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: Um, lesse…acknowledgements? Everyone who's reviewed, supported, praised, flamed, or otherwise had anything to do with this story and also anyone that's encouraged me. Thanks! I had to get that out of my system. Anyways. Here we go. I'm hoping they'll hop off on their adventure soon. SPECIAL THANKS TO: Alysha. ^_^ She inspired something for the bond. Hug her, everyone!
How did Kagome survive a month without food? Since she's bonded to Sess, that means she gains some of his energy too, right?-Hm, how about I agree with you and leave it at that? ^^;; Well, I seemed to exaggerate it, but that IS a very nice reason. Can we go with it? ^_^
About Naora and Seisho-You'll find out more later. ^_^ And if everything smoothes itself out, it'll turn out quite nicely.
On Sess's past-More'll be said on that later, as well. ^^;; I'm trying to run this story kinda on the same lines as the canon…cannon? How the title reflects the character whose past is troubled, you know? Kagome's still the star, as you can see, so…but anyways. His past is something of a developing side-plot that I can't really figure out solidly. Ah, we'll see.
Kendo doesn't use real swords-My apologies. ^^;; I know this, after all, I did a speck of research for "Best Friends" to involve kendo—seemed like the idea of it wasn't very good after all, but…anyways. I believe I'm right in thinking, though, that Kendo would teach the elements of Kenjutsu? Correct me on this if I'm wrong; I'd very much like to know.
I thought a katana was a wooden sword?-Nope. ^_^ A katana is a steel sword, I believe. A bokken is a wooden one. (spelling?) ^_^ A shinai is a bamboo one.
When are Kagome and Sesshoumaru going to get more intimate?-Slow and steady, people. Just in attempt to ward of future requests, I WILL NEVER WRITE A LEMON. Thank you very much. But anyways. My goal of writing fan fiction is to make the romance believable and not to make it all…abrupt. Ex: "You saved my life. Let's jump in bed together! I LOVE YOU SESSHOUMARU!" I believe that would be case for parody. ^_^
Sesshoumaru
Chapter Ten
July 2003
Naturally, after having been starved for the majority of a full month, a girl would collapse under exhaustion to sleep away the days like seconds on a clock – either that or simply die of hunger. Or, Kagome mused, maybe sleeping would be close to impossible without first consuming some food and gaining energy…it was something to ponder because there was definitely some logic to it. The other way though—collapsing from lack of food—was more plausible. So, there she was, sleeping for thirty-six hours in her adopted bedroom on her adopted bed. It was about as close to "home, sweet home" as she could get, considering her distance from modern day Tokyo and the Sunset Shrine.
Speaking of which, she really missed her family. After all, over a month had gone by without any familial contact—no annoying (but lovable) little brother, no rambling gramps, no pleasantly concerned mama—it made her homesick. Maybe she would ask to go back for a while…yes, that would be wonderful! She could go back to visit her family for a little bit, and then come back to complete her ordained mission for the Shikon souls! It would work out fine, all with Sesshoumaru's consent, that is.
Wait…
Why did she need the demon lord's consent? No one was holding her on a leash or anything…she could just leave—her stomach growled—
After she got something to eat.
First, though, Kagome decided, I've got to open my eyes… Although there was the promise of food and the joy of greeting daylight, her heavy lids didn't seem to want to lift. Her head hurt immensely, and she really needed food. Ah, maybe a nice, big hamburger would do it. Yup, toss on some greasy fries and an extra-large Coke, and afterwards, a big vanilla cone with chocolate sprinkles…who knows? Maybe I'll grab a cookie, too—chocolate chip, of course…cheesecake? Maybe I'll go for some pie… She was nearly salivating, and yet, her eyes still refused to open. Come on! Food! Food! Big red flashy siren! Wake up! Time to smell the coffee! …I never really liked the stuff…maybe if I tried it with a cup of sugar and some cream… Her body fell off the side of the bed with a relieved groan, but she never hit the floor. Beside her, Sesshoumaru watched skeptically as dazed expressions crossed her face.
"Awake, are we?" he bit out sarcastically.
"Ugh, give me five more minutes," she responded. Groggily, she pulled the covers over her body, which levitated in the air. Had anyone walked in, it might have struck them as quite comical, not to mention extraordinary, that a girl slept on thin air. "Food," she added offhandedly.
Sesshoumaru sighed in exasperation. "Perhaps, Kagome, if you chose to get up, you would get some of your precious food." He shifted slightly on his bed, crossing his arms. "Because of you, I have been bedridden for a day and a half."
"Tough luck, huh?"
When she thumped to the floor, Kagome assumed Sesshoumaru had gotten out of his bed. Grumbling, she, too, rose and began to stumble about changing clothes.
` ` `
The sky darkened and rumbled above her. Why did she feel she was weakening? Kikyo strode along the riverbank gracefully but with a pained demeanor. Something was eating off her, suppressing her soul. Was it the girl? It could not possibly have been the girl; she had been sealed off with the taiyoukai in their strange little bond. Unless…they had broken it already… Again, impossible, Kikyo chided. She herself did not understand the intricacies of the spell, but she understood enough to know there was only one way to rupture its hold. Surely, though, the girl and the demon lord had not become acquainted so quickly. In a moment of weakness, the priestess fell to her knees, a hand instinctually lifting to clasp the Shikon dangling from her neck. Even at her fingertips, she could feel the slow river of power ebbing into her. Everyday, a little more of its energy became tainted, and, though it distressed her, she did nothing about it. She could do nothing about it. Her powers, she felt, were leaving her, being drawn away by another being. Yet, if it was not the girl, then who was it?
` ` `
The bond, the bond, the bond… The two words ran through her head like a mantra, and Kagome found herself getting more and more sick of them. It was too much to be reminded that she was metaphysically tied to a condescending demon lord. Her chances of getting her hands on the juicy hamburger, complete with fries, a coke, and, of course, dessert were totally lost to her. Poof! It was all gone. Although the thought disappointed her, Kagome didn't let it bother her while she shoveled traditional delicacies into her small mouth. Everything tasted exquisite—like heaven in every bite—but she guessed it would only be natural for nearly everything to be "exquisite" after having been starved for a month. She paused momentarily, eyes lifting to train their gaze on Sesshoumaru.
Come to think of it…
If Sesshoumaru felt everything she felt…then…
He was eating slowly, almost painfully so. Ornate chopsticks rose and fell in a rhythmic dance, lifting chunks of rice to his mouth instinctually. Kagome watched him with interest. She had never seen anyone so…graceful while eating. Even the way he chewed was hypnotic. Her brow furrowed slightly. Altogether though, she had to say, Sesshoumaru looked strange taking in food. It struck her as odd that he expressed no real hunger and that he consumed everything so slowly. When he spared her a glance, Kagome realized she was staring and blushed, inclining her head in an apologetic gesture. She turned her attention back to the food.
As the chopsticks flew to her mouth and back, she couldn't help but wonder…How did he get on with all that training? And the cold? The rain? Why is he eating so slowly? Isn't he hungry? The chopsticks rested in her mouth as her gaze slid upwards—her "thinking pose." Do demons need to eat…? She considered this. Of course, there were all those stories at home that claimed huge ogres devoured small children…but she felt those weren't completely reliable. Besides, she reasoned, Sesshoumaru looked like no hideous ogre—quite the opposite, actually—and so far, the only shred of evidence to his eating habits was this, her meal with him. Somehow, she felt like he didn't use the room a whole lot. Maybe he didn't eat after all? But then, what about Rin? When did she get to eat? Kagome held back a gasp.
Was Sesshoumaru going to eat Rin?
Surely not. She scolded herself for the inane query. It was foolish to think for a second Sesshoumaru, the Sesshoumaru, would eat a girl. Disgusting. After all, he was of the high class, and he had better things to eat than humans. Kagome shivered and hoped she was right. The thought of her head on a plate, apple jammed in her mouth, in front of a sharp-toothed Sesshoumaru was not the most appealing.
~*~*~*~
Before she knew it, the meal was over, and she was sipping tea quietly with the taiyoukai. He had remained quiet for the most part, or rather, the whole part. The silence unnerved her somewhat, but she took it as a welcome break from her backbreaking training. Kagome figured Sesshoumaru was thinking about when to leave. Personally, she thought it would be best to start out at the break of dawn, rather than at sunset, like they had done last time. The simple fact that it was morning would probably ward off most of their troubles from lesser demons, which were still big scary monsters nonetheless in Kagome's eyes, and allow them to travel much farther without hindrance.
She winced. Her life must have been shortened by ten years. Granted, she told herself, it was initially her fault for running anyways. She knew that Sesshoumaru could have easily taken care of the pathetic demons that tracked them, but still, she had to flee. In the end, she tripped over a rock, fell into a river, inadvertently dragging the demon lord with her, and then, by the greatest of lucks, managed to get rescued by her partner. Poor guy… The last of the green tea flowed through her lips, and she set the cup down gently.
"So, when are we leaving?" she questioned abruptly, placing her hands in her lap.
His eyes darted up and then back down. "Tonight."
She leaned forward and slapped her hands on the table simultaneously. "What?!"
Sesshoumaru turned a "You-Heard-Me" look to her and continued to sip his tea.
She sighed in exasperation. "You think you would've learned by now, Sesshoumaru. I'll get chased down in five seconds flat."
He came back with, "And the same to you. You do not have to flee."
Oh right…the training. Her eyes sharpened in a glare. I doubt it'll help much…maybe give me something of a stronger stomach, but that's it. Oh, well. "I'm going to go find a weapon or two." She rose, striding away.
He watched her uncaringly. Perhaps she could be something of a help, after all. She wasn't all talk and play. Sesshoumaru transferred his gaze to the open doors, which had been slid open to allow a window of light to enter and provide a small glance of a garden. Perhaps he could give the girl a long-range weapon. After all, the swords he had trained her to use involved close combat, and it was doubtful she could fare well against a larger opponent. Besides, the girl only knew his style, so all forms of erratic combat would be challenging to her. There were a few possibilities that would suit her build, but the most fitting was probably archery. She seemed to demonstrate priestess powers already, so their trademark weapon would be perfect for her. Sesshoumaru left the cup and traced the path to the dojo, not thirty feet behind Kagome.
` ` `
Scowling, she nudged the fallen door with her foot. She should've figured he would be able to break the door down. Kagome shrugged and walked over the splintered wood, stepping confidently into her former dungeon. Oops… The room looked to be completely wrecked, swords strewn across the floor, some broken and others only severely cracked. And of course, it was still a bit damp after allowing the intake of rain.
As she drank in the room again, her eyes landed on a blade protruding from the concrete wall. Eyes lighting, Kagome skipped to the sword, touching it tentatively. She smiled to herself. I did that! One day, she would be able to tell her grandkids that, at one point in her life, she rammed a sword through concrete. Wouldn't they be proud! Kagome briefly entertained the idea of pulling it out but turned it away, thinking it better to leave some kind of lasting mark on the Western Lord's walls. He would probably have it repaired some way or another in time, but hm, she would just leave it there for now.
So…what kind of sword should I steal? A pitiful moan. Needless to say, she didn't know the first thing about examining swords. Of course there were some that looked prettier than others, but she doubted that would help much in battle. Maybe she could test the sharpness of the blades…? But then, didn't that mean she had to cut something? She sighed helplessly. The walls were littered with dozens of swords! How could she choose one? Her arms folded and she stared at the floor. So much for getting a weapon…
"Kagome."
Startled, Kagome's head jerked up while her reflexes worked miracles to tear a sword from the air. Her eyes widened considerably.
"You could've warned me!" she shouted accusingly.
Sesshoumaru responded with a glance that suggested he had. Kagome mumbled under her breath and grudgingly studied the weapon. It was a plain thing, really. Light, fairly thin, and reasonably sharp. Well, since Sesshoumaru had decided to walk in at the right time, she didn't have to choose her own sword now. His judgment along those lines was probably a lot better than hers anyway. Kagome swung it a few times and then nodded in approval. The demon lord had his back to her, his eyes lingering on a set of bow and arrows across from him. Kagome moved to his side.
"A bow?"
He whisked it from its place and tossed it to her. "Shoot," he commanded, lifting his eyes to the enchanted ceiling.
Kagome watched him skeptically. "Are you kidding? I've never shot an arrow in my life. I'll never make it that high." She laid her sword down and carefully lifted the bow. Her arm strained to pull the string back all the way, and once she did, the arrow whizzed away with a reverberant 'twoing.'
It only nicked the blue barrier, sending ripples through the still energy.
"Again."
After shooting an annoyed glare to him, Kagome did as she was told, and strung another arrow. This time, she felt a slow stream of warmth ebb from her fingertips into the shaft of the arrow. Her whole body warmed to this energy, and she became acutely aware of her heartbeat.
Sesshoumaru watched silently, mentally noting the waves of power that rolled off her form. He heard a quiet breath from her, and then her body began to glow hazily while light gathered at the arrow's tip as she pulled the string taut. When she released her hold, it was inaudible; the arrow rocketed through the still air like a comet, piercing the ceiling without resistance and evaporating into a soft pink mist. Indeed, her miko abilities were at work.
"I take it this'll be one of my weapons, too?" she prompted.
He continued to train his gaze upwards. "Yes. Come." Not a glance was spared her as he moved out the door.
A wandering breeze danced in from the entrance and lifted his silver hair lightly, fingering his snowy kimono as well. Kagome's breath caught. In all truth, she fully noticed his beauty in that fleeting moment…and his pose, the way he held himself…
He looked lost…
Lonely.
She had no idea what kind of person he was. She just couldn't figure him out. Behind that pretentious blank mask of his…what was he hiding? There was more to him than what met the eye, she was certain, but what? What made him seem so…separate from the world? Searching for truth in a world of lies… Kagome blinked. What was that? That certainly wasn't her talking, or rather, thinking. She waved a hand as if to dismiss the thought.
"Nothing to pack?" she called after him, running to catch up. It wasn't night yet, but she figured they were leaving anyway.
~*~*~*~
Rin glanced up as she made out Jaken's familiar squawking tone. It sounded something like a farewell. She jumped eagerly to her feet, rushing to the balcony. In the distance, she squinted out Kagome and Sesshoumaru. An arm rose to the air as she waved frantically.
"Bye, Sesshoumaru-sama! Bye Kagome-chan!"
Smiling, she sat down, watching as her friends walked off. First, she hummed, and then her childish voice broke into song, chanting over and over.
"Watashi wa hitori de machimashou! Sesshoumaru-sama omodoriou!"
"I will wait alone for you until you come! Sesshoumaru-sama, please return!"
Then, as an afterthought, she added. "Kagome-oneechan, omodoriou…"
A/N: Thank you again for sticking with me! ^_^ I really appreciate all the reviews and the e-mails (even though I discouraged them). Hehe. Side note: Enchanted was updated as well. ^_^ Acknowledgments to Alysha (the_silver_wolf101@yahoo.com) again for inspiring something for the spell/bondage thingy. THANK YOU!
-kidoairaku