CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Sesshomaru
Ugh. No matter what I did to attempt to get myself comfortable, I couldn't. The armor got in the way. I was careful not to bump Mikage as I sat up. How could she sleep so peacefully after all that she had been through? She slept with her back to me, her long hair forming small coils over the hard floor. I remembered earlier now, when she had been acting so differently. She was actually not stuttering or shying away from me.
The leather string of the armor was wrapped around my finger as I pulled it. I felt the metal loosen from around my torso as I reached for the next tie. I have to admit- it did feel good to remove the heavy armor once and a while.
Finally, the heavy plating came completely loose. I turned to place it on the floor beside me, only to meet eyes with that stupid cat. I was tired, and didn't want to deal with this now.
"What do you want?" I whispered, setting it down. I swore that the cat was smirking.
"You've gotten a little crush on her, haven't you?" she taunted, crossing a paw over the other. It was then that I decided that I wouldn't egg her on. This was not a conversation that I wanted to partake in; and I wouldn't.
I returned to my previous position beside Mikage, tuning the muses of the cat demon out. Then, however, I realized something. It wasn't just the voice of Yuuhi that I heard, but also an even more annoying voice. Jaken.
"Of course Milord hasn't! To think that one as great as himself could be reduced to such emotions like love! Ridiculous!"
"Well I never said 'love', did I? I said 'crush', you stupid green man!"
"Shut your muzzle before I shove this staff in it!"
"Oh? Keep in mind that I could totally like, crush you at any time if I wanted to. All I have to do is transform!"
"I could burn you to a crisp with my mighty head staff!"
That was it. Those two could wake her up at any given time if they didn't shut up.
"Be... Quiet...!" I growled. My teeth were gritted in fury, and it certainly didn't help that I was exhausted.
"Oh! Milord! You are awake I see! How very good! Now you can be the one to tell this wretched cat off! I-"
Grabbing him by the collar, I hissed.
"Wasn't it you that was supporting Mother's plans earlier, Jaken? I find it odd that you completely change your viewpoint just for the sake of argument."
Jaken gulped, as Yuuhi snickered. But I continued.
"The next time you so much as bother me, it will be your head. Do you understand?"
Jaken nodded quickly before I tossed him aside. That was enough of that. Sighing, I let myself collapse back onto the floor. How had Mikage managed to sleep through all of that? She was lucky to be graced with heavy sleep. Or maybe it was only because her memory had been freshly erased. I grumbled a bit. Why was it that such thoughts infuriated me so? I didn't want anyone to so much as lay a hand on her with bad intentions.
"Sesshomaru. Have you someone to protect...?"
Father's voice came into my head, asking me the question that was asked so often. Hearing it again, though, I wondered. Did I? Now that I thought about it, I wasn't able to steer off the possibility as easily as before. Maybe I did...
…
Pah. That was ludicrous. My mind truly does wander too much when I am tired. It wasn't the first time, either.
A small shriek jerked me out of my thoughts. That's it.
"Jaken...!"
"Milord... Help!" he squeaked. I turned to see the sight of the cat hanging onto Jaken, her hind feet dangling through the air. In the now darkening room, it was difficult to see what he was so worked up about. But my question was quickly answered.
"Milord! Her claws and vicious fangs are digging into my skin! She came after me in pursuit of the strings dangling from beneath my kimono sleeves! It hurts to high heaven! Milord...! Milord!"
Jaken continued to whine as I lay back down. If I had something to throw at him, I certainly would. But my armor would cause a horrible racket, despite it's effectiveness as a weapon. Perhaps I could-
"Gah!"
I opened my eyes only to see the sitting figure of Mikage in the small amount of sunlight that was left.
"Be quiet both of you... I am trying to sleep!" she hissed furiously.
Had she thrown something at him? I turned my head to look. Jaken was holding his head with his one hand that wasn't injured. Beside him, on the floor was Mikage's gold tiara. Yuuhi was looking rather startled, as well, a piece of Jaken's torn kimono in her mouth. When I directed my attention back to Mikage, she was slowly lowering herself back to the floor. She was closer to me than before, I noticed, and being without my armor, I could feel the warmth of her body against me. The comfort of it reminded me now of how much I truly lusted for sleep. Now more than ever. So finally, I abided.
So as Mikage and I both fell back to sleep, I heard those words again.
"Sesshomaru. Have you someone to protect...?"