Faithful By: RecklessAbandon and OtakuSailorV
Chapter 9:: Fluttering Hearts
It had been several days since the little incident, but still Kyoyume had it on her mind, and she wandered about it as she walked dazedly through the castle.
There was a huge shattering from upstairs and a cry of "I hope that wasn't valuable!" From, who else, but Jakotsu.
'Oh dear...' Kyoyume thought with a sweatdrop. "I hope it wasn't either."
"JAKOTSU! I told you not to mess with that!" Naraku was heard yelling at the young man.
Kyoyume sighed as she heard Naraku's continued yelling and then Jakotsu's feet hitting the wooden planks above her as he ran. A small smile touched her lips though as she thought of how much this place was like home to her now.
Suddenly Naraku's yell was matched by Bankotsu's yell, minus Kanna, Kohaku and Hakudoshi; Bankotsu was the youngest in the castle. But his yelling made him sound even more threatening then Naraku.
Kyoyume sweatdropped again as she got closer to the quarrel. 'Please no fighting.' She thought to herself gloomily.
Two loud, disgruntled 'fines!' were heard and the arguing stopped. When Kyoyume entered the room it was clear, because of the two swollen places on the twos heads, Renkotsu had intervened, by hitting each of them. Bankotsu rubbed the lump angrily. "You didn't have to hit me ya big grouch!"
"You all were making enough noise to raise the dead!!" Renkotsu growled back, equally angry. "How is anyone even supposed to THINK with you two going at it all the time?!"
"HE STARTED IT!" Bankotsu yelled.
"I don't care who started it, I'll finish it!!" Renkotsu said, sounding just like an angered father.
"GR! Who do you think you are?! I'm the boss of you Renkotsu so shut up before I chop your head off!" Bankotsu snapped.
"You're also the most child-like, next to Jakotsu." Renkotsu growled, retreating.
"I heard that ya big bully!" Jakotsu snapped walking back in the room. "So watch your mouth monk-boy!"
"Bah, take your petty threats elsewhere." Renkotsu said, waving a hand at him as he walked out the door.
"I don't even know how you became second in command! You're such a jerk Renkotsu!" Jakotsu snapped at him.
"Well I'm sorry you feel that way." Renkotsu smirked as he leaned back in the doorway.
"Now, now boys stop fighting." A calm voice from the other door told them.
"Are you guys quite finished?" Kyoyume asked at almost the same time. Noticing her mistake, she smiled an apology at Suikotsu. "We're not fighting." Bankotsu said in a huff.
"Its always the same...Renkotsu vs. Jakotsu, Bankotsu feels he has to defend Jakotsu and I'm stuck the voice of reason." Suikotsu told her sighing.
"Must be rough." Kyoyume smiled jokingly. "We're NOT fighting." Bankotsu insisted.
"Right." Suikotsu said nodding.
"Are you two quite finished?" Renkotsu asked mockingly, staring at both Kyoyume and Suikotsu. Kyoyume stuck her tongue out at him like a child at his question.
"Well...the happy family." Hakudoshi taunted, coming out from behind Naraku.
"You're part of it too." Kyoyume defended.
"Yep, but I'm not fighting with everyone now am I? I was trying to sleep during this ordeal too." He snapped sending a glare at Renkotsu, Bankotsu, Jakotsu and Naraku.
Kyoyume gave a sigh. "Whatever."
"Aww! Wittle Hakudoshi is gwumpy cause we interuppted his nappy!" Naraku taunted in a fake-baby-voice.
Hakudoushi made a face and started to disappear. "I don't have to put up with this."
"Bye-bye!" Jakotsu said waving to him as he poofed away.
'He really is child-like sometimes.' Kyoyume noted as she watched the warrior wave goodbye to the small child.
Bankotsu sighed. "You're so weird Jakotsu." He noted with an affectionate smile.
"Well." Kyoyume said, turning and leaving abruptly, taking her path back down the hall all the way to her room where she sat and contemplated.
Hakudoshi poofed into her room, interrupting her thoughts. "Hey." He mumbled.
"Greetings." Kyoyume said, leaning against the wall dully.
"...What'cha thinking 'bout?"
"Nothing really..." Kyoyume dropped off.
"What's up? You're acting strange."
"Nothing, really." Kyoyume repeated with a smile. "I'm just a little tired today is all."
"Really...." He said trailing off, not believing her.
"Really, truly, and honestly."
"Still don't believe you."
"Well, that's ok, since I don't feel like talking about it anyway." Kyoyume said, closing her eyes again.
"Please, you can tell me!"
"I really don't feel like telling anyone, Hakudoushi." Kyoyume said.
He pouted a little, giving up his attempt to find out what was up.
"If you really want to know, you can just read my mind." Kyoyume told him, opening one eye lazily.
"I don't want to, you're my friend."
"Whatever you say." Kyoyume said with a smile.
"Okay."
Kyoyume laughed at him. "I'll tell you later anyway, I just don't feel like talking right now."
"Okay..."
Standing, Kyoyume crossed the room to him and leaned down so she could whisper in his ear. 'I guess I could tell him now, he looks like he might pout all day if I don't...'
Hakudoshi cocked his head a little. "Are you going to tell me?" He whispered hopefully.
"Of course, but you have to promise you won't tell anyone else." She whispered back.
He nodded. "I won't tell." He promised.
Leaning closer so no one else could possibly hear, Kyoyume whispered the secret into her companion's ear. At which his eyes grew quite wide with surprise.
"Really?"
Kyoyume nodded her face pink as she leaned back against her heels.
"That's cool."
"You think so?" She asked, leaning forward again. "We've been kinda distant since it happened..."
"...I see...."
Kyoyume shifted her weight slightly. "I'm not sure what to say to him...."
"He'll come 'round."
"Are you sure?" Kyoyume asked, looking at her hands.
"Of course."
"That's a relief." Kyoyume said with a small sigh. "Thanks Hakudoushi."
"Of course." He said, poofing away.
Kyoyume sighed again and prepared to leave her room.
'More yelling.' She thought as she heard more muffled shouts from another room.
Rolling her eyes, she decided to investigate, since there was nothing else to do at the moment.
"Kyoyume!" Bankotsu cried. "Inuyasha and his gang are looking for another fight! C'mon the others are out there already!"
"N-nani?!" Kyoyume cried, turning and flying back to her room as fast as she could. Swiftly, she pulled on her sword and fighting outfit and tore down the hall again, following their scents to the battleground.
"What a fight this will be." Renkotsu growled; Kouga was there, and they were having a stare down.
"It should be interesting...." Kyoyume agreed, taking her place and drawing her sword.
Everyone seemed to be glaring down everyone, Bankotsu and Inuyasha were not moving, not speaking, it didn't even look like they were breathing through the tension around them.
Kyoyume looked around to see that Naraku was watching her. She gave him a small smile before turning and glaring at the miko girl, Kagome.
Jakotsu had come up eye-to-eye with Miroku, smiling flirtatiously at him despite the cold look in his eyes.
The weapons of every fighter rang out as they were drawn. Kyoyume's ears were filled with the sliding of steel against wood, and the taught sound the bowstring was making as Kagome notched an arrow.
Hakudoshi slid out his sword arrogantly, a gloating glance at the demon slayer before him.
Sango gripped her hiraikotsu, angrily gritting her teeth as Kirara transformed in a flurry of sparks and fire.
Entei was by his side, looking down on them.
Both demons gave a growl at each other, pawing viciously at the ground and waiting for the command to attack.
Inuyasha held his sword at a battle position. "I'm ready when you are Bankotsu." He snapped.
"I was ready before you even got here." Bankotsu said curtly, smirking as their blades met.
Kyoyume nimbly dodged Kagome's poorly fired arrow with ease, taunting Kagome the whole way through.
'It's a good thing she can't shoot, or that would've hurt.' Kyoyume thought, smirking. "I thought miko's were supposed to be able to hit their targets!"
"I'm new!" She snapped.
"Learn fast then." Kyoyume commented from behind her, pulling out her blade and missing the girl by a hair's breath on purpose.
Kagome looked startled at the near-hit.
Kyoyume smirked at her again as the miko watched her in horror. "You should know how to fight before getting on the battlefield."
"Kagome get away from this fight!" Inuyasha demanded of her, barely dodging the giant halberd Banryuu.
Kagome nodded and quickly got to her feet and started to run, with Kyoyume watching her the whole time. 'Better keep a watch out for her still, if things get bad, she might come back.' Kyoyume thought, going in search of another opponent.
She watched as Kouga and Renkotsu locked up in serious hand-to-hand combat. The wolf howled in pain as his hand was broken; he was then forced to retreat.
Kyoyume watched as he ran away, holding his broken hand with the look of pain in his eyes. "Hmph." Kyoyume said to herself, moving onward again.
Jakotsu was being double-teamed by Sango and Miroku, but he could handle it with the snaking blades of Jakotsutou.
Kyoyume wandered if she should help even though he appeared to have it covered. Deciding that watching for the miko girl from her current position was the best choice, she quickly sat still and peered at the battle.
A startled yelp came from Jakotsu as she turned to watch the fight; Sango had struck him with her katana. "C'mon! It's no use; they'll kill us!" Miroku yelled to Inuyasha. They then turned back, much to the displeasure of Inuyasha.
Kyoyume sighed, wandering what else she would do the entire day now that the battle was over. Taking down the mask that covered her mouth, she took in a breath of fresh air and let her ears and hair go uncovered as well. Shaking her head, she straightened everything out and walked down the roof to the walkway and gently landed, striding all the way to her room before unbuckling her sword.
Naraku appeared in the doorway. "You scared the little miko quite well." He complemented.
Kyoyume bowed. "Why thank you." She said with a grin.
He smiled a little too.
"She was quite easy to scare though." Kyoyume commented, folding her headdress.
"Most women are."
Kyoyume smirked and looked at him sidelong. "Hey." She said.
"Of course...not you." He said quickly. The tension that had been between them seemed to have dissolved.
"That's what I thought." Kyoyume said, still smirking as she placed the folded cloth in the corner.
He nodded a little.
With a small smile, Kyoyume turned. "Um, I'm gonna get dressed so..." She said, letting the sentence finish itself.
He turned and walked out, blush creeping down the back of his neck.
Kyoyume shut the door behind him; her own light blush on her face as she bit her bottom lip, ear's limp.
"Why ya blushin' Naraku? See something you shouldn't have?" Jakotsu asked hyperly.
Naraku glared at him angrily. "NO." He said forcefully through clenched teeth.
"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Jakotsu said slinking away.
Naraku was furious and wondered on whether he should follow or not, but decided that if he gave chase, it would appear that he was embarrassed because he HAD done something wrong. Grumbling to himself, he leaned against the door and let his anger settle.
Kyoyume came out and stood beside Naraku. "Whassamatta?" She mumbled very quickly.
He blinked once at her before answering. "Nothing, nothing at all."
"Oh...."
Noticing her attitude, he leaned out so that he could see into her eyes properly. "You're acting strangely, what's wrong?"
"Just thinking."
"About...?" Naraku pressed.
"Just...about stuff." She said shrugging.
"You can tell me." He said, leaning back against the wooden doors.
"It's just about stuff." She insisted.
"It has to be something more than 'stuff' for you to be acting so strangely." He said, looking at her sidelong from the corners of his eyes.
"I didn't realize I was acting strange."
Naraku smirked. "Well, I could just tell...it's your ears, they give you away." He said, pointing them out, they were laying flat against her head, a sure sign of unsure thoughts.
"Just thinking." She protested. "Not that big of a deal!"
"You were just acting strangely....I thought something might be wrong..." Naraku said, eyes shifting as he wondered if he had upset her.
"Well, I want a hug." She finally admitted blushing.
Naraku blinked at her once or twice, his own face catching her blush. "A...hug...?"
She nodded a little, still blushing.
Naraku looked around behind Kyoyume, unsure of what to do. Reaching out, her gently put one hand on her shoulder.
She hugged him tightly, smiling and blushing.
Naraku hugged back, after the small shock that came from her sudden grip around him. He couldn't tell why, but time seemed to have stopped again, he couldn't even tell what thoughts floated through his mind as he held her.
She smiled and tightened her grip. "Warm!" She exclaimed with a content sigh.
Naraku buried his nose in the hair between her ears. "Soft." He whispered back.
Kyoyume closed her eyes contently, death grip still in place.
Naraku felt one hand move to her hair, and he gently stroked the back of her head as she made a cat-like purring noise.
They stood there, silent, barely moving.
The night was wearing on, but neither of them could tell, they were lost in their own world.
Kyoyume finally looked up at Naraku. "Umm..."
"Yes?" He asked with a soft smile at her.
"...I forgot."
He laughed slightly, burying his face in her hair again. "That's ok."
"...Okay." She said with a laugh.
Looking up, Naraku noticed the approaching twilight and narrowed his eyes in thought slightly. "It's getting dark." He said.
"Really?"
"Yes, really." He told the cat hanyou with a small smile.
"Cool. I wanna go outside."
Naraku blinked once in confusion as the cat girl grabbed his hand and pulled him out into the night with her, laughing at the lightening bugs. "Hotaru." She said, pointing them out.
Naraku looked at the little bug. It wasn't that interesting....
Kyoyume caught one on the tip of her finger and smiled at it, showing it off to Naraku gleefully. "Kawaii." She said, lifting it into the air and letting it fly away again.
Naraku snatched one out of the air and smirked, placing the bug on Kyoyume's nose; it blinked once and flew off her nose.
The cat smiled at him in delight and caught one of her own, placing it on his nose.
It blinked twice and flew to rejoin its friends. "Why do they blink?"
"That light?" Kyoyume asked. "It's to attract mates, but it also puts on a show for anyone else who's watching." Kyoyume said with a smile.
"That's interesting."
Kyoyume laughed. "You didn't know that?" She asked.
"Not really."
Kyoyume smiled and looked back at the field, alive with lightening bugs. "That's funny, but I guess I just knew from being outside all the time..."
"I usually stay inside." He told her.
"I would have stayed inside more often if I had gotten to, I just didn't have anywhere to go."
"Well you have here now." Naraku told her.
"Yes, and it's wonderful." Kyoyume said, smiling at him.
"Really?" He asked.
"Truly and honestly." Kyoyume answered with a happy smile.
He smiled a little. "That's good."
"It's very good." Kyoyume said, trying to keep up the conversation.
"Extremely good."
Kyoyume grinned at him before looking back at the dark field before her, alight with fireflies and other beings of the night.
"What's good? I forgot." Naraku asked suddenly.
"It's good that I think it's wonderful to be here." Kyoyume said, becoming a bit confused herself as she spoke.
He smiled and laughed a little, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. "I know..."
Kyoyume laid her head in the groove where his shoulder met his body and smiled contentedly. "Then why did you ask?"
"To say something."
Kyoyume laughed, feeling completely at ease in the quiet of the night. "Not because you actually forgot?" She joked.
"No, I didn't forget. I don't forget a lot."
"I've heard that humans get a disease that makes them forget things when they get old. Are you sure you aren't just forgetting?" She asked, emphasizing 'old' with a playful grin.
"I'm not old."
Kyoyume laughed. "I know you're not."
"Not as old as you, hag." He laughed.
Kyoyume pushed him over in the grass and looked down on him with a smirk. "I'm younger than you, so if I'm a hag, then you're a weak old man."
He smirked at her from the ground, shifting himself a little and lifting the bottom of her kimono to look up it.
"Hey, you!!" Kyoyume growled, blushing madly and scrambling to get him off her clothes. "How rude!" She exclaimed when he smirked at her again.
He tripped her gently and she fell on top of him. "How utterly awkward." He told her smirking.
The cat was still blushing as she grabbed a handful of grass and dumped it in his face, a light smirk of her own forming on her lips. "How very rude of you, tripping a lady after committing such a heinous act." She commented as he shook his head clear of the grass.
"You can wash it again, I'm sorry if I've inconvenienced you." She answered sarcastically. "But you really shouldn't be so rude to Ladies." She scolded with a playful grin.
"What lady? I see no lady here."
Kyoyume smirked as she brought her palm down on his forehead in a gentle hit. "If you see no Lady, then why look up my skirt?" She asked.
"You're female. I said no LADY. As in no one that conducts themselves in a ladylike manner."
Kyoyume rolled her eyes at his explanation. "Pfft. Why would I wanna act like a Lady?" She asked with the manliest accent that she could force her voice to imitate.
"Exactly." He said nodding.
Kyoyume smiled, her tongue sticking out as she did so. "You're such an ass." She joked.
"Am I now?"
"Yes." She answered.
"That stung."
"It should."
"That was harsh Kyo...."
"Well, you shouldn't have lifted my kimono." She said with a small laugh.
"It was just a joke."
Kyoyume laughed. "I know it was." She answered.
"Then why are you so mean?" He asked, faking hurt.
Kyoyume laid her ears flat to make it appear that she believed the hurt in his voice. "Just because I am." She answered.
He smiled a little and rolled onto his side, taking her with him. "That stung worse...like a dagger right in my heart." He whimpered, entirely fake.
Kyoyume smiled at him. "I'm sorry then."
"Yeah...prove it." He mumbled.
Kyoyume thought. "You'll just have to take my word for it." She said, winking.
"Aww! That's no good!"
"How shall I prove it then?" She asked.
"Think of something."
"Nothing I think of is good enough for you, you decide." She answered. "You're looking for something specific."
"...I know you know." He said with a sly smirk and little wink.
Kyoyume blushed slightly. "Well, you're very straight forward aren't you?"
"No, not really."
Kyoyume gave a little laugh. "Heh."
"...I hope you can figure out what I want..."
Kyoyume blushed again, having already figured it out. "I know what it is." She said softly, not wanting anyone else to hear.
"Really? Then you do know I get what I want right?"
"Hai, I know." She said with a smile, the blush still on her cheeks as she raised her head.
"Ah...then can I have it?" He asked.
Kyoyume looked at him for a moment, unsure of what she should say. She blinked once, her mouth open slightly, she had no idea how to answer, and her face was heating up from embarrassment. 'I don't know what to do...' She thought to herself desperately.
"Tsk...stalling is testing my patience." He warned smirking.
Kyoyume smiled softly to herself and raising her head suddenly, kissed him softly and swiftly to see his reaction.
Naraku's eyes were wide with shock. "...Wow." He mumbled faintly.
Kyoyume smiled, her face only lightly flushed now.
Naraku had turned an interesting shade of red now. But a smirk dawned his features and he leaned in and gave the cat-hanyou before him a swift kiss on the lips, for retaliation's sake.
After seeing his face red and the kiss, Kyoyume was sure her face was lit up like a bonfire, she could feel the warmth radiating from her face. "Heh." She said with a small smile.
"These are so pointless." Naraku mumbled grinning.
"Nani?" Kyoyume asked, confused by the comment.
"These little. You kiss me, I kiss you things that last four seconds and mean nothing...." He explained with a small laugh.
"Oh." Kyoyume answered, sure that her face was still lit up. "What do you suggest?" She asked in a teasing manner.
"A real one."
Kyoyume gave a small nod before bowing her head in thought. 'A real one.' She told herself before raising her head again. Without a second thought, she pressed her lips against his and kept them there.
Naraku fully returned this action, pulling her closer before a small rustling noise interrupted. "...Am I interrupting something?" An all-too-familiar, all-too-unfriendly voice sneered.
Both of them looked up suddenly, red in the face. "Nani?!" They both seemed to ask at the same time.
Ichiyasha smirked down on them as he stepped from the forest.
Kyoyume felt the pit of her stomach drop out. 'Why is he so persistent?' She wondered as she stared at him. Naraku was growling, his eyes alive with fire. "You again?" He asked menacingly. "I thought- maybe Sesshoumaru knocked some sense into you!" He added coldly.
Ichiyasha growled angrily at him. "That was a mere set back." He answered.
"You still look a little...set back." Naraku told him.
Ichiyasha smirk, though his anger was not hidden at all. "These wounds are nothing, they'll heal soon enough."
"...Not the ones I'll give you tonight." Naraku said jumping to his feet.
Kyoyume looked from one to the other hastily, wondering if she could get her sword and help or not. 'My room's not that far away...but Ichiyasha might chase me if I run...' For the moment, she simply watched as they stared each other down. "You really think you can kill me?" Ichiyasha asked with another sneer.
Ichiyasha glanced at the small woman. "How, Naraku, can you have that woman around and not feel even tempted to take her?" He asked the hanyou before him.
Kyoyume felt herself blushing again. Naraku however glanced back at her then growled at his opponent. "Unlike you, I don't have the same...temptations as you." He said with a smirk.
"You have to have been tempted...at least a little..." Ichiyasha taunted.
Naraku glared at him. "You have the mind of a pig." He announced to the demon lord.
"...Or maybe...you're one of those...who aren't attracted to women...." He mused.
Naraku felt something click in his mind, and his eyes widened in anger and hatred. "I assume you have experience with such men?" He asked Ichiyasha, who growled angrily in return.
"Well, there was that one mercenary I met about...10 years back...."
Naraku and Kyoyume looked at each other but shook their heads slightly, sure that it couldn't be the same person.
"I believe...his name was Jakotsu or something to that effect."
"Eheh..." Kyoyume said while Naraku's eyes widened slightly.
"...I see you know him. You obviously don't appreciate the companionship of a woman...so I'll take this one off your hands..." He said gesturing to Kyoyume.
Naraku growled, positioning himself in front of Kyoyume again. 'My sword! If I could get my sword I could help!' Kyoyume thought, looking sidelong at her only escape route. "You're extremely persistent." Naraku commented.
"I like getting what I want." He growled.
"How embarrassing for you, to go through so much trouble and still not get your way." Naraku sneered. "You'll not have her."
"Why is that?"
"Because she doesn't want to go with you."
"Its not what she wants. There are two good reasons here, either she's yours or she's someone else's." He snapped impatiently.
Naraku smirked. "She's mine then, I found her." He challenged the demon lord.
"She isn't yours...you haven't done more than what I witnessed earlier...."
"Why are you so interested in her?" Naraku asked angrily.
"...Why do you defend her so?"
"Because she has no sword to defend herself. But, you still have not answered my question."
"...I find her...enticing..."
"In other words, you really do have the mind of a pig." Naraku growled as the demon lord tried to look around him at the girl.
"Why do you protect her...she's not a bitch in heat, you have no need for her...."
Naraku felt his eyes widen at his words, his teeth grit and his heart gave a leap of anger. "And I suppose you would make better use of her?" His voice came out as a growl that rasped in his chest.
"I can have my fun with her...."
"And when you stopped having....'fun?'" Naraku asked, raising his head to reveal wide, angry eyes that dared the demon to speak again.
"She'll be mine." He said simply, shrugging.
Kyoyume shook her head to herself. She didn't like the sound of any of that. She didn't want to be his. Her mind raced as she looked back up at the quarreling demons. "And I suppose life would be happy and fun for you?" Naraku asked through his teeth.
"I dunno, but she'd be a good fuck."
"ANIMAL!!!" Naraku roared, attacking the demon lord headlong. Kyoyume gasped at his anger, she had never seen him that way before.
Ichiyasha couldn't dodge. "I was...just being honest." He told him, as he narrowly avoided a punch right in the mouth.
"You shouldn't be allowed to live!!" Naraku roared again, swinging at the demon lord again. Noticing her chance to get her sword, Kyoyume jumped to her feet and took off as fast as she could for her room, her muscles alive with the adrenaline.
Ichiyasha grabbed Naraku's fist and twisted it. "I'll break it if you don't answer me...why do you do this for her? She's merely a woman...in demon history most women are objects...unless something else is involved...like a feeling." He said, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
Naraku glared at him, teeth barred angrily. "You can't possibly be able to comprehend what I feel!" He snapped.
"...Really? Explain in one word."
"Love." Naraku felt the word escape his lips for the first time ever as he tried to free his fist from the grip of the demon lord, Ichiyasha.
Ichiyasha drew back like he had been shocked with something powerful. "Love?" He repeated. Kyoyume reappeared right after the word escaped his throat. "You- a demon, though only half- actually feel LOVE for that little cat?" He asked.
"I have a human heart." Naraku smirked at him; unaware that Kyoyume was present.
"...Really? So you admit you love the hanyou cat?" He asked suspiciously.
Naraku smirked wider. "Yes, I do. But you'll die before you ever feel that emotion." Naraku answered, kicking at Ichiyasha.
Ichiyasha turned. "I'll pursue more worthy women now...like that Kagura one...she's worth my time, no one loves her enough to kill me...I think." He then left.
Perplexed by the demons sudden change in attitude, Naraku watched as he retreated, dragging his broken body with him as fast as he could. Naraku's chest heaved as he tried to calm his anger, small beads of sweat rolling down the side of his face. With a sigh, he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and turned in search of the cat hanyou.
Kyoyume stood there, her eyes a little wide in surprise.
Naraku felt a bit uneasy, wondering if she had heard him and Ichiyasha. She seemed stunned by something whatever it was, her blade was in her hands, but she didn't appear ready to use it. She just stared at him as if she knew of nothing to say.
"...Did...he...you...did you mean it?" She stuttered.
Naraku felt his mouth open and the word slipped out before he could check himself. "Yes." A simple word, yet still it felt like the earth might shatter under his feet as it was uttered.
Kyoyume blushed. "...I don't...suppose he'll be returning." She muttered, fiddling with the sleeve of her kimono, red in the face.
"No...he won't....but he'll end up dead if he furthers his ambitions..." Naraku answered, red in the face himself, but thoroughly trying to hide it.
She nodded slowly. "Umm..." She started, not being able to finish the thought.
"Yes?" He asked, looking back up at her in question.
"...I...um..." She stumbled over the words, still crimson in the face.
"What?" He asked softly, getting closer in case she was afraid of saying something aloud.
"...I love you too." She finally whispered, still blushing.
The words seemed to fill his ears, his heart seemed to have stopped, everything spun, time seemed to have stopped, and all because she had said those simple words. In a swift movement he held her close.
Kyoyume buried her face into his chest. It didn't matter if the whole world saw, she didn't care.
His grip tightened as she sighed in weariness. He didn't want to let her go, he wanted this moment to last forever, this feeling, this hour, everything, everything he wanted to keep for eternity.
Kyoyume looked up at him. "It's getting late." She mumbled.
"It is." He agreed, knowing that the moon was already past its peak in the sky without looking up.
"Let's go in." She added. "I'm tired..." She said, freeing herself of Naraku's grasp, leaving a small kiss on his lips and beginning to walk to the castle.
He followed in a daze, half-tired and half-overjoyed. He felt springy and wanted to run back to her and grab her up, but at the same time was so weary that he knew he would drop down asleep if he tried such a stunt. Without a word, he followed her, thinking lightly to himself.
They got into their bed; she instantly snuggled up to him and looked up at him smiling tiredly.
Naraku wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly to him and burying his head in her hair.
Kyoyume snuggled into his chest and fell asleep. She was dog tired....
End Chapter