THROUGH THE WELL AND BACK AGAIN.
PART 2.
Sesshomaru was in a fog.
He was alone in a dark place and didn't understand how he came to be the hell was he?
Ah, now he understood, his eyes were closed.
Yet he did not recall falling asleep.
In fact, he didn't recall much of anything since walking with 's eyes flew open to reveal that he was in a white room, on a strange bed made of top of his clothes had been removed, leaving his skin bare. He was beyond relieved to find that his pants were still on.
He also became aware of a pain that flowed like blood through every part of his felt as if an entire army had marched over .
How in the seven hells had he become so wounded?
"Sesshy-sama! You're awake!"
He turned to find Akane not far from his side. A look of worry and relief filled her blue eyes.
"Where am I?" He asked.
"You are so lucky that I happen to know a kitsune that works at a yokai friendly hospital."
That seemed to be her answer, not that it told him looked like no place he had ever been before, and a funny smell seemed to fill the room.
Suddenly the door behind Akane flew open so fast, it rattled on it's tall men came in, two humans and one fox, looking ready for battle.
Grinding his fangs against the pain, he put his arm out to block Akane from them and sat late, he realized that was a bad mistake as pain ripped through him and stole his strength. His head swam and vision dimmed. But he refused to pass out and leave Akane growled out loud as the pain increased even more.
"Sesshy-sama!" Akane wrapped her arms around his shoulders and laid him back against the bed with a care that amazed him.
The human men came forward and surrounded his one froze at the sight of his severed left arm for a moment before looking at his was the only one who didn't stare at him like was like she didn't notice it these men him feel angry at how they stared at they thinking that he couldn't defend himself because of it?Left arm or no left arm, they were dead could kill them in a blink.
Sesshomaru tried to summon his strength to human with the spiked black hair moved closer and placeda hand on Akane's arm."He's not in a friendly mood is he?"
Sesshomaru shoved him away. "Do not touch her!"
Instead of making him mad, the man offered him a smile as he moved further from the bed."My name is Yagari and you have no need to worry. Akane knows two of us on a personal level. We won't hurt you, so just calm down."
Sesshomaru wasn't sure he believed the he had no was bad enough that he was injured to the point he could barely move.
Damn, what had happened to him?
Akane moved away from him, causing him to nearly whimper at the loss."Can I stay with him? He's not used to being around humans all that much..."
The kitsune with short brown hair shook his head, offering a sympathetic look."Girl, you don't need to see this. Yagari is the best doctor we got in this place. But it will be nasty to see him do the stitching."
He seemed to know Akane, and that irked Sesshomaru for some reason. His beast was causing a low territorial growl to rumble in his throat, the kitsune heard it and turned his green eyes to Sesshomaru with a playful grin."You almost became road-kill my friend! Good thing that Akane and I know each other huh? No better place in town for our kind then right here."
Road kill? Ah, yes, now he recalled what had happened to then why did he have no robes?Did they get torn as he had been tossed about the road?
He watched the kitsune go over to Akane while still looking him in the eyes, he couldn't tell if he was being studied or challenged, but he returned the stare with a glare.
"I'm Daisuke, and Akane and I are gonna go get you something to wear-"
"You are not taking her anywhere." He cut off in his calm and cold tone, glare still in place.
Akane sighed and took his hand in hers."They just want to help. Yagari won't hurt you, he's married to a panther yokai, not the ones you might be thinking of, but the point is he's yokai friendly. You can trust them, and Dai is an old friend of mine from school."
She seemed to be serious, though, he could not understand why she thought that he needed help.
"And what of my clothes?" He asked with a breath.
She looked guilty for some reason."Torn to shreds. I made them leave your pants on, but they gotta go too."
He sighed in frustration at the thought of having to return to his estate to get another would be a long trip indeed, and one he would have to make alone. But clearly he would be needing something until then.
"Go with him." He said at last, dismissing her with a hand only to wince at the movement. But she seen past his indifferent facade, her blue eyes glowed with her reluctance, clearly she didn't want to leave him, but had to.
He could kiss this girl... And that thought alone proved he was more banged up in the head then he thought.
"I won't go with him shopping, I'll just wait in the next room after I make a list of what your sizes should be and styles to get you, okay? You call if you need me, and I'll come running back inside to you."She promised, and just as he thought, she could tell how secretly uncomfortable he truly was here.
The last thing he wanted was to be completely alone with these she didn't need to see them stitch him up, and obviously wouldn't let him leave unless they did.
That and he was covered in blood, and he hated the look of concern on her let go of her hand, even though it pained him to do trusted that she would not bring him to a place that would do him more harm.
He trusted scared him at times, because he'd never trusted anyone before.
Daisuke took her out of the room, the kitsune giving him one more long stare that was impossible to place. The humans looked to one another, as if wondering if he would bite, and he was still debating it honestly.
"Saito, maybe it would be best to get Nagisa in here instead. This one might do better with only one human." The one called Yagari said to his older silver haired companion.
Saito bowed, gave a glance to Sesshomaru, then went out the door without a hated to admit it, but he was grateful for the human's was in no mood to deal with more humans then he could handle, watching the other put on gloves and walk over to a cabinet.
Sesshomaru turned as a female kitsune came into the room. She was a tiny woman with red hair in a tight bun and pale grey too glanced at his arm, a strange look of confusion crossed her she offered him a kind smile."Glad to see you again, sad it's on such sad terms though. Rare for you to get so banged up."
He frowned at her.
Sesshomaru had a good enough memory, and he most certainly did not recall meeting this little red fox.
"I don't know you." He stated with no room for debate, confusion increasing his edginess.
Her eyes went wide, and she glanced at the human beside cleared his throat and scratched his head.
"He has one arm, and was wearing an old style kimono. He didn't act like he knew me, so I thought it might not be him, even if the name and face are the same. Has to be related somehow though..."
What did that have to do with anything?The two were suddenly making no sense at all.
"Interesting… Never mind then." The woman said with an eerie stare before bowing to him."My name is Nagisa Kohito by the way. Nice to... meet you."
He simply nodded, still massively confused, and didn't bother to respond to her. It was taking all he had not to just get up and leave this place, pain or no pain.
"Now, now, see what we did? The poor guy is on edge enough."Yagari gave a shaky laugh as he began to lay out things on a table that he could not identify.
Tools of some kind?What were they going to do to him?
Suddenly, Nagisa shined a bright light into his eyes, hurting his animal senses , Sesshomaru grabbed her hand and shoved it out of his face.
"It's okay." She said. "I'm just trying to assess what all has been done to you."
"I was hit by a car." He they not know what the hell they were doing?
Yagari laughed at his annoyed response. "Yes, we know that. But we need a little more info."
He stepped over and took the light from Nagisa."May I look in your eyes now? I need to see if you're in shock."
Sesshomaru nodded, and did his best not to shove the man it was hard when that damn light made his head hurt even the human finished with that, he slid the light into his white jacket.
"Do you mind if we wash the blood of your skin? We need to see the damage that's been done."
"I'll heal on my own." Sesshomaru pointed out as if it were not obvious, once again questioning their intelligence.
Nagisa answered him with a gentle smile, like soothing a child."He knows you will. But it's our job to help you heal faster, and with far less pain then on your own. Trust us, we heal yokai every day."
"Where are they then? In this time, I can sense them, smell them, but how do they hide with the humans?"He asked, wanting an answer at last.
The kitsune and human once again exchanged an odd look between them, as if HE was the one confusing THEM.
"This time? So, you really are from the past then aren't you? You really ARE Sesshomaru." Yagari said in awe.
His eyes widened, about to question the man further on just how he knew his name, when Nagisa came back over with a wet cloth to clean his face. As she did this, the human male examined the cut across his stomach.
Sesshomaru's personal space was nonexistent it seemed, and he did his best not to react to being touched despite wanting to snap at them.
"That explains why you don't know me. And the odd way your acting. We happen to know a slightly different version of you here in this time you see." Nagisa said as she finished cleaning the blood.
Sesshomaru felt as if he'd been zapped by Akane's lightning hands. This was amazing news.
So he was still alive in this time after all…
For some reason this surprised him more then it should, and a million things he knew it was wrong to ask flooded his mind, but the constant poking and prodding of these so called doctors were starting to annoy him.
Yagari was now feeling the bones around his left eye, which felt like it had been punched by Inuyasha, and it took all he had not to wince.
"Explain more about the hidden yokai." He ordered, trying to hold back his annoyance at all the touching.
The human doctor paused, casting a look to the fox woman, both taking a moment to debate if it was a safe enough thing to tell him.
With a shrug, Nagisa started. "When humans began to hunt us in mass, a spell was created. It makes a barrier and pocket dimension that humans cannot see, or pass through. Homes, shops, and places in nature are hidden, sealed off just for our kind."
"Some human folklore call it the Veil, or Other Side, and it seems creatures from all over the world have made such pocket spaces for themselves. I grew up hearing about things like that, never knowing it was real." Yagari added while threading a needle, something that made his skin crawl to watch, knowing what was coming.
"You'll see humans walk by open shops in the city as if they aren't there at all." Nagisa continued, cleaning more blood from the scrapes on his back. "Some say it was originally made by a group of sorcerers, others say one of the gods gifted the knowledge. All we know is that the spell isn't easy, and places that can afford to have it are sacred. Those of us who look human have found ways of helping those who do not. We hide in plain sight and are called mythical beasts and legends."
This was... A lot to process.
Sesshomaru repeated it all mentally as they continued to feel his bones and clean his still shredded skin. Barely listening to them name off and write down something about broken ribs, possible fractures, and a head injury.
It all made sense now, and must happen not too far into his future, because humans were already starting to hunt his kind. The thought that he would one day have to hide who and what he truly was in fear of humans enraged him.
He didn't understand how he could allow something like this to happen without a fight…
Something happened. Or WOULD happen, that would cause him to just hide away and let humans rule the world.
For the life of him, he couldn't see what would cause that.
"Okay, Sesshomaru." Yagari looked him in the eyes."I admit that I know you, but I've never had to treat you before. So I gotta ask some things, okay?"
He frowned deeply, but nodded, counting to ten to rein in his anger from this sudden news of the future.
"Your a full inuyokai right? Nothing else mixed in?"
"Obviously." He snorted at the ridiculous thought of being anything less.
The human chuckled. "A pureblood huh? We don't get many of those in here. Do you know offhand, if I can give you anything? Is there anything you prefer?"
He was confused, and didn't bother to hide it. "What do you mean by that? I don't understand."
Nagisa patted his arm. "Ever had medicine to relieve pain before? That's what he's asking you. If you know of something that for sure works."
"No. I heal without anything." Again, said is if it were not an obvious thing. Were yokai weaker in this time or something?
"What about when you were little?" Yagari persisted while looking at some papers, maybe trying to find more about his kind of breed before giving him medications.
The question caught Sesshomaru off guard, and brief snippets of unwanted memory flashed in his mind, flashing back to when he was small. He had just finished training by himself, and had managed to cut open his knee, going to his mother with tears of pain in his eyes.
"A child of mine does not shed tears over a little pain." She said in that airy bored tone, a hint of a smirk on her lips while staring down at his outreached hand. "What are you, a human? Stop that this instant and continue training."
His mother was a distant kind of woman, yet very pestering all at the same time, but never the loving type...
"Nobody ever tried to ease my pain." Sesshomaru barely said once the memory faded, voice cold, stating a fact.
Yagari blinked at him."Alrighty… Umm, Nagisa, you choose for him then. Have fun with that."
"Thanks a ton." She moaned before turning to Sesshomaru, thankfully there was no shock or pity in her expression like there had been on the human's."If this doesn't work, or it makes you sick, remember the one you want to kill is the guy, not the little fox lady. Okay?"
Her comment actually made him give a short laugh, bringing him fully out of his mind and back to the present.
Yagari sighed at her before looking back at him with a worried expression."Mind if I knock you out?"
Sesshomaru froze. Yeshe minded, how the hells did they think he would NOT mind it? His earlier suspicions returned with a vengeance as his beast went on alert.
"Hey, hey, no need for red eyes! It's just so we can work without causing you even more pain, it's common practice really." Nagisa said, glancing at her partner and back.
That could not be kitsune was clearly on the side of the knew what they would do to him.
"Where is Akane?" He asked with narrowed red eyes, claws scrapping the metal beneath him. What if they were hurting her? He couldn't smell anything aside from the burning chemicals in this room.
"Listen, I know you're pretty tense right now, but knocking you out is the best idea. It would also make sure you don't lash out in reflex while we work." Yagari said, wisely looking worried and taking a step back.
In the words of his human female…BULLSHIT!
"Akane!" Sesshomaru tried to sit, then groaned as the pain in his head and stomach made him sick.
The human forced him back down, but he was not about to go. Not until he was sure that she was safe.
"AKANE!"
She came bursting through the door this time.
Only then did he breathe easily, his beast wanting to touch her. He shoved at the man and reached out for his human took hold of his hand and held it tight, soothing his beast instantly.
She glanced at all of them with worry as the male kitsune called Daisuke came in behind her.
"Everything okay?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, a bag in one hand swung back and forth.
"I don't know." Akane said with worry.
"We wanted to knock him out and I think the thought kinda sent him into a panic. He thinks we might harm you both, so would you reassure him please?" Nagisa explained with a nervous laugh, making him glare.
"I do not panic." He snapped before turning his gaze back to Akane, almost feeling stupid for his looked perfectly fine. "Tell me, what were they doing to you?"
"Doing? Nobody was doing anything to me." Akane smiled and ran her fingers through his hair to try and calm his clearly frustrated state, and damn it worked.
"Daisuke and I were talking on the phone while he went shopping. I've known him a while, but we haven't seen each other in a long time. Then once he came back we continued to talk in the hallway, it's only been twenty minutes since I left the room you know."
"I see..." Sesshomaru sighed, glancing away with a hint of , he had been a fool.
Akane gently pushed him down onto the bed, and continued to stroke his closed his eyes and savored the feeling, even knowing he shouldn't.
"I'm staying right here this time. So just relax and let them help in whatever way they think is best, okay? I'll be right here to make sure they don't harm you."
He sighed at her promise, hating how quickly he had panicked and blaming the head injury on his lack of self control at the moment. He was enjoying her touch and gentle words when he SHOULD be pushing her away.
Why was he supposed to again?
"You sure you wanna watch? Most people just wait in the hall. And I could keep you company." Daisuke asked, and Sesshomaru looked at him, low growl returning to his throat at the thought of Akane alone with him.
Akane laughed at his reaction, brushing her fingers though his bangs with a little smile. "My goodness you're a bit on the possessive side all of a sudden. Not that I'm not loving this clingy cuteness of course, just don't be all angry and embarrassed later about it please."
Damn. She was right...
What was wrong with him?
He cleared his throat and looked away, perhaps getting knocked out would be best... And he'd be normal once awake again. Hopefully.
"Anyway, I'll stay, he won't hurt you guys if I'm by his side. Will you, sweetie? You'll be good for me."
Sesshomaru couldn't speak as he heard her endearment, knowing full well that she was talking to his beast side, just like she had the day he ate from her hand.
She had never been so bold before, and he should be angry, but in that moment he knew he was lost to she asked of him, he would do without a second thought.
"I won't fight them." He promised with a swallow, doing his best to only look at her, to not acknowledge the room and let her sapphire eyes entrance his fog filled mind.
The doctors went about their work as she played with his hair some more, humming and getting teasingly close to his ears. The animal in him wanting more of this kind of affection and making him wonder why he'd been so against this to begin with. Her fingers were magic...
Suddenly, something sharp bit into his , he reached for the male kitsune, but Akane took his hand.
"It's all right, Sesshy-sweetie. Just medicine to make you sleep. That's what they meant by knocking you out. Just meds, no more pain, okay?" She explained gently.
Yet another endearment. He should be upset that she was speaking to him this way in front of others, but at the moment he just couldn't remember why.
He really had hit his head…
Lying back, he tried to focus on Akane again.
He found the task rather difficult actually, his eyelids were so heavy all of a tried to fight it, but in the end, he surrendered, falling into a deep sleep with the feel of her fingers in his hair, trusting her to be there by his side when he woke up.
…
Akane let out a relieved breath as Sesshy finally drifted off, golden eyes drifting closed with a little sigh, body at last relaxing against the steel table.
~Well now, that was dramatic.~ Shen chuckled, having been making comments about this whole situation.
Dramatic? No. Incredibly cute and sweet? YES!
She had never seen the Western Lord so nervous before, and he had been borderline scared that they had hurt her. And while his massive trust issues were a cause for questions and concern, what she just witnessed was kinda adorable. He had completely calmed down the moment she touched him, and didn't protest to her petting and calling him sweetie, which she had done to calm his beast but had expected at least a glare from the man.
"Sorry all about this. If he wasn't so banged up I think he would have literally bolted out the door. Thank you guys so much for being patient with him." She turned to the others with a light bow.
"It's fine. But a guy from another time is kinda new, even in a hospital for none human beings." Yagari gave a laugh as Daisuke handed him a tray of medical tools.
"Oh! S-so he told you…?" She almost stuttered, a bit shocked that he would be open about that part, but then again, it might not have been too hard to figure out.
They seem to be taking it well.~ Shen shared in her surprise, both of them expecting questions about it.
"We kinda were suspicious but he confirmed it. I mean, the clothes, the personality difference? He even looks just a little younger then-" Nagisa was cut off as Daisuke went into a perfectly timed coughing fit.
Akane caught on instantly, blue eyes widening as she glanced around the room and back to the unconscious yokai man on the steel table. "Wait, you know him? Like, a MODERN version of him?"
"Well yes, lots of people know him, he's kinda a big deal, but if you only know THIS version of him then it might be best not to say too much. So never mind all that, now that he's out you can go wait in the hall while we start." The woman said with a kind smile, ending the topic and trying to shoo her out the door again.
"We're going to patch him up since he'll be out for a while, so there's no reason for you to stay in here." Yagari agreed while holding up a large needle.
While Akane knew it wasn't normal to have someone in the room, she wouldn't put money on the meds lasting as long as they were supposed from what she'd seen of her Sesshomaru's stamina and recovery time.
"Or he could wake up and go for your throats. If you don't mind, I'll stay. Both for your safety and because I gave him a promise that I would. I don't want to ruin what little trust he has with me, it wasn't easy to earn in the first place."
"Okay, if you're set on it then there's no arguing. Just look away if the blood makes you sick." Daisuke sighed as he brought her a chair, letting her sit close to Sesshomaru but still out of the way of their work.
Sitting down, Akane listened and watched them as they started stitching up the skin that had not healed yet and bandaging the broken ribs. At least Sesshy's head had stopped bleeding, so he was healing himself. She had given him her blood right on the spot after the accident, before calling Daisuke, but when he wasn't healing as fast as she had grown accustomed to, it sent her into a panic.
Akane was grateful for her connections, without Dai, she wouldn't even KNOW about this place. It would have been fun keeping humans from finding out what Sesshy was had he been taken to a normal hospital…
She had been so frightened to see the strongest person she knew bloody and unconscious on the pavement, and she fully trusted this place to help heal him up.
Finding out that these people knew a modern version of Sesshy was a random shocker to say the least, but it made sense, and not wanting to mess with the past might be why they didn't want to say anything.
After all of Shen's lectures about time travel and being careful, she knew that the LESS she knew about modern Sesshy the better it would be. Even though she had so many questions. So she decided to drop the subject.
"So, Yagari, how is your wife?" Akane asked after watching in silence, lost to her thoughts for far too long.
He smiled over at her at the thought, skilled hands stitching one cut after another."She has two weeks left before our son enters this world. You need to visit soon, Risa misses her job and can't wait to go back."
"She was the best art teacher! Tell her I'm sorry, I've just been busy with… things."
"Oh, I can tell," He nodded toward Sesshomaru, then wiggled his eyebrows at her playfully."And how did you come across a time traveling yokai?"
Akane laughed. "I'm the one who does that, he just kinda followed me back by mistake this time."
Grabbing a towel to wipe the blood off her hands, Nagisa looked at Akane with a strange smile.
"It's so strange to see him like this. All defensive and snappy. Practically a different person! And for goodness sake, he could have warned us that this was going to happen, we'd have been better prepared. I am SO giving him a call after this, what a space case!" She shook her head and walked off, but Akane stared with questions on her tongue.
Call? He had a cell phone? Sesshomaru with a cell phone?!
"Nagisa, don't go giving the man a hard time. He might have forgot that this even happened. After all, for HIM it's been a couple hundred years." Yagari pointed out with a chuckle, giving Akane a look of apology while double checking Sesshomaru's legs and arm, taking notes.
~Don't be tempted to ask anything. Now is not the time to focus on a future Western Lord when his younger self is the one in your care.~ Shen warned, knowing her way to well and making her clamp her mouth shut.
"Anyway!" Daisuke said loudly, taking her attention once more."Your guy looks all patched up now. His fractured leg is already half done healing itself, and I think in another day you won't even see any remaining damage from the skid marks. Pure bloods heal pretty dang fast don't they!"
"They really do, thank goodness." But she was pretty sure her dragons blood at least had a little something to do with it, she thought while looking at Sesshomaru's sleeping face. Which was still covered in little cuts that had finally begun to heal, bruises that were once there now gone.
~While I'm normally against you sharing blood with people like it's magic cherry juice, in this case I think the boy really did need it. Good call making him take it.~ Shen said, making her smile at the rare praise, and hold in a laugh at the cherry juice remark, thinking to use it later.
The two men went to wash up and put things away as Nagisa returned with a bottle of pills."These have been known to lessen the pain for other yokai of his breed, but since he's a pureblood I upped the dosage a bit. Let me know if it helps or not. Pure bloods hardly ever come into the clinic, and each breed reacts different to the doses."
Akane took them wouldn't want to take them, but she would get him to for at least the first day, and save the rest in case he got hurt again.
"How much do I owe you guys?" She asked while reaching into her backpack, having never bothered to take it off.
"It's free of charge for you Akane, after all, his future self can easily cover the bill as opposed to a student like yourself. I'll call him." Yagari answered as he returned.
Akane was in shock."Seriously? He, I mean, future Sesshy would do something like that so easily?"
"Of course he would. The guy would have a fit if he heard we made you pay for it." He grinned at her surprised face, and could tell she was doing her best not to start babbling all the questions forming in her head.
So does this mean he remembers me in this time, or he'd simply want to pay after being reminded about this event?
Just as Shen was getting ready to start another lecture to stop her, Sesshomaru moaned, causing everyone in the room to look his way.
His golden eyes slowly opened and he looked aroundin pure drowsy confusion at first, but soon he was wide awake.
….…
Once again, Sesshomaru's head was foggy, but somehow it felt rather… good. Like he was tipsy or something but without the bad side effects of it.
At first it was a repeat of before, not knowing were he was or why his head felt the way it did, but a honey haired dragon girl with sapphire eyes was looking down at him and it all came back. He had been put to sleep, knocked out, by people he didn't know.
But Akane had kept her promise and was right next to him upon his awakening. He honestly wanted to kiss her for far she had been one of the few people in his life that he could completely trust.
With a visible wince, he sat up slowly."What in the seven hells did you people do to me?"
For some reason, this only made them all laugh, despite the pissed off tone in his voice and accusing glare.
"How do you feel?" Yagari asked from across the room, almost as if putting distance between them in case he came awake angered, which he almost was.
"Numb in places, sore in others." Sesshomaru said as he stretched his muscles, wincing but not in the amount of pain he had been in before being knocked out.
"That means the painkillers worked, so the dosage on the bottle of pills should work too." Nagisa said, pleased.
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow."A painkiller?"
Akane smiled at him. "I'll tell you later. Right now, I think we should be getting you back home."
He could not agree more with that statement. Having had enough of this time period for one day, and nodded in agreement while stretching his legs.
"No need to rush off." Daisuke said with a small pout as he handed the bag he had carried in over to Akane, once more earning a glare from him that the fox caught and ignored.
"He needs rest, and at a place he's comfortable at. Taking him back to the past is the best idea." Akane insisted.
A light groan escaped Sesshomaru as he placed his feet on the floor. "I agree with her, no offense to any of you but I will not be able to rest easy in this place."
"We understand." Nagisa nodded."Besides, your not even from this time. You must be on edge."
He hummed his agreement and managed to stand without much felt odd though, like parts of him other then his arm were missing. And his could barely feel his feet.
"Need help with the clothes?" Yagari asked as he watched Sesshomaru try to balance himself, using the steel table.
"No!" He spat, a bit too harshly, but damn, he was no weakling. And he hated being watched in this state.
Akane was by his side despite his tone, a hand on his lower back until he could stand, sending shivers up his spine. The two shared a look, and she wasn't even fazed by the glare of annoyance he first cast towards her, beaming that caring smile up at him in her attempt to calm his temper.
"I can dress myself." He added to the room, trying to sound less rude and earning a little approving look from those sapphire eyes as she stepped back.
"You heard the man, shoo shoo!" Akane turned and ushered the group of doctors out the door before they could react, giving him the privacy he so desperately needed to compose himself once again and process everything that happened.
After taking a moment just to breath, very slowly getting feeling back in places, most importantly his feet, Sesshomaru pulled out the odd garments in the bag.
What Akane called jeans were inside, along with those pointless boxer things he had seen when they had been looking at clothes, and a gray T-shirt, all of which he crinkled his nose at in distaste, but he would not complain of clothing a stranger bought him when he needed them.
Thankfully, a black jacket made of leather was also inside, the long sleeves would somewhat hide his missing arm from view and that was something he did the struggle of putting on the pants, he was bothered by how tight they clung to did people fight in such clothes?
At least his boots made it out fine, his only remaining original piece of clothing dressed, he managed to make it into the hallway where the others had went, barely being able to feel his legs.
Akane had been filling out some paperwork and chatting with the three, but the moment she noticed Sesshomaru the girl froze mid sentence. She seemed to stare at him for an ungodly amount of time, that look on her face making it clear she approved of the uncomfortable outfit at least.
"Bit short on the sleeves, but other then that a perfect fit! Sorry it's nothing too fancy but the closest shop is were I went." Daisuke grinned, like he for a fact knew the clothes were not to his liking and found it funny.
"Doesn't he look good?" Nagisa asked Akane as she nudged her with a shoulder, snapping the girl out of the daze and making him hold in a smile that threatened to escape as she realized she'd been staring.
"Y-yeah." Akane said, toying with a strand of hair and glancing away before locking eyes with him again. "You look really freaking good in that, Sesshy-sama."
He humphed out a breath while fixing his hair, still a bit messy from getting the jacket on, not caring if he looked good or not at the moment, but the fact she couldn't stop staring at him made him beam with pride, feeling less awkward as his confidence returned full strength.
Sesshomaru squared his shoulders, more in command of himself then when first waking up, addressing the group that had been watching the exchange between him and Akane."Thank you," He said. "I know that without your help, I would still be in a bit of pain, far more so then now. Someday, this Sesshomaru shall repay you."
Nagisa grinned at him, crossing her arms with a friendly laugh while looking him over. "Trust me, you do repay us."
He frowned at the woman, but he had already accepted the fact these people knew his future self. At least he lived this long, that alone was enough information.
Akane came to his side and wrapped an arm around his back, letting him lean on her ever , she had noticed him wobble a bit, despite him trying to hide it.
Her kindness always amazed him.
"Take better care of yourself." Yagari said as two double doors slid open behind him, more people, both yokai and not, entering the hall.
"That's what I'm here for." Akane piped up, gently guiding him towards the tiny room that lay inside the doors.
She said her goodbyes politely as once again the things slid shut on their own, taking him by surprise a moment before he felt as if they were being dropped.
"This is an elevator, it takes people up and down instead of using stairs. I thought to make it a bit easier for you since you seem a little off balance." Akane quickly explained, no doubt noticing him get tense, he glanced down and caught her staring up with concern. "Once we get outside we can use a bus to go back to Kagome's place."
"I'll be able to walk." He insisted, not wanting anymore surprises today and didn't think going inside the very thing that had caused his current damage was a good idea.
Akane blinked, but didn't argue. The doors opened again, this time leading into a completely different space that they stepped out into. Sesshomaru was amazed at how white the place was, and each room they passed had the same odd chemical scent.
Hells, this whole building seemed to have it.
"What IS that?" He asked. "Surely even you can smell that overbearing acidic scent. I do not even now how to compare it to anything, but it is incredibly intense."
Akane laughed as they walked carefully together and looked up at him."All hospitals smell like this. I think it's the cleaning chemicals. And whatever you do, don't use the soap here or your hands will smell just like it all day no matter what you try to get it off."
"I will take a mental note of that…" He chuckled, happy to see the exit not too far ahead. Even the rancid mixed scents of the city would be better.
"How are you? I mean, really?" Akane asked, rarely taking her eyes off of him. They had just made it past the front desk and were nearly to the was trying hard not to lean on her, but now and then his legs did not want to work, the numbness was fading slowly.
"I am fine." He said calmly, hating this moment of weakness and doing his best not to dwell on it… And do his best not to remember the way he acted earlier either.
"Bullshit. Tell me the truth. You're trying to lie to a lie detector after all. It's pointless." She glared at him.
Ah. Yes, he kept forgetting that little detail about her, something he had never known about dragons before. After a moment of trying to think of a way to lie or avoid the truth, Sesshomaru sighed in defeat.
"The truth? Fine. I'm tired. Very tired. And sore as hell. I want to go find a safe spot to sleep in the woods and never want to come back here ever again. Happy now that you heard me complain like a child?"
"Oodles. And doesn't it feel better to complain like a child now and then?" She grinned, making him chuckle.
His human was so strange.
Sesshomaru when had he started calling her that in his mind?HIS human...
But it was other could have would take far to much work for him to fall in love with another.
The moment he had seen her waiting by his side in that hospital room, the moment her touch soothed away all his fears, he realized that he did love this strange human girl.
Was this good or bad?She told him all the time that she loved him. Almost fact that he had risked his life for her without a thought was proof that both beast and man loved her, keeping a promise that had put himself in harms way just to make her happy…
This new realization hit him he tell her?This would ruin all he had worked would lose all respect in his clan, and his mother would never allow it, not that he needed her to allow it, but she would make things all the more difficult when it came to possible mating.
But, that did not stop him from loving this strange human.
How could he tell her? He should, yes?
Suddenly, the male kitsune came running up behind them just as they reached the exit, once again making him want to growl. Now was not the time for interruptions.
"Akane! Hang on a sec'!" Daisuke gasped for air, waving once they had paused walking.
They turned around and Sesshomaru held himself up, his way of letting Akane know she could release him and greet her male friend, despite the fact it annoyed him.
"What's up Dai?" She said as the fox ran a hand through his wavy hair and gave the girl a dashing smile, and for some reason Sesshomaru was starting to think it was to anger him on purpose. And it was working.
"I have a new address! Thought I would write it down for you so that when you get free time we could hang out and catch up. I'd text it but I know you prefer paper and pen kinda stuff for things like that."
He handed her a piece of paper, the look of joy on Akane's face bothered Sesshomaru to no end.
Did she like this fox?
"Thanks! I promise my next trip home I'll give you a call, but no promises when that will be." She went over and gave the green eyed male a kiss on the cheek that had him use all self restraint not to growl again.
Daisuke then went over and offered his hand out to Sesshomaru with a big grin on his face. The fool…
"Until next time, take care of her." The kitsune said in a mock threat, clearly finding himself funny.
"I always protect her." He said, ice dripping in his voice with a flash of red eyes, taking the fools outstretched hand and squeezing to the point there was a loud crack that even a human could hear.
The fox gave a yelp and pulled away, taking the hint and backing down with a small bow of his head, an unspoken apology for toying with him. Even injured he could still put people in their place. It took everything not to grin.
Akane, oblivious to what had been going on, looked at him in shock and disapproval."Sesshomaru-sama!"
He did his best to look innocent, wording it just right so there was no lie."My head is still foggy, perhaps it was a slip of control over my strength..."
"Slip my ass! You just-"
"It's no big deal, Akane, really. Happens allot when yokai are a little drugged up. I best get back to work, catch you later okay?" Daisuke continued to smile, less flirty, before waving and walking off, shaking his hand as he went.
"What the fuck was that about?" Akane snapped as they left, finally out of that blinding white building.
Sesshomaru stepped out prepared for the assault on his senses, but it was not as bad as the first time. The streets looked was late into the evening, yet still bright due to many changing colored lights.
It was rather beautiful, in a strange way, and didn't hurt his eyes as bad as when in the daytime.
"Answer me damn it, why did you practically crush Dai's hand like that? And don't go giving me the innocent puppy eyes cause I don't buy it." She said, blocking his way.
He stared at stared silence was awkward to say the least, since he had no clue how to go about it, because he'd never had to say it before.
"I do not like the familiar way he treats you." He admitted.
Akane looked confused and annoyed with his answer, huffing at him and crossing her arms."He's my friend."
"The kitsune wants you as more then a friend. Could you not notice the flirting? It was painfully obvious."
She rolled her eyes with a huff. "Okay, yeah, he was a bit flirty today, so what? What's it to you?"
The audacity of this woman amazed him…
"You are mine." Sesshomaru stated, having not meant to say he bit his own tongue as punishment.
She frowned at him, arms flopping back to her sides and getting that look on her face whenever the dragon in her pendant was talking. Whatever was being said only seemed to confuse her. Clearly not getting it his meaning.
"You marked me as a servant, or a vassal, whatever the heck you wanna call it, but that does not give you the right to say who I can and can't-"
"What this Sesshomaru did was mark you as his own. But not as a servant, you had to have known I was lying about that part at the time." He pointed out, once again not thinking before speaking.
Damn his foolish mouth!Why could he not stop himself?
It was like he had opened a door, and the words fell out.
He watched her blue eyes go wide, at least finally growing suspicious of what he was slowly hinting towards.
"Okay then, mister vague and cryptic, so what exactly was that lick?" She asked as her face went pink.
Was he going to do this?
There was nobody in this time to hear him, to use it against truth, this may be the only time he could even try to say this out loud. Maybe it was the medication effecting his judgment, but he decided to for once just say what he was thinking.
And pray to all the gods he wouldn't regret it...
"For my kind, what I did to you that day was equal to a human kiss. We kiss in the human way too, but what I did is considered far more affectionate and intimate."
Akane stepped could hear her heart speed up, watched as her face went red and she seemed to be trying hard to breathe as she stared at was worrisome.
Did all females act like this?
"Akane-"
"Run that by me again?" She gave a small shaky laugh, honestly looking like she didn't trust her own ears.
Was she in a panic?
….…..
Akane didn't know what to do.
How could this be happening?
She had just recently made out with this man's worst enemy, the guy had even hinted about liking her...
And now the man she fell in love with first was trying to tell her he liked her in the cutest way possible.
She had just asked him to repeat it, wanting to see that unsure look in his eyes as he said it.
Sesshomaru stepped right up to her, looking down with those golden eyes that seemed to be glowing.
~He seems to be trying to find the words again.~
This had to be hard for him, admitting that he liked a human, was attracted to someone less then a halfbreed, but she so badly wanted him to admit it.
"So, you like me huh?" Akane said for him, trying to play it light, like it was no big deal, to make it easier on him.
Instead, he glared at her.
"I do not LIKE you!" He snapped while reaching his hand out and taking her arm into a tight hold, but still not as forcefully tight as when Naraku did it.
Akane frowned at him now, not bothering to try and pull away because she was just to damn confused.
"You... Don't like me." She slowly repeated, and she could tell he was getting frazzled.
"Of course not." Sesshomaru said in a huff just before pulling her to him. "I love you."
Her heart stopped as he kissed her.
No, fuck that. The world stopped.
Along with her heart. Her brain. And everything else.
Shen let out a loud girly sounding yelp and vanished into the pendant without another word, not even a single witty comment, unlike when the spider had kissed her.
But this was nothing like Naraku's light and playful kisses.
This was... Intense.
Sesshomaru was all primal demand. Hard and soft all at once. He knew what he wanted, and how to make her respond the way he liked, growling in such an animal way as he forced his tongue into her mouth that it fucking legit made her knees get weak.
He was far from gentle, but the dragon in her loved that tender kind of violence, if that made any sense, but hey her mind was melted goo right now so nothing and everything made sense. He tasted wonderful.
The kiss was over too soon.
Akane whimpered as he pulled away, her lips swollen and tender from being sucked on and tugged, wanting more and practically panting for air as Sesshomaru looked down at her with an arrogant and victorious smile.
Dear gawd she loved that look on him...
"Say it again." She pleaded, breathless and melting against his chest, feeling his body heat seep into her own clothes.
That victorious smile was still in place as he lowered his head down once again. "I love you, my Akane."
"I love you too." She managed, before taking fistfulls of his shirt and pulling him in again for another kiss.
His clawed hand wrapped her hair in his fingers, moving her head this way and that, taking her mouth at every angle he could. Akane's own hands were fighting the urge to tear his clothes off.
Her own tongue danced with his until she pricked it on a fang. She gave a surprised yip, but when he tried to pull away, she refused to let him. The kiss was fierce and seemed to never end, until a couple of people walked by and whistled at them, making them stop.
Sesshomaru jolted away from her, putting a good four steps between them, as if fearing he would go at her again.
Not that it would be a bad thing.
"W-we should... Be getting you back home." Akane at last managed to say, catching her breathe while fixing the mess his claws had made in her hair.
"Indeed..." He mumbled, but didn't look away. It was like he was stripping her bare with those golden orbs, and it made Akane turn bright red all over again.
They just looked at each other for a long while, standing in the colored lights of the city night, as they realized what had just happened could never be taken back.
If Akane thought she had opened a door with Naraku...
A floodgate had crashed open now.