I TOOK MONTHS! I'M SORRY. Sweet and short is how we keep this.
It had been five days now.
Kagome sighed and chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. Her hand rubbed her growing belly as she stared at the figure lying on the bed.
Five days.
The door slid open and she turned her head, watching as Miroku entered with a small tray in his hands. He smiled at her.
"My Lady," he said with a wink. "I've brought a bowl of cool water and cloth for-"
Kagome nodded. "You can set it down over there, Miroku. Thank you." She said before turning her gaze away from him "Right now I'd like to watch him sleep a little longer." She said quietly. "He looks so peaceful."
"Yes, they tend to be when asleep." He said in return, setting the tray on a small desk. "But wait until he wakes, he'll be a pain in the ass soon enough if you ask me."
"Well good thing I didn't ask." Kagome said, smiling. She went over to the bed and pulled back the covers slightly, sighing at the sight underneath. Sitting down beside him, Kagome gently ran her fingers through his black hair. "He's beautiful," she whispered, to no one in particular. "Absolutely perfect." She said. "My little boy…"
"I've also brought you this," Miroku said, handing her a yellow rose. "It's from Koga. He says it means good health and prosperity."
"Well that's very sweet of him," Kagome said softly. "Tell me how is Inuyasha?" she asked. "I miss him."
"He'll be back soon. The Northern lands are his now, it's only fair that he return to manage them, at least until things get stable. Anyway, from what I understand he's putting someone more…talented in charge as soon as he sees fit. Someone he can trust with his life, if you catch my meaning. "
The grin on Miroku's face grew hopelessly wider.
"You?" Kagome said, surprised. "He's letting you run his lands for him?"
"Oh now, Kagome! I can't be all that bad." He said with a mock pout. "And it's only until he's ready to do it himself. He wants to live with you until the baby arrived; that is his little niece or nephew in there after all." He joked, ruffling her hair. "He'll be here next week"
Kagome shook her head. "Just try not to let the place crawl with concubines, hm?"
The laughter from the monk could be heard all the way down the halls of the Western Manor…followed by an "Oh. You're being serious, aren't you?
(The Next Morning)
Inuyasha wanted to cry.
He stood in the center of the once large and beautiful Northern Manor and looked around at the rubble at his feet. This…
"Shit hole," he sighed under his breath.
Was all his. Every square inch of it. Wonderful. A small tug on his sleeve caused him to bring his gaze downward. A young girl, no older then twelve maybe, stared back up at him.
"What?"
"My Lord…your people…" she stepped aside in a semi-sweeping gesture and caused Inuyasha to look out across the field of debris. The peasants of the North stood before him, tools in hand. Women held baskets full of food and children stared at him from behind the protection of their mothers. Each and every eye watched him quietly.
Inuyasha stared back.
After a few moments, the young girl shyly tugged his sleeve again. "My Lord?"
"What do they want?" Inuyasha asked curiously. "What are they waiting for?"
"For you to go in front, lord."
Inuyasha looked at her. "Do what?" he asked. The young girl stepped back slightly and bowed her head.
"Your home must be rebuilt, My Lord. But first the people want to know if…" she stepped back further.
"Well? Spit it out kid."
"Well…" she looked back, scared to continue. A woman from the crowd urged her on. "Lord Koga was very kind. He cared about each of us. He never beat us or took from us what he did not need. He-"
"Arg." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I get it. What's your name, girl?"
She blushed. "Rin, My Lord."
"Stop calling me your lord."
"I am sorry, My Lord. Yes, My Lord."
Inuyasha sighed and rolled his eyes. He grabbed the girl by the arm and pulled her forward towards the others, a serious look on his face. When he reached the throng, they flinched as he shoved her into them. Rin hid her face in fear.
"NOW LISTEN UP EACH OF YOU AND LISTEN GOOD!" He screamed at the top of his voice. "THERE ARE GOING TO BE CHANGES AROUND HERE!" he said, looking from face to face. They stared back solemnly. "FROM NOW ON, THE COLORS OF THE NORTHERN LANDS HANG SILVER, RED, AND BLACK!" he demanded. "NO MORE BROWN! IT'S THE COLOR OF SHIT, YOU UNDERSTAND? ONLY AN UGLY IDIOT, PERHAPS OF WOLF DECENT, WOULD LIKE BROWN!" he sighed, breathing hard. His frustration with Koga's "gift" melted away a little bit.
Calmer, he lowered his voice, knowing that he held each of their attention. "And as your Lord, Master, and Protector I demand that you call me Inuyasha. THAT'S IT! JUST INUYASHA!" he shoved a clawed finger in a man's face and growled. "God help you if you call me anything else. Understand?"
The man, shaking horribly, nodded.
"Now! You all have a manor to rebuild! And I want it bigger and better than that piece of shit Koga had!" he yelled. He snatched a hammer from one of the men. "So I'm going to help. And I want each and every one of you to tell me your names in the process! You say Koga was a good lord?"
His eyes turned to Rin, who stared at him in astonishment. "Well," he said. "Then I will be a better one. It's my duty to outdo that stupid wolf." He looked at Rin and winked, "After all, a dog is a man's best friend."
Rin, after a few moments of comprehension and a glance to his ears, broke into a smile.
"Long live Inuyasha: Ruler of Northern Lands!"
(Five days more)
Sesshomaru signed another document and handed it off to a servant who quickly took it away. He sighed, gave a brief glance to the window and sighed again.
Checking to see if he was done, he opened his drawer and pulled out, to his surprise, a small headscarf.
He stared at it, as if seeing it for the first time. A marvel of almost unresisting wonder. Feeling the small cloth against his fingers brought back memories. He stared; transfixed now, as certain scenes of his life seem to flash in front of his eyes. Her smile, her kiss, her face, her bruises, her tears…her love. He kissed the cloth lightly-
And then quickly tucked it inside his robes as there was a small knock on his door.
"Enter," he said, grabbing a sheet of paper and throwing his concentration into it. After a few moments he looked up and paused. Kagome had stuck her head in and waited to be acknowledged. He raised an eyebrow.
"I um," she started, losing her train of thought as she came into the room. "God Sesshomaru, don't bore into me like that! I can't think when you do that." She said, blushing. He shook his head.
"Sit down and I'll stop staring and then maybe I'll allow you to think." He said smugly. She came around and eased herself into a chair then looked around the room with interest. Or with nervousness.
Sesshomaru stood and came around to her side, leaning against the desk in front of her. He tried to smile, but the unfamiliar muscle movement caused him strain and it died around his lips. He scowled instead. "Well?"
"Well what?" Kagome said, giving him her attention. She looked positively beautiful. Her hair was like black silk, scented with the rarest jasmine essence available to Sesshomaru's wealthy hands. Her skin glowed from the hot springs, her lips and cheeks rosy red from the clean air and rest. His eyes slowly looked her up and down, taking in every detail.
How exquisite she was…simply…
"Sesshomaru?"
He snapped back to attention. "What?"
"I asked how you were feeling." She said. Her eyes glowed with concern. The skin on his neck was still a light blue and purple and there were three scars on the side of his cheek that would not go away. His skin tried healing over it, but it burned through. Permanent miasma, incapable of killing him, but permanent nonetheless. It gave him an even deadlier air.
Kagome ran her fingers across them gently. They didn't harm her.
"You aren't afraid? Seeing me like this?" he asked, rigid under her touch.
"You've always frightened me without it." She said quietly. "Will your neck be all right?" she asked. "And your chest…" her fingers trailed down gently, lightly grazing his robes. Her hand stopped over his heart and she pulled away slowly, then snapped her head up to meet his gaze with tears in her eyes.
"You worried me," she said. "I hated you and I turned my back to leave, but I saw you from the hills," she continued, voice filled with tears. "And you worried me, Sesshomaru. And I've been scared of you and scared by you but I've never been scared for you…so I came back."
She searched his eyes. His perfect amber eyes that seemed to dig into the depths of her soul and take all her secrets from her. The eyes that made her want to embrace him and never let him go when all he did was given her a quick yet sharp glance.
She loved his eyes.
"And it's been ten days." She said. "And in six months, I'm going to have this baby." She pulled his hand onto her stomach, and he felt the tiny bulge of life, amazingly strong with demonic aura…but something human thrown in the mix. "Our baby, Sesshomaru." The tears slid slowly down her cheek.
Sesshomaru almost looked puzzled. He fell back into a trance and watched as she blinked, and as the wetness of her tears made her eyelashes look frosted. Without a word, without a sound, he placed his free hand on her cheek, leaned down and—
Another knock stopped him. His lips were mere centimeters from hers. She looked like she was in a stunned daze, unable to breathe. He heard her heart pound wildly.
Heard his own do the same.
As the door creaked open, Sesshomaru stood and turned to address the intruder. Akahito peered in, the same way Kagome had done. "Mommy?" he whispered hoarsely. When he saw her, he smiled and entered without permission. His arm that wielded the sword was in a sling, and there were small cuts and bruises on his skin, but his half demon blood was working fast to heal him.
"Mommy?" Said Sesshomaru, raising an eyebrow. Kagome stared at Akahito and snapped out of her thoughts. She smiled.
"Yes" she said. "Mommy." She looked at Sesshomaru. "That's another thing. I'm adopting him. I'm his mother."
"That makes you Lady of the Eastern Lands, Kagome." Said Sesshomaru quickly, his mind buzzing.
Kagome shrugged. "I suppose it does."
Akahito leaned his head against his mother's side and smiled. "Peace between the North and East." He said, with a yawn. "And the West, maybe a union."
Kagome looked at Sesshomaru. He stared at the boy. Then he glared.
Akahito kept his innocent look on his face. He was a six year old. He was a demon. He was a human. He was also a genius capable of understanding politics. "It's normal for Lords and Ladies to marry for the benefit of their lands."
Kagome made a small gasp. Sesshomaru scowled. "Run along boy, I did not give you my say to enter."
Akahito opened his mouth to protest, but so did Sesshomaru, and the fangs of a full demon is something no child wants to aggravate. Akahito had saved Sesshomaru's life.
But Sesshomaru had done the same for Akahito. They were even, which meant nothing was owed, which also meant little boys could be sliced into pieces. But he was still six, and the only person he would listen to was-
"Mommy I'm hun-"
"Go," Kagome said gently but firmly, still looking at Sesshomaru. "I'll see you in a bit."
Akahito made a face and slowly turned, leaving the room and closing the door shut behind them. With him went the noise, leaving complete silence when he had gone.
After a while, Kagome looked down and played with her hands. "I'm your equal now, you know." She said softly. "I'm educated, I'm a lady of vast lands…I'm your equal now."
"You will still die before me." Sesshomaru said coldly. Kagome flinched.
"Is that what keeps us so distanced?" she whispered. "That one day you will have to live without me? And be alone?" she asked.
Sesshomaru did not answer.
"So does it make sense for that one day to start today…if I'm still here?"
Startled, he looked at her. Her lips had fallen into a frown. The tears had come back. "Is this how you want to remember me, Sesshomaru?" she said passionately. "Crying and heartbroken because you won't love me?" she asked. She threw her arms around him and wept into his shoulder. He arms fell to his side as he leaned down unto the nape of her neck, staring at nothing.
"I have begged and pleaded and begged for your love!" she cried, holding him tight. "And I have given and taken and given you mine. Love me, Sesshomaru! Take from me what I want from you so badly! Love me," she said. She sniffled and pulled back so that her tear stained and red face was close to his placid one. She placed her hand on his cheek and caressed the scars. "Because I know you do." She whispered. "You wouldn't have these, if you didn't. You wouldn't have fought for a human or died for a silly woman….If it didn't mean the world to you...would you?"
His eyes rose up slowly, the enchanting orbs resting on her face. "No." he said after a pause. "I wouldn't." he placed his arms around her and held her tightly, so close that he felt the bulge of their future rub against his stomach. He kissed her tear stained lips and leaned his forehead against hers, his gaze upon her chest and heart.
"Marry me?"
"Yes," she whispered automatically.
"Stay with me?"
"Yes,"
"Always"
"Yes,"
"Good." He said, and placed his head on her chest as she rested her chin on the top of his head. They stayed like that for a long time. It was the most vulnerable and weak position Sesshomaru had ever been in.
But he had yielded. And she had won.
And he…he…
Was happy.
"Thank you," said Kagome softly. She closed her eyes and smiled. The pure scent and feel of him, causing her to feel something within her she hadn't felt within a long time. She took a deep breath and let it out. And somehow, somehow she knew, her baby-thier baby-smiled.
It's not that good, I admit. But it's what came over me after all this time of writer's block. Tell me if you like it.
I am also considering starting a trilogy of this. You know, another story involving the same characters and some new ones. I have a few ideas already but I at least need one person saying I should go ahead and do it…