Clocks (Akura Ou x OC)

Chapter 11: Home

I shifted onto my knees and dipped my hands in the river, then splashed my face with the cool water. I have to relax. I'm retrieving my things from Akura Ou and leaving. I don't have to worry about dying. Worst comes to worst and Mizuki can take me back. I have an emergency back-up. Besides, Akura Ou didn't want to kill me, right? He would have. He didn't have to play that game with me.

"So you did come back?" I turned at the sound of Akura Ou's voice, "I never imaged your trinkets would actually mean enough."

"Akura Ou," I said, looking him directly in his golden eyes, "I want my earrings back, now."

I was suddenly angry. He had stolen from, injured, and killed how many? And the fact that he had stolen from me. I was angry and afraid. I didn't realize it until Akura Ou's hand touched me cheek, that I was crying. I was too overwhelmed. I looked up at him. His face was expressionless and he just looked down at me with his eyebrows raised. He cupped my cheek, wiped my tears with his thumb, and twirled a few strands of my hair around his fingertips. He lifted his other hand, showing her earrings pinched between his fingers. He smirked and used his hand to turn my head. I felt him thread the earring into place. He turned my head the other way and put the other earring into place. Then he faced me forward and looked back into my eyes. 

"Hmm," he hummed, "Is that all you came for?"

"Of course," I said, "Where is Kirakaburi?"

"Home. He informed me of where you wanted to meet and then disappeared, yelling something about 'killing you, not him.'"

I smiled slightly, but I couldn't hold it, "You destroyed an entire village."

"So? It doesn't matter."

"They were innocent lives that feared you. Wasn't their fear enough?"

"Humans are fascinating. You kill one another all the time, but when a yokai kills a human, it's a problem?"

"You kill women and children," I said, "Men kill one another all the time, but the women and children are protected."

"Whatever," he said, "Now, let's go."

"Go where? I'm going home."

"No. You're coming with me. You won a game with me once, so I let you go once. Now you're back and you're not leaving."

"You can't tell me what to do," I whispered. I was feeling lightheaded. The fear and rage flooding me was fading. My knees gave out and I fell into Akura Ou. He picked me up bridal style and I stared at his chest. 

"Stop shaking," Akura Ou said sternly as he began to run.

"It's not like I'm doing it on purpose," I muttered, tears dripping down my cheeks.

"I thought you were a strong woman," he said, "But you cry and shake just like anyone else. Maybe I have the wrong human."

"Crying isn't weak and neither is fearing someone stronger then you," I said softly, "Weak is backing down from someone stronger then you or exhibiting power over someone you know is weaker." I sent that final shot at Akura Ou, but he just smiled. 

"You can define 'weak' however you like, but it still defines you."

"What do you want from me?" I asked.

He smirked but didn't reply. 

"Sleep if you want," he said after a few minutes, "This trip will take a bit of time."

Even though I was angry, once he said that, I felt my eyes close. Damn it. How could I possibly fall asleep in a murderer's arms. Maybe it was because I knew I was safe. I was being held by one of the strongest yokai in existence and there was hardly a being who could challenge him. I hate myself for this, but all of the stress and fear was too much. I fell asleep.