Disclaimer: I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this behind the scenes moment... especially for the ones with titles to defend in four years' time. A nod of recognition is bent towards Rumiko Takahashi for her creative prowess.
Author's Note: This story was a whim, written purely for the fun of it. I'm pleased so many of you found my diversion diverting. Your laughter is my pleasure. Thank you!
Chapter 7: Crowning Moment
Miroku rapped his knuckles against his clipboard to gain the skaters' attention, and began, "As you all know, Team Pursuit is our last event at these Games. After giving the matter serious consideration, Taishou-sama has determined that there will be no changes in personnel. Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Jakotsu—suit up."
"R-really?" Jakotsu stammered, his green eyes widening.
Inuyasha elbowed him and muttered, "Of course, idiot! You think the old man's gonna risk screwing up our rhythm when it matters most?"
Sesshoumaru understood his teammate's surprise. Naraku and Bankotsu had been speculating all week about the final assignments for this race. They thought it made sense to swap out Kouga for Jakotsu since the wolf-youkai was second only to Sesshoumaru in speed. However, the ebullient young skater had been partnered with the Taishou brothers since the beginning of training, and their transitions were seamless. Jakotsu might not be the fastest member of the team, but the three of them skated in perfect sync. Dropping a heavy hand on the shorter athlete's shoulder, Sesshoumaru quirked a brow. "Ready?"
Jakotsu drew himself up, and traces of his demonic heritage lent his smile a frightening intensity. "I won't my teammates down."
"Yeah, yeah... for coach and country and all that," grumbled Inuyasha. "Let's warm up already!"
"Hnn," Sesshoumaru agreed, moving to his sports bag. He was privately relieved that his father was showing sense. Kouga was a natural leader, and putting two alpha males on the same team usually caused an undercurrent of friction, which would be disastrous. Sesshoumaru suspected that more than anything, his father wanted to make a statement. He's pitting a full-blood, a half-blood, and a quarter-blood against Ryura and his lot. When we step onto the top tier of the platform, it'll overturn theirs.
As he withdrew a neatly folded uniform, he let his knuckles bump against the white box that occupied one corner of the bag. Since receiving the gift, he hadn't seen so much as a glimpse of Kagome—not in person anyhow. Since her and Hojo's triumphant performance, she'd been dragged to one interview after another while Sesshoumaru had been immersed in an unrelenting series of qualifying heats, photo finishes, and medal ceremonies. He had to content himself with watching her on television in his father's suite, and though it was difficult to say for sure, he thought she was looking a little weary of all the media attention. Her smile was brighter in person.
"You gonna be this slow on the ice?" Inuyasha gruffly inquired. Sesshoumaru glanced up and was surprised to find the room had emptied while he was spacing out. Flicking a glance at the open bag and its precious cargo, the hanyou grinned and said, "Once you're done psyching yourself up, get your ass into the next room. Miroku's already started the warm-up, and you're my stretching partner."
With a friendly exchange of rude gestures, the brothers moved to rejoin their teammates.
Kagome leaned forward in her seat, trying to catch a glimpse of the athletes waiting for the go-ahead to step onto the ice. If Hojo was right, Sesshoumaru was skating next. Her partner had moved back a couple rows and was immersed in a highly technical conversation with Bankotsu, who'd developed an intense interest in figure skating when all his attempts to imitate Hojo's triple toe loop had sent him sprawling on his backside. Since youkai were limited to three Olympic games in any given sport, the quarter-youkai was seriously considering trading his speed skates for figure skates when his stint on the short track was over.
When someone settled into the vacant seat at her side, Kagome glanced over, then did a double-take at the unmistakeable silver hair, golden eyes, and violet cheek stripes of Sesshoumaru's father. Bronze-gold eyes slanted her way, and her new companion's lips quirked into a mischievous smile. "Hello, young lady," he rumbled.
"Erm... hello, Taishou-sama," she managed.
The inu-youkai nodded pleasantly, then turned his attention back to the rink. "So... how many reporters have asked more questions about your hair than your performance?"
Kagome giggled softly and patted black hair that clung close to her head in little waves. "They all ask both questions; the only thing that changes is the order they ask them in."
"And which is first in most people's minds?" he inquired lightly.
"The hair," she replied with an eyeroll.
"Keh... figures. People are easily distracted by unimportant things," he consoled. "My son speaks well of you."
"Sesshoumaru?"
His father laughed and said, "Inuyasha, actually."
She blushed, and he smirked slightly. "He thinks you've improved Sesshoumaru's focus, and he's not far off the mark. My eldest has always been unusually cool and collected... but these Games are bringing out the best in him. He's shown real passion out there."
"You must be very proud," she murmured.
"I am," he assured as his sons made an appearance on the ice and began to loosen up for their final race. "The way he's been racing this week... it reminds me of how his brother skates."
"He's giving his all?" she ventured.
The inu-youkai took her hand in his gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. Searching her eyes with rapt intensity, he said, "My dear, it just goes to show the difference a human heart can make."
Their delegation's organizers were positively giddy over the speed skaters' dominance on both the short and long tracks, and it was their earnest desire to have one of Taishou-sama's sons carry their delegation's flag in the closing ceremony. A fuss was made about the appropriateness... the symmetry... and the symbolic passing of the torch to the next generation. Though he'd been given the choice, Sesshoumaru gladly dumped the honor in his brother's lap.
"It'll be the first time a hanyou's been flag-bearer," their father exulted.
Smirking at his brother, Sesshoumaru muttered, "Go make history."
With a show of half-hearted grumpiness, Inuyasha elbowed his sibling and whispered, "Go get her."
Speeches were made, anthems were sung, flags were lowered, and the torch was doused. With the formalities out of the way, the host country kicked off a celebration, and though the Games had officially ended, the athletes were invited to linger and make a few more memories. Music filled the stadium, and people were reveling in the afterglow of their Olympic experience. Kagome managed to stay in the thick of it—singing, dancing, laughing, hugging, picture-taking, and promise-making. Once he was certain that Hojo would not leave her side, Sesshoumaru struck out across the floor, intent upon locating the figure skating coach.
Kaede didn't seem at all surprised to see him. "Congratulations on your many successes," she offered, nodding to the medals decorating his chest.
"I kept my promise," he announced succinctly.
She scrutinized his face and said, "I take it you're not content to rest on those laurels?"
"Patience has its reward," Sesshoumaru replied evenly.
The old woman harrumphed. "As agreed, you'll have your chance. Talk to her."
"Away from here," he bargained.
She spared a scornful glance for the hullabaloo underway. "Can't say as I blame you. I'll trust you to bring her back to the Village... at a decent hour."
"I will."
"There's a flight point at the south-eastern corner of this building," she mentioned nonchalantly.
"Hnn."
With a grumble and a huff, she added, "Don't get carried away!"
But he was already gone.
Kagome laughed and posed with the two wolf-youkai snowboarders she'd met during their qualifying rounds. They already seemed like lifelong friends... as did so many of the others she'd met in the last two weeks. I can't believe it's over... and tomorrow we have to go back to normal. Of course, she couldn't wait to sleep in her own bed, cuddle up with her cat, and eat her mother's cooking, but there were things she would miss about the Games... and most of them were people. Like everyone else, she was swapping contact information like crazy.
She realized Sesshoumaru was approaching long before she caught sight of him. In a gesture of extreme politeness, he was sending out threads of youki to alert her to his presence. Most of the demons she was bumping shoulders with weren't bothering with the formality, but his observance of this protocol made her happy. Not only did it give her a chance to try to calm the giddy whirl of her emotions, it was an acknowledgment of her status as a reiki-user.
Slow and steady, he worked his way though the milling crowds, and Kagome excused herself from the knot of bobsledders she'd been chatting with. In a nervous gesture she hadn't known she'd developed until her hair was too short to accommodate the habit, she reached up to push her hair behind her ears and came up empty. He caught the movement and smirked faintly. "Still adjusting?" he inquired, raising his voice slightly to be heard over the din.
"Yes," she admitted with a sheepish smile. "It's never been this short before."
Sesshoumaru raised a hand, and for a moment, Kagome thought he was going to touch her newly cropped hair, but he checked himself and slipped his hands into his jacket pockets. Bending at the waist until they were practically nose-to-nose, he announced, "We'll stay as long as you like, but when you're ready to leave, you're coming with me."
Presumption, thy name is Taishou. With the spark of challenge in her eyes, Kagome replied, "I am?"
"Hnn."
Relenting a little, she said, "I'd need to talk to Kaede first."
Sesshoumaru slowly shook his head and replied, "She knows. This is what we agreed."
Kagome blinked in surprise. "What do you mean... agreed?"
"Not here," he replied firmly. "When you're ready to leave, we'll talk."
And with that, he straightened and stepped back. Seconds later, she was collared by a group of ice dancers who wanted their picture taken with her and Hojo, so they dragged her back to her skating partner, who was still talking to the snowboarders. "There you are!" he greeted, glancing over her shoulder at the tall youkai. "Everything okay?"
Not trusting her voice, Kagome simply nodded, and Hojo accepted her answer with an amiable shrug.
As the evening wore on, she continued to circulate, taking pictures and having her picture taken, but more an more, she was conscious of her pale shadow. Sesshoumaru's watchfulness was at once proprietary and patient, and while she didn't feel rushed, she was slowly being consumed by curiosity. What does he want to talk about?
Hojo noticed her growing restlessness and drew her aside. "Is the excitement finally wearing off? We can go if you're tired."
"I... erm... you see...."
Before she could explain Sesshoumaru's arrangement, they were mobbed by their delegation's speed skaters. "Oi, you two have been hard to track down!" grumbled Inuyasha.
"That's because you're trying to use your nose instead of your eyes," Naraku chided.
"Yeah... so?"
Hojo chuckled and said, "We've been all over the place tonight."
"No kidding," huffed the hanyou.
"He's been leading us in circles for over an hour," remarked Bankotsu, rolling his eyes.
Kagome giggled softly and asked, "Where's Kouga?"
"Left early," Inuyasha replied with a shrug.
"Oh!" she exclaimed in concern. "Wasn't he feeling well?"
"Keh... he came down with a sudden case of the gentlemanlies and escorted some demonesses back to the Village."
"The redheaded she-wolf was giving him the eye," Jakotsu opined.
With a gasp, Kagome said, "Nooo... Ayame? Oh, wow... they'd be so cute together!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," groused Inuyasha, rolling his eyes. "Anyhow... Bankotsu here wants a mugshot with his future coach... so make with the pictures already!"
"More photos?" she groaned, only half joking.
"Don't tell me you wore out your smile already?" Bankotsu protested, pulling her into formation.
"I saved a few for you guys," she promised.
They cooked up several poses, each cornier than the last, and by the end, Kagome was laughing so hard, her smiles were honest ones. Inuyasha even waved his brother over so Naraku could snap some pictures of Kagome with the Taishou brothers. According to the hanyou, they were 'for posterity'.
When they were satisfied with their take, the speed skaters bid their adieus and hauled Hojo onto their shoulders before clearing out. Kagome watched helplessly as they basically kidnapped her partner, who managed to twist around and lift a hand in a harried wave.
"That wasn't very subtle," she remarked to the only one who'd remained behind.
"No," Sesshoumaru agreed. "Ready?"
She glanced up with a tentative smile. "Yes."
Once Sesshoumaru had her outside, silence stretched between them, but she didn't seem to mind the lack of small talk. He took Kagome's hand and led her towards the flight point, and when they rounded the corner and entered the small courtyard set aside for the use of youkai, he drew her into an alcove. Assuring himself that they hadn't been followed, he took advantage of their first private moment to run his fingers through what remained of her hair. "You cut it," he murmured.
She closed her eyes and smiled as he continued to pet the soft waves. "Are you sorry I did?" she inquired.
"No," he replied earnestly. "But... why?"
Kagome peered up at him from under her lashes. "I've been telling reporters that it was a whim."
"Was it?"
"Nooo," she allowed before continuing, "and some people have speculated that it was a bid for attention."
His hand stilled, and his eyes gleamed. "Whose?"
With a secretive little smile, Kagome asked, "What did you want to talk about, Sesshoumaru?"
The time for declarations had arrived, and he cast about for something suitably momentous to say. She studies his face, her eyes soft... hopeful, and the tip of his tongue flicked across his lip, unconsciously searching for a taste that had been haunting him since the Opening Ceremonies. "I want...."
And no more words came. False start.... damn.
When the pause moved from pregnant to awkward, Kagome gently prompted, "What do you want?"
Mercifully, he knew the answer to that one. "You."
"Why?"
Sesshoumaru's brows drew together in consternation. He hadn't given the whys and wherefores much thought. Trying valiantly to hide the uncertainty that crouched precariously close to his hopes, he asked, "It's not enough that I do?"
"Would you be satisfied with such simplistic reasoning?" she asked.
"Yes," he breathed, relieved that she understood. Too late, he realized her question had been rhetorical. The only saving grace in this wreckage of a proposal was the fact that his brother wasn't around to witness his humiliation. Or worse... his father.
Kagome was looking at him curiously, and something clicked. "You're serious?"
"Completely."
With a nonplussed expression, she explained, "I meant no offense, Sesshoumaru. I always ask why a gentleman is interested. It's the most straightforward way to find out their expectations."
"You've had many suitors?" he asked, displeased by the thought.
"Plenty of wannabes," Kagome glibly replied. "Their reasons for asking me out are usually pretty awful... or just plain sad."
"For instance?"
She ticked off examples on her fingers, growing more incensed with each new item. "It's always the same. They say I'm perfect, an angel, a dream come true, a vision of loveliness. I awe them, inspire them, inflame them, complete them. I'm beautiful, famous, and—Hojo's personal favorite—flexible." She shuddered a little at that one, then added, "I've also been told that I have good child-bearing hips, and it's my duty to reproduce in the hopes that I'll bring more little reiki-users into the world."
Sesshoumaru balked at this unforeseen obstruction. "If you were to mate a youkai, none of your offspring would possess your spiritual abilities," he stated gravely.
She nodded and replied, "Even if I married a human, there are no guarantees. The aptitude often skips a generation or two."
"To continue the line, you must find a human match," he stated in a flat voice.
Kagome huffed softly. "Let me ask you this, Sesshoumaru. Are you expected to settle down with a demoness so that you can continue your family's line with a passel of purebred inu-youkai?"
He snorted softly and truthfully answered, "There is no pressure to do so. I am free to choose."
"Same here," she replied with a smile. "Where suitors are concerned, I form my opinions on an individual basis."
Slowly, he relaxed and inclined his head. "Good."
"Good," she echoed softly.
Deciding now might be a good time to impress the young woman with his prowess as a potential, he said, "You said before that skating is as close as you can get to flying."
She laughed softly and replied, "And you said you could get me closer."
"I was serious then, too." As comprehension dawned on her face, he leaned down to whisper, "Come with me?"
"I'd love to!" she quickly answered.
Much more comfortable now that he was back in control of the situation, Sesshoumaru guided Kagome out into the center of the courtyard and took up a position behind her. Stooping slightly, he looped his arms around her waist and spoke into her ear. "Slowly at first."
She held her breath and nodded.
Gathering his youki, he gave it substance, and a shimmering cloud formed beneath their feet, lifting them from the concrete. As he took them above the level of trees, then buildings, he savored her soft gasp and the way she leaned trustingly into him. Her heart's racing made his blood sing, and he turned his face to graze her neck with his sensitive nose, appreciating the way happiness lent heady notes to an already pleasing scent.
"We're really flying!" she declared with obvious delight.
"Hnn."
"Can we go faster?"
In answer, he gradually increased their speed until they were skimming through the starry sky towards the mountains, and to his amusement, she stretched her arms wide. For a moment, he thought she was trying to emulate a bird, but then she moved, and he recognized the graceful lines she was creating. Sesshoumaru adjusted his hold on her waist and she arched her back, drawing her arms up in a position her remembered from her short program. When he shifted to give her more room, she flowed through more elements of her routine, adding a graceful arabesque to her impromptu ballet. Flying on the ice... and skating across the sky.
They reached the forested slopes designated for youkai use, and Sesshoumaru slowed, circling so that Kagome could see the lights of the city in the distance. "This is amazing," she murmured. Then, she whirled in his grasp and threw her arms around his neck, clinging tightly. "Every time I skate... this is what I'll remember! Thank you so much!"
Without a word, he tucked her under his chin and basked. Though his plans involved something more mutual, he'd left his mark on her performances. It was something, but he wanted everything. Kagome shivered slightly, and with a jolt, he realized just how exposed they were at this elevation. "You're cold," he murmured, his words an apology.
"A little," she admitted.
Light burst around them as he summoned up a brilliant sphere of youki. Kagome drew back, her hands resting lightly against his chest as she peered at the shelter he'd provided. He liked having her here... in the center of his protection. Will she want to stay?
"I've never seen anything like this before!" she announced. "Not even in Kaede's books!"
"Few have," he replied, preening a little in the face of her astonishment.
Before long, Kagome cleared her throat and straightforwardly met his gaze. "Hojo and I have already decided to compete in the next Olympics."
The change in subject took him aback, but Sesshoumaru slowly nodded and said, "Father is urging our team to set our sights on the next Games."
"So... I guess I'll be seeing you again in four more years?" she ventured.
Patience was all well and good, but a four year delay was unacceptable. "That's not what I had in mind," he said with a small frown.
"What do you have in mind?" she challenged lightly.
Sesshoumaru returned to the gentle stroking of her hair. "I need to repeat it?"
"You haven't been very forthcoming," Kagome pointed out. "At the moment, all I know for certain is that you 'want' me." He nodded calmly, so she prodded, "And what would you do with me once you had me?"
Another simple question. "Keep you."
"For how long?" she asked cautiously.
"Ever."
She lapsed into a thoughtful silence, and he pulled her close, waiting with waning patience for her answer. One word. Yes or no. All or nothing. Kagome relaxed against him, and he continued to play with her hair. In the ambient glow of his youki sphere, the glossy locks shone blue-black—so different from his own. It was a shame that she'd cut it. Hnn. He gently grazing her scalp with the tips of his claws. That's worth remembering. She cut it for me... something she's obviously never done for any other potential.
Kagome hummed softly and said, "That's enough." Stunned by the unforeseen rejection, he slowly withdrew his hand, but she reached up and caught it, tangling her fingers with his. "No," she gently chided. "I mean... it's enough that you want me. I think that's a very good place to start."
Triumph sweeter than any he had known thus far at these Games sent his youki into a wild flare. There was no hiding his jubilation from a reiki-user, especially one of Kagome's caliber, so he didn't even try. Let her know. I want her to know. Wildness simmered just under the surface, and her heartbeat skipped and skittered until it was flying along with his. And then, Sesshoumaru discovered that he wasn't the only one who could communicate without words. Certain that the shine in Kagome's eyes held an invitation, which he willingly accepted... with a kiss.
The End
End Notes: Each of the seven chapters of this story has followed the prompts of the Live Journal community dokuga(underscore)contest's Spectrum Challenge. This last one was for Violet, and it was posted on Wednesday, March 24, 2010. 3,654 words. Be sure to check my profile page for links to FanArt... because there is some!