SessKag Week 2022 - Day 1
Prompt: "Centuries" by Fall Out Boy
..::**::..
Sesshoumaru's hand hesitated over his keyboard, brows furrowing as a familiar book title flashed back at him. Like clockwork, Inugami: The Woeful Warrior had been requested through the online catalogue. The incident was not out of place, as reservations came in all the time, but this particular book had barely sat on the shelf in the past six months, either being reserved or having the current loan extended.
And all by the same person.
Usually, he would pay it no mind, but considering this book was one from his personal collection and regaled various events of his own life during the feudal era, Sesshoumaru was inclined to pay it a little more attention.
Setting aside his tea, he clicked on the name under the request, his curiosity finally getting the better of him. If someone requested the same book repeatedly, he often gifted it to them, though it tended to happen more in the children's section than anywhere else.
Humans had lost interest in physical books over the years, technology having grown to the point of encouraging them to read on their devices instead. Perhaps it was just the 'old man' in him, but the feel of opening the cover, of turning a page, was still a pleasure he partook in daily.
The library provided a variety of other services, such as digital options and wifi, so even those not prone to checking out physical copies were lured through the doors. It would be a sad day if libraries were ever considered obsolete, though early-morning story time still brought joy to the faces of groups of school children, giving him hope it would not be happening anytime soon.
The user page took a moment to load, reminding him that it was time for an upgrade, before a posed photograph lit up his screen, causing blood to turn to ice in his veins.
Kagome.
How long had he been denied a reunion? Others citing she was too young, or that their paths would cross when it was time to do so? The only thing that had stayed his claws was that they were also unaware of her location.
The lines of her face had thinned since their final encounter within the bowels of Naraku—when he'd found waves of youkai bearing down on her unconscious form. He'd barely been able to keep himself in check at the sight, and it had taken him nearly a century before he'd forgiven his brother for putting her in such peril.
And then he'd lost her.
The kit had finally taken pity on him and revealed the function of the well, along with why her scent lingered around it so strongly. The boy had said he'd grown tired of him 'moping'—something Sesshoumaru vehemently denied to this day—but he was grateful for whatever Shippou had seen, the disquiet in his heart subsiding slightly at the possibility of seeing her again.
He pulled out his phone, fingers glossing over the numbers, his eyes never leaving the screen. The kit answered on the third ring.
"Am I interrupting?" he asked, not bothering with the usual greetings.
"Nope!" Shippou's tone was chipper as ever. "The kids are cooking dinner tonight."
Sesshoumaru glanced at his watch. He could never keep track of the time zones, but at least it hadn't been in the middle of the night. This time.
"Her last name." There was a stagnant pause on the other end of the phone, and the image of Shippou running his hand through his shaggy, auburn hair was clear in his mind. "Kit."
"You're not supposed to ask those kinds of questions! If the timeline gets messed up—"
"I have been patient long enough. If Inuyasha's prediction is correct, she was returned to her time nearly a decade ago."
Shippou snorted. "We both know Inuyasha is terrible with things like that! He gave Mayu a stuffed animal on her last birthday." Sesshoumaru smirked at the memory. Shippou's youngest was what the humans would call a 'pre-teen' and had been horrifyingly embarrassed at being given a bright pink stuffed bunny.
Sesshoumaru knew for a fact she slept with it every night but had been sworn to secrecy, Mayu threatening to tell everyone that the collection of shoujo manga he kept in the library was for his personal use.
Conniving little vixen.
"Her name," he repeated.
"We agreed you wouldn't go looking for her. That neither of us would."
"Our agreement is irrelevant when she has come to me." Shippou's muffled cursing followed the sound of his phone clattering against the floor.
"You found her? Where?"
"Her name." It came out as a growl, Sesshoumaru rapidly losing patience.
"Hi-Higurashi."
He let out an audible sigh of relief, the kit confirming what he'd already known to be true—what he'd yearned to be true.
"Book the next flight over. I will cover your expenses." The words hung between them, not even the sound of Shippou's breathing traversing through the connection.
"It's really her?" It was a whisper, a desperate plea that youthened the 600-year-old kitsune to that of a simpering child.
"Are you honestly going to waste time questioning my foresight instead of packing up the pups?"
Shippou sputtered on the other end. "Well, no, but—I can't believe… Souten! He found her! We gotta—"
Sesshoumaru disconnected the call. It wouldn't be as simple as packing a suitcase, but he knew Shippou's mate would at least be able to calm him down long enough for him to think straight.
Getting back to the predicament at hand, Sesshoumaru denied the request, sending her an automated response that there was an issue with her item and that she would have to come to the library in person to sort it out.
He would wait no longer.
..::**::..
Her eyes were the same—full of wonder and beguilement as she perused the shelves.
He hadn't been prepared for her to arrive so quickly. Most people took several days to appear after a reservation was denied, if they did at all. Kagome had shown up within the hour.
She was kind enough not to approach the front desk as soon as she'd walked through the doors, giving him time to calm himself, to drink in her presence before they met face to face. The scent of warm citrus wafted in behind her, assaulting him with desires left unfulfilled after her disappearance.
Tempting.
Tantalizing.
Torture.
Running a hand down the front of his face, he settled back in his chair, drinking in every curve he hadn't been allowed to appreciate during their time together in the feudal era. The confidence in her stride was different than before, showing off her experience rather than a fight for independence.
For recognition.
Sesshoumaru felt familiar ire at his kin build up inside him. As if she could ever be compared with anyone else.
He'd promised himself that he wouldn't approach her, to leave the honour of his promise to the kit still intact, but after a solid seventeen minutes of her wandering down the aisles, of her fingers brushing the spines and leaving her scent behind, he felt his feet move of their own accord.
"Is there something I can help you locate?" he asked, managing to keep a respectable distance. She didn't look up from her current selection, delicately turning the page before returning the book to the self.
"I'm good, thanks. Just checking to see if there's anything new before I grab a reserved copy."
He struggled to keep her engaged, unable to walk away. Not when he'd waited this long. Not when she was this close.
Would she be happy to see him? Would she hold it against him for not seeking her out sooner?
Would she tell him never to come near her again?
In the end, his instincts took over. She'd only moved slightly down the aisle, but the sight of her walking away from him was too much.
"Kagome."
Her shoulders stiffened, scent souring with apprehension, but true to his memory of her, she spun on her heel, instantly on the defence. "I never told you my name."
"Nor have you permitted me to use it, but I have never been someone to abide by the rules of what is expected. Especially where you are concerned." His admission gave her pause, brow furrowing as she looked him over.
"Who are you?"
Sesshoumaru idly wondered what his past self, the one that had asked a similar question back in his father's tomb, would think of him now. His obsession with Tessaiga had blinded him to everything else, and by the time he'd realized the reason behind the constant churning in his stomach, she'd already labelled him as the villain.
It hadn't stuck for long, her heart was too forgiving, but it had wasted a lot of time.
No more.
Words would not form, so he let the glamour slip, the rolled sleeves of his dress shirt showing off the magenta stripes on his wrists. His eyes flashed, amber gleaming at her before darkening to its original hazel.
How he wished to return to her in his former glory, to parade around in front of her—to entice her—with fine silks and limitless power. Though his vest was the same shade as his markings, it paled in comparison to the quality of what he wore back then.
She stared at him with wide eyes, mouth dropping open as her aura went blank with shock. He had not thought to render her speechless so quickly and soon felt heat stain his cheeks, tearing his gaze away from her.
"I apologize for not saying anything sooner. I do not usually check the names of reservation requests, so I—" He almost lost control of his glamour as her hands made contact with his face, thumbs stroking his cheeks as she forced him to look at her.
"Is it really you?"
Sesshoumaru struggled to breathe as waves of happiness and relief washed over him, her aura brightening with every passing moment. He longed to melt into the embrace, to bury his face in the crook of her neck and take his fill of the sweet citrus until it permeated his very soul.
"Unless this is a hallucination."
She let out a warbled laugh. "That's not funny! The number of times I've dreamed—I've begged—"
He covered her hand with his own, not having it in him to tease her further. "It is not a dream, Kagome. I am just as real as you are." There was so much more he wanted to say, so many questions he wished to ask, but all of them fell by the wayside as she pulled him down, salt staining his senses as she pressed her lips against his.
His brain short-circuited. Had he hallucinated their entire meeting? He'd been so desperate to see her, to confirm her existence, that he now wondered if she'd come in at all. There was no way she—
Kagome suddenly pulled back, face flushed. "Oh, gods—I'm so sorry! I'm just so happy to see you and—" She pulled her hands away, retreating, but Sesshoumaru caught one of her wrists, his other arm snaking around her waist.
A sharp intake of air was all there was between them, embarrassment giving way to curiosity and then hope. He nearly missed it, his mouth already descending upon hers, fingers sliding down her arm to the base of her neck, but it was her response he was focused on. The way she sank against him, welcoming the embrace, made his heart soar and his knees weak.
Perhaps he had not been alone in his suffering.
"This isn't some sort of youkai greeting, is it?" She was breathless when he pulled back, though only enough to meet her gaze.
"I can assure you it is not."
Her smile was soft but seductive. "So, just for me then?"
"Only for you."
She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his chest. "It's really good to see you."
"Does the enthusiasm of your greeting have anything to do with why you have been the sole reader of Inugami: The Woeful Warrior?" he blurted, the constant line of reservations and extensions suddenly making sense.
Her response was muffled but honest. "Maybe."
"Might I further assume that you would not be opposed to exchanging contact information for future such meetings?"
Her grip on his tightened, panic leeching into her scent. "Future meetings? I'm not letting you out of my sight until I'm convinced you're actually real!"
He pressed their foreheads together, drawing soothing circles on her back. "We are in agreement, then."
"Are we?"
A low chuckle escaped his lips. "On more things than you realize, Kagome. Though I will keep some of them to myself until a later date."
A delightful pout had him kissing her again. She responded in kind, humming against his mouth as she gripped the back of his vest. He knew he had to return to his post but was loathed to release her even for a moment.
"Do you have plans today?"
She shook her head vigorously. "Not anymore. Not unless you want me to."
Brushing his lips against her temple, he led her back towards the front desk, one arm still wrapped firmly around her waist. "My replacement will be in at noon. Will you stay until then?" He thought he heard her say 'always', but he was quickly distracted as she stole another kiss before they reached the end of the aisle.
Perhaps he'd call his assistant in sooner.