NOT MINE! *huff*
None.
None.
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Kendo no Go
In the Language of Kendo:
A Fanfic in 100 Chapters


by Akai Kitsune

62: Catfish

 

~*~

Kaoru hated catfish. Kenshin discovered this fact the hard way, in his attempt to make a gift of his impressive catch one day - her birthday, he assumed, thanks to Tae-san's interference - but was received by her horrified expression and disappointed anger.

It was a constant, frustrating affliction, his inability to make her happy. She seemed cheerful enough, day by day, but whenever he tried, made even the slightest effort to please her, it was thrown back in his face because he never knew precisely how his intention was to be done.

It was no one's fault, really; he simply did not know what to do.

'It had never been this difficult with Tomoe,' he thought miserably one day, slumping against the laundry tub after Kaoru's unexpected response to his latest endeavour. 'Tomoe gave the same response to everything, never left me guessing. How did things become so complex?'

How was he to know that snapdragons gave her a rash? She had never told him, after all.

It was then that the realization came to him: he had never asked.

And it was true, of course; so true that he remained there, blinking in surprise, for a long time. He didn't really ask her much at all, about her past, her likes and dislikes. It was as if, the moment she told him she did not care about his past, he had automatically assumed the same for himself.

'How could I have been so shallow?'

'The past does not make the person, after all.'

'... and wouldn't Kaoru laugh to hear me - me - say that.'

'Would she laugh...?'

 

After that, he began to place less effort into doing things to please her, and more into finding out what would please her. He learned that she loved to have a piping hot bath after training at the dojos across town, and so, at her return, there was always a fire and steaming water waiting for her. He learned that she enjoyed his ohaji - not Megumi's, at least not as much - especially when he added just the right amount of flavour, or the perfect fruit in the center. He learned that she melted in his arms when he rubbed her shoulders, her tension dissolving in his ministering care.

He learned that he took great pleasure in making her happy.

"But - what makes you happy?"

She caught him off guard with her question, as he was tossing logs onto a prepared fire beneath the bathtub. He was honestly surprised, but he merely smiled in response, turning back to his work.

"When you are happy," he said softly, "Then I'll always be happy, Kaoru-dono."

"Promise me?"

So much like a child. "Aa."

She hugged him, then; wrapped her arms so tightly around his shoulders that when his breath caught in his throat, he wasn't sure if it was a reaction to emotion or lack of air. He didn't speak, and she remained silent until she pulled away, murmuring her thanks as she headed for the bath.

He had no clue, no idea whatsoever, what he could have said at that moment.

He was never to know that his silence had been more than enough.

~*~

If any of you are wondering why I seemed to lose focus and drifted off the original topic, this was intentional. I did another parallel to the novel, ^_^

The original title of the chapter was "Sheep". Baa.

More coming soon!
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