Story Nine: When You Say Nothing At All
Megumi watched as Sanosuke slept softly, making only soft muffled noises as he rested. He looked so perfect, lying in the grass beside Megumi, beneath the stars. They twinkled and flickered in the sleeping sky above, winking down at Megumi from far away.
Two young children cuddled up to their father, both a boy and a girl. The girl slept in the crook of Mr. Sagara's arm, her little face buried into her daddy's chest. Her ruffled auburn hair hung stubbornly in her eyes, which were closed in rest and concealed her bright brown eyes with long lashes. Despite Sagara Seiko's roughhousing habits (inherited from the obvious parent), both her mother and father knew already that it was going to be a challenge to keep her safe from the potential crowd of suitors one day.
The younger sibling had his arms around his otousan's neck, fast asleep on Sanosuke's chest. Sagara Hisoki was the subsequent child, the one born some time after Seiko. The two were certainly nothing alike: while Hisoki was a quiet, shy, but amazingly intelligent boy; Seiko was more concerned on how to bite off her father's ear or finger, and of what work of art to create on her mother's office wall with her snack food. Supposedly, the second child was usually the wild one, but the case was reversed in this situation.
Megumi watched her snoozing family with silent joy, reaching out to brush one of Sanosuke's thin bangs out of his eyes. She then bent over to kiss just near his eye, making sure not to disturb little Hisoki or Seiko.
Stirring, Megumi's husband opened his eyes blearily and frowned slightly as they focused. Conscious of his resting children, Sanosuke smiled and looked at Megumi with a twinkle in his chocolate eyes.
It's amazing how you
can speak right to my heart.
Without saying a word,
you can light up the dark…
Try as I may, I could never explain,
What I hear when you don't say a thing…
Sighing softly, Megumi lay down next to her lover, placing her head on his shoulder. His right arm came up behind her to hold her close, and a warm smile spread Sanosuke's lips. Megumi smiled back, looking at him and the slumbering Hisoki, who had his forehead tucked up against Sano's chin. The two looked incredibly alike, save for that Hisoki did not have his father's Rooster hair, though it did spike up in the cutest places. Seiko simply refused to have her hair brushed, and threatened to bite if anyone dare try.
Hisoki stirred, and opened his big red-brown eyes curiously. Being a introverted child, he made no noise except for a soft snuffling, and he yawned. Sanosuke grinned, and Hisoki frowned in puzzlement. Another thing that Hisoki did not have in common with his father was his eyes. Hisoki had much wider and innocent eyes than Sano had, and Megumi's coloring. In contrast, Seiko's beautiful but narrowed brown eyes always portrayed her father's attitude, rather dangerously. But she still lay, sleeping soundly.
Megumi laughed softly, craning her neck to press her lips briefly to the corner of Sanosuke's mouth. Hisoki, jealous of the consideration, silently pushed his mother from Sanosuke, and gave her a hug; squeezing his eyes shut in determination to win his okkasan's attention. Sanosuke chuckled softly as his son clung desperately to Megumi as she sat up, holding Hisoki fondly.
Sanosuke watched as Megumi kissed Hisoki's forehead, the boy smiling happily at the gentle affection he loved to receive.
The smile on your face
lets me know that you need me.
There's a truth in your eyes,
saying you'll never leave me.
A touch of your hand says
you'll catch me if ever I fall.
You say it best,
when you say nothing at all.
Hisoki nuzzled his mother's neck, feeling very much at home. Megumi wasn't sure of how exactly she was going to tell Hisoki in a few years, when he turned six or seven, that he had grown much too heavy for her to carry around. The boy loved attention and loved to be held, kissed, and hugged. Megumi doubted that would ever change, but it amused her that Seiko one day might be able to beat the crap out of any hooligan, while Hisoki would simply faint or flee for his life.
She supposed she'd worry about it later. Megumi stroked the back of Hisoki's untamed midnight hair, listening to the soft breathing of the drowsy child. He was so sweet. Megumi looked over at Sanosuke, who was half-asleep, his russet eyes glinting in the starlight as the man struggled to stay awake, just like his child.
Chuckling, Megumi lay down and nestled into her husband's chest, making sure Hisoki was comfortable and undisturbed. Sanosuke turned his face leisurely to bury his face into Megumi's hair with a soft sigh, and she felt his lips twitch into a smile.
Seiko mumbled something in her sleep, and it was only that and the soft beating of Sagara Sanosuke's heart that reached Megumi's ears as she closed her eyes.
All day long I can hear
people talking out loud.
But when you hold me near,
you drown out the crowd.
Old Mister Webster
could never define
what's being said
between your heart and mine.
A while later, they left, and returned home. Sanosuke drowsily carried sleeping Seiko on his shoulders, holding her little feet gently to keep her in place as his daughter rested her head and hands in Sano's outrageous hair.
Megumi still held Hisoki, who was now fast asleep, as she opened the front door to the Sagara residence, allowing her husband and children inside first before locking the door behind her.
It was dark inside the home, of course, but it only took a moment for Megumi to ignite a dim lamp, flooding light into the room and casting dancing shadows that moved in rhythm to the flame. Sano looked at Megumi, who nodded silently. They accompanied one another to Seiko and Hisoki's room, where they placed either child in their beds. It took a moment for Sanosuke to put Seiko on her little futon, for his daughter had entangled her fingers stubbornly in his impossibly thick hair. After a few complications and some assistance from Megumi, Seiko was freed and put to bed, still asleep.
Hisoki was easily put to bed, breathing softly as usual when Megumi laid him to sleep. Almost immediately the boy rolled onto his side, like he usually did, and hid his face in his pillow. Megumi often worried that Hisoki might smother himself in the night, so she therefore replaced her son on his back. He made a grumbling noise, and resumed his position. This had happened before; nevertheless Megumi kept trying to train Hisoki into a different sleeping arrangement. It didn't work this time, either.
Sanosuke's muscled arms slipped through her own, and Sano held her against him, smiling happily and kissing Megumi's neck. She let her head fall to one side, so that it rested against Sano's gently; and for a moment, they stood there, together, in silence.
The smile on your face
lets me know that you need me.
There's a truth in your eyes,
saying you'll never leave me.
A touch of your hand says
you'll catch me if ever I fall.
You say it best,
when you say nothing at all…
Yawning, Sanosuke cleared his throat quietly. He released Megumi from his embrace, taking her hand. With one last glance to make sure both children were sleeping peacefully, and with convincing confirmation, the two smiled contentedly with soft joy.
Kissing his wife's lips chastely, Sano nuzzled her face for a moment, before squeezing Megumi's hand lovingly and leading her out of Seiko and Hisoki's bedroom. Their feet made soft padding noises as they crossed the tatami floor, to the room just next door to their children's.
Moonlight flowed in from the window sill, splashing pools of silver light on the floor, wooden furniture, and the soft covers of the futon lying in the center of the room. Their footsteps cast shadows on the flooring, and soon Sanosuke and Megumi lay silent on their bedding, his arms tight around her waist. Megumi sighed quietly, pressing her face into Sano's chest, his soft breathing and the steady thud of his heartbeat breaking the silence.
Sano smiled tiredly, pressing his lips to Megumi's forehead before closing his eyes. Megumi…I love you…
The smile on your face
lets me know that you need me.
There's a truth in your eyes,
saying you'll never leave me.
A touch of your hand says
you'll catch me if ever I fall.
You say it best,
when you say nothing at all…
OWARI.
MadiSano: And thus, we have CrimeSceneSC's request! Thank you very much for asking for this songfic; it was sort of... well, mellow, and I like the change in my style when I wrote it. Thank you all for helping me grow! Also, I have an apology to make. I sent SweetMisery49 an email, but I'd also like to say here that I'm very sorry--the last oneshot "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" was requested by SweetMisery49 and I'm very sorry for not remembering to say so! (sighs) Being the bubblehead I am, this won't be my last mistake. I can't WAIT to see what I do next. LOL! XD Maybe I should videotape myself.
Up next is a fanfic I wrote a while back, but I left unfinished. I found it a few days ago, finished, and edited it...I overall like it to a decent extent. It has a weird title, so don't be too surprised..."Hamsters,Golfish, and Cap Erasers".XD Yes, I know... what have I done? Not too many comments about my idea for Seiko's first date...if you simply have no idea of what I'm talking about, read the second paragraph of my authors note in chapter 8! Thank you all very much! Ja ne!
