"Oi, I'm starving."

Sagara Sanouske jumped over the short back fence of the dojo, stomach growling. Not for the first time he considered going to the fox lady and seeing what was wrong with him. Someone who ate as much as he did should be a fat blob of flesh. "Still, don't knock a good thing," he muttered. His stomach growled again, reminding him that he'd had nothing for hours. Maybe it was because the weather was colder that his stomach was acting up. After all, it took more energy to keep warm in winter than in summer, didn't it?

The dojo was unusually silent. At that time of afternoon Jo-chan was already at least fifteen minutes into knocking Yahiko around, with Kenshin at his usual post scrubbing laundry. Instead the yard was calm, no sign of anyone. Not even Ayame and Suzumi were around.

Sanouske gnawed on his fishbone and walked to the dojo. Yahiko was inside, practicing, a look of grim determination on his face. "Hey, Yahiko, where's everyone?"

The boy didn't stop swinging. "Kenshin went to get tofu while busu cooks lunch. She should be in the kitchen."

Sano sighed. Great, he'd have to deal with missy's cooking today. Well, anything was better than starving outright. "Thanks, Yahiko-chan."

"DONT CALL ME CHAN!" Sano dodged the bokken that flew at his head, laughing. Sometimes it was too easy getting a rise out of Yahiko.

The ex-gangster's stomach growled again, and Sano headed towards the kitchen. Hell, he'd be willing to help her if it meant they'd actually have something edible on the table. And who ever heard of a woman who didn't know how to cook in the first place? She barely made a descent pot of tea, and that was just boiled water and herbs!

"Hey, Jo-chan, you need..."

Sano trailed off. The person in the kitchen wasn't Kaoru, and it definitely wasn't Kenshin. Soujiro? What the hell was he doing in Tokyo? Whoever it was acted like they belonged there though. "Who'er you?"

The person turned around. Woman, Sanouske corrected himself, noting the way her gi framed her breasts. Unlike Kaoru, she didn't wear any wrappings, so he could see the inner curves where the top had begun to gap. Nice ones, too, he thought.

"Can I help you?"

Her voice was deep, almost masculine. In fact, it was only a little lighter than Kenshins. Sano grinned. He'd never been attracted to women who thought that high pitched voices were sexy. Sounded like rats scratching on a chalk board if you asked him. Silently, he thanked whatever kami had been listening to his late night fantasies and dropped this woman in his lap. Sano had to force his mind out of the gutter. "I was looking for Kaoru. Yahiko said she was in here."

The woman looked past him, as if she could see the boy in the dojo. "Kaoru-san and Himura-san left for the market. They should return shortly."

"Aa," Sano rubbed the back of his head. Why didn't Yahiko tell him about this woman? "I'm Sanouske, by the way. Sagara Sanouske."

The woman nodded. "Gin," she turned around and continued chopping vegetables. Sano enjoyed the view for a moment. He'd definitely have to rethink his views on women in men's clothing. Who knew a hakima could be so revealing?

Okay, time for plan B. "So, what ya making?" he asked, sliding closer to her.

"Food."

Talkative, isn't she? "What kind?"

Gin gestured with the knife to the assortment of vegetables laid out on the counter.

Perfect opportunity. Sano walked up next to her and began examining the vegetables. Actually, he was examining her. Nice skin, hair's a bit short though, he thought to himself. At first glance she could be mistaken for a boy, but that was mostly because of her clothing. Yep, definitely a woman, he added, watching her hands. Didn't talk much though, but he chuckled to himself. She didn't really have to talk for what he was planning.

"What's that?" he asked, walking behind her. Just one quick brush...

And Sano found himself staring at the ceiling.

"It's very impolite to stare at someone, even more so to grope a stranger."

Sano winced as he lifted his head. Gin was still cutting vegetables, acting as if nothing had happened. He rubbed the back of his head. He hadn't even seen her move. "What the hell was that for?"

"I would have thought it obvious." chop...chop...chop...

Later, Sanouske would wonder what possessed him. He stood, feeling justifiably angry. After all, she didn't have to floor him for a simple touch, did she? "You know, you should-" he reached out and grabbed her wrist.

For the second time that afternoon Sano found himself on the floor, admiring the ceiling. The only difference was that now he had a knife poised at his throat.

"Um, I was going to suggest cutting the radishes first," he said lamely, and winced as the knife bit into his neck. Wonderful, he thought. Here lies Sagara Sanouske, killed by someone half his height for copping a feel.

"Sano, are you in-"

Sanouske breathed a sigh of relief as the shoji slid open. No way would Kenshin let him die in his kitchen, at the very least because he wouldn't want to clean up all the blood.

"Gin, Yamero!"

Instantly, the knife and the weight on his chest were gone. "Kenshin, you know her?" he asked as he picked himself up off the floor.

The rurouni nodded. "What happened?" he asked, and Sano paused. Kenshin didn't sound like himself. He sounded...assertive?

"Ask your friend," the woman answered, turning back to the counter. chop...chop...chop...

"Sano?"

Sanouske looked at his friend, a friend who was currently staring at him with disapproval. " You know me, Kenshin," he said, trying to find a way out of the situation. No way would he admit to being a pervert.

Kenshin looked from him, to Gin, then back to him, resignation coming into this eyes, and something else, something like understanding. In that moment Sano developed a new found respect for his friend. So, Kenshin had the same taste that he did? And here he'd been giving up hope. Good to know he's not dead below the waist.

"Sano, Kaoru wishes to speak with you," Kenshin turned and walked down the hallway.

Sano waited for a moment before following. There was no way he wanted to turn his back on this woman.

"Sano?"

The younger man started down the hall. "So, who's she, Kenshin? Finally got a girlfriend?"

The look on the rurouni's face was priceless. Well, that answers that question, he really can turn as red as his hair. "Hey, you mean I was right?!"

"No!" The blush faded. "Gin is a friend. She will be staying here at Kaoru's insistence. I would suggest that you try not to anger her, that I would."

Sano grinned. " I was just tryin ta be nice."

Kenshin sighed. "Sano, Gin is not like other women. She could easily have killed you, and felt herself justified in the doing, that she could."

Sano's grin began to fade. Kenshin wasn't talking about killing him in the sense that Kaoru would kill him if she knew he used her well to cool sake when she wasn't looking. He was talking about the permanent kind of kill. " Touchy, is she?"

"She does not respond well to men being 'nice' to her, that she does not."

His eyes widened. "Oh," he murmured, looking back towards the kitchen. "Where did you say you met her?"

Kenshin began walking back towards the kitchen. "I did not. Kaoru is really looking for you, Sano. Something to do with sake being in the well this morning."

Sanouske took a deep breath, comparing his choices. From the smell of it, lunch would be well worth the beating Kaoru would give him.

Gin was still at the counter, shredding radish as if nothing had happened. "That was Sanouske," he said.

She nodded. "He introduced himself."

Kenshin felt he should at least defend his friend to some extent. "He is a good man, whose intentions are often noble," if one discounted the drinking, the gambling, the swearing, the women....

"Who are you trying to convince, Himura-san, me or yourself?"

He walked to the stove and began stirring the soup. "Perhaps you should stop being so formal with me, Gin-san. I am no longer your sensei."

Gin arranged the radish on a bed of beef teriyaki. "What would you like to be called?"

"My given name would be fine," the rurouni answered.

The woman glanced at him. "Why do you speak differently with them?"

He paused in the stirring. "What do you mean?"

Gin looked him full in the face. "When you speak to them you debase yourself, as if you were speaking to your betters. Why? You never did so before."

He didn't answer.

"Nor do you do so with me."

Kenshin thought on her words. It was the truth, with her he spoke without his usual humbleness. That was something he needed to work on."Sessha-"

"Don't say that."

The rurouni looked at her. "Hm?"

Gin set the knife slowly on the counter and turned to face him. Her dark eyes were mirror-like, letting nothing in or out. There was something in her voice, though, the barest hint of indignation that broke through the voice he knew so well. "You are not 'unworthy', Hi... Kenshin. You have done nothing to consider yourself so, no matter what you believe."

"I don't agree, that I do not," he answered, his voice rough with memory as he turned to leave.

"So you'll hold me at a distance as well now?"

The red-head turned back. Gin was staring out the window, hands at her sides. "Nani?"

"With your words. You always did so with everyone else, even Katsura-san. I am not your better, Kenshin. Nor should you ever feel so."

"Bakayero!" Kaoru muttered to herself as she walked to her room. She couldn't believe that Sanouske had been using her well to chill is liquor. The problem wasn't that he did it, in fact, she might have allowed it if he'd asked. And that was the problem.

He didn't ask.

So, that morning when she went to get water to wash, she'd almost tipped a bucket that contained very little water and a half-full jug of sake onto her head. As it was, she had a nice bruise forming on her foot, where the bucket had landed.

"Yo, Jo-chan!"

Kaoru froze. there he was. She knew he'd be at the dojo. It was almost lunch time, and Sano never missed the opportunity to have a free meal.

"Kenshin said-"

Kaoru turned around and punched Sanouske, knocking the wind out of him. "Idiot!"

Great, twice in a single day. must be losing my touch, the fighter thought. "What was that for?"
Kaoru straightened to her full height and looked down her nose at him, a feat considering that he was almost a good foot taller than she was. "This morning there was sake in the well, Sagara Sanouske."

He shrugged. "Most people would find that a blessing."

"Not when its about to fall on their head!"

He smiled sheepishly. He wondered if that would happen, but discounted it. what kind of idiot tipped a bucket without looking inside first? "Look, Jo-chan, I'm sorry..."

"Yeah. Sorry you didn't get it out last night or something, right?"

She growled when he didn't answer her. "Just like I thought. You might as well go help Gin in the kitchen, and do something for your food." The look on Sano's face was priceless. "What?"

"Why don't I help you in the dojo?"

Kaoru blinked. Help her...in the dojo. "You?"

"You don't see anyone else around do you?" he asked, growing annoyed.

Kaoru smiled to herself. He wouldn't back out after volunteered, not if he wanted to save face. She could get him back for all the things that he'd done over the last few years and never got the opportunity.

"All right."

A/N

Thanks so much for reading this!!!!!!! I know you have better things to do than reading my drivel J

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