Apprentice
Chapter 15
Sano in the belly of the beast
(AN: I hope everyone remembers Sano's train phobia(cameras too, apparently), because it's a big part of this story. I have a phobia myself, so I won't make too much sport of Sano's. I like him too much. But, it is funny. And quite human, if I may say so. Another boring but necessary transition chapter, so I tried to make it fun for you.)
"Are you ready, anata?" Kenshin asked, sticking his head inside the bedroom door. "Our luggage is already in the carriage."
"In a moment, Kenshin," she replied, "I can't find my new hair pin."
"I'll buy you a new hair pin!" he said, "We're going to miss the train, Kaoru!"
"Found it!" she cried, sticking the pin quickly in her loosely gathered hair. "I'd dropped it under this cushion."
She hurried to the door, as fast as her good kimono would allow, anyway. It was a bit more restrictive than her usual one.
"Megumi and Sano are already waiting for us, I'm sure," said Kenshin. "And you now how Sano is about trains. I'm probably going to knock him out to get him in his seat."
Kaoru laughed. "I keep telling him it's perfectly safe to go so fast, but he still looks like he's being tortured with hot irons every time."
"I'm so glad that they're coming with us," said Kaoru to Kenshin after they had gotten on their way. "Megumi hasn't been anywhere since Souzou was born."
"Fortunately, Gensai-sensei can handle the clinic for a week or so," she went on. "You know that Ayame will soon be 17? It's hard to imagine. She is lovesick over that handsome young man that sells medicines to the clinic. I wonder if Gensai-sensei has noticed?"
Kenshin listened absently to her talk, the main thing that registered was that his wife was happy. She'd missed Kenji terribly, he knew. He had to admit that he himself was curious as to what 10 weeks under the tutelage of Shishou had done for his son. At the train station, Kenshin had their things taken to the train by an attendant. He looked for Megumi and Sano, but apparently, they had already boarded.
Taking Kaoru's arm, he assisted her from the carriage and paid the driver. They went to board the train, looking at their tickets again to make sure they had the right car.
That proved unnecessary as they heard Sano's voice from inside.
"I'll sit down when I'm damn good and ready to sit down, kitsune-onna, and I don't want to hear another word about it."
Kaoru looked at Kenshin and hid a grin behind her fan, which she had suddenly snapped open.
"Hush, baka-tori" Megumi said under her breath, patting Souzou on his diapered behind to keep him quiet. "You're embarrassing everyone!"
"So?" said Sano.
Megumi looked up, "Oh, Ken-san, Kaoru, I'm so glad you're finally here. Perhaps you can get this baka to sit down and be quiet."
Kenshin shot Kaoru an "I told you so" look.
"Sit down, please, Sano. You've done this many times and you know that it's perfectly safe," he reasoned quietly with his tall and right now, nervous friend.
Kenshin had always thought it hilarious that the man who could fearlessly face down any opponent with his fists was deathly afraid of an everyday train trip. For the sake of his friend, though, he pushed down his amusement.
"I know that Kenshin," said Sano quietly, now. "But just because my head know it doesn't seem to make any difference to the rest of me!"
"I know, Sano, but you can't stay in Tokyo forever just because a little nervousness!" whispered Kenshin.
He gently pushed the bigger man down into the seat beside of his wife and child.
"Besides, think of the example you're setting for your son. He would not want his father to be afraid of anything, much less this small thing, that he would not!"
Sano looked over at the small boy nestled in his Megumi's arms. "Okay, for the kid, I'll be brave," he said resignedly.
"Good!" said Kenshin, reaching over to pat his friend on the knee reassuringly.
"Can I hold him, Megumi?" asked Kaoru, looking at little Souzou.
"Of course," Megumi replied, "In fact, I'd appreciate it. He's getting heavier every minute. My arms ache by the end of the day."
She handed the baby to Kaoru, who began to tickle him lightly with her fingertips on his round little belly. He chortled with glee and grasped her hand. Kaoru smiled down at him and ran her other hand over his fuzz of dark hair.
"He looks just like Sanosuke," she said to Megumi.
"Yes, poor chibi, but I can't help that," Megumi said, jabbing Sano in the ribs lightly with her elbow. It was a sign of the extent of his nervousness that he didn't take the offered bait.
Kaoru continued to play with the baby, tickling, talking to him nonsensically, offering him her fingers to chew on for a while, and then holding him up to the window to see outside.
"Hey, be careful!" said Sano, watching her hold up his son to the glass.
"There's no danger," Kaoru said to him. "Look, he likes it." Sure enough Souzou was entranced by the scene rushing past him.
"Then he can't be my kid," muttered Sano. "I can't even stand the idea of looking outside. Everything rushes by too fast." He looked a little green just thinking about it.
"Breathe," said Megumi to him under her breath. "If you puke on me, you don't want to know what I'll do to you."
"You're such a comfort," Sano said sarcastically. "What ever happened to the compassion of a doctor for the suffering?"
"I only want to get to Kyoto looking halfway presentable," she said to him.
"Sure, sure always thinking about yourself," he complained.
"The baby whines less than you do, Sagara Sanosuke," she said sighing. "Why don't you try to take a nap?"
"A nap?" he said incredulously. "How can I take a nap when we're hurtling along faster than any human was ever intended to travel. It's just not natural, I tell you!"
"I thought you once said you could sleep through anything," she retorted.
"It's a sad thing to have the woman you love throw your own words back in your face," he sighed dramatically.
In spite of his words, he was starting to relax. Their sparring had apparently relieved some of his tension.
Kenshin smiled at their banter. "Some people have an odd way of expressing their affections," he thought to himself.
He looked over at Kaoru, still holding the baby on her lap. He was starting to look drowsy, lulled by the subtle rocking of the train. Kaoru was starting to look a little sleepy herself, he thought. He was sure she hadn't slept very well, too excited at the prospect of their trip and seeing Kenji again.
"Here, anata," he said to her, holding out his arms "Why don't you take a short nap. I'll hold him for a bit."
"Well, I am getting rather sleepy," she confessed. Kenshin gently took the baby from her. She leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. In a few minutes, her breathing had become even as she slept lightly.
"Hello, chibi-tori-atama," he cooed at the baby.
Souzou closed his eyes and snuggled against Kenshin's chest, obviously a familiar place.
"Did anyone ever tell you you'd make a good okaasan?" joked Sano. He knew his friend had a very large soft spot for babies and children.
"Only you, baka," Kenshin replied absently, absorbed in stroking the baby's soft hair.
"I think it's sweet," said Megumi, jabbing Sano with her elbow again.
"Itai!" said Sano, rubbing his ribs. "Find another spot next time, I have a bruise there!"
Soon everyone was drowsing or actually asleep as the train sped it's way onward to Kyoto. Even Sano managed to close his eyes for a short while.
Three hours later, they arrived at the station in Kyoto.
Sano carrying his sleeping son was the first to disembark from the train car. Then Kenshin, who assisted the ladies down the steps in their restrictive kimonos.
"Do you see Aoshi-san, Sano?" asked Kenshin.
"Yeah, he's over there," replied Sano, pointing. He waved at the dark figure, who raised his hand in acknowledgement once.
"Yare, he seems happy to see us," said Sano with obvious sarcasm.
Aoshi made his way through the crowd, which seemed to part magically as he approached.
"It's that damn coat," thought Sano as he watched the tall dark figure approach gracefully. "Who says the Icicle doesn't have some drama in him?"
"Welcome to Kyoto," Aoshi said as he came near. "I have a carriage waiting. Misao sends her apologies that she was unable to greet you. She is... indisposed."
"Nothing serious, I hope," said Megumi, ever the professional.
"No, " Aoshi replied. "Nothing unusual."
Megumi knew that she'd sooner get a diamond out of her ear than get more information from Aoshi the Ice-block, so she just nodded politely.
"Why can't he just say that the weasel is puking up her guts," said Sano irritably, handing the baby to Megumi so he could help Kenshin with the luggage.
"Because some people have manners," said Kenshin quietly to him.
"I have manners," protested Sano. "I'm just honest, that's all."
"No, you're tactless," said Kenshin, "not quite the same thing as honest."
"But, you love me anyway, ne?" joked Sano, climbing into the carriage beside his wife and child. Kenshin grunted as he settled down next to Kaoru.
This as they were carrying the luggage to the carriage. Aoshi had climbed aboard to sit next to the driver, so as to make more room inside.
They were off once again to the Aoiya.
Chapter 15
Sano in the belly of the beast
(AN: I hope everyone remembers Sano's train phobia(cameras too, apparently), because it's a big part of this story. I have a phobia myself, so I won't make too much sport of Sano's. I like him too much. But, it is funny. And quite human, if I may say so. Another boring but necessary transition chapter, so I tried to make it fun for you.)
"Are you ready, anata?" Kenshin asked, sticking his head inside the bedroom door. "Our luggage is already in the carriage."
"In a moment, Kenshin," she replied, "I can't find my new hair pin."
"I'll buy you a new hair pin!" he said, "We're going to miss the train, Kaoru!"
"Found it!" she cried, sticking the pin quickly in her loosely gathered hair. "I'd dropped it under this cushion."
She hurried to the door, as fast as her good kimono would allow, anyway. It was a bit more restrictive than her usual one.
"Megumi and Sano are already waiting for us, I'm sure," said Kenshin. "And you now how Sano is about trains. I'm probably going to knock him out to get him in his seat."
Kaoru laughed. "I keep telling him it's perfectly safe to go so fast, but he still looks like he's being tortured with hot irons every time."
"I'm so glad that they're coming with us," said Kaoru to Kenshin after they had gotten on their way. "Megumi hasn't been anywhere since Souzou was born."
"Fortunately, Gensai-sensei can handle the clinic for a week or so," she went on. "You know that Ayame will soon be 17? It's hard to imagine. She is lovesick over that handsome young man that sells medicines to the clinic. I wonder if Gensai-sensei has noticed?"
Kenshin listened absently to her talk, the main thing that registered was that his wife was happy. She'd missed Kenji terribly, he knew. He had to admit that he himself was curious as to what 10 weeks under the tutelage of Shishou had done for his son. At the train station, Kenshin had their things taken to the train by an attendant. He looked for Megumi and Sano, but apparently, they had already boarded.
Taking Kaoru's arm, he assisted her from the carriage and paid the driver. They went to board the train, looking at their tickets again to make sure they had the right car.
That proved unnecessary as they heard Sano's voice from inside.
"I'll sit down when I'm damn good and ready to sit down, kitsune-onna, and I don't want to hear another word about it."
Kaoru looked at Kenshin and hid a grin behind her fan, which she had suddenly snapped open.
"Hush, baka-tori" Megumi said under her breath, patting Souzou on his diapered behind to keep him quiet. "You're embarrassing everyone!"
"So?" said Sano.
Megumi looked up, "Oh, Ken-san, Kaoru, I'm so glad you're finally here. Perhaps you can get this baka to sit down and be quiet."
Kenshin shot Kaoru an "I told you so" look.
"Sit down, please, Sano. You've done this many times and you know that it's perfectly safe," he reasoned quietly with his tall and right now, nervous friend.
Kenshin had always thought it hilarious that the man who could fearlessly face down any opponent with his fists was deathly afraid of an everyday train trip. For the sake of his friend, though, he pushed down his amusement.
"I know that Kenshin," said Sano quietly, now. "But just because my head know it doesn't seem to make any difference to the rest of me!"
"I know, Sano, but you can't stay in Tokyo forever just because a little nervousness!" whispered Kenshin.
He gently pushed the bigger man down into the seat beside of his wife and child.
"Besides, think of the example you're setting for your son. He would not want his father to be afraid of anything, much less this small thing, that he would not!"
Sano looked over at the small boy nestled in his Megumi's arms. "Okay, for the kid, I'll be brave," he said resignedly.
"Good!" said Kenshin, reaching over to pat his friend on the knee reassuringly.
"Can I hold him, Megumi?" asked Kaoru, looking at little Souzou.
"Of course," Megumi replied, "In fact, I'd appreciate it. He's getting heavier every minute. My arms ache by the end of the day."
She handed the baby to Kaoru, who began to tickle him lightly with her fingertips on his round little belly. He chortled with glee and grasped her hand. Kaoru smiled down at him and ran her other hand over his fuzz of dark hair.
"He looks just like Sanosuke," she said to Megumi.
"Yes, poor chibi, but I can't help that," Megumi said, jabbing Sano in the ribs lightly with her elbow. It was a sign of the extent of his nervousness that he didn't take the offered bait.
Kaoru continued to play with the baby, tickling, talking to him nonsensically, offering him her fingers to chew on for a while, and then holding him up to the window to see outside.
"Hey, be careful!" said Sano, watching her hold up his son to the glass.
"There's no danger," Kaoru said to him. "Look, he likes it." Sure enough Souzou was entranced by the scene rushing past him.
"Then he can't be my kid," muttered Sano. "I can't even stand the idea of looking outside. Everything rushes by too fast." He looked a little green just thinking about it.
"Breathe," said Megumi to him under her breath. "If you puke on me, you don't want to know what I'll do to you."
"You're such a comfort," Sano said sarcastically. "What ever happened to the compassion of a doctor for the suffering?"
"I only want to get to Kyoto looking halfway presentable," she said to him.
"Sure, sure always thinking about yourself," he complained.
"The baby whines less than you do, Sagara Sanosuke," she said sighing. "Why don't you try to take a nap?"
"A nap?" he said incredulously. "How can I take a nap when we're hurtling along faster than any human was ever intended to travel. It's just not natural, I tell you!"
"I thought you once said you could sleep through anything," she retorted.
"It's a sad thing to have the woman you love throw your own words back in your face," he sighed dramatically.
In spite of his words, he was starting to relax. Their sparring had apparently relieved some of his tension.
Kenshin smiled at their banter. "Some people have an odd way of expressing their affections," he thought to himself.
He looked over at Kaoru, still holding the baby on her lap. He was starting to look drowsy, lulled by the subtle rocking of the train. Kaoru was starting to look a little sleepy herself, he thought. He was sure she hadn't slept very well, too excited at the prospect of their trip and seeing Kenji again.
"Here, anata," he said to her, holding out his arms "Why don't you take a short nap. I'll hold him for a bit."
"Well, I am getting rather sleepy," she confessed. Kenshin gently took the baby from her. She leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. In a few minutes, her breathing had become even as she slept lightly.
"Hello, chibi-tori-atama," he cooed at the baby.
Souzou closed his eyes and snuggled against Kenshin's chest, obviously a familiar place.
"Did anyone ever tell you you'd make a good okaasan?" joked Sano. He knew his friend had a very large soft spot for babies and children.
"Only you, baka," Kenshin replied absently, absorbed in stroking the baby's soft hair.
"I think it's sweet," said Megumi, jabbing Sano with her elbow again.
"Itai!" said Sano, rubbing his ribs. "Find another spot next time, I have a bruise there!"
Soon everyone was drowsing or actually asleep as the train sped it's way onward to Kyoto. Even Sano managed to close his eyes for a short while.
Three hours later, they arrived at the station in Kyoto.
Sano carrying his sleeping son was the first to disembark from the train car. Then Kenshin, who assisted the ladies down the steps in their restrictive kimonos.
"Do you see Aoshi-san, Sano?" asked Kenshin.
"Yeah, he's over there," replied Sano, pointing. He waved at the dark figure, who raised his hand in acknowledgement once.
"Yare, he seems happy to see us," said Sano with obvious sarcasm.
Aoshi made his way through the crowd, which seemed to part magically as he approached.
"It's that damn coat," thought Sano as he watched the tall dark figure approach gracefully. "Who says the Icicle doesn't have some drama in him?"
"Welcome to Kyoto," Aoshi said as he came near. "I have a carriage waiting. Misao sends her apologies that she was unable to greet you. She is... indisposed."
"Nothing serious, I hope," said Megumi, ever the professional.
"No, " Aoshi replied. "Nothing unusual."
Megumi knew that she'd sooner get a diamond out of her ear than get more information from Aoshi the Ice-block, so she just nodded politely.
"Why can't he just say that the weasel is puking up her guts," said Sano irritably, handing the baby to Megumi so he could help Kenshin with the luggage.
"Because some people have manners," said Kenshin quietly to him.
"I have manners," protested Sano. "I'm just honest, that's all."
"No, you're tactless," said Kenshin, "not quite the same thing as honest."
"But, you love me anyway, ne?" joked Sano, climbing into the carriage beside his wife and child. Kenshin grunted as he settled down next to Kaoru.
This as they were carrying the luggage to the carriage. Aoshi had climbed aboard to sit next to the driver, so as to make more room inside.
They were off once again to the Aoiya.
