Healing A Hollow Heart

Chapter Eight: A Kiss is Just a Kiss?

Hey, Codexa here! First piece of business: it's finally here! To my readers and readettes who supported me during my hiatus to take care of school and life, a big thanks! I worked a whole day and a half on this chapter. Hope you like it! Don't forget to vote and comment!

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Sesshomaru watched from the corner of his eye as Rin dragged a reluctant Mitsue out of the castle and into the field behind it. In his one-thousand years as lord, Sesshomaru had seen much when it came to demonesses, but yesterday had been his first at experiencing rejection. Looks were deceiving when it came to women. Mitsue was the exception. As a full-grown Rin pulled her down into the field of grass, a smile flitted over her features as the sun touched her skin for the first time in days.

He knew the news of his half brother's demise would upset the miko. Perhaps such was why Mitsue still remained in control two days after Kagome fell from the sky and into his lap. But why his little fox demon kept disappearing into her room, avoiding his presence confounded him.

Had he said something to put her at unease?

"Lord Sesshomaru..."

Sighing, he turned to find his advisor and head tactician with arms folded and dusky blue brow raised. "What is it, Setsuka?" he asked.

Setsuka puffed her cheeks, responding with a "Nothing" before dumping a mountain of scrolls on the desk and turning heel to leave. "Please ensure these documents for the Western Lands pact with the new Northern Lord are read and signed by dawn tomorrow," she said, disappearing through the wall.

Sesshomaru glanced down at the pile of rolled parchment stacked upon his desk with a shake of his head. Nothing unusual considering Setsuka was a fire demoness. Her kind tended to run hot at the drop of a sewing pin.

He turned his attention back out the window where Shippo had joined the two women. Watching as Rin placed a crown of sakura on Mitsue's head. Sesshomaru felt a smirk smooth over his lips.

A cool glare arrowed his way, followed by an icy blast wind made Sesshomaru chuckle.

No matter how tough his dear fox tried to appear, she truly hadn't changed since her disappearance.

I swear I'll protect you this time.

Sesshomaru knew his silent vow, a simultaneous plea, was one he'd never admit to anyone much less himself. But as Sesshomaru settled into the cushion at his desk, he couldn't shake the sense his thoughts were no longer secret.

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Clicking her tongue, Mitsue swiveled back.

"Is something the matter, Lady Mitsue?" Rin asked, surprisingly close for Mitsue's comfort.

She inched back trying to put distance between her the woman. "N-No," she said. "It's nothing."

In truth, something nagged at the rim of her conscience. It had been long since she'd seen Sesshomaru last. The damn dog that found humans worthless was gone, and in his place stood a spitting image of Lord Inutaisho. He had even gone to such lengths to keep Rin, an orphan once human, as his companion.

From what Rin told her, Sesshomaru had changed since meeting the young woman as a human child. Yet, she couldn't shake his words from the other day.

It is only natural I acquire a powerful mate.

Maybe he hadn't changed since their childhood...

His behavior since their days as pups tumbling in the imperial gardens certainly hadn't changed.

/*Flashback*/

"I won, Fluffy," a young Mitsue declared. "Give me my prize!"

Sesshomaru, no more than one hundred in age, smirked at the girl who had him pinned to a Sakura tree. "Not for all the land in Makai," he said.

She pressed her claws deeper into his wrists. "Surrender the prize, mutt, before I..."

He raised a brow. "Before you what?"

Threatening the young prince with bodily harm rarely won out. It had taken all her skill just to pin him. Mitsue growled. "Before I," Her face scrunched in thought before a look of cunning replaced it, "kiss you."

Mitsue grinned as stubborn smug off his ass Sesshomaru lost all emotion and gained a blank look.

"Is that really a punishment?" Smooth and husky, another voice entered the gardens via the tree she currently pinned Sesshomaru to.

Mitsue turned her attention toward the branches of the tree. "Yoko?" she asked, tilting head until strands of red fell over her eyes. "When did you get here and how did you get in? Commoners are banned from the Inner Gardens."

Among the branches, a boy clad in white reclined against the tree for support as he napped. He turned an opened eye to her, meeting her gaze. "Is it such a crime that I would want to see my favorite demoness?"

Mitsue felt her cheeks heat, out of mortification or surprise, she had trouble saying.

Yoko held her gaze for a moment less than she liked. She didn't have a chance to feel disappointment as Sesshomaru pushed off her hands and lobbed himself forward.

The feel of something soft against her lips widened her eyes as he whispered "Gotcha". A soft whump landed beside her head as she blinked up at Sesshomaru. "Inari Zushi, as promised," he said, pushing off the ground to lift himself off her. "If you don't hurry up you'll be eating flies before the Inari Zushi."

Mitsue laid there until spring turned to summer and summer to winter before tracing a finger over her lips. The sweet taste of Anko bean pastes Sesshomaru'd eaten before stealing her Inari Zushi still lingered.

She glared ice daggers, hopping to her feet. "Sesshomaru, you bastard!" she cried. "You KISSED me!"

/*Flashback End*/

Sesshomaru had been her first kiss that day. The following morning Sesshomaru woke to the era's shortest haircut and Mitsue to the era's first grounding. Sesshomaru, Yoko, and she had all been friends, close.

Why couldn't things have stayed that way?

"Lady Mitsue?" Mitsue blinked up at Rin standing and brushing grass off her bum. "It's time for lunch. Ready?"

Mitsue looked at the hand offered and slowly took it. "Of course. Go ahead I'll catch up."

Dusting herself off Mitsue closed her eyes and searched down deep into recesses of her shared soul. There she stared at the girl curled in the darkness of their soul.

Kagome was the jewel's protector and the reason she had a second chance. She had to find a way to snap her out of this mood. She owed her that much. But how?

"Don't worry, Kagome," Mitsue said, placing a hand on the girl's head and threading fingers through the black strands similar to an older sister. "We'll figure this out together."

A small twitch from the younger girl gave Mitsue hope.

Pushing her soul back to the surface, Mitsue made her way to castle, running for a waving Shippo and Rin.

Suddenly, her nose twitched at an unfamiliar scent barreling her way. She jumped to avoid the crash landing, only the figure leaped to meet her. Clasping her hands in his, Mitsue blinked at a wolf in the strangest attire she had ever seen.

A smirk crossed his lips, the glint in his eyes intensifying into a full-blown flame.

"Kagome marry me!"

Mitsue, unsure which came first, laughed as she headbutted the poor wolf.