Third Time's A Charm- Chapter 7
Inuyasha downed the liquid after staring at the surface of it then rose and walked from the hut, pushing away the flap with the back of his hand and glanced around at the village before stepping into the streets and started walking. He could feel the prick of curious eyes on him and behind and to the sides of him he heard tittering giggles. What were they laughing at?
"Hi there!" He glanced over to see a young human girl waving to him. She grinned and blushed. "You should come around to get something to eat if you want." Then blushed deeper, giggled and fled into her home.
Inuyasha blinked, stunned. Did she hear what Ayako had said about him not eating and was now teasing him? His surely mood increased and wasn't helped by the fact that when he turned he saw Akari's amused blue watching him lightly over Ayako's shoulder. The girl was babbling but broke of when she saw Akari's attention shift, glanced over at him, frowned, then turned and walked away. Akari nodded to something the girl said in parting then walked over to him.
"How do you feel?" She questioned flashing a smile.
Inuyasha frowned and glanced in Ayako's direction. "What's her problem?"
"Ayako? With you, you mean." Akari smiled softly. "She's being protective. Despite our age I think Ayako's made herself my big sister. She's suspicious of all males when they're around me. Don't feel like it's personal." She added after a moment. "She'll soften up after a while." She slanted him a mischievous look. "You will too."
He cringed and she laughed then turned her attention at the sound of more girlish giggles and a group of females walked past them, her lips quirking into a laughing smirk. "You're inspiring crushes."
"Crushes?" Inuyasha said with faint confusion.
She smiled at him. "You never got the change to experience breaking hearts have you?" She shook her head at his shocked look. "Oh well. It's too bad you can't now. Since you're already spoken for."
Inuyasha moved away from her nervously and tried to change the subject. "So how come anyway?"
"Well because you alright promised me a night remember? I'm certainly not going to share-"
"No!" Inuyasha said with irritation since he could tell by the twitching at the corners of her mouth that she was teasing him. "Why do you save half breeds?"
"Because I shouldn't have to." She crossed her arms lightly. "They shouldn't need to be save. Look over there Inuyasha." She nodded in the direction of the kitsune half breed he'd seen earlier who had his arm around the waist of the human woman from earlier who was now wearing a wedding kimono, a wreath of white roses crowning her head, a shy, happy smile on her face as she clung to the male. "They're married. Anywhere else they could never have been. They might even never have met. But look at the joy there. The simple pleasure they get just from standing so close. Can you understand that Inuyasha?"
"Yea...I guess. So you just go around and bring people here and they stay here. Forever?"
"Not forever no. Sometimes children I bring here will grow up and go back out in the world. Many stay to help the village prosper by working the fields, or growing food, or even making crafts to sell."
"And people actually by these things." Inuyasha questioned with obvious bitterness. "Things made by the hands of the half breeds."
"Some places yes. Some places no." She eyed him a moment then returned her attention to the couple. "There are a lot of unjust things that happen in our world and there are few ways I can fix them. I can fix this." She smiled in his direction. "After all you do the same. Try to fix the world."
"What are you babbling about?"
"Saving the village. You almost died because of it."
Inuyasha sneered. "Don't remind me and just look where it got me now. If I had known about this before hand-"
"You would have still saved the village." She interrupted with a smiled, laughter bubbling behind her tone. "But you'd have been a whole lot more careful about trying to avoid that scorpion's stinger."
He turned his head leaning forward to growl at her. "Just what makes you think you know me so well? Just what do you know about me? What is it you rally want from me?" He gasped then as threw herself forward against his chest, his arms lifting reflexively to catch her but she settled against him and rose up to press her lips against his, her long lashes brushing against his face as she closed her eyes. Inuyasha's own eyes widened in surprise, Shock rendering him immobile and coherent thoughts fled his mind. She lingered against him for a few heartbeats, not long enough for him to gather his wits, and then pulled back slowly.
"Can you not believe...that intimacy with you is all I want?" She murmured softly. Her scent intoxicated him that subtle spicy blend of cinnamon and sweet smell of Sakura that hazed over his mind.
Inuyasha was rendered mute and she studied him, her lips tipping into a small smile slowly as she watched him and then her gaze moved and the husky tone of her voice evaporated and was replaced with laughter. "It seems we've made a spectacle." She said glancing pointedly at those who had stopped to stare in shock, faces almost registering more surprise then Inuyasha. "If you think Ayako had a mean death glare you should watch out now I suppose." She gave him a soft smile.
He blinked then let out a strangled sound and pushed her back away from him gently. "You're insane!"
She laughed and grinned at him. "Perhaps. But I wouldn't captivate you nearly as much if I weren't. And I have haven't I?" Her smiled widened when he didn't replay. "You keep trying to label me Inuyasha. Keep trying to slide me into one of your placement slots and I keep sliding out again. You haven't a clue what to do with me."
"I know exactly what to do." He snapped. "As soon as I get this deal over with I'm leaving."
She studied him quietly for a long time and Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably underneath that gaze till finally she nodded once, slowly. "Perhaps you will." She glanced away. "You should walk around and see the village. There's going to be a bit of a wedding feast tonight for the new couple. Love is amazing." She murmured towards him quietly then turned and walked away.
And for some reason Inuyasha felt guilty.