Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Venomous Revelations ❯ Healing Begun ( Epilogue )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Serenitychan13 
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Comedy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.11.2004 | Updated On: 07.15.2004 | Pages: 1 | Words: 932 | Visits: 667 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Comedy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.11.2004 | Updated On: 07.15.2004 | Pages: 1 | Words: 932 | Visits: 667 | Status: Completed
Venomous Revelations
A Romantic Drama by: Serenity-chan
POV = * *
Thoughts = ' '
Speaking = " " (Did I really need to say that?)
Epilogue
About a week later, Misao was sitting up shakily and Aoshi was following Megumi's instructions for checking her over.
"I think you're going to be alright," he said quietly, covering her hands with his.
Misao smiled, though she was still a little shaky. A week of strong venom and Megumi's teas coursing through her veins like greyhounds had taken a lot out of her. The various teas and treatments that Megumi had left had also taken their toll on her strength. Gently, Aoshi slid one hand under Misao's chin and gave her a soft kiss.
"What was that for?" she asked, not that she was complaining.
Aoshi grinned at her and trailed his tongue over her lips.
"Kissing things makes them better," he teased, nipping at her lower lip.
"Yay!" squeaked Misao, wrapping her arms around his neck.
She laid her head on his shoulder, her mouth by his ear.
"Then how many times do I need to kiss you?" she whispered.
Aoshi pulled Misao back from his shoulder and looked into her eyes for a moment.
"Misao, some things can never truly be healed," he said softly. "You've seen my scars. I can always feel them throbbing. And you know as well as I that they'll never go away."
He pulled Misao close and let her rest her head over his heart.
"There are scars in my heart and soul too," he said, his voice shaking. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't see my best friends slaughtered in front of my eyes..."
His voice trailed off and he bowed his head, holding Misao tight against him, as if she could protect him from the nightmare that tormented him continuously. She felt something hit the top of her head and looked up. Her heart nearly stopped at the sight she found. Aoshi's eyes were squeezed shut, his lips parted. Tears were streaming down his face and his breathing was ragged.
Misao had never seen Aoshi cry before and at first she was a little scared. But when she pulled back and saw the pitiful sight he made, her heart clenched. She settled down on her futon, sitting on her knees, and reached out to touch his face. Small, slim fingers brushed his tears away and he closed his eyes, leaning into her touches like a cat. Then she pulled her hand away.
"Come here, Aoshi," Misao said softly, holding her arms out to him.
Gratefully, Aoshi let Misao pull him into her arms. He buried his face in her shoulder and finally let the pain of all his years out. Harsh, wracking sobs were muffled into Misao's soft skin and she just sat and listened to his cries. She could hear him crying for himself, for Hannya, Hyottoko, Shikijou and Beshimi, for Okina. Her heart nearly broke in two when she heard him crying for her, berating himself mercilessly for hurting her.
"I keep thinking... of two things..." he forced out, as if trying to explain himself. "The day Kanryu..."
He couldn't finish, sobbing into Misao's shoulder again.
"And the day I hurt you..." he continued bitterly. "I hate myself."
It stunned Misao for a moment to hear him say that one sentence so bluntly.
"Aoshi, stop it!" she ordered, holding him off at arm's length and looking him in the eye. "I don't want to hear you say that!"
Her expression and voice softened.
"It hurts me to see you hurting like this," she whispered, pulling him close again. "Now tell me what I can do for you!"
Aoshi smiled a little and nuzzled his tear-streaked face into the curve of her neck and shoulder.
"Just keep on with what you're doing now," he replied brokenly. "Hold me, kiss me and love me... We need each other, Misao. I realized that when I thought I might lose you."
"Why?" she asked, puzzled and stumbling over her words. "How?"
"You needed me to love you," answered Aoshi, his voice hoarse and shaking. "You told me that with every drop of your blood."
He wrapped his arms around her and laid both of them down on Misao's futon.
"And I realized that I need you," he continued. "When I saw you sitting there with blood running down your arms. Oh, my Misao, don't ever do that to me again! I love you too much..."
"I won't," Misao assured him, stroking his silky black hair. "I won't leave you."
"Good..." said Aoshi, smiling through his tears and looking up at her like he had just been redeemed. "Now please just stay right here like this. Hold me..."
Misao gladly obliged, kissing Aoshi's lips, cheeks and forehead.
A Romantic Drama by: Serenity-chan
POV = * *
Thoughts = ' '
Speaking = " " (Did I really need to say that?)
Epilogue
About a week later, Misao was sitting up shakily and Aoshi was following Megumi's instructions for checking her over.
"I think you're going to be alright," he said quietly, covering her hands with his.
Misao smiled, though she was still a little shaky. A week of strong venom and Megumi's teas coursing through her veins like greyhounds had taken a lot out of her. The various teas and treatments that Megumi had left had also taken their toll on her strength. Gently, Aoshi slid one hand under Misao's chin and gave her a soft kiss.
"What was that for?" she asked, not that she was complaining.
Aoshi grinned at her and trailed his tongue over her lips.
"Kissing things makes them better," he teased, nipping at her lower lip.
"Yay!" squeaked Misao, wrapping her arms around his neck.
She laid her head on his shoulder, her mouth by his ear.
"Then how many times do I need to kiss you?" she whispered.
Aoshi pulled Misao back from his shoulder and looked into her eyes for a moment.
"Misao, some things can never truly be healed," he said softly. "You've seen my scars. I can always feel them throbbing. And you know as well as I that they'll never go away."
He pulled Misao close and let her rest her head over his heart.
"There are scars in my heart and soul too," he said, his voice shaking. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't see my best friends slaughtered in front of my eyes..."
His voice trailed off and he bowed his head, holding Misao tight against him, as if she could protect him from the nightmare that tormented him continuously. She felt something hit the top of her head and looked up. Her heart nearly stopped at the sight she found. Aoshi's eyes were squeezed shut, his lips parted. Tears were streaming down his face and his breathing was ragged.
Misao had never seen Aoshi cry before and at first she was a little scared. But when she pulled back and saw the pitiful sight he made, her heart clenched. She settled down on her futon, sitting on her knees, and reached out to touch his face. Small, slim fingers brushed his tears away and he closed his eyes, leaning into her touches like a cat. Then she pulled her hand away.
"Come here, Aoshi," Misao said softly, holding her arms out to him.
Gratefully, Aoshi let Misao pull him into her arms. He buried his face in her shoulder and finally let the pain of all his years out. Harsh, wracking sobs were muffled into Misao's soft skin and she just sat and listened to his cries. She could hear him crying for himself, for Hannya, Hyottoko, Shikijou and Beshimi, for Okina. Her heart nearly broke in two when she heard him crying for her, berating himself mercilessly for hurting her.
"I keep thinking... of two things..." he forced out, as if trying to explain himself. "The day Kanryu..."
He couldn't finish, sobbing into Misao's shoulder again.
"And the day I hurt you..." he continued bitterly. "I hate myself."
It stunned Misao for a moment to hear him say that one sentence so bluntly.
"Aoshi, stop it!" she ordered, holding him off at arm's length and looking him in the eye. "I don't want to hear you say that!"
Her expression and voice softened.
"It hurts me to see you hurting like this," she whispered, pulling him close again. "Now tell me what I can do for you!"
Aoshi smiled a little and nuzzled his tear-streaked face into the curve of her neck and shoulder.
"Just keep on with what you're doing now," he replied brokenly. "Hold me, kiss me and love me... We need each other, Misao. I realized that when I thought I might lose you."
"Why?" she asked, puzzled and stumbling over her words. "How?"
"You needed me to love you," answered Aoshi, his voice hoarse and shaking. "You told me that with every drop of your blood."
He wrapped his arms around her and laid both of them down on Misao's futon.
"And I realized that I need you," he continued. "When I saw you sitting there with blood running down your arms. Oh, my Misao, don't ever do that to me again! I love you too much..."
"I won't," Misao assured him, stroking his silky black hair. "I won't leave you."
"Good..." said Aoshi, smiling through his tears and looking up at her like he had just been redeemed. "Now please just stay right here like this. Hold me..."
Misao gladly obliged, kissing Aoshi's lips, cheeks and forehead.