Summary: With a bit of help, Kenshin learns that the stain and smell of blood on his hands will, eventually, fade away. (Drabbleish one-shot)

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf does not own Rurouni Kenshin.

Note: This is set…anywhere when Kenshin is injured and has bloody hands due to fighting some random person with a vengeance on "Hitokiri Battousai." He's alone with Megumi, who's bandaging up his wounds. …And no, it's not a pairing. Unless you want it to be. XP

Kenshin stared at his hands.

Bloody, again.

He thought he'd left that behind with the Bakumatsu. Figures that it would not leave "Hitokiri Battousai" alone. Even if all he wanted was to be "Himura Kenshin."

Megumi lightly slapped him on the head. "Hello! Earth to Kenshin!"

Kenshin stirred. "Hm?"

Megumi poked him in the side. "Sit up. I can't bandage your side if you're slouching like that."

"Oh." Kenshin obediently sat up on the bench as Megumi wrapped bandages around his side. He waited patiently until Megumi finished, and then gestured with his hands. "May this one wash his hands now?"

Megumi stepped back and looked at him critically. "Very carefully. Don't move your chest. In fact," she moved and got a bowl of water, "Here."

"Thank you." Kenshin nodded.

Kenshin dipped his hands in the water, letting crusted blood rub off. Fresh and cool, the water turned murky as Kenshin washed off sweat and blood.

How many times had he done this…this purging of blood?

Kenshin lifted his hands from the bowl. Wordlessly Megumi handed over a clean towel. Nodding thanks, Kenshin wiped his hands dry.

…But still, Kenshin could smell the blood.

Kenshin looked at the bowl of now dirty water, and stifled the urge to wash his hands in it again. His hands were clean, clean and dry. There was no need to wash them again…

He blinked as Megumi placed her hands over his, the soft cloth of her sleeves sweeping down to brush against their hands. Questioningly he looked up at Megumi, who was quiet for a moment before speaking.

She lifted her head and looked at Kenshin. Megumi spoke frankly and honestly. "I know that feeling, Kenshin. The feeling of blood and death that doesn't seem to leave." She dropped her gaze as her hands tightened over Kenshin's. "It sticks, and you think that it'll last forever."

"How…?"

Megumi let out a breath that was half sigh, half derisive laughter. "You have to deal with death when you're a doctor, Kenshin. You can't save everyone in my profession, and while you're at it you're bloody up to the elbows. And when you lose them, it's their blood on your hands, and all you can think is you failed to save them."

She retracted her hands, lifting them up and pulling them closer to herself. One hand clenched into a first. "But it does go away, Kenshin. Eventually. The smell at least. I don't think the loss will, but…it passes." Slowly, her hand relaxed. "It's the ones you've saved, though, that helps."

Kenshin stared at his hands.

"And don't you dare think you haven't," Megumi added fiercely. Kenshin looked up, startled. She poked him in the forehead, emphasizing. "You've saved that birdbrain, and the little runt, and Kaoru a thousand times over. You saved me. Remember the lives you saved, not the ones you failed."

She turned brusquely away and started to put away her medicines and bandages. Kenshin looked back down at his hands, running his thumb against his forefingers.

It would go away…? Yes, it had, once. Faintly he remembered the smell of plum blossoms, before jasmine, a smile and outstretched hands came to mind.

A smile crept onto his face.

…Perhaps.