Disclaimer for the Entire Story:

All rights reserved to Rumiko Takahashi and to the respective owners of "The Moon Embracing the Sun."

However, ALL storylines, albeit: (a) an adaptation of Rumiko Takahashi works; and (b) the original works of the owners of "The Moon Embracing the Sun" is the intellectual property of Maria-Salvatore29.

Author's Notes: Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews! However, I wanted to say a few things:

a.) If you are confused with the story, that's alright, because you should be. However, keep in mind that everything would be explained later. *wink* So for now, enjoy "not knowing".

b.) There are/will be a lot of Original Characters in the story. I would make a list at the end of each chapter to avoid confusion.

c.) DON'T BE CONFUSED WITH THE NAME. Kagome is Tsuki. When the story brings you Further into the Past, Kagome would be addressed as Tsuki there, okie?

-x-X-x-

Feudal Era…

Sesshomaru knew, in a vague sense of way and mostly observed during short encounters, that Inuyasha's miko possessed a power greater than reiki, because there was no way anyone could endure such inner torment and still managed to smile and chatter enthusiastically at the end of the day. Hnn. But then she is no longer Inuyasha's miko. She's under my protection now, isn't she?

He might really be losing his mind for wanting to protect the one he swore he hated the most, but the universe loved playing games with him and the gaps in his memories were making his head spin in circles. He must be staring at one point for a very long time, because the next thing he knew, Kagome's face was mere inches from his, her eyes big with curiosity and her head titled to the side. She resembles someone I know. "What is it?"

She rolled her eyes at him and huffed to herself. "I've been asking for like gazillion times if I can go over there to get some lettuce. Not that I need your permission, but I don't want you to freak out."

He shifted his gaze at the bunch of green vegetables and said, "She gave me a lettuce before."

"A lettuce?" Kagome repeated. "Why would she give you a lettuce?"

"She planted it for me, but allowed me to discover on my own what plant it is, so I would stare at the soil each day…waiting," he shared, looking steadily at the setting sun. "Tsuki, it seems, had made it her life's mission to make me wait."

Kagome chuckled and remarked, "You learned well, Sesshomaru." When he sent a glare in her way, she explained with a smile, "Perhaps, she knew that she would be gone and that you would need a lot of patience to get through each day, not knowing where she is or what actually transpired."

He absorbed her words for a long time and she let him, allowing the reassurance of the perhaps comfort him, even though it was not what he deserved. "One morning, I saw a lone leaf standing tall from the soil and I lack knowledge of human plants at the time. So I called for her…" He trailed off, lost in the memory that he could not even clearly remember.

-c-C-c-

Further into the Past…

He was facing his armoire, contemplating the important decision of choosing between the white and blue-colored clothing, but Sesshomaru was a very observant person with a keen memory, and he distinctly remember how Tsuki admired him when he wore the white-hued kimono the other day.

Right then, he decided to call for the seamstress and order several more article of clothing with Tsuki's preferred colors and that was also when a lone green leaf caught his attention. The sunlight illuminated the plant and finally, the day of knowing has come. He could finally discover what plant Tsuki has given him, but he realized that he did not recognize the plant, no matter how much he try to remember.

"Hideo," he called lightly, for he could sense his friend was just outside his room.

"Yes, my lord," he answered, entering the room at once.

"Do you recognize this plant?" He asked, pointing at the green leaf.

Hideo shook his head and asked, "Shall I gather information for you?"

"No," he said, an idea brewing in his head. "I can get it from the one who has given it to me." He faced his friend and issued a command, "Call for Tsuki. Tell her that I seek knowledge."

"Of course, my lord." Hideo disappeared right after that and Sesshomaru grabbed hold of a thin white silken clothing, thinking of ways of how he can give it to her for their meeting later that afternoon.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" Tsuki's voice rang from the outside and he cannot stop his lips from curling upwards.

"Come inside, Tsuki," he answered as calm as his voice would allow.

"What is it? Hideo-san just barged in during our breakfast and announced that "the lord seeks for knowledge, which only you possess, Tsuki-sama." He almost scared our entire pavilion!"

"I did not intend to scare you."

"I know, but you and Hideo-san always look so mean and serious. Good thing I know you, huh?" She perched herself on one of the pillows lying before his low table.

"What is this plant?"

"Oh! It has finally grown." She looked at him with a slightly amused smile. "It's a lettuce. Did you seriously call for me because of that lettuce?"

"What is a lettuce?"

Her amusement become increasingly close to impudence, but Sesshomaru could not seem to find offense in anything that Tsuki does, instead, she increasingly fascinated him. "It's edible and can also cure a human fever and you have no use for it."

He threw her a questioning look. "Why would you give me a plant that is worthless to me?"

"You see, it's not about the plant. It's about the patience of waiting for it to grow. When you have nurtured something, it becomes priceless to you and even though it is a perfectly simple and abundant human plant, the lettuce that you have grown would remain precious, because it's yours and it cannot be compared to other lettuce, no matter how similar."

"Hnn. Interesting line of thinking..."

She held a hand for him to take and gently lead him to seat beside her, so that they could watch the lone leaf sway with the wind. "So do you have a lettuce, Sesshomaru-sama?"

A low chuckle escaped from his throat and he took her small hands gently. "Ah-Un. Father. Mother. Hideo. The western fortress."

She nodded, waiting. "Okay…who else?"

He decided to tease her a bit because he liked how her cheeks blushed pink. "Who else there may be?" The sudden drop of her petite shoulders almost made him laugh aloud, so raised her face so that he could look her in the eyes, "There's…you."

Her lips parted and a shy smile seemed to make her face shine bright. "You are my lettuce, too." He raised a brow at her statement and she blushed redder than he had ever seen her.

Moment shattered, she broke into a pained laughter and whimpered in embarrassment, and slowly, Sesshomaru allowed himself to laugh as well, even though it was uncharacteristic of him and despite the threat of other people hearing him lose restraint of himself. But when he was with Tsuki, everything was lighter and he was at his happiest. "Do not worry, Tsuki."

"Please don't say anything more," she scrunched her nose at him. "I know you understand."

He smiled down at her, both in amusement and fascination, before dropping a light kiss on her forehead. She was right, though, there were no need for words, because they understand each other perfectly.

-c-C-c-

Feudal Era…

"Now, I don't want to get a lettuce just because I'm hungry, when it holds so much significance to you," she said teasingly, wanting to lighten the atmosphere.

"Hnn, it's not the same," he told her, because it wasn't. He could not clearly remember her, but Tsuki was precious to him like no other, he knew it.

"Of course not," she soothed. "She is yours, Sesshomaru-sama, and you are hers. And as long as you don't remember her and cannot properly say good-bye, you would never be over her."

"I do not wish to say good-bye," he said harshly, angered by the aspect of intentionally forgetting Tsuki.

"Sess—"

"No more talking."

She sighed and knelt in front of him, the setting sun making her glimmer in a nostalgic light, as if she was part of a past that cannot be forgotten. "It's been centuries, Sesshomaru-sama. Tsuki was a human girl. How do you expect to find her alive? I can only help you make her memories live, long enough for you to mourn it properly."

Kagome took his tightly curled hands and enveloped it with hers gently. "If you find her alive, then you cannot expect her to be the same as before, because that would be unfair! You have changed and so would she. One way or another, you have to bid good-bye to Tsuki, because if she was the girl you kept telling me she is…then she wouldn't want you to wallow and drown like this."

"You cannot possibly know how she feels."

"Well, I'm a girl," she shrugged. "When I love a man, I wouldn't want him to suffer, because it would hurt me twice as much."

Again, he let her words wash through him before asking, "Is that why you are drowning, as well?"

She looked genuinely surprised by his question, as if she thought that he did not pay her any attention at all. She gave a humorless chuckle and replied while looking at his hands that she cradled with hers, "I am lost, Sesshomaru. I don't know that I am until we defeated Naraku. I thought I would want to immediately settle down with Inuyasha, but…I don't. I feel so ashamed because I think I am making him suffer and—I don't really know—maybe he is not my lettuce?"

He raised a brow at her last statement and watched as her face scrunched up in embarrassment. "Oh no. That sentence came out wrong!"

She pulled her hands up to cover her blushing face, but he grabbed hold of them and said, "I understand, Kagome."

She stared at him for a while before breaking into a loud laughter. "If I only knew how a lettuce could calm you down, I would have given you a basketful in the past!" Then she guffawed again, cradling her stomach in her joy.

"Kagome, stop laughing," he ordered after she hiccupped in so much laughter, but his reprimand seemed to make her laugh harder and she lightly hit his arm for the effort.

She looked so happy and so carefree, that despite his heavy heart, he cannot help but smile at the sight.

-x-X-x-

Author's Note: Belated Happy Halloween!

Prompt: A/N

Word Count: 1660

Date Posted: 11/02/16