Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin et al is owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro. I'm just a Sessha follower that dreams…

A/N: There's a surprise for Aoshi-Misao pairing… rather OOC for both but nobody can be that squeaky clean in thought and mind… *receives a fan-smack from Watsuki-sama* might put it in the next chapter… *receives another smack* Oooow… Don't forget to review! :)

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Chapter 6

Sekihoutai Confession

Kenshin was up and early, like he always was, to cook the first meal of the day for Yahiko. He didn't want to doom the poor kid to eating nuts, as he hated nuts himself, and from the little tidbit he learned from last night, Yahiko's kendo teacher seemed to be the go-go-go health food type. Not that he had anything against those types, but somehow granola bars and sunflower seeds for breakfast didn't hold any appeal for him. After cooking, he went to do this daily thing and changed to go to work. As he looked at his clothes, he picked out a black turtleneck shirt he hadn't worn in a long time and a pair of Levi's that fit to every contour of his body.

Whoa there, Himura! You haven't decked yourself out in a long time! Looks like you're going all out to impress Ms. Blue Eyes next door, aren't we?

What, this old thing?

Oh joke me again, you haven't worn that since Tomoe left you. You damn well know that shirt brings out the color of your hair and those jeans make your ass look good. What, you hoping that she might see you when you step out the door?

Doesn't a guy have the right to look good sometimes?

Hey, don't quarrel with me, Bud. I got nothing against us looking good. In fact, I was getting worried that I might have been trapped in the body of a nerd who feels comfortable being a nerd.

Well whatever you say. This is to make me feel good and I'm not out to impress someone. Anyone.

Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that. Maybe one of these days I'll start believing you. Don't forget to put on some of that Escada perfume Megumi gave you as a birthday gift--- you know chicks dig that smell.

Kenshin grimaced, then went to look for the bottle of perfume.

-o-

"My, my, who are you and what did you do to my boss?" Misao Mikamachi, the hyper and cute secretary cum all arounder at the Sekihoutai wolf whistled as Kenshin walked through the door. "You may nearly be as handsome as Aoshi-sama. Of course, no one reaches that level but you sure look like you could be a contender! So what's the story, oh Mr. Mysterious? Hot date later? Or did you finally get laid after so many years?"

"Oro?!" Why was his sex life suddenly the topic of interest for everybody?! Kenshin thought. It was the second time someone commented on his getting laid in less than 24 hours!

"Come on, Himura-san, give me the goods!" Misao said, seeing the way Kenshin was blushing.

"Oi! Weasel-girl, quit hounding Kenshin. But really, did you finally get around to getting some last night? And who was it? I knew I should have gone home instead of Megumi's! Maybe we could have even had an 'alternative recreation experience', eh?" Sano smirked, still in the clothes he wore the previous night, went around his partitioned space to sit on the corner of Misao's desk.

"That's disgusting even from you! And who're you calling weasel, rooster-head?!"

Kenshin cut in before they started going for each other's throats. "No, I did not get some, as you put it, last night. I just felt like dressing up a bit, it's a beautiful day." He turned, going to his partitioned office hoping they wouldn't notice his red face.

"Right. You don't fool me with that smile of yours, Himura. But we'll get back to it when it's just us men and no unattractive weasel-girls are listening in."

Ninja stars and mini knives whizzed through the air at Sano, who avoided them with experience. They landed just an inch away from where he was sitting.

"MOU!!! If you insult me again---"

Misao never got to finish her threat because the door to their little office swung open and Aoshi Shinomori, the love of her life and one of the investigation office's key information consultants, walked in. The tall man, wearing 2 guns and decked out all in leather ala-Matrix style, barely seemed to notice her looking at him with shining eyes full of longing and hunger.

"I have the information you asked for, Himura-san. What case are we profiling her for?" Aoshi declared, sitting on one of the guest chairs in Kenshin's office and placing a manila envelope across his desk.

Misao and Sano both stared over the partition, curious to hear what they were talking about.

"Ahhhh… errr…" Kenshin opened the envelope and started reading without answering.

"Hey Ice Cube, what information? We just paid you last week!" Sano said over the partition.

"You don't know?" Aoshi asked Sano, looking a bit bewildered. "Himura-san called me this morning and asked me to get information regarding one Miss Kaoru Kamiya. I owe him a favor for saving my life from that crazy burnt up Shishio nut so this is for free."

"Kaoru Kami—Holy!!! Jo-chan?! What do YOU have against her? Did she deck you with that awful bokken of hers or something? I didn't even know you two knew each other." Sano grinned and looked at Kenshin, who was trying to hide his head in the file he was reading.

"Hey, who's this Kamiya you're all talking about? I used to know a kendo school of that name but that was back in California." Misao asked, sniffing really juicy gossip.

"Yahiko's P.E. teacher in school, met her at the PTA's I attend. How'd you get to know her, Kenshin? You never go to the Akabeko or to PTA meetings..."

"Yeah, spill the beans, Himura-san, who's the girl? I knew something was up when I saw you all dressed up today. It's a beautiful day, FEH!"

"You mean this wasn't a life and death thing? You called in a favor just for some girl?!" Aoshi exclaimed incredulously. "You should've just told me straight, really, Himura, this isn't like you"

"Again, how'd you meet Jo-chan?"

Kenshin gave up trying to be secretive. "Okay, okay! I met her last night, she moved in next door. Yahiko was over there, helping out. I helped out too, after she knocked me unconscious with her bokken. Then we went over to Akabeko, had a midnight snack, went to our respective homes, and that's all."

"And?" three voices asked in unison.

"And what?" Kenshin replied, trying for innocence.

"Kenshin no baka! Quit going for the innocent act. We all know there's something behind it!" Misao exclaimed, growing impatient evident in the way a vein started throbbing on her forehead.

"Maybe you need to center yourself, Misao." Aoshi told her.

Misao was already in fuming mode at these words. "WHAT?! Center myself so I can become just like you? A dense ice cube informant who can't see the forest for trees! Why I call you Aoshi-sama is beyond me sometimes! Aaaaargh!" Misao stormed off to her desk, whipping her long black braid in Aoshi's face, steam rising from her ears.

"What was that all about?" asked Aoshi, surprised.

At this point, Sano was doubled up in laughter. "You guys are really something! No wonder I'm the only one with a girl! Look, let's all meet up somewhere later tonight and sort things out, ok?" Sano strode off to his desk, still laughing.

Aoshi stood up. "Well if you're going to be all secretive about it, I'll just wait for tonight. Rewards are reserved for those whose patience is infinite. By the way, Segara, you can use my place for tonight." He left the office, ignoring Misao again, who was close to shedding tears from frustration.

Wow, Buddha-center-yourself-boy was all mouth today, wasn't he? Why couldn't he have picked a better time to open his mouth than about this? Its bad enough he doesn't talk half the time and then when he does, it's always at the most awkward moments you can imagine.

Well, I told you to let me take over, Good-boy-Himura. I wouldn't have stooped to this secrecy mumbo-jumbo. You're just complicating it for yourself.

I can't have her, okay? I'm just trying to satisfy myself in the way that I can!

You really are a baka deshi. Why ignore something that is already a part of you?

Ah great. NOW you turn shrink on me.

Hello, earth to my other half, I'm just trying to help so both of us would be happy.

Kenshin, knowing the truth from his alter-ego but not liking it, turned to his filing cabinets and sighed.


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A/N: Just venting out frustration on Kenshin... I didn't sleep at all when I wrote this...