A/N:
I sincerely apologize for the late update my lovely readers, the start of the new year had kept me busy.
Since this chapter responds a lot to the previous one, I suggest you step back and reread that before this one to freshen your memories a little in case you've forgotten it. Other than that, I hope you enjoy, especially since this one ended up the longest yet, and it's full of SessKik goodness.
Chapter Thirteen
Resting the back of her head against the tree bark behind her, Kikyo kept her gaze up at the starry sky, now already clear of the heavy clouds which concealed it completely only a few hours prior. She shifted in her spot, slumping her bent leg to leisurely hang in the air next to her other one as she sat on top of a raised, hovering tree root, positioning herself right at its angled connection to the stump for comfort, while also granting herself a clear view of the new area their group had found and deemed proper to spend the night in after yesterday's territory proved to be well into Naraku's knowledge and reach.
With the inu daiyoukai and his loyal vassal out on another patrol in order to test the safety of their current new grounds, the priestess allowed herself to enjoy the soothing silence which only the late hours of the night could offer her, graced with the soft, comforting melody of the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees above. Breathing in, Kikyo enjoyed her moment of peace while she guarded the sleeping Rin behind her, sprawled on top of A-Un's back and covered by the improvised cloth, keeping her warm.
Her small moment of tranquility however, was suddenly interrupted by an unplanned voice, alerting Kikyo's senses all at once.
"No!" The child called, twitching in her sleep and curling into herself. Tearing her gaze away from the night sky and turning her head to Rin all at once, Kikyo immediately straightened herself up, her right hand instinctively sent to grab onto her ceremonial bow resting against the root she was sitting on. Her eyes quickly scanned the surface all around as slight confusion crossed her features to the possibility of a threat somehow escaping her keen senses. However, she was met with nothing but a clear forest whichever direction she set her gaze in, with both of A-Un's heads not focusing on any odd abnormalities either, other than the child's shivering frame.
Getting to her feet, Kikyo approached the large, two-headed dragon as she observed the occurrence before her in silence.
Somehow, she noted the way the two heads were looking at the child seemed like they were uncertain of what to do, yet also surprisingly rather used the notion of something like this happening.
Kikyo lowered her mahogany eyes to Rin's small and shaking body, so curled into itself now that only the top of her wild and messy hair peeked from below the fabric covering her existence.
"D-Don't..." She heard her utter to no one in unexplained fear.
Raising her hand, the priestess slightly moved the fabric to reveal the child's face, her eyebrows meeting with displeasure at the sight of Rin's pained expression in her sleep and her little hands balled into tiny fists, drawn so desperately close to her chest. Quietly, she placed her palm on the child's head, her fingers stroking her dark locks with gentle movements.
"Rin?" Kikyo asked softly, never stopping from her current, repeating actions.
Rin's eyes fluttered open to the feel of Kikyo's gentle touch as she gradually came to her senses, rising up slowly into a sitting position on top of the dragon's saddled back.
"Kikyo-sama..." She wearily breathed with a small voice, her expression somehow distant as she lifted her right hand to rub her tired eyes.
Keeping her palm on top of the girl's head, Kikyo maintained her silence for a few moments as she observed the child's features. Somehow, moving it away and breaking the contact seemed like an impossible task to her, something her basic instincts were not permitting her to even consider.
"Were you having a bad dream?" She guessed, resuming her gentle actions.
Refraining from answering for a moment, Rin proceeded to nod once as her eyes drifted to stare at the distance, her expression turning sad.
"Rin has this reoccurring dream, Kikyo-sama..." She began explaining, breathing deep.
Not requiring the child to elaborate any further as she remembered their talk back at their first exchange on top of the hill with Mt. Hakurei looming in its distant view, Kikyo remained silent. The expression which Rin wore right now was the same as she did back then, when she shared her unfortunate past with her.
"Most of the time, Rin has nice dreams..." The child continued, wrapping her arms around herself, "But every now and then... Rin sees her family being killed all over again in her sleep..."
Letting out a silent breath, Kikyo only stared down at her for a few more moments as she filled with sadness and regret. She could only continue stroking the girl's head with soft and slow movements, watching as Rin eventually laid back down on A-Un's saddled back, closing her eyes once again.
But a bitter speculation soon crossed her mind, causing her to narrow her gaze down at Rin;
'Could yesterday's fight have possibly triggered this...?' She mused, regrettably.
"Kikyo-sama... is there anything left to drink?" The child soon inquired, breaking her out of her thoughts.
Glancing down to the single package on the ground next to A-Un's feet, Kikyo returned her hand to her side, then lowered herself to it, opening it with a single motion. Sorting through the remaining firewood and herbs for a moment, her fingers soon came in contact with the desired wooden container.
Giving it a light shake, however, she realized it carried a smaller amount than what the child had probably anticipated.
"A little." She answered, lifting herself up before the girl as she handed her the object, "Finish this and I shall go draw some more from the nearby river."
Opening her tired eyes once again, Rin scanned the surface, slight confusion soon crossing her features as she noticed it lacked a few group members.
"Where's Sesshomaru-sama?" She voiced her interest, reaching for the container and soon taking it into her grasp.
"Away with Jaken, they have been gone for a couple of hours already." Kikyo explained.
Taking in the information, Rin blinked with exhaustion.
"Oh..." She acknowledged, raising her hand to block a wide yawn.
Then, she only rested her head back on her bent elbow as her eyes quickly fluttered closed, once more.
"Rin isn't thirsty anymore, Kikyo-sama... so stay here with Rin... alright?"
Staring down at her in silence, Kikyo was overcome with a sudden urge she couldn't suppress, nor did she even attempt to, and she once again raised her hand to the child's head, fingers gently brushing through wild, dark hair, attempting to straighten it into order, as well as soothe Rin's thinking and vanquish any possible worries that lurked in her mind.
"I am not going anywhere." She promised softly as the weightless words left her mouth, almost carried by a will of their own, her eyes set down on Rin's sleeping face. She only continued with the gesture for a few more moments in silence as she allowed herself to lean against A-Un's warmth, and once she could confirm Rin was asleep, Kikyo raised her eyes again to the now pale blue tainted sky above, watching the first rays of sunlight gradually breaking through the darkness as they soon met with the highest of leaves crowning the trees, illuminating through their greenery with a brilliant gold.
"How lovely, Kikyo..."
The familiar and venomous voice suddenly echoed through the forest, as if polluting the area like a cloud of smoke. Lowering her bow from her shoulder as her expression turned stern, Kikyo stepped away from the sleeping Rin and A-Un, her gaze scanning the surface as she tried to pick up the exact location of her loathsome enemy.
"I will not harm the child, Kikyo." Naraku answered to her obvious alert and murderous glare, his voice still ringing through the tops of the trees as if he was the wind itself, his demonic energy eventually setting on a distant spot, further into the forest "I am only here to talk."
Stepping in his direction, Kikyo stopped in a safe interval from both the sleeping Rin and her sworn enemy.
"Show yourself." She demanded firmly, her frown deepening as she reached back to draw a single arrow out of her quiver, one which was deeply absorbed with Onigumo's soil.
Materializing before her, Naraku's red eyes were boring into her being through a confident expression, in all of his newly-acquired flashy appearance.
But Kikyo only let out a mocking breath at the sight.
"A coward as usual, I see." She said, noticing that as always, this was nothing more than an elaborated illusion created remotely from afar.
"Knowing the likes of you, Kikyo, I would be a fool to approach you so easily, as you have most likely already thought of a new way to counter my own being."
She kept her silence as her glare alone threatened to destroy him, shoulders tense and her body rigid, Kikyo's fingers clenched onto her weapon as rage filled her core. The way this disgusting creature made a fool out of her back on Mt. Hakurei, the way she required saving and assistance in order to be able to heal herself, and the way his godforsaken words had managed to creep their way into her mind was all unnervingly shameful.
And he knew all of that, he knew exactly what she was thinking at that moment.
Breathing deep, the priestess forced herself to regain her composure, reminding herself over and over again that this man in front of her wants nothing more than to see her crumble to pieces before him.
"What is it that you want, then?" She demanded, annoyance still very much clear in her voice and her words dripping with hate.
"I am merely interested in knowing how long you plan on pretending like this, Kikyo?"
Narrowing her eyes at him, she kept her silence for a moment to his obscure inquiry.
"Do not waste my time with your nonsense." Kikyo answered simply, lifting her bow and drawing her arrow, aiming it straight at his head.
"Oh? You really fail to understand the meaning behind my words?" Naraku lowered his head yet maintained his eye contact, his smug smile never leaving his face for a moment, "I am asking how long do you plan on pretending to ignore your fate?"
Keeping her silence to his question, she only held her position, continuing on aiming her attack at him with her sharp gaze locked onto his being.
But Naraku was left unfazed by her continuous threat.
"Joining Sesshomaru and hoping to extend your limited time on this earth, caring for that child, changing your appearance... all but a mere pointless way for you to delay the inevitable, isn't it, Kikyo?" Raising one armored hand into the air before her as if presenting her with solid facts, he only let out another mocking breath, "A dead woman, pretending to be alive... there is truly nothing sadder than seeing how desperate you've become."
Not desiring to hear any more toxic words out of this man, Kikyo released her shot at his direction, her spiritual energy bright and deadly against his pitiful illusion, tearing through his false being and purifying her of his presence completely.
She lowered her bow to her side as her gaze lingered on the spot in which he stood before her.
Then, she let out a deep breath, finally easing her shoulders.
Now relaxed, the priestess knew him well enough to deduct the purpose of him appearing before her as merely a pitiful endeavor to strike at her own insecurities and break through her resolve. After Kagura's poor and desperate attempt of revealing information out of her the day prior, this was undoubtfully his new following move in his plan of separating both her and Sesshomaru, most likely for the threat they hold together in his eyes.
But although Kikyo knew all of that, unfortunately, she couldn't help but also find a speck of truth behind his poisonous words, reminding her of a small thought at the back of her head, surfacing in her mind from time to time and never failing to summon the bitter realization of her current cursed condition and all that it carries with it;
Although she had chosen a different and unexpected path in her plan of slaying Naraku, she still cannot escape what is ultimately coming for her once that bastard finally perishes for good.
She cannot escape the fact that she was no longer part of the living, and therefore, no longer had a place in this world.
Eyeing his master in silence, Jaken couldn't help but feel his own peace of mind interrupted by the smoldering need of showering the inu daiyoukai with endless questions regarding the latest events. Ever since the priestess had joined their group, the imp demon noted that Sesshomaru's behavior had become even more unpredictable than ever, so much that even he, as his vassal, was having a hard time reading into his decisions.
'Not that he was ever a predictable lord to begin with...' Jaken mused, staring at Sesshomaru's back as they both made their way back to the campsite in silence, 'However, this Jaken can tell something about him had undeniably changed as of late...'
What it was exactly, he could not tell.
"Do you think Sesshomaru-sama likes Kikyo-sama?" Rin's sudden cheery voice echoed in his mind, making him frown with disgust.
'Stupid, simple-minded child.' His mouth formed a thin line at the sheer absurdity of the thought, anger filling him for once again even pondering this unthinkable possibility.
But keeping his gaze on Sesshomaru's back, Jaken's green brows could only meet with bewilderment.
'What is the reason for his fixation with the miko, then...?'
Before, Jaken had read into Sesshomaru's need of keeping the undead miko as simply a convenient way for him to follow with his own plan of slaying Naraku while setting up Rin with proper care, also ridding himself from babysitting the child in the process. But the latest events proved that something else was undeniably the cause for the cryptic inu daiyoukai's approval of this woman, as he not only rushed to save her from Naraku's attempt at taking her life, but also allowed her to stay even after daring to use her deadly abilities on him in her utmost audacity.
Granted, the woman was powerful and fearsome.
However, there were many powerful and fearsome beings who sought Sesshomaru's company over the years, even acquaintances of his father, the great Inu no Taisho, and yet, his master still denied them all, most likely wisely predicting that the more they matched him in his strength or intellect, the more their existence would clash against his own, with them eventually insolently stepping over the line or betraying him in one way or another, thus breaking through their pointless alliance.
That's why Sesshomaru preferred to operate on his own.
'Not to mention, Sesshomaru-sama doesn't even need anyone's assistance in the first place.'
Reaching this conclusion, though, Jaken's confusion only deepened.
'Then what on earth is so special about this undead woman, exactly...?'
However, before the imp demon could voice out even one question relating to the subject, the campsite soon came into view, the small fire illuminating its environment and compensating for the still weak, morning sun above with the priestess tending to it, all catching both Sesshomaru and Jaken's attention as they approached her and the rest of its sleeping residents.
Finding Kikyo's gaze, Sesshomaru stepped closer to her spot, watching as she silently straightened herself before him, throwing the last piece of wood in her hand into the increasing flames. Observing her form up close, however, the daiyoukai soon noticed there was something unusual about the way the ripples of her spiritual aura engulfed her being, the light falling across her face exposing a silent and unnamed new uncertainty flashing behind her mahogany orbs, barely notable at all in the dimness of the early morning, yet still undeniably present in her features.
"Find anything?" Her question caught his attention, tugging his focus back from his thoughts.
He only kept his silent staring for a moment more.
"There was no trace of that vermin or his followers." Sesshomaru answered.
Kikyo averted her gaze back to the steady fire as she lifted her hands towards its increasing warmth.
"Rin had trouble sleeping up until recently." She informed him, still looking away, "To wake her now would be a waste."
Slightly interested in Sesshomaru's knowledge regarding Rin's reoccurring night terrors, Kikyo glanced up at his direction, awaiting his response to the information.
Locking gold with mahogany once again, Sesshomaru only quietly observed her for a moment through an impassive expression, then resumed his walking, stepping behind her to sit on top of a raised tree root just outside of the campsite, his gaze fixed on the distance.
"We shall remain here." He ordered simply.
Letting out a soft, amused breath, Kikyo returned her gaze back to the steady fire.
Basking in the warmth of the flames as she sat on the raised, large tree root next to A-Un, Kikyo glanced up at Sesshomaru, watching him rest himself just outside the camp area, his posture impeccably straight and his sharp gaze focused on an unknown, distant spot. He placed his only arm on top of his right bent knee as the wind blew through his features, his long fur sash and silvery hair swaying to the rhythm of it in repeating graceful movements. Staying like this, the inu daiyoukai was silent, his attention strangely devoted to something far away; something which he did not speak of, and which the priestess herself could not sense either.
With no sign of either Naraku or his agents for a few hours already, the campsite was now consisting only of her, Sesshomaru and A-Un as Jaken was tasked with accompanying Rin to the nearby river and keeping her safe while she ventured for food after her lengthy and much needed sleep.
But keeping her gaze on her companion, Kikyo's thoughts regretfully wandered back to her unpleasant encounter earlier that day.
'I should share this morning's occurrence with him.' She decided.
Although Naraku's intentions were clearer than crystal, his appearance nothing but a pitiful fake, too weak for even Sesshomaru to pick up on and undeserving of her own time as it only cemented the fact that the bastard is currently undeniably too afraid of their alliance to launch a physical attack, Kikyo still felt obliged to let his poor attempt be known to her companion, at least for the purpose of clearing her own conscious regarding possibly hiding anything from him.
She only kept her gaze on him for another moment, then rose to her feet and stepped across the fire to where he was seated, his golden orbs turning to her as he observed her make her way towards him with her expression calm and her steps slow. Coming into a calculated stop before him, Kikyo stared down into his pools of gold without saying a word, only the sound of the crackling fire behind her filling the silence in the air as the breeze reached her as well, blowing through her long, unbound hair.
There was something undeniably strange that sparked inside of her due to his undivided attention focused so intently on her once again, the sight prompting the memory of his bold declaration from before to replay in her mind, the way his keen, golden eyes were so intensely filled with the silent, yet strong desire for her to stay beside him in their combined fight against Naraku.
However, she forced herself to ignore these notions, focusing on the much more important reason she had approached him in this particular moment.
"This morning..." Kikyo started, her expression showing hints of displeasure.
But before she could continue with her story;
"Kikyo!" Inuyasha's voice tore into their exchange, causing both of their heads to turn rapidly in his direction as the half-demon soon came into view, landing right before them.
Somehow, both of them completely missed his presence rapidly approaching the area.
Lifting himself to his feet in an instance, Sesshomaru stepped forward, annoyance crossing his features as he positioned himself closer to Inuyasha, yet still maintained a fairly large distance from him.
"I'm not here for you, Sesshomaru!" He called, glaring at his older half-brother and raising his claws in a threatening gesture.
Then, he turned his attention to the priestess.
"Kikyo... you're safe?" He inquired, letting out a relived breath as he could now confirm her existence was properly maintained, soon beginning to step towards her.
But Sesshomaru only side-stepped to block his path, now positioning himself between them both, causing Inuyasha to come into a sharp halt.
"Stay the fuck outta this!" The half-demon lashed angrily, glaring at him, "I only came here to make sure Kikyo was unharmed!"
Taking all of this in, Kikyo blinked with realization.
'Naraku had most likely appeared before him as well...' She concluded.
"Inuyasha..." She breathed, stepping closer towards them both. However, Sesshomaru only moved before her once again, his large frame preventing her from even seeing her old lover and alerting him of the current situation which he was failing to see. She lifted her gaze up to the inu daiyoukai, noticing his shoulders significantly more tense than usual and his demonic aura spiking with aggressive waves, easily conveying fierce hostility even through his cold and calm expression.
"Sesshomaru, wait." She steadily advised him, however, her words fell on deaf ears.
"There is no need for your presence here, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru determined with a low voice.
But his words only prompted the half-demon to unsheathe his Tessaiga in pure anger.
"I'm getting real tired of you stickin' your nose into my goddamn business, Sesshomaru!" He yelled, his golden eyes fierce with rage, "Let her through right fucking now, this doesn't concern you!"
With this, Sesshomaru charged forward, unsheathing Tokijin as well with impossible speed, their swords clashing against each other and the force of Sesshomaru's momentum pushing Inuyasha back on his heels as he gritted his teeth with strain. Channeling his strength into one sharp movement, Sesshomaru lowered Inuyasha's sword and quickly took advantage of the unplanned opening to ram his shoulder into the half-demon's being, sending him flying to the ground, grazing his back and crashing through the many roots growing above the soil.
Seeing all of this unfold before her, Kikyo's expression crossed with pure anger as she turned on her heel to hurriedly step back in the direction of the camp, where her weapon lied safely next to the now very frightened A-Un. She grabbed her bow and pulled out a single arrow out of her quiver, striding back towards the two brothers pointlessly engaged in their mindless fight.
"Your swordsmanship skills are still as poor as ever, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru stated, lifting his Tokijin and aiming it at his half-brother.
Inuyasha charged at him in response, swords once again clashing against each other with immense opposing strengths.
"You're lucky I don't wanna wreck your stupid camp, Sesshomaru!" He hissed against his blade, glaring up at him, "But don't let that fool you into thinkin' I aint taking her with me, this time!"
The daiyoukai's gaze narrowed as he silently channeled more of his youki into his weapon, the force of his sudden and deadly surge of power blasting the half-demon back as he lost the grip on his sword, the blade flying right into the nearest tree trunk behind Sesshomaru, passing uncomfortably close to his head, yet without him even budging, hissing as it soon transformed back into its regular state.
Now sprawled on the ground and lacking any weapon, Inuyasha could only prop himself up with his elbows, yet his expression still showed nothing but anger.
Sesshomaru charged at his half-brother one last time, lifting his blade up in the air with silent, yet murderous intent.
But just as he was about to land his final and deadly attack, an arrow flew into his field of vision, right before his golden orbs, same as it did that day on Mt. Hakurei, cutting through the air with incredible speed and glowing with the most brilliant magenta spiritual energy, plunging into the soil right before Inuyasha's feet as its wall of holy aura successfully blocked Tokijin's blade, neutralizing its youki and spreading through the weapon, all the way to Sesshomaru's right hand, eventually scorching his flesh.
Immediately recoiling and providing himself with a safe enough distance, Sesshomaru turned his head to the source of the sudden attack, locking his golden eyes with annoyed mahogany ones. Kikyo said nothing as she simply lowered her bow, approaching her companion and granting him with a deep frown and an irritated expression.
"Inuyasha." She spoke firmly, anger clear in her voice as she lowered her sharp gaze to the half-demon still on the ground, grabbing his attention. "Naraku will seek different ways of feeding you with lies about me. Do not fall for any of them, ever again."
Blinking at her words, he quickly climbed to his feet, both of his hands balled into fists as he gritted his teeth.
"I don't care about that, Kikyo!" He answered, stepping towards her, "I'm here to take you with me, I can't accept not knowing if you're safe or not after all."
"Stop right there, Inuyasha!" She cautioned strictly, surprising him enough to have him halt in his place, anger embedded in her features, "Joining Sesshomaru was not anyone else's choice but my own."
Hearing this, his shoulders slumped and his golden eyes narrowed at the following crushing information;
"I have given him my word, and I shall not break it."
Silence fell on all souls present as the afternoon wind blew through the area, the sun beginning to set in the horizon above casting the thick clouds and visible patches of the sky with a warm, reddish color.
"Tch." The half-demon spat, stepping towards his elder brother, yet only passing his form to retrieve his sword still etched into the tree behind where he stood, sheathing it quickly back at his hip.
Both Sesshomaru and Kikyo watched as Inuyasha began stepping back in the direction which he came from, but not before he turned his head back halfway, locking gold with gold once again.
"Remember what I fucking said, Sesshomaru!" He threatened, turning forward and jumping into the nearest tree, using its highest branches as leverage for his next jump, hurriedly disappearing from the area.
Sesshomaru's jaw clenched at his vexing words, his mind involuntary venturing back to the memory of their talk near the priestess' village, realizing that perhaps he had denied too much air from circulating into his daft half-brother's head, preventing him from acknowledging anything he had told him that day when he firmly grasped at his throat.
Turning on his heel as he sheathed Tokijin back at his left hip, Sesshomaru said nothing, making his way back to the camp area with an unreadable expression and without even looking at the priestess. He only sat himself down on top of a raised tree root, then lowered his golden gaze to his burned hand, letting out an annoyed, silent breath.
Kikyo, however, maintained her position for a few more moments.
Impossibly irritated with the way Naraku had managed to worm his influence into the events before her, Kikyo released a deep breath, her fingers clenching onto her large bow.
'How utterly foolish.' She shook her head, closing her eyes.
Then, she turned on her heel as well, stepping back to the camp area with new intent, passing the inu daiyoukai as neither bothered to glance at the other. Without sharing as much as a word regarding the latest exchange, Kikyo reached the two-headed dragon, lowering herself to the clump resting on the ground next to the large youkai and taking out the packet containing the medicinal items she had collected in her stay with the group in case Rin ever got sick or potentially hurt. With a sharp movement, she tore through the fabric, sorting through the different kinds of plants and eventually gathering a handful of dried lavender cuttings, as well as a couple of aloe leaves into an improvised, round piece of wood serving as a bowl, not forgetting a small, flat-faced rock in order to complete her needed ingredients.
Sesshomaru watched as Kikyo calmly made her way towards him, both of her hands supporting the bowl and her expression not revealing any of her thoughts before him. Carefully stepping between the arbitrary dense growth of the roots near his choice of a seat, she lowered herself to sit before him on a different root than the one he had positioned himself upon. Sesshomaru continued his silent observing as Kikyo propped the bowl on her lap, breaking the aloe leaves and extracting their liquid into the wood and on top of the dried lavender cuttings. She took the flat-faced rock into her right hand, soon crushing it all into an ointment unified in a dark color and a sweet, refreshing scent.
The daiyoukai glanced up at her focused expression, soon understanding exactly what was going through her mind.
"You are wasting your time." He remarked, straightening up in his seat, "It is a matter of mere days before this body of mine heals completely, therefore I do not require your remedies."
But Kikyo only silently lifted her mahogany eyes to meet with his golden ones, anger still reflected in her orbs and her sharp gaze pinning him down.
"I am hardly asking, Sesshomaru." She answered bluntly, her expression serious, "You are currently hurt and that leaves us at a foolish disadvantage against Naraku, especially when he proves to be able to manipulate others into making constant moves against us."
"You should not have fired that arrow, then."
Hearing this, Kikyo exhaled as she maintained his fierce gaze for a few more moments.
"If I didn't, your attack would have injured Inuyasha."
Lowering his head yet maintaining her eye contact, Sesshomaru's expression crossed with annoyance.
"I do not take orders from anyone, miko." He said with a low voice, "If Inuyasha desires to seek his own death by my blade, I would not hesitate to oblige."
She only stared at him with silent irritation for another moment. But instead of letting her emotions get the better of her, Kikyo understood this was all a result of herself not managing to share her exchange with Naraku in time.
She let out a silent breath, her expression softening as she dropped her gaze to the medicinal mixture in the bowl she was holding.
"After Kagura's failed attempt to gather information yesterday, an illusion of Naraku had appeared before me earlier this morning in your absence, Sesshomaru." She explained, breathing deep, "Naraku had most likely appeared before Inuyasha as well, spouting lies about myself and prompting him to seek my existence, while also attempting to make the two of you mindlessly harm each other."
Taking in this information, Sesshomaru shifted in his seat. Surprisingly, his mind detained more over the fact that the vermin had a private encounter with the priestess, rather than himself falling so blindly into his scheme.
"You should have spoken sooner." He only said as much, his stare never leaving her being,
Raising her eyes to meet with his pools of gold once more, Kikyo tilted her head slightly to the side.
"I have tried to." She stated, lifting her left hand in the air, her open palm extended to him.
Maintaining his gaze on her for another moment in silence, Sesshomaru recalled the way Kikyo had approached him right before his half-brother tore into their conversation, as well as how she had attempted to voice out her disagreement to their fighting, only for himself to completely ignore her words in favor of following with the smoldering urge to expel Inuyasha's existence from the area as soon as possible.
Noticing the way her mahogany eyes scanned his own features, Sesshomaru caught Kikyo's realization of his own silent understanding regarding the subject, causing him to narrow his vision at her sharpness.
Then, he lowered his gaze to her reached out palm still held in the air patiently awaiting his cooperation in order to start her treatment. He allowed himself to explore her slender fingers and fair skin, studying her small features compared to his own for a while.
Eventually, Sesshomaru complied and lifted his scorched limb before her, but only close enough for the back of his large, clawed hand to ghost over her open palm, still not making contact.
Letting out a relived breath as she set her eyes down at his stubborn actions, Kikyo raised her palm slowly until contact was formed between their skin, catching the unexpected slight flinch of his fingers at the sensation. She blinked at how warm he felt against her touch, making her curiously wonder for a moment what is it about full demons and high body temperatures. But as she started examining his injuries, Kikyo soon filled with regret.
Sesshomaru's palm took most of the damage, yet the wounds reached all the way up to his arm, ceasing somewhere unknown under the sleeve of his pale kimono. Assessing the burns, she only lowered her right hand to the herbal mixture in the bowl resting in her lap, sending her index and middle fingers to scoop a small amount, then lifted them up, closer to his damaged limb in her grip.
The daiyoukai could only observe in silence as Kikyo began applying the scented substance to his injured skin, carefully spreading it on every spot at which her powers had harmed him, her tips tracing the redness through gentle and slow stroking movements, with the mixture proving to be rather useful as it somehow managed to numb the stinging pain. Now understanding the reason for the flowery and fresh scent her aura had always carried, He found himself also strangely fascinated by her delicate fingers and the thought of those possessing such impressive powers.
Finishing with his palm, Kikyo's eyes followed with his burns all the way up to his wrist, eventually meeting with the sleeve of his kimono.
"I am going to expose more of your arm." She notified him, still glancing downwards at her task.
Hearing no objection out of her patient, Kikyo calmly pushed the silky fabric back to his elbow, her eyebrows soon meeting with displeasure at the sight of the burns extending through most of his forearm. She only silently continued with her task, covering every bit of red she could detect with the herbal blend, her gaze eventually focusing on two dark red markings embedded in his skin, not sure whether those were part of the injuries needed healing or not. Staring down at them for a moment, Kikyo sent her clean ring finger to gently trace their shape.
Clenching his jaw, Sesshomaru breathed deep at the direct feeling of her caressing touch on his healthy skin. His rebellious heart unexpectedly behaved well, until now.
"Those are meant to be there." He quickly informed her, causing the priestess to stop her inspecting all at once as she simply continued with her task, applying the mixture on the rest of his wounds with both perfect precision and an unreadable expression.
However, the more she tended to him, the more Kikyo felt the heavy guilt spreading in her chest.
While she only meant to break this useless pattern which unfortunately characterized every encounter between the two brothers, harming Sesshomaru in the process was not her intention at all, as she had already realized before that sabotaging her own companion was foolish beyond compare.
And yet, all she could think of at that particular moment was a way to maintain Inuyasha's existence.
Kikyo blinked as the inevitable, bitter realization soon hit her;
'I was being dishonest to my own word after all by putting Inuyasha's safety above that of Sesshomaru's...' She quietly realized.
Letting out a silent breath, the priestess kept her attention down at her current task.
"I am sorry about this, Sesshomaru." She apologized, the unexpected sincerity in her voice prompting his golden gaze to venture for answers in her expression, his eyes quietly studying the way the setting sun illuminated her long and unbound hair, how the warm rays fell on her face framed by her dark straight bangs and smooth locks, caught in her mahogany orbs and exposing the well-hidden silent vulnerability that this woman in front of him fought so hard to conceal, the vivid color in them shining so impossibly bright against the colorful kosode she was wearing, all making it impossible for him to tear his captivated gaze away from her at that moment, causing his heartbeat to quicken below his layered armor.
Forcing himself to relax, Sesshomaru swallowed hard as he sorted his own mind, managing to compose his thoughts once more.
He couldn't help but suddenly understand that this side of the priestess was one which he was most likely hardly the first to witness, causing him to slightly frown at the thought of her appearing so defenseless before others as she tended to their wounds, regrettably also making him find logic behind pests of any race flocking to her being, especially a low-life vermin such as Naraku developing an unruly obsession for her existence.
'Naraku...' His prey's putrid name plagued his mind, reminding him of her words from earlier.
"What did that scum spout when he appeared before you this morning?" He demanded to know.
Kikyo glanced up at him in response, meeting with his pools of gold.
"He only spoke of matters which I was already familiar with."
Sesshomaru narrowed his gaze at her vagueness.
"Tell me." He insisted.
Kikyo breathed deep, averting her eyes downwards to her actions.
"Naraku kindly reminded me of the fact that I am no longer part of the living, simply making me remember that once we finally slay him, I must cross over to the next world."
The daiyoukai kept silent to her words. Although her expression remained steady before him, he noticed her spiritual aura had weakened significantly, barely posing a threat before his own demonic energy. He could now already tell this meant the woman in front of him was undeniably sad. And although her realization was legitimate and understandable, at that moment, Sesshomaru was suddenly crossed by an irrational disapproval stirring inside him to the idea.
But before he could investigate within himself of the reason why;
"While fighting with Inuyasha earlier, you could have taken his sword. Why didn't you?" Her question interrupted his thinking process.
"Hmph." He mocked, raising his head while maintaining his gaze on her, "Be grateful that I didn't, miko, otherwise this amount of your soothing substance would have hardly sufficed."
Stopping her actions for a moment, Kikyo raised a slightly confused expression up at him, letting their eyes meet once again. She studied him in silence as the meaning behind his words soon flashed in her mind, making her lean back with quiet surprise;
Their father not only denied Sesshomaru of the killing sword, but also made sure that his eldest would never be able to use it.
'What a hurtful action to take against your own flesh and blood.' She thought.
Inevitably, her gaze fell down onto Tenseiga resting at his hip, with Sesshomaru's keen eyes following through her thinking process, managing to read through her notions.
"Do not attempt to seek logic behind it, miko." He said dryly.
Feeling the same sadness and understanding flow through her being, Kikyo's mahogany met with his gold once more, staring up at him as her eyes searched his features. Somehow, at that moment and against the warmness of the setting sun falling over his face and reflected in his orbs, Sesshomaru seemed surprisingly accessible before her, the same hint of well-masked unguarded emotions she had witnessed before, was now apparent in the deepest shades of his gold, making him appear almost human, even.
"Is this the reason for your disapproval of Inuyasha?" She further investigated, attempting to understand him better.
But as soon as the cursed name left her lips, she caught him immediately close up once more before her, disgust soon crossing his expression.
"Inuyasha does not deserve what he had received from my father, that is all." He answered simply.
Tilting her head slightly to the side, Kikyo decided to press.
"What makes you say that?" She asked, watching him closely.
Staring at her for the longest time in silence, Sesshomaru's frown only deepened.
"While I, Sesshomaru, grew up in royal court and bettered my skills for dozens of years since birth, Inuyasha lived with humans and fled into the wild after his human mother's passing, barely surviving like a pitiful, stray beast." He answered, his voice low and his words dripping with venom, "Yet, my father still chose to grant an existence like that with power, while I, Sesshomaru received nothing but a dull blade that is useless in battle."
The priestess took a moment to process the information, never breaking away from his gaze.
Apparently, Sesshomaru's hatred of the half-demon ran deeper than she had thought, consisting of much more than a simple grudge against Inuyasha regarding him being bestowed with the killing sword;
Sesshomaru's very pride was shattered by their father's decisions, undermining his entire progress and ironically only further fueling his hatred and disdain for his younger, half-brother, not to mention his obsession for the sword, which he believed was his right to take.
Quietly, Kikyo only lowered her eyes to Sesshomaru's empty sleeve.
"Was chasing after that blade also how you've lost your arm?" She voiced out her following theory, making him glare at her sharp instincts.
Neither of them said anything for the longest time as they only stared at each other in silence, sitting in the middle of the forest illuminated by the warmness of the reddish colors around them, only the sound of the leaves rustling against the wind above spreading through the area and filling their space.
Continuing with her task, Kikyo focused her attention down to the wounds still not treated.
Somehow, she was suddenly overcome by the need to soothe the mind of this inu daiyoukai sitting in front of her.
"It is best to view this situation from a different angle, Sesshomaru." She calmly suggested, sending her fingers to once again cover the remaining burned area with the mixture, "Inuyasha desperately needed that power, while you were more than capable of taking care of yourself. Your father most likely planned to bestow each of you with something you lacked."
But her deduction only caused his mouth to form a thin line.
"I do not suppose I need to remind you, miko, that power is the only thing I seek. Naturally, a blade that brings back life is not something that I lack."
"Power does not grant one with true happiness." She reminded him almost immediately, as if anticipating his words.
"Human emotions are not something that I understand, and therefore, I do not need and never shall." He countered back.
Hearing this, Kikyo finally understood the true meaning behind their father's decision of granting Sesshomaru with the healing Tenseiga, causing her vision to narrow as she weighed her own perception.
Finishing tending to his wounds, she raised her gaze up, locking with his.
"Whether you like it or not, Sesshomaru, you have already shown concern, compassion and understanding towards your companions and strangers alike, thanks to that very sword which you deem so useless." She steadily explained, letting go of his arm as she straightened before him, "Perhaps this is what your father wished for you to see."
For a moment, confusion was undeniably evident in his pools of gold once he finished processing her theory, however, that was soon replaced by nothing more than blatant skepticism mixed with bitter mockery.
"If I had indeed shown these feeble emotions, then it was nothing more than a lapse in my better judgement." He dismissed entirely, narrowing his gaze at her, "Those are nothing but a weakness, as you have said it yourself."
Clenching her grip on the bowl in her lap as she realized he had misunderstood her completely, Kikyo's expression crossed with a hint of annoyance and she rose to her feet before him, now shooting him down with a sharp look.
"Those emotions which you toss aside so easily, deeming as useless and weak, are what I've lived a full life desiring and never truly knowing." She reminded him, her voice calm, yet her mahogany eyes pinning him down with undeniable fierceness, "This is an opportunity that was given to you by none other than your own father whom you claim to have valued so highly, perhaps it's time for you to stop contradicting yourself, Sesshomaru."
Reacting to her sudden actions, Sesshomaru rose up to his feet as well, now towering over her frame and flipping the dominance of the exchange.
"I, Sesshomaru, deem everything which I cannot fully comprehend as potential weakness, miko, and so should you."
But kikyo only maintained her calm poise before him.
"I did not think of you as a coward." She answered him simply.
Surprised by her impudent words, Sesshomaru clenched his jaw and moved even closer to her, his face inches away from hers.
"You dare say I fear those notions?" He demanded down at her, his golden orbs boring into her mahogany ones.
She returned his inquiry with an annoyed frown, but the priestess couldn't help but feel incredibly warm with his close presence, the coldness hurriedly falling over the land around them as if nonexistent at this point.
"I dare say you should consider the possibility of true strength lying beyond just a flashy blade and a fancy title, Sesshomaru."
He stared down at her, the silent passion in those mahogany eyes of hers burning him with pure, iron belief supporting her own words, regrettably causing his body temperature to skyrocket as his heart once again accelerated against his ribs. But venturing deeper into her orbs, Sesshomaru suddenly overcame with unexpected comprehension regarding what she meant in her talk the day prior, causing him to involuntary inch back with quiet realization;
The feelings which he saw as useless, are the very force which drove this woman in front of him.
The will to move forward no matter what fate had in store for her, to finally be able to step out of her suffocating duty and let her heart experience what she always longed for with all that comes with it; emotions, needs, selfish desires, virtues and sins, is what bestowed her with this immense strength that she possessed, as well as what made her feel truly alive;
Truly human.
With his full attention still locked down onto the priestess' being, he went over her latest theory in his mind, analyzing it in silence.
While he deemed the notion as absolutely ridiculous, Sesshomaru still could not ignore her ability of perception and confidence in her judgement, resulting in the daiyoukai finding himself suddenly interested in testing the extent of this woman's belief in her own concept of humanity.
He quietly kept his fierce gaze down on her for a few more moments, feeling her spiritual aura clash against his own body with relentless waves in its usual hostile fashion.
'You will prove to me exactly how to find strength in these pitiful emotions, woman, especially when you so confidently dare to claim this was my own father's intention behind his decisions.' He mused, turning on his heel as he distanced himself from her being, his new decision already formed in his mind.
"I shall be waiting for you to show me, miko." He only answered this much, his golden eyes remaining on her form as he stepped past her, eventually turning his gaze forward with his sash soon extending below him, taking him away to an unknown location, leaving a slightly confused priestess behind, staring after his vanishing figure.
Among his silent comprehension, Kikyo also caught a glimpse of a mysterious conclusion flashing behind his golden eyes; a secret resolve which she couldn't quite name.
A/N:
Whoever can understand what Sesshomaru had actually decided there can most likely get the gist of where this story is going to go, and if that sounds good to you, then buckle up since things are only gonna become more and more complicated from here on out, and I can't wait to write it.
Once again, thank you for your lovely reviews and positive support for this story! It really means a lot.