Disclaimer- I don't own Rurouni Kenshin – some really really really rich guy in Japan does

Author's Note : this is my first fic – be nice and if you're going to criticize please do so in a constructive manner. I finally got the nerve to write this! I love misao/aoshi pairings!

The Offer

Chapter 1

Misao would be turning 19 this summer; she would become a woman – old enough to marry. She shook her head free of the thought of marriage. Even though her coming of age was a joyous event and a cause for celebration – there would be no celebration, no happiness, and no reason to disturb the turmoil that existed behind the walls of the Aoiya. Things were tense now. The uneasiness felt between everyone even Shiro and Kuro was tangible. Whispers, and shifty glances were sent towards her. She stared outside of her window absentmindedly not caring anymore.

Misao had noticed that the monsoon season would be coming in soon and thus ravishing everything in its path. The thunder rolled and lightening illuminated the dark foreboding sky. Raindrops pittered and pattered against the wooden roof lulling her to sleep. Far away the distance sound of laughter could be heard. But it seemed to her every time she entered a room, the laughter was silenced almost as if a hand had reached out and muffled it into the disturbing sound of nothing.

Maybe it was the gloomy melancholy sky that made her feel sick to her stomach or maybe it was the lack of food. She placed a pale hand against her rumbling stomach. Feeling uneasy and nauseous she lied down slowly and almost languidly on her futon. The laughter continued downstairs. Almost mockingly – it kept going. It was like one of those foreign things Omasu had brought home one day. A record the westerners called it. The music had spilled out of the machine and would not stop till a steady hand went to still its circular motions. Well the laughter was like the record – it kept going and going but this time there would be no one to stop its spiteful ringing sound. How she hated that sound. That ringing laughter was driving her insane. She wanted to rip off her ears, so at least even if she heard nothing – she would not be hearing that sound- that horrid sound of enjoyment and maybe even happiness...

Out of everyone she knew, they were the ones who she thought were most undeserving of such happiness – they should be ashamed, distraught and GUILTFUL especially HIM. But wasn't he always feeling guilty? Wasn't he the cause of all of this? A fool he was. Not the former Okashira. And definitely not her Aoshi-SAMA anymore. He was nothing but a fool, one that meditated every damn day seeking redemption. Did he find his solace? His redemption? His inner peace? No. It was simple - he was a fool for hiding behind his mask, thinking that JUST maybe if things didn't bother him and didn't involve him then he could be an outsider. An outsider, that caused harm to no one. Just a bystander of this world. Little did he know he was the cause of the unrest. No one would love a man like that – well maybe an idiot would. Maybe this situation would've been better if he had found his peace, if he was at least contented. But no one was contented and that was why things at the Aoiya were hanging by a thread. A thread, that kept everyone from saying the wrong thing and doing the wrong thing. A thread, that made everyone on edge hoping that they wouldn't be the person that broke the thinly veiled peace at the Aoiya.

Then a sudden thought hit Misao – she was the idiot. She had been one, for thinking the one-sided relationship with Aoshi could work. And oh how she prayed her little heart out it would that things would always work between her and her Aoshi-sama. But nothing came out of it – nothing. She corrected herself thinking something did come out of it. Bitterness and the overwhelming feeling of hatred and disgust for all she knew.

She wondered for a brief second if the current emotions and state of the Aoiya members even bothered him. Or maybe he was too selfish to notice. That sounded like the Aoshi she knew now. Yes, Aoshi was always too busy to notice. Aoshi was always too preoccupied with meditating that he seemed to forget his surroundings. Including the fact that the little girl who he had helped raised had now become a headstrong and independent woman. Had he not noticed the way both her body and mind had grown? Was he oblivious to the fact that she blushed every time he whispered her name? She had served him tea every day for three years – three long years through rain and shine. Yet still there was never a 'Thank you, Misao', only silence that accompanied her every time she brought him tea and for a while she had accepted it, hell she was glad he even came back with Himura. But then her adoration became something more. And so she started to notice. She noticed the way Aoshi avoided her or maybe he thought she was so inferior that he shouldn't even bother talking to her. Aoshi didn't even bother looking at her. He took his tea in silence with his eyes closed tight. Of course, she was supportive of him ridding his demons and his guilty conscience but it seemed to her that Aoshi's inner instability was of his own doing. He would not talk to anyone or let anyone console him. It seemed he liked being left alone and he liked being drowned in his own miseries. Aoshi became nothing but a human void. To her – he was masochistic and it scared her to think he revealed in his own pain. It was truly ironic, that the only thing Aoshi took pleasure in was hurting himself even though he was the one who sought for salvation.

Misao laughed out loud. Her laughter rang throughout the room. This time the laughter sounded beautiful to her ears because this time it was not filled with happiness but with spitefulness of how the situations at hand had gotten worse. She choked on her laughter and then tears leaked out of her face, and she ended up crying so hard that she couldn't see. It irritated her that she was crying because crying meant she cared – because crying meant she was weaker than them. She wanted to scratch her eyes out. WHY? Why was she crying? They didn't care about her and so she in return shouldn't care about them. She shouldn't care – she was leaving – going far away. She didn't know when she was leaving but she knew it would be soon. She would leave everything behind and everything she knew. Maybe this was cause for such tension at the Aoiya –for everyone knew she was going to leave but no one said anything about it. But they acted as though nothing had happened and went on with their lives. So why would she care if she was only here for awhile? Because it's your nature she answered herself. And it's my nature that is going to kill me she said to no one in particular...

Misao woke up with a slight shiver running down her back. She had cried herself to sleep and had forgotten to close the window to keep the wet wind from blowing in. She sniffled lightly before lunging at the window desperately trying to close it shut before another cold gust came rolling in. Her stomach rumbled lightly in protest of her forgetting to eat lunch. She dressed herself in a thin yukata and walked out, closing the shoji door to her room. It was late and she hoped that all of the Oniwabanshuu had fallen asleep. She treaded lightly downstairs and the thought of food brought glee to her face and her recent mood of despondent was shortly forgotten.

As she walked through the kitchen she silently prayed that no one would be there to join her and that Jiya had left her some food. Her stomach rumbled loudly again making her fear that she would wake up the whole household if she didn't give in to its demands. As she rummaged through the pantry and the shelves looking for some form of food - her thoughts wandered over to Aoshi. This made her scowl. It would've once been an unusual expression on Misao but these days it was becoming more and more common that if seen without it – it would've caused shock and curiosity among the members at the Aoiya. Her thoughts loomed on the point of depression again. Every time she thought of him she became like this. She didn't like how much he affected her. He probably had no clue that he was the cause of her moods. She especially disliked how Aoshi invaded her thoughts at the most unwanted of times. She wanted her mind to be free of Aoshi just for one day. Her wish was granted for Aoshi was pushed asided for the moment as she found some rice balls neatly tucked away on the corner of the last pantry.

It was not her ideal midnight snack but she quickly rushed to find a knife to open the packages anyway. Then quickly she drew out her kunai and made quick work of the wrappings. But she was careless and she cut a deep cut down the palm of her right hand. Numbly she watched her blood drop down and splatter on to the wooden floor of the kitchen. She gazed at her blood with such fascination that the food was forgotten. She felt weak all of a sudden, she wanted to lie down and sleep. But then she heard the slight rustling of clothes and sound of feet padding against the cold floor. It intrigued her so she pulled her gaze away from her palm and she looked up only to let out a small gasp. She didn't think anyone was awake at this ungodly hour. She was sure that they had gone to sleep hours before. But she was wrong. Because someone was awake and they were walking towards her slowly and determinedly. Each pace seemed like it took forever and it made her heart pump faster and faster. Please don't let it be Aoshi she prayed over and over in her mind. Please Kami-sama! Don't let it be Aoshi. Let it be anyone but him. She did not want confrontation at this hour. She would do anything but talk to him about her situation. But the wavering candlelight on the pantry revealed that it was Okina or best known as Jiya to Misao. She let out a breath that she didn't even know she was holding in.

"Misao, go to sleep- we would not want you to get unhealthy and sickly just before your big day" Okina said in a strong resolute voice not betraying and underlying emotions that he might have been feeling at that moment.

"Are you sure it's my big day and not everyone else's? Why would you even care if I were sick or not? You're just going to sell me off to the highest bidder!"

"Misao, you have to understand we're just looking out for you- we just don't want you to – to become someone like Me or Omasu or maybe even Okon. We want you to be happy."

"Yes. Wouldn't everyone just jump at the chance to be a prostitute? I should be overjoyed shouldn't I?" Misao said quietly with a clipped voice and then in a flash she had disappeared to her sanctuary – her room. The only remnant of her was her droplets of blood splattered onto the floor.

The droplets disturbed Okina greatly and he wondered how they had gotten there. He pitied the girl who was so madly in love that she was oblivious to anything else. She was ignorant when it came to other men. She overlooked their lust- filled stares and wanton thoughts of her. She was still an innocent child even though she was old enough to have children of her own. He shook his head and prayed that the decision he made was truly the best for her.

DONE! Yay yay!! Hopefully the next chapter will come out soon and with a clearer plot for everyone!