Blood Blades

What Makes A Hero

They arrived at Inuyasha's hut in minutes flat, having changed to their demon forms. Karuma had raced Sesshomaru...he was good, keeping up with her but never passing. Preferring to run beside her...she loved the thrill of running with him. I can't wait to hunt with him.
They arrived on his footpath, surprising Inuyasha bringing in an armload of wood. "Dammit!" The wood hit the ground as he jumped out of the way of her paws. "What the hell you two!? What are you, a couple of pups!?"
She opened her wings. "Sorry, Inuyasha. I was attempting to get here quickly." They had even left their armor behind, Sesshomaru had still stuck his swords in his hakama though.
"Why? What's up?" He started retrieving the wood he had dropped. Sesshomaru had changed back, and before she could kneel to help with the wood, he bent to the task.
"Have you started supper yet?"
Inuyasha stood up. "No. Kagome is resting. We were just gonna have some leftover stew."
"No, you're not. I have a surprise for tonight. Can you bring Kagome, Rin, and Jaken above the waterfall at nightfall? I can send Ah-Un to help if you want."
"Hang on...Sesshomaru, hand me that wood." Sesshomaru placed the wood in Inuyasha's arms. Inuyasha stepped inside, then came back out after setting the wood in the hut. He motioned to them to step away from the hut, not wanting to disturb Kagome.
"So, what's going on? Why the surprise?"
She smiled, Inuyasha was always impatient. Course she always had a difficult time keeping things from him too. "If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it? And I figured now was as good a time as any, before we depart."
He looked like he wanted to give her a hard time, but Sesshomaru gave him a look and shook his head. He grumbled, relenting. "Fine, send Ah-Un when you are ready. Better be worth the wait, sis."
"I certainly hope so. I have never done it before, so we shall see."
Inuyasha gave her a strange look and she flashed a fang at him. She had never Serenaded for him. Why was that? Did he even know of her ability?...well, better late than never.
"Something you've never done? What is it, a new ability?"
"No, a very old one that I have a strong urge to share...could you let Rin know not to eat supper, please?"
"You're cooking, Ruma? I haven't eaten your cooking in a long damn time...too long. With the food alone, it is worth the wait. I look forward to it."
Her cheeks turned pink at the compliment. She came close to spilling her guts to him, but bit her tongue. "Thank you, Inuyasha. I have missed feeding you to be honest. Those were happy times, puppy...at least for me."
He smiled at her. Memories flooded her mind's eye...the first time he had smiled at her as a child after she fed him the first time and told him she wanted to train him. 'Will I be strong?' He had asked. 'Yes, you will be strong. More than strong, you shall be legendary. Maybe even a hero.' She answered. His face had lit up. 'How do I become a hero?'... 'Easy, Inuyasha. You simply find someone to protect.' He had made her cry with his next words. 'Then, I will protect you. You need a hero, Ruma.'
He had saved her too. He was still saving her by agreeing to help her again. She was lucky, she had two heroes and she loved them both dearly. Her eyes teared up. Inuyasha noticed. "You okay, Ruma?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just remembering when you were small. The first time I fed you and you became my hero."
"You were all alone, well besides Ah-Un. You did need a hero, Ruma."
Her eyes grew wide. "You remember?" He was so young...
"Course I remember. We started training that same day. You taught me my first lesson that day too...how to be a hero. Though it took me a while to understand it."
Sesshomaru stood back listening, he had heard no stories of her raising Inuyasha. He had a hand in her time with Inuyasha...if not for him, the pup would've been killed. She was grateful he had stepped in and helped...why didn't she see it for what it was? He had been reaching out, but she had been too blind to see that.
"The answer is always simple, Inuyasha...but the meaning behind it can hold complexities that only the gifted can decipher. It's not easy to humble yourself enough to be someone's hero...giving your all can open your soul to criticism, often called a weakness, when in reality the one you protect is your true strength...I'm sure Kagome opened your eyes to that."
"And Tessaiga, yes. The first time the sword reacted was to protect her."
Sesshomaru had lost his arm that day she remembered. She looked at him and saw him nod. All to protect the damsel in distress...aww.
"Well the Tessaiga was only doing it's job then. It was forged to protect."
He nodded. Reaching out, Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her. "You were my hero first, Ruma. I'm trying to return the favor, I owe you my life and I am forever grateful. You had nothing to gain by helping me and only asked for one thing in return. Love. I love you Karuma, thank you for all you have done for me. And I am glad I can help you now, that I am strong enough to now. I will protect you."
Oh, dammit puppy. Her wings came around him with her arms. Tears freely fell... not for the first time, she thanked Taisho again for the gift of his sons. "You saved me too, Inuyasha. You helped me to hang on...a light in the darkness. You owe me nothing, your very existence brother, your love and time, is enough."
He smiled as he pulled back to look down at her. "Well, I will protect you outta love then. That's more than reason enough to be a hero...right, brother?"
She turned her head toward Sesshomaru. The answer was written in his eyes. "The only reason, Inuyasha. To be a hero, you must have a strong love for who and what you protect." Inuyasha smiled and stepped back as she opened her wings, motioning to Sesshomaru to step up in his place. Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around her and gave her a cute half smile. He leaned down to her ear and whispered, "I love you, sweetheart. I wish to be your hero as well. I will protect you...I must to preserve our future together. I cannot picture a life without you. It sounds wholly selfish to say that I protect you for myself, but it's true. My life is forfeit without you in it."
She wrapped around him. Geez, they are both good at making me cry. She sniffled, "You were already my hero from the start, my love. You have saved my life a few times over now...you are so much more than a hero to me though. You are my savior and I count my blessings everyday that I returned to find your open arms. I no longer feel alone in this world. I am more than happy...I am whole. I love you too, Sesshomaru, my savior, before I knew I needed one...my love, before I knew I wanted one...my hero, before I asked for one. You are my world...or what my world revolves around. And, it is not selfish to want and keep what makes us happy. Squeeze it in tightly, my love, and know I want you entirely for myself as well."
His eyes met hers and his arms squeezed tighter. His eyes hid nothing from her in their golden depths. He rested his forehead on hers. "I am so glad that I found you again, Karuma, and got up the nerve to ask you to stay. I count my blessings as well, princess."
Aww...dammit. Her eyes overflowed again as she tilted her head up to his and kissed him softly. He bent down to her and deepened the kiss, running his tongue along her lips. She opened up for him, his tongue invaded her mouth, swirling around hers and letting out a soft growl. A flash of heat shot through her as his growl vibrated her chest. He ripped his mouth away and stepped back out of her embrace.
"Inuyasha. Be ready at nightfall, Ah-Un will be by to pick you up." Sesshomaru knelt and picked her up, then jumped to the sky, headed for home. Yes...our home. She sat in his arms smiling at him like a lovesick fool.
"What's the matter, sweetheart?" He asked as his eyes met hers. "You are smiling at me. Is there a reason?"
"Does there have to be? I am smiling because I am happy. You have made me so."
"I only spoke the truth, Karuma."
"Well, you should do so more often...a girl likes to hear what she means to her damn sexy demon lover. I am a sucker for praise as well, my Lord."
He stopped dead in the air, hanging his legs toward the ground. He gave her his full attention. "You want to know what you mean to me? Karuma..." he lifted her closer to his heart. Her arms went around his neck. "Oh, sweetheart, you are my everything. It sometimes is difficult for me to control and contain my emotions and feelings for you. It seems to pour out of me. I have never loved before you, I honestly didn't think I could love...or perhaps I have always loved you all this time which is why I could not love another. I have come to realize that love is not an emotion that can be controlled and contained, as it keeps growing stronger."
Oh god...my heart is gonna burst. Her eyes filled with tears once again. "I could lose myself in your eyes, beautiful." He lifted her more and buried his face in her neck. "I am in love with your scent." He licked her neck. "And your taste. Combined it makes me feel drunk on you."
He lifted his face. "Your voice and speech...the very way you talk. I hang on your every word. You speak and I hear poetry...I could listen to you forever. And your singing...only once have I heard it. I wish to hear more, your singing is magical...it soothes me." He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
"And the way you show your love for me, you make me feel ten feet tall. Not only loved, but cherished. The way you look at me with longing, the way you touch and hold me, the many ways we make love. All for me alone...and I get to keep you forever. It still might not be long enough for me to get my fill of you.
Your happiness is my addiction, I crave your laughter and your beautiful smile. When you smile at me...I feel light. The sun shines on a rainy day when you smile."
Her tears openly fell. She had asked for it... "Oh, Sesshomaru..." she whispered.
"I have not yet finished. I am truly honored and humbled to be the recipient of your love. I strive to prove to myself that I deserve it, not feeling worthy of it. But, I will greedily take all the love that you give me. I live for your love, Karuma. Your love sustains me and is unconditional. You seem to even love the beast I become in your embrace. I couldn't ask for more, and yet you give me more everyday. Sweetheart, you are my everything."
Who knew he could be so open in expressing his emotions? He sounded like poetry himself. He really was her hero, her savior, and her everything as well. She gave him a soft smile. "How did I ever live without you, my love? You are a romantic. Taisho used to say that it was possible to make love with words...he said that's what I did, it was one of the reasons he made me an ambassador. I was under the impression that it was an elf thing, but I may stand corrected. The silvan tongue must belong to the demon."
"It could be that you have taught me your poetic speech and sense of wonder, little elf. There is so much more that I feel that I cannot put into words. There are no words to eloquently describe all that which is in my heart. The word love...it just doesn't seem enough to say all I feel. But I shall say it anyway. I love you, Karuma. The half demon princess that reigns over my heart."
He brought his mouth down on hers. She pulled herself closer to his lips and brought her right hand down to touch his face, tickling her fingers across his cheek. Her heart pounded as he deepened the kiss, fairly devouring her. He grabbed ahold of her bottom lip and pulled gently, opening her mouth. He licked her lips then plunged his tongue in her mouth with a growl.
Their tongues met and he tasted her slowly, leisurely. It was her that got excited. She moaned and broke off the kiss. She kissed his cheek, making her way back to his ear. He turned his head to give her easier access. Her mouth trailed down his neck, nipping him as she went. She lifted her head to his ear and whispered, "Let's go home, my love. I need you."
She lifted her head and his eyes met hers. Love and longing shone in his eyes. "Yes princess...home." He took off at top speed.