Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Misao's Secret ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter 10

 

 

Aoshi stood behind a tree as he watched Misao tend to her new garden. She didn't even tell me she was looking for a place of her own. She has no plans of returning home? He inhaled deeply through his mouth and exhaled slowly through his nose, in a vain attempt to calm his raw nerves.

 

“Misao?” Megumi called stepping onto the porch of the small house, with a porch that went all the way around.

 

“Hai.” Misao called without looking up.

 

“I'm going to check on a few patients, did you need anything while I'm in town?” Megumi stood in front of Misao on the porch. “You know, I didn't think you'd be able to make much of this garden but I was wrong.”

 

“I told you it had promise.” Misao sat back on her heels and rubbed her back. “Can you bring back something for my aching back?” She asked laughing.

 

“Afraid not.” Megumi told her thoughtfully. “But I can give you a massage when I get back, if you like.”

 

“Ahh.” Misao said at the thought. “My feet are screaming `me too, me too'.”

 

Megumi threw back her head and laughed. “Only because it is you but don't tell anyone.”

 

Misao laughed at that. “Who am I going to tell? I've only seen you this past three weeks.”

 

“I've noticed.”

 

Aoshi watched with great interest as Misao dropped her head.

 

“Misao…”

 

“I know.”

 

“You can't hide for…”

 

“I know.”

 

Megumi sat down on her knees. “If you want I could tell…”

 

“No!” Misao screamed, then clamped her hand over her mouth shaking her head.

 

“Maybe we shouldn't talk about this right now.” Megumi told her looking at her thoughtfully as she continued her gardening. “Why don't you lay down while I'm gone? It'll help relieve the stress on your back and feet.”

 

“I will, as soon as I've finished preparing the soil for the flowers you picked out.” Misao told her tossing soil on her.

 

“Hey!” Megumi laughed and stood brushing herself off. “And I was just going to offer to help you plant them when I get back.”

 

Misao laughed. “I didn't get you dirty. No need to take the offer back.”

 

“Hhhmm.” Was all she said before she smiled and walked away. “I'll be back in a few hours.” She called.

 

“Hai.” Misao called after her without looking up.

 

Aoshi watched as Megumi walked towards town. She had quite a walk ahead of her. Misao wanting to keep her pregnancy a secret would explain why she bought a house so far from town. Megumi appears to be aware of the pregnancy. What should I do now? Walk right up to her and ask her if she's pregnant? Aoshi was completely frustrated with himself. Only Misao has been able to make my clear path of what to do hazy.

 

Deciding he was tired of spying on her and that since she was alone now was as good a time as any to talk privately with her. Especially, since he'd dismissed her bodyguards for the day. Not wanting to startle her with his sudden appearance, Aoshi made his way through the woods next to the road about a quarter of a mile from the house, hoping it would give her a chance to notice him first. And give me a chance to figure out what I'm going to say. She's going to demand to know how I found out she was pregnant and when she finds out about the bodyguards she'll be angry. But if she's almost five months she should be showing and she can't get angry with me if I `happen' to notice, can she?

 

“Aoshi?!?”

 

Aoshi flinched when he heard the surprise and fear in her voice. He noticed that she didn't rise but instead she pulled at her kimono, fluffing it about her.

 

“What a surprise!” She called a smile plastered on her lips.

 

“Is it? It's been a couple of months since I saw you last.” Aoshi stood next to her, he watched her intently.

 

“Back on more business?” She asked in forced cheerfulness, he knew she was nervous.

 

Aoshi simply shook his head.

 

Misao opened her mouth, as if to say something, then closed it. She looked about her desperately before she gestured to her garden. “Coming along nicely, don't you think?”

 

Aoshi looked over the partial finished garden, it was luscious and green, and smelled heavenly. “Very nice. Is it going to be all flowers?”

 

“No. I plan on planting a few vegetables to balance out the flowers.” She looked at her garden thoughtfully.

 

“It should turn out nicely.” He said after a few moments of silence.

 

“Megumi still has some lingering doubts but she doesn't know how well I can tend a garden.” Misao said with a triumphant smile on her face. “I'm patiently waiting to see the look on her face when I'm finished.” Misao laughed.

 

Aoshi watched as she laughed in true pleasure, he felt the warmth down to the pit of his stomach. He felt one side of his mouth twitch.

 

“When did you and Megumi move in with each other here?” He asked looking the house over. There had to be at least four rooms.

 

“Just a few weeks.” Misao answered following his gaze. “It's a sad story, really, how we ended up with the house.” She looked over at him sadly before turning her attention back to her garden. “The man who lived here was a patient of Megumi's. He had tuberculosis, and when he passed away several weeks ago he left the house to Megumi.”

 

Aoshi raised his eyebrow at this but said nothing.

 

“She asked me if I wanted to move in with her and I said yes.” Misao grabbed her hoe and began preparing the soil again.

 

“You have no plans on returning home, then?”

 

Misao's hand stopped midair for a moment before she continued her work. “When you were here last I told you I wasn't sure when I would be returning.” She said without looking at him.

 

“You told me a lot of things when I saw you last.” He said meaningfully.

 

Misao turned her face away to hide her blush and sat back on her heels. “You did as well.” She said softly looking at her dirty hands.

 

Aoshi tilted his head to the side and studied her hunched profile before reached out a hand and moved a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. His eyes flashed when she involuntary shivered at his touch. “It was a night of unexpected surprises.” He said just as softly, slowly pulling his hand away and smiled ever so slightly when Misao smiled and laughed softly.

 

“Unexpected, indeed.”

 

“You also said you would write regularly, as well, and Jiya has been complaining.”

 

Misao pouted slightly at this and turned to look him in the eye. “I haven't been able to think of anything to say and the past three weeks I've been here, helping Megumi. Just yesterday I told myself I needed to write him before he sends me another mean letter.” She smiled wickedly at him. “I should do so tonight before it's too late.”

 

Aoshi returned her wicked smile with one of his own and reached into his coat pocket. “It is too late.” He told her before handing her an envelope.

 

“Eek!” Misao said, a sweat drop forming at the back of her head. “I'll save this for later, I think, when I'm ready to write him.”

 

“He wants you to come home.” Aoshi watched as her eyes widened and she turned away. “He misses you. Everyone does. It's been so quite without you.”

 

Aoshi felt an odd flutter in the pit of his stomach as her face softened at the thought of her family. “I miss everybody, too.” Aoshi shifted uncomfortably when he saw a tear fall on the back of her hands. “But I'm not ready to go back.”

 

“Will you ever be able to return home?”

 

Aoshi waited patiently. He could see her breathing had increased and he didn't want to press her for answers.

 

“It's more than just going home, you know that. I haven't told Jiya or anyone else about the rape and I'm not ready to face that yet.”

 

“I'll tell you again, Misao, there is no shame in what happened.”

 

When Misao's eyebrows furrowed Aoshi decided to change the subject. For now there is no need to press that matter of her returning home. He stood. “Why don't you show me the house?” Aoshi offered her his hand.

 

Misao looked at his hand as if it would bite her before another fake smile crossed her lips, she put her hand in his, and let him help her to her feet. “There's not much to see.”

 

After pulling her hand out of his, Aoshi took a small step back and observed Misao's simple blue kimono, he noticed that was too big for her. “Your kimono…”

 

Misao cut him off with a laugh and pulled at her kimono. “It's Megumi's.” She made her way around him towards the house. “I work in the garden in this kimono.”

 

Aoshi followed Misao into the house. Aside from a small waddle the kimono covered any signs of her pregnancy. The fullness of the kimono balanced out her slight weight gain. He was surprised at how well she was able to hide her pregnancy. Had he not known already, he wasn't so sure he'd have been able to tell on his own.

 

“Our bedrooms are at the back of the house. You want to see the rooms?” Misao's nervous question brought Aoshi out of his thoughts.

 

Aoshi didn't answer at first, he simply turned around and slid the door shut behind them and observed the small living room. There wasn't much furniture in the room besides a small table with six comfortable looking cushions surrounding it and a screen separated the doors leading to the bedrooms from the rest of the room. To the left was an open doorway leading to the kitchen. He could see the water pump, the ice cooler, and the edge of the table from where he stood.

 

“It's become home.” Misao said looking about her. “I find it very cozy.”

 

“Yes.” Was all he said.

 

“Would you like some tea?” She asked stepping towards the kitchen.

 

Aoshi nodded.

 

“Make yourself comfortable, I'll make some tea, and then we can talk.” Misao disappeared into the kitchen.

 

“Yes.” Aoshi said softly to himself. “We have much to talk about.”

 

To be continued …

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Not a very long chapter but it's taken me almost two weeks to get this much done. I tell you it's been crazy trying to write lately. I got a lot of family drama going on at home and so it's been hard to have the time and energy to write creatively.