Intoxicated: Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing, not even my soul anymore. Oh well, I do have the manga…………..

Update: Kaoru and Kenshin made up. Kenshin loves Sano, time to find out if Sano feels the same way….

Sano woke up with a pounding headache. He sat up and the room lurched. Why am I in so much pain? He asked himself. Oh yeah … all that alcohol. Yup, that would do it. Hope I didn't do anything I'll regret. Oh, that's right I slept with the redhead. Hmmm, don't regret that. But did he really have to up and leave right afterward. He always struck me as more of a cuddler. I guess he didn't really mean all that stuff about loving me…. He is one damn good liar, saying all that just to sleep with me. I can't believe that he took advantage of me like that, I was drunk for Christ's sake. Sake, sake bad, no more sake for a long time.

Sano got up and went about fixing himself something to cure the headache and finding fresh clothes. For some reason he couldn't find his underwear.

Kenshin was practically skipping through the halls when Kaoru woke up. She blushed furiously when she asked him to clean up the mess he had made last night. After all, she didn't want to remember the reason for the stains, let alone spend the morning scrubbing the mats to get rid of them. Kenshin pinched her cheek and showed her that he had already taken care of them, scoured the rest of the dojo spotless and fixed breakfast.

Hesitant that it would be as bad as her cooking, she squeezed her eyes trying the first bite of normal looking rice balls and fish.

"Oh my god Kenshin, these are delicious…" She ate like a starving man.

"Thanks, I haven't cooked in so long…" He was cut short by Kaoru smacking him with a chopstick, which didn't really hurt, stung horribly.

"Why did you make us sit through our cooking when you were so good! You're so lazy!" Kaoru then proceeded to throw everything she could reach at him.

"What's goin' on in he…. Kaoru, did you order out, this stuff looks edible." Yahiko stumbled into the kitchen rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. After several shrieks and more thrown food, they all survived through another breakfast.

"So, what time do you want to go see Sano?" Kaoru asked she and Kenshin cleaned the dishes. He paused a second before handing her the next dish to dry.

"Um, I was hoping we could put it off until tomorrow…." He trailed off and wouldn't look up from cleaning the dishes.

"If you wait that long he'll think you're avoiding you. Waiting will make it worse, not better."

"What if he isn't there? I mean that is a long way to walk for him not to be there."

"I need more tofu anyway."

"What if he doesn't like me anymore…"

"How about this, we'll give you a bath, get you a beautiful new kimono and get your hair done. You'll look wonderful and he won't be able to resist you."

"Kaoru, I said I loved him, but he never said he loved me…"

"He'll say it, as soon as his tongue untwists from seeing you all dressed up." And with that she grabbed his arm and dragged him into town before he could protest. Inside Kenshin was grinning from ear to ear thinking of Sano saying he loved him.

First Kenshin and Kaoru found him a beautiful new kimono. It was a deep blue like the see and had silver fish swimming along the hem and the sleeves. To match they got him charcoal grey hakama with flecks of silver thread through out. Next they took a stop in at the spa. Skin treatments, bathing, and some lotion later, Kenshin stepped out of the dressing room wearing the new kimono and hakama. Kaoru felt like she'd been hit by a train. The deep blue brought out Kenshin's amazing eyes, the grey of the hakama made his skin shine like snow at dusk and his hair was the sunset over that snow. Even his expression was new. He looked comfortably confident, not arrogant but like he knew exactly how Sano would feel seeing him. And Sano wouldn't be angry.

"Let's go try this out on our friend." Kaoru finally found her voice. Kenshin offered his arm and they walked down the street toward Sano's arm in arm, about to burst with happiness.

Dong! They rang the bell at Sano's door, waiting patiently in his gorgeous courtyard. Kenshin was wondering why he had spent so much time at the dojo with a house like this. The garden was amazing, lush greens and vibrant flowers ran rampant with a planned grace. Sano must spend a lot of time here, keeping this forest beautiful and perfect, Kenshin thought. He had this sweet picture of Sano bent over a rose vine, carefully avoiding the thorns and trimming the dead buds and old leaves, brow furrowed with concentration.

Kenshin came back to himself when he heard footsteps coming toward the door. The door slid open and Sano was there. But something was wrong, his blank expression had turned quickly to anger. Before either Kenshin or Kaoru could talk, Sano said "Get out.", and slammed the door in their faces. The lock clicked into place.

Hope you like it. Sorry it took so long to update, but my computer and I were having issues, and I had to think up what was to happen next. I honestly didn't plan to actually continue the story past the first chapter, I expected bad reviews and was gonna drop this one for a better thought out plot. Thanks for the reviews and the encouragement. Ideas are ALWAYS good, don't be shy. I will try to update faster this time.

Translations for you weirdos who didn't have a clue what I was talking about:

Hakama- Kenshin's kick ass pants (yes, they have a name, how cool is that?)

Sake- Japanese wine made form rice, a hell of a lot weaker than normal wine (in other words, Sano is a lightweight with alcohol)

Kimono- please tell me you know what this is, oh god, you idiot, it's his shirt. I hate you for making me tell you.

Love to All, Sunshine Llama.