Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Separate Lives ❯ chapter 11 ( Chapter 11 )

(I came across an interesting tidbit--Kenji supposedly means "Strong second son". Hmmmmm, looks like my theory about the Megumi/Kenshin incident might not be that far fetched after all, ne?)

Chapter 11

Nearly submerged in a steaming tub of water Megumi slid a soapy cloth over her bare skin. She closed her eyes and imagined that she was again receiving Aoshi's intimate touch. Her breasts tingled when she massaged them, her body pulsed deep inside when she slid the cloth lower and dipped it between her thighs.

She murmured, shivering as the memory of what Aoshi aroused in her coursed through her body as though she were experiencing it all again. But the pleasure soon faded and she was left with the empty ache that had been tormenting her since Aoshi left to help Saitou.

With a wistful sigh she leaned her head back against the tub and focused for a moment on the voices of Sakura and a neighbor in the yard somewhere outside the bath house.

"I haven't seen you in a while and your house has been dark," Sakura said. "Did you go on a trip?"

"Hai, my son's daughter had her baby in Kobe last week. Such a beautiful boy he is. They named him Yoshiro and already he is so like his name, he's such a good son, hardly cries, sleeps most of the night..."

So like his name....

"We're going to call him Kenji," Kaoru said proudly after taking her son in her arms for the first time.

Megumi's eyes snapped open. Kenji. Kenji meant strong second son. Second son.

"Kenshin knows," she whispered, as a fearful chill swept through her raising gooseflesh on her arms despite the warmth of the water.

She blinked back frightened tears and got out of the tub, throwing on her yukata and hurrying into the house. She knelt on the floor beside her sleeping son's futon and reached out to stroke his reddish brown hair.

What was she going to do? More importantly what would Kenshin do? Would he come and take Kaemon away from her? Could she stop it? Should she try?

If only Aoshi were here. He would know what to do.

* * * *

Aoshi leaned back against the jail cell's damp wall, his eyes closed, his ears alert to the snatches of conversation coming from the two men in the adjacent cell. One of the men was concerned that their employer--the man Saitou wanted to charge--would see their being careless enough to get caught and arrested as a fatally punishable event. His companion, however, seemed to think that this was actually the best thing that could have happened to them.

"That bastard Fujita has been getting in the way for months now and costing the boss thousands in protection money. But all that's going to change because of us."

"Huh?"

It sounded as though the first man slapped the second. "Baka. Don't you pay attention to anything? We've been here three days and every day it's the same. Fujita comes in at the same time, goes out to smoke at the same times, to take his meals, to do a quick patrol of the area and goes home--all at exactly the same times every day."

"So?"

Another slap. "So, when we get out we arrange an accident for him. A nice deadly accident."

Aoshi stood when Saitou came into the cell area later that night. "Hey Ahou, You have nothing to hold me on and you know it, so unlock the door. I have businesses to run."

"The business of running to your whore can wait," he said with a smirk. "What was her name again? Megumi?"

A growl of rage rumbled up in Aoshi's chest and he lashed out with a kick towards Saitou's face which rattled the cell bars and sent a flurry of plaster chips flying through the air.

Saitou out a small notebook and pencil. "Charge number three. Destruction of municipal property." With a laugh, he turned towards the other cell, his eyes narrowing, expression hardening into the mask of the vicious Shinsengumi hitokiri he once was. He gestured for the officer accompanying him to unlock the door of the adjacent cell.

"It appears that yet another victim of yours has suddenly come down with a lapse of memory and the sudden need to visit an ailing relative in the next prefecture."

Aoshi leaned against the wall of his cell and peered through the bars to see the men he'd heard talking earlier emerge. The bullying one reminded him of Kanryuu, dressed sharply, his thin features like those of some overconfident rodent. The other was a head shorter and much fatter, with ham like hands and a thick brow.

The bullying one smirked at Saitou. "I don't know what you're talking about, Inspector. I told you it was a mistake. You have us confused with someone else. We're law abiding men just doing our jobs to get by. It's not our fault we work in a crime riddled section of the city."

"Watch out for that loose brick on the floor," Saitou said seconds before grabbing the back of the man's suit coat and slamming him into the far wall. "Oops. Too late." He did the same to the big man who'd been standing quietly. "My, but you two are a clumsy pair."

The bully took out a crisp linen handkerchief and pressed it to the gash on his forehead. "You'll get yours," he hissed."

Saitou gave the man a feigned look of surprise. "Is that a threat? Threatening an officer of the law is a criminal offense you know."

"It's no threat. It's a promise."

Saitou slid his katana from its sheath and licked the flat side of the blade, his eyes glued to the rodent like face of the glaring gangster. "The promise that I'll soon taste ahou blood. How tempting, Mr. Okashi."

Though he could only see the side of the Okashi's face it was enough for him to catch the instinctive flicker of fear that appeared then was forced away.

Okashi shoved his stout companion. "Come on, Nagani. We have things to do."

On his way out of the cell area Saitou turned and looked back at Aoshi. "Show's over Shinomori, sit your ass down. You'll be here awhile." He grinned. "Maybe if you're a good boy I'll come tuck you in at bedtime."

"Fuck you, Fujita."

"That's the plan." He laughed as did the officer who waited to lock the outer door. It was the same officer Aoshi had inadvertently spit on.

* * * *

Aoshi was dozing, sitting with his back to the wall, knees drawn up, his head resting on his folded arms when the scrape of a key in a distant lock roused his finely honed senses. He was awake and waiting silently in the same position by the time a key slid into the lock on his cell door.

Footsteps approached and he detected the faint odors of sake, cigarettes and sweat.

Just as he began to raise his head he was seized by the hair and dragged to his feet then shoved against the wall of the dark cell a knife pressed against his throat.

"Time to tuck you in, Shinomori."