It only took three days to settle the "crisis" because of my decision to let the girl go with a warning and probation, but Sesshomaru insisted that we wait for me to heal before leaving. I was willing to leave at any time and made sure that was an option, but Sesshomaru had already set his mind on waiting. I understand his worry, but it made me feel like a burden. I was holding everyone back, and I couldn't do anything about it. I guess my health does take precedence over returning quickly. I can't just throw myself anywhere I want anymore. Sesshomaru's constant proximity to me reminded me that I don't live for just myself anymore. He kept me in his embrace, wrapping his mokomoko around me, smothering me with his scent and heat. The sudden overload of attention he was giving me wasn't a problem; the problem was his persistence. He refused to let me take more than five steps away from the room and basically dragged me back when I dared to stray. He sat me down in his lap and locked his arms around me. Of course I started to be unruly and fidgety. I even started to refuse him. Why was he so adamant about this? It was becoming a limitation, and I do not bode well with limitations I do not set up for myself. When I started to pick at his hands, trying to get rid of his grasp on me, he gave me a warning growl.

I stopped for a moment before deciding that I wasn't going to let him intimidate me. He had no right to restrain me like this, and I wouldn't give him the right to. A similar growl left my throat, one that let him know that I wasn't going to simply let him keep me from doing simple tasks. I waited for his reply, and found the silence disturbing.

My thoughts of rebellion seemed to melt away as I realized that his response was the silence that perturbed me so. I thought he would react in some way. Eliciting a kiss from me, nuzzling me, talking to me, why didn't he do any of that? It worried me. The silence felt cold, colder than usual, colder than what I had endured in the snow.

"Sesshomaru? I-Is everything alright?" I asked.

He said nothing as his grip around my waist loosened.

"Sesshomaru, seriously, is something wrong?" I asked as I turned to face him.

He turned away from me…What? I…This… What was going on? Why was he backing down? Why did he turn his face away from me? Before I could think any of this out, my hands had already brought his gaze back to me. I sat there, staring into his eyes, trying to find out what I had done.

"You are hurt." He finally said as he pulled me closer to him.

As I let the words sink in, I smiled. "Then you're just being gentle. You really scared me."

"Did I?"

"You did." I replied. "And I'm fine. I just get sore every now and then, but other than that, I'm fine."

"Are you?" he asked as he traced his finger up my abdomen. He curved his finger to trace over my rib before stopping at the bruised area. He poked my healing rib before massaging it. I didn't move, not wanting to move his hand from that spot.

This may seem weird, but I always enjoyed bruises the few times I had them. I'm no masochist, but I love the feeling I get when I press down to bruises as Sesshomaru was doing. It's like hitting your funny bone. It's painful, but in a way that feels weirdly nice. The feeling of having it hurt, but in a tingly sort of way, it stimulated me. A stimulation that either alerted or dulled my senses, I can't really explain it myself. I just knew that I liked it, and having Sesshomaru touch my bruised rib sent much more than regular pleasure through my body. I struggled to keep my moan to myself.

I distanced myself from him as I tried to calm my heart. However, Sesshomaru didn't know why I fled from his arms. He brought me back to his embrace and growled softly to me, as though we were exchanging sweet nothings. My face flushed a bright red and my legs trembled as my body started to ache for him.

"What is it that you want me to do, Mate?"

The way he called me his mate, the way his touch melted me… I wanted him. I wanted him now. I yearned for the touch of his skin, for the warmth of his body, to give and feel pleasure. I took his hand and brought it to my lips instinctively. My sudden change in pace embarrassed me, to do such a thing while staying in another lord's home? The thought itself was indecent, but my mind slipped away. I could not deny how I felt. There was no need to. This behavior is to be expected by a newly mated couple. I let go of his hand and wrapped my arms around him, getting rid of any distance between us. His hair intertwined with my fingers as I pressed myself against him, trying to tell him what I wanted without words.

"We will depart tomorrow." Sesshomaru stated before he graced my desire with his lips and my own. Wandering hands found and held onto his kimono as I allowed myself to lie down, placing him on top of me. I held onto him tightly as he pressed himself against me. My hands drifted further down before stopping at his waist. He broke our contact to allow me to breathe. I gave a panted growl before continuing our kiss. One of my hands got through his kimono and met his chest as the other reached for his hakama. His hands searched and found a way to bypass my clothing. Just as we started to disrobe, Sesshomaru pulled away from me. When I tried to pull him back, Sesshomaru removed himself entirely. By the time I sat up, he had left the room.

Beast and I snarled at the newly found silence in the room. Sesshomaru had led me on. Here I was, wanting him desperately, and he got up and left. My hands burned foe him. Was it not a few moments ago that he refused to let me go? Why let me go now?

I sat up, holding my forehead.

Don't take it to heart. I'm sure he has his reasons.

'Why does he persist in keeping stuff like this to himself? Why won't he share his thoughts with me? I know good and well that he's not one that would walk away like that. You'd think he'd take advantage of that, especially since I initiated it and everything.'

It's called 'sheltering.' [I]

'Sheltering? I don't need to be sheltered.' [Me]

Well, trust Sesshomaru's decision. [Myself]

'Everything will be explained in due time.' [Beast]

'Why do you assume that he's sheltering me? I mean, it could be anything' [Me]

'… Sheltering is not a new concept to me.' [Beast]

'Beast?' [Me]

Wait, so… [Myself]

'You are very naïve when compared to Sesshomaru.' [Sesshomaru]

'Well…' [Me]

Can we not get into the whole age thing again? [I]

'Age is not the only factor in this.'[Beast]

How old are you. Beast? [Beast]

Now that I think about it, you didn't join this party of nutcases until the whole birthday episode. Where were you before then? [I]

'…' [Beast]

'Beast?' [Me]

'You are a much more complex being than you believe. Our kind, we grow much faster than others, and sustain our ripest years for unbelievably long. Those years you were growing without me, I grew without you, learning our kind's ways from the knowledge made available by the generations before us. The complex system makes it so we do not enter the demon world as vulnerable as the ones who were prayed upon.' [Beast]

'… What does this have to do with the situation at hand?' [Me]

'Much more than you anticipate.' [Beast]

'How exactly.'[Me]

'We spoke of sheltering for a reason.' [Beast]

So you're sheltering us? [Myself]

'… It is nothing bad, disconcerting, but nothing bad.' [Beast]

'Then why not tell me?' [Me]

'…This is between me and him.' [Beast]

'And who is this 'him'?' [Me]

'Sesshomaru's beast.' [Beast]

'You said that with quite some animosity.'[Me]

'If you knew the man, you would understand.' [Beast]

'He can't be that bad.' [Me]

'Some things are better left unsaid.' [Beast]

I sighed. I was being sheltered, even by my own beast. At least we were leaving tomorrow. I guess he's just in a flexible mood today.