Chapter 6

Naiomi looked up at her door after what seemed like ages after Sesshomaru's leave. She wiped the tears from her eyes and stood with a long exasperating sigh. She walked over to her bed and rested stomach-down on the queen-sized resting area. Her salt tears fell more slowly now as she thought of the mental torment she'd suffered only moments before.

She had no idea her friend was so entwined with her. So infatuated by her. It plagued her mind with guilt that pulled at her heart for the way she yelled at him. 'I don't deserve his friendship, much less his love, not after how I snapped at him…' she beat herself with the same line over and over.

Naiomi looked at the mirror across the room she'd glanced at before. Her eyes were swollen from her tears and her skin looked almost dead white. She buried her face in her pillow for fear of seeing her own hateful face again. A small mew came from a slumbering Sora next to Naiomi as the nekomata turned on its side, snuggling against her master's arm.

She sighed again as her door slowly creaked open. "Naiomi-sama?" Suma peeked in from the door, "are you alright? Need I get you something?"

Naiomi sat up and wiped the dry tears off her cheeks, "no, no. I'm fine."

Suma stepped into the room shyly, "ma'am, heed not what my lord says. If you don't like your stay I shall assist you in escaping if necessary."

Naiomi shook her head and looked down at her hands in her lap, "no…I need to deal with my problems head on…"

Suma nodded and looked at the ground, "um…a question, ma'am?"

"go on," Naiomi said petting a sleeping Sora.

"what is it that troubles you?" Suma asked slowly.

A sigh filled the chilled room from the raven haired demoness. "I…I'm confused…I um…I think Sesshomaru has told me that he…that he loved me…"

Suma smiled inwardly, 'so he CAN love…' "well, ma'am," Suma said, "how do you feel about him?"

"that's why I'm so confused!" Naiomi said facing the servant girl, "I don't know HOW I feel! I want to return his feelings because I don't want to see my friend heartbroken but at the same time I'm not sure if I want to be more than just a friend!"

A small smile played Suma's face, "well, I can tell the lord's fond of you. But for him to love…many thought it was impossible, really. But all you can do is just be his friend until you know exactly what you feel for him. Friendly love or the real thing."

Naiomi blinked in shock, "you know…you'd make a great TV-show host. Advice is your strong suit, Suma."

Suma blushed from embarrassment, "thank you ma'am." 'what's a TV?' the girl thought. Naiomi and Suma said their "good nights" and went to bed.

Naiomi groaned as the sun's rays woke her rudely. She turned from on her back to on her side and pulled the covers over her head. Caught in her master's actions, Sora tumbled from her spot on the sheets and soon met the floor on her feet with an irritated meow. Naiomi giggled a bit at Sora's reaction, "gomen, Sora."

The nekomata mewed tiredly and stretched in response. Naiomi looked over at her nightstand to notice a tray of food on it. She sat up and noticed a note lying next to it. She picked it up and read its contents.

I shouldn't have been so forward yesterday. Just don't let this ruin our friendship. I care about you, Naiomi, and I'm hoping you'll forgive me.

Sesshomaru

Naiomi gave an awkward smile noticing the millions of mistakes near the last sentence. 'Someone was battling their pride. Heh, who knows how long it took him to let go of his ego to write this…'

She turned to the tray of food suddenly feeling her appetite growing. She crawled and sat on the edge of the bed and picked up an apple and took a bite. She looked over at her closet. She noticed several new kimonos in it, some pants and some skirts.

When she finished her breakfast she walked up to the closet and picked out a pair of black haiori pants (no poofy! Poofy doesn't look good on a girl! Take Kikyo for instance XD but really, they're the Chinese kind that stop at the calf and have a pull string at the end.) and a red haiori top.

Sora mewed and jumped on Naiomi's shoulder and purred in comfort. Naiomi smirked at the nekomata, "you're a lazy ass aren't you?" The black and white cat only mewed.

"Nice choice in clothes," a familiar voice said from the doorway. Naiomi turned to see Sesshomaru in the open doorway. "did you eat yet?"

Naiomi nodded, "and…I…I'd like to apologize for yesterday. I shouldn't have reacted that way…"

Sesshomaru's face remained emotionless while his eyes held nothing but regret, "you shouldn't apologize. It wasn't your fault."

Naiomi looked down, "but I could've given a better response. Instead of break down like a big crybaby." She looked up with an awkward smile plastered on her face, "I guess my mom WAS right when she said I was spoiled rotten. Well, what can I do?"

Sesshomaru looked at the nightstand to his left, "I talked to the lords. We've come to a compromise. I won't be going to war after all."

Naiomi looked at Sora on her shoulder, the awkward smile still playing her face, "that's good…"

Sesshomaru turned around and grabbed the edge of the door, "I suggest you pack."

Naiomi looked at his back, "why?"

His voice seemed kinda distorted as he said, "I…in order to keep from going to war…I had to give you up to one of the lords…"

Naiomi's eyes widened, "who exactly?"

"His name is Lord Haji. He rules the Eastern lands," Sesshomaru turned to her, "he said he'd negotiate with Naraku if you'd stay with him."

Naiomi ran up to him and grabbed the sleeve of his kimono, "tell me you're joking? I need to go back home! I still need to find out what I am! Who my parents are! I need your help to do that!"

He rested his hand on her cheek, "sorry. I won't be able to."

Naiomi stood there in shock as he walked away. She fell to her knees and stared wide-eyed at the doorway, "no…but…how…why?"