Hi all! This little ficcie is the product of two minds! Rurouni Angel and Chiruken have teamed up to bring you an original Alternate Pairing Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction!

"Charmed" is going to be wild, a little crazy and maybe even a little scary at times…especially considering whom the Altered Pair will be!

Now, I feel compelled to add in a few warnings before we get into the fic itself:

1.Alternate Pairing!!! There….that's said.

2.This fic is rated for a decidedly citrus flavor. That means this fic is probably going to turn into a lemon sometime soon.

3.If you have a problem with sexually explicit scenes, dialogue or themes, then this fic is definitely not for you. If you have a problem with Alternate Pairings, then this fic is definitely not for you.

Well, now that that's been said…On with the fic!!!

(Oh…and don't forget to have fun! That's the main goal of this collaboration of Angel and Chiruken.)

Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic

Rurouni Kenshin & Samurai X Original Japanese Version ©N. Watsuki/Shueisha * Fuji-TV * SME Visual Works Inc. * Sony Pictures Entertainment

All Fanfics created by Chiruken (me) were written for the sole purpose of shared entertainment and not intended for publication or sale.

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RPG Collaboration between Rurouni Angel & Chiruken

Charmed

Part 5

By Chiruken

Misao rushed forward, green eyes wide with apprehension. "Aoshi-sama!" Without thinking she moved between the two men, completely disregarding the danger to herself. "Stop!" She cried out desperately, placing a hand on either man's chest and shoving with all her strength, trying to separate them before the situation got out of hand and someone was injured…or worse. When her efforts met with failure, she resorted to desperate measures.

Saito froze, golden eyes widening in shock, and stared into the equally surprised green gaze of Shinomori Aoshi. Slowly lowering his haze tot he young woman pressed intimately against his lean form, he cleared his throat and schooled his features into an irritated scowl. "Just what do you think you're doing, weasel?"

"Stopping you from killing each other." Was the immediate muffled reply, followed by a narrowed green glare as Misao lifted her chin to meet Saito's gaze. "And don't call me weasel."

Saito's eyes narrowed to amber slits as his gaze rested on the swollen black eye marring the perfection of her features. He lifted a hand and gently brushed her dark hair out of her eyes, and paused, touching a sword-callused finger to the bruised bump on her forehead. "What happened?" The question came out laced with gruff concern.

Aoshi's eyes narrowed, a hard edge of jealous anger tightening his features, hands closing into fists, as Misao gazed up at Saito, sea-green eyes soft and filled with shy admiration…with a hint of underlying, unawakened as of yet, passion. Growling low in the back of his throat, Aoshi reached out, grasping the young ninja's slender arm, and pulled her roughly away from the former Shinsengumi captain.

"Hey!" Misao's indignant protest was cut off abruptly when the Okashira of the Oniwabanshu shoved her roughly towards the still open shouji. Stumbling, she turned to glare at him and froze, all words dying unspoken when she caught the unmistakable surge in his ki followed immediately by a matching rise in Saito's as well.

"Get out, Saito." He lifted the sheath containing his twin kodachi, the threat clear in his low, dangerous tone and implacable expression. "My answer to your oh-so-generous offer is no."

Saito's eyes narrowed, a hard and dangerous edge entering the golden depths as his lips curved upwards in a thin humorless smile. "Is that so?" He reached into his uniform jacket and withdrew a pack of cigarettes. "That is…regrettable." He lit a cigarette leisurely, watching the acrid tendril of smoke drift lazily upwards.

Aoshi turned on his heel and strode across the engawa, pausing before the still shouji. "Come, Misao." Gully expecting the young woman to obey, he stepped inside, out of the sunlight.

"Aoshi-sama…" She whispered softly, expression torn. She bit her lip, green eyes moving from Saito to her Okashira's retreating form and back. Drawing in a quick breath for courage, she stepped closer to Saito briefly. "Meet me at the Yasaka Shrine in one hour." She whispered quickly, eyes focused on Aoshi's form, and hurried inside without waiting for a reply from Saito.

He watched her retreat with a thoughtful frown before turning and striding away. "What is that weasel up to?" He murmured under his breath, deftly working his way through the crowd towards the Gion district. His lips curved upwards into an amused smirk. "Now why would she choose the red-light district to meet?" He wondered aloud, ignoring the curious looks he received from passersby.

Misao watched the familiar tall uniformed figure disappear into the crowd from a second floor window of the Aoiya with mixed feelings…most of which she couldn't even begin to interpret. With a soft sigh she turned her back on the scene below her in the busy street and shook her head. She didn't have the luxury of time to waste contemplating her deepest and darkest emotions. She had a mission to complete. Green eyes narrowing with determination she strode across the hall to her room and slid the shouji open.

"Misao." Despite herself she jumped at the familiar deep voice addressing her from directly behind her. "What are you doing?"

She turned expression innocent as she smiled up at Aoshi. "I was going to my room, Aoshi-sama."

"I can see that." He regarded the young woman suspiciously.

"Yes…well…" Misao read the Okashira's dubious expression with a sinking feeling. Suddenly brightening, she grinned up at him, hands clasped behind her hack and all but bounced with exuberance. "I was going to go out for a walk and was going to get changed first. After all, I can't go out in my Oniwabanshu uniform, right? I thought I'd go to the shrine and pay my respects before going shopping. There's this really pretty kimono that I've had my eye on for some…"

"Which shrine?" Aoshi's cool tones halted her cheerful sounding babble.

"Pardon me?" Misao stared at him with wide, almost frightened eyes.

He planted his hands on the wall behind Misao on either side of her head, walling her in with his strong arms, and leaned closer. "You are not meeting Saito Hajime, Misao."

"I-I don't know what…"

"Don't!" He didn't relent when she flinched at his tightly controlled shout. "Don't lie to me, Misao. I mean it. I forbid you to have anything to do with that man and his governmental machinations. Is that understood?"

Misao shivered at the cold implacability in his voice and licked suddenly dry lips. "A-Aoshi-sama? I-I'm just going to the shrine and shopping." She flinched inwardly at the blatant lie…the first she ever told to him. Silently she begged the kami for his eventual forgiveness reasoning that she was doing it for his future, nothing in her expression betraying her inner thoughts.

He studied her innocent expression, noting how well she kept the deceptive mask firmly in place despite her alarm, his mouth tightening in impotent anger. Silently he acknowledged that there wasn't anything he could do about her refusal to be truthful with him. Allowing his arms to fall to his sides, he took a slow step back away from her. Lowering his head he let out a defeated sigh. "Be careful, Misao." He whispered and turned on his heel to stride away without a backward glance.

The young ninja trembled in reaction and shakily stepped into her room, closing the shouji behind her. Leaning against the wall she slowly slid to the floor, her legs unable to support her any longer. Sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, her slender arms wrapped around her legs, she dropped her head to her knees and concentrated on breathing, forcing the air in and out of her lungs slowly, striving for a calm she was far from feeling. He knows. She thought miserably. He knows I lied to him. Knowing that her relationship with Aoshi had been changed forever with her decision to defy his direct orders as her Okashira, she sighed and pushed herself to her feet. She'd wasted enough time moping. She had an appointment to keep and she wasn't about to be late. She'd already realized that her relationship with Shinomori Aoshi was going nowhere fast. There would never be a serious intimate relationship between the two of them, no matter how much she may have wished for it. The most regrettable, however, was the likely outcome for their professional relationship. She'd willfully lied to her Okashira…defied his direct orders. She knew this would probably be the last time she would be welcome within the headquarters of the Oniwabanshu as one of its members.