The moment she heard a part of feet entering the cave her heart skipped a beat and she hoped he had not heard her last words. It was Jin, she knew it, she could almost be certain she sensed it when he was near now. It was the very reason she had thought he was closely when she was bathing but she did not see anyone, maybe she could sense him sleeping at the cave still. Who knew, she truly did not care much about that, all she knew was that, for as long as they travelled together she would treasure every moment she spent in his company even if he did not return her feelings she would be happy just to be next to him. After all, who ever said that you could only love those who reciprocated this? Love was selfless and she was ready to do everything to help Jin be happy even if that entailed him not feeling anything for her past friendship or camaraderie. She closed her eyes and did her best to ignore the image of his beautiful tanned body fully exposed to her eyes, she would have to stop thinking about that once he reached her otherwise she would blush like she was doing right no and he would guess…

She heard Gojou approach and watched him sit next to her and she smiled, she could not remain angry with him it seemed and she embraced her furry friend even though he was quite mischievous. She was waiting for Jin to have breakfast, back in her home it was rude to eat without waiting for everyone to be ready to enjoy the first bite.

"Good morning, Shiho-chan. How are you feeling?”

She turned to look at him and had to hold her breath before she sighed in awe of what her eyes beheld, he was truly such a handsome young man, why had no one charmed him yet? She looked into his deep purple eyes and found herself smiling lovingly at him, but she soon turned to look at the food, “Good morning, Jin-kun, I am feeling better I think, thank you for tending to my wounds.” She then looked at his hand and said, “Is your hand any better?” He still had a few droplets of water in his hair and she giggled, they made him look cute, she lightly touched one and it fell on the rocky floor. She then decided to pull a joke at him, unsure why she was being so childish with him lately. And she gently picked some droplets of water form his silken hair and then she flicked the water at his face with a sweet laugh. She did this once more before she laughed even more and covered her mouth with a hand, she was not sure why but she truly enjoyed herself in his company.

How could he react to her childishness? Would he remind her they were adults and did not have time to fool around? That was what anyone would tell her but, she just could not gel it at times. It seemed that the more time she spent in Jin’s company the more she turned into her old self. Someone cheerful and full of life, would this be a good thing or a bad thing in his eyes? She eyed him curiously before she noticed he was looking at the breakfast she prepared for them. She hoped he would approve, she used to help her father when cooking but she had not done this in a while, so she thought she might as well make the best of their supplies and surprise the man she loved. Judging by the way he smiled he was pleased by what he saw, now all she could hope for was that the food tasted as nice as it looked.

"We'll need to change the bandages again before we set out.”

She noticed the way he looked at her bandaged wounds and then nodded to his words, “Do you need me to gather anything or have you got enough supplies for the healing remedies?” Oh she knew well she only said that because she was real zing she would have to expose herself to his glamorous eyes… “I could…” she blushed lightly but then finished her sentence, “…look at your cut if you would like me to.” His body probably healed itself much faster than hers anyway. So it would probably be silly of her to propose such a thing. And yet, she did find it a bit embarrassing to think that she would need to unbutton the white shirt she was wearing so that Jin could tend to her wound. She looked at her shoulder, she could try and cover herself a bit. It’s not that she was embarrassed for being undressed in front of his dashing purple eyes, but…she just did not think she was pretty enough or womanly enough for someone like him. Perhaps it was low self-esteem, but, there was little she could do about it.

“I haven't had someone make me breakfast in years… Thank you, Shiho-chan.”

She held his hand hold hers and for a moment his thumb caressed it and she felt her cheeks turn a carmine colour and her heart-just by such an innocent gesture-was racing a marathon of its own. She lightly closed her eyes feeling his strong and callused hand on hers and she wished that he and not pulled away when he did. She thanked him when he shared the food with her and she smiled at his words, but then she was truly shocked, she knew that it was common for ladies to offer food to handsome travellers in an attempt to get them to stay and settle down, “Really? I find that hard to believe…”

She realised she and spoken her mind and, since it was too late to take it back, she began to eat her food without looking into his eyes. She enjoyed the food and she would tell he liked it too and she was relieved. Her cooking skills had not diminished with the years of lack of use. She busied herself with eating her meal so that she would not say anything else foolish and also thought she would have to get rid of her bloodstained clothes. Once they reached the nearest town or city she would ensure to do so, she did not want to keep something she could no longer use and then perhaps get more fitting clothes, something to make her look more like the woman she wished to be, although, nothing too notorious but just enough to charm her beloved.

She finished her food and then opened a water skin and drank from it a couple of times before she offered it to Jin. She wondered if he knew she had watched him back at the lake. She eyed him curiously and he did ton seem to give any signs of having seen her or anything. Gojou moved to the entrance and then began to play chewing on the rocks he found nearby that he could pick up or would then move to trot from the entrance to his family before going back outside with a bark and it made her laugh softly. Gojou was surely quite a crazy character, but she knew she would not change him or Jin for the world. If only dreams could come true then she would not be in this predicament. How could you be happy knowing you could never truly be with the one you loved? Her eyes finally met Jin’s and she felt in a trance. Only Gojou’s barks outside as he played on his own made her wake up form such a powerful sensation. She waited for Jin to be ready before she cleaned everything and put things away. She was used to leaving no traces of her being anywhere whenever she travelled.

Finally standing up she took a deep breath and knew she best let him look at her wound and get on with it, as shameful as it might be for her to expose her pitiful self to the eyes of her beloved. She turned back to Jin and then moved to sit next to him and she slowly began to unbutton the white shirt, her fingers shaking in fear that he might laugh at her, she probably did not even have anything to hide…Or so she suspected he would think. She blushed faintly and then managed to uncover her shoulders enough for him to treat the wounds without exposing herself although still the thin lone of her chest was visible.

She ensured to hold the shirt so that she could cover her modesty and looked away hoping she did not look like a mere child in his eyes. There was a bit of a crimson colour in her cheeks but it slowly faded away. A cool gust of wind played with her hair for a moment and Gojou could still be heard playing outside. It seemed to make her feel a bit better.

“Really? I find that hard to believe…”

Jin smiled, realizing her train of thought. "Rather, it's been a long time since someone's made me a meal I haven't paid for." He'd gotten meals occasionally in pubs and inns, when he'd had the money to pay for them, or earned them in exchange for doing small jobs for the owner. "I've had people offer to make me meals before, but none of them were ones whom I felt the desire to share breakfast with." He realized, if she followed his meaning, the fact that he was cheerfully and so readily sitting down to eat with her would come very close to a confession of his feelings. He watched her carefully for a reaction as they finished eating and she put things away.

After that was done, Shiho moved to let him tend her wounds, and he noticed a nervousness she had not portrayed the night before. What could have changed to make her so uneasy in his presence? Did she know he'd seen her bathing? Just the thought conjured up a memory of her standing beautifully in the stream...looking more a water nymph than a wind goddess. He pushed the thought away...recalling that now would not help him ease whatever was bothering the woman he loved. He couldn't help but glance at the lovely pale skin she exposed before his eyes went put to her face. Her blush had faded, but she still looked resolutely away from him.

A sudden decision made, his hands finally moved, though not to tend the wound...not right away at least. Instead he gently cupped her chin, and turned her heas so their eyes could meet. "Shiho..." As he looked into her emerald depths, he saw that nervousness and embarrassment, but also...doubt? Worry? Was it that she feared he might harm her, or act inappropriately? No, there wasn't fear in those emerald orbs...so then, what could be the problem Could it be that this lovely woman was worried he would not find her attractive? Didn't she know how beautiful she was? It was a wonder to Jin that she didn't have hordes of lovesick men following her about begging to do her bidding. His voice was soft as he spoke to her, and he hoped his words would ease her fears, whatever their origin might be. "I hope you know I will never harm you..." And then a soft smile as he added. "...no matter how lovely you look in my awful, shapeless shirt." He was still holding her chin gently, so he ran a thumb along her cheek, hoping to reassure her.

He then turned his focus to treating the wound on her shoulder. It was a simple matter to remove the old bandage, clean it, and apply some new salves and a fresh bandage. He had more than enough supplies to last them until the next village, at least. He might see about restocking once he got there. Perhaps he was being too bold in his movements, but he hoped to show Shiho she had no cause for concern with him. After he finished bandaging her shoulder, he gently took the collar of the shirt and slid it back into place. He had to resist the urge to shiver as his knuckles lightly grazed her smooth skin. He was tempted to refasten the buttons for her, but as shy as she had been the day before, he worried that might be too much, and would send her running once more.

Once she was sorted out, he worked to redo the bandages on her neck and thigh, all while glancing up occasionally to make sure she wasn't too uncomfortable. Once he was done, he reached up once more and placed a hand on her cheek. "There, all done." He gave her a smile, and hoped she was feeling better with him. The last thing he wanted was for the woman he loved to feel shy or uncomfortable in his presence...not when he found her company so agreeable. Once she was sorted out, he held out his hand with a sheepish grin. "I sort of forgot to take the bandage off when I bathed earlier." The bandage was mostly dry now, but it looked a bit worse for wear. To be honest, his mind had been elsewhere, and he hadn't even thought about it until he'd already soaked it. "If you wouldn't mind checking it for me...it may not even need to be bandaged anymore..." He supposed it was a foolish thing to forget, but he rarely ever remembered things like that, and beside...it was good practice for Shiho's budding medical training.

Once everything that needed bandaging was bandaged, and the rest of their things were stowed away in his pack, Jin took one last look around the cave, making sure he hadn't left anything behind. He'd even bundled up Shiho's soiled clothing and packed it away. He stood in the mouth of the cave, running down a mental check list before at last he turned to Shiho. "You don't need to be walking on that leg yet, and you need to rest that shoulder as much as possible. I'm going to shift into something, and you can ride on my back until we get near the village." His tone left no room for argument. "Don't worry about hurting me. You won't, I promise." He considered for a moment before adding. "I'll stop just before we get within sight of the village, and you can get off. I'll continue on from there in my normal form." He didn't voice the fact that he didn't intend to let her walk then, not until they were within the village, anyway.

Jin didn't fully understand his ability to shift into animals, but for some reason, he was able to hold on to things when he shifted without it affecting his animal form. This made travel very useful, especially in instances like this. His deep purple eyes met her emerald gaze, and he smiled at her. He'd never allowed anyone to ride on him before when in his animal form. It had seemed weird, and just wasn't something he could imagine himself doing...

...Until now. Until Shiho. It seemed almost natural that he would give her this privilege he'd never granted before, and besides, it would help keep her from pain, and that alone was enough of a reason to do whatever he could for her. He'd already promised to look out for her, and do all he could for her, so this was simply keeping that promise. He loved her, after all...

He considered for a long moment which animal to shift into. A horse was his first thought, but it would be difficult for her to mount without help, and it might jar the shoulder too much to ride. Not to mention it was a larger animal, and he had a hard time holding those forms for long. He recalled suddenly that she had thought he made a cute wolf, and had expressed a fondness for canines. The wolf he'd shifted into earlier wouldn't be big enough, but perhaps he could shift into a larger version...large enough to carry Shiho, but small enough to conserve energy.

He nodded to himself, deciding it was worth a try. "Here we go, Shiho-chan." He gave her one last smile before, pack in hand and katana strapped to his belt, he shifted into the form of a large wolf. It wasn't as painful as shifting into smaller animals, and he was slowly learning to ignore the discomfort, making sure it didn't show in his face as he shifted. He didn't want Shiho to know he hurt-even this momentary, passing discomfort-for her. Once he was shifted, he was a larger than normal wolf. He stood still, allowing Gojou to come up and sniff him, making sure he was a friend and not a foe before he padded over to Shiho and laid down before her, waiting for her to climb on so they could go. Laying down, as he was, she'd only have to stand over him and he could do the rest. Once she was ready, he stood, and waited for her to get settled, hoping she'd know it was okay to grip his fur before he slowly began walking for the next village. He would stick to the less populated forest paths for as long as they could.

”Rather, it's been a long time since someone's made me a meal I haven't paid for.”

She smiled and remembered that he was used to changing into animals and living in the wilderness s he probably did not spend that much time in a town or village. He seemed not to keen to spend much time in the company of others preferring the wilderness and the animals that lived in it instead. She wondered though if he found Shiho’s company agreeable. So far he had not complained but was he simply being nice to her? Did he feel responsible for her injuries and so that made him decide to put up with her? Or was he actually enjoying being with her? She knew though that he was honest so if he disliked her being there he would tell her. Yes, she was sure of that and his eyes they were like windows to his soul, if he tried lying she knew his eyes would always give him away. It was that thing about him-among many others-that made her love him so deeply it seemed.

"I've had people offer to make me meals before, but none of them were ones whom I felt the desire to share breakfast with.”

“Jin-kun…” She seemed to notice he implied something with his words, and though she did not entirely pick up the meaning behind them, she still blushed deeply and looked away slightly. Was he saying he chose to spend time with her when other lovely women must have offered to make him something to eat and he had denied them that joy? She felt her heart beat with no control once again and tried to calm it down a bit while she looked elsewhere. She feared that if she looked back into his deep eyes, she might forget all her shyness and just kiss his lips as she had thought of doing several times before. His words only gave hope to her silly persona and she regretted even lingering on the subject. He might just try to be friendly to her and eventually had no decide to see anything in her past a probable friendship so she might as well not push her luck, what if she did so and he left her at that moment? She would be an abandoned wreck but she honestly did not mind if he left if that made him happy. Yet, she knew she would always pray for him and look after him wherever he went even if that cost her immeasurable pain.

She felt his eyes looking at her as if he expected a reaction of some sort and she felt her cheeks turn an even deeper colour. She decided to quickly busy herself with putting everything away before she did or said anything silly.

When she exposed her skin so he tended to her wound, she noticed his eyes dart to her body before they came to rest in her gaze. But her eyes were looking away, as she waited for him to laugh at her plainness and then tend to her wounds. oh how it would hurt coming form the man she loved! But she was ready to accept this cruel fate. She did not deserve someone like him anyway so what could she truly expect of this? And then she felt him move, what…no laughter? Was he planning on telling her something so she would not feel so bad then? Or did he try to be polite and simply tend to her wounds?

No, his hands were not moving toward her wound but rather to her chin and he made her eyes look into his own. She could no longer avoid his deep purple orbs so instead she swallowed and decided to show strength-if she had any-preparing herself for what she would see. Instead, he surprised her even more, because he looked deeply into her eyes and did not seem to mind what she looked like.

"Shiho...I hope you know I will never harm you...no matter how lovely you look in my awful, shapeless shirt.”

This man was truly wonderful, was he not? She could not believe how much he endeavoured to make her happy, to kiss away all her troubles and dark thoughts. Her eyes softened completely and shone with all the love and devotion she felt for this man and a small weak smile touched her carmine lips. She almost shivered to his thumb caressing her cheek and his mouth calling her by her name. But she stopped herself in case he feared she was afraid of him, which she could never be. “I trust you with my life…” She spoke softly while her emerald eyes fixed upon his dark abysses and then she felt even more embarrassed by his last words, “Jin-kun…you are too kind but…I do not believe that I deserve such praise.” She realised she had been holding her breath the moment he held her chin and their eyes met for what felt like a very long time.

She was grateful when he moved about to tend to her shoulder and she ignored the pain during the process. She made the best of that one occasion and looked at him as he concentrated on the wound and she found herself longing to caress his dark hair and kiss his cheek, his lips…And memories of him bathing returned to her mind and return a reddish colour to her cheeks, almost as deep as that of a strawberry. Why was she suddenly remembering her beloved and beautiful man in such a way? She should be ashamed of such thoughts and hoped he would not guess what was on her mind as she looked back at her wound to avoid going further into the vision she had of him this morning. She could not avoid gasping silently when, unexpectedly, Jin placed her shirt back on and she felt his hands touch her pale skin. It was such a pleasing sensation but she was not sure why she seemed to enjoy it. She moved her hands to fasten the buttons so that her skin would no longer be exposed feeling more like a child with each passing moment. What was wrong with her?

She did not move when he tended to her other wounds and did her best not to think on anything or else she would be growing paler or redder deepening on the pathetic thought hat would assault her mind. She felt his eyes upon hers as he tended to them and finished and then placed his hand on her cheek. Oh how she wanted to hold that hand forever!

”I sort of forgot to take the bandage off when I bathed earlier…If you wouldn't mind checking it for me...it may not even need to be bandaged anymore…”

She smiled softly and then gently removed the bandage while she closed her eyes fora moment and prayed that it was much better, before removing the bandage she placed her hand on the wound and then removed it. She smiled deeply when she saw that it was already scaring and she cleansed it and applied a bit of the herbs and then bandaged it lightly before kissing his hand once more. It was her perfect excuse to hold him, kiss him, and show him that she loved him. “It is healing well, soon you will be able to walk freely with no bandage to the wound.”

”You don't need to be walking on that leg yet, and you need to rest that shoulder as much as possible. I'm going to shift into something, and you can ride on my back until we get near the village…Don’t worry about hurting me. You won't, I promise…I’ll stop just before we get within sight of the village, and you can get off. I'll continue on from there in my normal form.”

Now that was a side to Jin she had never seen before. He had issued her an order basically and there was no way she could rebuke him it seemed for the way he looked at her as he spoke. He would not let her walk and she felt a bit silly, like a small child that would break if she did anything on her own. but she knew she had several injuries so arguing with him would be futile and so for now she swallowed her pride and walked toward him, no questions asked, although she knew that, for what she had seen, it must hurt him to change shape, so when he chose to change she would pray s that he did not hurt himself too much.

She nodded to his words although, she finally realised he wanted her to ride on him? Really? Would that not be demeaning to him? Would he not think she was using him as a mere burden beast or something? She decided she would do it with as much reverence as she could manage. She did not want to offend her beloved. She wondered what her parents would say if they saw how fast and deeply she had fallen for this strapping young man…

"Here we go, Shiho-chan.”

She smiled back at him and when he shifted she placed her hands together and closed her eyes praying so that the pain would not be too much and a cool breeze caressed the both of them as if her powers meant she had been heard. It was then she felt a bit of pain and discomfort in her wounds and she did her best not to show it, that necklace…but she did not care, she would protect Jin for as long as she could. Her eyes opened and she saw her loved one in the shape of a rather large wolf and she giggled happily and whispered, “Cute…”

She moved toward him and sat with both legs on one side and then nodded to Gojou who barked happily eager to get going. She knew or suspected Jin would want her to hold on to him, but instead, for some reason, her heart was much more powerful than her mind or instincts and she leaned forth, resting her body on his back and running her arms around his neck lovingly while she whispered his name. She smiled and then closed her eyes taking a dee breath and enjoying being this close to her loved one once more.

Maybe she was a bit selfish but, wouldn’t anyone be in this situation? Being so close to someone you loved and did not believe returned the emotions, you had to make the best of it, right? She smiled as he began to move toward the village and Gojou looked rather pleased with himself.

“I trust you with my life… Jin-kun…you are too kind but…I do not believe that I deserve such praise.”

Jin loved hearing his name on her lips, and though he was glad she trusted him, he couldn't help but notice her blush at his last words, and smile. "Well," He said as he tended her wound. "I suppose our opinions differ then." Perhaps he was hoping for another small blush, but he wouldn't tease her too much. He didn't want his favorite goddess to fly away, after all...

“It is healing well, soon you will be able to walk freely with no bandage to the wound.”

A small part of him hoped the hand would never heal, though he knew it would, and sooner than he'd like, it seemed. It was an excuse f or him to feel his beloved's hands hold his own, and she always kissed it when she was done, which warmed his heart and made him smile. Perhaps he'd 'accidentally' get some other small injury after his hand healed...that way she could still treat him. It was an amusing thought, but he didn't seriously consider it. After all, it would be hard to protect Shiho if he was constantly injured, and eventually, she'd probably think him some accident-prone fool, and take her leave. He really didn't want that to happen...

He was glad she didn't argue with his suggestion that she ride on his back to the next village. It was safest for her, and he really didn't feel degraded at all if it was for the sake of the one he loved. He mentally laughed when she called him 'cute' again. Perhaps he should just stay in this form...she hand't shown this much outward fondness for his human form, after all. He padded over to her, and lowered himself to make it easy for her to get situated, but he was surprised when she sat 'side saddle' on his back.

That surprise was magnified tenfold when, instead of gripping his fur as he'd expected, she leaned over and wrapped her hands around his neck. He heard her whisper his name, and he gave a small yip in answer, wishing for the first time that he could talk to humans in this form. If it had been possible for a wolf to blush, Jin would have, as he felt her haying on his bakc, and the comforting warmth of her arms around his neck. He mentally sighed as he stood slowly and began to walk, trying to make good time without jarring her around.

And yet, all he could think was how he wished she'd be this...open...with his real form...that she'd allow them to be this close when they could both fully enjoy it. Jin wasn't greedy, however, so he vowed to take what he could get. He would be happy with the memories of the closeness she did grant him. Moments like this, and the breif touches of her soft skin as he tended her wounds...her smiles and laughter, and deep, beautiful emerald eyes...eyes he could get lost in, and never wish to be found. And again, he was glad wolves could not blush, for his mind recalled briefly those stolen glances of her in the stream that morning. He'd forgotten to confess that he'd seen her. Perhaps he'd do it when they reached the village, after he was that she had everything she needed. He didn't want her to get angry and part ways with him before he sawto her needs, after all

He stuck mostly to forest paths, where there would be little to no human traffic, and the odd sight of a girl riding a large wolf would be much less likely to be noticed. As they went, Gojou tried again and again to get Jin to play with him, but Jin didn't want to run, and risk causing Shiho harm. A sudden thought occured to him, and he silently instructed Gojou as to what to do. The dog darted off, found a stick and brought it back, running along on Shiho's uninjured side and giving her puppy eyes, hoping she'd use her good arm to throw the stick for him. Jin mentally grinned. His new 'pet' really was a little goofy some-well, most-of the time.

“Well…I suppose our opinions differ then.”

She looked at him abruptly and blushed lightly. Really? Did he truly think her beautiful? She looked down, she had never been praised like this before and she did not want to offend the man she loved and so she looked back into his eyes and smiled. She hoped that this gesture would mean something to her beloved. She was still refraining herself form doing anything that might embarrass either of them so she and to be careful with what she did or said. However, she placed a hand on his and held it gently before she lightly squeezed it, she ensured it was not his injured hand, of course.

He smiled when she looked after his wound and bandaged it gently. Maybe it was her being too hopefully but, it seemed that whenever she kissed his injured hand his face brightened and his gorgeous deep purple eyes would sparkle like precious gems. It made her feel weak on the knees and her heart would beat with no control. If only she could ring herself to tell him…Surely he would not feel obliged to return her feelings, right? Oh how she truly wished to tell him… She moved a bit closer to him, their eyes fixated on each other’s gaze and she whispered, “Jin-kun…I…” No, she could not say anything of the sort, it would be too much to bear if this scared him away and she was alone in this big world again. She felt sad, great sorrow break within her. No, she would not show this to him and instead she smiled and said as if trying to make it up for what she was about to confess and still being honest about it, “I am glad we have met.” Would he understand the hidden meaning of the words she had uttered?

She closed her eyes deeply for a moment as she embraced Jin in his big wolf form and then giggled wholeheartedly. Would she be strong enough to never reveal her feelings to him? She wondered if she would ever be that powerful. Usually she was so meek and yet this handsome warrior looked after her and seemed to enjoy her company. She wondered at some point if he felt the same way for her as she did for him. It was probably wishful thinking. So for now she would enjoy the closeness with the man of her dreams.

She embraced him deeply and buried her face on his fur, he was so soft in this shape, it was one of her favourites, at least form the ones she had seen. He made a funny fish though, she smiled and finally looked up at the wild paths they used, she was glad he thought of everything, if it had been her she probably would have paid little attention to crucial details such as these. If someone saw her riding a wolf it would be to much for them, besides, she did not look that normal upon first glance so it would give them a more mystical appearance, that is, they might mistaken her for a witch or a demon or something. not that she did not feel like one at times when the Fiend used her for their dirty work.

She sighed but then noticed Gojou picked a tree branch and she smirked and took it and tossed it for him to catch. She did this with her uninjured arm though. The dog would eventually find the log and then bring it back to Shiho who would throw it again and again enjoying the company of both Gojou and Jin. She laughed softly and realised she was having so much fun, she leaned down and kissed Jin’s head, “Thank you Jin-kun, for everything…”

Jin was truly pleased by how much Shiho seemed to be enjoying this means of travel. He'd have to remember that in the future. Then again, he could imagine that waling side-by-side with her, when he was in his human form would be nice too. He could play his flute as they walked, or maybe she'd hold his hand...

He mentally laughed as Gojou chased the stick and brought it back. His little family got along so well, it was almost as if they'd been together for ages instead of less than a day. Wait ?His family/ That thought puzzled the Seishi. He had never had a family before. He'd had his mother, but that had been all. It was strange to apply that word to himself...but it felt nice as well. He could get used to the thought, if it included Shiho.

“Thank you Jin-kun, for everything…”

He was pulled from his thoughts when he felt Shiho lean over and kiss his head. He had to fight the urge not to shift back into his usual form right then and there and pull her close so he could kiss her deeply. It would scare away his little goddess if he did so, and that was the last thing he'd want.

Eventually Gojou seemed to tire of playing, and began to walk along beside them, matching Jin's pace easily. After they'd been walking for a little over an hour, perhaps, Jin realized the next town would be getting close. He found a clearing just off the path and came to a stop, laying down carefully to not jar Shiho too much, but to make it easy for her to get up. He almost regretted the fact that they had to stop in the next town, as he'd been enjoying the closeness of the woman he loved. Still, she needed new clothes, and he needed to try and get a few more supplies, as he'd gone from taking care of one person to taking care of two and a dog, but he didn't mind, not at all.

Once she was standing, he stood as well and shifted back into his human form. It felt nice to stand on two legs again, but he missed the warmth of Shiho next to him. Good thing he'd soon fix that. He stretched for a long moment before smiling cheerfully at Shiho. "Enjoy the ride, Shiho-chan?"

He took his pack from his shoulder and took out a canteen, taking a drink before offering it to Shiho. Once all had rested for a moment, he held his pack out to her. "Here, carry this for me, will you?" He smiled. He nodded to her injured leg. "I meant what I said back at the cave. You don't need to be walking on that just yet...but a wolf just can't stroll into town with a girl on it's back."

His deep purple eyes met her emerald ones for a moment, and he got a slightly mischievous grin. "No reason a man can't though..." He concluded. He adopted the 'Won't take no' tone he'd used earlier, as it had seemed to work then. "I would carry you in my arms, but that might shake your shoulder too much."

He moved so he was standing right before her, and looked down into her eyes for a moment. He reached up and gently touched her cheek once more before smiling softly. "I did promise to look after you, after all..." He then turned so his back was to her, and crouched down before her. He would carry her piggy back the rest of the way to town, and then, only once he had to, he'd let her walk. He'd keep an eye on her, however to make sure she wasn't in too much pain.

Once she was safely and stably on his back, he began to walk once more, whistling cheerfully as he'd been doing before he found her the day before. He would give her some money in town so she could get some new clothes, and he'd see about getting them a room at an inn...mostly because that was the easiest way to get his clothes cleaned. He might even try to find something nice to surprise her...

The wind was gentle and it rustled the leaves of the trees and the birds hid from view and yet sang delightful melodies. Gojou got tired of playing the catch a branch and bring it back game and simply sniffed the air and trotted alongside Jin. Shiho still found it hard to believe that she had come across a handsome man who could change into any animal. It was a truly an amazing skill to have and she was sure he would be a great Seishi when the time came. Although, that though almost made her sad all of a sudden, a light back of joy from Gojou made her think about the village she could already see in the distance. Yes, she would worry about that once the moment came, for now, she would enjoy the time she had with this man she loved so deeply and so soon. It almost felt like a story coming out of a beautiful novel of some sort. She felt the wind play with her long violet hair and giggling she moved it back into place with her hands while Jin moved on.

She looked down at Jin when they reached a clearing and he stopped and for a moment she wondered what she should do. But soon enough she slid off and moved away to give him some space. She watched in fascination as he stretched and his beautiful silken purple hair shook with the wind, she would have almost sighed in delight had she not remembered he was looking at her. She felt silly and decided to preteen to sort out her clothes while he got ready for their walk. Of course she did not expect what he had planned for her next…

"Enjoy the ride, Shiho-chan?”

She smiled at his words, “Very much, Jin-Kun…it was fun although I hope I was not too heavy and that you did not get hurt because of me.” Her hand almost reached out to touch his cheek but instead she ensured it moved back to her side. She did not want Jin to turn away from her for being too bold for a lady of her age. She silently watched him drink and then gladly accepted the water he offered her. There was something truly refreshing from that component that everyone needed, it always made you feel better, right?

“Here, carry this for me, will you? I meant what I said back at the cave. You don't need to be walking on that just yet...but a wolf just can't stroll into town with a girl on it's back.”

She took the bad Jin beckoned her to carry and swung it on her arm and ensured it would stay where she placed it and then got ready to walk on when his words puzzled her. She did suspect that once they reached the village he would have to change back into his human form, but, how else were they meant to go through the village if she was not allowed to walk? Surely her leg injury was not too bad and she could walk? But she remembered the tone he had used before they started this trip and she suspected he would not let her walk no matter how much she tried to reassure him that she was fit enough to do so. She ran a hand through her long violet hair and the noticed a sudden grin on his face and it startled her a bit. What could he be planning?

“No reason a man can't though...I would carry you in my arms, but that might shake your shoulder too much.”

She blushed deeply at the image of Jin carrying her around the village in his strong arms, all the ladies of the town would surely envy her god luck and she looked away to try and stop thinking such foolish thoughts. Since when did she think a man handsome or was impressed with his strength and cunning or charm? What was wrong with her? She took a deep breath and released the air slowly attempting to calm down and ignore these mad thoughts of hers.

Yet her thoughts were interrupted when she felt him move and stand right before her and their eyes locked in a deep stare and his hand caressed her cheek, she would have sighed in happiness and leaned to the touch had she not made herself aware that she would look childish and Jin was probably not interested in her that way.

"I did promise to look after you, after all…”

Oh Jin…he was not making it any easy for her. She had to bite her lower lip not to give in to her desire to kiss his lips and when he turned his back to her she sighed in relief and relaxed the pressure on her closed fists. She closed her eyes for a moment and understood what Jin wanted her to do. There was no arguing now it seemed and so she complied and gently set herself on his back. She ran her arms around his neck and once he stood up and began to walk she realised she was now high enough to reach for one of those juicy apples they had been passing by. She silted and once she saw a juicy red apple she removed it from the branch, cleanse it with her shirt and then she took a bite. It was as nice as she had expected. She smiled while Jin whistled and for some unknown reason, she leaned forth and offered a bit of the apple so he could take a bite.

She then leaned forth and kissed his cheek as he walked on. Of course after ding that she blushed deeply and moved back so he could not see the blush. How could she do such a thing? How could someone as timid as Shiho suddenly do things like that without second though? She took another bite of the apple and offered Jin once more so she could share this fruit with him, once they finished with it she gave the remaining bits to Gojou and then ran her arms around Jin’s neck and had to resist the urge to caress his long purple hair and take in its scent or kiss his cheek once more. She tried to concentrate on something else but, it only made things worse for now she could tell how truly strong he was. Not only because he could easily carry her and walk but because she could feel the muscles in his abdomen and arms. She rolled her eyes and sighed, this really was a strange day for her.

She looked down at Gojou and smiled though, he seemed to be enjoying himself more than anyone else with the new smells and all the nearby people and food. She laughed softly.

Jin was glad Shiho didn't argue, and instead allowed him to carry her once more. She was as light as a feather, or so it seemed, and as nice as it had been to have her so near in his wolf form, this felt even nicer. He chuckled when she reached up to grab an apple from a tree and took a bite. "If you're hungry, we could stop and eat before we move on..." He offered. The village was nearby, but he'd stop if she wished. He realized, as pathetic as it may sound, he'd happily do anything she wished.

He laughed softly when she offered him the apple, but took a bite anyway. It did look juicy, after all. He was in the process of chewing when he felt her lean forward again and kiss his cheek. He felt his cheeks warm, and he was glad she had moved back where she couldn't see his blush.

It was such a simple, innocent act, sharing the apple and the little kiss on the cheek...but he felt his heartbeat pick up speed. He really did love the little Wind Goddess, and wished he wasn't such a chicken that he couldn't just bring himself to tell her. The way she acted sometimes...maybe she loved him too. But he was worried it was just gratitude for all he'd done for her. He continued to share the apple with her, content for this moment, whatever it might mean to her.

He finally moved to the main road, and headed for the village. He could tell it seemed to be in full bustle by then. "I'll let you down once we reach the market." He informed her. "But you have to promise to take it easy. If I think you're not, you're losing walking privileges again." He tried to sound stern, but couldn't help laughing. He was only teasing, after all. As they entered the outskirts of the village, he began to whistle cheerfully again, nodding to people as they passed. He could tell they were getting a few strange looks, but he didn't mind. The thoughts and opinions of these people meant nothing to him. Only Shiho mattered to him...

He reached the market, Gojou still bouncing along at their side, and finally crouched to let Shiho down. Once she was standing, he took his pack from her and pulled out a coin purse at random. "Here, Shiho-chan. Go get yourself some new clothes." He smiled gently down at her. "And anything else you need." He nodded to a shop nearby. "I'll be in there for a little bit." This village had separate shops for men's and women's clothing, and he needed to see about getting his clothes cleaned, and maybe picking up a couple of things. He silently told Gojou to go with her and keep an eye on her. 'Make sure no one bothers her.' He instructed.

He watched to sure she made it into the shop without trouble and turned to head off on his own errand. He halted at an outdoor stand that offered jewelry, and looks it over, wondering absently if Shiho would like something. Despite the fact that the necklace she wore was a bit...gaudy...he had the feeling she had much dimplier tastes. He spotted a simple yet pretty silver band with a green stone. He wasn't sure if it was an actual emerald, but it reminded him of her eyes, so he asked about it. He didn't think it was too much, and besides, he had the money he'd taken from those bandits. He'd said he wouldn't spend it on himself, but this was a gift for Shiho...something to hopefully make her happy, so that made it okay, didn't it? He boutght the ring and pocketed the small box before heading on to see about his clothes, He'd surprise her with it once they met up again.

"If you're hungry, we could stop and eat before we move on..."

She smiled and shook her head while she chewed on the apple bits, “I’m good.” She was not sure if he would be angered that she wished to sure her apply with him but it was so nice she could not have it all for herself. She smiled when they passed near a cherry blossom and she lightly stretched her hand for a gust of wind to shake some and for them to fall on them. She giggled, she could be a bit mischievous but not with ill intent besides there had almost been no one around when she did that, the last thing she wanted was to alarm people. Besides, she deemed that once they reached the village they would have to concentrate on what needed to be done. Of course she would like to walk around and see all they sold in that place but, well, she was still a bit tired and she did not want Jin to worry about her so for once she would try and cooperate. Maybe once she was all better they could walk around towns and the like.

She heard him laugh when she shared the apple with him and blushed lightly, did he think her silly? She could ask him later one if he had minded, just to ensure she did not offend or insult him. After all he was a proud man even when he seemed to put up with every single thing she did or said, silly or not.

”I'll let you down once we reach the market…But you have to promise to take it easy. If I think you're not, you're losing walking privileges again.”

Shiho laughed softly at his words but nodded, “I will be good, I promise.” She could hardly wait to walk about the streets and see what they offered. It made her remember when she was younger and would go with her family to the markets. And yet this felt like a family did it not? Looking ahead of them she realised how busy the streets were now. She noticed people of all sorts and some would stare at them but, for some reason, all her insecurities were gone whenever Jin was around. She did not feel afraid or ashamed even and she smiled looking down at Jin, who could blame her? She was with the man she loved.

"Here, Shiho-chan. Go get yourself some new clothes…And anything else you need…I’ll be in there for a little bit.”

She slowly slid off from his back and smiled at him, it looked as if it had not been a problem at all for him to carry her. How could he be so strong? She took the coin bag he gave her and she smiled putting it in her pocket. She tested her leg, it seemed to be healing faster now. She smiled and waved at him before she and Gojou went to the shop he suggested. Once inside she had a bit of a chat with the lady who owned the shop and the lady smiled and told her she could offer her coshes that would suit her beauty and colour of hair and eyes and, she knew Shiho had someone in mind she wished to impressed even when she did not say so herself, which was why she made her a beautiful small shirt of pink towers with long sleeves which she could still wear with her skirt and a deep blue sleeveless mini jacket to accent her figure a bit more and make her look beautiful. She even had someone comb her hair for her and they made her one more shirt and a small dress so that she could change of clothes, she would save the dress for a special occasion though and blushed lightly.

She paid the lady and took everything in the bag, Gojou barked happily when she exited the shop with her new clothes on. She smiled and remembered she needed to give Jin his shirt back. She folded it inside the bag with her other clothes and smiled, it still smelled as him. She walked a bit more and then she saw a shop of instruments and the lil and there was a pouch for flutes that had a drawing of a wolf and it could be placed in the belt. She blushed lightly but she bought that pouch for Jin’s flute, surely it would be useful and it fired him because she thought him as strong and powerful as a wolf and yet tender and kind.

She finally went about the village but did not push her leg to the limit and she enjoyed everything she saw. Finally, she saw a bench and sat there and waited for Jin, she watched people pass by and caressed Gojou’s ears before a couple of men passed by and stopped close to Shiho, one of them smiled, “Hello sweetheart, who are you waiting for? Why don’t you come walk with us? Such a pretty girl should not be on her own…” One of them eyed her from head to toe and Shiho tried to ignore them and shifted in her seat nervously.

The other man smirked, “Oh…are yo waiting for your boyfriend then? Do not worry we are not jealous men…” They laughed and she looked away, one of them was about to grab a lock of beautiful violet hair when Shiho ducked and Gojou bit his hand. The man moved back and was annoyed. The later said, “Hey, teach your dog to respect us…”

Jin asked the shopkeep to clean his clothes, a service they offered there, and bought a new set to replace the most worn of his clothes. He also asked him to get rid of Shiho's ruined shirt, though the man who ran the shop raised an eyebrow at it, Jin didn't feel the need to explain himself. He knew it would be a while before the clothes were cleaned, so he asked that they be sent to the inn on the edge of town. The man who ran that inn often let Jin stay free, if he agreed to do small jobs around the inn while he was there.

He then left the shop and headed for the inn to reserve a room. The elderly innkeeper was glad to see him, but said that he only had one room available. Jin accepted the room, and took his pack up there, locking the door behind him before heading out to meet with Shiho. He'd let her have the bed, since she was injured...assuming she wouldn't mind sharing a room with him.

His mind slipped back to he ring he'd bought. Would she like it? Would it be too bold for him to give her a ring? If she refused to take it, he'd put it on the chain with his mother's ring...that way he'd have something to remind him of Shiho, even after she left. If she would wear it, however... He shook his head. It didn't necessarily mean she liked him. Still, he'd be happy to see the woman he loved wearing something he gave her.

He was strolling casually through the town when he picked up that something had Gojou upset. He took off at a run toward the dog, already angry at whatever threat might be facing Shiho. He approached just in time to see two men talking to her. One tried to touch her, and Gojou bit him. Jin was very proud of his dog.

“Hey, teach your dog to respect us…”

"Dogs are funny creatures..." Jin commented as he approached, he sounded relaxed, but glared at the two men. "They only respect those that deserve it." He cracked his knuckles in a threatening manner as he foxed his way between Shiho and the men. "The lady has made it clear she wants nothing to do with either of you." A hand dropped casually to the sword at his hip. "So get lost."

The men, apparently emboldened by the fact that it was two against one, lunged at once. One men threw a punch at Jin. The Seishi caught his hand and used his own momentum to throw him off balance, sending him over the bench wherne he hit his head on a nearby tree. The other man took advantage of his distraction and produced a knive, slashing at Jin. Jin tried to dodge, but his arm was cut. "Good thing I just bought a new shirt." He quipped before grabbing the mans wrist and twisting it until he heard a small cracking sound. The man dropped the knife, and Jin pushed him away.

Gojou took this hint and lunged, growling, and proceeded to chase the man off. Jin grinned after them for a moment before turning to look at Shiho. He crouched down in front of her, and placed a hand on her cheek, concern filling his eyes. "Are you alright, Shiho-chan?" His arm hurt a little, but that was far from his main concern. He had to make sure those men hadn't hurt her while he wasn't there to protect her. After promising to look after her, he felt guilty that she'd been accosted.

"I've gotten us a room at a local inn...we can head back there, if you want..." He noticed Gojou returning. The dog seemed please with himself. Apparently he'd bitten the man a time or two while chasing him. Jin reached over and patted his head, silently promising him a treat later for looking after Shiho.

"Dogs are funny creatures...They only respect those that deserve it…The lady has made it clear she wants nothing to do with either of you…So get lost.”

Shiho was truly glad to see Jin had returned and she intended for them to just walk out on these fools. It was not the first time anyone tried to fool her just so they can get close to the wind goddess. Men could be so arrogant and ridiculous, why approach a lady who had no interest in flirting? She had not given any indications that she wished them to come to her and though she was dressing a bit more womanly, that could not be compared to how a tavern wench would clothes herself. She was not trying to lure men, well, she did wish to impress Jin, but that could easily be explained, she loved him deeply so why would she not wish to impress him? She wanted to look a bit more appealing and older, someone that could fit in with Jin without anyone thinking her too young to be in love. She heard as Jin cracked his knuckles and noted the anger blooming in his deep amethyst eyes. He was so handsome even when he was angry, she fund herself smiling lightly and she stood up and moved to stand behind him and she was about to place a hand on his back to let him know she was fine and they could go. But she could not take this situation lightly, the men seemed not about ready to let them leave and she felt a bit shocked, a bit unsafe, although she knew Jin and Gojou would not let anything harm her. She also did not want them to get injured in the process.

It seemed these men truly did not know who they were messing with. Shiho was not scared though, she loved him and she knew he would never harm her, but when angered he was a fearful foe. She had seen him at the forest, he could fight with the strength of ten me and the fury of a lynx. She felt like telling the to listen to Jin’s words and just walk away the path they came from, but they would not listen and it would only make Jin lose concentration and so she decided to move back a bit and keep Gijou code in case any of the men tried to attack her so she could distract them with her furry friend and then use her skills if necessary. She sighed when the men’s eyes darkened and they moved forth to attack her beloved. She wanted to stand between them and kick their backsides in case that would make their neurone connect, but it probably would not work, she was furious and she could feel the air around her intensify, she had to calm down, she did not want anyone to find out about her powers, it was already hard enough being enslaved to the Fiend to get into any more trouble. Her hair shook violently for a moment before she closed her eyes and looked down, she relaxed and then looked in front of her, if she had to use her skills to save Jin she would, so she had to concentrate on the battle at hand.

She almost cheered for Jin when he stopped the man’s hand from punching him and threw him forcing him to his a tree. He was so strong, and she had not watched him fight in his human form before. She blushed lightly as memories of the time she had watched him bathe in the lake returned to her mind. Why was she thinking such things now? It was a bit embarrassing, but she should have known he had such straight when she looked at his well developed muscles. She blinked a couple of times to try and concentrate once more on the battle at hand. She waited for the blush to subside before she looked up, only to wince deeply when she saw the shining glimmer of a knife and she covered her mouth when it spilled some of Jin’s blood. She wanted to run to him and tend to the cut immediately, she loved him so much she could not watch him get hurt because of her and she sighed feeling completely helpless when she could have taken out her katana to help him. She whispered to herself, “I’m sorry my love…” And she blushed deeply hoping he did not hear that.

"Good thing I just bought a new shirt.”

Her eyes shone with his humour despite being in a dangerous situation. She smiled softly and then fell on her knees to recover form the inner tension and she realised all this time she and held her breath for fear of losing him. Losing him? He probably did not even feel the same way she did for her but, that did not mean she could not love him. She gasped silently when Gojou left to chase after the man and she felt Jin’s eyes upon hers. They said it were situations such as these where human emotions were pushed to the very limits, that said, Shiho felt herself blush a little and her heart was beating faster with each step Jin took toward her. And then he crouched next to her and she could see the blood in his arm and she gently placed her hand on his arm to cover it, she looked in her small bag and realised she had lemon in it and a small piece of cloth, that should be enough to tend to his wound…She gently applied the lemon juice to the wind it was good antiseptic and also could help scar wounds much faster. She then covered the wound with the cloth as if it were a bandage and ensured to tighten it but not too much, she did not want to hurt him.

“Are you alright, Shiho-chan?”

She put everything away and then suddenly felt his hand on her cheek and immediately her eyes looked deeply into his and they shone passionately. No, Shiho, take a deep breath and control yourself. Oh, how she tried all this time to subdue this growing passion, she nodded to his words, “I am unharmed.” She managed to say breathlessly, her eyes not looking away from his as a gust of wind caressed them and made him look the more handsome, his gracious dark purple hair moving as if tempting her to reach out and caress it and realise this was not a dream and this beautiful and gentle man truly existed. “I’m…sorry I did not help…” She managed to stumble back, however, she felt less and less able to concentrate on their current dialogue as images of Jin filled her mind, particularly those of when she met him, or when she watched him bathe, and even now, she remembered the way his eyes had shone with such passion when he was angry and wished to protect her…

“I’ve gotten us a room at a local inn...we can head back there, if you want…”

She lost track of the conversation and felt as if she had been enchanted at that moment, she only watched his lips move and could make no sound except that of her heartbeat which increased as she remained in that position looking into his eyes. She did not reply to his words and managed a slight nod, did she look ridiculous? Gojou returned and sat nearby, and yet it was almost as if the dog could anticipate what would happen next, because he turned around and began to investigate their surroundings and moved further and further away from them. Her eyes moved from his blazing eyes to his lips and her heart was ready to explode. Her lips parted slightly and without realising anything she leaned forth in an impulse and pressed her lips against his own and ran her arms around his neck. She would not mind if he did not return her feelings, she just could not live anymore this way, with at least showing him what he meant to her. All her inner tension disappeared and she felt as if she was light as a feather and her burdens were no more. Her body relaxed and she felt ecstatic, and her heart burst into a whirlwind of joy and she could have left at that moment, even if Jin wished her to, but she would be happy forever more because, even if he did not love her back, at least she would let him know that there was someone in this world who cared for him. She loved him…she loved him…there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

Jin could feel the shift in the air behind him as he began to fight with the men. Shiho must be upset if she was allowing, even for a moment, her powers to whip up the wind like that. Had those men scared her more than he realized? No, surely she knew she was safe with Gojou until he arrived. Then what was it? Was she...worried for him? Angry, even, that these men would attack him? He didn't want to infer his own feelings onto her actions, but that thought cheered him. Even though he was already sure he could take these men with little effort, he now had the motivation to do so even faster and prove to his beloved that he would, indeed, look after her.

“I’m sorry my love…”

...What? What? What did she just say? Surely he was imagining things now. Was that knife poisoned? Was he delusional already? There was no way a lovely woman-a goddess, no less!-could love someone like him. He had nothing to offer her, except for uncertainty and constant travel. Perhaps he'd imagined it. It had been the barest of whispers, after all. He decided to pretend he'd heard nothing. He'd mostly convinced himself he hadn't heard it anyway.

The battle done, he turned his attention back to Shiho. He was concerned to find her on her knees. He walked to her, and crouched in front of her to make sure his beloved was uninjured. He was surprised, then, when she placed a hand on his injury and began to look through her bag. He wanted to tell her it was nothing, and it was, really, but after he'd made such a fuss about treating her injuries it didn't seem fair to deny her the chance to return the favor. Besides, he enjoyed her looking after him, even in such a small way. The lemon juice stung, but he bore it bravely. He watched as she bandaged it with a piece of cloth. When she was done, he looked at it and nodded his approval. "You're a quick learner..." Considering the day before she'd had no idea how to treat her injured leg, she was making good progress.

“I am unharmed. I’m…sorry I did not help…”

She sounded a bit breathless. Had she been scared then? Of those men, or for him? He thought he saw affection in her eyes, but as usual, he was sure he was implying his own affections to her actions. He nodded, glad that she was uninjured, and then gave her a reassuring smile when she apologized for not helping. "If you'd helped, it wouldn't have been taking it easy. Then you would've lost walking privileges again." He teased lightly. Beautiful, gentle, sweet Shiho! How he loved this woman! "Don't worry about it. I've been in worse scrapes before. At least now I've got a lovely young lady to patch me up afterward."

He told her of the room at the inn, and though she nodded, she seemed distracted somehow. He was about to ask again if she was sure she was alright when, looking her over to make sure there were no injuries, he finally noticed her new clothing. It suited her far better than his shirt had...better, even than her old clothing. It served to enhance her beauty, and made his heart speed up. He was a love-sick puppy indeed, wasn't he? His eyes met her own, and he was about to tell her how nice she looked when he realized she was leaning in slightly. His breath caught for the briefest of instances. Was she going ot...kiss him? Dare he hope she may return his feelings after all? Despite himself, he leaned in slightly as well.

Their lips met, and his eyes closed. He returned the kiss, and when her arms wound around his neck, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. His head spun and his heart burst with pure joy. He couldn't believe his luck. He loved this woman, and now he could tell she loved him as well. When the kiss broke at last, he looked down at her, no longer afraid to show the love he felt in his eyes, He stroked her cheek and kissed her forehead, and continued to hold her close. He could say it now. "I love you, Shiho." He could've run about town yelling it with joy at the top of his lungs, but for now he was content to stay like this, holding her close. He was tempted to scoop her up and carry her to the inn in his arms, just so he would not have to remove her arms from around his neck. Deep purple met deep emerald, and he smiled at her. "You've made the happiest man, just by being near..." And to know she loved him made it even better...

Shiho had the conviction that she was acting more like a helpless fool than the goddess she should be. She had easily been used as leverage when the bandits attacked and now she could not stand up and help her beloved fight them off. In fact, why did she not kick them away when she and Gojou were waiting for Jin? Did he think her so useless? Was he ashamed to call her a friend even? She dared not even look into his eyes as he fought these men, she had a sword she could use and powers none of those men could contest with and yet she had hidden inside her shell and had forgotten the most important thing now, that she was a goddess and not the young girl she had once been who lived in a small village. Her life was indifferent now and the world was dangerous if she could not look after herself how could she help Jin or even join him as he traveled around? She id not want to become a burden and she would let him know this as soon as she found a moment, she did not want him to feel as if she slowed him down through his current way of life.

She watched him wince when she whispered some sorts she and not meant to utter in fronton him, but he gave no indication to have heard her. He probably winced because of the cut, yes, that was it, he could not have possible heard her, right? Probably Gojou thought her ridiculous for not telling Jin how she felt, after all, honesty solved problems in the end, right? But she was afraid that if she opened her heart for him ti claim it, well, he would turn his back on her after all he said he never accepted something he did not want and being a traveler and stating he was not someone who could easily be tempted by a woman, she saw it as something that would never happen and he would probably leave before she had the opportunity to explain she id not mind if he did not love her back. She just wanted him to know how she felt about him. And she had tried to hide it but al these incidents made it impossible for this emotions to remained imprisoned within her heart.

”You're a quick learner…”

She smiled at him but blushed deeply and looked down at her work, realising her hand was still touching the bandaged arm and she gently moved her hand away. She hoped it would heal sooner rather than later. She was glad that she could at least tend tot he wound and make it better since he had just gotten hurt to protect her. She had to snap out of it and help him fight next time, or else, he would always end up getting hurt. She placed a hand on her sword, “I will help you next time Jin-kun, forgive my slow reactions I am not sure what happened to me back then. But I should be helping you, we both have skills good enough to be safe and look after each other’s back.”

"If you'd helped, it wouldn't have been taking it easy. Then you would've lost walking privileges again…Don’t worry about it. I've been in worse scrapes before. At least now I've got a lovely young lady to patch me up afterward."

She found herself laughing at his words despite herself. She blushed lightly and said, “Oh, but I am feeling much better now, please do not remove those privileges from me father…” she said with mirth before she smiled at him and said, “I am sure you have been through a lot, I could tell when you fought those men but, that doesn’t mean I won’t worry whenever this happens.” She looked down a bit embarrassed at being so honest with him but it was the truth, was it not normal to worry for the safety of those you held dear? She busied herself in putting everything away to avoid showing her embarrassment as much as she could but it was getting difficult the closer he was to her and the more time they spent together.

She decided to go for it and kiss his delightful and sweet lips even if he pulled away and told her he could not return the feelings. She wanted so bad to let him know that she had loved him form the very first moment she met him, that his words and acts and skills had captivated her and that al she wanted was to be with him now. She was sure Ignorance was probably laughing at her now but, at that moment she did not care. She was too worried with upsetting her beloved, so her amazement was increased when she felt him return the kiss and in fact he did not break the kiss but rather leaned to meet it head on. And as she ran her arms around his neck, he pulled her closer to him through an embrace. She was so happy she wished that this moment would not be over in case it would disappear and she would think that she had been dreaming.

But then the kiss broke, she looked into his eyes and smiled lovingly when she discovered the same passion burning in his eyes, “Oh Jin…” she said with delight before she kissed his lips once more and then she looked deeply into his eyes and she laughed out of the emotions that moved within her heart.

"I love you, Shiho…You’ve made the happiest man, just by being near…”

She smiled and coded her eyes feeling his touch before she opened them once more, “I love you, Jin…I always have but…I did not want to owe you if I said anything…” She embraced him warmly and closed her eyes, now she was not afraid of having confessed her emotions and in all honesty she was glad she had been brave enough or bold so she could show him her feelings for him, “Jin…” she whispered loving the sound of his name in her lips with no need of formalities or titles.

“I will help you next time Jin-kun, forgive my slow reactions I am not sure what happened to me back then. But I should be helping you, we both have skills good enough to be safe and look after each other’s back.”

Jin smiled at her. He hadn't minded that she didn't help. He was just overjoyed to be able to protect the woman he loved. "Do not let it worry you, Shiho-chan." He assured her. He then added. "But there is no one I'd rather have watching my back." And he meant it too. Even if she never helped in a fight, just knowing she was there would give him the strength to keep fighting. He always wished to protect her, and hoped she would always stay near.

“Oh, but I am feeling much better now, please do not remove those privileges from me father… I am sure you have been through a lot, I could tell when you fought those men but, that doesn’t mean I won’t worry whenever this happens.”

He chuckled at her first words, but his heart skipped a bit with her last. She worried about him? Really? But why? He hadn't had someone worry about him since his mother had died, and he couldn't imagine why this lovely woman would be the first to do so now. Was it because they were friends? Oh, he wanted it to be because she loved him too, but he couldn't imagine being so lucky...

And then she kissed him, and it was as if all of his dreams were coming true at once. She loved him. He didn't know how, or why, but she loved him, and that made him the single happiest man in all the lands. And when she laughed, a sound which was as lovely as her singing, he laughed as well, and pulled her near. The rest of the world didn't seem to matter. Shiho loved him!

“I love you, Jin…I always have but…I did not want to owe you if I said anything…”

Her words mimicked his own thoughts and feelings, and he decided he loved the way she said his name. "I worried...that if I told you how I felt, you'd feel obligated to be kind to me...because I had helped you." He looked into her eyes for a moment before kissing her forehead gently and holding her. "I didn't want that, Shiho, so I tried to keep it inside." He chuckled. "I'm afraid if things had not happened as they did just now, my heart might've burst at the seams with too much emotion to hold."


Gojou made a little noise to get his attention, and Jin realized they were still in the public square. The fight had attracted some attention, and it seemed their actions afterward had attracted a little mire. He blushed faintly and stood, pulling Shiho into a standing position as well. "It seems we may wish to find somewhere private to continue our conversation..." He gave the onlookers his most cheerful smile as he took Shiho's hand and began to stoll confidently back toward the inn. Her bag had been sitting on the ground, and Gojou picked it up and trotted happily along behind the rest of his family.

As they walked, Jin interlaced their fingers. He looked down at her new outfit. "You look breathtaking. I fear I'll have to beat more suitors away before all is said and done..." It was then that he remembered the ring he'd gotten her. "I have something for you, when we get back to the inn..." He hoped she'd like it, and that it wouldn't seem too forward.

"Do not let it worry you, Shiho-chan…But there is no one I'd rather have watching my back.”

She smiled softly at him feeling her cheeks a bit warm. Surely there are others soho would do a better job at protecting her than Shiho…but she appreciated the trust he placed on her. She wanted to protect him always even if that harmed her, as she remembered the necklace she wore. Jin was such a wonderful human being he deserved her protection and she would procure it to the best of her ability. However, she wondered what the Fiend had planned and why they had not stopped her from fraternising with a Seishi. They hated all the miko and their Seishi and yet that one time Ignorance came to her it was only to make her aware they were watching them. Could it possibly mean that they were planning to use this relationship against her? Could this newly found friend be in danger? Should she just turn and walk away? No, Jin would be so hurt if she did, right? She saw longing and love in his eyes but she was not sure of it until he kissed her back. Were the Fiend expecting this to happen? She was a bit worried, she did not want anything to happen to Jin.

This was not only because she loved him, or because he loved her, but also because of all he had done for her, and how much he risked to keep her safe. All their adventures together in but a few days came to her mind and she suddenly felt the pain on her shoulder again. She placed a hand on her shoulder and winced lightly, but tried not to make too much of a fuss, it was bound to hurt for a couple of days and her sudden movements must have pulled lightly at it, but she would manage. She could not ruin a precious moment where both had finally confessed their mutual affections just because she had been silly the day before and got into trouble.

Probably Jin did not feel this was truly happening, because Shiho still found it hard to believe that he could love someone as small as her. But she smiled because it did not seem to matter to her handsome musician, he seemed to love her for the person that she was and it made her blush lightly and smile all the same. How did she manage to charm someone as independent and in tune with nature as Jin? When she met him he did not strike her as someone who would, but when examining things more carefully maybe it was the other way around. He love music and he could play beautifully, Shiho could sing and they had played and sang together, maybe that was the warning that their bond would be as intense as that song she had sung that day in the destroyed village.

His laughter was like watching the sunlight cover the world at down, it made her smile and her heart rejoice, it was as musical as the songs he played with his flute. She shyly lifted her hand to caress his long dark hair and closed her eyes at the soft sensation, he was truly the most handsome man she had ever seen. Her emerald eyes looked into his deep purple ones, she loved him and now he knew…and he did not leave her.

“I worried...that if I told you how I felt, you'd feel obligated to be kind to me...because I had helped you…I didn't want that, Shiho, so I tried to keep it inside…I’m afraid if things had not happened as they did just now, my heart might've burst at the seams with too much emotion to hold.”

Shiho blushed at his words but she smiled and took his hand in hers moving slightly away form his hold so that she could love more easily into his eyes, “I do feel grateful but I would never force myself to fake interest.” She smiled at him, “All the times I smiled at you or did anything for you, was because I truly felt it. And I want you to know that now.”

”It seems we may wish to find somewhere private to continue our conversation…”

Shiho blushed when she noticed the people staring and she quickly got up and walked as close to Jin as she possibly could to shelter herself from all those strangers. Why were people so strange at times? Why could they not mind their own businesses? They certainly appeared at the worst of moments, and ironically when she no longer needed the help. She looked up at Jin and amid red his carefree nature, he did not mind if people stared at him, he merely walked on with full confidence, how she admired him! She smiled and walked alongside him.

She forgot about the people soon after and then looked at Gojou moving along with her bag. She smiled and leaned down to pick it up and put it back in its place before she caressed Gojou’s head and then took Jin’s hand once more to follow him wherever he wished to take her…she remembered he said something about an Inn, that was before she…thinking about it made her blush somewhat…how could someone so shy do something like that? She was truly puzzled by her own actions.

“You look breathtaking. I fear I'll have to beat more suitors away before all is said and done…”

Shiho blushed deeply at his words and looked down, it would take her a very long time to get used to his compliments, she had never received a compliment before, not since she met him by the river. She managed to build up the courage to look back into his eyes before she said weakly, “I…I wanted to…look nice for you…” She blushed a bit more, she wanted to look like a woman, not a silly child as she sometimes behaved like.

”I have something for you, when we get back to the inn…”

She felt her heart skip a beat when he said those words and then she said bashfully, “I also have something for you…” I was not much but she had gotten it thinking about him and that was what counted right? Besides it would be useful and it would remind him of her whenever they were far away, she realised their fingers were intertwined and she smiled and with her other arm she held his arm lovingly and leaned her head on it closing her eyes fora moment feeling the row of love within her, it made her smile and at the same time wonder if she made him feel the same way about her. Her eyes opened and she saw Gojou running around them and she laughed softly.