A/N: Uh… I'm not even sure where this came from… Sorry to those who normally follow my HP and Marvel stuff… oops? Be gentle. This is my first Inuyasha fanfic. *whimper*

Beta Love: No beta, because this is a totally different fanbase.

Summary: [Kagome/Sesshōmaru] Violence was normal In Kagome's life until one day, the final betrayal was the final nail in a coffin that had drive Kagome from the one she thought she could trust into the one she had no idea she could. [AU (obviously)]

What Could Be

It had started on a rainy afternoon long after the Shikon Jewel had vanished, but perhaps, Kagome realised, it had started as early as when the Kotodama no Nenju had been placed around Inuyasha's neck.

The violence had always been there.

The anger.

The pain.

The mixed signals.

Kagome realised that she had had fallen for Inuyasha as her first love, but it was only later that she started to realised she couldn't fight a dead woman for the ghost of first love. While she had Inuyasha as hers— Kikyō and Inuyasha had been their first true and ill-fated loves.

So, when it was time to wish on the Shikon no Tama, she had wished not for her own happiness or even the happiness of the ones she cared about but the freedom of Midoriko from the endless battle with the possessed mortal who desired her.

The jewel had vanished in an explosion of power, destroying Naraku and the demon within the jewel. Midoriko's shade hovered in the air, one hand reaching to alight on Kirara's head with such warmth and relief that none could deny that the Miko was finally at peace—

Just before everything had gone black for Kagome.

She woke in Kaede's village with bandages on her neck from where demon claws had slashed her and the betrayal that it had been Inuyasha, mad with grief over the last opportunity to bring back his first "true" love had been wished away. An explosion of her energy acting to protect itself had thrown Inuyasha off her, but not in time to save her from his claws.

The betrayal had driven the final nail into the coffin of her hope that she and Inuyasha would ever be more than friends, and after that, friends seemed like a nigh impossible thing. Not that he hadn't tried to bed forgiveness.

But Kagome was done.

Just like the Bone-Eater Well, she was closed up like the scars on her neck— innocence lost to its final grave.

For years after, she trained with Kaede to become a real priestess, or at least one that didn't need to rely on the timely rescue of one Inu-Hanyō over and over again. Finally able to devote the time to practice, she came into her own power at last, feeling like she was finally in touch with the energy she never truly understood and was only forced to use over and over again in desperate, live-saving times.

It was strange to her— because she began to see things more clearly. Humans, demons, and those things that she'd thought weren't demons that actually were.

Like the horse yōkai she had healed thinking it was just a normal horse wounded by the river. That delusion had ended when the yōkai's hooves burst into water-like "flames"around its feet and its mane and tail seemed to burn.

But how had her reiki healed the demon?

And why was it following her around to the point where when she walked around the village, he did too, following her into her small home not so far from Kaede's own. Kaede's response was raised eyebrows that got stuck in her hair and managed to lose themselves for a good month.

He did make a fine alternative for a kotatsu in the chilly season.

Kaede called him "Mizuma" the water horse, but if he had another name, he wasn't sharing. Kagome, however, could only silently pat him, curry his coat, and give him shared affectionate touches.

Her voice had long since left her, gone with her innocence.

Mizuma invited her to ride often, and she would wrap her arms around his warm neck and allow him to race the very wind. She always saw it as a gift, never demanding from him what he did not offer first, even when he stole her apples right out of her hand.

Sango, Miroku, and Shippō would visit as often as they could, but she could tell they felt overwhelming guilt in regards to her. Only Kirara seemed to realise feeling guilty was not what Kagome needed, and she would snuffle and take up her lap, and steal her fish like a proper cat who just happened to be a yōkai—

Like her horse that just happened to a yōkai.

Kagome discovered that Mizuma made an excellent gardening partner. He could pull a plow and water the ground at the same time as she walked behind and planted the seeds. Her garden became the envy of the entire village, and she didn't mind sharing—

Except for with the annoying ground squirrels that like to burrow into her kabocha and eat the seeds out. Annoying vermin.

Kagome first saw Sesshōmaru visiting Rin, but he often visited when most people, including herself, were fast asleep. It pleased her to see him visit because Rin was pleased, and Rin was perhaps the most pure and innocent soul she knew. Even after all the battles and the losses, Rin was devoted to all those she considered her friends, but Lord Sesshōmaru most of all.

One night, Rin was restless trying to sleep in Kagome's home, and the Miko realised it was because she was worried that Kagome's barriers would keep her beloved lord from visiting. Placing a hand on her head, Kagome dropped the barriers for the night, putting the child at ease that she would not miss out on the visit if he were to choose to.

Then, one rainy afternoon, Lord Sesshōmaru visited during the day, allowing Rin to pull him by the hand and show him everything.

Mizuma and Sesshōmaru regarded each other with thinly veiled curiosity. He silently stared at Kagome, a frown knitted into his brows as he seemed to be evaluating her yet again.

"Miko," he said.

Kagome tried to address him, but no sound came out. She closed her eyes and then did a small bow to give him respect without words.

Sesshōmaru narrowed his eyes at her. He approached her with that customary curl of his lip, his talons closed on her chin as he jerked her head upward.

Perhaps, she thought, he thought her being silent as an insult.

She tolerated it because he was the great Inu Daiyōkai, Lord of the Western Lands— but also because she knew he was soft on Rin, and Rin loved her lord more than anything. It would serve no good to cause a fuss in front of Rin, who loved all of her people and wanted them to get along.

The moment he touched her, her energy surged, and the yōkai's yōki responded instantly. It felt like the velvet rub of a great beast against her, and she could only shudder at his touch.

Sesshōmaru seemed shaken as his talons opened, releasing her. His eyes bored holes into her neck as one finger touched the jagged scars that had stolen her voice. "My brother?"

Kagome nodded. There was no point in lying to Sesshōmaru. If anyone could recognise the marks of his kin upon her skin, it was Lord Sesshōmaru. His lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes bleeding red into his golden gaze.

Anger, perhaps more than anger filled his eyes as his markings seemed to glow.

Rin tugged on his sleeve, perhaps worried that he was angry with Kagome, but the demon dog lord's emotion fled, chased behind his wall of stone.

"This Sesshōmaru will kill him if he touches you again," he said, using more words than she's heard from him in months.

Kagome, more confused than ever, wondered why he even cared. The stoic dog demon had not been one to show any sort of care for anyone, save Rin, and Rin was a child, protected by her vast innocence and young age. Even the few years with Kaede had not really curbed the childlike innocence she bore, and part of that Kagome blamed on the traumatic loss of her family.

For a moment, he stared at her, and his hand reached to touch Rin on the head ever so tenderly before he turned and left with not even a word to the wise.

"Goodbye, Sesshōmaru-sama!" Rin called, waving, never caring if she got an answer. Her love was unconditional, and Kagome treasured that in her.

It was with some consternation that she realised she'd been standing there with a dirt covered shovel in her hand and her front covered in plant pieces and clay bits from the garden the entire time.

Excellent. She sighed to herself. That made a lovely impression.

She found a bundle on her doorstep the next morning— a large haunch of venison that had been expertly butchered. She assisted Rin in making a roasting fire and spit, teaching her which plants to use from the garden to season it just right. She figured it was for Rin and thought no more of it. They dried the extra meat, smoking it by the fire for the winter, and when more haunches came to grace the doorstep, she wondered if Lord Sesshōmaru believed she wasn't feeding Rin enough.

It wasn't until she unwrapped on parcel to see an adult-sized kimono as well as the distinctive white and red hakama that she realised that maybe not all of the presents had been just for Rin. The fabric was beyond fine, so soft she could barely even feel it with her touch.

"Haaaa!" Rin cried. "Sesshōmaru-sama wants you to dress pretty too!"

Or maybe just not be covered in dirt when he visits, Kagome thought to herself. Still, her old clothes were in tatters— her modern Japanese school uniform was hardly— modest in feudal Japan. Why she had insisted on stubbornly wearing such out of place clothing struck her as being a little immature and selfish.

Time to stop being stuck as a sixteen year old trying to save the world, she thought to herself. I can't be sixteen forever.

Seasons passed quicker with Sesshōmaru's visits. He would split time between Rin and her, and often both at the same time, since Kagome loved Rin to death. Shippō was out with the others, fighting demons and learning to be a great fox demon— even if that meant pranking Inuyasha every day for the next few decades. While she missed the kit, she knew he was doing as she was— trying to become a better person or demon in his case.

She started to see a pattern that he would leave her a bundle as he left Rin her own— sometimes a hunted kill, a kimono, or even a new bucket or farming tool she didn't have the money to purchase on her own.

When he stayed, he was always a silent presence, watchful and often unnerving her with the intensity of his gaze. Yet, it started to feel welcome after a while. Especially when his very presence scared off would be suitors that she had no interest at all in. One gaze or if it got to it, that low, vibrating growl and they usually fled, tail between the legs as the saying went.

Once she busted out laughing, even if it was silently, and he gave her such an annoyed look that she just wheezed all the harder, her sides heaving almost painfully with her joyous laugher. He just shook his head at her with that characteristic "hn."

Sometimes he would lift her off the ground, tired of watching her try to reach up high to pick a fruit from a tree with that dinky ladder she had. The first time he did it, she screamed silently in surprise, and he just looked at her, eyebrows raised and lips slightly puckered.

"Sorry," she said silently, mouthing the words.

He even walked beside her as Mizuma gave Rin rides— something he enjoyed doing as long as Kagome was near. Rin, of course, was ecstatically happy at any chance for fun, but just as Mizuma kept his eyes on Kagome, so Rin kept her eyes on Sesshōmaru. It amused Kagome when she thought about it. He would always walk by her side, though, silent and watchful.

As the weather started getting cooler, Sesshōmaru's visits tapered off, and Kagome wondered if he had tired of her at last. Then, Rin had said in conversation that Sesshōmaru had gone to attend his homeland, a responsibility he was obligated to do. Kagome felt relieved in a way that it wasn't because she hadn't offended him somehow. She missed his silent attendance. It seemed that with each passing season, they had become closer.

You're imagining things, her mind would argue.

But her heart would shake its strings at her in a threat that if her mind didn't shut the hell up, it would find a way to wrap its strings around her grey matter and take it out itself.

The next time she saw Sesshōmaru, he was covered in blood, and he leaned against the doorjamb with a barely suppressed wince of pain. His talons were dripping with gore, and the evidence of some great battle was written all over his body. Even his Mokomoko-sama was seemingly ripped and tattered— the once pristine white fur stained in blood.

He staggered, silent.

She was there in an instant, not even sure how she had moved so fast. He crumpled as she got him to the sleeping mat, and frantically worked to clean his wounds.

It wasn't like Sesshōmaru to allow himself to be wounded. It wasn't like him not to heal something instantly.

It wasn't like him to come for help. Ever.

As she passed her hands over him, her energy surged forward again to heal even as part of her screamed purifying Lord Sesshōmaru was not the best idea, and his Yōki met her energy again. She crumpled over him with a gasp. The feeling was stronger. The feel of the great beast rubbing against her—

Her eyes fluttered. Her body shivered. Her head tilted back, and she could feel the ghost of fangs upon her neck. She cried out as the demon lord's yōki surged into her and seemed to wrap around her completely, pulling her into him and the darkness of Oblivion as the howl of a giant inu daiyōkai rang out in the night.

She woke to the strange sensation of warmth drawn across her skin. If felt alien and familiar at the same time. She felt a strange sense of peace, comfort, and rightness to it just before she remembered she lived alone.

Bolting up and breathing hard, she looked around and found herself staring at the golden-eyed regard of Lord Sesshōmaru.

He was staring at her. Silent as always— but as the thundering of her heart quickened, she realised he was not as silent as his voice belied. He may not have had ears like Inuyasha, but he had so many small tells that she had learned to read when communicating with Mizuma. She had realised that others had read her body language to try and understand her now that her voice was gone, and she'd started to pay better attention in kind.

There was curiosity buried behind his golden gaze, and something that didn't belong at all. No, she was reading that wrong. There was no WAY the demon lord of the Western Lands would look like THAT at HER.

She bowed to him, hiding her face with her hair as she stiffy moved backwards as she bowed, making the pantomime for tea that she hoped would cover for the flush of her face. She almost tripped over snoozing Mizuma, and the water horse snorted in surprise and nickered at her with some concern. She lay a hand on the horse demon's withers and rubbed him gently.

She gathered the kettle and filled it with water, stoking the hearth and rushing outside to the well to fill her drained water container. There was a small hotsprings she had found thanks to Mizuma which made for a natural onsen, and she had carefully crafted a shelter over it and connected it between her and Kaede's homes, and Mizuma's skills had made a freshwater spring to serve for bathing before the therapeutic soaks— the advantage of having a water horse yōkai living with her. Still, for drinking and cooking, she had the well water, preferring the fresh mineral taste of the almost frozen underground water.

As she walked back into the house, her guest had his back to her, his long silver hair draping across his undressed skin— and that was when she noticed he had both arms. How had I not noticed that last night?

His distinctive magenta markings travelled down his back like tiger stripes, and her breath hitched in her lungs, getting stuck somewhere between her stunned air sacs and her stunned brain. Kamigami, he's beautiful. While Inuyasha had been charming, winning her over with his youthful face and soft dog ears— Sesshōmaru was not only killing perfection. He had a very impressive, chiselled body.

Cursing to herself, she hurried to the tea kettle and carefully measured out the tea powder and poured the water over it, using the bamboo whisk to stir it into a foaming perfection she had learned from her grandfather. Her mother, bless her, had other places she excelled.

Idly, as she thrust the first cup out to the daiyōkai with a bow, she wondered if the Japanese of this area had matcha tea or if she had accidentally introduced it before its time.

His fingers brushed against hers, ever so lightly as he took the warm tea cup from her without a word.

When she looked up, he saw him as he purposely met her gaze and then tilted his head ever so slightly in thanks. Had she not been so conditioned to watch for such things, she'd never have noticed it. It was thanks.

Oh, what an ignorant fool I've been, she admonished herself. All this time I just thought he was an arrogant prick, and he was actually a very subtle being, more connected to his body than his words. Like a true inu.

And she and so many others had been so focused on the few words he did say that they didn't "hear" the words he was saying without verbal communication. No wonder when he spoke it was so full of disdain and disgust.

Kagome picked up two towels from her cabinet and the small "bathing bucket". She pulled out the treasured bar of soap she had brought back with her from the future— it smelled less floral and more citrus which her grandfather preferred— and placed it on top of the towels. She turned, bowing deeply, praying that he wouldn't behead her for even suggesting that he smelled or needed a bath— like a heathen.

To her surprise, he took them from her, silent as ever save for the telltale, "Hn" that marked his passing.

She saw his cast aside and bloodied hankimono as well as his sode, do, and kusazuri as well as his gold and black heko obi which she suspected was large enough to wrap around him ten times or more. All were splattered with the inu yōkai's blood— or something else's.

Pulling the stew over the fire to heat up for later, she silently thanked the kamigama for having given her the divine luck of having discovered plants that worked like the stain removers from the future, she gathered up the clothes and set to work. She had Inuyasha to thank for the discovery, as his pitching her into a bunch of "weeds" had aided her discovery.

Those days, however, were over.

Giving Mizuma pat on the head, he followed her outside, knowing the routine. He was a water horse yōkai, after all.

Her doing her laundry on Mizuma also cleaned him, and she had the suspicion that he enjoyed the attention of her inadvertent rubbings as she worked the soap into him and the clothes. Every so often he would rear or buck, and a flood of fresh water would pour from his mane and body, rinsing everything, including himself, and she'd start over. The temperature of the water seemed entirely up to him or driven by his emotions, and she wasn't sure which was more accurate.

By the time she was done, she was sopping wet— the price of Mizuma's patience. He nickered at her, nipping at her sleeve with undisguised amusement. She hung Sesshōmaru's clean clothes out on the line to let the breezes do the hard drying work, and took the curry comb to Mizuma to thank him for the assistance. If the horse yōkai could talk like Entei, she had no idea. He never once did, instead relying on body signals to tell her of his moods and desires.

Quicking ducking in to change her clothes and hang her wet clothes on the line as well, she returned inside to check the soup just as Sesshomaru returned from his bath, smelling of that beloved citrus scent that reminded her of her Grandfather.

When his gaze went to where he had left his clothing, Kagome bowed again, pointing outside and making scrubbing motions.

He took a few steps outside and looked only to come back in, seemingly satisfied that she had not burned or somehow defiled his clothing. Mokomoko-sama had wrapped itself over his shoulder, making him slightly less distracting to look upon— but not by much.

She pointed to the fire, making the motion for a bowl and eating from it, and to her surprise, he did a silent nod again, barely even noticeable. He sat first, accepting his rice and stew first without comment, not that she expected one. She was amazed he ate what she offered, having not been privy to much of the daiyōkai's life before the end of the reign of Naraku's terror. Inuyasha had been one with horrid table manners, and for a long time she had thought that was a dog-demon trait. Much to her shame at having EVER thought that, Sesshōmaru made skillful use of his chopsticks and did not scarf his food down like a stray animal that hadn't eaten in weeks.

He was staring at her.

Kagome swallowed hard at his scrutiny, suddenly glad she couldn't speak out loud, lest she let out a chain of babbling under stress.

His talons wrapped around her chin and he leaned down towards her so close they were almost touching faces.

He sniffed her, one side of the face and then the other, his nose brushing against her hair.

Her breath caught up in her panic of frantic heartbeats just before he withdrew, placing his empty bowl on the nearby table. He had grabbed his armor from the floor where he had left it as he drifted out. She heard the sound of him pulling his clothing off the line. When she went outside, he had already dressed himself fully in front of some gaping human villagers, many of them whispering in all to close of a range of the Inu yōkai's hearing. His head turned, golden eyes flashing, and the villages scurried off, practically pissing themselves in fear.

He approached Kagome without a sound, towering above her. For a moment, his hand came toward her face, and his nails brushed the hair from concealing her eyes. His head bowed every so slightly in acknowledgement before he disappeared in a flurry of movement like a ghost.

Kagome gasped, realising she had been holding her breath. Her hand went to her hair where he had touched it and found a golden hairpin with three sakura blossoms and delicate silver tassels ending in pearls.

What… just happened?

Many seasons passed uneventfully, and Sesshōmaru was back visiting with his typical silence, disappearing for weeks at a time to tend his homeland, yet he always returned. Each time he disappeared, she felt a little stab of loneliness infest her heart, and each time he returned the disquiet was muffled, smothered, and shoved back into its box.

The villagers began to see Lord Sesshōmaru as a boon to the village when they realised that as long as he kept visiting, the random violent demon attacks didn't even try to happen. Always before Kagome and Kaede had to deal with it, more so Kagome as she became fully trained. Now that Sesshōmaru was making his presence known, demons far and wide began to respect this particular village as part of his territory.

Kagome had to admit, he was an impressively intimidating guardian for a small village.

Inuyasha returned towards Autumn of that year, the time he and the others returned from demon-hunting that particular year. Usually they came back after the winter snows when even the most stupid non-winter yōkai would rather not be out causing trouble. His early return caused Kagome's stomach to tie in knots. While she was happy to see Sango and Miroku doing well, the sight of Inuyasha caused her entire body to scream. Worse, the closer he came to her, the wounds on her neck seemed to respond, even to the point where they pained her and blood signalled reopening of a wound never quite healed.

Then, one day, with the smell of sake a little too strong on his breath, Inuyasha came to "visit."

"Keh. Why is my bastard brother's scent all over you?" Inuyasha demanded.

Mizuma reared up and tried to block his way, but the Inu-Hanyō punched the water horse in the face, knocking the yōkai to the ground with the force of connect.

Kagoma ran up to Mizuma, cradling his head as she glared at Inuyasha with angry daggers.

He sniffed around, sniffing everything from her laundry line to door of her house and even her water bucket. Then she stuck his face into her clothes, and she reeled back, slapping him upside the face as she got too close to her breasts.

"Get away from me!" she mouthed, shoving him away as she staggered back, her hands going to her neck in pain. Blood trickled from her fingers as her neck wound bled again, this time more fiercely.

"Too good for the rest of us?" he seethed. "You offer yourself up to my brother as a concubine so he can fu—"

Suddenly Inuyasha went flying into the side of the house, smashing into the side of the wall and into the house. Kagome burbled, her vision going diagonal and blurry. Blood trickled down the corners of her mouth even as it oozed from her neck.

Sesshōmaru stood before her, his eyes deep, deep red as his snarl consumed his face, the part of a muzzle jerking into formation on his normally pristine, almost-human face.

She burbled, her hand seeking to touch his face. His eyes moved to look at her, that keep red turning to gold again as the muzzle began to disappear.

Her legs began to give away as her blood loss continued, and she sank to the ground with a soundless gasp of pain. He cradled her and his eyes seemed frozen between gold and crimson.

"Miko," he said, but it sounded like the whine of a dog. He lowered his face to her neck and she felt the sting of his tongue against the wound.

Lap.

Lap.

Lap.

Even has his face came back half covered in her blood, she was enraptured by his eyes, staring into her with such normally hidden emotion. Anger. Rage. Desperation. Need.

Need for her to understand.

Understand what?

She felt herself fading, and she knew her borrowed time was running out— every time Inuyasha had come close, the wound had taken longer to heal, as if it couldn't heal as long as he was near.

He bit his own hand, drawing blood. The crimson flowed down his hand as his talons glowed with his very particular poison. He let it drip onto her wounded neck as his hand went to her throat and squeezed.

Was this how it would end? Killed by Lord Sesshōmaru?

His stare—

His yōki rose around him in a cloud.

He bit his hand again, this place letting the mix drip down on her mouth. His brows furrowed.

"Drink."

The strange mixture of blood and venom tingled on her lips.

His eyes begged her to understand— the fathom the truth of what he wanted— meaning so much deeper than any words could ever hope to give justice.

She realised in that painful moment that he didn't speak at that intense moment because he had so little to say— it was that what he had to say was too profound to put into words.

She saw herself in his embrace as the seasons came and went. As the trees grew tall and old…

Even the word "drink" had more meaning that the physical.

Join me. Bind yourself to my life, and I will bind myself to yours. I choose you as my mate. You and no other.

Kagome reached to touch his face with one hand, her fingertips gently tracing his markings. "Sesshōmaru-sama," she mouthed silently, tears trickling down from her eyes.

Her mouth was full of her own blood and his mixed with his venom— his gift.

One swallow, and she would never be alone again. He— would never be alone again. His face came close to hers as his lips gently pressed against her lips.

Mate.

Be my mate.

Her reiki met his yōki, starting to weave together as it had before. The warmth of his beast rose to meet her power for the most important embrace.

"You fucking BASTARD!" Inuyasha's curse came as he slammed into his half-brother's body. "Kaze no Kizu!"

The wind scar sliced through as the fang of their joined father sliced into Sesshōmaru's side even as he was forced to dodge even as Kagome's body fell to the ground where he had been forced to leave her.

Kagome sputtered, blood trickling down her mouth as her body convulsed and spasmed as a seizure took her. Every muscle spasmed as her limbs shook, the look of terror frozen on her face.

As the two brothers fought, Sango and Miroku ran towards Kagome's falled form even as Kaede huffed her way to her side and tried to stop the bleeding

"How the fuck did you get your arm back you bastard!" Inuyasha's rage continued, forcing Sesshōmaru to fight— losing precious time even to dodge.

Kagome's body stiffened as she let out one final choking cough as her body went terribly still.

The moment the sound reached Sesshōmaru, he caught Inuyasha by the throat with one hand and the wrist in the other, clamping on them like a vice as his head turned agonizingly slow to stare at Kagome's still body.

Time screeched to a halt.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango screamed as the giant boomerang smacked into Inuyasha and broke the silence.

An equine scream followed as Mizuma kicked the Inu-Hanyō in the head, sending him careening down the hill at high speed. Sango leapt onto Kirara and chased after, her screams of Inuyasha's name choked in anger and grief.

Rin was running up, calling Kagome's name, and Miroku had to catch her, holding her back.

"Kagome-neesan!" Rin's tears ran in rivers down her face. "NOOO!"

Sesshōmaru landed on the ground, but he was shaking violently. His body was struggling to contain his true form. His eyes were crimson, his markings glowing like beacons on his body as they seemed to bleed out into larger and more distinctive slashes.

"Kill," he said, his teeth sharpening as a deep canine growl shook the very ground. Mokomoko-sama was already growing against his back and moving into place for his shift. No more words came; there was nothing but his potent yōki rising from his body unchecked— no longer calmed by the meeting of his desired mate's gentle, accepting, energy.

Gone.

Gone!

GONE!

His sword fell to the ground as his hands twisted into paws. His face twisted into the muzzle of the beastly inu muzzle.

He would kill everyone and everything— and he didn't give a DAMN!

"Sessho— maru— sama," a weak mind voice whispered under the sound of his baleful roar.

The half-transformed daiyōkai jerked his head around to see Kagome's chest rising and falling. The potent cloud of yōki surged forward, surrounding her as he staggered to her side, cradling her in his lap.

Her veins were dark purple under her skin as a strange transformation was taking place. Her body was shivering, and he wrapped Mokomoko-sama around her. The place where her neck wound was knit together, a dark purple swath of demon markings bleed across her skin, mirroring the areas of her injury. More markings spread across her face like slashes and down her arms and legs. But even as these oh so familiar markings rose from her skin, the distinctive blue crescent moon formed on her forehead.

Mokomoko-sama began to glow, and when it pulled away, just a little, it left a copy of itself with Kagome, serving as the final testament to the bond between her and her attending mate. He pulled her up as she stood, her now golden eyes looking around as if to see the world for the first time. Her delicately claws hands touched his face, and he leaned into them, silent as he always was.

Rin wriggled free of the stunned Miroku as she jumped into her Lord and Kagome's arms. "Yay! Sesshōmaru-sama has a mate now! Now you don't have to pout so much!" She took her hands and molded his scowl into a smile. "You're happy now, right, Sesshōmaru-sama?"

"Cease your accosting of my face, Rin," Sesshōmaru said, his face frowning.

Rin smiled at him as always. "Yes, Sesshōmaru-sama!"

Miroku just stood, gobsmacked. "I— I didn't even know you could do that," he whispered. "Thank you,"he said, bowing, "for saving Lady Kagome's life."

Sesshōmaru turned to Miroku, his golden eyes glowing. "This Sesshōmaru did not do it for you, human," he said.

Kagome thumped him with her hands, silently giving him the eye and eyebrow combination as she jerked her head to Miroku, who was still bowing.

Sesshōmaru sighed. "But you are… welcome."

Kagome's genuine smile was all it took to melt Sesshōmaru's carefully crafted mask of impassiveness as his mouth descended upon his mate's in a first, unhurried but no less passionate kiss. Her face reddened as her Mokomoko and his twined together in a shared embrace that even made Miroku blush.

"Don't look, Miroku-san!" Rin said, having appeared behind him and covered his eyes with her small hands. "Private mate time. We need to go pick flowers now." She dragged Miroku off by sleeve.

Kaede, who had been watching the entire scene with nothing short of stunned amazement, scratched her head. "I will ye alone to—" the old woman paused as she saw the ruins of what was left of poor Kagome's house. She muttered to herself as she shuffled back towards her home before any more revelations decided to pop up and shatter her world views of how things worked.

Kagome's eyes were moist as Sesshōmaru pulled away from their kiss, his heated gaze promising more— so much more— when they were not standing in the middle of a human village stupefying all passersby. She stared at the remains of her house where Inuyasha had crashed into it, frowning.

"This Sesshōmaru will provide you a suitable home," the daiyōkai said.

Kagome's eyes widened and she smiled. But something seemed to bother her and she started frantically digging in the rubble.

Sesshōmaru frowned. Was his mate deaf as well as mute?

She was getting frantic with each chuck of wood and debris, and finally Sesshōmaru knelt to help, moving the chunks of debris away from wrecked house. Kagome squeezed into the small opening and disappeared inside, despite the creaking of the broken rafters threatening to take it all down on top her. Sesshōmaru pondered if obliterating the roof would help or hinder his mate's safety.

Suddenly, she popped out squeezing out of the opening before the whole house collapsed. In her hands, she had a small polished wooden box.

"There was nothing inside worth your death," Sesshōmaru growled.

Kagome shook her head adamantly. She thrust the box into his hands.

Sesshōmaru tilted his head as he carefully opened the box— a box that seemed old and well loved, if not slightly primitive and plain. Inside was the sakura hair pin he had put in her hair so many seasons previous. She had kept it in a place of honor when she hadn't been wearing it. Cherished. Loved.

He lifted the pin out and pulled back her hair, placing the pin in. It tinkled merrily as the pearls clinked together. He sighed, shaking his head at her at her stubbornness, even as he admired her treasuring his gift so much that she kept it and loved it enough to keep it safe and wanting to take it with her, even if she left everything else behind.

He looked on her with silence, allowing her to read the message he held in his eyes rather than in words, and she smiled at him. Her mokomoko slithered up his back suggestively, causing him to hiss in surging desire to have his mate in a far more— primal way, without all this annoying clothing obstructing the feel of her skin against his.

He pressed his palm to her cheek and nodded, adding his silent oath that she would experience pleasures she had never had before if he had anything to say about it, verbal or no. She blushed, picking up his intent, but then her face darkened as her doubt ate away at her.

He could sense her fear that he would tire of her or, at the very extreme, outlive her by thousands of years. She still thought she was human. Fragile. Lacking.

Sesshōmaru frowned and pulled her over to the water bucket that was sitting in wait, drawing up and filling it so she could see her reflection. There was his mate reflected in the water— the inu daiyōkai Kagome.

She pinched her face and poked her own fangs. She stared at her own hands, having finally realised they were different. She traced the markings on her face and then and only then realised they were on her arms and her legs. She looked at him with such wonder her eyes— such amazement written in every curve of her face.

How? Her question rang out as clearly as if she had spoken it.

He traced her markings on her throat with his claws. His half-brother had marked her with his anger and despair, but he had marked her with his love for her— the love he could not say in words because it diminished its power and the truth of its expanse. Love was too small a word for what he felt for her— the protective, primal fury and need for her and the way his yōki merged with her own distinctive energy so perfectly that she was perhaps the first and only Miko-yōkai in the entire world. How it had started, he couldn't say, but it had grabbed him by the muzzle and forced his face down into it to recognise its presence. Once he had recognised her as his future mate, it was all downhill from there. His beast had wanted to mate her right there the moment she had healed him so powerfully that his arm had regenerated— but he had insisted on taking his time and not spooking her until his stupid half-breed brother couldn't help but up the timetable.

He looked her in the eyes, his golden eyes meeting hers as he allowed his emotions to show through the mask it typically wore.

Kagome's face brightened like a thousand suns as she jumped into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Kagome-neechan!" Rin said, running up the path. "You'll come back and visit Rin with Sesshōmaru-sama, yes?"

Kagome smiled at Rin, giving her a big hug and a decisive nod.

Rin grinned. "I'll tell Shippō-niichan so he doesn't worry," she promised.

Kagome placed her hand on her heart and then on Rin's. Rin did the same to her.

"I love you, Kagome-neechan!" Rin said. "Take care of Sesshōmaru-sama, okay?"

Kagome nodded with a smile as Sesshōmaru crossed his arms and said, "Hn."

Rin gave them both warm hugs before running back to Kaede's hut for the night.

Mizuma trotted up the path, giving a happy whicker as he galloped toward her and skid to a halt, nuzzling and making happy equine noises. Kagome wrapped her arms around the horse yōkai's neck and smiled.

Kagome gave Sesshōmaru a look.

The inu daiyōkai sighed, shaking his head. "Fine, the horse can come home with us."

Kagome looked down the path where the horse demon had come up from and gave him a questioning expression. The horse yōkai made teeth snapping motions and then demonstrated multiple kicks and tramplings.

Sesshōmaru grunted. "He will live. Unfortunately, he always does." He held out his hand to her as he summoned his cloud to him. She walked into his embrace, allowing him to pull her close to him. His Mokomoko entwined with hers as they lifted off and flew towards the Western Lands, Mizuma flying behind them in a watery gallop.

The time the Council met in the Western Lands, Lord Sesshōmaru sat with with highly whispered and rumoured Silent Lady of the Western Lands— the new inu daiyōkai that no one had even heard of or seen until then. The many, many potential females that wanted to vie for their lord's most special favour, the favour of choosing them as his mate, found their dreams had died a horribly miserable death.

And after the first irate demoness and her handmaiden tried to take out the silent inu yōkai at his side, Sesshōmaru cut her down with his claws in the middle of the meeting table even as Kagome took a tumble as her hands wrapped around the handmaiden's neck— and purified her to death as the rest of the Council gaped in horror.

"Lady Kagome is this Sesshōmaru's mate," he said. "Would anyone else like to question my choice?"

No one did.

As time wore on, the Western Lands flourished, and any doubt of the strength of the Lord's power over the land and the strength of the bond between him and his mate had vanished.

By the time Kagome had given birth to her first pups, Sango, Miroku, Shippō, and Rin had been there to witness and celebrate with their old friend, and they were given guest homes to use when they visited, which they did often in between their travels between their work duties.

For a time, Sango found herself in the guest home a little more often, having decided to stay in a save place while she had her own baby, or babies as she found out. The babies and the new pups played together, fostering a bit of human-demon relations without even a word being said.

It was centuries before Kagome forgave Inuyasha for his transgressions, and it was centuries more before Sesshōmaru did not beat him to the point of death and leave him wheezing in the mud on every sighting. When it did finally happen, the palace seemed to breathe a sigh of relief that maybe, just maybe, they wouldn't have to rebuild half the homes in the courtyard due to the brother's battles against each other.

Yet, when it came down to it, Inuyasha became a hero of sorts to many a inu yōkai pup— for if it hadn't been for Inuyasha, the greatest Lord Sesshōmaru and Lady Kagome would never have met and mated— the greatest inu daiyōkai the Western Lands and beyond had ever seen.

And when Kagome and Sesshōmaru landed in the courtyard of Higurashi Shrine on the date Kagome knew she had last "left" the modern world, Mrs Higurashi, Sōta, Grandpa, and good old Guyo got to meet Kagome's mate and her (at the time) five pups that had not, yet, gone off to find adventure in the world. Each of the pups went home with sacred jewel key chains, much to their delight and Sesshōmaru's weary tolerance.

Kagome "finished" her education, having had to cover her "elf ears" with her hair and her markings with modern magic (makeup), which Grandpa had covered with a story about "demons pulling her ears down into the well one day and stealing her voice because it was too pretty", much to their horror and Kagome's dismay.

Having made her mother proud by finishing her education, they returned to their true home, promising to visit when they could in between wrangling modern yōkai and keeping them in line and balancing a modern world with that of the "supernatural".

Sesshōmaru walked up beside his mate of hundreds of years and pressed his nose into her hair, having put the pups to bed at last. Kagome smiled as she turned to look at him, pressing her head to his chest as her arms wrapped around him. Their mokomoko's entwined together as their power flared and danced together as it always did when they were near each other.

"The pups are with Rin and Shippō," he said quietly. "I hope they drive them up a wall," he added with a smirk.

Kagome snorted, giving her mate a playful swat with the back of her hand. Ever since Shippō had taken Rin as his mate for life, Sesshōmaru had promised to make sure Shippō remembered what a pain in the tails he was, and what better way than inflict young pups on him much as "he had inflicted himself upon this Sesshōmaru."

He bowed his head to give his mate a kiss, a smile both on his face and in his eyes.

The modern skyline changed from skyscrapers to forest beyond, and the forest always beckoned. Mizuma stood nearby, chewing up a newspaper like it was salad. Kagome shook her head at her old friend, playfully swatting his nose for eating the latest news.

Sesshōmaru looked Kagome in the eyes, his unspoken desires behind his eyes, and Kagome smiled, nodding as Mizuma whickered excitedly and kneeled for them both to mount. Kagome got on first, and Sesshōmaru mounted behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist as the water horse yōkai took off and zoomed towards the distant forest so they could all feel the earth under their feet once more, far from the bustle of the modern city.

And if anyone saw the flying horse, no cell phone camera or CCTV could ever seem to catch it. And if anyone thought they saw two gigantic inu yōkai frolicking through the forest and fields, they weren't confessing to it, either.

As for the once small family of Tōga the Inu no Taishō— it seemed that the family wasn't as small anymore. Thanks to Sesshōmaru and his beloved mate, extinction was not in the future.

Sesshōmaru had finally found the thing he was willing to protect: his family, and that was one duty he never planned to fail at.

Fin.

A/N: okay so here is the end of the first Inuyasha story that wouldn't leave me alone. It was crawling around in my brain demanding to be written. Now that is, I'm going to writing HP in between school, school, and more school. Hope you enjoyed the detour, those of you who gave this a chance. Please let me know what you think.