October 26, 2003

Well, diary, it's been a while since I wrote. With hula school, senior year, and Aoshi's intense kempo training keeping me busy, I haven't had much time to write. Aoshi taught me a long, long time ago…most of the stuff I did was basic…but he decided to teach more, especially since I had little to do over the summer.

Aoshi and Megs are still together. 8 months now. They've had their fights, their disagreements, their make-ups, like every couple does. Megs said the first three months are kinda the probation period…they're in the happy stage. After that, they really start to know each other then that determines if they stay together. Not that they really needed a probation period. They both really want things to work out. Sometimes, watching them, you'd swear that they've been together for years. Some couples just click that well, I guess.

I went on a school retreat for the weekend. So that gave the two some time together. And I know they took advantage of it. What cracks me up is that they try to be subtle about it. Hello? I learned about that stuff long ago.

At least Aoshi's not the single parent who puts his personal life first now that he's got a girlfriend. At first, he and Megs were concerned because they thought I wouldn't want to share him. But it's cool with me. Megs hasn't stopped talking to me just cuz she and Aoshi are going out. We still do our girl shopping and stuff with Kaoru, and I still have my time with Aoshi.

When I got back, I was surprised to learn that Megs got a letter from an old friend…

~ Misao

Bright sunrays entered between the blinds of her bedroom. Megumi stirred slightly, her head lifting to glance at the clock. She carefully lifted the arm that had draped over her waist, disentangling herself from Aoshi's grasp. He was still asleep, his breathing slow and even.

After pulling on a robe, she made her way to the kitchen to boil a kettle of water. She sat at the kitchen table, filing through her mail from the previous day. After sorting through the standard junk mail, she saw a fairly large white envelope in her stack, sent from Virginia. She arched a brow. Megumi only knew one person from Virginia. After opening the letter, two fancy white envelopes slid out. Megumi pulled out the white piece of paper accompanying the envelopes and began to read the familiar chicken scratch:

Hey, Fox-lady!

How have you been since the last time we talked on the phone? Hope you aren't stressing yourself out too much with work and all. I promised that I'd invite you to my wedding, so here are the invitations. There's one also for that icicle boyfriend of yours. His girl is invited also. Kat's really looking forward to meeting you guys. She wants to see if your taste in men has changed over time. =P So you better come. Or else.

~ Sano

Megumi smiled as she picked up the envelopes. In gold letters on the front of one, 'Dr. Megumi Takani', and the other 'Lt. Commander Aoshi Shinomori & Miss Misao Makimachi'.

"They certainly went out on the stationary," she commented.

When she last spoke to Sanosuke and his fiancée, they seemed so happy. Megumi was really glad for them. They deserved all the happiness. And she was looking forward to meeting the woman who tamed Sanosuke. The man was so…reckless sometimes she wondered how he stayed out of trouble.

So much had changed in a year since she last saw Sano. He was happily getting married, and she had found someone new to love. She smiled. He was strong and loyal. He made her feel cherished as well as respected her ambition and independence. Sure, they had their disagreements, but what couple didn't?

The kettle whistled, indicating it was done boiling. She retrieved two mugs from the cupboard and poured the water in each before dunking a bag of Chai tea in each.

After letting the tea steep, she placed the mugs on a tray, grabbed the envelope addressed to Aoshi and Misao and made her way to the bedroom.

She set the tray down on the nightstand and studied the form on the bed. Aoshi was asleep on his stomach, a serene expression on his handsome face.

Megumi smiled. She really liked watching him. It didn't take her long to find out how much she enjoyed just sitting beside him, studying his features. Besides the fact that he was easy on the eyes, he was hers. It was nice to be in love.

Her eyes trailed to his bare back. His exposure to the Hawaiian sun had given him a healthy tan. And while his career in Intelligence didn't require him to be in top physical condition, he kept up a training regime, anyway. She grimaced slightly, remembering the mornings he'd wake her up for an early run when the sun had barely risen.

Reaching out, she trailed two fingers down the groove of his spine, stopping at the small of his back. He shifted slightly. She grinned, leaning forward before trailing kisses from his nape down the line of his back.

He groaned, yanking a pillow over his head. "Will you let me sleep?"

"You shouldn't sleep so much. It's bad for you," she said smugly.

"You're the reason I'm trying to sleep right now…" his voice was muffled underneath the pillow.

"You shouldn't waste time like that, Aoshi. You miss out on a day if you sleep in."

A dark head emerged from beneath the pillow. He turned slightly, looking at the clock. He settled on his back, arm thrown over his eyes.

"It's seven in the morning, Meg. Go away."

"I have something for you to read."

"Now?"

"Yes."

After several long moments, Aoshi shifted to a sitting position, taking a sip of the tea she offered him. Then he accepted the envelope Megumi held out to him. After setting his mug down, he opened the envelope and pulled out the fine stationary inside.

" 'Sanosuke Sagara and Katherine Antonio…'" Aoshi paused, noticing that Megumi was walking her index and middle fingers up his sheet-covered knee and thigh. He shot her a warning look, to which she grinned in response. " '…and Katherine Antonio request the honor of your presence at their marriage the fourteenth of December two thousand and three at one o'clock in the afternoon St. Luke's Church 501 Main Street Norfolk, Virginia.'" By now, Megumi's hand had closed around the edge of the sheet that rode low on his hips. He lifted her hand away. "You're very persistent."

"Only when it's something I want," she quipped.

He rolled his eyes at her comment, sipped his tea, holding up the invitation. "You really want to go to this?"

"Absolutely," she responded. "Besides, Kat is looking forward to meeting us. It'd be disappointing if we can't see her. Can you go?"

"If I request time off." He set the invitation aside. "You sure this doesn't bother you?"

"What?"

"Sagara getting married."

Megumi's eyes widened. "No. Why should it?"

"It was an honest question," he shrugged, setting his cup down.

They had been through the discussion before. And he had no problem with the friendship she and Sano had. Not many men would be as understanding. She smiled inwardly. But it didn't mean she couldn't tease him about it.

"Are you asking because you're concerned about me? Or because you're jealous?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Why would I be jealous?"

"Oh, I don't know…based on what you know about my history…But then again, you don't seem the jealous type. You're as emotional as a brick wall."

"Megumi."

"There's a reason why your team codenamed you Iceman. You're intimidating, ruthless-"

Megumi let out a sound as Aoshi flipped her onto her back in one quick movement. A thrill shot through her body as he leaned close, his frame pressed against hers.

"We're going to have to work on that troublesome side of yours," he declared.

She fidgeted slightly, moving her hands up to push against his chest. "It took you eight months to decide that?"

"You're good at hiding things." His blue-gray eyes glittered with amusement.

"You're an intelligence officer. You're supposed to see these things early on. And I'm not a troublemaker," she retorted, fighting back a smile.

"Yes, you are." He lowered his head to feather kisses along her cheek and jawline.

She closed her eyes, her lips turned up in a dreamy smile as she tilted her head back, offering him the curve of her throat. Her hands traveled up his shoulders to his back. "Can we stay in bed for the next four hours?"

"Physical activity isn't just limited to the bedroom…"

She held her breath, hearing her heart pound loudly in her ears. All those months ago, she would have never guessed that a nature as passionate as hers existed beneath the surface.

"Megumi…"

"Yes?" She shivered slightly.

Then he pushed himself up and off her. "Get dressed. We're going for a morning run."

She blinked. "What?"

Aoshi lifted a brow. "A morning run sounds good right now."

"Now?" she repeated.

"I think there's an echo in this room…"

Her jaw dropped. "You…teasing rat…I…I can't believe you just…Of all the…"

He smirked, pulling her to her feet. "This is what you get for waking me up…"

"You sadistic…" Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Wait. We can't run. We have lunch with Kenshin and Kaoru-"

"In five hours," he interrupted. "You're not getting out of this one..."

At twelve-fifteen, Megumi hurried into the restaurant to find Kaoru waiting, looking over her menu.

"Sorry I'm late…" Megumi said apologetically. "Where's Kenshin?"

"In the bathroom. Where's Aoshi?" Kaoru asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Finding parking," Megumi explained. She lifted her menu and began to scan the contents, noticing the woman's scrutiny. Sighing, she dropped her menu. "What?"

"You're late," Kaoru pointed out. "It's not like you to be late. It's not like Aoshi to be late. Ever!"

Megumi shot her a look. "What does that mean?" So she was late fifteen minutes. Their morning quality time together took longer than she anticipated. What difference did it make? It was the weekend, after all.

Kaoru gasped. "Wait a minute…did you two spend the night together?"

"What do you think?" Megumi took a sip of her water with a smile. She wasn't about to spill all the details of her personal life. Aoshi wouldn't appreciate it. He wasn't the type of man who liked to advertise. But it didn't mean Megumi couldn't give hints.

"You finally were able to…you know…"

Megumi coughed on her drink. "What do you mean, finally?" she whispered. Kaoru couldn't be that naïve…

"Wait…so last night wasn't your first time together?" Kaoru lowered her voice.

The older woman's eyes rounded.

Kaoru gasped. "Please tell me you waited at least a week after Valentine's Day when you-"

"Of course not," Megumi interjected. Then she grinned. She decided not to say that Aoshi had made her wait six months. Oh, she tried her feminine wiles on him, but those didn't work. At least, as well as she thought they would. He was far too patient and self-disciplined sometimes. But it had been worth it. She saw Aoshi enter the restaurant, making his way towards them, soon followed by Kenshin. Then clearing her throat, Megumi said loudly once the men came within hearing range, "So, Kaoru…I got a wedding invitation from Sanosuke yesterday…"

The other woman grinned, obviously catching on. "Same here. Looks like we all have a wedding to attend..."

"It's good news," Kenshin settled in his seat.

Aoshi sat next to Megumi.

"I can't wait to see his house. When I called him yesterday, he said he and Kat just bought it," Kaoru exclaimed.

Which triggered a conversation completely unrelated to Sanosuke. Megumi glanced at Aoshi's attentive expression as Kenshin and Kaoru discussed houses and property in general. Hiding her smile, Megumi easily slipped off her sandal, running her toes along Aoshi's calf. His eyes darted to hers, and he frowned as her attention focused on their friends. She settled back in her chair, traveling higher…but in a swift movement beneath the floor-length tablecloth, Aoshi clamped his hand around her ankle. Her eyes widened and she let out a startled sound.

"Megumi?" Kenshin prompted.

"Are you all right?" Kaoru asked.

Aoshi's eyes dared her to speak as he held fast.

"Oh…" Megumi fibbed, "A…A boy across the room fell out of his chair…" The two conversed again while Megumi shot Aoshi a dark look and attempted to dislodge her ankle. A devilish gleam shone in his eyes and to hide his amused smile, his eyes dropped to study the menu. He wasn't letting go anytime soon.

She'd get back at him later for that.

A/N:

Well, I bet it was a nice change to see Aoshi act like 'the hunter' this time around as opposed to 'idiot, why don't you say something faster??'. Aoshi…sorta…got his revenge and that's about as intimate I can write those two. ( I much prefer to let the readers use their imaginations when it comes to situations like that. ^_^)

And that's the end of Matchmaker Misao. Hope you all enjoyed it, I had a great time writing this ficcie. There's so much one could do with this timeline if given the inspiration. Who knows, I might write a side story about Aoshi and Megs' first couple months, the ins and outs of dating. =P

Thanks to Daiji for the interesting emails (Aoshi isn't just some moody '…' guy), you helped inspire/expand? on Aoshi's AU personality…my sisters for providing motivation when I had no creativity…Azaleafaye for inspiring me to write AU...all you reviewers for taking the time to provide feedback…all the A/Meg shippers…all the RK series shippers…and of course, readers in general. ^_^

But wait…there's more! My A/U muse isn't done yet…

In the next installment Realizations, Sanosuke Sagara is getting married! It's a huge wedding with all the bells, whistles, candles, and garters. Three days of family gatherings, wedding rehearsals, bachelor and bridal parties before the most important day of his life. Sano and Megumi believed that they had put their past behind them…but when they meet up again…trouble in paradise lingers on Sano's horizon…