Tsume glowered up at him, feeling unsettled. He was injured -- she couldn't hit him -- he didn't smell like arousal or even interest -- he wasn't a threat.But then, all he smelled like was smoke.

She was completely confused. She slapped his chest with the flat of her hand, hitting one of the few areas of unbruised, unmarred skin. He gave her a highly pathetic wounded look. It didn't sway Tsume. "You do owe me one, and you can start by not slobbering on me, moon-eyed, panda-sized..." She trailed off, annoyance washing away in vague uncertainty.

"So what you're saying, basically," Asuma said as they meandered toward the rail, "is that I'm cute and huggable?"

Tsume shot another look at him, inhaling automatically. But he didn't smell interested. The defensiveness -- not fear -- she'd normally have brought to bear wasn't needed if he wasn't interested. In fact, she couldn't tell what he was just by scent. She wasn't even positive if he was teasing or serious.

She didn't know what to do with no cues. "No," she said at long last, getting the distinct impression he was silently laughing at her. Time to change the subject. She nodded out toward the water, and the blur that was land. "We'll be somewhere soon. Your clones assure me we were traveling toward the continent, rather than the islands, so..." She shrugged. His arm was still draped over her shoulders, and as they walked she felt him lean -- very carefully -- against her now and then for balance.