Theme 26: Tears
Sesshomaru watched as Kagome got a fire going. Then she turned to him "Now, let's take a look at the damage.
He pulled back, unwilling to be touched by her "No"
She stopped "What'dya mean 'no'? Look at you, you're bleeding right through, now stop squirming and let me take a look at you"
"I said 'No' Woman, I won't be touched by human hands" he growled.
"Well in-case you haven't noticed yet mister, you're human too" she said frowning with her hands on her hips "So suck it up and stay still" she wrenched his hands aside and pulled open his hakama. As she surveyed the torn flesh, she mumbled "Honestly, 'won't be touched by human hands.' Who do you think you are? I can't wait till Kaede figures out a way to break the spell on you so I can s-i-t you for every rude thing you've said to me"
Sesshomaru watched her work a little surprised at her strength. No, it was he who was weak; this body had lost too much blood. She cleaned the blood away and aligned the torn skin, and then she took out rolls of white cloth from her yellow bag and had him sit up where she proceeded to wrap it around the wound. The dexterity in which she worked was admittedly impressive. "You do not feel disgust at the sight of blood?" he asked, then paused. Why had he asked that? He was not accustomed to thinking as such or voicing his thoughts.
She glanced up "Seriously? Honestly, yeah, I am, but after so long of watching you tear into one enemy after the other with that idiot determination of yours, I've learned to get over it." She said, then whispered under her breath quietly "Though I miss that brash idiot".
Her words sent a pang of something though him, he was lying about being Inuyasha without memories, so there was no way he could 'remember'. Even if he did, and he did, they were not his memories. She would have to wait until lady Inuko's spell ran its course or until he acquired the jewel and wished himself to normal. Therefore the Miko's hopes were misplaces, as was the reason for her endurance.
As she repeatedly wrapped the cloth around his shoulder, Sesshomaru felt his weary. Being human, it was worse than being Hanyou. If Sesshomaru had thought that the onslaught of emotion a Hanyou body had to endure was exhausting, it was nothing compared to human. It seemed he could do nothing but 'feel'
Feel pain in his shoulder, feel annoyance at being weak, feel the Miko's finger tips gently grazing his torso…
It also seemed humans had no actual control on the direction their thoughts lead them. Why would he care for the Miko's touch, or her smell.
"You small nice" he said softly, and then cursed himself for the slip of tongue. It was as if he were intoxicated, he had no control of his mouth.
The Miko paused, but did not look up "You've said that to be before" she said softly.
"I remember" Sesshomaru remembered from Inuyasha's memories, of his lying in the Miko's lap, also human, whispering his hearts thoughts by mistake, much as Sesshomaru was doing now.
"You do?" she exclaimed, and Sesshomaru corrected his slight "Previously, while carrying you, I may have murmured that your scent pleased me" he said, for it was the truth. To his surprised, she blushed. "Oh"
Sesshomaru went over his words and realised how she may have taken it "Don't." He said, "I did not mean to compliment you, I meant…"
She frowned and her hands shook "I know" she said, her voice raspy and sad "I guess I just hoped…you remembered me somehow."
"I have not" he said.
"WELL I WISH YOU WOULD!" she cried suddenly "Why won't you remember Inuyasha. Haven't we been patent enough, haven't I tried hard enough. Why?"
"Miko" he said, unused to this sudden change in her demeanour "Calm yourself"
"That's another thing" she said, shaking her head "Will you quit it with the posh talk. Why can't you curse and groan like you used to? Sure, it was annoying, but it was harmless and it was never cruel. Because that's what you've become Inuyasha, cruel and I can't take it anymore"
To his surprise, tears began to drip from her eyes "I want him back. Give me back my Inuyasha, the one who promised to protect me, the one who gripes about us hurrying along but always carries me, the one who talks like he's at a soccer match but is gooey and sweet underneath."
Since knowing the Miko, this was the first time Sesshomaru had ever seen her cry. Usually this unnecessary show of emotion would have disgusted him, but he wasn't his usual self tonight, tonight he was human, and he did not like seeing her cry.
"Miko"
"My name is not Miko" she sobbed "It's Kagome"
"Kagome" he said before he realised what he was saying, but she heard and cried even harder. "Sometimes" she gasped "you'll do things, things that'll make me think you're my Inuyasha again, then you go back to being you again, and it's not fair of me, I know, but I hate it. I know this isn't your fault, but can only take so much Inuyasha."
No, Sesshomaru did not like those tears at all. He did not like this Kagome. Though she was loud, too cheery and foolish, it was that Kagome he understood.
"Kagome" he said again, hoping she would not cry harder. She did not, he seemed to have her attention.
This chapter was so hard.