Twelve Lies I Told Shingen Takeda

Chapter 31: Sweet

"Everything alright?" Sasuke found me standing where Aki had left me. "You seemed lost in thought."

"I'm fine." #spoilernotfine. But as much as I liked Sasuke, he wasn't someone I could confide in about emotional things. Generally, though, he's an easy one to redirect if you ask the right question. "How is your research going?"

"The existence of a second wormhole – or second node – has opened up a fascinating array of potential." He offered to hold the basket – something he never would have done for 'Katsu.' I gave him a look. "Sorry. Originally, I intended to stay here when the Honno-ji wormhole opens, but I have decided to travel back through so I can conduct research with more powerful telescopes."

"Aw, really?" I guess I wasn't the only person here who had some decisions to make. "I'll miss you." I'd known Sasuke longer than most people here, and I'd gotten used to running across him on my travels.

"If my calculations are correct, it should be feasible to come return via Togakushi a few months after that. Theoretically." I'd noticed that the less sure Sasuke was about his theories, the more often he pressed the bridge of his glasses. So far, his hands had stayed away from his nose. "I believe going backward in time will be possible at either location – the problem arises in the other direction, because... well... I'm still working on a few..." And there went the glasses push.

"Theories?"

"Indeed."

We slowly walked back to the castle – as much as I wanted to see Shingen, Aki's words about his attention span had left me rattled enough that I was willing to put off seeing him for a little while longer. We had shared an intense experience in the cave, but now that we were back in "everyday life" I wasn't sure where, or if, I fit into his.

"I know I'm not the most empathetic conversationalist," Sasuke said. "But clearly something happened that upset you. If you do want to talk, I can at least be an open ear and provide an impassive and nonjudgmental face."

Hm, that was true. I could talk about the job thing. "My former employer wants me to come back." I shifted the basket of pastry to my other arm – the reeds were digging into my elbow. "And to be honest, as much as I like it here, I'm not sure I'm needed. Anyone can do this." I gestured to the messages I had retrieved from the drop sites and the basket of sweets.

"Are you considering his offer?" As promised Sasuke looked and sounded completely neutral.

"The man did save my life and spent seven years teaching me how to survive in this era." Aki wasn't much of a warm fuzzy, but deep down, I knew he cared for me.

"Always an important thing – although I hope his survival lessons were less stabby than Kenshin's." Sasuke rubbed his chest and I imagined he was remembering an early lesson in swordplay. Or even this morning's lesson. "Is your former employer aware of your true origins?"

"Until I figured out about you, I hadn't mentioned it to anyone." We reached the front gates of the castle, and sure enough, another pile of messages waited for Shingen. I added them to my stack.

"Ah well, I don't know about your former boss, but it might be a good time to bring it up to your current one," Sasuke said. "Because I-"

Whatever he meant to say was interrupted by a roar from Kenshin, who came stalking around the corner, sword in hand. "Sasuke! I haven't killed you yet today!"

"Ker-vanish!" And Sasuke was gone.

"You!" Kenshin pointed Himetsuru Ichimonji at me (again). "Go visit Shingen before he makes good on his threat to leave his bed and hunt you down."