Corona
By: The Hatter Theory
Chapter 4: From the Earth
This chapter is for ShiTsukisama, who has been awesome since I started this story. Danke!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha or it's characters. I just love putting them in awkward situations. I also do not hold any rights to Andrew Bayer's music.
Friday came with sore muscles and a sun too bright for Kagome's tastes. She had been up half the night finishing a neglected paper and resisting the call of the loaned books. At three she'd finished the paper and printed it out, then collapsed in bed face first, determined to get some sleep.
Stumbling downstairs and into the kitchen, she saw her mother humming brightly as she prepared bento boxes for her children. The idyllic setting was utter antitheses to her groggy state, forcing her to the fridge instead of asking for her mother to make something as she normally did.
"Hello dear," Nodoka chirped brightly, not looking up from the counter.
"Hi mom," Kagome grumbled as she shuffled food around in the fridge, searching for something quick and easy to eat before she showered.
"How is your paper coming?"
Kagome was grateful the door hid her face from her mother, and she poked her nose deeper in, hoping to avoid looking at the older woman.
"Great mom. Sesshoumaru's a bit of a traditionalist, but it's a good perspective. I'm able to cover holes in my theory."
"That's good. I'm glad you've found a study buddy like him," Came the reply, and Kagome couldn't help herself. Either her mother knew and was playing a mind game or she really had no idea and was saying something about the man Kagome couldn't understand. She pulled back from the fridge and stared at her mother's back.
"Like him?" She questioned.
"Oh, just-" Nodoka started, then faltered when she turned and saw the look on Kagome's face. "I just know you're not going to date him," The older woman added.
"Of course not, he's a jerk," Kagome muttered. Nodoka seemed startled by the revelation, and Kagome felt her eyes widen. "What were you thinking mom?" She asked, turning the question into an accusation. Kagome knew she had inherited her mother's skills in deception, and something about the older woman's reaction rubbed her the wrong way.
"It's nothing dear-"
"Mom," Kagome started, stomach bottoming out.
"Well, you know," Nodoka hedged, turning back to the bento.
"No, I don't know," Kagome bit out.
"His arm," Her mother sighed, as if she felt awful for saying it aloud. Kagome however, was even more horrified that the woman -her mother!- had even thought such a thing.
"What about his arm?" She demanded, anger making her words clipped and chilly.
"I just don't see you dating someone disabled."
Kagome was grateful her mother's back was to her, or else the woman would have been horrified at the fury suffusing her daughter's eyes, turning them a stormy midnight. She counted to ten, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from shouting at the woman that had become a stranger with that single comment.
"I guess," She ground out, surprised by the rage echoing in her voice. Appetite gone, she closed the door gently, determined not to give away the depth of her anger, and walked from the kitchen with controlled movements. She took the stairs in a similar manner. It was only after she shut her door and buried her face in a pillow that she allowed the scream escape, forcing all of her disbelief and rage into it.
After three more screams, she felt marginally better, although her stomach still shuddered at the thought of food. Going to the stack of books on her desk, she opened the top one to the middle and searched for the diagrams Sesshoumaru had been explaining to her.
She examined the second form, recognizing it for one Sesshoumaru had done the night before, and moved into position. She swept her arm in front of her and spun on her heel, shooting her arm forward, pretending she was holding one of the tessen. Then she looked to the diagram and noted the position of the figure's feet.
After ten minutes of practicing the same form over and over, looking at separate parts of the diagram each time to focus more on the minute details instead of the overall motion, she felt calmer and more relaxed. Recalling her mother's words didn't summon the same anger it had before, instead she found she could only pity her mother's perception of the man.
Sesshoumaru was many things, but disabled was not one of them. Despite the brevity of their strange partnership, she couldn't picture him ever accepting such a descriptor, and not because he was bitter about the loss. He just seemed to the sort of person to set his mind on something and get it. Most of the time she barely noticed it's absence. When they were studying, she could hear the keys of his laptop being pressed at an almost unbelievable rate, and he drove perfectly.
As he had taught her the first form, she still hadn't thought about it. In fact, the only times she had even remembered it's absence was when he had allowed Inu Yasha to show her one of the forms in the kata and when he had hinted at an accident with fire involved. That thought made her think of their shared burn.
It had been...Exhilarating. She had been unsure if he would even touch the fan, especially after his short worded confession. Instead, he had surprised her by moving into a pose and going through the kata with practiced ease, and she had been hard put to keep moving herself as she watched him. For the duration of the burn he had looked like a strange and terrible spirit, a warrior dragged from hell as the fire had lit his features. What had been intended as a thank you had turned into a sort of playing, although she was sure he didn't see it that way.
"Disabled. Hah," Kagome muttered, closing the book and moving the stack under her bed, changing her mind the last second and grabbing the one from on top. The rest safely concealed, she opened her bag and tucked the giant manual inside carefully. Satisfied that everything was hidden from her mother, she grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom.
While she turned the knobs and waited for the water to heat up, she wondered if his missing limb was the reason for his surly personality. Knowing she probably wouldn't be the most pleasant person if she lost a limb, she attributed his brusqueness to his loss. Maybe he was a slave driver because he had to try hard, and expected others to do so.
The night before had shaken some of her perceptions of him. Despite his icy reserve, there were times he was-more, not that she could find a word for what that more was. He'd been relaxed, maybe content, despite Inu Yasha's presence. Even though she could tell the brothers didn't get along, they both seemed happier going through the forms, even while they were insulting one another. While no one would ever call them affectionate, it seemed almost like it was their way of coexisting, not that she'd ever say it out loud to them.
The image of him staring longingly up at the sky, out of place and alone in the world came rushing back to her, causing a blush to heat her cheeks. The hell spirit had vanished and left behind someone too beautiful to be an earthly being. No matter what kind of jerk he was or his supposed disability, she had felt a flicker of attraction in that moment. More than a flicker if she were to be honest with herself.
Shaking her head in disgust she stepped into the shower. Reprimanding herself for being no better than her mother, she focused instead on his abominable behavior. Looks didn't matter, for good or ill. He was a jerk, and he was only helping her because he was bored. He had even admitted it. Eventually he would get bored of her and take his leave of her life.
Reminding herself of that made the hot water seem a little colder as it hit her skin.
Sesshoumaru was leaving his last class of the day and intent on getting back to the apartment when his phone jingled cheerily, and unfamiliar tone. Pulling it from his jeans, he flipped it open and stared down at the screen. A text. Who would text him when even phone calls were rare. And texting was on the verge of rude considering his state. He opened his inbox and was surprised to see Kagome's number blinking. He clicked on the text, curious what she could want.
Are you at school? I was working on the second form and wanted your opinion.
Finding a way to hold the phone and text back took a moments unsure fiddling before he grasped it. Even before losing his arm he hadn't used text messages, hating phones in general. In the past six months the only people to call were Inu Yasha and potential customers. It took him longer than he would have liked, but he managed to get his point across and hit the send button.
Walking, he felt strangely eager. He hadn't expected her to start working on the next form. To be fair, he hadn't expected her to share her burn with him, something he was still puzzling over. Whether it had been meant as a gesture of gratitude or peace he wasn't really sure. While it hadn't been anything like going through sword kata, he had been comforted by repeating movements ingrained in him since childhood. The fire had hardly been relevant before, but he was beginning to understand the appeal it held for her. Something had felt charged about the experience, as if the moves had gained a new gravity that flavored them and given them a new meaning.
The student quad was almost deserted, except for Kagome sitting on the lip of the fountain. When she noticed him, she stood and waved cheerily.
"Hey. I didn't interrupt anything did I?" She asked, looking slightly embarrassed.
"My class was over."
"Oh, good," She breathed a relieved sigh and straightened. "I was scared to call in case you were still in class."
"The form?" He asked, ignoring the explanation, not wanting to examine it for an apology. He had hoped she just hadn't thought about it or thought he had overcome that obstacle. Since he had texted back at least she didn't think him incapable.
He watched her begin with the first form, observing the slight trembling of her legs. Her movements were correct despite obviously sore muscles. When she stilled and moved into the second pose, he watched as she went through it, forcing himself to keep his expression flat.
She had gotten it completely correct.
"Did you watch a video online?" He asked, startling her so much she stumbled over own feet.
"No. This morning my mom-Um, I decided to practice and I paid attention to the diagram. Why, was I doing it wrong?"
He almost asked about her mother, but refrained, her expression darker than it had been moments before warning him off. Personal problems, hers especially, were not his problem.
"You did well," He confirmed, and smirked when she pumped a fist into the air. Then her stomach rumbled loudly and she blushed.
"Sorry, I forgot to grab my lunch before going home," She sighed, running a hand through her hair. Her stomach rumbled loudly again, emphasizing the statement. "And I didn't eat this morning."
Funny, she didn't seem like the anorexic type.
"Want to go grab lunch? My treat," She offered. "Or do you have another class?"
"I am done with classes for the day." It was a sideways acceptance, and he began walking. She scrambled for her bag and jogged to catch up with him.
"By the way, did you hear Donner got dismissed?" She asked as they moved of the parking deck.
"Didn't take long for someone to complain to the dean," He replied, feeling an irrational surge of pleasure at the professor's termination.
"No kidding. Rumor has it that he made her cry," Kagome sighed. "Poor woman." He couldn't contain the incredulous noise that sprang from his throat.
"She insulted a country she left her own homeland for, not to mention she stole the idea from that book word for word," He rebutted.
"Yeah, but everyone makes mistakes. Besides, I was kind of looking forward to arguing that point in my paper."
"Kagome!" A voice called out. Kagome turned, and he could hear her murmur something suspiciously akin to 'uh-oh'.
"Hi Kujaku," Kagome greeted, forcing a bright smile.
He didn't recognize the newcomer, although she seemed to recognize him. Immediately her eyes hardened and her lips thinned into a frown.
"I was heading to the bar. You should come," The other woman suggested in a hard voice, eyes never leaving him.
"I can't, I'm sorry. I already offered to buy Sesshoumaru lunch for helping me out," Kagome answered in a small voice. The woman tensed, looking as if she were readying herself to punch him.
"With what?" Kujaku fairly growled, the level or ire in her voice surprising him. He was fairly certain he'd never even seen her before, much less done something to anger her.
"He loaned me a book with some diagrams explaining tessenjutsu."
"That's all?"
Obviously something about the woman's tone bothered his new student, because she stiffened next to him, hands tightening on her bag strap.
"Sesshoumaru, I'll be back in a second," Kagome said over her shoulder as he watched them walk away. Despite her attempts to be quiet, the parking deck carried sound and allowed him to be privy to the whole conversation. Not that it would have mattered, the other woman didn't seem to care if he heard her or not.
"Kujaku, what's wrong? If he did something bad-"
"He's an asshole, and so is his brother. They treated Kouga like shit when he worked for them," Kujaku snapped. "I don't know why he's helping you, but he's got some ulterior motive. He's not nice to anyone."
"It's just a book. It's not like he offered me a job or anything. And he's a bit rough and rude, but he hasn't treated me badly," Kagome defended.
Kouga. That explained it. He had been one of the better performers in the troupe, a martial artist obsessed with tricking and par cor. While Sesshoumaru would admit he had worked the man hard, he hadn't treated him any differently than the others. Inu Yasha was another story. Both males had thrown themselves into one little competition after another. It had made for great performances, but everyone else had grown tired of their antics. When Inu Yasha had gotten drunk and slept with Kouga's girlfriend, Kouga had departed, never to be seen again.
However, if he had done something that would keep Kagome from at least considering working for the troupe, the situation would have to be rectified. He didn't care what anyone thought of his half brother, but the former member spreading rumors would only harm the business. Already halfway through the year, he wasn't going to allow anything to ruin his chances.
He walked over to them, ignoring the hateful look the woman sent in his direction.
"When Kouga worked for me, I treated him no differently than any of the others, and I pushed them no harder than I pushed myself," He told her in an apathetic tone, doing his best to keep from snapping at her as she tried to move between him and Kagome. "His anger has more to do with Inu Yasha's indiscretion than my work ethic."
"Indiscretion? Inu Yasha broke up his engagement!"
"Which has nothing to do with me," He replied stonily. "I merely have the misfortune of being related to the halfwit."
Kujaku opened her mouth to say something, then snapped it shut. He could hear her teeth grinding together as she continued to glare at him.
"Kujaku, we can't blame him for something his brother did. I'm not going to at least," Kagome said in a stern tone. Immediately the strange woman seemed to deflate, looking like a child that had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
"Kagome, he's-"
"Kujaku, we'll talk about it later," Kagome interrupted. "I'll take a rain check on the bar, okay?"
The dismissal was clear, and the woman nodded once, expression mutinous as she turned and walked away.
Acting as if nothing out of the ordinary happened, he started walking to his car. The diminutive onna surprised him, her short legs carrying her ahead of him quickly to the vehicle. He could tell she was angry, although he had no idea why. But the rubber soles of her sneakers slapped angrily against the concrete, echoing in the parking deck as she stopped, looking everywhere for the heap.
Moving one row over, he fished for his keys and tried to ignore the sounds of her stalking over to him. He set his bag in the backseat carefully and unlocked her door. She yanked it open and threw her bag in the back, not seeming to care where it landed.
"My laptop is in my bag," He commented.
"I'm sorry. It's just so stupid, blaming you for something Inu Yasha did. I can't believe she'd do something like that. It's like everyone today is just assuming-" She stopped, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Have others warned you away?" He asked as he started the car and put it into gear.
"No. My mom was just being a moron this morning and now Kujaku is saying stupid stuff. I just don't get it. You're not the nicest guy in the world granted, but you're not a demon or anything," She muttered. "And everyone keeps making these completely retarded assumptions based off of shallow observations. I thought they were better than that," She snarled, surprising even him, although he knew he shouldn't have been surprised. People who felt intensely were prone to angry outbursts. He just hadn't expected himself to be at the root of one.
"Did your mother warn you off?" He asked conversationally, mildly curious about her mother's reaction to him. The woman had seemed sincere the day before, and he had a hard time imagining her lying. If anything he suspected that she was as terrible a liar as her daughter.
"No, nothing like that. She's comfortable with you being my study partner because she thinks we'll never date. Which is fine and works out great for me. It's just- argh! I thought my mom was better than that," She growled.
"It's only natural," He commented dryly, not feeling even a flicker of anger. It was easy to understand why the woman wouldn't be concerned, and he couldn't fully blame her. Anyone not missing a limb seemed to think his life was either some great hardship, or he would be a burden. Other's opinions of him had never mattered overmuch. The loss of his arm had only reinforced that attitude.
"Natural? My mom brought me up to believe it wasn't outside that mattered. Besides, you seem to be getting along just fine," She snapped. "Anyone that thinks you're disabled isn't looking."
Now why did that feel like a compliment? He knew it wasn't. In fact, if anything, she was just venting about her mother, and he was trapped in a car with her. If he had known she'd end up venting her spleen at him he would have refused.
But she was too angry to come up with pity, even for him, and she hadn't stumbled over the declaration in the least. It didn't sound like a lie or pity, or even flattery. Just a simple statement of fact that soothed his ego even though he told himself it didn't need it.
Luckily there was a small diner near the campus that served decent food. He pulled into the parking lot and parked. When he turned, she was still glaring at her entwined fingers.
"I know I am not lacking," He told her, breaking her from her reverie. "I am not offended, and I do not need you to be on my behalf."
Her gusty sigh was filled with bitterness and resignation.
"People are stupid," She muttered as she got out of the car. He found he couldn't disagree with her. They walked in and were shown to their seats. The hostess smiled at him until she saw his arm, and he was surprised when Kagome growled at the teenager's suddenly uncomfortable expression.
It really was getting to be too much. She was taking higher offense to others issue with him than he did, which was foolish and irrational.
"Stop. I do not need a champion, especially not some silly onna," He muttered as they took their seats. Kagome said nothing for several minutes before expelling another gusty sigh and picking up her menu.
"I'm just more sensitive to it because of my mom. Kujaku didn't help. So Inu Yasha was the one that slept with Ayame?" She asked, changing the topic. He allowed it, as eager to get past her issue, even if the new topic was his brother.
"Yes."
"I didn't know her too well. She was the jealous type and didn't take a liking to me. I do feel bad for Kouga though, he's been sort of lost without her," She admitted. "So Kouga worked for you?"
"I run a troupe," He admitted, although the words still came reluctantly. He didn't often speak of it to others. Even personal meetings with customers were generally referred to Miroku, who was much more of a 'people person'.
"Kouga mentioned working for a troupe at one point, although he didn't talk about it to me much. I don't know. I didn't realize there was that much drama," She sighed. A waitress came to their table, and Kagome noticed she studiously avoided looking directly at Sesshoumaru's empty sleeve.
"I'd like a coke and the kobe burger," Kagome commented darkly, handing the waitress her menu.
"The same," Sesshoumaru said tonelessly. Once the woman was gone, he turned to glare at the silly woman across from him.
"I'm sorry," She groaned, crossing her arms and pillowing her forehead with them. "I'm being such a brat, and I really don't know why. You don't need anyone championing your abilities. I'm just being an oversensitive idiot."
They sat in silence for several minutes, her face hidden in her arms and his eyes resting on the top of her head. Eventually she peeked from her hiding spot, one blue eye barely visible from behind her hair.
"Any topic, your choice," She offered, the words slightly muffled by her arms.
"Would you like a job?" He asked, surprising himself. That had not been what he meant to say, though he certainly couldn't retract the statement now. He was saved from her immediate response by the waitress bringing them their drinks. Kagome peered at him curiously, as if unsure if he was being serious or not.
"What would it entail?" She asked cautiously as she straightened and reached for her coke.
"Continuing to practice. Working with the others, learning routines, performing for people," He answered baldly, unsure if he was pleased by her caution or annoyed.
"According to you, I barely know my way around my fans. Why would you offer me a job?"
"Routines are easy enough to learn. You said you've learned the traditional dances, these will be no different, only more labor intensive."
She was quiet for several minutes, resting her elbow on the table and resting her chin in her palm. Blue eyes gazed at him steadily, although he had a feeling she wasn't really seeing him.
"I don't know if I could manage it. You know my mom," She sighed., shrugging helplessly.
"Your mother thinks I am an ideal partner. You will not be lying if you tell her you are studying with me," He reasoned. It was a low blow, and he could see her being tempted. He didn't know why he was trying to reason with her. For everyone else, he could care less if they stayed or went, all of them were replaceable. Yet here he was, coaxing or goading -which, he wasn't really sure- her into accepting the job.
The others were all Inu Yasha's friends. Inu Yasha's idea. Inu Yasha's circle. She was his in a way. He would be bringing her in, would be introducing her to everyone, and she would be training with him the most. After six months of almost complete social isolation, he admitted there was a craving for someone to talk to that wasn't somehow his halfwit half brother's. That she had the fortitude to stand up to him was only an added bonus, however irksome it could be.
"I don't know," She hedged.
"I am also top of my class," He countered. "I could do the unthinkable and actually help you with your schoolwork." Was he...Teasing? For a moment he wished he could pull the words from the air and stuff them back in his mouth. Settling for taking a prolonged sip from his glass, he waited for her answer.
"How much time would it take?"
He wanted to lie. It would be so damnably easy to lie to her. But he knew it would come back to haunt him. She was the kind of person to take such things personally, and he'd already been gifted with a preview of her temper.
"At least eight hours a week. We normally practice on Sunday and Thursday."
Her eyes bugged.
"I could do Sunday," She stuttered. "But Thursday? I mean, that's at least four hours!"
He was given a moment to think when the waitress came with their food. The woman stared forward steadfastly, obviously afraid of offending her customers. She left after inquiring quietly about their drinks, fleeing back to the kitchen.
"Three. We do five hours on Sunday. Also, it would furnish you with more study partners," He reminded her. "Long study groups aren't unusual."
She sat staring at her burger, watching it go cold while he cut his neatly in half and began eating. Despite the fact that he only had one hand, he was still obsessively neat, setting the burger down every couple of bites to wipe his fingers.
She wanted to strangle him.
He knew her mother, had met the woman. He knew the problems she was facing, would face if she agreed. So why was he offering her something so damnably forbidden and tempting? It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him to go to hell. It would be more than well deserved.
The offer dangled in front of her, killing her appetite, consuming her thoughts and making her stomach churn.
"One week," She choked out, mouth drying even as she said it.
"That's hardly sufficient time-"
"A one week trial," She clarified, every warning bell in her head going off at the declaration. "To see if I can manage it. I don't want to commit before knowing I can do it, it wouldn't be fair to you or the others."
Her forethought would have impressed him if he didn't see the real reasoning behind it. She was afraid to commit to it, afraid she would give in to her mother or her own guilt.
"Do you know the route to my neighborhood?" He asked. She shook her head.
"Then go to the school, I'll pick you up sunday."
She picked at her food while he finished his own, and when the waitress came back he glared at her, the onna's mood rubbing off on him. Her emotions were a black cloud hanging over her, leeching the color out of her eyes and grating against his nerves.
"Eat," He bit out.
"I'm not hungry," She sighed, pushing the plate away. She didn't even blink when he pulled it to him and cut it in half, and then into quarters. When he pushed the plate back to her, she noticed, blue eyes questioning him.
"For every part you eat, I will teach you a new form tonight."
He didn't want to bargain with her, but her lack of hunger bothered him, knowing he had heard her stomach growling petulantly only twenty minutes before. It wasn't healthy or natural for her to just stop being hungry.
His offer worked. She picked up the first quarter and consumed it slowly, each bite lodging in her throat, followed by an ungraceful swig from her glass. The second quarter went down more easily, and by the third she was eating normally. Soon the plate was clean, and her glass empty.
"I'll meet you out at the car," She sighed happily as she rubbed her tummy. "I need to go pay the bill."
He nodded once, allowing himself a small smirk when she gave another little happy sigh as he walked away. Stubborn and irritating as she was, she was also easy to manipulate.
When he pulled the car up to the door, he noticed her posture had changed, and she was smiling brightly. Nuances of body language be damned, she was fairly glowing and screaming good cheer. For a moment he wondered if she was bipolar or merely stressed.
"So, back to your place? I brought the first book, the one with the diagrams if you need it."
He said nothing as he pulled out of the parking lot, wanting to hit himself. Four forms. She would have to call her mother and inform the woman she'd be in late. Very late.
"Please, enough," Kagome groaned, falling on her bottom and then flopping backwards on the floor, legs splayed open wide and arms flung over her head. Every muscle in her body protested even the slightest movement. Even breathing hurt. Parts of her she hadn;t been totally aware of existing were screaming their agony at her, a chorus of angry protest.
"Backing out?" Sesshoumaru asked, a haughty brow arched so high she knew it reached it hairline.
"Give her a break," Inu Yasha snapped, going to the kitchen and coming back with a bottle of water. She accepted it gratefully and pushed it against her forehead. Not particularly hot, she had to put it there to avoid the temptation to put it between her thighs, where she hurt the most. Such a gesture would not only be incredibly unseemly, she didn't want to make herself the butt of anymore jokes from either of the brothers. Especially Inu Yasha, who had no qualms about making fun of her or being crass.
"I should have eaten less," She moaned.
"Huh?" Inu Yasha asked. "You're not going to be sick are you?"
"No," She snapped irritably. With a heaving sigh she sat up and opened the water, taking a grateful swig from it. "Your brother decided to kill my appetite and then bribe me to eat."
The silence that met her declaration made her look to Inu Yasha, who looked as if he'd been slapped.
"He bribed you to eat?" The younger brother finally asked.
"Yeah," She responded hesitantly.
"I asked her to join the troupe. She'll give the schedule a one week trial to see if it is feasible given her schoolwork," Sesshoumaru supplied coolly.
"What? That's awesome, why didn't you guys mention this before?" Inu Yasha demanded. "I could have called the others and let them know."
"Now you can," Sesshoumaru remarked tonelessly, moving into the kitchen.
"So a one week trial huh?" Inu Yasha finally asked as Sesshoumaru rummaged around in the other room.
"Yeah. I don't know if I can actually fully devote myself to a job like that and school, and I don't want to waste anyone's time."
Inu Yasha made a rude noise and stretched lazily before sitting down next to her.
"It won't be hard. You've already managed to hang out here for two days in a row. And even the bastard will make exceptions if something big comes up at school," He assured her.
"Funny that you're calling me the bastard," A voice remarked dryly. Inu Yasha growled at his older brother warningly, earning nothing but a cold smirk.
"Do you guys ever stop?" Kagome groaned, flopping back onto the floor.
"We're actually a lot better than we used to be," Inu Yasha snorted as he stood and left the room. Kagome could hear his phone ringing through the thin walls. His answer was low enough to be indistinct and she turned back to Sesshoumaru.
"Why are you guys like that?" She asked.
"It is a family matter," He bit out coldly, the smirk turning into a frown.
"I'm sorry," She murmured, immediately feeling badly for her question. Choosing not to reply, he moved to the table and picked his phone up, checking the time.
"It's past eight," He observed. She stood, her legs trembling beneath her as she took several wobbling steps towards the table.
"Which way is the bus stop?" She asked as she bent, arms shaking from exhaustion.
"It's not safe to walk at night. I'll drive you," He rumbled, feeling slightly guilty. He had pushed her harder than he had intended. For three hours she'd practiced tirelessly, following his orders to the letter, even when he'd thrust the fan in her hand. The heavy metal couldn't have been easy to hold for such a long time, especially since he made her practice with each hand.
Guilt needling him, he ignored her incredulous stare and gathered his keys from the table. He waited for her to slip on her shoes and walked out towards the elevators. She continued to stay silent as they waited for it to arrive. The bell dinged and the doors squealed open. For a moment he doubted she would get in, blue eyes sweeping over the interior, hesitation evident. But she followed and the doors screeched shut behind them.
"Sometimes it feels like I've known you longer than I have. I'm sorry I behaved in such a familiar manner."
The car was taking forever to reach the parking garage. It was at the fourth floor, two minutes into the silence that he decided to respond.
"He was born while my parents were still married."
"That's hardly his fault," She shot out, surprising him once again. Most people had offered their own bits of wisdom or left the subject alone. No one had ever challenged his behavior. "If you two hate each other so much, why do you live together? I'm sure you could find a different roommate."
"This is easiest."
"Could have fooled me," She muttered.
One more floor to go and they could leave the conversation behind in the steel box that was suddenly too small. He wanted to put a healthy amount of distance between himself and the newest member of his troupe. The whole of Japan was a good start. The Pacific Ocean would be a good next step.
"We are as we are," He replied, forcing his tone into cool apathy even though he was grinding his teeth.
The doors dinged open and she walked out past him towards his car. Her gait was still stiff and awkward, no matter how much anger was driving her. Following at a more sedate pace, he readied himself for a volley of insults and unwarrented suggestions. Much to his surprise, the woman was silent for most of the drive back to her home. When he finally stopped at the base of the steps leading to her shrine, she turned to say something and stopped.
"I'll see you later."
Not deigning to reply, he watched her get out and close the door gently behind her before pulling away from the curb, frowning. In the short time he had known her, pity had never entered into their interactions. But her eyes had held nothing less.
A/N: Jeebus, sorry this is so late and probably stilted (I need a beta. Any volunteers?). I've been getting ready for Alchemy and it's been...hectic. On top of that the mom has been having health problems and getting buku testing done and I've been there with her. So...I'm sorry. Alchemy is in a little over a week, as well as my boyo and best friend's birthdays. I'll try to post, but I can't make an promises. Life happens.
This chapter was inspired by Andrew Bayer's From the Earth (breakfast remix). Hope you look it up and enjoy it!
Last note. Kobe burgers are real, I found a recipe on the net. They're AMAZING.