Child of the Sky
firefox369
Chapter 37
Matchmaker
Kagome scowled as she dabbed away at the nasty scab running across Kocoum's nose. When the young warrior had hobbled into the village half an hour behind her she hadn't expected him to return with the dark blood dripping down his face. It took all of her control not to blast the godforsaken youkai clear back to Japan and instead drag Kocoum into Kekata's hut for a checkup. Much to her chagrin, the dog demon did not seem the least bit guilty.
"He insulted the pack" was the only thing she could get out of him, but Kagome knew better. Kocoum had probably insulted the already aggravated Sesshoumaru personally. On a normal day perhaps his supposed misdemeanor would have gone unpunished. The taiyoukai was undoubtedly weary after the long journey and the last thing he needed was for someone to comment on his personality (after a small argument with her, she had to remind herself). Sesshoumaru really did not go easy on the man. The wound would not scar, but the gash ran across his nose in a jagged arc.
"Where's Shippo?" she questioned, dropping the cloth into the bowl of water and rinsing off the blood.
"The kit will arrive shortly."
"Why didn't you just bring him along? He would have been safer by your side anyway."
Kagome made sure to praise Sesshoumaru and soothe his bruised ego. He'd be more likely to respond, and she was not disappointed.
"This Sesshoumaru does not trust Naraku. Incarnation or not."
"So you just left Shippo with Kagura when you don't trust her?" Kagome scoffed. Her voice rose with every word, the last stated at a decibel that bordered on a shout. "Is this how you took care of him all these years? I mean, I'd rather you raise him than Inuyasha, but-"
"Hn. The kit can apprehend the witch. He cannot fight Naraku."
That silenced the miko and seemed to satisfy her. The topic was dropped and instead moved back to the interrogation Sesshoumaru was beginning to dread.
"Okay then. But did you really have to go and smash Kocoum's face in? And yes, he insulted your precious pack and that gets on your nerves, but smash his face in?"
"He is your intended" Sesshoumaru finally relented. Kocoum's eyes widened and Kagome's mouth dropped open. Intended? She'd never thought about that far ahead. Some part of her had always thought that she'd go back to the feudal era and Japan, where the well and her families were, but another part had given up hope on all of that. Over the past year and a half she'd begun to accept this village as her new home, as her new life. That portion of her had moved on and was ready to stay here with Kocoum, and though she could see the love in Kocoum's eyes she could also see the pained doubt.
Perhaps he had thought that far ahead, and had considered the possibility that she would leave for Japan and never return.
But besides all that, how did Kocoum being her intended relate to getting his face shoved into trees?
Sesshoumaru took their silence as denial.
"Bokuseno is a bachelor."
Kagome's hand slipped and the bowl of water flipped, splashing the floor of the hut and turning the dirt into a pool of mud.
"Bokuseno?" she sputtered.
"Who's Bokuseno?" Kocoum asked.
"That old geezer is a tree! A TREE! And he has to be like, centuries old!"
Sesshoumaru looked offended.
"Okay, you're centuries old too, but still that creaky old demon is a tree. I can't believe you even suggested that!"
"Ah and Un also need a mate."
"Ah and Un?" Kocoum repeated slowly. Just what play was this demon suggesting? Was that sort of thing normal in demon society?
"Oh dear Kami" Kagome muttered, cheeks bright red, "its not what you think it is Kocoum. Besides, Ah-Un is a dragon and I don't lay eggs."
"Dragon hanyou exist" was Sesshoumaru's curt response.
Kagome choked on her spit and Kocoum gently pat her back, though he looked slightly bothered with what he was hearing. She would have to make sure to explain everything to him in more detail later. But dragon hanyou? How does that-? No. Don't think about it girl. This is something you don't want to understand she told herself.
"No," she refuted. Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to spit out another name but she quickly stopped him. "If you say Totosai or Jaken I swear on you fathers grave that I will purify your ass to hell and back."
"Hn."
"Dear Kami, you are a terrible matchmaker Sesshoumaru."
"You considered Bokuseno."
"I thought I gave a pretty firm no."
"Hn. Not explicitly."
"You are intolerable" Kagome growled, righting the bowl and chucking the sopping towel into it with a loud smack. For some reason, Sesshoumaru looked oddly pleased with himself.