IT'S GONNA RAIN!
A SM songfic
Disclaimer: It's Gonna Rain and Rurouni Kenshin don't belong to me, chao, chao…
He left, was Takani Megumi thoughts, as she stood in the street. The clouds were a stale gray, clustering in the sky like an ominous shadow.
But Megumi wasn't thinking about the imposing storm. She was simply staring out into space, thinking of the man who had left so rudely, so suddenly from her life; years ago. And with him, he unknowingly took a piece of Megumi's soul.
Upon thinking that again, Megumi grew angry and clenched her long fingers into a fist, staring irritably up into the cloud-ridden sky.
Suddenly, making the lady doctor jump, a rumbling peal of bass thunder split the air. People were hurrying inside, crying out that it was to rain. Megumi immediately turned on her heel and dashed in the direction of her home in Aizu.
Footsteps are lightly taken, chao, chao…
But hurrying anyway, chao, chao…
The thunder like a lion's roar
Prompts a dispersion.
What's going on?
That's right...the rain's coming.
Sagara Sanosuke stood on the deck of a ship, gazing at the land the vessel was berthing. Nasty storm clouds were hovering overhead, and thunder broke the sound of splashing waves.
One Hell of a storm's comin', the tall fighter thought, looking up into the angry sky. His heart made a painful skip, and Sanosuke put his large hand over it as though to quiet it's panging.
All the evil, cricket-faced cops in the world couldn't stop me now, Sanosuke told himself, picking up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. I'm back an' here to stay.
Taking in a deep breath, Sagara Sanosuke took the steps from the dock, onto the land he had called home. The thunder roared again, and the former Kenkaya's footsteps quickened.
I really hate the rain, chao, chao…
I wanted to stay here a little longer, chao, chao…
In the instant when the pleasant sensation was changed,
When the lion made me hurry
It was obvious, No! Annoying.
It's gonna rain!
Megumi cried out as the clouds burst, releasing their torrents of tears. The doctor burst into her home, lightly soaked. She pushed the entryway shut, gasping for breath.
Great…perfectly great, Megumi held up her arms to inspect her wet kimono, and dejectedly went off to take a bath and change.
Frowning as Megumi walked down the hall, she thought, He's not here for me to blame the rain on. He's not here for me to scream at. If he were here, it'd be his fault I got rained on.
Megumi's fists gathered again as a familiar, aching pang ripped through her heart. I doubt he even remembers me… An image of an intoxicated Sanosuke surrounded by giggling geishas wormed its way into Megumi's mind, and she mentally slapped herself.
"No!" Megumi snarled to herself softly, stopping altogether. "No. I can't be jealous. I can't think about him…he left without so much as a goodbye! He wrote to Kaoru, wrote to Tsukioka, and wrote to everyone, except me! Damn him!"
Things were getting dangerously emotional in Megumi's eyes, and she quickly smothered the tears gathering in them. She then stalked off to take a bath as another earsplitting roll of thunder sounded.
Has the rain erased his alibi?
Did he already forget?
Is this all the two of us will become?
Let's make all of this the rain's fault.
"Where th'Hell am I!" growled the confused man as he found momentary shelter beneath the eaves of a nearby store.
Aizu, Sanosuke thought irritably. Either they got some screwed up streets or it's the guy walkin' 'em. The answer was obvious, but Sanosuke wouldn't admit even to himself that he had a poor sense of direction.
If I…aw, she's here someplace, the spiky-haired man thought desperately, twitching his head from right to left; looking for some sign of his Fox-Lady. Ah…there's no way the doc would be out walkin' around in a thunderstorm, baka!
Grinding his teeth together and shivering slightly, Sanosuke sprinted out into the torrent once more.
As for calls from him…Nothing, Nothing
And lessons from the rain too…Nothing, Nothing
If my mind would change
Like the weather in England
That would be a relief...but it's the opposite.
It's gonna rain!
Megumi yanked her yukata close, swallowing jadedly as she turned her cinnamon eyes to her window. It was pouring rain.
He's probably dead now, Megumi thought crossly. No need to get worked up over him…he's probably lying in a ditch someplace faraway, drowned to death and rotting, like he deserves! The way he left!
Immediately guilt crept upon Megumi, and she lifted her hand to cover her eyes. A little shiver wracked her shoulders, and when Megumi pulled her palm away, she was astonished to find a pearly tear settled in the center of her hand.
He made me cry, Megumi realized with shock, but then shook her head angrily. How can I think that now! He's gone, and he isn't coming back! Stupid, stupid, stupid Sanosuke!
"Who cares!" Megumi growled, beginning to walk to her bedroom in a huff. Unexpectedly, a cold, wet draft blew from behind; and Megumi turned around just in time to be caught in two, strong, wet arms.
"I'm back, Foxy," came the low growl in Megumi's ear.
Fear spiked Megumi's ki, but then it was overtaken by anger. She pushed Sanosuke away furiously, not missing the surprised look on the handsome man's face.
Trembling, Megumi dared to raise her upset eyes to meet his confused ones. "Y… You're back," she whispered; rage edging her voice like a blade. "So suddenly."
"Well…yeah," Sanosuke said, scratching the back of his head. "I didn't know I was supposed to 'come back' a certain way…" Geez…I swept in and hugged her like I thought I should…did I upset her? Maybe she really doesn't feel for me like I thought…but then, why is she so upset about…?
Megumi scowled. "It's not that you came back! It's that you left—what is wrong with you? Why did you—"
"It'd be a little hard to stay in Japan if I had coppers chewing on my ass every minute," Sanosuke shot back, feeling his temper flare.
Jabbing him in the chest, Megumi cried, "You could have at least wrote to me, you baka tori-atama!"
There was a small, embarrassed silence as Megumi put her hand over her mouth in surprise. Flushing, she stammered, "I-I mean…that is to say…you…ano…"
Sanosuke smiled. "You mean you wanted me to write to you?"
"No!" Megumi shouted, feeling oddly flustered, "I—I mean, yes, but…it's just—NO! I…don't…the letters…Kaoru…I-I mean…um…"
Sanosuke nodded thoughtfully, causing beads of rain to leap from his thick locks of brunette hair. Megumi then noticed the puddle of water collecting at the kenkaya's feet, and with an angry gasp she yelled, "You baka Bird Head! Look at my floor!"
Looking down at his feet, Sanosuke flushed and said, "Oops. Gomen, Kitsune…it's rainin', ya see."
Megumi flushed as well, turning on her heel to retrieve a cleaning utensil. "I'll take care of it…" Glancing backwards, Megumi nearly hit the ceiling when she saw Sanosuke beginning to take off his jacket. "What're you doing!"
Giving her an oblivious look, Sanosuke replied, unsure of what he had done wrong. "My jacket's soaked through. You don't want me t'get sick; right, Meg?"
"Oh…yes…right," Megumi said, turning away in embarrassment. Of course, he isn't stripping in your living room! Kami-sama, Megumi! What's the matter with you? You're over him. Sanosuke has no hold over you, whatsoever. He doesn't feel anything for you and that's that.
Then what about the hug? demanded a voice in her head.
Megumi's jaw tightened. That was just friendly affection. I bet he used to hug Kaoru all the time.
That's absurd, replied the voice. Kaoru would kill him, and I bet it would make Sir Ken a little uncomfortable to see another man holding Kaoru…
Megumi was now holding a towel, and making her way back to the front room, where the puddle of water lay in need of drying. I don't care what you say! Megumi cried inside, failing to remind herself that it was a sign of craziness to argue with oneself. I do not love Sanosuke, and he doesn't love me!
Then why did he come home to you first? asked the voice. Like when Sir Ken left the dojo; he said goodbye to Kaoru alone. Sanosuke comes back to you, and not to the dojo. Intentionally. You can't easily mistake Aizu for Tokyo.
Megumi was close to screaming. Why wouldn't that dumb little voice just leave her alone?
The rain has made my fever return.
But he, also, suddenly remembered me.
The two of us were guided to here now.
It's all the rain's fault…no, thanks to it.
She found Sanosuke lounging around shirtless, and when she came in, he gave Megumi a little smile. She ignored it, and knelt down to begin wiping away the trail of water. Some puddles, Megumi herself had created.
Just as she was about to begin cleaning, Sanosuke was there suddenly. Putting his hand overtop hers, which was holding the towel, he said quietly, "I made the mess. I'll do it."
Megumi stared at him, surprised by Sanosuke's sudden maturity. What in HELL did those Chinese people do to him?
Sanosuke gazed back, pensively looking over her surprised features. After all these years, she still wears that lipstick, he observed, tracing the curve of Megumi's mouth with his golden-brown gaze, his eyelashes blending in with his pupils. That bright, elegant red lipstick…
The next second, Megumi found that the kenkaya's face was inches from hers, steadily nearing.
Pull away! He's a filthy, rotten backstabber, and you know it! He'll just break your heart, again! part of her screamed, and yet; her other half cried, No! This is what you've been wanting from him. He loves you, and you know it! After this time, Sanosuke has been fighting to get home. To you—
It was too late to make any sort of decision. Sanosuke tilted his head slightly to the right, parting his lips a bit and locking them gently with Megumi's. Megumi flushed scarlet, but made no protest.
Sanosuke's mind no longer had control of his body as he lifted his hands to hold Megumi's face, abandoning her lips only to recapture them seconds later. A soft sigh escaped her, and in the pause that followed, Sanosuke snapped back into reality.
He paused, and after a moment, Sanosuke pulled shyly away. His cheeks reddened in embarrassment. She seemed to like it, he thought, closing his eyes, but knowing Megumi, she'll probably start screaming at me, now…
He waited. And waited. But no screaming issued from the astonished doctor.
Sanosuke just kissed me, Megumi thought in shock. Then, maybe…
Slowly, but surely, a smile formed Megumi's lips. Sanosuke's eyes opened, and widened at the sight of it; Megumi had never before smiled so truly and honestly before…it multiplied her beauty.
Feeling his face grow hot again, Sanosuke itched his cheek and said nervously, "Ano… Kitsune… I hope I didn't scare ya…or something…"
Pride and denial arose in Megumi; pride demanding that she rebuke the fighter angrily, and denial insisting that she assert that he was by far wrong. Megumi felt a little trapped between the two, so she replied, "Thank you for offering to help…if you can take care of the water, I'll cook you something."
Sanosuke's face brightened immensely at the mention of food; Megumi had always been a good cook. Also, Sanosuke had said that the first thing he'd do on his return, was eat some of his favorite Japanese food.
"Hai!" he said, grinning.
Letting Sanosuke take the towel, Megumi was about to get to her feet when she noticed something. With a light smile, she extended her arm and touched Sanosuke's bottom lip. Seeing his confused expression, Megumi ran her fingertip along his lip and pulled it away for Sanosuke to see.
A smear of red lipstick coated Megumi's finger.
Sanosuke flushed, smiling in his silly way. "Well, ah…"
Snickering foxily, Megumi stood and turned to walk to her kitchen. Sanosuke watched her go, before turning his chocolate eyes back to the wet floor. Reluctantly but silently beginning to scrub the floor, Sanosuke thought, Saa…I've finally beat Kenshin at something…
Wiping the last of the scarlet lipstick from his mouth, Sanosuke grinned. Kenshin may have won a moody raccoon, but I've snagged myself a beautiful vixen.
After a bit, Megumi came out, holding a tray of fish and rice. "I'm sorry, there's not a lot there…I haven't been expecting any visitors…"
Megumi blushed a light pink as Sanosuke quit his chore and looked up cheerfully at her from the floor. "S'alright," he replied, not the least bit put down. Foxy just apologized to me. Over food. The world must be ending.
As Sanosuke wolfed down his food, unmannerly as ever; Megumi couldn't help but smirk silently.
The rain calls people and makes them disappear—
A magician stronger than anyone.
The two of us had merely been fooling each other;
And didn't everything start in the rain.
It's gonna rain!
He's so cute…Megumi mentally slapped herself, but not as hard as she usually would. It's okay now, now that I know…he came back to me.
When Sanosuke finished, there was a small silence. Until, Sanosuke commented; looking out the window, "Che…look at the rain, Kitsune…really comin' down, ne?"
Megumi nodded. Since when was it like Sanosuke to notice the rain, she thought dryly.
"Ano…Megumi…"
Looking up, the lady doctor observed Sanosuke seeming rather guilty. His left brow was curved slightly in a shamefaced fashion, his mouth tilted awkwardly. Sanosuke flicked his brown gaze up to her, and then said softly, "I'm sorry…"
"Sorry?"
"Hai. For…ah, for breakin' yer heart…"
Megumi stared at him again. She had said nothing about Sanosuke breaking her heart…and yet, somehow, the baka Rooster had figured out her thoughts.
He reads me like a book, she thought, biting her lip. No one's supposed to do that. I'm supposed to be inconceivable...no man can understand me, and yet this ignorant street trash can read me like a philosopher!
Guilt pounced again, and instinctively, Megumi sputtered, "N-No…I'm sorry…"
"You? What'd you do?" Sanosuke asked incredulously.
Say it, demanded the pestering little voice in her mind. Tell him. Tell him you love him, Megumi!
Never, snarled her obstinate will.
Yes!
No!
Yes!
No!
Damn it; tell the stubborn bastard you love him before you lose your mind completely!
"Sanosuke…" Megumi muttered, putting the heel of her palm on her brow. "I… I…I'll set up a room for you if you wish to stay…"
Giving her a rather sly look, Sanosuke nodded. "Sure, onna…I'd like to stay. It'd be a lil' annoyin' to travel all that way through the rain just to—"
"See me?" said Megumi testily, eyebrow twitching into an inquisitive frown.
His smile widened. "No…t'come home, and to leave so soon without my Foxy Lady would be a little disappointing… I have train tickets for Tokyo…"
Megumi's eyes widened. Sanosuke was going to Tokyo! On a train, of all things! That meant Sanosuke had money! And…he wants to take me with him…Megumi realized, unaware of the flattered smile that had occurred on her face.
Grinning at Megumi's positive reaction, Sanosuke said, "So…I take it you wanna come with me?"
"…Yes…I'll come with you, Sano…"
The words following were so soft and emotionally spoken that Sanosuke nearly had difficulty believing that Megumi had spoken them. Another smile crossed his lips, and Sanosuke whispered to her softly, "Aishiteru, too…Megumi…"
The rain calls people and makes them disappear--
A magician stronger than anyone.
The two of us had merely been fooling each other;
And didn't everything start in the rain.
It's gonna rain!
It's gonna rain!
It's gonna rain…
OWARI, DE GOZARU YO!
(I know that makes no sense, but I like the way it looks in text, de gozaru yo!)
MadiSano: That wasn't the best, I know…sorry, sorry! I was bored and needed some SM inspiration for Chicken Little…fortunately; Chicken Little's SM scenes aren't as gushy. It's more like: "Oh, Sano…I really like you, but you're too busy being a selfish bastard and getting the stuffing beaten out of you to notice…" and, "Oh, Fox…I really like you, but you're too busy irritating Kaoru and being such a high-and-mighty bitch to notice…" But a happy ending will occur. Yatta! Apologies for the fluffiness! (Unless you like fluffy.)
Well, if you liked this fic at all, REVIEW PLEASE! It means a lot to me. Cookies for reviewers! Yaay!