Author: Eeevee
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: If I owned RK then what in the world am I doing sitting here? Time for a world cruise! Uh-huh. I don't own RK, it belongs to its creator and affiliates. Satisfied?
Megumi paced the spacious office, bored. Mommy had been gone for an awful long time. A half eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich lay on the rich mahogany desk and a juice box was pressed between her fingers and her palm. She took a cautious sip wishing someone would come. She wasn't allowed to go out by herself.
The handle turned and she whirled expectantly. A tousled brown head looked in and she squealed with delight throwing herself on the man.
"I never will understand why she adores you so much." Her mommy remarked. "You're nothing but trouble young man. Honestly, what were you in there for this time?"
The young man swung Megumi up on his hip and smiled innocently, "Drunken brawl I think. Thanks for picking me up. I bet you didn't think you'd be doing that quite so often?"
Megumi inspected his knuckles and narrowed her eyes in a subconscious imitation of her mother, "What happened?"
"Woah, cross examination here." The man yelped as she poked a scrapped knuckle, "I kinda lost my temper and took it out on the cell wall."
Mommy swished around to the other side of her desk stacking some papers. She stapled them then stuffed them in a folder.
"Sano, here's how you can pay me back. Take Meg out somewhere, okay? I won't finish until late and I hate for her to be cooped up in here." Mommy requested and Megumi knew this was a great sign of trust. She almost never let Megumi go with someone alone, not even Kenny.
After the incident a few months before they had all parted thinking they'd never see each other again. To Megumi's delight Sano seemed to be like a bad penny. Her mommy noticed him 'cooling his jets', whatever that meant, in the bad place one day. It wasn't related to where Sano worked so Mommy 'bailed' him out. Now it was a regular occurrence. Mommy complained, but Megumi knew she really liked the rogue Shinsengumi.
"Sure, how about some ice cream kiddo?"
"With my money I'm assuming?" Mommy asked and Sano gave an easy smile. She dug in her wallet and dragged out a twenty. "I want the change. I'll not be accused of giving you booze money, okay?"
Sano affected a wounded look and snatched the bill, "I'm hurt that you would think that."
Mommy sighed and rolled her eyes, "I'm sure your companion would be obliged to get you out of jail next time."
"Saitoh, that stingy bastard? Not a chance."
Megumi noticed that Mommy made small references to Mr. Wolf a lot, but when she was asked about it she deigned even showing an interest. It confused the girl and she would like to have seen him again, but Sano never took her back to their base on any of the outings.
"Language." Mommy reminded mildly. She had long ago given up trying to correct Sano's potty mouth.
"Right, sorry." The young man swung Megumi up on his broad back and she clung like a monkey. "We'll be back then."
They exited the building with no trouble at all. The security was used to Sano's visits, although if they knew who he really was Megumi was sure he would be in big trouble. She wondered if Mommy would help him then because then she would be in big trouble too.
"So where do you want to go?" He called up to her ranging across the cement with long, sure strides.
She played with his red bandanna wondering if she dare ask. She didn't know how he would react or if Mommy had forbade it.
"Can we see 'Tari?" She settled for that instead. Asking for Mr. Wolf outright would be a disastrous mistake, she was sure of that. "I haven't seen him in awhile."
"Geez, if you really want to see that freak I bet I could find him. He's ugly enough to spot a mile away."
Megumi was disappointed. That meant 'Tari wasn't at the base if Sano had agreed so readily. She had seen him a few times over the last few months, in Sano's company of course and with her mother's approval, but it was always at a safe, neutral spot.
They saw an ice cream cart and made their way over. Megumi recognized Kamatari instantly and smiled widely. He looked up and winked at her with false lashes.
"What can I do for you and your lovely daughter sir?" 'Tari asked in a high-pitched voice and pursed his bright red lips. He fiddled with the scooper, but managed to keep a straight face.
Sano sputtered, "Daughter..."
"I want chocolate." Megumi announced, then playing along added, "Ma'am."
"One chocolate for the little sweet heart. What about you sir? I get off in an hour." 'Tari suggested and Sano's face turned bright red. He eyed 'Tari warily and growled.
"You jerk! God Kamatari, I never expected to find you here." The young man looked both upset and embarrassed. "You shouldn't fuck with me like that."
"You know you can't resist." The man in woman's clothing winked handing Megumi her ice cream, "How are you honey? Life been treating you good?"
"Yup. I get a puppy on Friday. Mommy says we are going to the pound to get one though." Megumi furrowed her brow wondering how to explain better, but 'Tari nodded in understanding.
"Seems like she picks up strays where ever she goes." 'Tari snickered looking at Sano.
Sano was about to retort when a shadow fell in between them and a cold voice asked, "Moron, why are you bothering him? He's on a stakeout and you running your yap looks suspicious."
Megumi looked up at Mr. Wolf noting that he hadn't changed at all. He still wore his navy clothing and held lightly in between two fingers was the usual cigarette. He looked down at her for a second before eyeing Sano again.
"Baby-sitting suits you, although I may ask why you are running around with Takagi's brat."
Sano was bristled and he didn't even notice when a cold lump of chocolate ice cream slid down the back of his neck.
"I can do what I want in my free time old man." Sano snarled defensively. Mr. Wolf flicked a dull glance over the two of them again and took a breath of smoke.
"Yes, you can. At least you are not drinking what little brains you have left out. I need to talk to you."
"So say it." Sano snapped and Mr. Wolf eyed Megumi with a slightly raised eyebrow. Sano followed the gaze and he rolled his eyes, "She's a kid for Christ's sake. It's not like she'll even know what we're talking about."
"Her mother will. Females seem to have extreme difficulty keeping their mouths shut." Mr. Wolf stated in the same flat tone. Megumi looked at him, annoyed.
"I can't just dump her on some playground. I'm supposed to be watching her! If I fucked that up my sorry ass would rot in jail forever when her mom canned my ass because something happened." Sano retorted and Megumi wondered if her mommy would really do something like that.
She shimmied down Sano's back being careful not to tear anything. Once on the ground and slightly disoriented she managed to totter over to cart.
"'Tari will watch me." She announced noticing that she had sticky chocolate all over.
A/N: -__-' I decided just to keep the prologue, so hopefully nothings confusing. Posting schedule is the same: Thursday and Sunday. I promise to try and keep up O__O