Song: Eternally- Utada Hikaru (The English Version)
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Kagome stretched her arms high above her head, wincing with each foot step she heard. 'I will never get used to these baka senses.' She rose slowly, careful to not awaken the pups beside her, and crept out of the room to meet the guard that was coming her way. "What is it, Haji?"
Haji ran a hand through his thick, fiery red hair, squinting his lemon colored eyes. "Uhh, is Lord Sesshomaru back, Lady Kagome?"
She crossed her arms, slumped against the wall, and shook her head. "Iie. He's been gone for..." She sniffed the air, "four, five hours I assume. Whatever it is, I'll handle it."
"But Lord Sesshomaru said..."
"Haji!" She snapped impatiently.
Gulping, he reluctantly nodded. "Lord Sesshomaru's half brother and his gang are just outside the castle gates."
Eyebrows lifted and mouth curled into a smirk, Kagome sighed softly, eager to see what would transpire. "Arigato, Haji-kun. If Sesshomaru makes it bak before me, tell him I left for the nearest market. I'll head there after checking with Inuyasha so you won't be lying to him. Take care of the pups, please." She only stopped to grab a sword from Sesshomaru's closet, before continuing off.
She hardly noticed her sweaty palms and dry mouth as she got closer to the inutachi until she stood just before him. And she certainly didn't notice the small demons hiding just behind a bush. "Inuyasha." She addressed him with a curt nod.
"Kagome...what are you doing here?" He asked, a small flicker of hope within him. "Finally leave Sesshomaru?"
"No." She said with narrowed eyes. "You're tresspassing on palace grounds."
"We ain't within the gates." He snorted.
Kagome sighed. "Look, Inuyasha, I don't want to fight or anything. Just camp a little further away. I mean, you can actually see the gates from here."
Inuyasha growled at her. "We ain't goin' nowhere. These were my dad's lands a while ago. Still are. We ain't goin' nowhere....So, Sesshomaru got ya doin' his business already? It ain't like your mated."
Dismissing her dizziness, Kagome snatched her sword from her side and held it there. "No. But when my courted male is busy with patroling the lands, I do all I can to please him. When he returns, I want him to be happy, proud."
"Courted male?" The group gasped, Kikyo simply staring ahead at Kagome, wondering why her reincarnation hardly resembled her anymore.
Inuyasha glared, seething as he unsheathed Tetsusaiga. "You actually courted that, that bastard!"
"Yes. I courted Sesshomaru."
"Keh. I'll believe it when see it."He took a few steps to her, pushing her hair away from the neck. 'Sh-she did it...' "You did it!" Furious, he back handed her, grinning maliciously as she fell to the ground.
"Kagome!" Sango, Miroku, and Shippo attempted to run to Kagome's aid, but they were stopped by loud cries.
"Momma!/Mother!/Mommm!" Takehiko, Takara, and Takako ran out from behind a bush to her aid, each worried for her health.
Kagome cupped a hand over her bleeding cheek. "Takey, Kara, Kako, what are you doing out here. It's so dangerous for little pups."
Takehiko sniveled. "H-he hit you."
"I'm fine. Now, g-go back home. And don't, don't tell Sesshomaru." Her eyes slid shut as she fell unconcious.
"Momma!" He noticed his sisters moving towards Inuyasha, and pushed them back. "Why did you hit her?! She's already sick all the time! Falling asleep and not waking up for hours! She'll probably never wake up."
"Kagome's sick?" Inuyasha whispered, dumbstruck.
Takara nodded. "Yes. Mother hasn't been feeling well. Father said she's really sick but doesn't want anyone to worry."
Takako's lip quivered, and she screamed, "Daddyyyyyyyyyyyy!" It took Sesshomaru no more than a second to arrive, and he immediately stooped next to Kagome.
"Takara, your mother fainted again?" He asked the already known and pulled Kagome into his arms, staring in shock at the mark on her cheek.
"Father, he hit her." She answered him, nodding toward Inuyasha, who was still muttering in shock about Kagome being sick. "Are you going to kill him?"
Sesshomaru didn't even acknowledge Inuyasha until that moment. "Would you rather that I killed him, or took your mother to the healer?"
She tapped her chin. "Both." She grinned. "Let's take mother first though."
"Foolish, disobedient miko." Sesshomaru began to walk away, then paused. "Brother."
"What?" Inuyasha asked, a little out of it.
"Harm my mate in any way again, and your life will be over before your next breath. Be off of my land within the next hour." He started again.
Sango bit her lip. "Sesshomaru-sama!" She took his brief pause as an acknowledgement. "What's wrong with Kagome?"
He held Kagome tighter to him, then replied lowly, "Even her doctors do not know." He continued on despite their calls.
"It's something horrible." Sango turned on Inuyasha. "How dare you hit her?!"
"She let him mark her!"
"Why are you still so jealous?! You have Kikyo!"
He shrugged. "I ain't jealous. She's just being stupid. Made me mad. So what."
Miroku glared. "You've harmed Lady Kagome. And there is no way Sesshomaru will allow us near to apologize to her."
"I wasn't goin' to. Come on. We got ground to cover."
Shippo sniffed and obeyed, following the group away from the home of their beloved friend.
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Sesshomaru silently entered his bedroom. He slipped off his armor, kicking his boots off and setting them neatly aside. On his knees, he climbed onto the futon beside Kagome. A small whimper escaped at the sight of the large gash on Kagome's face. "Damn Inuyasha for harming you. Damn you for leaving when I specifically told you not to. Damn me for not being able to protect you from the hanyou." Ashamed, he licked the room and covered it with a bandage. "Forgive me."
Right before me, you glimmer slightly
I can't see anything else
Where are we ?
He sat lotus style, lifting her into his lap. Nose to nose, he watched her eyes flutter open. No words were spoken, but they exchanged silent apologies and chaste, yet loving kisses. His eyes locked on hers, all emotion pouring into them.
Kagome shook her head rigidly. Here they went again. "I am fine. Stop looking at me like I'm dead or dying. I won't just 'poof' and be gone, Sesshomaru."
"You are human. It is only natural to be concerned with your fragile health. And no matter what I do, or what This Sesshomaru tries, I find myself worrying for your life." He laid his head on her chest. "Someday, and I fear soon, your heart will cease as will your breathing."
Was he really admitting this to her? Had the great Sesshomaru just admitted that he was worried? Afraid? Concerned? "Sesshomaru-" But he cut her off.
Don't disappear into the background beginning to stir with commotion just yet,
I can't hear anything anymore.
But I can feel you breathe
A little unlike myself I'm expecting something from a surprisingly coincidental development.
"You claim that you will remain forever. Forever is not nearly as long as many think. Forever may be over at the snap of a finger, the slash of a sword, the sound of a gun." Oh, how he hated those new weapons. 'A gun.' he scoffed at the mere thought.
"So you're saying that I can't be near you forever?"
"Yes."
Kagome smiled sadly, cuddling him. "All the more reason to live in the moment, to cherish each simple moment together, Shomaru."
I wanna be here eternally
I want to gaze at you just like this
I can feel you close to me
I can't be by your side forever
Only this moment will last forever.
She sighed contently before continuing. "And we have that battle ahead with Naraku. It's coming. And It's coming soon. And until then, we should spend as much time together as possible. One of us will not make it, I'm sure. And please, don't argue about that known fact." She stated when he opened his mouth to protest.
Sesshomaru carresed her cheek. "Then we must agree to meet again afterward."
"Yeh. We'll meet again."
I want to be with you on my break before I go to war.
We'll leave the promise until next we meet.
Can you hear me breathe?
Everyone has times when they are moved by not so surprising developments.
I wanna be here eternally
Kagome grinned. "And we'll start this whole thing over again. Yes. I like the sound of that. In a place where we can't be hurt or seperated again."
Sesshomaru nodded his agreement. "Simply you, the pups, and I."
"Whether in this world or the other? You'll find me, Sesshomaru?"
"Yes. And you shall find me."
In a place no one will find us
I can see you're all I need
I don't need help getting to tomorrow
even this moment is surely just a fantasy
I can feel you close to me
Even if we can't go back to that place,
At least this feeling will last forever
"Hm, my Kagome," Sesshomaru nestled his face into the crook of her neck, "I love you." THe instant the words left his mouth, he froze. How had that slipped? Where had that come from? Was that how he felt? Well, yeah. Yes. Exactly how he felt.
But why was she not repeating? Panicking at the thought of rejection, Sesshomaru looked up, heaving a sigh of relief when he found her sleeping. But that was simply an excuse he told himself. He knew she was very much awake. But he couldn't face the thought thaat she did not feel the same. So he'd lie to himself for now, and until she said it.
I wanna be here eternally
I can see you are all I need
Only this moment will last forever.
'The perfect moment...and he ruined it.' Kagome tried not to cry. 'Ruined.'
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RUINED?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!????!?!?!?!?!