Disclaimer: see previous chapters.

A/N: Okay, ending time! A big THANK YOU goes out to VirginiasGirl who reminded me to update this sucker. I've been a little distracted lately what with Life kinda sucking and all. So here it is, hope it's adequate enough for you not to hate me. I can't tell anymore.

Belonging

Chapter 17

Sessho-maru landed several yards from the fortress and calmly walked towards the entrance, bracing himself for the standard enthusiastic greeting from Rin and Jaken. He really wasn't in the mood for them right now. He'd had another exasperating encounter with Inu-yasha and his mood was very dark.

That damnable, rash half-breed doesn't have the intelligence to wield that sword. What were you thinking, father? Did you want to punish me that much for my insubordination, or did you truly love him and that human that much more?

The door closed behind him with a resounding thud and he made his way towards the staircase but stopped after two steps, his senses prickling. Something's wrong. Where are Jaken and Rin? They're always here by now, no matter what time of night.

Hidden from sight but able to see Sessho-maru's every movement, Kurama smiled. He senses something. But is it me, or the absence of Rin and Jaken?

"If you're looking for the child and the toad, they've graciously left us alone for the evening."

Sessho-maru looked around but didn't see anybody. That voice….I feel like I should know it.

"Whoever you are, you will find yourself tortured in the worst possible ways if they have been harmed."

"They're fine."

"Show yourself."

Kurama flashed a small amount of his ki to get Sessho-maru's attention and lead him upstairs. When he came to the large wooden door of his bedroom Sessho-maru opened it to find the room empty and he could no longer sense the presence nearby. Suddenly his attention was drawn to the painting hanging over his bed. Even in the dimness of the evening light Sessho-maru could see the painting well enough to identify it and that's all he needed because he had every detail memorized and the full beauty of the painting was now blazing in his mind's eye.

He took a few hesitant steps toward it, feeling a very familiar darkness, an ache, building within his chest.

"Why would you hide such a beautiful painting? Afraid someone might steal it?"

Sessho-maru's trance was broken at the sound of the intruder's voice and he unsheathed Tokijin, the demon sword illuminating the room with its deadly red aura. Kurama was shocked when he witnessed the immense dark power. What has happened to you, Sessho-maru?

"I grow bored of this game, coward."

"Still labeling everyone, Sessho-maru?"

Kurama broadcast his ki once again and this time Sessho-maru appeared in the garden in a flash of silver lightning.

"This is a very lovely spot, don't you agree?"

"I will give you one last chance to reveal yourself and face your death properly before I destroy you piece by piece. You will beg me to kill you."

Kurama chuckled. "You would destroy a garden that holds such happy memories for you?"

Sessho-maru's eyes went wide and Tokijin immediately powered down. Who is this creature to say such things? But soon Sessho-maru regained his composure as painful memories brought his anger back tenfold. His eyes became blood red and the area became surrounded by an oppressive presence of demonic energy.

Kurama could see it was time to end his little game before things became too dangerous. He slowly stepped out of the surrounding foliage wearing a pale blue yukata. Sessho-maru couldn't breathe and it felt as if his body had gone numb. His anger and the demonic energy filling the area disappeared and the only sound to be heard was the muted thump of Tokijin hitting the ground.

"Still want to cut me up into little pieces?"

Kurama walked forward slowly not stopping until he was within a few feet of the still silent and stunned inu. He could sense Sessho-maru's wildly beating heart and saw the tremors shaking his body. He reached out and traced the violet markings on his cheek and Sessho-maru's breath hitched as he leapt backwards several yards.

Kurama frowned and let his hand fall back to his side. He looked away, out over the garden landscape.

"I understand. It was arrogant and selfish of me to expect you to be here waiting for me after all this time."

"Why….? Why are you doing this to me? What kind of disgusting creature are you to pull such a distasteful stunt as this?"

Kurama looked back, startled at the venom in Sessho-maru's voice.

"No, Sessho-maru. It really is me. I am no hallucination."

"No. You cannot be him. He isn't of this world!"

Sessho-maru's eyes turned red and he lashed out with his glowing green claws, slashing at Kurama. Kurama dodged the attacks, but just barely. He called forth all manner of plants to slow the enraged youkai's destructive path while he prepared something to stun Sessho-maru. Without a second to spare, Kurama used his ki to fuse some specialized seeds into a dart. As Sessho-maru came straight for him, he waited until the last possible moment to dodge, allowing him to get close enough to stick the dart into Sessho-maru's neck. Sessho-maru landed in a crouched position and glared at Kurama.

"I will make you beg for death!"

Kurama hoped the stun dart would work quickly, otherwise he would have to flee until it did because Sessho-maru was too far gone to be reasoned with and even though he'd gotten considerably stronger in the years they were apart, he was still no match for the enraged inu.

Suddenly Sessho-maru's eyes went wide.

"What have you….done?"

Red eyes turned golden and the claws no longer glowed. Kurama cautiously approached the immobilized youkai, body still tense, ready to spring away at the slightest twitch. When he spoke, his voice was soft, apologetic.

"Sessho-maru…..I'm so sorry….I had hoped to be a happy surprise for you."

Golden eyes still glared at him as he reached out to guide Sessho-maru's body down to lie in the grass. But as he grabbed the left shoulder he frowned. Something doesn't feel right. Suddenly his eyes went wide with recognition.

"Y-your….arm. What happened to….?"

Kurama reached out and grabbed a fistful of fabric. He could feel his heart lurch and the panic he felt only moments ago was replaced with an intense anger and a sense of guilt. His grip on the fabric tightened and he was shaking. When he spoke, his voice was strangled with emotion.

"Tell me who did this."

Sessho-maru watched as the silver kitsune became enraged. This creature sounds truly upset. Whoever he is, he has done his homework. But how could he know about…him?

"Tell me, Sessho-maru! Who has done this!"

Kurama let go of the sleeve and grabbed both the inu's shoulders again, pulling him up into a sitting position, shaking him a few times as he demanded an answer. Sessho-maru remained impassive, golden eyes staring at Kurama, unfeeling and cold. Kurama could see he would get no answer from the proud inu and so he sighed and hung his head in defeat.

"What has happened to you, Sessho-maru that you do not believe I have returned to you?"

Kurama gently guided the paralyzed youkai back down to the ground and lay down next to him, running his fingers through the long silver tresses.

"I have so much to tell you. But first, tell me what it will take for you to believe I am who I say I am."

Sessho-maru did not offer an answer. He lay there, eyes staring up at the star-speckled sky, trying to ignore how good it felt to have the warm body lying next to him. Even if it is a lie. But I will make this creature regret it was ever born for pulling this stunt. Dredging up these memories and feelings…..it is unforgivable.

Kurama lay his head on Sessho-maru's chest, determined to get the stubborn inu to believe in his return. So he began his story from the time he left Sessho-maru's side, speaking of his career as a well known thief, his desperate attempt at remaining alive by being reborn into a human and his second career as a Rekai Tantei,

Sessho-maru listened as Kurama recounted the tales of his life, slowly coming to the realization that it truly was his love retuned once he was able to concentrate on the smooth voice and deeply inhale the kitsune's scent. That scent. I could never forget that intoxicating scent of roses and spice. But as he continued to listen, Sessho-maru came to an alarming realization. Over three hundred years had passed in Kurama's life since they'd parted. But….it's only been fifty-three years for me. Three hundred years….and yet….he still returned to me after all that time?

When Kurama reached the point of his arrival in the feudal era and meeting Rin and finding the painting, he was fully laying on Sessho-maru, absently tracing the pattern on his collar with a clawed fingertip.

"When did you have the painting done?"

Sessho-maru lay there remembering the pain and heartache the painting stirred within him when he laid eyes on it for the first time after Kurama left. He'd never known such agony. He couldn't bring himself to destroy it, so he hid it away in the only place he knew he would never go again.

"Shortly after that first night I found you in the garden."

Kurama pushed himself up on straightened arms and gazed down at Sessho-maru, confused.

"You….but….I never saw it until today."

"I hid it, of course. Why would I want my captive to know that I was becoming enamored of him?"

Kurama leaned down and caressed Sessho-maru's cheek with his own, his tail swishing back and forth.

"What about now? Are you still enamored of him?"

"No." Sessho-maru felt Kurama's body stiffen and the tail fell limply over them. "A long time ago we pledged ourselves to each other. Even though he left me, I have remained faithful to him and our pledge. I am no longer enamored of him. I am possessed by him."

By now, Kurama's body was shaking and tears were rolling down his cheeks. He didn't dare look at Sessho-maru just yet. He needed to know one more thing.

"Do you…forgive him?"

"There is nothing to forgive. You didn't belong to this time. We were never meant to be."

"You're wrong!" Kurama collapsed onto Sessho-maru completely and hugged the unresponsive body to him, crying into his chest. "We were meant to be! I do belong here because I belong to you! Only you, Sessho-maru….only you."

"Let me hold you, Kurama."

Kurama placed his hand on Sessho-maru's neck and absorbed the dart back into his own body. As soon as Sessho-maru felt the slightest tingle in his limbs he wrapped his arm around Kurama and rolled over to bury the kitsune. He gazed down into the watery golden orbs, still thinking himself in a dream. He slowly leaned down and licked away the salty tracks marring his beautiful kitsune's face.

"You came back to me, thief."

Kurama laughed even as Sessho-maru captured his lips for a kiss.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kurama had inquired about Sessho-maru's life since he'd been gone and received very little information from the reticent inu. However, Sessho-maru had revealed his discovery of the time difference in their worlds and he had been truly shocked.

"So….how old are you, Sessho-maru?"

An elegant silver eyebrow arched but he answered Kurama's question.

"I am five hundred and seventeen years old."

"Oh, thank Inari! I take pride in my reputation as a thief and being known as a cradle robber would seriously tarnish it!"

That comment had earned Kurama a pillow in the face.

And when Kurama tried to get Sessho-maru to talk about what happened to his arm, the inu was insistent that they would discuss it some other time. Not willing to start an argument and realizing he now had plenty of time to rediscover his love, Kurama was content to let the subject drop for the time being.

Sessho-maru had inquired about Kurama's life as well, wanting some details of his past three hundred years and the kitsune was willing to answer any and all questions. He told Sessho-maru of his devastating discovery of Yudai's and his clan's death and how Kurounue had helped him get past his grief and start living. Sessho-maru had held him tight during the whole story, much like he was now, two days after his return.

"Sesshy?"

"I told you not to call me that."

Kurama's smile showed his mischievous intent. But it went unobserved by Sessho-maru whose chest his head was currently resting upon. They were lying in bed where they had spent the majority of their time since Kurama's arrival.

"Consider it payback for the 'thief' and 'treasure' nicknames."

"Treasure…I forgot about that."

Kurama pushed himself up and glared down at his lover who had an equally wicked smile.

"No."

Sessho-maru reached up and let his fingers play along Kurama's jaw line, his eyes following the gesture.

"But that's what you are, Kurama. My treasure."

His hand slipped behind Kurama's neck and pulled him down for a passionate kiss which turned into a passionate embrace which ended in passionate cries.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sleepy golden eyes slowly focused on the streaks of bright sunshine that were invading his bedroom. A clawed hand reached out but didn't feel the warm body it expected to find. He groaned as he stretched his long, lean body, preparing to get out of bed and go in search of his mate.

"Is there anything that you do where you don't look beautiful?"

A vulpine smiled graced his lips as Kurama turned to see Sessho-maru standing at the foot of the bed.

"Good morning."

Kurama crawled over to Sessho-maru and came up onto his knees, wrapping his arms and tail around the inu youkai and letting his face nestle into the broad chest. Sessho-maru enjoyed the warmth radiating from the kitsune as he brought his hand up, smoothing the silver tresses before leaning down and kissing Kurama on the top of his head.

"Good morning, Kurama."

"Mmmm. Have you bathed yet?"

"No. I seem to remember someone saying they wished to bathe with me every morning."

Kurama blushed and pulled back to look up at the small smile gracing Sessho-maru's lips.

"You….remember that?"

"Of course."

Kurama thought back to that time so long ago. His mind was a little fuzzy on the details but he remembered being happy as the two of them lounged in the warm water. But that was also the day…..

Kurama reached up to touch the small indented space at the base of his neck. The charm. As his fingertips came to rest, he was shocked to not feel warm skin, but something cool and hard. He gasped and looked down to see the very charm that had held him captive once again around his neck. He looked up at Sessho-maru, silently seeking answers and Sessho-maru leaned down and kissed him tenderly.

"Don't worry. It's just a necklace."

"I would submit myself to you if you asked it of me."

"Never leave me again, Kurama."

"I belong to only you, Sessho-maru."

The End.

One more thing: I have absolutely no idea how old Sessho-maru really is. I just gave him an age close enough to Kurama's to make the kitsune not feel like he's a pedophile. And I actually sat down at one point and tried to "map out" the time frame of their two worlds, knowing I wanted it to be different and this was the closest I could come up with. It was hinted at that Inu-Yasha was already alive when Kurama was with Sessho-maru the first time and then I had to account for his dumbass getting stuck to a tree for 50 years...So there you have it. I suck at imaginary math.