[Headache is gone finally! ^__^ I feel great again!! :D Sorry I've kept you waiting!]

The tenderness of his words took her utterly by surprise. It felt wrong to hear those things come out of his mouth, but at the same time she couldn’t hide her gratitude. Tears threatened to well up in her eyes as she turned to look at him, daring a smile. How did he always manage to give her new hope when her future seemed doomed already? She couldn’t put in words how thankful she was for his presence. And how scared of the impact he had on her.
“Yes… You’re right. I worry too much,” Misoka exclaimed, her smile widening.
When he leaned in closer and kissed her cheek, though, it was a mix of confusion and surprise which flitted across her face. It had been too unexpected for her to feel embarrassed; all she did was stare into his eyes and replay the balcony scene in her mind. What was this all about? Her heart thudded with excitement, but she couldn’t say if it was one of the positive or negative kind.

Just then, someone grabbed her arm. “Misoka!”
The young girl froze, her gaze fixed on the woman in front of her. Middle-aged, short, brown hair, green eyes, a kind smile on her lips for usual. She had been friends with her parents ever since Misoka could remember.
“N-Nami-san?” Misoka mouthed, her voice almost cracked. With trembling fingers she took the woman’s hands. “What are you doing here?”
“What I am doing?” Nami’s eyes were wide, a clear sign she was panicking. “You.. you fled from your home! Those…those people were looking for you in whole Suna… they questioned me! If I know where you are, where you’re hiding, they threatened me to say the truth… it was horrible! And then… and your father, he’s gone. He didn’t say goodbye, nothing, one day he just wasn’t there anymore. I’m sure your clan took him away, they will question him too or worse!” She breathed in sharply, tears running down her cheeks.
Misoka stayed calm, listening to Nami’s words silently. So her father had truly been captured. Not that it was a surprise to her. “Don’t cry, Nami-san,” she said at last. A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “Everything will be just fine. I know what happened. I’m going to save father and come home once and for all. Don’t worry.” How ironic that she was the one saying this now. Since when did she get so optimistic?
Misoka quickly threw a side-glance to Bokuden. “Oh- um, Bokuden, this is Nami, she’s friends with my father. And Nami-san, this is Bokuden, he-“
“Don’t tell me he’s the reason you left home!” Nami snarled and shook her head disapprovingly. “Your clan is worried sick, silly child! They believe your father is at fault! Why are you wasting your time in Kumo?”
Misoka smiled awkwardly. She had almost forgotten about the woman’s quick temper.
“No, he’s not-“ She tried to calm Nami down, but then she just said,”I trust him and you can, too. I will come home.”
Somehow this really put a smile on Nami’s face. Thank God for her mood swings. “Well, okay, I know you’re a good child deep down. But don’t run away like that,” the woman replied, patting Misoka’s arm in a motherly way. She knew nothing about clans or shinobis in general. But it was better this way. “I came here to see the festival. You know, my brother lives in Kumo, we’re staying at his place. Oh, in a few minutes, the dances start. Why don’t you come with me and say hello to Takeru?”
“I’m sorry,” Misoka declined, smiling apologetically. “Bokuden and I wanted to .. go eat something first.” This she had only just decided, but Nami didn’t need to know. Truth was Misoka didn’t want to spend the evening with Nami and her son – Needless to say, that would be unfair to Bokuden. “Didn’t we?” Misoka looked up at the Ryuzoji urgently, hoping he would play along.

(OOC: Glad to hear it <3)

“Misoka!” a voice sounded from nearby prompting Bokuden to immediately put his free hand on the handle of his sword. His eyes immediately shifted in the direction of the alert only to see a small woman grabbing onto Misoka. His first instinct as a shinobi was to take action against their unexpected guest, but judging by Misoka’s reaction this was someone she knew… although her cracking voice and trembling hands did not serve to clear up any ambiguity regarding whether this woman was a hostile. For now though, at least until Misoka herself declared this woman as such, Bokuden would not immediately assume she was an enemy. Misoka did not exactly seem unhappy to see her, even going so far as to take her hands on her own accord, and he would definitely have preferred to not have to point his weapon at a woman.

Bokuden stood back in silent observation as Misoka and this Nami woman went back and forth, bringing up Misoka’s situation likely not knowing that Misoka was already aware. The information was nothing earth shattering since they had already gathered that much information the night before, but it still slightly irked Bokuden. This was exactly the kind of thing that he didn’t want spoiling the rest of the night, but it looked like this would need to be dealt with. Even so, it was comforting to see such a calm and collected reaction from Misoka. It might have been only this one instance, but it was reassuring to see Misoka be able to react to the situation without letting herself be overwhelmed by the emotional nature of the issue.

His eyebrows raised as he suddenly became the subject of the conversation, apparently this Nami woman didn’t have the greatest first impression of him given the circumstances. This again he would stay quiet during as Misoka seemed to be containing the situation well. Once Misoka talked Nami down she invited Misoka to join her at the festival at which point Bokuden was beginning to get slightly annoyed. He had just finished telling Misoka that no one from  her past would interfere with her enjoying herself at the festival. But if she wanted to go with Nami he would not protest… it would make sense that she would want to see her old friend or family member. If that is where she would prefer to be he wouldn’t try to deny her that.

“I’m sorry. Bokuden and I wanted to … go eat something first,” Misoka said to Nami before looking towards Bokuden, “Didn’t we?”

“Ah, yes,” Bokuden replied, catching on to Misoka trying to exit this situation, “My apologies Nami-sama, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to steal Misoka away from you for a while. We have other plans for the night.” As he spoke he stepped over to Misoka and grasped one of her hands before continuing, “But it was very nice to meet you. Maybe we’ll run into each other afterwards, I’m sure we’d all like that. Come on Misoka, we don’t want to be late.” Bokuden then gently tugged on Misoka’s hand to signal for her to make her own exit from the conversation as he would begin to lead her away.

"Yes." Misoka nodded, glad that Bokuden had understood, and flashed her parent's old friend a smile. "We have to get going. I..." She paused for a moment. How should she put it? A bit hesitantly, she opened her mouth and continued in a lower tone than before,"..I'll say this once more. Don't worry, Nami-san. I will make things right again. Just watch me." But in the back of her mind, her doubts and fears were gradually growing. Where did she take all that feigned confidence from? For all she knew, her father might be tortured at this very moment.

After Misoka had said her goodbyes to Nami, she followed Bokuden through the crowd, keeping silent. She couldn't think of anything interesting she could say to him or anything funny or... whatever. This isn't good, her inner voice noted nervously, I'm losing my optimism again. I'm imagining all kinds of scenarios of what my father is going through right now.
She swallowed. What are you? A kunoichi or a douchebag? Of course she knew who she was.

"Most delicious fruit in whole Kumogakure! Apples, pears, bananas - You don't want to miss that! Most delicious fruit..."
Funny how this man's shouting caught her attention among the constantly babbling crowd. She was more than glad for the distraction.
"Bokuden," she suggested, "We wanted to go eat something, didn't we? Might as well have some healthy food. How about we buy us apples or any other kind of fruit?"
With a nod, she pointed to the bald man holding a basket full of fruit and trying to talk people into buying a banana or two.
The hint of a blush caressed Misoka's cheeks when she realized she had just suggested her idea aloud. Eating an apple at a festival like this one? Did this seem appropriate? She should've asked for some sweets...that wouldn't sound so weird.

"Come on, don't be shy! Do something for your health... Sir, look at these fresh pears, I couldn't be prouder of them.. Or this banana, look how it's smiling at you.."
Oh and the vendor was taking his job a bit too seriously.

"I mean... we can also..." Misoka found herself muttering under her breath. "...something else..."

"Please give Gregor a new home... he hates to stay in this basket for any longer... oh, don't look at Applelady this way, she blushes so easily..." Argh, if he didn't talk like a mentally handicapped person, he might make a lot more money. He must be truly desperate.

Misoka peeked at Bokuden, wondering whether he would even think about her idea or lead her away from the man and his apples straight away. At the same time, another question crossed her mind, so irrelevant that she almost felt ashamed just thinking about it: What was Bokuden's favourite food? Did he have a sweet tooth?
She heard some people talk about the dances which were about to start and immediately added another question: Was he a good dancer?
As if any of this mattered. She couldn't help but smile at her own ridiculous thoughts.

OOC: i was thinking we could finish this thread and then go to post-timeskip? so this would be like one important flashback. :) ok how about this: they eat sth, they go watch the dances, bokuden asks her to dance, misoka catches one last glimpse of her old friends (nami blahblah) - the end. xD this way we could speed this up a little bit... before the next timeskip comes around xDD

She felt Bokuden tug lightly on her hand, but what surprised her most was the fact she didn't flinch away. It seemed the more time she spent with that man, the more accustomed she became to intimate gestures like hand holding. She caught herself feeling actually comfortable with the way Bokuden let her know he would be there for her. How strange. How... There must be something about him that... Misoka shyly threw a sideways-glance to him. There was it again. This mixed feeling rising inside her... excitement and fear. She wanted to explore it just a little longer, she wanted to make sure it wouldn't do her harm, but... she didn't have enough time. Soon they would have to part ways. She knew it. For the past three months, she hadn't been staying in one place longer than necessary - As a runaway you don't get to rest easy. This, however, was the first time she would regret leaving. Will I ever find someone like him again? She wondered silently before Bokuden's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Sure!" Misoka blurted out. They would buy their food somewhere else.. Probably better this way. But then Bokuden went on, asking her to come with him so they could talk.
A worried expression crossed her face. Why all of a sudden... "D-Did I do something wrong?" She bit her tongue, realizing she had said that aloud. Quickly, she followed Bokuden through the crowd. "I mean... sure...sure, let's talk."

She blinked and looked around, her mouth half open in surprise. Only a moment ago, Bokuden had suddenly pulled her into an embrace and used some technique to escape the noisy crowd. There they were now: a hill, high enough to give them perfect view on the festival they had just disappeared from.
Misoka let her gaze wander, from the brightly lit village square to the tree which howered over them, before she finally locked eyes with Bokuden. The smile on his face was infectious. Even though she wasn't sure why he had brought her to this place where it was just the two of them, she couldn't help but smile back. You're done questioning his good intentions, she said to herself, letting go of her previous doubts. Taken the fact that she would leave soon enough anyway, it was ridiculous to think he might turn against her. Just her overcautiousness again.
"But you're always free to use me as a pillow," she then heard Bokuden say with a teasing smile. Misoka laughed quietly, a small blush spreading across her cheeks. "I may take you up on that later."
Clearly, she wouldn't. But that's how this teasing "game" worked, she figured, you say things for fun and not because you mean them. Right?
She walked over to Bokuden, the smile still on her lips although she grew more nervous as time passed. Somehow she felt awkward being out here alone with him and then again she knew there was nothing to be scared of or feel embarrassed about.
"So..." she started while sitting down beside him. "Was this just for the better view or is there something specific you want to talk about?"
She kept a playful tone, trying to imitate Bokuden's cheerfulness.
As she looked down at her knees, however, she noticed that her hands were trembling. What has gotten into you? She thought angrily and placed one hand on the other, stopping them both from shaking. The frightened little girl. She wasn't like that anymore, was she? She would never let herself be... humiliated again. Why am I thinking of this now? The question resounded in her head, a dark cloud of memories looming over it.
On the outside, though, her smile stayed in place when she lifted her eyes, which had already started to glow slightly in the dusk, and awaited Bokuden's answer.

Misoka glanced down at their hands. "I know what you mean," she said quietly. "This could be our last day together. This could be.. goodbye already."
Now that he'd brought that up, she couldn't think of anything else. She knew herself. She would never hesitate to rescue her father, she would never wait just a few days longer if it meant he might be tortured in the meantime. Her heart ached as though it was about to shatter into pieces.
With her gaze still down, she listened to Bokuden silently until he ended his speech. "...that I'll be more than just a nameless acquaintance in your story once you move on and forget all about me."
Somehow these words went right through her skin. Instantly, she lifted her head and declared, more strongly than before,"I could never forget about you! You were the first man to.. to reach my heart. I mean, in such unfortunate times like these. Err.." What was she saying? She quickly averted her eyes, feeling more embarrassed than ever. How could Bokuden go out and say all those romantic things without even blushing a bit?
A small sigh escaped her lips. Of course she didn't do a good job expressing feelings she was confused about herself. But this wasn't the time to dwell in thoughts.
"Bokuden... what is your story?" Misoka asked instead, throwing a sideways-glance to him. "I've always wondered. I told myself you needed more time to entrust me such personal things, but.. it seems that's exactly what we haven't got left: time."
She paused for a moment before her lips curved into a smile. "I'd like to know as much as possible so I can remember it all... later on. Even if our past is terrible, it's still what made us who we are today." Her smile faded slightly. "I'm sorry, this is a quote I heard of... I can't say I truly believe in it, but.. it does sound nice, doesn't it?"

"What if the person who I am today isn't who you think I am?"
What did he mean by that? What was he pretending to be? Misoka regarded him questioningly, but stayed silent, knowing there was more to come. As expected, Bokuden went on after that short pause, his voice still sounding painful. She had suspected it from the moment she'd seen his somber face at the mention of his mother: His past was nothing you could reminisce about with a smile on your lips. Misoka's heart reached out for him. She knew how it felt to have people tell you what to do, may it be directly or not, and how the weight of secrets could pull you down. Emotions bottled up from the very start until it seemed impossible to let anyone else share them with you.
When Bokuden took both her hands into his own and begged her to keep silent about whatever he was about to tell her, she wasn't surprised. She remembered making him promise the same thing only a few days ago so she knew that this was not lack of trust, but a necessary precaution. Still, the way he suddenly grabbed her hands had her jump slightly.
"Y-Yes! Absolutely!" Misoka exclaimed briskly before clearing her throat and continuing in a more serious tone,"Apart from the fact that there aren't many people I could spill important information to, I swear that your secrets are always safe with me. You have my word."
For a heartbeat, she wondered whether she should say more, further dissipate his doubts, let him know that she was not going to hate him whatever may come... but she wasn't sure how to put it all in words.

At first, she didn't know what to say or think. She could only stare at her hands, trying to take it all in. Slowly, after Bokuden had finished speaking, thoughts were coming to her mind, one by one, soon accompanied by the feeling of sympathy rising inside her.
This world is merciless. She wouldn't be a ninja if she didn't know so. And still there were things happening in this world which would leave even her speechless.
Being forced to execute? Again and again, since the age of 13? Kill possibly innocent people? He had never been given a choice, it was expected of him. It wasn't like he wanted to do this. Didn't that make a difference?
Misoka shuddered when she thought of all the victims' families. Husband. Wife. Father. Mother. Friend. To them, it certainly didn't make a difference why their dear ones were killed. They would all blame the clan. And the heir of the clan.
A cold breeze flowed through the trees, the leaves whispering to one another.
It was time to break the silence between them. Somehow. Misoka swallowed before lifting her eyes to look at Bokuden. He had turned his back on her so she couldn't see his face.

"This is... this is horrible," she managed to say quietly, taking a deep breath afterwards. "And I complain to you about my clan... it's nothing compared to what you're going through. I... I can't believe your own father forces you to do these things and threatens to kill your sister and mother if you refuse. That's sick." She clenched her teeth, feeling how anger took hold of her. How easy it was for the strong to manipulate others. Make them weep. Break them.
In one single movement, she stood up, not sure why she had done so, her hands clenched into fists at her side. But both her eyes and voice softened the moment she spoke. "Bokuden... I don't know how you feel, I can only imagine. No one deserves such treatment. You've been through so much, but you still go around with a smile on your face. You care for your friends. You helped me even though you hardly knew me. You are so cheerful most of the time. I don't know how you can be so strong or good at faking your happiness, but I admire you for it." She paused for another breath, hoping her words would get through and make him feel better, if only a tiny little bit. She owed him so much. "I understand that you blame yourself for all these deaths. I understand that you hate yourself for killing these people. But.. it's not your fault! You're not guilty, you are being used. You're only a tool in this sick game. Well.. um.. that's what I believe."
Had she been ranting for too long? Now she didn't know whether she should feel stupid for getting so upset about Bokuden's story or proud of how she'd spoken her mind for once.
And.. why did I stand up? Umm.. maybe I should just sit down again?
Misoka shook her head, quickly dismissing these thoughts and refocused on the man in front of her. Would he understand what she was trying to tell him?

“A tool that is being used because I’m incapable of fighting back,” Bokuden answered, “This is all happening because I’m too weak. It is my fault. Whether they know about it or not those two are being held hostage and there is nothing I can do to help them as I am now: a prisoner. The years have passed and nothing has changed. I’m still the same helpless child that I was then who could only stand by and do nothing as everything happened. What’s worse is that I’ve become a tool for them to use as they see fit, just like they always wanted me to be. The only solace I can find in the whole situation is the occasional hired hand that he sends to try and kill me. Remember the day we first met… at the restaurant? The challenge that I was issued? Sent by my father.”

Bokuden turned to face Misoka, his eyes devoid of the typical confidence and strength that they were usually filled with. All that was left was emptiness and vulnerability. “But you are wrong about something… a few things actually. Don’t belittle your own problems. Just because someone has it worse doesn’t mean your problems don’t matter. And my problems aren’t worse than yours, they are just different. I care about you because you can understand what I’m going through, unlike anyone else that I’ve ever met.”  He walked over to Misoka and took her hands into his.

“I’m not as strong as you think and I’m not all that good at faking my happiness. It’s just that when I’m with you I don’t have to. Back at the balcony… when you said there were other girls. There aren’t. Not like you. If I wanted some random girl from the village to just stand around and look pretty I could have one easily. You aren’t that. I want a woman, not a little girl. I want you. They couldn’t compare to how beautiful you are if they wanted to, even if that was what I was deciding this on.  You’re charming and kind, you’re funny, you’re intelligent, and you have strength and determination unlike anyone I’ve ever met. You make me feel like I don’t need to fake a smile or flaunt in a show of bravado to cover up the frustration I feel. When I’m with you I don’t feel so… alone. I’m so sorry Misoka, I know what I said on the balcony and that you might not want to hear this. If you don’t feel the same way I completely understand, but I don’t know how much time I still have with you and I couldn’t let you leave without telling you. I’ve never told anyone the things I’ve told you tonight. And it is stupid and selfish of me to throw my romantic feelings onto you like this, but… I have to know.”

For a second Misoka felt tempted to deny his words - she still believed that it was not his fault, but then she realized that they were.. similar. She also liked to put the blame on herself whenever she was involved. She also liked to think that she would need to get stronger, better, more confident.
Bokuden turned around. The empty expression on his face almost made her wince. Then he told her not to belittle her own problems and that she was the only one who could understand him. No... he was just flattering her. She wasn't so special really. Everyone had issues to deal with. A ninja life was never easy. So what if she had to marry someone she didn't choose? Didn't love? Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad... Perhaps she would still be allowed to go on missions and better herself as a ninja. She would get used to marriage. Eventually. Humans are known to quickly grow accustomed to different circumstances.

Misoka looked up when Bokuden took her hands in his, snapping her out of her thoughts. What he told her then took her even more by surprise than anything else. Woman? Charming? Funny? Strong? Those were all things she wished to be... or was she only too self-critical? Her cheeks painted a dark shade of red, listening to Bokuden's words, and her heart thudded wildly against her chest. She was staring at him, mouth half open, as though she didn't speak his language. Her thoughts kept racing in her head while she searched for words, for an intelligent, no, an honest response to his confession.
Was this a joke? Umm... he seemed very serious so most probably not. So back at the balcony he'd been lying after all.
But how could he have possibly fallen for her? Especially after he had come to know about her messed up clan which wouldn't allow her to choose love above duty? However, the most important question lingering on her mind was: Did she feel the same way? How could she know? In moments like these, her mother would probably tell her to listen to her heart. And so she did just that. Hesitantly, Misoka returned her eyes to his, holding the gaze for a few seconds before looking down again. It was enough to give her the answer she needed.
But then, when she gave in to the bliss she felt while being with Bokuden, a well-known fear clutched at her heart.

First, her hands started to tremble. Next, her lips. And as she spoke, her voice almost cracked,"Before I can give you an answer...There- is something I didn't tell you."
Was she really going through with this? The mere thought of it sent a cold shiver down her spine. She couldn't look him in the eye anymore so she watched her fingers shaking uncontrollably. How pathetic. But he deserved to know why she shied away from physical touch, why she avoided men and that none of this was his fault. She wouldn't have to make it a long story, she would just plainly... come out and say it.
Seconds passed, which felt like minutes, until she could finally move her lips to talk. "Two years ago, on the day my mother was killed by bandits..." She trailed off, swallowing, taking another breath. The lump in her throat made it hard to go on. "...Th-there were five of them. So.. so while three fought my parents, the other two.. um..." 'tried to rape me.' She couldn't say it. She just couldn't. Hot tears welled up in her eyes, adding to her embarrassment, while the memories rushed back, filling her mind with pictures she would have loved to forget. Ever since that day, she had been terrified of men. A single touch could give her cold chills and remind her of what had happened. She'd believed her ninja career to be over since she wouldn't be able to just back out from a fight against a man. And although she had given her hardest to overcome her fear in the past two years, she would still fall back into old patterns sometimes.
Misoka furiously blinked the tears away, mentally telling her to get a hold of herself. Of course she felt ashamed talking about her weakness, about how she'd been too afraid to defend herself.
"I had only recently become a kunoichi, I was so proud of my ninja headband. But at that moment, I just froze.. I didn't even try to fight back. I was so scared and then..they..um.. grabbed me.. one kept hold of my arms and the other man took.. well, you get the idea.." She sniffed ever so softly, still looking at her hands embedded in Bokuden's own, and was more than glad for the comfort he offered. This was something she had never told anyone else before, something she had always wanted to keep to herself since it was so shameful. "..my father saved me.. just in time," she went on at last. "But because he helped me, the others used the distraction to kill my mother. I'm sorry I'm telling you such uncomfortable stories.. I just wanted you to know the reason why I'm so jumpy and.. fearful. It's not your fault. Actually... this is the first time I've ever felt so close to a man. I..." The fear in her heart slowly faded and was replaced by an excited tingling in her stomach. Am I really going to say this? She gulped and her cheeks flared up again. Now that she had told him all he needed to know, there was no reason to slow down her final answer anymore.
"I told you I'm not good at this, but now I truly want to open up to you: I feel like I've known you forever. When I'm with you, my heart beats faster... I thought it was out of fear, but.. then I realized there might be another reason. I.. I think I really like you. Like a woman likes a man. If I could only spend more time with you, I think I might fall even deeper for you. But someone like me.. is not made for love."
She finally lifted her gaze, still a bit flustered, yet the look in her eyes was completely serious. "No matter my feelings for you, I must leave tomorrow to rescue my father."
Way to spoil the moment, she thought and had to fight the urge to take back her words. It had been wrong to meet his eyes. Seeing the expression on his face made her falter again. How could she leave him now that she had admitted this love to herself? She should've gone away sooner. Now it would break both their hearts.

[arghhh I'm so bad at writing fluff, sorry xDD I tried my best xD]

"Thank you." Misoka's eyes watered as she, too, wrapped her arms around his back, her head resting on his shoulder. Part of her wondered how she'd found herself in a man's embrace of her own free will. Only few months ago, this would have seemed impossible. And now she felt strangely happy, her insides warming up, while she held the necklace in her right hand, telling herself to never let it go again. Was this what love felt like? Believing you could do anything and being scared of losing the person at the same time? She had never been in love before.
"I'm not sure how I'll approach my clan. I planned an ambush... or just saving my father in the middle of the night, hoping to avoid too much attention. Some unrealistic things like that. It's not like I'm in one of my happy-end-books." She chuckled slightly, but it wasn't enough to stop her worrying. With a soft sigh, she tightened her grip around Bokuden. "I tell myself it's no big deal if I give in to my clan. Thousands of others have suffered the same fate and it didn't kill them. But... I'd be so afraid of the wedding night. And all the nights afterward." She couldn't help but shudder again at the thought, swallowing hard. "You're the only one I want to be close to. I know you'll never hurt me."
Concern filled her eyes when she pulled back to look into his face. "Bokuden, you have to promise me that you'll be careful after I'm gone! Don't do anything reckless. I can only imagine what your clan is capable of and it scares me. What if they really succeed in killing your mother and sister? What if they kill you?"
I won't even get to know, she thought to herself bitterly, cursing the way life tore them apart. It's over before it's even begun. As fascinating as Bokuden's optimism was and no matter how much she wanted to believe in his words, the sensitive part of her was already saying goodbye to their relationship. Perhaps it would have been better if she had never developed feelings for him, never told him about her clan, never relied on him for help. They would have only been strangers to each other. No. The single word crossed her mind and reminded her of why she shouldn't regret the way things turned out. Precious moments like these between them were worth all the pain that was to come. And this was what she wanted to believe in above all.

Come back to Kumogakure with her father? Fight her clan with the help of Bokuden? "Yes," she murmured softly, her heart beating a little faster when she thought of a life in freedom. At last. It almost seemed unreal. "I'd like that."

Her eyes widened as Bokuden held up her chin slightly and asked to kiss her. She felt her cheeks grow hot, her thoughts racing again, darting back and forth between 'Am I ready for this?' and 'Stop playing your forever virgin theme and kiss him already!'.
Needless to say, she said none of this aloud, thank God. Instead, she began to stutter something along the lines,"Th-that.. Um yes.. I think I can handle it.." before quickly adding,"I'm sorry, this sounded so weird.. what I mean to say is.. just yes."
Her heart rate picked up tremendously when she saw him inch closer and all she could think of at that point was her lack of experience. Bokuden must have done this trillion - ok, maybe not that much - of times before and what about her? Due to her inability to defend herself like a true ninja would, some bandits had forced their lips on her - congratulations! -, making her suffer from a trauma which would let her reject every single man afterwards.
What if she sucked at kissing now? What was she supposed to do anyway? Perhaps she was so bad at these things that Bokuden would make a face and think twice about keeping his promise.
Nervously, she thought back to his ex-girlfriend and how naturally that girl had tried to seduce him by lolling in his lap. Did this all come natural? Or did you need practise? In order to calm herself down, she wanted to believe in the former.

So she would breathe in and out slowly, close her eyes and let herself be led by emotion. No thinking anymore. Her unconscious would know what to do. And when feeling his lips on her, she would realize that it was nothing like two years ago on that fateful evening. She would realize that she liked it and that she hadn't needed to worry so much. In a way, returning the kiss would really come natural as she would listen to her heart and not the thoughts in her mind which had made her so nervous.

[aww how sweet x'D what do you think when we should end the thread? btw skype is working again ^_^ i'll go online on my computer later on :) ]

She wasn't one to cry easily, but his words sounded so heartbroken that they brought tears to her eyes. Her lips parted as she struggled to find something to say. "I know...I'm sorry it has to turn out like this. I-"
He silenced her by leaning in for another kiss, more passionate and desperate than the one before. It might've startled her if she hadn't thought of the same thing with the painful truth lingering in the back of her mind: This was the last time they could be together like this. In a while. She still hoped she could find a way to return with her father. Just escape it all.
They broke apart and she buried her face in his shoulder so he wouldn't see the tear trickling down her cheek. She heard him apologize, but only shook her head slightly. "It's.. so different. I wish I could've met you sooner," she whispered, her heart thudding in her chest.

At that moment, the loud sound of fireworks filled her ears, making her look up bewildered. Red. Green. Yellow. Dozens of colors illuminated the night sky while Misoka believed to hear the faint cheers of the other people at the festival, in between the bursts of fireworks.
A wide smile pulled at her lips as she watched the spectacle, still resting in Bokuden's arms. "Gorgeous," she mouthed. "You didn't tell me there would be midnight fireworks."
For the next ten minutes, the sky was a mixture of colors, so bright and beautiful that it warmed Misoka's heart and made her feel like everything was possible.
After the midnight attraction had ended, Misoka turned to Bokuden. The amazement present on her face only a few moments ago had changed into a stern expression. "We should head to your place. It's been a long day." Her voice sounded far away as though it didn't belong to her.
Would the magic fade as soon as they left this place? Would she go back to imagining what her clan might do to her father right now? Would she be able to feel anything else but fear - for her father and of the goodbyes Bokuden and she would have to say to each other?

She took Bokuden's hand gently, leading the way she believed she'd memorized. Soon they would arrive at his house. And soon she would lie awake worrying. No, not worrying, she corrected herself silently. I need to come up with a plan. The best plan I can think of.
Then she would be able to see Bokuden again. Everything would work out.

Bokuden repositioned himself as the fireworks began, wrapping his arms around Misoka in a hug from behind her and placing his hands over hers and lacing his fingers between hers. “I wanted it to be a surprise,” he said as he leaned his head down and perched it upon her shoulder, pecking her on the cheek. And like that they would remain for a short while as they watched the brilliant display in the sky. Once the display was over Misoka would suggest that they retire for the evening.

"We should head to your place. It's been a long day."

“Head to my place?” Bokuden said teasingly as he kissed her on the cheek once more, “I think I’d rather you just call it home.” Surprisingly, Misoka took the lead as she grabbed Bokuden’s hand and began leading them back to his home. She made the occasional wrong turn, but with a little bit of guidance she led them back just fine. Bokuden tried to keep the mood light the whole way back, joking with her about her trying to navigate her way through the village and randomly showering her with displays of affection the whole way home; random kisses on the cheek, playing with her hair, picking her up, and even tickling her. The last thing he wanted was for them to spend the whole night thinking about the next day. He intended to ride this high he was feeling while openly being romantically involved with Misoka for as long as he could.

Upon arriving at his home Bokuden walked Misoka to the room she was staying at and stared at her for a moment, a slight smile sitting upon his lips. “You know, a part of me doesn’t want to go to sleep at all,” he said softly as he placed a hand on the small of her back, using it to absorb any impact as he gently pressed her up against the hallway wall and stared into her eyes longingly, “Sleep will just steal the time I have with you away from me.” He leaned his head in, but instead of giving her a kiss Bokuden buried his face into her shoulder and hugged her tightly. “But… I guess I have to say goodnight, huh?” he continued as he brought his face back up and locked his lips with Misoka’s once again, “Sorry I keep doing that. But it feels right to kiss you good night.”

An internal struggle was battling itself out inside of Bokuden as he lamented the idea of seeing that door close behind her as she retired to her room. If she turned to go Bokuden would reach out and gently grab her arm to stop her from going… he had something else to say…

"Err.. not this way."
Okay, apparently she hadn't memorized the way as well as she'd thought. She laughed quietly as Bokuden continued teasing her about it, tickling and kissing her until she was too flustered to say anything else. But his exaggerated signs of affection kept her distracted and not once on their way to his place she thought about the next day and the hardships to come.

After they had arrived at the house, Bokuden commented that he wasn't tired at all, to which she replied with a smile. "I know what you mean, I'll probably lie awake the whole night. There was so much happening today."
Her smile turned into a somewhat confused expression when he gently pressed her against the wall, the distance between them reduced to minimum. The way he was looking at her made all the butterflies in her stomach take flight... and well, made her brain function more slowly than usual.
It was only when Bokuden wrapped his arms around her, his face buried in her shoulder, and emphasized he couldn't sleep, that realization dawned upon her.
"Oh!" She exclaimed awkwardly. Her cheeks were burning. Did he really want to... already...? Was this typical in a relationship, to.. err.. do it so fast - on the first day? No way.. she wasn't ready for this at all.
Bokuden looked up again and gave her another kiss on the lips. She didn't know how to say it or explain without disappointing him... and he might have already noticed how stiff and tense she'd suddenly become. Oh well... she needed to escape this situation now.
"Y-Yeah.. okay then," Misoka replied in a high-pitched voice, which did quite a bad job hiding her nervousness. "Good night, Bokuden! See you in the morning!" Her words came out more hastily than she'd intended as she broke away from her new boyfriend and reached for the doorknob to her room. "Umm.. I just realized.. I'm tired after all!" She added in an attempt to make her behaviour look less awkward though she didn't really think Bokuden would buy her excuse. Quickly, she opened the door, ready to go in.

She froze when he held her back and was a bit reluctant to meet his eyes. He seemed flustered, the slight stutter in his voice further confirming it, as he told her not to go. And so she stayed where she was, still feeling uneasy about the situation, though. The urge to run away continued nagging at her as if the man before her wasn't her boyfriend, but a stranger trying to take advantage of her.
“I’d rather you… come to my bed tonight.”
She felt her face turn pale while all she could think of was:'I knew it. God, I knew it.' Either it was her almost horrified expression or the sound of his own words which made him blurt out frantically,"Wait, no! That sounded awful." He didn't waste any more time to clear the apparent misunderstanding - All he wanted was have her by his side tonight without any other kind of ulterior motive. That she could understand, better than she would ever admit to herself. There was something consoling to the thought of staying near him through the rest of the night, letting her mind rest in a state of bliss.

Misoka allowed herself to relax at last, taking a deep breath. "O-of course." A slight blush spread across her cheeks. How could she have panicked so quickly? This was so pathetic. "I'm sorry." ..for jumping to conclusions. She always did that. Be it due to her overcautiousness or her vivid imagination - Either way, it had brought her into awkward situations more than once.

With the hint of a smile on her lips, as an attempt to relighten the mood, she went with Bokuden to his room, only to realize that it wouldn't be too comfortable to sleep in a heavy kimono.
"Hang on, I'll only be a second!" She called out quickly and sped into her room where she put on her nightclothes: a simple nightgown with a pair of mid-length cotton leggings. For a moment there she paused, remembering that her father had bought them for her, 'another way of protecting you' he would joke and go on about how many people had already frozen to death outside in the cold. Misoka couldn't refrain herself from smiling at the memory. As if that pair of cotton leggings would honestly keep her warm on a cold winter day. She could call herself lucky that she had left home in summer, the best time of the year for living the life of a vagrant.

After folding the kimono carefully and putting it on her bed, Misoka walked back to Bokuden's room and knocked on his closed door. He'd probably decided to follow her example and was looking for his own pajamas.
"Bokuden.. are you finished? Can I come in?"