An alternate fanwork by Wolfye Productions.
Thank you to all the people who reviewed me, and in less than 48 hours! That's the most reviews I've gotten for my other 2 fics combined! Wow, I'm completely blown away. So, due to popular request, I am continuing this fic; I do hope you enjoy the plot development. I'd also like to take the time to thank my sister, who gave me a great idea to insert into this story to make things a bit more intriguing for the audience. Sit back and enjoy!
By the way, just for some clarification on appearances: Sesshoumaru doesn't naturally sport the markings you see in the show (they have to paint them on during make-up), and his ears are normal looking (another trick he has to go through everyday). Oh yeah, and he doesn't have the fluffy pelt either, but I'm guessing you figured that part out already. :grin: And InuYasha's ears are normal human ones (they have to hide his normal ears with his hair and put on a headband with robotic doggy ears in make-up). But they both naturally have the silver locks and golden eyes that make their family distinct in the social circles. I am trying to be as "real world" as possible while maintaining my eccentricism.
Hm, I just found out that in the manga, it's revealed that Akito isn't what he's supposed to be. (I'm not spoiling it for people) For the sake of this fanfic, I'm keeping him as what he appears to be in the anime, so please bear with me for those of you who are hard-core fans. I do most of my research for my fics through the anime episodes. And yes, I do do research before I write anything.
I don't own any of the characters that you're familiar with, but the ones you don't know are mine (wahaha...). Thanks for reading! WARNING: This fic is lime-scented. Proceed at your own risk.
Part 02:
Sesshoumaru stepped forth from the cramped confines of his trailer, ecstatic to finally be rid of his cumbersome costume. The armor alone weighed more than fifty pounds, not to mention all the layers of kimonos and that huge fluffy pelt he was made to wear in addition to that. He rotated his aching shoulders in their sockets, wincing a little at how stiff and sore his muscles were. The week had been an extremely stressful one, consisting primarily of several battle scenes between him and his brother. Now all he wanted to do was to go home and immerse himself in his hot tub for the next two days.
The melodic sounds of laughter drifted across the expanse of the studio lot, drawing his attention to its source. It wasn't difficult for his sharp eyes to discern her distinct figure from amongst the crowd. She stood with her profile to him, not fifty meters from where he stood, chatting amiably with his brother.
She was laughing again, the joyous sounds beckoning to him from across the lot, and the urge to be near her suddenly overwhelmed him. He felt his feet move of their own accord, bringing him ever nearer to her side. His heart fluttered in his chest, as if he were a little school boy again, silently awkward around his high school crush. He wanted to know what it was that made her laugh so easily, so freely; as if she hadn't a care in the world. And he wondered, with no small amount of fascination, if he, himself, had the power to produce such delightful sounds from her delicate throat.
Suddenly, more than anything else in the world, he wanted her to smile for him.
If the heavens had heard his one wish, then they gave him the mercy of granting it, as she turned towards his approaching figure, her soft sultry lips pulled back in a heartbreaking smile. And in that one moment, that one infinitesimal moment, the rising sun behind her washing her frame in an ethereal glow, she became a merciful angel sent from the heavens above to ease the torment in his inner heart. She was smiling for him, and only him.
His heart beat faster as he gazed upon her magnificent form. If he were to die now, that heavenly vision would be the last thing he would ever want to see.
And yet, through it all, through all of his chest flutterings and swelling emotions, his face remained as calm and composed as ever, betraying his current state of inner turmoil to no one. Such was the degree of his self-control.
"Sesshoumaru," his angel breathed as he drew up next to them, the sound of her voice akin to the clear ringing of thousands of tiny silver bells on a cozy winter night. Her brilliant brown eyes held an amused laughter in them, and Sesshoumaru found himself believing that he could easily lose himself in their mysterious depths.
"How are you feeling?" Kagome asked, concern clouding her vision. Concern? he wondered. Is she concerned for me? "You guys went at it pretty hard today," she continued, her eyes flickering over to InuYasha's form for a brief second before returning to his heated gaze.
He studied her beautiful face a moment longer before answering, watching curiously as a faint tint coloured her porcelain cheeks. Did I do that? he wondered with no small amount of awe. It was then that he realized he had been staring at her, and he quickly cleared his throat.
"I am not feeling unwell, thank you," he replied in his ever-elegant manner, allowing a rare smile to touch his lips. He could have sworn the blush on her cheeks darkened just a hair's breadth, but perhaps it was merely a trick in the growing light of the day.
"Hmph, are you kidding?" InuYasha spoke up, his reckless voice shattering the magic moment into a thousand pieces. Sesshoumaru grimaced a little at the intrusive comment, while Kagome suddenly found the ground a lot more interesting. "Sesshoumaru's got the hardest head I know," InuYasha continued, a mocking grin plastered across his face, as if in attempt to goad his older brother into yet another fight.
The smile now gone from his face as though it had never existed, Sesshoumaru turned to stab the full weight of his irritated glare on his younger brother, who suddenly faltered in his amusement, as though Sesshoumaru had just thrown a bucket of ice water on him.
As he continued to glare silently at his idiot brother in an attempt to make him squirm, which appeared to be succeeding, he idly heard Kagome's short intake of breath, and subsequent soft chastisement of InuYasha for "being so mean" to his brother. InuYasha snorted a dismissing "whatever" at her, uncomfortably shifting beneath the onslaught of his brother's oppressive gaze.
A small fit of anger swelled within him as he watched the small exchange between his brother and the woman of his choice, and he fought hard to keep his emotions in check. Not in front of her, he told himself quickly, willing himself to calm down.
"InuYasha."
The sounds of a husky female voice broke through the uncomfortable silence, and the group turned to see Kikyou walking up to them, her rounded hips swaying seductively in a black mini-skirt. She wrapped her long arms around InuYasha's, pressing her ample breasts into him as she placed a loving peck on his cheek.
"Kikyou," InuYasha mumbled by way of greeting, his temper suddenly sated by her mere presence.
"It's time to go," she informed him softly, pulling gently on his arm towards the general direction of the car. InuYasha nodded his head at her, a soft look in his eyes. He quickly mumbled his goodbyes and turned to leave.
"InuYasha."
This time, the voice was much deeper, its tone both rich and commanding at the same time. All eyes turned to Sesshoumaru, whose face no longer held any of the malice it had a scant moment ago.
"Do not forget the Akigawa benefit tomorrow night," he said before InuYasha could ask what he wanted. He paused a moment, allowing for the memory to filter through his brother's slow brain. "And please," he continued, pointedly glaring at Kikyou's barely covered form, "remember to dress appropriately."
The infuriating woman merely smiled coyly back at him, batting her eyes at him in a manner she most likely thought was sexy. She was obviously mistaken. Instead, it had the complete opposite effect on him, and his lips curled in disgust.
"Hmph," was all InuYasha said before finally leaving, pulling the ridiculously-looking Kikyou along behind him.
Sesshoumaru watched the two of them leave, his mind filled with troubles over the woman his brother was choosing to marry. There was simply something... wrong about her.
"Slut," he heard Kagome mumble under her breath. If his ears hadn't been as sharp as they were, he would have missed it.
Sesshoumaru turned and looked at her, noticing with a small measure of annoyance at the look of longing that clouded her usually bright eyes, as she watched the two departing figures.
"I agree," he said suddenly, startling himself by saying it out loud.
He watched her as she blinked, then turned to look at him, her beautiful face etched in a look of surprise. Obviously, he thought to himself with some amusement, she had not thought anyone had heard her.
Her eyes studied his for a long moment, as though searching for something that only his eyes could answer. Then, to his surprise, she took a step towards him, her eyes narrowing the tiniest fraction of an inch.
The sweet scent of her perfume suddenly hit him like a mack truck, overwhelming his sensitive nose as he inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with her intoxicating presence. He could feel the tightly wound edges of his mind slowly begin to unravel with each breath of her he took, and his hard-won control almost slipped in that single moment. Almost.
Her voice snapped him unwillingly from his inebriated trance, and his golden eyes slowly refocused on her exquisite face, her eyes brimming with some unnameable emotion.
"If that's what you think," she bit out through clenched teeth, eyes accusing him of a terrible wrong, "then why do you let him go out with her?"
He idly noticed that her hands were clenched at her sides, and her face was flushed, although this time not in embarrassment. He suddenly felt very tired, as if his entire body had been drained of its last remaining source of energy. He sighed heavily, slowly bringing a hand up and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"That woman," he admitted softly, so softly that one had to strain in order to hear him, "despite however I may feel about her, has been the only thing that has been able to make my brother happy since the passing of his mother. It has not been my wish to deny him of that."
He suddenly felt warm fingers wrap around his arm, as they gently tugged down on him. He let his hand drop, his sombre eyes glancing up to find her looking at him, her delicate brow slightly creased with concern, sympathy; whether it was for him or his brother, he didn't know.
But it wasn't really that important for him to know right now, was it? he asked himself. No, something deep inside of him said, not right now it wasn't. He was dimly aware that her hand was still on his arm, and he could feel the heat radiating from her gentle touch, warming him beneath his skin.
And then the angel was smiling at him, warm and gentle and serene. His heart skipped in his chest, and he dared not look away lest she might vanish, and he would once again be left all alone.
"Are you hungry?" she asked, her soft voice like music to his hungry ears. Not trusting himself to speak, he instead nodded his head in affirmation, the movement barely perceptible.
"Great!" she exclaimed, her smile broadening. "I know just the place, too!"
He felt her hand glide smoothly down the length of his arm, and before his brain could really register what was going on, her slender fingers had already wrapped around his and she was pulling him in the direction of her car.
Sesshoumaru stared in utter fascination at the hand nestled so innocently within his grasp. Her hand was so tiny compared to his own, and he suddenly realized how fragile she really was, despite her larger-than-life personality. The thought made him want to throw his arms around her to shield her from all the atrocities of life, to protect her; but he fought down the urge to do so, instead simply accepting the warm touch of her hand to be enough.
The clearing of a throat behind them made them turn around. Standing off to the side a few feet away was a young man, probably somewhere in his early twenties, dressed in a black suit and matching sunglasses. Damn, Sesshoumaru thought, he had forgotten all about Haru, his driver. He felt Kagome's hand drop awkwardly from his, and he frowned slightly, feeling the loss of warmth keenly.
"Sir?" Haru inquired, bowing low. "Shall I wait here for you?"
Hm, Sesshoumaru thought, that sounds like a good idea. But before he could open his mouth to reply, Kagome abruptly cut him off.
"Oh, that's alright Haru," she said, smiling sweetly at the other man. "I can take him home."
To say Sesshoumaru was shocked would be an understatement. How presumptive of her to answer in his stead, and without first consulting his personage. And how in the world did she know the name of his driver? Not to mention the ease with which she spoke to him. He felt the expectant eyes of his driver on him, and he quickly regained his composure.
"That will be fine," he nodded to Haru, who once again bowed before turning and leaving. Before he could contemplate what had just happened, he felt an insistent tug on his arm again, and felt himself automatically falling into step beside Kagome. By the time they had reached the car, his curiosity finally got the better of him.
"How is it you know of my driver?" he asked as he held the driver side door open for her.
"Hm?" she said, sliding easily inside the comfy interior. "Oh, I went to high school with him," she answered cheerfully, smiling up at him.
"I see," he replied, shutting the door before getting in on the passenger side. Perhaps he would speak to Haru about her when he got home.
"Yeah," Kagome continued as she started up the car and pulled out of the studio lot. "I was really surprised when I saw him here when we first started shooting. How long has he been working for you, anyway?"
Sesshoumaru marvelled at the ease with which she talked. He, himself, had never been very good at the art of conversation, instead preferring as a child the peace that solitude brought. He suddenly found himself in unknown territory, unsure of what his actions should be. He decided the direct approach was probably the best one.
He tilted his head to the side a little, his long silver locks falling like silk against his shoulder.
"About two years now," he answered her.
"Wow," Kagome breathed, "After graduation then."
He wasn't sure if Kagome was speaking to him or not, so he simply nodded in case she was. How would he know when they had graduated?
She pulled into a parking stall and turned the car off, then turned to look at him with a bright smile. "We're here!" she exclaimed.
Sesshoumaru peered out the windshield at the row of stores lining the sidewalk. In front of them was the outdoor cafe he enjoyed spending his Saturday mornings at. He blinked, a bit surprised. Did she come here too? If so, why had he never seen her there before?
He quietly exited the car and came around to her side, opening the door for her once again. He held his hand out expectantly. She did not disappoint him, as her small hand slipped perfectly into his as she stepped forth from the vehicle.
"Do you come here often?" he asked, wincing a little at the cheesiness of the question. She apparently didn't notice his slight.
Kagome nodded, her luxurious hair falling forward to frame her face with the action. His fingers itched, wanting to run themselves through the thick locks to tuck them behind her ear.
"Yeah, I come here a whole lot," she said, making her way to one of the tables outside. He quickly followed her and pulled her chair out for her. Seating himself across from her at the table, he raised his hand to flag down the waitress.
"I like coming here with my mother," Kagome continued. "I love the setting of this place; it's seems so peaceful, especially after a hard day's work."
Sesshoumaru nodded his agreement. So, she likes to come here too, huh? Perhaps he should hang around the cafe more often in hopes of catching her.
"I, too, enjoy the serenity of this place," he told her, a slight smile on his lips. "It is unlike many of the other cafes in this city. There are usually too many people at the other places to suit my liking."
Kagome giggled at his statement, and he frowned a bit. "What is so funny?" he asked, slightly perturbed. He honestly couldn't see what in the world could be so funny. While he waited for her to catch her breath, he tried flagging down the waitress again.
After about a minute, Kagome finally calmed down from her mysterious hysteria, although a humoured grin still graced her full lips.
"What was so funny?" he tried again, this time steeling himself for her reaction. This time, she didn't burst out laughing.
"I just think it's cute the way you talk," she replied, her eyes looking away to search for the waitress.
Cute? Did she just say she thought I was cute? His heart almost stopped beating. How...? Why...? A thousand and one questions flooded through his mind, but before he could ask any of them, the waitress finally appeared and took their orders.
When she was gone, he eyed Kagome carefully. She was looking away from him, but there was no hint of sarcasm in her posture, or in her eyes. Did she really mean what she said? Of course he knew that he was the gods' gift to women, but he had never thought in a million years that the woman he yearned for would also be so inclined. After all, she had previously seemed to only enjoy the rag-tag looks of his younger brother. If what she said was true, then perhaps asking her out wouldn't be so hard to do after all. Dare he try?
"What amuses you about the way I talk?" he asked softly, drawing her gaze to his. Her eyes still shimmered with an amused light.
Kagome shrugged her shoulders at him. "You don't speak like a normal guy," she explained, albeit a bit confusing for himself to comprehend.
"Is that bad?" he inquired, feeling a bit put off by her sudden mysticism.
Kagome stared at him for a minute, as if contemplating something, then slightly shook her head. "No, it's just... different," she said. "It's nice to not hear a guy talk stupid for once."
Sesshoumaru gazed back at her, searching for something in her eyes that would help him understand what she was trying to say. If it wasn't bad, then it had to be good, right? Did she like it, or did she really find it annoying and didn't have the heart to tell him the truth? But as he stared back at her, he could find no trace of falseness in her visage.
Sesshoumaru cleared his throat. It was now or never. He swallowed hard, trying to push down the lump that seemed to have gotten wedged in his throat.
"If you are so inclined," he started, his eyes shyly looking away from her, "I would be honoured if you would accompany myself to the benefit tomorrow night." He was vaguely aware that he was blushing.
"I'd love to," Kagome replied.
His eyes widened a fraction, his heart beating faster in his chest. She had said yes. This was not a dream, was it? Do something, he thought to himself. Pinch yourself. His hand clenched in his lap, his nails biting into the palm of his hand. Nope, he thought to himself as he felt the pain jolt up his arm, he was definitely not dreaming. He dared himself to look up at her.
She was smiling at him again, and he felt his own lips twitch in response. Their food finally came at that moment, and the two began eating in companionable silence.
A/N:
Geez, I thought this chapter would never end! Thank you to everyone for supporting me with this endeavor. I've decided to make this fic a very Sesshoumaru-centric one, since there seems not to be a lot of them out there. In fact, I want to make it so that we never know what's going on with Kagome, making her the mysterious character for once. It's a daunting task, but I think I'm up to the challenge.
So, let me know what you all think. I'm going to try and update once a week. See you in the next chapter!