Time is never time at all
You can never ever leave without leaving a piece of youth
And our lives are forever changed
We will never be the same
The more you change the less you feel
Believe, believe in me, believe, believe
We're not the same, we're different tonight
Tonight, so bright
Tonight
Tonight, Tonight, The Smashing Pumpkins
Faster than thought, faster than light, Apollo sailed through his world and into the mortal realm.
Will it be enough? Will I be fast enough?
Apollo tried not to let his thoughts—his feelings—distract him. He needed the priestess, that was all. She would find the book for him, he would steal it and return himself and his sister to their former glory. No, beyond that, they would be supreme rulers of Olympus, finally coming out from behind the shadow of their dormant father.
I do this for my family. To return to our rightful place. And to put Amaterasu in hers...
He decidedly wasn't passing through realms almost faster than he could register because he was worried for the mortal.
Certainly not.
Though a tightness in his chest told him otherwise, he tried to ignore it.
Tried to ignore the fear.
Hurried faster.
Before it was too late.
The bow and arrow! He'd carried it with him in the hopes that he'd be able to bestow it upon the priestess covertly, because he thought she'd never willingly accept a gift from him.
Much like the original owner, he thought with a sigh.
Once, long ago, Apollo had fallen in love with a young woman, a huntress. She was beautiful, skilled, and above all else, chaste—and thoroughly committed as an acolyte to his sister, Artemis.
Still, he would visit her. Reveling in her closeness and in the tales she told of the hunt.
"My lord," she would say, brushing her bright hair back behind her ears, which she always did before starting one of her tales. "I feel like I could run to the ends of the world and you'd follow me."
"I would."
"And when I am old?" she'd ask, a brilliant smile gracing her face.
"I will make you into a constellation, sweet one. So that I may pay homage to your beauty and skill for all eternity."
"Ah, but Artemis promises the same—if only I am able to best her. And I will!" Then she'd laugh.
Apollo enjoyed bestowing gifts of favour upon mortals he deemed worthy, so he'd commissioned Hephaestus to make him a bow that would never break, and a quiver that would never empty of arrows, much like his sister Artemis'—only he hadn't told the god that this bow and arrow were meant for a human.
It was a remarkable set; each arrow individually forged and the heads were uniquely fluted and would hit with remarkable accuracy. The shafts were lacquered and shined brilliantly down to the phoenix feather fletchings, the knocks tipped with minotaur horn.
Amaterasu, his goddess lover, had noticed his waning affections and had followed him one day—to the forest where he met with the young huntress.
Jealous, by both the gift and what it symbolized, Amaterasu poisoned a herd of roaming boar and in their madness they overwhelmed and trampled the young huntress to death.
"I cannot save you, now that your thread has been severed so," he'd said with tears in his eyes.
"Silly, Apollo. Will you make me into a constellation? Visit me every night from your home atop Olympus?" she asked softly, coughing with the effort it cost her to speak.
"I would have made you mine," he admitted. "Fed you ambrosia and kept you for myself."
"But that I have never wanted, my beautiful friend. I am not for your world, nor you for mine. Let me pass into the Elysian fields; my mother is waiting for me."
"I will keep you in my heart," he'd said, leaning forward to brush his lips against her battered body.
"Always," she'd replied.
Amaterasu soon moved on to Sesshoumaru, but Apollo never forgot the slight, what had been taken from him—though he pretended that he felt more by the goddess' expression of her jealousy than he did by the death of the young woman. And soon after, they were all cursed by Amaterasu's pride.
He'd become bitter after that, cruel. And more than willing to follow his own selfish desires.
Which inevitably alienated him from those around him with whom he should have been the closest.
He shook his head at the memory, trying to clear it from his thoughts. He was loyal to himself now. Only himself.
Artemis had an alter built in the woman's memory, and to the very present, Apollo still paid tribute at it.
The first mortal to capture his attention and not be tempted by his affections.
Until now.
Unless it's too late...
Slithering and sliding its way through a giant hole in the ground of the chamber, the python finally reared its ugly head.
"If you challenged its mother, why didn't you know there was a baby monster hiding here?" Kagome cried from behind Sesshoumaru.
"Silence, miko," he shot over his shoulder, looking like he was trying to concentrate.
Kagome scanned the room looking for something—anything that might aid her.
Nothing! Am I supposed to just stand here and wait to die?
The python pulled itself up to its full height. It was easily four times the size of Sesshoumaru's old mount, Ah-Un.
Iridescent scales shimmered in the low-lit room, violent -looking fangs glimmered, dripping with venom. It had seen Kagome and Sesshoumaru—seemed to remember him, and was purposefully edging closer to them.
"I need to remove the head," Sesshoumaru stated. "Can you keep yourself away and out of trouble, miko?"
Kagome resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him, "I'm pretty sure we all helped kill Naraku, Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm more than capable when I'm equipped!"
"And as you are not," Sesshoumaru growled. "I would recommend you stay where you are sa—"
Suddenly, a bright orb reflected its light all around the great room, momentarily distracting both python and Sesshoumaru alike.
"What is...?" Kagome started.
"Miko!" Sesshoumaru warned—but it was too late for her to move, too late for her to deflect what was traveling towards her at inhuman speeds.
So Sesshoumaru made a decision.
And covered Kagome's body with his.
Kagome watched in horror as an arrow pierced Sesshoumaru, barely stopping before impaling her own body—point close enough to scratch the clothing and skin above her heart.
"What...? Why! Sesshoumaru-sama! Are you okay?" Kagome rambled, trying and failing to keep Sesshoumaru from falling to his knees.
Sesshoumaru said nothing, but the pained expression told Kagome all she needed to know.
"Okay! You're not okay. Okay! Okay! Not okay! Sesshoumaru-sama, there's a python coming towards us!"
"You're going to have to find something, miko. Find something to pierce it between the eyes."
"Like?" Kagome asked frantically.
"Like a bow and arrow," Sesshoumaru said, gesturing towards the slithering python.
Hidden behind a jutting rock formation, Apollo had arrived seconds too late—but was relieved to see that Kagome was still alive.
Thank the fates...
Still, there was apparently a python to be dealt with.
If I interfere now, Sesshoumaru will know that I lied to him and that I have meddled with his mortal.
So, perhaps... I'll take one small risk.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, we have to move!"
"I am aware, miko. The arrow was tipped with poison—enough to kill a mortal," Sesshoumaru said with a lot of effort. Kagome had never seen him look so... human.
"But not you?" she asked, panicked.
"No, not this Sesshoumaru."
Kagome noticed the slip in his language. When he spoke like that it reminded her of how he used to be and made her worry about whether or not he was of completely sound mind.
"Is it affecting you?"
"Obviously, miko."
"Sesshoumaru-sama..."
Kagome froze in horror—the python had raised its body up, mouth agape, fangs dripping—ready to strike!
"Miko, move!" Sesshoumaru yelled as he used his damaged body to move them out of the range of the python's strike and behind a lip in the wall.
Lucky, the python seemed to be lethargic with the years of inactivity which gave them a slight advantage, but it seemed to be slowly regaining its mobility.
"Sesshoumaru-sama! You're going to hurt yourself more!"
"And you will kill us both!" he replied as he righted himself with great effort while pulling the miko along.
Suddenly, the great door behind them cracked open.
"You. Little oracle—it seems that the gods favor you," said Pythia from around the corner, and the protection, of the ancient door.
"What?" Kagome floundered, not understanding and trying to keep the python within her sight without attracting its attention.
"Here," Pythia said as she lobbed a bow and quiver at Kagome.
"Strike hard, strike true. I don't think you will have more than one opportunity to make this right."
Kagome fumbled with the quiver as she shuffled around the room with Sesshoumaru, but managed to secure it over her shoulder by its strap.
"Gods, it's been a long time..."
"I would prepare yourself, miko. You need to shoot either under the chin and through the brain, or between the eyes. No other place will have any effect. Run—now!"
And Kagome ran, ran as fast as she could, across the room to the other side of the alter—distracting the python and drawing it away from where Sesshoumaru was huddled over.
"Now or never, Kagome!" she said to herself, grabbing an arrow and knocking it.
Wait for it...
The pull, the familiar tension—release!
And the arrow flew straight and true... and bounced right off of the python's head.
"Shit!" Kagome cursed. "What am I supposed to do now, Sesshoumaru-sama?" She moved herself under the huge alter, trying to confuse the python so it didn't go towards Sesshoumaru, but also trying to keep it from snatching her body.
"Holy powers; you are a miko, are you not?" he asked snidely, but his laboured breathing softened the remark.
"This isn't a demon, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Kagome yelled over her shoulder.
"Not one that you've ever encountered. The energy is the same—feel it."
Kagome sat, terrified and trying to calm herself. How in the world am I supposed to...?
But she tried to open her awareness—blocking out the fear and the adrenaline and focusing on pure calmness.
Opened and—there!
He's right!
It had been so long, but the feelings were the same! How had I not noticed? Is it something about this place? Mutes the demonic energy?
Kagome didn't have much time to consider it before she had to act. The python was rapidly growing tired of her hide-and-seek behind the alter and was beginning to turn back towards Sesshoumaru, it's great belly scraping and sliding against the ancient floor.
"Miko..." Sesshoumaru warned.
"Okay. Okay!" Closing her eyes, Kagome let her powers flow through her, surround her, consume her.
And soon she was, in spirit, as big as the python that slithered before her.
Shining bright, Kagome stood and walked towards the python, which hissed and twitched menacingly before her.
"Let's do this," she said with a smirk.
Sesshoumaru had know the miko was powerful and had seen it with his own eyes, but the way she was now...
I don't think she realises the depth of her powers...
Kagome's aura filled the room, and brushed up against the edges of his awareness before completely and utterly flooding him until he didn't know where her powers ended and his began.
It was bringing out his true nature.
Not the common dog he'd barely been able to muster up recently.
Not the muted human.
The feared demon. The killing perfection.
Sesshoumaru smiled as the rush of his own demonic energy crept over him, dulling the pain, and focusing his mind.
Maybe the miko was more useful than he'd thought.
From across the room, Kagome called to him, "Be ready, Sesshoumaru."
No honorific.
No special distinction.
In this time, in this place, they were equals.
And Sesshoumaru had to fight to keep the satisfied smirk from crossing his face.
Kagome had to get it right. She couldn't run around the giant room forever—either she'd get eaten, or Sesshoumaru would. And as much as Sesshoumaru infuriated her, she didn't think she stood a chance at living a normal without him.
With a deep breath, Kagome cleared her mind and did her best to eliminate the fear that lurked within.
She needed absolute faith in herself in order for this to work, or she was going to end up a python sandwich.
Radiating with holy power, Kagome locked gazes with the python, drawing it away from Sesshoumaru and towards the alter.
It was waiting for the right moment to strike, Kagome was waiting for the same.
Walking until she was beside the alter, Kagome took a slow step to stand up along the pedestal.
"You are mine," she declared and the python flexed its jaw, bearing its teeth. Rising up, the beast prepared and Kagome positioned her arrow.
Power flowing through her, it spiraled down and around and through her arrow—acting both as a beacon and a repellant to the giant monster.
Eventually, its curiosity and desire for food won out, the beast lunged.
And Kagome let loose her arrow...
As she jumped through the air—the python's massive body crashing over the alter behind her, the very place where she'd just been standing—Kagome smirked.
This time, she hadn't missed.
She tried not to walk with a swagger, but she couldn't help it. She'd taken out that python all by herself. Okay, so it had taken a little mental help from Sesshoumaru, but she'd done it.
No damsel in distress.
No waiting for a rescue.
Kagome had saved herself and Sesshoumaru. It felt good. In a moment, she'd validated what she'd always should have known—that she was more capable than she realised.
That she was more powerful than she realised.
Though, for some reason, the knowledge sent a little shiver of fear through her.
"Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely..."
The old phrase whirled warningly through her mind, but Kagome gave herself a mental shake.
I'm far from absolutely powerful.
Dismissing her thoughts, Kagome made her way over to where Sesshoumaru was hunched over and crouched beside Sesshoumaru. "I'm going to have to push this through your shoulder to get the arrow out."
"Do it," Sesshoumaru growled, the pain obviously making it difficult for him to speak.
Grabbing the beautiful arrow shaft firmly, Kagome closed her eyes.
"Hard and fast, miko," he instructed.
Kagome nodded and pushed—hard. The arrow slid out the back of Sesshoumaru's shoulder and Kagome opened to eyes to inspect her work.
"Ugh... I never liked this part," she said as she pulled the arrow completely though his shoulder.
Though his voice had been laced with pain, he hardly seemed to notice when she'd pushed the arrow through. Maybe it had something to do with her residual powers?
Demons do react when in the presence of mikos... maybe Sesshoumaru is...? But the arrow in her hand reminded Kagome of their present circumstance.
Kagome sat beside him, letting out a giant sigh. "This wasn't meant for you."
"I know."
"Why did you do it?"
"It won't kill me; it will kill you."
Long moments of silence followed before Kagome let out a soft, "Thank you."
Sesshoumaru simply nodded. "Keep the arrow, miko."
"I'll put it in my quiver, with all the rest."
"It belongs to a god," he continued as she inspected the arrow closely.
Kagome paused for a moment, considering his words. "Why would a god want me dead, Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"Why, indeed," he said darkly as he slowly righted himself and made his way over towards the python.
"It will regenerate unless we sever the head," Sesshoumaru explained.
"How are you planning on doing that?"
In answer, Sesshoumaru's palm glowed green as he summoned his whip.
Kagome raised her eyebrow. "That is going to take forever. Why not use one of your swords?"
"Do you see them available, miko?" he said sharply.
Kagome shrugged. "I guess not..." She'd been assuming that he could just...you know...summon them, like the whip.
Apparently not.
It didn't take as long as Kagome would have thought—Sesshoumaru's poison made short work of the tough python hide, though it was remarkably messy and the room stank with the beast's blood.
"That is disgusting," Kagome observed from the safety of the other side of the room, away from the flying blood and gore.
Sesshoumaru gave her a look that seemed to say: "What did you expect?" but replied, "We need the vapor from the blood. When it evaporates—it's what summons the visions..."
But before he could explain further, the great door to Pythia's sanctuary opened and the oracle came out and made her way over to Kagome—ignoring Sesshoumaru's handiwork—apparently aware that the python had been felled.
Pythia walked towards where Kagome sat and took her hand without asking, the oracle's long nails trailing softly over her palm.
"What do you know of our kind, acolyte of Sesshoumaru?"
Kagome shrugged and tried to take her hand back, but the oracle remained firm and seemed to enjoy how the contact bothered Kagome.
"Not much," Kagome admitted. "I thought oracles helped people—told them when the gods were angry, how to appease them, that sort of thing."
Pythia laughed. "Yes, of course, young one. But do you know how and what these visions did to us?"
Kagome shrugged. "Made you trip out?"
The oracle suddenly spun Kagome around, wrapping her arms tight around her body.
"What are you doing?" Kagome squeaked, struggling against Pythia's hold, but the ancient woman was amazingly strong.
"Still yourself. I will tell you a secret." Drawing her hand up along Kagome's chest, Pythia's fingers rested firmly along her collarbone before sliding further—tips pressed against Kagome's temple, stroking softly.
"Pythia," Sesshoumaru warned from the alter, but Pythia only laughed at him.
"Make a move towards me, dog of the gods, and I will end this now."
Sesshoumaru's gaze was murderous, but he didn't make a move towards them. Apparently he considered her words to be quite the threat.
Kagome's pulse was racing. "I don't understand."
"Ahh, but that is what they count on, young one! They take the most beautiful, the most innocent—they say the most adept, but that is merely an excuse. They satiate their desires for beauty with our bodies."
"What do you mean?" Kagome asked, horrified.
"They enhance our visions, cloud our judgement, and make the weak amongst us participants in their dark desires."
The implications hit Kagome hard. "Sesshoumaru...? What did you do here?"
"I will show you, young one, what these visions do—what they make you want to do. I may not be able to experience them any longer, but I can help you feel my memories."
All at once, power seemed to flow through Kagome, electrifying her from the tips of her toes to the ends of her hair. Every fibre of her being was alive—it was frightening, heady, overwhelming.
And then the memories hit—writhing, panting, choking on the visions as hands fumbled over her body, eliciting an unnatural, uncontrollable reaction.
Firm lips—unwanted, but unable to resist.
Dark laughter—frightening, but she couldn't repress the shiver of wanting.
The pull of the vision upon her mind left Kagome reeling. They'd taken girls! And though they were trained and left until they came of age, these women knew what was going to happen to them, some of them even wanted it! The favor of the gods... they said.
Manipulated, used, and when they no longer were able to bring forth visions, discarded.
The memory came clearly into focus.
"Sesshoumaru, come. Take what is your due," Amaterasu demanded, holding out a young, barely clothed acolyte before her.
"Your reward for such faithful service."
Sesshoumaru gave the young woman a look before turning his head away.
"I do not fraternize with humans." The way he said the word—like it was something dirty, something beneath him!
"They are here solely for the service of the gods; are you not a god amongst them, Sesshoumaru?"
For a moment, a glimmer of pride flashed into his eyes, and seemed to take in the orgy before him with no small amount of disgust.
"I am a demon, goddess. This sort of... coupling would be unnatural for one such as I."
"But good enough for a god?"
"I live and die by a different set of rules."
"Just so, Sesshoumaru." Amaterasu seemed satisfied with his answer as she pushed the girl into the waiting arms of another. Extending her arms, her voice beckoned, "Then take your prize, Sesshoumaru. Take me."
The memory faded out before Kagome could see the outcome of that particular encounter—thank the gods.
She nearly wretched.
When the memories completely subsided, Kagome panted, shuddered with the images in her mind, but the oracle did not let her go. The fingers at Kagome's temple were firm and slid her head to the side awkwardly so that the oracle could whisper menacingly in her ear, "He did nothing. That is his crime."
"How could you...?" Kagome couldn't keep the pain and hurt from her voice. She hadn't known these women, but a part of her felt like they were kin somehow. That Sesshoumaru would stand by and allow them to be taken advantage of...
"It was not my place to interfere with the will of the gods, miko."
"No, just facilitate them, it seems!" Kagome cried out, but he had no answer for her. Wounded, indebted to her as he was, he still stood there as if he showed no remorse for the entire encounter.
"And now?" she continued.
"Things have changed. I would not allow such harm to come to you, not by any means."
The oracle's lips brushed against her ear. "I suppose he thinks that this is enough. How lucky you are to have me to guide you, young one, for I had no such mentor to keep me from harm. I imagine your visions up until now have been mild by comparison?" Pythia finished, releasing Kagome so quickly that she stumbled forward.
"Gods! I... it's never been like that for me," Kagome gasped.
"I'd thought not; what I have told you—to prepare you—is a side effect of the vapors. What you've experienced is more akin to an innate ability manifesting itself. The vapors enhance this... and more. A fact which men and gods alike have been known to take advantage of."
"And now?" Kagome asked, somewhat frantic.
"I have given you my word," Sesshoumaru replied.
Pythia gestured impatiently to the altar. "I have waited nearly five hundred years for that python to awaken. We just needed the right bait. It's time for the visions to return."
Pythia practically dragged Kagome over to the altar.
"Sesshoumaru, it looks as if your poison has taken a hold of the creature. The vapors are already flowing." Sure enough, the vapors seemed to be channeling near a stone slab that had been placed into the ground.
I guess I have to lay there...
Before Kagome could think about it further, Pythia turned her attention back to her and began tugging at Kagome's clothing.
"What are you doing?!" Kagome squeaked.
"Silly little oracle, that vapor will burn through your clothes—unless you wanted to leave here naked?"
"And my skin?" Kagome challenged.
"Is the perfect conductor. They were created by the gods to work in conjunction with one another, it just suited their needs better if we were naked when... receiving our visions."
"Seriously? You want me to believe that my clothes will melt off, but my skin won't? What's stopping it, magic?"
"Exactly," Pythia replied, eyebrow arched.
"Well, I don't want to get naked!"
"Prepare yourself to leave here naked then," Pythia said with a shrug. "I grow weary, little oracle, either you want this or you do not."
Pythia turned and started to walk away, but Kagome reached out to stop her.
"No, we need this. If we don't find the book before Amaterasu..."
"A wise decision," Pythia said as she gestured to Kagome's clothes.
Kagome blushed. "Turn around, Sesshoumaru-sama."
"I have seen many women naked, miko. You are hardly the first." Or the best. Though he didn't say it, Kagome got the hint.
"I don't care if I'm the first or last, turn around!"
Obviously annoyed at her shyness, he nevertheless obliged.
"Okay, let's do this."
Naked but for her pendant, cold and terrified, Kagome laid on the alter and waited.
"I will direct the vapors now; breathe deep and submit."
Pythia's words were the last thing she heard before the visions overtook her.
I am me, but I am not.
Kagome felt like she was flying, like her soul was soaring—floating—no being dragged and pulled through space and time, occasionally focusing on a moment, a place, a thought, a touch.
It was everything, experience, sensation, though, life, death—all moments rolled into one. It was too much.
Eventually, Kagome felt herself being pulled towards a moment.
A girl, a girl who looked much like her wept.
"Why must you go? Why must you do this for him?"
"He is my brother," a gruff voice replied.
"Half!" the girl reminded.
"Keh..." he laughed. "That's my line."
Another moment. Another place.
It's dark, but not because of night. The forest is thick, teeming with branches, trees, moss—it deafens the place, muting voices.
"It's cursed, you know."
"I know. This place is also cursed."
"What makes you think I'm responsible enough to hide it?"
"You always did love tricks."
"This place... you're right. It's the perfect game."
"Will the goddess find it?"
"This place has always been ours."
"There are more humans now."
"They only come here to die."
"Is it enough?"
"It will have to be."
Suddenly, the vision ended and Kagome felt her awareness draw back within her—sharply, painfully.
Her back arched, body twisting, she ground out between bouts of pain, "The Forest of Illusions."
And then the world went black.
Kagome didn't remember much of the bus ride back, nor did she know how Sesshoumaru was able to get her on the bus without people asking questions.
She hadn't woken until they'd arrived back in Athens and they hadn't even talked about what she'd seen in her vision.
All she knew was that she was dressed, which probably meant that he'd seen her naked, and that she felt like she'd been run over by a train. And light hurt. Every time something bright passed her, it felt like she'd been staring straight into the sun.
It was late when they returned, so Sesshoumaru had buzzed to be let in the hostel—a security measure on their part.
Shifting Kagome in his arms, he'd pulled the door open and made his way through the lobby.
"She okay?" the purposefully scruffy clerk at the front desk asked, though he barely looked up from the computer screen, only seeming to notice that Sesshoumaru was carrying Kagome peripherally.
"Yeah, just a blister on my foot—Delphi," Kagome answered with a small smile.
Just ignore the dirt and the scratches, my hugely dilated pupils, and the gore on Sesshoumaru...Kagome thought to herself.
The clerk nodded knowingly as Kagome and Sesshoumaru made their way into the impossibly cramped elevator, hardly seeming to notice her dirty clothes nor Sesshoumaru's stained, bloody clothing.
Which was weird! Why doesn't he see us? Kagome wondered, but couldn't give it much thought, given how horrible she felt.
"Are you even going to fit?" Kagome asked as Sesshoumaru awkwardly manoeuvred them both into the compact space.
"If you move against the wall, yes."
Kagome hobbled and tried to do as she was instructed.
"I can probably ride the elevator myself, you know."
Sesshoumaru made a dismissive noise before closing the grates to the elevator and then the actual door.
Pressing the button for Kagome's floor, he answered, "You cannot even stand without support."
"That's not entirely true."
Sesshoumaru backed up suddenly, causing Kagome to lurch forward quickly with the combined loss of his support and the movement of the shaky elevator.
Suddenly against his chest, fingers curled in his shirt for support, Kagome grumbled, "That's not fair… if you'd just moved slowly."
"If I moved more slowly, you'd be dead."
Kagome shuddered, remember how close they'd both come to losing it all.
"But it was worth it, wasn't it?" They had a place now —direction. Plus, the added bonus of knowing who had hidden the book in the first place. She'd have to tell Sesshoumaru...in the morning.
"Perhaps…" Sesshoumaru didn't have time to finish before the power flickered and this time he fell back against the walls of the elevator, his arms coming up to hold Kagome against him.
"I think the power's out…" Kagome said softly, still in Sesshoumaru's arms.
"We're between floors," Sesshoumaru said while looking out the see-through elevator doors.
"So, we're stuck."
"Yes."
"Awesome."
They stood there for several silent seconds before Kagome finally took a breath and asked, "Why didn't you tell me that you gave the book to Inuyasha?"
"Why didn't you tell me that you've been having visions about me?" Sesshoumaru countered.
"I didn't really know they were visions—and you're avoiding my question!"
Faster than Kagome thought possible, she was up against the wall, hands pinned over her head— practically lifted from the ground by her wrists.
"Sesshoumaru! What is wrong with you?" Kagome asked frantically.
Are his eyes… red?
"I owe you nothing, miko! No explanations, no answers. You are a mere human and would do well to remember your place."
"My place!" Kagome replied, aghast, body struggling against Sesshoumaru's. "I didn't choose to be thrown into that well, Sesshoumaru-sama! You made that brilliant decision all on your own!"
"You chose to come here—to insinuate yourself into my life," he spat ruthlessly.
"The shikon jewel led me here for a reason; eternally connected, no matter what I do. And it's not like you were getting much done with the last mortals that 'insinuated' themselves into your life!"
He should have been frightening to behold, but the pain and delirium had made Kagome fearless.
"I think it's you that needs to remember your place! I was chosen by the gods to be a miko! You were chosen to be a plaything."
"You know nothing, which is typical of your species."
"I know that at this moment you need the weak, little miko more than the weak, little miko needs you."
Kagome's latent spiritual power crackled in warning, goading Sesshoumaru on.
"And what, pray tell, will you do, little miko? I hold your bow and arrows, so you are unable to ineffectually target me with them." His face was a hair's breadth away, close enough for Kagome to see the red of his iris' bleeding outward into his eyes.
"I don't need a bow to take you down a peg!" Kagome said, lifting her chin.
"Prove it, human!"
"Fine!"
Fury and embarrassment and heartbreak and frustration rolled into that moment and Kagome did the one thing she knew would infuriate him, push him to the brink.
Breaking her hand free, Kagome reached up and threaded her fingers through Sesshoumaru's hair and pulled him roughly towards her.
And kissed him.
Expecting Sesshoumaru to lose his hold and free her, disgusting human that she was, he instead did the most unexpected thing.
He kissed her back.
A/N ~ Ahh! Do you hate me? How eeeevil. Too soon? NEVER! It's like 7 chapters in, they should be doin' it (kidding lol). It's not like it will be easy; I mean, they still don't like each other, but since when is that an issue? Attraction is attraction, despite the issues they need to work out. Don't worry, I'm evil for leaving it here, but there's more to come — much more. But, in the meantime, I'm a fan of romaaaaance (this story is classified as romance/drama, isn't it?)! Or punishing kisses, take your pick.
You can assume Kagome is still a bit trancy and Sesshoumaru is a bit blood-lusty. Which makes for a great combination, obviously.
Obviously, the quote: "Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely," is not mine. It's a paraphrase that belongs to British historian, Lord Acton, which is a paraphrase of an old proverb(TIL).
No beta because I DO WHAT I WANT! Nah, just be nice if you notice any errors (though, hopefully there aren't many).
Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! Thank you for all the reviews and reads — it all really means so much to me, honestly.
2015 update: Oh! This gets more fun as it goes along and apparently I get better at not making so many mistakes—go me! Less editing here. Cleaned up some odd wording/dialog tags. Man. More romance plz!
