Story Two: Mine
Her steps were quiet and nervous, as though afraid if she made one small noise, the world would explode around her. Megumi clutched her purse tightly; burgundy eyes flashing in all directions as moonlight the color of sour milk shadowed her face.
It was late at night, and Megumi was walking back to the clinic by herself. Usually, that idiot Rooster-Head Sano or even little Yahiko would walk her home, when Megumi ran errands after visiting the dojo; but when Megumi had left, it had been broad daylight.
Unfortunately, her treatment had taken longer than expected, and the sun had long sunk beneath the earth when Megumi had left her patient's home. The elderly chap she had been nursing was far too old to walk her home, though he had been polite in offering for his son to escort her. Megumi had declined. The way the young man's eyes shifted made Megumi doubt his integrity, and Megumi felt safer (at that point) going home alone.
And now, here was the fox lady, shivering with nervousness and cold in the night air. What if she was ambushed? A pretty lady like Megumi wouldn't go unnoticed from the eyes of men.
She had never longed for companionship as badly as she did now, even if it was out of fear. The looming shadows cast in the dark alleys of Tokyo, and the soft noises of creatures moving and speaking in the night was enough to make Megumi pine for even Sanosuke's guiding hand.
Sanosuke. Megumi reddened slightly, whispering hoarsely in the cold air, "That obnoxious, useless, freeloading, dim-witted…" …sweet, talented, kind, handsome man that Megumi silently adored. She felt awkward that someone like herself would fall for a petty street thug like Sano, even though Megumi knew Sagara Sanosuke wasn't petty and most definitely not a thug.
Megumi covered up her feelings by pretending to pine after Kenshin, hugging him and making sly comments to the redhead and watching Kaoru's face turn a rather disturbing shade of scarlet. Sano seemed to believe the charade, and no one had ever questioned Megumi's undying infatuation for Himura. Except, of course, Megumi herself.
I've never loved Ken-san, Megumi thought bitterly as she continued to slink down the abandoned road. I've never loved Kenshin more than I would a close friend, or a brother… but that dingbat rooster, he's always made me feel uncomfortable and embarrassed with his big grin and thoughtless remarks. Megumi considered it an affectionate response when she unceremoniously pounded a good few canyons into Sanosuke's rooster-head with her disgustingly heavy medicine box.
Then again, there were always times where Megumi couldn't keep up her lies, and she couldn't hide her fondness of the lanky brawler. When Sanosuke had been mysteriously attacked by an unknown person (later to be found as Saitou Hajime), knocked unconscious for three days and nights… Megumi had never felt so happy as to watch over him, taking turns guarding Sano with Kaoru. The tanuki-musume had no idea of Megumi's glee over the situation, since Megumi often comically slapped Sanosuke's forehead in attempt to wake him up.
But when they had been alone, when Kenshin—rather, Hitokiri Battousai—was dueling with Saitou in the dojo, Megumi had finally allowed herself to touch Sanosuke's face. It was just a simple brush of her fingertips, against that sun-kissed cheek of Sanosuke's features.
His eyes had opened, ironically, in that same second. Sharp chocolate orbs stared up with confusion at the startled fox, who had removed her hand with speed excelling the Hiten Mitsurugi Style. But Sanosuke said nothing, and simply stared up at Megumi with wide toffee eyes.
Of course, Megumi had blanketed the truth with explanations like, "Hm, I guess you don't have a fever then," and "Took you long enough, moron…I was considering dumping you in a coffin and getting it over with," or "What're you staring at, Rooster-Head? You look more like a raccoon than Kaoru does with your eyes bugging out."
Eventually, Megumi had been able to convince Sanosuke that her touch hadn't been affectionate by pretending she hadn't touched him at all.
I'm a pitiful case, Megumi thought sourly as she hobbled down the road, hugging herself in attempt to ward of the chilly night. Suddenly, she stopped. Looking around, Megumi found herself in unknown territory. The world was as dark and monotonous as ever, but the buildings were faded and tacky, unfamiliar and worn down.
Where…? Megumi gasped, her jaw dropping and eyes widening with horror. Kami-sama. I've gotten myself lost.
And so she had. Apparently, in the worst place Megumi could have lost herself; in the slums of Tokyo where Sagara's crowd slunk in shadows like sneaking rodents.
Megumi shivered, pressing herself against a nearby wall and ducking beneath the lit window. Oh no, oh no… Megumi's mind buzzed with terror. What do I do? I don't have anything to defend myself with, and no one's here to help me…
Shaking, Megumi licked her lips with anxiety. Slowly, as though afraid she might get caught, Megumi turned about on her heels and peered into the window just above her head.
Megumi grit her teeth. Of all the places… Inside, Megumi witnessed a bunch of snickering men, the stench of cheap sake gripping the air with a vice. They grasped bottles clumsily, downing the contents with absurd awkwardness and leisure.
Great. Megumi shivered again. I'm stuck outside a bar full of drunken hooligans. I applaud myself; due to daydreaming I'm trapped in the worst jam I can possibly manage.
Suddenly, an especially loud peal of laughter shattered Megumi's thoughts. "HAHAHAHAHA!" Megumi nearly jumped out of her skin, nervously turning about again to peek inside the bar. A young man with absurd auburn hair grinned widely from inside, taking a swig of his sake with boyish aptitude.
"I win!" yelled the intoxicated youth. "HAHAHAA! I win, old man! I win, win, win… pay up! Hehe…" Apparently the young man had been having a drinking contest with a middle-aged male, who was now gasping in his seat.
"Damn you…Shagara…" the loser snarled, shakily pulling out a few coins and letting them bounce onto the counter. The youth haphazardly collected them, studying each coin; even though he wouldn't know if it was real or not in his state.
"Win…haha," the boy repeated happily, taking another drink. "I win… you loshe… I win, win…"
"Shuddup, already," grumbled another man, who had a scar over his left eye. "Damned boysh dun know nuthin'… think they're sho damn shmart…"
"I am sho damn shmart!" the kid announced angrily, turning to face the offending drunk.
Megumi didn't know whether to be relieved or not. Sagara Sanosuke was inside that tavern; and if she waited, she could probably get him when he came out. On the other hand, Sano was as drunk as a fish drowning in ale.
What do I do? Megumi nearly felt like crying. Kami… I'm stuck! Trapped… I can't go in after him, because then the rest of them will see me…and what if Sano's so drunk he doesn't even recognize me? It's not like I am special to him. Megumi sighed. I can't leave, either…I might get in an even worse situation, and without the possibility of Sanosuke intervening.
She decided to wait it out. Somehow, Megumi would get out of this predicament. Right? she asked herself silently, her hands shaking with numbness and fear. Megumi bowed her head, sending thick, sleek strands of raven hair cascading over her shoulders. Hiding in the shadow, Megumi resumed to existing as only a shivering lump in the dead of night, awaiting her fate as it crept upon her.
KA-SMASH!
Megumi gasped, jumping with fright. Looking up desperately, and glancing into the window again, Megumi found that Sanosuke had given the man with the scar his powerful right, sending the fool flying across the room.
"Bashtard…" Sano spat, seating himself clumsily down again. However, the companions of the now unconscious man had other ideas.
Standing, four men surrounded Sanosuke with a menacing air. Sano looked about at them with arrogance, poking out his bottom lip in that fashion Megumi knew all too well.
The man behind Sano lashed out first, nearly catching Sano in the back of the head with a suntetsu, or a hidden dagger. Sanosuke instead whirled around, miracle of the day that he didn't get the blade in the nose. But of course, having his Rooster luck about him, Sano slipped and fell ungracefully onto his back; managing to fling one leg up and knee the attacker where it desperately hurt.
Megumi watched Sanosuke unsystematically fight the group of angry friends, punching and kicking with only half the strength Megumi knew the fighter had. This was probably so due to the huge consumption of alcohol Sano had drank, but the powerful attacks seemed to affect his opponents even so.
The group was brought down, leaving Sano with only a few bruises and minor scratches. He looked slightly less drunk; perhaps he had sweated the sake out of his system. However, Sanosuke looked quite ruffled and rather adorable to Megumi, with his agitated expression and disheveled hair.
A man Megumi supposed to be the bartender rushed to a safe distance from Sanosuke, though Megumi could tell this man was not one to cross. At least three heads taller than Sano, the burly man was muscled and bald, around the age of forty. If Sano insisted upon resisting the man, he wouldn't get away from the squabble without a broken limb or two.
"Sano…" Megumi breathed, as she watched the bartender scold Sanosuke angrily.
"Sagara, for the last time! I told you that I'd kick you out if you started another fight in my bar again!" the keeper snarled at the only half-listening Sano. Sanosuke had taken to instead balancing a sake cup on his nose. "Are you listening to me?"
"Nope," Sanosuke replied, as the sake cup tumbled from its perch and fell upon the tatami floor. He glowered at it with some disappointment, seizing it and trying his feat once more.
The bartender sighed. "Well then, git. You've drank more sake tonight than three men put together."
Whining, Sanosuke got up, swaying slightly as the giant man escorted him roughly to the exit. "Sh'thank me fer gettin' rid of the scum that comes into yer bar…"
"Git," repeated the bartender, and Sanosuke was unceremoniously shoved out the door. Sanosuke smirked, and was about to walk away when the door opened again, and the bartender seized the back of his jacket.
"Nice try," the man growled, snatching the stolen sake cup Sanosuke was still holding. He then let go of the bedazzled Rooster and shut the bar's door again.
Megumi gulped, scrambling to her feet as Sanosuke strolled a little unevenly down the alleyway. About to call out to him, Megumi yelped when suddenly a thick arm wrapped around her waist and a huge hand was pressed against her lips, cutting her shout off by half. "SANOS—"
Up ahead, Sanosuke fuzzily heard his name being called. Turning about in a rather dazed fashion, Sano looked for the one who had cried out his name. Finding no one, Sanosuke considered going on without a care.
But he couldn't. Something strangely familiar about the voice that had begun to call his name, something familiar about the smooth, Aizu accent caught Sano's attention. Who…? His mind functioned fuzzily, unable to comprehend what precisely this situation meant.
I dunno anyone from Aizu, Sano thought, blinking sluggishly as he went through the unusually stubborn attempt to figure things out. Filtering through his lists of friends, Sanosuke's brain grew more and more tired. Sanosuke was on the point of giving up with a huffing sigh when it hit him like cold water. Megumi.
His feet shifted as though by machinery, and Sanosuke took off like a man chased by demons. Sprinting with wild fear amid his intoxication, Sanosuke desperately searched for the Fox Lady. K'so…what's she doin' here! Megumi…!
His feet pounded on the turf as Sanosuke urgently inspected every alleyway nearby, calling out Megumi's name. Once he tripped, landing on his face and skidding a bit, causing marks anew to appear on Sanosuke's face and chest. Spitting out a bit of dirt mixed in with sake, Sanosuke got to his knees and then his feet; sprinting off again in unrelenting haste.
"Megumi! Megumi! Megumi? Megumi! MEGUMI!" Sanosuke slid to a halt as he nearly overlooked an alleyway to his left, pushing off one leg to bullet inside the dark passage.
Crushed against the alley wall, Megumi's cheek ground into the brick of the building as she was pinned savagely to the wall by the scarred man Sanosuke had knocked out earlier. She was unharmed for the majority, thank Jesus Almighty, save for a few scratches and bruises.
Sanosuke let out a feral roar, and before the evil man could even turn Sanosuke crushed his jaw with his knuckles. The man fell to the earth with a scream, and Sanosuke jumped on him and continued to pummel him with all the fury he could muster, his drunken state wearing off quite quickly.
"Damn—you—bastard—keep—yer—hands—offa—my—woman—or—I'll—kill—you!" Sanosuke shouted, striking the offender just beneath the ribcage. Blood exploded from the man's lips, staining Sanosuke's hands and jacket. He didn't care. Taking the scarred drunk by the collar, Sanosuke got to his feet and flung the villain around and slammed him viciously into the brick building.
Pinning him by the throat, Sanosuke drew back his bloody fist and snarled into the man's face, "Well! How do YOU like being crushed against the wall like that? Does it—" Savagely pounding the man with the moon-shaped scar over his eye in the stomach, Sanosuke took him again by the collar and flung him around onto the ground. "—hurt?"
Megumi had slid down onto her knees, tears of fear sliding down her ashen cheeks as she held herself, trying to get the feelings of being hurt like that out of her mind. Shivering, Megumi sobbed as she tried to block out the noises of whoever was attacking her offender; she couldn't see amid the flooding tears.
"S-Sano…" With an alarming shudder, Megumi sobbed his name. The terror and horror she had experienced when she had realized Sanosuke hadn't even turned around when she had called out his name when being kidnapped like that…the moron didn't even turn around.
Sanosuke paused in his onslaught and rage when he heard the bare whisper of his name. Dropping the blood and bruise saturated man, Sano cocked his head towards Megumi, appalled to see her curled up into a ball and holding her knees. Her hands were shaking, and her skirt was wet from her tears; her magenta eyes hidden behind her raven locks as she cowered in the shadow.
"Megumi…" Crawling over to his fox, Sanosuke almost reached out to touch her, but then withdrew. One who felt like Megumi did now wouldn't savor male touch. So, Sanosuke resorted to whispering into her ear. "Megumi, it's me. It's Sano. Ya don't need to be scared, I'm right here and no one's gonna hurt you like that again."
As he scooted a bit closer, Sano was aware that one lace of her smock was undone, sliding down her shoulder to reveal smooth white skin and the beginnings of her chest. As appeasing as this was, Sanosuke let no intentions come over him as he gently took off his jacket, placing it around her shoulders so Megumi remained decent without being touched.
Megumi sobbed again, squeezing her eyes shut as the rough fabric of Sanosuke's "aku" jacket settled around her, slaying the biting claws of the night. Holding it close around her, Megumi shivered and looked up at Sano, her eyes bleeding tears.
"S-Sano…" Megumi stammered, looking at the grief-stricken fighter sitting cross-legged next to her.
"Megumi," Sanosuke made as though to touch her arm, but silently scolded himself and placed the hand on his knee. Megumi was aware of this, realizing his train of thought. "Meg… I'm so…sorry… I heard you yell, but I was drunk and couldn't figure out who you were or where you'd gone… I was almost too late, and… and I… Kami, Megumi! I'm sorry."
Sanosuke wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, causing blood to smear on his face. He had never been good with words, and Sano had never regretted the fact until now. Why couldn't he just say something to make this all go away? Why couldn't he think of something to ensure Megumi's happiness, and her safety? To make the demons surrounding her go away? Why?
Megumi looked at him, her eyes huge and wet on her face; red as the blood on Sanosuke's hands and cheekbones. She knew what was inside his heart when their eyes met; Sanosuke's frantic, desperate, russet orbs locked with Megumi's frightened, shocked maroon eyes.
Sanosuke was frozen. All of the feelings he had been secretly nursing for the Fox Lady built up inside of him, coiling in his stomach and snaking their way up to his tongue, begging for him to say it. To reveal of how much Sano cherished Megumi's presence in his life, the laughs and dangers they had been through, the gratefulness for Megumi's generosity considering her free treatments that Sano never expressed, the aching love Sanosuke wished to profess.
As Sano drowned in the sea of lost words, Megumi felt her own heart thud accusingly in her ears. So long, she had never told Sano… so long, Megumi lied to the world and to herself that she could never feel for Sagara Sanosuke, and the feelings must be a test from the other side… so long, Megumi had kept herself alone and unhappy.
But what guarantee was there that telling Sano of her love would make her happy? What if Sano didn't return the affection? That would make everything utterly and disgustingly worse. And Megumi felt she couldn't take that; she would not tell Sano.
Though her lips were behaving, her body rejected this decision and went on its own accord. Getting onto her knees, Megumi slowly and gently allowed herself to crawl shyly into Sanosuke's lap, drawing her legs up to her face again and resting her chin on her knees, pressing her cheek against Sano's bare chest.
Sanosuke watched in awe and confusion as Megumi closed her eyes, her tears coming to a slow. "M-Megumi?" Sano whispered hoarsely, his voice dry from screaming at the now cataleptic man angrily minutes before.
Megumi opened her eyes and looked at him. She did nothing else, but gave Sano this dauntingly focused stare that passed right through his soul. His throat twitched when he swallowed, blinking in apprehension.
"…Can you…" Sanosuke blinked when Megumi spoke, the utter vulnerability of the doctor hitting him like a freight train at the sound of her shaking voice. She continued, repeating herself as though unsure. "Can you…make it go…away?"
In answer to his frightened and confused stare, Megumi clasped the collar of the jacket around her and pulled it down just enough to expose her shoulder. She looked back up at Sanosuke with a haunted expression that sent an anxious chill up Sano's spine. "It burns. My…my skin does."
Sanosuke, glancing at Megumi for granted permission, lifted his left hand and lightly touched her shoulder. Megumi shivered at the cold contact, and Sano panicked slightly. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her further, even if it was just because of the cold.
To his surprise, however, Megumi's hand floated up and pressed his barely touching fingertips against her arm, until Sano was holding her. His other arm came around her waist, pulling Megumi closer to Sanosuke in embrace.
Megumi looked up at Sanosuke again, making him shiver as well. Her eyes looked so haunting; her wine-red irises bleached around the center rim from the moonlight. "It feels better," she whispered softly, shaking and she pressed her face into Sano's chest again. "But only there… when Sanosuke touches me, it becomes hard for me to remember…"
"Where else did he touch you?" came Sano's soft question, hoping in this way, he could make those demons flee. Sanosuke's abandoned reputation as Zanza the Fighter-For-Hire had described him a demon, with his giant Zanbatou and the character for wicked upon his back; the image that plagued the dreams of his opponents for months. But now, Sano had turned; and it was his job to drive the demons away.
Megumi hesitantly put her hand to her face. Sanosuke's large palm captured hers momentarily, giving the back of her hand a soft caress with his thumb before freeing it. Cupping her cheek gently, Sanosuke stroked Megumi's face as she leaned into his chest again. Her face was wonderfully smooth and soft, so unlike Sanosuke's scruffy and rough cheek. A difference that Sano revered and respected; making sure to make his feelings clear through his complete gentleness, and the elaborate effort he put into tracing patterns of happy things with his fingers and palm onto Megumi's pastel features.
Next Megumi motioned to her collarbone. Sanosuke knew what she really meant, but couldn't bring himself to touch her there. So, instead, he arched his neck and buried his face into Megumi's shoulder, nudging her own out of the way by nuzzling her cheek. Megumi let her head fall to the side, resting in the forest of spiky tresses, otherwise Sanosuke's 'Rooster' hair.
Pressing his lips to Megumi's collarbone, Sano felt her tense and glanced up to double check she was okay with that. Megumi looked a little embarrassed, unsure of how to reply.
Lifting his head, Sanosuke stared into Megumi's nervous eyes, blinking before leaning forward to put his forehead gently against hers. Blinking again, Sano looked curiously into Megumi's eyes, which had widened slightly due to Sano's closeness.
"Megumi," he whispered, Sanosuke's warm breath sliding down Megumi's neck like balmy water. "Takani Megumi… are you scared of me?"
What kind of question is that? Megumi wondered, refusing to look away from Sano. Why would I be afraid of him, especially now? He's made me feel… feel… "No," Megumi murmured back, confused and nervous.
Sanosuke blinked again, the motion oddly languid. "Then tell me what I am thinking."
Megumi's lips turned into a tight, ruby line. Feeling the words pose on her tongue, Megumi hesitated still as she delayed in replying. Should Megumi really say it? What if she was wrong, and Sano meant something else? What if Megumi completely ruined the moment with the wrong answer?
But the impending speech leapt from her tongue to her lips, spreading wings and taking flight into the air with a flurry of breath. "I… I love you?" Megumi asked in an undertone, her voice trembling.
A smile split Sanosuke's face; the quirk of his lips being an oddly calm smile, considering that it was coming from Sagara Sanosuke, aka Kenkaya Zanza. "I love you," Sano murmured, and chastely pressed his lips to Megumi's; careful not to let any tainted passion control his kiss, making sure to involve love alone.
Megumi closed her eyes, the residual stinging from the scarred man's touch dissolving like a sugar cube as Sanosuke's lips moved across hers. He made no suggestive nips, bites, or application for tongue; but strangely enough Megumi was filled with even more desire when Sanosuke left her, anyways.
"Sanosuke…" Megumi whispered, as the ex-Fight Merchant pulled her into a tight hug, the top of her head fit snugly beneath Sanosuke's jaw.
"I love you, Megumi," Sano breathed. "You're mine."
Megumi fell silent; clutching Sanosuke's broad back as she lost herself in Sanosuke's embrace and scent. He smelled like sweat and cinnamon; combined they created a scent that Megumi had only briefly caught before this point, but truth be told Megumi could simply drown herself in the fragrance.
Sanosuke watched the pleasing expression of peace without disturbance fall over Megumi, as her eyes slid shut, and sleep overtook the young lady doctor. Waiting a moment, Sanosuke shifted and slipped an arm underneath Megumi's legs, standing and carrying the fox bridal-style.
Sanosuke strolled down the alley, giving the knocked-out thug a good kick as he passed by. The sick freak was so drunk and bloodied up he didn't even groan. Sano shot him a nasty look as he carried his lady home, muttering, "I'll be back for you."
Politely and carefully, Sanosuke dug through Megumi's obi for her house key once he had reached the fox's well-kept den. Unlocking the door and stepping inside, Sano was sure not to injure or disturb Megumi's sleep as he silently made his way to (after a bit of uncertain exploration) the location of Megumi's room.
Laying Megumi gently on her futon, Sanosuke slipped off her shoes, his aku jacket, and her smock so that Megumi was wearing only her torn kimono. Sano, unwilling to undress her completely (that might upset her in the morning), pulled the blankets over her, and laid his jacket out over top.
Bending over, Sanosuke placed a quick kiss on Megumi's forehead. "Oyasumi nasai, Kitsune-chan," he murmured. "Goodnight, Megumi."
-
Megumi awoke the next morning to find herself entangled in her blankets, and a familiar piece she recognized as Sanosuke's white "wicked" jacket. She blinked unsurely as last night's events came flooding back to her, and she shakily clutched her fist over her heart. Megumi glanced down at her torn kimono, and brushed her fingertips over the skin Sanosuke had comforted.
"God," she whispered. "God, how I love him…"
As if He were to say, "I know," Megumi felt a warmth blossom in her soul. She looked over to find a note placed over her folded smock and her shoes. Picking it up, Megumi found it was from Sano.
As she read it, gleeful tears came to Takani Megumi's eyes, and she immediately got up without hesitation; flinging off her blankets to flee her bedroom to find proper clothing. She couldn't help but laugh.
The note lay on her futon, unfolded to read:
Megumi—I hoped you slept okay. I was kinda worried about you. Anyways after takin you home I went back for that one guy, and took him to the police. Ha ha you shoulda seen the look on Saitou's face when I dragged in that bastard and told the cricket chief to lock him up. Anyways hows bout me and you go for lunch today? …well, I think the most I can afford is the Akabeko's sukiyaki… uh…well, that's actually going on my tab, but I can give you lessons on how to skip bills! Aw damn…you know what I mean. Sorry. But yeah, I'll need to get my hand bandaged again…both of them are really messy this time and I think one of my fingers has been pulled out of its socket or whatever… or can that only happen to people's arms? Never mind. See ya soon, Fox Lady. –Sano
PS: Mine.
OWARI.
MadiSano: I've never done a fic like this one before; it was rather serious compared to what I usually write. I hope I haven't offended anyone by including Megumi's assault, because I don't treat things like that lightly, and decided only to spare your guys of the angst I could have written here. Also, this is my first time writing a lovey-dovey scene with Sano and Megumi in that way, though I HIGHLY doubt I'll ever write an actual (this wasn't, of course,) lime scene. O . o LOL. Anyways, this fic was a bit longer than the last, and I give credit to the roots of this idea to SakuraDancer3, who gave me the idea of Megumi getting jumped by some badguys and Sano coming to the rescue! Thanks, Sakura-san, and I hope to read another of your reviews.
I remind you again; since I like to please my readers and give them something new and interesting to read, I accept requests and challenges in the forms of reviews. ...my, doesn't that little blue (or purple, whatever, lol!) button look inviting? Why not push it? Hehe... well, until next time! Ja ne!
