Chapter 9

Still Going On?

"So you've been helping out the Aoiya for how long now, Soujirou?" Kaoru said as the younger rurouni helped the newlyweds bring their luggage to the suite. "Ara. Probably one, no, one and a half months." Soujirou replied, as he struggled with the bags and the flight of stairs he had to fight against. "So you have given up wandering? Have you found your answers yet, Soujirou?" Kenshin said as he walked behind Kaoru. "Ah, no. I don't think that I've stopped being a rurouni. I just needed a break, that's all." Soujirou said as they finally reached the second floor.

"Hmm. That's what Kenshin said at first when he lived at the dojo too, but look how we turned out..." Kaoru began mischievously. Soujirou gulped nervously. "... are you sure that you aren't just staying here for a certain someone?" Kaoru giggled. "I.. uh... don't know... what I mean is..." Soujirou began to sputter. "Leave the boy alone, Kaoru." Kenshin said finally. But he did look at Soujirou funny. Almost as if saying 'keep telling yourself that, buddy'.

"No. Misao-donno, she is just... a friend." Soujirou said. But he didn't even convince anyone. Hell, it sounded weak even to himself. "Now whoever said anything about Misao?" Kaoru's eyes glinted roguishly. "Eep." Soujirou mentally kicked himself.

"Oh, are you guy's talking about me behind my back?"

"Ara?! Misao-donno!" Soujirou exclaimed. He almost dropped the bags in his surprise. "Nothing at all, Misao-chan. Just getting to know Soujirou here a little better." Kaoru replied innocently. Kenshin just rolled his eyes. Misao suspected something going on but decided to ignore it. "Okay. I just came by to give you guys the keys. Soujirou seemed to have forgotten them." Misao said, handing the couple the keys to their room. "Oh, that's right. Sorry about that." Soujirou bowed slightly. If he could have scratched the back of his head, he would have. "Well, you guys settle in. Sou-kun and I have some business to attend to." Misao said, dragging the Tenken as soon as he lay down the Himura's luggage.

A little bit later, in the restaurant part of the Aoiya:

"Sweep-sweep-sweepity sweep." Soujirou whistled as he, well, swept the floor. "My, but this is boring." Soujirou muttered, and even though he was still smiling, a tiny vein had popped up on the side of the Tenken's forehead. "The things I do for that girl..." Soujirou sighed. While Misao and the Himura's where out shopping and sightseeing, Misao had asked Soujirou the 'favor' of taking up her duties while she was away.

The monotony was broken, however, as the door swung open. 'Finally, a customer.' Soujirou thought. "Good morning, welcome to the Aoiy-" Soujirou started, but was cut off by a flash of blue steel and equally cold blue eyes. "Tenken..." Aoshi said, leveling the blade to the rurouni's neck. 'This won't end well.' Soujirou thought, as he subconsciously tightened his grip on the broom.

"Why are you here, Tenken?" Aoshi asked, no, demanded from Soujirou. "Ara, nothing special, just a wanderer traveling where the winds take him." Soujirou laughed, raising his hands in defense. "I don't think that's the right answer. The truth, Seta, now." Aoshi said, unsheathing his second kodachi. "Truly, Shinomori-san. I just took up a part time job." Soujirou said, trying to look as innocent as he could. "That's not what I've been hearing." Aoshi said, his eyes narrowing.

"I... don't know what you're talking about." Soujirou stammered , now genuinely shaken. 'How can he have known?'

"Wrong answer." Aoshi said, thrusting his kodachi. Steel met wood, however, as the sword only went through Soujirou's broom, splintering the handle where the Tenken's face used to be. "You're skills haven't deteriorated in the least, Tenken. Surely, a rurouni's life is not so hard that you need to use the Shukuchi for everyday purposes?" Aoshi said, wheeling backwards to face Soujirou. "I cannot say for sure what you have heard, Shinomori-san, but I can assure you, I have nothing to do with it." Soujirou said, his face still smiling, but only the barest of grins.

"I cannot believe that, Tenken. Everywhere you've 'wandered', a murder here, a butchering there. All witnesses claiming the suspect seemed to cut the distance between his victim instantaneously? You don't have many excuses." Aoshi scoffed, his image getting blurry. "Kaiten Kenbu?" Soujirou said, amusedly. If the many images of Aoshi could look surprised, now would be the time. "Shinomori-san, with all due respect, your technique would be the death of many a swordsman..." Soujirou began tapping his slipper. "... but do you really think that a dozen ghosts make any difference to someone who can strike down fifty men in a heartbeat?" Soujirou finished, his eyes menacing.

At the market:

Crack!

"Whoa. The cup broke." Misao said as the glass she held her tea in suddenly split in half. "Hmm, that might be a bad omen, de gozaru." Kenshin thought out loud. "I think we've had enough sightseeing for today, Misao-donno. Sessha is getting a bit tired." Kenshin said, rising from the noodle stand they sat at.

Back in the Aoiya:

"Still, I do not want to fight, Shinomori-san sooo.... toodles." Soujirou laughed, tapping his foot one last time and disappearing from Aoshi's sight. The Okashira slowed down his sword dance. "Toodles?" Aoshi repeated. If Aoshi had been a judgmental man, he would have said that that was the gayest thing he'd ever heard.

Author's notes:
Haha! I have no I dea where this is going! Please review and tell me where this is going!