Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic
Rurouni Kenshin &
Samurai X Original Japanese Version © N.Watsuki/Shueisha * Fuji-TV * SME Visual
Works Inc. * Sony Pictures Entertainment
All Fanfics created by Chiruken (me)
were written for the sole purpose of shared entertainment and not intended for
publication or sale.
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by Chiruken
Chapter 10
Shinbou
“Ken-san…” Megumi swallowed and
blinked back tears as she turned to face her dearest friend and patient. “You can get dressed now.” She drew in a deep calming breath, vowing to
not break down in front of him. She’d
wait until he was gone, continuing on his journey to redemption before she
allowed her tears to fall. She listened
to the sounds behind her, following his movements by the soft rustling of
fabric and his uneven breathing.
Closing her eyes tightly, the lady doctor fought for her usual calm
centering before slowly turning to face him again, forcing a smile to her lips.
“Well…do you have time for tea today,
Ken-san?”
Kenshin nodded slowly with a soft smile,
violet eyes focused on her tight expression.
“What is it, Megumi-dono? Is it
worse?”
Megumi nodded, her smile fading. “Very.”
She sighed and tucked her hair behind her ear, gesturing with her other
hand towards the engawa. “Come sit with
me and we’ll drink tea while discussing this.”
Once he was settled she hurried into the kitchen to heat the water for
their tea. “Are you hungry,
Ken-san?” She called out over her
shoulder.
“No, no…I’m fine, that I am. You shouldn’t trouble yourself, that you
should not.” Kenshin turned his gaze up
to the sky, watching the wispy clouds drift by overhead casting soft shadows
over the grassy yard, a gentle breeze lifting tendrils of red hair and blowing
them across his eyes. It’s bad…very
bad… He thought sadly, knowing Megumi well enough to be able to judge her
moods through her body language and also knowing that her agitation didn’t have
much to do with the need to make tea.
Megumi placed her hands on the counter
and bent forward, allowing her tears to slip silently down her cheeks to fall
onto the backs of her hands. It was
worse than she’d feared. His health had
deteriorated far faster than she’d anticipated. Even after giving up swordsmanship his health had declined
steadily…and there’d been nothing she could do to slow it down. And now this… She sniffed and swiped
at the tears with her fingertips. Why? Why Ken-san? Why did this have to happen to him? She slowly sank to the floor, resting her forehead against the
cupboard. He doesn’t deserve to
suffer like this… Covering her face with her hands she wept silently in the
kitchen, feeling her heart break with the knowledge that her medicine could do
nothing to ease his suffering.
Kenshin peeked in through the door and
blinked in surprise before hurrying across the room to kneel beside
Megumi. “Megumi-dono…” He whispered
softly and he pulled her into his arms, alarmed by her tears. Takani Megumi was one of the most
self-contained women he knew. To see
her reduced to tears was unfathomable.
“What is it, Megumi-dono?”
Slowly placing her arms around him and
holding him in return, Megumi drew in a shuddering breath. “I’m sorry, Ken-san…I didn’t mean to…” She
sighed and shook her head before pulling away slowly. “I’m all right. Thank
you.” She stood slowly and offered her
hand to him. “The water should be ready
by now.” She tried to smile and knew
that it was a miserable failure judging by the concerned frown marring his
features. With another sigh she
shrugged and gestured towards the engawa again. “Come, let’s sit outside where we can catch the fresh breeze.” She quickly removed the kettle from the fire
and set it to the side. “We can have
tea later.”
Kenshin watched her closely as he
trailed behind her slowly, mindful to not overexert himself and cause another
painful attack. “Ano…”
“Ken-san…I’ll be honest. Your health is deteriorating at an
unstoppable rate. There is nothing that
I can do. All I can do is give you
something to counter the pain, that is all.”
He shook his head with a small
smile. “I see.” He slowly lowered himself to sit beside her
and sighed softly. “That isn’t very
surprising, that it is not.” Seeing her
shocked expression from the corner of his eye, his smile widened slightly. “Megumi-dono…when I first began experiencing
the pains, I’ll admit that I was worried.
But now…” He shrugged and turned to face her fully, his smile widening
into his usual cheerful expression. “I’ve
come to accept it. I’ve known for many
years that I wouldn’t have a long life, Megumi-dono. I’m just thankful for the time that I’ve had, that I am. I’ll return home and try to fix things
between Kenji and I…” His smile slipped a bit at the memory of his son and
their last painful parting. “I can’t
leave things as they are, that I cannot.”
She covered his hand with hers and
squeezed lightly in comfort. “Ken-san…”
She swallowed and rested her head against his shoulder. “I wish I could help you with...”
“I accept full responsibility for this,
Megumi-dono, that I do. I handled
things poorly, that I did.” He cleared
his throat and shifted uncomfortably.
“Ano…Megumi-dono…there is something I must ask…”
She smiled sadly and shook her
head. “Yes, Ken-san, it could be
transferred.”
“I see.
I will take care, then.” Rubbing
a palm absently against his chest as if to ease the ache he felt within, he
sighed softly and faced forward again, violet eyes sad and distant. “Megumi, I would ask a favor of you, if I
could.”
“Anything.” It wasn’t lost on her that he’d left off the customary polite
honorific he usually attached to her name.
“In my absence…” He paused and closed
his eyes tightly. “Would you please
take care of Kaoru for me? I worry for
her, that I do. She is strong, but I
fear that if Kenji is grown and I’m not here, she won’t take proper care of
herself.”
“Of course I will.” She quickly swiped at the tears threatening
to fall again. “Well. How about that tea, hmm?”
***
Definitions:
Mamorigami: Guardian (Deity)
Shinbou: endurance (fact of bearing pain, adversity, etc.);
patience