[Fanfic] Rurouni Kenshin - Vulnerable
Now that the challenge has been over for quite a while now,I guess I can put this up here...I'll probably polish it up when I have the time. If anyone's wondering, this is the fic it's related to.
Title: Vulnerable
Author: zankoku_angel
Rating: PG
Summary: He was not invincible; she realized that. But she had not known that he could look so vulnerable.
Characters: Kaoru, Kenshin
AN: This is related to another one-shot of mine, but you don't really have to read that one to understand this. Takes place shortly after Kaoru has been rescued in the Jinchuu arc.
Not as polished as I'd have liked, and it went unbeta-ed, but...*glances at calendar* Yeah. Stiil, I hope you all enjoy it ^^
Vulnerable
Kaoru wasn’t certain what had roused her, but when she glimpsed a head of red hair through half-open lids, she was convinced that she was dreaming.
“Kenshin?” she called out anyway, her voice a low, sleepy murmur.
The red-headed figure froze, and she realized that this was no dream. She blinked several times before staring up at Kenshin’s pale face, slick with sweat, a haunted look in his eyes.
***
He lay now on her futon, on his side. His forehead was pressed against her shoulder while one hand rested on her waist, his fingers clutching at the cloth of her yukata. His grip on her had now loosened, but earlier, he had clung to her firmly, almost as if he was afraid that she would slip away.
But that’s just ridiculous...
Considering her own arms were locked around him, that wasn’t about to happen anyway.
Kaoru been occupied with helping him calm down - whispering soothingly to him, stroking his hair, until his gentle breathing told her that he had fallen asleep. Now that he had drifted off, and she had gotten used to his proximity to her and past the oh Kami-sama there is a man in my futon this is so very improper stage (of all things to be worrying about right now!) her mind had cleared enough for her to ponder about what had shaken him, left him so disturbed that he had been driven to slipped into her room and into her arms, like a child seeking comfort.
She had been ready demand the answers from him, so she could help stop whatever it was that was hurting him. But then he had pleaded for her to wait until tomorrow.
He had pleaded. She could still hear the helplessness in his voice. What could possibly have -
A nightmare, Kaoru realized with a start.
It had to be - it made perfect sense. Another one of those horrible dreams, brought about by memories of his violent past. And also, she realized, without bitterness, memories of Tomoe.
She knew they plagued him from time to time, despite the fact that he had never spoken to her about them. He didn’t need to - she had, more than once, heard him crying out in his sleep.
But that was just the thing. Never before had he admitted that his dreams troubled him, let alone sought her out like this. She remembered how startled she had been to see him, and even more shocked when he had suddenly embraced her. Had this nightmare been worse than the others?
Or...perhaps...ever since he had rescued her from Enishi, things had begun to change between them, and definitely not for the worse. Was this more proof of that?
She felt ashamed for even thinking such a thing when Kenshin was suffering, but she could not help feeling heartened. After rebuffing her attempts to get him to open up for so long, he had finally allowed himself to seek comfort from her.
Gazing at his sleeping face, Kaoru promised herself that she would not let him down.
Just as she had let her eyes drift shut, a frightening possibility suddenly occurred to her.
What if she woke up to find that he had chosen to behave as if none of this had happened? Could he be that cruel? Staring at him once more, she could almost see it in her mind - his bright, empty smile, his falsely cheerful tone as he told her that he was fine, that he was and what would Kaoru-dono like for lunch? She didn’t think she could endure it.
But - Tomorrow...Tomorrow, this one will tell you. That was what he had said, as he had embraced her, just before he had fallen asleep.
And Kenshin was not one to break his word.
Comforted by the thought, Kaoru closed her eyes, and tried to sleep.
But her eyes kept flitting open, wanting to steal just one more glimpse of Kenshin’s face. The sight of him captivated her. She had watched him sleep before, but never like this.
Kenshin had once had enough danger in his life that he would sleep sitting up, sword propped against his shoulder. Even now, she knew that he usually slept lightly, ready to rise if any hint of trouble registered to his senses. But here, he had huddled in her arms, trusting that she would not let harm come to him. He looked so...so...
Defenceless.
Kaoru felt her breath catch in her throat.
With his slight build and delicate features, Kenshin was hardly an intimidating sight. But she knew enough about him that she could not look at him without being reminded of his strength, physical or otherwise. Still, she realized that he, like everyone else, was not invincible.
But she had not known that he could look so vulnerable.
It fascinated her, frightened her...But more than anything else, it made her want to protect him from any harm that might come his way.
Kenshin...Is this what you see when you look at me?
As glad as she was to know that he would willingly fight for her sake, part of her had chafed at the thought that she needed someone to defend her. She had gotten by on her own just fine after her father’s death - how was it that, when Kenshin emerged in her life, she suddenly had to rely on him to rescue her? But she had long since accepted the fact that as capable as she was, there were some battles that she could not fight on her own. And if he truly did see her the way she saw him now...his desire to protect her became even easier to understand.
On an impulse, she brushed her lips against the crown of his head, and wondered when he would come to understand her desire to lend him her strength.
It had stung her pride, and made her fear that she was growing dependent on him, but she had come to accept him as - among other things - a protector.
She was not as strong as he was. But perhaps he, too, would learn that he needed to be protected sometimes, and entrust her with that honour.
For now, though...The fact that he was here seemed like a good sign.
With that thought in mind, Kaoru shut her eyes, and let sleep claim her. Her arms were still around him.
And, er, I won.
Huh. Cool.
*chokes back gleeful laugh*
Okay, so, not that big of a deal, but when you're still newbie-ish at this (and kinda mediocre at that) this is pretty encouraging. The idea that there were a bunch of people who read this and took the time to vote just boggles my mind. Almost scary. But very cool. To all those who commented (I'm really sorry for not replying) and voted, if you are by any chance reading this, thanks so much. You've made this little author very happy. ^_^
Title: Vulnerable
Author: zankoku_angel
Rating: PG
Summary: He was not invincible; she realized that. But she had not known that he could look so vulnerable.
Characters: Kaoru, Kenshin
AN: This is related to another one-shot of mine, but you don't really have to read that one to understand this. Takes place shortly after Kaoru has been rescued in the Jinchuu arc.
Not as polished as I'd have liked, and it went unbeta-ed, but...*glances at calendar* Yeah. Stiil, I hope you all enjoy it ^^
Vulnerable
Kaoru wasn’t certain what had roused her, but when she glimpsed a head of red hair through half-open lids, she was convinced that she was dreaming.
“Kenshin?” she called out anyway, her voice a low, sleepy murmur.
The red-headed figure froze, and she realized that this was no dream. She blinked several times before staring up at Kenshin’s pale face, slick with sweat, a haunted look in his eyes.
***
He lay now on her futon, on his side. His forehead was pressed against her shoulder while one hand rested on her waist, his fingers clutching at the cloth of her yukata. His grip on her had now loosened, but earlier, he had clung to her firmly, almost as if he was afraid that she would slip away.
But that’s just ridiculous...
Considering her own arms were locked around him, that wasn’t about to happen anyway.
Kaoru been occupied with helping him calm down - whispering soothingly to him, stroking his hair, until his gentle breathing told her that he had fallen asleep. Now that he had drifted off, and she had gotten used to his proximity to her and past the oh Kami-sama there is a man in my futon this is so very improper stage (of all things to be worrying about right now!) her mind had cleared enough for her to ponder about what had shaken him, left him so disturbed that he had been driven to slipped into her room and into her arms, like a child seeking comfort.
She had been ready demand the answers from him, so she could help stop whatever it was that was hurting him. But then he had pleaded for her to wait until tomorrow.
He had pleaded. She could still hear the helplessness in his voice. What could possibly have -
A nightmare, Kaoru realized with a start.
It had to be - it made perfect sense. Another one of those horrible dreams, brought about by memories of his violent past. And also, she realized, without bitterness, memories of Tomoe.
She knew they plagued him from time to time, despite the fact that he had never spoken to her about them. He didn’t need to - she had, more than once, heard him crying out in his sleep.
But that was just the thing. Never before had he admitted that his dreams troubled him, let alone sought her out like this. She remembered how startled she had been to see him, and even more shocked when he had suddenly embraced her. Had this nightmare been worse than the others?
Or...perhaps...ever since he had rescued her from Enishi, things had begun to change between them, and definitely not for the worse. Was this more proof of that?
She felt ashamed for even thinking such a thing when Kenshin was suffering, but she could not help feeling heartened. After rebuffing her attempts to get him to open up for so long, he had finally allowed himself to seek comfort from her.
Gazing at his sleeping face, Kaoru promised herself that she would not let him down.
Just as she had let her eyes drift shut, a frightening possibility suddenly occurred to her.
What if she woke up to find that he had chosen to behave as if none of this had happened? Could he be that cruel? Staring at him once more, she could almost see it in her mind - his bright, empty smile, his falsely cheerful tone as he told her that he was fine, that he was and what would Kaoru-dono like for lunch? She didn’t think she could endure it.
But - Tomorrow...Tomorrow, this one will tell you. That was what he had said, as he had embraced her, just before he had fallen asleep.
And Kenshin was not one to break his word.
Comforted by the thought, Kaoru closed her eyes, and tried to sleep.
But her eyes kept flitting open, wanting to steal just one more glimpse of Kenshin’s face. The sight of him captivated her. She had watched him sleep before, but never like this.
Kenshin had once had enough danger in his life that he would sleep sitting up, sword propped against his shoulder. Even now, she knew that he usually slept lightly, ready to rise if any hint of trouble registered to his senses. But here, he had huddled in her arms, trusting that she would not let harm come to him. He looked so...so...
Defenceless.
Kaoru felt her breath catch in her throat.
With his slight build and delicate features, Kenshin was hardly an intimidating sight. But she knew enough about him that she could not look at him without being reminded of his strength, physical or otherwise. Still, she realized that he, like everyone else, was not invincible.
But she had not known that he could look so vulnerable.
It fascinated her, frightened her...But more than anything else, it made her want to protect him from any harm that might come his way.
Kenshin...Is this what you see when you look at me?
As glad as she was to know that he would willingly fight for her sake, part of her had chafed at the thought that she needed someone to defend her. She had gotten by on her own just fine after her father’s death - how was it that, when Kenshin emerged in her life, she suddenly had to rely on him to rescue her? But she had long since accepted the fact that as capable as she was, there were some battles that she could not fight on her own. And if he truly did see her the way she saw him now...his desire to protect her became even easier to understand.
On an impulse, she brushed her lips against the crown of his head, and wondered when he would come to understand her desire to lend him her strength.
It had stung her pride, and made her fear that she was growing dependent on him, but she had come to accept him as - among other things - a protector.
She was not as strong as he was. But perhaps he, too, would learn that he needed to be protected sometimes, and entrust her with that honour.
For now, though...The fact that he was here seemed like a good sign.
With that thought in mind, Kaoru shut her eyes, and let sleep claim her. Her arms were still around him.
And, er, I won.
Huh. Cool.
*chokes back gleeful laugh*
Okay, so, not that big of a deal, but when you're still newbie-ish at this (and kinda mediocre at that) this is pretty encouraging. The idea that there were a bunch of people who read this and took the time to vote just boggles my mind. Almost scary. But very cool. To all those who commented (I'm really sorry for not replying) and voted, if you are by any chance reading this, thanks so much. You've made this little author very happy. ^_^