By Firelight

by

Chibijem

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters herein and am making no financial gain from this piece of fiction.

A/N: In answer to the December SLML challenge: fire and/or fire pit.

Aoshi turned onto his side, watching Misao sitting beside the fire. She looked angelic with the firelight washing over her features. He had been recovering from the latest mission where he had assisted Saito, Kenshin and the others with another government mess. He had come home to Misao, wounded and with a heavy chest cold. She had taken one look at him, bundled him into their futon and had begun dousing him with medicine.

"Misao?" He asked, his voice soft and a bit hoarse.

"Anata," Misao turned away from the fire and knelt next to him. She immediately pulled the heavy cover up over him, feeling his forehead. "Your temperature is down." She sighed happily, brushing her tiny hand down the side of his face and around his strong jaw. She gave a slight jerk of surprise when he turned his head and pressed a kiss to her palm, licking it. "You are feeling better." She teased, smiling.

"Very much so," he confirmed staring up at her, drowning in the depths of her blue eyes. "Has there been any news? Has the Wolf sent word?"

"As a matter of fact, he did send a messenger." She reached for an folded paper on the nearby low table and handed it to him. She watched as Aoshi opened the paper and some currency washed over his chest. A smile curved her lips when he ignored the money and instead read the letter. Seeing green eyes glittering, "Is everything alright?" The question came with a soft caress over his covered thigh.

"Hai, the government was able to capture the rest of the smugglers and the women returned to their families." He told her, laying the paper over his chest, a satisfied smile on his handsome face.

Misao leaned down and pressed her lips to his, thankful he was here with her and fairly healthy. She pulled back and studied his face, the light from their fire bathing him in it's glow. Raising a hand, she traced his features from eyebrows to chin. "Aishteru, anata. Aishteru."

Aoshi, sat up slowly, giving into his injured ribs. "Misao?" He caressed her soft cheek with the backs of his fingers.

"Heki desu." Trying to reassure him. "Sometimes the love I feel for you overwhelms me. You are such a good man, Aoshi Shinomori."

"Aishteru, koiishi. It is the same for me. There are times when I think I'm living a dream. One I have no right to."

"You have every right!" Was the emphatic cry. "Gomen ne, anata," she offered when his eyes widened at her outburst. "I didn't mean to raise my voice. You have every right to a happy life, here, with me."

Aoshi looked into her eyes, "I'm the one who is sorry, Misao. I never doubt your love." He told her, chagrinned. He tried moving to her and pressed a hand to his ribs, grimacing. He opened his other arm to her and clasped her to him when she gently settled against him. They sat together for a time and when Aoshi shifted and groaned, Misao parted the winter weight yukata, slipping it off his broad shoulders. She then began unwinding the wrap around his broad, scarred chest. She examined the bruising, pushing tenderly against the wounds. She looked up, and seeing the smile in his eyes, pressed her lips against each wound, new and old. "Do you want me to wrap your ribs again?" She asked when she finished her 'treatment'.

"Iie, it feels good to breathe." He took a deep breath, only wincing slightly. "I'll be fine." He watched as she put the bandages in a basket to be washed and straightened things around the room. "Misao, come here."

His voice husky with want.

She sat beside him, looking into eyes the color of the finest emeralds. A grin came across her expressive face when his talented fingers began undoing the ties to her own yukata. "I'm not sure this is what the Oniwabanshu training was meant to be used for." She said coyly.

"Ahhhh, but a ninja must be prepared for all eventualities." He whispered against her collarbone, grinning when he felt a shiver race through her. "Perhaps I should further your training?" He continued trailing his lips down her body, finally resting against the cloth binding her breasts. "I can start here." He felt her arch against him as if begging for his attentions. He pulled the end of the wrap with his teeth and let it fall from his lips. He reached around her back, unwinding his prize. "You see, there is much I can do with my training." He pressed a kiss between her breasts.

"Aoshi...onegai..." Misao could barely speak, desire for this honorable man flooding her system.

The seduction continued by firelight.

FIN

A/N Part II: This story is dedicated to my Imoto-san who gave me the idea of Aoshi's seduction of Misao using his teeth to 'unwind' her. Arigatou for putting the image into my head... You are simply the best!!!