Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Amber Horizons ❯ Chapter 12: Stake Out - Day Four ( Chapter 12 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Amber Horizons
- Chapter 12 -




Stake Out - Day Four




Misao's next few days went pretty much the same as the first had. Sitting inside the musty old cabin, staring out the less-than-clean window at the abandoned mill in which *no* activity *whatsoever* was occuring, while listening to Koji hum that infernal tune yet again. Needless to say, by the fourth day she felt like causing her partner some *serious* hurt.

"Shut up!" she snapped. "We went through this already!"

His lips turned up into a smirk. "There's nothing better to do," he replied. "Besides you've refused to engage me in pleasant conversation."

She shot him a withering look. "Discussing the signficance of an obi tied in the front as opposed to the back isn't pleasant conversation. You're just trying to get at something dirty. You're such a pervert."

His grin only widened. "What's wrong with that?"

She growled at him and turned back to the window resuming their silence as he didn't press the subject. Several long minutes passed, the silence making her edgy. When he again began to hum Misao felt her frustration only rise further. There was no happy medium. The silence bothered her, but so did his humming.

"Ah!" She smiled widely. "I know! *You* go outside."

"Hmm?" He drawled. "What for?"

"Just because you're annoying me."

"I haven't said anything," he protested.

"I know, you're just bothersome."

He frowned, rising to his feet. Her good humor vanished as the young, brash officer towered over her. His eyes glinted at her as both arms rose to trap her back against the wall.

"Bothersome?" He questioned.

Misao tried to repress a tremble. This wasn't good. She didn't like the look he was giving her.

"Bothersome," she snapped, holding her resolve. She had to be strong. 'Don't look weak', she chanted, over again over again.

It was while she was in the midst of her chanting that she felt Koji tense, effectively breaking her concentration. She looked up to see him intently staring out the window behind her. Shifting, Misao turned to see what had suddenly drawn Koji's attention. She gasped, reacting quickly, she grabbed the front of Koji's uniform and dropped down, dragging the man down with her so that they were out of veiw from the window. This is it! Misao thought as she rose back up cautiously to peer over the window sill. Yep, still there. Three figures were at that moment moving about in front of the old mill. Quickly, she tried to take note of any distinguishable features she could make out from their position. Misao became frustrated when she realized that she couldn't really see any facial features clearly.

Damn it.

Annoying, conniving, little bitch, Koji thought irritably, turning his gaze toward her as she looked avidly out the window. This was a waste of a trip. Whoever those guys were they weren't going to be of any help. Not today. They were too far away to distinguish anything and they'd only end up getting chewed out by Fujita for reporting 'less than helpful information' something he'd heard all too many times. The irritable bastard couldn't say something optimistic like 'better than nothing' or, 'it was a start'. No, the old geezer had to be pessimistic.

He let the scowl slide away as Misao leaned back pressing herself against his chest. For a moment he thought the move to be intentional, but then she spun away from him as though burned. He felt his thoughts darken once more.

Bitch. Who was she to be so damn picky? Was she too good for him?

He bit back the frown and instead turned away quickly. Suddenly taking a walk seemed like a very good idea.

"Koji! Where do you think you're going?!" Misao hissed lowly, grabbing onto his arm and stilling his retreat.

He turned. "You suddenly willing to bear my company?" He snapped with an unusual annoyance in his voice.Misao frowned.

"This is no time for your nonsense, Koji! We have suspicous activity that needs to be observed and reported on!"

He peered past her out the window. "Your suspects are gone, sweetheart."

"What?!" Misao turned quickly to the window to find that ths men where indeed gone from the mill. Whipping back around, Misao pointed a finger at her companion. "This is all *you're* fault!" she accused.

Something about her frustration was utterly satifsying. As though he'd personally caused her such aggrevation although he deserved no such credit. Still, it cooled his frustration and he fell back leaning his back against the wall turning his gaze toward the ceiling.

"My fault?" He released a quick laugh. "Hardly."

Misao closed her eyes, counting to ten in hopes of cooling her temper. How could he just stand there and say it wasn't his fault? He'd practically distracted her with all the humming and then--when they had suspects in their sights--he decides it's time to take a walk?!

"You're impossible!!" she finally ground out before grabbing her pack and storming from the cabin.

He tilted his head back and let out a bark of laughter. Maybe this assignment wasn't so awful after all. If only every day could be so amusing he thought as she slammed the door behind her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Saitou scowled. Where the hell was that paper. Just as he was ducking beneath the desk to grab the pesky leaflet he caught sight of feet. Wonderful, just what he needed. Visitors.

He sat back up, clutching the troublesome sheet and dropping it down into a pile. He fought the frown that appeared when he met overly warm brown eyes.

"Shidou-san," he commented dryly. "What brings you here?"

He dreaded the answer.

Sure enough, the nerve-shredding giggle came, he noted, as well as the annoying batting of the eyelashes. "As if you didn't know, Fujita-san. I told you I would be stopping by in a few days so that we could share a meal together, remember?"

Honestly, no, he couldn't recall that. Now that he thought about it, it seemed a horrid idea. Who the hell kept letting this woman in his office? He scowled. Someone was in trouble. Deeply. He was on the brink of replying when the doors swept open and another bundle of chaos fell literally into his lap. All thunder and scowls, Misao stood. Hands perched upon her hips, a glare tainting her delicate features. He felt his grin return. Saitou stared at the young woman before his desk. A vision of Himura Kenshin danced before his eyes followed by a flirty Makimachi Misao. He blinked. Well now...

"Wonderful proposition, Shidou-san." Saitou said, a bit too brightly.

The woman, previously surprised at Misao's bold entrance, turned a sweet smile back to him with wide, hopeful eyes. "Really?"

Misao watched, half torn between anger at Koji and irritation at whatever was going on in front of her. She wasn't quite sure what it was just yet, but she had an uneasy feeling in her belly telling her she wouldn't like it. Slapping the folder with her report on his desk, Misao felt a bit reluctant to leave. Why, she had no idea. It definitely wasn't any of her business whether Saitou entertained young women--beautiful, well-proportioned young women--in his office...alone.

"There's you're damned report, all nice and official-like. You happy now?" she grumbled.

A throat being cleared gently caused Misao's gaze to be brought back to the other woman. "Ano, Fujita-san, it appears that I've come at a bad time, yet again." Mayaka spoke softly, eyes lowered to the floor.

Misao's eyes narrowed at the words 'yet again' and turned on her heel, all too eager to abandon the place. The feeling in her gut had only gotten worse, and now it was twisting. Ooh.. she had to get away.

"I didn't say you could go, weasel." The voice stopped her cold and she felt the beginnings of dread.

Gritting her teeth, Misao turned back around slowly so that she was facing Saitou, noting the ever familiar smirk. "Yes, sir?" she managed with a bit of effort.

"Gomen, Shidou-san, I really should watch my manners. I would like to introduce you to one of my employees, Makimachi Misao. Weasel, this is Shidou Mayaka....a friend of mine."

Misao felt her limited patience snap and recoil sharply back at her. She cast a fraction of a smile at Saitou's guest before turning on him the full force of her reknowned glare.

"I don't have time for this. I spent the whole day with that glory mutt, Koji. I don't come here to have tea chats!"

Mayaka, who had been about to offer a courteous hello the the woman Fujita-san had just introduced her to, was taken aback by her sudden outburst. She looked to the man at her right to judge his reaction to his employees insubordination. She was shocked to see a smirk had appeared on his face that seemed to grow wider by the minute.

"I'll determine what you come here for and what time you have for it." He stated, leaning forward in his chair.

Misao stiffened at the challenge in his tone. "You wish." She ground out, eyeing him with fierce displeasure.

The woman beside her brought her hands up to her mouth, a gasp escaping her lips. Misao just barely managed to hold off a glare. Why did such feminine actions always seem so fake to her?

"How dare you speak to Fujita-san that way!" Mayaka screeched.

Misao whirled on the other woman in a heartbeat, hackles raised and claws bared. "You..." she pointed a finger between a pair of widened eyes. "stay out of this. This is between me and the Wolf!" Mayaka sputtered indignantly as Misao turned back to Saitou, who was now leaning back in his chair, eyebrow arched in obvious amusement.

"And you!" She thrust her finger with great energy at the man who'd envoked her fury, her movement causing the loose papers on Saitou's desk to take to the air. "Don't mess with me bakayarou! I've had a *really* bad day!"

Her pique was accentuated with the fluttering papers of Saitou's reports, which were now scattering every which way. An arrest warrant landed on Shindou's gaping face. With a final hmph, Misao turned and stalked toward the office door.

"Don't you go, weasel." Saitou growled, though to no avail. Misao simply grasped the knob and turned it, opening the door and stepped through. She threw one last defiant glare over her shoulder, then very calmly *slammed* the door behind her.

Well, that didn't go quite like I thought it would... Saitou thought. His musings of his little minx's actions were cut short, however, as Mayaka's sickeningly sweet sigh filled his ears.

"Well, that was certainly....interesting." the young woman spoke. Saitou winced inwardly. He'd forgotten she was there in the wake of Misao's display. "So, now that that dreadful girl is gone, are you ready, Fujita-san?"

He quickly ran over the reasons in his head why he couldn't go where ever it was she seemed to want him to go, where ever it was she had in mind. After a few seconds of expectant silence she shifted, suddenly seeming uneasy.

"I suppose." He half growled, pulling himself to his feet.

At least, he thought, it would be a distraction from *her*, that annoying weasel girl. Why couldn't she be more... He bit back a sigh. Would weasel really get his attention if she were any less... weasel-like? He came around the desk heading for the door, Mayaka following all smiles.

What a day this was.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Misao stomped out the door of the police building and paused on the dusty path. She scowled. Her day had been completely miserable. First Koji and then Saitou, both determined to annoy her.

*Men*, she thought irritably. They lived just to be annoying, irritable or other unpleasant adjectives. She growled lowly stomping off, suddenly veering away from the path. She needed some space. Some peace and quiet and a bit of time to put everything into perspective. And she knew just the place to do that.

She hadn't been there in some time, not since the last time she had passed through Tokyo. But she knew the path by heart, having walked it frequently in the past and dispite it having been overtaken by shrubbery growth, Misao could easily tell where it was. She meandered down the pathway, a smile lighting her way when she finally stepped into the perfect little clearing. She'd always loved the wilderness, so peaceful and gentle. This place she had adopted. It was her 'special place'. She plopped down at the base of a tree, cross legged imitating Aoshi and putting on a stern face.

"I will meditate!" She declared to the empty circle of woodland, and suddenly feeling silly she pulled her legs up beneath her and sighed. "Or not..."

Casting a gaze at the beauty surrounding her, Misao began to replay the events in Saitou's office in her mind. She couldn't believe the nerve of that man! Well alright, she could. But still, it really pissed her off that he'd gotten to her like that. How dare he flaunt his.. his.. whatever that Shindou woman was to him in her face! How dare he - ''

She cut the rant off mid-stream as the memory of Saitou's expression the day she had shamelessly flirted with Himura in front of him flashed before her eyes. What was this? Revenge? Well... She had sort of started the whole thing, but...But she was different. Hajime Saitou was supposed to be ... *mature*. How dare he play childish games with her!

She silently fumed. At least Kenshin was bearable.

As she sat there, the melody of the running water harmonizing with the singing birds overhead lulled her a bit, causing some of the irritation she was feeling to flow out of her slowly. Leaning back further against the tree, Misao closed her eyes and allowed her body to relax. This place always seemed to have this affect on her. No matter what she had been through, it always soothed her mind, body and soul. Minutes bled into one another and time passed unnoticed by the young ninja. So relaxed was she that she failed to notice the concealed figure in the treeline off to the left of her haven.


Her eyes flew open however as she heard a rustle and the heavy stomp of feet landing, as though having leapt from a tree. She gasped softly, surprised and then angry when she met familiar eyes.

"You!" She huffed. "I see plenty of you at *work*. Go away."

He grinned cockily. "Is that any way to talk to your partner? Your friend? Your companion? *I*, partner, was just a little worried you might be angry with me so... I followed you to make up. Sorry and all. Forgive me?"

"Forgive you?! You're lucky I don't pin you to a tree with my kunai, you baka! Now leave me alone!" Misao growled, narrowing her eyes as she reached for said weapons.

He held up his hands defensively. "Aww.... don't be like that. Come on, we've got to work together for a while. We could at least be sociable, right?"

She tossed a frown at him as though refusing to be won over.

"I...um... oh come on. I'll recite you some weird foreign poetry!" He made a pouty face and Misao was reluctant to continue being angry with him. Koji wasn't so bad, she finally decided... at least, not all the time.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Saitou brought his elbow up to rest on the table, propping his chin on his upturned hand. What a chattery female, he thought absently, licking his dry lips. He wondered absently where Misao was as he stared at the long lengths of Mayaka's dark colored hair. He wondered what it felt like, Misao's hair, curled in his hands.

"Isn't that just amazing, Fujita-san?"

He blinked, then nodded.

"Such a man of few words." She beamed at him. "I'm not boring you with my chatter, am I?"

He longed to say yes and try the sharp edge of his tongue on her but didn't dare. Mayaka was fragile - like glass - he didn't want her breaking on him. He was returning her home complete and safe.

"Perhaps I should see you home, night has fallen already."

For a moment her happiness dimmed, but she agreed. They rose and quietly left the candle lantern lit restaurant and headed out. The walk was short and he was eager to go. He gave her a goodybe, ushering her in quickly with dire warnings of thieves and murderers lurking in shadows and she hurried inside.

Finally alone again, he sighed.

He would never get used to her, nor did he want to. She would make a sweet wife for someone, but not him. He'd had that type of wife once, and he didn't want it again. Not that he hadn't loved Tokio, but this wasn't like that. He wanted something else. He wanted something spirited, something lively, something that made his blood burn. He scowled. He was thinking too much in that vein of thought.

Damn that weasel girl.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Saitou was halfway home when the sound of light, feminine laughter approaching filled his ears. Weasel, he thought, then frowned as a distinct male laugh joined that of Misao's. He immediately growled lowly and headed off the path, hiding himself. So who was this male hanging out with the weasel? He was going to find out. He wasn't disappointed when they passed by, smiling and talking nonsense replete with dramatic hand motions. His brows drew down.

Koji.

When she'd left his office hadn't she been upset with Koji? She was certainly very apt to change her mind, wasn't she?

Keeping to the shadows that had fallen with the sun's decline, Saitou trailed the pair as they made their way laughingly toward the Kamiya dojo. Since there was a certain lack of hiding places around the building, Saitou had to settle on remaining far enough away so that he could conceal himself. This action caused him to lose the advantage of hearing what was being said between the two, which, to his annoyance, didn't sit well with him at all.

Misao seemed happy enough to suddenly be back with Koji. A point he wouldn't fail to bring up. The young officer seemed hesitant to leave once they reached the dojo but Misao wasn't obviously going to invite him in, so he did the only thing he could.

Leave.

Saitou remained where he was, observing silently as Misao stood in front of the dojo instead of going inside. He was wondering what the little minx could be up to when she suddenly called out to him.

"You can come out, I know you're there."

Silently, he emerged from the shadows, fixing her with a look of irritation. "Well, I see you've gotten over your dislike of Koji, eh weasel?"

Misao bristled, her good mood leaving her immediately. How dare he! "Mind your own business, Saitou." she grumbled, turning back toward the dojo. "And stop following me! I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now."

Saitou scowled, coming closer to the gate where she stood.

"As though I have time to be following around immature girls." He replied, tone clipped. "Get yourself in check, weasel. It won't do to change your mind every ten minutes about a person."

Misao opened her mouth, then snapped it closed quickly as she found herself unable to come up with a retort. Instead, she settled on glaring at the aggravating man. He glared back and the tension mounted. Blessedly it was broken by Kenshin, who chose that moment to emerge from the dojo.

"Misao-dono, you are back I see." the rurouni smiled. He then looked at Saitou, all pleasantness leaving his features. "Saitou," Kenshin's voice lowered a bit as he addressed the cop. "I am curious as to what brings you here, that I am."

Saitou took the moment to reach into his pocket, desperately in need of a cigarette. "Nothing that concerns you, Battousai. Although, maybe her hanging out with you is bad idea. Your both idiots."

He turned quickly and began walking toward town, leaving a seething Misao and a startled Kenshin in his wake.