Nocturne - Chapter Sixty-Two: Apotheosis

Rated - M (for extremely suggestive adult themes, references to harsh violence, and coarse language)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

Sesshomaru had indeed overheard the Taijiya's words and took a brief moment to mull them over before making his presence known. He'd never thought much of mortals wearing him down, much less being at the Miko's beck and call. Her happiness was important to him, but it did not take much to garner happiness, just as it did not take much for her fury to flare. It was why he had acquiesced to her demand to remain in the human village, though a pitiful excuse as it was.

"Kagome," he called, dipping his head slightly.

His eyes scanned the slayer woman and settled on his woman. She seemed to wilt under his gaze, and Sesshomaru felt an unfamiliar urge to soothe.

"I'll let you two alone," the taijiya declared and hurried from the small hut with a tiny smirk on her lips.

Sesshomaru glared after the woman, hoping his annoyance with her uncanny words would feel more like disapproval or bare tolerance. The mortal had no cause to know his true motives. It would be the last thing needed for any to believe he had gone soft.

Once satisfied that the taijiya had gone, Sesshomaru sat beside the miko and took in her scent. She had the bitter smell he associated with guilt mixed with her usual heady aroma. It displeased him to add to her reverie, but it was a necessary evil. "Setsuna inquires after you."

Her rose-colored lips trembled, and she looked away for a moment before turning back to face him. "I miss her, too. How is she?"

"You could see with your own eyes if you would accompany this one back to our shared abode and abandon this hovel."

"And you know why I cannot do that."

"This one knows many things, yet I cannot boast to understand what goes through your mind."

"I've told you, Sesshomaru…" she started.

"Nothing." His word of finality rang through the room.

Her breath hitched in her throat, and the sheen of tears appeared upon her doe eyes. "I thought this would be simple," she said through dragging breaths. "I thought I could go home, and we could face whatever may come together, but I began to doubt."

"Doubt what, beloved?" He said in a gentler tone. His hand drifted towards her, hesitating before pulling back and sweeping a strand of hair over his ear.

He knew she had pushed him away from fear. He knew that she needed time, and time they had. But what cause had he given her to doubt? Doubt was nearly a foreign word to him, not a part of his vocabulary, for pride and experience guided him in all things.

Kagome turned, unable to meet those searching, golden eyes." I doubt myself. I doubt my decision was right when all it has brought me is pain and uncertainty."

He reached and rubbed the pad of his thumb across her chin, gently lifting her head to meet him. "You may face uncertainty, but you do not do so alone."

She threw her arms around him and buried her face into his kosode. "Ungh!" She groaned, her voice slightly muffled as she spoke into the fabric. "I feel like a complete moron. I keep freaking out over all this stupid stuff and running through everything in my head over and over again."

Sesshomaru held her, stroking her hair in a soothing fashion he'd seen her perform with their child. Kagome pulled back slightly and looked up at him, her eyes now somewhat red. "Why do you put up with me?" She asked out of the blue.

The question took him aback. He once overheard mortal women talking about pregnancy hormones and how moods could fluctuate like the ebb and flow of the tides. "You are mine," he took her hand and put it to his chest, "and I am yours." He then placed his hand on her chest, feeling her beating heart. Kagome smiled and seemed to relax, content with his response.

While his hand rested there, he could also feel the flutter of another heartbeat.

The strange sensation caused him to lower his hand to her slightly swollen belly. It was a sight she'd not allowed him to see since she had confirmed she was with child. Kagome balked but did not stop him, watching him with nervous but trusting eyes.

His chest ached with another sensation upon realizing he'd been denied, or rather had been ignorant of, during her first pregnancy. Was this guilt? Sesshomaru pulled the loosely tied knot of the hakama and parted her kosode to expose the flesh beneath. It was taunt and slightly rounded but not grotesque like he'd imagined.

A rather macabre memory came to mind, one that he'd buried deep down. It was a vision of that night, long ago, when he'd discovered her too late in the forest, bleeding out. It was that night he'd resurrected his own heart beating outside his body.

Beneath his hands was not the warped picture of a massacre but the glowing skin of his beloved. Sesshomaru felt a kick that sent a shock into him. His eyes must have widened because Kagome chuckled at the sight. "I think the babe likes you."

"Two," he said. He dipped his head to her belly and laid his ear against her, listening to the strong, steady heartbeat within. It was then that he truly sensed it.

Kagome put her hands on his head. "What?" She asked with incredulity.

The twin heartbeats thrummed in unison. "Two," he repeated. He sat up and placed his hands upon her again.

"Two?" She repeated lamely. "You're saying it's twins?"

"Verily."

Had she not been sitting, her legs may have given out from the news. She fell back onto her arm, and one reached to rest upon his hand. "That's some news." Her brow drew close as she processed the information.

Something within Sesshomaru cracked, his core shaken as his eyes drifted to her exposed flesh, the swell of her full breasts visible through the parting of her hakui. The desire to claim this woman overcame him. To put aside her doubts, he would instill certainty through action. In a deft motion, he pulled the muna-himo loose allowing the shirt to fall away from her shoulders and bare her chest completely. She gasped lightly, her eyes widening with surprise and her mouth agape. Sesshomaru took this moment to capture her parted lips with his own, allowing himself to fall into the heady primal desire that was pulsing through him and urging him to secure his claim. His tongue swept in to meet hers, the taste simply driving him wild. She moaned into his kiss, softening under his ministrations and tangling her hands into his silver hair. Kagome tugged softly, pulling him closer, and he complied all too easily, intensifying the kiss and using his hands to run down her body, kneading a full breast and circling an erect nipple with the pad of his thumb. She moaned slightly at the sensation, and he broke away, trailing down her neck with his tongue before claiming her nipple in his mouth.

Her gasp was much more audible this time, followed by more moans that only caused to incite him further. His hands freed and continued exploring her body, dipping to the slick spot between her legs. It had been so long since he'd had her, tasted her, and it had driven a more primal part of him mad to resist the urge to bring her to heel. This woman did not want to be dominated, much to his baser animal's chagrin. No, she wanted a mutual give and take between the pair, and with her, he was willing to put his centuries of pride and instinct aside. Now though, he was giving much more. This moment was all for her, to show her she had no cause to have doubt.

He briefly pulled away from ministering to her breast, quickly bit off his claws to his thumb and first two fingers from his right hand, and promptly returned them to her warm folds. She slightly bucked beneath him when he plunged those digits into her core. Grabbing his head, threading her fingers through his hair, she greedily pulled him back to her and her mouth, taking control of the kiss. He smirked through the kiss, pleased to see her need bubbling to the surface and helping erase some of those doubts.

She rocked her hips back and forth, trying to take what she needed from his fingers while his thumb worked the pearl above. Her eyes squeezed shut, and her breathing became shallow pants. He knew she was close to spilling over but wasn't ready to lead her there quite yet, not until she had been good and thoroughly pleasured and that pesky doubt erased.

He removed his fingers and put them in his mouth, sucking the juices off. She groaned in frustration. "Not yet," he whispered into her ear, flicking his tongue to her lobe and teasing her with his fang before moving down to her neck. He wanted her to hold out and savor all of the sensations.

"Enough," she ordered, pushing him back. Her eyes were intense with desire and passion. "You seem overdressed for the occasion, Lord Sesshomaru and I'd see that oversight rectified swiftly."

He smirked again and kept his eyes locked on her as he quickly removed his garb, allowing it to drop around him and kick it out of the way. She bit her bottom lip as he undressed, her gaze resting on his enlarged member. Her eyes and hand drifted to her swollen middle for a brief second, and he acted fast before she could be swayed by a seed of uncertainty. "No, don't do that," he said. "Look at me," he commanded, his words laced with authority. She obeyed and locked her eyes on him, watching while he dropped to his knees to kneel before her. "Lie back," he said, and she did so, putting her weight onto her elbows. He knelt for a moment, admiring the sight, running his hand over her again before settling between her thighs. He lavished the inside of her thighs, working his way to the middle, one hand gripping her hip and the other resting on a breast, tweaking a hardened nipple with his thumb.

"Ah," she breathed loudly. "Now, please," she begged, her hips beginning to gyrate in time with his ministrations. He considered teasing her further, keeping her on the edge of bliss, but his aim was not to torture her. There would be time enough for games, but the here and now required a modicum of delicacy. His tongue feathered over her pearl and his hand moved to pump into her again. He could sense her excitement building within her and her body tensed before exploding around him. Her cry to Kami was breathless as she pulsed around his digits. She panted, her chest heaving and her eyes heavy but still thick with need, and he was all too happy to fulfill her unspoken request. "We aren't done yet," he reminded her.

She smiled and chuckled, "I would be disappointed if that were so." He felt his member swell and watched as she sat up and pushed him to where she could easily straddle him. He sat straight and grabbed her cheeks from behind, squeezing and guiding them over himself. She braced herself, her hands placed on his shoulders, and he teased her folds with his blunt tip. It was warm, wet, and welcoming. His hand at his base pushed down that biting instinct to plunge into her and allow the fierce animal to take control. It was a constant struggle not to succumb to those baser desires, which he'd only shared fleetingly with his beloved. Her eyes locked onto his and read his hesitation. "Silly puppy, you don't need to go easy with me now. You can't hurt me."

He kissed her, tasting more of her and wrapping his arm around her middle to pull her closer. He growled into the kiss, his own need building. Finally, he could take no more, teasing be damned. He thrust up and pulled her down simultaneously, and she groaned in ecstasy. Initially, he'd wanted to go slow for his own pleasure, but her words of release had egged him on. He gripped her hips and guided her up and down. Her arms encircled him, holding onto him like a tether to reality. The slap of her against his hips was music to his ears, and he wanted to see more of her, take more of her before he was through. Using his strength, he flipped her around, holding her against him and thrusting into her again. She continued to moan breathlessly, melting around him. He squeezed her breast and pushed into her. Her head turned, looking for him from behind. He breathed heavily, gripping her chest and using his agile fingers to work her from below, driving into her. Her neck was exposed, and her head was thrown back into his shoulder's base. He growled into her ear, "You are mine. I am yours." She moaned a "yes, yes" in response. "Now come for me," he commanded in a near moan. She did as instructed and cried out as if she'd been waiting for him to permit her to do so. She shook around him and her core gripping him. It was all he needed to be sent over the edge, and pleasure washed through as he erupted inside her.

He gently eased her down, and they lay in one another's arms, panting and savoring the moment. Sesshomaru pulled her closer and brushed his lips against hers, relishing those rose buds. She turned and looked at him, a settled and pleased look on her face. "That was unexpected," she said. "Pleasantly unexpected," she finished and sighed contentedly.

"Come home," he murmured, afraid to break the happy mood. "You belong with me, and I can no longer allow you to waste away here on your own."

She chuckled softly, "I am not wasting away. Wasting time, maybe." She sat up and found her clothes to begin redressing.

He wouldn't let her convince herself otherwise that she was fine where she was, alone and without him. Sitting up, he drew her closer and pulled her back to his chest. Her eyes were stubborn and set, but he could not allow her to settle back into the pit of meaningless depression once again. He should have devoted more time to bringing her out of her reverie. He kissed her again, allowing his lips to sit against hers for a moment's respite. He broke the kiss and looked into her eyes, holding her hands within his own. "Never shall I allow you to fill yourself so full of uncertainty that you would choose to weather any storm alone. It is by this one's side you should be, and I will fight for you and alongside you through any battle both abroad and at home. Whatever is within this one's means to keep you content is the swear I make to you upon this hour. Please, Kagome, beloved, come home with me. I shall love you for now and ever until this callous heart stops beating. No, not even then shall the love I bear die. You and our progeny are my life." He settled a hand upon her belly. "Let it be known that I claim these two pups, and there shall be no questioning of their parentage. They shall both be of Lord Sesshomaru and his woman, the mighty priestess Kagome."

Tears had welled in her eyes, and she smiled, probably despite herself. One tear tracked down her cheek, and she threw her arms around him and sobbed lightly into his chest. "Thank you," she whispered. "I love you, too, Sesshomaru." She pulled back, still smiling. "Thank you for pulling me out of whatever nonsense I'd fallen into. I'm sorry for putting you through this." She began to brush kisses upon his lips, sweet kisses that promised something more.

Sesshomaru could feel himself rising to the occasion and deepened their kiss. He moaned into her. "You've nothing to apologize for, except inciting me to ravage you again." She laughed lightly and quieted him with another kiss, one that trailed.

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

(Epilogue)

The children, finally able to walk without teetering into things, chased after one another. Their silver hair flowed behind them as they ran and pumped chubby arms and legs. They played some form of tag, babbling nonsensical words only their pair understood. Their father watched from a distance, lounging against a tree with his woman tucked against him. He glanced down at her to find her eyes closed and her lips slightly apart as she snoozed. Sesshomaru allowed himself a small smile as she gazed upon her fascinating features and breathed a contented sigh.

"Father," a voice complained. "Seiren is playing in the mud again. She is getting it everywhere and all over everyone." Setsuna pouted as she stood in front of her father, her arms crossed and flecks of dirt maring her clothes, face, and hair.

Sesshomaru gave his oldest daughter a mild look of annoyance. "Are you injured?" he questioned. Setsuna rolled her eyes and shrugged, "No, but I don't want to be in the line of fire. I'd prefer to be clean before we get there." He sat up a bit, careful not to jostle his resting partner. The small children were indeed in the mud; far be it for him to assume a child would not be able to seek out the filth in a pristine field they had selected as a resting spot before traveling home from their latest pilgrimage. The girl child, Seiren, was busy picking up mud and rolling it into a ball while her brother helped by pouring out their water supply into the dirt to make even more filth. "Kazenmetsu is equally covered in filth," he confirmed.

"I thought you were watching them," Kagome asked through a yawn. She poked him in the side and narrowed her eyes playfully. She sat up and stretched.

He gave the barest shrug, "The mud shall cause them no harm and you should do better to be aware of your surroundings, lest you be bested by younglings."

Setsuna groaned and stalked away, finding her nekomata companion to pass her on complaints. Sesshomaru turned to see the miko still staring at him. "What troubles you?"

She piqued a brow, "This coming from one who claims that cleanliness is next to godliness?" Her eyes were glowing with mirth and feigned annoyance.

"You can be assured those words have never passed this one's lips. Though, I cannot find myself in disagreement," he said, watching her head turn to take in the two children playing in the distance. The small boy and girl worked together at everything, near mirror images of the other despite one being male and the other female.

She leaned back against him and settled in, placing a hand against his chest and responding with a "Hnn. Not it," she whispered, and he could feel her grin against him.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "That is why we brought Jaken." Kagome looked over at the small imp who was simmering a few feet away from the twins and agonizing over how dirty they were and how it was unseemly for young lords and ladies to debase themselves in mud. Sesshomaru had long learned to tune out the retainer's whinings and so, too, had Kagome.

"We didn't bring him to nanny the children, Sesshomaru," she chided. He smirked and set his head back against the tree, relishing in the warmth of her body next to him and the sounds of his children playing and complaining around him. "No, but he chose to come, just as he chooses to sit there in the line of fire and ministrate to deaf ears."

She looked at the entertaining scene, "I suppose that's true." It was quite laughable.

"Truly, now rest, beloved; the journey home is long, but we have forever," Sesshomaru instructed. Kagome nuzzled into him and responded with a little quip, "Indeed." A smile tugged on the corner of his lips, and he rested his head against hers, succumbing to the blissful moment.

The End