Chapter Two
"Sesshomaru?.." I called out hesitantly as I crept into the well house, my feet stepping lightly along the wooden floor as I slid the door shut behind me as quietly as possible. With the door shut it was fairly dark but the feeling of having another layer between Sesshomaru and the outside world seemed to oddly comfort me even if the layer was only a bit of old weather worn wood. I took a step down and peeked as best I could around the room, the lid was still shut on the well and it hadn't looked like it had been tampered with... The arrow was still there...
I swallowed hard as I searched around for the next step down with my foot, my ears were ringing from the dead silence in the room. My foot slipped on the step and I found myself stumbling forward towards the well, catching myself only moments before my chin connected with the thick wood.
"Shew..." I breathed out as I wiped imaginary sweat from my brow and smiled at myself for catching myself. "This isn't so bad..." I said shakily... He must still be out.
"RRRrrrraaaarrrrrrrrrrRR"
I snapped up just in time to catch a face full of puffed up Buyo, my heart all but stopped in my chest as Buyo sprung off of me like something was close on his heels. He dug his claws into the top of my scalp to jump away and out of a top window the size of a bread box that had been wedged open some time ago I guess...
"BUYO!" I shrieked in a hushed scream as I clenched my chest doubled over from the shock of the cat. I could hear its over weight pudgy butt trying to fit threw the window, and once it finally succeeded in squirming free the window snapped shut loudly behind him... 'There went my light.' I thought grimly as I looked up at the filthy window in which hardly any light could shine through.
…' Okay you can do this, just explain everything... Calmly... He is a Lord he must have to deal with stuff worse then this all the time... He will probably understand... He wont kill me... Would he...?' I shivered at the thought. I couldn't leave him there. He would get out and I'm sure when he did he would be in no mood to listen...
" Sesshomaru... It's me... Kagome, your brothers...Wench..." The last word came out threw gritted teeth as I looked down at the cold wooden slab covering the well. It was so quiet, did he really have a pulse when I checked? I'm sure he did... I'm pretty sure he did...
"Look I want to let you out, but I need to talk to you first."... Still no answer, I didn't even hear any movement. The dust was still covering the wooden slab, did the well send him back!?.. Did it finish what it started going through the portal? I could still smell the electric burnt smell if I concentrated...
"...Please don't be dead." I whispered quietly as I yanked the arrow free and pushed aside the wooden slab letting it fall to the ground beside the well. My eyes were shut tight my breath hitched in my throat as I leaned over into the mouth of the well it was everything I could do just to will them open enough to see...
To see the glowing red eyes glaring up at me...
"Sessh-" I started my hands trembling against the well as I started to back up, I didn't make it two steps before tripping. My head landing against the first step leading out of the well house.
Before my eyes could readjust there he was.
He hovered over me, his eyes crimson red and his growl only caused his gleaming canines to glare at me as what little light that found its way into the well house shown off them.
I found Inuyashas name caught in the back of my throat. Not that I could actually find my tongue to say much of anything currently.
"What is this place?!" He snarled, I could only blink up at him as I tried to form words. 'What should I say?!' His fist slammed into the step my head was resting on causing me to gasp and scramble back into a sort of sitting or rather leaning position against the steps. "I will not repeat myself."
"...My-My home!" I squeaked out I couldn't take my eyes off of his, every part of me was trembling.
"How did we arrive here?!" His face hovered over mine making me want to inch back against the wood afraid his teeth were going to lash out into my flesh at any moment.
'I didn't know why I was so afraid of him, well aside from the obvious. I mean I had stood up to Sesshomaru several times before with Inuyasha when I thought Sesshomaru was wrong or being evil and going to far... I always had a voice and now.. Here alone in the well house with him I cant seem to form anything helpful...Was it because Inuyasha wasn't here to help me?.. Or was it because I knew this time I was in the wrong?' I cringed either of those answers were horrible...
I let out a long shaky breath.
"The Bone Eaters Well... Its a portal to my home... I had to get her medicine... Sesshomaru you shouldn't be here, not just because the well didn't want you here... There's a lot more to it."
He paused for a moment as if trying to digest it all. "Explain quickly, then take this Sesshomaru to see his ward. Do not waste more of my time." I swallowed hard and nodded.
"I live five hundred years in the future... Things are a lot different here... I need you to give me your word that you wont hurt my family or friends. I need your word you wont kill anyone while you are here... You need to give me your word you wont leave my side while you are here, you cant just wander off. Please do you understand if you cant promise this-" I was shaking my nails dug into the dirt beneath me the arrow I'd pulled from the well still clutched securely in my hand.
"If I cant promise, then what?" Sesshomaru pushed at me with his words as the red was starting to slowly leave his eyes.
"... Without my help, you wont be able to go home...Ever. I'm sure if you tried the well would kill you..." I stammered on, my chocolate eyes casting their stare to my now filthy skirt.
Sesshomaru stood up and walked ahead to the door leading out of the well house. "If that is the case, then I advise you choose wisely who you let come in contact with me... I have no need to 'wander' anywhere... Now where is she?" I stood up and dusted myself off quickly and then walked to the door.
"... Sesshomaru the first time Inuyasha came here the smells harshly effected his nose... Just don't freak out okay?.." He just tilted his head at me and I moved to grab his arm to lead him out but I only grabbed his sleeve.
Remembering at once he had lost that arm shortly after we had first met so very long ago, my eyes widened and I frowned slightly feeling like I should apologize for his lose or something.
I opened the door and sighed softly as I took in the early evening sky instead of the bright afternoon sun that I had last seen when I'd entered the well house. 'How long had I been in there..?' I turned to look at Sesshomaru, his face was as usual cold and void of any emotion that might give me a clue as to what he might be thinking right now. I walked at a hurried pace into the house shutting the door behind us as I sighed out loud. 'Made it in the house in one piece.' I thought relieved.
"Souta did you get all the bags out of the car?-Go check for me I cant find the noodles.-Was that the door?" I heard my mom yell from the kitchen and my eyes widened in horror as I saw Souta bounding towards us. He stopped in front of us and shouted back to mom.
"Its sis and she brought company!" He then tried to make his way around me to get a better look at Sesshomaru. "Whose this?" He said quizzically.
"Whose who?!-Oh he's no one really." I stammered backing Sesshomaru into the corner of the room using my arms and legs to block Souta from him. Souta tried to pry around me for a few moments before I was grabbed by the head and drug aside just as I caught eye of my mother and my grandpa coming from the kitchen. "Look I can explain!" I squeaked out as I was tossed backwards int the wall helplessly.
"See here child, I have no time for games. I'm Sesshomaru Lord of the Western Lands." His head turned to where he had moved me and spoke directly to me. "We will be going now." He said dismissively before turning for the stairs. I nodded mutely as I gave Souta a glance mouthing 'I will tell you later.' before hanging my head and moving towards the stairs.
"Kagome whose your friend dear?" My mom said from the entrance to the kitchen. I paused trying to find the right wording.
"Oh he's just a-" I started but Souta cut me off. "Mom he looks like Inuyasha!" Sesshomaru briefly paused in his step digesting Souta's comparison before taking back off up the stairs. "He's just a f-friend!" I squeaked out and made my way quickly up the steps to meet Sesshomaru, ushering him into my room.
"Will he be staying for supper?" She called out loudly from the kitchen before I had shut the door. I glanced over at him... Would he even eat the food? Well if he doesn't it wont be because we were to rude to offer... "Yes he will. Thank you mom!"
I quickly shut the door and pressed my back against it, sighing heavily. 'I forgot about the girl..! She wont be feeling well enough to eat much anyhow, I'll explain things to mom when I go to get supper.' I thought as I lifted my eyes to Sesshomaru's face watching him as he stared down at the sick sleeping girl.
His face was stoic as usual as he stood over the bed his head bent as he stared down at her. His eyes had caught my attention though, his golden eyes almost seemed warm as he starred down at her. The rest of his face a perfect mask but something in his eyes just seemed... More alive.
I looked down at the girl, her hair had started to dry and her cheeks were loosing their bright red rosy color. I smiled softly to myself realizing that meant her fever had most likely broken, I walked over to her passing in front of Sesshomaru as I knelt by my night stand to check the time and ready another dose of medicine. I ran my hand over her head and indeed her fever was a lot better, but she was still warm.
"How is she?" He said from behind me.
"She is doing okay, the medicine is really helping. Its probably doing so good because its so much stronger then anything back in the feudal era its made to fight things a lot stronger then what she has.." As I spoke to him I turned to look up at his face, I could tell I was confusing him. I still hadn't explained fully about my time.
"... You know the whole time I was trying to get her medicine she only kept calling out for you... She really cares about you, I couldn't even get her to stop long enough to find out her name." I mused out loud not really meaning anything by the statement as my gaze shifted back to the sleeping girl's.
"Her name is Rin... She does seem to worry a great deal over me... I will be staying here until she has recovered." Sesshomaru announced in something just above a whisper, his voice never loosing that lace of authority it always seemed to have as he made his way to my desk. I turned to see him bending to sit in my computer chair after starring at it for a moment.
"Make sure you don't lean ba-" I was cut short by the squeak of the chair right before both Sesshomaru and the chair crashed back into the floor. My eyes nearly bulged out of my head as I slapped my hand over my mouth, biting my tongue sharply to keep from laughing. Fury swept across his face as he jumped up almost instantly giving my chair a look of absolute death.
I darted over and grabbed the chair quickly. "Don't break it!" I shrieked, this was going to be like house breaking Inuyasha all over again!
"Woman cannot you not see its already broken." He seethed at me standing and straightening his robes.
I shook my head. " No its kind of supposed to do that, well your just not supposed to lean all the way back in it... Here just let me..." I said as I leaned down and switched the chair lock on so it wouldn't recline and stood back up gesturing to the chair. "There it wont move anymore."
He arched a brow as he doubtfully looked at me and then the chair as if I was playing a trick on him. I only sighed and plopped down in the chair and then tried to lean it back showing him it wasn't moving before getting back up. "See?" He hesitantly took a seat and then realized though it may not flip it still turned. I almost thought it amused him briefly before he settled with facing my cluttered desk, messed up with my school books and notebooks.
"I'm going to go let my family know whats going on, your okay up here right?" I said remembering I just left them downstairs with only the most vague idea of who this guy was or why he was here. "You need not concern yourself with me." Maybe I was just reacting to my epically horrible day, but god could he come off as a prude! With that thought in mind I marched out of the room...
.
.
Several very long tiring minutes later I reemerged into my room carrying a large tray of food and a very exhausted expression. Explaining Sesshomaru to my family, mainly to my grandpa was next to impossible! But with moms expert help and what I can only guess was medicinal tea with the strength and power of a sedative grandpa was a calmer person... 'I hope she has a lot of that tea.' I thought grimly.
Sesshomaru had not moved from his spot and that was just fine by me as I set the tray down in the middle of my floor kicking its table legs out to give it proper lift. Mom had decided on Italian food for reasons unknown to me, we were having spaghetti tonight. She made us a huge bowl of it on the center of the tray setting us aside a few small serving bowls and some utensils. There was a small bowl of soup for Rin, I was still unsure if she could eat it but she needed something more then juice on her stomach.
" My mom made us dinner, she is a really good cook." I assured him as I knelt over the table and made our bowls, cutting the small loaf of garlic bread in half and setting the pieces to the respected sides of the table. "I have chopsticks if you really want them but a fork-" I said holding up the piece of silverware. "-Would be a lot easier with this."
"Save your breath and energy miko, I will not be eating... That." He said again dismissing my effort without even a moments thought it seemed.
"...And here I thought Lords were brought up to have a sense of manners... Hmph!" I grumbled under my breath biting into my bread like it was prey as I angrily chewed.
He said nothing only a 'Hnn' sound before I watched him sit down across from me. He tilted the bowl his eyes examining the spaghetti as if it were some alien substance before he looked annoyedly over at me and I realized why. I set my bread down and swallowed what I had been chewing before grabbing the fork and chopsticks.
"Pick your poison." I chimed with a smile. He looked very unamused at my phrase and I quickly added. "Oh its not poisoned I swear its just a saying we use here! Ehehehe..." How come every interaction with him made me feel so uneasy. Sesshomaru's only reply was a scuffing sound and snatching the chopsticks from my hand.
I felt the bread crumbs on my cheeks and wiped them away with a napkin before taking another bite as I moved to grab a study book at random from my desk. I set it on the corner of the table and flipped it open to where I'd last left off, it was math how lovely I mused. I wasn't long into the book before I noticed an almost scowl on Sesshomaru's face as he seemed to be fighting the long spaghetti noodles, I assumed slurping was beneath his status...
I wiped my face and set my bread down grabbing my fork and twirling a few noodles until I managed a semi neat group, lifting it up and showing him. "This is why I like eating this with a fork, they are kind of long and messy huh?" I said before taking a bite my efforts rewarded by another 'Hnnn' sound which I could only assume was code for annoyance as he reached over and grabbed the spare fork.
"For someone who seems to know so much about manners, she wears an awful lot of what she eats on her blouse." He remarked before mimicking my movements with the fork. Looking down I saw the bread crumbles on the front of my shirt and turned away from the table to clear them. "Oh I'm sorry!" I said quickly turning back after I was finished my eyes drifting back to my math book.
"A dinner table is also hardly a place for ones literature." 'What was this like pay back for helping him with the chopsticks.' I thought sourly.
"Well when you miss more school then you attend and you rarely get to study, just about anywhere is a place for this." I said gesturing to my math book as I continued both eating and reading.
"I did not think humans really concerned themselves with being properly educated." I wasn't positive but I think that was equally as much an insult to me being human as it was a compliment to me seeking to educate myself, either way I'll take what I can get.
"Well here where I'm from we start school when we are small and most everyone has at least a basic education." He didn't reply which I only assumed meant I'd answered his question and the conversation had ended.
After I'd eaten I woke Rin and tried to get her to eat as much of the soup as she would let me before giving her another dose of medicine and laying her back down. She seemed to be feeling a bit better as she was able to stay awake and eat and talk to Sesshomaru and me, after seeing him she seemed to brighten up a lot. She was a very sweet and polite child she had an adorable smile that showed off a new tooth that was growing in to replace one she must' lost a while back. In the absence of her fever you could she a misting of freckles very lightly over her cheeks and nose.
She stayed up for a while asking normal questions like. 'Where were they?' and 'Where was Jaken?' She seemed oddly found of the green toad I very much despised. She complimented my room going on about how soft the bed was and how pretty the room was. As she spoke a little with Sesshomaru I noticed that even though his answers were mostly short, and though he didn't ask her any questions about how she was or how she felt. If you really paid attention he spoke to her differently then he had to me even though the context was pretty much the same there was a almost softness in his tone. At the very least you could tell he regarded her enough to answer her questions all few dozen of them.
Once she had fallen to sleep I went to explaining in as little detail as I could get away with what Sesshomaru needed to know about my time and how he got here. After I cleared up the remnants of our supper and began laying out two futons that covered up most all the empty space in my floor. I laid out separate blankets and pillows before going to my dresser for something to sleep in. Gathering my clothes in my arms I turned back before leaving the room.
"I'm going to go change into my night clothes, after I'm done you can use the bathroom I might be able to find you something to wear if you need it." I saw Sesshomaru glance down at the futon mats and then back up to me and begin to open his mouth. "Let me guess- That wont be necessary?"
"... Look I could understand your attitude if you had many more options but you don't. I don't exactly want to have you sleeping in my room either buddy! But honestly if you sleep downstairs by yourself I'm going to wake up tomorrow to my grandpa sticking all kinds of spells and demon-be-gone stickers on you until you more then likely kill him because he is just that persistent. So please can you just humor this until I can think of something better?" I exclaimed completely exhausted with his above it all attitude.
He averted his eyes from me without a word his gaze locking onto my wall. "You know what- FINE." I huffed and marched out of the room. I took care of my clothes, teeth, hair, and taking a brief moment to assess my shoulder he had clawed before returning to the room in my long sleeved pajamas I'd gotten for Christmas. So what if it was a bit hot for these if I had a Eskimo suit I would've put that on for good measure at this point. I scuffed at him loudly to get his attention.
"The bathroom is the first door you see when you leave my room. You can wash up or whatever you do. I'm to tired to show you how to use the shower so you will have to settle for cleaning your face and hands. I'm going to bed." I said with MY best dismissive tone as I flopped down on the futon next to my bed snuggling against my pillow completely angry I think I had just had all the rude demon lord I could handle tonight.
What a day it had been... At least for now I wasn't worried about him killing me, without me he couldn't get home I was pretty sure. Mom assured me she would try to keep grandpa away from him so I didn't see any more reason to stay awake and try and be sociable with him, not to mention I was rather exhausted.
I yawned and felt my eyelids grow heavy as I felt myself beginning to drift to sleep... Was he really going to sit there all night and watch us sleep?
'creeeeeepppy' I shifted about a bit and shook my head. That's his choice, no matter how much that makes him seem like some weird psycho...
'Inuyasha would have a fit if he saw this...' I sighed as he entered my mind.
This was probably the first time in almost forever I'd gone so long without even a thought of him. 'I wonder if he is okay... I hope he isn't worried about me, I'm sure if he was worried he would've shown up banging on my window already...'
My mind wandered back to the last time I saw him. He looked kind of happy, no he did look happy... Holding her hand. My heart panged at the thought and I found myself frowning as I pushed the thought from mind now wasn't the time to be thinking about these things.
I sighed and resolved to stop thinking and just sleep. That is until I heard the clanking of something hitting the ground. I turned slightly and peeked at Sesshomaru removing his armor from the corner of my eye as I whipped my head back around blushing horribly. " Sesshomaru we have a bathroom for that!" I squeaked out.
"There's no need." Sesshomaru answered as I heard another thud and then felt him climb onto the other futon my eyes were dead locked on the side of my wooden nightstand as I started to reconsider letting him sleep downstairs.
I don't know how long I stayed awake waiting for sleep but it eventually came, pulling me into a dreamless restless sleep. I found myself awake sometime later that night, I had turned in my sleep my back pressed against my nightstand as my eyes fluttered open sleepily.
I hadn't expected to see what I saw.
The moon casting its silvery blue light through my window, shining down on a head of silver hair. He had fallen asleep with his back against my wall, his leg pulled up with his arm resting on it. His sleeve fell back to his elbow, his chin resting against his shoulder. My breath was taken away as I stared at him through sleepy eyes. The moonlight danced along his pale skin like it was illuminating him, his tattoos didn't look as fierce an angry as I remembered them but more soft and elegant now. Without the constant glaring and usual blank mask his eyes looked almost softer in the light, he was kind of beautiful I thought as I starred at him.
I was a bit jealous of his unnatural beauty, how the light almost seemed to be seeking him out. How his skin and hair seemed so flawless. The way he slept like a perfectly posed doll, no hunching over or drool just perfectly placed... I wonder if anyone else ever saw what I was seeing right now? Maybe this was all because I was so unbearably tired I was hallucinating all of this...
My eyes wandered of his pale arm starring at his tattoos along his wrist before looking at his perfectly sculpted claws, I almost shivered taking another look at him I noticed he even had his swords still readied at his side. It was then that I decided that Sesshomaru was as beautiful as he was absolutely deadly and I needed to remember that... Even still the realization didn't keep me from falling asleep watching the Great and Terrifying Lord Sesshomaru slumbering peacefully underneath the moonlight shining through my bedroom window...
I slept soundly without dreams but the image of Sesshomaru lingered threw the night...
A/N:Woot managed to get this done after my Bday party :D! Hope you all like how its going! Please keep me updated! R/R it encourages me to work harder and faster :P!
Thank you!