Categories > Anime/Manga > Rurouni Kenshin > Bliss - Moving Out
House Cleaning
0 reviewsYahiko discovers the horror that is Sano's flat. Can Kenshin help clean the place up?
0Unrated
Ruffian Row
Holding his nose, Yahiko slid the door to Sano's long house open and stepped in... to some leftover sushi rolls on the floor. Yahiko looked down at his tabi-clad foot, which now had rotten, nasty sushi on the soul. Chestnut eyes surveyed the horror that was Sano's flat. The place was a dump, to put it politely.
There was junk strewn everywhere, wrappers, cups, plates, things of that nature all over the floor. In the left corner was a pile of discarded fishbones, which stood nearly as tall as Yahiko. Feasting on all the rotten leftovers were various kinds of insects whose species Yahiko could only guess at. There were empty sake jugs all over the place. Sano drank more sake than anyone Yahiko knew, aside from Hiko Seijuro XIII. There were at least 43 holes in the wall, sunlight shining in through them. The fireplace was a mess, as if the chimney hadn't been cleaned out in ages. Sano's old futon was tossed carelessly into the corner. Moving carefully to keep from stepping on anything sharp or dirty, Yahiko went over and inspected the futon. Surprisingly, it was still usable.
Yahiko went over to a large pile of old clothes to see if anything in that was usable. He lifted up an old pair of pants and jumped back when a rat nearly the size of a cat ran out from underneath it.
'This isn't a flat; this is a battle field,' the boy thought as he looked around.
The only things Yahiko saw that looked agreeable were the girly pictures Sano had pinned up on the wall. Half-naked pretty girls, peered flirtatiously from the pictures.
'I think I'll leave those up,' thought Yahiko.
The rest of the stuff though, had to go. Yahiko decided he'd do it after training tomorrow. Right now, he was exhausted and just wanted to sleep. He had been hungry, but the smell of the rotten fish had killed his appetite.
'I can't sleep in this pig sty,' he thought. 'Should I spend the night at the dojo? No! Not after just moving out today! How dumb would that look?'
After setting down his stuff, Yahiko grabbed the futon and carried it outside, praying it wouldn't rain that night.
Yahiko's prayers went unanswered. He ended up sleeping under a maple tree as the rain poured down to the ground, the reddening leaves offering only scant protection. Yahiko snuggled into the futon, hoping he wouldn't catch a cold.
---
October 18
The next morning, Yahiko woke up soaked to the bone. He knew he looked like shit and felt infinitely worse.
"Achoo!" he sneezed. 'Oh, hell no. I can't get sick. I have training.'
Ignoring the ill feeling in his body, Yahiko picked up the soaked futon and blanket and took them back into Sano's flat, which smelled even worse in the damp air. Holding his breath, Yahiko quickly changed into dry clothes, shouldered his shinai and headed to the dojo, hoping to get breakfast off Kenshin.
Yahiko could feel his energy draining from him as he moved quickly toward the dojo. He had time to spare, but he wasn't even certain he'd make it in his condition. Only his will and kendo training steeled him to get there. Yahiko made it to the front gate and collapsed just as he opened it. Kenshin and Kaoru who were sitting on the engawa enjoying the rain-soaked scent of the earth jumped up as he entered.
"Yahiko!" cried Kaoru.
Not saying a word, Kenshin scooped the young man in his arms and carried him inside the house. After laying him down in a futon in the guest room, Kenshin turned to Kaoru.
"You stay here with him. I'll fetch Oguni-sensei," he said.
"Alright," said Kaoru.
Yahiko opened his eyes and saw Kaoru dipping a washcloth in a bowl of water, which she laid across his forehead a second later.
"Kaoru? What happened?" he asked.
"You collapsed in the gate with a raging fever. Couldn't even manage one night on your own without getting sick, huh?" said Kaoru.
"I'm not sick," insisted Yahiko. "C'mon! We have training."
Yahiko tried to sit up, which was a big mistake. The room spun and he quickly laid down again.
"Just stay down, you little idiot," said Kaoru, replacing the cloth on his head. "What happened to you?"
"I had to sleep outside," said Yahiko.
"You slept out in the rain? Why'd you go and do a stupid thing like that?" asked Kaoru.
"Have you ever been to Sano's flat?" asked Yahiko.
"No. He never invited us," said Kaoru.
"There's a reason. That place isn't even fit for animals to to live in," said Yahiko. "The stench was so bad, I had to sleep outside."
"Idiot. Why didn't you just come back here and spend the night?" asked Kaoru.
"I don't know. Maybe I should've," admitted Yahiko, feeling stupid for letting his pride override his judgment.
"What a dumb student I have," said Kaoru.
"Jeez Kaoru, quit acting like Hiko," said Yahiko.
"Why shouldn't I? He and I apparently both have to put up with idiotic students," said Kaoru.
Yahiko was just about to sling a "busu" at Kaoru when the door slid open revealing Kenshin and Oguni-sensei. Oguni-sensei knelt down at the side of the futon, checked Yahiko over and gave Kaoru some herbs for a tea for him.
After Kenshin took Oguni-sensei home, he came back and decided to spend some time with Yahiko. When he got back, Kaoru was in the dojo with Shinichi Kosuburo, giving him his beginning lessons in Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. Although not a natural with the sword, Shinichi was hard-working and eager to learn, which made him a good student. With a smile, Kenshin headed to the guest room to hang out with Yahiko for a while.
Kenshin tapped lightly on the door frame, not wanting to wake Yahiko if he was asleep. A muffled "come in" told him that the boy was not. Kenshin slid the door open and entered silently. He smiled gently at the boy and sat down next to the futon.
"Sorry you got sick your first night out. What exactly happened?" said Kenshin.
"Sano's flat... it's beyond description. I wouldn't put a dog I liked in that place," said Yahiko, grimacing at the memory.
"We should have known..." said Kenshin.
"I was stupid. I should've just come back here and spent the night, but I didn't want you and Kaoru to think I was a dumb kid who couldn't handle being on his own, so I stayed outside and now look at me. Achoo!" said Yahiko.
"Well we're all 'dumb kids' at one time or another. It's part of growing up. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes and try not to repeat them," said Kenshin.
"I definitely won't repeat this one," said Yahiko.
"Tell you what, if you're feeling up to it by tomorrow, I'll help you clean out Sano's place and make it fit for human habitation. Now, you look sleepy, so I'll let you rest," said Kenshin.
"Thanks," said Yahiko, closing his eyes as Kenshin left the room.
---
The next day...
"Orooooooorooooooo!," cried Kenshin as his acute senses were assaulted by the odor of the rotting food and accumulated mess of Sano's flat.
Kenshin coughed and had to step out and take deep breaths of fresh air, lest he lose his breakfast right then and there. A fully-recovered Yahiko suppressed his smile as he watched the redhead breathe deeply. When he finished, Kenshin turned around with a determined look on his face.
"The first thing we need to do is air this place out," he said, housekeeping instincts kicking in.
Setting up all the cleaning equipment he'd brought with him, Kenshin opened the door and windows wide to help get the stench out of the flat. He and Yahiko then went to work, picking up all the trash on the floor and tossing it outside. The flies and other scavengers, upset at having their treasures removed, scuttled outside to join them.
Kenshin and Yahiko each took an armful of fish bones and tossed them out with the other junk. Next went the old wrappers, sake cups, etc. When the place was finally clear of debris, Kenshin and Yahiko got the scrub brushes, dipped them in the special soapy-water formula that Kenshin used at home and went to work. They scrubbed the floor, having to press in and scrub hard to get some of the noisome stains out.
Finished with the floor, they scrubbed and scrubbed the walls. Last came the ceiling, which they used sponges tied to sticks to reach. This done, they went outside and ate out of the bento box that Kenshin brought while they let the place dry. After cleaning would come painting and fixing up.
"I don't see how anyone could live like that," said Kenshin with a shudder.
"That's probably why he always came over to the dojo, well that and the free food and laundry service," joked Yahiko.
"I hope he's alright on his own," said Kenshin, wondering where in the world Sano was now.
"Yeah, he's probably sneaking or bumming food on the ship right now. I just hope they don't catch him and toss him overboard. Chickens can't swim," laughed Yahiko.
Kenshin smiled and nodded.
After an hour, the flat was dried. Kenshin and Yahiko stepped back in and got to work cleaning out the fireplace and chimney. Yahiko stayed inside and cleaned out the fireplace while Kenshin went on the roof and cleared several dead birds and squirrels from the chimney.
Kenshin and Yahiko then worked on the walls, painting them a fetching shade of blue that looked much nicer than the dingy gray from before. With a shake of his head, Kenshin helped Yahiko to put the girly pictures back up after the paint dried.
"What will Tsubame-dono say?" he teased.
"She won't know cuz I'm gonna put something in front of them when she's over here," said Yahiko with a roguish grin.
With a sigh, Kenshin shook his head.
---
By the hour of the rooster, they were done and Sano's flat was finally fit for human habitation. Yahiko felt very proud of being able to help clean this place up and make it feel like his home.
"Thanks for the help, Kenshin. See ya tomorrow at training," said Yahiko with a bow.
"Not a problem. I was glad to do it. Sano will be shocked if he sets foot in here again," said the redhead.
"Yeah, he'll learn that with a little work, people can actually live like human beings instead of pigs," said Yahiko.
"I think it was the work requirement that made it an impossibility for Sano. See you tomorrow," said Kenshin with a chuckle.
---
After Kenshin left, Yahiko was finally able to unpack his stuff and hang up all his swordsman pictures on the walls to further customize his new home. He put his few knick-knacks in different places. When he was finished, Yahiko felt very proud and happy. He looked out the window and saw that the sun was setting.
After making certain the door was locked, Yahiko readied his futon, changed into his yukata and crawled under the covers. The light from the fire in the hearth gave the room a cheery glow, shadows dancing playfully on the walls. Yahiko stared out the window at the beautiful, star-filled sky until he fell asleep. Tomorrow was training as usual.
~~Owari~~
Holding his nose, Yahiko slid the door to Sano's long house open and stepped in... to some leftover sushi rolls on the floor. Yahiko looked down at his tabi-clad foot, which now had rotten, nasty sushi on the soul. Chestnut eyes surveyed the horror that was Sano's flat. The place was a dump, to put it politely.
There was junk strewn everywhere, wrappers, cups, plates, things of that nature all over the floor. In the left corner was a pile of discarded fishbones, which stood nearly as tall as Yahiko. Feasting on all the rotten leftovers were various kinds of insects whose species Yahiko could only guess at. There were empty sake jugs all over the place. Sano drank more sake than anyone Yahiko knew, aside from Hiko Seijuro XIII. There were at least 43 holes in the wall, sunlight shining in through them. The fireplace was a mess, as if the chimney hadn't been cleaned out in ages. Sano's old futon was tossed carelessly into the corner. Moving carefully to keep from stepping on anything sharp or dirty, Yahiko went over and inspected the futon. Surprisingly, it was still usable.
Yahiko went over to a large pile of old clothes to see if anything in that was usable. He lifted up an old pair of pants and jumped back when a rat nearly the size of a cat ran out from underneath it.
'This isn't a flat; this is a battle field,' the boy thought as he looked around.
The only things Yahiko saw that looked agreeable were the girly pictures Sano had pinned up on the wall. Half-naked pretty girls, peered flirtatiously from the pictures.
'I think I'll leave those up,' thought Yahiko.
The rest of the stuff though, had to go. Yahiko decided he'd do it after training tomorrow. Right now, he was exhausted and just wanted to sleep. He had been hungry, but the smell of the rotten fish had killed his appetite.
'I can't sleep in this pig sty,' he thought. 'Should I spend the night at the dojo? No! Not after just moving out today! How dumb would that look?'
After setting down his stuff, Yahiko grabbed the futon and carried it outside, praying it wouldn't rain that night.
Yahiko's prayers went unanswered. He ended up sleeping under a maple tree as the rain poured down to the ground, the reddening leaves offering only scant protection. Yahiko snuggled into the futon, hoping he wouldn't catch a cold.
---
October 18
The next morning, Yahiko woke up soaked to the bone. He knew he looked like shit and felt infinitely worse.
"Achoo!" he sneezed. 'Oh, hell no. I can't get sick. I have training.'
Ignoring the ill feeling in his body, Yahiko picked up the soaked futon and blanket and took them back into Sano's flat, which smelled even worse in the damp air. Holding his breath, Yahiko quickly changed into dry clothes, shouldered his shinai and headed to the dojo, hoping to get breakfast off Kenshin.
Yahiko could feel his energy draining from him as he moved quickly toward the dojo. He had time to spare, but he wasn't even certain he'd make it in his condition. Only his will and kendo training steeled him to get there. Yahiko made it to the front gate and collapsed just as he opened it. Kenshin and Kaoru who were sitting on the engawa enjoying the rain-soaked scent of the earth jumped up as he entered.
"Yahiko!" cried Kaoru.
Not saying a word, Kenshin scooped the young man in his arms and carried him inside the house. After laying him down in a futon in the guest room, Kenshin turned to Kaoru.
"You stay here with him. I'll fetch Oguni-sensei," he said.
"Alright," said Kaoru.
Yahiko opened his eyes and saw Kaoru dipping a washcloth in a bowl of water, which she laid across his forehead a second later.
"Kaoru? What happened?" he asked.
"You collapsed in the gate with a raging fever. Couldn't even manage one night on your own without getting sick, huh?" said Kaoru.
"I'm not sick," insisted Yahiko. "C'mon! We have training."
Yahiko tried to sit up, which was a big mistake. The room spun and he quickly laid down again.
"Just stay down, you little idiot," said Kaoru, replacing the cloth on his head. "What happened to you?"
"I had to sleep outside," said Yahiko.
"You slept out in the rain? Why'd you go and do a stupid thing like that?" asked Kaoru.
"Have you ever been to Sano's flat?" asked Yahiko.
"No. He never invited us," said Kaoru.
"There's a reason. That place isn't even fit for animals to to live in," said Yahiko. "The stench was so bad, I had to sleep outside."
"Idiot. Why didn't you just come back here and spend the night?" asked Kaoru.
"I don't know. Maybe I should've," admitted Yahiko, feeling stupid for letting his pride override his judgment.
"What a dumb student I have," said Kaoru.
"Jeez Kaoru, quit acting like Hiko," said Yahiko.
"Why shouldn't I? He and I apparently both have to put up with idiotic students," said Kaoru.
Yahiko was just about to sling a "busu" at Kaoru when the door slid open revealing Kenshin and Oguni-sensei. Oguni-sensei knelt down at the side of the futon, checked Yahiko over and gave Kaoru some herbs for a tea for him.
After Kenshin took Oguni-sensei home, he came back and decided to spend some time with Yahiko. When he got back, Kaoru was in the dojo with Shinichi Kosuburo, giving him his beginning lessons in Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. Although not a natural with the sword, Shinichi was hard-working and eager to learn, which made him a good student. With a smile, Kenshin headed to the guest room to hang out with Yahiko for a while.
Kenshin tapped lightly on the door frame, not wanting to wake Yahiko if he was asleep. A muffled "come in" told him that the boy was not. Kenshin slid the door open and entered silently. He smiled gently at the boy and sat down next to the futon.
"Sorry you got sick your first night out. What exactly happened?" said Kenshin.
"Sano's flat... it's beyond description. I wouldn't put a dog I liked in that place," said Yahiko, grimacing at the memory.
"We should have known..." said Kenshin.
"I was stupid. I should've just come back here and spent the night, but I didn't want you and Kaoru to think I was a dumb kid who couldn't handle being on his own, so I stayed outside and now look at me. Achoo!" said Yahiko.
"Well we're all 'dumb kids' at one time or another. It's part of growing up. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes and try not to repeat them," said Kenshin.
"I definitely won't repeat this one," said Yahiko.
"Tell you what, if you're feeling up to it by tomorrow, I'll help you clean out Sano's place and make it fit for human habitation. Now, you look sleepy, so I'll let you rest," said Kenshin.
"Thanks," said Yahiko, closing his eyes as Kenshin left the room.
---
The next day...
"Orooooooorooooooo!," cried Kenshin as his acute senses were assaulted by the odor of the rotting food and accumulated mess of Sano's flat.
Kenshin coughed and had to step out and take deep breaths of fresh air, lest he lose his breakfast right then and there. A fully-recovered Yahiko suppressed his smile as he watched the redhead breathe deeply. When he finished, Kenshin turned around with a determined look on his face.
"The first thing we need to do is air this place out," he said, housekeeping instincts kicking in.
Setting up all the cleaning equipment he'd brought with him, Kenshin opened the door and windows wide to help get the stench out of the flat. He and Yahiko then went to work, picking up all the trash on the floor and tossing it outside. The flies and other scavengers, upset at having their treasures removed, scuttled outside to join them.
Kenshin and Yahiko each took an armful of fish bones and tossed them out with the other junk. Next went the old wrappers, sake cups, etc. When the place was finally clear of debris, Kenshin and Yahiko got the scrub brushes, dipped them in the special soapy-water formula that Kenshin used at home and went to work. They scrubbed the floor, having to press in and scrub hard to get some of the noisome stains out.
Finished with the floor, they scrubbed and scrubbed the walls. Last came the ceiling, which they used sponges tied to sticks to reach. This done, they went outside and ate out of the bento box that Kenshin brought while they let the place dry. After cleaning would come painting and fixing up.
"I don't see how anyone could live like that," said Kenshin with a shudder.
"That's probably why he always came over to the dojo, well that and the free food and laundry service," joked Yahiko.
"I hope he's alright on his own," said Kenshin, wondering where in the world Sano was now.
"Yeah, he's probably sneaking or bumming food on the ship right now. I just hope they don't catch him and toss him overboard. Chickens can't swim," laughed Yahiko.
Kenshin smiled and nodded.
After an hour, the flat was dried. Kenshin and Yahiko stepped back in and got to work cleaning out the fireplace and chimney. Yahiko stayed inside and cleaned out the fireplace while Kenshin went on the roof and cleared several dead birds and squirrels from the chimney.
Kenshin and Yahiko then worked on the walls, painting them a fetching shade of blue that looked much nicer than the dingy gray from before. With a shake of his head, Kenshin helped Yahiko to put the girly pictures back up after the paint dried.
"What will Tsubame-dono say?" he teased.
"She won't know cuz I'm gonna put something in front of them when she's over here," said Yahiko with a roguish grin.
With a sigh, Kenshin shook his head.
---
By the hour of the rooster, they were done and Sano's flat was finally fit for human habitation. Yahiko felt very proud of being able to help clean this place up and make it feel like his home.
"Thanks for the help, Kenshin. See ya tomorrow at training," said Yahiko with a bow.
"Not a problem. I was glad to do it. Sano will be shocked if he sets foot in here again," said the redhead.
"Yeah, he'll learn that with a little work, people can actually live like human beings instead of pigs," said Yahiko.
"I think it was the work requirement that made it an impossibility for Sano. See you tomorrow," said Kenshin with a chuckle.
---
After Kenshin left, Yahiko was finally able to unpack his stuff and hang up all his swordsman pictures on the walls to further customize his new home. He put his few knick-knacks in different places. When he was finished, Yahiko felt very proud and happy. He looked out the window and saw that the sun was setting.
After making certain the door was locked, Yahiko readied his futon, changed into his yukata and crawled under the covers. The light from the fire in the hearth gave the room a cheery glow, shadows dancing playfully on the walls. Yahiko stared out the window at the beautiful, star-filled sky until he fell asleep. Tomorrow was training as usual.
~~Owari~~
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