Pride Vs. Desire
By:: Melissa
Disclaimer:: I do not own any of this. Everything belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki, creator of Rurouni Kenshin. Constructive criticism is welcome. No flames please.
Chapter 6
"Sanosuke, we have to take a break. We've been walking for five days straight. Even this one need a break sometimes." Kenshin sighed, stopping to rub his feet. He winced as his feet throbbed. Sanosuke turned around slightly to look at his friend but turned back around and continued walking. Kenshin sighed again, following after Sanosuke, his thoughts wandering.
"Sanosuke is very desperate to save Megumi. This one never thought he felt that strongly for her. But then again, who could ever predict what Sanosuke would do? But this one senses that something very bad is going to happen. And it makes this one's blood turn cold." Kenshin thought to himself, looking at his hands then looking at the blood red sunset.
"Kenshin, we'll make camp here. I'm hungry." Sanosuke set down his pack and went walking into the forest, looking for a pond for fish. Kenshin sat down on a rock and looked at the darkening sky. Closing his eyes, he remembered his days back in the Bakumatsu, a time of war and a time of strife. He remembered Tomoe and everything that happened then. He hoped that this kidnapping with Megumi wouldn't turn out like that. He hoped a lot of things. But nothing more strongly than this.
Sanosuke came back with four fish and stuck them on sticks, sticking them to cook above a fire that Kenshin had made while he was away. Sanosuke sat down, closing his eyes for a moment and then stared at the fire.
"Sanosuke, you need to slow down. You're killing yourself." Kenshin finally broke the silence, a look of concern on his face.
"What do you mean, Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked, not looking up at Kenshin.
"What this one mean is that we've been walking non-stop for five days. We haven't eaten; we haven't had anything to drink. If we keep going like this, it'll kill us." Kenshin looked at his friend with a hard look in his eyes. Sanosuke finally looked up, a hard look in his eyes as well.
"We have to find her, Kenshin. She might be dead already. I have to find her. I have to." Sanosuke looked at his hands, a look of desperation contorting his face.
"Sanosuke, tell this one what's really going on." Kenshin looked gently at Sanosuke.
"I love her. I love her, Kenshin. There's nothing denying that. I've never had the guts to tell her. I've held my pride before what I really wanted. What I desired. My pride as a fighter, as a man, as Zanza. I couldn't fall in love. That would mean I was weak and vulnerable. But something about that fox attracted me and little by little, I was falling in love. And there was nothing my pride could do about it. And the day I was going to tell her, she gets taken away from me. She gets stolen from me. I want to tell her how I feel before I'm not able to anymore. Kenshin, I want only her. And if someone gets in my way between her and myself, I'm going to beat him down. No matter what." Sanosuke looked into the fire, determination and love burning in his eyes.
"Sanosuke, what brought this on? You've always been attached to your pride. What could make you change your mind all of a sudden?"
"I found a note that Megumi wrote while you were away in Kyoto. While she was taking care of the dojo for the miss."
"And what did it say?"
"She said that she loves me. She loves me, Kenshin. Someone that I love loves me back. And that's something worth fighting for. Something worth saving." Sanosuke looked at Kenshin, a sadness in his eyes.
"What's on your mind?"
"Do you think….we're able to bring her back?"
"This one doesn't know, Sanosuke. We don't know the enemy and we don't know what he wanted Megumi for."
"Just tell me, do you think we can save her?"
"Through what we have rather than what we know, yes we can save her."
"Kenshin?"
"Yes?"
"There was something I wanted to tell Megumi before she was kidnapped. Do you think I should still tell her?"
"Well, what was this something you wanted to tell her?"
"Well, it was about an engagement. A special one."
"Sanosuke, what are you talking about? Are you going back to fighting?" Kenshin looked sternly at Sanosuke but Sanosuke just shook his head.
"No no…nothing like that. It's something bigger than that. Something I've wanted to tell her for awhile."
"Sanosuke, this one can't read your mind. Just tell this one." Kenshin looking questioningly at Sanosuke over the fire.
"Kenshin…I….I wanted to tell her…that I love her. I was going to that day she was kidnapped. And…when I told her that….I….Kenshin, I was going to ask her to marry me."
Sorry it's taken me so long to update! Life has been so crazy lately that i haven't been able to update. Thank god for a four day weekend. Yes, Sanosuke was going to ask Megumi to marry him! the ending is not something you would expect so there are more twists to come. Again, sorry for the late update. Please review! Thanks! 3