That Which is Rightfully Mine by MushaiyaRyu

One-shot

Pain. Pain is an all around subject in my life. I withstand the pain of pining after one who does not return my love. I withstand the pain of living a life that is not mine. I withstand the pain that comes from the insults HE delivers to me. However, there is another whom I receive no pain from in the least. I think about him often, though I'm sure he never thinks about me. The guy is so handsome, so strong, and so cold...why?

Okay. So I'm being philosophical. It's not my place to question why the "Great Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands" is the way he is. I'm just an overly curious young teenager who was in the wrong place at the wrong time when I met him. I suppose that if I met the man on non-killable terms, he might've turned out to be a really great guy...or youkai, rather.

All right. Lowdown. Sesshoumaru: Sesshoumaru is, as I said before, the Lord of the Western Lands. He's a full inuyoukai and older half-brother to Inuyasha. INUYASHA! Don't even get me started on Inuyasha! That jerk! Anyway, back to Sesshoumaru. Hi voice...It's so calm and clear, bellying the sadness and loneliness that lies inside. I'm sad because he's sad...why is he so sad? Well. I'm going to sleep on that one. Good night.

I closed the dairy, happy with my entry. I sighed, uttering the one name that had been on my mind for the past few months. Tucking it safely into my huge pack, I slipped into my sleeping bag, bid the others good night, and fell asleep.

Sesshoumaru's POV

I watched as the small group fell to dreaming, my eyes specifically tied on that young miko who was so strange. I glared at the pack in which the small leather bound book was hidden. I longed to know the book's secret, why she wrote in it every night, wherever she may be, why she sighed my name after every entry, too low for the hanyou's pitiful ears. So I watched and waited, patiently delaying my return to camp to read that small book's contents. As soon as the hanyou fell asleep, I silently crept into the encampment.

I was thoroughly disgusted with myself, sneaking around like some common thief.

I thought with disdain as I snuck past the sleeping form of the miko. Cautiously prodding the pack, as if checking to see if it would explode on contact, I silently extracted the book, completely aware of my surroundings with my demonic senses. Taking the small article, I stalked out of the clearing, unaware that a certain woman was following me.

I settled down by a clear pond beneath a blooming sakura tree, watching the spring gurgle for a while before opening the little novel. Glancing at the cover, I noticed, with some surprise, that the binding was silk of the finest quality. Said material was a deep burgundy and soft to the touch. Printed in the center, in fine gold dust ink, were the words:

I thought idly and began to open the book. While in the process of beginning to open it, a steady voice broke the silence.

"What are you doing with my friend's diary?" The taijiya stormed out of the forest line, mindful of the trees that were close to hitting her giant boomerang bone. I looked up innocently and snapped the book shut.

"A diary, you say? How intriguing..." I replied shortly, returning to my examination of the cover. The taijiya blinked, shock and surprise permeating her aura. I glared at her.

"I'm not going to kill you right now, so would you do me the pleasure of leaving?" I snapped, non-too lightly, mind you. The woman glowered at me, her anger rising in waves from her body. I frowned. Her original scent of fresh cut apples was swallowed up by the sour of lemons as her anger spiked. I growled, the sound vibrating deeply in my chest. The girl's anger was abated slightly by fear.

"I won't leave without my friend's property. So you'll be happy enough to give it back, or I could read it to you. Either way, Kagome will receive her diary back." She stated. I snarled, my eyes burning slightly with the attempt to keep the blood from my eyes.

"Woman. I will do as I please. The miko will have her book when my curiosity has been satiated." The woman's aura changed from angry to elated within seconds. So fast, I was thrown off course slightly. Instead of falling over, I settled for raising an eyebrow.

"My name is Sango, Sesshoumaru-sama. So. You have an interest in Kagome?" At that point, I did fall over. Leaping to my feet, I glared at the giggling girl.

"I, Sesshoumaru, have no such thing, taijiya!" I bit out, straightening my clothing. She nodded, her face still contorted with giggles. Though what she said was true, I still felt like denying it to the outside world. I had fallen quite hard for the little miko from the future, and my life was centered on how to make her mine. However, I did not know if she felt the same.

I sighed, seeing that I had no other way to learn the contents of the book. Handing it to her, I settled back down against the tree.

"Very well then...Sango. Read." She looked uneasy, then resolved. Holding the manuscript out to me, she shook her head.

"I was joking about reading it to you, Sesshoumaru-sama. It would be wrong of me to intrude upon Kagome's secrets. But since you like her so much, I suppose it wouldn't be too bad to let you read it. Bring it back or else she'll flip out." Without giving me a second to respond, Sango disappeared into the forest. I growled and glared at the place where she vanished before turning back to the book.

I opened the cover and was shocked to see a younger version of myself staring back, captured perfectly in the confines of the pages. Beneath it was the caption:

I wonder...did Sesshoumaru really look like this when he was little?

I was in shock. The miko had taken the liberty to guess what I resembled in younger years. I turned the page and looked at the back, where a perfect portrait of myself as I was now was sketched expertly onto the paper. I noticed the addition of my missing arm and the way the wind blew my counterpart's hair across his face. In a light etching was a view of my face, with no barriers or facades to hide the emotions. I was smiling.

He'd look so handsome if he'd only smile. Why won't he? Better with two arms.

My mouth was hanging open and my eyes wide. How could a mere ningen capture my soul so easily and well?

"No..." I muttered. She was not a mere ningen, this Kagome. She was beautiful, in both heart and appearance. Her scent was unlike any I had been privileged to smell before. Jasmine and water lilies...

"To continue..." I looked at the next page. Written in bold calligraphy were the words:

Property of Kagome Higurashi

Main Subject: Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands

I turned the page. I was confronted with words upon words of curiosity, desire, and love, all for me. She professed her wishes to be mine and her woes about her mortality if it ever happened. My eyes softened considerably when I read one specific section that was dappled with tear stains:

So. I want to be his. I really do! I could do away with all the sorrow and loneliness in his heart and replace it with love and companionship. All from me. But if it ever did happen, it would only be for a moment in his eyes. I'm a mortal human, and he's a youkai blessed with the gift of infinite life. I want to become youkai. For him, I would become anything. For Sesshoumaru, I would become demon.

I sighed and read on. After reaching her most recent entry, I was filled with warmth and compassion towards this young female. She wished to take away my pain, even make it her own, if only to make me happy. When did she come to love me so dearly? Even she did not know the answers. I contemplated the answers as I walked to return the book.

Crossing into the camp, I saw that Sango was feigning sleep. I replaced the book and nodded to her, releasing my shields and giving her a small smile. She grinned back and stared pointedly in Kagome's direction. I turned to the miko, and I carefully drew a finger along her jaw line. I noticed that she had wrapped her fist in the cloth of my pant leg. Gently releasing her hand, I laid a tender kiss on her palm before placing her hand at her side. I heard Sango's stifled giggles and the elation that poured into her aura. Walking away from the group, I turned and said quietly,

"I will see you today, Sango-san. I will come for my Kagome." I disappeared into the night.

Later that Morning, Kagome's POV

I woke up and stretched, remembering a feather light touch on my palm from a few hours before and the words.

I brushed off the fact like a fly and dug into my pack for my diary, determined on writing an answer to last night's question. I was surprised to see an answer already written for me in perfect characters and deep sapphire blue ink.

I am sad because you are not with me, my Kagome. I will come for you, my love.

I looked at Sango, surprise and elation etched on my face. She looked back curiously, though I was sure something sparkled behind her eyes. A loud shout interrupted the conversation that was about to start.

"Sesshoumaru! In that direction! He's not moving!" Inuyasha bellowed, leaping down and taking off at a run into the trees. My heart leapt, and I tore after him, intent on seeing the one I desired so deeply.

Kirara scooped me up in her fanged jaws and sprinted after the red-clad figure. Bursting from the tree line, we saw Inuyasha dashing at his older half brother, Tessaiga drawn. I screamed his one word of weakness.

"SIT!!" The force of his body making impact on the ground caused the trees to shudder. Kirara settled me on my feet not ten feet from Sesshoumaru. I stared at him. His shields were down, and his eyes glowed with compassion, tenderness, and love for me. He smiled.

"I am sad because you are not with me, my Kagome..." He whispered. Inuyasha leapt up and took a position in front of me. I nearly whimpered when Sesshoumaru's smile vanished and his eyes steeled.

"What do you want here, Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha barked before charging at his brother. Sesshoumaru glanced at me before smirking. He wrapped a clawed hand around Inuyasha's neck and threw him effortlessly forty feet away. He disappeared.

"Simple, brother." He replied, appearing behind me. I jumped when he placed a hand on my shoulder, but I was not scared. Inuyasha looked at me, and resignation and contempt burned in his eyes as he untied Tessaiga.

"This is what you want, isn't it?" He shouted. The demon lord behind me chuckled.

"No, dear sibling. I want that which is rightfully mine." I turned around to ask him what he meant when he kissed me. His lips were warm and hard, but comforting all the same.

I thought idly. I was completely blown away as his tongue prodded my lower lip, seeking entrance. I moan delightfully and complied. His tongue surged into my waiting mouth, thoroughly tasting and exploring my cavern. Our tongues locked in a duel, one that he had the advantage in. My knees were weak. Sesshoumaru broke the kiss and scooped me into his arms.

"I have what I want. You have your sword, I my mate-to-be. I believe we both come out even in this trade, don't we?" Sesshoumaru asked cheerily, flashing a fanged grin at his stunned brother before taking flight. I snuggled into his chest and stroked his tail. This was where I wanted to be.

"You read my diary, didn't you?" I asked absentmindedly. I sensed a little twinge of guilt but not much.

"Yes." He replied shortly, not bothering to deny it. I giggled and pulled myself up to straddle his waist. He looked surprised for a moment, then smiled softly at me. I rubbed my nose against his and kissed him gently.

"I'm glad you did." Kissing him fiercely, I refused to let go until the need for oxygen overpowered. Laying my head against his shoulder, I took pleasure in his persistent nuzzling of my neck. "What about my mortality?"

"I will see to that." Sesshoumaru murmured while kissing my neck softly. I frowned.

"How?"

"That information is strictly between you, me, and the bed." He replied with a wicked grin and said no more as the flight continued. I blushed furiously and cleared my throat.

"Ah... So. Where are we going?"

"To my castle, to my chambers, where my bed is. I will take care of this problem. Now." I giggled and blushed as we flew off into the sunset towards the silhouette of the Western Lands' Citadel. I was rightfully Sesshoumaru's, as He was rightfully mine. My love, my mate.

"Aishiteru, Sesshoumaru..." I whispered as I fell to sleep.

"I love you, my Kagome. My mate. My love..." I heard him say before I was enveloped in darkness.