Kirei (second part)

Sano shut the door softly behind him and leaned against it, crossing his arms. Kirei stood in the middle of the room, looking at him, her arms crossed, unconsciously mirroring him.

"I know for a fact that you aren't tired. You're more of a night person than I am. What's the deal, sis?" Sano kept his voice quiet, aware that one of the others MIGHT be listening in.

"Don't take that tone with me, Sanosuke. What the hell are you doing with the Hitokiri Battousai??" She kept her voice low as well, but there was an extremely angry note in it.

"I figured you'd recognize him. It's a long story, sis…but let's just say that you can't judge people just by their looks or what group they used to belong to. You have to find out what they believe in."

"Do I need to remind you that he was one of those Ishin bastards?" Kirei narrowed her eyes.

"No, you don't. I can't change your mind if you don't let me, so I'll just say that he's saved my life more times than I can count, and if you want to get in his face, you have to deal with me first. I owe him too much…and he's too good of a friend."

Kirei clenched her jaw for a moment, then relaxed. "You've had it harder than me, so if you can forgive him…so can I."

Nodding gravely, Sano hid his smile.

Kirei's entire body posture suddenly changed, and she slumped down. "Sano…tell me what happened to Katsu."

"What, still hung up on him after all these years? We were kids, sis."

"I know…but I feel like some part of me's gone missing. I just need to know."

Sano kept his face straight through sheer willpower. "Tell you what. I'll take you to him tomorrow."

"You will?" Kirei glanced up. "He's nearby?" She looked incredulous, obviously assuming that Katsu was dead and Sanosuke was speaking about his grave.

"Yeah. Be ready to go early tomorrow morning. So go to sleep now." He pushed off the wall and laid his hand on her shoulder.

She nodded. "Goodnight, little brother."

He smiled and bent down to kiss her on the forehead. "Goodnight, sis. I'll drop by to get you tomorrow morning."

Kirei nodded, much more subdued than normal, and sat down on the floor. There was a long pause. "Get the hell out of my room, will ya? There is no way I'm undressing in front of you."

"Awww…but sis…I wanna see that pink underwear…" He beat a hasty retreat.

"BAKA!" She pulled off a boot and threw it at him, hitting him in the back of the head. Sano fell through the door, and used his foot to push it shut, rubbing his head. He tossed the boot to the side, grinning. "Though that would cheer her up a little. She must be in a better mood if she's feeling good enough to throw things."

Sano showed up at the door to Kirei's room bright and early. His eyes still felt crinkly with sleep, and he had a jug of sake slung over his shoulder. "I can't believe that I'm getting up this early…" he muttered softly, spitting out the grass stem he had been chewing on. Still muttering, he rapped on Kirei's door again. "C'mon…if I can get up this early, so can you." Sano grinned. "Oh well…I guess I'll get you up." He set the jug of sake down and threw the door open.

And something hit him in the stomach.

"Ungh…" he splatted down on the ground like a dropped piece of tofu.

Kirei came through the door, stepping carefully over him. "Ohaiyo." She whistled cheerfully.

Sano picked himself up, reaching for the sake. "You've been waiting for me to open the door, haven't you." He grimaced as Kirei picked the jug up before him.

"Of course. Someone's got to teach you manners." She dangled the sake just out of Sano's reach, and raised an eyebrow. "What's this for?"

Finally standing straight up, Sano shrugged. "It's for Katsu. You know how these things are."

Kirei slowly lost her smile. "Yeah, I know. I'll carry it. You don't seem to be in any shape to carry heavy jugs right now."

"Yeah, well who's fault is that?" He shoved his hands into his pockets and started walking down the path. "Let's get going. It's a little bit of a walk." She followed him quietly.

Sano was hard pressed to keep a straight face during the walk toward Katsu's house. Kirei, for once, was silent, not noticing the man's barely suppressed glee as he thought about how she might react to seeing Katsu face to face for the first time in years.

As they drew closer, Kirei finally broke the silence. "He's in a town? I would have though he'd be out in the forest somewhere."

Sano had to bite his tongue for a moment to keep from breaking up. "You know Katsu…he always was a city boy, so it makes sense for him to be there. Hopefully, it makes him happy."

Kirei nodded, falling silent again.

A while later, they drew to a halt in front of a house.

Kirei was so wrapped up in her own private thoughts that it took her a minute to register that they had stopped. She blinked. "A HOUSE? He's HERE? Isn't that a little weird?"

Sano banged on the door, nodding as he heard movement in sight. "Oh, not really."

Kirei looked at him, eyes narrowing, and then the door slid open, revealing Katsu.

"What, Sano? I thought you weren't coming until Saturday…" Katsu slowly trailed off, his eyes drawn inexorably toward Kirei. "…'Rei?"

The woman looked up at him. "Katsu?" The jug of sake fell from her limp fingers.

Like this was some sort of trite, cliched fairy tail, they flew into each others arms, immediately disappearing into Katsu's house.

Sano dived and managed to catch the falling jug. He grinned as the door slammed shut just inches from his nose, and he rearranged himself to sit comfortably on the step. "Somehow, I don't think Katsu will be interested in this sake. I guess I'll drink it…it'll dull the pain when Kirei remembers that I didn't tell her." His grin broadened and he took a drink. "I love happy endings."