3
Sage smiled in return. "If you are sure, Miss Athyli." Giving another smile he moved a bit closer to her as Sano practically drooled over them all.
Her cheeks flushing a scarcely noticeably red as the Himura boy shifted closer, she attempted to ignore it all, push aside everything that she knew would happen.
As Kenshin took his seat, a certain look of concern lie hidden behind his nervous smile towards Sano as the former mercenary nearly bashed his head into the table after downing his sake.
"Sano, dear, are you sure you are alright...? Perhaps we should head back--" Megumi began, but was soon cut off by insane laughter from her lover.
"Hahahaha! What?! And miss all this fun!? Are you crazy?"
"I believe it is you that is crazy, my dear..." she said with a low growl, her eyes squinted in a glare towards the drunken man.
A scoff from him followed by a crash as he bashed his head into the table once more before falling to the ground told everyone that Sanoskue and Megumi would both be leaving... as soon as she could manage to carry him out.
A light chuckle from Athyli and heavy laughter from the others (excluding Sano and his wife) told all that it was indeed an amusing sight. Despite the fact that she truly feared for all these kind people, the new student could not help but feel as if she could identify with them... at least before she had gotten into the life she now lived.
Glancing over to her, Kenshin grinned rather stupidly, Kaoru slapping him upside the head.
"Oro...?" the eldest Himura mumbled, rubbing a large lump that had risen near his forehead.
"I believe I have told you before, Kenshin... No scaring new students with that creepy grin of yours...!"
"But I—"
Raising her hand, now armed with a bottle of sake, the male quickly shut his mouth, Sage chuckling at the scene as Athyli sat quietly, her head lowered slightly.
"Is anything wrong, Miss Athyli...?" He asked gently, turning towards the young girl with a polite and reassuring smile.
Taking a deep breath and nodding, her hazel gaze met back up with his. "No, Sir... All is fine, I can assure you."
Nodding, the red-haired instructor gave another friendly smile. "If you are sure." Gazing upon the beauty of the girl one last time before forcing himself to pull away, Sage raised his sake to his lips; nearly spitting it out the instant it touched his tongue.
With something that sounded like a horrible convulsion, and a spray of the alcoholic drink, Athyli was soon soaked with the vulgar liquid, which she had not yet touched.
Sage blinked, looking to the girl as she sat there with a blank gaze towards her front.
"I-I I am so, so sorry Miss Athyli...!" Sage fumbled around with a cloth napkin, dabbing at her chest, the area which stood to be the most drenched.
Her cheeks flushing very noticeably, her eyes widening, she watched even more blankly as Kenshin tried to rush in to help, a bottle of Sake then knocked over and spilling onto her hakama.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, here let me—" going to grab another napkin, the rest of his drink splashed into her face.
Blinking and wiping it off with her hand, Athyli breathed deeply, attempting not to snap amongst the embarrassment of it all. "Please, Sir... everything is alright...I can—"
She could not finish her sentence, considering the younger Himura had just fallen into her, his face buried in her bosom.
That was enough to cause her entire face to flush beet red and her words to stutter.
Pushing up from her, Sage's entire face stood just as red, if not redder, than her own, Yahiko off in the corner laughing hysterically.
"Miss Athyli... I... I am... I didn't mean... I..."
With a twitch from her right eye and another flush in her cheeks, the girl pushed Sage away, moving out from behind the table and tripping over him, they both tumbling to the floor.
In the midst of the event, Sage somehow managed to fall atop of the girl, putting him in an even more awkward position considering the way she landed. With her knees rested on either side of his waist. The easiest way to describe how red her cheeks were was to take her face and easily hide it among Sage's flaming red hair. At that point, hiding in his shaggy strands of red was a far better thing than looking to him from her position.
"Miss Athyli... I... I..." he still could not find words, Kaoru giving quick glances to Kenshin and her son whom was in one of the most embarrassing situations in his entire life.
Saying nothing, the brown-haired beauty looked up to him, face still flushed, eyes coming in a lock with his own violet-blue gaze, soon pulling out and pushing him off. "It is... alright, Sir... it was just an accident, they happen..." Playing it off as best she could, Sage rolling off her and rising to his feet, Athyli sat up, giving a weak smile. "After all... We are only human..."
He smiled with a nervous laugh. "Yes, I suppose you are right, Miss Athyli. I just pray you could ever find it in your heart to accept my apologies..." Rubbing the back of his head and then holding out a hand to her, his cheeks still burned like his student's, almost in disbelief over the embarrassment he had just endured.
Kaoru stared blankly at them both, Kenshin's cheeks slightly red as well. It was certainly an awkward moment for them all.
Yahiko's laughter still persisted, pointing towards the two of them before doubling over, clutching his side and slapping the ground.
"Alright Yahiko... You could stop... It was not that funny, that it was not..." Sage said back to the man in hysterics, his eyes not even bothering to look back to him as he rolled around on the floor.
"Are you kidding?! The look on your face was priceless! And your cheeks! They're so red!" Yahiko managed to say through his heavy laughter.
Sage clenched a fist after helping Athyli up, growling lowly. "Yahiko... Its not that funny..."
"Yes it is!"
With a low growl and a twitch from his eye, the Himura boy snapped around, a vein popping out of his forehead as he seemed to grow like a shadow looming over the tan-skinned man. "Yahiko! Its NOT that funny, that it's NOT!"
Giving a gulp, he nodded silently, inching away back into the kitchen on the floor.
Blinking in surprise, Athyli gulped as well. She had never seen anyone snap like that before. Sighing, Sage turned to her, giving a surprisingly pleasant smile. "I am truly sorry about that, Miss Athyli, that I am..."
The flush in her cheeks dying down a bit, she gave a feint smile. "It is... alright sir..."
Kenshin smiled as well, looking to the two of them. "Why don't you two head back to the Dojo... I am sure you have an eventful day planned for your new student tomorrow, that I am..." he nodded sagely to himself, Kaoru merely slapping her forehead before the back of Kenshin's head.
With an "oro" he fell forward, Sage shaking his head with a light laugh. Still, he nodded and motioned to the door, giving the hazel-eyed girl the signal that they were to leave.
Giving a light dip with her head, she followed her sensei's lead, walking out into the black of night.
The star-studded sky stood clear of the heavy gray clouds that had rested there often that season. The last of the Sakura blossoms had since blown away, the on-coming winter soon to arrive. As a chill wind blew, Athyli rubbed her arms in attempt to keep the warmth within her thin top, Sage smiling gently to her as they walked down the moonlit path.
Stepping a bit closer, the path narrowed and Sage found himself once more in an awkward position with the girl. It was truly a romantic night, all would say that, even Athyli herself, and with all that had already happened between them, Sage felt even more uncomfortable.
Glancing to him, she gave a light smile, the flush had completely faded from her cheeks finally, crossing her arms over her chest, still damp with Sake, she stepped over the few rocks and clumps of dirt that were scattered over the path.
The silence between them was not awkward in the least, however, merely.. pleasant, peaceful in a way.
Giving a light chuckle under her breath, Athyli smiled. "So what is it you have planned tomorrow, Sir...?"
Snapping out of his somewhat of a daze, Sage looked to her and grinned. "You will just have to see for yourself..."
"I guess I will..." she smiled, her heart nearly skipping a beat when the bushes to her right began to rustle. The constant feeling that her commanding leader was always watching, following, eyeing her, was nerve- wracking. The continuous thought that the man that she hated more than life could be round every corner gave her a sense of insecurity, of fear even, though she would never admit to it. Giving a light sigh, she shifted a bit closer to Sage, her mind then focusing on what she had been assigned to do.
His gaze moving once more upon the girl, Sage gave her a look of worry. "Miss Athyli, what is wrong? You cannot deny the fact that something is bothering, that you can't."
She sighed, keeping her gaze to the front. "It is nothing of your concern." Her voice said rather sternly, fists unconsciously compressed at her sides.
"I have to disagree, Miss Athyli... You are my student, therefore, my concern. And if something troubles you, it most certainly troubles me, that it does..."
Shaking her head, she searched for any way possible to avoid this conversation. "Please, Sir... It is nothing you need to get yourself involved in, honestly..."
"That is not true..." he said, stopping in his tracks, his hand reaching for her arm, which quickly pulled away from him at his attempt to grab hold of her. "This has to do with what happened back at the Akebeko..."
"Sir... I accept your apology... please everything is—"
"I am not talking about that... I am talking about what happened outside... when you were with my father."
Looking to him, it was obvious that his mood had changed to one of utmost seriousness. His violet-blue orbs rested upon her in a firm lock, though much concern and care was hidden behind his stern look. "What about it..." she said, turning her head quickly away from him, giving a silent growl.
"Miss Athyli... You were obviously in pain, that you were..." his features softened greatly, looking down to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Please... Tell me what happened..."
Another silent growl was issued, before she turned back to him, her features soon softening as well. "You truly do not wish to know... And I truly will never tell you..."
Giving a low scowl, Sage moved away. "Fine... You do not wish to tell me, then I shall respect that... Just know that it will only pain you more in the end..." Saying this, he moved at a quickened pace down the path, pulling his arms into the sleeves of his top and keeping silent the rest of the way.
Sage smiled in return. "If you are sure, Miss Athyli." Giving another smile he moved a bit closer to her as Sano practically drooled over them all.
Her cheeks flushing a scarcely noticeably red as the Himura boy shifted closer, she attempted to ignore it all, push aside everything that she knew would happen.
As Kenshin took his seat, a certain look of concern lie hidden behind his nervous smile towards Sano as the former mercenary nearly bashed his head into the table after downing his sake.
"Sano, dear, are you sure you are alright...? Perhaps we should head back--" Megumi began, but was soon cut off by insane laughter from her lover.
"Hahahaha! What?! And miss all this fun!? Are you crazy?"
"I believe it is you that is crazy, my dear..." she said with a low growl, her eyes squinted in a glare towards the drunken man.
A scoff from him followed by a crash as he bashed his head into the table once more before falling to the ground told everyone that Sanoskue and Megumi would both be leaving... as soon as she could manage to carry him out.
A light chuckle from Athyli and heavy laughter from the others (excluding Sano and his wife) told all that it was indeed an amusing sight. Despite the fact that she truly feared for all these kind people, the new student could not help but feel as if she could identify with them... at least before she had gotten into the life she now lived.
Glancing over to her, Kenshin grinned rather stupidly, Kaoru slapping him upside the head.
"Oro...?" the eldest Himura mumbled, rubbing a large lump that had risen near his forehead.
"I believe I have told you before, Kenshin... No scaring new students with that creepy grin of yours...!"
"But I—"
Raising her hand, now armed with a bottle of sake, the male quickly shut his mouth, Sage chuckling at the scene as Athyli sat quietly, her head lowered slightly.
"Is anything wrong, Miss Athyli...?" He asked gently, turning towards the young girl with a polite and reassuring smile.
Taking a deep breath and nodding, her hazel gaze met back up with his. "No, Sir... All is fine, I can assure you."
Nodding, the red-haired instructor gave another friendly smile. "If you are sure." Gazing upon the beauty of the girl one last time before forcing himself to pull away, Sage raised his sake to his lips; nearly spitting it out the instant it touched his tongue.
With something that sounded like a horrible convulsion, and a spray of the alcoholic drink, Athyli was soon soaked with the vulgar liquid, which she had not yet touched.
Sage blinked, looking to the girl as she sat there with a blank gaze towards her front.
"I-I I am so, so sorry Miss Athyli...!" Sage fumbled around with a cloth napkin, dabbing at her chest, the area which stood to be the most drenched.
Her cheeks flushing very noticeably, her eyes widening, she watched even more blankly as Kenshin tried to rush in to help, a bottle of Sake then knocked over and spilling onto her hakama.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, here let me—" going to grab another napkin, the rest of his drink splashed into her face.
Blinking and wiping it off with her hand, Athyli breathed deeply, attempting not to snap amongst the embarrassment of it all. "Please, Sir... everything is alright...I can—"
She could not finish her sentence, considering the younger Himura had just fallen into her, his face buried in her bosom.
That was enough to cause her entire face to flush beet red and her words to stutter.
Pushing up from her, Sage's entire face stood just as red, if not redder, than her own, Yahiko off in the corner laughing hysterically.
"Miss Athyli... I... I am... I didn't mean... I..."
With a twitch from her right eye and another flush in her cheeks, the girl pushed Sage away, moving out from behind the table and tripping over him, they both tumbling to the floor.
In the midst of the event, Sage somehow managed to fall atop of the girl, putting him in an even more awkward position considering the way she landed. With her knees rested on either side of his waist. The easiest way to describe how red her cheeks were was to take her face and easily hide it among Sage's flaming red hair. At that point, hiding in his shaggy strands of red was a far better thing than looking to him from her position.
"Miss Athyli... I... I..." he still could not find words, Kaoru giving quick glances to Kenshin and her son whom was in one of the most embarrassing situations in his entire life.
Saying nothing, the brown-haired beauty looked up to him, face still flushed, eyes coming in a lock with his own violet-blue gaze, soon pulling out and pushing him off. "It is... alright, Sir... it was just an accident, they happen..." Playing it off as best she could, Sage rolling off her and rising to his feet, Athyli sat up, giving a weak smile. "After all... We are only human..."
He smiled with a nervous laugh. "Yes, I suppose you are right, Miss Athyli. I just pray you could ever find it in your heart to accept my apologies..." Rubbing the back of his head and then holding out a hand to her, his cheeks still burned like his student's, almost in disbelief over the embarrassment he had just endured.
Kaoru stared blankly at them both, Kenshin's cheeks slightly red as well. It was certainly an awkward moment for them all.
Yahiko's laughter still persisted, pointing towards the two of them before doubling over, clutching his side and slapping the ground.
"Alright Yahiko... You could stop... It was not that funny, that it was not..." Sage said back to the man in hysterics, his eyes not even bothering to look back to him as he rolled around on the floor.
"Are you kidding?! The look on your face was priceless! And your cheeks! They're so red!" Yahiko managed to say through his heavy laughter.
Sage clenched a fist after helping Athyli up, growling lowly. "Yahiko... Its not that funny..."
"Yes it is!"
With a low growl and a twitch from his eye, the Himura boy snapped around, a vein popping out of his forehead as he seemed to grow like a shadow looming over the tan-skinned man. "Yahiko! Its NOT that funny, that it's NOT!"
Giving a gulp, he nodded silently, inching away back into the kitchen on the floor.
Blinking in surprise, Athyli gulped as well. She had never seen anyone snap like that before. Sighing, Sage turned to her, giving a surprisingly pleasant smile. "I am truly sorry about that, Miss Athyli, that I am..."
The flush in her cheeks dying down a bit, she gave a feint smile. "It is... alright sir..."
Kenshin smiled as well, looking to the two of them. "Why don't you two head back to the Dojo... I am sure you have an eventful day planned for your new student tomorrow, that I am..." he nodded sagely to himself, Kaoru merely slapping her forehead before the back of Kenshin's head.
With an "oro" he fell forward, Sage shaking his head with a light laugh. Still, he nodded and motioned to the door, giving the hazel-eyed girl the signal that they were to leave.
Giving a light dip with her head, she followed her sensei's lead, walking out into the black of night.
The star-studded sky stood clear of the heavy gray clouds that had rested there often that season. The last of the Sakura blossoms had since blown away, the on-coming winter soon to arrive. As a chill wind blew, Athyli rubbed her arms in attempt to keep the warmth within her thin top, Sage smiling gently to her as they walked down the moonlit path.
Stepping a bit closer, the path narrowed and Sage found himself once more in an awkward position with the girl. It was truly a romantic night, all would say that, even Athyli herself, and with all that had already happened between them, Sage felt even more uncomfortable.
Glancing to him, she gave a light smile, the flush had completely faded from her cheeks finally, crossing her arms over her chest, still damp with Sake, she stepped over the few rocks and clumps of dirt that were scattered over the path.
The silence between them was not awkward in the least, however, merely.. pleasant, peaceful in a way.
Giving a light chuckle under her breath, Athyli smiled. "So what is it you have planned tomorrow, Sir...?"
Snapping out of his somewhat of a daze, Sage looked to her and grinned. "You will just have to see for yourself..."
"I guess I will..." she smiled, her heart nearly skipping a beat when the bushes to her right began to rustle. The constant feeling that her commanding leader was always watching, following, eyeing her, was nerve- wracking. The continuous thought that the man that she hated more than life could be round every corner gave her a sense of insecurity, of fear even, though she would never admit to it. Giving a light sigh, she shifted a bit closer to Sage, her mind then focusing on what she had been assigned to do.
His gaze moving once more upon the girl, Sage gave her a look of worry. "Miss Athyli, what is wrong? You cannot deny the fact that something is bothering, that you can't."
She sighed, keeping her gaze to the front. "It is nothing of your concern." Her voice said rather sternly, fists unconsciously compressed at her sides.
"I have to disagree, Miss Athyli... You are my student, therefore, my concern. And if something troubles you, it most certainly troubles me, that it does..."
Shaking her head, she searched for any way possible to avoid this conversation. "Please, Sir... It is nothing you need to get yourself involved in, honestly..."
"That is not true..." he said, stopping in his tracks, his hand reaching for her arm, which quickly pulled away from him at his attempt to grab hold of her. "This has to do with what happened back at the Akebeko..."
"Sir... I accept your apology... please everything is—"
"I am not talking about that... I am talking about what happened outside... when you were with my father."
Looking to him, it was obvious that his mood had changed to one of utmost seriousness. His violet-blue orbs rested upon her in a firm lock, though much concern and care was hidden behind his stern look. "What about it..." she said, turning her head quickly away from him, giving a silent growl.
"Miss Athyli... You were obviously in pain, that you were..." his features softened greatly, looking down to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Please... Tell me what happened..."
Another silent growl was issued, before she turned back to him, her features soon softening as well. "You truly do not wish to know... And I truly will never tell you..."
Giving a low scowl, Sage moved away. "Fine... You do not wish to tell me, then I shall respect that... Just know that it will only pain you more in the end..." Saying this, he moved at a quickened pace down the path, pulling his arms into the sleeves of his top and keeping silent the rest of the way.