-Ephemeral-
She was still waiting. By the riverbank, with memories playing in her mind it felt as if two hundred years hadn't passed and any moment she would hear someone calling her.
The wind twirled leaves in the air, honey colored strands of hair lifted, flowing around her face. Her eyes closed softly, still treasuring the memory of the man. In the warm depths of the old world where she had submersed herself in, she barely sensed the other's approach.
The familiar weight of a hand settled around her waist.
Haruie Kakizaki-now Ayako Kadowaki, opened her eyes to the faintly smiling young man with his long hair tied back in a ponytail. "Hey.." he looked at her through the clear glass frames, "are you alright?"
Her hand slipped from clasping her elbow to lay against the top of his, "I am. But.." her gaze slid almost guiltily from his probing look. "Are you sure about this?" About me? Within her mind, she saw Shintaro's face and the promise made that echoed centuries later. My heart is still bound to him.
"Didn't I tell you it would be alright?"
"Yes! But-" he pressed a finger to her lips. Silenced, Haruie searched his eyes for the regret she knew would fill them one day. Nagahide had always been difficult to read, his emotions and actions. She least of all could discern the reasons for the change between them. "If you aren't convinced," his voice brought her back to the warm sunshine and cool wetness pervading the air from the river.
"Then let me prove something to you ."
"That's just..." Takaya struggled, his face drawn up in a slight grimace.
"Not what you expected?" The elder man lowered the cigarette, a faint reminiscent smile on his lips as the smoke curled upward, scenting the air with spicy tobacco.
The frown was still there though less predominant. "Not exactly. Weird is more the word I was looking for."
Naoe assented with a slight dip of his head, "hm. And I believed that after this long existence of ours, nothing could ever shock you anymore than other things you have seen."
"Like what, for example?" the twenty-one year old leader of the Meikai Uesugi army demanded testily. Naoe's smile vanished behind the cigarette, "nothing at all, my dear Takaya-san."
The young man's eye twitched, "what'd I tell you about-my dear?"
Keeping an emotionless expression on his face, Naoe evenly replied with all the gravity of one addressing an important matter. "Then, if that disturbs you so, allow me to drop all pretence of respect, *koibito."
(*sweetheart)
"Geez! Everything you say always sounds like a come on-!"
"Is that so? Possibly it is because you always perceive it as such."
Takaya was stunned into momentary silence, then burst out, "agh! You're hopeless!"
Looking out over the still waters, Haruie sighed, resting her head more comfortably against Nagahide's chest. Is this alright? Hearing the light-hearted teasing between them was something she thought she'd never get to witness in this lifetime. This feeling...there's no need for pretense any-more. Because right here. Right now...
..this person knows exactly who I am.
-Finis-
Disclaimer: MoB belongs to the wonderful Kuwabara Mizuna-sensei. I just like playing in her sandbox CX
AN: thanks for reading. There is no novel canon here.
No flames-yaoi haters-stupid comments!
Reviews are treasured ^^