Moments in Time
The shrine was quiet, as it often was on a weekday. A quiet wind rustled the leaves of The Sacred Tree in a gentle manner, reminding Naraku of a time long past, when technology was much more primitive, and cars did not race past so indiscriminately. Humans, as they always had been, remained pitifully bound to time. All, it seemed, but a few. There were those who were bound eternally to those few demons who had chosen them as mates; and then there was her. She had been outside of time before everything happened.
A flash of blue light that seemed familiar as a memory from a dream, though Naraku knew he had seen it before, so very long ago. An odd sensation surged through the ever-present ache in his chest, and the pressure seemed to lessen slightly as the light faded. He straightened his suit, outwardly calm as she came darting out of the well house, her hair disheveled and a bright smile on her face.
"It's Kagome, isn't it?"
The girl jumped slightly, making the demon smile. The blush that ran up her face was as adorable as it had always been. She was so much more vibrant than his ancient memories could recall, and for the first time in half a millenia, he was having a hard time containing his emotions. It was an odd experience, being bonded to her; 500 years ago they had bonded. More correctly, he had bonded her to him; something she had not yet experienced. After everything, he wished there was some way to convince his younger self to let go of his need for control, but that was laughable. It had taken Kagome's immense patience and tenacity to shake him free of those habits. He had panicked that night, a sensation that had been foreign to him until he had met this jewel of a priestess.
Kagome continued to fluster slightly under her gaze.
"I—Yes! I'm Kagome. Can I help you, sir?" she asked politely, regaining her manners slightly.
Naraku shook his head slightly, amused. "No, I do not think so, dear. I am Masaru Kumode."
Her eyes widened comically and she proceeded to give him a graceful bow.
"Mr. Kumode! I am so sorry! I did not realize—"
He raised a quiet hand to silence her. "It is no problem, Kagome. It has been several years since my last visit; and I'm afraid I have aged a bit."
Naraku was no stranger to his human alter-ego's status as a household name. There were decades when he had slipped under the radar, but these last two had not been among them. Sesshomaru, almost as changed as Naraku himself, was quite the investor, and had proposed a joint venture into the newly developing microprocessor industry. It had made their businesses triple in size, and made 'Masaru Kumode' and 'Haruto Taisho' quite well-known in this era. She had no real reason to recognize him for who he truly was, either. While he had not taken great efforts to change himself, he did hide his more incriminating features and contained his aura well.
"I have stopped by to check on the shrine," he continued, "Are you and your family well? Is there anything you need?"
She shook her head in response. "We are very well, sir. I don't believe we have need of anything, you have been so generous to us already."
He gave her a thoughtful nod and a small smile. "If that changes, Kagome, here is my personal information. Will you pass this onto your mother for me? I would love to stop in for tea, but I am afraid I have another engagement."
"Of course, Mr. Kumode! Anything!"
"Do not be afraid of bothering me. If your family has need of anything, you will call the number I have given you."
Kagome nodded, looking slightly stunned at his sure words. She bid him an honorific farewell, to which he responded politely.
"Until we meet again, Miss Higurashi."
"Naraku. I was not expecting you until later. I take it she does not yet bear your mark?"
Naraku shook his head. "No, not yet. You may recall, Sesshomaru, even if she did, it may not be the best time to reveal myself to her."
The white haired demon nodded. "You and I had much to atone for. She will understand, though it will take time."
"Time is something I have plenty of. Sometimes, it seems the only thing I have."
Naraku shook out the memories that began to invade his mind. He had business to discuss with the dog demon, and he could not let his memories of her alter his ability to do so. Though, he was certain Sesshomaru would understand. The other demon had few photographs in his office, but the two he did possess were of his increasingly large family. A woman with bright eyes, holding a silver-haired child with a crescent on his forehead was featured in one. While the other appeared to be some amalgamation of the rest of Sesshomaru's offspring. Silver-haired, snobbish dog-demons, the whole rambunctious lot of them. Naraku knew they all had the potential to be as stoic as their father, but their mother was so open that they certainly were not afraid to show their emotions.
It was not until he left Sesshomaru's office that he allowed his mind to wander back into the past. Naraku wondered which part of his past was now her present. The first time he had met her, she had reminded him so much of Kikyo that he had been as close to startled as he had ever been. As he fought her and her odd band throughout the years, he began to realize she was so very different from the cold priestess who had nursed Onigumo back to health. He shuddered at the idea of that wretched human who once shared his mind, and the feelings that went along with it.
He truly had not meant to seduce the girl, he had initially only been curious. She had been so lovesick over the half-demon that it had been easy to get into her mind. He wanted to know more about the sacred jewel, and even entertained ideas of turning the young priestess on her companions. He supposed he did end up corrupting her, in a way. Her brand of poison seemed to work much better on him, however.
The first time he had gotten her alone, she had been crying.
Naraku had been watching the priestess for quite some time, exclusively through puppets, until tonight. He wasn't certain what drove him to come himself, only that he was not concerned about his safety. Inuyasha's aura was far from their little camp; he had run off again, leaving the humans defenseless. It was the perfect time to strike. A thought struck him; there was no doubt in his mind that he would win this conflict eventually. What if he could tear the girl from Inuyasha the same way he had with Kikyo? He needed something to keep himself occupied while the rest of the jewel was gathered. He could not deny the young woman was beautiful, but moreover, intriguing. She was an anomaly in this world of predictable humans.
It was effortless to reach into her mind as she lay awake. Her companions were all in a deep sleep, exhausted from another battle with a shard holder, he mused. Curious to see how she would respond, he quietly prodded her mind with his own voice.
She looked up immediately, glancing around for the source. Setting aside the kit in her lap, she wiped her face and began to walk toward him.
Tears? There must have already been a rift between the priestess and the half-demon whelp. It might be easier to win the girl over than he initially thought. He smirked at her confusion as he continued to push her overtired, emotionally blinded mind.
"Hello?" She called quietly.
Kagome…
She was close, just one more step. He almost held his breath when she finally hesitated. Would she resist him? He did not risk trying to push her further; she was intelligent and would certainly run back to the perceived safety of her camp. Instead, he waited, quiet and patient.
Kagome seemed to relax as the time went on. She let out a resigned sigh and took the step toward him. Naraku, however, did not strike; he waited to see how far she would go. She did not seem to truly sense his presence; which made everything much less tense.
The girl began to cry again as she walked away from the peaceful camp. Naraku frowned; she seemed broken. The satisfaction he would gain by breaking her further was just not alluring to the spider demon. Her fiery spirit was why he had been drawn to her in every battle. She amused him greatly; the silly human girl who stood up to him at every turn, fighting through the fear he could smell wafting off her.
Maybe he was wrong; perhaps her sorrow was only momentary. He could watch her and discover over time whether she was truly broken, he certainly had the patience. However, he was certain he could learn everything in a few moments by merely speaking with her. She wore her emotions like any outer article of clothing: where everyone could see.
Waiting for the right moment, he watched her as she removed her strange footwear and sat at the edge of the hotspring, dipping her toes in. Her quiet sobs had ceased, and instead he only heard an occasional sniffle. Walking up behind her, he placed a hand on her shoulder; she jumped slightly but did not look up immediately.
"Did I wake—" she began to say as she turned.
The girl's eyes widened and she inhaled sharply when she saw him. Her eyes leaked tears once more, but she did not scream. After a moment, she sighed and turned away once more. "If you are going to kill me, can you just get it over with?"
Damn it. Her spirit was as broken as he had feared. There was nothing there for him to break. There had to be something else he could use her for. He could bring her fire back, but for him rather than Inuyasha. He was already good at manipulation, but trying to rebuild something was not something he had ever cared to try. An excellent challenge to keep him busy, for a while at least.
"I'm not going to hurt you, priestess, do not cry," he said softly, a tone he never remembered using outside of his various disguises.
"Why are you here, Naraku?" she asked, her voice returning with more strength than it had before. "I'm not going to give you my jewel shards. You'll have to kill be to get them."
"Then I won't have them," he said simply.
She seemed taken aback by his words and frowned at him.
"Since when, Naraku? Isn't this all about the jewel shards?"
He laughed quietly. It was too good to lie to the girl. He had banished Onigumo's feelings a long time ago, but with both Kikyo and Inuyasha back from the dead, or near-dead, it just did not sit right with him to just let them be happy.
"The shards are powerful, priestess, but they do not allow anyone to travel as you do."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kagome said, her voice thick and trembling. She looked up at him angrily, her eyes brimming with tears.
"You, unlike everyone else, can travel into the future, and then come back," he said. "It is clear to anyone paying attention."
"Well, I can't help you, Naraku."
"Can't, or won't, priestess? You have taken Inuyasha through many times."
She glared at him, "Won't. I will not help you. They jewel probably wouldn't even let someone like you through the well. You're nothing but a monster."
"You assume I do not know how you feel."
She snorted a mirthless laugh. "How could you possibly know how I feel‽" She stood and rounded on him, disregarding the knowledge that he could kill her so very easily. She took a step closer so she was nearly toe to toe with him. "You have never loved anything, so how could you know what it feels like to have your heart ripped out again and again for nothing more than clay!"
She was crying again, but this time, she was angry. Her eyes were bright and, for a moment, the defiance he was used to seeing returned.
"Is it worse when she is clay, I wonder? You forget, priestess, I was human once. I rejected those emotions when I became...more. They only tied me down; but I remember the pain. She made me what I am, and then she rejected me. How do you think it felt, Kagome?"
"You made the choice to be what you are. You could have let her go."
"Could you not do the same?"
That first night, Naraku had accomplished little, but he never expected anything to go quickly; especially with a priestess. He continued to be there when she found herself alone, and eventually, she learned to trust him.
Trust was perhaps too strong a word. He had not always been gentle, and she had not truly felt safe.
"Priestess."
"Naraku, what do you want?" There was fear in her voice tonight, but he understood that. She had stopped going off by herself when Inuyasha left, much to Naraku's annoyance. He had to be a bit more creative after the first few visits.
"Come walk with me, and your friends will not die today," he said softly, no real threat in his voice. It did not matter, she believed him.
She glanced around with wild blue eyes at her sleeping friends.
"Do not bother. They will not wake, Kagome."
There were tears in her eyes as she followed him into the forest.
"Why do you keep doing this to me?"
"You have asked that of me three times now, and yet you stay silent to your friends." Naraku smirked slightly when she ducked her head at his words. It would have been so easy for her to tell the half-demon he had been manipulating her whenever he left, but she hadn't said a word. He sent a puppet to protect his scent, if Inuyasha found out he was here, he would be much more protective of the girl. Perhaps she did not want to be fussed over; that was a sentiment he could certainly understand.
She was quiet for a moment.
"You...You haven't hurt me, or my friends; and you haven't tried to take my jewel fragments."
"I told you I would not. The future is far more intriguing than needlessly fighting your half-dog, though that will also come in time."
"I never expected you to keep your word," she said quietly.
Was the priestess insinuating that she could actually trust him. That he was just there to talk to her? She could not truly believe that; not of him. He was certainly not tame. His eyes narrowed. A flash of temper struck and he darted forward, grabbing the girl by the neck, firmly, but without harmful force. She glared at him through even more tears, unflinching.
Naraku let go of her with a small snort. "You have let him turn you into this."
She continued to glare at him. "So what if I have? What does it matter to you?"
He merely stared at her in response.
The girl sighed and dropped her eyes. "I suppose there isn't any harm in telling you my problems. At least you listen."
He caught her tears brimming once again and debated just walking away. He had no wish to listen to her problems, but he was trying to build back her fire. Perhaps this would do something to further that goal. It would certainly earn her trust to sit and listen, and do nothing with the information she gave him.
"Inuyasha doesn't love me," she said quietly, "not like he loved her."
Her once bright blue eyes looked up at him and she gave him a sad smile. "You already knew that, though, didn't you?"
Naraku nodded.
"You told me before...Kikyo broke your heart. Why did you choose to become Naraku?"
Naraku studied the girl for a moment. She was curious about his story; which was not something he had ever come across before.
"Onigumo...was weak. Kikyo took care of him; hid him from the world. He could not move, and he could not speak. His wounds healed, and the pain stopped, but he could do no more than grunt."
The tears in her eyes began to fall as he spoke. Surely she was not so moved by this history? Perhaps she deserved what she was getting from the half-demon if she was so controlled by her emotions.
"Understand, priestess," he continued with a measure of disdain, "I am not Onigumo. He is within me. He tries to escape, as if it will make him free, but he is no stronger than he was lying on the floor of that cave. I am something new; he wanted a pact, and I was there instead. He would not let her go, and I hated his nagging in my head. Only when she died did he quiet."
He watched Kagome carefully as she listened. Her expression went from a frown to obvious sadness and back, but it was different than the start. She was thinking.
"Now that she's back...Is it worse?"
Did she actually care? Did he care if she did or not?
"Yes. He loves and hates her. She consumes his thoughts, as if he has nothing without her. It is infuriating."
"It was his infatuation that kept him alive, Naraku. He is not truly himself anymore, is he?"
Naraku had not truly accomplished his objective that night. He certainly managed to earn some trust from the girl, but he had certainly failed in turning her from her friends. It seemed that she genuinely wanted everyone to be happy, with not a care for herself outside of her own pain. He was naturally suspicious of this; everyone wanted something. She seemed to see the good in everyone. Even him. It took him a very long time to realize she rarely acted out of selfishness, and when she did it was when her temper got the best of her. For whatever reason, when Inuyasha tormented her, it began to infuriate him.
A half-demon himself, understanding his own instincts had been a challenge. Now, he felt a surge of possessiveness about the priestess that he did not understand. And if there was anything Naraku despised more than the weakness of emotions, it was the weakness of the unknown. He would rather delve into whatever he was feeling and ensure it was not something that would distract him later than ignore it and pay the consequences.
"You feel annoyance, Naraku...Why are other emotions inferior? If love is a weakness, surely irritation must also be."
"I can think clearly despite my annoyances."
"And you cannot do so when you are attached to something?"
"Onigumo could not."
"You are not Onigumo," she replied, her voice gentle.
For the first time, the girl reached out and touched him. It wasn't truly him, and for the moment, he was almost sorry he had not gone himself.
He hated that he wanted her to touch him. He wanted the jewel; and he wanted Kikyo destroyed to banish Onigumo once again. He wanted to be himself, not this horrid half-existence, depending on others to keep himself together. Only the jewel could do that.
He could not look at her any longer; he fled through his puppet, cutting off the connection through Kanna's mirror. She was doing something to him; he felt some strange sensation that he loathed to liken to Onigumo's attachment to Kikyo. He had to be careful. If this was where his feelings were leading him, perhaps it was better to do without.
Time after time, the feeling grew until he could no longer bear the distraction of the foolish priestess. It was a weakness that he must be rid of. A human weakness. He had to be rid of it. Reaching into his own body, he fought with Onigumo, tearing out the human heart within. There was blessed peace, the raging, mad human was gone, as were the feelings that came with him. As he stared at the heart, still beating in his hands, he could not help but think of the fragile human priestess; a desire flood through him and he stumbled backwards, startled at the ferocity of his own emotions. Ripping out Onigumo had only made his feelings stronger; the human had been trying to hide them from him. Groaning, he shoved the human heart back into himself; but, like any selfish creature, resolved to no longer ignored what he wanted. He had set out to take Kagome from Inuyasha, and now he truly wanted to.
Naraku smirked. He had successfully managed to separate Kagome from her pesky friends. His miasma coated the valley, cutting Kagome off from aid. He reached out to her, as he had before.
Come in, priestess. It will not harm you.
She hesitated, staring at the dead grass in the miasma.
"Why doesn't it affect me?"
"Because I do not wish it."
"Why does it kill the grass?"
"Because I do not care for it."
Kagome felt her heart lurch. Did that mean that he somehow cared for her? He was just trying to manipulate her, as he did with everyone. The weak, insignificant human girl; whatever he was trying to do to her, she was sure he could not succeed. Or was this more do to with Kikyo? She would always be second to that woman. Even her enemy preferred her. She would never be anything but a substitute to a dead woman.
"Why are you crying again, my Kagome?" Naraku purred, sliding up beside her in the darkness of his miasma.
She glared at him, his Kagome! Indeed! "Why don't you just go find Kikyo and leave me alone!"
"I do not desire to be anywhere near Kikyo," Naraku clarified briskly, his tone changing rapidly.
"How many more lies will you tell me, Naraku?
He stopped for a moment and considered her. He moved in closer than she was used to, brushing her hair out of her face. "I will not tell you lies, Kagome."
"I don't believe you."
"I promise you, Kagome, I will never lie to you."
"You do not lie with your words, Naraku." She was very aware of his closeness as she continued quietly, "I have no reason to believe you."
The worst part of the whole situation was that Kagome wanted to trust him. Naraku had somehow become the one she turned to when she needed to unload. He had not broken that confidence, even though she had not asked it of him. He was brilliant and terrifying; and there was no way Kagome could trust him. He wanted something from her; he had been upfront about wanting knowledge about the future, but that could not be the only thing he wanted. They still fought with his cronies in the woods over jewel shards. He was still collecting them; and while he hadn't made a move for her's, she knew it was only a matter of time.
Naraku observed the girl in front of him; she looked absorbed by her thoughts. She was quiet, her eyes darting back and forth like she was arguing with herself. He knew she would not trust him, but he wanted her trust. He had not expected to get this far so quickly. She was starving for positive attention, and he found he enjoyed giving it to her.
"Naraku."
The half-demon looked up from his maps, surprised. Kanna did not often speak unprompted.
"I have information for you. I have seen a possible future."
"Speak, Kanna."
"She will not survive your wish. If she wishes—"
"I will die." he sighed, not needing to hear the rest, but Kanna surprised him yet again.
"No," the void demon said quietly, "You will have what you want."
He froze. Kanna had never lied to him before. It seemed, no matter what happened, he would have what he wanted. Something unsettled Onigumo as Kanna spoke. The insufferable human wanted him to wish; he wanted Kagome dead. Anything Onigumo wanted was worth doing the opposite.
"That is interesting. You may leave."
When the void demon had left the room, Naraku sat back and considered his options. There did not seem to be a downside to giving her the jewel. He had to trust her to do it, and that was not something he was particularly willing to do. There were so many things that could go wrong, or Kanna could be lying. Someone could take it from her before she could use it. Or the half-dog whelp would be unable to protect her. That seemed more likely. Her death had never bothered him before, but he knew how painfully human she was. He wanted to be close to her; no longer gladly entertaining the thought of killing her.
If Kanna was telling the truth, he would be rid of Onigumo one day. There did not seem to be a downside, and so it had to be a lie. Nothing came without consequence, and no one offered up information selflessly. No one, it seemed, except Kagome.
Irritated, and compelled by a deep-seeded urge to be close to the priestess, he left his castle to meet with her in person.
Kagome could feel the jewel shards coming closer; she knew Naraku was on his way, this time, in person. Thinking quickly, she pointed in the direction of the jewel shard they had been following.
"If we stay here, we won't catch up to the shard in time," she said quietly.
Sango frowned at her, "Kagome, we are not moving you further on your ankle, it's too swollen."
Kagome shook her head, "I will stay here. Leave Kirara with me, and if something happens, she will make sure I am safe."
Inuyasha immediately stood and readied himself to leave.
Sango and Miroku both frowned at him in a look of stubborness Kagome recognized.
"Really, guys, I'll be fine. We're so close to having our half of the jewel completed. I don't want to miss this one because I'm clumsy."
Sango finally nodded, bidding Kirara to stay with Kagome. The cat demon settled down quickly and was soon sleeping in Kagome's lap.
Kagome watched her friends go, torn by her secret. She did not want to deal with Naraku, but he did not nag her about her injuries. He might think her weak, but he had no reason to complain about it. She hated when he visited her; and she hated it when he didn't.
He was coming in person this time, the shards were with him. Kagome could feel them speeding toward her, then coming to a sudden stop nearby. Kirara had not yet noticed his presence, as she was still sound asleep in Kagome's lap. In fact, the demon cat only woke when Naraku was visible. The firecat woke with a start, hissing and spitting even as she grew to her true form.
"Kirara, no. It's fine." Kagome soothed the cat gently.
Kirara looked at her with intelligent eyes, as if to say: "No, this is not fine. He is the enemy. You are not safe." Nevertheless, the firecat had the appearance of settling down. She remained her full-size and lay next to Kagome.
"They left you behind?" Naraku said.
"I sent them ahead. I felt you coming closer."
"Are you not ready to give up our secret, Kagome?"
He brushed a surprisingly gentle hand down her cheek and she shivered, though she could not say with what emotion. There were far too many to sort through.
"You are injured," he observed with a frown.
"It would break their hearts to know I've been speaking to you. I've betrayed them," she said quietly. "Please go away."
"And let you me miserable in peace? I think not. What is it you are reading?" His voice was calm and smooth, and she let her friends slip from her mind. It was just her and Naraku; no jewel, no quest, and no enemies.
Kagome glanced at the book at her side, her history textbook. "It's a book on the past. I have a test next week." She stared dispondantly at the text.
"Tell me of your past, Kagome."
"You just want to know about the future."
"What harm will that bring, priestess?"
She paused. She had seen enough movies to know what might happen if she were to meddle in time, but it hadn't exactly been her idea in the first place. All the demons were gone from her world; nothing she had done so far seemed to change anything.
She knew he could sense her hesitation, and she was rapidly losing the upper-hand; something she never seemed to have around him to begin with.
"There are no more demons," she said finally, hoping to throw him off-balance. Instead, however, he laughed. It was oddly genuine, carrying little of the malice she had heard in his laughs before.
"Kagome, we are so very good at hiding, I would not be surprised if we were everywhere."
"I can sense your aura," she protested, standing firm in her beliefs. Now that Naraku was close, she could feel waves of his dark energy press against her. It was not as oppressive as when she was outright fighting him, but it was definitely there. Suddenly, it was gone. She could not help the gasp that escaped her throat.
Naraku smiled. "Reach out to me, Kagome. You'll find me if you try."
She frowned at him, fear creeping in. What if she had been wrong? She did not want Naraku to teach her anything. She hadn't succeeded with her training when Inuyasha tried to teach her, so why would Naraku be any better? He couldn't possibly want her to be in better control of her powers. Unless he was just bored, which was suddenly coming clear to Kagome. He could absolutely be toying with her because he was bored. Which means he found her, or the future, at least somewhat interesting. It couldn't hurt, could it? She had been saying that to herself a lot more since Naraku started coming around, it was a dangerous line to toe.
Despite her reservations, she nodded, willing to play his game. She tried to expand her aura, using the methods that Kaede had taught her. She felt calm for once. Inuyasha never seemed to be quiet enough for her to use Kaede's training properly. She felt Kirara's small, fiery aura warm her own, and she tried to push herself out further. She stretched until she was sweating and exhausted.
"I can't," she said, opening her eyes to face Naraku's smirk. "I'm too weak."
"You will get stronger."
"I've been trying!" she could not help the tears that began flooding out of her. "I'm useless."
"Try again, priestess," he urged, his voice calm.
Naraku's calm voice spurning her on, she took a deep breath. There was something about his voice that calmed her, urging her to try again. With tears in her eyes, she reached out, breathing in sharply when she felt Naraku's skin contact her own. Focusing her energy, she concentrated on his core. It was faint, very faint, but she pushed further until she found the familiar dark aura of the demon next to her.
"Sometimes, priestess, all you need is the right target."
Her lip trembled, how could it be that she could accomplish in just a few minutes with Naraku what she couldn't with hours of training with Inuyasha? She wasn't certain she wanted an answer.
"They are coming back," she whispered, unsure for the first time. Part of her was certain whatever Naraku was up to was a trick, but her heart wanted him to stay.
"Until we meet again, Kagome."
Kagome watched him leave; he had taught her something. It hadn't truly been for free, she had offered up information first, but he had taught her. An exchange of sorts, unspoken though it may have been.
Naraku continued to be patient with Kagome, teaching her in exchange for information about the future. As the weeks passed, she became stronger, just as he'd promised her. She was a quick learner, and he enjoyed knowing he had accomplished much more with her than Inuyasha ever had. He knew she was closer to trusting him than she had been before. In fact, he had sensed some reluctance the last several times he had departed.
Eventually, they had to come around to another altercation. Kagome's band of misfits had beaten him, though he had managed to sneak a few shards away from them. He would find out soon if it had been worth it. He knew he had managed to hide how severely he had been wounded for long enough to escape. He had not counted on Sesshomaru helping his younger brother. Kagome's face as he fled was burned into his memory. She looked concerned. He could not let her find him like this, he did not trust her concern. She could lead them right to him, and they would easily destroy him.
Kanna, on the other had, seemed to have a different idea. She came into his private room, unannounced, the girl in tow.
"Kanna. Leave."
"I'm sorry—" Kagome's voice was clear and refreshing. "I asked her to bring me to you."
Kagome's voice made what little he could move of his body cringe away. It was dark enough he knew she could not see him. He could see her squinting in the darkness. All of her reluctance to leave him was going to be washed away in an instant.
He snarled at her, "I said leave!"
"No!" She shrieked back at him, her tears glinting in what little light remained.
Angry and afraid, Naraku lashed out with a pair of tentacles, wrapping the girl's arms tightly together, pulling her toward him. Fine; let her have what she wanted. With a great deal of effort, he lit the room up, revealing his half-healed state.
"You want to see me, priestess? Look at what I am. This wretched, half-life of mine is all I have."
He did not bother looking at her face, he knew the look of horror that resided on it. He was not complete. Without the jewel, he would always be reduced to this mass of disjointed demon parts. He started when he felt her gentle hands on him, nearly dropping her in surprise. Her fingers were soothing as she searched. He could no longer see her face, but she did not move to run when he released her.
"Does it hurt?"
He was yet again surprised. "Does what hurt, priestess?" he snarled.
"Trying to keep all this inside you. Just trying to stay alive."
He chuckled, the sound filling the space with the harsh, mirthless sound. "No. Something as little as this does not… hurt. I do feel pain, priestess, but not from existing."
She gasped, as if suddenly realizing something. He watched as she scrambled around the room, occasionally tripping over a stray limb. She was looking for something.
Tired of her trodding on his limbs, he asked her, "What are you looking for?"
"Where are you hurt?" she asked, her eyes full of what looked like remorse.
He sighed and grabbed her once more, lifting her over to the worst of his injuries. Inuyasha had nearly cloven him in two with that damned sword of his; but it was much easier to heal in this manner.
He watched, posed to strike if she did anything to further incapacitate him. She could try to purify him; with all the training he'd given her, she was much stronger now. She did begin using her powers, and it hurt, but it was not the burning of purification. It was the ache of being knit back together, but so quickly that the pain was intense. When she finished, the pain was close to being gone. He would not be able to gather himself into human form until the sun rose, but he was healed.
"Why are you here, priestess?"
He watched her with curiosity as her gaze made its way up to his eyes. "I thought...I thought, maybe, you would want me. You haven't yelled at me as much as others have today. I could have shot you today, I could have killed you and ended it all!" She was growing angry with every word out of her mouth. "I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I could purify you, but I know that I won't. I don't know what I would do without you; and I hate it. Inuyasha went back to her tonight," she spat with a venom that surprised him; she was usually just sad. "After everything we've been through. She needs to go back into the ground; I'm letting her hurt people. I can't help but think that if she was gone...it would all just go away." She looked up at him once more, a strange look on her face. "But that's not true. You'll still be here, because I can't stop you...Why do you want the jewel, Naraku?"
He considered her for some time. She could not have meant everything she had said. Has his advances worked so well that she truly believed she cared for him? She had healed him, but she could very well have been simply strengthening her powers. Perhaps she thought he cared for her. Perhaps she was just so accustomed to his company that she preferred it to those buffoons she called friends.
"I want to be myself," he said simply. She seemed to understand him and grew quiet once more.
Naraku did not understand why he cared what the girl thought of him, but he knew the desire to be near her had grown. She was strong, and more than just her spiritual powers were proof of that. She was intriguing. He found he enjoyed her company and did not want her to leave him. Even now, she did not seem to judge him; she had not turned away. He did not like it when she spoke of Inuyasha; the way her voice fell when she had told him he ran off to Kikyo again. He pondered the encounter even as Kagome sat on the floor, next to a larger section of his body. She yawned, sending a surge of oddly protective feelings through him. Feeling much stronger than he had earlier, he scooped her up off the floor and held her until she drifted off to sleep.
Kagome awoke with a start. The warmth that had been next to her through the night was gone, and now she was covered in the morning dew of the grass. She scrambled to her sleep, trying to sense Naraku, but the jewel shards were miles away now. She took a deep breath; she had run off to Naraku last night, the same way that Inuyasha ran off to Kikyo. At least Naraku did not leave her. He had told her he wanted nothing to do with Kikyo, and she wanted to believe him. A puppet of Naraku's came out of the forest, making her jump.
"I apologize for leaving so soon, priestess," he came close enough to touch her "Your friends are quite insistent that they find you, and I will not give up your secret."
"Thank you," she said quietly, suppressing the urge to reach out and touch him.
He gently brushed her hair out of her face. "I will see you soon, my Kagome."
Kagome watched him go, the ghost of his hand lingering on her cheek. The softness of his voice when he said her name made her feel warm and wanted.
It had been a close to a month since he had seen her; since the first time she had sought him out. He had been focused on making sure her friends did not find him. They were getting dangerously close to completing the jewel, and he was not quite ready to fight them over it. He had noticed the loss of the priestess' presence in the group. She had been visiting the future much more often of late. He could not help but wonder why; perhaps it had to do with the tests she spoke of. Perhaps these trials were a rite of passage in her world, but whatever tests took weeks to complete must have been quite rigorous. She was highly intelligent if she could complete them.
Naraku sent a puppet to watch the Bone Eater's well, waiting for her to return. She and Inuyasha had not parted on the best of terms. This would be his chance to get between them and have her to himself. One day, she finally came through.
Kagome felt a chill run down her spine as she climbed out of the well. Something was watching her. School was over for the year and summer had finally come; which meant she could stay for longer stints in the feudal era. A flash of white in the forest piqued her curiosity and she followed it. Only a few steps in, she could feel something come up behind her. She spun around only to come face-to-face with one of Naraku's look-alike puppets. She sent him a small smile.
"Have you completed your trials?" he asked her.
"Trials? Oh! My tests! Yes. They are all done, though I did not do as well as I wanted to. I somehow managed to pass my classes."
"That is excellent. Well done, priestess. Have you now completed your education?"
She blushed slightly at his praise, but shook her head. "No. I have finished high school, but next I am going to University. I'm not sure what I want to study, yet."
"University? Is your father not trying to marry you off?"
Kagome shook her head, "My father passed away when my brother and I were small. And it doesn't really work that way anymore. Women work, go to school, read, write, and own land just like men do. They don't need to be married to do it."
Naraku nodded in understanding.
"It is the summer now, so I don't have to go back to school for a few weeks," she remarked cheerfully to the half-demon.
He responded with a soft grunt.
Feeling a little slighted, Kagome huffed. He could at least speak to her. She had been gone for weeks, and all he had done was ask questions. She tried to stop her train of thought there; she was expecting something from Naraku, and worse, she was disappointed that he was not giving her his full attention. When had that changed? She looked back over the months prior to her finals and saw her spending more and more time with Naraku; she had missed him while she had been gone.
"Come with me," he said suddenly, surprising Kagome.
She let out a soft screech when he lifted her into his arms and darted into the woods. She could not help but notice his scent; it may have been just a puppet, but there were traces of the real Naraku in the baboon pelt.
Shortly, Kagome found Naraku was taking her to where her friends had made camp. Things were different than when she had left. Kikyo was there with them. Kagome felt the sting of betrayal in her heart and she choked back a sob. It had been two weeks since she had seen them, and they had replaced her with the dead woman. She couldn't believe Sango, Miroku, and Shippo could have really agreed to this, but Inuyasha could be a bully, and without her around, of course Kikyo would make her way into their group. Kagome was going to have to live with Kikyo around, and she hated that. Through her quiet sobs, she turned to Naraku.
"Please," she whispered, "You promised you wouldn't lie to me."
"I did, and I have kept my word."
"Promise me you won't leave me behind," she said. "Promise you won't forget me."
"I will not forget you, my Kagome." He caressed her cheek gently. "Neither will I toss you aside for some clay monstrosity."
She looked up at him when she heard Sango mention going back to the well to fetch her.
"I don't think I'm ready to go back yet; not with her around," she admitted quietly. She wasn't certain what she wanted; the sting of Inuyasha's betrayal was not as deep as it had once been. She did not want to leave Naraku's side; a thought that frightened her deeply.
Without another word, the puppet scooped her up and they began their journey...somewhere. When she saw the great cloud of miasma, she knew they had reached Naraku's castle. As before, it did not bother her and they easily passed through it.
The puppet dropped her just inside the front doors of the castle; the halls were empty. Ever curious, Kagome picked a direction and followed it. She started when a small girl moved into her path. She had bright white hair, and a kimono to match.
"Hello, Kagome. Naraku did not tell me you were coming. I am Kanna."
"You are one of Naraku's incarnations," Kagome mused. The little girl was beautiful, and she held a silver mirror, though her eyes were oddly blank.
"I am a void demon. I see many things," Kanna said.
"Do you see the future?"
"Yes. There are always choices to make. Some are good, others are bad. I cannot tell you what you seek."
What did she seek? She wanted to know if she could trust Naraku like she so desired to, but, if Kanna was to be believed, she could not even see what he was going to do. Something Eri said stood out in her mind; the girls had been talking about the best qualities in a boyfriend. He wasn't perfect, but Naraku scored so much higher by Eri's list than Inuyasha did that Kagome was beginning to wonder if Naraku was the evil they thought him to be. He was certainly selfish, but he had told her that he would not lie, and that he only wanted to be himself. He wanted Onigumo gone, and the jewel was the only way to do that. She could not excuse his other behaviors, like Miroku's wind tunnel, but it was not her job to absolve him of his crimes.
It was not long before Naraku himself appeared. "Welcome home, priestess."
For the next week, Kagome spent time with Naraku like she never had before. They discussed history, philosophy, politics, both modern and historical. He listened when she spoke and never once called her names or had to have her repeat herself. There were times when he would disappear into his study, or off somewhere in the world.
Kagome thought it was very nice to stay in one place for a while. She was also starting to develop feelings for the spider. She was relieved when he came back unharmed each time he left. She sought his company more and more often. Very occasionally, he would call her his Kagome, and it began to feel true.
She spend time with Kagura; and the wind demon she had thought was nothing but cruel showed her another side. She asked Kagome about Sesshomaru once, and she realized that Kagura had more feelings than she let on. Over the week, they became something like civil to each other. Kagome was as kind to the residents of Naraku's castle as she was to the villagers she would see regularly; and Naraku did not yell at her for it. She knew he watched her, but she was not going to change herself. If she could not be kind in the midst of everything, then he would never see it.
One day, Naraku came back wounded. It was bad enough that he immediately raced down to his regeneration room. Kagome followed cautiously. He had been slightly volatile last time something like this happened.
Naraku sighed when he heard Kagome enter. She began to search for his injuries and healed them one at a time without a word.
"It seems there is quite the pack of dogs after you, priestess. I didn't realize I had so much competition."
"Inuyasha did this?" she asked him. Her voice was odd, he could not place the emotions that came through.
"He had some help. He's quite determined to find you."
She stiffened, "I see. Is Koga with him?"
Naraku let out a pained chuckled, "The wolf prince? Yes. Inuyasha could not have done this himself."
"I bet he didn't even try to look for me until Koga insisted," she grumbled. She sighed and began looking around the room. Finally, she made eye contact with him and sent him a weary smile. "I can't go anywhere without hurting someone."
He did not have a response for her, it had never occurred to him that one could exist without hurting others; he had never lived that way. She, on the other hand, had tried so very hard to help others. She had even healed Kagura after he had been angry with her. It took so much out of her that she was exhausted the next day, but she never complained; and he could not bring himself to be angry with her. Perhaps he might be able to trust her, someday.
He was startled out of his thoughts when he felt her climbing on him. He reached out and caught her as her foot slipped on one of his scaled forms. "What are you doing, Kagome?" he asked dryly.
"I want to come up to you," she said earnestly.
He did not understand why the priestess was being so kind, but she was not aiming to kill him or his incarnations. She had not tried to take his jewel shards, and now, she seemed more sad than she had before.
"I will just come down to you, priestess."
She waited patiently for him to adjust enough to move the parts of him that remained mostly human down toward her. He had not managed to regrow all of his limbs yet, but she did not seem to mind. She watched him, her eyes lit up with some kind of fascination.
He froze when she came up to him without any trace of fear or disgust. Cautiously, she placed a hand on his face; one of the few parts of him to come away unscathed. He could not help the sharp intake of breath when she reached out with her other hand to touch his hair. She drew back immediately.
"Naraku, did I hurt you?" Her blue eyes were filled with concern.
"No, priestess. What are you doing?" he asked warily. No one touched him in the way she was, and somewhere deep down, he did not want her to stop.
She did not answer him, and instead wove her fingers through his hair.
He watched her as a blush grew on her cheeks as she smoothed his hair out with her fingers.
"Is it silly that sometimes I am jealous of your hair? I don't see how you and Sesshomaru always seem to have perfectly smooth, untangled hair. It just isn't fair."
"It is silly to assume you can reach perfection," he said with a hint of mirth.
She started back with a frown, but then broke out into a smile. "Naraku! Are you teasing me?"
He gave her a small smirk. "Most here don't appreciate my humor, but, I beleive it may be due to the fact they are all afraid of me. Why aren't you afraid of me, my Kagome?"
She shrugged. "I suppose, of everyone I know here, Inuyasha is the only one who has tried to kill me less times than you, and you— you haven't betrayed me like he has."
"I hope your opinion of me is not entirely based off the differences between your half-dog and me," he said, mildly annoyed.
She shook her head immediately. "No. I...I didn't mean to compare you like that. I just meant—" She met his gaze once more, blushing fiercely.
The next thing Naraku knew were her lips gently brushing against his. He froze; this had to be a trick, she could not feel the same desire that was coursing through him. She pulled back with a shy blush on her cheeks and Naraku stared at her in shock.
"What have you done to me, Kagome?" he demanded quietly. An urge was building in him; something he was desperately trying to control. Two warring voices screamed at him as he stared at her. One he knew was Onigumo, the other was tied so closely to the emotions he knew were his own that it could only have been himself. The warring voices grew louder in his head until he wasn't certain he would hear Kagome if she spoke. He had to listen to one or he would go insane; he could not listen to Onigumo's cries to kill her.
"Naraku?"
Her voice seemed to pull him out for just long enough that he could focus. She looked concerned.
"I am sorry Inuyasha hurt you. It was all my fault; if I hadn't come here, I could've kept them away from you. I— I have to go back to keep everyone from getting hurt. Please, will you let me go?"
He blinked, realizing he had her tightly wrapped in his hold. He started to loosen his grasp when the beastly voice roared up once more. She was going to leave him.
"No," he said aloud. "You can't leave me now, Kagome, just to go back to that half-demon who betrays you."
Her hands began to burn against his skin as she struggled against his hold, but he could not seem to stop what he had started. Some instinct the half-spider did not understand had taken ahold of him and was not letting go. He crooned her name until she quieted; tears falling from her entranced blue eyes.
"Naraku…" was the last word from her lips as she succumbed to his magic.
He brushed her hair from her neck, and sunk his venom-filled fangs into her shoulder. He did not know how long he held her there. After a moment, a blinding light struck him and flashes of moments with her filtered through his head. Not things that had happened, but perhaps things that could. Slowly, he began to regain his own senses as his deeper self was sated. The moment he returned to himself he pulled back from her sharply, staring at her limp form. What had he done? She was as still as death, her eyes staring blankly at him. A small panic formed somewhere inside him. He had killed her. After all these years, he was still a slave to Onigumo's wishes. Anger pulsed through him until he realized the sobbing in his head was coming from Onigumo. Onigumo had not done this. He inspected her closer and realized she was still alive; her breath was shallow, but he had not killed her. He shut her eyelids with a gentle hand; hating the way the way she seemed to accuse him with dead eyes.
He tried to think about what had had done to her. He had nearly killed her, sapping her essence like the spider that he was, but he remembered replacing it with his own. He rolled her over, looking at the smooth mark the remained where he had bitten her; he followed the mark, pulling back her clothing as he looked at her back. In the middle of her back lay the image of a spider; black and red and undoubtedly his. It was much prettier than the scarred, burned spider image on his back, he mused. Fitting for how beautiful she was. He had marked her, and there was no going back from this.
He had never bothered to learn enough about this process to understand exactly what had happened. It was not something half-demons experienced as a whole. It shouldn't have worked...She had to have allowed it. He knew that much. He could take all the essence he wanted, but he knew he could not give her his without her opening up to him. She trusted him, even in the spell-induced haze to let him in somehow. She couldn't have known what was happening any more than he had. No matter what either of them did now, they belonged to each other. He had not meant for this to happen. She was supposed to be an amusement; something to distract him from the monotony of finding the jewel shards.
Naraku shook his head. He had no intention of linking himself to another being this way. Now this girl was a weakness, and one he could not rid himself of. She had to be protected. No one could no, but thanks to his nature, it was marked all over her back, where anyone who looked could see. He may have been a spider, but that mark was not particularly subtle. He thought about hiding it from her, but he had promised not to lie. How he wanted to lie to her; to tell her anything but admit what he had done, however accidental.
He watched as color returned to her cheeks and her breathing normalized. As she stirred, he realized he could feel her. He had a brief impression of the ache in her shoulder where he had bitten her. She began to stir, and then awoke with a sudden start.
"Naraku?" she asked, breathing hard.
"Quiet, my Kagome. You need to rest," he said softly.
She sat up, despite his protest. She groaned, clutching her shoulder. "What happened? It hurts. I remember everything hurting, and then everything went dark. I— I kissed you."
"Kagome…"
"I feel strange," she remarked. Her eyes widened in fear and anger. "I can feel you. What did you do to me?"
He remained silent. He promised he would not lie to her, not that he would tell her everything. He couldn't admit to her that he had a weakness. That she was his weakness. She was his enemy.
"You…" she shook her head, "You bit me."
He gave her a small nod. "I couldn't have you go running off to tell Inuyasha where I am."
He watched as her lips pursed in anger. "Have I ever given you away, Naraku‽ Why can't you trust me? All these months I've kept you a secret!"
"I have no more reason to trust you than you have to trust me. We have opposing goals."
"A goal that was forced upon me! You can always change your mind!"
He laughed. He was not going to spend his entire existence fighting with his own body. "The reason this happened, my Kagome," he crooned, "is because I am fragmented. These things will keep happening until I am more than this," he said, unable to keep the frustration out of his voice.
"Trust me, Naraku. Please?" she whispered to him quietly.
He frowned at her. He couldn't trust her. How could he trust her when he could not even trust himself? "I need the jewel," he said.
Tears filled her eyes as she nodded. "I don't know what you did to me, Naraku, but I cannot give you the jewel. I can't let you hurt people any more. I— I" she hesitated, reaching out for him. He had been there to comfort her through her friend's betrayals, and now he was one. "I should have known this would happen; I still want to trust you, Naraku," she admitted to him. "But I need you to trust me. I can't stay here any more. I— I need some time."
With that, she ran out of the room. He could feel her leaving the castle, and he felt the loss.
Kagura turned to Kanna as Kagome fled the castle, still unbothered by Naraku's miasma. Kanna let out the smallest of smiles.
"The future is becoming clearer."
Kagome ran; she ran until she could not run any longer. She could feel Naraku; she knew where he was, and had an odd desire to return. She had a strange sense of ease with him after he had bitten her. He had seemed irritated that he'd done it...like he hadn't meant to do it. He seemed almost...afraid. The back of her shoulder still stung, burning like venom still coursed through it. It began to rain, and she cried. She remembered the agonizing pain of the initial bite, and then his voice in her head, but it was not quite his voice. It was some feral incarnation of him. He promised her she would be safe; he promised the pain would go away. She let him in and then the pain was gone. She remembered in flashes, like a fever dream. Their spirits sat with each other; he had stroked her hair until the pain was gone. She felt comforted and safe, this Naraku had not lied to her.
As she wept in the cold rain, a lone figure came up to her.
"Priestess," came a cold, stoic voice that startled her out of her weeping.
She looked up to see Sesshomaru, his eyebrow raised in a cold amusement.
"You know my brother has been searching for you," he sniffed her for a moment. "Hn. You'd best keep away from him for now if you want to keep your secret. You reek of spider."
Her lip trembled slightly; she could not tell what Sesshomaru wanted, but it almost sounded like he was trying to help her.
"Where can you go, priestess? I can escort you to my lands, if you need the time," his golden eyes were intense as he surveyed her.
She shook her head. Home; she could go home. "The Bone Eater's well. I— I need to get away from him. He doesn't trust me, Sesshomaru. I can't change that."
He gave her an odd smile, "Hn."
He lifted her up out of her pity and began to fly. She screeched and held on tighter.
"Calm yourself, priestess. I am not so weak as to drop something so light as yourself."
Embarrassed, she stilled. Sesshomaru was a swift flier and they were soon at the Bone Eater's well.
"Thank you, Sesshomaru. For everything," she said. "I think I have misjudged you as well."
He gave her a nod of acknowledgement.
She smiled and jumped down into the well. Everything would be fine. Naraku was far away in his own castle, and she would be safe in the future, when Naraku was long gone.
The moment Kagome reached the other side of the well, instead of the calm she expected, panic filled her. Naraku was so much closer. He had survived somehow. She knew he could feel her, and would know where she lived. Souta, and Mama. Panicking, she scrambled out of the well as quickly as she could. She darted into her house, an arrow knocked, only to see her family sitting pleasantly at the dinner table.
"Kagome!" her mother exclaimed cheerfully, "You remember Mr. Kumode?"
Kagome let her mouth drop and let her weapon clatter to the floor. Fear pounded in her heart. How had she not seen it before? The man gave her a smile and a nod, his eyes meeting hers in a knowing way.
"Kagome! Say something!" Souta hissed at her side.
"O— of course. Nice to see you again, Mr. Kumode."
He nodded, still giving her that knowing grin, absently spinning the ring on his finger. It was something she noticed him doing before, but she thought it was just a habit. Naraku was not one to marry. It was more disconcerting that he didn't quite look like Naraku, but she knew it was him. He kept his hair swept back in the same ponytail he had all those years ago, although it was shorter than it had been.
Her mother scolded her for bringing the weapon inside the house, but Naraku waved her off.
"It does not bother me, Mrs. Higurashi. I'm afraid I have not been entirely honest with you."
Kagome watched as the illusion of a kind, middle-aged man melted away to reveal the demon she knew he was. She could see how his features were similar to the guise he had worn, but she felt slightly more at ease at seeing his real face.
"I have been waiting a long time for Kagome to recognize me; and now, it seems that day has come."
"You are one of her friends from the past!" Kagome's mother exclaimed with delight.
Kagome stiffened; he was not her friend. Then again… she had been the one to kiss him. Resigned, she nodded solemnly.
He gave her an amused glance. "We were not friends; not for a long time. If I am reading the look on Kagome's face correctly, we are not yet friends. My name is Naraku."
Mrs. Higurashi nodded thoughtfully, having heard Kagome's stories about the demon.
"You have no intention of hurting my daughter, or my family?" she asked him pointedly.
"I do not," he said, meeting her eyes.
She seemed to take him at his word and sat once more. Then, as if nothing had happened, she continued their earlier conversation.
Slowly, she sat down at the table in the only open chair, which happened to be next to Naraku. She could not help but stare at him as he held a quietly pleasant conversation with her family. He spoke to her brother about his current video game interests and kept up with her mother's interests. He had been doing this her whole life, she realized. He had always been around; he had watched her grow up. Was he here for revenge, now that he could savor it? She did not touch her dinner as she continued to work herself up about his presence at her dinner table.
She jumped when his hand came out to touch hers under the table. It was a soft touch that confused her more than she was already. It was...comforting.
She ate slowly, poking at Naraku's aura, trying to figure out if it was truly him. When she finally brushed against it, she started slightly. It was different; it was no longer the jumbled, warring, untamable aura she knew. It was strong, confidant, and whole. Something had happened to him. He was no longer the half-demon he had loathed.
She excused herself when she was half-done with her soup, her shoulder still burning. She nearly ran up the stairs to her room. She could feel Naraku's stare on her as she left. She closed the door and tried to pretend he was not just down the stairs. She pulled off her shirt, trying to get a look at the bite that kept itching and irritating her. It was smooth; but there was a mark on her skin that trailed off her shoulder. With a frown, she darted into the bathroom, spinning to look at her back. Where her smooth skin had once been clear and unblemished now lay the mark of a spider, it's long, spindly legs curving around her shoulder blades. What had he done to her?
Sesshomaru had been amused when he found her, as if he could smell the difference. Whatever Naraku had done changed more than what she felt.
With a frown, she marched down the stairs after redressing. She crossed her arms at the demon sitting at the dinner table.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Higurashi, Souta. I believe Kagome and I have some unfinished business to discuss." He stood and walked outside.
Kagome had no real choice but to follow.
Naraku smiled at her when she followed him outside.
"I told you once this well was special to me."
She frowned at him, her wounds clearly much more recent than his.
"Naraku, what did you do to me?"
He sighed, he had been trying to come up with the right thing to say for decades; it never did seem to be enough. "I was foolish, Kagome. I never thought I could trust you."
She snorted a laugh, indicating that it was still quite true.
"I was wrong."
"What does this mark mean?"
He had forgotten he had been so stubborn. He had not even bothered to tell her what he had done by accident.
"I bound you to me with the bite, Kagome. It is the final courtship ritual of a full-demon. As a half-demon, I did not understand what it was until it was over."
"You— " she stopped to think on what he had said; "So…" she glanced at the ring on his finger and felt sick. "You— and me—-" she couldn't say it, it was too surreal and impossible.
He took a deep breath. "Performed the demon equivalent of a human marriage ceremony?" he suggested quietly.
She nodded.
"Yes," he admitted quietly.
"Take it back," she demanded.
"I cannot."
"I didn't want this!" she whispered.
"Kagome," he reached out to her. "It would not have worked if you did not agree to it. If you rejected the bond, I would have killed you, and it would have been an accident."
She frowned, as though trying to remember what had happened.
"Oh!" she breathed before she quickly sat down, Naraku assumed to avoid fainting. "I did say yes, didn't I? I was so angry I didn't remember. It was in that place...you promised...so many things to me. I— I accepted then. It was so much longer than I thought."
"We were there for minutes, but there did not seem to be any time," he said quietly. "I barely remember it. I spent years trying to remember. It turns out most demons go through the same process. Some recall more than others, but only a few have come out the other side unmated. It is not something that any demon wishes to speak of. Especially those for whom it failed. Those I found were almost exclusively arranged matches." He watched as she came to the conclusion that he already had.
"Then, there is some sort of test? I can't remember it at all."
"I don't believe we are supposed to recall what happened there, only that it did happen, and there is no going back."
He could see she needed time with her thoughts. "Walk with me? I will not answer all your questions, but I will tell you what I can."
She nodded, looking quite introspective, and followed him quietly down the steps.
He quickly hid his demonic features as they began to descend onto the streets of Tokyo. When he realized Kagome had been born, he decided to have his next 'son' be his own face, or close enough to it.
As they walked along the street, he knew he was getting stares; he did everywhere he went. It was lucky that the street was mostly empty. Things were wrapping up for the evening. The sun would set in an hour or so, and then it would be much quieter. He caught sight of a kakigori vendor and smiled, it was still warm enough to enjoy the frozen treat, and he knew Kagome enjoyed them. He walked over, and she followed, still partially dazed. He ordered two, and handed one to her, paying the vendor far more than the desserts were worth. He gaped at him as the two hurried off. They walked for a while longer in silence; Naraku quietly enjoying his own dessert.
"Strawberry is my favorite," Kagome said quietly, staring at her dessert. She looked up at him and he sent her an amused smile.
"I have a long memory," he responded.
"I haven't told you that I like strawberry," she countered.
"Not yet."
"Why are you here, Naraku? Thank you for explaining everything to me, but I don't understand why—"
"Don't you?" he said, his voice dangerously quiet. He slowed to a stop as she turned to watch him. She was nervous now; he so longed to tell her the words he had only briefly uttered to her so many years before, but she needed to hear it from his past first. He brushed her face with his fingers, something that felt forbidden as he had not allowed himself to touch her until she recognized him.
She stared at him with wide, nervous eyes. He was not surprised by her reaction; the younger version of himself she was familiar with deserved her mistrust; and he had not yet regained it. But he was so close to her; he hadn't touched her in hundreds of years, and now she was in front of him. He held the back of her neck and pulled her into a quiet kiss. It was shorter than he wanted, but he managed to restrain himself.
Kagome stared at Naraku; his eyes brightening rapidly. She had felt his longing in his kiss. This was not the same Naraku she knew from the past; it was almost like this Naraku...loved her.
Suddenly, his gaze snapped to the side, his eyes flashing quickly back to brown. Kagome followed his gaze and let out an undignified squawk. There, in all their startled eagerness, were her friends. They ran toward the pair, practically dragging her away from Naraku.
"Kagome!" Eri exclaimed in a hushed voice that she was certain Naraku had no trouble hearing. "That's Takara Kumode!"
Kagome nodded in acknowledgement. How many aliases did Naraku have? She was still busy thinking when she realized Yuka had asked something of her.
"Oh! His...father owns our shrine. It has been in their family for generations, and they came over for dinner," she blushed.
"He kissed you," Ayumi said quietly, narrowing her eyes. "Did it not work out with Inuyasha?"
Kagome shook her head, she supposed it had not. "I tried, but I don't think he loved me, so I decided to move on. Takara was there for me when Inuyasha left." It wasn't a lie, or, rather, it wasn't any worse of a lie than she had told her friends in the past.
Eventually, she managed to shoo them off, but she knew she needed to catch up with them, and would need a good story about Naraku in order to do so.
"Takara? That is a little on the nose, don't you think?" she remarked as they walked back to the shrine.
The spider sent her an amused smile. "Even more than Kumode? I was not exactly trying to be subtle, Kagome."
"You talk a lot more than you...used to."
"Sesshomaru's brood is...enthusiastic. I have had a lot of practice."
Kagome giggled in spite of herself. "Sesshomaru is even less vocal than you, Naraku."
"You are correct. His children, on the other hand, are not very good at shutting up."
"Do you see the often? Will you tell me who their mother is?" she asked, hopeful.
She waited as he considered her question.
"I do see them, quite often, in fact. They are, in a way, my nieces and nephews."
Kagome grinned widely; Sesshomaru had married Kagura. He did love her. That was a piece of ammunition she was not going to waste when teasing the older dog demon. "Aren't they technically your grandchildren? Kagura came from you."
He groaned quietly, "Technically, I suppose you are correct. That would also make Sesshomaru my son-in-law, and I do not think either of us are comfortable with that; he is almost twice my age."
She mused quietly about Sesshomaru; she never thought he cared, or that Kagura cared, or that Kanna was as capable of emotions as any other being. Naraku seemed to be no different.
"You can trust my words, Kagome, but you cannot trust me," Naraku said as they approached her front door. "That day will come, but I do not think it will be easy."
"How will I know when I can trust you? I don't really trust you now."
"Ask me to give something up; something that I use. The day I do, then you can trust me."
Kagome nodded, still very wary of trusting him. It was probably good advice. In fact, it was probably what happened in his past, and her future.
When Kagome returned to the feudal era, she had made certain to bathe quite thoroughly. Sesshomaru's remarks on her smelling like Naraku lingered; he knew something had happened between them.
"Kagome," her mother called to her as she was readying to leave. "I know that the past has called you to it, and I want you to know that whatever happens, I will always love you."
Kagome looked at the item her mother was holding out to her. It was her father's wedding band.
"I don't know if you will come back to us or not, but I want you to have this. It is important to me that you have something to hold onto."
Crying, Kagome embraced her mother. She slid the ring onto a chain and kept it around her neck.
Kagome climbed out of the Bone Eater's well, said a passing greeting to Kaede, and began to march toward the largest section of jewels that was not also in Naraku's possession. She had been on the move for most of the day when Sesshomaru appeared beside her.
"I will take you to my brother, if that is what you wish." His face was unreadable, but he had been trustworthy before.
"I would like that very much, thank you, Sesshomaru."
As they flew, she prodded his aura lightly, trying to delve his emotions. Once, she pushed too hard and he snapped at her.
"If you wish for my continued aid, priestess, you will cease your activities," he snarled quietly.
He seemed stressed about something; if he truly loved Kagura at this point in time, Naraku was a threat to the woman he loved. Kagome's heart softened further toward him.
When they began to descend toward the campfire her friends had likely made, she turned to him and said earnestly, "It will be alright, Sesshomaru. I won't let him hurt her." She was going to hold onto that promise if it killed her.
"Hn," was all the response she received, but she saw the mild surprise on his face. He was grateful.
The explosion that came when she walked into the camp with Sesshomaru was about what she was expecting. Everyone seemed to get involved on one side or another, until Kagome screamed.
"Enough! Inuyasha, you do not get a say in where I go or what I do when I need time away. Sesshomaru helped me, and it doesn't matter if I was at home, or with your brother, or with someone else!"
Inuyasha's ears drooped.
"I know you were worried about me, and I am sorry for not leaving word for you, but yelling at me when I do come back is not the way to make me want to stay."
He did not argue with her after that.
"Kagome?"
"I'm not sure I'm ready to talk to you, Naraku. I know what you did. Maybe if you had asked me, I would have been more okay with this. I am not your plaything."
He ignored her, unwilling to answer her like he ought to. How did she know what he had done? Who did she trust enough to tell? She had gone straight to the future after he had bitten her, perhaps she knew someone there who told her. He could also smell traces of Sesshomaru on her; he was exceptionally intelligent, and would likely have figured it out quickly. He watched Kagome as she quietly read her book.
"History?"
Kagome slammed the book shut, "If you're going to pester me, can you at least do it silently‽"
He frowned at her, knowing she had meant what she said about losing her trust. If he was patient, it would come quickly. He was nothing if not patient. With a sigh, he sat behind her as she opened her book once more, surprised when she relaxed into his baboon pelt with more ease than she ever had before. He ran a hand through her hair, enjoying Onigumo's sobbing complaints inside his head that appeared every time he touched her.
"I am angry with you, Naraku, but I will not abandon you. I am not Kikyo."
He opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off.
"Come on, Naraku. You can admit to me that you care. I will not betray you."
He narrowed his eyes; there was something he was clearly doing wrong. She refused to bow to his whims like everyone else in his presence. Despite everything he had done, she had remained unafraid.
"I have a proposition, Naraku. I know you want me to trust you, but in my world, trust is earned. Give Kohaku back to Sango, and I will believe you."
He sent her a heavy frown, he had no reason to give the boy back, except, now she had promised her trust in exchange for him.
"You do not have to agree, but now you know my terms. Trust goes both ways, Naraku."
"That is...fair," he agreed reluctantly. He considered her for a moment; she was...different. She was acting almost like him; with cold indifference to his problem.
He did not comment on her behavior, but rather pondered her demand. It was possible she was merely manipulating him, but he had never seen such behavior from her. He was certain she was telling the truth. She was not a very good liar. He had tried to manipulate her, but he was not so sure he hadn't been more affected by her. It had been so easy to turn Kikyo and Inuyasha against each other; but Kagome refused to turn against anyone she loved, and some that she didn't. Onigumo screamed at him that trust was a weakness; friendship was a weakness. Naraku knew his heart; Onigumo was selfish and unintelligent, and it had been his lack of trust that had destroyed him in the first place.
Naraku may have been a selfish creature, but unintelligent he certainly was not. He was a fool if he ignored the evidence in front of him, but he was also a fool to take it blindly.
Why did they want the boy? He would die the moment the jewel was completed; were they going to use Kohaku against him? He looked at Kagome as she continued to read, smoothing her hair down where it had become unruly. She promised she would not betray him, as he had promised not to lie to her. Kohaku's memories were easy to erase; and Kagome already knew his weakness. If only Kanna would mind what he told her, and didn't go off trying to make the future happen.
"Kanna. Does the future remain the same?"
"It is clearer now, my Lord," the girl responded in her emotionless voice.
Naraku watched through Kanna's mirror as his priestess' friends embraced the boy. He did not let him go immediately, he was starting to think he could trust Kagome, to a point. Her friends, however, he knew would always attack him on sight. In fact, it was something of a habit.
As he watched; they gave the boy new clothes and welcomed him in, seeming to forget, for the moment, that he was bound to die. Would it not be more painful to have him back with the knowledge he would die?
Kagome smiled; her delight only partially due to Sango's joy. Naraku had done what she asked; it had taken him weeks, and she was afraid he was not going to do it. She was so surprised when Kohaku came out the of woods that she shed a tear to see the siblings reunited.
Naraku said he could trust her when he gave something up, was this it? It had seemed to painless. She resolved to watch him, but she had promised to give him back her trust.
Kagome watched the sky, wondering where he was watching from. He was always watching in one way or another. Glancing at her friends, she snuck off into the woods when she thought no one was looking.
"Kagome?" Shippo had followed her into the woods. "Aren't you happy Kohaku is back?"
She turned to the small fox and smiled brightly. "I am so glad, Shippo. I did not want to intrude on the reunion. I enjoy the quiet of the woods."
"Can I sit with you? You have been gone a lot."
Glancing up at the sky, she gave him a nod. He was right; she had not been as motherly as she had been before. He handed her some of the berries he had brought with him and they shared the sweet treat as they sat together.
"What will happen when we complete the jewel?" Shippo asked, his eyes full of concern.
"I honestly don't know, Shippo. I don't even know what will happen to me."
They talked quietly for some time, mostly about the future. Eventually, the kit fell asleep in her arms. Kagome tried to enjoy the small moments; she had a dreadful feeling that one day she would leave and never come back. She couldn't let that happen; she couldn't let Shippo grow up without any sort of mother. What would Naraku do to Kagura...or Sesshomaru to Naraku, if she was not around to mediate?
"Kagome, you are worried. Are you not glad I have done what you asked?"
She turned to face Naraku's quiet voice, careful to not disturb the child in her arms. It was only a puppet, but that was much safer for both of them; she felt his true presence had not moved in a while. "I am. Thank you. I worry about the future. About what will happen to everyone I care for if I leave."
"Why would you go anywhere, Kagome?"
The way he caressed her name only made her feel worse, she picked at the rest of the berries in her hand. "I always preferred strawberries," she said absentmindedly. "I don't belong in this time, and the jewel knows it. I'm afraid it will send me back to the other side of the well. I will miss so much."
Naraku frowned, obviously perturbed by this new information.
"The closer we get to completing the jewel, the more I realize I'm not ready to say goodbye. I don't think I will ever be ready."
"You will do what is necessary," he said, something that was oddly reassuring to her. He growled softly for a moment.
Concerned, Kagome met his crimson eyes.
"Onigumo is aware that Kikyo is nearby. He is...hateful. I must rid myself of him soon."
It must have been so hard to do what he did with so many voices in his head. She knew the real Naraku was in there somewhere. If he was anything like the man she met in the future, he was still manipulative and sneaky, but he loved her. This Naraku must have felt some of the same. She certainly felt compassion towards him, but love? The one thing she remembered about the dream they found themselves in when he bit her was the realization that she could love him. She didn't yet, but she could. Just like the feeling that told her she would leave him, she knew she would love him.
"Naraku," she started hesitantly, "What will happen to Kanna and Kagura if you become a full demon?"
He tilted his head as if he had not considered it before. "They will be free to do as they wish. They may come from me, but neither of them are truly me."
"I know," she said without thinking.
He raised an eyebrow at her.
"I just mean I can't imagine having so many voices in my head. I guess I imagine you'd be more like Sesshomaru if you could be."
When he frowned at her and opened his mouth to argue, she smiled and corrected herself.
"You aren't Sesshomaru, Naraku. I know that. I— I would like you less if you were like him."
His frown turned into a small grin, and she caught the glimmer in his eye, he was about to tease her; something she quite liked. When he was relaxed, he had a sense of humor.
"I was wondering if you were going to admit it," he brushed her cheek and leaned toward her. He brushed his lips past her cheek and whispered into her ear, "Your kit has been awake for the last few minutes."
She started. He had heard everything. "Shippo?" she said gently.
A small sniffle came out of the kit. He sat up, his face red with tears. "Mama, why are...he...he tries to kill us." He turned his bright green eyes to the other demon.
Kagome did not know what to tell him. She was not certain herself.
"I told her I would not hurt you if she came with me," Naraku said, "and I have not. Your...mother is very caring. She even cares about me."
Kagome watched as Shippo glared at Naraku in disbelief. "She is kind, but you are a liar! You did something to her; she wouldn't like you. She loves Inuyasha! Even though he doesn't…" the kit narrowed his eyes at Naraku. "Do you love my Mama?"
Naraku's jaw tensed, and Kagome watched his eyes as his mind worked. Love was not in his vocabulary; but neither did she expect him to tell the truth.
"Let me show you something, kit." Naraku held out a hand, pulling Shippo into his lap, with a slight protest from the boy. "Kagome, would you turn around?"
Kagome nodded and did as he asked, she knew what he was doing; the easiest way to explain his presence to Shippo. The brisk night air was cold on her skin as Naraku lifted the back of her shirt to reveal the mark there.
Kagome felt Shippo's small hands on her skin as he inspected her back. After he seemed satisfied, Naraku's fingers slid down her spine as he lowered her shirt. Kagome turned around once more only to see a pensive frown on Shippo's face.
He looked up at Kagome and back to Naraku; narrowing his eyes, he said, "My real Mama told me that only works if you love someone."
Kagome froze at the look on Naraku's face; but Shippo was wise enough not to push it any further. Instead, he smirked at Naraku.
Turning to Kagome, he asked, "Is he going to be my father now?"
It was not often that Kagome could not read Shippo's emotions, but this was one of those times. "That is up to you, Shippo."
Kagome could not help but smile at Naraku's wide-eyed incredulity.
"I forgot to tell you, Naraku," she said gently, "I'm a packaged deal."
"I understand," he responded softly, staring at Shippo like he might explode.
Shippo grinned widely and said, "You are not as good as my real Papa, but you'll do, Father."
Kagome laughed openly at Naraku's blank expression. The whole scene was straight out of a movie; she was relieved that Shippo trusted her enough to let this be. As long as she trusted Naraku, so would Shippo. As smoothly as ever, Naraku gave Shippo a wry grin.
"Like any father, I expect you to learn what is acceptable, son."
Shippo squeaked and jumped out of Naraku's grasp, back into Kagome's lap. Shippo suddenly became very quiet. Kagome noticed him rubbing his hands together nervously.
Naraku sighed softly, "What is it that you want, kit?"
He looked up at Naraku sheepishly. "Can you help me with my magic? I don't have anyone to teach me anymore. Inuyasha is mean to me when I ask him. I don't think he knows any."
"Show me what you know," Naraku acquiesced patiently.
Kagome was continually surprised by Naraku's restraint. Before these encounters started, she only saw him on the battlefield. He was not...encouraging, but Kagome did not expect that of him, but neither was he cruel to her Shippo. The three of them spent far too long in the woods, but they were not interrupted.
Naraku nodded to Shippo in a gentle dismissal when her mentioned the others were headed toward bed and were wondering about her.
"Do stay out of trouble, my Kagome," Naraku smirked at her. He picked up Shippo and gave him a knowing look, "Keep her from getting into too much trouble, kit."
The jewel was nearly completed. They had retrieved Koga's pieces, and now the only pieces left were their half, Naraku's half, and Kohaku's single shard. Kagome had been dreading this day. She did not want Kohaku to die because of the jewel; but all she could do was hope her wish would bring him back for Sango. She could not bear to watch when Kohaku removed the shard himself, falling into his sister's arms.
Kagome felt Naraku's presence, and they moved toward it as a group.
"Are we going to have to fight him, Mama?" Shippo asked, worry clear in his hushed voice.
"I don't know, Shippo. I don't know if I can," she whispered back.
Naraku knew the time had come. He wanted to believe he could trust Kanna; he knew Kagome had everyone's interests at heart, however it was possible.
"I know my reincarnation is a decent shot these days," she whispered to Inuyasha, "She has not hit him once. There is something wrong with her. He has corrupted her."
"Naraku could not corrupt Kagome," he protested to her quietly.
The battle screeched to a halt as Kikyo's first arrow tore the back of Kagome's shirt, splitting the fabric to reveal Naraku's mark on her back. Everything stilled for a breath. Kagome could only watch in horror as realization dawned on the faces of her allies. There was no time for them to react, however. Kikyo's next arrow came streaking toward her, it's purifying energy propelling it straight toward Kagome. She watched the streak of light barreling toward her. She knew she was not fast enough to get out of the way. She braced herself for the pain; she probably deserved it.
A sharp pain hit her shoulder and she felt slightly jostled before a heart-wrenching screech met her ears. She blinked and scrambled to her senses. Where she had been moments before stood Naraku. He had pushed her out of the way and taken the purifying arrow straight to his heart. She knew he was dying, she could feel it in her soul that he was leaving her.
"No! Why!?" she screamed at Kikyo, running to Naraku as he collapsed on the ground, his breathing rapid and shallow. "No! Naraku…" Frantically, she realized the jewel fragments in his body were not enough to keep him alive after such a powerful hit.
Kagome pulled out her half of the jewel, perhaps it would be enough to save him. He wasn't supposed to die; he lived, he had to live. She glanced at Shippo and Sango. Kagura stood next to Sesshomaru; Naraku had given her heart back. She was not going to let him die. Ignoring the distressed screams from her allies, Kagome shoved the remainder of the jewel into his chest. Pulling out Kikyo's arrow, she tried to heal his wounds, but the jewel got to them first.
"Kagome...What have you done?"
She stumbled back as Naraku rose from the ground, fully healed. Something had come over him; something that was not him. The jewel was whole, and it was powerful.
Naraku knew something was wrong; he was not quite in control of himself. There had been pain, and then her. She had...she had given him the jewel to save him. He could keep it, he could make his wish and be rid of all of this forever. Was that what he wanted?
He looked down at Kagome; his Kagome. Kanna had told him she would die if he made his wish. He could not have that, he would live with her death for all eternity. It seemed so hard to think about anything but the jewel's voice in his head. Luckily, he had practice with ignoring voices that were not his own. He wrenched the jewel from his body and turned it over in his fingers. It was such trouble. The voices came back two-fold as he twirled the jewel in his hands.
Onigumo, yes, but also thousands of voices in a chorus screamed at him to keep it. To use it; to make them powerful. It would be so easy. She will die. I will not lose her. A voice came out above the rest, if only for a moment; it was himself.
Taking advantage of the momentary grasp of his senses, he thrust the jewel out toward Kagome; his hand shook as he tried to drop it, but his fingers remained solidly in-place.
"It's alright, Naraku. It will get better."
She could have been lying to him, but she had not done so yet. With one last great effort, he released his grasp on the small jewel. It hit Kagome's hand and she disappeared with the jewel.
"What do you ask of me?"
Kagome had her answer, "I wish for everyone to be made whole, and for you to cease to exist. To bring no further harm to anyone."
"Strictly speaking, that is two wishes," a kind voice said, contrasting the demonic voice that had spoken first, "But for you, we shall make an exception, jewel keeper. We shall return you. You must say your farewells. I can not give you long."
Kagome blinked the bright lights from her eyes and she looked at her friends. Everyone was the same...but they were different. The largest change she noticed, however, was Naraku's apparent wonder.
"He is gone, Kagome," he whispered to her.
Tears streamed down Kagome's cheeks as she bid farewell to her companions. She knew she did not have the time she wanted.
"Mind Naraku, Shippo. I will see you again, I promise."
Finally, she got to Naraku. "I— " she began, but it was too late. Frantically, she reached to the string around her neck and yanked it off. "Don't forget me." It dropped from her hand, and his concerned eyes were the last thing she saw. She screamed. White light surrounded her and she felt herself falling.
Tears poured from her eyes as she found herself on the bottom of the well.
"No, no, no!" she cried. "I didn't even get to say goodbye! Please, take me back!" she pleaded with the holy ground, but the jewel was gone. There was no reason for the well to send her back, she had fulfilled her purpose. She sank back against the well wall, sobbing.
Suddenly, she was surrounded by a familiar warmth. The softness of a baboon pelt caressed her, carrying with it the sound of his deep voice.
He had not anticipated how upset she would be at leaving him when she knew he was right here, in her own time. It warmed him immensely. He had been bitter for a long time, but he knew he would find her in the future; he just had to survive. Then there was the kit, and Kanna. Merely surviving was not enough; it was not what she would have wanted. Now he was thriving, and she was here to share that with him.
"Kagome," he managed softly, "Do not cry."
A/n: This plunny has been stuck in my head for a while now. It's been so nice to get it out. It's been fun to try my hand at a short(ish) story.