Disclaimer: Inuyasha characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Other characters are property of Kidoairaku.
Rating: PG-13: for possible language and just in case
Summary: [Sess/Kag] Sanguine: adj. 1. Of the color of blood; red. 2. Cheerfully confident; optimistic.
Genre: Romance/Drama
A/N: =( There are, like, no excuses for me; I can't've been anymore delayed in sending out a chapter, and this, this, my friends, is a pure piece of kuso. It came from nowhere, it ends almost nowhere; maybe I'm just being cynical. Anyways, my apologies; I might repost—lemme know.
Sesshoumaru
Chapter Thirteen: Sanguine
December 2003—February 2004
Even with Kagome's seemingly brilliant solution, Sesshoumaru was still fighting one-handed, and, although it put him at a disadvantage, his overall skill overcame such trivialities. The whole affair had been rather anticlimactic. Save for the few times Yura had actually managed to knick Kagome with her favorite blade (the "Crimson Mist," the creature had explained briefly), all went fairly smooth and without much trouble. Of course, the real difficulty had been in the first minute or two where their balance had been a little offset by their sporadic pulling and tugging. The two had been forced into cooperation by the few times the oni had attempted to set one or both of them on fire.
Ironically enough, her fire had been her end. It was, apparently, unbearable for the oni to see herself without the crown of her short black hair. Once a single strand had caught on fire, the whole of her head went, and the girl went on screaming, dashing herself into water and not reappearing. Both Kagome and Sesshoumaru (mostly Kagome) had stood awestruck as the maniac bellowed her bald little head off and quite literally jumped in a lake. Bye-bye, Yura…
By this time, they were headed due east, straight and steady. Of course, Kagome, being Kagome, had no idea in which direction they were traveling and simply contented herself (reluctantly) to following her companion's seemingly set trail. I wonder if he'll ever stop? She paused to kick a stray pebble. I'm kinda tired… Her mouth opened wide in a cattish yawn. Hungry, too… In response, her stomach growled. What's there to eat, though? Her pace slowed, and she scanned the area for edibles. Maybe he'll make me dig insects out of the ground… She winced and lengthened her stride to juxtapose herself to Sesshoumaru. They walked in silence a while before she turned her head curiously and studied his profile.
"Do you ever get hungry?"
Sesshoumaru spared her the barest of glances. Would he gift her with a response?
She continued, "I mean…to be a living thing, you know, as scientists classify it…" She paused, looking skyward in an attempt to recall weeks of biology lessons. "you have to obtain and use energy. So…" Her gaze returned to him. "if you don't eat, how do you get energy…?"
So…there were scientists in her time? How very astounding, Sesshoumaru mused. And the girl even knows something! What a revelation… Here, he thought the twit simply served as a wall ornament. Yet again, he most basically ignored her.
"Hey…are you even listening to me?"
"Human—"
"Kagome," she corrected automatically.
He went on as if uninterrupted. "To the point, if you would. Conversation is unnecessary."
Kagome shook her head ruefully. "It's no wonder you don't have any friends," she snorted. Her stomach wailed obnoxiously. "I'm hungry, if you must know."
"As much would be figured from the level of noise your wretched stomach is making."
If he'd said it any other way, Kagome thought irritably, it would've been in good humor. As it was, she found herself unamused.
They continued to walk in silence.
~*~*~
Another hour passed of shuffling through brittle branches and softly padded grass. No words passed from either's lips, and no event of great significance interrupted the soundless requiem into which they'd passed.
For Kagome, though, her stomach whined for attention, and she herself was becoming edgy. Often, she sighed and slowed to drag her feet through a particularly thick patch of twigs, the snapping of branches placating her moodiness. If she were at home, she'd be well-fed now…
The noonday sun called her attention, and Kagome gave it readily; she was going to have to learn how to tell time just by looking at the sun for a while… At this point, she sighed pathetically and folded her arms in a displeased pout.
"Sesshoumaru…"
He offered no answer.
"Sesshoumaru…"
He ignored her.
"Sesshoumaru…"
Was there a village up ahead?
"Sesshoumaru…"
He did not recall it having been there before.
"Sesshoumaru…"
But the scents masquerading on the wind brought a tumult of human odor…
"Sesshoumaru…"
Was it the fifth time she'd called his infernal name?
"Sesshoumaru…"
No, that one would make the seventh.
"Sesshoumaru…"
"…"
"Sesshoumaru…"
He stopped and gave her his full attention.
"Sesshoumaru…"
"I assure you, human, I am not deaf."
Kagome sighed. "Lucky number ten."
He refused to give such infantile prompting as, What?
"I'm—"
"Hungry."
"Well," she huffed, "you could've answered the first time."
"It was not worth my time."
"It's your time right now, if you don't get me something to eat…or at least, tell me where I can find something to eat."
For a moment, he stared at her blankly, with that bleak expression of his that flatly stated, "Challenge me, I dare you." Not that it made any sense in this situation…
"I mean, aren't you hungry? It's been, what…at least a day since you last ate? Probably more…" The thoughts brought to mind her ideas of "Sesshoumaru Food." Perhaps, he had some with him? "Hey," she called, poking his arm, "do you have any of your…non-human food?"
Again, he answered with his stare.
She deflated. "Guess not, huh…"
Suddenly, with a funny sort of casualness, he raised his hand to her mouth, wrist nearly touching her lips.
Blinking, she studied it carefully. Thin, almost fragile-looking; very functional, though…
"Bite it," he commanded.
Kagome gawked. "I'm sorry?"
"Bite it," he repeated.
Briskly, she stepped back, folding her hands before her. "If this is some masochistic demon-thing, then no thanks, mister."
Cool as ever, he moved forward and brought a long, clawed finger across the smooth underside of his outstretched wrist, immediately sending a streak of thick scarlet over his pale skin. "Drink it."
"Sesshoumaru…really…I don't think that's…" she shifted, "necessary…"
If only she knew what kind of humility he had subjected himself to…the sacrifice of honor he was throwing at her feet… Unfazed, he held himself unflinching before her. "You will not be hungry."
She snorted. "Yeah, 'cause I'll be sick."
"…"
Her disgust became lax, and she merely winced. "I…have to…?"
"I refuse to take unnecessary delays."
Sighing, squeezing her eyes shut, grasping cautiously his arm, she placed her lips tentatively over his cool, stained flesh.
It was all she had to do. The viscous liquid seemed to slither into her mouth and glide down her throat, only to expand, burst into a vast deluge that spiraled through her body. Kagome pulled away, clutching her throat and retaining the grip on his hand. The sensation began to sting, to eat upon her…
It felt as if she was decaying from the inside out, each precious cell splitting with excruciating sluggishness, falling out into a dark void amassing within her. It felt like someone was gathering her veins in the center and tugging on them, pulling them from her appendages… She wanted to curl into herself; it hurt everywhere. Her hand brought the demon lord's to her collar, where all the torture seemed to climax. Why wasn't it happening to him? Were not they bonded? Her gaze held his, filled with all the anguish of suffering…
He stared back indifferently, uncaringly.
Betrayal. She felt its heavy burden weighing down on her. Why?
Her only memories were of a forgiving, warm white light engulfing her, before she succumbed to a bed of crimson darkness.
-kidoairaku