Diary of a Manslayer
A sequel to Kendo no Go
by Akai Kitsune ::: 20.Feb.2004
Chapter 03: The Halls of the Law
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When Kenji was almost five years old, and Kaoru surprised him by telling him she was expecting for a second time, Kenshin decided he was in desperate need of a job.
Naturally he would never say it in that manner; Kaoru would be vehement to hear that her school's income wasn't enough to feed their family, even if it was the truth. His small jobs for the police helped with the occasional odds and ends, but a family of four would need more, especially when one considered that in a few months, Kaoru would not be teaching.
Even Kaoru had to grudgingly submit to that logic.
So, wearing his best gi and head lifted high, Kenshin made his way to the police prefecture to ask for a job from Uramura-san.
The poor man nearly fell over at the request - it was a little unexpected, Kenshin had to admit - stuttering an immediate affirmative before Kenshin could even ask if he was all right.
"Of course we'll hire you," Uramura had exclaimed, a wide smile on his face. "I'll send a letter to Yamagata-san right away - we'll get you a position worthy of your status-"
Kenshin shook his head. "Currently my status is the husband of a dojo owner. It doesn't need to get any more complicated."
They haggled over this for a long time, Uramura insisting that the former rurouni deserved more, and Kenshin insisting that he received less. The income was tempting, but Kenshin didn't feel the need for a high-status job - it felt wrong, after all the years he'd gone unemployed, like he didn't deserve to be lifted to a high position without effort when others worked hard for years to get that far. He also knew that jobs like that required a lot of time, something he didn't want to give up.
'So maybe I -can- be a little selfish,' he mused, smiling a little to himself.
But there was a second child on the way, and he had to admit he rather enjoyed the whole 'father' thing.
He flat out refused a position on the sword-bearing police force - not only did he no have a sword for it, nor would he carry a katana or a saber like the others, but he suspected that the other officers would not welcome to their team the man who had beaten them into the ground on several occasions.
Uramura waved that fear aside. "Oh, I'm sure they've forgotten all about that."
Kenshin merely smiled, knowing that - unfortunately - he was not a man easily forgotten. Uramura didn't mention it again.
Finally he offered a job that worked for both of them, and Kenshin found himself as a basic martial arts instructor for the trainees of the police force.
"No swords," Uramura said cheerfully, noticing Kenshin's stiff posture and set jaw, "But everyone knows how fast you can move. You'd keep those boys on their toes for a good long time, and I suspect you know quite a bit about fighting besides how to wave around a sword."
Kenshin raised an eyebrow, not commenting, but not denying either. Every swordsman had to know the basics of hand-to-hand combat - otherwise, how could they act without their weapon until they had time to retrieve it? At least, that had been Hiko's theory.
'I suspect he just enjoyed throwing me around...'
'Although now I'm grateful. I should write to him - a way to make him happy and annoyed at the same time...'
'Yes, I think I'll do that.'
"Uramura-san," he said finally, "I will take that job."
Uramura was greatly pleased, and Kenshin found that he was too. It was a different feeling than the one he had felt when Katsura Kogoro had first asked him to become a hitokiri for the revolution. There had been unease, then, and resolve. Now, he just felt... a little better about everything.
He had a job. And soon, he would have two children waiting for him when he came home.
Life, he decided, was getting better, although looking back, he wondered how it was possible.
~*~
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