Okay… on to the next episode of this carefully crafted story.
Just though I should add, at the moment I'm drinking the most heavenly latte ever! It's York Mint… and oh boy is it ever good. I'm going to be bouncing off the walls for hours!
Disclaimer: Ich besitze Inuyasha nicht! That's German! Doesn't it sound angry?
Stubborn Resolve
Sighing as she washed her hands in the small basin, Kagome dried herself off using a washcloth and smiled as a group of children passed by, their eyes glancing curiously at her. The moment they saw her kind grin, all unease they seemed to hold before fluttered out the window as they grinned and waved exultantly at her. Giving a little wave back, she chuckled at their childish antics and stood, looking around to assess the work done.
There had only been three deaths, luckily, those who had been wounded were now sleeping peacefully in a hut not far from where she stood, their injuries healed.
Sesshomaru, she noticed, had remained, picking through the debris to insure that no youkai had escaped her blast by shielding themselves with rubble.
He watched from the corner of his eye as she approached him, a calm, yet slightly apprehensive look painted across her smooth, seductive features. It was evening, the suns ageless face now partially hidden by the mountains to the west. The orange slivers of light that remained in the sky cast her angelic face in a soft ginger hue, further accentuating her gorgeous appearance.
Stopping a few meters from him, she noted the his skin was charred in some places. Though she had warned him, and it was he who chose not to heed that warning, she couldn't help the guilt that washed over her. "You're burnt."
"Am I?" he retorted in the smooth, velvety tone he was so well known for.
Growling at his mocking and sarcastic tone, she closed her eyes and pushed her anger aside, knowing how he was. Though she had become used to his sardonic nature, it had been two years since she had last seen him, and his absence had seemingly made her forget how snarky he could be.
Wincing as she picked the last bit of gravel from her scraped up knee, Kagome tossed the tiny pebble to the side, eyes scanning the bloody mess that was her kneecap. It reminded her of ground beef.
"Yuck," she mumbled as she dipped a clean cloth into a bucket of cool water. She really needed to be more careful. It was not a simple task, carrying a bucket of water on one's head while walking down a mountainside. Not only did she have to constantly focus on the path before her, but on the pail as well. When one neglected paying attention to either, nothing good ever became of it.
Like this instant, for example. She had been so busy trying to focus on steadying the pail that she had missed the patch of loose gravel she was approaching. She hadn't realized her mistake until she slipped, landing hard on one knee and sliding a good foot or so before stopping. When she stood, she found a patch of rocks had embedded themselves in her leg, making the remainder of her walk all the trickier.
Hissing as she wiped away the crusted on blood from her skin, causing the wound to bleed anew, Kagome scooped up a wad of herbal paste from the tiny, wooden bowl to her right. Smearing the disgusting substance into her cut, she grumbled when the sting only increased.
Had she been a practiced miko, she simply would have dissipated any infection that might have been festering in the open wound. Then, of course, she would have healed it. However, though she did have a slight idea of how to heal, she was unaware of how to purify bacteria.
And so, she was forced to smear icky, smelly, snot green paste into her knee and wait two hours before cleaning and healing her self.
"Pitiful," an icy, mocking tone sounded from her doorway.
Gaze shifting to the screen door, she found the tall, imposing silhouette of the western Lord painted against the otherwise light backdrop. "Sesshomaru-sama," she greeted somewhat grumpily, eyes turning back to her knee.
"Wench," he began, striding haughtily into the small, yet well kept space, "this Sesshomaru wishes to know what will become of my kind."
Huffing, Kagome shook her head and explained in a less than friendly voice, "If you want answers, you had best start calling me by my name."
"I do as I please," Sesshomaru informed her, an air of indifference surrounding him.
"As do I," Kagome assured him, "and as I have stated, you won't get any answers until you call me by my name."
"Insubordination will not go unpunished," he hissed, his monotone tenor being replaced by a scathing, almost acidic one.
"I'm not being insubordinate," she interjected. "What I'm asking of you is reasonable; you're simply being stubborn for the sake of being stubborn." When she received a cold glare, she shrugged and continued, "Look, you get upset when I refer to you as Sesshomaru, correct?"
"That is because I am of royal blood, you infuriating whelp. As a youkai of my station, you are required to refer to me as either milord or Sesshomaru-sama," Sesshomaru bit out, hating that she could press his buttons so easily.
"So," she went on, "it isn't like I'm asking you to use an honorific after my name. I call you by your title, so the least you could do is address me using my name! If we're going to be having these little question and answer sessions I suggest we do it under peaceful terms, don't you agree?"
All was silent, and she sighed, assuming that he had no intention of calling her by her name. Before she had a chance to say a word, his low, almost inaudible reply came.
"Kagome," he ground out in a bitter manner, "what became of the youkai race?"
She shook her head at the memory. In the beginning, he had acted extremely hostile toward her; insulting and belittling her whenever he found the opportunity. Yet as time went on, they had learned to cope with their differences and converse in what may have been described as a peaceful manner.
Despite that fact, however, he had always remained stubborn, and she had no doubts that he was still going to react in the same way.
Keeping her tone gentle, she lifted a hand and offered, "I'll help you."
"This Sesshomaru does not need your help, wench. My healing ability will see to it," he explained in a bored fashion.
"Yeah," she bit out, some of her patience slipping, "it seems to be doing a great job so far."
Growling at the implications behind her statement, he replied vehemently, "You dare imply that this Sesshomaru is incapable of performing a task as simple as healing?!"
She cringed slightly at the hostility in his voice. It was not often that the western Lord lost his temper, and though she had seen it before, it was not a pleasant sight.
Seeing the malicious promise of pain in his molten orbs did nothing to lessen his beauty, instead it seemed to enhance his attractiveness all the more. Any time he allowed emotion to scrawl across his features she found it made him more alluring, though the hardness of his eyes when he was angry was what made her frightful. Any being in their right mind knew to tread cautiously when pinned with a glare from him.
Sighing, she assured him, "I meant no disrespect, nor am I implying that you are not capable of it, but I am the one who caused it and, instead of you having to waste energy, I'm simply offering to do it for you."
Snorting, his composure returning, he taunted, "So that is the true motive for your attempts to aid me. To lessen your own guilt, hn mortal?"
Appalled that he would accuse her of such a thing, she felt the last of her control slip out the proverbial window as she stomped up to him, eyes ablaze with fury. Placing her feet in a firm stance, she clenched one hand into a fist and kept it at her side, lifting the other hand to point a finger in his face. "You jerk! How dare you question my honor! I'm offering because I want to, not because it will make me feel less guilty. I warned you, so this is your fault not mine!"
"Silence wench," he hissed, barring his lengthened fangs at her, "you are a human… you know nothing of honor."
Eyes going wide with shock and offence, she paused momentarily before narrowing her eyes into dangerous slits, her aura crackling around her like a brilliant purple lightning storm.
Sesshomaru was awestruck at the moment, though his swelling ego refused to allow him to show it. He had thought her scent pleasant before, but now, as she fizzled with anger, the magnitude of it had intensified tenfold, accompanied by a spicy, musky aroma, one that made her smell absolutely edible. The purple sparks that ignited spontaneously around her did little to hinder his growing lust for her. She looked like a goddess.
"Arrogant prick!" she hissed, keeping her voice to a level that no children would hear her, "How dare you insult me like that! I have no honor? I have no honor! It's you who needs a lesson in manners you incorrigible, pompous, egomaniac! You who seem to think that the world itself revolves around him! I could be at home this very moment, lounging in my abode without a worry or a care. Yet here I am, risking my neck every damn day so that I can fix the mess I made. I swore that I would right my wrongs and I have kept to that promise without a flicker of hesitation! And you say I have no honor. Ha! You, Sesshomaru, have no right to talk to me about lacking honor. You who prey on the emotions of others to make yourself feel more important. You're just a spoiled brat who uses other people's insecurity to distract himself from how devastatingly pathetic his own life is!"
Taking a deep breath, Kagome held her ground, disregarding the look of sheer displeasure and bubbling malice that had spread through the taiyoukai's eyes. Her lower lip trembled a little, whether it was in rage or dread she had not yet decided.
She flinched only slightly when he moved toward her, deadly intent shining from his amber depths. Refusing to back down, in fear of inflating his already oversized ego, she lifted her chin a little higher. His body stopped only inches from hers, his large and imposing stature hovering over her like a shadow of death.
Tossing all hesitation aside, she thrust her chest forward, answering his challenge with one of her own. She had not, however intended to brush her breasts against his rock hard chest, which was currently tense due to his unabashed fury.
Infuriated beyond anything he had ever experienced, he was about to lash out at her when a soft whimper halted his assault. Looking to the side, he spotted his ward shaking the limp body of his retainer in obvious concern, worry shining from her chocolate orbs.
Seeing the distraught child, Kagome chose to simply ignore the youkai for the time being and headed toward the little girl.
Sesshomaru, slightly proud that she had been the first to back down, followed silently, stopping only a ways from where the miko now knelt at Jaken's side.
Feeling for a pulse, Kagome was relieved to find one, though it was weak. She had never really liked the little imp that followed the arrogant Lord around, yet she couldn't stand seeing Rin in tears. Focusing her healing abilities, she pushed the rejuvenating magic into Jaken's still body.
He was up in an instant, flailing the Staff of Skulls every which way. He then turned to her and made a move to bonk her on the head when Rin grabbed his weapon, holding him back. "Rin, what are you doing, you stupid child?"
"Don't, Jaken-sama, Kagome saved you!" the little girl pleaded.
Bulbous eyes growing wider, he turned to Kagome with an unbelieving and slightly grateful look, lowering his staff and bowing stiffly.
Kagome shook her head and turned back toward the taiyoukai, determination set as she rose and stepped up to him. He growled in warning but she brushed the threat aside, placing both hands on his shoulder.
His clawed fingers automatically ensnared both of her tiny wrists, reddening eyes turning on her in a feral manner. "What did I tell you wench, or are you so thick that you forgot?"
Blowing a raspberry, Kagome assured him, "I heard you tell me that you didn't want my help, but I'm going to do it anyways. I mean it isn't like you asked me or anything so you don't have to worry about your 'flawless honor' being tarnished. I'm offering to do it freely so just shut up and let me heal you!"
Lifting a brow, Sesshomaru retracted his hold on her wrists and clipped, "Do as you wish, whelp."
Huffing, she placed her hand back onto his shoulder and focused, her mind set on removing the burn marks that marred his perfect, ivory skin. In her mind, she pictured the white, smooth expanse of skin that covered thickly corded plains of muscle.
Skin that had been torn and melted knit back together, flesh gluing shut as though it had never been flawed in the first place, returning to its pristine perfection.
Just as she went to move away, an idea came to her. Deciding no harm could come of it, she grasped his arm tightly, to which she heard a displeased growl come from the youkai she was treating. She ignored his protest and began on her next task. 'I can do this,' she assured herself. 'I've never tried before but I know I can do this. Now… concentrate. Bone… Tendons… Muscle… Veins… Skin… Claws…'
Sighing in exhaustion, she opened her eyes, hoping to heaven that she had put it together properly. She doubted that the taiyoukai would be pleased if he had a mutated blob of flesh and bone attached to his shoulder. Squealing with glee when she found all was in place, she waited for him to make a move. After a moments pause, she grew impatient and snapped, "Well… aren't you going to test it out?"
Looking first to his newly regenerated arm, he twitched his fingers experimentally, content when he found they all worked fine. Calling forth his acid, he was pleased to see it drip from his claws and onto the grass covered ground below, where it singed a good sized hole in the soil. Glancing up at the miko, he lifted a brow and turned away from her.
"You're welcome, Lord Asshole," she mumbled under her breath.
"Miko," Sesshomaru hummed in annoyance, "I did not ask for your assistance in healing myself, nor did I implore that you regenerate my arm. Therefore I owe you no thanks."
She was just about to snap back at him when a distraught gasp caught her attention. Head snapping to the side, she watched in horror as Rin fainted cold.
Cliffy! Ahahahahah…. I know a lot of you despise cliff-hangers, but come on; this is me we're talking about here. It's not like I'm just going to discontinue the story. Knock on wood.
For those of you who are wondering about my odd Disclaimers, it says the same thing, just in different languages. I thought it would spice things up a bit instead of saying the same old crap.
Review, all you wonderful people! And for those of you who are like, 'Yeah I read the story, but I don't want to review,' … come on! I mean seriously it takes, what, a minute? Look… just do it.