Its all in the Pocky

A little Aoshi and Misao Story - A challenge from the ShinobiLove Mailing List by Silver Miko

It was mid afternoon, a fine day outside and thus Aoshi was none other then heading for the office upstairs at the Aoiya to finish off some paperwork. He'd already finished up his meditation at the temple and was now dressed in his onmitsu outfit complete with butt bow.

Aoshi had plenty of work to do but lately he had been distracted by a bookstore he had found one rainy afternoon, well not the store but mainly the books instead.

#

One afternoon he hadn't worn his trade mark trench coat and had to escape the sudden rain by running into a dark and dingy bookstore…and thus his attention was stolen for…oh several hours in fact. His intrigue had gotten to him that day as he flipped through numerous books and to his own silent dismay Aoshi had actually bought a couple of them. He had left in a hurry after purchasing them, placed the books within the folds of his onmitsu top and never returned to that bookstore.

#

Walking down the hallway Aoshi noticed out of the corner of his left eye, Misao's sleeping quarter's shoji was opened and so he stopped at doorway to gaze in for a split second. There she was, complete with a blue kimono, which was surprising to see and lying sprawled on her stomach on the floorboards with what looked like a stick hanging from her mouth.

'She's been around that Sagara to long.'

"Misao are you okay?" Aoshi couldn't help but question. He knew something was definitely occupying her mind or else she would have already noticed him there and would have yelled 'Ah! Aoshi-sama!' at him.

"No…"

"Do you want to talk?" Aoshi spoke in his usual deep quiet voice, which held absolutely no emotion. He was safer that way.

"No…" Misao not wanting to talk? Something was definitely wrong now.

"Are you sure?" He questioned her again just to make sure.

"No…"

"Misao…?" A little bit of worry began to grow within his icy heart. This was extremely abnormal behaviour for her and Aoshi didn't like it one bit.

"Hey Aoshi-sama your a guy right?"

"Well, yes…" Aoshi replied quietly while looking down at himself. When he raised his head he observed a small flush on Misao's cheeks and an embarrassed laugh escape her lips at realising what a stupid question she had asked.

'What is wrong with her?'

"Hehehe, of course you are. Anyway, guys like girl's right?"

"Well, some do…" Aoshi watched Misao's ocean blue eyes widen at his answer.

"And others?" She was becoming intrigued and Aoshi had to remind himself that Misao was still an innocent and probably didn't know a lot.

"Others will like the same sex I guess. It's referred to as being homosexual…or an easier term to remember…is being gay."

'This is extremely awkward talking to her about this. Why was I the one that had to walk past her door?'

"Wow, people liking the same sex? I never knew that."

"That is to be expected, you are young after all. I'm sure the others will speak to you about it later on when they aren't so busy."

'Wait, why the hell is she looking at me with that perplexed face expression? She doesn't think I'm…'

"Aoshi-sama you're not gay are you?"

O.O' Aoshi's face

"No…" He grounded out through gritted teeth.

"Well thank goodness for that. So I guess you'll be able to help be with this problem I have then." Misao spoke still chewing on the stick. It was really starting to annoy Aoshi at the moment, but he refrained from moving into her room or else he might not come out.

"I'll try…"

"There's this guy that comes to the Aoiya all the time while I'm helping out Omasu and Okon, but sometimes when I'm at the markets he'll come up to me there as well and Okon says he comes over to me because he likes me."

'Where is this scum? He's a dead man.'

"But I think he only likes me for Pocky."

"Wh-What? For…pocky…?" Aoshi couldn't help but stammer.

'If this scum thinks about laying a hand…or anything else on her he's…'

"Oh, you see this is what pocky is Aoshi-sama." Misao replied innocently while holding up the stick that had been between her teeth. Aoshi finally realised it was something to eat and not…

"It's a new candy that's come to Kyoto. You can get it in all different flavours and…"

"I know what it is Misao." Aoshi immediately replied trying to get back his stoic mask and calm his raging heart for the stranger that wanted to "pocky" with Misao.

"Oh, well when you're not busy doing the Aoiya paperwork I'll come and give you pocky."

"A-Aa…" Aoshi spoke while wondering off for the office, his mind reeling with hundreds of images.

'I should have never bought those books from that shop.'

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The End

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#### If you wanted more – read below ####

# Later that evening #

Aoshi was walking back down the hallway to head for his own sleeping quarters when he heard a certain shoji slide open just as he was right in front of it. There his excellent "night vision" eyesight took in the image of a dishevelled Misao with her sleeping yukata loose against her curvy body.

"Hey Aoshi-sama?" Aoshi blinked at her voice. Was it him or was there a bit of huskiness within it?

"Yes?"

'Remain calm Shinomori. Remain calm and collected and nothing will happen.'

"Want some pocky?"

O.O Aoshi's mind has again gone to other thoughts

"Come on now, you know you want to." At Misao's words Aoshi fisted his hands before walking towards her and shoving her back into the room, his foot efficiently closing the shoji with a definite smack.

"Ohhhhhh…Aoshi-sama… HEY! THOSE ARE MINE!" Aoshi quickly exited Misao's sleeping quarters, leaving her lying on the floor while he left with an armful of pocky boxes.

"Damn…I knew he had a fixation for those…" Misao muttered to herself before plonking her head back done on the floor. Even so being that close to him was still quite the reward. She'd just have to come up with a better plan next time.

Meanwhile, Aoshi headed quietly towards his own sleeping quarters with a smirk on his face.

"Now I'm the pocky master…"

#### The End ####

What did you actually think I was going to do a lemon? Ha! Fooled you! =P