I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

Last chapter!!

Tanabata Madness

Chapter 7

Misao and Aoshi returned to the dining area, and gasps were heard all around the table at Misao's beauty.  Misao accepted the compliments shyly, blushing all the while.

Aoshi stood off to the side, stoic, as usual, but seemed less somber with a more lightened attitude.  Several times Misao snuck peeks at Aoshi as Okon and Omasu fawned over her kimono, but his eyes were always hidden behind his raven bangs. 

'I wonder what he's thinking about…' Misao wondered.

- FLASHBACK -

Misao was helping Omasu in the kitchen to prepare dinner, and she began to sneeze suddenly. 

Omasu looked at Misao knowingly and said, "You sneeze when someone is thinking of you…"  Misao stared at her for a second, and then rolled her eyes, contemplating where Aoshi had gone off to with the suspicious package.

- FLASHBACK -

'Well, I know where he was now… and what he was doing…'  A wry smile came over Misao's soft features, and she almost began laughing to herself.

"What are you doing?"  The deep voice cut through Misao's thoughts as she looked up at Aoshi, wondering dimly where everyone had gone.  The dining area was empty and the table clear. 

"Ano…"  Misao twirled a black tendril of hair around her finger, tugging on her bottom lip temptingly as her eyes avoided Aoshi's piercing ones.

Aoshi attempted to restrain himself, but Misao's innocence was far too tempting for him to resist.

No one was around—they had all gone out, respecting Aoshi and Misao's privacy in their newly reformed relationship.  Aoshi leaned forward suddenly but slowly, catching Misao by surprise. 

Her mouth dropped open as Aoshi's lips descended on her own, an over joyous expression plastered on her face.

Slowly Misao's eyelids closed over her seagreen orbs, and her hands moved slowly up to behind Aoshi's head, lacing them into his hair as she pulled him closer.

Misao's forwardness surprised Aoshi, but he accepted it happily and deepened the kiss, pressing his lips to Misao's harder, and then pulled away, tugging gently on Misao's lower lip. 

Both were breathing heavily, and Misao's face was flushed and her cheeks rosy, her hand flying to her mouth without warning, as if to confirm the fact that Aoshi, her Aoshi, had just kissed her.  Willingly.

The corners of Aoshi's mouth turned upwards at Misao's childlike reaction, and simply stared at her, filling his eyes with her.

"Aoshi, let's go look at the stars…  I bet they're beautiful…" Misao said softly in the silence, looked hopefully into Aoshi's eyes.

"Aa," was the equally soft reply.

"Can we sit out on the porch?  I think they will be prettier from the back porch…" Misao asked beseechingly, her large green eyes staring up at him. 

'How can I resist you?  Misao-mine, the stars are not the only beautiful things…' Aoshi mused, and nodded, allowing her to pull him by the hand towards the porch. 

Aoshi jumped off the porch and onto the gravel in the garden, sitting down where he had just been standing.  Misao walked around slowly, trying her best to act ladylike while Aoshi watched her interestedly as she stepped down the small wooden steps leading from the porch to the garden floor.  She sat next to Aoshi, grabbing his hand in her own and holding both their hands in her lap.

Aoshi pulled his hand out from between hers and pulled her closer to him so his arm was around her.  She reached for his hand once more, sandwiching it in her own as she snuggled into his warmth at her side.

Aoshi gently tugged Misao to him with his free hand.  Misao turned slightly and leaned back comfortably into Aoshi's arms and his chest on the garden porch of the closed Aoiya.  Everyone else was nowhere to be seen and she preferred it that way.  She was quite sure Aoshi did as well. 

"Aoshi?" Misao asked.

"Hai?" he said as he brushed away stray hairs tenderly from her face with his hand.

"I hope your wish comes true," she said meaningfully, thinking of the bamboo tree where she had hung her wish.

"Why…? It already has," he whispered softly into her ear as he hugged her tighter under the stars.

Ano – um

Aa – yes

-mine – my princess

Hai – yes

A/N: Wow!!  My first fanfic is complete!  *throws confetti in the air*  Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers: Sweet Chaos, ThiMonkey, Namiko-Daughter of Sekhmet, purpo kitee katx (hmm… I hadn't thought of putting an epilogue… maybe… ^_^), mo-chan, Misao Mei Mei, MiraiGurl, Mia1218, Jaded Ayumi, SHIN-NO-SHIBO, Airen2, yume no naka, Imre, and Miko no Kokoro

Important:  Should I write an epilogue?

Thank you and please review!