Again, THANK YOU for all the wonderful reviews, ya, I rather liked the
vomit scene myself (a little pay back time for Misao eh?)
Oh, I was also wondering how to do italics, bold, underline, etc when I upload it onto the net.
I do apologize for the short chapters but I find that I can update more easily that way. Well, anyway, off to Aoshi and Misao's smurfdom!
CDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCD How's that pattern?
Let Go of My Hand
"Congratulations!" Megumi screeched in my face.
Damn woman, I had been enjoying a quiet meditation. Well, actually I had been trying to ascend to the meditative state, but my worries about a certain wife of mine would not allow me to.
Of course, I would sooner grin and bounce off walls than admit that out loud to someone.
"Nande?" I murmured.
Megumi's eye twitched.
I glanced around the room to see everyone snickering.
I had no time to curse them as Misao rammed open the door and slammed me against the wall with a bone-crushing hug.
I shivered when I felt her breath against my neck.
"You're going to be a father, Aoshi."
Shock is an understatement.
Wrapping my arms around her I stared into her eyes.
I saw a bubbling mirth of glistening sea foam.
She would have seen happiness in my eyes, if I hadn't been so damn shocked.
Therefore, it was necessary that I pull out of the shock or at least pretend to, since everyone was waiting for my response, especially Misao.
HA! VICTORY AT LAST! For once my mouth did what it was told and locked lips with hers.
Someone—or rather some ones—giggled.
Mentally, I sighed. Women.
"Aoshi?" Misao whimpered, her voice laced with doubt.
Come now, Misao. Did you really think I would be unhappy?
"Yes, koishii?"
"Are you un—,"
"Don't ask stupid questions, Misao," I cut her off lightly.
She smiled and winced.
"Misao?"
She slid off me and stood straight, massaging her stomach.
"I guess it's not a very good idea to strain my abs."
"What is there to strain?"
Oh, Shinomori...
She narrowed her eyes at me and turned on her heel, but I swiftly grabbed her arm to stop her from stalking away.
In one fluid motion I picked her up bridal style.
"Aoshi!" she squeaked to my amusement.
"I do not want you to strain yourself."
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After we said our goodbyes and thank you's to Takani-san or rather Sagara- san, we returned to the Aoiya. We decided to celebrate, so we headed to the market, did a bit of shopping and ate dinner at a proper restaurant (If Okon or Omasu heard that, I would have three woman vying to kill me).
During the duration of Misao's pregnancy, I learned or rather re-learned many things about Misao I had forgotten while galloping off to fulfill an immature infatuation with revenge. It is only at times like these I realize how my infatuation should have been elsewhere.
Unfortunately, although I knew how to care for babies I had no clue how to take care of pregnant woman!
And Kami-sama, it is only during those nine months that a husband understands the weight of the proverb "Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn."
Being the over-protective man I am, I attempted to keep Misao from doing really anything. BIG MISTAKE...
Since the consequences of my actions are rather upsetting to read about, I shall take mercy on you.
Like our wedding, though, the pregnancy whizzed by like a crawling baby to a new toy.
Slowly, week-by-week, we attacked each room, baby-proofing it. Our room transformed with more cushions near corners and an extra futon to place adjacent to ours. Misao and I did not believe in placing the baby in another room. Besides, I am Shinomori Aoshi, the over-protective monk (ya suurrre...), and my child would sleep next to me—end of question.
And then, AND THEN, came the most nerve-racking experience I have ever had in my entire godforsaken life.
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A heat wave had been plaguing Kyoto for the past two weeks. I was drenched in sweat cleaning and cooking (yes, I do cook. -.-). Although she hated to admit it, Misao simply could not work. Standing up for more than a half an hour led to severe back pain. Knowing fully well that what I would want her to do—as in rest in bed—would not be obeyed, I decided to make her go fishing at the lake instead. I really was not in the mood to fight.
Sitting down to eat the large fish Misao caught (perhaps they took pity on her), we could do nothing but fan ourselves in between bites.
I don't remember what it was about, but Misao and I were arguing yet again. I should slap myself for forgetting, though, since the situation almost brought her to tears.
I believe we were arguing about her working in investigations again or something. Really, I could not picture and would not let Misao run around chasing bandits while holding up her bloated stomach.
It was the first time I had raised my voice at her since our marriage.
"AOSHI! I AM NOT DROPPING MY DUTIES TO BE A HOMEMAKER!"
"..."
"AOSHI, DID YOU HE—,"
"MAYBE, MISAO, YOU SHOULD TRY TO HEAR ME FOR ONCE!"
My clipped and cold tone silenced her. She stared at me with tear-glazed eyes with a mix of anger and—and fear...
I felt sick. Fear—the last thing I wanted to see in my wife's eyes when she looked at me.
She glanced at the floor and then gave me a look that told me she thought I hated her, thought that I thought her to be weak.
No, Misao. Please, Misao. I beg you, Misao. Don't.
I let my control fall, let it plummet to the ground and shatter into an infinite number of indivisible pieces. I felt free.
Most everyone in the Aioya had quietly creeped out, tired of seeing us fight.
But I didn't care.
I strode over to Misao in one giant stride, tilted her chin up and kissed her passionately.
When I looked into her eyes after pulling away (that was good, I was the one pulling away not her), I saw her shake her head in exasperation.
"Misao, you know how I feel about these things," I began to ramble.
"Aoshi..."
"As you are now the Okashira, bearing the heir, and the wife of me, you're—,"
"Aoshi."
"No, wait, Misao, listen to me, it's—," "AOSHI! I DON'T THINK I CAN LISTEN TO YOU NOW!"
"Really, Misao I thought you had grown up—,"
"AOSHI, YOU BASTARD! I'M GOING INTO LABOR!"
My eyes widened in shock and panic. What to do?!
Luckily, most of the household heard Misao's loud declaration and came skidding down the stairs.
Okina ran out of the house to call Sagara-san, who had come to stay in a nearby inn a couple of weeks ago, just in case of something like this happened.
A few hours later I was neverously pacing back and forth in front of the closed room, stopping ever so often when I heard an agonized shriek.
"Shinomori, stop before you ware a hole through that floor you polished today," Sagara Sanoske remarked.
That jackass didn't know what the hell I was going through anyway. (A/N – woah, Aoshi...)
SHRIEK
BANG
I was in Misao's room before anyone could bat an eye and protest.
"Misao!"
I glanced over at the bed to see a bawling/shrieking Misao.
NO!!!
I rushed over to her bedside and almost puked at the whole scene. But I swallowed the nauseating feeling and turned to anxiously hover over her, until of course, Takani-san pushed my away.
"Shinomori-san, you are breeching protocol."
"The hell with protocol..." I muttered vehemently.
Takani-san growled in annoyance, but turned the immediate situation at hand.
"Breathe, Misao, honey, breathe," the doctor cooed.
"AAAAHH, I-I—,"
A sudden iron grip around my wrist jerked me out of my horrified paralysis.
"AOSHI!!"
I whispered to Misao, tried to calm her while trying to ignore the acute pain spreading from my wrist.
Damn, Misao, if only I had your strength when I fight...and only a few hours ago you thought I thought you were weak...
Oh Kami-sama, we were both in tears now. My wrist hurt so badly, worse even then the slash Himura gave me in our fight in that library.
And then,
CRACK
WAAAAHHH
My wrist seared beyond any form of pain I had suffered, but it was not enough to take my attention away from my newborn daughter.
I felt numb. Both mentally...and...physically...
My child, Misao's child, our child, my child, Misao's child, our child...the words pranced through my brain like giddy pixies.
Takani-san whisked the baby away, and I felt an unpleasantly cold gust shake my heart. She was taking my baby away, yes to clean her, but she was taking her awaaaaay.
Aiya, Shinomori, you sound like you gave birth to her, I thought.
"Aoshi?" squeaked my poor wife.
I could have kicked myself; I almost forgot about my wife.
I wiped away the sweat from her face with the wet towel, and kissed her forehead.
Carefully, I wrapped my arms around her petite figure, ignoring the pain coursing through my broken wrist.
As they say, no pain, no game.
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"Knock, knock."
I had half a mind to ask "who's there," but I knew it was not the appropriate time for childish jokes.
"Come—," Misao wearily began, but I cut her off, even if I knew what would follow...
"COME BACK LATER!" I barked, and there were no further knocks.
It was amazing to see that Misao could transcend that flush she had gained from labor.
'Watch out Aoshi, Misao's mad.' You know when you tell yourself something like that, it's like a captain telling you to "TAKE COVER!" Unfortunately, the room was devoid of any other tables or beds big enough to serve as a shelter.
Suddenly, instead of blowing up—an action that, by the way, scared me worse because now she was a TICKING time bomb (I would not be able to predict when my chance would come for escape)—she stuck the back of her hand in front of my face, fingers spread wide apart.
I noticed that she had long, slim fingers, pearly-white and beautiful. I wanted to kiss them.
That would be a stupid move, though. Seeing that she was infuriated, with any hint of close proximity, she would gauge my eyes out.
I braced myself for a back-handed slap. Instead, she did the most peculiar of things.
Slowly, Misao put down her little finger, followed by her ring finger (which I smugly noticed graced a wedding ring), and then her thumb.
Only her forefinger and her middle finger remained up.
Oh, no. I knew what was going to happen next.
Yup.
She put her forefinger down leaving, well wad'ya know, her middle finger up.
I lifted an eyebrow, thinking about my response...I had a couple to choose from...
"Really, Misao, where did you learn such things?" "Misao, do you really think that is appropriate in front of our child?" Emphasizing the "our child" part. Maybe that would soften her up.
Instead, before I could fully think about it and make a strategic decision, my stupid mouth that seemed to do whatever it wanted lately (Just like a certain teenager I once knew...), acted on its own stupid will.
"Is that an offer?"
Kami-sama kill me now, please?
Misao looked dumbfounded for a moment before she roared, "HELL NO!"
It wasn't like I had my hopes up anyway. How many times had I asked Kami- sama to kill me? And I was still breathing—well, not really, due to my acute fright, I stopped breathing too. Come on Kami-sama...just a little tip and hole in one.
"You better hold your damn hormones in check," Misao continued loudly. "Because if you think I'm going to go through this again any time soon, you're the biggest bakayaro in the world."
"Any time soon?" I asked hopefully. Relief shook my heart when I saw the angry blush drain from her lovely face.
She sighed and gazed at our baby.
I didn't press for an answer, but queried, "May I hold her?"
Nodding, she carefully handed me my little girl. It's amazing how quickly I can get possessive.
I smiled gently down at my bundle of joy and then looked up to smirk at Misao.
"Brings back memories..."
OOF!
I felt a bruise begin to swell on my cheek.
It hurt badly.
Good girl, Misao.
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My bruised cheek and my sprained wrist didn't help my overall daze when we returned to the Aoiya.
It wasn't until I placed the sleeping Misao and our baby on our futon that the whole day's fiasco hit me.
And did it me hard, like a shot of strong sake.
No sooner was I grinning like a baka and bouncing off the walls, mentally kissing Kami-sama for keeping me alive.
Oh, I was also wondering how to do italics, bold, underline, etc when I upload it onto the net.
I do apologize for the short chapters but I find that I can update more easily that way. Well, anyway, off to Aoshi and Misao's smurfdom!
CDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDC DCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCDCD How's that pattern?
Let Go of My Hand
"Congratulations!" Megumi screeched in my face.
Damn woman, I had been enjoying a quiet meditation. Well, actually I had been trying to ascend to the meditative state, but my worries about a certain wife of mine would not allow me to.
Of course, I would sooner grin and bounce off walls than admit that out loud to someone.
"Nande?" I murmured.
Megumi's eye twitched.
I glanced around the room to see everyone snickering.
I had no time to curse them as Misao rammed open the door and slammed me against the wall with a bone-crushing hug.
I shivered when I felt her breath against my neck.
"You're going to be a father, Aoshi."
Shock is an understatement.
Wrapping my arms around her I stared into her eyes.
I saw a bubbling mirth of glistening sea foam.
She would have seen happiness in my eyes, if I hadn't been so damn shocked.
Therefore, it was necessary that I pull out of the shock or at least pretend to, since everyone was waiting for my response, especially Misao.
HA! VICTORY AT LAST! For once my mouth did what it was told and locked lips with hers.
Someone—or rather some ones—giggled.
Mentally, I sighed. Women.
"Aoshi?" Misao whimpered, her voice laced with doubt.
Come now, Misao. Did you really think I would be unhappy?
"Yes, koishii?"
"Are you un—,"
"Don't ask stupid questions, Misao," I cut her off lightly.
She smiled and winced.
"Misao?"
She slid off me and stood straight, massaging her stomach.
"I guess it's not a very good idea to strain my abs."
"What is there to strain?"
Oh, Shinomori...
She narrowed her eyes at me and turned on her heel, but I swiftly grabbed her arm to stop her from stalking away.
In one fluid motion I picked her up bridal style.
"Aoshi!" she squeaked to my amusement.
"I do not want you to strain yourself."
cdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcd
After we said our goodbyes and thank you's to Takani-san or rather Sagara- san, we returned to the Aoiya. We decided to celebrate, so we headed to the market, did a bit of shopping and ate dinner at a proper restaurant (If Okon or Omasu heard that, I would have three woman vying to kill me).
During the duration of Misao's pregnancy, I learned or rather re-learned many things about Misao I had forgotten while galloping off to fulfill an immature infatuation with revenge. It is only at times like these I realize how my infatuation should have been elsewhere.
Unfortunately, although I knew how to care for babies I had no clue how to take care of pregnant woman!
And Kami-sama, it is only during those nine months that a husband understands the weight of the proverb "Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn."
Being the over-protective man I am, I attempted to keep Misao from doing really anything. BIG MISTAKE...
Since the consequences of my actions are rather upsetting to read about, I shall take mercy on you.
Like our wedding, though, the pregnancy whizzed by like a crawling baby to a new toy.
Slowly, week-by-week, we attacked each room, baby-proofing it. Our room transformed with more cushions near corners and an extra futon to place adjacent to ours. Misao and I did not believe in placing the baby in another room. Besides, I am Shinomori Aoshi, the over-protective monk (ya suurrre...), and my child would sleep next to me—end of question.
And then, AND THEN, came the most nerve-racking experience I have ever had in my entire godforsaken life.
cdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdccdcdcdcdcdcddcddcdcdcdcdcd
A heat wave had been plaguing Kyoto for the past two weeks. I was drenched in sweat cleaning and cooking (yes, I do cook. -.-). Although she hated to admit it, Misao simply could not work. Standing up for more than a half an hour led to severe back pain. Knowing fully well that what I would want her to do—as in rest in bed—would not be obeyed, I decided to make her go fishing at the lake instead. I really was not in the mood to fight.
Sitting down to eat the large fish Misao caught (perhaps they took pity on her), we could do nothing but fan ourselves in between bites.
I don't remember what it was about, but Misao and I were arguing yet again. I should slap myself for forgetting, though, since the situation almost brought her to tears.
I believe we were arguing about her working in investigations again or something. Really, I could not picture and would not let Misao run around chasing bandits while holding up her bloated stomach.
It was the first time I had raised my voice at her since our marriage.
"AOSHI! I AM NOT DROPPING MY DUTIES TO BE A HOMEMAKER!"
"..."
"AOSHI, DID YOU HE—,"
"MAYBE, MISAO, YOU SHOULD TRY TO HEAR ME FOR ONCE!"
My clipped and cold tone silenced her. She stared at me with tear-glazed eyes with a mix of anger and—and fear...
I felt sick. Fear—the last thing I wanted to see in my wife's eyes when she looked at me.
She glanced at the floor and then gave me a look that told me she thought I hated her, thought that I thought her to be weak.
No, Misao. Please, Misao. I beg you, Misao. Don't.
I let my control fall, let it plummet to the ground and shatter into an infinite number of indivisible pieces. I felt free.
Most everyone in the Aioya had quietly creeped out, tired of seeing us fight.
But I didn't care.
I strode over to Misao in one giant stride, tilted her chin up and kissed her passionately.
When I looked into her eyes after pulling away (that was good, I was the one pulling away not her), I saw her shake her head in exasperation.
"Misao, you know how I feel about these things," I began to ramble.
"Aoshi..."
"As you are now the Okashira, bearing the heir, and the wife of me, you're—,"
"Aoshi."
"No, wait, Misao, listen to me, it's—," "AOSHI! I DON'T THINK I CAN LISTEN TO YOU NOW!"
"Really, Misao I thought you had grown up—,"
"AOSHI, YOU BASTARD! I'M GOING INTO LABOR!"
My eyes widened in shock and panic. What to do?!
Luckily, most of the household heard Misao's loud declaration and came skidding down the stairs.
Okina ran out of the house to call Sagara-san, who had come to stay in a nearby inn a couple of weeks ago, just in case of something like this happened.
A few hours later I was neverously pacing back and forth in front of the closed room, stopping ever so often when I heard an agonized shriek.
"Shinomori, stop before you ware a hole through that floor you polished today," Sagara Sanoske remarked.
That jackass didn't know what the hell I was going through anyway. (A/N – woah, Aoshi...)
SHRIEK
BANG
I was in Misao's room before anyone could bat an eye and protest.
"Misao!"
I glanced over at the bed to see a bawling/shrieking Misao.
NO!!!
I rushed over to her bedside and almost puked at the whole scene. But I swallowed the nauseating feeling and turned to anxiously hover over her, until of course, Takani-san pushed my away.
"Shinomori-san, you are breeching protocol."
"The hell with protocol..." I muttered vehemently.
Takani-san growled in annoyance, but turned the immediate situation at hand.
"Breathe, Misao, honey, breathe," the doctor cooed.
"AAAAHH, I-I—,"
A sudden iron grip around my wrist jerked me out of my horrified paralysis.
"AOSHI!!"
I whispered to Misao, tried to calm her while trying to ignore the acute pain spreading from my wrist.
Damn, Misao, if only I had your strength when I fight...and only a few hours ago you thought I thought you were weak...
Oh Kami-sama, we were both in tears now. My wrist hurt so badly, worse even then the slash Himura gave me in our fight in that library.
And then,
CRACK
WAAAAHHH
My wrist seared beyond any form of pain I had suffered, but it was not enough to take my attention away from my newborn daughter.
I felt numb. Both mentally...and...physically...
My child, Misao's child, our child, my child, Misao's child, our child...the words pranced through my brain like giddy pixies.
Takani-san whisked the baby away, and I felt an unpleasantly cold gust shake my heart. She was taking my baby away, yes to clean her, but she was taking her awaaaaay.
Aiya, Shinomori, you sound like you gave birth to her, I thought.
"Aoshi?" squeaked my poor wife.
I could have kicked myself; I almost forgot about my wife.
I wiped away the sweat from her face with the wet towel, and kissed her forehead.
Carefully, I wrapped my arms around her petite figure, ignoring the pain coursing through my broken wrist.
As they say, no pain, no game.
cdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcd
"Knock, knock."
I had half a mind to ask "who's there," but I knew it was not the appropriate time for childish jokes.
"Come—," Misao wearily began, but I cut her off, even if I knew what would follow...
"COME BACK LATER!" I barked, and there were no further knocks.
It was amazing to see that Misao could transcend that flush she had gained from labor.
'Watch out Aoshi, Misao's mad.' You know when you tell yourself something like that, it's like a captain telling you to "TAKE COVER!" Unfortunately, the room was devoid of any other tables or beds big enough to serve as a shelter.
Suddenly, instead of blowing up—an action that, by the way, scared me worse because now she was a TICKING time bomb (I would not be able to predict when my chance would come for escape)—she stuck the back of her hand in front of my face, fingers spread wide apart.
I noticed that she had long, slim fingers, pearly-white and beautiful. I wanted to kiss them.
That would be a stupid move, though. Seeing that she was infuriated, with any hint of close proximity, she would gauge my eyes out.
I braced myself for a back-handed slap. Instead, she did the most peculiar of things.
Slowly, Misao put down her little finger, followed by her ring finger (which I smugly noticed graced a wedding ring), and then her thumb.
Only her forefinger and her middle finger remained up.
Oh, no. I knew what was going to happen next.
Yup.
She put her forefinger down leaving, well wad'ya know, her middle finger up.
I lifted an eyebrow, thinking about my response...I had a couple to choose from...
"Really, Misao, where did you learn such things?" "Misao, do you really think that is appropriate in front of our child?" Emphasizing the "our child" part. Maybe that would soften her up.
Instead, before I could fully think about it and make a strategic decision, my stupid mouth that seemed to do whatever it wanted lately (Just like a certain teenager I once knew...), acted on its own stupid will.
"Is that an offer?"
Kami-sama kill me now, please?
Misao looked dumbfounded for a moment before she roared, "HELL NO!"
It wasn't like I had my hopes up anyway. How many times had I asked Kami- sama to kill me? And I was still breathing—well, not really, due to my acute fright, I stopped breathing too. Come on Kami-sama...just a little tip and hole in one.
"You better hold your damn hormones in check," Misao continued loudly. "Because if you think I'm going to go through this again any time soon, you're the biggest bakayaro in the world."
"Any time soon?" I asked hopefully. Relief shook my heart when I saw the angry blush drain from her lovely face.
She sighed and gazed at our baby.
I didn't press for an answer, but queried, "May I hold her?"
Nodding, she carefully handed me my little girl. It's amazing how quickly I can get possessive.
I smiled gently down at my bundle of joy and then looked up to smirk at Misao.
"Brings back memories..."
OOF!
I felt a bruise begin to swell on my cheek.
It hurt badly.
Good girl, Misao.
cdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcd
My bruised cheek and my sprained wrist didn't help my overall daze when we returned to the Aoiya.
It wasn't until I placed the sleeping Misao and our baby on our futon that the whole day's fiasco hit me.
And did it me hard, like a shot of strong sake.
No sooner was I grinning like a baka and bouncing off the walls, mentally kissing Kami-sama for keeping me alive.