Kiemba: YES! bows
Insane Reader: Bwahahahaha! I'm a wench…
Lovely Babygirl: Aye…
Angel: Mm.. nods
X-Files: X.X
Hopeless Lady: X.X
I think I got everyone. Thanks for the reviews!
Chapter Twenty One- Mistumei's Return Visit
Yasue finished tying her obi and smiled as Sojiro wrapped his small arms around her waist and kissed the shell of her ear. "I love you." Yasue turned and looked into Sojiro's face for the third time that morning, searching his eyes for some sort of sign.
"Really Sojiro, what's wrong?" she asked, struggling against his strengthening embrace as he drew her too close to look at his face. He heaved a great sigh and smiled against her hair, but said nothing. "Something is wrong, I can tell."
"Why do you think that? Because I said I loved you?"
"No! Well… sorta. I mean, you've been acting strange all morning. I know something is wrong. Why won't you tell me?" Yasue asked, suddenly feeling guilty as Sojiro's hands pressed protectively into her back. "Please tell me?" she probed quietly, trying to cajole Sojiro into relinquishing his anxieties. She grabbed the back of his gi tightly into her fingers and rested her forehead against Sojiro's shoulder, careful not to put pressure against his wound. Sojiro stared at the barren wood wall behind her. Should he tell her his dream? The dream in which he killed her? No… she wouldn't understand. Not yet at least. Or maybe he wasn't ready. Maybe he wasn't prepared for it. Maybe it still wasn't the right time. Of course it wasn't… he still had things to do before he left.
"I honestly don't know why I would be acting strangely." That much was relatively true. His… actions… that morning didn't strike him as abnormal. Or was his expression of affection what was strange? If Mitsumei was going to show, he hoped it would be soon. He was due for some time to think on his own for a while and a short walk to Shizokuma would be long enough to suffice. He knew he had to tell her, but he needed to get some things worked out within himself. He needed to get everything sorted out.
Sojiro pulled her away and gave her a reassuring smile before strolling out of the room and into the freshly fallen snow. The blood spots on the ground had soaked into the soil and could no longer be seen under the new blanket of snow. Yasue followed him curiously, watching him carefully, and stepped tentatively out into the snow. "You know, you probably shouldn't be out here still," he called over his shoulder, not looking back.
"I've rested three days already. I think I'm ready enough to be outside. Besides, if I stay any longer in that little, itsy bitsy room, I'll go crazy." She stepped lightly in the snow, jumping into the holes Sojiro's feet had created for her. She was trying her best not to fall flat on her face and spotting the white burrows was difficult since snow never seemed to have any natural shadows when something hit her in the stomach. Her balance was gone and she stumbled backwards, falling on her butt into a rather large mound of snow. She looked up to see Sojiro laughing quietly to himself, covering his mouth with one hand and his other hand on his stomach. He had made the mistake of closing his eyes in his little chuckle.
The snowball hit him square in the head, exploding on impact. Yasue sat in the snow bank giggling as Sojiro's hand wiped away the remaining snow in surprise. She busied herself with packing another snowball and threw it, bursting out into a fit of laughter as it managed somehow to worm itself straight into Sojiro's blue gi. He looked down at it a moment before pulling the cloth out and scooping the melting white powder out with his hand.
Yasue took his distraction as an opportunity to jump up and run into him, knocking him onto his back. She climbed onto his stomach and grinned down at him triumphantly. He smirked sheepishly back at her and chuckled. "You have pretty good aim for a young lady," Sojiro laughed, shaking his head as Yasue smacked a bit of snow onto his face. "I'm joking! I'm joking!" he yelled, wiping away the cold remnants from his eyes. "I'm all wet now."
"Me too, a little. From when I fell in the snow. It's not really all that cold out and the snow is really great for snowballs." Yasue scooped a bit into her reddening hands and pounded it into a ball, holding it out so Sojiro could see it. "See? Perfect." Then she let it drop from her palm and back onto the ground.
She put her frozen hands on his stomach to warm them. "My back is cold. I think I'm getting frostbite on it," Sojiro mumbled, fidgeting slightly under Yasue. She leaned forward and snuck her arms underneath him, creating a barrier between his back and the heat sapping floor beneath him. "You're very warm Miss Yasue," Sojiro commented, patting her back a little.
"Aw, come now. No more Miss, hmm? I think we've been together long enough to drop formalities. Anyway, are you feeling better?"
"Huh? My back? No, no, it's still quite cold," Sojiro mumbled, rocking back and forth on his numb shoulder blades. Yasue stood up and offered him her hand, pulling him up as hard as she could, even leaning back on her heels. The snow really was melting now that the sun was up, but she doubted the weather would last long; it was only a few days into winter.
Sojiro brushed himself off, turning to look at where he had fallen. Yasue took the opportunity to latch onto his back. Her arms closed over his shoulders and her legs around his waist, causing him to stumble a little bit forward before he changed directions and began carrying her back towards the shelter of the house. She rested her chin on the thin platform of his shoulder. "Are you warm now?" she inquired. Sojiro nodded a little and turned to look at her. "That's good. It's not really all that wet though." Yasue pulled herself back and looked down at the fabric, finding only two darkened areas.
"Yasue!"
They both looked over to see Mitsumei standing by the path looking almost petrified with fear. "Oh my! Are you okay? What happened?" she yelled, running over to them, the little bundle in her hands held tightly to her chest. Yasue stared at her a moment and frowned.
"I'm… okay. Why do you ask?" Yasue mumbled. Sojiro let her down and Mitsumei's frightened expression dissolved in an instant.
"Oh, never mind. I thought you had gone and gotten yourself hurt with the way he was carrying you. Hi Sojiro. How are you doing?"
"Good. Thank you Miss Mitsumei. How are you?"
"I'm pretty good. I don't suppose you're staying with us this time?" Mitsumei asked. Sojiro responded with a slight shake of his head.
"I have a bit of business down in town so I won't be able to enjoy your company. I am hoping next time you happen to stop by, that I won't be busy and will be able to sit down and join you two."
"Aw, well that's too bad. I'll come soon then I guess."
"Certainly." Sojiro smiled and nodded to Yasue, walking towards the dark path that would lead him down to the small town. Unfortunately, this visit would probably be his last and it wasn't going to be happy one.
"Sooooo…." Mitsumei breathed. "What's been up with you lately? I haven't been here for… almost a week I think. What's happened while I was gone?" she asked ingenuously, grinning with her painted lips. Yasue had forgotten that Mitsumei hadn't been present for most of Gundashi threat.
With a weighted smile, Yasue led Mitsumei inside and sat her down, explaining everything that had happened. The face of the visitor slowly deteriorated as the story dragged on and when Yasue told her about Sojiro's wounds and Niro's words, her hands covered her mouth and she closed her eyes.
"I had no idea all this happened. Sojiro looked perfectly fine when I saw him," she said, her voice low as though he were right outside. She looked like she was about to be sick from all the information that had been thrown her way. Yasue would have felt remorseful had she not known Mitsumei as well as she did. Yasue placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder and smiled.
"He's perfectly fine, maybe a little confused, but he's fine. You don't need worry about him. He's been happy up here, but he's been having these dreams… he explains them to me and they're so bizarre, but they all seem like they're blaming for things. I don't know, but he had another one today and refused to talk to me about it. I'm starting to think it was really awful." Yasue sighed and retracted her hand, shaking her head slightly in perplexity. Mitsumei looked over at the bundle she had brought and tugged it closer, unwrapping it.
"I brought us something to snack on while I was here. Just some small treats, nothing big. There's some really good western candy that you just have to try. You should save some for Sojiro so he doesn't miss out." Mitsumei handed her a small plastic bag with a spectrum of colorful candies inside. "So… I don't mean to be intrusive, but what happened when I left you last?"
"When was that?"
"When I dressed you up like a goddess! How'd it go?" Mitsumei leaned forward anxiously, flicking her eyebrows up and down a little. Yasue blushed and covered her face, groaning. "You did, didn't you? I knew it! So how was it? Is the little kid any good?" Mitsumei guffawed loudly at Yasue's beet face.
"Mitsumei, please! That's a little personal don't you think?" Yasue cried, shaking her hand enclosed face violently. Mitsumei waited patiently. "Oh Mitsumei, please don't make me answer that!" Again, Mitsumei stared intently at Yasue, determined to get an answer. "You're so difficult Mitsumei. It was fine. That's it. I'm not telling anymore." She waved her hand in front of her and held her chin high, signaling to Mitsumei that she was, indeed, resolute.
"He just couldn't resist you, could he? I can imagine it. He walks in and at first he stumbles around, trying to take you in and then he just falls down on top of you and his hands-"
"Mitsumei! Please to not daydream about my love life. It makes me uncomfortable." Yasue opened the plastic bag and extracted a red candy, disturbed more at how accurate Mitsumei was more than at her fantasizing about her in bed with a man. She popped the candy into her mouth and frowned, rolling her tongue over the smooth surface before smiling. "These are sweet!" she exclaimed.
"Sweeter than mochi. I'm addicted to it already." Mitsumei took one and shoved it into her own mouth, a mouth much bigger than Yasue's. They both sat eating it quietly, both thinking their own personal thoughts in their heads.
"Mitsumei?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you think your swordsman is still waiting for you back at your old home?"
"Doubt it. The food can't last that long."
"But it's only been a month or so since you left. You should go back and see. What if he's waiting?" Yasue leaned back on her hands and stared at the ceiling. Mitsumei thought about it a moment before settling herself on her back.
"So what if he's waiting? I'd think it's about time. I waited forever for him. You know how long, but he never changed. I know they say absence makes the heart row fonder… but I guess it would help to have a heart to begin with. When I left he just watched me go. He didn't care whether I stayed or not. He even held the door open for me, not trying to make me leave or stay. He just opened the door and stood there like he was challenging me. Daring me or something. I couldn't back down so I grabbed my things and left."
"It was the night after you tricked him. Maybe he was just upset. You should go back. Maybe just to stop and say hello or something. You left a lot of your stuff there."
Mitsumei was silent. She had never thought of going back, never considered it. She had convinced herself, albeit with difficulty, that he was a cold monster, but now that Yasue had said it, she really wanted to and all those affectionate feelings she had felt towards the man that had so indifferently let her slip away came rushing back with an extremely strong force pushing them.
"Mitsumei? You should go back. I'm sure he's there. Maybe he even stayed in hopes that you would come back. You should never underestimate a man." Yasue looked down at Mitsumei. It was of naïve of her to think that considering she was still young and had only recently engaged in her first serious relationship, but Mitsumei had already made up her mind.
"Fine Yasue. I'll go back and see if he's there. But if he's not, then you owe me a bag of these delicious treats." Mitsumei sat up, her face strangely serious.
"Deal." Yasue extended her hand, happy when Mitsumei gave it a firm shake. For some reason, she felt one hundred percent sure that she wouldn't owe Mitsumei any candy.
Author's Note: YAY! Thank you all for reviewing this lovely little story! So I've decided to give you all a lovely little present! DOUBLE UPDATE! Bwahahahhahahaa. At least we know long car rides are good for something eh?