a few minutes before Yahiko said, “So what’s this about a bunch of students coming over to the house this weekend?”
“Where did you hear about that?” she asked, her interest mildly piqued.
“You left your itinerary on the kitchen counter,” he replied dryly.
“Ah,” Kaoru mused with a weak smile. “They’re just coming to take photos.”
“Do you think I’d be able to spend the night at a friend’s house? I don’t feel like being there when a zoo people descend upon my home. It’s kind of nightmarish, actually.”
“Whatever you prefer. Just tell me when and where.”
“Is she dragging you into this mess, Kenshin?” Yahiko asked, smirking slightly.
“Yes, she is.”
“Have fun…”
Kaoru hurried down the long decline of steps leading to the lake with a pen in her mouth and her arms full of miscellaneous papers to hand out to her students.
Kenshin had arranged for everyone to meet initially at his house, so they could break into about four or five groups to be transported by boat to the island. For this special occasion, Kenshin was using the motorboat he most often ignored in favor of the old-fashioned row-boat.
Kaoru stood on the shore of the lake, watching as Kenshin handed out lifejackets. Even though the lake wasn’t too deep, it was important to take precautions despite the very slim chances of having an accident.
Kamatari had opted to stay with Kaoru, and he now stood with her on the shore to greet the students as they stepped onto the island. There was a mellow light to his eyes, and he seemed more subdued than usual, which surprised her. If anything, she had expected him to be somewhat conniving, since he would only remain with her for a few more days. His odd behavior made her wary.
When all the students were finally scuttled across the expanse of water, Kaoru quickly separated them into three groups. Though the students that got Kenshin as their guide would not receive many photography pointers, he knew the island as well as she did, and he knew the places that Kaoru enjoyed to photograph the most, unlike Kamatari, which made the splitting of the students fairly well balanced.
As they separated and went their respective ways, Kenshin cast one last look at Kaoru before leading his group of students to the east side of the island. The teenagers spread out in a small radius as they walked through the greenery, stopping frequently to take photos of many things. Some stopped for details easily overlooked, while others decided that the more obvious particulars of their surroundings would make better photos.
There were some questions pertaining to photography that they opted to ask. Kenshin’s limited knowledge made his answers incomplete, but he tried his best to lift any confusion. Being around Kaoru as much as he had had given him some practical understanding of the subject.
When they finally reached the east side of the island, the shore was empty. Students spread out, searching for the perfect place to concentrate on. Kenshin kept a watchful eye on them.
But, soon, they were joined by Kaoru’s group of students. He wasn’t surprised. This was her favorite place in the island, after all.
Slipping his hands into his pockets, Kenshin turned his gaze to study her form, watching as she kneeled next to a student to help rearrange the boy’s grip on his camera. Pointing to the goose that waddled in front of them, her lips moved as she explained some photographic method to him.
Kenshin could tell that she was having fun. Her lips curved into a proud smile as she watched her student. Hands on hips, she stood and glanced up, finally catching a glimpse of him. She lifted a hand and waved slightly, while tilting her head to the side to study him.
Another student came over to distract her, and she pulled her attention away.
Kenshin continued to watch as she assisted.
Sometimes it was hard to figure out what she was thinking. Other times, it was secondhand nature. There was connection between the two of them that held like unbreakable cement. Though the years they had spent apart wore on the invisible ties that connected them so seamlessly, they had still remained despite the obvious weakening. And, now, after their reunion, it was full, whole, and strong again.
But, their relationship had evolved into a different, more complex association, one that held much more meaning, now, compared to the one they had shared while growing up. Recently, the connection had twisted slightly, not strained, yet uncertain. There was a tentative atmosphere around them that had never been present before.
Drawn closer together, boundaries that had once defined their friendship were erased, and thoughts were formed that had once been foreign and improbable; now, those thoughts were as natural as breathing.
Kenshin closed his eyes as he thought of her - of how she had changed so much in his eyes.
The scent of her hair. The slight curling of her lips when amused. The curve of her neck. The gracefulness of her hands. The taste of her lips.
New and old had combined in a way that was unrecognizable, yet recognizable at the same time. He was finally viewing her through eyes unclouded by preconceptions, and was instead seeing her as a man – a lover - would.
Now that he had had a glimpse of a different kind of life with her, he knew there was no turning back. The both of them were forever changed because the past handful of days. The only way was forward.
And he intended to follow that onward path.
He stood against the shore of the water, half his attention on the students shuffling around near him, while the other half was attached on her. There was seriousness to his stance that she could ascertain even from this distance. Hands contained by his pockets, Kenshin stared at her with a contemplative slant to his shoulders.
Turning her gaze away to answer a student’s question, Kaoru sighed, and attempted to keep her attention focused. Unfortunately, she couldn’t help the wandering of her mind.
It almost felt as if she was walking around in someone’s shoes - living a life she had only dreamed of when she had been young and full of mindless fantasies. Kenshin had always been so close to her, but never close enough. Now that she had felt what it was like to be near him, to feel his lips on hers, to have him wrap her in his arms, she felt as if her life had come to a point of culmination. She had set herself up for a mighty fall or for a great completion. It was getting harder and harder to tell which.
Kenshin had always been present, but unobtainable to her in the way she had always yearned for. To feel his eyes staring at her, containing a fire that was anything but friendly, was humbling and beautiful and heart stopping.
Kaoru trembled. She hoped she had what it took to preserve this new aspect of their relationship. She hoped that Kenshin was willing to go to the great lengths that she was.
Glancing across the way, her eyes softened at the smile he offered, the simple gesture of greeting that he gave.
And with that simple motion, Kaoru felt remarkably reassured.
Kaoru didn’t seem to have noticed him, her attention solely fixed on readying the room for developing her photos. She nibbled her bottom lip as she screwed the top on the jug of chemicals and set it down in one of the cabinets under the counter. Wiping her hands on the front of her apron, she turned toward the doorway and finally caught sight of him.
Her smile was wry, and she raised an eyebrow quizzically. “I figured you’d already be home,” she mused, turning to arrange some of her equipment.
“No. Nothing to do over there.”
“And what do you plan to do here?” she asked, sending him an amused look. “Develop photos with me?”
“Sure.”
Now that surprised her. Dropping her hands to her sides, Kaoru bit the inside her cheek as she studied him with narrowed eyes. “Seriously?”
“I’ve gotten rusty. Care to show me again?”
“Is this genuine interest, or are you just trying to find an excuse to stay?”
Kenshin pushed off from the doorjamb and slowly walked over to her. Reaching out, he brushed her bangs from her eyes and cocked his head to the side. “A little of both,” he admitted.
Kaoru stood there a moment, eyeing him with a dubious expression on her face. Amused by her suspicion, Kenshin smiled and leaned forward to place a chaste, quick kiss on her lips. He felt the surprised jolt that slid down her frame.
She let out a shaky sigh when he lifted his eyes to peer at her suddenly cloudy gaze. Murmuring something under her breath, she quickly turned away from him and set to piddling with some of the things she had laid out on the counter.
She cleared her throat, and said, “You can go ahead and close the door and turn off the lights. I have everything set up.”
He hummed softly in accord and did as she said. Once darkness bathed the room, Kaoru reached over the counter and flipped on the safe-lights. Kenshin came back to stand directly behind her. It was a position that they had taken numerous times in the past when she had coerced him into helping her develop pictures while in high school. Except now, she was even more aware of the breath that tickled the nape of neck, the warmth of his body directly behind hers, and the familiar scent of his aftershave.
She was beginning to realize that it was going to difficult to concentrate when so close to him.
After positioning her negatives in the enlarger, Kaoru set the time of exposure on her clock, and then brushed past Kenshin to collect a piece of pre-cut photo paper in the light-safe box she kept it in. He stepped back and watched as she efficiently centered the paper underneath the enlarger, and then flicked the machine on to expose the sensitive material. The light illuminated the room for half a minute before the enlarger shut off. Kaoru quickly lifted the paper, but Kenshin reached over and took it from her grasp, slipping it carefully into the first tray of liquid.
She handed him the tongs and leaned her hip against the counter, watching as he worked the liquid over the paper.
“Do you think you can do this without any help?” she asked, squinting at his face through the dim, red light.
“I guess we’ll find out,” he mused, giving her a half-smile. “I’ll admit it’s a tad foggy, but I believe I remember the general idea.”
Kaoru remained silent during the rest of process, watching as he moved the photo from tray to tray using the correct tongs, and in the correct time intervals. He remembered more than she had expected. Once finished, he placed the photo into a plastic tub which sat in the sink and turned on the faucet to let running water course over the paper.
Glancing from her to his handwork, Kenshin asked, “How did I do?”
“We won’t know until we turn on the lights.”
“Shall I turn them on?”
Kaoru nodded slowly. “I’m curious to see if a thirty second exposure is what I needed,” she replied, watching as Kenshin trudged over to the wall. The bright lights made her blink. Pulling the photo out from underneath the running water, she peered at it speculatively before chewing her bottom lip in thought and placing it back into the tub in the sink to be rinsed some more.
“Well?”
“I guess I could tweak it a second or two, but for now I want to keep going. I’m going to go ahead and reposition the negatives in the enlarger to develop a different photograph.”
“Is the next piece going to be of me?” Kenshin asked, his eyebrows upraised in mock innocence.
Kaoru snorted and elbowed him in the stomach. “Don’t be stupid. You aren’t even on this set.”
It was almost automatically that his hands caught her arm, and he pulled her gently against him. She was taken off guard by the suddenness of his movements at first, eyes widening and raising to meet his. Her searching gaze collided with eyes of deep amethyst that were laced with a muted amber; they held a blur of unreadable emotion.
Kaoru felt tension drain from her limbs, her lips parting as she watched him lower his head slowly. He stopped his decent mere centimeters from her lips, and slid fingers over her cheeks to then slip into the hair she had tied back. Closing his eyes, he touched his forehead to hers, letting out a deep sigh as he leaned against her.
Kaoru felt a patient smile curve her lips as she wrapped her arms around his waist, slipping her fingers around the waistband of his jeans.
He was hesitant for reasons she wasn’t aware of, but it didn’t matter. It was kind of endearing, actually. It made the moment all the more important.
“You’re too slow,” she murmured, before slanting her head and raising herself slightly up on tiptoe to press her lips against his. He was sluggish to react, almost lazy. Hands moving down from her hair to her neck, he traced a finger along her jaw. Swaying into him, Kaoru attempted to deepen the tentative kiss. Kenshin’s response was a low groan as he accepted her questing lips wholeheartedly with his own, tongue tangling hotly with hers.
The length of time that they spent locked against each other, mouths caressing, lips intertwining was lost to the both of them. The lack of air finally forced them to part, breathing heavily, cheeks flushed, and hands tight on each other. Kaoru sucked in a wobbly breath as she rocked unsteadily into his frame. Kenshin’s gaze lighted above her shoulder at the clock on the wall. Letting out a heavy sigh, he leaned forward to touch his cheek to hers.
“It’s getting late. I should go,” he said softly, the husky tone of his voice doing odd things to her stomach.
She didn’t trust herself to speak, and only nodded.
Sliding his fingers one last time through her hair, tucking a stray slip behind her ear, Kenshin moved past her to the door and turned the knob.
Or at least he tried.
It was locked.
“Um, Kaoru…is this supposed to be locked?”
Turning, her eyes narrowed, and she frowned. Coming to stand beside him, she tried to turn the knob and found that it was, indeed, locked. She stood there for moment, her mind lost in thought, and then finally, her face contorted into a disbelieving expression. Rattling the doorknob forcefully, Kaoru banged her fist against the wood as a growl curled up from her throat.
“Kaoru?”
She was muttering lowly under her breath as she fiddled with the unmoving doorknob, and all he could catch was ‘gonna kill him,’ and ‘can’t believe it’.
Staring down at her flushed features, Kenshin leaned a shoulder against the door and raised an eyebrow to catch her attention. Raising narrow eyes to his, Kaoru pursed her lips. She stood there for a moment, silent as she brooded.
Her words, when she spoke, were sharp and terse, and there was something about the way she said them that made him suspicious. “It’s broken.”
She sure wasn’t acting as if it was broken.
“Broken, broken, broken,” she muttered to herself crossly.
“Which means?”
“We’re stuck in here for who knows how long.”
“Do you have a cell phone?”
Kaoru sighed and shook her head. “It wouldn’t do any good anyways. Yahiko’s gone for the night, and Kamatari is useless.” She frowned and flicked her gaze to his. “So, I’m sorry to say, you’re going to be stuck with me in here for the night.”
“Ah.”
Brushing a hand thought her hair, she had the sudden urge to melt into a puddle of frustration on the floor. Kaoru looked away and glanced over her materials. Kenshin followed the line of her vision and stepped closer to her, slipping his hand around hers and giving it a slight squeeze. His warmth was reassuring.
“Well, we might as well do something useful, eh? Let’s develop more of your photos.”
Humming softly in agreement, Kaoru leaned against him for a slight second before stepping away toward the enlarger to position the negatives.
A few hours later, they sat on the floor, Kenshin leaning against the wall, Kaoru between his legs with her back to his chest. His head was turned to the side, his eyes closed as he breathed evenly with sleep. His arms cradled her form, holding her loosely to him. Kaoru shifted slightly so that she could lay her head against his collarbone, near his shoulder.
She could hear the soft thump of his heartbeat through the thin material of his shirt, and it was with tentative fingers that she fiddled with the material of his sleeve.
The door broken?
Ha…
More like locked from the outside.
And she knew exactly who had locked them in the darkroom. Kamatari might be secretive about his plans, but he wasn’t very original, and he wasn’t subtle. Her initial anger had been blinding, her thoughts centered on the fact that Kamatari would do something so stupid, so annoying. She had been dim-witted to let her guard down so easily.
But…to say that she didn’t like sitting here with Kenshin all alone, illuminated by only the soft hue of the safe-lights, would be a lie. The limited light cast an aura of secretiveness about the two of them. A small smile touched her lips as she closed her eyes, letting go of all the other surroundings, concentrating only on Kenshin.
Only Kenshin.
Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all…
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