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True Gifts Lemony Fresh Extra	By : Rissa2878 Category: Rurouni Kenshin > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 2468 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
Chapter 8

“Out!”

The word booked no arguments and she knew he meant business. Slowly drawing the edges of her yukata around her body again Misao tried to piece herself together with a dignity she she didn’t know she possessed. She lifted her chin gracefully in the air as she rose to leave.

Aoshi watched her spine stiffen to stone as she turned to leave and a wave of hard regret washed over him. He had to do it. Stopping her obsession with him was the only way she’d ever be happy. She needed to find someone else, someone not him. The thought crushed him from the inside and Aoshi felt another part of him die a little death.

Misao reached the door and paused without looking back. She took a ragged breath trying not to cry as she spoke, “Aoshi, I know you think that I’ll meet someone else and be happy, but I want you to know that the only way I’ll ever be happy is with you. Every night I see you in my dreams and even though I can’t remember that night, my body remembers you. I want you.”

She took another ragged breath before she went on, “For whatever reason you don’t want me, I will remind you that I am the Okashira of the Oniwanbanshu. As your leader, I instruct you to teach me the skills I need to be the leader I should be. From this day forward you will be my sempai. If you want to continue to live with us, you will make yourself useful to all of us by being the trainer you should be instead of a shadow in the halls. My training will start once we get back to Kyoto.”

Aoshi listened in silence as he let the words sink in, a small smirk tilting the corner of his mouth at her order. He knew she was right, but he’d never wanted her to have to lead the band he had been responsible for. Plus the thought of being near her every day would be torture for him, his body was so acutely attuned to her.

“Ah. Wakkata, Okashira. I will do what you ask.” It was all he could do. “We’ll start tomorrow after we return. Take all the time you need to get ready. I’m going out for a while.” He couldn’t stay in the same building with her until he’d managed to restore some of the mental damage she’d wrought.

With that she opened the door gently and walked regally out of the room, her hair wafting in the breeze behind her. Aoshi had never seen a more beautiful woman.

Back in her room Misao sunk to the tatami before her futon and ground her wrist into her mouth to keep from sobbing. His desire for her was so evident yet he refused time and time again to admit how affected he was by her. She wanted to scream, shout, cry and throw things in frustration but she knew he would come in to find her a mess.

No, better to cry in silence and lick her wounds until she could think of a way to corner him again. And corner him she would. Next time Aoshi would not be so lucky as to get away. Just because she’d been rejected again didn’t mean her fight was over.

If there was one thing Aoshi had taught her, it was that winners never quit, they just kept trying until they got it right. And her right was Aoshi. Time would heal the small injustices she would suffer until that point.

She thumped her fist on the floor vehemently for emphasis and jumped as she heard the door rattle. “Oops.” She giggled a little too hard with nervousness as she rose to her feet.

‘First things first, I still have to get washed. I think I’ll feel a little better after that.’

She grabbed her toiletries and a change of fresh clothes determined to find the bath.

Aoshi had left the inn to wander the grounds outside. Living with Misao was beginning to be a full time job for his conscious. He wanted to protect her so badly, yet she kept throwing herself at him. He was at a loss. The only way to protect her from himself was to remove himself from the equation but it seemed he just couldn’t force himself to leave.

She was such a huge part of his life, even more so since that fateful night, that even the last few weeks without her had pained him. He’d been almost mad with depression because she wasn’t there. He knew the others would never know how he felt, but he’d had a sneaking suspicion that Jiya had known how upset he was.

When the old man had asked him to go get Misao from Tokyo, he’d had to refrain from hugging the old man. Very unlike his usual, aloof self. Something had changed. That something was Misao, more importantly, how he felt about her.

Aoshi palmed his face with his hand trying to wipe away the path of his thoughts before he got to places he wasn’t ready to deal with. This whole ordeal had him strained to the breaking point. Turning to face the inn he made up his mind. ‘A bath, I need a good soak. That should make this whole situation much easier to deal with.’

Misao had finished scrubbing and was in the process of dousing herself with cold crisp spring water. The icy water was invigorating on her skin and she forgot all her worries except getting to the warm pool of water behind her. She’d been waiting a while for a good soak and she wasn’t going to skip the opportunity this time.

She drew a few pieces of cotton from her pile of clothes and fitted them into her ears. She would use this time to meditate. She’d missed her meditation this morning because of Aoshi.

She gathered up her items and placed them under a bench at the far side of the pool and climbed in purring with satisfaction as the hot water radiated all the way to her bones. ‘This is heaven…’

Aoshi collected his clothes from his room and headed towards the bath. He planned to spend a good while soaking his thoughts away. When he got to the bath he headed straight for the water pump and bathing station on the far side of the room.

There was already fresh water pumped into a bucket at the base of the pump and Aoshi grabbed the bucket and a stool. Stripping quickly he wasted no time in scrubbing himself from head to foot. Quickly pouring the bucket of cold water over his head, Aoshi hissed softly as the frigid water made him grit his teeth. He placed the bucket back under the spout and walked to the pool of warm water at the other side of the room.

The air was thick with steam in the cool air of the morning and the room was dark with shadows. He watched his steps carefully as he picked his way across the slick floor. He climbed into the pool slowly, letting each new inch of heat sink into his skin. He barely broke the water.

He was in the water up to his chin and he laid his head back on the ledge to breathe. It was only then in the semi-quiet of the morning that he heard the shallow breath in from of him.

Aoshi’s eyes closed as he cringed. He took a deep breath before he raised his head to look at the girl he’d only just realized was in the water with him. Misao was curled in a ball at the back of the pool with her head against the ledge. Her eyes were closed and he could see the cotton sticking out of one ear.

Shaking his head, Aoshi contemplated leaving the water but thought better of it. He reached out to tap Misao on the shoulder. Telling her he didn’t see her in the water would be better than explaining why he was getting out.

Misao was so comfortable. The water had made her very lethargic. After all the stress of the morning, this soak had been exactly what she had needed. She didn’t feel the first tap, but when the water hit her in the face the next second her eyes snapped open and her hand reached for her kunai nearby.

“Misao!” The word was muffled but she’d know that voice anywhere. She turned to face him with a handful of knives and glared at him.

“What the hell Aoshi-sama!” He didn’t know whether she was angry he was there or because she’d almost speared him. The thought made him smirk.

“Whoa! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were in here and obviously you couldn’t hear me.” He reached out and plucked a ball of cotton from her ear. “Can you hear me now? I said I didn’t know you were in here.”

He moved back to his side of the pool. “Aoshi-sama, I don’t want to get out yet.”

“Neither do I, I just got here.” He rested his head back against the side and stared up at the ceiling.

“Do you mind if I stay? I promise not to try anything.” She leaned toward him, waiting for an answer.

“Fine, I’m not in the mood to fight anyways. I just want to relax for a while.” It was decided. They would share this space of the pool in naked silence, each fixed in their own thoughts.

A while later Aoshi heard a noise that sounded distinctly like a gurgle come from the other side of the pool. “Misao?”

“Hai.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Hai.”

“Do you plan of having breakfast before we leave?”

“I did.”

“Then lets go eat.”

“Hai.”

They climbed out of the pool at the same time, each going different directions and dressed quickly, they exited the bath at the same time and arrived back at Misao’s room. Breakfast had already been laid out for them and Misao wasted no time in digging in.

She stopped when she heard a small chuckle across the table. Looking up she caught the sparkle in Aoshi’s eye. “What?” He said nothing, mearly reached across the table to flick a piece of rice from her cheek.

“Mouuuu! Aoshi-sama!!!” Misao pouted again before looking down at her half finished riceball. She bit into it again with less fervor and finished her meal in silence, glaring across the table at a laughing-eyed Aoshi.

Just after breakfast they packed their bags and departed on the last leg of their trip to Kyoto.
- 7
- 8
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True Gifts Lemony Fresh Extra