"Spill it!" Hands on their hips and determined looks on their faces, Kagome and Sango began their interrogation while we bathed in a hot spring. Rin and Shippo had joined us at first, but they quickly finished and hurried away to play in the freshly fallen snow. Immediately after they left both girls turned toward me and made me shrink back into the water.
"Could you be more specific?" I asked stalling. They only narrowed their eyes.
"What happened after you followed after Sesshomaru? You came back looking as red as Inuyasha's Kimono!" Kagome said as Sango shook her head in agreement at the comparison.
"I just went to thank him. That's all." I turned my back toward them trying to slowly make my way to the edge of the water. Sango noticed my attempt at retreat and cut me off. I allowed myself a moment to envy her curves before returning my attention back to the conversation they were forcing me to have.
"Thank him for what?" Kagome crossed her arms pushing up her own bust. Damn you puberty.
"Well if he decided to leave again like last time I would have gone with him, ya know for Rin. So I was just saying thanks for letting us stay." There was a chance I could still get out of this by using Rin as an excuse. The look on Kagome's face, however, told me I was done for.
"Oh really? Just for Rin, huh?"
"Yep!" I tried smiling brightly as my last hope that it would convince them.
"You're not fooling us." And thank you Sango for crushing what little hope I had left.
"Fine. So somewhere in the past month my heart decided to be stupid. No big deal. Probably just a girlish crush." I waved it off even though I knew that too was a lie. I've had a tiny crush on a couple guys before and it was nothing like this.
"Why? I mean I'm not gonna lie, he is very handsome, but he also tried to kill you the first time he met you. He tried to kill me too the first time I met him!" This was specifically why I didn't want to tell them. I am very well aware of how ruthless Sesshomaru is and how easily it would be for him to kill me, but I didn't have that fear that he would anymore.
"I know, I know! This is why I didn't want to tell you anything. I can't really explain it very well, but a deranged part of me fell a little for him." More like crashed and burned.
"Deranged sounds about right." I narrowed my eyes over to Sango, but she ignored my glare. "Although, when you started screaming from that nightmare he immediately stopped fighting Inuyasha. Miroku didn't really even have time to call out to them before he was there next you."
My heart leapt in the air. First Rin telling me he would steal glances in my direction and now this. People really need to stop telling me these things or else I'm going to be a heartbroken mess. "That doesn't really mean anything. He was probably just curious about the curse." I looked down at the water to stare at my reflection. Damp curls framed my face while white bandages covered up almost the entire left side.
"Are you trying to convince yourself that he doesn't feel the same?" Kagome asked, her tone changing. At first she sounded somewhat worried about me, but now it almost sounded sorrowful.
"I'm not trying to get my heartbroken. I know he hates humans and won't be returning my feelings anytime soon so I'm just making it easier for myself."
"What if he did?" Kagome and I looked to Sango with our brows raised. "I know the chances aren't exactly high, but what if? Who would have thought he would have started caring for a human child, like Rin?"
"Ughh, Sango don't give me hope!" I fell back making a tiny splash in the water.
"Haha sorry, but honestly what would you do?"
"Be the happiest girl in the world." With that our conversation was over and we finished up in the springs before quickly drying off and changing to escape the cold. Gathering up our things we headed back to camp for a good night's rest. It least everyone else would have a peaceful night, maybe. My mind was in overdrive and was nowhere near being prepared to power down for sleep.
One week. One week in hell is what it felt like. From feeling like my heart was going to burst out of my chest whenever Sesshomaru was around to him and Inuyasha plotting how to kill one another. And to top it all off it was freaking cold. There was now enough snow on the ground to leave a trail of footprints behind. This week definitely resided as my current worst week ever and I could tell it wasn't about to get any better soon.
We were making our way back to Lady Kaede's village so Kagome could return home for a couple days and check up on my grandmother. I worried about her being all alone for more than an entire month. One more day and we would safely arrive at our destination, but not without another fight it seemed. The two brothers were at each other's throats once again.
It was the same every time with Inuyasha as the instigator. There would be a few insults and a couple profanities from him before Sesshomaru would eventually retaliate with a comment on Inuyasha's human heritage or his intellect. I will confess that the ones questioning Inuyasha's intelligence may have made me giggle a little. Today started off no differently.
"Damn bastard! Stop acting like you're in charge here!" Inuyasha exclaimed. Sesshomaru currently was leading us from in front like usual, but it seemed this was unacceptable to Inuyasha now. "We aren't your little servants like Jaken!
"Hey!" Jaken yelled. He was holding the reigns of Au-Un while Rin, Kagome, and I rode on top.
"Let it go Jaken." I called over my shoulder. It would only give me a headache if he decided to intervene.
"Grrr stop ignoring me bastard!" Inuyasha then jumped in front of Sesshomaru to force his attention on him.
"What's wrong little brother." Same bored 'I'd rather be anywhere else than here' tone.
"Could you two it least change it up a bit. I'm tired of the same routine over and over again." I said falling back onto Au-Un, Rin giggling and mimicking my actions.
"We're almost there guys. Can you please just agree not to fight any more for now? " Kagome almost sounded like she was pleading with them. I could understand why, though. I could almost feel her frustration and stress.
"Hn." Was the only response Sesshomaru gave before starting to walk off again.
"Keh, as if he'll keep his word. His Honor is good for nothing." I blinked once before calamity hit. Inuyasha was thrown so hard against a nearby tree he was knocked completely unconscious and Sesshomaru wasn't finished yet. He slowly stalked over to him prepared to strike again.
"No!" Kagome cried jumping off of Ah-Un. She rushed to Inuyasha's side throwing herself on top of him as if to protect him. Miroku and Sango also moved to block Sesshomaru, but these actions, however, didn't seem to slow down Sesshomaru one bit. He continued walking slowly over to them with rage filled eyes.
"Sesshomaru stop!" I rushed over to him standing directly in front of him with my arms spread out wide.
His usual golden eyes were crimson as they looked down at me. For the first time in a while I was absolutely terrified of him, but I refused to let it show. "Move." No longer was there a bored tone to his usual calm and monotone voice. It now almost sounded like a growl.
With a deep breath I stood my ground. "No. He's an idiot, he's immature and he's my friend. Please, let it go." I begged the last part. If he truly decided to kill him there wasn't a thing I could do about it. Here I was again, the tiny mouse attempting to challenge the lion.
Sesshomaru's eyes returned to normal, but they still held his anger. With a glance in Inuyasha's direction and one final glare down at me he walked away. While everyone went to aid Inuyasha I stood to the sides starring in the direction Sesshomaru disappeared in with a heavy heart. He was mad and not just at Inuyasha.
It was decided we would continue in the morning since it was beginning to become late and Inuyasha was out cold. We set up camp and prepared for supper. Sango and I were in charge of food since Kagome was preoccupied with Inuyasha. It was a difficult task since I wasn't used to cooking over a camp fire and I kept glancing off again and again in search of Sesshomaru.
"Hey, Yuuki?" I whipped my head back around tearing my gaze from the trees to face Sango, who'd whispered my name.
"Yes?" I whispered back. I had no idea why we were being quiet and I was a little worried it might be about why I kept staring off into the empty trees.
"I'm not trying to give you any false hope here, but…I don't think there's any other person in existence that could have done what you did today." I raised a brow at her comment slightly confused. I wasn't sure what she was referring too. Was it because I stood up to Sesshomaru? Her and Miroku did the same thing, though! He stopped for you. That doesn't mean anything brain, now go away!
"I don't really think what happened today means anything." I replied setting a pot over the fire Jaken had been forced to make.
"I'm a demon slayer so I know a lot about demons; Sesshomaru was fully enraged and prepared to kill Inuyasha. He would have done it too and Miroku and I wouldn't stand much of a challenge against him in that state."
"State? What do you mean by that?"
"You noticed his eyes had turned red right?" I nodded at her. That was what scared me the most about him then. "He was allowing his beast to take over. However, when you approached him his aura seemed to return to normal." I thought what she said over, but I refused to think anything of it. He probably would have killed me if it wouldn't have upset Rin. You always use Rin as an excuse.
"Well I don't think we'll have any problems with demons tonight." Miroku interrupted us coming to help Sango and me with our pathetic attempt at cooking. It frustrated me because I was actually pretty good at cooking! Over a stove of course.
"Why do you say that?" Sango asked trying to hold down a blush as he came to kneel next to her.
"You don't feel it?" Just as he pointed it out I noticed the massive aura covering the area. Not only was it huge and powerful, it was also livid.
"Sesshomaru." His name slipped passed my lips. Miroku was right, though. Only a complete imbecile would dare to come anywhere near here. I was certain the moment someone stepped into the radius of his aura he would rip there throat out, no questions asked. "I'm going to go find him."
Sango gave me a knowing look while Miroku looked concerned. "Are you sure you want to go alone?"
"If he wanted to kill me he would have done it earlier." I stood up and headed into the directing I'd been staring at all afternoon. As I passed Kagome I saw the same look Sango gave me appear on her face.
Small snowflakes began falling once more and I wrapped my arms around myself to keep warm. The clouds covered the sky and it was impossible to tell where the sun was, but it was obvious it was late. Darkness would fall on us soon enough. Trudging through the thin layer of white, I followed Sesshomaru's aura. I knew I was in the right direction because as I moved forward it would grow stronger and stronger. After five minutes I broke through the trees and was met with a large hill. Sighing in submission I slowly made my way up the steep incline. A valley hid on the other side at the bottom of a cliff where Sesshomaru stood still fuming.
For a moment I regretted coming out here, but I knew I couldn't turn back and act as though I was never here. I knew for a fact he could tell I cad came. He probably could feel me coming the moment I headed out. Inhaling a deep breath I cautiously approached the lethal demon.
I walked right up next to him and took in the view at the top of the cliff. The leaves of the trees below would be ripped from the branches by the cold wind and blown into the river that would wash them away. The snow falling from above would slowly land in the river as well and would quickly melt and become a part of the current. The view was breathtaking from here and I gave props to Sesshomaru for finding the best spot to let off steam.
Realizing I had been holding my breath I let it out and watched the fog that formed from the cold. Glancing to my right I noticed that his eyes were watching me, waiting. Turning back quickly I tried gathering my thoughts. I wished I would have rehearsed what to say on my way here because at the moment my mind was blank. I knew what I wanted to ask I just wasn't sure how to put it where I wouldn't anger him any further. He being mad at me wasn't exactly something I was shooting for.
"I will only warn you once, do not aggravate me." His voice was cold just like the weather and I couldn't tell which it was that sent chills down my spine.
"I don't need a warning; it's pretty obvious you're mad. I just wanted to know what it was that made you so angry." I kept from looking him in the eye because I was scared I would lose my resolve if I did. Staring out in front of me I waited for an answer. I knew it hadn't been long, but it felt like an eternity standing there in the snow practically being suffocated by his authoritative aura.
"My honor." My eyes widened some at the answer that I finally received. Turing to face him I found he was now the one that starred out toward the valley. His words echoed inside my head and I tried to make sense of them. I remembered Inuyasha saying that his honor was good for nothing, but I would have never imagined that something like that would get to him.
"Honor? You know your honors good so what does it matter what Inuyasha says?"
His gold eyes narrowed as they settled on me. "Worthless." With that one word I completely understood. You could call me any name you like and I wouldn't care, but call me worthless and it's all over. The same seemed to go for Sesshomaru. You could say whatever you'd like and it would fly right over his egotistical head, but the second you questioned his honor you were done for.
I fell to the ground sitting with my legs crossed and put my head in my hands. "I understand." I though he was going to leave me there and walk away back to camp, but instead he joined me on the ground, bringing up one leg to rest his right arm. "You have honor and…" I paused and forced myself to believe my next words. "and I'm not worthless." My voice shook at the last part showing just how unsure I was about that statement.
"You don't sound very confident of that." I would have been overjoyed at the fact that we were actually having a conversation. The last time had been after I killed that demon, but same as last time I could have gone for a different topic.
"I'm working on that." I huffed in response.
His next movements caught me by surprise. Instead of sitting he was kneeling before me taking my chin and forcing me to look up at him. I was frozen and starred up wide eyed. "I would say you being human does in fact make you worthless," He began slowly leaning toward me pausing right before my lips, "But it would seem that I wouldn't believe it to be true." Then he was gone.