tags: AU fic, out of character
This was from LGBT+ Week over on tumblr at the beginning of July. Day 1 was 'mythology au' and I was a little...liberal with the interpretation?
Fallen From Grace
A young looking man with long white hair and golden eyes stared into the gleaming surface of a lake. But the claws on his hands and the stripes adorning his body proved that he no man at all. He was ethereal, powerful, a god.
A delicate but deadly hand flitted over the hilt of the sword that rested on his hip. He used to hate this sword, the one his father left to him, but that was before he understood its purpose. Now that he knew—he didn't hate the sword but he wished it didn't exist all the same.
"Sesshomaru."
He looked up from the lake, the images within the blue water disappearing. Walking towards him was a former enemy, a current rival, his closest friend. "What, Naraku?"
He smirked. "Is that the way to greet your favorite person?"
"We're not people," he said simply and Naraku's smirk faltered a bit.
"Does it matter?"
"Do you ever wonder what it's like? To be on Earth, building a life just for it to be over in the blink of an eye? To be...human?"
"Why do you talk like this? You watch through that lake every day. You see people struggle, people die. Why yearn to be human when you're already a god?"
He glanced at the water one last time before turning towards Naraku. "Yes, you're right."
"I know. Now enough of that. Let's take a walk together. If you like, we can visit Earth. As long as you remember to keep hidden from the humans."
Sesshomaru nodded. "Later perhaps." Time was irrelevant to beings like them. They could do anything and everything later.
Sesshomaru remained rather quiet during their walk. He'd always been select in his words but Naraku had noticed something different about him lately. He never asked—Sesshomaru could bring an issue up if he wanted to discuss it—though now he had his suspicions. He was becoming more and more obsessed with the human realm.
Often were the times he'd watch Sesshomaru staring into the lake, absentmindedly touching his sword Tenseiga. His eyes narrowed in thought and he hoped Sesshomaru didn't attempt anything idiotic.
Sesshomaru never did take him up on his offer to visit Earth together. Naraku dismissed it as Sesshomaru finally dismissing his strange curiosities.
But then he approached Naraku one night, with a look that he just couldn't place. And he stared at the blue crescent moon on his friend's face, the one that mirrored the imaginary moon in the sky—bright stars a fake backdrop behind them. There were no heavens, there was no moon where the gods existed. This was all their own creation, an entire realm built in their image.
"There's something I need to speak with you about," Sesshomaru finally said and Naraku watched the way the shadows danced across his pale face.
"What about?"
"Tenseiga."
"Your sword?"
"Yes. I've...discovered its purpose, why my father left it to me. It keeps me tied to this realm."
"Is that why you've stopped searching for a more worthy blade?"
He nodded. "I've come to a decision. I'm telling only you." He slowly waved his hand over the ground and Naraku watched giant trees sprout from the grass, the sky lightened until it was somewhere between dusk and dawn, and the lake that Sesshomaru gazed at every day transformed into a gently flowing creek that stretched for miles. "I'm going to Earth," he finally continued.
Naraku saw the ghosts of figures darting between the trees, voices muttering, the heat of a campfire tickling at the back of his neck.
"Why?" he asked.
"To find my brother."
"Inuyasha? But you two haven't spoken in a lifetime. The last time..."
"He despises me. Rightfully so. And I shall use that to my advantage."
The scenery changed again and this time the ghostly auras turned into solid people—a half-human, half-god hybrid, his friends, all walking through a town market during a busy morning. They were talking, laughing, they looked happy. Naraku cast his gaze towards Sesshomaru—how long since the last time he'd seen him smiling like that?
"Tenseiga is indestructible—almost. It's taken me a long time but there is a way to destroy it. Tetsusaiga. If I were to wield Tenseiga in battle and bear the full brunt of an attack from Tetsusaiga, it would sacrifice itself to ensure I survived."
"But why would you do that? We both know Tenseiga wasn't forged for battle."
"With Tenseiga gone, I will not be able to return to this realm. I will...be human and live the rest of my life on Earth."
Naraku stared and then laughed a bit. "Are you playing a trick on me? Why would you want to be a powerless human? Why would you want to leave this place, to grow old, to one day die?"
"I am unhappy here. You're all I have in this realm. I can build a life for myself on Earth, I can have a purpose. Inuyasha—his life has been difficult at times but he's happy where he is, with what he has."
Naraku had to consciously unclench his jaw when he decided to speak. "And you're sure about this?"
"I have no doubts."
"When do you leave?"
"Now."
"What?"
"There was no point to tell you any earlier."
"Sesshomaru, this plan is foolish. Once you turn human, we...you can't return here. You know we can't interact with full-blooded humans. You'll be violating all rules by seeking your brother and his friends out. He may be half-blooded but they are not."
"Were you not listening? That will be irrelevant once I'm human." Sesshomaru's gaze softened. "I need this, Naraku. Please, tell me you understand."
"I don't understand," he said bluntly. "But if this is what you want, then I'm not going to stop you."
He nodded, knowing that was the best he could hope for. "Okay. I...goodbye, my friend."
"Goodbye, Sesshomaru."
Sesshomaru looked like he wanted to say more but he stayed silent. His fingers twitched as if his arm were about to move but it remained at his side. He kept his head held high and with a final gaze at Naraku, turned his back and started walking away. Naraku watched him open a gateway to Earth, a soft light shining from the ground. It wasn't until Sesshomaru stepped into it and it engulfed his form that Naraku ran towards him.
"Wait..." he murmured. But it was too late.
Sesshomaru was gone.
He stared at the empty space for a long, long time. Why hadn't he tried to change Sesshomaru's mind? Why hadn't he said more? There was so much Naraku had held back for years—and now he'd never get the chance to tell Sesshomaru all the things he'd needed to say.
"The lake..." He scrambled through a thousand different sceneries until he finally found the lake Sesshomaru watched the humans through so often. It was difficult to focus but he did his best to demand that the dark water show him where his friend was.
It was morning on Earth—Sesshomaru's favorite time of the day. The world was just waking and all was still calm, black sky gradually fading into a soft blue. He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. He heard birds chirping, a nearby creek flowing. When he opened them once more, trees filled his sight—the forest from the vision he showed Naraku.
Sesshomaru already knew exactly which way to walk and for how long he'd be travelling. With the powers he still possessed, he could've easily appeared directly in front of Inuyasha. But he wanted to take in the scenery first, grow familiar with the place that would soon be his permanent home.
He wondered if Naraku was watching.
Naraku was the only reason it'd taken Sesshomaru so long to finally make this decision. The realization of never seeing him again was a painful one, but the thought of remaining in that realm hurt even more. He knew this was the right choice, he only wished Naraku would've made the journey with him.
But he couldn't ask that of him. He couldn't ask Naraku to give up his power, his status as a god...just for him, just so they could remain together.
It was too late though, his mind was made. He pushed any thoughts of Naraku and his old life away. It was time to start anew.
Sesshomaru walked for a long time, until the sun rose completely and the people he sought were within sight. He suddenly leapt high into the air, propelled himself forward until he landed in front of his younger brother and his small band of friends.
The humans gasped in surprise while Inuyasha glared and said, "What are you doing here, Sesshomaru?"
He unsheathed Tenseiga and said simply, "Draw your weapon, Inuyasha."
"Go!" the demigod ordered to his friends and grabbed his Tetsusaiga. It transformed and he readied the giant fang for an attack. "You know you can't be here!"
"I am aware. Now fight me."
Inuyasha jumped backwards when Sesshomaru lunged at him. He was oblivious to the fact that Tenseiga would be unable to cut him should it actually make contact.
Sesshomaru noticed Inuyasha wasn't actively fighting him and he knew the younger god must have been confused. Many years passed since the last time they saw each other and although they had parted on bad terms, this sudden fight was completely unwarranted. Maybe Sesshomaru would explain to him after, if Inuyasha even wanted to see him again. He couldn't blame him if he didn't.
Realizing he had to bait Inuyasha, he sent his light whip forward. It was was fast but Inuyasha blocked the attack with Tetsusaiga's wide blade. But Sesshomaru didn't let up and he ran at him, poison dripping from his razor sharp claws. He punched his little brother in the face, poison burning into the skin of his cheek. Inuyasha swiped at him with his own claws and he allowed it, although he mostly just tore into one of Sesshomaru's sleeve.
Inuyasha hefted his sword up and finally tried to attack his brother with it. Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga clashed, the loud clank of metal reverberating through the forest. Neither of them let up and the pressure began making their weapons hum.
"Why are you back on Earth?" Inuyasha growled. "You don't belong here." He didn't truly expect an answer but neither did he expect the smile he received instead.
"Perhaps I can explain it one day," Sesshomaru said, the humming in the air growing louder and louder. Tenseiga was vibrating almost wildly in his hand, his grip tight so it didn't slip.
"What's happening?! Why are our swords..."
"Our blades are crying."
And then Inuyasha and his friends gasped as a bright light exploded between them. Inuyasha jumped clear of the strange blast and assumed Sesshomaru did the same. But when the light subsided, his older brother was nowhere to be seen. His scent was gone and Inuyasha could hear no other movements.
"Sesshomaru? Sesshomaru! Show yourself!"
"Inuyasha, look!"
His gaze fell to where his friends pointed at in the center of the clearing. Sesshomaru was gone and the only proof that he had been in the forest at all was the shattered remnants of Tenseiga.
Ignoring his friends' cautionary warnings, he bent down and grabbed the sword fragments. He was still very confused but one thing seemed clear—this sword was dead.
"That was weird," he said gruffly. "Come on, let's go." He walked over to his group of friends. His hands still held the broken sword.
A billion miles away, in a different plane of existence, a spider god with wavy black hair dropped to his knees in front of a lake. Sesshomaru did it. Sesshomaru was human. Sesshomaru was gone.
Naraku was alone.
He screamed at the water and swiped the surface. The images faded away.
Naraku was alone.
He'd made a terrible mistake and he wondered if what Sesshomaru had wanted to say before he left was to invite him along—to ask him to come to Earth, be stripped of his status, be cursed to roam that barren rock for the rest of eternity. For he possessed nothing like Tenseiga and wouldn't become human. His powers would be stripped but his immortality would remain. He would have to watch Sesshomaru grow old and die.
No, that was too much to ask of him. Naraku would have refused. It could only be fair if they were both human.
He slowly stood, knowing what had to be done. If he chose this path, then there was no returning—they would banish him from this realm forever. But what was the point of being here when he would only grow addicted and obsessed with watching Sesshomaru through the lake. What was the point of watching when he couldn't talk to Sesshomaru, touch him, tell him how sorry he was for letting him leave alone?
There was nothing for him here. So he made a decision just like Sesshomaru did and never looked back.
Five years later and Sesshomaru still couldn't believe it sometimes. Starting completely anew had been incredibly difficult. But he did it. And it was still hard work but he wouldn't trade it for anything.
He had decided on a small farm. He knew how to grow crops, he traded in the nearby village for supplies and other items. He was comfortable and for the first time in his very long life, he felt content. However, he wasn't sure if it was a blessing or a curse to still possess all his memories. He didn't regret his choice but he did miss Naraku. If he could change one thing...
Inuyasha stopped by sometimes, when his travels allowed it, and even helped around the farm. Sesshomaru had eventually sought him out after their fight and explained everything to his brother. Their relationship was still rough but improved a little bit each time they saw each other. Inuyasha even gave the repaired Tenseiga back to him. It was dead, its powers sacrificed, but Sesshomaru couldn't just throw it away. It was still a part of him, still a small part of his father passed down.
He glanced out at the field. He needed to be careful, he could spend the whole day lost in his thoughts and no longer had an endless amount of time to waste. His eyes drifted to the road. A steady stream of people walked it every single day.
But one person broke from the crowd, the farm obviously his destination. Sesshomaru wondered what he wanted and he started heading towards the stranger. A merchant maybe?
As he approached, it became very clear that this was no ordinary man—perhaps not a man at all.
"No...it can't be," Sesshomaru whispered. His steps came to a halt as his heart started racing.
"Sesshomaru."
At the sound of his voice, Sesshomaru couldn't deny that this was Naraku. But something was different. Why was he here?
"H-how?" he finally stuttered, still not quite believing this was happening.
"I was banished from our realm," Naraku said, "because I found the Shikon no Tama."
"But...they broke it into shards. Hid them."
"I had to search out every shard. That's why it's taken me so long to return to you. But I'm here now, Sesshomaru. I used the jewel to turn into a human."
A hand touched Naraku's face, ran up the length of his arm until it settled on his shoulder. "You're really here," he said. "After all this time."
"My biggest regret is letting you leave that night without me telling you how much I love you."
"I...you realize this isn't an easy life," Sesshomaru told him.
"I know."
He smiled. "I love you too, Naraku." He always had. His eyes closed when Naraku's fingers brushed through his long white hair.
"Have you been happy?"
"Yes. Even happier now that you're here."
Naraku leaned forward and kissed him. He had no illusions about what it meant to use the Shikon to grant his wish. But it was worth it. How could being a god ever begin to compare to this?