Karaoke Anyone?

Date:Wednesday, June 25, 2003

Time completed: 12:22 pm

By: Fury

Rating: PG-13 for adult concepts/situations

Pairings: K&K, S&M, A&M

Summary: What starts out as a night of drunken fun ends with a few revelations, one or two things that didn't need to be said… and an interesting twist… read on to find out more…

Contact:

Karaoke Anyone?

The Kenshin-gumi had gathered around the table for dinner, and after eating, had settled in to a comfortable chat. Sanosuke had once again tried to drink Kenshin under the table… And from the smell of it, once again he lost miserably. Kenshin wasn't far from being three shades to the wind, but still had enough gumption within him to walk strait… however, the sake HAD indeed gone to his head.

"Minna!" he said so suddenly, half the group face vaulted. "What do you think about having a karaoke night tonight?" –yes, it was one of his wildest ideas… must have been the Battosai in him…

Needless to say, those who weren't already drunk, weren't far from it (Even Yahiko had been invited to share in the merry-making…), and the idea sounded like a good one…

Sanosuke shrugged, "Could be fun."

"If he's for it, so am I, I will not be out done by some completely drunk Rooster head!" followed Megumi's response.

Yahiko and Karou only nodded in reply.

Misao nodded spastically, and latched herself onto a stoic-faced Aoshi.

"Majority rules." Kenshin said, grinning. "Yahiko… you should go back to the Aoiya now. This game is for adults only…"

Yahiko stood, fumbled, and fell back down again, "That's not FAIR! Ugly gets to stay, why can't I!"

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING UGLY!!" Karou screamed at the top of her lungs.

Much fighting ensued, and once the brawl was over, Karou resumed her seat in a huff, and Yahiko was unceremoniously dumped outside onto the front porch.

"Who's going first?" Megumi asked, "Or shall we flip a coin?"

A coin was flipped. "Looks like it will be one of the ladies." Aoshi said, speaking for the first time that night.

"I have an idea!" Misao giggled, huddling the girls into a corner of the room. The three men sat eyeing them suspiciously.

Soon, all were gone, then, returning in…rather revealing attire, the music began to play, Misao took center stage.

"This one is in joint effort, I hope you don't mind."

All three guys, now wide-awake and drooling, nodded their assent.

Misao, with microphone in hand, takes a stance, and belts out: Let's go girls! (c'mon!)

I'm going out tonight--I'm feelin' alright
Megumi, grinning rather evilly: Gonna let it all hang out
Karou, fixing her glance on the doorway Yahiko was thrown from: Wanna make some noise---really raise my voice
Yeah, I wanna scream and shout
Megumi, taking a quick sip of sake: No inhibitions--make no conditions
Get a little outta line
Misao, eyeing Aoshi knowingly: I ain't gonna act politically correct
Karou, blushing through her failing sobriety: I only wanna have a good time

The men, by this time were just coming out of their "sexy-women" induced comas, and were able to begin to blink and respond in kind.

"I can't believe they got Karou into something like that… I always thought she was more modest than that…" Kenshin mentioned, and got creamed by Aoshi and Sanosuke. "ORORO!"

"Kenshin no baka! Karou is more… grown-up than you think… trust me." Sanosuke said, earning him a bonk on the head with Kenshin's reverse blade sword.

Aoshi merely watched the action intently. Never before had he conceived it possible for Misao to be so sexy.

All three girls: The best thing about being a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun and...Karou, slowly undoing the knot that held her obi and loose kimono up: Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy--forget I'm a lady

"Who could forget you're a lady when you dress like that…" Kenshin grumbled.

All three men sat up straighter, eyes popping from their skulls at the next line, sung by megumi: Men's shirts--short skirts

All three girls de robed, now sporting leather skirts, and their respective men's shirts. "Woah! Will you look at Karou! What LEGS!" Sanosuke bellowed, and Kenshin drew his sword, flipped the blade around, and had it at Sano's throat before you could say whiplash.

"NOBODY talks about Karou that way!" he threatened.

Aoshi took the sword from Kenshin then, "No need for bloodshed, ne? You have to admit that all three of them are exuding a certain sexy vibe… I think you just need to put the sword down…"

After recovering from Aoshi's speech, for that's the most that's come out of him at one time. Sanosuke sighed, "That's not all he needs to put down…."

Kenshin purposefully ignored that comment…

Misao, a certain perverted glimmer in her eye: Oh, oh, oh, really go wild--yeah, doin' it in style

All three girls, spitting the words out as if to make an already obvious point: Oh, oh, oh, get in the action--feel the attraction
Color my hair--do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free--yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man! I feel like a woman!

Karou: The girls need a break--tonight we're gonna take
The chance to get out on the town
Megumi, who gets strange looks from the other girls… that 'are-you-CRAZY!' one…: We don't need romance--we only wanna dance
We're gonna let our hair hang down

All three girls: The best thing about being a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun and...Karou:Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy--forget I'm a lady

Megumi, tugging the overly short skirt back into place, about mid thigh: Men's shirts--short skirts

Misao: Oh, oh, oh, really go wild--yeah, doin' it in style

All three girls, once again spitting the words out as if to make an already obvious point: Oh, oh, oh, get in the action--feel the attraction
Color my hair--do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free--yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man! I feel like a woman!

All three girls: The best thing about being a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun and...Karou:Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy--forget I'm a lady

Megumi, tugging the overly short skirt back into place, about mid thigh: Men's shirts--short skirts

Misao: Oh, oh, oh, really go wild--yeah, doin' it in style

All three girls, once again spitting the words out as if to make an already obvious point: Oh, oh, oh, get in the action--feel the attraction
Color my hair--do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free--yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man! I feel like a woman!

Misao: I get totally crazy
Megumi: Can you feel it
Karou: Come, come, come on baby
All three, striking a pose, as the song ends: I feel like a woman!

The music fades to the uproariously loud applause. By this time, even Aoshi was grinning madly. The girls, collected their scattered/discarded garments, and resumed their seats.

"That was awesome!" Sanosuke applauded, then leaning over to Megumi, "You're one sexy fox, tonight, Megs." –yes, it earned him a punch in the face… Sanosuke recovered and sighed dejectedly.

"That makes it the guys turn…ne, girls?" Misao grinned rather evilly at Aoshi—who gulped.

"Guess it does, de gozaru yo…" Kenshin replied, grinning.

The three men slunk to the makeshift stage, went over lines and whatnot, and shortly, the music began playing, and Kenshin shyly took the stage… well, if she doesn't get the way I feel through this song, I don't think I'll ever be able to tell her… he thought to himself.

With a quick look at the other guys, whose expressions mirrored his own, he sighed into the microphone and sang: I looked at you, you stole my heart. You were that I anticipated.

The girls, with the realization of the song, looked at each other incredulously, They don't mean… was a common thought…

Aoshi's sweet voice interrupted their thoughts, he was an excellent singer: I wanted you—every part, but I knew that love would be complicated…

Sanosuke, taking the next line and wincing as he sung it…: I began to touch—but you wouldn't let it. It never seemed to be the right time…

All of the guys: I started to give up—down to the limit. And then you changed your mind…

The girls, glossy-eyed, stared in realization at the truth behind the words, at their respective loved ones…

"Wow, I didn't know they were that good at singing… You'd think they had practiced this one…" Karou said incredulously.

"Yeah, Sano's even being nice… knowing the words he got weren't EXACTLY true…" Megumi grinned at her friends…

"Too much information!" Misao groaned.

All three guys: And we began to rock steady

Steady rocking all night long

And we began to rock steady

Rockin' till the break of dawn…

"Woah… they're IN TUNE!" Misao nearly screamed in delight.

"Yeah… and they speak the truth… or at least Sano is…" Megumi was through being a lady, and had a red glowing H on her forehead…

"Eeeegh-yuck! I DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW THAT!!" Misao and Karou-who was blushing profusely, chimed in unison.

Aoshi knelt down, to look Misao directly in the eyes: You looked at me, to my surprise. You were through anticipating.

Sanosuke, who had long since been grinning triumphantly: I should have known—it was in your eyes. You were getting tired of waiting…

Kenshin, with a rather sheepish look on his face: You wanted me so much—but I didn't get it. How could a fellow be so blind?

The three girls rolled their eyes, yeah, how could he have? Karou was practically throwing herself at him every chance she got…

All three guys chimed in unison once more: I started to give up—but love wouldn't let it. Then you walked into my life!

And we began to rock, steady

Steady rockin' all night long

And we began to rock, steady

Rockin' till the break of dawn…

"OHHH! Aoshi-sama looks SOO SEXY!" Misao drooled…

Aoshi's jaw filed divorce from his face, and was shacking up with the floor as he tried to sing his line: You wanted me so much—But I didn't get it.

Karou smiled sweetly, yet, impishly at Kenshin, who locked eyes with her, and totally forgot about singing… the line passed him by: How could a fellow be so blind?

Megumi's face was filled with unspoken promises that sobered Sanosuke up in an instant: Started to give up—but love wouldn't let it…

And the girls joined in the last line: And you walked into my life!

The music ended and the girls applauded, the sexual tension in the room so thick that you could cut it with a knife…

"I really like that song!" Misao grinned at Aoshi.

"It has a whole new meaning now, doesn't it?" Karou said, slinking up, sexy mini-skirt and all, to nearly collapse in Kenshin's lap.

"It certainly does… eh, Sano?" Megumi said, leaning to whisper something in his ear… and by his reaction, one might guess that what ever it was, it was going to happen later that night…

"Whose turn is it now?" Misao cleared her throat, trying to keep the fun going… (Though, what ever was on their minds was probably just as much fun, if not thousands of times better…)

"I'll go." Karou said, pulling herself, slowly from Kenshin. "I have a song I've been singing in my head since Kyoto… I think it fits…" she said, and there was a tone of sadness in her voice… it's time to tell him… just how I feel, and how ready I am to be his… that I am already his. She thought to herself.

Kenshin gulped.

The music began to play and immediately, Megumi and Misao gasped. She wouldn't!… I didn't know she could be so brave… she must really want him… they thought in near unison…

Karou, looking down, not daring yet to look the man she loved in the face…: I'm so tired of being here
suppressed by all of my childish fears
and if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
because your presence still lingers here
and it won't leave me alone

Kenshin winced. Ouch. He looked at the faces around him. They had all settled on gauging his reaction to the lyrics… their faces looked as though the felt everything with in the one singing… I have waited too long… I have left her unsure for too long… I see that now…

Karou continued, this time looking at him with pleading eyes: these wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase

Megumi leaned to Sano and whispered… the man nodded, and they got up, and quietly crept out. This was something for the two of them to work out… alone…

Karou stepped down from the platform, to sit in front to Kenshin, taking a hand in her own: when you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
and I've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me

Aoshi noticed the retreat, and whispered to Misao that it was time for them to go… Misao began to protest. But with a look first at Karou and then at Kenshin, she thought better of it, and nodded.

Karou sang this through tears… tears that had yet gone unshed, and now threatened to spill over her lids… so she closed her eyes: You used to captivate me
by your resonating light
but now I'm bound by the life you left behind
your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
your voice it chased away all the sanity in me

And then there were two… Kenshin's heart was in his throat… he never knew he had hurt her so much… his own indecision bringing pain to the one he sought to protect the most…

Karou whispered this part, as she could not find voice to finish the last couple of lines: These wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase

Yahiko, who'd not gone to the Aoiya after all, but had been sitting red-faced and or laughing stopped, and listened intently to the song… I never gave ug—er Karou that much credit… he thought. With that, he turned, and headed to the Aoiya, knowing at last that this was the right thing to do…

Karou's eyes were pleading when she managed the next part: When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
and I've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me

Kenshin gulped. What am I going to say to her… how can I tell her that I was running from my present because of my past… after all, she was the one who said that my past didn't matter… why didn't I ever listen to her?

Karou threw her head back, revealing a rather luscious portion of her silky, creamy white neck she screamed aloud in tune to the music: I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along

Kenshin, wincing once again, moved to take her shaking form against his own… "Shh… I understand now… you won't have to feel this way any more… I am here… I will always be here… for you… Aishiteru, Karou."

And the last chorus went without singing, as Kenshin took Karou's lips with his own, promising that, that night, he would show her just how much she meant to him…: When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
and I've held your hand through all of these years

From somewhere outside, a man in black watched the lights in the Kamiya house dim, then go out entirely… "Sleep well, Himura Battosai, for it will be the last time you do so… I will take back from you what you stole from me… and my sister…"

Somewhere, a voice on the wind finished: (Tomoe) you still have …all of me