The first thing Inuyasha noticed when he arrived at the palace was Kagome's confidence.
He'd arrived early that morning with the plan of staying for the day. Everyone missed Kagome, particularly him, so he tried to make the time to visit her every month or so. At least, that's how it had started out. A few demons lurking around the village had given him some headaches, pushing his trip back a few months. The last time he'd visited was in the autumn, and even then there had been a vast improvement in Kagome's movement, but she'd still seemed hesitant.
This time, the difference was astounding.
Inuyasha had arrived at the palace, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw her. She'd been walking through the garden with Rin, easily navigating around servants and obstacles in the garden with the ease of someone with perfect vision. She had still looked blankly ahead with the same clouded gaze he'd had to force himself to get used to, but there had been a peaceful smile on her face as she'd moved. She also hadn't been stumbling and holding onto things—just walking. He'd felt an immediate wave of relief when he'd pulled in her scent, which had been happy and content.
This brings us to the second thing Inuyasha noticed upon his arrival.
Folding his arms together, he leaned against the nearest tree casually. He felt Kagome's reiki expand around him, and then she immediately stopped and looked in his direction.
"So you and Sesshomaru, huh?"
Her face glowed with her answering smile. "Inuyasha! I didn't know you were coming today."
"Keh. I had some time, finally." Softening his tone, he added, "Sorry it's been so long."
Kagome shook her head, moving closer to wrap her arms around him. "You smell so good."
Blinking, he looked down at her. "I do?"
"Yes."
That was a bit of a shock, but not surprising. Sesshomaru's healers had told him that since she'd lost her eyesight, her sense of smell may heighten. Just like Inu, even humans associated certain scents with other humans. Inuyasha combed his fingers through her hair. "What do I smell like?"
With a shrug, she buried her face in his chest. "Nothing in particular. You just smell like Inuyasha." Pulling away, she grinned at him and looped her arm through his, leading him through the garden to a bench by the stream.
Inuyasha watched her sit down, still processing the change in her as he sat beside her. "You smell like him, ya know."
Her cheeks colored. "Does it bother you?"
"Hell yeah."
Anxiety pulled at her scent, swirling around him. "Do you hate me?"
Inuyasha blinked. "What?" he asked. "No! I don't hate you, baka! I could never hate you!"
She bit her lip. "So you aren't mad?"
"Keh. No. It's weird as hell, but I'm not mad."
Silence encompassed them, Inuyasha thinking over his next words carefully. Truth be told, there was nothing he could say. Sure, Sesshomaru was his alpha—the High Alpha to the West—but even that wouldn't stop Inuyasha from kicking his ass from here to next week if he mistreated her. But this was the first time since the incident that Kagome truly looked happy. Finding expression in her eyes was difficult now, but it was there. Her face was alight with peace, and there was a lightness to her scent that wasn't there the last time he'd seen her.
Why the hell would he stand in the way of the happiness she'd found, after everything she'd been through? Even if it was with his bastard of a brother.
He could feel Sesshomaru's power pulsing around them, but not threateningly. It was so low that Kagome probably couldn't even feel it, but Inuyasha did. It was not a warning or a threat, but a greeting. And then it retreated. "He treats you well?"
Her smile softening, Kagome squeezed his hand. "He does."
"That's all that matters. Look, I won't lie, this is freaking weird," he muttered. "But, I can tell that you're happy. And that's all I care about, Kagome."
She had no idea why she was crying, but Kagome couldn't stop her tears. A silent part of her had feared that he wouldn't approve, but knowing that he did took an enormous weight off her shoulders.
Roughly, he wiped at her cheeks with his sleeve. "Quit your cryin'."
"Sorry, sorry. I've just missed you."
"Keh."
He grumbled, cheeks slightly red…but he wrapped his arms around her nonetheless. It was nothing romantic, but entirely familial—their bond ran as deep as the soul. The next ten minutes were spent in silence—Kagome leaning against him, her head on his shoulder. It reminded him of the good old days, when they would sit by the fire at night and cook her ninja food.
He missed those days.
"So," Kagome said, breaking the silence. "How are things with Akane?"
And just like that, the melancholy air around them was lifted.
Inuyasha's ears twitched, a scowl creasing a line between his brows as a blush crept onto his cheeks. There would never be a day when he was glad for Kagome's blindness…but he was relieved she would not be able to tease him for his blushing this one instance.
"Good." Clearing his throat, he gave a proud smile. "She agreed to mate me."
Kagome gasped. "Inuyasha! That's so wonderful, congratulations! She's really sweet. So I guess that's why you've been so busy, huh?"
"Miroku's helping me build a house." He shook his head. "When he has time. Those runts keep him busy enough."
"I want to come and visit soon. I miss everyone."
"Sango misses you," he said. "She wants to visit again. You just need to focus on recovering. Don't worry about us."
It was easier said than done, he knew. Being on the outside looking in was something Inuyasha had been familiar with since birth.
"I'll come visit sometime soon." She chewed her lip. "I'm just a little nervous."
"Oi. Why the hell are you nervous?"
"Because!" Pulling raven hair over her shoulder, she twisted the ends with too much focus. "Because that village has been my home for years. And it's going to be weird… It's going to hurt to never see it again."
Inuyasha's ears slicked back. Yeah, he thought. That will hurt.
He had assumed that it would be hard for her to go back, but to hear it out loud stung. If he could go back in time, he'd ensure that she was nowhere near the demon. He would have kept her safe. Once again, the pang of guilt nearly bowled him over. This was all his fault.
Kagome must have sensed his somber mood, because she clapped her hands together and gave him a brilliant smile. "How long are you staying?"
"Only a day," he said regretfully. "I was lucky just to get away for today. Miroku will kill me if I leave him to work on my house all day tomorrow, too."
"How's it coming? The house, I mean."
"It's great. Akane loves it." Rolling his eyes, he sighed. "She's been busy planning everything with Sango."
Smiling, Kagome stood. "I'm sure she's excited."
"Yeah, she is." He followed suit and stood, watching as she stepped between two bushes and walked along the stream toward the bridge with ease. Falling into step beside her, he gave her a curious look. "How are you getting around so easily?"
"Actually, that was Sesshomaru's doing."
Inuyasha's brows shot up. "What?"
"He helped me learn to use my reiki to see."
He nodded. "I feel it."
To prove her point, she let her reiki surround them. "He showed me that I can use my reiki to feel around for objects. I can't see them, obviously, but I can tell where things are. I know there's a tree to your left, and I can see the stepping stones, and the bridge over there. This way I don't have to hold onto things and memorize everything around me just to keep from falling."
Golden eyes softened. "That's great."
"Yeah…" She grimaced then. "The only thing that bothers me is not being able to see what I look like. Getting dressed is awful. Half the time my obi is tied wrong, and I'm always worried my hair looks messy."
"Eh." His face twisted into a mischievous smirk. "You must have been blind for years then."
She blinked once. Twice.
It took all of two seconds for her to process his implication, but then she gasped and swatted at him. Inuyasha laughed, running inside. And much to his misfortune, she was able to keep up surprisingly well.
When she said 'sit,' the impact of him hitting the floor shook the entire pack wing.
"So…you and Kagome."
Golden eyes shifted to the hanyou, and Sesshomaru quirked a brow. "You are observant."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "How the hell did this happen?"
The daiyoukai set down the scroll he'd been looking over. Picked up another. "The details are none of your concern."
The insolence of his half-brother never ceased to astound him. He'd spent the morning discussing some changes in the guard with a few of his attendants. Changes in rank, a few changes in the training regimen—all routine discussions. And then he'd felt Inuyasha's power, wild and rugged and untamed, surge around the palace. His scent had followed quickly after, and Sesshomaru had traced it back to the pack gardens.
Kagome had been there, a thought that had made his expression soften. She'd been walking around, enjoying a crisp morning and practicing with her reiki. She often used the garden as a means to practice expanding her reiki and feeling her surroundings. Sesshomaru even had the servants rearrange the benches and tables regularly so that there was a bit of a change for her to navigate.
Inuyasha's arrival had brought the daiyoukai some minor amount of relief. Kagome was capable, strong, and she was navigating this new world of blindness with grace and determination. Sesshomaru was proud of her strength, her positivity, her endurance.
But she was only human. And he cared so deeply for her. He would worry for her regardless of her strength, and having Inuyasha there when he forced himself not to guard her constantly made him feel a bit better.
Inuyasha plopped down onto the cushion on the other side of his desk. "She looks good."
"She is recovering steadily. She occasionally has minor headaches but the healers believe it to be normal," Sesshomaru said. He hesitated, then gave his brother and surprisingly soft expression. "Your scent is heavy with concern, but it is unnecessary."
The look he received was skeptical, at best.
"Listen," Inuyasha said, sitting forward and planting his hands on his knees. "She seems happy, but let's get one thing straight. You hurt her, I'll rip your damn guts out, ya got that? I don't give a damn if you're the High Alpha or not—you hurt Kagome, I'll tear you to pieces or die trying."
At one time, Sesshomaru would have killed him for such a remark. But that was long ago. He knew his brother was only asking out of care for the miko, which was admirable. Besides, Inuyasha was his beta now. And his brother. Sesshomaru would not fault him for his overprotective tendencies, when he himself was guilty of the same traits.
"I would expect nothing less."
Inuyasha's golden eyes narrowed, one brow raised questioningly. "You really care about her, don't you?"
Setting the scroll he'd been looking over onto the desk, the daiyoukai looked right into his eyes. "More than anything. I will protect her and keep her safe. You have my word."
Inuyasha assessed his brother with narrowed eyes, his arms folded over his chest. His nose twitched, seeking any trace of deceit in Sesshomaru's words. After a long moment of calculation, Inuyasha nodded with satisfaction. "Good. She's happy, so don't fuck it up."
"Hnn."
Picking at the tatami, Inuyasha snorted. "She smiled so damn hard that her face nearly broke when she was talking about you earlier. Can't imagine what the hell you did this morning to make her so happy…"
Memories of deep, slow kisses beneath the maple tree in the garden flashed before his eyes, and he gave the smallest smile that was only slightly smug.
Inuyasha's ears flattened to his head. "Kamis, what did you do?"
Sesshomaru merely smirked. Sometimes letting Inuyasha cringe was too fun to resist.
A/N: Today's chapter is shorter, but I promise the next chapter will more than make up for it ;) Please leave a review, and thank you for reading!
