Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Separate Lives ❯ chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7

"Spring is coming early," Sakura said one morning as Megumi prepared to go off to the clinic.

"I hope so."

'I bet your young man feels the same."

Megumi felt her cheeks burn. "Aoshi Shinomori is not my young man."

"I never mentioned any names. I was thinking of Kaemon. He'l love to be able to play outside again."

Megumi gaped then laughed when she saw the humor in the older woman's eyes. She looked at her small pendant watch then sat to have a last cup of tea. "You were married twice. Were your husbands a mystery to you, or did they tell you what they felt and thought?"

"I've had two husbands and six sons. All men are a mystery, and most men tend to be the lazy sort when it comes to doing the right thing. If you want that young man to settle down maybe you should prod him about it."

"But I couldn't."

"Would you rather just sit back while he wanders back and forth from Kyoto taking pieces of your heart with him each time?. That isn't very fair to either of you, is it?"

Megumi sighed. Sakura was right but then she didn't know Aoshi. He had his own way of doing things and once his mind was set there was no changing it.

Or was there?

Her thoughts drifted back to the time she'd been given the task of keeping watch of Kaoru's decrepit dojo while everyone else ran off to Kyoto to find Kenshin.

Megumi froze at the sight of the last person she ever thought she'd see. Aoshi Shinomori. The shock of his presence was bad enough but the look in his eyes was what truly caught her off guard. He'd always had a cold look about him, but she'd always managed to catch tiny glimpses of the man buried within, but now, now it was as if his soul was truly gone and replaced by that of a heartless demon.

"Where is Himura Battousai?" he asked in that voice that was like razor edged velvet.

"I . . . I . . ."

"Where is Battousai? Answer me."

"I . . . I don't know," she muttered, her gaze locked onto his.

"If you don't answer me, I'll kill you..."

But he hadn't killed her and she didn't think it was because of Saitou's appearance. Not entirely anyway. Aoshi had killed many men before but he hadn't made a move to harm her despite his frightening words and the more frightening aura of absolute evil that gave his icy blue eyes a hellish gleam.

He'd been quite capable of cutting her down without an afterthought but he didn't. hadn't pulled a weapon he, hadn't done anything to physically harm her. The only thing he'd done was to touch her cheek, just the way he'd done before allowing her to slip past him and escape from Kanryuu's estate.

She must have meant something to him even then and if that was the case then surely she meant something more to him now.

But was it enough? Did she dare to hope that he would make a commitment when he returned? Was there really anything she could do to convince him to take that chance and to let the world see what was in his heart?

If his heart feels what yours does, a cynical voice chided from within.

****

Kyoto

Aoshi looked up as Okina came into the office at the rear of the Aoiya, a thick blue shawl wrapped around his shoulders, a steaming cup of tea in his hands-- sake-laced tea from the smell of it.

Okina gestured towards the window behind Aoshi's desk. "The snow is melting. Winter will soon be over and my old bones will feel so much better."

Aoshi coughed in an effort to contain the snide remark that wanted to escape.

Okina peered over Aoshi's shoulder. "Another letter to Aizu? That's the third this month."

Aoshi blotted the ink then quickly folded the sheet of paper and stuffed it into the addressed envelope to his left. "I have business acquaintances there. You know that."

"At the clinic of Maeshiro Oguni?"

Aoshi frowned. For an old man his eyesight was as sharp as ever. "You know Dr. Oguni?" Aoshi asked, standing and slipping on his trench coat.

"I knew his brother. He was one of our best information sources back in the old days."

"Really?" Aoshi asked casually. "I didn't know."

"Now you do."

Aoshi tried to step around his former sensei only to have his path blocked.

"You've been different this winter, more reticent than you were all spring and summer. Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"

"No, " Aoshi replied flatly despite the pleas of his inner self that he refused to heed. "If you'll excuse me. I want to get this in the next post."

"Be my guest," Okina said, his eyes narrowed and assessing.

Aoshi felt Okina's stare until he'd slid the door shut behind him and exited the building.

So, the old man knew Oguni-san and quite well from the sound of it. That certainly changed things didn't it? He wanted his relationship with Megumi to be private and now it felt as if the whole world knew. Pausing on the edge of the street as a wagon passed, Aoshi looked down at the letter in his hand telling Megumi that he'd be there within two weeks.

Foot traffic resumed but Aoshi continued to stand in his place, his attention on the letter in his hand. He crumpled it and stuffed it into the pocket of his trench coat then turned and altered his course for the temple.

****

Aizu, weeks later

Suitcase in hand, Megumi took one last look over her shoulder as she stood in the doorway. She closed her eyes a moment as the memory of that fall night in Aoshi's arms replayed itself in her mind. She shivered despite the pleasant temperature outside when her body recalled the pleasure he'd brought her.

Megumi opened her eyes, as the remembered pleasure was slowly covered by a gnawing ache. The snow around here had been gone for some time and surely the main roads from Kyoto were clear. Aoshi should have contacted her by now-assuming he meant to come back.

Blinking back the tears that tried to form, Megumi left the house.