Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Trick or Treat ❯ A Rooster by any other name... ( Chapter 5 )

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(last chapter)

He looked up into the face of his rescuer.

"SAITOU!?"

The amber eyes narrowed. "Not too many people know that name miss. Just how is it you do?"

"Errr..." `Smooth Sano. You're dressed up like a girl, how the hell would she know him? He's still undercover as Fugita. Stupid.' "My, ah...cousin...talked about him. You match the description so I just assumed..." He looked down at the ground. `That's it, I'm dead.'

"Your cousin?"

Sano looked up, startled. `He's not actually buying this is he?' "Um, yeah, I'm here visiting him."

Saitou lit another cigarette. He took a drag and looked at Sano. "This `cousin' of yours, does he have a name?"

"H-hai. Sagara. Sagara Sanosuke."

Saitou paused, cigarette halfways to his lips. "The Roosterhead?" The cigarette continued it's journey. "Hnn." He exhaled a stream of blue-gray smoke. "I wasn't aware he had any family." He fixed his eyes on Sanos'. "Just what is your name, anyway?"

"Ah...Sa-Suki." Sano shifted nervously under the scrutiny. He could feel the flush cover his face. The corner of Saitous' mouth twitched upward. "Sukiii..." He seemed to almost taste the name as it rolled of his tongue. The sound of it sent a shiver up Sanosukes' spine. Saitou looked the fighter up and down slowly before focusing once more on his eyes. He took a long drag of his cigarette before exhaling leisurely. "I find it hard to believe you're Sagaras' cousin."

Sano felt his stomach drop. `Oh crap. I'm gonna die in a dress.'

"You're much too pretty to be related to that ahou."

`Huh?' Sano stared at the gold eyes in shock. `D-did he just say I was pretty?'

He felt a strong urge to "oro". If ever there was a situation that warrented that ridiculous sound, this was it. He flushed deeper as the gold eyes stared back at him. This situation was just too uncomfortable and strange. He needed to go home, get out of this dress, and forget the entire night ever happened...especially the last 30 seconds.

"Uhm, thanks?" Sano smiled nervously. "Thank you for your help and all, but I really just want to get home." He stepped away to walk out of the alley and nearly fell over as his ankle erupted in pain. He didn't hit the ground though. Instead he found himself clinging to the front of Saitous' jacket, the officers' arms supporting him.

"You're hurt."

"Must've twisted my ankle in the struggle. I'll be fine, I, that is, my cousin lives close by."he hissed out between clenched teeth.

Sanos' eyes went round as Saitou suddenly scooped him up into his arms.

"Ack! What're you doing?"he shrieked.

"You're hurt, I'm taking you to the clinic." Saitou said calmly.

"No! I don't need to go there!" Sanosuke yelled, flailing his arms and legs, trying to get down. "Put me down!"

Saitou tightened his grip on the struggling fighter. "You do need to go there, you're injured."he repeated firmly, walking out of the alley.

"No! Just let me go! I don't want to go to the clinic!" Sanos' hands beat against Saitous' chest. "Just take me home dammit!" A fist connected with the officers jaw.

Saitou stopped. He glared at the young man in his arms. "Stop. Hitting. Me."

Sano swallowed a lump in his throat. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he stared into the burning gaze of the officer.

He took a deep breath and glared back. "Put me down. I'm not going to the clinic and I don't need to be carried."

They stood there for a moment, glaring at each other.

"Fine." Said Saitou, easing Sanosuke to his feet. He kept one arm wrapped around the youngsters' waist and draped Sanos' arm across his shoulders. "But I will accompany you home and dress your injury. Or," he held up a hand as Sano opened his mouth to protest, "you will go to the police station for assaulting an officer." His tone brooked no argument.

Sanosuke scowled at him. "Fine."he said curtly, trying to tug the arm off his waist.

"Stubborness must be a family trait." Saitou said with a wry grin. The grin faded as Sanosuke continued tugging at his arm. Saitou tightened his grip slightly. "Do you want to walk on your own or do I have to carry you like a sack of rice?"he snapped.

Sanosuke had a mental image of himself being flung over the skinny cops' shoulder. Now, that would be embarrassing. He gave up and looked away from the officer with a disgusted sniff.

`Jerk. You gotta play Good Samaritan now? Man, why does this shit always happen to me?'

As Saitou escorted Sanosuke home he asked `Suki' about her visit. How long was she staying, did she like Tokyo, just idle small talk. Sano tried to answer as simply as possible, he just wasn't up for trying to remember elaborate details. He was postive this would turn around to bite him in the ass eventually. Besides, he was having trouble concentrating. Aside from being in pain, it was damned disconcerting to have Saitou speaking pleasently to him. It was just so weird to be having a civil conversation with him. He hadn't thought the cop was even capable of interacting with people in a humane way. Usually their interactions consisted of insults, shouting, and/or threats and ended with Sano either kissing dirt or screaming at Saitous' back, sometimes both.

`Well, really he's being polite to `Suki'. To me he'd still be his usual bastard self. Better enjoy it while I can, it'll never happen again.'

Sano glanced sideways at the officer as they walked. He'd never really had the chance to study the Wolf of Mibu up close and so he took the opportunity provided. His eyes traced the strong line of his jaw and prominent cheekbones, past his unusual eyes and up to those stubborn strands of hair hanging over his face. He was not exactly what one would call classicly handsome or pretty, like Aoshi and Kenshin. Striking. That was a word that suited him. He had an intensity about him that overwhelmed the triviality of physical appearance. Although, that aspect of him was not disappointing either. His body was lean and firm, molded of tight compact muscle. There was nothing soft about Saitou Hajime. From his piercing gaze, predatory grin and deadly grace, everything about him screamed `beware!'. He exuded danger from his every pore, yet somehow it only made him even more intriguing.

Sanos' eyes dropped down to the cops' mouth. It was not set in its customary scowl; rather, there was the barest hint of a ghost of a smile there. He wondered what the cop would look like with a genuine smile on his lips, not the fake one Fugita wore. Or maybe laughing, a real laugh, instead of his usual sardonic chuckle.

`Hmph. His face'd probably crack from the shock.' A small grin crept onto his face at the thought. He realized abruptly that they'd stopped walking. And that he'd been caught staring at Saitous' mouth. `Oh shiiitt.'

I know, a crappy place to end it. Hey, I never claimed to be a nice person.

So, I feel I should warn you all that the next update is not going to be for a while.

My husband has to go in for surgery (nothing serious, but he'll be out of work for a week or so). Also, one of our employees has gone back to school (damn collage!) so we're a little short handed at work. Plus, our busy season is coming up and I'll be working 8 or 9 hour days that feel like more like 14.

Not to mention church has started up again (yes, we take the summer off. It's great being a UU!), dance classes have begun, birthdays, holidays (I swear, this year I'll get my shopping done before December, really.) and possibly loosing another employee (we're hoping he quits...or dies, we're not picky), plus my stinkin' laptop has been siezing up on me. I especially enjoy it when it just shuts itself off while I'm online...lots of fun.

And of course the little fact that I haven't actually finished writing the damn story.

Don't give up, I'm going to finish if it kills me. I just don't know how long it'll take. ^__^

So, my calendar is quite packed for the next couple of months. I most likely will not get to update until Halloween is over and done. I live and work in Salem, Massachusetts. We get something like 20,000 visitors Halloween weekend. Yeah, I'll be a little stressed. Happy Fall!!

Yukiko Angel; Yep, I'm evil. It says so on my shirt.

Ima Pyro; So glad I've confused and annoyed you. Let's see if I can continue the trend. ^_^

Eien ni Kawaii; Thanks. I'm gonna keep going, don't worry.