*So this is my first attempt at a multiple chapter story. I'm not sure how I'll end it yet, but I'll find out! Unfortunately, I'm in school for now so if I'm slow with the updates I'm going to use that as my excuse So feel free to do the usual: comment, suggest, praise, yell…whatever strikes you as appropriate. As usual, notes are at the end of the story, happy reading! ^_^x

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin…blah blah blah….appeasing attacking lawyers ...blah blah...here goes nothing!

The cold autumn air blew briskly down the market in central Tokyo. Himura Kenshin shivered slightly as he hurried down the street. In one hand he balanced an alarming amount of groceries and in the other a list that hung down to just above the rurouni's knee. Kenshin's eyes quickly scanned the list as he made a mental note of everything that he had already purchased. Kaoru would not be pleased if he happened to forget something. Kenshin was used to this chore but he had been a bit alarmed when Kaoru had presented him with the list.

"Do we really need this much? He had asked. Kaoru was unsympathetic.

"Yes! I have you free loaders to feed and it's cheaper to buy in bulk!" Kenshin had humbly accepted the list at that point, feeling that it was pointless to argue. If Kaoru wanted him to he would; even if it was likely he received bodily injury in the process. As his thoughts turned to Kaoru, Kenshin's steps slowed. Things with her had become complicated lately and he knew it was his fault. After the battle with Enishi he had allowed himself to open up to her: to hope for things he knew he didn't deserve and couldn't have. Once he had recognized this longing within himself he had pulled back, alarmed at how quickly he had slipped into that fantasy. Kaoru had reacted to his withdrawal with hurt and confusion that filled Kenshin with guilt. He desperately wanted to explain the situation to her, his feelings, but couldn't bring himself to. Telling her would only make things worse. Maybe if he left her alone she could find someone that deserved her. As Kenshin thought this he frowned. It wasn't what he wanted but that didn't matter. What mattered was what was best for Kaoru dono. And yet…. Kenshin sighed. He still continued to live at the dojo, it was his home and he wasn't strong enough to leave it…or her. What was he supposed to do? Kenshin was so absorbed in his thoughts that he nearly collided with a heavy set man pushing a large cart.

"Hey watch where you're going boy!" The man growled.

"Oro … oro" Kenshin struggled to keep the groceries balanced, but only succeeded in dropping a particularly large sack of rice on his head. Wincing, Kenshin stuffed the list into his gi and redistributed his burden into both of his arms before continuing down the street. The wind picked up a little bit and Kenshin hurried his pace wanting to deliver the groceries as soon as possible.

"Kenshin san!" Kenshin turned looking for the source of the yell and saw Tae waving to him outside the newly built Akabeko. Kenshin wove his way through the busy street and made his way toward her, juggling the groceries as he did.

"Tae dono." Kenshin inclined his head as gracefully as he could without dropping all of his purchases. "The restaurant looks like it's ready for business." Tae giggled.

"We've been open for about a week now!" Kenshin shook his head in disbelief. Tae really was an amazing business woman. "Kenshin san come in and rest for a bit! You look tired." Kenshin smiled briefly.

"Domo, but sessha should get home before-"

"I have something I want to talk to you about Kenshin." Tae interrupted. Kenshin cocked his head, a little surprised at Tae's abruptness.

"Very well, what did you want to talk about?"

"Not here, let's go inside, it shouldn't take that long." Intrigued Kenshin followed Tae inside and laid his groceries in the corner by the door with relief. The place was bursting to the seams. Loud boisterous customers called out orders, while several serving girls hurriedly ran from table to table. Kenshin caught sight of Tsubame taking several men's orders and offered her a quick smile as she waved. Tae led him to the back of the restaurant passing through the kitchen. One man was busily washing a large pile of dishes in the corner of the room. When he saw Kenshin he nodded in greeting. Several other of the woman in the bustling kitchen also merrily waved at him as Tae wove her wave skillfully through the chaos. Kenshin grinned back well aware that his friend's frequent visits to the Akabeko were the reason that he was so well known here. Tae led him out of the kitchen and pushed open a door beckoning Kenshin to follow her. They were in a small office that Kenshin guessed Tae and her family must use to manage the busy restaurant. It was empty save a low table and two cushions on the floor. Tae motioned for Kenshin to take a seat and Kenshin did so his curiosity rising as Tae sat on the cushion opposite him. As Tae sat she suddenly paused as if she was unsure how to proceed. Kenshin remained silent and patiently waited for her to speak.

"Kenshin san this might not be any of my business but as Kaoru's friend I feel that I must say something." Kenshin's eyebrows shot up in surprise and he felt his face flush. A thousand thoughts flashed through his head. What was this about? Tae continued hesitantly, "I have noticed that lately Kaoru does not seem like herself. Like, she doesn't know how to act around you." She captured his gaze and met his eyes boldly, " You having been living with her for a year now Kenshin, what are you waiting for?" Kenshin's eyes widened and his breathing quickened. This was an interrogation that he had not expected.

"Sessha…"He paused and shook his head.

"What?" Tae asked gently. The rurouni seemed extremely uncomfortable and she sensed that he was reluctant to discuss this with anyone. As she studied him Tae noticed that Kenshin was nervously rubbing the hilt of his sakabato and was avoiding her gaze his face stubborn. "You can tell me." She prodded.

"There is nothing to say" Kenshin replied curtly his gaze on the floor. Now Tae's eyebrows shot up.

"Oh I think there is a great deal to say. What happened to you two? Things seemed to be going well at first but now…now things have fallen apart. Do Kaoru's feeling mean nothing to you?" Kenshin jerked slightly as he forced himself to meet her eyes. His face was tortured.

"That's not what this is about…"

"Isn't it?" Kenshin turned away.

"They mean everything to me." He replied in a low voice. Tae nodded.

"You love her." It wasn't a question. Kenshin paused seemingly unable to reply.

"I…I..." kuso this was hard. He wasn't used to sharing his feelings with anyone. But maybe…Tae waited quietly her eyes fixed on Kenshin. Kenshin let out a long breath and steadied himself. "I do." He finally whispered. Saying it aloud had been terribly difficult but he felt relieved in a way; like something tearing him up inside had finally been released. The feeling quickly vanished when he noticed Tae grinning at him from ear to ear.

"What!" He snapped suddenly feeling very exposed and annoyed.

"I knew it!" She screamed exultant. Then she quickly covered her mouth and giggled. Kenshin felt his cheeks burn.

"Is it that obvious?" He demanded dreading the answer. He had been hoping his internal battle had been going on unnoticed.

"Of course it is!" Tae laughed. "Practically the whole town knows about it." Kenshin's eyes narrowed. Really! He thought angrily. Did no one have anything better to do in this town than gossip about him and Kaoru? And surely he hadn't been that obvious, especially when he tried so hard to keep himself aloof. Then Kenshin frowned as his thoughts flashed back to scenes of Jinei and Enishi. Maybe he was not being nearly as discrete as he imagined. Tae's excited voice brought him sharply back to the present. "When are you going to tell Kaoru?" Kenshin looked alarmed.

"Tell her?" He repeated stupidly.

"Well yes that does seem like the next step Kenshin! In fact I think you should have told her a while ago." The light in Kenshin's eyes flickered out like a candle.

"That is impossible" He stated flatly.

"Why?" Tae challenged "Don't you know how that girl feels about you by now? How she has always felt about you?" I want to stay with you forever. Kenshin fidgeted clearly uncomfortable.

"That's exactly the problem." Tae was perplexed.

"What do you mean? Kenshin abruptly pushed himself to his feet and began pacing the small room.

"Sessha is too old for Kaoru dono." Tae looked surprised.

"But Kenshin aren't you just a little older than her?"

"I'm twenty nine."

"Oh!" Tae exclaimed then she giggled. "Well don't worry Kenshin you don't look a day over twenty, so no one has to know about your cradle snatching." Kenshin had a sour look on his face. Collecting herself, Tae prodded on, "But that can't be the reason you won't tell her; what's really the matter?" Kenshin had been pacing the room like a caged tiger, but he stopped abruptly.

"Sessha is not…worthy of Kaoru dono." The answer came jerkily. Tae looked at him in amazement.

"That's it?"

Kenshin stiffened looking rigid.

"Battosai the manslayer does not deserve to have a family." He coldly replied. Tae looked shocked and then shook her head sadly.

"What about Himura Kenshin?" She quietly asked. Kenshin turned away. It seemed that every word he spoke was torn from him unwillingly.

"Sessha had a chance...once… and destroyed it." Tae stood up and gently put her hand on Kenshin's shoulder. Kenshin flinched but Tae did not remove it.

"You have another." Kenshin's haunted eyes turned toward her.

"I don't deserve her." Tae smiled kindly.

"Isn't that Kaoru's choice? Nobody is forcing her but she chose you. What right do you have to deny her the same chance?" Kenshin seemed shocked and at a loss for words. What Kaoru wants.

"Sessha…" Tae smoothly interrupted him.

"It's not always about you Kenshin." She said slyly.

"That isn't what-" Kenshin began hotly but Tae rode over him.

"Kaoru needs to decide for herself Kenshin san. You just need to give her the opportunity." She smiled at him. "It's past time you told her of your feelings." Kenshin didn't reply for several long moments his gaze far away, but finally he displayed a small smile. Maybe he could be the one to make Kaoru happy.

"Domo arigato Tae dono." He offered with a tired sigh. "Sessha will think about what you have said." Tae nodded. It wasn't what she wanted, but it was a start.

"Good luck Kenshin san." She said as he reached the door. Kenshin briskly made his back way through the busy kitchen narrowly dodging a server burdened with a large tray. After collecting his purchases, he made his way back onto the busy street heading for home. Kenshin's mind raced as he walked. Tae had given him a lot to think about. He had been determined that the best course was for him, despite his feelings, to remain just friends with Kaoru. But what did she want? What if…Kenshin shook his head, troubled. He would have to think about this. Kenshin hurried his pace, it was getting late and Kaoru would have expected him to have been home by now. If at all possible, he would prefer to keep his conversation with Tae private. As he entered the street that the dojo was located on he saw Yahiko running toward him. When the boy reached him he skidded to a stop and paused to catch his breath.

"Good thing your home, Kaoru was starting to freak out." He eyed the numerous bundles cradled in Kenshin's arms. "I hope your cooking our dinner tonight. Edible food would be a nice change around here." Kenshin nodded at the boy but remained silent as the two entered the dojo gate. Yahiko trotted alongside the vacant eyed rurouni eyeing him suspiciously. "Kenshin?" Kenshin started and nearly dropped the bucket of tofu he had balanced on the bag of rice. Yahiko grabbed it and looked at Kenshin in concern. "Kenshin what's going on? Are you ok?" Kenshin shook himself out of his reverie.

"Hai, I'll be alright Yahiko, I'm just tired." Yahiko glared at him but stayed uncharacteristically silent. Something was going on and he, Moyjin Yahiko, was going to figure it out.

Dinner was a mostly silent affair that evening. Kenshin seemed a hundred miles away and only answered with one word when he was asked a question. Kaoru was a little more irritable than usual, so Yahiko crunched his rice in silence without his usual jibes at her cooking. He knew that Kaoru was upset because Kenshin was so quiet and withdrawn. He had noticed the distance between the two lately but it had never been this bad. Yahiko bided his time wanting to catch Kenshin alone. He was by far the safer of the two to talk to about this. Finally, Karou grumpily announced she was going to take a walk and Yahiko took this as the opportunity he needed. Kenshin was washing the evening dishes, which included attempting to gouge the burnt rice out of the bottom of the pan that Karoru had used to cook dinner.

"Kenshin?" He asked hesitantly. Kenshin pushed the bangs out of his eyes with his arm.

"What is it Yahiko?" Yahiko looked around carefully making sure Kaoru really had gone.

"What's going on with you two? He asked bluntly. "Something definitely happened." To his surprise Kenshin chuckled.

"You're the second person that has asked me that today." Yahiko looked startled.

"Who?"

"Tae dono" Kenshin said as he stabbed at a particularly stubborn piece of burnt rice in the pot. Yahiko nodded slowly. This was not an area he felt comfortable mucking around in, but as he lived here now, he supposed it was his job to try and fix the situation. Sano wasn't here after all.

"Tsubame did ask about you two several weeks ago. I guess Tae must have noticed something too." Kenshin stopped attacking the pot his face flushed. Who didn't know what was going on between him and Kaoru? Yahiko was watching him carefully. "What are you going to do about it? You know the longer you keep her waiting the more violent she'll become. If I were you I would be quick about it. Get it over with." Kenshin sighed inwardly; even Yahiko seemed to know exactly what the situation was.

"Sessha will…talk to Kaoru dono." Yahiko smiled, pleased.

"Good but you should do it as soon as possible. I think she is taking her frustrations out while she cooks. I thought I was going to break my teeth on the rice tonight. And if this keeps up, she might inadvertently poison us." As Yahiko started back for the dojo Kenshin stared after him. He would fix this. It was time to put this situation to rest.

Yahiko woke early the next morning. As he stretched he noticed the stiffness in his muscles. Maybe Kenshin would spar with him. He hadn't been in the mood yesterday and practicing by himself hadn't been very effective. He approached Kenshin's door and knocked.

"Kenshin? I'm coming in." He slid the door open but the room was already empty with the futon neatly folded. Sighing, Yahiko made his way down the hall. Perhaps Kaoru would spar with him. She could do with the distraction; maybe he could even delay breakfast long enough to give Kenshin a chance to offer to cook it. Kaoru wasn't in her room either but Yahiko finally found her in the kitchen. Worried that she had already begun to cook Yahiko blurted "Kaoru spar with me before we eat!" Kaoru turned; she had bags under her eyes and looked exhausted.

"Yahiko do you know where Kenshin is?" Yahiko's hopes sunk.

"You didn't sleep last night did you?" Kaoru shook her head.

"I couldn't." she muttered. "Kenshin was gone when I came back last night and he hasn't returned yet." Yahiko leaned heavily against the cupboard his eyes on Kaoru.

"He'll come back Kaoru. This is his home." Kaoru sighed.

"Kenshin hasn't been himself lately; like he's trying to hide something from me again." Her eyes flashed. "I hate it when he does that." Yahiko thought carefully before replying. He had faith that Kenshin would fix this, he just needed to give him time. And coincidently, a sparring match might just be the trick.

"Things will get better, you'll see." He pushed away from the cupboard and threw her a challenging look. "Now come on let's have a match." Kaoru shook her head.

"Not now." Yahiko snorted.

"Your just afraid busu I won our last match." Kaoru stiffened angrily.

"You did not win the last match it was a tie." Yahiko grinned.

"Then prove it."

"Fine." Kaoru snapped. Aglow with his victory Yahiko led the way to the training room. The two faced each other Kaoru still seething with anger. As Yahiko eyed her he suddenly hoped that Kaoru wasn't about to take her considerable frustration out on him.

"A three point match?" Yahiko asked. Kaoru nodded. The two faced each other neither moving. Suddenly Yahiko leaped forward his shinai swinging for Kaoru's jaw. Before making contact he quickly reversed its direction his shinai now heading for her ribs. Kaoru anticipated the move and snapped her blade up catching his strike. Yahiko gritted his teeth and pushed against her shinai, trying to push her off balance. Kaoru stepped back with him and Yahiko momentarily lost his balance. He quickly shoved his shinai up to block the strike heading for his shoulder. They stepped back from each other. Kaoru smiled at him sweetly.

"Almost had you there." Yahiko replied with an abrupt lunge with his shinai. Kaoru hastily blocked the move and then responded with a vicious flurry of strikes that came at Yahiko from every angle. The two fought for several furious moments and Yahiko felt sweat trickle down his forehead as he countered each of her strikes. Then he saw his opening. Eagerly he thrust his shiani toward her. Kaoru caught his blade and suddenly twisted her shinai underneath his pushing it up to hit his shoulder. "Point." She said her face calm but her eyes alight with satisfaction. Yahiko wiped the sweat from his face scowling. Making Kaoru feel better was putting him in a world of hurt.

"The match isn't over yet." Yahiko dropped in the battojuttsu stance his face etched in concentration. Kaoru looked momentarily surprised, then nodded gravelly. They stood silently for a moment watching each other. Then they both struck. Yahiko whipped his shinai up and across. Kaoru tried to put her own blade up to block, but Yahiko's shinai moved too quickly, clipping her at the base of her throat. She pulled back holding her neck and glared at Yahiko. "Point." He smirked. Kaoru opened her mouth for a furious retort but paused. She turned around facing the front of the room.

"Did you hear something?" Yahiko took advantage of her inattention and swung his shinai hard connecting solidly with her ribs.

"Poin-" He began to crow but was interrupted as Kaoru's fist smashed into his face. All finesse was lost as the two swung their shinais at every available inch of exposed flesh they could reach. The door to the dojo slid quietly open.

"Yare yare." Kenshin sighed immediately spotting the wild melee within. He couldn't contain a small smile from forming on his face. At least this was a familiar occurrence. "Tadaima." He announced as he walked further into the room. Kaoru gave Yahiko one last punch in the gut and then hurried toward Kenshin.

"You're home!" She hesitated stopping a few steps from him. "Are you alright?" Kenshin felt a stab of guilt when he noticed the bags under her eyes and the cautious way she approached him.

"Sessha is fine; I just wanted to go for a walk." Kenshin paused as if steeling himself. He could do this. Then he moved forward and took her hand in his. Kaoru looked astonished and immediately turned bright red. As Kenshin noted her reaction he felt the heat in his own cheeks. "Shall we have breakfast?" He managed to blurt out, trying desperately to make light of the situation. Kaoru nodded dumbly her eyes wide and questioning but gleaming with satisfaction. Slowly growing more confident, Kenshin took her hand more firmly in his as he led her out of the room. Yahiko had watched the whole scene from the floor in disbelief.

"What am I chopped liver?" He called out angrily to the empty room. He struggled to his feet and grumbled as he reached the door. Shimata, perhaps he should not have encouraged this after all. If they started mooning into each other's eyes and other such nonsense he was moving out into Sano's old place. Of course that would mean picking up more shifts at the Akabeko to be able to pay for it. Sighing as only a ten year old could, he headed for the kitchen. If Kenshin was cooking perhaps some good could come of this after all.

Glossary for the Japanese I insist on using:

Battojusttu- sheathing technique that will kill you dead

Battosai- Smokin' Hot assassin with red hair and a cross shaped scar

Busu- Ugly

Domo arigato- Thanks!

Domo- same as above

dono- honorific

Gi- Japanese shirt

Hai- yes

Kuso- A Japanese curse...oh noes…

Oro- a Kenshin indication of pain, surprise, fear, confusion or whatever he feels like

Rurouni- Wanderer

san- honorific

Sakabato- reverse blade sword

Sessha-This unworthy one

Shimata- Another Japanese swear…oh noes again

Shinai- Wooden practice sword...used by Yahiko to neuter Gohei

Tadaima- I'm home

Yare yare- well...well

*Just a few quick character notes. I know Kenshin and Kaoru held hands at the end of the battle with Enishi, but I don't think he would feel confident enough to pursue anything. So I have Tae give him a swift kick in the pants. She is pretty bold with Kaoru about their relationship, sometimes in front of Kenshin, so I don't think she would have any problems abusing him to his face like so. However, this is just my opinion so feel free to disagree. A quick thanks to my wonderful and long suffering beta reader Redwulf64! Thanks for reading, see you next chapter!