Misao stretches out across the smooth boulder at the edge of the creek. The cold running water feels good against her bruised elbow. She got a good hit on Hiko, but even so, he was solid and the back of her elbow red, soon to turn the sickly green of a new bruise. As she dries her arm on her shirt, the hairs on her neck prickle. Someone is there. The woods around her have gone silent. Controlling her response, she sits casually, bunching her legs underneath her, preparing to spring. Her fingers wrap around a kunai, cool and smooth in her hand. She spots a solid branch in her range. There, to her left, just emerging from the woods.

She is in motion, twisting toward the branch, the kunai released before she registers the presence, the icy feel of him at once familiar and strange in this place. Aoshi dodges the kunai, but he isn't quite fast enough, it scrapes along his bicep as he turns, just a scratch, but it is enough. He sees Misao crouched along the branch, takes a step before he feels his body thick and numb. Shit. He presses slightly to his right to make sure he doesn't fall in the water. He doesn't try to move, with his full force of will he forces his eyes to stay open, watches the expressions cross Misao's face: horror, confusion, anger, pain… but his eyes are too heavy and the light goes dark.

Misao steps toward him cautiously, pressing her senses into the woods to scan for other Oniwabanshu. Did he come alone? He must have, or the Oniwabanshu would have sprung forward to protect their leader. She nudges him gently with her foot. Wouldn't put it past him to fake a hit to catch her unaware, but then, he wouldn't know that she had started poisoning her kunai. Misao pulls a tin of grayish paste from her belt. Gently she takes his arm, spreading a glob of paste across the wound to neutralize the poison.

He is warm. The warmth of his body tingles in her fingers. She takes another glob of paste, but hesitates, fingers hovering near his lips. How often has she dreamed of tracing those soft, thin lips. Shaking herself slightly, she gently pulls back his bottom lip, spreading the paste on inner part of his lip where it will be quickly absorbed. His mouth is hot and slick. Misao's cheeks heat at the intimacy.

She looks at him slumped along the slope of the creek. Never has she seen him so vulnerable. If feels wrong, embarrassing. She could kill him. Her fingers brush a strand of hair from his eyes. Lightly she traces his jaw. Misao shivers. Never has she been so close. A sick feeling rises in her stomach as she remembers why he is here: to marry her off, to pretend that she actually belongs to the Oniwabanshu. A failed mission, that's all she is. Tears burn in the back of her eyes and she sucks in a fast breath.

"Go back Aoshi." she whispers, and leaves him in the woods.

...

Hiko says nothing as Misao walks in the cottage door. He places the bowels of soup for dinner and sits in Misao's seat, with his back toward the cottage door. Misao hesitates before taking Hiko's usual seat.

"Do you wish to speak to him when he comes?" The casual tone doesn't fool Misao.

"I don't know."

Hiko nods and they eat in silence.

It is full dark when Misao again feels the hairs on her neck prickle. Without a word, Hiko takes a jug of sake and steps out the door closing it firmly behind him.

Hiko sits just outside the ring of light that spills from the cottage window. Pouring two small cups of sake, he waits as the lean figure approaches from the woods.

Aoshi sits carefully in front of Hiko, his weapons in reach. Hiko pushes a sake cup closer. Aoshi ignores it.

"I would like to speak with Misao."

"Why?"

"She is Oniwabanshu."

"Oh. Have you initiated her then?" Hiko raises one eyebrow slowly. Aohsi presses his lips in a thin line.

"I thought not." Hiko sips his sake.

"Which begs the question, why you would follow her here? A mission? A strategic alliance?"

Aoshi's face remains blank.

"Well then. Since she has not taken an oath to you, as her father, I shall see to her future and you can choose another young woman to further your plans."

Rage washes over Aoshi, his muscles tensing until it takes his full strength to remain still under the insult that he would ever use Misao for his own gains. Hiko's hand twitches softly toward the hilt of his katana. Both men feel the prickle of eyes unseen from the cottage.

"Still I would speak with Misao." Aoshi says cooly, slightly louder than necessary.

"You will have to go through me." Hiko pushes aside the sake jug, adjusting his stance. Aoshi draws his swords.

"Stop." Comes Misao's voice soft from the doorway. "I will speak with him."

"You will return her to this door within the hour." Hiko glares at the silent man, the threat clear.

For the first time in a long while Misao feels young. A wave of tenderness for her father catches her voice in her throat. She walks forward, past Aoshi and toward the woods. She sits on a fallen log, just past the tree line, in view of the cottage. Aoshi sits silently beside her.

"Your technique has improved."

Misao's lip twitches toward a smile.

"Yeah. You were out cold you know. I could have slit your throat."

"It was careless of me."

"Why are you here Aoshi?"

"To bring you home."

For a moment Misao's heart leaps at the thought. Then her face falls.

"For how long? Until a suitable husband carries me away?"

The soft rustling of animals fills the silence between them.

"Why didn't you offer me the oath? I thought it was because my father was… but he wasn't… so why?"

"It isn't something that you want Misao."

Misao's chest tightens, her fists clench, and the blood rushes to her cheeks. "What would you know of what I want."

"You don't understand what the oath would mean."

"Then tell me."

"You would have no future Misao. You would be bound to the Oniwabanshu. You would not be able to marry or have a family."

"I would have a family."

"The Oniwabanshu is fading Misao. It will not exist in this new era. It would be foolish to bind yourself to the dying."

"Foolish. I suppose I am."

The wind rustles the leaves of the trees overhead. Scattering sounds soften in the twilight.

"I would see you safe Misao."

Misao turns toward him and presses her lips gently against his. His lips are warm, warmer than she imagined. He doesn't move, doesn't breath. She pulls back.

"Misao…"

She can hear the weariness in his voice.

"It's ok Aoshi. I understand."

She stands, brushing the dirt off of her clothing.

"Since I'm not really Oniwabanshu and my father is willing to give me a home, I will stay here. You may send any suitors here if you wish and they can negotiate a marriage contract with my real father."

She turns back once to see him standing at the edge of the woods. She waits for the pain of it to strike. It should hurt, should send her screaming up the mountainside, but the pain doesn't come. Her chest is hollow and heavy, cast in lead.

Hiko doesn't speak when she comes back to the cabin. He had thought her the perfect copy of her mother, but his heart constricts as he sees himself in her expression. Their gazes meet across the small room. Hiko opens an arm.

Misao sits beside him, leaning in to his large chest, feeling the edge of his cloak wrap around her. His arm squeezes awkwardly around her shoulders and finally the tears come. Silent, hot tears running into his shirt.