#ono manami

小野愛

OMG thank you so much for the ask !! I hope you will like it, I had fun writing it :) Also thank you for being so interested in my OC ^^ It’s longer than my usual drabble but I still hope you’ll like it :D

                 Everyeye was turned toward her; mainly brown; dark or light; never leaving the delicatewoman for a second as she moved to the rhythm of the traditional music. Shecould perceive different kind of gazes; fascination, curiosity, kindness, lust;all of these directed to her body and her –now made up face. Pure white skincontrasting with her black eyes; orange and red eyes shadow on her eyelid;mature red lipstick on her closed lips; a serious face never changing despitethe seductive look she had to show from time to time. Her arms and legs wereslowly moving, following a precise pace and goal at each musical note,forgetting the terrible weight of her clothes on her muscles.

               The young woman had forgottenhow hard walking and dancing with this beautiful kimono was; she appreciatedthat no one knew what kind of moves she exactly needed to do; of course shewould try her best even if she wasn’t judge by an expert. The geisha on mission was used to intensestare; she ignored them as she delicately move her hands and fingers, playing rigorouslywith her decorated fan; moving forward and feeling the hardness of the cold woodon her foot soles; letting a discreet smile forming on her burning red lips tosatisfy her clients. She looked unfazed while her mind kept repeating her disgusttoward the opposite sex at every eye contact.

             As the other geisha stopped singing and playing the koto, the young woman sat down graciously and bowed to herspectator; her forehead almost touching the ground, her complex big bun puttingall its weight on her strong head. Closing her eyes for some seconds, thebrown-haired woman could hear praises and claps destined to her magnificentshow; her supposed beauty making them look like unredeemable fools for herblack eyes now opened. Her head still down, she thanked her host with an appropriatevoice, finally rising her face as she got up again; leaving the room to takemore sake for the happy looking groupenjoying their night. Well, they weren’t going to be happy for so long.

               The woman let a small sight nowthat she was in the corridor, knowing that no one was around her. Spying atShimabara was her task; she asked for it and knew she was perfect for this kindof dirty job. Yet, it kept reminding her how dreadful she actually was; thisplace repeating her at every seconds what a horrible and ugly person she didbecome. Such a beautiful and outstanding woman couldn’t have a bad soul right? Dumbmen; they didn’t know anything about a woman’s heart; surely not about an icecovered heart like hers.

                As the geiko was preparing white bottles ofalcohol by heating them up, a sweet and innocent maïko came by saying that someone asked to see the black-eyedwoman. Manami smiled to the young girl and let the tray to her, showing amature and professional face while thinking of who would want to meet her, alreadypreparing herself to kill in her mind. She wasn’t an official geisha of Shimabara; no one should knowher name expect the Shinsengumi. Before going to the unknown client room, shequickly and discreetly went to her personal place, taking a small knife and hidingit like a usual movement. Maybe it was a member of the militia of Kyoto but ifso, why coming? Hiding her intent to fight and her tensed muscles with elegantbows was what she did the best.

                Manami slowly opened the sliding door to see a muscularman comfortably sitting on the ground, drinking a cup of hot sake with his amber eyes lost in histhought. For some reason she wasn’t surprise to see him as she closed the roomand felt his gaze on her. With her being dressed as a woman and he drinkinglike this, this silent moment reminded her the first time she met the ronin. Both of them were staring at eachother eyes, trying to guess their thoughts but still being unable to seethrough the mysterious wall separating them. She walked slowly toward him,sitting next to him and silently pouring the alcohol in his cup; the whole atmospheremaking every move harder. The two of them alone in a room was a bad idea; areally bad idea.

“Youlook stunning.” The auburn-haired man said, never leaving his eyes from her asshe finished pouring his cup.

               Manami didn’t need to hear moreas she drew her small knife with her distinguish pliability and swiftness infront of the tall man’s throat. He didn’t move, knowing that she could cut himat any moment, still amused by their unusual interaction. She, on the otherhand, didn’t know why she acted that way. Maybe she was angry; hearing allthese fake compliments, knowing how much her external beauty was a lie to usefor her own interest but hating it. Or maybe she just wanted to play withHarada Sanosuke as they always did.

“DoI still look stunning now?” The fake geishasoftly said, not expecting him to smile with such a seductive face.

“Actuallyyou look more stunning now. A badass and dangerous woman is not that badcompared to all these calm and refined geishashere.” Sanosuke replied, somehow surprised by how quickly their face got closerbefore they could even understand it.

“You’retoo sweet. I could kill you here and no one would know how the famous captain of the 10th division of the Shinsengumi disappeared.” Manamicontinued, a smile forming on her red lips despite her delicate hand beingreally ready to kill.

“Youcan’t kill me Manami.” The roninaffirmed without any hesitation, feeling the knife brushing against his throatand somehow wanting to feel her lips instead.

               The concerned one let out asight as she withdrew her professional hand and delicately put her small weaponon the ground. He was right; she couldn’t kill him; she had no reason to do soin the first place. It would only bring issues to her. And without any warning,she took the man’s cup of alcohol and drank it in front of his surprised face. Sheshouldn’t do such a bold thing; geishaweren’t allowed to drink with their client but her heart was at ease with thisman; it was Harada Sanosuke after all. Letting a satisfying sound, Manami genuinelysmiled at the warrior, a smile that took him out of his guard. It was a rareview even for him.

“So,why did you come here?” The black-haired woman asked, finally forgetting her politespeech despite her clothes and status; trying to put aside the teases thathappened some seconds ago.

“Ididn’t come here for a professional reason Manami. I just wanted to spend sometime at Shimabara.” He answered, knowing that she wouldn’t believe his lie.

“Thatis for sure not professional Harada. I’m no different from the others geisha here so why asking me. You knowwhy I’m dressed like this tonight.” She continued, pouring his cup again.

               The black-eyed woman didn’t knowhow to react when she felt his warm and big hand on her cheek, his hand makingher lost her landmark every time he touched her, even in the most purer way. Itwas like a shock, a fire burning in her body instantly, dangerous, melting hericy equilibrium.

“IfI admitted that I just wanted to see you, would you mock me?” The man askedwith a low voice.

             Manami gently put her hands on hishot cheeks, a heat certainly due to the alcohol but she was pretty used to it.Once again, they felt drowned by each other’s eyes; once again, they knew theyhad to swallow their pride to understand what they really wanted and onceagain, they sole solution was to touch each other so they didn’t need to talk.It was so dumb but none of them knew how to express themselves otherwise. Sothe woman just decided to close the gap between them, kissing him while herheart was exploding because of different feelings showing up at the samemoment. Her made-up eyelids closed, she could just feel his lips on hers, asensation that she would never get bored of.

               They kissed like it was thefirst time; discovering and enjoying their moments. They kissed like it couldbe the last time, feeling every little seconds flying away and hoping the timewould stop for them to never be drawn apart. They knew it; people like them don’tget happy ending; enjoying the present was their best solution despite theirconflicts and unbreakable pride. It was such a strange mix of emotions;happiness for being nears each other, sadness because they would separate aftersome time. And when they did, it always lasted some seconds so they could breatheand kiss again. It was lustful, their need to be close overpowering theirmorals; it was melancholic, their old memories coming back, reminding them whythey did even met in the first place.

“Iwonder what kind of simpletons we are.” Manami tried to say, her loud breathstopping every words, mixing with the man’s one in their unstoppable cadence.

“Justa woman and a man who live in a hellish world I guess.” Sanosuke answered; hisforehead now on hers.