Look Me in the Eyes

Chapter 2: A Fox and an Apology

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Megumi was winding down from a busy day at the clinic when Kaoru burst into her room, tears forming in her eyes.

"M-M-M-Megumi!" She wailed. Releasing her kimono's ties, (A/N: Anybody know what these are called? The things that keep the arms back?) Megumi sat down with a sigh.

"What is it now?" She asked, a hint of impatience in her voice. Kaoru's eyes filled with tears again.

"K-Kenshin…" Megumi snorted.

"Well, obviously. I meant what in particular?" Megumi tried again, a little kinder. Kaoru glared at the floor.

"That baka is evading me. He won't look me in the eye. He won't even stay in the same room with me if he can help it!" Her face dissolved into dejectedness. "And it's gotta be me, because he's just fine around Sanosuke and Yahiko. What if he doesn't like me anymore? What if he met another girl he likes better? What if he's going to leave me again?" She moaned.

"Hmm. How long have these symptoms been in evidence?" Megumi asked in her best 'doctor-voice.' Kaoru glared at her.

"Three days. You make it sound like he's a disease. He's not. He's-" Megumi rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I know, wonderful, caring, kind, and so on and so forth, I'll find him in a bit and torture the answers out if I have to, OK?" Kaoru sniffled and nodded. Megumi sighed in relief and stood.

"Megumi! Where are you?" Megumi groaned.

"Duty calls. Or Dr. Gensai, in this case. You all right, Tanuki?" Kaoru nodded again, so Megumi left her.

After a stomachache and a fever, Megumi was surprised to find her waiting room empty of all but Kenshin.

"Ken-san?" He turned to her.

"Ah, Megumi-dono, sessha was hoping to talk to you, that I was." He smiled at her, and Megumi felt her anger rise.

"Oh, Ken-san, you'd be interested to know who I had in here 5 minutes ago."

"Really? Someone sessha knows?" Megumi invited him into her 'office' and set some tea to boil. They both sat.

"Hai. A certain tanuki was pretty desperate to see me." Kenshin's eyes widened.

"Kaoru-dono? But… Why? Is she sick?" She could tell he was truly worried for her, and was already thinking of what he could do for a sick Kaoru.

"No, not really, she burst into my office in tears." Megumi replied calmly. The worry in Kenshin's eyes increased.

"Tears? Was she hurt? What's wrong with Kaoru-dono?" Megumi glared at him.

"YOU are what's wrong with Kaoru! She was in here telling me how you hadn't looked at her directly for three days, and were avoiding her! She seemed convinced you'd found some wonderful woman who was stealing you away from her! Ken-san, I want to know what's going on!" Megumi ranted. The teapot hissed in counterpoint. Kenshin fidgeted a little.

"Ano, that's actually what sessha wanted to talk to you about, Megumi-dono. Sessha… needs your help."

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Two cups of tea later, Kenshin trudged back along the road toward the Kamiya dojo.

I made her cry. I really made her cry without trying. Without trying? Without wanting to! I never wanted Kaoru to cry! This is all for her! ...I guess I'm going to have to apologize. But how do you apologize without telling her what you're apologizing for? I can't let her know yet, that would destroy the whole purpose, but she's not going to listen to me without me saying something…

Before he had quite sorted everything out, he was at the gate. Opening it cautiously, he found no one in sight. Closing the gate gratefully, he heard Yahiko come up behind him.

"if you're hungry, Busu made some dinner since you weren't here, but it's even worse than usual. And with Kaoru, that's really saying something. And she's acting strange. She's not even training me after dinner like we normally do, she just stomped off to her room and hasn't come out. Is she sick or somethin'?" Kenshin glanced around, making sure there wasn't anybody listening.

"Sessha sure hopes not. That would kind of ruin what sessha planned, wouldn't it?" He said, in almost a whisper. Yahiko brandished his shinai angrily.

"That hag better not mess it all up! After all the planning you did, she better be well tomorrow!"

"Shh, not so loud! Kaoru-dono has very good hearing!" Kenshin cautioned, smiling. "You remember your part, don't you?" Yahiko grinned lopsidedly.

"It's not that hard, I just gotta keep her out of the house for a while, ne?" Kenshin ruffled Yahiko's hair.

"Yup. Sessha's going to go talk to Kaoru-dono now." Yahiko wished him luck, and Kenshin headed down the slowly darkening hall. He paused outside Kaoru's door. Sniffling could be heard from inside.

She's crying again, he realized, heart twisting. He raised a hand and hesitantly knocked on the door. The sniffling stopped immediately.

"Who is it?" Kenshin took a deep breath.

"Kaoru-dono, it's Kenshin." He felt her ki spike with anger and flinched. She didn't reply.

"Kaoru-dono?" Her ki faded into sadness. Kenshin rested his forehead against the door.

"Kaoru," he started, hoping the dropping of the 'dono' would make her listen, "It's been called to my attention that sessha has been… a real jerk recently. Sessha just wanted to apologize, that I did." Now he knew she was listening. "Sessha never ever meant to make you cry, Kaoru. Sessha's really, truly sorry for that." He heard a rustling of fabric, as if she stood up.

"Then tell me why! I want to know…" Kenshin shut his eyes.

"Sessha… sessha can't, Kaoru." He whispered. "Not yet. But you will know soon." He heard her walk toward the door.

"How soon?" she asked warily. Kenshin smiled wryly. So distrusting.

"How's tomorrow night sound? Sessha'll make a deal. Don't ask me anything until then, and sessha will answer all your questions tomorrow night. Is that acceptable?" She thought for a moment. Her ki brightened.

"Hai!" Kenshin let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Good. Now could you go train Yahiko? He's worried you're sick." She chuckled, and opened the door. Kenshin kept his eyes on the floor, and on Kaoru's feet.

"Poor kid, I didn't know he cared. If he's so worried about his training, he can do a couple hundred swings before bed, can't he?" Kenshin smiled. That was the Kaoru he knew.

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I know I'm driving some of you nuts, but you'll find out Kenshin's plot in the next chapter, I swear it! Points to whoever can guess it, and I mean major points! Well, I think I'm done for now, the sun's just peeking over the horizon here. Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. If you don't, then Happy Thursday!