Authors note: I am a day late...I have no excuses...procrastination won this round. I am terribly sorry.
The sound bounced off the walls surrounding the castle leaving an echo to ring throughout the air. Everyone was shocked and seemed to be frozen in time. Even the mighty Sesshomaru himself was surprised. His eyes weren't exactly bugling out of his head, but they were noticeable wider. His brows were both slightly raised as well leaving him looking shocked. An expression so rare someone should take a picture of it. Too bad there aren't cameras in the feudal era.
No one said a word and silence filled the area. Without glancing at anyone else I stormed off through the exit and out into the trees. I had no clue where I was going, but I wanted to be alone. I didn't want anyone to bother me at the moment especially that jackass. How dare he think that he could just kiss me and pretend that he didn't hurt me.
It did hurt too. Being left behind not knowing if it was something you did or just maybe the other person decided they were done with you. Being left behind without so much as a goodbye or wave or just something! Then I sit and wait playing out so many scenarios in my head wondering why he didn't take me with him. Why did he tell me things like I wasn't worthless, or brave, and why the hell did he kiss me if he was just going to leave? For an entire week those thoughts ate away at me.
I can understand he needed some time to think. He needed to figure out some things on his own. That didn't mean leave and take Rin with him. It also didn't mean that once he was finished thinking and after he made up his mind he could come back and kiss me. It made me feel so used. As though I were meant to just sit around and wait. No girl should ever just sit around and wait for a guy. I have self-respect.
I stomped my feet into the snow that rose up to my shin walking aimlessly through the trees. Eventually someone would come after me and I prayed it would be Inuyasha. I just kept moving forward swatting thin branches out of my face in a frustrated manner. Squirrels birds, and other little animals scurried away as I stormed past. I felt a little bad for the poor things. They were innocent victims of a giant egotistical, frustrating, emotionless, jerk. It was his fault I was scarring them.
Slowly I felt an aura begin to creep up on me. A very familiar aura that was very irate and becoming faster. I took off sprinting jumping over rocks and ducking under branches. The thick snow beneath me made running a very difficult challenge. Maybe slapping him wasn't the smartest idea. Maybe I should have just respectfully pulled away and told him how I honestly felt. It wouldn't have felt as satisfying, but I wouldn't be running for my life right now either. It was kinda worth it though.
He was gaining fast and there was no doubt that he was going to catch me soon. That didn't mean I was going to give up though. I kept running hoping that maybe I could lose him in the trees, but then again he was probably just cutting them out of his way. As I last ditch effort I jumped behind a rather large oak tree. I was out of breath and couldn't run anymore. The cold air I was inhaling began to sting mu lungs so there was no hope of escape. I felt the aura spill into the area and feet lightly land onto the snow somewhere on the other side of the tree. I realized that hiding was the stupidest thing I could have done. Now I was a sitting duck.
"Go away!" I shouted over to the other side of the tree. I heard no response, just the soft sound of footsteps crunching through the snow. The sound of the steps became louder and louder as he came closer. At this point I had two options. Beg for mercy and apologize or stand my ground. Being the stubborn little girl I am I think I'll choose the latter.
He rounded the tree and stopped directly in front of me. Only a couple inches of space separated us so I had to crane my neck to look up to him. Surprisingly he didn't look ready to kill me. He was just irritated. Very irritated mind you, but it wasn't what I was expecting.
"Not a soul has struck this Sesshomaru and lived to tell about it." His voice was calm and he didn't sound senile, but I knew how good he was at concealing his anger. He'd perfected the art of the wearing an emotionless mask after all.
"So? Did you chase me down just to tell me that and then kill me?" I bit out rudely at him. I was in no mood to act civil with him at the moment.
He narrowed his eyes before answering, "I demand an explanation." The more he talked the angrier I found myself becoming. Demand? Did he really just 'demand' me to tell him?
"You want an explanation? I don't really think you deserve one! You'd probably just say that I'm being a stupid human anyway!" I began raising my voice now as I thought back to the cave we were trapped in from a blizzard. How things had started going south fast because of my humanity.
He didn't respond, but he stopped glaring at me. Maybe things were starting to sink in for him. That didn't mean I was going to stop glaring daggers at him, however. My face was scrunched up in anger and my fists were balled up with rage. I was not prepared to back down. He noticed this as his eyes left mine to glance at my shaking hands. "You're angry."
"No, really? What was is that tipped you off?" I remarked sarcastically crossing my arms over my chest. I was beginning to get cold just standing out here in the middle of winter. I was surprised he didn't glare at me for my reply, but instead took notice of my shivering. The fur around his shoulder then moved and fell to the ground wrapping around us and against my legs all on its own accord. Holy shit it IS a tail.
I tried not to appear shocked, but it must have showed because I saw the corner of his mouth twitch. This seemed to only remind me of my anger. "Why did you leave!" I blurted out raising my voice. I thought my tone or demand would throw him off, but he looked like he had been expecting that question.
"To think." The reply was short and simple and I assumed he thought that was the only explanation he needed to give.
"If you just went to think then why did you take Rin?!" He didn't respond so I continued to yell at him. "Were you really thinking? Or were you trying to forget! Because I'm just a stupid human! Who cares how I feel! You think you can just walk all over me you stupid jerk!" My face was beginning to redden and tears stung my eyes. I knew I looked like a mess and I knew that I could only be making things worse by proving him right. I'm just an overly emotional human who was simply meant to keep him amused for a short period of time.
He only continued to stare at me as I ranted on and on. There was no way to tell if he was even listening to me, but I couldn't care less. It didn't matter if he heard or not. The more I yelled the better I felt. "I woke up to find that I had been left behind! That's how I felt! Abandoned! You giant idiot! Was I supposed to just keep you entertained until you got bored? I'm not a toy and I refuse to be played with!" As I continued I hardly noticed him leaning down toward me, but once I did I ripped into him again. "AND YOU BETTER NOT KISS ME AGAIN!" I all but shrieked into his face, but he didn't even flinch.
He leaned in, but surprisingly didn't stop to kiss me, but continued until his lips brushed my ear. "I'm sorry."
I was breathing heavily from screaming and just stared out over his shoulder as those two words sunk in. "Jaken said you never apologize because you never make mistakes." I mumbled trying not to let my anger go. I still wanted to be pissed at him. I didn't want to forgive him! Yet at the same time you do.
"I have made a mistake." He said pulling back. His face was so close to mine, but he didn't try and kiss me. If he did I would have been absolutely done. He pulled away and straightened back up to his full height before continuing. "There are extremely few things in this life I care about. Somehow I have managed to hurt possibly the most important one." His words shocked me. He had admitted he cared about me. He admitted that he had hurt me. He, the great Lord Sesshomaru, had apologized.
"Why did you leave?" I asked again barley above a whisper.
"I refused to become like my father." This was the answer I had been searching for. The true reason he had wanted to rid of me. Knowing this brought a great weight off my shoulder. It had nothing to do with me at all.
"That answer is acceptable." There was a moment of silence as we just stared at one another. I wondered if he was waiting for me to accept his apology. I wondered if I should. I felt my heart beating in my chest almost like it was screaming at me to forgive him. My brain, however, warned me to proceed with caution. "I forgive you…but I'm still made at you." I said the last part under my breath, but I knew he heard it. I wanted him to know I was still upset and that he wasn't completely off the hook.
Maybe I was being a little to forgiving. Maybe I should make him suffer like he did me, but I can't do that. I'm not capable of doing something like that. If there has been anything I've learned recently it's that everyone deserves a second chance. Just like how I forgave myself for my past. However, just like my past I won't forget and let him live it down either.
He began to lean down toward me again slowly almost as if he were doing so with caution. Once I realized he was checking to see if I would try to smack him across the face again I let a small giggle slip. He placed his hand on the back of my neck and proceeded to get closer and closer. This time I was actually ready and wouldn't be taken off guard like the other two kisses I had received. His lip ghosted over mine as my eye lids slowly drooped closed.
"I am aware of your presence." Shocked at the sudden announcement that wasn't directed toward me I snapped my eyes open. Sesshomaru had pulled back and was glaring of into the trees. Slowly Kagome and the others began to emerge making my eyes widen in horror. They had been watching?!
"Does that answer your question Shippo?" Miroku asked the fox kit sitting on his shoulder. Shippo frowned and apologized turning his head away.
"You idiots. He could probably tell the moment we got here, but no someone just had to stay and watch." Inuyasha griped looking at Kagome.
"Sorry, but I wanted to see what was going to happen!" She gave him an innocent smile before turning and winking at me.
"How long have you been there!?" I shouted to her. This was unbelievable. A more vengeful part of me wanted Sesshomaru to go over there and beat them to a pulp. He certainly looked like he wouldn't mind.
"Not long! I just wanted to see what was going to happen! I mean after what happened back there how could I not be interested!" She laughed merrily while I fumed at their interruption.
A quick light bulb went off in my head and a devious smirk spread across my face. I bent down and gathered snow into my hands, compacting it together. Kagome was still laughing and completely oblivious to me as I reached back and hurled the snow at her. It hit dead center on her face and made her fall back into the snow bringing her laughter to a halt. Now it was my turn to break down into hysterical laughter.
My laughter soon ended too as another snowball was thrown and made contact with the side of my face. The cold snow stung as it hit and sent shivers down my spine. Loud boisterous laughter now filled the area coming from Inuyasha. Scowling at him a quickly kneeled down prepared to have my revenge when suddenly I saw something shoot past me and hit Inuyasha in the face. The snow had made it into his mouth and down his throat and now instead of laughing he was coughing up a fit. I turned to find a smirking Sesshomaru walking up behind me.
"Ha-ha okay," I said standing up while laughing and turned to face him, "I'm not as mad at you anymore."
Behind me I heard the ongoing of a snowball fight, but I was preoccupied with the man that stood before me. This time it was me who took the initiative and stood on my tip toes, wrapping my arms around his neck. When he leaned down and met my lips I was fully ready and kissed back letting everything else in the world be drowned out. We were uninterrupted for a while until a gutsy half-breed tossed a snowball hitting his brother in the side of the face. With a growl I was left standing alone laughing without a care in the world. I could certainly get use to this. Agreed.