Defy Not The Heart. Amy Blankenship

Shinbe’s husky voice called out to her. Kyoko’s head shot up and she blushed, feeling as if he had heard her thoughts.

      â€œUm, hi,” she looked away from him, in hopes he didn’t see the blush she knew was there.

      â€œAre you going home?” he took a couple slow steps as he talked, “I can’t really blame you, after the way Toya acted.” Shinbe kneeled in front of her with his hand out stretched to help her up. She took the offered hand and stood up, patting the dust off her skirt.

      â€œI just can’t stand to be around him sometimes, Shinbe... I… I’m really sorry about all the trouble I’ve caused you,” she took a step toward the shrine.

      Shinbe didn’t want Kyoko to leave, but he knew there would be no stopping her once she had her mind made up. He was well aware of how much she hated it when Toya demanded she not leave, and he didn’t want her to resent him for the same reasons. But in truth, he felt the same as Toya… he didn’t want her to go.

      Withholding his true feelings, he tried to cheer her up. “It’s okay, Kyoko. You can cause me trouble anytime,” he grinned at her pretending to slowly reach for her.

      Kyoko didn’t miss his hand as it inched its way towards her. She giggled, flashing him a smile. Then she was gone.

      Shinbe stood there staring at the statue as his smile faltered. He wanted to tell her not to go. He’d no compulsion to grope her… well, maybe a little. He made the action so she would feel at ease about leaving and know nothing had changed between them. He could tell she was upset and all he wanted was to see her smile, or show some other emotions besides sadness and anger. His plan worked better than he thought when she had laughed at him.

      Shinbe’s haunted amethyst gaze jerked away from the maiden shrine. He hated the time portal’s ability to take her away from him and wished he could follow her into her world… just once. His eyes darkened attractively, then narrowed with the jealous thought of Toya being able to follow her through the heart of time. Why had the time portal picked the silver guardian and only him? It just wasn’t fair. Toya wasn’t her only guardian.

      *****

      When Kyoko found herself on the other side of the maiden shrine, she laid down inside the privacy of the shrine house, resting her head against her backpack and closing her eyes. She didn’t want to have to face anyone right now.

      Thoughts of Shinbe making love to her kept sneaking their way back into her mind. Why did she have to dream about him like that? It just made her wish... ‘What am I thinking?’ she asked herself. She had to stop thinking about it.

      Shinbe and Suki obviously liked each other, even if they wouldn’t admit it. Plus, he hits on all women. It’s just the way Shinbe was.

      Kyoko slowly stood up and walked out of the shrine house that protected the maiden statue. ‘I’ll just go to my room and study. Yeah, then I’ll go to school tomorrow, and everything will be fine. I’ll maybe even call my friends and go hang out with them for a little while.’ Kyoko stopped in her tracks and nearly crossed her eyes thinking aloud, “New rule, no eating fruit around her friends.”

      *****

      Toya was still fighting his jealous mood as he slowly walked to the shrine. He had every intention of following Kyoko and straightening this out. He couldn’t stand thinking she was mad at him.

      His senses spiked, telling him he wasn’t alone. He glanced up to find Shinbe leaning back against one of the surrounding boulders left over from some forgotten castle that used to stand here. His hands were neatly tucked into his trench coat with his staff lying across his lap. He was leaning his head back with his eyes closed, as if sleeping.

      â€œWake up, you stupid letch!” Toya yelled at him, now more annoyed than ever.

      Shinbe cracked open one sleepy eye, then closed it again, “What do you want, Toya?”

      Toya fumed, “What do I want? I want to know what the hell you’re doing sitting here.”

      Shinbe opened his eyes and quirked an eyebrow at his sibling, “Am I not allowed to rest?”

      Toya narrowed his gaze at him, “Since when do you come to the heart of time to rest?”

      Shinbe slowly stood up, readying himself, just in case. He knew Toya was a hell of a lot stronger. But he also knew he wasn’t as weak as Toya thought him to be. Their powers were just different.

      â€œI came to say goodbye to Kyoko. After the way you treated her, we’ll be lucky if she ever comes back. Just what is going on in that pea brain of yours anyway?” Shinbe's calm voice held a hint of the agitation he’d been hiding.

      Toya gave a soft growl, knowing what Shinbe said was true. Maybe, just maybe he did overreact, but still, he saw them kiss. Kyoko kissed that lecherous guardian. The scene played in Toya’s mind again and his soul screamed, ‘No, it was Shinbe kissing Kyoko, not the other way around.’

      He turned his back to Shinbe, “I don’t know what you’re up to guardian, but if you ever lay a hand on Kyoko again… I’ll kill you.” With that, Toya took off into the air, leaving only a single silver feather fluttering in the breeze.

      Shinbe sighed and sat back down, leaning against the stone when he heard Kamui’s playful laughter in the distance. A few moments later, Sennin, Kamui, and Suki came into the clearing, holding baskets of herbs and vegetables the old man had been foraging for.

      â€˜They must have met him on the way back to the hut,’ Shinbe reasoned.

      Sennin was the old man whom owned the hut they stayed in when they were near the shrine. Sennin had raised Suki and her brother all by himself when his wife, their mother, had been killed by demons during an attack on the village. Suki was too little to remember the mother she favored but she’d been the best human demon slayer within the realm.

      To the village, Sennin was a medicine man, but the guardians knew the truth. He was a master at casting spells, and knew way more than most humans within their realm. Shinbe smiled sadly as he watched the old man come closer.

      â€œWhy do ye look so glum, Shinbe?” Sennin asked as he approached. He squinted at him with his ageing sight. The amethyst guardian had been acting a bit odd lately… and that was saying a lot because in his opinion, all the guardians were naturally a bit odd.

      Shinbe stood up just as they approached, as if he’d been waiting on them, instead of almost getting into a fight with Toya.

      Suki looked behind him at the maiden shrine, “Did Kyoko go back home already?”

      Shinbe stared blankly at her before responding, “Yes, yes she did.”

      Kamui stopped searching through the basket for something to eat and looked intently at Shinbe, his smile disappearing and turning to worry. “Why’d she leave?” Then as if the thought just dawned on him, his eyes narrowed, “What did Toya do this time?”

      Shinbe reached his hand out and put it on Kamui’s shoulder to calm him down. He knew Kamui hated it when Kyoko went back to her time, just as much as he did. “It’s okay Kamui. She’ll be back soon,” or at least he hoped so. He inwardly groaned.

      Suki looked troubled. Kyoko had come back sometime during the night. She hadn’t even had a chance to talk to her except for a few moments this morning. “So, did she have to Tame him?”

      Shinbe glanced over at the girl and smirked, “I’m afraid so. Toya is not in a very good mood.”

      â€œI imagine he is not. Do ye know what they disagreed upon this time?” Sennin squinted at him as he shifted his basket and