Disclaimer: I do not own the RK characters. They all belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

A/N: I'm back . . . Read and review. Thank you.

Drive Me Crazy

Chapter 14: I'm Coming In

By: LadyYuina

"You mean you can remember where he lives? What the hell, Misao! We were just there the other day!" Kaoru shrieked.

"Chill out, girl. Why do you want to know where he lives anyway?" Misao sweat dropped when Kaoru started to blush furiously. Her friend was taking this a little too seriously. "Is it because of you becoming drunk, and going to his house, and then leaking and staining his couch covering?"

"Yes . . . I need to thank him somehow!" Kaoru threw her arms up in the air in frantic movements. "Not to mention I should buy him another cover for the couch . . ."

"Go ask Aoshi; you told me he and Kenshin are friends."

"I don't want to have anything to do with that horrible man. He took away my job," Kaoru replied.

"I could ask him for you," Misao interjected intentionally. "I'll get to see his cutie-pie face!"

"On second thought - I'll ask him myself. You'd probably just stare at him and drool until the security guards come to haul you out."

"Hehe, I guess you're right." Misao stuck out her tongue playfully.

-----

Soujirou nervously followed behind Okita while glancing at the ring on his finger occasionally. "Are you sure your parents will take this situation lightly? I--"

"I'll handle everything. You just sit there and be quiet, okay?"

"Okita, Soujirou, may you two come over here for a minute?" Megumi asked, when she spotted them talking to one another. Soujirou sighed in relief for the disruption. The confrontation - at least for now - with Okita's parents was stalled.

"Yes, Megumi, what is it that you need?" Soujirou asked all too cheerfully. Megumi then piled his arms with bundles of bandages. "Um, what do you want me to do with these?" "Put them in my car, will you? A friend of mine is running low on her supply."

"All-all right."

"Okita, I need you to help me move these boxes to the storage room."

"What's in these?" he asked.

"Medicine - there are many types, but I won't list them off. I will only bore you to death."

When Okita was done with his task he found Soujirou sitting on the stony pathway by Megumi's car. He was looking at the ring Okita had given him, and was humming something softly to himself. What he did next hurt Okita - Soujirou slipped the ring off his finger. He looked at it forlornly . . . like an object that he didn't care for. This made Okita doubt his lover's commitment to him.

He decided to make his presence known by saying, "so there you are, Soujirou!" He watched the other man carefully as he slipped the ring back on, while trying to keep the object and his hands hidden from view.

"Uh, Okita . . ."

"Why are you out here by yourself? I thought you'd gone back in the house already." Okita came towards his lover and pulled him up by the hands. "It's cold out here - you might catch a cold."

"I won't. I just thought I'd stay out here and get some fresh air," Soujirou explained. "No matter how spacious a home is it can get stuffy inside."

"Sou-chan . . ."

"Yes?" He saw Okita eyeing the hand with the ring so he moved it behind his back.

"Do you doubt me?" Soujirou frowned out of confusion. "My love for you - do you doubt that or are you trying to follow by my parents' wishes?" Peering closly into his lover's eyes, he added softly, "are you scared of getting married to another man?"

"Okita, you know I'm bisexual, but . . ."

"Which reason is it? Tell me."

Okita had nailed down two reasons why Soujirou was afraid, but Okita only asked for one response in return. So he'll give him one answer . . . which choice would be better to tell him, though? Should he tell him another reason completely unrelated to his?

"I wish to oblige by your parents' wishes. I know you've been through this with me before, but I don't want to ruin your future."

"You aren't going to ruin my future; you're going to help me shape it. Remember the day we got together?"

"Y-yeah . . ."

"Remember me telling you that we'll carve our future together? Just like writing a story that is waiting to be written?" Soujirou nodded - eyes brimming over with tears. "I'm trying you make it a reality - I don't want this to be a dream forever when I can make this happen with you."

"All this sweet talk is nice, however it will not swoon me to side with you. You forget - I am not a woman and neither am I as sentimental as you think," Soujirou pointed out.

"I want to marry you, dammit! Is that too much to ask? We've been together for five years now! We're not getting any younger; I want to marry you because I love you more than anything! I've been faithful to you all these years . . . waiting for the right time to propose!"

Megumi walked in on them again. She looked from one man to the other - the both of them appeared to be upset and Soujirou was standing there crying. "Err . . . am I interrupting something? If you'll both excuse me, I need to get in my car and be on my way."

When Megumi left Okita continued his ranting. "I told you we'll break the barrier of Japanese traditions. It can be broken any time on any day."

"Japanese tradition runs deep within me as it does of you. I feel a strong sense of unjust when I think about breaking away from it all," Soujirou explained. He ran a hand through his silky, soft hair. The engagement ring on his finger glistened underneath the sunlight. "It feels too wrong."

"Before," Okita kept his gaze on Soujirou's raised arm, "you took off the ring."

Soujirou looked alarmed. "You saw me?"

"Yes. I think there's more to this than only abiding by my parents' wishes."

"There is . . . I'm scared to marry you." Soujirou couldn't help but frown at the hurt look Okita was giving him. "Having kids was a big dream of mine - it isn't possible with you."

"Anything is possible if you put your mind to it. We can adopt; don't fret over what my parents will say. Whatever they come up with will not matter."

"It's the child I am worried about. How will the child feel having two dads and no mom? I fear the child will be raised resenting us."

"Stop being so pessimistic. All bad things must come to an end."

"As of all good," Soujirou countered.

Okita hugged Soujirou to himself. He only focused on the warmth of the man he was embracing. He wanted to marry him and he wouldn't stop until he got his way. It was a selfish act, and yet he wanted it badly.

-----

"You know what - let's go back," Kaoru said, changing her mind.

Misao grabbed her ponytail, thus preventing her from moving. "You're going in! You can't despise that man forever! Call a truce or something, and besides you need information from him!"

People working around the area gave them curious glances, but no one dared approached the wild looking girls.

"I don't care anymore; let's just get the hell out of here." Kaoru tried to walk again, but her ponytail restricted her from moving anywhere. "Misao, release me!"

"Nah-uh, you're coming with me, because if I'm going in you're coming in with me!"

Before Kaoru knew it she was standing before Aoshi's office door which used to belong to her. Misao kept a firm grip on her ponytail lest she tried to get away. Some of the employees were giving them funny looks.

Kaoru unwillingly knocked. A gruff voice said, "come in."

Aoshi found himself face to face with Kaoru again. This time he wondered what she was here for. "Can I help you two ladies with anything?" The girl beside Kaoru squealed which made him quirk an eyebrow up at her. Her eyes sparkled brightly as she looked back at him. Aoshi sweat dropped from her intense gaze. "

Aoshi . . . you know how we are always fighting over everything?"

"Yes."

"Well, how about we call it quits and become friends. When I really think about it I think it's silly to be acting this way. We're mature adults, right?"

"I am, although I am unsure about you."

"Why you--" Aoshi watched as the woman with the long braid clamped a hand over Kaoru's mouth. He vaguely remembered her.

"You okay? Calm down - when I release my hand on the count of three you'll be fine?" Kaoru nodded rather slowly. "Kaoru . . ." She nodded quickly this time. "Okay, one . . . two . . . three . . ."

Misao let go.

"I'll call it a truce with you if you don't have outrageous outbursts like that. It's quite annoying, Kaoru."

"Fine . . . Is the truce in effect now?"

"Yes, from here on we can be friends."

"See, everything's settled!" Misao happily patted Kaoru on the back. "Now ask him!"

"Ask me what?"

"Erm . . . hmmm . . ." Kaoru started to blush as she fumbled for the words to use. "Can you . . . err . . . tell me where Kenshin lives?"

"Kenshin?" Aoshi leaned forward in his seat. "Why do you want to know where he lives? From my view of his reaction towards you, he doesn't like you very much."

Kaoru winced. "I can understand that. The things I've done to him you can't say it's appeasable. I want to apologize to him . . ."

"Apologies. Is that all you can come up with?" Aoshi smugly remarked. Kaoru could feel her anger rising, however she knew better than to take the bait. "That's not all . . . I have other plans."

"Oh?"

"Just tell me where he lives! Stop playing around!" Kaoru shouted.

Aoshi merely smiled and told her the directions. Kaoru made a mental note of it, and told herself that she'd remember where he lived since Misao wasn't of any help. Satisfied with what she got Kaoru and Misao left the icy man's office.

"You're going to visit him now?" Misao asked.

"Yes, and I do not need you to come with me. It'd be best if you went home."

"Okay, okay, I hear ya. You gotta drop me off though." Misao handed Kaoru her car keys.

"When did you get these from me?" Kaoru asked, overly surprised.

"When I was yanking your hair - you were too occupied to get away that I slid my hand into your purse and simply took it. It was real easy."

"Agile and small - the traits of a ninja," Kaoru teased.

"You wish!" Misao stood on her tipsy-toes and tried to broaden her shoulders. "I'm not small; I may be swift but I am not small! I'm taller than you!" Kaoru pushed her friend sideways which caused her to lose her balance. Luckily she didn't fall or else that would have been an embarrassing display of a woman's grace. "Hey, be careful where you're shoving me! I could have bumped into someone!"

"Hahaha, right." Kaoru slapped her friend on the back which caused Misao to let out a little squeak. "You're quite the ninja!"

"Shut up! I never said I was a ninja! You said that!"

"I can see it now: clumsy ninja girl Makimachi Misao on the big screens! People would laugh and make fun of the girl on the monitor!"

"How about emotional, irrational, and annoying girl Kamiya Kaoru! The crowd would talk about this movie for days saying how bad it sucked!"

"I am not emotional, irrational, and annoying!"

"I'm sure Aoshi agrees with me on this."

"Don't go including him - this is between us!" Misao ran out of the parking lot with Kaoru chasing after her.

Chapter 14: END