InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Windows on the West ❯ When Jealousy is Helpful ( Chapter 41 )

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

Disclaimer:  I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

~oOo~

Kagome watched the graceful stride of the Inu in front of her and sighed inwardly, a slight frown crossing her brow.  He'd seemed distant the last few days since they'd left the village, as if his mind was far away, and it worried her.  Was something wrong?

She couldn't think back to anything she'd seen or heard that would make him withdraw so much into himself, but that didn't mean anything – there were times he disappeared by himself for a while, and something suddenly occurred to her at that... could he be meeting a woman?

Her heart clenched painfully inside her, and she almost couldn't breathe at that thought.  Has he already found himself a wife?  She wanted to cry at that idea, it hurt so bad, but she didn't dare with all the others gathered on Ah-Uhn and looking at her.  So she bit her lip and held it in, giving a false smile and engaging them in a game to pass the time, and all the while, her mind worried over the possibility that her nemesis, in other words, another female, might be in the wings, just waiting to step out and take Sesshoumaru away.

Sighing deeply to herself, she shook her head and pushed all of it away – there was no sense in worrying when she couldn't do anything about it, and so she firmly turned her attention to the children, not noticing Sesshoumaru's sharp look back at her.  

The daiyoukai was well aware that she was upset by something, and he'd really like to know what it was.  Could it be what the kit had told him of – her worry that he would find a wife?  He could only hope so, because that was a fear he could easily take care of.   He had been watching her very closely in the last days, trying to see the emotions that Shippo had insisted were there towards him, and his confidence had grown a little bit more – it did appear that she cared for him quite a bit.

Still... he'd like a little more confirmation before he would allow himself to open up to her.  This was the most risky thing he'd ever done, and he refused to go into it without the greatest possible chances of  success.  He was a tactician, it was in his nature to do all he could to make sure the outcome would be in his favor, and if the risks became too high, then he would simply refuse to play.

He paused in his stride, then, a scent coming to him on the road ahead, and he processed every little bit of information that his senses brought to him.  There was a larger than normal presence of humans coming towards him and his pack – possibly a merchant train, or a Lord and his soldiers.  After a few moments, he continued on in his pace, refusing to give way – he was Sesshoumaru, after all, and these humans posed no threat to him, though he did fall back and walk closer to Ah-Uhn and the others, just in case.

Kagome's brow furrowed at his actions.  “Sesshoumaru-sama?  Is something wrong?”  she asked quietly.

He did not look at her, keeping his gaze turned on the road watchfully as they walked.  “A large party of humans approaches.”

“Oh.”  She took that in for a moment.  “Bandits?”

“I do not believe so.  However, if it is, indeed, bandits, or we are attacked by them, I will deal with the problem.”

Kagome shivered at his cold words, and hoped that the travelers ahead of them were peaceful – she really didn't want to see a lot of dead people today.

But as the train came in sight, Kagome let out a relieved breath when she caught the crest – it was the young Lord who'd wanted to marry Sango – Kuranoske.  And from the smile on his face when he spotted her, he remembered who she was.

She waved cheerfully as he spurred his horse forwards to meet her, and when Sesshoumaru stiffened next to her, a dangerous look crossing his face, she whispered, knowing he'd hear her,  “Don't worry, Sesshoumaru-sama, Kuranoske is an old friend!  He won't hurt anyone.”  And with that, she stepped forward to greet him as he lifted himself from his horse, eying the youkai Lord before him with interest and a bit of caution.

“Kagome-sama!”  he said, bowing to her, and then straightening with a smile.  “It is a long time since I have seen you, and you have become even more beautiful in the years since.”

Smiling, blushing, she bowed back.  “Thank you, Kuranoske-sama, you are very kind to remember me.  How have you been?”  she asked.

“Very well, Kagome-sama.  And you?”  He indicated her traveling companions, who were standing to the side as were his guards.  “It seems you have different traveling companions now – what happened to your former friends?”

Kagome wasn't sure if the Lord had gotten over Sango or not, or was married, and so tried to speak diplomatically.  “Ah, well, they have made new lives for themselves.  Once we finished our quest, they settled down.”

He didn't appear upset about her gentle words, so she forged on.  “As for myself, I still travel, only with Sesshoumaru-sama, now.”  

Kuranoske smiled, bowing charmingly at Sesshoumaru and murmuring a greeting.  Then he turned back to her, and Kagome became abruptly uncomfortable; she might be oblivious to male's interest in her most of the time, but even she couldn't miss the masculine interest in his eyes as he said,  “You would be most welcome to guest in my palace, Kagome-sama.  As would your companions.”

She could feel Sesshoumaru's gaze boring into her back, now, and wondered why he suddenly seemed angry, but she decided it was time to break away from the young Lord, and continue on in their journey, lest the angry daiyoukai decided to leave this particular Lordship up for grabs.

“That is most kind of you, Kuranoske-sama, but we have a destination in mind, and are expected,”  she lied quickly, trying to be polite, but quick.

He nodded, his smile dimming in disappointment.  “Ah.  Then I will not hold you up further, Kagome-sama – but know that my invitation stands if you ever desire to take me up on it.”  With that, he smiled once more at her, and then turned to remount his horse.  Kagome watched as they moved out, and sighed with relief, knowing she had diverted a disaster – though not knowing why Sesshoumaru was so upset.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to smile cautiously at the angry daiyoukai.  “Shouldn't we continue, Sesshoumaru-sama?”  she asked ingeniously, trying to pull his attention back to her.  He was still staring down the road at the disappearing Lord, his eyes frigid and his bearing stiff.

“Tell me, miko – why did that male look on you so, and offer such a thing to you?”  he snapped, and Kagome frowned, concerned.  Why is he so angry?  she wondered again.

“Oh, well, we met him on the quest for the shards.  He wanted Sango to marry him, but... Sango loves Miroku, and so she turned him down.  Remember, Shippo?”  she asked, hoping that another voice in support might calm the inu down.

“Sure, Kagome – but it looks like he might like you now, instead,”  Shippo pointed out obliviously, and she groaned inwardly.  Not helping, Shippo!  Wait... are Sesshoumaru's eyes hazing red?!  

“Oh, that's ridiculous, Shippo!  He doesn't really know me, and we haven't even seen him in a long time.  And besides, he's a lord!  Why would he want me?”  she giggled nervously, feeling suddenly like a mouse under the gaze of a very hungry owl.

Sesshoumaru eyed her nervous manner and asked in a high-handed, icy voice,  “Would you rather take up this Lord's offer to stay with him than continue to follow this one?”

She turned horrified eyes on Sesshoumaru at that.  “No!  What would make you think something like that?”  she asked frantically, almost lunging forward and gripping his sleeve.  “I want to stay with you, always!  And besides, didn't you promise?  I... don't want to ever leave,”  she said, her arm dropping as she looked at the ground, feeling suddenly dejected.  Tears formed in her eyes, and she wiped them away with her sleeve to keep them from falling.

“I don't ever want to leave you, or Rin, or Shippo.  I will stay by your side until you tell me to go away, Sesshoumaru-sama,”  she finally said softly, looking up at him, then, meeting his calming gaze with her own hurt one.

Sesshoumaru unbent after a moment, smelling her honesty, and chastising himself for letting his jealousy get away from him.  He wasn't used to feeling such things.  “Hn.  Then come, miko,”  he said, beginning to walk again.  He ran her words through his head.   “I will stay by your side until you tell me to go away, Sesshoumaru-sama.”  With an inward smirk of satisfaction, he decided it was time – he was as assured of her feelings towards him as he could be without her actually telling him.  It appeared that his jealousy had, at least, been useful for something.

He hastened his steps just slightly, and began to lead them in a different direction, his mind set on what he was about to do – once he reached his new destination, all would know who the miko belonged to.

After all, Kagome herself already appeared to know who she belonged to, since she had just given herself completely over into his hands with her vow to stay with him until he told her to go.

Not that he ever would – and she would also know this... very soon now.

~oOo~

A/N:  Man, I've written the chapter before this, this chapter, and one more – and I did it all out of order.  I wrote Shippo's part, first, but then I wrote the chapter after this next, and then this one last.  How weird is that?  I even confused myself.  And Tru – here is another jealousy chapter for you since you asked so nicely, though there wasn't any bloodshed...

Amber


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