InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Purity 5: Phantasm ❯ The First Night ( Chapter 4 )

~~Chapter 4~~

~The First Night~

 

Bas sat in the overstuffed chair in the small hotel room and rubbed his forehead with a tired hand as he heaved a sigh and peeked up through his lashes at the cat-youkai perched on the double bed, rubbing her emancipated wrists.

 

“That's hardly a way to treat a lady,” she pointed out, lips drawn down in a moue.

 

“All this from the girl who had no qualms about walloping me with her purse? I think not.”

 

“Really . . . you don't think I should have just stood by and waited for you to handcuff me, do you?”

 

It was on the tip of his tongue to say that she should have done just that. “Of course not,” he grumbled.

 

“And I apologized for hitting you.”

 

“All right,” he growled. “You've made your point.”

 

She rolled her eyes as she brought her legs up, sitting on her knees with her hands planted on the tacky floral print coverlet, leaning forward as she regarded him curiously. “Where are you from, Bas the Hunter?”

 

“Does it matter?”

 

She shrugged. “No, not really . . . So, where?”

 

He sighed. “Maine.”

 

“Ahh . . . Is it pretty there? Maine? I've seen pictures . . . postcards . . .”

 

“Sure.”

 

“What are you doing?” she demanded as he reached for the telephone.

 

“I'm hungry,” he said, measuring his words, struggling for a patience that he just didn't possess. “I'm going to order food.”

 

“Food?” she echoed.

 

Bas sighed and shrugged. “Yes, food. You don't look like you've eaten a decent meal in—well, ever, and I'm starving.”

 

Ordering two steaks with all the trimmings, a bottle of water for himself, and a glass of milk for Sydnie, he didn't look at her again until after he hung up the phone.

 

“Two steaks? You're really hungry,” she commented.

 

He shot her a dark look. “One of them is for you.”

 

“For me? But I'm not hungry . . .”

 

Bas stared at the frail girl and shook his head. `Stubborn, prideful . . . she's starving, damn it! Look at her!'

 

`Then trick her,' his youkai shot back calmly.

 

`Trick her? How?'

 

`I don't know . . . find a way.'

 

He sighed again. “Then don't eat it.”

 

“I-I won't.”

 

“Fine.”

 

Flexing her claws, kneading the coverlet, Sydnie pursed her lips as her eyes darted around the room, scanning the corners, as though she were afraid that something was lurking in the semi-dark.

 

If he hadn't been so irritated when he'd turned on the lamps in the room, he'd have paid more attention to her. As it was, he'd ended up staring for several moments when he'd turned around only to come face to face with what he hadn't really expected. She looked completely different in the light . . .

 

He hadn't realized that her hair was so vibrant. While he had seen the deep auburn sheen of her hair, he hadn't realized that she had golden streaks running through it. Catching the light, bathing her in a warm glow, her eyes seemed even more startling; darker, deeper, full of secrets that she guarded with jealous tenacity. Her body was thin—almost painfully so—making her seem even more delicate, vulnerable, and he supposed it was that impression that had caused him to let his guard down with her in the abandoned building.

 

She looked like the proverbial girl next door, not some deranged woman who had killed a man in cold blood.

 

She nearly jumped out of her skin when the curt knock sounded on the hotel room door. Bas stood up as Sydnie shrank back, eyes widening, pupils dilating. If he listened really close, he wondered if he would be able to hear her heart beating . . .

 

Holding the door open to admit the young man with the rolling cart, Bas waited patiently while he anchored the cart's wheels then slipped a tip into the waiter's hand before closing the door.

 

Strolling over to the cart as he caught the way Sydnie rose on her knees, lifting her chin and tipping her head back as she tried to see the food, Bas slowly, deliberately lifted the silver domes off the steaming plates of food. “Hmm, looks good,” he remarked. Sydnie snorted but didn't comment. “You sure you don't want one?”

 

“I'll pass,” she grumbled, sinking down on her heels.

 

“You positive?”

 

She forced herself to nod. “Uh huh.”

 

“All right,” he said with a defeated sigh. “Suit yourself.”

 

Eyes shifting, watching him as he grabbed the bottle of water and returned to the comfort of the easy chair, Sydnie sat back, drawing her legs up, wrapping her arms around them as she dropped her chin on her knees.

 

Bas cut into his steak and ate in silence, ignoring the voice in his head that upbraided him for eating in front of someone who wasn't doing the same. Wrinkling his nose at the whisper that sounded entirely too much like his mother, Bas stifled a sigh and took his time chewing, peering up at Sydnie without lifting his head.

 

`Sebastian, I'm surprised at you! I know I taught you better than that . . .'

 

`Give me a break, Mom . . . She won't eat.'

 

`Good God, Bas! You're talking to your mom, and she isn't even here!'

 

`Hmm, well, blame it on her. If she hadn't whacked me upside the head, I wouldn't be hearing Mom's voice in my mind.'

 

`Oh, for the love of—Don't be stupid! Besides that, look at Sydnie. She wants that food; you can see it in her eyes. Find a way to get past her pride, would you?'

 

Following the advice of his youkai, Bas nearly smiled at the wistful expression on the girl's face. Staring at the food as though she were willing it to move into her hands, he swallowed some water and cleared his throat. “You can have it if you want it,” he coaxed almost gently.

 

“I-I'm not hungry,” she stammered.

 

“All right, but . . . seems like a waste.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Bas shrugged as he cut another bite and stuck it in his mouth. “I mean,” he said around a mouthful of food, “It'll just be thrown away if you don't want it.”

 

“Thrown away?” she echoed, looking entirely too outraged to credit. “You can't do that!”

 

“Why not?” he asked as he swallowed.

 

“Because,” she shot back, cheeks pinking in indignation, “it's wasteful!”

 

“Well, I've got my food. I don't need that. Do me a favor, would you?”

 

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “What's that?”

 

“Dump that milk in the bathroom sink. It'll be gross if you don't.”

 

He saw it in her eyes, the wavering resolve as she frowned at the food on the cart. “Millions of people starving all over the world, and you're going to throw away food?” she grumbled.

 

He heaved a sigh and set his plate aside to cross his arms over his chest as he stared at her. “Listen, Sydnie. I'm too damn tired to care about saving millions of people. If you want to do something about it, then eat it. If you do, then you won't have to feel bad about my wastefulness.”

 

He didn't think she was going to comply. She scowled at him for what seemed like a full minute before slowly untangling her legs and cautiously approaching the cart. Moving in stilted, jerky motions like she was afraid that someone would swoop down and snatch the food out from under her nose she glanced around as her hand slipped under the plate and picked up the glass of milk before shooting him an inscrutable look before hurrying back to the bed.

 

They ate in silence. Bas didn't really taste his food, his attention too keen on the girl. She seemed a little clumsy with the steak knife. He caught her eye and shrugged offhandedly, gesturing at the knife with the one in his hand. “Would it be easier if you used your claws?”

 

Cheeks darkening as she quickly looked away, she stubbornly worked the utensil without comment.

 

`You embarrassed her, Bas,' his youkai pointed out.

 

`I didn't mean to . . . It probably would be easier for her to use her claws,' he mused.

 

`Still, you hurt her pride.'

 

`She's got more than enough pride, don't you think? One little comment about using her knife isn't going to crush her, is it?'

 

Interrupted from his thoughts as he watched Sydnie swallow the milk in a series of gulps without coming up for air, Bas sighed inwardly as he reached for the phone to order more.

 

“I don't need it,” she said as he dropped the handset back into the cradle.

 

“Don't worry about it.”

 

“But I don't want anything from you.”

 

“I know.”

 

“I have money,” she offered grudgingly.

 

“Keep your money. I didn't ask for it.”

 

“But—”

 

“It's just a meal, Sydnie. You look like you could use one.”

 

That shut her up. Cheeks reddening as she stared at her empty plate, she slowly got to her feet and set it back on the cart before retreating to the bed again.

 

Bas stifled a sigh. It was going to be a long night . . .

 

 

-OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO-

 

 

“What are you reading?”

 

Bas didn't look up from the paper in his hand. “None of your business.”

 

Sydnie scowled as she chewed the last bite of green beans. “Fine, fine . . . You're pretty grouchy.”

 

“And you're pretty nosy.”

 

“What do you expect? I'm a cat.”

 

“Haven't you heard the old saying? `Curiosity . . .'”

 

“Ah, but what a way to go . . . Anyway, is it important?”

 

Bas sighed and shot her a bored glare before tucking the paper back into the manila envelope and sticking it in his suitcase before snapping the locks and striding toward the bathroom.

 

Sydnie grabbed the empty milk glasses and carried them over to the table, pausing as she stared at the condiment packets strewn on the cart. Before she could think about it, she scooped up the packets of salt and pepper as well as the two foil packets with wet-naps inside. Hurrying over to grab her purse and ferret away the items, she scowled at her fingers as she quickly yanked on the zipper.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Choking out a startled yelp, she whipped around, clutching her purse tightly. “Doing?”

 

Bas eyed her suspiciously, rocking back on his heels as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes, Sydnie. What are you doing?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Nothing,” he echoed dubiously.

 

“That's right—nothing.”

 

“What'd you put in your purse?”

 

“My . . .? I don't know what you're talking about,” she scoffed.

 

Bas stared at her for another moment before tugging her purse out of her arms.

 

“What are you—? What do you think you're doing? Who do you think you are? Give that back!” Sydnie hollered, trying in vain to retrieve her bag.

 

Ignoring her pleas, he unzipped it, holding it open to frown at the contents inside. “Sugar . . . salt . . . pepper . . . ketchup? What the hell is all this?”

 

Sydnie snatched her purse out of his slack hands and retreated to the sanctuary of the bed, wrapping her arms around her purse as she glowered at the coverlet where she sat.

 

“Why do you have all that crap?”

 

Unable to fight back the deep blush that rode high in her cheeks, Sydnie refused to answer.

 

“I don't get it, Sydnie. Do you need it?”

 

“You never know,” she grumbled. “I might.”

 

“You've got plastic silverware in there,” he pointed out.

 

“I might need it.”

 

“What? Do you live out of that bag of yours?”

 

Ducking her chin a little lower as she wondered just how this stranger—Bas the Hunter—could make her feel so stupid. “So what if I do?”

 

He sighed and shook his head before flopping into the chair once more. “Reminds me . . . I'll take you by your place tomorrow.”

 

“My place? Why?”

 

Telegraphing her a look that stated quite plainly that he thought she was simply being stubborn, he tapped his claws on the armrest impatiently. “To get your things . . . your clothes.”

 

“I don't need to go anywhere,” she grumbled.

 

“Don't be stubborn. You need some clothes, and whatever else. Just pack light.”

 

“I've got everything I need,” she countered, wondering just why she was telling him anything at all.

 

“Sydnie—”

 

“Not everyone lives in a stupid apartment. What is it anyway, but a cage with a door?”

 

“So where do you live?” he asked almost cautiously.

 

Sydnie shrugged and lifted her chin defiantly. “Here . . . there . . . lots of places, really.”

 

“You don't have a home?”

 

“Define `home'.”

 

“Don't be catty.”

 

“Mee-ow.”

 

“I'm being serious.”

 

She sighed, rolling her eyes as she zipped her bag and shoved it behind her back. “And you think I'm not?”

 

“What about your clothes?”

 

Flicking her claws to examine them, she jerked her head, indicating her bag. “All there.”

 

“What?”

 

“I thought puppies had good hearing.”

 

“What-fucking-ever, cat,” he grumbled.

 

“Besides that, having too much stuff is overrated. Sooner or later, someone comes along and tries to take it.”

 

“. . . People stole your things?”

 

Sydnie shrugged. “Well, it wasn't ever like I had much, anyway. Does it matter?”

 

He stared at her, eyes bright, searching. A flicker of some foreign emotion surfaced before she looked away. It wasn't pity, exactly, and for that, Sydnie was thankful. She couldn't stand to be pitied . . . “I wasn't trying to steal your purse,” he said quietly.

 

“Didn't your mother ever teach you that it's not polite to snoop in a lady's purse?”

 

“Didn't your mother ever teach you that it's not polite to smack someone upside the head with the same lady's purse?”

 

She smiled slightly at the belligerent expression on his face. “Touché, pretty boy. Careful, or I might start liking you.”

 

“God forbid,” he muttered, reclining in the chair as he propped his ankles on the dresser. “Go to sleep, will you? And don't make me handcuff you, okay?”

 

She almost argued that with him out of spite. Staring at the warm, clean bed, she bit her lip and stole another glance at the hunter. Eyes closed, completely relaxed, he almost looked like he was already asleep. She knew better, but still . . .

 

How long had it been, since she was comfortable enough to sleep well? Grimacing inwardly as she decided that she was far better off not answering, Sydnie crawled under the covers and curled up on her side, purse nestled between her knees and her chest as she closed her eyes.

 

She'd figure out everything in the morning. It would all make more sense in the light of day . . .

 

 

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A/N:

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Final Thought fromSydnie:

Bas the Purse-snatcher?

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Blanket disclaimer for this fanfic (will apply to this and all other chapters in Phantasm): I do not claim any rights to InuYasha or the characters associated with the anime/manga. Those rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi, et al. I do offer my thanks to her for creating such vivid characters for me to terrorize.

 

~Sue~