"Don't leave yet Lord Aoshi." She begged me grabbing hold of my hand tightly. We both knew this day would eventually come. The day of death in which one of us would die. "Lord Aoshi…" she said quietly, tears silently beginning to fall as blood pooled around me.
I fought a fight I shouldn't have. I knew the instant I took the mission that death would come, even with Himura's help. Now he stood behind Misao by a good ten feet, his lady, Kaoru, by his side looking at me with pity and sadness, tears beginning to fall down her face. Yahiko stood a little farther off, contemplating on whether or not he should sob or keep himself composed. Sanosuke stands at Kenshin's other side, watching not Misao and I, but Megumi who sits on the right of Misao.
Megumi is trying to help, stop the bleeding, do something, but it all seemed to not be working. She stands and goes over to Kenshin's side, mumbling something into his ear. I can not see her lips move but I can hear every word perfectly, thanks to Oniwanbanshu training. "…Not going to make it."
Misao must have heard it as well, going under the same training as I did, for she begins to sob harder. "Aoshi, it's not true right?" she asks in fear. I can not blame her. Death is not something she's familiar with. I don't know how to answer her and instead comfort her by brushing stray hairs away from her face and simply stare at her. She cries harder smelling the death in the air.
There is not much time left, the blood is like a faucet. I'm surprised breath is still being distributed. Why is this happening? I can feel myself about to cry. This couldn't be happening… there was still so much to do, see, there was marriage, kids, happiness, and it can't happen like this. Death couldn't happen just because of an accident of a sword going into the wrong victim.
"Aoshi… I have to tell you this before it's to… late." She says, running out of breath from the exertion. I place her head onto my lap despite the blood loss. I brush away more invisible hairs from her face. More blood soaks my clothes to a point of being completely drenched.
"Misao…" I begin.
"No I have to tell you!" she exclaims tears violently falling. "Aoshi, as obvious… as it seems… I love… you." The tears seem endless and I find myself silently crying, not very much, but a tear or two falls. I don't know how to respond to her so I simply kiss her forehead. My throat feels tight, I feel ready to explode I'm in such pain. "Do you love… me?" she asks.
"Yes…" I simply tell her kissing her forehead once more, getting some of my bangs in her face. She smiles either way, "I love you too Misao." Blood.
"Don't leave me in the dark." She begs me "I'm afraid of the dark, I need you there with me." She says clenching my hand.
"I won't." I promise. She smiles softly and she makes the effort to kiss me on the lips. I keep her down on my lap as to not make her wear herself out then I kiss her on the lips for what feels like eternity which is probably only a second or two, and bring myself back up. And with that Misao closes her eyes.
And dies.
Before anyone has time to react, I draw my Kodachi and stab my abdominal. Not a completely fatal move, but one that could kill me if not attended to immediately. I wrap my hands around Misao's tiny waist and lay by her side. Kenshin's already by my side trying to bring Megumi over, it's no use, I'm going to die. I don't care.
I've lost all that was important to me. Hannya and the others died, I still had Misao, and I still had a title to gain. The title was not mine but I still had Misao. My one lifeline left, now with her gone, there is nothing to bind me to this world. I will not die with honor, but at least I will die with the one I love if god chooses to keep me. There is only one thought I'm thinking while I enter the darkness.
Don't worry love, I wont leave you in the dark.