AN: YATTA! Finally I got my favorite RK pairing's story up! I think it took me forever to type and make perfect. Had to run it over with my friends, then to myself because of grammar and I had tons of writer's block from having no idea where it is going to end.... But I got it up now! Hope ya'll like it cuz of my hard work! And it's also a one-shot, just to let you that I won't be adding anything to it!
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What Dreams Could Do,
By Winterwing3000
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Standing in the middle of the darkness, with the moonlight being the only source of light, Shinomori Aoshi looked down on the four slabs of stone made by the Oniwabanshuu. They represented little gravestones for their fallen onmitsus (AN: not sure if it's a word, correct me if I'm wrong). He always came out to the back-gardens of the Aoiya in the middle of the night to seek peace from his dreams.
His green-gray eyes reflected the haunting faces of his loyal ninjas. A nightly chill swept past him, brushing his dark bangs against his eyes. "I didn't fulfill my vow to you. I failed to kill the Battousai and instead, drowned myself in the darkness, swallowing me whole. I threw away the title of the Okashira and was unsuccessful to gain the "strongest". I have achieved nothing, but yet you sacrifice yourselves to me. And here I stand before you all, finding a way to repay you for your great deed. Gomenasai."
His face hardened when he saw the flashes of his comrades falling on by one. Blood had stained the floor; battered bodies fell on the ground. All he did was see them drop lifelessly onto the floor while covered in their blood. Clearing his head from the disturbing past, he sat down cross-legged in front of the stone monuments and closed his eyes, falling slowly into deep meditation.
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In her room, moonshine kissed her black hair and her bright blue eyes. Staring outside down to a certain spot underneath a sakura tree, her eyes grew soft at the sight of him sitting there. Aoshi had came back to the Aoiya for two years now, only leaving for a few weeks when he was needed on a mission. Makimachi Misao had been happy that he was still with them, but every night, she would be dreading. There was a void inside of her head always telling her to wake up and check up on Aoshi-sama.
Her nerves were always itching to see if he had left her in the middle of the night. But relief came more easily since she could hear him slide the back door shut almost every night. When he first did it, Misao trailed out slowly out of her room and after him. She knew that he could sense her presence, but she would still follow Aoshi to find out what he was up to. Instead of going out into the cold night just dressed in her night yukata, she would crept to the window by the door and look out. Misao would always find him sitting down and deep in meditation.
But tonight was different. She had woken up to her own accord, trembling and sweating terribly. For the past three days, she was awakened by short flashes of the past, of the bloodshed that was needed for the peace that they have right now. Misao had tried falling back to sleep, but it would not come. Sighing deeply, she walked outside towards the well and splashed herself with the freezing water. For a moment, she regretted doing that because the cold water somehow got itself on her yukata. Then her eyes were clouded with confusion when she remembered the frightening dream from her slumber.
Misao was standing just outside of the Aoiya, with an umbrella in hand. It was raining hard out and she was staring straight into the alluring eyes. His trench coat hung limply on his board shoulders. The dark black-purple bangs plastered onto his calm looking face. Feeling her body going numb, Misao struggled to swallow the lump in her throat. Her attentions were drawn by his expression. The eyes were sharp and unwavering, his mouth was in a thin straight line.
Coming back to her senses, Misao tentatively took a step forward, raising her umbrella to cover them both from the rain. As she advanced, Aoshi took a step back. This repeated twice before Misao looked confused and said with an exasperated sigh, "What are you doing in the rain, Aoshi-sama? You could catch a cold standing there. And why do you keep stepping away when I'm trying to shield you?" Narrowing his eyes, Aoshi broke his silence. "I'm leaving the Aoiya forever because this place has no meaning to me when you are the Okashira. I'm of no use in a restaurant because I am only a killer. I'm only used for bloodshed and battles, nothing more. And if you follow, you shall meet the ends of my blades."
Turning around, Aoshi made his way down the street. Looking at his back, a scowl appeared on her face as she ran to catch up with him. Halting suddenly in front of him, she shouted in his face, "I'm still going to follow you no matter what you say! I know that you wouldn't hurt me even if you tried!" Misao was determined to keep him from running away like a mouse from a cat. "Get out of my way, Misao." Aoshi glowered at her. "Iie." With a simple answer like that, she stood her ground. "I'll say it once more Misao, get out of my way!" He growled ferociously at her.
"Make me!" Misao nearly shouted at him with frustration. Two could play at a game of stubbornness. Swiftly, Aoshi drew his kodachis in front of Misao. As defense, Misao crossed her arms, holding three kunais in each hand. "You wouldn't dream of hurting Misao. You couldn't hurt your, you, Misao?" She knew he was right. She couldn't hurt someone that she loves so deeply, someone who had raised her since she was born. Misao weakened her guard, just as Aoshi had expected. With a flick of his wrist, he cut her on her side. Gasping as the blade went through her, Misao grasped it and fell onto the muddy ground.
Walking over her, Aoshi left her clinging on her deep wound. "This isn't over yet, Aoshi-sama!" Weakly, Misao aimed two of her three knives at his retreating figure. Turning around, he only blocked it with his swords and stared uncaringly into her eyes. She whimpered when she lifted her bloodied hand to her face. The red substance stained on her blue uniform and her hands. Facing back to the other side of the road, Aoshi went his way and Misao just tried grabbing his figure. Tears of hurt made it's way down her cheeks, saying Aoshi before passing out into her own blood.
(AN: That was the end of the dream... if you didn't notice...Sorry... I don't really do dreams often... only memories.)
Clutching her side as if it ached, Misao looked up at the round moon with tears coming down her eyes. What had that dream meant? Would he really do that if she refused him his way? There were many things that she was unsure of him even if she had known him since childhood. When she heard a rustle at a nearby brush, Misao stepped back into the shadows of the trees and took out her little daggers. "Come out Misao, it's only me." She recognized that voice and peered carefully at the shadow next to the well. Aoshi was fully dressed and had his kodachis at his sides.
"Oh... it's only you, Aoshi-sama. You scared me half to death." Sighing in relief, Misao came out of the shadows and asked, "What are you doing here, Aoshi-sama?" Even though she knew very well why he was out here, she wanted him to be the least suspicious. "The same as every night." His voice was deep, sending shivers down her spine. "Ah... well... I better go back-" "What were you doing out here Misao?" Aoshi asked with a raised eyebrow. "Um... nothing?"
Raising his hand, he ran his finger on her cheek that was still wet from her tears. "You call this nothing? What's wrong?" Looking away, Misao didn't reply. When she started walking away, a large hand held onto her shoulder and forced her to spin around, looking into the deep dark eyes. It felt as time had stop whenever she looked into those cold eyes. Her knees felt like water and her mind was swirling when his face was buried into her loose bangs. "Tell me, what's wrong?" Aoshi whispered into her ear, taking in the fresh scent of lilies and wildflowers. Shuddering again at their closeness, Misao's voice betrayed her. She never remembered when they had been in such close physical contact before, other than the times when he plucks her out from a tree when she was younger.
"Nothing Aoshi-sama... Nothing's wrong... just the water...hehe." Misao tried wiping away her tears as well as the dried water. A small frown appeared on his acute face. " I heard crying." His words muffled by her black (AN: or is it blue? Couldn't tell properly) hair. "I'm fine, really Aoshi-sama. It's nothing. All I need is just some sleep then I would feel better." The young girl took a step back; her body yearned for the lost warmth. But she knew that if she stayed any longer with she would turn to jelly.
"Hontou ne?" Aoshi lifted her chin with his calloused hand. Her blue eyes were mirroring the moon and a tint of pink brightened on her creamy skin. Misao shuddered in the breeze, pulling her yukata tighter around her. The former Okashira shrugged off his coat and placed it on the smaller girl's shoulder. "Arigatou Aoshi-sama." Misao started back to the Aoiya and Aoshi trailed silently behind her. A question kept bugging in the back of her mind. "Aoshi-sama, are you going to leave again?" She blurted out, turning around and facing her long time lover.
Inwardly surprised, Aoshi answered, "Iie." She sighed in relief to herself and resumed walking again. So maybe her Aoshi-sama wasn't going to leave her. Dreams were only illusions and they aren't real. Are they? No, they're not. But still, would he have hurt her in any way? He did once after he nearly killed Jiya, but would he do it again by leaving her? No, Aoshi-sama promised he wouldn't. Aoshi-sama said that he is not leaving, but would he later on? But did he really promise her? Doubts swirled in her head and her expressions kept changing. Aoshi read her like an open book; he knew that she was having an inner struggle with herself.
"A penny for your thoughts Misao? You seem troubled." Misao stopped walking and registered the number of words that he had said to her. He had said nine words to her. Probably the first and last time he ever said nine words in two phrases. "How did you know? Was I that obvious?" She asked, startled. "Aa." Great, she thought, back to one-word answers. "I was wondering Aoshi-sama. Would you hurt me?" She heard him stop walking and his breathing started to become quicker. "Would you ever hurt me, Aoshi-sama?" Misao repeated again.
"I... No Misao, I'd never."
"You promise that you won't leave me alone anymore?"
"Aa."
"Pinky swears?" Misao stuck out her right pinky.
"Aa." Aoshi linked his right pinky with hers and shook it. "Arigatou Aoshi-sama! Good night!" Misao took off with a smile on her face and hugged the trench coat closer to her body. Aoshi stood there perplexed, but shook his head and headed to bed as well with a small smile tugging at the edge of his lips.
AN: yay! Me finally finish this.... I think I started on April or March and somehow it took me nearly a month to do it. Weird huh? Anyways review! I'd like to hear on what you think about my first RK fanfic. I was hoping for them to kiss, but that wouldn't happen just so soon. Right?