Pain by Inu Guardian

The Rain Shows All

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha. Ownership is credited to Rumiko Takahashi. I make no profit from this work of fiction.

Dedication: I want to thank Steph for making this fic possible. Without her wonderful piece of art, entitled 'Pain', I wouldn't have been kicked in the face with inspiration.

Warnings: OOC-ness on the part of Sesshoumaru. I know we all have the image of Sesshoumaru being cold, uncaring, and an all-around icicle. In this story, while it will mostly be true, we will be gifted with a side that is truly there, only hidden away. Possible lemons in future chapters. Language. Abuse. Possible character death, torture or something along those lines.

Pain

Chapter One

The rain came down in torrents. Tree branches were bogged down by the weight of the water their leaves had captured. Dark clouds covered the sky, making the already darkened forest seem much more imposing. No animal stirred, save the occasional squirrel or rabbit braving the weather to find its way home. No one in their right mind would dare wander the wood in weather such as this.

Too bad she wasn't in her right mind.

Cold.

Blue-black hair was pasted down over creamy skin. Goosebumps caused by continuous shivers covered once flawless skin, now marred by carelessness....And something else. Eyes that had always held their own light, their own life, were now dull and sightless. She didn't try to blink the water from her eyes. She walked. Further from the pain, but her steps did little to cure her ailments. Only caused more.

Wet.

This is how Sesshoumaru found his brother's living miko. What drove the daiyoukai to be out on such a night, even the Lord of the West didn't know. Somehow, a minuscule part of his being was glad he was. The wench of his half-breed brother, completely out of herself, was in such a manner as he'd never seen her in.

He, being the solitary creature that he was, sent out a flare of his aura in warning to the miko. When he expected her to stop and search in fear, she kept moving forward. The right side of his face twitched in annoyance. How dare the wench ignore him. He repeated the action, being more harsh with the warning. But still no reaction came from the woman.

Not one to be put off, Sesshoumaru moved to stand in the path of the seemingly oblivious miko. His once pristine and flowing clothes were now stained with mud and grass, plastered to his form. In the back of his mind, he growled at the uncomfortable feeling of the wet silk. He cursed the miko before him, as well as his own intuition, for the inconvenience.

When the daiyoukai was in the direct path of the miko, he stopped and awaited her. As she kept walking toward him, he fully expected her to walk right into him. When she was mere inches away from his person, she suddenly stopped. He raised a brow at this.

She stared forward, not seeing though perfectly aware of someone's presence. Sesshoumaru sniffed at her, attempting to determine her ailment, but was greeted with the scent of rain and dead leaves. He squinted his eyes at the miko in aggravation.

"What is the matter with you, girl?" he asked, completely expecting to receive an answer. None came. The miko continued to stare at his chest with unseeing eyes. Sesshoumaru growled quietly in his throat.

He brought a clawed hand to her chin and harshly raised her face to look into his eyes. Her eyes, void of all emotion, unsettled him. Wanting answers, he bared his fangs and her and gripped her chin tightly. "You WILL answer me, wench!" he growled loudly at her. It immediately had an effect on her.

Kagome was shaken out of her stupor by the words, and was taken in by fear by the sight of fangs and amber eyes. Her fear showed through her eyes and her body started to shiver violently. She started shaking her head in spite of the claws beginning to dig into her chin. Her feet began moving back, taking her away from whom she thought of as a threat. She closed her eyes tightly against the sight before her, trying to retreat back into her mind.

Sesshoumaru would not have this. He grabbed the miko around the shoulders and pulled her shaking frame against his. Right away, she began fighting him. Her small arms pushed against his chest, her blunt nails trying to scratch at him. In spite of her appearance, the miko was proving to be quite the little hell-cat.

"Be still, wench," the demon lord commanded.

Still wriggling against him, Kagome continued to shake her head. "No..." she whispered. "InuYasha, no..."

Sesshoumaru growled loudly at her instantly. "Open your eyes, miko. I am NOT the half-breed."

His words hit Kagome's mind and she slowly stilled her movements. Her blue eyes, still full of fear, opened and when she was still certain that she would come face to face with the hanyou, she was relieved to see Sesshoumaru before her.

Her relief came through, and without warning to the daiyoukai, she broke down in tears and wrapped her arms around his waist. Thoroughly shocked, Sesshoumaru was stunned and at a loss of what to do. For several minutes, he let the crying girl cling to him as if he were a life-line.

Gradually, as her tears failed to cease, he became aware of the dull pain in his chest that was forming. He wasn't unaware of what the feeling was, as he had often seen his own mother in such a state. Slowly, as not to scare the young woman, he wrapped his arm gently around her and leaned his face down near hers.

Kagome felt him move slowly. Seeking what solace she could get, she tilted her head up and buried her face in the side of his neck. Her hands, previously wrapped around his waist, moved to the front where they wrapped around his haori and pulled him close.

The two stood there for several moments. The rain pouring down on them, drenching and freezing them to the bone. But neither seemed to take notice.

Finally, as the rain slowed, so did Kagome's tears. When she was reduced to nothing more than sniffles and the occasional hiccup, Sesshoumaru released her shoulders and slid his hand up under her hair. He gently prompted her to look up at him.

Staring deep into her red-rimmed eyes, he asked, "What did he do?"

TBC(?)