InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Embracing Destiny ❯ Responsibilities ( Chapter 6 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: SapphireQueen 
Sesshomaru finds out, he's more important to the story than he thought.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Drama / Hentai / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.10.2007 | Pages: 1 | Words: 4.2K | Visits: 443 | Status: Work In Progress
Sesshomaru finds out, he's more important to the story than he thought.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Drama / Hentai / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.10.2007 | Pages: 1 | Words: 4.2K | Visits: 443 | Status: Work In Progress
I do not own Inuyasha or its characters. I do own a "I'm with stupid" T-shirt.
Chapter 6
Responsibilities
Kagome looked away from him. In the heat of the moment she had forgotten to tell him that. "I'm fine, you don't have to worry about it. It didn't really hurt...much." she said. Sesshomaru pulled her to face him. "I am youkai Kagome. If I hadn't been as gentle with you as I was, you could have been seriously damaged. I have known human women who have bled to death under a youkai male." he said angrily. Kagome's eyes widened in horror. It seemed she was lucky. "I'm sorry." she replied lamely. He sighed and pulled her into a tight embrace. "What's more is that I know that human women cherish their virginity. You have given me a gift I am unsure I am worthy of." he said. Tears pricked her eyes and she sighed into his hair. She brushed her fingers through the silky mane and breathed in its scent. He had a fresh earthy smell as if he had been in the forest. It was a scent that was uniquely his own and she felt drugged by it.
"You have given me a gift too. You let me see the side of you that no one else has and it makes me feel special." she said softly. Sesshomaru laid her back down and pulled her tightly against him. The lean, hard lines of his body were oddly comforting. "From the moment I saw you I felt as though you were different. You seemed as if you were made of something ethereal...something I had never encountered before. I was enchanted." he whispered. Kagome smiled and snuggled into his warmth. "If that's what gave me the chance to be here with you now, I thank Kami for it." she mumured. Then she fell asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning Kagome awoke to find herself alone. She crawled out of the bed, wincing at the ache between her thighs and walked stiffly to the door. Before she could put her hand on the doorknob, the door swung open and Kaede smiled at her. "Good morning, Chosen One. You be needing to get some breakfast in you if you want to heal up." she said and ushered her into the hall. She realised quickly that it was a mansion and not a house that Sesshomaru lived in, though she wasn't surprised. The place was massive. The same white marble that graced his work place was what made up the floors and walls of the mansion. The ivory spiral staircase and antique art that was scattered through out told her the Master of the house had good taste. Kaede led her to a suprisingly homey dining room that had cream colored walls and comfortable navy chairs.
"Sesshomaru seems to love blue. Has he always had it this way?" she asked. Kaede looked at her in surprise. "You don't know? The House of the Moon's colors have always been navy and white." she said as she bustled about preparing the table. Kagome frowned. "The House of the Moon?" she asked. Kaede looked stunned. "Master was once called Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands and his castle was called The House of the Moon. They has represented his house as the royal colors for centuries until it was destroyed." she explained. Kagome's brows shot up in surprise. "What happened to it?" she asked. Kaede shrugged sadly. "They destroyed it long ago to make way for the cities. Master mourned for a long time, but he owns most of that land again now that he be a big man in the business world. Won't build it again though. He says he can't kill anyone for trespassing." she added with a chuckle. Kagome ate her breakfast in silence and let Kaede fuss over her bandages. She gave her more of her herbal tea to ease the pain in her ribs and she went to sleep.
She dreamed of the Shikon no Tama and tossed in her sleep as the visions of her struggles seemed real. Finally, giving up on rest, she wandered into the hall where she heard voices. "Goddamnit Sesshomaru! You can't keep her holed up in this stuffy old mansion forever. Let me see her at least, she's gotta be tired of your stuffy old face." boomed Inuyasha. She smiled and walked slowly down the spiral staircase. "She hasn't seemed to be bothered by my stuffy old face and she needs her rest. When she is better, she will seek you out herself. It won't be that hard. She just has to follow your foul stench." Sesshomaru answered in a cool voice. As she heard Inuyasha's menacing growl and walked into the living room, she was glad she couldn't sleep. Inuyasha looked ready and willing to start a fight.
"Yasha! I'm glad to see you." she said as she gave him a hug. He shot his brother a smug grin and put her at arm's length to look her up and down. "When fluffy over here told me what happened I was ready to knock down Naraku's door and rip a new split in his sorry ass." he said angrily. Kagome laughed. "He'll be back and I'll be ready for him." she said. He looked surprised by her comment. "Don't go trying to fight with him Kagome. He's a half demon." he scolded. Sesshomaru snorted behind him. "That's hardly a reason to inspire fear." he quipped. Inuyasha snarled at him baring his fangs. His brother merely raised a brow in dismissal.
"I think I have some explaining to do." she said as she sat on the white velvet couch. "I am quite aware of the Shikon no Tama and your role in it's existance." Sesshomaru said. Kagome was floored. "And how long have you known exactly?" she asked. He sat next to her, then sent a cold expression in his brother's direction when he sat on her other side and pulled her closer to him. "Kaede and I had a long talk last night. Did you not think it odd that I hadn't asked you about ithe jewel whe I saw it around your neck?" he asked. She nodded absently. "It seems that you have a great responsibilty to the jewel and I am worried about how safe you will be if left alone for any length of time." he said. Inuyasha coughed behind them. "What in the fuck are you talking about?" he asked roughly. Kagome turned to him.
"Naraku attacked me because he wants this." she showed him the jewel nestled around her neck. He eyed it carefully. "So this is why I sense something different in your aura? I thought it had to do with your injuries." he stated. Kame sighed. "At the museum last night, I felt like someone was calling me and I went to an exhibit that was closed off. Midoriki appeared to me and announced that I was her reincarnation. The jewel has been in me all of this time, and believe me, it wasn't a picnic getting the bugger out." she finished with a scowl. Inuyasha shook his head in shock. "What the hell are you supposed to do with it?" he asked. Kagome shrugged. "I gotta keep it safe. Naraku has been trying to get the jewel for centuries, though I don't know how he could live so long. He isn't full demon and he hasn't changed at all since the first set of visions that came to me about him." she replied.
Sesshomaru shook his head and sighed. "Just as I suspected, though I wish it were not so. There is a constant shift in his aura. I noticed it the second time I had the displeasure of meeting with him. The only way he could keep his body intact and survive for this long as a half demon, is if he is devouring the souls of full blooded youkai." he explained. Kagome closed her eyes in disgust. It seemed that Naraku was willing to do anything to survive long enough to retrieve the jewel. "How can he do that?" she asked. Sesshomaru looked thoughtful. "He can use a miko, or a youkai of the void. They are very few in this era, but at one time they worked alongside the mikos to trap the souls of the those who used possession for evil purposes." he answered. Kagome sat back and thought. Few miko in this era had power. If Naraku had lived long enough to have fought with Midoriko in the flesh, it was likely he had found a youkai of the void to aid him while they were abundant in the world.
Inuyasha took the information in stride. "What, pray tell, are you going to do in the mean time? Sit around in this dusty mansion and wait for him to come after you?" he asked irritably. Kagome opened her mouth, then closed it. There wasn't much else to do was there? Kaede would train her, but there was no where in Tokyo that was safe. Sesshomaru stood. "She will come with me. I have an estate in the mountains where Naraku will not likely look. The land where my castle once stood is surrounded by the strength of the youkai power that once filled all of the west. Her aura will not be detected there." he stated. Inuyasha shot to his feet. "You can't just take her away! What about her friends and family?" he shouted.
Sesshomaru eyed his brother in distaste. "She will be taken care of, isn't that enough? Her friends and family are welcome to visit her, but if she cannot protect herself and Naraku kills her, what will her friends and family do then?" he asked frostily. Inuyasha ungracefully conceded to the point. "What are you going to do in the meantime? You can't just leave the company and she needs protection." he spat. "This Sesshomaru intends to help her with her training. You will stay and take care of the company while I am gone. Do not screw up Inuyasha. You have two days to prepare to take the reigns of the company until we return. It is high time you make use of yourself." he stated. Inuyasha stared dumbly at his brother. "And if I hadn't shown up tonight, when were you gonna tell me this?" he asked softly.
Kagome smiled to herself. Inuyasha had always wanted a more important role in the family business. In college he used to rant on and on about taking his place at InuTaisho Enterprises. She was sure that under his hostility, he was doing a back flip. She was struggling with the news herself. She didn't know how long it would take to be properly trained. She never held a bow in her life. She would also miss her family and friends, though since she had been working for Sesshomaru, she hadn't seen them much.
"I would have arranged a meeting with you in the morning, but you have saved me the trouble. I am putting much faith in you Inuyasha." he said gravely. For the first time Inuyasha looked at his brother without animosity. "Leave it to me." he said somberly. Sesshomaru nodded once and turned to Kagome. "We do not have much time as it was pointed out to me today that Naraku has not been seen since last night. He is most likely planning his next move and we are not prepared." he said. He could destroy Naraku easily, but the half demon was sneaky and conniving. There was no garantee that he wouldn't use Kagome's current weakness against them both. "I have to go see my family and explain the situation to them. They need...help and I don't know if I can do anything for them while I'm out there." she explained quietly.
"Uncle Inuyasha!" squealed a little girl's voice. Kagome watched as a little girl, no more than ten years old raced to Inuyasha and launched herself into his arms. He picked her up and spun her around. "How's my little puppy doing?" he said beaming at her. She wore a pink barbie doll shirt and a denim skirt with frilly pink socks inside her white sneakers. Her long brown hair was tied back in a ponytail with frilly pink ribbons wrapped around the scrunchie. She had large expressive eyes and a gap toothed smile adorned her pretty face. She would be a beauty when she got older. Sesshomaru had his work cut out for him. She stuck out a slightly wilted sunflower. "I brought a pretty flower for the pretty lady Kaede-sama said daddy brought home with her. You think he gonna adopt her too?" she asked with curious innocence.
Kagome's heart did a somersault in her chest at she thought of Sesshomaru 'adopting' her. "Rin, the young lady's name is Kagome and she is here right now. Say hello." Sesshomaru's rich voice cut in. Inuyasha put her down and she sped over to her daddy and hugged his leg. He patted her gently on the head and she scurried over to Kagome and handed her the flower with a shy smile. "Here Kagome. I saw you earlier in the hallway before Jaken-sama took me to the park. Daddy says that 'Beautiful women deserve beautiful things'." she said in her ten year old imitation of his deep voice. Kagome laughed and took the flower, then tucked it behind her ear. "Thank you Rin. And I will give you this pin my mama gave to me when I was little." she said. She slipped out the tiny hairpin that she kept in her hair. It was in the shape of a small multicolored butterfly that glittered when the light hit it. She had cherished it since she was around Rin's age.
Rin took the gift as if it were a precious ancient relic and slipped it into her own hair. Her smile was awed and she threw her arms around Kagome's neck. "Rin thank's you. I hope daddy adopts you too." she said. A cough was heard behind her and Sesshomaru watched as she hurried along and took the hand of an exceptionally old and exceptionally ugly demon. "Let Jaken put you to bed and I will tuck you in later." he said. She nodded and skipped along, dragging the demon monstrosity with her. Kagome scrunched her face in repulsion. "What is that thing you sent her off with?" she asked. Sesshomaru chuckled. "Jaken's origion is unknown. He has been my retainer since the days when I ruled the Western lands. Do not let his looks fool you, he is useful when need be." he said.
Kagome shivered in disgust. His skin was green and his large urine colored eyes were watchful and pierceing. He was slightly taller than Rin and his wrinkly skin was covered in a small version of the traditional butler attire and wore a small black cap on his wrinkly head. All in all, she found him creepy. "Is it safe to leave Rin with him?" she asked him. He looked surprised by the question, then smiled. "I think the proper question would be if it is safe to leave him with Rin. She is an energetic child and often he is the worse for wear." he said with a grin. The expression lit up his face and her breath caught as his already beautiful face became stunning. As she gazed at him, his expression softened. They stared at each other.
"Get a goddamn room." Inuyasha muttered. Sesshomaru glared at him. "Do I sense sexual frustration Inuyasha?" Kagome asked with a laugh. Inuyasha scoffed at that. "Please, I had Kikyo singing my name last night. I'm worried about you, this geezer hasn't gotten laid in who knows how long. He probably has cobwebs hanging off his balls." he said with a smirk. Kagome choked on a laugh and Sesshomaru growled low in his throat. "We will not discuss my balls and I suggest you vacate the premises before you lose yours. You have work to do." he said through clenched teeth. Inuyasha waved him off and turned to leave. "See ya Kags." he said before closing the door behind him.
"You were very good with her. I must confess that I was worried about how you would take to each other. She is now suitably smitten with you, and I warn you, she is eager to show affection. I suspect she hadn't known much of it before she came here." he said. Kagome stood and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "She's beautiful and I'm used to kids. I was lucky to have a close family and I don't mind her affection." she murmured into his chest. He raised her chin and looked down at her. "Are you well? I have been worried that I had been to eager to show you affection last night." he said in concern. She smiled and rubbed her chin against his hand until he cupped her cheek in his palm. "I told you I was fine. I was more than pleased with your 'affections'." she said with a laugh. He stroked her hair gently and sat her down next to him on the couch.
"Kaede told me the story of how she came into my employ and the significance of you keeping the jewel safe. It has occured to me that if you are to be in my protection, I must take full responsibility for you. I have known for some time of your endeaver to help your family and I know that taking you away from here would cause a problem, as you would be unable to obtain a steady income." he started slowly. Kagome watched as he stopped and frowned as he struggled with the words. "Spit it out Sesshomaru." she said smiling. He sighed. "I would like us to have a human marriage. This way you would be entitled to my estate and anything you would need to take care of your family properly. It will be difficult to aquire what you need on your own until this is over." he finished.
Kagome's smile froze on her lips and her eyes opened wide. She could hardly breath. A human marriage. Her heart fluttered then went cold as she realized what that meant. Human marriage. He wasn't going to mate her. "This is merely a business arrangement to help me out? You only want a marriage on paper, am I right?" she asked as she sat back away from him on the couch. He looked away. "You do not know what you want as yet. I cannot mate you until I am sure that is what you truly want. Inuyoukai mate for life Kagome." he said. Kagome stood. "You mean to say that you aren't sure what you want! I gave you my virginity. You were right when you said human woman cherish it. They only risk losing it to the ones they love." she said before she stomped away. Sesshomaru sat stunned. Love?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kagome sat quietly in the limo across from Sesshomaru. They were on their way to the shrine and she was loathe to say goodbye to her family, but it was now or never. She hadn't spoken a word to Sesshomaru since their conversation the night before and it had been torture laying in his arms as he held her while they slept. She wanted to turn to him and kiss his lips, but her pride got in the way. She was more sure of him than she had been about anything in her life. He had taken her silence in stride without comment, but his manner towards her hadn't changed. It was eating her up inside. Damn him.
They pulled up to the small house and she let Sesshomaru open the door for her. As she made way to stalk into the house, he grabbed her arm. "You must give me your answer before we speak to your family Kagome. If you are to be my wife, we will not have time for the traditional marriage." he said. She yanked her arm out of his grasp. "You mean you don't want to go through the trouble of a traditional wedding when you can just sign the paperwork." she seethed. She walked into the house and didn't bother to look at him. He followed her into the kitchen where her family were eating breakfast.
"Kagome! So nice of you to stop by. And who is your handsome friend?" Mama Higurashi asked with a bright smile as she readied the tea kettle. Souta, sixteen years of crude male, shot out of his seat and engulfed her in a hug. "Wow, nice one Kagome. He looks even cooler than Inuyasha." he said with an appreciative nod. Sesshomaru raised a brow at that and shook her brothers hand as he offered it to him. "This is Sesshomaru InuTaisho." she said smiling. Before another word could be spoked, her grandfather shot to his feet and proceeded to try to vanquish Sesshomaru with a charm. Sesshomaru caught the paper between his fingers and turned it to dust without batting a lash. "You bring a full blooded demon here this time! Have you lost your marbles girl?" the old man asked as he squatted and began to pose in a variation of martial arts stances. Kagome sighed and let her brother usher their grandfather usher out of the room.
Her mother sat and motioned for them to follow. "I suspect you want to tell me about the Shikon no Tama." she said. Kagome, who had taken a healthy sip of tea, sputtered and grabbed a napkin to hastily clean the spilt tea off of her. "You too?" she groaned. Mama Higurashi laughed coquettishly. "Yes, of course I know. You can't hide anything from your mama." she said waggling her brows and looking at Sesshomaru. Kagome blushed furiously and glared at her. Suddenly Mama Higurashi was all business.
"I trust you have found Kaede. You should go far from here to train, Kagome, it isn't safe." she said. Kagome rolled her eyes. "That's why we're here. Sesshomaru is taking me to a place he thinks Naraku won't follow us, but I don't know how long it will take." she said apologetically. Migurashi waved off her concern. "The shrine has been standing for more years than I can count. We appreciate your help, but don't be so conceited. We can survive until you get back." she responded airily. Kagome gritted her teeth and stood, planting her hands firmly on the table. "You can't afford to act so flippant about the state of this shrine!" she seethed. Sesshomaru coughed behind her and she glared at him, but when he spoke, he addressed her mother.
"I have offered to marry your daughter, but so far she has obstained from giving me an answer. This would solve a great many problems and help to keep her safe. People do not make a habit of troubling those with the InuTaisho name." he said. Kagome squealed in anger. Mama Higurashi shot Kagome a stern look that had her taking her seat. "I think it is an excellant idea. Especially considering the fact that my daughter isn't quite a maiden anymore." she said giving her daughter a pointed look. Kagome blushed furiously. "Even if my foolish daughter won't take it in mind, you're destiny's are intertwined." she stated. Once again Kagome sputtered and spilt her tea. Sesshomaru stared at her. "I beg your pardon?" he asked.
Mama Higurashi shot her daughter a scathing look. "You did not mention that he is your aide?" she asked angrily. Kagome crossed her arms and looked away. "I thought Kaede told him." she snorted. Mama Higurashi scowled at her. "Never mind that. Sesshomaru, you were chosen by fate to help guard the Shikon no Tama alongside Kagome." she stated. Sesshomaru stared at her as if she had lost her mind. "I have lived for centuries and given no thought to this jewel and seen no visions of it. It is not I who is the guardian." he said. She merely laughed. "Indeed, it isn't you who is the guardian, but it is your destiny to aide her. You have lived all these years in preparation for the role you are about to play. I think Kaede was leaving Kagome to tell you that particular point. Whether you like it or not, that is the truth." she said. Sesshomaru looked up at Kagome and glared when she shrugged. "I see." he said. Kagome sighed. "Your offer of marriage still open?"
Chapter 6
Responsibilities
Kagome looked away from him. In the heat of the moment she had forgotten to tell him that. "I'm fine, you don't have to worry about it. It didn't really hurt...much." she said. Sesshomaru pulled her to face him. "I am youkai Kagome. If I hadn't been as gentle with you as I was, you could have been seriously damaged. I have known human women who have bled to death under a youkai male." he said angrily. Kagome's eyes widened in horror. It seemed she was lucky. "I'm sorry." she replied lamely. He sighed and pulled her into a tight embrace. "What's more is that I know that human women cherish their virginity. You have given me a gift I am unsure I am worthy of." he said. Tears pricked her eyes and she sighed into his hair. She brushed her fingers through the silky mane and breathed in its scent. He had a fresh earthy smell as if he had been in the forest. It was a scent that was uniquely his own and she felt drugged by it.
"You have given me a gift too. You let me see the side of you that no one else has and it makes me feel special." she said softly. Sesshomaru laid her back down and pulled her tightly against him. The lean, hard lines of his body were oddly comforting. "From the moment I saw you I felt as though you were different. You seemed as if you were made of something ethereal...something I had never encountered before. I was enchanted." he whispered. Kagome smiled and snuggled into his warmth. "If that's what gave me the chance to be here with you now, I thank Kami for it." she mumured. Then she fell asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning Kagome awoke to find herself alone. She crawled out of the bed, wincing at the ache between her thighs and walked stiffly to the door. Before she could put her hand on the doorknob, the door swung open and Kaede smiled at her. "Good morning, Chosen One. You be needing to get some breakfast in you if you want to heal up." she said and ushered her into the hall. She realised quickly that it was a mansion and not a house that Sesshomaru lived in, though she wasn't surprised. The place was massive. The same white marble that graced his work place was what made up the floors and walls of the mansion. The ivory spiral staircase and antique art that was scattered through out told her the Master of the house had good taste. Kaede led her to a suprisingly homey dining room that had cream colored walls and comfortable navy chairs.
"Sesshomaru seems to love blue. Has he always had it this way?" she asked. Kaede looked at her in surprise. "You don't know? The House of the Moon's colors have always been navy and white." she said as she bustled about preparing the table. Kagome frowned. "The House of the Moon?" she asked. Kaede looked stunned. "Master was once called Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands and his castle was called The House of the Moon. They has represented his house as the royal colors for centuries until it was destroyed." she explained. Kagome's brows shot up in surprise. "What happened to it?" she asked. Kaede shrugged sadly. "They destroyed it long ago to make way for the cities. Master mourned for a long time, but he owns most of that land again now that he be a big man in the business world. Won't build it again though. He says he can't kill anyone for trespassing." she added with a chuckle. Kagome ate her breakfast in silence and let Kaede fuss over her bandages. She gave her more of her herbal tea to ease the pain in her ribs and she went to sleep.
She dreamed of the Shikon no Tama and tossed in her sleep as the visions of her struggles seemed real. Finally, giving up on rest, she wandered into the hall where she heard voices. "Goddamnit Sesshomaru! You can't keep her holed up in this stuffy old mansion forever. Let me see her at least, she's gotta be tired of your stuffy old face." boomed Inuyasha. She smiled and walked slowly down the spiral staircase. "She hasn't seemed to be bothered by my stuffy old face and she needs her rest. When she is better, she will seek you out herself. It won't be that hard. She just has to follow your foul stench." Sesshomaru answered in a cool voice. As she heard Inuyasha's menacing growl and walked into the living room, she was glad she couldn't sleep. Inuyasha looked ready and willing to start a fight.
"Yasha! I'm glad to see you." she said as she gave him a hug. He shot his brother a smug grin and put her at arm's length to look her up and down. "When fluffy over here told me what happened I was ready to knock down Naraku's door and rip a new split in his sorry ass." he said angrily. Kagome laughed. "He'll be back and I'll be ready for him." she said. He looked surprised by her comment. "Don't go trying to fight with him Kagome. He's a half demon." he scolded. Sesshomaru snorted behind him. "That's hardly a reason to inspire fear." he quipped. Inuyasha snarled at him baring his fangs. His brother merely raised a brow in dismissal.
"I think I have some explaining to do." she said as she sat on the white velvet couch. "I am quite aware of the Shikon no Tama and your role in it's existance." Sesshomaru said. Kagome was floored. "And how long have you known exactly?" she asked. He sat next to her, then sent a cold expression in his brother's direction when he sat on her other side and pulled her closer to him. "Kaede and I had a long talk last night. Did you not think it odd that I hadn't asked you about ithe jewel whe I saw it around your neck?" he asked. She nodded absently. "It seems that you have a great responsibilty to the jewel and I am worried about how safe you will be if left alone for any length of time." he said. Inuyasha coughed behind them. "What in the fuck are you talking about?" he asked roughly. Kagome turned to him.
"Naraku attacked me because he wants this." she showed him the jewel nestled around her neck. He eyed it carefully. "So this is why I sense something different in your aura? I thought it had to do with your injuries." he stated. Kame sighed. "At the museum last night, I felt like someone was calling me and I went to an exhibit that was closed off. Midoriki appeared to me and announced that I was her reincarnation. The jewel has been in me all of this time, and believe me, it wasn't a picnic getting the bugger out." she finished with a scowl. Inuyasha shook his head in shock. "What the hell are you supposed to do with it?" he asked. Kagome shrugged. "I gotta keep it safe. Naraku has been trying to get the jewel for centuries, though I don't know how he could live so long. He isn't full demon and he hasn't changed at all since the first set of visions that came to me about him." she replied.
Sesshomaru shook his head and sighed. "Just as I suspected, though I wish it were not so. There is a constant shift in his aura. I noticed it the second time I had the displeasure of meeting with him. The only way he could keep his body intact and survive for this long as a half demon, is if he is devouring the souls of full blooded youkai." he explained. Kagome closed her eyes in disgust. It seemed that Naraku was willing to do anything to survive long enough to retrieve the jewel. "How can he do that?" she asked. Sesshomaru looked thoughtful. "He can use a miko, or a youkai of the void. They are very few in this era, but at one time they worked alongside the mikos to trap the souls of the those who used possession for evil purposes." he answered. Kagome sat back and thought. Few miko in this era had power. If Naraku had lived long enough to have fought with Midoriko in the flesh, it was likely he had found a youkai of the void to aid him while they were abundant in the world.
Inuyasha took the information in stride. "What, pray tell, are you going to do in the mean time? Sit around in this dusty mansion and wait for him to come after you?" he asked irritably. Kagome opened her mouth, then closed it. There wasn't much else to do was there? Kaede would train her, but there was no where in Tokyo that was safe. Sesshomaru stood. "She will come with me. I have an estate in the mountains where Naraku will not likely look. The land where my castle once stood is surrounded by the strength of the youkai power that once filled all of the west. Her aura will not be detected there." he stated. Inuyasha shot to his feet. "You can't just take her away! What about her friends and family?" he shouted.
Sesshomaru eyed his brother in distaste. "She will be taken care of, isn't that enough? Her friends and family are welcome to visit her, but if she cannot protect herself and Naraku kills her, what will her friends and family do then?" he asked frostily. Inuyasha ungracefully conceded to the point. "What are you going to do in the meantime? You can't just leave the company and she needs protection." he spat. "This Sesshomaru intends to help her with her training. You will stay and take care of the company while I am gone. Do not screw up Inuyasha. You have two days to prepare to take the reigns of the company until we return. It is high time you make use of yourself." he stated. Inuyasha stared dumbly at his brother. "And if I hadn't shown up tonight, when were you gonna tell me this?" he asked softly.
Kagome smiled to herself. Inuyasha had always wanted a more important role in the family business. In college he used to rant on and on about taking his place at InuTaisho Enterprises. She was sure that under his hostility, he was doing a back flip. She was struggling with the news herself. She didn't know how long it would take to be properly trained. She never held a bow in her life. She would also miss her family and friends, though since she had been working for Sesshomaru, she hadn't seen them much.
"I would have arranged a meeting with you in the morning, but you have saved me the trouble. I am putting much faith in you Inuyasha." he said gravely. For the first time Inuyasha looked at his brother without animosity. "Leave it to me." he said somberly. Sesshomaru nodded once and turned to Kagome. "We do not have much time as it was pointed out to me today that Naraku has not been seen since last night. He is most likely planning his next move and we are not prepared." he said. He could destroy Naraku easily, but the half demon was sneaky and conniving. There was no garantee that he wouldn't use Kagome's current weakness against them both. "I have to go see my family and explain the situation to them. They need...help and I don't know if I can do anything for them while I'm out there." she explained quietly.
"Uncle Inuyasha!" squealed a little girl's voice. Kagome watched as a little girl, no more than ten years old raced to Inuyasha and launched herself into his arms. He picked her up and spun her around. "How's my little puppy doing?" he said beaming at her. She wore a pink barbie doll shirt and a denim skirt with frilly pink socks inside her white sneakers. Her long brown hair was tied back in a ponytail with frilly pink ribbons wrapped around the scrunchie. She had large expressive eyes and a gap toothed smile adorned her pretty face. She would be a beauty when she got older. Sesshomaru had his work cut out for him. She stuck out a slightly wilted sunflower. "I brought a pretty flower for the pretty lady Kaede-sama said daddy brought home with her. You think he gonna adopt her too?" she asked with curious innocence.
Kagome's heart did a somersault in her chest at she thought of Sesshomaru 'adopting' her. "Rin, the young lady's name is Kagome and she is here right now. Say hello." Sesshomaru's rich voice cut in. Inuyasha put her down and she sped over to her daddy and hugged his leg. He patted her gently on the head and she scurried over to Kagome and handed her the flower with a shy smile. "Here Kagome. I saw you earlier in the hallway before Jaken-sama took me to the park. Daddy says that 'Beautiful women deserve beautiful things'." she said in her ten year old imitation of his deep voice. Kagome laughed and took the flower, then tucked it behind her ear. "Thank you Rin. And I will give you this pin my mama gave to me when I was little." she said. She slipped out the tiny hairpin that she kept in her hair. It was in the shape of a small multicolored butterfly that glittered when the light hit it. She had cherished it since she was around Rin's age.
Rin took the gift as if it were a precious ancient relic and slipped it into her own hair. Her smile was awed and she threw her arms around Kagome's neck. "Rin thank's you. I hope daddy adopts you too." she said. A cough was heard behind her and Sesshomaru watched as she hurried along and took the hand of an exceptionally old and exceptionally ugly demon. "Let Jaken put you to bed and I will tuck you in later." he said. She nodded and skipped along, dragging the demon monstrosity with her. Kagome scrunched her face in repulsion. "What is that thing you sent her off with?" she asked. Sesshomaru chuckled. "Jaken's origion is unknown. He has been my retainer since the days when I ruled the Western lands. Do not let his looks fool you, he is useful when need be." he said.
Kagome shivered in disgust. His skin was green and his large urine colored eyes were watchful and pierceing. He was slightly taller than Rin and his wrinkly skin was covered in a small version of the traditional butler attire and wore a small black cap on his wrinkly head. All in all, she found him creepy. "Is it safe to leave Rin with him?" she asked him. He looked surprised by the question, then smiled. "I think the proper question would be if it is safe to leave him with Rin. She is an energetic child and often he is the worse for wear." he said with a grin. The expression lit up his face and her breath caught as his already beautiful face became stunning. As she gazed at him, his expression softened. They stared at each other.
"Get a goddamn room." Inuyasha muttered. Sesshomaru glared at him. "Do I sense sexual frustration Inuyasha?" Kagome asked with a laugh. Inuyasha scoffed at that. "Please, I had Kikyo singing my name last night. I'm worried about you, this geezer hasn't gotten laid in who knows how long. He probably has cobwebs hanging off his balls." he said with a smirk. Kagome choked on a laugh and Sesshomaru growled low in his throat. "We will not discuss my balls and I suggest you vacate the premises before you lose yours. You have work to do." he said through clenched teeth. Inuyasha waved him off and turned to leave. "See ya Kags." he said before closing the door behind him.
"You were very good with her. I must confess that I was worried about how you would take to each other. She is now suitably smitten with you, and I warn you, she is eager to show affection. I suspect she hadn't known much of it before she came here." he said. Kagome stood and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "She's beautiful and I'm used to kids. I was lucky to have a close family and I don't mind her affection." she murmured into his chest. He raised her chin and looked down at her. "Are you well? I have been worried that I had been to eager to show you affection last night." he said in concern. She smiled and rubbed her chin against his hand until he cupped her cheek in his palm. "I told you I was fine. I was more than pleased with your 'affections'." she said with a laugh. He stroked her hair gently and sat her down next to him on the couch.
"Kaede told me the story of how she came into my employ and the significance of you keeping the jewel safe. It has occured to me that if you are to be in my protection, I must take full responsibility for you. I have known for some time of your endeaver to help your family and I know that taking you away from here would cause a problem, as you would be unable to obtain a steady income." he started slowly. Kagome watched as he stopped and frowned as he struggled with the words. "Spit it out Sesshomaru." she said smiling. He sighed. "I would like us to have a human marriage. This way you would be entitled to my estate and anything you would need to take care of your family properly. It will be difficult to aquire what you need on your own until this is over." he finished.
Kagome's smile froze on her lips and her eyes opened wide. She could hardly breath. A human marriage. Her heart fluttered then went cold as she realized what that meant. Human marriage. He wasn't going to mate her. "This is merely a business arrangement to help me out? You only want a marriage on paper, am I right?" she asked as she sat back away from him on the couch. He looked away. "You do not know what you want as yet. I cannot mate you until I am sure that is what you truly want. Inuyoukai mate for life Kagome." he said. Kagome stood. "You mean to say that you aren't sure what you want! I gave you my virginity. You were right when you said human woman cherish it. They only risk losing it to the ones they love." she said before she stomped away. Sesshomaru sat stunned. Love?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kagome sat quietly in the limo across from Sesshomaru. They were on their way to the shrine and she was loathe to say goodbye to her family, but it was now or never. She hadn't spoken a word to Sesshomaru since their conversation the night before and it had been torture laying in his arms as he held her while they slept. She wanted to turn to him and kiss his lips, but her pride got in the way. She was more sure of him than she had been about anything in her life. He had taken her silence in stride without comment, but his manner towards her hadn't changed. It was eating her up inside. Damn him.
They pulled up to the small house and she let Sesshomaru open the door for her. As she made way to stalk into the house, he grabbed her arm. "You must give me your answer before we speak to your family Kagome. If you are to be my wife, we will not have time for the traditional marriage." he said. She yanked her arm out of his grasp. "You mean you don't want to go through the trouble of a traditional wedding when you can just sign the paperwork." she seethed. She walked into the house and didn't bother to look at him. He followed her into the kitchen where her family were eating breakfast.
"Kagome! So nice of you to stop by. And who is your handsome friend?" Mama Higurashi asked with a bright smile as she readied the tea kettle. Souta, sixteen years of crude male, shot out of his seat and engulfed her in a hug. "Wow, nice one Kagome. He looks even cooler than Inuyasha." he said with an appreciative nod. Sesshomaru raised a brow at that and shook her brothers hand as he offered it to him. "This is Sesshomaru InuTaisho." she said smiling. Before another word could be spoked, her grandfather shot to his feet and proceeded to try to vanquish Sesshomaru with a charm. Sesshomaru caught the paper between his fingers and turned it to dust without batting a lash. "You bring a full blooded demon here this time! Have you lost your marbles girl?" the old man asked as he squatted and began to pose in a variation of martial arts stances. Kagome sighed and let her brother usher their grandfather usher out of the room.
Her mother sat and motioned for them to follow. "I suspect you want to tell me about the Shikon no Tama." she said. Kagome, who had taken a healthy sip of tea, sputtered and grabbed a napkin to hastily clean the spilt tea off of her. "You too?" she groaned. Mama Higurashi laughed coquettishly. "Yes, of course I know. You can't hide anything from your mama." she said waggling her brows and looking at Sesshomaru. Kagome blushed furiously and glared at her. Suddenly Mama Higurashi was all business.
"I trust you have found Kaede. You should go far from here to train, Kagome, it isn't safe." she said. Kagome rolled her eyes. "That's why we're here. Sesshomaru is taking me to a place he thinks Naraku won't follow us, but I don't know how long it will take." she said apologetically. Migurashi waved off her concern. "The shrine has been standing for more years than I can count. We appreciate your help, but don't be so conceited. We can survive until you get back." she responded airily. Kagome gritted her teeth and stood, planting her hands firmly on the table. "You can't afford to act so flippant about the state of this shrine!" she seethed. Sesshomaru coughed behind her and she glared at him, but when he spoke, he addressed her mother.
"I have offered to marry your daughter, but so far she has obstained from giving me an answer. This would solve a great many problems and help to keep her safe. People do not make a habit of troubling those with the InuTaisho name." he said. Kagome squealed in anger. Mama Higurashi shot Kagome a stern look that had her taking her seat. "I think it is an excellant idea. Especially considering the fact that my daughter isn't quite a maiden anymore." she said giving her daughter a pointed look. Kagome blushed furiously. "Even if my foolish daughter won't take it in mind, you're destiny's are intertwined." she stated. Once again Kagome sputtered and spilt her tea. Sesshomaru stared at her. "I beg your pardon?" he asked.
Mama Higurashi shot her daughter a scathing look. "You did not mention that he is your aide?" she asked angrily. Kagome crossed her arms and looked away. "I thought Kaede told him." she snorted. Mama Higurashi scowled at her. "Never mind that. Sesshomaru, you were chosen by fate to help guard the Shikon no Tama alongside Kagome." she stated. Sesshomaru stared at her as if she had lost her mind. "I have lived for centuries and given no thought to this jewel and seen no visions of it. It is not I who is the guardian." he said. She merely laughed. "Indeed, it isn't you who is the guardian, but it is your destiny to aide her. You have lived all these years in preparation for the role you are about to play. I think Kaede was leaving Kagome to tell you that particular point. Whether you like it or not, that is the truth." she said. Sesshomaru looked up at Kagome and glared when she shrugged. "I see." he said. Kagome sighed. "Your offer of marriage still open?"