Ton Up
By: The Hatter Theory
Chapter 11
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Inu Yasha
AN:OH GOD IM SO FULL OF FAIL. Ok, I'm ultra late, and I'm sorry. Im currently remodeling a house and tying up my first OS and trying to rewrite the ending to another of my fics and I forgot to set the reminders on my calender program to post this. I suck, and I'm sorry. BUT we go back to Tuesday updates this Tuesday. Also, this marks the first majorly edited chapter. Lemon version is linked to in my profile, those of age, have at.
When she woke, it was still dark outside, at least she thought it was. Turning, she only saw very dim blue light coming from behind the blackout curtains, which took her three solid minutes to recognize as Kouga's. The next thing she realized was that she was alone in the bed, and that the boxers had slipped down almost to her thighs, proving almost useless as covering. Slipping from the bed, she pulled them back up around her hips and felt around on the floor for her shirt, finding it and tugging it on only to realize it was the one Kouga had worn the night before.
Feeling better than if she had found the one she had been wearing, she went to the bathroom and then walked into the living room area, surprised to see that the apartment itself was empty. Opening the door to the stairs, she heard the light buzzing she had attributed to sleep get louder and walked downstairs, wondering if he was working on the bike from the night before.
Kouga didn't turn around when she walked down, and not wanting to disturb him, she sat against the wall, content to watch him. A large mask covered his face and his eyes were protected by goggles. He was holding a machine that looked like a cross between a pressure washer and a spray can, paint covering the fairing he was working on.
He was wearing a pair of stained jeans and a long sleeved shirt stained with paint and grease. The mask and goggles hid his face, and his hair was pulled back. The fairing he was painting was a vivid, deep purple, standing out from the white covering the area as he passed the stream of paint over it, the already bright purple on each piece deepening a few shades when he applied another coat.
She was beginning to wish she had brought a blanket down,the floor being cold on her bare legs and seeping through the cotton of the shorts, when he turned around and started, as if surprised to see her there. Kagome wondered if the sound of the machine spraying the paint and the smells and mask kept him from picking up on her presence, or if he had been engrossed enough in his work that he hadn't even noticed her aura.
The machine switched off and he took several steps away from the workbench before pulling off the goggles and mask. Lines had indented his skin where they had rested, and his hair had gotten pulled by the mask straps, making him look like a very young, very dirty mad scientist.
"I thought you would be asleep," He said, glancing at the clock on the wall.
"Woke up and you were gone," She admitted with a yawn.
"How long have you been here?" He asked, brows knitting together.
"That's the second piece I've seen you working on," She told him, pushing herself up and holding onto the boxers as they attempted to slide down. "It's fine, I don't mind watching," She admitted. "You don't have to stop."
"I'm done for the moment," He told her. "Needs to dry before I can apply the clear coat. What do you think of the color?"
"I like it," She told him, stretching, her arms going over her head and back arching. When she looked at him again, she saw an amused smile on his face, one she was quickly beginning to recognize as amusement at her, for whatever reason.
"What?" She asked dumbly, surprised when he took her hand and led her over to the bench. His breathing got more shallow, and even she was having a hard time dealing with the smell of the chemicals as they stood over the bench.
"What?" She asked again.
"Is it an ugly purple? You can tell me the truth."
"I think it's a beautiful purple," She told him, tilting her head to look up at him as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder.
"It's ugly, isn't it? Women say everything is beautiful."
"No," She snapped irritably, wondering if he was fishing for compliments. "It's a wonderful shade. It's not too deep and it's not so light that it looks like gray vomited into it. I think it's perfect."
"Good," He chuckled, kissing her cheek. "Since it's for you."
"I-What?" She asked stupidly, turning in his arms to look up at him. "Kouga-"
"Hmm?" He asked, smiling down at her.
"I can't accept something so big," She stuttered, awed and afraid. His shoulders sagged and he rolled his eyes before leaning down so that his forehead rested against her own.
"I don't do the romantic shit well," He said quietly, the words perfectly clear in the silence. "I'm actually not good at most things in this era-"
"That's not-"
"But I am good at this, and even though we don't really talk about it, you did help save my pack, saved me more than once," He reminded her. "In the long run, a bike isn't that big. I wanted to make this for you, to give it to you." His words held a quiet conviction, one that made her throat tighten as her eyes misted dangerously.
"Thank you," She whispered, nuzzling his nose with her own lightly.
"Plus the paint job might make you think twice about laying it down," He added, as if uncomfortable with the sudden seriousness. She couldn't stop the startled laugh that escaped, her arms going up to lace around his neck as she kissed him, another laugh escaping into the kiss. When he pulled away, he was smiling again, a genuine smile she couldn't help but return.
"So now you know why I vanished for a few days. When you mentioned learning how to ride, I got a little excited," He admitted, taking her hand and walking back over to the motorcycle he had been explaining to her the night before. "I had most of the parts, it's not big, but it should be big enough for you."
"Thank you," She whispered again, awed. "I know I keep saying it, but I just-"
"It's fine," He interrupted. "Just promise you'll be safe."
"I will," She promised quietly, looking at the motorcycle with new eyes. Hers. Her motorcycle. Any future problems loomed far off, easily eclipsed by her own excitement.
"Hungry?" He asked, giving her a sheepish grin when his stomach echoed his sentiment.
"I could eat. I should probably change though," She said, looking down at her legs. "Your shorts keep trying to fall off."
"You should wear them more often then," He told her as they walked for the door.
"I could wear them out today," She started, stopping when he growled lightly.
"Around here. Not for everyone else to see," He added, voice tight. She stepped onto the first stair and turned to him before nipping the end of his nose, an impish grin on her face. He stared down at her, expression blank, as if he didn't know quite what to do with her.
"So you want me naked when we go out. Got it," She told him before turning and darting up the stairs, quickly taking them when she heard another growl echo off of the walls behind her. She had almost made it when she felt his arms wrap around her middle. Kouga took the last few steps with ease, her body clutched to his chest before he dropped her on the couch.
"If anyone sees you naked, it's going to be me," He told her, a smile on his face as he leaned over her.
"Someone sounds possessive," She joked.
"I don't share," He told her, lips brushing over her nose before his tongue darted out and flicked against the tip. And then he was leaning back and walking for the bedroom, leaving her wondering if she had somehow made him angry or if he was joking. Following him, she saw him pulling the shirt off and stepped aside, barely moving in time for it to land in the hamper.
"I smell like paint," He explained, grabbing a towel and walking for the bathroom. The door closed behind him and she stared at it, an idea quickly forming, although she wasn't sure if she had the courage to go through with it.
Once the water started, she stepped closer to the door itself, hoping that the sound of the water would cover her steps. Her hand grabbed the knob and she stopped, eyes staring blankly at the dark wood. For a moment she convinced herself that she could turn the knob and take the first step, but every time she told her hand to move, it refused. And even though she couldn't turn the handle, she also couldn't seem to let it go.
Frustrated with her own warring conscience, she stepped back, finally releasing the knob and quickly walking away, needing to get away from the door and the conflict between her own shyness and overwhelming curiosity. Turning away from the door, she rubbed a hand over her face and then through her hair, groaning when she tried to gather her courage.
"You've faced down youkai, defeated evil hanyou and saved the world," She told herself, trying to remember the girl she had been. "And you've ridden a motorcycle and admitted how you feel about him." The pep talk accomplished nothing except for making Kagome feel even more foolish than she already did, mostly for saying it out loud when she knew his senses were on par with the sort of spy equipment the government dreamed up.
"Stop complicating everything," She told herself, whispering the words and spinning on her heel, hand reaching for the doorknob. However, it was yanked from her hand when Kouga opened the door, wet hair plastered to his face almost, but not quite, concealing vivid blue eyes laced with concern.
"Did you need to use the restroom? I heard you walking out here, I can wait," He said, water dripping onto the floor.
His utter obliviousness was as tempting to take as an out as it was mortifying.
"I-"
"It's fine-"
She stood on tiptoe and kissed him, positive that if he said anything else, she was going to burst into flames from sheer embarrassment. It wasn't a sweet kiss or even a gentle one, there was no hunger, but sheer nervous anxiety that managed to translate through her lips to his as she cupped his face and held him still before pulling back.
And then he was kissing her back, lips pressing against hers hungrily. She could feel the water from his hair and chest soaking through the thin material of the shirt. Heat bore into her skin, burning through her as his hands grabbed her bottom and pulled her up roughly, bouncing her once as he changed his grip to her legs until she was wrapping them around his waist, dislodging the towel that had been wrapped around it.
His wet hair was cold on her cheeks when he laid her down on the bed, never once releasing his hold on her as he knelt down, lips harshly pressed to hers and a fang carelessly scraping her tongue. The sounds of heavy breathing interspersed with moans echoed in the small room, ending in gasps when he pulled away, his hands tugging at her shirt. Wriggling beneath him she helped him tug it over her head before he was bending back down. Slick skin slipped against her own, chills running through her as he kissed and nipped along her jaw, down her neck.
And in a dizzying blur, she was losing herself, drowning in him until there was nothing outside of the sensations he evoked.
Kagome's eyes fluttered open, and the first thing she saw was the dark skin of Kouga's chest and felt his legs holding hers between them, effectively trapping them. The next thing she noticed was that she had to go to the bathroom.
Badly.
Trying to be as gentle as possible, she began shifting her legs away when she felt his arm around her waist tighten and his legs bend to hold hers more securely.
"Kouga," She whispered.
"Mmm," He mumbled sleepily. She looked up and saw that his eyes weren't even open, and he looked like he was still asleep.
"I have to go to the bathroom," She mumbled.
"Later," He half sighed half grumbled, cementing her suspicions. Whatever else he was, he was not awake. The urge became more urgent, and she pushed against him. His hold only tightened, and she knew she had no hope of beating his youkai strength, and she made a mental note for such things in the future. But at that exact moment, she had to go to the bathroom, and the more he squeezed, the worse it got.
"Kouga, let me go," She tried in a louder voice.
He muttered something unintelligible, barely shifting.
"I'm sorry," She whispered lightly, not liking what she was about to do, but seeing no other option. Poking him in his chest, she let enough of her ki flare, a small spark, but enough to make him sit upright, eyes opening widely. Taking the opportunity, she slipped off the other side of the bed, sheet clutched firmly to her chest, and fled into the bathroom.
The shower, which he had apparently left running, did nothing to help the almost painful need.
When she walked out a few minutes later, the sheet wrapped around her modestly, she wasn't entirely surprised to see him frowning. It didn't entirely escape her notice that he had nothing covering him at all, not even the corner of the blanket.
"Warning next time would be wonderful," He grumbled, leg coming up to his chest while the other bent. It offered an illusion of modesty, although she was almost positive it had been subconscious. Blushing under his intent stare, she walked over to the bed and sat, bringing both of her knees up to her chest and giving him a shrug.
"I tried to wake you up. You told me later when I said I had to go to the bathroom," She defended. "I didn't think youkai slept that soundly."
"You were a virgin," He said, completely derailing the topic, and her thoughts, leaving her scrambling mentally from the sudden change.
"I was," She admitted, blushing even more hotly.
"I didn't, I should have-"
"It's fine, Kouga," She told him, scooting across the bed to sit next to him. "I didn't think it would make a difference."
"Women make no sense," He groaned, letting his head thump back against the wall, his eyes on the ceiling. Affronted, Kagome couldn't help but poke him, her ki traveling into his skin and making him jump again before he glared down at her.
"Explain," She demanded.
"That could be considered abusive you know," He pointed out, only to be rewarded with another poke, this time without the addition of her power bolstering it.
"Kouga, tell me," She demanded softly.
"Just-" He started, then looked back to the ceiling. "Women always seem to make such a huge deal out of their first time, they want it to be special. I-"
"Made it special," She interrupted, shoving him with her shoulder. "You should know better than anyone I'm not like most women anyway. I never got to the idea of candles and rose petals and everything. What if you knocked a candle over, or even if you didn't, you'd have to blow them out after. I'd rather cuddle."
"I imagine rose petals would stick to your ass, maybe end up in a few uncomfortable spots," He added, giving her a lopsided grin, which she returned with a smile of her own.
"If I had any doubts, I wouldn't have done it," She told him.
They stayed that way for several minutes, soaking in the quiet and the warmth. When her stomach growled petulantly, she sighed and scooted over to the edge of the bed, sheet still around her. Kouga however, had no compunctions, striding naked over to his drawers before opening them. Kagome's jaw went slack, and she struggled to school her expression when he turned to her, a grin on his face.
"Keep staring and we won't eat until tomorrow," He warned.
She scrambled to pull on her clothes, ignoring the initial twinge of pain that bolted through her groin as she hopped to get her pants on.
"Weird human," He commented, hands settling on her hips to steady her as she pushed her foot through a pants leg. She accepted the balance for a moment before stepping away and pulling them up and buttoning them.
"Perverted old wolf," She retorted, blushing when he handed her a shirt.
"Complaining?" He asked, brow arching.
"I suppose not," She sighed, not exasperated in the least but exaggerating the sound. Kouga seemed adept at bringing out a playfulness in her that she hadn't expressed in years, perhaps not ever, and the more he brought it out, the easier it came to her. It was relaxing, to let go like that and be able to snipe back at him.
"Suppose huh?" He asked, voice flat and eyes narrowing. "I guess that means you're not interested in further," He stopped, as if out of politeness not to refer to the act itself, although she knew it was for effect. If nothing else had stayed the same, Kouga was still blunt and unafraid of any language or references.
"Activities," He finally said, going to the bathroom, the door still open. Kagome could see him brushing his hair and pulling it into a hasty pony tail and giving into the impish urge, walked up behind him. His body completely blocked her from the mirror, and her view, but she imagined his eyes widened when her hands slipped under his shirt and came to his front, fingertips glancing over the line of hair that started below his navel and seemed to consistently draw her attention.
"If it's that easy to give up, I guess I can try," She sighed, lightly scraping her nails over his skin before stepping back quickly and getting ready to flee when he spun and grabbed her arm, tugging her close.
"Completely unfair," He murmured, leaning down to kiss her. Smiling even as she kissed back, she realized suddenly that what had been seemed distant, the future seemed an eternity away, and that it was easy to relax into the moment with him.
The stop at the bookstore was completely unexpected, and she walked in with him, wondering if he was looking for a new novel. But he strode purposefully through the aisles, and though she was curious she decided to give him space, walking over to the fiction section and looking through their suggested reading.
Flipping through a promising looking novel, she decided it would make for a good read on the ferry back and looked around, walking past several rows of shelves. Kouga's characteristic ponytail was not in evidence, even though she knew he stood taller than a good many of the standard shelves on the middle of the floor. Curious, she began looking in the niches created by taller shelves along the walls, not finding him in the automotive section or near the older thrillers.
Huffing slightly, she continued walking the wall, wondering if she had missed him somehow. Peering left to right, from the wall to the aisles, she ignored the curious stares of other shoppers perusing shelves and was almost to the front when a hand rested on her shoulder, startling her so badly she dropped her book.
"You know, I'm beginning to understand how you got kidnapped so much," He commented wryly as he bent to pick up her book, offering it to her. Kagome took it with a light huff, frustrated that out of everything about the past he could have mentioned, he chose the one joke that even her mother had trouble letting go of.
"How long were you following me?" She asked, crossing her arms. The effect was somewhat ruined by the helmet she held in one hand and the book in the other, making it difficult when combined with the stiffness of her jacket.
"About five minutes."
"You're hiding your energy," She accused quietly, eyes growing wide when she realized that he was emitting no trace of youki whatsoever. "That's cheating!"
"That's survival," He chortled, draping an arm over her shoulder, his helmet in hand. "Maybe you can find a priest that actually remembers what it means to be one that can help you out."
She was about to mention her grandfather when the implication of his words settled on her. Her grandfather was probably not what Kouga would call a priest, at least not in the sense of the priests from the past has been priests.
"You could teach me," She started, noticing he had a bag in his free hand.
"Greedy little thing aren't you?" He asked, giving her a wry glance. "Riding, men-"
"Men?" She asked stupidly as they got in line.
"Well, it's not like you won't benefit from my years of experience," He snorted.
"I'm sure you've left legions of women behind you, a trail of broken hearts. Maybe offspring, like Genghis Khan," She said, pursing her lips in thought as she tapped her chin. "You know, I'm surprised you or someone else hasn't. Think of how it would sway the population."
Kagome knew to keep the references to what they were really talking about oblique, but the embarrassment that etched itself into his features and stained his cheeks a deep red made her wonder if he had been with many females, or if he had abstained. Immediately she eschewed the latter. He had mentioned that his mating to Ayame had been broken only a few years after her departure, which left roughly five centuries before he had seen her again, and there had been no reason for him to wait. Logically, there had been no reason for her to either, nor any conscious desire to do so, although she was glad she had.
"Do you have any children?" She finally asked.
"No," He shot out, coloring even further.
"That was quick." And it was, which made her immediately suspicious.
"I know for a fact that I have absolutely no children," He growled, obviously growing frustrated with her line of questioning. It piqued her curiosity further, but she smiled and, since her hands were full, elbowed him lightly, hoping to soothe ire she had provoked with unconscious ease.
"I trust you, I was just kidding anyway," She told him, hoping her smile didn't belie her words. Kouga remained silent, perhaps even pensive, despite her cheer, and she walked up to the register and paid for her novel. When she had finished they walked back outside and she watched him tuck the bag into his jacket.
"Did you need me to carry them?" She asked, remembering the sheaf of papers he had given her to carry before.
"It's fine," He quipped as he mounted the bike. As if to end the conversation completely he pulled on his helmet, and she was given little choice but to tuck her own book into her jacket and pull herself up behind him, wrapping her arms around his stiff form.
She noticed that his riding was perfectly controlled even though he remained tense for the duration of the trip back to the garage. Not wanting to guess, or panic, at whatever it was that had upset him, she watched other people stop and stare, and even saw a few children waving and pointing at them as they passed. Kagome focused on everything, from the cars around them to the way the buildings changed as they drew closer to the garage. In fact, she was trying to think about something other than the tense, obviously angry youkai she was clinging to for safety.
When they got back, he opened the garage door and she slipped off the bike, watching him walk it in. Needing some sort of comfort, she attempted to hug her sides, the book jabbing uncomfortably into her stomach. Settling for hugging her helmet, she followed him up the stairs and into the apartment, surprised that instead of relaxing, he only seemed more angry than when she had first made the joke.
"Kouga," She started, setting the helmet down on the coffee table and walking over to him.
"I'm not some sort of philandering fuckhead," He snapped, finally looking at her. "I don't just sleep with women and run off."
"I'm sorry," She murmured, guilt immediately settling, heavy and oppressive on her shoulders, making them sag beneath the almost physical weight. "I didn't think you would take it seriously."
"Sex is not a joke to us," He bit out, voice tight and unnaturally quiet. "I don't know about other youkai, but it's not natural for us to just fuck random people."
The rage tightly controlled still vibrated and escaped, a subtle warning that he was powerful and mad. Even his disguise had vanished between getting into the garage and arriving at the top of the stairs.
"I understand," She tried, resting a hand on his arm and grateful when he didn't pull away. She had gotten that much, at least. Even if he did feel like he was going to snap at any second. "I don't know much about any youkai, and I didn't think my joke would insult your integrity or your heritage like it did. I apologize for insinuating."
"We're not like humans," He said, his clawed hand coming to cup her cheek. "We're not like you."
"I'm not like most humans either," She reminded him gently, placing her hand over his. "But if you could tell me more about ookami, I wouldn't mind listening." Determined to try and break through a barrier she hadn't realized existed, or even considered, she pulled away and tugged him over to the couch. He sat down next to her, grunting. They both pulled the books free from their jackets and discarded the jackets themselves, draping them over the back of the couch.
"It's not like we remained abstinent until we took mates, although it wasn't common for people to do that before finding someone they wanted to mate," He sighed. "Not until later anyway. It wasn't so much a tradition or anything, just a lack of desire, at least for me."
Kagome listened, wondering as he explained if he had been one of the ones to choose safety over pleasure, or if his lack of desire had been from the stress of leading the pack and losing so many of them.
"Even so, it wasn't like we just screwed around. Even if we had the inclination, back then, there was too much going on. And after you left, it's like the world began changing so quickly. We had to learn how to hide ourselves or integrate into human society. The closer they got to the mountains, the more we had to appear human. The more we appeared human, the more we interacted with them. But there was always the chance of discovery, of somehow alerting them to our presence. One of us being exposed could have endangered the whole pack. Even though there weren't many of us after the division, they were still mine to protect."
"We didn't take human lovers even though there were only a few females left. It just wasn't worth the chance. And when it became safe, when people remembered us better as legends than as reality, some of us split off, found people to be safe with. But the thought of fathering a hanyou that would be born to an unknowing mother, or worse, to a mother that would use it against us, there's just too much risk. Since Naraku was defeated there have only been a dozen or so pups born to the pack. And when the risk is so high, when there's such a huge chance of things going badly, it kills any desire or inclination to be with anyone."
Kagome realized that it wasn't just a matter of a joke taken too seriously. She had, however inadvertently, poked at an old wound, one that had never fully healed. The declaration of how few children had been born to the pack sounded more like a lament, welling up from some dark, hidden place in him.
"We've always been selective, but it's gotten more so through the centuries, not less."
The quiet declaration made her feel even worse, immediately coloring his refusals and requests for patience. Unable to stop herself from questioning it, the explanation, the impromptu history lesson, cast an ugly shade on her persistence, making her wonder if, in an attempt to appear chivalrous and not bring up a painful history, he had taken the easier explanation. One she had plowed over selfishly, too focused on her own wants to consider his, too sure of his feelings to have actually asked about them.
"I'm sorry," She whispered, throat tightening painfully, making it difficult to breathe. "I didn't realize that-"
"That it means something?" He asked, looking down at her.
"It does, it means something," She rebutted, knowing she was garbling and tangling the words she wanted to say, but not knowing the right ones to begin with. "It meant something to me. I just, I didn't realize I was pushing you when there's so much-"
"I didn't lie," He interrupted, sagging into the couch, the tension leaving his body all at once, as if the wind had literally been knocked from him, leaving him empty. "Ever since I saw you, shit. I'm still male Kagome. You're beautiful and amazing and so much more than I remember you being. Every time I turn around it's like there's something new about you and it's fantastic. I was scared of pushing you too far. I trust you, and I won't deny the physical attraction since it would be an obvious lie."
Kagome didn't know whether to smile or to cry, the sincerity of his words coming through only too clearly. After his explanation, his confession seemed all the more weighty, all the more solid and meaningful.
"Sorry I got my panties in a twist," He groaned, leaning against her. "That's just one of those things."
"I can see why," She murmured thickly, determined not to cry. "I never thought about how hard it was to be a youkai in this era. I guess you guys just seemed so normal, I didn't realize how much you had to hold back."
"Most of it's not so bad," He admitted, his arm reaching behind her to pull her closer. "Relationships are one of those tricky things."
"But what about with other youkai or hanyou?" She asked.
"When I broke my mating with Ayame, the reason for it spread. Even if we have to live in a human's world, most youkai still hold the old prejudices, which is why there aren't that many hanyou. But once they all knew I refused to kill humans, I fell into the category below humans."
She wasn't sure if her pain and guilt were misplaced or if she was correct in feeling them. Kouga's oath had been because of her, and they had led to his separation from not only his pack, which had been bad enough, but from other youkai, which seemed unbearable. Five centuries. Suddenly the time she considered him having to screw around seemed like a sentencing, a punishment that had been meted out to him by a very unfair, very hateful god.
"I'm sorry," She said again, for lack of anything else to say.
"It worked out," He said, and there was no hurt or censure in his tone, merely acceptance. While one thing had cut him deeply, the simple fact of his broken mating and the loss of part of his pack seemed easier for him to bear, and she hoped it wasn't that he was pretending or even blocking the effects of the latter.
"I wouldn't trade this life for the world," He finally told her, nudging her gently, as if guessing her thoughts. "I'm doing something I love, I have friends, and I found you again. Chalk it up to screwy wiring with fate. But I'm happy."
"Me too," She finally whispered, cuddling deeper into his side, and realized that she was. Whatever had happened, there was no undoing it, however much she wished he hadn't been forced to endure it. And selfishly, she admitted that she was happy, and had he not endured, she would probably never have seen him again.
"Can you tell me more about ookami traditions?" She asked quietly.
"Well, on the full moon we all get together, strip and run naked through the woods, beating our chests and stealing children for dinner," Kouga said in the most cavalier voice she had ever heard.
She choked on the laugh that bubbled up from deep in her chest and smacked his chest with her hand, shaking from the loud guffaws that escaped. He joined her, fingers lacing with her own as the tension shattered. Kagome wasn't foolish enough to believe that the wound had healed over, but she hoped that it at least had a better chance of healing cleanly.
"What about your parents?" She finally asked.
Memories poured out, of parents that had passed when he was young, but that had left an indelible mark on him. A mother that had been every inch the warrior his father had been, both great tribal leaders with a deeply ingrained sense of honor and responsibility. She heard stories of his uncles and aunts, and myriad cousins. The memories themselves came haltingly at first, as if he hadn't thought of them in a long time and they were covered with dust of years gone by. But slowly he warmed to them, smiling when an amusing anecdote came to mind, leaving her giggling while he explained the intricacies of child naming ceremonies, and how his abrupt shouting of a word had left the tribe with a child named Rock.
Whatever had been tense, whatever had shadowed their evening, it passed and left them basking in one another as he told her various stories, sifting through memories and ceremonies with ease. Pieces of his life began to connect with what she remembered and blurred into the person he was now.
Listening had never been so easy for her, nor had laughing. She assumed that it was because he had dealt with enough seriousness for the evening and simply wanted to relax. Even the memories he told were all lighthearted and soft, nothing jagged or cutting like what he had brought up shortly before. She did discover that he had a talent for story telling, and she was still smiling when her breathing evened out and her eyelids grew heavy, demanding sleep despite her best efforts to resist.