Winter's Chill
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Learning to Share:
Enishi pulled the blanket off his shoulders and shook-it out so it was opened as fully as possible. Misao sat down beside him but still not close enough to touch him. Her shoulder's were tensed and squeezed tightly together as if to make herself even smaller than she already was.
"I won't bite" Enishi stated, knowing the blanket would not cover them both if they left such a large gap between them. "Besides if we sit close it will be warmer." Enishi waited and Misao moved over so that her arm rested lightly against his side.
Reaching around her, he laid the blanket over her shoulder and then pulled his own corner of the blanket around his body. Misao was still tense but at least they both had cover.
For a few minutes both sat in an uncomfortable silence. Enishi was not sure what to say and Misao sat unnaturally stiff and silent. Enishi was still racking his brain for a conversation starter when Misao let out a sigh and wiggling slightly to adjust the blanket began to speak.
"You know if you had not found me I would have died." Misao stated. Enishi was silent feeling it was best to just let her talk. "For a while I actually thought I wanted to die and then when I realized that I still wanted to live it was too late and I could not move. I was so scared and cold then the snow just kept falling and I got colder and colder until I could not longer even think and I just shut down." Both of them looked into the fire and were silent. "So I guess I should thank you for helping me. I meant to tell you that when I woke up but, I got caught up in my thoughts." She paused, unsure if she should continue. "You were the last person I expected to help me." Misao waited unsure how Enishi would respond.
"I was the last person I would have expected too." Misao looked over at him then back at the fire. The bright raging flames of earlier had settled into orange hinted gold burning steady and even. "I thought you were dead and that I would be just delivering your body to a nearby home," Enishi continued.
"A little while longer and you would have been but I think I am pretty far from home. I have been running for a long time." Misao added "Today has been the worst day of my life." Misao fell silent again her mind turning back to the images from the temple. Her fingers clenched the blanket and twisted it drawing Enishi's attention.
"Do you mind if I asked what happened?" Enishi queried. It surprised him more so than the girl. Since when did he care?
"No, I don't mind actually." She pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly as she prepared to relay the events of that day. "You see there is a man I have loved for as long as I can remember and even though he had never responded out right to my obvious adoration I always felt that he knew and accepted and even maybe returned my feelings in his own way." A sad smile crossed her features before she continued on. "However today I realized how wrong I was. I thought I understood his feelings that we had a mutual understanding but it turns out I was reading it all wrong. For, I don't know how long, he has been changed and moved on without my seeing it, but today I was saw and it almost killed me….literally" she added with a cynical but slight chuckle. "But now that I know I won't make the same mistake again. He is through with me and I … I am just going to have to move on." She finished and nodded her head for emphasis more to convince herself than Enishi.
"I know how that feels. To think that what you are doing is making someone happy only to realize that you were totally off the mark and that person never wanted or needed what you offered them." Enishi's eyes were darkened and he looked away from Misao "hmm, maybe it was your own feelings you were acting on and just pretending they were the other persons." Enishi added still looking away from Misao before falling silent. She did not press him and both sat with only the sound of the wind and the popping and hiss of the fire to interrupt their thoughts. Time passed and the fire grew smaller and the room darker. Enishi felt a slight tug on the blanket and it pulled him out of his reverie to look over at his companion.
"You know I really got ripped off in this truce" Misao said groggily her eyes half closed and her head lolling slightly to one side. "It was my blanket to begin with" her voice trailed off and her eyes closed fully. Soon her breath came in a light even rhythm. Her head had rolled to the side to rest on her shoulder and her dark hair made a curtain about her sleeping face.
Enishi was certain that Misao could not be comfortable in that position and worried that if her neck bent any further it might break. She was also starting to lean in the direction of her head and away from Enishi pulling the blanket along with her. It looked like Misao had decided not to share after all. However, before Enishi could decide how to resolve the situation, Misao fixed it for him. Her body straightened slightly and without opening her eyes Misao curled up again his side and rested her head on his arm. A contented sigh escaped her lips.
Enishi sat very still for a moment fearing to wake her and wondering if she would move again but she was still. After a few moments she made a snoring sound. Great she is going to be noisy he thought but it was just a small snort and then silence. Enishi looked down at the sleeping girl. Her still slightly damp hair stuck to the sides of her face and a few stands had fallen into the corner of her mouth. Enishi gently reached down and pulled the strands back so they rested behind her ear. He studied her for a moment. While sleeping she looked so peaceful and child-like. While the child-like was somewhat accurate even when she was awake the peacefulness was a trick of sleep.
Somehow this brash girl with all her drama and energy was a pleasing companion. Her candor and straight-forward personality a refreshing break from the tedious labyrinthine gamut one had to guess through to discover the true meaning in other people's words. A slight smile pulled at his lips and he realized that more than just other people, Enishi himself had lost that child-like openness and joy for life. Seeing a girl who despite what must have been a horrific day bounce back with vitality and humor was … good, but more than that maybe it was also a sign, maybe he needed to bounce back from what had been a horrendous few years. It was the first time since Tomoe's death that Enishi felt a spark of happiness. He looked to the fire, which had dwindled down to glowing fiery coals and a few bluish flames swaying about on one of the large logs. He stirred the fire a bit trying not to disturb the girl. A few new flames leapt up from the coals and sparks flew into the air glimmering and glowing a bright red-orange. The new golden flames danced merrily with the smaller blue ones and a new wave of heat warmed the hut. Enishi looked once again at Misao's sleeping face, before closing his own eyes and letting the warmth and soft sounds of the crackling fire lull him to sleep.
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Sorry it took so long to update. It ended up that when I thought I would have more time I ended up having less. Funny how that works. It was also kind of difficult to get back into the flow of writing so I am not sure how good this chapter is and it may need some edits later. I did not really intend to make this chapter so heavy and I am not very good at that kind of thing. This all started out light so I will endeavor to keep it that way. I am not the deep thinking, philosophical type but this turned out a little more that way. Anyways, better luck next chapter. I would also like to again extend a big thank you to every one that has reviewed.
Seri-chan: Misao is supposed to be older so she has matured a little, at least but, is still somewhat of a child.
Len: now you have a little more and hopefully I will finish soon, but that is a big hope.
Dynast: ack! I feel bad having such a long hiatus; hope this makes up for it.
Thanks (^_^')
~Merrow