Chapter 12
Story by: Cessy Angel
*The following chapter will
be from Aoshi's point of vue*
Time. It's always a matter of time. I thought I could reach her, the other man, the demon of my existence, he moved so slowly, everything was going in slow motion. And only when I was certain I could reach her, that was when I noticed that I, too, was going at their speed. Just not fast enough.
My hand shot out. Why? I was still two feet away from her, and I even dropped one kodachi to the floor so I could reach her. In the insanity, I felt as if I could have brushed her gentle cheek with my hand, and then hold her like I always wanted to.
But he was not what I needed.
All I needed was speed, just speed to reach her.
Yet I already saw a stream of warm crimson liquid come out of her body. Would my life always be seen under the influence of this color? Crimson. Red. Ruby. It was all the same. The only color that could bring death to the ones I cared for the most. But Misao, Misao..., she didn't deserve this color. She didn't deserve the color of death.
Uselessness.
Sadness.
Hatred.
Anger.
Rage.
I heard a cry, was it mine? Despite that, I saw my kodachi lashing out at the man called Kimweri. His face grimaced, but I would never need to see him again. Gone, be gone! Hate rising, anger rising.
In a blur of motion, my kodachi hit something hard, yet as I pulled more strength into the blow, I felt the hardness diminish, and finally my kodachi was again flying throughout the air. Something was wrong, I could feel it. And then I saw it.
Kimweri. He was smiling, smiling at me.
His long black hair covered in blood as he lay against the wall, his green eyes piercing at me, and his now stained teeth grinning wider and wider. He coughed a mouthful of blood before he spoke again. "Now I can rest. Aoshi, you shall suffer as I did. You will look at your precious angel die before your very own eyes. Aoshi-!!"
He didn't need my attention. Misao needed me. My kodachi fell to the ground as I ran towards her. Her stomac was already spilling blood over the floor, on my shoes, on me. Yet it was what I deserved. Why is it that everything I touch shrivels and dies? I am even worst than the Shinigami himself.
"Misao... Misao... please..." I whispered as I let loose the shackles that held her to the wall. Her body dropped limp onto my lap. Her body, the same one that was once full of energy, full of unspoken love, was now limp and growing cold.
Her eyes were still closed. Breath by breath, it became deeper, slower. I cursed myself for not coming sooner, not being there for her. My throat throbbed and I thought I would gag, once her porcelain skin radiated, her blue eyes sparkled with joy, smiling forever through, but now, now she was like a lifeless puppet, hanging in my arms.
I felt a short gasp coming out of her, and her eyes opened before me. They still had the sparkle, after all of this. I looked at her, not wanting her beautiful image to go away. A smile crept onto her face, and she began to whisper so softly that I had to bend closer to her to listen. "Aoshi-sama... you've always been there for me, haven't you?"
So soft, so beautiful. I knew in my heart that she wouldn't make it through. My Misao wouldn't live. But that moment now, a single moment could bring us closer than ever, amazing, isn't it? "Hai. And I always will be there for you, Misao."
I held her closer to me, my arms wrapping behind her back and her head settled on my shoulder. Each breath she took felt as if it would be her last. Misao was strong, she always had been strong. I only pray that she'll live for another while, so many things I wanted to tell her.
But I couldn't.
"Aoshi, will you let me be your guardian angel?" She coughed again, and her eyes slowly closed.
"Shh, don't speak."
Her grip on my trenchcoat tightened and I dropped to my knees. The blood began to seep onto my knees, her blood. Oh, why, why did this have to happen to her?
Misao's head felt heavier as she turned her mouth close to my ear. "Aishiteru Aoshi, now and always."
I could feel her tears on my shoulder. No, no, she couldn't leave me now. Please Kami-sama, don't let her die. My body tingled, and my mouth went dry. I closed my eyes and brought Misao's body down so that I could see her face. Tears continued to pour. I needed to tell her. I need to tell it to her now.
As I opened my mouth to speak again, I saw that the tears had ceased to stream down her face.
"Misao... Misao!" My head buried on her chest.
No heartbeat.
I buried deeper into her chest, my mouth began to tremble again, my fingers felt weak, my whole body felt weak. Yet I felt a warm liquid escape my eyes, my vision blurred, the liquid fell from my chin and on Misao's neck.
"Misao... aishiteru. Aishiteru. Aishiteru!" My grip tightened once more so that her body would press against mine. It was all that was left, her body. "Please don't leave me, I love you Misao, Misao, come back. Come back..."
But she would never come back.
I knew it too well, but something inside me hoped that once more her eyes would open, and she would greet me with the smile that I had long ago ignored. Was I crying out of guilt? I had felt guilt when my fellow Oniwabanshuu had died, yet this feeling was different.
Could it be... love?
True love I had never known, and now it was all too late to redeem the past. Yes, it was love. I had always loved her, but why did it have to be her death that opened my eyes? I felt numb all over, and the strength left me altogether.
All I could do was whisper.
"Gomen Misao. I have
always loved you, and it was my fault for never telling you. Next time
we meet, I will smile for you, and only for you. Sayonara, My Misao..."
And with those words, I kissed her cold lips and hoped that my tears would
bring her comfort in her forver continuing sleep.
Author's note: *Sob*, I even made myself cry. I wanted to try a different way of writing this chapter, and I don't think it came out that bad, although maybe confusing. To tell you the truth, this was the primary idea for this fanfic, the whole story was to end like this. Still one more chapter to go. Please Review -_-;;