(waves) So...I am not dead. Doesn't that just make everyone happy? I realize that I haven't updated Twisted after making a note that that was all I was going to work on, but I apparently lied. However, the last chapter of Twisted is just being kicked around and re-typed in various places. I like to call this my revision stage. The Epilouge of Twisted is all but finished, so it won't take me to long to got those out to you. Hopefully.
This is a cross-over of sorts to Pet Shop of Horrors, and if you have never seen or heard of it, do not worry. Its not needed to understand the story (I personally have never watched or read it, if that tell you anything)
This story is dedicated to Leilani of Guilty Pleasures. Without her request this fic would never have been born and it was written completly to her. So there.
Ravyn
Warnings: R! R! and R! I am going to go ahead and say RIGHT NOW! There is a bit of Lemon in this story. If you want the full scene, I have asked Leilani to hoast it and if she does then it will be posted on Guilty Pleasures. Shattered Theories will also have the unedited version up on Monday or Tuesday. Otherwise I will put a link up on my authors page. The Scene has quite a bit cut out (for various FFN rules) so don't worry about it being a few line changes. I would say there is a good two pages missing. The way to get to Guilty Pleasures is to go to my Authors page on FFN and click on my Homepage link. The link for Shattered Theories will be posted on my note section. You all know the drill.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Pet Shop of Horror.
"Come on Kaoru," Misao gushed as she dragged her friend down the streets of Tokyo. "This is the perfect solution to your problems and you know it. I mean, who wouldn't want a cute little kitten or puppy to spice up their lives?"
Kaoru rolled her eyes. "I don't understand how this could be the 'perfect solution' and if I may remind you, the 'perfect solution' to having curly hair our freshman year of High School turned my hair bright pink. Besides, there cute as babies, but when they get older, there just huge and slobbery; or in the case of a cat, they think they are the owners and you're the pet."
Misao waved a brightly manicured hand around in the air. "How was I supposed to know that mixing those particular chemicals with the natural base of your hair was going to produce that reaction? No, this is even better!" She completely ignored her friends attempt to argue against her.
Kaoru whimpered low in the back of her throat. Misao began humming, as if to cover the rest of her whimpers of protest. All her protests were ignored, just as she had ignored the fact that she was sleeping on her couch, because her bed was covered in dirty laundry and various other things she chose not the think about; and her couch was closer to her front door. Just like Misao had ignored the fact that she was rumpled and probably needed to shower, and she could already tell that her hair was reaching the stage that screamed 'clean me'.
"Anyway, we are going to get you a pet!" Misao continued. Kaoru decided it must have been some sort of ramble that she had just caught the tail end of, but it sent shocks of horror through her gut regardless.
"A pet?" Kaoru said continued doubtfully. "I had a hard time keeping my goldfish alive in college Misao, and we are not even going to talk about what happened to the little turtle you brought home."
Misao turned to her. "Teetree? They let you near my baby? Well that explains what happened to the poor thing," rolling her eyes Misao kept on walking. "See, Kaoru, the point is; even you can't possibly screw this place up!"
Kaoru didn't even have time to look up at the sign before she was dragged into a door. The first thing she noticed was a set of stairs, which Misao took with her usual vibrancy, and she was dragged into what not only looked, but felt, like another world. The place was old fashioned and almost baroque in appearance. There were splashes of red everywhere, random pieces of Chinese furniture, and the unmistakable feel of Victorian class. There wasn't a cheesy little bell to ring to tell someone that they had arrived; Misao's footsteps had been loud enough for that, and the man that entered startled her.
He was tall and thin, with a white face and chin-length blue-black hair; it fell in a straight curtain to his chin. His outfit was both elaborate and slightly ridiculous, and she somehow doubted anyone else could manage to pull it off. His hands were long and white, with deep red nail polish that seemed to match the stuff he wore on his almost feminine mouth. The silk brocade of his own clothing was almost outlandish in style and almost stylish in a way that she supposed only Misao and this man could ever understand! There was something about his eyes, some curious mixture of mystery and horror that raised the fine hairs on the back of her neck. Misao seemed to be unable to notice, because she never batted a lash.
"Count D!" Misao crooned as she danced forward, dragging Kaoru even closer to the man in front of her. "We want a pet! Do you have any of those adorable bunnies left?" Her eyes were large and hopeful and Kaoru wondered how she was going to manage to get out of there without having two baby bunnies in her purse.
His expression was cool, but something flickered in his eyes as he stared at her; some cool sense of amusement. One eye was the pale shade of violet, the other cool amber. The violet eye was half-hidden by his hair as he tilted his head to stare down at the bouncing woman in front of him.
"Does she now?" Count D mused, turning those fae-eyes of his on her. Kaoru suddenly felt like he knew everything about her, down to the chipped color of the polish on her toes. Because she was wearing tennis-shoes, this left her slightly disconcerted. He raised a cool brow and shrugged elegantly. There was something there…if she could just put her finger on it.
Kaoru swallowed a bit nervously.
"Welcome, Kamiya Kaoru," he breezed and Kaoru jerked at the fact that he knew her name. He offered her a thin-lipped smile and gave her this lingering look. "I think I have something very nice for you," he turned to Misao. "Perhaps you would like to go look at those bunnies?" Misao squealed and disappeared, already bouncing; as she moved down the hall. He gave an elegant shrug and made a motion with his long fingers. "Come."
"I must warn you, Miss Kamiya that my pets are made to offer love and fulfill desires." His voice was gentle. "However, because some of my pets are fairly dangerous; I will require a contract from you." He gave her another one of those looks, as if the color of her skin or eyes would determine everything about the pet he chose for her. She also had the sinking sensation that whatever he was going to offer her was worse than whatever Misao wanted to give her.
"What type of pet requires a contract?" Kaoru questioned, but he turned on one elegant heel, somehow reminding her of an outraged Megumi, and then he disappeared for a moment.
She stood there, alone in the grandeur of his 'pet shop' and felt a little out of place. Alright, she felt a lot out of place. There was something about the furniture, the perfect pristine of the place; that gave her goosebumps. That was the occasional flutter as if something not human was skittering around the edges of her awareness. She clamped down on her urge to bolt.
Count D came back. He paused, as if his entrance said everything. His pale eyes flickered at her before moved with grand precision, an other-worldly elegance, to a curtain which he pulled back dramatically. Kaoru stared at the creature that stood there, watching her warily.
It was a young man. Or it appeared to be a young man. His face was angular and the bone structure wasn't quite human, something about the angle of his jaw and cheekbones. His eyes were a few shades darker violet than the count's right eye and his mouth was thin. He was small and looked as if the wind could knock him over. There was something about his eyes that caught her attention and she stared at him for long, long moments.
"A human? What is this?" Kaoru demanded, spinning to stare at the Count with wide eyes. "This had better not be some sort of underground slave ring!"
"Dragon," Count D said, his elegant hands waving as if to dismiss her warnings. "A dragon who is forced to be a man," he pinned her with his eyes. Something about the now straight line of his mouth conveyed that he was amused. "Perfect for a woman who is learning to live again."
"Dragon," Kaoru repeated, her voice telling him what her words couldn't. Disbelief, outrage that he would think her so gullible, and anger that he would do that to a person fought for dominance in her voice. Her eyes flashed at him for a moment and Count D kept his face bland as he watched as his Dragon's head lifted a bit at the sign of temper from the girl.
“Dragons are scattered through out all human mythology.” Count D purred. "I find it difficult to believe that they aren't real."
Kaoru gaped at him and then turned back to the man standing there. Dragon standing there; trying to figure out how he was a dragon (assuming they existed) and blinked faintly startled when he shifted, and his hair almost threw sparks. There was something about the angle of his eyes that captivated her.
"If he is a dragon," Kaoru answered, attempting not to sound breathless and startled and disbelieving, "what am I supposed to do with him?"
"Dragons are known for their loyalty, and their temper." Count D said causally. "There are certain characteristics, shall we say, that make them very sought after. You are very lucky." He gave another smooth shrug and offered her that slit tilt of his wide mouth. "It is as easy to be owned by your pet, Kaoru, as it if to own them."
Kaoru blinked at him, unsure at what he was getting at.
Count D moved forward. "You will take him then." It sounded like a question but somehow she thought it was a warning.
Kaoru nodded slowly; still uncertain if this was the right choice. Assuming he was really a dragon and not some poor man. Assuming this entire thing wasn't some crazed experience (Misao might have slipped something into the tea) then she was willing to think a bit outside the box. Besides, there was just something about him that tugged at her. Something about his eyes that fluttered through her like honey.
He smiled. "Wonderful."
"The first part of our bargain is this: you must not, under any circumstances, allow him to hold a sword." There was an edge to his voice. "I will not be held accountable otherwise." His voice was firm and Kaoru heard the 'broken contracts are not mine to fix' even if he didn't say it.
"Part two is easy: only feed him meat." He smiled at the dragon, a bit more of teeth in this one than anything he had given her. "Vegetables will make him ill, and I will not tolerate you abusing him." He turned and gave her another look while pulling out a piece of paper. "Everything else is outlined." The way he raised his brow clearly indicated that if she had questions, she should ask them now.
Kaoru hesitated, wondering exactly how you ask about draconic habits, but decided against it at the last second. "No."
Count D nodded. "The last thing item between us is this: no one can see your pet." He gave the direction Misao had gone a delicate glance. "Your friend will be busy for a while yet."
Count D finally gave another of his thin smiles and Kaoru hide her shudder with a force of will. 'What was she getting herself into?' "Then that should be all of the normal stipulations. Remember, he must not touch a sword." Count D reminded her. He paused slightly. "This particular dragon's name is Kenshin."
Kaoru paused and timidly asked a question. "If no one can see him should I go and get my car and get him later?" Her voice was still slightly skeptic. First a dragon and now magic, what was this place?
Count D shook his head. "No, the illusion of being a human should manage itself fine this once. But do not allow anyone to see him after this. It will be dangerous."
Kaoru signed the piece of paper and left with a dragon following her.
Count D met Kenshin's eyes as he followed Kaoru up the stairs. The dragon blinked at him once and then he was gone. Count D went about cleaning up the place a bit, getting ready for the company he knew was coming. It was taking a risk, of course, letting this particular dragon go with access to a possible maiden, but it was a risk he was willing to take. If the distractions were still working, then the smaller woman would be busy in the backroom with all the normal pets for another half-hour.
"You sold him," the voice was hard and Count D turned to see another Dragon filling his shop. This one was taller, with golden eyes almost similar to the color his last pet would have had if he had not been under the spell of someone. "After I gave you instructions to never, ever do that."
Count D met Saitoh's expression with an unflappable one. "My pets are not meant to spend an eternity in there cages. I made sure the girl wouldn't give him a sword. I believe if your spell is still working, than only touching his sword would unleash him." There was a note of distain in his voice. "I shall be keeping an eye on them. Really, Saitoh, you're the one who has spent three hundred years attempting to locate his horde and failing to do so. You know he isn't going to be able to not bring her presents."
Saitoh snarled at him. "There is a chance he could find his sword and if he gets his hands on it he can take control of the spell I have on him." There was a great deal of irritation mingled with satisfaction in his voice. "He will never be able to be rid of it, not now, but he could get control if he gets his magic back."
Count D shrugged. "The girl is under strict instructions not to give him a sword." His tone suggested that repeating himself was both boorish and insulting. He also decided to not mention that it was entirely possible, from the smell of her, that she could be the one who was hiding the sword from Saitoh.
Saitoh lit up a cigarette. "We all know how well your normal contracts hold out." He gave him one last furious glance. "If he managed to make it back into the mainstream, I will be coming after you." He left the room.
Count D smiled a bit when his pet landed on his shoulder. "No, I am not particularly worried about that threat either."
Kaoru opened the door, attempting to figure out what she was going to do with the man with the person behind her. Her place was still in the same mess it had been when she left it. The place was littered with dishes, clothes, papers and books and several other random things she wasn't sure belonged there. Chewing on her lip she moved so that Kenshin (his name had been Kenshin) could move in. His violet eyes flickered across the room in one slide, and she knew he had taken in everything. She wasn't sure what had given her that impression, but it was there.
"Sorry about the mess," Kaoru tried, suddenly feeling unsure. His eyes flickered back to her face and for a moment she thought there was something there, but then he smiled. His eyes lightened to almost blue and he ducked behind his bangs. He didn't say anything, but Kaoru could almost feel something coming from him.
Maybe he was just adjusting himself to his new home. What did you expect from a dragon? Moving quickly, she cleaned the couch off, folding the blanket up and grabbing the pillow. The couch was the cleanest thing here, and she was suddenly grateful for it.
"Here," Kaoru said, diving into the crease between cushions. "You can um...watch TV!" She pulled the flipper up with a smile that died a bit when she caught him watching her, something in his curiously angular face catching her breath. "Um..." spinning around she turned the TV, suddenly thankful it was stuck on the History Channel. Setting the remote down on the messy table in front of her, she wiped her palms down her thighs and turned back to him. She almost jumped straight in the air.
He was standing right next to her. He hadn't moved, or she hadn't heard him move, yet there he was; standing as if he belonged there. His eyes were flickering from the TV to her face and she attempted to offer him another smile. "Its called a TV, and this is the history channel...if you want to change the channel you can."
She was backing away as she spoke, pointing to the flipper and turning away. She was running away, and she knew it, but she needed time to think about what she had just done. A dragon? When did a dragon come in the form of a small, red-haired man with eyes that trapped the light and hair that shimmered like a prism? It was obvious he wasn't human, his bone-structure was to...unearthly, and there was something about his thin-mouth that suggest at one point he had been very cruel.
As the hot water turned on and ran over her body, she struggled to figure out what she was going to do with him. Count D had said he was a dragon, and thus had all the tendencies of a dragon. She had no idea what that meant. Somehow she thought it might have something to do with all of those ancient stories she hadn't read as a child. The shampoo was rubbed into her long hair with a sigh. What exactly did you do with a dragon? Let him have a bunch of pillows to have a fort in? Offer him rocks so he could feel more comfortable and more in an environment of his choice? Didn't they like cold smelly place with lots of torches? Sighing as she rinsed the conditioner from her hair, she guiltily realized that her shower had taken up more time that it should have.
Stepping out of the shower she rubbed herself dry and tied her hair up with a towel to absorb the moisture as she pulled on the same draw-string pants and baggy t-shirt she had worn to the pet-shop. It was probably the cleanest thing she had at this point. Taking her hair down she watched as the stuff fell way past her shoulders. She decided, for once, to give herself a big hard look. According to Misao, the happy, loving idea of a new pet should not only have put a sparkle back into her blue-eyes, but bring color back to her face.
Her face was always pale. That came from a lack of sunlight. Her eyes were still blue, the same vivid color of her father's, but there was no…spark; not since the accident. Her throat closed up a bit after thinking about that, but she forced it down. She had cried enough. As far as she could tell, as she ruthlessly braided her hair and twisted it into a knot; nothing had changed. Except that she had a dragon watching her TV.
Stepping into the living room, she paused on the threshold, her hands gripping the towel in front of her as her eyes scanned the apartment. The scattered clothes had been picked up and apparently sorted by color. The little coffee table had been cleared of months of textbooks she had buried under magazines and take-out boxes. Her DVD cases were organized and the DVD's were put back into there proper cases. Her eyes swung to the kitchen, where the dishwasher was humming merrily, and her eyes swung to the man who was sitting straight-backed on her couch. She had never seen a man who sat with his back not touching the back of her couch before. She licked her lips and he turned, his violet eyes partially shaded by his bangs.
Kaoru stared at him. He blinked long lashes and she felt the towel slip from her nerveless fingers. "What?" she swallowed. He continued to stare at her, his violet eyes wide. Kaoru was flustered, knew she was flustered. Reaching down she picked up her towel and walked back into the bathroom and hung it up.
She didn't look at him when she went into the kitchen. D had said that she could only feed him meat. She needed to go shopping. However...Kaoru threw open her freezer and chewed her lip. Misao and Megumi, had, for some reason, taken it upon themselves to restock her fridge and buy her edible food. It had taken several trips downstairs to her dumpster to clean out her fridge once everything had gone bad, but the meat they had bought should still have been good.
Tossing the meat onto her countertop she left it out to thaw and dug out the tuna. Tossing together the makings for a tuna sandwich she threw it together and slapped it onto some bread and then hesitated. Chewing on her bottom lip she turned back to the couch and noticed that he was watching her. He made no move to hide, and even offered her an encouraging expression that made her feel useless. She was supposed to be the owner of sorts, and here her pet was encouraging her to feed it.
Part of the problem was, probably, the fact that he looked so human. If it wasn't for those eyes and that hair and the bone structure of his face; then he would be human. It was almost slavery. Taking a deep breath she moved and set the plate down.
"Those are for you," she told him softly. "Count D said you couldn't have vegetables so I am hoping this is okay...um..." she bit her bottom lip hard and then took a deep breath. "There aren't going to be that many rules. The bedroom is yours to do what you will with it." She would never sleep there again. Not after all the hours she and her beloved mother put into decorating and coordinating it. Not after the memories that still kept her up at night. She didn't want to deal with them. For some reason her bedroom never failed to remind her of her family. She didn't know if it was the warmth she had worked so hard to create in that room, or the stark lack of it everywhere else. She supposed it didn't really matter. She had hidden all her pictures and precious memories in that room and she was almost thankful that she could give it to someone to use. Maybe it would help her forget what was in the boxes under the bed. She ignored the startled expression on his face.
"I can't sleep in there so one of us should be comfortable." Kaoru continued lightly. "I really didn't...I mean..." she tried again. "Thank you for picking up the apartment," how in god's name he managed it, she didn't know. "But you won't be required to do that again." She swallowed. "You can't touch the sword case." She watched his face for some sign of something. He didn't even bat a lash at her words. "Please don't try, I have no idea what I am supposed to do if you do and I would rather not have to figure that out."
He nodded at her, and she took that for acceptance. She supposed, since she had never heard him say a word, that speaking wasn't something he could do. She didn't have much experience for a man who had been turned into a Dragon, but she supposed that vocal cords might be one of those things that didn't transfer. "Otherwise, please make yourself comfortable. I really don't know what a dragon would need so..." she shrugged again. He offered her a faint smile and she attempted to return it and ended up turning the TV up and curling up against the armrest until it was time to scrounge around for dinner.
"A lizard?" Misao demanded, her voice more than just a bit outraged. "Why in gods name would you buy a lizard?" Her voice continued to rise in pitch until she was forced to hold the phone away from here ear and Kenshin turned from where he was sitting on the floor.
It was the single most curious habit he had. Or at least, the one that few hours had given her time to see. He would find a perch, somewhere the sun fell; and let his back rest against the wall and seemingly be content for hours there.
Today he was in a pair of loose pants she had bought him and a white t-shirt. Casual clothing that did interesting things to his shoulders. Not that she had noticed, because he was a pet and a dragon. Lizard.
"Misao," Kaoru scolded as she turned away from the curious violet-eyes. "Some of us just aren't the cuddle bunny types."
Misao snorted into the phone and she could just image the girl's expression. Included, for free, a dramatic rolling of her eyes. "Right and Megumi actually likes cats. It's a lizard! They have scales and tails and sharp pointy teeth and are completely not-cuddle worthy. How is that a pet?"
Kaoru grinned. "This is coming from the girl who mourned for a turtle!"
"Turtles, baby turtles, are cute!" Misao argued fiercely. She sighed. "This is Counts fault! You're still in trouble for leaving me behind! When do I get to come over and see him?"
"Him?" Kaoru repeated, finally getting into her role. "What makes you think it's a boy?" She heard something like a snort come from the dragon behind her and she thought she caught the faint scent of smoke, but that was mostly her imagination.
"Because you have a hard enough time playing nice with Megumi and me, how would you manage to play with another woman taking up your space? Even if it does have scales you would feel threatened." Misao pointed out and Kaoru heatedly argued, one hand dropping to her waist even when her friend couldn't see it.
"Misao!"
"It's the truth! Anyway you haven't answered my question!" She declared authoritively. "You just don't share well with girls."
Kaoru snorted again. "Anyway, you can't. He isn't tame. I mean...he doesn't really care for strangers and Count D suggested that I keep him away from strangers. Indefinitely."
Kaoru could practically feel her friends pout. "But Kaoru! I am not a stranger, I am Misao! At least you can tell me what you named the poor thing!"
"Kenshin," Kaoru said softly, unsure suddenly. "His name is Kenshin."
Misao was quite for a long time. "You would give a pet a name that involves a sword. Really Kaoru, you can't keep something like a complete secrete forever!"
Kaoru grinned to herself. "We will talk a bout this some other time. I need to start dinner and you know I can't do two things at once when it involves my stove."
Misao grumbled under her breath but let her go not soon after.
Kaoru sighed, "Next time she is going to be going on about various flee dips I need to purchase and have several packets on how to litter-train my lizard."
There was silence and she wondered for a moment if she hadn't just imagined the noise earlier.
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