Part Three: Chasing Fireflies
Kagome smiled as she watched Shippo and Rin running around the clearing hunting for fireflies. It was the right time of year, but many of the insects were hiding in the deep grasses still, making it difficult for the small children to locate their tiny, flickering bodies.
"Hey Kagome! We still can't find any-"
"SHIPPO! I caught one, I caught one!"
The small kit's complaint was cut off by Rin triumphantly speeding towards him, her cupped hands held carefully to her chest. The miko waited patiently as the pair made their way to her spot in the clearing, a small area that she'd flattened with a blanket to sit on while she stood watch. The exuberant kit immediately lit on her shoulder, and they all leaned forward, faces inches from the gentle pulsating from the crevices in the girl's ever-grubby fingers.
Carefully, she cracked her palms apart, and Kagome couldn't help but grin at the two's synchronized gasps of delight. Predictably, as soon as her hands opened the glowing captive made it's escape. With a sort of practiced ease, the firefly shot through both children's grasping hands, disappointed groans chasing in the wake of its freedom.
"Sorry, guys," the young woman murmured to them, brushing her fingers across Rin's cheek and tweaking Shippo's nose. "I promise, next timeI'll remember to bring you each a jar to put them in, okay?"
Both children instantly perked up at her words, their excitement rekindled at the thought of 'next time'. Laughing, she shooed them back into the grasses, memories of another firefly hunt echoing in their running silhouettes against the rising moon.
~o~o~o~o~
After a heated battle involving the use of the plentiful marshmallow-shrapnel still littered around their tiny camp, Kagome and Sesshomaru finally collapse in laughter against Goshinboku. The fire was burning dangerously low again, sputtering threateningly with each tiny burst of breeze. Sighing, Kagome was about to throw more wood on it when a small, striped hand on her shoulder brought her to a halt. Confused, she turned to look at him, curiosity furrowing her dark eyebrows.
"Now I want to show you a camping tradition from my time." The young inu was still grinning widely, his eyes a vibrant contrast in the dimming light from the fire. She could feel his aura practically humming with silent anticipation and a rarely seen enthusiasm.
Returning his smile, she cheerfully replied, "Okay! Do I need to do anything?"
Fangs gleaming in the darkness, Sesshomaru pulled her up with a warm hand clasped tightly to hers.
"Close your eyes."
Biting her lip, Kagome quickly obliged and was gently pulled forward after a moment. The urge to open her eyes to see where she was stepping was overwhelming, and she nearly caved when she stumbled on a particular uneven patch of ground. The only thing that stopped her was Sesshomaru's reassuring hands on her shoulders steadying her and his firm whisper.
"Keep your eyes closed," he cautioned, before taking her hand again. "And don't worry- I won't let you fall, Kagome."
Sheepishly ducking her head, the pint-sized miko felt tall grass brushing against her legs and crunching beneath her toes as they continued forward. They eventually came to a stop, and Kagome was about to open her eyes when her friend's soft voice made her pause.
"Not yet." His words and actions had an air of mystery to them that had her stomach fluttering with nervousness. Releasing a sigh of mock impatience, she grinned at where she thought he was before covering her still-shut eyes with her hands.
"Better?" Kagome asked, unable to keep the cheekiness from her tone. Her only response was a dark chuckle that faded away quickly in the hush of night. And then, suddenly, there was nothing. Everything had become abruptly still, silence heavy where there had been the soft chirrups of nocturnal beasties and bugs only seconds ago. Minutes passed, and Kagome couldn't help the trepidation that began tingling along her deprived senses.
"Sesshomaru?" she called, proud that her voice didn't betray her uncertainty. "Where are you?"
The tingling rapidly became a violent tremor in her awareness, and a gasp escaped her when a wave of youki slammed down on the area. Recognizing the feeling of Sesshomaru's aura, Kagome managed to keep her eyes closed despite her instincts telling her to look for the threat.
'He would never hurt me,' the young girl reasoned to her shaking nerves. 'And I'm not going to spoil his surprise for me by opening my eyes before he says I can.'
Resolve set, she was better prepared for the next wave of power that crushed down on her senses, and this time didn't feel as overwhelmed by the sensation. Bouncing on the balls of her feet as anticipation began to curl wildly through her once more, she was mildly relieved when she felt her inu companion appear behind her. Youki-warmed hands covered her own, and his breath was hot against her ear as he leaned forward against her back.
"Okay... now!" He murmured, moving her hands with his own. Lashes fluttered open, and Kagome breathed a soft gasp at the sight that met her widening eyes. Thousands of fireflies had been stirred up by Sesshomaru's efforts, and the clearing he'd taken her to was now a glittering mimicry of the night sky above. Enchanted by the flickering lights swirling around them in a maddening dance, she couldn't help the squeal of glee that spilled from her throat.
Grabbing her friend's hand, she dragged him behind her as she dashed around the field, chasing after the glowing insects as they deftly evaded capture. With some luck, Kagome managed to snatch one of the glimmering creatures from the air after a time.
"I've got one, Sesshomaru!" Swinging around, she opened her hands to show him her catch, only to cry out when it swiftly flew straight into her face. Swatting frantically, her shoulders sagged in defeat when her winged adversary flew off unscathed, leaving her still without a firefly.
"You're moving around too much." Sesshomaru's soft admonishment had her blushing. He shook his head at the pout settling on her face before pulling her slowly towards an area of the field still swarming with fireflies. Moving deliberately, he motioned for her to sit down quietly, and then took a seat behind her, caging her on either side with his pale legs.
"To catch something so fragile, you must let it come to you." Taking one of her hands in each of his, Sesshomaru cupped them together, and without letting go held them out slightly above their heads.
"That's what my okaa-san tells me every time we go chasing fireflies," he confided softly, and Kagome could hear the touch of homesickness beneath his words. Before she could comment on it, he spoke again, his voice once again free of any hints of melancholy. "Now, don't make a sound."
Together they sat perfectly still, watching as the flickering insects became accustomed to them. Soon soft wings were glancing fleetingly across the skin of their arms and legs, and Kagome was delighted when several decided to land on them briefly, their yellow-green abdomens sparking on and off in a multitude of patterns.
"Look!" she exclaimed in a heated whisper, eyes wide as a firefly drifted down to gently land on her open palm. Cradling her hands with his own, Sesshomaru carefully pulled their hands close to her body. She felt him shift forward, his chin resting on her shoulder as they both gazed at the small firefly resting in the center of her cupped hands.
"Thank you." Kagome turned, her pert nose brushing his cheek. Pulling back some, she grinned at him, heart in her eyes as she admitted, "I think I have a new favorite camping tradition."
~o~o~o~o~
A shadow falling over her seated form pulled Kagome from her memories, one's she'd only recently started to remember. Looking up, she found reason for her slowly returning memories standing over her, molten eyes still vibrant against the velvety darkness.
"Sesshomaru-sama," she murmured politely, face flushing with embarrassment as flashes of the boy she'd once caught fireflies with superimposed themselves over the stoic demon behind her. They'd already discussed why she couldn't seem to remember everything from that time, and she planned to ask her mom about it when next she returned home.
'Well, that's two things on my checklist now,' the miko thought to herself bemusedly. 'I bet that's going to be a fun conversation. "Hey mom, I need two mason jars. Oh, and while you're at it, can you tell me why I don't remember having a certain youkai lord by the name of The Killing Perfection cuddle up on me when I was 7?"
Oh yeah...fun.
Kagome was once again jolted from her thoughts when a pale, clawed hand appeared in her line of vision. Following the length of his arm up to its owner, she blinked owlishly at him, feeling like she had missed something.
"Um..."
"This Sesshomaru would like to show you something." His svelte baritone caressed her senses, and before she knew it he was pulling her to her feet by her hand wrapped in his larger, calloused one. Feeling awkward at the physical contact, she glanced at the children to make sure they were doing alright before turning back to him.
"So, what did you want to-" He silenced her with a clawed finger pressed to her mouth. Smirking at the petulant expression she sent him at being oh-so-politely told to shut it, he murmured a familiar set of instructions.
"You must close your eyes first, Miko."
Shivering at the unfathomable look in his eyes, she complied begrudgingly, and was surprised to feel him move behind her. Hand still grasping hers firmly, his muscular forearm wrapped securely about her waist. And then... nothing.
Moments passed and when they remained stationary Kagome began to grow impatient. Fidgeting in his hold, she felt a frown forming on her face as the seconds ticked by in silence.
'Silence... wait, didn't-' The young woman didn't get a chance to finish her thought as a sudden swelling of youki seared along her own aura with familiarity. While it didn't hurt in the least, it still took her breath away, and she tightened her fingers reflexively in his grasp as the power building around them suddenly pressed downward.
The clearing echoed with a resounding boom as his youki crackled along the ground. She was bracing herself for another round when he gave her permission to open her eyes. Blinking them open, a startled shriek tore from her as she realized they had, in fact, moved a great deal.
Directly up!
Hand now clenching his, Kagome reached behind her with her other hand to clutch his mokomoko tightly. A whimper was working its way through her throat at the sight of the great big nothing beneath her feet when Sesshomaru's hot breath washed over her throat, effectively distracting her from her sudden fear.
"I never break a promise." Her wide eyes shot to his, their noses brushing against each other with none of the innocence from her childhood memories. Flushing when his eyes seemed to glow at the contact, she tried to pull back only to realize his armor prevented such movement. Sesshomaru leaned closer until his lips were next to her ear once more.
"I will not let you fall, Kagome."
Her frazzled nerves calmed down at the old reassurance, and when he pulled back she managed an apologetic smile, replying honestly, "I know you won't, Sesshomaru."
Nodding in approval, he gestured to the scene below them once more. Taking a breath, she once again looked down and this time saw what it was he wanted her to see. He'd once again stirred up thousands of fireflies with his actions, and from above it was like looking down into a sea of writhing stars. The happy crowing from both children alerted her to the fact that they'd also reaped the benefits of the moment, and the young woman felt elation suffuse her at their innocent antics.
They remained floating above the glittering hoarde of insects for some time before the daiyoukai gently lowered them back to her blanket. Smiling up at him once more, she held their combined hands out and waited, just as he'd taught her to so long ago. With the number of glowing insects drifting around them, it didn't take long before a couple landed on the tips of their intertwined fingers.
"Did you know," Kagome murmured absently as she watched the two bugs communicating through patterned flashes of their abdomens. "Amongst fireflies, only the males can fly. They flash their light a certain way as they fly around, looking for their mate on the ground to respond with the same set of flashes. All the female can do is wait and hope her mate finds her amongst the millions of other lights."
She sighed in contentment as the enchanting insects flew away, then turned to grin up at the imposing daiyoukai behind her. "I remember why this has been my favorite camping tradition for years!"
The sounds of Shippo and Rin barreling towards them through the field cut their private moment short, and on an impulse she quickly leaned up and gave the inuyoukai a gentle peck on the jaw. Cheeks ruddy beneath sparkling eyes, she stepped back with a soft 'thank you' before running off to intercept the breathless children, completely missing his whispered response.
"This Sesshomaru has already found his mate, my little firefly. And this time...
"...I'll protect you."
...in which there is major fluff and foreshadowing galore!
I warned you about how fluffy this chapter would be~ and honestly, who doesn't see the analogy she made besides Kagome herself XD Ahh... I love making Sesshomaru so... well, him. Cause there is NOTHING OOC about him sweeping a lady off her feet ;) Nope... nothing at all...
This is the 3rd and final chapter in a three-part story arc! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. And looks! Another flashback/forward/back...? Time travel makes me dizzy lol
This chapter is NOT beta'd because I'm not going to rush my loverly beta like that, so deal with the errors peeps.
As always, feedback and comments are VERY appreciated
ENJOY!
Characters Belong to Rumiko Takehashi
Plot Bunnies Belong to Me