MISMATCHED 3
The Morning After

Food was served and of course sake. Everyone was forced to drink, either by Okina or Sanosuke. And, as expected, everyone got drunk. Except for Aoshi that is. He had refused sake both calmly and threateningly. When he had said 'no' the first time, everyone immediately backed off, except for the two others who kept on bugging him to drink - Sano and Okina, both of them too drunk to even realize that Aoshi was an inch close from cutting their heads off. Misao discreetly tried (or so she thinks) to get her Aoshi-sama to drink, for personal reasons of course, but failed to do so.

And so by the near end of the sumptuous dinner prepared by Okon and Omasu, Kaoru was just about ready to pass out; Megumi was doing her foxy laughter every five seconds or so; Misao was singing her heart out to some nameless, tuneless song she just picked out from the top of her pretty head; Kenshin, looking drunk himself, was sitting quietly beside Kaoru; Sano's slurred speech was the object of Okina's mockery and Aoshi had long gone off to bed, not necessarily unaware of the situation at the hall.

Kenshin let Kaoru's body lean towards him. Her warm body sent shivers down his back and he suspected that it would be a rather large factor should he not find sleep tonight. He carefully watched as Kaoru gulped down a half-filled glass of the addicting alcohol and then giggle quietly. Her cheeks had turned into a cute shade of red and had Kenshin had a few more drinks, he would've easily found the courage to bend over, take Kaoru's face in his hands and just kiss her. He smiled at the idea.

She turned at him and offered the now empty glass. He took it from her hands and decided that he better take charge of the situation before it ultimately gets out of hand. He held Kaoru's arm firmly and stood up taking her with him. Alcohol made her body light, graceful and fluid, these three things rarely present when she's awake and angry.

"Kenshin? Doko?" Misao managed to say.

"Kaoru-dono has enough for tonight. I will take her to bed." Kenshin paused. That didn't sound good. Maybe he had too much to drink himself. He shook his head.

"Good for you!" Sano said raising his cup and saluting him. Sake spilled and Megumi rolled her eyes.

"He means he'd take her to her room and then leave her alone." She turned to look at Kenshin, her hazel eyes unfocused. "You're not the type of guy to do such a thing, ne Ken-san." She purred and then 'hicked' so effectively that Sano laughed out loud, raised his glass and then saluted her.

"Good for you!"

Megumi turned at Sano, pointed a perfectly manicured finger at him, opened her luscious mouth for a scathy remark and then let out a huge burp, surprising even herself.

Sano looked so startled that both Okina and Misao laughed so hard they had curled up on the tatami mat before Megumi can even say 'Excuse me.'

"Megumi-chan!" Misao exclaimed clenching her stomach.

"'Wass happening Kenshin?" Kaoru asked groggily trying to look around but seeing just a few blotches of color. There was a white and dark steady figure, which Kaoru thought as Sano. She tried to turn her head, but for some reason the stubborn head refused to move.

"Nothing. I'll take you to bed." Kenshin repeated, mentally smaking himslef and then mentally missing. Drunk.

Sano smiled and began to raise his cup when Megumi knocked it off his hands. "Save it. You're drunk Sagara." She announced, struggling to stand up. "And so am I." She quietly admitted, "So we all better get some rest lest we want a big headstone...." she paused and thought for a second, "Er, I mean headache tomorrow when we wake up. Ne Misao-chan?" She said turning at Misao who was now wiping her eyes dry.

"Ne, Megumi-chan, do that burp again! You do it tons better than Sano." Misao said.

"Thank you!" And then some more foxy laughter.

Okina had the gall to suggest another jug of sake but Kenshin had firmly said no, exactly what he should have done hours ago. Okina needed no convincing as he went out of the hall, promising to return with a new jug and then...well, he never did returned.

So Kenshin was tasked to take the girls one by one to their room. Megumi had asked his assistace to take some of her clothes off, to which Kenshin had politely declined. Kenshin was able to find a nice comfortable place to settle in and slept lightly. And, just to be exact, the said place is right outside Kaoru's room.

Sano had fallen fast asleep at the floor, sake jug and all.




The sun had risen hours ago. But the household was as quiet and peaceful. The inhabitants are all still inside. Caught in their little worlds. Still unaware of the bright new day ahead of them.


SANOSUKE

Drunk. Still sleeping on the tatami mat. Several times, Okon and Omasu had almost stepped on him. And beacause Sano was deep in his sleep he wasn't able to look up into the skirts of Okon and Omasu as he would have likely done had he been awake.

His dream was vaguely familiar. It wasn't nearly as unpleasant as the last one he had on the ship. It was about a dark haired woman sitting on his lap... trying to convince him that he would have less trouble if he allowed her to cut off his right hand. To which he readily agreed to. The blade swiftly fell down.

Sano strirred in his sleep, grimacing and whining: "Megumi, don't...stop...it hurts...."

Okon missing Sano's head by a few inches smiled at the spoken words. What a nice way to start the day, Okon thought smiling brightly. "Omasu...come here quick!" She called shrilly.


MEGUMI

Asleep. She lay in a wild tangle of her clothes, her obi wrapped around her head, looking so much like the headband adorned in Sano's head. She snored softly and curled her body. She didn't sleep talk like Sano, but the movements she made were easy enough to understand that even her sleep, the chicken head punk was tormenting her.

The closed fist shaking in front of her closed eyes was a better clue than saying Sano's name outloud.

Not a nightmare by Megumi's standard, because soon enough the fist was laid down and her pouty lips started making kissing sounds.

Omasu watched on amused. She jerked her head up when she heard Okon's excited voice calling her. She smiled luminously, her eyes brightening up. What a weird bunch these people from Tokyo are! "Coming, Okon! I'm coming!" She hurried out of the room, guessing and hoping that she'd be seeing Sano in his sleep.

She let out a giggle as she began to close the door, catching a glimpse of Megumi slowly parting her robe. Racy, Omasu thought, closing the door shut.


MISAO

Dreaming of Aoshi as per usual.

Misao giggled both on her dream and her sleep as she watched her dream Aoshi-sama gulped down a glass filled sake and then turn to her with smoldering blue eyes wordlessly pull her down lean towards her and...

"Misao, did you wet your bed?"

'Huh?' Misao squinted up her eyes and stared at the blurred face of..."Okon?" She aked groggily.

"It's me, Omasu."

"Omasu." She muttered. She turned and ignored the girl. Aoshi was trying to kiss her on her dream dammit! "Go away, I'm sleeping." She tried to envison Aoshi again, his blue eye looking at her. Only her...

Omasu pasued for a minute and then shook Misao again, "You're bed is wet Misao. You'll get a cold if you sleep on this."

Misao got up and swore under her breath. What is wrong with the rest of the world? She opened both her mouth and her eyes and then with a start she realized that indeed, her bed was wet and so was her clothes and the familiar smell of sake found it's way into her nose. She looked down and found the now empty jug of sake beside her. She lapsed into silence for a few seconds and then, "Mouuuuuuu!"


AOSHI

Meditating by the temple, he suddenly jerked his head up. He glanced around him and found everyhting was just as it was. Outside, the calm sweet chirping of the birds on a nearby tree brought a smile on his face. Birds reminded him of Misao, hell, everything reminded him of Misao.

He briefly wished he had stayed on until the drinking part of the festivity was finished, but he couldn't possibly start drinking sake with Misao around. If he allowed himself to lose control like Sagara and let his mind be soaked on that stuff, he'd be waking up beside Misao right now and kissing her good morning, running his hands acorss her soft skin and...

Aoshi stopped in mid thought. He sighed dejectedly and closed his hands. Meditate. He told himslef. He made this his mantra.

Meditate, don't think of Misao....

Don't think of Misao...

Think of Misao...

Misao. Misao. Misao...



KAORU

Headache.

She tried to open her eyes, but the pounding of her head got worse. "Sorry Genzai-sensei, broke your number one rule." She muttered darkly as she rubbed her temples. What exactly had transpired last night? She remembered sipping a few glasses of sake but that was all she could remember. She wasn't sure how she got inside this room, but she wouldn't be surprised if it was Kenshin who brought her here.

She pouted, Kenshin could have easily laid down beside her and stared at her lovingly, ran his hands across her face and... She shook her head and then squinted her eyes. She was alone in the room. From the other room she could hear Misao cursing. Something about sleeping on a wet bed. She stretched her arms and then her limbs. She had woken up with the sounds of feet scrurying around. Another busy day at the Aioya she thought. Okon and Omasu are probably cleaning up all the mess Sano had made and she was still in her room sleeping so soundly. She felt a little guilty. Although she was a guest in this house, it still wasn't right of her to be this lazy. She'd better go and help the two Oni girls.

After a few minutes of stretching, she finally straightened her kimono and grabbed a towel. Her head still throbbed. A quick, nice, hot bath and then she'd be ready.

She wondered where Kenshin was and tried to envision him sleeping. Oh, how beutiful he would look with her red hair spread across his pillow. She giggled. Beautiful, the word suited Kenshin fine. It wasn't a word associated with men, but still Kenshin managed to put a masculine sound to it. Beautiful. Stretch of rippling muscles across his stomach, on his chest...

She pulled the door open and let out a yelp when a body tumbled down in front of her.



KENSHIN


Dreaming of Kaoru. It didn't matter where he slept, his dreams always had a weird variation of Kaoru and him together. This, thankfully, was a nicer dream than his usual nightmares of blood and gore and the hitokiri's uncontrollable rage. It was probably the sake, because his usually innocent dreams had gone into a sharp turn - a more mature dream involving less clothing and well...exactly the stuff dreams are made of.

And Kenshin smiled easily as he slept.

Kaoru. Oh, how soft her skin was. How sweet and had he mentioned soft? His fingers lingered on her face and then traced a line downwards to her throat and lower still and...

He heard her scream. It wasn't a scream of ecstasy. And his dream Kaoru disappeared. "Kaoru?" He called out but she wasn't anywhere near him anymore. He waited for another scream, or maybe a giggle but only silence...

And then she screamed again.

His eyes snapped open and he found himself staring up at Kaoru's wide surprised blue eyes. "Kaoru-dono?" He asked her and then immediately closed his eyes realizing that, yes indeed his eyes weren't palying any tricks on him, he could see from underneath her kimono.

Shame on you Kenshin!

But he hadn't seen anything!

"Kenshin?"

At least she hadn't realized what had just happened. He sat up, eyes still tightly shut. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Rurouni. His mind reminded. Ru-rou-ni. He turned at Kaoru again, lavander eyes a little drowsy with sleep but alert and warm.

"Hai, I didn't know I fell asleep here." He explained.

"Oh. Well, I..." The bright smile on her face dimmed a little and she narowed her eyes at him, "are you sure, you didn't sleep here on purpose?" There was a note of annoyance in her voice and he quickly shook his head.

"Aa Kaoru-dono. Sessha had drank a little too much last night and I fell asleep here." He repeated adding a sheepish tone to his voice.

"Ok then. If you say so." Kaoru looked around them and Kenshin took this opportunity to stand up and face her. He probably stood a little close to her because when she turned her face back at him, they were only inches away from each other and he could see the dark flecks in her blue eyes. Kaoru blushed and took a step back. "I..ugh...I" Her feet somehow got entangled and she gave out a surprised cry when her body started falling backward. But Kenshin was quick to catch her and this, was far more a compromising position he realized because the way their body pressed against each other send a shiver staright to him.

"Oh, Ohayou Himura-san, Kaoru-chan."

They both turned their heads toward a cheerful Omasu. Her gleaming eyes held a certain twinkle of merriment in them. "I see you did take her to bed, Himura-san." She added quite innocently betraying the almost wicked smile on her face.

Kenshin felt Kaoru's heart beating so furiously in her chest that he immediately turned his head towards her. He was still holding her, so close and so tightly. She looked so cute with her face flushed and he could just lean a little and... He let out a gasp and let her go as though the feel of her skin burned him.

She fell on the floor with a thud.

"KENSHIIIIIIIN!!!!!"

Omasu giggled. What a very enterataining week they would be having!