Week #92 | Picture [Drabble]
Title: Embrace
Author: LuxKen27
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Universe: Canon
Rating: T
Warnings: Angst
Word Count: 500
Summary: Kagome continues to grieve over her reaction to Inuyasha’s death.
Author’s Note: Part of the “ Allegiance” series, a sequel to ‘ Shield.’
“I’m sorry,” she announced, dry-eyed.
Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder, quirking a brow. For what? he mused silently, his eyes sweeping over her form as she huddled near the fire pit. For keeping the truth of Inuyasha’s demise from me? For breaking down uncontrollably in front of my guard?
For coming here in the first place?
Her eyes met his. “For everything,” she clarified softly.
He faced forward again, pushing mokomoko from his shoulder as he continued to prepare for bed. She’d escaped into their room shortly after that horrible scene, collapsing in his arms when confronted with the means of her beloved Inuyasha’s death. Then - as now - he’d shrugged off her actions, content in the knowledge that she would not flee as threatened; grateful that she’d also separated herself from him, thus sparing him the greater portion of her renewed grief.
He could feel her eyes boring into his back as he slipped into a light sleeping kimono, and briefly he wondered if she would spend this night as she did all the rest: awake…miserable…wallowing in her sorrow...
He frowned.
She sighed. “It’s funny,” she said, breaking into his thoughts. “Every time I close my eyes - every time I’m alone - all I see is that scene. All I see is death, and blood, and destruction, and all I want to do is run.” She exhaled sharply. “How terrible is that?”
Sesshoumaru lowered himself to the mattress, spreading mokomoko across the sheets. His heart skipped a beat as he felt her stand, her footsteps quiet as she moved closer to him. Some feeling he couldn’t describe tugged at him, nudging the leash he held firm over his youki. His ministrations ceased as she sat beside him, holding herself very still.
“Have you ever wanted to run away from a situation because you couldn’t control it?” she whispered. “Do you know what that’s like?”
If he didn’t before, he did now - pangs of helpless fear stabbed at his gut, panic curling at the base of his spine as a wave of irrational fear rolled over him, turning his blood into ice in his veins. He clenched his fists at his sides, releasing his youki to fend off her the effects of her blood, his innate calm restoring itself within moments.
A patch of silence stretched out between them, long enough to draw his attention to her face. She sat in profile beside him, gazing off in contemplation, no hint of fear or tears in her aura. After a moment, she spoke. “Sometimes I think if I keep running, I’ll never have to picture it again.”
He reached for her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. Memories lingered at the back of his mind.
“I know,” he sighed. His eyes closed as she leaned into him, twining her arms around his neck, resting her head against his shoulder. He returned the embrace, pulling her closer, tightening the circle of his arms until he wondered just who was clinging to who.
“I know.”
Author: LuxKen27
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Universe: Canon
Rating: T
Warnings: Angst
Word Count: 500
Summary: Kagome continues to grieve over her reaction to Inuyasha’s death.
Author’s Note: Part of the “ Allegiance” series, a sequel to ‘ Shield.’
“I’m sorry,” she announced, dry-eyed.
Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder, quirking a brow. For what? he mused silently, his eyes sweeping over her form as she huddled near the fire pit. For keeping the truth of Inuyasha’s demise from me? For breaking down uncontrollably in front of my guard?
For coming here in the first place?
Her eyes met his. “For everything,” she clarified softly.
He faced forward again, pushing mokomoko from his shoulder as he continued to prepare for bed. She’d escaped into their room shortly after that horrible scene, collapsing in his arms when confronted with the means of her beloved Inuyasha’s death. Then - as now - he’d shrugged off her actions, content in the knowledge that she would not flee as threatened; grateful that she’d also separated herself from him, thus sparing him the greater portion of her renewed grief.
He could feel her eyes boring into his back as he slipped into a light sleeping kimono, and briefly he wondered if she would spend this night as she did all the rest: awake…miserable…wallowing in her sorrow...
He frowned.
She sighed. “It’s funny,” she said, breaking into his thoughts. “Every time I close my eyes - every time I’m alone - all I see is that scene. All I see is death, and blood, and destruction, and all I want to do is run.” She exhaled sharply. “How terrible is that?”
Sesshoumaru lowered himself to the mattress, spreading mokomoko across the sheets. His heart skipped a beat as he felt her stand, her footsteps quiet as she moved closer to him. Some feeling he couldn’t describe tugged at him, nudging the leash he held firm over his youki. His ministrations ceased as she sat beside him, holding herself very still.
“Have you ever wanted to run away from a situation because you couldn’t control it?” she whispered. “Do you know what that’s like?”
If he didn’t before, he did now - pangs of helpless fear stabbed at his gut, panic curling at the base of his spine as a wave of irrational fear rolled over him, turning his blood into ice in his veins. He clenched his fists at his sides, releasing his youki to fend off her the effects of her blood, his innate calm restoring itself within moments.
A patch of silence stretched out between them, long enough to draw his attention to her face. She sat in profile beside him, gazing off in contemplation, no hint of fear or tears in her aura. After a moment, she spoke. “Sometimes I think if I keep running, I’ll never have to picture it again.”
He reached for her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. Memories lingered at the back of his mind.
“I know,” he sighed. His eyes closed as she leaned into him, twining her arms around his neck, resting her head against his shoulder. He returned the embrace, pulling her closer, tightening the circle of his arms until he wondered just who was clinging to who.
“I know.”