Uh-oh... i just finished a fic i made last night. with all these rain, i really have to get this out of my system. @o@ i hope it turned out great ^_^ welpy, read on, me-friends ^____^ Drenched Memories By Dyosa :) *************** RK characters in this story are not mine, don't sue... please? *************** Wild drumming of a summer rain unexpectedly came one hot evening, the warm pungent mist abruptly transposed into a cold feral breeze. The loud tapping of a branch outside that was forcefully protruded by the wind inside Misao's window suddenly woke her up with a start, her slack senses sternly becoming alert as she absently clutch for her kunai, which was, in her silliness, put away. Realizing the cause of her untimely rise, Misao rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands, and rose up to close the open window, clutching the covers about her. Even with the shadowy clouds looming the expanse; Misao had a feeling the time's still far from dawn. She went back to the bedding and sat at the edge, her sleepiness vanished with the rain's impeccable timing. /How can I sleep now?/ For a moment, she sat there and listened as the rain beats down the rooftops aimlessly. She remembered how scared she was when she was still a child and it rained like this. The deafening pounding of solid drops mercilessly thrumming through the walls and the ceilings. How it was frightening. Especially after what had happened ten years ago when her fear became deeper. Misao shook her head, as if the memory would also be stirred away. Not wanting to remember, she decided to go to the kitchen to have a drink. She stood up and walked to the door and opened it. The other half of the corridor was wet with the gusty shower and slowly stepped out of the room and, after having a last look inside, slid the frame closed. After coming back from the kitchen, she made the longer route through the walled corridor. Misao paused by the glass-windowed wall. The same spot where she watched Aoshi walked out to go to the temple, after being gone for ten years and coming back with the others from Shishio's threshold days before. Though she knew that he'd always come back to Aoiya, she still couldn't help feeling sad of him leaving. It was like he's leaving her all over again, even though the pain's not that great anymore, the feeling of despair was still there. But not only the sadness, but of being alone again. For ten years since he left, she felt so alone. She absently touched the cold glass with her own cold fingers, mesmerized by the blurry vision of silhouettes outside caused by the cascading water down the window-pane on the other side. <<< "NO0O!!!" Misao-chan shrieked as she sat up from her bed, her face filled with wet tears and sweat on her forehead. It was raining hard outside, and the angry beatings of raindrops scared her all the more. "Aoshi-sama!" she wailed, wanting to be contained from her displeasing dream. She got out of bed after waiting for a moment and no one came. Dashing out of the room, she almost slipped with the drenched floor. As she ran through the walled corridor, from the window, she noticed a group of shadows moving away from the front gate. But with the rain blurring her vision, she dismissed the scene and continued her journey to one of the rooms. She then paused as she strangely found the receiving room lit up. /By now everybody should be in bed,/ she thought, her curiosity letting her nightmare abate for a moment. She slowly made her way towards the room and stood by the open door. Okina was seated in the middle, alone. His expression was deeply troubled as lines of lack of sleep etched his olden face. His guard was down, and was unable to notice a young girl standing beside her until a small voice intercepted his distressed mind. "Jiya, why are you still awake?" Misao asked. Startled, he looked towards the voice and found a six-year old girl with extraordinarily bright blue eyes peering at him curiously. "M-Misao?! Why are you still up?" he replied unthinking. Surprised to see the girl he'd been having trouble of in the first place. "I had a bad dream, I'm just about to see Aoshi-sama," Misao was about to leave when the old man's solemn voice stopped her. "Misao-chan..." "Hai, Jiya?" she turned, her face now crumpled with confusion. "Gomen nasai, Misao-chan..." he paused as he held Misao's shoulders with heavy hands, "but... I'm afraid..." /Kami-sama, help me ease this child's burden once I tell her that--/ "What is it, Jiya? Is- is there something wrong..." Misao suddenly felt cold inside, wanting to wrap her frail arms around herself. But she willed not to show any weakness to anyone. /I should be strong, like Aoshi-sama and the others. If something bad is going on, I should be strong and face it./ she thought, trying to keep her nagging nightmare away from her mind and focus on the matter at hand. "My child, I'm afraid... Aoshi and the others--they have left us." Misao's eyes suddenly widened in alarm, and strangely dried from tears. "B-but why? Where??" she asked, her voice already breaking apart. "They did not tell, little one. But even if they did, it's no place for you either." Okina explained, already sensing the working of her mind. "Will they come back? W-will they come back soon??" she asked, her eyes already brimming with hope, though her heart was already tearing apart. "They didn't tell, my dear. I'm sorry." "But why?! They shouldn't leave... they can't leave!!!" she exclaimed indignantly, small hands already fisted with anger. "But Misao, it's their choice," Okina prodded, not knowing how to comfort the child like Aoshi always did. "NO!! They can't leave me! Aoshi-sama..." she cried, her tears unable to hold on any longer. She suddenly remembered the shadows she saw through the window. With a renewed, if not already tattered, spirit, she broke away from Okina's hold and dashed through the hard downpour of rain. "MISAO!!" the old man called, flustered with the little girl's actions. But she was already outside the gate, and rain poured down even more. /Aoshi-sama--Aoshi-sama... wait--wait for me!! Onegai.../ the thought circled her chaotic mind, becoming a litany throughout her rain-drenched body as she ran the muddy grounds of the darkened empty streets. "Where are you??" she whispered between shallow breaths, her limbs becoming tired of running for almost an eternity. Rapidly, she tripped, probably the only impediment to put a stop to her unending chase. She fell hard on the puddled soil, but her whole body already felt numb with the coldness of rain, outside and inside. So she lay there, unmoving, helpless. The continuous flow of burning tears and trembling limbs were the only signs of life from her frail body. For the first time, no strong hands were there to cradle her, no blue eyes were there to comfort her. And within her drenched soul echoes the mocking remnants of her realistic dream, a deep familiar voice slowly ebbing away to its finality: "Good bye, Misao-chan." >>> She bit her lip, trying not to let her feelings be overcome with that memory again, like what it always did for those ten years he was gone. /It's different now, he's back./ she smiled at that, and remembered how she 'patiently' waited for him ever since he came back. Her smile turned into a wide grin. /And for four years, it's worth it./ She went back to her room and slowly slid the door open and closed it behind her. The rain wasn't beating down that hard anymore. Only a tranquil thrumming ringing through her ears. She sat on the bedding, letting the blanket fall from her shoulders, and placed her chin on her up-drawn knees as she watched the shadows of the branches swaying gracefully against the window. Suddenly, warm strong hands enclosed her petite frame protectively from behind, ensuing a soft blush across her cheeks as she remembered the other occupant of the bed. A soft deep whisper, almost a growl, was heard behind her ears as a heated breath tickled her senses. "Where have you been?" "I just... uh... took a drink," she breathed, biting her lips to suppress her giggle as Aoshi gently nibbled her earlobe, then trailed hot kisses down her neck to her shoulder. "And leave me here cold and alone? How cruel of you..." he murmured, his hands not being able to control themselves as they traced her womanly contours where his mouth once had tasted. "And how can I make it up to you... Aoshi-'sama'?" she teased, turning to face him, as fiery blue eyes meet burning azure ones. He made a slight quirk of his lips and fully removed the blanket to reveal more of her soft skin. "Lie down with me." Then captured her sweet lips with his own hungry ones, gently covering her supple body with his large frame. For them, the world outside became nonexistent, and wrenching dreams were extinguished from their minds, as they relinquish themselves into their own time and space, body and soul. Silently promising each other that they will never be alone again. owari *** soooo, how's it? huh? huh? feedbacks are really REALLY welcome, thanks for reading, ja ^-^ dyosa :) __________________ this one's pasted straight from egroups. i actually need help for the sequel. no, no, not any lemony ideas, or even those mushy honey-suckled ones... i need rain--at night--real hard. it really triggers my inspirational side. soo what i actually...uh... need from you is... well, ---- can--you sing just once? you know, you don't have to make it really bad, it already is--i mean--ehehe--just, so we can be all happy to have a sequel for my fic, e-eheh....