Truth or Dare

 

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Watsuki-sensei. Not me.

 

* * *

 

"No, I am not in love with Tsubame!" Yahiko Myoujin snapped. Everyone else cracked up upon hearing that. Well, everyone except Aoshi Shinomori but that really came as no surprise.

 
"I wouldn't say that if I were you, kid! You were making eyes at her! I saw you!" Sanosuke Sagara teased.

 
"I was not making eyes at anyone!"

 
“Sure and I’m always paying my tab.” Sanosuke rolled his eyes.

 
Everyone burst out laughing again except for Yahiko and Aoshi. It was a Friday night and there was a party going on at Misao Makimachi’s house. Or rather, her grandfather’s house but he wasn’t here for the weekend. It was the perfect time for them to get together and hang out. Also at the party were Kaoru Kamiya, Megumi Takani, and Kenshin Himura. So far, things were going well. The night had been filled with conversation, music, and tons of games. Then Sanosuke came up with the brilliant idea of playing Truth or Dare, which no one else was willing to play. But they decided to respect his wishes since no one else could think of anything better to do. It turned out to be more fun than they expected.

 
However, some people were still scared of the game. Kaoru was one of them. She was afraid that someone would ask her a truth that involved a rather deep secret: she was in love with Kenshin. Not only that but she had been love with him for quite some time. He came into her life some time ago and she had liked him from the start. Slowly, that like deepened into love and Kaoru found herself unable to think about anything but Kenshin. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to tell him that.

 
And she wasn’t the only one worried about revealing secrets to her crush. Misao was also nervous. She had a crush on Aoshi for a long time and she hadn’t told him either. While she wanted to reveal the truth, she didn’t want to do it with a truth or dare game. Aoshi didn’t seem too interested in it and she didn’t care much for it either. Though some truths had been rather funny. Now they were all waiting to see who was going to ask ‘truth or dare’. It was either her turn or Kaoru’s and she began to worry about what she could possibly be asked.

 
After a minute, Megumi stood up.

 
“Well, it’s my turn to ask ‘truth or dare’.” She said, running her fingers through her dark hair. “So who’s the ‘victim’?”

 
Kaoru bit her lip. Technically, it was her turn but she was afraid to speak up. Megumi was the one who gave the biggest dares and asked some of the best questions to anyone that wanted to tell a truth. She had been hoping that someone else, anyone else, would ask her a truth or dare. But no, it was Megumi. And no doubt, if anyone could pull out the truth that Kaoru liked Kenshin, it was she.

 
Everyone else seemed to feel as nervous as her though. Misao was shaking a little just from looking at Megumi’s smiling face.
”Who’s the victim?” She asked again. Her eyes were locked on Kenshin. “Is it you, dear sweet Kenshin?”

 
Oro?” A confused Kenshin asked. That was enough for Kaoru. Megumi had a horrible tendency to flirt with Kenshin, which got her nerves. She wanted to set that woman straight, that Kenshin was not one to fall easily for a flirty person.

 
"I am your victim!" Kaoru and Misao both said at the same time. They both stared at each other as the others stared at them.

 
“Kaoru?” Kenshin looked confused. Aoshi didn’t say a word but he did cast a glance in Misao’s direction. Both girls shrugged and turned to Megumi.

 
Megumi’s smile widened. “Okay, then. Truth or dare?”

 
Kaoru shuddered at the thought of the ‘truth’ question Megumi would ask.

 
“A dare.” She heard herself say.

 
“I want a dare too.” Misao chimed in.

 
"Fine." Megumi said. Her eyes locked on Kaoru. "I'll give them both the same dare."

 
"But that's not in the rules!" Yahiko pointed out.

 
“I’m kinda of shocked you both want to do something.” Sanosuke said. “Is that even right?”

 
“With me, anything is okay. If both want a dare, I’m willing to give them one. Rules can be bended a bit.” Megumi said. “Now, girls, follow me into the hall so I can tell you guys what your dare is.”

 
*/Oh God, she’s going to make me embarrass myself./* Kaoru thought. Nonetheless, she stood up and followed Megumi into the hall. Misao was right behind her, just as anxious to get the dare over with.

 
Megumi stopped and faced them both, one of those fox-like looks on her face. This was not good.

 
“You sure you’ll do any dare I tell you? Any dare?” She challenged.

 
"Are you kidding?! We'll do anything you say!" Misao exclaimed. Then in a soft whisper, she added. “Just don’t make us go into a dark bathroom and say ‘I do believe in Bloody Mary’.” [1]

 
Megumi smiled. "Very well. Then I dare you to tell your crushes that you love them."

 
That made both girls glare at her.

 
"What?!" Misao exclaimed. "What kind of a dare is that?"

 
"One I'm pretty sure you won't do." Megumi chuckled.

 
“How do you even know we have crushes to begin with?”

 
“Oh please! The way you fawn over Aoshi twenty-four seven is enough to make me believe you like the guy. Same thing with Kaoru and the way she ogles dear, sweet Kenshin.”

 
/*If she calls him ‘dear, sweet Kenshin’ one more time, I’m going to punch her in the face./* Kaoru fumed. That comment grated her nerves. Megumi had some guts to think she and Misao wouldn't do a dare, especially something as easy as this. Well, she had another thing coming.

 
"Fine, I accept the dare!" She snapped. Misao looked at her strangely for a moment and then nodded. That made Megumi smirk.

 
“All right, wait here.” She said, going back to the other room. “Come out when you hear your cue.”

 
“Cue? What cue?” Misao asked.

 
“You’ll know when you hear it.” With that, Megumi left. Kaoru and Misao stood in silence for a second. Finally, Misao spoke up.

 
“You don’t think she’s planning something more for us to do, do you?” She asked.

 
Kaoru sighed. “I don’t know. It’s Megumi. Knowing her, she’s not just going to let us go out and tell them we like Kenshin and Aoshi. She’s planning something big for us. And I know_”

 
She was interrupted when she heard Megumi talk in the other room. "Misao and Kaoru accepted the dare! They are going to sing!"

 
Kaoru almost vomited. "WHAT?!"

 

Outside, they heard a soft "Oro?"

 

"How could she?! That's not what we agreed to!" Misao complained.

 

“What is she thinking?!” Kaoru exclaimed. “I can’t sing to Kenshin!”

 

“We’re doomed!” Misao groaned.

 

“And not just any song.” Megumi continued. “It’s a love song dedicated to some special people. I'm sure they will like it.”

 

Misao gasped. “She did not just say ‘dedicated to some special people’, did she?”

 

“I am so going to kill her for that.” Kaoru fumed.

 

“I can’t do that! Aoshi is going to hate me!” Misao wailed.

 

“So without further ado, here are Kaoru and Misao to sing “Making Love Out of Nothing at All.”

 

*/Too late to turn back now./* Kaoru realized. Megumi had given the cue, now she had to go out and sing. At least they both knew the words to this song. Looking helplessly at Misao, she motioned her to follow. Plastering a smile on their faces, Kaoru and Misao both came out. Everyone began clapping as they took their places. Megumi turned on the tape player and music started to fill the room. She grinned at them both.

 

“Break a leg, ladies.” She said.

 

Shooting a glare at Megumi, Kaoru began to sing. "I know just how to whisper and I know just how to cry. I know just where to find the answers and I know just how to lie."

 

Then Misao sang. "I know just how to fake it and I know just how to scheme. I know just when to face the truth and then I know just when to dream."

 

'Show some enthusiasm'. Megumi mouthed. Kaoru shot her another glare before continuing. But Megumi had a point so she put on a smile and tried to act like she was happy.

 

"And I know just where to touch you and I know just what to prove. I know when to pull you closer and I know when to let you loose."

 

"And I know the night is fading and I know that time's gonna fly. And I'm never gonna tell you everything I've got to tell you, But I know I've got to give it a try." Misao finished. Then they both took on the next verse.

 

"And I know the roads to riches and I know the ways to fame. I know all the rules and then I know how to break 'em, and I always know the name of the game."

 

"But I don't know how to leave you and I'll never let you fall. And I don't know how you do it, making love out of nothing at all." Kaoru sang, looking Kenshin straight in the eye. Then she and Misao took on the chorus together.

 

"(Making love) Out of nothing at all. (Making love) Out of nothing at all. (Making love) Out of nothing at all. (Making love) Out of nothing at all. (Making love) Out of nothing at all. (Making love) Out of nothing at all."

 

By now, the others were bobbing their heads to the music. Kaoru stared at Kenshin as she sang the next two lines. "Every time I see you all the rays of the sun are streaming through the waves in your hair. And every star in the sky is taking aim at your eyes like a spotlight."

 

Kenshin beamed upon hearing that.

 

"The beating of my heart is a drum and it's lost and it's looking for a rhythm like you. You can take the darkness from the pit of the night and turn into a beacon burning endlessly bright." Misao sang, smiling at Aoshi. He didn’t smile back but his eyes didn’t leave her for a second.

 

"I've got to follow it, 'cause everything I know, well it's nothing till I give it to you!" They belted out together.

 

"I can make the run or stumble, I can make the final block." Kaoru sang. Then they both sang the next line together.

 

"And I can make every tackle, at the sound of the whistle, I can make all the stadiums rock."

 

"I can make tonight forever or I can make it disappear by the dawn.” Misao walked down towards Aoshi as she sang.

 

“And I can make you every promise that has ever been made and I can make all your demons be gone." Kaoru walked over to Kenshin and sat down on his lap.

 

“But I'm never gonna make it without you. Do you really want to see me crawl?” She sang if she was really asking him the question. Kenshin blushed.

 

Misao followed Kaoru’s example and sat down on Aoshi’s lap. He didn’t show much emotion but he didn’t push her off either. “And I'm never gonna make it like you do, making love out of nothing at all.”

 

Then the two of them finished the song up.

 

“(Making love) out of nothing at all. (Making love) out of nothing at all. (Making love) out of nothing at all (Making love) out of nothing at all. (Making love) out of nothing at all. (Making love) out of nothing at all.”

 

The music slowly died down and Megumi finally stopped the tape player. There was a brief second of silence as both Kaoru and Misao tried to catch their breaths. Then the room erupted with applause.

 

“More!” Sanosuke shouted. “I want more!”

 

“I didn’t think Kaoru could sing.” Yahiko muttered. Kaoru frowned at him, then turned her attention to Kenshin.

 

“Did you like it?” She asked.

 

"That's was very nice." Kenshin nodded. "I never thought you'd do something like that."

 

And they kissed. Meanwhile, Misao had managed to strike up a conversation with Aoshi. She had finally confessed that she loved him and he didn’t seem to mind.

 

“So what did you think?” Misao asked Aoshi.

 

"You were wonderful." He didn't smile but he meant what he said. Misao could tell. He loved the performance.

 

"There's no other way I could tell you how much I love you." She said. "Why not do it with a song?"

 

“I’m glad you guys liked it.” Kaoru said, hugging Kenshin.

 

To the side, Megumi snickered. Kaoru really wanted to say something to her but decided not to. After all, she was the one who planned this out and got her to tell Kenshin the truth.

 

“I love you, Kenshin.” She whispered.

 

“I love you too, Kaoru.”

 

“I love you, Aoshi.” Misao murmured.

 

“I feel same way about you, Misao.”

 

Their moments of love lasted only a minute before Sanosuke interrupted them.

 

"Can we continue the game? It's my turn."

 

~OWARI~

 

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[1] Supposedly, if you go into a darkened room with a mirror, look in it, and say “I do believe in Bloody Mary”, she will appear to you. I haven’t tried this so I don’t know if this actually happens ;)

 

Sorry if I made Megumi somewhat evil in this. I just wanted to get her ‘kitsune’ attitude out there :) I wasn’t trying to make her evil.

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