Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ A Certain Clarity ❯ 15 ( Chapter 15 )

Title: A Certain Clarity (15/30)

Author: Franzi Dickson

E-mail: fdickson@ix.netcom.com

Archive: The SxSAS Archive, fanfiction.net and others (eventually). If you want it on your site, just ask.

Rating: NC-17 for wet dreams, sex, drugs, violence and other badness.

Warnings: m/m sex, lemon, assorted bad things in this part and future ones

Disclaimer: They don't belong to me. I'm just doing bad things with them. Don't sue me.

Katsu was worried. He'd never seen his friend like this before. Normally, he just got angry, but now...

"Sano?"

The figure remained motionless on the futon.

"Sano, please at least eat something. I brought you some soup." He sighed. It had already been four days. He had been so angry at first, wanting to charge off and battle the evil doers. That was the Sano he knew. He touched the blanket covered shoulder. "I'll leave it here in case you're hungry later, ok?" He had to get him to snap out of it somehow. "I have to go now, but I'll be back in a couple of hours. Why don't we go have lunch then? My treat."

Sano continued to ignore him.

Oh Sano. "At least ask yourself, what would *he* do in this situation?" He slid the door shut.

He's really, really gone. And I didn't even tell him... but what should he have said? Katsu's retreating footsteps... Was he being rude? He just couldn't seem to find the energy to speak. It's over. That's what it meant. No more unfinished business. I wish I'd never woken up. He sat up slowly. Katsu had left a large tray. He wondered if he should eat, but it all looked so... What was the point anyway? He was so tired, but he couldn't sleep. What would he do in this situation? He'd never be in this situation. He'd never fuck up badly enough to kill the people he cared about... that is if he cared about anyone. Maybe Sano just shouldn't care. You shouldn't be sorry the old bastard's gone. All he ever did was insult you and think you were stupid. He was still doing it, still acting that way. Even when you had your arms around him and he was so weak and fragile and cold; even then he acted like he always does. Even when you got him killed... And then you had to go get drunk like the weak, contemptible fool you are and let them steal him. At least you could have given him a decent burial or something. He'd probably laugh at you for being such an ahou. He imagined that voice, dripping with scorn and derision. 'Oh, veeery nice, ahou.' Oh yeah, he'd let you have it for sure. He could almost see the expression on his face. The corner of his mouth would turn up just a little bit and then he'd slowly light a cigarette and... That Bastard! Even in death he was annoying as hell!

The youth glowered around the room. "Stupid jerk! Why'd you go and let them win? I told you I wasn't doing your stupid errands! Now I've gotta go do something about that cult." He scowled. "Thanks a lot, you creep." He picked up the chopsticks. "And you can go tell Chou your own damn self!" Muttering under his breath, he began to eat.

"Sano! You're up!"

"Yeah well, seeing as you're paying for lunch..."

Katsu thought his smile seemed a little forced, but at least he was making the attempt. "The same restaurant?"

"Sure, why not?"

Katsu watched him while they ate. He seemed restless, fiddling with his chopsticks, picking at the food, shifting about in his seat. He kept turning to look at the front of the restaurant.

"Is something wrong, Sano?"

"Huh?... No, I'm fine."

Yeah right. He saw Sano tense. A row of cloaked figures was filing by outside to stand in front of the restaurant. So that's what he was after!

"I'll be right back."

What was he up to? He looked at Sano in surprise as he returned to the table; his face had a predatory look about it.

"What's up?"

Sano grinned. "I said as how I'd seen them around and liked their pamphlet and wanted to know more. They invited me to meet them later. There's some kind of gathering thing happening."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

The youth made a derisive noise. "Better than sitting around like a loser." His eyes took on the *look* again.

Katsu shivered. Sano was muttering something as he went back to his food. Katsu almost caught it.

"... show you. You'll see..."