Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ If I Should Fall ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
BETA READER REQUESTED! My darling Sobrina-kun has always kinda been my unofficial beta-reader, now she's officialhowever, it was brought to our attention the other day that it is often helpful to have more than one beta reader (therefore Sobrina has both me and another girl). So, if anyone thinks they are up to the task of beta-reading for me, please e-me at mailto:angelofthedeceased@yahoo.com
My only real requirement is that you do not get offended easily. As I'm sure you have noticed, I seem to have a decidedly -odd- sense of humor and that sense of humor seems to offend people without my realizing.

Now, on to the reviews!


Silent Tears of Agony: OF COURSE you count, you baka! :-) ::hugs you:: If it weren't for you I never would have posted this fic! I'm so glad you like it. :-)

Captain of the 3 rd unit of Shinsengumi: Right on! When you send the Shinsengumi after me, please make sure you send Okita-sama. ::blushes:: ;-D

MSN-CHAN: lol It's okay, I don't know anything about boxing either. :-) lol Well, maybe by the end of this fic I will have converted you into a Sou/Yumi fan! lol

Snow White: I'm so glad you like it! :-) As far as Sou's personality goes, it will be changed eventually (GASP! Oh, I just gave everything away!), he starts out this way for a reason. It's all part of a divine plan. ( I think)

Dark Thorn White Rose: I like your username. So glad you like this fic!

Neko-chan: Thanks for reviewing!

Music_nerd101: I'm so glad you like it! :-) Thanks for being open-minded about the Sou/Yumi pairing! Sometimes people aren't
As far as the music goes, I never thought anyone would ask! lol Being a music nerd myself (hardly a second goes by that I don't have music on) I had a hard time choosing what bands Soujiro would listen to (there's so many I like!), which is why I didn't mention any names. From now on I'll mention it. Lets just say, in the first chapter, he was listening to Evanesence's 'Fallen' CD. (That was my original choice, so I might as well stick with it) And, as long as we're on the subject of music, the lyrics quoted in the first chapter and this chapter are from 'Everything You Want' by Vertical Horizon. (I know you didn't ask that-I just thought I'd volunteeer it.) :-)
As far as the significance to Soujiro, I havent quite decided yet. lol When I started writing this fic I had a really scetchy plot idea so the finer details are still working themselves out. There will be - some- sort of significance, I'm just not entirely sure what yet lol
Thanks for reviewing!

Kitsune KeNsHiN: So glad you weren't disappointed! :-)
About Okitaer, well, both versions of Okita are based on the real man. I myself have never seen the RK version (other than in screencaps), but from what I hear, his personality is pretty much the same as the PMK version. But they lookdifferent. Yeah. The PMK version is reallygirlyexcept for when he's in uniform ::giggles:: ;-). It took me a long time to get used to how he looked but eventually he grew on me, now I prefer the PMK version over the RK version. (Am I confusing you yet?) lol Okay, really there isn't a straight 'Yes' or 'No'. They're similar. That's the best way to put it: They're similar to each other. Not completely the same, but not completely different.
Did I answer your question without giving you a headache? lol Thanks for reviewing!

Y'all might be interested to know I came up with the idea for this fic when I was listening to the radio and they started playing a Rocky theme song lol I thought, 'Hey, Soujiro could be a boxer' lol

If I Should Fall

Chapter 2

- But under skinned knees

And the skid marks

Past the places where you used to learn

You howl and listen

Listen and wait for the

Echoes of angels who won't return -

Soujiro lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, Isis curled on his chest and purring contentedly. He waited for a knock on the door.
'Kaoru should have been here by now.' He thought. He began thinking up all of the possible reasons for her being late. His sister was never late. Was she in an accident? Had she suddenly gotten sick? Had she been mugged on the way to her car?

"Soujiro?"

Soujiro shot up, causing Isis to fly to the other side of the room. "What is it, Yumi?"

Yumi walked over to the foot of the bed. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Why? What do you want?"

"You just look really worried"

"Nothing's wrong. What do you want?"

"Makoto wanted me to remind you that you have another promo in the morning." (AN-For the record, Makoto is Shishio's given name. I'm pretty sure. Kinda like Hajime is Saito's.)

Soujiro grimaced. "Another one?"

"Yeah, so you need to get some sleep."

Soujiro rolled his eyes as Yumi walked out, shutting the door that led between the two suites behind her. Soujiro sighed and flopped back down on the bed. He hated promos.

"Meow."

Isis slowly walked back over to the bed, jumped up on it and curled up beside Soujiro.

"Sorry baby, I didn't mean to send you flying like that." He told her quietly. "Where do you suppose Kaoru is? She was supposed to be here thirty minutes ago." He sighed and glanced at the clock with a yawn. "I hope she's okay, Isis."
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(Bang, bang, bang) "Soujiro! Hey, Soujiro! You in there? Open up!" (bang, bang, bang)

Soujiro's eyes fluttered open. He lay there for a second longer when it finally occurred to him someone was banging on the door.

"Just a minute." He croaked as he stood and shuffled his way to the door, glancing through the peephole. "Kaoru!"

"Yeah! Open the door!"

Soujiro flung the door open. "WHERE WERE YOU?!?"

"I'm sorry I'm late." She said as she brushed past him, holding up a bag. "I brought Chinese food!"

Soujiro shut the door and gestured to a nearby table. "I was getting worried about you."

"Sorry." She giggled as she set the bag down and began taking out the food.

"Oh no. I know that giggle. You were with that redhead, weren't you?"

"I wish you would stop calling him 'That Redhead'. His name is Kenshin. So when are you going to get yourself a girlfriend?"

"Didn't we have this conversation at lunch?"

Kaoru continued to giggle as she sat down. "You look tired. Did I wake you up?"

"Uhyeah." He mumbled as he sat down.

"I'm sorry. Hey, I actually remembered plates and silverware this time! Aren't you proud of me?"

Soujiro smiled. "Yeah. Your memory is improving."

Kaoru stuck her tongue out at Soujiro. The truth was, Kenshin had reminded her. But she wasn't going to let her brother know that.
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Soujiro had decided years before that all glass was made for breaking. Windows, mirrors, china cabinets. Small drinking glasses were especially useful for throwing across the room, which was what he was doing at the current moment. He smiled in twisted pleasure as the glass shattered against the far wall. It pleased him to destroy things. It released some sort of pent-up depression and frustration that festered inside him.

Yes, that was it, he decided. He destroyed other things to keep from destroying himself.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?"

Soujiro glanced at Yumi in the mirror before smashing it to pieces with his fists.

"I'm relaxing." He replied calmly.

Yumi blinked as she looked about the room. How was this relaxing?

Soujiro turned around and stared at Yumi intently, his hands bleeding and sore. "Is something wrong, Miss Yumi?"

"Isis something wrong? Is something wrong?! Soujiro, look at this room!!"

"I'm sorry, Miss Yumi."

Yumi shook her head, speechless and bewildered. He stared at her with his head cocked slightly to the side in a quizzical manner. His arms hung at his side, the blood from his hands dripping on to the floor.

Yumi sighed. "Sit down. I need to take care of your hands. Makoto is -not- going to be happy. I doubt you're going to be able to fight on Sunday."

Soujiro did as he was told as Yumi walked back into the other room for medical supplies.

"Where is Mister Shishio?" Soujiro called to the other room.

"Hestepped out."

"It would be best if he didn't know about this."

Yumi glanced around as she walked back in to the demolished room. "Yeah." Was all she said she knelt down on the floor in front of Soujiro. "Let me see your hands."

Soujiro obediently did as he was told. Pieces of glass- ranging in size from large to miniscule- had embedded themselves in his hands. Yumi sighed and picked up a pair of tweezers.

"Miss Yumi?"

"What."

"I'm sorry for yelling at you the other day."

Yumi stopped and looked up at him for a moment before turning her attention back to his hands. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. I feel really bad about it"

"Well, don't. I'm used to being yelled at."

"So am I."

Yumi glanced up at him but said nothing.

"I'll help you clean the place up."

"As bad as your hands are? I doubt that."

Soujiro watched, without flinching, as Yumi pulled slivers of glass from his hands. "Why do people yell at you?" He asked suddenly.

Yumi stopped for a moment. "What?"

"You said you were used to having people yell at you."

Yumi thought for a moment. What an odd question! She tried to think of an answer as she began to bandage his hands. "I don't knowthey just do. It's what people do when they're mad."

Soujiro nodded. "But" Suddenly he stopped and shook his head. "Nevermind."

She glanced up as she taped the gauze. "I've got to get this mess cleaned up before Makoto gets back. Although I don't know why I'd botherhe's going to find out about your hands."

Soujiro squirmed slightly. "I'll tell him. Let him yell at me instead of you."

"What makes you think he'll yell at me?"

"I've heard him yell at you." He cocked his head to the side. "Don't worry Miss Yumi. Everything will be fine."

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Ha! This is the weirdest chapter I've ever written. I know, I know, Soujiro is OOC. But there's a reason, I swear!

Thanks so much y'all for reviewing! Now, if you want me to continue, just scroll down and press that button. All you have to say is 'Interesting'! That's enough for me! And if you want to write more, the more power to you. :-)

This chappieneigh, this entire ficis dedicated to my beloved Sobrina-kun. I'm dedicating this fic to her because the last fic I dedicated to her wound up being deleted. -_- I'm still writing it, I just deleted it off ff.net (go figure). Anyways, Sobrina has always been there for me and I never really tell her just how much I appreciate everything she does for me. So I'm telling her now- Thank you, honey bun! (And, as I said in the review replies, if it wasn't for her I never would have posted this fic lol)

By the way, if y'all want to read a really, really good story, check out Yukijurou by The Raven Dark Angel. It's about Okita and love. How much more do you need? lol It's a Peacemaker Kurogane fic.