Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author' Note: Happy Valentine's Day. In honor of the day I've written this fluffy Sano/Megumi story. It's based off of a wonderful song called "Every once in a While" by Blackhawk. Read and Review if you want but Flames will be sent to Saitou so he can lit his cigarettes. Thanks!

Sweet Obsession

With a relieved sigh, Takani Megumi seated herself on the edge of the porch, in a patch of moonlight. It had been a long day and she was thankful to be alone for a few minutes, just her and her thoughts.

The Himuras had come to Aizu to visit her for a few days and they had brought Yahiko with them. Tomorrow they were going home and with them they would take the excitement they had brought into her life.

Megumi sighed again, she would miss them once they had left but at least for a little while she could pretend her life hadn't changed and she was back in Tokyo. They had all been there… except for him.

Sagara Sanosuke, the one man with the power to drive her to distraction even when he was on the other side of the world. Ever since he had left she had thought of no one else.

She would close her eyes and he'd be standing there. She'd find herself anxiously searching the faces in the waiting room, hoping to see him sitting there, that infuriating grin on his face and his right hand resting on his knee, the bandages bloody from one of his many fights. She'd even followed a man through downtown Aizu the week before because he was wearing a white gi and she thought it could have been Sano!

"Megumi, if you don't forget about him he's going to drive you insane." Megumi rubbed her forehead, wishing she could follow her own advice. She had tried to forget when he had first left. She had even encouraged several suitors to keep calling on her but in the end she had never loved any of them more then she loved Sano.

None of the men could even hope to measure up to Sano in her mind; even Ken-san had trouble equaling him in her mind.

No man in the world had the same kind eyes, the same resistant personality, the same frustratingly endearing charm that Sano had. When they touched, even if he just brushed past her on the street or if she bumped into him at the dojo, she felt a tingling energy shoot through her. But it didn't hurt, it felt good, natural even.

It felt like walking in the rain on a summer afternoon or feeling the wind brush through her hair. But as good as it felt, she wondered if Sano felt the same way, if he would understand what she meant. If he loved her with his whole heart the way she did.

She had never asked him, for fear that he'd just laugh, or that he did feel the same way. The thought that he did love her was almost more unnerving then the thought that he hated her. She could deal with hate and scorn. She had learned about those emotions growing up. But she didn't understand about love, she didn't know how to handle those feelings.

So she ignored them, only letting glimpses of them through every once in a while. And Sano had never even known or if he did, he didn't care.

But now she wanted to know how he felt. She wanted it as badly as she wanted to find her family. Did he even like her?

"Megumi no baka," Megumi lightly struck her forehead, "Of course he liked me. Why else did he only come to the clinic when I was working alone? He wanted to see me!" Megumi felt rather foolish talking to the moon but didn't stop. "I'm sure he's on his way home right now. After all the letter he sent us a few weeks ago did say he was on his way back after all…" Megumi's voice trailed off but she continued in a whisper, "You'll just have to ask him when you see him, that's all."

Megumi readjusted her position, leaning against a porch post, "Hmm…Sagara Megumi." She pronounced the name carefully and smiled. It fit her perfectly, almost better then her real name. "I could grow to like that name." she decided.

Her thoughts where distracted as someone sat down next to her, "Oh…Kaoru I thought you went to bed a long time ago." Megumi stammered as a deep blush covered her face and she quickly wondered how much of her ramblings Kaoru had heard.

"Well Kenji had a nightmare so I had to calm him down and then I saw you sitting out here alone and decided to see of you were all right."

"I'm fine, it's just been so hot lately that I'm enjoying the cool air that's all."

Kaoru smiled and looked towards the moon, Megumi following her gaze. After several minutes of silence Kaoru spoke, "I wonder what he's doing right now."

"What who is doing?" Megumi asked feigning confusion.

"Sano of course!" Kaoru smiled in amused exasperation.

"Probably getting into trouble, it's what he's good at." Megumi replied but she couldn't face Kaoru as she spoke, all too aware that the younger girl was studying the emotions that flashed across her face.

Then suddenly Kaoru asked another question, "Do you think of Sano much anymore?" she asked with a now knowing smile.

As memories of the discussion she had just had with herself surfaced, Megumi shrugged, "Oh every once in a while." As she spoke she grinned to herself, knowing her words were the understatement of the century.

Fin.

Author's Note 2: (Warning: Spoilers!) Watsuki did write a small story that went after the manga ended and in it, some of the Kenshin characters reunite and they also get a letter from Sano saying that he's almost ready to come home so that is were I got Megumi's thoughts about the letter. Again thanks for reading my story!

Translations:

Megumi no baka: Roughly translates into "Megumi you idiot"