Summary
After rescuing Kagome from her 'husband' the pair share events since their split and reflect on past events that changed them both.
Also usual disclaimers apply - I don't own any of the Inuyasha characters
...ooOoo...
In the car back to his estate, Sesshoumaru had never talked so much in his life.
Concern for her kit had Kagome try and glean as much information from the Demon Lord as possible. Try as he might he found he couldn’t deny her. So he told her of how on Rin’s 20th year, Shippou had come to him asking permission to court her, once a week for an entire year he asked. Every seventh day, the new dawn would find the Kitsune knealt on the ground bowed before him – of course this was before Rin knew anything about it. He smirked, and spoke with a quiet fondness of the day he finally gave permission.
Rin had been gathering herbs when a large tiger youkai had thought kidnapping her would force a ransom from the Western Lord. Poor tiger didn’t have a chance; Shippou had taken his training very seriously and with cool cunning, he had stepped in before Sesshoumaru could even bring out his poison whip. The young fox didn’t play, didn’t hesitate and didn’t grant mercy, which was surprising considering who his adopted mother was. With clean movements the tiger was decapitated and skinned – not a drop of blood touched either Rin or the Kit.
When Rin ran into Shippou’s arms, Sesshoumaru could only raise an eyebrow and nod,
“You have it,” His voice whispered to the kit.
Even he couldn’t stop the smile that formed when the kit broke into a grin of pure bliss and hugged the girl tighter, lowering his face to nuzzle her neck just below her ear. The tiger skin was delivered to the western palace tanned and cleaned.
Sesshoumaru had it draped before his throne both a testament to what would occur if anyone touched what was his and a trophy of proof from the kit that he could protect her. In-fact it was still the first thing people saw when they entered his business suite – demon fur was just as immortal off the flesh as on.
Kagome herself had fallen silent during the story, enraptured in the swell of emotions that this day just kept building on. The elation that she was free did terrible war upon the reality that she had missed so much since the Jewel had been wished away and she had missed 500 years of history, missed the years her friends had built once they were released from the quest. She had thought when the well allowed her to return after three years, she thought it was because it was allowing her to be with her friends that she sorely missed. She threw herself into her new feudal life and yet she and Inuyasha grew apart and she found herself growing closer to the Stoic Lord as he visited Rin.
He had caught her teaching Rin English and was curious about the language, from there, curiosity and a mutual respect began to develop into more and yet he still held back – duty and humanity ever the barrier.
The day the Well pulsed and her entire body pulsed with it the overwhelming dread and utter truth slammed into her like an avalanche. She wasn’t there to stay but to say the goodbye she had been denied before and to see that her friends were happy at last.
Sesshoumaru himself knew what memory was lingering within her mindscape. It had haunted him over the past 500 years and had caused him to question everything he had ever believed in.
He had gone to visit her under the pretence of giving Rin a new kimono; she had waited for him next to the dry well as was the norm in their strange relationship. Like two magnets separated by glass unable to move away yet unable to get close.
She was seated looking at the rolling clouds that signalled an oncoming storm, he could practically taste the power in the air.
“It looks like we’ll not have long for this visit. The heavens will open soon.”
“It is of no consequence.” His replied was his usual monotone response yet she grinned all the wider for it.
“So, what has your curiosity plagued you with this time?”
“You mentioned buildings that touched the skies, how do these structures survive the shaking of the Earth?”
“Ah! A complex yet simple system of counterweights and springs. Unfortunately while I know of it I am not an engineer nor an architect so I can’t go into huge detail. All I know it these buildings aren’t actually firmly connected to the ground – when an earthquake hits the building slides in place and the counterweight neutralises the momentum preventing damage.”
While she didn’t know, her explanation was concise and he could easily picture just how it might look. Despite the warnings of loud noises and horrendous smells, truthfully the future intrigued him – as did the little Miko.
He was brought of his musings by a pained intake of breath, he snapped his gaze to her and found her clutching her chest and hanging to the side of the Well. The pulse of magic charged through the air like a storm wave and forced him away from the Miko who was struggling to remain focused and upright.
“Miko - What is this?”
“I… <gasp> think… it’s taking me back,” she ground out from clenched teeth, tears now pouring freely down her face as her thoughts raced from the puzzle pieces clicking together. The physical pain matching the emotional pain to the extent she was barely able to speak.
The magical aura from the well rose as a tidal wave attempting to pull the Miko into its depths, in desperate response her own aura lashed against it, rebelling at this cruel twist of fate. Sesshoumaru could only brace himself against the onslaught as he watched with deepening dread as this fiery woman he had come to respect was dragged kicking and screaming away from him.
Watching her battle with the magic seemed to snap something within him and suddenly his own aura rose to meet hers, winding its way around her, through her, and supporting her. His inner beast howled in red fury at the thought she would be taken from him. Yet even as he called on his powers to defend her, the magic of the well swelled to drown him.
Sesshoumaru shuddered at the memory of that moment. He had always been proud of his position, of his strength – the feared Lord of the West whose every presence can clear a forest of all living things should he but twitch an eyebrow. Yet at that moment he knew what it felt like to be a leaf within a tropical storm and as he was swept away from the well he sent the time-lost girl a promise a simple promise yet so much more was attached within their still connected auras:
~I will find you,” he barely caught her response in a final pulse from her own aura as the connection was forcibly ripped apart, her own promise that was filled with acceptance and emotion that even as the winds died he could not find the strength to rise from his knees.
“I will wait. For You.”
...ooOoo...
From the Author:
Fully admit that I'm terrified I will mess this up or it will end up as one of those started good but finished crappy stories. Yet I can't seem to leave it alone lol.This was going to be a one shot as well but the end here presented itself and I realised it would make a better chapter story.
I also have this image in my mind of a half dressed Sesshoumaru lounging on a throne that has a tiger sking drapped over it. Bad thoughts....