As the days passed, Kagome reflected on her actions and the motivations behind them. Reexamining her last encounter with Sesshoumaru, she conceded that she may have overreacted in the wake of learning the horrifying truth. Her brother-in-law had never preyed on the women of Edo before. It seemed particularly unlikely that he would do so now—even if he hadn’t enthusiastically agreed to Kagome’s demands.
The aftershocks of his betrayal had left her shaken. But she could remember now the perfect calm and clarity of focus, the pure power that had radiated from her as she’d forbid Sesshoumaru from killing again. This was true control. It was this strength of will that would protect the people of her village, and all others, from the savagery of the Beast.
It rankled her now, to think that in her ensuing distress she had sought to cage Edo in against him. If anyone deserved to be caged, it was him. Still, he was far from the only demon that threatened the safety of the village. To put measures of protection in place was still a worthy aim. The others would come to see this too, in time.
In the spirit of compromise, she went to the elders and amended the overly-restrictive decree: Now, only venturing outside the village after dark was forbidden. Kaede in particular found this to be a more agreeable rule. After apologizing to the elder miko for her recent rudeness, Kagome made similar apologies to Rin, Sango and Miroku—who were all mollified to receive them.
The only one she had yet to approach was Kohaku.
After two more days, Kagome felt that she’d put off this confrontation for as long as she could. As difficult as it would be to face him after what she’d said and done, she was compelled to at least attempt to end the discord between them. It didn’t sit well with her to see how visibly he still opposed her. Nor for others to see it, either.
Mustering her courage, Kagome made her way toward his home on the outskirts of Edo. As she crested the last sloping hill, she saw him out in the yard below, chopping wood. The sight of him shirtless with axe in hand almost made her lose her nerve, but his sharp eyes had already seen her. There was no turning back now.
Hidden away in her flowing sleeves, her fingers curled to fists as she descended toward him, but he didn’t glance up at her again. Even as she drew to a stop just before the stump he was splitting logs upon, he still refused to acknowledge her. His mouth was a hard thin line, his long dark hair bound at the nape. Beads of sweat ran freely down the muscles of his arms, chest and shoulders, his normally neat bangs messily spiked and skewed across his brow. Kagome tried not to flinch as he brought the axe down again in a heavy, brutal cleave.
“Kohaku-kun,” she began in a tone she’d carefully rehearsed, in order not to sound overly soft in expressing her contrition. “I wanted to apologize to you, for the way I spoke to you the last time we talked. The whole ordeal with the Beast had taken more of a toll on me than I’d realized, but there’s no excuse for my behavior. I was cruel to you, and I’m very sorry. I hope you can forgive me.”
For a while, Kohaku continued chopping, as though he hadn’t heard her. Faintly, a vein began to pulse in Kagome’s temple. Resisting the urge to lash out at him for his insolence, she turned away and started back toward the village—the sudden sound of the axe thudding point-first into the stump arresting her.
“So,” the taijiya said coolly behind her, “your apology tour has finally circled around to me. You’ve won them all over with your penitence act, haven’t you?—I’ll admit, it’s convincing.”
Incensed, Kagome whipped around to face him. “It isn’t an act. But if you don’t want to accept my apology, that’s fine.”
With the slow measured gait of a predator, Kohaku stalked toward her. It took everything Kagome had not to look or back away from the intentness in his gaze.
“I wonder,” he said lowly, “which one is the real you. Is it the priestess, the widow,” he asked, punctuating each guess with another advancing step, “the temptress, the tyrant? You wear so many masks it’s difficult to tell—except that you’re hiding…something.”
Kagome tensed, paling. “Why are you saying these things? You’re not making any sense…”
A foot away from her, Kohaku drew to a stop. His keen dark eyes held hers as he loomed above her, the wild ferocity of his expression, of his scent and of his presence unsettling her to the core. Slightly she shook as he reached out, his finger denting a burning path along her cheek.
“I forgive you, Kagome,” he murmured, “but I’ll never see you the same way again. You aren’t the person I thought you were.”
Still frozen speechless, she watched as he stepped back, his hand falling from her face to his hip. As he unclipped the glass vial and offered it to her, she looked slowly from it to him in question.
“Since the killer has been slain, there’s no point in holding on to this any longer,” he explained, his eyes focused and shrewd. “You can purify it now.”
Tightly, Kagome swallowed, her fingers clutching around the nullified detection charm. If she applied her reiki to it now, nothing would happen. Kohaku had seen her purify the killing ground—he would know the difference.
“Later,” she replied at last, slipping the vial into her sleeve. “I’m not feeling up to it at the moment.”
The taijiya nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. Even as she headed back toward the village, she could still feel the heat of his eyes, searing into her back.
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
This was an excellent way to wake up this morning, thank you.
Yay! so glad to hear it!! <3
I love this kohaku more intense more of this kohaku and kagome… I miss their relationship I would love it to turn more phisical….. as in your fic STASIS .
You made me love kohaku before that fic I always saw him as a little boy…..
He finding out that she was trying to protect him in a way since she didnt want him to confront sesshoumaru. kohaku even as strong as he is ……is just a human.
Maybe he would undestand but not forgive that…. having a taste of her…. because it was a crush befofe but it can convert into obsession…
Would love to see a possesive obsessive kohaku and a kagome that now see him as a man… and maybe start to desire him…
Now speaking of the fic…..
Im thinking maybe he exchanged the earth to see if she had purified it he is very smart and knows something is off he could easily exchange the earth so to catch her lie… and have proof that she had purified it before.
Thanks, Mari! Love hearing your thoughts on Kohaku – and what he may or may not have done or suspect 🙂 So happy you’re enjoying these Kohaku x Kagome interactions. And I love the reference to Stasis! I’ve always found adult!Kohaku to be an interesting character to explore in my stories.
Thanks again and hope you like the next chapter! <3
Kohaku is no dummy. He knows something’s up and isn’t down to play her games. He knows she messed with it.
Also…
Swoon..? He’s never sounded so manly in anything before. I ship this Kohaku af.
XD
hahaha i love it! A smart and sexy Kohaku – who would have guessed? About the last part at least XD
Thanks, Eryn! <3
After reading this chapter I had to reassess my opinion of Kohaku. Previously, I said that he was immature and inexperienced concerning the matters of the heart but I see that he is very much a man and not the young teenage boy I was seeing him as.
I believe he may have already figured out that Kagome had purified the detection charm some time ago and he probably figured out that she did it when she showed up at his home in the middle of the night on the pretense that she was having a hard time sleeping. Being an experienced and astute taijiya as Kohaku is, I believe he already knew that the charm was nullified because he could have sensed that something was off about it but he needed Kagome to confirm his suspicion that’s why he asked her to purify it right then and there, which only would have taken her less than a minute, but she took it and said she would do it later. So basically, in one way or another, she confirmed his suspicion. Kohaku may have already went to Kaede or another miko and asked them to check the charm to feel if there was any reiki around it and when whomever he asked said there was no reiki around the charm I can only imagine how he felt.
I don’t think that he will ever have the kind of trust in Kagome as he did before and I believe that she may have lost a true friend in Kohaku also. He suspects that she is hiding something or protecting somebody and he may even suspect that it could be Sesshomaru. Now he is going to be on the outlook for evidence to prove his theory.
I like your portrayal of Kohaku but I just cannot see a romantic ship between him and Kagome. I’m sure many of the other readers could but, I cannot…just like I cannot see a romantic ship between Rin and Sesshomaru…ever! 😐
Well, this is just my view and I only speak for myself. 🙂
Well at least Kagome is thinking a little clearer concerning the edict she put on the village and giving her apologies to everyone. I hope she is sincere about it but Kohaku may have his doubts. I wonder what will happen to Kagome when or if the whole truth comes out about her and Sesshomaru.
Great chapter and loving your gift with words…anxiously awaiting the next chapter and thanks for updating so soon.
I hope all is well with you. I feel your angst char, so just hang in there. It will get better. 🙂
Oh snap! Love hearing your theories about what Kohaku may have done with the vial and what he may now know. Some things you just can’t come back from. Where will Kagome and Kohaku go from here?
So glad you’re liking Kohaku’s portrayal and totally appreciate your view! I agree that, in the original canon universe at least, I can’t see a healthy romantic relationship between Rin and Sess. Him being her father figure warps it too much in my mind. But, that’s also just my opinion haha
Thank you so much for the well wishes 🙂 The cloud is lifting for me somewhat, and I’m thankful for that. Just have to keep moving forward and try to stay positive.
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend, Cheryl! <3
I love it!! Kohaku has been to his own dark hell and back (over and over) and I think he has a keen eye to see the darkness in others. It took Kagome’s rejection and cruelty to open his lust-blinded eyes and see that he’d been used. Whether he knows it was to gain access to the vial or not, he knows Kagome perceives herself too virtuous to jump in someone’s bed just for sex, but she would do it if she could justify it as a means to an end in her righteous quest.
Though I wonder, would Kohaku see Sesshoumaru as only the murderous beast if he knew the truth? After traveling under Sesshoumaru’s protection when the Shikon shard sustained his life, following him to the underworld and witnessing the depth of Sesshoumaru’s love for Rin, Kohaku realized this was the man he would follow. He chose to stay with him over joining Sango after he fully regained his memories. He knows Sesshoumaru has a sense of honor and has a compassionate, protective and good side.
If Kagome had come to him with the truth and explained that she wanted to help Sesshoumaru, wouldn’t he understand what it’s like to do atrocious things, especially murdering under the influence of another’s control? You could equate Naraku’s influence to Sesshoumaru’s beast, and wasn’t it Sango who convinced him it’s never too late? It’s possible he could have been sympathetic and become an ally to Kagome, but sadly she’s too narrow minded to see the potential.
Again, I love it Char – your writing keeps the wheels spinning and the suspense until the next chapter it great!!!
Yay thanks so much, Molly! 🙂 What you say about Kohaku is very insightful – he has been through more and seen more darkness than most people ever would. It seems that Kagome doesn’t quite grasp that – or didn’t before, which is a shame. Who knows, indeed, how things might have been if she had chosen another way…
You’ve got the wheels spinning for me too! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and hope you enjoy the next chapter!! <3