InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sketches ❯ Star Cross'd ( Chapter 9 )

This piece was awarded third place for the livejournal community, Ebony silks, and their weekly theme of `goodbye.' I own none of these characters and make no profit from this.

 

 

Stay

 

 

 

It began with a twisted ankle.

 

 

“Sesshoumaru, I know you were planning on leaving today, but would you please stay with me and Rin for a while longer? I won't be able to protect her if I can't even walk,” the miko had pleaded. Somehow, she had managed to injure herself returning from her bath.

“You injured yourself by walking?” he inquired.

“I guess I tripped over a tree root. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going,” she replied in a sheepish voice.

He sighed to himself.

“You will begin watching where you are going, miko.”

“Of course, Sesshoumaru. Thank you,” Kagome said, as she hobbled over to her bag and began digging out her first aid kit.

 

 

And so he stayed.

 

 

 

Then came the sickness.

 

 

“It's just a cold. I'm sure I can protect everyone. You go on ahead, Sesshoumaru, I'll just stay here an- AH- AH -ACHOO!” Kagome gave a loud sneeze. She pulled out a package of small cloths, with which she began to blow her nose in a very unladylike manner.

The miko gathered up several of the cloths in one hand, and grabbed her bow with the other. She proceeded to sniffle and cough, while Rin fussed around her. “Kagome-chan, you're really sick! Don't worry, I'll protect everyone while Sesshoumaru-sama is gone!” Rin exclaimed as she took Kagome's bow from her hands. The bow was bigger than she was. “How do you work this thing, Kagome-chan?” Rin said as she twanged the bowstring.

He sighed to himself.

“Rin put that down. It will not be necessary,” he said as he made to sit back down in his spot. Rin ran over to him with bright eyes. “Oh, thank you Sesshoumaru-sama!” she exclaimed, grabbing hold of his pant leg.

 

 

And so he stayed.

 

 

 

Then came the blizzard.

 

 

“Wow, it's really coming down out there!” she exclaimed as she peered out of the cave. “Are you sure you want to head out into this weather, Sesshoumaru? Wouldn't you like to stay here with us where it's warm?” Kagome had asked in her sweetest voice.

“The weather will not bother a demon such as me,” he replied.

“Oh, right. Of course not!” she replied with a forced smile. Kagome turned around to Rin. “Well, kid, it's just you and me now! I guess I should go gather some firewood so we won't freeze to death in this cave.”

“Oh Kagome-chan, be sure and keep warm, or else you will end up sick like last time!” Rin said. Kagome began bundling up to head out into the forest. “Don't come to look for me if I don't return, Rin-chan. You'll freeze to death. Stay here, okay?” Kagome said in a sad voice, bordering on a whisper.

He sighed to himself.

“Stay here. I will return with firewood,” he said.

“Thank you, Sesshoumaru,” Kagome replied with a smile.

 

 

And so he stayed.

 

 

Then came the broken bow.

 

 

“And how did your bow break again, miko?” he asked.

“Uh, well, I . . . uh, was coming back from the hot spring, when it slipped off of my shoulder,” she stammered out.

“And this action caused the string to break?” he questioned.

“Um, yeah. I don't know what happened to it exactly. I was just walking along, it slipped, and when I picked it up, the string was broken,” she said, keeping her eyes to the ground.

“Hnnn.”

“Could you please lead me to the nearest village so I may get it repaired?” she pleaded, clasping her hands together and looking up at him with hopeful eyes.

He sighed to himself.

 

 

And so he stayed.

 

 

It suddenly occurred to him, as they left the human village where the miko had her bow repaired, that every time he made to leave on his solitary scouting missions, something happened to the miko, forcing him to stay longer. First the ankle. Then the sickness. The blizzard. And finally the broken bow.

He turned his head around and narrowed his eyes at the two females, who were currently walking behind him, with heads bowed together, whispering secrets to one another. He sensed a conspiracy underfoot.

 

 

He decided to test his new theory.

 

 

“Miko. I am leaving now. Watch over Rin while I am away,” he said sternly as he turned around.

Kagome looked at him with panic in her eyes. “Uh, wait! Sesshoumaru, can I speak to you for a second?” she said as she began to jog over to him.

He stood in place, watching her every move. Just as Kagome neared him she suddenly, and ungracefully, fell to the ground. “Oww! My foot! I think I've broken my foot! Oh man, this REALLY hurts!” she wailed as she lay on the ground.

 

 

He sighed to himself.

 

 

“Show me your foot,” he said.

Kagome immediately went silent. “Uh, you want to see my foot? Are you sure? I'm pretty sure it's broken . . . so, I'm just going to go and wrap it up a-”

“Let me see your foot,” he said again, making sure to use his sternest voice.

“Uh, okay, then. Whatever you say,” she said as she slowly removed her hands from her supposedly injured foot. He bent down and grabbed a hold of her leg. He quickly discarded her shoe and sock; and began an examination for any bruising or broken bones.

“Ohh, that really hurts!” she exclaimed.

“Hnnn,” he said, continuing his exam.

He carefully felt each bone in the tiny foot, and found no evidence of a break, or even swelling. It appeared his theory was intact. The miko was feigning illness or injury every time he made preparations to leave. Now that he was aware of her little game, he would no longer be goaded into staying with her.

“Your foot is not damaged. You will remain here with Rin,” he said, as he dropped her foot and stood up straight. He turned around to leave again, when Kagome called out to him again. “Wait, please don't go,” she said.

He turned around. “You are testing the limits of my patience, miko. Do not think you can trick me into staying by feigning injury,” he said.

“I'm not trying to trick you!” she said. “It's just. . . it's . . . we just want you to stay with us,” she stammered out. “I - , uh, WE like you, Sesshoumaru. It's hard for m-, uh, US, to say goodbye to you. Even for a short while.”

He eyed her for a moment, processing what she had just said. He relaxed his expression, and extended his arm to help the miko up off of the ground. “No more tricks, miko,” he warned. Kagome looked down at her feet. “Yes, Sesshoumaru.”

He sighed to himself.

 

 

And so he stayed.