Disclaimer: Inuyasha characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Other characters are property of Dark Star.
Rating: PG-13: for possible language and just in case
Summary: [Sess/Kag] What if Sesshoumaru was the one that met Kagome on the other side of the well?
Genre: Romance/Drama
A/N: I'm back~! ^_^ Any questions, comments, or concerns, please mailto: StaroftheDark12@aol.com
SesshoumaruChapter Seven
February 2003
Three days, Kagome thought tiredly. It had been three days since she first arrived, and she was getting absolutely nothing done. Currently, she was walking down the long corridor toward the room she shared with Sesshoumaru. Many things during her stay had come as quite a shock, one of them being the fact that she and the demon lord were forced to share a chamber. Considering the fact that nothing would be damaged that way, it seemed to be the only way out.
She glanced to the elegant youkai striding stiffly behind her. They both adorned robes, having just recently taken a bath. Such situations had been the most awkward at first. A few discoveries concerning their physical bondage had turned out. Of course, the fact that they had to function on the same elevation was first put into effect when the question of hygiene popped up. It was extremely embarrassing, Kagome could say fairly, for both of them. Since it was feudal Japan, she had to bathe in hot springs for lack of showers and such. There was no problem to it, really. Except, if Sesshoumaru stepped forward towards the spring, he would, no doubt fall in. But then, since, they discovered, he had control over movement up and down, Kagome, who would be still on the shore, would crash haphazardly (and rather painfully) into the earth. Suffice to say, she was always the one to go in first after that experience.
Still, she decided, it was just so weird to take a bath (granted, the spring was huge) with someone she had just met. Obviously, if this bond was in some way not removed, they would become extremely intimate or would die insane. When she was the one who decided to step over the steaming water first, she would float there for a moment before Sesshoumaru decided to walk in. And then, she would crash to the water with a not-so-inconspicuous splash. Just in the face of modesty and embarrassment, Kagome had taken to sporting her clothes when dropping in. Therefore, it provided a cover up as well as a little pre-wash for the garments. Afterwards, she would peel off the clothing while in the spring.
The youkai lord had said barely a word to her since they arrived. He was beginning to get on Kagome's nerves. After all, if they were going to get anything done in this state, it would require some conversational skills on his part. At present, he was drying his hair as he walked, much like Kagome was doing. I should probably talk to him about my little 'mission', she thought wearily. Kagome looked to the jewel resting on her collar. In sleep, she found herself conversing with Seisho frequently, seeking his guidance. Of course, he gave it readily enough but still wouldn't reveal to her who the other two souls were. Once, Seisho had talked about knowing one of the souls very well, while even he, himself, did not know the other; it was confusing.
Instinctively, she slid open the door and wandered over to the closet. Sesshoumaru's casual dark blue kimono was thrown onto the bed as she scavenged for her own outfit she would wear. That, too, had come as a surprise. It had been terribly strange to her how relaxed and…different Sesshoumaru appeared when he wore the blue kimono instead of his usual armor and pristine white clothing. Already, she had been judging him even though they had only just met. Kagome felt, in a way, that he already knew her, had already studied her personality in-depth whereas, she had only skimmed his surface. His character was entirely too confusing for her to comprehend. Hopefully, they could get over that.
Kagome finally found the garb she was looking for. Embroidery of a silvery silk embellished a subdued hue of sky, an occasional navy pattern blossoming randomly over the material. She thought it matched her eye color very nicely. Deftly sliding the garment on, she threw the damp bathrobe onto a chair, where a servant quickly retrieved it along with Sesshoumaru's and scurried away. The demon lord was staring at her blankly.
"Um, Sesshoumaru?" she called. They had moved on from the 'Mighty One' and 'Great Lord' sarcasm quite a while ago, after Rin's presence became her burden. "Am I—are we ever going to go out? On my 'mission', I mean?"
He didn't answer; his eyes only flickered momentarily, as if pondering the subject, before he sauntered toward the door.
"Garden," Kagome heard him murmur. She quickly rushed after him, deciding to jog at his side. His strides were so long, she had to in order to keep up with him.
Beyond the sliding door, a child's off-key humming greeted them. Sunlight streamed in from the sky. In reality, the 'garden' was the largest courtyard in the residence. It was by Rin's deeming that this became the official 'garden' of so many. Strong flowery perfumes wafted from every direction, becoming the most prevalent of scents in the environment. Uniformly-sized windows gave glimpses into the castle, and natural ponds and streams gurgled with life. There were few birds; not many were so courageous as to venture into the youkai lord's properties. Nor were there many who could withstand Rin's bursting curiosity.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" the little girl squealed, dropping her handful of flowers to embrace her father figure. "Kagome-oneesan!" she hugged Kagome as well.
"Hello, Rin," they both replied, one cheery and the other monotone. Kagome bent down to return the little girl's embrace. "What have you been up to?" she asked sweetly, glancing over at the disposed flowers.
"Rin has—," she was interrupted by Sesshoumaru's pointed stare. "I have been picking flowers, Kagome-oneesan! Wanna see?" she asked eagerly.
Kagome quickly judged the distance from the spot on which she stood to the discarded bouquet before consenting. The excited little girl fairly dragged the older one over to various bushes and trees. Exclamations of 'Look! Look!' and 'Isn't it pretty?' littered the air. Kagome patiently listened and answered the girl's questions before suggesting a game with Jaken, at which point Rin winked and dashed out of the garden. Even when the door slid close, Kagome could hear the loud shout for the toad demon.
Recently, Sesshoumaru had taken to coming to the garden, whether or not Rin was there. For what reason, Kagome was unsure, but it gave her a chance to think, so she gladly accepted without question. While she strolled the length of the garden, admiring the sakura beginning to blossom, the youkai settled himself at the base of the tree. Usually, he preferred higher elevations, but with the linkage, he probably couldn't rest in the tree branches for a while.
As his body relaxed, he allowed himself to savor the surroundings. In particular, he focused his energies on the human girl, attempting to figure her out further. In the past three days, he had come to know her peculiarities quite well. She seemed to adapt quite well to this so-called 'past' of hers. The fact that she had come from a different era was not well-hidden. The girl had an accent which was laid thick when her tongue tripped over the casual words used in conversation. It seemed, at times, that she had slight difficulty comprehending what he was trying to express (however few the occurrence was). There was a different 'swing' to her gait. Whereas the females here had a straight-backed and stiff way of moving, this girl moved as if she walked on water. Her posture was not as straight, but still respectfully so, the swing of her hips was more acute, and the back-and-forth sway of her arms stood out to him clearly.
Often, he could judge one's character simply by their appearance. Needless to say, he was quite adept at it already. Having done it for so long, his judgment came sufficiently close to the truth, and therefore, he allowed himself to rely on the ability. But…(it seemed there was always a catch to this strange human) he could not easily 'figure her out.' Her chin was sharp, suggesting obstinacy. Wide, bright eyes insinuated intelligence and curiosity while the slender body told of grace. The characterization was accurate, but the only things that threw him off were her eyes. They were of the most stunning hue of sapphire, swirling with response to every stimulus. At times, they spoke determination and pride; longing and affection were whispered in frequent; underlying them all was a strange gaze of loss. How could a being be so many things at once? He did not know.
Her presence alighting beside him drew him from the reflections. Again, the aroma of rain-kissed roses permeated his senses. She did not speak for a while. The murmur of her calm breathing echoed in his elfish ears. Ignoring the girl's presence for now, he returned to contemplation, attempting once again to futilely recall the faint memories and dreams of his past.
Kagome let herself fall next to the demon lord. He had seemed to be deep in thought, but she could tell, he visibly tensed when she sat down. She allowed the action to slide and instead, occupied herself by calling out to the jewel circling her neck.
"Seisho?" she whispered mentally.
There was no response at first and then, "What is it you wish to inquire of?"
Kagome smiled. "Isn't there any more you can tell me about my so-called mission? I'm hanging by a line here."
"I understand you feel lost, but do not concern yourself too much with these matters." There was a mental caress, almost tangible to Kagome's affection-starved soul. "Everything will fall in place eventually; you are the Chosen One. It will all come clearly when the time comes."
"What if Sesshoumaru doesn't cooperate?"
"He will; worry not. He is, after all, obligated." A smile.
"Tell me how everyone is, Seisho. How is okaasan? Souta? Grandpa?"
A brief pause and then, "They are all well; they miss you terribly."
Kagome sighed. "I know…"
She could feel the pressure around her shoulders when he embraced her. "Once you complete your objective, you may take leave of this era. You may, if you so wish Kagome, return home to your family."
Then, he was gone. The warmth of his entity fleeted from her mind and left her scavenging for his presence. More and more every day, she was beginning to feel increasingly attached to this being, this creation of the Shikon Jewel. He had been the first friendly person she had come upon in arriving here, and that first impression seemed engraved in her memory.
"Kagome," a voice called, warm and feminine.
"…Naora-san?"
"Hai. I thought I would check up on you. Seisho tells me you are somewhat depressed. Is this true?"
Kagome nodded her head in confirmation.
"Hmm…well, I hope for you that it will be quelled soon." A pause. "How is the demon lord faring?"
"He doesn't talk much to me. I'm not sure we'll ever get going finding those souls."
"Does he lead a rich life?"
"I would think. He has a castle, a little child…"
"Child?"
"I'm not sure of her origin, but she's not related by blood."
There was a mental nod as well as a sigh. "Very well, then. I will take my leave of you now. Farewell, Kagome."
Nothing had come up. Absolutely nil. Though he had attempted again and again with vigor, memories refused to pay him tribute. Sesshoumaru gazed skyward, observing the lazy cream clouds.
"Seisho…" the girl beside him sighed.
Something clicked. Seisho… The name echoed repeatedly in his mind. The demon lord could sense the tug of remembrance, a pervading sense of familiarity. Seisho… What was it about the strange name that caused an aching wave of nostalgia wash over him? As soon as it came, it was gone, leaving Sesshoumaru once again at a loss for what to do. The frustration grated on his nerves. Rising suddenly, he began to pace towards the door, back to his chambers.
"Let's go," he commanded icily.
"What?" was the response. Kagome looked up, startled, at the youkai. "We're leaving?"
No answer was provided, but the lack of response spurred Kagome into action. She caught up with him, casting a sideward glance at the demon lord. Wonder what changed his mind so fast?
Sesshoumaru virtually slammed the door open to the room, flickering a quick eye over the contents to locate his armor. I will locate my past, he reasoned firmly. There will be nothing that stands in my way.
A/N: So sorry for being so late with this! I even had to change the date, I was so behind. -.-;; I know this wasn't the best chapter, but I've got close to no time for writing. T_T Criticize me harshly! Not so harshly that it's to the point of being rude though, I hope. -.-;; In any case, I hope you'll forgive my for my tardiness.
~*~*~Dark Star~*~*~
P.S. I posted a one-shot, if you wanna take a look. It's called "I Wanna Love You Forever." Kinda sappy and OOC if you ask me, but I think it's pretty nice. After all, my first shot for a songfic, ne? ^_^
P.P.S. I've got a mailing list for all those who haven't yet subscribed. Thanks for reading! ^_^