InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ His Past, Her Present, Their Future ❯ Pursuit ( Chapter 28 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: Don’t own.

Another million thanks to my reviewers, you all make me so happy. *snuggle* I wish I had more internet time so I could properly thank those of you who are so very sweet and review me on a regular basis, and those who make me giggle and want to talk to them… *sigh*… just know that you all make me feel squishy inside. XD



----------

His Past, Her Present, Their Future
Chapter 28 - Pursuit

----------



Kagome was in a jovial conversation with Kaori, Raku, and the Eastern lord Wasemaru. They were discussing child rearing, and Kagome was talking about her kit and surprising the entire group. For a ningen to take a youkai child as their own was unheard of.

Kagome grinned, “My little Shippou always tries to be so brave. In battle he would always stand before me, trying his very best to ward me from danger…but the second he was looked at by the enemy he would run and hide under my hair. I appreciated the action, nonetheless, but I just hope when he’s older he becomes braver. I would hate for him to be my height and trying to hide on my shoulders.”

Wasemaru snickered, “My younger brother would run up and instigate battle with lower youkai, just to run for my protection the second they struck at him.”

“Let’s hope young Kouga won’t be, ne?” Raku said, and she missed Kagome’s almost-assurance. She had caught herself, though.

“You certainly have a strange circle of friends, Kagome,” Gyakusetsu chimed from her left, to which she smiled brilliantly.

“You don’t know the half of it. Back home I traveled with a taijiya, a monk, my kit, and an inuhanyou. I also have a friend who is a Taiyoukai, and I am a sister to a wolf pack. Then there’s this annoying little kappayoukai who adores me because I can save him from his lord’s wrath, though he still insulted me at every turn. He was babysitter to a human girl who I adored as my own, as well.”

Those who didn’t already know gawked. Kagome grinned, “What? I make a lot of friends!”

Wasemaru tapped his chin with one finger, “You are a pack sister, are you?”

“H-Hai…” she stuttered…and hoped that he wouldn’t question her too deeply. That could be bad.

“It takes strength to tame a wolf tribe, I give you praise for such a feat.”

Kagome laughed, “It took nothing more than kindness and a few bandaged injuries. You can catch more flies with honey, ne? So, Gyakusetsu, I heard that you have been known to keep strange company at times as well?”

He smiled in a far-off way, “Hai. In the last two hundred years I have taken in several youkai and two ningen orphans. My mate could not bear, so we took in young to raise.”

“Whatever happened?” she asked softly. The others had gone off in conversation, but she stayed listening to him.

He smiled in regret, “At the time my mate was killed, my youkai sons were as well. The mortal girls, twins, died of old age quite a time before. I miss them all.”

“Why not take in more? I understand what it is to take care of another, it is fulfilling somehow.”

He smiled more directly to her, “You understand where others never would. Unfortunately, ‘others’ includes my new mate.”

Kagome scowled and spoke very quietly; over the din in the room she would not be overheard by any but the intentional listener, “If she is so unlike you, why did you mate her?”

Gyakusetsu balked, stared at her, then laughed. He clutched his chest and had to brace his other hand on the floor to keep from falling over in his mirth and Kagome scowled. He laughed like there was no one hostile in the room, like the other end of the table did not exist. Unfortunately for them, it did.

“You know, Shikyo my mate, I find it hilarious that we are the only family that has not taken to the bewitchment this miko has cast,” this was Gojou, of course, and speaking in an almost yell.

“Hai, I know what you mean. Three Lords are all so charmed by the little whore that they ignore their betters. Sad, isn’t it?”

Kagome clenched her jaw. Why did everyone assume she had to use spells to make friends? And why was she assumed a whore? Gyakusetsu tensed, his laughter forgotten and Kagome growled her rather impressive human growl until Mattaki spoke up, “Northern Lord, my mandate from the previous night still stands. You will treat my guest with respect.”

“And what will you do, Mattaki? Go to war over a ningen? I think not. I could slaughter her here and feast on her instead of this rubbish you call food and you would do nothing.”

There was a chorus of growls now from all around Kagome, who was promptly grabbed by Sesshoumaru and pressed back into his chest protectively. This only brought more laughter to Gojou, “Mattaki, you let your heir frolic with a mortal bitch? Your race is truly doomed.”

Mattaki stood, his eyes narrowed to mere slits, “Cease your impudence, Gojou. You have overstepped enough boundaries for this night. You will leave my home now or I will throw you out.”

The laughter died and the Northern Lord stood, his expression fierce, “You shall have to make me, imbecile.”

Mattaki flexed his claws and Kagome could take no more, “My lord!” she shouted. She couldn’t have this, not over her. This could very well lead to war or at least animosity, and she couldn’t have it be her fault. She wrenched herself from Sesshoumaru’s grip and bowed to Mattaki with tears in her eyes, “Please, Lord Mattaki, do not argue because of me. I am sorry to have created you problems, I shall dismiss myself. Please, do nothing rash.”

Mattaki grabbed her chin and lifted her face, his eyes smiling where he could not, “Child, do not blame yourself for others’ mistakes. He not only insulted you, but my son and my brethren as well.”

“But all at the cause of my presence! Please, allow me to take my leave into the gardens and spare you and your guests discomfort.”

Mattaki sighed, but the pleading in her eyes broke him, he nodded and flashed her the tiniest of smiles to show her he rather her stay before releasing her to go. She was gone with a speed none knew she possessed. With her departure, Mattaki looked down his nose at the dragon, “If not for my guest, I would happily have taken your head, Gojou. Beware of whom you cross.”

There were several grunts of approval from the table and Mattaki, who had not seen the exchange between the Southern Lord and his young ward, was surprised to see the hostility he held in his glare against the North for his treatment of the girl. Dinner continued in a much more terse silence before Gyakusetsu stood and swept from the room without a word, apparently to go in search of the miko.

Sesshoumaru saw this and tried to force himself to stay seated. It was rude for a part of the host family to depart before his guests, so he mentally tied himself down to stay away from his, he was sure now, soon-to-be-betrothed. Once everyone began to rise he was out the door in a flash.

Kagome had retreated to the large bridge, and now was happily relaxing to the sight of fireflies dancing over the water. When she felt the presence beside her, she assumed it Sesshoumaru and turned, only to find Gyakusetsu instead, “Oh, hello my lord.”

He smiled tightly, his extraordinary green eyes glinting, “You should have let us slaughter him.”

She laughed, “No need. I will not be here long, so I wish to cause Mattaki as little trouble as possible while I am here. Besides, I can rip into him in my own way away from the formal table. Him and his hussy daughters.”

He chuckled at her before becoming serious, “Where will you go when you leave?” Kagome hesitated, clenching her jaw. He noticed this and turned her face to his, “I am trustworthy, I assure you. I can sense things of you that are almost otherworldly, so I will not be shocked by whatever you have to say.”

Kagome sighed and shook her head, “It is not that I do not trust you, friend, but I just feel strange with the idea of telling anyone else. It could bring a lot of problems for the wrong person to know.”

He smiled a little, “I understand if you wish not to tell me.”

Kagome looked to him with a smile. In the moonlight, his dark markings stood out even more against his skin, and the inky depths of his hair did not even reflect the moonlight. She had the sudden urge to touch it, but refrained, chiding herself. It would be uncouth for her to begin stroking Taiyoukai. Looking into his pale green eyes she took a deep breath, “I am from the future, both five hundred and one thousand years. Is that unbelievable enough?”

Her partner paused but laughed richly in his honeyed tone, “Actually, that explains a lot. Well, if you must leave, perhaps we will meet again?”

“We haven’t yet, but I hope we do.”

They stood in a comfortable silence for several minutes before he spoke up again, “You asked me why I mated Aki. You see, in these times it is rare for a union to be for any other reason than political gain. I only wish I had met a woman like you, so that I may have known a true bond. My mate and her offspring are a bother, but I am loyal nonetheless. Perhaps someday I will get the chance to find what you obviously believe must be there in a mate.”

Kagome turned sad eyes to him, “No one should have to live without love. Fondness and loyalty can only make you so happy, it is love that makes us thrive. I hope you find it, Setsu-kun.”

He smirked and touched her cheek affectionately before bowing and leaving her alone to her own thoughts. Love. It is what she wished for more than anything else, but when she had had it she turned it away. Looking back, she was sure Sesshoumaru had loved her, but she had been too caught up in her own misgivings to see it. Was time really an issue? After all, it was not her time, but his. If he chose to spend the five hundred years in waiting for her, who was she to stop him? Though she could never ask such a thing from him, why not let him do as he would?

Kagome wished passionately that she had known it for what it was prior to leaving. Now, what if she never had the chance? Her thoughts strayed to the younger version of her love, and she smiled. They had grown close. They were both such different people, yet so the same. They both had that magnetism to them that drew her, wrapped around her. Somehow it felt like a betrayal to her Sesshou to feel such things for his younger self, but how could that be? They were the same person!

She didn’t notice the presence this time until it was right there, a brush of silk against the clasped hands at her back. She started and whirled, coming chest to solar plexus with Sesshoumaru, who looked rather melancholy.

“Hey Sesshou, what’s wrong?”

He sighed and looked over her shoulder to the pond, “I don’t know if I’ve ever been angrier in my life than when he spoke of killing you. I would have happily taken his head.”

Kagome’s eyes saddened but she pinked nonetheless, “Why would it be so upsetting? It was my fault for being here…if I wasn’t…”

“No!” Sesshoumaru said forcibly, turning his burning gaze to hers, “Do not wish you were not here. And it was not your fault. That arrogant dragon thinks he is King of Nippon, and believes he must answer to no one. He will see, someday.”

Kagome nodded and surprised her companion by leaning her head forward onto his chest. It was a comfort measure from the months spent clung to Sesshou while flying. She was, herself, surprised though by the warm arms that encircled her. She relaxed into his embrace so thoroughly she almost missed his question.

“Kagome, would you allow me to court you?”

She stilled and stiffened. Sesshoumaru almost bolted from her to keep from hearing a rejection. He stayed though. When she spoke, it was slightly muffled by his haori but he could hear the cautious hope in her voice, “But I will not be staying here, in this time. I know you would have told me if I was going to stay here and die in this time. So I will be leaving, it could be tomorrow or next week, or it could be in a year.”

“I care very little for what period of time I have to find you in to have you. I do not know if we would even be compatible, but I would like to find out. So long as you hold my interest in the way you have I will not give up. There is no other woman to have ever caught my interest in such a way, and I wish to be with you. Youkai do not court as humans do, though, and though it is not a iron-clad agreement, it is the same as being promised.”

Kagome raised her head from his chest and stepped back. Sesshoumaru took this as a refusal and turned to go but was caught by her warm hands, “I would like that, Sesshou,” she whispered.

This time she saw the wide grin that graced his features and her heart skipped multiple beats. His beauty bordered on angelic when he smiled, and Kagome couldn’t have breathed if she had wanted to. Somehow in that moment oxygen wasn’t important.

He pulled something from his haori and hung it in front of her, “Wearing this will mark you as my betrothed. It is not binding, it simply means that so long as you wear it you accept my courtship and are promised to only I. It will protect you from life threatening situations, gift you with a bit of my healing capabilities, and you will know whenever I am near. It will heat against your skin when I am close but yet unseen by you, helping you to know when you can find me, or when I return from trips away. Will you accept it?”

Kagome nodded shyly and turned around so he could clasp it around her neck. When she turned back, she wasn’t even able to gaze upon him before she was scooped into his embrace and his soft lips were crashed down on hers. Kagome relaxed almost instantly, melting into him and returning the passionate kiss with fervor of her own. In that moment Kagome swore all was right with the world and nothing could never not be, and light seemed to pour down from the heavens themselves on the couple.

To be short, Kagome lost herself. Her arms wrapped around his neck as her legs gave way and she felt herself lifted from the ground, the heated open-mouthed kiss lasting until they had to either break apart or suffocate. He pressed his forehead to hers and she blushed so deep a red that in the moonlight it looked purple. He grinned and set her back on her feet but kept his arms around her to steady her still quavering legs.

“Sugoi,” Kagome murmured. Sesshoumaru laughed.

“We should go inside and join in the festivities; things will be much more relaxed now. Though I still request you do not purify any royalty, you may free your tongue.”

Kagome grinned against his haori, “Let us go, then.”

She took his hand as they walked, and though he was not accustomed to such a thing, the affection in the gesture was noted. He wrapped his fingers around hers and they strode back indoors and into the figurative lion’s den.


----------


A/N: Shorter than usual, because there wouldn’t be another stopping point for a bit. But hey, we they’ve taken a step in the right direction! Hoobah! I have little to say that I haven’t recently…I have written 7 chapters in 2 days…I wonder how long it will take me to get them online? XD Can’t give them all at once, after all!

More Anime Thoughts from Rayvn: (while watching the final episodes of Saiyuki Reload, the ones with Kamisama for those who know)
RayRay: Ooo, he's pretty, mommie.
Me: He's a bad guy, Ray.
RayRay: But he's a pretty bad guy. *giggles and grinning* He laughin, too!
Me: He’s laughing because he hurt the good guys! See? Sanzo is hurt!
RayRay: He's silly. And pretty. *Goku gets pelted with the bead things* Aww, he's dead. *Kamisama comes back onscreen* Pretty!
Me: Prettiness is all that matters to you, isn't it?
RayRay: Yeah. Cuz hims is pretty, and I am pretty, and mommie is pretty, and InuYasha is pretty. Can I have your toy mommie?
Me: *clutches her InuYasha keychain* This is Mommie's.
RayRay: I want one with hims. *points back at Kamisama*

The lesson: Prettiness is what matters. Not good nor evil….just prettiness. XD