InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Dance To Remember ❯ Not Knowing What to Do; A Beautiful Moment In The Castle Of Shame ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: First of all, I'm SO excited to think it's already the 8th chapter! 2nd, I'm also excited because it's almost valentines day! But enough of what I'm happy about - because I'm not happy that I don't own Inuyasha. That honor goes to Rumiko Takahashi. HAPPY BELATED-VALENTINES DAY!

 

 

THANKS TO- `Pat' for being my beta for this chapter! It means a lot to all of us!

To - `Fred' okay…where in the world did I say 18 months? I can't find it! How annoying! Sorry!

To - `PLEASE UPDATE SOON' guess what? I updated. And trust me, it was just for you! LOL!

To - `this_mrs_sesshoumaru' that's so nice of you to say that! I really like this story myself! And its funny because the original idea for this story was a polar opposite of what it turned into! I'm so glad it didn't though and I'm sure you are to! Makes so much! I know you've reviewed my other stories as well and those reviews were just as much appreciated!

To - Anon I laughed when I read your review. Yea those two words basically said it all! Enjoy this new chapter!

To - `SesshouChick1424' I love ya too!

 

Translations - Awabi- abalone (a type of fish)

Hamachi - Yellow tail (another type of fish)

Nori - Dried seaweed

Norimaki - Sushi, rice, and assorted seafood rolled in dried seaweed (hence `nori')

Otoso - Sweetened rice wine

 

 

 

Chapter 8: Not Knowing What to Do; A Beautiful Moment In The Castle Of Shame

 

 

 

When the darkness comes, keep an eye on the light - whatever that is for you - no matter how far away it seems.

~Jan Berry

 

She was lying in bed when the castle bells rang out, signaling her husbands arrival. Slowly sitting up, she got out and went to her mirror, making sure all traces of her tears were long gone. It would not do for him to know she'd cried in his absence.

 

Sighing, she trailed her hands across the line of her jaw then down to the arch of her neck, her eyes watching its progress in the mirrors reflection.

 

What happened next?

 

He was furious at her, and for good reason she admitted to herself. Her little prank had backfired immensely. As it was, she hadn't meant to let him off so easily. He hadn't known she possessed such powers, and now as a result, he would be more wary. She looked away from her reflection and smoothed out the folds of her silk sleep wear, an outfit much like her priestess uniform only the shirt was loose over her hamakas, and instead of red and white, it was in shades of blue. She heard the bells toll once more and sighed again.

 

Walking over to the window sill, she pulled forward a small western parlor chair and leaned forward, her arms resting on the lip of the window's casing. A cool breeze flew over her form and she shivered, taking one hand to gently toss her rich black hair behind her. It fluttered softly down her back.

 

“Will he beat me?” She asked offhandedly, looking down to the corner of the window where a small spider had made itself at home for the last couple of nights. Its tiny body was nestled in the center of its intricate silver web and gave no reply to her question, only stayed crouched where it was.

 

She watched as a few moments later a small moth fell into its clutches and averted her eyes as the arachnid abruptly attacked its prey, sinking its tiny fangs into the delicate body.

 

“I'm that moth you just destroyed little spider.” She whispered softly, one hand coming up to rest against her temple. Further down on her neck she felt a small burning in the place her husband had bitten her. Closing her eyes, the hand against her temple fisted itself in rage.

 

“I'm trapped in his web and can't get out.”

 

She heard the voices of the guards outside her door snap a salute to someone, and knew already who it was; so much so, she didn't even bother looking around as her husband entered the enormous room. He growled softly at her rudeness, expecting her to turn around and face him. When she didn't, she heard the growl become fierce, like a dog with a piece of meat when another dog gets to close. When she still didn't turn, the loud echoing of his booted footsteps was heard until they were right behind her. She tensed, unsure of what he would do next. She felt something settle on her hair and flinched, knowing he felt it. In response, she felt the hand clench, pulling her backwards. Feebly, she strained against it but it was no use. His other hand grabbed the silk cloth of her night wear and forced her upright and facing him.

 

“Don't-” But she wasn't able to finish because his lips came down hard onto her own, his hands burying themselves against her warm flesh, his dangerous claws only as rough against her smooth white skin as he needed to be without marring it. Unwittingly, the action caught her off guard and she stilled. His eyes, gold like fresh honeycomb from a bee's hive, opened to stare straight into hers in challenge. Her own narrowed.

 

She was about to bit into his lip when they released her and slid down into the arch of her neck, his nose inhaling deeply as his hands trailed down her body to grasp her back and outer thigh.

 

“Let go of me, you pig.” She whispered softly, forcing the tingling sensation in her stomach to subside. And it did, until his mouth trailed up to blow softly into her ear and his luxurious tongue slid out, wrapping around the back of her ear and nibbling. Her body actually jumped at the sensation it caused and she bit herself to stop from crying out.

 

His hands pushed against her hander beginning to pull and slide the soft material away from her skin. Strengthening her resolve, she jerked her head backwards, causing him to still and lean back, like a snake coiling around itself about to strike.

 

“You have no say in this, or anything for that matter.” He said darkly, his hands jerking her body snugly up against his own.

 

“I may not now, but I will fight until I do.” She hissed venomously, trying to ignore the shiver that ran down her spine at the way his eyes changed.

 

“Things have altered themselves.” He said, nipping at the side of her jaw, one of his knees forcing her legs apart so that he became closer to her.

 

Her hackles raised, something almost like an actual growl coming out of her throat.

 

“The only thing I wish would change is your existence!” She said bitingly, her hands pushing against his chest with her palms to try and achieve some distance. He didn't give her any.

 

To her surprise, he instead gave what sounded like a small purr, his tongue trailing up and down against her pulse. Her hands clenched with the action as she felt her stomach convulse addictively.

 

“You are aware that I need children.” He asked softly, one white hand sliding beneath her shirt to grasp her hip.

 

“Go to hell!” She said calmly, her palms beginning to flare slightly with her priestess powers. His eyes flashed.

 

“You would dare to use those on me again? I would highly advise against it.” He said, giving another purr and inhaling the scent of her neck. As if to test him, her palms flared slightly in challenge and from against her skin she felt his own hackles raise, his mouth opening against her neck to press both canines into her skin.

 

“I fear no animal; no matter how large their claws.” She said, her voice level, fingers clenching in the folds of his white haori. He bit harder as he felt the purification aura nip against his armor.

 

“I could purify you if I wished.” She said heatedly, her now heightened senses taking in the scent of burning wood and blood. Her words were paired with a brightening glow and she felt his fangs press more, felt the heat of his body against her own, and the blood rushing underneath her skin. She felt alive for a reason she didn't even know of; and suddenly it became clear to her that whenever she had a confrontation with her husband, this was how she felt. She felt like she had somehow cheated death, that she had something to hold over him.

 

To both of their amazements, she began to giggle, then laugh, her eyes closing as her hair began rising, floating around her shoulders as the static from both of their aura's clashed against one another. She felt his teeth pierce her neck and gave a closed mouth yelp of pain. She felt the way her blood was diverted into his mouth, the smoothness of his tongue lapping at the purified substance, his saliva coating the wound. Her stomach convulsed again, her thighs quivering with the now too-heightened sensations of his intimate contact with her skin.

 

She felt him hard against her, and knew that what she was feeling was mutual.

 

Her hands flared brighter, her nostrils picking up the heavy scent of burning flesh and felt his fangs dig deeper in answer. Her head tipped back, her mouth opening in a silent moan of pleasure. And he knew it.

 

He growled roughly against her skin, pressing harder just to taste more of the substance. The pale hands gave a small blast of whirling ki and she felt his armor break from his body.

 

`I would stop.' The whisper floated across her mind and she opened her eyes, looking down at his own which were watching her intently.

 

“Never.” With her words came another small blast, and she felt blood beginning to flow down from his chest, disintegrating as it fell upon her clothing. His eyes showed none of the intense pain he must have been feeling. She felt his claws begin digging into her skin, the sharp points easily piecing the smooth flesh.

 

An animalistic groan came from her husband's mouth as she whimpered, her nails biting into his flesh to release her powers into his bloodstream. He was beginning to have to fight himself in order to ward off the pain.

 

She felt his jaws tighten against her jugular and gasped, her eyes closing as he simultaneously cut off the air from her wind pipe.

 

`This is a battle of wits.' She thought hazily, beginning to feel the immense loss of blood. Her eyes were starting to blur because of it and as she tried to shake her head to clear it, she felt the hold on her neck tighten fractionally more until her air supply was completely shut off. Her body was now shaking forcefully, her hands giving short bursts of power as her concentration slacked off. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew he had won and yet still refused to give up. Underneath her hands she could feel a slight heaving in his chest, against her throat she felt his breathing becoming more and more labored. Satisfaction temporarily brought back some of her power but not enough to end the fight.

 

With a strangled cry of disappointment directed towards her self, she fainted, her miko powers fading back into her body to try and heal her wounds. With a gasp of his own, Sesshomaru released her neck and gave a howl of pain, his eyes flashing red as he looked down at the crumpled body in his arms. Blood was running thickly down her neck, staining her cloths, her hips bleeding as well from the injuries his claws had inflicted. He was gasping, his breathing heavily labored as he closed his eyes to the excruciating pain of his charbroiled flesh. Pieces of it had come away with her hands, both of their blood littering the entire floor around them, mixing together on the cold stone. Severe bruising had already begun to form around his intact tissue, and he offhandedly noticed that he could see some of his organs, one of which was partly disintegrated.

 

He gave a roar, the guards stationed outside their bedroom rushing inside within seconds. Seeing the blood and gore, one sounded an alarm as the other rushed out to get the castle medics.

 

Breathing hard, Sesshomaru felt his strength waning, the purification powers in his bloodstream acting like poison against his demon blood. Falling to his knees, he gave another howl, sweat breaking out over his entire body as he felt his heart beginning to stall, the purification powers attacking it inside of his body. He began having trouble breathing as he felt his other organs shutting down, his blood racing through his body faster then it ever had only to spill out onto the floor. Seconds later he felt his mind growing foggy as urgent hands pressed him backwards onto his back. He was about to lash out at them with his claws but then realized the face above him was his chief medical examiner. Realizing help was there, he gave another low growl and passed out, his silver hair fanning out around his body to mingle with his wife's who was still held in his arms.

 

 

*****

 

 

When she gained consciousness it was to look up into the eyes of her nurse, Souden, whose soft, peach-colored hands had stilled halfway above her brow. She was holding a damp compress, and grateful for it, Kagome closed her eyes, a signal for Souden to continue.

 

She tried opening her mouth to speak but all that came out was a wheezy sound followed by a sharp pain. Her eyes opened again in alarm.

 

“Your throat has been damaged, My Lady. Our lord's medic was forced to stitch it closed because of the immense loss of blood.” Souden's soft voice calmed her, and she relaxed slightly, her hands fisting only to unfist and spread out over the silk sheets. Looking around, she realized she was in the hospital ward and soon found out that she was not alone. Across from her, a few feet away were her husband - and a small human child who was kneeling on the floor beside his bed, her face using the side of his cot for a pillow. She was deeply asleep, one of her small hands fisting around the blanket her husband lay beneath.

 

She stared outright at the display, wondering who the girl was. She'd never seen her before in the castle or outside at the market. Souden followed her gaze and sighed, a small smile playing across her thin mouth.

 

“My Lord brought her here last night after the attack on one of the out-skirting villages. She was one of the only survivors.”

 

Kagome remained transfixed on the sight of the little girl as she shifted, one pale hand rubbing her eyes as she came awake.

 

“She wont give us her name; in fact she's quite mute. Our lord found her that way and since appearing at the castle she still hasn't spoken a word. Her parents were killed in the onslaught from what returning soldiers said after coming back from their inspection of the town.” Souden looked from Kagome to the child again.

 

“Poor thing…it's never fair when their involved in our wars.”

 

Kagome tried to nod in agreement but ended up giving a wheezy hiss as it caused a sharp stab of pain to run across her throat. Souden began to fuss over her and she smiled despite herself at the older woman.

 

Souden was a daughter of the spirit of the peach tree, and had come to Sesshomaru for protection for both herself and her father and mother. According to Souden, some type of strange wasp had begun building hives in their trees limbs, infecting them as a result, and ultimately destroying their bows, causing their trunks to rot. Sesshomaru had agreed after making a pact with Souden's father for a plentiful fruit harvest, since the Peach Spirit was also in league with the Apple Spirit, Plum Spirit, and so on. The story had made her briefly wonder at the mechanics of her husbands mind. True, the entire agreement was brought about for business reasons, but still…

 

Souden's frown brought her back to the present and she smiled again thinking she had been rude.

 

“I'm afraid Our Lord is very badly injured as well. He almost died from his injuries and hasn't woken yet to say what enemy caused them.”

 

Kagome's eyes widened, her throat closing off for an instant making her rasp again.

 

`Die?' She mouthed, unable to understand at first how that could be so. Souden nodded, patting her hand reassuringly.

 

“Do not worry, Mistress. Our Lord is strong enough to pull through. He was very worried for you as well. The medics found you held in his arms. He wouldn't even let you go until he passed out from lack of blood. It looked as if someone had tried to purify him…but we all know it couldn't have been you!”

 

For some reason Kagome almost could see Souden's underlying message of `Your not strong enough to hurt Our Lord!' and she felt anger welling up within her. Did no one believe in a woman's worth? Did all women just simply bow down to men like they were gods and women were rats or worse? Leaning back down, she closed her eyes, unable to understand

 

She made the mistake of trying to sigh and ended up gagging and coughing from the pain. Her chest was heaving by the time she got herself under control again. Souden frowned sadly at her, gently stroking her hair as her mother had used to do when she was sick. The memory of it brought tears to her eyes, and mistaking them for tears for her husband, Souden clucked softly.

 

“He'll be alright, Mistress. He's sleeping right now and isn't expected to wake for a few days. That's what happens to demons you know. When injured enough, their bodies shut down until they've been almost fully regenerated. Our Lord is no different. As for you, you've been confined to bed rest for the next two days until the bandage around your neck can be removed.”

 

Kagome blinked twice in understanding making her nurse smile.

 

“That's my girl…you always knew how to cheat the system. Now go back to sleep the way that little girl over there already has.”

 

Sure enough, the mute child was resting against the side of the cot, her eyes closed as her mouth hung open slightly in sleep. The image made Kagome smile despite herself, her eyes trialing up to look at her husband's profile. From where she was she couldn't see any of the damage, but as snippets of last night came back to her, she suddenly felt that maybe she might not want to if her husband was hurt as badly as Souden was saying.

 

Blinking again, she closed her eyes and went to sleep, the comforting feeling of Souden's hand stroking her hair making her feel at ease.

 

 

******

 

 

True to Souden's word, two days after she had woken up, Kagome was released from the infirmary.

 

Two days later however, her husband had still not awoken.

 

At first, she'd felt indifferent, later, she felt guilty, then after that, her anger was the only thing left that she could turn to in order to not feel pity. She couldn't stop asking herself over and over why couldn't he just have died? Why couldn't he just be gone so she'd never have to see him again; never have to feel his hands on her again?

 

Never have to spend another day as his wife?

 

She would have screamed if her throat had been fully healed. As it was, it still hurt a great deal, and her voice was raspy during the rare times she did speak. It was his fault…all of it. The reason she was like this and he was still unconscious was all entirely his fault!

 

`He should die.' She thought, her eyes narrowing on the mirror across from her, her angry face glaring back.

 

`I should kill him…while he's weak…and can't stop me.' Standing up, she walked to the vanity, her fists clenching.

 

“No one will miss him anyway.” She whispered. And she punched the mirror, shards flying in every direction as her priestess powers flared, attacking the shards and causing them to turn to sand.

 

That was it. After hours of stewing over her hate for him, she finally unable to take it anymore, she spun around, throwing open the door and marching down the intricate hallways leading to the infirmary. She was lucky, because if one of the guards hadn't slid open the screen doors to the hospital for her, she would have blasted them right off their frames with her priestess powers. Inside, her blood was boiling, her rage intensifying in a way she had felt only once very long ago. But she didn't want to think about that. She wanted Sesshomaru's death right now.

 

Ignoring the nurses and medics who bowed to her as she passed, she marched steadily towards where her husband lay, her hair flowing out behind her. She knew her eyes must have been smoldering as she made her way closer. She was almost upon him when she saw the little girl, the same one whom her husband had brought back to the castle.

 

Her tiny figure was sitting beside Sesshomaru's body, her short brown hair running down her back as she braided his own knee length hair. Her back was facing Kagome as she approached, and she stopped, the image stunning her into complete immobility. The little girl either had no fear of death as would surely be the case if Sesshomaru awoke, or was very confident in him remaining unconscious. Beside her were already three long braids, somewhat sloppily done. It was then that Kagome realized the girl had a burn on her hand that hadn't been treated. It was a slight burn, so either the doctors hadn't deemed it worth a bandage or they hadn't seen it. Her mind flared at the thought. No…they must not have seen it.

 

She felt her anger dissipating as she looked over the little girl. But then she looked over his shoulder and she saw his chest. She gave a soundless gasp, taking a step backwards at the sight of his entire stomach and left pectoral muscle either gone or blackened to an almost unrecognizable color. Around it, the healthy tissue was colored a series of horrendous-looking black and blue bruises, some a deep purple speckled with yellow. It looked like some of his ribs were missing, the place where they would have been sagging in unnaturally.

 

One of her hands came up to her mouth in horror as her mind took in the damage.

 

Had she done this?

 

*Purifying energy when used on a demon is almost impossible to recover from. It stays in the system, continuing to eat away at the tissue and blood until the demon dies…* She remembered her training instructor telling her that when she was seven and began having to learn to train her miko powers.

 

She took another step back almost knocking into a table of bandages.

 

No…no she couldn't have…

 

She'd wanted him dead…she wanted him gone from her life, she wanted to kill him right there but the horror of what she'd done fr some reason refused to leave her mind. She hadn't wanted it like this…

 

From behind her, Awabi, her husband's chief medical examiner spoke, making her jump slightly in surprise. He appeared at her shoulder apologetically, a few dark green poultices in each hand.

 

“Whoever did this was almost victorious, if their goal was indeed to kill him. They purified most of his upper torso, one of his lungs was partly destroyed, and a great deal of his blood was purified. His veins were almost all ripped apart from the distillation powers of the assailant. It acted like a virus inside of his system, eating away at the healthy tissue and cells. As you can see, three of his ribs were disintegrated.” He said, shaking his head sadly as he walked forward and applied more poultices onto his skin.

 

“An upside to this mess, if that we have a new recruit here to help patch him up, don't we?” He asked with a somewhat serious smile down at the girl. She didn't look at him, only continued on with her braiding. Awabi shook his head at the display and gave Kagome the same look.

 

“I've know Sesshomaru-sama his entire life, as did I to his father and grandfather. I must tell you that not once have I seen My Lord in such a ludicrous-looking position as this.” He said, looking down at the basket of wildflowers in the girls lap for emphasis.

 

Kagome hadn't noticed them beforethen .

 

“For hours, she's been here. We couldn't get her to leave accept to get these medicinal flowers or when she had to go to the ladies room. Other then that, she hasn't moved, just sat here, braiding and then unbraiding. Every now and then she'll try braiding in a flower-”

 

He cleared his throat giving Kagome the impression he was trying to cover up a laugh. In response her lips twitched but otherwise remained in a frown.

 

“When will he wake?” She asked softly, her hand resting on her throat as it disagreed with her using it. Awabi nodded, snapping at one of his assistants for tea which they had for her in a few short minutes.

 

“I'd originally bet on it being for three or so days, but as you can see, its been almost a week and his injuries haven't healed even a little. All we've been able to do is stabilize him. The attacker's powers also attacked his heart, causing it to almost stop.”

 

He looked up at her sharply.

 

“Five more minutes and he would have died, Kagome-sama.”

 

She looked away from him and sat down on one of the cushions beside the futon. Sipping her tea, she nodded his dismissal, and with a deep bow, he left. Silence stretched out afterwards, the only sounds being the patients around them and their doctors. Briefly, her eyes closed, thoughts of what to do now flashing through her mind.

 

`I can't…I can't try and hurt him now…not now that this little girl is here with him.' She thought, glancing tiredly over at the little one, still braiding her husband's hair. For the moment at least, her anger had vanished. Sesshomaru was lucky to have shown a merciful moment.

 

“My mother forced me to marry him you know…and…since the first step of the two of us walking together to the marriage alter, I've hated him with my entire being.” She stopped, taking another long sip of tea and letting it momentarily rest against the back of her throat before swallowing.

 

“After the ceremony, we only got into fights until it got so bad I wanted to run away…but I couldn't. You know why?” She asked in a whisper. The little girl shook her head fractionally in answer.

 

“Because I had nowhere to go without his constant shadow following after me.”

 

She looked down at his face, and watched him turn his head to the side away from her.

 

“I'm sorry about your parents. I lost my dad when I was a little older then you…and it took me forever to realize he was really gone. Sometimes I thought when our castle bells rang because of someone approaching, that he'd appear like he always had before…but he never did and finally I accepted it.” She said as she settled back against the wall.

 

There was silence until the remainder of her tea was gone.

 

“They say that you've refused to speak to anyone…and yet you have said a lot, being here this way with my husband.”

 

By now, the little girl had finished braiding what she could of Sesshomaru's hair and began to unravel it, her small pale fingers working slowly without any need for ending quickly.

 

“He never would let me touch him so…he only wanted-” She cut herself off and saw the girl look at her quickly out of the corner of her eye.

 

“Did he rescue you?” Kagome said instead, curious.

 

The girl pulled her head down further so that her bangs shadowed her eyes. Kagome sighed and hesitantly raised her hand, placing it on top of the girls head.

 

“If he did, it's the first act of real kindness I've ever seen him give.”

 

The girl looked shyly back up at her, cocking her head to the side. Kagome saw her tongue dart out to lick her bottom lip.

 

“I wish you'd speak.” Kagome said gently, standing to go and get more tea as her throat now had become unbearably painful. As she did so, the girl grabbed her hand, and surprised, she stopped and looked down at her. For a moment, the two stared at each other and then slowly, Kagome kneeled down and gently hugged her, the child's small arms wrapping around her neck unhesitatingly. From beside them, she saw her husband move, one of his legs sliding to the side. Leaning back up, Kagome stopped when she realized the girl hadn't let go. Smiling, she placed her arms around the child's waist and lifted her into her arms to look down at her husband. His eyes hadn't opened so she knew he was still asleep.

 

From before her, the little girl yawned, her thumb going into her mouth for her to suck on. She couldn't have been more then five or six. Kagome smiled at the display wondering if this was what Kikyo had seen when Kagome had been born.

 

“We have to name you sometime.” She whispered softly, watching her rest her head against her shoulder.

 

“But I guess for now you should sleep.”

 

She was about to put her down when the little girl shook her head violently, holding onto the front of robes harder.

 

“Oh…”

 

`I think she wants me to stay here with Sesshomaru…'

 

She glanced at her husband, feeling her venom towards him spike but one look down at the little girl, looking pleadingly up at her, cooled her off significantly. Sighing, she kneeled down on the cushion she'd recently vacated and held her, her back resting against the hard wooden wall.

 

Suddenly, she realized that she was immensely tired, and yawning, she leaned her head back against the wall, and fell asleep after a few moments of peaceful silence, the small body of the orphaned child curled against her.

 

 

*****

 

 

He woke up slowly, his eyes still unfocused because of the pain of his injuries. Around him, the infirmary was dark, except for multiple candelabras laden down with yellow candles. The room was empty except for one of the medical assistants and a few other patients who were mostly guards injured from either line of duty or training mistakes.

 

Blinking, he turned his head to the side, ready to ask for his medic but stopped cold as he looked directly into his wife's elbow. Surprised, he gritted his teeth as he tried sitting forward. Giving up, his eyes scanned down her figure and stopped cold once again at the sight of the little girl he'd rescued, clutched against his wife's breast. Her thumb in her mouth, the child's head was resting snugly against Kagome's chest, both of Kagome's hands resting loosely on her back. The picture of the two made him quiet for many minutes, and he wondered fleetingly why they were there. Why they looked so natural like that, as if the girl had been Kagome's child from the very beginning.

 

“My Lord-you've woken up!” Glancing up, he saw the medic from earlier walking towards him and had to rein back his agitation at the interruption.

 

“Why are they here?” He asked through gritted teeth, channeling the pain to make it more bearable. The medic gave him a confused look before bowing again.

 

“Forgive me My Lord, but they both wished to stay, and wait for your recovery.”

 

It was all he could do not to snort.

 

“I doubt my wife was anxious for my recovery.”

 

The medic shifted uncomfortably and bowed once more.

 

“I'm not so sure my lord. She stayed with the little girl for almost an hour before getting ready to leave…but the little one didn't want her too so she staid. I assumed she didn't fight it because she wanted to see you well.”

 

“Foolish.” Sesshomaru grunted, turning his face away from the somewhat pure scene his wife and the orphaned girl made together. He mentally shook himself.

 

“Well don't just stand there fool. Get Awabi.”

 

“Y-yes My Lord!”

 

“Idiots.” He growled to himself, glancing back down at the sleeping duo. His eyes took in the gentle way she was holding the child and sneered, looking back up at the ceiling just as his head of medical staff came in.

 

`I was never held like that.'

 

“Tell me the damage.” He asked baring his teeth at the pain as he tried to sit up once again.

 

“Severe.” Awabi said plaintively, removing the poultices and gesturing a nurse over to put a salve on in their place.

 

The nurse applying it jumped backwards in terror as Sesshomaru hissed from the pain of the salve hitting his blackened skin. Awabi shook his head and took over, allowing the nurse to run to the kitchens for something for his master to eat.

 

“I would very much like to know what happened, Sesshomaru.” He asked almost sternly, not even bothering to be formal as he gently applied the healing salve, pressing in different areas to check his master's progress as he went.

 

Sesshomaru glared acidly at him, clenching his fists at the intense pain.

 

“It does not concern you Awabi.”

 

Awabi raised an eyebrow at him; pressing a little harder then he needed to just to hear his master growl.

 

“Your father left me in control of your welfare. Don't even try and rebuff the years of me getting you out of a few rather squeamish situations.” He said, watching Sesshomaru grit his teeth.

 

“I chose the wrong fight.” He said tightly after a brief silence, unconsciously glancing to the side where his wife and Nothing still lay sleeping.

 

“Can I venture a guess?” His examiner asked, finishing up and beginning to rebandage him. In answer, Sesshomaru shot him an intimidating glance.

 

“Do not think you can always overstep yourself so freely.”

 

Awabi opened his mouth to say something but before he could the nurse arrived, a platter of hamachi wrapped in nori as well as norimaki and a cask of otoso laid out decoratively upon it. The smell made his mouth water even though normally he didn't eat human food. He just did now because of his injuries.

 

She laid the tray on a low table on his other side and bowed deeply, her forehead touching the floor as she excused herself. Gingerly, he reached out with one of his hands and grasped the cask of rice wine, drinking it down rapidly. As he did so, Awabi also bowed and left the infirmary. He began on the hamachi but paused when he heard a small yawn. Stiffening slightly despite the pain, he glanced over to see his wife rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, Nothing still clutching onto her shirt.

 

He stared at her, not sure what to say when she would finally look at him.

 

“You just going to look at me or are you going to be a gentleman and share your meal?” She asked, her voice raspy, as she removed her hand to glare up at him. His lips pursed.

 

“I'll take that as an ungracious yes.” She said coldly, standing slowly as she disentangled herself from the sleeping child and laid her on the sitting pillow she'd previously occupied.

 

“You call me ungracious?” He asked just as angrily, the hamachi tail becoming crushed in his palm.

 

She nodded, silently walking around his futon and picking a few choice pieces of his plentiful dinner.

 

“It took you long enough to wake up.” She said on a second thought, easily grabbing the wine cask out of his hand and drinking some. He gave her a murderous look as he couldn't get up to kill her instead. She shrugged, tipping her head back and drinking the rest. He growled, his hackles raising before the pain of it made him stop and relax.

 

Noticing it, she smiled despite herself and went back to her cushion where Nothing was finally beginning to wake up.

 

“Eat this.” She said softly, putting a piece of norimaki in the girl's hand. Yawning again, she did as she said and her eyes grew wide with the taste of the rich food. Kagome gave her another, laughing quietly as she snuggled herself closer to her, sucking on a piece of yellow tail to get the juices out.

 

Kagome looked back up at Sesshomaru just in time to see him look away and slowly put a rice ball wrapped in seaweed into his mouth. She rolled her eyes and ate another yellow tail. There was a heady silence between them all for a long time. Then-

 

“Rin…”

 

The little girl looked up at her curiously as she said it and swallowing she repeated it again.

 

“I would ask but it would probably be a wasted effort.” Sesshomaru said nastily from his position on the floor beside her. She shot him a piercing glance.

 

“It means companion.” She said turning back to the little girl who was still staring up at her. Kagome smiled and hugged her tightly.

 

“I'm naming you Rin! You can't go on as being Nothing forever!” She said with a smile, her free hand rubbing her neck gently to ease the ache of speaking.

 

For the first time, Kagome saw her smile, and it was undoubtedly the most adorable thing she'd ever seen. One of her teeth was missing as it had fallen out giving her a childish smile and she laughed softly again, unaware that Sesshomaru was watching the exchange.

 

“Why name something that's not yours?” He asked sullenly, glaring at a piece of shrimp and rice wrapped in seaweed.

 

Kagome straightened, glaring down at her husband.

 

“It just gall's you to know I thought of her name first.” She said with a glare, thinking about how childish the words seemed.

 

He opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off.

 

“For someone with only one functioning lung you sure do seem to still have a lot of hot air.” She said offhandedly, smoothing back Rin's untidy brown hair.

 

“For someone with a damaged throat you're doing well yourself.” He said snappily, inwardly agreeing with her despite himself. She shrugged.

 

“Maybe now you understand how I've felt; weak, pathetic, and useless.” She said, her voice cracking. He hissed at her, his chest spasming with the effort. The newly named Rin looked from one to the other and brought her thumb out of her mouth.

 

“Rin doesn't want you to fight.”

 

Surprised, their eyes spun down to the voice and looked right at at, her hands ringing themselves tightly.

 

Kagome mouth dropped open.

 

“You spoke!” She said dumbly, excitement coloring her words. Rin blushed, and looked down at the floor. Sesshomaru ate the last piece of food on the large platter without a word causing Kagome to glance down at him in anger.

 

“Don't ignore her!”

 

“I ignore you.” He said quietly, as if that explained all of the problems of the world, and dismissively closed his eyes.

 

Her eyes blazed angrily, feeling her fists clenching themselves.

 

“Why you ungrateful, narcissistic bas-”

 

Rin pleadingly grasped Kagome's forearm effectively cutting her off.

 

“I should have known better of you.” She whispered instead, standing stiffly and turning away from him. She was almost to the door, Rin still in her arms when he spoke.

 

“You should have killed me when you had the chance.”

 

She adjusted Rin on her hip and looked at him over her shoulder.

 

“What makes you think I still can't?” And with that she marched out just as she had a few hours before.

 

Watching her go despite himself, he resisted the urge to smile and instead ended up grimacing in pain. Looking down at his wounds he felt something dark settle over his mind and after settling back did smile, a small, fractional gesture that in itself had caused some of his most bitter enemies' blood to run cold.

 

 

A moment later his eyes had closed for sleep, his body too weak still to stay fully awake.

 

 

*****

 

 

“How dare he? How da-” She looked own at Rin who was tugging on her sleeve.

 

“Rin wants to know if she can call Kagome-chan, Kagome-chan?” Rin asked, sticking her thumb back into her mouth almost before she had finished speaking.

 

She smiled down at her and nodded.

 

“Do you feel like taking a bath with me?”

 

Grinning as she had earlier, Rin threw her arms around her neck. Shortly after, they arrived at the master bathing chambers where Sesshomaru and she had gone their first night together.

 

The guards holding station outside closed the screen doors behind them as they went inside, and as they did so, Kagome forgot about her husband and all the hate she felt.

 

 

 

 

Authors notes: Since I know this is going to come up somewhere along the lines, I named Awabi, Awabi because it was just something really easy to remember and it sounded right. It's not because he's a yellow tail fish demon or anything. Second, the plot with Kagome and Sesshomaru and their injuries is still working themselves out in the back of my mind. I just hope everything ends well.

 

~alakeshadow