Kenshin staggered through the park laden with groceries. It wasn't exactly that they were heavy, there were just so many of them. He was beginning to wish he had taken Tokio's offer and driven to the store.
He set them down on a bench and plopped down thinking wryly; part time battousai, part time beast of burden. He wouldn't dare say something like that out loud, especially not in front of Hiko, but it sounded alright in his mind.
With a sigh he pushed himself up. It was a lovely day out with a clear, sunny sky and slight humidity. If he didn't have work to do, he would love to just sit outside and enjoy it.
"Mr. Himura." A voice startled him. He turned around being at eye level with a pair of beautiful sapphire eyes. Kaoru looked slightly embarrassed, but he wasn't exactly sure why. He gave her a wide, patient smile.
"Miss Kamaya, how are you?" He inquired politely while letting his eyes search her face.
"I was just on my lunch break, and this is going to sound really silly, but I decided to go for a walk in the park." She said quickly. He was confused. Why would he think it was silly?
"It is a beautiful day out, that it is." He agreed. He started to gather up his bags still looking at her. He had been dragged into several long talks with Miss Tokio yet he couldn't seem to do more than secretly admire her. What was wrong with him? A sharp twinge twisted through him and he remembered. Tomoe.
Suddenly not at all mindful of the lovely day or the pretty girl standing in front of him he was lost in memories. It was dark, so dark…
"Mr. Himura, are you alright? Himura, Himura? Kenshin!" A sharp smack on the head brought him to his senses and he reflectively pasted on an apologetic smile. He was grateful for her timely, if painful, interference.
She looked at him sharply as he rubbed his sore head gingerly. There was anger in her eyes, but there was something else too. Worry? She was worried about him? Wait, did she just call him Kenshin?
"I'm sorry Miss Kamaya, that I am." He offered truly meaning it. He looked down at the half melted groceries and sighed lightly. What a way to get sidetracked. He'd be lucky if all of the frozen goods made it home.
She was ignoring him staring across the park, "Isn't that Megumi?"
He looked in the same direction feeling a jolt. His mellow violet eyes flashed with deadly gold. That was Megumi alright, along with Saitoh. He recalled the last battle they had fought, how it remained unfinished. He reached for his sword only to remember he had left it at home. In this day and age, walking around with a sword drew rude stares and unwanted trouble from the police. Yet you could walk around with a gun almost in plain view. The world today was just messed up.
"Who's she with? I didn't think Tokio would let just anyone take her out." Kaoru remarked and his eyes slid across the other two Shinsengumi members. They were the same ones from before.
"That's just Sano. He is a friend of Megumi's, that he is. Miss Tokio allows him to take her out." Kenshin informed her still glaring at Saitoh. The lean, dangerous man was arrogantly leaning against an old oak trunk smoking. He glanced once in their direction before continuing his talk.
He knew that Miss Tokio would prefer her daughter to stay away from the man that saved her life. He also knew that Sano usually honored that agreement. Even now the child was over to the side eating ice cream and swinging her legs over a bench.
Caution told him to leave things well enough alone, but he despised Saitoh and he didn't trust the Shinsengumi to be honorable to any prior agreements.
"Himura?"
"Excuse me Miss Kamaya, but I am afraid I have to leave." Kenshin said, all thoughts of the groceries long gone.
She planted herself in front of him with her hands on her hips, "Are you sure that's a good idea? You look… look different. You can't just start trouble on the streets." Even as she said this he could see her knuckles white as she had curled her shaking hands into flesh and cloth. Her bottom lip was tucked between her teeth and there was uncertainty in her eyes. He must truly look a sight.
Fighting back the rising ire that only Saitoh seemed to bring out in him, he forced a smile and ordered in a polite voice, "I would advice you to mind your own business, that I would. That man over there is very dangerous, but you are correct. I cannot start a battle in the middle of a public park where people could get hurt."
She looked momentarily shocked when he suggested she mind her own business, and the hurt expression was twisting his insides, but it was for her safety. Although Saitoh was generally very direct, he did have a sardonic sense of humor, and wouldn't hesitate to take a challenge.
"So you're going over there anyways, aren't you." She huffed in bad humor, her question most definitely a statement.
Kenshin didn't answer.
Instead he stalked over towards them. Megumi noticed him long before Sano even had an inkling. She eyed him with big, dark brown orbs and a suspicious face. That kid was uncanny for only being six. She picked up on things in relationships that most adults bypassed. It was much in the same manner Master did, except she was usually much nicer about it when she pointed it out.
Rather than speaking or calling out to him she got up and walked to the ice cream vendor. With a few whispered words to the woman who bent down obligingly she returned to her seat. Almost like a spectator awaiting a good show. All she needed was some popcorn. The ice cream woman looked at him speculatively with a smirk before her eyes flicked towards the still oblivious Sano and uncaring Saitoh.
"One must wonder why you would hold a meeting in a park, that they must."
Sano whirled around and paled. He mouthed the words 'oh shit', but it was Saitoh who spoke.
"And what is it to you Battousai? Last I checked citizens were free to mingle and socialize in a public setting freely. Unless that is against the law." He flicked some ask off his cancer stick and looked completely bored.
As much as Kenshin hated to admit it, he had a valid point. They weren't doing anything wrong that he could deduce. Now, their conversation might have held illegal plans to actions, but that was just words. No proof. Actions speak louder than words and unfortunately, in the court system, you had to prove their guilt. Kenshin think it would better serve the other way around. You were guilty until proven innocent. Makes more sense and corrected some errors that plague the inverse method.
"Miss Megumi, would you please come with me?" Kenshin asked, shooting the man a dark look. He was sure he must have seemed absolutely ridicules to Saitoh.
The girl nodded at the woman's questioning look, and trotted over. Chocolate was smeared all over her hands and face. She held out a sticky hand towards him and he encompassed it with his own.
"Don't worry, this is Kenny. He's Mommy's boy friend's stupid student." Kenshin almost flinched and be could see the amusement on the woman's face as well as hear Sano's deep laughter. Saitoh flicked his butt away and stalked off without a word.
"So you're going to take her back? Aw man, that will get me in trouble. See, I didn't know Saitoh was going to show up and all. You'll tell Mommy that, won't you kiddo?"
Megumi nodded with a sly smile, "Maybe, what will you get me?"
"Bribery? I'm hurt! Can't you do this one little favor without yanking at my pockets? Your mommy's the one with the money, hit her up."
Kenshin looked between them a shook his head slightly in bemusement. He wasn't sure Megumi should actually be in the company of the rude-mouthed young man. He certainly wasn't… upstanding.
Yet Kenshin knew that if it came down to it that Megumi trusted the spiky-hair youth far more than she did him. Despite his natural affinity for children and being around all the time, there was something between the two that ran deeper. She even seemed to like Saitoh, the bastard. He hadn't met ''Tari' yet, and it didn't occur to him that the man was standing in drag just a yard away. He just wished Megumi would say what had happened while she was there for those few weeks.
The young man rubbed his head guiltily and looked at Kenshin, "You won't squeal on me, will you? I mean, c'mon! How was I supposed to figure that the bastard would show up?"
"I cannot promise that, that I can not." Kenshin said, resisting the urge to write it off. Tokio would want to know exactly what happened and why Megumi was returning with Kenshin. He wasn't in the habit of lying, and he wasn't going to start now.
"Shit man, can't you give me a break?" Sano pleaded, following the pair like a lost puppy dog. "Please? Please? Please? C'mon, at least let me go back with you then."
"No. Shoo." Megumi said admonishingly, waggling her finger at the young man, who ignored her. Well, until she took a shot at his shin.
"Well, at least let me return her change."
Why bother Kenshin thought. If you're going to get skinned for the big things, why repent with the little? Sano didn't look rich.
"Give it." Megumi said, and Kenshin muttered 'oro', shocked by her bluntness. She definitely didn't need Sano's influence. Sano pressed the change into her hand and she counted it. "One more dollar."
"Damn."
Once the missing dollar was procured Megumi tugged on Sano and he bent down. She whispered something in his ear and a grin split his face. He straightened up and sauntered off with a backwards wave.
"What did you tell him?" Kenshin asked. One the way back he had grabbed the abandoned bags, having seen no sign of Kaoru. Part of him regretted being so abrupt, but he didn't want her in the middle of this. She was just an assistant, not an agent.
"That he was a good guy." Megumi said simply.
A/N: We-ll, I'm doing this Tuesday night because I have an exam for psychology on Friday, *which* I found out about yesterday O__O Can you say screwed? So I'm doing this now before I get sucked into studying like mad so I pass.
Reviewers:
Fyyrrose: It's 30 pages long now. I've gotten a head start, but maybe I shouldn't have started it the week of exams? Not that I even knew I had them O.o Maybe I should read the papers I got on the first day of school... nah. I think I just jumped from Res. into this one ^^ Sliding back in was scarily easy O.o BS away... just no more Toxic ^^ DVDs are good >:) I could use some of those LOL. It would take you awhile to read my manga, then again, how many IY do you have? 28? TV sucks for you. You know that I'm not allowed to watch it overly much... it gives me ideas >:)
MissBehavin: Mean? *laughing* this is Saitoh here. That's not mean it's a personality defect! j/k That would be great if Meg did that, but I don't think he'd give her a chance -__-' I'll get to Tokio and Saitoh, but there's a few chapters where I have to set things up [with both of them and the other characters].
eriesalia: Aside from him saving her life? Well ^^ She's a smart, un-jaded cookie. I think she sees the... *tries desperately to think of a word* forget it. She sees past all the crap. As for knowing that Mommy likes him have you ever marvelled what little kids pick up on? Oh yes, Saitoh and Megumi, that will be fun >:)
Wistful-Eyes: Yes, let's just hope I wasn't too hasty in putting it up. Oh well, I have a decent headstart ^^
TDTI
Fyyrrose: I didn't figure you wanted to review the "puke" chapter. The French may bitch, but BOTH (Union and Confederate) flags were red, white, and blue. Different patterns of course. Overkill and Katsu are great together. Makes me think of Sano's "personal protection" bombs LMAO. B scares and amuses me. He's doing some fine work in SA. So you approve of my sequel idea then? >:) I know it's off the wall, especially with "him" as the hero -__- and if you consider the sidekicks LMAO. I was thinking of staging it in Texas or New Mexico.
MissBehavin: Battousai's great, I'm sorry to see him go. Hiko got it good, and who knows, maybe now he'll feel inclined to move since his stupid student has taken up residence! Sorry about Saitoh, I admit it, I callously ran him over. But I got Hiko sooooo... means justify an end. I saw a Doujinshi with him in an apron -__-' Thanks fyyrrose (she never tells me where the links go; fun).