a/n: been so long... sry... here's the next part, ur all gonna hate me cuz it's short and stupid... but i'll try to re-do it, time permitting, but i figured u'd all be waiting so...

disclaimer: i luv choco bars... any kind of choco bars...

Two Lost Souls (soujiro/misao)
Part II

They traveled for two months together with nothing more than friendly gestures being exchanged between them. Soujiro was happy to have companion after all the time he'd spent without one. It was nice not having to talk to yourself to have an actual conversation. He could see how Himura-san had developed Battousai into a totally different personality even though they were the same person. Talking to ones-self wasn't the best way to avoid it.

Misao was enjoying her travels, and had been moving on slowly from Aoshi, admitting that grieving was going to get her no where fast. She had a new friend and he was just as good looking as Aoshi and more her age. (I think that aoshi is better looking but this is for the sake fo the story and besides, Soujiro is so adorable) She was happy. He made her happy.

"Hey, Sou-chan?" she called from the river.

"Yes?"

"How do you catch this fish! It's so freaking fast!"

"Oh." He smiled and went to help her. "Here, do it like this…"

In a few hours time, they had fish for dinner and camp set up for the night. Soujiro had showed her how to catch a fish, and cook it so it didn't turn black and taste like Kaoru's cooking. Misao giggled as her thoughts drifted to her friend who was cooking challenged. It was a good thing she had Himura. Her smile died when she thought about them more though. By now, they'd probably already settled down. And she…

"Misao?"

She didn't have anyone. Soujiro was a very nice traveling companion, but she doubted that he could ever give her what she needed.

"Misao?"

"Huh?"

"I asked you if you wanted more to eat?"

"Oh, um, no thank you," she politely said. "I'm actually kind of tired. I'm going to go to bed now."

"All right," he answered, looking slightly shocked. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She flashed him a small smile before retiring to her spot on the forest floor.

Soujiro was worried. She'd been having these lapses more often lately. He had a feeling it had to with the lasting effects of Aoshi's rejection than anything. He'd tried his best to show her that he was interested in her, but maybe he wasn't being clear enough…

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"Misao?"

"Hmmn?" she asked, waking up reluctantly.

"Wake up, I want to show you something," Soujiro told her, helping her up.

"Whaat?" she mumbled, stumbling out of her make-shift bed.

"Just come with me," he coaxed, pulling her towards their destination.

"Sou!" she whined. "Why can't you just tell me!"

"Cover your eyes!" he ordered, throwing his hands over her eyes.

"What's the point in telling me to do it if you're going to do it for me!" she demanded. Misao wasn't a morning person.

Soujiro chuckled and gave no answer as he pushed her forward, still holding his hands over her eyes. "Okay… Now you can look." He removed his hands.

"Oh… my… Kami…" she breathed staring at the view in front of her.

"Do you like it? I came here once in my travels and I've always wanted to come back to get another look at it…" he trailed, off remembering a different time.

Misao merely gaped at him, taking in the crystal blue lake and all it's surroundings. There were birds every where, and the grass was bright green. Misao had never seen anything like it in her whole life. She'd only traveled a few times, one of them being when she was out searching for her beloved Aoshi-Sama. She'd never been so far away from home, either; it felt good to get away, no matter how much she missed Okina, and the others.

"Oh… Sou, it's amazing!" she exclaimed, her gaze drifting over the scenery.

"I'd never had anyone to share something this wonderful with before…" he mused, plopping down on the soft green grass.

"I didn't know anything like this existed," she confessed.

"I found it last year." He patted the grass next to him, inviting her to sit down next to him.

She gladly sat down and then fell backwards onto her back, closing her eyes. She felt the sun beating down on her face, warming it. She could feel Soujiro's steady ki as he laid down beside her. Her eyes opened when she felt him grasp her hand in his. She turned her gaze on him, but he had his eyes shut just as she had before. Sighing, she wrapped her fingers around him and shut her eyes again. It felt good to have someone care about her again.

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Soujiro breathed deeply the scent of Misao's hair and smiled. Lilac. He held her against him as she slept, enjoying the closeness. She'd never before allowed this kind of connection, but had made an exception since she was falling asleep and he'd offered her himself as a pillow. She'd sleepily accepted and here she was, sleeping peacefully against him.

He pressed a soft kiss to her temple as he slipped off into sleep. Misao opened her eyes a crack and smiled. It was then she got the drift. He had been trying to convey his feelings for some time now. She smiled.

It felt good to be loved.

Owari