Disclaimer: RK belongs to Watsuki.

Warning: A steamy kiss, nothing more

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Not for the first time in the last several minutes, Aoshi wondered what the hell he was doing out here in the middle of the night, behaving like a child, not to mention with whom. He had been determined, promised himself even, that she would not carry him away again. He certainly would not kiss her again as he had two nights ago. Easy enough… as long as she wasn't standing in front of him, however, he could feel his resolve dissolving after only a few minutes in her company and before they parted company last night he had kissed her again.

So much for the Okashira's hard as nails resolve. Aoshi thought and not without a note of self-derision as he sat, crouched down and hidden, waiting for her to walk by as she tried to sneak through the woods. Another of Misao's games they'd been at for most of the night, it had taken her quite a while to find him and only after his near silent chuckle had revealed him to be in a nearby tree. Observing her the entire time as she searched, cursing at him and herself, even proceeding to stamp her foot a few times in frustration. Forfeiting his blue scarf as payment for being found was well worth the price. Fully expecting her to end it after it took so long to find him, Aoshi found himself coerced into having to search for her.

What is it with this girl and Misao's games? He wondered with what one might call artificial contempt.

Actually, the game was quite practical as it was training in a sense; it helped to improve tracking and evading skills and besides… it was the closest thing resembling fun that he'd had in quite some time. His attention was caught by the sound of a small twig snapping and he tipped his head slightly so that he could peer between an opening in the bushes he was nestled amongst. He smiled as he had guessed correctly when he'd assumed she would come to this particular spot. She had unwittingly admitted knowing all of Misao's secrets the other night but what she did not know is that he knew many of Misao's secrets as well; the hiding place she was heading for being one of them. Shifting noiselessly, Aoshi moved into a position more suited for pouncing and waited for his victim's approach. She had warned him against going easy on her simply because she was a girl and although he would never dream of such a thing before, he now found himself at odds on how to attack without hurting her.

Like a tightly coiled spring he waited as her footsteps whispered through the forest, barely making any sound, yet to his ears it was like a giant stomping, nearer and nearer. At last she was in front of him, still he waited, watching her perform a slow pirouette as she scanned the area around her, she cleverly kept to the shadows, walking among the tall, thick, trees… or she had. Aoshi had to hold back a knowing smile as she turned and obviously believing herself home free with no need to remain cautious stepped into the small clearing. Aoshi made his move; springing out like a stalking leopard, he leapt at the unsuspecting girl who recognized the sound of rushing air too late to do more than turn slightly as Aoshi wound his arms around her calves in a tackle that set her off balance. She could do little more than stare at Aoshi's triumphant gaze as she fell in an ungracious heap on her backside.

As he expected she wasted little time before she attempted escape, trying to hit him with a quick elbow strike. When he stopped her elbow and she followed through with her fist, he smiled at her improvisation as it showed her unwillingness to give up. Even when he caught her fist and held it she tried to strike with the other, which he caught as well. She tried to squirm from beneath the leg he had thrown across hers to pin her, she failed do more than move the leaves on the forest floor and once again attempted to pull her hands free of his, once again, without success.

"What will you do now Mirai?" He teased trying not to laugh as her eyes narrowed in angry resentment. "You cannot break free."

She huffed and pouted, much the same way he'd seen Misao do when she was displeased with someone, mainly himself or Hanya. She pulled at her hands once more but gave up as his grip did not lessen and then sighed heavily in her defeat.

"I guess I'll have pay up." She spoke dramatically, her voice filled with great pain and suffering. He could no longer hold back and laughed, trying unsuccessfully to hide her own laughter, barely managing to hold on to her annoyed tone as she spoke. "But I'll have you know that is my favorite hair accessory."

"That was my favorite scarf." He nodded to where she had tied it around her wrist, toying with the knot with his thumb then glanced at the clasp at the end of her braid. "And I am certain it is worth more than that trinket in your hair."

"Well, if you feel it's of so little value." She huffed indignantly. "Why didn't you choose something worth more."

He wondered what could be worth more than witnessing her petulant display of false anger; her brows drawn together in a frown, trying to hide the laughter in her blue eyes, her chin lifted defiantly even though she lay pinned to the ground, unable to escape. Her mouth. He swallowed hard at the lump in his throat, remembering the feel of her kiss, it tempted him… tempted him beyond measure. '…choose something worth more' she had said and he found he could not argue with such a perfect solution.

"Something worth a great deal more." He whispered lowering his mouth to hers, pinning her hands to the ground above her head. He could feel her through their clothing. Her breasts pressing against his chest, her thighs against the leg that he'd thrown across them to prevent her escape and the bare flesh of her arms as he released his hold on her wrists and trailed his fingers down the soft skin. She was so warm; he could feel it in every part of him that touched her and he wanted more. He wanted to bury himself in her warmth, never to rise from it again. Her arms wound around him pulling him further into her warmth, her fingers buried themselves in his hair. He moaned, desperate for more, deepening their kiss in search of it, his tongue now danced with hers, his hands cupping her cheek, sliding into her hair, anything to feel more of her warmth.

Does she feel this as I do? He wondered as his mouth continued to caress hers. Her soft moan, voiced into his mouth would indicate she did. He did not want the kiss to end, yet he was not content to kiss merely her mouth and despite her whimpering protest his lips abandoned hers and brushed lightly across her cheek again and again. He heard a small gasp and felt the light shiver run through her as his lips touched the sensitive skin of her neck. Her fingers left a warm trail as they slowly drifted from where they were buried in his hair, down the back of his neck and over his shoulder, finally coming to rest in the middle of his back.

"Aoshi-sama…" His name a breathy whisper tickling his skin.

Time stopped, frozen still as that one whisper rushed through him like ice … Aoshi-sama. Not simply Aoshi but Aoshi-sama. Okashira. Not her lover but her superior… the two of them were not just a man and a woman, they were the commander of an army and one of his soldiers. He lifted his head and met the powerful gaze of her deep blue eyes. Still… it was so easy to forget; when she was this close and her wide blue eyes implored him as they did now.

"How did you know I would come here Aoshi-sama?" She whispered startling him.

He was silent for several moments, still lost in those cerulean depths.

"I have played this game with Misao many times." He finally spoke lifting his hand and pointing at the entry to her secret hiding place. "I know some of her secrets as well."

Her mouth curved in a slight smile as she nodded in response to his answer then her gaze shifted, looking at something over his shoulder. The smile left her lips almost immediately and her face showed something that he was not used to seeing from her, sadness. The effect was profound as it didn't merely show in the absence of her smile but it filled her eyes her entire being emanated it… it was almost tangible.

"Mirai dooshite?" He asked quietly trying to pull her back from where it was she'd gone, wanting to shelter her from what made her sad.

"The moon." She replied in a voice that was barely audible and was silent for several moments before she continued. "It's waning."

"It always does." He told her. "This is the law of nature."

"Only one day left…" Her voice filled with the same sadness that he could see in her eyes. "…and the full moon will be over."

"Ah." He agreed absently wondering why this should make her so sad and what he could do to stop it. Her emotions were always so unrestricted and open that it was difficult for those around her not to feel it as well, or maybe it was only difficult for him. It didn't matter, he only knew that it did not suit her to be without her smile and he would do anything to return it to her. Lifting his hand he brushed his fingers lightly across her cheek. He wracked his brain trying to find the appropriate thing to say to her and finally it came to him, something she had mentioned several times during their time together.

"Misao's coming home tomorrow." He told her. "Omasu and Okina went to pick her up."

"Aoshi-sama…" The happiness evident in her quiet voice could also be seen in her eyes. She covered his hand that still lingered on her cheek, with her own. "I'm glad. I'm so glad"

---

"Couldn't sleep?"

The quiet voice from the shadows halted her in her tracks as she made to climb the few steps to the Aoiya. Her head snapping up, her eyes narrowing as she searched and finally settled on the still form leaning next to the doorway. Tall and ominous, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched her approach.

Just like last night. She thought as she eyed him curiously, wondering at this strange behavior of his. She knew that although she'd been in the past for a few hours she'd only been gone from here several minutes; hardly enough to create suspicion over her whereabouts.

"No… I couldn't sleep." She replied hoping he would let it drop.

She could feel him staring at her for several long moments before he nodded and turned his attention to the night sky. She silently observed him from where she stood at the bottom of the stairs, he was so still, one might mistake him for a statue if not for the occasional blinking of his eyes and the slow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

A beautiful statue. She thought as she stared at him standing so motionless in the darkness. It was funny how she associated him with a statue… cold, inanimate and immovable but she knew him to be something else now, something more than what she saw before her now. He was the same man she knew in the past time, he had merely enveloped himself in a self-protection mechanism, created out of necessity for someone who felt things too deeply. The end of the war and all they had fought so hard to preserve, what they believed was right. The murders of his friends and the continued struggle to find some meaning to it all.

He doesn't look cold at all. She thought correcting her earlier assessment. He looks… sad.

She climbed the stairs and stopped before him. He made no move to acknowledge that she was in front of him but that didn't matter to her now and at the risk of rejection, not caring whether he pushed her away or not she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. She was surprised that he didn't' move, didn't show any reaction at all; no stiffening at the unwelcome feel of human contact, nothing. Still, he did not push her away. She held him for only a few moments and without saying a word she made to enter the Aoiya.

"What was that for?" His quietly spoken question stopped her.

"Because you seemed so sad." She answered him turning back to look at him. His face was still averted, his arms still crossed over his chest, one would never know that she had just embraced this man.

"Ah." He agreed surprising her.

"Aoshi-sama…" She could not help the concern in her voice.

"The moon is waning." He interrupted her and she could do nothing but stare in wide-eyed disbelief at hearing words she had spoken to him only minutes before, minutes that had actually been years. "I always feel sad when the moon is waning."

She was shocked into silence, unable to utter a word as he turned to look at her, his eyes searching, for what she could not fathom, an answer perhaps.

"Why is that Misao?" He questioned quietly.

She could offer him nothing more than a shaking of her head indicating she didn't know. A jumble of thoughts whirled around in her head. Does he know? She asked herself silently. Have the things I've said and done in the past altered the present so much… so soon? Giving herself a mental shake she dismissed the idea as ridiculous. After all the important people he met as Okashira and afterward, all the events and experiences he's had he certainly wouldn't be so influenced, probably wouldn't even remember the appearance of some scrawny girl for a few days when he was seventeen.

I really am being stupid. She nearly laughed at herself.

"It's late." Aoshi's voice interrupted her self-reprimanding thoughts. "You should get some sleep."

"Hai." She agreed after a few moments of silence. "Oyasumi Aoshi-sama."

She heard him whisper 'goodnight' as she walked into the darkness of the Aoiya and made her way to her room.