By: Star-Gazer20
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, it remains in the hands of its creator, Rumiko Takahashi. I do, however, own my plot and the twisted situations I put her characters in :) (Do any of you ever wonder if Ms. Takahashi ever reads any fanfiction? I mean, if I were to ever do a manga, I would probably live on fansites…not that I don't already .;)
Well, I've been dead for a month or so, but with new determination and plenty of motivation, I decided to myself that I would finally send my laziness on a one-way vacation to hell. After all, I need to get my mind working, because my muses aren't happy being unemployed…
Also, forgive me if this starts out kind of slow…I just need a little character development, nothing too tragic, I swear! (Shouldn't swear…)
Summary: It was a union that not even the fates would have predicted, and when the final battle with Naraku draws closer, the destinies of two people become something that might wreck twice the havoc. Sesshoumaru and Kagome are faced with the ultimate test; how do you stop the end of the world? Sess/Kag
By the way: Italics are usually emphasized words and phrases and thoughts.
Honoring You
Prologue
The velvet skies darkened, as they displayed their tapestry of stars. Cotton-stretched clouds nestled themselves at the far regions of the heavens, circling the zenith of the sky. The wind played along the treetops, swaying the leaves in a soft song of motion. The only light besides that of the stars was the wan colored moon that hung high in above the clouds. It was well passed the midnight hour, and everything was silent. She smiled at the forest that surrounded her, Inuyasha's Forest. The well that she leaned her back upon was old and bore the first signs of decomposition along its wooden mouth.
The well had been her first comfort when nights like this arose; nights when she felt out of place in the world that had occurred 500 years prior to her own time. Kagome turned her gaze to the forest that surrounded the well; surrounded her doorway home.
It was almost strange, how this forest was, the way that it protected her in more than one way. She liked the idea of having something that reminded her of Inuyasha, protecting her.
Inuyasha...
Kagome sighed; this entire situation was hopeless. The reason she even came out here in the middle of the night was because she needed some time to think about anything other than Inuyasha.
It had been nearly sixth months now since Kagome had first stepped back into the earlier days of her country and there was just no denying it; she obviously felt some sort of attraction for the hanyou. The more she mused about this, the further she began to fear that she might fall in love with him.
Easy to say, it was almost easier then it looked to fall in love with someone, or so she believed. It had always been the little things that Inuyasha did, that had made Kagome wonder if loving him wouldn't be so bad.
But Kagome had never given her heart like that before.
Sure, she loved people, but that isn't the same as completely loving one person. Inuyasha was sweet, in his own gruff, impolite mannerism, but Inuyasha also wasn't completely open, either.
After all, he still loved Kikyo.
"Kikyo." Kagome spoke softly, allowing the word to roll around on her tongue briefly, before the sound was carried away by the wind. She didn't understand it, but she just couldn't hate Kikyo.
Kagome sighed again, if she were to love Inuyasha, shouldn't that make Kikyo her rival? Somehow, Kagome didn't like the idea of being an enemy with herself. And if that's what it came down to, then it wasn't worth it.
Yeah, Inuyasha was worth it, he was always somehow worth it. But getting herself tangled in the age-old dispute with Inuyasha and Kikyo wasn't worth it, and besides, she didn't want to be the one blocking Inuyasha from happiness either. Kagome smiled as a light breeze swept up the long grass that rested near her feet; Inuyasha was very dear to her. She'd give her life to save him in a heartbeat.
But this nagging feeling that Kikyo left her with, what was it? Was it possibly regret? Seeing the way Inuyasha would look at Kikyo made something in Kagome flutter slightly.
Could it be that my heart remembers loving him as Kikyo?
Kagome thought about this for a moment; it would explain the beginnings of love that she was starting to feel for Inuyasha. Maybe Kagome was feelings how much Kikyo's love for Inuyasha had really been, and how much it would always leave an impression on her, even some 500 year later.
As the hours of the night became the early morning, Kagome watched the path of the moon, inclining her head the slightest to follow it.
"Had you more intelligence, you would not be out here."
Kagome jumped considerably at the sound of the new voice. Kagome peered around her, senses acute on the darkness that surrounded her. However, the shadows offered her no clues as to who it was that spoke.
"The forest at night is no place for a human."
Again, the deep, rich voice came to her ears, softly speaking as to where she could almost make out nothing of it. Swallowing her fear, Kagome brought her sitting position to a kneeling one, and called back bravely, "Who are you?"
"Someone you would not desire meeting…alone." Kagome spun around just in time to catch her hands on the rim of the well, stopping her from falling in.
There, standing across the other side of the well, was Sesshoumaru.
"S-sesshoumaru?" Kagome questioned, her unique sapphire eyes acknowledging the demon lord in surprise, "What are you doing here?" She asked, attempting to restrain the uneasiness in her voice. Sesshoumaru didn't say anything; he merely looked at her with an unreadable expression.
Kagome stood there and admired the demon lord, in all his beauty. Of all the things she would have to give him credit for, he was something akin to a god. The long, white hair that spilled over his shoulders like silk, the fine details of his face that displayed his eternal youth, right down to the extraordinary color of his eyes.
Gold, like Inuyasha, though…unlike Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru always hides something behind his eyes…what is it? Could it be fear of something?
"Why are you here?" Kagome asked once more forcing herself out of her thoughts as she attempted to hide the blush that crept across her cheeks, "What do you want?" She surprised herself on how that last part came out as a whisper.
Sesshoumaru seemed to tilt his head in question, and a moment later Kagome was left staring at air.
Sesshoumaru had disappeared! Just what on earth was-
"I inquire as to why you are alone."
Kagome spun around again, only to find that her demon companion was standing very close to her. So close, in fact, that Kagome remember the laws of gravity and began to fall backward towards the well.
Of all ways to go home.
Home, however, was never reached because a hand shot out to grab her wrist before she was allowed to fall into the well. Kagome's eyes traveled up the length of her arm and the one that was attached to hers, and blushed scarlet.
"I…um…" Frantically searching her brain for a response, Kagome had yet to notice that she was still paused in midair with Sesshoumaru's hand still latched firmly unto her arm. Just as Kagome regained her speech, Sesshoumaru pulled her back completely and released his grip, "Um…Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama…" Kagome finished politely, averting her eyes to anywhere but his.
When she lifted her eyes once more, Kagome saw that the Inu-youkai had moved and was sitting cross-legged in the grass a little ways from hers. Although she could not see his face since he sat with his back to her, she couldn't help but smile in relief.
"Come. Sit." He said, without any indications that he was speaking to her. Kagome, a little unsure of this stoic gesture, decided better than to argue with the person who had just saved her from falling into the old well.
She took her time moving towards him, and he seemed neither to notice nor care. Once she was at a comfortable spot remotely near him, she took a seat softly and waited to see what he would do next.
What is the purpose of this? Is he here to kill me?
"Are you here to kill me?" Kagome voiced her thoughts before she recognized her exact words.
"If I were to kill you, I would have so already."
Kagome shuddered at his words; she had forgotten about that. After all, when Sesshoumaru had business to attend to, he did it rather quickly. Kagome breathed in the fading night's wind, chancing a peek at the Western Lord who sat in the clearing next to her.
"So, why are-" Kagome began saying, in attempts to get the ball rolling somewhere.
"Is your mouth always open?" Kagome was taken aback by his rude comment; curling her lip in irritation she remained silent.
And the two sat there until Sesshoumaru made a move to stand.
Kagome could see the first glow of the sun beginning to peak out from the east horizon, the elusive colors of pink and blue, cross-hatching together in fine lines of light. She watched as the youkai lord stood and started walking away from her in silence.
"Sesshoumaru! Wait! Where are you going?" She called out to him, standing as she did. Sesshoumaru made no move to turn around and glance back at her, he merely stopped right where the small clearing-that housed the well-ended.
"Go back to Inuyasha and tell him to keep better watch over what he claims to protect."
And with that, Sesshoumaru disappeared into the shadows of the forest.
Kagome sat and watched as the sun began to rise. Slowly, she made her way to stand and head back to the small village that was nestled at the base of Inuyasha's Forest; where all of her friends would be worried if they awoke to find her missing.
Inuyasha would surely be awake by now, and knowing him, he'd scold her for wandering off without someone to protect her.
Why does everyone think I always need to be protected? I'm glad that he's concerned but it's not like I was completely alone, Sesshoumaru stayed with me until daybreak…
Kagome thought, frustrated at Inuyasha's usual antics. Then she paused as a new realization came to her…
Was Sesshoumaru protecting me?
The readers erupt into chaos and drag author off stage, carrying with them tar and feathers…
So, how was it?
Dun, dun, dun! Yes, I know, not much of a cliffhanger, but fear not, I'll master it in no time! (Like you guys want me to leave you hanging…)
Anyways, this is merely the prologue, although it could almost be a oneshot --; I have this bad habit of writing oneshots…And mind my grammar and spelling! It's 4:21am right now…so…I'm fairly beat…
And to clear anything up about the whole Inuyasha/Kikyo/Kagome triangle: note that this is note a romance between Kagome and Inuyasha, nor does it focus completely on Inuyasha and Kikyo. Inu/kag and Inu/Kik fans, I have nothing against those pairings, however, you're probably not going to find much romance on those couples here, I'm sorry….
But we're all friends, right? Dodges laser canon
Another thing: I can't really see Kagome hating Kikyo, I mean after all, we do know that Kagome loves Inuyasha in the show, so wouldn't you imagine that someone as caring and loving as Kagome would want Inuyasha to be happy? Not to mention, when I wrote:
Could it be that my heart remembers loving him as Kikyo?I'm using this as Kagome's reason to not completely throw herself at Inuyasha's feet, because, the way I see it, Kagome was and kind of still is Kikyo in a second sense, which makes Kagome love Inuyasha as she did when she was Kikyo, but still be able to love someone else (cough, cough: Sesshoumaru, cough) because she is Kagome now.
Confused yet? Good.
Anyway, tell me what you think, if you don't, I won't know how to improve…etc…so…yeah….lol.
You can also drop me a line at SpaceCase2hotmail.com if you feel the need and or desire to. Sorry about the length of this thing! I'll try harder next time to write shorter notes…
Chow for now.
Star-Gazer20