Chapter 4
Taisho
"I-I don't understand. How could he still be alive?" Kagome asked, the smell of her fear becoming so strong that it was almost nauseating. I looked at the little miko and felt myself growing worried.
I've only known her for a day but one person should not feel this kind of terror so suddenly. Her eyes, which I had hoped to see emotion in, although not this one, showed every bit of the fear she felt. Her hands had tightened on the dragon's reins so hard that her knuckles had gone white.
"Explain!" Sesshomaru growled, his angry scent mixing with the miko's. I found myself very curious.
Who was this Naraku? Why was he able to bring out such emotion in two people that controlled themselves so well? As I looked around, I could see the effect he had on the others as well. Rin, while not as scared as Kagome, also carried the same scent of fear. Miroku was overwhelmed with worry and his fingers absentmindedly played with the beads wrapped around his hand. Sango tugged the giant boomerang on her back even closer. Looking at the group, I knew that this Naraku had done some damage to everyone.
"I think we all need to calm down. I was brought back to fight an evil, and from your reactions, I believe this may be it. I have an estate about a day's flight away. We will rest there for a bit while we discuss our options. In the meantime, as we travel to my home, you will all explain to me who Naraku is." I stated, looking around at the group. I met everyone's eyes, lingering on the deep ocean blue orbs. When no one objected, Rin quickly jumped onto Ah-Un behind the miko.
When everyone was ready, I gave a nod and summoned my youki beneath me. A small cloud formed and I took off to the sky. Sesshomaru followed my lead while Jaken held on to his mokomoko and the monk and demon slayer jumped on the fire cat. When we had all taken to the air, I quickly jumped in the front, leading us to my home.
"Now, who is this Naraku?" I asked, looking towards the miko. She sighed before letting her shoulders slump.
"He is a spider half-demon that has plagued all of our lives. Miroku's great-grandfather was cursed with the Kazaana. It is a wind tunnel that is in the palm of his right hand and passes down through the males of his family. It had disappeared, but with the return of Naraku and his beads on his hand, I assume it is back." Kagome started, looking towards the monk who gave a curt nod.
"Basically, it is a hole in his hand that sucks up anything in its path. The only problem is that eventually, it will expand, sucking Miroku into it." Kagome paused before looking sadly at the slayer. "Naraku tricked Sango's brother, forcing him to kill his own family while they were hunting a demon. While they were busy, he attacked the demon slayer village, killing them all."
"He seems ruthless." I added, deep in thought. This Naraku must have wreaked havoc on these lands.
"He is manipulative and cunning." Miroku added, placing a hand on Sango's shoulder in support. I turned my attention to Sesshomaru, who had been quiet through the miko's explanations. I could still smell the anger coming off of him, and I knew that, somehow, he had been affected as well.
"Son, why does he anger you?" I asked, watching for a response from him.
"He took what is mine." Sesshomaru stated, looking towards Rin who was hiding her face in Kagome's back.
"What about you, Kagome? What has he done to you?" I asked, looking back at the miko. Just before she answered, a scoff could be heard from the demon slayer.
"What hasn't he done to her?" Sango sarcastically asked. I looked back towards the miko who just looked ahead.
"It doesn't matter what he has done to me. The one he affected the most was InuYasha." She stated, her fear slowly turning to anger.
"What has he done to my son?" I asked, feeling my anger rise. It seems this person really has been tormenting every single one of them.
"InuYasha fell in love with a miko named Kikyou almost sixty years ago. Naraku used his manipulative personality to trick the two. He made himself look like InuYasha and attacked her. In retaliation, Kikyou sealed InuYasha to a tree for fifty years before I came along and freed him." Kagome explained, making me think even more deeply.
"And this Kikyou?" I asked, instantly noticing the way everyone tensed.
"She was killed by Naraku's wounds until…" Kagome started before trailing off. I moved a little closer to her. She wouldn't look at me so I reached out and gently placed my hand under her chin, forcing her head towards me.
"Little One, I need to know as much as I can. If I am to help fight this demon, I cannot be blindsided." I said gently, hoping to get her to speak to me. I could see the land passing by as we flew over it, even as my eyes locked onto her gaze.
I could see the pain flashing in the miko's blue orbs before they snapped shut. She wrenched her chin from my hand as if my touch had burned her. I pulled back, hiding that I was a tad bit offended by her actions. I knew I should not take it personally, but I couldn't help but feel a tinge of rejection. Why? Even I did not know that answer.
"Kikyou died and had the Shikon no Tama burned with her body. Five-hundred years later, I was born with the jewel inside of me." Kagome started, looking back towards the sky. "I am Kikyou's reincarnation."
"Why does it seem as if there is much more to this story? And what do you mean five-hundred years? I have only been dead for two-hundred?" I asked, noticing how Sesshomaru's anger continued to rise as she spoke of the dead miko.
"A witch named Urasue brought Kikyou back to life…or at least attempted to." Miroku said, noticing that Kagome didn't wish to speak of the woman. "Because Kagome had already been born and was in our time instead of hers, Kikyou's soul could not be returned. Urasue kidnapped Kagome and stole her soul, effectively killing her."
"Only, somehow, Kagome called back her soul…at least most of it." Sango added, her own face full of anger. I never once took my eyes from the miko as the story was told. The entire time, her face was tightened up with a mixture of sadness, anger, and betrayal. I knew, then, that whatever InuYasha did to break Kagome included this woman.
"So the undead miko still walks this earth using part of Kagome's soul. Please explain the five-hundred years?" I asked, still looking towards the very silent miko in our group.
"I was born five-hundred years in the future. Seven years ago, I was pulled through the Bone-Eater's Well and attacked by Mistress Centipede. That was when I came across InuYasha and freed him from the tree and seal. The Shikon no Tama was torn from my body and, a few days later, I accidentally shattered it, scattering it across Japan. I then spent two years traveling with InuYasha and the others, hunting the shards and battling Naraku. Five years ago, he was defeated, and I left and joined Sesshomaru." Kagome answered, still not looking towards me.
"This Naraku character, why is he so powerful?" I asked.
"He is only a filthy half-breed who uses the jewel to gain power." Sesshomaru answered, his own eyes on Kagome.
"Lady Kagome, speaking of the jewel, do you still carry it in your possession?" Miroku asked, spiking my curiosity.
"I do, though you will not be pleased." Kagome answered, releasing Ah-Un's reins.
She reached into a pocket and pulled out a small pouch. She reached inside and pulled out a small cloth that was obviously covering something. Slowly, and carefully, she moved away the corners, revealing a small black ball. Gasps could be heard from Sango and Miroku who were looking at the jewel in horror.
"Kagome, why is the jewel not purified?" Sango asked, her eyes showing her confusion.
"I-I can't purify it. In fact, I am the one who darkened it." Kagome whispered, covering the Shikon no Tama with the cloth and returning it to its prior place.
"How, Kagome? You are the Shikon Miko." Miroku asked, his own confusion showing. Kagome looked down, and I could tell she felt ashamed.
"I-I am no longer the Shikon Miko. I am now a dark miko." Kagome said softly, making everyone, except Sesshomaru and Rin, gasp. As if to prove her words, Kagome held up her hand, summoning her reiki in her palm. What we saw shocked everyone, except Sesshomaru who just looked even angrier.
Where there would normally be a small ball of pink light, now sat a dark light. It swirled in the palm of her hand, screaming the anguish that the miko felt. I had never seen such dark reiki, and even I felt myself backing away. I instantly regretted it when Kagome's eyes shot up to mine, filled with hurt.
She was feeling how I had felt when she had pulled away from me earlier. In her eyes, I was rejecting her because of her reiki, her own ability that she was so ashamed of. My backing away just proved to her what she thought of herself. I instantly straightened up and grabbed Kagome's hand in mine.
Her eyes widened at my actions, but I ignored her. Instead, I looked at the small ball in her hand. I examined it, studying it, looking for any sign of the purity that I knew resided within her. I let out an obvious sigh of relief when a small spark of pink could be spotted.
"Kagome, you are not a dark miko." I stated, bringing my eyes up to hers. "You are hurt and in pain. Your reiki is feeling your anguish, nothing more. Do you wish harm to others? Do you wish harm to my youngest son?"
"No. No matter what he did, I would never wish harm on him. I could never hurt anyone unless I was protecting the ones I care about." She argued, her blue eyes looking at me with determination. Using my other hand, I folded up her fingers, causing her reiki to disappear.
"You are not a dark miko." I repeated, looking into her eyes for a second longer. "As you heal, your reiki will as well."
"Kagome, what the hell did InuYasha do?" Sango asked, completely pissed at this point. "We have waited patiently for five years. It is time you told us."
"Miko, it is time." Sesshomaru added, making Kagome look at him before sighing.
"Sango, as you know, InuYasha asked me to mate him when Naraku was defeated." Kagome started, and I instantly knew I would not like this story. "After two years of chasing him, I thought I was finally getting what I wanted. I instantly forgave him for all the times he left me for Kikyou. I was just happy that he finally wanted me."
"I remember that. I was worried that he was just telling you what you wanted to hear." Sango stated sadly, looking towards the miko who had a sad smile on her face.
"A week after we thought we killed Naraku, I went searching for him. I wanted to know when he wanted to be mated. I would wait as long as he wanted, but I had wanted at least an answer. My answer was in the form of InuYasha and Kikyou mating instead."
"What!?" I yelled, suddenly enraged. I looked towards Sesshomaru, who looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "That insolent pup. You do not promise yourself to one, then go to another. It is not honorable, and the moment I see him, I will teach him just what it means to have a father."
"That is something this one will enjoy seeing." Sesshomaru stated, returning his gaze towards the miko who had closed her eyes. I could smell the unshed tears, and I knew that she still very much carried the pain of what he had done.
"Little Miko, I am sorry you feel such pain because of my son. On his behalf, I will help to fix his mistakes, just as Sesshomaru has done. I will become your protector from this day forward." I stated, giving the surprised miko a bow.
"Father, you are binding yourself to the miko." Sesshomaru interrupted, looking at me with both eyebrows raised now.
"I may have been dead for two-hundred years, but I have not forgotten the inu ways." I replied, waving a hand at my son.
"Please, don't. I don't want to inconvenience anyone, and you shouldn't have to pay for what InuYasha did. I forgave him a long time ago. I don't even love him anymore." Kagome said, almost begging me not to offer my services.
"It is too late, Kagome." I answered, cocking my head to the side. "My services have already been offered. As for owning up for InuYasha's mistakes, I will gladly do it to bring honor back to the Taisho name."
"I don't want you to do something you don't wish to do." Kagome whispered, looking back towards the sky.
"I never do what I do not want to do." I stated, giving the miko a small smile. I almost laughed at the sudden blush that covered her cheeks. What could she be thinking to make her face grow to that color?
"I guess if it is what you want to do..." Kagome replied.
"Kagome, we realized that Naraku was back because of two reasons. One being Miroku's wind tunnel." Sango started, making all of us look at her.
"The other being that Kikyou disappeared. She returned to the spider hanyou." Miroku added, making my anger rise slightly.
"Are you telling me that InuYasha mated with the enemy?" I asked, putting my hand to my forehead and rubbing my temples.
"Yes. We discovered quite a few times that Kikyou had betrayed us." Miroku answered.
"That boy will be punished." I growled, my anger starting to get the best of me.
"Father, we should be coming to your estate soon." Sesshomaru interrupted, making me nod.
"I could use a warm relaxing bath." I muttered as I noticed a very large field ahead of us. I began to descend to the ground, thankful that I was home.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it appears that your estate is no more." Miroku said as Kirara landed on the ground behind me, followed by Ah-Un and Sesshomaru.
"Do you think I would leave my estate to be taken by others? Even in death I protected what is mine." I replied, holding out my hand in front of me.
I poured some of my youki into the palm of my hand, letting it build immensely. When it reached a strength that I knew would be satisfactory, I swiped the blue light downward, leaving a trail of my youki. Almost immediately, a wave could be seen in front of us before disappearing and revealing a large estate.
"It's beautiful." Kagome said, making Ah-Un walk up beside me. Her eyes traveled over the large shiro. I looked up at her and gave a smile that once again caused a blush to form on her cheeks. I noticed that Rin had already stepped off of Ah-Un and was now standing beside Sesshomaru.
"How is your ankle, Little Miko?" I asked, turning to the small woman. I watched as she gave it a twist and then looked back to me.
"I believe it is much better." She answered, giving me her own smile. I let out a silent gasp at the sight. Her smile alone was enough to make me freeze where I was. I had never seen something so beautiful. How could such a simple thing stop a daiyokai such as me?
"Then come, lean on me for support." I said, catching myself. I reached up and held my hand out to Kagome. She looked at me hesitantly before reaching out and placing her hand in mine. I hadn't noticed before, but her hand was tiny compared to mine. Yet it almost seemed to be a perfect fit.
"T-Thank-you, Mattaki." She replied, her cheeks blushing again. I wrapped her hand around my arm before folding my hand over hers. I turned to my estate and began the short walk to my home.
"I had a sleeping spell placed on my estate before my final battle with the dragon. Everyone inside had fallen asleep but should now be awake." I said, answering the questions that lingered in the air.
"Did they not have families?" Kagome asked, looking up at me. I smiled down at her, once again amazed at her heart.
"The workers are a family. I wished to keep them close together so they would always have what they needed." I answered, patting her small hand.
"This place is amazing." Sango said, catching up to me. She looked around in awe as we entered my home. Servants ran around, bowing to me as they passed. They acted as if it hadn't been two-hundred years since I was last seen. After ordering dinner to be prepared and rooms to be made for my guests, I showed everyone the way to their sleeping chambers.
I gave everyone their own rooms, excluding the married monk and demon slayer. They were all thrilled to have a decent resting place. When I came across the last room, I stopped with Kagome still attached to my arm. I released her hand and was surprised at how cold I suddenly felt, almost as if having her next to me was where she belonged.
"This will be your room, Little Kagome." I informed her, before turning to a different set of doors. "My chambers are right across from yours. If you need anything, do not hesitate to come and get me."
"Thank-you, Mattaki." Kagome answered, giving a little bow. I watched as she turned and entered her room.
Turning back around, I noticed that I was left with Sesshomaru and Miroku, which I was grateful for. I wished to speak to them alone about a few matters, especially my son. I waved for them to follow and headed to the public baths. I was not about to have two men in my private ones.
"I wish to speak to the both of you." I stated, walking into the bathing chambers.
"In the baths?" Miroku asked, looking around at the room we stood in.
"It has been two-hundred years since my last bath. Besides, I wish to ask you two questions that I do not want the women to hear." I replied, beginning to quickly undress in the small room. I folded my clothes neatly so a servant could grab them and bring me a new set. Ignoring the other two who were taking their time with getting undressed, I walked through one last shoji door and just about sobbed at the sight before me.
There stood a large hot spring, surrounded by the walls of my estate. Steam rolled off the water and my muscles almost screamed at me to jump in. I was knocked out of my thoughts when Sesshomaru suddenly walked past me and waded in. I followed behind him and just about rejoiced as the water climbed up my body.
"This is so much better than I remember." I sighed, leaning back against a rock and putting my arms up on the edge.
"Father, what did you wish to speak to us about?" Sesshomaru asked, ruining my relaxation. I let out a sigh before glaring at him.
"You always did want to get straight to the point, eh, Son?" I said, before looking from Sesshomaru to Miroku. "I wish to know as much about Kagome as possible. Between the two of you, there is seven years' worth of knowledge. If I am to protect her, I need information."
"You can never make her do what she doesn't want to do." Miroku started, causing Sesshomaru to nod.
"Even as her alpha, she would still deny me." Sesshomaru added, looking towards the roof. "Yet the miko protects the ones she cares for tremendously."
"She would give her life for others. Her heart is just too big." Miroku agreed.
"I will not allow her to put herself in harm's way." I stated, slapping a hand on my neck to remove an annoying itch. When I brought my hand away from my skin, I noticed a flattened flea and instantly smiled. "Myoga, my dear friend, how have you been?"
"Master, it really is you. I thought I felt your youki and I had to come see for myself." The little flea cried, hugging my thumb.
"I'm glad you came. I have some questions to ask of you as well. Do you know Lady Kagome?" I asked, holding my hand up to eye level.
"Of course I do. Although I hate to say, she died five years ago." Myoga said, making me raise an eyebrow. I looked towards Sesshomaru who was just as surprised as me. Miroku, on the other hand, had his head down and eyes closed.
"When Lady Kagome came to tell Sango and I goodbye, we could tell that InuYasha had done something. She always had a certain look in her eyes when her pain was caused by him. Kagome told us she was leaving with Lord Sesshomaru, but we knew that if we told InuYasha, he would have followed and forced her back. So instead, we told him that she was gone. He took it to mean she was dead, which is what he told everybody." Miroku explained, making me nod.
"If the filthy half-breed had followed me, this one would have killed him." Sesshomaru growled out, his eyes narrowed.
"Sesshomaru, do not speak of your brother in such a way." I ordered.
"Half-brother." Sesshomaru corrected, making me sigh.
"Do you still not get along?" I asked, looking at my eldest with sad eyes.
"There was a time that Lord Sesshomaru protected InuYasha. It was during the battle with Sounga. Why is it that you have changed your views of him?" Miroku asked, getting a glare from Sesshomaru that made the monk jump back.
"The hanyou does not deserve my respect, or anyone else's, for what he has done to my pack." Sesshomaru stated, looking away from us all.
"You mean for what he has done to Kagome?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"You did not see what he did to the miko. I picked her off of the ground when she was content to wither away. This one helped her lose her love for the half-breed. You did not see what his actions caused." Sesshomaru barked, evidently angry.
"You have found yourself a friend." I stated, cocking my head. I had never seen my son so protective of anyone, and I couldn't help but smile. Between Kagome, who is his friend, and Rin, who he loves, he had found someone to protect. While I wasn't supposed to know about Rin, it was obvious. One day, I would tell him that I knew, and I would enjoy the look on his face when I did so.
"Myoga." I said, when I received no reply from Sesshomaru. "How did InuYasha treat Lady Kagome? I know what he did to drive her away, but even that is not enough to completely break her."
"He was very harsh with her. He cared for her well-being, but his words and actions spoke differently. Quite often, I would hear him insult her for being a helpless human or he would say that he didn't need her and call her stupid." Myoga answered, looking sad. "I had talked to him about it once, after Lady Kagome ran off crying, but he just said that she was being a typical female."
"He does not care for her well-being. There were quite a few times I had to save her when he wasn't around." Sesshomaru added.
"Yes, I never did get to thank you for the Mukotsu incident. You saved us all, especially Kagome, that day." Miroku added, spiking my curiosity.
"What happened?" I asked, looking from man to man.
"Mukotsu was a part of the Band of Seven. Naraku resurrected them so they would fight against us. This particular person was a poison master and he used them to paralyze our bodies. He captured Kagome, and when Sango and I came to her rescue, his poison knocked us out. He…" Miroku trailed off, deep in thought.
"When this Sesshomaru arrived," Sesshomaru cut in, "he was about to rape the miko. InuYasha was nowhere to be found."
I let out a growl and could feel my eyes tinting red. The more and more I heard about my son, the more I realized just how much he needed my presence. He needs to be disciplined, and the moment I finally meet him, I will do so.
"I do not agree with you on one thing, Lord Sesshomaru. InuYasha cared for Kagome. In fact, he is in love with her." Miroku stated, causing all of us to look at him.
"How could he love her if he chose Kikyou?" I asked, looking at the monk as if he had grown a second head.
"Do you recall how Kagome explained that she is the reincarnation of Kikyou?" Miroku asked, waiting for my nod. "Well, that is exactly what InuYasha sees. Kikyou's reincarnation. He loves both women because he believes they are the same."
"The miko is nothing like that abomination." Sesshomaru scoffed, before waving his hand to dismiss the monk's theory.
"And I completely agree, as does everyone else. The only one who believes them to be the same is InuYasha. After he believed Kagome had died, he was devastated. He really did love her. He still does. His plan was to mate one, and marry the other. That way, he could have both women in his life." Miroku sighed. "I told him his plan was ridiculous, and that Kagome would never go for it, but he didn't care. When he realizes that she is still alive, he will try to marry her."
"I will not let him touch her. The moment I see him, he will be taught the error of his ways." I growled, my anger growing. How dare he drag our name so low? No one should ever disrespect a woman in such a way.
"There is a problem with that, Master." Myoga piped up. "You are no longer the alpha. Sesshomaru is, therefore you cannot punish InuYasha the way you wish to."
"You are correct." I said, deep in thought. My head snapped towards Sesshomaru as an idea popped into my head. "I have a proposition, Son. I do not wish to be lord again so I will not ask for your title, but I ask that you allow me to take your place as alpha of this pack. In a way, we will be considered equals."
Sesshomaru was silent for a moment, thinking over all of his options and the possible outcomes. I knew I needed to let him come to his decision in his own time or he would refuse just because I rushed him. When his eyes met mine, I already knew his answer.
"This one agrees, Father. I will quite enjoy watching you discipline the half-breed. I step down from my role as alpha and give that honor to you." He answered, receiving a nod from me.
"Thank you, Son. Your actions are appreciated, and InuYasha will be disciplined. I will make him understand exactly what it is he has done." I stated before standing up. "Myoga, fetch Totosai for me. I need a new sword made since my sons destroyed my last."
"Yes, Master. I should also warn you that when I was flying here, I passed InuYasha. He is heading this way and should arrive within the week." The flea answered.
"Then have Totosai here tomorrow. I need a sword before my boy arrives." I replied. Myoga gave me a small bow before jumping away from my hand. After I was sure he was gone, I stepped out of the spring, followed by Miroku and Sesshomaru.
Just as all three of us stood out of the water, giggling could be heard as the shoji door was slammed open and three naked women walked in. My eyes widened as they met the deep blue I enjoyed looking into.
"Dear Kami." Kagome said, bending down to cover herself even though I had already seen everything. Even if I had wanted to fight it, I couldn't. My cock instantly stood at attention while my eyes bled red. I could smell both Sesshomaru and Miroku's arousal, and I knew I wasn't the only one having this problem.
"Well, this isn't fair." Sango stated, looking between us men, her eyes never meeting our faces.
"Poor Sango." Rin said with a giggle as she covered her mouth.
"My dear Sango, just because they have the size does not mean they can use them." Miroku said calmly.
"I can assure you, Monk, I know how to use it." I retorted, not taking my eyes off of the very red miko.
"Lady Kagome, can you be the tester to that theory? You can give yourself to Mattaki, Rin could give herself to Lord Sesshomaru, and I will take Sango once again. Then the three of you can talk and decide who is the best." Miroku teased, noticing just how red Kagome was. She was also the only one attempting to cover herself.
"I would do it." Rin called out, making Sesshomaru's arousal spike even more.
"Do not tempt me, Woman." Sesshomaru growled through clenched teeth.
"Rin, you're going to give Sesshomaru a nosebleed." Kagome reprimanded, still not looking up from the floor.
"No, I believe all his blood has gone somewhere else." Rin stated, causing all of us, except Sesshomaru and Kagome, to laugh.
"What happened to the innocent little girl I used to teach?" Kagome asked, looking up in surprise at the woman standing before her.
"We all grow up at some point, Lady Kagome." Rin stated with a shrug of her shoulders. She walked past Sesshomaru, purposefully letting her hand touch his thigh, and I thought he was about to explode. The moment she did that, he was gone and out of the room in a flash.
"Poor Sesshomaru. Rin, that was just cruel." I laughed as the woman walked into the spring.
"Well, he's taking too long in asking me to court him." Rin said, shocking us all. Kagome stood in her shock to Rin's words, and I suddenly felt that maybe I would get the nosebleed.
"Rin, how do you know about that?" Kagome asked, looking worried.
"I'm not always asleep when the two of you talk. I'll be sixteen in two months. He could always court me until then, but he's taking his time, and I'm becoming impatient." Rin replied as Sango joined her.
"Rin, do not tell him that you know. I will talk to him about what you want, but if he finds out that you know, he will be devastated. He has been waiting for so long as it is." Kagome said, lifting her arm to her head. My eyes instantly fell to her perfect breasts, and I felt my cock twitch at the sight.
I had never wanted a woman as much as I wanted this one. I realized that if I didn't get away from the miko, I would take her right then and there. I knew she still had healing to do and I didn't want to push her into anything that would damage her more.
"I will take my leave." I stated through clenched teeth as I walked past the miko. I froze the moment I smelled her arousal and let out an appreciative growl. Her scent was even more intoxicating.
"Mattaki?" Kagome asked, standing beside me. She reached out with a shaky hand and put it on my shoulder. I instantly moved away from her touch. Just that little gesture was enough to light my skin on fire.
The moment the smell of arousal was replaced with hurt, my eyes snapped back to gold. My manhood fell back down limply, and I looked at the miko. I could see just how she felt through her blue eyes that wouldn't meet mine.
"Little Miko, do not take my actions as a rejection." I stated, noticing how she blushed. Her arms reached up to cover her breasts while her legs crossed. I wanted to unfold her arms, but knew that I didn't have any right to.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have touched you." She whispered, beginning to walk to the spring. I reached out and grabbed her arm before sighing.
"Kagome, I pulled away because, just as Sesshomaru was attracted to Rin and Miroku was attracted to Sango, I was attracted to you. I pulled away to keep myself from acting on those attractions." I informed her, noticing how she blushed.
"I understand." Kagome whispered, before pulling her arm from my grasp. I sighed and turned away as she walked into the waters. I made my way to the other room and began to get dressed.
"While I, and everybody else, understood what you were saying, Kagome most likely didn't." Miroku said, also getting dressed.
"What do you mean?" I asked, fixing the last of my clothing.
"Lady Kagome's self-esteem has always been low, but over the two years I traveled with her, I noticed it gradually getting lower. I imagine that it is almost nonexistent now." Miroku started. "She most likely took your words as a rejection. If I were in her shoes, I would think that you wished to not possess an attraction towards me and that is why you pulled away as you did."
"That's not true. I do not mind being attracted to her. She is a very beautiful woman, with a heart that goes right along with it." I replied, pulling open the shoji door.
"I agree, just as everyone else does, but Kagome on the other hand…" Miroku trailed off, knowing that I knew what he was saying.
The more and more I learned, the more damage I realized InuYasha did. Within a week, I would meet my boy officially for the first time, and I would learn what caused him to act in such a way. Why would he break down a woman who loved him so?
I also knew that, as Kagome's new protector, I would also have to protect her from herself. Her own self-esteem would keep her from healing like she needed. I would have to find a way to make her realize her worth. I needed to help her heal so she could move on and finally be happy with her life. This was something I was determined to accomplish.
-sSs-
Here's Chapter 4. I added the bathing scene so Mattaki could see just how deep Kagome's pain went. I needed to think of a way to make him realize that she is hurt even more than he thought. What better way to show that than to feel as if you're being rejected when you're completely exposed? I know that InuYasha is being made to sound like an ass at the moment. It will not always be like that. In fact, earlier than most people do, InuYasha will accept that he has lost Kagome completely and they will fix their relationship and become friends once again. So for any of you that are InuYasha lovers, don't worry, everything will be fine. I hope you enjoyed this, please leave your reviews, I would like to hear your thoughts.
Shout-outs:
Blossomxo: Thank-you for following and favoriting me. I am glad you like my writings so much.
Lilliana1118: Thank-you for following me, I will attempt to keep my story interesting for you.
Shadow Zombie: I like your name and thank you for following and favoriting my story.
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Lunasheart: Thank-you for following and favoriting my story. I also enjoyed your review and I am glad that you are liking this story already.
RedDrake323: Thank-you for also favoriting and following this story. I am glad you are continuing to like my works. You will get your wish and meet InuYasha in the next chapter.
Guest #1: I have never done a Rin and Sesshomaru pairing, and I can understand why you are hesitant at the two getting together, but that is why I made it clear that he is waiting till she is of age. And while he took her in and protected her, it is very possible that his view of her being his daughter could change to something else. I didn't want Sesshomaru to be alone, and I hate Kagura, so that is why I decided to do a Rin/Sess pairing.
Guest #2: Thank-you for your review, and your wish is coming true, here is more.
Teaser: Chapter 5: How does InuYasha react to seeing Kagome? How does Inu no Taisho try to comfort Kagome with her low self-esteem? Continue reading to find out.
I do not own InuYasha.