Keepsake by Enemytosleep [Oneshot #64]
Title: Keepsake
Author: enemytosleep
Word Count: 1,114
Rating: PG
Characters: Kagome, Sesshoumaru
Prompt: dokuga_contest - Pajamas
Summary: Kagome gives a dog a bone.
Warnings: late manga spoilers
Notes: Thanks to a_big_apple for making sure I hit all the right notes. :3
Kagome woke abruptly to the crushing pressure of approaching demonic energy. She had only managed to sit up on her mat when it descended on the village, her eyes still not focused enough to spot her bow and quiver. Her hands slid clumsily over the floorboards in a frantic attempt to locate them when the moonlight shining through the cracks of the doormat was completely snuffed out by a large shadow.
"Girl," the demon called.
"Sesshoumaru?" What is he doing here at this hour? "What's going on?"
Still standing outside the hut, he answered, "Rin told me you had something to give to me?" It seemed both a question and a statement at the same time. Wake up, Kagome!
She pushed back her covers and stood, then made her way to the doorway. Carefully, she slipped her hand behind the hanging mat and peeked at the demon lord outside. She swallowed hard, then said, "I do, actually. Uh-"
His eyes had lit up for the briefest of moments, and he was watching her curiously - and very intensely. He reminded her now of the little terrier Eri's mom kept: one mention of the word 'cookie' and he was right there in front of you, staring expectantly and waiting for a treat. Kagome decided not to tell Sesshoumaru that.
"Yes, um, could you meet me at the shrine gates? I just need to get it ready."
He tilted his head, still studying her. "I will be waiting." Then he turned and strode off in the direction of the shrine.
That was awkward! He certainly hadn't wasted any time in coming here. He'd only just come back for Rin this evening! She let the mat fall back into place as she turned to retrieve the Tetsusaiga. She pried open the loose floorboard near the hearth as quietly as she could; thankfully, Kaede's gentle snores continued. She pulled the sheathed sword out from under the hut, then put the floor back in place. Next, she grabbed the yukata she had worn earlier today and used a sleeve to wipe the dust off of Tetsusaiga's sheath. That was when it hit her: she was really about to do this. Was she ready?
The rational part of her brain began reasoning with her again. There was no practical reason to keep the sword. She couldn't fight with it, and there was no way she could bear to see it dismantled; she'd never forgive herself if she let Totosai do that. It was actually practical to give it away. From experience, she knew that bad things always sought ways to gain more power. Keeping the sword in this village would only bring trouble for its inhabitants, and they'd suffered more than their share over the years for the Sacred Jewel. Still, now that this moment was here, her heart ached. She would be losing one more thing that tied her to Inuyasha.
"Kagome?" It seemed she hadn't been as quiet as she'd thought. "Are ye ready to part with it?"
Kaede was always so perceptive. How did she do it? "I think so. It makes sense, right?"
"It's not always a matter of sensibility, Kagome. What does thy heart tell ye?"
Kagome ran her thumb over the tattered hilt of the old fang, down over the hard wood of its sheath, then back up again. Inuyasha wouldn't want for her to hold onto the past like this, right? He wouldn't want his memory to be her crutch. He'd want her to be strong - so strong she would be.
"It's time," Kagome finally said.
"Then ye should go." Kagome could hear the smile in her words.
"Right."
She slipped on her loafers and stepped out into the night, Tetsusaiga in hand. Taking a deep breath to steel her nerves, she set out for the shrine. She'd spent a lot of time wondering whether this was the right thing to do, and now that she'd decided, she started to wonder what Sesshoumaru might think about it all. What if he didn't accept the sword? He had two already, and Bakusaiga was definitely very powerful. He certainly wouldn't need Tetsusaiga. Why didn't you think of this before, Kagome? She was quite worried by the time she reached the shrine grounds.
Sesshoumaru, true to his word, was waiting for her beside the arching gates. It was now or never, she decided, so best to keep moving forward. The moon lit the open grounds quite brightly, and so she was able to see the confusion on his face as she approached. He watched her quietly as she climbed the last set of stairs, his eyes fixing on the sword when she came to stop in front of him.
"That is my father's fang."
"Yes."
"You do not wish to keep it?" She found it odd that he would ask that. Being human, she couldn't wield it, so the only reason to keep it would be as a keepsake. Sesshoumaru hadn't struck her as the sentimental type - but then, maybe he was? There really was a lot she didn't know about Sesshoumaru. Besides, she would have the rosary beads still.
"If it fell into the wrong hands … I'd rather it didn't fall into the wrong hands." She held it out to him with both hands. "I think it would be safest with you."
"Did Inuyasha wish for this?"
"No, but I think he would have wanted it: it is your father's sword, after all. One of the brothers should keep it."
"Hn." He leaned forward and inspected the sword, occasionally looking up at her as if to inspect her too. Then he spoke again. "I will accept the Tetsusaiga."
"Thank you." Kagome bowed her head and held Tetsusaiga further out to him.
Somehow, this wasn't exactly the way she'd imagined this moment might unfold: her standing at the edge of the shrine in her cartoon frog pants and matching teeshirt with sleep mussed hair as the imposing demon lord loomed over her in the moonlight. Then again, she hadn't spent much time imagining how this might happen. She looked back up at Sesshoumaru.
He grunted, then reached out with both hands for the sword. With a light nod of his head, he took it from her. For a few seconds, Kagome thought he was going to whip it out right then and there, but then he carefully tucked it into his belt between his other swords. "It will be safe with me," he said quietly. "I will return with Rin after a few days. She says she misses the journey."
"I can understand that," Kagome said sadly.
All Kagome got was an approving rumble in Sesshoumaru's throat before the air swirled with sparkling demon energy, which then carried him and Tetsusaiga off into the night.
"Take care," she said to no one.
______________
There is an explanation/disclaimer in the comments thread below. :)
Author: enemytosleep
Word Count: 1,114
Rating: PG
Characters: Kagome, Sesshoumaru
Prompt: dokuga_contest - Pajamas
Summary: Kagome gives a dog a bone.
Warnings: late manga spoilers
Notes: Thanks to a_big_apple for making sure I hit all the right notes. :3
Kagome woke abruptly to the crushing pressure of approaching demonic energy. She had only managed to sit up on her mat when it descended on the village, her eyes still not focused enough to spot her bow and quiver. Her hands slid clumsily over the floorboards in a frantic attempt to locate them when the moonlight shining through the cracks of the doormat was completely snuffed out by a large shadow.
"Girl," the demon called.
"Sesshoumaru?" What is he doing here at this hour? "What's going on?"
Still standing outside the hut, he answered, "Rin told me you had something to give to me?" It seemed both a question and a statement at the same time. Wake up, Kagome!
She pushed back her covers and stood, then made her way to the doorway. Carefully, she slipped her hand behind the hanging mat and peeked at the demon lord outside. She swallowed hard, then said, "I do, actually. Uh-"
His eyes had lit up for the briefest of moments, and he was watching her curiously - and very intensely. He reminded her now of the little terrier Eri's mom kept: one mention of the word 'cookie' and he was right there in front of you, staring expectantly and waiting for a treat. Kagome decided not to tell Sesshoumaru that.
"Yes, um, could you meet me at the shrine gates? I just need to get it ready."
He tilted his head, still studying her. "I will be waiting." Then he turned and strode off in the direction of the shrine.
That was awkward! He certainly hadn't wasted any time in coming here. He'd only just come back for Rin this evening! She let the mat fall back into place as she turned to retrieve the Tetsusaiga. She pried open the loose floorboard near the hearth as quietly as she could; thankfully, Kaede's gentle snores continued. She pulled the sheathed sword out from under the hut, then put the floor back in place. Next, she grabbed the yukata she had worn earlier today and used a sleeve to wipe the dust off of Tetsusaiga's sheath. That was when it hit her: she was really about to do this. Was she ready?
The rational part of her brain began reasoning with her again. There was no practical reason to keep the sword. She couldn't fight with it, and there was no way she could bear to see it dismantled; she'd never forgive herself if she let Totosai do that. It was actually practical to give it away. From experience, she knew that bad things always sought ways to gain more power. Keeping the sword in this village would only bring trouble for its inhabitants, and they'd suffered more than their share over the years for the Sacred Jewel. Still, now that this moment was here, her heart ached. She would be losing one more thing that tied her to Inuyasha.
"Kagome?" It seemed she hadn't been as quiet as she'd thought. "Are ye ready to part with it?"
Kaede was always so perceptive. How did she do it? "I think so. It makes sense, right?"
"It's not always a matter of sensibility, Kagome. What does thy heart tell ye?"
Kagome ran her thumb over the tattered hilt of the old fang, down over the hard wood of its sheath, then back up again. Inuyasha wouldn't want for her to hold onto the past like this, right? He wouldn't want his memory to be her crutch. He'd want her to be strong - so strong she would be.
"It's time," Kagome finally said.
"Then ye should go." Kagome could hear the smile in her words.
"Right."
She slipped on her loafers and stepped out into the night, Tetsusaiga in hand. Taking a deep breath to steel her nerves, she set out for the shrine. She'd spent a lot of time wondering whether this was the right thing to do, and now that she'd decided, she started to wonder what Sesshoumaru might think about it all. What if he didn't accept the sword? He had two already, and Bakusaiga was definitely very powerful. He certainly wouldn't need Tetsusaiga. Why didn't you think of this before, Kagome? She was quite worried by the time she reached the shrine grounds.
Sesshoumaru, true to his word, was waiting for her beside the arching gates. It was now or never, she decided, so best to keep moving forward. The moon lit the open grounds quite brightly, and so she was able to see the confusion on his face as she approached. He watched her quietly as she climbed the last set of stairs, his eyes fixing on the sword when she came to stop in front of him.
"That is my father's fang."
"Yes."
"You do not wish to keep it?" She found it odd that he would ask that. Being human, she couldn't wield it, so the only reason to keep it would be as a keepsake. Sesshoumaru hadn't struck her as the sentimental type - but then, maybe he was? There really was a lot she didn't know about Sesshoumaru. Besides, she would have the rosary beads still.
"If it fell into the wrong hands … I'd rather it didn't fall into the wrong hands." She held it out to him with both hands. "I think it would be safest with you."
"Did Inuyasha wish for this?"
"No, but I think he would have wanted it: it is your father's sword, after all. One of the brothers should keep it."
"Hn." He leaned forward and inspected the sword, occasionally looking up at her as if to inspect her too. Then he spoke again. "I will accept the Tetsusaiga."
"Thank you." Kagome bowed her head and held Tetsusaiga further out to him.
Somehow, this wasn't exactly the way she'd imagined this moment might unfold: her standing at the edge of the shrine in her cartoon frog pants and matching teeshirt with sleep mussed hair as the imposing demon lord loomed over her in the moonlight. Then again, she hadn't spent much time imagining how this might happen. She looked back up at Sesshoumaru.
He grunted, then reached out with both hands for the sword. With a light nod of his head, he took it from her. For a few seconds, Kagome thought he was going to whip it out right then and there, but then he carefully tucked it into his belt between his other swords. "It will be safe with me," he said quietly. "I will return with Rin after a few days. She says she misses the journey."
"I can understand that," Kagome said sadly.
All Kagome got was an approving rumble in Sesshoumaru's throat before the air swirled with sparkling demon energy, which then carried him and Tetsusaiga off into the night.
"Take care," she said to no one.
______________
There is an explanation/disclaimer in the comments thread below. :)