Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Summary: One-shot. Kenshin and Kaoru share a warm cup of tea at the close of a chilly day. End of manga spoilers, possible tooth decay.

A/N: Gave in to the temptation to try some waffiness. This idea's been nagging me for a week, so I finally wrote it down. The product of an idle mind and a long day of yardwork. At least I was entertained while pulling weeds!

Autumn Tea

By: gure

Autumn leaves danced and twirled in eddies across the yard, chased by the wind. Kenshin sat on the porch, basking in the late afternoon sunshine, enjoying the colorful show. Fresh laundry flapped lazily in the breeze. Soft voices of homeward-bound passerby drifted over the dojo gate, while birds sang their evening songs, settling in for the coming night.

The dojo was so quiet, now. Kenshin sighed softly and looked over at the closed gate. A few weeks ago, he would have been sitting on the porch waiting for Sano's familiar greeting. He and Kaoru had already noticed a marked difference in their finances, now that they no longer had to plan for Sanosuke's appetite. Smiling a little, Kenshin reflected that he had forgotten how much a nineteen-year-old could eat...until he met Sano. He wondered what he was doing, how he was faring, in the big, wide world. It could be lonely, traveling, but wonderful, too. Sano wasn't meant to stay in one place all his life; he would benefit greatly from his travels. Besides, hadn't he been nineteen when he first set out? What a difficult road it had been, but that road had eventually smoothed and turned out fine. Considering his life now, better than fine. This knowledge, however, did not stop him from missing his friend.

He once told Kaoru that their friends would move on, set out on new beginnings, and that it would be lonely, but that was the way of life. Looking around the empty yard, Kenshin felt that loneliness keenly. Not long after Sanosuke had departed, after Megumi and Aoshi and Misao had returned to their homes, Yahiko announced that he would take Sano up on his offer, and move into the abandoned longhouse. "To give you two some privacy," he'd said, with a nudge and a wink. Kenshin had cringed, wondering where Yahiko had learned such things, as Kaoru had flushed scarlet and beaned the boy with her bokken. Repeatedly.

Kenshin had worried, at first, wondering how Yahiko would fare on his own. His concern, though, was unfounded. Most days, if he wasn't working at the Akabeko, Yahiko was here, at the dojo, fighting with--er, learning from--Kaoru. Getting plenty to eat. Still wanting their company, seeking their advice. Still needing them. Closing his eyes, Kenshin turned his face up to the warm sun, enjoying the contrast with the chill breeze. He never thought he'd be granted the opportunity to help another grow. The thought warmed him even more than the sunshine.

Sensing her presence before she even stepped out onto the porch, Kenshin opened his eyes and turned to smile at Kaoru, who carried a small tray holding a teapot and two steaming cups. She returned his wordless greeting with a smile of her own, and lifted the tray a little. "I thought you might like some tea."

Kenshin's smile brightened. Tea was just the thing on what promised to be a very cool evening. Winter was definitely on its way. He said as much as Kaoru set the tray down and settled on the porch next to him. She handed him a cup, and took the other for herself. He blew a little on the surface, took a tentative sip, and smiled. Kaoru's culinary skills were questionable at best, but she made excellent tea. He felt bad admitting it, but it never failed to surprise him, just how good her tea tended to be. Not that he'd ever tell Kaoru about that momentary dread, inevitably followed by a sense of relief. He wasn't in the habit of intentionally hurting her feelings, and certainly didn't fancy getting whacked. Instead he said quietly, "Thank you, Kaoru-dono. This is very good, it is." Kaoru beamed, and gazed out over the yard. Kenshin followed her gaze; the sun was beginning to set, tingeing the sky a soft rose.

It was just the two of them occupying the dojo, now. Kenshin missed the others, but at the same time, a distinct peacefulness had settled over the property in the past few weeks. He hadn't felt this sort of contentment since his time in Otsu, long ago. This time, however, the contentment and peace joined with a sense of permanence. He had a home here. A real home. Not a clever, if heartfelt, disguise to fool the overly curious. Not a fragile peace that would shatter as soon as it was deemed safe to regroup. He intended to stay at this dojo until the day he died, regardless if that day was tomorrow, or decades from now. As long as Kaoru was here, this would be home.

He took a sip of tea, and glanced over at Kaoru. She seemed lost in thought, her gaze distant. When he had thought she was gone, really gone, he had been lost. It frightened him to think he depended so on just one person. That he had allowed himself to care that deeply. It frightened him even more to realize that he didn't want it any other way. If Tomoe had been his sheath, Kaoru was his rock. He embraced these revelations after Tomoe had visited him in that shadowy place, guiding him back, one last time. He had her blessing, and that was enough for him. He didn't know what he would have done if Enishi's threats had proven true.

Pushing away that dark thought, and suddenly, foolishly wanting to make sure Kaoru was real, Kenshin slid a little closer to her, so that they sat shoulder to shoulder. Startled, Kaoru looked over at him, and Kenshin shrugged, smiling sheepishly. He quickly took a sip of his cooling tea, not wanting to admit his sudden insecurity. Kaoru studied him a moment longer, then hesitantly laid her head on his shoulder. She was warm, the contact reassuring. Not entirely certain what to do, Kenshin put his teacup on the porch, reached over, and awkwardly patted her knee. Exhaling a quiet puff of air--Kenshin frowned slightly; was she laughing at him?--Kaoru set aside her own cup, and took his hand, entwining their fingers, and held it in her lap. She shifted a little, finding a more comfortable spot on his shoulder. Kenshin took a moment to just enjoy the closeness, then impulsively brushed a kiss across the top of her head, before resting his cheek against her hair.

Their friends were no longer there to share the days with them, but their hearts were far from empty. A little lonely perhaps, but never empty. Beginnings. Kenshin smiled slightly as he watched the sun dip lower in the sky. Hadn't he told Kaoru everyone was moving toward a new beginning? He was, too. So was Kaoru. Their beginning just happened to be in the same direction. They sat that way a long time, leaning on one another in comfortable silence, while the dying sun set the sky aglow with pinks and oranges and reds, and their tea grew ice-cold, completely forgotten.

4/20/07