And Then There Was You

Chapter Two.

Disclaimer: I do not own RK.

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She knew she shouldn't be dragging her feet. The god like work of repairing and reconstructing is supposedly uplifting and gratifying to any normal person. But she found herself dragging her lead limbs through the apartment neighborhood.

Should I have taken those extra hours?

The sun had just set but the sky was still a light blue that was followed by a deeper blue from the east.*

She hung the ring of keys on her index finger as she climbed up the concrete stairwell. The keys gently clinked together from her makeshift hook. Singling out the key to her front door she scrutinized the jagged edge of the key.

I need to find a new apartment.

Blinking tiredly at the bronze number of her apartment she grasped the handle but stumbled back sluggishly when the door opened. She was presented with a bronze chiseled chest with defined muscles that glistened with water from the hallway light.

"Welcome home Meg-" the voice started out seductively but cut off when it clearly wasn't the woman he was expecting.

Kaoru regarded the tall man dully.

Now, I know why Megumi is always excited to return home.

She couldn't think of doing anything except sleeping after her shifts but apparently hard muscle was enough incentive for her roommate for other activities.

She smirked lewdly at the older man when he awkwardly covered his nipples with one arm and gripped the towel that was tied dangerously low on his hips.

"Oh, hey Jo-chan." He retreated back into the apartment to allow Kaoru into the apartment. "Let me just grab a shirt... and maybe some pants."

She laughed wearily.

"Sano, it's alright. I saw about a hundred naked bodies in the past 48 hours. I'm sure you are not any different." She entered the kitchen and deposited her bag on the counter and immersed herself into the fridge.

"What!" Sano came out from Megumi's room wearing only a pair of draw string pants. "My body is much more impressive than the average joe you treat at the hospital."

With that said, he flexed his biceps and posed.

"So, what are you doing here Jou-chan?"

She rose a skeptical eyebrow at his question from behind the fridge door.

"Umm..." She brought out a water bottle and closed the fridge. "I'm not allowed to come back to my own home?"

Sano gave her a confused frown.

"I thought Megumi had told you."

At her blank look; he cleared his voice nervously and tugged on his ear.

"Tonight? Megumi didn't talk to you... about tonight."

What was the man talking about? She didn't have anything planned tonight. Tonight was the night she was planning on taking a hot bath and then crashing for the next nine hours.

Sano chuckled at her vacant gaze and continued.

Hip cocked to one side, body still damp from his recent shower, one hand knuckle deep in his wet spiky hair, and for the finishing touch he slid his hand slowly down his bare chest.

" Yeah, you know, TONIGHT.."

Kaoru gapped momentarily before locking her jaw and blushing.

She brought a hand to her temple and groaned her acknowledgment.

"Tonight."

She covered her eyes with a hand and sighed deeply.

"I'm sorry Sano, I totally forgot." Grabbing her bag she headed towards the door.

"Hey Kaoru, wait up." He got a hold of her upper arm and pulled her toward her bedroom. "Why don't you pack some of your night stuff; I'll grab my keys and you can crash at my place for the night."

"Oh, that's okay Sano."

"No," he shook his head at the dark haired woman. " It'll make me feel better if you crashed at my place and I'm still living alone right now. And we both know that Misao has a party tonight and no matter how tired you are, I know you wouldn't be able to sleep in a house bouncing with drunks, Jou-chan."

She was tense in disagreement even though Sano's idea was more appealing than her own plan of making a surprise visit to Misao's makeshift club/apartment.

She smiled sheepishly up at Sano.

"Fine, I'll go pack my stuff."

"Great. I'll get my keys."

Kaoru met Sano at the front door with a half full duffle bag. He dropped a key into her open palm and followed her out into the apartment hallway.

"You remember where I live right? You take the Richmond line down to 6th-"

"Yes Sano. I remember, to the 6th and take a left from the station and a right on Leighton street."

She gave him a warm hug around his waist.

"Thanks Sano."

He squeezed her gently and ruffled her hair.

"No worries Jou-chan."

She frowned when she pulled away from Sano's bare chest. Pressing one palm more firmly into his forearm, she gripped his other arm with her free hand.

"Sano, I know this is ridiculous to imagine, but have you gotten buffer?"

He smirked.

"Coping a feel, are we Jou-chan?"

She smacked him on the arm.

"Stupid, you better not be taking anything!"

"Do you really think I'd be able to use anything with Megumi around?" He scoffed.

She silently agreed with him. Megumi would personally treated Sano if he acquired the addiction; with experimental drugs, probably.

"But I'm glad you noticed the extra hours I've invested into the gym, Jou-chan."

Her right hand dropped unnoticeably from his elbow, she reached behind him and took a firm grasp, squeezing his butt playfully.

"Mmm... Definitely noticed."

Kaoru grinned sleepily at his shocked features. She stepped around his dumbfounded figure and headed towards the elevators.

"KYAA! Kaoru! I can't believe you just did that! You grabbed my ass! You molested me. Sexual harassment!" Sano stuttered from the open doorway. "I'm so telling Megumi on you!"

Sano wrapped his arms around himself but the vulnerable look was lost in his six foot frame, toned muscles and dark skin. Kaoru chuckled and headed towards the stairs rather than the elevators when she saw Sano following.

"It's was just a starfish* Sano, Megumi would understand. See you later. Hohoho!" She laughed at his flushed face and planned to slip through the stairwell door but was pulled back by her arm.

"Sano?" Her curse died on her lips when the usual carefree grin was absent in his expression.

"Sano?" She asked again when he did nothing.

He brought a hand softy to the side of her head and brushed her bangs. She caught a glimpse of something like sadness before he rested his cheek on the top of her skull.

"Uhh..."

She was at a loss of words from the larger man's show of intimate affection. Fidgeting under his hold- she wasn't above bodily harm- she drove a elbow into his side but he continued to hold her to his chest. His very bare chest.

"San-" Kaoru wearily raised her head for his eyes.

"Hahaha, can't even give me a hug Jou-chan?" He pushed her towards the stairs now in his usual cheer and waved happily as she took a few stumbling steps down. "Stay safe, call me when you get to my apartment."

She scowled at his smiling face and lumbered down the stairs. His deep laugh vibrated through the concrete walls. She watched as Sano shut the stairwell door with a puzzled twist of her lips. Sano liked to tease, but the depressing shape of his eye was too real and it was silly to believe that Sano had other interests other than brotherly sentiment towards her.

Stepping out into the spring night she took in the sweet air and headed towards the subway station and decided it was best to forget Sano's strange behavior. That aside, she was sure it wouldn't be too long before Megumi and Sano started living together by the looks of the progress of their relationship.

Tomorrow looked like a good day to study the apartment listings.

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Sano entered the apartment and rubbed the side of this face with a hand. He slipped off the pants and returned to his original state before Kaoru entered the apartment.

The sheer drapes were soft to the touch when he pulled them away from the window to watch Kaoru leave the apartment building. With unblinking intensity he watched as she walked in the wrong direction. Huffing a quiet laugh, he rolled his eyes and snapped open his phone, fingers dialing a memorized number. He paused on the call button as she hesitated down the street and turned around and headed towards the station. He laughed out loud and shook his head as he continued to watch even after she disappeared down the block.

He envisioned her walking the half block to the entrance of the station. 30 seconds to purchase the tickets to Richmond and 6th and another 30 seconds to descend by the escalators, he knew she liked to take the stairs, but she looked exhausted from work. 15 seconds to board the right train. She would probably switch the duffle bag to the other shoulder.

It should take no more than one minute and 30 seconds for the train to arrive at the other station and about 60 seconds to make the switch to another train. A five minute ride to 6th street. He prayed she hadn't fallen asleep on the train. His apartment was only one block away from the station.

The phone in his hand glowed as he waited for her phone call. Glancing down at the time on the phone, he timed her entrance into his apartment.

The phone in his hand vibrated as Kaoru's name,"Raccoon" and number flashed on the LCD screen. He let out a long breath and turned away from the window. He settled himself comfortably on the black leather couch.

"Yo."

"Hey Sano, I made it." The speaker crackled faintly with static.

"Feel free to use the shower and sleep well Jou-chan."

"Thanks Sano." He could see the drained smile from her voice.

"Goodnight."

He didn't get a response back and he hung up and tossed the phone on to the couch. He felt bad kicking Kaoru out after seeing how spent she was from work, but today was special to Megumi. He had to settle with sending Kaoru to his apartment. His eyes slid closed.

"Kaoru."

I would not have been able to concentrate on Megumi with Kaoru here.

He opened his eyes lazily when he heard the door rattle as it was opened.

"Sano?" He frowned when he found himself disappointed when it was Megumi's voice that called his name. This was the woman he loved. The frown smoothed from his face as Megumi came into view of the living room.

"Welcome home." He whispered huskily.

Megumi paused but her face remained neutral as she took in the bare sight he made lounged on the couch.

"Mmm.." She let her purse slip from her fingers as she advanced towards the nude man. Tugging off her jacket, she straddled Sano's lap as she unbuttoned her blouse.

"I like this welcome." She kissed him lightly on the cheek as Sano helped her out of her blouse.

"I'm glad you like it" He breathed and leaned in to close the inch between their lips.

She restrained the sides of his face with both hands and scolded softly.

"Not until," she nibbled lightly on his bottom lip, "I" she marched a trail of kisses across his check to the shell of his ear. "take a shower."

Before he could pin her to the couch she was half away across the living room, leaving him all hot and bothered.

"Megumi, that's not fair. I already showered." Sano pouted as he watched her head toward the bathroom.

"Then I suppose you're taking another one."

Megumi unhooked her bra at the bathroom door and threw him a taunting look behind before entering.

Sano grinned wolfishly and vaulted over the couch.

"I guess I am."

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Kaoru shuffled into Sano's dark apartment and locked the door. Dropping her things on to the wood floor in the hallway, she changed clothing from her duffle back and made her way to the bedroom.

The short trip had taken more energy that she had anticipated and was groggy with sleep. The bath could wait until tomorrow.

Entering the bedroom, she sighed in delight at the sight of the large bed. She was half way under the covers before she realized there was someone occupying the bed. She blinked in disappointment and studied the sleeping person. She couldn't make out the features of the person except for long strands of hair that lay over the person's pillow.

Oh, it's a girl.

Her mind was tired as she concluded that she was too tired to move to the couch, seeing that she was already under the covers.

It's okay, the bed is big enough.

The person hadn't woken up from her entering. Worn with sleep, she settled down and fell asleep as soon as she was comfortable.

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A/N:

*Totally.. forgot if the sun set on the east or west. =_=+

Hello good people! ^_^

I know, I know. What's up with Sano right? It like he's asking for a beating from Megumi.

And I know this chapter is short, but I'll try to update soon.

Tell me if I'm bad or if you're confused with anything. Comment and review. (c'mon.. I know you wanna. ^_^)