Pride Vs. Desire
By:: Melissa
Disclaimer:: I do not own any of this (mostly meaning characters). All of it belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki, creator of Rurouni Kenshin. The only thing I own is the storyline. Please R&R. Constructive criticism is welcomed. No flames please.
Hurried footsteps ran quickly through Tokyo, its noise being heard as an echo against the houses. A woman's failing breath was become more apparent as she kept running. Finally coming to a halt outside a dojo did she stop her incessant running. Sweat glistened from her forehead as she quickly wiped it away. Opening the gates, she walked quickly inside, not looking behind her.
Inside was a large yard, a laundry drying rack to one side and a well on the other. The soft tinkling of wind chimes broke the silence that usually lingered here. Slowing her step, the woman calmed herself, grooming her hair before coming onto the porch of the tiny house and dojo.
Knocking lightly, she heard screams of laughter inside. She smiled slightly, sighing at the happy atmosphere that must be inside. The sliding door opened, revealing a dark haired woman, an orange haired man and their son.
"Megumi-dono, what are you doing here?" Kenshin asked, a slightly startled look on his young face. The child laughed and clapped his hands together. The woman, Megumi, stuck her fingers out to the child's open hands. The baby took hold of her fingers and held onto them tightly.
"I was in the area and decided to check up on everyone." She looked around nonchalantly, as if she was remembering what the dojo had looked like a year ago.
A long silence elapsed. Kaoru, Kenshin's wife, looking anxiously at her husband, still holding onto their son, Kenji. Kenshin's face, as always, held no trace of hidden emotions or unknown knowledge. Megumi didn't like the silence. It felt awkward, uncomfortable, unsettling. She opened her mouth to say something but was instantly cut off in shock.
"Megumi, are you looking for Sanosuke?" Kaoru's voice, soft and melodic, rang through the air. Megumi's eyes became instantly wary and her body tenses. Kenshin closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again, sympathy in his eyes.
"No, I came to check up on everyone." Pride had kept her from telling the truth. Pride had kept her from saying a lot of things and acting on a lot of feelings. Pride had kept her from the one thing she wanted the most. She looked away, not wanting to meet Kenshin's eyes, in fear that he might know what she was feeling, thinking, wanting.
"Well, if you want to talk to Yahiko, he's at the Akabeko working. And if you do want to see Sanosuke, he has his own place in the long houses the next town over... close to where Tsukioka lives." Kaoru's voice came out as nothing more than a whisper but the expression on Megumi's face made it clear that she heard.
"Thanks Kaoru. Take care of yourself, okay? You too, Kenshin. Goodbye." With that, Megumi left the two old friends standing in their doorway, watching in nervousness.
"Do you think she'll see him?" Kaoru asked, turning to look at her husband.
"I don't know...it's up to the heart now," Kenshin said, walking back inside the house. Looking once more out at the now closed gates, Kaoru went inside and closed the sliding doors.
"Why would I want to see that birdhead? He's nothing more than a nuisance to me. Never cared about anything but himself. Why should I want to visit him? I shouldn't," Megumi said to herself, after leaving the gates of the Kamiya Dojo.
Kicking a stone to the side of the road, she scowled to herself. What was she thinking? Of course she wanted to see him. He was the only thing that mattered to her. The only person she cared about. The one who saved her from making a deadly mistake. Sighing, she walked quickly to the side of the road, making her way to see him.
To Be Continued...
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