Chibi Aoshi 3: Love Stoned part 3

Aoshi was panicked and he couldn't hide it. He rushed out of the temple to get away from the evil tea and the demented chibis. He hadn't taken the whole pot of tea-- just a cup. He deduced that there couldn't be that much of the "poison" in his system. Besides, there was a saying. When there's a will, there's a way. Wasn't that the saying? Well, he definitely has an iron clad will. If he tried hard enough, he could will himself to his stoic self.

He reached the doors to the Aoiya and took a deep breath to calm down. It would be shameful to enter in a state of disarray. Besides, it couldn't be that bad. He just has to will himself to the land of grumpy and keep his head down. He still felt a little funny when he entered the restaurant. It was lunch time. The place was packed with people, as usual. Normally he would go pass everyone without a fleeting notice and bee line for the stairs.He almost made it to the stairs when Okon failed to move away at the foot of his stairway to freedom. In fact, she just stood there, staring at the much taller man. Aoshi felt a facial muscle move. "Okon." He greeted with a nod hoping she would take even a small side step so he could pass.

"Aoshi- sama?" Okon greeted tentatively tilting her head to one side. But she didn't move. Instead, she raised her hand to one side and started to call on someone else. "Omasu, you have to see this." She said a bit too calmly even for Okon standards.

Omasu smiled apologetically to her customers and rushed to the shocked Okon. "Yes dear?" She asked as she came near to her friend. The she noticed Okon pointing at Aoshi- sama. She turned her head and bowed slightly before anything else. This was Aoshi they were talking about. Some level of courtesy was always protocol. But when she raised her her gaze, she saw why exactly Okon had been rendered speechless.

Aoshi- sama was smiling. With teeth!

Okon and Omasu were reduced to giggles. They hardly even seen him crack a smile. But here was their "former" okashira looking like he's seen the ghost of Kami- sama in the temple.

Aoshi was confused until he saw his reflection off a circular pendant hanging on Okon's neck. It took him a second to realize that the grinning man in the locket was him.

"Misao- chan should be here to see this." Okon said still not moving from where she stood. Her giggles were subsiding until she heard Omasu laugh harder.

"Isn't that cute?" Omasu said. "Look Okon, at the mention of Misao- chan, he blushed!"

Aoshi knew they were telling the truth. He could usually stop anything that could ruin his stern facade. But today just wasn't his day. He sighed-- not knowing how that would look like to the two ladies. Fortunately for him, customers were starting to call out and demand for their favorite waitresses. Omasu in particular has been gone from the table she was serving long enough. "Go on, go on." He said hoping he sounded like his stoic self. "Go on. Right back what is wrong and move along."

The two ladies nodded and gave their attention back to the restaurant. "Wait 'til Misao- chan hears about this." He heard Omasu say before the pair disappeared into the lunchtime crowd.

Chibi Aoshi slurped some noodles watching the scene beside the cat of fortune statuette by the register. "What do you know, Batty. You might just be right about this.He looks like he's enjoying himself."

Chibi Kenshin just nodded happily and poured tea for the both of them.

--

Lock himself inside his room and never, NEVER, come out. Never.

That was Aoshi's new plan when he reached the second floor of the building. The "Willing" plan did not hammer out as well as he had thought. There seems to be some disconnect with his brain and everything else. Not only did he start smiling, grinning and generally being pleasant, he has also been talkative. He had started speaking more words beyond his self imposed limit of "Aa" or "Hai" for agreement, "No" for disagreement, and "Ahou" for stupidity and the very seldom "Arigato" for gratitude. He had decided long ago that one word answers were fitting for everyday life-- if he even needed to talk at all. This was the tea's fault. Now, his former air of mystery has been reduced to speaking the blatant truth in descriptive details. He might as well say goodbye to the Okashira- image he's built since he was sixteen.

He was almost there-- just a few rooms to pass until he could slide his door open, enter, bolt it shut and never come up. Well, at least until he didn't look like a part of Hannya's mask and sound like... like...

Misao.

Chibi Aoshi grinned. "You mean Misao-miiiine." He said as he floated by in front of him donning angel wings, a halo and harp.

Aoshi stopped in his tracks and sighed inwardly as he suddenly felt warm and fuzzy. The blushing. The blushing was the worst. Everytime anyone mentioned Misao, he turns scarlet. He was starting to regret living in the Aoiya. The place was always talking about the girl's misadventures. He should just move to the temple.

He was just about to continue on his trek to his room when a door to his left slid open revealing a drowsy Okina. By the looks of it, the old man just got out of bed. Aoshi spotted a few bottles of sake inside his room. The old man obviously still knew how to party. Aoshi went around the old man heading quickly to his own room.

All in vain. Aoshi had managed to escape just until the door before his when Okina called for him. "Aoshi, I woke up to the sounds of Okon and Omasu telling everyone downstairs that there's something unnatural with you. Are you ok?" He asked drowsily.

And here it was again-- the blushing. Aoshi didn't turn. "Well," He answered tentatively, "I'm okay, I'm okay I'm okay now."

"You sure?" Okina asked again while yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"You really need to listen to me because I'm telling the truth. I'm okay. Trust me." Aoshi replied quickly hoping Okina hadn't noticed how chatty he had become overnight.

Okina gave the man's back a lazy smile. "Good. Can you find Misao in the market then? I said that I'd go with her but I overslept. I don't want her buying more sweets."

Chibi Kenshin watched Aoshi silently jumped off the second floor banister and landed deftly on garden below. "Uh oh." The small samurai said.

"Uh-Oh isn't good." Chibi Aoshi took the red head by the shoulders to face him. "What do you mean by uh oh?"

Chibi Kenshin's eyes wandered around avoiding the okashira's suspicious gaze. "It's starting to wear off." He replied looking at his thumbs.

"What?"

It was that second when Okina's head snapped up in time to watch the ninja leave the premises. "Did I just have an actual conversation with Aoshi Shinomori?!" He whispered to himself. There was a suspicious flash in his eyes. "A changed man! He has been enlightened by Kami- sama! This calls for a party. Ohohohoho!" He said as he shuffled happily down to the restaurant.

Chibi Kenshin nodded. "He only took a cup whilst Kaoru- dono took the whole pot of soup." He smiled at the memory of the circumstances of their first meeting.

Chibi Aoshi paled. "Maybe it's time to meditate." He said slowly. He crossed his legs to assume the lotus position.

Chibi Kenshin joined him. "Oh Kami- sama help us." They both chanted.