Living in the Moment

[Birdie]

As she made her way back to the estate the branches caught the veil that had been placed over her head, leaving her face bare again. She paused when she saw Makoto and offered the tanuki a small tentative smile. In return she received a question she did not know how to answer. Brigantia could still feel the places where their touches had kissed her skin. Their smell would hang off of her, heady and thick like too much perfume. Or could it be confused as she had turned to a human not too long ago? No, that was too much to hope for. Their scents were distinctly different from her own.

"I had to attend to a small matter." How else could she reply? She could hardly tell her friend the truth. The mere whisper of humans could through things into chaos again. They were universally hated through out the compound. She would be in so much trouble! And there it was, the one person who made her heart pound wildly with just his scent, whose aura sent her head into a spin. She feared him in this moment.

Folding her hands in front of her and breathing deeply she prepared to see him. Eyes downcast she emerged from the trees. And there he stood in all his glory. She glanced up in time to see the quizzical expression on his normally stoic face. She nibbled on her lower lip and then glanced at Makoto. She did not wish to alarm her dear friend with this news. "With your permission, my lord, I would like to explain this situation to you at a later time." She bowed lower, hovering in that spot. Brightly colored wings fluttered with her nervousness.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

How could he refuse her request? Without word he turned away and Makoto let out the breath she was holding. She stared at her friend, wondering and worried.They made their way back to the kitchen, the kitsune waiting for them. Shibuya huffed, all the work done with and only the boiling of the noodles left to do. Makoto made a quick apology as she readied the bowls onto the small servant table. She paused, staring at Brigantia. "If you want, you don't have to serve the Udon to Lord Sesshoumaru...We'll have to throw away his serving, but if you don't want to see him right now..." She paused, eyeing the girl. Shibuya stared at both of them suspiciously as he gave the noodles a twirl in the boiling water.

The white fox was a rather quiet demon, keeping to himself. Mouth closed but ears always alert, he reveled in his job and mastered his skills. But when he did spoke, it was in a manner stating the obvious. "A satiated taiyoukai is much more approachable." The fox ladled the noodles into four bowls, two placed onto a tray. He placed the toppings on top, before gesturing for Brigantia to take the tray. "Now go."

[Birdie]

She bowed as her lord left and then followed Matoko back to the kitchens. The warmth only added more of a flush to her cheeks and she felt at peace here. With the noodles done, her dear friend offered to make her mind at ease. Brigantia had not realized that she appeared so out of sorts by the whole ordeal. She smiled kindly and sighed. It was not that she was afraid of telling him the situation, for he would find out sooner or later and that would only make matters worse. It had more to do with worrying and scaring Matoko. It looked like she was doing a poor job though. She opened her lips to calm and comfort the tanuki but the fox stole away her words with his own.

A small laugh escaped her. It would make sense that any great beast would be easier to approach on a full stomach. Brigantia accepted the tray and bowed to the fox, balancing the noodles. "Thank you very much!" Straightening, she turned toward Matoko. "I will be alright, it is not anything so bad. I appreciate your kindness and hope that I shall be able to speak on this subject to you as well."

With that she left the room and headed toward the place she sensed Sesshomaru.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

The study had become the western lord's sanctuary for the day. No one disturbed him, and only a rare few had a need to. His personal study was just that...personal. For a moment, Sesshoumaru pondered the past. Rolling up scrolls, he could mentally see Rin making herself comfortable on the opposite side of the desk he sat at. Legs crossed beneath him, he barely noticed the scrolls being placed down as he stared at the empty spot opposite him. She would have brought food with him....wanting to keep him company during lunch...

Slowly he blinked, trying to place the image where it belonged. In the past. The present was the most important. Including when it involved an interesting hanyou requesting entrance. Forcing away the last of the thought, he allowed her into his personal study.

[Birdie]

She went through the halls of the house until she came to the study door. This was where his aura was most vibrant, as his scent was much to strong in the house and so she could not quite follow that to be sure. Aura tracking was much more reliable anyhow. She stood outside the door for a long while, contemplating the best course of action.

Should she knock? Well of course, that was a given. Start with that and move from there. She lifted her hand and gently tapped against the wood. Sesshomaru bade her entrance and she slide the door open, carefully balancing the tray on her hand. She closed the door behind her before making her way across the room.

Brigantia murmured an apology for having intruded on his work. She then set the bowl before him and took the tray and stood back. Holding it tightly against her chest she stood, awkwardly. Would it be best to leave and try to talk to him a little later? Should she wait and watch him eat? That would be strange right? It was better to get it all over with, she finally decided.

Moving around the desk she took a seat. Brigantia set the tray to the side before tucking her dress properly down as she knelt. Folding her hands on her lap, she sat straight. For a short time she waited, attempting to feel out the perfect moment to offer him the story.

"There are humans in the woods," she blurted out softly. It came out quickly, nervously. Her pale silver hair fell forward as she bowed her head, her face flushed. She had been much too hasty and it sounded much worse than it actually was. "I mean to say, there are people from the temple where I had originally live in the woods. They were searching for me." Her head remained bowed as she awaited the explosion which would surely come from him.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Nostrils flaring, Sesshoumaru's eyes immediately targeted the bowl of noodles she placed before him. Although suspicious of her reasoning for bringing him a meal he did not request, he could hardly refuse. Curious of her intentions, he hesitated for only a moment before reaching for the bowl and chospticks. The scent of beef and seasonings were as soothing as tea.

Sesshoumaru chose to ignore his audience in order to delicately scoop the noodles into his mouth. Although he could ignore her, he couldn't forget she was there. With her nervous gaze glued on him, he refused to slirp up the noodles and instead bit down to minimize the portion. Placing the bowl down, he watched her sit and quirked a brow as he chewed.

The whole situation brought back only more memories. It was Rin's custom to tell him bad news while his mouth was full. However, this news was slightly more expected. There was only so many conclusions on why the scent of humans would linger on her clothes in such a way. Blinking slowly, he swallowed before giving her his full attention. His expression betrayed none of his thoughts and stayed highly neutral. They must be the same humans that have been crawling about on his territory all this time.

He blinked then in realization, shoulder's tensing. Was this a goodbye...?

"What will you do, then?" He found himself asking, the noodles forgotten.

[Birdie]

Brigantia would have shrugged in response if it were not so unladylike. Instead she sighed and let her gaze fall to the side. She had expected him to be more upset and send out forces to murder them. The calmness he displayed was unsettling. "I must repay my debt to you. That comes first. I asked them to leave, but they have insisted on staying, even offered to come help me repay you. I turned them down, I did not think you would enjoy their presence here. It would also be very dangerous for them." Her fingers smoothed out her dress over her lap, keeping her eyes downcast. "I suppose we are at your mercy..."

[Lord Sesshomaru]

How much longer would this debt last? Sesshoumaru had always known she wouldn't permanently stay. But the humans were a reminder that his time with her wouldn't last. It was a disturbing thought, and he had to roll it over carefully in his mind. "They are no concern of mine." He heard himself saying, looking away from her and at the bowl of noodles. He had no right to keep her here any longer than her debt allowed. He also had no true claim over her. The demon lord refused to look at her again, concerned he would say or do something that he would later regret. He needed time to figure out how best to handle the daunting thought of Brigantia leaving.

[Birdie]

She breathed a small sigh of relief. If the lord did not mind them then any else who might have problems in the house would be unable to do anything... right? She stood, gathering up her tray and bowed deeply. "If there is anything else I can do for you please let me know. Or call for me when you have finished and I will be back to take care of your dishes." Straightening she crossed the room and stood beside the door, waiting a beat to hear if there was another favor she might do for him.