IKIGAI

Page IV

"... Inuyasha and I didn't have what could be called a good start. As soon as he ripped the centipede woman apart, his figure lunged itself towards me in order to take my life... "

"Stop there." I say, and you look in my direction, from there, seated right in front of me.

"What, do you not agree?" Your eyes keep an intense shine, like when you challenge me to say otherwise. With time, I've learnt to control the uncertainty that gaze arouses in me, translated into a shiver running down my spine.

"I don't." I answer, as I decide to look into Moroha's eyes, which are quite open, as I move my leg for her to ride on.

"InuYasha." You spell, highlighting each syllable. "You almost killed me." You declare.

"No." I deny with complete clarity, and catch your cheeks turning of an angry redder through the corner of my vision.

"You attacked me with your claws, you even cut some strands of my hair!" You start to rise your voice.

"Mom is not agreeing with papa." I say to Moroha, who holds my indexes with her little hands, starting to smile joyfully now that she feels more independent in this game we have. I continue to move my leg to make her bounce softly.

"No, I'm not." You pretty much huff at me, crossing your arms and turning your gaze away in an act of rebellion.

I must confess I feel a strange pleasure from seeing you bring out your temper. Somewhen I've thought that is due to my wilder side, which always looks for a challenge, and you always somehow become the very meaning of one.

"If I had so desired, I could have killed you." I confess.

Your gaze returns to me, your expression tense, your cheeks coloured in that tempting way which finds an unsettling place inside my chest and belly. I breathe deeply, and save that sensation for another moment, maybe later, for when our daughter sleeps.

"Pass me an apple." I ask you, to which you furrow your brow slightly, yet do so anyway and offer it to me. "Hold it from the base." I instruct.

"Like this?" Your expression has changed from that pseudo-anger to curiosity.

"Yes, like that." You've lifted it right in front of you, at an arm's length.

I hold Moroha against my body with one arm, then rake at the apple, splitting it apart. You open your eyes in surprise, yet that only lasts but an instant.

"This doesn't prove anything. The fruit is still, while I was running." You protest. I smile.

"Hold that half and move it in whichever direction you want. "I instruct. Your curiosity returns to your features.

You keep the apple's half risen in the same place, your gaze fixed in mine as I hold it for an instant before following the object you've moved in front of me, creating a figure of one vertical line with a horizontal, descending one. You do so quickly, and I trace an oblique cut as the apple starts to descend.

You stare at the piece you still hold.

"You've done it a centimeter away from my hand." You don't say so with reproach, and that surprises me.

Your gaze then returns to me, and I manage to discern how an idea is born in there.

"I think I'll have to change that: his figure lunged itself at me in order to take my life, for something a little bit less radical."

You stop then, and place a kiss on my lips that so quick it leaves my mind blank.

"Do you understand now?" I ask in a whisper.

"Yes."

You smile and place another kiss on my lips. Then Moroha joins us, laughs, and pulls from a lock from our hair.

A/N

I'm loving to create these small moments of conversation between them, in which their worlds come together and their visions of certain facts. This takes me to reflect on how important is to listen to each other with one's heart.

Thank you for keeping me company, reading and commenting.

Kisses,

Anyara.

This text is possible thanks to the translation of: Dezart