A/N: hiya! it's me again! well, I dunno where I came up w/ the name of the
chapter for this one, it's kinda random....but hey, i'm a random person! ^-
^
To Lady Battousai: You know what? Your review ABSOLUTELY made my day when I read it! Don't worry, no offense taken. I'm so glad to know that i've got a reader out there who supports me just about as much as I support myself. So, of course you can advertise my fic!!! Wow, I feel so honored that you even asked! But, I think it was real nice and considerate of you to do so!! Much luv mah friend!! ^.~ I'd really luv to talk to you some more, so can u e-mail me sometime?? if you're too lazy (i'm not dissing you, cuz i'm the biggest lazyass in the world!) to look up my e-mail, it's Chrryblssm518@comcast.net! Thanx a ton!! ^________^
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chap. 4 ~ candlelight in the dark
The tiny flame flickered against the soft breeze, fueled by a soft wool thread, where gentle pools of hot wax had gathered atop a colorless candle. The candle was the only source of light in the room, swaying dreamily in the still room. A thin index finger and thumb stealthily pressed the fire in its grasp, exquisitely extinguising the light. Smoke curled upward, slowly diminishing as it made its way upwards.
Megumi pulled her hand away from the candle, glancing at her hand, noting the barely visible ash marks on her thumb. She reached for a damp cloth to wipe away the grime, keeping her eyes on the young child before her. A wet surface touched her fingers as she toyed with the rag, making sure she had every bit off, ignoring the fact that the ash marks were hardly worth all this attention.
She placed the rag down, and instead reached for a sopping towel in a bowl filled with lukewarm water. Wringing out all the excess water, she folded it in one liquid motion, daintily placing the towel on the boy's forehead. He flinched at the touch of the towel, and his eyelids fluttered upward, and before Megumi could stop him, he abruptly sat up. This time, his eyes were wide open, swiveling madly, taking in his surroundings, and breathing deeply.
"Where's am I?" His voice was strained, his tone demanding an answer.
Megumi massaged her forehead, apparently not in the mood to be patient. "Tokyo. Kamiya Dojo. You are not in good condition, so you are under my care, and while you are under my care, you will lay down." With her last words she used both her hands to position the boy on his back.
The fusuma opened, and a silohetted shadow filled the room. "Not so great with kids now, are we?"
Megumi's face showed irritation, as well as her reply, "I don't have time for your insults Sanosuke. If you want to help, then get me some food, water, and more blankets."
Sano sighed, but had to smile when he saw the child was giving Megumi a hard time, stubbornly trying to stand up and run again. Sano smirked and commented, "Alright Fox, I'll get you your supplies, just make sure the kid doesn't run away before I return." He turned and walked out into the moonless night.
Megumi clenched her teeth, trying to inhibit the frustration that was increasing with every annoying question the boy asked. "Well, where's am I? And who's you? This's Tokyo? Pretty pitiful. 'Ave you been to the states? I 'ave. Much better than this rubbish."
Megumi found it easier to ignore the brat, as long as he stayed in the room a little longer, so as Sano would return with food. Just keep his mouth busy that's all. Megumi's mind trailed away from the boy and suddenly seemed to turn to Sanosuke. Just his name sent shivers up her spine and goosebumps forming on her arms, tingling with anxiousness...
"Yo! Fox! You listening to me? I've got your damn stuff. Although I do have to warn you, Kaoru cooked the food, so the kid might die from the crap..." Sano's voice penetrated her thoughts, and she turned to face Sano. She nodded as she took the tray of food from him.
"Yeah, your welcome Fox."
'Thank you Sano... Thank you...'
"Is that food?"
"No kid, it's the world on a silver platter," Sano's sarcastic remark made the boy's eyebrows quirk upward questioningly.
"Really?"
Megumi laughed quietly, trying to repress her laughter with her hand. Sano felt the hairs on the back of his head rise at the sound of her laughter...
Megumi placed the tray on the floor, gesturing the boy to eat. The boy gave both Sano and Megumi one last look before clumsily picking up the chopsticks.
"'Ow do I use these?"
Sano slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand as the boy put one stick in each hand and attempted to balance bits of food between them.
"Stupid gaijin," Sano commented to no one in particular.
Megumi only shook her head as she tried to explain how to use chopsticks as paciently as she could...
~~~~~~~~~~~~
When the food was no longer warm, but stone cold, the boy had pretty much gotten used to chopsticks, although he was still hesitant with them. He started stuffing his face, rice flying everywhere as he swallowed the food at top speed.
"Where's Kenshin and Kaoru?" Sano asked curiously.
"Busy." was her only reply.
Sano waited a second before asking his next question, "and Yahiko?"
"The Akabeko."
"Oh."
"..."
"Guess it's just me and you Fox."
"..."
"'Ey!"
"And the kid."
"..."
"So kid, what's your name? All this time, and we still don't know your name," it was more of a demand than a question.
"Wolf Yukishiro."
'Yukishiro...that sounds familiar...' Sano thought obscurely, then added, "Wolf, eh? You really are a gaijin."
"A wha'?"
"Nothing."
The boy's face scrunched into an annoyed expression, not wanting to be "out" on the conversation, but he finished his food with no other comments. Silence hung uncomfortably in the room as Megumi and Sano pointlessly watch the boy lick rice off his lips. The gentle whoosh of the breeze outside the dojo flowed through the cracks on the walls, and Megumi slowly stood up, gathering her supplies, making her way out of the room.
"And where are you going Fox?"
"Back to my clinic. I've got patients there too," her voice reflected sadness, depression, something was weighing her down, but she could not place exactly why she felt this way.
Megumi had left, and Sano stared at the fusuma, looking until Megumi's shadow dimmed away into the night. He sighed and turned to face the boy.
"Alright kid, it's way past your bedtime, and I bet you're tired as hell." Oops, he really shouldn't be swearing in front of kids.
Wolf stretched his arms into the air and yawned sleepily, "Naw...I's not that...tired..."
"Uh huh, sure kid, lay down. I'll stay here until you sleep."
His blonde head bobbed up and down as he layed quietly onto his back, pulling the blankets over him. Sano crossed his arms over his chest, leaning his back against the wall, watching and waiting for the kid to fall asleep.
After awhile, the steady rise and fall of his chest and his deep breathing told Sano that he was asleep, and he stood up, gazing at the endless amount of stars in the sky.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: All I can say is, thanx for reading this far, and I hope you can take time out to review me! please? i'd realli like to know how i'm doing! ^.^ thanx!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Lady Battousai: You know what? Your review ABSOLUTELY made my day when I read it! Don't worry, no offense taken. I'm so glad to know that i've got a reader out there who supports me just about as much as I support myself. So, of course you can advertise my fic!!! Wow, I feel so honored that you even asked! But, I think it was real nice and considerate of you to do so!! Much luv mah friend!! ^.~ I'd really luv to talk to you some more, so can u e-mail me sometime?? if you're too lazy (i'm not dissing you, cuz i'm the biggest lazyass in the world!) to look up my e-mail, it's Chrryblssm518@comcast.net! Thanx a ton!! ^________^
~~~~~~~~~~~~
chap. 4 ~ candlelight in the dark
The tiny flame flickered against the soft breeze, fueled by a soft wool thread, where gentle pools of hot wax had gathered atop a colorless candle. The candle was the only source of light in the room, swaying dreamily in the still room. A thin index finger and thumb stealthily pressed the fire in its grasp, exquisitely extinguising the light. Smoke curled upward, slowly diminishing as it made its way upwards.
Megumi pulled her hand away from the candle, glancing at her hand, noting the barely visible ash marks on her thumb. She reached for a damp cloth to wipe away the grime, keeping her eyes on the young child before her. A wet surface touched her fingers as she toyed with the rag, making sure she had every bit off, ignoring the fact that the ash marks were hardly worth all this attention.
She placed the rag down, and instead reached for a sopping towel in a bowl filled with lukewarm water. Wringing out all the excess water, she folded it in one liquid motion, daintily placing the towel on the boy's forehead. He flinched at the touch of the towel, and his eyelids fluttered upward, and before Megumi could stop him, he abruptly sat up. This time, his eyes were wide open, swiveling madly, taking in his surroundings, and breathing deeply.
"Where's am I?" His voice was strained, his tone demanding an answer.
Megumi massaged her forehead, apparently not in the mood to be patient. "Tokyo. Kamiya Dojo. You are not in good condition, so you are under my care, and while you are under my care, you will lay down." With her last words she used both her hands to position the boy on his back.
The fusuma opened, and a silohetted shadow filled the room. "Not so great with kids now, are we?"
Megumi's face showed irritation, as well as her reply, "I don't have time for your insults Sanosuke. If you want to help, then get me some food, water, and more blankets."
Sano sighed, but had to smile when he saw the child was giving Megumi a hard time, stubbornly trying to stand up and run again. Sano smirked and commented, "Alright Fox, I'll get you your supplies, just make sure the kid doesn't run away before I return." He turned and walked out into the moonless night.
Megumi clenched her teeth, trying to inhibit the frustration that was increasing with every annoying question the boy asked. "Well, where's am I? And who's you? This's Tokyo? Pretty pitiful. 'Ave you been to the states? I 'ave. Much better than this rubbish."
Megumi found it easier to ignore the brat, as long as he stayed in the room a little longer, so as Sano would return with food. Just keep his mouth busy that's all. Megumi's mind trailed away from the boy and suddenly seemed to turn to Sanosuke. Just his name sent shivers up her spine and goosebumps forming on her arms, tingling with anxiousness...
"Yo! Fox! You listening to me? I've got your damn stuff. Although I do have to warn you, Kaoru cooked the food, so the kid might die from the crap..." Sano's voice penetrated her thoughts, and she turned to face Sano. She nodded as she took the tray of food from him.
"Yeah, your welcome Fox."
'Thank you Sano... Thank you...'
"Is that food?"
"No kid, it's the world on a silver platter," Sano's sarcastic remark made the boy's eyebrows quirk upward questioningly.
"Really?"
Megumi laughed quietly, trying to repress her laughter with her hand. Sano felt the hairs on the back of his head rise at the sound of her laughter...
Megumi placed the tray on the floor, gesturing the boy to eat. The boy gave both Sano and Megumi one last look before clumsily picking up the chopsticks.
"'Ow do I use these?"
Sano slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand as the boy put one stick in each hand and attempted to balance bits of food between them.
"Stupid gaijin," Sano commented to no one in particular.
Megumi only shook her head as she tried to explain how to use chopsticks as paciently as she could...
~~~~~~~~~~~~
When the food was no longer warm, but stone cold, the boy had pretty much gotten used to chopsticks, although he was still hesitant with them. He started stuffing his face, rice flying everywhere as he swallowed the food at top speed.
"Where's Kenshin and Kaoru?" Sano asked curiously.
"Busy." was her only reply.
Sano waited a second before asking his next question, "and Yahiko?"
"The Akabeko."
"Oh."
"..."
"Guess it's just me and you Fox."
"..."
"'Ey!"
"And the kid."
"..."
"So kid, what's your name? All this time, and we still don't know your name," it was more of a demand than a question.
"Wolf Yukishiro."
'Yukishiro...that sounds familiar...' Sano thought obscurely, then added, "Wolf, eh? You really are a gaijin."
"A wha'?"
"Nothing."
The boy's face scrunched into an annoyed expression, not wanting to be "out" on the conversation, but he finished his food with no other comments. Silence hung uncomfortably in the room as Megumi and Sano pointlessly watch the boy lick rice off his lips. The gentle whoosh of the breeze outside the dojo flowed through the cracks on the walls, and Megumi slowly stood up, gathering her supplies, making her way out of the room.
"And where are you going Fox?"
"Back to my clinic. I've got patients there too," her voice reflected sadness, depression, something was weighing her down, but she could not place exactly why she felt this way.
Megumi had left, and Sano stared at the fusuma, looking until Megumi's shadow dimmed away into the night. He sighed and turned to face the boy.
"Alright kid, it's way past your bedtime, and I bet you're tired as hell." Oops, he really shouldn't be swearing in front of kids.
Wolf stretched his arms into the air and yawned sleepily, "Naw...I's not that...tired..."
"Uh huh, sure kid, lay down. I'll stay here until you sleep."
His blonde head bobbed up and down as he layed quietly onto his back, pulling the blankets over him. Sano crossed his arms over his chest, leaning his back against the wall, watching and waiting for the kid to fall asleep.
After awhile, the steady rise and fall of his chest and his deep breathing told Sano that he was asleep, and he stood up, gazing at the endless amount of stars in the sky.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: All I can say is, thanx for reading this far, and I hope you can take time out to review me! please? i'd realli like to know how i'm doing! ^.^ thanx!
~~~~~~~~~~~~