Taking a break

Sebastian stopped and looked down at himself. "Everyone should experience? I do wonder why it has taken me two lifespans to start to feel and understand it....to think that such a great feeling had been kept away from me for so long...you really are a great person, Misa."He looked up and began to massage her again. He understood why he envisioned it as a rose.

"That is what I may seem to all, Sebastian. But not always... I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what it is for me; love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with them more than any other person, love is trusting them enough to tell them everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of, love is feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees when they walk into a room and smile at you. But, it makes me wonder, though... If love is so hard to find... Why is it so easy to lose?" she asked, looking up at him. "I'm pretty sure you have ran into many gracious woman in your time... Why hadn't you found love then?" she asked, placing her hand over his and stopping him. She turned around so she could see him fully.

He crossed his arms and thought. He tried to remember all the women he had met in his life. All the female masters. He remembered being treated unkindly and being called by the name 'butler'. But it wasn't this unfair treatment that stopped him from loving them. It was something else.... "They lacked...individuality....all of them were the same. They accepted all my services and used it to become succesful and live happily. But...I guess I'm just the kind of person who likes people who stand out...."

As he spoke, she grabbed her towel, unfolding it and covering herself as she rose. Securely, she wrapped it around herself and squeezed the water out her hair. Her long, light blonde hair fell over her covered breasts, her hair damp yet soft. "Ones whom stand out? If you have ever met one who had, can you tell me the story?" she asked, sitting down on a bench and crossing her wet legs, brushing her hair with a comb and watching Sebastian. "I'd love to hear one, if you have one," she said, warmly smilng. Misa liked hearing romantic stories that came from others. It made her feel good to know that one could enjoy so much with just another. That something so little could change a heart.

He bowed and shook his head. "Please forgive me, as I have never met someone before you who stood out....but if its not much trouble maybe you can tell me about your stories?"He gave a teasing smile. "Speaking of love, you seem to be growing those feelings towards a Mister Hayabusa Kazu, no~?"

Misa laughed gently, and smiled. "No, Love. I do not have feelings for Mr. Hayabusa. He was the first friend I ever had, so I hold him dear to me. I care for him so much, as I do with you and Denzel. You guys are all I have, so it may seem like I hold a soft spot for him. But honestly, I don't. But I do have a love story I could spare," she laughed velvety like, looking up at him. "Its a very pathetic story, actually... When I was only ten, I had fallen in love with this boy that all the girls gossiped about. Together, they could giggle about how cute he was, how he was so dreamy. But with I, I had no friends to begin with, to share and talk about him. So I just say back and hid in the shadows, never noticed by another. I was ever so in love with him! I swore I was going to marry him one day," she said, laughing, "But I stopped loving him when I turned twelve. It was the day that all of us academy students became genins, moving up a step towards becoming a true shinobi. I had practiced and practiced my words, the words I was going to use when I would speak to him for the first time. For my shyness got the best of me in my younger days. But, as I was about to walk up to him, I saw him with another girl. And they were holding hands... They looked so happy! I wanted to be that happy girl, with he holding my hand... My heart felt as if it combusted into flames. My throat burned as I felt the venom of jealousy coming its way up my dry throat... I learned from that day on that..." she paused, looking down, "That one of the hardest things in life was watching the one you love, love another. And because of it, I had convinced myself that I would never love again. I am so afraid of having a broken heart again, because that one took the longest to sew back together. I'm like a glass cup; after so many drops, I cannot be repaired. I'm afraid that I will be dropped; and shattered. It was unbearable, the most hurtful thing I had ever gone through... But now that I have met you Sebastian..." she said, looking up at him and placing her hand over her wet chest, "It's rather difficult to explain. I feel... Complete. Before you came around, I was like a rose - waiting to blossom. But here I sit, smiling and enjoying your company. As if I have finally bloomed."

He looked at her then at the garden where the roses had started to bloom."How ironic....."He smiled at her and pulled a chair from outside and sat on it. "Jealousy is a feeling that I'm very familiar with. Not through me but through one of my lords. At the age of 60 I had found a young man looking glum. He was rather...large, for lack of a better word. I asked this man about his wish just as I did for you. To be rich and powerful was his wish and he signed my contract. In 3 years I had helped him to become a candidate for lord of a small country. He was extremely grateful to me but I could care less, for I admit his soul had become less appetizing. It was happy but happy with greed and another horrible seasoning...jealousy. I asked him why he had chosen his wish and he told me that it was to outdo his older brother. The brother had always been better than him at everything, but always looked after him. The older brother would eventually steal the love of the woman my lord had fallen deeply in love with. He was offered a high position but refused it and started a middle class family. My lord couldn't outdo hos hapiness which brought him to believe that he could become better than the brother through power and money. Weeks went by as I continued to help him into becoming the lord until it was finally decided that he would become the lord of that small country. He laughed at a picture of his brother for hours. The next day, his older brother visited him to congratulate him...but my lord was gone."Sebastian stood up and looked away from Misa. "He truly was...the most unpleasant meal I've ever had....please do try your hardest to enjoy others and not envy them, my lord."

Her face contorted, the story saddening her. Just goes to show you how greedy and desperate people can be in this harsh and uncontrollable world... She looked up at him, and smiled with warm eyes. "I may had a disliking towards her, but that my love is long gone. I was young, and I was hurting. I hadn't known what to do then... But envy is not an option in my book, nor is hate. Only kind things keep me tied down... I may dislike at times, but only if I have a very good reason to," she said. Seeing that he had stood up, she looked towards the window. "...What is ironic, if I may ask?" she said, her eyes flashing towards him.

He went to walk out the bathroom, but stopped at the door to answer her question. "I imagine love as roses, now the roses are blooming, and now you feel as if you are blooming."He laughed teasingly and gave her a huge smile. "Love and roses are starting to become a huge part in this household. I'm glad that we were able to share this time together my lord. I will be taking my leave as I just thought of something to do."Bowing, he left the bathroom and closed the door, but waited outside it for a moment if she had any requests.

She smiled smally at him, glad to see he was in a good mood. When she had thought he left after dismissing himself, she parted her lips to speak. "Secretely... I'm wilting away in envy..." she said to no one in particular in the empty bathroom, standing up slowly. Misa walked over to the tube and unplugged it, watching the water gradually drain. She dried of and threw the towel in the hamper, wrapping a robe around her and walking over to the window. There was a good view of the roses, and she studied them. Misa hushed her urge to cry, pulling herself away from the flowers and walking towards the bathroom door.

Misa came out of the bathroom, padding down the hallway and glancing over at Denzel's door, noticing the flowers. "That's pretty..." she muttered mindlessly, and continued to walk. Coming to a halt, she did a double take, looking at the 'D'. "Since when did-" she hesitated, turning around and looking at Sebastian's door, seeing an 'S' made out of black roses. Narrowing her eyes, she slowly walked to her room, seeing the red roses form an 'M'. A small smile twitched at the edge of her lips, and she shook her head as she laughed, walking into her room.


Moments later, Misa came out wearing a short white kimono that was plain. The sleeves stopped at her elbows, and from her elbows down she wore black arm sleeves that stopped at her knuckles. The bow that was wrapped around her to keep the kimono together was a deep red. She walked into Denzel's room, frowning as she saw him coughing. When he removed his hands from his mouth, blood was sprinkled on her lips, and splattered all of his hands. "Take off your shirt, then we'll begin," Misa said as she wiped his hands off with a cloth. He nodded, slipping off his shirt and laying down. "It hurts," he choked out, coughing up blood in the process. "I know... You'll be all better soon, I promise," she reassured him, placing her hands over his chest. She closed her eyes, and stood in silence as she worked on healing him, hearing him wince and cry in pain as the illness took its turn to make effect.

Sebastian heard Denzel's winces from his room and went to help him out. He entered the room removed the glove on his hand that beared the proof of his contract with Misa. "It'll all be over by the time you wake up, young master."The mark started to glow as Denzel instantly fell asleep. "Please to forgive my intrusion my lady, but I think it would've been less painful for the boy if he were asleep."

Misa didn't look up at him, for she moved her fingers gracefully, and if you looked close enough, you could see very thin threads of chakra that connected from the tip of her fingers and then into his body. "Thank you, Sebastian..." she mumbled, trying not to break her concentration. This poor kid - why did such a lively boy have to be consumed by such an illness? It was slowly killing him, bur he would make it with Misa's techniques. It would just take time though.

He placed his glove back on and bowed. "Is there anything you need my lady? Just tell me and I will retrieve it in the smallest amount of time."This poor boy was such an intelligent thing but he had to be cursed by this illness. Although he could not do the same as Misa for him he felt e should be able to at least make it painless.