Unemployed Ninja

"N-N-No! I'm fine!" I replied with a forced smile. I got back to work on wrapping the bandages around his chest. His big, strong, muscular chest. Man. I need to stop staring at him! I blushed, and wrapped faster so I could get a shirt on him and look away. What had gotten into me?

"You're embarrassed?" I asked her in confusion. I wasn't used to her acting like this around me.

"Maybe... just a little." I replied softly. "You scared me half to death..." Finished with his chest, I pulled the bandages around his shoulder, beginning to wrap the wound.

"It's alright." I dragged my thumb gently down the side of her face, "Don't be embarrassed."

Coming home...that was probably my worst idea ever. Apparently my mother had plans.

I smiled when we finally arrived at his house. At least I had a designated room of my own there. "It's so nice to finally get back!" I exclaimed. "To be honest... I've missed that old tree!"

"I've missed everything sort of." I looked ahead and saw Kagome, she seemed to be waving her hands at me in a funny fashion. Sadly it looked to be in vein when my mother appeared outside.

"IJIN! You're home! I have some people I want you to meet!"

I was suddenly fearing for my life.

"People?" I wondered aloud. "Hah! Watch it be a bunch of women and you have to choose a wife!" I stated jokingly.

If only I had known...

We got inside and sure enough there were four different girls sitting in the room. She introduced me to all of them but none of them were as friendly or pretty as Aja.

"I would like you to pick one to be your bride!"

Wait...BRIDE?!

I stared in awe. "I guess I uh... am not supposed to be here so I'll just be on the tree limb if you need me." I stated in a nervous and slightly awkward voice. I then turned to leave.

I didn't feel great about this. After the introductions were done I went to find Aja and talk to her. This wasn't my day at all.

I was hanging from the tree. I had fallen over, and caught myself with my legs. The only problem was that I couldn't reach the limb with my hands. I was waiting for him to come back. It was a good thing that my legs were strong too. "Ijin!!" I bellowed when I saw him. "A little help, here?!"

I helped her up into the tree before following myself and holding her for a minute, "Is it okay if I talk to you?" I asked, feeling that familiar tug on my heart.

I stared at him. He had a soft, but serious look on his face. "Of course you can!" I replied with a smile.

"I'm...supposed to pick a bride. I don't know any of them and they aren't beautiful, not that I care about looks. It's just...they all want something from me, whether it be looks or my status...I don't like it." I sighed sadly.

"Oh... I wouldn't like that either... that's fairly shallow of them." What is he getting at?

"I'll get married on my own time with someone I love..." I that tug even harder than I ever felt it before, "I love you, Aja!"

I nearly fell out of the tree. "Eh???" I poked his cheek, making sure his face was real. "Who are you and what have you done with Ijin?" I asked in a nervous voice. Was he serious?

"I am Ijin! And it just took me a while to see where I was...I mean...really!" I felt sick suddenly along with the tugging feeling.

I smiled suddenly. But it wasn't just any smile. It was a full out broad grin! "I love you too!" I exclaimed suddenly, blushing like crazy. I had worked so hard to keep that fact a secret. If this was a game I would kill him... but in my heart... I knew it wasn't.

I gulped, "Then...would you marry me? We don't have to right away it could just be a prolonged engagement." I told her, taking her hands gently.

I nodded slowly. Marry? It was odd to think of marrying him. Very odd. But also... very right. "Yes." It didn't feel wrong saying yes to him. In fact, it felt totally right. "So long as you don't stop teaching me, Shinobi-Ijin!"

"How could I do that?" I smiled warmly and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "I'm going to announce, would you join me?"

I blushed. "Yes..." I'm not the best people person around, but being the one he wants to marry, it would dishonor him if I wasn't there. "But if you ask me to speak, I'll smack you! I'm not very good in awkward situations!" And that situation would be awkward because I'm not even a candidate...

I helped her down from the tree and we went inside.

"I have picked my bride."

My mother looked overly eager just now and it almost made me sick.

"Aja is my bride."

All the girls went pale.

The girls were glaring at me so I hid behind Ijin. If looks could kill, I would have already been mince-meat. This is worse than I thought!