Koinonayami (Love Troubles)
Chapter Seven: Arashi Ai
Kagome wandered down the cold hallways for the seventh time that night as her thoughts swirled over the new piece of information she had received during the battle with Kumo. 'It wasn't his fault, it was Naraku,' she thought with a bit of happiness. She had never really liked the idea of blaming Sesshomaru for what had happened and now she had no reason to. "Though I still need to speak to him about Engetsu," Kagome muttered slightly, not expecting anyone to hear.
"What was that Lady Kagome, I do believe you have stayed up far too late," Toru remarked with a gentle, elderly, smile as he approached the pacing miko. "You must really be worried for staying up so late by Lord Sesshomarus and your pups rooms," he added with a knowing gleam in his pale red eyes.
After getting over the shock of his sudden appearance, Kagome smiled gently at him in return and stated softly," Yes I am rather worried, both Sesshomaru and Engetsu were badly wounded. I just hope that my healing powers worked." Her gaze shifted to the two doors behind her as she said this.
Toru offered her another reassuring smile before he insisted with a fatherly sternness," I'm sure they will both be fine, but you should get to your room and get some sleep. It has been a long day for us all."
Kagome wrung her hands together sheepishly as she muttered;" I don't know where my room is."
The taiyoukai laughed adoringly at her as he pointed to the door straight behind her," Your room is your mate's room of course."
Kagome blushed like a cheery and headed for the door muttering something to lord that could have either been a goodbye or a death threat before she entered the large room.
Toru snickered proudly as he watched her small form disappear behind the massive oak door. "You two may have mated because of magical reasons, but you are perfect for each other," he whispered into the empty hallway before he disappeared down the west wing to go sleep in his own quest room.
Kagome starred into the room with slight apprehension as she looked at the large bed Sesshomaru was now occupying. He was still sleeping deeply as his purification/poison wound healed. "Come on now Kagome this bed is huge and he is knocked out, nothing to be worried about," Kagome told herself as she approached the bed. She tugged her borrowed, sleeping kimono tighter around her frame before she snuggled into the large bed, as far away from Sesshomaru as possible. The silk felt cool and comforting on her skin and she sighed at the comfort of the bed. 'Ok maybe this isn't so bad,' she thought sleepily as she snuggled against a plush, silk covered pillow. Kagome was asleep the moment she closed her eyes.
Sesshomaru groaned sleepily as he was brought into the world of the waking. Despite his newly acquired wound he felt more comfortable then he had sense his mother died. A source of comforting warmth rested against his broad chest and he looked down curiously to find the source of this warmth. 'That's new,' he thought hazily as he starred down at the head of a black haired woman that was snuggling against his tail like it was some type or child's toy. 'The only woman who can touch me is Kagome, but she couldn't …….,' his thoughts trailed off as he caught that scent of fresh Sakura blossoms in the air. "Kagome," he whispered softly, trying to hold back the curiousness in his voice as he gently probed her shoulder.
Kagome swatted at his hand like some annoying fly, mumbling something against his chest as she tried to stop herself from waking. Though it was inevitable as she shifted her head and looked blinkingly at the man above her. "Hmh good morning," Kagome muttered before she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands.
She was acting like a waking kitten in his eyes and Sesshomaru couldn't help but chuckle. It was apparent the girl had not noticed what was going on yet. 'Not very bright in the morning is she,' he inwardly teased.
It took a total of five minutes for Kagome to register who she was so close to after waking, and once she did she nearly fell off the bed. "Sorry," she squeaked in surprise as her face light up with a blush and she raced for the door. "I should go check on Engetsu," She muttered.
"Kagome," Sesshomaru called out in his normal deep voice as he fluidly stood from the bed, his only clothing being a pair of lose sleeping pants. "What were you doing in here," he asked, his eyes shinning with hidden curiosity instead of anger.
"I did not know where to sleep and Toru said that this was where I should sleep, I must have been too tired to retaliate," Kagome grumbled.
"I am not mad at you, sense you are my mate is only right that you sleep here with me. Now let us go see our son," he commanded in a firm but gentle tone Kagome had not quite gotten used to yet.
Kagome merely nodded as she headed out the door, she really didnt trust her voice at the moment especially not with the tomato like blush her cheeks where pulling off. She quickly reached the door next to Sesshomarus and opened it, revealing Engetsu still sleeping heavily and Mangetsu watching over his brother from the corner of the room. Kagome smiled admiringly at her youngest son as she looked over his new and aristocratic clothing. He was dressed in a white silk haori and hakama set with blue flames on the sleeves, shoulders, and obi. The kanji for life was even embroidered over his heart in light blue.
Looking over at Engetsu, Kagome realized that he too was in a new outfit. It was basically the same as Mangetsus but instead of white and blue silk it was made with black and red and the kanji for life was replaced with the one for death. 'The suites both their personalities well, one is innocent and pure and the other is hardened and cold by the world's truths,' she thought with a bit of sadness. For even in his unconscious state, Kagome could feel Engetsus sad aura.
Sesshomaru looked his sons over and suddenly had to stop his urge to sigh. Both children seemed sad and Engetsu was still unconscious but it was not because of his bodily wounds but his mental ones. Against his normal character as the stoic lord of the western lands Sesshomaru decided to help his youngest. "Mangetsu come here," he called in the same tone he had used with Kagome.
Kagome on the other hand looked at him in surprise as did Mangetsu as he shifted his gaze to his new found father. "What is it Daddy?" Mangetsu asked curiously, his large golden eyes shinning with trust as he stood and walked over to Sesshomaru.
'Well he certainly takes after his mother,' Sesshomaru thought faintly after he got over his surprise from the child's complete trust. Resisting another sigh, tried to remember what his mother would do in this situation. After deciding on exactly what to do he gently placed one arm around the boy and insisted in his most 'fatherly' tone," Engetsu will be alright he just needs some time to heal. . . so don't worry."
At this Kagome nearly fell over, 'what the hell, did he hit his head.' Sesshomaru was acting like well like a father and for him he was actually doing a good job. The suddenly happy tinge in Mangetsus aura also proved this true. "Um how about we go get some breakfast," she suggested after a moment.
Mangetsu nodded enthusiastically as he grabbed his parents' hands and began to practically drag them down the hall well more like drag Kagome Sesshomaru walked like it was normal. "Good idea Mom, I'm so hungry I could eat a horse," Mangetsu cheered as he headed towards the dinning room.
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at this but didnt comment on it as they made it into the dinning room. Sesshomaru choose to eat a few pieces of raw meat to help replenish his energy from healing. Mangetsu ate some very rare pieces of meat and two apples. While Kagome stuck to just eating some grapes and orange slices.
As the unusual trio prepared to leave the dinning room and head to the study a sudden pulse of a familiar aura made them look towards the door. There stood Engetsu, looking at them all with an apologetic, almost wounded, puppy gaze. Kagome and Mangetsu both rose to go to him but he walked forward on uncertain legs and gave his brother a large hug and a choked sob. "Forgive me."
Kagome moved to the side of her boys and gave them both a bone crushing hug. "We forgive you Engetsu," Kagome cried. Mangetsu nodded in agreement as he moved back to look at his brother. "We know you would never do anything like that."
Engetsu gave them a small smile before he left the warmth of the hug and moved to stand in front of Sesshomaru. "Father please I hope that you will also forgive me. I was not in my right mind when I attacked you."
Sesshomaru could tell by his clenched fists and gritted teeth that this was hard on his normally stoic son. 'He is just like me when I was his age,' Sesshomaru thought with pride. "I forgive you," he paused, "son."
Engetsu had to stop himself from launching himself at his father with a hug and settled for bow lowly and saying a quick thank you.
Kagome watched the scene with a motherly smile as the sadness in Engetsu aura melted away like wax. 'That's my strong boy, he just needed our forgiveness,' Kagome thought with a small sniffle.
After Engetsu returned to normal he ate his breakfast and then followed his 'family' out side, at his mom's request actually. 'I almost forgot how much she loves nature,' he thought with a small upward quirk of his lips as he watched Kagome and Mangetsu chase each other around in a field of various flowers that he couldn't even name. Sesshomaru stood beside him, watching the two with a distant eye that made him seem insanely bored. 'I wonder what he is thinking,' Engetsu pondered as he looked up at his stoic father. He was used to being rather impassive himself but as he looked at his dad he realized that he had only scratched the surface of stoicism.
"How is the wound?" Engetsu questioned, silently kicking himself for such a stupid way to break the silence.
Sesshomaru starred down at him for a moment before he answered with a curt, "Fine."
Engetsu suddenly found a little voice in the back of his head going 'and the award for the most socially constipated man of all time goes too. . .' Mentally shaking his head for a moment to clear that random that he returned to studding the youkai lord, 'dear god mother is rubbing off on me, that was entirely to random. Didnt she always say this guy was the cause for most random thoughts, hmm.'
Sesshomaru raised and eyebrow at his son's absent mind for a moment before he gave a small shrug and walked over to his mate and other son. "It is going to rain soon; we need to head back inside," he commanded.
Kagome looked up at him in surprise and frowned at what he said. "Alright," she muttered clearly unhappy at having her time outside interrupted as she headed towards the castle. "Mangetsu, Engetsu, come on let us head inside." The boys followed after her quickly, followed by Sesshomaru who closed the door behind him.
"We are going to the dojo for a bit ok father," Mangetsu asked as he tugged on Engetsus arm. Sesshomaru only managed to give them a quick nod before they were gone.
"I suppose I will go to the library then, there are some things I want to look up about those collars. They don't seem to be working anymore but you never know," Kagome remarked as she headed up the stairs, Sesshomaru following after her.
Once they entered the room Kagome left to go shift through the masses of books he owned while Sesshomaru went to his desk to begin working on the paperwork that had built up over the weeks. He worked through everything rather quickly until one irritating letter caught his eye. One well sculpted brow began to twitch as he read the contents:
To Whom It May Concern,
This letter is an invitation to all unmated taiyoukai to come to the eastern citadel for a mating dance to come find a mate. It is also a chance for all newly mated Taiyoukai to properly introduce their mates.
Sincerely,
Lord of the Eastern Lands Toru
P.S. Sesshomaru you and your lovely mate and sons are coming or I will tell everyone that not only do you have a mate but you have had one for nearly thirteen years.
Rubbing the bridge of his nose so to relieve the quickly rising migraine Sesshomaru closed his eyes and listened to the southing sound of the rain outside. 'Damn you Toru I should have known better then to trust you with this information' Sesshomaru inwardly growled. Lifting his eyes to stare out the window for a moment, he came to realize that not only was it already dark, but it was rather late. "Kagome you should come to bed soon, it's getting late," Sesshomaru called to his mate as he stood and left the room.
As soon as he enter his bedroom he striped of his clothing and pulled on another pair of baggy sleeping pants before slipping beneath the cool silk sheets of his bed. Not a moment after he had settled in a flash of lightening lit up the room, quickly followed by the loud crash of thunder.
A scream echoed through the hallways, causing Sesshomaru to jolt out of bed, but he didnt even make it to the door before a shivering bundle launched itself into his chest. "Kagome what is wrong?" Sesshomaru questioned as he looked her over for wounds but found none.
"The lightening and thunder," she stuttered, fear protruding her scent as she moved closer against him. As if reading his mind she explained her sudden fear," When I was little my dad took me for a drive in a storm and lightening hit right in front of us. It caused dad to crash and it killed him it nearly killed me."
Sesshomaru sighed softly, glad that she was alright but unsure of what to do about her emotional turmoil. Deciding to follow his instincts, he pulled her over to the bed and curled his body around her smaller frame. "Shh mate, do you think I would let anything hurt you," Sesshomaru growled softly in a comforting manor as he moved to give the mark on her neck a chaste kiss.
Kagome stiffened for a moment before warmth filled her and she felt like a pile of jello. "What did you do?" she asked in a far away voice.
"Mates can transfer emotions through their marks," he supplied as he kissed the mark once more.
Kagome almost fell asleep as a mass amount of comfort entered her system but she managed to get out on thing before she fell into a deep warmth induced sleep," Thank you Sesshomaru, you know I think we may yawn be able to yawn work this yawn out."
Sesshomaru let a small smile cross his face as Kagome fell asleep snuggled against his chest. "No My little mate, we have to work this out, my youkai will not allow you to leave again," he whispered against her skin before he to fell asleep, never noticing that Kagome had her lips placed to the small scare on his chest.
As morning came, Sesshomaru had expected to wake up in the same warming manor he had awoken to the day before, but instead loud crashing sounds and yelling woke him. 'What the hell,' he thought as he check to make sure Kagome was still at his side. 'O good grief I know that scent, but how did he get so close without me realizing it,' Sesshomaru pondered as he starred at the door for a moment, waiting for his new 'guest' to arrive. 'Perhaps sleeping next to her is not such a good idea, it appears that my senses are dulled whenever I do,' he thought as the door slammed open.
Two things happened as the door swung open; one was Kagomes quick waking as she looked up from her spot near Sesshomaru and the second was a loud obnoxious yelling.
There in the door way stood a fuming Inuyasha, with Miroku and Sango standing behind him as they tried to calm him down. "What the HELL!" Inuyasha growled.
Kagome gave a weak laugh as she blurted out in a falsely innocent voice,' Ha-ha hey guys."
A/N
Well here is chapter seven. You guys didnt really think I was done did you. Well I'm sorry if the characters seem a bit OOC in this chapter but hey I did manage to write this entire chapter in like three days. Which incase you didnt know that is a record for me.