Everything was quiet on the lawn behind the newly-rebuilt Aoiya. Aoshi eyed the open area with pleasure as he sat down on the grass. After the destruction of the original Aoiya, Okina had managed to secure a larger property on which to recreate the restaurant and secret Oniwabanshuu base.
Everyone had been happy with the decision. The added space made training much easier, and the new locale- although less accessible- was popular with the clientele. Business was booming; even Misao was forced, once in a while, to play waitress, and Aoshi would've been willing to swear that the only way anyone would ever get Misao into a kimono was over her dead body. She certainly scowled enough whenever the subject was brought up.
She'd been gone for a few days, visiting someone on the other side of town. Aoshi had been surprised by how much he missed her. The Aoiya was much quieter when she was away. Granted, it had been nice to not be pestered by her pranks for a while...but then he'd begun to miss those, too. If nothing else, it was definitely a challenge trying to keep ahead of her. She was constantly surprising him.
Aoshi closed his eyes and lifted his face towards the sun, feeling its warmth. Idly, he wondered when he'd last made time to just sit quietly, like this. He'd gotten caught up in onmitsu business again, and it kept him occupied.
Perhaps it was the sunlight that kept Aoshi from hearing the footsteps approaching him from behind. However, he definitely noticed the handful of grass that was flung in his face. He opened his eyes immediately, shaking his head and almost sputtering.
Misao was doubled over with laughter, pointing at him. He eyed her coolly for a few minutes, then looked away.
She waved a hand in front of his eyes. "Ne, Aoshi-sama, aren't you even going to welcome me back?" Without waiting for an answer- or an invitation- she sat down next to him and looked up at the sky. "Mmm. I can't remember the last time we had a day this nice."
Aoshi reached up and plucked a few of the strands of grass from his hair. "Welcome back, Misao." He looked at the grass critically, then tossed it aside. "I think."
Misao grinned and stuck her tongue out at him. "Why thank you, Aoshi-sama. It's good to be home. Though, I did have a nice time; Okawa-san's baby is very cute, and..."
She continued to give him all the news about her trip, but Aoshi stopped listening closely; his mind had paused on the word "home" and was considering it.
Home. It was true, this was home. Here, where he had been taken in and given a family to replace the one he couldn't remember. Here, where he had learned how to be Oniwabanshuu, and later how to lead them. Here, where he had been greeted with joy and laughter and relief, even after his betrayal. Not even Okina had held it against him.
Here, where a blue-eyed girl tried every day to make him smile, usually with bad jokes and antics and pranks. She tried so very hard; it was almost a game between them, that she would try to make him laugh and he would refuse to cooperate while inwardly being amused- and touched.
Aoshi wasn't blind; he knew how Misao felt. He had never thought seriously about love or marriage before, but her obvious adoration of him could not be ignored. Particularly not when he knew he cared for her. He'd been watching over Misao for years; as a child, she'd been loud, pushy, and prone to get in trouble. Now that she was older, that hadn't changed...but she was also the most determined, fearless, honest girl he had ever seen, and he had no doubts that she would grow into a beautiful and equally courageous woman. He looked forward to seeing her transformation.
But for now, she was still a girl. Many people regarded sixteen as being full-grown-- and certainly Shinomori Aoshi, who had been declared Okashira at the tender age of fifteen, knew that the idea had merit. Misao was impetuous, but responsible.
However, he and Misao had been separated for several years, and he had never thought that she would care so much about him. She believed her feelings were serious, and he was willing to consider it. But he had no intentions of acting on his feelings or hers just yet. It was only fair to give her time to change her mind if she wished. Anything else would be taking advantage of her, and that he would never do.
So he would wait. And perhaps, in time...
"Aoshi-sama? You're smiling!"
He blinked out of his reverie to find the object of his thoughts staring at him, her eyes astounded. Amused, he lifted a fingers to his lips. "So I am."
Misao's astonishment turned to a slightly miffed expression. "Mou, that's not fair! I wasn't even trying that time!"
His smile grew a bit wider as she ranted about what a lump he was for spoiling all her fun. He watched the play of emotions on her face- delight mixed with annoyance, her eyes sparkling.
Perhaps not so much time, after all.
Misao bounced into rear entrance of the Aoiya, dropping the bag containing her things haphazardly by the door and cupping hands around her mouth to shout, "TADAIMA!"
"Welcome home, Misao-chan!" Kuro walked into the hallway grinning. "How was your trip?"
She beamed at him. "It was great, Kuro-kun! The new baby is adorable." She laughed. "Poor Kyoko is already jealous of all the attention she's lost; it's very cute."
"Did you really need to shout that loud, Misao-chan?" Omasu said from the doorway, wincing. "You'll frighten away all our customers! Mou, and you've just kicked your shoes off, too...will you ever learn to be neat?"
Misao stuck her tongue out at the young woman. "Speak with respect to your okashira!"
Omasu laughed and gave the girl a quick hug before setting the abandoned sandals neatly by the door. "It's good to have you back, Misao-chan. Okina is out on business- Aoiya business, not ninja. Shiro is practicing, he says his aim has been slipping lately without you around to throw things at. And Okon is on a date with Richard."
"The English guy? I thought you were dating him!"
Omasu blushed slightly. "I met this wonderful man from the Netherlands last week..."
"You're incorrigible, Omasu! So Okon just picked up where you left off? Do you two plan these things?" The older woman blushed even harder, and Misao laughed. "Where's Aoshi-sama?"
Kuro snagged the handle to her bag and lifted it over his shoulder. "He's out on the lawn, I think. What have you got in this thing, Misao-chan? Rocks?"
"Presents! So be nice, or you won't get any!"
Omasu's eyes narrowed. "Where'd you get the money, Misao-chan? Have you been thieving again?"
Misao winked. "I had an excellent teacher." Omasu groaned; she'd been a sneak thief living in the streets when she'd been recruited into the Oniwabanshuu, and had taught Misao the basics years before. "Don't worry, Omasu; I didn't take anything from anyone who couldn't afford it or didn't deserve it, I never do. I'm going to go tease Aoshi-sama; ja ne!"
She skipped back outside and scanned the area, looking for Aoshi. She eventually spotted him sitting quietly in a corner of the field. His back was to her; it was a perfect opportunity. As silently as she could manage- after all, this was the man who had taught her to sneak- she plucked a handful of grass out of the ground and slinked up behind him.
His eyes were closed, his face tilted slightly upward. Perfect.
Misao flung the grass right into his face. His reaction was priceless; he was caught completely off-guard for once, and looked very surprised. He shook his head, and pieces of grass went flying everywhere.
Misao laughed helplessly; she laughed even more when Aoshi glared at her, with strands of grass still caught in his dark hair.
He looked away, and- eventually- Misao regained control of herself. Oh, that was fun! she thought gleefully. She walked in front of him and waved a hand in front of his face. "Ne, Aoshi-sama, aren't you even going to welcome me back?" She sat down next to him, leaning back on her hands and looking up at the sky. "Mmm. I can't remember the last time we had a day this nice."
"Welcome back, Misao," Aoshi said in his quiet, deep voice. He pulled a few of the pieces of grass out of his hand and eyed them critically. "I think."
Misao grinned and stuck her tongue out at him. "Why thank you, Aoshi-sama."
She started telling him all about her trip, but gave up when she realized he wasn't paying attention. She didn't mind; she knew he wasn't really angry with her. Besides, it was too nice a day to worry about anything, and it felt too good to be back. She stretched out on the grass contentedly, enjoying the prickly feel of it beneath her.
Almost reflexively, she glanced over at him and mused. His face was composed, as always. She smiled to herself. Everyone assumed that Aoshi was quiet and withdrawn because he was cold, but Misao knew better. He didn't say much because he felt no real need for speech. He preferred to remain in the background and observe.
Sometimes it annoyed her. Would it be that difficult for him to share a conversation with her? She teased him about it constantly, and he would give the occasional dry comment proving that he did in fact have a sense of humor. The problem was that he only ever seemed to be amused when it was at her expense!
Aoshi-sama no baka! Misao thought decidedly, twisting a piece of grass between her fingers.
And when would he ever smile for her? He did smile now and then, but it was always very slight, usually bitter. She couldn't stand seeing it...how much he still hurt inside, for so many reasons. She tried her hardest to keep him in the present, to distract him. Usually she succeeded, but she had yet to see him smile genuinely at her, without any pain. That was what she wanted most of all from him.
But mostly, she didn't mind. He'd always been serious; she was used to it. Besides, if he could put up with her incessant babbling and pranks, she could put up with his silences, right?
And it wasn't really silent, not to her...she could almost always guess what he was thinking, how he was feeling. After so much time spent watching him, she knew all the little signs that would reveal his emotions. She grinned inwardly. It infuriated the others, sometimes. Okon was constantly asking to know her secret; how she was able to read Aoshi-sama when no one else could. She might not be the best spy, but she was miles ahead of the others when it came to Aoshi.
If only the man weren't so...so stubborn sometimes. He knew how she felt; he had to know. But he never acted on it. Misao wasn't sure if it was because of honor or guilt; either answer annoyed her. It wasn't that he didn't care; she knew he did, at least somewhat. It had to be something else, probably something that he'd need to work through himself.
She was just as stubborn as he was, though. Someday she'd get him to open up to her...she knew it wouldn't be easy, but the challenge was too tempting to resist.
Someday, Aoshi'd realize that she was there to stay. Then maybe he'd start taking her feelings seriously.
Misao glanced up again, and then sat bolt upright. "Aoshi-sama? You're smiling!" He was, too- a genuine smile, with no hint of self-mockery in it.
His eyes moved over to her, and he lifted a finger up to his lips. "So I am."
Misao was incredulous. "Mou, that's not fair! I wasn't even trying that time!" She scrambled up and kneeled in front of him, glaring. "What on earth were you thinking about? You've got to tell me!!"
His smile grew slightly, but he didn't answer, just watched her. Frustration mixed with delight, and Misao was tempted to laugh. Instead she forced herself to keep glaring at him, demanding to know what had made him smile and ranting about what an impossible man he was for spoiling all her fun.
The sun shone down on both of them as it traveled across the sky.
With thanks to Tin for giving me permission to steal her idea about Omasu and Okon "substituting" men. I liked the image too much to resist. =)
Send all comments to ashfae@duct-tape.mit.edu.
S. Ashley Burns AKA Ashfae
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/8264/anime.html