Disclaimer: I don't want to repeat it again. Look at the other chappies
for these.
Author's Note: Okay, my wonderful readers! This chapter has SESSHOUMARU x KAGOME FLUFF!!! =^o^= I know I've kept you all waiting long enough, so hopefully this meets your expectations!!! Does anyone know what Inutaisho and Sesshoumaru's mother look like? Does she even have a name? And what about Inuyasha's mother? Until I find out, I'll make up names for them! ^_^;;; If someone has information and/or pictures, send them to me and I will be ever so grateful to you! Anyways, I'm _really_ sorry for the complete OOC-ness in this chapter! *begins to inch away from readers*
"___" = Dialogue
'___' = Thoughts
*___* = Special 'stuff'
~ # * # ~ = Passage of time
Conflicting Desires
By Forsaken Tenshi
Chapter 7: Kindred Spirits
Kagome felt the tip of her stiletto touch the skin of her chest ever so gently. The tip lightly indented her skin, quivering as she struggled against the demon lord's strength. She glared at him and snapped, "Let me go _through_ with this!"
In a swift, fluid motion too fast for the girl, Sesshoumaru plucked the blade from the priestess' hands and threw it over his shoulder. It embedded itself perpendicularly into the wall up to the intricate hilt. Sesshoumaru did not even bother to glance back as he released the thrashing shrine maiden.
"What did you think you were doing, wench?" he repeated. His eyes were hard and brittle; they revealed the blazing fury he held tightly in check. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her.
Tears sprung into Kagome's eyes as her self control slipped away. "What did it _look_ like I was doing?!?" she shrieked. "I am so _sick_ of living like this! My life has been virtually _consumed_ by the Shikon no Tama, and my boyfriend was _using_ me as a replacement for someone else! He betrayed me! He _betrayed_ me!!!" And with that she collapsed onto the floor, sobbing her heart out.
Sesshoumaru stood there, watching her with seeming indifference. Yet he was in emotional turmoil. Should he comfort her? One half of him told him it was fine; that she needed it. The other half told him to leave her alone and let her solve her own problems. He silently debated the issue, all the while staring at the priestess. A thought wormed its way into his mind. Where was that unbreakable spirit?
Another thought came to his mind, one more instinctual and feral. Why not take her while she is down? The urge to take her ran rampant in his body, and Sesshoumaru almost gave in to it. Yet another part of him didn't want to. This other part wanted not only another bitch to play with. This side wanted her respect and wanted her to do it willingly. Basically, it called for her permission. The dog demon's eyes widened slightly. 'Since _when_ have I needed _permission_ to do something?!?' he snapped mentally at himself.
Sesshoumaru's eyes fell back on the sobbing girl and he decided to act. "Miko," he stated coldly, "Is your life really that desolate? Do you really hate life enough to commit suicide? I don't really want to resurrect you, you know." He had meant to snap at her in such a way as to elicit a response, any response, from her. Yet in his mind, he called somewhat sympathetically to her, 'You are not the only one who has suffered. . .'
The spark flared within the girl, much to Sesshoumaru's unspoken relief. She furiously responded to both his mental and vocal statements, glaring upwards at him. "How would you know?!? Have you ever been in love? Oh wait, let me take that back: the _great_ Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't have a _heart_, therefore he cannot _feel_ anything! Pardon my error," Kagome spat bitterly. She slumped over and sighed despondently.
The girl's words struck a still open wound deep within Sesshoumaru's concealed heart. The pain made him go on the defensive. Yet even then he was reluctant to be harsh on her, even if defending himself. The sting filled his chest, and he internally winced. "I. . . I have loved. . . before. . ." he stated softly, almost inaudibly, hoping she couldn't hear his words as he gazed at the girl through half lidded eyes.
Yet she heard them, and quieted her crying. "You. . . you've loved. . . before. . . ?" she asked, raising her tear filled eyes to meet his slightly misty ones.
Sesshoumaru gave an almost imperceptible nod. "Yes. . . I have. . ." He bowed his head, as if ashamed.
Shakily Kagome stood up and reached for Sesshoumaru. He tensed slightly when her hand gently grasped one of his crossed forearms. His head snapped up to look at Kagome, who was half smiling at him. "When. . . ?"
The demon lord sighed. Perhaps he should tell her. Just now, she had gone through something similar to what he had experienced when he was younger. . . ever so much younger. . .
"Follow me," he ordered, turning and heading out the door. He paused and quietly added, "I'll tell you."
So dutifully, Kagome followed the demon lord through his home, through the twists and turns, into his own private study. He motioned for Kagome to take a seat on the grass mat and then settled himself across from her. Kagome's face was open like a book: there was interest, curiosity, excitement, and a small amount of fear. Why she felt fear, he had no clue.
The dog demon cleared his throat. "We will use mental telepathy. Close your eyes, and you will see. . ." '. . . into my heart. . .'
*Sesshoumaru's flashback*
"Sesshou! Sesshoumaru!" called a delicate framed woman lying in a simply decorated bed. She coughed weakly as she smiled at the boy.
"Okaa-sama!" greeted a ten-year-old Sesshoumaru. He tottered happily into her welcoming arms, waist length silver hair disheveled and face smudged with dirt. He cuddled up against the woman's body.
"Sesshou-chan! Why are you so dirty?" inquired his mother, Hikari, combing her son's tangled silver mane with gentle, loving fingers.
"I played with the village boys, okaa-sama! We played tag! And I won!" crowed a jubilant Sesshoumaru.
Hikari hugged her young boy with thin, frail arms. Her long silver hair spilled over the pillows in sweaty, matted clumps; her once vibrant gold eyes grew more and more dull as time passed. Her heart beat more and more irregularly each day, and her breath rattled with every intake. Doctors knew not what illness had taken over her, and now she was dying. Yet she never told her boy of this horrible truth. She simply could not bear to bequeath this heavy burden of knowledge on her young son's light spirited conscience.
"I'm glad, Sesshou-chan," she cooed, hugging her little boy closer with her fragile, rapidly deteriorating arms. Her silky silver tail curled around her boy, creating a cocoon of warmth. Hikari treasured every precious moment spent with her son, for she knew time was running out for her. Death was drawing inevitably closer, and now she could almost feel it breathing its chilly breath on the nape of her neck. Drawing on her strong self-control, the female dog demon forbade herself to cry before her son. "I love you, Sesshoumaru, my wonderful son."
Sesshoumaru glanced curiously at her, then beamed as he replied, "I love you too, okaa-sama."
Hikari, Lady of the Western Lands, drew her final breath that very night.
Morning greeted an elaborate burial procession and a silently crying Sesshoumaru.
~ # * # ~
Koukahana held Inutaisho's hand as she gazed lovingly into his brilliant gold eyes. The demon lord smiled back at his new human mate. They made an eye-catching pair: Inutaisho, with his long silver mane and bright amber eyes, and Koukahana, with her midnight black hair and deep violet eyes. One demon lord, one human princess. An amalgamation of the species.
Koukahana had brought a girl servant with her named Sakura. Sakura was a happy twelve-year-old girl, with a sunny smile, wavy sandy hair, and vibrant blue eyes. She was training to be a lady-in-waiting so that she could serve any royal family in court.
Sesshoumaru, now thirteen, had taken a liking towards the human girl. He slowly, ever so slowly, began to like her. . . and then love her. And she returned his feelings. Sesshoumaru was happy. He felt as though his life was complete, even after the death of his mother. He still missed her, but when he remembered her, he didn't feel the throbbing ache of longing, but the continual love that she had so freely given to him. And for this, he was eternally grateful to her. His memories of her would always remain with him, cherished deep within his heart. After his mother had died, he had closed up, isolating himself from the rest of the world. It was Sakura that opened his heart and allowed him to live. . . and love again.
~ # * # ~
After about a year, Koukahana gave birth to a boy. . . Inuyasha. Inutaisho was ecstatic, even with the knowledge that his newborn son was a hanyou. Sesshoumaru regarded the squirming bundle of giggles with interest. The boy had silver hair, burnished gold eyes, and, strangely, furry white dog- ears on top of his head, all indications of his demon heritage. There seemed to be no trace of his human heritage. Yet Sesshoumaru could smell it in the boy's scent. The infant also possessed small claws, now too soft to do any damage, but, given time, would transform into powerful weapons.
The baby giggled as he grabbed a fistful of Sesshoumaru's combed hair. Sesshoumaru hissed quietly as the boy tugged on his hair. Evidently he had also inherited the demonic strength of Inutaisho's blood. Sesshoumaru smirked at the thought.
Carefully, he pried the baby's fingers off his hair and brushed out the tangles. "Inuyasha no baka," he chided gently as he gazed that the drooling, cooing pup. His eyes softened for a moment, and in that moment, he formed a feeble bond with the hanyou. Then he turned and left the boy to the care of the maids.
~ # * # ~
The door was open as eighteen-year-old Sesshoumaru walked by his father's master bedroom. He briefly glanced in to see his father and his mate in bed, laughing at some sort of joke. She lay on top of him pinning him down to the bed, the blankets covering the bodies of the both of them. He could tell that she had leaned down to kiss his father on the lips. Sesshoumaru was about to keep going when he spotted a flash of silver. Sesshoumaru froze and leaned back to see what it was: a dagger in the human woman's hand, creeping up towards his father's head. Before he had time to react, she had stabbed Inutaisho in both the jugular and the spinal cord, ensuring the demon lord's demise. Quickly she hopped off the bed, nude, watching smugly as Inutaisho struggled for breath. Sesshoumaru stared, paralyzed with horror as his father futilely clawed at the rapidly reddening bed sheets. The metallic scent of blood permeated the air, overwhelming his sensitive nose. His keen ears picked up the gurgling of blood with each breath his dying father took.
Anger overcame Sesshoumaru, and his eyes became bloodshot. Instincts overrode his rational mind, and for the first time in his life, Sesshoumaru transformed into his true demon form of a gigantic snowy white dog. His crescent moon remained on his forehead, and the magenta stripes on his cheeks lined the corners of his mouth, forming a "V" shape. Teeth lengthened into long canines, strong enough and sharp enough to slice through bone and flesh alike. A darker silver mane flowed over his right shoulder and down his back. With a thunderous roar, he lunged at his father's assassin, catching her neatly in his teeth. Violently he flung her into a wall, and the sharp snap of bones could be heard. Her paralyzed body slid down the wall, leaving a glossy scarlet trail in its wake.
Sesshoumaru growled as he circled the sobbing, fatally injured woman. She whimpered, "Please. . . doggie. . . please. . ."
But Sesshoumaru did not hear. He was deaf to her voice. His fury blocked out any mercy he might have otherwise had on her. Sesshoumaru managed to change back into his humanoid form, though at the time he didn't know how. Koukahana's eyes widened in absolute terror as she recognized the face of her stepson. "Sess. . . Sesshou. . . maru. . ." her voice faltered as he gave a low, rumbling growl. His eyes were still a vibrant scarlet; the markings on his face vividly stood out against his pale complexion. "I. . . I. . ." she began.
"Shut up!" he snapped viciously. "I saw what you did, wench, and I, Sesshoumaru, as the heir of the Western Lands and now Lord of the Western Lands, order the execution of the murderer of my recently demised otou- sama, Lord Inutaisho, former Lord of the Western Lands, the _former_ Lady of the Western Lands, Koukahana."
"Sesshoumaru!" Koukahana pleaded, "Haven't I been good to you for the past three years? I treated you as I would my own son!"
"No," Sesshoumaru stated in a frosty, menacing voice. "You feigned the niceties, am I correct?"
Koukahana's lips thinned as she pressed them together. She refused to speak. Sesshoumaru, with his budding mental ability, delved into her mind and found all the information he wanted.
Koukahana's family had for years been trying to exterminate the ruling demons in order to acquire the land they presided over. A part of the plan was to assassinate the four demon lords and their families. Koukahana was in on this plot, and had skillfully set herself up with Inutaisho. However, she never fully expected to become pregnant, carry, and give birth to a son of the demon lord.
'So _that's_ why she killed otou-sama. . .' he thought bitterly. 'She deserves to die as well. . . by my own hands.'
He resolutely stepped towards the prone woman and stopped before her. Her eyes dilated in fear and her breath came in quick wheezes. Her lifeblood pooled around her, and her once silky hair was matted and sticky. Remorselessly he hauled her to her feet, uncaring of the fact that she cried out in pain. He stretched his claws out with a loud "CRACK" and wiggled his fingers in anticipation.
"Sayonara, bitch," he sneered as his fingers sliced through her neck. Blood spattered the walls, and Koukahana's limp body sunk onto the floor. Sesshoumaru glared distastefully at the corpse and eyed his fingers. He licked them tentatively, then ravenously. Blood had never tasted so good. . .
Just as Sesshoumaru had licked his fingers clean, Sakura came running in, wide-eyed with anxiety. She flung her arms around Sesshoumaru's waist and began crying. The dog demon wrapped an arm around her and comforted her with gentle words. She sighed as her sobbing quieted.
"Arigatou, Sesshou-kun," she whispered.
Sesshoumaru responded with a meaningful squeeze.
There was no warning. One moment Sesshoumaru was standing there, cradling Sakura, the next he was doubled over in pain, a knife lodged in his back. With a wild scream of pain and rage he swiped at the girl, carving five deep lacerations in her face. His claws racked over her eyes, nose, and cheeks, tearing the eyes open, breaking the nose and cheekbones. She was dead before she even knew what hit her.
Sesshoumaru wheezed as he pulled the dagger out of his chest. Pain radiated from his wound. . . and his heart. He hissed and barricaded his mind from feeling both types of pain. A frightened gasp caught his attention.
Inuyasha, now four years old, peered from around the doorframe, amber eyes wide with fear. He had arrived in time to see his older half brother kill the servant girl, and at that point realized the true power of his older brother.
"Inuyasha. . ." rasped Sesshoumaru, offering a bloodied hand towards the pup.
Inuyasha gave a small cry, backed away, and disappeared. Sesshoumaru swore under his breath. His keen ears picked up the slamming of a door, and in that instant Sesshoumaru knew that Inuyasha had run away. But common sense told him that in his condition, he probably would not be able to find his little brother. Add the fact that the little pup was a hanyou, and that he'd most likely end up dead and eaten by another demon come morning.
Sesshoumaru sighed. He glanced at the bodies and snarled at them in disgust. They did nothing but deceive, betray, and murder. And Sakura. . . she betrayed him. Betrayed him as he had never been before. He violently tore her body up in fury and frustration. It was then that Sesshoumaru began hating, abhorring, loathing humans. And it was then that Sesshoumaru vowed he'd never fall in love with another being as long as he lived. He fell to his knees and let loose a long, heart wrenching howl of pain that reverberated in the now empty corridors of his father's home.
*End flashback*
Kagome opened her eyes slowly. Never in her wildest dreams did she think Sesshoumaru had been through something as traumatic as that. Her eyes flicked to the demon lord, who was still sitting, eyes closed, face as calm as ever. Yet now, with this newfound knowledge of the demon, she saw him differently. No longer was he a cold, heartless bastard. Now, he was just like her, a being with emotions and everything else. Just. Like. Her. Only his emotions burned with such a dangerous intensity it had to be tightly controlled. And that was why he bottled them up inside him, freezing his heart in the process. Now, she understood him. And understood why he had sympathized with her.
She got up and walked behind the demon lord. She knelt down and draped her arms around his neck. He stiffened under the contact but relaxed as she whispered in his ear, "Gomen nasai. . . honto ni gomen. . ."
His eyes fluttered open and he slowly twisted his head to gaze at her. "No apology is needed nor wanted, wench," he stated. "The past is past, and there is nothing to be done about it." His amber eyes entranced Kagome, and she was unable to turn away.
Shaking herself, Kagome retracted her arms from around his neck and shoulders and stood up. Sesshoumaru keenly felt the absence of her warmth. "I. . . I understand," she said at length. She stared thoughtfully at the grass mat below her feet before returning the demon's stare. "Ari. . . arigatou, Sesshoumaru," she thanked quietly, ". . . for showing me that. If I had known beforehand, I would never have said such a thing to you." She spoke with such sincerity. "So I guess we've both gone through the same thing, ne?" She giggled somewhat nervously.
"I guess so," replied Sesshoumaru, gracefully standing up. "So 'the _great_ Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't have a _heart_, therefore he cannot _feel_ anything!'? Or do you eat your words?" He waited patiently for her answer.
Kagome swallowed her pride and replied honestly, "I take back what I said. It was harsh and judgmental on my part." She nodded her head at him and locked her brown eyes with his. "Arigatou, for showing me those memories. They must be painful for you."
"They are," he curtly replied.
Kagome studied him intently. His body was tense, and his tail twitched in an irritated fashion. His eyes radiated pain. Kagome's eyes widened in realization. "You've never healed from it, have you?"
Sesshoumaru's expression became guarded, and all traces of emotion left his eyes. "And what is that to you?" he snapped, "You swore you hated me. So why start caring now? It would make things a lot easier for both me and you if we continued hating each other."
The priestess blinked in shock. Then anger took over her. "How could you say such a thing?!? I never asked anything of you! I even offered to help you, and you shun me! How _stupid_ of me to actually _think_ you could be capable of any sort of kindness!" she snapped back.
Sesshoumaru huffed. 'Women are strange creatures,' he thought moodily.
"I heard that," griped Kagome. She glared at the dog demon. "I'm going to find Rin." And with that she left.
Sesshoumaru dropped his stoic façade and sighed. Twice today she had plunged a knife into his supposedly frozen, and shattered, heart. Once, when she told him he could not love because he had no heart. Twice, when she mentioned the fact that he hadn't gotten over the losses. But even then, he felt a little better, as though a burden had been lifted from his chest. How had she done it though? What magic did this human girl possess that allowed him to face his past and not come away shaking with pain and loss? Another mystery to unravel about her. The priestess. Kagome. . .
~*~*~*~
FT: Konnichiwa, minna-san! I know it was really bad of me to leave it on a cliffy! *smirk*
Sesshoumaru: That was _really_ OOC of me. . .
FT: Well Sesshou, I wanted you to be more open when you were young and I also wanted to explain how and why you came to hate humans.
Sesshoumaru: . . .
Kagome: Sesshoumaru! You were so _cute_ when you were ten!
Sesshoumaru: . . .
FT: Well, that's all for now! Review! Oh, and if you want email updates, leave me a pseudonym and an email address! I'll inform you about my updates! Arigatou! ^_^
~*~*~*~
Author's Note: Okay, my wonderful readers! This chapter has SESSHOUMARU x KAGOME FLUFF!!! =^o^= I know I've kept you all waiting long enough, so hopefully this meets your expectations!!! Does anyone know what Inutaisho and Sesshoumaru's mother look like? Does she even have a name? And what about Inuyasha's mother? Until I find out, I'll make up names for them! ^_^;;; If someone has information and/or pictures, send them to me and I will be ever so grateful to you! Anyways, I'm _really_ sorry for the complete OOC-ness in this chapter! *begins to inch away from readers*
"___" = Dialogue
'___' = Thoughts
*___* = Special 'stuff'
~ # * # ~ = Passage of time
Conflicting Desires
By Forsaken Tenshi
Chapter 7: Kindred Spirits
Kagome felt the tip of her stiletto touch the skin of her chest ever so gently. The tip lightly indented her skin, quivering as she struggled against the demon lord's strength. She glared at him and snapped, "Let me go _through_ with this!"
In a swift, fluid motion too fast for the girl, Sesshoumaru plucked the blade from the priestess' hands and threw it over his shoulder. It embedded itself perpendicularly into the wall up to the intricate hilt. Sesshoumaru did not even bother to glance back as he released the thrashing shrine maiden.
"What did you think you were doing, wench?" he repeated. His eyes were hard and brittle; they revealed the blazing fury he held tightly in check. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her.
Tears sprung into Kagome's eyes as her self control slipped away. "What did it _look_ like I was doing?!?" she shrieked. "I am so _sick_ of living like this! My life has been virtually _consumed_ by the Shikon no Tama, and my boyfriend was _using_ me as a replacement for someone else! He betrayed me! He _betrayed_ me!!!" And with that she collapsed onto the floor, sobbing her heart out.
Sesshoumaru stood there, watching her with seeming indifference. Yet he was in emotional turmoil. Should he comfort her? One half of him told him it was fine; that she needed it. The other half told him to leave her alone and let her solve her own problems. He silently debated the issue, all the while staring at the priestess. A thought wormed its way into his mind. Where was that unbreakable spirit?
Another thought came to his mind, one more instinctual and feral. Why not take her while she is down? The urge to take her ran rampant in his body, and Sesshoumaru almost gave in to it. Yet another part of him didn't want to. This other part wanted not only another bitch to play with. This side wanted her respect and wanted her to do it willingly. Basically, it called for her permission. The dog demon's eyes widened slightly. 'Since _when_ have I needed _permission_ to do something?!?' he snapped mentally at himself.
Sesshoumaru's eyes fell back on the sobbing girl and he decided to act. "Miko," he stated coldly, "Is your life really that desolate? Do you really hate life enough to commit suicide? I don't really want to resurrect you, you know." He had meant to snap at her in such a way as to elicit a response, any response, from her. Yet in his mind, he called somewhat sympathetically to her, 'You are not the only one who has suffered. . .'
The spark flared within the girl, much to Sesshoumaru's unspoken relief. She furiously responded to both his mental and vocal statements, glaring upwards at him. "How would you know?!? Have you ever been in love? Oh wait, let me take that back: the _great_ Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't have a _heart_, therefore he cannot _feel_ anything! Pardon my error," Kagome spat bitterly. She slumped over and sighed despondently.
The girl's words struck a still open wound deep within Sesshoumaru's concealed heart. The pain made him go on the defensive. Yet even then he was reluctant to be harsh on her, even if defending himself. The sting filled his chest, and he internally winced. "I. . . I have loved. . . before. . ." he stated softly, almost inaudibly, hoping she couldn't hear his words as he gazed at the girl through half lidded eyes.
Yet she heard them, and quieted her crying. "You. . . you've loved. . . before. . . ?" she asked, raising her tear filled eyes to meet his slightly misty ones.
Sesshoumaru gave an almost imperceptible nod. "Yes. . . I have. . ." He bowed his head, as if ashamed.
Shakily Kagome stood up and reached for Sesshoumaru. He tensed slightly when her hand gently grasped one of his crossed forearms. His head snapped up to look at Kagome, who was half smiling at him. "When. . . ?"
The demon lord sighed. Perhaps he should tell her. Just now, she had gone through something similar to what he had experienced when he was younger. . . ever so much younger. . .
"Follow me," he ordered, turning and heading out the door. He paused and quietly added, "I'll tell you."
So dutifully, Kagome followed the demon lord through his home, through the twists and turns, into his own private study. He motioned for Kagome to take a seat on the grass mat and then settled himself across from her. Kagome's face was open like a book: there was interest, curiosity, excitement, and a small amount of fear. Why she felt fear, he had no clue.
The dog demon cleared his throat. "We will use mental telepathy. Close your eyes, and you will see. . ." '. . . into my heart. . .'
*Sesshoumaru's flashback*
"Sesshou! Sesshoumaru!" called a delicate framed woman lying in a simply decorated bed. She coughed weakly as she smiled at the boy.
"Okaa-sama!" greeted a ten-year-old Sesshoumaru. He tottered happily into her welcoming arms, waist length silver hair disheveled and face smudged with dirt. He cuddled up against the woman's body.
"Sesshou-chan! Why are you so dirty?" inquired his mother, Hikari, combing her son's tangled silver mane with gentle, loving fingers.
"I played with the village boys, okaa-sama! We played tag! And I won!" crowed a jubilant Sesshoumaru.
Hikari hugged her young boy with thin, frail arms. Her long silver hair spilled over the pillows in sweaty, matted clumps; her once vibrant gold eyes grew more and more dull as time passed. Her heart beat more and more irregularly each day, and her breath rattled with every intake. Doctors knew not what illness had taken over her, and now she was dying. Yet she never told her boy of this horrible truth. She simply could not bear to bequeath this heavy burden of knowledge on her young son's light spirited conscience.
"I'm glad, Sesshou-chan," she cooed, hugging her little boy closer with her fragile, rapidly deteriorating arms. Her silky silver tail curled around her boy, creating a cocoon of warmth. Hikari treasured every precious moment spent with her son, for she knew time was running out for her. Death was drawing inevitably closer, and now she could almost feel it breathing its chilly breath on the nape of her neck. Drawing on her strong self-control, the female dog demon forbade herself to cry before her son. "I love you, Sesshoumaru, my wonderful son."
Sesshoumaru glanced curiously at her, then beamed as he replied, "I love you too, okaa-sama."
Hikari, Lady of the Western Lands, drew her final breath that very night.
Morning greeted an elaborate burial procession and a silently crying Sesshoumaru.
~ # * # ~
Koukahana held Inutaisho's hand as she gazed lovingly into his brilliant gold eyes. The demon lord smiled back at his new human mate. They made an eye-catching pair: Inutaisho, with his long silver mane and bright amber eyes, and Koukahana, with her midnight black hair and deep violet eyes. One demon lord, one human princess. An amalgamation of the species.
Koukahana had brought a girl servant with her named Sakura. Sakura was a happy twelve-year-old girl, with a sunny smile, wavy sandy hair, and vibrant blue eyes. She was training to be a lady-in-waiting so that she could serve any royal family in court.
Sesshoumaru, now thirteen, had taken a liking towards the human girl. He slowly, ever so slowly, began to like her. . . and then love her. And she returned his feelings. Sesshoumaru was happy. He felt as though his life was complete, even after the death of his mother. He still missed her, but when he remembered her, he didn't feel the throbbing ache of longing, but the continual love that she had so freely given to him. And for this, he was eternally grateful to her. His memories of her would always remain with him, cherished deep within his heart. After his mother had died, he had closed up, isolating himself from the rest of the world. It was Sakura that opened his heart and allowed him to live. . . and love again.
~ # * # ~
After about a year, Koukahana gave birth to a boy. . . Inuyasha. Inutaisho was ecstatic, even with the knowledge that his newborn son was a hanyou. Sesshoumaru regarded the squirming bundle of giggles with interest. The boy had silver hair, burnished gold eyes, and, strangely, furry white dog- ears on top of his head, all indications of his demon heritage. There seemed to be no trace of his human heritage. Yet Sesshoumaru could smell it in the boy's scent. The infant also possessed small claws, now too soft to do any damage, but, given time, would transform into powerful weapons.
The baby giggled as he grabbed a fistful of Sesshoumaru's combed hair. Sesshoumaru hissed quietly as the boy tugged on his hair. Evidently he had also inherited the demonic strength of Inutaisho's blood. Sesshoumaru smirked at the thought.
Carefully, he pried the baby's fingers off his hair and brushed out the tangles. "Inuyasha no baka," he chided gently as he gazed that the drooling, cooing pup. His eyes softened for a moment, and in that moment, he formed a feeble bond with the hanyou. Then he turned and left the boy to the care of the maids.
~ # * # ~
The door was open as eighteen-year-old Sesshoumaru walked by his father's master bedroom. He briefly glanced in to see his father and his mate in bed, laughing at some sort of joke. She lay on top of him pinning him down to the bed, the blankets covering the bodies of the both of them. He could tell that she had leaned down to kiss his father on the lips. Sesshoumaru was about to keep going when he spotted a flash of silver. Sesshoumaru froze and leaned back to see what it was: a dagger in the human woman's hand, creeping up towards his father's head. Before he had time to react, she had stabbed Inutaisho in both the jugular and the spinal cord, ensuring the demon lord's demise. Quickly she hopped off the bed, nude, watching smugly as Inutaisho struggled for breath. Sesshoumaru stared, paralyzed with horror as his father futilely clawed at the rapidly reddening bed sheets. The metallic scent of blood permeated the air, overwhelming his sensitive nose. His keen ears picked up the gurgling of blood with each breath his dying father took.
Anger overcame Sesshoumaru, and his eyes became bloodshot. Instincts overrode his rational mind, and for the first time in his life, Sesshoumaru transformed into his true demon form of a gigantic snowy white dog. His crescent moon remained on his forehead, and the magenta stripes on his cheeks lined the corners of his mouth, forming a "V" shape. Teeth lengthened into long canines, strong enough and sharp enough to slice through bone and flesh alike. A darker silver mane flowed over his right shoulder and down his back. With a thunderous roar, he lunged at his father's assassin, catching her neatly in his teeth. Violently he flung her into a wall, and the sharp snap of bones could be heard. Her paralyzed body slid down the wall, leaving a glossy scarlet trail in its wake.
Sesshoumaru growled as he circled the sobbing, fatally injured woman. She whimpered, "Please. . . doggie. . . please. . ."
But Sesshoumaru did not hear. He was deaf to her voice. His fury blocked out any mercy he might have otherwise had on her. Sesshoumaru managed to change back into his humanoid form, though at the time he didn't know how. Koukahana's eyes widened in absolute terror as she recognized the face of her stepson. "Sess. . . Sesshou. . . maru. . ." her voice faltered as he gave a low, rumbling growl. His eyes were still a vibrant scarlet; the markings on his face vividly stood out against his pale complexion. "I. . . I. . ." she began.
"Shut up!" he snapped viciously. "I saw what you did, wench, and I, Sesshoumaru, as the heir of the Western Lands and now Lord of the Western Lands, order the execution of the murderer of my recently demised otou- sama, Lord Inutaisho, former Lord of the Western Lands, the _former_ Lady of the Western Lands, Koukahana."
"Sesshoumaru!" Koukahana pleaded, "Haven't I been good to you for the past three years? I treated you as I would my own son!"
"No," Sesshoumaru stated in a frosty, menacing voice. "You feigned the niceties, am I correct?"
Koukahana's lips thinned as she pressed them together. She refused to speak. Sesshoumaru, with his budding mental ability, delved into her mind and found all the information he wanted.
Koukahana's family had for years been trying to exterminate the ruling demons in order to acquire the land they presided over. A part of the plan was to assassinate the four demon lords and their families. Koukahana was in on this plot, and had skillfully set herself up with Inutaisho. However, she never fully expected to become pregnant, carry, and give birth to a son of the demon lord.
'So _that's_ why she killed otou-sama. . .' he thought bitterly. 'She deserves to die as well. . . by my own hands.'
He resolutely stepped towards the prone woman and stopped before her. Her eyes dilated in fear and her breath came in quick wheezes. Her lifeblood pooled around her, and her once silky hair was matted and sticky. Remorselessly he hauled her to her feet, uncaring of the fact that she cried out in pain. He stretched his claws out with a loud "CRACK" and wiggled his fingers in anticipation.
"Sayonara, bitch," he sneered as his fingers sliced through her neck. Blood spattered the walls, and Koukahana's limp body sunk onto the floor. Sesshoumaru glared distastefully at the corpse and eyed his fingers. He licked them tentatively, then ravenously. Blood had never tasted so good. . .
Just as Sesshoumaru had licked his fingers clean, Sakura came running in, wide-eyed with anxiety. She flung her arms around Sesshoumaru's waist and began crying. The dog demon wrapped an arm around her and comforted her with gentle words. She sighed as her sobbing quieted.
"Arigatou, Sesshou-kun," she whispered.
Sesshoumaru responded with a meaningful squeeze.
There was no warning. One moment Sesshoumaru was standing there, cradling Sakura, the next he was doubled over in pain, a knife lodged in his back. With a wild scream of pain and rage he swiped at the girl, carving five deep lacerations in her face. His claws racked over her eyes, nose, and cheeks, tearing the eyes open, breaking the nose and cheekbones. She was dead before she even knew what hit her.
Sesshoumaru wheezed as he pulled the dagger out of his chest. Pain radiated from his wound. . . and his heart. He hissed and barricaded his mind from feeling both types of pain. A frightened gasp caught his attention.
Inuyasha, now four years old, peered from around the doorframe, amber eyes wide with fear. He had arrived in time to see his older half brother kill the servant girl, and at that point realized the true power of his older brother.
"Inuyasha. . ." rasped Sesshoumaru, offering a bloodied hand towards the pup.
Inuyasha gave a small cry, backed away, and disappeared. Sesshoumaru swore under his breath. His keen ears picked up the slamming of a door, and in that instant Sesshoumaru knew that Inuyasha had run away. But common sense told him that in his condition, he probably would not be able to find his little brother. Add the fact that the little pup was a hanyou, and that he'd most likely end up dead and eaten by another demon come morning.
Sesshoumaru sighed. He glanced at the bodies and snarled at them in disgust. They did nothing but deceive, betray, and murder. And Sakura. . . she betrayed him. Betrayed him as he had never been before. He violently tore her body up in fury and frustration. It was then that Sesshoumaru began hating, abhorring, loathing humans. And it was then that Sesshoumaru vowed he'd never fall in love with another being as long as he lived. He fell to his knees and let loose a long, heart wrenching howl of pain that reverberated in the now empty corridors of his father's home.
*End flashback*
Kagome opened her eyes slowly. Never in her wildest dreams did she think Sesshoumaru had been through something as traumatic as that. Her eyes flicked to the demon lord, who was still sitting, eyes closed, face as calm as ever. Yet now, with this newfound knowledge of the demon, she saw him differently. No longer was he a cold, heartless bastard. Now, he was just like her, a being with emotions and everything else. Just. Like. Her. Only his emotions burned with such a dangerous intensity it had to be tightly controlled. And that was why he bottled them up inside him, freezing his heart in the process. Now, she understood him. And understood why he had sympathized with her.
She got up and walked behind the demon lord. She knelt down and draped her arms around his neck. He stiffened under the contact but relaxed as she whispered in his ear, "Gomen nasai. . . honto ni gomen. . ."
His eyes fluttered open and he slowly twisted his head to gaze at her. "No apology is needed nor wanted, wench," he stated. "The past is past, and there is nothing to be done about it." His amber eyes entranced Kagome, and she was unable to turn away.
Shaking herself, Kagome retracted her arms from around his neck and shoulders and stood up. Sesshoumaru keenly felt the absence of her warmth. "I. . . I understand," she said at length. She stared thoughtfully at the grass mat below her feet before returning the demon's stare. "Ari. . . arigatou, Sesshoumaru," she thanked quietly, ". . . for showing me that. If I had known beforehand, I would never have said such a thing to you." She spoke with such sincerity. "So I guess we've both gone through the same thing, ne?" She giggled somewhat nervously.
"I guess so," replied Sesshoumaru, gracefully standing up. "So 'the _great_ Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't have a _heart_, therefore he cannot _feel_ anything!'? Or do you eat your words?" He waited patiently for her answer.
Kagome swallowed her pride and replied honestly, "I take back what I said. It was harsh and judgmental on my part." She nodded her head at him and locked her brown eyes with his. "Arigatou, for showing me those memories. They must be painful for you."
"They are," he curtly replied.
Kagome studied him intently. His body was tense, and his tail twitched in an irritated fashion. His eyes radiated pain. Kagome's eyes widened in realization. "You've never healed from it, have you?"
Sesshoumaru's expression became guarded, and all traces of emotion left his eyes. "And what is that to you?" he snapped, "You swore you hated me. So why start caring now? It would make things a lot easier for both me and you if we continued hating each other."
The priestess blinked in shock. Then anger took over her. "How could you say such a thing?!? I never asked anything of you! I even offered to help you, and you shun me! How _stupid_ of me to actually _think_ you could be capable of any sort of kindness!" she snapped back.
Sesshoumaru huffed. 'Women are strange creatures,' he thought moodily.
"I heard that," griped Kagome. She glared at the dog demon. "I'm going to find Rin." And with that she left.
Sesshoumaru dropped his stoic façade and sighed. Twice today she had plunged a knife into his supposedly frozen, and shattered, heart. Once, when she told him he could not love because he had no heart. Twice, when she mentioned the fact that he hadn't gotten over the losses. But even then, he felt a little better, as though a burden had been lifted from his chest. How had she done it though? What magic did this human girl possess that allowed him to face his past and not come away shaking with pain and loss? Another mystery to unravel about her. The priestess. Kagome. . .
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FT: Konnichiwa, minna-san! I know it was really bad of me to leave it on a cliffy! *smirk*
Sesshoumaru: That was _really_ OOC of me. . .
FT: Well Sesshou, I wanted you to be more open when you were young and I also wanted to explain how and why you came to hate humans.
Sesshoumaru: . . .
Kagome: Sesshoumaru! You were so _cute_ when you were ten!
Sesshoumaru: . . .
FT: Well, that's all for now! Review! Oh, and if you want email updates, leave me a pseudonym and an email address! I'll inform you about my updates! Arigatou! ^_^
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