Longing for your touch
Disclaimer: I don't own RK. Just believe it.
Chapter 4
A sin for him
Desire within
A burning veil
For the bride too dear for him
She is my sin
Nightwish
The sun had risen and there, were it seemed to warm everything, in truth there was one person it didn't warm. Shinomori Aoshi made his way up the stairs of the temple without paying any attention to the sun's warm rays, or birds that flew in the sky, happy that the rain had stopped.
Okon and Omasu had returned from Tokyo two days ago. They had returned without her. The speed of his steps increased.
************
Two days ago...
Aoshi walked down the steps of the temple. Sun had already disappeared and the evening was changing into a night. The whole day Aoshi had had somehow uneasy feeling. He couldn't explain it, but it had made meditating hard. There was also something missing that made meditating harder, but he didn't want to think about her. She would be back soon and things would be like they had been before.
He entered the Aoiya's garden and the closer he came to the main building, more he felt that something was wrong. He forced himself to walk, not to run like he wanted to. He stepped into the building, his heart beating faster that usually. Something was wrong. He heard voices from left and headed towards the source, which was in the restaurant part.
Okina, Shiro, Kuro, Okon and Omasu were sitting in one of the slots. The first thing Aoshi noticed was that someone was missing. *Where is Misao?* He wanted to do nothing more than ask that question, but he didn't. He usually never did anything he wanted, not anymore anyway.
He was quite surprised when others didn't notice him at the doorway. *They are lacking practise...or something is bothering them badly.* Their rised voices and the absence of Misao drew his attention.
Omasu was yelling at Okina, both hers and Okon's faces were pained. "We tried Okina! Don't blame us for not trying! We did our best! It just wasn't enough..." Okon turned her head away from Okina, not wanting to face his blaiming stare. Omasu saw her do so and wanted to do the same, but they had to explain. "It just wasn't enough...Misao-chan did what she wanted." Omasu continued. "And I think she did the right thing in--"
"Right thing?!?!" Okina stood up his face red of anger and slammed the table with his hand. Omasu and Okon both winced. "That is not possible! My angel living alone- ALONE- in Tokyo is not a right thing! How can you say that? Her place is here!"
Aoshis eyes widened. *Misao living alone in Tokyo?* Surprise. And then numbing fear. *She isn't going to......return?* Aoshi's mind was in turmoil as he tried to keep despair in check and at the same time calmly process the information he received. *Away from here... A right thing? I knew she was hiding something, that something was hurting her but I didn't think...*
Now Okon also stood up no longer caring about the blaim he had in his eyes. There was something that had to be told. "You didn't see her! You didn't hear what she said! She is in pain! She cried and cried and cried! She was nothing like the girl she used to be!"
"Then why didn't you bring her back?! If she was in so much pain, then--" Okina was yelling, his worry turning into anger.
Okon interrupped him. "She was in pain in here! Here! This is the place that causes her pain!" Okina froze, his thoughts froze. "What?" he asked with unbelieving and weak voice.
Okina wasn't the only one that could do nothing. *What? Misao is in pain here? This place makes her cry. Cry... But why?* Old memories came back in a rush.
Some of his feelings showed on his face, his facade of coldness broken, but no one noticed not him standing at the doorway or his pain for once visible on his face. They were too busy dealing with their own turmoil of emotions to notice him.
Okon seated herself again, before answering now in a calm voice. "It is because of Aoshi-sama." Okina also sat down, his anger having returned into the form of a worry. "I see..."
"No you don't." Omasu was speaking this time. "She loves him more than anything. Aoshi-sama's silence and ...coldness has led her to believe that he doesn't care about her, that he doesn't want her anywhere near him."
*She is wrong. I do care and I---need her near me, more than anything. And the last thing I would want is her to be hurting. But...if this is what she wants, then that is what I am going to give her.* But the thought of her forever out of his reach, never to see, hear or feel her again was something that made him feel empty, lonely and almost desperate. But if she was happier in Tokyo and didn't want to return, he would just have to learn to go on without her. But it wouldn't be easy, if it even was possible.
Okina looked shocked and then a bit of hope shone from his eyes. "But that's not true! I am sure that Aoshi cares a great deal about her, if we tell her that he cares, maybe she will return."
"Can you go there and say that to Misao-chan without being absolutely sure? She may return, but only to be hurt again." Omasu shook her head at Okina.
"We can't bring her back. Aoshi-sama is the only one who can. And he only if he loves Misao-chan. Not as a little girl he helped to raise, but as the woman she is now."
Okina sighed and shook his head slightly. "I truly wonder sometimes. I know that he cares for her, but whether as a little sister or as a woman... I have to ask from Aoshi himself."
"What do you have to ask from me?" A cold, masculine voice surprised all of them. They turned their heads to see their former leader standing at the door in his brown meditation yukata, his face calm and still. His facade was once more whole, no one would have guessed that just a moment ago it had been broken.
*How much did he hear?* Okina stared at him noting his posture which held no emotion. "How long have you been there?"
Aoshi raised his eyebrown in a question. *Long enough to be too long.*
"You should know. I did nothing to conseal my presence."
Okina was ready to hit himself. *Why didn't I notice him?! Well, it can't be changed and for now there are more important things to think about.*
Okina rose to his foots and walked to Aoshi, looking into his eyes trying to read some emotion, but couldn't find anything. *Can this man really be as cold and ...empty as he looks? He wasn't in the past, but many things have changed.*
"I have a question for you."
No reaction from the other man.
"Misao has moved to Tokyo."
Still nothing. Not a single movement.
"Will you go there and ask her to come back?" Okina watched Aoshi for any kind of reaction. He didn't move nor speak in a while. Then, when Okina had already almost given up, he spoke.
"It was her own decision."
Then Aoshi turned and was about to walk of, but Okina took hold of his arm. "That decision was made believing that you don't care about her. That you don't want her anywhere near you. Was that decision a right one?"
Aoshi didn't even look at him as he spoke and when Okina was finished, merely walked away forging him to let go of his arm. Okina was lefted to shake his head as the others were quiet and stared at their hands. *That man is impossible.*
************
Birds sung as they flew, leaves made soothing sounds in the small wind. But the person walking the road could not find it comforting, beautiful, or even worth of noticing. Since the talk in the restaurant he had thought about things. For the first time he truly had to consider the fact that Misao wouldn't always be close to him. He had thought that she would always stay and warm him with her smile and closeness. But she wasn't here now, nor was she coming back. She had decided to stay in Tokyo, away from him.
Okinas words had replayed themselves in his mind over and over for the past two days. And he still didn't know the answer.
She was in pain in here, so Okon and Omasu had said and he had noticed something troubling her, hurting her. He knew what pain was and it's better to live without it in life. He didn't want her to feel bad or to be hurting.
He knew that Misao loved him, everyone knew that and he wasn't blind. It shone from her very being every time she was close to him, looked at him, smiled at him, spoke to him. Now she was in pain because of that. Because she didn't know his true feelings.
*Would it be right to go there and tell her? I am not good with words, I may only hurt her more. I don't want her to be hurting, not because of me. Would she be happy if I would tell that I... Would it make her happy?*
"What can I do to make her happy?" Aoshi asked aloud from no one particulary.
He reached the temple, without even knowing what he was going to do there.
He already knew that meditating was impossible as long as his thoughts were as messed up as they were, and also because she was not there. She was gone.
*Can I? How came you are so sure?*
*I do love her. I need her. But is it right...? *
*My selfisness has caused great pain to her.*
*Why would she love someone who has hurted her?*
*She shouldn't, but I want her to...need her to.*
*I want her...to be mine forever.*
*I don't ever want to lose her, not her, ever. I want her to come back.*
*I'll go and bring her back with me.*
Aoshi stopped, his eyes wide and amazed. Sudden realizion surprised him. *So simple.* He stood still, the decision calming his emotions. He knew now what he wanted and what to try to get it, what to do to get it.
He turned around noting that he sun hadn't risen a long time ago. If he would pack fast and run, he would reach Tokyo in less than a week. Then he would ask her. He would tell her and everything would be over, whether or not she still wanted to return.
He remembered the question he had asked a bit earlier.
For the first time in a long time his thoughts were calm and clear and he knew the answer. It was so very simple.
*I'll do anything to make her happy.*
**********************************************************************************
Kashiwazaki Nenji cursed, which was unusual for him. He could act weird most of the time, but cursing was something he usually never did. Since Okon and Omasu had came back with their news and he had had a fight with Aoshi, if it could be called a fight, he had tried to came up with something to say to him, to force him to go to Tokyo and bring Misao back.
He was losing his patience. He had visited Aoshi once while he was meditating, but the man hadn't said a word. *There has to be something I can say to him to change his mind. He has to get Misao back here! Not for us, but for himself and Misao. They need each other.*
After pacing for two days he was quite amazed that the tatami hadn't broken yet. But then again, he had also paced in the kitchen, at the corridor, in the garden, almost everywhere in the Aoiya. He was just about to go to the garden to think, when the shoji to his room opened and Omasu run into the room, face was full of hope and happiness.
Before Okina had a chance to say a thing she yelled at him. "Aoshi-sama is leaving! He is going to Tokyo!" Okinas mind froze for a moment before he shook his head in disbelief.
He couldn't believe it. After he had spent two days trying to come up with something to say to Aoshi to make him leave, now he was going to go without him having to convince him at all. His disbelief was visible on his face and after he got his thoughts in some kind of order, he spoke. "Aoshi is going to Tokyo?"
Omasu smiled and nodded. "Hai. He came to me a moment ago and asked me to make some food for him to take with him. I asked him where he was going, and he answered that he was going to Tokyo and that he needed the food quickly, because he was leaving in an hour."
Okinas feelings were a mixure of happiness and wonder. He had to see that Aoshi was truly leaving with his own eyes. "Omasu-san, do his sack, I am going to talk to him." Without waiting for Omasus answer he walked out of the room and headed towards Aoshi's. He had no idea what to say to him but he knew he had to do something.
When he reached Aoshi's room he still didn't have anything to say, he could only hope that the words would come when he needed them. He knocked the shoji and entered the room. Aoshi was standing besides his table in his onmitsu uniform, his eyes on him, in his hands he held one of his books and beside him on the floor were his packed things. He raised an eyebrown.
Okina cleared his throat before speaking.
"I heard you are leaving." Aoshi merely nodded.
Okina was silent for a moment before the words came. "Good luck. I trust you to make things right." Aoshi didn't do a thing or say a thing, but when Okina was leaving he spoke. "Thank you."
Okina turned his head, nodded and left.
*****************************************************************************
Misao ran around Akabeko like grazy. It was the busy hour and Akabeko was fuller than ever. The sun had shone all day and the air was unstandably hot. The clothing she was wearing cling onto her skin making her feel uncomfortable. She was sweating and hungry, not having ate since the morning. She held the tray of yakisoba and miso-soup carefully balancing it, the scent of the food causing her stomach to grumble. *Man, I am hungry.*
The thought distracted her for a while and she almost lost the balance of the tray. With an almost silent yelp she fixed the balance just in time before all food was on the floor. Customers were already becoming restless and she hurried to them, placing their orders before them. And then someone already yelled for a waitress and she hurried to them, took their orders and delivered them to the kitchen.
She prayed for this torture to end and after an hour it did end. Misao sat down thankfully, staring at the plate before her, full of food. She was sure that she was drooling on it before she ate herself full and after checking if her help was needed, she headed towards the well.
As she walked, she absent mindedly brushed a loose strand of her black hair back to the bun which held them captured on the top of her head. She reached the well, threw the bucket and drew woderfully cold water from the well. Thanking Kami-sama for the water, she wet a piece of fabrik and tapped her forehead with it, enjoying the feel of water flowing down her skin, cooling it.
Some of the water flowed down over her collarbones and down to the walley between her breats making her shiver in pleasure of it. Her head was tilted towards the sky, her eyes were closed and she held the fabrik in her glenched hands against her chest. Everything was perfect.
She was hardly aware of the voices behind her, but as they came closer she heard someone speak. "This way. Aah, there she is." Misao turned around, amazed. *Tae-san..? Nani? Dare?*
Her thoughts were interruped when she saw who Tae was speaking to. A tall man in a oniwabanshu uniform, a long saya in his hands, black hair and piercing blue eyes staring straightly at her. A whisper escaped Misaos lips before she could stop herself. "Aoshi-sama..."
A wawe of emotions washed over her. Love. She saw him nod at Tae and then head towards her. Pain. Tae turned and entered the restaurant leaving them alone. Confusion. She felt her heart ache and familiar feeling of pain was once again resurrected from inside of her. Fear. He was too close, only few meters away. *I have to get away.*
Misao reacted out of sheer impulse, not wanting to be hurt ever again, turned around and ran. She had to get away from him. After taking only few steps, she heard his saya make a sound as it hit the ground and strong hands embraced her from behind and stopped her run.
Misao didn't bother to struggle knowing that if he wanted to speak to her or something, she could not stop him. She felt so weak with him touching her, holding her. Her heart ached and she felt like she couldn't breath. His scent and warmth surrounded her and she gave up.
There was no key to free her, no escape from him. She relaxed against him feeling him pull her a bit tighter against him, before turning her around to face him. Warm blue eyes met icy blue eyes. And Misao could only pray.
Glossary:
yukata= a kimono like clothing
yakisoba= noodle-food
Kami-sama= a God
Nani?= What?
Dare?= Who?
saya= a sheath of a sword
* Tiian *
Disclaimer: I don't own RK. Just believe it.
Chapter 4
A sin for him
Desire within
A burning veil
For the bride too dear for him
She is my sin
Nightwish
The sun had risen and there, were it seemed to warm everything, in truth there was one person it didn't warm. Shinomori Aoshi made his way up the stairs of the temple without paying any attention to the sun's warm rays, or birds that flew in the sky, happy that the rain had stopped.
Okon and Omasu had returned from Tokyo two days ago. They had returned without her. The speed of his steps increased.
************
Two days ago...
Aoshi walked down the steps of the temple. Sun had already disappeared and the evening was changing into a night. The whole day Aoshi had had somehow uneasy feeling. He couldn't explain it, but it had made meditating hard. There was also something missing that made meditating harder, but he didn't want to think about her. She would be back soon and things would be like they had been before.
He entered the Aoiya's garden and the closer he came to the main building, more he felt that something was wrong. He forced himself to walk, not to run like he wanted to. He stepped into the building, his heart beating faster that usually. Something was wrong. He heard voices from left and headed towards the source, which was in the restaurant part.
Okina, Shiro, Kuro, Okon and Omasu were sitting in one of the slots. The first thing Aoshi noticed was that someone was missing. *Where is Misao?* He wanted to do nothing more than ask that question, but he didn't. He usually never did anything he wanted, not anymore anyway.
He was quite surprised when others didn't notice him at the doorway. *They are lacking practise...or something is bothering them badly.* Their rised voices and the absence of Misao drew his attention.
Omasu was yelling at Okina, both hers and Okon's faces were pained. "We tried Okina! Don't blame us for not trying! We did our best! It just wasn't enough..." Okon turned her head away from Okina, not wanting to face his blaiming stare. Omasu saw her do so and wanted to do the same, but they had to explain. "It just wasn't enough...Misao-chan did what she wanted." Omasu continued. "And I think she did the right thing in--"
"Right thing?!?!" Okina stood up his face red of anger and slammed the table with his hand. Omasu and Okon both winced. "That is not possible! My angel living alone- ALONE- in Tokyo is not a right thing! How can you say that? Her place is here!"
Aoshis eyes widened. *Misao living alone in Tokyo?* Surprise. And then numbing fear. *She isn't going to......return?* Aoshi's mind was in turmoil as he tried to keep despair in check and at the same time calmly process the information he received. *Away from here... A right thing? I knew she was hiding something, that something was hurting her but I didn't think...*
Now Okon also stood up no longer caring about the blaim he had in his eyes. There was something that had to be told. "You didn't see her! You didn't hear what she said! She is in pain! She cried and cried and cried! She was nothing like the girl she used to be!"
"Then why didn't you bring her back?! If she was in so much pain, then--" Okina was yelling, his worry turning into anger.
Okon interrupped him. "She was in pain in here! Here! This is the place that causes her pain!" Okina froze, his thoughts froze. "What?" he asked with unbelieving and weak voice.
Okina wasn't the only one that could do nothing. *What? Misao is in pain here? This place makes her cry. Cry... But why?* Old memories came back in a rush.
Some of his feelings showed on his face, his facade of coldness broken, but no one noticed not him standing at the doorway or his pain for once visible on his face. They were too busy dealing with their own turmoil of emotions to notice him.
Okon seated herself again, before answering now in a calm voice. "It is because of Aoshi-sama." Okina also sat down, his anger having returned into the form of a worry. "I see..."
"No you don't." Omasu was speaking this time. "She loves him more than anything. Aoshi-sama's silence and ...coldness has led her to believe that he doesn't care about her, that he doesn't want her anywhere near him."
*She is wrong. I do care and I---need her near me, more than anything. And the last thing I would want is her to be hurting. But...if this is what she wants, then that is what I am going to give her.* But the thought of her forever out of his reach, never to see, hear or feel her again was something that made him feel empty, lonely and almost desperate. But if she was happier in Tokyo and didn't want to return, he would just have to learn to go on without her. But it wouldn't be easy, if it even was possible.
Okina looked shocked and then a bit of hope shone from his eyes. "But that's not true! I am sure that Aoshi cares a great deal about her, if we tell her that he cares, maybe she will return."
"Can you go there and say that to Misao-chan without being absolutely sure? She may return, but only to be hurt again." Omasu shook her head at Okina.
"We can't bring her back. Aoshi-sama is the only one who can. And he only if he loves Misao-chan. Not as a little girl he helped to raise, but as the woman she is now."
Okina sighed and shook his head slightly. "I truly wonder sometimes. I know that he cares for her, but whether as a little sister or as a woman... I have to ask from Aoshi himself."
"What do you have to ask from me?" A cold, masculine voice surprised all of them. They turned their heads to see their former leader standing at the door in his brown meditation yukata, his face calm and still. His facade was once more whole, no one would have guessed that just a moment ago it had been broken.
*How much did he hear?* Okina stared at him noting his posture which held no emotion. "How long have you been there?"
Aoshi raised his eyebrown in a question. *Long enough to be too long.*
"You should know. I did nothing to conseal my presence."
Okina was ready to hit himself. *Why didn't I notice him?! Well, it can't be changed and for now there are more important things to think about.*
Okina rose to his foots and walked to Aoshi, looking into his eyes trying to read some emotion, but couldn't find anything. *Can this man really be as cold and ...empty as he looks? He wasn't in the past, but many things have changed.*
"I have a question for you."
No reaction from the other man.
"Misao has moved to Tokyo."
Still nothing. Not a single movement.
"Will you go there and ask her to come back?" Okina watched Aoshi for any kind of reaction. He didn't move nor speak in a while. Then, when Okina had already almost given up, he spoke.
"It was her own decision."
Then Aoshi turned and was about to walk of, but Okina took hold of his arm. "That decision was made believing that you don't care about her. That you don't want her anywhere near you. Was that decision a right one?"
Aoshi didn't even look at him as he spoke and when Okina was finished, merely walked away forging him to let go of his arm. Okina was lefted to shake his head as the others were quiet and stared at their hands. *That man is impossible.*
************
Birds sung as they flew, leaves made soothing sounds in the small wind. But the person walking the road could not find it comforting, beautiful, or even worth of noticing. Since the talk in the restaurant he had thought about things. For the first time he truly had to consider the fact that Misao wouldn't always be close to him. He had thought that she would always stay and warm him with her smile and closeness. But she wasn't here now, nor was she coming back. She had decided to stay in Tokyo, away from him.
Okinas words had replayed themselves in his mind over and over for the past two days. And he still didn't know the answer.
She was in pain in here, so Okon and Omasu had said and he had noticed something troubling her, hurting her. He knew what pain was and it's better to live without it in life. He didn't want her to feel bad or to be hurting.
He knew that Misao loved him, everyone knew that and he wasn't blind. It shone from her very being every time she was close to him, looked at him, smiled at him, spoke to him. Now she was in pain because of that. Because she didn't know his true feelings.
*Would it be right to go there and tell her? I am not good with words, I may only hurt her more. I don't want her to be hurting, not because of me. Would she be happy if I would tell that I... Would it make her happy?*
"What can I do to make her happy?" Aoshi asked aloud from no one particulary.
He reached the temple, without even knowing what he was going to do there.
He already knew that meditating was impossible as long as his thoughts were as messed up as they were, and also because she was not there. She was gone.
*Can I? How came you are so sure?*
*I do love her. I need her. But is it right...? *
*My selfisness has caused great pain to her.*
*Why would she love someone who has hurted her?*
*She shouldn't, but I want her to...need her to.*
*I want her...to be mine forever.*
*I don't ever want to lose her, not her, ever. I want her to come back.*
*I'll go and bring her back with me.*
Aoshi stopped, his eyes wide and amazed. Sudden realizion surprised him. *So simple.* He stood still, the decision calming his emotions. He knew now what he wanted and what to try to get it, what to do to get it.
He turned around noting that he sun hadn't risen a long time ago. If he would pack fast and run, he would reach Tokyo in less than a week. Then he would ask her. He would tell her and everything would be over, whether or not she still wanted to return.
He remembered the question he had asked a bit earlier.
For the first time in a long time his thoughts were calm and clear and he knew the answer. It was so very simple.
*I'll do anything to make her happy.*
**********************************************************************************
Kashiwazaki Nenji cursed, which was unusual for him. He could act weird most of the time, but cursing was something he usually never did. Since Okon and Omasu had came back with their news and he had had a fight with Aoshi, if it could be called a fight, he had tried to came up with something to say to him, to force him to go to Tokyo and bring Misao back.
He was losing his patience. He had visited Aoshi once while he was meditating, but the man hadn't said a word. *There has to be something I can say to him to change his mind. He has to get Misao back here! Not for us, but for himself and Misao. They need each other.*
After pacing for two days he was quite amazed that the tatami hadn't broken yet. But then again, he had also paced in the kitchen, at the corridor, in the garden, almost everywhere in the Aoiya. He was just about to go to the garden to think, when the shoji to his room opened and Omasu run into the room, face was full of hope and happiness.
Before Okina had a chance to say a thing she yelled at him. "Aoshi-sama is leaving! He is going to Tokyo!" Okinas mind froze for a moment before he shook his head in disbelief.
He couldn't believe it. After he had spent two days trying to come up with something to say to Aoshi to make him leave, now he was going to go without him having to convince him at all. His disbelief was visible on his face and after he got his thoughts in some kind of order, he spoke. "Aoshi is going to Tokyo?"
Omasu smiled and nodded. "Hai. He came to me a moment ago and asked me to make some food for him to take with him. I asked him where he was going, and he answered that he was going to Tokyo and that he needed the food quickly, because he was leaving in an hour."
Okinas feelings were a mixure of happiness and wonder. He had to see that Aoshi was truly leaving with his own eyes. "Omasu-san, do his sack, I am going to talk to him." Without waiting for Omasus answer he walked out of the room and headed towards Aoshi's. He had no idea what to say to him but he knew he had to do something.
When he reached Aoshi's room he still didn't have anything to say, he could only hope that the words would come when he needed them. He knocked the shoji and entered the room. Aoshi was standing besides his table in his onmitsu uniform, his eyes on him, in his hands he held one of his books and beside him on the floor were his packed things. He raised an eyebrown.
Okina cleared his throat before speaking.
"I heard you are leaving." Aoshi merely nodded.
Okina was silent for a moment before the words came. "Good luck. I trust you to make things right." Aoshi didn't do a thing or say a thing, but when Okina was leaving he spoke. "Thank you."
Okina turned his head, nodded and left.
*****************************************************************************
Misao ran around Akabeko like grazy. It was the busy hour and Akabeko was fuller than ever. The sun had shone all day and the air was unstandably hot. The clothing she was wearing cling onto her skin making her feel uncomfortable. She was sweating and hungry, not having ate since the morning. She held the tray of yakisoba and miso-soup carefully balancing it, the scent of the food causing her stomach to grumble. *Man, I am hungry.*
The thought distracted her for a while and she almost lost the balance of the tray. With an almost silent yelp she fixed the balance just in time before all food was on the floor. Customers were already becoming restless and she hurried to them, placing their orders before them. And then someone already yelled for a waitress and she hurried to them, took their orders and delivered them to the kitchen.
She prayed for this torture to end and after an hour it did end. Misao sat down thankfully, staring at the plate before her, full of food. She was sure that she was drooling on it before she ate herself full and after checking if her help was needed, she headed towards the well.
As she walked, she absent mindedly brushed a loose strand of her black hair back to the bun which held them captured on the top of her head. She reached the well, threw the bucket and drew woderfully cold water from the well. Thanking Kami-sama for the water, she wet a piece of fabrik and tapped her forehead with it, enjoying the feel of water flowing down her skin, cooling it.
Some of the water flowed down over her collarbones and down to the walley between her breats making her shiver in pleasure of it. Her head was tilted towards the sky, her eyes were closed and she held the fabrik in her glenched hands against her chest. Everything was perfect.
She was hardly aware of the voices behind her, but as they came closer she heard someone speak. "This way. Aah, there she is." Misao turned around, amazed. *Tae-san..? Nani? Dare?*
Her thoughts were interruped when she saw who Tae was speaking to. A tall man in a oniwabanshu uniform, a long saya in his hands, black hair and piercing blue eyes staring straightly at her. A whisper escaped Misaos lips before she could stop herself. "Aoshi-sama..."
A wawe of emotions washed over her. Love. She saw him nod at Tae and then head towards her. Pain. Tae turned and entered the restaurant leaving them alone. Confusion. She felt her heart ache and familiar feeling of pain was once again resurrected from inside of her. Fear. He was too close, only few meters away. *I have to get away.*
Misao reacted out of sheer impulse, not wanting to be hurt ever again, turned around and ran. She had to get away from him. After taking only few steps, she heard his saya make a sound as it hit the ground and strong hands embraced her from behind and stopped her run.
Misao didn't bother to struggle knowing that if he wanted to speak to her or something, she could not stop him. She felt so weak with him touching her, holding her. Her heart ached and she felt like she couldn't breath. His scent and warmth surrounded her and she gave up.
There was no key to free her, no escape from him. She relaxed against him feeling him pull her a bit tighter against him, before turning her around to face him. Warm blue eyes met icy blue eyes. And Misao could only pray.
Glossary:
yukata= a kimono like clothing
yakisoba= noodle-food
Kami-sama= a God
Nani?= What?
Dare?= Who?
saya= a sheath of a sword
* Tiian *