By Shin Sankai
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The Aoi-ya was closed for the most part of today. It had been far too hot for anyone to work in the restaurant let alone anyone to leave their homes. All the shoji's were open around the Aoi-ya; allowing what breeze there was to waft its way through the residence.
Misao was currently in the kitchen, picking away at a lump of ice that was melting fast. She was dressed in a plain white thin yukata and her hair was pinned atop her head. Okina was resting on the back porch looking over his garden while Shiro, Kuro, Omasu and Okon took the opportunity to head into the markets, glad to have a day off.
A creak on the stairs indicated to Misao that Aoshi had finally returned from wherever he'd gone at sunrise. Ever since her proposal he'd been gone everyday by sunrise and back mid afternoon to hunker down in his quarters. Today Misao would not allow him to brood in the quiet of his humid quarters. She would chat with him…and try desperately to steer clear of her surprising proposal. Not to mention how funny he looked as well. To think the only thing that could shock the man so much would be someone asking for his hand in marriage. Misao let off a short giggle at the image of Aoshi missing his stool.
She dumped the shaved ice into a bowl and placed it onto her serving tray. Taking in a deep breath Misao padded quietly up the stairs and headed down the hallway towards Aoshi's room. Standing stock still in the open shoji, Misao gripped the tray for fear it would slip from her hands and wet her lips as she gazed openly upon Aoshi.
He was lying on the floor in the middle of his quarters reading an old literacy book, which she was certain belonged to his master, her late grandfather. That of course hadn't made Misao's heart stop in her chest. The beige yukata Aoshi wore around the Aoi-ya was rumpled and the top half was peeled away from his glistening tanned and scarred upper body. It was draped around his waist, discarded because of the heat in the air. At this very moment he was resting on his right side, right arm holding up his head while his left held the book open against the floorboards. Misao had to gulp down the lump in her throat as her eyes travelled down Aoshi's dishevelled and sweaty form. The bottom half of his yukata was parted seductively as it gapped open, revealing strong muscled legs. Misao was certain that if Aoshi shifted ever so slightly anymore his yukata would part further and reveal his thighs to her wandering eyes and instantly make her knees quiver.
"You are blocking the flow of air." Aoshi's deep sultry voice called out to her, his experienced fingers gliding over the page as he turned it.
"What air?" Misao contorted as she moved into the quarters.
"The heat isn't as bad as you think Misao."
"Coming from the man who's practically naked before my very eyes." Green shot to blue before returning to the book.
"Try not to think about it so much and it won't affect you so much."
"So this is like a test of how strong my mentality is."
"It can be, if you wish." Aoshi observed as Misao's lips wrinkled in thought and watched her shake her head.
"Its too freaking hot for tests!" She whined and tilted over, resting on her left side, the tray with the ice and two bowls in between their slumped forms. The silence grew before Misao decided to speak, calling out his name and observing as his eyes slowly drifted to hers. "I…brought you some shaved ice."
"I can see that." She nodded her head, continued to stare at the ice as it began to shrink. Misao was certain that Aoshi knew something else was on her mind and probably figured out that it was he.
"Will you share the ice with me?" Aoshi questioned and watched Misao sit up and quietly begin to split the ice into the bowls. Ever since her proposal he truly had locked himself away, trying to think about what to say to her and still he had come up with nothing. He'd even gone back to the temple he frequented when he returned months ago, but no answers lay there either.
"Aoshi-sama?" Aoshi darted his eyes back to Misao, having drifted off into thoughts as he'd been looking over her shoulder and out into the hallway. "Ice…" She pushed the bowl over the floorboards towards him and quietly he chewed on the coolness. It soothed his dry throat and he was glad for the distraction so he didn't have to make meaningless chatter with Misao.
"What are you reading?" Aoshi let off a soft sigh, closed his book and forgot about his half bowl of ice. He laid fully on his back, the hard wood pressing into his shoulder blades, but it wasn't a bother to him. Aoshi turned his gaze from the ceiling to Misao, noticing her flushed cheeks and the way she glued her eyes to stare up into the clear blue sky out his opened window and not at him.
"Why not tell me what you really wish to say?"
"I fear you will distance yourself from me further if I do."
"Further?"
"Can you deny you haven't been keeping away from me ever since I…" She faulted there and drew her eyes to her clenched hands.
"I suppose not." His voice was a dull murmur. Aoshi raked his hand through his damp bangs and proceeded to tuck it under his head. "I'm sorry Misao." She hadn't been expecting that and when she stared into his eyes, seeing the pained truth behind that apology - for not being able to give her an answer - she slumped forward and thumped her head against his chest. Aoshi raised his free hand and placed it against the back of Misao's head allowing her to rest against him since she had turned her face, pressing her cheek into his abdomen.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm cursed." Aoshi listened to Misao mumble against his body, her warm breath fanning against his skin. "I get so much closer to you and then one little thing throws me two steps back."
"It was hardly little." Aoshi's shoulders relaxed when he heard Misao laugh.
"Yeah…"
"You also forget that life is full of challenges, so do not think yourself cursed." Aoshi felt pressure against his chest and gazed up at Misao. She was sitting up, her yukata gapping open slightly and her elbow digging into his ribs. She was staring down at him with a soft smile against her pink lips.
"I never expected that my biggest challenge would end up being you." She watched his lips part but nothing came out. "Always too shy to say what you feel." Her heart thumped heavily in her chest as Aoshi tilted his head, she observing as strands of silky jet-black hair brushed seductively over half lidded eyes. "And far too kind to ever want to hurt my feelings." Without thinking Misao bent over and pressed her lips to Aoshi's and nearly reeled back when his parted beneath hers acceptingly. Aoshi's hand had raised up to lightly caress her cheek and when his rough fingers made contact with smooth skin, Misao finally pulled away from him, watery eyes closing as she pressed her forehead against his chest once more.
"Misao…" Aoshi muttered her name, fingers tracing over his lips as he etched the feel of Misao's into his brain.
"You let me…" He listened to her muffle against his skin. "You let me kiss you, but will never allow me to do so forever, till death do us part, right Aoshi-sama?" He was struck speechless by those pained sapphire eyes. He was certain they would break him, but Misao shook her head, the wetness gone as it was washed away in strength he'd seen growing within her. She rose to her feet, trying so hard to remain strong and clutched the tray and the bowls of completely melted ice within her shaking hands. "I'm sorry… I promised myself I'd wait all eternity for you to answer me and now I'm rushing you. Its just hard…waiting for an answer…you know?" As Aoshi watched her leave, he thumped his head once against the floorboards. In truth, he didn't know what it was like to try and patiently wait for answers. If he desired answers to his questions, he had the power, the brutality to go get them. However, something like love was far beyond his vast knowledge that Aoshi was a complete novice at it. He wasn't even sure if a single ounce of love registered within his being. Was he even capable of giving love?
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The skilled ninja remained on the floor of his quarters for quite sometime as his mind drifted from one wild scenario to another. He broke from confusing thoughts when the noise level downstairs rose. Shifting from his position, Aoshi sat up, stretching his stiff muscles and stared out his window. Sunset was falling over Kyoto and Aoshi rose to his feet, putting his clothing back into place. He headed downstairs towards the restaurant as it appeared Okina and the others had decided to open for the dinner rush and people were drifting in.
Sliding the shoji across, Aoshi's eyes came in contact with couples of all ages, some with children and some even with their grandchildren. His eyes followed and elderly couple as they were directed to a table near where he was standing. Closing the shoji, Aoshi eased the elder woman into her chair out of sheer habit. The husband bowed his head in silent thanks.
"Oh look at that." The wife voiced just as Aoshi was about to silently head back upstairs. His eyes followed to where the elder woman was looking and they narrowed. "Young love is truly a cherished gift from the gods." Aoshi and the couple were currently starring at what appeared to be a slightly intoxicated man on both knees proposing to Misao of all things! She was looking down at him, her eyes slightly wide and her round serving tray clutched at the front of her purple kimono she wore when working. Whistles erupted throughout the Aoi-ya, bringing forth déjà vu for Aoshi as he watched Misao smile awkwardly (a flush tinting her cheeks) as she helped him to his feet. He observed the unknown man to him, but obviously known to Misao pick up her hand and place a kiss against her palm. All Misao did was laugh and passed him onto his apologising friends.
Misao stood by the entrance, watching the men leave before turning around, her eyes lifting and stopping her dead in her tracks as she caught Aoshi's. Her teeth sank into her lower lip, heart thumping, hands shaking as she quickly went back to work, diverting away from Aoshi. He on the other hand decided to leave the restaurant and head back upstairs, unsure as to why Misao's face changed so suddenly. He went to investigate what she saw on his face and glided softly into her quarters and towards the full-length mirror. Aoshi stepped back, face softening as it had been previously full of rage. It still flashed within his eyes, the crease against his forehead still there. His short nails left indents against his skin, fisted so tightly that a couple had broken through.
"Is this…jealousy?" Aoshi questioned himself before diverting his eyes away from the mirror and of what Misao had been shocked at witnessing. He knew the feeling of rage, he'd felt it many times in the past, but now it was mixed with something else. When Aoshi witnessed that man proposing to Misao and touching her, a passion burned within his insides, within his heart to ludicrously think that no one could touch her, for she was his and his alone! Aoshi dropped himself into the chair beside Misao's window and placed his head in his hands as he stared over at a dying bunch of flowers resting in a vase. He needed to think long and hard on what his next moves were going to be. Would he act? Or would he allow Misao to wilt and die like the very flowers within her room? This choice was his and his alone…and it scared Aoshi more then anything in the world.
(End)
Next Chapter – Stage Five: The Crappiest of DaysAuthors Notes: I think I went too fast with this chapter, or it didn't go far enough, but I actually really want to get to the next chapter, which helps push Aoshi into deciding what to do about him and Misao.
