Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha cast, nor do I own the Hershey's Corporation.
Author's Note: Happy Valentine's Day! I just suddenly felt inspired—strange, huh? Hopefully my motivation will come back (i.e. no more writer's block—it is really horrible to have writer's block!) so that I can continue working on my other stories.
-
His First Valentine
By Forsaken Tenshi
Kagome hopped out of the well, lugging her yellow backpack out with her. It was quite full with chocolates and assorted Valentine's Day candies. Hefting the bag over her shoulder, she started down the path towards the village in which Kaede resided.
Kagome hummed a favorite tune of hers, BoA's Every Heart Minna no Kimochi. The sun glittered brightly on the snow-covered ground; no wind whispered in the bare branches of Inuyasha's Forest. All around was a pleasant sort of silence: calm, serene, tranquil. In the year or so that Kagome had commuted between the feudal era and her own, she had become more in tune with her instincts and with nature. The silence that she now beheld contained no malevolence; most of the demons living within the vicinity were hibernating.
The seventeen-year-old watched with satisfaction and a small amount of delight as puffs of her breath crystallized in the frigid air. She wiggled her gloved hands in her leather coat pockets—a gift from her mother. The leather was warm and durable, allowing her to trundle through the wild lands of feudal Japan without getting scratched by shrubs and trees. She smiled in the anticipation of seeing Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo's faces when she showed them the goodies she had gotten for Valentine's Day—especially the seven ounce Hershey's Kiss that she had gotten courtesy of Yuka, Eri, and Arimi. Chuckling to herself, she took out a foil-covered chocolate drop and unwrapped it. She swirled it under her nose, allowing herself the indulgence of its sweet scent before popping it into her mouth. It melted slowly, allowing the teenager to revel in the rich milk taste of the confection. Applying a small amount of pressure on the candy, the chocolate shell broke, allowing the syrupy caramel inside to flow onto her tongue.
Kagome slowed to a halt, a prickly feeling lancing through her body. A warning sign. Danger. She forcefully slowed and quieted her breathing, fighting the adrenaline rush that was causing her heart rate to increase rapidly. The silence, once a comfortable companion, now pressed down on her, as if striving to crush the breath out of her being. Her senses tingled, and her hand itched for her bow and arrows, which at the moment lay harmlessly in Kaede's hut. Feeling a presence from behind, she wheeled around, eyes widening and breath catching in her throat.
There, in all his resplendent glory, stood Inuyasha's older half sibling, Sesshoumaru.
Kagome swallowed hard, pondering the alternatives laid out before her. She could turn and run as fast as she could towards Kaede's village, yelling in the vain hope that Inuyasha would hear her and come to her aid before Sesshoumaru sliced her into ribbons. But calling for Inuyasha also meant that she would have to endure yet another round of how weak and worthless she was. She could calmly bid the dog demon good day, and walk calmly towards the village as if nothing had happened. But why would she want to turn her back on a potential enemy? She could also face Sesshoumaru on her own, never giving him the satisfaction of seeing her fear. Problem was, she knew he could smell her fear rolling off her in waves. Although Kagome herself could not smell fear, she had no doubt that the demon lord could. Her lips tightened grimly; all of the options she was presented with had the overwhelming possibility of her death. Weighing her choices carefully, she decided her next course of action.
Straightening up, she squashed her fear deep within herself, tilted her chin up proudly, and gazed steadily into the demon lord's rich ochre eyes with her own deep cerulean ones. "Konnichiwa, Sesshoumaru-sama," she greeted politely, bowing. She mentally congratulated herself for both keeping her voice steady and for not choking on the partially-melted chocolate-caramel blend residing in her mouth.
Sesshoumaru's eyes were as unreadable as always. Slowly, his eyes slid shut and he inhaled silently, deeply. Exhaling, he opened his eyes once again to stare pointedly at her.
"Human," his low, sultry baritone voice rumbled, "Where resides Inuyasha at this moment?"
"In the village beyond these trees, Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome replied, gesturing vaguely in the direction of Kaede's residence all the while keeping her eyes on his form. Pure strength of will kept her eyes from diverting towards the ground—a subconscious gesture of submission and obedience.
The demon lord's eyes flitted once in the direction of the village before settling back on her petite figure, most pointedly her eyes. "Does he not know of your arrival this day?"
What was she supposed to answer? If she said yes, he would ask why he did not greet her, causing her to make up some sort of excuse for his absence. If she said no, then he would be free to yank her along wherever he pleased—or kill her for that matter. Kagome had originally planned for this particular trip as a surprise, in celebration of Valentine's Day.
She decided to be truthful, so that she would not have to end up being caught in her own lies. "No, Sesshoumaru-sama, Inuyasha does not know of my arrival."
The corner of the dog demon's lips marginally quirked upwards. "Good. Come." And so saying, he pivoted on his heel and strode purposefully in the opposite direction of the village.
Kagome hesitated for a moment, then sauntered after him. Any attempt to reach the village would be noticed by Sesshoumaru; swift, painful punishment was sure to follow. He led her deeper into the woods, down a barely worn trail. A clearing soon revealed itself.
Here, the dog demon halted, turning to face her.
Kagome ambled toward him, readjusting her backpack: the weight was beginning to bite into her shoulders. Seeing as he was no longer going to travel, Kagome set her bag down with a muffled thump on the bare foliage underfoot. Working out some kinks in her back, she waited for the demon to break the growing uncomfortable silence while rubbing her hands to keep them warm in their gloves.
It soon became clear that he was not going to.
"Ano. . . Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome began, "Would you kindly inform me as to why you have asked me to follow you all the way out here?"
The silence grew heavier as he simply gazed impassively at her. Kagome shifted her weight from one foot to the other, bravely bearing the burden of the demon lord's stare.
"What was that smell emanating from you?"
Her brows furrowed. "Smell?"
"That sweet scent. I do not recognize it."
Kagome pondered for a little while. "Oh!" she exclaimed in a moment of epiphany. "You mean chocolate?" Upon asking, she dropped to her knees and proceeded to rifle through her backpack.
A low, rumbling growl made her freeze. "What are you doing, human?"
"Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome explained patiently, "I am only going to take out that item which you inquired about. I assure you I am not going to take out anything that will cause any harm whatsoever to you."
Sesshoumaru nodded his consent, allowing her to rummage through her bag. Grinning broadly, she procured a large bag of Hershey's Kisses filled with caramel. "I believe this is what you were asking about, Sesshoumaru-sama." She smiled and plucked a Kiss out by the little paper strip. "Care to try one?" She held it out, letting drop a few inches into the dog demon's upheld palm. It landed upright, like it should.
She watched with amusement as Sesshoumaru cupped it under his nose and sniffed it. His nose delicately brushed the paper strip, sliding down to graze the foil wrap. As she observed him, Kagome could not help but feel a tinge of pity for the being before her. The act of giving without a hitch was something he was not familiar with in the least. She reflected on all the backstabbing that occurred in this era, and knew that Sesshoumaru's caution was not misplaced. She felt saddened that any action observed by the demon would be viewed as suspicious, performed with an ulterior motive that would ultimately result in his demise.
The dog demon brought the candy to his lips and flicked his tongue out to taste it. "Oh Sesshoumaru-sama, don't eat it like that! You have to take off the shiny wrapper around it to eat it. I'm sorry I forgot to mention it before." Kagome added a quick bow—just in case.
Sesshoumaru regarded the woman in front of him. "So how are you supposed to eat this then?" he asked. He, Sesshoumaru, never asked for help. The simple question cost him a lot of his pride.
She pulled her gloves off and stuffed them in her coat pockets. "Like this, Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome explained, taking a Kiss out and unwrapping it for him to see. She picked the candy up by the tip and deposited it in her mouth. Sucking it gently, her eyes closed in bliss. "Mmm. . ."
Seeing her reaction, Sesshoumaru copied her actions.
The chocolate immediately began to melt on his tongue, a rich syrup—he knew no words to describe the taste. It was so smooth, thick, almost like honey in viscosity and taste. Sesshoumaru mentally noted that this must have been the ambrosia on which the gods feasted. He moved the candy around in his mouth, a canine accidentally pricking through the chocolate shell. Warm caramel spilled out, another new taste he knew not how to describe. It was sweet, like the "cho-ko-la-te" outside, but different at the same time. An unconscious purr rumbled softly in his chest.
Kagome smiled at the demon lord's expression. No longer was it the expressionless mask that he always wore, but a face that conveyed satisfaction, indulgence. His tawny eyes were closed, allowing her to see the crimson highlights along his lashes more clearly. The sunlight danced through the shifting filter of naked branches and fleeing clouds, creating an ever-changing kaleidoscope of color on Sesshoumaru. His magnificent silver mane would catch wisps of the wind, glimmering in the scattered sunlight. The navy colored crescent moon on his forehead and magenta stripes on his cheeks, along with the vermilion highlights, contrasted sharply with his ivory skin, alternating from a darker shade to a brilliant hue under the sun's shifting beams.
"Sesshoumaru-sama," she whispered, afraid of breaking the trance that he had weaved about himself.
His eyes slowly, lazily opened, revealing clear ochre irises. His impassive mask was instantly back in place, and Kagome suddenly, keenly missed his earlier expression. He had looked as if a massive burden had been lifted from his shoulders—as if it were his first taste of freedom from a heavy responsibility in a long, long time. And, in essence, it was. Liberation, even if only lasting a minute or two.
"Did you. . . enjoy it?"
He nodded slightly. A pause, then, "What was hidden in the middle of this confection?"
Kagome smiled. "It is called caramel. Did you like that too?"
Another nod.
"I'm glad."
"What is the occasion for carrying so many of these little confections?"
She cocked her head to the side, formulating her response. "Well," she began, "It is to celebrate a holiday from where I come from. It's called Valentine's Day, in honor of a man by the name of Saint Valentine."
"I see."
More silence.
Shifting a little, she picked up the plastic bag full of Kisses. "Do you. . ." she began hesitantly, "Do you want the rest of it?" She held out the bag.
Sesshoumaru regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. At length he asked, "What will I owe you should I accept it?"
Kagome blinked, not at all expecting the question. "Nothing, Sesshoumaru-sama," she replied, "Nothing at all."
His stare hardened. "Nothing?" he repeated, with a heavy touch of sarcasm.
"Nothing," she answered crisply. "The candy is yours, no catches whatsoever."
Sesshoumaru stared intensely into her eyes, trying to discern any sort of deception. He only found sincerity. Slowly, he reached for the bag. His large palm cupped the bottom, fingers wrapping around the middle of the bag. His claws were carefully positioned on the outside of the plastic with little pressure applied, lest he slice the flimsy container.
Kagome let of the bag as soon as the demon lord had a firm grasp. She could not help but grin; Sesshoumaru looked funny, to say the least, standing before her, delicately clutching a bag of Hershey's Kisses at his waist. Composing herself, Kagome straightened up. "Sesshoumaru-sama, if that is all you require, may I please return to the village?"
Sesshoumaru nodded his head once. "You may."
"Thank you." She hefted her backpack, turned around, and started to walk but then paused. She glanced over her shoulder, embarrassed. "Ano. . . Sesshoumaru-sama? Would you mind leading me back to the pathway?"
The demon lord shifted the bag so that he now held it around the opening. In the blink of an eye he had whisked the girl, pack and all, into his arms, springing up into the air and over the treetops, only to land on the well-beaten path between the well and the village. He set her down on her feet and abruptly disappeared, leaving the woman disoriented for a few moments.
When she regained her bearings, Kagome glanced around in search of Inuyasha's elusive half sibling, only to find nothing. She sighed, pulled out yet another chocolate from her backpack, and began her hike towards Kaede's village. Unwrapping the sweet, the delicate scent wafted into her nose, recalling to her mind an image of Sesshoumaru with the bag of sweets. She smiled to herself, satisfied that she had allowed him a small reprieve from his duties as lord of his lands. "Happy Valentine's Day, Sesshoumaru," she murmured into the wind. Popping the confection in her mouth, she stuffed her hands into her pockets and marched towards the village.
Just beyond the edge of the trees lining the pathway, a white-clad figure watched the lone form of a woman with a fairly heavy load disappear behind the bend. His eyes drifted from her now-departed form to the bag of confections in his hand. Gazing back to where she had disappeared, he whispered back to her, "Happy Valentine's Day to you as well."
-
There you go, sweet and sappy (okay, it's not really that sappy. . .). It was partially inspired by Rozefire's "My Funny Valentine", I'll credit that to her, hands down. Hope you liked it.
-FT
-
Completed: 2.3.05
-