Soulmate AU + Pregnancy Fic (Sesskagu)
Though her time in existence has been short, Kagura is aware that humans and demons believe in soulmates.
She is also aware that she does not have one.
At the horrible moment where she was rooted to the spot, watching Muso come to his end, Naraku had proven that.
"That woman!" The incarnation had wailed and gnashed his teeth. "Kikyo - is she my - "
"Pathetic," Naraku jeered, as the screaming incarnation melded back into his flesh, "Just a lump of useless flesh and desire isn't enough. You'd need a soul of your own, first."
Because she tries not to think of that incident, Kagura doesn't think much of soulmates either.
"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin says, for the millionth time since they left Mount Hakurei, and he wonders what questions his surrogate daughter could possibly have left that neither he nor Jaken have answered. "That man with the purple tears was talking about soulmates. Do I have one?"
Why that damn assassin would speak of such things to a child is absurd. As he usually does with the questions he does not feel like answering, Lord Sesshomaru simply acts like he doesn't hear her.
"What happens when I meet my soulmate? How will I know?"
"Shut up, you stupid girl!" Jaken shrieks, even as he keeps glancing behind to check Rin has not been stolen from them again. "Lord Sesshomaru wouldn't know the answers to your silly questions, since he does not have - "
A sharp click of his jaw, and the kappa flings himself to the ground in reproach.
He'd asked similar questions, one time before.
His mother had replied matter-of-factly, that meeting their soulmate would leave a permanent sign on the person.
"Like a wound?" He said, and she cut him off with sharp noise.
"Something gained, not lost."
But other than his demon marks, and the tattoo of his family line, there is nothing Sesshomaru gains from dealing with others.
It doesn't matter to him, and thus he does not ruminate on it often.
The world turns darker, as Naraku claws more and more power from the half-made jewel. Kagura crosses paths again and again with the demon Lord of the West, and no matter what she does - call him a coward, kidnap his human pet, throw blades of wind so strong it must leave his lungs aching for hours afterwards - Sesshomaru never puts an end to her life.
It's as good a reason as any, when her master finally falls to the combination of the priestess' arrow and the hanyou's sword, to stick around.
Sesshomaru's lonely, anyway. Ah-Un stays with Rin and Rin stays in the village, after finding the mark on her back in the same spot where Kohaku's jewel shard left a scar on his own. Jaken is company but not good company.
Only Kagura, of all of Naraku's incarnations, remains.
What do you think keeps you alive, Kagome asks her once, curiously and not at all suspicious. Kagura thinks of miasma-stained flowers and gold eyes full of understanding, and does not have an answer.
She thinks she might know, once, when Sesshomaru's mouth brushes against her in the dark. But it's not something she would ever consider in the light.
Now, it's the tenth month after her life truly began. And instead of being somewhere interesting, Kagura's sitting in the freezing cold hut of a river-spirit midwife.
She ate less than an hour ago, and she's hungry again. Despite not caring much for meat in the entirety of her short life, all she wants is some kind of bloody flesh to sink her teeth into. Sesshomaru barely has to look in her direction before she's ready to rip his head off.
"Congratulations," the spirit simpers. And despite it all, Kagura's chattering teeth bare in a smile.
"Walking is boring," she snaps, tossing a gust of wind into the nearest tree. Sesshomaru doesn't react to the litany of cracking branches; as usual, his attention is entirely focused on her.
The mother of his child, Jaken says, sounding jealous and like he is mocking her at the same time. I suppose we won't be getting rid of you now.
"Regular exercise ensures your health," he says, reciting the words as though they came out of that stupid little scroll that the inane monk from Rin's village whipped out as soon as he'd heard. "And lounging about all day will merely make you restless."
"Whatever." She shreds another tree just for the sake of it. Despite what he thinks, Kagura would love to lounge for the next four months - eating whatever is at hand, wrapping herself in soft blankets, and gossiping. And Sesshomaru could just sit in the corner and watch her; it's all that seems to carry his interest these days.
Not that she's complaining. It's just weird, is all.
"You are not feeling ill," he says, making it sound more like a certainty thanks to his insistence that she walk regularly, rather than a question. Kagura sighs as dramatically as she can and mutters, "No."
She's lucky in that way, it seems. The priestess that she guesses would be considered her sister-in-law, in some manner of human custom, spent almost her entire pregnancy as sick as a dog. (A joke that was sadly unappreciated by everyone Kagura told.) Her half-demon husband had been beside himself with worry, and Kagura is fairly certain that Sesshomaru gets a smug sense of superiority that this is not the case for her.
Kagome's soulmate marks are on both arms, where someone's claws might dig in; and Inuyasha's is a line around the back his neck, as though a string tied around it was yanked quite hard. Kagura thinks about it often, even though it's not like it has anything to do with her.
Even though she shouldn't care.
"I want to go to the mountains to see the snow," she says. Sesshomaru's mouth firms into a thin line. Above them, birds screech in warning as more branches fall apart; Kagura starts to scream back, but holds her tongue fast between her teeth.
She grins wide. Sesshomaru's expression softens - so little a change that anyone who doesn't know him well would never notice - and she rewards him by pulling his arm to rest warm against her abdomen.
"I think they'll like the cold," she says cheerfully. "See, they're kicking because they're so excited."
Sesshomaru shifts his hand a bit, chasing the baby's movement. Fondness for the both of them hits her like a weapon's strike; soulmates aren't that interesting, anyway, she thinks, watching lines of amusement form around his eyes. I'd still choose you even if I had one.
Jaken can't say for sure that neither of them are aware. He only knows what he thinks, and what he believes neither Lord Sesshomaru or the stupid wind witch Kagura would bother to think.
For example, Totosai himself said that Lord Sesshomaru's heart was changed, by compassion for another. Why his Lord would have been affected so by someone as annoying as Kagura, rather than a faithful and eternally loyal companion, is a mystery. But the point remains, nonetheless.
Kagura, as well, still walks around making a problem out of everything despite the fact her master and creator is long dead and gone. Though Jaken doesn't have the nerve to ask Lord Sesshomaru if there is an actual heart in the witch's chest at this particular point in time (they're all much too focused on the baby and its associated organs instead) it certainly makes sense. Where else would she be keeping it?!
In summary: while it is rare for humans, due to their incredibly fragile bodies, Jaken knows of many demons whose soulmate marks don't show on the outside. Who would want to advertise such weakness to all of one's enemies?!
He considers bringing it up only a single moment. The mood was perfect - a gorgeous sunny backdrop, his Lord maintaining a neutral attitude, and Kagura hadn't dragged her sorry behind back from her lollygagging trip yet. Jaken had cleared his throat, readied himself to be recognized for his brilliance, and - was interrupted by the stupid wind witch's return, plus the announcement that she was carrying his Lord’s heir. A new little soul, housed in her body until it was ready.
I don't see why you shouldn't be glad to hear about it, she'd said with a huge, foolish smile. But if that is the case, then I'll keep it for myself.
You always say pointless things, Lord Sesshomaru had said back, before reaching for her in a manner that always sent Jaken fleeing the room.
Bah! Even recalling it annoys him. Let them figure it out for themselves, after all.
There's too much else to do before the baby comes.
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