Chapter 9: I give you my word.

She laid her head on my lap. Her damp hair covered my legs. She had caught me off guard when she began to dry my hair. I guess I was in such a rush that I had forgotten to do it myself.

"So what now?" I asked.

"I am not quite sure. Question. Can I know what drew you to her? To Kagome. She is a ray of light of course, but I want to know what it is that you saw. Those eyes of yours seem to have a knack for seeing things that others do not."

I twirled the ends of her hair between my fingers.

"I know this may sound crazy, but at first I had kidnapped her. Even though I had done that, she had never once wavered. She wasn't afraid. It happened so long ago. I remember her slapping me, so I don't remember what for. I just remember it hurt like hell. No one had ever spoken to me the way she had. Let alone hit me like that. I think it was from that moment I decided that I loved her. That she was my woman actually. Not because she was strong, or because she didn't frighten easily, but because she was so unpredictable. Everything about her was unpredictable. Her anger, her kindness. She was this enigma. Back then women all acted to same as if they were following the same one size fits all plan. She was this thing I couldn't figure out and I had never met a woman like her. Possibly because she came from the future. It was her unpredictably and mean arm that caught my attention, but her heart that made me stay. It is what made my love for her grow even more. It was what kept me loving her. The way she loves is unlike anything I had ever seen. It's this never-ending thing, and there is just so much of it and it sucks you in whether you want it too or not. No matter what she is going through or how she is feeling. It doesn't affect the way she feels or treats others. That's why she saved your son, even though she was desperately trying to get away from him."

She smiled up at me. "That is the first time you have smiled while talking about her."

I chuckled. "Yeah… I guess you're right. Felt good to be all sappy and sad.""

I looked down at her smiling face, and she was beautiful. Even more so without any makeup. She had these white lashes that fanned out around her eyes. Her eyes were not an amber color, but more like a pale yellow. Her markings stood out against her pale skin. The moon on her forehead was a pale purple. I unconsciously traced it with my finger, but it did not seem to bother her. Her face was perfectly symmetrical in every way. Her lips were a pale pink color. What a shame a woman like this could ever think that she is not enough.

Her smile faded. I could see her thinking.

"Do you think I am unlovable? Or that there is something wrong with the way that I love?" she asked.

"I think that there is someone out there who is looking for the exact kind of love that you are willing to give. That exact same kind of love that those idiots did not appreciate. I don't want you to feel insecure and doubt yourself ever again Kimi, because clearly, you are not the problem. Eventually, you are going to realize what you deserve and you will finally get it; and what you deserve is someone who loves the way you love them. Someone who loves you for you, in every way that you are. So no, you are not hard to love. "

Her eyes started to gloss over. She tried to blink the tears away, but I wouldn't let her.

"It's okay to cry. It doesn't make you weak." I whispered.

She turned to me, pushing her face into my stomach. She cried silently, while I stroked her hair. She rubbed her eyes.

"How is it that you always know exactly what to say?"

"Honestly, I never do. With you, it just comes naturally I guess."

She laughed. "Well, I'm glad. I hope you continue to say these things to me. You're like my own little therapist, but better."

I grinned. "Yeah? How much should I be charging you?"

"I think our sessions are priceless."

"You're very cheap for someone with as much money as you do. Still, I'm glad one of us getting help, sort of."

She ran her fingers through my hair. "Don't worry. I'll be here to help you in whatever way you need."

The front door swung open, slamming against the wall. I really should have closed it properly. A very angry Sesshomaru stood in the doorway. He stepped inside, slamming the door shut. I should have checked if I had closed it properly.

"What the hell is going on here?" He said coming at me.

"You wouldn't hit a man holding your mother would you," I said provokingly.

He growled at me. I probably shouldn't have said that, but he was interrupting our friend time. Kimi jumped up and got in between the both of us.

"You will not fight in my apartment and tear it apart. We will have discussion like civilized people."

"Mother what is this? Are you two together!?"

"No."

"No."

We said simultaneously.

"So then explain to me what this is You're in nothing but a nightgown. It looks like you've both just showered, and the both of you are on the couch in a very loving way."

I scoffed. "It was not in a loving way," I said.

His eyes narrowed at me. "It was a very tender moment and you know it. You two seem as if you have been together for years. When I said move on I meant to someone else. I did not mean my mother! And what is this?! Did you pack a bag to spend the night here!? I'm going to kill you."

"Enough!"

It was the first time I had heard Kimi scream like this. She stood in front of me protectively. I would be lying if I said I wasn't going to enjoy watching Sesshomaru getting his ass handed to him.

"I am over two thousand years old. I do not need my son barging into my apartment telling me who I can or cannot spend time with. Kouga is my friend and I care about him, and he cares for me. I do not want you to come between that. This is the first meaningful friendship I have had in a long time. Possibly the only one I have had. Sesshomaru I was alone until he came along."

"Mother, you have me, Kagome, and the children. You can make other friends"

"YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND! You are happy Sesshomaru. You have what you wanted. You have the life that you want, with the person that you want. It was your choice to be alone. I did not choose this life. Now, I have someone who understands that and you want to take that away from me. Haven't I already lost enough?"

I stood up, setting my hands on her shoulders. "Kimi, maybe you should go lie down. Just take a moment to breathe… so that I can have a moment to speak to Sesshomaru. Please."

She sighed and walked off to her room; closing the door behind her.

"What is your problem Sesshomaru? What's wrong with you?"

"My problem? What is wrong with me?! Kouga that is my mother."

"You need to listen to me when I say we are just friends. We get each other. In a way that no one else does. We are two adults who are friends, that enjoy each others time. We want to spend time together. Why is that so hard for you to understand? Why is that so hard for you to accept?"

"You two are just trauma bonding and that will not end well. I know my mother is hurting. Even if she doesn't show it. One day you will get bored of her Kouga. She does not need another heartbreak."

"She shows me. She's vulnerable with me. She is honest with me. Kimi has shown me a side of her that you have never seen. A side of her you will never see. Why would you say that? You should know me better than that. I would never hurt her. Out of the two of us, I am not the one who hurts people Sesshomaru. She enjoys having me around, and I enjoy being around her. For fucks sake Sesshomaru, it is not like we are sleeping together."

"If you do?"

"We won't."

"Give me your word, that you won't touch her. That you will be her friend and nothing more."

"I give you my word that our relationship is just platonic. It will never cross the line and make it sexual."

He was searching my eyes for any sort of dishonesty.

"One more time. I need to hear you say it one more time." He'd said.

"I give you my word."