From: Tin Mandigma *looks around furtively for doomsday seers* Maybe that singing part did the trick... Hi, minna! ^_^ So sorry for the delay but here's Part 3 of Ikebana. I'm sorry if I haven't commented much *and* replied to comments especially those with regard to ROAD 7 ^^;; this past week. I planned to release Part 8 quickly along with my response but, well, real life sucked me back screaming into it again and I screwed up -_-;; Belated as this may seem, thank you so much to Sariah-san, Larraine-san, Sakka-chan and Serizawa-san for your comments on ROAD ^__^ You guys are the best and I'm sorry, so sorry, that I took such a long time to tell you about this ::sigh:: Anyway, here's Ikebana once again ^^ It's kinda short but then I'm a sucker for cliffhangers ^_^ This is for Miyu-chan ^^ (another friend I've neglected for a looong time.) And to Ashley, got another Oniwabanshuu-related tidbit for you! ^_~ Ikebana by Tin Mandigma ----------------------------------------------------- This is a Rurouni Kenshin-inspired fanfic written entirely for entertainment purposes only. Standard disclaimers apply. ----------------------------------------------------- *Erm, lots of loose talk here ^^;; And mush, of course. And OOCness -_-;; BTW, this part is kinda--weird ^^;; Also, I decided to end Part 3: "Arranging flowers," Aoshi said flatly. Misao fiddled with her hair nervously. "Uh yeah." She cleared her throat. "Ikebana, y'know?" She motioned towards the flowers littered on the floor with an almost apologetic gesture. "What else can we do--" she broke off suddenly, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I mean what else can *I* do with these?" "Yes," Aoshi replied coolly. "What else indeed?" Misao cleared her throat again. "So I thought that since you've gone this far, you could, uh, help me more?" She glanced at him plaintively but he didn't respond. Misao frowned slightly as she watched him. He just stared back at her blankly, looking helplessly detached from the situation. As always. She sighed inwardly as she wondered whether she would ever get used to his abrupt changes in mood. A minute ago, he had been, well, genki. Almost. Now, however, he looked positively catatonic, as if she had proposed something horribly distasteful. Or deliciously twisted. Her blush assumed a deeper hue of red. 'Get your mind off the gutter, girl,' she told herself sternly. "Excuse me?" Aoshi's voice sounded amused. Misao closed her eyes in mortification as she realized that she had spoken that last bit aloud. "Sorry," she muttered. "I had no idea that flowers are potent aphrosidiacs," Aoshi murmured casually. Misao's eyes flew open in shock. "Excuse me?" she squeaked. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Sorry," he shot back. Misao rolled her eyes. "Look, Aoshi-sama," she said heatedly, "if you don't know *anything* about flowers, just tell me, OK? There's no need to--to string me along and all..." her voice dropped to a mutter as she glared at him in irritation. She knew that she was exaggerating the situation but blast it, swinging along in the wildly tilting pendulum of Aoshi's moods was tiring to say the least. Her glare deepened into a scowl. Aoshi did his best to look carefully unperturbed. He was aware that even the slightest hint of amusement on his part could be misconstrued and even, god forbid, acted upon. He returned Misao's gaze with a steady one of his own and hoped that she wouldn't notice the betraying quiver on his mouth. Her eyes sharpened then into steely points of blue and he heaved an inward resigned sigh. Damn. "Well?" she barked. Well what? Did he know *anything* about flowers? Aoshi turned away from Misao slightly as he searched his mind quickly for that little piece of information, dredged up from the storage of his memories, which clicked on his brain as soon as the words "flower arranging" left Misao's mouth... Misao tapped her foot impatiently. Aoshi froze as a welter of images flooded his vision. Gauzy red silk. Long magenta-painted fingernails. Whining scratchy voice calling him... He gulped. Misao narrowed her gaze as she watched Aoshi turn deathly white, then hot red, then a sickly pale green right in front of her. Misao didn't know whether to laugh or to scream from sheer exasperation. But she sure as hell was confused now. And she was starting to get dizzy as well. Misao glanced at Aoshi again. He stared back at her blankly and, if she didn't know better, she could've sworn that he actually looked--horrified. No way. She sighed as worry for the damn man finally won her over. "Aoshi-sama," Misao began gently. Aoshi didn't blink. He just kept staring. She sighed again. "Aoshi-sama, you don't have to look so, well, scared." Misao squeezed her eyes shut. Oops... That was definitely *not* the right thing to say. Aoshi didn't appear to notice her discomfiture. If anything, he was beginning to look even more spaced out. Misao felt a faint stirring of panic. What was wrong with him? Was her suggestion that terrible? Deadly? What?! "Aoshi-sama," she repeated hurriedly, "you don't have to feel like you're forced to help me out or anything. I just thought that this is a chance for us to do something together again. I mean it's been a long time since we did something like, well, like this." Resentment, tinged with barely-hidden longing, crept in her voice . She caught herself abruptly before she could say anything else. 'Way to go, Misao,' she thought wryly. 'Keep this up and you're gonna screw up even more than you probably already have.' She forced a smile on her face. "So you shouldn't feel in the least bit terrif--afr--" she faltered, "*uneasy* OK?" Tentatively, she reached out to pat his arm. He didn't flinch, thank the gods, but he still didn't respond either. Misao's eyes darkened as she withdrew her hand. "But thanks for all your help anyway," she murmured. She tried to smile again. "Look," she said softly, "I'll just go out and call Kakeru, OK? You go back to your room. I'll--I'll bring you--," she flushed, "I'll get one of the help to bring you tea later." Misao waited hopefully for a moment. 'Come on. Say something.' Aoshi merely tilted his head to one side, a blank expression on his face. Sighing, Misao turned away. 'Idiot!' Aoshi screamed in his mind when he saw Misao walk slowly towards the open back door, apparently convinced of his doubtful state of sanity if not his damnable lack of heart and all versions thereof. 'Say something!' He opened his mouth to speak, to confess if he must, but an image of Misao, blue eyes wide with revulsion and horror, flitted in front of his already glazed vision and he actually cringed. Of all the times to go on a trip down a lane of really *bad* memories... Aoshi stared down at the wooden floor of the kitchen where the flowers still lay stretched out in an inviting array of color and scent. <'I just thought that this is a chance for us to do something together again.'> His gaze drifted over to the unwrapped brown package where it lay untouched and forlorn on the kitchen table and his mouth hardened. Misao's 'surprise.' Well, he thought resentfully, he wasn't the only one who had secrets. He glanced at Misao's retreating back. 'Fair's fair,' something inside him whispered childlishly. Wait a minute... No, no, no! Aoshi shook his head as he frowned. No way would he just go up and tell Misao about his--knowledge of 'flower arranging.' It was too embarrassing to say the least and he'd had more than his share of 'embarrassing' incidents with Misao. He honestly didn't think he could endure another... But the concept of 'fair trade' was too tempting to be ignored. 'Make up your mind!' Aoshi thought furiously. Misao already had one foot over the threshold when Aoshi suddenly spoke, the words leaving his mouth in a hasty rush before he could stop them. "All right." Misao froze. "What?" Aoshi ran a hand through his hair hurriedly. "I'll help you." Ever so slowly, Misao turned towards him again and Aoshi's lips twisted wryly when he saw the wariness in her blue eyes. "What?" she repeated blankly. Aoshi shrugged, trying to look casual. "I said I'll help you. With the flowers." The last portion of his sentence nearly choked him but hell if he would let *that* show. "You're serious," Misao said flatly. Just as impassively, Aoshi responded, "Of course I am." Misao stared at him for a few more moments, her face doubtful. "You're just saying that because you feel guilty," she said suddenly, her tone slightly bitter. Aoshi flinched. "I'm not," he said in what he hoped was a convincing voice. "You just caught me--off-guard a while ago, that's all." Misao didn't answer and Aoshi began to wonder if he'd really blown it this time. "Misao--" "Aoshi-sama." He blinked. "Yes?" She looked at him earnestly. "You're not putting me on here, right?" Misao asked him softly. "I mean, you're doing this sincerely and all..." He took a deep breath as he nodded. Misao's face lightened a bit. "And you're not pretending or anything..." she said slowly. "What do you mean?" Aoshi asked somewhat nervously. She looked at him directly. "You really do know something about ikebana." Her gaze narrowed. "Right?" Since when did she become so bossy? a part of him asked wryly, half in amusement, half in exasperation. Maybe it was time he started getting more--involved in her life. Okina certainly advised, or rather nagged him, to do so often enough. "Aoshi-sama..." Misao muttered. Aoshi leaned back against the table. "Well," he hedged, "not directly." Misao frowned and he hurriedly continued, "But I do know--something," he faltered. Misao raised an eyebrow. "Something?" she drawled. He cleared his throat. "Uh..." "What is this 'something,' Aoshi-sama?" Misao asked curiously. "Something which will help," he muttered inanely. "A lot." Misao just stared at him. Damn. He promised himself that he would definitely do *something* about that domineering attitude of hers. But for the meantime... Aoshi took a deep breath, wondering if he was about to make the biggest fool he had ever made of himself in his entire life. Maybe he should just give out subtle hints and let Misao work everything out by herself but he didn't think she had enough patience left to do so. Besides, if he had learned anything at all these past few months, it was that the straight and narrow always works best. Better state it outright. He cleared his throat again. Misao waited expectantly. "I--" Aoshi swallowed. "I have a manual." End of Part 3 Just thought that Misao should have a surprise of *her* own, ne? ^_^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looking for a new hobby? Want to make a new friend? http://www.onelist.com Come join one of over 165,000 e-mail communities at ONElist!