He heard Uki's slight gasp of surprise at the sight of the woman who, in
terms of outward beauty, matched the man who had just preceded her through
the gate.
But he did not turn to quiet her. Instead his eyes stayed fixed on hers, trying to figure out the meaning behind the look she returned.
Whatever it was - it was gone within a short moment. Kaoru had already closed the gap between herself and the older woman. Megumi's face registered delight as Kaoru, in an uncharacteristic display of affection, quickly enveloped her in a hug. "Oh Megumi! You're back! Aoshi-san found you after all!"
Sanosuke could not help but stare at the man who had apparently claimed the space at Megumi's side. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he wondered how was it that again these two were together? Megumi had run off to America and wouldn't be returning for several years, or so had her letters stated. So what brought her back less than a year after she had left, and why did these two appear at the dojo together? Had Aoshi, in fact, been sent to meet Megumi at her ship?
Megumi answered with a smile that was somewhat amused. "Aoshi-san dragged me all the way back here from America first on a train that did not stop for four days, then on a boat that I thought would surely sink, and then in a carriage that apparently was drawn by the most slow of horses and the entire time, he never spoke more than five minutes at one time."
"Megumi!" Kaoru coughed slightly, "You should not speak so of Aoshi-san in front of our guests."
Aoshi, instead of inserting a rather cutting remark or averting his eyes upwards, shrugged slightly as if to indicate that it didn't bother him. To Sanosuke's surprise, Megumi laughed even harder before abruptly composed herself.
Megumi bowed in the direction of the two strangers who stood slightly behind Sanosuke. "Aoshi-san is not nearly as bad as I portray him. You will find him a well-read, proper man who obviously has much better manners than I do. I am afraid that I, Takani Megumi am his opposite today. My apologies. "
Sanosuke found his voice suddenly as he stepped forward to make the appropriate introductions for his father and sister.
Both Aoshi and Megumi's faces reflected their surprise at the relationship of the two strange guests to Sanosuke. However, they were both polite and, in Megumi's case, cordial.
"But where is Kenshin?" Megumi asked impatiently. "And the others?"
"He is out with the children for the moment. We were just having tea while we waited for them all the return." Kaoru exchanged a glance with Megumi, the meaning of which was unclear to all. "We'd be pleased if you would join us, Megumi-san and Aoshi-san."
He saw the hesitation on Megumi's part and did not miss the sudden look she gave Aoshi, almost as if she were waiting his answer.
"Perhaps, Megumi-san it is best to wait here for Himura to return. I will tend to the carriage driver and your things."
Megumi sighed her relief. "Tea does sounds wonderful. It has been a long time since I've had authentic Japanese tea."
"Really?" Uki finally mustered enough courage to talk to the newcomer as they followed Kaoru back to the tea room. Uki was clearly intimidated by the appearance of this rather fashionable and beautiful woman, but determined to make her acquaintance. "Have you been overseas then?"
"She's been in America," Sanosuke answered suddenly, drawing even more curious looks from his father and sister who realized that he and the woman were in fact acquainted. He glanced sideways at Megumi. "Isn't that correct?"
"Yes," Megumi answered softly as she took up her seat across the table and addressed him quietly. "I had told Gensai-sensei to tell all of you."
"I would have preferred to have heard it myself, rather than from one of your neighbors in Aizu."
"In Aizu?!" Megumi looked a bit surprised. "Do you mean to tell me you went up to Aizu?"
Kaoru suddenly stood up from her seat, reminding Sanosuke that there were three other people seated at the table watching this curious dialogue. "I'm so stupid! The water has gotten rather cold! She flashed a smile at the younger woman "Uki-san, will you come help me with drawing more water and more food? My husband will be returning, as will Shinomori-san, and we'll need more things."
"Of course!" the younger woman's eyes widened, catching on to Kaoru's sudden sense of alarm. "And we'll need another table, won't we?"
The elder Higashidani also abruptly stood. "I think that's where I can be of help. If you can show me, I will be happy to bring it back."
And before Sanosuke could even react, all three had conveniently disappeared out the door.
The two sat in shocked silence for a moment before Megumi finally ventured a comment. "I'm sorry I did not tell all of you myself before I left. I was not myself. There were things that had happened with my search for my brother which did not go well."
"So that is what is was."
"Yes," she looked up and smiled apologetically, "It had nothing to do with anyone here. I left because I couldn't face something from my past."
"And that's changed?"
"I think so," she smiled quietly. "Just like how things have apparently changed for you. I don't know if anyone has said it, but you look well Sanosuke. Your family seems to have had a good effect on you."
He snorted. "You're kidding right? One haircut and kimono and you think I'm different?"
"I mean," she wrinkled her brow, "You seem more like you're at ease back here in Japan with your family behind you."
"I suppose," he shrugged. "But sometimes they drive me nuts."
"You're lucky," she tilted her head to look at him. "Although I'm still trying to get used to the fact that you have family. In all the time we were acquainted, you never mentioned them. You would think that your family would be one of the first things you'd be thinking back to --"
"They are my family, but there were others I counted on over my life, Kitsune, who were equally or more important. Captain Sagara, Katsu, Kenshin . . ."
"I see." She responded, although from her expression, he could see that his answer did not quite satisfy her.
He sighed. Apparently the gap in their understanding of one another had widened in the time since they had last seen one another. "So how long before you return to America?"
She shook her head. "I'm back for good."
He frowned slightly. There must be a reason to all this sudden change. He mentally replayed what he had seen earlier in her interactions with the former Oniwaban leader before a thought occurred to him. "So Shinomori brought you back from America did he?"
"Yes," Her mouth quirked into a small smile. "For a very happy occassion."
His expression altered slightly as he contemplated the changes that Megumi had hinted at. "Then my congratulations go to you, Megitsune on this occasion." He crossed his arms across his chest. "Although I think you'd better watch out for that weasel-girl. She won't like that you have grabbed her 'Aoshi-sama' from underneath her."
"Weasel-girl?" Megumi stared back at him and then when she understood the meaning behind his comment she laughed. "Oh you silly man! Didn't Kaoru tell you anything?"
"I just walked in an hour ago," Sanosuke gave her a glare, hoping it would wipe off that smug expression on her face.
"My brother left behind a daughter after he passed away. Aoshi found out about her and brought her here for safekeeping before he came to find me in America. She's the reason why I've come back! , not for the silly reasons you were thinking!"
Sanosuke blinked. "You have a niece," he repeated rather obtusely.
"Yes, I do." Megumi laughed, "But I forgive you for thinking that. Aoshi- san told me about the matchmaker."
That piece of news surprised him and rather than reassuring him, made him wonder even more about what exactly was going on. He thought to ask, but before he could say anything, the unmistakenably cheerful voice of Kenshin rang out from the courtyard. "We're back!!"
Megumi stood up suddenly, oblivious to the frown on Sanosuke's face. She moved quickly towards the courtyard, her face suffused with delight. "Kenshin!"
Automatically, Sanosuke followed and the two found themselves greeting Kenshin and his assorted entourage, which included little Kenji, a gaggle of young boys who were obviously students at the dojo by the way the immediately began running around beating each other with pretend swords, Aoshi (who had apparently followed them in), Ayame, Suzume and a little girl who peeked out from Suzume's arms.
Solemnly, Suzume placed the sleepy little girl in her arms on the ground and turned her so she faced Megumi. The little girl looked up at Suzume and then obediently turned her eyes in the direction Suzume was pointing.
"Look, Meg-chan!" Suzume said very seriously, "That's Auntie Megumi. Remember what we told you about her?"
The child nodded clumsily but stared back at the woman, too shy or afraid to move.
Completely oblivious to the fact that everyone's eyes were upon her, Megumi bent down and gave the little child a kind smile which the girl soon echoed. "Hello, little Megumi. I'm so glad to meet you."
Shyly, 'Auntie Megumi' opened her arms. Instinctively, the child walked into them and quietly placed her arms around the neck of the woman who shared her name. As Megumi lifted her niece off the ground, the child buried her head in her aunt's shoulder.
Himura coughed and cheerfully began to lead his son Kenji towards the tea room. As if on cue, the others politely turned their heads away from the doctor and her niece and quickly found something else to do or say to one another to allow them some appearance of privacy.
But neither the woman nor child really noticed the gesture, as kind as it was. For them, at that very instant, there was nothing else in the world that mattered other than the fact that they finally belonged to someone.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A/N: Hmm. And the peanut gallery probably will have my head for this. No romantic angst on a major scale and another Sano POV.
I will pick up again, but I think from Aoshi's viewpoint next. Because there are still more things to resolve here.
R&R people. Tide me over for another week please while I take a break to actually try to study *sob*
But he did not turn to quiet her. Instead his eyes stayed fixed on hers, trying to figure out the meaning behind the look she returned.
Whatever it was - it was gone within a short moment. Kaoru had already closed the gap between herself and the older woman. Megumi's face registered delight as Kaoru, in an uncharacteristic display of affection, quickly enveloped her in a hug. "Oh Megumi! You're back! Aoshi-san found you after all!"
Sanosuke could not help but stare at the man who had apparently claimed the space at Megumi's side. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he wondered how was it that again these two were together? Megumi had run off to America and wouldn't be returning for several years, or so had her letters stated. So what brought her back less than a year after she had left, and why did these two appear at the dojo together? Had Aoshi, in fact, been sent to meet Megumi at her ship?
Megumi answered with a smile that was somewhat amused. "Aoshi-san dragged me all the way back here from America first on a train that did not stop for four days, then on a boat that I thought would surely sink, and then in a carriage that apparently was drawn by the most slow of horses and the entire time, he never spoke more than five minutes at one time."
"Megumi!" Kaoru coughed slightly, "You should not speak so of Aoshi-san in front of our guests."
Aoshi, instead of inserting a rather cutting remark or averting his eyes upwards, shrugged slightly as if to indicate that it didn't bother him. To Sanosuke's surprise, Megumi laughed even harder before abruptly composed herself.
Megumi bowed in the direction of the two strangers who stood slightly behind Sanosuke. "Aoshi-san is not nearly as bad as I portray him. You will find him a well-read, proper man who obviously has much better manners than I do. I am afraid that I, Takani Megumi am his opposite today. My apologies. "
Sanosuke found his voice suddenly as he stepped forward to make the appropriate introductions for his father and sister.
Both Aoshi and Megumi's faces reflected their surprise at the relationship of the two strange guests to Sanosuke. However, they were both polite and, in Megumi's case, cordial.
"But where is Kenshin?" Megumi asked impatiently. "And the others?"
"He is out with the children for the moment. We were just having tea while we waited for them all the return." Kaoru exchanged a glance with Megumi, the meaning of which was unclear to all. "We'd be pleased if you would join us, Megumi-san and Aoshi-san."
He saw the hesitation on Megumi's part and did not miss the sudden look she gave Aoshi, almost as if she were waiting his answer.
"Perhaps, Megumi-san it is best to wait here for Himura to return. I will tend to the carriage driver and your things."
Megumi sighed her relief. "Tea does sounds wonderful. It has been a long time since I've had authentic Japanese tea."
"Really?" Uki finally mustered enough courage to talk to the newcomer as they followed Kaoru back to the tea room. Uki was clearly intimidated by the appearance of this rather fashionable and beautiful woman, but determined to make her acquaintance. "Have you been overseas then?"
"She's been in America," Sanosuke answered suddenly, drawing even more curious looks from his father and sister who realized that he and the woman were in fact acquainted. He glanced sideways at Megumi. "Isn't that correct?"
"Yes," Megumi answered softly as she took up her seat across the table and addressed him quietly. "I had told Gensai-sensei to tell all of you."
"I would have preferred to have heard it myself, rather than from one of your neighbors in Aizu."
"In Aizu?!" Megumi looked a bit surprised. "Do you mean to tell me you went up to Aizu?"
Kaoru suddenly stood up from her seat, reminding Sanosuke that there were three other people seated at the table watching this curious dialogue. "I'm so stupid! The water has gotten rather cold! She flashed a smile at the younger woman "Uki-san, will you come help me with drawing more water and more food? My husband will be returning, as will Shinomori-san, and we'll need more things."
"Of course!" the younger woman's eyes widened, catching on to Kaoru's sudden sense of alarm. "And we'll need another table, won't we?"
The elder Higashidani also abruptly stood. "I think that's where I can be of help. If you can show me, I will be happy to bring it back."
And before Sanosuke could even react, all three had conveniently disappeared out the door.
The two sat in shocked silence for a moment before Megumi finally ventured a comment. "I'm sorry I did not tell all of you myself before I left. I was not myself. There were things that had happened with my search for my brother which did not go well."
"So that is what is was."
"Yes," she looked up and smiled apologetically, "It had nothing to do with anyone here. I left because I couldn't face something from my past."
"And that's changed?"
"I think so," she smiled quietly. "Just like how things have apparently changed for you. I don't know if anyone has said it, but you look well Sanosuke. Your family seems to have had a good effect on you."
He snorted. "You're kidding right? One haircut and kimono and you think I'm different?"
"I mean," she wrinkled her brow, "You seem more like you're at ease back here in Japan with your family behind you."
"I suppose," he shrugged. "But sometimes they drive me nuts."
"You're lucky," she tilted her head to look at him. "Although I'm still trying to get used to the fact that you have family. In all the time we were acquainted, you never mentioned them. You would think that your family would be one of the first things you'd be thinking back to --"
"They are my family, but there were others I counted on over my life, Kitsune, who were equally or more important. Captain Sagara, Katsu, Kenshin . . ."
"I see." She responded, although from her expression, he could see that his answer did not quite satisfy her.
He sighed. Apparently the gap in their understanding of one another had widened in the time since they had last seen one another. "So how long before you return to America?"
She shook her head. "I'm back for good."
He frowned slightly. There must be a reason to all this sudden change. He mentally replayed what he had seen earlier in her interactions with the former Oniwaban leader before a thought occurred to him. "So Shinomori brought you back from America did he?"
"Yes," Her mouth quirked into a small smile. "For a very happy occassion."
His expression altered slightly as he contemplated the changes that Megumi had hinted at. "Then my congratulations go to you, Megitsune on this occasion." He crossed his arms across his chest. "Although I think you'd better watch out for that weasel-girl. She won't like that you have grabbed her 'Aoshi-sama' from underneath her."
"Weasel-girl?" Megumi stared back at him and then when she understood the meaning behind his comment she laughed. "Oh you silly man! Didn't Kaoru tell you anything?"
"I just walked in an hour ago," Sanosuke gave her a glare, hoping it would wipe off that smug expression on her face.
"My brother left behind a daughter after he passed away. Aoshi found out about her and brought her here for safekeeping before he came to find me in America. She's the reason why I've come back! , not for the silly reasons you were thinking!"
Sanosuke blinked. "You have a niece," he repeated rather obtusely.
"Yes, I do." Megumi laughed, "But I forgive you for thinking that. Aoshi- san told me about the matchmaker."
That piece of news surprised him and rather than reassuring him, made him wonder even more about what exactly was going on. He thought to ask, but before he could say anything, the unmistakenably cheerful voice of Kenshin rang out from the courtyard. "We're back!!"
Megumi stood up suddenly, oblivious to the frown on Sanosuke's face. She moved quickly towards the courtyard, her face suffused with delight. "Kenshin!"
Automatically, Sanosuke followed and the two found themselves greeting Kenshin and his assorted entourage, which included little Kenji, a gaggle of young boys who were obviously students at the dojo by the way the immediately began running around beating each other with pretend swords, Aoshi (who had apparently followed them in), Ayame, Suzume and a little girl who peeked out from Suzume's arms.
Solemnly, Suzume placed the sleepy little girl in her arms on the ground and turned her so she faced Megumi. The little girl looked up at Suzume and then obediently turned her eyes in the direction Suzume was pointing.
"Look, Meg-chan!" Suzume said very seriously, "That's Auntie Megumi. Remember what we told you about her?"
The child nodded clumsily but stared back at the woman, too shy or afraid to move.
Completely oblivious to the fact that everyone's eyes were upon her, Megumi bent down and gave the little child a kind smile which the girl soon echoed. "Hello, little Megumi. I'm so glad to meet you."
Shyly, 'Auntie Megumi' opened her arms. Instinctively, the child walked into them and quietly placed her arms around the neck of the woman who shared her name. As Megumi lifted her niece off the ground, the child buried her head in her aunt's shoulder.
Himura coughed and cheerfully began to lead his son Kenji towards the tea room. As if on cue, the others politely turned their heads away from the doctor and her niece and quickly found something else to do or say to one another to allow them some appearance of privacy.
But neither the woman nor child really noticed the gesture, as kind as it was. For them, at that very instant, there was nothing else in the world that mattered other than the fact that they finally belonged to someone.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A/N: Hmm. And the peanut gallery probably will have my head for this. No romantic angst on a major scale and another Sano POV.
I will pick up again, but I think from Aoshi's viewpoint next. Because there are still more things to resolve here.
R&R people. Tide me over for another week please while I take a break to actually try to study *sob*
