Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha Characters, they belong to Rumiko Takahasi. I'm merely using them for my own twisted enjoyment. I do however, own all Original Characters, this plot line, and all the fan fics referenced in this story. :D

Chapter Twelve:

The next day:

After breakfast Naien and Bankotsu did their laps around the castle without either of the breaking a sweat or huffing. Then they did the routine of sit-ups and push ups.

Bankotsu smiled saying, "I told you it'd get easier," as he looked at the woman, who was smiling with pride for not having any trouble this time around. She nodded.

Bankotsu set up the targets in the training yard and handed her the bow and arrow, after showing her how easy it was; saying, "Nothing to it. You just aim and fire."

Naien nodded and decided to give it a shot. She was focusing on the target and released the arrow, missing the target horribly.

Bankotsu calmly ordered, "Again Naien," nodding to the girl who was looking at him. She smiled and fired missing again.

Having observed her previous shot Bankotsu moved behind her, reaching around her as he gently guided her arms to the correct position of the bow and arrow. "Like this," he breathed in her ear. "Now shoot." Naien shivered a little as his warm breath brushed her ear; she released the arrow and watched it fly.

Bankotsu smirked as he felt her shiver. "She's coming around to me slowly. I just have to be patient," he thought amused and pleased. Reluctantly he released her and ordered, "Try it again Naien. Focus on aiming."

Squaring her shoulders she nodded and took aim again, this time the way Bankotsu had shown her. Taking a deep breath, she let the arrow fly and watched as she actually hit the target. "I did it!" she beamed feeling proud for having hit the target at all.

He smirked teasing, "Wasn't a bull's-eye, but at least it hit the target."

Naien childishly stuck her tongue out at him, and then turned around to try again, determined to get it right. Bankotsu's brow rose as he held back a chuckle at her antics. He was pleased that she was finally learning to relax around him.

After she struck the target, but missed the bull's-eye again, Bankotsu moved behind her again. This time he leaned over her shoulder, brining the weapon to bear toward the target. Reaching out he brushed some warm brown hair away from her neck. Naien's eyes went wide, then blushing slightly she tried to focus on his words and not his touch. "Look down the shaft to your target, center it on the bull's-eye," he replied huskily enjoying the feel on her in his arms.

Looking down the shaft trying to concentrate on the task at hand, Naien lined up the target and fired the arrow; silently praying it'd strike the bulls-eye this time.

After watching it strike the intended target, Bankotsu lowered his hands saying, "Congrats on getting it right this time," sighing reluctantly as he moved away from her.

She turned to face him asking, "What's wrong?" concern in her big brown eyes.

Bankotsu gave her a half smile and said, "Nothing," bemused by his wayward arousal.

Naien shrugged and went back to practicing, while Bankotsu stood a few feet away and observed. She was finally starting to relax around him, he'd have to contend himself with that for now. He didn't want to push her too soon, or he knew she'd likely freeze up again, and he was determined to go slow with her.

After a couple more hours Naien tired out and lowered her sore eyes, sighing. She was finally able to hit the bull's-eye more often than not, but her eyes couldn't take the strain anymore.

Bankotsu smirked and declared, "All right now let's go over to the garden and finish today's training." Naien nodded and after they put everything away, they walked over to the garden. He handed her a pair of katanas and ordered, "Defend yourself!" as he moved to strike her with his own katana.

Naien eyes wide, quickly recalled the classes she'd taken with sticks and crossed the katanas trying to hold off his blade.

Bankotsu smirked. "Good," before he started slashing towards her relentlessly. She tried her best to block his strikes but he was too fast for her to block them all.

Bankotsu spotting an opening brought the blade down sopping it just before her neck. "Expect the unexpected!" he snapped eyes hard. Naien's eyes widened as she looked at the hand holding the blade to her neck and nodded after pushing the blade away with one of her own.

Bankotsu nodded ordering, "Again," bringing his blade down at her. Panting now, Naien tried her best to block him as much as she could. Bankotsu finding another opening smirked again, stopping just shy of cutting her. Shaking his head he ordered, "Pay attention Naien! This isn't a game."

Naien sighed, "I am," holding her blades up in a defensive move. She knew damn well it wasn't a game.

Bankotsu growled, "Again," and started attacking her relentlessly again. Naien backed up crossing the blades whenever he came straight down, swinging crosswise to avoid his side strikes. Smirking he thought, "Good she's learning." Seeing no opening for the blade, he swept her legs out and immediately brought the blade down, pleased when she again crossed them to block the attack. Smirking he pushed his weight forward and the crossed blades moved dangerously close to her neck. He smirked triumphantly before he felt her knee slam into his ribs.

"SHIT! I forgot about her damned knees," he mentally berated himself; rolling away before the second strike could connect.

Naien rolled to her feet panting. "He's gonna kill me at this rate," she growled inside her head.

Deciding to have some fun Bankotsu ran at her again this time adding a few attempted sweeps as well as the sword strikes. She avoided the sweeps and crossed the blades holding off his sword. He backed her into a tree and smirked as the fact she'd been trapped registered in her wide eyes.

Naien's arms trembled with the strain of holding off his blade and she thought, "Shit! Man," as he moved his body to just in front of hers.

Using his free hand to knock her katanas away, he held his blade to her throat. "What did I tell you?! He demanded.

Naien's breath hitched nervously as she stared at him wide eyed. Bankotsu growled, "Expect the unexpected! Your opponent won't care if your suckered into a trap, if this were a real battle, you'd be long dead!" he ground out harshly, eyes locked with hers.

Naien nodded that she got his point. Slamming his palm into the tree beside her head, he ordered, "Get your blades and we'll go again!" He hated having to be so harsh on her, but if she screwed up even once in real combat- they'd both wind up dead; and that was something he couldn't allow to happen.

She scurried to her blades and barely got them up in time to block his blow. His blade came from the side and she blocked it, keeping in mind her surroundings this time, she turned in time to avoid getting backed against the tree. He smirked and went after her again.

This continued most of the day. By the time he announced it was time to call it a day, she was ready for a long soak, a hot meal, and a soft bed. Bankotsu smirking at her exhaustion ordered, "Let's go back. We'll get bathed and then have dinner." Nodding weakly Naien relished the thought of a nice long hot soak to sooth her poor achy muscles.

He led them back to the castle, after collecting their blades, and led her straight to their bedroom. He smirked, "Time to bathe," as he led her by the elbow over to their hot spring.

Grabbing up some fresh clothes along the way, Naien softly agreed, "Okay."

Once they reached the edge, he quickly stripped his haori and hakama off before tossing them on the ground. Walking over to him she asked, "Bath or massage first?"

"Both," he answered smirking. Naien nodded and shed her clothes, leaving her undergarments on the bank so she could wash them with tomorrow's laundry.

Bankotsu frowned as he noticed the big bruise on her stomach that was just starting to heal. As she glided through the water over to him he said regretfully, "I didn't mean to hit you so hard. I never intended to bruise you Naien," staring into her eyes searchingly.

Naien gave him a faint smile and said, "I know, it's okay Bankotsu, it's not even tender anymore." His finger lightly traced the outlining of the bruise as he sighed regretfully.

Needing to change the subject, she ordered, "Dunk your hair to wet it so we can start."

"Don't get used to giving orders, that's still my job," a serious expression on his face.

Smiling she replied, "Wouldn't dream of it."

Bankotsu grinned, "Good see that you don't," before dunking into the water.

She waited for him to surface and began to lather his hair, scrubbing her fingers through the mass of thick silk to massage his scalp. Bankotsu sighed blissfully enjoying her ministrations as she thoroughly cleaned his hair and massaged his scalp.

Staring into her eyes Bankotsu asked curious, "Why do you write about me? With your stories I mean, why me?" holding his breath as he awaited her response. He'd been wondering for a while now and finally gotten the courage to ask her.

Naien considered it a moment and answered honestly, "I wanted others to see that despite being a killer and a leader, you're still human." Scrubbing away she sighed adding, "I wanted to help people see that despite the coldness of the world, we are all human and do still feel." At his frown she clarified, "Others see you as heartless, but I know differently. If you were truly heartless, you wouldn't have treated the group like a family; rather like a group of minions. Instead, you refer to them as your brothers and treat them as such." Naien stopped.

Needing a moment to think, Bankotsu dunked into the water and felt her nimble fingers working away the suds. When the scrubbing stopped he surface ordering, "You're turn." taking the mixture and soaping up her hair, he continued digesting her words. He loved feeling her brown strands of silk slipping between his fingers, molding his body to hers as he worked on the thicker parts of her hair, before working it deep into her scalp.

Naien stiffened as she felt his muscular arms go around her. Biting her lip, she felt her spine relax. After a few minutes she slipped free of his hold and dunked her rinsing her hair.

Naien asked, "Turn around for the massage please," trying to breathe normal. She was surprised he'd asked her, and more so by her answer- she'd given him the honest reason why- without revealing any hint of her secret crush on him.

Smirking he did as asked. "At least I can have her massage my sore muscles every day," he thought pleased. He loved feeling her hands on his skin. The way she managed to completely free his tight muscles from any traces of pain, made him want to stay there all day.

Once the massage was finished, Naien sat back and enjoyed the hot water soothing her own sore muscles. Figuring she was just as sore if not more so than him after today's power workout, he positioned her to sit in front of him and began to work her sore muscles into melted butter. Shocked at first, Naien quickly relaxed and sighing blissfully leaned back into him closing her eyes as she felt the pain melting away.

Bankotsu smiled as he felt her body meld against his, proving that she was completely relaxing. When he was done massaging her shoulders and back, he sighed and reluctantly let her leave the water. Pulling out a towel, she dried herself off and slipped into her spare haori and hakamas, forgoing the under garments.

Bankotsu watched the feisty vixen as she dressed; his molten blue eyes caressed every inch of her skin lingering briefly on the scars on her chest and thighs. She was something alright. She'd been through more hell than anyone should ever have to face alone, and not only kept going, but had come out on top.

Once she was dressed, he slowly exited the water, strutting proudly as her eyes glued to his physically fit body. Bending over giving her a shot of his nearly naked curvaceous backside, he slipped on his hakamas and turning around; noticed the bright blush on her beautiful face. Smirking inwardly at the effect he had on her he calmly passed by her and removed Banryu from their doorway, so that they could go and eat.

Once dinner was finished he led her back to their room, blocked the door, and then watched as she promptly crashed onto the bed, sighing in contentment as sleep quickly carried her to a peaceful embrace.

WARNING!!! Lemony stuff from here until the end!!!

Bankotsu smiled as he watched her sleeping and shifted uncomfortably. His arousal had been painful ever since diner, when he'd remembered she wasn't wearing anything under the haori.

He stood up and walked into their bathing area. He quickly shed his hakamas and haori and entered the water. Sighing as he stared down at his painfully tight penis. Heaving a heavy sigh he closed his eyes and replayed the time he'd pleasured himself with her talented mouth. Unable to take the pain much longer his hand slid down his perfectly chiseled abs and grabbed his shaft. He began mimicking as best he could, what played in his mind- all the while teasing the throbbing head before plunging downwards; as he pretended it was her mouth instead of his hand.

He didn't want to have her freeze up on him again so he was trying to relieve the ache himself. Normally he didn't handle things himself, he'd just go to a brothel and pay a whore to fix him good and tight, but with the curse and all he couldn't do that. So for tonight, he'd have to settle for this. He imagined how good it would be when he did finally bed Naien and increased his strokes as well as his pants, focusing on the wonderful sensations flooding his groin, the tight knot in his stomach was coiled and burning now, and his balls began to fill.

Slamming his back against the stone, imagining the scratches were from her nails instead. He imagined her crying out his name again, like she'd done when he expertly pleasured her with his mouth the other night. Remembering how good she tasted, and imagining her writhing in sheer pleasure under him while he pounded into her staring into her flushed face and aroused eyes. He managed to take care of his problem; biting his lower lip hard enough to draw blood so as not to wake her, as his violent release shot out into the water and ran down his hand.

Regaining his breath, he rinsed off and donned his clothes. He returned to their room and crawled into bed curling protectively around her, enjoying the feeling of just having her in his arms. He nuzzled his face into her neck and closed his eyes. Moments later he was fast asleep.

A/N Okay that's chapter twelve, enjoy :D