Chapter 6 Deny the Future
Kagome looked into Sesshoumaru's golden eyes, and saw a silent plea to say she had meant something else. "Denying it won't change it."
The look in Sessoumaru's eyes hardened into steel. "If I can't deny it then I will prevent it. What did you see in your vision?"
"I'm not entirely sure myself." Kagome said softly "I was in a dark place...there were these eyes...filled with hate...and a pain like being run through..."
Kaede cleared her throat from the corner. "Excuse me, but I think the others might want to hear this."
Kagome looked to the front of the dwelling, already wondering why they weren't here beside her, but then she saw the rows of scales on Ah-Un's backside and realized to the implications. Infuriated, she turned to Sesshoumaru. "How long have you been keeping Ah-Un there blocking the entrance? Are my friends forbidden from seeing me?"
Kagome stopped herself before adding, Are you planning to mark the wall with your piss and declare this territory off limits?
Before Sesshoumaru could answer, Kaede spoke up. "As interesting as watching you two quarrel is, I believe it can wait ."
Sesshoumaru turned his golden eyes to the older miko with an unreadable expression in them. "You are correct. However there is something to be discussed first."
Sesshoumaru turned his back on Kaede and faced Kagome once more. "You must realize that you cannot simply announce to everyone that you have had a vision of your death. Shippou and Rin would be devastated. When discussing this with the others, I believe that only Miroku and Sango need to be informed for now. I can inform Jaken privately later. We will, however, need something to explain this turn of events to Shippu and Rin. Something that would not induce panic."
Kagome regarded him for a moment before nodding in agreement. "We could just tell them I had a vision of the future, but not specify what was in it."
"So you will say what exactly?" Sesshoumaru asked.
Kagome thought for a moment before answering, "I will say that I had a vision in which I saw eyes full of hate and darkness surrounding them. It is not a lie, just not the entire truth. Later, when we are alone with Miroku and Sango, I can give a fuller description."
"In full detail. I need to know everything that you saw," Sesshoumaru said softly, while taking Kagome's hand and helping her off the bed. "Ah-Un, you may move now."
The small mountain of triangular golden scales zipped out of sight and the two lovers exited into the late morning sunshine. Despite having seen her death, Kagome was not filled with the mind-numbing fear one would expect. She felt strangely calm as Sesshoumaru led her to the shade of a nearby matsu tree.
Looking up into its evergreen branches, Kagome reflected on just how short life was; everything might as well have been in the blink of the eye. She had been granted a rare gift in seeing her own death; an understanding of just how little time every life has and the importance of making the most out of every moment of that short span of time. It is that very shortness that gives life its meaning, urging us to do as much as we can in the time that we have.
Fortune had smiled on Kagome when the reincarnation of Sesshoumaru, appeared in her life. In his reincarnated form, Sesshoumaru had defied time and death to seek her out and offer himself over to her completely with his whole heart. She knew that Inuyasha had loved her and still did even if it was in a realm beyond life, but his self-sacrifice in a vow to the dead had ripped a yawning void inside Kagome that had threatened to swallow her soul. It was Sesshoumaru, whose invisible silver connection to her compelled him unknowingly to trace that ethereal line to her and slowly mend her broken spirit.
His love was like a gentle river winding through her heart, washing away her sorrow, pain, and darkest fears. It had filled her completely making her feel whole once more and suffusing her with contentment. Just being in his warm arms, feeling his strength and protection, made her feel like heaven had nothing more to offer.
Wonder what he is thinking? Tilting her head back to look at his face, Kagome could see that he had put on the trademark expression of hostile neutrality that had characterized his first incarnation.
That was the last thing she wanted to see at a time like this; she wanted to remember his gorgeous smiles, his bass laughter, the joy of his glowing golden eyes. The urge to have all of those burned into her memory in crystal clear detail resounded in her heart. That icy mask has got to go. I want to enjoy every moment I can with him and not have that time tarnished by a retreat from his emotions to glacial indifference. I won't let him waste his life and mine by returning to hide behind that emotionless mask.
Running one of her hands along his sensitive ears, she lingered in the area behind his earlobe, massaging it gently. She was gratified when she saw his icy expression melt away to one of satisfaction and then a purr started to emerge from him. Laughing slightly she caught his eyes with her own.
Kagome felt like licking his lips when she saw a deliciously sly smile turn his lips upward at the corners.
Sesshoumaru, while remaining standing, leaned his back against the matsu with Kagome's head resting against his chest. He delicately ran one hand through her ebony hair, loving its softness and resisting the urge to bury his face in those midnight tresses, as both their respective traveling companions began to converge on them.
Sesshoumaru brought his lips to her ear and whispered while eyeing Rin and Shippou who were running up to them expectantly. "This is for the best. It has to be this way."
Kagome sighed as his ministrations continued. "Yes, I know."
"Know what?" Shippou asked as he suddenly appeared and snuggled into Kagome's embrace. Rin meanwhile leaned against Sesshoumaru's, as his arm came around her. It was while she was leaning against him, that an unexpected drama unfolded before Sesshoumaru's eyes. Kohaku's lithe form walked up to them looking at Rin and clearly wishing to sit by her but obviously uncomfortable in front of Sesshoumaru and his piercing gaze. Kohaku fidgeted for a moment, not meeting the youkai's eyes and then made up his mind and sat down on the other side of Rin, trying not to draw any more attention to himself. A possessive and protective instinct welled up in Sesshoumaru as he considered what this meant for Rin, but a moment later it was drowned out by a feelings of amusement and pleasure.
Love is in the air it seems; maybe I should've seen this one coming. Rin and Kohaku would make a natural couple as they've had such similar experiences in their lives. A boyfriend for Rin...it is both reassuring and unnerving. Sesshoumaru briefly smiled at his reactions, but then chided himself mentally for letting his attention wander from the more pressing matter at hand. Sango, Miroku, Jaken, and Kaede were politely waiting for answers while Kirara perched herself atop one of Ah-Un's heads and both turned toward Sesshoumaru and Kagome with expectant eyes.
Shippou, not unexpectedly, was the one to break the silence with a total lack of tact. "Kagome, tell us already! Kaede just told us you had a premonition. Whatever that is."
Kagome sighed as she felt Sesshouamru tensed again behind her. Taking everyone in with her eyes, she thought to herself, Strange how honesty is considered a universal virtue and yet in so many cases, the entire truth is too terrible to reveal...
"A premonition is a vision of the future Shippou," Kagome motioned with her hands toward the group. "What I saw was not good and probably means something bad is coming." Like an ill omen, a breeze ran through the group almost like a physical manifestation of the dark foreboding sweeping through their hearts.
