A Demon Should Act Like A Demon

Chapter Fifteen: Insecurities

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and friends were created and lovingly brought to life by Rumiko Takahashi.

Author’s Note: ‘__’ are thought expressions


A Demon Should Act Like a Demon
By Ericedwyn

Author’s Note: I’ve also included excerpts from the song “Irrisistible.” It’s a beautiful song performed by The Corrs and they co-wrote it with Mutt Lange.


~* On the outskirts of Sesshoumaru’s Fortress *~

Kagome grimaced at the acrid smell of the greenish poison spewing from her clawed fingers as it consumed the remains of dried old leaves on the ground before her. ‘This is gross. I can’t believe this is coming out of my fingers.’

“Kagome, come here.”

Kagome looked up from the ground to where Sesshoumaru stood near some bushes. She stopped the flow of the poison from her fingers and shook the residuals off of her fingers before trekking towards the Taiyoukai.

Sesshoumaru gazed lazily at the approaching woman and admired the way her new attire hugged her figure. He recalled the heated “discussion” they had regarding the design, in particularly, how he found the glint of anger in her eyes positively arousing. He was initially very much opposed to the idea of Kagome wearing an attire similar to her taijiya friend, but watching her in her new outfit, he had to admit that the design they “compromised” on proved acceptable.

His golden eyes raked over the stretchy black material that covered Kagome completely up to ankles, wrists, and neck. Kagome insisted on all black, which surprised the Demon Lord at first. He recalled that her explanation had mentioned something about a “neko woman” from a moving picture from her time called “Bat Man.” Black hide boots complemented the attire and reached up just below her knees. His addition, for propriety’s sake, was the dark blue long-sleeved happi that covered her torso, arms, and hips. He had, of course, wanted the happi to be much longer, but in the end of the two-hour “discussion”, he had acquiesced to its length.

Kagome blushed at the heat of Sesshoumaru’s intense stare as she stopped beside him. “Hai?” She asked questioningly.

Sesshoumaru, after a few seconds, diverted his eyes to point at the bushes. “Try dokkasou on that.”

Kagome bent down a little to look at where he pointed and saw a small wild rabbit looking up at her with black glinty eyes. She straightened and looked up in horror. “I can’t do that.”

A slight frown briefly appeared on Sesshoumaru’s stoic face, but disappeared just as quickly. “Why ever not?”

“Sesshoumaru, it’s alive.” Kagome replied quietly, shaking her head from side to side. “I can’t…”

Sesshoumaru nodded and nudged the rabbit in front of him before crushing the neck with the bottom of his boot. The cracking of tiny bones sounded loud in Kagome’s ears.

Kagome stared down at the still body of the animal in front of her boots in horror. “Sesshoumaru… How could you?” Kagome said in a strangled cry.

Sesshoumaru firmly grabbed her wrist to position her hand over the rabbit. “Kagome… I understand that my mes mas may seem harsh in your eyes, but this world is full of youkai who will not hesitate to kill. You should know this from past experience. Ima, dokkasou.”

Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat as she allowed the poison to drip from her fingers. Even when she looked down, she couldn’t see through the thick blanket of unshed tears. She felt the bile rise up as the smell of burning flesh intensified, and when it stung the back of her throat, she snatched her hand back from the Taiyoukai’s grip and ran away.

She barely heard him call her name, the sound of blood pumping so loud in her ears. She just had to get away. Instinctually, almost unconsciously, youki swirled around her and brought her high in the sky, to escape the burning, acrid smell… and to escape the feeling of confusion and helplessness that now sat heavily on her heart.

Sesshoumaru watched the Miko execute the perfect flight. He noted, relieved, that at least instinctually, Kagome could escape if she felt the need to. Yet, as relieved as he was, he couldn’t shake the feeling of helplessness and confusion that began to eat at him. Why did she cry? Had he hurt her? Had he gone too far? Had he scared her?

~*~*~*~

Kagome wiped the wetness from her face before landing in front of the entrance of the fortress. She slipped inside to the front hall before making her way to her chamber

“Kagome-sama, Daijobou desu ka?” Tsumi asked as she rounded a corner. She frowned as she smelled tears on her.

“Hai, Tsumi-san. It is nothing.” Kagome turned slightly to give the Hanyou a slight smile.

The Hanyou bowed before responding. “I am sorry for not being available to you these last few days.”

“I understand. Sesshoumaru-sama told me you were doing some very important work for him.” Kagome’s smile reached her blue eyes.

“Hai. Perhaps you would like to see what it is…” Tsumi handed Kagome a folded piece of parchment.

Kagome unfolded the parchment and read the contents. She gasped and glanced at Tsumi with wide eyes. “Sesshoumaru-sama has named me his…his…”

“Hai, Kagome. He has named you his heiress.” Tsumi watched her reaction closely.

“But why would he do that?”

“It was prompted by Inuyasha’s death. I suppose he felt that he should make someone he trusted as his heir rather than choosing one of his relations.”

”I wouldnk hnk he would choose his family over a stranger turned youkai, Tsumi-san. It should be family.”

“He must feel like you are family to him, My Lady.” Tsumi smiled widely. “Besides I am glad he chose you. His distant relatives, on both sides, are all untrustworthy lot, who did nothing but try to take the brothers’ legacy since InuTaisho-sama’s death. Nearly half the battles Sesshoumaru-sama fought were to protect his territories from their greed, Kagome.”

“That’s sad, Tsumi-san.” Kagome frowned as she refolded the parchment before handing it back to Tsumi.

“Hai, Kagome-sama. Is there anything I can do for you before I check on the childr Ts Tsumi inclined her head to one side in question.

“Iie, Tsumi-san. Arigatou.” Kagome smiled warmly.

Tsumi bowed before continuing on her way.

~*~*~*~

Sesshoumaru entered the library shortly after the earlier incident. He spotted the drawings and papers on the ground, and bent down on one knee to look at a drawing of him and Kagome kissing. ‘Have we an audience?’ He mused.

He espied the unfinished master copy of the story he read a few days before amongst the drawings and picked it up. He noticed a second page on the ground and drew it in his fingers to read its contents.


~* Addition to Shippou’s and Rin’s Story, second page *~

Tail told the Ousama’s daughter that his Okaasan’s heart broke when his Otousan died. That was before they came to live in the castle. But the Ousama had been good to him and OkaaOkaasan, and Tail started to see that his Okaasan was learning to love again. Tail was very happy about that.

~* The not so ending of Shippou’s and Rin’s Story *~


The Taiyoukai looked thoughtful after reading the story, and for a moment, he just stared at the contents. He laid down the paper after a while, and placed a small strip of blank parchment in front of him. He picked up the brush, dipped the end in ink, and began to scribble.


But the Ousama didn’t know how to tell or show the Hime just how much he cared. He’s afraid that he will drive her away or that she won’t care for him in the same way. He hopes she will love him one day.


He replaced the brush on the ink stone’s stand before standing, and moved towards one of the library’s many shelves. The Taiyoukai retrieved an ancient scroll before leaving the library.

Tsumi and the children entered the library a few minutes later and while the children busied themselves with a new drawing, the Hanyou noticed Sesshoumaru’s elegant kanji script on a piece of parchment. She picked it up, rehe che contents, and a small smile curved on her lips. She handed the parchment to Rin, who in turn handed it to Shippou.

“Looks like a new addition to your story, my dears.” Tsumi said softly as the children read the contents.

~*~*~*~

Kagome finally vacated her room and went to the kitchen for some snacks. After thanking the cook, she went to the library with the treats in search of the children.

“Kagome-oneechan!” Rin stood up excitedly and ran to her sidShe She took Kagome’s hand in her smaller one and dragged her to their workspace on the floor.

“Hi, Rin-chan, Shippou-chan!” Kagome grinned as she knelt on the floor. “I brought you some mochi treats.”

“Arigatou, Okaasan.” Shippou grinned widely showing off his little fangs before fishing one of the mochi to stuff in his mouth.

“Careful, Shippou-chan. You might choke.” Kagome warned as she brushed her fingers over his overstuffed cheek. “Hmmpfff,” was the kitsune’s only response.

Kagome giggled and offered mochi to Rin, who leaned in to take a bite. Kagome smiled and continued to feed the little girl until her fingers were sticky-free.

“Would you like to read the story we’re working on, Kagome-oneechan?” Rin looked up with pleading eyes.

“Hai, Rin-chan. I would love to.” Kagome smiled as she took the parchment the little girl offered. Kagome settled Rin on her lap, placed a kiss on top of her head, before taking the parchment in both hands to read it.

Shippou smiled as he looked at Kagome and Rin. He took a blank parchment and some crayons and began to draw the sight before him.

As Kagome began to read, she started to wonder about the story. It sounded faintly familiar, especially the part about the “mean, yucky toad.” When she read the part about how lonely the Ousama was, she wondered just how lonely Sesshoumaru has been.

She smiled as she read about “Tail” and the Ousama’s daughter’s new oneechan. She blushed when she read about how the Ousama began to smile when no one was around. ‘Has he really?’ She thought excitedly, her heart began to pound faster in her chest.

When she reacthe the part about the daughter wishing for the Hime to be her new Okaasan, Kagome eyes began to brim with unshed tears and she had to bite her lower lip to keep them from falling. She laid her chin on the top of the little girl’s head and thought about how she missed her mom. She glanced at Shippou as he colored the hair of her image with a black crayon, and feltoveroverwhelming sadness when she thought about how he must have felt when he lost his parents. She also knew that Rin had been orphaned too. ‘Oh, Kami-sama, how they must have felt. Help me make them happy, onegai.’ Kagome hugged the little girl in front of her as she closed her eyes to get a hold of herself. The Miko forced herself not to cry in front of the children, and took a deep breath before opening her eyes to continue to read the story.

If there was any doubat tat the story did not follow her life, the story about her battle with the “bad youkai” squelched it, but she frowned when she reached the part about the Ousama loving the Hime and wanting her to be his mate. In the back of Kagome’s mind, she wasn’t sure about that. She felt the children misunderstood the Taiyoukai. ‘He cares, I think. I don’t know if he can love me.’ Again she felt tears collect in her eyes. ‘One day, he’ll want to mate…’ Kagome closed her eyes, disbelieving that maybe the Ousama would really want to take the Hime to mate.

Rin turned in Kagome’s arms to look at the young woman, and placed her small hand on cheek. Kagome opened her eyes and smiled at Rin as she switched the pages of parchment in her hands. She neither felt nor noticed a strip of parchment escape from between the two bigger sheets. It floated down and landed with its contents facing the floor unnoticed by all the occupants in the room.

She read the contents of the second page and smiled as her eyes fell on her cub who sat waiting for her to finish. The cub held up the drawing he made of Kagome and Rin and she exclaimed at the details. She grinned as the kitsune blushed.

Kagome reached for Shippou and took him in her arms as she hugged the children to her. “I love your story.” She began to say, and this time she couldn’t stop the tears that slowly fell down her cheeks. “I love you, Rin-chan, and I love you, Shippou-chan.” As her throat constricted, she hugged the children tighter to her.

“Why are you crying, Okaasan?” Shippou asked as he stood on her lap, still in her arms. Kagome shook her head and continued to hold them tightly, unable to share what’s in her heart.

Outside the library, the Master of the fortress observed the occupants of the room through the slightly open door, keeping to the shadows with his presence masked.

~*~*~*~

Sesshoumaru quietly slid the connec doo door open to Kagome’s bedchamber. Kagome had avoided him the rest of the day and even had her dinner in her room. He took a few steps inside of the room, enough so that he could watch her sleep. Kagomumbeumbered with an arm each around Rin and Shippou on other side of her on the bed. He had hoped to sleep with her in his arms this night. After a few minutes, he left through the connecting door and made his way outside of the fortress.

Don’t want you for the weekend
Don’t want you for a day
Don’t need a love divided
Don’t want to feel this way

He took a few deep breaths of the crisp night air, but he could not shake the restlessness and confusion he felt. ‘She read the story, does she not know I care about her? Did I really scare her this morning?’

See I want you to need me (The way I need you)
Just like I need you (The way that I see you)
And I want you to see me
Like no one before

‘Why are you avoiding me, Kagome?’ Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and tipped his head back, a slight frown marred his face. He growled exasperatedly and ran from the fortress, slowly transforming into his true youkai form. Under the moonlight, the huge white dog ran like the wind.

So can’t you see I’m tortured
Oh can’t you hear my pain

And just as quickly, the white hound stopped as his paws pounded the earth. The dog lowered its head before snapping up to howl… a sad, heart-wrenching sound disturbing the quiet of night.

In the fortress, a young woman woke to the sound of the strangled cry…


Glossary:
Happi – Short overcoat or robe
Ima - Now
Neko - cat