Disclaimer: It's still not mine: this isn't an alternate universe . . .
A/N: I got all soft, because Magiabruxa wrote a review, and decided to post
this Sunday. :)
Chapter 3: "It's Not the Love, It's the Spices"
Along the way back to Kaoru's school they went to Sano's to get Yahiko. The
brothers lived in a small apartment house. It wasn't the most reputable
looking building, to say the least. When they entered the living area of
the little apartment they found Yahiko napping on his futon. Yahiko looked
to be eleven or twelve and had the spiky hair and brown eyes of his older
brother. (Except his hair wasn't held back by a headband like his
brother's.) When they entered he jumped to his feet and with a joyful face
began to rush to Sano. He stopped halfway and affected an irritated manner,
placing his hands on his hips.
"Sanosuke, you jerk, where were you?" Yahiko growled at his older brother.
Kenshin felt that he was only masking worry with anger.
"I'm sorry, Yahiko, I just let the time get away from me, I guess."
Yahiko grumbled, "Who are these people, anyway?"
Kenshin rubbed the back of his head and beamed at Yahiko.
"Actually," Sanosuke said, "I don't know the carrot-head's name . . . these
two little girls are 'Suzame' and 'Ayame'."
Kenshin said sheepishly after the girls had cheerfully piped their hello's,
"My name is 'Shinta'." He decided it would be best to be consistent.
"Shinta invited us to his place for supper, Yahiko, so come on," Sanosuke
said, with a bit more big-brotherly irritation than he'd used before.
"Actually, it's not my place, that it isn't," Kenshin explained, "It's
Miss. Kamiya Kaoru's."
Yahiko perked up, "Ugly?" He asked.
"Oro?" Kenshin wondered.
"Yahiko!" Sano snapped.
"What?" Yahiko exclaimed innocently. He said to Kenshin, "I wanted to go to
school at Kaoru's, but Sano wouldn't let me." He stuck his tongue out at
Sano on the sly.
"You weren't well," Sano growled.
Kenshin blinked hugely and said, "Miss Kaoru will be wondering where we
are, that she will," he tried to change the topic.
Sano and Yahiko glared at him, but Sano said, "He's right, let's go."
Kenshin sensed hope flare in Yahiko's chest, "Okay, okay," he grumbled
outwardly.
When the five entered the dojo, Kaoru screamed at them, "Where have you
been? Shinta, you idiot! Where did you take the girls?"
"Oro?" Kenshin said helplessly.
"Look at them: they're exhausted!" She pointed to the girls who were
yawning sleepily. "I should have known better than to let them run off with
you. Men," she muttered as an afterthought.
"I apologize, that I do, Miss Kaoru," Kenshin said, rubbing the back of his
head.
"Never mind," Kaoru snapped, "Who are these two?"
"This is 'Sanosuke' and his younger brother, 'Yahiko'," Kenshin said with a
nervous smile. "I invited them to dinner."
Kaoru blanched. "Dinner?" She said in a tiny voice.
Kenshin nodded and continued to smile.
Kaoru swallowed visibly and Kenshin asked, "Is there something wrong, Miss
Kaoru?"
Kaoru seemed to snap out of her daze, "Oh, no. Silly me, I'll have dinner
ready in a second." Her bright smile seemed a little strained.
Before Kenshin could ponder it further, she had darted from the room in a
flash.
The group heard her voice drifting out to them from the kitchen, "Just make
yourselves comfortable!"
Kenshin eyed the group.
"I wonder what got into ugly?" Yahiko said. He wandered over to a pillow
and plopped down on it.
The girls followed him and sat down on pillows, also. Sanosuke said, "The
missy was acting a bit strangely." He also took a seat.
Kenshin sat also, and took notice of a strange glance Sanosuke shot toward
Yahiko. He wondered if it had something to do with Yahiko's sickness.
As if they'd heard Kenshin's thoughts the girls piped up, "Yahiko, our
Grandpa can help you. He's a doctor."
Yahiko sent Sano an angered look. "You told them I was sick?"
"Well, what else was I going to say?" Sanosuke retorted.
Kenshin said, hoping to forestall an argument, "I didn't know your
grandfather was a doctor, that I didn't."
The older girl said, "He's a really good doctor, too."
Kenshin smiled at her.
During the wait, the group found out a little more about each other. Well,
Kenshin found out a little more about the Sagara family, they probably
couldn't say the same for him. Kenshin skillfully evaded any questions they
had about him.
He'd decided he was only going to stay until Kamiya Kaoru was back on her
feet financially. Which meant he couldn't tell them anything about his
past. He didn't think Kaoru would try to turn him in, but he wasn't sure
about Sanosuke. What if, desperate for money, Sano turned him in for a
reward?
Just then Miss Kaoru came out of the kitchen carrying dishes steaming with
food. Kenshin hopped up to help her and they all sat down to eat. As they
all gathered around Kenshin noticed that Kaoru looked a bit green. He
decided it was nothing. Yahiko was the first to take a bite. The look on
his face would remain in Kenshin's mind forever.
Yahiko's face scrunched up as if he were about to choke and then he began
to cough furiously.
"Are you alright?" Sanosuke asked him and handed him a cup of water. Every
one else paused to stare. So they didn't taste the food, yet.
After Yahiko regained his breath he said, "Ugly! What are you trying to do?
Poison us?" His explosion was directed at Miss Kaoru.
Sanosuke's eyes went round, "Yahiko! Apologize right now!" He said sternly.
Yahiko looked at his big brother pleadingly as Kaoru glared at him. "Just
taste it . . . " He said under his breath.
Sanosuke gave him a warning look and took a bite off of his plate. His
brown eyes went all squinted and watery and Kenshin could tell he was
having trouble swallowing.
Miss Kaoru began to wail, "Oh . . . I should have known better than to try
to cook . . . I'm so terrible at it . . . I'm so sor-rr-yyyy . . . " She
burst into passionate tears her face buried in her hands.
Sano finally managed to get his food down all the while having to suffer
Yahiko's 'I told you so' like snickers. "It's quite alright, missy," he
said kindly, just ever so slightly out of breath. "It wasn't that bad." He
shot Yahiko a deadly look and his younger brother became shamefaced and was
silent.
Kaoru perked up, "Really?" She sniffled hopefully.
Sano nodded. In that moment Kenshin had fatefully decided to take a
hesitant bite of his food.
Kaoru, who was now beaming at Sanosuke, heard a small 'oro' off to her
side. She looked to see the samurai turning blue in the face and clutching
at his throat as if he were choking.
She burst into tears once more. "It does taste horrible . . . !"
"No, I really think he's choking," Yahiko commented in an offhand manner.
Sanosuke looked at the gasping Kenshin thoughtfully and then his eyes went
huge and he jumped to his feet. "He's choking Miss Kaoru!"
"Oh, my goodness!" Kaoru exclaimed and jumped to Kenshin's side. She began
to pound Kenshin on the back and when that didn't work she tried to offer
him some water.
"Here, let me try, I learned this trick once . . . " Sanosuke said and went
around and picked Kenshin up from behind.
Kenshin's sandaled feet dangled above the floor as Sano braced his arms
under Kenshin's chest. He gave one quick squeeze and Kenshin coughed up the
offending piece of food.
"Ororororo . . . " Kenshin said weakly and Sano put him down.
Sometime during this strange display Yahiko had burst into unsuccessfully
stifled laughter. At the moment, he was rolling on the floor clutching at
his sides. Kaoru cast him a scathing look, but Ayame and Suzume merely
giggled along, not really knowing what had just happened. Kaoru restrained
her comment and merely sighed and smiled sheepishly.
"I'm so glad you're okay," she said to Kenshin.
Kenshin smiled and chuckled in embarrassment, his face flushed, "I'm glad
also, that I am."
Somehow the Sagara brothers' story ended up being told to Kaoru. She said
that she would get Dr. Genzai to check Yahiko out the next day. Then she
invited the brothers to spend the night at the dojo. Sanosuke hesitated for
a moment then he finally accepted.
Kenshin wasn't sure why but something about this whole thing was bothering
him. He kept wondering what sickness Yahiko had exactly . . . the boy
didn't look particularly sick, but there was still that sense of
desperation that Sano had and that moment of hopefulness he had sensed in
Yahiko.
So, that night, Kenshin slept almost with one eye open. He tried to put his
worries out of his mind as a silly paranoia, but he couldn't shake them.
A/N: Yea! Uhm . . . another chapter up . . . it'll probably show up by
Monday. :)
In the mean time . . . I was gonna say that this chapter is a bit longer
than the others, so I hope you enjoy! -Misao-incarnate. ^ _^
Oh and thanks to my mom for giving me the idea for this title . . . she
won't be reading this note :) but just so you know who to give the credit
to.
A/N: I got all soft, because Magiabruxa wrote a review, and decided to post
this Sunday. :)
Chapter 3: "It's Not the Love, It's the Spices"
Along the way back to Kaoru's school they went to Sano's to get Yahiko. The
brothers lived in a small apartment house. It wasn't the most reputable
looking building, to say the least. When they entered the living area of
the little apartment they found Yahiko napping on his futon. Yahiko looked
to be eleven or twelve and had the spiky hair and brown eyes of his older
brother. (Except his hair wasn't held back by a headband like his
brother's.) When they entered he jumped to his feet and with a joyful face
began to rush to Sano. He stopped halfway and affected an irritated manner,
placing his hands on his hips.
"Sanosuke, you jerk, where were you?" Yahiko growled at his older brother.
Kenshin felt that he was only masking worry with anger.
"I'm sorry, Yahiko, I just let the time get away from me, I guess."
Yahiko grumbled, "Who are these people, anyway?"
Kenshin rubbed the back of his head and beamed at Yahiko.
"Actually," Sanosuke said, "I don't know the carrot-head's name . . . these
two little girls are 'Suzame' and 'Ayame'."
Kenshin said sheepishly after the girls had cheerfully piped their hello's,
"My name is 'Shinta'." He decided it would be best to be consistent.
"Shinta invited us to his place for supper, Yahiko, so come on," Sanosuke
said, with a bit more big-brotherly irritation than he'd used before.
"Actually, it's not my place, that it isn't," Kenshin explained, "It's
Miss. Kamiya Kaoru's."
Yahiko perked up, "Ugly?" He asked.
"Oro?" Kenshin wondered.
"Yahiko!" Sano snapped.
"What?" Yahiko exclaimed innocently. He said to Kenshin, "I wanted to go to
school at Kaoru's, but Sano wouldn't let me." He stuck his tongue out at
Sano on the sly.
"You weren't well," Sano growled.
Kenshin blinked hugely and said, "Miss Kaoru will be wondering where we
are, that she will," he tried to change the topic.
Sano and Yahiko glared at him, but Sano said, "He's right, let's go."
Kenshin sensed hope flare in Yahiko's chest, "Okay, okay," he grumbled
outwardly.
When the five entered the dojo, Kaoru screamed at them, "Where have you
been? Shinta, you idiot! Where did you take the girls?"
"Oro?" Kenshin said helplessly.
"Look at them: they're exhausted!" She pointed to the girls who were
yawning sleepily. "I should have known better than to let them run off with
you. Men," she muttered as an afterthought.
"I apologize, that I do, Miss Kaoru," Kenshin said, rubbing the back of his
head.
"Never mind," Kaoru snapped, "Who are these two?"
"This is 'Sanosuke' and his younger brother, 'Yahiko'," Kenshin said with a
nervous smile. "I invited them to dinner."
Kaoru blanched. "Dinner?" She said in a tiny voice.
Kenshin nodded and continued to smile.
Kaoru swallowed visibly and Kenshin asked, "Is there something wrong, Miss
Kaoru?"
Kaoru seemed to snap out of her daze, "Oh, no. Silly me, I'll have dinner
ready in a second." Her bright smile seemed a little strained.
Before Kenshin could ponder it further, she had darted from the room in a
flash.
The group heard her voice drifting out to them from the kitchen, "Just make
yourselves comfortable!"
Kenshin eyed the group.
"I wonder what got into ugly?" Yahiko said. He wandered over to a pillow
and plopped down on it.
The girls followed him and sat down on pillows, also. Sanosuke said, "The
missy was acting a bit strangely." He also took a seat.
Kenshin sat also, and took notice of a strange glance Sanosuke shot toward
Yahiko. He wondered if it had something to do with Yahiko's sickness.
As if they'd heard Kenshin's thoughts the girls piped up, "Yahiko, our
Grandpa can help you. He's a doctor."
Yahiko sent Sano an angered look. "You told them I was sick?"
"Well, what else was I going to say?" Sanosuke retorted.
Kenshin said, hoping to forestall an argument, "I didn't know your
grandfather was a doctor, that I didn't."
The older girl said, "He's a really good doctor, too."
Kenshin smiled at her.
During the wait, the group found out a little more about each other. Well,
Kenshin found out a little more about the Sagara family, they probably
couldn't say the same for him. Kenshin skillfully evaded any questions they
had about him.
He'd decided he was only going to stay until Kamiya Kaoru was back on her
feet financially. Which meant he couldn't tell them anything about his
past. He didn't think Kaoru would try to turn him in, but he wasn't sure
about Sanosuke. What if, desperate for money, Sano turned him in for a
reward?
Just then Miss Kaoru came out of the kitchen carrying dishes steaming with
food. Kenshin hopped up to help her and they all sat down to eat. As they
all gathered around Kenshin noticed that Kaoru looked a bit green. He
decided it was nothing. Yahiko was the first to take a bite. The look on
his face would remain in Kenshin's mind forever.
Yahiko's face scrunched up as if he were about to choke and then he began
to cough furiously.
"Are you alright?" Sanosuke asked him and handed him a cup of water. Every
one else paused to stare. So they didn't taste the food, yet.
After Yahiko regained his breath he said, "Ugly! What are you trying to do?
Poison us?" His explosion was directed at Miss Kaoru.
Sanosuke's eyes went round, "Yahiko! Apologize right now!" He said sternly.
Yahiko looked at his big brother pleadingly as Kaoru glared at him. "Just
taste it . . . " He said under his breath.
Sanosuke gave him a warning look and took a bite off of his plate. His
brown eyes went all squinted and watery and Kenshin could tell he was
having trouble swallowing.
Miss Kaoru began to wail, "Oh . . . I should have known better than to try
to cook . . . I'm so terrible at it . . . I'm so sor-rr-yyyy . . . " She
burst into passionate tears her face buried in her hands.
Sano finally managed to get his food down all the while having to suffer
Yahiko's 'I told you so' like snickers. "It's quite alright, missy," he
said kindly, just ever so slightly out of breath. "It wasn't that bad." He
shot Yahiko a deadly look and his younger brother became shamefaced and was
silent.
Kaoru perked up, "Really?" She sniffled hopefully.
Sano nodded. In that moment Kenshin had fatefully decided to take a
hesitant bite of his food.
Kaoru, who was now beaming at Sanosuke, heard a small 'oro' off to her
side. She looked to see the samurai turning blue in the face and clutching
at his throat as if he were choking.
She burst into tears once more. "It does taste horrible . . . !"
"No, I really think he's choking," Yahiko commented in an offhand manner.
Sanosuke looked at the gasping Kenshin thoughtfully and then his eyes went
huge and he jumped to his feet. "He's choking Miss Kaoru!"
"Oh, my goodness!" Kaoru exclaimed and jumped to Kenshin's side. She began
to pound Kenshin on the back and when that didn't work she tried to offer
him some water.
"Here, let me try, I learned this trick once . . . " Sanosuke said and went
around and picked Kenshin up from behind.
Kenshin's sandaled feet dangled above the floor as Sano braced his arms
under Kenshin's chest. He gave one quick squeeze and Kenshin coughed up the
offending piece of food.
"Ororororo . . . " Kenshin said weakly and Sano put him down.
Sometime during this strange display Yahiko had burst into unsuccessfully
stifled laughter. At the moment, he was rolling on the floor clutching at
his sides. Kaoru cast him a scathing look, but Ayame and Suzume merely
giggled along, not really knowing what had just happened. Kaoru restrained
her comment and merely sighed and smiled sheepishly.
"I'm so glad you're okay," she said to Kenshin.
Kenshin smiled and chuckled in embarrassment, his face flushed, "I'm glad
also, that I am."
Somehow the Sagara brothers' story ended up being told to Kaoru. She said
that she would get Dr. Genzai to check Yahiko out the next day. Then she
invited the brothers to spend the night at the dojo. Sanosuke hesitated for
a moment then he finally accepted.
Kenshin wasn't sure why but something about this whole thing was bothering
him. He kept wondering what sickness Yahiko had exactly . . . the boy
didn't look particularly sick, but there was still that sense of
desperation that Sano had and that moment of hopefulness he had sensed in
Yahiko.
So, that night, Kenshin slept almost with one eye open. He tried to put his
worries out of his mind as a silly paranoia, but he couldn't shake them.
A/N: Yea! Uhm . . . another chapter up . . . it'll probably show up by
Monday. :)
In the mean time . . . I was gonna say that this chapter is a bit longer
than the others, so I hope you enjoy! -Misao-incarnate. ^ _^
Oh and thanks to my mom for giving me the idea for this title . . . she
won't be reading this note :) but just so you know who to give the credit
to.