Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Curl ❯ Chapter 25

Author's Note:

I'm still recovering from my stupid stupid mistake with the uploading… mostly because *NOW* I decide to see the "Remove Story" option that would've made my life easier. Deleting twenty something odd chapters one at a time is NOT fun. Also I *now* think of ways I could've avoided that altogether and not lost my reviews. Speaking of reviews, feel free to make some any time now. (Hint hint.) I'm also on the hunt for fanart, if anybody is magically inspired or knows anybody who would be. ^_^; I need material so I can make a website dedicated to the fic, so that I can have it on my page for an alternative for readers when fanfiction.net is down… sound good?

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It was nearly quarter to one, and lunch had turned out to be a meager footnote of that horrific day. It was surprising, to Misao at least, how fast a meal could go by when no one talked. There was a brief interaction where Aoshi showed Misao how to change her ringer settings. Although she decided to keep the Cowboy Bebop theme song as the ringing tone, she brought the volume *way* down. She would have to remember to put it on silent during classes though.

They had packed away all of the cell phone goodies in Misao's mostly empty backpack, which Aoshi offered to carry. Of course that made her blush, but he was a gentleman after all, it's just what he does, she figured. He probably wouldn't have done so had he known how much he would be forced to carry later.

*-*-*-*

There was a clearing through the steamy fog of the bathroom, revealing a debonair sample of masculinity. The image would have been perfect, had this particular man not been busy clipping the hair in his nostrils. With a snort, and wiping his nose with the back of his hand, he returned all of Aoshi's personal things into mismatched places deciding perhaps he'd put off dressing for long enough.

His stomach needed food indefinitely. And the apartment was disgustingly spotless. Sagara Sanosuke felt like a mother hen.

'When the fuck did I become fucking house ma'rm?!' he gritted his teeth, rubbing a towel into his hair. Most of the rest of him was already dry, but those unruly locks trapped pockets of water beneath their spikes. Was it going to be like this for the next two weeks until classes started? It was half past noon, which seemed like a good a time as any to go grab a bite.

'Where was that… Aka-whatsit place again?' His stomach was calling for good food. Last night, he hadn't had good food. There had been really good drinks, but there hadn't been enough food. There *was* food, but the stinging taste of liquor numbed his taste buds after about the thirteenth shot, so even if it was good, he couldn't appreciate the… well, goodness.

There was a rumbling down below. Yes. He needed goodness.

*-*-*-*

Sano really hadn't remembered where the place was exactly, but he had a general idea. It helped that he saw that same woman cook from before entering a casual looking restaurant… Sukiyaki was the specialty, but they served other Japanese dishes, as well as a few western recipes scattered about. However, Sagara Sanosuke was not in the mood for fries and a Big Mac. He had a brief little silent monologue with his organs, telling certain ones to behave especially since the waitresses in their cute little uniforms… and they're really long slender legs… the tiny little aprons on short little skirts… 'BEHAVE!' he told his hormones desperately. He telegraphed the other organs with soothingly soft assurances that they will be served soon.

Sekihara Tae seemed to be playing hostess tonight, and recognized Sanosuke immediately. Well, after all, she'd seen him topless, and that was *not* a body you forgot so easily.

"Just you Sagara-san?" she tilted her head curiously, grabbing a single menu and ushering him to a table. Surprisingly, he had the great luck of not having to wait for a seat even though it was just about that universal time for lunch. She gave him a smile, and he dazzled her with one in return, causing her to blush and giggled behind her hand. He winked at her as he graciously accepted the menu from her hands. "Oh Sagara-san! You're such a character!" … she questioned exactly how the heck this guy was related to Aoshi. "Your waitress will be here in a moment, and I hope you enjoy your meal…"

"How could I not with such beautiful women all over the place?" He grinned as she blushed and giggled again, waving her hand at him dismissively, "… c'mon, where'd you misplace your wings, sweetheart?" There was just no stopping it, it was just his nature. Sano had to flirt. It was just his way, and the ladies sure didn't seem to mind. This was perfect. The perfect distraction for now, just as long as his stomach was the organ in charge and not his mind or… well. Y'know.

"I have to go and greet other customers, please enjoy your meal…" glancing over her shoulder, to see which waitress had this section, she paused. Looking back at Sano, she had an oddly serious face. "Ne… you have one of our new waitresses, please go easy on her… onegai? (please?)"

Peeking to where Tae had been looking, seeing a girl who could be older than Misao… short brown hair, in those cute little waitress uniforms. Sure, this was going to be hard. But… The Akabeko had been good to him, his stomach reminded him. So he'll grant this one wish.

Well, to the best of his ability, anyway.

They nodded to one another in farewell, and the girl who was serving shuffled over. She was hugging a tray to her chest, and smiling shyly. Bowing at the waist, she introduced herself, "Ohayou… Welcome to the Akabeko, I'm your waitress, Sanjou Tsubame, would you like anything to drink?" It wasn't until she finished speaking that she looked up.

Sanosuke couldn't help but smile, this girl… Tsubame, was it? The devil on his shoulder grinned. Then he vaguely remembered his earlier observation that she couldn't be much older than Misao. Men, women, sex, courting, flirting… Click, click, click… In seconds, his mind was back in action, recalling the moment that Aoshi drew a bull's eye on his own forehead.

"You've slept with younger than her."

Snapping back to reality, he tucked his head into his menu… scanning it intently, as though it was the lost gospels or something. Then he promptly turned it right-side up.

"Anno… should I come back…?" Her voice almost trembled. And they had picked this shy little thing to be a waitress… *why*? Sano considered her in the corner of his eye.

'She's too cute *not* to be in that uniform,' he almost groaned at his own observation. Ever since that morning when he went into Misao's… *things*… "Tea'll be good, thanks." Sano didn't give himself a chance to think about his response, otherwise he might've slipped up and said something along the lines of, "Hey, you look about my sister's age… are you on birth control?" … no that would not have gone over well. Images of Misao in that short little uniform flashed in his brain, and then of her in her school uniform… and then somewhere out of the blue, she was in a nurses' outfit… and then a itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow-polka-dot bikini … the bunny suit, ears, tail, and all was up next…

Patrons blinked and tried not to stare at the man trying to pummel his skull with an innocent menu.

*-*-*-*

Aoshi suspected *something* had to happen on the way home. The last hour or so had just been too calm… too good. However, this was not what he expected.

Nothing was what he expected anymore.

But, this just about took the cake. The birth control thing would've come up eventually, he reasoned, along with the foreboding P.M.S… internally shuddering, he continued his logic. Sano was bound to bring some girl(s) home, because that's just how he was. However, this was not part of the deal. He looked down at the bags he had, two shopping bags in each hand. Glancing over the girl beside him, he was giving himself the third degree of why he had said "yes" to all of this.

Watching as she cradled the small puppy, whose eyes gleamed with happiness almost as much as her own, he knew the answer.

Because he could have never have said "no."

*-*-*-*

Misao never thought that she could be taken down by a five-pound fur ball. She recalled a flash of yellow suddenly shrouding her face in darkness. There were a couple of yips and could-be barks, but no scream. Frankly, there was no time to scream. Now that she was wearing a fluffy face shield, she no longer had the option. No time to scream, squeak… or even "eep!" There was no time to register the strong arms that were cradling her as she had been thrown back so violently. There hadn't been a second to savor being enveloped by the warmth of calloused hands curling over her shoulders to steady her, or the sensations that would have normally sent thrills down her spine when his breath rustled her hair.

Those same heavy hands were what freed her from the obstruction of her sight. Aoshi was holding a yellow Labrador puppy by its cuff, and it was still close enough to shower Misao's face with sloppy lapping kisses. Instantly her shock melted to joy at the sight, and then she had her second to squeal. With bright blue eyes she turned her eyes back to look up at Aoshi, who was examining the pup. He was probably wondering how a five-pound fur ball was able to take her down, too. After all, she'd made it a hobby of throwing Sano about, and he *at least* double her size.

Then a horrible stench of strong tobacco poisoned her nose, and she suddenly wanted to wretch. A cloud of smoke filled the air in front of her face, and the poor puppy couldn't handle the sudden intake in its tiny lungs and started hacking feebly.

"Hand over the mutt," a gruff voice said flatly. Aoshi looked over the pup, turning him around in his hand. He even sat the little thing in the palm of his hand where it stayed obediently, waggling its tail and flashed him a panting smile.

"This is a pure bred," Aoshi stated matter of factly.

"Hand over the fucking dog, ahou. (idiot / jackass)"

*-*-*-*

Now, you might guess that Aoshi wasn't a big fan of being called a jackass. Particularly, when he was almost entirely sure he was correct. He took note of the fact that the man was using a term that was more common in Kyoto than here in Tokyo. Nor did this man look anything near being a dogcatcher, although he dressed the part. A tall, sinewy man stood before them, a cigarette hanging between two gloved digits. Aoshi saw the flash of a challenge in the man's eyes, and was struck with a cautious curiosity.

This… dogcatcher was challenging him. Those eyes bordered on amber, and were daring him to try something. This obviously was no ordinary civil servant that was for sure. He was obviously in the uniform, a plain white jumper with the icon of his workplace on his breast pocket. A net was twiddled in the very tips of his fingers at his side, while the other drew the cigarette in for another drag.

In the next moment, Aoshi found his hand… puppyless.

"No! You can't have him!! Y-you… chain-smoking dog killer!!" The girl yelled angrily at him, taking a fighting stance… or at least something that resembled one if one were ever to require holding a puppy. The puppy was getting excited by the loud tone of voice Misao had used, and started yipping.

"Do I look like a dog killer to you…" The man seemed to give her the look over, as if he didn't know what to address her as. "… Weasel?... the appropriate term is, 'catcher.' Whether or not the dogs live to see another day is no care of mine," his lip twitched into a smirk as he watched girl nearly burst into flames before his eyes.

Misao promptly fumed, if not for the gentle (but firm) grip Aoshi had on her shoulder to hold her back. Heaven only knows what would happen to the poor pup in the crossfire. And no, this man did not look like a dog killer. 'Just drop the "dog" altogether,' Aoshi thought as he watched the manner the man took up the net. It wasn't the way a man held a net, unless "net" was a new euphemism for deadly weapon. There was a long tense silence, and finally the chain-smoker relented, it seemed, out of boredom.

"Look, either we're going to settle this like adults…" Aoshi wondered if he meant the twentieth century definition, or some earlier time period, "Or you just take the bloody fur ball yourself."

Neither man expected her to take the statement seriously. Then again, neither man seemed all that surprised either.

*-*-*-*

Not to far away, at about the same time, Sano was finishing up his lunch. Although there was no talking being done, there sure was a hell of a lot of eating taking place; so strangely, his meal lasted longer than his housemates who were elsewhere. Rubbing his belly, he was handing his plates and utensils back to a timid and blushing Tsubame.

He only told himself that he would *try* not to flirt with her.

"Why thank you there, pretty darlin'…" His hand brushed over hers under one of the plates, and her face flushed crimson. Grinning and sitting back, he winked - his mojo promptly interrupted by a battle cry from the doorway.

"KEEP YOUR FILTHY CLAWS AWAY FROM MY GIRL YOU ECCHI CLUCK! (pervert)" A boy, that wasn't much younger than himself, nor much difference in hair styling… fumed. Sano idly rolled a toothpick over in his mouth as the kid stomped his way over.

"Hey look kid… I may be an ecchi when the time is right…" He wiggled his eyebrows towards Tsubame, who was quickly backed up by Tae, both of whom were blushing, "… and so my hands might get a lil' filthy…" Sano shrugged nonchalantly. "However… I am NOT a cluck." The last statement was firm and reprimanding, not to mention edged on patronizing. Even he was astonished by his own composure. Now had he been fighting with Misao…

"Hey dancing boy, you gonna eat with us or you too busy defendin' your lady's honor?" a group of boys were chuckling in the background, imitating the sounds of whipping. The boy in question whipped his head around, growling.

"I TOLD YOU TO QUIT IT WITH THAT DANCING BOY CRAP!" His words dripped with venom, and Tae was waving her hands trying to calm him down or at least get his attention. The other customers were starting to stare. Tsubame was too busy blushing and looking at her feet.

"Sorry Yahiko-CHAN!" the other boys said in unison.

"I AIN'T NO FUCKING 'CHAN'!!!" The spiky-headed kid seemed to be steaming from the ears, and looked like he was about to go over there and open a can of whoopass, but before that, he overheard something from the older man.

"You never told me you had a boyfriend, now what will I have to do Saturday night?" Sano didn't like being ignored. Also, he didn't think Tae wanted this place torn apart by a bunch of punk kids. The only punk allowed to tear the place up, if anybody, would be him. He grinned… the grin widening when a wide-eyed, teeth bared boy was right in his face.

"HOW DARE YOU ASK MY GIRLFRIEND ON A DATE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!!!" The boy wailed and spat in Sano's face. He calmly, grabbed a napkin and wiped it away. Even though he was really tempted to slug the brat, he really had no interest in really breaking the boy in two or anything. But, taking this kid down was going to be damned comical, 'specially if he could do it in front of his girlfriend. However, he wasn't sure if this was quite the place for it, as Tae looked like she was about to cry at the customers who looked like they were going to leave and never come back.

What happened afterward could only be described as a mini-chick fight. Clawing, biting, scratching, and hair pulling ensued. Sano was going easy on the kid, and then eventually just hoisted the boy up and flung him over his shoulder. Winking at Tae and Tsubame, he excused himself, taking the kid along with him.

Sekihara Tae sighed in relief. It looked like with them gone the restaurant was going to calm down. What surprised her was the sudden alertness of her co-worker.

"Yahiko-kun!!" Tsubame called after him suddenly, sounding highly distressed. Tae rested two sisterly hands upon her shoulders.

"Ne, Sagara-san won't hurt him… he's quite the gentle giant…" If this was true, she wasn't quite sure, but she was hoping it was.

"I-iie--!" The girl shook her head furiously, trying not to drop the wares in her hands.

"No, Tsubame-chan, trust me there's no need to worry…" Tae offered her most soothing voice, trying to ease the younger girl's burden by taking some of the wares for her, taking no mind of the way the girl tried to sputter some response.

"… demo! (but!)"

"… Yahiko-kun can take care of himself, and Sagara-san wouldn't honestly hurt him…"

"… demo, he didn't *PAY!*" Tsubame suddenly blurted out uncharacteristically. Tae's eyebrow twitched, taking a mental note to add it to the Shinomori tab. Sano couldn't get away, after all, she knew where he lived.