Prompt 97: Fly
Title: Scary Is
Author: britedark
Universe: post-canon
Warnings: none
Word Count: 816
Summary: Kagome tries to reassure her apprehensive daughter.
Author's Note: This is a sequel to Let Joy Not Be Gone. This will be part of the Bound to Tomorrow collection.
Scary Is
Sesshomaru had not touched down when Aimiko wriggled out of his hold. Jumping down, she raced to her mother, shouting. “Mama! Mama! Uncle Sesshomaru hurt papa!”
The miko knelt to receive her child’s desperate embrace as Aimiko broke into tears again. “Shh, Aimiko-chan,” she murmured. “I’m sure it will be all right. Tell me about it?”
Sesshomaru stood in silence as Aimiko babbled about seeing Inuyasha struck with Sesshomaru’s blade. He ignored the scared and apprehensive women and children shrinking away from his presence, his attention on his half-brother’s woman. She projected an aura of calm, but flickers of concern danced through it was she listened to her daughter’s story.
He watched her stroke Aimiko’s white hair. “Well, what Papa said is right,” she said after Aimiko’s sniffling story came to an end. "There’s always a chance of getting hurt when practicing sword-fighting. But, that’s why they practice, so that when they fight bad youkai, they won’t make the same mistake, when it could really, really hurt them. Understand, Aimiko-chan?”
He doubted the little girl did. Her wail a moment later seemed to prove it. “But, Uncle Sesshomaru is scary! He hurt papa!”
There was a flicker of amusement in the miko’s aura, but the expression, and tone of voice she turned on her daughter were entirely serious. “Yes, Lord Sesshomaru can be scary. He is very powerful: he scares many people just by his very presence. But, you know what? Papa can be scary, too.”
“Papa’s not scary!”
There were a few snorts from the women who were lingering in the vicinity.
Kagome laughed a little. “Oh, he can be, Aimiko. He’s scared me a few times. He scares many bad youkai, and bad men. He’s not as powerful as Lord Sesshomaru, but he can be almost as scary.”
Sesshomaru felt mildly insulted by that statement. Sensing Aimiko’s feelings shift, as she abruptly sat down, he decided to add to the lesson.
“Lady Kagome can also be scary, little pup,” he said. “She is a very powerful miko, and plenty of youkai are scared of her.”
Aimiko twisted around to look at him, amazement on her face. “Really? Mama is-scary?”
He inclined his head. Aimiko stared at him, her face a study, one ear twitching slowly. “Can Mama and Papa scare you?”
Sesshomaru stiffened. “This Sesshomaru is afraid of no one!” he said in his iciest tone. He regretted his reaction the next instant, as Aimiko shrank back, ears lowering.
Kagome laughed softly. Standing up, she picked up the girl and put her on her hip, then strolled slowly towards the taiyoukai. “Don’t be scared, sweetling,” she said softly-too softly for the humans to hear. “Uncle Sesshomaru may bark when he feels offended, but he’ll never harm you.”
“But...”
“Just because a person scares you on occasion, it doesn’t mean you have to be afraid of him,” Kagome continued. “Uncle Sesshomaru didn’t mean to scare you, either time. He still cares about you, don’t you think?”
Sesshomaru felt the slightest twinge of apprehension, before Aimiko slowly nodded.
“So.” Kagome finally looked at him, and smiled. “Why don’t you take Aimiko flying?” she asked. “I think she’ll love that. In fact ...” Her smile became more of a smirk. “If you can transform into a smaller version of your true form, she’d probably forget about being scared. Although, she might want to play with your ears.”
Sesshomaru glowered at her, over Aimiko’s head. The human woman gave him her sweetest smile. “You don’t scare me, brother-in-law,” she whispered.
Yes, he knew. It was occasionally-unfortunate.
But, as he accepted Aimiko into his arms, and felt her resistance, he could not keep his expression from softening. The tip of his fur stroked the side of her face, and he spoke gently as he looked down at her wide-eyed, uncertain expression. “Aikimo’s mother is correct: this Sesshomaru had no intention of scaring the Aimiko-pup. This Sesshomaru protects the Aimiko-pup. The Aimiko-pup does not need to be afraid.”
“Which means, Aimiko-chan,” he heard Kagome whisper, “that he’s sorry he scared you, and he’ll try not to do it again. Forgive him, sweetling?”
“O-okay.” There was still the slightest hint of fear, Sesshomaru noticed, but the golden eyes met his without flinching. “I forgive you, Uncle Sesshomaru.”
“Now, go fly.”
Irksome as it could be to listen to a mere mortal, Sesshomaru took off. Aimiko’s fear faded rapidly, and when, no little ways off from any human, he came back to earth and acted on the other suggestion, Aimiko proved her mother’s prediction. She loved his ears and loved his tail, and acted like the pup she was. Dog and pup played until pup fell asleep, and the dog curled up around the little, hanyo pup, alert and content, assured that all was well with the world.
Author: britedark
Universe: post-canon
Warnings: none
Word Count: 816
Summary: Kagome tries to reassure her apprehensive daughter.
Author's Note: This is a sequel to Let Joy Not Be Gone. This will be part of the Bound to Tomorrow collection.
Scary Is
Sesshomaru had not touched down when Aimiko wriggled out of his hold. Jumping down, she raced to her mother, shouting. “Mama! Mama! Uncle Sesshomaru hurt papa!”
The miko knelt to receive her child’s desperate embrace as Aimiko broke into tears again. “Shh, Aimiko-chan,” she murmured. “I’m sure it will be all right. Tell me about it?”
Sesshomaru stood in silence as Aimiko babbled about seeing Inuyasha struck with Sesshomaru’s blade. He ignored the scared and apprehensive women and children shrinking away from his presence, his attention on his half-brother’s woman. She projected an aura of calm, but flickers of concern danced through it was she listened to her daughter’s story.
He watched her stroke Aimiko’s white hair. “Well, what Papa said is right,” she said after Aimiko’s sniffling story came to an end. "There’s always a chance of getting hurt when practicing sword-fighting. But, that’s why they practice, so that when they fight bad youkai, they won’t make the same mistake, when it could really, really hurt them. Understand, Aimiko-chan?”
He doubted the little girl did. Her wail a moment later seemed to prove it. “But, Uncle Sesshomaru is scary! He hurt papa!”
There was a flicker of amusement in the miko’s aura, but the expression, and tone of voice she turned on her daughter were entirely serious. “Yes, Lord Sesshomaru can be scary. He is very powerful: he scares many people just by his very presence. But, you know what? Papa can be scary, too.”
“Papa’s not scary!”
There were a few snorts from the women who were lingering in the vicinity.
Kagome laughed a little. “Oh, he can be, Aimiko. He’s scared me a few times. He scares many bad youkai, and bad men. He’s not as powerful as Lord Sesshomaru, but he can be almost as scary.”
Sesshomaru felt mildly insulted by that statement. Sensing Aimiko’s feelings shift, as she abruptly sat down, he decided to add to the lesson.
“Lady Kagome can also be scary, little pup,” he said. “She is a very powerful miko, and plenty of youkai are scared of her.”
Aimiko twisted around to look at him, amazement on her face. “Really? Mama is-scary?”
He inclined his head. Aimiko stared at him, her face a study, one ear twitching slowly. “Can Mama and Papa scare you?”
Sesshomaru stiffened. “This Sesshomaru is afraid of no one!” he said in his iciest tone. He regretted his reaction the next instant, as Aimiko shrank back, ears lowering.
Kagome laughed softly. Standing up, she picked up the girl and put her on her hip, then strolled slowly towards the taiyoukai. “Don’t be scared, sweetling,” she said softly-too softly for the humans to hear. “Uncle Sesshomaru may bark when he feels offended, but he’ll never harm you.”
“But...”
“Just because a person scares you on occasion, it doesn’t mean you have to be afraid of him,” Kagome continued. “Uncle Sesshomaru didn’t mean to scare you, either time. He still cares about you, don’t you think?”
Sesshomaru felt the slightest twinge of apprehension, before Aimiko slowly nodded.
“So.” Kagome finally looked at him, and smiled. “Why don’t you take Aimiko flying?” she asked. “I think she’ll love that. In fact ...” Her smile became more of a smirk. “If you can transform into a smaller version of your true form, she’d probably forget about being scared. Although, she might want to play with your ears.”
Sesshomaru glowered at her, over Aimiko’s head. The human woman gave him her sweetest smile. “You don’t scare me, brother-in-law,” she whispered.
Yes, he knew. It was occasionally-unfortunate.
But, as he accepted Aimiko into his arms, and felt her resistance, he could not keep his expression from softening. The tip of his fur stroked the side of her face, and he spoke gently as he looked down at her wide-eyed, uncertain expression. “Aikimo’s mother is correct: this Sesshomaru had no intention of scaring the Aimiko-pup. This Sesshomaru protects the Aimiko-pup. The Aimiko-pup does not need to be afraid.”
“Which means, Aimiko-chan,” he heard Kagome whisper, “that he’s sorry he scared you, and he’ll try not to do it again. Forgive him, sweetling?”
“O-okay.” There was still the slightest hint of fear, Sesshomaru noticed, but the golden eyes met his without flinching. “I forgive you, Uncle Sesshomaru.”
“Now, go fly.”
Irksome as it could be to listen to a mere mortal, Sesshomaru took off. Aimiko’s fear faded rapidly, and when, no little ways off from any human, he came back to earth and acted on the other suggestion, Aimiko proved her mother’s prediction. She loved his ears and loved his tail, and acted like the pup she was. Dog and pup played until pup fell asleep, and the dog curled up around the little, hanyo pup, alert and content, assured that all was well with the world.