I arrived home at 4pm and dumped my bags on the floor behind the couch. I didn't see Misao anywhere so she must still be with Kaoru and the others. It was quite warm outside and I walked to the bathroom and decided to take a cool shower.
I finished showering and realised none of my spare clothes were hanging up in the bathroom so I wrapped the towel tightly around my waist and walked to the bedroom. I walked into the room to find Misao stretched out like a starfish lying on her back and fast asleep. I walked over towards her and saw that she had taken off her tights as they lay on the floor, fanned her hair out around her and she had only three buttons done up to cover her breasts while the others were unfastened. The air-conditioner blew down on her raffling her blouse and hair. Her head was titled closer to her left shoulder. I smiled at how cute she looked and silently walked towards the cupboard to get some clothing and quickly dressed in my black pants and placed a shirt on but didn't do up the buttons. My hair was still wet and droplets of water still ran down my face and neck dampening the collar. I sat silently on the bed sitting on her right side just below her outstretched arm. I placed my chin on my up drawn knee and the air-conditioner wiped my hair around and dropped some water on Misao's face. She moaned and woke up, turned her head to see me staring at her with guarded features.
"Where did you run off to?" She said quietly not even remotely embarrassed about the state of her dress or that I was watching her.
"Mia had sent some stuff down on the bus and I went to go pick it up. I wanted to do some shopping as well, plus I got you something." I got up and left the bedroom to get her the gift. I had turned around to find that Misao followed me as her eyes glistened with excitement. It seems she doesn't receive gifts very often either. I sat on the ground near the couch and Misao soon came closer and sat down in front of me.
"Close your eyes" I ordered and she complied. I reached for the basket behind the couch and placed it in front of her.
"Okay open" She did exactly that and gasped at what I had placed in front of her. She looked inside and found a nice dark blue towel set, some other nice essential bath products like lavender soaps, shampoo and conditioner which I happened to pick out and bubble bath. I bought her a new set of pyjamas, a pair of shorts and a tank top, as summer was rolling in and a nice thin robe. Also a couple of shirts I'd hope she'd like, a casual one while the other was dressier and some chocolates.
"Why?" Her eyes turned up to me in disbelief, as she wanted to know why she had received all of this stuff from me.
"Hey it's a welcoming gift to help you settle into your new home. Oh and I just got you these last two things because I couldn't resist." I reached behind the couch again and reviled to her a white stuffed bear with a red ribbon tied around its neck. I had placed the large picture frame, the back of it facing her, in front of the bear. Her shaky fingers turned the large frame around to see her only family photo blown up and placed in a nice wooden frame. I grabbed it from her and placed it on the wall behind me so every morning when she woke up that was the first thing she would see from the bedroom door.
"What do you think?" I moved so she could see the picture and turned around to see Misao still sitting on the ground hugging the bear to her chest with her head bowed.
"Misao?" I had asked quietly not sure at what to do at this point in time. I was stunned when Misao quickly rose to her feet, tears slipping from her eyes and walked towards me and hugged me while still holding the bear. It took me a couple of seconds to snap out of it and I soon patted her back to quiet her small sobs.
"How will I pay you back?" Misao had asked quietly into my chest. I held her at arms length so I could look into those eyes once again.
"Misao having you here and seeing how happy you have made Kaoru and the others by being you again is rewarding enough." I smiled down at her and she was about to speak again but was interrupted by someone knocking on the door. Misao went into the bedroom with all her new stuff and I opened the door to find the deliverymen standing with my many boxes.
* * * *
An hour passed and Misao and I had set up my foldout couch along the far side of the wall just under the window and facing the main door.
"So what are the others doing this weekend?" I had absently asked and Misao soon replied.
"Kenshin had a family outing to attend to and shyly asked Kaoru if she wanted to come. That totally made her day. I was quite surprised that Megumi didn't feel hurt as I thought she had a thing for him as well. She too had a family dinner and became all meek and shy and asked Sano if she wanted to join her. He was going to start a little bickering between them and when he noticed she was lightly blushing at him he agreed and they both smiled."
"That's great! So what do you want to do?"
"What about I help you unpack the rest of your stuff and then hopefully we can come up with something together?" Misao had already walked to the box and dragged it to the small table and sat on it while pulling things out of it. I lightly smiled and walked towards her and grabbed the cloth covering my weapons.
"What are those?" Misao had asked me curiously.
"Kodachi's, I've been using them for years." Misao opened a pouch up and found about 12 smaller knives. Her glance turned to me and asked a silent question.
"Kunai's, if you've got fast reflexes, which I know you do from that slap I received, they can be used very effectively." Misao blushed and bowed her head at remembering what she did. I lifted her chin and immediately took my hand away when her eyes became frightened and apologised.
"I'm sorry Misao, I should have remembered. I was only kidding about the slap you know, it didn't hurt." I tried to smile but watched as Misao stood silently and walked to the room and closed the door completely. SHIT! YOU IDIOT! I began having a mental battle with myself and picked up my keys and left the unit to go for a walk.
* * * *
I opened the door to the unit as I had returned at 2am and found a lamp was still on so I could find my way around. I had been aimlessly walking around the block thinking and came across a training hall. I studied what they taught and decided I'd go down tomorrow morning when they opened and see if I could get a job there by helping out and teaching.
I placed my keys on the kitchen bench, slipped out of my sneakers and threw my shirt on the floor and walked to my bed. That's when I saw Misao's small shaking figure clutching the white bear I bought her and curled up in a tight ball on my bed. She was wearing the new pajamas but it had come in quite cool so I walked to the bedroom and came back with a blanket that I placed over Misao. I brushed my fingers over her cheek and noticed there dampness, she'd been crying. My heart clenched and I sat down beside her. Misao soon let out a pained moan and tensed even more. I could do nothing as she began crying and moaning in her sleep. This is what Kaoru was talking about when I first got here. Misao was in one of her nightmares. I rested my back against the head of the couch and raised Misao up and into my embrace. Her body went tense and she tried to pull away. I needed to comfort her so I spoke into her ear quietly and soothingly.
"Misao, it's alright now. You don't need to be afraid. I'm here to protect you." I held her tight with one arm while the other brushed through her silken locks. Her body soon relaxed into my embrace and her cries ended. I looked down to see her ocean-blue eyes register who was holding her.
"You saved me from being raped again. Thank you Aoshi." I was stunned when she called me Aoshi and then tensed for a couple of seconds when she wrapped her small arms around my waist and cried gratefully into my chest.
"You're going to get through this Misao, I promise." I looked down at her once more and realised she had fallen asleep. I grabbed the blanket and placed it over us and soon chuckled softly hoping that when Misao woke she won't slap me like she first did.
* * * *
I woke when Misao had tightened her embrace around my waist. I had to blink my eyes a few times to adjust to the bright light coming in through the window. I looked down to notice her eyes were closed, a small smile was tugging at her lips and she was lightly blushing while all her hair was freely cascading over the both of us and the blanket.
"Misao?" I had spoken quietly and gently towards her. Her eyes snapped open and she practically jumped out of my embrace and sat on her knees and spoke shakily.
"A-Aoshi, I-I'm sorry f-for falling asleep in y-your bed." She had closed her eyes embarrassed about how silly she was acting. I looked at how well the pyjamas fit her and she looked beautiful with her hair ruffled all around her. I sighed heavily and soon spoke.
"Misao it doesn't matter. If you have nightmares, or you just can't sleep, come out here and wake me up. I'll be here to help you so you don't need to be afraid. If you need to talk about what is happening or you just need the company of another person I'll be here, okay?" She nodded quietly and so I got up and walked to the fridge to get some breakfast. I looked over to Misao once more and still found her sitting on the bed brushing the fur on the bear.
"Misao are you alright?" My heart soon constricted in my chest when she shook her head negatively and placed her hands over her face and began sobbing painfully. I hurriedly walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her fragile form.
"Misao please tell me what's wrong" I asked brokenly to her.
"I came out to apologise and found you gone. I didn't even know where you had gone. I wanted to say sorry for acting like an idiot. I know you wouldn't hurt me because you promised but I've never been touched like that before or like this either. I'm sorry for being so silly." I rubbed her back soothingly as I finally understood.
"No Misao I'm sorry for not knowing why you'd act that way. I won't try anything or comfort you unless you ask, or I see it in your eyes." I chuckle at the last part and so does Misao. We fall into a comfortable silence with me still embracing her. I loosen it and walk to pick up my shirt and put in on.
"Why don't you freshen up Misao and I'll get us some breakfast." I look to see Misao lying on her side hugging the bear and fast asleep. Emotions must really knock her around, I silently thought. I got my breakfast and sat on the floor watching her sleep. I soon finished and realised I was going to the training hall I saw early in the morning and got dressed in some nicer clothes, grabbed my weapons, wrote Misao a note and left the house.
* * * *
It was nearly lunchtime and the classes had finished at the training hall for a while. I showed the instructor what I could do and he was quite impressed. I had asked him if he needed any help teaching because he was the only instructor. He asked me if I could teach the younger children when I finished school for about half an hour to an hour each night so he could spend all the afternoon with his own children. He trained the adults in different classes during the day from 8am until about 2pm. The young children would start at about 3:30pm until 4:30pm because some of the mothers weren't able to pick them up until then. I was chatting away to some of the older men when we all turned when we heard the bell ring when the door opened and closed. It was Misao holding a plastic bag and waiting for me to join her. I began walking towards her and heard the men whisper 'what a beautiful young women she is' and 'how lucky is he'. I controlled the slight embarrassment I felt and we left to silently walk to the park for lunch.
"Is that where you are going to train Aoshi?" I stopped again when she called me by my first name and Misao turned to face me but I just couldn't help but cut in.
"I'm sorry, it's still strange to hear you call me that, but I'm finally glad you are." She nodded her head in understanding and we walked into the park to see many of the children that we saw a couple of days ago playing around. We sat under a tree and I leaned against the trunk of it. We ate quickly as we both were starving and then I closed my eyes and relaxed. I could feel Misao's eyes on me and finally I let her ask her question.
"Aoshi can I…I mean may I please…Can I… You know what I'm trying to ask right?"
"No." I had stated quickly to her trying to suppress a smile.
"What?" She soon hit me lightly on the arm when I began to chuckle and she laid her head in my lap and closed her eyes. I placed my hand on her head and lightly brushed her hair with my fingers. I heard her sigh quietly and I too relaxed in the warm afternoon sun. I soon bent my head down to speak quietly in her ear.
"Misao when we have school holidays will you come to my home with me?" Her eyes never opened but she had heard what I said and answered my question with another question.
"Do you really want me to come or are you just trying to be nice?" I took a deep breath and answered her honestly while having my gaze turned up to the see the sun shining through the gaps the leaves made when the wind blew them around.
"I really want you to come and spend the holidays with me" Silence fell between us but I could hear the happy screaming of the children running around.
"I'd love to go." I looked down at Misao to see a small smile on her face and her eyes still closed. I tucked loose strands of her hair behind her ear and let out my breath that I had been holding, while waiting for her to answer.
* * * *
A couple of hours passed and Misao was still sleeping. I brushed my fingers lightly over her cheek and she opened her eyes to stare at me.
"We should be going Misao" I stated to her. She pouted cutely at me for waking her up and disturbing her peaceful slumber but I quickly replied with an answer.
"Don't try and pull that cute pouting with me Missy because you know we have to get back home and do our homework so we can be lazy and do nothing all tomorrow, okay?" I knew this would convince her as she began to giggle. She soon got up and walked in the direction of where we lived and I was close behind her.
* * * *