Kagome blanched, taken aback. “How—how can you say that?”
“How can you deny it,” Sesshoumaru said with an edge. “It is only his blind, foolish trust in you which has so far prevented it.”
Kagome stared at him, gutted. Even in the days of their earliest acquaintance, even when he had deplored her for her humanity, he had never said anything so cruel to her as what he had just said to her now. Hugging her arms around Shin, she turned away.
“I mean,” she said hollowly, “how can you say ‘always’? Like you’ve known from the start that there was no chance Shin’s true paternity would go undiscovered.”
Sesshoumaru didn’t reply. When Kagome gathered the wherewithal to glance back at him, she saw that he was looking beyond her, toward some horizon she couldn’t fathom.
“Shin’s crescent mark,” she said, “his blood mark. To those in the know, it’s clear he inherited it from you. Was it a foregone conclusion he would bear your mark?—that’s what I want you to tell me.”
Sesshoumaru’s golden stare flickered. “He is my firstborn.”
At his caginess, Kagome’s adrenaline spiked. “That’s not what Toutousai called him.” Her voice shook slightly as she pressed on, “Toutousai called Shin your ‘heir.’ Why would he say that?”
A dark cloud seemed to pass over Sesshoumaru’s features. But when he looked to her, his thunderous expression cleared.
“Because it is the truth. Shin is the vouchsafe of my blood, my legacy. Of all that is mine. He is my firstborn son and the heir of my choosing.”
Kagome’s eyes searched Sesshoumaru’s at a loss. “But, Shin’s illegitimate. He can’t be your heir.”
Sesshoumaru’s gaze sharpened—seared. “There is nothing illegitimate about him.”
Kagome gasped at the sudden blaze that lit into her at the collar, painless but intense. As Shin whimpered, she wrenched the neck of her kimono shirt aside. She clapped a hand to the scar that licked against her palm like divots of live, unburning flame. Her eyes flew to Sesshoumaru’s in a panic.
“What is this? What’s happening to me? Sesshoumaru!”
Shin had levered himself up against her chest. His cool, blue-limned little palm flitted to the base of her neck. Sesshoumaru glanced away. The scar’s flaring subsided.
“It is the mark of a mating bond,” he said, with brisk formality and obvious reluctance.
Kagome gaped at him. “What?”
Sesshoumaru’s golden eyes slanted back to her. “A youkai marriage seal.”
Kagome’s jaw fell slack. The words he’d spoken to her seemed to scramble in her brain. As she pieced them back together, she breathed shallowly, rapidly. On the verge of hyperventilating.
Red-faced, she burst out, “I can’t be married to you! I’m already married—to your brother!”
“In your custom, not mine.”
“Custom or not,” Kagome exploded, “I never agreed to marry you!”
“That doesn’t matter,” Sesshoumaru said.
“Doesn’t matter? How can it not matter?” Her tone pitched desperate as she bared the scar to him. “You need to take it back. Undo it.”
Sesshoumaru laughed, clipped and cold. “It’s not some simple spell to be lifted. This is a covenant which can only be broken by death.”
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
Revised 2/20/24
God dang kagome needs like thirty wake up calls lol.
Tho sesshomaru isn’t exactly being the most vocal of facts dropping until she susses it out.
A fleet of therapists are needed but I’m also getting vibes that inuyasha will be stepping out with sango soon
“A fleet of therapists are needed” – haha ain’t that the truth? XD
Thanks for sharing, Meesens! Hope you enjoy the next chapter <3
Oh my daysssss. OH MY DAYSSSS! Okay I suspected what the mark was of course but to have Sesshomaru finally say it outloud … dskgldsjgkdsg??!!??! I’m sorry, Kagome, but I couldn’t be happier lmaoaooaoa.
Sesshomaru MARRIED Kagome and he made sure to do it BEFORE she conceived so that his child wouldn’t be a bastard. I love this ma– demon. He’s so cunning skjgkdsgsdg
I LOVE THIS FIC TOO WITH MY WHOLE HEART YOU HAVE NO IDEA, CHAR!
(Also Shin using his reiki to comfort his mom … byeeee too cute)
OMG I 100% agree with everything you just said! Char, you are a miracle weaver, and i can’t wait for the next installment! Ooooh, I can remember how Sess had stared after he marked her, like he didn’t even realize he was going to do it at first!
I wonder how long until that cat is really out of the bag
😉 😉
<3
Thanks so much, L-desu!! Hope you enjoy the next part <3
Aww thanks so much, bella! Warms my heart to hear how much you’re enjoying the story!! 🙂
Love hearing your thoughts on the revelations in this scene! Thanks again <3
WheeWeee! Kagome is caught in her own little deception from the master himself. I’m so proud of Sesshoumaru, couldn’t you just imagine him doing a Sesshoumaru happy little dance…mwahaha! Kagome it’s almost payback from Inuyasha when he leaves your lying butt!
Lol yep she’s getting hemmed-in all right…
Thanks for sharing! <3
My face after reading this chapter: O.O
Sesshoumaru captured her without her even knowing it! My goodness!
Welp, I think this is going to end very badly for our favorite hanyou and very well for our favorite daiyoukai.
>=3
“My face after reading this chapter: O.O” – yayy love to hear it!! <3
Thanks so much for sharing your take on the scene, Topaz Gold! Hope you enjoy the next chapter!!
They finally acknowledge it 😭🙌🎉
Didn’t Sess bite her on the second day? He worked FAST. And this also makes me wonder if Inuyasha is truly ignorant of youkai mating marks. He took her word for it when Kagome told him it was a spider youkai, but then after that—
She swallowed anxiously as his grip tightened. Before she could stop him, he was ripping out her hairpins. Her long locks tumbled down her shoulders as the chopsticks clattered to the floor.
“That’s better.” His claws fisted in the tangled fall of her hair. “I hate having to look at that filthy scar on your neck…it pisses me off, knowing you let some bastard put his fangs in you.”
Kagome tensed further. “Stop it, Inuyasha…you’re just drunk.”
“Maybe I am.” His lips twisted in scorn as he lifted the sake to his mouth again. “Or maybe you’re just a whore.”
If Inuyasha had known about youkai mating customs all along and simply never bit her… that would be so sucky of him. UTTERLY DICKLESS BEHAVIOR.
“He worked FAST. ” – lol yep XD
Love hearing your thoughts & theories, oskorreia!! Hope you enjoy where things go from here…!! <3
YESSSSSSSSSS
Sesshōmaru serving up the cold hard truth
I’ve really been wondering if Inuyasha has known all along. The way he treated her at Shippō’s party after the “spider” bit her has been a big red flag since the start… But it’s hard to tell because you started the story after the marriage had been established. We didn’t really get to see how he treated her before. I’m excited to find out, though.
“Sesshōmaru serving up the cold hard truth” – lol yep he has a knack for it XD
Thanks so much, Uissuteffu!! So glad you’re stoked to see what happens next! <3
I’m SQUEEEE. The emotions in this chapter got me rolling on the ground 🫣❤️🔥
I don’t know where to begin. The mating mark we’ve ALL been side-eyeing all this time? Kagome not denying/possibly acknowledging that the truth is inevitable? Sess claiming Shin fully and oh my god that just warms my heart, the fact that he doesn’t just see Shin as leverage to get to Kagome.
There’s no undoing any of this, nu uh, just as she can’t shove Shin back in her tummy and pretend this never happened. And honestly? I’m happy that Sess pushed that commitment all the way😈 She’s waffling so much that she needs someone to be her anchor. And who the heck is more grounding and permanent than a youkai mate?
Just let all those panicky feelings out, Kagome. Just let it run its course for a sec. I’m in the same boat.
“There’s no undoing any of this, nu uh, just as she can’t shove Shin back in her tummy and pretend this never happened. ” – well said! <3
So glad you enjoyed the scene, friend!! Love hearing your reactions and your take on all the drama! Hope you enjoy the next chapter <3
I knew he marked her! lol Sesshoumaru saw Inuyasha did not marry her according to youki custom and he said, “say no more fam.” I bet he was waiting on pins and needles to take her. Although mind you he was wrong for sneaky that bite in😂 but what’s done is done, at least he made sure his son is legitimate .
I knew he marked her! lol Sesshoumaru saw Inuyasha did not marry her according to youki custom and he said, “say no more fam.” I bet he was waiting on pins and needles to take her. Although mind you he was wrong for sneaky that bite in😂 but what’s done is done, at least he made sure his son is legitimate .
Thanks for another great read🩵
“Sesshoumaru saw Inuyasha did not marry her according to youki custom and he said, “say no more fam.” ” – XDD
Thank you, Maya!! <3
So did Inuyasha just like… never do a mating mark? I mean… did he even know? Is that why he was so upset when he saw it maybe? Ugh smh Kagome get it together. I know Sess is being an ass but girl… just… I mean I would have given up by now with the self denial honestly.
As always, amazing Char!
Thank you, M-Yan!! <3
"So did Inuyasha just like… never do a mating mark? I mean… did he even know? " - great questions! Hope you enjoy how things play out from here...! <3
I love this story so so much, but I feel like I almost can’t trust it lol. Every time it seems like there might be some resolution of the building plot points, things twist and the tension only ratchets higher. Now, when there’s any sign of a potential resolution, I almost expect to be blue-balled 😂
Torturously amazing as always, can’t wait to be frustrated by the plot twist in the next couple installments 😜
Ahaha yeah you know the drill XD
Thanks so much for sharing & hope you continue to enjoy the suspense!! <3
“How can you deny it,” Sesshoumaru said with an edge. “It is only his blind, foolish trust in you which has so far prevented it.” – ouchie, Sess. So mean (yet so good 🥴)
I think this is squarely a damned if you did & damned if you don’t kind of situation. He marked her without her knowledge which, yeah, of course she’d be Mad, but if her child had turned out illegitimate wouldn’t that be worse? A hanyou (altho a mysterious type; maybe not a hanyou at all but a new hybrid youkai), a son of a miko, and a firstborn bastard to the Lord of Western Lands – there’s a high chance Shin could end up as a bigger target than Inuyasha ever was. Shin’s legitimacy could grant him a measure of protection i think.
Lots of great points raised! 😉
Sess is what he is lol, that’s for sure! So glad you enjoyed that line from him <3 Thanks for sharing and hope you enjoy the next part!! <3