Author's Note: So you may hate me for this, if you like Inuyasha, he's a big ass in this chapter. But it's necessary, I tell you! Reviews, my loves!
Her body trembles slightly in the cold breeze. It's early in the morning and just her and Sesshomaru are awake at this hour. She always wakes up earlier than every one to check and load supplies for the day's travel. Her eyes meet the demon Lord's and fierce blush touches her cheeks. She turns, holding the pot she uses to cook in every night, and finds herself face to face with Inuyasha.
Her breath catches in her throat as she gawks at him. She almost feels like she should apologize, as if she was doing something wrong. Inuyasha stares back at her, his nose twitching. He can hear her heightened pulse, see the blush on her cheeks, can sense the attraction she's feeling. Toward whom? His bastard of a half-brother? Couldn't be.
He glares down at Kagome, feeling anger seethe inside of him. How dare she? She is his. She will always be his. She promised. And yet here she is, flirting with that cold, asshole? He will not stand for it. This is his pack.
"So whatcha doin' Kagome?" Inuyasha asks, crossing his arms.
"You know what I'm doing, I've done it every morning for years. I'm packing up and doing some inventory. What have you been doing?" Kagome asks, eyes glaring back in defiance.
"Uh, well, I was...I was.." Inuyasha stutters.
"Don't you dare scold me about what I'm doing. You don't control my life. In fact, you haven't even lead this group for the past 2 years! I have! I've done EVERYTHING for EVERYONE. And what have YOU done, HUH! You've run off for days, sometimes weeks at a time, to go be with Kikyo! I've stood by for years, humiliated, letting you walk all over me. For what? Why? Because I promised you something when I was 15 years old? Not anymore, Inuyasha. I am a beautiful, loving woman, and I deserve to be loved and cared for and be someone's world." Kagome says, yelling in moments, anger dripping like venom.
By this point, every one in each of the groups had awoken to a half-demon, ears flattened against his head and an angry, red-faced priestess staring said half-demon down. Almost every single person thinks "finally", except for Jaken and AhUn, who really couldn't care less. Sesshomaru stands to the side, eyebrow cocked, watching the events unfold. The Miko is finally standing up. And he will back her. Not that he really cares. He just prefers dealing with her than Inuyasha. No, not prefers, she is a filthy...beautiful...human. Sesshomaru blinks once, confused by his own thoughts, then tunes back in to the conversation.
"What you wanna be Alpha, Kagome? You think you could really handle that!" Inuyasha asks, laughing in her face. "You're a clumsy, stupid, human. You'll just get everyone killed."
Kagome stands there, her jaw dropped. She feels hysterics coming on. Her rage swims in her veins, spreading like poison. Did he really just say all of that? What exactly does he think he has done for any of them, other than show up at convenient times to help with battles they've already almost won! And she tells him exactly that. Their fighting escalates, everyone else going about their business, trying to not look as though they're listening. Kagome's hands ball into fists and Inuyasha bares his fangs.
Suddenly, Inuyasha raises his hand and slaps Kagome's face with a loud whack! Everyone turns and stares, stunned. Kagome's face is turned, her black hair covering her face, standing still. Inuyasha is growling, red bled slighting into his eyes, breathing shakily. Suddenly he raises a clawed hand again. Sango and Miroku start forward but are cut off by a flash of white.
Blinking once, they see Sesshomaru standing between Kagome and Inuyasha. Sesshomaru has Inuyasha's wrist crushed in his hand. The half-breed wails loudly, sinking to his knees as Sesshomaru's poison starts to eat away at the skin.
"Stop."
Sesshomaru cocks a brow, glancing at the woman beside him.
"Sesshomaru. Release him." Kagome says, hair moving in the wind, showing her face and the large red hand print and claw marks on her face.
Sesshomaru involuntarily growls in response to seeing her face. Why would this cause such a reaction in him? He'll consider this later.
Inuyasha stares at her, his eyes clearing back to amber. Dread sets in the pit of his stomach, looking at her face. Had he done that? He would never...but he had. He doesn't even notice the pain emanating from his wrist.
"Kagome..." Inuyasha utters.
"Inuyasha...leave." She says, icily.
"Wha...What?"
"Leave. Go. Go to Kikyo. You don't belong here."
"You can't...this is my pack...You can't-" He stutters out.
"No. This is not your pack. It hasn't been for a long time. I lead this pack, I am the Alpha. And you will leave." Kagome growls out.
Inuyasha just stands and stares, dumbfounded. His eyes rake over Kagome, waiting for her to take it back. But she just stares at him, her mocha eyes almost black with anger. Her body emits a soft glow, her powers clearly surfacing. Koga is suddenly by his side, grabbing him by the back of his neck.
"You heard the woman. Get out." Koga growls furiously, squeezing his neck.
"Get off of me!" Inuyasha yells, elbowing the wolf demon and drawing his sword.
"Inuyasha..." Sesshomaru growls, a warning.
"Leave!" Kagome finishes, yelling at him.
Inuyasha stares at the three people in front of him, rage building inside of him. How dare they! No one talks to him like that! Holding onto the transformed Tessaiga, his grip tight on the handle, glaring.
"You have no right." He growls.
"I do. I have MORE of a right than you know. Leave now, or I swear, I will purify you." Kagome says sternly.
Inuyasha turns his blade to her, staring at the woman he once loved. He hadn't loved her for a long time now, it had morphed into a protective friendship. But she was still his.
"No. No fighting. Inuyasha, you either leave peacefully or I swear, I will purify you in the blink of an eye. I have no desire to. Kikyo would miss you so." Kagome says, her voice sickeningly sweet.
"Leave." Koga and Sesshomaru growl in unison, stepping toward him.
Inuyasha knows he can't win a fight against the two of them. His instincts scream for him to run. Run to Kikyo and never look back. His eyes fall on the priestess behind them, her back already turned and walking away from him.
"You will always be mine." He says darkly before turning and taking off into the dense forest.
"No, she is not." Sesshomaru says to himself, turning to watch the priestess walk off.
"Kagome, let me clean your wound." Sango says, reaching for her friend.
"No, Sango, I'm okay. I just need to be alone." She says softly, walking toward the hot spring she had bathed in the night before.
"I can't believe...how could he?" Sango whispers, putting her hand over her mouth.
"He is not the Inuyasha we knew. He has changed, he will never be who he once was, and is most definitely never welcomed back." Miroku says, his hand resting on Sango's shoulder. "We will protect her, no matter what, Sango."
"She loved him, a part of her I know still does, and he knew it! And this is what he does!" Sango yells angrily, her voice echoing amongst the silent groups.
Silently, the demon Lord walks past everyone toward the way Kagome went. All eyes are on him as he moves in her direction. His hands ball into fists, claws cutting into the palms of his hands, the image of her reddened, bleeding face in his head.
"Sesshomaru.." Sango says quietly, moving toward him.
He stops for a moment, not turning to her.
"Please...she must be in so much pain...not just physically. Please...just...help her." Sango says, tears spilling over her cheeks, Shippo giving him the same teary eyed look.
Sesshomaru says nothing, not even acknowleging that he heard her, just continues toward the priestess.
Kagome sits on the edge of the spring, using a rag to drench the warm water in and slowly clean her face. Tears spill over the cuts from Inuyasha's claws, causing it to sting. She doesn't feel it. She feels nothing. Her soul, her heart, every fiber of her being was torn away from her. Her reason to live, to complete the jewel. Maybe a part of her thought that once it was complete, Inuyasha would leave Kikyo to be with her. But she knows that would never happen.
She stifles a small yelp, touching the wet rag to the cuts, squeezing her eyes shut. Suddenly, she feels a presence. His presence. No no no, not now, not when she was at her lowest. He can't see her like this. She gets up quickly, knocking over her supplies and dropping the rag full of her blood. She steps forward, ready to run, when she feels a hand clasp rest onto her shoulder, grasping it gently. She gulps down a soft sob, pushing her hurt into a tight ball in her stomach. She can't cry, she can't breakdown, not in front of him.
He slowly turns her to face him and she keeps her eyes averted. She can't look at him. Trembles visibly shake throughout her body. He gently cups her chin with his hand, making sure to not even touch her delicate skin with his claws.
They say nothing. They merely stand there, his hand on her chin, her eyes averted, staring at his chest. Suddenly, he leans forward, his silky bangs brushing against the side of her other, unharmed cheek. He seems to be...sniffing her? He holds her breath, unsure of what to do.
"This...will hurt." He says, some type of emotion reaching his voice.
She merely nods her head quickly. She waits, staring past his long, elvish ear. Then, something warm gently touches her cuts. Something warm, but rough. She feels hot breath around it. Is he...he's...that's his tongue! She screams in her head, fighting pain and arousal, confused and embarrassed.
"Sesshomaru, what are you-"
"Hush, Miko." He says, cutting her off in his normal, uncaring tone.
This goes on for about 5 minutes, tears spilling down her cheeks from the pain, which he merely licks up. She knows this is gross, that she should be totally freaked out. I mean, this is Sesshomaru! But she feels only...protected...and cared for. He pulls away and stares down at her with his normal, stoic look, though she can see something touching his eyes, some emotion.
"What..?"
"Your wound. It is clean." He states, sounding bored.
"Wha-What?" She says, her hand immediately reaching to touch her cheek.
It's nearly healed.
"How?"
"I am a Lord, one of the most powerful demons. My saliva has healing properties. It is so I am able to care for a pack." He says, sounding even more bored.
"Can all demons do that?"
"No."
"Oh."
"Hn."
"Thank you."
"Hn."
"Was it right?"
Sesshomaru quirks an eyebrow at her.
"What I did to Inuyasha, banning him...was it right?"
Sesshomaru says nothing, and Kagome thinks he isn't going to answer. She sighs and turns to her things. She starts pulling her things together when he speaks.
"He has no honor. No loyalty. He is everything you are not. This is why you are Alpha. You do not...deserve...such treatment." He says.
Kagome freezes, surprised by the anger and then care in his voice. She turns to question him further but finds herself alone. She doesn't know how, but she's never felt stronger or more empowered. She smiles softly to herself, touching her cheek. Sesshomaru.
What exactly is going on between us?