Title: Forget Me Not
Author: Celyia (cel@celyia.com)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Everything is Rumiko Takahashi's, including all that spare money I've been forking out lately for IY stuff. So no use in suing me... that is, unless you REALLY want my Sesshoumaru wall clock back. :-)
Note: I kind of had to laugh at some of the reactions to Chapter 4. That's the great thing about reviews: while I know where I'm going, sometimes I forget to let my readers know, too (which sort of defeats the purpose of writing). Oi. And I love it when you guys call me on it. How cool is it that you are actually reading this so thoroughly that you catch me when I screw up.
I can't think of a higher compliment. :) Ch 4 is missing a couple scenes. I was going to add them into this chapter, but I decided against it. The flow will be just a little off but I'll fix that when I revise.
Oh! One thing on Sesshoumaru's characterization, though: I've taken the liberty of making him a tad more loquacious than we are used to. It's been 500 years since we've seen the guy and over the years, he's developed the ability to talk when the need arises. After all, talking/dealing with people is a very important survival skill and c'mon, Sesshoumaru is nothing if not a survivor.
So, in short, thanks for keeping an eye out and thank you for reading!
-Cel.
Chapter 5
His pillow was flat.
Quietly, she stood over him, her hands gently lifting his head as she pulled the pillow free. Violently, she shook the pillow. With a critical eye, she examined it carefully, only to push and prod the object until it started looking less like a pancake and more like something to rest a sleeping head upon.
Satisfied for the moment but determined to request a new pillow at the earliest opportunity (though, she reminded herself, she needed to be polite about it since the nursing staff allowed her to sit with him even before visiting hours were supposed to begin), Kagome propped her comatose brother's head back up into a somewhat comfortable position.
"So yeah," she continued speaking as though she had never stopped, "I'll be at Mama's this weekend so I won't be visiting you on Sunday. Sorry, Souta-chan. But you know how it is. It's been too long since I last visited them, you know? Things are so busy here. I mean, I barely have time to do anything between work and school. I don't remember the Sengoku Jidai thing ever being this hectic..."
Realizing what she said, Kagome giggled as she played idly with Souta's recently shorn hair. "Okay, that's a total lie. But still... Ah. I miss those days, sometimes."
"OH! Did I tell you? Check this out," she felt her feet tapping in excitement as she leaned forward. "One of my professors found a site that he says is linked to Inuyasha! Isn't that so cool? I mean, I had always hoped and everything, but I never ever actually thought it would happen." Her brilliant smile fell as she studied her brother's peaceful features.
"Actually, you're right. He isn't my professor and he's not going to let me on the excavation team. He just lets me audit his class. Hmm. That reminds me- I got to leave here in a couple minutes so I can drop off the audit permission. But anyway, you have to admit the dig thing is pretty cool. I mean, we are talking about Inuyasha here."
Kagome closed her eyes as she rested her head against the wall. "The funny thing is, I can't imagine Inuyasha being dead, you know? And yet, it's been five hundred years ... god, I so hope no one is eavesdropping ... there's no way he could still be alive. I can't imagine all of them gone. Shippou, Miroku, Sango, Kaede? All like that. Feh. Happy thoughts, Kagome. Happy thoughts."
With a soft, sad smile, Kagome kissed her brother on his pale forehead.
"I guess in a way it's stupid, isn't it, Souta-chan? But it's like this excavation is an opportunity, you know? Finally, it feels like I can really say goodbye."
* * *
Humans are inherently lazy beasts, Sesshoumaru decided as he sat in his office and poured over the ancient map. Blurred archaic symbols, scrawled over the priceless document like graffiti, covered some of the most important parts of the map. Had the cartographer taken more care, Sesshoumaru would not be having the difficulties he had now.
"Lazy bastard," the professor grumbled, allowing his head to fall onto his hands as he continued staring at the symbols. The answer, the solution was right under his nose ... literally ... but he couldn't see it. He was left to flounder, to suffer because of one reason and one reason alone: the cartographer, in his human ignorance, had inked in the vital information using a color that the youkai's canine eyes could barely see, much less read. If that hadn't been enough damage, someone else (perhaps even the moronic cartographer) had written a useless title (Devil's Leap?) over the top, successful taking Sesshoumaru's job from just merely "impossible" all the way to "no chance in hell".
The frustration of the entire matter was considerable, to say the least.
With a grunt, he meticulously rolled the centuries old map up and placed it behind the desk, knowing that while it was not the best hiding place, it would do for the next few hours.
Sesshoumaru frowned as he looked at his watch, angry at his own incompetence that had allowed him to waste another entire night without discovering the answer. Seven in the morning. At least, Sesshoumaru rubbed at the bridge of his nose, the faculty showers would be empty. He, though, would have to be quick. Within two hours, the halls would be filled and he would be force to humiliate himself by condescending to teach mere humans.
Ludicrous.
The sooner he could decipher that last symbol on the map, the sooner he could break the binding. And once the binding was gone, Sesshoumaru would finally be free.
Freedom. No word he had ever known sounded so beautiful.
"Maru-sensei?"
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes reflexively, willing his control to return as Higurashi's soft voice echoed into his office.
"Do you not have the courtesy to knock?"
"I'm sorry," the girl bowed slightly as she stepped into the room. "But the light was on and the door was open and ..."
"Very well," Sesshoumaru grunted, waving a hand in dismissal as he turned to face the girl, only to fall against the chair's leather backing as he met her eyes.
Sadness.
He sat there, in wonder, as he explored her face, his eyes tracing over the lovely features so filled with almost a tangible sorrow. Like a soft, gentle melody played on a piano, her sorrow beckoned his until he no longer harbored a desire but a need to sing along.
But it wasn't the girl's sorrow that had stolen his breath or caused his heart to speed up.
It was the very life that emanated from the girl. Whatever had upset her; whatever had caused those eyes to fill with sorrow had not destroyed her spirit. It hadn't mutated her into a walking shell.
No. It had taken a pretty little girl and transformed her into something beyond beautiful.
It's true, Sesshoumaru thought as he felt his lips twist into a smirk. Lack of sleep really does induce hallucinations.
"I know these aren't your office hours, Maru-sensei, and I was just going to leave this in your mailbox, but I was walking by ... I''ve already said that, huh," the girl fumbled, her slender fingers twisting her long, black hair nervously.
"The audit permission form, I presume?"
The girl smiled widely, her eyes filled with a brightness he had only seen on the touched-up faces of the women in the magazines. With an elegant turn of her wrist, she handed him the form.
"All you need to do is sign it. And then, I'll just go drop it off and the woman at administration said everything would be taken care of," Higurashi explained, her hands actively gesturing as she waited for him to look over the form.
Trouble.
Higurashi would bring him nothing but trouble.
He watched her out of the corner of his eyes as he pretended to read, his mind working furiously as he searched for a reason to refuse. Since the day he met her, this young woman had done nothing but distract him. She challenged him. She had the audacity to argue with him.
What in the hell had he been thinking when he gave her permission to audit? It was like taping a huge placard on his back that said: ANNOY ME PLEASE.
Dammit.
Frowning, he leaned over the desk, shaking his ballpoint pen as he went to sign.
"Out of ink," Sesshoumaru stated, not bothering to fake regret as he tossed the cheap plastic into the bin.
"Oh, wait. I've got one," the girl gushed, dropping her bag to the floor. Sesshoumaru only winced as Higurashi knocked the door closed with a careless leg.
"You are determined to disrupt my life," the youkai muttered as he sat in the chair. "You do realize that I had that door propped open for a reason..."
Higurashi ignored him, her head practically in the old backpack as she rummaged through the contents.
"It's in here somewhere. Really. Give me a second..."
"The door locks automatically, hence it being propped open..."
"Hmm. Well, it's not in the front pocket. I could have sworn I put it in there."
"...so your incompetence just locked us in."
"Not in the inside ... oh? Locked in? Well, one problem at a time ... Dammit. It's not in the inside pocket, either."
"You cannot possibly be this stupid."
"I'm not," the girl looked up at him, her brown eyes smiling. "I'm just delightfully determined, like my Mama says."
It was ... difficult, but he managed to merely cross his arms and stare indifferently at her.
"Ah! There it is! Oh, hell. How did it get there? It's stuck between the lining," the young woman sighed as she slowly started pulling all her books out of the worn bag.
"No," Sesshoumaru bit out sternly as he watched his already less-than-immaculate office become even less so. "Put those back in..."
The youkai frowned as all the lights in the building suddenly died. Slender black eyebrows knitted together as he glanced through the dark room.
"Hey," Higurashi muttered, her small hand automatically flipping the light switch off and then back on.
How dare the girl touch anything in his office!
With a grunt of defiance, he reached over her head and flicked the switch off.
"Electricity's out?"
"Astute observation," Sesshoumaru mocked nastily as he picked up the phone.
The line was dead too?
"Aren't you going to call the janitor?" the girl asked, her voice strangely faint to his now straining ears.
"Silence," Sesshoumaru commanded as he raised his nose high into the air, his eyes closing as he tried to focus only on the plethora of smells dancing in the darkened building. Like a chaotic rainbow of colors, the scents swirled before him, pushing and pulling at his highly attuned senses until he could feel himself starting to grow nauseous from the very odors he had trained his body to block out.
He forced himself to ignore the musty scent of his office and the disagreeable chemical odor that covered the girl's natural, pleasing aroma, instead, he tried to focus on the empty hall beyond the office door. His eyes shot open suddenly as he discovered the scent he hoped he would never smell again.
"Down."
Higurashi looked up at him, her electric brown eyes full of confusion.
"What are you ... HEY!" Higurashi screamed as he leapt on her, the flesh of his palm pressing down on her mouth hard.
"Silence."
He pushed her, his free hand cupping the back of the girl's head protectively as her body impacted the floor. Lying on top of her form, he watched as her expressive brown eyes widened in terror at his sudden assault.
"Silence," Sesshoumaru growled, only to wince in pain as the wench's strong and definitely sharp teeth bit into his hand. But the wench hadn't finished, he discovered. Her knee shot up, aiming directly for his groin. With a grunt, he pinned down the wildly kicking legs, trying to ignore the burning in his hand.
The human bit him! How filthy. "Silence!" the youkai snarled into her ear, his hands shaking from the anger he felt at the girl's insolence at such a time. Still the girl ignored him as her small fists began to beat at the small of his back.
Perhaps it was time to make a concession, Sesshoumaru decided as he tried to flex his damaged hand without giving the girl the freedom to scream.
"Be silent. I will not hurt you," he grunted.
The girl merely glared at him as her teeth continued to grind into his flesh.
"Higurashi, please," he muttered, only to wince when the girl pulled sharply on his hair. "I will not hurt you ... I ... there is danger. Be silent."
He watched the brown eyes narrow suspiciously, but after a moment, the girl gave him a short, curt nod.
He could have smiled in relief as he felt the girl withdraw her teeth from his hand. Soundlessly, he removed his palm and stretched his fingers.
"Hentai," Higurashi growled, her eyes staring up into his. She cocked her head, annoyance twisting her lips as he knew she waited for an explanation.
He turned his attention to the frosted window several feet above his head. Nothing. Swinging his gaze back to the girl, he watched as a myriad of emotions flickered over her pretty face.
"What the hell is goi...?"
Sesshoumaru broke in, his finger pressing against her soft lips.
"For now, remain silent. Please."
The word seemed to work like a magic charm, he noticed. The anger in those brown eyes died until all there was left was curiousity and no small amount of fear.
The smell was strong now, almost too potent to bear. He closed his eyes as he focused his senses on the soft footfalls that echoed throughout the hall, forcing himself to ignore the bitter scent that evoked so many evil memories.
One.
Two.
Three.
Sesshoumaru counted silently as he tried to still the fear that caused his hands to tremble with untapped adrenalin. He was a youkai lord, after all, he told himself firmly, and the eldest son of the greatest youkai to ever walk the earth.
He would conquer this.
Abruptly, before he even realized what he was doing, Sesshoumaru tucked his face into the crook of Higurashi's white neck, inhaling her fresh scent deeply into his lungs even as the girl seemed to stiffen in surprise.
It was a lot more successful of a tactic than counting, he admitted uncomfortably as he lost himself in her smell. In fact, if he concentrated hard enough, he could even separate the musky chemical she used as a perfume from the gentle aroma of her body.
Foolish human, Sesshoumaru smirked, feeling the girl's heart beat faster beneath his chest. Didn't she realize she smelled much more pleasant than any chemical processed and sold?
He must be hallucinating still, he thought dryly. That could be the only reason he could find anything remotely positive about the most recent incarnation of his youngest brother's wench.
Closing his eyes as the footfalls continued in their unforgivable tease, each step bringing closer the paralyzing stench.
"Hey, Death," a strong, masculine voice called out.
No static.
They were using cellular phones now instead of radios? The bastard is slipping.
"Yeah. Tsuri reporting in. At the Target's office," the man continued as he approached the door. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes as he heard the doorknob turn slowly.
"Locked. He's not in there," Tsuri grumbled.
If he listened carefully, Sesshoumaru could just hear the distant hum of a voice on the other end of the phone.
"Lemme check."
Suddenly, the butt of a machine gun rammed into the frosted window, causing a million shards of sharp glass to rain down upon the two bodies.
Only partially aware of the slender arms that wrapped around his head protectively, Sesshoumaru waited silently as the man peeked into the room.
"No, it's not on the desk ... What's that? ... No, the .. the window was already broken. He won't know I was here," Tsuri lied through his teeth, his body giving off an unpleasant stench of fear.
"Okay. I'll meet up with you in five. I'll just go double check the showers and see if he's there."
With a loud snort, Tsuri disconnected the call as he gave one last peek into the room.
"So where the hell are you hiding it, old man?" the thug complained half-heartedly. Sighing almost melodramatically, Tsuri turned away.
His head bowed in relief, Sesshoumaru listened as the steps faded slowly away.
"Are you okay?" Higurashi whispered, her innocent eyes filled with some strange emotion Sesshoumaru had never seen before.
Silently, he nodded, unwilling to trust his voice even as he felt compelled to examine her pretty face.
Beautiful.
Perhaps it was the adrenalin that pulsed through his veins still, or maybe it was the way her brown eyes looked up at him, full of a trust he knew he had done nothing to earn.
But at that moment, he became fully conscious of the woman who lay so silently beneath him. From the softness of her gentle curves to the slender arms wrapped protectively around his head, even to the pink lips that were parted slightly as she stared up at him, Sesshoumaru felt the sudden quickening of his own heart.
He lay there, watching Higurashi's brown eyes blink innocently as his hand glided through the soft hair, seemingly of its own will. The strange thing, though, was the fact that he couldn't find it within himself to want to still the rebellious thing.
Sesshoumaru had seen it a million times in his lifetime at the least, but when it came to him, he had never tried it.
He never had reason to.
Aggressively, he pressed his mouth against hers, his eyes closing instinctively as the girl's head jolted back against the floor. Relentlessly, he tasted the textures of her lips, reveling in the softness and yet, feeling strangely disappointed at the girl's lack of reaction.
Somehow, it had transformed what could have possibly been something enjoyable into an act that was ... empty.
I've been too long around humans, Sesshoumaru sighed as he pulled away, unconsciously avoiding the girl's shocked eyes. He actually had kissed a human. How could he allow himself to insult his pride like that?
With the firm intention of never apologizing to the girl for his lack of control, Sesshoumaru turned to shoot her an impatient glare, only to be struck by the look of shock on Higurashi's face as her index finger touched her lips gingerly.
The girl shook her head suddenly, her eyes flashing a certain steeliness as she raised her head to look at him. It was almost as if the girl had come to a decision, Sesshoumaru thought.
Wonderful. Just what I need: for her to turn me into the Board for kissing her. As if I do not have enough problems alrea...
The anxiety was moot; the next thing he knew, Higurashi's small hands were cupping his face, pulling him down to meet her lips. Honestly surprised by her impulsiveness, he lay there on top of her, feeling the way her lips searched his.
And he liked it.
Losing himself in his passion, Sesshoumaru deepened the kiss, unable to deny he enjoyed the way her mouth melded with his or how her small body squirmed beneath him. It was intoxicating, so much so that even when a small part of him acknowledged when the lights came back on in the hallway, it didn't seem to be important.
Nothing did in comparison to the kiss.
Higurashi broke away, panting as she looked up, her eyes following the bright streams of light that filtered in through the shattered window.
"Lights are on," she whispered breathlessly as she turned to look at him. "I think we are probably safe for the time being."
That little fact didn't seem to be even half as interesting as continuing, Sesshoumaru admitted as he lowered his head to kiss the girl again. Suddenly, her body stiffened, a strangled cry coming from her soft lips.
Frowning, he propped himself up on his elbows as he looked down at her, but the girl was oblivious. Her eyes flicked from his face to her small hands.
Make-up. Higurashi had rubbed off the make-up that covered his markings.
That complicates things a bit, Sesshoumaru shrugged mentally. He could just tell her that they were scars, though. That was somewhat feasible and the girl had no reason to... His thoughts halted suddenly as the Higurashi reached up and rubbed off the thick make-up that covered the center of his forehead.
How had she known it was there?
The youkai frowned as the girl pulled her shaking hands away, her large eyes wide with some emotion. After a moment, the young woman took a deep breath as she stared him directly into the golden eyes he had completely forgotten he had left uncovered.
"Sesshoumaru?"
Note: Muahahaa! I feel completely evil for ending this chapter like this. (Man, is it good to be evil or what!)
Yeah. The pace is definitely a lot faster than in my other stories, but I couldn't help it! FMN is also threatening to be a great deal shorter than the rest, as well. (Though it also has the possibility for a non-K/S sequel. That, like always, depends on if you guys are interested. You'll find out more about that option later.)
As for the rampant OOC-ness, try to ignore that the best you can. Thanks!
Response to Reviews:
(starting from Chapter 3)
Abacus: I bow to your wisdom :-) I'm glad I listened to you because I'm starting to like this story myself :-) ... As for the Death stuff, sorry if it wasn't clear! More will come up about that later!
Sakka chan: Thanks! Hope you still like where this is headed!
Meduza: eeeek. I've gotten into a few of those kind of fights myself. *GRIN* Glad to see you won, though. As for Sess, at least he's teaching archaeology and not straight-up history! :-)
Cassandra Sisenta: Thanks! And I guess the only reason I can picture Sess as a university professor is due to the bad attitude. And if I told you why people were after him, well... you'll just have to wait and see!
Priya-chan: *cough* I felt like such a doofus for having Sesshoumaru (of all people!) lock himself in, but if you think it was amusing, then I'm glad I did it :-)
Bunny-Butler: I liked that part myself... Oh, it looks like you and me are alone in the world!
Calophi: *GRIN* eeek. Now I'm going to have to make you wait til Chapter 6 to find out Sess's reaction.
Bishonen no Hime: Hey, this is Sess we are talking about. :-) If he wants the stage make-up to stay on in the rain, it will... (even if Kagome can so easily kiss the damn stuff off. But shhhh! Pretend you didn't notice that!)
Iapetus: Thank you so much! :-) I really hope you continue to enjoy this story.
Eeep. I'm going to have to break this off. Notepad is about to die. :( I'll continue with catching up with reviews in next chapter. By then, maybe I'll have my computer back.
Author: Celyia (cel@celyia.com)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Everything is Rumiko Takahashi's, including all that spare money I've been forking out lately for IY stuff. So no use in suing me... that is, unless you REALLY want my Sesshoumaru wall clock back. :-)
Note: I kind of had to laugh at some of the reactions to Chapter 4. That's the great thing about reviews: while I know where I'm going, sometimes I forget to let my readers know, too (which sort of defeats the purpose of writing). Oi. And I love it when you guys call me on it. How cool is it that you are actually reading this so thoroughly that you catch me when I screw up.
I can't think of a higher compliment. :) Ch 4 is missing a couple scenes. I was going to add them into this chapter, but I decided against it. The flow will be just a little off but I'll fix that when I revise.
Oh! One thing on Sesshoumaru's characterization, though: I've taken the liberty of making him a tad more loquacious than we are used to. It's been 500 years since we've seen the guy and over the years, he's developed the ability to talk when the need arises. After all, talking/dealing with people is a very important survival skill and c'mon, Sesshoumaru is nothing if not a survivor.
So, in short, thanks for keeping an eye out and thank you for reading!
-Cel.
Chapter 5
His pillow was flat.
Quietly, she stood over him, her hands gently lifting his head as she pulled the pillow free. Violently, she shook the pillow. With a critical eye, she examined it carefully, only to push and prod the object until it started looking less like a pancake and more like something to rest a sleeping head upon.
Satisfied for the moment but determined to request a new pillow at the earliest opportunity (though, she reminded herself, she needed to be polite about it since the nursing staff allowed her to sit with him even before visiting hours were supposed to begin), Kagome propped her comatose brother's head back up into a somewhat comfortable position.
"So yeah," she continued speaking as though she had never stopped, "I'll be at Mama's this weekend so I won't be visiting you on Sunday. Sorry, Souta-chan. But you know how it is. It's been too long since I last visited them, you know? Things are so busy here. I mean, I barely have time to do anything between work and school. I don't remember the Sengoku Jidai thing ever being this hectic..."
Realizing what she said, Kagome giggled as she played idly with Souta's recently shorn hair. "Okay, that's a total lie. But still... Ah. I miss those days, sometimes."
"OH! Did I tell you? Check this out," she felt her feet tapping in excitement as she leaned forward. "One of my professors found a site that he says is linked to Inuyasha! Isn't that so cool? I mean, I had always hoped and everything, but I never ever actually thought it would happen." Her brilliant smile fell as she studied her brother's peaceful features.
"Actually, you're right. He isn't my professor and he's not going to let me on the excavation team. He just lets me audit his class. Hmm. That reminds me- I got to leave here in a couple minutes so I can drop off the audit permission. But anyway, you have to admit the dig thing is pretty cool. I mean, we are talking about Inuyasha here."
Kagome closed her eyes as she rested her head against the wall. "The funny thing is, I can't imagine Inuyasha being dead, you know? And yet, it's been five hundred years ... god, I so hope no one is eavesdropping ... there's no way he could still be alive. I can't imagine all of them gone. Shippou, Miroku, Sango, Kaede? All like that. Feh. Happy thoughts, Kagome. Happy thoughts."
With a soft, sad smile, Kagome kissed her brother on his pale forehead.
"I guess in a way it's stupid, isn't it, Souta-chan? But it's like this excavation is an opportunity, you know? Finally, it feels like I can really say goodbye."
Humans are inherently lazy beasts, Sesshoumaru decided as he sat in his office and poured over the ancient map. Blurred archaic symbols, scrawled over the priceless document like graffiti, covered some of the most important parts of the map. Had the cartographer taken more care, Sesshoumaru would not be having the difficulties he had now.
"Lazy bastard," the professor grumbled, allowing his head to fall onto his hands as he continued staring at the symbols. The answer, the solution was right under his nose ... literally ... but he couldn't see it. He was left to flounder, to suffer because of one reason and one reason alone: the cartographer, in his human ignorance, had inked in the vital information using a color that the youkai's canine eyes could barely see, much less read. If that hadn't been enough damage, someone else (perhaps even the moronic cartographer) had written a useless title (Devil's Leap?) over the top, successful taking Sesshoumaru's job from just merely "impossible" all the way to "no chance in hell".
The frustration of the entire matter was considerable, to say the least.
With a grunt, he meticulously rolled the centuries old map up and placed it behind the desk, knowing that while it was not the best hiding place, it would do for the next few hours.
Sesshoumaru frowned as he looked at his watch, angry at his own incompetence that had allowed him to waste another entire night without discovering the answer. Seven in the morning. At least, Sesshoumaru rubbed at the bridge of his nose, the faculty showers would be empty. He, though, would have to be quick. Within two hours, the halls would be filled and he would be force to humiliate himself by condescending to teach mere humans.
Ludicrous.
The sooner he could decipher that last symbol on the map, the sooner he could break the binding. And once the binding was gone, Sesshoumaru would finally be free.
Freedom. No word he had ever known sounded so beautiful.
"Maru-sensei?"
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes reflexively, willing his control to return as Higurashi's soft voice echoed into his office.
"Do you not have the courtesy to knock?"
"I'm sorry," the girl bowed slightly as she stepped into the room. "But the light was on and the door was open and ..."
"Very well," Sesshoumaru grunted, waving a hand in dismissal as he turned to face the girl, only to fall against the chair's leather backing as he met her eyes.
Sadness.
He sat there, in wonder, as he explored her face, his eyes tracing over the lovely features so filled with almost a tangible sorrow. Like a soft, gentle melody played on a piano, her sorrow beckoned his until he no longer harbored a desire but a need to sing along.
But it wasn't the girl's sorrow that had stolen his breath or caused his heart to speed up.
It was the very life that emanated from the girl. Whatever had upset her; whatever had caused those eyes to fill with sorrow had not destroyed her spirit. It hadn't mutated her into a walking shell.
No. It had taken a pretty little girl and transformed her into something beyond beautiful.
It's true, Sesshoumaru thought as he felt his lips twist into a smirk. Lack of sleep really does induce hallucinations.
"I know these aren't your office hours, Maru-sensei, and I was just going to leave this in your mailbox, but I was walking by ... I''ve already said that, huh," the girl fumbled, her slender fingers twisting her long, black hair nervously.
"The audit permission form, I presume?"
The girl smiled widely, her eyes filled with a brightness he had only seen on the touched-up faces of the women in the magazines. With an elegant turn of her wrist, she handed him the form.
"All you need to do is sign it. And then, I'll just go drop it off and the woman at administration said everything would be taken care of," Higurashi explained, her hands actively gesturing as she waited for him to look over the form.
Trouble.
Higurashi would bring him nothing but trouble.
He watched her out of the corner of his eyes as he pretended to read, his mind working furiously as he searched for a reason to refuse. Since the day he met her, this young woman had done nothing but distract him. She challenged him. She had the audacity to argue with him.
What in the hell had he been thinking when he gave her permission to audit? It was like taping a huge placard on his back that said: ANNOY ME PLEASE.
Dammit.
Frowning, he leaned over the desk, shaking his ballpoint pen as he went to sign.
"Out of ink," Sesshoumaru stated, not bothering to fake regret as he tossed the cheap plastic into the bin.
"Oh, wait. I've got one," the girl gushed, dropping her bag to the floor. Sesshoumaru only winced as Higurashi knocked the door closed with a careless leg.
"You are determined to disrupt my life," the youkai muttered as he sat in the chair. "You do realize that I had that door propped open for a reason..."
Higurashi ignored him, her head practically in the old backpack as she rummaged through the contents.
"It's in here somewhere. Really. Give me a second..."
"The door locks automatically, hence it being propped open..."
"Hmm. Well, it's not in the front pocket. I could have sworn I put it in there."
"...so your incompetence just locked us in."
"Not in the inside ... oh? Locked in? Well, one problem at a time ... Dammit. It's not in the inside pocket, either."
"You cannot possibly be this stupid."
"I'm not," the girl looked up at him, her brown eyes smiling. "I'm just delightfully determined, like my Mama says."
It was ... difficult, but he managed to merely cross his arms and stare indifferently at her.
"Ah! There it is! Oh, hell. How did it get there? It's stuck between the lining," the young woman sighed as she slowly started pulling all her books out of the worn bag.
"No," Sesshoumaru bit out sternly as he watched his already less-than-immaculate office become even less so. "Put those back in..."
The youkai frowned as all the lights in the building suddenly died. Slender black eyebrows knitted together as he glanced through the dark room.
"Hey," Higurashi muttered, her small hand automatically flipping the light switch off and then back on.
How dare the girl touch anything in his office!
With a grunt of defiance, he reached over her head and flicked the switch off.
"Electricity's out?"
"Astute observation," Sesshoumaru mocked nastily as he picked up the phone.
The line was dead too?
"Aren't you going to call the janitor?" the girl asked, her voice strangely faint to his now straining ears.
"Silence," Sesshoumaru commanded as he raised his nose high into the air, his eyes closing as he tried to focus only on the plethora of smells dancing in the darkened building. Like a chaotic rainbow of colors, the scents swirled before him, pushing and pulling at his highly attuned senses until he could feel himself starting to grow nauseous from the very odors he had trained his body to block out.
He forced himself to ignore the musty scent of his office and the disagreeable chemical odor that covered the girl's natural, pleasing aroma, instead, he tried to focus on the empty hall beyond the office door. His eyes shot open suddenly as he discovered the scent he hoped he would never smell again.
"Down."
Higurashi looked up at him, her electric brown eyes full of confusion.
"What are you ... HEY!" Higurashi screamed as he leapt on her, the flesh of his palm pressing down on her mouth hard.
"Silence."
He pushed her, his free hand cupping the back of the girl's head protectively as her body impacted the floor. Lying on top of her form, he watched as her expressive brown eyes widened in terror at his sudden assault.
"Silence," Sesshoumaru growled, only to wince in pain as the wench's strong and definitely sharp teeth bit into his hand. But the wench hadn't finished, he discovered. Her knee shot up, aiming directly for his groin. With a grunt, he pinned down the wildly kicking legs, trying to ignore the burning in his hand.
The human bit him! How filthy. "Silence!" the youkai snarled into her ear, his hands shaking from the anger he felt at the girl's insolence at such a time. Still the girl ignored him as her small fists began to beat at the small of his back.
Perhaps it was time to make a concession, Sesshoumaru decided as he tried to flex his damaged hand without giving the girl the freedom to scream.
"Be silent. I will not hurt you," he grunted.
The girl merely glared at him as her teeth continued to grind into his flesh.
"Higurashi, please," he muttered, only to wince when the girl pulled sharply on his hair. "I will not hurt you ... I ... there is danger. Be silent."
He watched the brown eyes narrow suspiciously, but after a moment, the girl gave him a short, curt nod.
He could have smiled in relief as he felt the girl withdraw her teeth from his hand. Soundlessly, he removed his palm and stretched his fingers.
"Hentai," Higurashi growled, her eyes staring up into his. She cocked her head, annoyance twisting her lips as he knew she waited for an explanation.
He turned his attention to the frosted window several feet above his head. Nothing. Swinging his gaze back to the girl, he watched as a myriad of emotions flickered over her pretty face.
"What the hell is goi...?"
Sesshoumaru broke in, his finger pressing against her soft lips.
"For now, remain silent. Please."
The word seemed to work like a magic charm, he noticed. The anger in those brown eyes died until all there was left was curiousity and no small amount of fear.
The smell was strong now, almost too potent to bear. He closed his eyes as he focused his senses on the soft footfalls that echoed throughout the hall, forcing himself to ignore the bitter scent that evoked so many evil memories.
One.
Two.
Three.
Sesshoumaru counted silently as he tried to still the fear that caused his hands to tremble with untapped adrenalin. He was a youkai lord, after all, he told himself firmly, and the eldest son of the greatest youkai to ever walk the earth.
He would conquer this.
Abruptly, before he even realized what he was doing, Sesshoumaru tucked his face into the crook of Higurashi's white neck, inhaling her fresh scent deeply into his lungs even as the girl seemed to stiffen in surprise.
It was a lot more successful of a tactic than counting, he admitted uncomfortably as he lost himself in her smell. In fact, if he concentrated hard enough, he could even separate the musky chemical she used as a perfume from the gentle aroma of her body.
Foolish human, Sesshoumaru smirked, feeling the girl's heart beat faster beneath his chest. Didn't she realize she smelled much more pleasant than any chemical processed and sold?
He must be hallucinating still, he thought dryly. That could be the only reason he could find anything remotely positive about the most recent incarnation of his youngest brother's wench.
Closing his eyes as the footfalls continued in their unforgivable tease, each step bringing closer the paralyzing stench.
"Hey, Death," a strong, masculine voice called out.
No static.
They were using cellular phones now instead of radios? The bastard is slipping.
"Yeah. Tsuri reporting in. At the Target's office," the man continued as he approached the door. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes as he heard the doorknob turn slowly.
"Locked. He's not in there," Tsuri grumbled.
If he listened carefully, Sesshoumaru could just hear the distant hum of a voice on the other end of the phone.
"Lemme check."
Suddenly, the butt of a machine gun rammed into the frosted window, causing a million shards of sharp glass to rain down upon the two bodies.
Only partially aware of the slender arms that wrapped around his head protectively, Sesshoumaru waited silently as the man peeked into the room.
"No, it's not on the desk ... What's that? ... No, the .. the window was already broken. He won't know I was here," Tsuri lied through his teeth, his body giving off an unpleasant stench of fear.
"Okay. I'll meet up with you in five. I'll just go double check the showers and see if he's there."
With a loud snort, Tsuri disconnected the call as he gave one last peek into the room.
"So where the hell are you hiding it, old man?" the thug complained half-heartedly. Sighing almost melodramatically, Tsuri turned away.
His head bowed in relief, Sesshoumaru listened as the steps faded slowly away.
"Are you okay?" Higurashi whispered, her innocent eyes filled with some strange emotion Sesshoumaru had never seen before.
Silently, he nodded, unwilling to trust his voice even as he felt compelled to examine her pretty face.
Beautiful.
Perhaps it was the adrenalin that pulsed through his veins still, or maybe it was the way her brown eyes looked up at him, full of a trust he knew he had done nothing to earn.
But at that moment, he became fully conscious of the woman who lay so silently beneath him. From the softness of her gentle curves to the slender arms wrapped protectively around his head, even to the pink lips that were parted slightly as she stared up at him, Sesshoumaru felt the sudden quickening of his own heart.
He lay there, watching Higurashi's brown eyes blink innocently as his hand glided through the soft hair, seemingly of its own will. The strange thing, though, was the fact that he couldn't find it within himself to want to still the rebellious thing.
Sesshoumaru had seen it a million times in his lifetime at the least, but when it came to him, he had never tried it.
He never had reason to.
Aggressively, he pressed his mouth against hers, his eyes closing instinctively as the girl's head jolted back against the floor. Relentlessly, he tasted the textures of her lips, reveling in the softness and yet, feeling strangely disappointed at the girl's lack of reaction.
Somehow, it had transformed what could have possibly been something enjoyable into an act that was ... empty.
I've been too long around humans, Sesshoumaru sighed as he pulled away, unconsciously avoiding the girl's shocked eyes. He actually had kissed a human. How could he allow himself to insult his pride like that?
With the firm intention of never apologizing to the girl for his lack of control, Sesshoumaru turned to shoot her an impatient glare, only to be struck by the look of shock on Higurashi's face as her index finger touched her lips gingerly.
The girl shook her head suddenly, her eyes flashing a certain steeliness as she raised her head to look at him. It was almost as if the girl had come to a decision, Sesshoumaru thought.
Wonderful. Just what I need: for her to turn me into the Board for kissing her. As if I do not have enough problems alrea...
The anxiety was moot; the next thing he knew, Higurashi's small hands were cupping his face, pulling him down to meet her lips. Honestly surprised by her impulsiveness, he lay there on top of her, feeling the way her lips searched his.
And he liked it.
Losing himself in his passion, Sesshoumaru deepened the kiss, unable to deny he enjoyed the way her mouth melded with his or how her small body squirmed beneath him. It was intoxicating, so much so that even when a small part of him acknowledged when the lights came back on in the hallway, it didn't seem to be important.
Nothing did in comparison to the kiss.
Higurashi broke away, panting as she looked up, her eyes following the bright streams of light that filtered in through the shattered window.
"Lights are on," she whispered breathlessly as she turned to look at him. "I think we are probably safe for the time being."
That little fact didn't seem to be even half as interesting as continuing, Sesshoumaru admitted as he lowered his head to kiss the girl again. Suddenly, her body stiffened, a strangled cry coming from her soft lips.
Frowning, he propped himself up on his elbows as he looked down at her, but the girl was oblivious. Her eyes flicked from his face to her small hands.
Make-up. Higurashi had rubbed off the make-up that covered his markings.
That complicates things a bit, Sesshoumaru shrugged mentally. He could just tell her that they were scars, though. That was somewhat feasible and the girl had no reason to... His thoughts halted suddenly as the Higurashi reached up and rubbed off the thick make-up that covered the center of his forehead.
How had she known it was there?
The youkai frowned as the girl pulled her shaking hands away, her large eyes wide with some emotion. After a moment, the young woman took a deep breath as she stared him directly into the golden eyes he had completely forgotten he had left uncovered.
"Sesshoumaru?"
Note: Muahahaa! I feel completely evil for ending this chapter like this. (Man, is it good to be evil or what!)
Yeah. The pace is definitely a lot faster than in my other stories, but I couldn't help it! FMN is also threatening to be a great deal shorter than the rest, as well. (Though it also has the possibility for a non-K/S sequel. That, like always, depends on if you guys are interested. You'll find out more about that option later.)
As for the rampant OOC-ness, try to ignore that the best you can. Thanks!
Response to Reviews:
(starting from Chapter 3)
Abacus: I bow to your wisdom :-) I'm glad I listened to you because I'm starting to like this story myself :-) ... As for the Death stuff, sorry if it wasn't clear! More will come up about that later!
Sakka chan: Thanks! Hope you still like where this is headed!
Meduza: eeeek. I've gotten into a few of those kind of fights myself. *GRIN* Glad to see you won, though. As for Sess, at least he's teaching archaeology and not straight-up history! :-)
Cassandra Sisenta: Thanks! And I guess the only reason I can picture Sess as a university professor is due to the bad attitude. And if I told you why people were after him, well... you'll just have to wait and see!
Priya-chan: *cough* I felt like such a doofus for having Sesshoumaru (of all people!) lock himself in, but if you think it was amusing, then I'm glad I did it :-)
Bunny-Butler: I liked that part myself... Oh, it looks like you and me are alone in the world!
Calophi: *GRIN* eeek. Now I'm going to have to make you wait til Chapter 6 to find out Sess's reaction.
Bishonen no Hime: Hey, this is Sess we are talking about. :-) If he wants the stage make-up to stay on in the rain, it will... (even if Kagome can so easily kiss the damn stuff off. But shhhh! Pretend you didn't notice that!)
Iapetus: Thank you so much! :-) I really hope you continue to enjoy this story.
Eeep. I'm going to have to break this off. Notepad is about to die. :( I'll continue with catching up with reviews in next chapter. By then, maybe I'll have my computer back.