InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Between Heaven and Hell ❯ The Truth ( Chapter 16 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: DestinysTears 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.14.2012 | Pages: 8 | Words: 12.2K | Visits: 286 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.14.2012 | Pages: 8 | Words: 12.2K | Visits: 286 | Status: Work In Progress
“Honestly, that bird doesnâ€&t rade;t know left from right,†the ;flea-like being ranted as he hopped his way over
to the awaiting inuyoukai. He sat down on the w ood floor, crossing his arms and legs as he
contemplated his hitched ride home.
After making himself co mfortable, the flea-demon veered off onto ano ther matter. “Well, I did not&n bsp;
realize how difficult it would be,⠀ he mused with an affirming nod. “After all, I had to hide until nightfall.
And not only that, it took&nb sp;all I had to resist even one single bite.â€
Kou chuckled, pouring himself another cup of piping hot tea. “But you did&nb sp;well, my friend.â€
Myoga feigned humility at the daiyoukai’s compliment, but the prou d glow underneath was still evident.
He& nbsp;leaped onto the dog-demon’s shoulder.
“So, shall we be on our way then, Kou-sama?â€
Setting the cup down, the dog demon moved to stand.
“Yes, I believe it is time.â€
~ “*⠀ ~
The same morning, Kagome ventured to the falls once again to refill the wooden basin, as had become a
regular practice of hers. When she arrived at the village again, she busied herself with caring for the
jasmine vines at&nbs p;the front of their home as well as with the weekly cleaning of their wooden floors.
Having finished these tasks with an exhausted yet satisfied sigh, Kagome carried the basin and soiled rag
to the stretch of grass behind their home, rinsing and wringing the rough cloth. It ;was a familiar routine,
and merely another typical day. ;
But the entire morning, Kagome could not help but feel restless.
Her mind would not cease the endless replay of the scene from the night before. That focused look in
his eyes, the way his lips parted as he gave out low, shallow breathsâ€&brvb ar;
Kagome couldn’t help& nbsp;but think that when he had inadvertently drawn her blood, something had
changed in him. It was strange. He had stilled, as if struggling with an inner turmoil within himself… And&n bsp;
it was not only this that troubled her. As he lay on top of her, she had remembered seeing something.
Something that glinted in the little moonli ght that was able to enter into the forest’s confines…
&n bsp;
The image of his panting mouth appeared in her mind. She could still remember it perfectly… Beneath
the curve of his perfectly shaped lip, she had undeniably seen them. They seemed&nbs p;to beckon to her
eerily though the&nbs p;darkness with their sheen of white. Kagome knew what t hey were; they couldn’t be
anything but. There was no mistaking their sharp angle and air o f lethality.
They were his fangs.
Suddenly, Kagome gave a start, looking up with a quickened heartbeat. Scanning the edge of the woods,
she hastily dumped the water out of the wooden bin. Setting it on the ground, she tossed in the rag of
coarse fabric.
After a moment, her heart began to calm, believing the mysterious noise was Sesshomaru’s doing.
Kagome wanted to laugh. Honestly, how long would it be until she was no longer startled by him? At
some point, she would ev entually become used to his surprising entrances.
Making&nbs p;her way to the forest’s bound ary, Kagome passed through its first set of towering trees. To her
anticipation, as well as relief, she caught sight of the beautiful gleam of silver not far from her. But the
instant her eyes glimpsed the silvery shine, the brief vision vanished, leaving the girl confused and taken
abac k by its sudden disappearance.
It had to be him, there was no doubting it. Glancing around her surroundings, she waited for
Sesshomaru to make his appearance, though why it was taking so long surpassed her. After a wh ile of
unfulfilled expectation, Kagome sighed, and with a confus ed look upon her brow, began to head back in
the direction of her home.
‘Am I seeing thing…?’ she&nb sp;thought, conflicted. ‘â€&brvb ar;I could have sworn it was him…’
However, she was only able to procure a few steps before she felt a strong hand press against her
mouth without warning, keeping her from taking another step forward.
“Mm–!†was all& nbsp;Kagome was able to mumble beneath her assailant’s firm hand. Her eyes were widened
in ;fear; she tugged futilely at the hand, hoping to escape its threatening hold. But it was not long before
she found her hands stilling, and not because of the action’s tiring futility.
As she thrashed vigorously against his hold, Kagome had glimpsed the same sheen of silver hair she had
seen earlier. Her&nb sp;initial thought was ‘Sesshomaru’,&n bsp;yet somehow, this seemed different…
Renewing her struggle, she managed to turn her head to face her captor. Yet as she gazed into the face
of said captor, Kagome realized he was not who she had been hoping to see. Amber-gold eyes look at
her in what ;seemed like curiosity, but at this startling instant in time, Kagome hardly noticed.
All she knew was that she did not know this ;man. That and the fact that he possessed the markings of a
youkai, as well as an undeniable resemblance to Sesshomaru...
“Please, my dear! Try not to make so much noise!†he implored her in a hushed tone. The youkai gave
her a reassuring smile as he cautiously removed his hand from her mouth. Kagome staggered&nbs p;away from
him with a gasp, holding her chest to calm her breathless state. Raising&n bsp;an open hand to inspire her
restrain t, the silver-haired youkai held a finger to his lips as a reminder.
“I apologize. This must have made for a terribly rude first impression,†he stated in a strangely& nbsp;amused
voice.
Kagome bl inked in confusion, still wary of the stranger.
“My name&nb sp;is Kou,†Kou introduced himself to the girl with a warm smile.
“Ouchâ ;€“!†Kagome started suddenly, slapping a hand to her neck. Looking down at her palm, her
eyebrows scrunched in astonishment at the sight of a miniature being with&n bsp;a sharp mouth, which she
suspected was the source of the biting feeling at her throat. The flea-like creature wobbled around for a&n bsp;
moment, dizzied by the prior smack.
“And I am Myoga,†he finally said in a nasally voice after giving his head a good rub. “At your service.â€
;
“I suspect you know my brother’s s on, correct?†Kou said subsequently, allowing&n bsp;little time for Kagome
to collect her spinning thoughts, ;what with meeting two very unexpected and&nb sp;strange visitors, one of
which who ac tually… bit her.
But upon hearing Kouâ€& trade;s question, the truth began to dawn on her, albeit slowly. The uncanny
resemblance â ;€“ silver hair, golden eyes, tall build, and flawless skin… It could hardly be called a
coincidence.
“Youâ ;€™re Sesshomaru’s uncleâ&eur o;¦?†Kagome asked incredulously, having not expected to meet th e
daiyoukai’s relative. From their earlier conversation, it seemed to her that it was as if Sesshomaru was
quite distant from family ;relations…
“I am,†he answered, but not before stealing a quiet glance t owards either peripheral. “But allow us to go someplace else. We will speak then.â€
Kou walked over to&n bsp;the girl, motioning her to meet him halfway. Then to her surprise, he turned slightly
and crouched down.
& acirc;€œClimb on,†he told her.& nbsp;“I will take you there.â€
Kagomeâ&e uro;™s eyes widened. With reddened cheeks, she scratched her chin nervously. “You… you mean on…
your back…?â€
â€& oelig;Yes, but quickly now,†Kou replied.
&n bsp;
At that moment, she felt a sense of worry pass over her. She hardly knew this man… Afte r all, he was
virtually a stranger. But for some odd reason, Kagome felt at the& nbsp;bottom of her heart that she could
trust him. His manner of speaking – from the little she& nbsp;had heard from him at least â&euro ;“ was kind, and
warm. And even with the few words Sesshomaru had provided her with, it sounded as if he himself
respected this man.
And not only that, but Kagome herself wished to speak with this man. Perhaps if she did, she could learn
a little more about the Sesshomaru that kept&nb sp;himself so distant.
With a deep breath, Kagome approached the demon, the majority of her concerns dissipated. However,
she still felt embarrassed about the oddness of the situation. She knew the fabric of her yukata would be
too restraining for& nbsp;her to efficiently cling onto the youkaiâ€& trade;s back.
With a flustered cough, Kagome timidly hiked the ski rt of her yukata up a little, thankful that Kou was
not turned around to see her do so. Biting her bottom lip, she finally climbed onto his back, and with a
gasp, Kou carried her off.
She held onto his sh oulders tighter, putting her head down to shield herself from the strong blast of
wind. Her heart was racing, unsettled by the y oukai’s uncanny speed.
Hoping to get her&n bsp;mind off this unusual form of travel, Kagome finally opened her mouth to speak, still
keeping her head down, unwilling to take a peek at the bizarre way the trees zipped past them in a blur.
“Ah… If you don’t mind me aski ng…†she began. â&euro ;œWhy was it that we had to leave so soonâ&e uro;¦?â€
Kou chuckled. &ac irc;€œFor the reason of my nephew simply being too pro tective.â€
Kagome blinked as she considered the thought.
“I believe he’s always been like that. From a very young age,†Kou added. â&eu ro;œYou might not believe it, but
he’d make quite the scene.†He chuckled again in reminiscence.
Kou bounded off a fallen tree trunk, speeding off again at their regular pace.
&acir c;€œBut I digress,†he continued. “In the end, what I am trying to say is that he would n ot appreciate me
talking with you.â&eur o;
Kagome pressed her lips together lightly.
Noticing her silence, Kou gave out a hearty laugh. â&eu ro;œThere’s no need for worry, my dear.†He turned a
little to look at her bowed head from the corner of his eye. “I’m not that f rightening, am I?â€
Blushing, Kagomeâ&e uro;™s head shot up. “I didn’t mean–!â€
“We’re here,&aci rc;€ Kou chimed with a smile, giving the flustered girl no need to continue the unnecessary
apology.
&nb sp;
As the youkai slowed to a stop, Kagome found herself g aping at the breathtaking scene that awaited
them. Smoothly sliding off his back, she approached the edge of the cliff, looking down at the water’s
glistening beaut y.
The corner of Kouâ€& trade;s lip lifted. She had probably never seen the ocean before, he mused to himself.
After a moment, Kagome turned from the glimmering&n bsp;scene only to find Kou approaching a ;modest
wooden hut. She had not even noticed it being there. After a quick glance back at the shimmering
wate r, she followed Kou to the hut’s entrance. He stopped by t he now open door, allowing the girl to
enter first.
When she did, Kagome caught sight of a small, yet&nbs p;smoldering fire at the near front of t he small home.
An auburn teakettle dangled over its flames, accompanied by hardened clay cups by the fireside. Also
sitting ;by the fire were a couple traditional cushions with a clean, yet intric ate pattern of thread
adorning its dark blue fabric. A few feet back, an elevated wooden floor completed the ground of the
hut. Two neatly-made futons lay on the wood-planked floor, lining opposite sides of the room.
It was a cozy living space, Kagome thought. But despite its small size, she found she took a quick liking to&nbs p;
the place. It had a pleasant feel to it.
;
“Please, have a seat,†Kou offered as he moved forward himself, sitting on one of the square pillows.
With another look around the room, Kagome sat down beside Kou, placing her hands neatly on her lap
while she watched ;her host pour a steaming stream of liquid into a cup.
“ Tea?†he offered, holding up the filled cup with an almost blissful smile. Kagome took the cup&nb sp;
gratefully, returning the smile with one&n bsp;of her own.
Taking a tentative sip of the hot liquid, Kagome observed Sesshomaru’s uncle from the corner of her
eye. He was dressed with the customary hakama and yukata, though the lapels were rather&nbs p;loose-fitting
and seemed to drape lazily&nb sp;over his shoulders. The fabric was a gray color, with simple, angular shapes
on the sleeves and shoulders. His long silver hair was pulled back with a small hair tie, and a smooth,
blue marking adorned both cheekbones. On either side of his almost aristocratic nose, there were two,
sparkling golden eyes.
Despite the&nb sp;similarities between Sesshomaru and Kou, Kagome could not help but notice their glaring
differences.
Sesshomaru wa s taciturn the majority of the time, while Kou on the other hand&nb sp;was quite the opposite.
He seemed warm and friendly, and even welcome to t alking. Sesshomaru held a well-kept façade of
indifference, but Kou did not seem ;adverse to display the kind smiles she had already seen so many
times today.
Returning her full attention to the youkai before her, Kagome let the thought rest. ;
“Kou-san–â&eur o; she began, but before she could even finish her sentence, the youkai stopped her.
“Please, Kou will do,†he chuckled, taking a sip of his tea. Kagome could not help but feel a rush of
nostalgia hit her at his request. Looking up in thought, he added, “Which reminds&nb sp;me; I regret to say that
I have not learned your name yet.â€
“Ah! My name is Kagome,†she replied, realizing she had forgotten to introduce hers elf to her kind host.
â&euro ;œâ€˜Kagome’,†h e repeated, rubbing his chin lightly as if appreciating the beauty&nb sp;of the uncommon name.
“In any case,&ac irc;€ Kou continued, “what was it you wanted to ;say, Kagome?â€
Kagome scratched her cheek. “Well, I was only wondering… Why did ;you bring me here?â€
&a circ;€œWell, to speak with the one who Sesshomaru has been spending so much time with, of course,†Kou
stated with a smile as he took another sip of his tea.
Myoga, who had been silent for the entire conversation sitting on Kou&ac irc;€™s shoulder, finally spoke up. “Yes,
after all, he tells us little to nothing about you,†he piped in with a nod.
Kagome shook h er head with a laugh. “I guess I can’t say I’m surprise d.â€
Giving out a low&n bsp;chuckle, Kou looked at her with shining eyes. He paused for a moment, as if in thought.
“…I&nb sp;never would have guessed that he would take a liking to someone&n bsp;like you,†he stated, tilting his
head as he continued to look on at her. Kagome&n bsp;twitched slightly, unsure if such a statement was meant
as a compliment or an insult. Then Kou shrugged compliantly. “Though as I’ve observed, one always
seeks to fill a void.â€
“Again, such wise words, Kou-sama!†Myoga chirped with an impressed nod.
Adding in another piece of wood to the dwindling fire, Kou exhaled a winded breath of air. “Myoga-kun,
you spoil&n bsp;me too much with compliments,†he& nbsp;said cheerfully with another thoughtful chuckle, almost as
if shamelessly contradicting his words to the flea-demon.
â€&oelig ;But they are much deserved, might I add!â€
Kagome watched the strange and almost narcissistic exchange in awed silence. She had never seen two
demons conversing with each other before. The nature of their conversation intrigued and astounde d
her... It was unlike anything she had ever imagined.&nb sp;Not that she imagined this sort of thing on a regular
basis. < br>
But, as she continued to watch on in fascinated silence, Kagome found herself beginning to be lieve that
perhaps the things they thought they knew about demons were ;completely mistaken…
Kou&nbs p;sighed at last, turning his eyes back to Kagome. “But yes, in all seriousness, there is a reason why
I’ve brought you&nbs p;here.â€
Perking up slightly&nbs p;at his words, the girl looked at him in curiosity. Sesshomaru’s uncle subsequently
chuc kled.
“You neednâ&e uro;™t look so alarmed,†he told her with a reassuring smile. However, the smile soon faded,
replaced by a subtle pressing of his lips as he thought better of his words. “But yet againâ&eur o;¦â€
Placing his unfinished cup on the floor, Kou leaned forward on& nbsp;his knee, looking into Kagome’s sapphire -
blue eyes with sudden seriousness.
“Tell me, Ka gome,†he began solemnly, with such a noticeable contrast to his earlier&nbs p;demeanor that it
caused Kagome to stiffen with unease. Kou paused, seeming to notice her discomfort. Nevertheless, he
still continued, even more stern than earlier, and proceeded to ask her the question that would soon
send her heart and thoughts into a flurry…
â&e uro;œDo you know what it truly means&nb sp;to love a demon?â€
Kagome felt her eyes widen in shock. But quickly shaking her head, she laughed forcedly, hoping to hide
her blatant disclosure in vain.
“…⠀˜Love’?†Kagome asked& nbsp;as coolly as she could manage, however&n bsp;the nervousness she could still hear
in her own voice surprised her. Nevertheless, she persisted. “No, I think you’re mistakenâ€&brvb ar; I… We’re not&acir c;€“
â€
“ If it’s not love, than what do&nbs p;you suggest it might be?†Kou a sked curiously, canting his head as he
awaited her answer. But after a while, Kagome only pressed her lips together and looked down at the
still steaming cup of tea in silence.
Kou paused as he processed her faint reaction. Then he asked her, “Do you ;care for him?†Despite his
asking, the question nonetheless sounded as if he already knew the answer. And from merely observing
the way she spoke his nephew’s name, Kou believed she did.
Slowly, Kagome’s glistening blue eyes rose&n bsp;to his. A light blush formed on her cheeks. “Well, I…
How…how could&nbs p;I not…?â€
Kou r ubbed his chin in consideration, closing his eyes with another low sigh. “Well, I would expect no
less from a woman,â ;€ he stated. “After all, fully exploring another’s body& nbsp;is an intimate process in all
aspects.â€
Kagomeâ&euro ;™s eyes widened, her face flushing red. “Wh…what?â€she&nbs p;practically choked out.
Kou chuckled merrily. “Oh, no need to be shy,â& euro; he assured her with a couple waves of his hand. “In the
end, it is only natural.â€
Her&nb sp;cheeks reddened impossibly more. She attempted to voice words of refutation, but as she was still
terribly shocked by his implication, only incoherent stutters came forth.& nbsp;Kagome could only manage to
shake h er head a little.
Kou furrowed his brow, squinting his eyes at the blushing girl before pulling back in awestruck
realization. “You mean to say that Ses shomaru has not touched you…?â€
&nbs p;
Kagome looked off awkwardly, urging the&nbs p;blush to subside. Yes, he had “touched†he r before, she
thought, but not in that& nbsp;sort of way…
&a circ;€œMy, my… What a surprise…†Kou mused aloud with a thoughtful touch of his chin.
Glad the blush was finally beginning to vanish, Kagome sighed, relieved that the misunderstanding had
been&n bsp;cleared.
Finally, after a moment of careful consideration, Kou& nbsp;opened his eyes to look at the blue-eyed human.
She blinked a couple of times at him, as if unsure of what he would say next.
& nbsp;
“Kagome,†Kou began ;after a pause. “There isâ&eur o;¦ a great difference between humans and demons.
Though, I’m sure&nb sp;you must already know that much.â€&n bsp;
Kagome looked down at her tea, fingering its rounded lip.
< br> “…Yes.â€
&n bsp;
She looked up at Sesshomaruâ€&trade ;s uncle, but what she saw surprised her. His golden eyes were watching
her intently, as if he were looking straight through her for an unspoken answer. They didn’t seem like
the same bright eyes full of cheerfulness that&nb sp;she had seen earlier. Instead, they looked determined, and
uncomfortably calculating.
Then, the youkai leaned forward, much to Kagome’s alarm. She stiffened.
“Then you& nbsp;must know,†he continued, a hint of certain forlornness seeming to have lowered upon his
pristine features, “th at simply what you feel for him will not satisfy a demon.â€
If he could have helped it, he would have&n bsp;rather refrained from telling the human all this. But the candid
truth was necessary, for the situ ation was precarious; not only for her, but for Sesshomaru as well. He
could not force her decision; he ;could only warn her.
Then resuming the beat he had left off on, Kou’s eyes locked on Kagome’s as his expression b ecame
even more solemn than before. &aci rc;€œâ€¦He will desire your body,†he told her bl untly, noting her subtle flinch
as he carried on, “but even then, it will not fully satisfy him.â€
Kag ome put her cup down hastily, standing with unease. Setting his cup down as well, Kou followed,
raising himself w ith a grunt of lazy effort.
Kou brushed off a few invisible flecks of dust from his robe. â€&o elig;What humans seem to seek, is love. Am I
correct?â€
Kagome& acirc;€™s mouth opened a little before it shut again in uncertain silence. Nevertheless, Kou moved on,
disregarding it&n bsp;as if it was never a question in the first place.
“But unfortu nately,†he continued forebodingly, “what a demon truly wants is much different.â€
Suddenly, the image of Sesshomaru’s fangs reappeared in Kagome’s mind. The&nbs p;way it glistened lethally
in the moonlight, hidden partially behind his lips… pulling away as his gaze fell upon the crimson
substance on her lip…
Then slowly, Kou reached forward with his hand, touching his fingers to her throat. The muscles in her
neck tightened. Her&n bsp;breath caught in her throat, thrown by the surprise of his gesture, but even more
so, by the truth it implied…
The shoji door opened with a swift sound of grating wood.
Kagome’s ey es flew to the cottage’s opened entrance, heart beating uncontrollably, finding&n bsp;a stoic,
silver-haired inuyoukai standing in its place. He looked almost indifferently from his uncle to Kagome,
then to the hand that was touching her, as if calculating the situation in silent observation.&n bsp;
“Ah, my sweet nephew, †Kou welcomed him with an unexpectedly buoyant smile, as if the topic they
had discussed prior held no weight whatsoever. He lowered his fingers from Kagome’s neck
nonchalantly. “I was wondering when you’d step in.â€
“Kagome,†Sesshomaru said in a darkly low voice as he turned his gaze back to the human, choosing to
ignore his irksome uncle.
The tone in his voice was indec ipherable, but nonetheless it made Kagome’s&nbs p;heart beat even faster in
apprehension. She bit her lip, looking back at Kou. “I†™m sorry, but I… think I should go now.â€
â&eur o;œI know,†the youkai chuckled with an understanding nod. “But before you go, I must apologize for
burdening you with the weight of it all,†he told her softly, all while knowing Sesshomaru could still well
hear them. “I assure you; next time, the conversation will& nbsp;not be so somber.†Kou gave her a warming
smile, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder.
Unlike before, Kagome did&nbs p;not flinch. It was difficult to describe, but what he had s aid earlier did not
seem to her like words that were meant to be threatening. They merely seemed like… a warning.
After&n bsp;making her way to where Sesshomaru was standing, Kagome turned and bowed to Kou. “Thank
you for having me,†she said, before turning to see that Sesshomaru was&nbs p;already halfway out the door.
Kagome trotted out after&nb sp;him; however, he continued to walk further into the forest, not saying a word
to her for a ;while. Walking directly behind him, she decided to keep quiet for the time being.
Was ;he angry with her for talking with his uncle? After he had arrived, he had not said a word to Kou the&n bsp;
entire time. Was he angry with him for bringing her here? Had he overheard their exchange…? Kagome
had asked herself these questions initially, until she thought about the heavy words Kou had given her.
Sesshomaru was a demon. It was the simple truth. But what Kou had told&nb sp;her about that fact…? The
question haunted he r as she watched his perfect, silver hair sway gently from behind.
Was that& nbsp;the truth as well?
But… how c ould it be? That would mean Sesshomaru d esired to…
“Girl,&acir c;€ he said to her, slowing to a&nb sp;stop. Still turned from her, he could not see Kagomeâ&euro ;™s disconcerted
frown. Somehow, he had returned to calling her by those generic titlesâ €¦
“What did Kou say to you…?†Sessh omaru asked, his back still facing her.
Kagome ;chewed her bottom lip anxiously, praying he& nbsp;would not find out about Kouâ€&tra de;s warning to her.
“Well&acir c;€¦ he… introduced himself to me,†she answered slowly, hoping to evade the issue. “He& acirc;€™s the uncle
you told me&nb sp;about before, isn’t he?â€
Sesshomaru said nothing.&nb sp;
Fidgeting nervously, the blue-eyed girl continued, discomfited by the void of silence. “He was very kind,â€
Kagome added with a small smile that she knew he couldnâ&eu ro;™t see. “I’m very glad to have met him.â€
“And what matters did you speak of?†Sesshomaru said&nbs p;at last.
Kagome’s lips parted, her breath hitching in her throat. She could tell just by the grave way in which he
said it…
â €œI… I–†she tried to speak, but the words treacherously caught in her mouth.
“Kagome,†Sessho maru said, saving her from her futile attempts of explanation. “…I will not ask you to
remain with me.â&eu ro;
Hearing his words, she felt her blood run cold. But for&nbs p;some strange reason, Kagome felt her voice& nbsp;finally
return to her.
â ;€œSo then… is it true?& acirc;€
The muscle in Sesshomaru&a circ;€™s jaw tensed, and his fingers contracted into a tight fist.
&aci rc;€œâ€¦Every word.â€
Kagome set back on her feet, gaze wavering as she had been thrown into a pit of ambivalence. But even
then, she realized, his silence was even more unnerving…
&ac irc;€œIs that why you will not look at me…?†Kagom e whispered. Her eyes watched him, waiting for him to
reply.
His head turned slightly, but still, she could not see his face. Then looking forward again, he began to
walk.
â€&oe lig;…Come, I will return you to your village,†;Sesshomaru said, leading the way by foot.
Her eyes were burning painfully; an uncomfortable sensation built in the bridge of her nose. Why was he
doing this? Would he end everything just like that? He had not&n bsp;even waited to hear what her response
would be.
â&eur o;œSesshomaru…†she called& nbsp;out after the daiyoukai, refusing to fol low the path he had begun to lead back
to the village. He only ignored her, continuing to walk forward.
“Sesshomaru,â€& nbsp;Kagome tried for the second time, but received silence once again. “Please… Will you not
even hear what I have to say…?â€
He kept his face hidden, continuing the charade of indifference as he continued on his way.
Then before she knew it, her feet had taken her forward, closing the distance between herself and the
demon. Involuntarily, her hands reached forward to touch the one who seemed so far from her.
“Why wonâ €™t you look at me?†Kagome asked him with a quivering voice, feeling a burning tear roll down
her cheek as her fingertips met with his pure-white haori.
But as soon as she had made contact with him, Sesshomaru turned, cupping her face with his large,
clawed hands, and pressed his lips firmly to hers.
‘&acir c;€œWhyâ€â€¦?’ he thought bitterly.
â€&t ilde;Because of his shameful guilt’…? â& euro;˜Because he knew Kou’s wo rds were true’…? Is&n bsp;that what she wanted
to hear?
&aci rc;€˜Because he could not bear to look at her for his unwillingness to hea r an angel’s judgment’…? â€&tilde ;Because
if he saw her, he would lose his resolve to let her go’â€& brvbar;? ‘Because… he ;would do exactly this’â€&brvb ar;?
Sesshomaru drew back a little, only to make contact with her lips again, roaming their petal softness. He
licked the entrance of her mouth in want, impelling her to open for him. Only too eagerly, his tongue
entered it, eliciting a small whi mper from the petite female.
When had he lost&nb sp;his perfected ability of self-control…?
The night ;before had already gone farther than it ;was supposed to; he knew that very well . But if he
knew, why was it that he was not practicing restraint? He cursed himself loathingly. So now, how far
would he allow it to go?&nb sp;But the thought soon left him; it was becoming difficult to focus on anything ;
other than his intensifying lust…
Amidst&nbs p;the building passion, the two wound up entangled on the ground with Se sshomaru holding
himself above Kagome with one arm, while the oth er went from the nape of her neck to her shoulders
and back. Kagome pressed her small hands against his chest, tensing when the demon’s tongue explored
deeper into her mouth. < br>
His hands began to travel south, but just as they passed over the girl&ac irc;€™s delicate collarbone, he stopped.
Sesshomaruâ €™s golden eyes opened, taking in Kagome’s flustered, panting image as he pulled away from
the kiss. His heart beat faster as looked at her strewn, silken black hair. ;He watched her gently heaving
chest, unable to ignore&n bsp;the way her collar had loosened a little, revealing more of ;her soft, pale flesh.
Sesshomaru tried to slow his breathing as that cursed dream unwittingly returned to mind.
Lifting himself off her, he sat up, leaning his arm against his upright knee with quiet, yet heavy breaths.
Kagome, after she had lay panting there for another few moments, sat upright also. With a blush, she
watched the demon with softened, sapphire eyes, pressing her lips together as she studied his solemn
expression. His dazzling golden orbs were downcast, throwing a dulling blanket of shadow over them. A
silver tendril of hair had fallen in front of his face, and a part of Kagome strongly wanted to brush the
strand away. But she stayed her hand.
“…Why&nbs p;are you so hard to read…?&ac irc;€ Kagome asked him in a contemplative whisper, almost as if she were
asking herself the question.
But it seemed Sesshomaru had returned to his unnerving silence, like he had taken two ;steps backwards
already. One moment, he was ki ssing her, and the next, he was utterly ignoring her. Why was he being
so fickle?
< br> With a hesitant pause, Kagome reached forward a little, finally allowing herself to brush the wisp of hair
away from his face, tucking it behind his ear to prevent it from falling again.
“&aci rc;€¦I do not understand you either,&a circ;€ Sesshomaru said, raising his gaze to hers at last. Kagome’s dainty
hand lingered by his ear, stilled by the piercing gold of his eyes.
“What’s not to understand?†Kagome asked quietly, words meant only for Sesshomaru’s ears.
He rai sed his hand, slowly bringing it towards Kagome’s rosy cheek. When his palm was merely
centimeters away from he r, he asked in return, “Why do you not flinchâ€& brvbar;?†Then moving his hand the
remainder of the way, the demon brushed it along her smooth skin.
Kagome found a breath escaping her, as he ran his fingertips from her cheek to the length of her slender
neck. Her hand still touching the edge of his masculine jaw, she didn’t think to move.
Then Sesshomaru leaned forward, bringing his lips dangerously close to Kagome’s. They hovered
breathily over hers, but did not allow them to touch.
&n bsp;
“Why do you not runâ& euro;¦?†he continued his array of seemingly simple questions. Feeling his hot breath
mingling with hers, Kagome’s eyelids seemed to become&nb sp;heavy with anticipation.
“And now, y ou have heard the truth. Yet why do you stay?†Sess homaru asked her, neither closing the
distance, nor pulling away from the girl.
With that, Kagome raised her eyes to Sesshomaru’s, watching&n bsp;him wistfully when he finally drew back.& nbsp;
“…To ;be honest… I don’t know the exact answer,â& euro; she told him with a weak smile. “Maybe it†™s because…
I hoped you would want me to.â€
Sesshomaru only looked at her with&nbs p;the same, calculating eyes.
Then with a bashful expression, Kagome averted her gaze. “Sesshomaru…†she began timidly, “I know
you ;said that I didn’t have to&nbs p;stay, but I… still want to remain by your side…â€
Yes, what& nbsp;Kou had told her frightened her… But even so, she could not find it within herself to abandon
Sesshomaru just like that. It was as if it was like it had been before; as if she had found&nbs p;him once again
injured and alone. How could she leave him?
Despite&n bsp;his impenetrable façade, Kagome could see that the presence of a heavy burden was weighing
down upon him. It was strange; he gave nothin g away, yet that very fact alone seemed to reveal more
than one would expect.&nb sp;
Her heart ached for him. If there was something she could do to&n bsp;take that away from him, or at the&n bsp;very
least alleviate it, she would do it. And if part of that meant giving herself to him…?
Kagome thought of all the sacrifices that were made for her sake. Kikyo, Ichirou, her mother, father…
Closing her eyes tightly, she blushed.
She had found herself caring for the demon more than she could have imagi ned. There was no denying
the feelings she had developed for him.
…So if one cared deeply for another, was it not only natural to make sacrifices?
~ “*&aci rc;€ ~
Sorry, I know this chapter is ridiculously long. Hehe, I even took at a little part at the end of this, which
probably would have shot the word count up to 6,000. Lol. At an y rate, hope you liked this “littleâ€
installment!&nb sp;Drop me a note if you have a moment, they are always much appreciated and help get me
motivated! *winks*
Next time! : “Ambivalen ceâ€
to the awaiting inuyoukai. He sat down on the w ood floor, crossing his arms and legs as he
contemplated his hitched ride home.
After making himself co mfortable, the flea-demon veered off onto ano ther matter. “Well, I did not&n bsp;
realize how difficult it would be,⠀ he mused with an affirming nod. “After all, I had to hide until nightfall.
And not only that, it took&nb sp;all I had to resist even one single bite.â€
Kou chuckled, pouring himself another cup of piping hot tea. “But you did&nb sp;well, my friend.â€
Myoga feigned humility at the daiyoukai’s compliment, but the prou d glow underneath was still evident.
He& nbsp;leaped onto the dog-demon’s shoulder.
“So, shall we be on our way then, Kou-sama?â€
Setting the cup down, the dog demon moved to stand.
“Yes, I believe it is time.â€
~ “*⠀ ~
The same morning, Kagome ventured to the falls once again to refill the wooden basin, as had become a
regular practice of hers. When she arrived at the village again, she busied herself with caring for the
jasmine vines at&nbs p;the front of their home as well as with the weekly cleaning of their wooden floors.
Having finished these tasks with an exhausted yet satisfied sigh, Kagome carried the basin and soiled rag
to the stretch of grass behind their home, rinsing and wringing the rough cloth. It ;was a familiar routine,
and merely another typical day. ;
But the entire morning, Kagome could not help but feel restless.
Her mind would not cease the endless replay of the scene from the night before. That focused look in
his eyes, the way his lips parted as he gave out low, shallow breathsâ€&brvb ar;
Kagome couldn’t help& nbsp;but think that when he had inadvertently drawn her blood, something had
changed in him. It was strange. He had stilled, as if struggling with an inner turmoil within himself… And&n bsp;
it was not only this that troubled her. As he lay on top of her, she had remembered seeing something.
Something that glinted in the little moonli ght that was able to enter into the forest’s confines…
&n bsp;
The image of his panting mouth appeared in her mind. She could still remember it perfectly… Beneath
the curve of his perfectly shaped lip, she had undeniably seen them. They seemed&nbs p;to beckon to her
eerily though the&nbs p;darkness with their sheen of white. Kagome knew what t hey were; they couldn’t be
anything but. There was no mistaking their sharp angle and air o f lethality.
They were his fangs.
Suddenly, Kagome gave a start, looking up with a quickened heartbeat. Scanning the edge of the woods,
she hastily dumped the water out of the wooden bin. Setting it on the ground, she tossed in the rag of
coarse fabric.
After a moment, her heart began to calm, believing the mysterious noise was Sesshomaru’s doing.
Kagome wanted to laugh. Honestly, how long would it be until she was no longer startled by him? At
some point, she would ev entually become used to his surprising entrances.
Making&nbs p;her way to the forest’s bound ary, Kagome passed through its first set of towering trees. To her
anticipation, as well as relief, she caught sight of the beautiful gleam of silver not far from her. But the
instant her eyes glimpsed the silvery shine, the brief vision vanished, leaving the girl confused and taken
abac k by its sudden disappearance.
It had to be him, there was no doubting it. Glancing around her surroundings, she waited for
Sesshomaru to make his appearance, though why it was taking so long surpassed her. After a wh ile of
unfulfilled expectation, Kagome sighed, and with a confus ed look upon her brow, began to head back in
the direction of her home.
‘Am I seeing thing…?’ she&nb sp;thought, conflicted. ‘â€&brvb ar;I could have sworn it was him…’
However, she was only able to procure a few steps before she felt a strong hand press against her
mouth without warning, keeping her from taking another step forward.
“Mm–!†was all& nbsp;Kagome was able to mumble beneath her assailant’s firm hand. Her eyes were widened
in ;fear; she tugged futilely at the hand, hoping to escape its threatening hold. But it was not long before
she found her hands stilling, and not because of the action’s tiring futility.
As she thrashed vigorously against his hold, Kagome had glimpsed the same sheen of silver hair she had
seen earlier. Her&nb sp;initial thought was ‘Sesshomaru’,&n bsp;yet somehow, this seemed different…
Renewing her struggle, she managed to turn her head to face her captor. Yet as she gazed into the face
of said captor, Kagome realized he was not who she had been hoping to see. Amber-gold eyes look at
her in what ;seemed like curiosity, but at this startling instant in time, Kagome hardly noticed.
All she knew was that she did not know this ;man. That and the fact that he possessed the markings of a
youkai, as well as an undeniable resemblance to Sesshomaru...
“Please, my dear! Try not to make so much noise!†he implored her in a hushed tone. The youkai gave
her a reassuring smile as he cautiously removed his hand from her mouth. Kagome staggered&nbs p;away from
him with a gasp, holding her chest to calm her breathless state. Raising&n bsp;an open hand to inspire her
restrain t, the silver-haired youkai held a finger to his lips as a reminder.
“I apologize. This must have made for a terribly rude first impression,†he stated in a strangely& nbsp;amused
voice.
Kagome bl inked in confusion, still wary of the stranger.
“My name&nb sp;is Kou,†Kou introduced himself to the girl with a warm smile.
“Ouchâ ;€“!†Kagome started suddenly, slapping a hand to her neck. Looking down at her palm, her
eyebrows scrunched in astonishment at the sight of a miniature being with&n bsp;a sharp mouth, which she
suspected was the source of the biting feeling at her throat. The flea-like creature wobbled around for a&n bsp;
moment, dizzied by the prior smack.
“And I am Myoga,†he finally said in a nasally voice after giving his head a good rub. “At your service.â€
;
“I suspect you know my brother’s s on, correct?†Kou said subsequently, allowing&n bsp;little time for Kagome
to collect her spinning thoughts, ;what with meeting two very unexpected and&nb sp;strange visitors, one of
which who ac tually… bit her.
But upon hearing Kouâ€& trade;s question, the truth began to dawn on her, albeit slowly. The uncanny
resemblance â ;€“ silver hair, golden eyes, tall build, and flawless skin… It could hardly be called a
coincidence.
“Youâ ;€™re Sesshomaru’s uncleâ&eur o;¦?†Kagome asked incredulously, having not expected to meet th e
daiyoukai’s relative. From their earlier conversation, it seemed to her that it was as if Sesshomaru was
quite distant from family ;relations…
“I am,†he answered, but not before stealing a quiet glance t owards either peripheral. “But allow us to go someplace else. We will speak then.â€
Kou walked over to&n bsp;the girl, motioning her to meet him halfway. Then to her surprise, he turned slightly
and crouched down.
& acirc;€œClimb on,†he told her.& nbsp;“I will take you there.â€
Kagomeâ&e uro;™s eyes widened. With reddened cheeks, she scratched her chin nervously. “You… you mean on…
your back…?â€
â€& oelig;Yes, but quickly now,†Kou replied.
&n bsp;
At that moment, she felt a sense of worry pass over her. She hardly knew this man… Afte r all, he was
virtually a stranger. But for some odd reason, Kagome felt at the& nbsp;bottom of her heart that she could
trust him. His manner of speaking – from the little she& nbsp;had heard from him at least â&euro ;“ was kind, and
warm. And even with the few words Sesshomaru had provided her with, it sounded as if he himself
respected this man.
And not only that, but Kagome herself wished to speak with this man. Perhaps if she did, she could learn
a little more about the Sesshomaru that kept&nb sp;himself so distant.
With a deep breath, Kagome approached the demon, the majority of her concerns dissipated. However,
she still felt embarrassed about the oddness of the situation. She knew the fabric of her yukata would be
too restraining for& nbsp;her to efficiently cling onto the youkaiâ€& trade;s back.
With a flustered cough, Kagome timidly hiked the ski rt of her yukata up a little, thankful that Kou was
not turned around to see her do so. Biting her bottom lip, she finally climbed onto his back, and with a
gasp, Kou carried her off.
She held onto his sh oulders tighter, putting her head down to shield herself from the strong blast of
wind. Her heart was racing, unsettled by the y oukai’s uncanny speed.
Hoping to get her&n bsp;mind off this unusual form of travel, Kagome finally opened her mouth to speak, still
keeping her head down, unwilling to take a peek at the bizarre way the trees zipped past them in a blur.
“Ah… If you don’t mind me aski ng…†she began. â&euro ;œWhy was it that we had to leave so soonâ&e uro;¦?â€
Kou chuckled. &ac irc;€œFor the reason of my nephew simply being too pro tective.â€
Kagome blinked as she considered the thought.
“I believe he’s always been like that. From a very young age,†Kou added. â&eu ro;œYou might not believe it, but
he’d make quite the scene.†He chuckled again in reminiscence.
Kou bounded off a fallen tree trunk, speeding off again at their regular pace.
&acir c;€œBut I digress,†he continued. “In the end, what I am trying to say is that he would n ot appreciate me
talking with you.â&eur o;
Kagome pressed her lips together lightly.
Noticing her silence, Kou gave out a hearty laugh. â&eu ro;œThere’s no need for worry, my dear.†He turned a
little to look at her bowed head from the corner of his eye. “I’m not that f rightening, am I?â€
Blushing, Kagomeâ&e uro;™s head shot up. “I didn’t mean–!â€
“We’re here,&aci rc;€ Kou chimed with a smile, giving the flustered girl no need to continue the unnecessary
apology.
&nb sp;
As the youkai slowed to a stop, Kagome found herself g aping at the breathtaking scene that awaited
them. Smoothly sliding off his back, she approached the edge of the cliff, looking down at the water’s
glistening beaut y.
The corner of Kouâ€& trade;s lip lifted. She had probably never seen the ocean before, he mused to himself.
After a moment, Kagome turned from the glimmering&n bsp;scene only to find Kou approaching a ;modest
wooden hut. She had not even noticed it being there. After a quick glance back at the shimmering
wate r, she followed Kou to the hut’s entrance. He stopped by t he now open door, allowing the girl to
enter first.
When she did, Kagome caught sight of a small, yet&nbs p;smoldering fire at the near front of t he small home.
An auburn teakettle dangled over its flames, accompanied by hardened clay cups by the fireside. Also
sitting ;by the fire were a couple traditional cushions with a clean, yet intric ate pattern of thread
adorning its dark blue fabric. A few feet back, an elevated wooden floor completed the ground of the
hut. Two neatly-made futons lay on the wood-planked floor, lining opposite sides of the room.
It was a cozy living space, Kagome thought. But despite its small size, she found she took a quick liking to&nbs p;
the place. It had a pleasant feel to it.
;
“Please, have a seat,†Kou offered as he moved forward himself, sitting on one of the square pillows.
With another look around the room, Kagome sat down beside Kou, placing her hands neatly on her lap
while she watched ;her host pour a steaming stream of liquid into a cup.
“ Tea?†he offered, holding up the filled cup with an almost blissful smile. Kagome took the cup&nb sp;
gratefully, returning the smile with one&n bsp;of her own.
Taking a tentative sip of the hot liquid, Kagome observed Sesshomaru’s uncle from the corner of her
eye. He was dressed with the customary hakama and yukata, though the lapels were rather&nbs p;loose-fitting
and seemed to drape lazily&nb sp;over his shoulders. The fabric was a gray color, with simple, angular shapes
on the sleeves and shoulders. His long silver hair was pulled back with a small hair tie, and a smooth,
blue marking adorned both cheekbones. On either side of his almost aristocratic nose, there were two,
sparkling golden eyes.
Despite the&nb sp;similarities between Sesshomaru and Kou, Kagome could not help but notice their glaring
differences.
Sesshomaru wa s taciturn the majority of the time, while Kou on the other hand&nb sp;was quite the opposite.
He seemed warm and friendly, and even welcome to t alking. Sesshomaru held a well-kept façade of
indifference, but Kou did not seem ;adverse to display the kind smiles she had already seen so many
times today.
Returning her full attention to the youkai before her, Kagome let the thought rest. ;
“Kou-san–â&eur o; she began, but before she could even finish her sentence, the youkai stopped her.
“Please, Kou will do,†he chuckled, taking a sip of his tea. Kagome could not help but feel a rush of
nostalgia hit her at his request. Looking up in thought, he added, “Which reminds&nb sp;me; I regret to say that
I have not learned your name yet.â€
“Ah! My name is Kagome,†she replied, realizing she had forgotten to introduce hers elf to her kind host.
â&euro ;œâ€˜Kagome’,†h e repeated, rubbing his chin lightly as if appreciating the beauty&nb sp;of the uncommon name.
“In any case,&ac irc;€ Kou continued, “what was it you wanted to ;say, Kagome?â€
Kagome scratched her cheek. “Well, I was only wondering… Why did ;you bring me here?â€
&a circ;€œWell, to speak with the one who Sesshomaru has been spending so much time with, of course,†Kou
stated with a smile as he took another sip of his tea.
Myoga, who had been silent for the entire conversation sitting on Kou&ac irc;€™s shoulder, finally spoke up. “Yes,
after all, he tells us little to nothing about you,†he piped in with a nod.
Kagome shook h er head with a laugh. “I guess I can’t say I’m surprise d.â€
Giving out a low&n bsp;chuckle, Kou looked at her with shining eyes. He paused for a moment, as if in thought.
“…I&nb sp;never would have guessed that he would take a liking to someone&n bsp;like you,†he stated, tilting his
head as he continued to look on at her. Kagome&n bsp;twitched slightly, unsure if such a statement was meant
as a compliment or an insult. Then Kou shrugged compliantly. “Though as I’ve observed, one always
seeks to fill a void.â€
“Again, such wise words, Kou-sama!†Myoga chirped with an impressed nod.
Adding in another piece of wood to the dwindling fire, Kou exhaled a winded breath of air. “Myoga-kun,
you spoil&n bsp;me too much with compliments,†he& nbsp;said cheerfully with another thoughtful chuckle, almost as
if shamelessly contradicting his words to the flea-demon.
â€&oelig ;But they are much deserved, might I add!â€
Kagome watched the strange and almost narcissistic exchange in awed silence. She had never seen two
demons conversing with each other before. The nature of their conversation intrigued and astounde d
her... It was unlike anything she had ever imagined.&nb sp;Not that she imagined this sort of thing on a regular
basis. < br>
But, as she continued to watch on in fascinated silence, Kagome found herself beginning to be lieve that
perhaps the things they thought they knew about demons were ;completely mistaken…
Kou&nbs p;sighed at last, turning his eyes back to Kagome. “But yes, in all seriousness, there is a reason why
I’ve brought you&nbs p;here.â€
Perking up slightly&nbs p;at his words, the girl looked at him in curiosity. Sesshomaru’s uncle subsequently
chuc kled.
“You neednâ&e uro;™t look so alarmed,†he told her with a reassuring smile. However, the smile soon faded,
replaced by a subtle pressing of his lips as he thought better of his words. “But yet againâ&eur o;¦â€
Placing his unfinished cup on the floor, Kou leaned forward on& nbsp;his knee, looking into Kagome’s sapphire -
blue eyes with sudden seriousness.
“Tell me, Ka gome,†he began solemnly, with such a noticeable contrast to his earlier&nbs p;demeanor that it
caused Kagome to stiffen with unease. Kou paused, seeming to notice her discomfort. Nevertheless, he
still continued, even more stern than earlier, and proceeded to ask her the question that would soon
send her heart and thoughts into a flurry…
â&e uro;œDo you know what it truly means&nb sp;to love a demon?â€
Kagome felt her eyes widen in shock. But quickly shaking her head, she laughed forcedly, hoping to hide
her blatant disclosure in vain.
“…⠀˜Love’?†Kagome asked& nbsp;as coolly as she could manage, however&n bsp;the nervousness she could still hear
in her own voice surprised her. Nevertheless, she persisted. “No, I think you’re mistakenâ€&brvb ar; I… We’re not&acir c;€“
â€
“ If it’s not love, than what do&nbs p;you suggest it might be?†Kou a sked curiously, canting his head as he
awaited her answer. But after a while, Kagome only pressed her lips together and looked down at the
still steaming cup of tea in silence.
Kou paused as he processed her faint reaction. Then he asked her, “Do you ;care for him?†Despite his
asking, the question nonetheless sounded as if he already knew the answer. And from merely observing
the way she spoke his nephew’s name, Kou believed she did.
Slowly, Kagome’s glistening blue eyes rose&n bsp;to his. A light blush formed on her cheeks. “Well, I…
How…how could&nbs p;I not…?â€
Kou r ubbed his chin in consideration, closing his eyes with another low sigh. “Well, I would expect no
less from a woman,â ;€ he stated. “After all, fully exploring another’s body& nbsp;is an intimate process in all
aspects.â€
Kagomeâ&euro ;™s eyes widened, her face flushing red. “Wh…what?â€she&nbs p;practically choked out.
Kou chuckled merrily. “Oh, no need to be shy,â& euro; he assured her with a couple waves of his hand. “In the
end, it is only natural.â€
Her&nb sp;cheeks reddened impossibly more. She attempted to voice words of refutation, but as she was still
terribly shocked by his implication, only incoherent stutters came forth.& nbsp;Kagome could only manage to
shake h er head a little.
Kou furrowed his brow, squinting his eyes at the blushing girl before pulling back in awestruck
realization. “You mean to say that Ses shomaru has not touched you…?â€
&nbs p;
Kagome looked off awkwardly, urging the&nbs p;blush to subside. Yes, he had “touched†he r before, she
thought, but not in that& nbsp;sort of way…
&a circ;€œMy, my… What a surprise…†Kou mused aloud with a thoughtful touch of his chin.
Glad the blush was finally beginning to vanish, Kagome sighed, relieved that the misunderstanding had
been&n bsp;cleared.
Finally, after a moment of careful consideration, Kou& nbsp;opened his eyes to look at the blue-eyed human.
She blinked a couple of times at him, as if unsure of what he would say next.
& nbsp;
“Kagome,†Kou began ;after a pause. “There isâ&eur o;¦ a great difference between humans and demons.
Though, I’m sure&nb sp;you must already know that much.â€&n bsp;
Kagome looked down at her tea, fingering its rounded lip.
< br> “…Yes.â€
&n bsp;
She looked up at Sesshomaruâ€&trade ;s uncle, but what she saw surprised her. His golden eyes were watching
her intently, as if he were looking straight through her for an unspoken answer. They didn’t seem like
the same bright eyes full of cheerfulness that&nb sp;she had seen earlier. Instead, they looked determined, and
uncomfortably calculating.
Then, the youkai leaned forward, much to Kagome’s alarm. She stiffened.
“Then you& nbsp;must know,†he continued, a hint of certain forlornness seeming to have lowered upon his
pristine features, “th at simply what you feel for him will not satisfy a demon.â€
If he could have helped it, he would have&n bsp;rather refrained from telling the human all this. But the candid
truth was necessary, for the situ ation was precarious; not only for her, but for Sesshomaru as well. He
could not force her decision; he ;could only warn her.
Then resuming the beat he had left off on, Kou’s eyes locked on Kagome’s as his expression b ecame
even more solemn than before. &aci rc;€œâ€¦He will desire your body,†he told her bl untly, noting her subtle flinch
as he carried on, “but even then, it will not fully satisfy him.â€
Kag ome put her cup down hastily, standing with unease. Setting his cup down as well, Kou followed,
raising himself w ith a grunt of lazy effort.
Kou brushed off a few invisible flecks of dust from his robe. â€&o elig;What humans seem to seek, is love. Am I
correct?â€
Kagome& acirc;€™s mouth opened a little before it shut again in uncertain silence. Nevertheless, Kou moved on,
disregarding it&n bsp;as if it was never a question in the first place.
“But unfortu nately,†he continued forebodingly, “what a demon truly wants is much different.â€
Suddenly, the image of Sesshomaru’s fangs reappeared in Kagome’s mind. The&nbs p;way it glistened lethally
in the moonlight, hidden partially behind his lips… pulling away as his gaze fell upon the crimson
substance on her lip…
Then slowly, Kou reached forward with his hand, touching his fingers to her throat. The muscles in her
neck tightened. Her&n bsp;breath caught in her throat, thrown by the surprise of his gesture, but even more
so, by the truth it implied…
The shoji door opened with a swift sound of grating wood.
Kagome’s ey es flew to the cottage’s opened entrance, heart beating uncontrollably, finding&n bsp;a stoic,
silver-haired inuyoukai standing in its place. He looked almost indifferently from his uncle to Kagome,
then to the hand that was touching her, as if calculating the situation in silent observation.&n bsp;
“Ah, my sweet nephew, †Kou welcomed him with an unexpectedly buoyant smile, as if the topic they
had discussed prior held no weight whatsoever. He lowered his fingers from Kagome’s neck
nonchalantly. “I was wondering when you’d step in.â€
“Kagome,†Sesshomaru said in a darkly low voice as he turned his gaze back to the human, choosing to
ignore his irksome uncle.
The tone in his voice was indec ipherable, but nonetheless it made Kagome’s&nbs p;heart beat even faster in
apprehension. She bit her lip, looking back at Kou. “I†™m sorry, but I… think I should go now.â€
â&eur o;œI know,†the youkai chuckled with an understanding nod. “But before you go, I must apologize for
burdening you with the weight of it all,†he told her softly, all while knowing Sesshomaru could still well
hear them. “I assure you; next time, the conversation will& nbsp;not be so somber.†Kou gave her a warming
smile, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder.
Unlike before, Kagome did&nbs p;not flinch. It was difficult to describe, but what he had s aid earlier did not
seem to her like words that were meant to be threatening. They merely seemed like… a warning.
After&n bsp;making her way to where Sesshomaru was standing, Kagome turned and bowed to Kou. “Thank
you for having me,†she said, before turning to see that Sesshomaru was&nbs p;already halfway out the door.
Kagome trotted out after&nb sp;him; however, he continued to walk further into the forest, not saying a word
to her for a ;while. Walking directly behind him, she decided to keep quiet for the time being.
Was ;he angry with her for talking with his uncle? After he had arrived, he had not said a word to Kou the&n bsp;
entire time. Was he angry with him for bringing her here? Had he overheard their exchange…? Kagome
had asked herself these questions initially, until she thought about the heavy words Kou had given her.
Sesshomaru was a demon. It was the simple truth. But what Kou had told&nb sp;her about that fact…? The
question haunted he r as she watched his perfect, silver hair sway gently from behind.
Was that& nbsp;the truth as well?
But… how c ould it be? That would mean Sesshomaru d esired to…
“Girl,&acir c;€ he said to her, slowing to a&nb sp;stop. Still turned from her, he could not see Kagomeâ&euro ;™s disconcerted
frown. Somehow, he had returned to calling her by those generic titlesâ €¦
“What did Kou say to you…?†Sessh omaru asked, his back still facing her.
Kagome ;chewed her bottom lip anxiously, praying he& nbsp;would not find out about Kouâ€&tra de;s warning to her.
“Well&acir c;€¦ he… introduced himself to me,†she answered slowly, hoping to evade the issue. “He& acirc;€™s the uncle
you told me&nb sp;about before, isn’t he?â€
Sesshomaru said nothing.&nb sp;
Fidgeting nervously, the blue-eyed girl continued, discomfited by the void of silence. “He was very kind,â€
Kagome added with a small smile that she knew he couldnâ&eu ro;™t see. “I’m very glad to have met him.â€
“And what matters did you speak of?†Sesshomaru said&nbs p;at last.
Kagome’s lips parted, her breath hitching in her throat. She could tell just by the grave way in which he
said it…
â €œI… I–†she tried to speak, but the words treacherously caught in her mouth.
“Kagome,†Sessho maru said, saving her from her futile attempts of explanation. “…I will not ask you to
remain with me.â&eu ro;
Hearing his words, she felt her blood run cold. But for&nbs p;some strange reason, Kagome felt her voice& nbsp;finally
return to her.
â ;€œSo then… is it true?& acirc;€
The muscle in Sesshomaru&a circ;€™s jaw tensed, and his fingers contracted into a tight fist.
&aci rc;€œâ€¦Every word.â€
Kagome set back on her feet, gaze wavering as she had been thrown into a pit of ambivalence. But even
then, she realized, his silence was even more unnerving…
&ac irc;€œIs that why you will not look at me…?†Kagom e whispered. Her eyes watched him, waiting for him to
reply.
His head turned slightly, but still, she could not see his face. Then looking forward again, he began to
walk.
â€&oe lig;…Come, I will return you to your village,†;Sesshomaru said, leading the way by foot.
Her eyes were burning painfully; an uncomfortable sensation built in the bridge of her nose. Why was he
doing this? Would he end everything just like that? He had not&n bsp;even waited to hear what her response
would be.
â&eur o;œSesshomaru…†she called& nbsp;out after the daiyoukai, refusing to fol low the path he had begun to lead back
to the village. He only ignored her, continuing to walk forward.
“Sesshomaru,â€& nbsp;Kagome tried for the second time, but received silence once again. “Please… Will you not
even hear what I have to say…?â€
He kept his face hidden, continuing the charade of indifference as he continued on his way.
Then before she knew it, her feet had taken her forward, closing the distance between herself and the
demon. Involuntarily, her hands reached forward to touch the one who seemed so far from her.
“Why wonâ €™t you look at me?†Kagome asked him with a quivering voice, feeling a burning tear roll down
her cheek as her fingertips met with his pure-white haori.
But as soon as she had made contact with him, Sesshomaru turned, cupping her face with his large,
clawed hands, and pressed his lips firmly to hers.
‘&acir c;€œWhyâ€â€¦?’ he thought bitterly.
â€&t ilde;Because of his shameful guilt’…? â& euro;˜Because he knew Kou’s wo rds were true’…? Is&n bsp;that what she wanted
to hear?
&aci rc;€˜Because he could not bear to look at her for his unwillingness to hea r an angel’s judgment’…? â€&tilde ;Because
if he saw her, he would lose his resolve to let her go’â€& brvbar;? ‘Because… he ;would do exactly this’â€&brvb ar;?
Sesshomaru drew back a little, only to make contact with her lips again, roaming their petal softness. He
licked the entrance of her mouth in want, impelling her to open for him. Only too eagerly, his tongue
entered it, eliciting a small whi mper from the petite female.
When had he lost&nb sp;his perfected ability of self-control…?
The night ;before had already gone farther than it ;was supposed to; he knew that very well . But if he
knew, why was it that he was not practicing restraint? He cursed himself loathingly. So now, how far
would he allow it to go?&nb sp;But the thought soon left him; it was becoming difficult to focus on anything ;
other than his intensifying lust…
Amidst&nbs p;the building passion, the two wound up entangled on the ground with Se sshomaru holding
himself above Kagome with one arm, while the oth er went from the nape of her neck to her shoulders
and back. Kagome pressed her small hands against his chest, tensing when the demon’s tongue explored
deeper into her mouth. < br>
His hands began to travel south, but just as they passed over the girl&ac irc;€™s delicate collarbone, he stopped.
Sesshomaruâ €™s golden eyes opened, taking in Kagome’s flustered, panting image as he pulled away from
the kiss. His heart beat faster as looked at her strewn, silken black hair. ;He watched her gently heaving
chest, unable to ignore&n bsp;the way her collar had loosened a little, revealing more of ;her soft, pale flesh.
Sesshomaru tried to slow his breathing as that cursed dream unwittingly returned to mind.
Lifting himself off her, he sat up, leaning his arm against his upright knee with quiet, yet heavy breaths.
Kagome, after she had lay panting there for another few moments, sat upright also. With a blush, she
watched the demon with softened, sapphire eyes, pressing her lips together as she studied his solemn
expression. His dazzling golden orbs were downcast, throwing a dulling blanket of shadow over them. A
silver tendril of hair had fallen in front of his face, and a part of Kagome strongly wanted to brush the
strand away. But she stayed her hand.
“…Why&nbs p;are you so hard to read…?&ac irc;€ Kagome asked him in a contemplative whisper, almost as if she were
asking herself the question.
But it seemed Sesshomaru had returned to his unnerving silence, like he had taken two ;steps backwards
already. One moment, he was ki ssing her, and the next, he was utterly ignoring her. Why was he being
so fickle?
< br> With a hesitant pause, Kagome reached forward a little, finally allowing herself to brush the wisp of hair
away from his face, tucking it behind his ear to prevent it from falling again.
“&aci rc;€¦I do not understand you either,&a circ;€ Sesshomaru said, raising his gaze to hers at last. Kagome’s dainty
hand lingered by his ear, stilled by the piercing gold of his eyes.
“What’s not to understand?†Kagome asked quietly, words meant only for Sesshomaru’s ears.
He rai sed his hand, slowly bringing it towards Kagome’s rosy cheek. When his palm was merely
centimeters away from he r, he asked in return, “Why do you not flinchâ€& brvbar;?†Then moving his hand the
remainder of the way, the demon brushed it along her smooth skin.
Kagome found a breath escaping her, as he ran his fingertips from her cheek to the length of her slender
neck. Her hand still touching the edge of his masculine jaw, she didn’t think to move.
Then Sesshomaru leaned forward, bringing his lips dangerously close to Kagome’s. They hovered
breathily over hers, but did not allow them to touch.
&n bsp;
“Why do you not runâ& euro;¦?†he continued his array of seemingly simple questions. Feeling his hot breath
mingling with hers, Kagome’s eyelids seemed to become&nb sp;heavy with anticipation.
“And now, y ou have heard the truth. Yet why do you stay?†Sess homaru asked her, neither closing the
distance, nor pulling away from the girl.
With that, Kagome raised her eyes to Sesshomaru’s, watching&n bsp;him wistfully when he finally drew back.& nbsp;
“…To ;be honest… I don’t know the exact answer,â& euro; she told him with a weak smile. “Maybe it†™s because…
I hoped you would want me to.â€
Sesshomaru only looked at her with&nbs p;the same, calculating eyes.
Then with a bashful expression, Kagome averted her gaze. “Sesshomaru…†she began timidly, “I know
you ;said that I didn’t have to&nbs p;stay, but I… still want to remain by your side…â€
Yes, what& nbsp;Kou had told her frightened her… But even so, she could not find it within herself to abandon
Sesshomaru just like that. It was as if it was like it had been before; as if she had found&nbs p;him once again
injured and alone. How could she leave him?
Despite&n bsp;his impenetrable façade, Kagome could see that the presence of a heavy burden was weighing
down upon him. It was strange; he gave nothin g away, yet that very fact alone seemed to reveal more
than one would expect.&nb sp;
Her heart ached for him. If there was something she could do to&n bsp;take that away from him, or at the&n bsp;very
least alleviate it, she would do it. And if part of that meant giving herself to him…?
Kagome thought of all the sacrifices that were made for her sake. Kikyo, Ichirou, her mother, father…
Closing her eyes tightly, she blushed.
She had found herself caring for the demon more than she could have imagi ned. There was no denying
the feelings she had developed for him.
…So if one cared deeply for another, was it not only natural to make sacrifices?
~ “*&aci rc;€ ~
Sorry, I know this chapter is ridiculously long. Hehe, I even took at a little part at the end of this, which
probably would have shot the word count up to 6,000. Lol. At an y rate, hope you liked this “littleâ€
installment!&nb sp;Drop me a note if you have a moment, they are always much appreciated and help get me
motivated! *winks*
Next time! : “Ambivalen ceâ€