InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In Death, Trust Me, as You Didn't in Life ❯ In Her Eyes ( Chapter 12 )

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

Chapter 12: In Her Eyes

Sango wiped the sweat from her forehead with her arm, and looked around, a deep frown on her face. This was getting ridiculous.

"Inuyasha, aren't we in the Western Lands?" At his nod, she continued. "Then what the hell is going on? This is the seventh time today that we've been attacked since we crossed the borders!"

Miroku studied the horizon for a moment, then turned to his companions, motioning them close.

"I believe I understand. The simple answer is that, since Lord Sesshoumaru passed on, the lands have not been guarded." He put up a hand as Inuyasha speared him with an irate look and opened his mouth to speak. "I am not placing blame, Inuyasha, there is no doubt that Naraku was the worst threat and thereby needed to be dealt with first. However," he looked around pointedly, "now, things are slightly different. We will most likely be obliged to fight our way through to Bokuseno - and back again."

Inuyasha swiped Tessaiga through the air to rid it of the blood staining its blade, then sheathed it with an impatient sigh.

"Feh. If we have to, then so be it. Guess we'll be killing two birds with one stone, won't we? Get to the tree, and kill off the demons encroaching onto my lands."

"Well, I for one am ready to sit down for a few," Sango said, and glared at Inuyasha before he could complain. "You might not mind having to fight your way across the west inch by inch, but I do." She pulled out her water bottle and took a long drink, then sighed and capped it again. "What a hassle."

"It is, at that," Miroku said, agreeing with her whole-heartedly. "It seems as though every demon that escaped Naraku decided to converge on your lands, Inuyasha."

"Yeah, well... once I get Kagome back, they'll find out the hard way that coming here wasn't such a smart idea." He stared at the horizon, arms folded into his haori. "I might not have wanted the responsibility, but since I have it, I won't shirk it. Kagome comes first, though."

Shippo, who'd sat this one out, just nodded. On that, at least, he could agree. Kagome should always come first... but he knew the sentiment from the half-demon wouldn't last. As soon as she was back, and he stopped feeling guilty, once her presence settled into Inuyasha's mind, he'd be back to putting Kikyou on a pedestal, and Kagome would, once again, start coming in second.

As much as Lord Sesshoumaru always scared me, if he puts Kagome first, I'd be happy to see her stay with him.

He shook himself out of his thoughts and hopped onto Miroku's shoulder as the others all stood and prepared to continue on.

"Hey, Inuyasha? We're gonna have to stop again tonight, aren't we? I mean, because of all these stupid demons... it's getting too late to get to Bokuseno tonight - and we'll probably have to fight more demons, too."

Inuyasha shot him a look, annoyed at the situation, not the kit. "Yeah, Shippo, you're right. Stupid fucking demons. I'm really beginning to get pissed off about this. But we will get there by tomorrow, 'cause I ain't spendin' another night on the road after this."

He looked off into the sky, thoughts going far away as the group fell silent.

I'm not going to waste any more time than I already have... Kagome's acting strange, wanting to stay dead. And with Sesshoumaru, no less.

It's not right.

No one noticed the particular absence of a certain flea...

---wWw---

Kagome sighed, then looked over at the demon Lord she'd just tied herself to. They had found a place to sit and enjoy some peace - she wasn't sure where they were, but it really didn't matter, in the end. They were together.

"So... now what? Do we just sit around and wait for Inuyasha to cause trouble?"

Sesshoumaru shifted slightly, sitting up and draping an arm over his knee, still staring out at the field they were sitting in.

"I find myself curious, miko... when you found that I had died - what were your thoughts? We have spent much time looking into mine..." he trailed off, finally looking over at her with a cocked brow.

She tilted her head, then, thinking back to that day. She remembered it like it was yesterday... every detail sharp and clear in her memory.

"Would you like me to show you?"

He glanced at her, surprised. Her voice was far away, as though she were lost in the memory.

"Yes."

She shrugged, meeting his eyes, and stood. "Come on, then. Let's go."

He considered her for a moment, then asked, "Is there something wrong?"

She shook her head, eyes shadowed. "Not really... it's just that that day wasn't really a very pleasant one. Or night, I should say."

"I see."

She glanced at him, and sighed, then turned away. "I doubt it - but I suppose you will shortly. Let's get this over with."

He followed her, this time, watching as she walked into the mists between realms, leading him towards the past, as seen through her eyes rather than his own.

A strange turn of events, I never considered this before. There was only my past, and hoping she would come to understand me through seeing it.

The journey was quick, since in this realm, distance didn't matter, just as time did not. No matter where you were, you were always within easy reach of anywhere else.

She led him from the mists, stopping in front of the treeline that rested on a ridge above Kaede's, and settling down to the left of the worn path that led into the village. She motioned for him to join her.

"Please - sit with me. We will move later but for now..." she trailed off as he nodded and sat next to her.

They sat in silence for a bit, then she gestured towards the hut. "I will step out soon." She smiled, although it was muted, and glanced at the sky. "Don't get annoyed if my thoughts are scattered and random, Sesshoumaru... my mind doesn't work in the clear and concise way that yours does."

He bowed his head for a moment, then actually chuckled, brow rising at her as she gaped at him.

"Yes, Kagome, I do - occasionally - find a reason to laugh. Your previous statement was the cause of my amusement."

"What's so funny about it?"

"I am well aware that you think very differently than I do, miko. It is part of what makes you interesting, I must admit. And there is always this; most do not think as clearly and concisely as I do."

She rolled her eyes at him. "And damned if that wasn't just about the most arrogant thing I can remember you ever saying."

He turned his attention to the hut below as her past self stepped out the door, an uneasy expression on her face.

'Why do I feel so apprehensive? Somethings wrong.'

He watched as she looked up towards their position, and saw her shake her head and frown.

'So, Inuyasha's with Kikyou - again. I shouldn't be surprised... but... that's not what's bothering me. Something - something hurts. But what?'

Past Kagome walked slowly up the hill towards them, a rather pained, almost nostalgic look on her face - as though she'd lost something important to her. When she reached the top of the hill, she sat down, facing out the opposite way from the way the two now sat, and stared out over the moonlight washed lands.

Her aura carried a heavy sadness, and Sesshoumaru was honestly surprised. It was obvious that she did not know what it was that was bothering her - at least not consciously. But there was no denying that his death had been felt by her - and that it had not made her happy.

'It's so funny - looking out over the land like this, knowing where Inuyasha is, and grieving - but not for him. Only, I don't know what my soul is crying for. Or who.'

Kagome noticed the odd look that Sesshoumaru shot her, and she thought back to that time. It was strange, listening to her thoughts from that night, and now, a little over a year later, she could see something in herself that shocked her.

Shocked her because she had been oblivious to what it had all meant.

It had been this night that she had finally let go of the last little part of her that had loved Inuyasha. And she hadn't even really noticed.

She looked over at herself, still sitting with her knees up and arms wrapped around herself, and remembered the turmoil inside her soul. It hadn't been about Inuyasha and Kikyou at all.

Her thoughts, her grief, and her pain, from that night on, had belonged to...

Her eyes widened as she came to the realization.

At that time, even back then, my heart... it was calling to...

Sesshoumaru.

Not Inuyasha!

And then, when Jaken passed on his words, I - at that time, I let go. How could I have been so blind all this time?

I wanted him to wait for me... and I wanted to hurry to him. I hoped that my time would come soon.

She looked at him, then, sitting in the moonlight, the silver light limning his features, fading to midnight shadows where the light didn't touch, and felt it all the way to her soul. She'd been starting to fall in love with him...

Even back then.

She shook her head in shock, gazing at him, completely awed at just how blind she'd been.

What else did I miss in my own mind? And when did I... start to fall in love with Sesshoumaru?

'Something inside - hurts. A piece of me is gone... just great. Aren't I already missing enough pieces of me? At this rate, I'll totally disappear one of these days.'

Kagome stood up, and said, "Come on, let's go. Most of my thoughts at this time were along those lines, so you aren't missing anything now that you've got an inkling of them. We need to move forward to the next morning, when I found out what had happened to you."

Sesshoumaru nodded, standing gracefully, he asked, "What is wrong, Kagome? Something seems to have... upset you. Did I offend you somehow?"

She shook her head, a softer expression settling on her face as she looked at him. "No... I'm not mad at you. I've just realized something, that's all. Something that's really - surprised me, caught me totally off-guard. I'm trying to sort it all out in my head." She sighed, and blushed. "I'll tell you about it once I've figured it out in my own mind, okay?"

After all, it'd be kinda stupid to keep that to myself... when that's what this has all been about. But how to say it...

He tilted his head in acknowledgment. "Very well." He held out his hand. "Shall we, then?"

She took his hand and led him into the mists, then back out into daylight, and a spot at the bottom of the hill they'd just been sitting on.

Still holding onto her hand, and reluctant to let go, he watched the hut, waiting for her to come out, as he noted his brother stretched out on top of the roof. He was a bit surprised when he watched his brother leap from the roof and run up the hill in the other direction, yelling all the way.

He glanced questioningly at Kagome, and she nodded towards her past self as she came down the hill with an irate Inuyasha trailing after her.

"I spent the rest of the evening at the Goshinboku - the god tree."

"Ah." He looked over at his brother and past Kagome, interested to hear the conversation.

"What the fuck, Kagome?! Where were you? I thought you were inside sleeping!"

"Well, Inuyasha, if you'd actually been here last night, you'd have known that I wasn't inside, now wouldn't you?"

Sesshoumaru flicked a quick, amused glance at her as he watched his brother stutter. "Amusing, miko. You actually had him at a loss for words."

She rolled her eyes at him with a chuckle. "It isn't hard to do, you know."

"Don't try it. I know where you were, and frankly, at this point, I just don't care. I have something else on my mind."

"Hn. It appears that you upset him, there. He is obviously jealous that your mind was not on him at the time."

"Yeah..." she trailed off slowly. She looked up into the trees. "This is where Jaken and Rin appear."

"Oi, toad, I can smell ya, so come out of those trees where I can see ya!"

'What is he doing here, and with Rin? Oh... no... Rin looks too upset - I don't like this...'

Past Kagome ran up the hill towards the distraught little group, and present Kagome remembered the fear that had run through her when she'd seen them...

"What happened?!"

"I am here on Sesshoumaru-sama's last orders to this lowly one, miko. He asked that I bring Rin to you, so that she would be cared for."

'Oh, my god... no. It can't be... please don't say it, Jaken. Please.'

"What the hell's going on, toad? Where's my damn brother?"

"We were ambushed by Naraku and his hordes at sunset yesterday - there was no escape. Sesshoumaru-sama sent us away, and went into battle to buy us time to get to safety."

"He told me to give you this, Inuyasha-sama, and tell you that you are the last of your father's blood - and that you now carry the title that your father once held."

'How could this have happened? That bastard Naraku! Everything, everything that he does causes suffering! Somehow, someway, I will make him pay for this!'

Sesshoumaru was surprised, again, at her thoughts. She was angered, for my sake. I never expected that, at that time.

"I see... so that was what I was feeling."

Kagome stared at the images before her. "This is where he gave me your message - you know, about waiting for me."

The demon Lord merely nodded, still listening.

"I understand, Jaken. Wait here. We need to figure out what we're going to do... and we need to retrieve his body."

"I want to bury him at the Goshinboku. He should not be left on a field amongst Naraku's filth."

"So it was you, then." At Kagome's confused look, he elaborated. "It was your decision to bring me here, and give me an honorable burial. I wondered... I was not sure that Inuyasha on his own would have done so."

Her expression cleared as he explained. "Yeah... I... couldn't fathom leaving you on the field of battle amongst Naraku's dregs." She looked away, an enigmatic look crossing her face. "When I found you, there on the battlefield - seeing you lying so low with that bastards cast offs angered me, so much. There was no way I would have left you like that."

He was very humbled, for probably the only time in his life, in that single moment as he heard her speak. For one who had tried to kill her, and then even afterwards, never spoken much to her, or very kindly... she'd still honored him.

There is not another like her, in any realm. And she has promised...to stay by my side, as I have promised to stay by hers.

I can only hope that it will be as far more than simple friends.

Friends, with her, while good, will never be enough for this Sesshoumaru.

---wWw---

They had wandered away from that part of the past, not really going anywhere in particular.

"I'm curious, Sesshoumaru. What did you do while waiting for me to join you?"

He looked slightly startled at that. "I waited. Did I not say that I would?"

"Uh... waited - where? Did you just stand around someplace? I mean... you had to be doing something, ne?"

"Ah. I understand your question now. I followed you and your friends."

Kagome whirled and stared at him, a suspicious look on her face. "Wait a minute - what do you mean you followed us? Just how much following was going on, Sesshoumaru?"

He eyed her, watching with a certain fascination as a blush crept up her cheeks, and a wicked glint lit his eyes as he realized where her thoughts lay. If you only knew, miko - the things I have seen. This might be amusing...

"Hn." He looked away, a smug expression on his face. "I found it interesting... your fascination with bathing, Kagome."

She gaped at him, a horrified expression sending a deep blush spreading from her cheeks down, and he followed the trail of color with interest in his eyes as it fled southwards, disappearing into her shirt.

"You! You... you - hentai!" she shrieked finally, more embarrassed than she could ever remember being. "Just exactly what were you watching for?"

He turned to her with a raised brow. "Surely you cannot be quite that innocent, miko." He tilted his head, a slight smirk gracing his lips for a moment. "I must say, I found the things I saw quite... entertaining," he mused, inwardly amused at her expression.

"I... uh..." she mumbled, mind blank and unable to think of anything to say.

"Did you think that I would not look, Kagome? I am, above all else, a male. Perhaps you forgot that fact?"

"I would never have believed you to be a spying pervert, Lord Sesshoumaru," she said, very much on her rather shocked dignity.

"No, no, miko. You will not use formality to shame me into regret for my actions. I promise you that it was not deliberate. I did not seek to spy, I merely appeared in the wrong place at the... right time. I did not linger, however, I will not lie - my memory is... very clear on what my eyes beheld."

Kagome put her hands over her cheeks, sure that she had by now shamed Inuyasha's fire rat haori in her achievement of scarlet tones in her cheeks, and moaned with embarrassment. With that knowledge, however, came a secret pleasure that he had, apparently, liked what he'd seen.

He bowed his head to her, then looked back up, knowing exactly where her thoughts were.

"Indeed. I have never seen a finer sight. That particular vision is held with deep fondness, and will be forever a treasured memory."

Uhhhh...

At that point, even her mind went south, leaving her speechless.

Sesshoumaru chuckled as he led her back into the mists.

That was too easy.

---wWw---

A/N: And there you have it, folks... Sesshoumaru's a secret hentai. Of course, that should really come as no surprise, after all, have any of you ever seen a more male... male? He might be controlled, but he's still got a sex drive, ne? Well, at least, in my story he does, so pooh on anyone who thinks he's a sexless drone. He's too gorgeous for me to ever believe that myth.

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