CHAPTER 6: Realizations

Sesshoumaru looked out from inside the cave. The miko was laughing outside, getting soaked by the rain. He watched as she opened her arms wide, lifting her face up to the rain as if offering herself to some higher being. There was a sweet smile on her face as she started to spin around, laughing with childlike abandon.

However , she looked anything but childlike with her meager clothing soaked, outlining every curve of her ripe body. She was a sight to behold. Even he cannot deny that. He tried to look at something else but his eyes seemed to have a life of its own. It kept straying to the dancing miko, following her every move. Without realizing what he was doing, he found himself standing in front of her. Soon, Sesshoumaru was also soaked from the heavy rain, but he didn't care.

“Why do you let yourself get wet?” he could not help asking the miko. He was confused by her actions. Most humans would rather stay indoors during a downpour like this, keeping warm and dry. She was the first ningen who enjoyed the rain, aside from children who did not know any better. “Humans avoid it. Why do you stay here when you can keep dry and warm?”

The miko stopped dancing and turned to him, her face alight with glee. “If you think happiness is all about sunshine, then no one has told you about dancing in the rain,” she answered his question, smiling happily and punctuating her statement with a twirl.

She looked so free and alive. Things that Sesshoumaru hadn't felt in centuries. She was looking up at him, her lips quirked in a rueful smile. Her blue eyes mesmerized him. Her soft pink lips beckoned to be kissed, and for the life of him, Sesshoumaru could not resist the pull. He caressed her cheek and bent down slowly to capture her slightly parted lips in a sweet lingering kiss. It was slow and exploratory, slightly hesitant as if testing each other's reactions.

And then they parted, each of them speechless. They stared at each other. Both were confused, not knowing what really happened.

Sesshoumaru looked into her blue eyes which mirrored her confusion. They were soaked to the bone but not one of them noticed it. All they were aware of were each other. Nothing else seemed important.

“Dancing in the rain is fun,” the miko whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion. “But kissing in the rain sure is a hell of a lot better.”

Sesshoumaru could no longer help it. His lips lifted slightly in an amused smile. And the miko's answering laugh added to the warm feeling at the pit of his stomach. She twirled around him and caressed his cheek, making his stomach squirm with an unnamed emotion. She was looking deeply into his golden eyes, her blue ones soft with an emotion he could not place. Her smile was tender and he didn't know what to make of it.

“You're even more beautiful when you smile,” she whispered.

Sesshoumaru didn't know what to say to that. He searched her eyes and saw only sincerity in them. He searched his mind for something to say but could not come up with anything. He had never talked much to anyone before, and someone talking to him like this was also new to him. So he decided to just keep silent, the way he always was.

He waited with baited breath for her outburst. To his surprise, her eyes softened even more. “You'll always be you,” she whispered with feeling, as if understanding the inner struggle he was having. Then she smiled and danced away from him, laughing gaily, and the momentary spell was broken.

His eyes watched her every movement. She was alive and carefree... Something that he was not, and somehow, she understood him. Most demons and human alike never do. They mistook his silence to coldness and arrogance. He never bothered to correct them. It wasn't really in his nature to explain himself. Maybe that was arrogance in his part. He did not really care what others think.

The miko waved happily at him, her warm genuine smile making him feel things he had forgotten. She was an unusual creature. She was powerful and pure, a very rare combination. And she had never ceased to surprise him.

-+-+-

They sat across from the fire inside the cave. The downpour has trailed down to a gentle drizzle but they decided to spend the night in that cave since it was almost nightfall. There were fishes roasting on the fire. Kagome smiled to herself when she remembered trailing behind Sesshoumaru in that downpour when he went to the river to catch the fish. She watched as Sesshoumaru used his bare hand to catch the fish and she clapped every time his hand came out of the water with a fish.

She smiled as she remembered the curious look he was giving her. He surely must think she was odd. She had seen more emotions in his eyes in the few days she had spent with him than the five years she had known him.

Kagome witnessed his confusion at their “encounter” under the rain before he was able to mask it. She saw his eyes soften a little as he looked at her. Surely, that must mean something. She was absolutely sure Sesshoumaru smiled at her. That smile did wonders to his face. She felt a tingle of emotion in her heart and suppressed it. She could not afford to let herself feel these feelings. These feelings were not meant for the protector of the jewel.

Her eyes strayed from the fire to the demon who sat bare-chested across from her. He had hung his soaked top near the fire as she had done to her clothes. Of course, she had brought a couple of extra clothes. And Sesshoumaru had given her the fur pelt to keep her warm. She smiled at the thought. He wasn’t really that bad.

Sesshoumaru was looking at the cooking fish, as still as a statue. Kagome’s mind registered the fact that he had a nice sculpted body. His missing arm didn’t mar the beauty he possessed.

“You know, Sesshoumaru,” Kagome started, breaking the silence that reigned. The Taiyoukai looked up from his fire gazing. “I never imagined I’ll spend so much time alone with you. You’re just too…” Kagome paused to think of the right word. “Distant,” she finished with a bright smile.

Sesshoumaru’s eyebrow quirked up. He seemed to think of a reply. The miko thought he was distant, not cold, heartless, ruthless or evil. “Do you fear this Sesshoumaru?” he asked curiously.

Kagome bit her lip in thought. “Well, I used to,” she admitted after a short moment. “Until I spent so much time with you. You could say I am now immune. Besides, you haven’t tried to kill me.”

“Yet,” Sesshoumaru added with a blank look.

Kagome’s eyes widened momentarily as she looked at Sesshoumaru. Then her eyes narrowed as she observed his blank face. It was then that she noticed the unusual quirk of his lips. It was very slight, unnoticeable unless you were looking very closely. She grinned.

“You were joking!” she exclaimed happily. “Hah! You thought I wouldn’t catch that joke!”

“This Sesshoumaru does not joke,” he said disdainfully.

“Oh, yes you do!” Kagome said pointing at Sesshoumaru and giggling. “Just when I thought I’ve you all figured out, you would do something that surprises me.”

“Hn,” was all Sesshoumaru said as he handed her the cooked fish.

-+-+-

“You and my son seem to get along very well,” the now familiar deep soothing voice of InuTaisho woke Kagome.

Kagome opened her eyes and yawned. She looked to see InuTaisho sitting under the huge sakura tree where he always does. “Figured you’ll pop into my dream again, old man,” she scoffed mockingly but smiled genuinely at the old demon.

InuTaisho returned her smile. His handsome face reflecting his fondness of the miko who had been a part of both his sons’ lives. “Of course, I would not pass the chance to talk to my future daughter-in-law,” he teased.

“Hey! Watch it, old man!” Kagome cried with indignation. Her face must have been as red as a tomato. Was InuTaisho suggesting that she and Sesshoumaru was a couple?

The inuyoukai laughed at the young miko’s discomfort. “The two of you certainly enjoy kissing each other, don’t you?” he said with a quirk of one elegant eyebrow. The gesture reminded Kagome of Sesshoumaru.

“You’re spying on us!” Kagome burst out accusingly, a finger pointed at the grinning InuTaisho. “You dirty old man!”

InuTaisho burst out laughing at the miko’s indignant face. “I told you my spirit is always there to guide you,” he said when he was already calm.

“Like you’re actually helping me with my dilemma,” Kagome scoffed. “I’m totally confused here and I don’t need unnecessary feelings to confuse me more.”

“Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha are different,” InuTaisho said seriously, as if reading Kagome’s thoughts.

Kagome started at those words. But she immediately composed herself. “As if I don’t know that,” she mumbled. “They are like night and day, but both are totally confusing and damn irritating.”

“But you seem to affect them both in a different way,” InuTaisho said with a grin.

“Yeah, right,” Kagome said sarcastically, her nose wrinkling. “Inuyasha seems to think I owe him for accidentally destroying the jewel and Sesshoumaru just loves to order me around like I should thank him for sparing my life. You sure do have wonderful sons!”

InuTaisho’s grin widened. “I must admit my sons have very strong personalities,” he said.

Kagome rolled her eyes. “That would be the understatement of the century,” she said. “Your sons are domineering male chauvinists! Must have taken after their father.”

InuTaisho chuckled. “You, child, amuses me,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“At least someone is amused,” she said with a huff, but could not contain a small smile at the demon who always invaded her dreams. “Now, what else would you tell me? Aside from the fact that I am now wearing your pendant because you want me to.”

“Because you amuse me, I will answer that question,” he said with a smile. “That pendant is infused with my youki. It will increase the power of your miko powers.”

“Cool!” Kagome said, clapping her hands. “But why did you give it to me?” she asked curiously.

InuTaisho stood up. “Because the fate of everything my ancestors and I worked hard for lies in your hands,” he said before disappearing.

-+-+-

Sesshoumaru and Kagome resumed their journey east when morning came. They had traveled in a fast pace, stopping only to eat and sleep.

“We are at the Eastern territories,” Sesshoumaru said, the afternoon of the second day after the downpour that delayed their journey.

It was then that Kagome felt the presence of two shards. It was heading in their direction at a very fast pace. Her heart thumped in anticipation. Inuyasha was not with her and she could not possibly ask Sesshoumaru to help her. Her hand tightened at the bow that Sesshoumaru had given her.

“What is wrong, miko?” Sesshoumaru asked when he noticed Kagome’s tensed muscles.

“Shards,” Kagome whispered. “Heading this way, fast.”

Sesshoumaru’s eyes narrowed and descended slowly. He had landed at the middle of a clearing surrounded by large trees. His hand was poised to unsheathe Toukijin.

A whirl of dust soon became visible and Kagome relaxed visibly. “Kouga-kun,” she breathed in relief, her face wreathed in a wide smile.

Sesshoumaru also dropped his defensive position and stood behind Kagome.

The wolf demon stopped directly in front of Kagome. “I knew you would finally realize that I am a lot better than that mutt-face,” Kouga said with a rakish grin. He grabbed Kagome’s hands. “I’m glad you decided to be my mate.”

“Uh, Kouga-kun,” Kagome said uncomfortably.

Kouga stiffened when he noticed Sesshoumaru with Kagome. “What are you doing with him?” he asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. Then he sniffed and his eyes narrowed even more. “And his scent is all over you!”

Kagome rolled her eyes in annoyance and took her hands from the overzealous wolf. “Sesshoumaru and I have business to attend to,” she said calmly.

“The two of you? Alone?” Kouga said indignantly. “You’re my woman! You should not travel alone with an unmated male!”

“How many times do I have to tell you that I am not your woman?” Kagome said irritated, her hands on her hips.

Kouga looked at Sesshoumaru, purposefully ignoring Kagome’s words. “Oi! If you ever touch my woman, I’d-” he was cut off by a stone thrown at his head.

“You stubborn wolf!” Kagome cried indignantly. “I am not your woman! And I am not here to be your mate!”

The wolf demon grabbed Kagome before she could react. “Such a strong woman,” Kouga said wistfully. “You will make your mate proud.”

A soft growl made Kagome jump. That growl held a lot of threat in it. Even Kouga released her and turned to Sesshoumaru who was looking at the wolf-demon. “You will release the miko,” he said coldly. “It is apparent that she does not return your affections.”

“Don’t tell me you also want her for yourself?” Kouga sneered.

Sesshoumaru flexed his hand and poison dripped from it. Kagome realized that the two were going to fight. She rolled her eyes in exasperation. No matter how much they deny it, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha have a lot in common.

“Stop!” Kagome bellowed.

The two demons looked at her. Kagome stalked towards them and stood between the two demons. She formed two energy balls in her hands. She was inwardly surprised but shrugged when she remembered what InuTaisho said. Then she noticed that the energy balls were pink with a tinge if purple in them. It must be InuTaisho’s youki.

“You two will stop this nonsense,” she said with authority. When the two seemed to have calmed down, Kagome retracted her energy balls. “Sesshoumaru and I are going to continue our journey. And you, Kouga, will not insist on making me your mate.”

“But—” Kouga began to argue.

“No buts,” Kagome said and turned to Sesshoumaru. “We can leave now.”

Sesshoumaru wrapped his arm around Kagome’s waist and formed his youki cloud. Kagome in turn clutched at Sesshoumaru to prevent herself from accidentally falling. After so many times she had traveled with Sesshoumaru on his cloud, she could still not get used to the height.

Kagome sighed with relief when they were already on their way back. Kouga was really a handful. It was lucky she was able to stop them. Sesshoumaru might have harmed Kouga if they fought.

-+-+-

Sesshoumaru smirked inwardly when he saw the wolf’s face contorted in jealousy as he watched them fly up. The irritating wolf had dared to touch Kagome, tainting her scent. He looked at the miko who was clutching at him. He was secretly pleased to hear her reject the wolf’s advances, but the reason behind his feelings still remained elusive to him.

He remembered the energy balls that she had formed. It had a feel of his father’s youki. This made him more curious. What is happening?

Well, he will soon find out. The cave is just half a day away. He found a clearing near another hot spring. He realized that unlike most humans, the miko enjoyed taking baths. He had since looked for a place to spend the night near hot springs. As he expected, the miko took her bath. She took her time taking her bath and while she does, he took those opportunities to hunt for their food.

“Is there a hot spring near by?” Kagome asked as soon as he landed.

He nodded to the direction of the hot spring and watched her run to that direction. He smiled inwardly. No wonder she smelled pleasant.

When she disappeared from his view, Sesshoumaru went to hunt for their food. For the past few days that they had traveled, no danger had come to the miko. He decided to hunt farther away, for the first time straying out of sensing range.

Sesshoumaru had caught a boar and was just back at the clearing when he heard Kagome’s shrill scream pierce through the silence of the forest. Without another thought, Sesshoumaru dropped the boar and raced towards the hot spring. He could smell the miko’s fear and something clutched at his heart. He should have stayed within sensing distance. The wind rushed past his ears, whipping his hair. He didn't mind the barks that scratched his skin. They were just irritations that he could dismiss. The scratches disappeared as fast as they appeared, maybe even faster.

His heart began to beat faster as he ran towards the miko.

End chapter