Battles of the Heart

Chapter 11: Leg Pains and Untold Love

Misao took a double take. Aoshi's eyes were closed, as if in sleep. She poked him, but he didn't stir. Uh oh! she panicked, What's the matter with Aoshi-sama? She lifted his arm. Bad idea. Even in slumber, Aoshi's instincts kicked in. Unconsciously, he drew one kodachi and flung it out across Misao's thighs. Blood spilled from the sliced flesh and she dropped to her knees. "Unh!" Dragging herself to her feet, she jumped back to avoid the rest of his deadly blows. My legs…I don't know if I can walk… Tentatively, Misao placed a gentle hand on Aoshi's swinging arm. The kodachi clattered to the ground and his arm fell back to his side. Misao breathed a sigh of relief.

She lifted his arm once again, but he didn't move. Guess I'll have to carry him home. He needs medical attention. Misao knelt down and placed his arm over her shoulders and hoisted him up. Forgetting the pain in her legs, she half-dragged, half-carried Aoshi back to the Aoiya.

She stepped into the Aoiya quietly. Omasu was walking down the front hallway. Misao flattened herself against the wall. As soon as Omasu was gone, she stepped out and finally managed to pull Aoshi to his room. She lay him on his bed and left the room, closing the sliding door behind her. Using her ninja skills, she slipped down to the medicine cabinet and picked up two rolls of bandages, some ointment, and a clean, wet rag. Silently, she reentered Aoshi's room with the necessary materials and set to work. First, she pulled open his kimono shirt. Kami, what a chest-Misao! Stop it! Shaking such thoughts from her mind, she cleaned out his wound with the wet rag. Next, she disinfected it with the ointment. She knew it stung, but Aoshi didn't wake; he merely flinched. Then, she wrapped his chest and shoulder in bandages. There! All done! Misao reluctantly closed his shirt, taking one last proud look at her work. Finally feeling the pain in her legs, Misao leaned against the wall and slid down into a sitting position. Her eyes closed and she fell asleep.

Aoshi awoke to a slight pain in his side and shoulder. To his surprise, they were bandaged up. Nani…? He looked around the room ad spotted Misao crouched in sleep against the wall. He smiled and left the room.

Misao ran and ran, but they were catching up. She didn't know who they were. But they wanted Aoshi-sama and that was all that mattered. She looked up. There he was! Aoshi was lying on his back, wounds decorating his pale skin. She stopped and turned around. They were almost here. She turned back. "Aoshi-sama…Aoshi-sama. Wake up, Aoshi-sama!" She shook him, but he didn't stir. "Aoshi-sama!" Still, he didn't stir. "Aoshi-sama!" Tears were streaming down her cheeks now, but he didn't appear to hear her. "Aoshi-sama!"

"Hand him over, missy, or you might get hurt," called a cold voice from behind her.

"No! You can't have him!" she yelled.

"We don't give a damn about what we can and can't do!" They charged her. They were getting closer. Almost there.

Aoshi slid open the door and stepped in. He slid the door shut behind him with a loud 'click'.

"No! I won't let you have Lord Aoshi!" roared Misao.

'Thud.'

'Thud.'

'Thud.'

'Thud.'

'Thud.'

Misao opened her eyes to Aoshi's partially surprised, partially amused, but mostly stoic face. And five quivering kunai embedded in Aoshi's sliding door. Her face colored a bright red. "G-gomen, A-aoshi-sama…Don't, don't know what…I didn't mean…" she stuttered and stumbled over her words.

Aoshi shrugged slightly, "I heard you shout, 'No! I won't let you have Lord Aoshi!' and you threw five kunai at me."

Misao blushed some more, "I said that?"

Aoshi nodded, "Hai."

Misao looked down to hide her burning cheeks, "I was…having a nightmare…"

He smiled and sat in front of Misao, face serious once again, "I do not remember walking home. How did I get home and who bandaged me?"

Misao looked up. "I…don't know."

"Misao…"

"Hai?"

"I know you know."

"I-I do?"

"Lying doesn't become you, Misao-chan."

Misao sighed, "Hai, I know."

"Then tell me."

She looked down again, "I did."

"You carried me home or you bandaged me?"

"Both."

"Both?" he repeated, surprised.

"Hai."

"Why didn't you ask Okon or Omasu to help you?"

"I-I thought you'd rather just have me do it, since you wouldn't want everybody worrying over you."

Aoshi stared at her for a second. "So you didn't let them help you at all?"

"They…don't know that you're hurt."

Aoshi resisted the urge to smile again. "Arigatou, Misao-chan."

"You're welcome. Matte, so you're not angry with me?"

"Iie."

Misao smiled and stood up, but her legs had not been treated and she fell forward into Aoshi's waiting arms with a cry of pain. "Unh."

"Misao-chan!" He touched her thigh to find it bleeding. It looked like it had been made by a kodachi. Immediately, his kodachi were out, and one had blood on it. Did I do this? he thought.

"I-I'll go make you some tea, Aoshi-sama," excused Misao. But Aoshi was lost in his own thoughts and didn't hear her.

Misao slowly walked downstairs. "Misao-chan! What happened?" asked Soujirou.

"Ano…I don't…"

"That's alright, you don't have to tell me."

Misao smiled thankfully at him, "I'm just making Aoshi-sama some tea."

Soujirou's smile faltered slightly, "Gomen, about Shinomori-san."

"Daijoubo, Sou-chan. It wasn't your…actually it was. Demo, it's helping the Plan." She smiled.

"Good. Demo, we should get you bandaged up."

"Ano, okay, just how about after I give Aoshi-sama his tea?"

Soujirou smiled and nodded.

Misao slid open Aoshi's door with her foot. There, Aoshi sat in the middle of the room. "Aoshi-sama?" she asked tentatively, "I brought you your tea."

Aoshi looked up. "Arigatou, Misao-chan." He stopped. Her face was pale and her body shook. "Misao-chan!" He quickly took the tray from her weak hands and placed it on the ground before catching her in his arms for a second time.

"Aoshi-sama, my legs hurt."

Aoshi sat her down in his lap and propped her legs up on his thigh so that she was facing sideways. He reached for the bandages, ointment, and the rag and set to work.

"Aoshi-sama-" she began, but he cut her off.

"Who did this to you?"

"I don't know."

"Misao…" he said warningly.

"Just some thugs I met on the way home."

"That doesn't explain the blood on my sword."

She knew she was caught. "It doesn't matter."

"It was me wasn't it? I did this to you."

"No."

"Goddamnit! Just tell me the truth, Misao!"

She hung her head, "H-hai."

Right then, Aoshi wanted to kill himself.

"It wasn't your fault, Aoshi-sama, you were asleep-"

"It doesn't matter, I still did this to you. I've hurt you, and for that I can not be forgiven."

Misao sighed, "Aoshi-sama, it isn't your fault. I am a member of the Oniwaabanshuu too, and I know you would never hurt any of us deliberately."

"Hai, demo-"

"Aoshi-sama, I don't want to hear anymore. Don't beat yourself up over me. Do it over someone…" Aoshi raised an eyebrow and Misao looked down. "…else." He tied off the last bandage and helped her stand. "Arigatou, Aoshi-sama," she smiled. Aoshi-sama always takes care of me. At least I can count on him to do that much for me. She smiled and walked back downstairs.