Story Twelve: No One Else
It was a good day. No—it was a great day in the life of Sagara Sanosuke, ex-Sekihoutai cadet and current freeloading, ne'er-do-well teenager. Kenshin had made a smashing lunch, Sanosuke actually won a game of dice, and after assisting a foreign woman with some thugs (it was quite a fun fight, too) she offered him free Western ice-cream. Of course, the man with the bottomless stomach had devoured the entire thing, only to find that he had to take off the wrapper in order to eat the cone. Unfortunately he had already swallowed a mouthful of the paper, but he didn't mind so much.
Sanosuke hummed as he walked, kicking an empty bento box as he strolled his way to the Oguni Clinic. Nothing could destroy his mood now—Sano was as happy as a peach, which was quite an odd comparison if you think about it.
To make things better, Sanosuke was going to see his Foxy Lady, Megumi. Teasing her and watching her beautiful face contort in exasperation was a weekly leisure, and surely it would be no different this time. It was a great day!
Grinning happily, Sanosuke made his way up to the Clinic door, pushing it open casually with his forearm. About to rudely shout out for Megumi, his words were choked and mangled in his throat when he stepped inside.
It had been too good to last. Of course, Sano would have a brilliant day, only for it to end the worst way possible. No. No. No. No. No. Sanosuke's jaw worked, his lips making no sound as they parted in horror, his toffee eyes wide in shock.
Megumi was kissing him. That man. Right there. Right in the middle of the Clinic. Kissing one of her patients. She had her hands on the man's shoulders; the latter's digits gripping her waist, feeling her through the cloth. Sano's breathing writhed in his lungs, and a low choking noise strangled his voice as a feral, guttural growl snuck its way into the frightened silence. Megumi broke away from the man, catching sight of Sanosuke. "Sano—" she cried, and the man turned to glower at the stammering teen.
"…ah…ah…" Sanosuke stuttered, his fists clenching at his sides. His feet were frozen in place, refusing to charge at the man to beat the intestines out of him. Instead, they turned in place and dashed out of the Oguni Clinic.
He refused to turn around, despite Megumi's frantic calls, and Sanosuke ran at his full limit. Down the road he dashed, his heart shattering—he had seen Megumi, whom he secretly but fervently admired; just the sight of the smirking Fox sent his heart skipping…he had seen her paying affection to another. He had been practically sucking her face off! What had Sano done this time to deserve this!
Sanosuke huffed and jumped a fence, uncaring that he had nearly stepped on an unsuspecting feline that was sent yowling. He fled across town, a streak of white as he sprinted through the crowd until he came to his community in the red-light district.
Passing his neighbor's apartments, he quickly slid open his own and raced inside, ignoring the stares from the onlookers. He burst through his curtains and let himself drop, panting, on his futon.
As he lay facedown, all of his emotions came clashing, like a giant wave. He rested his cheek on his forearms, trying to capture his breath as the horrifying memories of Megumi with that man surged in from all corners. Everything he looked at reminded him—everything! The color of his futon, a sheer black with a few stains matched the black gi of the snake that had been with Sano's Fox—a-and that red wrist wrap Sano always wore on his forearm was the exact hue of Megumi's ruby lips when she… in horror Sanosuke got to his knees, ripping the cloth savagely from his wrist and throwing it aside, collapsing thereafter upon his futon in tremors.
"Oh God, oh God, oh God!" Why was this affecting him so? Since when was Sagara Sanosuke so emotionally unstable and prone to heartbrokenness when his loyalty was betrayed? Oh yes, only about ten years ago when, as an innocent youth, he saw his friends blasted to bits of bloody flesh by the Imperialists, and his father figure executed and humiliated publicly like a Godforsaken criminal.
Kenshin held Sano's trust. The redhead had helped to smooth over the wrinkles in Sano's outlook on life, giving Sanosuke an elder brother figure that never let him down. Kenshin always remained strong, and…well, beat the crap out of Sano when he needed it. But Kenshin didn't own the trust and loyalty like Sanosuke secretly bestowed upon Megumi. Oh, no—never would anyone sooth the itching wounds in the chambers of Sano's heart like Megumi could. She hadn't tried yet, but Sano knew that somehow she could, she could—if she would only try.
It was like the Sekihoutai all over again, only in a different sense. Megumi wasn't dead. But she was unreachable. Claimed. Not his. Not Sano's. Someone else had his Fox. The Fox Sanosuke was so sure he'd leash one day. Gone.
Sanosuke's chest heaved, his breathing slowing down at last. He swallowed back the tense feeling that he was sure would bring tears; he wouldn't cry. Oh, no. Not Sano. Sanosuke wouldn't cry, not over this—he cried enough over the Sekihoutai, and now he was all cried out. He wouldn't dishonor his manhood by bursting into sobs over the broken loyalty…over a woman. No.
I wonder what it felt like. Sanosuke took a shuddering breath as his thoughts entered a weirdly shocked and calm stage. I wonder what it felt like to hold her like that. To feel her love me, like I want to love her…I wonder what it felt like. Maybe Megumi's better off with that guy…
THOCK. "Damn." Sanosuke retrieved the fist he had plunged into his futon, cursing himself for thinking like that. The scene in the Clinic revived itself again and again in Sano's mind, painting the scene with steely strokes into his eyes, into his mind, and into his heart. Could he survive this? Hell no, Sanosuke resolved. Could he find closure? No. Could he get that woman out of his mind for good? Noooooooo.
The poor boy was a lovesick puppy and he sometimes felt good about it, too. But now he hated himself for it. Why lovesick? Why not just a crush? Something like a crush would hurt, but it wouldn't drive him insane like this. Why did Sanosuke have to go so deep into his soul and love her so much that it made him lay awake every night, thinking about her long black hair and untamed wine-red eyes? Why did Sano dream about her every night, wishing to the ceiling that he was with her now? Why did Sano give her such aching looks when he knew she wasn't looking, praying that she would catch him in the act and question him. Listen to him. Maybe even accept him.
But it never happened. Nothing ever did. He was as ignored as an amateur artist; Sanosuke felt his heart rend in two all over again as he realized this. His attempts were futile, his smiles empty, his gestures overlooked, his words unheard in the eyes and ears of Takani Megumi.
And it hurt.
-
SLAP!
"Get away from me!" Megumi shouted at her stunned patient, who held his face with an uninjured hand. Megumi had tears in her eyes, realizing just what had taken place seconds before, when Sanosuke had walked in on her patient grabbing her by surprise and kissing her without permission. To balance herself and prevent her from falling, Megumi had shoved her hands onto his shoulders, still frozen by horrified shock.
"Geez, woman…" the man snarled, and was about to go on, when Megumi pointed to the door.
"You're finished," she said in a dead voice with eyes to match, "now get out."
Grumbling, the man stood and walked across the room, and left the Oguni Clinic. Megumi watched him go, her breathing uneven and her eyes filled now with rage and desperate worry. The hurt, the shock, the anger, and the fright on Sanosuke's beautiful features had grasped Megumi's heart with a chilling vice…
He's upset, Megumi realized, slumping to her knees on the floor as she held herself tight. He's angry. But…it's not my fault… Slapping her open palm on the wooden floor as thought to punish it, Megumi grit her teeth and stared down at the wood with utter rage. I had it going. I had Sano going. I was close to telling him; maybe I would have told him tonight that I cared for him… I've been planning and strategizing for a week, hoping for the positive outcome, and yet this had to happen!
Her hand closed into a fist. Kaoru had told her before, not too long ago, that Sanosuke was harboring feelings for Megumi that were obvious to everyone but Megumi herself. "The way he looks at you when your back is turned," Kaoru had said, "it's like reading a book, Megumi! I think he really cares for you. He's never looked at anyone like that before."
And Megumi wanted that. She wanted Sano to care for and look at her like he had no one before; Megumi wanted that more than she did her job. And that one moment, that one moment when that stupid man had to take advantage of her and kiss her; Sanosuke just had to barge in. He just had to.
Megumi was never a lucky one. She went through terrors unnamed, surviving the depths of Hell by clinging to chains of opium, to be miraculously saved by a brown-eyed angel whom she loved, secretly, very much. And it seemed so right to love him! How could such a thing go so horribly wrong?
-
Sanosuke had risen from his trance, finally dragging himself tooth and nail off of his futon. Unsteadily and with insecurity he took the steps to the door, allowing moonlight to pour into his apartment. He didn't realize that he had lay awake half of the night, staring at the ceiling and questioning his heart, mind, soul, and capability to really live. He hadn't come to any satisfactory conclusion. And in times and places like those in the life of Sagara Sanosuke, there was one thing that he was accustomed to do.
Drink. He made his miserable way to the nearest tavern; his eyes dark and filled with pain as he slid open the front door to enter the bar. No one paid him much attention, though a few shady characters turned and whispered, "Kenkaya Zanza," to another, but that was usual—and Sano didn't care and couldn't care even if it wasn't.
He slid into a seat, and ordered sake. When it was brought to him, Sanosuke downed it easily in minutes, letting the alcohol take affect in his system. Trying to make the images go away…maybe he'd allow himself to get so particularly wasted Megumi would be erased from his mind forever. Again and again he ordered more, and more, and more; until he collapsed against the counter, drawing up his arms to hide his flushed face. His plan didn't work, at all. The more sake Sanosuke drank, the more and more fervent Megumi's lovely image slipped into his mind, her voice echoing inside his ears, her smell of crisp lavender ravaging his nose.
He almost wanted to cry; how to make this go away! Was he so impossibly in love with this woman that Sagara Sanosuke was doomed forever to be a walking, talking case of a lovesick creature that does nothing but sulk and languish in his lovelorn state?
Why couldn't he just disappear? Melt away, alone, forgotten, floating in an endless void without feeling or injury? Why? Sanosuke squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face clumsily deeper into his folded arms, remaining in his defeated state until he felt a light touch on his shoulder.
Sano wanted it to be her. Megumi. He wanted to see her hovering over him, come to his rescue, but no…Megumi wouldn't endanger herself like that, not in his neighborhood. She wouldn't come here, not for him. Instead, a different woman stood over Sanosuke, smiling slickly down at him with an expression like that of a cat that had just captured an injured mouse in its claws.
"Hey, there," she purred, sliding next to Sanosuke and letting her hand slip over his shoulder and onto his chest. Sano stared back at her obliviously, blinking like a confused child; but a definite shiver ran through him at the feel of the woman's fingernails scraping lightly over his bare skin.
The stranger smiled wide, lifting herself onto her knees and letting herself drape like a coat over his shoulders, a hand still petting Sano's torso rhythmically. Nuzzling Sanosuke's hypnotized, dazed features, she growled softly, "You look kinda lonely, big boy…"
Feeling his body react to this in ways he fuzzily knew should not, Sanosuke frowned slightly as he tried to figure out what precisely was wrong with this situation, especially when such things felt good enough. He was quickly brought to light when he felt those whispering lips brush against his ear, something wet gliding over the rim.
Sanosuke had never fled so fast. Maybe these things did feel nice, and maybe in a different situation he'd hang around for a little longer; but even in his intoxication he knew that this wasn't right. He didn't want to feel these things, unless it was Megumi who was doing them. His body was willing him in one direction, and his heart the other; but amid his confusion and fright Sanosuke felt one clear message run through his head, and it was this: RUN.
So he did.
-
Sano managed to make it home, stumbling to his door and nearly knocking it down when he tripped and caught himself clumsily against it. Taking a deep breath he slid it open, creeping inside of his apartment.
His eyes widened in shock, as his alcohol-ridden brain took in the sight before him. Someone had cleaned his house, and quite well, too. The floors had been scrubbed and swept, his clothes washed and neatly folded, the food remains the used to be scattered about missing. Curious amid his inebriated state, Sano wandered over deeper into his apartment, drawing back the washed curtains about his futon and looking down upon the being sleeping in his bed.
Sanosuke's heartbeat quickened. There she was. Lying on her back, her silken hair spread out behind her like a raven fan, sparkling in the lamplight and trailing off the ends of the futon. A long-fingered hand was loosely clenched over her heart and the other slipping limply over the edge of the bed. Sano blinked tiredly, his eyes trailing down the soft curves of her figure as Megumi lay sleeping, completely unaware of his presence.
Unsure of what to do, Sano stood there dumbly and simply stared down at the woman who had broken into his home, cleaned it, and now lay asleep in his own bed. There was something very intriguing about this situation, and Sanosuke wasn't sure of quite how to explain it; but he couldn't anyways as his eyes clouded in heartache. His soul gasped inside of him, urging him to back away or feel that burning anger and pain of betrayal once more.
"Ughn…" Sano stepped backwards, unable to take the tension. He stumbled due to his intoxication, and fell backwards onto his behind, in a rather ungraceful manner.
Megumi stirred due to the clatter, and opened her eyes slowly, blinking a few times to find a very agitated and frightened Sanosuke sprawled out a few feet away. She sat up immediately, looking at the boy with a mixture of worry and relief. "Sanosuke—"
"Don' touch me…" Sano growled, and then Megumi realized he was under the influence of alcohol. Her fingers flexed nervously, as she gazed at Sanosuke with anxiety. He looked back through half-lidded eyes, blinking in frustration. "Wha' you doin' here?"
Megumi clenched her fists over her chest, replying, "Sano, I…I came here to explain to you about what you saw…"
Scowling, Sanosuke grumbled, "You w'kissing 'im…"
Looking at him in denial, Megumi stammered, "S-Sano, I was not intentionally kissing that patient…he caught me by surprise, and kissed me without my consent. Please don't be angry, I know you are, and I feel the same way."
He looked at her, hard. Trying to understand her, trying to comprehend the explanation Megumi gave to him. Sanosuke frowned, cocking his head as he tried to grasp everything, the entire situation. "Y'mean, he ain't yer…boyfriend?" Sano asked, mystified.
"I have better taste than that, Sano," Megumi said sharply, watching as Sanosuke's bleary eyes traveled down her form to settle on her legs.
"Bet y'do…" Sano murmured, a brighter flush than that of drunkenness coming to his face. Were he not drunk, Megumi would have slapped him to Kyoto, to Yokohama, and back to Tokyo again for being so vulgar.
Folding her hands over her lap, Megumi looked at Sanosuke nervously. "Sano…" she whispered, causing the latter to look up curiously. "I don't…" She wanted to continue, and tell him what she truly felt; but she was afraid of his reaction to her confession when he was as drunk as anything worth comparing excessive intoxication.
"Uh?" Sano muttered, blinking.
"I…I…" Megumi suddenly scowled; no! She would not let this chance escape. Standing, she demanded, "Sanosuke, come with me for a moment!"
The boy blinked inquisitively, and clumsily stood up along with the Fox. She took his hand, leading him to the nearest bathhouse. Judging by the anticipating, scheming look on Sanosuke's face, he had other intentions on his mind than what Megumi had. But there was no holding back his complete shock when, suddenly, Megumi grabbed the back of his hair and forced Sano's head over the edge of the bath and under water.
Before his drunken mind could counter, Megumi pulled his other arm behind the small of his back, so Sanosuke had no option but to take whatever Megumi forced him to do. She pulled his sputtering face out of the cold bathwater, ignoring his enraged curses and dunking him under once more. This went on for some time, until Megumi was quite sure the alcohol had been completely extracted from Sanosuke's system.
"Wha-wh-what in the Hell was that for?" Sanosuke growled, his teeth chattering, and his soaked hair flopping around in odd angles. Megumi studied him carefully, smiling in satisfaction at the completely sober Sano shivering before her.
He continued to grumble, demanding an answer as to why Megumi would unexplainably try to drown him repeatedly over and over like that, scaring the -insert naughty language here- out of him. Megumi continued to smile wide at him, and took advantage of the moment when Sanosuke paused to gasp for breath.
Megumi's hands came up to hold either side of Sanosuke's face, her thumbs resting gently against the skin just above the ends of his eyebrows and massaging them lightly as she pulled him to her in a soft kiss.
He felt his irritation melt along with the chill resting on his skin, replaced by warmth as Sanosuke felt the soft pads of Megumi's fingers rubbing away the insistent headache growing in his head. The feel of her so near, her mouth fitting unimaginably and wonderfully snug against his—like the pieces of a long-unsolved puzzle they joined and danced with an unmistakable message that read 'Stay with me.'
Sanosuke's eager fingers flew around to wrap around Megumi's waist, pulling her near and making sure she was as close to him as possible. He parted momentarily to breathe, only to return his mouth to crush against Megumi's again with ardor.
Afraid he might be getting a little too stimulated; Megumi placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed Sanosuke gently away, causing him to reluctantly break the kiss. In reply to his confused stare, Megumi whispered, "I didn't want to tell you this when you were drunk, because I wanted you to remember every word I say and every look I give when I told you that I love no one else but you."
He stared at her. It really had been an accident, a mess-up, a dirty ploy pulled by fate just to make poor Sano and Megumi miserable. Megumi was not taken. Megumi was not unreachable. In fact, she had just handed herself to Sano, and now she was his. She loved no one else but Sano. "No one else," he breathed, unsure whether this was real.
"No one else," Megumi promised, pulling Sanosuke into a tight hug. Sanosuke remembered his wonderings from earlier, of what it would be like to hold and love and be loved by the Fox Lady; and now he had it. He had those feelings, he had that love, and he was now able to express himself—he was in love with Takani Megumi, and no one else.
"No one else," Sanosuke whispered into her hair, closing his eyes and allowing his lips to spread in a wide, wide, enthralled grin that shook his soul. He squeezed Megumi against him, drawing his arms tight around her and nearly lifting her off the floor as he held her happily, ready to shout for the entire world to know that he was no longer just a lovesick puppy.
"I love my Foxy, and no one else," Sanosuke chanted, and Megumi laughed as he continued the mantra, slipping an arm under her legs and carrying her out of the bathhouse bridal-style, practically bouncing down the steps and back to his apartment. "I love my Foxy, and no one else! I love my Foxy, and no one else!"
"I love my moron, and no one else," Megumi teased.
"I love my Megitsune, and no one else!" sang Sano, undeterred.
Megumi laughed again, countering, "I love my Rooster, and no one else!"
"I love my Fox, and NO ONE ELSE!"
OWARI.
MadiSano: ...I've decided to stop writing SM fics and instead write KK fics. I hereby declare I am never again to write SM pairing and all of my fics that are in progress containing the pairing are hereby discontinued. Boo hoo for you.
(Grins) Don't tell me you took me seriously. LOL! Sorry about that, for some reason I had the urge to be mean. I'm a mean person! ...not really...but oh well...Anyways, enough of my evilness! I hope you enjoyed reading this update; I know it took me longer than usual! But for some reason the style seemed a little...weird...I can't quite figure out why, but if you can point out something, tell me because I'm a little lost! LOL! This fiction was requested by Sanodevil! All thanks to the beloved reviewer, people! ;) By the way, I got up at 7:30 in the morningand nowit's 2:50 at night, and I'm surviving by drinking Mt. Dew as refreshment if you're wondering what's up with my...happiness, if you can call it that. :D
UP NEXT IS... I...don't...know? LOL. I'm trying to figure out what fic to post next; you've all given me such great ideas! Hmm...guess I should ask...Lara, about your SM marriage request, is it okay if it's an AU? Kind of like a prince vs princess thing, or something? (thinks of flying sparks) Heh. And MissTeak...Rev&Res will be updated...soon...sorta soon... maybe... kinda later... uhh...SOMETIME! Yeah. LOL! XD Please review! (Do and recieve...a bowl of ramen! Yay!) See ya, and thanks!
