InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Elsewhere ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

By: flowers

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor am I profiting from this.

“How the faces of love have changed turning

the pages

And I have changed oh, but you... you remain

ageless

I turned around

And the water was closing all around

Like a glove

Like the love that had finally, finally found me”

- Stevie Nicks, Crystal

Chapter Three

He stopped breathing as he appeared to her. He left small signs that she would follow if she was truly ready. Here she was, proof enough.

“Kagome,” he said in a low voice allowing his breath to escape his chest and caressing her name with his tongue. Hopefully calming her. He found too many emotions in her face making it unreadable in the moonlight. Her scent told him the story; fear, surprise, anger, grief, but mostly fear.

“Sesshoumaru?” she gasped so softly only he could have caught it and the emotion behind it troubled him in ways he couldn't understand. He stepped forward only to witness her shrink back. Then he let loose a slight smile.

It gave the opposite effect he had hoped for. She cowered. It had been so long since anyone had acted in such a way toward him. He almost felt himself enjoying it at first which was quickly washed away with an all too familiar emotion.

“Why?” she breathed. He stepped closer and she fell hard onto her backside. He laughed a bit audibly and reached his hand out to her. She flinched and opened her eyes in wide surprise staring at the outstretched appendage. “You have an arm?” she said so exasperated at his actions she immediately wanted to have a subject between her and her fears.

“I have two to be precise. Will you allow me to help you or do you prefer the ground?” came his answer as soft and calming as his voice could allow. She seemed to twitch and slowly took his hand. What a feeling, her small hand in his. Memories of softness and unconditional love filled his eyes and she almost fell back onto the ground.

She stood and dusted her bottom staring at him like the arm actually grew out of his head. “How?” was all she could say as she slipped her hand out of his and back to her side quickly. She would have always expected his hand to be as cold as his eyes. Now both his eyes and hands were as warm and real as this experience. Her heart flooded and her mind filled with a thousand questions she couldn't put to words. He suddenly looked very cold again as she always remembered him and his lips set back to the usual line, emotionless.

“That is a story for perhaps another day,” he said with faint sadness in his voice. She gasped at the emotion; maybe all this time his blank wall had been sadness. She soon let that thought drown in a wave of countless others. “I would like to speak with you, explain myself, and answer your questions,” he said in a flat tone trying to hide his excitment. Finally he could share the child's presence openly. Why had he waited so long?

Thoughts of rejection filled his mind again. She stood still as death and looked at him with wide glassy eyes. “If that would please you,” he added letting his voice betray him. She closed her eyes and her body began to shake. What had he done or said? He couldn't understand this reaction. Then a figure of complete sadness filled his mind, bent over a well and shaking under intense sobs.

She collapsed back to the ground. The heat of her passion rocked him. The relief, the questions, and the grief flooded his senses. Before he could put thought to action he was at her side, standing with a hand on her shaking head. Looking down on her he couldn't think of another single thing to do.

Comfort her? How would she react? She's not a child waking from a nightmare, she's an adult not knowing if reality were a dream. She had not said more than ten words to him as long as he had known her. He couldn't possibly know what she was thinking.

She paused and looked up at him “It's not dream,” she breathed smiling through tears and her red tear stained face shown bright. He smiled and she began to stand. His hand left her head and quickly grabbed for her arm. She stood shaking with help from the last being on earth she ever hoped to see much less have touch her in any way.

The reality sank in suddenly and he was the best thing she had seen in months, months that felt like years of grief. The firmness of his grip was exquisite and real as the ground beneath her feet.

“I would love very much to speak with you,” she said with more joy than she had felt in a long time. Finally, someone who could shed some light on her fears and questions. She froze as a glorious thought hit her. Why didn't she think of this before?

“Did you come through the well?”

His face blanked again as he looked deep into her eyes. “No. The well is sealed and the jewel was destroyed with a wish,” he replied blankly, knowing what effect these words would have. He had reveled in the joy from her voice moments before and readied himself for the aftershock of his answer.

Nothing.

She held his gaze as the truth set in and wet her eyes slightly. She had known this already. Why else would she be here without Inuyasha? But wait.

“Then why are you here?” She held her breath.

“I have existed as a youkai for many centuries. And now as a human for the time being,” he answered hoping that she would realize without asking the inevitable.

She understood, he had lived. “But you aren't human. You can't be to have lived all this time… you have really lived all this time?” he nodded slowly; she easily came to terms with his age where he reluctantly did so. She began to perk up now. So many questions where in her eyes and, of course, the next question he already expected. “Are you here to kill me? Wait, you are living as a human, I thought you hated humans?” she began to back away from him again. He let go of her arm to let her get some comfortable space.

She had of course known his ruthlessness in youth and his power. He almost smirked. Finally someone would respect him for what he was, not how much money he possessed or how attractive he looked. He brought himself up to his full height and breathed deeply. All these questions were for another time. He must ponder answers beforehand, hating being caught off guard even though he expected this.

His eyes shined at her. How very different he looked and acted. She couldn't put the pieces of this mystery together. “I have come only to fulfill a promise and answer your questions. As for killing you, I could have done that many years ago. Why would I make myself known now only to end your life?” he paused to gage her reaction, “Also, I find living as a human more comfortable than having to dispatch scores of them to convince the world of my difference,” his eyes flashed

He looked so much like Inuyasha at that moment she held herself back from rushing to him. She couldn't throw herself on Sesshoumaru, was she stupid? He looked pleased at her response.

“I would like to continue this conversation at a decent time and perhaps, more appropriate surroundings,” he continued. She gawked in response.

He took a small card from his pocket in motions that astounded her. He was acting like a human. She almost burst out laughing at the impossibility of this whole situation. “This is my address. I live beyond the small park a kilometer from your school,” his familiarity with her city and life shocked her.

“Your house?” he had always traversed the western lands. She felt suddenly stupid with this thought. Why would he do that now? She shook it off and looked down at the card deposited in her hand.

'Maru Seiitsu'

She had to stop herself from laughing again, guessing the name was better fitting than Sesshoumaru for this age. Catching her thoughts he spoke. “I'm still addressed by my given name in my home. That name is a farce for sheltering pitiful humans from the truth,” he was pleased with his answer. It would be familiar to her and reinforce his identity. She eyed him for a moment and almost fell again. Was that supposed to be humor? She would believe that he meant it as truth for now, all of this was too much.

“As pompous as ever I see,” she stated and almost felt normal again with the world slightly as it should be. Well maybe not, for a remark like that she would have already been dead. He suppressed a smile. She took in the address and looked up at him. “Okay, I will come over tomorrow I guess, around four or so?” she trailed off, not really knowing how to act around him. To be normal or formal, to be sarcastic or afraid for her life?

“That is acceptable,” he smiled slightly now and bowed gracefully before her. “Tomorrow then Higurashi,” he said quite audibly and turned to her front door where her grandfather stood with a large wok in his hands. He bowed deeply before her grandfather and walked off at a brisk pace toward the street. She watched as he was almost gone before turning to her house.

“Who was that boy Kagome? Was he bothering you? Is he a westerner? His hair was way too long to be normal. Should you be setting dates with such forward and strange looking boys?” her grandfather began the normal reaction to any and all boys that showed up around her. She laughed out loud as she entered the house.

“Yeah grandpa, he's a westerner all right,” she thought hard about everything that just took place. The climb up the stairs took an unusual amount of energy from her body. She couldn't imagine being able to sleep tonight. Grandpa had started a whole new level of annoying questions that weren't meant to be answered.

“I bet he's American isn't he? Those boys are too strange, they think that girls are only for one thing Kagome! I've seen those movies with…”

“Goodnight Grandpa,” she closed the door and fell face-first onto her bed. Reaching into her shirt she unhooked her bra. Too tired to change now, she fumbled with the contraption until it was lying in the floor and settled for sleep. Feeling uncomfortable her skirt soon followed suit.

“Oh my God!!” she exclaimed watching the cloth hit the floor, “What on earth will I wear?” she realized how girlish she was being and laughed. It's not a date to the opera. She would dress like herself and be herself of course. Lord of the western lands or not, she wouldn't change. With this thought she drifted off.

Outside her window he smirked at her words. She was so vibrant. He slipped into the room quietly and covered her as she shivered. Children never think anything about their own well-being. It felt so good to do such a petty thing. He couldn't help feeling peaceful as he watched her now.

Why didn't he have children? That was simple; he was too cold to feel everything that comes with children, before and after. And of course he had never met a suitable mate before it was too late. Caring from afar was the best he could do. He sighed and left her dreaming good things for once.

She woke up startled and ran to her desk then felt quite relieved to find a small card lying there. “Whew… It was real then,” now a whole new situation began to cloud her thoughts. 'Why did he come? Why didn't he come sooner? I wonder if he's been watching me…' she walked over to the window finding it open again.

She shrugged it off. Time to shower and find something decent to wear but her stomach gave her another mission, she was hungry this morning. She started to open the door when she realized with a blush that she was wearing only underwear and a very small shirt. “I pray to every god that will listen he doesn't watch me,” she peeped and threw a robe on.

The morning was going as usual. Her mother began with the normal entourage of questions that beat around the bush.

“So, did you sleep well dear?”

“Yes mom,” Kagome rolled her eyes

“So do you have plans for the day?”

“Not until later mom,” that was the bait and she took it. Times like these were almost painful. She hated being treated like a stupid child with no way out.

“Really now? What are these plans and whom do they include?” her mother inquired as she stood at the sink with her back to the table. Kagome shifted her legs nervously. Her mother picked up on this and thought it was very interesting. Was she dating again? From what grandpa said the boy was very strange and apparently western, maybe American. This was great news no less; she needed desperately to move on.

“I'm going to meet a guy I know,” Kagome said nervously. She couldn't tell the truth yet and had to make this seem very harmless. So if it's a date Mom wanted, it's a date she would report. “We're going to the park and out to eat later,” she shut her eyes tight spitting out the lie. Hopefully this was all she needed to feel appeased.

“Oh my! A guy friend. Is he attending the university?” Kagome should have seen it. The age question. How could she tell her mother he was around seven hundred years or maybe older? Laughing out loud her mother turned to look at her. Quickly Kagome gathered her thoughts.

“No Mom, he's independently wealthy,” she thought for a minute about his position and added, “very wealthy.” Hopefully this would shut Mom up.

“Kagome, don't ever date for any reason other than your feelings. Money is great but it's not everything,” she turned back to the sink. Kagome blew out a great breath. Thank heavens that took care of it.

Her mother stopped asking questions because she could see her daughter getting more and more nervous. Wealthy eh? Well she'd wait to see how far this would go, rich people were never known for their kindness.

Kagome finished breakfast and jogged up the stairs to the bathroom. After a quick shower she retreated to her room to dry her hair. She turned the radio on to overpower the hairdryer. This always got to her grandpa like nothing else; she chuckled as he tapped the ceiling with his walking stick. There was a sappy little American pop song on and she soon found herself singing along and swinging her head back and forth. How long had it been since she felt free enough from grief to do this? She let herself sink into sappy lyrics and the joy of the moment, a moment of unadulterated happiness.