a/n: yo! some minor kissing in this chapter (1full paragraph) so i hope u all enjoy... for my one awesome fan whose looking for some k/k fluff... next chapter is totally dedicated to ya... don't forget to review this, okies, ppl? cuz i'm soooo close to 100 now! thank u much! oh, and floozy, i was 'aoshi-sama's weaselgirl' before...

disclaimer: dood... these r stupid... and... and... yeah...

Chapter 12: Doorsteps and Videos (Sano's fun & Misao at the camera)

Kenshin ushered Misao and Aoshi out of the house as he watched both Kaoru and Megumi pull out of his driveway. He sighed and sank into couch, closing his eyes. He never did get that chance to speak to Kaoru privately since Sano had shown up first and Kaoru shortly after. He knew that Sano had wanted him to talk to her about her feelings, but he'd gotten the distinct feeling that she didn't want to bring it up. And the memory of Tomoe was still so fresh…

He shook his head at the thought, willing himself to forget. He didn't want to remember her. It only made it hurt more. Kaoru was a little too vibrant for his tastes sometimes. He realized that it was that very quality that had drawn him to her as a friend, but… It just wasn't' the same… What to do…

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The car was absolutely silent save the soft music. Sano had no idea what to say to her and it didn't seem that she had anything to say to him either. It was awkward. Sano understood why there was this thick blanket of silence, but that didn't mean he wanted it to continue. He turned in his seat to look at her profile. She was concentrating on the road singing softly under her breath. He smiled and decided to break the silence.

"So," he said. "What's been up since our 'date'?"

"Nothing."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"You haven't talked to that other guy you were telling me about?"

"That would be none of your business."

"Why don't you want to tell me?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because it's my choice."

"Could you stop talking in circles?"

"I'm not talking in circles!"

"Yes you are!"

"I am not!"

"Whatever."

"So… what about you? This guy knows Kenshin… do you know him too? He works at the bar," she asked him.

"I don't know. Gimme a name."

She bit her lip. "I don't have one to give."

"Turn right here," he dodged the answer with a glint in his eye, watching his apartment roll into view. "It's that brown apartment on the left. 302."

She nodded and pulled in. She didn't stop the car and motioned for him to get out.

"What? You're not going to walk me to the door and make sure I can put the key in the lock due to all that alcohol I drank?" he asked sarcastically.

"Fine."

She reluctantly turned the car off and climbed out before slamming the car door shut. She tugged him all the way up to his door. She stared at him for a moment as he pretended to fumble with the keys, prolonging their time together. Finally she jerked the keys out of his hands and did it herself, making the process a quick one. He smirked as she tried to walk away after that.

"It's not polite to just walk away without saying goodnight, you know," he informed her, catching her arm and pulling her to him.

And he kissed her.

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Misao watched eagerly as she watched Sano and Megumi leave. She really wanted to tail them and get more footage; Kaoru had ordered her to tape over the embarrassing prom video. She smiled at Aoshi and asked if she could drive this time. He handed over the keys with some reluctance. He knew what Misao was planning seeing as it was written all over her face.

She shrieked in glee and rushed over to the drivers side and had the car started before Aoshi had even opened his door. She shot him a distinct look that said 'hurry up' loud and clear. He sighed and got in, buckled up and held on for dear life as she sped out of the driveway after Megumi's car. She whipped out the video camera with her right hand while keeping the left on the steering wheel. Aoshi quietly offered to help her, to take it out for her but she snapped that she had to do it herself so he stayed silent after that.

She parked her car a little way down the street from where Megumi had pulled into the driveway. She ran down and hid in the bushes, armed with the camera, prepared to see a variety of things, but what she saw amazed her.

They were kissing.

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From the moment his lips had met hers, she knew she was doomed. She enjoyed it just a little too much as he parted her lips with his tongue. She wrapped her arms around his neck and moved into the kiss, finally responding. Her tongue slithered out to toy with his and his hand cupped the nape of her neck to position her head so he could deepen their kiss. She moaned, a soft needy sound that was lost in his mouth as she devoured her lips.

He released her only when he heard his landlord coming down to turn the outside light on. He gave her a bone melting smile and whispered a soft good-bye, leaving her stunned on the his steps. He entered his building with a wonderful feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. Soon, tomorrow even, he would tell her that he was Mr. Right and everything would be perfect.

She stood there for a good five minutes before she was sure he wasn't going to come back out and ravish her senseless and headed back to her car. She sat in the seat and pulled her mirror out. She almost laughed at the sight. Her lips were kiss swollen and her hair was in total disarray. She privately liked the fact that it was him who had done this to her. Her fingers drifted to her lips in memory and if she concentrated hard enough, she could almost feel his soft lips against hers again.

Sighing, she started the car up and drove off.

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Her phone rang early. She hated being woke up.

"What!"

"Kaoru! Kaoru! Get your ass over here! You have to see this!" Misao screamed.

"See what!"

"Sano and Megumi last night!"

"What!"

"Just get over here!"

"I'll be right there."

She hopped out of bed instantly and dressed in the nearest thing she had which happened to be a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. She ran out of the house, almost forgetting to lock her door in the process. She made it to her car in a matter of three minutes and took no hesitation in starting it up and speeding off to Misao's house.

Misao's eyes lit up as she watched her friends Cavalier park in her driveway. She wrenched open her door and rushed out to meet her, bringing with her the tape. She waved it in the air.

"Kaoru! Come on, come on! I can't believe it!"

"I'm coming!"

Once they were settled on Misao's floor, she pushed play. It flickered from the end of their date last Friday to Sano pulling Megumi into an embrace. Kaoru gasped as Megumi moved into the kiss and responded. First of all, she couldn't believe that Sano kissed her, second, she couldn't believe that Megumi had enjoyed it, let alone par took in it.

"See!"

"Can I borrow your phone?"

"Sure-"

The words weren't even out of her mouth and she had Sano's number dialed. Someone needed an ass kicking and she planned on delivering.

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Sano groaned when the ringing of the telephone brought him out of his fantasies. He rolled over and picked it up lightly.

"Yeah."

"I can't believe you would do such a thing!" Kaoru exploded.

"Do what?" He was still waking up and was having problems comprehending.

"Kiss her, dammit!"

"Oh. That. That was nice," he commented.

"For you! What are you going to do now! You are screwed!"

"Huh?"

"Megumi's probably going nuts with guilt! She thinks she's already throwing you away for you! Wait, that didn't make sense… You know what I mean!"

"Oh. I didn't think of that…"

"Now you have to invite her to dinner and come out of the closet."

"Whoa! Not a good word choice!" Sano said, feeling violated.

"Sorry, but you get the idea. Set it for sometime this week. Although it does suck that it has to be during the week…"

"Can't I just wait till the weekend?"

"And make her suffer? I don't think so! Do breakfast for all I care! Just do it!"

"Alright, alright…"

"Call her. Now."

"Fine."

"Good-bye. And if I find out that you didn't call her like you said you were, well, let's just say my bokken's been out of practice."

"I'm calling her now! Bye!"

Kaoru hung up with a deep sigh. Misao was giggling softly beside her and she shot her a glance before giggling as well. Sano could be such an idiot sometimes.

"You think he would have enough sense as to keep his hands to himself…" Kaoru said.

"You forgot to tell him that he was to keep his hands off," Misao told her. She just shook her head.

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Sano hit the talk button in order to end their connection and quickly hit again in order to call Megumi. Her phone rang three times before she picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hiya Meg."

"Oh… hi."

She was nervous. After last night, she didn't know if she could honestly face this man again… after all, Sano's kiss was so nice…

"Look, I think it's time to be open. I… I want to meet you Monday morning for some breakfast at Denny's if you will. I'll set everything up, tell them your name and I'll have them take you to my table, okay?"

"Sounds great… oh, I… I have to go. Kaoru's calling in…"

"Okay then. Tomorrow morning. Don't forget. Let's say around seven since you have work, all right?"

"I'll see you there."

She switched lines and reluctantly turned to Kaoru's questions.

"So," Kaoru said mischievously. "You kissed him?"

"He kissed me!"

"Sure, he did. It looked like you were enjoying it, though," Kaoru teased.

"Ho-how di-did y-you know?"

"I have my ways," she huffed out.

"Sneaky bitch."

"I know."

Megumi laughed, feeling guilt-free for the first time all day.

"So… Did what's his name call you?"

"Sano?"

"No. The other guy."

"Yes… We're going to breakfast tomorrow morning before my shift," she told her.

"What are you going to do?"

"I still haven't decided."

Kaoru smiled knowingly. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

"I certainly hope so…"

"I have to go. I'll call you later."

"Right."

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Monday morning found Megumi nervously pacing in the parking lot of Denny's. She couldn't decide whether or not to enter or not. She'd already stood him up once; there was no way she could do it again. She opened the door and moved up to the counter.

"I… I'm supposed to meet someone here. I… My name is Takani Megumi…"

"Oh! Come with me!"

Megumi followed the girl all the way to a booth with a familiar spiky brown head protruding from the top…

"Yo Fox!"

It was Sano.

a/n: dun dun dun! bet u can't wait til next week now... or at least i hope... review and bitch about how u want an update! maybe i'll grant u wish if u ask nice enough...