Chapter 2: The Blackmail

I don't own anything, including Rurouni Kenshin and the house that I live in. I really am sad about the lack of reviewing people have been doing. Everyone likes a review, and I know people are reading this, so take like a minute out of your life and REVIEW!

As Kaoru served lunch, Kenshin turned most of his swirly-eyed attention to Megumi and Hiko. "So, how do you two exactly know each other?"

Megumi looked incredibly flustered, but quickly cut Hiko off as he tried to answer. "He's one of my patients. Isn't that right, Hiko?" she glared at him, giving him no choice but to agree.

"Yeah, I've just started seeing her as my doctor." He replied, and then leaned over and whispered in Kenshin's ear.

"Oro! Megumi-dono, sessha cannot believe you've seen my shishou in such a way. But sessha understands that it was your job as a doctor to evaluate all injuries, no matter how private…"

"What do you mean "private"!? Hiko?!" Megumi was embarrassed, Kenshin whispered back to her.

"I did not examine his prostate, Kenshin!" she yelled, turning bright red and glaring at Hiko.

Hiko began to laugh, and Kenshin lowered his head before Megumi could hit him. Before the master of Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu could take a comforting swig of sake, Megumi grabbed him by the cape and drug him out of sight.

"What was that all about!? I don't even know you! Let alone examine your prostate! Why did you have to say that?" she yelled, shaking him.

"If you would have been honest to begin with, I would have been more honest. I thought we were playing a game, Megumi-san." Hiko laughed, "You aren't as open to things when you aren't drunk."

"Oh really? You think I'm more fun drunk? Is that a bet?"

"Absolutely. You're on."

"Unfortunately for you, I have an ace up my sleeve." She raised one delicately arched eyebrow.

"What is that, sweet kitsune?"

Before Hiko Seijuro knew it, the doctor had stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly. As she rocked back on her heels, she huffed and shot him a cocky "Told ya so." His reply was less than ideal.

"Is that it?"

"What?!"

"You heard me, Megumi. You are much less exciting sober." Hiko said as he crossed his arms.

"You think you could do any better?"

"Always, Megitsune."

As Megumi stood with her arms crossed, Hiko swiftly bent down, picked her up, and began to spin her around. As she threw her arms around his neck for balance, he kissed her aggressively. Before the two had ended their kiss, Kaoru rounded the corner. She saw them.

"Megumi-san! I am ashamed of you!" Kaoru scolded, "And Hiko, you too!"

Before he could answer, he dropped Megumi to the ground, further adding to her embarrassment. "Kaoru, you cannot tell my bakadeshi." He reasoned.

"And why shouldn't I, Hiko? You two are sneaking around MY dojo! I should make an example of you!" She was clearly jealous that the kitsune had actually seduced a swordsman.

"Kaoru, if you tell Ken-san, he will tell Sanosuke. I do not want to have to deal with that right now…He is the last person who needs to know this."

"Fine, what do I get out of this? What do I get in exchange for silence?" Kaoru implored.

"Well, how about we go back to lunch and further discuss it from there…" Megumi said, as she dusted herself off.

As they approached Kenshin, he cocked his head sideways, questioning where they had been without saying a word. Hiko just laughed as Megumi told the ex-hitokiri that she was simply scolding Hiko for making such a crude joke in front of her friends. Kaoru set out two more bowls of rice and fish. "Who are those for, Kaoru?" Megumi asked.

"I shouldn't even tell you, onna." Kaoru whispered angrily, "But I have decided that I will be quiet if you can handle a lunch with two more guests. Yahiko and Sanosuke."

Megumi grabbed her and led her around the corner again for 'private talk'. "Sanosuke?! We haven't even spoken since I cut things off with him!"

"That isn't my problem. You have created a bed of lies, no matter how hilarious, and now you must lay in it. With Sanosuke AND Hiko. Rahahaha!!" the tanuki girl laughed maniacally. "By the way, where did you meet Hiko anyway?"

Megumi hesitated. "Umm, well...At a restaurant. I was having dinner and he asked to join me."

"Is that the whole truth, Miss Takani?" Hiko appeared suddenly behind the women.

"Kaoru, I was drunk…"

It took several minutes for Sano and Yahiko to arrive; they had gone to town to run errands (which to Sano means gambling). As soon as he saw Megumi he carefully maneuvered himself away from her, taking a safe spot between Kenshin and Kaoru, much to Kaoru's chagrin. "Sanosuke, this is sessha's shishou Seijuro Hiko. Shishou, this is one of sessha's best friends, Sanosuke Sagara." Kenshin took care of introductions.

"Nice to meet you. I have great respect for the man who made Kenshin so strong." Sano looked Hiko dead in the face, trying his hardest to avoid looking at Megumi.

The lunch went by rather slow and awkwardly. Megumi and Sanosuke would not acknowledge the other's existence, and Kenshin was oblivious to what Kaoru had seen earlier. As Hiko said his goodbyes, Kenshin offered him a jug of fine sake. "Shishou, sessha understands that your health isn't as good as you say it is. When the time comes, sessha does not want you to die alone. Please stay here, and sessha and Megumi –dono will take care of you."

"Bakadeshi," Hiko said, patting Kenshin on the head, "I am honored, but not yet close to death. Perhaps when the time comes, yes, I will come here. But until that moment, I will live in my little utopia in Kyoto. Until then, Kenshin."

"I am leaving as well. It is getting late and I would rather not walk to town alone. Seijuro-sama, could you be so kind as to walk a lady home?" she shot him a glare that only he could see.

"Absolutely. I will never skip an opportunity to be seen with a lovely young lady." Hiko smiled, as he and Megumi turned to leave. "Goodbye, baka deshi."

Sanosuke growled as he watched his former flame walk out into the night with a man, and shortly afterwards retreated to his room in the Kamiya dojo. When they were alone, Kaoru looked at Kenshin. "I cannot keep this from you, no matter how hard I have tried! Kenshin, Megumi and Hiko are seeing each other. Romantically!"

"Oro!"

Longer chapter this time! ^_^ Be kind, please leave me tasty reviews. I know how many non-reviewers there are. I should have you skinned! But please, with your skinless body, read and REVIEW!