Bitter Betrayal, Sweet Surrender

- Chapter 4 -

Necessity.

Why he was suddenly running through a list of why Misao was naked and in bed with him struck him as odd. He suddenly wondered what he'd say if Shinomori walked through the door. His line of thought was lost however when she began speaking again.

"I don't know what to do... I can't avoid the Aoyia forever, and I can't not go back to my family. But what am I supposed to do?"

He'd never heard her sound so hopeless before. So lost. He didn't like it. At all. He found himself furious that Shinomori had reduced such a vibrant young woman to this. It wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth it. Giving into his urges, Saitou tightened his arms around Misao's lithe form, snuggling her closer to him. One hand stroked her hair tenderly, allowing the silken strands to fall through his fingers at each pass. Breathing in the scent of her hair, Saitou could not help but think that it smelled vaguely of honeysuckle. A sweet scent indeed.

"Do you know the first time that I saw you--in that village Shishio had taken over, and that child's family were hung--I couldn't help but think how strong in spirit you were. Impulsive perhaps, but strong nonetheless. You can't let something like this defeat you, Misao. You are much stronger than that. You don't even have to stay in the Aoyia if you are uncomfortable there. You're still young, you could do something else with your life besides serve Shinomori tea all day long. I'm sure Okon and Omasu would be more than happy to do that for you."

"I could and I couldn't. I was raised as an Oniwabanshuu member, how could I just abandon it?"

"There are other organizations that could use your talent." He replied idly as his thoughts wandered. Her hair was soft. Texture only mattered to him when it was in relation to a woman. He only ever thought about it when he was reveling in female softness.

She sighed heavily. "I guess. Can't spend the rest of my life nursing a broken heart. Jerk... ooooh, wait till I get back to the Aoyia someone is so in for it!" she suddenly declared, looking ready for a brawl.



He turned her gaze to him. "Forget that- what about it? Leave the Aoyia? Come work for me, I could use a weasel on staff."

She held her laughter in check when she realized he was perfectly serious. To say the least, Misao was utterly speechless. He is....offering me a job? A job with him? Unbelievable. Startling as the thought seemed, Misao found herself warming to the idea. Why not? she thought to herself. It wasn't like Aoshi would miss her too much. He already had all the women he could handle at the Aoyia it seemed.

"But if I leave the Aoyia," Misao began. "where would I stay?"

His mouth twitched. "We'll arrange something, I'm not going to throw you into the street."

She rolled her eyes, though he couldn't see from where her head rested on his shoulder. "I figured that Saitou. But what sort of arrangement, I mean. I don't know anybody to stay with really, and I wouldn't feel right letting you pay for a place...."

"I have a place near town - you could stay with me until you got your own."

The moment the words left his mouth he knew he was losing his mind. Makimachi Misao in his house- at all hours? That close? Not a good idea, he told himself, but he wasn't about to take it back. On second thought, maybe he needed something like her, something to drag him back to reality a bit. He had been preoccupied lately with work. He could do with some distraction and there wasn't a moment she breathed when she wasn't causing trouble for someone.

Misao thought at first that her hearing had been affected by her time spent in the freezing snow. She couldn't possibly have heard what she thought she had, could she? Hajime Saitou did not just invite me to move in with him...did he? Her eyes showed her surprise openly and her mouth was slightly slack jawed in shock. After a few seconds, Misao shook her head slightly to clear it.

"I don't know," she answered indecisively. "It's so much to think about all at once. I'm not sure I could stand living with you anyway."

A twinge of disappointment ran through him at her refusal and Saitou frowned. Had he actually been hoping she would accept? He scoffed at the idea. Why would he want to be put through such torture? Instead, he settled for directing his normal smirk at Misao. "Probably couldn't handle me anyway."

Her head shot up faster than he'd thought she could move.



"What'd you say?" she asked.

"Oh, I think you heard me well enough, weasel." Saitou smirked, lying back down flat onto the futon, folding his arms up to rest his head on his forearms.

She stared at him for a moment. "Couldn't handle you?" she repeated slowly. She lifted a hand dropping it to the plane of his chest, spreading her fingers out and tracing provocative little patterns as she leaned close. "Makimachi Miaso can handle anyone."

Saitou's smirk never faltered, though his heartbeat picked up slightly in its pace. Turning his head slightly toward the woman at his side, Saitou gave her a challenging look. "Prove it."

She nodded just slightly, straightening as she turned to him, licking her lips nervously. Prove it? She would prove it, question was... how to prove it? How far was too far? Or... maybe that didn't matter? Did she really want to get... physical with Saitou?

The moment she fully formed the thought she remembered Aoshi. Bastard! Well she wasn't saving herself for him so why the hell not. Besides, she thought with a bright smile, she liked Saitou's touch. He was... addicting.

"Don't toy with me Saitou, I can take you," she growled, sliding closer, drawing one leg over him and settling herself across his hips, covering her arms across her chest.

Saitou's smirk turned into an all out grin as he took in the loveliness sitting atop of him. What a beautiful sight, he thought. Bringing his arms from behind his head, Saitou gripped well rounded hips beneath the blanket that puddled around them. Wondering what the little minx would do next, he waited in anticipation.