This energy, this energy, it was fading. The inanimate object at the source's side desired to call out for the precious energy that had been taken away from it. After all the hard work, determination, it was here, lifeless, alone, all alone. That was what really mattered with the sword. It was alone. No energy to hum and thrum through its steel blade, nothing to shout out in ecstasy when it finally was able to be put to use. The inanimate sword was limp, unfeeling in the hands of the source, the life it had taken gone from it in the second the source left its chosen path. Why could the sources not forgive and forget? Why couldn't the sources finally combine to make something so powerful and wonderful, nothing in the world could stop it? The sword crumpled in its master's hands, wilting, dying, relinquishing its power to when, if the time came, to a union that could possibly be the greatest in the century.
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Sesshomaru sat, next to his brother, as he stroked his sword. It felt as if something was missing, as if, when Kagome left, she not only carved out a piece of his heart, but she took his sword as well. Without her, he didn't think that anything could work again; sword and heart being the obvious examples. As he glanced at his brother, wondering what he was really thinking.
How could he deal with loosing her to me? I know that I would fight for Kagome until the end of my days, if they ever came, and yet, here Inuyasha is, sitting next to me, in contemplative silence, helping me, guiding me. What have I done to deserve this? He is relinquishing someone who could be his future mate. She loved him once, she could again, right? Did she even stop loving him? I never want her to choose him, but could I live that way? With her constantly loving someone else? Inuyasha says she does not love him anymore and yet, how can I say she loves me? Does she need to hear that she is needed from me?
Sesshomaru growled low in his throat when he felt his katana again. The blade felt dull as he dragged it across his hand, barely even drawing blood. Licking the slight wound, Sesshomaru paused, wondering what he had gotten himself into with Kagome. His writing was pretty much nonexistent, his sex drive was nil (a travesty, honestly) and pretty much nothing was the same with her gone. He needed her that was for certain. But did she need him?
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Inuyasha pondered his brother, the man, well, demon sitting next to him. It was as if he was in a dream, reality hanging over him, hovering, there in the back of his mind but not penetrating his entire being yet. In this state he could sit there and not have the desire to kill his brother out of competition for something, perhaps the only thing that could give his life meaning anymore, that could perhaps dull the ache in his heart. And yet as he sat there, watching his brother (it still stung to say the word sometimes), observing his clothes, his attire, the crescent moon as proof of his status as a youkai, the stripes on his wrists, the pelt of his father lying across his back—everything that made Inuyasha realize he had everything that he now desired. He had the youkai power, a sword of power that Sesshomaru was just beginning to appreciate and now a woman, a woman that had meant so much to him throughout the years, if not in love then in friendship.
Must he take everything that I've ever wanted? Must he be the man that she chooses over me? She promised eternal loyalty. Does that promise count when she is married? Does that promise count when she is with pup?
Inuyasha sighed as he jumped up and began pacing around the well, disturbing Sesshomaru from the intense study of his blade. Nothing would ever be the same with Inuyasha, once Kagome had other loyalties more important than friendship. Once Kagome mated, she wasn't his to protect anymore. He wouldn't have to carry her on his back (a practice which, if being honest, hadn't been used since her body and energy had fused with the jewel) nor would she ever be allowed to travel great distances alone, Sesshomaru would be at her side. Reality had crashed down into his tiny world and it hurt his heart, knowing that he would soon be abandoned—like everyone in his life had done. His father died, as well as his mother. Kikyou died too, only brought back to torture his heart with what could have been. And there was Kagome, sweet, innocent Kagome that would now leave him after she promised him. But did he really think an eternity with her would simply be plutonic? It was true, he admitted that he was growing to love Kagome, see her as her own person, separate the images in his mind from Kikyou and see Kagome as the powerful, beautiful miko she really is. And yet, and yet, as Inuyasha clutched his heart, right through his fire rat kimono, he knew Kagome would be second best. She was beginning to love Sesshomaru, too. That was why he relinquished her to him, his…brother. The truth is that Inuyasha is a selfish being at heart; he didn't want something that wasn't truly his. And anyways, why should he let her just settle for him when he was just settling for her?
He sighed again. Justification's a bitch, he thought.
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Kagome sat up in bed, unable to sleep through the sun that was entering her bedroom window. It was open. Blah. Switching on her desk lamp and pulling out her book, she tried to focus on reading, anything to distract her from what was going on back in the past, anything that could enable her to think of the decisions she had to make for her future to settle in the past or the present. (Which, if you think about, if she choose the past, then it would be HER present, so therefore it ceases to be the past and becomes her present, so therefore there is no distinguished line between the two, is there? Furthermore, if she chose the present, that present moment in which she choose would soon become the past and therefore it wouldn't be the present anymore, right? So therefore, those two terms are entirely unable to explain the situation and so you cannot choose between one or the other because in essence they are each other so there is nothing to choose between, right?) Kagome sighed.
I am just distracting myself again; something that is becoming increasingly difficult because my heart continues to pound whenever I even think about the past. [thump thump] I can hardly understand what is happening with me anymore. I want to lay here and sleep and yet my body and mind cannot stop thinking about him. [thump thump] Kagome! He betrayed you! He took advantage of your little "problem" and ran with it! [thump thump]
But as she thought that, she knew it wasn't true. Sesshomaru had as much to loose as she did with their little "problem." But everything was so confusing. How did she really feel for Sesshomaru? Sure, she lusted after him, but did she really want to spend the rest of her life with him just because of one night of pleasure? [thump thump] For in their state, if it ever came to that (for who knew how long this 'not calling' each other thing would last) Sesshomaru would be sure to mark her as his. When they were together, even though there wasn't much room left for any thoughts, really, but whatever she did think, it was decidedly more of a possessive bent. She was his and he was hers, and Kagome could thing that this was intensified a hundredfold with the youkai's passions; youkai didn't like to share. [thump thump] Well, she didn't like to share either, especially when it came to something like a mate, but that wasn't the point. She couldn't really deny herself any longer. She liked Sesshomaru. Love, it would be, with time; but the only thing that was stopping her was the feeling that he did not love her in return, that it would just be a repeat of Inuyasha. Was there someone else in his past too? [thump thump] She had to admit that she didn't know as much as she would like to know about the Western Lord. He was a complex creature, that one, with a penchant for hiding his emotions. He did show her his writing, something that she suspected didn't happen, if at all. Perhaps that was how he expressed himself, through writing, through the words gliding across the page—because he was unable to express it any other way, propriety of his title denied such things, she supposed. And what of the title anyways? How would she be able to even BE the Lady of the Western Lands? What would that title entail? Would she have duties, would she be unfit for the task because of her background? Mating with Sesshomaru definitely had its downsides, not understanding her role in his life and his title was one thing. However, another would be when eventually the rule of the youkai over humans ended, where would that leave her and her mate? Her children? Kagome was a little hazy on the lore of the time when the youkai fell from their reign and humans took their place. Did it wipe out all existence of youkai? Were they forced into hiding? She quickly brushed aside the idea of total youkai annihilation. She didn't think for one second the human race was capable of such genocide.
I can't stop thinking that perhaps he could love me. Is it so bad to hope forcefully? Is it such a presumption to assume he has feelings for me? I shall never find out if I just sit in the future and whine about it. Unless I go and find him in this time. I could never do that, I think I need to know now.
Kagome suddenly jumped out of bed and leapt down the stairs and ran to the well. Her heart pounding, she took a deep breath before she jumped inside. Feeling the hard ground beneath her once more, she sighed.
I am a bit of an impulsive person, aren't I?
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Then, suddenly, many things happened at once.
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Sesshomaru sniffed the air, his heart pounding harder. He could only smile; for joy, for pure rapture at her return. He never smelt anything as wonderful as that scent, returning to him. He leapt down the well, ready to claim what was so rightfully his.
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Inuyasha sighed, not able to contain the sadness of his heart at the return of Kagome. She had taken an amazingly short amount of time deciding what to do with her evident love for Sesshomaru, but Inuyasha knew that she wasn't someone who would sit around and wait forever. She was loving and kind, but especially since the jewel merged with her, Kagome had begun to have this sort of urgency within her, this urgency to start and live with love. Even though she didn't think he noticed, Inuyasha had just been waiting for the right opportunity to confess his love for her. and yet, when he saw Sesshomaru jump down the well, happiness invading his scent, Inuyasha could be happy that for once, his brother had something to look forward to other than the lonely castle he resided in.
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A small youkai hunched over the scrolls—unable to stop reading for fear and understanding of what was to come to pass. The prophecy would be fulfilled, yes, but there were interesting developments. The sources were about to be mated. Who knew what would become of such a union, but these texts proved that it would be a most momentous occasion. However, it also spoke of most horrendous events, times where all youkai would be judged—the outcome of this judgment was not written in the musty scrolls surrounding his small desk. Sighing, the youkai brought a webbed hand to his forehead, rubbing the bump there. He hoped that only he could warn his master in time…
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Kagome humphed in the well as she looked down at her attire, cursing her rapid departure from the future world. She was wearing her pink sleep cow pajamas, ones that in this light, looked entirely too luminescent. She was cold, definitely, but the sleep cows were her first priority at the moment. Busy with the thoughts of changing her outfit with her power, she didn't hear Sesshomaru land swiftly onto the ground of the small well.
He gasped slightly at her urethral appearance, sitting on the floor, looking so innocent at that one instance, his blood boiled. At once he wrapped his arms around her from behind. He wanted to take her innocence, he wanted to show her that ways of woman hood show her the ways that would make her his mate, his wife, his Lady. Nuzzling her neck at her gasp of surprise, he turned her around and brought his lips to hers in a passionate kiss, tongues melding, fighting, dueling as he poured his desires for her into her body.
"I missed you," he murmured against her lips, her knees wobbling uncontrollably, despite his strong grip on her waist. Kagome gasped audibly, unable to distinguish if he was telling the truth or not. Had she somehow used her power without knowing it? Was she still in heat?
"What are you doing?" She asked stupidly, as he glided his hands up her back.
"I'm kissing your ear," he whispered, kissing the shell, "I'm going to suck on it," he then blew lightly in her ear before taking it a bit between his teeth and doing just that. "And now I'm going to—"
"I didn't mean that," Kagome said, pushing his chest away from her a bit so she could look in his eyes. "I meant, this…" she waved her hands between them, trying to find the words, "this, you aren't under the spell…what are you doing?" He drew away from her, the first time realizing they were still in the godforsaken well. Pulling her close again, Sesshomaru jumped from the well and flew to a clearing a few miles away. It didn't take him long to distinguish the smell of Inuyasha far away, wandering towards the little village. His tears were the most pungent scent.
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The youkai were restless, humans were becoming more numerous than their packs. Unable to understand the growth that has become humanity, all ordered a council to take place, to understand what was to be done. Nothing came of the meeting—inside the dark, dank stronghold of the youkai government, nobles were hardly accomplishing anything with the absence of the Western Lord. Word had been spreading that he was courting a human—the abomination that had merged with the jewel of power and became powerful herself—more than many youkai. It was obvious why the Western Lord would want such a prize possession. Many wondered who would be the more powerful one of the match. It would be interesting to see if a mere wench of a human could put the condescending youkai in his place. No one had ever seen such a task performed…
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Kagome clutched to Sesshomaru as he glided through the air. He set her down carefully and she stepped away from him, unable to understand what exactly was going on. She had asked her question and then he just jumped out the well—nothing said. She didn't understand what was going on. He had just kissed her and held her—like a lover, like a man who wanted to keep her close for the rest of his life (well, in his case, like a youkai who wanted to keep her close for eternity). Kagome was infinitely confused. Never before had she simultaneously wanted something so much and yet rebelled against it—she didn't want to surrender to someone who could be using her and yet she loved him; his nature, his complexities, his talents. Why was he such an enigmatic man?
"Kagome, I don't know what it is between us…" he started out, drawing her out of her reverie. "But I like it…" Kagome stuttered, her mind stalling.
"Wh—what?"
"I like it…this…you…" he said nervously, amazing Kagome even more at the very un-Taiyoukai like gesture. He brought his golden eyes up to hers, taking her hand in his and bringing the back to his lips, kissing it gently. "You are my muse," he whispered, his eyes still locked with hers, causing her heart and stomach to flip-flop. "Kagome, I can't write without you, I can't stop thinking about you. When I write I see you, I see your happiness, I see your sadness, and they come out in my characters."
"Bang…?" Kagome asked, wondering if he was speaking the truth.
"It was you, it was always you." Sesshomaru brought her closer to him, lifting her chin with his hand and cradling her face with his palm. "Be my mate?" He asked, his breath against her lips, whispered kisses, like butterfly's wings brushing over her mouth. He was so impossibly close it was hard for Kagome to even register what was going on. Before she understood she was kissing him, her face between her hands, pressing her body closer, tears falling through her gasps of happiness. Pulling back she nodded through her tears and hugged him close, missing Sesshomaru's brilliant smile at the realization that what he wanted was finally his. Hearts thumping together, they knew their lives would never be the same. Kagome hugged him closer, enjoying and celebrating her love for the first time—in requited love and happiness.
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Inuyasha paused at the God tree, fingers touching the holes that the arrows had pierced when Kikyou had bounded him there. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he scratched two names in the tree, his heart screaming it was wrong, but his soul knowing it could never be different. In old kanji, near the trunk, he wrote two words.
Kagome
Sesshomaru
His new family. With that done Inuyasha sunk to the tree, unable to move because of the pain. Before he slept because of the ache, he scratched out two names he had written previously.
Kagome
Inuyasha
It would never happen now. All because of some meaningless sword play…
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So, tell me what you think. I think this story is ended here, pretty much. However, if you want me to continue it I think I might continue it in another format—a different story that connects to this one but can stand on its own. It will be the continuation fic and involve the loose strands but it's not necessary to really read this fic, I don't think. We'll see. Thank you for reviewing and thank you for your responses. Even now I still receive reviews for this story. Thank you to everyone who supported me through this whole ordeal.
Love you all.
Hope you read and enjoyed,
-MC