Spring in the Polaroid by Anna

The Spring in the Polaroid

A/n: While narrowing down the date of InuYasha's time in the sengoku jidai, it can be said it took place between 1543 and 1553, after considering all facts like : Kagome's time given in manga first chapter that is 1996; the mention of Oda Nobunaga when Kagome first meets Takeda/Amari Nobunaga; introduction firearms in Japan in the band of seven arc, it would make Kagome's time 453 years ago not 500. 

But I'm going to make this take place in 1509-1510 because I can. So, in this story the well closes around summer of 1510 after defeating Naraku. So I wrote this for the ones who would be confused and would want to point out date and stuff. 

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Spring, 1603

The spring air outside was reminiscent of that day. His chest twisted and his heart bled. It had started bleeding after a certain victory and was bleeding still. The sakura blossoms danced in the air in a flurry of pink, their smell sweet and torturing. It evoked very unpleasantly pleasant memories of an enigma that no longer was there to alarm him nor equally soothe his aching soul. 

He looked at the polaroid picture that had not yet been invented in this time. The colours had begun to fade after a few decades. So he had gone to the kit around 60 years ago. That was the last he had seen him. 

Shippo had held the photo for a few moments to himself, his eyes wistful, before he had looked up and smiled at the Daiyoukai. "Of course, I can do it. I have excelled a lot in the last three decades," he had said and had cast a spell to preserve the one he was holding, as well as the others, preserved well inside the album for good measure which would have lasted many more years otherwise, along with a few things from her yellow backpack that she had left behind before vanishing, all kinds of peculiarities inside. He had kept everything carefully for reasons unknown. 

Now, he delicately held the small piece of parchment that had captured a realistic portrait of two beings standing under the sakura blossoms. It was his most treasured belonging. The white border just under the picture was captioned in neat handwriting, 'Spring,1510 : Higurashi Kagome and the Lord of the Western Lands.' She stood smiling her ever so lovely smile, her raven hair floating around her in the spring breeze. He stood by her side in his usual stance, face placid as ever, silver hair swaying and mokomoko waving along with stray pink petals. She clutched her hands behind her back innocently as he lightly had his fingers resting over the hilt over his newly acquired Bakusaiga. 

He lightly traced his thumb over her image and inhaled deeply with his eyes closed. He reminisced that particular day. The voices, the laughter, the chatter, the banter, all playing in his mind. He never in heavens would have known that the sounds that had annoyed him at that time would come back in whispers to haunt him later. He had never known that he would desire to hear those again that he had not bothered deeply about at that time. People had been lost, but their memories haunted him still. 

The childrens' laughter as they played together, the sound of hiraikotsu hitting a certain lecherous monk's head, a sister's voice laced with concern for her younger brother, an imp ranting nonsense to a girl who lost herself in the beauty of blossoms, a half-breed drawing his sword and spouting empty threats, and a miko who was the centre of it all. Whose voice was the guide to the lost souls. Whose compassion bound unlikely humans and demons alike into a family he had never known he would come to belong to. 

It hurt. It had been over 90 years now. People had been lost, but their memories haunted him still. 

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Spring, 1510

"Please, please, please, pretty please?" She knelt with her hands clasped together in the front as if she were praying for her life. She pleaded on her knees, eyes closed. She was rarely this desperate for anything. 

"No."

"Oh c'mon Sesshoumaru. It's not like I'm asking you to fetch a ball or roll over your tummy." She groaned. Over the last few months of travelling side by side, she could tell that they now stood between being allies and friends. She was quite not there yet. But she would reach his heart. As she did with everyone she decided to befriend. No one escaped her arrow of compassion that sealed their loyalty towards her for eternity. 

"This one will not repeat himself thrice." Even though he glared at her, he was enjoying this private entertainment. Not that he would express. 

"It's just a photo. It will take less than a minute, I promise. I already have one with everyone. Even Jaken for Kami's sake!" He resisted the urge to wince at her rising pitch. It was one of their visits back at Kaede's village when Kagome needed to go home. She had come back with a peculiar square instrument and had gathered everyone to take 'pictures'. Everyone had been excited and amused. Even InuYasha was smiling. It was a beautiful morning and the air was thick with the sweet scent of cherry blossoms permeating with the scent of happiness from everyone. They knew the final battle was near and this might be the last gathering before the last confrontation with Naraku. So they allowed themselves this moment. 

"Tell me what you want in return. I'll give it." She stood to strike a deal anyhow. 

"There is absolutely nothing you could offer me." He said with his usual air of arrogance, eyes narrowed as if looking down on her.

"Try me, Mr. Fluff-fluff." His icy glare sent a shiver down her spine. Maybe it was not the best time to rile him up. 

She righted herself and cleared her throat. "Try me, my Lord."

He watched her, amusement dancing in the depth of his golden demonic eyes as he considered his options. 

"You shall hand over the portrait to This One." 

Kagome's face fell. She couldn't understand why he would want that. Maybe it was a fascinating thing from the future, maybe he wanted a miniature realistic portrait of himself. Whatever the reason, she couldn't think of any reason remotely related to herself. 

"But... But I need it for my album. It's not fair." She protested. 

"Hn." He turned away lazily, conforming his earlier statement that she was not in the position to offer him anything, when a plan lit up in her mind. 

"Fine, fine. I think I can compromise." She mumbled. 

They chose a spot under a sakura tree. When Kagome handed the camera to Miroku, who had been provided with the needed information about its operation, she whispered to him, ordering to take two instead of one. She glanced nervously at the Daiyoukai, apprehensive about his sensitive hearing. But he was busy facing the tree, watching the pink petals fall. He looked ethereal and Kagome wished she could take a photo like this. But she wanted herself by his side. 

When the first one was taken, she had turned towards him and had boldly taken his arm tightly, lest he move away. That action alone had surprised him enough to turn and look at her. That was when he had heard the shutter going off for the second time. She hastily removed her hands as her cheeks heated up. She looked away apologetically before taking off towards Miroku who was shaking the newly printed photo. He followed her movement with his honey-gold eyes, too surprised to react in any way. 

Their faces were turned towards each other. Kagome held his arm as their hairs, dark and silver, swayed and mingled in the gentle air. She was looking up at him, only their side profiles visible. 

Kagome squealed in delight as she held both of the pictures. She captioned the dates and name with her marker and raced towards the glaring Daiyoukai. 

"You deceived This One." He intoned, his anger half-hearted. Inside he was marvelling at the beauty of the second portrait. She ignored his comment the way no soul would dare to ignore the first-born of Inu no Taisho. 

She gave him the first one without any hint of guilt as she grinned and examined the second one. "It looks kinda romantic." She mused aloud. When he didn't take the other, she looked up towards him and to her surprise, he was looking at the one in her hand hungrily. 

"What?" The miko snapped, afraid what she was thinking might become true. Afterall, she was touching him in it like none would dare to. But she was KAGOME. KA-GO-ME! 

"Give that one to me." He said in a voice of authority, pointing one elegant claw towards the second image. 

"You wish." She said with narrow eyes. "I'll keep this one in my album. You didn't want to take any photographs to begin with. The hell I'll give this one to you. Why do you want it anyway?" She met his eyes with equal ferocity. 

Now he was at a loss of words. He couldn't say he wanted that for himself. That would be out of character. When he realised she was not going anywhere without an answer, he resorted to the last option. A lie. 

"To destroy. It is offensive."

Her eyes widened in anger and he sensed her reiki cackling to life under her skin. As she had thought that was what he wanted to do. Little did she know his intentions were nowhere near destroying it. 

"Oh no no no!!! I'll protect this with my life. You would have to destroy it over my dead body." She pointed her finger towards him just short of jabbing it in his chest while holding the polaroid in her other hand possessively. After that she turned with purposeful steps and walked away. It was pleasing, the extent to which she desired a part of him with herself, be it on a piece of paper. 

Sesshoumaru watched her retreating figure and when she was out of his sight, he looked at the miniature portrait in his hand. The day had been strange and his feelings stranger. His actions more peculiar than ever. He carefully tucked the photograph under his mokomoko, making sure it was secure. One thing he was sure about. He didn't want to lose it. 

He turned and looked at the tree that would make the backdrop of the one materialistic thing he would come to treasure more than anything else in the future to come. The light pink blossoms fluttered by, grazing his face, hair and mokomoko like a lover's caress. The day held a promise of beautiful things to come, but his heart was tinged with a slight apprehension of an upcoming hurricane. 

He looked back at the hut where the miko had disappeared and inhaled the intoxicating air that held her scent still. He wanted things to remain this way. For the first time in centuries, he was afraid of something... He was afraid of the changes to come. How did He, Sesshoumaru, come to get attached to the mundane routine and people surrounding his half-brother? The answer to this mystery sat inside the hut now, carefully gluing each picture she had taken today and writing her thoughts to her heart's content, treasuring the people she had befriended in this Warring States Era and cherishing all the memories in the pages of her beloved photo journal.

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A/N: Polaroids or instant cameras first went on sale in 1948. Around 1977 the colour polaroids were very popular so it is not unnatural for Kagome to use one.

That said, I hope you enjoyed this. And if you did please just take a moment to drop a short review. I do not know if I'll continue this or not. Lets see...