InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ 30 Shards - Sesshoumaru and Kagome ❯ Getting Under the Skin ( Chapter 7 )

Shard # 28 ~ Secrets

 

 

In the waning firelight, she sought out his face. He was sitting against a tree across the fire from her, the flames coloring his pale features with warmth. Only it was a warmth she was sure that he didn't notice.

 

It wasn't until that evening she had noticed the energy rolling over itself where his arm had been. It was beginning to regenerate and she was sure that it wasn't all that comfortable. She could remember times when her cuts were healing and they would itch incredibly as the skin put itself back together. If that was an annoyance to drive her crazy, she could only imagine what sort of pain he was going through.

 

Not that he would have made it known either way with the way he dealt with his own wounds. Sesshoumaru would neither wince nor give evidence that he even was aware of the discomfort until he was safe from prying eyes. Neither pain nor ecstasy had graced that impassive face while she had known it. Anger, or hints of it boiling under the surface of his skin, would appear, but that wasn't an emotion that was feared as a weakness. It was just the way she was sure he had learned to deal with things. In fact, now that she really thought it over, he had been even more irritable than usual these last couple of days.

She was reminded of Inuyasha, who would wince and grimace when injured, but always say it wasn't serious. The two were more alike than they would ever admit to.

 

Men.

 

Youkai of the male persuasion, for that matter.

 

She silently continued to watch him as he stared intently into the fire. His face was its usual mask of cold indifference and calculated thought, but there was a slight crease between his eyebrows and in his eyes, a ripple of pain surfaced across their liquid depths.

 

In her breast, a ripple of helplessness fluttered across her heart in answer. She wanted to help him, but didn't know how. In truth, what could she do for a growing appendage? She chewed on her lip at this thought, sightless but for the fire.

 

She came to a decision and slipped out of her sleeping bag, leaving a little girl and a fox child to cuddle together for warmth. She smiled as Shippo tucked himself closer to the other child's warmth. She tucked the blanket they shared around them and stood up, instantly feeling the lord's eyes trained on her.

 

She walked around the others, careful of Kirara's tail and glanced at Inuyasha's closed eyes, before plopping herself down next to Sesshoumaru.

 

She breathed the cool night air and sat looking at the fire while contemplating what to say to the stoic youkai lord. He was a complicated person to know. He had a stony mask that he wore that no one could really break through. He hid his emotions because to him they were a weakness and Kagome often wished she could have the ability to hide everything she felt, but she knew she was a hopeless cause.

 

However, if you looked deeper, paid attention to more of what he said without saying anything at all, there were many things he spoke of. He was like Inuyasha in that aspect as well. `Actions speak louder than words' had become the brothers' motto in her mind. He protected Rin, enjoyed Jaken's arrogant whining and took pleasure in raising Inuyasha's temper. He possibly even liked her company, but she wasn't willing to bet her life on that thought, at least at this moment in time. Perhaps later, but for now, how the heck was she supposed to engage him in conversation to distract him?

 

“What are you doing?”

 

She turned her gaze to meet golden eyes that still had that crease above them between his eyebrows. He really was a beautiful man. She supposed it didn't help that she had a thing for silver hair.

 

“I'm here to keep you company.”

 

There was a shadow in his gaze that spoke of his doubt that this truly was the case.

 

She smiled when she noticed it. Reading his changes in mood and emotion was getting easier to do. A person only had to pay attention to the subtle changes in his features to learn what gave him away.

 

“Hn.”

 

She wrinkled her nose in amusement.

 

“If you are only here to laugh at me, then I suggest you return to your kit.”

 

She glanced lovingly at the red hair she could see across the fire. “I'll stay.”

 

She caught the tail end of a grimace that showed itself in the tightening of the skin around his eyes as she looked back to him.

 

“Do you really wish to be so bothersome?”

 

“No, but yes, if it takes your mind off other things.”

 

“What other things are you inferring?”

 

“I'll tell you only if you tell me that Inuyasha is asleep?”

 

The look of annoyance crossed his gaze before he looked towards the hanyou resting against a tree across from the monk.

 

“I'm sure he would have stirred once you had sat down next to me.”

 

“So are you saying he is?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And the others?”

 

“Why?”

“Well, I wanted to see how you are doing.”

 

“As you can see, I am doing fine with the exception of a human nuisance that I kept my word not to kill no matter how annoying she could become.”

She giggled a little at his words, but her face slid into a worried expression. Sesshoumaru was slightly taken aback, though his eyes widened only minutely.

 

“I'm sure that you are indeed doing fine, but I remember how things heal. If skin growing back from a simple cut causes a person to want to itch it, then I have a vague idea of how it must be for you and your arm.”

 

She watched him still in front of her and she wondered if she reached out, she would feel stone against her palm.

 

“I realize that it's not public knowledge, but somehow -“ she paused, her cheeks reddening more than the firelight could affect, “I couldn't sleep knowing there was something I might be able to help with.”

 

“There is nothing you can do to help me.” His words sliced across her with whip-like ferocity.

 

Not that she could blame him. She had uncovered something he did not want known. Also his usage of `you' was quite nasty. She was aware though of his opinion of humans. She knew that she could be an ally, but never anything more than that. Her terminally optimistic side squeaked that he could also be an acquaintance, possibly friend. A friend he would occasionally want to kill. She knew she would not ever win with this guy.

 

“I realize that. But I figured the least I could do was try and distract you from it by being an annoying human and talking your ear off.”

 

She heard a sigh whisper forth from the demon and looked back into the fire, “Don't worry, I won't give anyone any idea of what's going on. I just want to help, even if it is more of an irritation than an aid.”

 

He remained quiet after she had finished speaking and the sounds of their surroundings rushed in to fill the void. The harsh voice of the fire spoke in tongues, while the whispering undercurrent was that of their comrades amid dreams.

 

They sat in silence for a while and she wondered if he was going to just ignore her. It would serve her right. She always seemed to get into everybody's business, but she put it down as she was just caring enough to inquire and be nosy. You couldn't help people if you didn't know what was going on.

 

His voice sidled into the night, pushing her thoughts aside.

 

“If you are intending on proceeding with this plan, you are not doing a very good job.”

 

She turned a bright smile back at him, blue eyes glittering in the firelight, “I thought I was doing quite well earlier. You did mention wanting to kill me.”

 

“Ah, but you are lacking. I only wish to maim you right now.”

 

She giggled into her hand and began talking about home and asking him questions about his own.

 

She was quite engaging, albeit annoying. She spoke of many things that made no sense to him, but it was soothing to have something to focus on beyond what was happening in his regenerating limb.

 

And in the secret recesses of Sesshoumaru's mind, he began to feel comforted, for when this endeavor was over, and he parted from this group, he would have something of her that his brother would not.