Part IX – I Can't Watch This
Kaoru hadn't been able to think of anything to say to the man who her husband viewed as a father figure after he had told her that there had been a kiss shared between himself and her own closest female friend. It wasn't exactly the sort of thing she could tell her husband, either. ~Somehow, I don't think telling Kenshin, 'Oh, it was nothing really, Hikosan just said that he and Megumisan kissed,' would go over very well. He has a difficult enough relationship with that man as it is.~
And then the realization dawned on her. Kenshin had never said as much, but she had always known that the way the two men interacted indicated very much a familial sort of relationship. She stopped walking in the middle of the yard, not noticing the chill rain that was beginning to fall. The implications laid themselves out for her. ~Megumisan would, in effect, be my mother in law!~
Kamiya Kaoru had faced serial killers with aplomb. She had traveled to Kyoto alone but for the company of a ten year old, following the man she loved who was on a mission that could very well kill him - or worse. She had been abducted, threatened, humiliated, injured, and otherwise incapacitated, and hardly ever so much as flinched. Himura Kaoru had led a relatively quiet but fulfilling life as a wife, master of a dojo, and now a mother.
The thought of Takani Megumi filling the role of her mother in law, even if the relationship was not acknowledged as such...
She changed her direction and veered towards the front gate.
"Kaorudono?" Kenshin saw her hurrying toward the gate. "Is something wrong?"
"What? No. No, I just need to speak to Megumisan. I'll be back soon."
He noted her expression, and decided that he didn't really want to know why. Sometimes ignorance really was bliss. He debated trying to speak to Hiko again but decided against that too. When his shishou got into one of those moods, it was usually much safer to let him work out what was bothering him on his own. "Take an umbrella," he reminded Kaoru as she hurried out.
Either she hadn't heard him or whatever was on her mind was that urgent. He reminded himself that Hiko Seijuurou was not only a grown man fully capable of deciding to leave Megumidono alone without the help of his former student.
Kaoru wasn't so sure. She didn't know the details of what happened but she couldn't let go of the notion that Megumi should not marry that man. The kiss only made things worse, as far as she was concerned. Megumi was a grown woman, certainly, but kissing? That was Just Not Done - especially if Hiko was such a traditional man! What did she think she was doing, kissing him!
Yahiko and Sano were just leaving the clinic as she arrived. They took one look at her and stopped. "Oiy, Jouchan, what's wrong?"
"I need to speak to Megumisan. Do you know what she did?"
"What she did?" Sano's eyes slid sideways to Yahiko, and he shook his head slightly. "I don't think what she did is the issue. But I wouldn't mention it to her right now." He filled her and Yahiko in on the aftermath of his conversation with the young doctor, leaving out the part where she had actually tried to reenact the kiss with him. That alone troubled him; it had been so out of character for her. "She ain't actin' like herself, either. The last time I saw her this freaked out was when we first met her."
"I didn't realize it was that bad," Yahiko said somberly.
"It's worse," Kaoru said. "You guys know how Kenshin thinks of Hikosan as a father figure, right?"
Sanosuke nodded, but Yahiko's eyes widened.
"I can tell you this much," Kaoru said bluntly. "There is no way I would accept Megumisan as my mother in law."
Yahiko lost it completely; Sanosuke simply snickered.
"You thought of that already, didn't you," Kaoru asked him.
He nodded. "Yeah. I didn't want to say anything, and I don't think the Kitsune figured it out either. Not entirely sure I want to be the one to tell her."
"Well, someone should."
"I wanna be there when it happens," Yahiko snorted out. "Oh, man, that is gonna be a sight to see!"
"And very probably painful for the person who tells her," Sano pointed out. "Not to mention any witnesses."
"There is that," the younger man conceded. The three stood in the rain and stared at the ground between them for a long moment, each pondering the next step.
Kenshin had been doing something very similar, debating whether it was better to find out what had happened from his wife or to drag it out from the source. The rain was falling steadily and Kenji was sleeping deeply when his father arose from his thoughts and ventured into the lion's den. ~Then again, I think I might rather face a few lions than Shishou in that mood...~
"Curiosity finally got the better of you?" Hiko had opened the shoji screen to watch the rain. The thin paper walls would not have hidden Kenshin's approach from his master even had they been closed, but Hiko did not look at the younger man.
"You haven't been seen in such a mood in a long time," Kenshin pointed out. "Kaorudono said nothing of what happened, but she has gone to speak to Megumidono."
Hiko grunted acknowledgment. He was looking at the rain without seeing it.
"Shishou... This has been a very eventful day. Perhaps you should get some rest."
This time, the big man snorted. "I'm not so old that I need to be sent to bed. Even if I were, you are hardly the man to command me."
Kenshin rose to the bait. The man was impossible! "It seems as though a woman's commands are better heeded anyway."
"You're hardly one to talk, boy. I've never seen a man more whipped than you."
"To each his own," Kenshin replied, more calmly. "This one enjoys the quiet life. It's what was fought for, for so many years."
"THIS is what you fought for? You're stupider than I thought."
"There is happiness in this home, Shishou. Could you say the same?"
Another snort answered his query. The rain drummed steadily on the roof. "You have a point. That is why I came. It wasn't about a bride. It isn't even about a woman. Or it wasn't."
"Wasn't?"
"The woman. The doctor. Takani Megumi. That is no woman. That is a demon. She must be a Kitsune, weaving her spells. I could see that birdbrain friend of yours being swept away by her magic, but she shouldn't have an effect on me." He seemed almost angry. Hiko's words went into Kenshin's ears but his brain refused to process them. His master could not possibly have fallen so hard so quickly.
"Did she ever compel anyone else to kiss her?
"Oro!" ~Wait. What? Compel? Kissing her? KISSING her?~ "Shishou... you... You didn't..."
"Is that a yes or a no?"
Kenshin found himself praying for an interruption. ~This should be when Sano bursts in here and defends her honor or something. Please, please let it happen,~ he prayed. But either the powers that be weren't listening, or they were enjoying watching him squirm. "As far as this one knows, Megumidono has never made anyone kiss her."
"You're wrong."
Sudden understanding flooded through Kenshin, and with it, anger. "No. YOU are wrong. With everything Megumidono has endured, she is the last person who would ever make anyone do any such thing. And while this one does not believe that you would force such a thing on her, there is no way that the opposite would be believed."
Answering anger danced briefly in the older man's eyes, but was rapidly replaced with bitter amusement. "Idiot. I said she compelled me, not forced me. She's a captivating woman. I could resent her for that. But the greater challenge would be to win her."
"She hates you." Kenshin knew it was not true, but if he had kissed her, she probably wasn't too thrilled with him at the moment.
"Oh, I'm reasonably sure she doesn't," Hiko smirked. "As a matter of fact," he continued as he saw the slight signs that only six other people in all Japan might have recognized as Kenshin becoming distraught, "I don't doubt she's upset but she is definitely not immune to my manly charms."
~I think I'm going to be sick,~ Kenshin thought to himself as Hiko continued. Whether that was in response to Hiko's manner, or the thought of him with Megumi, he would have been hard pressed to say at that moment.
"No, Kitsune or sorceress she may be, but she wants me." No longer sunk in self-pity, Kenshin's teacher seemed to be strutting even while sitting.
"Please say we are not having this conversation," Kenshin muttered. "Shishou, details are not wanted. REALLY not wanted. But Megumidono is not going to be a traditional wife for you. If that's what you want, you really ought to look elsewhere."
"This morning I would have agreed with you. Tonight, I have changed my mind. I no longer want a wife."
Kenshin tried not to hope. "Oro?"
"I want her. Any way she'll have me."
Kenshin fought the urge to beat his head against the wall, or maybe suck his thumb. It was a familiar feeling, when his shishou was involved.
Oddly enough, his wife was feeling very much the same at that moment. "I can't just let it go. If nothing else, it's not fair to Kenshin," she said finally.
"You're going to tell her now, aren't you."
"Tell who what?" All three of them turned to see the old doctor looking out into the rain at them. The three exchanged glances.
"He'll hear about it soon enough," Sanosuke pointed out.
Yahiko grinned. "You know how Kenshin sees Hikosama as a father figure, right?"
The old doctor nodded, at first looking bewildered, but as the implications sank in he began his shake his head. "Oh no. Megumikun is barely holding together right now. Go home or come in out of the rain, but I don't think you want to dump that on her after the day she's had."
"Some day," Yahiko muttered. "It's odd to think he only showed up this morning."
"You're telling me," Sanosuke grumbled. "Damn the man. Things were so much easier without him."
"Why don't you guys head on home. I just want to make sure Megumisan is okay," Kaoru said.
"That's why I came," Sanosuke reminded her. "And she's better than she was when I got here, though I'm not sure how much that's actually sayin'."
"Megumikun was practically catatonic when you got here," Genzai pointed out. "I don't know how you did it, but I don't think I thanked you for it. So, thank you."
Sanosuke shrugged again. "Hey, you know me," he grinned. "Always lookin' out for everyone else."
The four friends laughed, although what he said was true.
"I'm sorry, Genzaisensei, but I think it's something she should know. As much as she cares for Kenshin, I know she won't want to upset him," Kaoru said as she walked into the clinic.
The three men gaped after her, and Sanosuke and Yahiko followed her back inside. "There's no way I'm missing this," Yahiko murmured to his tall friend.
"Better you than me. I think I'd rather stay out of harm's way," Sano said. "That's one fight even I wouldn't buy. Not even in the old days."
Yahiko snickered. "Yeah, I'm sure it won't be that bad."
"That's 'cause you don't know what happened. And it ain't my place to say, either."
"Oh, I'll find out," Yahiko said breezily, although he was clearly eaten up by curiosity.
"You probably will, but it won't be my fault."
Kaoru had knocked on Megumi's door and been granted admittance. She closed the door behind her, much to Yahiko's chagrin. The young man, unable to resist, leaned close in the hopes he could overhear the conversation.
"Are you okay? I heard some of what happened."
Megumi looked at her without surprise. "There really are no secrets here, are there… I'm perfectly all right, thank you. Confused," she admitted, "but all right."
"I'm glad." Kaoru's hands were folded in front of her, but to the doctor who knew her well, the young mother's agitation was clear.
"What is it, Kaoruchan?"
"It's… I'm concerned about Kenshin."
"What's wrong?" Instantly she was on the alert, competence and concern radiating from her.
"No, no, it's nothing like that," Kaoru hastened to reassure her. "Physically he's fine. It's… Megumisan, you have to understand. Kenshin sees Hikosan as… Well, he's like Kenshin's father." She bit her lip, watching Megumi.
"Yes, I know that."
"Megumisan… If you marry Hikosan… You'd be like Kenshin's stepmother." The expression on Kaoru's face as she said it defied definition. Desperation was foremost, but embarrassment, hesitation, and disbelief were also among the clearer emotions in her eyes.
Megumi closed her eyes. "I hadn't thought of that," she admitted. "That would make things awkward, wouldn't it."
Relief flooded through Kaoru. "Yes, just a little," she said with a small smile.
"Well, that's just one more mark in his favor then, isn't it?" The wicked gleam in Megumi's eyes as she opened them chased every bit of relief from Kaoru's mind.
"Oh, you vixen, you would, wouldn't you," she said resignedly. For answer, Megumi laughed. It seemed that the wicked Kitsune was back.
"That can't be good," Yahiko said to Sanosuke as the laugh penetrated the door.
"No, it can't," Sanosuke agreed.
"In fact," Megumi all but purred, I think I should go talk to him about that myself."
"Him? Hikosan? He'd probably find it amusing," Kaoru grumbled.
"Actually, I meant Kensan," Megumi smirked.
"Oro?" Kaoru blurted in surprise.
Megumi leveled a look at her friend. "You've been married to him too long." Rolling her eyes, she couldn't help but to laugh at her friend's discomfiture, though she sobered quickly. "I'm serious. Kensan knows Hikosan best. As awkward as it might be, I know I can trust him to be honest with me."
"That is true," his wife conceded. "Kenshin is sometimes painfully honest."
"Mostly, the pain falls on him," Megumi agreed, not entirely humorously. "For example, when discussing your cooking."
"What about my cooking," Kaoru glowered.
"Oh, nothing." Megumi grinned. "Shall we interrupt the boys on their eavesdropping, then?" Grinning, she opened the door as she spoke. Sanosuke was sitting at the other end of the room while Yahiko seemed to be attempting to braid his hair. Both wore looks of extreme innocence.
"Megumisan? Are you going to tell him about... What happened?"
The doctor sighed. "I'm sure he already knows. Will you two go home already? No one believes you're actually braiding Sanosuke's hair, Yahiko."
With a wicked grin, the teen whined, "But it's so long and pretty! I just can't HELP myself!" He didn't have enough time to run, snorting with laughter as he was before Sano knocked him out of the park - or at least the clinic.
"Are you going to come over now?" Kaoru asked.
"I don't know if that's a good idea," Megumi hedged. "Seeing that Hikosan is staying there."
Sanosuke looked at her, his expression guarded. "You're leavin' in a week. Right?"
"Yes."
"I don't think it's fair to make the rest of us wait that long."
"What he means," Kaoru rushed to intercept the impending outburst, "is that if one of them needs to make arrangements to relocate to Aizu, he should have as much time to prepare as possible."
"Nice save," Sano smirked. "Yeah, that's what I meant." But the smirk didn't reach his eyes, though he kept them lowered.
"You should try to get some rest, Sano. Go find Yahiko and we'll see you in the morning," Kaoru said.
"Nuh uh. I'm not lettin' you two walk home alone," he countered.
Kaoru shook her head. "Then let's go. It's getting late."
Megumi went to find Genzai to let him know she was leaving. It wasn't hard; he had been in his office with the door open.
"Just don't stay out too late, Megumikun. I'd like to lock up soon. It's late and I'm old." The smile he gave her was warm and fatherly, and she thanked him with a smile of her own before they left.