As she closed the door to her room behind her, she sighed with relief. She had successfully avoided Aoshi and any mention of him (on part of her extremely curious friends) for the remainder of the evening, and there was nothing more than she wanted right now than a chance to catch her breath.
But she smiled.
All of today's insanity, the strange moments with her newfound friends, and the even stranger ones experienced while dancing in the arms of Aoshi Shinomori could be overlooked if tomorrow she found her Kenichi.
After all this time. . . after all the years of struggle, uncertainty, and loneliness – would she find her family at last?
"Megumi," she scolded herself aloud. She was wasting time. It was near midnight now, and there were letters to write, things to set straight . . .
With ink and a pen nub borrowed from her drawer, she began scribbling out the first letter to Mrs. Harris. This was fairly easy; she told her that she was called away to the home of a friend here in Tokyo and would be gone one or two days at most. She thanked her for her help this evening and promised to see her shortly. As for the letter to Miss Grace Harris, Megumi struggled for a moment. She couldn't exactly tell her where she was going, or the real reason why. Aoshi had seemed to want to confuse the young woman, but Megumi couldn't quite bring herself to lie so openly. So she settled on simply writing something close to the truth. She had gone with Aoshi off to see someone. She told her not to worry.
She had barely put down her pen when a rap came at her window. With a frown, she spotted the tall, lean frame of the man opening it and stepping inside.
"Aoshi-san!" She stood up and stared at him. "I thought I was going to meet you outside the hotel!"
"I thought it would be better if we didn't risk running into any of your colleagues. This back way leads down into another side street."
It was so frustratingly irritating the way he made something so unnecessary sound so sensible. "I'm not even ready," she turned her back on him, a bit unsettled again by how easily he had gotten up to her room and entered. She turned and gave him a sarcastic smile. "I haven't even been able to change, if you haven't noticed."
"I'm not blind," his eyes glinted with amusement.
It did matter to her. He had the luxury obviously of changing, while she was sitting in this now drafty room feeling rather cold in the gown. "I've finished the letters." She raised her chin. "I suppose you'll want to read and edit them?"
"I don't think so," he crossed his arms across his chest and closed his eyes. "I'm not one with words."
She snorted, breaking the last semblance of tension. At least they were agreed on something this evening.
"Do we have to go now?" She looked down at her clothes. "I can't travel in this, let alone climb out that window."
"They will be waiting for us at the dojo," Aoshi blew out the lamp, which put a halt to further discussion. "I sent a message to them earlier and you'll find everything you will need there."
Megumi, her cloak already in hand, gave a frustrated sigh and as best as she could in the dark, made her way over to him. "Alright. Now what?"
"Just hold still."
"What?" she frowned suspiciously. Suddenly, she felt herself then being hoisted over his shoulder and found herself looking at his back. She did her best not to sound frightened or anxious. Her pride wouldn't allow it. "So you're going to carry me like this all the way to the dojo?!"
"No," he answered as he walked away from the door. "Just out the window."
Out the window? Megumi started to again doubt his sanity, and hers for not screaming then and there. She bit her lip, and then wisely closed her eyes. Bounding around rooftops was one thing, but doing it upside down was another. She kept telling herself that it would only be for a minute or so.
One minute seemed more like a dozen. Without warning, she suddenly felt herself righted and standing with the ground beneath her feet.
"You can open your eyes now," Aoshi spoke lightly. As she did so, she could tell that he was amused to find her still standing with her eyes closed.
She suddenly remembered the cloak in her hand, and with as much dignity as she could manage, slung it around herself. "Please tell me that we will not be doing that again," Megumi had recovered enough to give him a withering look.
He shook his head.
"Good." She said emphatically. As she spied two horses near by, she looked relieved. "Horses, Aoshi?"
He nodded.
Her voice turned suspiciously sweet. "I'm so glad that you brought them. I'm sure that all this climbing in and out of windows and carrying unwilling people around is going to be very bad for you as you get older."
"There is nothing wrong with me," he placed her on of the horses. "I've carried you before without any problem."
She frowned. That was true. That one time she had woken up the clock tower after having been struck unconscious by Kanryuu Takeda.
"--across one rooftop, down one flight up stairs and then up two, plus the tower stairs," he added as he mounted his own. "
"Oh."
He had already started moving, and her own horse automatically followed.
"Of course, you were lighter then." He threw back from over his shoulder before turning his head and looking at the road.
"Lighter!?" Megumi clenched her fingers around the reins of the horse. "I'll have you know that I haven't changed at all!"
"Shh." She could not see his face, but his shoulders were shaking now, probably in silent laughter. "You'll wake the residents."
Megumi's ego smarted. Not only at his little jibe back at her, but at the fact that he again had managed to turn the tables on her. Well, she may be older AND heavier, but at least she could try to maintain some semblance of dignity. She flicked the reins of her horse, and before Aoshi could reach over and rein her in, drove easily past him.
Instantly, he tried to match her speed. But she knew Tokyo better than he did, and the path to the dojo was one she knew by heart. As she flew through the streets, she found her spirits lift slightly. She didn't know why it was important to her that she at least have the advantage on him this once, but she didn't want the man or any man in particular to think he had her completely figured out.
She was satisfied when she lost him for a few moments, and reached the gate of the dojo first. With a few more seconds on her side, she took an undignified leap off the horse and pulled out the last remains of the evening's hairstyle. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and smiled coolly as he himself arrived. "You are getting slower with age, Aoshi."
He quickly dismounted and came over to her then, taking the reins. She noticed that his expression was not exactly pleased. "You could have broken your neck there."
"I have also been learning a few things the past few years, Aoshi-san." She gave him a mysterious smile. "And horses and I are very well acquainted."
He raised his eyebrow before turning away to tie the reins to a convenient post. She heard him sigh. "Did you not think that perhaps you drew more attention to yourself this way? My intent was to stop a street away and leave the horses there."
"And sneak over the rooftops again?" She pointed to her shoes. "I am not climbing or being carried. This is the most sensible thing given the fact that you wouldn't let me change."
"Megumi—"
At this point, the gate opened, revealing a very anxious Kaoru and Kenshin. "Megumi-san. Aoshi-san." Kaoru grasped her hands and pulled her in, while Kenshin and Aoshi followed. "We got your message. What's going on?"
Megumi looked over to Aoshi for an explanation for the letter that obviously had alarmed them enough that they had been stalking the entrance all evening.
"My goodness, Megumi." Kaoru's expression widened as she noticed Megumi's clothing.
Megumi embarrassed, drew the cloak around herself more tightly. "I'll explain later."
Kenshin and Aoshi were conversing quietly, and she overheard the smaller man apologizing. "Yahiko overheard Kaoru and I discussing the letter, and he and Sano are here as well insisting that they would wait as well."
"What's the commotion?" Yahiko had come from around the side of the house, with Sanosuke lumbering sleepily afterwards.
"It seems I misunderstood Aoshi-san, Yahiko." Kenshin looked sheepish.
Sano poked the younger guy, "I think you can head back home, kid." His eyes looked over Megumi as he said, "I think this matter is a little bit above your head."
Yahiko opened his mouth to protest, but Sanosuke's face was entirely serious. "Alright then." He waved at Megumi and bowed to Aoshi before heading out the door.
Megumi frowned. Yahiko was now, what, nearly 18, 19 and being sent away like this?
"Why did you brush him off like that?" Megumi had already closed the gap between them and was staring up at him. "Yahiko has just as much a right to be here or not be here as do you."
"I didn't think this sort of thing was his business."
"You didn't think . . . you don't even know what this business is about. And who even said that this was YOUR business?"
He frowned at her. "You dragged Ken and Kaoru into it, you drag all of us into it."
"I am NOT the one who dragged them into it, and even if Aoshi did write to them, I don't want them dragged into this just like I don't want you dragged into it either!"
"Please --- ." Kenshin tried to place himself between them. Fortunately, Kaoru pulled him out of the way before he could be accidentally mauled; Megumi was now clenching her fists.
"Tea." Kaoru exchanged glances with Kenshin. "I think we should go have some tea with Aoshi-san, Kenshin."
IT was obvious to all of them that Kaoru wanted to leave Sano and Meg alone to air things out. Aoshi nodded. And very quickly, they made their way inside.
"--You think you can just have us not worry about it anyways? It's whenever you don't say something that Kenshin and Kaoru worry more!! But on top of that, having Aoshi send a letter to them today and driving them crazy!! If you two are having an affair, just stop hiding it like a bunch of idiots and sneaking around!"
"What the hell are you talking about Sano?" Megumi couldn't think straight. Who was Sano calling an idiot? "I told you before that nothing is going on!!"
"The letters. Showing up here late. The way he acts like he knows what's best for you. And that dress!!"
"I happen to like this dress, roosterhead." She flung her cloak defiantly to the ground. "It was a present from one of my colleague's daughters for a reception this evening, one which I am still wearing because I've been dragged around this crazy town upside down and then on horseback by Aoshi-san not because he's my 'so called lover' but because he thinks he found my brother!!"
She was satisfied to see him open his mouth and then shut it. Clearly he was surprised. She took a deep breath, "As for everything else, that's what it's been about the whole time! How dare you waltz back into here unannounced, five years after you just took off and left and expect me to just be grateful for you interfering over and over again. And, to think that you think we'd be running around like teenagers having illicit affairs behind our friends' backs!! What do you think I am?"
He winced.
She noticed then that his shoulders had sagged slightly. After a minute, he looked up. "Damn. I screwed up. I totally left my head out of this one… "
"You always do, Sano." She stepped forward, "But this time you really hurt me. You didn't trust my word--"
"No, it wasn't that." He fidgeted slightly. "I have been acting this way . . . because . . . I was jealous."
"Of what?!" She was shivering now that she no longer was hot with anger. It was cold. She wanted a really good cup of tea.
He picked up her cloak for her, and draped it around her shivering frame.
"Thanks—" her voice trailed off as she realized that he had wrapped it around, but had not let go. She suddenly knew exactly what Sanosuke had meant to say.
He spoke softly. "I hate that that man inside having tea with Kenshin and Kaoru has been where I wanted to be the whole time."
Her eyes widened slightly. Sano had wanted to be with . . . her?! As he pulled her closer and then brushed his lips against hers, she stopped wondering at the possibility. He was . . . so . . . warm.
The sudden noise to her right told her that the door was being opened.
With a gasp, she broke the kiss and took a step back to turn her head towards the door. From the expressions on their faces, Kaoru, Kenshin and Aoshi had witnessed the entire thing. Kenshin and Kaoru looked mildly embarrassed. Aoshi's expression was cold.
She looked quickly back at Sano for reassurance, but his expression mirrored her own confusion.
Then she did the first thing that came into her head to do.
She ran.
- - - - - - - - - -
A/N: Don't say I didn't warn you. Two sections ago I mentioned that there was a kiss. Some of you thought that Aoshi got the first kiss. But was kissing the hand the first kiss? Or was this the first kiss? Does it really matter? Will Megumi ever kiss someone else first? Well. Haha. I don't know. I'm making this up as I go along.
Next part – Kaoru and Kenshin's presence prove to be a blessing as they're the only ones who seem to remember at the moment why Megumi came to the dojo in the first place. Thank goodness, otherwise there might be more broken stuff around the dojo. So the big old twist isn't coming yet.
To my lovely readers who are sending me pics of your favorite pairs, you guys rock. And as always, the reviews help a lot too J
And one last PSA for now. I have been told to instruct the Meg/Aoshi people to go to the following URL. The developers need your help. www dot mindspring dot com / ~shrineoficeandfire
