His and Hers

By: Shin Sankai

Movement awoke Misao from her sleep. She cracked open her eyes to gaze around the dark quarters she fell asleep in some hours ago. The noise came from outside the closed shutters of the window and on pure instinct of growing up as a shinobi, Misao needed to investigate. She inched away from the bare strong arms that had been cradling her against a warm chest and in the cool evening air she made her way to the window naked. Unlatching the lock, Misao pulled half of the shutter away to peer into the sky. Stars sparkled brightly and the moon was high. It was certainly well after midnight.

"Daijobu desu ka?" The voice was thick with slumber and rumbled within the chest of the man she'd been sleeping with. Turning she watched Aoshi rise from his futon just as naked as she was and walked towards her, one hand rising to brush sleep from his eyes before moving fingers higher to rake through tousled silky hair. Aoshi stopped right behind Misao, his body moulding against hers and quietly placed one hand around her shoulders while he looked out into the night air with her.

Slight rustling from the tree resonated loudly within Aoshi's ears and alarm quickly followed afterwards. For one there was no wind about meaning something was within that very tree starring back at them. A whooshing sound made Aoshi dive away from the window taking Misao with him as they landed with a thud on the floorboards, she above him. Scanning his quarters, Aoshi located a kunai embedded into the tatami mat near his futon and grit his teeth. There was definitely someone within that tree now. Getting into a crouch Aoshi briskly threw Misao a discarded yukata – probably his – and proceeded to wrench on his uniform pants, not worrying about his fundoshi as clearly there was no time when someone was trying to attack them.

"Stay low and do not leave this spot." Aoshi ordered and noted that Misao had been far too quiet, however now was not the time to worry about that as he slid out of the room and down the hallway. With minimal noise and one kodachi – as he had left the other within reaching distance for Misao to use if need be – Aoshi awoke the others in the Aoi-ya with coded knocking sounds on the frame of the shoji leading into their own sleeping quarters. Within 5 minutes all was awake and prepared for battle. Aoshi singled for Omasu and Okon to search the restaurant while Kuro and Shiro patrolled the front yard. Aoshi was heading out the back with Okina right behind him. The shoji slid across without a sound and before Aoshi stepped out, his hand rested against Okina's shoulder. Green eyes told him to remain here, for if anyone got passed him there was still someone to take care of them before they reached inside. It almost seemed like a silent plea for Okina to protect Misao while Aoshi investigated the backyard and tree outside.

Piercing and calculating orbs scanned the shadowed surroundings, Aoshi moving deathly quiet around the yard, even circling once around the dojo just to make sure no one was hiding there, ready to strike him from behind as he made his way to the very tree that had housed the culprit. He jumped within the tree just like the intruder would have and his bare hands moved over the trunk, fingers stopping at the grooves made within the bark. His eyebrows furrowed as his gut twitched in slight recognition. It appeared someone from his past was back to take revenge. Leaving the tree as quietly as he got up there Aoshi made his way back to the Aoi-ya and to where Okina still stood. The elder ninja opened his mouth, ready to question him but a scream resonated through the building instead.

Aoshi shot passed Okina within seconds as he rushed down the hallway and flew up the stairs in two strides and to where his private quarters shoji was pried fully open. Coming to a halt Aoshi looked in to see Omasu cradling an unconscious Misao within her arms. She was exactly where he left her and the yukata he'd thrown her was pooled on the ground untouched and beside her limp body.

"Misao…?" Aoshi slowly headed in, heart thumping as he crouched beside Omasu, his hand rising to cup Misao's cheek, hoping his touch would awaken her. It did nothing. Calmly picking up the candle Omasu had brought in, he trailed the light over Misao's naked body, stopping instantly when he noticed a mark on her upper arm. He bent to look closely and sniffed the wound. Aoshi's eyebrows furrowed once more. He was certain it was poison, however this was no poison from around the Kyoto City area.

"Get her under the futon." Aoshi ordered and Omasu immediately did so. By now the others were crowding the shoji entrance. Okon pushed through the others and came in with a basin, some bandages and ointment. Aoshi pried the kunai from the mat and carefully looked it over. His instincts were correct now. There was only one person he knew that used this kunai with this engraved inscription on the blade. His eyes lifted and his voice boomed through his quarters just before Okon wiped Misao's arm wound with a wet cloth.

"Don't touch her!" Surprised eyes starred over at him as Aoshi rose quietly to his feet, his hand clenched around the handle of the kunai. "Don't clean her wound." His voice had returned back to its usual deep firmness.

"She'll get an infection!" Omasu tried reasoning with him.

"She could become extremely ill, perhaps even die if we do not treat it!" Okon voiced worriedly as well.

"She is already dying." Horrified gasps enveloped the quarters as killer instinct flashed over Aoshi's face before he calmed his raging nerves and looked around the room at Misao's family, at his family. "The poison running through Misao's veins is not from here, therefore ointment will not work on her." Aoshi crouched at Misao's side watching beads of sweat form over her forehead. It pained him to no end to see her like this. "I know who did this."

"Who Aoshi?" Okina questioned as he kneeled beside his adoptive granddaughter and cradled her hand in one of his.

"Someone I'd selfishly forgotten about long ago when I shouldn't have." This puzzled them all and they quietly observed Aoshi rise once more. Their eyes tracked him to a cupboard as he pulled out the rest of his uniform including his trench coat. "Will you…give me a moment with her?" He was still facing his cupboard and didn't turn around until the shoji slid quietly shut. Aoshi discarded his uniform pants to place on his fundoshi and then proceeded to dress once again. He now stood by Misao's side, looking down at her unconscious form and clenched his gloved hands before picking up his double kodachi and headed for the shoji.

"Going somewhere…without me…partner?" Her voice was but a croaky whisper and it made Aoshi jerk around to look down at one blurry ocean blue eye starring up at him. Leaning his sheath against the wall, Aoshi kneeled at Misao's side, relief rushing over him that she'd woken up. It meant that her suppressed movement was helping not to rush the poison through her blood stream.

"I have to venture on a path back into the past." He watched that blue eye tear up and leaned over Misao, hands splayed at either side of her head. Aoshi bent to speak softly against her ear, his soft cheek rubbing sweetly against her own. "You've been poisoned Misao. The only person that I know of who has used this poison and knows of an antidote for it is on this path. I promise to bring it back to you."

"Who is this person?" Aoshi pulled away to stare down at Misao. She truly did have unbelievable strength within her, as both her eyes were now open and starring up into his. "Why do they wish to harm us?"

"When Hannya was the last to be murdered by Kanryuu I sat within that ballroom for quite sometime afterwards. Himura and the others had already left to rescue Takani-san." Aoshi took a deep breath as his eyes closed. "I disappeared without detection and took their heads with me. I headed deep into the forest to bury them against those four large rocks. I remember promising to bring them flowers and then walked away heading deeper into the forest. I was badly injured, angry, distraught and very tired. I remember collapsing against a tree and it felt like days passed before someone was calling out to me as they woke me from my feverish nightmares. It was a woman with concerned brown eyes starring down at me."

"Are you telling me, she's the one that was here?"

"Very much so. The kunai that hit you was her weapon of choice. The markings on the blade I recognised instantly once I got a closer look at it. I remember her telling me they belonged to her father who was once the leader of a ninja clan."

"You know so much about her, how is this so?" The room fell deafly quiet as Aoshi starred down at Misao. It didn't take long for things to click in place and her eyes widened slightly. "You were lovers…weren't you?"

"Aa… While my legs healed, I took shelter at her hut within the forest and helped out wherever possible while my legs were getting back their strength. I'd probably been there for about 2 months before I left without a word in the middle of the night."

"You have a knack for leaving without saying goodbye." Misao flinched in the futon from pain the poison was causing her and because of her words. "I'm sorry…that wasn't fair."

"Iie, I deserved that, but I won't say goodbye this time either Misao." He brushed his fingers over her forehead, wiping away some of the sweat. "Get some rest and try not to move too much. I'll be back when the sun rises." He rose to his feet and turned for the shoji. The tug on the bottom of his trench coat had Aoshi turning to look down at Misao once more.

"Mine… Aoshi-sama's mine… I'm not…giving him to anyone… He's all mine…only mine. You don't return…I'm coming after you…to get you back…again…" She was out cold once more, hand dropping from his clothing to flop on the floorboard. Turning away Aoshi's eyes iced over as he picked up his double kodachi and headed downstairs. He met Okina at the side entrance and placed his hand against the elder ninja's shoulder once more.

"I will take care of her until you return Aoshi." Okina voiced and watched Aoshi nod before he slipped on his shoes and dashed out of the Aoi-ya at a full run, coat flapping behind him before Okina's eyes lost him to the darkness and the foliage of the forest. The elder ninja rubbed his hands together silently praying for Aoshi's safe return and Misao to overcome this strange illness. He knew it was but a small setback on their upcoming marriage on the first day of winter, but Okina was certain nothing would stop these two from finally being together at last.

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Aoshi's lungs felt like they were about to burst from his ribcage as he ran through the forest. He'd come upon many obstacles in his way, but he either cut them down or jumped over them. She was trying to delay his return to Misao and that fuelled his fiery passion to get the antidote even more. He ran through prickled bushes, the needles scratching at his tender skin, breaking it open against his arms, legs and face. He felt blood dribble down his cheeks to drip off his chin. His trench coat was torn around his ankles and shins and around his arms as well. It felt like ages, but finally he broke through the thick foliage and ran down a dirt path, eyes quickly scanning a section he'd stayed in before cutting through more foliage. Just before hitting a clearing Aoshi crouched to catch his breath, dry heaving and nearly vomiting as he hadn't sprinted this fast, in this kind of urgency, in a long time.

"Where are you?" Aoshi muttered breathlessly to himself and instead of making his presence known, he circled the clearing where the familiar hut remained and kept to the shadows. Once he was closer he checked the tree line and expanded his senses to try and locate her ki. She was located within the hut, he was sure of it. Moving away from the dark shadows Aoshi moved on quiet feet, missing the scattered leaves and twigs as he pushed the hut door open with one hand and headed inside. It was bloody dark and his eyes adjusted quickly just as he heard a soft 'whoosh' drop behind him. He didn't dart away or defend himself and instead allowed a kunai to be pressed against his neck.

"You dare enter my home."

"You doubt I would not come after you?" Aoshi replied back with no emotion within his voice.

"I could cut you open right here and now and watch you bleed to death."

"You could," Aoshi slowly turned around, very aware that this kunai was probably laced with the same poison as the one that struck Misao and starred down into brown eyes. "but I know you and you are not a killer…not like me." He watched the hand that held the kunai shake slightly and that was his chance. Within the blink of an eye the kunai was dislodged and Aoshi used one of many self-defence moves he mastered and was now starring down at the kimono-clad woman who was pinned beneath him on the floorboards of her hut. One of his hands pinned both of hers above her head while the other – without shame – skimmed over the well-toned body looking for hidden weapons.

"You took me just like this the first time Aoshi." This immediately stopped Aoshi's hands as he let her go. He was sitting on his shins, still straddling her but she was sitting up as well, her left hand rubbing her right wrist. "You were still feverish and very angry and just took me right on the floor while I was trying to bandage your wounds."

"That was a long time ago Shinobu. I am not that man anymore."

"Ah, so you do remember my name." Aoshi stood up and away from her and picked up his kodachi. He unsheathed the larger one and drew it towards her, the tip resting beneath her chin. At the press of cold steel, her brown eyes widened. "I thought you said you weren't that monstrous man anymore?"

"I am not so foolish to believe that he doesn't lurk within me. Now, where is the antidote?"

"And if I refuse to tell?"

"Then you die here and now."

"And so does she!" She watched his jaw tightened, as did his hand on the hilt of his weapon.

"What do you want from me?"

"You would give up that easily? You are definitely not the man that was once within my home for 2 months." Her hand lifted up to smack his kodachi from her neck and nicked her arm as she did so. She did not flinch when the blade cut her soft skin. "Is it her, is she the one to change you so much?" Aoshi closed his eyes for a moment before kneeling to the ground in front of the upset woman.

"The man from the past, the Aoshi from back then will always be within me, but I'd like to believe that in this new Era he will not be needed so much."

"You are foolish to believe in such things." Shinobu snapped at him as she finally lifted her arm to suck at her own wound.

"Perhaps you are right, but is it so wrong for a man with so much blood on his hands to want to be hopeful?" Aoshi watched her let off a small laugh, in disgust he was not sure, but her liquid brown eyes rose to his once more.

"That woman has really changed you Aoshi. I knew I couldn't compete with her, no matter how much I observed her over the years you'd returned." Aoshi's face turned to stone at this.

"You've been spying all this time."

"I'm surprised you did not detect me a lot earlier. You've gotten sloppy." Her eyebrows rose in surprise just as a gasp lodged in her throat as she felt a smaller kodachi resting once again at her throat.

"Ninja do not get sloppy, but they do learn from their mistakes."

"When did you…" Shinobu cut herself off and instead clenched one hand around the blade. She wasn't holding onto it hard enough for her skin to break though. "I always seem to underestimate you. I guess I never knew you at all either."

"There is only one person who knows the warrior within me."

"That woman…"

"Her name is Misao, so do not refer to her as a mere 'woman' like she is some whore. And no, she isn't the one who knows me." He knew this surprised Shinobu as his unoccupied hand raised up to carefully pull her clenched hand from his weapon. Though she had harmed the one most dear to him, he could not take her life like the "old" him would surely have. "The once legendary Hitokiri Battousai knows all about the blood thirsty warrior within me. However, I decided long ago who would be the one to know the man I could be."

"I should of known…" Aoshi lifted his hand to her face, knowing he'd hurt her and the only way he could ever pay back what he had done was to,

"Punish me."

"What?" She let it out in a whisper just as one tear fell down her cheek. She felt his cool fingers brush it away. He was so much kinder now then he'd been to her in the past. Rising to his feet, Aoshi stood unarmed before Shinobu.

"I will not guard myself from your attacks, so punish me as much as you like for hurting you." Every strike to his body Aoshi took without moving an inch and without retaliating. The only time he did move was when Shinobu did a roundhouse kick to his head, making it whip away from its usual position. His chest and stomach ached, his head pounded, but he would take all the revenge from Shinobu as long as he got the antidote he came for in the end. He would crawl back to the Aoi-ya on hands and knees if need be. A small amount of blood dripped out of his mouth to slide over old dried up blood from earlier. His eyes watched Shinobu's chest heave as she let out all her pent up feelings. Her hand fisted once more and landed too softly against his chest as she whimpered breathlessly before her body tilted forward as her forehead connected against his chest.

"You bastard…" It was the only soft confession he heard as he allowed the woman to weep against him. A part of his heart ached for her as he lifted his hand to press it against the back of her head. He allowed her to grieve against him and waited for her cries to soften.

"I need the antidote Shinobu." She laughed lightly, bruised knuckles brushing over her face as she wiped her tears away.

"And straight back to business, now that is you Aoshi."

"This is not business. Misao's life depends on this antidote, my life depends on me getting it to her in time."

"Your life?" She questioned as her eyes observed Aoshi sheath his weapons.

"I'm hers Shinobu." Aoshi voiced plainly as he remembered what Misao had said before she fell unconscious. He took a deep breath, turning to fully face her, no malice within his posture and no hatred for what happened within his voice. "And Misao is mine." He watched her turn away from him, pottery jars clinking about before she rose to present him with a cloth pouch. Shinobu stood in front of Aoshi, her unoccupied hand raised, as though ready to give him one final punch, but Aoshi's eyes widened instead as she clenched her hand at the back of his head and drew his face to hers, her lips falling upon his. He stood stock still, not responding, but not refusing either. Shinobu finally drew away and placed the pouch inside Aoshi's trench coat, feeling it slip from her fingers as it settled itself into the inside pocket.

"It needs to be dissolved in hot water and administered every couple of hours until all the powder is gone." Aoshi nodded and headed for the door. She was already moving about, making noises so as not to hear him leave once again.

"Shinobu…" Aoshi called out, still standing in the doorway, but with his back to her. Once he heard the last of her scattered movements silence, he closed his eyes and voiced something he should have long ago. "Goodbye…"

Not once did Aoshi turn around as he ran straight through the clearing and back into the foliage. By the look of the sun coming over the horizon, dawn was approaching Kyoto and Aoshi grit his teeth while his entire being ached to high heavens from excessive use.

"Wait for me Misao…" He muttered as he plunged his way back through the forest.

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By now Aoshi couldn't fill his legs as he crashed through the bushes, doing a forward roll and looking up to see the back of the Aoi-ya within his sights. This time Aoshi felt he truly was going to vomit, but the image of Misao spurred him on as he rose shakily to his legs and stumbled for the back stone fence. Jumping over it, Aoshi's last strength had him kneeling up on his knees as he found Okon trying to console a pacing Okina. Aoshi's lips parted, ready to announce his presence but nothing would come forth because of his rapid heaving. Instead he gathered what little strength he had left and tied the pouch to his kodachi and threw it towards the two worried Oniwabanshuu. The blade imbedded into the wooden step before them and they both finally looked over to see him.

"AOSHI-SAMA!" Okon had yelled, which brought the rest of the household members to the back porch.

"Every two hours…in hot water Okon." Aoshi's eyes drooped as he fell forward, flat on his face amongst the pebbled pathway and grass. The two women rushed to Misao's aide as Okon ripped out Aoshi's weapon from the step and dashed inside to boil water while the three men scurried towards the fallen Aoshi.

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Eyes snapped open to find a familiar ceiling above. Groaning softly Aoshi carefully sat up while his blanket fell from his bandaged body.

"You took one hell of a beating partner." Green darted to the opened shoji to find a wonderfully awake Misao walking in with a pot of tea on a tray. She was dressed in a beige yukata, with one of his black haori resting over the top and those blue eyes sparkling happily at seeing him awake.

"Misao…" Aoshi muttered before watching her kneel before him and place the tray beside her.

"I'm not sure if I should be offended or not as you kept asking for tea in your sleep, but I'm glad you finally woke up. It's been over 12 hours since Okina and the others found you collapsed outside after all."

"The antidote worked…" Aoshi muttered mainly to himself as he continued to stare at Misao.

"It works pretty fast, as I've been up for the past 6 hours worrying about you now. I still have about ¼ of the powder to drink but I'm doing pretty well considering. Only side affect is it always makes me want to pee. Ah well…" Misao's eyes widened slightly as Aoshi's arms lifted up and abruptly moved their way around her to crush her against his chest. His head rested against Misao's, warm breath panting lightly over her ear as he held her for what seemed like dear life.

"You waited for me." Misao wasn't quite sure what that meant, since Aoshi seemed to be mumbling to himself and instead made a soft 'mm' noise and wrapped her arms around his waist. It wasn't everyday that her fiancé would become distraught, delve into his dark past and practically kill himself just to make sure she survived.

"Will you tell me what happened?" Misao muttered against his chest, her cheek rubbing against his bandaged skin, her ear listening to the thumbing of his beating heart.

"Shinobu knows never to return here, never to think of me ever again."

"Are you sure she'll do just that?"

"She knows, just as I do that my past stays in my past and my time with her remains there."

"And the present? What of that?"

"The present is with you Misao."

"Damn right it is."

"The future as well." Misao pulled away to look up at Aoshi. Her hand lifted up to glide feathery over the side of his injured face.

"This warrior I love…" She watched his lips part and softly touched the other half of his face, the uninjured side. "And this man too, I love him very much." Aoshi's eyes closed, as his lips cracked into a slight curve.

"Aa, I am yours after all." Green peeled open to observe a blushing Misao starring widely at him, before her own mouth curved into a thousand-watt smile. Her lips pressed tenderly against his before she pulled away, an unbelievably frightening look crossing over her face.

"You just remember that pal, cause if I ever catch you doing any hanky panky with someone who isn't me, I'll beat you so bloody that no one will be able to recognise that pretty face of yours…ever." Aoshi couldn't help it as a slight laugh broke from his lips just as he cupped Misao's face within his hands, drawing it towards his own. He pressed his lips to hers before enjoying the feel of her wrapped within his tight embrace once more.

"Aishiteru…"

Okina closed the shoji.

---- The End ----

Authors Notes: Oneesan, this is for you.