Tae opened the side door to the restaurant and stepped out into the bright afternoon sun. She paused for a moment to adjust her eyes, tightening her grip on a large handled bucket as she did so. She hurriedly walked over to the well to draw some water for the dishes.
She was dropping the bucket over the edge when a large shadow engulfed her small form. Surprised, Tae instantly looked up to see the newcomer. The sun-shrouded shadow moved to the side, taking the rope from her hands.Tae smiled, realizing that the tall figure was Sanosuke. She watched his hands as he raised the line and pulled the bucket over well's edge. 'Such strong hands,' she thought, 'so kind and gentle, but when he's angry, they are capable of such violence...' She studied his long muscular fingers remembering the day they had caught her after she was struck by a drunken customer in the restaurant. He had fought the man with one finger and won, then had left again without paying the bill...
Just then a deep voice broke into her thoughts...”Yooo!! Tae-San! Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to tell me where to take this?” Sano raised the bucket and directed a finger towards it to emphasize his point. Tae looked up to encounter the bemused expression on Sano’s face and flushed a pretty pink.
“Gomen, Sanosuke-kun.” She looked at him guiltily and rushed back towards the restaurant. At the door, she turned and motioned for him to follow. Sano watched her scurry off, he sighed wondering about the way she had blushed when he caught her staring at his hands. He held one of the strong appendages up to examine it’s callused palm. ‘Why? Did my hands cause her to pause like that? No, never, Tae-san would never think of me that way...’ Not finding any answers in his deeply lined palms, he sighed again. Shouldering the bucket, he walked at a casual pace into the back of the resturant.
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“Sanosuke-kun!” A smiling Tsubame ran up to greet him as he entered. “Tae-San said you could leave the water over there.” She pointed to a stack of dishes in a nearby corner and their accompanying washtub. Sano had just placed the bucket down when Tae stepped into the room to pick up a tray of food. He smiled mischievously. “Oi! Tae-San! What’s for lunch today?” Tae turned to look at him, once again a gentle blush colored her cheeks.
‘Me.’ Tae was ashamed at herself and her mental answer. It was so quick she'd had no time to stop it. The implications that went along with it were too much for her already confused heart to handle. ‘Why am I blushing? I can feel it! I don’t know what’s come over me today...Just because he protected me from a bunch of drunk, would-be politicians...But he’s so STRONG!’
Tae was staring at him again. It was unnerving the look she was giving him. Her eyes were wide and filled with longing, they appeared almost wistful. The blush was a rosy glow on the pale softness of her cheeks. Sano regarded her quietly. Tae's tongue escaped her mouth to dart over her lower lip. It's quick pink motion drew his gaze.
Tae slowly pulled her sluggish mind back together. Her eyes focused once again, only to realize that Sano had asked her a question. At that precise moment the said Sano was intently watching her lips. She nervously wet them once more as her insides began to shiver. Sano’s eyes narrowed, the look on his face grew almost painfully fierce.
Sano watched as the wet tip of Tae’s tongue anointed her lips for the second time. His insides clenched painfully as he grew more and more aware of the woman before him. He turned away abruptly from the delectable sight of her mouth, struggling to regain his cool, calm detachment. “Che, Tae-San,” He looked over his shoulder into her surprised face, “I said ‘What’s for lunch today?’” The mischievous, boy-like grin was back in place.
Upon the realization that he had only come for another free meal, Tae became instantly annoyed. “Sanosuke,” she exclaimed sharply, “if you keep coming here expecting free food, you had best be warned that you will have to work here to pay off your debt sooner or later!” With that she gave him a stern look and marched out the door to serve her customers. All the while, the claws of anger and pride warred within her.
She walked up to the table of patrons awaiting their meals,fairly slamming their dishes of food down in front of them. The patrons looked up at her with no small amount of fear. Tae had never looked so angry before. She went around to various tables collecting dishes and cleaning. All the while she could be heard muttering to herself..."Ingrate, freeloader!……So what if he has wonderful hands………expecting to eat for free…………he’ll pay me yet! Baka!” She headed back towards the kitchen to be met halfway by the Ingrate.
Sano gave her that boyish grin once again. He took the heavy load of dishes from under her arm, shrugging at her look of surprise. “Oi, Tae-San,” He looked into her eyes saying softly, “you know I don’t eat for free.” He winked at her before turning to leave the room, pausing to smile at a startled group of customers who looked between him and Tae whose blush had deepened noticably. Sano stopped and looked over his shoulder. “I’m your personal bodyguard, remember!” He went through the door before she had time to yell at him.
Tae made a sound of frustration, then sighed in exasperation and defeat. A small smile worked its way across her face as she called after him firmly, “Sanosuke! You have been warned!” His head poked back through the door as she walked towards the kitchen. She gestured to the side, “Now go find a seat. I’ll have Tsubame serve you.” Sano smiled triumphantly and walked to his favorite dinning cove in a shady corner of the room close to the door. He sat down brusquely and lazily leaned against the wall. He looked out over the well-liked establishment, noticing for the first time the heat of the mid-summer day. He fanned himself and quietly gave into thought.
From the kitchen, Tae watched his lazy actions through the open doorway. All the while she scolded herself for giving into his boyish charm yet another time. She had to forcefully remind herself that thoughts of this gentle giant would lead to nowhere she ever wanted to visit again. She directed her mind to the task of washing dishes before she could give into the pain of memories long ago. The heat in the back room made the air heavy and thick. She ignored it best she could and put took all of her aggravation out on the large stack of dishes, utensils and woks. She was sweating profusely, still she kept on, her annoyance with herself a lingering demon in her mind. Her vision started to blur, next thing Tae knew she was falling in to the waiting arms of darkness.
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Author's Notes: Yare, yare!!! Go easy on me! This is my first RK fanfic. I chose Tae and Sano because it was uncovered ground. I saw a spark, one that might have gone on if Dr. Megumi "Fox" Takami had not graced the Kamiya dojo with her presence. Don't get me wrong, I think that Sano and Megumi are the perfect couple! I just think it would be good if we showed the lustful Sano before Megumi. The man before the woman...
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