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Chapter Text

*Story Info - May Contain Spoilers*

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Universe:

• Post-Inuyasha/Final Act (Sunrise) Canon Compliant

Major Divergences:

• Fully (Sunrise) canon compliant, continues story after Kagome’s return to the Bone Eater’s Well “past” time.

Setting:

• Canon Era, 16th Century Japan, 6 years post-canon

Tone/Genre:

• Action/Adventure, Drama, Humor, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Historical, Tragedy, Thriller & Suspense, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Porn, Smut

Tropes:

• Pack dynamics, Sesshoumaru’s beast, Knotting, Mating Marks, Blood Adoption Ceremony, Kagome is Shippō’s Parent, Sesshoumaru is Rin’s Parent, Alpha Sesshoumaru, Alpha Higurashi Kagome, Powerful Higurashi Kagome

Trigger Warnings:

• Abuse (physical, mental, emotional, verbal, sexual), Self-injurious behavior (self-harm, eating disorders, etc.), Death or dying, Described Blood, Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Confronting Abuser, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Nightmares about Traumatic Events, Explicit Sex Scene, Death of a Loved One, Abandonment, Divorce, Female Oppression

Fandom Warnings:

• Inuyasha is OOC (character regression and amplification of negative personality traits), Kagome is OOC (character regression as she deals with depression), Inuyasha/Kagome Canon Relationship Breakup, Canonical Character Death - Kaede

Published October 2, 2022  ༻❁༺ Chapter Word Count: 2,313

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❀° ┄───────╮

Part One - Departure

╰───────┄ °❀

「 Chapter One: The Call to Adventure」 ༻❁༺「Act One: Departure」

"Sesshōmaru."

The inu daiyōkai lord stopped in his tracks at the edge of the village, his jaw set with an inaudible clench. Being addressed so informally -by a human, no less- made the fur of his pelt prickle with rage and his yōki crackle and seethe beneath his skin. 

What’s more, the girl had the audacity to approach his person and tap his shoulder blade with her blunt little ningen finger. An act which was wholly unnecessary, considering he’d already halted his movements in acknowledgment of her boorish address. Further, he’d seen her standing next to the same tree by which he’d always landed on his trips to Edo to visit Rin. He did not need to be alerted to her presence.

Sesshōmaru had tolerated her puzzling, unrefined behavior for what must have been more than half of a decade by that point. Through hostility, reluctant alliance, and perhaps even mild camaraderie, her informality remained a constant. Yet, still, it rankled. He was sure he’d done enough by then to earn her respect and make up for their… unfortunate first impressions, so why did she insist on disrespecting him? He bit back his bitterness and gave the ridiculous woman the verbal acknowledgement that she sought.

"Miko."

"I… can I talk to you?"

"Is that not what you are doing?"

The insolent thing sighed… but something in that sigh gave him pause. It wasn't a sound of annoyment. In fact, it didn’t even seem to be directed at him. Something was off. The usually feisty miko was behaving in an uncharacteristically meek manner. Curious.

"Sesshōmaru-sama, I wish to request a private audience."

His back still turned, he felt a single corner of his mouth tug upwards ever so slightly. He schooled his features and faced the miko, prepared to smugly bask in the victory of her submission. His demeanor nearly faltered. Indeed, he'd seen her standing in the spot when he’d landed but he most certainly hadn't looked at her.

On the surface, this miko was the young, odd girl that traveled as his idiot brother's companion, but one didn't have to know the girl to understand something was fundamentally wrong. Beneath her skin, that passionate miko that dared to lob arrows at he, Sesshōmaru, was no more. Her light was gone, pallor singular and pale, hair dull, lifeless. She had thinned considerably.

He found his intrigue mounting.

Her hands wrung together in front of the tie of her miko garb.

"You have my attention, miko."

She looked surprised, as if she had been sure he wouldn't even bother listening.

"I-im sorry for tapping you and… I've been waiting here for days and I had everything planned out with how to address you and you surprised me so much when you finally showed up I completely forgot wh-"

"Miko, surely this is not why you require my attention."

"O-oh… sorry, no. Lord Sesshōmaru, I have exhausted every other option and I come to you out of desperation. I need your help."

"Oh?" He refrained from laughing. He would indulge her rambling but he had no interest in helping her.  

"Se- Lord Sesshōmaru, do you know where I'm from?"

"Why would I bother to learn such a thing?"

"Oh… well, I thought maybe Rin had told you. I kind of hoped she did, it’s a long story. I'm the reincarnation of…" she grit her teeth through the next sentence "the priestess… that guarded the Shikon jewel fifty-five years ago.” She took a few deep breaths through her nose in an obvious attempt to recompose herself. Sesshōmaru knew she had not finished speaking, but increasing her distress was just too irresistible.

“You speak of the miko that bound the half-breed to Goshinboku.” It was not a question. He was well aware of the rumors that the girl had been the reincarnation of the clay priestess, his half-brother's dead lover. 

Kagome’s jaw clenched again. Inhale. Exhale. Forced smile.

“Uh-huh, that’s the one. Anyways, the jewel was cremated with her body. Long story short, when I was born, the Shikon no Tama was inside of me. Five hundred years from now, my home is a shrine next to the  Bone-Eater's Well. There was a centipede yōkai buried there. It was after the jewel and ended up dragging me down into the well, which, for whatever reason, was a portal between this time and my time. It transported me as soon as I went over the ledge. Once here, the yōkai ripped the Shikon from my body. That is where I first found Inuyasha bound to the Goshinboku."

It was rare that Sesshōmaru struggled to keep his face impassive as much as he had in that moment. How had something like this occurred and he was completely unaware of it? He'd nary heard even a whisper…or… had he?

"Hn." His tongue clicked against his palate as he reflected on Rin's babbles and the mention of ‘Kagome's time’ and the things found there. "And how does this concern me, Kagome?"

Her face once again betrayed her surprise. 

"W-well, my lord-"

"Groveling doesn't suit you, miko. Cease the forced formalities and speak as your usual tactless self."

She sighed again. This time he sensed that it was at least partially directed at him. Good.

"Rin said you'd listen to me if I was more respectful. Sorry. Look, I'm tired. I'm miserable. I just want to go home. The well stopped working after I made my wish on the jewel.” She paused, forcing her gaze from her hands to his eyes, her own blue orbs glistening with barely retained tears. “I already know you can. You're resourceful and knowledgeable and when you set your mind to something you do it. What I'm asking, Sesshōmaru, is will you, please, help me figure out how to get the well to open up to my own time again?"

Sesshōmaru began walking without another word. He heard the miko sniffle. 

"Come, miko."

It took her a moment to realize that he wasn't walking towards the village... no, he was on his way to the Bone-Eater's Well. 

He could hear her heart pounding, smell the salt of the tears brimming, see her hands shaking. Her reiki was swirling around her in an unsettling sort of aura that he'd previously only ever felt in yōkai. The chaotic nature of it felt more like yōki.

"After defeating Naraku, I recall the hanyō being perturbed by your absence. Were you in your ‘own time,’ then?"

At the mention of his half-breed brother, the mikos heart quickened, the reiki became even less stable, her scent spiked with betrayal and fury and… and the scent of blood hit his nostrils. He glanced down to the miko walking at his side and noted her shaking fists, nails digging into palms hard enough to draw blood from tiny, crescent shaped cuts. Impressive for a blunt nailed ningen. She took a moment to compose herself before responding.

"Yes. After the jewel disappeared the well stopped working and I was stuck in my own time."

"How was it that you returned?"

"The well briefly opened and I made the decision to come back here."

"Knowing that you may never be able to return home?"

Her tears finally spilled over. They had arrived at the well by then and the miko stood at its edge, hands gripping the decaying wood, eyes staring down into its dark and musty depths, salty droplets trailing down her cheeks and falling to the bones and dirt within.

"I was stupid. I thought… this time felt more like home. I didn't feel like I belonged in the future anymore. I missed the clean air, I missed the nature, the simplicity. I missed battle."

"Is there not battle in your time?"

She sighed.

"Not the sorts that require spiritual powers. Humans have developed weapons that put yōki and reiki to shame. They turn them on each other pretty often. Militaries go to war but there’s no open battle like there is here. Civilians, though, the general population… they don’t just pick up weapons and fight over disagreements like they do here. They’d get arrested. There are trained officers that ‘keep peace.’"

"Miko-"

"I'm guessing you want to know how yōkai could possibly abide by human laws. As far as I know, yōkai don't exist in my era. Your kind have been erased from history, spoken of as myths and fairytales. I’ve never felt any type of ki in the future, holy or demonic."

A low rumble built in his chest. 

"Impossible."

"It's the truth."

The rumble became a growl.

"If I am to assist you, you will take me with you to your time and prove your claims."

She froze. A deep conflict began waging behind the blue depth of her eyes. Her sigh was followed by a most unexpected sound-a dark chuckle.

"What kind of person have I become that deceiving you even crossed my mind? I won't lie, Sesshōmaru. The well has only ever let me go through."

"Hn. Convenient, then, that none are able to verify your claims."

She frowned. 

"Inuyasha can. He was the only other one able to travel through with me. He used to visit all the time."

"When you admitted your intent to deceive I did not think you fool enough to go through with it."

"No! No I didn't. I just left him out because…"

"'Because'?"

"Because even thinking of him rips me apart. I didn’t think him being able to jump through the well too would change anything."

Sesshōmaru watched her grow impossibly more pale, more light left her cerulean eyes, the reiki crackled. He was sorely tempted to mock her and her feeble human feelings but surely she would have died had she grown any more humiliated.

"I see. You will not omit important details again. This information is valuable. It means it is possible for someone from this era to visit yours. If I can make that possible, you will bring me."

She nodded solemnly.

He turned on a heel and made to leave.

"Sesshōmaru wait!"

He tensed, gilded eye downcast to the human hand that dared to clutch his bicep.

"Sorry…" He met the miko's wide, nervous eyes and awkward smile. A deeply uncomfortable laugh sounded from her throat as she slowly removed her hand from his person. "I… Sesshōmaru I need to leave this village. It’s too dangerous for a woman to travel alone in this time period. Will you permit me to travel with you? Please. I will fend for myself. I won't even speak to you. I just… need to breathe."

Those watery pools of blue stared into his harsh golden ones and seemed to pierce his very being. His eyes narrowed, annoyed. Prepared for his rejection, she grasped at the last straw in her arsenal.

"Sesshōmaru... Rin wants to join me."

His eyes betrayed him, softening immediately at the mention of his ward.

"She must learn human ways."

"And I will teach her."

He growled. 

"You dare use Rin-"

Her face contorted to fury and her own growl outmatched his in its ferocity.

"Don't you dare. This was all Rin's idea in the first place. She and Shippo are the only things that get me out of bed in the morning anymore. They’re everything to me and I’d never do anything to hurt either of them. Rin wants to rejoin you. She hates the village. Hates the humans there. She hates sleeping indoors.” Kagome paused, her anger easing back into melancholy, palms rubbing tear stained skin. “I can't tell you how many times I've had to go out into the woods at night looking for that little girl because I wake up without her next to me and just know she couldn't sleep with a roof above her. So I sleep outside on the ground for her. Because I love her.” She straightened her posture, shoulders squared and head held high, melancholy a fuel and her ire the spark that stoked the dormant fire of her soul. The miko was once again ablaze and Sesshōmaru was surprised by how satisfied he was to see it, even as her blunt little finger pointed angrily at him. “Rin and my kit are the only things that have kept me sane, mister, so don't you dare accuse me of trying to use that little girl. This isn't a discussion anymore. I told Rin stroking your big ego would do nothing! So you know what? Rin, Shippo, and I will be leaving with you. Now."

His eyes flashed red.

"You-"

"Sesshōmaru. Stop. Be happy that Rin will be with you again. You won't have to visit this village to see her. She'll be by your side and when she's not she’ll be by mine and I'll protect her with my life. I swear, Shippo and I won't get in your way. Consider us Rin's companions."

He released a rare sigh as he leashed his instincts and bit back the need to regain dominance. 

"I suppose this arrangement will be mutually beneficial. Get in my way and I will leave you behind." He continued walking towards the village. Before he'd made it halfway, Rin -followed by a sheepish kit- ran to meet him, furoshiki and strange yellow bag in hand.

"Lord Sesshōmaru! I told Kagome you'd say yes! I've been telling her for many lunar cycles that you could fix the well for her! If anyone can, it's surely my lord!"

He tried not to puff with pride at his ward’s confidence in him. It certainly wasn’t misplaced. He had indeed sensed remnants of some very old magics around the well. He also knew of a certain tree yōkai whose own magics were older still. He need not say any of that though. Sesshōmaru gave his ward an approving pat on the head before quietly setting off to leave the village behind, his three newly acquired companions in tow.

Chapter Text

*Story Info - May Contain Spoilers*

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Universe:

• Post-Inuyasha/Final Act (Sunrise) Canon Compliant

Major Divergences:

• Fully (Sunrise) canon compliant, continues story after Kagome’s return to the Bone Eater’s Well “past” time.

Setting:

• Canon Era, 16th Century Japan, 6 years post-canon

Tone/Genre:

• Action/Adventure, Drama, Humor, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Historical, Tragedy, Thriller & Suspense, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Porn, Smut

Tropes:

• Pack dynamics, Sesshoumaru’s beast, Knotting, Mating Marks, Blood Adoption Ceremony, Kagome is Shippō’s Parent, Sesshoumaru is Rin’s Parent, Alpha Sesshoumaru, Alpha Higurashi Kagome, Powerful Higurashi Kagome

Trigger Warnings:

• Abuse (physical, mental, emotional, verbal, sexual), Self-injurious behavior (self-harm, eating disorders, etc.), Death or dying, Described Blood, Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Confronting Abuser, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Nightmares about Traumatic Events, Explicit Sex Scene, Death of a Loved One, Abandonment, Divorce, Female Oppression

Fandom Warnings:

• Inuyasha is OOC (character regression and amplification of negative personality traits), Kagome is OOC (character regression as she deals with depression), Inuyasha/Kagome Canon Relationship Breakup, Canonical Character Death - Kaede

Published October 4, 2022 ༻❁༺ Chapter Word Count: 1,932

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「 Chapter Two: Refusal」༻❁༺「Act One: Departure」

Fox kit perched aloft her slender shoulder, the miko walked sedately at the side of A-Un as the beast happily bore the burden that was Rin. The three newest additions to Sesshōmaru’s increasingly unusual group of traveling companions chattered away endlessly- which, if he was being honest, was a welcome reprieve from the constant lonely silence. That, however, was an honesty best kept to oneself.

Conceding such truths within the privacy of his own mind, though, was a strange sort of relief, relaxing something inside of himself that he had not even realized was tensed and aching. Rin’s babbling, singing, and silly games had been sorely missed. Certainly, he could have done without the addition of the miko and her kit -really, he just wanted to hear Rin’s voice again- but he had to admit, they both made the young girl very happy and the topics were undoubtedly more entertaining than the ones he’d previously heard exchanged between Rin and Jaken back when it had just been the three of them. Well, five, he supposed, but neither A nor Un were capable of adding much beyond huffs and grunts to a discussion. 

Much to his surprise, Sesshōmaru was finding that the conversations taking place amongst the pack were actually worth listening to, the content engaging beyond just inane background noise. The diversion of Rins direct attention from himself to the interlopers was an added benefit that freed him from the guilt of his poor ability to engage with the little human.

He was also surprised that the miko held to her end of their bargain and stayed well out of his way. In fact, he'd found she was astoundingly familiar with pack dynamics and promptly fell into a role, her behavior exceeding what he'd expect from fellow inuyōkai, let alone a ningen. He tried not to wonder if credit belonged to the half-breed or her own instincts. Neither seemed satisfactory. Regardless of the answer, it was amusing to behold.

When he’d chosen a spot for them to rest on the first night, she'd set to work on camp immediately. Once she’d made fire and provided Rin and the kit with a strange -albeit seemingly suitable- bedding, she provided the pups with drawing tools to occupy their energies while she slipped into the forest and foraged for food. 

He was impressed that she'd not only returned with ample foragings, but a sizeable rabbit as well, already fully gutted, skinned, and drained. Sesshōmaru casually observed as the miko set up a spit and roasted the game alongside the foragings. Once the pups were fed, the trio promptly left for the nearby onsen.

By this point, Sesshōmaru was engrossed. 

Jaken, usurped and outraged, was babbling incessantly, but the daiyōkai heard no words. He left the imp to squabble by himself, opting instead to follow the miko and the pups to the hot spring. He was fascinated, watching the children happily play with toys while the miko bathed them. Sesshōmaru was struck with the bizarre and uncharacteristic desire to engage in pack bathing, a custom in which he'd never once participated, even as a pup within his father's pack. He bit back the urge and refocused on the children, observing just long enough to satisfy his innocent curiosity before returning to camp. 

His chest felt strange. A long-forgotten, familiar ache resonated somewhere deep, an emotion neglected, a gap never filled. He himself had never quite had parents in the traditional sense, and though he had many wet nurses and nannies, none had ever overstepped their bounds by forming any sort of emotional bond with him. He’d had no playmates, only duties. 

But this feeling, this desire, a sort of envy… it was a feeling easily ignored for it was buried deep beneath an entirely unfamiliar one aching throughout his body- joy, pure joy to see his Rin experiencing the things he had longed for as a child, the things he himself was incapable of providing the girl. Regardless of what he may have felt towards the miko in the past, that night he found he was grateful for her role in Rin’s life. 

Not that he’d ever tell her that.

Sesshōmaru was jostled from his musings a short while later when Kagome returned with the two pups and settled them in their bedding, both of their heads in her lap. The children argued over what type of story she would tell that night, the kit preferring stories from 'Kagome's time' while Rin only wanted to hear retellings of the miko’s adventures while collecting shards of the Shikon no Tama. 

When Kagome proclaimed it Rin’s night to choose, the kit bemoaned that it wasn’t fair since he’d been present for those stories. An argument nearly broke out when Rin called the kit annoying for complaining every time Kagome tells stories about the hunt for the shards. There was some huffing and puffing followed by chastising from Kagome, who proceeded to make the compromise of telling a tale that involved her time and fighting yōkai.

The pups settled in for a story about Inuyasha returning to Kagome’s time during a cultural festival for which she’d prepared food that, unbeknownst to her, was made from dried yōkai. Upon boiling the food, the yōkai re-animated and Inuyasha had to slay them all while Kagome tried to perform her duties for the festival. Both children enjoyed the story, there was a lot of laughter, and eventually they drifted off while Kagome stroked their hair. 

The miko had done well in masking the sadness and pain in her scent. Any lesser yōkai, such as the kit, would never have known the agony the story stirred within her. Sesshōmaru, however, was no lesser yōkai. His nose would not be so easily deceived.

So he wasn’t surprised when Kagome’s entire demeanor changed once the pups were asleep. The empty, pale woman he’d nearly forgotten about re-appeared and quietly slipped out from beneath the sleeping children. She collected her yellow bag, her bow and quiver of arrows, then walked into the forest. He listened as her footfalls faded farther and farther away before coming to a stop. The familiar cacophony of arrows cutting the air and embedding in wood echoed in the distance, far enough from the children's sense of sound that they were unlikely to be disturbed by it. In fact, Sesshōmaru was quite sure she'd measured a distance just outside of the kit's hearing range. He shouldn't have been so surprised, he supposed, by just how well attuned the miko was to the boy she claimed as son. 

“Jaken.” Sesshōmaru kicked the imp awake as he stood. “Watch the pups.”

He followed the sound of the arrows. He quietly and discreetly observed Kagome as she trained for hours, her scent filled with numbness, fury, and inadequacy, the source for which he could not comprehend. The woman was consistently hitting every small tree limb she'd aimed for. 

Her reiki was growing steadily more unstable the more angry she became and eventually her entire body was glowing in soft pink. He had started smelling the salt of tears on the wind by that point. Even with trembling fingers she continued to hit each and every mark.

He watched with wide eyes as she finally reigned all of the chaotic reiki in and released it from all ten of her fingertips in a blast that nearly severed a tree as thick as a hut. She fell to her knees, sobbing and spent as the sun rose behind her. She remained that way for some time before nocking an arrow and casually felling three birds at once as they flew overhead.

Sesshōmaru returned to camp then, assuming Kagome wouldn’t be far behind. It was about three hours later when she returned, smelling of hot spring and sweet citrus, dressed and ready for the day. 

She set to work prepping the birds she’d killed, roasting them on the fire alongside mushrooms and eggs. The pups and Jaken stirred at the scent of food and the miko happily fed the three, foregoing food herself. The smiling miko from the night before returned, but Sesshōmaru had observed enough by then to realize that this was not the same smiling miko he’d both fought against and alongside years before. 

This woman was thoroughly broken and he cursed the nature of his kind as the curiosity that begged to be sated led his mind in circles as it sought the reason for the change in her disposition. It was bad enough that in one short night, her apt capabilities had pleased his pack instincts enough to easily lend her, a ningen - nay, worse, a miko - the title of alpha bitch of his pack. Yet another fact he'd never acknowledge outside of the privacy of his mind. That she had earned a place in his pack at all was distressing enough, but a place as his near equal? A ningen, equal to he, Sesshōmaru? Preposterous. He refused to indulge any instincts that encouraged he learn anything more of her than necessary. She'd already stolen quite enough of his attention. 

Sesshōmaru pointedly settled beneath a tree and focused his energy on not observing the curious, invasive little creature fluttering around his camp as she thoroughly saw to the needs of the pack.

The task had been proven moot. As alpha, it was his duty to watch over the pack. Since she'd thrown herself into her own duties so thoroughly, ignoring the miko meant ignoring the pack. It was therefore impossible to ignore that she'd bathed and fed A-Un, fruitless to turn his ear from her whispers when she asked Rin to serve him the tea she'd somehow expertly brewed to perfection over a campfire, a brew in which she'd learned was his favorite with hushed inquiries to his ward. She had even mended a tear in Jaken's robe. 

He was sure his pack had never been so well cared for, a thought that summoned great inner-conflict. On one hand, his pack had always been small. He met his duties, excelling in protection but perhaps lacking in comfort. He certainly supplied the finances to obtain many forms of comfort, even ordered Jaken to acquire the more necessary ones. 

For the first time, he couldn't help but wonder if the miko's more personal approach of providing was more beneficial to the pack's wellbeing. The way Rin thrived beneath Kagome's care seemed to support such a theory. 

But such things did not come naturally to Sesshōmaru. Surely, if it were meant to be part of his obligations as alpha, his instincts would drive him to act. A frown tugged at his lips as he doubted his own proficiency for the first time in nine centuries. 

Sesshōmaru shook off the creeping insecurities. No, he was in no way deficient. Perhaps that was the necessity of an alpha bitch? He had never stopped to consider it. The miko brought a certain balance. He was not too prideful to acknowledge an obvious benefit. On the other hand, the source of the benefit was a meager human female who, by all rights, should not have been capable of providing things for his pack that he himself could not. Then again, if the previous night had shown him anything it was that Kagome was no ordinary ningen. She may have no permanent place by his side, but for the time being she proved useful. There was no sense in worrying himself with such petty things.

Sesshōmaru quieted his mind and finished his tea. He found himself, begrudgingly, in a rather good mood.

Chapter Text

*Story Info - May Contain Spoilers*

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⊱⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

Universe:

• Post-Inuyasha/Final Act (Sunrise) Canon Compliant

Major Divergences:

• Fully (Sunrise) canon compliant, continues story after Kagome’s return to the Bone Eater’s Well “past” time.

Setting:

• Canon Era, 16th Century Japan, 6 years post-canon

Tone/Genre:

• Action/Adventure, Drama, Humor, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Historical, Tragedy, Thriller & Suspense, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Porn, Smut

Tropes:

• Pack dynamics, Sesshoumaru’s beast, Knotting, Mating Marks, Blood Adoption Ceremony, Kagome is Shippō’s Parent, Sesshoumaru is Rin’s Parent, Alpha Sesshoumaru, Alpha Higurashi Kagome, Powerful Higurashi Kagome

Trigger Warnings:

• Abuse (physical, mental, emotional, verbal, sexual), Self-injurious behavior (self-harm, eating disorders, etc.), Death or dying, Described Blood, Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Confronting Abuser, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Nightmares about Traumatic Events, Explicit Sex Scene, Death of a Loved One, Abandonment, Divorce, Female Oppression

Fandom Warnings:

• Inuyasha is OOC (character regression and amplification of negative personality traits), Kagome is OOC (character regression as she deals with depression), Inuyasha/Kagome Canon Relationship Breakup, Canonical Character Death - Kaede

Published October 15, 2022 ༻❁༺ Chapter Word Count: 5,036

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「 Chapter Three: Supernatural Aid」༻❁༺「Act One: Departure」

Ten moons passed by, each preceding sun having watched over Sesshōmaru's newly formed pack as they adhered to the quiet routine that had been established on that very first day. It was an efficient, comfortable environment… at least on the surface and beneath the light of day. By night, however, a dark cloud haunted the miko. It had become clear to Sesshōmaru that her facade was as perfectly practiced as his own. 

Kagome did not sleep, save for the few hours that she would disappear after training, which Sesshōmaru had learned was spent dozing in the nearest onsen after bathing. She barely ate anything. Though the self-proclaimed ningen-loathing daiyōkai admittedly held little knowledge in regards to humans, he was well aware that they required ample food and rest in order to maintain their feeble existence. It was therefore no surprise to witness the miko's frame grow thinner, her eyes darker, flesh paler. Not that it concerned him. He merely felt responsible for her health as her temporary alpha. Besides, the woman vowed to protect Rin with her life in his absence. What good was such a promise when the health of that life was so clearly compromised? The wind could defeat her if it were to provide a good, strong gust in her direction.

Sesshōmaru had been lost in thoughts about this very issue when he heard her footsteps approaching from behind. His eyes narrowed in annoyance 

“Miko, you agreed you would not bother me. Surely, even with your meager lifespan, four days shy of a fortnight is a pathetic amount of time to forsake one's word and violate such an agreement. Or perhaps I have put too much stock in your honor?”

He heard her tongue click before she drew a deep breath.

“Well, I wouldn’t have to bother you if you hadn’t decided to bother me. I ignored it for the first week but this is getting ridiculous. Reel in your yōki when you spy. It’s distracting.”

He stopped walking and turned on a heel. She yelped when he stood over her, her nose practically crushed into his armor, his eyes hard and penetrating as they threatened to bleed red.

“I will do as I please. Do not presume to give me orders. Return to the pups.”

“I just wanted to ask you nicely to leave me alone and let me have my time to myself. You didn’t even let me say anything before biting my head off. I don’t know why I hoped you’d have any sort of respect for me, though. Runs in the family.”

His eyes narrowed as he contemplated the pros and cons of sinking his claws into her throat. She turned and walked back to A-Un without another word. He supposed she was useful enough to warrant benevolence for her outburst. It was the first incident since they’d been traveling together. If he recalled correctly, while traveling with the hanyō there had been several altercations each and every day. All things considered, they were faring better than he’d anticipated when he agreed to allow her to travel with him.

Still, he would have words for her later. She would have to learn to remain in her place if she were to continue traveling with him.

The rest of the day followed the pattern of the previous ten. When night fell and the miko snuck off to a nearby field to train, Sesshōmaru once again followed. This time, however, he did not lurk in the shadows. She was stiff as he approached, knuckles white as they clutched her bow. He could hear the unpleasant grind of her teeth.

“Miko.”

She exhaled slowly, her posture loosening with her breath.

“Sesshōmaru. Why are you here? Why do you watch me every night?”

'Why?' indeed.  

"Your power. It is… immense. I have never encountered reiki like yours. You are capable of manipulating it as if it were yōki, yet you seem to struggle with controlling it."

All truths. Perhaps none of which were the answer to her questions. She, however, had no need to know that. After all, he himself had not quite deciphered the answer. Curiosity? Protectiveness? Fascination? All motives that left a sour taste on his tongue for the subject to which they were focused upon was a human.

She began to fidget beneath his gaze, hands wringing around her bow and weight shifting from one foot to the other, the scent of her blood amplifying beneath the hot blush of her cheeks. The pink spreading prettily along her creamy skin caused something warm to simmer low in Sesshōmaru’s belly. His focus was snapped from the alluring color when she mumbled her poorly expressed gratitude. 

"I… thanks? I think…" She nervously scratched the back of her neck and Sesshōmaru had to refrain from rolling his eyes. Surely she had to be aware of how powerful she was, why, then, was she so insecure? He hadn’t even complimented her, he’d merely stated simple facts. He would have to correct the ridiculous behavior. Humility is one thing but Kagome was acting as if she was ignorant of her own worth.

"Miko, I would be willing to overlook today's earlier infraction if you'd be willing to update the terms of our agreement."

She scoffed before squaring her shoulders, clearly on the verge of saying something rash before even hearing his generous and well thought out proposal. Sesshōmaru had spent more than a week mulling it over, weighing the pros and cons as he watched her train. He decided it would be best to intercept her needless tirade before it began. He'd seen the tedious arguments she'd held with the hanyō. He had not the patience for such.

"I will tolerate your presence and allow for you and the kit to interact freely with me, so long as you do not try my patience. In exchange, you will formally join my pack and submit to me as your alpha. A temporary arrangement, of course. Further, you will allow me to train you in the use of your reiki."

Her face had been progressively morphing from a scowl to surprise with each word Sesshōmaru spoke. By the time he'd finished, she was staring at him as if he'd sprouted a second head, blue eyes piercing and assessing. He watched in confusion as she leaned and peaked behind him. His eyebrow arched.

"What are you doing, priestess?"

Her face flushed red. 

"Checking for a tail."

"Pardon?"

"Erh… not your tail. Shippo's favorite trick is transforming into someone else and playing pranks. He hasn't mastered it yet though. His tail gives him away."

"And what has led you to believe that I am anyone but myself?"

"Uhm… well. You kind of just asked me and Shippo to join your pack. I know I'm not yōkai but I am aware that joining a pack isn't exactly small potatoes -"

"'small…potatoes'?"

"It means 'insignificant'." Sesshōmaru opened his mouth to speak and was met with a blunt finger wagging in his face. His brow raised at her audacity. "I wasn't done. You'll 'tolerate' our presence? Why ? And just why exactly would you want to waste your time training me? I'm sure you've got way better things to do. In fact, none of these 'updates' seem to benefit you at all. It's pretty much the opposite of me and Shippo staying out of your way… which, if you don’t recall, was the ‘infraction’ that you’re willing to overlook if I agree to all of this."

Kagome's arms crossed her chest, suspicion coloring her features.

"My motives are my own. I assure you, these amendments are not entirely one sided."

She glared at him for several minutes. The weight of those haunting azure pools felt as though she was perusing his very soul by merely holding eye contact. Had it not been entirely against his nature, Sesshōmaru would have felt compelled to avert his gaze. It was she who finally broke the contact with a long exhale of breath. 

"Fine. I accept."

Hn. That was easier than expected.

He felt his features pulling towards a smile that he couldn’t suppress. He turned and started walking to keep the rogue facial expression private, barking a quick and quiet command as he faced his back to the miko.

“Come.”

“What? Where?”

She didn’t receive an answer before Sesshōmaru pulled her close to his side and gathered yōki at their feet, taking off into the sky. She squealed, arms wrapping around his shoulders of their own volition. Her fear was quickly replaced with wonder as she took in the stretch of night sky and darkened landscape around them. 

“Oh wow.”

Sesshōmaru refused to question the sensation of loss that settled over him as Kagome slowly withdrew her arms. He instinctively tightened his hold on her waist. She didn’t seem to notice, too enraptured by the stars above and treetops below.

It wasn’t long before he set down in front of the mouth of a cave at the base of a mountain.

“Stay close.”

“Sesshōmaru, where are we?”

She gasped when the oppressive weight of his yōki enveloped them. He didn’t answer her question, only guided her forward with a hand on the small of her back. As they reached what seemed to be the end of the cave, Sesshōmaru continued urging her forward. She looked up at him, brows knitted as his arm encircled her waist again. He walked straight into the rock wall and suddenly they were falling through a portal not so dissimilar from that of the well. Kagome’s eyes widened when they emerged on the other side. 

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It was like nothing she’d ever seen before, surpassing even festivals and markets she’d seen in her own time.

The architecture alone was mind-blowing - its roots so clearly bound to traditional Japanese design, but the intricacy and level of detail of each building was so complex it was impossible to take it in with a single glance. 

Stationary chōchin paper lanterns lined the street, their beauty dwarfed by the ones floating above in the sky, unmoving, frozen in their ascent. Yōkai fire of every shade illuminated them from within, flickering ethereally and casting their colors down on the street below. 

Windsocks reminiscent of koinobori rustled in the breeze, their shapes more akin to various yōkai. The sky above was decorated with endless, muted fireworks in intricate designs. The scent of delicious food was heavy in the air. 

Kagome flushed when her stomach responded with an angry grumble. She thought she may whither beneath Sesshōmaru’s knowing gaze. He merely arched a brow before turning and making his way down the bustling street ahead. 

As they walked, Kagome became aware of beautiful, soft music, a soundtrack in the background that never seemed to grow distant as they walked. Her eyes sought the source of the sound and settled upon various tsukumogami instruments, hundreds of them playing in unison above each and every market stall as far as the eye could see.

She was in awe, unable to remove her eyes from the sky, unaware that she wasn’t even watching the path before her. She felt like a child exploring a festival for the first time. And then she collided with something hard and the angry face of an oni blocked her view of the magic above. 

Saying he was smaller than most of the oni she’d encountered throughout her adventures in sengoku jidai wouldn’t mean much, as he still towered over her petite form by several heads. She squeaked an apology that seemed to mean absolutely nothing to the annoyed yōkai, who spat at her feet.

“What fool dared to bring a mortal to these streets?”

Her mouth floundered for a moment before a familiar string of green light lassoed around her waist and, with a single, gentle tug, brought her flying into the arms of Sesshōmaru.

“She is no mere mortal, oni, you would do well to remember that when addressing the Shikon Miko. You would also do well to refrain from referring to the Lord of the West as a fool.”

“Lord Sesshōmaru! Forgive my ignorance.”

“It is not I who you should be groveling to.”

“Shikon Miko, forgive me.”

“No need, really. It was my fault. I should have been watching where I was going. It’s just all so beautiful.” Kagome laughed nervously as she waved off the apology, much to the bewilderment of the oni on its receiving end.

“Hn.” Sesshōmaru had started walking again, this time with a hand clamped firmly around Kagome’s wrist. “Miko, I believe I specifically advised you to remain close, did I not?”

“Sorry, Sesshōmaru.”

There was no response as he continued walking, silken hair swaying with every step and brushing against her arm, which remained clamped within his gentle grasp. A while later, they stopped in front of a wooden stall and Sesshōmaru guided Kagome onto a bench in front of it. Her mouth watered at the scents that assaulted her nose. She was so distracted by the scene beyond the window of the stall, she didn’t notice Sesshōmaru settle in at her side on the bench until a hōsōgyo approached and set two plates heaping with food in front of them.

“Lord Sesshōmaru!” The funny, bearded, shrimp-shaped creature seemed brimming with excitement and familiarity as he clapped his unusual fin-like appendages together. “It has been far too long, my lord! Please, stay as long as you’d like. Your desert is on the house tonight!”

Sesshōmaru gave a polite incline of his head and waited for the friendly yōkai to turn back to the kitchen beyond before gathering his chopsticks and eating. A less friendly iwana bōzu approached to serve them tea, all the while casting a hostile glare in Kagome’s direction. She refrained from wrinkling her nose at the overpowering stink of the giant river fish.

“Eat, Kagome.”

Sesshōmaru’s voice brought her attention back to the steaming plate of food in front of her. It seemed to be composed of every scent that had stood out to her the most. She nearly drooled as she inspected the heaping plate, her hands acting on their own accord as her chopsticks found a dumpling and brought it to her mouth.

“Reimi is able to detect which food is most appealing to your senses. He has served you accordingly.”

“Incredible. What is this place?”

“It is a yōkai market town, located in a remote valley undiscovered by humans. It is only accessible via flight or portal and is protected by barriers and wards.”

“It’s amazing. I haven’t seen anything like this in this era.”

“Hn.”

“Why did you bring me here?”

“The pups are in need of clothing. This is where I obtain Rin’s kimonos. You will find suitable garments for the kit and yourself as well.”

“Oh, that’s very kind of you, but I don’t nee-”

“They are of yōkai origin, self-repairing and self-cleaning. It will make our travels easier.”

Sesshōmaru resumed eating, putting an abrupt end to the conversation. Kagome couldn’t bring herself to be annoyed as she polished off her own food and a plate of desert was set in front of her. It looked too good for polite objection, so she focused on eating slowly and not shoveling it in her mouth like Inuya-

Her thoughts halted there, body rigid. It was those moments when he popped into her mind amidst a good memory that would cause the biggest ache in her chest. The air felt thin in her lungs and the world began to spin, chopsticks were dropped and nails dug into wood.

“I thought we could perhaps look into other supplies while here.”

She blinked a few times before forcing her eyes towards Sesshōmaru, whose own attention was on his dessert rather than Kagome’s fast approaching panic attack. She gripped onto his voice, clinging to it to keep from falling into that all-too-familiar pit. Her voice seemed too big for her throat as she croaked out her single word query.

“Supplies?”

“Hn. Your bathing oils seem to be dwindling and the pups coloring utensils are not faring any better. Such supplies are best purchased here. They are hand-crafted by yōkai and of the highest quality.”

“I see. I don’t have much money.”

“There is no need. You have been providing such things for Rin without compensation. I will provide for the kit in turn.”

“Thank you.” It was all Kagome could muster. She was shocked. This was not a side of Sesshōmaru she was aware existed, in fact, it may have been the most he’d ever spoken to her the entire time she’d known him.

“Unnecessary. Have you finished your meal?”

Sesshōmaru stood when Kagome managed to nod her assent.

“Reimi.” The hōsōgyo appeared immediately with a large furoshiki presented to Sesshōmaru with a deep bow and a delighted grin. Sesshōmaru handed the yōkai a substantial amount of coins along with a respectful nod before once again making his way down the street. Kagome jogged to catch up.

“Do I need to hold your hand like I must with Rin or are you now capable of navigating without colliding with oni?”

Kagome flushed, unsure if she was more annoyed or embarrassed by the reminder.

“I’ll be fine. Thanks.”

Sesshōmaru once again led the way, not stopping until they came to a stall with kimonos hanging around its perimeter, tables lined with coffers full of gorgeous, patterned silks.

“Sesshōmaru-sama! What a pleasure. Have you come for the usual?” The singsong voice came from a striking female yōkai easily recognized as moth due to the white bipectinate antennae and fluffy silken wings trailing from her back like a cloak.

“Hn. As well as traveling hakama and hakamashita for my companion and these items in these specifications for her kit. She may pick the materials as well as any other items she needs. She may be interested in your collection of footwear, especially the boots in the style of your homeland. I trust your judgment and leave her in your hands.” 

“Of course, my lord.” The moth yōkai gave a deep bow as she accepted the offered scroll containing Shippo’s clothing order before turning to sift through a box of silks.

Sesshōmaru’s attention was back on Kagome.

“I trust you heard that exchange. I leave you here for now. I have a few tasks to attend to.”

“You’re leaving me by myself?” Her voice squeaked with the rising panic.

“Kagome, you are the Shikon Miko. There is not a single yōkai here that matches your power, except for myself, of course. You could easily purify this entire market. None will be foolish enough to challenge you, especially after that little scene with the oni. Word travels quickly amongst yōkai. It is impossible for it to not, considering our heightened hearing. I’ve already heard several groups of yōkai discussing your presence here. You will be fine.”

Kagome found herself blinking at Sesshōmaru’s retreating form. Never had anyone shown so much faith in her abilities. Such faith coming from Sesshōmaru, who Kagome was sure was the strongest daiyōkai in existence… It was mind blowing. She almost believed him. She didn’t have time to ponder it for too long before the moth yōkai’s voice pulled her back to the task at hand.

“Miko-sama, I have collected some samples. Might I suggest we start with the order on the scroll so I may work on them while you choose the patterns for your own garment?”

“O-oh. Right, yes, thank you.” Kagome turned and found an array of beautiful fabrics displayed on a previously empty table. “Please, call me Kagome.”

“Very well. I am Aiya. Lord Sesshōmaru has left an order for a happi coat, obi, hakama, hakamashita, several juban and nagajuban, as well as mizuhiki for the tying of hair.”

The moth turned and began gathering and packaging several koshihimo and datejime while Kagome perused the expansive selection of materials. 

She settled on colors and patterns similar to Shippo’s usual outfit. After relaying her choices, she set forth on the difficult task of choosing her own patterns. She felt incredibly discomforted by the idea of Sesshōmaru providing her clothing, no matter how practical it may be. To keep with practicality - and hoping the simpler the choice, the cheaper the cloth - Kagome stuck to plain, unpatterned dark indigo for the hakama and hakamashita and solid black undergarments. 

She indulged a little when presented with the option of a more elaborate obi or a sash in a more mainland style like Sesshōmaru’s. She couldn’t resist. She’d always loved Sesshōmaru’s sash, so opted for a lovely silken sash in a light cerulean blue that Aiya suggested on the basis of it matching Kagome’s eyes.

She made another indulgence when it came to footwear. Sesshōmaru had been right, Kagome loved the boots from Aiya’s homeland. Honestly, she would love anything that wasn’t some form of geta or sandal. Kagome identified the simple black, leather xue as Chinese design, which impressed Aiya. She didn’t mention her former run in with moth yōkai from the mainland or the advantage of being from the future that helped her make the educated guess. 

With everything picked out, the moth yōkai set to work on filling the rather large order, which Kagome had been surprised to learn she’d have in hand within the hour. She was so beguiled while watching Aiya craft the garments on site at an incredible speed, she didn’t even realize that Sesshōmaru had rejoined her until Aiya finished and collected payment from him. She noted that he was carrying several other furoshiki.

“Since you were still waiting for the garments once I’d completed my task, I took the liberty of obtaining drawing materials for the pups. I would have acquired bathing supplies as well, but I thought you would perhaps prefer to choose your own scents.”

“Thank you. That’s very thoughtful.”

He offered a slight incline of his head in acknowledgment before turning to lead her to a nearby stall of bathing supplies. It was then that Kagome decided the yōkai market was her favorite place of the era. She was a kid in a candy shop, surrounded by salts and oils, sea sponges and textured cloths for exfoliation, combs and even soaps that she was sure were not available in Japan at the time. And the scents. Gods the scents. She didn’t know where to begin. Which is probably why Sesshōmaru made his suggestion.

“I’ve noticed your current oils smell of citrus. You’ll find fruit scents on this table, the citrus are here. This one smells most like your current scent.”

He handed her a bottle of oil labeled sweet orange & honey, two ingredients that were present in both her body wash and shampoo. She shouldn’t have been so surprised he’d noticed, afterall, Sesshōmaru is inuyōkai. 

When she sampled the scent her eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head. It was delicious, decadent, one of the purest and cleanest smells to ever grace her nostrils.

“It’s perfect.” She was beaming as she looked up at him, unable to suppress her excitement.

Sesshōmaru, however, expertly suppressed the urge to preen, schooling his features into his well practiced mask of indifference while internally beaming equally as bright as the miko. He was overly pleased with himself for suggesting the correct scent, even more pleased at the obvious change in the miko’s demeanor. 

From the moment they’d arrived at the Naishō night market festival, Kagome’s face had lit up, cheeks regaining color, eyes bright and twinkling, posture no longer slumped and defeated. It had puffed a breath of life back into her. 

He thought himself rather clever, then, having brought her to a place that would serve her food she’d be incapable of rejecting. Finally, the miko had eaten… quite substantially, he might add. He was sure to obtain another helping of her dinner for her to eat later, as well as food for Rin and the kit. It would be morning before they returned. They would stay the night in the inn, he’d decided, and reserved a room for Kagome to rest comfortably for the night.

After purchasing one of everything available in the miko’s chosen scent, as well as plush towels and sea sponges for she and the pups, Sesshōmaru led Kagome to the nearby inn.

“It is late. We will stay here for the night. I have already reserved a room. In the morning you will be able to take advantage of the bathhouse before we return to camp. Tonight, rest.”

He had sensed her apprehension until he’d mentioned the bathhouse. He knew the miko favored her baths. There was no way she would pass up the opportunity to bathe indoors. He was glad to be met with a nod of acquiescence rather than an argument. Her scent was curious, though, swirling with confusion and surprise. She was so deeply entrenched in her own thoughts that she remained uncharacteristically quiet until they reached the inn, and only then did she break her silence to offer a blushing, mumbled expression of gratitude. Perplexing.

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Kagome turned on a heel when Sesshōmaru followed her into the room that she’d thought was meant for her alone.

“You’re staying with me?” Her voice came out with more of a squeak than she’d intended.

“I do not require sleep.”

That wasn’t much of an answer. Kagome worried her lower lip. Sesshōmaru must’ve picked up on her unease. It was dark, but she swore she could see a faint blush dusting his cheeks.

“I will leave if you wish. I thought you might have trouble relaxing as the only human in this village. I thought my presence would allow you to rest peacefully. I should not have assumed.”

“No, it’s fine, really! You’re right, I would be more comfortable knowing you’re here in case my aura attracts anything dangerous. I just wasn’t expecting it, is all. I wouldn’t want to cause you any trouble, though. You’ve already done way more for me than necessary. Thank you.”

“You wish me to stay, then?”

“Yes, if that’s okay.”

His response was a subtle forward incline of his head before finding a seat against the wall, near the door, his swords propped against his shoulder in a way that reminded Kagome all too much of her former inu protector. She forced her eyes closed and willed the hanyō from her thoughts as her heart began to clench painfully.

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Sesshōmaru’s eyes lulled open and focused on the miko. Her heart had started pounding, scent overwhelmed with grief amongst an assortment of other unpleasant, painful emotions. He felt his head cock to the side as he observed her. 

Kagome lay on her futon, curled in on herself, palm pressed tight against her chest above her speeding heart. Her eyes were clenched, as was her jaw, and she seemed to be forcibly controlling her breaths as they threatened to join her heart in its unnecessary panic. 

Sesshōmaru’s nature demanded answers to his curiosity. What could have caused her to slip into such a state so quickly? He would not ask. Inu may be inquisitive by nature, but Sesshōmaru’s nature was ruled by the stronger instinct to keep himself guarded. Delving into the personal matters of others opened oneself to scrutiny and that was something he would not invite. 

Still, the miko’s agony was stirring something foreign within his chest, a tightness, a desire to comfort. He willed it away, not liking the woman’s ability to slip beneath his barriers and inspire actions that were entirely unlike himself. Even bringing her to the night market and the reasons that inspired such action had been entirely out of character. No, he’d ventured out of his comfort zone enough for one night. The miko could handle her human emotions on her own. And she did.

It took perhaps a quarter of the hour, but soon her body had calmed, reiki smooth and soothing, seeming to encase her body quietly, protectively. She’d slipped into a meditative state that eventually led to sleep. He was relieved by the settling of her scent. The odor of unpleasant emotions had the tendency to put him on edge. Her anxiety had become his own, making it impossible to relax.

His instincts purred as he watched the miko sleep peacefully for the first time in more than a week, his ears un-tormented by the menacing growls of an empty stomach. Slowly, as her anxiety had become his own, her relaxation had also become his. 

With his mind clear and heightened senses calmed, he pondered the remainder of their journey. They were fast approaching their destination and the miko had yet to ask him for any details pertaining to the long trek. Which, once he thought about it, was rather out of character. She was following him without the faintest notion of where he was leading. He was sure she wouldn’t be disappointed, though. Those who met Bokusenō rarely were.

Sesshōmaru hoped that the final leg of their trip would pass quickly after he had convinced Kagome to allow him to train her. He would make sure she kept up with eating and sleeping. Rigorous training would certainly keep her tired. Hopefully, the trip to the market had been what the miko had needed to give her a fresh start. It was certainly what Sesshōmaru had needed. His success as an alpha soothed his frayed ego and banished the unusual, foreign insecurity that had started following him around the same time that the miko had.

He would see to it that she remained at peace. She was in his care and as her alpha, it was his responsibility. The health of his pack reflected on him. Yes, that explained his behavior. She was agitating his instincts with her discontent. If he were to help her heal, his impulses to protect and provide would quiet and things could go back to normal.

He would take care of her until he could complete their quest, and then she would go back to her own time and she would no longer be his responsibility. 

Good.

Sesshōmaru closed his eyes and drifted with the sleepy rhythm of Kagome’s heartbeat.

Chapter Text

*Story Info - May Contain Spoilers*

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Universe:

• Post-Inuyasha/Final Act (Sunrise) Canon Compliant

Major Divergences:

• Fully (Sunrise) canon compliant, continues story after Kagome’s return to the Bone Eater’s Well “past” time.

Setting:

• Canon Era, 16th Century Japan, 6 years post-canon

Tone/Genre:

• Action/Adventure, Drama, Humor, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Historical, Tragedy, Thriller & Suspense, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Porn, Smut

Tropes:

• Pack dynamics, Sesshoumaru’s beast, Knotting, Mating Marks, Blood Adoption Ceremony, Kagome is Shippō’s Parent, Sesshoumaru is Rin’s Parent, Alpha Sesshoumaru, Alpha Higurashi Kagome, Powerful Higurashi Kagome

Trigger Warnings:

• Abuse (physical, mental, emotional, verbal, sexual), Self-injurious behavior (self-harm, eating disorders, etc.), Death or dying, Described Blood, Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Confronting Abuser, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Nightmares about Traumatic Events, Explicit Sex Scene, Death of a Loved One, Abandonment, Divorce, Female Oppression

Fandom Warnings:

• Inuyasha is OOC (character regression and amplification of negative personality traits), Kagome is OOC (character regression as she deals with depression), Inuyasha/Kagome Canon Relationship Breakup, Canonical Character Death - Kaede

Published January 15, 2023 ༻❁༺ Chapter Word Count: 7,555

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「 Chapter Four: Mentor」༻❁༺「Act One: Departure」

Sesshōmaru’s eyelids lifted when the miko’s heartbeat began to increase and the sound of rustling bedding met his ears. He languidly watched as she stood, her cerulean eyes impossibly wide, mouth agape as she peered through the small crack left open between the two shōji separating their room from its attached private garden. Shaking hands pushed the screens apart before clamping to parted lips, stifling her soft gasp. Sesshōmaru was amused until he scented the salt of her tears. Amusement was quickly overcome by concern.

“Miko?”

Kagome spun around, staggering and clutching her heart as she laughed at herself.

“Sesshōmaru! You scared me!” She laughed again, hand still tangled in the fabric over her breast, the sound of rapid thudding beneath it loud in the daiyōkai’s sensitive ears. She took several calming breaths, the rhythm of her heart evening out with each one. Sesshōmaru merely raised an eyebrow at her.

“Sorry. I was trying to be quiet. I didn’t want to wake you… which, honestly, is probably impossible with your hearing and awareness…”

She continued rambling as he continued to sleepily observe her, unwilling to admit that while he was always a male of few words, upon waking his mouth was little more than decoration. He would be of no use as a conversation partner. She did not seem to mind, her own mouth moving enough for the both of them. Besides, his ears were more than capable of participating in the exchange, no matter the time of day. So, the daiyōkai listened and the miko talked.

“I was gonna go look for the bath… but then–” She turned, finally releasing the abused silk of her yukata, arms hanging by her side as she gazed out into the intricate landscape. “Sesshōmaru, it’s so beautiful.”

That was what brought her to tears? The beauty of it? Such an unusual human.

“Hn.”

Sesshōmaru stood and joined the miko, stepping past her and out onto the engawa overlooking the massive koi pond and the ethereal garden surrounding it. It was a perfect spring morning, just the right amount of chill in the air, enough to invigorate, to awaken the senses and energize the mind. 

The sun had barely begun to rise, casting soft hues of dawn across the landscape, highlighting and shadowing the blooms and buds of various springtime flowers and shrubs. Yōki lighting glowed dimly within ensorcelled lanterns, illuminating the exotic yōkai plants that claimed the garden as home. Firefly yōkai, much larger than their mortal counterparts, twinkled in various colors as they lazily drifted on the wind or lounged along branches and leaves. 

The odd duo stood in companionable silence, watching as the sun completed its journey to rise high above the horizon. After several minutes of enjoying the peaceful scene, Sesshōmaru disrupted the quiet with an inquiry.

“You mentioned your intent to seek out the sentō?”

“Oh… yeah. I was hoping to wash up while you slept.”

“Hn. It is good that you woke me, then. It is housed within its own structure, not attached to the inn. I will show you. Come, miko.”

The daiyōkai tucked his swords into his sash, nimble fingers making quick work of the sageo that held the scabbards in place at his side. He turned, leading Kagome from the room without so much as glancing back to ensure that she’d followed. She had to jog to catch up at first, but once by his side, she kept pace, her arms filled with her new bathing supplies. Employees and patrons alike bowed in Sesshōmaru’s presence as he strode purposefully through the interior of the inn.

Kagome hadn’t really had the chance to absorb the details of their lodgings the night before, her mind having been distracted and overwhelmed by what she would’ve thought to be uncharacteristic kindness on behalf of the daiyōkai.

In the light of day, though, her focus was entirely on the ryokan and its magnificence, its rich woods, the architecture and furnishings that seemed ages ahead of its time. She noted several instances of European influence mingling amongst the traditional Japanese, some of it a perfect fusion of both. 

Still, the atmosphere remained natural, earthy and peaceful. Woods, bamboo, potted plants, live-edged furnishings and natural fibers gave the entire place a warm, inviting feel. It certainly wasn’t lacking in opulence, however–chandeliers alight with flickering yōki, furs and grand fireplaces, silk draperies and cushions were aplenty. The decor made the miko think of upscale ski lodges from her own time while somehow simultaneously maintaining the mood of a traditional ryokan. It was magical, all of it, and Kagome could barely keep her jaw from hanging loosely from her face.

Outdoors was equally captivating, Kagome’s attention riveted to the paved walkways lined with unfamiliar flora that seemed to have its own presence. It took her a few moments to realize that the landscaping was alive –living, breathing yōkai plants more beautiful than anything she’d ever seen. Even the trees were emitting powerful auras, some imposing in their presence, giving the impression that they had existed for centuries, perhaps even millennia.

As the pair approached a building beyond the inn’s courtyard, Kagome froze in place, too mesmerized to remember how her legs worked.

They’d walked through a barrier and the temperature had abruptly changed, the smells, the sounds, the humidity, all entirely different from what she’d been experiencing just moments before. It was enchanted, the yōkai plants and trees within the barrier all suspended in an autumnal state, defying the spring season beyond the barrier. A soft fog circulated along the ground at their roots, curling around Kagome's feet and ankles. Maple leaves drifted endlessly about the building, swirling and dancing on a wind that seemed to come from nowhere in particular and everywhere all at once.

The ground beneath the fog was red with fallen leaves, yellows and greens littered lightly among the predominantly crimson earth. The smell of marcescent plant-life tingled her senses… earthy, wet, petrichor surrounding the building in an aura that put Kagome’s spirit at ease. The building itself was yet another traditional Japanese architectural masterpiece. A single-story wonder of shōji, bamboo, and fragrant lumber, elegant in its intricate simplicity.

Sesshōmaru allowed her time to marvel, to bask in the beauty of yōkai craftsmanship, the likes of which humans would not come close to mastering for several more centuries. Once Kagome remembered how to command her feet to disengage from the ground, she took a few steps towards the stoic daiyōkai, who inspected his surroundings with his usual indifference. 

As soon as she reached his side, he continued leading her until they were within the building. The smell of cedar and pine was strong in the air, made more intense by the potent humidity of the sentō’s interior.

Kagome was pulled from her slack-jawed perusal of the bathhouse when Sesshōmaru spoke, his gaze fixed on a potted plant as he ran the pads of his finger along the petals of a closed flower bud, idly feeding it yōki.

“I rented the entire facility from sun-up to late afternoon. I was unsure of when you would wake, but I wanted to guarantee your privacy. It is a public bathhouse of mixed genders. I assumed as a human, this would dampen the experience for you.”

Kagome was once again wide-eyed when the plant began to bloom beneath his touch. His words took a moment to register, but when they did she blinked until she was able to tear her gaze from the flowers to instead observe the stoic daiyōkai. His attention was still on the thread of yōki connecting him to the plant as he awaited her response.

She stared at him, confusion evident between her brows. She couldn’t reconcile the kind, considerate being before her with the one that had once made attempts on her life… or even the one that had recently barred her from so much as speaking to him. 

What changed?

When his attention shifted to her, she realized she'd failed to give him a response, once again lost in her own mind as she pondered the perplexing demon lord. A blush dusted her cheeks as she cleared her throat and tried to remember what exactly he’d said so that she could formulate some sort of reply.

“Ah. I’ve been to public bathhouses before. I definitely prefer the privacy, though.” Kagome abused her lower lip as her hands nervously tangled in a lock of her hair. “Thank you. You didn’t have to go through all of the trouble.”

“It was no trouble at all. As inuyōkai, bathing is sacred and only done amongst packmates or in private. I typically reserve the bathhouse for personal use when I stay here. It is an ongoing arrangement.”

“Were you planning on bathing, too?”

Sesshōmaru could sense the rising nerves within the miko. He allowed a smirk to tilt the corner of his mouth.

“No, Kagome, I was not. This was for you, to help you relax. Consider this a reward for your thorough care of the pups. Your commitment to their well-being has not gone unnoticed. It is time you mind your own well-being, however. You are of no use to them if you fall ill. Enjoy your bath. I must tend to a few more errands before we return to camp.”

Kagome blinked, watching the retreating form of the daiyōkai and continuing to stare at the doorway for several minutes after he’d disappeared. She felt thoroughly chastised while simultaneously acknowledged and praised. It made her chest clench with the strangest of sensations, tears burning her lash-line and confusion stifling her senses.

He seemed… to care. About her. No one cared about her. Not anymore. She'd forgotten what it felt like to have someone even thinking about her and what she might be feeling. She’d grown so used to not mattering that she’d long ago stopped mattering even to herself.

She finally managed to shake herself from her Sesshōmaru-induced stupor, setting forth on the task of cleansing her body before slipping into the inviting, steamy bathwaters. She frowned as she ran her new sea-sponge along her skin, noting for the first time how sickly her pallor was, how her bones protruded from her flesh in sharp angles and hollowed lines.

No wonder Sesshōmaru thinks I need to look after myself. I’m a walking corpse.

Anger welled inside of her. How could she have let it go so far? How had she let him continue to hurt her, to haunt her? It had been four years since she’d even seen him, yet she wore her pain, her shame, right there on the surface of her body where her skin stretched taut along her skeleton, on display for the whole world to see. 

She’d told herself that parting from Inuyasha would be for the best, that she had to let him go for the sake of her sanity… yet she’d done nothing to correct the path he’d put her on. She had continued to deteriorate, physically and mentally until she could barely recognize herself anymore.

Kagome gazed at her reflection in the bucket of water before dumping it over her head, physically cleansing herself of suds… and symbolically cleansing herself of Inuyasha.

She wouldn’t allow him to continue controlling her life. She was Kagome. Ka-go-me. She was strong, she was the Shikon Miko, defier of time itself. She’d defeated Naraku, conquered the Shikon no Tama, legends told of her greatness in taverns across Japan. She had wasted enough of her life on him, had allowed him to morph her self-perception to the point of self-loathing. She was done feeling sorry for herself. 

If Sesshōmaru believed in her enough to bring her to a yōkai village and leave her alone, trusting that she could protect herself, then by the gods she wasn’t going to allow anyone, not even herself, to think her weaker than the standard that the most powerful daiyōkai to walk Japan was holding her to.

Kagome dumped one more bucket of water over her head, resolve setting her soul on fire like it hadn’t since she’d sent Naraku to hell.

No more.

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Sesshōmaru could feel the miko’s bizarre, chaotic flux of emotions from halfway across the marketplace. The pure unbridled rage had initially drawn him to hone in on her, to ensure that she wasn't under attack, that she was safe. 

When he'd sensed no other presence near her, he continued to monitor as he made his way towards the weaponsmith. Rage had morphed to melancholy, then to shame, and finally… relief. A relief so palpable that it eased tension in his own person, the accompanying peace resonating throughout his body. His eyes widened when her aura seemed to flex and stretch along the lands, simmering on his skin with a pleasant, calm tranquility.

He wondered what had caused such a shift within the miko. He could no longer sense the heavy sadness that lingered within her. Surely, baths were not the solution to the perplexing onna’s problems?

He physically shook his head, clearing his mind before entering the smith’s shop.

“Sesshōmaru-sama! You’re just in time. I have your commissions ready. Would you like to inspect them, my lord?”

“Hn.”

Sesshōmaru eyed the bow, yōkai crafted, power resonating through it, a perfect vessel for the wild, untamed reiki that brewed beneath the miko’s skin. That shabby hunk of bamboo she carried around had been doing her no favors in harnessing the immense power that she held within. He nodded his approval to the smith before glancing around for the rest of his order.

“And the swords?”

The smith walked around to the other side of the table, revealing the blades from beneath a piece of silk before bowing to Sesshōmaru.

“Here, my lord.”

He took one in hand, testing its balance, though he was confident the smith’s work would be impeccable, as always. He’d used her services to outfit his entire army, afterall. These swords, however, were quite different. The daiyōkai nearly smiled as he ran his claw along the deadly, uncurved, triangular tip of the kiriha-zukuri style blade. They were perfect. He hoped the miko would agree. After all, they were made for her.

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Sesshōmaru once again had to put forth effort to hide his reaction from the miko. Upon returning to the bathhouse, he’d found her sitting outside beneath the billowing momiji, meditating, her expression serene and peaceful. His steps faltered when he came upon the scene. 

She was barely recognizable, fully dressed in her new expensive silks. She had tended to her hair, which, over the years since he’d first encountered her, had grown to a single, long length, bangs blending to become one with the midnight tresses that fell just below her waist.

Before him, however, sat the miko he’d first met, wild bangs curtaining her head, accentuating the heart-shape of her face. She’d lobbed off several dozen centimeters of her length, the ends curling and falling around her shoulder-blades.

“I can feel you watching me.”

She smirked as her eyes lulled open, meeting his surprised gaze. He’d been masking his aura, for her to have detected him at all was impressive. She may have held more power within her than he had even initially suspected.

“Come sit with me for a minute?”

He was never one to be commanded, and though she posed it as a question, it read very much like a command. And yet, Sesshōmaru’s feet closed the distance before he’d had time to consider her… request. 

He settled next to her beneath the trees, placing his packages to the side. Her attention fell on them momentarily, apparently deeming whatever it was she felt like discussing more important than sating the curiosity that Sesshōmaru could see blazing within her sapphire eyes.

“Sesshōmaru… I wanted to thank you. I don’t know why you did everything that you did last night. I can’t imagine what your motives are… but… I feel like I’m awake for the first time in years.

“Six years ago, when I first returned to this time period… I was a naive eighteen-year-old girl fresh out of school with all of this hope and optimism for a world that didn't have much of either in store for me. I’d spent three years in my own time, longing for this romantic, fairytale-love that I thought… I don’t even know what I thought. It doesn’t matter, you’re probably not interested in hearing all of that, anyways–”

On the contrary. The daiyōkai had been buzzing with curiosity for nearly a fortnight. He couldn’t suppress the question that had been burning in his mind since he’d observed her training on that first night of their travels.

“Miko, what did he do to you?”

Her eyes widened, mouth floundering, shock radiating off of her body in waves.

“I…” Kagome sighed. “Nothing, really. Nothing that should've surprised me, at least. It was the same stuff he’s always done. Compared me to Kikyō, berated me for my ineptitude, and… well, it just broke me down over time, I guess. 

“I’d waited for him all those years, positive I’d get back to him. I never stopped looking for a way. When the well just randomly opened, I leapt back in time with barely a second thought and left my entire family. I gave up my life, the future… my future.

“I thought after he’d kissed me, after he’d held me like he did when he found me in the jewel… I thought things would be different. Especially after three years apart, after three years of him having the time to mourn Kikyō.”

She laughed, looking up to the swaying leaves above, plucking an errant one from the wind and twirling it idly between her fingers as she continued to speak.

“He never did move on. He couldn’t. I gave up my life for him and he still mourned his first love. I don’t blame him for that, of course. How could he not miss her? I know what they had, I know what was done to them. It wasn’t fair. 

“So I accepted that part of him because he was my first love. What I couldn’t accept was constantly being compared to her. The stress of it was building and building over that first year back together, especially when he insisted I finish my training before he would allow me to go with him when he was hunting bounties. Like I hadn’t already fought my way across Japan. He couldn’t acknowledge that even for an untrained miko, I had done just fine. Yeah, there were bumps along the way and I got in trouble a lot… but I feel like I got my friends out of trouble or took care of myself enough times to warrant at least a little faith in my abilities. He just kept talking about learning to control Kikyō’s power … like it wasn’t mine.”

She flicked the leaf back into the breeze, blowing her bangs away from her face with a heavy sigh before bringing her eyes to Sesshōmaru’s.

“I know I’m powerful. I also know I’m untrained. But I lost sight of that first part and focused entirely on the second. He’d started talking about getting married, about starting a family and how it was pointless for me to ‘waste so much time’ training because I’d be busy at home with our kids. I didn’t come back to this time to be a lonely housewife. I could’ve done that back home with modern conveniences to make it a hell of a lot easier. I didn’t come back here to be left behind while he goes on adventure after adventure with Sango and Miroku.

“Even Miroku supported Sango when she wanted to keep up with her training. He never had any problems with her going on bounties with them. She was leaving the kids with Kaede at first, but I became the designated babysitter after a while since I never went anywhere, anyways. Inuyasha didn’t like it when I even left the village without him… and he was always gone. Just like old times, one adventure always led to another and he’d be gone for months at a time while I was stuck in Edo doing nothing but watching children and learning about herbs. It wasn’t the life I wanted. Still, I stuck it out, hoping it would get better, that if I trained hard enough he’d start to see me for who I am, what I am. To see me for me, not just Kikyō’s less effective reincarnation.

“I kept training in secret, teaching myself. When Inuyasha came home and found me one time… he was so angry. He said it was time to give up, that it was no good. That he’d never let me see battle again because it was his duty to protect me… but… but that wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to fight by his side, to protect each other. It was one of the things that made me want to be in this era, to put my skills to use, to have a purpose–”

“Miko.” Kagome paused, flushing, Sesshōmaru’s interjection making her all too aware that she had been passionately ranting at the daiyōkai without so much as taking a breath. She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she gave him her full attention, fully expecting him to tell her to shut up and stop rambling at him about her stupid human problems. 

She was surprised when he only offered her his opinion.

“Inuyasha is still a pup. He does not understand his own instincts. He desired to suppress your power because it far outweighs his own. He feared your strength, the lack of equality that already existed in your coupling, the increased imbalance that would continue to grow as you came to know your own strength. As alpha, he was intimidated. He was better suited to the clay miko because, Kagome, your power far surpasses hers already and it is still mostly untrained.”

Kagome laughed, dark and mirthful as a tear slid down her cheek.

“And still, I gave it up for him. I tucked my powers away and worked on becoming the perfect, normal, human woman that he wanted. Which seemed to work for him because he finally agreed to marry me. Our wedding… It was the second year after I got back. We had the ceremony and everything, almost everyone I knew in this era was there, a huge celebration that overtook all of Edo and I was so stupidly happy… and he seemed really happy, too. I thought I was finally going to have the life that I’d wanted with him, that he was finally committing to me, that he’d stay home more if we had kids, if he had a reason to be there with me… because I was his wife. 

“He’d had way too much saké throughout the evening and after we’d tired ourselves out laughing with our friends and dancing I practically had to carry him back to the brand new hut that had been gifted to us by the villagers. Everything felt perfect. It was everything I’d been dreaming of. 

“But then… when we were… he called me Kikyō.” Her eyes clenched, fists balling in her lap as she continued speaking through gritted teeth. “He moaned her name into my ear, realized what he’d said, then disappeared. He left me sitting there, half-undressed in my stupid, hot, heavy shiromuku. I sobbed myself to sleep, expecting to have an awkward, painful conversation in the morning… but I haven’t seen him since. The last thing he ever said to me was her name… and then he was just… gone. 

“The entire village looked at me differently after that, abandoned by my husband on my wedding night. Untouchable because I was already married. Everyone gossipping about what I’d done to drive away my yōkai lover.”

Another mirthless chuckle filled the air between them as she looked up into the leaves again. Sesshōmaru felt his face twitch. He'd been just barely suppressing his rage. As a full-blooded yōkai, he had little regard for the frivolity of human marriage. The hanyō, though, was half human and he had made a commitment in the way of humans, to a human woman. It meant something to her, to Inuyasha’s intended mate and he had betrayed and abandoned her.

Loyalty was valued among Sesshōmaru's kind over all other attributes… and his own blood had abandoned his intended mate, had left her, shamed her. He shamed their clan, their great and terrible father’s blood. It was unacceptable. How had he not known any of it had even occurred right beneath his own nose, within his own extended pack? 

The daiyōkai frowned. Rin knew better than to talk about Inuyasha in his presence. She had likely kept the details of the miko’s wedding and subsequent abandonment from him intentionally.

“Kagome, had you informed me of this sooner I would have been duty-bound to help you, to take you into my pack and care for you–”

Her attention snapped to him, wide, watery blue eyes bearing into his being, unblinking, searching, so jarring that he'd lost track of his words. Her expression was so open, so vulnerable, yet entirely unreadable.

“Sesshōmaru… I’m not your responsibility. You’re not ‘duty-bound’ to correct your brother’s mistakes. To correct my mistakes.”

“By blood, he is pack. I am his alpha. You were his intended mate, his wife, Kagome. He left you. You are pack by extension. You are my responsibility, as is Inuyasha. I will find him–”

“No! Gods, no! Please! I never want to see him again!”

She was nearly hysterical, then, clutching his wrist, those haunting, wide eyes pleading as tears spilled over her lashes.

“Calm yourself. I will respect your wishes. But Kagome, learning of this… it has only further incentivized me to train you. You will accept my gifts without argument as recompense on behalf of my foolish half-brother and the wrongs he has committed against you, his intended mate.”

Sesshōmaru gently removed himself from Kagome's grasp and turned to the silk-wrapped pile he’d set to the side, gently unwrapping the yumi he'd commissioned for her.

“It is carved from the wood of an ancient hazenoki spirit tree, combined with that of a bamboo yōkai, strung with my own hair.”

Kagome had been marveling at the bow, eyes tracing its sturdy form… until he’d uttered that last sentence. Her gaze snapped to his, eyes wide and jaw slack.

“ Your hair? Sesshōmaru… this is–” She tried to stifle her sob, hiding behind her hands when she'd failed. “Why? When?”

“Last night while you worked with Aiya-san. I commissioned it alongside…” Sesshōmaru unwrapped the second parcel, presenting Kagome with two ornate, white wakizashi blades. “These. Why, you ask? I believe I made it clear yesterday that I intend to train you. It will not be possible with that pathetic, bent twig that you see fit to call a bow. You also must learn close-quarter combat. Your bow is useless when there is no distance between yourself and your opponent.” 

Kagome was barely registering his words, entranced by the revelation of not only a bow, but swords. For her? The more she looked at the blades, the more tiny details she found… and the more shocked she became. 

The tsuka-ito wrapping the hilts were as blue as ocean water, the silk woven around intricate silver and gold menuki ornaments in the shape of birds, laid over snow-white samegawa. The kashira adorning the heads of the swords were gold, engraved with an open bird-cage on each, a pink gemstone inlaid within one, a black one on the other. Separating the hilt from the blade were ornate, golden tsuba in the shape of suns, their rays bursting outwards in wide lines. White and blue sageo were affixed to the silver lacquer saya, small, blue birds painted along the scabbards, Japanese maple leaves blowing amongst them, a sun setting in the background.

Kagome could only stare, unblinking, until Sesshōmaru unsheathed one of the blades.

“These indentions–” He ran a clawed fingertip along the steel of the blade. “They are called ‘bohi’ or ‘blood grooves’. They make the blades lighter. You will be able to wield them easily.”

“These… these were made overnight? Sesshōmaru… the details–”

“I cannot take credit for that. The swordsmith is able to tell much of a client by their aura and name alone. She is a seer. She read your aura last night and produced blades that were intended only for Higurashi Kagome. These are yours, miko. I will teach you to wield them.”

As soon as Sesshōmaru re-sheathed the blade, Kagome flung her arms around his neck, sobbing into his hair. The daiyōkai stiffened. The contact–while not entirely unpleasant–was most unexpected and wholly unfamiliar. He was certain that no one, not even Rin, had ever been so bold. Kagome seemed to realize this after several seconds, her own body stiffening before she abruptly pulled away, laughing awkwardly. He was pleased, however, to see a genuine smile remained on her face behind the embarrassment.

“Sorry… but… I don’t even know how to thank you for this. It’s too much.”

His brow hardened at that.

“No, it is not. But it is a start.” Sesshōmaru stood, extending a hand to the miko and helping her to her feet. “Come. We will have breakfast before we return to camp. I would like to begin your training before we continue our journey to Bokusenō.” 

“Boku-senō?”

“Hn.”

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Sesshōmaru was glad to see Kagome regaining an appetite. She inhaled her morning meal with a vigor that made the daiyōkai reflect on her words.

I feel like I’m awake for the first time in years.

She was certainly eating as if that were so. He procured several more servings for later, deciding that she would require the sustenance to regain her missing weight. After all, the food was yōkai enchanted, encased within a time spell that would indefinitely prevent it from cooling or spoiling.

As he stared at the furoshiki-wrapped bento boxes, the thought occurred to him.

A time spell.

Time yōki wielders were rare. The spell used by restaurants were purchased, not cast. Charms created by yōkai who were capable of manipulating time and space.

"Finish your meal, Kagome. I have something to discuss with Reimi."

The miko acknowledged him with barely more than a grunt as she continued to devour a second helping of her breakfast.

Sesshōmaru approached the hōsōgyo, waiting for him to finish conversing with another patron before addressing him.

"Reimi, from whom do you procure your time charms?"

"Huhm. Forgive me, Sesshōmaru-sama, I am most certain my answer is not the one you seek. They're purchased through a third-party merchant. Time sorcerers are very private, you know. They do not like to deal directly with clients if it can be helped.”

The kaigyo turned and began rummaging beneath the counter, emerging with a kifuda, one side of the beautifully carved wood pendant bearing a gissha adorned with wisteria. Reimi flipped it over to display its other side, engraved with nine broadleaves in the shape of a fan. Sesshōmaru recognized the symbol immediately.

Kitsune merchant caravans.

“Hn. May I?”

“Of course, my lord.”

Sesshōmaru held his finger out above the wood, a strand of yōki infiltrating the carving and emerging with a broadleaf. The kitsune caravan thoroughly cloaked themselves beneath thick layers of magic, only accessible to those with a key: a broadleaf imbued with a caravan member’s yōki.

“You have my thanks, Reimi. This has been most helpful.”

“You are very welcome, Sesshōmaru-sama. It is my honor to be of service. Safe travels to you and the Shikon Miko.”

Sesshōmaru nodded his thanks before returning to Kagome’s side. He had to stifle a snort when he found her with her forehead against the counter, snoring softly. At least she was catching up on sleep, he supposed. How a human could find the peace to do so while surrounded by hundreds of yōkai, he could not fathom. 

He reached out to jostle her awake and nearly embarrassed himself, retracting his hand as her reiki rose on the offensive. He hadn’t even noticed the protective barrier around her person, the power so subtle, so tight around her skin that it hid easily among her aura, poised to defend the sleeping miko within it should anyone venture too close… a mistake he'd nearly made.

“Kagome.”

“Sōta, what’d I tell you about coming into my room? Get out.” Sesshōmaru tilted his head at her mumbled words, amusement lifting his perfectly manicured brow.

“Miko.”

That she responded to, blinking herself awake. She looked around for a moment, bewildered before recognition set in. She had the distinct impression of wood grooves on her forehead.

“Guess I fell asleep. Sorry about that, Sesshōmaru.” Kagome yawned, stretching as she gathered her belongings and stood at Sesshōmaru’s side. “Are we ready to go?”

“Hn. Come. Again, remain close. The barrier will attempt to injure you if you are not cloaked within my yōki upon exiting it.”

Kagome nodded as she sleepily rubbed the back of her hand over one of her eyes, silently obeying his command and keeping stride with the daiyōkai. They passed through the barrier without issue, emerging within the same cave from which they’d entered. Kagome was surprised to find A-Un awaiting them beyond the cave’s mouth. She looked to Sesshōmaru, questioning.

“I summoned them. We have far too many purchases to carry them ourselves. Remain here, I must go retrieve the ones I’ve left in Reimi’s care.”

“Hm. Alright, I’ll just–” She turned when a surge of power swallowed Sesshōmaru, his aura disappearing entirely. “...start putting our stuff in the saddlebags.”

She grumbled about the daiyōkai not bothering to listen to her as she loaded A-Un up with her bathing supplies and Shippō’s new clothing. Sesshōmaru returned shortly after with a kabutomushi nearly half the size of A-Un following at the daiyōkai’s heels, its back piled with at least a dozen furoshiki of varying sizes. 

Kagome had to physically turn away, eyes twitching with restraint as she held in the overwhelming need to scream. It was the ugliest thing she’d ever seen–creepy, crawly, disgusting. No beetle had any business being that large. She swallowed around the lump in her throat as she sent out a quiet prayer that Sesshōmaru had no intention of bringing that thing back to camp with them.

“Afraid of insects, miko?”

Kagome rounded on him, her glare intensifying at the subtle smirk on his lips. She was relieved to see the beetle had departed after dropping off their parcels.

“Insects? No… whatever that was… yes. So disgusting.” She cringed, sticking her tongue out and shaking the nerves from her hands as a shiver ran through her body. Kagome’s angry glare was resurrected when Sesshōmaru had the audacity to snort.

“It was a harmless kabutomushi yōkai, merely aiding in transporting our belongings. You should be grateful for its assistance.”

“Why, were your arms broken or something?”

His eyes narrowed on her.

“Watch your tongue, miko. Finish saddling A-Un with our purchases. He will return you to camp.”

Kagome gaped after the daiyōkai as he waltzed past her and took flight, leaving her behind to deal with the pile of packages.

Sesshōmaru heard the annoyed growls and grumblings as the miko followed his orders. He allowed a smirk to grace his lips. He could not summon any genuine annoyance for her brashness. For the first time since they’d begun traveling together, a small glimmer of the miko he’d known was breaking through the broken shell she had become. Her ire was most welcome after several weeks of hollow indifference and insincerity. 

No, he could not complain.

Especially considering it allowed him to feel no guilt for leaving her to deal with all of the furoshiki by herself.

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It took Kagome barely any time at all to over-fill A-Un’s saddlebags with their purchases. She was eager to catch up to the daiyōkai and give him an earful. A-Un was a bumpy ride, the motion of his body on the wind nerve-wracking compared to Kirara’s straight-pathed gliding. The saddle helped, at least, and having reins to hold onto made Kagome feel a little more secure. One of the dragon’s heads seemed to always have an eye on her, watching, something protective in its gaze. That was probably what made her stop shaking like a leaf in the wind and relax after several minutes of travel.

When they passed over a human settlement, Kagome shrieked, causing the poor dragon to falter in its flight.

“Oh! Sorry! I just got excited. A-Un! Can you drop me off at that village? I’ll only be a few minutes, I swear.”

The dual heads snorted in unison as they landed a solid distance from the village, weary of the human inhabitants. Kagome patted each snout as she spoke.

“Okay, you two go a safe distance from here, maybe find something to snack on? I don’t want any humans to see you and start… being humans.” She huffed. “I guess… I guess I’ll flare my aura when I’m ready to go? Is that okay?”

The heads nodded before they took flight, leaving Kagome to wander towards the village’s market. She had spent the morning assessing herself, thinking of how frail she’d become and what sorts of supplements she should start taking to get her health back in order. She was so ashamed of herself, of the way her body had withered without her even realizing it. Kagome couldn’t imagine what her mother would think, what she would say if she saw her looking the way she did. That was around the time Kagome realized she hadn’t seen her period in months.

Time had stopped passing normally for the miko, days blending together endlessly. She only realized how much time had passed when the season was suddenly different. It had been snowing the last time she’d bled. That day, spring was in full bloom.

She’d cringed internally with the realization, well-aware of just how bad of shape she was in if her period had stopped. It only strengthened her resolve to fix it… but fixing it meant bleeding… and she wasn’t optimistic that once she got her cycles back that they would be easy. 

She wasn’t about to tell Sesshōmaru that she needed a bunch of sea-sponges to use as tampons or herbs and roots to numb her cramps. So when she spotted the rather large village, Kagome was determined to spend what little money she had to her name stocking up on supplements and preparing for the looming discomfort that would accompany her rising health.

In less than a half-an-hour, the miko had haggled her way to an armful of supplies. She was sure that A-Un would be thrilled by the increased burden.

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Sesshōmaru was propped up against a tree, ignoring the kit’s accusatory glares that had started shortly after his return without the miko. He would admit–within the safety of his own mind– that when Rin began to gaze upon him with concern on her brow, he grew anxious for Kagome to return and prove his innocence without forcing him to explain himself to pups. Pups that had no business questioning him in the first place.

The daiyōkai scowled as he stood, set on retrieving the errant miko himself after nearly an hour had passed without sign of her. His determination was interrupted as A-Un’s aura fast approached. The dragon swiftly landed in a nearby clearing, a disgruntled miko grumbling as she dismounted from its back. Sesshōmaru had closed the distance between them within the blink of an eye, startling Kagome so much that she toppled over onto her backside with a squeal.

“What kept you, miko?”

She glowered at him from her place in the grass, her features pinched with disdain as she stood and wiped the dirt from her rear.

“I saw a human village on my way back. I stopped to get some supplies that I’ve been lacking.”

“You must be careful approaching human villages. You put A-Un in danger–”

“I would never. Sesshōmaru, I traveled with a kitsune and a hanyō. I’m not stupid. I sent A-Un off to eat while I got my stuff.”

He regarded her carefully, eyes falling on the yellow bag protectively clutched in her arms.

“What sorts of things did you require that you could not have informed me of while in Naishō-mura? Surely whatever you required was available within the market… and without a doubt of higher quality.”

“I didn’t want higher quality, I wanted affordable, alright? Drop it.”

Sesshōmaru barely contained his growl, fangs discreetly clenching behind pursed lips.

“I will not.”

“Fine, you wanna know? I hadn’t really realized it until this morning because I hadn’t noticed anything about myself until you pointed it out. How much weight I’ve lost or how sick I look… but I haven’t had my period in months. Now that I’m taking care of myself it’s probably going to hit me hard. I wanted to be prepared. I needed supplies, alright? Now can we drop it?”

“Your… ‘period’? Period of what?”

Kagome couldn’t contain the laugh that snorted from her nostrils, wheezing from her throat as tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. Sesshōmaru’s face didn’t help matters, morphing from brief surprise to indignant outrage in a matter of seconds, his ears reddening to match the deepening blush along his cheeks.

“Miko. Cease this display and explain yourself.”

She hid her mirth behind her hand. She couldn’t do it, wouldn’t. She was not explaining menstrual cycles to Sesshōmaru. 

Or… hm. Maybe she would. 

It wasn’t often that the daiyōkai was so thoroughly uninformed… and this was a topic he was likely to find uncomfortable.

“My, my, Sesshōmaru-sama. You travel with a young human female… I wonder what you would have done without me if Rin’s menstrual cycle were to have started and you were left confused and clueless …” She tapped her chin with feigned thoughtfulness, smirking when she watched the crimson bloom darker along his cheeks. “Oh, sorry, did I use more words that you aren’t familiar with?”

Kagome reveled in the ire that sparked in his molten eyes. He stepped closer, towering over her, his presence intimidating, overwhelming, yōki bearing down on her as he met her gaze without so much as blinking.

The miko grinned. She knew it was a dangerous game that she was playing… but that’s what made it all the more irresistible. She hadn’t felt so alive, so vibrant, so full of life and emotion in years. 

Fear. Joy. Amusement. Exhilaration.

It had been so long since she’d felt any of it that all of it felt completely and totally foreign. She felt wild, reckless, like she wanted to keep pushing his buttons and see how far things could go. She wasn’t stupid, though, and for the first time in a long time, she had a desire for self-preservation. 

So, before he really lost control and decided that she was more trouble than she was worth, Kagome backed down. She rolled her eyes, baring her neck to him, her gaze averted as she began to explain menstrual cycles, entirely unaware of the flare of instincts that she’d incited in Sesshōmaru by challenging and then submitting to him.

His eyes were riveted on her exposed throat, long, elegant, creamy, bared to him. He could hear her pulse pounding, smell the exhilaration she’d felt in challenging him, how afraid she was, how excited she’d been by that fear. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, his heart beating so fast he could taste the pulse in his throat.

“Sesshōmaru?”

The miko had finally looked up, meeting his reddened gaze and pulling him from whatever spell she’d put him under. His eyes widened with realization, aware of how close he was to losing control to his baser instincts, how hard he’d grown beneath his armor, the throbbing strain against the tough leather of his cuirass.

“Sesshōmaru–your eyes…”

He clenched them.

“Miko. If you value your life you will remain silent while I compose myself.”

Kagome blinked at that, fear spiking her scent again, this time no exhilaration or excitement accompanying it, only fear and confusion. He growled, physically shaking his head and wrangling his beast back under his control.

He could sense her relief when she met his eyes and found them once again gold.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you–”

“I was not upset.”

“Then, why–”

“I will agree to ‘drop’ the topic of your excursion to the human village if you will ‘drop’ all discussion of what just occurred.”

Kagome smirked.

“Fine by me. I’m going to go feed the kids and give them their new clothes, if that’s alright with you?”

He nodded once, his mind still cloudy, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. He needed to run, to hunt, to burn off some of that… energy.

“I will return soon, miko. Be prepared to train when I do. And… Kagome?”

“Yeah?”

“Never challenge me in such a manner again. Is that understood?”

Kagome gulped, nodding. Satisfied, Sesshōmaru gathered yōki at his feet and took off on the wind, ignoring Jaken’s shouted inquiries and pleas for him to wait.

Chapter Text

*Story Info - May Contain Spoilers*

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Universe:

• Post-Inuyasha/Final Act (Sunrise) Canon Compliant

Major Divergences:

• Fully (Sunrise) canon compliant, continues story after Kagome’s return to the Bone Eater’s Well “past” time.

Setting:

• Canon Era, 16th Century Japan, 6 years post-canon

Tone/Genre:

• Action/Adventure, Drama, Humor, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Historical, Tragedy, Thriller & Suspense, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Porn, Smut

Tropes:

• Pack dynamics, Sesshoumaru’s beast, Knotting, Mating Marks, Blood Adoption Ceremony, Kagome is Shippō’s Parent, Sesshoumaru is Rin’s Parent, Alpha Sesshoumaru, Alpha Higurashi Kagome, Powerful Higurashi Kagome

Trigger Warnings:

• Abuse (physical, mental, emotional, verbal, sexual), Self-injurious behavior (self-harm, eating disorders, etc.), Death or dying, Described Blood, Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Confronting Abuser, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Nightmares about Traumatic Events, Explicit Sex Scene, Death of a Loved One, Abandonment, Divorce, Female Oppression

Fandom Warnings:

• Inuyasha is OOC (character regression and amplification of negative personality traits), Kagome is OOC (character regression as she deals with depression), Inuyasha/Kagome Canon Relationship Breakup, Canonical Character Death - Kaede

Published February 1, 2023 ༻❁༺ Chapter Word Count: 7,728 

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「Chapter Five: The Crossing of the First Threshold」༻❁༺「Act One: Departure」

Sesshōmaru’s paws hit the dirt the moment he completed his transformation, the sound of the soft pads of four fur-laden feet meeting the forest floor in time with his racing heart a boon to his soul. It had been far too long since he had gone running, free, as himself. He didn’t bother trying to mask his presence, allowing his ki to unfurl across the lands as he lost himself on the wind.

The spanse of forest came to an abrupt end and Sesshōmaru found himself quickly approaching the edge of a cliff. He didn’t slow, he didn’t stop, he merely leapt from it and took to the skies, his celebratory howl ringing out across the western lands.

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It was an hour later when the daiyōkai resumed his human façade. He had not so much as broken a sweat despite having sprinted several dozen kilometers. The run had achieved his goal, relieving his pent-up aggression and the chaotic energy of his riled instincts. He felt at ease, like himself again, and so, he made his way back to camp.

When he arrived, he found the miko already training with her new bow… and instructing Rin in the usage of her old one. He watched as Kagome stood behind his ward, adjusting her posture and speaking lowly against the girl’s ear, her voice so quiet that it did not even carry to Sesshōmaru on the wind. He could barely hold back his pride when Rin released her arrow and it struck true, embedding in the bark of the tree for which she had been aiming.

“Hn.”

Two dark-haired heads snapped towards him as he approached, the faces of both beaming with genuine smiles.

“Sesshōmaru-sama! You have returned! Look, Kagome-sama has taught me to shoot a bow! It was hard at first, but I haven’t missed my last few shots! Want to see?”

“I have been watching, Rin.You did very well. You should be proud.”

The little girl flushed, her hands wringing around the bow’s neck as she nervously clutched it.

“Thank you, Sesshōmaru-sama.”

“Return to camp with the kit, now, Rin. I require the miko’s full focus.”

“Hai, Sesshōmaru-sama!” Rin turned to Kagome, her grin wide and bright. “Thank you, again, Kagome-sama. It was very fun!”

“You did great, kiddo.”

Sesshōmaru barely contained his surprise when the miko pulled his ward close and kissed her on the forehead. He couldn’t quite explain the discomfort he felt. Memories of the times from when he himself was a pup, witnessing such open affection between his peers and their parents flooded his mind unbidden. His own sire and dam had never so much as offered an encouraging squeeze of his shoulder. 

As Rin made to run past him, he stopped her, his hand resting on her head and gently stroking her hair. Her eyes were wide, shock swirling heavily around her, her mouth forming a perfect little “o”.

She seemed poised to question him, but before she could–and before he could lose his nerve–he spoke, quietly, just loud enough for her to hear.

“I am proud of you, Rin.”

Her mouth fell further open before morphing into one of the widest smiles he’d ever seen her wear. She threw her little arms around his waist, hugging him tight. He continued to stroke her hair until she released him from her hold. One more grin and she turned on a heel, skipping her way back to camp, bow swinging in her grasp and a happy hum in her mouth.

Kagome giggled as she watched the little girl retreat. Sesshōmaru’s head cocked when the miko’s expression grew pensive.

“Sesshōmaru… can I ask you something?”

“You may. Whether I answer or not will depend on the nature of your inquiry.”

“It’s about Rin.”

“I am listening.”

“It’s been driving me nuts. I’ve been dying to ask her for years…but I was afraid she’d get upset. I know the other kids back in the village really put her through hell over it… but why hasn’t she aged?”

“Pardon?”

“I mean… she still looks exactly like she did when I first met her. Why?”

Sesshōmaru blinked a few times, bewildered. He hadn’t even considered it… but the miko was right. Rin was just as she was nine years prior. For yōkai, there was certainly nothing unusual about that… but for a human… she should have been an adult. Kagome’s eyes widened as she observed Sesshōmaru enduring the sudden revelation.

“Oh my gods. You didn’t realize…”

“No, I did not. It must be an unexpected side-effect of the adoption. I had thought we had managed to come out unscathed when nothing strange manifested. Clearly, I was mistaken.”

“Adoption?”

“Hn. We underwent an adoption in the way of yōkai nine years ago. It was the only method of convincing Rin to remain in the village, to prove my commitment to her as a parent… that I was not just abandoning her there.”

“I’m guessing this ‘adoption’ is more than just a signature on paper, then, right?”

“Certainly. She consumed my blood during a ritualistic ceremony performed by several well-trained practitioners of blood magic. She permanently carries my scent now, as if she was mine through birth.”

Kagome’s eyes widened briefly before she recomposed herself.

“I see. That explains a lot.”

“It was unheard of, a daiyōkai adopting a human child in such a way. The sorcerers were unsure of the sort of impact it might have. I truly had not even noticed… yōkai take centuries to age.”

“Yeah, I know. Ship hasn’t aged at all since I met him, either. That’s why I was so curious. She’s briefly mentioned something involving Tenseiga a few times… but I didn’t want to push the subject. It seems like another sore one.”

“Hn. I have resurrected her. It is how she first began following me. Tenseiga does not extend one's mortal lifespan, it only revives. Miko… you said that the other children in the village, they ‘put her through hell’?”

“Oh. Yeah. Sesshōmaru… they all outgrew her. Rapidly. I mean, boys that had crushes on her grew up and she remained a little girl. The girls went through puberty and got married and Rin still preferred to spend her time collecting flowers and making up songs. It’s not just physical. It’s like she’s frozen in time, still as much mentally a child as she is physically. The kids… they bullied her for it. She was present for some of their births and they ended up looking the same age as her by the time we left. Me and Shippō… we were all she really had. She didn’t want to tell you because she knew you’d take her from the village. She didn’t want to leave us. That’s why she was so insistent that I talk to you about the well. She wanted to leave with you… but not without me and Ship.”

“I see.” Sesshōmaru’s jaw was tight, claws clenching and unclenching at his sides. “Miko, why did you never bring this to my attention?”

“Honestly? I never imagined you didn’t notice her lack of aging. It makes sense, though, you being yōkai. Time is different for you. And I didn’t want to betray her trust. She told me she didn’t want to upset you and she didn’t want to leave the village. It wasn’t my place to go to you. If it had gotten any worse, I would have. But she was happy despite the lack of friends. We kept to ourselves. All three of us were outcasts. The married and abandoned miko, the kitsune, and the unaging child. The villagers kept their distance. It got especially bad after Kaede-sama passed away. She was always great at keeping the peace. Without her… it just wasn’t the same. It’s why I moved to the outskirts of the village and took the kids with me.”

“I wish you had informed me of all of this, miko. I did not even realize that Rin had moved out of the elder miko’s hut.”

“Oh… I figured she’d at least told you that much… Sesshōmaru, Kaede-sama’s passing was several years ago. Rin moved in with me right after. I can’t believe she kept that from you.”

“I think I may need to have a discussion with her about this. She was consistently in very high spirits during each of our visits. I never imagined that anything was amiss. I had wondered at the elder miko… Kaede’s absence and the sudden lack of her scent on Rin. My condolences. I know that she was your mentor.”

“She was for many years. It was especially hard because… she passed shortly after… after the wedding.” Kagome fidgeted nervously, eyes settling on her hands as she picked at her fingers. “She was in poor health around that time and… I think my withdrawal from the community may have put too much work on her shoulders. I… I feel responsible–”

“Miko. Do not. She lived an exceptionally long life for a human. You cannot blame yourself. From what Rin said, she was never one to cease working, regardless. Even had you been there to assist her, she likely would have continued with her duties.”

Kagome smiled, a sad, bittersweet tilt of her lips before meeting the daiyōkai’s eyes.

“You know, you’re right. She always did say that working kept her young. I… I’m honestly surprised you knew enough about her to know that.”

“I am highly observant, miko. There is little that escapes my notice. Which is why I am surprised by how much has been kept from me. Perhaps I have not been paying close enough attention where Rin is concerned… I–frankly, I feel I have failed her.”

“Oh… no, Sesshōmaru. Please, please don’t feel that way. You’re probably the best part of her life. She loves you so much. I think it’s more that she’s very good at compartmentalizing negative things. I think she just wanted her visits with you to be happy.”

“Hn.”

“Well… anyways, I don’t think it’d be a bad idea for you to have a talk with her about all this. Especially now that she has no reason to hide anything from you.”

“Yes, I think you may be right. For now, though, let us proceed with your training before the day grows any later.”

“Okay. Uhm, what exactly are we doing?”

“First, I will begin teaching you about your ki. I have observed you long enough to see where you struggle. It is untempered, wild, like the yōki of a feral yōkai. You are not one with it. You must learn to control it, to let it flow through you as opposed to just… collecting it. I have noticed that when you become emotional, it gathers in your hands. That is not ideal. You want to direct the flow. Here, give me your arm.”

Sesshōmaru settled in seiza by Kagome’s feet, gesturing for her to do the same as he extended an expectant hand. She cocked a brow, hesitating briefly before plopping down in front of him. She offered her limb and his left hand wrapped gently around her elbow, straightening the arm as the claw of his right index finger ghosted over her artery.

“Your blood, it flows through here, do you see?”

Kagome smiled, certain that he didn’t expect her to have any understanding of anatomy. She figured she’d listen to his explanation without interrupting, curious to see the extent of his own knowledge on the topic.

“Mhm.”

“There are lines like this throughout your entire body, the blood flowing through them. It helps to visualize your ki following these lines. It may be more difficult for you, since you are human and cannot hear the flow–”

“Uhm, actually, I’ve seen them. I have a pretty comprehensive understanding of the ‘lines’. In the future, we call them veins and arteries. Human anatomy is a science we’re taught in school. We also dissect animals to understand organs.”

Sesshōmaru stared at her, a look of incredulity on his features for several seconds before he schooled them back into his impassive façade.

“I see. Humans clearly advance in their education systems. Though… cutting into things for the sake of learning is rather barbaric. Yōkai have educators capable of magics that render flesh transparent… on living beings . Demonstration is typically performed on peers within the classroom. In later years, with more advanced studies, it is further evinced by sorcerers capable of creating illusionary projections of anatomy.”

“That is… incredible.”

“Yes, well, at least the perverse human method of teaching has made you capable of understanding your body. I had anticipated the likelihood that I would have to devise a separate tactic for you to envision the flow of your ki. I am glad that I do not have to waste time doing so. Now, to return to the lesson. First, you must understand the source of your ki. The well of reiki within you–do you know how to project a barrier?”

“Yes.”

“Do so. Focus on the place that you feel the barrier leaving, the place that the power originates.”

Kagome gasped, having never paid attention to the sensation of power building within her when creating her barriers. She was always focused on the external part, the barrier itself.

“Interesting, miko. You hold a perfect shape for your barrier… so you are familiar with directing the ki. At least to some extent. Did you feel its origin?”

“Yes. It’s in my center, here.”

Kagome rested a hand against her lower abdomen, reverently running it back and forth, as if acknowledging something living within her for the first time. 

“Precisely. Now that you know where it is, you must imagine your intent, your inner-self, your mind, traveling to that spot to guide it, to show it the way.”

Sesshōmaru moved to kneel behind Kagome, demonstrating as he dictated, the pads of his fingers pressing against her spine at the base of her skull.

“Envision your intent within your mind's eye. From there, send it here, where my fingers are. Force the intent downwards and into the well of ki.”

Kagome suppressed a shudder as his hand traveled down her spine, then wrapped around to rest on her stomach. She heard his breathing pick up before he suddenly stood, clearing his throat and re-assuming his seat in front of her.

“Once you’ve sent your intent to the source of your ki, direct the ki through your–forgive me, you referred to them as ‘veins’ and?”

“Arteries.”

“Hn. Veins and arteries, then. Imagine them, the blood-flow along the lines, your ki carried within the blood. It is a part of you, treat it as such.”

“Now?”

Sesshōmaru nodded in the affirmative, eyes sliding shut as his form relaxed.

“Close your eyes, miko. Meditate. I will join you.”

Kagome folded her legs, arms resting on her knees as she sank back into her subconscious, focusing only on the flow of blood through her body, envisioning her reiki joining it, coursing through her veins. She wasn’t sure how long she had been meditating, having been thoroughly enveloped in her task, but the daiyōkai’s whisper brought her back to the conscious world with several sleepy blinks of her formerly shuttered lids.

“Miko.”

Sesshōmaru’s eyes were wide when Kagome’s opened in response to his address. Her brow furrowed, confused, until she looked down to see her veins glowing bright, reiki pink, her hair floating around her as if she was under water. As soon as the shock of the sight hit her, the phosphorescence of her blood faded and her hair fell limp around her form.

“Wh–”

“You attuned yourself… quite quickly. Well done. I had thought we would be spending more time with this lesson today. We can move on to more practical applications, then. You are familiar with my yōki-whip, yes?”

Kagome scoffed.

“Uh-huh. Well acquainted with it.”

Sesshōmaru ignored the accusatory glare, lifting his chin a little higher as he pointedly continued speaking without addressing her insinuation.

“Hn. Well, let’s start with a much smaller version of that.” He held two fingers out in a “v” shape on each hand, palms facing one another. “Hands like so, miko.”

Kagome mirrored his actions.

“Good. Now, do not force quite as much of your ki to flow as you did while meditating. Just imagine two thin strings traveling through your arm, separating at your knuckles and moving into each straightened finger on your right hand. Then, emit them from your fingertips to connect to the two fingers on your left–yes, very good. Miko, you have excellent control of your ki. I do not understand why you have been incapable of harnessing it.”

“I… I don’t know. I didn’t really know how to.”

“No one ever taught you any methods? At all?”

“No, only pushing it into an arrow. I tried to replicate that–”

“Which is why it gathers in your hands. I see. It was a good place to start. At least when teaching oneself without guidance. You have learned well how to summon the ki. You just need to discover where and how to direct its flow and force it into a concentrated shape as opposed to just pooling it into your palms. That considered, this will move along much faster than I had anticipated. Excellent. Now, I want you to attempt to loop your ki around your fingers, like so.”

Sesshōmaru resumed the positioning of his hands, two fingers on each in the shape of a ‘v’, his ki stretching between them. He moved his right pointer finger in a circular motion, prompting his ki to wrap his corresponding left one in a loose, glowing green loop.

“Oh. Interesting.” Kagome kept one eye on his movements as she replicated them perfectly. She grinned as the strand of pink lassoed around her finger with little effort. She played with the speed, winding, unwinding, weaving it through all of her fingers, testing the limits of her control… of which, there seemed to be none. She even managed to tie it into a little bow around one of her fingers. 

The miko laughed happily, overjoyed with the progress. She’d been trying to harness her ki for years with little to no success. Kagome would never admit it out loud, at least not to him , but she’d even tried producing a light whip inspired by Sesshōmaru’s. Her ki would always manifest in massive bursts and clouds. In a single lesson, the daiyōkai had given her the key to unlocking her potential… and she felt powerful .

When her eyes settled on Sesshōmaru, who had been observing her with rapt attention, she was surprised to find a little amused smile on his lips. He schooled his features as soon as he realized she’d noticed, clearing his throat as he stood.

“Excellent, Kagome. That was a very good start. Continue practicing that in your spare time. While bathing, while walking, while eating. When your hands are idle, busy them with your ki. It is very important that you do not overextend it, however. Use only small strands so that you do not exhaust your spiritual energy. We need to keep the well of your ki full. Not only for training purposes, but in case of battle as well. That is enough, for now. We will resume our travels. Tonight, once we set up camp again, I will begin training you with your physical weapons.”

“Okay. Sesshōmaru…thank you so much. Honestly, I can’t believe it was that simple.”

“Hn. It is a shame that there was previously no one in your life capable of teaching you to control your ki. It would have been very useful in defeating Naraku. Your power was vital against him in the end. Had you been trained, I cannot imagine how much sooner victory would have come.”

Sesshōmaru was entirely oblivious to the effect his words had on Kagome. She flushed, shrinking in on herself as he turned on a heel and headed towards camp. She remained behind for several minutes, steadying her breathing and gathering her bearings before following the daiyōkai.

When she caught up, she was surprised to find her picnic blanket spread out, several bento boxes laid on top of it and everyone gathered together, preparing to eat. Well, everyone save for A-Un, who was curled behind Rin and Shippō, enjoying their afternoon nap. The daiyōkai was seated across from them, Jaken at his right, Kagome’s leftovers from the market sitting to his left. The miko took her seat at Sesshōmaru’s side before digging around in her backpack for some of the herbs she’d purchased from the human village. Sesshōmaru’s nose began not-so-discreetly working the air as he observed her.

“What is that?”

“S-Sesshōmaru, please. We can talk about it later.” She moved her eyes towards the kids, hoping he’d take a hint. His brow hardened.

“Hn.”

She sprinkled the herbs meant to help with her appetite and digestion onto her food, then made a tea with the herbs and roots meant to help with amenorrhea. The tea was especially soothing, instantly calming her roiling stomach. Eating so much after eating so infrequently was causing a discomfort in her guts that made her aversion to food want to creep back up. She squashed it, forcing it back down alongside another hearty mouthful of rice.

Sesshōmaru nodded his approval at her empty bento box as he rose, declaring it time to depart. The day’s trek was uneventful, as had been most of the journey thus far. The daiyōkai was concerned about the following day–the group would be reaching the leg of their trip that would put them in yōkai-populated territory, territory that few human settlements had yet to encroach upon. Traveling with two humans would be challenging. Not for him, of course. No, he would certainly be more than capable of taking care of his pack. The humans, however, may not be fond of the sorts of things they would encounter out in the yōkai-saturated forest, far from any well-traveled roads.

He glanced back towards his little pack, gilded iris filling the corner of one watchful eye, observing as the miko and the kit taught Rin and Jaken the rules to some silly game in which hand gestures decided who won each round, the winner permitted to take more steps. It had set Jaken very far behind the group. Sesshōmaru was tempted to command them to stop dawdling and keep up… but Rin’s laughter had given him pause. 

The daiyōkai subtly slowed his pace.

When the temperature began to drop alongside the sun, Sesshōmaru veered off of the road and followed the scent of water. The group set up camp on a hill overlooking a stream, the miko taking up her usual tasks of caring for the pack. That night, however, her routine deviated for the first time since they began traveling together. The miko actually joined the pack for dinner rather than just preparing it, eating heartily for the third time that day. After the pups fell asleep following their bedtime story, Kagome took a seat next to Sesshōmaru as he leaned against a nearby tree.

“Were you still planning to train me tonight?”

“I was not certain you’d have enough energy. You busied yourself with the pups as soon as we made camp.”

“Yeah, sorry–”

“Never apologize for prioritizing them. I do not want to exhaust you, though. If you are too tired–”

“I’m not! Please, I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”

Sesshōmaru suppressed a smirk.

“Very well, then. Come.”

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

For several hours, Sesshōmaru instructed Kagome in the use of her new weapons. First, teaching her to control the flow of ki into her arrow, adjusting the amount so that she would not expend too much on weaker targets. Her marksmanship was already well-practiced– her stances, aim, and form perfect–so the daiyōkai skipped further tutelage involving her bow and moved onto swordsmanship forms. 

They started simple–practicing drawing and sheathing her swords, demonstrations on the proper way to hold them once drawn, and finally, some basics about how to swing them. The lesson ended with several standard kata, which Sesshōmaru continued to demonstrate until Kagome could perfectly replicate the routine.

Once the daiyōkai was satisfied, he allowed Kagome to retire to the onsen for her nightly bath. He was pleased when, rather than remaining there, napping for several hours, she returned straight to camp, hunkering down in her bedding with the pups and instantly drifting off to a quiet, restful sleep.

His instincts were thoroughly soothed as he spent the night watching over his sleeping pack, occasionally patrolling the perimeter to ensure no threats lurked nearby. Though, he deemed this mostly unnecessary, certain that his presence alone would deter any that might mean harm. Those foolish enough to approach him despite his hostile aura were, of course, not intelligent enough to be considered a true threat. 

By the time the sun had risen, the daiyōkai had found enough peace to doze languidly against the trunk of a tree, content for the first time in centuries.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

When Sesshōmaru allowed the morning light to pull him from his soft drifting of consciousness, he found his pack still soundly asleep. He extended his awareness outwards, checking for any foreign presence that may have encroached upon their temporary territory during his intermittent napping. When he was satisfied that there was none, he rose, stretching and rolling his shoulders before making his way to the onsen.

The water still held Kagome’s scent, quite strongly, and he found his body reacting to it in a most unusual way. He swallowed thickly as he hardened beneath the heat of the water, a trembling hand finding its way to his thickened length. He did not partake in self-release all too often, opting to allow his body to take care of unwanted arousal as he slept. The daiyōkai found both methods undignified, but at least the latter he had no control over. He was not so weak as to give into temptations of the flesh.

That morning, however, as he sat in the hot spring, surrounded by the sweet scent of Kagome and her bathing products, a sense of serenity settled on him like an ethereal mist and he found squeezing his excited flesh all too tempting.

It started idly, fondling himself, exploring his body, cupping his swollen sack and unsheathing his weeping tip from the tightened confines of his foreskin. The more he touched, the better it felt, and soon enough his eyes lulled shut and he began thoroughly enjoying the act, stroking the stiff column of flesh with eager ferocity, growling gently as he chased his release.

His unwanted erections had been agitating him since the miko had issued her challenge and subsequently bared her throat to him in submission. He tried not to think of her as he pounded his fist against his cock, but it proved impossible, thoughts of the creamy expanse of her neck filling his mind as he breathed deep, basking in her lingering aroma. 

Sesshōmaru snarled as his member contracted in his grip, shooting several thick rivulets into the water. He was panting as his eyes slid open, chest heaving, muscles relaxed, mind overtaken by contented bliss. Never had an orgasm put him into such a state of ease or given him such mental clarity. He lazed in it for several minutes before drying and re-dressing. By the time he’d started making his way back to camp, he could hear the miko gently waking the pups and preparing to start her morning routine. He refused to acknowledge the places his mind had wandered, scarcely able to look at her as he took up post against his tree.

Sesshōmaru managed to calm down enough to thank Kagome when she extended her usual morning offering of perfectly-brewed tea. As he sipped it, he allowed his thoughts to move past his shame and re-focus on the continuation of their journey. Sesshōmaru had never been fond of utilizing human-formed roads and paths, but considering his company, he thought it best to traverse along smooth, unobstructed ground for as long as possible, especially in light of the rough terrain they’d be facing for the latter portion of the day's journey.

 Once everyone was fed and dressed, the group packed up their camp and made their way back to the road. The late-spring sun was warm, its intensity broken by the soft winds that picked up every so often. The children’s voices carried on it, soft giggles and teasing words exchanged as they entertained themselves throughout the long, tedious walk.

The miko remained suspiciously quiet. When Sesshōmaru cast his glance back towards her, he couldn’t suppress the satisfied smile that tilted his lips. She was wholly focused on a string of ki, braiding it with two other strings. The daiyōkai sensed a shift in Jaken’s aura, bringing his attention to the little imp, who was staring at him, eyes wide and mouth agape. Sesshōmaru pegged him with a well-aimed stone before turning back to face the road.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

It was late in the afternoon before the group stopped to rest by a river, the children napping while Kagome fished and foraged. She prepared and partook in a large lunch, then refilled their water containers before letting Sesshōmaru know that she and the children were ready to resume their travels.

“Miko, come.”

Her brow furrowed, but she obeyed, following the daiyōkai beyond the tree-line…well out of the kit’s range of hearing.

“What’s the matter, Sesshōmaru?”

“I wanted to make you aware of the dangers that may come with the remainder of today’s journey.”

“Dangers?”

“Hn. We will leave the road soon and enter yōkai territories. The forest we will be traveling through… it is wild, untouched by humans. The things that lurk there can be dangerous. I will not allow any harm to befall my pack, but it is best you keep your senses open. Especially tonight, when we camp. We will be within the woods. I do not want you to be alarmed when I erect a barrier once camp has been made. Do not, under any circumstances, leave that barrier in the night. I will keep watch while you sleep.”

“Jeez… is it really that dangerous? You can’t even sleep?”

“I rarely do, regardless. I spend every night watching the pack.”

“Wh-what? Really?”

“Yes. I require very little rest.”

“Oh. Well, okay. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll make sure the kids stay close.”

“Very good. We leave now, then.”

Kagome nodded as she followed Sesshōmaru back to the riverside where they’d left the children under Jaken’s care.

“Jaken.” The single word from his lord had the imp scrambling to his feet, wrangling the children onto A-Un and leading the beast after the daiyōkai, who had already set forth to continue down the road, Kagome trailing behind.

It wasn’t long before Sesshōmaru led the group into a parting within the tree-line, guiding them through the thick forest and over the dense underbrush of its floors. The miko eventually gave up her feeble attempts to stop tripping over rogue roots, opting instead to join the children on A-Un. She settled herself behind Shippō and Rin, both of which instantly fell asleep against her chest.

Something heavy seemed to hang in the air the deeper they went into the woods. Kagome’s skin prickled, the forest around them filled with a strange, disturbing energy. She felt like she was being watched from every direction, like hundreds of eyes were on her at any given moment. Sesshōmaru suddenly stopped walking, turning on a heel and backtracking to A-Un’s side. He looked up to Kagome as he softly spoke his words.

“Miko, do you know how to mask your aura?”

“Yes.”

“Do so. You are attracting unwanted attention.”

“Is Shippō’s okay? Should I wake him?”

“No. He is fine. It is because you are human. Your powers are tempting beings that would otherwise ignore our presence.”

With that, he returned to the front of the group, continuing on through the winding trees. The hairs on Kagome’s neck stood on end as her eyes darted around, searching the shadows and the high canopy of the forest, which hung so far above them that she could hardly see the tops of the trees, their trunks disappearing into a cloud of darkness.

She was surprised by how at ease she felt–safe beneath Sesshōmaru’s protection. She watched as he continued to walk, demeanor entirely calm, hair swaying softly with his silent steps, his aura louder than usual, announcing his presence, casually strong and vigilant.

When his attention shifted slightly, ear tilting to the left, Kagome’s eyes followed his own, searching for whatever had drawn his attention. Her heart leapt into her throat as her eyes fell on the serpentine creature. She was certain it was the closest thing to a dinosaur she’d ever seen, its body long, thick, and snake-like, surrounded by six legs that stayed low to the ground, summoning to mind thoughts of lizards… or crocodiles. Its tiny head was held aloft by a long neck that made it resemble some sort of sauropod. Kagome found herself briefly wondering how many yōkai fossils like it had been found and mistaken as a type of dinosaur.

The thought was ripped from her mind and replaced by terror as the thing began advancing, its sights set on Jaken, who had been taking up the rear of the group by foot. The beast was deathly silent, not a single sound meeting her ears as its feet slapped the forest floor, eerily long body squirming and weaving through the trees. There was no aura, nothing to warn of its hasty approach.

Without even thinking, Kagome lept from A-Un’s back and checked the creature, knocking it away with her bow as it lunged for the unsuspecting imp. By the time she had connected with it, Sesshōmaru had closed the distance between them, swiftly dispatching the threat with Bakusaiga. Jaken was wide-eyed, staring at Kagome as she heaved to catch her breath, adrenaline coursing through her trembling limbs.

“Are you hurt?”

The miko’s eyes widened as Sesshōmaru’s hands cupped her face, turning her this way and that as he inspected her for injury.

“N-no. Just shocked.”

“Foolish.” Sesshōmaru released her from his grasp before returning to his place at the head of the pack. “Do not do that again, miko. I would have intercepted it in time.”

Kagome fumed, face burning hot beneath her rage.

“I wasn’t going to sit there while that thing tried to eat Jaken! I’m sure you would’ve intercepted in time, but I couldn’t just… do nothing! ” She lowered her voice, breathing a sigh before uttering her next truth. “B-besides. I knew you’d be there to back me up.”

“Hn.”

It was the only response she got as the daiyōkai resumed his pace, A-Un immediately following his quiet footfalls, Rin still sleeping on the dragon's back. Shippō was awake, though, eyes wide as he watched the miko. 

Kagome stood for a moment, still struggling to catch her breath after all the excitement. She startled when Jaken tugged on the leg of her hakama, urging her forward. 

“Come, Kagome-sama. We mustn’t be left behind.” As they caught up to A-Un, the imp's eyes remained on the path ahead, hand still clutching Kagome’s hakama. “Thank you, Kagome-sama. Sesshōmaru-sama was right, though. You should not have risked yourself. That was a nomori. Their coil is deadly to humans. Even had it captured me, I would have survived long enough for Sesshōmaru-sama to intervene. You, however, would not have been quite so lucky. It would have turned your insides to porridge.”

Kagome shuddered at the visual. She tried not to think of how her skin tingled where Sesshōmaru’s hands had rested against her cheeks, or how his stoic mask had fallen, revealing eyes filled with concern. Concern for her . She felt a little ashamed by how angry she’d gotten, especially when just moments before she had been pondering how safe she felt with him. She’d acted impulsively, recklessly. 

Kagome’s whisper was so low she was certain only Sesshōmaru’s inu ears would pick up her words.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I should have trusted you.”

The daiyōkai cast his eye to her, a barely discernible nod of his head acknowledging her apology before turning back to the stretch of forest before them.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Sesshōmaru found a stopping point for the night when they came upon a small waterfall, a secure, cubby of a cave nestled behind it. After ensuring that it was uninhabited, he instructed Jaken to gather wood for a fire while Kagome laid out bedding.

“Miko, you may bathe the pups in the pool beyond the cave. Do not linger tonight.”

“I was just going to skip the baths after what happened earlier. I don’t want to stray too far from you. Especially with the kids.”

“I will keep you safe, Kagome.”

“I know.” She straightened, rising to her feet with a smile. “Good thing, too. I really didn’t want to go to bed without washing up. It was so humid today and that was a lot of walking… I just… you’ll be close?”

“If my presence makes you uncomfortable–”

“No! Just the opposite, actually.”

“Hn. I will be nearby.”

He took up vigil on a nearby boulder, his back turned to the pool of water, aura stretching and settling wide and far, a warning to any that might approach his vulnerable pack as they bathed. Kagome shivered beneath its power, surprised when her reiki rose of its own volition, entangling with the heavy blanket of yōki. She watched Sesshōmaru stiffen at the contact and she immediately forced the reiki back, coiling it tightly within her body.

“Miko?”

“S-sorry. It just… happened. Like it reacted to you. I’m so sorry!”

When he didn’t respond, Kagome suppressed an embarrassed groan as she turned on a heel and retreated to the cave to retrieve the children.

“Sesshōmaru-sama is really strong, huh Kagome?”

“Yeah, Ship. You feel his aura?”

“Of course I do! I think all of Nippon can feel that.”

Rin frowned.

“I don’t feel anything.”

“Oh, sweetie. That’s okay. Most humans don’t. See this, though?” Kagome pulled Rin’s arm outwards, running her fingers along the gooseflesh that had appeared, the pale hairs on her arms standing on end. “You might not be able to sense it, but you know it's there. This is your body reacting to it. Neat, huh?”

Rin’s smile grew impossibly wide.

“Really? I was wondering why the bumps appeared. That usually only happens when I grow cold. How interesting!”

“Uh-huh. Now, come on, you two. We need to hurry up and get these baths over with. I don’t want to be out there any longer than we have to. These woods are creepy.”

“But we are safe with Sesshōmaru-sama!”

“Yes, Rin. We are. But let’s not make him sit on a rock all night just to keep us safe.”

“We’re safe with you, too, K’gome. I saw what you did to that big ugly snake earlier.” Shippō reenacted the confrontation with the swing of an invisible bow, sound-effects and all. Rin pouted, sad to have missed out on the action because of a nap.

“You could sleep through anything, Rin-chan.” Shippō laughed as he stuck out his tongue, Rin chasing him and shouting idle threats. Kagome rolled her eyes before following them out into the small pool of water. 

The miko had ended up reluctant to shorten the duration of bath-time. The water was unusually warm and clear, beautiful beneath the illumination of the moon. They were in a small clearing, the sky fully visible above, unobstructed by the surrounding forest. The stars were bright, shimmering amongst swirls of galactic coloring. Kagome sighed. That sky had been one of the main draws for her permanent return to the past… and yet, she’d barely taken the time to enjoy it.

When Sesshōmaru scented tears, he turned his head without thinking. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of Kagome, idly running her fingers through Rin’s hair, her serene expression cast to the night sky. That look on her face made him certain that she was once again mourning the features of the world that would one day be lost to time.

He had always presumed that humans held little regard for nature, what with their rapid destruction of it. When the miko had first come to him for help in restoring the well, something she’d said was his motivating factor in agreeing. It wasn’t that yōkai were missing from her era, though that certainly tied into his main concern… but no, it was not the root of the problem. 

‘I missed the clean air, I missed the nature, the simplicity.’

If she lived in a world without nature, Sesshōmaru was certain it was the reason that she also lived in a world without yōkai. Those words had jilted him and had continued to haunt him for the entirety of their journey thus far. The daiyōkai was a century shy of a millennium, he had seen humans spreading along the earth like wildfire, rapidly rising, destroying, creating… replacing. They took the trees and made their villages, heedless of the screams of the land. He had feared that one day they would do too much, take too much. 

When the miko had uttered those words she’d confirmed his greatest fears. If she missed clean air and nature… then those were things that did not exist in ‘her time’. She missed ‘simplicity’... implying that the human settlements in which he’d already witnessed growing more and more intricate throughout his lifetime would only continue to do so over the coming centuries. And he, Sesshōmaru, was afraid .

But there before him stood a solution. A human that had lived in an era where his greatest fears were realized was living and breathing before him then, shedding tears for the beauty that would one day be no more. A powerful human, one who had earned a reputation and respect among her kind. She could have sway, she could have influence. She could prove invaluable in protecting the nature that yōkai-kind thrived upon. And she could change everything .

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Sesshōmaru had remained awake and alert, perched upon the same boulder for the remainder of the night. Nothing had dared approach. The nomori from the day before had been an anomaly. Even if only at an instinctual level, most yōkai were too concerned with self-preservation to risk approaching the potency of the daiyōkai’s aura.

As he watched the sun rising above the trees, he heard the miko’s lilting laughter from the entrance of the cave, her soft footsteps approaching, bare against the dewy morning grass.

“I told the kids we had to hurry with our bath so you wouldn’t have to sit on a rock all night… yet here you are, the same spot I left you when I went to sleep.”

“Hn.”

“Not a big talker, are you? It’s been almost two weeks now and I’ve heard ‘hn’ more times than all of your other words combined.”

He cast an eye down at her as she leaned against the stone, looking up at him with a smile that rivaled the sunrise. Sesshōmaru forced his gaze back to the sky.

“I am unaccustomed to socializing.”

“Is that broody daiyōkai for ‘I don’t like talking’?”

He scoffed.

“No, miko. It is broody daiyōkai for ‘I am used to being alone and lacked experience in socialization until I somehow managed to accumulate a strange little group of creatures that have followed me across all of Nippon.’”

“That almost sounded like a joke.”

“Hn.”

Sesshōmaru gracefully leapt from the boulder, landing by Kagome’s side.

“Get dressed. We will practice with your reiki and then continue on our way. Bokusenō is not far from here.”

“You still haven’t told me who exactly this ‘Bokusenō’ is… and why does he live out in these creepy woods?”

“Bokusenō… is best encountered rather than explained. You have kept your curiosity to yourself for this long. Hold it for a few more hours and you will have your answers.”

Sesshōmaru suppressed a smirk at the miko’s indignant huff, all too pleased when she didn’t argue and instead retreated to the cave to dress for the day–as he had instructed. When she returned, they meditated together for a solid hour, practicing controlling ki before Sesshōmaru gave her further instruction on how to form shapes with it. Once the lesson was finished, Kagome woke the children with breakfast and within another hour, the group was on their way.

The forest began to grow more whimsical, lighter, greener and significantly less dark. Kagome felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders as they left the eerie woods behind and ended up in a part of the forest that made her think of elves and fairies. 

Mushrooms were copious, littering the ground and growing up the sides of trees. Vines hung from branches and coiled around trunks that stood as thick as small huts. The sunlight filtered through the forest canopy, highlighting the various shades of greens, of which Kagome was certain not a single hue within the spectrum of color was missing. 

Everywhere her eyes fell was a different variation of green, from vines and flowers, to leaves and stems, to the grass and the moss that clung to the bark of trees. In all of her adventuring, Kagome was certain she’d never seen anything as beautiful, as vibrant, as viridian as that stretch of forest.

When Sesshōmaru stopped in front of a tree that was easily twice as thick as the Goshinboku, Kagome tilted her head in observation. She wondered if another portal lay beyond it, if he would continue walking until they were all transported elsewhere. The miko watched with bated breath, excitement for the unknown swirling in her stomach.

“Bokusenō.”

Her brow furrowed when Sesshōmaru uttered the word, a word that she had assumed was a name… but as the daiyōkai spoke it to the empty air in front of  the old tree, she found herself second-guessing its meaning. At least until a face began to form along the bark, yawning, sleepy eyes blinking to life.

Kagome could only stare, eyes widening as the tree stared back at her, amusement glinting in its gaze.