Sanosuke

Sanosuke was used to waking up in many different ways. Alone in his room. Freezing his ass off in the winter. Used to his arm falling asleep as a girl (whose name he would hear only when she woke up) shifted. To the traffic below. To loud knocking on his door from various people who wanted various things (money, for instance). To banging and clattering that Yahiko had caused every morning when he had stayed at Sanosuke's place – trying to be responsible and helpful and cook breakfast, yet not tall enough to reach the frying pan. He was used to waking up to silence as snow fell and to loud yelling as arguments and fights went on around him.

But he was not used to waking up on a moving train to a woman's long, piercing, breathless scream of pure, abject terror.

Megumi. He shot up, halfway to the door that joined his and Megumi's compartment. Only for a moment did he hesitate – then opened the door, in a fighting stance.

In the fold-out seat-bed, Megumi sat up, her nightgown clinging to her with sweat, her hands over her chest. Her eyes were wide and she breathed raggedly, looking down at nothing. Sanosuke cautiously stepped forward. She looked up at him, her hair swinging, the moonlight from the open window giving her skin an unearthly pallor. "…I killed them." She whispered. "All of them."

"H-hey, Fox-lady?" his voice shook and he took a few unsure steps forward.

It seemed as if the shivering spell had been broken and the intensity of the moonlight dimmed also. At the sound of his voice, Megumi looked up, her eyes losing their intensity, her shaking hands hiding under the covers and pulling her blankets closer around herself. "Rooster-head?" she asked, her voice bearing only a slight trace of fear, tinged with relief.

Suddenly, he became too aware of his actions – rushing into a woman's room just like that. "I, uh…" he trailed off. "I heard you scream – it woke me up. I thought there was a, uh, attack or something." He looked at her with slight concern. "You… You alright, Fox-lady?"

A slim-fingered white hand attached to a smooth white arm brushed black strands off her face, red lips curving in a derisive smirk. "Oh, I'm fine. It was just a dream."

The smirk was fake, he was sure of it. Sanosuke's eyes narrowed. "Hey."

His voice was slightly too loud and she looked up at him, arching an eyebrow, her hands still shaking, gripping the bedsheets, even as her spine relaxed against her pillows. "Yes?"

He stepped forward. "Something's got you real spooked, Fox-lady."

"A dream." She said, her jaw tightening stubbornly. Her hands did not cease to shake even as she tried to hide it. "Go back to sleep, Rooster-head."

"I might be a nobody – but damn me – I can see you're tryin' to be strong, lady." He shook his head. "We've only known each other for a few days, you're a rich, fancy lady-doctor and I'm some lame Chicago street-fighter. We probably ain't gonna see each other again. But shit, I don't know what's up with me…" he took a breath. "I just… Wanna let you know that you don't gotta be strong around me. If something's got you spooked – tell me. I'll fight whatever the hell it is for you." He bit back any more words as he noticed the look on her face.

Megumi looked at him for a long time, then smoothly moved her legs out of bed, pushing back the covers and walked bare-footed across the carpet to stand facing him. Her nightgown reached mid-calf, falling sheer, clinging to her body with the terrified sweat of her nightmare. Her eyes were calm and Sanosuke met them with a silent plea. Her lips curved upward, and it was a genuine smile, not a smirk of amusement or derision. "You're sweet." She said.

"Oi." He muttered. "That's all you got to say?"

She laughed quietly, then grew serious. "I hired you…" she took a breath. "I hired you to protect me. When we reach New York City – there are a few people I want to officially cut ties with. Until then, those people might come after me and I want you to protect me from them."

Sanosuke nodded. "The mob?"

"Sort of like that kind of a thing." Megumi looked down and away, when she spoke again, her voice was filled with more emotion. "…I wasn't sure what I was doing, coming back to New York." She said, quietly. "Even when I hired you, I wasn't sure if I was coming back to settle things, or let things go back to the way they were before. I… Ran away from it. I didn't want to-" she broke off. "I didn't want to do what they told me anymore." She looked up at him with piercing eyes. "I'm hiring you to protect me until I finish what I need to do."

He nodded again, more slowly and he looked carefully at her. "Anything you want, Fox-lady." He said, grinning crookedly. "I'm your man."

"You really are sweet." She said. "Maybe I'll employ you again some time." Her voice sounded far-away, and Sanosuke realized that she never intended to see him again. She had decided to do something in New York – and it gave him a bad gut feeling.

He reached for her hand as she turned away from him and gently whirled her around to face him, bringing her slightly closer than he intended. "You…" he managed. "I've seen that look before." He growled. "You have the face of a person who's resolved never to see the light of day again – after you 'break your ties'."

She looked up at him, her eyes widening at first, then smug the next. Unabashedly, she moved closer. "Oh? And what gives you that idea?" she tired to pull away, but his arm was around her waist.

"Don't gimme that." He snarled. "If you want me to protect you, I'm gonna do it all the way – not some half-assed attempt. You hired me!" his voice rose, then lowered again as he made no move to release her. "I've seen men who were gonna die, Vixen. They knew it, and they were smiling. You have that face on you. You're never planning to leave New York, lady."

Her hand slid up his arm, resting on the side of his neck. Her fingers were cold and so were her eyes when she looked at him. "Stop caring so much." Her voice was quiet, but firm. "You'll get hurt."

Sanosuke laughed quietly, not backing down. "People've always said that to me. But somehow, like the dumbass I am – I never took their advice. Dunno why – it's just the way I am, I guess." He looked at her, his arm tightening around her waist. "Don't do it Fox-lady. Break your ties, but walk out of there with your head held high, and me at your back. What the hell'd you hire me for, huh?!"

Megumi looked away and her red smile trembled. "…You're making it hard, Rooster-head…" About to release her and step back, he was shocked when she leaned against him, her arm going around him. "You're warm…" she said.

"Uh, yeah. It's my specialty." He said. "Sagara Sanosuke, heat source and body pillow at your service." Hesitantly, he reached up to stroke her hair. It was softer than it even looked.

"That was such a lame joke…" muttered Megumi into his chest.

They stood there for a while, time seeming not to matter. She was thinner than she looked, Sanosuke noticed – and her hair had a slight wave to it, giving it more volume than it would if it was straight. But Megumi let go, Sanosuke released her – and they looked at each other. Her eyes were sadly smiling at her and his jaw tightened. The atmosphere was charged with something, something both of them needed, yet were wary of starting.

Sanosuke scratched the back of his neck, avoiding her eyes. "I'll… Be goin' now." He muttered. "G'night."

"…You're going?" she looked at him, arching an eyebrow, her red-painted smirk on her face again. "You won't… Stay behind?"

He looked up and away, letting out an unconvincing snot that turned into a look in her direction. "Are you trying to seduce me?" he laughed.

"Maybe I am."

He rolled his eyes. "Ah, seriously, this lady." He looked at her again a wry set to his mouth. "Hey, look, you-" she kissed him hard, her hand clutching at the back of his head, not letting him finish whatever he was going to say. She pressed herself against him and did not let go until they both could not breathe. He leaned against the wall for support and she blocked his exit, wrapping her arms around him tightly, fingers digging into his shoulders and not letting go.

He did not get to say anything until she kissed him for a third time, parting for air. "Are you insane?" he asked breathlessly.

"We're both crazy – Rooster-head. If we weren't, we'd've never met." She whispered, beginning to unbutton his shirt, before kissing him again. He nodded, his crooked grin slipping, and began to kiss her back.

"…You're right." Nothing more articulate was said.

On that moonlit night, on a train from Chicago to New York, Sagara Sanosuke let himself be seduced.