A/N:
I want to thank you all for your nice feedback on this story! Your reviews and positive support really gets me going!
So, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, and please continue sharing your thoughts with me. :)
EDIT: New cover art for the story made by the most talented MasitaDibujante on tumblr! Thank you so much!
Chapter Seventeen
Picking on the scent and familiar youki of her companions not far from where they had last parted, Kikyo soon landed in the middle of a large field, located amidst of a lush forest and veiled by a consistent, growing layer of Lavender and Lilac flowers in various colors, the radiant view and fresh scent tempting her to inhale the pleasant fragrance deeply and enjoy the stark contrast to the suffocating volcanic climate she had just returned from. Composed, the priestess approached the resting A-Un, following after Jaken and Rin's loud chatter as she shortly stepped into their line of vision, causing the child's eyes to light up with happiness and the imp-demon's expression to cross with apparent confusion at her unexpected presence.
"Ah, Kikyo-sama! Welcome back!" Rin called happily.
Kikyo nodded once at the child, soon focusing her firm attention on the green youkai and making him flinch with alert, the blue-colored flower crown he had loosely stationed on his bald head quickly falling to the ground next to where he sat.
"Make haste, Jaken, Sesshomaru is awaiting your presence." She calmly notified, causing him to blink his round, yellow eyes up at her, "Take A-Un and follow after his youki to the cave's location at the Realm of Fire."
The imp-demon obediently rose to his feet, fingers clasped onto his wooden Nintojo as he timidly fixed his hat back on his top of his head.
Then, he only muttered something unintelligible under his breath to the priestess' vague indifference, quickly jumping onto the two-headed dragon's back, shortly ascending to the early noon sky and flying away according to her instructions.
"Kikyo-sama, why did you switch with Jaken-sama?" Rin's expected question soon hovered in the air as she paused her actions for a moment, her curious eyes seeking for answers.
Eyeing the child in silence, Kikyo noticed the subtle hint of worry in her inquiry, and she only lowered to sit down as well, disarming herself from the ceremonial bow and arrow quiver as she set them beside her form, camouflaged among the tall flowers growing from the healthy soil all around them.
"Worry not, Rin. We did not part on bad terms." She explained with a reassuring smile, terminating any unpleasant thoughts that Rin might harbor, "Sesshomaru assisted me in realizing that this time, it would be wiser for me to stay behind."
Staring at the priestess as she now shifted to sit with her bent legs to one side, Rin couldn't help but note the same change in her mannerism once again; how the air around her seemed to be much calmer, the heaviness as if gradually vanishing, almost like it was previously latched onto her shoulders, and was now barely even there anymore, granting the woman with the liberty of expressing herself more freely.
"Are you making flower crowns?" Kikyo asked, studying her actions.
Rin lowered her brown eyes back down, soon resuming her actions.
"Yes!" She confirmed happily, weaving a magenta-colored flower into a calculated spot in her creation, "Whenever there are long flowers like this, Rin can make pretty crowns if she has enough time."
Kikyo quietly watched her actions as her lips curved up to a soft, relaxed smile.
And she suddenly recalled the way the memory of this child had displayed before her right when she was about to take the first step towards the gate, how it filled her with the nostalgic feeling of regret, of worry and of wishing to see her, even if for one last time, making her halt her movement, both physically and mentally altogether.
This selfish, addicting happiness that she now felt cursing through her body, simply being able to sit in this field with Rin, enjoying the caressing sun and the soft wind against her false skin, a different reality, almost; unscathed and untouched by the circumstances, pure and whole.
A feeling like this... was more than enough to lessen the weight of her compromised decision, the small bit of it still left after the general understanding that Naraku would most likely not let himself perish that easily without even seeing her taking his bait and appearing before him, as he had planned.
Just then, her mind chose to halt on a different memory, a sight of a certain keen pair of golden eyes, transmitting the feeling of not only satisfaction, but of a certain achievement as well, all of it regarding her finally trusting in his words and heeding his warnings, unlike what had occurred that night on Mt. Hakurei.
Even now, she was still surprised by Sesshomaru putting that much effort in order for her to comprehend his perspective... and especially by how wrong she was, being blinded to his true intentions.
"Kikyo-sama, do you like Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin's bold question tore her from her musings as she quickly set her eyes onto the child, who had been staring at her for quite some time now.
Blinking with surprise, Kikyo maintained her silence for a moment.
"Well, I value Sesshomaru as my companion, Rin." She answered stately.
Rin kept her gaze on Kikyo, eventually lowering it back down to tighten a final loose stem in the crown, managing to complete her creation.
Then, she quietly rose to her feet, taking one step towards the priestess.
"That's too bad, because Sesshomaru-sama seems as if he like you a lot!" She determined ever so easily, placing the magenta-colored Lilac crown on top of Kikyo's head, who only sent one hand up to grab and adjust it, her eyebrows meeting with confusion to the sudden odd topic of conversation the child had chosen, as well as her bold assertions.
Analyzing what could prompt her into investigating the subject, Kikyo suddenly recalled a similar deduction from Rin, one which she had shared with her right after she had foolishly attacked the daiyoukai, following to his insulting of Inuyasha, with the child insisting that Sesshomaru appeared sad as a result of their slightly violent disagreement.
And she finally understood, releasing a silent breath and observing Rin as she now earnestly began working on another flower crown, this time, of white color.
'She's attempting to patch Sesshomaru and I together, mistaking us both for potential parental figures.'
Kikyo wanted to mark the thought as nothing short of ridiculous and most definitely embarrassing, however, the more she theorized the possible source for these ideas in the girl's mind, the more she leaned towards the harsh fact that this was only an inevitable matter of time before Rin saw them as such.
Kikyo simply lowered her gaze to the flowery ground below her as the heavy realization sank in her mind;
Since Rin had lost her entire family, it was only natural that she sought to restore that same sense of balance she was currently missing, a concept of a healthy household and a stable ground to plant her roots in once again, a wish that she would unfortunately not get to see manifest into reality, especially not in this current, endless journey that she's part of, in which she is being blindly dragged from one dangerous location to the other...
Understanding all of this, Kikyo filled with guilt.
She was truly too absorbed in her own quest for revenge and unaware of the girl's needs, blindly and irresponsibly nurturing these deceptive hopes in Rin's mind through all of this time...
"I apologize if either of us had carelessly given you this false impression, Rin."
Preparing herself to an avid display of crushing disappointment on the child's face, Kikyo waited for her reaction.
But the look Rin gave her when she lifted her gaze up to meet with hers held no trace of the emotions she predicted it to carry, at all.
"You really haven't noticed it yet, Kikyo-sama?" She asked with piercing honesty, her brown eyes wide.
Taken aback by how undeniably confident Rin appeared before her, Kikyo raised an eyebrow.
And she felt her guilt suddenly overcome by a most consuming spark of interest.
"You seem very certain of your opinion." She investigated.
Rin only smiled wide, letting out a hearty giggle.
"Rin has been with Sesshomaru-sama for a long time! Rin can tell he cares a lot about you because you two understand each other so well." She answered.
Tilting her head slightly while maintaining enough balance to sustain the colored flower crown decorating the top of her head, Kikyo observed the child in silence.
"Naturally, we have a mutual understanding as allies." She countered simply.
But Rin only shook her head.
"That's not it, Kikyo-sama." She noted, weaving a single white flower right next to the other in a perfect fit, "Sesshomaru-sama seems different whenever he's around you."
Hearing this, Kikyo swallowed hard.
Somehow, this sudden statement sent the false feeling of hotness spreading in her cheeks once again at the sheer absurdity of the idea.
And she let out a small breath, attempting to clear her mind from being further influenced by the notion. What was she even getting this naively embarrassed over? She was no longer part of the living, therefore, this type of conversation was entirely irrelevant in the first place.
She was simply intrigued by what had made the child so inflexibly confident in her claims.
Noticing Kikyo's sudden silence, Rin blinked with further interest as she raised her gaze back to the priestess.
"Are you sure you don't like him back, Kikyo-sama?"
Turning her attention to Rin once again, Kikyo simply let out an amused, albeit tired breath.
'There is also one more important variable in this whole entanglement...' She reminded herself.
"The state of my existence is not one which allows me to focus on love, Rin." She answered simply, deciding to properly terminate any lingering chances this unexpected topic still potentially carried, "And even if it did, I am afraid my heart already belongs to someone else."
Halting her doings at the last part of Kikyo's words, Rin's expression turned surprised.
"Who?" She asked, her undivided attention aimed at her.
Contemplating whether she should dive into this complex subject with Rin, Kikyo kept her quiet for a few moments.
And the wind soon found its way into their location once more, swaying the tall flowers back and forth while running through her hair, whispering through the greenery all around in a low and soft sound.
'I guess it is better to let her know now in order to not disappoint her later with further misconceptions.' She decided.
"Inuyasha." Kikyo eventually answered, the name departing from her lips with a heavy, labored breath, "Sesshomaru's younger, half-brother."
Her charged answer left to fill the air between them as Rin said nothing.
"Oh..." She answered simply with understanding, but surprisingly, disappointment was still not registered in her features, "Is this Inuyasha person nice? Jaken-sama doesn't like talking about him."
Releasing an amused breath, Kikyo smiled, tilting her head slightly back and lifting her gaze to rest on the green tops of the trees above.
"Inuyasha is very kind hearted." She replied, but the next breath the priestess had drawn did not escape the girl's attention, "However, our relationship was sabotaged by Naraku, fifty years ago when I was still alive, resulting in us being forced to part our ways, now."
And his image resurfaced in her mind once again.
She had tried her best to appear as professional as she could before him when she delivered him the arrow for Kagome to use, but the passionate fierceness in his eyes and his worried desperation for her sake was still immensely hard for her to ignore and forget.
Finishing the white Lilac crown in her hands, Rin raised it up, carefully positioning it on top of her own head and making sure to adjust it properly for a perfect fit.
"Is that why you were alone before joining Sesshomaru-sama and us, Kikyo-sama?"
Easing her shoulders, Kikyo only nodded.
"I thought I could manage on my own, having a certain advantage over Naraku." She admitted, smiling sadly, "But I can now see that I failed to properly read the situation before me, therefore, I find this current arrangement somewhat suitable for myself."
Placing her hands on her lap, Rin straightened with pure happiness.
"It isn't lonely anymore, is it?" The child asked, smiling widely.
With her mahogany eyes finding the girl once again, Kikyo quietly processed her words, soon blinking with sudden realization.
Did Rin comprehend her situation and feelings, back then when they first met on the hill observing Mt. Hakurei? That same first talk they had shared between them... was the child able to read her that clearly, pushing her to insist for Sesshomaru's help and seeing what even she could not at the time?
'What a bright girl.' The priestess mused.
"I guess you could say that it isn't."
But a certain troubling memory soon replaced her pleasant thoughts, one which had been occupying her conscious regarding both its connection to Rin, as well as the circumstances of its situation as whole;
Another lonely existence that might possess a possible clue for their next course of actions against Naraku.
"That Kohaku boy..." Kikyo started, observing the child carefully, "Do you think you could tell me more about him, Rin?"
Lifting her eyes up to meet with Kikyo's, Rin's expression soon turned troubled.
Then, she only lowered her gaze down to her hands resting on her lap, her small fingers clenching onto the fabric of her kimono.
"Sesshomaru-sama..." Jaken eyed his master in silence, tightening his grip onto the mokomoko in his hands as they both made their way through the border between the worlds, flying among the thick, white mist shrouding the high and pointy cliffs of the land all around them, "W-What was the reason for the woman's sudden return, my lord?"
Refraining from answering to his vassal's curious musings, Sesshomaru kept his gaze forward.
"I have relieved the miko from her duty of accompanying me in this place." He eventually replied simply.
Suddenly filled with happiness as he heard the daiyoukai's unexpected words, Jaken's expression crossed with hurried relief.
"S-Sesshomaru-sama! For you to prefer my existence over that undead woman... this Jaken is deeply moved –"
"Silence, you fool." Sesshomaru firmly cut into his rash misunderstanding, anger clear in his tone.
Jaken could only stiffen in fear and bewilderment as he stared at his master, who only maintained his attention aimed at the far distance.
And neither of them spoke for a long time, the heavy silence stretching far as they continued soaring through the dead land in the direction of the occurrence unfolding somewhere far into the horizon.
"Coming here would have only guaranteed her unnecessary death." Sesshomaru eventually stated.
Processing his words, Jaken's round eyes widened even further.
'For Sesshomaru-sama to be cautious enough of another being's existence, resulting in him planning ahead of his own actions...?' He blinked, attempting to wrap his own mind around the surprising situation.
"Do you think Sesshomaru-sama likes Kikyo-sama?"
Jaken's first instinct to the memory of the child's ludicrous words was to violently shake his head, curse her for being so simple-minded and go on with his life without even giving the thought the luxury of his own time, however, now, that instinct seemed to suddenly prove far less powerful than before.
'Could Sesshomaru-sama truly...'
But before he could complete the thought, Sesshomaru quickly drew out his sword, sending a powerful and deadly attack forward, his loud strike clashing against Naraku's unbreakable barrier and the shock nearly throwing the surprised Jaken off from his grip on the sash he was latched onto.
Opaque crimson eyes soon darted to meet with fierce gold, and the air filled with tense, suffocating animosity.
"Sesshomaru..." Naraku called, a condescending sneer plastered on his face, "Did you come rushing to save your little brother? Such a kind older brother..."
But the daiyoukai only ignored his pointless attempt of provocation, focusing his stern gaze on the large remains of his father, the tomb of the great Inu no Taisho, instead.
Outwardly relaxed, Sesshomaru scanned the grand dimensions of the skeleton in all of its glory, the magnificent armor and menacing size, unparalleled power and formidable presence still lurking in his bones long after his death.
It has been a long time since he last stood before it.
"Memorial grounds should not be disrespected." Like a caressing whisper, Kikyo's calm voice suddenly surfaced in his mind, prompting his vision to sharply detect Inuyasha's presence as his battered form wobbled inside a new gaping hole in the armor of the vast tomb.
And an annoyed frown soon found its way onto his features.
Without saying anything, Sesshomaru quickly lowered himself down before the half-breed, shoving Tokijin into the hard ground beneath his feet as soon as those met with the surface below them.
Then, he raised his only arm up, his fingers clenching into a tight fist as he directed it towards Inuyasha's face with great force, the impact sending him flying in the air and crashing through the ground, his back grazing against the firm, countless remains of various demons all around him.
Propping himself back up with his arms, Inuyasha lifted a hand to wipe the blood gushing from his most recent wound, inflicted by his older, half-brother.
"You bastard... what the fuck are you doing?" He demanded, anger embedded in his face.
But Sesshomaru maintained his quiet position, ignoring Inuyasha's companions quickly rushing to his aid.
"You worthless half-breed, disrespecting father's tomb..." He hissed at him, turning to face Naraku while quickly grabbing onto the momentarily discarded Tokijin, flying back up to his prey's eye level and dropping the confused Jaken behind in the process.
Now glaring at the cursed being before him, the daiyoukai filled with a consuming urge to wipe his existence off the face of the earth, his grip tightening onto the hilt of his blade.
"What's the matter, Sesshomaru? Where's your newest companion?" Naraku's venomous words soon broke through the heavy silence.
Hearing his insolent question, Sesshomaru narrowed his golden eyes, soon releasing another deadly attack at his direction, but to no avail, as it only evaporated against the powerful barrier, leaving the loathsome being inside unscathed, just like before.
"Humph, not answering, huh." Naraku surmised with an amused smirk.
Barely even letting him finish his words, Sesshomaru swiftly charged once again, this time landing a point-blank hit against the barrier, but with little achievements.
He flew back to land on top of a pointy land-form, his jaw clenching with silent anger.
"If you want to cut me that much, then I shall grant your wish." Naraku mocked, exposing parts of his body out of the barrier and taunting the daiyoukai in front of him.
Lifting his Tokijin up, Sesshomaru released another strike, this time, successfully tearing through his enemy.
But the severed tentacles soon released a surge of deadly and putrid miasma at his direction, engulfing his form entirely and spreading everywhere, reaching all the way to the large remains of his father, which held Inuyasha and his group, as well as his loyal vassal.
With the misama eventually clearing away from his body, leaving him perfectly intact and undamaged, Sesshomaru only smirked with pity at the creature before him.
"Did you expect that feeble miasma to affect I, Sesshomaru?" He mocked back.
However, Naraku's demeanor remained both composed and amused at the occurrence.
"Even without affecting you, Sesshomaru, every time you cut my body, miasma shall pour out and instead destroy everything in this place, including the still living below." He explained.
Understanding the vermin's pitiful plan now, Sesshomaru's glare turned murderous as he realized Naraku once again attempted to use him as a pawn piece in his game.
He wanted to follow after his own urge and shower his disgusting being with endless, continuous attacks, with one of them eventually managing to penetrate his damn barrier for sure, however he now knew better than to allow this worm to have his way so easily.
"If you think I shall obediently follow with your pathetic plan, you are mistaken, scum."
Surprised, Naraku narrowed his eyes at his unexpected answer.
"Oh? How very astute of you, Sesshomaru." He said, his words dripping with sarcasm, "Seems like you've learned a few things from that woman."
Sesshomaru's scowl only deepened as his prey continued with his taunts;
"Tell me, was Kikyo too afraid to face me, sending you in her stead?"
Forcing himself to relax, Sesshomaru raised his chin as his boring gaze alone threatened to burn a hole through Naraku's barrier.
"That woman knows better than to waste her time on the likes of you."
Naraku smirked at his answer.
"Time, huh..." He echoed with a low voice, his tentacles swaying in front of the daiyoukai like bait on a string, "She sure has plenty of that, being already dead..."
Hearing his cursed words, Sesshomaru felt rage curse through his entire being, and he hurled his attack at him in fierce, yet restrained anger, his powerful strike eradicating the tentacles and dispatching miasma once again swirling down and slithering everywhere through Inuyasha's location.
But Naraku's gaze only sharpened at his actions.
"Hoo? You seem quite aggravated by the concept, Sesshomaru." He sneered, watching him carefully, "Does her condition bother you this much?"
Just then and before Sesshomaru managed to reply with yet another swing of his sword, Inuyasha released a new and unnamed strike up at their location, penetrating Naraku's barrier with ease and leaving him with nothing to further guard himself against the half-breed's following attack, sending countless shards of diamond piercing through his body.
Narrowing his eyes, Sesshomaru's grip on Tokijin tightened, quickly seizing the opportunity as the fierce urge to slay this abomination before him spread through every limb in his body.
"You no longer have the power to create another barrier, huh." He deducted, swinging his sword one last time, "I, Sesshomaru, shall exterminate you!"
With the hit successfully landing on him, Naraku was left floating in pathetic, arbitrary pieces. And realizing the severity of the situation and his own condition, he could only hurriedly open a portal to allow himself to escape the scene, but not before one last attack had been launched towards him, one which caused Sesshomaru's golden eyes to widen.
He blinked as he felt it; the familiar, undeniable sensation of unparalleled, powerful holy spiritual energy, the arrow cutting through the air before him and hitting Naraku straight at his core, exploding into a ball of blinding light.
'This power...' His gaze lingered on the vanishing remains of the attack, still glistering before him, 'The only one who is able to posses this much intensity in it... is her.'
And his golden eyes soon darted below to examine every member of Inuyasha's group, with his gaze eventually stopping on his half-brother's existence as he watched him kneeling down to converse with Hosenki, their father's old acquaintance.
'Exchanging information... huh.' He recalled Kikyo's reason for her meeting with him, turning to once again face the subtle residue of her spiritual aura still lingering in the air before him, 'The woman had truly made her preparations in case I wouldn't let her attend this location...'
"Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken's croak was suddenly heard from below, grabbing his attention.
Keeping his position for a few more moments, Sesshomaru eventually lowered himself close enough for his vassal to latch onto his mokomoko once again, then, without sparing another word, he only ascended with grace, departing from the area back in the far direction of the gate.
With Inuyasha's companions all following not far behind him, Sesshomaru soon reached the hovering doors located in the sky, and he stopped before the entrance, his gaze setting on their large dimensions. Then, he unsheathed Tenseiga in silence, forcing the gate to part open before them, revealing the inside of the familiar cave and allowing them to pass through, the suffocating hot climate and scent of sulfur soon bathing them all as they crossed back to the world of the living, reminding them of their current location.
Once each and every one of Inuyasha's group members landed inside the cave, Sesshomaru sheathed back his father's legacy at his hip, allowing the stone henchmen to rise up and take their neutral position as they stood on each side of the round gate, the doors slowly sliding to a graduate close, once more.
Silence now fell on all souls present, and the daiyoukai found this a good time to desert the area and head back to his campsite. He turned on his heel with Jaken still firmly gripping onto his draping sash, slowly stepping to the mouth of the tunnel which would lead him outside.
However, before he managed to take his leave;
"Hold up, Sesshomaru." Inuyasha firmly called, attempting to halt his actions.
But Sesshomaru only kept his steady walking rhythm, not even acknowledging his words.
"You prevented Kikyo from coming 'cause it was too dangerous for her... didn't you?"
Stopping in his tracks, the daiyoukai's eye twitched at the sudden inquiry, and he made sure to keep his gaze forward.
"That has nothing to do with you, Inuyasha." He answered simply.
"Why, you –!" Gritting his teeth, Inuyasha balled his hands into fists. But before he managed to utter anything unnecessary, Kagome stepped forward, sending her hands to wrap around tattered, red fabric, shaking her head in silence and successfully halting his outburst.
"Inuyasha is grateful, Sesshomaru. Thank you." She genuinely called in his stead, tightening her hold on the half-breed's arm.
Slightly easing his shoulders under her touch, Inuyasha let out a loud breath, his golden eyes darting from the girl back to long, silver hair and draping sash before him.
"I dunno why, but Kikyo seems to listen to you..." He muttered in still, very audible anger, his scowl deepening, "So make sure to keep her outta trouble until we kill that bastard Naraku, ya hear me?"
Shocked by Inuyasha shamelessly daring to advise his lord on how to behave with the troublesome miko, Jaken's expression crossed with disdain, but as soon as he opened his mouth to reprimand the utmost disrespect unfolding before him, Sesshomaru's sash extended below his feet, interrupting the green demon's line of thoughts as his small hands quickly and firmly gripped on the soft fur, managing to prevent himself from falling as his master took flight through the rocky tunnel, rapidly distancing them both from Inuyasha's group and soon exiting the cave completely.
Flying through the hurriedly setting sun into the endless horizon, the darkened skies were already scattered with evening stars, not even one cloud preventing the glow of the crescent moon to overlay and extend its rays onto the tops of the trees and the high mountains in the far distance, the uninterrupted silence now allowing Jaken's mind to finally wrap around everything that had happened.
He lifted his yellow eyes to his master, noticing that as always, his attention was aimed forward, not even allowing him a clear look of his face.
Sighing heavily, the imp-demon frowned with confusion.
Not only had he witnessed Sesshomaru sitting so obediently in front of the miko as he let her treat his wounds with no form of objection whatsoever, but Naraku's taunting about the woman had also managed to influence his master into an attack fueled by definite anger, with the half-breed's words only confirming the fact that Sesshomaru had really prevented her from coming due to nothing short of concern for her safety.
He hated to admit the wretched possibility from before... but he now felt as if he could not contain his own curiosity regarding the subject any longer.
And he kept his silence, taking his time to perfect the eloquent words in his head.
Unaware of his vassal's notions, Sesshomaru kept his gaze forward, going over the latest occurrences in his mind, contemplating their meaning and assessing the situation in its freshest, most updated version;
'Naraku is now aware that the miko is by herself.' He deducted, clenching his jaw, 'However, his current pitiful condition after sustaining a direct hit from her charged arrow will likely prevent him from further attempting to chase after her existence for a while.'
Narrowing his eyes, Sesshomaru recalled his prey tearing to bits under the force of his final attack, yet still managing to survive, just as he did in that night on Mt. Hakurei.
'His heart must be located in order to properly slay him, after all.'
His golden gaze narrowed.
The cursed heart which is the only way to ensure Naraku's demise... is the same heart that the coward had torn out of himself in order to be able to face the miko's existence at ease without having to worry about the power she held over him...
Sesshomaru let out a steady breath as his sole hand clenched into a fist, irritation still cursing through his system as a result of the scum's pitiful words.
But as pitiful as they were... somehow, they still proved to be effective against his composure.
Why was it that particular question which managed to irk him?
"Does her condition bother you this much?"
There was nothing of truth behind his vacant and pathetic incitement, after all.
"U-Um... Sesshomaru-sama..." Jaken asked in a hesitated voice, an anxious drop of sweat running down his green face.
Refraining from answering, Sesshomaru only kept his attention on the far distance.
"In light of recent events, and as your loyal vassal, my lord, I feel it is my responsibility to inquire about certain mundane subjects to ensure comprehending the situation better... therefore... a-and please do forgive me if I offend you, Sesshomaru-sama..."
The imp-demon swallowed hard before the next words departed from his mouth, already wincing from the expected reaction it would carry;
"But... have you perhaps taken a certain special liking to the undead human miko, my lord?"
Hearing this, sesshomaru's golden eyes widened, and he soon turned halfway back to glare daggers at his vassal, sharp eyebrows forming a hateful frown and his youki spiking in a sudden hostile and deadly manner.
"You shall not spout such pointless drivel before me ever again, Jaken." He threatened firmly.
"Y-Y-Yes, of course, Sesshomaru-sama. P-Please do forgive me!"
Turning his head forward once again, Sesshomaru clenched his jaw.
'A certain special liking...?' He involuntarily repeated, the cursed notion suddenly flooding his mind.
His scowl only deepened as the thought further sank into his musings, planting its roots deep into his conscious and spreading the unbearable, suffocating warmth in his chest.
Nonsense.
He's no fool to waste his own time and energy on such a preposterous notion, on such useless feelings that grant him with no merits, directed towards a human woman, and a priestess, no less...
His own father had fallen into the exact same trap before, after all; seeking comfort in the arms of a human woman, throwing his life away in order to protect her, leaving his entire legacy behind, a misguided army tossed into havoc and an empire stained forever by name.
There is no way that he would follow in his poor example and act so blindly and irresponsibly upon irrational desires of the sort as if those carried no weight of consequences to them.
He was far from being so careless.
And he most certainly did not inherit this embarrassing trait from his father, the great Inu no Taisho.
Before he noticed, the source of his companion's combined scent soon displayed before him, and he lowered himself to land amidst of the colorful flowery field, the smell of Lavender and Lilac rising to the air and filling his lungs as the soles of his shoes met with the earth below him. Glancing at the camp area further from his position and next to the rows of trees up ahead, he could tell Rin was already soundly asleep against the resting A-Un and in front of the steady fire.
"Well, this Jaken is going to warm himself against the flames." Jaken muttered under his breath, letting go of Sesshomaru's sash and soon stepping ahead to the source of heat.
Remaining in his place, Sesshomaru scanned the surface before him, soon picking up on Kikyo's spiritual aura as she stepped from behind the trees, holding Rin's water compartment in her hand, now filled with fresh water from the nearby river.
And his eyes involuntary darted to the woman as she calmly noticed his presence, their silent gazes interlocking and the world itself as if suddenly stopping around him as he could only observe her make her way in his direction through the flowery field, with her long, unbound hair swaying according to the wind's wishes. Clever mahogany orbs that reflected the moonlight above them soon ventured deep into his gold as she approached him, most likely attempting to decipher his every musing, a calculated expression devoid of any emotion, yet a body surrounded by a holy spiritual aura that secretly exposed everything she was attempting to conceal, her mysterious thoughts almost vividly displaying before him through the unique scent of her energy and the way it clashed against his own.
He only maintained his composure before her, studying the way her dark and smooth hair caught the pale rays of the moon in a white halo surrounding her being, falling across her face and shining on her smooth features. Without saying a word, he watched her closely as she now stood before him in silence like that, neither of them breaking their patient gazes.
And his keen eyes soon detected a sole magenta-colored flower petal, stuck well between the inner layers in her unbound hair right beneath her ear, seemingly not even discovered by the unaware miko.
He scoffed internally at the sight, the contrast between the small imperfection and her ever-so confident exterior causing him to once again fill with disdain for the thoughts which pervaded him before;
'To think that anyone would even dare to consider the possibility of I, Sesshomaru, emulating my own father's unnecessary attraction to human women...'
The only reason for his decision of joining forces with this woman was in order for himself to benefit whatever he could from her existence. Stopping her from behaving in an uncharacteristically reckless or self-destructive manner were all premeditated decisions with a clear intention behind them. Her powers, impressive mental resilience even under pressure and knowledge regarding topics which he had believed only he could comprehend, had all proven to be worthy of his time.
And with that plan, he had also set his mind on achieving a way to maintain her unbalanced existence and grant her with a stable body, as well.
That was all there was to it.
"You prevented Kikyo from coming 'cause it was too dangerous for her... didn't you?"
He narrowed his eyes.
The implication Inuyasha, Jaken, the worm, and even Totosai had all insolently dared to hide behind their preposterous words...
'How absurd, how utterly foolish, how undeniably –'
"Sesshomaru?" Kikyo's steady voice broke him from his sudden, unruly trance.
And he only blinked with quiet realization as his golden eyes flickered to her appraising mahogany ones, noticing his large palm brushing against the side of her smooth, fair neck with his fingers deeply entwined in her silky, dark hair. Maintaining his silence and unruffled expression to his own unthinkable actions, Sesshomaru quickly regained control on his limb, calling it back and sliding away from under her hair, slowly running through her straight locks as the long strands gradually pulled forward, caught after his movement and falling gracefully to lay over her chest, his unreadable gaze eventually dropping down to the rebellious petal, successfully hunted in his precise grasp.
The breeze soon found its way to their location, it's gentle humming ran through the field as if coordinated to apply more weight to their sudden, confused silence, with neither saying anything in perfect, calm stillness, their conflicting auras clashing together in small ripples of energy, relaxed spiritual waves meeting with restrained, powerful youki in an endless subdued battle of dominance.
Then, without explaining himself or displaying even the slightest of hints regarding his own thoughts, Sesshomaru lightly straightened before her as he simply let go of the petal in his grip, proceeding to step to her side with a smooth motion, striding towards the camp area and passing Kikyo as if nothing had happened, leaving her standing in her spot.
With her composed gaze aimed down at the discarded colorful petal on the ground before her, she raised her left hand up, softly touching the heated skin where his palm had just rested against, the hovering residue of the sudden and bold contact bringing unexpected shivers down her spine and the familiar warmth to spread through her entire false body, once again.
Her fingers lingered on the spot for a few more moments.
She only planned to verify that Naraku had indeed managed to survive as she expected, however, now, that thought was erased in its entirely, replaced by unforeseen sheer puzzlement, instead.