Shattered Reminiscences

By Scarlet Rayne

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Chapter 1

"What do you mean you forgot?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, Sano, I guess it just slipped my mind." He replied nonchalantly, as he sipped his tea.

"KENSHIN! There is no way you could have forgotten to bring my baby sake!" he whined as he feigned a sob.

Rolling his eyes, he all but muttered, "Yare, yare."

Everyone else in the room laughed, as Kaoru appeared holding a plate of fried chicken. Placing it down together with the curry fish and mayonnaise broccolis on the table, she wiped her hands on her apron. After happily proclaiming that she was the master behind the meal, she declared – "Now, EAT!"

And very, very much to her annoyance, everyone immediately bowed their head in unison and started muttering a prayer. Kenshin was the one who lead them in prayer, as her sharp ears heard his soft mumbling.

"Dear Lord, I pray and I thank you for this day. I thank you that you did not send the fire department on it's way while the food was in the process of making, and for that I am eternally grateful. As we consume the objects and articles which are placed on the table, in which (in a smaller voice): Kaoru calls food, (in his normal voice): I pray that you prevent the ambulance from coming, and take away all the poison which are found in every piece of… food on the table.

Bless us Lord, and please be with us while we eat this meal. Amen.. Oh wait! And Lord, please guide our tongues to only eat the non-venomous parts that would affect our precious God-given stomachs. Amen."

"AMEN!"

As they took a deep breath and exhaled, Sano put on his bravest face as he reluctantly took a bite of the chicken. Everyone starred at him nervously, wondering how the outcome was. In return, Kaoru all but tapped her foot on the floor in irritation, as she folded her arms and glared at all the men (and ladies) sited around her table.

Silence.

"Gurgh …."

More silence.

"Hmm.."

More nervous looks were reflected on the boys' faces, as they continued to stare at Sano with Yahiko ready with the telephone. The girls on the other hand, which consisted of Misao and Sayo, just tried their best to put on a straight face.

"…. It's actually edible," Sano commented finally, as he took another sip, breaking the tense silence.

Dramatic sighs of relief were audible throughout the room.

"Thank you Lord."

"He must really care for me to not let me die young and good-looking."

"Yeah, and he saved the hospital's time and service too,"

"Neh, Kaoru-chan, did you buy a cook book this time?"

"I swear, going through a meal like this is even worse than persecution."

"……."

"It's not that bad, Sano. I me-"

"ENOUGH!"

"-an, persecution is practically having a blade by your neck, knowing that you'll die within minutes."

"But you see, going through persecution is knowing that you will die. But going through Kaoru's cooking, well, you'll be unsure weather you would die or not."

"Haha, that's a good one, Sanosuke."

"…….."

"But of course."

"And besides, that's more torturing."

"Quite true."

Having enough teasing and insults thrown at her face, Kaoru turned on her heels, and angrily stomped into the kitchen. She came back with a glass of water, and ingenuously walked behind Sano, who was too busy chattering away animatedly to notice. She innocently overturned the cup, resulting the water to be spilled on his hair with a splash.

"How are you going to marry her, Kenshin? She's a terr- MY HAIR!" he screeched as he instantly sprang up. The others choked on their food with laughter.

"Ohmygo- Missy! You know better than anyone else to not touch the HAIR! Anywhere, anywhere," his voice strained, "BUT the HAIR!"

In response, she all but stuck out her tongue childishly, and sprinted on her way out as Sano ran after her, screaming and cursing that she would receive coal in her stockings this Christmas.

"I can't believe you insulted me through prayer!" Kaoru complained, as she passed Kenshin the rinsed bowl for him to wipe it dry.

"Of ALL things! MY cooking!" she continued. "You're a disaster, did I tell you that?"

Everyone else had long since gone home, leaving her and Kenshin to help her clean up the dishes.

Seeing that he did not reply, she continued to ramble on. "And I thought that Sano and Yahiko was bad, I mean, LOOK at you! How DARE you! My cooking? Fire department? AMBULACE? Why didn't you tell God to not send the cops over too? HMM? Really, Kenshin, I--"

Her sentence was left hanging, as Kenshin pulled her tight into an affectionate kiss on the lips. Very much taken aback by the sudden movement, her eyes shot wide open. It lasted for merely five seconds, but that was all it took. As he pulled away, she all but gazed at him, all words swept away.

Sparring her a boyish grin, it ended into a heart warming laughter. "I knew that would shut you up."

"Neh, Kenshin? What did you get me this Christmas?" she asked cheerily, as she looked at him excitedly.

He stared back at her amusedly, as he put down the book that he was reading, chuckling at her immature nature.

"You really want to know?"

She nodded happily.

"But we have another…" he stopped as he checked the clock. "… thirty minutes till Christmas."

She pouted. Nudging his arm, she did what she did best.

She whined.

"Awwwhh, Come on, Kenshin! It's only thirty minutes! Keeeenshiiiinnnn!"

He laughed, giving in whole-heartedly.

"Alright then. Close your eyes." He said sternly, even though his own twinkled.

Instantly her eyes were shut, as her eagerness bubbled up inside. "Hurry up!"

She then felt herself pulled into a tight embrace. Quickly opening her eyes upon the close contact, she looked around her, as she half-heartedly patted him back. Eyes darting everywhere, intensely and eagerly searching for a box. A present, a package, a container, a carton, an envelope, anything. But very much to her surprise, she saw …. absolutely nothing

"There you go." He grinned as he pulled away, only to meet confused looking eyes.

"What? What did you give me?"

"A hug."

"A hug?"

"A hug."

"A…. hug?"

"That's right."

"…. Was that it? Is that all?"

"Of course."

"A…. hug? Y-You're giving me a… a… h-hug for Christmas?"

"Don't be greedy." He told her in a feign stern voice, his grin never faltering.

She starred at him unbelievably as the information sank in. And when it did, she frowned. Actually, she did more than frown, as she glared into his eyes. "You're unbelievable!" she exclaimed, getting up.

But as she did, he instantly jerked her back down to the sofa gently, back down into his arms. Wrapping them around her firmly, she knew better than to resist his overpowering strength. "You suck."

His grin spread wider across his rosy cheeks, as she started grumbling and sulking.

His right palm that was curved tightly together, gradually stretched out, revealing a lovely silver ring. Her eyes widened, as she stopped grumbling about idiotic lovers of the male race. Turning her head around to see his, he gave her a devious grin.

Placing it on her finger, he gave her another one of those reserved-only-for-Kaoru-kisses. As it broke off, she laughed.

"You suck even more."

"I love you too."

And with that, they went for another round of making out, underneath the mistletoe that was dangling above the sofa.

Meanwhile, in a newly furnished house somewhere else, a man sat down on his black leather chair, enveloped by his own deep thoughts.

"I'm going to get you back," he whispered absentmindedly to himself. "No matter what it takes."

Massaging his temples, he shook his head at the thought of his very much adored lover. Well, she used to be his lover.

But she'll never get away again. Ever.

Author's Notes: Something hit me, so I wrote it down.