Kon'ya Wa Hoshi Ga Kirei Desu
(The Stars are Beautiful Tonight)
By Yuki Takano
Notes: Ok, since I have been stuck at A Date and Rabukome for what seemed like an eternity, I decided to post this one shot fic. It's an alternate pairing, sort of. But not to worry, it's not yaoi. The plot (Plot? What plot?) has been eating me for quite sometime, so what the heck? Anyway, C&Cs please! More explanations and apologies later.
Kon'ya Wa Hoshi Ga Kirei Desu
(The Starts are Beautiful Tonight)
WHACK!
Emblazoned on the cheek of Sagara Sanosuke was the red imprint of the small hand of Kamiya Kaoru.
"Ouch Jou-chan! You slapped me! That hurts!" Sano complained somewhat brokenly. He gingerly rubbed his left hand over the swollen area.
"I should be killing you by now Sagara." Kaoru hissed still blushing furiously. The nerve of that stupid chicken-head....
"What are you so worked up about? It was just a damn kiss!" He growled at her, imposing his height, his brown eyes challenging her.
Kaoru barely flinched, she viscously jabbed a slender finger on the chest of the ex-gangster. Her look almost enough to bore two perfect holes in the forehead of Sano. "Dammit Sano." Was all that she could utter. Words escaped her lips. "You are so fucking dead."
"Dammit Jou-chan, you do have a filthy mouth you know."
"Why you moron?!" She grabbed the collar of his white shirt. Maddeningly she saw the word Aku on the back of his only jacket. "Sin." She breathed.
Aku. Zoku. Zan.
She wished Saitou was here. She would make him proud, no doubt about that.
"Huh?" Sano asked blankly. Did he just heard her right?
"Sin. Swift. Slay." Kaoru repeated calmly through her clenched teeth.
Sano gulped uneasily. "Uh, Jou-chan, you're starting to scare me..."
"You should be Sano," she began, "you just dug your own grave."
"Wait...what about the ideology of your father? The exponents of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu?"
The murderous glint in her blue eyes became clearer. Kaoru seemed upset. What the hell did he do anyway? "Jou-chan, it was just a kiss." He said a little pleadingly. "You won't get pregnant if that's what you're freaking out on." He informed her.
"Very bad choice of words Sagara." She shook him mercilessly.
Very bad indeed. "Uh, should I re-phrase. Take out all the stuff about pregnancy?"
Kaoru was at lost. Her first kiss...Sano....that chicken-head sake induced punk...
Euwww, talk about disgusting! Talk about repulsive! Talk about...
"Let's talk about your funeral Sano." She said in a bright voice. "Would you like it to be formal or should I just bury you myself? Cover up the evidence. Maybe we can even make it seem like suicide."
"How 'bout letting me go and forgetting the whole thing. In fact, we're not even here! We never came here. We never saw each other. This whole conversation is not happening...we never kissed..."
"Oh, but we did!"
"No!" Sano argued. "You just imagined that... Argghhhh..."
The hand tightened on his neck.
"You're dead meat."
"Argguhk...men...I...ima...gurk...it..." Sano stuttered as he deliriously gulped in fresh air as Kaoru's hold loosened, enough to let him live for about five minutes. He tried one last time. Determined to worm his way out of this particularly death defying experience. After all, only a miracle can save him now. "Jou-chan, how could I not kiss you? You look...uh...you look so...uh..." He was stalling. Not a good thing.
"Spit it out will ya!"
"You look like a girl...."
Ooops. Not the way he had meant it to sound.
Kaoru's blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that you, well..." Cough. Cough. Cough. "Uh that you are..." Sano stared at Kaoru blankly, 'Jeez Sano! You're life depends on what you're going to say! Just think of something nice to say.'
"Sano..."
"You look like the stars!" he blurted out hysterically.
"The what?"
"You know, those bright, I don't know, rocks or something that glitters in the sky at night." He answered vaguely scratching his head.
"I know what stars are." Kaoru said indignantly. "I just couldn't believe you said that." She informed him.
"Well yes." He tried assured her. 'Me neither.' Sano thought to himself. He sighed. Perhaps he does have some explaining to do. He had kissed Kaoru, because, well, because he wanted to. There! How did that sound?
Not really what Jou-chan would want to hear from him. But that was the truth. He just wanted to know if her lips were as soft as it looked. He wanted to know how her lips would feel against his.
And maybe the fact that he had a little too much to drink tonight. Or the fact that he had been a little lonelier this past few days and Megumi had not been really giving him the attention he so craved.
He was just minding his own business. He was drunk, he was lost. He got to the point where he was ready to sleep on the place he was standing on when he chanced upon Jou-chan. She had been a real pain. Telling him not to drink, not to gamble, and not to get lost. And then he bent over to tell her to piss off, when he smelled her jasmine scent. And he just...he just kissed her.
But there were no malicious intent or whatsoever.
Ok. Maybe there was. Just a little tiny part of him that wanted Kaoru...that way. Big deal! Like he said earlier, it was just a damn kiss.
A rather, long exquisite kiss that in some level he did enjoyed...but that is so not the point right now. Besides what was she so upset about? It wasn't like he was interested at her. At all.
She's a freaking tomboy. A tanuki girl. A sensei at a no-name dojo for crying out loud! What is so feminine about that? Or about her? Besides she has no...well, maybe she has, just a teeny tiny weenie bit of...
"Sano what are you staring at?"
'Your breast?'
"Uh....your kimono, it's...the color suits you. Brings out the blue of your eyes." He said, mentally asking himself if he had actually lost his mind. 'Face it Sagara, you are a first class pervert!' he thought berating himself.
"Was that an insult?" Kaoru asked almost growling at him.
Sano balked at her. What the hell was so insulting about...Oh. Sano realized that the kimono he was referring to was actually a drab, overly used gray gi that Kaoru had been wearing since she was, ten or eleven years old maybe.
"Hell no Jou-chan!" He replied meekly trying to look at Kaoru, instead of somewhere else. "You always take things the wrong way." Damn. His eyes kept wandering over to her chest.
Kaoru gave him a suspicious look.
'Quit staring at her breast dummy!' His mind ordered.
'Yeah? What breast? Where?' He mentally retorted.
'You fucking know what I'm talking about Sagara. Now move your damn eyeballs before she realize that you're checking her out.'
'Whoa! I am not checking her out. I am not staring at her...'
"Are you staring at my breast pervert?" Kaoru asked, her voice dropping into an almost inaudible hiss. She cracked her knuckles.
That took his attention away from her body. He stared at her flushed angry face. She looked cute enough to actually make him want to kiss her again. But of course, that was just the sake kicking in. "Jou-chan! I wouldn't do that to you. You're a friend."
'Right. And you're the queen of England Sagara Sanosuke.'
Sano sighed, when will the voice ever learn to shut up! If he remembered it correctly, this was also the same voice that told him to kiss Kaoru. He didn't want to think of this voice as his conscience. It was bad enough that a part of him that was still thinking straight had chosen to abandon him the moment he decided to kiss Kaoru right there and then. Right now, the foul-mouthed voice in his head was making it harder for him to concentrate and do the right thing.
Which at this moment, he still have no clue what that right thing should be.
Shit. What was wrong with him.
'Arrghh, must be the stupid sake.' He thought. He did remember commenting to Kenshin that the sake Hiko had sent them as a gift had a weird taste to it. He should probably ask Kenshin about what sort of sake does Hiko fancy. 'I bet Kenshin had no idea it makes people act strange and start kissing their tomboy girl friends.' Wait till he hears about this. He smiled at the thought, Kenshin would just probably smile, shake his head and go 'ororororo'
'Or he'd turn into Battousai and slash you up.'
'There goes that annoying voice again. And how come it was always right?' He asked himself bitterly. He blinked. "Oh fuck." Sano muttered softly.
What was he thinking?
Kenshin!
That was why Kaoru had been so upset! The stupid Himura hasn't kissed her yet! That would explain why Kaoru had practically slashed him up herself. If he hadn't lied to her about looking like the stars...no wait, that wasn't exactly a lie. It was more of the truth actually, especially when she smiled or when she....
'That's not the point Sagara!'
Stupid voice interrupted him again.
'Huh? There's a point here? And that would be....'
"Wait till Kenshin hears about this." The voice in his head mimicked him.
Sano mentally kicked himself. OH NO. Kaoru was right! He was so fucking dead.
He glanced at Kaoru who seemed to be having the same train of thoughts. "Jou-chan?" He asked her tentatively.
"Sano?" She shot back.
"We're dreaming right?"
"I sure hope so." She answered softly.
If it wasn't for the fact that Kaoru was Kenshin's woman, and technically had put her on the off limits list, Sano would have asked her if it was that bad they had shared one magical moment. But he decided against it, as it would obviously cause the girl to rant some more. So he tried to assure her, that yes. They we're both having the same dream. No matter how impossible the whole idea sounded. "We are...see." He finally said, reaching out and pinching Kaoru. Hard.
Kaoru yelped in pain, dispelling her last hope. "This is all your fault." She shot him a look. A very jaded look.
"Me! If I remember it correctly, you kissed me back too!"
Kaoru gasped. "I did not!"
"You did too!" He said. It was his time to growl menacingly.
"DID NOT!"
"DID TOO!"
"NOT!"
"TOO!"
"Sano..." She said in a warning voice.
"Ok. Ok." He raised up both of his hand in a feeble attempt to ward off any unexpected on coming blows. Fortunately, none came. Feeling incredibly relieved and thankful he casually leaned at the sturdy tree. "But you did kiss me back! And don't try to deny it! Because I know it and I felt it!"
Kaoru pouted up at him and crossed her arms.
"Jou-chan?" He decided that it was for the best if they talked about what had happened. Or rather, decide not to TALK about it at all. Especially not in front of a certain red-haired, sakabatou wielding ex-slasher.
"What?" Kaoru asked this time, she positively growled.
Sano almost jumped back, but he stood on his ground. "Look I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so harsh. Can we talk about this in a civil way?"
She was silently regarding him with her arms crossed. Given the opportunity, Sano played his cards. "Jou-chan listen," he said extending both of his arms to take Kaoru by her shoulders. She idly glanced at the hand resting on both of her shoulders, looked up at him and bared her fangs.
This time, Sano did jumped back. Ulp. The she wolf. He quickly dropped his arms to his side.
"You kissed me." She said coldly.
"Yes I did." He answered in a rational voice. "And for whatever it's worth, you do have the softest lips and...you know...."
"Care to expound on that?"
"Uh let's see. We kissed right? Not a mortal sin. So we pretend that we've been.... practicing..."
"PRACTICING?" Kaoru bit out.
"Yeah. Practicing. See the way I see it, it's like when you're father taught you how to ward off blows so you won't get beaten up and you'd be ready when the time comes...."
"Excuse me, but what the hell are you getting at?"
"I'm getting to that part." He inhaled, and hoped this would work. "You see I know for a fact that you're in love with Kenshin."
Kaoru gave him a baffled look. "What does that got to do with you kissing me?"
"Don't try and change the subject Jou-chan!" Sano said and before an incredulous Kaoru can even interrupt him, he scolded her. "And don't you give me that crap about you just being his friend and all. You go that?"
Kaoru wordlessl nodded. Perplexed at the turn of events.
"So guess what?!" Sano asked excitedly clapping his hands together. "He's also in love with you!" he announced cheerfully.
She shot him another suspicious look, which he deftly ignored. He smiled disdainfully. "And eventually, hopefully in the near future you're bound to quit all this -dono stuff and do....adult stuff. Like kissing."
"Uh-huh." Kaoru said thoughtfully.
Sano broke out in a cold sweat. That patented "uh-huh" meant that Kaoru was just humoring him. He needed to be taken seriously. How the hell did things ended up this way in the first place.
It was just a kiss. It would've have been easily discarded as a flux of sanity. A moment of absolute, total...what the hell? They zoned out for a couple of seconds. What's so unforgivable with that?
'Yeah, go ahead, try asking Himura that.' Annoying voice surfaced once again.
"Shut up!" His mind roared. He hadn't realized he had said it out loud, thank Kami, Kaoru wasn't able to hear that one.
"Sano?" Kaoru asked him waving a hand in front of his face.
"Oh, right. So there. You see what I mean about practicing kissing?" He said vaguely remembering what he was saying earlier.
Kaoru let out a small smile. Ah! Finally, she's seeing the light!
"I see...I see you're about to die in the worst way imaginable. Just let me go and get Megumi ok. Stay here."
"What? Wait! Wait a sec....Megumi? What does Megumi have to do with all this?" He asked. Expecting and knowing the answer.
"You're a sick pervert. It's a disease. I bet she can cure you in no time."
Kitsune. Battousai the slasher. Not the way he had envisioned his death. He inhaled. "Shall we try again?"
"We shall. After Kenshin and Megumi hears about this." She stalked off. And Sano was quick to grab her ponytail. She lost her balance but Sano caught her on time. A flow of profanity escaped the red lips he had just so previously kissed. He shrudered inwardly as he helped her. "Jou-chan, you should turn down your vocabulary."
"Like hell I would you insufferable freaking punk!"
"I resent the punk comment."
"Punk!"
"Raccoon girl!" He spat out, a smile making it's way through his lips.
"Pervert!" She retorted noticing the grin on Sano's face. "I am so glad you are finding this so funny."
"Oh, but you are funny. And over reacting too."
"You're my first kiss! We're you expecting me puckering up for another?"
"You're my first kiss too! But you don't see me ranting like a crazed lunatic..... hey... hey... are you laughing?"
Kaoru doubled over, clutching her stomach. "Oh, who would've thought....you...an ex-gangster, feared by many...first kiss..."
"What? What's so damn funny." Sano asked. He couldn't believe he had told her that. First he kissed her and then he told her that it was his first kiss. He must be really loosing all the important screws up where it mattered most.
"Oh gods...oh...Sano...you...I never..." She continued to laugh tightening her grip on her shaking abdomen. She reached out and heartily slapped Sano's shoulder. Her hands stayed there as she tried not to fall and start rolling on the ground. The thought of her rolling on the ground somehow seemed more hilarious that it sent her into another batch of ego-shattering, pride-breaking laughter.
Her giggles rang loudly, over and over and over again at Sano's ears. "Jou-chan, get a hold of yourself." He said in a voice indicating that he wasn't in the least bit amused.
She buried her face on Sano's chest. She stopped for a few seconds her right hand calmly wiping away her tears. "I'm...I'm sorry. I just can't help it." She found herself, tightly pressed against Sano. Her fingernails almost grazing the material of his jacket. She stared up at him, her soft blue eyes turning serious.
Sano met her gaze, her eyes were still glittering form her tears. He watched as she silently, shyly looked down. And right there and then Sano realized that he was wrong. She didn't look like the stars...her eyes were the stars. "Finished?" He asked softly. Suddenly noticing the all too familiar scent of jasmine. And then the memory of the way her lips had felt against his...soft and sweet...
"Jou-chan?" He asked softer, almost like a whisper.
She looked up him, meeting his deep brown eyes. She could smell a hint of sake on his breath. Had in fact tasted it on his lips. She smiled up at him and then; "Mwahahahaha..." She just couldn't help it.
Sano sighed. Tanuki girl alright.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Kaoru apologized again. She took her hands of his shoulders and stepped back. "Ohh." She said taking in a deep breath, wiping away her last tears. She looked up at him again and smiled.
"Ano... Kaoru... you're not going to kill me anymore?" Sano asked hesitantly.
"Hai. You're too amusing to die...yet." She added. She smiled at him, realizing it was actually the first time he called her by her name. "And gomen for freaking out on you. It was just that...well..." Suddenly shy, she dropped her gaze to the ground her toes curling nervously through her tabi.
"Sumimasen. I didn't mean to offend you or anything." Sano sighed. "I kissed you because I wanted to know how it would feel to hold you that way... the way Kenshin does. He's lucky you know."
Kaoru met his gaze. "I'm the lucky one." She reconsidered and smile. "We both are." She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "I freaked out because I thought with the way you reacted after kissing me..."
"I pushed you away because I realized I was kissing the person my friend is in love with. It wasn't because I didn't like kissing you. But...but for a first kiss, it had been nice and sweet...and I'm glad that it was you… it's just that..."
"There were no fireworks!" Kaoru exclaimed.
Sano looked at her, a little perplexed, but then he understood what she meant and he shrugged. "It wasn't a romantic kiss anyway...well, not that romantic."
"Hai." Kaoru agreed.
"So..."
"So?"
"We forget about the whole incident?" Sano asked, hoping she wouldn't agree. But if that's the way she wanted it, then who could blame her.
Kaoru wrinkled her nose. "Doesn't that sound distasteful to just forget our kiss like it never happened, even for a punk like you?"
Punk. He scowled at her, but he was relieved with her answer. He didn't want to forget this either. It was a special night and she's a special girl. "Ok then. We put it in a secret place." He said smiling at her.
Kaoru returned it with a brilliant smile of her own. "Aa. It'll be our own little secret!" Her wide innocent blue eyes was shining child like.
Sano liked her that way. "So we part ways then. I mean, only till breakfast tomorrow. Right?"
"Hai! Oyasumi nasai Sanosuke."
"Oyasumi Kaoru."
Exchanging smiles they went in the opposite direction.
"Hey Tanuki!" Sano suddenly called, turning back.
"What is it chicken head?"
"Thanks!" He shouted. "And by the way, are you going to cook tomorrow?"
"No. Why do you ask?"
"Because I'm going to have lunch and dinner there too, so don't go anywhere near the kitchen ok?" He heard her curse.
"Get a job Sagara. You're mouth is too big for me to support and with Yahiko banging up the plate every meal asking for more..."
"A job?" he was seriously considering it. "Hmmm, do you think Tae-san would give me work at the Akabeko?" Her laughter rippled through the silent night. He smiled at the sound. "Oi Jou-chan?"
"What?" She asked sounding annoyed, but the fondness in her voice gave her away.
"It was a nice first kiss." Sano said finally resuming his walk, not expecting any reply. After a few seconds he heard a shout.
"Hai! Same here Sano! Same here."
He smiled to himself. He changed course and went directly to Megumi's clinic. Opening the door he greeted her with wide warm eyes. "Foxy! I missed you today!"
A flying cup was dodged expertly.
Fireworks alright.
"Kaoru-dono?"
"Kenshin!" Kaoru exclaimed as she entered her dojo. "What are you doing here?"
"I was waiting for you. Dinner's already ready de gozaru. But Yahiko still isn't home." Kenshin paused and smiled at her shyly. His violet eyes softer than usual. "Would you like to have a walk?"
"A walk would be nice." She said extending out her hands. Kenshin took them and squeezed it briefly.
The gesture was enough for now. Until they were both ready to speak. Although Kaoru had a feeling that words were unnecessary. Spoken or not, she can see and feel love through his violet eyes.
"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked, staring up in the midnight blue sky.
"Hai?"
"Kon'ya wa hoshi ga kirei desu." He said softly, returning his eyes on her.
She blushed, remembering Sano's words.
'You're like the stars.'
It seems that she had just received a compliment from the chicken head punk.
"Hai Kenshin." She answered softly, resting her head on his shoulder.
-END-
Author's note:
So what do you guys think? Silly? Disastrous? Highly flammable? Anyway, I think this fic hasn't much strength, I mean, Sano and Kaoru? But they are so kawaii when they bicker and I just love to play with them. And if they are not in character, I do apologize for that. Anyway, I hoe that you can review this fic. I would appreciate it so much. Thank you for reading!
(The Stars are Beautiful Tonight)
By Yuki Takano
Notes: Ok, since I have been stuck at A Date and Rabukome for what seemed like an eternity, I decided to post this one shot fic. It's an alternate pairing, sort of. But not to worry, it's not yaoi. The plot (Plot? What plot?) has been eating me for quite sometime, so what the heck? Anyway, C&Cs please! More explanations and apologies later.
Kon'ya Wa Hoshi Ga Kirei Desu
(The Starts are Beautiful Tonight)
WHACK!
Emblazoned on the cheek of Sagara Sanosuke was the red imprint of the small hand of Kamiya Kaoru.
"Ouch Jou-chan! You slapped me! That hurts!" Sano complained somewhat brokenly. He gingerly rubbed his left hand over the swollen area.
"I should be killing you by now Sagara." Kaoru hissed still blushing furiously. The nerve of that stupid chicken-head....
"What are you so worked up about? It was just a damn kiss!" He growled at her, imposing his height, his brown eyes challenging her.
Kaoru barely flinched, she viscously jabbed a slender finger on the chest of the ex-gangster. Her look almost enough to bore two perfect holes in the forehead of Sano. "Dammit Sano." Was all that she could utter. Words escaped her lips. "You are so fucking dead."
"Dammit Jou-chan, you do have a filthy mouth you know."
"Why you moron?!" She grabbed the collar of his white shirt. Maddeningly she saw the word Aku on the back of his only jacket. "Sin." She breathed.
Aku. Zoku. Zan.
She wished Saitou was here. She would make him proud, no doubt about that.
"Huh?" Sano asked blankly. Did he just heard her right?
"Sin. Swift. Slay." Kaoru repeated calmly through her clenched teeth.
Sano gulped uneasily. "Uh, Jou-chan, you're starting to scare me..."
"You should be Sano," she began, "you just dug your own grave."
"Wait...what about the ideology of your father? The exponents of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu?"
The murderous glint in her blue eyes became clearer. Kaoru seemed upset. What the hell did he do anyway? "Jou-chan, it was just a kiss." He said a little pleadingly. "You won't get pregnant if that's what you're freaking out on." He informed her.
"Very bad choice of words Sagara." She shook him mercilessly.
Very bad indeed. "Uh, should I re-phrase. Take out all the stuff about pregnancy?"
Kaoru was at lost. Her first kiss...Sano....that chicken-head sake induced punk...
Euwww, talk about disgusting! Talk about repulsive! Talk about...
"Let's talk about your funeral Sano." She said in a bright voice. "Would you like it to be formal or should I just bury you myself? Cover up the evidence. Maybe we can even make it seem like suicide."
"How 'bout letting me go and forgetting the whole thing. In fact, we're not even here! We never came here. We never saw each other. This whole conversation is not happening...we never kissed..."
"Oh, but we did!"
"No!" Sano argued. "You just imagined that... Argghhhh..."
The hand tightened on his neck.
"You're dead meat."
"Argguhk...men...I...ima...gurk...it..." Sano stuttered as he deliriously gulped in fresh air as Kaoru's hold loosened, enough to let him live for about five minutes. He tried one last time. Determined to worm his way out of this particularly death defying experience. After all, only a miracle can save him now. "Jou-chan, how could I not kiss you? You look...uh...you look so...uh..." He was stalling. Not a good thing.
"Spit it out will ya!"
"You look like a girl...."
Ooops. Not the way he had meant it to sound.
Kaoru's blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that you, well..." Cough. Cough. Cough. "Uh that you are..." Sano stared at Kaoru blankly, 'Jeez Sano! You're life depends on what you're going to say! Just think of something nice to say.'
"Sano..."
"You look like the stars!" he blurted out hysterically.
"The what?"
"You know, those bright, I don't know, rocks or something that glitters in the sky at night." He answered vaguely scratching his head.
"I know what stars are." Kaoru said indignantly. "I just couldn't believe you said that." She informed him.
"Well yes." He tried assured her. 'Me neither.' Sano thought to himself. He sighed. Perhaps he does have some explaining to do. He had kissed Kaoru, because, well, because he wanted to. There! How did that sound?
Not really what Jou-chan would want to hear from him. But that was the truth. He just wanted to know if her lips were as soft as it looked. He wanted to know how her lips would feel against his.
And maybe the fact that he had a little too much to drink tonight. Or the fact that he had been a little lonelier this past few days and Megumi had not been really giving him the attention he so craved.
He was just minding his own business. He was drunk, he was lost. He got to the point where he was ready to sleep on the place he was standing on when he chanced upon Jou-chan. She had been a real pain. Telling him not to drink, not to gamble, and not to get lost. And then he bent over to tell her to piss off, when he smelled her jasmine scent. And he just...he just kissed her.
But there were no malicious intent or whatsoever.
Ok. Maybe there was. Just a little tiny part of him that wanted Kaoru...that way. Big deal! Like he said earlier, it was just a damn kiss.
A rather, long exquisite kiss that in some level he did enjoyed...but that is so not the point right now. Besides what was she so upset about? It wasn't like he was interested at her. At all.
She's a freaking tomboy. A tanuki girl. A sensei at a no-name dojo for crying out loud! What is so feminine about that? Or about her? Besides she has no...well, maybe she has, just a teeny tiny weenie bit of...
"Sano what are you staring at?"
'Your breast?'
"Uh....your kimono, it's...the color suits you. Brings out the blue of your eyes." He said, mentally asking himself if he had actually lost his mind. 'Face it Sagara, you are a first class pervert!' he thought berating himself.
"Was that an insult?" Kaoru asked almost growling at him.
Sano balked at her. What the hell was so insulting about...Oh. Sano realized that the kimono he was referring to was actually a drab, overly used gray gi that Kaoru had been wearing since she was, ten or eleven years old maybe.
"Hell no Jou-chan!" He replied meekly trying to look at Kaoru, instead of somewhere else. "You always take things the wrong way." Damn. His eyes kept wandering over to her chest.
Kaoru gave him a suspicious look.
'Quit staring at her breast dummy!' His mind ordered.
'Yeah? What breast? Where?' He mentally retorted.
'You fucking know what I'm talking about Sagara. Now move your damn eyeballs before she realize that you're checking her out.'
'Whoa! I am not checking her out. I am not staring at her...'
"Are you staring at my breast pervert?" Kaoru asked, her voice dropping into an almost inaudible hiss. She cracked her knuckles.
That took his attention away from her body. He stared at her flushed angry face. She looked cute enough to actually make him want to kiss her again. But of course, that was just the sake kicking in. "Jou-chan! I wouldn't do that to you. You're a friend."
'Right. And you're the queen of England Sagara Sanosuke.'
Sano sighed, when will the voice ever learn to shut up! If he remembered it correctly, this was also the same voice that told him to kiss Kaoru. He didn't want to think of this voice as his conscience. It was bad enough that a part of him that was still thinking straight had chosen to abandon him the moment he decided to kiss Kaoru right there and then. Right now, the foul-mouthed voice in his head was making it harder for him to concentrate and do the right thing.
Which at this moment, he still have no clue what that right thing should be.
Shit. What was wrong with him.
'Arrghh, must be the stupid sake.' He thought. He did remember commenting to Kenshin that the sake Hiko had sent them as a gift had a weird taste to it. He should probably ask Kenshin about what sort of sake does Hiko fancy. 'I bet Kenshin had no idea it makes people act strange and start kissing their tomboy girl friends.' Wait till he hears about this. He smiled at the thought, Kenshin would just probably smile, shake his head and go 'ororororo'
'Or he'd turn into Battousai and slash you up.'
'There goes that annoying voice again. And how come it was always right?' He asked himself bitterly. He blinked. "Oh fuck." Sano muttered softly.
What was he thinking?
Kenshin!
That was why Kaoru had been so upset! The stupid Himura hasn't kissed her yet! That would explain why Kaoru had practically slashed him up herself. If he hadn't lied to her about looking like the stars...no wait, that wasn't exactly a lie. It was more of the truth actually, especially when she smiled or when she....
'That's not the point Sagara!'
Stupid voice interrupted him again.
'Huh? There's a point here? And that would be....'
"Wait till Kenshin hears about this." The voice in his head mimicked him.
Sano mentally kicked himself. OH NO. Kaoru was right! He was so fucking dead.
He glanced at Kaoru who seemed to be having the same train of thoughts. "Jou-chan?" He asked her tentatively.
"Sano?" She shot back.
"We're dreaming right?"
"I sure hope so." She answered softly.
If it wasn't for the fact that Kaoru was Kenshin's woman, and technically had put her on the off limits list, Sano would have asked her if it was that bad they had shared one magical moment. But he decided against it, as it would obviously cause the girl to rant some more. So he tried to assure her, that yes. They we're both having the same dream. No matter how impossible the whole idea sounded. "We are...see." He finally said, reaching out and pinching Kaoru. Hard.
Kaoru yelped in pain, dispelling her last hope. "This is all your fault." She shot him a look. A very jaded look.
"Me! If I remember it correctly, you kissed me back too!"
Kaoru gasped. "I did not!"
"You did too!" He said. It was his time to growl menacingly.
"DID NOT!"
"DID TOO!"
"NOT!"
"TOO!"
"Sano..." She said in a warning voice.
"Ok. Ok." He raised up both of his hand in a feeble attempt to ward off any unexpected on coming blows. Fortunately, none came. Feeling incredibly relieved and thankful he casually leaned at the sturdy tree. "But you did kiss me back! And don't try to deny it! Because I know it and I felt it!"
Kaoru pouted up at him and crossed her arms.
"Jou-chan?" He decided that it was for the best if they talked about what had happened. Or rather, decide not to TALK about it at all. Especially not in front of a certain red-haired, sakabatou wielding ex-slasher.
"What?" Kaoru asked this time, she positively growled.
Sano almost jumped back, but he stood on his ground. "Look I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so harsh. Can we talk about this in a civil way?"
She was silently regarding him with her arms crossed. Given the opportunity, Sano played his cards. "Jou-chan listen," he said extending both of his arms to take Kaoru by her shoulders. She idly glanced at the hand resting on both of her shoulders, looked up at him and bared her fangs.
This time, Sano did jumped back. Ulp. The she wolf. He quickly dropped his arms to his side.
"You kissed me." She said coldly.
"Yes I did." He answered in a rational voice. "And for whatever it's worth, you do have the softest lips and...you know...."
"Care to expound on that?"
"Uh let's see. We kissed right? Not a mortal sin. So we pretend that we've been.... practicing..."
"PRACTICING?" Kaoru bit out.
"Yeah. Practicing. See the way I see it, it's like when you're father taught you how to ward off blows so you won't get beaten up and you'd be ready when the time comes...."
"Excuse me, but what the hell are you getting at?"
"I'm getting to that part." He inhaled, and hoped this would work. "You see I know for a fact that you're in love with Kenshin."
Kaoru gave him a baffled look. "What does that got to do with you kissing me?"
"Don't try and change the subject Jou-chan!" Sano said and before an incredulous Kaoru can even interrupt him, he scolded her. "And don't you give me that crap about you just being his friend and all. You go that?"
Kaoru wordlessl nodded. Perplexed at the turn of events.
"So guess what?!" Sano asked excitedly clapping his hands together. "He's also in love with you!" he announced cheerfully.
She shot him another suspicious look, which he deftly ignored. He smiled disdainfully. "And eventually, hopefully in the near future you're bound to quit all this -dono stuff and do....adult stuff. Like kissing."
"Uh-huh." Kaoru said thoughtfully.
Sano broke out in a cold sweat. That patented "uh-huh" meant that Kaoru was just humoring him. He needed to be taken seriously. How the hell did things ended up this way in the first place.
It was just a kiss. It would've have been easily discarded as a flux of sanity. A moment of absolute, total...what the hell? They zoned out for a couple of seconds. What's so unforgivable with that?
'Yeah, go ahead, try asking Himura that.' Annoying voice surfaced once again.
"Shut up!" His mind roared. He hadn't realized he had said it out loud, thank Kami, Kaoru wasn't able to hear that one.
"Sano?" Kaoru asked him waving a hand in front of his face.
"Oh, right. So there. You see what I mean about practicing kissing?" He said vaguely remembering what he was saying earlier.
Kaoru let out a small smile. Ah! Finally, she's seeing the light!
"I see...I see you're about to die in the worst way imaginable. Just let me go and get Megumi ok. Stay here."
"What? Wait! Wait a sec....Megumi? What does Megumi have to do with all this?" He asked. Expecting and knowing the answer.
"You're a sick pervert. It's a disease. I bet she can cure you in no time."
Kitsune. Battousai the slasher. Not the way he had envisioned his death. He inhaled. "Shall we try again?"
"We shall. After Kenshin and Megumi hears about this." She stalked off. And Sano was quick to grab her ponytail. She lost her balance but Sano caught her on time. A flow of profanity escaped the red lips he had just so previously kissed. He shrudered inwardly as he helped her. "Jou-chan, you should turn down your vocabulary."
"Like hell I would you insufferable freaking punk!"
"I resent the punk comment."
"Punk!"
"Raccoon girl!" He spat out, a smile making it's way through his lips.
"Pervert!" She retorted noticing the grin on Sano's face. "I am so glad you are finding this so funny."
"Oh, but you are funny. And over reacting too."
"You're my first kiss! We're you expecting me puckering up for another?"
"You're my first kiss too! But you don't see me ranting like a crazed lunatic..... hey... hey... are you laughing?"
Kaoru doubled over, clutching her stomach. "Oh, who would've thought....you...an ex-gangster, feared by many...first kiss..."
"What? What's so damn funny." Sano asked. He couldn't believe he had told her that. First he kissed her and then he told her that it was his first kiss. He must be really loosing all the important screws up where it mattered most.
"Oh gods...oh...Sano...you...I never..." She continued to laugh tightening her grip on her shaking abdomen. She reached out and heartily slapped Sano's shoulder. Her hands stayed there as she tried not to fall and start rolling on the ground. The thought of her rolling on the ground somehow seemed more hilarious that it sent her into another batch of ego-shattering, pride-breaking laughter.
Her giggles rang loudly, over and over and over again at Sano's ears. "Jou-chan, get a hold of yourself." He said in a voice indicating that he wasn't in the least bit amused.
She buried her face on Sano's chest. She stopped for a few seconds her right hand calmly wiping away her tears. "I'm...I'm sorry. I just can't help it." She found herself, tightly pressed against Sano. Her fingernails almost grazing the material of his jacket. She stared up at him, her soft blue eyes turning serious.
Sano met her gaze, her eyes were still glittering form her tears. He watched as she silently, shyly looked down. And right there and then Sano realized that he was wrong. She didn't look like the stars...her eyes were the stars. "Finished?" He asked softly. Suddenly noticing the all too familiar scent of jasmine. And then the memory of the way her lips had felt against his...soft and sweet...
"Jou-chan?" He asked softer, almost like a whisper.
She looked up him, meeting his deep brown eyes. She could smell a hint of sake on his breath. Had in fact tasted it on his lips. She smiled up at him and then; "Mwahahahaha..." She just couldn't help it.
Sano sighed. Tanuki girl alright.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Kaoru apologized again. She took her hands of his shoulders and stepped back. "Ohh." She said taking in a deep breath, wiping away her last tears. She looked up at him again and smiled.
"Ano... Kaoru... you're not going to kill me anymore?" Sano asked hesitantly.
"Hai. You're too amusing to die...yet." She added. She smiled at him, realizing it was actually the first time he called her by her name. "And gomen for freaking out on you. It was just that...well..." Suddenly shy, she dropped her gaze to the ground her toes curling nervously through her tabi.
"Sumimasen. I didn't mean to offend you or anything." Sano sighed. "I kissed you because I wanted to know how it would feel to hold you that way... the way Kenshin does. He's lucky you know."
Kaoru met his gaze. "I'm the lucky one." She reconsidered and smile. "We both are." She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "I freaked out because I thought with the way you reacted after kissing me..."
"I pushed you away because I realized I was kissing the person my friend is in love with. It wasn't because I didn't like kissing you. But...but for a first kiss, it had been nice and sweet...and I'm glad that it was you… it's just that..."
"There were no fireworks!" Kaoru exclaimed.
Sano looked at her, a little perplexed, but then he understood what she meant and he shrugged. "It wasn't a romantic kiss anyway...well, not that romantic."
"Hai." Kaoru agreed.
"So..."
"So?"
"We forget about the whole incident?" Sano asked, hoping she wouldn't agree. But if that's the way she wanted it, then who could blame her.
Kaoru wrinkled her nose. "Doesn't that sound distasteful to just forget our kiss like it never happened, even for a punk like you?"
Punk. He scowled at her, but he was relieved with her answer. He didn't want to forget this either. It was a special night and she's a special girl. "Ok then. We put it in a secret place." He said smiling at her.
Kaoru returned it with a brilliant smile of her own. "Aa. It'll be our own little secret!" Her wide innocent blue eyes was shining child like.
Sano liked her that way. "So we part ways then. I mean, only till breakfast tomorrow. Right?"
"Hai! Oyasumi nasai Sanosuke."
"Oyasumi Kaoru."
Exchanging smiles they went in the opposite direction.
"Hey Tanuki!" Sano suddenly called, turning back.
"What is it chicken head?"
"Thanks!" He shouted. "And by the way, are you going to cook tomorrow?"
"No. Why do you ask?"
"Because I'm going to have lunch and dinner there too, so don't go anywhere near the kitchen ok?" He heard her curse.
"Get a job Sagara. You're mouth is too big for me to support and with Yahiko banging up the plate every meal asking for more..."
"A job?" he was seriously considering it. "Hmmm, do you think Tae-san would give me work at the Akabeko?" Her laughter rippled through the silent night. He smiled at the sound. "Oi Jou-chan?"
"What?" She asked sounding annoyed, but the fondness in her voice gave her away.
"It was a nice first kiss." Sano said finally resuming his walk, not expecting any reply. After a few seconds he heard a shout.
"Hai! Same here Sano! Same here."
He smiled to himself. He changed course and went directly to Megumi's clinic. Opening the door he greeted her with wide warm eyes. "Foxy! I missed you today!"
A flying cup was dodged expertly.
Fireworks alright.
"Kaoru-dono?"
"Kenshin!" Kaoru exclaimed as she entered her dojo. "What are you doing here?"
"I was waiting for you. Dinner's already ready de gozaru. But Yahiko still isn't home." Kenshin paused and smiled at her shyly. His violet eyes softer than usual. "Would you like to have a walk?"
"A walk would be nice." She said extending out her hands. Kenshin took them and squeezed it briefly.
The gesture was enough for now. Until they were both ready to speak. Although Kaoru had a feeling that words were unnecessary. Spoken or not, she can see and feel love through his violet eyes.
"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked, staring up in the midnight blue sky.
"Hai?"
"Kon'ya wa hoshi ga kirei desu." He said softly, returning his eyes on her.
She blushed, remembering Sano's words.
'You're like the stars.'
It seems that she had just received a compliment from the chicken head punk.
"Hai Kenshin." She answered softly, resting her head on his shoulder.
-END-
Author's note:
So what do you guys think? Silly? Disastrous? Highly flammable? Anyway, I think this fic hasn't much strength, I mean, Sano and Kaoru? But they are so kawaii when they bicker and I just love to play with them. And if they are not in character, I do apologize for that. Anyway, I hoe that you can review this fic. I would appreciate it so much. Thank you for reading!