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Concessions	By : lawless Category: Rurouni Kenshin > General Views: 3636 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
CONCESSIONS
by Lawless

...She thought to herself it was only a trick of the darkness that his eyes glittered a dark, earth-brown...

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DISCLAIMER: This is a fanfic. I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters.

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Chapter 3: Of Memories and Scars

"Sagara."
"Shinomori."
"Sanosuke-san!"
"Oi, weasel girl."
- PUNCH! -
"Kuso! That hurt!"
"That's for leaving us without a word."
"But I did leave a word. I told --"
- PINCH! -
"Ouch! What the hell was that for?"
"And that's for calling me 'weasel girl.'"
"Che. You're brutal, you know that?"
"Yare, yare," said Tsubame, ushering them all inside the dojo. As soon as she donned the mother-hen cloak for them, she lost her shyness. "It's almost time for dinner. Where's Yahiko-chan?"
"Oh, he'll be here shortly, Tsubame-chan. He just had to buy some stuffs for Kenji-chan."
"Kenji-chan?"
Tsubame turned to Sano smilingly. "Kenji-chan is Ken-san and Kaoru-chan's boy."
The puzzlement did not leave Sano's face. "Kenshin had a son?"
"Hai."
"And a fine boy he is, too!" Misao interjected with enthusiasm.
Sano glanced down at her, a wicked expression on his face. "And what about you, Shinomori-san? When do I expect to see a little weasel running around the Aoiya? Just remember, if it's a boy, I'm naming it. If it's a girl," he glanced at the silent onimitsu whose face was purposely averted, "Shinomori can."
Misao's enthusiasm was quickly deflated as her face turned beet red from embarassment and annoyance. "Why, you..."
Sano was saved from Misao's inevitable display of violent reactions because at that instant, a spiky-haired bullet went past them and straight into his mother's waiting arms. A minute later, the older version of this bullet arrived with a red-haired, crying bundle in his arms.
"Komban-wa!" Yahiko called, then stopped dead in his tracks, his jaw dropping. "I don't believe..." His voice trailed off as a slow grin formed on his youthful brown face. "Sanosuke no baka!" Instantly, he bounded over to the taller man, giving him a firm slap on the shoulders.
"Che. You're just as violent as weasel girl here," Sano grumbled good-naturedly as he rubbed his sore arms. Then, he grinned when he caught sight of the tiny scrunched up face peeking form the crook of Yahiko's arm. Bright blue-violet eyes were staring up at him in wonder. "And this little monster must be Kenji-chan!"
Yahiko chuckled as he held up the child. "Sagara Sanosuke, meet Himura Kenji." The child glared at Sano as though he knew that he had been insulted by this tall man in gaijin clothing.
"Oh, yeah. That's jou-chan's face on him alright," Sano commented.

- o0o -
After the ruckus of dinner, Sano withdrew quietly to the little porch outside the dojo. Dinner had been, well, interesting, to say the least. Again, that strange influx of both familiarity and unfamiliarity pervaded the atmosphere around him until he could not take much of it anymore and he had to step out. He sighed, propping his back against a post and tilting his head to gaze at the starlit sky.
Too many memories, he thought to himself, running a hand through his hair. Too much. A shaft of light from inside the dojo fell on his calloused palm, revealing the smooth layer of skin where a wound had been. He carefully studied it, tracing his index finger along the line. All these years of fighting and none of the scars he received from numerous battles, none of them bore the significance of this one mark.
"I thought I'd find you here."
Sano straightened and glanced at Yahiko's shadowed form. He was carrying two bowls and handed one to him. "I've been away for too long. I'd forgotten...." His voice trailed off when he saw the intense expression in the younger man's eyes.
"You've changed, Sano," Yahiko observed.
"Hai," he replied as he downed the contents of the bowl, feeling the fiery liquid scorch a path down his throat. "When I left, I found that I needed to shed some part of myself," he said dryly.
He remembered what he was - arrogant, naive, quick to anger, quick to feel - traits that rendered him ill-equipped to handle the harshness of reality where one was alone and had no one to turn to. There were bitter lessons he had to learn, and learned them he did.
"And you seemed to have done that literally, too," the younger man stated, nodding at Sano's mode of dressing.
After a moment of silence, Sano asked, "How is she, Yahiko?" The question was sudden but as soon as it came out of his mouth, he found that he really wanted to know. He was overwhelmed with curiosity...and something else. But he refused to think about that now. Kami, how long is long enough?
Surprised, Yahiko answered automatically, knowing exactly who Sano was referring to, "She's well."
Of course, she is, Sano told himself silently. He closed his eyes, bowing his head as he did so.
To Yahiko, who was watching him with the concerned eyes of a friend, he appeared like a man defeated, someone who had seen the world and had grown weary of it. He had suspected of course and had known all along that there was something between them, something that not even seven years could resolve. Years ago - it seemed like ages - it had been he who always pointed it out to the others and had actually suffered several blows for that display of astuteness. And he had been too young to realize it then but now looking at the tall man, an older, more mature Sano, he finally saw how it was to be haunted by someone.
He heard a sketchy breath being expelled and saw his companion straighten himself once more. His face was hidden in the shadow but the smile in his voice was not. "Ano...it's late, Yahiko. I'd best be going."
He waited until he reached the gate before calling out, "Sano." The tall man paused but didn't turn. "She waits." He saw his broad shoulders stiffen, then droop, as though he was releasing another long, heavy sigh. Then, he walked away, his tall figure silhouetted in the pale moonlit night.

- o0o -
Aizu
Megumi sighed for the nth time that day. It was late and she and Keiko were just tidying things up before going home. She saw from the corners of her eyes her assistant glance at her in amused puzzlement. Sighing heavily again, Megumi turned to her, a baffled, pleading look on her face. "Keiko-san, tell me honestly."
The younger woman blinked. "What?" She looked at the dark-haired doctor, wondering not for the first time why a woman as beautiful as her had yet to find a suitable man to marry. It was not for lack of any suitors (she had plenty of those, from what she gathered). Rather, she supposed that it was because she was always so intent in her work, in her career that it seemed like she had no time for romance or love or marriage.
"Tell me in all honesty," Megumi said again, her brown eyes shining intensely. "Should I go?" Then, as though changing her mind as soon as she voiced the words out, she frowned. "I shouldn't. I know I shouldn't. But why shouldn't I? Well, sure there's work to do here but the hospital won't --"
Keiko approached her and held her hands, laughing quietly. "Megumi-sensei, stop. You're babbling."
"I am, aren't I?" Megumi replied, feeling giddy and silly at the same time. "Oh Kami, I'm just so confused."
The younger woman smiled at her gently. "I think you should go."
Hours later, Megumi settled down on her unrolled futon, smiling inwardly at herself. She thought her decision was rash. And it was rash to begin with. As soon as Keiko expressed her approval, she immediately hurried out of the hospital and took a wagon to the restaurant where David usually went. She found the blonde gaijin there, happily drowning his sorrows with a bottle of sake and a couple of his friends. A wretched look marred his handsome face as he droned on to his friends about the pains and heartaches a man would go through for his one true love. He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Megumi standing in the doorway.
Megumi remembered with some pleasure that his blue eyes had instantly lit up as soon as they fell on her. David quickly excused himself and approached Megumi, a question in his eyes. And then she told him. And his reaction was indescribable and tangible at the same time. It would forever be etched in her memory how his blue eyes seemed to grow murky, then sparkling before finally spilling over into the widest, brightest smile she had ever seen grace his face. If real happiness was to be described, this would be the picture that would come to mind.
Megumi rolled over on her side, still smiling. She had finally accepted him.
David had taken her in his arms right then and kissed her with all the passion and feelings he felt for her. Paying no attention to the low whistles coming from David's buddies and the embarassed coughs from the other patrons, Megumi responded with equal fervor, thinking to herself that it was only a trick of the darkness that his eyes seemed to glitter a dark, earth-brown.

- oo - TO BE CONTINUED - oo -

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A/N Third chapter. Angsty, I know. Thanks to all who reviewed. I really want to know what you guys think about this story. ^_^
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Concessions