InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Of Gods and Monsters ❯ Chapter 48: Parable and Past ( Chapter 48 )

Chapter 48: Parable and Past

A breeze rustled through the trees and Teles lifted her shoulders, huddling down contentedly in her coat, letting the soft scarf gather up about her ears. It was amazing that the world had built itself up to such a degree that it was largely unrecognizable, and yet areas like these still remained unspoiled.

Visiting the Zen garden had been Sesshoumaru's idea. While he'd taken her on various outings throughout Tokyo, the former goddess often sat by the window, her eyes straying out over the tops of the buildings. It was as if she was trying to see traces of the world she'd left behind -- hints of foliage hidden among the concrete and steel.

So far, she loved it. Here the air was clean. Here, she could close her eyes and believe that she was home.

Wait a minute,she thought, brows knitting together. Home?

She shook her head briskly. It was only logical that she'd begin to miss the era she'd fled, but an intense longing for home was slowly winding its way around her heart. Sesshoumaru's embrace eased that melancholy, but did not erase it. That alone left her feeling ungrateful, and the swift pang of guilt that followed frequently made her eyes sting with tears.

She was here, with her mate. Their unborn child's life thrummed in time with her own heartbeat. She was in an amazing, wonderful, fantastic world with theatres -- Sesshoumaru had taken her to a performance of Oedipus Rex, which she'd positively adored in spite of the fact that it was a modernized adaptation -- hot showers, and cuisine beyond her wildest imagination. In fact, she was increasingly fond of Thai and Indian food, despite Sesshoumaru's opinion that such spicy meals weren't particularly good for her, given her delicate condition.

This was a world full of marvels and conveniences, such that sometimes she couldn't quite wrap her mind around all of it. At one point, Sesshoumaru had even arranged for a woman to come to their home and give the former goddess a "manicure" and "pedicure."

She loved it here.

And yet, as she breathed clean air, tinted with pine and early winter, she found herself increasingly homesick. Teles lifted her gaze and turned her head, green eyes scanning the area for any sign of her mate. He'd asked her to wait in this spot until he returned, and she was feeling his absence keenly.

When she looked to her right, she saw Sesshoumaru's familiar form slowly approaching. She smiled to herself at the sight of his altered self -- she was slowly growing used to the changes in appearance provided by the charm he wore. She far preferred his youkai appearance, but this was not without its appeal. And as she watched him come closer, she was reminded of Inuyasha's visit a few nights before. Now, as she looked at Sesshoumaru, dark hair framing his face, she noticed how very much he and Inuyasha resembled each other. Of course, she would never admit such a thing to him -- to either of them.

As she continued to watch him, Teles also realized that Sesshoumaru was pushing something. It appeared to be a chair of sorts, though it was grey and abominably ugly... and it had wheels. She looked down at it, her brow arching in disdain.

"What is that?"

Sesshoumaru looked down briefly before meeting his mate's gaze. "It is a wheelchair," he explained simply.

She nodded once. "An appropriate name. Why do you have one?"

There was a brief pause, during which time Sesshoumaru cleared his throat. "I had thought this would... keep you from tiring."

She looked down at the hideous contraption, then up at her mate, and down again. After a moment, she met his gaze squarely. "No."

"...No," he echoed.

"That is precisely what I said, youk-- Sesshoumaru. No."

His mouth tipped up at the corner, and she could almost see him bite back any reservations he might have had regarding her ability to make it through the gardens without it. "Very well."

Teles gave an imperious nod. "It is ugly, besides. And what on earth makes you think I would have agreed to come to a place if I did not think I could make it on my own power?"

"Clearly, I am an idiot," he replied, completely straightfaced.

A moment or two passed, and Teles strove to maintain a stern, annoyed expression. But her lips twitched into a smile at her mate's words, and she shook her head slowly, her eyes glowing with affection. He returned her smile with a small one that did not curve his lips, but instead warmed his eyes. Without any further argument, he turned the chair around and began wheeling it away.

She watched him, clucking her tongue. "A 'wheelchair.' Honestly. As if I were some sort of invalid incapable of walking on my own." Folding her arms and tilting her head, she watched him walk further away before saying, just loud enough for him to hear her, "It isn't as if I haven't ever attempted to walk a great distance, you know."

But her words did not have the desired effect. She had expected him to pause and turn, sending her an exasperated look. Instead, he froze, his shoulders tensing, his spine going rigid. When he didn't move, Teles felt her stomach drop; she had only been teasing. He had teased her just the other day about being able to dress herself. Surely if that hadn't been too sore of a spot...

Biting her lip, she crossed the distance to him, touching his elbow lightly. "Sesshoumaru?" He did not reply for a moment, and when he did, she could see the effort with which he smiled at her. Teles swallowed hard; she could tell her words had hurt him, and she hated that feeling. "Beloved," she began quietly, "I apologize. I was merely teasing you."

Several more beats of silence ticked by before he reached up and touched her cheek with the lightest of caresses. He cleared his throat softly. "It is only..." pausing, Sesshoumaru swallowed hard. There was no way she could have known how frequently that night had come back to haunt him over the years. She couldn't have known how many times he awoke, gasping for air, the image of her body, broken and bloodied, burned into his mind. "I used... to have nightmares. About what might have happened if Inuyasha had not found you."

Teles said nothing, but he could see the sadness in her eyes. He suppressed his sigh; it was not his intent to sadden her.

Swallowing hard, she bit her lip. "I suppose it was in bad taste then. Again, I apologize."

His smile grew less strained as it took on a wry edge. "You would think I would have recovered from such things after... all this time." Five hundred years was a long time -- even in the life of a youkai.

She took one of his hands in hers, squeezing it gently. Her hands were encased in soft leather gloves that slid across his skin; he could feel the warmth of her flesh thrumming beneath the black leather, and the life in her grip made him swallow hard against a sudden surge of emotion.

"Whatever you have or have not recovered from," Teles murmured, "I shouldn't make light of... that. I just..." she trailed off, sighing.

His fingertips drifted from her cheek to her hair, which hung in a loose braid from which tendrils were escaping wildly. One mahogany curl wound around his fingertip. "You like to tease."

She leaned into his touch, turning her head like a cat. "I like to tease you," she murmured, bringing his hand to her mouth and brushing a kiss across the knuckles. "My point, beloved, was that I'm quite capable of taking a walk."

"Yes," he replied ruefully, sliding his arm around her shoulders and drawing her closer. "I rather ascertained as much." He held her like that, breathing in her scent, telling himself over and over again that this was real, that it was happening, and that it wasn't the product of a fevered, delusional imagination. He allowed himself to bask in her life, her heartbeat.

They stood like that for several minutes, and just as he was about to release his mate from the embrace, he felt his son flutter, kicking lightly against his mother's stomach. Teles gasped in surprise, but exhaled a breath of a chuckle when Sesshoumaru's arm tightened around her.

Several more moments passed before Teles' whisper met his ears. "Sesshoumaru..."

He looked down at her. "Yes?"

"... I think people are starting to stare."

Inclining his head slightly, he arched an eyebrow at her, all arrogance. "And why should they not?" When she laughed, dropping her head forward and resting it against his shoulder, he pressed a kiss against her temple before releasing her.

"So," she said, taking a step back and straightening her coat and scarf, "roll that... dreadful thing back to wherever you got it. I wish to walk alongside you."

He turned and looked for the wheelchair, only to find that it had been appropriated by a gang of giggling schoolchildren who were, at present, taking turns giving each other rides down a short, sloping hill. Sesshoumaru's lips twitched. "...I believe it has been taken care of."

"Very well." Without another word, Teles slid her arm into his, leaning comfortably against him as he guided her. Together they walked, the youkai lord pausing here and there to point out things he thought were particularly attractive or remarkable. For her part, Teles nodded, asking questions occasionally. As they crossed over a short, ornate bridge, she paused, sighing.

The youkai glanced down at her, his brow furrowing in concern. "Are you all right, beloved?"

A small, reassuring smile lit her lips. "I'm fine, my mate. I was only admiring the scenery." She looked out, her eyes taking in the bare trees reaching up with dark branches to a grey sky, clouds heavy with the promise of snow. "It's amazing," she breathed. "That such a place as this could still exist with a sprawling metropolis around it.

He nodded. "Even hu..." stopping himself, he cleared his throat, glancing around them. "Even those who live in the city find that a garden helps keep a sense of peace and order."

She considered this. It certainly made sense; she found herself far more at ease here. In fact, it quite reminded her of the world beyond the well -- a world she was trying very hard not to think of as "home." "Do you have one?"

"...Yes."

Her smile grew instantly. "Really? Where is it?"

He hesitated before answering. "On the roof."

"The roof?" Dark eyebrows lifted as enthusiasm shone in her eyes. "Why haven't you shown it to me? I would love to see it -- perhaps after we return home?"

Sesshoumaru did not reply immediately; the rooftop garden was a spot most frequently visited by Inuyasha. Revealing it to Teles would have proven counterproductive to preventing any accidental encounters. "...Perhaps."

She looked out at the ornate garden again, sighing. "You were surrounded by nature in your youth. To be in a place where it seems not to exist save in bits and spurts... I can't imagine it."

"It isn't quite the same," he said, letting one hand trace the gentle curve of her spine, "but... it helps." He fell quiet again; his eyes were trained on the landscape, but they had an unfocused quality to them. It was almost as if he was looking at something beyond what lay before him.

Teles nodded slowly, watching as Sesshoumaru lost himself in memory. "And I imagine it's even lovelier when things are blooming," she said softly, "though I think there's a certain charm that comes with frost clinging to everything. It's a sort of... slumbering beauty." He nodded, but said nothing, and Teles' heart gave a small twinge as she considered the loneliness he'd endured for all these years.

Sighing softly, she turned her gaze to a sakura tree, bereft of leaves. "It's stately -- beautiful -- even in death." She frowned suddenly, shaking her head. "Or, no, I suppose it's not really dead... is it? I confess, the finer points of ... science rather escape me."

He gave himself a brief shake before looking down at her. "...The tree itself is not dead. It merely... well, it sleeps, if you like." Sesshoumaru paused thoughtfully, looking at his mate for a moment or two before following her gaze to the sakura tree. "There is a story, you know, about a princess."

"Yes?" She watched him, her body tucked snugly against his, her head resting against his shoulder. Violet eyes dipped down to glance briefly at her before going again to the sakura tree.

"She was the only child of her parents. Ecstatic, they invited the kami of the lands to come and bless her with gifts -- all but one, who was known to be dark and vengeful. But the dark and vengeful one heard of the child anyway and came uninvited to the ceremony; after the other kami had blessed the child with grace, beauty, and intellect, she made her presence known. She wanted to be the last to give her gift, and so she cursed the child so when she turned sixteen years of age, she would die from pricking her finger on a needle."

Teles lolled her head to shoot him an incredulous gaze. "You made that up."

Chuckling, Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I promise."

"I must say that it rather reminds me of a wedding I attended between a goddess, Thetis -- she was a Nereid, actually -- and a mortal man named..." Teles paused, frowning in thought as she searched her considerable memory. "Ah, I remember -- Peleus. All of the Olympians were invited, save Eris. Everything was going quite well until--"

"Eris?"

"Ah -- she was the goddess of discord. Not one you want present at such a blessed event. But, she came anyway." Here, Teles rolled her eyes. "She caused a huge fight between my mother, Hera, and another goddess -- all over this ridiculous little apple. But you were telling your story -- who told you such a fable, anyway?"

Sesshoumaru did not reply right away. A nearly-forgotten memory flashed through his mind: the monk, aged, his hair liberally streaked with grey, surrounded by Rin's children as he told and retold the tale. Kagome -- also older -- listened as well, never correcting him when he took liberties with the story, which was frequently.

He cleared his throat softly. "The houshi. Miroku." When she looked up sharply, eyes wide, he swore inwardly.

"...The little monk?" she asked faintly.

He hated the flash of sorrow in her gaze, but he nodded. "Yes."

"...Oh." Swallowing hard, she looked away. "I'm sorry for interrupting -- please, continue."

He raised an eyebrow at her, but continued. "Now, where... ah, yes. But the last kami -- who was as wise as he was unorthodox and occasionally troublesome --" and devilishly handsome, the monk had included in his version, but there were some details Sesshoumaru simply could not make himself include, "had not yet given his gift. He changed the curse so that the princess' life would be spared; the child would not die, but merely fall asleep. And she would sleep until true love's kiss woke her. Despite the wise kami's attempt to save the child, the king and queen ordered all the needles in the land destroyed. Their land became famous for the amazing garments that were woven all of a piece.

"As time passed, the princess grew in grace and beauty until the evening of her sixteenth birthday. On that day, she went for a walk in her garden, as was her habit. But while she walked, she came across a dark, shadowy path that wound its way into a grove of dark trees she could not remember seeing before. She followed the path, being as inquisitive as she was beautiful. In the heart of the grove, she discovered a curious old woman sewing industriously on a kimono.

"'What are you doing?' she asked. 'I'm sewing, my pretty,' the woman replied. The princess begged the old woman to show her, since no one had ever sewed around her. The woman demonstrated, and then passed her the kimono. The princess took no more than one stitch and pricked her finger. Instantly, she collapsed onto the floor of the grove, fast asleep. And the woman stood above her, tall and terrible, laughing, for she was the evil kami."

Sesshoumaru paused, glancing down at his mate. Her eyes were closed, but a tiny, content smile warmed her lips. He bowed his head and brushed a kiss across her forehead. Clearing his throat, he continued. "Grief-stricken that his plan to save the princess had failed, the wise, and yet mischievous kami cast a spell over the castle, causing all within to join their princess in slumber. With another spell, he caused another ring of trees to enclose the castle, protecting it. And the princess lay in state in the grove on a silken futon, slumbering quietly. A hundred years passed, and many princes, samurai, and men of honor tried their hands at passing the ring of trees. But the trees were thick and the underbrush was filled with thorns. All of them turned back." He pulled his eyes away from the top of his mate's head, turning his attention to the cold, still lake, and the garden beyond it.

"But one day, a young man wandered by a town that lay near the castle. He was known throughout the land for being brusque, cold, and distant. Very little caught his interest, but even he found his curiosity piqued when he saw the enormous grove. He inquired in the town and was told about the castle and its spell. Even he -- this haughty, arrogant young man who had no time for such frivolous things as fables and legends -- was drawn in to the tale.

"He stood in front of the trees for a long while, debating with himself about whether he wished to get involved. He had no use for such adventures, really. They seemed to him a waste of time, for he had far more important things to tend to. But, eventually, curiosity overcame all, and he plunged into the underbrush.

"Miraculously, the thorns did not snag him, for the wise kami -- for whatever, unknown reason -- took a liking to him, and enchanted his clothing so that it was as impervious as armor. But still they lashed at his face and hair, until finally he passed through. He discovered himself in a quiet, hushed world, where even the running water made no noise. The young man had seen a great deal in his life, but even this surpassed all of his experiences. Curiosity burned in him; he wished to see more.

"He passed by one of the king's guards and picked up a sword, for he did not know what he would find. He explored the castle and found nothing, and almost turned his steps back to the outside world, when he saw a small globe of foxfire hovering over a path into the garden. He followed the globe until he found the shadowy path that led to the grove of the princess. The young man began to hack at the trees, although internally he questioned the wisdom of trying to penetrate what was so protected. But finally the last branch fell before him and he saw the princess, asleep on the futon.

"Reports differ as to whether he was amazed by her beauty, or simply amazed she was there at all. But, regardless, something about the princess' plight touched him, and what had been so hard and cold and distant in the young man wavered as sympathy -- until now, largely foreign to this young man -- washed over him. He knelt next to her and brushed a kiss across her forehead. Much to his surprise, she began to awake, but as she drew her first waking breath, a terrible cry sounded from outside. 'I will never let you have her! I shall trap the both of you, and both of you shall sleep for eternity!' The evil kami stood outside the grove, hands raised, prepared to seal them away.

"The young man, not enjoying this prospect, leapt at the kami and slashed at her with the sword. It snapped, the blade falling to the ground. The young man then heard a voice whisper on the breeze, 'Once more! Attack!' Doubtful of what good a broken sword would do, he tried it anyway; he was not willing to simply lie down and die, for he was as stubborn as he was arrogant.

"As soon as he attacked, the sword sprang to life in his hands and cut the kami down as if she were nothing more than one of the trees he had slashed away. And as the kami fell, the trees around the castle and in the garden crumbled into ashes and shadow, blowing away on the soft breeze. The young man was showered with gratitude, from the king, the queen, and the princess." Here, Sesshoumaru paused, saying nothing for nearly a minute.

Teles looked up at him after several beats of silence passed. "Sesshoumaru? What happened next?"

When he spoke, his voice was oddly hoarse and tight. "The king offered the young man the princess' hand. He did not accept at first."

"Why not?"

He huffed a soft, mirthless chuckle. "He was many things, this young man, including pragmatic. But, he was invited to remain at the castle, free to come and go as he pleased, and in the due course of time, they did indeed fall in love and he did marry her. At the celebration of the wedding, the princess asked the wise, troublesome kami, for she had heard the story of the spell, 'If he did not love me at first sight, why did I wake when he kissed me?'"

"An excellent question," Teles murmured softly. "One I was pondering myself."

Sesshoumaru smiled faintly. "The mischievous kami only smiled as he replied, 'I never said love at first sight. I knew he would love you truly, and you him, as the years passed. That was all that was required.'" He shrugged fluidly. "And they lived out the rest of their years, together."

Pulling away from him a bit, Teles tilted her head up to regard him. "I rather liked that."

He smiled, but there were shades of melancholy in the expression. "I've heard it in its original form since then, but I rather like the monk's version better. Though I suspect he first heard of it from Kagome before taking his own liberties."

"I'm sure," she replied, chuckling. A brisk, chill wind blew through the trees, and she huddled down a bit in her coat as Sesshoumaru's arms tightened minutely.

"I confess it was more entertaining to hear it with Inuyasha making derisive comments while he told it."

Grinning, she nodded. "I can just imagine. It seems like that type of tale he'd scoff at."

"Oh yes. In the original version, the young man falls in love with the princess at the moment he sees her. He said that was stupid. Kagome got quite angry with him until he said, 'I didn't fall in love with you the moment I saw you,' which somehow quelled her anger."

"Fair enough, I suppose. But then, does anyone fall in love the moment they see another person?" she asked, pulling further away, resuming their walk.

Following, Sesshoumaru sent her a grave look. "Is that a hint?"

Arching a brow up at him, she shook her head. "I'm quite confident you did not fall in love with me instantly. Just as I'm quite confident that I didn't fall in love with you instantly."

"I confess I don't know whether it's possible. There are those who say they have," he said, shrugging.

"Well, those who say they have were never --" she stopped suddenly, looking around them and lowering her voice "-- were never treated to the sort of introduction I was. To say nothing of the introduction you received."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I rather liked the way I first saw you."

A blush warmed Teles' face. In the bath. Of course -- it figures. "That's not what I was talking about, youkai," she whispered.

Amusement danced in violet eyes. "No?"

"No."

Feigning confusion, Sesshoumaru tilted his head at her. "Then what were you talking about?"

Teles stopped and looked around again. When she was satisfied that there weren't any people around, she drew herself up to her full height and inclined her head regally. When she spoke, her inflection and tone were nearly flawless. "'I am Sesshoumaru. The Great Demon Lord of the Western Lands. My name will be the last word on your lips.'" At his grin, she added, "'Allow me the pleasure of watching you bleed.'"

He shook his head affectionately. "I remember quite fondly how smug you were about being immortal."

Laughing, Teles slid her hand into his, lacing their fingers. "Well, yes, because there was this silly, impudent little youkai, grandly claiming that he was going to kill me. It was quite possibly the funniest thing I'd ever heard."

"Amusing," he muttered, rolling his eyes in mock pique.

"Well, you were. Quite."

"You had the most peculiar way of demonstrating your amusement," he murmured, drawing closer to her, bending his head down.

Guileless green eyes blinked at him. "Hmm, peculiar? How so?" Sesshoumaru did not reply, save for brushing her lips lightly with his. Teles sighed softly, reaching up to touch his face. "And how is that peculiar, youkai?" she breathed.

"Well, we were trying to kill or maim each other at the time."

Teles pressed a light kiss against his mouth. "No, you were trying to maim me. I was merely trying to defend myself." She brushed his lips in another kiss, more insistent than the last. "Besides, I knew quite well what I wanted from you."

A faint growl traced the edge of his words. "Oh?"

He felt her shiver in his arms as she sighed out breathlessly. "Oh, yes."

Sliding one hand to the base of her neck, the youkai closed his mouth over his mate's, kissing her firmly. He was still making an attempt to hold himself back, but when she slid her arms around his neck, returning the kiss with desperate hunger he could feel, his control began to fray. Teles groaned softly against his mouth, her fingers lost in silky strands the color of ink, and he let himself enjoy this, enjoy her, just for now.

It was Teles who broke the kiss. She pulled away, panting, her eyes bright, and her cheeks flushed with cold as well as desire.

"Sesshoumaru," she breathed.

"Yes?" He concentrated on inhaling and exhaling in a steady pattern, but when her next words came in that smoky, husky tone that was all hers, his breath hitched.

"I wish for you to take me home."

He didn't reply right away.

"Please, beloved," she said softly. "I ... I need... to feel you."

He was quiet for several more seconds. "I will take you home, but..." Teles sighed, and the youkai could feel her shoulders slump a bit as she did. A twinge of guilt raced through him and he looked away.

"Why?"

"I have told you, Teles. It's unhealthy for the child." When she folded her arms and tilted her chin up at him, he swore silently.

The former goddess leaned in, lowering her voice. "Yes, I know that's what you said. I also know you lied."

He swore again, silently.

Setting her jaw, she continued. "I was rather curious about that vast collection of books on human pregnancy. Imagine my surprise when I read through some of them."

Air hissed through Sesshoumaru's teeth. Damn it. I knew I should have thrown those out.

"Why, then, did you lie to me, Sesshoumaru?" Her arms were folded over her chest, but while her body language radiated anger, the youkai could see the flicker of hurt in her eyes.

Blowing out a long breath, the youkai closed his eyes, and for a moment looked very, very tired. "For... several reasons. One being that although the books tell me it is safe, it seems... unsafe. And..." he swallowed hard. "Beloved, please do not ask me about the other ones. Not yet."

The silence the followed was vast, broken only by the far-off sounds of other people visiting the gardens. "But you will tell me?"

"I swear it."

"Very well," she replied, nodding slowly.

She did not like that he'd hidden something like this from her, but there was something about the way he spoke, something about the torment still lingering in his dark eyes that tore at the former goddess. After a moment, he breathed out a sigh, looking and, she had no doubt, feeling every one of his many years.

Gnawing her lip, Teles frowned a bit, reaching out to him. "Perhaps we should go. You look unwell," she murmured, touching his cheek lightly.

He looked at her, smoothing her hair back with his hands, hidden claws scratching her scalp lightly. "No. Not yet. Please?"

She blinked, tears tightening her throat. 'I would... rather stay outside -- just for a little while longer, Sesshoumaru.' Swallowing hard, she managed, "... Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"If you're certain that you are not unwell..." Teles murmured, reaching up to cover one of his hands with hers

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, leaning his head forward until it was resting against hers. He had no other wish than to see her outside, in the gardens, flushed and beautiful and happy, not still and silent in a noiseless tomb. "I am certain," he replied. "I will even tell you if I begin to feel unwell. On one condition."

"Yes?"

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You will tell me if you begin to feel very tired."

"I will tell you if I begin to feel very tired," she replied, nodding, "-- under that condition." He offered her his arm again, and she took it, the two of them resuming their walk. After a few minutes of companionable silence, Teles looked up at him again. "...I am curious, though, about something."

"That being?"

" ...You had mentioned, before we left, something about a surprise later this evening? I must say I'm at quite a loss."

He chuckled. There was, stored in the furthest reaches of the freezer, a pint of ice cream. "It's... well, it's a sweet of these times." Green eyes lit up instantly, and he found it hard to suppress his laughter.

"Then, Sesshoumaru, I feel duty bound to tell you that I'm beginning to feel quite, quite exhausted. In fact, I do not believe I can take another step."

"Well then," he said, striving to maintain a disinterested faade, "we shall have to try to walk a short ways to return to the entrance. Do you think you can manage that?"

Sighing dramatically, Teles leaned heavily against him. "I'm not sure. I'm feeling so very weak, you see."

"Ah. Very well." And in one fluid movement, he scooped her up into his arms, settling her against his chest.

"Sesshoumaru!" she cried, in a voice that sounded a great deal like a squeak.

"Yes?" he replied, calmly.

Her fierce whisper made his lips twitch. "Put me down!"

Still, he kept his tone bland. "Are you not weak from exhaustion?"

Teles didn't reply for several seconds, scowling in annoyed speechlessness as he continued to carry her toward the entrance.

"Idiotic youkai," she finally muttered.

"Arrogant goddess." That got him a thump against his chest.

"Arrogant?" she echoed indignantly. "He calls me arrogant?"

"I believe I did, yes."

Narrowing green eyes at him, she tilted her chin up defiantly. "Only because that is a quality you hold in such great supply; it only makes sense that you would recognize it."

The question came with the youkai's trademark impassiveness. "Did I ever claim that I was not arrogant?" He took great pleasure in the outraged sputtering that followed.

"Sesshoumaru -- down. Now."

As they were close to the entrance, he obliged without an argument and stood before her, a faint, faint smile at his lips as he watched her glare at him, eyes narrowed dangerously. Affection swelled up, warming his chest as she sputtered silently. He saw her annoyance growing exponentially, and there was nothing at that moment that could have made him happier.

Finally, she found her voice.

"Osuwari!"

And with that, she turned on her heel and stalked away as quickly as she could manage, leaving Sesshoumaru behind her, shoulders shaking with repressed laughter. He was trying so, so very hard not to laugh, but he simply couldn't help it.

He'd always suspected there was something cathartic in that word.

When he finally caught up with Teles, she was standing near the entrance to the gardens. Her arms were folded over her breasts, the fingers of one hand tapping against her upper arm. Withdrawing a set of keys from his pocket, he looked down at his mate, who was now glaring at him. It seemed prudent not to bring up the slip. "I will return. Stay here."

Sesshoumaru often avoided driving himself anywhere. He had neither the patience nor the nose to tolerate public transportation; certainly public transport was clean by human standards, but so many human bodies clustered together in such close quarters created a scent that made the back of his throat close. In fact, more often than not, if he needed to get anywhere, he had Komatsu drive him. But this was different -- time spent with his mate was not for anyone else's eyes. So, while it was something of an inconvenience, given the traffic, Sesshoumaru still chose to drive.

She nodded, eyes following him as he strode away to retrieve the vehicle. Once he was gone, she closed her eyes and shook her head, laughing ruefully. Teles sighed after a moment, her thoughts drifting back to the Sesshoumaru she had left behind. Would such an outing have amused you so, beloved? Or has it taken this long for you just to be able to express your mirth so openly?

She let herself get lost in her musings until an elegant black car pulled up to the curb. Sesshoumaru got out and walked around the vehicle, opening the door for her. She smiled up at him as she settled into the seat, watching as he closed her door and walked around to the driver's side, sliding in.

Sighing contently, Teles closed her eyes, listening as the engine roared to life with a deep, rumbling purr. "Every day, just when I think I can't see anything else to amaze me..."

"Hmm?" he asked, carefully maneuvering the car away from the curb and into traffic.

Lolling her head to the side, she regarded him. "This world. It's... astounding."

Sesshoumaru looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "Watching it grow up around the den was, in itself, rather amazing."

"I can imagine," she replied quietly, swallowing against the swift surge of guilt that followed. You should have been there with him, experiencing as much as you could. He was alone. Miserable. Miserable because you left -- quite conclusively, too. He did not deserve that -- no one would have deserved that. If you were to return to him right now, you would be forced to see what you've put him through -- no, that's not quite right. You'd see only a fraction of what you put him through.

Teles cleared her throat, trying to shove aside the train of thought her mind seemed determined to follow. "Did the den survive?"

"...In a manner of speaking."

Her brows twitched together. "...What do you mean?

He was quiet for a moment. "Land... shifts in five centuries. The den is still intact, though almost completely concealed; it now sits in the center of a garden similar to the one we visited." He shrugged fluidly. "It appears to be nothing more than a cave."

A small frown knitted at Teles' forehead. "...Oh."

"There... was simply too much growth to preserve it completely. It still exists, but..."

"It's uninhabitable."

He chuckled softly. "That and... well. This is a world of men. The den is my ancestral home, however..."

"Men don't live in caves?"

"Not typically, no. It was part of the same reason I had to cease wearing kimono. To continue wearing them simply raised too much notice."

"I see," she said softly, her fingers trailing the seat belt that ran across her chest. "Because things changed too drastically." At his nod, she tilted her head quizzically. "Do you ever wear it?"

"For some holidays."

The former goddess lapsed into a thoughtful silence. "...Do you find it more comfortable than what you normally wear now?"

After a moment, Sesshoumaru shook his head. "...Not anymore."

"I only ask because..." she paused, looking away for a moment, watching the buildings as they passed. "I never found kimono to be very comfortable." That was certainly an understatement, though Teles suspected part of the reason she hated the garments so much had to do with her introduction to them. "I quite prefer this modern garb."

"Well, I'd worn kimono for so many years, that not wearing them felt very peculiar."

Nodding, she looked at him again, taking in the heavy black coat over a soft, dark sweater and black trousers. "It's... odd, even still, to see you in something else. But... I suppose like anything else, you have to do what's necessary to adapt." A smile quirked her lips. "You appear to have done quite well. You're here, after all." The smile faded. He was here, and until now, he'd been alone.

The youkai said nothing for several seconds. "Adapting meant seeing you again. As far as I was concerned, there was no alternative."

His tone, the low, smooth timbre that she associated with him, struck her to the core. Teles swallowed against the tightness in her throat, and it took a moment or two for her to find her voice again. "I'm sorry you were alone, beloved."

He started to speak and hesitated, frowning. "I was not... completely alone. I had the business to tend to. And your mother always did insist on dropping by."

"Then allow me to clarify." She reached over, resting her hand on his. "I am sorry that you were without your mate for so long."

Sesshoumaru maneuvered the sleek vehicle into the parking garage and pulled into a slot between two other similar cars. After a moment, he turned his hand up under hers. "Well... it could not be helped."

"Couldn't it?" she asked softly, her thumb stroking his knuckles.

"No."

Teles' eyes remained fixed on their joined hands. "I keep... thinking, replaying things over in my head... I didn't have to leave. I could have done dozens of things differently -- starting with hitting you over the head as hard as I could with the nearest blunt object." When he laughed despite himself, she shrugged a bit, smiling ruefully. "You said that's what you had wanted."

"More or less, yes." Sliding his hand from hers, he opened the door and walked around the car to open her door again, helping her out. When he had her steady on her feet, he closed the door and locked it before tucking her arm in his and guiding her to the elevator.

"In retrospect," she said softly, "it was perhaps... rash to leave." Her words made his steps slow to a stop and he looked at her for several long moments. Teles frowned under his scrutiny. "What is it?"

"The well..." he said quietly, hesitating.

"What about it?"

"It does work both ways, you know."

Teles didn't reply right away. "I know. My mother informed me of that much." When she didn't say anything more, Sesshoumaru nodded, and continued his steps toward the elevator. As they waited for the door to open, Teles could not suppress the grimace that formed; she still hated the small, mobile rooms.

At her expression, Sesshoumaru cleared his throat before murmuring, "I could conjure us both into a ball of light and up the stairwell, but that might invite comment." The corner of his mouth tilted up in a tiny half-smile at her laugh, and when the door opened, he guided her inside, pulling her against him until her back was flush against his chest while the ride was in progress.

Silence reigned in the elevator car for most of the journey, broken when Teles cleared her throat. "...I only mean to say, beloved, that... yes, I realize the well goes both ways." She looked down at his arms encircling her and found she had to blink back tears. "However... I don't believe I could leave you again."

"Ah."

"Five hundred years, Sesshoumaru." She licked her lips quickly before swallowing hard. "If I went back... You'd still outlive me. And you'd still be here -- alone." When she looked up at him, her eyes were damp and burning with unshed tears. "I don't want you to be alone," she whispered hoarsely.

She let herself be turned around in his arms, and when she looked up, dark violet eyes were watching her, sadness and affection warring in the indigo depths. She drew in an unsteady breath and closed her eyes, feeling the moisture gather and spill down onto her cheeks. Warm fingertips brushed the tears away before even warmer lips pressed gently against either tear track before traveling down and catching her mouth in a slow, tender kiss.

The gentle pressure against her mouth only caused more stress fractures to form around her heart, and Teles wrapped her arms around Sesshoumaru's neck, kissing him with desperation that made her chest ache. When the doors slid open they both started slightly and pulled away, straightening. Teles wiped at her eyes as her mate slid his arm into hers and led her to his door.