Hello, Stranger
by Uenki

Chapter 1

Don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

It was such a beautiful sight to see, everything outside was white, as if there were a thousand lights shining on the ground. The leaves on the trees were there no more, but on the coniferous trees, far away, had their needle-like leaves covered with bits of snow. It also looked like the angels from high above had taken the colors from the Earth to weave the rainbows, because a rainbow had hung high up in the forlorn skies. Everything was a sight so nice, as if it was only something that could only be seen on portraits, but she still was not happy. She wanted to be happy, but for some reasons, she was not happy. Still, God gave her a gift... Maybe the best Christmas gift ever.

It was the 24th of December, the day when Christmas would be coming near. She was just walking home after purchasing some frozen food, for her to stall for four days, till the 1st of January 2005. She was in such a saddening mood, she hated Christmas with a burning passion. She was lonely. As she reached her door step, she gasped in uncertainty. She was not sure if he was a female or a male, but he looked so much like an angel buried in the snow. Strands of crimson wisps were laid on the ground, if you weren't to look carefully, it isn't noticeable at all. He wore a deep white robe, with red fluid, blood, staining his robes. As far as she knew, she could tell that he was injured. Severely. She opened the front gate, knelt down and brushed off the snow on him, and tried to shake him awake.

"Hey, are you alright?" she asked, concerned. Yet he gave no response. She dropped the bag of food on the ground, and carried him up by the shoulders ('Oh god, he is so heavy!'), and dragged him into the house. She laid him on the carpet, allowing him to lean on the couch, before she rushed out to the door from the gate, took up her things and belongings, locked the gate, and went back in.

"Oh god, he looked so cold!" she exclaimed in a state of anxiety. "Warmth, heater!" she cried and laid out futons, before pulling him in it, while she draped the thick, wooly blanket onto him, half covered. She pulled the heater and put it by the side of the corner of the futon. She touched his forehead; somehow, she knew that he was burning up. Quickly, she filled out a basin of water, and a fresh cloth, washed it, and placed it on his forehead. She then took out a first aid kit from the cabinet installed by the hallways, and placed out some fresh bandages.

"I am going to dress your wounds, when you wake up, don't blame me for seeing yourself half naked!" she warned, while she blushed furiously.

Ack! It's not like I hadn't seen a man's top half of the body before!

Regaining her composure, she realized that she had some serious job to do, his wound. It was so deep, as if he was being stabbed in the chest. Furthermore, that was not the only wound, there is still one on his arm, but that was not that deep. Blood was oozing out profusely. She was beginning to hate the metallic scent of blood. It just irks her.

–

"You ill breed fool! It's you; you're cursing the Himura family! The fault lies within you!" if not for her blood red eyes, nobody would have known who she was. She had the face of an angel's, yet the heart of a devil's. She wanted to kill her own son. True, she was mental –she had some disorders, but it wasn't right. It gave her no right attempting to kill a child of five. The nurses had pulled the woman away, slammed the door close as the little boy sat in the enclosed area, his hands placed on his knees as he curled up into a ball.

The boy had strangely colored hair, a deep red –blood red. He adored his hair a lot, because that's the only thing that reminded him of his father who was his hero –his superman. That crimson colored hair had always made him the 'curse' of the Himura family. Everything was his fault, and things went terribly wrong. Maybe... maybe he do understand how his mother felt under the pressuring circumstances, the whole family were looking down on him, and his mother...

"Mama... Kenshin will be a good boy... Mama... Kenshin will do what mama wants," the little child whimpered, tears of sadness soon flowed smoothing down his bony cheeks. He looked up onto the window, where the moon was smiling cheerily at him.

"Why mama? Why is Kenshin always wrong when he did nothing?" he sobbed quietly.

–

His eyes snapped opened, and he sat up without thinking. Beads of perspiration rolled down from his forehead, after the everyday horrendous dream. That was the only thing that reminded of what he was. It was only at that moment he became conscious of where he is and what he was sitting on. He was sitting on a soft mattress which and a thick layered of blanket was covering his legs as he sat cross-legged. As he looked around, he saw an empty basin with a fresh rag that was placed beside it carelessly. Looking around, he saw couches, a coffee table and a television standing on top of a cabinet.

"Ah, living room..." he assumed, when it was fact that it was indeed a living room. On top of the television, was a picture frame. He pushed away the blanket and stood up. As he reached out his hands for the picture frame, the door knob clicked and a woman wearing a bath robe came in. When she saw him exerting force to take the picture frame, and the amount of blood that was gushing its way out of the wound on his arm, the glass in her hands slipped and fell onto the floor in an instant.

The shattering sound followed on, as she jogged towards him, carelessly kicking over the basin in the process. The red headed man turned back, watching her tripping over the basin, and her face was heading for the floor. She cried as she shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the impact of the fall, but it never came. The feminine man had caught her, and her face was buried in his chest. Her eyes widened as she pulled herself up quickly, her face blushing scarlet. Realization soon hit her.

"The chest, the wound, blood!" she exclaimed, terrified. The man looked at her, curiosity aroused as she ran crossed the room, fumbled in the first aid kit and took out a few rolls of bandages. She then walked towards him, knelt down beside him and started to take off the bandages in his arm which was stained a deep red color. A few seconds passed, as he sit there, stoning as she busied herself with his wounds.

"Ah!" he cried softly, and the woman responded by a startled jump. The silence a while ago was too tensed up, and she had a scare when he broke the tension out of the blue. She then took off his bandages in the chest, but he had grabbed her hand when she was halfway through. She looked up to face a pair of lavender eyes as clear as the skies. He smiled, and Kaoru gave a soft gasp.

If he had wings, he would definitely be qualified as an angel!

"You know," he started softly, "it had comforted me when I touched your hand," it was merely a whisper, but it was the tone of despair he had that lulled her to be concerned when the words came out of his lips. He then placed her hand on his hand politely, which she pulled back awkwardly. But she was interested in knowing why he said that.

"Pardon me if I am prying into your business, but why?" she asked, as if it was something so natural for her. He saw her looking up at him, that tinge of red that was once on her cheeks had faded away. He smiled, and shook his head, trying her that she was not prying into his affairs.

"Because, I thought that I am in heaven..." his words were soft, yet warm. Smiling idiotically, he shook his head as if trying to brush the matter off. "No one had cared for the very existence of me," he said, dejectedly. Seeing the saddened mood in him, she reached out for his calloused hands and held it in her hands.

"Aa, but first, you must know, you are a patient," she said, as she smiled. He went beet red as he saw her face so close to his when he opened his eyes, "and I must finish bandaging your wound in the chest." He could also smell a scent of jasmine, lingering in the air, something so refreshing.

"Hm," she was bandaging his wound as she spoke, "may I have your name?" That question had him off; he was taken aback by it. A name... A name was something he had not used for years. He paused for a moment, allowing the memories of him in his childhood stage to flood over him. As he was revisiting his memories, Kaoru stood up and took the basin with the bloodied bandages and the rag in it, and headed for the door. She stopped for a moment.

"My name is Kaoru, and it's alright if you wouldn't want to be reminded of something in the past, even if it's your name," she murmured, loud enough for him to hear, and reached for the door knob.

"Kenshin." He said. As Kaoru walked out of the room, a small smile appeared on her pale face.

It really wasn't everyday that you see a fallen angel by your doorsteps covered with snow.

25 December 2004, Christmas

"Ahhh... I am sorry, Kaoru-dono. I wanted just to buy some clothes... But you have bought a load of them... I am unworthy of your kind deals, Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin exclaimed, as Kaoru smiled cheerily. They were walking in the snow with bags and bags of clothes in their –err, Kenshin's hands, and Kaoru was humming a little tune. She shook her head and placed her cool hands on Kenshin's right cheek, where the scar is.

"I don't know... But I felt a bubble of excitement whenever I am around with you, so I can't control myself! You know, for first, I mistaken you for an angel! A fallen one too!" she said, smiling. Kenshin's eyes widened for a moment, no one had ever cared... But she does. Slowly, and gently, a small smile was plastered on his lips.

 "Yes..." he murmured as they continued to stroll in the snow.

I am certainly not an angel, but you are... you are my angel. You have saved me from above when I am falling in a pit of darkness called 'despair'.

–

"I am sorry, Kaoru-dono..." Kenshin whispered. He was sitting on a stool with Kaoru braiding his heavy crimson locks. Normally, one will simply got himself some 'rewards'for toying with his hair, but if it was Kaoru, it's alright. Kaoru noticed his troubled look and placed her hands on his head adoringly, like a little child.

"Yes?" she asked, sisterly-like. Kenshin had his head bowed low.

"I... I am not... a kind person. I am not... just what you see on the outside," he hesitated before he spoke, "I always wanted to find a chance to tell you about myself yesterday, or even just now... But I couldn't help just to let you believe that I am really a commoner... with no dark past or whatsoever. I... I... I don't know how to tell you." He said, his words were etched with pain and guilt. Kaoru's face softened, and the sound that was emitted in the room was only the rustling of Kaoru braiding Kenshin's hair.

"Then don't say anything," she chided gently, smacking his head gently. Even though that little action had broke the tension that was piling up a while ago, she knew that Kenshin was still troubled.

"You know Kenshin; my mother once said that if you wanted to forget something that had once happened to you, don't force yourself to forget it... Instead, it's better to let nature take its course... Anger, hatred, anguish, sadness, those negative feelings we called emotions will still fade over time... So, please don't brood over it too much, okay?" she asked, a light smile playing on her lips as she tied up the long braid. She clasped her hands excitedly, which made Kenshin to give a little jump, startled.

"Wow! You looked so much like a female!" she laughed, as Kenshin put on an 'I-do-not-know-what-to-do-under-such-circumstances' face. True, Kenshin looked like a woman, minus the Adam apple. Kaoru then took the mirror that was hanging on the wall and handed it to Kenshin.

"Oro!" he cried. That information was too hard to believe. True, it was still him, but Kaoru had played with his hair in such a style that he looked absolutely like a female. Behind him, Kaoru was still yapping excitedly about the party that was held later on the night.

"Wait a minute, a party?" Kenshin asked, shocked. Kaoru nodded happily, and gave a big grin.

"Right! Don't you dare to forget that today is Christmas day!" she said, glaring at him suspiciously while Kenshin pulled back to a corner. Smiling nervously, he shook his head. She brushed off the suspicious look, and her grin widened. "Besides, I could introduce them to you!" she snuggled a pillow that was sat on her bed.

"But..."

"Well, you're my angel! Of course I would have to tell them about your existence!" she said, conceitedly. The words have touched his icy heart, the first barrier against her has melted. Not knowing what to do, he laughed back.

I wouldn't mind... I will be satisfied just being here... Just being your angel is enough for me.

Just then, the door bell rang. Kenshin and Kaoru both looked at the door at the far end beside the corridor. Smiling light heartedly, Kenshin stood up.

"Would you mind helping me to open the door? I have to pack things here..." she asked, softly. Kenshin shook his head, and Kaoru smiled in appreciation. Opening the door, he was greeted by a huge surprise.

"Happy Christmas, Kaoru-chan!" the group yelled. Yet they did not know that the one who opened the door was not Kaoru, but Kenshin. The group blinked, and Kenshin blinked back. Twice. The tension in the air between them seemed to freeze momentarily.

–

AN: Ah! Cliffy! New story! Tune on! x–x Next chapter will be posted... soon. Hope you like this little idea that I have thought up! It was my baby! By the way, I want to thanks Xue-sama (Xia xue) for reviewing everything I have posted a new fiction, I appreciated it! Thank you! Well, there is still Rain-sama (Rain angst), sister Reignashii, Rayne-sama (Scarlet Rayne). I wanted to ask if anyone of you guys is interested in BETA-ing this little fiction here?

Love,
Uenki

November 14, 2004.