The Dare

What's Your Name?

I was asleep when dog-ears got home. I originally waited up for him but when he failed to show after a few hours, I decided to go to bed; it was nice not have to worry about anyone peeping on me while I got changed for once. But as I laid down under the covers, a strange sensation began to radiate through me. He did come to my rescue back at the park, didn't he........ My eyes opened slightly, gazing off into nowhere. Why would he do that? How did he even know where I was? And how did he get there so fast? But by far the biggest question rolling around in my mind was why? Just why? I don't understand........ "So, you wish to fight for such a creature? That's astonishing to me. You protect her, indulge her, even seem to love." Why? Why would he......?

"Saoirse!?" The ringing of his voice made me jump in the bed; that was not a fun way to wake up. He rushed into the room, frantically scanning around before he spotted me in my bed. His was panting, though I knew no oxygen was flowing into his lungs, and he wore a nervous expression on his face. It was like..... he was still worried or something. I did notice how his stance immediately relaxed at the sight of me safe and sound in my room. But the panic still didn't leave his tone. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm alright," I saw up, moving the covers a little. "A-are you?" He didn't answer right away; I think he wasn't sure if he believed me or not. Instead, his eyes scanned me repeatedly for injury. When he was certain there were none, he finally let out a relieved sigh. It didn't take long for his cocky smirk to return after that. "Ha! Like a puny poltergeist could take me down that easily." It wasn't puny and if that was the case, then why did it take you hours to come back? I doubt you were staying out just for the fun of it, considering how you burst in here in a nervous fit. But I chose not to point this out; he was back to his arrogant, overly-confident self...... The same self who came to rescue me........

"How did you find me?" I heard myself ask out loud; my mind took on a life of its own apparently. Dog-ears blinked at me in surprise before scoffing, turning his head away. "Like I need to tell you." I stared at him incredulously for a moment. I can't believe it; he still won't let me in. And why should he? He does hate me after all, that much was clear. Still........ "Well, however you did it, thank you."

"Huh?" This caught him off guard as he blinked back at me. "Thank you; thank you for saving me. I don't know what I would have done if you didn't show up." It's true; the only reason that thing didn't get me was because he showed up, and for that, I was grateful. Truly grateful. He, however, didn't seem to know what to make of this. He...... he just looked at me in this sort of contorted way. I guess it was the first nice thing I'd ever said to him meaning...... I guess I was the one reaching out the truce branch. I guess it was up to me to be the peacemaker; he deserved it too after saving me like that.

But to my utter disbelief, he simply huffed turning away again and folding his arms defiantly. "Yeah well, I wouldn't have to watch over you if you weren't so scrawny and helpless." W-what? I just stared in bewilderment. I'm saying "thank you" and he's insulting me? What kind of truce was that?! It was at this moment that I slowly began to realize that this was the way things were between us; how they were going to be.

He was never going to be "kind" or "considerate" to me; sure, he saved me but that was the extent of his decency. I'd just end up being disappointed if I expected more like respect or tenderness. No, this was it; this was the depths of our relationship. This was where we stopped and I...... I don't know actually how I felt about it to be honest. I knew that he hated me but this....... this was like confirmation of it. And it felt....... it felt bad, a little hurtful. What's more, it made me want to give up. If he truly hates me, then let him; why should I be the only one who's trying? If he wasn't going to make an effort........

Instead of saying something snarky or rude back at him, I merely sighed. My eyes gazed down in defeat and I felt like just going back to bed. But then the most extraordinary thing happened. The second I had finished sighing, he sat down on the floor right beside my bed. He stared off into nowhere for about twenty seconds before....... before reaching up to rest his hand on me. Well, it's not like he was actually touching me; I couldn't feel anything. It was more the jester......

This definitely caught my attention. I don't think he realized that I knew what he was doing; I'm sure he wouldn't have if he knew that I saw. It wasn't a lustful caress either; I think he just wanted to affirm that I was there with him. There and alright...... Wait, why would he want to affirm that? Don't tell me....... was he actually still secretly worried from earlier? I moved my head in such a way that he couldn't see my eyes, but I saw him then peer up at me. Then, with the faintest hint of a smile- a genuine smile- he retracted his hand, bringing it to his chest. His head tilted back and he gave a tiny sigh.

I see....... I began to understand as I watched him silently. Maybe...... maybe he doesn't hate me after all. Maybe he's just showing his kindness the only way he knows how. That got me thinking about my own actions. In hindsight, I hadn't been very nice to him either....... We did fight a lot; I never made an attempt to have an actual conversation with him. I didn't even know his name........ After all this time, I still didn't know.......

"What's your name?" He glanced back at me with a surprised look on his face. I just stared back at him with assuredness. This seemed to startle him but not as much as before. We looked at each other for a long time before he finally answered. "It's InuYasha." "InuYasha," I repeated. "InuYasha...... I'll remember that." And I did. I never forgot his name and he never forgot mine. I still didn't know how he knew my name, though it probably wasn't that hard to learn being my invisible roommate for two months. I don't know why but I somehow felt ready to fall back to sleep again. I wasn't angry or scared; quite the opposite in fact........ I felt safe........ safe knowing InuYasha was watching over me. I guess if that's how he expresses his feelings, then I'll just have to accept it. And I admit, I did feel safer with him around........ after all that.    

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