**- thought
italic- flashback
Chapter 2"Sanosuke! Wait a moment please?"
The rooster headed man turned and leaned on the nearest wall, "What's on your mind Missy?"
Kaoru began to bubble with rage, "Even I know you're not that thickheaded! What do you think I want to know about?"
"I hate it when women play guessing games," Sanosuke chuckled and dodged a slap, "Alright, alright! Bit curious about what the hell happened tonight? Well… I'd expect no less from you."
He loved wearing on her tolerance. There was something infinitely amusing in the way her eyes would widen before she released her exasperation; something striking in the way her cute little lips would purse together just prior to a tirade. Though it was always painfully obvious that she did no appreciate his teasing, there was nothing he could do to help himself; he'd never met anyone like Kaoru before.
"Sanosuke, I do not have limitless patience…"
There it was, he could tell she was already sick of talking to him.
*I always manage to screw things up* he thought to himself, "Alright, alright… I'll be serious… maybe we should go somewhere more out-of-the-way…"
***
Gunshot.
"Kenshin!"
Fear.
"What's happening Sanosuke?"
Panic.
"Yahiko, go tell Megumi to come here immediately! And find Kaoru! Hurry! Kenshin's life may depend on it! GO…"
Confusion.
"Kenshin, Kenshin, what was that? Kenshin buddy, stay awake…"
"A thief…"
"Kenshin, don't let your eyes close… stay awake…"
***
"I got a glimpse of the guy just as he jumped off the wall… skinny little rat…" Sanosuke and Kaoru were now sitting on mats in the gloom of Sanosuke's unlit quarters.
"But why the Kamiya dojo, why Kenshin?" Kaoru did her best to contain sobs as she tried to sort out the bombardment of confused emotions surging through her.
"Guy wasn't planning on a swordsman practicing in the yard was he? Not that late. Must not have heard you were dirt poor either…" he chuckled a bit, in spite of himself. He could tell it just upset her further.
"Sanosuke, how can you manage to be so crass at a time like this?"
He smiled as cockily as he could manage and leaned back against the wall, he hurt too much to let her know. She was always complaining about his light manner as if it were a conscious choice.
"Sorry Missy, not my way to be stuffy…"
Kaoru frowned slightly during the following moments of silence. Sanosuke took notice right away and scratched the back of his head nervously.
"What's on your mind?" he stuttered. Jokes really were much easier to use in times like these, but he didn't plan on pushing Kaoru any further away.
"It doesn't make sense…"
"What doesn't?"
She looked up, her ice blue eyes locked with his brown ones. "Where would a simple thief get a pistol, and why would he need one?"
"Haven't spent much time on the streets lately, have you?" Sanosuke mentally kicked himself for snickering again, "I'm sorry Missy, I don't mean to make light of the situation… but you must see it…"
"See what?" she asked, almost indignantly.
"Japan is changing fast, and not for the better I'm afraid…"
He caught himself a moment to late. Kaoru covered her face as a tear finally managed to squeeze through.
"I just never thought… not here… not at the dojo…" she paused as a few more drops found their way across her face, "I'm sorry, I must seem quite silly…"
It seemed like the right kind of time to put his arm around her. He couldn't explain why he thought so, but somehow it made sense that a smart guy in his position would do that. But he wouldn't. Somehow he couldn't imagine himself with the courage to do something so bold. What if she became completely offended? That would be the end of anything right there. As seemingly inconsequential as that thought had been, he could tell that his neutrality of action meant the end of their conversation.
"I should probably go now…" Kaoru wiped her eyes again and stood up, "Thank you."
He had been right, as disappointing as it was.
"Good night then," he smiled and patted her arm as she left, "I'm always around if you want to talk ya know."
She hadn't heard him; she was already down the hall. Sanosuke sighed regretfully as he slid shut the shoji and turned to his futon.