Author's Note: Ugh…this fic is almost done…probably one or two more chapters after this one left…now I have to think up an interesting plot for another fic…which will probably take me a while… sigh any suggestions? I thought not…you people probably all have your OWN fics to think of, right? That means no help for me…
Ehhh, I realize that the Japanese celebrate their birthdays differently...and that gives me no excuse for my lack of research. However, I'm too lazy to edit this story at the moment, so it will stay like this. Thanks. And sorry. -.-
Disclaimer: Just so you know: I OWN RUROUNI KENSHIN! And there's nothing you can say about that! Okay, okay, FINE! It's not mine! But you know what? One day, I just might become a multi, multi TRILLIONAIRE, and then you know what? Rurouni Kenshin will be MINE! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Erm…remind me never to have skittles for lunch EVER again…O.O
Chapter 9
Misao looked up, as the front doors of the Aoiya opened. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISAO!" A familiar cheerful voice called out at once. Who was it? KAORU?
"OH MY GOD! KAORU!" Misao screamed. Not only was Kaoru there, but also Sanosuke, Kenshin, and Megumi. Misao ran out carefully (as not to fall and make another kimono muddy) to meet them, followed closely by Okina. Aoshi quietly walked over as well.
"It's nice to see you, that it is." Kenshin said, smiling. Immediately, Kenshin was run over by Kaoru. "Oro…"
"Misao, you're EIGHTEEN!" Kaoru said joyfully.
"She doesn't look it though. You're still the same little weasel from last time, except…" Sanosuke blinked, just to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "…you're wearing a KIMONO!" Sanosuke smirked and then winced as Kaoru, Megumi, and Misao all decided to smack him at the same time.
"Hang on…where's Yahiko?" Misao asked.
Kaoru giggled. "He said he didn't want to leave because the Kamiya dojo would be left unattended and open to thieves. But I think that he didn't want to leave because of a certain girl named Tsubame." Kaoru winked.
"How have you been, Aoshi? It's been a long time, that it has," Kenshin said.
Aoshi looked down at Kenshin and said a mere "Battousai…" as his greeting.
"I would prefer that you call me Kenshin. This one is no longer the Hitokiri Battousai," Kenshin said cheerfully. There was an uncomfortable silence.
"SO…why don't you all come in?" Okina suggested.
"See Misao? Look at all the food we made for you!" Omasu said happily. Misao looked at the table, which was about to collapse under all the weight of the platters of food. All the food on the table included her favorites. There was a large roast chicken, which sat fatly in the center of the table. There was grilled salmon swimming in teriyaki sauce. (A/N: A personal favorite of mine ) and there were many more dishes.
"LET'S GET OUT THE SAKE!" Okina and Sanosuke roared.
"Definitely NOT!" Megumi, Okon, Omasu, and Kaoru all yelled at the same time.
"NONE of us want to see you drunk, Okina…"Okon said, shuddering at the very thought. You think he's perverted when he's NOT drunk? Well, wait till you see him when he actually IS. Okon wanted to spare all others of having to witness that sight.
Okina looked at Aoshi, who stood silently against the wall with his arms crossed. Isn't he going to say ANYthing? He better say something soon…
Misao wasn't paying attention. She was eying the mound of presents that sat on another table, quickly scanning the tags on them, looking for one from Aoshi.
"Shall we open the presents first then?" Okina asked, looking at Misao gently, knowing what she was thinking.
"I guess so…"
"Um…weasel…I didn't have any money, so I didn't get you anything…" Sano said, a little regretfully.
Kaoru rolled her eyes. More like he couldn't get Katsu to let him 'borrow' some money…
"It's okay…ROOSTER!" Misao giggled, making Megumi giggle even harder.
Sano gave them a fake death-glare, and then said to Megumi, "Well I don't know what YOU'RE laughing at, fox!" Megumi stopped in mid-giggle.
"OOO! OOO! Open MINE! Open MINE, Misao!" Kuro said. "I made it for you myself." Fearing that it was some kind of 'pastry', Misao opened it carefully, holding her breath the whole time. She nearly gave a sigh of relief when she saw what it was. Inside the box was a small leather pouch, perfect for holding her kunai.
"THANK YOU KURO!" Misao said happily. She threw her arms around him. Kuro smiled a satisfied smile.
Kaoru handed Misao her present. "This is from me and Kenshin."
Inside the box was a beautiful, sparkling glass cat? "Um…thanks?" Misao said uncertainly. Kenshin sweatdropped.
"It was Kaoru-dono's idea, that it was. I wanted to get you something…er more…practical but Kaoru-dono insisted…" Kenshin said, before getting punched in the face by Kaoru. "Oro…"
Misao proceeded to open the other presents. (A/N: Give me a break, will ya? I don't want to name ALL the freaking presents that she got…plus, I don't even know them…--;;)
There was only one package on the table left. All the other people found things that they 'all of a sudden' had to do (things that ranged from 'oh…I um…gotta go count those um…pigeons outside', which came from our friend Sano, to things like 'I have this…um sudden urge to go…sell…um…used toothbrushes…' which came from Kenshin.), leaving Misao and Aoshi alone in the room.
Misao's heart began to race as she came upon a fairly large package, with the words 'To Misao, From Aoshi' written neatly on the tag. She opened the package, tearing the coarse paper with her eager fingers. Her anticipation mounted as the package was almost open.
It was a…ninja outfit? That didn't show any signs of romance…hang on…did this mean that Aoshi thought that she looked BAD in a kimono? This thought devastated her so much, that she felt like going with Kenshin to sell used toothbrushes.
Aoshi soon noticed that his gift was taken the wrong way, so he said, "I overheard Omasu and Okon while they were plotting to throw away your other one." He stopped talking, since Misao was looking at him strangely. Perhaps he had said too much already?He fingered the other little package in his trench coat pocket. Maybe NOW was the time to—
"IT'S TIME TO EAT!" yelled Sano happily. Aoshi looked down. Apparently it was time to eat, not time to tell Misao that he loved her. And plus, that was interruption number two.
"OUTTA MY WAY!" Sano roared, using Kenshin's head as a stepping stone to the food.
"Oro…"
Everyone began eating, careful to stay out of Sano's way, lest they lose a finger, a hand, or worse.
Somehow, the sake was brought out, despite Kaoru's, Okon's, Omasu's, and Kenshin's protests. Misao quietly slipped away, not wanting to see Sano or Okina drunk. Little did she know, Aoshi had done the same.
Misao needed to hide somewhere. She couldn't go out into the garden, since the dining area had a clear view of it. She was busy standing in that hallway, when she spotted a nearby broom closet. Oh well…better than nothing…
She opened the door, and walked inside, shutting the door, and then smashing into something tall and hard. She looked up, very annoyed, wondering exactly HOW hard and tall a freaking broom could be, and the light coming in through the cracks brought just enough light so that she could see that the 'broom' had ice-blue eyes.
"AOSHI-SAMA? What are YOU doing here!"
Aoshi felt just as surprised, though his face stayed emotionless. "I didn't feel the urge to see Sagara drunk." He answered simply.
Misao turned back to the door and said, "Well, I guess I won't bother you then." She tried to turn the doorknob, but it wouldn't budge. She tried again. Why won't the freaking door OPEN? When the realization that they were LOCKED inside hit her, she wanted to cry.
"Aoshi-sama?" Misao said, her voice wavering. "I think we're locked inside this broom closet."
Nobody had noticed that Aoshi and Misao were missing at the party.
"MY POOR MEATBALL FEELS LONELY!" Sano yelled, clutching his jug of sake and then pointing to his plate. He handed the plate to Megumi. "Here, kitsune, you have it."
Megumi took the plate and looked very confused.
"HEY! HEY, KENSHIN!" yelled Sano, as he stumbled over to the redhead. "You love fried potatoes, don't you? Well, I like meatballs, so I gave mine to kitsune over there. Since you like fried potatoes, shouldn't you give some to Kaoru? Give things you love to the women you love, I say…"
This remark made Kaoru, Kenshin, and even Megumi blush.
Sanosuke LOVES me! Megumi thought happily, as she looked down at the meatballs on the plate affectionately.
Sanosuke looked at a plant, his enrapturedface softening. "Awwww…poor plant…it hasn't had any of this sake yet…here plant, HERE'S SOME SAKE!" Sano poured the rest of sake in the jug onto the plant. "Now, you can thrive and LIVE!"
Okina was counting the pretty sheep as they walked past him and hopped into the purple lands of Keiljfiod. "One, two, three…" He said. (A/N: He's drunk, okay?)
Aoshi blinked. And blinked again.
Misao was wondering exactly how the door got locked. It was almost like Okon, Omasu, and Okina had planned this somehow. Think about it. She and Aoshi were stuck ALONE in a BROOM CLOSET, which was a pretty tight space. Not exactly a romantic atmosphere, but sufficient enough. Poor Aoshi-sama…
Aoshi leaned back against the wall. So…we're stuck. Obviously. What was he going to do? He was supposed to tell Misao that—Wait a minute…MISAO is HERE…and I'm HERE…and the gift is HERE…Wasn't that all he needed?
Misao was thinking, trying to make herself feel better about this situation. Sure, she didn't really mind that fact that she was stuck in here with AOSHI, but it was just that if he didn't WANT her in here…
Looking down at her feet, Misao said, "Aoshi-sama? Is it bad being stuck in here…w-with me?"
Aoshi peered at her for a moment, and then said decisively, "No."
"Really?" Misao was shocked.
"I don't say things that I don't mean, Misao."
"Oh…sorry, Aoshi-sama…"
Aoshi thought for a moment. How am I going to word this?
"Misao, there is something I have to say…"
"Yes, Aoshi-sama?"
It's either NOW or NEVER. There was no turning back now. This broom closet may not have been the best place for a declaration of love, but the fact that it was locked, made it almost perfect. No more Okina to interrupt him…
Misao gazed up at him, with baited breath, waiting for him to start. Was he going to say what she thought he was going to say?
Aoshi pulled out the package from his trench coat pocket. "Misao…I…"
"Yes?"
Aoshi gazed intently into Misao's eyes. "I love you."
Author's Note: SEE! He confessed! YAY! I never said that I TELL you what was in the package…cackles okay, so a lot of you want it to be a ring, right? Some of you have said that it shouldn't be a ring, but something to do with…erm…fighting…and weapons. Now I'm confused…oO
Yeah, and GO READ MY BESTFRIEND'S FIC! (Anubis-Shinigami)
Thanks to all who reviewed!