InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Remnants of the Spider ❯ The Big Day ( Chapter 15 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lady Sianna 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 10.19.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.8K | Visits: 277 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 10.19.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.8K | Visits: 277 | Status: Work In Progress
Remnants of the Spider
The Big Day
___________________________________________________________________ _____
The next few days after her moonlit conversation with the daiyoukai passed without incident. Kagome had not seen Sesshoumaru again since that night under the stars, but she had not forgotten what he had said to her. Essentially, he had told her that she deserved to be alive. Given his attitude toward those of her race, it was extremely likely that he had never thought such a thing of a human, let alone actually telling one so. She was sure he hadn’t meant anything by it, but it had done wonders to lift her spirit.
As usual, she had spent her days grinding herbs, bandaging wounds taking her lessons, and helping Kaede keep an eye on Rin. Her nights however, were often spent sitting under the stars and sorting through her thoughts. More than once, she had recalled her conversation with the demon lord. It had been surprising really. She hadn’t actually expected him to talk to her, but not only did he listen, he actually told her something about himself. ‘I have a preference for the night.’ he had said. He liked the night, just like she did. It was probably the only thing they had in common, but somehow that tiny grain of information made him more… real. Before, he had been more of an entity rather than a real person. He was so mysterious and aloof, but now she knew something about him; not because she had observed his behavior, but because he told her himself. Several times since that night, she absently wondered if she might be able to learn more about him. There might be an interesting person under all that ice.
Today however, the daiyoukai was far from her thoughts. Today she was exempt from her normal duties. On this day, she sat in the warm soft grass surrounded by her friends. Her hair was up in a bun with a few loose curls hanging around the edges. The pins used to hold it all in place were kinda irritating, but they were easy enough to ignore. She wore her favorite kimono with its matching obi. It was a brilliant pink at the shoulders, and gradually faded to a rich and then deep red. The generous sleeves and lower portion of the garment were decorated with large pink and white lotus flowers. It was the nicest and most useful gift her grandfather had ever given her. It had been a graduation present, and was, of course only to be worn on special occasions. Today definitely qualified as such.
Her eyes sparkled and fluttered rapidly in an increasingly difficult effort to hold back tears. ‘I said I wouldn’t do this!’ Kagome scolded herself mentally. To keep her lower lip from trembling, she sucked it into her mouth, and tried to ignore the growing lump in her throat. She was going to cry. Any second now, she would loose her struggle, and the tears would flow.
Her hands were clasped over her chest, her eyes wide and glistening. She was so happy; she hardly knew what to do. This was beautiful, and she was happy for her friends. She was happy, but even through her joy, Kagome was vaguely aware of something else. Something that she refused to acknowledge openly, but it was there just the same. In the deepest recesses of her heart, was a tiny selfish speck of self pity. It wasn’t exactly jealousy, but more of a vague longing inspired by the site before her. Almost secretly, she was reminded of what she herself did not have and probably never would.
She watched as a male and female turned to one another. In each of their eyes was a love that could not be measured. They embraced, and the male placed a surprisingly chaste kiss on the cheek of his blushing bride. Miroku and Sango were finally married. It was a day Kagome had looked forward to almost more than the couple themselves. The romantic in her was thrilled that after everything they had each been through, after all their struggles, they could finally, finally be together. She just knew that whatever life would throw at them, they would no longer have to face their problems alone. They would bear their burdens together.
Theirs was a charming, but modest ceremony. It was held at Sango’s home village, right in front of her newly built home. The home she would now share with Miroku. Since it was such a beautiful day, the wedding was held outside. Miroku was unusually well behaved, and Sango looked radiant. Though the two women would never meet, Kagome’s mother had eagerly volunteered to make her wedding dress. Kagome had surprised her with it at the last minute. It was a simple, but elegant white kimono, embroidered with silky white cranes. Courtesy of the young miko herself, the huntresses’ hair was swept up in a French-twist, with soft loops and curls spilling from the crown of her head. Rin of course, had been more than happy to finish the style off with small white flowers. Sango looked like a princess.
“What are you blubbering about?” Inuyasha’s gruff, but quiet voice drew her attention.
The glare Kagome shot him was wasted as he was looking straight ahead as if to avoid her gaze. “I’m not…” she trailed off as she lightly touched her face. She was immediately surprised to find the twin trails of moisture that had slipped down her cheeks. “Oh. I guess I am crying.” she said softly as she quickly wiped the tears away. “I’m just so happy for them.”
“Humph” the hanyou snorted noncommittally. As he glanced to his other side, he was dismayed to see that another female was quietly weeping next to him. “Not you too!”
He was met by a pair of watery chocolate eyes, and a small gentle smile. Kikyou hardly knew the couple, but her gentle spirit was moved to see two lives brought together in love. The hate, malice, and bitterness she had lived with for so long, was almost like a distant memory now. The moment Kagome had returned her soul, she had once again become the kind and caring woman she had been in her first life. It was as if a curse had been lifted from her.
“Just think,” she said softly, “Soon, you and I shall be married as well.” Her smile widened slightly, and a few more tears slipped from her eyes.
Very slowly, he reached forward and carefully wiped her tears away. “Yeah.” he agreed, his voice barely a whisper. He wore a small smile, which wasn’t quite wistful, but wasn’t entirely joyful either. Having already turned away, the miko missed the hint of regret that shone in his eyes.
When the ceremony was completed, Kagome immediately went to her friend, and enveloped her in a warm embrace. “Congratulations Sango! I just know you guys are going to be so happy!” the miko said tearfully.
Sango fought back her own joyful tears. “I can’t believe this day has finally come! This never would have been possible without you. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done.”
The miko pulled back to look at her. “I just did your hair, and I had loads of fun doing that.”
The slayer’s eyes widened. “Are you kidding?! You’ve done so much more than that! Miroku wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you. There’s no way we could ever repay you for that. I don’t know what I would have done if…” she trailed off and looked away. “Well I’m just so grateful for what you did for him.” she hugged the miko again before adding. “And I didn’t get the chance to thank you this morning for the kimono. I’ve never felt so beautiful in all my life!”
Kagome gave her a watery smile. “I love you, and I love Miroku. I would have done anything to save either one of you, and you don’t have to thank me for the kimono. I told you my mom made it.” Sango looked as if she would say something else, but Kagome cut her off. “That reminds me, I have to get some pictures of you! My mom would kill me if I went back home without them!”
Not far away, Kikyou watched the two women together. They seemed like such good friends. They all did. She almost felt as if she were an outsider. Not even she and Kaede shared such closeness anymore. Though she fully intended to speak with Kagome today, she was unwilling to interrupt their moment. She stood by as Kagome used a small strange looking device to flash a miniature light at her friends.
“Okay, okay, everyone get close together!” the young miko was announcing. To Kikyou’s surprise, Kagome came over to her and grabbed her by the hand. “Come on! Don’t you want to be in the picture?!”
The elder miko looked at her, her eyes widening in surprise. Uncertain, she glanced at Inuyasha, who was still by her side. “It’s like a really small painting.” he explained patiently. Though she still felt a bit out of place, Kikyou gave a hesitant nod. Kagome just smiled, and pulled her along. Once she gathered everyone together and mostly everyone had stopped fidgeting, Kagome snapped her picture.
“That’s going to be a good one!” she declared happily.
“But what about you Kagome?! You’re not going to be in the picture!” Shippou pointed out.
“Kagome waved him off. It’s fine. I’m taking these pictures mostly for my mom, and she already knows what I look like.”
“Oh no you don’t. If I gotta be in a picture, then so do you!” said Inuyasha as he attempted to hide his smile. “Now get over there. I’ll take this one.”
Kagome gave him a dubious look. “Do you remember how to do it?” She had shown him how to use a camera before, but it had been quite a while ago, and she didn’t want him to break it. He wasn’t always very gentle on modern day items.
“Yeah, yeah. You just push this button right?”
“Yes, but you have to make sure you can see everyone through the lens.”
“Okay, okay I got it!” he told her impatiently as he waved her off.
Kagome gave him a bright smile, and quickly joined the group. Shippou and Rin stood in front of her, while Kikyou and Kaede stood to her left. Miroku and Sango stood together at her right. Absently she realized that there wouldn’t be a picture with her and Inuyasha together. She wasn’t sure why, but the thought didn’t bother her nearly as much as she would have thought. She was happy today. Smiling brightly, she waited for the camera to flash.
________________________________________________________________ ________
Weeks ago, it had been decided that Miroku and Sango would have their wedding at the slayer’s village, and their reception at Kaede’s; so later in the day, they had all made the short journey there. While the wedding had been small and intimate, the reception had been considerably larger. Many of the villagers had attended, bringing food and gifts to the happy couple. Rin and Shippou had spent the majority of the day playing and talking together, Inuyasha ate practically until he was sick, Mushin drank until he passed out, and Miroku, of course made inappropriate comments about the wedding night. Sango was quick to reprimand him, but not without a fair amount of blushing.
Even Kaede seemed to have been in better health today. Overall it had been a fantastic day. Now as the sun was beginning to set and everyone was preparing to go home. The long day had taken its toll on Kaede and she had already taken her leave of them. The elder miko had made the short trip back to her hut in order to get some rest. Normally she would have insisted that Rin do so as well, but since it was such a special occasion, she allowed her to stay with Kagome.
“Are you sure you’re not forgetting anything?” Kagome asked Sango as she and Miroku prepared to leave. At Miroku’s request, Hachi had transformed into his larger size and was preparing to take them home.
“No. I think we have everything.”
Inuyasha looked on as Kagome, Sango and Miroku came together in a warm embrace. This whole day had been somewhat difficult for him. He wasn’t into all this mushy stuff, and it was beginning to make him nauseous. He stole a glance at Kikyou, and tried not to think about the fact that he would have to go through this again, only next time it’d be his own wedding. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He knew he loved Kikyou. He had always loved her, but every time he thought about being married to her, he always felt a small empty space in his heart. Something would always be missing. He wasn’t stupid; he knew what that something, or rather that someone was. He was being selfish, he knew, but in the depth of his heart, he wanted Kagome too. He’d feel incomplete without her. Could he truly be in love with two women? How could such a thing be possible?
He shook his head slightly to rid of his useless thoughts. It didn’t matter now. Not any more. When he’d had the opportunity to sort through his feelings for Kagome, he chose not to. Besides, she was out of bounds to him now anyway. He watched as his friends disentangled themselves from their group embrace. Kagome waved goodbye as Miroku and Sango took their places on Hachi’s enormous back. Soon, the raccoon demon lifted from the ground, and took to the sky.
For a moment or two, Kagome stared into the darkening sky focusing on the shrinking forms of Hachi, Miroku and Sango. Not far from her, a small form sat on the ground. Finally redirecting her attention, the miko turned to see Shippou rubbing his eyes. A gentle smile formed on her lips. “Guess you’re staying with us tonight, huh?”
“Yeah.” he yawned tiredly, “For some reason I don’t think Miroku wanted me hanging around tonight.”
A deep blush spread across Kagome’s face and a nervous laugh broke from her lips. Quickly changing the subject she said, “Yeah, well, you look pretty tired. We should get going.” she walked over and reached down as if to pick him up. Out of habit, the kit reached for her, but something at the edge of his field of vision gave him pause. Rin. He wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t really want her to see him being carried around. He was getting too big for that anyway. Actually, he was even older than the miko herself, but if Rin saw Kagome carry him, she would probably think of him as being a baby. He didn’t like the idea.
“Umm, I’m okay.” he told her as he looked away uncomfortably. “I can walk back.”
For a brief moment, the miko’s brows drew together in confusion. Shippou rarely if ever passed up a chance for a free ride; but following his line of sight, Kagome understood what he must have been thinking. Apparently he didn’t want Rin to see her carry him. Though the thought made her smile, it also made her just a little bit sad at the same time. Her little Shippou was growing up. “Okay, Shippou. We‘ll all walk back then she said, as she tried to hide the knowing little smirk on her lips. She then turned to Inuyasha and Kikyou. “Well I guess we’ll be seeing you all later?”
“We’ll walk you back.” he told her as he shot a quick glance at Kikyou.
“Good.” said the elder miko. “That will give me an opportunity to speak with Kagome.”
At her words everyone fell quiet. “Um… okay then. Kagome finally agreed; and so they headed back to Kaede’s hut. The children took the lead, with Inuyasha following not far behind. The two priestesses lingered far behind him.
For a while there was an awkward silence between the women before the elder miko finally spoke. “I never thanked you properly for saving me, Kagome.”
Slightly surprised by her words, Kagome looked at her with wide eyes. The moment passed quickly and Kagome looked away. “You’re welcome, but you don’t need to…”
“Yes,” Kikyou interjected gently. “I do.” Uncertain as to how to word her thoughts, the miko stole a glance at the silver-haired figure ahead of them. “You pretend as if you have done nothing special, but I realize that you made a tremendous sacrifice in saving me.” She looked at her then, and the women held one another’s gaze. “You and I are not friends Kagome, and yet you willingly gave me back the life that was stolen from me. All of it. Except for the jewel, of course, but I must say that I am quite pleased about that.” The miko smiled and looked away. “I am ashamed to say this, but given the circumstances, I cannot say I would have done the same thing for you. Truly, I can think of nothing I have ever done to be deserving of the kindness you have shown me.” she told her, and for at least a moment she did not speak again. Then finally she said, “In the past I have not been very kind to you Kagome, and I would like to offer my most sincere apology. If… if you are able to forgive me then perhaps…” she began hesitantly, “Perhaps we could become friends someday.”
Surprised again by her words, Kagome stared at her. The other miko was clearly avoiding her gaze, and Kagome was almost certain that she was nervous. “There’s nothing to forgive you for. It wasn’t your fault, you weren’t yourself; and of course we can be friends.” the younger miko began. “I mean, if that’s what you really want.”
Kikyou looked at her again. “I… would be honored.” she said, her voice earnest and sincere.
Kagome smiled. For so long she had been intimidated by Kikyou, but now the priestess was actually asking to be her friend. It was something she never would have expected, but she liked the idea of being friends with the elder miko. There wasn’t a reason for them not to be after all. She snuck a glance at the hanyou. In spite of the distanced between them, she knew he was more than likely listening to their conversation. ‘Well, not any more.’ She thought as her smile widened slightly.
The rest of their short trip was made in comfortable silence, and soon they arrived at Kaede’s hut. Tired from the long day, Rin and Shippou immediately went inside to get some rest. Kagome however remained outside to bid Inuyasha and Kikyou goodnight, but just as they were preparing to leave, a powerful demonic aura swept into the area. A low growl broke from the hanyou’s throat.
“Sesshoumaru.” he spat quietly as he turned to look behind him.
The dark silhouetted form gradually became more and more clear. As the shadows began to lift, heavy fur and pristine white clothing gradually came into view. Soon the demon lord was bathed in soft moonlight. He appeared almost ethereal, his expressionless golden eyes staring straight ahead. Appearing as bored as ever, the daiyoukai made his leisurely approach, a small package in his right hand. He had sensed the presence of his pathetic brother long before he entered the village, and even though he held no desire to deal with the wretched whelp, he would not alter his objective. His business here was simple, and would not require much time. If it became necessary to put the half-breed in his place, he would be more than willing to do so. When he landed however, it was not Inuyasha who drew his attention. Standing not ten feet away was that girl. The young miko. ‘Kagome.’ His mind supplied. He had seen her many times before, but tonight she looked… different.
The kimono she wore was a style unlike anything he had ever seen before, but to his surprise, he did not find it to be distasteful. Actually, it was the least offensive clothing he had ever seen her wear. Her hair was pulled up, but it wasn’t done neatly. There were loose tendrils slipping down around her face and her fragile neck. The look was… vaguely appealing. How odd that he should notice such a thing.
It was only when he heard the irritating voice of the hanyou that he realized he had been staring. “What the hell you lookin’ at?”
His movements deliberately measured, the demon lord turned to face the half-breed. As he took in the female standing at his brother’s side, several thoughts passed through his mind. The woman was clearly alive, yet he was fairly certain that this female who was now clinging possessively to the hanyou’s clothing had been the undead miko. He wasn’t entirely sure how he knew, but he was certain that the girl, Kagome had something to do with this new development. He would have to question her on the matter at a later time, but at the moment, he was suddenly inclined to indulge in a bit of mischief. “That…” he drawled with a small knowing smirk, “is none of your concern.”
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. “The hell it isn’t.” he growled, but before he could advance forward, he felt a tug on his clothing.
“Inuyasha…” Kikyou spoke his name quietly. When he turned to look at her, he was instantly placated by the beseeching look in her eyes. He was reminded of what a gentle woman she was. She had always been apposed to needless violence. A soft sigh passed through his lips before he turned back to his brother. “Humph. What the hell are you doing here anyway?”
The demon lord smirked again. “As I mentioned before, my business here is none of your concern.” With that, he slowly approached Kagome and extended the package in his hand.
“Oh, this must be for…” her words broke off in a quiet gasp, and she turned a pair of wide brown eyes onto the clawed hand of the daiyoukai. She watched spellbound as slowly, almost deliberately, his fingers brushed against the back of her hand.
The movement did not go unnoticed by the hanyou, and a threatening growl rumbled through his chest. Lost in the all out strangeness of the moment, Kagome did not notice the rising levels of tension around her. It seemed to draw out forever, and yet it was so fleetingly brief at the same time. One moment his fingers were brushing almost intentionally against her hand, and then they were gone, leaving her with a small silk bundle.
“Umm….” she began when she finally regained a semblance of coherent thought.
The intense gaze he leveled upon her was enough to still her tongue again. “There are matters which require my attention.” he told her. “We shall speak at a later time.”
Before she could think to reply, the demon lord turned away, and took to the sky. For a long moment, Kagome stared blindly at the spot where he had just stood. It wasn’t possible, but if she didn’t know any better, she might have thought about considering the remote and unlikely possibility that Sesshoumaru was… flirting with her. But that was crazy!! He would never do anything like that.
“What the fuck was that all about?”
Interrupted from her jumbled thoughts, Kagome turned her attention to the angry golden gaze of Inuyasha. “What?” she asked, her voice quiet and confused.
“I said, what was that all about?”
“N-nothing. I guess he just wanted to leave this with me.” she said as she raised the package in a vague gesture of display.
Before he could question her further, he felt another tug on his sleeve. “I know that Kagome is your friend, and I understand your protective tendencies toward her,” Kikyou began patiently, “but I hardly see how it is your place to question her about such things. Clearly he means her no harm.”
Resisting the urge to scowl, the hanyou could think of nothing else to say.
“Keh.” he finally managed.
Suddenly feeling even weirder, Kagome began shifting uncomfortably. “Well, she finally said, “I think I’ll go inside now. I’ll umm… I’ll see you guys later okay?”
“Of course.” Kikyou spoke up first.
“Yeah.” Inuyasha said after a long, uneasy pause.
Kagome forced a smile to her lips, before waving goodbye and going into the hut.
‘How weird was that?’ she wondered as she slipped her shoes off. As she began to pull the pins from her hair, she checked on Rin and Shippou, quickly discovering that they had already fallen asleep. They slept on separate mats, but shared a single cover. Their content expressions brought a small smile to her face and distracted her from her strange and confusing thoughts.
With a quick glance she noticed that the fire was beginning to die down. Wait fire? Why was there a fire? Everyone had already eaten at the reception, and the weather was warm. Curious, Kagome quietly walked over to where Kaede usually slept. The elder miko appeared to be resting comfortably. The small empty cup and kettle next to her seemed to indicate that the miko had indulged in some tea before she had gone to sleep. Such a thing would not have stirred her interest, except for the fact that the small wooden box sitting next to the kettle was not the box in which she normally stored her tea leaves.
Fighting the uncomfortable feeling that she was snooping, Kagome kneeled to the floor and picked up the box. Being as quiet as possible, she carefully lifted the lid. She immediately recognized the contents, and her lips parted in a silent gasp. A few years ago, she might have missed how significant this was, but her lessons with Kaede insured that she that didn‘t. “White willow bark.” she whispered quietly as she closed the lid again. Knowing Kaede, it was very likely that she had not intended to fall asleep with this sitting out, the young miko realized as she sat the box down.
When had she started drinking this tea? Was tonight the first time? As she looked on the innocently sleeping face of her beloved friend and mentor, and uncomfortable feeling settled into her chest. To her horror, she knew the answer to the latter question. She had believed that the elder miko was getting better, but apparently she was getting worse and had begun drinking tea made of white willow bark in order to dull her pain. Kagome swallowed past the lump in her throat.
Staring at the box, she began to worry her lower lip. ‘That’s not going to help her get any better. I have to find out what’s wrong with her.’
________________________________________________________________________
The Big Day
___________________________________________________________________ _____
The next few days after her moonlit conversation with the daiyoukai passed without incident. Kagome had not seen Sesshoumaru again since that night under the stars, but she had not forgotten what he had said to her. Essentially, he had told her that she deserved to be alive. Given his attitude toward those of her race, it was extremely likely that he had never thought such a thing of a human, let alone actually telling one so. She was sure he hadn’t meant anything by it, but it had done wonders to lift her spirit.
As usual, she had spent her days grinding herbs, bandaging wounds taking her lessons, and helping Kaede keep an eye on Rin. Her nights however, were often spent sitting under the stars and sorting through her thoughts. More than once, she had recalled her conversation with the demon lord. It had been surprising really. She hadn’t actually expected him to talk to her, but not only did he listen, he actually told her something about himself. ‘I have a preference for the night.’ he had said. He liked the night, just like she did. It was probably the only thing they had in common, but somehow that tiny grain of information made him more… real. Before, he had been more of an entity rather than a real person. He was so mysterious and aloof, but now she knew something about him; not because she had observed his behavior, but because he told her himself. Several times since that night, she absently wondered if she might be able to learn more about him. There might be an interesting person under all that ice.
Today however, the daiyoukai was far from her thoughts. Today she was exempt from her normal duties. On this day, she sat in the warm soft grass surrounded by her friends. Her hair was up in a bun with a few loose curls hanging around the edges. The pins used to hold it all in place were kinda irritating, but they were easy enough to ignore. She wore her favorite kimono with its matching obi. It was a brilliant pink at the shoulders, and gradually faded to a rich and then deep red. The generous sleeves and lower portion of the garment were decorated with large pink and white lotus flowers. It was the nicest and most useful gift her grandfather had ever given her. It had been a graduation present, and was, of course only to be worn on special occasions. Today definitely qualified as such.
Her eyes sparkled and fluttered rapidly in an increasingly difficult effort to hold back tears. ‘I said I wouldn’t do this!’ Kagome scolded herself mentally. To keep her lower lip from trembling, she sucked it into her mouth, and tried to ignore the growing lump in her throat. She was going to cry. Any second now, she would loose her struggle, and the tears would flow.
Her hands were clasped over her chest, her eyes wide and glistening. She was so happy; she hardly knew what to do. This was beautiful, and she was happy for her friends. She was happy, but even through her joy, Kagome was vaguely aware of something else. Something that she refused to acknowledge openly, but it was there just the same. In the deepest recesses of her heart, was a tiny selfish speck of self pity. It wasn’t exactly jealousy, but more of a vague longing inspired by the site before her. Almost secretly, she was reminded of what she herself did not have and probably never would.
She watched as a male and female turned to one another. In each of their eyes was a love that could not be measured. They embraced, and the male placed a surprisingly chaste kiss on the cheek of his blushing bride. Miroku and Sango were finally married. It was a day Kagome had looked forward to almost more than the couple themselves. The romantic in her was thrilled that after everything they had each been through, after all their struggles, they could finally, finally be together. She just knew that whatever life would throw at them, they would no longer have to face their problems alone. They would bear their burdens together.
Theirs was a charming, but modest ceremony. It was held at Sango’s home village, right in front of her newly built home. The home she would now share with Miroku. Since it was such a beautiful day, the wedding was held outside. Miroku was unusually well behaved, and Sango looked radiant. Though the two women would never meet, Kagome’s mother had eagerly volunteered to make her wedding dress. Kagome had surprised her with it at the last minute. It was a simple, but elegant white kimono, embroidered with silky white cranes. Courtesy of the young miko herself, the huntresses’ hair was swept up in a French-twist, with soft loops and curls spilling from the crown of her head. Rin of course, had been more than happy to finish the style off with small white flowers. Sango looked like a princess.
“What are you blubbering about?” Inuyasha’s gruff, but quiet voice drew her attention.
The glare Kagome shot him was wasted as he was looking straight ahead as if to avoid her gaze. “I’m not…” she trailed off as she lightly touched her face. She was immediately surprised to find the twin trails of moisture that had slipped down her cheeks. “Oh. I guess I am crying.” she said softly as she quickly wiped the tears away. “I’m just so happy for them.”
“Humph” the hanyou snorted noncommittally. As he glanced to his other side, he was dismayed to see that another female was quietly weeping next to him. “Not you too!”
He was met by a pair of watery chocolate eyes, and a small gentle smile. Kikyou hardly knew the couple, but her gentle spirit was moved to see two lives brought together in love. The hate, malice, and bitterness she had lived with for so long, was almost like a distant memory now. The moment Kagome had returned her soul, she had once again become the kind and caring woman she had been in her first life. It was as if a curse had been lifted from her.
“Just think,” she said softly, “Soon, you and I shall be married as well.” Her smile widened slightly, and a few more tears slipped from her eyes.
Very slowly, he reached forward and carefully wiped her tears away. “Yeah.” he agreed, his voice barely a whisper. He wore a small smile, which wasn’t quite wistful, but wasn’t entirely joyful either. Having already turned away, the miko missed the hint of regret that shone in his eyes.
When the ceremony was completed, Kagome immediately went to her friend, and enveloped her in a warm embrace. “Congratulations Sango! I just know you guys are going to be so happy!” the miko said tearfully.
Sango fought back her own joyful tears. “I can’t believe this day has finally come! This never would have been possible without you. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done.”
The miko pulled back to look at her. “I just did your hair, and I had loads of fun doing that.”
The slayer’s eyes widened. “Are you kidding?! You’ve done so much more than that! Miroku wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you. There’s no way we could ever repay you for that. I don’t know what I would have done if…” she trailed off and looked away. “Well I’m just so grateful for what you did for him.” she hugged the miko again before adding. “And I didn’t get the chance to thank you this morning for the kimono. I’ve never felt so beautiful in all my life!”
Kagome gave her a watery smile. “I love you, and I love Miroku. I would have done anything to save either one of you, and you don’t have to thank me for the kimono. I told you my mom made it.” Sango looked as if she would say something else, but Kagome cut her off. “That reminds me, I have to get some pictures of you! My mom would kill me if I went back home without them!”
Not far away, Kikyou watched the two women together. They seemed like such good friends. They all did. She almost felt as if she were an outsider. Not even she and Kaede shared such closeness anymore. Though she fully intended to speak with Kagome today, she was unwilling to interrupt their moment. She stood by as Kagome used a small strange looking device to flash a miniature light at her friends.
“Okay, okay, everyone get close together!” the young miko was announcing. To Kikyou’s surprise, Kagome came over to her and grabbed her by the hand. “Come on! Don’t you want to be in the picture?!”
The elder miko looked at her, her eyes widening in surprise. Uncertain, she glanced at Inuyasha, who was still by her side. “It’s like a really small painting.” he explained patiently. Though she still felt a bit out of place, Kikyou gave a hesitant nod. Kagome just smiled, and pulled her along. Once she gathered everyone together and mostly everyone had stopped fidgeting, Kagome snapped her picture.
“That’s going to be a good one!” she declared happily.
“But what about you Kagome?! You’re not going to be in the picture!” Shippou pointed out.
“Kagome waved him off. It’s fine. I’m taking these pictures mostly for my mom, and she already knows what I look like.”
“Oh no you don’t. If I gotta be in a picture, then so do you!” said Inuyasha as he attempted to hide his smile. “Now get over there. I’ll take this one.”
Kagome gave him a dubious look. “Do you remember how to do it?” She had shown him how to use a camera before, but it had been quite a while ago, and she didn’t want him to break it. He wasn’t always very gentle on modern day items.
“Yeah, yeah. You just push this button right?”
“Yes, but you have to make sure you can see everyone through the lens.”
“Okay, okay I got it!” he told her impatiently as he waved her off.
Kagome gave him a bright smile, and quickly joined the group. Shippou and Rin stood in front of her, while Kikyou and Kaede stood to her left. Miroku and Sango stood together at her right. Absently she realized that there wouldn’t be a picture with her and Inuyasha together. She wasn’t sure why, but the thought didn’t bother her nearly as much as she would have thought. She was happy today. Smiling brightly, she waited for the camera to flash.
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Weeks ago, it had been decided that Miroku and Sango would have their wedding at the slayer’s village, and their reception at Kaede’s; so later in the day, they had all made the short journey there. While the wedding had been small and intimate, the reception had been considerably larger. Many of the villagers had attended, bringing food and gifts to the happy couple. Rin and Shippou had spent the majority of the day playing and talking together, Inuyasha ate practically until he was sick, Mushin drank until he passed out, and Miroku, of course made inappropriate comments about the wedding night. Sango was quick to reprimand him, but not without a fair amount of blushing.
Even Kaede seemed to have been in better health today. Overall it had been a fantastic day. Now as the sun was beginning to set and everyone was preparing to go home. The long day had taken its toll on Kaede and she had already taken her leave of them. The elder miko had made the short trip back to her hut in order to get some rest. Normally she would have insisted that Rin do so as well, but since it was such a special occasion, she allowed her to stay with Kagome.
“Are you sure you’re not forgetting anything?” Kagome asked Sango as she and Miroku prepared to leave. At Miroku’s request, Hachi had transformed into his larger size and was preparing to take them home.
“No. I think we have everything.”
Inuyasha looked on as Kagome, Sango and Miroku came together in a warm embrace. This whole day had been somewhat difficult for him. He wasn’t into all this mushy stuff, and it was beginning to make him nauseous. He stole a glance at Kikyou, and tried not to think about the fact that he would have to go through this again, only next time it’d be his own wedding. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He knew he loved Kikyou. He had always loved her, but every time he thought about being married to her, he always felt a small empty space in his heart. Something would always be missing. He wasn’t stupid; he knew what that something, or rather that someone was. He was being selfish, he knew, but in the depth of his heart, he wanted Kagome too. He’d feel incomplete without her. Could he truly be in love with two women? How could such a thing be possible?
He shook his head slightly to rid of his useless thoughts. It didn’t matter now. Not any more. When he’d had the opportunity to sort through his feelings for Kagome, he chose not to. Besides, she was out of bounds to him now anyway. He watched as his friends disentangled themselves from their group embrace. Kagome waved goodbye as Miroku and Sango took their places on Hachi’s enormous back. Soon, the raccoon demon lifted from the ground, and took to the sky.
For a moment or two, Kagome stared into the darkening sky focusing on the shrinking forms of Hachi, Miroku and Sango. Not far from her, a small form sat on the ground. Finally redirecting her attention, the miko turned to see Shippou rubbing his eyes. A gentle smile formed on her lips. “Guess you’re staying with us tonight, huh?”
“Yeah.” he yawned tiredly, “For some reason I don’t think Miroku wanted me hanging around tonight.”
A deep blush spread across Kagome’s face and a nervous laugh broke from her lips. Quickly changing the subject she said, “Yeah, well, you look pretty tired. We should get going.” she walked over and reached down as if to pick him up. Out of habit, the kit reached for her, but something at the edge of his field of vision gave him pause. Rin. He wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t really want her to see him being carried around. He was getting too big for that anyway. Actually, he was even older than the miko herself, but if Rin saw Kagome carry him, she would probably think of him as being a baby. He didn’t like the idea.
“Umm, I’m okay.” he told her as he looked away uncomfortably. “I can walk back.”
For a brief moment, the miko’s brows drew together in confusion. Shippou rarely if ever passed up a chance for a free ride; but following his line of sight, Kagome understood what he must have been thinking. Apparently he didn’t want Rin to see her carry him. Though the thought made her smile, it also made her just a little bit sad at the same time. Her little Shippou was growing up. “Okay, Shippou. We‘ll all walk back then she said, as she tried to hide the knowing little smirk on her lips. She then turned to Inuyasha and Kikyou. “Well I guess we’ll be seeing you all later?”
“We’ll walk you back.” he told her as he shot a quick glance at Kikyou.
“Good.” said the elder miko. “That will give me an opportunity to speak with Kagome.”
At her words everyone fell quiet. “Um… okay then. Kagome finally agreed; and so they headed back to Kaede’s hut. The children took the lead, with Inuyasha following not far behind. The two priestesses lingered far behind him.
For a while there was an awkward silence between the women before the elder miko finally spoke. “I never thanked you properly for saving me, Kagome.”
Slightly surprised by her words, Kagome looked at her with wide eyes. The moment passed quickly and Kagome looked away. “You’re welcome, but you don’t need to…”
“Yes,” Kikyou interjected gently. “I do.” Uncertain as to how to word her thoughts, the miko stole a glance at the silver-haired figure ahead of them. “You pretend as if you have done nothing special, but I realize that you made a tremendous sacrifice in saving me.” She looked at her then, and the women held one another’s gaze. “You and I are not friends Kagome, and yet you willingly gave me back the life that was stolen from me. All of it. Except for the jewel, of course, but I must say that I am quite pleased about that.” The miko smiled and looked away. “I am ashamed to say this, but given the circumstances, I cannot say I would have done the same thing for you. Truly, I can think of nothing I have ever done to be deserving of the kindness you have shown me.” she told her, and for at least a moment she did not speak again. Then finally she said, “In the past I have not been very kind to you Kagome, and I would like to offer my most sincere apology. If… if you are able to forgive me then perhaps…” she began hesitantly, “Perhaps we could become friends someday.”
Surprised again by her words, Kagome stared at her. The other miko was clearly avoiding her gaze, and Kagome was almost certain that she was nervous. “There’s nothing to forgive you for. It wasn’t your fault, you weren’t yourself; and of course we can be friends.” the younger miko began. “I mean, if that’s what you really want.”
Kikyou looked at her again. “I… would be honored.” she said, her voice earnest and sincere.
Kagome smiled. For so long she had been intimidated by Kikyou, but now the priestess was actually asking to be her friend. It was something she never would have expected, but she liked the idea of being friends with the elder miko. There wasn’t a reason for them not to be after all. She snuck a glance at the hanyou. In spite of the distanced between them, she knew he was more than likely listening to their conversation. ‘Well, not any more.’ She thought as her smile widened slightly.
The rest of their short trip was made in comfortable silence, and soon they arrived at Kaede’s hut. Tired from the long day, Rin and Shippou immediately went inside to get some rest. Kagome however remained outside to bid Inuyasha and Kikyou goodnight, but just as they were preparing to leave, a powerful demonic aura swept into the area. A low growl broke from the hanyou’s throat.
“Sesshoumaru.” he spat quietly as he turned to look behind him.
The dark silhouetted form gradually became more and more clear. As the shadows began to lift, heavy fur and pristine white clothing gradually came into view. Soon the demon lord was bathed in soft moonlight. He appeared almost ethereal, his expressionless golden eyes staring straight ahead. Appearing as bored as ever, the daiyoukai made his leisurely approach, a small package in his right hand. He had sensed the presence of his pathetic brother long before he entered the village, and even though he held no desire to deal with the wretched whelp, he would not alter his objective. His business here was simple, and would not require much time. If it became necessary to put the half-breed in his place, he would be more than willing to do so. When he landed however, it was not Inuyasha who drew his attention. Standing not ten feet away was that girl. The young miko. ‘Kagome.’ His mind supplied. He had seen her many times before, but tonight she looked… different.
The kimono she wore was a style unlike anything he had ever seen before, but to his surprise, he did not find it to be distasteful. Actually, it was the least offensive clothing he had ever seen her wear. Her hair was pulled up, but it wasn’t done neatly. There were loose tendrils slipping down around her face and her fragile neck. The look was… vaguely appealing. How odd that he should notice such a thing.
It was only when he heard the irritating voice of the hanyou that he realized he had been staring. “What the hell you lookin’ at?”
His movements deliberately measured, the demon lord turned to face the half-breed. As he took in the female standing at his brother’s side, several thoughts passed through his mind. The woman was clearly alive, yet he was fairly certain that this female who was now clinging possessively to the hanyou’s clothing had been the undead miko. He wasn’t entirely sure how he knew, but he was certain that the girl, Kagome had something to do with this new development. He would have to question her on the matter at a later time, but at the moment, he was suddenly inclined to indulge in a bit of mischief. “That…” he drawled with a small knowing smirk, “is none of your concern.”
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. “The hell it isn’t.” he growled, but before he could advance forward, he felt a tug on his clothing.
“Inuyasha…” Kikyou spoke his name quietly. When he turned to look at her, he was instantly placated by the beseeching look in her eyes. He was reminded of what a gentle woman she was. She had always been apposed to needless violence. A soft sigh passed through his lips before he turned back to his brother. “Humph. What the hell are you doing here anyway?”
The demon lord smirked again. “As I mentioned before, my business here is none of your concern.” With that, he slowly approached Kagome and extended the package in his hand.
“Oh, this must be for…” her words broke off in a quiet gasp, and she turned a pair of wide brown eyes onto the clawed hand of the daiyoukai. She watched spellbound as slowly, almost deliberately, his fingers brushed against the back of her hand.
The movement did not go unnoticed by the hanyou, and a threatening growl rumbled through his chest. Lost in the all out strangeness of the moment, Kagome did not notice the rising levels of tension around her. It seemed to draw out forever, and yet it was so fleetingly brief at the same time. One moment his fingers were brushing almost intentionally against her hand, and then they were gone, leaving her with a small silk bundle.
“Umm….” she began when she finally regained a semblance of coherent thought.
The intense gaze he leveled upon her was enough to still her tongue again. “There are matters which require my attention.” he told her. “We shall speak at a later time.”
Before she could think to reply, the demon lord turned away, and took to the sky. For a long moment, Kagome stared blindly at the spot where he had just stood. It wasn’t possible, but if she didn’t know any better, she might have thought about considering the remote and unlikely possibility that Sesshoumaru was… flirting with her. But that was crazy!! He would never do anything like that.
“What the fuck was that all about?”
Interrupted from her jumbled thoughts, Kagome turned her attention to the angry golden gaze of Inuyasha. “What?” she asked, her voice quiet and confused.
“I said, what was that all about?”
“N-nothing. I guess he just wanted to leave this with me.” she said as she raised the package in a vague gesture of display.
Before he could question her further, he felt another tug on his sleeve. “I know that Kagome is your friend, and I understand your protective tendencies toward her,” Kikyou began patiently, “but I hardly see how it is your place to question her about such things. Clearly he means her no harm.”
Resisting the urge to scowl, the hanyou could think of nothing else to say.
“Keh.” he finally managed.
Suddenly feeling even weirder, Kagome began shifting uncomfortably. “Well, she finally said, “I think I’ll go inside now. I’ll umm… I’ll see you guys later okay?”
“Of course.” Kikyou spoke up first.
“Yeah.” Inuyasha said after a long, uneasy pause.
Kagome forced a smile to her lips, before waving goodbye and going into the hut.
‘How weird was that?’ she wondered as she slipped her shoes off. As she began to pull the pins from her hair, she checked on Rin and Shippou, quickly discovering that they had already fallen asleep. They slept on separate mats, but shared a single cover. Their content expressions brought a small smile to her face and distracted her from her strange and confusing thoughts.
With a quick glance she noticed that the fire was beginning to die down. Wait fire? Why was there a fire? Everyone had already eaten at the reception, and the weather was warm. Curious, Kagome quietly walked over to where Kaede usually slept. The elder miko appeared to be resting comfortably. The small empty cup and kettle next to her seemed to indicate that the miko had indulged in some tea before she had gone to sleep. Such a thing would not have stirred her interest, except for the fact that the small wooden box sitting next to the kettle was not the box in which she normally stored her tea leaves.
Fighting the uncomfortable feeling that she was snooping, Kagome kneeled to the floor and picked up the box. Being as quiet as possible, she carefully lifted the lid. She immediately recognized the contents, and her lips parted in a silent gasp. A few years ago, she might have missed how significant this was, but her lessons with Kaede insured that she that didn‘t. “White willow bark.” she whispered quietly as she closed the lid again. Knowing Kaede, it was very likely that she had not intended to fall asleep with this sitting out, the young miko realized as she sat the box down.
When had she started drinking this tea? Was tonight the first time? As she looked on the innocently sleeping face of her beloved friend and mentor, and uncomfortable feeling settled into her chest. To her horror, she knew the answer to the latter question. She had believed that the elder miko was getting better, but apparently she was getting worse and had begun drinking tea made of white willow bark in order to dull her pain. Kagome swallowed past the lump in her throat.
Staring at the box, she began to worry her lower lip. ‘That’s not going to help her get any better. I have to find out what’s wrong with her.’
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