InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Without a Lullaby ❯ Anymore ( Chapter 18 )

A/n: Thought about three or four chapters are author's notes, I didn't expect this story to go on or last. Kudos to those who made it with me to chapter twenty one. ^_^ Salutations.

 

And Kinoko, I have a huge response to your most recent review! Lol, I'm saving it until the end, so please catch that at the end of the chapter. I started writing it and realized it began to take up too much space.

 

Luna-

 

 

Chapter XXI: Anymore

 

 

Kagome threw her arms around Sango, who held Shippo inbetween them and cried. She cried harder and louder than any time Sesshomaru had ever seen her, and he could not understand that she was truly happy.

The taijiya broke down and enveloped the girl in a bear hug, crushing the kitsune between the two, but the child did not seem to mind. Instead, he clung to Kagome as if she had died. The monk, Sesshomaru noticed, stared at her with pale skin and wide eyes as if he had seen her come back to life.

 

Their meeting was purely on accident. They simply crossed paths in the forest they were traveling in, and the groups stared at one another for what seemed an eternity. All Sesshomaru did was watch and stare at they were reunited for the first time in nearly a year.

 

“K-Kagome-sama…” The monk drew out a sharp breath, his heart was pounding loudly, and he reached out timidly to touch Sesshomaru's mate. Oddly enough, Sesshomaru allowed this, and together the ningens stood as one. “Miroku! Sango, Shippo…. Minna, I missed you...I missed you all so badly!”

 

“Kagome-chan! Why did you leave… where did you go…? Why did you not tell us…? We didn't know… if… you…” Sango choked on her words, burying her face into the younger girl's hair and sobbed as quietly as she could, despite the fact they racked her body.

 

 

Miroku had finished the thought for her, “We thought you had died, Kagome-sama.” The seriousness on his face was almost unforgiving, unbelieving, but Sesshomaru could smell the salt water coming from him all the same.

 

“D-demo… I left a note…saying what had happened…” The adults look at each other, then to Kagome with bright eyes. “We never found it.”

 

“But I left it with Kaede-baachan!”

 

Kagome's throat constricted as they suddenly looked away, dismal looks on her old companion's faces.

 

“What…?”

 

Kagome drew back out of the taijiya's arms, searching her face for signs of anything. “What… happened?”

 

 

 

Sango cleared her throat, beginning very slowly. But all the time she never lifted her eyes to meet Kagome's, instead venturing to look at the canopy of the forest they were in. “…Shortly… after you left… and Inuyasha died… Kaede… passed away.”

Kagome covered her mouth, closing her eyes and choking back another sob. Fresh tears ran down her cheeks, and Kagome couldn't help but wonder absently if they would ever run dry.

 

“Doushite? Why?”

 

Miroku placed a firm hand on Kagome's shoulder, as if to hold her steady as he spoke so very gently to her…

 

“She told us… that now everything was done, and everyone was safe… she could return to nirvana to meet her sister again and be reborn.”

 

Sango nodded as if in agreement, speaking in quiet tones to her dear friend. “She was old, Kagome-chan. Older than most people make it. She finally decided it was her time to rest, and we understood that.”

 

Kagome nodded, drawing in a deep breath.

 

Sesshomaru gaze at the delicate rise and fall of her breasts as she spoke, and he himself was crossed with that epiphany.

 

Kagome's mortal.

 

She will die as well…

 

“Kagome-neechan! Please don't be so sad! Rin hates to see you sad!”

 

Rin grabbed on to Kagome's sleeve, tugging as she looked up at her. “Onegai, Kagome-neesan. Don't be sad.”

 

Kagome's gaze turned to the child, her eyes softening in response. Love flowed in to them and a weak, but genuine smile graced her beautiful lips. “All right, Rin-chan. Kagome won't be sad anymore.”

 

Rin beamed up at her, then looked at Shippo. “Want to pick flowers for Kagome-neesan and Sesshomaru-sama?” Shippo nodded, smiling through his own tears, “Hai! But let's not take too long, I don't want to leave Kagome for too long…”

 

Rin nodded, taking the boy's hand and dragging him along.

 

Sesshomaru looked down at Jaken, who immediately took the hint and dashed off to follow the children.

 

Finally, Sesshomaru moved to join his mate and her previous comrades. They looked at him in surprise, as if they had never noticed he had been there before.

 

“Kagome…?” Sango had asked questioningly, but Kagome just slightly shook her head and smiled again. Sesshomaru looked at the houshi, and the taijiya, and spoke firmly.

 

“We need to go.”

 

Again, the ningens gave each other a look, and the female scowled at him skeptically. As if she was measuring him up.

 

Sesshomaru wasn't pleased in the slightest.

 

“Where?”

 

“We have find Naraku. What else would you assume taijiya?”

 

Sango flushed a little, and the monk responded in a bit of a testy tone, “Why would you accompany us?”

 

Sesshomaru turned that ice cold glare to the monk, suppressing the snarl that had been growing since he had been near his mate. The comment was not meant to be a challenge, but his youkai took it as a sign of defiance. “I did not say I would accompany you. I said we need to go. If you presumed to take that as yourself and your companions, that is your own taking. What you do is none of my concern.”

 

Sesshomaru looked down at Kagome, and she could see the anger flashing in his eyes.

 

“Then take your child and your servant and go, Sesshomaru.”

 

Kagome and Sango looked at Miroku, who spoke an innocent comment but quite obviously pointed out that he assumed Kagome would stay with them, without actually saying so. And Sesshomaru never missed a beat.

 

“Kagome comes with me.”

 

Sango and Miroku fell into silence, looking at each other, contemplating through a silent conversation. Why not keep it light and simple, and avoid a fight they could not win?

 

“Forgive me, Sesshomaru-sama. I thought that you had meant Rin and Jaken would accompany you, as they always have. I thought you meant in generality that your group had to leave.”

 

Sesshomaru moved closer to Kagome, instinct to protect his mate kicking in.

 

No one was to take her from him…

 

“Kagome comes with me.”

 

Kagome slightly glared up at him and his attitude, somewhat caught inbetween pleasure at the fact he refused to let her go, and distaste for the same reason.

 

“What about what I want, Sesshomaru?” Kagome turned and faced him, hands on her hips and eyes sparkling with emotion still. She watched as he tensed, knowing he never thought she would have questioned the fact that they would remain together. But she wasn't. She was questioning his outright assumptions and disregard for her thoughts and feelings.

 

She was taken aback as he turned from her coldly, staring at her with eyes that pierced her. “Then stay, ningen. Do as you like.”

 

He proceeded to walk away. Kagome felt the shock run through her fingertips, hurt clenching her heart in the slightest. How much more must I be tried…?

 

“Sesshomaru!”

 

He turned, snarling at her, “What, ningen?”

 

 

Ningen… he hasn't called me that in so long… he must be so angry…

 

“Don't walk away from me!”

 

Sesshomaru stopped, leering at her. “Don't play games with me, ningen. I don't take lightly to it.”

 

Kagome felt herself growing hot, frustrated. “I'm not playing games! You're the one who's neglecting me!”

 

Outright denial crossed his face as he was in front of her within a fraction of a moment. “I am neglecting you? Are you mad?”

 

Indignant feelings sprang forth, and she stood on her tip toes to yell at him, “I am mad! I'm mad at you! How could you just say those things without asking me what I thought or how I felt?!”

 

Sesshomaru growled, “Simple, for I would think a mate would never leave another mate.”

 

Sango's jaw just about detached itself from her skull as she watched the argument. She turned her eyes quickly to the monk, who was giving the same look. He returned her gawking, and they mouthed at each other. `Mate?'

 

“Just because I am your mate does not mean I am not an individual, Sesshomaru!”

 

Sesshomaru stepped forward again, looming over her smaller frame. He was displaying dominance in the situation, and it wasn't swaying Kagome one bit. “I never said to think as much, and it insults me that you would assume I am that shallow.”

 

Kagome stomped her foot, looking as if in another moment she would tear his head off with her bare hands. “It insults me that you would not even think to ask in the first place!”

 

“Apparently.”

 

Kagome snipped at him, “Don't be sarcastic with me!”

 

“Don't be ignorant.”

 

“You're such an asshole!”

 

“I will not lower myself to name calling..”

 

Kagome snapped her fingers, “Hypocrite! You insult me either way!” Sesshomaru put his face directly near hers. “As do you.”

 

Kagome threw her hands up in the air, shoving him gently away, done with him. “I'm so fed up with you! Just leave me alone!”

 

His eyes narrowed at her. “That can easily be arranged.”

 

And like that, he was gone.

 

Kagome gaped at the spot where he was previously, and screamed out, “You're such a fucking asshole! BAKA!”

 

She turned in the opposite direction, and stormed off in to the woods and far away from wherever Sesshomaru was. “You're so goddamn stubborn!”

 

What she and Sesshomaru left were two adults that stared at the clearing, feeling as if they had just been very much ignored.

 

“What just happened?” Sango inquired to no one in particular.

 

“…we saw Kagome for the first time in a year, found out her and Sesshomaru are mated, and watched as they argued like children.”

 

Blink. “Was that too familiar for you?”

 

“Very.”

 

Small silence.

 

“Shall we never speak of this?”

 

“Nope.”

 

Scratch behind the ear. “Hungry?”

 

“Yes.”

 

And together they went off to search for the children and Jaken, determined to forget the feelings that simple quarrel had given them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/n:Kinoko… you're right. Many people to portray Kagome as overly bitchy or overly submissive, and in sexual situations, that's extremely hot. But the fact is… she's not. You're right, and I thank you for your compliment! But I think the essence of Kagome is more fiercely loyal to the point of obsession, and maybe anger. Never let go, never surrender when she thinks what she's doing is right. I don't know if I capture that, since sometimes it's hard for me to catch where Kagome goes with herself in the manga, or the anime. Catching Inuyasha is so easy, but Kagome is quite harder because even though she is the main female character, she hides herself in the shadows… what she truly feels, what she truly thinks. That is also is a natural part of a Japanese female, I believe. Well, in society, but perhaps that is too much a generalization. I am not Japanese, so I cannot say. As for Sesshomaru… I could see him falling so far from who he was, just by following himself rather than his own logic. Lol, perhaps because his pride would doubt even himself, and deny that logic he strides so hard to maintain. But then again, a lot of things he does seems to reflect around personal motivation, and not necessarily gain. I can not really see him doing some of the things I have written him to do, but I'd prefer my Sesshomaru to say… well… a completely shy, timid Sesshomaru some people have made him and it frustrates me, because he is such a strong character despite his… how do I say? Lack of appearance in the series. Perhaps I do make him shy, or timid, I am unsure how he comes across, if that sounds weird. But I do not think in any way he is weak in my story, because to me love is not weak. And strength is something that really captures me about Sesshomaru. But on a side note, I think people loose sight of who the characters originally are, since they are so enveloped with the idea that they forget… which is fine too, but it's sad to see them change the idea around so much. I guess perhaps I am doing that with my new story, but it is a different situation and different world, and that is what I love about alternate universe.

 

Sorry about the long response, but you drew it out of me. Heh heh! ^_^

 

 

And to everyone else: REVIEW! Consider it my Valetine's Day gift… Then again, I just like hearing it. I'm just being selfish… but it's still so nice :D