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Broken Pieces: Chapter 9 - intoxication

by linay

Living as a stranger among others,

My mind traps me in a dance of distress

Kaoru practically backed up into Kenshin, her terrified blue eyes wide. The massive man loomed closer to her, reaching out a large hand to grab her arm.

“Let me go!” Kaoru cried, wincing at the bruising grip her assailant had on her upper arm.

“C’mon baby,” the dark-haired man crooned, “Just you and me. We can play school.”

Kenshin felt Kaoru tremble as she stepped back into him. Her pupils were dilating and she began to shake her head, slight tremors taking over her small body.

“Kaoru,” he breathed into her ear, low enough so that only she could hear.

The man stepped forward, his hand still wrapped around her arm. Kaoru’s breathing became harsh and erratic. Kenshin frowned, easily recognizing what ailed her, as he stared into the other man’s lustful face.

“Kaoru,” he repeated in her ear, his voice urgent.

She didn’t seem to her him. Instead she inhaled sharply - a sign that, to Kenshin, signalled the start of a very loud, very hysterical scream. He knew that something had to be done. If the teenager screamed, the whole club would flock around them. Kenshin didn’t particularly like being the centre of attention and he had the common sense to know that Katsura would not be pleased if his little experiment became a subject for gossip. And already, he could sense the eyes of more than a few men on their little scene.

“You seem a little tense, missy,” the big, black haired man smirked, “Maybe I can help you with that?”

He pressed in closer to Kaoru until she was practically sandwiched between him and Kenshin. The shorter, red-haired assassin focused his amber eyes on the other man’s face.

“Genji,” Kenshin commanded quietly, “Don’t touch her.”

Genji instinctively took a step back, raising his eyebrows in surprise. “Why not? Is she yours, Battousai?”

Kenshin simply narrowed his eyes, daring the other assassin to continue.

Genji took another step back, releasing Kaoru from his grip and lifting his sweaty palms in a placating gesture. When he was an arm’s breadth away he stopped and dropped his arms. A near-naked woman immediately attached herself to his arm.

“Hey Battousai,” he chortled, plainly drunk, “Why don’t we share her for a bit? It’d be way more exciting.”

“Get out of the way, Genji,” Kenshin growled, his eyes darkening angrily.

The drunk womanizer stepped aside to appease the manslayer. Kenshin planted his hand firmly on Kaoru’s lower back and pushed her forward.

“Move, Kaoru,” he said softly, leaning forward.

Kaoru began to move, trying desperately to command her limbs through a murky haze of violent images. She shook her head as she took trembling steps, slowly clearing her mind of Genji’s horrific memories as they gradually moved through the crowd away from him.

“Battousai!” Genji called, his words slurred, “Have some fun with her, man! A little bit of pleasure wouldn’t kill you!”

Kenshin turned back slightly to shoot a dark glare at his fellow assassin.

“But it’ll get you killed, idiot!” Takasugi hooted from in front of them all, “So shut up!”

Genji only laughed drunkenly in response, the woman at his side winding her arms around him. Kenshin, his pace quicker than Kaoru’s, guided her firmly forward. The girl’s face was ashen and her eyes were staring blankly at the ground below her.

“Is the chickie okay?” Takasugi asked casually as they caught up with him.

Kenshin merely nodded, walking silently at the taller man’s side. Around them, the crowd melted away, allowing them easy passage. Though he was slimmer and shorter than most of the men present, Kenshin’s presence elicited a certain level of respect and even fear from anyone who ever laid eyes on him. He was known only as Battousai - his trademark red hair turning heads every time. Though he was often present at their organization’s meeting places, he was never rambunctious or loud. But it was his steely silence that frightened his ‘coworkers’ the most.

He was the silent manslayer. The unsmiling, unfeeling executioner. A man to be feared and revered.

Takasugi looked down at the red head as they made their way toward a quiet back room. “By the way,” he drawled, “Since when are you two sweethearts on a first name basis?”

Kenshin’s golden pupils swivelled to the side to regard Takasugi coldly. Takasugi’s eyebrows shot up and he could practically feel the hair on his arms stand up. The man beside him was raging with a frightening battle aura.

“Uh,” he amended, facing forward, “Never mind.”

Kenshin’s eyes turned back to their goal. Knowing intuitively that the secluded room before him was intended for their meeting with Katsura, he slipped his shoes off and stepped onto the wooden platform. He pulled Kaoru up as he slid the shoji open.

“Good evening, Himura.”

Kenshin dipped his head in a polite bow, waiting for Takasugi to enter before shutting the door. Then he firmly guided a semi-dazed Kaoru towards a low table in the centre of the room. With the barest of pressures to her back, he was able to direct her into kneeling at the table. Gracefully, he took his seat adjacent to her.

“How gentlemanly of you,” Katsura remarked good-naturedly.

Kenshin said nothing and only waited, his golden eyes steadily staring into his employer’s face. Takasugi, instead of sitting at the table, leaned back against the wall and sat cross-legged. He smacked his lips thoughtfully. Katsura watched Kaoru calmly as she sat staring down at the wooden tabletop.

“I am Katsura Kogoro,” he introduced himself, “Leader of the Choshu organization.”

He waited for a sign of acknowledgement from the statue of a girl. None came.

“I command the band of men outside,” he continued, “As well as Takasugi Shinsaku and Himura Kenshin. I direct their movements and coordinate their lives. They follow my orders alone.”

Again, Katsura studied the motionless teenager for any reaction. Kneeling comfortably, her hands were tightly clenched in the folds of her black school skirt and her head was bowed, long, raven hair streaming from her high ponytail. She seemed a bit pale.

“Did anything happen to you out there?” he asked, “Are you alright?”

Kaoru’s blue eyes flicked up suddenly, her wariness evident. She openly stared at Katsura’s chiselled, handsome face. A spark of recognition lighted her eyes.

“You,” she stated, “I’ve seen you on public television. And yet you lead a band of murderers.”

Takasugi smacked his lips loudly. Kenshin stiffened. Katsura afforded her a gracious smile.

“Indeed,” he said pleasantly, “So you have recognized me. Besides being the leader of the elusive, illegal Choshu circle, I am also a government official. I serve the people of Kyoto in more ways than one.”

Kaoru tilted her head thoughtfully, arching a delicate eyebrow. “How so?”

“In government, I am able to build playgrounds, pass laws, organize public life,” Katsura explained, sweeping his arms open, “But the streets of Kyoto are dangerous and corrupt. When politics fail, the men of the Choshu group help me clean out the streets.”

“Through murder.”

“And various other methods.”

“So they steal and harass as well?”

“Sometimes,” Katsura smiled courteously, “There is no other way. To fight the evil of the underground, we must employ their methods against them - for the good of the civilians of Kyoto.”

“And for the children?” Kaoru asked, her voice sharp.

“Sacrifices are never easy to make.”

“How could you do such a thing to a child?” Kaoru demanded, eyes flaming.

“The child was an empath, like yourself. He was being used by the remnants of a drug ring to gather information and erase evidence,” Katsura said regretfully, “There was no other way to crush that organization.”

“Although I think murder is wrong,” Kaoru replied angrily, “Wouldn’t it have been morally better to just kill off the leader of the drug ring?”

“We already took him out - Himura did, that it. Kanryu has been dead for almost a week but his followers are still trying desperately to revive the group,” Katsura paused as he saw Kaoru’s lips tighten in recognition of the name.

“Kanryu,” she breathed involuntarily, a slight shudder running through her body.

“So you remember him,” Katsura observed, “I take it your acquaintance with him was not pleasant?”

“What do you know of him?” Kaoru asked through clenched teeth.

Kenshin, from hooded eyes, noted how Kaoru twisted her fingers painfully in the stiff fabric of her skirt as she spoke. A recollection of their breakfast conversation flashed through his mind.

It’s almost normal for me to be kidnapped and imprisoned and beaten.

The image of Kaoru’s stricken blue eyes returned to Kenshin as he watched Kaoru grip the folds of her skirt mercilessly. Kanryu must have been cruel.

“He was a drug dealer, a pimp and a murderer. I’m sure you know that.” Katsura said plainly, “And we could not put an end to his legacy in any other way.”

“So,” Kaoru hissed, narrowing her eyes at Katsura, “You had a little boy killed.”

“He was a sacrifice, yes,” Katsura acknowledged, his eyes regretful, “Unfortunate but necessary.”

Kaoru’s face slowly twisted from anger to sorrow, her blue eyes turning glassy with unshed tears. “Why,” she asked, her voice mournful, “Why did you take him away.”

Kenshin saw her sudden change in demeanour. He glanced over quickly and stared at her eyes for a moment. Their sorrowful depths were as they had been the night before - when she had taken the mother’s memory away. Filing the bit of information away in his mind, Kenshin turned his eyes away from her to glance at Takasugi - only to find that Takasugi was already watching him with thoughtful, amused brown eyes. As their eyes met, Takasugi gave a slight smirk. Kenshin dropped his head again.

“Why,” came Kaoru’s now plaintive voice, “Why did you do such a thing?”

“What we had accomplished in months, Sohma Yuki’s powers undid in a few days. Rivals no longer remembered their grudges, witnesses couldn’t remember evidence, and Kanryu’s group had weeded out our spies and thwarted our plans,” Katsura explained, “We could not allow it.”

“He was so young,” Kaoru grieved, “He never deserved any of this. It wasn’t any of his fault!”

Katsura watched Kaoru’s face intently, as if searching for something. “What do you mean?”

Kaoru covered her face in her hands. “He wasn’t going to help them but the men were threatening him. They were going to kill the one he loved most if he didn’t do as they said. So he had to. He didn’t want to but he had to,” she whispered through her fingers.

“How so?” Katsura prodded.

“They were going to kill me if he didn’t help them!” Kaoru cried out, looking up suddenly.

Three sets of eyebrows went up at the same time.

“You?” Katsura asked, “They were going to kill you?”

Kaoru checked herself quickly, regaining control over her voice. “I mean,” she clarified, “his mother. They were going to kill his mother.”

“And you can remember this from her memories?”

Kaoru drew her eyebrows together, as a thought dawned on her. “It was a test,” she hissed furiously.

“I beg your pardon?”

“You were testing my abilities. You used the boy and his mother to see what I could do.”

Katsura bowed his head slightly and then looked up again, remorse clouding his noble features. “No, Kamiya-san,” he said softly, “The boy had to be taken out of the picture in any case. But exploring your capabilities was a plus.”

“If that were true - wouldn’t you just kill me because I am like Yuki?”

Katsura smiled softly. “We did try.”

“And now?” Kaoru demanded.

“We feel you would be of more use to us alive than dead.”

Kaoru laughed bitterly. “People are only tools for you, aren’t they Katsura-san. I used to admire the work you did for the people. But now,” she said with a snort, “I see what you really are. You use other people to do your dirty work. People like me. Like your precious Battousai.”

Kenshin’s head whipped up to glare at Kaoru’s determined profile. “You assume too much,” he bit out scathingly, “Your naiveté is-”

Katsura raised a hand to stop whatever angry remark Kenshin was about to make. “That’s fine, Himura,” he said politely, “She is partially correct. Isn’t she?”

Kenshin made as if to protest but Katsura gestured for silence. “You were still in martial arts training when Takasugi noticed you,” Katsura recalled, “And I asked you if you would ever be able to kill with your technique. You were barely 15 years old then, I believe.”

“But I believed in you,” Kenshin said adamantly, “And I chose to be your shadow assassin.”

“Still,” Katsura insisted calmly, “You are my tool. You are the man - no, the killer - that I cannot be because of my public profile. I need you to accomplish the tasks that I cannot do myself.”

“In effect,” Takasugi drawled suddenly, “We ruined your life so that Katsura could be the people’s man - the good guy.”

“It is for a better Kyoto. The sacrifices are for a better Kyoto,” Kenshin replied.

“They are indeed,” Katsura affirmed sadly, “And your peace of mind, Himura, is one of those sacrifices.”

“That’s stupid,” Kaoru interjected suddenly, “No one should have to be a sacrifice. No one should have to die. No one should have to be unhappy.”

“Your idealism is refreshing,” Katsura replied, “But it is out of place. Reality isn’t always what we want it to be.”

“But people - even people like Battousai - are entitled to happiness and safety.”

“Do you really believe that?” Katsura asked, a slight smile forming on his lips.

“Of course!” Kaoru insisted resolutely.

Katsura held her unwavering blue eyes with his inquisitive gaze for a moment. Then he inclined his head to Takasugi.

“Shinsaku,” he requested, “Please take them into the club for awhile and then come back. I must make some phone calls. When I’m done,” he said to Kenshin, “I will send Shinsaku to call you back here.”

Kenshin bowed his head briefly and rose, guiding Kaoru up by the elbow. Takasugi dragged himself up as well and the trio stepped out of the room and back into the smoky darkness of the club.

Katsura waited until the shoji slid shut and then he pulled his cell phone from his vest pocket. He flipped it open and dialled quickly.

“It will work,” he said as someone picked up from the other side.

“Are you sure?”

“Seijuro,” Katsura assured him, “I see it in her eyes.”

“Is that right?” the other man snorted, “As if anyone could be partnered with that dumb ass. What makes you think she’ll help?”

“She will,” Katsura responded smoothly, “She won’t be able to refuse, I’m sure of it.”

“The girl is that idealist, isn’t she,” he stated more than questioned.

“Indeed.”

At that moment, the door slid open and Takasugi reappeared, taking his seat by the wall again. Katsura acknowledged him with a nod.

“Seijuro,” he said, “I have to go. Update me with news from your side when we talk again.”

The cell phone was flipped closed and slipped back into Katsura’s vest pocket.

“So,” he addressed Takasugi, folding his hands, “What are they doing?”

“They’re in the club,” Takasugi answered, fiddling with the toothpick in his mouth, “Sitting in the lounge and looking like a pair of statues.”

“Talk to me about your men.”

“The Choshu men?” Takasugi thought aloud, rolling his head back, “Doing their job mostly. Himura’s exceptionally efficient as usual. Genji’s drunk or with a whore but he gets the job done. Our dear hackers are at the computers twenty four seven. Our weapons dealers are hooking us up. The thugs are…well, they’re thugs. So basically,” he said with a bitter smirk, “Your army of shmucks and dirties is up and running.”

“I’ll assume that means that things are going as planned.”

“So,” Takasugi asked absently, “What’s this bullshit about the Kamiya girl all about? What are you planning, Kogoro?”

“The empath will be used in more ways than one. I’m sure you can see the benefits of having someone like her in our organization.”

“Sure I can,” Takasugi replied, “But why is she with Himura? She’d probably be safer somewhere else. I’m afraid he’ll snap and skewer the chick.”

“Doubtful,” Katsura answered reflectively, “She’s our atonement for ruining Himura Kenshin’s life.”

Takasugi chuckled. “I think she’s ruining his life for us.”

“It’s not very pretty now, I’m sure,” Katsura said softly, “But she’ll be the key.”

Kaoru sat on the swivel chair opposite Kenshin, every muscle tight with anxiety. Surrounding her were the lowest, most revolting specimens of civilization. She was afraid to look up for fear of being greeted by a leering, drunken man or some indecent couple’s intimate moment. So she sat, back straight and hands fisted in her lap, staring straight down at the cigarette ashes strewn across the small table in front of her.

Kenshin, on the other hand, sat with one arm draped across the back of the burgundy sofa seat and the other hand loosely holding a beer bottle on the table. His glowing amber eyes watched with faint amusement as Kaoru bit her lip in embarrassment when a passing couple bumped her chair. The amusement left his eyes, however, when his sensitive ears picked up the conversation of some nearby drinkers.

“Is she new here? Haven’t seen a girl that young in here before.”

“What a fucking hot chick!”

“Nice uniform, huh?”

“Oh, you like it like that don’t you?”

A frown formed on Kenshin’s lips as he spotted other men gradually making their way over to the table. The stupid drunks - they were like vultures attracted to a carcass. Soon, he knew that they would be hovering over them. Kaoru, still tightly strung, sucked in her breath as she felt the warm presence of bodies behind her.

“Hi sweetheart,” a hulking mass of a man leered.

Kaoru froze.

“Want to play with me?” he continued, twirling a lock of her lock hair with his finger.

“Or with the two of us at once?” another man chuckled, tugging at the collar of her white blouse, “I could be the principal and he could be the teacher.”

“And I’ll be the upper class-man!” a compact man shouted, slapping his palm onto the table.

Kaoru jumped slightly in her seat and tried to ignore the indecent, unwanted prodding she was receiving.

“And you, my little rose,” the first man bent down to whisper into her ear, tugging on a tendril of her hair, “Are the naughty little school girl. We’ll teach you a lesson. How’s that?”

The man’s alcoholic breath on her face made Kaoru noxious - she felt humiliated, angry and frightened all at once. Her fingernails bit into her palms painfully. She wanted to jump up and scream but her fear froze her to her seat.

“How ‘bout it baby?” the small man grinned, leaning over her.

A sweaty palm slid up her thigh.

Kaoru flinched, drawing in an anguished breath.

A pair of eyes gleamed gold in the darkness.

“Get your hands off her,” came a voice as hard and cold as steel.

Jerked from their lust, the crowd of men looked up suddenly to see Battousai sitting before them. His face was in the shadows but his narrowed amber eyes glittered eerily.

Fear instantly doused their lust. The men backed up in unison, either muttering unintelligible apologies or lifted hands in surrender. When the air and the area had cleared of their stench, Kenshin dropped his unearthly eyes to Kaoru.

“Come,” he ordered, inclining his head towards the seat beside him.

Awed and frightened by the sheer power of his intense gaze, Kaoru rose without thinking and sat by Kenshin’s side on the sofa seat. Kenshin let his right arm fall around her tense shoulders casually. Then he took a long swig from his beer bottle.

“What are you doing?” Kaoru hissed at him, regaining her sense of propriety and attempting to shrug his arm off.

Kenshin eyed her as he drained his bottle and set it down loudly. Instead of releasing her, he pressed his fingers into her shoulder painfully. Then he pulled her closer to his side.

“Don’t complain,” he said calmly, beckoning the waiter with his free hand, “It’s better this way. They won’t come back now.”

The waiter was hovering over them in a flash. “Baily’s with milk for her and another beer for me,” Kenshin ordered.

The man scurried off quickly.

“Look,” Kaoru said hotly, “I don’t need your help-”

“Just shut up,” Kenshin interrupted brusquely, “I’m not doing this for you. Those men annoy me.”

The waiter, who was working at full speed, deposited a glass of milky white liquid on ice in front of Kaoru and an open beer bottle in front of Kenshin. Kenshin pushed the glass towards Kaoru and then picked up his beer with his free hand.

“Drink that,” he commanded, bringing his own drink to his lips.

Kaoru brought the glass up to her nose and sniffed it delicately. “No way,” she said scrunching her nose up, “I’m not drinking that.”

“Drink it,” Kenshin repeated, setting his bottle onto the table, “It’ll loosen you up a little.”

“Who says I want to loosen up?” Kaoru argued stubbornly.

“I do,” Kenshin replied, an angry edge entering his tone.

Kaoru grimaced at him and tilted the glass up to her lips. She sipped delicately and swirled the thick milky liquid in her mouth before swallowing. It tasted almost like chocolate and it slid down her throat smoothly. Gently she tipped the glass up again and swallowed some more of the interesting drink.

She was about to bring her glass down when Kenshin pushed the bottom of the glass up, forcing her to swallow more. She began to sputter in protest and some of the liquor ran down her chin. In a second, she realized Kenshin would not relent and she tried to chug as much of the liquid as she could before it overflowed some more.

Kenshin watched as she downed the drink, tilting her glass more and more until the last drop had been drained. Then he pulled the glass away and set it on the table with flourish. Kaoru wiped the dripping liquid away with the back of her sleeve, the alcohol burning uncomfortably in her throat.

“Good,” Kenshin commented, going back to his beer.

“Good?” Kaoru squeaked, “What was that for?”

“You’re too tense,” he answered, leaning back, “This’ll loosen up your muscles. Otherwise, you’re almost painful to sit next to.”

“You’re unbelievable,” Kaoru said, her voice coming not out exactly as she expected, “You’re…You’re-”

She let her words drift off as a strange warm feeling overtook her stomach. She took a few deep breaths and leaned a heavy head back against Kenshin’s arm.

“Not a heavy drinker, I take it?” Kenshin commented, amusement tinting his tone unusually.

“What are you talking about?” Kaoru slurred slightly, rolling her head sideways to meet his eyes.

A rare grin surfaced on Kenshin’s hardened features. “What do you think I’m talking about?”

Kaoru stared back at him with wide, dumbfounded eyes. “Why I…” she faltered, “I think…” She trailed off again, staring back at him with her mouth slightly agape.

The ends of Kenshin’s mouth twitched higher as he observed her induced confusion. Her body was melting into the sofa, tense muscles loosening. Suddenly she leaned over, her shoulder overlapping his chest and her nose inches from his.

“Your eyes,” she said, her amazed, innocent blue eyes searching his, “Your eyes are beautiful.”

Kenshin was taken aback and he actually showed it by blinking rapidly several times.

Kaoru smiled lazily and let her head sink down between his shoulder and his neck. She dug her forehead into his neck and sighed.

“But they’re scary,” she said, her voice muffled by his shirt.

Kenshin stared down at the girl’s ivory complexion, letting his eyes trace over her now peaceful features. She was breathing steadily, probably somewhere between dreaming and waking.

Kenshin caught sudden movement in his peripheral vision. He glanced up and saw Takasugi waving at him through the crowd. He knew it was time to go back to Katsura.

Of all the times for her to be drunk.

With a sigh, he wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her up with him as he stood. Her head lolled to the side, resting on his chest. Kenshin hooked his arm under her armpits and pulled her close, dragging her hobbling form with him as he walked towards the back of the club.

“Just what’re you planning?” Takasugi chuckled as Kenshin made his way slowly over.

Kenshin glared at the man, wishing he could pummel him into shutting up. Instead, he was saddled with a not-so-light, intoxicated teenager - who was now winding her slim arms around his waist.

“She’s tasty!” a man suddenly piped as Kenshin’s burden was tugged at suddenly from the side.

Kenshin turned to see Genji pulling at Kaoru’s outside arm, his face contorted with desire. “Can I have her for a bit, Battousai?”

A deep growl rumbled in Battousai’s throat as he pulled the girl forcefully back to himself.

“So damn possessive,” Genji scolded him drunkenly, “Share her, dammit.”

The crowd moved back from the pair instinctively. Even Takasugi stepped back, watching with interest.

Genji stepped forward in challenge, alcohol having marred his sense of judgement. “Let me take her off your hands for a bit,” he said, grabbing a fistful of Kaoru’s long hair.

He pulled.

Kaoru screamed.

In a blurred flash, Genji was sprawled on the floor with a few long strands of hair caught between his fingers. Kenshin was facing away, Kaoru tucked behind one of his arms.

“You,” Battousai’s deathly cold voice sounded in the silence that ensued, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Kenshin’s head turned around slowly, so that only his fierce profile could be seen. He looked down at the girl beside him and pulled his arm away gently, turning to face Genji. Kaoru dropped to her knees without his support, her hazy eyes wide with fear.

Battousai, his eyes cold and his lips set in a hard line, took agonizingly slow steps towards Genji, who was just struggling to his feet. Just as he lifted himself from the floor, Battousai slapped him. Genji stood, raising a hand to touch his smarting cheek. Incoherent rage was written all over his face.

“What the-”

Before Genji could even swear, he was back on the floor.

“Get angry,” Battousai hissed, advancing, “Go mad with rage. It will be like hunting a wild pig for me.”

Just as an animal would, Genji lunged and swung wildly at Kenshin’s head. But Battousai had ducked almost prematurely, and was behind the bigger man in an instant. His forearm made contact with the back of Genji’s neck and Genji crumpled to the floor.

“Get up,” Battousai commanded, his voice void of emotion but his golden eyes glowing with rage.

He delivered a swift kick to Genji’s side, the latter not even able to roll away in time.

“Get up!” he shouted, grabbing the other’s hair and pulling him up.

“Himura!” Katsura bellowed from the back of the club. He stood outside of the room, silhouetted by the light.

Kenshin dropped Genji’s head instantly. Completely ignoring the other man’s grunts of pain, Kenshin stepped over him towards Kaoru.

Katsura watched in amazement. As illogical as it may seem, his shadow assassin had not once before been involved in a brawl with his fellow men.

Kaoru, still mildly intoxicated, reached up her arms to Kenshin as a child would. Kenshin bent over and hoisted her up, wrapping an arm possessively around her waist. He turned to face Katsura and waited for instructions.

Katsura surveyed the scene with great surprise. The fight had been over the girl? He let his eyes slide over quickly to meet Takasugi’s gaze. A quick nod of the head confirmed his suspicions. He looked back to Kenshin.

“Just take her home, Himura,” he instructed, his voice baffled, “I’ll call to speak with her tomorrow.”

Kenshin nodded, silently sweeping Kaoru into his arms. He turned and left the Sakura Tea House, the crowd parting before him.

Katsura stared after him, completely taken aback. At a loss for words, he turned and entered the secluded room, beckoning for Takasugi.

Yet another time, Kenshin found himself kicking his apartment door open with this girl resting limply in his arms. He carried her toward the bedroom with the full intention of dropping her on the bed and then getting a good night’s sleep for himself.

But Kaoru decided to wake up. She began to twist violently in his arms. To avoid being kicked, he dropped her. But instead of letting go, Kaoru slid to the floor with her arms wrapped around his knees. The assassin shifted, suddenly tremendously uncomfortable.

“Where are we?” she asked, looking up with bright, innocent blue eyes.

“My place,” Kenshin responded, staring down at her.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

Her delicate brow furrowed at him, confused again. She cocked her head to the side and regarded him blissfully. Kenshin stared back. Her gaze was almost childlike but it incited so many dormant sensations in his body. Her eyes. They were beautiful.

“Help me get up?”

Kaoru looked up at Kenshin with a wide, sincere smile. Kenshin reached down and hefted her up from the floor. She wound her arms around his neck and leaned her head over his shoulder.

“I’m tired,” she complained, still smiling.

“Of course you are,” he muttered, trying to pull her away from his body by the waist.

“Are you tired?” she asked stepping away from him but leaving her wrists locked around his neck.

“Yes, I am,” he said absently, pulling her arms from his shoulders by her wrists.

“Then,” Kaoru grinned mischievously with a twinkle in her blue eyes, “Come to bed!”

She suddenly gripped Kenshin’s wrists and pulled him into the bedroom clumsily.

The door swung shut behind them.