Brief Moments

By Mishi

Chapter 8

Brother's Keeper

Nishi sat with her back leaning against the hut as Shippo paced back and forth before her. Inu Yasha had told them to talk outside. He told Shippo to be honest with Nishi about their future. The sad thing was, Shippo had no idea what to say about the future. He liked Nishi, but he didn't love her. His thoughts wouldn't come to an end about the matter.

The silence was too much for Nishi, she had to speak, "You could just tell me what you are thinking so hard about."

Her words were so hollow sounding that he stopped to look at her. She was not looking at him. She was looking at the ground. Her fingers were tracing circles in the dirt like earlier that day.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what I should say."

"You could tell me that this afternoon meant something to you. You could tell me that you like me. I won't ask for love. Not yet, anyway."

He sat down beside her, and stopped her hand from making the circles. He held her hand as he spoke, "I didn't know that you liked me that much. You were always so quiet when you would show up at the creek. Why didn't you try to talk to me about your feelings before now?"

She couldn't look at him; instead, she stared at his hand on hers. "I was afraid you wouldn't like me. I guess the rush to get me married to the chief's son…made me panic. I wanted to tell you while I still had the chance to change things," she admitted. "Would it have made a difference? Would things be different now, if I had said something before?"

Shippo couldn't make himself look at her. He too was focusing on their hands. Her hand was so warm. His hand was smaller than hers, but it didn't stop him from weaving his fingers between hers. He took a deep breath and tried to explain, "I really don't know what I would've done. I really didn't plan on any of this happening."

"You never got your kiss. Would you like it now? I mean, before you think about it anymore."

His heart started to pound at the idea of kissing her. He could still taste the power from earlier, and the warmth from her hand was already tempting him. It wasn't a fair question by any means.

His voice was shaky, but he managed to speak despite his nerves. "Why would that make any difference to what my decision would be?"

"Maybe if you know how serious I am. Then you'd think twice about not picking me?"

"I never said that I wouldn't want to be with you. I just don't know what I would've done."

He looked up to see her looking at him with determined eyes. She was beautiful. She also knew what she wanted, even if he didn't. She wanted him, and it was a shock to him. He couldn't understand why she wanted him so much. He tried to say no, but he couldn't. Her hand was just too warm. The heat that surrounded her body had somehow become more noticeable to him. There was also some sweet smell that accompanied that heat. He had to close his eyes to keep from moving closer to her. In desperation he let go of her hand.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." Nishi said. She hadn't expected him to move away from her. Most boys wouldn't have turned the offer down. She knew that for sure. She had had plenty of chances to kiss other boys, but she never wanted them. Shippo was what she was looking for. She had already decided that she would do what she had to do to make him hers.

He was careful to gather his thoughts before answering her. He finally decided that if he really wanted to kiss her, he didn't want to do it while he looked like a child. After giving a tiny nod, he stood and said, "You didn't upset me. I want to try something first. If I can take human form…then I'll kiss you. But I don't want to kiss you looking like this."

"It doesn't matter to me. I know you're not a kid," she insisted.

"But it does to me."

He closed his eyes and created an image in his head of a young man with black hair. His thought didn't stray far from his own appearance like they had earlier in the day. This young man would look like a human him. Not some nameless person he didn't know. He noticed, for the first time, that there was a fire within his chest. He told that fire to spread. It did until it was no longer in his chest, but covered his entire body. When it burned in his fingers and toes, it became cool. It was like the soft wind that danced against his skin.

He heard Nishi gasp, and his eyes opened. He was looking down at her. She was setting right were she had been when he started. He set down so fast that it made her jump. He reached out for her hand so he could check the size against his own. When he noticed that it was slightly bigger, he let himself smile.

"I did it? I really did it," he laughed. He didn't have to question it, he knew that he was the young man that he envisioned. Then it occurred to him to ask, "Nishi, do I have a tail?"

She placed her hands on his knees to brace herself as she look around him. The sudden closeness gave him the chance to feel her warmth again. He also discovered that her skin had been the true source of the sweet smell. He took a deep whiff of it before she moved way.

"You don't have a tail," she informed him with a smile. "You even gave yourself black hair." She reached up to touch it. "I think I like your real color better."

The moment after she said it, Shippo's hair changed. It made her gasp and backed up. His hand caught her upper arms before she could move too far away from him. His nose was almost touching hers when he whispered, "I know how to do it now, so I can change anything I want. Is there anything else you don't like?"

She couldn't speak, so she slowly shook her head.

He was suddenly starving. He had strong desire to press his check against hers, and rub it like he had her hand. Without warning he gave in. The moment his check touched hers, Nishi's body began to tremble.

"Why are you shaking, Nishi? You shouldn't be afraid."

The sound of his voice was amazing to her. If she had not known better, she would have sworn that he had purred the words. The sound of it made her body melt. Her pulse was racing, and she was fighting to breathe. Her eyes were half closed when she answered, "I don't know."

His check traveled down her neck. When his lips touched her collarbone, he became fascinated with the feel of them on her skin. The fascination lead him to parting his lips, so he would see what her skin felt like against his tongue.

To keep her body from falling out of his reach, Nishi grabbed handfuls of his shirt. She pulled at the shirt with each new area that his mouth explored.

He was tempted to open the top of her kimono, but fought against it. Instead he pulled at it just enough to move it out of his way. Energy poured from her skin like water from a fount. It had been much easier to get his fill this time. He managed to pull himself back from her, but only far enough that his cheek was resting against the side of her chin. He was trying to force himself to pull way from her completely when Nishi stopped him.

"Please, don't stop. I don't want you to stop," her words were full of breath as she pleaded with him.

He was still drunk on the power, so he let his instincts get the better of him. Had she not been so willing, he might have been able to resist. However, she was making it far too easy for him to continue. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to touch her now more than anything in the world. He wasn't sure how to go about it, but he was more than willing to try. Her lips were so close, and he could feel her breath against his ear. In a rush, he pressed his lips to hers and mimicked the kisses that he had planted on her neck.

Suddenly, it was more than a lust for the power. He was very aware of the feel of her body against his. It was more apparent that her breasts would rise and fall with each breath. He let his hands travel down her back until they discovered the curve of her behind. He traced it in a half circle on each side of her body; letting his hands come to a stop just below each cheek. They remained there, pressed flat against the back of her thighs, for only a moment. He forcefully pulled her forwards, which allowed his fingertips to enter between her thighs.

A moan escaped from Nishi as she broke from the kiss. Her body was shaking badly. She nearly ripped his shirt from gripping it to hard. She buried her face in his neck to hide her embarrassment.

"Am I hurting you, Nishi?" He asked as he tried to ease her backwards, so that he could look at her face. He was shocked by the sound of his own voice. It sounded thick and deeper then normal. He had never heard anything like it. He felt her turn her head from left to right, and he heard the mumble, "No." It had been enough to distract him from his thoughts. However, it was not enough to make him stop trying to look at her face. "Look at me if you don't want me to stop," he ordered.

She pulled back enough for him to see the darkness of her checks. There was very little light, but his eyes had no trouble seeing her modesty.

"Are you afraid of what is happening? I don't want to hurt you, Nishi."

"I'm not acting like this because I'm afraid," she informed him. She was still clinging to his shirt. "I don't want you to stop. I should, but I don't want you to."

His concern for her was enough to force him to return to reality. He move his hands up to support her back as he said, "You're getting weak again. I shouldn't have done this to you. I should take you home now."

"If you do that now, then my father will be furious again. Can't I stay with you a little longer?"

"Look what happens when we are alone. I can't control myself around you, Nishi. You are not safe with me," he tried to reason with her.

"I am safe with you. You're not hurting me. I like what you're doing," she insisted. Without warning her arms flew around his neck, and her check was pressed against his neck again. "I want you to…to be the first," she whispered. "I don't want him to touch me. I want you."

"I can't do this," he groaned, shaking his head as he pulled her arms away from his neck. With one hand around her waist, he forced her to her feet. Before she could try to protest, he had her off the ground and in his arms.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"I am taking you someplace that I know you'll be safe."

"I can't go home like this."

"I'm not taking you home. I'm taking you to someone who will understand what we are going through," said as he began walking around to the front of the hut.

He tried to block out her pleas. She was determined to finish what had been started, but he was not going to let that happen. He knew that he could trust Inu Yasha to help him, and that was all he would allow his mind to comprehend. All other thoughts were considered too dangerous for him to entertain.

He could hear Kagome and Inu Yasha as he grew closer to the porch. He was about to interrupt something that sounded very emotional, but he really had little choice. 'I have to do this. I can't take her home, and I can't trust myself. She feels too good. She…' he shook off the thought for the sake of his own sanity. In desperation he called out, "Inu Yasha, I need your help. Can I come in?"