SEEKING SANOSUKE
AUTHOR: Kenen and E.
DISCLAIMER: Rurouni Kenshin is a product of Nobuhiro Watsuki that we use for entertainment purposes.
PAIRINGS: Himura Kenshin + Sagara Sanosuke, Himura Kenshin + Tomoe Yukishiro.
WARNINGS: M/M
Chapter 6 :: Meiji 10 ::
The next day Sanosuke ambled up to the dojo, his heart heavy. He and Katsu had discussed some things the night previous and he couldn't get it out of his mind. Seeing his . . . friend standing beside Kaoru as he approached, Sanosuke plastered on a slightly more cheerful exterior. "Hey, no worries, just an old buddy." He informed them.
Kaoru loudly proclaimed, "You're joking!"
Following her cue Kenshin did likewise, "You mean Tsukioka Tsunan is an old friend of yours?"
"You don't sound that surprised," Sanosuke noted, scratching his spikey hair as he shrewdly regarded them.
"Of course we are, aren't we, Miss Kaoru?" Kenshin replied smiling guilelessly.
"Really surprised, Kenshin," Kaoru echoed sweetly.
"Well, whatever. We thought we'd have a reunion party. Do you mind if we use the dojo?"
"That's fine, I guess, but . . ." Kaoru began pleasantly, but then thought a little more about it. "Where are you going to get the money to . . . You're not sponging off me again! No way! Absolutely not!"
"Hey, don't worry about it. Leave that to me. Well, thanks a lot. Oh yeah, tell Tae and the little girl to come too. They'd probably enjoy it." Sanosuke turned to go and wasn't too surprised when his redheaded shadow reattached to his side.
Once they were out of Kaoru's hearing, Kenshin then spoke. "Sano . . . Are you mad about that night?"
"No," the brawler answered shortly.
Kenshin sighed. Sanosuke wasn't making it easy. "Then why have you been ignoring me, de gozaru?"
Sanosuke paused, then turned to look Kenshin directly in the eyes. "Look, you got what you wanted, now leave me alone."
"But Sano that's not . . ." Kenshin stopped upon seeing the glower leveled at him. Great . . . he's irritated again.
That night at the party . . .
Kenshin couldn't help but wince at the display of foodstuffs before him. Shit, he thought. Tsukioka Katsuhiro had money, a precious commodity he couldn't claim at the moment, especially since paying that ten sen for Sanosuke had hurt his wallet something awful.
"What," Kaoru remarked, glowering at Sanosuke, "when you said to leave it to you, you meant you were sponging off Mr. Tsunan?"
"Look, like I always say . . . 'What's mine, is mine. What's yours, is also mine,'" the brawler explained, smiling as Katsu merely shrugged when Kaoru asked him if he minded it all.
"Sano . . ." Kenshin scolded mildly receiving only a smirk instead of the customary glare. Being with Katsu really did put him in a good mood, the samurai supposed.
"Well, don't worry about the details. Let's demolish a few of these bottles!" Sanosuke replied holding up a bottle of sake and claiming it as his.
As everyone else was chowing down on the bounty of food laid before them and drinking, Kenshin noticed that the last of the Sekihoutai members were stepping outside for a private word. Kenshin supposed that he couldn't blame them for wanting to be alone after so long, however that didn't stop him from conveniently needing to go to the bathroom at that moment.
"So what's the deal with you two?" Katsu was saying as Kenshin came within hearing range.
"What do you mean?" Sanosuke queried innocently.
Katsu donated a dirty look to Sanosuke. "He keeps giving me the evil eye. He your new Boss?"
"No . . . just probably thinks he owns me or something after that night . . ."
"That night . . .?" Katsuhiro wondered, wiggling an eyebrow with innuendo.
Sanosuke fought down a blush. "Adult conversation stuff Katsu," he gritted out through his teeth. That outburst made Kenshin impossibly giddy however; it meant that Sanosuke wasn't just irked all the time by him.
"Oh . . . I'm telling Boss Sagara when next I see him . . ."
"Save your breath, that busy body, no good, nosy little spirit already knows . . . and has even given his blessing . . ."
"Did you want his blessing . . . Sanosuke?" Katsu asked then, suddenly back to his usual dark and serious self, voice a bare whisper.
Sanosuke placed a hand on Katsuhiro's shoulder meeting his dark green eyes as he shook his head. "No."
"So you're with me tonight?" the artist asked. His voice was hopeful.
"Definitely," Sanosuke's answer was firm.
Kenshin silently withdrew from his spot with an extreme desire to drink some more.
A good time was had by all and later, when the sushi was gone, the bottles emptied and Tae and Tsubame were huddled together under a blanket, Kaoru curled up dreaming of Kenshin, Yahiko passed out on the floor, and Kenshin slept propped against a wall, the two young Sekithoutai members decided to make their move.
"Well . .." Sano began as he and Tsukioka stood up, "looks like it's time to go."
"Did you even enjoy your last meal?"
"Not really. But I didn't really think I would. The girls at the Akabeko have fed me plenty of times, so this is to pay them back. What about you? Enjoy your first party in the last ten years?
"Che. Not at all." Tsukioka answered.
"You're so dark." Sanosuke remarked earning a slight smile from his best friend.
After a moment of companionable silence between them Katsu questioned ". . . Are you sure about this, Sanosuke?"
"It's stupid, but I have to do this."
"I see. So you've chosen the Sekihoutai over the present. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Let's hurry. If we take too long getting the bombs, by the time we get to the office the night will be over."
Katsuhiro left however Sanosuke lingered a moment to regard all of his friends. "Sorry, guys. I'd explain, but you wouldn't understand. I guess I'm just one of the Sekihoutai at heart." On his way out, the brawler paused yet again to look at his one time lover; seeing the drunken rurouni, but also the sensual side of him, naked and sweating, arching into him, making him cry out with passionate abandon. Sanosuke shook his head adamantly to clear it. Thoughts such as those meant nothing in the end. "Kenshin, when we meet again I'll be a great criminal. You can even take me out with the sakabatou . . ."
He closed the door behind him unknowing that the redhead's eyes had opened and he'd stood.
About three hours later, lost in the darkness of a night without stars, two young men from the Sekihoutai stood before the central office of the Department of the Interior, lighting off the bombs Katsuhiro had made, starting a raucous and surprising the few watchmen outside its gates. As the guards scattered Sanosuke and Katsu ran up to the high outer wall and put there backs against it so as not to be seen. Sanosuke placed his foot into Tsukioka's cupped hands and leaped to the top, turning to help him up.
Before the Sekihoutai was formed, I heard the captain used arson and theft against the Bakufu, but . . . Kenshin's mouth hovered just above his, petite body wriggling between his thighs . . . I love you Sano . . . Sanosuke shoved those thoughts even further away, he'd noticed that his friend had yet to latch on to his hand. "What's wrong, Katsu? What did you stop for . . ."
Looking down, Sanosuke's brow furrowed as he saw the object of his thoughts standing on the other side of the wall.
"Kenshin . . ." he gasped . . . before offering his best, irritated glower at the rurouni's appearance. Now isn't the best of times to play hero, Kenshin, I told you I don't need you to rescue me . . .
"You beat us here . . . who are you?" Katsuhiro wondered.
"Himura Battousai. Once the legendary Hitokiri."
"Really . . . the Hirokiri Battousai we heard about . . ." Tsukioka bit his lip minutely, glancing back at his friend worriedly. "You came to take Sanosuke back?" he asked.
"No . . . that is for Sano to choose." Kenshin answered, meeting the brawler's shocked golden brown eyes minutely. "There would be no sense in my doing so. I am here to stop your crimes."
"So the Ishin Shishi again stand in our way. But, this time," Katsu produced two bombs, "we cannot lose! Take this!" He lit the fuses and threw them, however Kenshin sheared the fuses off and they fell harmlessly to the ground.
Angry at being impeded so easily Katsu pulled out another couple bombs, only as he lit another one Sanosuke put out the fuse before he could throw it. "Katsu, let it go. You can't beat him and this is taking too much time. The guards'll be back in a minute. Before the artist knew it was coming Sanosuke punched him in the gut.
"Sa . . . no . . ." Katsu gasped as his vision blurred.
Sanosuke held him close as Katsu collapsed in his arms, "Don't think badly of me," he murmured against his friend's brow, placing a conciliatory kiss to his forehead.
He looked up to see Kenshin's hopeful lavender gaze on him; Sanosuke promptly turned his back, his own brown eyes hooded by his lashes. "I didn't do it for you," he muttered.
"Oro?"
"I did it for Katsu. I just found him again, and I don't feel like hearing Boss Sagara fuss at me when I see him again." Still holding Katsu firmly held in his arms Sanosuke took a step away from Kenshin. "I'm going to take him home before he gets into trouble . . ." The sound of of steel scraping against its scabbard caused Sano's foot to falter. The redhead pricked his back with the tip of his sakabatou.
"Wait. One more fight, de gozaru."
Sanosuke spun around and gave Kenshin a curious look. "What are you talking about, Kenshin, we don't have time for that."
"Then you forfeit, and I win, de gozaru . . ."
"Well I don't think so," Sanosuke muttered, ire rising. "What's the stakes?"
"Your heart."
"What?"
"If I win, then you give me a chance, a full chance, if you win then we never had this conversation unless you say it was so."
"That's crap Kenshin, you know you'll win."
"Okay." The redhead sheathed his sword and put up his fists in a defensive position.
"That's crap too Kenshin, you can't fight worth dirt. I'll win."
The Samurai sighed. "There's no happy medium is there?"
"No," Sanosuke answered curtly, turning to go once more. However Kenshin's pitiful query stopped him this time.
"Sano . . . was being with me so bad then?"
It was a moment before Sanosuke answered, as if he'd had to search his entire soul first for the answer. "No," the brawler finally sighed tiredly. Carefully laying his bestfriend down and taking a step away from him, Sanosuke met Kenshin's eyes once again, standing in classic passive-defensive stance. "Lets do this."
