The late autumn breeze rustles my short hair, enticing a shiver from me. Maybe laying down on the roof at the verge of winter wasn't the brightest idea. With a silent sigh, I sit up, fluff up my blue scarf and look down. Twilight would come in about an hour and the training sessions were close to its end, but the village is brimming with activity.
I had to stifle a snort at a certain redhead scolding his student. The younger kitsune tried playing a trick on his sensei and got outplayed. The poor kid stood no chance and had managed to get his hair tainted pink.
"Kagome-sama!" A voice calls. I groan lowly and lay back down, hoping to be out of view from below. My presence is already hidden so he wouldn't sense me, but he isn't blind.
'You can't avoid him forever.' A feminine voice chimes in my head, making me roll my eyes.
Watch me.
"Kagome-sama! You can't run from the examination any longer. I need to check on you!" The voice called again, trying to reason with me. I just close my eyes and pinche the bridge of my nose in annoyance. I don't need this for at least another two weeks... After a few minutes, I hear a loud and exaggerated sigh and a screen panel closes shut underneath me.
Not long after, there's a 'pop' beside me and I open an eye to see my favourite kitsune sitting there in his black training garbs, those emerald eyes looking at me with disapproval and a hint of amusement in them. He raises an eyebrow and I huff lightly, knowing he's going to lecture me.
"You should take better care of yourself, you know." He says and I sigh. When did the roles reverse again? Oh yeah, when I got fed up with over-protectiveness.
"Shippo, please. I've been fine for over a decade now. They can go a month or two without being all over me, it's not like I'll drop dead all of a sudden." I say and Shippo shivers at a distinct memory my words brought back to him. I gaze back up at the pink sky to avoid looking at him. When did I become such a good liar?
"You saved so many lives building this village, 'Gome. But you care so little about your health, we all worry about you." He says as he untangles the fur on one of his seven tails. Another one brushed lightly against my nose, making me sneeze.
"Are you planning on acquiring the next one?" I ask distractedly, grabbing the offending appendage to take it off of my face. Shippo scowls at my unashamed diversion from the current subject but relents. I had become so much more stubborn over the last century that he learned to just roll with it. My kit is a wise youkai.
"I don't know… fifty years seems a lot for just another tail." He says as he lays down next to me. I eye him sideways, knowing he's holding back because of me.
"Hmm, maybe you should just start searching for a capable teacher in the meantime. Yours couldn't help you anymore, right?" I ask and Shippo sigh.
"Yeah, he has seven tails himself. He wasn't expecting me to be able to have so much control over my youki. Gotta thank Lord Sesshoumaru for that, hehe." The mention of the Inu lord makes me shift lightly in discomfort. He's coming tonight to check on Rin and hopefully will not pick a fight with her mate. Rin just had to mate a panther youkai out of all type of demons available…
"Make sure you do." Is all I say, trying to take my mind off of the subject yet again.
'Still butthurt, eh Kags?' I hear the ever so annoyingly masculine voice question me and a scowl forms in my face.
Well, it would be really stupid of me to fall for a lord. Especially one that hates humans at that.
'Bit too late for that aaand you're no longer human.'
That doesn't matter, I'm something worse now... I'll get over him eventually…
'You've been saying that for the last seventy years, darling.'
Yeah, well, what else can I do?
'Tell him.'
I audibly scoff at that and Shippo looks at me with furrowed brows. I wave my hand, dismissing it as me being weird, "I'm fine with whatever you decide… you know that, right?" I say, returning to the subject of his tails.
He stares at me for a moment before scooching over, snuggling next to me, his head on my stomach. I chuckle lightly. He's a young adult and already one of the most powerful kitsunes of his generation and still likes cuddling with me. Is it possible to love someone this much? I still feel the urge to squish him in a tight hug like I used to.
"I don't need another tail for now, I'm not leaving you or the village for a while." He says and I pat his head, a small smile tugging the corner of my lips. I hum in thought and remain unmoving for a moment.
'You should encourage him to get stronger, not to slack off.'
He does whatever he deems right.
'I agree.'
'When don't you agree with her, you suck up?'
'Suck up? -scoff- Real mature, Ma-'
I block them and sit up abruptly, startling Shippo who ends up following the motion. Something is off. I can feel an energy that is somewhat familiar, yet foreign to me. It's faint, but it made every hair on my body stand up. Shippo puts his hand on my shoulder, his head cocking in question as I turn my gaze at him.
"Shippo, did you-" I was interrupted by the village's bells ringing loudly, making my stomach voice its opinion on the matter since it means dinner time. I look towards the horizon again, the pink hues darkening to a deep blue as if predicting trouble. The sensation is gone by the time I return my attention to it.
"What is it, Ma?" Shippo asks and I look at him for a brief moment, before brushing it off. Whatever it was, it's gone and no one else seemed to notice, so I must be just imagining things. Wouldn't be the first time. And even though the foreboding hovered over me like a dark cloud, I had a festival to attend.
"It's nothing. Let's get going, I need to change into proper clothes." I say and jump down the roof onto the balcony. The smell's been killing me for a while now, we've hunted a few boars and the voluntary cooks had been slowly roasting them throughout the afternoon.
Tonight we were celebrating the end of Autumn, which is the time we opened the gates for everyone. There were five houses where they would be preparing the meals in front of, everyone helping with something. Four of the boars I had killed and cleaned for them to start the preparations.
The slayer village had grown so much that it was barely recognizable from what it originally was. What started as a small project to try and get it back to life ended up escalating to a full-sized village. What was once surrounded by fences was now the most open and welcoming village in the Eastern Lands.
We welcome demons, humans, hanyous, spirits, ghosts, elementals... Whatever you are, as long as you follow the rules and don't cause any trouble, you can settle down with us. We take apprentices and give them a life they originally couldn't have, the village is quite well protected and loved.
Fast forward one hundred and three years, and we have a community with more than 500 inhabitants. The village area has expanded to accommodate so many people and my friends' descendants run it with pride. And there were many, many descendants. Miroku's habits were present in quite a few of his offsprings. Therefore, their families almost always ended up with four kids or more.
We have been through a lot, but everyone here accepts each other for what they are. It warms my heart to have been part of such a change in so many people's lives, yet we didn't grow more because of the lack of acceptance between races still. We are just one village after all.
I enter the house with lights steps, careful not to make any sound on my way to my room in order to bathe and change clothes. My home is sort of a communal house. It's the biggest one in the village, and it is loud and lively and I wouldn't have it any other way. Right now everyone was outside for today's celebration, but I can never be too careful.
We take in mostly orphans and young who can't yet fend for themselves. There are adults who live with me as well, and in exchange for the roof they help out with the children and chores. It was quite a nice deal if you ask me since I have responsibilities around and outside the village.
I'm two steps from my door when the shoji panel next to me slams open, making me jump and squeak in surprise. Hands wrap around my wrists and I'm pulled into the room with the youkai I was avoiding the whole day.
"I got you now, Kagome-sama!" Says the cheerful snow owl. His face holds a successful grin and I notice the spark of victory in his completely yellow eyes. His black pupils are even fully dilated, the guy enjoys my misery.
"Aaah, but Tomomi-san!" I whine as he drags me closer to the high table at the opposite wall.
"No buts! You've been avoiding this all day and I need to check on you!" He says with a stern voice that makes me wince, his cheerful demeanour gone all of a sudden.
"But this is completely unnecessary," I say with a pout. He pinches my cheek and hovers his face over mine, a weird smile on his lips.
"You may look like you've just exited your teenage years, but you are 121 years old, missy. Act like it." He says and I then understood he's smiling not to grimace, which resulted in a weird combination of both. Disturbing didn't even begin to cover it.
"Fine." I say in a defeated tone.
He lets my cheek go from his unforgiving pinch and orders for me to undress. If it was any other male asking me to do so in the matter he just did, he'd be dead by now. Seventeen year old me would absolutely despise who I've become, but I wouldn't do anything differently if given the chance.
Murmuring to myself how this is a waste of time and that I'd be better off eating, I begin loosening my training garbs. Once only in my undergarments, I lift my arms at my side to give Tomomi the access he needs.
He walks around me, taking in every inch of exposed skin with his calculating gaze. Self-consciousness settles in like a goddamn whale trapped on a shore. I feel his finger trace a few markings and sigh silently, noticing his frown when he enters my plain of vision again.
And the scolding starts in three… two…
"You haven't been using the oil, have you?" I roll my eyes behind my lids as I lower both of my arms.
"It stinks," I tell him with a sneer and he glares at me.
"We finally found a method that works and you're worried about the smell? Your body is having a hard time dealing with the changes, there are markings everywhere already and it's only been a week!" I wince and hug myself, trying to protect my body from his accusing gaze, feeling very conscious of the marks getting darker on it.
"It's not like anyone would see it, I've been able to hide it so far." I defend and he gives me a tired sigh.
"And worry everyone in the process…" Tomomi reprimands and then studies my face, his expression softens. "Listen… I know this is hard on you and that you don't want the truth to be known, but the markings are revealing themselves with more frequency. It took years before, now it takes days. That includes the ones on your face. If you'd just let it fully-" My eyes widen.
No. No. No!
"No." I voice in a firm tone, no space for discussion.
"But Kago-"
"I said no. I've told you; I'll lose myself if I do it." I tell him and he glances sideways at the door, scratching the back of his head. He's feeling bad, I made him feel that way when he was trying to help me. Shit. I sigh.
"Can't you make the oil smell like something better than dead fish then? Even no scent is better than that." I say and he sighs again, looking back at me and motioning for me to dress up again, I gladly oblige.
"If I do this, will you use it?" He asks and I nod. I know it will take time though, meaning I'll have to wrap myself in clothes to hide the markings or reseal my powers. The latter meaning more pain and my body creating even more resistance against it.
'How will you do with your face?'
'She'll smell like fish!'
I sigh silently at the truth behind his tease... I don't know if being the only one listening to the both of them is a blessing or a curse. Probably the latter.
I can always leave the village for a while.
I walk towards my room and enter my personal ofuro. After stripping, I move to pick up the mirror that managed to survive my clumsiness for so long. I hold it at eye level and inspect my face. The deep blue colour I dread so much is nowhere to be seen, which makes me less anxious.
Sighing in relief, I move and take a quick bath, getting ready in record time and running towards the fun and food. I reach the balcony to find Shippo waiting for me. I smile at him and he stands.
"Come on, I'm starving," I say and walk towards the village's main street.
Everything was beautifully decorated, orange lanterns scattered about and giving a warm hue to the environment, the cold air betraying the ambience though. The night was quite chilly but there are huge bonfires scattered along the main road of the village, making it much more bearable. I grabbed a bowl of food and moved to the back of the crowd, people coming and going to greet me and make small talk.
It feels good, seeing everyone enjoy themselves like this, but my mood doesn't really get much better. I hate it when Tomomi is right, but I need to do something about my body, I can't go on like this.
And suddenly I'm back at that clearing twenty years ago, the burning sensation of corruption tainting my skin, my agonized shrieks not really reaching my ears. Every hair in my body stands at the memory… maybe I should've let the jewel have its way…
'Don't think such nonsense, Kagome. You are needed.'
I feel a tear run down my cheek at the words echoing in my head. My gaze blurs away my surroundings and all I see is a mass of orange hues.
"Miko." The oh so familiar baritone voice greets me and I jump in surprise, my heart racing like crazy in my chest. I turn my face away from it, wiping my eyes to rid them of the tears and breathing deeply, ordering myself to calm the fuck down.
"Sesshoumaru-sama." I greet back with a weak voice, acknowledging him with a nod as he stops beside me. He reaches inside of his haori and reveals a sealed scroll. I recognize the seal immediately and hold a groan in my throat. He wordlessly hands it to me and I take it, opening and reading its contents.
"Three days from now..." I muse to myself in my normal tone again. This certainly sobered me up.
"Hn."
My mind wanders to the royal garbs I'd have to use… I won't be able to wear a scarf with it. I sigh, rubbing my eyes in exhaustion. I'll have to use the damned oil… I spy on Sesshoumaru from under my hand and find him looking at me.
My heart rate picks up again and I feel myself blushing. Those damn eyes of his, how can he be so god-like hot?! That is so unfair. I'm acting like a love-sick teenager... get your shit together Kagome! I can hear snickers at the back of my mind.
"Did you go see Rin already?" I ask him and a familiar hostility flares in his golden eyes, making me chuckle. "Yoshi-san is hovering again I suppose?" I say and he remains silent. I swat his fluff lightly and turn to walk in Rin's direction, earning a glare from him. I giggle, gone is the time when that glare intimidated me Sess, you'll have to do better than that.
"Come on, I'll lure him away for you to talk to her," I tell him and walk calmly towards the third main house in the village. I know he is following me without looking, his presence is difficult to miss.
As we walk people come and greet me, telling me about the festival and how preparations were smooth and etcetera. I don't delay in the exchanges since I'm taking an Inu to see his favourite human, and know he is growing impatient.
We approach the third house and I spot her right away; dressed in a purple kimono with long, silky black hair floating behind her as she chases the two tornadoes she calls her children. Yoshiro, the blonde haired panther she mated, is watching them close, stiffening when sensing the Lord's presence. A smirk creeps onto my lips.
Ok, beting time. I think to the voices in my head. Yeah, I know I sound crazy. Sue me.
'Yesss, now we're talking! I think you won't be able to stop them without you manhandling Yoshiro.' He is way too into this. Good. My smirk widens into a grin.
Game on. If I get Yoshi to behave I get five full days without snarky comments or unwanted opinions towards whatever.
'Ok, but if we win you'll have to eat-'
'If we win, you are telling the demon Lord how you feel.'
I freeze in place, my grin is gone in a second. Do I really need those five days of peace? I glance back at Sesshoumaru, who raises a silver brow at me in question. Then I remember the meeting and I have to turn for him not to see my frown.
Fine. I can handle Yoshi.
'Let the game begin then,' I can hear this asshole's smile.
I curse under my breath and call out for Rin, who, in her characteristic sweet way, spins to face me, a bright smile on her lips as she and her twins run towards me. I don't think she's ever going to grow out of that sweetness. I sure hope not, it's one of the things that makes Rin so special.
I open my arms and the two giggly bundles of brownish-blonde hair clash against me. I hold them close and wink at Rin before moving out of the way so she can approach Sesshoumaru.
Behind her Yoshi is already stomping his way towards us, so I quickly walk past Rin and put the kids down in front of him. The three of them blink at me and I quickly state to the boys.
"Whoever catches daddy first in the next hour gets my share of dessert and gets him to dance at the traditional ending ceremony!" The twins, appearing to be eight but being really 75 years old, look at me with a devious sparkle in their blue eyes before turning to their dad, who glares daggers at me. The glare doesn't stay for long since he's already dodging Aoi, who had launched himself at him for the chance of extra sweets. He was obligated to run from the little cat-eared hanyous and I turn to see Rin giggling at me.
"Getting more creative with each year, Kagome-sama." She giggles again and I smile broadly at her.
"Gotta get the cat away from the dog somehow… Chasing him away gets boring after a while." I sense Sesshoumaru's stare and chuckle, taking a step back. "Enjoy your momentary peace." And I walk away.
Boom bitch. I can't help but shoot my fist up in victory. Sweet silence! Yes!
'You're such a killjoy. We could've had a brawl and a confession.'
Ah ah ah, you lost, sweetheart. You owe me five days of blissful silence.
I sigh in contentment. I have one full day of complete, unadulterated me time before I have to head over to the western shiro. I spread my aura, trying to find Kirara and soon enough she jumps at my shoulder, mewing. I pet her, feeling her quiet and familiar purr on my shoulder.
"We'll be going to the West the day after tomorrow, Kirara. Gotta lick some boots for extra protection." I tell her and she meows back, making a smile appear on my lips.
I walk around with Kirara for about half an hour, having a fit of giggles every time I spot Yoshiro running from his kids. He began having fun at some point because I see him laughing and yelling taunts at them. Ai is especially frustrated, poor thing.
And then I stop. There it is again. I whip my head to the left, my eyes widening as the sensation grew stronger. Without hesitation I put Kirara down and jump up to the roof of the nearest house, my eyes surveying the night sky, frantically searching for something.
What is this?
'Kagome, this feels familiar.'
We felt it about a few hours ago… but this time... it's stronger.
'No. What I mean is that I know this aura, I've felt it when I was alive.'
Can't you remember what it is?
'Concentrate on the sensation, I might be able to feel it better.'
I do as told, my eyes closing and my breath calming down as I concentrate on the foreign sensation. The aura was steadily increasing its presence as I took it in, feeling it.
Angry, suffocated… sad. It feels so frustrated. Midoriko... who's aura is this?
'Suffocated… sounds like someone who's trapped but-'
"Miko." The baritone voice calls me and I whirl around to see Sesshomaru standing a few feet away from me, his hands tucked in his sleeves. I bite my lip and look toward the direction I was looking before, but the feeling is gone.
Damn.
"What can I do for you, Sesshomaru-sama?" I ask after a moment, turning to him again.
"You can tell this one what is wrong." He says and I furrow my brows, feeling a bit taken aback. The killing perfection didn't feel that? What the hell is going on?
"You… didn't notice anything out of the ordinary?" I tentatively ask and he narrows his eyes at me.
"No." Is his short answer as he walks towards me, stopping so close that I take a step back. "Does it have something to do with the markings on your neck?" He asks and I can't help out the gasp that followed as I looked down, only now noticing my almost completely fallen scarf.
"No." I answer, wrapping it quickly back on and walking to the edge of the roof to sit, facing the direction of the feeling, which I choose to focus on rather than my traitorous body. It's unsettling, something is wrong. I sense him behind me, still standing.
"Are you going to tell me what ails you?" He asks and I bend one knee up to rest my arm on it, hand against my cheek, sustaining my head. Gotta love hakamas, I only wear contrictive kimonos if strictly necessary.
Sesshoumaru sure is inquisitive today…
'Right? It is almost as if he cares.'
You lost a bet Magatsuhi. Shut it.
'Just pointing out facts, sweetie.'
I frown. Sesshomaru never cared for me. Not as anything more than an ally at least. Not the way I want him to... And I seriously doubt that his attitude would change without second intentions. I peek at him, he is staring at me, expecting an answer.
"It's just a feeling…" I answer in a half-truth. A very bad feeling.
"And what feeling is that?" I look back at him, eyes narrowed, trying to understand where is all that concern coming from.
"It's like an aura. Telling me it is trapped and wants out." I answer and he stares at the direction I was looking at, concentrating to detect what the aura I just told him about.
This is too weird, why can't he feel it when I was basically feeling the suffocation myself? The silence was getting uncomfortable and the sensation was gone, so no point in dwelling.
"Are you leaving tonight?" I ask and his gaze falls on me again, scrutinizing, trying to find out why I asked what I did. I almost snorted at the notion of telling him. As if.
"No, this Sesshoumaru intends to spend the night here." He said and butterflies soared in my stomach, like they always did with him around, and I had to look away from him to hide the heat staining my cheeks.
"Got a place to stay?" I blurted and immediately regretted it. Of course he has.
"Rin offered a room at her home. But this one has the impression he is not welcome there." He says and I hear a hint of sarcasm in his voice, making me look at him again with a small smirk on my lips, mirroring his.
"We have vacant rooms in the communal houses. It's not 'Lord' level, but it's comfortable. Better than sleeping against a tree anyway. You just need to talk to the head of any of them and they'll provide you with a room." I tell him, standing up and readjusting the scarf on my neck, feeling grateful Sesshoumaru didn't question further about the markings.
"Hn. Would you welcome this Sesshoumaru into your home, then?" He asks and my brows shoot up in surprise. I didn't think he knew where I lived in a more specific sense other than 'this village'. He only comes a few times a year and his visits last what? A few hours tops? I'm never home when he comes.
"Of course," I respond, knowing full well I must be as red as a beet. I see the tiniest twitch of his lips and my heart idiotically flutters with hope. I squash it down, we are not going down that path again.
"'Gooomeeee!" I hear Shippo calling me and I walk over to the other edge of the roof to look down, trying to find a head full of orangy-red hair. Which was difficult since everything had an orange hue to it because of the bonfires and lanterns.
But not long after I start searching I get a glimpse of the cluster of tails swishing about in the crowd and I send my aura to him. He looks up and smiles warmly at me. I turn to Sesshoumaru to tell him I'll show him where he'll be staying and jump down. He follows me, jumping down too and walking towards Shippo beside me.
"Did you need me, sweetie?" I ask, grinning when he frowns.
"Ha, ha. I'm not fifty anymore, mom." He says, unamused and before I reply he continues. "Inuyasha arrived." He says just as Sesshoumaru stops beside me and I immediately notice his mood turning sour. I sigh.
"Tell him I'll be with him in five minutes." I tell Shippo and he nods, then bows to Sesshoumaru before turning away towards the hanyou I loved once upon a time.
Wordlessly, I lead Sesshoumaru to my home in a discreet haste. At least I hope it's discreet. I don't want to see Inuyasha just yet. Not that I don't like him or anything, but Inuyasha is tiring, and I already have a very tiring unwanted roommate with me at all times.
'Gee, thanks'
Just pointing out facts, sweetie.
I enter the house with feminine giggling resounding in my head as I look for a vacant room. My frown deepens when I notice all of them have someone else's stuff in them already, since we actually receive a lot of visitors from neighbouring villages and they get wasted, becoming unable to return home by morning. One quick round and I'm back in front of my room.
"Perhaps I should stay elsewhere," Sesshoumaru suggests but I'm having none of that.
"Nope. You can keep my room, it's the biggest one and it has a personal ofuro you can use." I say, opening my panel and grabbing some important stuff he doesn't need to snoop around and find. Like my stinky ass oil. I shove the minute amount of items and a change of clothes into a dragon leather backpack I made.
"Where would you spend the night?" He asks and I turn with my sack full of random stuff and smile.
"There." I point to the panel in behind him, to the room where Tomomi examined me. "We keep an extra futon in case that room is needed, it usually is used as a medical room," I explain and he looks over his shoulder at the panel, then at me from the corner of his eye.
"You could still stay in your room." He says and I blush, thinking he might be telling me to sleep in the same room with him.
'AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-'
I shut the male voice out, binding him down for the night and knowing full well I'm going to feel the strain in the morning. Of course, Sesshoumaru isn't suggesting that. I shake my head and chuckle at my own delusional hopes.
"That room is cramped, you wouldn't fit properly with those long legs of yours," I answer him and begin moving to place my stuff in my temporary room. As I walk past him he leans down and whispers close to my ear.
"That is not what I was suggesting." His voice is low, husky, provocative and just...
Fuck!
I stagger a step away and my head snaps to him to see his teasing, yet challenging smirk. One that says 'come on, stay'. I blink. He… he didn't… he wouldn't…
'He did.'
Holy shit.
Midoriko giggles in my head and I flush harder as those golden eyes penetrate my very soul. A frenetic pit-pat on the corridor takes me out of my stupor and suddenly a white-haired child is jumping up and down, babbling something about a baby in the doorway.
It's too much to process, so I just lower my head to hide my beet-red face with my bangs and move to greet the little girl on the doorway.
"Aunt Kagome, are you sick? Your face is all red-" She begins saying and I shush her by placing my hand in front of her tiny mouth, laughing nervously.
"I'm fine, Yuki-chan! No need to worry. I'll be outside in a second, ok?" I tell her and she looks from me to her uncle, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. She's way too smart for someone who was supposed to have the mind of a five-year-old.
I hurry her with my free hand and once she walks away I open the panel in front of me, toss my backpack in there before closing it and turning to Sesshoumaru, remembering something I didn't think of.
"I uh… can change the bedding if you'd like," I tell him, bluntly ignoring what he just said to me. He looks down at my futon for a moment, sniffs, then back at me.
"No need." He says and I flush harder. My mouth opens slightly as if I'm about to say something, but nothing comes out. Thankfully Yuki calls me again and I snap out of whatever this is causing me and point at her direction with my thumb, awkwardly indicating I'm going to greet my guests.
"I-I should go. Make yourself comfortable and feel free to enjoy the festival." I say with a slight bow and begin to walk towards the child jumping in a frenzy.
AN: Shhh, I know what you're going to say.
I haven't stopped writing my other fic, worry not! Ch 20 is on its way.
But my muse told me to try this idea out and I'm her little bitch so not much I can do there.
This is just for fun so idk, tell me if you want to read more