Fandom 40: Like Snow Upon His Heart (Rurouni Kenshin)
Title: Like Snow Upon His Heart
Author: aishuu
Fandom: Rurouni Kenshin: The ultimate historical samurai series.
Wordcount: 460
Taunt: My fandom has the best music EVER. Period.
Note: Written for a challenge with fujis, theme “snow.”
They've been married for nearly five years, but Kaoru still knows there's mysteries buried in Kenshin's past. There's no way he can tell her everything he's done, because the memories have blurred together. He tells her, in his humble and deferential way, that he cannot remember all the horrors he's caused.
Kaoru loves him, but she knows that his heart is scarred. There's times when she catches him looking out the window staring at nothing, or frozen in the middle of scrubbing the floor. She notices his lapses but doesn't point them out, instead leaving him to his thoughts. Later she will hug him affectionately, or steal a playful kiss which sometimes amounts to more. She's had to learn subtlety over the years, because there's times when brashness sends him deeper inside himself.
Kaoru has learned that she cannot completely heal him. Kenshin will always suffer for his past. Wintertime is worst, although he will not admit why. He doesn't need to - she knows that Tomoe died in winter.
It's lucky that snow doesn't come often to Tokyo. When the snow falls, Kaoru knows that the ghost of his first wife claims his thoughts. Those are the days that she can't shake his melancholy free. Not even Kenji can coax a smile to his father's face when the snow falls.
Sometimes she fears that the spirit of Tomoe will come to claim Kenshin, wrapping him in her embrace like the yuki-onna of legend. A part of her - the selfish, small desires of a jealous woman - resents the intrusion of the past into her life, but she squelches the pettiness, hiding it deep in her heart. Kenshin does not need her resentment, nor does he deserve it.
When the snow falls, she takes Kenji into the next room, distracting him with games if Yahiko is not available. When their son finally falls asleep, she carries him to bed before returning to the kitchen. Kenshin's the one who does the cooking for the family, but she knows how to make tea. She boils water carefully on the new iron stove as she gets the cups and tea-leaves ready. After preparing a tray and grabbing a blanket, she goes to find her husband.
He's invariably on the porch, watching the snow fall through the darkness. Normally she would chide him for his stupidity in not wearing a coat, but these nights she sets aside her complaints. Quietly she hands him a cup of tea before taking a seat beside him. He wraps the blanket she brought around the both of them, and she leans against his side.
They sit together in silence, holding their cups of tea. All Kaoru can do is hope the warmth of their love with keep Kenshin from freezing inside.
Author: aishuu
Fandom: Rurouni Kenshin: The ultimate historical samurai series.
Wordcount: 460
Taunt: My fandom has the best music EVER. Period.
Note: Written for a challenge with fujis, theme “snow.”
They've been married for nearly five years, but Kaoru still knows there's mysteries buried in Kenshin's past. There's no way he can tell her everything he's done, because the memories have blurred together. He tells her, in his humble and deferential way, that he cannot remember all the horrors he's caused.
Kaoru loves him, but she knows that his heart is scarred. There's times when she catches him looking out the window staring at nothing, or frozen in the middle of scrubbing the floor. She notices his lapses but doesn't point them out, instead leaving him to his thoughts. Later she will hug him affectionately, or steal a playful kiss which sometimes amounts to more. She's had to learn subtlety over the years, because there's times when brashness sends him deeper inside himself.
Kaoru has learned that she cannot completely heal him. Kenshin will always suffer for his past. Wintertime is worst, although he will not admit why. He doesn't need to - she knows that Tomoe died in winter.
It's lucky that snow doesn't come often to Tokyo. When the snow falls, Kaoru knows that the ghost of his first wife claims his thoughts. Those are the days that she can't shake his melancholy free. Not even Kenji can coax a smile to his father's face when the snow falls.
Sometimes she fears that the spirit of Tomoe will come to claim Kenshin, wrapping him in her embrace like the yuki-onna of legend. A part of her - the selfish, small desires of a jealous woman - resents the intrusion of the past into her life, but she squelches the pettiness, hiding it deep in her heart. Kenshin does not need her resentment, nor does he deserve it.
When the snow falls, she takes Kenji into the next room, distracting him with games if Yahiko is not available. When their son finally falls asleep, she carries him to bed before returning to the kitchen. Kenshin's the one who does the cooking for the family, but she knows how to make tea. She boils water carefully on the new iron stove as she gets the cups and tea-leaves ready. After preparing a tray and grabbing a blanket, she goes to find her husband.
He's invariably on the porch, watching the snow fall through the darkness. Normally she would chide him for his stupidity in not wearing a coat, but these nights she sets aside her complaints. Quietly she hands him a cup of tea before taking a seat beside him. He wraps the blanket she brought around the both of them, and she leans against his side.
They sit together in silence, holding their cups of tea. All Kaoru can do is hope the warmth of their love with keep Kenshin from freezing inside.