Guys...my fellow readers...this story is reaching it's last part. I know, my heart hurts with the knowledge, but it is true, so enjoy this story that I've written with so much love, and forgive me if I do not update fast enough. i do what I can . (I sewear, really, next chapter, I hope, will only take me about two weeks to update)
My thanks to...all of you, because you are all great, and I wish I could leaven a message for every single one of you.
theblackangels: I am very sorry about your dog. However, and as a student of Veterinary (at least for the moment) I feel like it is my duty to tell you that it was not the dog's fault. It never is. It was the owner's fault because of being so irresponsible. People shouldn't have animals if they are not going to take care of them. I am not giving you a lecture. It's just something that has to be said, to bring a concience to people. Other than that, thank you so much for reviewing, and please enjoy this chapter!
AkiChan323: Yey! You like my Sesshoumaru portrayal (I suffer with him every chapter. He truly is difficult to write.)
Kelly: Wow, you read it in one sitting? That must have taken you like…forever.
Blackladyj: It seems we started into fanfic thanks to that story. That you read that before, and then read this and found it a good fanfic is truly something that makes me happy.
BroadWayBaby179: Please, don't let me stop you! Write reviews as long as you want them to! I just love to hear anything you have to say, and it's always nice to feel what you are doing is being enjoyed. So keep on reading (I suggest you don't do 13 hours straight, though it does make me feel honored) and just enjoy this! And I update…whenever I can? Sorry, I try my best, but sometimes it still takes me a long time.
FoxyFire45: Definitly wouldn't want your oblivion on my conscience, so here, I updated, hahaha! And I feel sorry for Naraku, too, hehehehe.
PrettyBlueSailor: Next chaper, you definitely have to read when it comes out. This one is more fluff than anything else.
xunlistedxuser: I've never heard of reviews exploding from happiness, we should try it, hahaha!
1kenshinlover: I know, but I just couldn't think or find a quate for last chapter. But this one has one! And what quote of letting go? Not that I mind that you use it. I find it awesome.
Melantao: I will finish the story with…hahaha, not telling :P
Ellesmera08: English isn't my first language either, so we have that in common. Just keep enjoying this.
Nya: No need to get worried. This story will be finished.
Kpsesshylover: yey, #1 story!
Seshysgodestris: I'd never thought about that…
Ponies1998: I actually have a lemon planned for this story. It will be my first, so we'll see how it goes.
CaptainCuppyCake: I actually did imagine a blonde jumping around…it was hilarious.
DeonDeReves. Don't worry, I appreciate your reviews anyway. And I'm glad you thought last chapter was worth reviewing.
Ok, I have to stop the thanks now or I'll never do it…
AND AGAIN THANKS TO ALL OF YOU, BECAUSE; YES, WE HAVE MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND REVIEWS! This is like...I think I'll go somewhere cry...
Mess-With-Me-I'll-Mess-With-You: If you are still readin this story, you reviewed when I got a thousand revies and told me I would get two thousand by the time I was finished. I must say, at the time, I did not believe you, but now...thank you for having so much faith on this story.
Oh, and this story won third place on the Dokuga Awards, for Best Romantic Story, so yep, everything is just great!
Twisted Hearts
Eye of the Hurricane
Let us enjoy this peace of heaven while we have it. Let us pretend there's only you and me. Let us live for only each other. For tomorrow, the world will tear us apart.
To the others, his plan seemed brainless, meaningless, but he did not care. He didn't give a damn about what others thought…well, at least not on this.
Never on this.
It had been a long road- lots of planning, plotting, and years of patience, but he had finally come to his awaited revenge.
The Taishos should have known to fear him.
When he closed his eyes, he could see the eldest of them, arrogant and proud and so very sure that a hanyou like Naraku could not amount to his level. Taisho never let him in.
All Naraku had wanted was to be part of something.
Because in a world where demons were on top and humans the bottom, there was no place for the mixture of both. There was no place for a hanyou in a world where the two races despised one another. No place at all.
Except for his enemy's son.
Inuyasha Taisho had the likes of his father, the weakness for human women, the hair and the eyes. He even had part of his legacy. He had a place in the Feudal Era when he, Naraku, was denied one. Even after the hanyou was born, he was still denied everything. He had never been enough for Taisho Senior or his eldest son. He hadn't even been enough for the hanyou.
And after centuries of planning, building strength and power, and finally gaining a name, it was payback time.
He knew he would never be able to take down a Taisho in battle. Besides, things would get messy, leaving too many clues for police.
Naraku wished for something smoother.
Crashing Taisho Senior's plane was perfect for his needs. No one suspected anything, so he was free to continue plotting.
He sent Kikyo to deal with the hanyou, and it had been easy. The miko was the perfect manipulator, and Inuyasha the perfect idiot. He fell straight into the ploy, even signing the documents that gave Kikyo ownership of his possessions in case of death; the moron hadn't even stopped to think of giving his half of Tashio Company to Sesshoumaru. And when Inuyasha was dealt with, Kikyo would hand it all to him for a chance to see her sister again.
Naraku smiled as the sun started to set, he could see part of the city from his office, the Taisho Company that would soon be part of Shikon. Naraku frowned.
Sesshoumaru caused a greater problem.
There was no way to get through to the cold, hard interior. In fact, the demon despised…anything that walked the earth. He had no flaws, no weakness, until Inuyasha's girlfriend became his wife.
Naraku saw his chance.
He knew Sesshoumaru had once taken in young, human girl, even cared for her. And mistakes made by fathers tended to repeat themselves in sons.
The miko's feelings for Sesshoumaru deepened, and his as well for her.
He found his chance.
Hurting the girl would hurt the youkai. This Kagome was the way in, and she didn't even know it. Fate was with him and his ploy. His spies reported that Sesshoumaru's will recently made a change; and left everything to her, all except 50 of his part of the company, which would go to the hanyou in case there was no heir present.
Though Sesshoumaru hated his brother, he still had sense. Inuyasha hadn't even thought about heirs.
All Naraku had to do was wait.
Once he had the young miko in his hands, it would only take some pain and torture to make Kagome sign the papers he needed to hold Tashio Company. It would only take a few words to convince Inuyasha that Sesshoumaru wanted Kikyo for himself, and a battle was ensured.
The hanyou would attack anything that was in front of him. Naraku would make sure that everything was in place, and Kagome would be maimed. Badly. And once the younger Taisho attacked his brother's wife, Sesshoumaru would kill him. And while Kagome was dying in front of Sesshoumaru, distracting the demon, Naraku would kill him. His enemies would die, and he would be the most powerful being on earth.
Naraku placed his hand over the window, watching as the last of the sun disappeared for the day.
His eyes narrowed.
All he ever wanted was acceptance.
"Ha! Take it, you stupid red dot!" Kagome exclaimed, bouncing up and as she pointed at the successfully hit target. "I told you I would get you!" she said, a smug and scary smirk growing on her face. She finally managed to unbury her purifying powers into the arrow. Smoke billowed from her target, only making her feat more brag-worthy. Her eyes sparkled with triumph. Life was great.
Kagome turned her eyes on the boy to her left, and he flinched.
A boy, merely nine or ten, unsuccessfully hid behind his bows, failing pathetically.
"Told you I could beat you!" Kagome shouted, taking a stride towards the child.
He took a cautious step back before deciding carefulness was useless and ran away as fast as he could.
"Hey, come back!" Kagome called, preparing to run after him. Luckily for the kid, Sango and Miroku happened to be there.
"Kagome…" Sango started, careful with her words. "I think you should let him, you know, go…"
Kagome turned to glare at her. "But he made fun of me when I couldn't shoot the arrows!"
Miroku attempted reason. "He's just a child, Kagome."
Kagome glared at both of them. "That doesn't even begin to justify anything." she groused.
"Kagome, you don't really want to hurt him. It would be bad for, eh..."
"It'll be a greater victory if you let him off." Miroku finished.
Sango squeezed his hand and gave him a grateful smile, which he returned and Kagome disregarded. She was busy thinking of ways to get back at the boy.
"Maybe…"
Miroku interrupted. "Kagome! Why don't you show us your miko powers again?"
Kagome forgot about her revenge.
"Of course! I cannot only aim, but actually canalize my powers through the arrow! Isn't it great? I mean, if it was legal and I wanted to, I could purify a demon from afar! I've been practicing close-range." She spread her fingers to demonstrate, but already felt weary. "It is hard, though. It drains my energy."
She went on and on, and Miroku chose the time to slide closer to Sango.
"Sango..."
"Yes?"
"Is she…"
"Becoming more like Sesshoumaru?"
"She definitely has…"
"Power thirst?"
"And the scary look."
"Is this good or bad?"
Sango glanced at Kagome shooting arrows at the target, a wicked smile on her face.
"Well," Sango started. "He's definitely a bad influence." Kagome's hair flowed around her shoulders as she turned, smiling brightly at her friends, eyes shining. Sango thought she looked radiant. She looked healthy, strong, and over everything, so happy... "He's also the best thing that has ever happened to her."
Miroku laughed and circled Sango's waist from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder and Sango, first hesitantly, leaned into his chest.
"Isn't it strange?" said Sango.
"How so?"
"It's just…I never expected this to happen. When they got married…I thought Kagome was doomed."
Miroku smiled in the miko's direction.
"I always knew they were right for each other." He said smugly.
"You did know, didn't you?" And for once, Sango allowed him to bath in his glory.
Miroku laughed. "It was obvious. Inuyasha… he had his chance, and he blew it. And Kouga was out of the picture even while he was in it."
"Still, Sesshoumaru was a risky choice."
"But my dear Sango, who could be better for our sweet Kagome than…"
"An ice cube?"
"He's not that cold."
Sango sighed. "You got lucky. It could have ended terribly, you know, and if Kagome had ended up more hurt than before, I'd have no choice but to seriously hurt you." She said this casually.
Miroku knew the warning in her tone too well.
Sweat dotted his forehead.
"I had it all planned." He replied, trying to sound confident. This was difficult with Sango.
"Did you really?"
Kagome laughed as her arrow hit the target, the sound natural.
"I wouldn't risk Kagome's happiness."
Sango narrowed her eyes. "Really? Because if you didn't calculate every possibility…"
"I did."
Just then, Kagome decided she was tired of archery. Miroku let out a sigh of relief. "Guys," she started, "It's getting late, and Sesshoumaru will be home soon. A car is supposed to pick me up in a few minutes."
"He's leaving work early?" Sango asked.
"Yep." Kagome said, blushing and busying herself with her things.
"Any reason?" Miroku asked, raising one eyebrow curiously.
"Well…" Kagome said, face redder, "It might be because…"
"Kagome, just tell us!" Sango couldn't stop her smile; her friend was just like a giddy high school girl.
Kagome gave a frustrated sigh. "Alright. We're going away for the weekend because…he wants us to spend some quality time together, and I kind of do, too. I'm free from school and work, anyways. So he sort of canceled things."
"Quality time?" Sango asked, intrigued.
Kagome laughed. "Well, he didn't really say quality time. It was more like…" Kagome shook her head and blushed even more, "He wants to make a statement."
"A statement?"
Kagome leaned closer to them and they huddled together. A smile lit her face. "He kissed me." She told them, suddenly feeling like a school girl all over again, but she didn't care.
Inside she felt...she felt...oh, so happy!
Everything turned out alright, like the pieces of her life had finally fallen together. Her happily ever after was a youkai that was distant towards the world, cold towards her, and yet warm in ways she couldn't explain. The youkai emptied her and filled her; he brought her down and over just to bring her up again.
In her eyes, there was Sesshoumaru. Sango saw it. Miroku saw it.
The world could see it.
Sango and Miroku found themselves dizzy from the emotion pouring from her, and when her words were slowly clicking, a limousine pulled over, honked, and Kagome grabbed her things and waved a goodbye as she stepped into the vehicle.
Sango blinked.
"So…" Miroku said, hands travelling her waist, diving lower, and lower... "Does this mean I don't get hurt?"
Sango smiled sweetly at him.
"Miroku…" she breathed, pulling him closer.
"Yes?"
"Don't do that in public!" she shouted, whacking him then walking away as she muttered under words that sounded like "perverted idiot"
Miroku watched her go, and despite his pain, he smiled at her retreating form.
"That's my woman."
"Do you have everything?" Kagome asked, packing a lunch for what seemed like a thousand people.
Sesshoumaru was leaning against a wall, acting cool and superior as he did nothing to help her. Kagome was wasting her time packing all that food; they didn't need that much. They were staying at one of his houses, after all, and there would be plenty of food there.
Kagome, it seemed, did not grasp this concept.
She shot a glare at him. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Of course I am. It's impossible not to."
"Because I'm so interesting?"
"Because you talk too loud."
He knew full well the effect his words would have on her.
And she reacted. Her face crumpled in anger and she advanced, no, launched, herself at him. "You…" She started. "How dare-"
But he caught her halfway and trapped her in his arms. "Yes?" He asked smugly as he molded her into his grasp.
"I…"
He chuckled, something he only when he was with her. It revealed a side of himself he never knew existed. Kagome rose feelings in him he never knew he could feel; the warmth inside him was immense, threatening to overpower, and he did not want to fight this. It didn't matter where he was as long as Kagome was there, and close. All of his enemies, including Naraku, could rot in hell until he decided they were worthy of his attention. Unfortunately for them, Kagome seemed to be the only thing on his mind lately. Inuyasha would die rather than know this, and Kouga would…well, he wouldn't go into that.
"We don't need all this food." He said, returning to their previous dilemma.
"Of course we do! What if we get a flat tire or something?"
Sesshoumaru would have rolled his eyes if it weren't so undignified. "I am driving." He said, as if that explained it all.
Kagome stumbled over her words before structuring a rational answer. "That's no assurance!"
"Of course it is. No car would dare defy me."
"You do know cars can't tell that you are all great and almighty, right?"
"Everyone knows I am all great and almighty."
"Cars aren't alive."
"And still, they dare not defy me. Imagine how living beings must feel around me."
Kagome's laugh was disbelieving. "Please, you have no power over me." She said, trying very hard to act natural, wrapped in his arms the way she was.
Unfortunately for her, Sesshoumaru was a demon, and he could feel her heart beating fast, the sound pounding against his chest. Kagome couldn't hide from him. "Really?" He asked, leaning his head closer to her. "No power at all?"
"No…power…"
Unconsciously, she leaned deeper into his body.
"You don't sound convincing."
Kagome opened her mouth to argue, but Sesshoumaru's mouth against hers interrupted.
He kissed her forcefully, not at all tenderly, and Kagome was fine with it. When his tongue entered her mouth, she simply decided fighting with words was a waste; there were other useful parts she could fight with.
His tongue explored every part it could reach, and Kagome pushed his away with her own. Their tongues fought each other, battled, trying to rein over the other. Sesshoumaru growled and it droned in her mouth, a moan escaped her. He yanked her against him, so close Kagome could feel all of him against her, and Kagome slowly ran her hands down his arms. He growled his approval before he pulled his lips from hers.
She was flustered and breathless, like he wanted her to be. He wished to act calm and unbothered, even after kissing her so fiercely, except his breathing was just a tad bit faster than usual.
Kagome noticed and smiled. Her hand brushed his cheek. "You're impossible."
"You're trouble."
"You have an ego problem."
"You lack coherence. And I do not have an ego problem. I am simply superior." Her face suggested opposing views, so he continued. "It is a fact, not a belief."
"Uh-huh."
"It's true."
"Ego problem."
"Fact."
"Mmhmm."
"What is this? You do not believe me, Miko?"
Kagome untangled herself from him and took a step back. Then she looked at his face, and his eyes were shining. She was so taken back that she forgot what they were saying.
That tended to happen alot.
But she would not let him win.
"Did you pack everything we need?"
Sesshoumaru used great self control to prevent rolling his eyes, again. "Why ever would I do something as mundane as packing?"
"You didn't pack anything?" Kagome asked, eyeing him reproachfully. "I can't believe you didn't pack! It was the only thing you had to do. We're leaving in what? Five minutes, and you haven't packed a thing…"
"Kagome."
"Why didn't you pack? How can I ever-"
"Miko" He growled.
She gave him a look that clearly said "explain before I hurt you."
Sesshoumaru, of course, was not worried at all since no one could hurt him. However, if she was angry at him, she would not allow him to do…creative and truly educational activities with her, his new favorite and fascinating subject. Anatomy was indeed very pleasent.
"I do not pack bags, and I do not follow orders." He said. "People pack for me, and when they don't do it right, heads roll."
For a minute, Kagome had a vivid vision of Sesshoumaru cutting heads off like it an everyday thing. Sweat dropped. "Are you serious?"
Sesshoumaru calmly stared at his claws. "Well, it's illegal now, but I suppose I could get away with a few…"
"Sesshoumaru!"
"But I'm sure it won't be necessary given I hire efficient people that know how to pack my things."
"So you won't pack for yourself?"
"No."
"And you're sure everything we need will be taken care of?"
"Of course."
"…"
"You're going to go check?"
Kagome laughed. "Yes." She said, quickly exiting the room. "And finish packing the food!" She called from the stairs.
Sesshoumaru decided that leaning against the wall acting cool and superior was the new definition of packing.
And he didn't bother calling for someone to finish with the food.
He was looking forward to what Kagome would have to say about this.
"That's a very stupid plan."
"I know."
"It's…"
"It makes no sense, I know."
"We would get a lot out of it, if things worked out."
"Keyword, If."
"There are good chances of this actually working."
"There are good chances of this not working."
"It's…"
"I know."
The miko, Kikyo, a woman she had come to…who was she kidding? She did not like the human. In Kagura's opinion, they were better off without her; she was better suited off dead. She hoped Naraku would let her kill Kikyo when she was no longer necessary. After all, there'd be no need for her anymore when things were complete.
She shot a look at the miko, her purple eyes dancing darkly before she looked away.
What would the stupid, naïve woman think when she learned her sister had been rotting in the ground for years? Kagura could not wait to see her face when she learned her sister had never been alive, had died even before Naraku made contact with her.
At the time, Kikyo was imagining how very nice it would be to purify the youkai standing next to her. In her opinion, this demon was not worthy. The world would be better off without her. She was creepy. Chills ran down Kikyo's spine in her very presence. She furrowed her eyebrows.
It wasn't weird that the demon sent chills through her, it was actually quite normal. What was not normal was that Inuyasha no longer sent her those sensations. Sesshoumaru and Shippo were also out of that catalog, and Kouga and Ayame were beginning to make it into the list as well. Spending time with these youkai had horrible effects. She had begun to see their normal, human sides. They had feelings and emotions, they suffered and laughed... like humans.
Shippo…she had always thought a demon child was a future enemy, but the boy spent endless nights in the hospital because he didn't want to leave his friend's side. He was worried sick over the human. She didn't even think some humans cared for other humans in the way the small fox cared about that boy.
She saw the way Sesshoumaru treated his wife. His possessiveness towards her, how his eyes never left her, assessing her as if to make sure she was okay. Kagome was his, even if he hadn't made her his mate. Kagome opened him up. He was still cold and heartless to everyone else, but truly, he had. This knowledge stuck to Kikyo's ribs.
Kouga cared for Kagome and his companions, and Ayame cared as well. They would die for their friends and give up everything for their smile.
She had to respect such devotion. She'd never seen human and demons interact like this. It was not normal. Maybe it had something to do with the Higurashi line.
And then there was Inuyasha…
Inuyasha, her husband and her mate, her stupid Inuyasha. Even though the hanyou wanted to go running to Kagome, the one she had stolen him away from, he stayed with her. Inuyasha, who loved her in his way and had fallen directly into Naraku's plan as a result of it.
"Here are the papers Naraku wished Inuyasha to sign. He gives everything to me in case of his death." She said, handing the folder to Kagura.
Inuyasha, the one she'd betray, regardless of how gentle and wonderful he'd been to her.
But what choice did she have? She couldn't betray her sister. And her rising feelings towards Inuyasha...
So what if he made her feel alive again?
So what if he stirred things in her she thought impossible to feel?
So what if he and the other demons shattered the convictions she had of their kind?
She would still betray them, regardless. She had to. She had to.
"Good. You already know what to do at the party, right?"
"You do know he can very well kill me?" Kikyo asked.
Kagura smiled. "I'm hoping he will."
Kikyo glared at her. "And I'm hoping he kills you when they piece everything together."
"Sesshoumaru will kill you the moment you deceive him." The demon laughed.
"You make it sound like tricking Sesshoumaru will be an easy thing."
Kagura shrugged. "Your life is a lie. This should be simple for you; it's why Naraku chose you for this ploy."
"Is that the reason why he's kept me around?"
"You are very sensible, too." Kagura placed her hand over Kikyo's shoulder. The miko shifted to glare at the offending hand. "What will you do when you are no longer useful?" she whispered in the human's ear.
Kikyo's eyes darkened as she sent a surge of her purifying powers into Kagura's hand. The effect was instant, and Kagura removed her hand like it touched fire. "What will you do when you are no longer useful, Kagura?" she asked, stepping away from the demon as she made her way across the room.
What would they do when Naraku possessed Taisho Company, when he got his revenge over the sons?
"How many women have you had?"
His eyes flickered to Kagome for a brief second before he decided the glass of red wine in his hand was more interesting. Besides, it hid the surprise in his expression.
Where did this woman get her questions?
His lack of answer, of course, irritated Kagome to no end. Couldn't he just pretend to be nice? To have some manners in a little part of that big, enormous, muscled…
She hated him and his body and his ego, the way he made her mind wander to other things.
How could he have such an effect on her?
"Sesshoumaru…" she started.
He apparently decided he didn't want to listen to her. Instead, he grabbed a piece of cheese and popped it on his mouth. Elegantly, gracefully. How the hell did he do that? He was eating cheese for heaven's sake.
"Stop ignoring me!" Kagome yelled, rising to her knees. She began to yell in his ear. "I said-"
He stopped her by feeding her a piece of apple. Or rather, shoving a large chunk of fruit into her mouth. "No need to damage my hearing." Sesshoumaru replied calmly.
Kagome swallowed the apple. "You could answer my question."
"Kagome…" Sesshoumaru said impatiently. "Why would you want to waste the rest of the day with questions?"
He had told her part of his story. The most prominent parts, at least. Everything else was in past and should stay there. He did not want her to know; it would hurt her.
"But…" Kagome pleaded, giving him her best bright puppy eyes which, apparently, did nothing to him.
She sat back again and pouted.
Why wouldn't he answer? She was only curious. Couldn't she be curious? Sure, the day was wonderful. The sky was blue and the sun shined above the green fields. Sesshoumaru had taken her to a remote town mid-Japan where nothing but a countryside of flowers and his cottage existed, which was more like a mini-mansion. This was the perfect vacation.
And to make it even better, they were on a picnic, surrounded by the bright, yellow flowers under the shade of an old tree, drinking wine, eating fruit and cheese. Sesshoumaru sat close to her, composed as always, and here she was, a tornado of emotions like always.
Why the hell wasn't he answering her questions?
She was not one to give up so easily, if at all. "Really, I'm only curious. It's just…"
She was becoming flustered. This was not easy. He had told her parts of his past, and she'd forever be grateful he let her view his world. It was his way of saying he accepted her, and his words to her in the bedroom, after they had left the hospital…
The way he had looked into her eyes when he told her he wouldn't let her die, like it was fact, a decision already made. The way he kissed her, it made her heart beat faster and made her alive. She was living life for the first time, living life because of him, and to think of an eternity, a whole future with him… it was overwhelming, and yet she wouldn't change any of it.
Of course, living eternally meant mating him, and mating him meant…
Kagome's face went red as a tomato. She looked away from Sesshoumaru and concentrated on the grass, playing with the blades. She was such a schoolgirl. Here she was, in her 20's, and sex was still taboo in her mind.
She had wanted to wait for that especial someone. Kouga hadn't been it, and something had always stopped her with committing in that way with Inuyasha.
Sesshoumaru…had been a jerk at the beginning, untouchable in the middle, and now…her hand went towards Sesshoumaru's hair. He gave an exasperated growl to ward her off, but he did not stop her as she tangled her hand in his soft, silky hair.
Kagome thought it was unfair that his hair was prettier than hers, or any other woman. She loved to touch it. She felt interested for his silver hair for the longest time, and now that she could actually get her hands on it, she wasted no opportunity.
She figured Sesshoumaru would cut the hand off of anyone else who tried.
So now, after many months with him, he had let her in.
Mating was real, something that would happen. Something beyond sex.
She would be at his side until death, which Kagome supposed would be around the Apocalypse. She'd outlive family and friends, but she would have Sesshoumaru, the one who bothered her to no end, yet still managed to give her some of the most amazing feelings of her life. Like she had a choice, anyway. Sesshoumaru had already decided, and she couldn't do a thing to change that, and she would not try.
He had chosen to keep her, and she had chosen to stay by him. Mating was in the future...sex, but more than that.
She thought it was only normal that she wished to know just how many women Sesshoumaru had been with, of course. She wasn't stupid. The demon had been powerful and rich in the past, and he still was now. He was also extremely attractive, and although he had an aura that screamed, 'Come close to me and I'll kill you', she figured it wouldn't be enough to stop fans.
And like he had once told her, he was a man, and men were men, no matter how cold.
She felt threatened.
Threatened by faces and bodies that she would never meet, but would still somehow exist. What if he made the comparison between them, or he found her to not be enough, if she didn't fill his expectations?
Damn it, she hated this insecurity.
"Just tell me." she suddenly demanded, bringing herself eyelevel to him.
Sesshoumaru took another sip of wine. He just had to choose the most curious human woman ever to have existed. Sesshoumaru repressed a sighed. Life had been much easier when he kept her out. Of course, it wasn't like he allowed her in. It was more like she had crawled under his skin without him even noticing, edging to the point where she had become so important to him that he could not let her die.
She had become such a part of him that he would mate her, and not because of compromise. He would not keep her by his side just for compromise, but because he wanted to. A weakness. But there was no going back now. His coldness could not be perceived the same way anymore, at least not towards Kagome. And if he did become towards her agan, she might become miserable, and all his hard work would be ruined. He hated ruined work. He also lacked the desire to hide things from her. He had let her in, and he would keep her in.
This was why he didn't understand her wish to know about how many women he'd been with. He already knew she would not like the answer. He'd been alive for a long time, and although he had focused on wars for a vast part of that life, he had had his…moments as a womanizer.
It was all very impersonal, simply flesh, bodies he used for his benefit and abandoned. He'd never even stayed a whole night with any of them. He could not remember the name of a single one. They were unimportant, just a way to please his need and move on.
Kagome would be different. She wasn't just anyone. She was his wife, his future mate, the woman that would be with him forever, and give him an heir.
They shared the bed, conversation, vacation.
She surpassed all those women from the moment he allowed her to make him dinner.
She had nothing to worry about, so he figured answering her question was a waste of his voice. But then she had to look at him straight in the eye, something he would have been able to ignore, if not for the fact that her blue eyes held a storm.
He couldn't have chosen a human more dull and impassive, could he?
Any other woman, human or youkai, though, would not be good enough. There was Kagome, only Kagome, and he was sure that would remain true forever.
So he supposed he would have to answer her question. Knowing her, she would never drop it, and he did not feel like holding this issue for the rest of his life.
"Kagome…" He started, his mouth a tight line, his eyes looking towards the sun, "They don't matter."
"I'd still like to know."
Of course she would. Sesshoumaru's hand tapped the ground beside him, and Kagome hesitantly made her way towards him. It still surprised him, how such a strong woman could be so doubtful. When it came to emotions, she was just as lost as he was.
He would never let it show, however. He would definitely not allow this to affect him. He was too great for that. To his utter amazement, all his magnitude didn't help when it came to this kind of situations.
'You have to live more.'
He should have listened to his mother.
"Don't you get tired of being so curious?" He asked her, a joking undertone she didn't seem to catch.
She looked irritate. Her eyes began to narrow. "Sesshoumaru..."
He caught her chin, brought her face closer to his. "I've had a lot of women, Kagome." He told her, and he could see the pain and uncertainty start to enter those eyes. "None of them meant anything. I could care less about what happened to them."
It was the truth. It was his nature not to care for anyone. Rin had been an exception.
Kagome was his last exception.
"That's a mean way to feel. You must have broken a lot of hearts." she told him, voice soft. Her blue eyes were warmer now, looking at him with a frown that didn't really register. There was a half smile beginning to form. "Try to be less cold." she said, and her eyes held humor.
"I have no interest in wasting my energy on something so unproductive."
Kagome laughed at this very Sesshoumaru-like response. "People would like you more."
"I have no need for people."
Silence.
"So…"
"Yes, a lot."
"But they don't…"
"You truly shouldn't feel intimidated." Kagome's face, once more, became red, though this time it was for completely different reasons. "Who the hell said I'm intimidated?"
Ah, Yes. Sesshoumaru thought as Kagome began to make the day interesting, 'This is the reason why I keep her around.'
He brought his forehead to hers at such a speed that Kagome had to blink before realizing what was happening.
"That's not fair." she told him softly, all traces of her anger gone.
Sesshoumaru was amazed by how quickly her mood changed. "What's unfair?"
"That you move so fast."
"It's not unfair. It's just another demonstration of how demons are superior."
She snorted.
"You wish."
"It's fact."
"Aha."
How could anyone be so arrogant? She supposed when you were Sesshoumaru Taisho it came down as naturally as breathing.
"I'm old." he said, quickly changing the topic. His eyes were grave, his voice even graver. "So old that you'll never know everything about me." He could never ask her to trust him, but the silent words were there anyway.
'Trust me, Kagome. Blindly.'
Had it been anyone else, the words would have been lost, but this was Kagome. She heard what he did not say.
"I do, you know."
"Then there is nothing to fear."
The wind blew, lightly blowing their hair. "I fear nothing." she replied, and she smiled as she took his hand, smiling wider as he let her tangle her fingers with his.
He closed the distance between them to begin what Kagome was sure would end up as a battle of kisses, because really, Sesshoumaru didn't seem to know how to kiss tenderly, and Kagome had no time for tender kisses, she wished he would never, ever change.
She liked him, cold, and warm, stubborn and protective, possessive and arrogant…
She would not change one thing about him.
This chapter was not supposed to exist. I wrote chap. 26 first, but then I thought something was missing, so I had to create this one. I rather like the result. I'll put the other one as soon as I get it back and have a little bit of time. (I'm thinking one or two weeks). And thank you so much for your reviews!! Yey, I love reviews (does victory dance) Sorry, I had a lot of candy, but do review!...and eat candy with me...yeah, time to go...