Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Love Hina Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Disaster? ❯ Freak-Out And A First Kiss ( Chapter 6 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disaster?
A Rurouni Kenshin Self-Insertion Fic
By: Serenity-chan and K-chan

Chapter 6:
Freak-Out And A First Kiss

That morning, Souzou woke with a comforting warmth snuggled against his chest. Nicole had her arms wrapped firmly around his waist, her head resting over his heart. Gently, trying his best not to wake her, Souzou disentangled himself from her warm embrace. He smiled at the sleeping girl's motionless form and tentatively reached out to caress her cheek. Nicole smiled and once again tilted her head into his touch. As she moved, the tips of his fingers brushed her lips. Souzou yanked his hand back as if he had been burned.

"Mm?" grumbled Nicole, one sleepy eye fluttering open. "Watizzit?"

She blinked rather dazedly and slowly opened both eyes. The first thing that came into her blurry, glasses-less focus was Souzou's startled face. A scream that probably rattled windows in Hokkaido nearly burst the poor man's eardrums.

"What the hell!?" screeched an indignant Nicole, sitting bolt upright.

"I... I... THIS ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!" sputtered Souzou, his handsome face nearly matching his bandanna in color.

Only two young members of the Sekihoutai hadn't come to investigate the piercing feminine screams coming from the Captain's tent. A large crowd, apparently, was very interested in the Captain's personal life. Soon a sputtering, red-faced Captain Sagara came storming out of his tent, looking totally mortified. Nicole burst out after him, screaming at the top of her lungs. Everyone within ten feet covered their ears. Hearing her, Katsu and Sano finally woke up.

"What's all the yellin' about?" asked Sano, tugging on Kyo's sleeve.

"It's..." Kyo started before Reichi silenced him.

"I'll explain when you're older," Reichi said firmly, before turning around to Kyo and hissing "Don't say it. That's my son you're talking to!"

Kyo smiled warily and made his leave, ruffling Sano's hair and promising to explain it when Reichi wasn't around. Reichi glared at his younger friend. Kyo just laughed and scurried away as Nicole came back looking like an auburn-haired whirlwind.

"I can't believe this!" she cried, slamming herself down on Souzou's futon and burying her face in his pillow. " *sniffle* He... he hates me..."

Nicole burst into tears, curled up on her side and wailing. She didn't know why he would have said what he did. Why did he tell her to stop dreaming a dream that could never come true? Why did he just say that, right out of the blue? Couldn't he see that she was worth his time? She was so absorbed in her tears that she didn't notice when he came and sat beside her.

"I didn't want to make you cry," he said softly, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"If you knew it would," Nicole began angrily, shrugging his hand away. "Why did you say it?"

"I'm not worth your time or your tears," Souzou said grimly, not really answering her question. "You need someone who's right for you, not someone like me."

Nicole glared at him so coldly that it could have frozen flames on the Sun.

"Then why did you let me think you might care?" she asked tonelessly.

"I do care about you," Souzou answered truthfully. "You're a sweet girl... And I doubt this is any kind of standard in your time, but you'll be a great wife for someone..."

"Just not for you?" asked Nicole sadly.

Souzou didn't answer.

"I know you don't want to hear this from me," said Nicole quietly. "But I'd stay with you if you wanted me to."

'I do want you, Nicole,' thought Souzou, swallowing his emotions as he got to his feet and turned away. 'I just have to push you away for your own good.'
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Throughout the day, Nicole seemed upset about something, but no one could get her to say what it was. After a while, everyone just sort of gave up and, when no one was looking, she just wandered away into the forests surrounding the Sekihoutai camp. Before too long, she was so lost she couldn't have found her own shadow.

"Captain Sagara, where's Miss Nicole?" piped up Sanosuke, who had seemed to pop up suddenly at Souzou's side.

Souzou had been deep in thought and didn't hear him, but Touya did.

"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen her in a few hours," he said, turning to Souzou and elbowing him hard in the side. "Souzou, I thought she was with you. Where'd she go?"

"I dunno," Souzou mumbled dazedly, rudely jerked from his thoughts by the point of Touya's elbow.

He suddenly snapped to as Touya's words sank in.

"Wait! She's gone?!" he sputtered. "How long has she---?"

"About three hours ago," interrupted Reichi, who also had a habit of popping up at his best friend's side. "I think Kyo just went after her---"

"And if I know him," Touya cut in. "He's as lost as she is."

"What he said," finished Reichi.

Souzou snapped back to his facade of an appropriately-unemotional, almost-cold leader. And it was shaking. He was worried but he didn't want the men he led to know it. Sensing their Captain's tension, most of the men scurried away fairly quickly. Everyone but Katsu, Sano and Reichi. Touya wasn't very far off, waiting until he was needed.

"Find both of them," Souzou commanded stiffly, then relaxed. "Please..."

Souzou looked at two of his best friends.

"I don't want either of them hurt," he said softly, his facade dropping away for a brief moment. "I promised Nicole she wouldn't be hurt. I hate to say this, but Kyo can handle himself, right? So if you could---"

"We understand," said Reichi quickly.

"Then let's go," answered Souzou. "Touya, you stay here and lead for me."
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Nicole was hopelessly lost and completely terrified. It was almost pitch dark and there was no kind of shelter anywhere. She had sworn to herself that she wouldn't let Souzou find her. She wasn't going to go back and be nothing but a burden to him. If he was going to tell her that she didn't need him, then fine! Then he didn't need her either.

But deep inside her heart, if she was really honest with herself, she wanted him to find her.

She shook honesty out of her mind and just randomly started running. It didn't matter where she was, she just wanted to run away. It didn't matter where she stopped, just as long as she was away. As long as she remained alone, away and alone, that was what mattered.
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Souzou was growing frantic inside. Outside, he looked perfectly calm, almost like he didn't care. But somehow, he was running faster than any of his friends, Kyo included. Visions of what could happen to her filled his head, spurring him on like a hot metal spike. He couldn't stand thinking of what could happen to an unarmed, practically defenseless sixteen-year-old girl. Especially one alone in this kind of place.

As sweat began to stream down his handsome face, his worry began to show. Was this girl a Ninja or something? She certainly dressed like she might be one. And now it seemed that she had disappeared into the smoky forest. There were no prints, no marks to show where she might have climbed up a tree. Could it be that she was magic or something, that she could disappear? Souzou shook his head, knowing magic could be no use against the Shinsengumi or the like.

'Nicole, why do you do these things?' he thought. 'You worry me...'

Souzou let his worry fuel his speed, practically shooting through the forest and choking on cannon smoke. Smoke? Wait, that didn't smell like smoke from cannons! Was there a fire somewhere or something? Was Nicole alright? Where was she!?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nicole was actually not far from where Souzou was. Only the serious problem was, she was totally surrounded by flames twenty feet high. There was so much smoke, it was making her head spin, filling her lungs and making it impossible for her to scream. Soon, she fell to her knees, coughing and choking. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she gave into the thought that she was going to die here, that she would never get home.

Souozu was growing more and more frantic as he encountered more and more smoke, occasionally being cut off by live flames. Nicole had to be on the other side of this seemingly impenetrable wall of fire. He knew his friends had probably gone back to camp by now, so it was up to him. Above the licking and cracking of flames, he could hear Nicole's strangled coughing.

"Nicole! I'm coming!" he called out, inhaling a cloud of smoke and choking. "Just *cough* hang on!"

"Souzou?" whispered Nicole, struggling to get up.

As Nicole got to her feet, Souozu could hear her coughing getting louder. Then, in an instant that made his heart stop, he heard her scream. Nicole had nearly walked into a wall of red-hot flames. When it seemed to leap at her, she screamed again. In a moment without thought, Souzou stormed through the fire to find Nicole.

He found her lying on her side in the fiery clearing, totally motionless.

"Nicole..." whispered Souzou. "No... Please don't be..."

He couldn't finish, couldn't even let himself think it. In seconds, when she didn't get up, he was on his knees by her side, checking for any sign of life. When he found her faint heartbeat, he took her in his arms, said a silent prayer and cradled her close. From what he could tell, she would live and be just like she was before. She would need to rest for a while, of course, but something deep inside him said there were worse things than keeping such a cute, vivacious girl in bed.

'HENTAI!' he yelled at himself.

But seriously, he needed to get her back quickly, before Nicole inhaled too much more smoke. When they were far enough away that it was safe to stop, Souzou dropped down on his knees again. Nicole wasn't seriously injured so, reluctantly, Souzou gently laid her down on a clear patch of ground to check her over. Her knees seemed to have got the worst of it. She shouldn't walk for a while at least. Again, the little hentai inside him that all guys have gave him several ideas.

"Damn," whispered Souzou, not realizing that he was speaking aloud.

"Hm?" mumbled Nicole, trying to wake up.

Her eyes burned from the smoke and it hurt to breathe. Souzou looked down at her face and his worry melted away to a smile. Tentatively, he brought his hand to caress her cheek. This time when she leaned into his touch and his fingers brushed her lips, he didn't pull away.

Souzou knew what he was doing was wrong. He was letting her kiss his fingertips, soothing his burns. Inside, he was screaming at himself, ranting that she was barely more than a child, for crying out loud! She was just sixteen for God's sake! Then another voice in him piped up that his best friend Reichi had married a girl many years his junior. And the age gap didn't stop THEM from being powerfully in love and having a son together. But then, the thought of what had happened to Reichi's young wife froze Souzou's blood.

But this time, something stopped him from pulling away. Just let fate come and do as it liked, he thought brazenly. He wasn't going to cause Nicole to suffer any more than he knew he already had. He wasn't going to make her cry again. Gently, he guided her arms up to wrap around his neck and lifted the girl into his arms again.

"Souzou?" asked Nicole dazedly.

"Hm?" he responded, shifting her up closer to his chest.

"Why?" whimpered Nicole.

Souzou blinked and tilted his head at her.

"Why what?" he asked curiously.

"Why did you come after me?" whispered Nicole, not looking at Souzou's face and focusing instead on his chest.

Unexpectedly, Souzou stopped and set Nicole lightly on her feet, still supporting most of her weight against his body. Gently as possible, he tilted her chin up so that she would look him in the eye. His brown eyes were shining as he caressed her cheek with the sword-callused pad of his thumb.

"I couldn't let you die out there," he answered truthfully. "You do realize what could have happened to you, don't you?"

Nicole wrapped her arms tighter around Souzou's neck, clinging to him as all her fear, pain and worry hit her all at once.

"I couldn't let anything like that happen to you," whispered Souzou, tightening his arms around Nicole's slight form. "I couldn't let you go without telling you one thing..."

"What is it?" whispered Nicole, her hazel eyes wide.

Souzou was holding Nicole so tight that she was actually lifted off her feet.

"I don't care about what I said before," he whispered through clenched teeth, his eyes squeezed shut. "I can't lose you."

Nicole tightened her arms around Souzou, not believing what was happening. She was in the arms of the man she had dreamed of and he was returning her affection. Gently, she kissed his cheek, then hid her face in the curve of his shoulder, blushing madly. Souzou let in a soft gasping breath and held Nicole so tight he might have crushed her.

"I love you," whispered Nicole, snuggling as close as she could get as Souzou took her back up in his arms.

"Mmm..." mumbled Souzou.

He didn't really answer, but then again, he didn't have to.

Quickly, gently, affectionately, he slid his hand under her chin. Sweeping over her like a storm, he claimed her lips with his. Nicole was totally taken by surprise. This was her first kiss and sure as hell she would remember it forever. Though she was a little scared at first, she let herself relax when she felt Souzou's questing tongue probing at her lips. She blushed and tightened her arms around him as she let him in to taste her mouth. Soon she had gathered her courage and was responding with equal, if not greater passion than he.

All too soon, two things happened. One, neither of them could breathe. Two, something in Souzou's mind turned on, reminding him not to scare the poor girl. Gently, he started pulling back, his tongue sweeping over hers one last time. As his lips moved away from hers, he let a soft moan escape his throat.

'Oh... I've never tasted anything so sweet,' he thought, laying a soft, tender kiss on Nicole's cheek.

"Don't leave me," whispered Souzou, nuzzling her shoulder with his cheek.

"I'm not," Nicole whispered back, running one hand through his hair. "I just want to stay with you."