The Inevitable

Disclaimer! Rurouni Kenshin doesn't belong to me, but to Nobuhiro Watsuki. Darn, maybe some day ^_^x

'......' signals thoughts

hey, minna-san! I'm sorry it took so long to this chapter out, more details in the last A/N This chapter, I believe is a little heavy on the angst, but I still still pretty much satisfied with it. I would also like to thank all the reviewers! I was a little surprised that I recieved three reviews for this chapter waaayyyyy after I had posted it. at least three weeks! so thanks! Also there might have been a couple of things that left you all confused, so hopefully this chapter will straighten it out for you

Chapter 6: Changes

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It had been over twenty-four hours since Misao had seen Soujirou. Part of her told her that he was gone, left that same day, and yet, another part told her her that he was snoring under the bridge this very minute! And with two such extremes, confusion was expected. And just to add into her confusion, she didn't know which she wanted.

Part of her wished he was gone. The way she was now and the way he was now...well it certainly wouldn't mesh and not to mention she didn't want Soujirou to lose his spirit...his happiness...his smiles...like she had. It was for his own good to be away...a protection of some sorts...to keep him from going into that void she had and leave him untained.

Part of her wished he was still in Kyoto. With him around, it would be relatively easy to revert back to the happy-go-lucky girl she used to be. But what would happen when he left? Wouldn't it just fade away? After all, there was no one to remain in that facade for.

So which was the better choice? Her mind was now set on him gone. In the long run, it would be better.

"Misao?" A voice pierced through her thoughts.

"What?" she snapped irritably, annoyed that she was interrupted.

"Are you alright?" he asked concerned. "You seem worse than yesterday"

She glanced up for a moment. "Oh, it's you, Sou-chan....I was just thinking."

"That's never a good thing, is it?" he joked weakly.

A glare

"Well, then, what were you thinking about?"

"Sou..." she began slowly, "perhaps it's best that you leave. Come back when I'm not so confused."

"Tomorrow?" he asked.

"No," she sighed, "longer, two or three years at least."

He opened his mouth, but quickly shut it. Then he hesitantly asked, "About Shinomori-san?"

Another sigh. "Among other things."

He turned. "I see, we will meet another time, Misao."

"Sou?"

A turn, an expecting glance.

"When you return, I expect you to bring along a wife and a child."

"No," he replied solemnly, "my heart belongs to one person only and I'm afraid it will never be return." he left before she could say anything.

He was gone.

Soujirou had left.

It was what she wanted, right?

So....then....why did she feel so empty?

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It was done. He left. Just like she had asked. He wondered why she had said that she expected him to be married with a child. Did she want happiness for him? If that was so, then she would have married him when he proposed and they would be with at least three children by now!

But somehow her knew that she would never end up with him. His mind wandered back to the conversation he held with Shinomori-san.

'How do you know she hasn't already?'

It was a rather confusing thing. Before they had seperated, she had adamantly said that she truly loved Aoshi, but just the day before she had said it was only an infatuation. So, which was true? Did her feeling fade away? Or were they just surpressed?

Love was a fickle thing, ne? And Soujirou hoped that someday he would find happiness....without Misao.

But, he knew this was not possible

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Teardrops fell, slowly at first, making a soft pitter-patter sound until they fell so hard that each drop was like a glass cup shattering.

Misao had to laugh bitterly at this. Her tears-were they not like the tears from the sky falling this very minute? How bizarre, like the earth was mocking her, putting her emotions on display for all the world to see.

She dried her tears, expecting the sky to do the same, and yet, it did not. It mocked her again, as if saying 'You never really stopped crying.' And she sat there, letting the rain fall, soaking her to the very bone. A breeze blew by and she shivered. Although, she was chilled she sat there, relishing in the cold, letting it numb her, leaving a completely empty shell.

A pair of blue-grey eyes clouded with concern, watched the unmoving figure. She had been out there for awhile... he walked to her and planed a hand on her shoulder. "Misao," he said quietly, "you should come inside."

After a minute she nodded wordlessly, letting him guide her to her room. "Thank you." she whispered before sliding the door shut.

He stood there fore a moment, watching the vague shadow she created. He wondered why she was sitting out in the rain by herself. Perhaps it was a good thing, there was this calm serene look on her face, although not content, but at peace with herself. It was a look Aoshi had not seen in years.

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Misao woke the next morning in a strange peacfulness, a feeling that told her that someday everything would be alright.

But before that, she knew, many trials would come her way and they may not be easy. But she was ready, ready for anything that fate might throw at her.

And she wondered where she got this sense. She vaguely remembered the rain, falling like shattering glass, and...somehow...it comforted her. A large warm hand that guided her back to her room...her whispering a thank-you...a dreamless sleep.

She changed out of her sleeping yukata and into a simple white and maroon kimono and quietly left her room....only to bump into Aoshi a minute later.

"Aoshi!" she placed a hand over her heart. "You surprised me."

Aoshi was also slightly surprised, this was the first time, Misao had ever called him plain 'Aoshi', but after their last confrontation...well, he almost expected the change.

He stared at her and she had to repress the urge to squirm like she would have before. Instead, she tried a different tactic, she mirrored him and stared back at him, eyes expressionless.

'Take that, Aoshi' Misao thought smugly. She willed herself to keep a straight face, this was one battler that would not be lost!

A minute passed...and another...and another....and another...until it turned to ten...then fifteen...thirty. Both were starting to tire from staring and not moving, but neither was willing to give up.

"Hey! what are you two doing?!" Okina's voice rang through the hall causing both Aoshi and Misao to turn their glance his way. "The Aoiya needs help! Misao, you're waitressing, and Aoshi, you're hosting." None of them moved. Okina waited impatiently, after all he had grown weary of waiting in the kitchen and sought them out. "Well, let's get going." And the three finally left.

The two spent the day working in the Aoiya, giving the others a chance to relax. The time gave Misao to think. She wasn't exactly sure what had hapened earlier that morning. she certainly wouldn't have said, "Why are you starting at me?" and she had gained enought willpower to keep from squirming, so it really only left her with one idea, a taste of his own medicine.

She really hadn't though of the outcome. It was strange, really. She wouldn't have been able to stand even five minutes against Aoshi like that a few years ago; she suspected that Aoshi was mildly surprised that she matched him.

Misao had also wondered if she had made a wise decision. Five years ago, nothing could have pleased her more than an invitation to the Tanabata with Aoshi. Who knows what it could have brought? But it was different now. She did not return for love, in fact, there was hardly anything she wanted less! And now that she did agree to go, she wasn't sure if this is what she had really wanted. And if this wasn't what she wanted, then what did she want? Or maybe she was looking into this too much and she shoud just enjoy the ride...but...what if the rise wasn't enjoyable?

She shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts from her head.

"Misao? Are you alright?"

She waved him away. "I'm fine, Aoshi, really."

"Ar-"

"I'm fine" she said, a bit more forcefully, then switched to a lighter tone. "Don't worry about me."

'Don't worry about me'

How easy those words sounded, but how difficult it was to follow through. She did not know what she was asking of him. She did not know that he thought about her constantly, that while she was away he wondered how she was, who she was with, if she was healthly, if she was happy, if she...remembered....him.

It still pained him when he remembered that he was the cause of her abrupt departure. He wished he could have been less harsh, but he didn't know another method to get her to leave. Everyone else had to chance to find themselves, except Misao. But he did not know if he had succeeded in helping Misao find herself or if he just made her more confused. She seemed pretty stable, but lately...she did not give off that aura of being completely sure of herself.

But maybe he was just decieving himself. After what he had said and what he had done...who was he kidding? He wanted her to leave...to find a better life, a better love, someone who could give her a better like, a simply happy like one danger-free and carefree. He had wanted her gone to protect her. But shortly after she left, he started to miss her. He missed her laugh, her carefree ways, her smile, her braid, her genki disposition, and he changed himself into a man that Misao could love and when she returned she was a woman almost incapable of loving.

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The weeks passed by and though her interaction were minimal, they were on good terms.

Misao loved it.

Aoshi hated it.

She loved it becuase they were not intimate.

He hated it becuase they were not intimate.

She wished that it could last forever.

He wished that it had ended yesterday.

She knew it would not last forever...

He knew it would not last forever...

...and for that she saddened.

...and for that he smiled.

The Tanabata was in their midst, and while one knew what would happen the other could only wonder.

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A/N: Ahh!!! Gomen ne! This chapter was very hard to write, mainly becuase I had nothing planned for it. I was also in DC for a few days during the holidays. The next chapter I should hope will come out faster. I am satisfied for the most part with this chapter.

PLEASE REVIEW!!