Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Snow ❯ Leaving ( Chapter 12 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Serenitychan13 
Simple as that.
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.11.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.0K | Visits: 177 | Status: Completed
Simple as that.
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.11.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.0K | Visits: 177 | Status: Completed
"You did what you said you would," Midori said softly, running her fingertips delicately over the back of his neck. "I'm going to remember my first kiss for the rest of my life."
Souzou's ears turned pink again.
"You know," he said quietly. "There's something I didn't tell you that day..."
"What is it?" asked Midori, smiling gently.
Souzou gently took both of Midori's hands in both of his. Smiling just like he was that day, a little nervous but full of love, he looked into her eyes. Those bright violet eyes could melt his heart and soul just like they could when he first saw them at sixteen years old.
"That was my first kiss too," he said, his voice soft and gentle.
Midori tightened her arms around her husband, pressing her body close to his and resting her head over his heart. Souzou held her tight, tears filling his eyes as he breathed in the scent of her hair. The soothing scent of sandalwood made his heart tighten painfully. He felt his wife shaking and heard her sobbing against his chest. His own shoulders shook and he muffled his cries in her hair.
Gently, Souzou nuzzled into his wife's throat, tears falling on her smooth skin. She whimpered and tightened her arms around him once more. Quickly, he cradled her in his arms and bent almost double so that he was leaning over her. With all the love and passion in every fiber of his being, he brought his mouth down on hers.
Midori gasped at the fierceness of her husband's passion. His tongue swept between her lips and into her mouth, desperately begging her to respond. She groaned into his caresses and curled her tongue around his. He tilted her head back swiftly, further delving into her mouth, mirroring the actions of her tongue with his own.
Just as he had done before, he flickered his tongue playfully over hers as he pulled back into his own mouth. She followed, like she always did, letting him suckle tenderly on her tongue and moaning for him. This time she twitched her tongue while between his lips, teasing the tip of his.
Slowly, still teasing her tongue as he held it between his lips, Souzou brought both of them back upright. Reluctantly, he pulled back a little. Gently, he bit down on her lower lip, then drew it into his mouth, swirling his tongue over the soft flesh and easing the small pain.
But no kiss, no matter how passionate and tender, could ease the pain in her heart.
As Souzou and Midori broke their last real kiss, a tear escaped from Midori's eye.
"I love you," whispered Souzou, kissing the tiny drop from his wife's flushed cheek.
"And I love you," she whispered back.
Souzou reluctantly disentangled himself from her arms and tilted her face up to his. He smiled at her and placed a soft, quick kiss on her already-swollen lips. Looking deep into her violet eyes, he leaned his forehead against hers.
"Always," he said softly. "Always, I love you."
He took her hand as he stepped back from her. Feeling his heart clench, a tear escaped from his eye and trailed down his cheek. He gave her hand a final squeeze then let go, feeling their fingertips brush each other softly. He couldn't look at her as he turned to leave.
Midori watched him go until she couldn't see him anymore.
Slowly, a single tear coursed down her cheek. Then another. And another. Hot tears came faster and faster, falling into the snow. Midori looked out at the horizon and let out a soft whimper. Finally something inside her cracked.
She covered her face with her hands and fell to her knees, sobbing hysterically.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -
Inside, Toshio looked up at Sanosuke with her eyes full of tears.
"Daddy isn't coming back this time, is he?" she said softly, making it more statement than question.
Sanosuke looked down at the tiny girl, tears filling his own brown eyes. Slowly, he sat down, not trusting himself to stand anymore. He took Toshio's hand and gently pulled her down beside him. Tentatively, he wrapped one arm around her.
"No..." he said quietly, feeling tears escape from his eyes. "I don't think he is..."
Toshio turned and buried her face in Sano's shoulder. He took her in his arms, holding her tight and letting her cry it out. In about a minute, he bowed his head and let himself cry as well.
"You'll be alright, Toshio," he said, choking harshly. "I promised that I would take care of you and I will..."
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -
Midori pulled herself together after a long while and went back inside. Her heart, what was left of it, seemed to cry out in pain as she saw Sanosuke and Toshio, holding onto each other and crying. Gently, she placed a hand on Sanosuke's shoulder. Bloodshot brown eyes stared at her from a tear-streaked face as the boy lifted his head. Toshio clung to Sanosuke, still crying softly into his shirt.
"Come here," Midori said softly, pulling both children close to her.
Toshio cried herself to sleep, resting her head on Sanosuke's shoulder. Sanosuke ran his hand through her silky black hair, remembering the morning he woke up thinking she was an angel. He tightened his hold on her, resting his cheek on top of her head. For the first time in his life, he felt the need to protect someone outside of battle. Soon he fell asleep as well, his grief driving him to exhaustion.
Midori picked up both of them and carried them to their rooms.
With Toshio and Sanosuke asleep in their respective rooms, Midori went to visit Nanaka, hoping to soothe the pain in her heart. When Nanaka got a look at her best friend's face, her heart nearly shattered. The red eyes, tear-streaked face and ragged breath told her what had happened. Or at least what she thought happened.
"Midori, I'm so sorry," she said softly. "I saw him going through town. I didn't want to believe it... I never thought he would leave you."
Midori paused and tilted her head at Nanaka. Did she think the two of them had...? It couldn't be...
"That's not what happened," she whispered, tears filling her eyes again. "He didn't leave me, not like that... He had to go."
"Why?" asked Nanaka. "What reason would he have?"
Midori couldn't meet her best friend's eyes. This was going to be hard. Souzou had told her not to say anything about the Sekihoutai, but this seemed like a special case. After all, she could trust Nanaka with anything. She took a deep breath, wondering where to start. Finally she decided the truth was best.
"Nanaka, Souzou is the leader of the Sekihoutai," she said flatly.
Nanaka's jaw dropped and she was silent for a second.
"What!?" she shrieked as the ability to speak pushed its way into her brain.
Midori winced for the sake of her eardrums.
"Shh!" she hissed. "No one was supposed to know!"
"But why is he going now?" whispered Nanaka.
Midori sighed, sadness darkening her pretty face.
"There's something wrong," she said softly. "There's someone who holds something against the Sekihoutai. His troop was massacred. His best friend was shot and he blames himself because he wasn't there with them."
"Oh my God," Nanaka said quietly. "Ri-chan..."
"Now he's going to track down any survivors of the massacre and try to find out what's going on," continued Midori. "His best friend's son turned up a few days after it actually happened... Souzou hasn't really been himself since then. This morning, he told me he had to go. He also told me... that if things are at all like he thinks they are, from what Sanosuke said... that most likely... he won't be coming home this time..."
She burst into tears. Nanaka put a hand on her best friend's shoulder, feeling tears come to her eyes as well.
"You have to go after him," she said, her voice shaking. "You can't just let him go and get himself slaughtered... I'll take care of Toshio and Sanosuke for you..."
Midori shook her head sadly.
"It wouldn't do any good," she said despairingly. "He believes he has to do this and he won't listen to anyone. You think I didn't beg him to stay? I asked. I cried. I begged. I pleaded. I did everything I could."
Nanaka took hold of both Midori's shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. Her own cat-like green eyes flashed dangerously.
"Midori, even if you think you can't do anything, you still have to try," she said firmly. "Think about Toshio and Sanosuke if you won't think of yourself. Don't just let him go get himself killed."
"But what if I'm too late?" asked Midori, shuddering. "I can't go all that way just to fail and then have to watch him die..."
Nanaka frowned at her.
"Midori, what happened to my best friend?" she asked. "What happened to the woman who would never let anything stand in her way? What happened to the promise we made to each other to never give up on the ones we love? Have you ever broken a promise to me? No, you haven't. Are you going to start now?"
Midori shook her head, wiping her tears away.
"'Naka, you don't know how much help you are," she said softly. "I really am glad we're best friends."
"So you aren't going to give up?" asked Nanaka, one eyebrow raised. "You're going after him?"
Midori smiled shakily.
"When I almost lost him because of that wound, I said he wouldn't die without me there beside him," she said, her voice quiet. "If it turns out that he's right, then I'll keep my word. But that's only after I've done everything in my power to try and bring him home."
Nanaka smiled at her best friend and helped her to her feet.
"That's my Ri-chan," she said proudly. "Don't worry, everything's going to be fine. I'll look after Toshio and Sanosuke. I guarantee Kaede won't mind. She just loves Toshio to death and she adores Sanosuke. It'll be no trouble at all!"
Midori nodded emphatically and the two women headed for Nanaka's front door.
"Hey Seiya!" she yelled at her husband. "Would you keep an eye on Kaede? I'm going out for a while!"
An affirmative response was yelled from somewhere in the house.
A few minutes later, Sanosuke and Toshio were settled in with Nanaka and Midori was on the road. Her heart was still heavy, but she at least had hope. She could see her beloved husband's smile in her mind and a tear rolled down her cheek. But was it one of sorrow or joy?
Souzou's ears turned pink again.
"You know," he said quietly. "There's something I didn't tell you that day..."
"What is it?" asked Midori, smiling gently.
Souzou gently took both of Midori's hands in both of his. Smiling just like he was that day, a little nervous but full of love, he looked into her eyes. Those bright violet eyes could melt his heart and soul just like they could when he first saw them at sixteen years old.
"That was my first kiss too," he said, his voice soft and gentle.
Midori tightened her arms around her husband, pressing her body close to his and resting her head over his heart. Souzou held her tight, tears filling his eyes as he breathed in the scent of her hair. The soothing scent of sandalwood made his heart tighten painfully. He felt his wife shaking and heard her sobbing against his chest. His own shoulders shook and he muffled his cries in her hair.
Gently, Souzou nuzzled into his wife's throat, tears falling on her smooth skin. She whimpered and tightened her arms around him once more. Quickly, he cradled her in his arms and bent almost double so that he was leaning over her. With all the love and passion in every fiber of his being, he brought his mouth down on hers.
Midori gasped at the fierceness of her husband's passion. His tongue swept between her lips and into her mouth, desperately begging her to respond. She groaned into his caresses and curled her tongue around his. He tilted her head back swiftly, further delving into her mouth, mirroring the actions of her tongue with his own.
Just as he had done before, he flickered his tongue playfully over hers as he pulled back into his own mouth. She followed, like she always did, letting him suckle tenderly on her tongue and moaning for him. This time she twitched her tongue while between his lips, teasing the tip of his.
Slowly, still teasing her tongue as he held it between his lips, Souzou brought both of them back upright. Reluctantly, he pulled back a little. Gently, he bit down on her lower lip, then drew it into his mouth, swirling his tongue over the soft flesh and easing the small pain.
But no kiss, no matter how passionate and tender, could ease the pain in her heart.
As Souzou and Midori broke their last real kiss, a tear escaped from Midori's eye.
"I love you," whispered Souzou, kissing the tiny drop from his wife's flushed cheek.
"And I love you," she whispered back.
Souzou reluctantly disentangled himself from her arms and tilted her face up to his. He smiled at her and placed a soft, quick kiss on her already-swollen lips. Looking deep into her violet eyes, he leaned his forehead against hers.
"Always," he said softly. "Always, I love you."
He took her hand as he stepped back from her. Feeling his heart clench, a tear escaped from his eye and trailed down his cheek. He gave her hand a final squeeze then let go, feeling their fingertips brush each other softly. He couldn't look at her as he turned to leave.
Midori watched him go until she couldn't see him anymore.
Slowly, a single tear coursed down her cheek. Then another. And another. Hot tears came faster and faster, falling into the snow. Midori looked out at the horizon and let out a soft whimper. Finally something inside her cracked.
She covered her face with her hands and fell to her knees, sobbing hysterically.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -
Inside, Toshio looked up at Sanosuke with her eyes full of tears.
"Daddy isn't coming back this time, is he?" she said softly, making it more statement than question.
Sanosuke looked down at the tiny girl, tears filling his own brown eyes. Slowly, he sat down, not trusting himself to stand anymore. He took Toshio's hand and gently pulled her down beside him. Tentatively, he wrapped one arm around her.
"No..." he said quietly, feeling tears escape from his eyes. "I don't think he is..."
Toshio turned and buried her face in Sano's shoulder. He took her in his arms, holding her tight and letting her cry it out. In about a minute, he bowed his head and let himself cry as well.
"You'll be alright, Toshio," he said, choking harshly. "I promised that I would take care of you and I will..."
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -
Midori pulled herself together after a long while and went back inside. Her heart, what was left of it, seemed to cry out in pain as she saw Sanosuke and Toshio, holding onto each other and crying. Gently, she placed a hand on Sanosuke's shoulder. Bloodshot brown eyes stared at her from a tear-streaked face as the boy lifted his head. Toshio clung to Sanosuke, still crying softly into his shirt.
"Come here," Midori said softly, pulling both children close to her.
Toshio cried herself to sleep, resting her head on Sanosuke's shoulder. Sanosuke ran his hand through her silky black hair, remembering the morning he woke up thinking she was an angel. He tightened his hold on her, resting his cheek on top of her head. For the first time in his life, he felt the need to protect someone outside of battle. Soon he fell asleep as well, his grief driving him to exhaustion.
Midori picked up both of them and carried them to their rooms.
With Toshio and Sanosuke asleep in their respective rooms, Midori went to visit Nanaka, hoping to soothe the pain in her heart. When Nanaka got a look at her best friend's face, her heart nearly shattered. The red eyes, tear-streaked face and ragged breath told her what had happened. Or at least what she thought happened.
"Midori, I'm so sorry," she said softly. "I saw him going through town. I didn't want to believe it... I never thought he would leave you."
Midori paused and tilted her head at Nanaka. Did she think the two of them had...? It couldn't be...
"That's not what happened," she whispered, tears filling her eyes again. "He didn't leave me, not like that... He had to go."
"Why?" asked Nanaka. "What reason would he have?"
Midori couldn't meet her best friend's eyes. This was going to be hard. Souzou had told her not to say anything about the Sekihoutai, but this seemed like a special case. After all, she could trust Nanaka with anything. She took a deep breath, wondering where to start. Finally she decided the truth was best.
"Nanaka, Souzou is the leader of the Sekihoutai," she said flatly.
Nanaka's jaw dropped and she was silent for a second.
"What!?" she shrieked as the ability to speak pushed its way into her brain.
Midori winced for the sake of her eardrums.
"Shh!" she hissed. "No one was supposed to know!"
"But why is he going now?" whispered Nanaka.
Midori sighed, sadness darkening her pretty face.
"There's something wrong," she said softly. "There's someone who holds something against the Sekihoutai. His troop was massacred. His best friend was shot and he blames himself because he wasn't there with them."
"Oh my God," Nanaka said quietly. "Ri-chan..."
"Now he's going to track down any survivors of the massacre and try to find out what's going on," continued Midori. "His best friend's son turned up a few days after it actually happened... Souzou hasn't really been himself since then. This morning, he told me he had to go. He also told me... that if things are at all like he thinks they are, from what Sanosuke said... that most likely... he won't be coming home this time..."
She burst into tears. Nanaka put a hand on her best friend's shoulder, feeling tears come to her eyes as well.
"You have to go after him," she said, her voice shaking. "You can't just let him go and get himself slaughtered... I'll take care of Toshio and Sanosuke for you..."
Midori shook her head sadly.
"It wouldn't do any good," she said despairingly. "He believes he has to do this and he won't listen to anyone. You think I didn't beg him to stay? I asked. I cried. I begged. I pleaded. I did everything I could."
Nanaka took hold of both Midori's shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. Her own cat-like green eyes flashed dangerously.
"Midori, even if you think you can't do anything, you still have to try," she said firmly. "Think about Toshio and Sanosuke if you won't think of yourself. Don't just let him go get himself killed."
"But what if I'm too late?" asked Midori, shuddering. "I can't go all that way just to fail and then have to watch him die..."
Nanaka frowned at her.
"Midori, what happened to my best friend?" she asked. "What happened to the woman who would never let anything stand in her way? What happened to the promise we made to each other to never give up on the ones we love? Have you ever broken a promise to me? No, you haven't. Are you going to start now?"
Midori shook her head, wiping her tears away.
"'Naka, you don't know how much help you are," she said softly. "I really am glad we're best friends."
"So you aren't going to give up?" asked Nanaka, one eyebrow raised. "You're going after him?"
Midori smiled shakily.
"When I almost lost him because of that wound, I said he wouldn't die without me there beside him," she said, her voice quiet. "If it turns out that he's right, then I'll keep my word. But that's only after I've done everything in my power to try and bring him home."
Nanaka smiled at her best friend and helped her to her feet.
"That's my Ri-chan," she said proudly. "Don't worry, everything's going to be fine. I'll look after Toshio and Sanosuke. I guarantee Kaede won't mind. She just loves Toshio to death and she adores Sanosuke. It'll be no trouble at all!"
Midori nodded emphatically and the two women headed for Nanaka's front door.
"Hey Seiya!" she yelled at her husband. "Would you keep an eye on Kaede? I'm going out for a while!"
An affirmative response was yelled from somewhere in the house.
A few minutes later, Sanosuke and Toshio were settled in with Nanaka and Midori was on the road. Her heart was still heavy, but she at least had hope. She could see her beloved husband's smile in her mind and a tear rolled down her cheek. But was it one of sorrow or joy?