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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"So you really think you can fix my hand?" Sano took another good look at his hand as Megumi led him to one of the rooms of the Aizu Clinic. He hadn't realized how messed up it actually was. During his travels he'd used the Futae no Kiwami on more than one occasion and his hand had never gotten time to recover. After a while, it had healed enough so that it didn't bleed every time he did the Futae no Kiwami and that was about all Sanosuke cared about. But now that I'm looking at it, it does sort of look wrong and every now and then I guess it does get kinda sore.
"We'll know in a minute." Megumi showed him to a seat and busily set up things for the procedure. She handed Sano a small piece of wood. "Put this in your mouth and bite down." Sano took it in his left hand as Megumi strapped down his right. He wasn't quite sure how it was going to help straighten out his hand but he put it in his mouth like she told him. Two distinct cracking noises broke the silence at the Aizu Clinic. Sano was howling in pain though it was mostly muffled by the piece of cracked wood in his mouth. Megumi inspected her handiwork. The bones had broken cleanly. "Now to set the bones." She commented more to herself than Sano. A moment later there was a third and fourth crack.
Sanosuke stared bleakly at his right hand. It was heavily bandaged and completely immobilized. Pain shot up his arm in time with his heartbeat. It hurt almost as bad as the first time he'd shattered it. Of course, the first time he had done it he'd had adrenaline coursing through his veins so that the pain wasn't so noticeable, not to mention he'd been knocked unconscious shortly thereafter. The situation had been more pressing at the time as well. Now it was all he had to think about. That, and the fact that Megumi seemed to be enjoying watching him suffer.
"Itai"A bead of sweat traced down the side of his face as he muttered weakly.
"Oh stop complaining." Sano turned angrily to face the vixen who had her back to him as she mixed something in a cup.
"You could have at least warned me!"
"Then you wouldn't have let me do what needed to be done."
"You're darn right! What kind of a stupid thing is it to break someone's hand to fix it??"
"Rooster-head, I don't have time for this." Megumi walked over to him and handed him an herbal concoction. "Drink this. It will help to ease some of the pain." Sano grudgingly took the cup and inspected it. It smelled awful. Sano whimpered and looked up at Megumi pleadingly. She, in turn, only looked more frustrated.
A knock at the door drew Megumi's attention away from Sano. "Yes? Who is it?" One of the assistants opened the sliding door and bowed his head slightly.
"I'm sorry to disturb you but Takani-sensei could use your help with an emergency case that just came in."
"I'm on my way." The assistant hurried off down the hall as Megumi turned back to Sanosuke. "You stay put and rest. I'll be back to check on you as soon as I can." Before Sano could complain any further she left the room. Sano drank the painkiller and lay back on the small cot, staring up at the ceiling of the clinic. He slowly closed his eyes and was about to drift off to sleep when realization hit.
"TAKANI-SENSEI???" Sano sat up bolt right in surprise. He hopped off the hospital bed and tucked his green hospital yukata around his waist as he hurried out of the room. He grabbed the first person he passed in the hallway. "Where's Takani-sensei?" His frantic actions scared the assistant but the man managed to point toward the end of the hallway.
"They're both down in the emergency room." Sano let go of his shirt and headed in the direction the man had indicated. "Wait, you shouldn't go down there!" Sano ignored the comment and marched faster. THEY?? When he reached the end of the hallway he slid the door open. Megumi and Seki were busy helping a heavily bleeding patient. Neither of them looked back when the door opened.
"Takani-sensei?" Sano asked quietly.
"What is it?" Seki responded without turning to look. Both he and Megumi were too wrapped up in their work to pay attention to someone interrupting them. Sano paused a long moment as realization and understanding hit.
"It's nothing, sorry." Sano closed the door silently.
Before he knew what had happened, Sano found himself back in his little room at the clinic. He grabbed his tattered pants and changed out of the hospital gown, tossing it angrily onto the bed. She lied to me Seki's not her boyfriend He's gotta be her brother or somethingWHY would she tell me that?? Does she hate me that much? Does she not trust me THAT much?? She made me think that he was her boyfriend and I BELIEVED her and I had just realized how much she cared for him. I was just going to give up and walk away. That must be what she wants she just wants me to leave. I am such an idiot Sano clenched his right fist in anger, sending a jolt of pain up his arm.
"Why did I come to Aizu?" Sano turned and walked out of the little room and then out of the clinic without looking back.
"You didn't see him leave?" Megumi leaned over and got in the face of the clinic's attendant.
"No I'm sorry. He must have slipped by while I wasn't looking."
"Isn't it your job to keep an eye on things?"
"I said I'm sorry. It won't happen again." Megumi stood up and sighed in frustration. There was nothing more she could get out of the attendant.
"You ready to go home?" Seki had changed into his normal clothes and he stood waiting for Megumi.
"I guess so There's nothing more I can do here to look for that stupid rooster-head."
"I bet he just got tired of waiting for us. Who could have guessed that we'd have to stay so late? He probably headed back to the house. Let's go and see if he's there, alright?" Megumi sighed in resignation.
"You're right." The two walked out of the clinic and headed down the darkened streets. "I just hope he didn't go get himself into trouble. He needed to be resting after having his hand broken again."
"Relax, Sanosuke-san seems like a very capable person. I'm sure he's alright." Seki was silent a moment while a small smile started turning up the corners of his mouth. He watched Megumi as they walked and he could see the look of concern on her face. "You really do care about that 'rooster-head' don't you?"
"Oh shut up Seki." Megumi looked at her brother and saw the teasing expression on his face. "He's just a complete idiot that's all." She quickly tried to justify her reaction. "I can't help but worry about people who get into so much trouble."
"Oh stop lying Megumi-chan. Are you forgetting that I'm your big brother and I can read you like a book?" Megumi blinked and stared at her brother who was grinning like a schoolboy. "It is so obvious that you care about him." Megumi clenched her fists at her sides.
"Seki"
"I mean... you'd have to be blind not to see it."
"SEKI" One of her eyebrows twitched.
"The fact that HE hasn't noticed is what's really got me going." Seki laughed once.
"SEKI!" Her fists started shaking.
"I think its sooooo cute!" His eyes got all sparkly and he held his hands up to his face mockingly.
"That's IT!" Megumi pounced on Seki and pummeled him with her fists. He laughed and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulders. "Put me down Seki!" Megumi pounded harmlessly on his back and couldn't help but laugh as Seki marched down the streets. "Seki this isn't the way to act in public!"
"Oh come on, we're going out right? Isn't this how a loving couple treats each other?" He laughed loud and easily. "Oh and that's another thing!" He stopped and plopped her down on her feet. "We're not going to trick him anymore. I'm done pretending to be anything other than you're big brother who just happens to care greatly about your happiness!"
"Pretending?" Megumi pushed him playfully. "Is that all it is?"
"Of course! You don't think I REALLY care about your happiness do you?" He could barely say it with a straight face. Megumi pushed him again and he picked her up throwing her over his shoulders a second time. Their laughter echoed down the dark streets and alleys.
"Are you going to put me down anytime soon?" Megumi poked Seki in the back as he carried her through the streets. "I'm not a little girl anymore. You're going to pull a muscle if you keep this up and then I'm going to have to take care of all the work at the clinic!" Seki stopped abruptly with a sharp intake of breath. "See I told you you'd pull a muscle."
"Sanosuke-san!" Seki's voice wavered. Megumi tried to squirm around and see what was going on. After a moment, Seki lowered her to the ground. Megumi turned and saw Sano standing in the street. His face was lowered toward the ground so that the shadows hid it from view. A large jug of sake dangled by a rope from his left hand. Blood soaked through the bandages on his right hand.
"Sano!?" He didn't respond or look up at them. Both she and Seki could feel that there was something terribly wrong. Megumi took a tentative step toward him and as she did Sano finally looked up at her. His eyes were so cold that they stopped Megumi in her tracks.
"Why Megumi?" He sounded like he was in pain.
"WhaWhat are you talking about Sano?" Megumi felt frozen in place. She couldn't make a move toward him but instead Sano took a staggering step toward her.
"Why did you LIE TO ME?" His movements and speech showed that he was drunk. He angrily threw the jug of sake against the wall next to him, shattering it and wasting what little was left of the sake.
"I don't know what you're talking about Sano please calm down." Megumi tried to keep her fear from her voice.
"Don't tell me what to do!" He continued advancing toward her on unsteady legs. "And stop lying to me!" Sano clenched his fists at his sides. Seki stepped between Megumi and Sano, holding out his hands calmly.
"Sagara-san, we can explain. Please just listen." Sano continued advancing, oblivious to Seki.
"Do you know why I came to Aizu?" He kept his eyes locked on Megumi's.
"Sagara-san, please." Seki put his hands out and tried to stop Sano from getting any closer to Megumi. Sano casually pushed Seki out of the way and sent him stumbling to the ground next to one of the walls lining the street. Megumi called out her brother's name, but Sano ignored her.
"I came to see YOU!" Sano was getting dangerously close to Megumi and in response she began to back away. "For five years I thought about you. I wondered about you. I wondered how you felt about me And now I know the truth." Megumi backed up against a wall and suddenly the world seemed too small. "I'm nothing to you." Sano put his hands on the wall on each side of her head, leaning toward her. "I'm just a big, dumb, rooster-head" His breath reeked of sake as he stared right into her eyes. "You've been messing with me ever since I got here. You didn't care if you hurt me or not" Megumi couldn't look away and as she stared back at him she noticed a single tear escape the corner of his eye and trace down his cheek. In an instant, Sano wasn't menacing anymore. He was more vulnerable than Megumi had ever seen him in her life.
"Sanosuke" Megumi spoke softly.
"Shut up" There was no anger left in his voice as he responded listlessly. Sano wiped the tear from his face in disgust. A smear of blood replaced it as he wiped the tear away with the back of his right hand.
"Sano, you're hand"
"I said shut up. Stop pretending to care. There's only one thing I want from you and then I'm outta here." Without another word he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her close. He turned her face up to his and slowly brought his face close to hers. As their lips were about to meet Megumi pulled away forcefully and slapped her hand across his face. Sano staggered back and reached his hand up to his stinging cheek, staring wide-eyed.
"Snap out of it rooster-head! You're drunk! You're not acting like yourself." Megumi did her best to act firm and in control. Sano was too stunned and intoxicated to notice how close she was to tears.
"Myself?" Sano pulled his hand up and covered most of his face. He eyed her through the spaces between his fingers, regarding her in silence for a moment. Then, he laughed. It was anything but a happy sound. He dropped his hand from his face and glared at her angrily. "What do you know about ME!??" Turning on his heels he rushed toward the stone wall behind him. A quick punch with his right fist pulverized a large portion of the wall. Blood spurted from his hand.
"Sanosuke stop it!" Megumi rushed toward him as he prepared to deliver a second blow to another section of the wall. She latched her arms around his right arm and held on tight, trying to keep him from swinging. Sano stopped and stared at her as tears began to form in her eyes. "Baka! Sano you idiot" Tears flowed down Megumi's cheeks and she shook imperceptibly. Sano lowered his arm and turned to face her. "Stop it why are you so stupid?"
"Me" Sano slowly began to put his arms around her, hoping it might comfort her. He was suddenly very confused to find her crying. Once again, she pushed him away. Her eyes glistened from the tears and the moonlight.
"Don't! I don't want you to comfort me You're right Sano I did lie to you. I did it on purpose. Do you want to know the truth? Do you have any idea WHY I would want to lie to you about having a boyfriend?"
"Because you wanted me to leave"
"You're right" Sano's heart
skipped a beat. Megumi was completely serious. She tried to wipe
the tears from her face but they were quickly replaced. Sano
regarded her in silence and then without a word he turned away
from her and began to walk down the dark alley.
"Wait Sano there's more. I should have told you these
things before and now I can only ask that you'll hear me out."
Sano didn't turn around but he did stop. He casually put his
hands in his pockets.
"So talk Fox"
"Five years ago, I left Tokyo and came to Aizu do you know why?" Sano paused a long moment and didn't turn to face her as he finally answered.
"To look for your family and because you had an opportunity to work helping people out here in Aizu."
"Those are both part of the reason but there is more to it than that. In truth I never really expected to be reunited with my family and there was always plenty of work to do in Tokyo. The real reason I left is because of you." There was another long painful pause.
"Why Megumi what did I do?"
"Sagara Sanosuke I don't know how you manage it, but you really are a complete idiot." Sano clenched his fists in his pockets and the muscles in his shoulders and neck bunched in frustration.
"You're not telling me anything I don't know. I'm stupid and you hate me I'm out of here." He took one step before her voice stopped him again.
"You're wrong. Sanosuke I loved you!" Sano's mouth dropped open and a blank expression came to his face, but Megumi couldn't see it. "Ever since it became obvious that Ken-san and Kaoru were in love I wasn't really interested in him. I did that to hide my true feelings about you. I didn't want you or the others to know how I felt. Once I knew that Kaoru and Kenshin would be settling down I thought things would become more difficult to hide. I had a feeling that eventually people would start trying to get you and I together But I could tell you didn't care about me. And there was no way in hell I was going to let you know how I felt. You, an ignorant, violent, lazy, unemployed ex-gangster!" Megumi's words cut Sano to the core. He would have started walking but he needed to hear what else she had to say. Megumi continued, unaware of the conflict raging in Sano's mind. "I had no idea why I cared about you as much as I did. What could you possibly have offered me? I needed a real man who could provide for me and take care of me not you and yet my feelings were unshakable. I thought by going to Aizu I could put it all behind me. But secretly, I hoped that you would come and visit me and then I hoped that you would begin to care about me as much as I cared about you. But what did you do? YOU left Japan! You ran away from all of us!" Sano heard the pain in her voice and inwardly cursed himself for not considering how his departure would affect his friend. "For years I hoped every day to find you at my house and then finally after five years, I figured you were never coming back. A part of me was glad. I slowly got over you and JUST when I had overcome my feelings, you came BACK! How dare you" Megumi's shoulders shook while a fresh wave of tears streamed down her cheeks. "How dare you come back when I was ready to move on? I was going to start my life again I was going to find a respectable man to marry and I was going to settle down How dare you come back?" Megumi covered her face with her hands and slumped against the wall.
"I'm sorry I came back. But don't worry, I'll be leaving now."
"No Sano you can't leave now. At least let me take a look at your hand"
"It doesn't hurt. What you've told me hurts much worse. I thought I was strong, but you've hurt me Megumi. And now I know that you've been equally hurt by me. I did care about you. I cared so much about you that it hurt inside." It was true, Sano realized it the minute he said it. "I knew you were too good for me and I never wanted to bother you with my feelings. I've never had anything to offer you so I'll be leaving now. I'm sorry and goodbye." He didn't turn to look at her even once as he walked off into the dark alone. He couldn't turn around because then she would have seen his tears. He hadn't cried since Captain Sagara had died and as long as she didn't see, no one would ever know.
"I made you breakfast." Seki placed the tray beside Megumi's futon. She didn't even look at him. "Please eat something Megumi-chan." Seki instantly brightened up and did his best imitation of her. "It's a fundamental principle of good health!" Megumi didn't respond to his little joke. Seki sighed. "Look Megumi I know that you must feel terrible right now but you need to snap out of it quickly. There's still time. I know that Sanosuke-san will be going back to Tokyo and I'm sure you can catch up with him there."
"Please leave me alone." Her voice was so quiet Seki almost didn't hear her.
"Megumi, I don't want to see you like this. You and I both know that you still love him. You may think it's foolish to feel that way, but a person's heart isn't a machine to be turned off or on. We don't get to choose who we love. I know that I'm not really the person to be offering you advice in this area but I want you to be happy and I think your happiness will depend on whether you get out of this bed, right now, and go to Tokyo. You love him, and I know that he loves you. Just forget about the pain. There's nothing stopping the two of you from working everything out. He needs you as much as you need him"
"Please Seki just leave me alone for a while." Seki sighed and rose to his feet slowly. He walked over to one of Megumi's closets, opened it up, and removed a wrapped bundle. He set the bundle down next to the tray with her food.
"When you go, don't forget to take this." Seki walked from the room and stood in the hallway. "Don't worry about the clinic. I'll take care of everything while you're away." He slid the door shut and Megumi heard his soft footsteps as he walked away.
"I can't go" Megumi rolled over on her other side and pulled her sheets close to her face. "I can't."
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Megumi pulls a Kaoru? *gasp* Sano took off by himself? Are those two ever going to work things out? Find out in the next chapter!
Also, Aoshi and Misao make their big debut! Now I KNOW you want to read the next chapter! *wink*