A/N: Picking up speed, ladies and gents. A wordy chapter, if there ever was one.

Closer

It only gets really warm outside after Kenshin leaves. You made sure he promised to try writing you at least once a month, and already two days in you're wondering when the first letter will arrive.

This is different from when he left for a week; you barely thought of him at all during that time, and you were so busy training Yahiko and trying to rebuild after the earth quake that you simply hadn't the time. But it's different. Now, Kenshin and Sano are all you can think of. You wonder, as you try to quickly finish up the laundry at ten in the evening, if you should have spoken with him after all. You want badly to speak to someone.

For the most part, Sano has stayed out of sight. You both haven't had a decent conversation since the festival, and even though only four long days have passed, it's the longest you've gone without talking to him in years.

Privately, you grieve for the loss. Not only the loss of potential romance, but also for the loss of a dear friend. He's gone to the market to fetch things when you've asked him to, and he helped sweep the courtyard when you gave him the task, but he hasn't said one word to you otherwise.

You aren't even sure if he's looking you in the eyes.

You sigh and flex your head back and forward on your sore neck. The soapy water has made your fingertips pruney, and Yahiko is working a late shift at the Akabeko, otherwise you wouldn't be doing this all alone. You're no longer ill – the fever has been gone for a while and your headache cured, but you've been quite tired ever since the sickness took hold of you. Megumi visited the day before to check up on you, and she seemed unconcerned. Plenty of bedrest would cure you, she said.

Another sigh escapes your lips. There's no time for bedrest.

"Tired, Missy?"

You look up. Sano is leaning against the dojo wall, hands in his pockets. You sniff. "No. I'm fine, just finishing up the wash." You scrub the clothes under the water with new vigor to prove your lie true. "See?"

He hums and grabs a stool from around the corner, pulling it right up to the edge of the washbin. "We both know that's bullshit," he says casually. "Lemme help – it'll go faster, and you can get to bed."

You swallow. "Okay…" For a few minutes, you scrub the clothes in silence together.

"It's weird with Kenshin gone, huh?" he asks suddenly.

"What? Oh…" Your shoulders square. "He's left before. At least we know he's coming back this time."

"…Yeah. At least he's coming back."

Your lips turn down in a frown. You hope he comes back. He promised you, but things change. You aren't sure how much longer Kenshin will want to stay at the dojo after – or if – he returns. He's not too old, and his looks are above average. There's no way he doesn't have a chance at getting remarried, and now that you've made peace with the idea that his next wife isn't you, you aren't sure when a nice lady will come along. It's unreasonable to think that she'll want to live in your house with you, an unmarried woman, especially with her husband about.

Kenshin will probably have to move once he finds a wife.

Kenshin will leave for good, and then Yahiko will get old enough to marry Tsubame and move out, and Sano could find a bride at any moment he so pleases and leave you. Your chest tightens.

"Hey." Sano reaches toward your face, and you don't have enough time to flinch back before he wipes a large handful of bubbles off on your nose.

"What-?"

He bursts out laughing, shoulders bouncing up and down merrily. "Your face!" he wheezes. "You look so offended! They're just soap suds, Missy!"

A warm, familiar anger bubbles up inside you, and you rip both your hands into the air, pulling a good deal of water with them. Sano is drenched, his usually tall hair hanging heavily by his face. After a second, you smirk. He grins.

"So that's the way it's gonna be?" he asks, scooping up two heaping handfuls of bubbles and taking a step in your direction. You jump to your feet and move back. "Come here."

You shake your head and giggle nervously.

He takes another step. "Come here, Missy. Nothing to be afraid of."

He makes of show of twisting his face into a funny expression and rushes at you. You shriek in alarm and joy and try to dash out of the way to no avail. In retaliation, you smear the leftover suds onto his face and when your eyes meet, you both crack up.

Maybe you haven't lost another friend yet.

He's acting the way he did when Kenshin left for the week, and even though that behavior was new and alarming to you, you feel like the old Sano is back, and you needn't worry about the awkwardness from being rejected. It's like it never happened.

You and Sano grow a little closer that night; it's his way of telling you things are fine between you again, and you appreciate it.

Still…

You can't help it if your heart beats faster when you see him.

A/N:

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