A/N:
We've now reached 500 reviews for this story! Wow.
Thank you all for your continuous support, my lovely readers. The truth is that I'm still very surprised this small idea that I had spontaneously began exploring one lazy autumn night nearly two years ago had amassed to such a long journey and gathered so many incredible and talented fans along the way. I'm very flattered to know some of you even consider this story as your new canon, haha. _ Thank you for placing your trust in this, I'll be glad to continue providing the content and especially if it could help ease your minds a bit through these distressing times we currently live in.
So, with all that said, I reckon it's only fitting to have this chapter as (somewhat of) a special installment to celebrate this milestone. ;) Enjoy!
Chapter Forty-Two
Sunset dipped beyond the trees and over the angled ridges of the far landforms as the group continued to travel deeper into the mountains' unknown territory, the skies above their heads and tall forest surrounding their narrow trail cast with a reddish glow, stretching the shadows of the trees long across the rocky ground before their feet. Measuring their words now, they walked steadily ahead, listening to the treetops shaking thickly against the breeze as the temperature rapidly fell, inviting low-flying mist to drift from the depths of the the lush growth, obscuring the continuation of the path while pooling up to their knees.
And once dusk conquered the sky leaving only the residue of light to guide them, the trunks of the trees as if suddenly unwounded from each other, the leaves draping before them moving aside like a curtain opened to reveal a hidden, traditional human mansion, shrouded in the heavy fog and overgrown with wild bushes and moss.
Coming into a graduate stop before it, Sesshomaru and Kikyo calmly evaluated the sudden find.
And soon, they both noticed that oddly enough, the elegant manor appeared in pristine state beneath that certain veil of deceitful protection.
"Wow! What a huge house!" Rin's curious gaze travelled the unexpected yet impressive sight while A-Un, Jaken and Kohaku halted their movement as well.
"Hmm... appears to be a human mansion." Jaken deducted, squinting to examine the estate, "However, with this level of neglect, it looks completely abandoned."
Before he even managed to conclude his sentence, though, Kohaku already stepped closer, passing his form and positioning himself next to Rin.
"No, it's not..." The taijiya determined, his expression turning stern while he reached back to quickly draw his weapon, his shoulders tense with alert.
"Eh? Kohaku-kun?" Rin's eyes widened with confusion to his sudden actions.
Yet, it was not long before her question was quickly answered, and shortly the ground shook beneath their feet, the structure before them as if shifting and changing through the darkness, eventually oozing with strong youki, completely engulfed by the glowing demonic aura and unmistakable scent of ominous hostility...
An unquestionable thirst for fresh blood.
"Who dares to step into our territory...?"
A low voice rumbled darkly from deep inside the mansion's barren space, the thick vines snaking up the purple-colored gates surrounding its garden scrambling aside to allow the doors to creak open before them, their eerie sound echoing through the still air as cold poured from the depths of the structure to clash violently against their faces. And soon, a youkai manifested before them all, taking the evil form of a monstrous fox which rivalled the size of the mansion placed behind it, its kin eventually materializing closely beside the beast, revealing the army that was residing in this particular estate, and the same one that had most likely also conquered it from its original, now deceased owners.
"Bastards..." It spoke again with a vicious hiss that whipped through the silence, "You think you can just walk your way into our clan's grounds with no repercussions...?"
Unimpressed by the threat, Sesshomaru and Kikyo maintained their quiet staring up at their newest, unscheduled enemy.
"Well," The priestess eventually said through a mocking breath, keen mahogany finding her companion, "It appears we are outnumbered."
Hearing that, Sesshomaru scoffed with boredom, then simply met her gaze.
"So it seems." He answered dryly.
Tension rose by the second as Rin hurriedly moved across A-Un's saddle to place herself behind Kohaku's armed being, with Jaken quickly following in her example, trotting to conceal himself beyond the taijiya's leg. Just like that, the forest around them fell into a deafening quiet, not a bird or a cricket could be heard among the shadows, leaving only the sounds of their shallow breathing to fill the heavy atmosphere.
And once their enemies' patience waned, all beasts charged like lightning towards their newest prey with deadly intent, eager to feed their savage appetites.
"Be honored! You shall all become food for –!"
However, not letting the leader even finish his hasty words, both Sesshomaru and Kikyo already readied their weapons and set their attention up to their target with frightening speed, sending their calculated attacks of deadly spiritual aura and the Meido's inescapable crescent-shaped portal to either trap or completely erase their presence, effortlessly purging the air from their now screaming enemies, the brilliant light of their combined powers flashing the entire area as if the sun was still up, beaming through the skies.
And once the very last of the enemy youkai was successfully eliminated, the group observed as the mansion before them shifted once more through the darkness of the late evening, the overgrown plants that as if shielded the structure from sight engulfed with a red glow, beginning to ebb away and disintegrate, revealing it whole and untouched beneath like a magic spell had just been lifted.
"Ohh!" Rin called with amazement, brown eyes widening to the unexpected sight.
"H-Heh, those pitiful cowards!" Jaken spat, disdain and mockery clear in his still trembling voice, "Hiding behind the safety of camouflage like that... they secretly preserved this human property underneath that false and unattractive appearance, huh."
Sighing deeply with relief, Kohaku's freckled features eased.
"That's fairly common." The taijiya said, tucking his weapon back into the green-colored strap tied around his waist, "Human structures can provide a comfortable nest for low-rank youkai to settle in."
Intrigued, Rin stared at the boy as he further assessed the mansion before him.
"This one looks like they had only very recently conquered it, however." He added.
The fast-approaching night's silence hung heavily over all souls present, the skies above only hinting with the residue of dusk as the mountains looming in the distance swallowed the remaining bits of deep azul, the thin veil of clouds gliding to block the moonlight permitting them merely a faint source of light to discern their surroundings.
And shivering against the cold wind as it bit harshly against his green face, the imp-demon sneezed loudly and shook his head to the shudder that seized him.
"How I miss the distant privilege of four walls and a soft bedding..." He muttered under his own breath, shoulders heavy with despair.
But his wish did not go unnoticed by the girl, and soon Rin blinked down at her small companion as the thick mist nearly drowned his short stature completely, a certain idea flashing behind her large eyes.
"Maybe... we could all stay in this pretty house tonight?" Her careless suggestion released into the still air, causing both Sesshomaru and Kikyo to turn their heads halfway over their shoulders, finding her being through impassive expressions.
Poised, they simply observed Rin for another moment, then proceeded to scan the rest of their companions through the dimness of the late hour. Once they deemed it enough, they both found the other's gaze, evaluating their final answer on the matter;
No doubt, Naraku was still scheming something.
However and on second assessment, perhaps his unnerving quiet lately was meant to deliberately throw them off-balance, to interfere with their coherent thought process and have them obsessively guessing his next move, unknowingly enslaving their minds to his vile presence precisely as he would have wanted them to...
Equipped with that realization, did that worm truly deserve to occupy their musings in that exaggerated manner, to have them spend every bit of their time according to what he may or may not choose to do next?
With their secret decision formed between them, the daiyoukai and the priestess shifted to stare at the now completely empty and isolated mansion positioned before them, the purple, wooden gates guarded by two stone lanterns at each of their sides still wide open and as if inviting them inside to the freshness of the inner garden surrounding the estate, the chilly breeze carrying a variety of pleasant scents along with it, ripe fruits accumulated on the forgotten trees and shrubs overflowing with berries and nuts, not one possessing even the slightest indication of danger.
"We shall rest here for the night." Sesshomaru firmly notified the rest of his group members, resuming his strides forward and prompting a wide, excited smile to spread on the child's features, as well as carefully hidden relief on the imp-demon's.
Steadily like that, they ventured into the grounds of the deserted property, leaving A-Un to feast in the outer garden under the trees brimming with colorful fruits as they proceeded to step into the mansion, the wooden floors creaking beneath their movement and their presence echoing through the emptiness of the vast space, filled with the scent of cedar. Consumed with giggling excitement, Rin marched ahead, sliding the many shoji doors in her path open, peeking into every room with a wide smile and her brown eyes beaming with interest, inviting an amused smile to decorate Kikyo's features.
"It's rather cold tonight, so it would be best for you to settle in the tea room." The priestess advised, turning to Kohaku and prompting the boy to nod once with understanding as he followed after Rin in their task of locating their newest destination.
"Indeed, a sunken hearth there shall keep us warm, at the very least." Jaken begrudgingly agreed, still visibly shaking from the coldness of the unpleasant weather outside while he hurriedly stepped after the two children.
Watching them make their way through the rooms, Kikyo came into a halt, mahogany eyes scanning the four walls she was currently standing in. Then, the priestess turned in one of the nearest closets' direction, crossing the tatami mats until facing the many compartments she guessed held various daily necessities. Lifting one fair hand up, she quietly slid one of the square doors to the side, reaching inside to grab three, neatly folded futons.
Yet, her relief soon tainted with sadness when she noticed their difference in size, and Kikyo simply released a deep breath, sending one hand to dust them off from the evidence of accumulated time.
'Merely a few months, huh.' She surmised to herself based on the thin layer, inevitably wondering whether or not the household's past residents had all perished, or perhaps some managed to safely escape despite all odds.
Eventually, Kikyo turned to Sesshomaru standing not far behind her, meeting with his watchful gaze.
"I shall take these to them." She told him.
With the night approaching its halfway mark, Kohaku, Rin and Jaken had all successfully located and settled in the preferred room, the moderated, low fire burning in the square hearth built in its middle promising their steady warmth for the night and their futons all happily occupied, save for one, as the imp-demon suddenly decided that a line should be crossed regarding how much he was to rely on this inferior human establishment.
"Jaken-sama, just use the futon, it's so comfortable." Rin urged him from the depths of the soft fabric, her eyes fixed on her stubborn companion.
"I most certainly will not!" Jaken snapped back from his seat, leaning against the wall behind him, his short arms crossed over his chest in defiance, "Do you think I wish for any more human scent to stick to me, child?!"
Confusion crossed the girl's expression to his reasoning, yet her attention was soon caught by the movement of the priestess as she finished spreading the embers evenly through the stifled fire, sticking the metallic tools into the pale sand and then lifting herself to her feet, preparing to exit the room for the night.
"Goodnight, Kikyo-sama!" Rin called with a smile.
Stepping beyond the open shoji door and onto the wooden veranda surrounding the estate, Kikyo granted both her and Kohaku with a warm smile in return.
"Sleep well." She said.
With that, the priestess slid the door into a soft and tight close.
Turning on her heel with a smooth motion, Kikyo relished the soothing quiet of the night as the wind blew through her long and unbound hair, carrying the hinted scent of fragrant autumn with it along with the distant, soft ringing of windchimes. The moon claimed its highest point in the starry sky above her, dismissing the haziness of clouds and sending its rays down to caress the earth, allowing her a much clearer view of the lush garden than before.
And once her gaze travelled along the length of the outer wooden porch she was currently occupying, Kikyo noticed none other than Sesshomaru, sitting regally on the far edge of the elevated platform with his sole hand placed over one bent knee, his glance soon colliding with hers as he turned his head in her direction, sharp golden orbs gleaming like jewels all the way from his far position to fix on her being.
Stilled like that, neither of them spoke or shifted their calm line of vision from each other while the melody of late night resonated around them.
Eventually, the priestess lightly raised her chin, resuming her movement.
Silent, Sesshomaru's eyes followed her closely while Kikyo made her way towards him, idly watching as the moonlight spilled across the floorboards surrounding the mansion, the soft rays casting her figure with a silver outline, shimmering in her dark, silky hair which hanged long and loose behind her, swaying according to the capricious wishes of the late night's breeze.
This woman's essence, he realized, the elegant manner in which she carried herself and the sound of her feet as those struck the ground, were all already carefully imprinted into his mind.
Then and as if lost in a certain trance, the daiyoukai found his thoughts suddenly wander, picturing her stepping through much finer halls and dressed in far more suiting garments, her expression eased with comfort and peace, free of any commitment nor duty but the ones she would carefully choose for herself...
A reality that he was sure would fit her better than anything else the world had to offer.
"The clouds cleared out nicely." Kikyo's even voice shortly pulled him from the depths of his musings once she reached his spot, and Sesshomaru immediately composed himself, quietly observing as the woman lowered on one knee with a graceful motion beside him, shifting to sit on the edge of the dark veranda with one fair hand placed in her lap and the other supporting her upright and relaxed posture, her aesthetic features lit subtly by the moon's pale rays.
He held her calm gaze for another moment, then broke from the priestess' presence, setting his unreadable attention forward onto the open garden placed before them.
Easily like that, they both fell into comfortable silence, staring into the peacefulness of night and density of maple trees obscuring them from the rest of the world, the trickling sounds of a small pond hidden amongst the mossy steppingstones echoing through the air as crickets buzzed in the low bushes and fireflies glided in and out of the fog hovering above the calm water surface, its misty ripples flowing across the ground and all the way to cool their ankles.
Even neglected for a short period of time under their new and unlikely owners, the wild grounds seemed radiant and thriving, still.
And taking in the mesmerizing tranquillity before her, Kikyo inhaled the freshness in the air deeply.
"Do these sights of luxury remind you of home?" She voiced her secret interest into the silence, her gaze still placed forward.
Sesshomaru found her profile from the corner of his eye, then only exhaled with contempt.
"Measly human royal mansions can never hope to match the grandeur of youkai estates." He answered, his tone matter-of-fact and yet filled with avid disdain.
Hearing his reply, the priestess breathed with amusement.
"That sounds about right." Kikyo nonchalantly agreed, finding his gaze once again, "Yet, I suppose that I could not help but ask after visiting the castle in which you spent your youth."
A single dark eyebrow rose to her unexpected words.
"The sights you have witnessed there were limited, those hardly reflect the way in which I, Sesshomaru, grew up in." Sesshomaru notified, sharp eyes locked with hers.
And staring into those pools of clear gold, Kikyo felt her curiosity only further rise within her, inevitably calling upon a recent, old and withered voice to surface in her mind, a glum piece of information which she couldn't quite seem to forget...
"You can say this is the way the great Inu no Taisho, Togashimaru, had chosen in order to assist his eldest in discovering the right path in life."
Fuelled by that accumulated, pressing need for clarification, she only studied the proud daiyoukai for another moment before the next set of words left her mouth.
"Tell me, then." Kikyo steadily dared him, maintaining his fierce eye-contact as her head tilted slightly to the side, "Of your youth."
Sesshomaru set his jaw to her bold demand, and neither spoke a word into the chilly air for the longest time.
Eventually, he threw his gaze onto the blurred, misty distance of the garden before him, away from how easily her eyes managed to charm him, capture his heart and take him to those distant, forgotten fields in the depths of his own memory.
"What necessity do you find in such knowledge?" He investigated, his voice low.
Quiet, Kikyo kept her appraising line of vision on his profile, focusing on the specific, captivating way in which the subdued moonlight shone upon his silver features, caught in the deepest shades of his gold as if unveiling a certain secret only she could witness;
Something so vulnerable, so private, a glimpse of his past that this man only scarcely allowed her to see, before.
"To know my lover better." Kikyo replied while lost in the moment, helplessly observing as the words that even she did not plan to voice out this casually managed to grab his attention with little effort, suddenly making her very self-conscious.
Her shoulders tensed on instinct as the familiar rush of warmth spread through her face, and she could only swallow hard under the intensity of his piercing gaze, shifting lightly in her seat and placing both of her hands neatly in her lap while she made sure to rid her expression from the overwhelming sensation...
But her eyes still held his, unwavering and patient.
It did not take long for her to soon witness the faintest of changes in his stern features, the tension between his dark eyebrows easing as his chest rose with a single inhale, mouth hardening to the smothered memories he now permitted to resurface for air in his mind while the deepest shades of his gold displayed so vividly before her.
This side of him, Kikyo noted, was strangely so human-like.
"There is nothing worthy of discussion." Sesshomaru dismissed, gaze fixed on her, "That time was mostly dedicated to honing my skills in battle."
However, his words carried a certain heaviness to them which did not go amiss by her.
"Was your father the one who had guided your progress?" Kikyo asked.
With that, the daiyoukai turned his head away from her perceptive being, settling into his vague silence as the sounds of maple leaves swaying to the cold wind above them unleashed into the night air with an almost eerie whisper, detaching from their branches and cascading like soft rain as if compensating for the couple's current lack of words.
"For a short while." Sesshomaru eventually answered, his voice low, "He soon sought himself other occupations."
And the way in which he chose to distance himself at that precise moment was enough for her to draw her own, private conclusions on the subject, reaching answers that she had somewhat already theorized regarding how the long absence of her lover's irreplaceable figure of authority had easily managed to throw him completely off-balance, pushing him to hopelessly try filling that vast, bottomless void in the most futile of efforts.
What Kikyo did not foresee, however, was the next inquiry which soon followed to that affirmation;
"Your own early years." The daiyoukai said, gaze still aimed forward, "Who was the one to provide guidance for both your power and mind?"
Hearing that similar need for clarification on his part as well, her eyes widened with the subtle hint of surprise. However, Kikyo quickly composed herself, then lowered her calm line of vision to the veil of mist as it glided before her, shimmering under the moonlight like waves flowing from the most windless of rivers.
'A fair trade, as always.' She mused.
Then, the priestess drew in a deep breath.
"Kohaku-kun, are you still awake...?"
Rin's hushed voice fluttered in the dimly-lit room like a set of small wings, and Jaken's snores weakened as a result. No reply came for a long moment in which she could only stare at the ceiling above, her hands folded over the soft futon she was lying in.
Then, once the imp-demon resumed his steady sleeping rhythm, the girl heard the faint ruffle of bedsheets.
"Yeah, I'm here." Kohaku calmly whispered back.
Blinking through the obscured room, Rin lifted herself into a sitting position, the chill of late night which seized her upper body prompted her to quickly snuggle herself with the warm fabric all the way up to her shoulders while her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, eventually deciphering Kohaku's form as he lay across from where she was, both of his arms crossed behind his head and his freckled face unreadable, staring above into an unfocused spot.
Quiet, the girl watched him for a moment longer.
"Rin was wondering..." She began, hesitant, "About something she saw earlier today..."
Shifting in his place, the boy moved his head in her direction, brown eyes finding hers.
"What do you mean?" He asked, observing her.
The girl took her time to study him a bit before she continued.
"Rin saw... a cat youkai with flames burning at its paws and tails, flying through the sky..." She said, "You seemed familiar with it, Kohaku-kun."
As soon as the sentence finished leaving her mouth, Rin noticed the same look of uncertainty shortly flash behind the boy's eyes, sadness easily plaguing his expression.
Wordlessly, he sighed and tore from her to once again cast his line of vision at the high ceiling overhead.
"Yeah." Kohaku eventually replied through a low voice, "Riding on that youkai... was my older sister."
The fire burned down to its glowing embers in the sunken hearth beside them as silence settled upon the room, and Rin could only stare at her companion's profile as the memories rose within his mind, causing him to breathe in deeply in an attempt to relieve himself from some of the terrible weight those inevitably summoned.
However and despite himself, in that moment, Kohaku also found that a certain, unpredictable urge manifested inside him, a strange will to share these musings of his with his companion, instead of his natural reflex to deny others from any of his dark secrets. From his true self.
And before he even noticed, his eyes relocated Rin's being through the subdued firelight as if drawn to her unwavering brightness.
Really, why was this girl in particular so different than anyone else?
What was it about her that always coaxed him to open up so easily, to trust his feelings in her like she were the safest of homes for those to rest in?
Reaching no definite answer, Kohaku only exhaled.
"Her name is Sango." He finally told her, "She's the sole survivor of the time Naraku had put me under his control... using me like a puppet to kill my family and the rest of my taijiya clan. It's better to just let her be, she's fine with Inuyasha-sama's group."
Rin's small shoulders dropped along with the information as she recalled Kohaku's unfortunate words from before, the same he was forced to share with them all back in he morning of his first training session with their master, how he seemed so troubled, so impatient to better himself as a result, to grow stronger in order to repent for the sins he had committed;
Terrible acts that someone as kind as him would have never performed if not for his enemy's manipulation.
Knowing that, Rin was slowly overcome with the consuming need to voice her thoughts on the idea of him now clearly distancing himself from the only family member he even had left in this world.
"But..." She uttered, tone filled with compassion, "Don't you think it's sad for your big sister too, Kohaku-kun? She must be so worried... maybe it's better to at least talk to her sometimes...?"
"It's too complicated." His retort was swift and sharp, as if he was already expecting his companion's words.
However and in complete contrast to how easily the excuse departed from his own mouth, Kohaku soon felt uneasy, the practiced response which he was already more than used to throw at anyone who had tried probing him on this specific matter until now suddenly did not sit so well within him. Silent, his brown orbs lingered on Rin, and he found himself curious as to what her next response following to his impulsive lack of cooperation would be.
He only watched as Rin's gaze eventually strayed away from him, lowering to the tatami-covered floor, instead.
"Hmm. It's not easy." The girl agreed, intermittent shadows casting upon her face, "But not being able to talk with your older sister at all just sounds too sad."
With that, they both fell into mutual quiet, one that filled the air between them to the brim.
Then, uninvited, the haunting sight of his sister's horrified and bloody face shortly tore through Kohaku's memory once again, projecting sharply before his eyes like a knife stabbing through his skull and causing the suffocating heaviness to swell within him, rendering his body almost immobile with grief, forcing him to relive that terrible moment over and over again. By now, he had somewhat already gotten used to the agonizing sensation, but the knowledge which tormented him the most was far more stubborn and hard to accept...
The understanding that the only reason he was even elected as Naraku's puppet in the first place, was because he stood out as the weakest link in his group, the easiest mind to manipulate, his doubts and insecurities all so pitiful and apparent that they were most likely inviting the trouble and carnage to take place as if he were a slice of meat on a string, thrown into the starving den of lions.
"Kohaku-kun." Rin's voice beaconed him from the darkness of his thoughts, her eyes finding his through the dim light, "Even though it's painful... Rin still thinks it's good that you at least have each other." Then, she tilted her head to the side, "And it's alright if you think you're not ready yet... Rin understands that."
Holding her gaze, Kohaku blinked to the sincerity in her words and the genuine, soft smile that now decorated her features, her expression free from any trace of judgement, from the need to dig any deeper into his private reasoning and convince him against his own beliefs, instead showering him with validation and acceptance, a neutral point of view which did not push him to act in any way which he did not feel was right.
And relief washed over him like a cool wave of water, managing to cleanse his mind from any previous discomfort, welcoming a different memory to surface in his conscious, instead;
"Rin knows that her family would've wanted her to smile."
"Why, you two!" Jaken's low grumble suddenly shot at them, voice thick with sleep and green brows forming a deep scowl, "What time do you think it is, exactly? Hurry up and go to sleep!"
Startled by the forgotten presence in the room, both Rin and Kohaku met the imp-demon's irritated line of vision, then, without sparing anymore words into the stillness of air between them, Kohaku watched as Rin stirred in her makeshift seat, lying herself back down onto her soft futon and then pulling the covers over her small frame.
And just like that, the boy was left alone with his countless thoughts, inhaling deeply while he set his blank gaze upwards, yet again.
Same as they always did, Rin's opinions somehow managed to reach beyond his walls and nestle inside him, to foster and grow like the softest of plants, providing him with all the air he needed. And the more that feeling of comforting freshness spread inside him, was the more inspiration compelled him to replay the recent conversation in his head, inevitably making him arrive at certain, new conclusions which he did not perceive before.
'Really...' Kohaku reckoned, 'Isn't it about time I finally made my choice?'
The full moon moved further on its endless arch, angling its pale rays across the garden and gradually revealing more of the beautiful greenery the mansion had to offer while Kikyo preserved her calm stillness to Sesshomaru's inquiry. Quiet, her mind reeled back into her far past, dusting off the earliest of her memories, a recollection which she previously preferred not to access, let alone talk about...
And yet, with this man sitting beside her, the priestess felt herself as if under a spell, almost wanting share every possible detail with him, to shed light on every part of who she is.
"By the time I had discovered my spiritual powers, both of my parents had already perished, and I was the only one left to care for Kaede." She steadily began, shoulders lowering along with the silent breath which drifted past her lips, "Inevitably, when news of my rare abilities reached the heads of our village, I was asked to serve as a local healer and protector of the province. As a result, from that day on I had taken it upon myself to dedicate most hours of my day to sharpen my skills in battle... until eventually being tasked with keeping the purity and safety of the Shikon Jewel, as you already know."
Watching her from the corner of his eye, Sesshomaru maintained his prolong quiet.
And as the night's silence reigned all around them, he noticed a sudden, certain shift in the woman's expression; a look of both understanding and acceptance which he was already more than familiar with by now.
"Difficult, is it not?" Kikyo eventually breathed, her gaze raised to stare up at the array of countless stars peeking through the thickness of trees, "Not having anyone to talk to... not knowing how to deal with that bottled discomfort, with all of that pent up frustration... only thinking of how even the faintest signal of honesty could tarnish one's pristine image."
Golden orbs fixed on her as Sesshomaru slowly turned his head in Kikyo's direction once again, carefully weighting her words.
And although he sensed his natural instinct predictably flare in him to immediately deny any sort of truth behind himself ever possibly harbouring troublesome notions of the sort and especially during his youth... at that moment, the daiyoukai found that old urge almost completely overpowered by the unquestionable ease that washed over him, as if every syllable was a neat compartment for him to finally place his rampant thoughts into, a proof of this woman's correct assessment... of the fact that they had both managed to experience these similar struggles; scars that only they could see, only they could name.
This vulnerable comfort that he had found in her being, he knew, was unparalleled.
"You never tire of uncovering sense from these sort of matters, huh." Sesshomaru concluded, watching her closely.
Hearing that, Kikyo blinked and glanced up at him.
Then, her lips curved up into a soft, amused smile.
"You say that, however..." The priestess said, sentence coming into an unplanned halt as if her following set of words were almost too great for her to bear.
Interested, he patiently observed as the woman sitting beside him proceeded to cast her gaze forward, the faint light caught in her straight-cut bangs and long strands of dark hair flowing down her back all the way to the wooden floor providing her with a pale halo, only enhancing her ethereal beauty.
"You were right back then, when you challenged me to see beyond my rigid duty..." Kikyo continued, tone even, "When you said that I was clinging to my revenge due to my cowardice." Pausing, the priestess bit her lower lip, "The truth is that I was terrified of feeling aimless, prioritizing anything else over that single-minded purpose of mine... I thought that I would be entirely lost and empty without it, however..." Her eyes sought his, once more, "I now see that seeking for a new meaning, a fresher truth to live by... is a fulfilling purpose in itself."
Stilled in his seat, his gaze did not leave hers for even a moment.
"This clarity of mind, I owe it all to you, persuading me out of my comfort zone as you did." She admitted to the air between them, "Fate is still nothing but a corrupted concept for the likes of myself... however and oddly enough, I cannot help but sense that somehow, this was always meant to happen."
Yet, once the words finished leaving her lips, their impact suddenly felt much greater compared to when those casually dwelled in her mind, and Kikyo sensed her thoughts wander, lost in their meaning as mahogany shortly broke from his gold to inspect her folded hands resting idly in her cream-colored lap.
It was so very strange, she noted, looking at where she was now and where she so invariably believed her past plans would ultimately bring her, when she filled herself with her vanity and false confidence, with a set of beliefs that did not align with who she really was, nor what she truly wanted, the present now so starkly contrasting to that time... that it all seems like a different reality, almost.
Rearranging her intricate thoughts like that, Kikyo couldn't stop herself from further wondering...
Perhaps this was all a necessary lesson? To understand that even if things may not have ended up precisely as she originally planned, this progress which she had made so far was something that she could already pride herself on... something that she could truly be content with. Even when the dangers were still tailing her like a shadow, the horrors and hardships lurking behind the very next corner, nipping at her heels and carefully searching for the right time to strike... even then... Kikyo found herself unbothered, leaning her back against the unshakable steadiness of her unique bond with this proud inu daiyoukai sitting beside her, instead;
The one thing she did right... a decision that filled her with genuine confidence.
And mysteriously, despite her best endeavours, Kikyo noticed that she could not fix on the precise spot nor the exact time in which this reassuring sense of balance struck its roots deep into her core and began to grow and spread within her mind...
Before she even knew it, she was already effortlessly wrapped in its calming essence, feeling so undeniably safe and accomplished, so peaceful and whole.
A sensation that no one else could now possibly strip from her.
Releasing a soft exhale into the quiet air, she simply raised her head.
"This body of mine..." Kikyo finally breathed, bringing deep mahogany up to meet with Sesshomaru's even gold for the last time, "I am still incomplete, however... I cannot say that I truly feel like that, anymore."
Studying her for the longest time, Sesshomaru only silently kept her eye-contact.
Fitting to her name, he found that this unpredictable woman sitting beside him truly was like a flower; how she started out so closed and aloof when they first crossed their paths, so distant and guarded, only to gradually open herself up, petal after petal, until now blooming so radiantly before his eyes in a sight so rare that he knew he could not ever tear his gaze away from;
A vision that no one else in the world had witnessed but him, one that he earned, and was his and his alone to behold.
With that secret understanding filling his chest with pride, Sesshomaru inhaled while keeping his intense focus on her. Then, he stirred in his seat, lifting his sole hand upwards in the priestess' direction.
He was already well-aware of the course in which this following act would inevitably lead him, the spiral of dangerous emotions that would surely spark in his head and dull his better judgement, accelerate his heartbeat and leave him a blind fool to this uncontrollable yearning he had for her... and yet, in that particular moment, he had to resign himself to this magnetic impulse.
Really, what did this woman expect, even... skilfully disarming him from any of his defences against her while also presenting herself in this irresistible manner...?
Stilled, Kikyo observed his slow movement through a calm expression, keen brown locked with his smouldering gold as his clawed palm reached to enter under her dark hair and next to her fair neck, sliding to tread deep into her smooth, long strands, fingers wrapping the back of her head and pulling her closely towards him while he leaned himself down, all until their lips finally pressed together.
Closing his heavy-lidded eyes to the strong sensation, the daiyoukai shortly felt her long eyelashes flutter shut against his cheek as well, her head tilting and mouth opening to permit him better access and tenderly respond to his kiss while her hands rose to cup his striped face, her smooth and yet passionate touch, her scent and feel of her against him, all of those never failing to override his mind, senses and reason, rendering him completely fixated on her spellbinding presence.
However, allowing him only the faintest taste of her this time, Kikyo suddenly broke from him and lowered her head, keeping her close proximity, still.
"...Although I wish to proceed, Sesshomaru..." He heard her whisper through already uneven breaths, palms sliding down to feel the heightened pulse at his neck which only proved the necessity of her caution, "It is best that we stop here... before we lose ourselves again."
Staring down at her in silence, Sesshomaru said nothing.
Her hands still rested on his heated skin, the tips of her slender fingers following the quick beating of his heart and her straight-cut bangs brushing against the side of his face. Without exchanging anymore words into the heavy air like that, they only remained basked in the other's steady warmth, fully comprehending the stark contrast between that which they so strongly desired to how unfitting both the timing and circumstances still were...
However and despite that, Sesshomaru's silence soon turned suspicious, charged with a sole, secret intent, and he eventually moved his head slightly to the side while lowering himself further down, pushing his nose below Kikyo's ear and into the richness of her silky hair, inhaling her fresh scent deeply into his lungs.
Flinching in response to his sudden and defiant attack, Kikyo gasped, then swallowed hard, fighting against both the familiar shivers that his closeness sent running down her back and the tantalizing dizziness caused by the way his breath traced the curve of her neck, one hand instinctively clasping onto the collar of his kimono as if to prevent herself from losing balance, and it took all of her power to maintain her composure and muffle her own traitorous voice under his sly actions.
Mind racing, her eyes closed as she curled with hushed delight in his firm capture, tilting her head to the side while the relentless waves of excitement washed over her body, his unplanned contact as if pouring heat into her being and nearly allowing a moan in the shape of his name to slip through her parted lips.
Truly... was this cunning man shamelessly testing the fine limits of her self-control, this time...?
Thankfully, it was not long before Sesshomaru slowly lifted himself from her, calling back on his entangled palm as her long hair caught between his clawed fingers, glistening under the moonlight and falling like streams of water over her chest.
His bold message, however, remained hot and vivid on her fair neck as if his lips were still there, pressed softly against it;
"Soon, I shall claim you."