Chapter Two: Love or Reputation
The next morning Hiko walked in the streets of Kyoto. He was a bit surprised that his food supplies had run out so quickly. Well, not exactly surprised. He *had* forgotten a part of his supplies at Kamatari's house. Well, not exactly forgotten. He had... left them behind as a thank you for the dinner. After all, she had made him food from her own probably poor supplies. Well, not exactly poor. At least her house didn't look like a poor person's house. Oh well, why bother by making up excuses. He *had* left them on purpose, he had to admit that. If not for anything else than for an excuse to come and see her. Okay, maybe he was making up excuses. Oh what the heck, she was worth of it. You're very much worth of it, Kamatari, he thought, the arrogant smirk on his face softening a bit.
"Ooooooiii! Hiko-samaaaaa!" Two familiar voices suddenly shouted behind him. His smirk stiffened a bit. Then he glanced at the street behind him and saw something very familiar there. A woman dressed in a light red kimono, her hair kept up and the other, taller woman wearing a light green kimono, her free hair flowing past her shoulders. Okon and Omasu of the Oniwabanshuu.
Slowly he turned to face them as they ran closer to him, clinging to his arms. His arrogant, confident smirk didn't fade away, although he felt a bit annoyed. I really don't have time for this, he told himself as the ladies told him how happy they were to see him.
"I thought I saw you yesterday at the Uguisu no Bara, but then I thought I was just seeing things. What are you doing here?" Okon spoke anxiously, watching Hiko with adoring eyes. He sighed silently, then smiled at them confidently.
"I think it's his own business, Okon", Omasu said sharply, glancing at her sister angrily. He was *hers*, and she should know it. However, Okon didn't care about it and continued to question the silent, smirking swordsmaster.
Before he even noticed it, he had drifted away from the discussion to his memories of yesterday and Kamatari. He smiled inwardly as he reminisced the soft feel of her skin, the sweet scent lingering around her. She was so beautiful and fresh and so unlike the ladies clinging to him right now. For a short moment he wondered why he allowed them to do so, and came to the conclusion that it was because they amused him. Hiko frowned at himself because of the thought. Then he lowered his eyes to the woman on his left side as he felt her tugging his cape.
"Oi, Hiko-sama? What's wrong?" Omasu asked, looking worried. Hiko shrugged, giving her a brief, arrogant smirk.
"Nothing's wrong", he replied calmly. Omasu and Okon sighed softly, both looking up at him like two adoring puppies. Hiko sighed inwardly. They were carrying it a bit too far. The women soon began to blabber to him about the newly repaired Aoiya, about how they were so happy that Shinomori Aoshi was back and how they were unbelievably lucky to see him. Once again Hiko drifted away, bored by the neverending streams of words and loving giggles. Sometimes he wondered were there anything else in the ladies' heads than he and the Aoiya. Soon after the thought passed through his mind he hit himself mentally. Baka!! They're attracted to you just like all the other women! You shouldn't think badly about them! he scolded himself angrily.
A very delightful image dropped him back to earth from his daydreams. An angel in an ocean green kimono was walking towards him and the onmitsu ladies carrying a bundle, which vaguely reminded him of his new shirt he had bought yesterday. She was waving her hand at them, smiling brightly. Hiko felt his heart beating faster.
"Ohayo, Hiko-sama!" Kamatari greeted him when she walked at them. Okon and Omasu looked at her curiously, yet a bit suspiciously. They had thought that Hiko and Kamatari didn't know each other. Oh, well...
"Ohayo, Kamatari-chan", he answered quietly, his trademark smirk on his handsome face. It was so good to see her again, and her soft voice was like a soothing balm to his much suffered ears.
"Ohayo, Kamatari-san!" Okon chirped, smiling and hugging Hiko's arm. "I didn't know that you know Hiko-sama!" Omasu sighed and smiled then at Kamatari a bit suspiciously.
"Oh, but we do know, now don't we, sweetie-sama? We've known for... a full day now!" Kamatari answered, her blue eyes shining always so mischievously. Okon frowned a bit. Hiko noticed that and sighed in his mind.
"Aa, we know each other", he said, closing his eyes and nodding. The smirk on his face didn't fade at all. "Now, ladies, let go of my arms so that I can move." Omasu glanced at him, looking a bit hurt.
"That's interesting, now isn't it, Omasu?" Okon said, reluctantly letting go of Hiko's arm. Hiko sighed mentally. He's arms were starting feel numb.
"It most certainly is, Okon", Omasu answered, looking murderously at Kamatari. But she didn't seem to care at all. She just stepped closer to Hiko.
"You forgot your shirt and food at my place yesterday, Hiko-sama", Kamatari said, smiling a perfectly innocent smile. Hiko nodded coolly, heaving a mental sigh. Oh great... Now there would be questions from Okon and Omasu... But oddly, it didn't bother him that much. Actually, he couldn't have cared less.
To his own surprise he found himself stepping closer to Kamatari and taking the shirt from her arms, letting his own hands linger over her delicate ones for a moment. That made Kamatari look up at him with a slightly puzzled look in her cerulean eyes. Hiko allowed his ever-present arrogant smirk soften for a moment. Kamatari lowered her gaze, a slight blush gracing her pale cheeks. Hiko cursed to himself. Goddammit, don't look like that, angel, this is nothing special... But, once again, Hiko couldn't stop himself as he wrapped his arms around Kamatari's slender frame. She let out her breath sharply, quickly looking up at him. Hiko found himself smiling warmly at her, as well as his heart pounding like a drum in answer to the small smile that rose to her lips.
Shit, there goes my reputation, Hiko cursed mentally. He could hear how Okon and Omasu breathed in sharply, quickly whispering something to each other. They both were shocked, he could sense it so clearly, as if they were screaming with shock. Hiko grimaced mentally. What was wrong with them? They acted like he had hugged a monster. On the other hand, why should he wonder their reaction? It wasn't like he hugged women all the time. In *public*. Actually, he hadn't hugged anyone next to ever. Last time was years and years ago. And that brought his thoughts back to the soft, angelic creature in his arms.
Kamatari was smiling happily. Her eyes were shining with mischief and a feeling he didn't recognise. She had lifted her hands to rest against his chest. It made him feel somehow... cherished, as though he was someone special. It took all his willpower to stop himself from cradling the woman in his arms and getting somewhere private. Hiko was a little shocked as the thought passed through his mind. Since when did he start feel like that? And the answer was a simple one. Since he laid his eyes on her.
To hell with reputation, I'm going to take you with me NOW. With that decision in his heart Hiko loosened his arms and gave brief glance to Okon and Omasu.
"We're leaving now, ladies. Good day", he said and started to walk away with his other hand around Kamatari's waist. She looked at Hiko with surprise in her eyes, but didn't resist. Okon and Omasu looked after them in awe, both of them trying to get their jaws to close.
"What the heck?!" Okon finally uttered loudly.
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The thunder clashed outside awakening Hiko from his thoughts. That sunny day in Kyoto had been one of the craziest and happiest days in his life. Instead of dragging her somewhere private he had acted rather civilizedly, offering her a dinner, talking with her and finally, in the evening taking her to her house and getting his food in the same time. He remembered her soft goodnight kiss before he left, the tender smile on her full lips and the caring gaze of her bright eyes. It made his heart ache now when he reminisced it all, now that he knew the truth.
"Chikusho!" Hiko cursed out loud, feeling so very empty and betrayed. His ever-calm, cool demeanor cracked as another lightning bolt lightened the cottage for a moment and showed the regretting, angry look twisting his handsome features. He wanted to break something, destroy something. But he didn't. He couldn't let go of the self-control he had builded for the most part of his life. Not now, not after her. Not after what had happened.
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The sun was shining from between the fluffy white clouds. Hiko was sitting on a large rock near the rumbling waterfalls. They cooled a bit the heat of the summer day and provided hideout he sometimes needed from his cottage and possible passerbyers. Usually he had his sake bottle with him – at least for some sort of company – but now he was completely alone. He had left even his cape and katana to his cottage. He was just sitting on the stone looking at the roaring waterfall.
This is just great, Hiko thought to himself grouchily as he stared at the waterfall. I'm in love. With a woman young enough to be my daughter. Bloody great. But he wasn't the least bit grouchy. Nor angry. Actually, he was feeling rather relieved and, perhaps, even happy. He felt like he had been released from a dark prison and now he was seeing the sun for the first time. Though he wouldn't have said it like that. Actually, he wouldn't say at all. It just didn't do any good to his reputation – to his now dead and *buried* reputation.
Why did I embrace her? was the next question that popped into his head. For a moment Hiko allowed his thoughts to wander loosely around the subject before searching for the answer. But to his very disappointment he couldn't find an answer that would mend his a bit grumpled ego nor his reputation. So all in all, he had to settle to the truth. I embraced because I wanted to. Because I love her. Bloody great. This certainly didn't help his uncomfortable mental situation.
"Baka", he muttered to himself. You got yourself into this all on your own. Kami-sama, my baka deshi would be laughing his head off if he saw me now. For a moment the picture of Kenshin laughing out loud in the ground filled Hiko's mind. Iya, he'd be saying that bloody stupid 'oro' of his. And I'd kick his ass if he'd dare to laugh.
But that doesn't change the situation you're in, baka, a small voice in his head reminded him. Hiko heaved a heavy sigh. Yes, I know only too well. But I'm actually in love. When he thought of it for the second time he felt like hitting himself. He was *never* in love with *anyone*. Not until now. He felt like the biggest jerk this world had ever seen. And in the same, he felt like he was on top of the Himalayas, watching down where all the normal things looked so small. Only then he understood that this was the real thing. He was in love with Honjo Kamatari. Now the thought brought a genuine, happy smile on his handsome face. He was in love.
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The latest thunderbolt had struck down near the cottage, shattering one of the surrounding trees into pieces. Hiko was hoping that he would've been the tree. At least he wouldn't be torturing himself with worthless memories and thoughts. At least that Janus-faced wo... m... gi... bo... person wouldn't be haunting him with hi.. her smiling face. He felt how a bitter smile nudged his lips.
He raised the sake bottle and looked at it. Then he shook carefully. Empty. Oh well, he had another sake bottle somewhere here... So Hiko rose to his feet, raising his hand quickly to massage his aching temples. His vision of the sole room of the cottage was slightly blurred, which made him smile mirthlessly. I'm drunk. For the first time in years. Oh, to hell with it... Where's that sake bottle of mine?
Hiko walked slowly to the fireplace, kneeling carefully to put more wood into the fire and picking up his last full sake bottle. He frowned slightly. Uso ka... I didn't drink... But only a one glance around the room told him that he had drink more than his fair share. Iie, I did... Chikusho... Since when did I... Ch', maybe it's time to get stoned really well. With a slightly drunken grin Hiko rose up and walked back to the window, sitting on the floor. One practised flip of his wrist and the bottle was open. He picked up his cup and filled it with the warm liquid.
To you, my traitorous angel.