La Fleure Qui Est Belle

(The flower that is beautiful...incorrect French, actually.  But I have yet to think of a better title)

Cat Foxglove

            Well, here I am, venturing into the ever-increasingly stormy waters of the fanfiction universe.  However, this time it isn't Labyrinth that I'm writing about, oh no.  It's Kenshin.

            This story is being formed around a chat that Clarus and I had quite some time ago, and which I am now turning into an actual story, with her permission of course.  I got the idea from Shini no Miko, who turned one of the chats that she and I had had well over two years ago, now, into Ochiru.

            WARNING:  Do not read any farther if you disapprove of homosexual relationships. 

WARNING 2: This story is AU, and, in being so, has nothing to do with the RK anime or manga.  I do not intend to bring in any of the other characters.  The plotline is original and does not follow that of the anime or manga.  And, from now on, since people are taking offence at my taking offence at THEM…well, I'm tempted to not continue, and allow this fic to slide into the oubliette where the rest of my piece of fanfiction reside.  However, that would only mean that they won, so I'll continue to plot along, buoyed by the reviews of those of you who actually seem to care, and I'll take note of the others.  This will be finished, if it takes another year.

Disclaimer:  I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the characters therein.  I am making no profit from writing this piece of work.  If I were, my editors would be handling the idiots who have no constructive criticism to leave, and don't have the ability to interpret sarcasm through text alone.

Chapter One

The dance hall was dark, the scent of perfume and cigar smoke hanging in the air, creating a cloyingly sweet yet acrid scent that seemed to blanket the entire space. He was there to look for a girl, of all things.  She had to be cheap, and would preferably be one who looked desperate enough to let me do what he wanted with her – namely, not touch her.  The hall is full of men in full dress, and women in not much at all…as was only to be expected of one of these places.  After all, the women were here to be entertainment, and perhaps to find a man who would hire them for more personal work.  Currently, he was bored, and leaning against a wall on one side of the dance floor.  He'd danced a few times, with different girls, but none of them struck him as being right for the job.

She couldn't comprehend what was wrong.  As of late, there had been no one who wished to hire her, and there had a been a period where she had been one of the most popular entertainers in the city.  It was troublesome, as she needed money, for this was a city of artifice, and no flower could survive without the means to keep herself in the limelight. 

His eyes fell on her from the other side of the hall.  Judging by her state of dress, she'd fallen on difficult times; perhaps she would work for his purposes.  He crossed the hall to speak with her, inwardly wincing as she turned to answer his query.  "Excuse me, would you like to dance?"  It was painfully obvious that she had been pretty once, however, since her fall from the limelight, everything had gone to Hell.  Ah well, he thought, I can at least dance with her before gently letting her go.  However, as they were dancing, he realized that she held some potential.  She needed new clothes, makeup…other means of feminine artifice…but she was probably the least expensive in the hall, and would be more than willing to go with him.  "So, would you be interested in a job?"

Her eyes widened, deep blue against pale skin and a fringe of midnight across her forehead.  Inside, she was screaming in jubilation, but she could not show that to him.  "If you would care for me to work…"

 "You'll have to clean yourself up first, of course."  She nodded, murmuring an apology.  "What in the world is there for me to forgive?"  After dancing for a while longer he directed her towards the door.  "Let's go discuss the specifics, hmm?"

"Of course." 

Upon exiting the building, he hailed a carriage to take them back to his home.  Hopefully, Jean would be out, he thought as they ascended the stairs and unlocked the apartment.  "Ah, Jean is out for the moment.  Have a seat.  May I offer you something to drink?"

 "Just water, please."  Her gaze wandered around the room as he vanished through another door.  The apartment was posh, full of paintings, furniture that must have cost a pretty sum unless it had been handed down through his family, and other items that signified that he was fairly well-to-do.  It made her wonder why he was in one of the less-than-savory dance halls, but he had returned before she could ponder and farther, with her water and a brandy for himself.

"My situation is a little complicated, I'm afraid."

 "Oh?  Might I ask how?"  She was genuinely curious now.  From the tone of his voice, he had not hired her for physical pleasure.

"Frankly, I'm not very interested in girls."  He was slightly surprised when her expression showed no signs of being bothered by this admission.  "So, it's the usual deal.  I'm afraid I can't afford to put you up in an apartment right now, but I can handle your clothing and things of that nature…you keep yourself clean and go to balls with me.  And, that's the deal."

She nodded, smiling.  "I understand."

"Well then," he returned the smile, "what's your name?"

"Kaoru.  Kaoru Kamiya."

"It's a please to meet you, my dear.  I'm Kenshin Himura."

Notes:

Kenshin was originally Shinta in the chat, but I decided to change that.  Most of the dialogue is straight from the chat, and almost anything Kenshin says, up to a later point, is from Clarus's wonderful, fantabulous mind.  Hats off to you, Clarus.  We love you.