Full Circle:
oo
Misao feigned sleep, making her breath smooth and even. How long was he going to just stand there?
A small eternity later Aoshi left her doorway and slid the door closed. Her breath hitched when she listened to his even footsteps retreat into his room. His door closed.
She waited an hour before stealing out of the Aoiya and onto the cold streets of Kyoto.
o
He found it later.
It wasn't until Omasu had scanned the Aoyia and the area visible from the porch did the members of the household begin to organize their search effort. All the while he had a grim understanding that even as the others searched her usual haunts she was long gone. So he had stood outside her room, in limbo, dreading the finality that entering it would bring.
At length he had made move to enter, and anyone who had been regarding the scene would have been quite puzzled at the manner which with each careful step was made. Steps that almost inadvertently drew him to her dresser where the note lay scrawled in her own determined hand.
I left of my own accord and in my right mind.
I will be back soon.
Misao
He slowly folded the note and tucked it into a pocket before leaving the room exactly as he found it.
o
She had plans for later, now all she could do was buy time, so she bought a ticket for Tokyo.
oLatero
Kaoru left Misao asleep on the floor, exhausted. Outside her door she met Kenshin, who was drawn to the scene of the noise.
"Did I hear Misao?" he asked as soon as she had closed the door.
She turned to him and said sadly, "Yes, she's resting but I'm worried about her."
"Did she come here alone?"
Concern showed in Kenshin's eyes as an incline of his head invited more information. Kaoru quickly filled in him in on the sparse details that she was able to gain from her experience and Misao's communication. Even that was enough to illicit a response of disbelief from Kenshin.
"Are you sure he really did?"
Kaoru responded with a curt nod. Both their gazes wandered to the door beyond which Misao dozed fitfully.
Finally she asked, "He wouldn't show up here, would he?"
"There's a chance, yes. We can deal with that should it happen, in the mean time Misao will stay with us."
oFlashbacko
Kaoru shifted the basket of wet laundry under her other arm and crossed over to the front of the house. Unfortunately, she spied someone at the gate and there was a light thump as the basket hit the ground, work lost.
"Misao!" she exclaimed excitedly. The girl in question bounded towards her.
Soon the picture of happiness shifted and Kaoru could see several flaws in the scene. Why was Misao here, unannounced and unaccompanied? Why were there light trails of tears on her cheeks?
"Misao," she said more quietly after they had embraced; she could tell the girl regarded her apprehensively. She motioned for them to move indoors and steered Misao to the relative privacy of her room.
Misao sat on the floor, eyes dull. Kaoru was struck with pity for the younger woman, once so full of life. Wordlessly she kneeled down beside her.
She studyed her face for a moment before venturing to ask what was wrong.
"Nothing's wrong," Misao shrugged, "I just wanted to visit you!"
Kaoru said nothing, but shot her a thin disbelieving look.
Misao was silent for a beat but after some gentle prompting said, "It's Aoshi," and then even quieter, "I hope I never see him again." As if the mere thought ripped another hole in her heart, tears sprung in her eyes. Misao held them in.
Kaoru briefly wondered what could cause her to rue the sight of Aoshi of all people before Misao herself supplied an answer. "I woke up and he was gone."
Kauru was shocked. Then the space made by sheer surprise was slowly filled with fury.
That he would sink to such a level as to harm sweet Misao was something Kaoru was finding increasingly more despicable. Her anger was mounting in leaps and bounds.
He had broken the only one who consistently believed in him. Misao who forgave him again and again, who wanted only for him to be home for a while, to retain a shred of normalcy. She gazed at the slip of an individual whose grief had been reduced to silent tears.
How selfish to just leave her, again.
Kaoru believed in second chances. (Exhibit A: Kenshin). She also only granted them to those who deserved them. She had forgiven Aoshi's past offences on the grounds she believed he was heading in a positive direction, but this was inexcusable.
"Don't worry Misao," she soothed. Then with an edge that did not go unnoticed by the ninja girl, "I'll make sure you won't have to deal with him."
oEnd Flashbacko
oo
"Old hag," Yahiko grumbled, the brisk strokes of his sweeping thankfully masking any comments Kaoru would find objectionable.
Yahiko noted movement out of the corner of his eye and, in a parallel scene to that which took place earlier, glanced up to see someone approaching.
He watched as Aoshi entered the yard and strode purposefully towards the house.
Yahiko continued his work with the broom debating his course of action.
Engaging him in conversation was probably useless, plus there was that thing with the weasel girl. Then again, he couldn't just ignore him, he was a little intense. Also, calling for help was just about the lamest thing conceivable.
It was then Yahiko developed a brilliantly face-saving approach. He turned towards Aoshi and said rather loudly, "Do you need to see Kenshin or the ugly one?"
An audible growl came from indoors and Kaoru burst out, fully preparing to exact justice. When she spied Aoshi her hand dropped and the intensity in her gaze became deceivingly cool.
"Hello, Aoshi."
"Hello." Aoshi was slightly puzzled by her standoffish behavior but proceeded. "I must see Misao."
"No," she returned flatly.
"She is here, correct?"
"Yes."
"And I can not speak with her?" Aoshi had not meant it, but this query came out low and threatening.
"I will not allow you to see her when you've caused her so much pain," Kaoru responded, unyielding.
Aoshi felt physically burdened by this information. He felt the thread of self control on which he had been grasping strain under his grip.
Kaoru continued, "It might break her."
It stretched and twisted.
He brushed past her and inside despite the heated protests she voiced.
"You are just selfish, Aoshi. Haven't you put her through enough pain?" She stood directly in his way, sliding into a defensive stance for good measure.
Finally, the tiny flutter of constraint danced out of his clutching fingers and faded away, irretrievable.
He was no longer hearing her. He no longer made move to understand the series of sounds and syllables she set against him.
His thought process was almost monosyllabic. Misao.
He drew his kodachi.
Kenshin appeared and noted the scene; instantly stepping between the two and touching the hilt of his sword. Kaoru conversed with him over his shoulder, he nodded. He did not regard Aoshi coldly but steadily, as if studying him for an outward change.
"Himura, I must see Misao."
"I'm afraid I can not let you, it would not do her good, especially now." At that point Kenshin really meant that both were ill equipped for a meeting.
Aoshi shifted. Kenshin did not move. "I will ask you again. I need Misao."
"Well then you shouldn't have left her you bastard!" Kaoru spat angrily before Kenshin could quiet her.
Aoshi regarded her in a detached way. The ignorance with which she addressed the situation seemed to strike a chord somewhere in him. For a moment he grasped at a time far in the past. There was reaction he would have had, in a happier time-- Then in an instinctual way he laughed.
It was brief, cold and raw.
For the first time in his presence, Kaoru was genuinely scared.
Kenshin tensed.
Aoshi straightened and sheathed his kodachi, once again master of his emotions. "I am sorry then that you believed her, although I imagine she was quite convincing."
Kenshin and Kaoru waited, neither wanting to speak further without more information or elicit any more unbalanced behavior from Aoshi.
"She ran away from the Aoiya. I followed her here."
Kaoru was dumbstruck. Finally she spoke, "Why should we believe you?"
"Check for yourself," Aoshi returned flatly. He was unsure of where to find her but moved anyway, past the point of expecting their aide.
Kenshin motioned for Aoshi to follow him. Kaoru made no objection and walked slowly behind. The trek was made in silence.
They arrived at the door of Kaoru's room but Aoshi made no move to enter. Kaoru slid open the door and glanced at the empty room inside.
A/N:
Cut to Misao running in the woods. OK, I enjoy this chapter immensely, and I guess that's all that really matters.
Thanks to: Newbie GK, DemonSlayer205, ChildlikeEmpress, loviegurlie, xblackjaguarx, Wandering lunatick, Alatre, MadiSano, Kai Sohma, Crewel, gabyhyatt, RougeShadow, and Aldailyn (update soon please :-) )!
Sorry for any and all confusion. (-and if I missed anyone- sweatdrops).
Please R because I'm out of creative ways to ask.