Into the Arms of a Mercenary {Complete} {InuyashaWattyAwards 2014}

Chapter 4

The scent of his skin allured her and that was why she didn't want to let go of him. "Oh, I wish my Inuyasha could treat me the way you treat her," Jakotsu told Bankotsu, before walking away with Ginkotsu and Kyokotsu. "By the way, where's Renkotsu? Is he plotting something behind my back again?" Bankotsu asked. "No. He's off somewhere. Something about that his horse was missing, I think," Suikotsu answered. Izayoi giggled, remembering what Bankotsu had said about 'borrowing' Renkotsu's horse. "Are you feeling better, Izayoi?" Bankotsu asked. She nodded. "What were you sad about?" he added. "Hakudoshi was bothering me about...stuff," Izayoi said, half lying. She didn't tell him that Hakudoshi had told her about her feelings towards Bankotsu. "Hakudoshi? Oh! You mean that creepy kid that can read your mind?" "Yeah. Him," Izayoi said. She was happy that Bankotsu was showing concern for her little problem. "He creeps the hell out of me. Just stay out of his way," he continued. "That's what Kagura told me to do," Izayoi said, taking in the arousing scent of his skin again.

"Hey Suikotsu! You wouldn't happen to have any sake with you?" Bankotsu asked. "Just a little bit," Suikotsu replied. "Give me it," Bankotsu demanded. He took the bottle that Suikotsu had in his hand and drank some sake. "Do you want some?" he asked Izayoi. "No thanks," Izayoi said. "I can't believe he actually offered to share the sake with me!" Izayoi thought happily. "Oh gosh. I'm over-reacting," she added, mentally slapping herself. "Thanks!" Bankotsu said, throwing the empty bottle to Suikotsu. "Come on. Let's go," Bankotsu said, getting up. Izayoi got off his lap and hid behind him. "See ya later guys," Bankotsu told Suikotsu and Mukotsu. He led Izayoi by her hand. "Umm...where are we going?" she asked him. "For a walk." They walked together in a sweet silence. Izayoi thought it was a happy moment. Even thought they weren't talking, she was enjoying the fact that she was walking besides a river with a beautiful scenery with Bankotsu holding her hand. They stopped to rest near a waterfall. Izayoi finally broke the silence between them and spoke up like little timid girl,"So...why exactly did you bring me here?"

Bankotsu looked at her beautiful face. He smiled at the thought he had in mind for her. "Well, I thought that you might want to come here for a little swim." "Oh, really? Well, that was...awfully nice of you, Bankotsu. Thanks." Izayoi gave Bankotsu a warm smile. Izayoi started to undress herself with Bankotsu staring at her. She turned around and saw him looking at her. He then asked,"Do you need me to help you get undressed?" She glared at him with a face that clearly said 'WHAT?!'; Izayoi blushed deeply and she said in a angry way,"No, thanks I'm fine." Bankotsu looked away and said to himself out loud,"Well, I might as well go for a swim, too. My legs feels a bit of sore from walking." Bankotsu started to remove his armor and clothing. Izayoi decided to do the same thing he did: she watched Bankotsu remove his clothing. She stayed like that for a long while. He turned around and she saw that he had a clueless look on his face. "What? Do I have something on me?" Bankotsu kept gazing intently at her and she turn red from the face. "Oh! No."

Izayoi had nothing on, but her underwear and bra. She dipped her toes in the fresh water first before going in. She slowly let herself sink down and Izayoi felt her feet relaxing with the cool feeling of the water enveloping them. Bankotsu sneaked behind her and followed her underwater. He stared at her bra and, out of curiosity, pulled on it; it snapped on Izayoi's back. She turned and saw Bankotsu behind her. Then she swam up to the surface to catch some air. Bankotsu went up a while after Izayoi did. She was wiping away the water from her face. Once on the surface he swam to her and pulled on the bra again. Izayoi gasped and turned towards Bankotsu, sort of angry. "Why do you keep pulling my bra?!" "What's that?" She stared at him with a 'you're an idiot' look. She sighed and explained calmly,"This is what you call a bra and it stands for...uhh...Battle-Ready-Armor!" She started to laugh in her mind. "Yeah right. You just totally made that up!" she told herself. "Really? So what you're saying it protects you?" Bankotsu said amazed.

"She must be a warrior if she has that," he thought. "Yeah, it protects my chest!" she said randomly. Bankotsu was even more amazed that Izayoi had 'armor' like that. "If it protects your chest, then how come it feels so soft?" Izayoi looked at Bankotsu and sensed that he was going to pull on her bra again. Then she covered her chest with her arm and slapped his hand away. Bankotsu backed away slightly and said,"Oww! What the hell did you do that for?" "You're pulling my bra." He looks at her and questioned,"What are you complaining about now? It's not like you're covering up anything." She had a shocked expression on her face as she heard his remark. "Hello! My chest...my...you-know-what!" she thought exasperately. "How dare you? I do have something to cover up!" "Oh, really? What?" "I have to cover up my-" she began to explain. "Why do I have to explain myself to you. It's not like you own me or anything!" "Oh my god! What did I just say?" she thought surprised. Bankotsu looked at her in a funny way and said,"What? What were you gonna say?!" Izayoi began to blush while looking into his eyes.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him. "Tell me! What were you going to say?" She pulled away from him. "No!" She nearly fell and scraped her thigh on the sharp edge of a rock and started to bleed a little. Bankotsu looked at her and picked her up from the water, bridal-style. He carefully set her down on the grass. He took a look at the wound on her thigh. "You're hurt. I'll get you something to wrap around your wound." Bankotsu grabbed his kimono top and ripped a piece off. He walked back to her and picked up her leg and wrapped the piece of cloth around her leg. Izayoi blushed at the fact that Bankotsu was touching her thigh. She gazed at him as he mended her wound. He smiled at her happily and said,"That should do for now. Do you want to go home already?" Izayoi nodded happily and looked at his face as the sun was setting in the background. They went to go get their clothing. Bankotsu helped Izayoi put on her kimono; he didn't even think about putting on the top part of his kimono on. He had nothing but his hakama on. Izayoi stared at him and Bankotsu handed her his shirt. "Here. Hold this. I don't think you'll be able to walk back, so I'll carry you myself," he said.

"Okay...if you want," she said uncertainly. Bankotsu picked her up and carried her in his arms. She felt as if her emotions were swelling up inside her. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Izayoi looked up at his face and then down to his chest. She presses her face against it, feeling the warmth of his muscular chest and hearing his heart beat steadily. She smiled to herself. "Wow, Bankotsu really has a nice chest. He's so warm!" With one arm still around his neck, she slowly rubbed her hand against his chest. He looks down to face her. "Why are you rubbing my chest? Are you feeling alright? Are you sure you don't have a fever?" "No. It's just that your chest is so soft. I just wanted to know what it felt. Like how you were touching my bra." "Hmmm...I guess that's fair enough." He looked away, but Izayoi still gazed at him then continued to rub his chest, thinking about nothing else, but him. "Her hand...it's so soft and smooth. Even her body feels warm," he thought to himself.

Bankotsu and Izayoi arrived at the castle. Bankotsu sat her down on the steps and he told her,"You can rest here while I'm gone." Izayoi glared at him and asks him,"Where are you going, Bankotsu?" "I'm gonna go train. I'll probably see you tomorrow." "Ok, then I see you later." Izayoi waved goodbye to him as he left her there on the steps. Hakudoshi came into picture and then looked at Bankotsu as he left. He smiled and thought about how to annoy Izayoi about her feelings towards Bankotsu.

He decided to bug her about what she did with him that day. "So...did you enjoy your little swim with Bankotsu?" Izayoi stayed quiet and started to talk shit about Hakudoshi in her mind. "Leave, you fucking psycho!" Izayoi didn't bother to turn around to face him and asked him,"What the hell do you want? Why are you always spying on me?" Hakudoshi simply laughed at Izayoi's question as if he were amused. "No, I'm not would I spy on a weak and pathetic girl such as yourself?" "Why are you interested in my personal life? It's not like you're jealous of Bankotsu or anything like that, are you?" Hakudoshi was silent and Izayoi waited for him to respond her. "Well, why don't you answer my question? What? Cat got your tongue!?" she mocked. He didn't know what to say so she said in a calm victorious tone,"I'm going to bed, now. Bye, freak of nature!" Izayoi left and went to her room to go sleep.