InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Remnants of the Spider ❯ A Genial Exchange ( Chapter 20 )
[ 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: 11.11.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 260 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 11.11.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 260 | Status: Work In Progress
Remnants of the Spider
A Genial Exchange
______________________________________________________________ __________
“Sesshoumaru!”
Kagome looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. “What… what are you doing here?” she asked curiously. “And did you… did you just make a joke?”
The inu lord stared down on her. Taking in her various features, he noted that something seemed different about her on this night. Already a diminutive creature, she appeared somehow smaller, more fragile than usual. Her tiny little hands were clasped together in her lap and though her eyes were bright with curiosity, he could also detect a note of melancholy within their shimmering depths. For a moment he considered the possibility that she might be unwell, but her scent told him that her health was normal. What was different?
Perhaps it had to do with her apparent fatigue as evidenced by the faint puffiness beneath her eyes, the slope of her shoulders and the tiny lines that marred her brow. She even appeared thinner and slightly paler than he recalled. She looked as if a stiff breeze would have little difficulty in toppling her over.
Whatever the case, he found it oddly disturbing to see her out here like this several hours before dawn. She hadn’t even bothered to bring her bow and arrows. As Rin’s current protector, it was essential that she herself remain safe, at least until he was able to find a new home for the girl.
The young miko shifted uncomfortably and he suddenly recalled that she had asked him a question. She had been on the brink of crying when he arrived and he had no desire to witness such a thing again. It had been… disturbing.
“I was merely attempting to distract you.” he replied somewhat distractedly.
Kagome’s brows drew together. “Distract me? From what?” Without thinking, she again traced the edges of her photo before looking down. “Oh.” she said quietly.
The daiyoukai said nothing, but continued to stare down on her. It was then that he noticed that the old miko’s scent, or rather the lack there of. It had faded significantly, which could only mean that she was not inside the hut. So that was why the girl had been fending off tears.
“When?” he wanted to know.
Understanding what he was asking, Kagome pressed the photo against her chest, embracing herself with her remaining arm. “Three days ago.”
“Hn.” he breathed noncommittally. “Rin?” he asked after a short pause.
“She… she’s doing okay. She took it pretty hard at first though. I try to keep her busy during the day. That way she doesn’t really have time to think about it, but… it’s …it’s hard. You know?”
“Hn.” he said again, and Kagome thought she saw him nod ever so faintly.
“I feel so bad for her.” the miko continued almost casually. “Shippou too. They both lost their parents, and now… now they’ve lost her too.” she sighed quietly and looked away from him. “Now all they have left is me.”
His lips turned down slightly. Something about the last part of her statement sparked a twinge of disapproval in him. ‘Now all they have left is me.’
The self depreciating tone in her voice indicated rather clearly that she did not seem to think that she was good enough. Loathed as he was to admit it, this unassuming little miko’s accomplishments (in some ways) surpassed even his own, so why did she seem to have such little faith in her ability to care for two young children?
“You do not believe yourself adequate?” he asked, a bit of annoyance seeping into his voice.
Surprised by his question, the miko looked at him, a light flush coloring her cheeks. “I--I don’t know.” she admitted hesitantly. “I helped my mom take care of my little brother, but this isn’t the same thing. I’m all on my own in this. I’m basically responsible for two kids now. I mean, I know that in this time Rin will be old enough to get married in a few years, and Shippou is growing like a weed, but right now they’re still just kids and I have to look out for them; protect them. Not only that, but I’ve just inherited the responsibility of this village’s high priestess! How am I supposed to…?”
“Rin is not your responsibility.” he interrupted. “At least not permanently. I told you that I would soon find a permanent home for her.”
The miko‘s brow began to furrow, but before she could say anything, the demon lord told her, “You worry too much.” He then lowered himself to the ground a short distance away from her. Kagome watched as he seated himself. He folded his legs neatly in front of him, his hands hidden in his oversized sleeves. He inclined his head slightly to stare at some unknown point in the distance.
From the corner of his eyes he could see the woman watching him. Her lips were parted as if she wanted to say something but was uncertain as to how to proceed.
“How can I not worry?” she finally asked. “We’ve gotten rid of Naraku, but this is still a very dangerous time, and… and you always want to think that nothing bad can happen to the ones you love but…” she pulled the small photo away from her chest to look at it.
‘Kaede...’
Sesshoumaru looked at her. Her eyes were fluttering rapidly and he realized she was blinking back tears. “Do not cry.” he ordered quietly. Still holding the small image, she dropped her hands into her lap, but did not turn to look at him. “And we, did not defeat Naraku, you did.”
“Doesn’t matter.” she said, her voice strangely hollow now. “He’s gone, but there are still dangers. There haven’t been many demon attacks around here lately, but there are still wars, and bandits, and thieves. There might even be other dangers that I don’t even know about yet.”
The demon lord resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “You do well to realize that it is one thing to anticipate a particular situation, and make the necessary preparations, but quite another to worry over problems that do not yet exist.”
“Hmm…” she murmured, her lips pouting slightly. She seemed to consider his words for several moments before her shoulders finally slumped, though he could not say if the gesture was one of relief or defeat. She sighed heavily before saying, “I suppose you’re right. I guess I’m still just…” she trailed off and then turned toward him, subconsciously moving a bit closer. “I’m not usually such a pessimistic person, you know.” she said as if she were fearful that she was making a bad impression on him. “I--I’m just going through a really hard time right now.” She looked away and began worrying her lower lip.
When the woman said nothing further, Sesshoumaru gradually allowed his mind to drift. He drew in a deep breath, exhaling slowly as his eyes scanned the sky above them. He had not intended to return to this village for some time yet, but he felt oddly… drawn, compelled to come here; though why, he was still unsure. Perhaps he simply wished to check on Rin. That seemed probable. Sometimes he wondered about his attachment to the girl. Had he done himself a disservice by allowing such a thing? Its development was purely unintentional; something he never would have set out to obtain. But, the bond was there now, and even though he was attempting to reinsert her into human society, he was almost constantly bombarded with the desire to return to her; make sure that she was safe.
Though he considered himself above the primal calls of instinct, some of its rudimentary impulses were not so easily ignored. He, Sesshoumaru, was an inu youkai. As such, his instinct would compel him to develop such attachments to those he considered pack, family. His preference for solitude was entirely self-formulated, and had taken many years to cultivate. In actuality, such a thing went against his very nature. Rin was nothing more than a simple human child, but the day they’d met she had exhibited behaviors similar to that of an inu youkai attempting to care for one who is injured within their pack. She had tried to save him. Unnecessary as her actions had been, they had connected with that part of him and he had therefore returned her favor by resurrecting her from the dead.
What he had not anticipated however, was the solidity of the bond even then. When she had awakened and begun to follow him, he had allowed her to stay; protected her. It was not until he nearly lost her for a second time that he realized how deep his attachment to the girl had grown. He had not realized it before that day, but that part of him; that deep part of his soul that was still bound to the call of instinct had accepted her as pack. To that part of him, Rin was as a pup to him.
“I umm… I owe you an apology.” the miko said abruptly, quickly halting his train of thought.
“What?” he asked as he turned to look at her. She appeared unusually shy, and her cheeks were lightly flushed with color.
“I owe you an apology.” she repeated, her voice a bit more firm this time. Daring to look at him, Kagome was unsurprised to see that he looked as unruffled as always. Pushing her nervousness aside, she managed a wry smile. “I was pretty rude to you the last couple of times we talked. I know it’s no excuse, but I was really upset at the time.” She began to fidget slightly, but after a moment of uneasy silence she continued. “Forgive me?”
In spite of himself, Sesshoumaru almost smiled. The look she was giving him was so terribly familiar. Her eyes were wide and shimmering with a light layer of moisture, her brows drawn together slightly, and her lower lip was protruding in a tiny pout. It was the same look Rin would give him in hopes of escaping chastisement in the rare instances she’d misbehaved. Sadly, it was far more effective than he cared to admit.
“It is of no consequence.” he finally told her.
“Really?” she asked hopefully, a small smile forming on her lips. “So you’re not mad at me?”
The inu lord raised a brow. “Do you not continue to draw breath?”
“Oh right.” she said, a bit of her nervousness returning. It had been a while since he had shown any real aggression toward her or her friends, so she had almost forgotten that Sesshoumaru tended to kill people when they did stuff he didn’t like. There was still something else she wanted to ask him, but she was kinda nervous as to what he would say. Finally steeling her resolve she began, “Can I… can I ask you something?”
Looking disinterestedly off into the distance he intoned, “I suspect that if I said no, you would do so regardless.”
An uneasy chuckle escaped her lips. “You’re probably right. But this is kinda important. It’s about Rin.” He looked at her then and waited for her to continue. “I… you don’t need to find another home for her. I mean if its okay with you, she can stay here with me.”
“Did you not intend to return to your own time?”
“I don’t have to. I-I’m not really needed there. My family loves and misses me, but right now, I’m needed here. Besides, I love Rin; Shippou too. I couldn’t possibly leave them behind, especially now that Kaede is gone.”
The daiyoukai stared at her, his brows drawn down slightly in a thoughtful frown. He had not realized her feelings for the girl were so strong. She loved her? This new information was… unexpected. Had anyone else said such a thing, he would have thought nothing of it. But this miko was exceptional in many ways. Already, he found himself at ease to speak with her companionably, but this information seemed to create a connection between them that had not existed before. They were connected through their feelings for Rin. It was an unsettling realization, and he was not entirely sure what to make of it.
“Please?” he heard woman ask, her soft beseeching voice a gentle caress to his ears. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to her. I‘ll care for her as if she were my own… well I‘m not quite old enough to be her mom, but I think you understand what I mean?”
“I will consider your offer, miko.” he said after a few moments.
She smiled brightly. “Really?! Thank you so much!” she sang happily, as if he had already answered in her favor.
Taking in her pleased expression, the demon lord raised a single brow. “Why are you so happy? I only said that I would consider it.”
“Yeah, but you must trust me quite a bit to even do that! I don’t think you realize how much that means to me, Sesshoumaru.”
“Humph.”
She smiled again, realizing that he hadn’t denied her words. Before anything further could be said a light rustling behind them drew both their attention. The demon lord felt his muscles tense for the briefest of moments before he recognized the scent of a particular demon.
“Ah-Un!” the miko cried happily. Both the creatures’ heads bowed slightly as it slowly sidled up next to her. “You must have been out looking for something to eat, huh?”
The dragon grunted quietly before lowering itself to the ground beside her. The demon lord watched with veiled interest as the miko began to stroke the creature’s thick black hair. She then turned to him, her lips curved in a sheepish smile. “Well, they don’t say much, but they are good listeners.” When the daiyoukai merely raised a brow in response she elaborated, “As Kaede was getting more and more sick, I would sometimes sit out here and talk to them.” she looked away then, her smile beginning to fade. “Even though they don’t talk back, they do seem to understand.” she finished as she leaned into the creature, continuing to stroke its mane.
Though he appeared characteristically disinterested, the demon lord considered the sight before him. This girl was a human, a miko no less, yet she seemed so comfortable with a creature that was so obviously youkai. Undisguised, it lay contently beside her; its true form bare and exposed to her eyes and yet she was neither disgusted nor fearful. It bore no human resemblance whatsoever, yet she seemed to find no qualms in sharing a connection with it. Rin had done much the same, but she was only a child. Her only fears were bandits and wolves. She had been too naïve to fear the creature, but this miko knew better. Was it truly possible for one to be so untouched by the natural tendency toward prejudice?
“You never did tell me why you were here.” the woman yawned tiredly as she relaxed further into a now slumbering Ah-Un.
Instead of answering he asked, “Are humans of your time typically so comfortable in the presence of demons?” Unexpectedly, the miko stiffened visibly.
They had spoken of her era once before, but they had not really discussed demons of her time. “Umm… h-humans don’t generally believe demons exist in the future.” she admitted uneasily. “I personally had never realized it until I came here.”
“Why?”
“I wondered the same thing for a long time, but I really don’t know. Until I began to understand my spiritual powers, I’d never realized that I’d been able to sense demonic auras for years. Every once in a while, I would feel this strange chill, but I never knew what it was. Now I know that there are demons in my time; they just disguise themselves as humans. I’m not really sure what happened in the five hundred years between now and then, but I guess somehow the weaker demons, the ones that can’t take human forms, must have died off.”
“Interesting…” he murmured quietly. Such a thing was of no consequence to he, Sesshoumaru, but it was interesting none the less.
“Since we’re asking questions, do you mind if I ask… do you… do you still hate humans?”
An intense golden gaze landed on her, and Kagome valiantly fought the urge to look away. She wasn’t really sure why but she really hoped he didn’t.
“Not all of them are as objectionable as I had previously believed.”
Seemingly satisfied with his answer, a large smile formed on the miko’s lips. “I guess that’s a good start.” she said cheerfully.
“Foolish girl.” he intoned halfheartedly, an almost imperceptible smile curving his lips. The girl’s moods were disturbingly contagious.
Feeling worlds better than she had in weeks, Kagome sighed contently as she again leaned into Ah-Un’s surprisingly soft mane. “You still didn’t tell me why you were here.” she mumbled into its silky strands.
“No, I did not.” he agreed blandly. Suddenly reminded of a question he had intended to ask he began, “That miko, the one who was here with Inuyasha…”
“You mean Kikyou?”
“Yes. How is it that she is alive?”
“To make a long story short, I brought her soul back with me when… you know.” she trailed off, still a bit uneasy with the subject.
“Hn. And why would you do such a thing? Was she not your… rival?”
Kagome’s cheeks flooded with color. “I-I didn’t realize you knew that!”
“Miko, I am far more perceptive than you apparently give me credit for.”
“Clearly.” she intoned, a bit of resentment at his arrogance leaching into her tone. “Well, that had been the case at one point, but it’s all over now. Kikyou and Inuyasha are engaged to be married. I did what I did because what happened to her wasn’t fair. It wasn’t her fault. She and Inuyasha were tricked. It was only fair that they be given a second chance.”
An elegant brow rose noticeably. “And what of you?”
“What do you mean?”
“What did you receive in exchange for your sacrifice?”
Slightly annoyed, the miko frowned. “I didn’t do it because I wanted something in return; I did it because it was the right thing to do!”
“Hn”
She turned away from him, a heavy sigh passing through her lips. “I had thought Inuyasha and I would be together in the end, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. But I suppose…” she trailed off breathily, her eyes lifting to the sky. “My special someone is still out there somewhere.” she sighed again snuggling more deeply into Ah-Un’s dark tresses. “At least I hope so.”
“Hn.” he murmured again. The conversation was quickly heading a direction in which he did not wish to venture so the demon lord said nothing more on the subject. “You should attempt to get some rest, miko.” he told her after a long pause.
“You’re probably right.” she yawned inattentively, vaguely noting the soft whisper of silk against silk. When she looked up she was surprised to see a clawed hand extended toward her. Shyly, the miko accepted the proffered appendage and was easily pulled to her feet.
“Umm… thanks” she said quietly, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. She moved to retrieve her hand, but he did not release her right away. Reaching into the folds of his haori, the demon lord withdrew a small package wrapped with silk. Inside was a pair of geta sandals.
“Perhaps you will have better success than I.” he said as he gently rotated her wrist before placing the package in her hand.
In all the time he had known Rin, he had never been able to convince the girl to wear shoes for any significant period of time. Though it bothered him somewhat, he had never been willing to press the issue to any serious degree. The girl was the one creature he found himself reluctant to impose his will upon.
Kagome stared up at him, but before she could utter a reply, the demon lord spun away. Though he appeared to be walking rather casually the dark shadows of the night were quick to consume his form.
“Umm… goodnight?” she said somewhat dazedly. She stood there for a moment longer, her eyes fixed to the spot she had last seen him. A small but genuine smile formed on her lips before she turned away and went back into the hut.
__________________________________________________________________ ______
A Genial Exchange
______________________________________________________________ __________
“Sesshoumaru!”
Kagome looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. “What… what are you doing here?” she asked curiously. “And did you… did you just make a joke?”
The inu lord stared down on her. Taking in her various features, he noted that something seemed different about her on this night. Already a diminutive creature, she appeared somehow smaller, more fragile than usual. Her tiny little hands were clasped together in her lap and though her eyes were bright with curiosity, he could also detect a note of melancholy within their shimmering depths. For a moment he considered the possibility that she might be unwell, but her scent told him that her health was normal. What was different?
Perhaps it had to do with her apparent fatigue as evidenced by the faint puffiness beneath her eyes, the slope of her shoulders and the tiny lines that marred her brow. She even appeared thinner and slightly paler than he recalled. She looked as if a stiff breeze would have little difficulty in toppling her over.
Whatever the case, he found it oddly disturbing to see her out here like this several hours before dawn. She hadn’t even bothered to bring her bow and arrows. As Rin’s current protector, it was essential that she herself remain safe, at least until he was able to find a new home for the girl.
The young miko shifted uncomfortably and he suddenly recalled that she had asked him a question. She had been on the brink of crying when he arrived and he had no desire to witness such a thing again. It had been… disturbing.
“I was merely attempting to distract you.” he replied somewhat distractedly.
Kagome’s brows drew together. “Distract me? From what?” Without thinking, she again traced the edges of her photo before looking down. “Oh.” she said quietly.
The daiyoukai said nothing, but continued to stare down on her. It was then that he noticed that the old miko’s scent, or rather the lack there of. It had faded significantly, which could only mean that she was not inside the hut. So that was why the girl had been fending off tears.
“When?” he wanted to know.
Understanding what he was asking, Kagome pressed the photo against her chest, embracing herself with her remaining arm. “Three days ago.”
“Hn.” he breathed noncommittally. “Rin?” he asked after a short pause.
“She… she’s doing okay. She took it pretty hard at first though. I try to keep her busy during the day. That way she doesn’t really have time to think about it, but… it’s …it’s hard. You know?”
“Hn.” he said again, and Kagome thought she saw him nod ever so faintly.
“I feel so bad for her.” the miko continued almost casually. “Shippou too. They both lost their parents, and now… now they’ve lost her too.” she sighed quietly and looked away from him. “Now all they have left is me.”
His lips turned down slightly. Something about the last part of her statement sparked a twinge of disapproval in him. ‘Now all they have left is me.’
The self depreciating tone in her voice indicated rather clearly that she did not seem to think that she was good enough. Loathed as he was to admit it, this unassuming little miko’s accomplishments (in some ways) surpassed even his own, so why did she seem to have such little faith in her ability to care for two young children?
“You do not believe yourself adequate?” he asked, a bit of annoyance seeping into his voice.
Surprised by his question, the miko looked at him, a light flush coloring her cheeks. “I--I don’t know.” she admitted hesitantly. “I helped my mom take care of my little brother, but this isn’t the same thing. I’m all on my own in this. I’m basically responsible for two kids now. I mean, I know that in this time Rin will be old enough to get married in a few years, and Shippou is growing like a weed, but right now they’re still just kids and I have to look out for them; protect them. Not only that, but I’ve just inherited the responsibility of this village’s high priestess! How am I supposed to…?”
“Rin is not your responsibility.” he interrupted. “At least not permanently. I told you that I would soon find a permanent home for her.”
The miko‘s brow began to furrow, but before she could say anything, the demon lord told her, “You worry too much.” He then lowered himself to the ground a short distance away from her. Kagome watched as he seated himself. He folded his legs neatly in front of him, his hands hidden in his oversized sleeves. He inclined his head slightly to stare at some unknown point in the distance.
From the corner of his eyes he could see the woman watching him. Her lips were parted as if she wanted to say something but was uncertain as to how to proceed.
“How can I not worry?” she finally asked. “We’ve gotten rid of Naraku, but this is still a very dangerous time, and… and you always want to think that nothing bad can happen to the ones you love but…” she pulled the small photo away from her chest to look at it.
‘Kaede...’
Sesshoumaru looked at her. Her eyes were fluttering rapidly and he realized she was blinking back tears. “Do not cry.” he ordered quietly. Still holding the small image, she dropped her hands into her lap, but did not turn to look at him. “And we, did not defeat Naraku, you did.”
“Doesn’t matter.” she said, her voice strangely hollow now. “He’s gone, but there are still dangers. There haven’t been many demon attacks around here lately, but there are still wars, and bandits, and thieves. There might even be other dangers that I don’t even know about yet.”
The demon lord resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “You do well to realize that it is one thing to anticipate a particular situation, and make the necessary preparations, but quite another to worry over problems that do not yet exist.”
“Hmm…” she murmured, her lips pouting slightly. She seemed to consider his words for several moments before her shoulders finally slumped, though he could not say if the gesture was one of relief or defeat. She sighed heavily before saying, “I suppose you’re right. I guess I’m still just…” she trailed off and then turned toward him, subconsciously moving a bit closer. “I’m not usually such a pessimistic person, you know.” she said as if she were fearful that she was making a bad impression on him. “I--I’m just going through a really hard time right now.” She looked away and began worrying her lower lip.
When the woman said nothing further, Sesshoumaru gradually allowed his mind to drift. He drew in a deep breath, exhaling slowly as his eyes scanned the sky above them. He had not intended to return to this village for some time yet, but he felt oddly… drawn, compelled to come here; though why, he was still unsure. Perhaps he simply wished to check on Rin. That seemed probable. Sometimes he wondered about his attachment to the girl. Had he done himself a disservice by allowing such a thing? Its development was purely unintentional; something he never would have set out to obtain. But, the bond was there now, and even though he was attempting to reinsert her into human society, he was almost constantly bombarded with the desire to return to her; make sure that she was safe.
Though he considered himself above the primal calls of instinct, some of its rudimentary impulses were not so easily ignored. He, Sesshoumaru, was an inu youkai. As such, his instinct would compel him to develop such attachments to those he considered pack, family. His preference for solitude was entirely self-formulated, and had taken many years to cultivate. In actuality, such a thing went against his very nature. Rin was nothing more than a simple human child, but the day they’d met she had exhibited behaviors similar to that of an inu youkai attempting to care for one who is injured within their pack. She had tried to save him. Unnecessary as her actions had been, they had connected with that part of him and he had therefore returned her favor by resurrecting her from the dead.
What he had not anticipated however, was the solidity of the bond even then. When she had awakened and begun to follow him, he had allowed her to stay; protected her. It was not until he nearly lost her for a second time that he realized how deep his attachment to the girl had grown. He had not realized it before that day, but that part of him; that deep part of his soul that was still bound to the call of instinct had accepted her as pack. To that part of him, Rin was as a pup to him.
“I umm… I owe you an apology.” the miko said abruptly, quickly halting his train of thought.
“What?” he asked as he turned to look at her. She appeared unusually shy, and her cheeks were lightly flushed with color.
“I owe you an apology.” she repeated, her voice a bit more firm this time. Daring to look at him, Kagome was unsurprised to see that he looked as unruffled as always. Pushing her nervousness aside, she managed a wry smile. “I was pretty rude to you the last couple of times we talked. I know it’s no excuse, but I was really upset at the time.” She began to fidget slightly, but after a moment of uneasy silence she continued. “Forgive me?”
In spite of himself, Sesshoumaru almost smiled. The look she was giving him was so terribly familiar. Her eyes were wide and shimmering with a light layer of moisture, her brows drawn together slightly, and her lower lip was protruding in a tiny pout. It was the same look Rin would give him in hopes of escaping chastisement in the rare instances she’d misbehaved. Sadly, it was far more effective than he cared to admit.
“It is of no consequence.” he finally told her.
“Really?” she asked hopefully, a small smile forming on her lips. “So you’re not mad at me?”
The inu lord raised a brow. “Do you not continue to draw breath?”
“Oh right.” she said, a bit of her nervousness returning. It had been a while since he had shown any real aggression toward her or her friends, so she had almost forgotten that Sesshoumaru tended to kill people when they did stuff he didn’t like. There was still something else she wanted to ask him, but she was kinda nervous as to what he would say. Finally steeling her resolve she began, “Can I… can I ask you something?”
Looking disinterestedly off into the distance he intoned, “I suspect that if I said no, you would do so regardless.”
An uneasy chuckle escaped her lips. “You’re probably right. But this is kinda important. It’s about Rin.” He looked at her then and waited for her to continue. “I… you don’t need to find another home for her. I mean if its okay with you, she can stay here with me.”
“Did you not intend to return to your own time?”
“I don’t have to. I-I’m not really needed there. My family loves and misses me, but right now, I’m needed here. Besides, I love Rin; Shippou too. I couldn’t possibly leave them behind, especially now that Kaede is gone.”
The daiyoukai stared at her, his brows drawn down slightly in a thoughtful frown. He had not realized her feelings for the girl were so strong. She loved her? This new information was… unexpected. Had anyone else said such a thing, he would have thought nothing of it. But this miko was exceptional in many ways. Already, he found himself at ease to speak with her companionably, but this information seemed to create a connection between them that had not existed before. They were connected through their feelings for Rin. It was an unsettling realization, and he was not entirely sure what to make of it.
“Please?” he heard woman ask, her soft beseeching voice a gentle caress to his ears. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to her. I‘ll care for her as if she were my own… well I‘m not quite old enough to be her mom, but I think you understand what I mean?”
“I will consider your offer, miko.” he said after a few moments.
She smiled brightly. “Really?! Thank you so much!” she sang happily, as if he had already answered in her favor.
Taking in her pleased expression, the demon lord raised a single brow. “Why are you so happy? I only said that I would consider it.”
“Yeah, but you must trust me quite a bit to even do that! I don’t think you realize how much that means to me, Sesshoumaru.”
“Humph.”
She smiled again, realizing that he hadn’t denied her words. Before anything further could be said a light rustling behind them drew both their attention. The demon lord felt his muscles tense for the briefest of moments before he recognized the scent of a particular demon.
“Ah-Un!” the miko cried happily. Both the creatures’ heads bowed slightly as it slowly sidled up next to her. “You must have been out looking for something to eat, huh?”
The dragon grunted quietly before lowering itself to the ground beside her. The demon lord watched with veiled interest as the miko began to stroke the creature’s thick black hair. She then turned to him, her lips curved in a sheepish smile. “Well, they don’t say much, but they are good listeners.” When the daiyoukai merely raised a brow in response she elaborated, “As Kaede was getting more and more sick, I would sometimes sit out here and talk to them.” she looked away then, her smile beginning to fade. “Even though they don’t talk back, they do seem to understand.” she finished as she leaned into the creature, continuing to stroke its mane.
Though he appeared characteristically disinterested, the demon lord considered the sight before him. This girl was a human, a miko no less, yet she seemed so comfortable with a creature that was so obviously youkai. Undisguised, it lay contently beside her; its true form bare and exposed to her eyes and yet she was neither disgusted nor fearful. It bore no human resemblance whatsoever, yet she seemed to find no qualms in sharing a connection with it. Rin had done much the same, but she was only a child. Her only fears were bandits and wolves. She had been too naïve to fear the creature, but this miko knew better. Was it truly possible for one to be so untouched by the natural tendency toward prejudice?
“You never did tell me why you were here.” the woman yawned tiredly as she relaxed further into a now slumbering Ah-Un.
Instead of answering he asked, “Are humans of your time typically so comfortable in the presence of demons?” Unexpectedly, the miko stiffened visibly.
They had spoken of her era once before, but they had not really discussed demons of her time. “Umm… h-humans don’t generally believe demons exist in the future.” she admitted uneasily. “I personally had never realized it until I came here.”
“Why?”
“I wondered the same thing for a long time, but I really don’t know. Until I began to understand my spiritual powers, I’d never realized that I’d been able to sense demonic auras for years. Every once in a while, I would feel this strange chill, but I never knew what it was. Now I know that there are demons in my time; they just disguise themselves as humans. I’m not really sure what happened in the five hundred years between now and then, but I guess somehow the weaker demons, the ones that can’t take human forms, must have died off.”
“Interesting…” he murmured quietly. Such a thing was of no consequence to he, Sesshoumaru, but it was interesting none the less.
“Since we’re asking questions, do you mind if I ask… do you… do you still hate humans?”
An intense golden gaze landed on her, and Kagome valiantly fought the urge to look away. She wasn’t really sure why but she really hoped he didn’t.
“Not all of them are as objectionable as I had previously believed.”
Seemingly satisfied with his answer, a large smile formed on the miko’s lips. “I guess that’s a good start.” she said cheerfully.
“Foolish girl.” he intoned halfheartedly, an almost imperceptible smile curving his lips. The girl’s moods were disturbingly contagious.
Feeling worlds better than she had in weeks, Kagome sighed contently as she again leaned into Ah-Un’s surprisingly soft mane. “You still didn’t tell me why you were here.” she mumbled into its silky strands.
“No, I did not.” he agreed blandly. Suddenly reminded of a question he had intended to ask he began, “That miko, the one who was here with Inuyasha…”
“You mean Kikyou?”
“Yes. How is it that she is alive?”
“To make a long story short, I brought her soul back with me when… you know.” she trailed off, still a bit uneasy with the subject.
“Hn. And why would you do such a thing? Was she not your… rival?”
Kagome’s cheeks flooded with color. “I-I didn’t realize you knew that!”
“Miko, I am far more perceptive than you apparently give me credit for.”
“Clearly.” she intoned, a bit of resentment at his arrogance leaching into her tone. “Well, that had been the case at one point, but it’s all over now. Kikyou and Inuyasha are engaged to be married. I did what I did because what happened to her wasn’t fair. It wasn’t her fault. She and Inuyasha were tricked. It was only fair that they be given a second chance.”
An elegant brow rose noticeably. “And what of you?”
“What do you mean?”
“What did you receive in exchange for your sacrifice?”
Slightly annoyed, the miko frowned. “I didn’t do it because I wanted something in return; I did it because it was the right thing to do!”
“Hn”
She turned away from him, a heavy sigh passing through her lips. “I had thought Inuyasha and I would be together in the end, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. But I suppose…” she trailed off breathily, her eyes lifting to the sky. “My special someone is still out there somewhere.” she sighed again snuggling more deeply into Ah-Un’s dark tresses. “At least I hope so.”
“Hn.” he murmured again. The conversation was quickly heading a direction in which he did not wish to venture so the demon lord said nothing more on the subject. “You should attempt to get some rest, miko.” he told her after a long pause.
“You’re probably right.” she yawned inattentively, vaguely noting the soft whisper of silk against silk. When she looked up she was surprised to see a clawed hand extended toward her. Shyly, the miko accepted the proffered appendage and was easily pulled to her feet.
“Umm… thanks” she said quietly, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. She moved to retrieve her hand, but he did not release her right away. Reaching into the folds of his haori, the demon lord withdrew a small package wrapped with silk. Inside was a pair of geta sandals.
“Perhaps you will have better success than I.” he said as he gently rotated her wrist before placing the package in her hand.
In all the time he had known Rin, he had never been able to convince the girl to wear shoes for any significant period of time. Though it bothered him somewhat, he had never been willing to press the issue to any serious degree. The girl was the one creature he found himself reluctant to impose his will upon.
Kagome stared up at him, but before she could utter a reply, the demon lord spun away. Though he appeared to be walking rather casually the dark shadows of the night were quick to consume his form.
“Umm… goodnight?” she said somewhat dazedly. She stood there for a moment longer, her eyes fixed to the spot she had last seen him. A small but genuine smile formed on her lips before she turned away and went back into the hut.
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