Kendo no Go
In the Language of Kendo:
A Fanfic in 100 Chapters
by Akai Kitsune
18: Right
~*~
"I hope everything runs smoothly," Kaoru said for what
must have been the twentieth time, chewing absently on a fingernail.
Kenshin rubbed her shoulder gently, his voice as soothing as his hands upon
her kimono. "Daijoubu, koishii," he murmured, "It will be just fine."
"You always say that," she sighed in response, moving away
to adjust her obi again. "And something always goes wrong."
Kenshin grinned with a small shrug, unabashed. "Maybe things will be
different this time. Today is special, after all."
"Mm, sure is..."
They were at the Akabeko, announcing to their friends the news of Kaoru's
pregnancy, and the expecting couple was a bit wary of the reactions. So far,
only Dr. Genzai knew of it - since it was he who discovered and revealed it to
Kaoru herself.
She scowled a little at that train of thought. 'Kenshin... he knew before
even I did, didn't he? Mou... one day I swear I'll have to get him to teach me
that ki thing...'
Despite her initial misgivings on her husband's behalf, she found the
prospect of being pregnant to be daunting, and downright terrifying. She, a
mother? Bringing her very own child into the world, raising it, teaching it
everything it needed to know?
What would she name her child?
Kenshin's child?
She had to admit, as nervous as she was about they idea, Kenshin seemed far
more shaky than herself. He tried to act calm, for her sake, mostly, but when
she met his soon-averted gaze, she could see the dark lines of fear in his eyes.
He, a former assassin of the Bakumatsu, was going to be a father.
'But lots of men from the war were fathers,' she thought,
puzzled. 'Even my father was in the war. Surely he knows that...?'
'... no one like him, though, I suppose... he always considers
himself so much more guilty than a normal soldier...'
'Idiot... your past shouldn't matter so much anymore...'
If there was one thing that was not all right at their
celebration, Kenshin thought to himself, it was the absence of Sanosuke. It was
been a year since the ex-gangster had disappeared from Japan, sending the
occasional letter every few months, sporadic and often very brief. He seemed
enthusiastic about his new travels, and never mentioned about sort of danger,
but Kenshin could not help but feel the weary burden of fear and worry over his
friend, lifted only temporarily each time a letter arrived. He had great faith
in Sano's abilities, but his sense of self-preservation was constantly tempered
by the carefree attitude, and the manner in which he dealt out his own sense of
justice. Though Kenshin would never say it in front of either of them, he had
always felt that Sano was much like Saitou in that way.
He missed Sano. He couldn't stop himself from thinking that way, as he walked
around town or the dojo, constantly awaiting the shuffling footsteps at the
gate, a mumbling, "Yo!" as his friend called out through the fishbone in his
mouth. He missed the lighthearted playfulness that Sano carried with him, beyond
the gruff tone and freeloading tendencies.
He missed having someone to confide in.
Oh, certainly, he had Kaoru, but he never liked to worry her. That one thing
had remained throughout their relationship. He couldn't tell her the type of
things he may have told Sano, if the younger man pried and twisted his arm
enough. Kaoru was insistent, but she did not know how to deal with his
stubbornness the way Sano did. It had been one of the things Kenshin had learned
to rely on.
"There's no one in the world I'd trust more than Sano."
Yes, he missed that mutual trust a great deal. And his heart stung, in
remembrance, his friend's relaxed face as he disappeared from Japan, his easy
grin, his casual attitude.
"I'll indulge a bit."
He left without a second thought, unable - unwilling - to allow Kenshin to
take care of his troubles. It hurt; more than he ever imagined. He could easily
understand why Sano had done such a thing - he had explained it to the others,
after all - but it couldn't erase his feelings.
'When he comes back...'
'... when Sano comes back...'
'... maybe I'll ask him... iie, I could never...'
'... he'll come back, and I'll...'
'I'll smile, and I'll welcome him home.'
'Won't he be surprised to see our son, Kaoru?'
'Ah... maybe that's why I want him to come back... to show him...'
'... everything is all right, now...'
'So... come home.'
~*~
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