Author: Arashi
Website: www.kenkaya.com
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin nor am I making any money off this story!
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Sanosuke walked down a street in Aizu looking at the sheet with directions to Megumi's place. It was evening and not only was Sano hungry and sweaty, he was also lost and it looked like it was going to rain any minute. He swore for about the hundredth time and walked back the way he had came.
"Let's see. Take a left at the sukiyaki place and no, that can't be right." He growled and walked back in the direction he had originally been walking. He finally found a house that seemed to fit all the descriptions. He looked around and located the family name on the front gate, reading it to himself to be sure. "Takani." He smiled and walked up to the front door giving it a good solid knock. Won't she be surprised to see me!
When a tall, good looking, man in his early thirties opened the door Sanosuke's grin vanished. He was perfect, perfect for HER. By appearance, this man was everything he was not. Sano took a staggering step backwards as though he had received a blow in the pit of his stomach. The man looked at him oddly.
"Can I help you?" He asked. Then, a beautifully familiar voice called out from a back room.
"Who is it, Seki? Tell them to come back later, your dinner will get cold." Her tone was happy and spoke of her intimacy with the man standing at the door. Sanosuke suddenly felt more fear and confusion than he had ever felt in his life. All at once he wanted to scream, break something, hurt someone, run away, but most of all leave Aizu, possibly Japan, and never return. He was afraid to open his mouth. He had nothing to say. The only thing clear in his mind was the words: I am a fool.
"Are you alright?" The man asked as Sanosuke stood there with so many different emotions crossing his face. Sano's appearance and level of distraction seemed to coincide with someone who was either crazy or suffering from a head injury. Overhead a loud crack of thunder boomed and it started to rain. Inside Sano's head, something cracked at the same moment. Sanosuke took a step back off the porch. His eyes were frozen on the man with a hollow look in them. The man took a step toward him looking like he wanted to stop him or help him. "Is something wrong?" The man asked again, he seemed genuinely concerned. It was too much for Sanosuke.
"No, sorry to bother you." His voice was eerily calm though Sano had no idea how he'd managed it. Something was going cold inside him. I don't care. He told himself. I never cared. He turned without another word and walked away from the house. The man called out but Sanosuke ignored him. The rain poured down on him and ran into his eyes. He blinked them in frustration and felt moisture that he knew wasn't just from the rain. I am a fool. When he got to the front gate it seemed like something that was placed directly in his way to keep him from escaping. Fists balled up at his sides and his jaw clenched as he stood glaring at the gate. He pulled his fist back to deliver a shattering blow to the obstacle when he heard her voice again.
"I don't know who you are or what you
want but if you break that gate you're going to pay for it."
She sounded as firm and unwavering as ever. From the tone in
her voice it was obvious that she really didn't recognize him.
Sano didn't want her to recognize him either. He didn't want
to turn around and see her. Unfortunately, his body seemed to
have a mind of its own. He began to turn, slowly, and painfully.
She stood in the rain, looking defiant and beautiful. Hands posed
angrily on her hips as she stood glaring in his direction. Time
had been kind to her. She seemed even more beautiful than before.
Or is that just my imagination? Slightly in front of her,
the man Sano had seen before stood holding a large stick pointed
in Sano's direction threateningly. "Stay back Megumi, he
could be dangerous." Sano's eyes met hers and recognition
replaced the cold look of unfamiliarity.
"Kami-sama" Megumi's eyes went wide and her mouth opened partially. Her hand covered her mouth as though she too was having difficulty controlling her own body. A long moment passed as the two stared at each other. The rain soaked into their hair and their clothes but for a moment they were both unaware.
"What is it, Megumi?" The man turned
to her, concern etched on his features. He kept his weapon pointing
in Sano's direction.
"Sanosuke, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
With a casual flick of her wet hair, the confident Megumi that
Sano knew stood before him. All traces of her surprise vanished.
The man at her side blinked in confusion.
"You know him?"
"Unfortunately. This is that rooster-head I've told you about once or twice." A delicate eyebrow arched wryly as she continued meeting Sano's empty gaze. Just like that hey? Sano thought to himself. This is how you respond to seeing me after five years? Two can play this game. Sano dropped his raised fist to his side and stood tall. A grin burst onto his face with false confidence.
"Oi Fox! This is YOUR front gate? I had no idea!"
"The fact that you were about to destroy something at random concerns me, but then again I guess you never were known for your intelligence."
"Well, I've been getting a little frustrated, to tell you the truth. I got directions from Jo-chan this morning but it took me a lot longer to find your place than I thought it would."
"Hmph. Figures it would be something like that. Not one known for intelligence or direction sense."
"Well, now that I'm here, you gonna feed me or do I have to stand out here in the rain all night?"
"Feed you? Don't tell me you came all the way to Aizu for free food?"
"Among other things." Sano shrugged nonchalantly.
"Other things? Like what?" Megumi eyed him suspiciously.
"Che, Fox. You act like I haven't been gone for five years. I get back to Japan and this is the welcome you give me? I can take a hint." Hands dove into his pockets angrily as he spun on his heals and booted the front gate open. I'll just leave. That'll teach her.
"Wait! Rooster-head, Wait!" Sano involuntarily paused and turned back in her direction as she ran toward him. The man with the stick called after her but she ignored him. "Baka! You're not running off in this rain! As a doctor I cannot allow anyone to put their health at risk for childish reasons." Megumi reached his side and Sano slowly let the front gate swing shut. He turned to confront her.
"Childish reasons? I came to see an old friend and I get kicked out in the rain. Who's being the child?"
"I never said you couldn't stay!" Megumi huffed angrily. Her kimono was soaked and clung to her body in a way that excited Sano.
"You never said I COULD either!"
"Stay rooster-head. I've got some food inside that's getting cold." She sounded frustrated. Sano didn't look appeased. Instead, he clenched his jaw and looked toward the gate longingly. "Please stay!" Megumi's eyes were pleading though her tone carried a hint of unmasked sarcasm. It was about all Sano could hope to get, and he knew it.
"Ok." And just like that, Sano walked off toward the house happily. Megumi had to hurry to keep up with him, the rain soaked kimono impeding her movements. "It'll be good to get out of this rain, I'd hate to catch a cold." Sano turned back and smiled disarmingly at the woman trying to keep up with his long strides.
"And you would too! Running around half naked like that. Where's your shirt? And what have you done to your hair? And what's with that silly beard?" The sound of her scolding voice brought back many memories for Sanosuke.
"Nice to see you too, Fox!"
"Same old Sanosuke." Megumi rolled her eyes. "It's a wonder you survived outside Japan at all!" As they walked by the other man he watched them in confusion. So much had happened in such a short time and he was still trying to sort out exactly what was going on. Sano reached the porch before Megumi and he jumped up onto it and out of the rain. He was hurting inside. How can I sit here and pretend there's nothing wrong? He took a moment to compose himself before he turned back around and watched Megumi walk up the porch steps. "Seki, are you coming or not?" Megumi stood out of the rain next to Sanosuke and turned back to the other man. He turned with a quizzical look on his face.
"So you two know each other? You're friends right?"
"Baka, that's what I said. Now get out of the rain before you get sick. I shouldn't have to explain to fellow doctor such elementary principles of good health." Seki dropped the makeshift weapon to the ground and headed toward them slowly.
"So who's this geek?" Sano asked quietly while he indicated Seki with a subtle head movement. Megumi raised one eyebrow and then lured Sano's ear close to her mouth so she could whisper conspiratorially in his ear.
"HE'S MY BOYFRIEND, IDIOT!!" Sano
and Seki both jumped in surprise and Sano also clasped his hand
to his ringing ear.
"ITAI! You don't have to yell, Fox!" It wasn't just
his ear that was in pain. The message was more bothersome then
a little bit of ringing. She smiled smugly and then hopped down
off the porch and into Seki's arms.
"Rooster-head, this is Seki, Seki this is rooster-head." Seki still seemed confused, perhaps even more so. The two walked up the porch arm in arm.
"Uh, I'm sorry." Seki looked embarrassed. "Um, what's you're real name?"
Sano pointed at himself with his thumb gruffly. "I'm Sagara Sanosuke."
"Ah, Sagara-san, that's right. It's a
pleasure to meet you." Seki bowed his head respectfully.
"Megumi has told me stories about you."
"Hmmm, I bet. Nice to meet you too, though I think you must
be crazy to be interested in a woman like her."
"Hohohohoho!" Megumi laughed lightly with her hand held over her mouth. "Seki just has a great sense of taste unlike SOME men out there." She laughed again and held the man tighter. Seki smiled weakly at Sano.
"Well Sagara-san, we were going to sit down to dinner. Please join us."
"Love to." Sano didn't sound thrilled.
When they finally got inside, Seki showed Sano to the dining room and then he headed off to help Megumi bring the rest of the food out from the kitchen. Once he was alone, Sano sighed dejectedly. What am I doing here? If there wasn't free food involved I'd hit the road right now He knew it wasn't really true. Some morbid curiosity forced him to stay and watch Megumi and the guy she called her boyfriend. Sano hoped that was all it was. Boyfriend well maybe there's still a chance. It's not like she's married or anything. Sano's head jerked up as he realized what was going on in his mind. What the hell am I thinking? What would I care even if she WAS married?? She and I have nothing between us and have NEVER had anything between us. Why am I thinking all this stuff all of a sudden?
His internal monologue was interrupted as Seki and Megumi came into the room with the food. Sano watched Megumi place a tray of food in front of him and then sit down elegantly next to Seki. Not just next to the guy, but practically in his lap. Sano's hand clenched involuntarily and snapped his pair of wooden chopsticks in two. Chikusho! What's wrong with me?
"Here, Sagara-san." Seki handed
him his own pair of fresh chopsticks. Without a word he rose
to his feet to get himself another pair.
"Oh Seki, you don't need to be so polite to the rooster-head."
Megumi called out warmly to the man as he walked down the hallway.
Am I jealous?
Seki's voice echoed from the hallway. "He's
our guest Megumi-chan." CHAN? How cute It wasn't
cute. Sano wanted to puke.
Megumi turned to Sano and smiled warmly. "So rooster-head,
you finally decided to come back to Japan? What exactly have
you been doing for the last five years?" Sano scooped a
mouthful of rice into his mouth and chewed a moment before answering
with his mouth half full.
"Me? I pretty much did what I always do."
"So that means" Megumi looked thoughtful for a moment and then held up her hand, ticking off each point on her fingers. "Drinking, gambling, fighting, and freeloading?" Sano glared at her as she did her trademark laugh.
"And what about you, Fox?"
"Well, I've been working here in Aizu at a clinic."
"Is that where you met the geek?" Megumi's eyes darkened a moment. Sano knew he was treading on thin ice.
"Yes, that is where I met Seki, if that's who you're referring to." A second later Seki walked into the room with his new pair of chopsticks. He seemed oblivious to the tension in the room. He sat down next to Megumi and immediately started eating.
"Wow Megumi, this is delicious." He quickly finished his bowl. "May I have some more?" Megumi was scooping him another bowl of rice when a loud crack of thunder made them all jump.
"That sounded close!" Seki commented. There was concern in his voice. A second crack and a loud crashing noise came shortly after. Seki jumped to his feet and ran out of the dining room. A moment later he was screaming for help. Sano bolted to his feet without thinking and ran off in search of Seki. Megumi was only a moment behind.
Sano didn't have to look hard to find the problem. Wind and rain blew in from one of the doors and the smell of smoke hit his nostrils. He charged into the room and found Seki standing by a large hole in the wall and ceiling of the room. A burning tree protruded into the room and the fire was spreading. Seki beat at the flames with his shirt but the fire was still spreading rapidly. It raced up the wall and lit the roof and ceiling on fire. The flames roared and smoke billowed and the section of the roof above Seki cracked threateningly. Sano rushed toward him and knocked him out of the way as a portion of the burning ceiling collapsed. Seki hit the ground and started coughing; the smoke was getting dangerously thick.
"Seki! Sanosuke!" Megumi called into the room but she didn't dare enter. She couldn't see through the smoke but she could hear Seki coughing.
"We're alright! Don't come in here!" Sano called out as he helped Seki to his feet. He turned to the older man. "Go get Megumi out of here."
"But what are you going to do? You can't fight this fire by yourself!" Sano grinned confidently.
"Just go and get some help. I'll handle this." He shoved Seki toward the doorway. A moment later he heard Megumi yelling his name and then Seki told her to follow him. As soon as Sano knew they were out of the way he turned and charged the burning wall with his right fist pulled back. Sano was acutely aware of the flames that licked up around him as he punched the wall, but he knew he was moving fast enough that it wouldn't really matter. A split second later the burning wall exploded outward in a great fiery explosion. The burning tree flew back away from the house and landed harmlessly in the yard. The entire wall was lying in little broken pieces in the yard as well. Sano looked up at the burning ceiling. He pulled back his fist again and jumped into the air. His fist connected with the ceiling and sent the flaming wreckage flying up into the rainy night sky. By the time it fell back to the earth, it was only charred bits of shrapnel. The house was no longer on fire. It may have been missing the walls and ceiling of an entire room but it was an acceptable loss in Sanosuke's mind.
By the time Megumi and Seki returned with a large group of their neighbors the fire was completely gone. Sano stood in the yard looking up into the rainy night sky with his hands in his pockets.
"You were lucky."
"It wasn't luck." Sano watched Megumi dab at his arm with some cleansing solution. He winced as the liquid caused his small burn to sting painfully.
"What would make you do something so foolish?" Megumi concentrated on her task. She didn't meet his gaze once.
"It worked didn't it? If you're just mad cause I destroyed one of your rooms then I think you're the one being stupid." Sano growled. Megumi sighed and finished wrapping a clean bandage around his arm.
"No, the room doesn't matter. And what I meant to say is" Megumi stared down at Sano's bandaged arm. "Thank you. You saved the house and more importantly, you saved Seki's life. I don't know what I would have done if If something had happened to him." Her voice quavered slightly. Sano worked his jaw in silence for a moment.
"Your welcome."
"You really don't have to help." Seki unloaded a few boards of wood from a small wagon and piled it neatly on the ground. "You've done more than enough to help us already."
"I've got nothin' better to do."
In one trip Sano unloaded the rest of the building materials.
He dumped them unceremoniously on the floor.
"Well then" Seki bowed his head low. "Thank
you very much."
A few hours later, Sano was perched up on the damaged roof nailing down the new support beams. He hummed and whistled to himself absently as his hammer flew. Below, Seki was having a significantly less enjoying experience.
"Sagara-san?" Seki sounded confused.
"I told you to call me Sano."
"Ehh, S-Sanosuke-san, I can't seem to get this board to stay in place. I, I was wondering what I'm doing wrong." Sano rolled his eyes. The man may have been a doctor, but he was no genius. Sano walked to the edge of the roof and peered down at him. He was explaining to Seki the fundamentals of building when Megumi came out onto the porch with their lunch. She stood for a long moment watching Sano instruct Seki before she called out to them.
"Lunch is ready you two. Take a break and eat something." Sano looked at her and smiled before he hopped off the roof. He didn't just hop off the roof. Instead, he did a mid-air summersault and landed with perfect balance and precision. Seki was impressed but Megumi only rolled her eyes. "Save your energy for the job, rooster-head."
After a quick lunch Sano and Seki went back to work. Seki looked confused as he continued trying to repair the wall. Sano sighed and walked over to him. "Here, I'll help you with the wall for a bit." Seki smiled at him happily.
"Thank you Sanosuke-san!" Sano held the beams while Seki nailed them and their supports together. As Seki hammered away, Sano watched Megumi sweep the front porch. Every now and then she would steal a glance in their direction but she always looked away when she caught Sano's gaze. Sano sighed for the hundredth time that day.
"Is there something wrong Sanosuke-san?"
"No. Why do you ask?"
"I don't know. It's just that you seem rather preoccupied." Sano only grunted in response. He continued to watch as Megumi walked back and forth, sweeping. Seki sensed that Sano was watching something intently and he paused a moment to figure out what it was. When he saw Megumi working he smiled. "Isn't she something else?" Sano blinked and looked at Seki blankly.
"Who? Fox lady?" Seki laughed easily.
"Yes, of course. Megumi is really wonderful don't you think?" Sano grunted again and the two were silent a moment watching Megumi sweep.
"So you two pretty happy together?" Sano did his best to sound uninterested.
"I'd like to think so." Seki paused a long moment and then turned to Sano with a knowing smile. "Sometimes it's hard to tell what's going on in that head of hers though."
"You can say that again." Sano mumbled.
"So were you two good friends?" Sano's eyebrows rose slightly.
"I guess you could say that. I mean she helped me out a lot with her medical skills and stuff. She was always there telling me when I was doing something wrong." Sano smiled wistfully.
"Did you ever want to date her or anything?" Seki seemed quite curious. He looked at Sano intently and Sano felt his face reddening ever so slightly under the scrutiny.
"N-no Not really. She's not my type I guess. I mean I guess I'm really not her type more than anything. Ya know? There's not much someone like me could ever offer her. So I kept my distance, didn't think about it at all. And she was always hanging all over my friend so I didn't want to get in the way."
"So you 'were' interested?"
"Um no, I didn't mean it that way. I was just a punk. Still am really." And she's a beautiful, intelligent, amazing woman "People like me don't think about that sort of thing." Seki seemed to think about his comment for a minute. He looked at Sano thoughtfully and then he absentmindedly stooped down and picked up another nail. As Seki resumed working Sano continued to hold and steady the boards. The entire time he found his gaze riveted to Megumi.
"ITAI!" Sano yelped and pulled his hand to his body protectively. The fingers on his left hand were throbbing painfully from a blow from Seki's hammer.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry Sanosuke-san!" Seki dropped the hammer and reached out unconsciously to inspect the damage. "I wasn't paying attention, I think I must have slipped!"
"It's nothing. Forget it." Sano clenched his left hand with his right and pulled it away from Seki.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine. You just surprised me that's all!" A small trickle of blood seeped between Sano's fingers.
"Sanosuke-san, you're bleeding! I'm so sorry! Please let me take a look at it."
Out of nowhere, Megumi appeared and grabbed Sanosuke's ear. "I'll clean him up Seki. You have to be assertive with this one."
"Itai!!" Megumi pulled Sano off into the house by his ear. "Leggo Fox!" Once they were inside Megumi released Sano's ear and pointed to a stool.
"Have a seat." It wasn't an invitation. She walked over to a cabinet and started removing bandages and cleansing liquids. Sano plopped down on the stool, he knew from experience not to argue with her. "Let me see your hand." Megumi place her supplies on a small table next to her stool. Sano held his hand out obediently and Megumi quickly inspected it with her well-trained eyes. "Hmph." One of Sano's fingernails was cracked and bleeding. It looked painful but it was hardly a serious emergency. Megumi fixed him with a wry look. Sano shrugged his shoulders in annoyance.
"I said it was nothing."
"Well, we can't have you bleeding all over the place. What would that say about our professional skills? But you know" Megumi's voice became more serious. "This has to be the smallest injury I've ever patched up on you." Sano could tell Megumi was thinking back to all the countless times he'd wandered into her office bleeding or broken. A small smile turned the corners of her mouth. She'd always patched him up. His only payment had been dealing with her questions and insults. Pretty much a fair trade really. Sano knew he was wrong the minute the thought popped into his head. She'd spent her time and energy helping him out and never asked anything in return. Why did she do that for me? I was just an ex-gangster who didn't know how to stay out of trouble. The question suddenly burned in his mind.
"Megumi" She looked up from his hand in surprise. He hardly ever called her by name. His tone was serious. His voice was uncharacteristically gentle. "I need to know something."
She blinked in surprise. "What?" She seemed afraid of what he might ask her.
"Why do you always help me out?" The momentary look of fear vanished.
"Because you're always in trouble. It's a doctor's job to take care of people, after all."
"But it's different between you and me." Megumi raised an eyebrow.
"What makes you say that? I don't think there's anything different in the way I treat you." Megumi busied herself with cleaning Sano's finger.
"Megumi" Sano reached out and took her hand in his, forcing her to pay attention to him. She almost jumped but Sano ignored her reaction. "Five years ago I was a fool. I can't really say I'm much smarter now, but I do notice things a lot more than I did before. That's one thing my world travels taught me And well, in the last five years I thought a lot about the time I spent with you and Kenshin and Jochan and everyone" There was a slight pause.
"I don't understand. What are you trying to say rooster-head?"
"I guess, I mean I thought about YOU a lot and I was wondering if you ever thought about me?" It was hard to come out and admit things, especially to her. As he said it Sano realized how much time he had spent thinking about her.
Megumi was suddenly very interested in Sano's hand. She looked like she didn't even hear what he'd said. After a brief moment she wrenched her hand away from his and then grabbed his right hand, inspecting it. She turned it over roughly and then looked up at Sano with wide eyes.
"What is this??"
"What are you talking about?" Sano asked in confusion. So much for that conversation. She grabbed his left hand and put both his hands beside each other comparing them. Sano's right hand was misaligned and heavily scarred. The bones had apparently healed poorly. Suddenly, Megumi looked furious.
"You wasted all my work! Did you do that Futae thingy again and break your hand?" Megumi couldn't help but yell at him. Sano pulled his hands away from her and yelled back.
"Come on, I've been gone for years! What do you think?"
"Why didn't you have someone fix this up before it healed wrong??"
"I was in the middle of the Arabian desert!!"
"What were you doing in the middle of a desert with an untreated broken hand???"
"I GOT IN A FIGHT AND GOT LOST, OK???" The shouting match had progressed so that when Sano finished it still seemed to be echoing down the hallway. Megumi sighed and took his right hand in hers once again. She turned it over gently and inspected it again.
"Well, the good news is I think I can fix it."
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Megumi's got a boyfriend?? It's not totally unexpected, I suppose. Not that that will make it any easier for Sano to deal with the fact. But Megumi's acting kind of strange. Read on to find out what's really going on! (don't quit now, read the next chapter!)