InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Collected Works ❯ Fade to Black ( Chapter 62 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
Title: Fade to Black
Author: LuxKen27
Universe: Canon
Genre: Romance
Rating: T
Word Length: 750
Summary: A taiyoukai and his mate recover from a trying time at court.

Author’s Note: Inspired by the piece “SesshKag – Lovers” © 2009 Lady Shieru

Disclaimer: The Inuyasha concept, story, and characters are copyright Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media.

~*~

He stared across the inky darkness at her, leaning back against the heavy door with an appreciative gaze. She stood at the opposite end of the room, on the balcony, a lone figure framed by the moonlight. Her courtly attire glittered under the moonbeams, beckoning him.

He crossed the room on silent feet, his golden eyes needing no guidance. She had released the pins from her hair, allowing it to cascade over her shoulders like waves of ebony silk, and she ran her fingers through it softly, lovingly. As he drew closer, he glimpsed the pale, creamy skin of her cheek, a hinting reminder of the natural beauty hidden underneath layers of jeweled brocade and silk.

She sighed as he slipped his arms around her waist, drawing her back against his chest. “I hate going to court,” she murmured, lacing her fingers through his.

“It is a necessary evil,” he agreed, nudging aside a lock of hair so that he might press a kiss to her neck. He smiled slightly as she shivered in response, tightening her grip on his hands – even after all these years together, he still had the power to thrill her with the lightest of caresses.

She shrugged, burrowing closer to him. “All of these allegiances, alliances, peace treaties – and to what end? It seems no one believes in forging lasting peace anymore.”

He frowned, narrowing his eyes in careful regard. Such cynicism was quite unlike her. Usually it was he who was left frustrated by the twists and turns of diplomacy; he had little use for words when a simple swipe of his sword could resolve the problem just as easily (and, he had to admit, far more satisfactorily). Yet, the world was swiftly changing all around them – youkai society as a whole was under threat as human civilization thrived instead. He had long ago realized it was time to stop fighting with his fellow taiyoukai over petty grievances; instead, they should work together, find ways to adapt and survive. Sometimes, that involved sacrifice – of power, of pride, of prestige.

He struggled with these losses just as much as the others, but he had her at his side, an everlasting rock of support and strength. To hear the doubt that crept into her voice troubled him.

“You can’t fix the world in a day,” he chided softly, his breath warm on her ear. “Isn’t that what you’re always telling me?”

Her fingers slipped away from his, drifting along his waist until they met the swords resting at his hip. “That’s because you’re far more inclined to use these to resolve matters,” she replied wryly. “You can be just as hotheaded as your brother, if pushed just so.”

He dipped his head to the hollow of her shoulder, loosening the crimson silk of her underkimono to bare the slightest portion of her neck. “I suppose you’d know that best,” he teased, lightly drawing the tips of his fangs across her skin, earning another shiver of pleasure in response.

She turned in his arms, facing him now, and buried herself in the softness of mokomoko. “Promise me we’ll get through this,” she pleaded in quiet tones. “And that we can do it without returning to court. I’ve had enough intrigue and deception to last a lifetime already…”

He lifted a hand, caressing her cheek, his claws twining through her hair. “Never forget who you are, Kagome,” he said. He was acutely aware of how difficult life was for a human among his kind, having lived with, loved, and lost another beloved mortal companion.

Sapphire met gold as she leaned forward. “Remind me?” she whispered against his lips.

He caught her mouth with his, deepening the kiss as he felt her hands drift up into his hair. His pulse picked up speed as she melted into his embrace, curling her body into his in a most inviting way. After a lingering moment, she pulled away, gazing up at him expectantly.

He smirked. “You are…” He trailed off thoughtfully as his arms fell to her waist, fingers working at the ties of her obi.

“Yes?” she prodded, weaving her fingers into his hair.

“My wife…my lover…my equal…my mate,” he replied, punctuating each answer with a kiss, each more intense than the last. He took a step back, tugging intently until at last her robes gave way.

“It’s good to be home,” she breathed, trembling as his hands met her bare skin… before being swept back into their darkened bedchamber.