InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Problem ❯ Back to the Drawing Board ( Chapter 10 )

Quote: - 2B or not 2B?
I think it's a grade of pencil.

 

- A cigarette is a pinch of tobacco, wrapped in paper, fire at one end, fool at the other.

 

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.

 

Chapter 10: Back to the Drawing Board

 

Surprise, surprise! It was already way past midnight and I was still wide awake.

Of course, as before, I had my reasons for it. For one, there was the rain. It was still pretty much pouring and the temperature had dropped considerably. I think there was even some snow mixed in with the rain. Everything around me was soaked through and through, and what with no fire and all, I was shivering so hard that I was sure to be getting the workout of my life and that's saying something if you live my life. Fortunately for Rin, Ah-un was mostly on her side, so she was all the warmer (he was like a portable heater). And I had given her a couple of my sweaters (they reached her knees) and my track pants. I'd been forced to sleep - or attempt to - in a sitting position so that both me and Rin could fit in under the umbrella. But of course, even then I was barely covered as I had to make sure that Rin stayed as dry as possible. Shippo was so much smaller than Rin that all this was noticeably easier with him. After two years of travelling under such conditions though, I'd switched to a water proof sleeping bag. This way, I could stretch out my legs as much as I wanted. But seriously, I was not looking forward to cleaning all the mud off when this was over.

The next reason, of course, was pretty much the events of the evening and, come to think of, the whole week. I don't think I need to emphasize anymore than before why it was bothering me. Just that it didn't help settle the matter to have Sesshoumaru stare at me the whole time while I prepared for bed. How did I know he was watching me? Well, you could call it a hunch, but to me, the feeling of his eyes on my back was unmistakable.

But actually, now that I thought about it, it had been a while since I had heard him move or anything. Of course, not that he ever actually made a sound when he moved. But even he couldn't help the slight squelch in this weather, I was sure of it.

Curious, I opened my eyes. At first, all I could see was total darkness and I had to wait a good minute before my eyes adjusted to it. Slowly, the greyness of the sky began to stand out more, dark tree branches outlined in the very faint light. After about a minute, my eyes were pretty much completely adjusted to the light, but I had yet to see any sign of Sesshoumaru. It should have been easy, what with him wearing white and his hair colour. Then it occurred to me that maybe he was on the other side of the tree. So I listened as hard as I could to see if I could actually hear him make a move or something. I mean, it wasn't impossible. It took a while, but eventually I though I heard a whirring in the air, kind of like when you throw a ball really fast.

I blinked, surprised by the unusual sound. I seriously doubted that Sesshoumaru had a ball to play with, never mind the idea of Sesshoumaru playing, period. So I listened again, and to my surprise, I heard the same sound again.

Scratching my head trying to figure out how this could be possible, I unzipped my sleeping bag from my side and wiggled out, doing my best not to bother Rin. I don't think I did. Grabbing my rain coat and pulling it over my head, I stepped around the tree.

My first reaction was a strong urge to smack myself upside the head. Honestly, sometimes I could be so stupid. The sound I'd been hearing was that of Sesshoumaru practicing, cutting through the air with his sword. So, definitely no on the playing ball thing. Although, if that was what he had been doing, I would have good dirt on the guy.

“What is so entertaining?” I nearly jumped, not having realised that Sesshoumaru was aware of my being there. That of course, deserved another smack.

He was no longer practicing with his sword, but was instead standing with his sword held loosely to the side. He was looking at me, waiting for a reply as to why I'd been standing there for a good minute, smiling to myself. Well, I wasn't about to tell him that I thought I'd found something to blackmail him with. So I just smiled and shrugged, hoping he would write it off to my evident zany side.

He gave a quick flick to his sword as though to clear it of water, then replaced it back into his sash. It was too dark for me to recognize which sword it was, and really, it didn't matter much.

“Why are you not sleeping?” Again, I was surprised that he'd asked, but by now, I should have learned not to be.

“Can't,” I said simply. I had this odd feeling that I had unfinished business with Sesshoumaru. Well, it was a no brainer. Clearly, there was the spell, the him saving my butt, and in fact, my whole concept of the demon named Sesshoumaru.

“I will not allow for any delays in the morning.”

I tried not to frown and nodded.

“For a human, you sleep less than you ought.” This comment came out in a lower tone than before and I had the feeling that he didn't want to say it.

“Yeah, well, I guess I am a bit of an insomniac.” He walked forward so that he was a bit closer (I guess maybe about a few yards away if you want greater accuracy) and I could just make out a slight frown on his face. For a second I thought he was about to say something but he didn't. I continued with a smile, “I'm sure if you had a bottle of chlorine, I'd be good to go.”

I could tell by looking at him that he had given up on trying to make sense out of what I said. The thought only made me smile more.

“Your vocabulary,” he said in his slow voice, watching me with his calculating stare, “is no doubt a product of your homeland.”

“Well, not so much my homeland as my home setting,” I said with a slanted smile as though I was purposely messing with him. If I wasn't going to sleep, might as well get something out of it. I leaned back against the tree. “I have a question for you.”

Immediately I could feel Sesshoumaru's attention on me sharpen. I tried not to shy away from it.

“How come it matters so much for you to know where I'm from?”

For a few seconds Sesshoumaru studied me calmly and I thought he was trying to decide what to tell me. Then he finally opened his mouth and spoke. “Why are you so set against me finding out?”

It was not the answer I had been looking for, but I was not at all surprised by it. This was the kind of thing I was more used to coming from Sesshoumaru: resistance. I shrugged and decided to humour him for the time being. “Because you might use it against me the next time we're fighting.”

For a second, his eyes squinted and I thought he was angry with me, either because I was right on the nail with this one or totally off the mark.

“I see.”

I looked at him with surprise on my face. “You're not going to refute it?”

A few seconds of silence, then, “I need not explain myself to a human.”

I was disappointed. I had been hoping that I had misunderstood him before, and that there was more to Sesshoumaru than the human-hating demon that I had come to know. Especially since if I paid enough attention, I could see evidence of it from way before my week with him. Suddenly, I didn't feel much like chatting with him.

“You did not like my response,” he said with a completely neutral look.

I looked at him, more than a little miffed. “No, duh, Einstein.” I could have easily put it into terms that he would understand. I didn't think he deserved the effort.

“You are easily provoked,” he said, apparently ignoring my words. Much to my chagrin, I could just see the beginnings of a smirk on his face. I could feel my blood catching on fire.

“Very big of you to provoke me in the first place.” I know I was being rude and technically going against our agreement, but then again, so was he. I knew I shouldn't be reacting so much, but I couldn't help it. I was genuinely bothered by him. A considerable lack of sleep wasn't helping matters either.

I don't think he found the situation to be funny any more either. At least, not so judging by the coldness in his eyes. He moved so that he was standing straight before me; I think he wanted to intimidate me. He should have thought of doing that before pissing me off.

“You ought to be careful how you address me. I am not forgiving.”

Every muscle in my body was taut with anger. Half of my mind was yelling at me to stop and find out why this was growing so out of hand. It didn't seem to be the logical manner of things. Instead, my eyes narrowed with all the disappointment that I felt and I glared at Sesshoumaru.

“Why, cause you're going to kill me? Well you know what, Sesshoumaru-sama, I don't think you will.”

Sesshoumaru said nothing to this, but his eyes were likewise narrowed. Suddenly, I felt something click into place in my head.

“In fact, I don't think you can. I think whatever the spell is, it's forcing you to keep me alive.”

In silence, his eyes widened slightly. I knew I had him.

“That's it, isn't it,” I said, staring deeply and unusually fearlessly into his eyes, daring him to deny it. “The spell won't let you kill me, does it?”

I could see the look in those golden orbs deepen and his mouth slowly slant in an atypical smirk, almost with irony. But he chose to remain silent.

I found my anger rising in response to his moroseness. “I am right, admit it.”

The smirk on his face was slowly receding as the coldness in his eyes became more pronounced. “Do you take pleasure in being constantly wrong, human?”

His voice floated across the little space between us, cold and brittle, yet deep and smooth as it had been that first night I had seen him come in search of Tetsusaiga. Even his tone of voice contradicted itself like a paradox. He was paradox.

“Say whatever you like,” I hissed. “But the facts are in. You had a week during which you could've killed me, three days without a witness, but you hardly even raised a hand against me.”

I know I should have appreciated that, and I did, really, but I wanted to make a point.

There was no trace of a smirk to be seen anywhere on Sesshoumaru's face. It was undeniably blank, bellying his anger or frustration. I blinked but realised my mistake too late. In the millisecond that I spent blinking, Sesshoumaru's hand was up and held firmly at the base of my throat before I even knew what had happened.

Sesshoumaru was meant to be feared and my treatment of him could only be deemed as stupid if not outright idiotic. I was afraid of him but no where near as much as I should have been; I was far too wound up, but I wasn't so sure of myself anymore.

“Understand this,” he said, his voice deep and taunting, eyes screaming danger and beauty at the same time. “I could and should kill you at any moment that is convenient to me.”

And for two minutes straight, we just stared into each others eyes. I couldn't find a trace of a lie in him (not that I knew how to read him properly). The more I looked, the more confused and less angry I grew. If he could kill me, why was I still alive. Shouldn't he have just killed me on the first morning the spell was put on him? Not that I wanted him to have done that, but still. It went by his character, at least what I had supposed to be his character. What was going on?

I was tired, more mentally than physically, and more emotionally than mentally. I wanted to move away from him, pretend to go to sleep or something, but I couldn't for the tree that was behind me. Damn nature, even it was against me. I took the only escape route that I could and hung my head, breaking eye contact.

It took a few more minutes, but eventually, Sesshoumaru's hand relaxed at my throat. I didn't know what was going through his head, and I didn't think I could ever find out. He was such a mystery, almost like a physics problem from a couple of grades higher than what I knew. I had no idea how to solve him.

“Naraku wants to kill you.”

I nearly groaned with frustration. Man, didn't he get it? I was already confused enough.

I frowned, figured rolling my eyes was the way to go, then decided to go with the frown after all. With a sigh I looked back up at him, completely under whelmed. “Tell me something I don't know.”

Sesshoumaru tilted his head slightly to the right, his eyebrow apparently stuck in that half raised position. “The demon reeked of the half breed.”

Okay, well, that I hadn't known, but I didn't see how it had anything to do with what we had been talking about.

“Why does Naraku wish to kill you this much?” the hand that had been lying at my neck moved to the neck line of my shirt, his fingers slipping under it to hook around the chain I hung the jewel shards from. I gasped with surprise but was basically ignored. With one fluid movement, he pulled out the makeshift necklace. “Is there any other reason than his want of the jewel?”

I looked from the exposed jewel shards to his hand still just below my throat. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to react, but my mind was all too aware of what he had just done. I swallowed and looked back up at him. In his eyes there was a touch of curiosity and what I named to be tension. I swallowed again and shrugged in response.

“You do not fear him?”

Okay, what was this…fetish that he had? “Sure, anyone in their right mind would.”

There was a few minutes of silence during which he just watched me and I just stared back, hoping he was going to move away soon or at least move his hand. “Do you fear him more than you do me?” He then asked, his voice curiously still.

I took a moment to frown at him and said, “It's not a competition.”

I was hoping that he wouldn't get mad over me saying that (really, there was no reason for him to do get mad), but with Sesshoumaru you never knew.

He was looking at me in that quizzical way again, his eyes bright even though it was a cloudy night. For some reason though, I just couldn't feel much fear in me, almost as though my senses were asleep even though I wasn't. I wish I could do the same, but I had to get to the bottom of this.

Then, very discreetly (that's one way of putting it, I guess), the corner of his mouth tilted up in a smirk. I tried to take that as a good sign.

“You are a strange human.”

Yeah, well, you're just strange altogether, I could have said right back. I sighed and tried not to roll my eyes. “Yeah, you keep saying that.” As I said this, I reached up and took hold of his hand. His eyes immediately flashed to the joined appendages. I simply took the shikon pieces out of his hand, letting the necklace fall loosely over my shirt, and brought his hand away from my person and let go. I felt self conscious about touching him, but it had to be done; I was far more self conscious with his hand there.

Sesshoumaru continued to look at his hand, a frown on his face. I think he was angry at being deliberately touched by a human, Inuyasha's human no less. But my logic told me that he had no right to be mad at me just as he had had no right to touch me in the first place. Why would a person so set against humans allow a human child to travel with him and save the life another human, not once, not twice, but three times?

Apparently deciding to let the offence slide, Sesshoumaru turned to face me again, confirming my hunch with the distant look in his eyes even though emotions continued to stir just beneath the facade. I tried to ignore them. Silence settled between us, but it was an awkward sort of silence. I glanced over my shoulder to where the tip of my sleeping bag could be seen. I was torn between staying there and finishing the conversation (or attempting to) and going to bed. I caught Sesshoumaru's eyes, hoping to get an idea of what to do. The silence continued a little longer and Sesshoumaru took a step away from me, giving me a way out.

---

 

In the morning, it was still raining. Not the downpour of yesterday, but a gentle drizzle. I didn't mind it at all. Rin jumped around, making circles around me and Ah-un as she jumped from mud puddle to mud puddle. Once or twice I caught her purposely kicking mud high enough into the air to splatter innocently on the back of Jaken's head, but since it was all done in good humour, I didn't call her on it. Jaken didn't look as though he appreciated the mud treatment much though. Everything was actually quite fine (even the weather was slightly warmer and the winds of last night had died down) and there was only one thing off about the day: Sesshoumaru.

From the moment I had woken up, Sesshoumaru had not talked to me (not that it was such a huge change) or even acknowledged my presence. He kept his sixty foot distance from me, choosing to lean against a tree just that far away with his back to us and had Jaken tell us when it was time to go. When we were moving, he walked in front of us at the same distance. This didn't seem to bother either Rin or Ah-un and Jaken looked all the more happier about it, deciding to strut along just behind Sesshoumaru. But for me, it was slightly alarming.

It wasn't as though I expected him to walk beside us as though that's what he ought to be doing. In fact, that's how it had been pretty much the first few days. But it had changed. I had walked right along beside him, not even a step behind him. And he had allowed me to do it. I couldn't help but feel alarmed to know that any advancements that may have been made in those few days had now been negated. And for what? Because a human had touched him?

I simply refused to believe that he was that disgusted by the idea.

That morning when the so called spell caster (really, it was a curse) had come, I had immediately looked up for Sesshoumaru's reaction. He had been looking off to the east, his eyes not once turning towards me. It had been a lot more unpleasant to wait for the feeling to pass and when it did, I remained unnerved.

I was getting more and more frustrated. My patience was wearing thin and I knew that there was only so much longer that I could wait and sit in the dark, hoping that Sesshoumaru was going to start telling me about the spell. I had given him a lot of time. As if that weren't a big enough problem, I was getting frustrated with him altogether. He was way too confusing and every time I thought I was about to get an answer from him, he made so that I was just more and more confused. We had a deal he had agreed to; he had agreed to answer some of my questions, not dodge them all and just ask me his questions and expect me to answer them. It wasn't reasonable.

I frowned, realising just how much room I had given him. And for what?

Then logic stepped in, reminding me that he was Sesshoumaru. That for him not to have killed me, for him to have struck up a deal with me, for him to have saved me had been probably his way of respecting me. It reminded me that the spell limited Sesshoumaru as well, that our trip to Rin and back was probably twice as long as necessary because he was slowing his pace to match mine. It reminded me that he was taking care of a little human girl, that he had saved Inuyasha's life when his demon blood had taken him over. It reminded me that he had brought back that otter's life even though he gained nothing from it.

I stopped suddenly, overcome by a sudden urge to throttle my own logic. Okay, I got the picture, there was more to Sesshoumaru than met the eye. No need to rub it in!

“Kagome-chan, are you okay?”

I looked up, semi-startled, and saw that Rin was looking at me with concern in her eyes, covered to the waist with mud.

I blinked and then nodded my head reassuringly.

“Okay!” she clapped her hands together, splattering the front of her clothes. Then she bent down and picked up a fistful of mud, quietly sneaking up behind Jaken.

Settling with a smile at her antics, I followed her with my eyes then looked at Jaken who was walking obliviously on. Then, with a huge splat, he was on the ground, eyes twirling as it had when he had been hit by Sesshoumaru's rock.

At the thought of Sesshoumaru, I threw a cautious glance at him. He walked on stoically as before, unmindful of Jaken. I had to hand it to the guy, he chose some very entertaining companions.

I had that same feeling from last night, the one that told me that there was much unfinished business between me and Sesshoumaru. I knew I needed to talk to him and get him to answer some of my questions. And I had to stay as rational with him as possible.

Again, I came to a sudden stop, this time so that I didn't collide with Rin. She was running around, trying to escape Jaken who was chasing her with a huge splash of brown (actually almost the exact same colour as his clothes) on the back of his head. I looked after her, shaking my head and laughing at the same time. Then I realised, I had been so busy staring at Sesshoumaru that I hadn't even noticed Rin had been coming my way; and I had meant to only glance at him.

A coy smile raised my lips and I scratched my head furtively. At least I hadn't been caught staring.

---

 

Alright.

I clapped my hands together, let them fall to my sides, then shook my arms, trying to dispel the tension in them. It was time to step up and go talk to Sesshoumaru. Resolutely, I picked up my pace, and marched up to where Sesshoumaru was walking on ahead of us, head held high. Behind me, Jaken continued to chase Rin, that is until Rin turned around and surprised him with another mud ball, this one smack in the middle of his face. Then she ran up to Ah-un, sitting on top of him where Jaken couldn't get a hold of her. That is, when he was conscious again.

“Hey,” I said casually, falling into step beside Sesshoumaru.

My reception was rather cold as he didn't even turn to look at me. His face impenetrable, he asked, “What do you want?”

I sighed, tossing aside the foolish thought that maybe this would be easier than I had thought. Okay, here's the plan: I was going to be logical, mind my manners, and if at all possible, light hearted. “How are you?”

“If you have nothing of importance to say, you may go back to your place.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, biting down the comebacks that were dying to be said. “Actually…there's something I need to talk to you about.”

He seemed to consider this for a second, but then said, “I have no wish to speak at this time.”

“Well,” I said, fixing him with a determined look, “actually, I do. See, I thought right now was the perfect time. You know, we normally end up talking in the middle of the night. I figured why not mix things up a bit.”

I could tell he was having difficulty keeping up the indifferent front and smirked in a self satisfied sort of way.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, kind of like I do when I am trying to gather my patience for an argument with Inuyasha. “Alright woman, you may speak your mind.”

Kudos to me!

“Thanks for the permission.” It was light hearted sarcasm, I swear. “Anywho, we have a problem.”

Finally, Sesshoumaru turned his head and glanced at me, pinning me with a look that clearly stated `you don't say'.

I smiled as charismatically as I could and continued. “I need to know why you're mad at me so that next time I want to talk to you about something we don't get into a fight.”

He didn't say anything and turned his head back on the road.

“Look Sesshoumaru,” I said then remembered to add “sama” in as neutral a tone as I could manage. “I know you're not stupid so I'm sure you already know the spell affects me too. And even though you seem to think I don't deserve some explanations -,”

“That is your supposition,” Sesshoumaru interrupted. I wondered if he had swallowed a dictionary as a child.

I looked at him, for the second speechless. I waited for an explanation but none came.

“Okay…,” I started out slowly. “If I'm wrong, how come you won't tell me about the spell?”

His eyes were searching for something in the distance, his face betraying just the hints of irritation.

“See, you're mad already and I haven't even said anything new.” I turned away from him and also watched the road ahead. If I was upset, I didn't let it show. “I want to be able to talk to you. I'm really not that good a mind-reader to begin with and you're like the model for the experts.” Yes, that's it, light jokes based on truth. Mmm…yes, yes, this could work.

At this point, I really think he thought I was crazy, and really, who could blame him. He even let out a little snort even though his smirk didn't come off looking quite as disdainful as I was prepared for it to be. “You truly do talk excessively.”

“Gee, thanks Sesshoumaru, you're a riot,” I said, surprisingly still unruffled. I turned my head and planted him with a playful smirk. “But…at least I talk.”

Sesshoumaru's response was really no response at all. He just continued to stare ahead of him, his face back to completely neutral, and he didn't even say anything. But I thought I saw a glimmer of humour in his eyes that told me he knew I was bugging him and he didn't seem to mind much. He was indulging me.

That sobered me as much as anything could.

“I need you to tell me more about the spell.” It wasn't a request; I was tired of asking for things that I knew I was entitled to.

He was still looking straight ahead of him, his eyes serious immediately following my words. “I will not tell you the conditions of the spell.”

I pinned him with a mock-glare, not wanting to actually get riled up. “I would ask why, but I know better.”

“Hn.”

It was funny how he and his brother were so comfortable with monosyllabic answers. I wondered if he knew how close his grunt was to Inuyasha's `feh's. “There are plenty of other things that I don't know about the spell. I'm sure you can tell one or two of them.”

I could tell he was thinking about this, his brows only slightly furrowed. I hoped he was going to answer.

I inhaled, ready to go on.

“What are you doing here, lousy human? Leave Sesshoumaru-sama be.”

It was Jaken. I wasn't surprised by what he was saying and just rolled my eyes at him. But I didn't appreciate him interrupting me as I had enough problems talking as it was. So I turned to Rin, pointed to Jaken's bald head, and pointed out she had missed a spot. That was bound to keep the both of them busy for a good half hour at the least. With a smile, I faced forward again.

Sesshoumaru had also turned around to look at Jaken and his eyes were still on him as he tried his best to outrun Rin. The glint of humour was back in his eyes; clearly, he was all for Jaken-torture. Feeling my eyes on him, no doubt, he turned his eyes on me. Once more I felt the part of the book being studied and was reminded of my relative inferiority to him. I tried to keep my ground, standing resolutely with my back straight.

Then, with what I swear was the smallest of sighs ever heard, he started walking again, his eyes back on the road. Not wanting to be left behind, I jogged to catch up with him to continue with our discussion.

“Sessh -,”

“There is more than one way to lift the curse.”

I came to a dead stop with uncertainty. “What?”

“I may either comply with the conditions of the curse or I may destroy the one responsible for placing the curse. Either way will result in the eradication of the curse.”

My mind clicked back into place and I ran to reach him again, then cut across his path and began to walk backwards, wanting to read him as best as I could. “And you want to kill the spell caster?”

He glanced down at me, his eyes carefully made unreadable.

“Can't you just do what the spell wants you to? There's no reason for you to kill anybody.”

At this, he smirked at me as though actually amused. I didn't know whether to be scared or not. He blinked and looked over my head to our path. “Once I return you to the company of your friends, I will lift the curse.”

“You mean kill the person responsible,” I corrected, still in half shock.

“It is of no difference.”

I frowned.

“You said you weren't even sure whether it really was the presence that cast the spell. You're just going to kill it on a hunch?”

He remained silent to this.

“Fine, I just hope you know what you're doing.” I sighed and moved so that I was walking just behind him. Sesshoumaru paid no attention to me and just continued to walk with the same rhythmic motion.

Disconcerted, I chewed on my nail (I know I know, it's a disgusting habit, but I was really disoriented) absentmindedly and thought over what I had just been told. I was sure Sesshoumaru had his reason for choosing to kill rather than just do what the spell wanted. I just hoped that his reason wasn't because he disapproved of being cursed. Of course, if it came down to it, I'm sure I could do something to keep him from killing if necessary. Although, I had to admit, whoever had cast the spell, must have known what they were getting themselves into. Sesshoumaru's reputation preceded him everywhere.

Well, at least, on the bright side, I had got him to tell me more about the spell and that was a great advancement. I don't know what made him talk, but I was glad for it. Plus, what he had said was somewhat of a good news. Now I knew he had a plan for lifting the spell and the sooner the spell was removed, the sooner I would be able to go home.

Beside me, a muddy Jaken sailed past me, eyes once more swirling, his whole head was covered in mud now.

Perhaps Sesshoumaru was more comfortable with putting up with me now. I was glad of that. Not only did that help ensure my safety, it also meant that there was still hope.

Feeling a little better, I thought on what had happened last night. Sesshoumaru had said that the demon had been sent by Naraku and he was constantly watching us via his saimyousho. That complicated things more than they already were. He had said Naraku wanted me dead. I looked down at the shards handing from my neck. Naraku knew I was without Inuyasha and was coming after the shards.

But…he had been set back by Sesshoumaru's presence, at least for last night.

I reached up and lifted the chain, watching the jewels' dull glow in the grey day light. A parallel image of last night flashed through my mind and I felt my heart skip a beat.

I dropped the chain from my hands.

I quickly glanced at Sesshoumaru, hoping that I hadn't been caught. Thankfully, he was just marching on as though without a care. Sighing a sigh of relief, I turned back to my thoughts, keeping my eyes on the rhythmic motion of Sesshoumaru's hair.

Whether I liked it or not, I was in dept to Sesshoumaru, in more ways than one. And I had to repay him. And really, I didn't mind. I even knew of a way to do it. I just wasn't sure if it was the right time for it just now. But then again, quid pro quo, right?

“You are staring at me,” came Sesshoumaru's voice, jolting me out of my thoughts.

My first instinct was to blush as deeply red as humanely possible. And then, diverted by my own silliness, I smiled and sped up till I was beside Sesshoumaru again. “Yeah, and you're the one to lecture others on staring.”

I was spared a glance for my comment and a “Hn.”

Encouraged by this display of levity, I made a decision. “Hey, just out of curiosity, what do you know about my home?”

Sesshoumaru suddenly stopped, turning to look at me. He studied me for a long while and then, in very quiet tones, said, “I did not tell you what I did in exchange for information on your origins.”

I glanced down at the ground, blinked, and looked back up, half smiling but my eyes serious. “I know.”

He silently watched me for a few minutes more and I was sure that he was confused by my actions. I couldn't blame him. I had been so adamantly against telling him anything, and here I was, bringing up the subject myself.

Then he started walking again, saying that he knew that every once in a while, when the rest of my friends were resting in a village in Inuyasha's forest, I would disappear, presumably at my home. That, obviously, all the stuff that I had with me and all of my weirdness were from and because of my homeland. So he thought that I was probably from a place well advanced and ahead of what he has thus far seen. But, as I insisted to say that I was from Inuyasha's forest, he had no means of naming an actual place. All the while he spoke, his eyes were on me and I could feel his utmost attention.

With this done, I just had one more question for him: why he wanted to know my origins in the first place.

Once more he stopped and I imagined him carefully trying to pick out the right answer. Then he answered.

“Because you are a problem.”

XXX

 

You may not think so, but this came out a lot faster than I had thought it would. I mean, I still don't have my laptop back (curse you staples) and the New Year is just around the corner for me. Lots and lots of spring cleaning. I smell like lemon pledge and Windex. By the way, thank you to everyone who reviewed. I love you guys so much.