"Talking"
'Thinking'
Stressed
"Don't need a man, eh? What exactly are you planning on doing yourself?"
Shock was the only emotion on her face. A silence overtook the forest to the point of where she heard crickets. Kagome's look of shock turned to a look of outrage in a matter of seconds. Eyes filled with rage as she stuttered for words. The man's eyes seemed to spark with more amusement as he stared at her. Kagome bit her lower lip and muttered a no while she shook her head. She took one calming breath and still felt livid with rage. Kagome began to grin as she glared at him.
"I can do anything myself," Kagome assured, "you jerk."
Kagome smirked as she watched his grin fall to a slight frown. His blue eyes darkened to the color of a sapphire. He leaned over the rock and his braid fell over his shoulder. His skin took on a soft sheen from the steam of the onsen. Kagome's grin began to waver as she noticed his playful look was gone. He sighed and placed his Banryuu on the ground so it leaned against the rock. His purple four-point star was covered by his bangs as he continued to lean closer to her. The armor covering his chest lightly scraped the rock. She listened to his white haori and hakama rustle with each movement.
"I'm not a jerk," he stated with smirk.
Kagome would have face faulted to the ground if there wasn't water surrounding her. She raised her hand out of the water and contained the growing laughter. Here was a killer that killed humans and demons without mercy and all he could say was 'I'm not a jerk.' Kagome couldn't help but compare him to a stubborn little boy. Not knowing what to say, she chose to remain silent for a few seconds. Then a questioned worked its way into her mind.
"What are you doing here, Bankotsu?" Kagome calmly asked.
He raised an eyebrow in question. Bankotsu truly didn't know what he was doing here in this area. The aura from Mt. Hakurei was making him a bit nervous and Jakotsu restless. Then there was Renkotsu with his talk of what Naraku's true motives were. Bankotsu looked back to the girl as soon as he left his thoughts. He noticed that she truly expected an answer. Most people expected him to kill them not make small talk. He didn't want to tell her his reasons.
"Exploring the land," Bankotsu carefully said with a suspicious glare.
Kagome snorted at his answer and sighed. She didn't have any weapons with her.
"The fact that this is Inuyasha's forest has nothing to do with your wandering?" Kagome questioned.
Bankotsu looked a bit surprised at the name, "Why is this called Inuyasha's forest?"
'Idiot,' Kagome thought, 'Maybe because Inuyasha lives here?'
"Don't give me that look!" Bankotsu growled. Kagome jumped and glared at him.
"What look?" Kagome growled.
"You were staring at me like I was stupid!" Bankotsu accused.
'Shit, don't piss him off,' Kagome warned herself.
"I'll give anyone any look I like!" Kagome growled.
'Stupid, stupid, stupid!' Kagome berated herself in her mind.
"Why you little…" Bankotsu threateningly growled.
"Inuyasha lives in forest," Kagome said, breaking him from his current thoughts.
'I don't need a homicidal brat this close to village,' Kagome groaned.
"What?" Bankotsu asked with a look of surprise.
"The answer to your question is that Inuyasha lives in the forest," Kagome explained a bit slower. He scowled a bit before nodding in understanding.
Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes. The boy seemed to be a bit childish. He was quick to anger and couldn't manage his emotions. Kagome's eyes saddened as she thought about emotions. Emotions were the downfall of everyone. She knew that emotions would only bring about more pain and rash decisions.
"Why are you brooding?" Bankotsu asked. Kagome snapped from her thoughts
"Why aren't you killing me?" Kagome snapped back. She didn't want to answer him.
"Do I have to kill everything in sight?" Bankotsu challenged. "I'm not crazy or anything."
Kagome smiled at his mumbled comment. For being a leader, he seemed to have a bit of insecurity issues.
"You do have a reputation of killing everything in sight," Kagome calmly commented.
"We would only kill those we were sent after," Bankotsu growled.
"Even women and children?" Kagome challenged.
"Women got in the way and children would grow up to seek vengeance," Bankotsu casually excused the deaths.
"Whatever," Kagome muttered in mild annoyance.
"What were you thinking about?" Bankotsu asked again. Kagome sighed and figured that he was trying to be nice or nosey.
"I was thinking about you," Kagome began.
"Really?" Bankotsu suggestively asked.
"And how you clearly show your emotions," Kagome finished with a scowl.
"What about my emotions?" Bankotsu defensively asked.
"Emotions lead to weakness and downfall," Kagome simply said.
Bankotsu's eyes narrowed as he gazed down at her. His eyes stalked hers in a search. He wondered why the Miko that showed every emotion known in battle was suddenly against emotion. Bankotsu's eyes widened in understanding as he found what she hid within her eyes. Pain. There was a pain that she pushed back. He could see that it was a fresh pain. Bankotsu pushed himself away from the Miko so he could sit straight and stare into the forest.
"Why the sudden change on emotions?" Bankotsu asked as he kept his face still. Kagome frowned as she looked up at him.
"Must you pry into my business?" Kagome sneered. She didn't want to talk about something that was buried. Kagome was to the point that she didn't care if she angered him.
"When you claim that my emotions are weak…yes I must pry," Bankotsu admitted as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He could feel the headache beginning to grow.
"I didn't claim that your emotions were weak, I stated emotion in general," Kagome explained, frustration laced her words.
"I guess I can guess," Bankotsu mumbled to himself.
"Excuse me?" Kagome asked in disbelief.
"Did you lose something?" Bankotsu asked.
'I think I'd prefer it if he killed me,' Kagome growled in her head.
"Did you get hurt?" Bankotsu tried again.
'He's serious,' disbelief filled her that he might care. His face lit up with a smile as realization dawned on him. Kagome began to get nervous when his knowing eyes locked with hers.
"Is it your time of the month?" Bankotsu asked.
Kagome's face turned pure red as she closed her eyes and froze. Bankotsu raised an eyebrow and noticed her eyebrow was twitching. Her eyes open and he froze. That glare could send him back to the grave. Kagome raised her fist and shook it at him with promises of hurt. She splashed water at him and he jumped out of the way and out of water reach.
"I swear to whatever Kami out there. I. Will. Personally. Hurt. You!" Kagome yelled.
'Maybe it is her time of the month,' Bankotsu thought as her face started to turn back to normal.
"Did someone hurt you?" Bankotsu asked again. Kagome froze and her features paled. Her eyes began to water and she pushed back the tears. She instantly calmed down and let herself become dead to the world. She didn't want to think about the events of the evening.
"No," she whispered.
"Sounds different to me," Bankotsu almost sang. He was proud for guessing right and it showed.
"I said no," Kagome assured with more force.
"So…who hurt you so bad that it made you swear off emotions?" Bankotsu asked since he was becoming frustrated with her silence.
Kagome's left eye twitched before she stood out of the water. Her hand rose up and she pointed at him as she walked closer to him. Bankotsu froze and openly stared at her. He watched each drop of water run down her body. His cheeks became red as she poked his chest. Kagome was too livid with rage to notice the fact that she was nude. She poked Bankotsu harder in the chest and growled when the armor hurt her finger. Her rage continued to flare as her finger now throbbed. Kagome wrapped her hand around the armor and pulled it off in swipe. The armor fell into the onsen with a loud plop. Bankotsu didn't know whether to be pissed off at his missing and ruined armor or turned on. Kagome poked him hard in the chest and grinned in triumph.
"It's none of your business if people hurt me! I'm a grown woman…"
'I can see that,' Bankotsu dryly thought.
"And I can take care of who hurts me!" Kagome ranted.
"Hey…"
"I don't need some random guy coming and prying into my business!"
"Nice…"
"I especially don't think I need a heart to heart talk with you!"
"Body," Bankotsu finished.
Kagome froze as she balled her hand into a fist. Closing her eyes, she counted to ten. She finally felt the cool air hit her skin. A shiver ran through her body as her anger turned to embarrassment. She shook her fist at Bankotsu and growled. Her eyes opened and she noticed that he was openly caressing her body with his eyes.
Smack
Kagome ducked back into the water and covered herself with her arms while yelling, "Pervert!"
Bankotsu blinked as the red slap mark appeared on his face. He reached up and poked the red mark. Bankotsu winced and glared at the Miko who was trying to be modest. Kagome happily returned the glare and stuck her tongue out at him. His mouth dropped and he did the only thing that came to mind. He stuck his own tongue out at her.
"Pervert!" Kagome accused.
"I'm the pervert?" Bankotsu incredulously asked.
"Per-vert," Kagome sang with an evil grin.
"I wasn't the one that walked up to you naked and pulled off your armor," Bankotsu growled as he glared at her.
Kagome's face went red as she imagined him naked. Her head shook left to right as she tried to clear the image from her mind. Her hand brushed against the armor. She grabbed it by the strap and flung it from the water. It smacked Bankotsu in the face. Kagome grinned in triumph as his outfit was now soaked.
"Woman," Bankotsu warningly growled as he peeled the armor from his face. He let it drop to the ground.
"Man," Kagome mocked.
'I'm acting so childish,' Kagome thought with a sigh.
"Your lucky I have to go," Bankotsu warned.
"You're right…I am lucky you have to go," Kagome repeated with a smug smirk.
"Eh, whatever, I'll get you next time," Bankotsu promised as he left the area.
Kagome watched his every movement with suspicion. He picked his armor from the ground and slung it over his shoulder. He easily grabbed his Banryuu and left the area. Kagome listened to her surrounding and didn't relax until she felt the shard of the Tama fully out of her range. Standing up from the onsen, she saw her skin was wrinkled. Her lips turned down when at the way her skin looked. She blamed it on Bankotsu. The guy had to talk and stall her. She quickly dried off and dressed in her sleepwear. Miko training was schedule for the break of dawn.
Kagome began to walk back to the village. Her mind was confused as to why Bankotsu actually talked to her. Her eyes flashed with anger as she thought it might be Naraku's scheme. Kagome vowed that she would guard her emotions and heart. No one would ever hurt her again. She wouldn't leave herself open to betrayal or hurt. Walking inside the hut, she laid down on her futon. It smelled of the outdoors, she could smell the fresh air and trees. No more tears, no more emotions, she would be the Miko she was meant to be. As her eyes closed, she wondered about what Bankotsu said as he left.
"Eh, whatever, I'll get you next time."
Author's Note:
I'm glad that all the reviewers loved the last chapter, I hope I did just as well on this chapter. I couldn't imagine Bankotsu having a normal conversation. I hope he wasn't to out of character. I'm trying to play on his childish nature.
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