Because getting Sano into trouble is just really too much of a temptation. This one I blame completely on Jane Drew. Chatting about an affair prompt I had, she suggested something... and it turned into this...

Ravyn

Kenshin sat down and ignored the speculative expression on Sano's face, more interested in the take-out box of orange beef in front of him. Closing his eyes for a moment to center his temper after a long morning of meetings, he broke open his chop sticks. He picked up the first piece of piece and popped it into his mouth with relief as Sano frowned at his buzzing cell phone, silencing it by clicking a button.

"She's denying it, you know."

Kenshin lifted a brow in a silent question as he chewed and realized that Sano hadn't touched his own food. The expression on his face was almost hurt.

"You can tell me you know. It's been months. It's not like it's a secret anymore."

Swallowing, Kenshin speared another piece of beef and forced himself to slow down. If he ate to fast he would have to return to his office instead of hiding out here in an empty conference room. Unfortunately, it seemed that for the first time ever Sano was more interested in conversation than his stomach.

"Sano, I have no idea what you are talking about."

Sano snorted and finally picked up his chopsticks. "Right. As if you could hide something like that from me… I guess I'll just have to come clean first."

"What?"

Sano speared a pot sticker. "I know about everything."

Kenshin stared at him wondering if they were even having the same conversation.

Sano…"

The cell phone on the edge of the table vibrated a second time, blinking blue letters that Kenshin couldn't really read from his angle but Sano swallowed and hastily turned it off.

"Girlfriend?"

Sano snorted. "Ha. That's rich coming from you."

Kenshin set his chopsticks down and frowned severely at him. "Sano. I have no idea what you are talking about. I am not sure if I appreciate your comments about my current lack of love life so you may either clarify or drop this subject, because I need to eat before my next meeting and you're speaking nonsense."

"I know all about her." And Sano emphasized the 'her' as if expected that one word to explain everything.

Kenshin blinked, completely lost. "I'm sorry?"

Sano nodded. "I know. You've been trying to keep it a secret and if I didn't know you two any better… and it's not like you can claim that you're not each other's type because that is totally a lie. I just want to know where you met… I was going to introduce you but then when I realized…"

"Realized what?"

Sano gave him a highly disapproving look. "Listen, Kenshin we're friends but I've been friends with her longer and if you're ashamed because of the fact that she can beat you up, then I won't wait for her to do it, I'll beat you bloody."

Kenshin blinked. "Wait, you think I'm dating someone?"

"I know about the sex."

Before Kenshin could find a logical and reasonable way of dealing with that tidbit – even though the conversation had gone far, far away from either logical or reasonable – the doors to the conference room slammed open, bouncing into the wall with enough force to leave deep gouges in the walls.

Sano paled.

Kenshin dropped his chopsticks.

He barely noticed more than her eyes but they were livid and veryblue. She hardly spared him a glance, slamming her hands down onto the table and leaning forward until her nose was almost touching Sano's, her breath coming in heaves.

"I will gut you with a pair of tongs."

"Now Kaoru, there is no need for violence…"

She reached out, fisted her hand in his shirt and shook him. "I have told you, repeatedly, that I am not having an affair with a stranger!"

Sano tossed him a desperate 'save me' look. "But Kenshin isn't a stranger!"

Kenshin was certain his mouth was hanging open but he couldn't find the will to close it when her eyes flickered in his direction and seared him to the chair.

"Who is that?"

Now Sano looked upset, chest puffing up as he straightened his spine and seemed to momentarily not care that her hand was so close to his jugular. "Don't ask me that. I know. I've been telling both of you for months! I know all about the sex!"

Her head snapped back around and she bodily hauled him forward. Kenshin found his eyes sliding over to study the way her shoulders shifted and rolled as she verbally berated Sano and slid even lower to the seat of her jeans.

"There is no sex! I am not sleeping with anyone. There is no mystery man!"

"Because your mystery man is KENSHIN."

"Who the hell is Kenshin?"

The words were snarled out of locked teeth and the fists in Sano's shirt were turning white with strain. Sano did seem to realize that the girl in front of him was incandescent with rage and frowned severely at her.

"Kenshin." And just to make his point clear he pointed. Kenshin wasn't sure if the zing that went from his spine to his gut was from fear, adrenaline or a healthy dose of lust as those hot, hot eyes stared at him with a mixture of disbelief and a pissed off rage like he hadn't seen since Megumi tried to kill Sano with a skillet.

"It's okay, Kaoru." Sano said in a soothing tone. "I know all about it. I'm not mad."

Kaoru let go of his shirt, took a step back and slowly straightened her spine until she was staring at Sano with a flat, furious look that finally seemed to penetrate Sano's thick skull. He blinked and leaned back in his chair suddenly nervous.

"Sano."

"Yes, Kaoru."

"I have never seen that man in my life."

Sano blinked. "But…"

Her weight shifted and his teeth clicked shut. "I have never seen him, touched him or even considered having sex with the short redhead sitting right there."

She pointed, as if getting the point across and Kenshin straightened his own posture, eyes narrowing at her pointed description of him.

"But…"

"No." She snarled it out, reached over and picked Kenshin's precious orange beef and flung it at his head. Sano yelped when it crashed into his face, sending both him and the left over orange beef to the floor. Spearing Kenshin with another furious accusing glare she spun on her heel and stomped out the door, snarling expletives under her breath the entire time.

Kenshin gave himself a few seconds to savor the scene in his mind before leaning over to the stunned looking Sano with beef dripping down his face.

"I'll call in another order and cancel my afternoon meetings. You're going to tell me everything. Start with her last name."

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