"The most difficult thing to explain in life is the simplest truth called LOVE."

-Ramanthan Srinivanson

"Third Desire"

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

Chapter 3: "Servant"

Shinna Yuya stood on a hill beside a beautiful Sakura tree. She was wearing a white kimono with pale blue trimmed edges. The golden locks that were usually tied were loosened, so that the wind played with her hair while sunlight bathed her with a golden glow tenderly.

It was all so beautiful, all so peaceful. Yet, she was neither happy nor at rest. Yuya was extremely sad. A feeling of longing tugged hard at her heat -as if wanting her to acknowledge that something was missing and that because of it, she could never be truly happy.

Out of nowhere, a child materialized beside her. His warm, soft hand reached for her hand. He held onto it as if he needed her to notice that he would always be there by her side. She lowered her gaze to take him in, but he had a blur instead of a face. So that there, holding her hand, stood what was supposed to be a human. There, by her side, stood a toddler without a face.

Yuya knelt in front of the kid, feelings thrown into a whirlwind inside her body. Her heart was torn over a decision she could not make. She wanted to take off in two opposite directions. Yuya wanted to smile at the boy and embrace him. Protect him against everything and everyone and never let him go. But she also wanted –with equal force- to slap him and cry. She wanted to run away from him and everyone and everything. To run until her feet ached with pain and her muscles stiffened with the effort to escape something which she couldn't… a place she knew she was bound to return every single time…

Yuya's eyes fluttered opened. Exhausted, she sat on the futon of the small room as the first rays of sunlight welcomed her through the partially opened window. Her breathing was labored, her heart was racing. She took a moment to try to figure out what was happening; to identify and name the feeling gripping her heart.

A hot, fat tear streamed down her pink-shade cheek. Her right hand instinctively shoved the watery substance away, and then she couldn't help but look at her fingers in confusion.

Why am I crying for? There is nothing wrong… it was just a dream, she told herself, trying to shake the remembrance of the feelings out of her heart and the picture of the faceless human out of her mind.

She stood up with a ghost of urgency. In seconds, she had changed back into her pink yukata. Her hands searched aimlessly through her stuff for the ribbon she always wore, but it was missing. She decided to forget it for now, else something else happened and she found herself falling into that frightening world again. With fear still clutching her heart, she hurried out the room, her hair flowing freely behind her.

-o0o-

Onime no Kyo's crimson eyes narrowed dangerously at the man before him. Who did he think he was? More importantly, who did he think he was addressing?

"That is none of your business," he answered coolly, keeping his rage at bay.

"I see." There was a deep exhalation before Kenji continued, "So you do not know what she is to you, yet."

Kyo'sdislike for this intruder doubled upon hearing those words. It was mostly the tone that bothered him. It was as if this man knew everything while Kyo knew nothing. Instinctively, the grip on his Muramasa tightened. With one swift motion he freed the blade and brought the sharp tip to rest on Kenji's neck. One cut and the man would drown in a pool of his own blood.

Yet, the man did not even flinch. Kyo was aware that he could have easily counterattacked with his own weapons and wondered at the reason for serving himself –his life on a silver platter.

The answer came soon after in the shape of four black clothed figures. They'd burst into the room a second after Kyo's attack. He could tell that, unlike Kenji, they were ready and willing to fight. Kyo welcomed their hostility with a sadistic smile. This he understood. Bloodlust was his area of expertise. Yet, Kenji raised a hand and his men froze on their spots. As one, they knelt down around their smiling leader, passively waiting for further instructions.

Kyo focused his entire attention back onto the source of his problems. He knew he could easily erase his detestable smile by just pushing his sword -thrusting it into the man's neck so that his face would be marked with an expression of pure agony instead. But this irritating pest was not worthy of dying by Kyo's hand. More than that, to harm him further would perhaps give the impression that he'd been affected by his words. Which wasn't the case, obviously! Kyo couldn't care less about Kenji's question or the answer being sought. He was simply not in the mood to entertain unwelcomed guests.

In the pause that followed, nobody dared move. In a moment of clarity, Kyo realized that the answer to this man's question was quite easy. More confident now that he could reel the situation back under his control, he smirked.

-o0o-

Shinna Yuya had no idea what was happening. All she knew was that, as she'd been about to open the door, she'd heard Kenji asking Kyo something that froze her in place. She was still there, standing just outside, trying to figure out why she couldn't move, when four unidentified figures had rapidly made their way inside, not even bothered by her presence.

After that the temptation to just step inside and ask what was happening had tripled. Yet still she hadn't. Curiosity, it was the biggest cause of her hesitation. She yearned to know who the she they'd mention referred to. It was curiosity and something else that rendered her immobile… something she was not ready to inspect just yet.

'So you do not know what she is to you, yet.'

Kenji's last words echoed inside her head. She. Who was this she? Could they be referring to Sakuya? To herself maybe? What was Sakaki Kenji even doing here, talking to none other than Kyo? Most importantly, why had Kyo lost his temper so easily?

Granted, she knew that whenever Sakuya's name was spoken in his presence he could hardly contain or hide his irritation. She somehow drove him to an edge, and so they had all learned to avoid using the name when possible.

Was she, Yuya, delusional then? Because somehow she knew… there was no way of explaining how or why. Instead there was a simple intuition, so to speak, that told her they where referring to her -to Yuya.

But if that was the case, then how was it possible for Kyo to not know what she was to him? Maybe, just maybe she might mean something more to him? Could it be? Could he possibly…! She dared not even think the word. Instead, she focused on waiting like everyone else, for an answer that seemed eternal in coming. She found herself holding her breath, hoping he would say something... anything.

"She is my servant," Kyo answered, his tone indifferent.

Yuya closed her eyes and brought a hand up to her chest. Kyo. Stupid, selfish, arrogant Kyo. How he'd shattered her hopes with those four words! There was nothing there for her. There was no place in his heart for her... and perhaps there never would be. There had only been one girl who he'd cared about and it had not been her. And it didn't matter how hard she tried, she could never be her or even remotely like her.

Yuya was just her… Shiina Yuya, a once proud bounty hunter who had suddenly become a mere servant to the samurai she had sought to turn in for the price on his head. The same man she had inevitably fallen madly in love with…

She felt the hot, all too familiar ache dwelling inside her eyes. Her sight began to blur with unshed tears. She hated the feeling of loss. She hated the feeling of despair. Above all, she hated the feeling of… heartbreak?

However, a small yet strong light flickered at the end of the dark tunnel that had become her life when she heard him end his statement.

-o0o-

Onime no Kyo's smirked stayed in place as he disclosed what Yuya was to him, "She is my servant." There, it was a simple but true statement that surmised more or less what the girl was to him, right?

Kenji nodded, almost as if he'd been waiting for just those words. Kyo hated his I-knew-it look and the amused glint that lighted those detestable blue eyes. He wanted to gouge those eyes out. They were too much like Kyoshiro's for his taste and too much like his own for comfort.

Kyo leaned forward slightly, his humor vanishing. He glared at the man before him and warned, "So stay away from 'my' property."

Kyo sheathed his Muramasa just as Yuya walked inside. Her lips curved into a warm smile which, odd as it was, put him somewhat at ease. It was as if her mere presence had dragged him back from the edge into more solid and comfortable ground.

For a moment, he forgot they were not alone in the room. He forgot that there was someone who had just, seconds ago, pissed him off. He forgot that there were still four ninjas waiting for the order to attack. All that existed was her, until she finally spoke and broke him out of her spell.

"Good morning, Kyo."

-o0o-

Shinna Yuya smiled at the scowling man. It was in few occasions she'd seen Kyo so tensed and angry, in the verge of transforming into a killing machine. To think that he'd been pushed this far because of her… it was something, wasn't it?

His blood red eyes locked with her and, suddenly, almost as if by magic, she saw him relax, the hardness around his eyes softening slightly. If she hadn't known him as much as she did, she wouldn't have noticed it. But she did and she had! Possessiveness towards her was better than nothing.

"Good morning, Kyo," she greeted amicably.

Granted, his answer to Kenji's question hadn't exactly been the one she'd wished for. Being called property was no better than being called a servant. Yet, it was at least something, at least a start. Maybe even an opportunity for something else...perhaps?

To be continued…