Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Steps Of Courage ❯ Breaking Thin Ice ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: All standard disclaimers apply. Always.

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Chapter 9

It was a few days before Naruku spoke to Enizu again. She had melded quite agreeably back into the caring, effortless life she had once had at the dojo. She had even begun to forgive herself for flipping out on Kenshin. He had already given her forgiveness, with only slight reluctance. The hesitance was not in forgiving her actions, but being able to trust her again, and as they talked and laughed together Kenshin had realized that it was too hard not to go back to being friends again, and friends that could trust each other too.

Naruku did feel guilty about something else, though. She had not so much as showed Enizu to an inn since they had met up, even when she knew Sano had kicked him out of the long house. That was what led her to seek Enizu out and travel to town with a basket of daifuku. After all the years he had taken care of her she felt bad for neglecting him. She hoped he wouldn't be too dejected.

She hummed to herself softly as she tripped lightly down the path. Tripping probably wasn't the best of ideas while carrying food, but Naruku was wearing a kimono and it was hard to walk straight.

She scrutinized the inn as she neared. It was small, not shabby, but probably cheap. There weren't too many drunken men around, which was good considering that it was only afternoon. Naruku wondered, briefly, why he would choose this inn, it being as cheap as it looked.

"Excuse me," she said politely to the innkeeper, a plump woman with a fat black mole. "I'm here to see T—"

"Oh yes, the handsome blue-eyed boy?" the innkeeper inquired.

Naruku nodded without thinking. He was hardly a boy, nearly eleven years her senior. But, she decided, he was rather handsome.

"Right down there hon," the woman winked at Naruku in a creepy sort of way and extended a short tapered finger to point down the hallway.

Naruku bowed graciously. "Arigatou." She ambled down the hall, part of her excited to see Enizu, part of her apprehensive. She landed two swift knocks on the door. Waiting for him to finally make his way to the open the door, she looked at the shabby wood. There was no design on the plain, flat wood door, but the finish was peeling and she noticed large cracks in the doorframe, most likely from someone slamming it. That was what baffled Naruku the most about these western-style doors—they were stiff and didn't give under the weight of a swift close. She understood, now, why Enizu had chosen this place to live. Though it wasn't expensive or elegant it was in the style of his old home in Sendai—modern and western. She sighed and absently ran a finger down the surface of the door, wincing as a loose grain embedded itself in her finger.

"Ouch," she whispered, instinctively drawing back. She was still staring down at her splintered finger when the very man she had been waiting for appeared in the doorway.

"Naru-chan," he addressed her, startling her from her concentrated inspection.

"Oh," she breathed. Her mind jumped back into focus as she hastily brought out her basket of daifuku. "Here, these are for you," she chirped, tipping forward to hand them off.

"Domo arigatou," he thanked her curtly. She beamed. "Please, come in."

She complied and walked inside, examining the room as she saw it. It was, to put it short, basically resembled the door that led to it. Plain, flat, and modern.

"How have you been?" he asked politely as she struggled to figure out what to do with herself. She wanted to sit down, but he wasn't sitting so she supposed she'd just have to remain standing. He didn't seem to notice her internal discomfort.

"Oh, um…fine," she told him, deciding against going into explicit detail about the last few days. It certainly seemed rude to bring up how happy she was and how much she was enjoying herself when he wasn't included. "Kaoru-san's student is improving nicely," she added conversationally. She wondered if he'd react at all if she had referred to Kaoru as she usually did.

"Kaoru?" he repeated. "Is that not a woman's name?"

"Yes," Naruku replied hesitantly. "It is," her tone proposed that he continue.

His eyes were a shade wider than normal. "Does this girl teach the noble art of swordsmanship?"

"Well, yes. She's the only successor to the Kamiya Kasshin style, and she fights very well. She's probably on National level," Naruku replied defensively.

Her guardian caught her tone. "Forgive me, Naru-chan," he spoke kindly. "I did not mean to offend you. I'm sure your friend is a very good instructor."

"I understand," she answered concisely. "I know how you feel about women learning kenjutsu."

"Aa," he seemed almost caught off guard, as if he wasn't sure what to say next. Or how to say it. He continued, "Regarding that, Naru-chan, I think it would be—"

"Oh you don't have to worry about me so much!" she retorted before he could even finish his thought. She knew what it was. "Tokyo is a fairly safe town. Safer than Kyoto was, anyway. Only once I've been attacked by a Tokyo gang and I managed to come away unscathed," she chose her words carefully and hoped he wouldn't notice. More like, Kenshin saved your ass, she thought bitterly.

"I see," he answered evasively.

Before the long pause could become an awkward silence, Naruku spoke, "Sumimasen, I should be getting back to the dojo."

Enizu looked a little annoyed at this. "When is it that I will meet these friends of yours? Naruku, I don't plan to stay in Tokyo long."

But I do plan to take you along with me when I leave, Naruku thought, filling in the blanks that Enizu left unsaid. "Ano…Everyone at the dojo is always so busy, trying to make ends meet. I don't recall a time we've been all together in a long time." Which wasn't true because they were together nearly every meal.

"I see," Enizu answered in the same stoic manner. "Well see if you can figure out a time. I really would love to meet them and thank Kamiya-san for taking care of you."

"H-hai," Naruku answered, turning away. "I'll see what I can do." She flashed a quick smile at him over her shoulder and left his room. She closed the wooden door behind her and leaned gently on it, emitting a soft sigh. Her eyelids fluttered close and she allowed herself to remain unprotected for a second longer. Then she stood erect and strode away.

"So Naruku," Kaoru began casually, sidling up to her friend. "When do we get to meet your mysterious friend?"

"I already told you his name is Enizu," Naruku replied irritably, running a hand impatiently through her hair. "What else do you want to know exactly?"

"What such man could have Naruku-the-carefree so besotted," Kaoru replied coyly. It was her manner of speaking that made Naruku send a side-ways glance over at her friend.

"I am not besotted!" she shrieked in poor Kaoru's ear. "Are you okay Kaoru? Have you been turned into a kitsune recently? You're acting just like Megumi-san!"

Kaoru giggled. "I'm only pulling your leg."

"Kaoru doesn't pull people's legs. Sheesh, if you were going to capture my dear friend and impersonate her you could at least have done some research," Naruku retorted, attempting to stalk away.

Kaoru trotted along to keep the pace. "Oh don't be like that! Come on, we just want to meet Enizu-san."

"Yeah…well…" she struggled for words, and when none came, she turned her head away, still tugging incessantly on her cedar-red locks.

"Come on Naruku-chan. You're not ashamed of us are you?"

"Wha—" Naruku turned back to Kaoru so suddenly she nearly yanked out several copper strands. "No! Of course not! Where did you get that idea?"

Kaoru could tell by the genuine surprise that Naruku was telling the truth. She grinned. "Okay then, tomorrow at lunch Enizu-san will join us," humming merrily Kaoru bustled away, leaving Naruku to seethe alone.

Naruku woke up the next morning to another bout of dread and guilt. Oh Kami… She rolled over on her stomach and lifted her pillow to stuff it over her head, mussing her already disheveled hair.

"Naruku-chan, are you awake yet?" a cheerful voice rang out as the door the Naruku's bedroom slid open. Kaoru poked her head partially inside. "C'mon, you can't sulk all day, get up!"

Naruku groaned in response, so Kaoru made her way to Naruku's futon and snatched the pillow away. "Get up! You can even take a bath after breakfast."

This didn't seem to persuade the undersized girl to get up.

Kaoru chattered on, nonetheless. "Are you going to wear a kimono for Enizu-san when he comes."

Naruku growled but Kaoru only laughed. "Come on, come on, you can't be in a bad mood Naruku!"

"No, I'm not wearing a kimono," came the irritated, muffled reply. She turned over to her back again and sat up.

"Well okay then," Kaoru answered, quite pleased that she had managed to get the ill-tempered girl out of bed. "See you at breakfast," she skipped out the door, sliding it shut as she went.

Naruku grabbed the first article of clothing she could reach—it was a kimono. She tossed it aside and instead donned one of her less-worn training hakama. Just to spite everyone.

As she entered the kitchen and the aroma of miso claimed her senses, her mood was lifted considerably. She eagerly sat down along with Yahiko and Kaoru, waiting for Kenshin to arrive with their meal.

They ate quickly and Yahiko fleetly scurried away, hastening to skip out on cleaning the dishes.

"I'll do it," Naruku volunteered, albeit reluctantly. She cleared off all the dishes and brought them to the sink.

"Aa. I should go find Enizu-san and inform him of our lunch plans," Kenshin told her offhandedly.

Naruku was not quite so calm. She promptly dropped the dish she was holding, shiny and wet having just finished being washed. Luckily Kenshin was quick and caught it before it could shatter into a million ceramic pieces on the ground. "N-no!" she sputtered hastily. "I'll go!"

"But Naruku-dono you're doing the dishes that you are," Kenshin reasoned. If he was put off by her spastic reaction, he didn't show it.

"I know," she huffed, calming down slightly. "But there's not that much. I'll be done soon." She smiled brightly. "And how would Enizu feel if he were invited to lunch by a total stranger? No, no, I'll tell him," she seemed to be talking mostly to herself by the end of it.

"If that's what you want Naruku-dono…" Kenshin replied easily. "Would you mind terribly if I came along? I'm curious about Enizu-san, that I am."

"Baka, of course you can come!" she japed, her words sounding more definite than she really was. "But who does that leave to cook lunch?"

The same thought seemed to occur to Kenshin at that very moment. "…Kaoru-dono?"

"Oi," Naruku sighed. "Well her cooking has improved as of late," she added reasonably. "And it would at least provide some entertainment," she sniggered as an afterthought. "Kaoru-chan!"

The kenjutsu instructor appeared at her call. "Hai?"

"You wanna make lunch today?"

"Of course, I thought that was the plan already!" Kaoru chirped. Naruku and Kenshin exchanged exasperated glances.

"Ne," Naruku answered at last. "I was just confirming."

Kaoru smiled broadly before disappearing from the kitchen again.

"We'll go after the noon bang," Naruku said to Kenshin. He nodded and trotted off to tend to the laundry while Naruku crossed the yard to take a bath like Kaoru had suggested earlier.

A few hours later Naruku and Kenshin were making the trek to the Shuesai inn.

"Enizu-san," Naruku promptly told the innkeeper. The old woman raised her eyebrows at Kenshin, but pointed them down the hall nevertheless.

"They are very well-equipped with western-style renovations," Kenshin commented, staring at the rows of boring wooden doors.

"Yeah," Naruku agreed. "That's probably why Enizu decided to stay here. He's very into that sort of stuff. But," she glanced around mischievously. "It just looks ugly to me," she sniggered and Kenshin laughed appreciatively.

"Enizu!" she called through the thick door, her voice high and light. A few moments later the door swung open to reveal a tall, well-chiseled man. His blue eyes widened in surprise when he spotted Naruku, grinning in his doorway.

"Ohayo!" she sang.

The brown-locked man stared in utter shock at the sight of Kenshin over Naruku's shoulder.

"Enizu, this is Kenshin," she told him, pointing at each man respectively. "Kenshin, Enizu!" There you go, Enizu. This is all it will take, isn't it?

Kenshin was still smiling his careless smile, but Enizu had an odd, shrewd look on his face. He quickly jumped back to reality and smiled as well. "I'm pleased to meet you Himura-san."

Naruku kept her expression carefully intact.

Kenshin chuckled. "I'm very happy that we are finally acquainted. Naruku-dono has said very much about you, that she has."

Naruku struggled to keep her beaming smile in place as her two male friends eyed each other.

"So…well then," Naruku began weakly. "The reason we came over here is, um…would you like to have lunch at the dojo with us?"

"Of course Naru-chan," Enizu answered breezily. "You know how much I've been wanting to meet your friends."

"Well I told you we'd all have lunch together," Naruku added as they walked back down the hall and out of the inn. "Only, Kaoru-chan is cooking this afternoon, and I don't mean to be unkind, but…" she exchanged edgy glances with Kenshin and then laughed. "Well anyway, you'll be able to stomach it."

The three of them arrived at the dojo shortly thereafter.

"So here we are," Naruku chirped, beaming at the sight of her home.

"And this…" Enizu began in reply, but then chose his words more carefully and began again. "This is where Kamiya-san teaches swordsmanship?"

"Hai, but she only has one student after the thing with the Hiruma brothers," Naruku explained, her gaze sliding over to Kenshin. The latter gave small sigh of surprise and jumped out of his reverie.

"Who would that be?" Enizu inquired politely.

"Her student? His name is Myojin Yahiko," Naruku replied.

As if on cue the boy stepped out into the courtyard. As soon as he noticed the tall form of Enizu, he asked bluntly, "Who's this guy?" he gestured to Enizu and glanced at Naruku.

"Baka!" She whacked his head, but he hardly felt it. "You're so rude. This is Enizu-san, my guardian."

Enizu smiled broadly. "Hajimemashite," he told Yahiko.

Yahiko softened after that and took to Enizu easily, though he was a little put off by the fact that Enizu didn't carry a sword and didn't have any valiant stories to tell.

"But Yahiko," Enizu reasoned. "It's against the law to carry a sword. I wouldn't want to be arrested."

"I've been arrested," Yahiko told him proudly.

"No you haven't," Naruku refuted, smacking him again.

"Oh yeah? What do you know!" He rubbed his head angrily. "Well Kenshin's been to jail at least."

Kenshin shook his head.

"But you wear the sakabatou everywhere!" Yahiko complained, clearly disappointed with Kenshin's lack of a criminal record.

"Yes but every time a police officer tried to charge me for it, I run away faster than them, that I do."

Yahiko scowled. "Come on, one of us has got to have been arrested! You just can't go through life without being a convict once!"

Naruku, Kenshin and Yahiko turned to each other. "Sano…"

"Wasn't he that man from before? The one who let us stay in his long house?" Enizu asked, puzzled.

"What about me?"

"Yeah, with a face like his he'd have to be arrested at least one time!" Yahiko prattled on, unaware that the topic of discussion had now entered the perimeters of earshot.

And thus Yahiko earned his third bump on the head that day.

Kaoru arrived on the scene a few moments later to announce that lunch was ready, and the introductions between Enizu and her took place.

"I'm very pleased to meet you Enizu-san," Kaoru said respectfully.

"The pleasure is all mine, I promise you," Enizu returned. Kaoru blushed a pale pink.

A second later she cleared her throat with a glance at Naruku and led them all inside for lunch.

There is something to be said about someone who can stomach all of Kaoru's food, smile, hold out his bowl and ask for seconds. Naruku watched as Enizu did just that, and she knew that three other people in the room were gaping along with her. Kaoru grinned delightedly at Enizu's supposed fondness toward her food and happily spooned a few clumps of rice into his bowl.

Naruku was finding herself pleasantly surprised at Enizu's sociability. She had been sure he would stay distant from the dojo inhabitants.

Enizu was still hanging around after lunch, something Sano wasn't too happy about. Instead of trying to reason with her thickheaded friend, Naruku simply rolled her eyes when Sano made rude comments about Enizu while watching Naruku do the dishes.

"You could help, you know, instead of just standing there," Naruku suggested to him. Sano shrugged and made his way out of the kitchen, but not before Naruku threw a dishtowel that hit him squarely on the back of the neck. He stumbled but made it out of there before Naruku could do any lasting damage.