Somewhere in Time

Past Meets Present

The moment they stepped outside the temple that housed the well, they were greeted by a landscape of white. Snow covered everything—the vast lawn, the roofs and gables, even the timeless Goshinboku tree. Kagome shivered involuntarily as a chilly breeze blew past.

"I'd almost forgotten," she murmured as they started walking towards the house. "Winter is just around the corner. Mama must have put up the decorations for Christmas already."

"Christmas?" Sesshomaru asked.

"You'll see," Kagome answered excitedly. Despite her sore limbs and throbbing shoulder wound, she excitedly led Sesshomaru to the front door. She opened it and stepped inside. "Mama! Souta! Grandpa!"

Heavy footsteps sounded from upstairs and her little brother came running down, but stopped halfway when he saw the figure standing beside her. "Nee-chan?"

Kagome only smiled. "Where's Mama?"

A petite woman with short hair emerged from the kitchen. She was wearing a white and pink apron over a light blue sweater. When she saw the visitor, her eyes widened but still approached them. Inquiry filled her face as she eyed the bruises and the torn uniform, but she waited for Kagome to speak.

"Mama, Souta, this is Sesshomaru-sama, Feudal Japan's Lord of the Western Lands. He's also my friend." Deep inside, she doubted if the daiyoukai regarded her the same way, but she figured that after all the times he'd saved her, he probably did. Fortunately, she didn't sense any disagreement nor anger from him.

Her mother and her little brother bowed respectfully. "It's an honor to receive you as our guest, Sesshomaru-sama," Mama said.

Kagome wasn't able to hide her shock when the inu-youkai returned the bow. It was the first time she'd seen him do it. The Western Lord bowed to humans! It was a complete and utter blow to his pride, she knew. Yet he still did it without showing any hint of disgust nor repulsion.

"I am pleased to meet Kagome's family at last," Sesshomaru said in his usual clipped voice.

Souta tugged at Kagome's tattered sleeve. "Ne, Kagome-nee-chan, why does he look like Inuyasha?"

At the mention of the name, she stiffened. Sesshomaru must have sensed her anxiety and he captured her hand securely around his. He was the one who spoke. "He is my half-brother, but unlike him, I am a full-blooded inu-youkai."

"That's awesome!" the boy squeaked. He was about to step forward and touch Sesshomaru's mokomoko-sama but Mama quickly intervened.

"Souta, why don't you go and check on grandpa in the temple? He might be dozing off again instead of doing his rituals." When the boy nodded and went off, she turned to Kagome and Sesshomaru. "Why don't you show him your room while I prepare dinner? You can come down and eat after you clean up. I will also have to look at those wounds later."

"Arigato, Mama," Kagome said, hugging the woman tightly. She led the silent daiyoukai upstairs, a little relieved that it was going well so far. So far.

###

His entire body relaxed as they entered Kagome's chamber. Her scent was everywhere. It was so strong and so potent that he was having second thoughts about leaving this room. The place was neat and tidy, even for a human.

"So, what do you think?" Kagome asked, blushing. Sesshomaru found the rosy color on her cheeks attractive.

He let his golden eyes look around for a moment before settling on her flushed face. "You chamber is... pleasant."

"Well, there are many comforts that have been invented to make life here easier." The miko sauntered to her table and gestured to an odd-looking piece of object. When she pushed a circular article at its narrow shaft, a warm yellow light flooded a small part of the room. Kagome smiled. "This is called a desk lamp. It's powered by electricity. Actually, almost everything here is running on fuel or electric current."

Sesshomaru nodded his understanding and walked slowly towards the pink bed. The miko's scent was concentrated here, intoxicating him. He kept his face impassive as he gave it an experimental push with his hand. Then, he removed the tenseiga and the tokijin and set them against the nightstand before sitting down on the bed. The futon yielded to his weight easily. It was softer than most futons in the Sengoku Jidai.

He heard Kagome release a relieved breath. "If it's all right with you, Sesshomaru-sama, I'd like to take a bath now. Please make yourself comfortable. I'll be quick, I promise."

"Take all the time you need, Kagome," he responded. He watched her pick out strange clothes from the wooden closet. His keen eyes did not miss the difficulty in her movements as she took out several garments. Her shoulder wound has not fully healed yet, he thought in deep concern.

Once he was alone, Sesshomaru stood up and went to the middle of the room. Something had slightly bothered him earlier and he intended to find out what it was. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. There it was, that specific irregularity in the cherry blossom fragrance.

Inuyasha's scent.

A low growl escaped his lips and his eyebrows pulled together in complete revulsion. This will be tolerated no longer. He forced his youki outward slowly, deliberately erasing traces of the hanyou's presence in every corner of the room. Soon, his own wintry scent mixed well with Kagome's cherry blossom and rain.

Sesshomaru smirked in satisfaction and triumph. He felt more relaxed now. As he sat back on the bed, however, he suddenly felt the miko's muffled suffering downstairs. Her reiki spiked and fluctuated as it brushed against his youki. He was at the door in a flash, but he hesitated at the last moment. Kagome hated her baths interrupted and Sesshomaru would not invade her privacy in front of her family.

He listened more closely and easily distinguished the miko's whimpers beneath the trickling water. She seemed to be treating her injuries and was clever enough to use the noise of the water to mask her quiet sobs. She did not want her family to see her in pain.

Sighing, the daiyoukai settled on the floor and leaned against the side of the bed. Kagome might be selfless, but he would not let her suffer. His youki gently reached out to the pink curlicues of holy energy and enveloped them with his cold but comforting presence. He smiled as he felt her reach back and instantly, the feeling of pain and anguish in her reiki subsided.