Chapter 8: Presents!
As Kagome dug through her big yellow bag Shippo immediately started to jump up and down.
"Shhh!…Kagome did you bring some candy?" Shippo half yelled in excitement
"Of coarse!" Kagome squealed making Sesshoumaru and InuYasha almost wince physically
She opened a large plastic bag and gave a lollipop and a chocolate bar to Shippo and Akio.
"Thank you" both responded at once while sitting next to each other enjoying their treats.
"Your welcome"
"InuYasha I have something for you too." Kagome giggled as she watched InuYasha lift his nose sniffing, when he suddenly jumped up.
"Ramen!"
"Oh thank Kami I thought I would never see my beloved Ramen again! Thank you Kagome!"
Kagome giggled at InuYasha's reaction. It seemed he momentarily forgot their situation.
She handed two small white velvet boxes to Sango and Miroku awaiting their reactions.
Both opened the boxes only to gasp in surprise.
"Oh Kagome you shouldn't have!" Sango said pulling out a pearl necklace and earring's.
"It's okay!…I hope you like them Sango." Kagome mumbled before Sango hugged her.
"Why Lady Kagome you are too kind" Miroku responded getting up to embrace her but thankfully a low growl stopped his actions.
"Miroku I hope you like these new prayer beads it took me a while to find just the right one's that fit your personality-"
"Besides being a pervert…" mumbled InuYasha but no one heard his mumble except for Sesshoumaru and he even had to agree with InuYasha on this one.
"And the diamond stud earring's would look great on you too!" Kagome responded enthusiastically
"Of coarse!" Miroku cheered
Sesshoumaru stared at the gifts the miko- his mate presented to the Taiyji and Houshi and made him wonder if she was of noble blood. Some of the gifts seemed to cost a fortune yet here she was giving them to her group. The pearls came from the sea, their season was over; to purchase one must have been costly and the 'diamond studs' as his mate said, looked to be rare stone indeed. But how could she be of noble blood and allowed to roam the lands with a hanyou?
She was not even dressed as a noble her clothing seemed strange, tight to her body identifying her every curve to any male that dared to look at her form. Once he had thought her clothing could have come from where she lived but Edo Village had clothing like any other village and none of the goods she had brought with her were recognizable or were not near the village to be purchased. But Akio was dressed in a silk Kimono that only the Taiyoukai themselves could afford so it seemed Kagome was… hiding many secrets after all.
His mind was spinning with all the unanswered questions he had. Soon he would have them answered. But he refrained from asking; now was not the right time.
Kagome then walked towards Kaede who had been quiet the whole time.
'Miroku and Sango must have filled her in on what has been going on' thought Kagome
"Here you go Kaede this is for you I hope you like it." Kagome said as she laid a large wrapped item before Kaede.
"Ye did not have to do this Kagome…"
"Just open it ya old hag!" InuYasha yelled interrupting Kaede
"InuYasha! SIT! I won't have you saying things like that to Kaede or in front of the children" Kagome yelled
Muffled curses could be heard spouting from InuYasha mouth, Akio stared curiously.
"Wench?" Akio repeated curiously not understanding what the word meant.
Kagome gasped
"Akio please don't repeat InuYasha's words he is… a little too thickheaded to understand; cursing is bad okay honey?"
"What! I'll tell you whose f-"
"Half-breed close your mouth before I shut it for you, this Sesshoumaru will not have you corrupting our pup's mind" Sesshoumaru all but growled out.
Kagome noticed the hint of possessiveness when Sesshoumaru said "our pup"
It touched her to know that he was already acknowledging Akio as their pup and he showed some sort if emotion even if it was a sense of possessiveness.
"What does half-breed mean?" Akio stared curiously waiting for his parents to answer his question.
For the first time in his long life Sesshoumaru was at a loss for words on how to even respond to Akio's question.
Even InuYasha remained quiet he also wanted to hear what Sesshoumaru had to say to the innocent question.
"Oh for the love of god! One day… not even one day and you two are making me go crazy!" Kagome yelled
The angered miko stormed out the cozy hut in to the cold still clutching the small package in her hands but not before saying
"I'm going to take a walk"
"Oka-san is angry" Akio whispered petting Kilala on his lap by the fire pit.
"Oh InuYasha is in trouble!" Shippo taunted
"Shut up squirt !" InuYasha yelled back childishly
"Now now boys must you always fight?"
"Shut up monk!"
In the mist of the argument and taunting no one noticed the Taiyoukai exit the hut except for a little pair of sapphire orbs. Akio smiled as his sire left to find his precious mother and experience her hellish anger.
oOo
As soon as he stepped out of the small hut he tilted his nose up slightly getting a whiff of his mates delicate sent. Somehow he was already comfortable calling Kagome his mate and he didn't feel the least bit disgusted on being tied down to a human with out his consent. His youkai whimpered at Sesshoumaru's thoughts.
'Admit it, if you were looking for a mate you wouldn't have given our mate a second glance she not only meets our interest and desire but she exceeds them, she is the only female that has lived after attacking us and going against everything we wanted, her only flaw in your opinion is her humanly!'
'Shut up!' Sesshoumaru was quickly losing his patience's with his beast.
'At least this Sesshoumaru had enough honor to not force myself like a blood thirsty beast on an innocent onna, thus our son was conceived through her pain and innocence's. Sesshoumaru said in disgust and guilt.
New thoughts started to run through his mind, ignoring his beast pitiful whimpers of distress.
What if Akio found out how he was conceived, how would he react?
How could he have let this happen? He was Sesshoumaru Lord of the Western Lands for a reason he had control and strength yet…when it came to this onna, this miko, this…Kagome it seemed all his barriers of defenses he developed over the years seemed non-existences when it came to Kagome. She was his weakness; Sesshoumaru never had a weakness now it seemed he had two; his mate and pup.
He couldn't think about this right now, he needed to find his mate. Following his mate's trail he noticed it was leading to the well. Immediately he sprinted in to action in a blur he reached the hill near the well. He signed as he saw her sitting by the well. His heart was beating fast and all because he thought she had left.
'What is this emotion?'
'fear'
'This Sesshoumaru does not fear anything'
'You may fear no one but the thought of OUR mate leaving us did, she would never leave her pup behind…' the beast rumbled
Slowly he walked towards Kagome he didn't want to startle her. She laid her head back against the well's edge her eye's closed as the sun glazed over her smooth skin.
"Kagome…" Sesshoumaru came to a halt when she signed still staying in the same possession he found her in.
"You know I miss this place the fresh air, open fields, the weather even you surprisingly my child's father and my rapist or should I say your beast"
Her words cut him so deep he felt pain in his chest.
"But that's in the past now, I know it wasn't your fault to begin with, what I want to know is why?" she said closing her sapphire sliver rimmed eyes from his sight blocking any emotions he could have seen.
"Why?...why what."
"Don't play innocent with me Sesshoumaru why me? Why did your beast pick me?"
"My beast desired you…he always desired you the moment he laid eye's upon your youthful body of 15 years. You were the only female that stood up to me that talked back to me, that even stood against my attacks. But most of all you were the only female, human or youkai that did not see this Sesshoumaru as a way to wealth or my title. You did not care for material objects as most do. My beast did not only desire you but also wanted you, all of you for himself, with him for eternity as a mate. Even though he took you by force and left you he made sure no one could harm you by spreading his youki."
"What now your defending your beast's actions towards me, what the hell is that suppose to do?""I still don't care for your wealth Sesshoumaru, the only positive thing that came out of this situation is our child Akio."
"pup"
"What?"
"Akio is referred as a pup in youkai terms not child" Sesshoumaru responded
"I think I have the right to call him my child instead of a pup since I did raise him and I'm not youkai to call him that..."An uncomfortable silence hung in the atmosphere."Why did you come here Sesshoumaru is there something you need?"
"This Sesshoumaru...apologies it was not my intention to teach Akio the words spoken in the hut, I do not wish to expose him to...such language." Sesshoumaru said not making eye contact
Kagome's eye softened immediately at his apology she knew he was trying really hard to except what his beast did and he was trying to coup with finding out he had a child without his knowledge."It's okay but please try not to say half breed in front of Akio, InuYasha is after all his uncle by blood and you know he would protect Akio with his life; he is the only family he has besides you and Akio excepts him for who he is…"
"What would you have done if Akio were hanyou instead of a youkai would you have abandoned him because of his mother's blood flowing through his veins?"Sesshoumaru looked directly in her eyes he could see tears forming and would fall based on his answer."This Sesshoumaru would never abandon his pup, hanyou or not. This Sesshoumaru's pup would be the strongest even if he were a hanyou he has two powerful parents to gain different powers from. My beast knew there was a chance our pup could be hanyou but he still desired you and no other."
Kagome was surprised he acknowledged her powers, but she still wanted to know one more thing."But would you have excepted him, you…not your beast?""Yes..." Sesshoumaru responded locking eyes with Kagome showing his emotions for the first time since Kagome had every known mood seemed to change drastically as the cool air brushed across their forms; smoothing out the tension from their bodies. Sesshoumaru and Kagome were both locked in their own thoughts as they went over the conversation they just had. Kagome seemed to snap out of her daze first only to notice Sesshoumaru leaning on the God tree looking at the sky.
Taking a deep breath she got up by the well, she knew she had to get this over with sooner or later.
'Better now though…'
He casually leaned back against the God tree as he watched his mate walk towards his direction from the well carrying a small package wrapped in a vibrant royal blue material, the color just like his crescent moon that lay upon his forehead signifying his place in the youkai society as a Taiyoukai…a royal.
Sapphire orbs with a hint of gold stared curiously as his mother sat before his father fidgeting nervously as she held the package in her delicate hands.
Sesshoumaru watched amused as his mate continued to fidget nervously not looking him in the eye. What would be viewed as submission in Inuyoukai terms a positive action towards a mate, Kagome's actions did not please him. He did not want her submissive like other Inuyoukai females, but alive and expressing emotions.
"Kagome" Sesshoumaru called, he did not dare touch her for fear of her pulling away from his person again. He waited for her to look up patiently, when she did not he called for her attention again but this time with more authority.
"Kagome…look at me"
Hearing his tone Kagome immediately turned to look at his face focusing on his magenta strips before slowly looking in to his eyes. Heated amber clashed with sapphire laced silver orbs.
"Hi..." Kagome said losing thought of why she was sitting be fore Sesshoumaru.
Sesshoumaru simply responded by raising his perfect brow in question.
"I believe you sat here for a reason ka-go-me" Sesshoumaru said amused only to have his voice turn breathy at the mention of her name. He was testing how her name rolled at the tip of his canine tongue. He did not want to call her miko again, or even wench that would be disrespectful to his mate and as the Lady of the Western Lands she needed to be addressed properly for her station.
Kagome's breath hitched when Sesshoumaru spoke her name.
"Right…This is for you" Kagome breathed quickly as she lifted the gift in front of him. It seemed as if the conversation that they just had by the well was just a rush of emotions she had pent up for too long.
As he reached for the package Sesshoumaru still kept his heated gaze upon Kagome's form. Taking the package from Kagome's hands he noticed a hint of blush creeping down the miko's breast. Smirking at her some what attraction for his person, Kagome blush turned 10 times worse when she saw Sesshoumaru smirk in reaction to her slight blush.
Breaking eye contact Sesshoumaru gazed at the royal blue package in wonder before delicately ripping the material off only to discover a thick masculine chain, it looked silver but it was made of a much firmer material and it seemed to be cloaked in miko powers…Kagome's miko powers. Pulling the chain completely out of the package he then noticed a crescent moon hanging in the middle of the chain. He looked up curiously turning his head to the side in question.
'So that's where Akio got it from' Kagome thought lovingly
"It's a necklace that I made for you…to protect you should you ever face a foe that would endanger your life, not that I'm saying your weak" Kagome whispered only Sesshoumaru could hear her words.
"I mean if you don't like I could-"
"Thank you" Sesshoumaru was at a lost for words not only did she not hold resentment for his beast action towards her person now, but she was giving him a gift and protection that she had no obligation to. Normally he would have declined any sort of protection, but when he looked in to the depth of her sapphire laced orbs he couldn't reject the gift. Holding the chain higher in the air Sesshoumaru ran his clawed fingers against the crescent moon gem.
Taking the Masculine chain slowly from his lethal hands, Kagome gently placed the necklace over his head lifting his thick silver hair to place the chain around his neck. As Kagome fixed the chain around his neck she froze with her small hands clutching the chain and partly his kimono, Sesshoumaru's amber orbs were on fire as he gazed heatedly at Kagome. She quickly broke her gaze from his eyes only to stare at his perfect thin pale lips. One of his fangs were peaking out piercing his bottom lip.
"Mother you gave father the same necklace as me." Akio responded snapping his mother from her thoughts.
"Yes well I thought it would be nice for you two to have something in common." Kagome replied
Akio seemed to accept the answer and nodded.
Sesshoumaru could tell she was hiding something. But he decided to address his curiosity later, now was not the time. He was amazed at how Kagome was acting she still had that fire in her like before but now there seemed to be something more lurking in its depth.
OMG…
What do you think?
