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mythicamagic · 5 years ago

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Swimming in Silk: Chapter 24

Training in front of her, engaging her in conversation and now lending her his clothes…Kagome is starting to suspect that Sesshoumaru is trying to gain her attention.

Sesskag - Romance, Humour, Drama, Angst

Rated M - As always you can read this story on Ao3, fanfiction.net or Dokuga

Chapter One - here Previous Chapter - here Next Chapter - here (End)

Kofi

Warning: Torture and non-con elements (sexual deception)

Penultimate chapter, folks! The next one will be the end~

Counting in Centuries pt.2

Time marched on mercilessly. More decades and jumps passed. Inuyasha was brought along on one, left behind on another. Neither brother could say they were particularly thrilled about the situation but the state of the lands quickly distracted them.

The humans had become smarter, angrier. Hate-filled. Sesshoumaru noticed it spread like an epidemic, seeing the progression of smaller clans dispersing, fleeing their homes. He took only mild comfort in knowing the pup- no- he shook his head. The kit. Shippo. That he was with the Foxes, as their den lay hidden from most.

Battles lasted weeks. At first, Sesshoumaru's armies were successful with each wave. But the sheer number of enemy reinforcements began to overwhelm. Human and demon alike pushed the line of the Western forces back. Sesshoumaru revived his soldiers using Tenseiga, only for them to meet their end another hour later. It were as though all of Japan conspired to make the West fall as they began what would be called the final fight for the West. The last great house standing. True to what Kagome had said, some of the Eastern wolves joined their battle.

Inuyasha fought tirelessly, swinging his claws to kill dozens. Sesshoumaru loathed to admit it, but his brother proved an asset. Yet without Tetsusaiga, he eventually lost himself to bloodlust. He turned on their own forces, beginning to kill indiscriminately.

Sesshoumaru snarled, surfacing out a killing haze and grabbing his shoulder, pinning him down in the midst of battle.

"I do not have time to babysit you," he snapped, sheathing Bakusaiga briefly to grab two plain swords on the ground, thrusting one through the back of each hand to keep the Hanyou in place.

Enraged, Inuyasha roared and hissed. Snapping his teeth, red eyes glowed as he struggled on his stomach like a worm.

Sesshoumaru gave him a swift kick to the head, knocking him out. "Stay there," he grumbled, drawing his glowing sword anew. "I suppose I have to ensure you do not die now. How irritating."

Slashing Bakusaiga out in a wide arch, silver hair flew back as green energy struck a wave of youkai, consuming them. Planting his feet when the force sent him skittering back, Sesshoumaru panted slightly. With no eyes upon him, his facade briefly cracked. The endless fighting was starting to have a large impact on his youki. Without energy to feed it, Bakusaiga teetered on the verge of falling silent. Earlier he'd sent Kaito away from the fighting due to the General's own fatigue. The elder demon had been on the front lines for days, swinging his spear tirelessly to protect the House. Since the barrier had broken many years ago, guilt had changed him into an almost fanatical protector. Sesshoumaru figured briefly fetching some reinforcements from Bokuseno would give him time to recuperate.

"My Lord!" A small handful of servants hurried over, tears and distress clinging to them. He turned, mouth opening to ask why they weren't in the Keep not too far away- only to look further behind them. Flames were licking over its ancient roofs, eating through his history.

"We're sorry- we were forced to evacuate. I think the others inside already fled."

Sesshoumaru stiffened upon seeing two long silhouettes loop up around the Western Keep from out of the blaze, knocking long tails into the structure and causing some of it to cave in. Dragons.

"Have you seen Mother? She did not join the fighting," he shifted, padding towards the structure. She would not run.

"N-no my Lord," murmured a trembling servant.

He said nothing more, launching into the air. Heat flowed through his veins, pumping blood alarmingly fast as a red haze engulfed his body, transforming with a burst of energy. The inuyoukai grew large, into his towering true size, leaping onto the back of a dragon and sinking hard teeth into its tough hide, wrestling with it. Twisting his limbs and dragging hard claws on scales, he turned his neck and launching it airborne to land away from the Keep.

It snarled, landing near the fighting armies with a thud that shook the earth. Soon after, the dragon twisted and dived headfirst underground, burrowing underneath and disappearing. Sesshoumaru ignored it, facing the remaining purple scaled beast.

'I know you', his lips peeled back, spittle clinging to hungry teeth. 'You are of Ryūkotsusei's blood.'

Its jaws snapped wide, forked tongue waving like a flag when combined with a hateful hiss. 'He was our kin. Father's sibling.'

'Hn. You fight for one so long dead?'

The great dragon tossed its head. 'We fight because the reign of Dogs has ended. Long have you forged weapons and armour of our flesh and hide. Tonight we take our share of your bones and fur, mongrel-' it looped a long body around in a wide, quick circle, catching Sesshoumaru in the centre when it tightened its coils. Sharp talons slashed his back, teeth biting into his ear.

A roar thundered out, the two giants flying high into the air and blurring, twisting and manically biting at one another. When the dragon coiled tighter and tighter around him, Sesshoumaru transformed into his smaller, inhuman self, slipping out from its grip. He struck Bakusaiga down, snarling in victory when a large tidal wave of energy engulfed the beast. Flesh and scales were ripped to pieces, disintegrating from the inside out.

He panted mid-air, watching the dragon die. There was only a brief moment to wonder what had happened to the second, lighter dragon that had run away, before he noticed a giant ogre bent over Inuyasha, poised to slam a large hand down.

Sesshoumaru made a noise, transforming out of instinct once again and landing on its back. Aiming for the neck- he received an arm in his jaws instead, but gladly bit through the appendage, wrestling the great beast away from the trembling servants.

It was around that time he sensed her flying towards him atop Ah-Un. Why must it be now that you join me? He thought, not wanting distraction but grateful for it. He could utilise her.

Kagome touched his cheek once the ogre lay dead. His features returned to his inhuman self, wanting to feel a gentle touch on battle-worn skin.

"I heard all the allied clans were attacked at once. How bad is it?"

"I have not heard from many of them. No reinforcements are coming, and we have been fighting on and off for five days now." He uttered in an even tone, as though giving a report.

Blue eyes widened and seemed to notice something, gaping. "Sesshoumaru, your ear!"

His jaw tightened, knowing he must have been missing some of the tip, feeling blood leak into his ear canal. "Ignore it. There are more pressing matters."

Jaken lay dead, but there was nothing he could do for the retainer. Instead, he asked Kagome to go find his ridiculous Mother, disquieted by her absence.

"No matter the outcome, once done, take Inuyasha and the servants. Leave for either the Foxes or Bokuseno. I hear the kitsunes have not been hit, and I sent General Kaito to fetch reinforcements from the demon tree. I figured we could put a few guarding the tree to good use after all."

"You can't fight them alone, and why are you talking like you'll face them till the end? The stronghold-"

"Can be rebuilt. I refuse to yield my Father's land."

Blue eyes widened. "Your life is more important, please don't forget that. I believe in you, but promise me you'll leave if things get bad. Promise me."

Sesshoumaru did not answer, sensing her distress but remaining silent. Kagome's lips thinned, reiki crackling. She tilted her chin up. "We'll send word once we've reached safety."

He nodded and covered the miko as she made for the Western Keep's open gates. Cold control fixed his nerve endings, breathing in war. Though he killed methodically, perfectly, as he'd been born and bred to- the Daiyoukai's cheek burned with her touch and Sesshoumaru pushed himself harder. The miko was here. He could not falter now.

-----

That tantalising, out of place scent wafted into his senses once more a little later on, but Sesshoumaru did not turn to acknowledge it. He could sense Kagome with his Mother, having escaped the now collapsed Western Keep.

The sound of it caving in on itself had inspired something similar to transpire within his stomach.

He floated above the carnage of battle, the air so still. Embers floated up to greet him, a giant plume of inky black smoke rising up from the once great House. Sensing Kagome lead Ah-Un, Inuyasha, Mother and the servants away from the battlefield and into the forest towards Bokuseno, Sesshoumaru drank deep. He filled his lungs with the scent of his destroyed home, magenta lids sliding shut.

Sesshoumaru then raised Bakusaiga, streaking through the air with such speed he ripped through two men, beginning to fight without a thought in his head. Guided by instinct, he killed until it became monotonous. His armour cracked and dipped forward, loosening- so Sesshoumaru ripped off the hinderance, slashing through throats. Opening his palm after a moment, he realised he'd ripped off one of the red tassels from his armour. Mindlessly, he saved it for no particular reason other than nostalgia.

His comrades and units continued depleting the longer the fight lasted. Somehow this didn't bother Sesshoumaru or register in his mind. He absolutely refused to surrender and expected them to die for a House no longer standing. The lands would always be Fathers- His.

This unwavering pride and certainty in victory lasted until he smelt it.

Wood. Burning. Screaming.

Sesshoumaru paused, flicking out a weak, flickering whip of light that arched and killed the creatures around him. He tilted his head up, staring at the horizon of trees in Bokuseno's direction.

No. He panted, gaze starting to shake. How? When?

His heart thudded painfully fast in his bloodied ears.

Kagome.

The scent of the tree youkai being incinerated alive wouldn't leave. It caught in his senses and took root, leaving him reeling. Sounds of branches snapping filled his hearing. With every lick of flame, he was reminded that his mate's chance for extended life had perhaps been lost forever.

Something ripped, plunged- exploded into his hip. Sesshoumaru gasped out, gritting his teeth and pressing a hand to the wound. Barely any blood leaked out of the small hole, but he felt...strange. Sapped.

Sesshoumaru lifted burning eyes to the monk not too far away. Holy power shone around the staff planted into the earth, while he gripped prayer beads, chanting something and causing them to levitate mid-air. Sesshoumaru raised a hand, striking it in an arch and expecting a whip of light to decapitate the man- but nothing happened. His youki had all but vanished.

The Daiyoukai's markings emboldened with desperation. Claws stretched wide into talons. Canines elongated into large fangs as Sesshoumaru let out a blinding roar, leaping for the mortal just as the earth shook and exploded beneath his very boots.

Purple scales registered, before lightning crashed out of the mouth of the dragon, engulfing Sesshoumaru's body.

Everything went dark after that. Youki had been worn dry, physical strength sapped. He hit the ground, muscles slightly twitching as steam leaked up out of his burnt skin.

The Western Lord lay defeated.

----

The floor of his cell felt damp, reeking of blood. They had not stopped their prying, twisting and yanking for days. Needles of pain stabbed into the pads of his paws. Sesshoumaru could vaguely recall what had happened on the battlefield after passing out. Being dragged by horses. Body bound by enchanted chains that scolded his flesh. He was taken from the quieting battlefield where just a few demons kept fighting. Consciousness dipped in and out, but he'd been aware enough to feel the stinging pain on his skin. Because of this, during sleep he unconsciously managed to change into his true form, albeit a much smaller, bastardised version. This way they could not take his swords, and fur felt like more of a barrier.

Hazy crimson eyes had managed to catch sight of what would become his prison. A traditional looking compound with a broken torri gate, which led him to believe the place had been a temple, once. His location was far less clean, situated in a miserable tower on the ground floor.

He was muzzled, bound, dehydrated and starved, but the toss of his head remained proud for months. The snarl locked inside his mouth rumbled loud and terrible.

But the monks continued long after he felt they'd become bored. Sesshoumaru kept his stomach pressed low to the ground, trying to preserve vital organs when they began anew.

His claws were removed with metal clippers- taking the tips and webbing of his toes with them. Brands of hot, burning metal had been poked into his side, causing him to shamefully cry out. The white of his fur became dyed red continually until the lack of bathing rendered it dulled brown, the old blood caked into follicles. The monks decided to shave him at some point, sheering off large quantities of fur until he lay bare and humiliated, shivering. He felt only mild satisfaction when it grew back within a few days.

Sesshoumaru eventually lost all sense of self. Long periods of time spent in his True Form tended to wipe away blemishes of complicated thought. He knew basic things like pain, hunger, loneliness and dread. But most of all hatred.

He longed continually to sink his teeth into the pink of their flesh.

Kagome barely retained a human shape in his mind, instead becoming a feeling. A distant want he tried and failed to grasp over and over. He could not organise his thoughts to accurately remember her face or scent, but there are times he can recall the gentleness of her touch. Hear her words. The marks pulsing dimly on his neck were the only real proof he had that she'd existed at all.

Sometimes he thought he saw the miko watching him, and would blindly shift towards the ghostly spectre in his cell.

Hungry. This one is...hungry. Mate...bring me a youkai boar like the one you shot before.

Sesshoumaru struggled to swallow, feeling the collar dig into his throat. The spikes they'd lined the monstrosity with pressed into his neck, having broken the skin. He'd almost become used to it.

When Kagome left him alone unexpectedly, he became disorientated again.

Mate. Where is my mate? Is she safe?

Sesshoumaru's ears pricked slightly, picking up on the sounds of rainfall outside. His nose twitched, eyes closing. He barely opened them anymore, laying still.

Did she burn along with the den?

The thought caused him to dig his forehead into the ground, scraping stinging paws out. Energy sapped, he could only faintly whine. Had it been years? Months? Days? He did not know. There was only the monks who burned, the rain, the hard floor and the marks sweetly branding his neck.

The inuyoukai withdrew into himself. Deliberately sinking into the quicksands of sleep, he let it clog his ears and nose, wanting to cease feeling.

He lay as such until the air in his cell changed.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He did not hear the gentle calling of his name, nor feel the muzzle being dragged off. What he did sense was the familiar spark of holy powers- and he lunged.

Sadistic, dark pleasure welled up inside him like sticky black tar as flesh filled his mouth. He plunged sharp teeth down, tasting blood on his dry tongue. A woman's voice cried out, something nudging into his muzzle. Sesshoumaru snarled loudly, singing his victory.

"S-sesshoumaru, it's me, Kagome." She chocked out. "Don't you recognise me?"

Kagome. He knew that name. Recognised the blue eyes currently filled with tears. Her scent came to him then, achingly nostalgic and sweet like rich, juicy fruits filling his mouth.

Pain. He realised then that the bite marks on his neck were crying out. She was hurting- and he to blame. Sesshoumaru peeled his mouth away, lapping at the wound with a low, guilty whine. Forgive me, mate.

He could not be certain she was entirely real. In truth, even as they made their escape together from that cell and he witnessed her slaying their enemies once more, he remained suspended in a dream. Everything felt off. His limbs were heavy, youki sapped. He could not communicate to her that there was a prayer bead lodged in him somewhere, preventing his wounds from healing. Yet Kagome found out on her own easily enough while bathing him.

"You know, when we're in the future together properly, we better have sleepovers." He heard her say. "I expect the works. I'm talking my favourite movies, marshmallows on hot-chocolate, forts made of sofa cushions and possibly painting each other's nails."

She was babbling. His mate only babbled when nervous. He felt too tired to assure her, though this did not stop her selflessly stroking his fur. Tending to him. Loving the wretch he'd become.

Kagome lulled him into a content state, one he could stay in forever. If he transformed into his inhuman self now, perhaps he'd spit with disgust at how low he'd sunk. But he remained on the level of a dog, dozing at the feet of his mistress.

However, after waking, he found the cave dismally empty. She'd left behind a coat, two dead rabbits and a note.

'Don't leave the cave' it said. 'I've gone to find help- be back soon!'

Sesshoumaru stared at the paper, raising burning red eyes to the opening of the cave. If he ran now, perhaps he could catch up.

He shifted on his paws, planting them down firmly. Four legs shook as he raised himself up, panting. But he knew his body well and inevitably had to sit. It became clear he could barely stand, let alone move. More rest was required.

Or...he could trust in his possible hallucination.

Red eyes slowly slid shut, and he rested a tired muzzle on the coat she'd left behind, inhaling the fleeting scent.

----

Dim sounds made his ears prick. Wolves. The scent of wolves drew near.

Usually he'd be annoyed at the disturbance, but he dimly recalled their usefulness at the last battle. Cracking weary eyes open, Sesshoumaru stared unblinking as they transformed at the cave entrance, peering at him cautiously, skittish.

"Uh...Lord Sesshoumaru?" One tried.

He remained tense, silent.

Their leader, who he recognised to be Chief Kouga, stepped forward out of the group, hands planted on hips. "Geeze...what the hell," he said thinly.

Mild self-awareness came back to the inuyoukai. He'd been a leader who'd let his House fall. But Kouga stood tall, pack intact. It made him feel sickened, mildly hateful.

Kouga lifted up a scrap of pink material. Red eyes squinted- soon flying wide as he snarled, causing the sound to echo into the bowels of the cave.

Kagome's clothing.

The wolf held up a hand, frowning. "Oi, quit that. Kagome's fine. She found us and said to come find ya...before sinking into the ground," he sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "Heh, I probably wouldn't believe me either. But it's the truth, you can trust that much usin' your nose, right?"

Hackles lowered with halting immediacy. Sesshoumaru eyed them tiredly, settling his head on his paws. She'd been real? Is this...even happening?

"Uh, Kouga? What do we do? Should we carry him back with us?" One of the wolves piped up.

Colbat blue eyes narrowed with thought. "He's a prickly bastard, I don't think he'll let us do that. Kagome mentioned he's got a prayer bead stuck in his hip. We pull that out- we get a healing Lord of Dog Breaths. Hopefully then, the pouty bastard will choose to come with us back to the den."

Sesshoumaru made a grumbling noise, turning to the rabbits Kagome had killed and sinking his teeth into them. They'd discussed their plan in front of him, what fools. As if he'd allow them to touch him now that he was free-

"NOW!"

What?

Sesshoumaru started violently, food still caught in his throat. He could not move swift enough to block the amount of hands suddenly pinning him down on his side. The wolves made soothing noises or small yips, but he hardly cared- snarling and kicking under their weight, utterly enraged. Clawed fingers were rammed inside his hip- and a loud noise escaped him, struggling harder and throwing wolves off him- before the thing that had been lodged inside muscle and bone was ripped free.

Kouga jumped away, landing on the opposite side of the cave. His eyes were wide, grin spreading on his face as he stared at the prayer bead held between bloody forefinger and thumb. "Quick and nearly painless! Hah!-"

Sesshoumaru lunged, scrambling up and snarling at the wolves, grabbing one in his jaws and tossing it outside. Despite his rage- teeth hadn't dug in. Even as he chased the pests from his cave, Sesshoumaru did not kill them, instead glaring and frothing at the mouth. Youki swarmed his fur anew, leaking out and working to finally heal him after being blocked off for so long.

Kouga lingered outside the cave a safe distance away, chuckling. "You're welcome, Lord of Dog Breaths."

----

He'd reluctantly followed the wolves back to their den but took to sleeping in a smaller cave not too far away. Apparently it had been Five long years since the fall of the Western Lands. Five years he'd been reduced to a plaything. Sesshoumaru rested his head on his large paws, refusing to change into his inhuman form. If it were cowardly, he did not know nor care. The instincts to eat, hunt or sleep were all he needed.

For three years he remained in this stasis, barely contributing anything to the pack. He knew some were vexed with his attitude, yet ignored them. The only two who seemed unbothered were the pack leaders. During the cold of winter, Sesshoumaru had started violently when they'd called the pack to sleep in his cave, huddling close to him and providing warmth in their smaller true forms. It had been claustrophobic and uncomfortable, but he'd only grumbled a little. The female, Ayame, sometimes gave him scraps if she were feeling generous, like feeding a stray cub. He'd noticed as of late that she was heavily pregnant.

The image of Rin flashed through his mind. She'd struggled with birthing.

"We have to leave here," Kouga announced one day to his pack. "The humans ain't too far away and they know we're in the area. Every Great House who stood and fought these types of raids have fallen. Usually I think it's fucking cowardly to turn tail and run, but we got our kids and elderly here. This is our pack, and we gotta protect it!"

Loud cheers rang out, fists flying into the air. Sesshoumaru observed them from the sidelines, thinking their leader knew much about morale.

Ayame piped up from where she sat. "We know for sure there's a safe place for us. All we gotta do is reach it. Some of us went to check it out. It's by the beach, and we'll have to share the space with other demons, but it's better than losing our lives."

"So!" Kouga bellowed. "Take only what you need. Once you're ready, let's get outside and get organised. We're leaving today!"

The pack hurried to do as instructed. Golden eyes flicked to Ayame, who struggled to stand without assistance. She made noises of discomfort that irritated his ears, causing his tail to swish with agitation.

Once everyone was outside, they began to move, carrying waterskins or bags of food. Barely any took furs for bedding. Wolves never did care much for luxuries. Sesshoumaru lingered inside his cave, contemplating.

Though he could not form complicated thought, his body registered a dull ache he had not recovered from. Deep within his chest. Arms and legs remained weighed down, tired. The demon felt, somewhere, that he must be injured, despite being fully healed.

Ayame made a noise again, further ahead, holding her stomach.

Sesshoumaru's ears pricked, lips lifting in a silent sneer. He wanted badly to ignore it. To stay, and accept the blade of a human. His pride had been stained the moment the Western Lands fell, crushed upon sensing Bokuseno burning and scattered to pieces with every lash inflicted upon his body. Kagome...would mourn him, but like this, she might yet find another.

A human, perhaps.

Jealousy bristled his hackles at the purely hypothetical thought. No, more than that. Kagome as his mate would die too if he stayed there a second longer. Another pained noise from Ayame had him suddenly up and moving. Claws scratched the ground, limbs burning. Frustration urged him on, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

The silver inuyoukai padded up next to the woman. She brushed some damp red hair aside, forehead dotted with sweat as she blinked at him. She'd chosen to remain in inhuman form, and would not be able to change into her true self until after the birth at such a late stage. Like this, she was vulnerable. Birthing so many cubs would be agonising. He could not fathom why she'd done it, for surely comfort overtook preference, but it hardly mattered now. He stayed by her as they walked, following the scouts at the front while Kouga kept watch at the back.

Sesshoumaru remained on the treacherous side of the path when they navigated a mountain trail that held a steep rockface dwarfing them on one side and a sheer drop on the other. Ayame paused and winced, panting and reaching out to steady herself- fingers grasping his fur.

He did not react, having little explanation for why he'd seen fit to lend assistance. Perhaps it was payback. He padded at her pace even when it irritated him, finding her gait slow and akin to dawdling. When it became apparent they were holding up the rest of the group, Sesshoumaru made a noise, finally lowering himself.

Ayame tilted her head, panting slightly as she held her large, round stomach. "You sure? I'm heavy."

Sesshoumaru tossed his head, snorting. He made no noise of complaint when she climbed onto his back, gripping the fur. The other wolves lingered around them, skittish and worried for their female.

He padded on throughout the night, baring her weight as though it were a part of him.

"I'm proud of you," he heard the miko murmur in his mind.

'Be silent,' he thought.

Leaving the mountains behind, they travelled for days with barely any rest. Fires of war reached their noses. Other demons were still fighting, burning and dying at the hands of the humans. But the wolves took care of their own and did not lend aid. Sesshoumaru kept his head down, only raising it when he sensed salt flow through the trees of the forest.

The beach.

Something wet flowed into his fur then, leaking down his back. Sesshoumaru jolted, sniffing and turning his head to look at Ayame, who wailed.

"Oh no! K-Kouga! I think it's happening! My water just broke!"

They hurried on with a burst of urgency then, and by some miracle managed to find Shiori's village in under an hour. Ayame was taken away to a birthing hut, the rest of the wolves getting settled into the new place, greeted by the female Hanyou.

Leaving Sesshoumaru alone with a decidedly wet back. He thought it best to go bathe.

Old habits die hard however, and he found a new cave to lie in. As the days passed, he was reunited with the kit, Mother and their General. Oddly, Ah-Un survived, despite the odds. The foxes had disguised them as a horse through a heavy amount of glamour, but the two-headed dragon had to be hidden away in a cave at the village.

The demons all decided without his input that Sesshoumaru should be Leader, and though sceptical, the wolves were too grateful to protest. Sesshoumaru did not either, though he barely participated in leadership. Instead, he protected from afar, pacing through the forest bordering the beach, watching for any humans. Sometimes the wolves and cubs visited the cave, though he barely reacted to their presence. Shippo lay near him some nights, dozing. He'd become accomplished at spells, and Sesshoumaru found some feeling in him that wasn't apathy at the news. Pride, perhaps.

He was a good pup. Kit, he reminded himself.

But his next year was spent in much the same way as before. Only somehow worse. The toll of not changing in so long began to play with his mind again. His memories. It worsened with the self-imposed isolation.

He sometimes woke and thought that Rin was still alive, or that the miko was laying beside him. Always there was nothing, just the sound of waves crashing on rocks outside. The dark, empty cave occasionally dripped with water.

He slept deep and long. Falling prey to the weak trappings of his frayed mind. It conjured her.

Kagome began visiting him in dreams. She'd hold and stroke his body, pressing soft lips to his muzzle. Lean muscle relaxed whenever she approached until it came to the point her footsteps graced his hearing even while awake. The phantom sensation of her fingers trailing through silver fur made him purr. She whispered sweet nothings and made him remember how to yearn, to feel peace.

One day felt different, however. The crunch of footsteps on sand sounded louder, her smell...nonexistent. Which proved odd. He always tricked himself into smelling her. Sesshoumaru felt Kagome's touch, stroking and soothing. He made a low, crooning noise, feeling her arms wrap around his neck.

"My Lord," she murmured, kissing his nose.

Sesshoumaru's eyes fluttered open, hazy, but registering her naked body. Her perfect, familiar face. Long black hair and blue eyes caught the light from the cave opening, the cold air making rosy nipples hard.

When she melted against him, Sesshoumaru's fur shifted and regressed. Pale skin replaced it, and he bent to heatedly kiss her skin, taking the familiar shape of her body in his arms. She didn't feel quite the same, and the scars he recalled littering her figure were not present, but his scattered mind could barely hang onto one thought at a time. His cock strained with need, wanting attention. He thrust himself inside her wet heat, taking Kagome from behind and snarling with pleasure as she mewled and shook her hips.

The Daiyoukai pounded inside, burying himself within over and over again. She felt hot and tight, and he fucked her roughly, seeking blind completion.

When he snapped his hips forward and came inside her, she cried her rapture. His fangs sought the marks on her shoulder, wanting to embolden them once more-

But there were none. Sesshoumaru paused a hairs-breadth away from her skin, panting. His mind briefly cleared, scenting burrows, the woods and musk, instead of holy power and citrus.

The black hair held a few strands of blonde, her ears pointed.

Terrible, dark rage pooled in his stomach. The fox vixen glanced over her shoulder, flashing a mischievous smile. "I thought you could use the company~ Did I sound like her enough, my Lord? I do struggle with voices."

She did not smile for long.

Frantic teeth snapped down, face partially transforming so that his muzzle spread out, jaws opening wide. He snapped her neck with a sharp jerk, losing himself in rage, viciousness ripping her body apart.

He did not remember what happened after that. He thinks, perhaps, his mother approached and despaired, but also hid the evidence of the body. She covered it up to protect him from the wrath of the fox clan, claiming the demoness had disappeared.

Sesshoumaru did not like his cave as much after the event. He began forcing himself to take part in the fighting pits, wanting someone to come defeat him and seize the mantle of leadership for good. He forced himself to try and never imagine Kagome again, tormented by the comfort she offered.

When hearing two sets of footsteps crunching on the sand, Sesshoumaru inhaled, smelling the unpleasant fustiness of the wolf. Their natural scent, unfortunately. Seems Ayame was visiting him with-

Holy powers, citrus and the smell of a summer breeze. Sunlight on cooled skin.

Sesshoumaru sighed, unmoving. He'd slipped into fantasy again. He ignored them, dozing.

Oi!" Ayame growled. "You have a visitor. Wake up!"

He, again, sought to ignore them, vaguely hearing her cubs join them and start climbing over his form. A loud thud in the earth, like a fist, sent them scattering.

"HEY! This girl time travelled for your ungrateful hide!" She bellowed. "She came here just to see you! The least your sorry ass could do is say hello!"

Sesshoumaru made a noise, shifting to show his back. She is not here.

The fake Kagome was talking. "I'm going to um, stay here for a little while. Just in case he changes his mind."

He did not wish her to. Willing himself to fall back asleep, he found he couldn't. He felt it when she touched him when they were finally alone. Heard every whispered word.

"It's going to...get better, you know?" She murmured. "Not to be patronising, but it will. So for now, if this is what you need to be comfortable, then that's okay. Just...don't sleep forever," turning her face into the warmth of his side, hot breath fanned into his fur. "I'd miss you too much."

Red eyes cracked open briefly, staring at nothing, before they weakened and slid shut once again.

He fought Kaito when challenged, winning quite easily. That was the extent of excitement for one day.

But the following time, he did not expect Inuyasha to step into the fighting pits. What's more was the stunned, shaken feeling of his knees hitting the floor. The fight had been a blur of fists and raw power, but now he sat, surprised. Sesshoumaru blinked, feeling like a haze had been knocked loose from his eyes. His bloodied and battered senses took in the roar of the crowd, the iron taste of his own blood. Sometime during the brawl, he must have shifted into his inhuman self.

He looked up at his brother and the fake Kagome dazedly, before picking himself up, defeated. And yet... grateful.

Padding away, he slipped out alone onto the beach. White sands crunched under boots. He no longer had a duty to serve, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders.

"Sesshoumaru!" A familiar voice called from somewhere behind him.

Reiki pulsed and he stopped dead. Lips parted, and he inhaled, breath catching. Every nerve ending snapped alive, sensing her completely. Knowing, without doubt-

It is you.

He turned on his heel just in time to see her slip under the shallow waters. The pink colour of the waves receded soon after, time travel having worked it's will. One thing in particular kept Sesshoumaru standing there long after she'd gone.

Short hair. She'd looked like his first Kagome.

He decided to sit when standing became uncomfortable, shifting into his inuyoukai form once more. The breeze played with his fur, second eyelid blinking the sand away. Shifting down, he rested a heavy head on the beach, watching the ocean's horizon listlessly. Sesshoumaru didn't know when he slipped into sleep once more, but far too soon did he sense a disturbance.

"One good thing about short hair; it sure dries quicker."

One red eye peeled open. How are you here again so soon?

She smelled of salt, but without the haze, he knew with shaky confidence that it was Kagome again, sitting beside him. The Daiyoukai shifted, resting his jaw over her thighs. Giving a long, extinguished sigh, his chest warmed when a wet, gentle palm stroked over his forehead. Slowly, fur receded back into skin. Silver hair slid into the breeze, pooling around them as she smoothed a thumb over his pale brow. He barely noticed the emotional danger of staying in his inhuman form, calm in her presence.

He'd imagined this same thing occurring many times, and began to question his sanity again- until she said the most random thing possible.

"Do you have one of those pipe things your mom has?"

He blinked. "Hn."

Sesshoumaru handed it to her and watched with undisguised fascination as she pointed and flexed her toes in the sand, soon nearly coughing up a lung from the smoke.

Golden eyes studied her. Sometimes, she was just so...bizarrely magnetic, so obviously weird and for some reason he couldn't seem to become immune to the charm inherent in that. He always felt more sentimental when they were together.

True to form, she brought up the past, and they traded faces and names.

Unbearably easily, she lowered the defences that had kept him intact. He exhaled shakily, breathing the image of Rin into life. And suddenly he was silently acknowledging everything. His frustration at not getting to say goodbye. Losing her to mortality. His anger at having loved something that was going to die all along.

"It's alright," Kagome soothed. "It's okay."

His mate slid her hands over the plains of his body, and Sesshoumaru sank into her. Nothing kept him tethered to the ground as much as her touch right then. She smoothed kind hands over scars until they felt like mere creases. Just a few blemishes that she loved with her mouth. He slipped into peace, feeling it for the first time in years as he slid mindful claws through her short hair with vague confusion, dipping his head to accept her kisses.

The tide and waves rolled over them, and a startled noise escaped him, a dusty, genuine chuckle joining her quiet laughter.

----

Inevitably, she had to leave again. This parting felt different, however. Things had shifted. Something unexpected happened to the village with Inuyasha now the leader. Laughter came back. Demons masquerading as humans oddly seemed to relax, following his younger brother's example.

Sesshoumaru felt no jealousy where once he thought he would. Their people looked to his bratty sibling for stability and Shiori for guidance. Sesshoumaru had decided to hunt as much as possible for the village to reclaim some forgotten pride. He also resolved to spend more time with Shippo, refining his transformation technique so that he could melt into his true form if necessary.

Mother caught his eye a few months after Kagome had said goodbye, and he padded over to the entrance of the old fighting pits, now laying forgotten. No one challenged Inuyasha.

"...Is this about the vixen from the cave?" He asked bluntly.

Her brow arched. "No, dear one. Haven't the faintest idea what you mean."

Sesshoumaru glanced away, lips thinning. "I did not thank you for covering for me-"

"And this one did not do it for the thanks, so be silent." She smiled with her eyes, closed fan resting against her cheek.

"What is it you want then?"

"A partner to spy with," she lifted a finger to her lips, ducking inside and motioning to follow. They slipped through the tunnels soundlessly, hearing Kaito's deep baritone. Within, the wolf cubs and some of the younger demons were all gathered around, listening intently. Kaito sat on a higher step.

"-and there were great flumes of purple smoke for clouds. Inu no Taisho continued to fight with him. But the dragon's powers that so resemble lightning struck hard into the Great Dog Demon."

Sesshoumaru's gaze turned flat. Ah, he was teaching the young ones their history. He did a double-take when seeing Inuyasha sat among them, allowing the cubs to chew on or braid his black hair. He appeared to be listening, dark eyes focused.

And it occurred to the Daiyoukai that he'd probably only ever heard legends about their Father.

"He only managed to seal him to a cliff with his claw. According to many, Ryūkotsusei was much too powerful to kill," Kaito said gravely.

Inukimi gave a delicate giggle, fanning herself. All eyes turned to her. "I'm sorry, it's just cute. The way I hear it, there is one among us who did slay the beast," she directed an amused smile at Inuyasha, who scratched his nose uncomfortably.

"Yeah, what of it?"

Kaito and Sesshoumaru stared, the elder demon clearing his throat. "It is because of his fight with Ryūkotsusei that Inu no Tashio was mortally wounded, shortly before coming to save you, a newborn."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, and were his ears visible, Sesshoumaru imagined they'd lower to his skull. "H-huh. Gotcha."

The cubs clambered around him, yipping or gnawing on his elbow. The Hanyou seemed to want to ask more, but pride sealed his lips shut. Sesshoumaru watched him closely, before long lashes lowered.

"So um...when I was kidnapped by your mom, she did this thing where she exhaled smoke and made it into pictures from her memory."

He withdrew the pipe from his clothes, padding forward and taking a seat off to the side from Kaito, lighting it.

"I was just wondering if one day, in the future, do you think you could do that? For...Inuyasha?"

Sesshoumaru took the smoke into his lungs and exhaled it, breathing their great and terrible father into life via grey wisps. The high cheekbones, strong jaw, bushy brows and disarming eyes. The only thing missing was the magnetic personality and booming voice.

The Hanyou and the young ones stared at the smoke figure with wide eyes. Inuyasha then collected himself, glancing at him with mild confusion.

"You may as well put a face to the stories," Sesshoumaru said quietly.

"...Keh."

"Hn."

----

The monks who had imprisoned him were tracked down and slaughtered. Sesshoumaru had taken a small group with him, Kouga and Inuyasha joining him. He found one monk in particular who he intimately recalled, and had dealt with him alone. He hadn't had the time to exact the full scope of torture he'd wanted to on the monk, but oh- how he'd enjoyed it.

Within the cells, they freed a few youkai barely hanging to life, taking them back to the village once the bloodshed was over. Things began to heal, like a scab over a wound.

Everything seemed to have fallen into place for the group, save Kagome's absence. Yet something continued to niggle at Sesshoumaru.

He heard his mother's approach as he sat on the beach, old memories resurfacing.

"The one responsible for burning Bokuseno, do they lie dead, mother?" He asked.

"Yes," she purred.

He felt a mild weight lift from his heart until her next words: "but the woman who helped orchestrate it is not. Kagome saw fit to banish her because she had a young son. Chiyo was her name, I believe."

The servant. "I see," magenta lids slid shut.

He did not assemble a group this time, thinking they'd protest. Sesshoumaru slipped out from the village at night, flying back. Back to the ruins of the ancient tree. What he saw caused the same numbness that had entered his bones the first time to resurface- but Sesshoumaru shook it away. He had something important to do, collecting the remnants of his forgotten pride.

Trying to follow the trail of two deer youkai that was more than ten years old took time. For most beings, it could perhaps be impossible. Old tracking instincts returned, reminding him of the days he'd hunted Naraku.

For a few weeks, he travelled around Japan, black hair tied at the nape of his neck. Ears rounded. He posed just like any other human among the populous, observing the growing numbers. Their gazes soon turned to follow him, curious about the finery of his red and white silks. Eventually, he lifted the cover over a door up, standing in the threshold of a decent-sized house.

A woman knelt by a basin, preparing some food. She started and looked up, placing her hand on her chest. "Oh, you frightened me." She blinked. "My husband isn't here, I'm afraid. If you were interested in renting a boat you can find him by-"

"I don't need a boat," he said quietly, letting the cover slide into place over the door, blocking out the sun. Chiyo straightened, eyes going wide. Opening her mouth, no words came out.

A boy in the far corner of the room sat up.

"Hisao, come here-" she called sharply.

He slowly obeyed, cautiously easing around Sesshoumaru, before coming to stop by his mother. She instantly latched her hands onto his arms, standing behind him.

"Y-your mate banished us years ago. We have kept our word and not returned-"

"She made the decision without this one." He uttered in silken tones. "What you and your departed husband did cannot be eased with mere banishment. You have not nearly been punished enough."

Chiyo jolted with fear, hearing the sound of a baby stir in its crib.

Sesshoumaru glanced over at it. "...A hanyou. How interesting." Blazing golden eyes slid back to her. "And here I was informed from my mother the reason you burned Bokuseno was because you disapproved of my mating a human."

"I was not given much of a choice but to let a human touch me!" She hissed. "I have another, she's out working with her father. I did what I had to in order to surviv-"

"You dare-" Sesshoumaru swept in close, molten gaze burning with the harsh fires of hatred. Claws twitched with want to kill, but Chiyo ducked away, bursting into frightened tears. "You dare speak of suffering? Because of you, many died. My mate may have lost her chance to extend her life-span. Your mate burned Bokuseno alive and crippled my General-" he grabbed her wrist, suddenly pausing.

Thin blue veins had spread, visible on her wrist where her glove ended and sleeve began. Sesshoumaru pushed the sleeve up further, inhaling. "Ah, that's right..." he purred with dark satisfaction and amusement. "He was your mate, wasn't he? That's why I sense death in your scent. It's coming for you after you've evaded it for so long, vermin."

Sesshoumaru released her, watching with sadistic pleasure as she sank to the floor. Chiyo trembled, eyes wide.

Hisao suddenly darted in front of her, body trembling. "Y-you've got what you wanted, my Lord. Now that you know, p-please go."

"You misunderstand," he said gently. "I did not come here to kill her."

Golden eyes slid over Hisao's frightened expression, who swallowed. Reaching out, Sesshoumaru removed the hat on his head, spying the stumps peeping out of dishevelled brown hair. They'd tried to saw them down but his antlers were naturally growing. They must have tried their best to make the young demon blend in. Females could hide in plain sight like Chiyo. Males, not so much.

"You may come with me to the village of demons, boy." He levelled a weighty stare on the child. "It was your mother who was banished from the Western Lands and father who betrayed me and mine. If you continue this way, shame will follow your name long after she is dead. This one will restore your honour if you pledge yourself to the ashes of the House they helped burn."

Hisao's breath caught, young mind turning as his mother became quiet, eyes downcast.

Sesshoumaru waited patiently, briefly glancing around the place. She'd certainly landed on her feet, judging by the amount of decor and furniture. Pale lips sneered.

Hisao turned to his mother, brows drawn together.

Whatever he seemed to communicate, she nodded tearfully. "It's alright. You'd be...you'd be safer there. It's probably true."

Hisao wrapped small arms around her neck, burying his face in her hair. Chiyo hugged him, stroking dishevelled hair back from his ears. The Daiyoukai noticed scabs over the tops, were the pointed tips had likely been cut off.

He stepped out the door, giving one last dark look at the woman as Hisao hurried after him. You took many of my own. Now I take one of yours.

---

The house of ashes lay before them.

"Your parent's failings are not your own," he muttered, glancing down at the quiet boy. Wide eyes stared back, soon nodding hesitantly.

"I understand, my Lord."

Tired eyes shifted to the dead and dying earth around them. "...I am not a Lord anymore."

Accepting all the ugly emotions that came with seeing his old dwelling, Sesshoumaru knelt in the remains of the garden, having stopped there for a specific reason. Unearthing the box he'd previously buried before the fighting had started, Sesshoumaru broke the lock with his youki, opening it to admire the items he'd saved;

A purple pressed flower he'd glamoured never to lose its vibrancy. Kazanashi. The Higurashi shrine stamper, and now he added the red tassel from his original armour which had long since broken. And...something else needed to be added. Sesshoumaru lifted his arm, looking at the long sleeve trailing down. His prized red and white silks.

Removing them left him in the crisp white underlayer of his hanjuban. Folding the silks, he tucked the clothing away in the box. Now wasn't the time for them anymore.

Glancing at the ruins of the Keep, he took a breath. Hisao tilted his head, noticing a shoji screen jutting out under the debris, crouching to try and free it. He tugged, making a tiny grunt of effort, before a larger hand reached down next to him and slid the screen-free.

The boy blinked up at him, but Sesshoumaru said nothing. They took it with them back to the awaiting village and Sesshoumaru kept the items safely in his new hut.

It took a few days, but ultimately Kaito was the one to confront him.

"Why did you bring him here?" He rumbled, watching as Hisao helped attend Inukimi, who seemed delighted to have a helper. "He is the son of the traitors who burned the tree and killed our men." A hand settled on the stump of his leg. "His father...did this to me,"

Sesshoumaru glanced at the former General, gaze passive. "If we were to start pointing fingers, there are many already here to start sharing blame."

Kaito clamped up at that, vague shame filtering into his scent.

Observing the change in demeanour over the days, Sesshoumaru noticed the small deer youkai be accepted into the group. Kaito instructed him how to hold a wooden sword, beginning some basic training.

Things had become as Inuyasha said. The separate species had come together, accounting for differences. Things were not always smooth, but it felt like what he'd seen from the village of Edo, so many years ago.

A community.

The Daiyoukai happened to notice a change in Inuyasha too. The 'odd looks' began anew, this time with Shiori.

Sesshoumaru cut his eyes to the dark skies, feeling old suddenly. Whatever they did, it was no concern of-

"Hey," Inuyasha grunted, taking a seat next to him by the fire outside. "Need to talk to ya."

"Are you certain?" He inspected perfect nails. "This one would have thought talking to the female Hanyou would be your priority."

Bristling, Inuyasha stuffed his hands in the sleeves of his robes, huffing. His cheeks briefly reddened, gaze fixed on the fire. He took a long time to say anything, which made Sesshoumaru take notice. The brat had certainly changed in recent years.

"...I was thinkin' of maybe mating her. It's taken me a bit to adjust to the thought- I mean I saw her when she was a kid and now she ain't and it's weird but time travel has made us near the same age and yeah." He huffed, obviously having picked up the babbling habit from Kagome. He then quieted. "We talk about shit I haven't talked about with anyone else. Stuff I couldn't even tell Kagome cos the Kikyo subject always hurt her. Not surprisin' though."

"Are you certain she is riveted to be talking about your ex-partners?" Sesshoumaru muttered dryly.

"Shaddap! It's more than that. Not that I'd tell you," he stuck his nose in the air, before growling. "It's not enough that I got a load of baggage holdin' me back from asking though. I don't...want her to get hurt like my Mother."

Izayoi? Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, wondering where he was going with this.

Inuyasha looked at him gravely. "Look, are Hanyou kids cursed to kill their mothers eventually?" He asked, muscles tense.

"...Elaborate."

"Keh. My mother passed away from an unknown illness when I was about 10 in human years. Shiori says hers died when she was around 14. Everywhere I go, I've heard of Hanyou kid's parents dyin' or something. So what is it? We cursed? Because I ain't keen on havin' kids if so. Shiori...shouldn't get mixed up with me."

Sesshoumaru stared. It became obvious that the Hanyou truly believed in what he was saying, but had never asked, for fear of what it meant. An old instinct to belittle and sneer at the boy rose up, but he suppressed it.

"No, you are not cursed. Rather, the majority of those cases probably happened because of the consequences of mating."

"H-hah?"

The words came haltingly, but he persevered. "Many suspected Izayoi to be Father's true mate. She died because her soul demanded to follow his into the Netherworld. It was not your doing," he quietly uttered. "When one mate dies, days, months or even years later, the other follows. To mate is to bind souls and lives together."

Inuyasha studied the fire, jaw tightening. He then stood, back straightening. "Gotcha. Didn't know. But I guess that's because-"

"No one told you." Sesshoumaru cooly finished the barb. It was true, he'd willingly snubbed the Hanyou, refused him entry into the West. Denied him many birthrights. Things were not the same as they once had been though. He did not feel angry, bitter or jealous. Merely tired. Dark eyes shifted over the features so like Father's. "This one is telling you now."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, confusion in his scent. He then slowly nodded, awkwardly taking his leave and padding away, kicking a stray shell on the beach.

----

Centuries passed. Sesshoumaru counted them instead of letting time blur as he had before. Things changed and progressed. Inuyasha and Shiori had ended up mating, causing the agitated boy to further mellow. The village moved. Even Shippo mated and became a Father, causing Sesshoumaru to have an age crisis. He saw Kagome twice more during her jumps until finally reaching the time period she'd been born into.

The buildings of Tokyo were much larger than when he'd last visited. They towered into the skies. Humans crammed into the streets, walking in a hurry to their daily jobs.

Sesshoumaru assessed his wealth, finding that he had enough to support Kagome for many years. They needn't work when they were together unless they wanted. Nonetheless, he opened a bookshop, employing Yukita and Riza, Shippo's son and Kouga's daughter respectively, in order to pass the next 18 years.

Shippo informed him of the day of Kagome's birth, having seen her briefly, in passing.

"I do not want to know," he rumbled over the phone. "Tell me nothing about her, but watch when you have the time, kit."

When it neared the day of Kagome's 15th birthday, however, Sesshoumaru ran into a mild...complication.

"I don't sense any magic coming from the Bone Eater's Well. Didn't you seal it?" Shippo barked.

He thought for a moment. "...Yes."

"And you didn't think to maybe unseal it so that she can hop down the Well and meet Inuyasha?!"

"..." Sesshoumaru hung up.

He hadn't wanted to see her. Hear her. Anything. Not until he absolutely must. Already his control shook, padding up the steps of the shrine. His image blurred partway up, inhuman speeds making him fly to the Well House.

Sutras were already plastered around the closed well, blessings and spells with no holy properties apparently trying to ward off 'evil.' Sesshoumaru smiled slightly in the dim light, opening the structure easily enough. He then slipped inside, dropping down the dark depths of the Bone Eater's Well and landing at the bottom. Striking a hand down, he coiled youki out onto his skin, ripping off the seal he'd placed into the earth when it gave under his power.

I do not think I will ever understand, he thought as the scents of the Fuedal Era wafted up from beneath his feet. How does this well operate? Did the Kami themselves place it here?

Hearing a 'meow' from above, Sesshoumaru craned his neck up, seeing a pair of eyes flash in the dark. Flying up to land on the rim, Sesshoumaru observed the fat feline.

"You must lure her here on her birthday if she does not come by herself, nekomata."

Kirara, or 'Buyo' just meowed again. He couldn't be entirely sure the demon understood him. Shippo had told him she changed cat forms every twenty or so years, keeping watch over the shrine. Personally, he found her silence indicative that the old cat had gone senile, but Shippo always defended her.

Closing the lid over the well, Sesshoumaru smoothed his palm over the wood. Speeding away without a farewell, he floated down onto a deserted street and resumed walking.

Just a little more time had to pass.

He heard of her exploits through Shippo when she finally began her adventures, who groaned with frustration over the phone when she got an F in maths. "I wish she'd focused on her studies more instead of us!" He complained. "I'd never let my kids go fight demons! What's that Mrs. Higurashi thinking, anyway?!"

Sesshoumaru held the phone away from his ear, reading a book.

When the beginning of those three years came and Kagome was cut off from the Fuedal Era due to the completion of the jewel, Sesshoumaru found himself truly tested. He'd wanted to steal her away. Keep her. He had even gotten so far as her house, heart thundering in his ears- daring to change history-

But the sound of her sobbing upstairs caught his ear.

"Inuyasha..."

The demon lowered his hand from the doorbell without pressing down, fingers clenching as they withdrew. She was still in love with him at this point. Kagome needed to go back. To face whatever they'd been before their break up.

Turning on his heel, Sesshoumaru squeezed red eyes shut, frustrated. Control snapped and he padded quickly away, needing to leave Japan for a while.

When he came back, Sesshoumaru witnessed her return from the well with Inuyasha in tow for her Grandfather's funeral. She searched for the Daiyoukai in the city, and he felt it, having to enlist Riza and Yukita in helping to dull his senses with harsh insense, lest he heed her call. Yet it hadn't been enough, and he'd broken free.

He let out a feather-light slip of youki to against her cheek while standing in her empty room as she searched for him outside. Touching the brown package he'd given to her Grandfather and leaving behind a slip of power, he disappeared, wanting to guide her in the right direction.

After her first jump through time, he and Shippo began planting the items, willing her to find and jump to the past. True, they orchestrated much, though at the time Sesshoumaru was still trying to grasp her powers and how they worked.

And when Kagome finally fell into his arms that winter's day, Sesshoumaru had never wanted her to leave. He'd taken her to his penthouse, kissed her, ached-

But duty carried on and he could only keep her for an excruciatingly unfair amount of time.

A warm palm settled over her fist and Sesshoumaru stared at her, winter lashes lowering slightly. Kagome's optimism seemed to slip along with her grin, glimpsing the emotion he'd rather keep hidden.

"I'll be back," she said quietly. Sesshoumaru inclined his head, sliding his hand free from hers.

"Hn…return home soon."

That was the last time he'd seen Kagome, sending her off to face that first mating, when he'd become so deeply ensnared by her.

Unlike before, he'd called off Shippo instead of asking him to keep vigilance over the house. The Daiyoukai decided to wait for her call, passing the time by trying to distract himself with visiting others.

He was not much for conversation, but Hisao hadn't seemed to mind when he'd received him for afternoon tea.

Passing through the park that evening, Sesshoumaru tilted his head back, inhaling the scent of Spring. It used to be Rin's favourite season. Flowers had started to bloom, dotting the landscape in flourishes of bright colours. The grass had broken free of the frost, sunset bathing it in warm colours.

He observed it all passively, remaining in the centuries-long limbo that he'd learned to navigate. He'd made a home for himself. It was merely that without her, it felt void of life, reminiscent of a box with four walls. Missing the key element that made it feel warm. Which was why he usually slept at the bookstore.

Taking one more step, he stiffened, stopping dead. Lying in wait beyond the trees, the lake further ahead suddenly held new blinding scents.

Sesshoumaru's heart began to race, old instincts crackling to life. Dark eyes, shining lighter in the sun, exploded into gold. Round pupils squashed into slits.

He forgot himself, the glamour, the concealment- everything- feeling it melt away as he launched forward into the air, coat and shirt rustling in the breeze.

#sesskag #sesshoumaru #sesshoumaru x kagome #kagome higurashi #inuyasha #sesskag fanfiction

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