Mourning Glory by Reverent Moonlight
Chapter 1
“Miko.”
“No.”
“You will do as I say.”
“Doubtful.”
“Wench.”
“Nope.”
“Kagome.”
“So you do know my name.”
“You will leave.”
“I decline.”
“It was not a request.”
“Noted. Still not leaving.”
“Kagome.”
“Sesshoumaru.”
His eyes started bleeding.
“I do no wish to play these games, miko.”
“Well then, it’s a good thing I have no interest in games at this moment isn’t it?”
A growl rumbled and echoed through the cave.
“This one has no need or want of your presence.”
“I get that. I do. I’m still not leaving.”
He snapped. Faster than her human eyes could keep up with he lurched, grabbing her by the arms and pinned her to the cave wall.
“Miko, this one does not repeat himself.”
His eyes had gone full demon. Red blotted out the white. Markings jagged.
“Lucky for you, I have no qualms about doing so. I. Am. Not. Leaving.”
He roared in her face. His control was slipping. He had been holding on by a bare thread. Rational thinking was quickly becoming a thing of the past.
She simply blinked.
Her stare challenging his very being. Defiance and determination radiated from blue orbs that had narrowed.
His claws dug in with a little more force. Enough to remind her of how utterly lethal he was.
“I will not be held accountable for you life.”
Her eyes softened. Mouth gentled. A hand reached as far as it could and clung to his arm. She stared long into his own eyes. Eyes shadowed with deep, unyielding emotion.
“No one is holding you accountable, Sesshoumaru.”
Her soft whisper broke him. He knew what she meant, who she meant.
He started trembling.
His breathing hitched.
“You are not to blame.”
He released her and stepped back. Once. Twice. He needed space from her. She did not know what she was saying.
“Silence.”
Quicker than a human should be, she darted forward and placed both hands on the side of his face, fingers curled into his hair behind his ears. Thumbs stroking his stripes.
“She would not want this. Not for you.”
“Stop, miko.”
“She admired you.”
He shook his head, trying to shake her words and the memories that came with it away.
“She worshiped you.”
He was panting now. Harsh uneven sounds that rang in his ears.
“She loved you.”
“AND NOW SHE IS DEAD.”
He could feel the burning in his eyes.
“And it is not your fault.”
His knees buckled, and they sunk to the floor.
His Rin was gone. Her bright smiles, and loving eyes. Endless chatter, and flower crowns. Wild hair, and free spirit. It was all gone.
Her hands glided to his shoulders as she held him in a hug.
Her endless whispers telling him it wasn’t his fault broke a dam inside of him and he gathered her to him. For the first time in centuries Sesshoumaru cried. His tears quiet and refined as they bled from his eyes into her miko garb. She simply held on and rubbed soothing circles in his back all the while feeding him the truth of the matter.
He had not been distracted by a battle. Had not been away somewhere else while his camp had been attacked. Had not allowed her to injest a poisonous substane. Had not allowed her to be kidnapped from his side. No. His Rin had simply been taken by time, death, as all mortals were. She had lived a good life. She had married the slayers brother and had multiple children. Never had a day gone by that she didn’t have that radiant, childish grin on her face. Even in her old age it had still shown through.
When she had passed, he had thought to go into seclusion. Mourn his loss in all its harsh, seemingly unending glory in the cave he currently resided. He hadn’t counted on the ageless miko following him.
He had heard when the topic of her immortality was brought up. She had been told at one point that she was immune to the effects of time. It had hit him when he overheard how he had never noticed the scent of decay clinging to her. He had assumed it was because the scent of her companions covered her own, that it had escaped his notice.
He lifted his head from her shoulder as he felt the miko gently pull away. Still sitting across his lap, but enough that she could look him in the eyes.
Amber searched azure as it returned the favor. Whatever she found seemed to please her as she nodded her head and smiled.
“You‘ll be okay?”
Yes. He would survive. He was wounded, but alive.
Her hand caressed his cheek as her eyes gentled as they had earlier.
“Yes. I do believe you'll manage.”
She turned her head away as she rose.
“I suppose I should head back now. My friends will worry that I’ve found more trouble than I can handle.”
Her foot lifted to take her away. No. She could not leave him. Not yet. Not after what had just transpired. His emotions were to ragged. Survive he may, but he needed her. He would keep her until he was satisfied that his emotions would stabilize. He halted her with hand to her wrist.
“You will stay.”
She turned back.
“Why?”
“You will do as I say.”
He tugged her down into his lap and spread his mokomoko around her. Her lack of protest should have shocked him, but he could only bring himself to feel pleased that she was there. And he was not alone.
He felt her grin against his neck. Felt her arms wrap around him once more as he relished her attention.
"I suppose."
A grin tugged at his lips as closed his eyes. Yes. He would survive.