To Fulfill One's Destiny
Chapter 21- Insomnia
Sesshomaru looked down at the sleeping forms of his ward and her mother in the light of the moon.
She'd changed into clothes from her time as soon as Kagome had awakened that day, and made sure that the kimono from Naraku was burned to ashes that disappeared with the wind.
She didn't look particularly odd in an outfit from our time.
They'd returned to the village as quickly as they could, and, according to the old miko Kaede, Rin spoke and smiled for the first time in months.
He watched them as Rin tried in her sleep to bury herself in her mother, as Maria drew her closer and shifted, splaying her loose, thick, wavy hair even more haphazardly over her pillow.
Tilting his head back, he recalled a past memory.
She shifted again...
and again...
and again.
Now he really was irritated. What was her problem?
Cracking open an eyelid, he languidly looked at her from his seated position by the tree.
She was shivering, curling completely around Rin who slept soundly in the blanket she was wrapped in.
Stupid girl. Always sacrificing herself, even in giving a damned blanket.
Suddenly turning, she fixed one open eye on his sleeping form and questioningly cocked an eyebrow.
Busted. (As he'd heard her say in such times before)
Motioning for her to come closer, he watched as she tiredly stood while cradling Rin in her arms and walked toward him, stopping right in front of him.
In irritation, he grabbed her arm and roughly pulled her down to sit in his lap, earning a small surprised gasp in return.
"What..."
"Be quiet. You'll wake the others."
Removing his haori, he proceeded to cover them while she curled closer to his chest, now only clad in his undershirt.
"When will you think of yourself for once."
"Hmm?"
He tapped Rin's head to get his point across.
"Oh. I too used to worrying about others I guess."
She must have really been sleep-deprived to start speaking like that. Splendid. (Yet another phrase of hers)
"Sorry if this disgusts you...what with you disliking humans and all..."
Before he could crack out a retort, she stretched upward and kissed his cheek.
"Arigatou, Sesshomaru."
Later during that night, he noted the irony.
In their position, they could almost pass for a family.
A real family...
Awaking suddenly, he relaxed his gaze on the sleeping humans.
How did she manage to get right under my skin without my noticing?
He moved a little to get more comfortable.
She still won't speak more about her time there, Not even to that mik... mental slap ...to Kagome.
He watched her breathe through her parted lips.
'I didn't protect you'
'...never even fathomed...'
'...so painful...to embrace him like that...with you watching...'
'...the immense power she holds.'
'I failed you.'
'...I didn't understand why...'
Closing his eyes, he took a slow breath.
That settled it.
Maria could no longer travel in the quest for the shards of the sacred jewel.