Chapter 2

More ungracious thoughts entered his head as he went about his errands.

"Sessha needs to tell Kaoru to quit nagging, that I do! After all, we're not even married and I'm the most henpecked man in Tokyo. All my friends are laughing about it behind my back, I'm sure. There's nothing worse than a nagging woman! Even if she does have lovely black shiny hair, midnight blue eyes and soft pink..." here, Kenshin stopped his thoughts, blushing.(Doesn't he always?)

Taking a steadying breath, he went on to the clinic to get the salve from Megumi-dono for Yahiko. Waiting patiently with his bundles as she finished with a patient, he started to have some of those ungracious thoughts again. "Does she realize how tired I am? I cook, I wash the floors, do the laundry, heat the bath and what do I get in return? " ' Kenshin, do this, Kenshin, do that!'".

Standing there, his head began to nod, and he slid down onto his haunches against the wall and started to snore lightly.

The next thing he knew, he was being shaken on the shoulder and he opened his sleepy blue violet eyes to look into a pair of laughing brown ones. They belonged to his buddy Sanosuke, of course.

"What's up, pal? Jou-chan working your sorry ass off again?"

"I guess I'm a little tired," Kenshin admitted, looking sheepish.

"Tired? You look downright worn out! Doesn't that busu ever let you rest?"

"Sessha does not mind, that he doesn't. Sessha is grateful to have a home, and Kaoru-dono is most kind to allow me to stay, I can't complain."

"Yeah, I can pull coins out of my butt, baka!" kidded Sano

"No, no, I must not have unmannerly thoughts about Kaoru-dono's generosity, Sano. Not many women would take in a worthless wanderer like myself."

"Hey, buddy, think what you want, but getting her housework done fer next to nuthin' isn't such a bad deal for her, either. Not to mention the fact that you're always saving her sweet little ass for her when she opens her big mouth to the wrong low-life."

"You should not talk so about Kaoru-dono's um, er, bottom, Sano, onegai," murmured Kenshin, blushing faintly pink along the bridge of his nose.

"I tell you what, buddy. Tonight, you're going out with me, and you're going to have a good time, whaddya say? You need a break, for the love of Kami!"

"Sessha will ask Kaoru-dono..."

"NO, NO, NO,! That's the whole point, baka, no whining, no nagging, NO WOMEN and their endless requests fer tofu and hot bathwater! You need to get on your hind legs, grow a spine, and tell that woman a thing or two, friend. She's got you on such a short leash, I bet you can't wipe your ass without permission!"

Remembering his earlier "ungracious" thoughts about Kaoru, he simply nodded, "Perhaps you're right, Sano. Maybe it's time Kaoru-dono was reminded that I'm a man, and a man needs a man's night out once in a while."

"Oi, now yer talking, pal! I'll be by after dinner to pick you up! Get ready for some well-deserved fun!"