A Day Without Rain
Chapter 1: In the Heat of Summer
By Clay
The sun was nearly unbearable against the dark fabric on Tomoe's back. An unsettling bead of sweat skidded down her spine and she settled back on her heels, raising her face to what slight breeze there was. Sweat seemed to be pooling beneath every inch of her clothing and with a frustrated sigh, she untied the bracers, letting them fall to the dirt unceremoniously. The garden loomed before her, a daunting task, and she lifted her face to the breeze again, hoping to rest just for a moment.
"Yo, Himura!" Her eyes shot open as Iizuka came into view. He was treading up the lone path to their home. Kenshin was starting to walk towards him, and she straightened herself and hurried inside, knowing full well that their visitor would appreciate some water or even sake after his long walk. She would do whatever was necessary as Kenshin's wife, but couldn't stand to be around Iizuka any longer than that. The scent of sweat and alcohol always clung to him; she felt as if he rarely bathed. His eyes were like darts, boring into your soul and fishing out the dark, dirty parts that kept you awake at night. He seemed to feed on these, cherishing others pain for his own amusement.
She brought out a bottle of sake, setting it down on the table as Iizuka stepped through the door. Without looking up, she could sense him behind her. She could smell him. Suddenly, Kenshin was beside her, smiling. She watched his lips as they curved upward.
"Thank you, Tomoe."
She nodded. Her eyes stayed down, locked on the floor in an effort not to blush. She always found herself blushing around her husband for even the smallest thing. She let out a mental sigh as she climbed to her feet. 'Thank you' wasn't even a compliment.
Almost too soon, Tomoe found herself back outside, the afternoon sun suddenly welcome. The heat was nearly stifling, drops of perspiration forming across her forehead and on the back of her neck within minutes of stepping outside, but it was far better than having to breathe the same air as that… as Iizuka for one moment longer. She sympathized with her husband, and commended him for his tolerance.
She dropped to her knees and picked up a shovel. The soil seemed to have gotten harder in the last half hour, dust and chunks of dirt splaying across her hands and forearms, mercilessly sticking to the layer of sweat. She furrowed her brow, stabbing the earth again. Perhaps it was in need of some rain. With a disheartened sigh, she dropped her spade and stood. Enough for today.
-----------------------------------
Kenshin sighed with relief as soon as Iizuka announced his departure. He was a fine colleague, but something about him seemed a bit off. And it didn't help that he never brought good news. Kenshin followed him outside, the sun almost blinding. It was so very hot. He turned his face into the sweet, cool air from inside the house, wishing he could spend the rest of the day lying on the floorboards, where the sun couldn't reach. His thoughts suddenly turned to his wife and his eyes snapped towards the garden, barely acknowledging Iizuka's parting words. She had been out in the heat all this time. That thought seemed inexplicably wrong, as if she was far too good... too beautiful to be subjected to the sun's harsh rays.
He caught sight of her at the far end of the garden. She was standing, her back to him, slowly unwinding the cloth that protected her hair from the sun. The dark red ribbon that bound her hair up had somehow become caught in it; he watched it flutter to the ground as her hair fell down her back in a long, black wave.
Kenshin took a step forward, imagining the scent of white plum that must be billowing around her at that moment. Her hair shone, strands lifting slightly with the breeze. It looked so soft, if he could just touch it...
-----------------------------------
Tomoe frowned as she felt her hair spill down her back. The ribbon must have come out. She sighed, daring to loosen her collar as a gentle breeze once again cooled the sweat that seemed to insist on being a second skin today. She felt dirty. There was a lake a little ways away. Wouldn't it feel so, so good to just dip her body in the water, only for a moment? But no, a proper woman would never do that. Then again... She allowed herself a small smile. She was a merchant's wife now...
A soft touch on her back startled Tomoe out of her thoughts and she spun, coming face to face with her husband. His eyes were dark today, as if lost in thought. He smiled, and it seemed as if he wasn't smiling at her, but at a memory or a dream. She blinked at him, searching his eyes for a hint of that dream, following his hand as it came to run through a lock of hair that had fallen over her shoulder. She cursed herself as a blush started to form across her cheeks, wondering if that dream had in fact been of her.
Well.
Today was a good day... a day for playing.... Tomoe reached up, eyes locked on her own hand as it brushed away the flame bright bangs already beginning to stick to her husband's forehead in the summer heat. She let her hand trail down the side of his face, for once ignoring the scar, too involved in watching her husband's expression. He breathed in deeply, eyes closed, that sweet smile never leaving his lips. Without thinking, she let her hand trail further down. His neck was slick with sweat, the fabric of his gi damp beneath her fingers... She stopped her hand and felt him stiffen beneath it. This was too much. Too close. Her eyes flew back to his and she was stilled by what she saw there: shock, fear, and... passion. It was suddenly hard to breathe and she turned away, fearful of what he could see hidden in her eyes.
"Why..." Kenshin cleared his throat. "Why don't you go inside. I'll finish here."
Her heart was beating so fast. This was wrong. This was wrong and she had to do something to fix it. She couldn't quite figure out what Kenshin was thinking, but the hurt in his voice was clear enough. She turned back to face him, her eyes meeting his. For a few moments she watched him and then spoke. It was the most irrational thing she could think of, but she said it anyway.
To be continued…
-----------------------------------
Author's notes: This started out as a one-shot. Well, not even. It started out with me being incredibly bored at work. I was actually reading through Here is Greenwood shounen ai fiction when I decided I wanted to write. And I got this. I think I'll continue it. ^_^
Oh, and yes, I know that "Why don't you go inside" doesn't end with a question mark. I debated on whether I wanted this to end with one and decided not to. Kenshin isn't being demanding, but he's not really asking her to go inside either. He's kind of making a suggestion, and the tone of voice he's using isn't questioning.
One more thing. Tomoe's outfit was taken from the 3rd episode of Tsuioku hen. I'll explain it now because I don't really have a decent place to do it in the story. She seems to be wearing a hakama, bound at the bottom. And because of this, I'd assume that she was wearing a gi… a kimono would be too long, and a shirt like the one Kenshin wears in this scene would be too short. I can't tell because the shirt is also bound with bracers. I'm working on what I can see and what I know of Japanese clothing, aka, this is what I assume she's wearing. If anyone can give me more insight into this, I'd be very grateful. ^_^
04/24/02
revised 05/08/02
Chapter 1: In the Heat of Summer
By Clay
The sun was nearly unbearable against the dark fabric on Tomoe's back. An unsettling bead of sweat skidded down her spine and she settled back on her heels, raising her face to what slight breeze there was. Sweat seemed to be pooling beneath every inch of her clothing and with a frustrated sigh, she untied the bracers, letting them fall to the dirt unceremoniously. The garden loomed before her, a daunting task, and she lifted her face to the breeze again, hoping to rest just for a moment.
"Yo, Himura!" Her eyes shot open as Iizuka came into view. He was treading up the lone path to their home. Kenshin was starting to walk towards him, and she straightened herself and hurried inside, knowing full well that their visitor would appreciate some water or even sake after his long walk. She would do whatever was necessary as Kenshin's wife, but couldn't stand to be around Iizuka any longer than that. The scent of sweat and alcohol always clung to him; she felt as if he rarely bathed. His eyes were like darts, boring into your soul and fishing out the dark, dirty parts that kept you awake at night. He seemed to feed on these, cherishing others pain for his own amusement.
She brought out a bottle of sake, setting it down on the table as Iizuka stepped through the door. Without looking up, she could sense him behind her. She could smell him. Suddenly, Kenshin was beside her, smiling. She watched his lips as they curved upward.
"Thank you, Tomoe."
She nodded. Her eyes stayed down, locked on the floor in an effort not to blush. She always found herself blushing around her husband for even the smallest thing. She let out a mental sigh as she climbed to her feet. 'Thank you' wasn't even a compliment.
Almost too soon, Tomoe found herself back outside, the afternoon sun suddenly welcome. The heat was nearly stifling, drops of perspiration forming across her forehead and on the back of her neck within minutes of stepping outside, but it was far better than having to breathe the same air as that… as Iizuka for one moment longer. She sympathized with her husband, and commended him for his tolerance.
She dropped to her knees and picked up a shovel. The soil seemed to have gotten harder in the last half hour, dust and chunks of dirt splaying across her hands and forearms, mercilessly sticking to the layer of sweat. She furrowed her brow, stabbing the earth again. Perhaps it was in need of some rain. With a disheartened sigh, she dropped her spade and stood. Enough for today.
-----------------------------------
Kenshin sighed with relief as soon as Iizuka announced his departure. He was a fine colleague, but something about him seemed a bit off. And it didn't help that he never brought good news. Kenshin followed him outside, the sun almost blinding. It was so very hot. He turned his face into the sweet, cool air from inside the house, wishing he could spend the rest of the day lying on the floorboards, where the sun couldn't reach. His thoughts suddenly turned to his wife and his eyes snapped towards the garden, barely acknowledging Iizuka's parting words. She had been out in the heat all this time. That thought seemed inexplicably wrong, as if she was far too good... too beautiful to be subjected to the sun's harsh rays.
He caught sight of her at the far end of the garden. She was standing, her back to him, slowly unwinding the cloth that protected her hair from the sun. The dark red ribbon that bound her hair up had somehow become caught in it; he watched it flutter to the ground as her hair fell down her back in a long, black wave.
Kenshin took a step forward, imagining the scent of white plum that must be billowing around her at that moment. Her hair shone, strands lifting slightly with the breeze. It looked so soft, if he could just touch it...
-----------------------------------
Tomoe frowned as she felt her hair spill down her back. The ribbon must have come out. She sighed, daring to loosen her collar as a gentle breeze once again cooled the sweat that seemed to insist on being a second skin today. She felt dirty. There was a lake a little ways away. Wouldn't it feel so, so good to just dip her body in the water, only for a moment? But no, a proper woman would never do that. Then again... She allowed herself a small smile. She was a merchant's wife now...
A soft touch on her back startled Tomoe out of her thoughts and she spun, coming face to face with her husband. His eyes were dark today, as if lost in thought. He smiled, and it seemed as if he wasn't smiling at her, but at a memory or a dream. She blinked at him, searching his eyes for a hint of that dream, following his hand as it came to run through a lock of hair that had fallen over her shoulder. She cursed herself as a blush started to form across her cheeks, wondering if that dream had in fact been of her.
Well.
Today was a good day... a day for playing.... Tomoe reached up, eyes locked on her own hand as it brushed away the flame bright bangs already beginning to stick to her husband's forehead in the summer heat. She let her hand trail down the side of his face, for once ignoring the scar, too involved in watching her husband's expression. He breathed in deeply, eyes closed, that sweet smile never leaving his lips. Without thinking, she let her hand trail further down. His neck was slick with sweat, the fabric of his gi damp beneath her fingers... She stopped her hand and felt him stiffen beneath it. This was too much. Too close. Her eyes flew back to his and she was stilled by what she saw there: shock, fear, and... passion. It was suddenly hard to breathe and she turned away, fearful of what he could see hidden in her eyes.
"Why..." Kenshin cleared his throat. "Why don't you go inside. I'll finish here."
Her heart was beating so fast. This was wrong. This was wrong and she had to do something to fix it. She couldn't quite figure out what Kenshin was thinking, but the hurt in his voice was clear enough. She turned back to face him, her eyes meeting his. For a few moments she watched him and then spoke. It was the most irrational thing she could think of, but she said it anyway.
To be continued…
-----------------------------------
Author's notes: This started out as a one-shot. Well, not even. It started out with me being incredibly bored at work. I was actually reading through Here is Greenwood shounen ai fiction when I decided I wanted to write. And I got this. I think I'll continue it. ^_^
Oh, and yes, I know that "Why don't you go inside" doesn't end with a question mark. I debated on whether I wanted this to end with one and decided not to. Kenshin isn't being demanding, but he's not really asking her to go inside either. He's kind of making a suggestion, and the tone of voice he's using isn't questioning.
One more thing. Tomoe's outfit was taken from the 3rd episode of Tsuioku hen. I'll explain it now because I don't really have a decent place to do it in the story. She seems to be wearing a hakama, bound at the bottom. And because of this, I'd assume that she was wearing a gi… a kimono would be too long, and a shirt like the one Kenshin wears in this scene would be too short. I can't tell because the shirt is also bound with bracers. I'm working on what I can see and what I know of Japanese clothing, aka, this is what I assume she's wearing. If anyone can give me more insight into this, I'd be very grateful. ^_^
04/24/02
revised 05/08/02