Koinonayami (Love Troubles)
Chapter 8: Only around Kagome
Kagome gave a weak laugh as she blurted out in a falsely innocent voice,' Ha-ha hey guys." Even in her mind she could tell how suggestive the situation must seem, after all Sesshomaru may have still been wearing pants but he was bare-chested. Even she was only wearing a thin sleeping yakuta and her hair was wild from sleep. Sesshomarus arm even happened to be resting around her waist as she lay tucked against his side, half sitting up.
"Sesshomaru you bastard, what have you done to Kagome!" Inuyasha screeched angrily. He even went so far as to rush forward as if to attack his older brother until he realized that Kagome was in his line of attack.
Peeved by being woken up so early, Kagome was ready to split some heads, and Inuyasha was just unlucky enough to be somebody who just caused her to get riled up. So in an act of embarrassed desperation and crankiness she did the only thing she could think of and yelled, "SIT!"
Needless to say that even if he was the great demon lord of the Western lands, Sesshomaru was NOT a morning person, but the sight of seeing his younger half-brother suddenly plummeting to the ground below could not help but make him feel just a little bit better, if not slightly amused.
At that time, Engetsu and Mangetsu and finally managed to travel up from the dojo and into their parents' bedroom to see what all the commotion was about. At first they had feared the worst, thinking that Kumo had returned, but at the sight of a certain Hanyou face first in the floor and the monk and demon slayer watching him in barely contained amusement, they quickly calmed down.
Sango took in the scene slowly, her mind clouded with confusion, she trusted her sister but she certainly didn't trust the inu taiyoukai Kagome was with. She looked her sister over closely, looking for any signs of wounds; Sango released a sigh when she found none.
Despite his history, Miroku was rather confused as to what was going on between his best friend and one of his worst enemies. He was quite certain he could explain what it looked like was going on, but even he doubted that Kagome would do such a thing. 'What in the world is going on around here,' his mind questioned.
Sesshomaru watched the scene before him with veiled curiosity, but as his mate seemed to get more and more distressed he decided to put an end to this meeting. "Inuyasha leave, now," he commanded in his normal stern voice. At his younger brother's incredulous look he decided to elaborate by saying, "we will speak with you all at breakfast but at the moment my mate and I need to get dressed."
Inuyasha looked prepared to fight or at least argue but at Kagomes strong glare he decided against it and left the two alone Sango and Miroku following after him. Inuyasha mumbled incoherent curses all along the corridor; he was determined to get to the bottom of this even if it meant momentarily listening to his older brother.
Kagome sighed with relief as she watched her friends leave and close the door behind them. She sent Sesshomaru a thankful smile, before she rose out of his arms and headed to the adjoining bathroom. When she came out, Kagome was dressed in a white kimono with pale blue, crescent moons embroidered upon the sleeves and one large crescent moon on the back.
Sesshomaru was already dressed in his customary Kimono and waiting patiently for her, as he rested upon the large king-sized bed. "What are you planning on telling them, mate?" He asked curiously with a rise of his brow.
Kagome pondered the question for moment before shaking her head and answering with conviction, "the truth." Even though she barely caught it, Kagome recognized the faint up turning of his lips in a ghost of a smile, and she couldn't help but feel all the better that he was behind her with this.
"Then I suppose we had best get down to breakfast, before my dearest half-brother decides to tear up the Citadel," he replied while holding his arm out to escort her. Kagome took his hand with a smile, resisting the urge to chuckle at his sarcastic humor.
Engetsu and Mangetsu were a seated along the large table, when their parents entered the room. Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku were seated along side them, waiting impatiently for the duo to arrive.
Sesshomaru sat at the head of the table with Kagome at his side. She watched her friends with barely contained nervousness before she began to speak. "Okay I know you guys are thinking that I'm being held prisoner or something, but in truth I'm not. You see Naraku has a son and a few weeks ago he kidnapped our sons. As you can see we were able to get them back with the help of Toru, but during the battle Kumo, Narakus son, told us something. It seems that what happened 13 years ago was not Sesshomarus faults but a trick of Narakus."
Miroku took this all in with his customary monk wisdom and asked calmly, "So Kagome have you decided what to do?"
Inuyasha let a deep growl well up in his throat as he snapped out," How the HELL can you say that Sesshomaru rapping you was just some misunderstanding? How the hell can you just calmly say that the bastard was some how tricked into doing that to you?" He was now on his feet with his fists clenched so hard that blood was flowing freely from his palms. Inuyasha bared his fangs at his brother before he took a strong hold of his sword.
"Inuyasha please," Kagome started almost in tears as she stood and placed her small hand over Inuyashas trembling one. Large blue orbs starred deeply into golden ones as Kagome spoke, her voice trembling at first before gaining strength with her conviction," Inuyasha if you are my friend, and if you trust me, then stay your hand. I trust Sesshomaru. I do not know why I so freely accepted what Kumo told us but I do trust him. Do you really believe that Sesshomaru in his right mind would ever lay a hand on me in a sexual way. I will not be harmed further by your brother, and my sons need their father, so please Inuyasha, my friend, trust me."
Inuyasha looked away from Kagome's tear stained eyes as he mumbled something under his breath that sounded like," Half-brother." He turned back to face the first friend he ever made that truly accepted her. What she had said had struck a chord in his heart and her tears made it even worse especially after all these years sense she has been gone. "Fine," he mumbled sourly before plopping down gracelessly into his spot.
Sesshomaru watched everything with his impassive mask still firmly in place but internally he was reeling at the ease at which his mate controlled her friends. She had even managed to calm down one of Inuyashas rages, that in and of itself was enough for his pride in her to rise. He did indeed have a human mate and that made his demon howl but his human mate was Kagome, and he could not have picked a better human in a million years.
Kagome could no longer resist the urge to smile at her friends somewhat acceptance. "Well Miroku I'm afraid we haven't quite gotten that far as of yet."
This time Sesshomaru decided to intervene and remarked smoothly," all decisions will have to be put off until after the mating dance that Toru has so generously invited us to."
At this Inuyasha snickered slightly and Kagome looked up in curiosity, 'huh?'
Sango give her sister a sympathetic glance and answered her unvoiced question, "It is a ball that the regional Taiyoukai host once every year to introduce newly acquired mates and allow unmated youkai to seek out a promising mate."
Kagome stared at Sesshomaru in shock and mouthed two silent words, "o god!"
Sesshomaru nearly smiled at his mate's silent dread as he thought curiously, 'One can only wonder what is going through that mind.' "It is not nearly as horrible as it sounds Kagome, "Sesshomaru remarked stoically, curious at his own attempt to make her feel better. Although it all seemed worth it when she turned to him with a true brilliant smile, the likes of which he had never seen before.
Inuyasha watched everything with hardly veiled confusion, it seemed like Kagome had forgiven Sesshomaru completely. 'Of course is it that hard to comprehend, this is KAGOME after all,' his mind supplied with a huff. Sesshomaru himself seemed almost, dare he think it, 'resigned' to the situation as if he had accepted Kagome as his mate. 'Well he certainly is the best protection for a trouble magnet like her,' Inuyasha offered up. His demon was still seeking blood for his friend but his more rational side supplied that Kagome was actually happy in some sense and her pups needed a father. He was broken from his thoughts when Engetsu suddenly spoke up.
"Father, Mother, I understand that this ball is important but what about Kumo, he is still alive after all," Engetsu remarked stoically while Mangetsu nodded his head enthusiastically in agreement with his brother.
Sesshomaru gave both children a curt nod before remarking sternly, his golden orbs flashing in hidden anger, "Kumo will be taken care of shortly but at the moment we must deal with this. Toru is not one to keep his mouth shut when it needs to be."
Kagome nodded as well, nearly growling in her anger as she remarked," Yes, I wouldn't worry about it Engetsu we will handle Kumo."
This caused Engetsu to smile softly for the first time as he mentioned tenderly," Of that I'm certain you will mother."
Sesshomaru was not sure as to the feeling that surged through his chest at seeing his son smile but he was certain that it pleased him to see his son happy. "For now it is time to prepare for our leave," he ordered calmly as he stood from his place at the head of the table and headed for the dining room exit. Pausing for a time Sesshomaru commanded without ever turning back," Inuyasha I expect for you and your pack to return to your village when we leave. I will not have you staying under my roof." With that said he left a flurry of white robes in his wake.
Kagome stifled a giggle by biting her bottom lip as she stood and went after Sesshomaru, leaving a sputtering Inuyasha in her wake. A few moments later she found Sesshomaru in his office as he shuffled through various pieces of paper while explaining something to Jaken about leaving for a few days. "Sesshomaru," Kagome whispered softly, knowing he would hear her.
Sesshomaru looked up only to find his mate starring back at him with a worried and almost tear filled gaze. "Yes?" he asked after dismissing Jaken. Something about the look in Kagome's sapphire orbs worried him.
"Sesshomaru will they, the demons at the ball, what will they do when they find out? They wouldn't try to hurt our sons would they?" Kagome asked, still worried but her eyes glittering darkly at the prospect of anyone daring to harm her children.
"They would not dare," he growled as reassuringly as he could after years of stoicism. The thought of anyone harming his kin caused liquid fire to burn in his veins but even through his anger he did not miss the flash of red that coated his mate's gaze or her use of the word our. The thought made a small tingle dance across his spine but he ignored as he forcefully pushed away his anger as well as his previous thoughts.
"No, I suppose they wouldn't," Kagome growled softly under her breath before she turned her gaze to Sesshomaru's golden orbs. The anger she found there at the prospect of harm coming to their pups soothed her and she knew that he would protect them. " I'll go pack now, is their anything vital I need to bring?"
Sesshomaru shook his head in negative, but just as she reached the door to leave he added," Ask a servant to pack some nice Kimono's for the ball for you."
The idea of wearing one of those large, gaudy kimonos she had seen in old pictures made her wince, but Kagome nodded all the same and returned to the room. It hardly took ten minutes for her to throw her clothes in a bag (then have a servant remove them and refold them) and to make her way to the entrance hall where Engetsu and Mangetsu were waiting patiently. Only Engetsu carried a small black traveling bag on his back which she assumed contained Mangetsus clothing as well.
Not long after the trio had gathered Sesshomaru appeared at the front door, a black bag also hanging from his shoulder. "I assume that you can travel by Youkai ki?" Sesshomaru more stated then questioned, his gaze focused on the twins. The boys both nodded simultaneously. "Good, Kagome come here," Sesshomaru stated once more as his gaze shifted to her smaller form.
Kagome gave him a weak smile despite her anger of being ordered about and walked over to her mate. Sesshomaru merely reached out his arm and pulled her tightly against his chest.
"Relax, I will not let you fall," he whispered into her ear before they were suddenly surrounded by a bright orb of shear power that slowly lifted them into the air before taking off at an amazing speed. Kagome clutched at Sesshomaru's clothes as the orb became clear and revealed the lush green earth zipping by below. Slowly, she managed to turn her head and look behind them where Engetsus red globe and Mangetsus baby blue one followed closely behind.
The trip was surprisingly fast and before Kagome had even gotten used to the sensation of flying in Sesshomaru's strong arms a beautiful castle rose in the distance. The outer wall and parapets were all done in a rough, grey stone, but the building itself was magnificent. The lower section of the building was made of a light grey stone so smooth it reflected the sun while the rest of the wall was done in beautiful white marble and the roof was made of simple crisscrossing wooden planks. Everything seemed impossibly clean small golden veins shimmered throughout the otherwise immaculate marble walls. The palace gardens were teaming with hundreds of powerful Taiyoukai as they moved about the wondrous reds, blues, yellows, and greens of the gardens. It truly was The Palace of the Sun.
Kagome could feel the jaki of every youkai in the area passing through her soul and the feeling left her breathless. Only Sesshomaru's strong and demanding presence stopped her from being drowned in the sensations. Most of the Jaki was clean of malice but about three of the auras in the area were so dark and dripping with taint that her pure soul was smothered in it all. She gasped as she felt what seemed to be some dark shadow squeezing at her insides until her vision swam and her thoughts danced awry.
Hopelessness was beginning to tear at her but suddenly she was brought back to reality again as Sesshomaru's grip tightened and he let out a deep warning growl, letting his jaki swim around them in an eerie green glow that simply destroyed the dark shadow in her chest. "Do not let the jaki overwhelm you miko, you must be strong for our sons. Do you dare show weakness to those that threaten your pups?" Sesshomaru growled darkly in her ear, his hot breath ghosting over her cool skin.
Kagome faltered her newly regained breath hitching in her throat before her mothering instincts let lose and she let out her own protective growl," I am not weak, no one shall call me thus."
Sesshomaru nodded slightly as he tried to push down his inner beast, both of them had found her growl much more pleasing then was comfortable for him. "Good," he replied with a growl after a moment of observing the top of his mate's head from her place in his grasp. Something in him was saying that if he could see her eyes now, the blue pools would be tinged with red.
Completely oblivious to Sesshomaru's thoughts Kagome was nervous as hell despite her bold declaration. 'Gods did I just growl. What in the.. oh what is he doing to my neck.. dear me… please stop breathing Sesshomaru this is just to much. Jeeze look at me now ma growling like a dog and feeling butterflies in my stomach just because some guy breathes down my neck, with that wonderful, sexy voice of his. ARGH! NO, NO, NO I did not just think that. Dear gods this could only happen me.'
Please don't kill me, I'm sorry this has taken so long. But I got a puppy for Christmas and everything has just been so hectic that I haven't been able to get much of anything done, but I finally finished this chapter and I even added that Sesshomaru and Kagome are starting to feel some attraction for each other. Of course how can they grow closer with three dark taiyoukai lingering about?