Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine…
Specially made for Priestess Skye.
Rain of Flower Petals
Kagome smiled when she opened her apartment door and looked at her feet. She squatted down to pick up a white rose that as usual was left by someone in front of her door. White… just like the color of his hair. Kagome inhaled the rose scent deeply and smiled fondly. She then moved inside to put the rose in a vase full of white and some red roses.
She cooked her head to the side. Yes, I forget to ask him about this. Usually Inuyasha always left two kinds of roses every morning, red and white. But in the last weeks it was only white. She shrugged. Well I better ask him today. If he has the time to talk with me that is.
In the last month Inuyasha had been very busy in preparing for his last project in the faculty. They talked rarely, went out occasionally if he had the time to do lunch with her, and turned off his phone because he did not want to be disturbed in his project.
Kagome sighed. Patient Kagome… At least he had the time to drop by and leave you the rose everyday!
00000
“Hi friends!” Kagome greeted when she entered the student club and saw her friends at the corner table.
“Hi Kags!” Sango, a senior in the architecture major and her best friend, waved from their table. “Here!”
Miroku, from the same major as Sango and her now official boyfriend, grinned when he Kagome walked closer. “Looking good as usual Kagome. You and mini skirt are really a perfect match.”
An ashtray suddenly flew from nowhere and hit Miroku right in at the back of his head. Kagome giggled when he cursed.
“Just ignore him, Kags.” Sango rolled her eyes. “So how’s your study?”
“The final is killing me.” He sprawled her hands on the table and let out a tired sigh. “But I’ll survive.” Her face suddenly lightened up and she sit upright, smiling broadly at Sango. “Inuyasha sent me good books that I needed to study with, along with some boxes of chocolate. He’s just so sweet, Sango.” Kagome stared off dreamily.
“Sent you? By mail? ” Sango frowned when Kagome nodded happily. “Why did he send you those gifts? Can’t he deliver it by himself?”
Kagome blinked and then shrugged. “He’s busy. But the point is he manages to show me his affection even in his busy time.”
“Speaking of book, I found this book on this table before we sit here.” Miroku searched his bag and took out a book. It was wrapped with ribbon and a small paper was on it that read ‘For Kagome Higurashi’.
Kagome squealed when she read the book’s title. “It’s the foreign novel I’ve been wanting for a month!”
“Who did it, Kagome?” Sango asked curiously.
Kagome smiled when she opened the first page and petals of white rose dropped from inside the book. There was no name of the sender, but the white rose had given his identity away. “Inuyasha.”
000000
Kagome watched the falling rain with slight regret. If only she had listened to Sango’s advice to bring an umbrella today. She sighed. No use crying over for spilt milk now. She was contemplating to call Inuyasha to ask if he had the time to pick her up when suddenly an umbrella was opened upon her.
She looked up at her side to see Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha quiet and calm older brother. Growing up with Inuyasha’s family in their small town, she had known both brothers all her life. While Inuyasha was a bundle of never ending energy, his brother was the symbol of peace. She had always looked up at him as the perfect figure of a big brother she did not have. Of course he would be her brother eventually when she and Inuyasha got married.
She smiled at him. “Good evening Sesshoumaru. It’s so nice to see you again.”
“Hn. The same.”
She was not fazed by his lack of words. It was really a Sesshoumaru thing to do.
“Are you going home now?” She asked; partially wishing that he were because he lived in the same apartment complex with her. It would be nice to have someone to talk to while walking home.
“Not yet.” He glanced at her. “But you are.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll walk you home.”
“Really?? Yay, thanks so much! Wait. Don’t tell me that Inuyasha send you here.”
He frowned. “No.”
“Oh, I thought that Inu will once again be my knight in shining armor.” She giggled while unknowingly to her Sesshoumaru’s lips were drawn in a tight line. “Well never mind, shall we go then Sesshou?”
00000
Kagome could not believe her eyes. Here she was, standing under an umbrella with her fiancé’s brother, while her fiancé was kissing another girl in a bus shelter! The girl was unsurprisingly Kikyo, Inuyasha’s partner for his current project.
“Inu… Inuyasha?” It was impossible for Inuyasha to cheat on her! He was so sweet and attentive towards her. Every morning he even still had the time to drop a rose at her door. She blinked. Did this have something to do with the different roses that he sent on the last week?
Kagome was feeling out of breath, tears began to form in her eyes. She started walking towards the heart breaking sight; out from the protection of Sesshoumaru’s umbrella. But suddenly Sesshoumaru grabbed her arm and dragged her back to him. Kagome struggled weakly. “Let go Sess. I must speak to him. There must be a reason for his-”
“-infedility?” Sesshoumaru cut her sentences. “And what are you trying to prove by asking him his reason? Even if you know his reason and beg to come back to you, will you be able to forgive him, Kagome?”
She yanked her hand from his hold. “I don’t have to answer you!” She shoved him away, making Sesshoumaru staggered back a bit. She was angry and hurt; and the closest person to vent her frustration was him. “Just go and leave me Sesshoumaru!” She then turned and started walking towards the happily kissing couple.
00000
Kagome walked slowly in the heavy rain; letting the harsh rain soaked her to the bone. This was one of the things she loved about the rain; it wiped the tears instantly. Kagome closed her eyes and let Inuyasha’s words ring back repeatedly inside her mind.
“I’m sorry Kagome, we’re just not meant to be. I’ve chosen Kikyo. Please understand. This is the best for us.”
She sobbed while walking. Is it really the best for us? If it is, then why does my heart hurt so much?
Too lost in her sorrow, Kagome bumped on a solid body. She gasped in surprised and then murmured a soft ‘I’m sorry’. Finding no response she then looked up to find Sesshoumaru’s calm face.
“Sesshoumaru?” She whispered brokenly. Didn’t she tell him to go away? Why was he here?
“Let’s get you back home. You most unlikely will catch a cold this way.”
The sincerity in Sesshoumaru’s voice broke her. And without thinking she hugged him; needing something to support and accompany her now. Sesshoumaru, her calm and wise big brother figure, would never betray her.
She felt Sesshoumaru stiffened in her embrace. But she did not care. She did not expect a Sesshoumaru would hug her back anyway. She only needed someone to hang on to; heck she’ll hug the electricity pole if there was no one now.
But she was so surprised when Sesshoumaru suddenly dropped his umbrella and wound his hand around her body; immediately tightening his embrace and burrowing his nose on her wet hair. She heard Sesshoumaru’s deep sigh; seemed full with contentment. There were no spoken words, only growing warmth for each other.
Sesshoumaru’s gesture and obvious care for her made Kagome’s heart ache more. This was the man whom she believed; this was the man she knew would never betray her. From their childhood until now, he had never done a single thing that could hurt her. He was always there for her, even when Inuyasha was not around.
So Kagome kept on crying her sadness out; under the heavy rain that soaked both of them, in the strong embrace of Sesshoumaru.
000000
Sesshoumaru sighed contently. In his embrace was the woman he wanted for so long; his long time childhood friend. It had always been her. The mixture of her lively attitude and naivety had drawn him to her.
For years he had secretly loved her; showing her care and affection that he never gave to anyone. He had wanted to tell her his feelings but was dreading the consequences that could follow. What if she rejected him? Then their best friend relationship would change. She might even distance herself from him.
He did not want that. Having her by his side was enough; caring for her from afar was enough; seeing her smiling brightly every day was enough. He would not want less that that. Time flies and he suddenly realized that he wanted more from her. But before he had the chance to admit his feeling on the night he asked her out, she showed him her and Inuyasha’s engagement ring happily.
But even then, he had never stopped loving her. He did not want to. He wanted her to always be in his thought, always be in everything he saw, always be with every breath he took.
Every morning he would pass her door and put a white rose beside Inuyasha’s red one, even when Inuyasha stopped sending her. He sent her books to help her study, he sent chocolates that he knew she loved, and he flied to UK to search for the novel she wanted. He wanted her to be happy.
He tightened his embrace on her sobbing body. It will take time to erase the scar that Inuyasha had caused, but all that time I’ll always be here for you, my Kagome. As I always be.
He let go of his hold to wipe Kagome tears and then searched his bag for a stalk of flower.
He loved the way her beautiful eyes widened in surprise when he gave her the white rose.
“It was you?”
“It has always been.”
------
AN: This fanfic is a gift for the Dokuga Exchange 2009. I made it for Priestess Skye that I admire so much. I was very surprised when Momo said that she was the person I suppose to gift. I hope she like my work. >_<
What make this fic special is this is Miwa’s first attempt in writing a non-dark fic! ...Or it look like a non-dark... Actually there's another side of this story; the reason why Inu choose Kikyo. I'll try to write it one day.
Hope that you enjoy reading it and critiques are highly wanted. :)
©miwa03 - 2009