Disclaimers Notice: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin nor any of the characters portrayed in this story.

Spending Your Whole Life Waiting…

By: Mimi The Deceitful

Chapter 6: Voices In My Head

"I came to protect her…"

"From what if you don't mind me asking?"

"Soujiro-san?" Okon made the effort of being the first one to walk out of the room. He turned around to face her as she slowly crept her way in front of him. "…What exactly is your relationship with Misao-chan?"

Soujiro eyes widened. "Eh?! R-relationship…?" He stared at them dumbly. "I'm not sure what you mean." He backed up cautiously as he suddenly became uncomfortable with the way they were looking at him. They were going to jump him or interrogate him but either way they were going to force it out of him.

"Don't give me that! I know you might not understand or have emotions or something of that sort but you know what I'm talking about!"

"Um-"

"How far have you gone with her?"

"Eh-?"

"You haven't done anything un-forward to her have you?"

"I-!"

"You wouldn't dare force her to do anything would you-"

"NO!" Soujiro managed to spit out. He wasn't sure how much more pressure he could handle. "Well, Misao-kun and I are just friends. We haven't done anything." He raised his head up to look at the faces of both women. It seemed as if they were trying to debate whether or not he was telling the truth. He relaxed once their serious expressions started to leave.

"Well, I trust you Soujiro-san. And Misao-chan does too. So, if you ever hurt her you'll be dealing with us." Soujiro stared blankly at them. He wondered why everyone was suddenly inquiring about him and Misao. He wouldn't hurt her. He had no reason to. He was snapped out of his thoughts when both of the women bowed and began walking away. He turned around to watch them leave but Okon stopped near the doorway.

"Soujiro-san…what exactly are your intentions?" She asked him.

"…my intentions?" Okon nodded.

"Yes, for Misao-kun." He stared at her unable to understand what she was saying.

"I don't have any intentions…" It was silent for a moment and she nodded her head and left him alone in the hallway. He understood that she had motherly feelings toward Misao but what he didn't understand was why she was suddenly directing her protectiveness toward him. He hadn't done anything to her. This was all too confusing for him.

He walked down the hallway past where Okon had just been standing and headed toward his room. He stopped at the sound of Misao's voice coming from the office.

"Please Aoshi-sama!" Misao was pleading to him but he hadn't even raised his head up to look at her. Even after she dressed all up and let her hair down, he didn't seem to acknowledge it. He was too busy occupying himself with the paperwork that she had been neglecting as okashira. He repeated again in a cold and even tone.

"I told you Misao. I do not have time at the moment but if you could wait-" He was cut off as she abruptly slammed her hand on the desk.

"Aoshi-sama! Have you forgotten that I am the current okashira and that I am responsible for all of the crap that you're filling out?" Aoshi sighed but still made no gesture to pay any attention to her.

"Misao, I wouldn't be doing this if you've kept up to your duties as the current okashira." She gulped.

"Uh…eh…"

"Anything else Misao?" Her hands fisted at her sides as she tried to come up with more excuses.

"B-but Aoshi-sama! I want to go now…! Anyways, the shops closing in 15 minutes!" She knew she was acting like an immature and spoiled child but Aoshi usually accompanied her to the market, whether it was her decision or not. Okina had also told him that Misao would get around to doing the paperwork when she felt like it but considering the person in account that would be close to never. Plus, Okon purposely gave her a whole list of groceries making it so that Aoshi had to come.

"Misao-"

"Um, I could accompany you." Aoshi looked up to see Soujiro standing in the doorway. "It looks like Shinomori-san is busy at the moment and I'm currently not doing anything. Plus, you need someone to help carry the groceries right?" Misao brightened up and ran to Soujiro's side leaving Aoshi at the desk.

"That would be wonderful! But let's hurry, it closes soon." The two started walking off and Misao shot one last glance at Aoshi as he watched them leave. If he was jealous at all he wasn't showing it. She chucked at the thought. Aoshi-sama…the jealous type?

He tried to keep his focus on finishing the papers but each time he raised the pen to write he'd place it back down. Why was this bothering him so much? It's not like he wasn't going to accompany her to the market. And Misao was actually going with someone that wasn't him? It seemed that ever since the Tenken had arrived here at the Aoiya, Misao has been slowly distancing herself from him. Nobody really noticed and he wasn't so sure if she knew herself but he knew. He always knew if there was something wrong with her, off about her, or if she was troubled. And the way she always threw her affection at him he would know if something was off.

Aoshi placed the pen on the desk and stood up. He didn't like this in the very least. In no more than a second he was walking out of the front door of the Aoiya and was on the dirt road. He sensed something was going to go wrong and he didn't trust that boy with his life…let alone Misao. After walking for about 10 minutes he caught sight of them at a stand.

"CLOSED…!" Misao threw the list in the air. She spun around and glared at Soujiro. "Dammit! Couldn't you have used you shukuchi or whatever the hell it is?!" He raised his hand in defense.

"Gomen Misao-kun, but I don't usually resort to using it for daily tasks such as shop-!" Misao grabbed his shoulders and shook him violently.

"Dammit! Don't you know what you've done?! Now we're not gonna have anything to eat! I'm hungry as hell right now and we can't return empty-" She stopped when she noticed he wasn't really paying attention to her. "Hey, are you listening to me?"

In a second he tilted his head and smiled. "Let's have lunch Misao-kun." She stared at him dumb-founded.

"Eh?"

"Come on, to the Shirobeko!" He grabbed her hand and led her in that direction. Aoshi twitched at the sudden contact between him and Misao. He was getting albeit too friendly for his liking. He continued to follow them, making sure to stay outside of Misao's range of sensing him. As they entered the Shirobeko, Aoshi stayed in the alley just across and watched them get seated from a window. They sat across from each other and ordered food and he watched their lips move as they engaged in a conversation. He tried to get closer but the hordes of people on the street and in the restaurant made it impossible to hear. He decided that it would be best to just watch.

To Aoshi, the 20 minutes they spent in the restaurant seemed like hours had gone by. He had grown long tired of Misao's constant giggling and laughter and how she seemed to have a reaction to every word that boy said. He remembered when it used to be him who with just a few words spoken would have her running off with a smile or shouting with glee. He wouldn't admit he was jealous as he watched them exit the Shirobeko. He strained but soon managed to pass it off as him being naturally over-protective of her.

He stayed a good 15 feet away from them but his vision got clouded by a group of people. He tried to keep them in sight but as soon as the passing group deteriorated all he caught was a glimpse of Misao's back. Where is-

"You really don't trust me, do you Shinomori-san?"

Aoshi stopped in front of an alley and turned his head to see a certain Soujiro Seta leaning against the wall.

"If you wanted to join us for lunch you could've just asked. I felt sort of bad that we made you wait in that alley for almost half an hour." Aoshi glared at him.

"I came to protect Misao." Soujiro began walking toward Aoshi.

"From what if you don't mind me asking?" Aoshi felt his hands clenching at his sides.

"From you," Aoshi responded coldly. Soujiro just simply smiled as he walked past him.

"Oh, well I better get back to Misao-kun before she realizes that I'm gone." In a quick movement he disappeared. Aoshi spun around to look back at Misao and saw that Soujiro was walking right next to her. She turned to the side and continued talking as if he never left her for a second. Aoshi turned away taking an alternate route back to the Aoiya. There was no point in continuing his spying. As he walked down the alleyway that question dawned on him. What are you protecting her from…? He thought about it but he couldn't come up with an answer. Was he really protecting her from Soujiro? What was he protecting her from?

Soujiro interrupted Misao when he let out a small chuckle. He no longer sensed Aoshi's presence and believed his spying was over. Misao looked up at him bewildered, "what's so funny?" He rubbed the back of his head as he thought of an answer.

"Ha-ha, oh it's nothing. I was just thinking about when you broke all of the plates because you told Okon that you could carry them all." He looked down at her and her cheeks had a light tint of blush on them. She narrowed her eyes in embarrassment.

"…that was like, last week." She responded.

"Ha-ha, you're right. It just came to mind randomly." She raised her hand and knocked the back of his head with it.

"You're weird." Soujiro just smiled at her and chuckled as they headed back to the Aoiya.

"Mou, Misao-chan!" Misao bowed in apology as she tried to calm down a frustrated Okon. "I told you to go to the market and get groceries for a reason! And you come back empty-handed? Not only that but you went out for lunch? Now, what are we supposed to eat?!"

"I-I'm sorry! I was just kind of hungry and I got carried away. And plus the shop was closed by the time we got there! Not even the vegetables were left on the stand!" Okon sighed and placed her hand on her head.

"Mou, I gave you that list almost 30 minutes before you left!" Misao gulped.

"Eh…was it that long? Time flies when you're having fun!" Okon looked up but Misao was already gone.

"Misao-chan?!" Okon leaned against the counter of the kitchen. "Grr…that girl!"

Misao quickly closed the shoji to her room shut as she panted. "Those women can be so scary sometimes…!" She casually walked over to her futon and undid the obi on her back. She strolled to her window carelessly letting the kimono drop to the floor. She stared as she saw Aoshi entering the Aoiya in his dark uniform. When did he go out- She stopped when she saw a small glint of light coming from his waist. His kodachi's? Without a second thought she left her room in search of him.
Aoshi walked into the training hall. He could tell no one had used it since the last time he had since the targets and kunai's still littered the floor. The kunai's that lied on the floor…lied on the floor because…

What are you protecting?

Aoshi's eyes flashed at sudden remembrance of Soujiro's voice. His kodachi's flew out as he slashed the target where his voice was coming from.

Who are you protecting?

Multiple targets flew to the ground in single swift movements.

Are you really protecting her?

Aoshi stopped swinging when he began hearing his own voice in his head.

Who is the one she really needs protection from?

Just then the shoji slid open and he spun around to find himself face to face with Misao. Her eyes widened as she stared at the remains of the targets that littered the floor. He dropped his kodachi's at the sight of her. She was only wearing a thin white form-fitting yukata and it moved with her body as she slowly walked toward him. It was then the answer came to him.

It was him. He was protecting her from himself...from his overwhelming desire for her. That was what kept him from waking up in the middle of the night and crossing the hall, taking her in her room. And yet, at the same time, he would not allow any other to take what was going to be his to claim…her innocence. The thought of someone else's hands on Misao repulsed him. If anyone, he should be the one to show her. Someone who cared for her, not some one who thought her as nothing else but another conquest.

He clenched his hands as a way of self-control. Digging his nails into his skin prevented them from reaching out and tearing that thin yukata right off of her body. He slowly backed away as she came nearer. She needed to leave before he would take her right here, right now, on the wood floor. She came closer confused by his reaction but stopped as her feet touched something. She leaned down and picked up one of her abandoned kunai's. She remembered it as the one he used to undo her bindings.

She stood back up not taking her gaze off the shiny blade she held in her hands. "It's the same as we had left it that afternoon." Aoshi stiffened. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take.

She walked closer to him, her blue eyes meeting his. "That afternoon, when I told you…" He averted his gaze by staring at the floor. He felt his breath leave him when her delicate fingers motioned his face back to look at her. When had she gotten this close? Her intoxicating scent flowing so freely around him.

"It was when I said, 'I love you Aoshi-sama.'" Misao's eyes widened as Aoshi knocked the kunai right out of her hands. Those simple words…became his undoing. In one swift movement he gathered her up in his arms and lied her across the hard floor. She was too shocked by what just happened that she failed to realize that he was already fumbling with her yukata.

"Aoshi-sama-" He pressed his mouth to her silencing any words that would prevent him from completing what his body had ached for so long. She let out small moans as his tongue played with hers, experimenting, and tasting every inch of her. He didn't care any longer about his self-control. He would take her right there, right now, anywhere…everywhere. After what seemed like forever he pulled away breathless as Misao panted under him.

"Misao…no more words, no more interruptions, tonight, right now, were going to finish what we started."

TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 7!

Author's Notes:

-Sorry everybody. I know it's been sooo long since I've updated. Well, I have a life that needs to be tended to and I am not dead.

-The next chapter I'm thinking about whether or not I should include a lemon but by then the rating will have to be placed under M.

-Tell me what you think so far. Review! Criticism is welcomed. If you review, the faster the next one will go up. And maybe, just maybe: A juicy lemon.

MimixTHExDeceitful