One Way Streets by sarhea
One Way Streets (Winter)
Prompt: Dokuga Seasons Challenge – Winter
Genre: Romance, Adventure, Drama
AU/CU: CU Universe
A/N: AR. I never write fanfic 100% true to series canon so there will be discrepancies and some OOC. Naraku is defeated, Shikon restored and here is the aftermath.
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha and company; Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Sunrise 2000, Yomiuri TV do. I’m just playing with the characters.
Summary: Naraku has been defeated, the Shikon wished on… What happens next?
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...ooO One Way Streets (Winter) Ooo...
“I’m gonna ask Kikyo to be my mate.”
Ice spread out from the center of her chest, from her heart, numbing her.
Kagome was not certain how she truly felt about InuYasha’s announcement. She only felt cold. Cold and tired.
Carefully she pieced together her cheerful façade.
“Congratulations.” She inhaled deeply. It did not hurt right now but Kagome did not want to risk the numbness fading and her control breaking.
She had to get away. She had to get away from InuYasha. And Kikyo. And Sango and Miroku and Kaede and Shippo. She could not bear to face any of them right now. They were all so cheerful and happy. They had their family and lovers but there was no one for one exhausted miko born in a distant future.
Kagome was cold and hurting and numb. She wanted to go home. She wanted her kaa-san and jii-jii and bratty Souta.
Carefully she looked away, refusing to look the hanyou in the eye.
“I think it is best if I return home and rest. With Naraku defeated and the Shikon gone there is no reason why I should not do just that. I am leaving now so you will have to tell everyone else I’m taking a break. I will return in two weeks.”
The hanyou opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted.
“You owe me InuYasha. If I did not deny you the Shikon -and make the wish I made- your beloved Kikyo would still be ashes and clay, not flesh and blood.”
Cool blue eyes met amber for the first time since he made his announcement and InuYasha recoiled from the remote distance in those dark sapphire orbs.
He shifted uneasily and tucked his hands into the wide sleeves of his red fire-rat haori. “Feh.” He grumbled. “Do whatever you want wench.”
Kagome stood up and began walking away. Her words floated back to the hanyou on the crisp winter breeze.
“I will.”
She did not bother making a detour to Kaede’s hut to pick up her yellow backpack or to don more layers and more sturdy shoes. She did not feel the crisp chill of the frosty early December afternoon. All she needed was to get to the Well. To Tokyo. To home. To kaa-san.
Usually someone from the tachi would accompany her to the Bone Eaters Well but right now they were busy with their own matters. And Kagome could look after herself. She was the one who purified thirty percent of Naraku’s horde and Naraku himself. She was the one to fight off the remnants of Naraku’s detachments until Sesshoumaru had reached her. InuYasha had been too busy protecting Kikyo and Sango had been covering Miroku.
That Battle had shown Kagome she could look after herself. She did not need to be protected all the time like a fragile flower. She did not need a Protector.
But it did not eradicate her desire to be loved, her desire for the focus of her affections to respond to Her.
But he didn’t care about her as a lover or a friend. With no second thought or hesitance InuYasha had destroyed all her confidence and self-esteem, her belief she was desirable and worthy of love. Her vision blurred as fresh tears welled up but she refused to let them fall. Kagome desperately needed her mother; her comforting embrace, soothing words, and unflinching support. She needed her mother to reassure her that it was not the end of the world and that things would get better.
By the time Kagome reached the clearing with the Well her feet were numb from the biting cold. Her pace quickened. She couldn’t wait to get home and have a hot bath and eat kaa-san’s oden!
Eagerly she sat on the edge and swung her legs over the rim so they dangled down the inside of the well before pushing off.
And landing to hit hard snow covered dirt.
The well wasn’t working!
Frantically Kagome climbed out of the well and jumped back in. Each time she did the well remain non reactive. There was no blue-glowing light that indicated the portal was working, taking her home. Her surroundings did not change. She kept climbing out into the same wooded clearing, not a familiar Well House.
After the tenth time the reality of the situation finally sank in.
The Bone Eaters Well was no longer working. Her way home was gone. She was trapped in the past with a hanyou who was marrying her previous incarnate, one who tried to kill her. She was trapped in the past where there were few options for women other than back breaking labor, brothels, or religion. She was trapped in a time of war, chaos, and youkais; a time of shortened life expectancy, superstition and diseases.
What was she going to do?!?
Kagome glanced at the faint footprints in the white snow leading to Edo Village. She could go back. Kaede would have a place for her. If it became too uncomfortable she could go with Sango and Miroku and Kohaku. Sango wanted to reestablish the tajiya village of her ancestors.
But if she went back she would have to deal with InuYasha and Kikyo.
She was not ready for that. She could not look at the hanyou she loved and not feel the urge to scream and curse him. He ignored her heart and stomped on it before finally ripping it to tiny shreds. She needed distance and peace to heal.
Firmly she looked away from the vanishing foot prints and took one of the other paths leading away from Edo Village.
Kagome knew she was being silly, running off without proper supplies or clothes, but at that moment she hurting and bitter. The chill in her heart spread. She could not bring herself to care about anything. If she was being a fool… Well, the kamis looked after fools and children. And right now they owed her for everything she’d gone through and done to save the past and protect the future.
...ooOoo...
Sesshoumaru frowned at the snow covered mound Rin was fussing over.
“Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama! Rin found Kagome-sama! Kagome-sama is really cold and sleeping! Can Rin keep Kagome-sama?”
Carefully the taiyoukai knelt beside the still heap. The miko was still alive. Barely. She was no longer shivering. A bad sign for ningens who were less sturdy than youkai.
What was the miko doing so far from his bastard hanyou sibling? Where was the fool?
Sighing internally he gathered up the miko and arranged her close enough for mokomoko to drape over her. Almost immediately her body responded to the heat and aura emanating from his more powerful one and began shivering.
He owed the odd miko. One of the effects of the wish she made to banish the Shikon was the regeneration of his severed left limb. Sesshoumaru did not like being beholden to anyone. This action would balance the ledger, wiping his debt to her.
Besides he was curious to know just what she was doing out in the winter wilderness, all alone with no sign of her allies or any supplies in the form of her curious yellow sack.
...ooOoo...
Kagome frowned and wrinkled her nose. She was warm and cozy under a pile of blankets and furs. Hesitantly she pushed the heavy layers aside and sat up. Someone had removed her clothes and dressed her in a sleeping yukata.
“Kagome-sama is awake!” A cheerful high childish voice piped up.
Kagome turned and couldn’t help smiling at the sight of a familiar visage. A little girl dressed in a cream and orange checkered kimono.
“Rin-chan!”
“Rin found Kagome-sama and asked Sesshoumaru-sama if Rin can keep Kagome-sama. Sesshoumaru-sama said yes so Rin is keeping Kagome-sama.” Rin announced cheerfully.
Kagome choked on the announcement. She opened her mouth and protest and say she was not a wild animal to be kept as a pet! But then she stopped herself. She was not comfortable in asking Sesshoumaru for refuge but if he was willing to indulge Rin’s desire Kagome would be more than happy to co-operate.
So she smiled and murmured agreement and nodded to each of Rin’s plans involving her new playmate. From exploring Sesshoumaru’s keep and introducing Kagome to all the inhabitants to playing games and telling stories.
“Rin.” A cool deep baritone voice cut through the little girl’s cheerful babble.
“Sesshoumaru-sama!” Rin darted across the room and wrapped her arms around Sesshoumaru’s leg. “Kagome-sama wants to stay and play with Rin!” She informed her lord in her usual loud and cheerful tone.
Kagome refused to squirm or mumble apologies under the cool golden gaze. She blinked once and lowered her gaze indicating submission.
“Rin, tell Akane to prepare a meal for the miko. Come back with the tray.”
“All right Sesshoumaru-sama! Rin will come back with food for Kagome-sama.”
And with that order in mind Rin ran out of the room leaving an uneasy miko with a curious daiyoukai.
Kagome did not hear his footfalls but she could feel his aura approach her.
“Where is the foolish half-breed? Is he not your protector?”
Kagome flinched, a subtle action observed by the suddenly sharp gold eyes.
“What happened? Tell me.”
And with that Kagome broke. She was not sure why but she could not stop herself from unburdening herself onto the daiyoukai.
At the end of it all she was quiet, still and utterly exhausted from the emotional strain of recounting the events. She looked up with heartbroken blue eyes.
“I apologize for the inconvenience I must be causing you Sesshoumaru-sama.”
The daiyoukai did not speak for a while. In that silent time Rin returned with a tray with some rice and miso soup. He was silent as Kagome consumed the food and conversed with his ward. He watched the miko make a long loop of string and teach Rin odd games that exercised the hands and fingers. As he watched he considered the information he had been given and his own observations before coming to a decision.
“Miko.”
The girl- no, the woman from the future looked up. “Yes Sesshoumaru-sama?”
“You may stay if you wish. Rin needs a companion who can teach her things only ningens and onnas know.”
To his surprise she smiled brilliantly before responding to his offer. “Thank you Sesshoumaru-sama. I swear you won’t regret this.”
...ooOoo...
TBC…
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AN: The next piece will take several months in the future, in the spring.
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