soul_logs | [open]

Characters: Kenshin Himura and Death City
Location: preeeetty much anywhere
Rating: PG/PG-13—I never know how to rate
Time: January 22nd, evening/nighttime
Description: In which Kenshin has a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day and whacks at collapsing structures (when he's not looking for people who might still need help from the earthquake). We are not responsible for anything that falls on you. Maybe.

A man who wasn't used to walking through life with as much weighing on his soul as Kenshin was might have gone crazy from the sheer amount that was dumped on him in the space of a day. He was struggling enough as it was: with the pain he knew Tomoe was in that he couldn't help, the earthquake that had damaged the entire city, and now the news from Saitou that Kaoru may or may not be dead in Japan—

Had Kenshin not had Kaoru's voice running through his head ("Kenshin Himura's life is not meant for atonement alone"), if he hadn't stood after the kishin attack on Tomoe with the determination to go through life protecting those before him, if there hadn't been people out in the city at that moment who might need his help—well, the chance he'd be on his feet at all if not for these things was slim. And he was still not fully himself; he was quieter than usual, his face more drawn, his attention less in tune with his surroundings.

It didn't matter whether Kaoru's death in Japan was faked or not. He'd clearly not been around to protect her to know the difference one way or another—but why? Kenshin gripped the hilt of his sakabatou, knuckles white. Who was out to kill her? What did he want from Kenshin? Saitou had mentioned an enemy in Kyoto and a criminal organization from Shanghai, but that created more questions than answered them.

He turned suddenly, whipping his sword from his sheath, smashing it into the brick side of a partially-collapsed building next to him. Once he'd been able to cleave completely through a concrete lamppost, might have left sizable damage to the wall; now the best he could do was leave a crack. If he couldn't protect Kaoru with his full strength in Japan, how could he do so without it in Death City? Kenshin made a noise of frustration, pulled his sakabatou from the wall and glared at it.

He'd forgotten that the building would be less stable as it was.

There was a moment's warning rumble, then Kenshin backpedalled just in time to see the mortar around the area he'd hit crumble and a section of the brick collapse further.

Oops. "Oro......."

[ooc: feel free to tag in prose or action! I just felt like tl;dr-ing the setup, but prose tags unnecessary from here on out o7]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

One hand left her cheek to wrap around her side instead, palm flat against her back as he pulled her as close to him as he could. He had lost control, those walls he so carefully guarded broken down around him. It was so easy with her, wherever she was involved. She could break through. And now here he was, kissing her desperately as though the feel of her body against his, the taste of her, was the only thing that could assure him that she was still with him.

Finally he moved away from her lips, trailing his own down her jaw, stopping where he could one more feel the pulse on her neck. He shut his eyes tightly, holding back the tears that threatened to spill from behind his eyelids.

"I will not let it happen." That was said hoarsely, roughly. He had to believe his own words. "I swear to you, Kaoru. I will protect you with every living breath."

Kaoru had always wanted Kenshin to really let go. To be himself fully around her. She was glad that she could provide this for him--she was glad he wasn't hiding behind the fake smiles she had figured out from week one.

He was glad he acted on the fact that she saw him and continued to hold out her arms invitingly--offering her presence.

She was here. She had promised sincerely to be by his side throughout anything. Did he know that now? A part of her knew he didn't completely yet. But there was time. She'd fight hard to make time--to stay alive in this world and in the other.

Seventeen years of life was nice, but she wanted more years. She had just been given something to truly live for--and she wouldn't give that up.

As his lips trailed down to her pulse, a faint shudder not far from pleasure melted the base of her bones--her eyes lidded, her hands going to press his face safely hidden from the world against her throat to where the girl's vibrant life thrummed steadily inside her skin.

"Yes, " She breathes simply; a silent sound of agreement in her throat as Kaoru spoke gently, " I will always be here, Kenshin. I won't leave you, ever..--I did make a promise to you, after all." She pressed her lips to the top of his head.

"We've got to stay together, right?"

She was the one supposedly dying, and yet here she was, supporting him instead. He was the one falling apart, not she. It was completely ironic, really, that he was promising to protect her as she held him together.

His eyes remained shut as he kept his mouth against the curve of her neck, her hand in his hair. He stayed silent a while longer, breathing and feeling and smelling and holding, taking solace in her presence.

"Together."

He could not lose her. She'd given him a reason to keep moving forward after all he'd already lost, a life he'd never thought he'd have; a life he had to protect, no matter the circumstances.

Her heartrate sped up. In truth Kaoru deep down, was frightened. If she was wrong even if she devoutly believed otherwise--the reprecussions were already before her. A Kenshin who could barely meet a person's gaze--who could barely live let alone function.

If I do die..he has his answer--to bring happiness to those before him. But his personal happiness is what I want most of all. And Yahiko--he's so young--he's lost his parents already--I can't think like this. Or I really will die.

As he indulged in the five senses, the feel of her, Kaoru indulged in the feel of him once more at her side. The man who soothed her nightmares not too long ago was now living in one not yet fulfilled--and if she had a choice it would never be.

"Right. Because if we aren't together, then we won't be happy. Because we're each other's happiness, right? " A gentle murmur.

"..So we won't be seperated. That's all there is to it. And--" She buried her face in his hair, finally feeling moisture prick her eyes. "Besides--if what I want most of all is for you to be happy--then I can't allow anymore sad things to happen to you. I can't. And I won't let myself be the cause of it, either. I'll be alright, Kenshin."

Edited 2012-02-09 05:54 (UTC)

"I am already the cause of so many sad things." His lips tickled her skin; he pulled back to look at her but didn't let go. "In that matter, Kaoru could never be a cause, herself."

Even in Death City only pain continued. There was Tomoe, whose life was even harder than it had been before and for whom Kenshin could do nothing to help, and now Kaoru, who'd not only lost the innocence of a girl who'd never seen death, had learned of the possibility of her own. It followed him no matter where he went.

And yet with this girl in his arms... he could forget about that, just for a little while.

Kaoru felt tears fill her eyes, as she pulled back as well--shaking her head. "But never to me. You will always be the happiest thing to ever happen to me. " She said earnestly, her face flushing as pressed his hand to her heart, where it beat.

"Kenshin--how can I show you? How happy you make me..how it will be alright--.." She leaned in, her eyes lowering as she gripped the collar of his gi, eyes lowered beneath her eyelashes. She pressed a kiss to the side of his neck, a bit bolder than usual but at this point she just wanted to be near.

"How can I make you see..--" Her voice grew softer with each word, as she trailed a kiss from his neck to the side of his face, breath ghosting his skin.

"That every moment since I met you..that I've lived with absolutely no regrets..."

Her voice died to a faint, breathy whisper.

No matter how many times he heard her say those sorts of things, Kenshin was always taken aback by the sincerity in Kaoru's voice. He could only stare at her, eyes flying open wider at the kiss to his neck and the teasing brush of her lips along his skin.

And then he was kissing her again, hands clenched in her kimono so tightly that they had turned white with the amount of control he had to hold on himself. Brought out of his panic, he was now aware they stood on a street corner, that this was not the place for such things; but after only the briefest of moments, when he brought his hands up to her face once more, he asked, "Stay with this one again tonight."

He needed her. It was his turn to be protected from nightmares—and it was his answer to her question.

Kaoru at this point just wanted Kenshin, period. She wanted him to know that distancing themselves because of some stupid policemen was not okay and mostly she just--she wanted to be near him. She wanted to chase the shadows in his eyes away--and then his mouth was on hers again and she could feel the crackling of fabric against her kimono.

Her heart stopped beating for a split second as she felt a warm feeling pool and begin in her stomach--spreading out. This feeling--it was new and strange and--

--she kissed back, her hands going to his back, wherever she could find a place to latch on.

Stay with this one again.

Somehow--this time it sounded different than before.

Kaoru's eyes lifted to his face, her cheeks going bright pink as she trustingly held her face in his hands.

"...I will." Her heart was racing in her chest but she could not bring herself away from him--couldn't take a step of uncertainty. She wanted him.

All of him.

[open]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject