Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Curl ❯ Chapter 2

The three walked in silence. For about… a block.

"Oy, Aoshi. I don't remember you living this far from the train station," Sano scratched the back of his head after freeing up a finger from the duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"You weren't carrying this much luggage the last time," his elder brother stated simply. It was the truth, though. Sanosuke had come to visit Aoshi on several brief occasions… in recent times, mostly to look at Tokyo University. When his mother told him that Sano finally got in, after his second year of trying, Aoshi almost couldn't believe it. He wondered how many people Sano had to beat up to get in. His - their mother had asked Aoshi to put in a good word, and thanked him for doing so, although he never actually *did* do it. Sano got in on his own merit, amazingly enough.

"Oy, weasel. Why so quiet?" Sano looked over his shoulder to see Misao lagging behind. Her sandals crunched the autumn leaves that were left on the sidewalks from the large trees along the roadside that shaded their path. She poked her head up, tossing her knee length braid over her shoulder… straightening up her baby blue sweater, she registered what he said.

"Rooster! I'm no weasel!" She promptly whacked him no the backside of his head.

"That's no way to treat your elders! WEASEL!" Sano jogged ahead playfully, circling in front of Aoshi for cover.

"No fair using Aoshi-sama for cover!"

"Oh it's '-sama' now, is it? Oooo!" When they reached the corner, Sano used the pole of the signal lights as cover, while Misao tried to lay a good punch on him. Even with the suitcases, he was still quite swift. Aoshi leaned against a nearby wall and let the two bicker.

'I have to live with *this*?' He mentally groaned. Although, he had to admit, it was rather amusing. Of course, he showed no signs of being entertained. Checking his watch again, 'I should break this up soon… it's almost one-thirty already.'

"Sanosuke. Makimachi." And time stopped. The two simply looked at him, as he cocked his head in the direction of his apartment building, not but fifty paces away. They both looked sheepishly at him, and then glared at one another. As they walked towards him, Aoshi placed himself between them, to ensure both of them would behave.

*-*-*-*

Just in front of the door, Aoshi felt his cell phone in his back pocket. Fishing it out, he checked the number… flipping it open, he didn't hesitate to speak.

"I've got them, nothing to worry about, Mother… Hai. Of course. Ja," and that was that. Misao and Sano exchanged looks. Her eyebrows were drawn together, almost saddened by Aoshi's tone. Sano simply shook his head… this was just the way he was. Aoshi unlocked the door, and holding it back with his foot, "Makimachi."

She scuttled by him, almost shyly… briefly intimidated after overhearing how he spoke to his own mother, his own flesh and blood. She briefly remembered all the stories Sano used to tell her about his ghoulish child-eating vampirical brother who they never saw because he was busy feasting on cute little weasel girls in Europe. The memory caused one of her winning smiles to surface.

"Arigato Aoshi-sama, and you may call me Misao…" She ducked her head quickly, out of sight, feeling her cheeks redden. Aoshi simply nodded, and gestured for Sano to pass as well. Misao should've paid attention, or else Sano wouldn't have been able to sneak up on her like he did.

"…so. What's got you all blushy?" Misao squealed, finding a grinning Sano over her shoulder. Instinct kicked in and she fisted her hand and flung her arm back and…

*POW!*

Aoshi watched as the young man he just let into the building was brutally spit back out. 'This is going to be a long… long year.'

*-*-*-*

Aoshi lived in the penthouse of the apartment building. Although his salary had yet to bring him happiness, at least he had comfort. Inserting a key into the elevator keypad, unlocking the penthouse floor, he stood along side Misao and a mildly distressed Sano.

"… Sano. Don't tell me you're scared of elevators, too? First trains and now…"

"I was *NOT* scared. I simply thought of something I had forgotten at home…" Sanosuke began to sweat uncomfortably, his hands gripping at the bags he was holding.

"Children. Please," as the elevator doors opened, Aoshi stepped through, holding the doors open with one arm blocking them. Misao and Sano obediently stepped through… Aoshi had a dangerous gleam in the corner of his eye. Neither one took a fancy to being disciplined by the head of Todai's kempo club. (Todai = Tokyo University) Although the thought had come to mind to a certain blue-eyed girl…

'Must… control… hormones,' her body screamed messages from her ears to her toes. She had taken the classes, knew all the trials and tribulations of… "developing." On occasion she felt stirrings for some of the boys in school, and could admit to herself that Sano-niisan - he was practically her brother, anyway - was reasonably good-looking. But it was never anything like this… Those eyes of his put her in a trance, she didn't know… or couldn't remember why. She could stare into his eyes forever-

"Misao-chan" his voice was soft and low, coaxing her out of her daydreams. Aoshi looked at Sano with a 'stop slacking' look, and received a snort in reply. They both followed Aoshi across a small parlor room, that had three doors… one to the left, one to the right, and one dead ahead.

Sano had been here before, but he couldn't get over how his brother lived. 'Serious upper-crust stuff we're talkin' about here,' with that one free digit, he scratched at his chin. Everything in the building seemed planned out to a tee, so that everything seemed extremely elegant, without looking too… 'Chicky.' Sanosuke glanced back and the golden doors of the elevator as they closed behind them, 'Well I guess… this is home for a while.'

*-*-*-*

When he was six years old, his mother and father took him and his 'niisan to a picnic by a beautiful canal. Sanosuke couldn't remember much of those times… maybe because of all the drinking he did in high school… but he remembered that was his first real meeting with Aoshi. He knew that Aoshi didn't like him, and he couldn't exactly understand all the reasons back then…

'Well I dun like him neither,' Sano-chan nodded to himself as he balanced on some rocks by the water. 'He makes Mommy cry.' He remembered all of those visits, when he would poke his head out to see where his mother was, and found her… no doubt, crying, with Aoshi standing there, or in the middle of his retreat.

"Sano-chan! Don't stay so close to the water!" His mommy called, and he bounced off towards her. He nearly lost his footing, but he trotted on over to his parents and engulfed his dad in a warm hug.

'I want to be strong like Daddy some day.' Sanosuke held all of the memories of his father dear to him. He had been strong, yes… and loved everyone, and helped people he didn't even know… and yet he died no more than three years later.

The little spikey-headed boy glanced over at Aoshi. He was sitting straight-backed as though he were meditating. Sano took this as an opportunity to cause some mischief. With an evil grin, his rebellious streak running hot, as he spotted some chestnuts that his parents were planning to roast over an open fire. He snuck one into his hand, when his mother was busy setting up the food, and his father making idle chit chat with her as she did so… he tugged out a slingshot he'd been hiding his back pocket, and let 'er rip.

The little Sanosuke stood stupefied and awed. There Aoshi sat, not even flinching, snatching the chestnut out of the air in front of his forehead. Their parents failed to notice the commotion, as Aoshi had said nothing, and Sano was still dazed.

'I want to be strong like 'niisan some day…'

*-*-*-*

Yeah sure, so they weren't one-hundred percent kin. He could look up to whoever he damn well pleased. One day, maybe, he'd have the two-story apartment… complete with major appliances, high-speed internet, three bedrooms… and what a bachelor pad that would be. Speaking of which…

"Hey Aoshi… man, I hope we're not gonna cramp you're style by stayin' here," He elbowed Aoshi in the ribs gently as he led them to their rooms. The apartment was laid out so that upon entering… to the right was a small corridor leading to two bedrooms, and a bathroom at the end of the hall. To the left was the kitchenette, nothing fancy, just a counter with barstools laid in gray marble… sink, fridge, dishwasher, oven, microwave… the usual. In front of them was the living room slash dining room. A table seating eight built from mahogany with enchanting craftsmanship, with matching chairs with off-white cushions. In front of that was a small pit that served as the living room. A leather couch followed the contour of the pit, and there were carpeted stairs on either side leading down into it. The entire apartment was illuminated by full-length windows that were obviously tinted, as they had a darkened hue to them, so the light wasn't too stunning.

The second story of the apartment wasn't a full floor, but was simply stairs leading to a room above and behind the kitchenette. The walls were glass, and the navy curtains shrouded the room in mystery. Aoshi's room.

Sano had forgotten Misao had never been here before, to Tokyo, to Aoshi's. "Oy, Weasel girl, our rooms are this way… guess you turned the study into another bedroom?"

"Aa." Aoshi simply nodded. He was already in the corridor leading to the two bedrooms, placing the bags on the floor. Misao wandered around the main room of the apartment, spinning on her heels to soak everything in. She was accustomed to the old-fashioned restaurant and dojo her grandfather had kept intact for generations… all of this was all so new. "Dinner's at six."

"So early?!" Sanosuke almost mustered a pout. Aoshi simply looked at him. Any other elder brother would have smirked and slugged him. Sano's brother however, silently strode past him and Misao to his bedroom upstairs. "There's no reasoning with that icicle… Oy, weasel -" Sano's features softened. He put down the bags and gently walked over to Misao, popping her bubble as he gently rested his hands over her shoulders. "Misao-chan."

She looked up at him and smiled. 'I think I'm going to like it here.'

====

Author's Notes:

I am REALLY bad at describing dimensions and rooms. I usually don't do alternate reality fics, so it's usually not all that necessary… suggestions and commentary welcome. Reviews needed. I don't post more until I get at least a handful of reviews - and if you can have signed reviews, I'd really appreciate it, because I like to email and thank people for their feedback personally. ^-^ And also to discuss suggestions and things.