From: "floribelle maximo" Middle-of-the-night Crisis by flori-dono Disclaimer: This is a Rurouni Kenshin inspired fanfiction. Standard disclaimers apply. AUTHOR'S NOTES: 1. Domo arigatou to Ashfae-chan and Myki-chan for giving me ideas for this fic. I know I asked help two months ago. I only got to do it now because I'm having writer's block concerning the other fics and I thought I needed to work on something new to break the monotony. 2. Gomen nasai to Lily-dono. I know you're waiting for the next chapters of Arashi, but I'm inching my way through chapter 9. "Sano..." a definitely feminine voice whispered in his ear. Sano smiled in his sleep. He dreamt that he won millions in a dice game and lots of women were around him. He sighed. It had been almost a year since he had entered a gambling hall or had been with pleasure women. In fact, he would seldom get into his old bad habits now that he was married. "Sano..." the voice persisted. Being married to Megumi was a dream come true. He had loved her ever since he and Kenshin saved her from that bastard Kanryu. Of course, he had not realized it at that time. Actually, it took him a long while to do. He thought that the Fox-lady was in love with his best friend and he was envious of the attention she was giving Kenshin. He was secretly glad when Kenshin and Kaoru announced their engagement because it meant he could pursue the lady-doctor without any obstacle. However, it was still a tough thing to do. Even without Kenshin in the way, there was still other stuff that he needed to resolve, like making Megumi realize that he was the one whom she could be happy with. How did he do it? Well, that's for another story. "Sano!" the gentle whisper suddenly became a harsh hiss. Sano opened his eyes the darkness of the room told him that it was still sometime a little after midnight. Megumi was hovering over him, her eyes slanted in angry slants. "Oh boy," Sano thought. "I think I'm gonna get it." Megumi crossed her arms across her chest. "I've been trying to wake you for ten minutes already." Sano tried to reach up to hug his wife but she only pushed his arms away. Sano sighed then sat up. "Alright, what is it?" he asked then yawned. "I want some chocolates," she stated with a toss of her head. Sano was dumbfounded. Chocolates? "I want some chocolates!" she repeated with more force this time. Sano rubbed his eyes. This must be what Kenshin had warned him. Megumi, who was five months pregnant, must be craving. He remembered that when Jou-chan was expecting, she would wake Kenshin up in the middle of night just to order him to prepare miso soup. "Well," Sano thought. "At least Jou-chan's whims were much easier to appease. But chocolates? Where the hell will I find chocolates at this time of the night?" Megumi then burst into tears. Sano was even more surprised. "Megumi..." he said, putting his arms around her. This time, she did not resist. She just sobbed in his chest. At first, he could not figure out what she was saying. Her voice was too muffled but then he caught a few phrases like, "You don't love me anymore...fat...ugly..." Sano gulped. Megumi's tears would usually dissolve him into kaput. He never could refuse her anything when she'd start to cry. He took a deep breath then said, "Alright, I'll go get your chocolates." Those were the magic words. Suddenly, Megumi stopped crying and raised her head, with a smile on her face. "Good," she said, standing up. She looked at Sano who was still sitting on the futon, gaping at her. She scowled. "So," she yelled. "What are you still doing there? I want my chocolates!" Sano literally jumped off from the floor and headed towards the door. "If I'd known that she'd be like this when pregnant, I wouldn't have insisted on that honeymoon..." *** Kenshin's eyes opened. He was sure he heard something moving outside. He got his sakabatou and opened the door. "Psst! Kenshin it's me!" "Oro?" Kenshin looked around "Kenshin here!" Sano whispered loudly from behind the bushes. "Sano-san!" Kenshin whispered just as loudly too. "What are you doing there?" "Look, I need your help..." Sano said, disentangling himself from branches and leaves. "Kenshin!" The door suddenly slid open, revealing a tousled-looking but certainly wide-awake Kaoru. This sent Sano diving under the bushes again. "Kenshin," Kaoru repeated, tapping her foot loudly on the floor. "What do you think are you doing?" Kenshin turned around slowly, his hand scratching his head. "Eh-hehehe..." he said un-intelligently. "Uhmm, I... I..." He crossed his fingers behind his back. "I was chasing a big rat," he continued. "Yes, that's it!" Sano rolled his eyes. "A rat huh?" he thought. Kaoru reacted as Kenshin had thought she would. "A rat?" she asked, fear and disgust dawning on her eyes. "Hai," Kenshin said. "A big one?" Kenshin nodded his head solemnly. "Big... Huge!" Kaoru gulped and shuddered. "Where's it now?" "Under the bushes," he answered. "But I'll catch it, don't worry." Kaoru backed away a little. "Er, alright, I'll go back in now..." she said. "Just be sure you'll catch it." "I will," Kenshin promised. Kaoru walked like a robot, her shoulders squared and her fist clenched at her sides. She closed the door once more but not before Kenshin caught her words. "...Ugh, I hate rats!" He smiled then sighed. "Alright Sano, you can come out now!" he said. "So now I'm a rat!" he said. "Gomen," Kenshin apologized. "What are you doing here anyway? It's almost midnight!" Sano sighed. "Look, I need your help. It's Megumi..." *** "Nani!" Kenshin said. "Chocolates?" They were both sitting outside and Sano had just told him about his predicament. "Right, so I can't go back unless I bring her her chocolates." "Boy, I don't envy you!" Kenshin remarked. "You can say that again!" Silence. "I'm afraid I really can't help you with your problem," Kenshin said. "I really have no idea where you can get chocolates, and at this time too." "I know..." Sano sighed. "And Megumi's variation of the futae no kiwame is much more effective than mine!" He shivered as the thought crossed his mind. "Hey!" Kenshin said, slamming his fist on his palm. "Why don't you go to the Akabeko? I'm sure Tae-dono's got some of the stuff stacked around her place somewhere." Sano looked at Kenshin as if he was an angel sent from up above. He hugged Kenshin tightly, making the rurouni blue due to air deprivation. "I can kiss you Kenshin!" he said. "Oro?" Sano let go of his friend suddenly, sending him sliding to the ground in a spiral-eyed heap. "Ahem," Sano cleared his throat and then straightened his jacket. "Of course, that was just a joke. Arigatou! Ja ne!" And then he walked into the darkness to finish his quest. *** "Orororororo!" Kenshin groaned. "Kenshin!" Kaoru gasped as she saw her husband on the ground, looking very much, er, dazed. "It's the rat..." Kenshin said. "He hugged me..." "Nani?" Then she took hold of the back of his yukata and dragged him inside. *** "Wha.." Tae pulled the edges of her yukata closer. She rubbed her eyes as she let out a small gap on the door. She was just about to get a glass of water when she heard a pounding outside the Akabeko. "Gomen nasai Tae-chan..." a voice from behind the door said. "It's me Sanosuke." Tae frowned. "Isn't it a little too early for lunch?" she asked. "Fe," Sano said. "Look, I need your help!" She crossed her arms across her chest. "Nope, I promised Megumi that I'll never let you eat here again without her accompanying you"" "No..." Sano said desperately, kneeling down before a very surprised Sekihara Tae. "I'm not here to eat... I just want your help!" "Eep! Sano-san... er, get up..." she said, pulling Sano up. "Okay, okay... I'll help you. What about?" "It's Megumi, she wants chocolates!" Tae gasped. "Oh boy..." "Uh-huh," Sano agreed. "I was wondering if you have some with you." Tae whined. "Oh," she said. "Gomen... gomen! I shouldn't have eaten that whole box before going to bed!" "Wha-at?" Sano asked incredulously. A whole box? "You mean you have chocolates with you?" "Had Sano," she stated. "...Had." He grasped her by the shoulders, shaking her in the process. "DON'T YOU HAVE MORE WITH YOU?" "Er n-no, I...I'm a-a-afra-id no-not!" she said. "And STOP SHAKING ME!" Sano lets her go, making Tae cling to the door for support, a hand on her aching head. "Damn..." Sano exclaimed. "So where did you get those?" "Yokohama," was the reply. "YOKOHAMA?" Sano's shoulders slumped. It was really hopeless. Now, he's afraid to go back home empty-handed. "Thanks anyway, Tae-san" he said resignedly. Better to accept his fate. "Wait..." Tae said. "I heard Yamata-san yesterday that he has some boxes of chocolates that he's selling in his store!" Sano turned back and grabbed Tae once again, this time kissing her quickly on the cheek. "Arigatou Tae-san!" he said. "I'll be indebted to you my whole life! Ja!" Tae who was pretty much surprised only had the sense to answer, "Just make sure it's not on food!" Tae put a hand on her cheek. "Eek," she thought. "Better not tell Megumi-chan about this. I heard she has a very painful punch!" *** "There they are!" Sano said from outside the glass window of the store. He could see four to five boxes of chocolate on the stand. "But damn, Yamata-san's away!" he said through gritted teeth as he read the note stuck on the shop's door: Dear Customers: The shop will be closed for three days since I will be gone to Yokohama. Sorry for the inconvenience. Hara Yamata He must have those chocolates by hook or by crook. He searched through his pockets and found the money he's been saving. "This should be enough," he said, counting the coins. He was going inside the store to get one of the boxes and leave money in place of it. "Gomen Kami-sama," he prayed silently. "And to you too Yamata-san." Sano raised his fist. But as he was about to blast the lock, he heard a loud whistle from behind. "The police!" he said, pressing his face against his fist. "Hey, you!" the officer said running towards him. "What do you think are you doing?" "Well," Sano started smiling idiotically, his fingers crossed behind his back. "I was uh, just polishing the lock..." "Excuses, excuses.." the officer said, gripping Sano's arm. "You are coming with me!" Sano allowed the policeman to lead him to the police station. It was better to sleep in a cell rather than having to face his wife. *** "Well, well, well..." A very familiar voice said. "If it isn't the great Sagara Sanosuke, caught stealing..." "Chou!" Sano exclaimed. "You look good behind bars!" the man with hair like asparagus said. "Kuso, Chou..." Sano said in a sigh. "Don't tell me your boss is here too." "Correct," another man stepped beside Chou. He was tall and brooding. In his hand was his trademark cigarette. "What did you do this time, rooster?" Saitoh asked, blowing smoke and making the prisoner cough. "I thought marriage has done you good." "It's what led me into this..." he muttered. Saitoh raised an eyebrow. Sano saw this and smirked. "Care to tell?" Chou asked. Sano hesitated. Heck, what's he got to lose anyway? So he told them his problem. Chou laughed. " A henpecked rooster," he taunted. "Wahahahahahaha!" "You wouldn't be laughing if you were married," Sano said then cursed. "Release him," Saitoh ordered. Chou stopped laughing. "I said release Sagara," Saitoh repeated this time with more edge to his voice. Chou obeyed his "master's" order. "What's this Hajime?" Sano asked tiredly. Saitoh put his hand in the inside pocket of his jacket. He pulled out a small brown box and tossed it to the ex-gangster. Sano opened the box and found there a dozen chocolate balls. Sano looked up and grinned like a fool. "Is this for me?" he asked. "No," Saitoh replied. "That is for your wife. Now go before I change my mind and take it back." "Wait... why?" Sano asked still perplexed with what had just taken place. Was this really Hajime Saitoh? "I have a wife too, and I know what it's like when women get pregnant." "I hate to say this Hajime, demo..." Sano said. "Arigatou gozaimasu!" He turned back but before he reached the door, Chou caught up with him. "You're lucky," he whispered to Sano. "Eating chocolates is his other secret vice." Sano couldn't help but laugh. *** "Megumi!" Sano said as he entered their home. It was already three o'clock a.m. and his wife was still up. "I got you your chocolates!" he cried triumphantly, holding the box that Saitoh gave him like a trophy. "It's about time," said a pissed off Megumi. *** "WHAT ARE THESE?" "Why... why those are your chocolates!" "WHY ARE THEY BROWN?" "Demo..." "SANO NO BAKA, I WANT THEM WHITE!" "Oro..." THUD! *** OWARI Ya, I know it's silly and obviously hurried. AUTHOR'S NOTES: konnichiwa minna-san! i'm afraid this will be the last fic that i will be able to post for the meantime. nope i won't be gone. i'll still check my mail. it's just that i'll stop writing for a while. school's been hell and i've got grades to maintain. but then again, after those 2 or 3 weeks, our finals will be up. anyway, i'll try to post a fic now and then. I promise that after the finals, I'll be able to finish book one of arashi and I'll also try to write more chapters for hang-over and otct. too many things to do yet so little time... i want to graduate now so i can have a job to finance my anime hobby. unfortunately, i still have three more gruelling years before that happens and i'm not even sure if i'll be able to survive this sem...okay, i know i'm writing nonsense stuff here so i'll quit this already.. sigh, i'll miss writing though... it's my life (my only one in fact)! arigatou! Ja! flori-dono ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- Body Paint, Chocolates, & Roses Oh My. Click Here ------------------------------------------------------------------------