Part V

     Megumi was upset.  Even though it had been a week since Ryouga had asked about Kaoru, and therefore Kenshin, she was still sore about it.  What the others didn't know was why she was so hung up on Kenshin.  Kaoru thought she only flirted with Kenshin out of spite, but it wasn't true.  She did care very deeply about the rurouni.  And she had reason to believe that Kenshin was not immune to her charms.  There was only one little problem.
     She decided to try tonight.  She would ask Kenshin to walk her home.  He would probably agree, being the chivalrous man that he was.  She would begin to ask about what he'd told Ryouga, discussing that, before she brought up her own problem.
     Of course, Kenshin knew of her feelings.  He wasn't very good with dealing with them though, neither hers nor Kaoru's, nor anyone's for that matter.  He could deal with emotion, but when it was directed at him -- especially the "softer" emotions, like love -- he had a tendency to panic.  Megumi thought it was adorable and often teased him with the notion of curing him of that shyness.
     Unfortunately, the man was too smart -- surely he couldn't be that lucky -- to avoid every potential encounter, and do so deftly.
     Well, Megumi had forgotten her own umbrella at her apartment.  While she often stayed at the dojo these days, she had promised Genzaisensei she would open the clinic the next morning.  It made more sense for her to stay at her own room overnight.
     It looked like it was going to rain.
     She heard the sounds of laughter from the porch.  With a nervous yet brief tug on her hair, she brought out the onigiri she'd been preparing while wondering why she seemed to cook for these people so often.
     "Here you go, onigiri for everyone."  She smiled brightly, unable to hide the fact that it didn't reach her eyes from the more astute members of the Kenshingumi family.
     Ryouga beat Sanosuke to the plate.  Somehow over the past three weeks he'd become part of the family.  He never seemed to think about going home anymore, as if he had found a reason to want to stay.  Megumi knew it wasn't just her cooking, though he did seem to appreciate that well enough.
     The irony of it was, deny it though they (and she) might, Kenshin and Kaoru had long seemed to be on the way to a stable (for them) relationship.  They had had their moments of tenderness and understanding, but Kenshin was very gunshy, as it were.  She didn't doubt Kaoru was getting more than a little fed up with waiting.
     But now, with Ryouga on the scene...  There was no doubt he walked to the beat of a different drummer.  He was good looking, no question, although he was even more hotheaded and directionless than Sanosuke, more sensitive than Yahiko, and more clueless than Kenshin pretended to be.
     What a guy.  And what a match for Kaoru.
     Megumi rationalized.  They were both young, impetuous, determined, hotheaded, stubborn and violent people, yet also fiercely loyal, strong, skillful individuals with hearts crying for love.
     Nothing at all like her, of course.  Megumi had tried not to set Sanosuke up with Kaoru even in her mind; it was just as obvious the chickenhead had a crush on her.
     Oh, he was delicious looking all right, but he was just too immature.  If he ever grew up a little, say about ten years' maturity, she might consider him.  He was just too wild; she wanted someone who would be able to support her and stand by her, someone who would love her quietly yet passionately.  Someone who could take care of himself while she was living her dream career.  Sano was just too dependent.  It sometimes seemed like he got into fights just so he would be injured enough to require her care.  It wasn't his fault he was a confused young man.
     She watched them eat noisily as her mind wandered.  She was no closer to a remedy for the curse of Juusenkyou than she had been a week ago.
     "Megumisan?  Aren't you going to eat anything?"  Kaoru paused in her not-very-delicate inhalation of the meal set before her with a puzzled look.  The beautiful doctor had seemed distracted lately, more so in the past week even than since the beginning of the Juusenkyou ordeal.
     "Hmm?  Oh, no, that's all right.  I'll eat later.  I had a late lunch; Genzaisensei and I had a surgery today so we ate a late lunch."  She smiled and Kaoru shrugged as she bent once again to the rice ball she'd been annihilating.
     "Are you sure, Megumisensei?"  Ryouga looked at her.  "You look awful."
     Conversation froze.  Sanosuke bristled, glaring at the guest, but before he could even crack his knuckles, Megumi answered for herself.
     "I'm sure.  I'm just a little tired is all.  Between my regular duties and finding the remedy, I've just been a little stressed out I suppose."  She smiled again and Ryouga shrugged, but Sanosuke didn't relax very much as he returned to his squabble with Yahiko over the last of the onigiri.
     Kenshin smiled and quietly grabbed it while they were distracted.
     "Eh?"  Sanosuke blinked.
     "Kenshin!  No fair!"
     "It's all your fault, kid!
     "Shut up, jerk!"  Yahiko was on Sano's head chewing ferociously in no time at all.
     "Yare yare," Kenshin sighed.  Well, it wasn't his fault Megumi made good onigiri.  "Kaorudono, you've been quiet."
     Kaoru smiled and shook her head.  "I just don't feel all that talkative tonight."
     Now all activity really DID stop.  Briefly, anyway.
     "You?  Not feel like talking?  But that's impossible!  Megumi, do something, Kaoru's dying!"  Yahiko turned wide eyes on the young doctor.  It proved to be a mistake.  "OW!"
     Kaoru glared at him, bokken in hand.
     "Well, I think I'm going to go practice now."  Ryouga rose and made a rapid departure.
     "Um, yeah, I'm expected elsewhere, gotta run."  Which was interesting, usually Sanosuke stuck around.
     Kenshin rose at the same time as Megumi.
     "I'll do the dishes, Kensan."
     "I wouldn't mind the help."  Kenshin smiled back at the doctor.
     Kaoru merely growled at Yahiko and dragged him outside by the ear.  "Go practice with Ryouga, brat."
     "Hmm.  Maybe there is something to worry about after all," Megumi remarked quietly to Kenshin.  "I'll talk with her later, once she's had time to relax a little again."
 Kenshin nodded.  Of course he'd be worried about Kaoru, but Megumi wished he would worry about her like that once in a while.
     "She seems to be getting along quite nicely with Ryougachan," she added as an afterthought.  She noted that Kenshin looked relieved.
     "Yes.  It's good to see Kaorudono making friends again."  Kenshin smiled as he bent his head to the dishes he'd begun washing.  Megumi wasn't sure, but he didn't LOOK jealous or anything...  Could it be he was glad to have the younger woman off his back?  Just as it was obvious they cared for one another, her attentions made him uncomfortable.  Megumi chose not to think about the fact that hers did as well.
     They finished the dishes in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.  Kenshin carried the tub full of dirty, cold water to the window.
     "Kensan?"
     "Hai?"  He threw the water out, looking over his shoulder at Megumi.
     "Hey!"
     "Bweee!!!!!!"
     "Oro?"
     "Oh my."  If Kenshin looked embarrassed, Megumi looked mortified.  "Oh, Kensan, I didn't -- we should both know better."  The doctor hung her head in dismay as she set up a pot to heat.
     "I'll be..."  He looked around frantically and grabbed the empty tofu tray.  "Going shopping now," Kenshin finished in a rush and made a dash for the door.  The former hitokiri would have been far better off using the Battousai's infamous speed -- the doorway was blocked by an irritated looking raccoon, an irate pig, and a soaking wet and furious brat.  "Oroo..."
     "Somehow I don't think looking adorable is going to get you out of this one, Kensan," Megumi piped up from the safer confines of the kitchen.  "I don't even think the fact that I've already got water heating up is going to do much good."
     "Ahh, Megumidono, I don't think either one of us is safe now."  Kenshin backed into the kitchen as the three advanced.
     "Kenshin...  Just be glad I didn't fall into something back there too.  I'd've made sure it was something big and strong, like the Spring of Drowned Shabranigdo!"
     "Bwee?"
     "Don't ask, Ryouga."  Yahiko didn't take his eyes off Kenshin as he spoke.
     "Here we go, the water's nice and hot."  Megumi poured some into two large cups and handed one to Yahiko.  "Why don't you get Ryouga changed back, and I'll get Kaoruchan restored to her normal self."  She looked as calm as if she was telling him that the sun was out.  Except for the nervous glance she shared with Kenshin.  "I think we'll just make sure the pot is kept full and hot, instead of using it for dishes next time, ne, Kensan?"  She smiled teasingly as she stepped outside to collect Kaoru's wet outfit from the yard and turned her back just as Yahiko poured his share of the water over the piglet's head.  "Come on, Kaoruchan.  You shouldn't blame Kensan.  And unless you want to change back in front of the boys, I suggest you come inside."
     The raccoon refused to be carried but followed Megumi inside.  It was hard to tell on her raccoon form, but it looked an awful lot like she was blushing.
     "I can't believe he did that!"
     "Oh, come now, silly girl.  Even you have to know it was an accident, and Kensan wouldn't do such a thing on purpose.  Even if you do abuse him constantly."  Megumi smiled sweetly as the younger woman dressed quickly.  Just then they heard a high-pitched "Oro" coming from the yard.  "Oh, Kensan.  What will we do with you?"  Megumi started towards the kitchen to get more water.
     "You should be glad I don't do the same to you!"  Kaoru was still miffed.
     Moments later, hot water spilled into the dirt as Yahiko stood over a very unhappy vixen.  "I've got it covered, Kaoru."  Yahiko paused, the anger on his features being replaced by a mischievous gleam.         "Although you're much easier on the eyes as a raccoon."
     "Yahiko."
     "Huh?"  The boy turned to Kenshin.  He'd never seen girl-type Kenshin go hitokiri before.  And even though she wasn't REALLY ready to kill, for some reason the expression was even more intimidating to see that look on a female Kenshin's face.  And Yahiko was definitely intimidated.
     "Megumidono was carrying my hot water."  Kenshin wasn't about to attack but he -- SHE was certainly not going to make Yahiko's life any easier.  "You've spilled it."
     "It was Kaoru's idea!"  Yahiko looked panicky.
     "I wasn't even there at the time, you lazy brat!"
     "Yeah but it was still your idea!"  Yahiko was getting desperate.
     Fortunately for him, Kenshin had had enough.  "Maa, maa.  I'll heat more water myself."  She sighed resignedly and retreated to the kitchen, carrying Megumi's clothes and followed by the sleek vixen.
     "Kensan, I'm beginning to think there is no remedy for this," she sighed as Kenshin poured hot water over her.  She slipped quickly into her kimono while Kenshin doused himself generously and shook out his hair.  Megumi bit her lip, amazed once again at how beautiful he was.  Man or woman, he was gorgeous.
     "Don't talk like that, Megumidono.  You'll find it soon enough."  He smiled that sweet, supportive smile at her and she smiled back, slipping her arms around him for a grateful hug.
     "You're so wonderful, Kensan."  She rested her chin on his shoulder, smiling up at him through thick dark bangs.
     He, of course, panicked.  "Oro?"
     "And so adorable!"
     "WHAT Do you think you are doing!"  Kaoru fumed from the doorway.  "KENSHIN!!!!"
     "Oro?"  He looked so befuddled as Kaoru dragged him out by the hair.  Megumi turned to Ryouga, who stood in the doorway looking as lost as ever.
     "Such a violent woman," Megumi shook her head at him.
     "Isn't she incredible?"  Ryouga had a rapt expression.
     "What about your Akane?"
     "A...  Akane...  I might never see her again.  And as beautiful as Akane is, she's nothing compared to my Kaoru!"
     "YOUR Kaoru?  EW!  You want THAT ugly toad?  What on earth do you like her for!?"  Yahiko had come up behind Ryouga as he stood in the doorway and caught the end of the conversation.  "She can't cook, she's ugly, and she's always beating up on us!"
     "I'll not have you speak about Kaoru that way!  She deserves better than what she gets from you, Myoujin Yahiko!"  Ryouga's umbrella came off his back and plummeted towards Yahiko's head as the boy ran out of the room, Ryouga hot on his heels.  Megumi looked heavenwards, sighing to herself.  Life was never, ever boring around the Kamiya Dojo, that was certain.  She almost missed the old days when all they had to contend with was other former assassins and psychopaths bent on world domination.  Those days seemed peacefully quiet compared to the chaos that was commonplace now.  Megumi would have given a lot to have those days back.
     On the other hand, this was rather entertaining as long as she was uninvolved.  It gave her two very good diversions:  She could find the cure for a curse that troubled many unlucky, inadvertent "swimmers" which was good from a medical standpoint.  She also had the benefit of the distraction to Kaoru of the attractive Hibiki Ryouga; perhaps now she might have a better chance at making progress with Kenshin.