InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Matchmaker ❯ Perfectly Normal ( Chapter 11 )

A/N: Wow, it's gotten really quiet in here. Echo! Echo echo echo . . . Anyways, I'm going to just keep posting in case anyone is interested.

 

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Isamu poked his head into the stables, checking on the sleeping occupants. While the youkai would be fine missing a few nights of sleep the same could not be said of the ningens. Or Merkamou, for that matter. The hawk had not moved since he had been set down.

 

`But he has certainly made a racket. Kami, I thought Kagome was going to smother him when he started snoring.'

 

The miko was curled up under a blanket with her pups. Rin was still unconscious in the straw near Merkamou. Isamu saw Rin shiver and felt his brows lower in concern. Rumaging through the supplies dragged from the palace by that exterminator sleeping by Kagome, he found another blanket for the shivering female. He knelt down to throw it over her.

 

`She seems small and fragile now. How could this be the same creature who took on that dragon?' Isamu settled next to Rin with his back to the wall. `Odd creature. She could have just waited for the others to deal with him. Instead she flung herself into the fray. She blinded him and disabled him, but almost got herself killed.'

 

“Isamu? Where are we?”

 

Chocolate eyes were blinking at him in confusion.

 

“We are in the stables. There was a second poison bomb so we can not go into the palace until tomorrow.”

 

“Oh.” Rin looked around and saw her family sleeping nearby. “And the dragon?”

 

“Dead at Sesshomaru-sama's claws.”

 

“So they are safe. Thank Kami.” Under the pile of blankets Rin eased onto her side, her body protesting every movement. “What are you doing up?”

 

“I am watching over you and Merkamou-sama so that Kagome-sama could sleep. Besides, who could sleep through that?”

 

A particularly loud and grating snore roared out of Merkamou, bringing a small smile to Rin. “Wow, and I thought he was loud when he was awake. No wonder he has not found a mate.” Realizing what her still befuddled brain had produced about the Lord of the Southern Lands brought a brilliant blush to Rin's cheeks. She tucked the blankets up to her nose, wishing she could sink into the floor.

 

A small snort of laughter came from Isamu. “Nonsense, I have heard my own father put that to shame. Can I assume that Sesshomaru-sama is as perfect and silent in sleep as he is awake?”

 

“Sesshomaru-sama does not snore.” Rin gave Isamu a scandalized expression from over the edge of her blanket.

 

“Somehow I am not surprised.”

 

The silence between them was comfortable as Rin slowly let her face emerge from her blankets. “Is everybody okay?”

 

“There were some loses in the palace, but it was not as bad as it could have been. The dragon did not manage to kill anyone. Kagome-sama dispatched the emissary herself.”

 

There was movement under the blanket as Rin ran her hands over her battered body. “Every inch of my body hurts.”

 

A soft chuckle rumbled from Isamu. “Are you surprised? And here I thought you were an intelligent creature.”

 

Growling, Rin wished desperately to smack the leopard. “You know that you will pay for that later.”

 

“Hai, but how often will I have the opportunity to speak my mind without fear of you causing me harm? I will enjoy the opportunity while I have it.”

 

Envisioning the things she would do to her companion once she was able to move again brought a smile to Rin's face. `Perhaps I will require something of him. I would love to see his hair in braids with flowers weaved in. Pink ones.'

 

`That is not a comforting sight.' The injured warrior was smiling at him with evil delight. “What are you envisioning, Rin?”

 

“You would look very pretty with flowers in your hair.”

 

“Nani?”

 

Smothering a giggle made Rin's arm spike with pain, reminding her to not move. “Ugh. It seems that you will be safe for a time. Damn ningen body.”

 

It sounded odd to Isamu's ears to hear her curse her own ningen body that way. “It did seem to serve its purpose today.”

 

“And fell from the sky like a rock. How did I even survive that?”

 

“Merkamou-sama caught you.”

 

Dark eyes tracked over to the noisily sleeping form. “Of course. I should have known. He will be up and about tomorrow, and I will be recovering for days. I do need to learn to stay out of the way.”

 

Isamu was at a loss. While he agreed with the view of her body as weak, he could not imagine Rin sitting to the side and letting someone else get hurt. “Maybe you can find ways to make your body withstand the damage done to it.”

 

“Maybe. I would be in much better shape if I had been carrying my poison mask with me when I jumped on that dragon.”

 

“Why did you not have it with you?”

 

Glaring, Rin gave him a classically female look of annoyance. “Oh, yes, it would have gone with my outfit so well. Every lady carries a poison mask with her to breakfast.”

 

“You carry those damn swords of yours with you everywhere. What is the difference?”

 

“I get enough odd looks as it is, thank you. Nobody thinks that Sesshomaru-sama's ward should act the way I do, or know what end of a sword to grab onto. The ningen female should quietly sit down and stay out of the way.”

 

“You don't need to be a lady. There are plenty of normal females that can take your place as decoration.”

 

`That's it! I don't care how much this is going to hurt!' Rin gave one of Isamu's legs a sharp poke despite her own aches. “I am a normal female!”

 

“Sure you are. Every female I meet kicks me in the head hard enough to lay me out flat in the grass.”

 

“You deserved it.” Grumbling, Rin shifted again. `Not very comfortable. I wish I had a pillow.'

 

“This is my point. That is not normal. If you were normal, you would be happy to be a lady. Instead you should be a fighter.”

 

“Why can I not be both?”

 

“I am sure you could, sometimes. But most people will not see you as a lady once they see the fighter. Which would you rather be, an admired lady of the court of an exterminator?”

 

Sigh. `He's got me now. I'm too tired to argue anymore anyways. I can see something that is very pillow like, and its right there. Can I get away with this?' Rin closed her eyes. “Exterminator, of course.”

 

“I am certain that the exterminator over there has her weapons with her. All of them. I would guess that she is always ready to jump into battle without worrying about her appearance in front of others.”

 

“Hai.” `Not normal. Perhaps that is the real reason that I have not had any luck with finding someone. And my head hurts. He owes me. It's not like he is Sesshomaru-sama or Merkamou-sama. I am just too tired and sore to care.'

 

Carefully shifting her aching body, Rin set her head on Isamu's leg. “Much better.”

 

`Ack! What is she doing?!' Isamu froze, staring at the content expression on Rin's face. `Has she lost her mind? What do I do now? I can not just dump her on the ground. She would kill me. Do I just stay here? It is official, this ningen is insane!'

 

Sleep was plucking at Rin's mind again, dragging her down. “No moving or I will pound you when I feel better.”

 

One by one the trapped lord forced his muscles to relax. It was not that bad, really. She did not snore, and seemed to be quite content and still now. She looked very different when she was asleep. Innocent.

 

`Only an innocent would think nothing of using a male's leg as a pillow. Crazed creature.' Idle fingers played with a stray lock of midnight hair laying across his lap. `I can watch over them just as well from here.'

 

*~*~*~*

 

Blessed silence was Isamu's first hint that Merkamou was waking up. The gold eyes opened, then focused. Slow, careful movements got the hawk into a sitting position, one hand going to the bandages at his side. A grimace and the faint smell of blood revealed that he was not fully healed yet.

 

The eyes locked on Isamu's before flicking down to find Rin sleeping, curled up beside him with her head on his leg. The hawk's eyes narrowed, his hands tensing at the intimate position. Isamu refused to look away. `I have done nothing wrong. I will not look away like a guilty cub caught stealing.'

 

“Cub, what are you doing?” The voice was soft, quieter then the ningens could hear, but perfectly clear to Isamu in the silent stables.

 

“This was not my doing, Merkamou-sama.”

 

“Really. The unconscious merlin dragged you over and threw herself on you?”

 

“I was sitting near her to talk to her last night after she woke up. She decided, of her own accord, that I would substitute for a pillow. I was also informed that any movement on my part would not be tolerated.”

 

“She may be too innocent to realize what she is doing, but you are not. You should have stopped her or moved her.”

 

“She has done nothing wrong. She is not your concern anyways, Merkamou-sama.”

 

“She is not yours, either.”

 

“I never said she was. The only one that has any say in her behavior is Sesshomaru-sama.”

 

“Hn.”

 

`Oh, shit.' Isamu carefully turned his head to focus on the inu-youkai in the doorway. “Good morning, Sesshomaru-sama.”

 

“What are you doing with my ward?”

 

“Nothing. Nothing, my lord.” Isamu tried to move Rin's head off of his leg, but she muttered and grabbed onto his hakama with one hand. “Rin-sama, please let go. Now.”

 

“Told you hold still.” The eyes never opened and Isamu had the impression that she was not awake. Struggling with an injured, dreaming ningen in front of two, no, scratch that, three taiyoukai was not how Isamu wanted to start his day. His father was now watching from next to Sesshomaru, looking almost amused by the whole business.

 

Desperation made Isamu lean down and hiss in Rin's ear. “Let go, you crazed female!”

 

The hand let go to swing wildly. “Shut up, Isamu.”

 

Freed from his prison Isamu jumped to his feet, trying to look like nothing had happened as he brushed straw from his clothing. Looking up he found amber eyes much closer to his then he thought was safe.

 

“How did you find yourself in that position, Isamu?”

 

`I would very much like to point at Rin and yell `She did it!' but I don't think that will qualify as an acceptable answer.' Desperately fighting the urge to look down and scuff his feet, Isamu kept his eyes on Sesshomaru. “She woke up last night and we were talking. I was sitting next to her and she commandeered my leg as a pillow.

 

The sound of knuckles cracking filled the silence.

 

“Sesshomaru-sama, I am tempted to believe my son. How an injured, exhausted ningen could commandeer anything is still a mystery, but it does seem innocent enough.”

 

“She threatened me!”

 

“And now you are being threatened again.” Sesshomaru moved closer. “Do not bring dishonor to my ward.”

 

“Hai, my lord.”

 

Sesshomaru glanced at his sleeping ward, then stalked out of the room.

 

Hideaki gestured for his son to come with him, and Isamu followed him out. Merkamou dropped back to his make shift bed, forcing his temper back under control.

 

Careful of her numerous injuries, Rin pushed her blankets back. `What was that all about? Sesshomaru-sama was not happy.'

 

Do not bring dishonor to my ward.

 

“Merkamou-sama.” Rin hissed at the hawk, trying not to wake her sleeping family.

 

“Hai, merlin.”

 

“What was that all about, my lord?”

 

“I do not believe Sesshomaru-sama was pleased with the position he found Isamu in this morning.”

 

“Position he . . . nani?”

 

“Do you recall using Isamu as a pillow last night?”

 

“Sort of. He was just sitting there. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

 

“Sesshomaru-sama did not think it was a good idea.”

 

“Why? Isamu does not think of me that way. I was uncomfortable.”

 

“Doesn't think of you that way? I remember being Isamu's age. I would have most certainly thought of an attractive female in that way, especially if her head was in my lap.”

 

“Oh, Kami!” Rin pulled the blankets over her head.

 

“What? What's wrong? Where am I?” Kagome was blinking like an owl as she looked around. Mizuki was rubbing her head from falling off of her mother's arm when the arm followed its owner off of the floor.

 

“Nothing,” announced a muffled voice under the pile of blankets.

 

“Rin-chan! You're awake!” Kagome left Katsuro to blink next to his sister as she rushed over to kneel by Rin. “How do you feel?”

 

“Like I got poisoned, burned, and fell off of a dragon.” Rin grimaced, considering sitting up before abandoning the plan as a very bad idea.

 

“And the cuts, Rin-neechan. Do not forget those.” Mizuki dropped a blanket on her brother before joining Kagome.

 

“I have not forgotten them, Mizuki-chan. Believe me.”

 

Sango scooped up the now squalling pup, stroking his dark hair to settle him. “Not too bad, considering you were taking on a taiyoukai.” The yelling had woken her up, but she had no interest is leaving the blankets behind just yet.

 

“And Merkamou-sama, you're awake, too!” Kagome turned to the hawk that was watching them with amusement. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Considerably better than the merlin, I believe. Some of the injuries have not fully healed, but I should be fine to get up today.”

 

“Not until the healer has checked you over. You stay there.” Kagome used the glare she had mastered as a mother to keep Merkamou down.

 

“Kagome-sama . . .” Just like one of her pups, Merkamou let out a quiet whine.

 

“Don't start with me, I'm going to get the healer for Rin anyways, so just stay put until I can bring him back.

 

“Kagome-sama, I am relieved that you are awake.” Kumo bowed before coming to Kagome's side. “The palace is pure chaos right now.”

 

“Ugh. Fine, I'll send the healer back for these two but I need to get to work. I'll take Katsuro, Sango.” Kagome slowly got to her feet, stretching out sore muscles. “I'm getting soft from sleeping in a bed every night.”

 

“Mother, may I help?”

 

“Of course, Mizuki-chan. Sango? Do you want to stay here with the dynamic flying two-some or would you like to come with us?”

 

“Hey!” Two voices sounded their annoyance at the new nickname.

 

“I will come with you to see if you need anymore help from me.” Kirara reached down from Sango's shoulder to bat at Katsuro as Sango passed him to his mother. “I am certain that these two will stay out of trouble for a short while longer. We should enjoy the peace from having them both down.”

 

“Sango!” Rin glared at her instructor. “He's the trouble maker, not me!”

 

“Excuse me, merlin?”

 

Kagome took her entourage out of the stables to return to the palace. Merkamou and Rin exchanged glares.

 

“And which of us is the trouble maker? I remember a certain someone charging a taiyoukai, then using another as a pillow.” Merkamou was sitting up now, looking down at the smaller female.

 

“And I know of a taiyoukai that got himself poisoned by locking onto the same dragon and who was snoring so loudly last night that hardly anyone got to sleep.” Desperate to sit up, Rin managed to get herself propped up, using a blanket and the wall so that she was not laying flat while arguing with her partner in crime.

 

“I do not snore, merlin.”

 

“Oh, I beg to differ, my lord. I was just subjected to one night in your company, and you most assuredly snore.”

 

“I have heard no complaints from the others who have shared my company for the night.”

 

Blush. “They must have been very sound sleepers, my lord, for you are deafening.”

 

“True, they are usually sleeping soundly by that point.” Merkamou gave her an evil grin.

 

`He did not. He did not just say that. Oh, yes, he did. Is he just trying to get me to blush?' Rin squirmed, wishing for somewhere to hide her heated face. `I should come up with a retort. I do not want him to know how uncomfortable I am, that would let him win.' “I, for one, would never be tired enough to sleep through that.”

 

“Is that a challenge, merlin?”

 

`That did not work. Please, let the sky fall or let the earth swallow me, anything to get me out of this one. He is just messing with me now!' Rin dropped her eyes to her knees, her mind spinning about.

 

There was a chuckle from across the straw. “It will wait. Neither of us is in a condition to challenge anybody to anything. How are you feeling, merlin?”

 

“Like hell. I do not know what I was thinking. You had everything perfectly under control, I do not know why I interfered.”

 

“Because he was threatening your family. Aside from a foolish choice from me, it did bring things to a quicker and less painful end. It would have taken quite a bit longer if it were just me trying to drive the dragon down, or kill it.”

 

“Arigato, Merkamou-sama.”

 

“For what?”

 

“For telling me that I was able to help. It is easier to deal with the injuries if you think they were for something worthwhile.”

 

“And you doubted this?”

 

Sighing, Rin pulled her eyes off of her knees and back to Merkamou's. “You know how I feel on the matter.”

 

“Hai.” For years he had been exchanging letters with Rin, and she had mentioned on several occasions how frustrated she was by her weaknesses that came with being a ningen. How could she help Sesshomaru if things that did not even slow him down might kill her? After an injury in training, Merkamou had received a letter that had spots from tears blurring the ink in several places. Rin had confided in him that she was considering putting her blades aside and concentrating on more appropriate pursuits for a ningen female. Merkamou had almost gone to the Western Lands himself to talk her out of it, but his letter in reply had done the job. “You are not weak.”

 

“It is hard to see it any other way just now.” Rin looked at her bandaged arm, shaking her head. “Another set of scars. Just when I thought I could not be any less attractive.”

 

“I thought we had discussed these bouts of self pity.”

 

“You can say that, you will walk away with no marks at all. Even now you could stand up and walk away.”

 

“Enough. Isamu may have let you wallow in pity, but I will not. You will heal, and you will have learned another lesson. Your instructor will go over the fight with you, and you will make corrections. The next time you go into battle you will be stronger for this.”

 

Brown eyes went back to studying the knees in front of them. “Hai, my lord.”

 

“Merlin, I did not mean it as an order.”

 

“I understand.”

 

“Then quit calling me `my lord' like I just gave you an order.”

 

“Um, Merkamou-sama? You are still the Lord of the Southern Lands. I would not dishonor Sesshomaru-sama by treating you in such a way.”

 

`Damn title. It's brought me nothing but trouble.' “I do not hear you referring to Isamu as `my lord'.” Blinking, Merkamou reran that statement though his mind. `Oh, damn, did that sound as jealous as I think it did?'

 

“That is different.”

 

“How?”

 

“Um.” Rin glared at her knees. “I am not sure, but it is. Perhaps because of the way we met. I should call him by his title, but he seems so young for that. He does not seem to be in the same class as you and Sesshomaru-sama and Hideaki-sama. For goodness sake, I have already flattened him in the grass once, and I could never do that to any of you three.”

 

“May I suggest a compromise?”

 

“Of course, my lord.”

 

“I do not call Kagome by a title in private, and she does not call me by a title. Usually, she does not even use my name, for that matter. May I ask the same from you?”

 

“You would like for me to speak to you as an equal?”

 

“Hai.”

 

“If you wish, my lo . . . Merkamou.”

 

`It is progress.' Merkamou relaxed, leaning against the wall on his side of the stable. `Why I am so annoyed at Isamu being closer to her than me? I do not even want to think about that. I simply wish for her to treat me in the same manner in person that she did in her letters.'

 

“What does Kagome-chan call you?” Curiosity brought Rin's eyes back up to the gold ones.

 

“Trouble maker.”

 

“Ah. Appropriate.”

 

“And what do you mean by that, merlin?”

 

“Oh, the healer is here.” Rin turned her eyes to the cranky inu-youkai that had appeared in the door way. “Good morning, Nori-sama.”

 

“And what are you doing up, young lady?” The healer grumbled at his two patients. “I am not surprised to see Merkamou-sama up, but I am certain that you are not supposed to be up yet.”

 

Rin rolled her eyes. “I am just propped up for a change of scenery. Believe me, I am not going anywhere.”

 

Moving her blankets aside the healer started to unwrap bandages. Rin hissed when he uncovered her side, revealing the stitched gashes. Merkamou's eyes narrowed when he saw the injury. “And how did you get that one, merlin?”

 

“This was from the taiyoukai before he transformed. Fortunately, he did not have poison in his claws. Unlike Mizuki. I had forgotten about that.”

 

“Mizuki?”

 

“Mizuki is poisonous. She managed to scratch the taiyoukai with her claws and he pulled back with the skin smoking. I think she inherited Sesshomaru-sama's poison. I had no idea, and I do not know if Mizuki did either.”

 

The healer's work distracted Rin away from the conversation. Gritting her teeth, she resolutely looked away from the sight of her own flesh in such sad condition. “Well, healer? When will I be up and about again?”

 

“I would almost suggest that you have a death wish. This will take time to heal, and it will not heal unless you stay still! No fighting, no flying, no training until I say otherwise.” Nori wrapped a new bandage around her torso before checking the burns on her arm. “You have recovered from the poison, that much is obvious, but these cuts will take a couple of days before you are able to move around on your own again.”

 

“A couple of days? I am going to be so bored!”

 

The healer poked Rin in the side, avoiding serious injuries, to watch her gasp and crumple. “You will remain in bed for a couple of days. Understood?”

 

Growling, Rin glared at her tormentor. “Fine.”

 

“Now for my lord.” Turning to the hawk, the healer was rather surprised to see a nasty glare.

 

“There was no need to hurt her further.” Merkamou was not moving, nor did he growl as was the usual response amongst the inu-youkai. The silence was unnerving to the healer.

 

“I was proving a point. Rin-sama has a history of ignoring my orders and making her injuries worse.” Cautiously, Nori approached the hawk. The poison was most definitely not affecting him anymore. The bandages on his side would need to be changed, but the wound was over halfway healed and should be gone by tomorrow. Working in silence, he rebandaged the hawk.

 

“Am I allowed to move about, healer?”

 

“Of course, my lord. Your body has already repaired most of the damage that you had sustained.”

 

“Good.”

 

The healer made a hasty exit, not much caring for Merkamou's expression.

 

“Well, it looks like you have been given permission to go and see what is going on.” Rin stared at the ceiling, trying to hide her frustration. She liked Merkamou's company, and did not want him to take off and leave her alone.

 

“I will stay for awhile, merlin. The rest of your pack is tending to the problems at the palace. There is such a thing as too much chaos, even for me.” Merkamou resettled against the wall, smiling at the young woman across from him.

 

“If that is your wish, Merkamou.”

 

*~*~*~*