Penitent: InuYasha Fanfic Volume 1
Chapter 3
Sesshomaru placed Kagome on the only bed in the hut, next to Rin. Jakken was on the other side, snoring as if his nostrils were plugged up and he was gasping for his last breaths. Rin stirred when she felt the mattress sink with Kagome's weight. Opening her eyes, she looked at Sesshomaru, then rubbed her eyes to clear her vision. She smiled and sat up. "Ohayo, Sesshomaru-sama. Daijoubu?"
"Daijoubu, Rin," he replied, and took a seat near the bed.
Rin stared at Kagome, then turned her gaze on Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru-sama, who is this? Why is she here?"
Sessho-maru smiled inwardly; the plot forming in his head was turning out quite nicely. Simple, yet very nice. It would put Inu-Yasha in his place, no more, no less. Outwardly, he answered Rin, "She will be staying with us for a while. Rin, why don't you take Jakken and go buy trinkets from the marketplace across the village? I'm sure you'll find something worth buying, perhaps a nice dress, or maybe even a bauble or two." He gave her a bag of coins. Rin joyfully yelped, now fully awake, and took the coins from Sesshomaru. She jostled Jakken awake with cries of "Jakken-sama, wake UP!" and when he half-opened his eyes, she grabbed his arm and pulled him from the bed. She changed quickly behind a screen, and while Jakken was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, she grabbed his arm once again and pulled him out the door.
"Sesshomaru-samaaaa!" was Jakken's cry as he flew out the door. Sesshomaru only smiled, glad to have them out of the way. He knew Rin, and she took a very long time choosing things to buy. She and Jakken would be out for at least most of the day - plenty of time to carry out his plan.
He pulled a basin of water to himself and a clean rag. Then he pulled out some women's clothes that had been left in the house. How fortunate that they have come into my hands he thought. He pulled up his sleeves and dipped the rag into the water, throughly soaking it, before wiping Kagome's face. She still hadn't stirred, but Sesshomaru knew she was still alive. He just assumed she was exhausted from something. Whatever the reason, it would become useful later on.
He alternated dipping the rag and clenaing her off, taking off her clothes and putting the women's clothes he had found on her. He didn't touch her, knowing that he couldn't for the sake of his plan. After he had finished, she still slept, so he threw away the water and washed the basin, then washed the rag. While he put it on the a clothesline to dry outside, Kagome appeared at the door, alarmed and fully awake.
"S-Sesshomaru?!" Kagome gasped. "What in all the...?! What did you do to me?!" She wrapped the clothes around her more tightly with hands white from the pressure. Her eyes were fierce as she stared at Sesshomaru, but he still detected her fear. Its scent was all over her, thrilling him. The hunt had begun. Despite his emotions inside, he kept his face bland, as was his custom, and finished draping the rag. Then he turned around and addressed Kagome, "You should lie down and rest. I don't know what you've been through, but even I can still see you're still tired."
"I don't give a damn about that right now!" Kagome snapped. "I want to know how I got here in the first place and what you did to me! Why am I wearing these clothes?! The last thing I remember, I... I..." She studdenly stopped as everything came back to her. Panting a little, her grip on her clothes loosened and her eyes grew blank.
Sesshomaru took her reactions to her remembering as signs of going in for the kill. He led her inside without her struggling and made her sit on the bed. It was time to do what he did best - take advantage of a fortuitous opportunity. Sitting in front of her, he asked gently and unwontedly, "What happened?"
Before she knew it, Kagome was telling him everything. Her lonely walk to the well, her almost fatal meeting with Kikyo, and how Inu-Yasha had come to save her by killing Kikyo. It was all her fault... she repeated that phrase over and over. If only... what if... so many thoughts and possibilities and alternate endings ran through her mind while she spoke. It was like a confession to a priest. Sesshomaru sat through it all, listening intently for pieces of information he could use. And when he found them, he used them, and her vulnerability. Kagome finished her tale.
Sesshomaru reached out and touched Kagome's cheek. Quickly, she pulled her head away and whispered brokenly, "No! Get away!"
"Why do you turn away your benefactor? I took care of you when I found you in the forest, and brought you here. I did not touch you at all, I give you my word. And though that may not matter very much to you, I have never broken my word or any promise I have made." He moved his hand again, and this time, when he put his hand on her cheek and stroked it, Kagome didn't resist. "Inu-Yasha will come to his senses, you know. He'll remember that he loved Kikyo first, possibly more than you. And he'll remember that in saving you, he had to give up Kikyo, the woman he loved for more than 50 years. The woman he dedicated himself to protecting while he was hunting for the shards. Of course, he dedicated himself to protecting you, as well, but when it was Kikyo who called him away, he never hesitated to go." He watched for a moment as Kagome's eyes grew blank. He knew she would accept what he was stating so easily. She was vulnerable... vulnerability, when manipulated in the right hands, could benefit anyone. "And need I also tell you... if you and Inu-Yasha still became intimately involved, Kikyo would always be between you, more than she would be had she lived. And how do you know he won't turn on you? He is still half-demon, after all. What if he killed you? You of all people know he can't control his demon self, especially when he has repeatedly transformed in the past." He cupped her other cheek with his other hand, putting the icing on the cake. "But I, Sesshomaru, know the implications and obligations of being a full demon. I know control, and boundaries, and am more loyal than Inu-Yasha when choosing a mate. You know, Kagome-san, I've lately been looking at you, and watching you while you slept, and I simply cannot understand how you can be so beautiful. And talented. And brave."
Kagome looked away. Should she go along? What about Inu-Yasha? Maybe Sesshomaru was right, and that Inu-Yasha was all of those things. He would hate her, and where would she be? Better to forget and go home, and never see Inu-Yasha again.
Sesshomaru could see her weakening. Time to cap off the plan with a big bang. He placed two cool fingers under her chin and lifterd up her face. He met her confused, murky eyes and softly kissed her lips. Kagome gave a small gasp and stiffened for a moment... but only a moment.
Her first reaction was to step away. In-depth thought only supported what she thought to be true: Inu-Yasha was going to hate her anyway.
Sesshomaru felt her resistance disappear completely, and leaned forward slowly, finally putting her in a position where she was lying down on the bed, and he was over her. He clasped one of her hands gently and held it down against the mattress, then did the same with her other hand. Once he knew she would keep her hands where they were, he slowly moved his hands to her shirt hem, where Kagome grabbed his hands and pulled her mouth away from his.
"This is a little too fast..." she said haltingly.
"I can make everything go away... all of your troubles, all of your fears..." he whispered, bringing his mouth close to her ear, then running his lips over her neck. He heard Kagome groan softly and smiled. His plans were always perfect.
She couldn't resist. He was right, she could forget everything, even for a few minutes. And he said he loved her. He looked like he meant it, and he said he never broke his word. Perhaps the incident with Inu-Yasha happened so that this could occur. Maybe she was fated to be with Sesshomaru after all. She ran her hands through his hair gingerly as she felt his hands at the hem of her shirt. Her fingers tightened instinctively as he drew her shirt up and over her head...
...
"I have an ominous feeling about this," Miroku stated matter-of-factly. Sango turned to look at him while plying with Ayame.
"What do you mean?" Inu-Yasha asked him. "She needs her time alone."
"Yes, but with Sesshomaru?" Miroku shook his head. "She would be better of with us. You can go away, Inu-Yasha, while she gets time to herself." In the next moment, he was gripping the back of his head where a small lump was forming. Sango shook her head and dusted off her hands. Then she turned to Inu-Yasha.
"I partly agree with m'lord. Perhaps she would heal better with us than with that heartless bakayarou. I think you should go and fetch her. I recently heard that he purchased a house for Rin at the other side of the forest, or maybe for another motive. i don't quite know. I only hear some gossip from time to time." She made shoo-ing motions with her hands. "Go ahead, Inu-Yasha, we'll prepare for your coming back with Kagome."
"Ka-go-me!" Ayame squealed.
"Wonderful. She can say Kagome's name, but not even a 'tou-chan' for me," Miroku muttered.
Sango laughed and lightly kissed Miroku's cheek. "In due time, Sir Monk."
Inu-Yasha didn't say anything, but stood up and started walking towards the forest.
"Do you think he and Lady Kagome will soon overcome this rather large obstacle?" Miroku asked Sango as he picked up Ayame.
"I hope so," Sango replied, watching Miroku and Ayame play.
Chapter 3
Sesshomaru placed Kagome on the only bed in the hut, next to Rin. Jakken was on the other side, snoring as if his nostrils were plugged up and he was gasping for his last breaths. Rin stirred when she felt the mattress sink with Kagome's weight. Opening her eyes, she looked at Sesshomaru, then rubbed her eyes to clear her vision. She smiled and sat up. "Ohayo, Sesshomaru-sama. Daijoubu?"
"Daijoubu, Rin," he replied, and took a seat near the bed.
Rin stared at Kagome, then turned her gaze on Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru-sama, who is this? Why is she here?"
Sessho-maru smiled inwardly; the plot forming in his head was turning out quite nicely. Simple, yet very nice. It would put Inu-Yasha in his place, no more, no less. Outwardly, he answered Rin, "She will be staying with us for a while. Rin, why don't you take Jakken and go buy trinkets from the marketplace across the village? I'm sure you'll find something worth buying, perhaps a nice dress, or maybe even a bauble or two." He gave her a bag of coins. Rin joyfully yelped, now fully awake, and took the coins from Sesshomaru. She jostled Jakken awake with cries of "Jakken-sama, wake UP!" and when he half-opened his eyes, she grabbed his arm and pulled him from the bed. She changed quickly behind a screen, and while Jakken was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, she grabbed his arm once again and pulled him out the door.
"Sesshomaru-samaaaa!" was Jakken's cry as he flew out the door. Sesshomaru only smiled, glad to have them out of the way. He knew Rin, and she took a very long time choosing things to buy. She and Jakken would be out for at least most of the day - plenty of time to carry out his plan.
He pulled a basin of water to himself and a clean rag. Then he pulled out some women's clothes that had been left in the house. How fortunate that they have come into my hands he thought. He pulled up his sleeves and dipped the rag into the water, throughly soaking it, before wiping Kagome's face. She still hadn't stirred, but Sesshomaru knew she was still alive. He just assumed she was exhausted from something. Whatever the reason, it would become useful later on.
He alternated dipping the rag and clenaing her off, taking off her clothes and putting the women's clothes he had found on her. He didn't touch her, knowing that he couldn't for the sake of his plan. After he had finished, she still slept, so he threw away the water and washed the basin, then washed the rag. While he put it on the a clothesline to dry outside, Kagome appeared at the door, alarmed and fully awake.
"S-Sesshomaru?!" Kagome gasped. "What in all the...?! What did you do to me?!" She wrapped the clothes around her more tightly with hands white from the pressure. Her eyes were fierce as she stared at Sesshomaru, but he still detected her fear. Its scent was all over her, thrilling him. The hunt had begun. Despite his emotions inside, he kept his face bland, as was his custom, and finished draping the rag. Then he turned around and addressed Kagome, "You should lie down and rest. I don't know what you've been through, but even I can still see you're still tired."
"I don't give a damn about that right now!" Kagome snapped. "I want to know how I got here in the first place and what you did to me! Why am I wearing these clothes?! The last thing I remember, I... I..." She studdenly stopped as everything came back to her. Panting a little, her grip on her clothes loosened and her eyes grew blank.
Sesshomaru took her reactions to her remembering as signs of going in for the kill. He led her inside without her struggling and made her sit on the bed. It was time to do what he did best - take advantage of a fortuitous opportunity. Sitting in front of her, he asked gently and unwontedly, "What happened?"
Before she knew it, Kagome was telling him everything. Her lonely walk to the well, her almost fatal meeting with Kikyo, and how Inu-Yasha had come to save her by killing Kikyo. It was all her fault... she repeated that phrase over and over. If only... what if... so many thoughts and possibilities and alternate endings ran through her mind while she spoke. It was like a confession to a priest. Sesshomaru sat through it all, listening intently for pieces of information he could use. And when he found them, he used them, and her vulnerability. Kagome finished her tale.
Sesshomaru reached out and touched Kagome's cheek. Quickly, she pulled her head away and whispered brokenly, "No! Get away!"
"Why do you turn away your benefactor? I took care of you when I found you in the forest, and brought you here. I did not touch you at all, I give you my word. And though that may not matter very much to you, I have never broken my word or any promise I have made." He moved his hand again, and this time, when he put his hand on her cheek and stroked it, Kagome didn't resist. "Inu-Yasha will come to his senses, you know. He'll remember that he loved Kikyo first, possibly more than you. And he'll remember that in saving you, he had to give up Kikyo, the woman he loved for more than 50 years. The woman he dedicated himself to protecting while he was hunting for the shards. Of course, he dedicated himself to protecting you, as well, but when it was Kikyo who called him away, he never hesitated to go." He watched for a moment as Kagome's eyes grew blank. He knew she would accept what he was stating so easily. She was vulnerable... vulnerability, when manipulated in the right hands, could benefit anyone. "And need I also tell you... if you and Inu-Yasha still became intimately involved, Kikyo would always be between you, more than she would be had she lived. And how do you know he won't turn on you? He is still half-demon, after all. What if he killed you? You of all people know he can't control his demon self, especially when he has repeatedly transformed in the past." He cupped her other cheek with his other hand, putting the icing on the cake. "But I, Sesshomaru, know the implications and obligations of being a full demon. I know control, and boundaries, and am more loyal than Inu-Yasha when choosing a mate. You know, Kagome-san, I've lately been looking at you, and watching you while you slept, and I simply cannot understand how you can be so beautiful. And talented. And brave."
Kagome looked away. Should she go along? What about Inu-Yasha? Maybe Sesshomaru was right, and that Inu-Yasha was all of those things. He would hate her, and where would she be? Better to forget and go home, and never see Inu-Yasha again.
Sesshomaru could see her weakening. Time to cap off the plan with a big bang. He placed two cool fingers under her chin and lifterd up her face. He met her confused, murky eyes and softly kissed her lips. Kagome gave a small gasp and stiffened for a moment... but only a moment.
Her first reaction was to step away. In-depth thought only supported what she thought to be true: Inu-Yasha was going to hate her anyway.
Sesshomaru felt her resistance disappear completely, and leaned forward slowly, finally putting her in a position where she was lying down on the bed, and he was over her. He clasped one of her hands gently and held it down against the mattress, then did the same with her other hand. Once he knew she would keep her hands where they were, he slowly moved his hands to her shirt hem, where Kagome grabbed his hands and pulled her mouth away from his.
"This is a little too fast..." she said haltingly.
"I can make everything go away... all of your troubles, all of your fears..." he whispered, bringing his mouth close to her ear, then running his lips over her neck. He heard Kagome groan softly and smiled. His plans were always perfect.
She couldn't resist. He was right, she could forget everything, even for a few minutes. And he said he loved her. He looked like he meant it, and he said he never broke his word. Perhaps the incident with Inu-Yasha happened so that this could occur. Maybe she was fated to be with Sesshomaru after all. She ran her hands through his hair gingerly as she felt his hands at the hem of her shirt. Her fingers tightened instinctively as he drew her shirt up and over her head...
...
"I have an ominous feeling about this," Miroku stated matter-of-factly. Sango turned to look at him while plying with Ayame.
"What do you mean?" Inu-Yasha asked him. "She needs her time alone."
"Yes, but with Sesshomaru?" Miroku shook his head. "She would be better of with us. You can go away, Inu-Yasha, while she gets time to herself." In the next moment, he was gripping the back of his head where a small lump was forming. Sango shook her head and dusted off her hands. Then she turned to Inu-Yasha.
"I partly agree with m'lord. Perhaps she would heal better with us than with that heartless bakayarou. I think you should go and fetch her. I recently heard that he purchased a house for Rin at the other side of the forest, or maybe for another motive. i don't quite know. I only hear some gossip from time to time." She made shoo-ing motions with her hands. "Go ahead, Inu-Yasha, we'll prepare for your coming back with Kagome."
"Ka-go-me!" Ayame squealed.
"Wonderful. She can say Kagome's name, but not even a 'tou-chan' for me," Miroku muttered.
Sango laughed and lightly kissed Miroku's cheek. "In due time, Sir Monk."
Inu-Yasha didn't say anything, but stood up and started walking towards the forest.
"Do you think he and Lady Kagome will soon overcome this rather large obstacle?" Miroku asked Sango as he picked up Ayame.
"I hope so," Sango replied, watching Miroku and Ayame play.