When dawn broke, the heavens were a tempest of grey, threatening to spill their sorrow upon the land below. Kagome found herself alone in the kitchen, preparing a meal for the aloof demon who generally shunned all company, save for hers. This was not a new development; even before, she seemed to be the only one capable of diffusing his tension, albeit slightly. Yet, it hardly made for a comfortable atmosphere.
For his meal, she boiled some slightly expired ramen noodles — Inuyasha's favorite. Kagome harbored a quiet hope that the familiar taste might spark some fragment of his forgotten memories. A considerable stretch had passed since her last visit home to replenish her food supplies, explaining the slightly stale state of the noodles. Since the grand battle, she had decided to root herself in the Feudal era, the home of all her friends and her second family. Even if Inuyasha could traverse the well to the modern world, he would hardly feel at ease there. Kagome humorously professed to her friends that she'd pick battling demons over solving algebraic equations any day.
After helping the demon sit upright, she presented him a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup. Since regaining consciousness, his intake of food had been scarce, and Kagome was optimistic that this meal might lift his spirits. "Take it slowly," she urged, as he gingerly lifted the bowl to his lips.
The soup, subtly seasoned and thin, was specifically made to prevent any gastric discomfort. It lacked taste, noted the demon, but he accepted Kagome's offering regardless. To him, flavor was secondary; replenishing his strength was paramount, and he would make do with any form of sustenance.
Once he finished the initial serving, he requested another, giving Kagome a glimmer of hope. "Did you like it?" she inquired, optimistically pondering whether his taste palette was returning, as she poured him another cup of the mild-hued soup. The demon responded with an indifferent stare, "Not particularly. But sustenance is sustenance," he replied tersely.
Kagome's spirits dropped, and she handed the cup back to him with a saddened expression, "Oh... It's just... It used to be your favorite."
The demon took another cautious sip. "My taste has since improved," he remarked, more of a critique on the meal than on Kagome, yet she couldn't help but feel wounded on behalf of the dish.
"There was nothing wrong with your taste before," she dryly remarked, nearly tempted to wrench the bowl from his ungrateful hands.
"You will find that many things about me have changed," the demon declared, finishing a long noodle strand with an unseemly slurp. He swiped away a drop of broth from the corner of his mouth. "Not just my taste," he responded, an unmistakable note of scorn lacing his words, his eyes gleaming with dark humor. His comment, clearly aimed at her, hung in the air like a veiled threat.
"Well, I don't know about your tastes, but your sense of smell isn't what it used to be," she fired back, alluding to his repugnant stench, which didn't seem to bother him in the least.
The offensive odor was something Kagome had reluctantly acclimated to, but the cloyingly sweet and pungent scent of decay was still unsettling. His physical condition had otherwise improved; all minor wounds and bruises had healed cleanly, leaving behind a stubborn black gape on his side, a stark reminder of Naraku's final desperate attack. Naraku had aimed his dying energies at Inuyasha, missing his heart by a fraction when Inuyasha had drawn the shattered stub of his Tessaiga, severing Naraku's lifeline.
Kagome shut her eyes and exhaled slowly. Anger would serve no purpose now. He was injured, suffering from memory loss; she should be grateful that he had survived at all. After all, a polite Inuyasha waking up would have been far more alarming than the gruff one she was accustomed to.
"I know you must be very hungry, but you have to take it slowly. Otherwise, you'll end up throwing up," she cautioned him, removing his bowl. A sinister glint sparked in the demon's eyes.
"I did not assign you as my wet-nurse," he growled, visibly irritated at the removal of his meal. He saw himself as capable, having far greater endurance and a better understanding of his limitations than any human.
"I suppose you wanted to be left to rot and starve then?" Kagome retorted, her words tinged with barely concealed anger. She turned her back on him, gathering the cutlery and other supplies into a basket.
Were he not trying to conserve his energy, the demon would have reacted to her insolence with a resounding slap. It was foolhardy, he thought, for a human to imply that a demon might rely on her aid. Once upon a time, the half-demon might have tolerated her audacity, but no longer.
"Keep your mouth," he hissed, hands clenched in tight fists.
Kagome had never been cowed into silence by Inuyasha's barbs or threats; his feeble attempts often served only to fan her fiery spirit. But his intense gaze and low, rumbling tone were unsettling, forcing her to bite her tongue. His eyes held not the usual frustration he had for her, but a zealous fury that was unfamiliar and unnerving.
With her gaze averted, Kagome clung to her basket. "I will return later. Your wound needs to be cleaned properly," she said softly, her subdued tone seeming to appease the demon.
It was high time the wench learned her place.
For a formidable demon lord such as Sesshoumaru, days of languid inertia were a poor match. His soul thirsted for the thrill of battle and the glory that followed, a stark contrast to his current condition. The exhilaration of combat, of clashing steel against steel, the test of strength against an adversary – these were now as remote a dream as the touch of the heavens to mortal hands.
Sesshoumaru was a creature of a myriad of impressive traits and qualities. Alas, patience was not among them, an unbecoming characteristic he shared with his impetuous half-brother, thanks to their father's fiery lineage.
The stately demon lord positioned himself in the shade of a majestic maple tree, observing as its leaves were lightly brushed by the soft summer breeze. The air had been gradually chilling, signaling an impending change of seasons. His posture was upright, his chin subtly raised, embodying an air of royal sophistication – a posture characteristic of his noble blood. The image was somewhat marred, or enhanced – depending on one's point of view, by the floral garland encircling his head. At this point, the demon lord was adorned not just with a crown of flowers but also with matching floral necklaces, bracelets, and rings. He had a nagging suspicion that a pair of matching floral earrings might soon be added to his ensemble.
He cleared his throat with an air of importance – the only manner he deemed fit to perform such an act. "Rin, this is sufficient," he proclaimed.
The young girl, a few feet away, was engrossed in contemplating whether to incorporate maple leaves into her floral project. She paid little heed to her keeper's protestations. She held up a star-shaped leaf, examining it against the silhouette of Sesshoumaru, wondering whether an addition of a leafy cape might be overkill.
"Uh-huh," she responded, still preoccupied, selecting a greener leaf from the ground. She reasoned that cooler colors complemented Sesshoumaru best.
With unhuman agility, the demon lord rose to his feet, carefully disentangling the lilac garland from his silver mane. "We are departing," he announced, proceeding to divest himself of Rin's craftwork.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin protested, dismayed at the sight of her handiwork being casually discarded next to the tree. Yet Sesshoumaru remained obstinate, seemingly unappreciative of her attempts to enhance his already impressive appearance.
"Where are we going?" she asked, letting the leaves in her hands be taken by the wind, their twirling descent eliciting a sigh from her.
"I wish to inspect the progress of my weapon."
Rin ran to her guardian and clung to his robes. "But that's what you sent Jaken-sama for!" she pouted. Weapons were boring. All it entailed was adults droning on about metal quality, discussions of combat, and altogether uninteresting matters.
"I would rather we go see Kagome! I know you're worried about Inuyasha as well."
"Nonsense," Sesshoumaru countered. Rin thought his response came a tad too quickly and smirked.
Of course, he was concerned about his younger brother. Sesshoumaru might appear aloof because their world was a harsh one, but Rin knew the warmth and care within her guardian's heart. It was regrettable that he chose to express his affection solely to her. His relations with others would certainly improve if he shed his tough exterior. Kagome, being so amiable, hardly gave anyone a reason to be harsh around her. But then again, Inu-demons were somewhat thickheaded. Rin glanced at Sesshoumaru who was trying to maintain a gruff exterior, taking mock-offense to her audacious implication that he was worried about his brother.
Okay, they were more than just somewhat thickheaded.