"Forbidden Pictures"

By: TheGoddessofDeath

A/N: This fic took forever. Oh well. This is a pastfic. I seem to love those don't I? Anyway, this is a Sessh/Kiky fic written for Cathy-chan's "Hidden Hearts Fic Challenge." Whoo! yeah. So, enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own the anime Inuyasha in full. This includes Characters, their personalities, and whatever else. So I give all credit to Rumiko Takahashi.

Warnings: Inu/Kiky, Sessh/Kiky pairings. Rated PG-13 for descriptive violence, sexual implications, and language.

I just wanted to be her friend. I just wanted to protect her, have a good sense of well being with her.

But they wouldn't let me.

Yeah, yeah, if we have to do introductions, my name is Inuyasha. I'm a hanyou. Yeah, a half-breed. Half youkai, half human. Anyway, this girl I'm talking about, her name is Kikyou. Well, she was a girl when I first met her, anyway. Man that was so long ago. Anyway, I bet you're wondering what the hell I'm talking about and why don't I just get to the damn point? All right, keep your pants on. It all started when I was a pup.

I was constantly made fun of my people for being a hanyou. Apparently, being one is a disgrace. At that point, I didn't understand. I just knew I had a loving mother, and a father I hardly knew. I was hoping to avoid talking about him but, this story would be less interesting without him in it. I'm talking about my half brother, Sesshoumaru, Mr. "taiyoukai". Him and Kikyou ruined my whole fucking life. In more ways than one. Brought it down in flames. Made my life a living hell. It can't be that bad, you say? Listen to what happened.

I was a young pup, only about four. My mother was a princess of the village we lived in. She had no prince, therefore, never married. She was in love with my father, but he was off fighting in battle. She couldn't look at me without sadness in her eyes. I was the only part of my father she had left, and at night, I usually heard her crying for him. But, during the day, I tried to make her happy. I usually played ball with my mom. My favorite game was fetch, naturally. I could spend hours upon hours chasing that stupid red ball I loved so damn much. I always hoped my youthfulness would bring my mother joy. But one day, the ball strayed, and I ran after it. I ended up in the forest.

"Mama?" I whimpered.

The forest was scary to me. It looked like a monster was around every corner. I ran in fear from each tree, each dark corner, each pair of glowing eyes that weren't even there. Finally, I tripped over a tree root and fell down a hill. I was crying and wailing as I hit the bottom. But, I continued to run. Before long, my haori and my long hair got tangled in sharp thorns.

"MAMA!" I cried at the top of my lungs.

I was in the middle of the forest, my mom would never find me out here. Demons lived out in these woods. My eyes blurred with tears, and my ears pounded with the extra sensitive hearing I had all of a sudden acquired. I kept screaming for my mom, hoping if she didn't hear me someone that would help me would. I heard a low growl in the darkness, and a huge wolf demon came out, his eyes and teeth gleaming.

"Well, a hanyou." He growled.

The saliva dripping off his enormous fangs. He grabbed me and ripped me from the thorns. I burst into a fresh new batch of tears as the thorns tore my flesh. I never remember being so scared before in my life. He held me upside down, his fangs gleaming in the darkness. Tears streamed into my long hair as I whimpered as his claws dug into my legs.

"Any last words, hanyou?" his voice was deep and throaty, I took these words as the last I would ever hear.

"Mama!" I screamed again.

"Thought so." the demon said as his mouth drew closer to my body. I shut my eyes being prepared to be swallowed whole. I then felt such strong energy pulsing through me. I then just blanked out. When I regained consciousness, the wolf demon was dead, my claws soaked in blood, and my body was filled with rage. Had I just killed that demon? Then, I felt that horrible feeling. The feeling, or the urge, to kill. I hadn't killed enough, and deep inside me, I was freaked out. Then, I smelled something in the bushes. A human. I leapt into the bushes to come face to face with the head of an arrow. I was on top of a young girl with long raven black hair. She was my age, and she held that arrow straight between my eyes.

"Move demon, and this arrow is going through your skull."

Did she just call me a demon? My claws were piercing her shoulders, drawing deep red blood onto her white haori top. She pushed me off and I landed on my back, the rage and urges to kill disappeared from my body. My claws grew back to normal length, and I shook my head.

"Hey whatcha do that for?" I asked in my youthful voice.

"You attacked me, see?"

She showed me the wounds I had caused on her shoulders.

"Sorry." I grumbled, looking to the ground.

I had never met a girl my age before.

"It's okay, my mommy will fix it up in no time, don't feel bad, it didn't hurt."

I looked to her with wide eyes. "It didn't?"

She shook her head and giggled. "Nope. C'mon, come to my village with me."

I smiled and followed her playfully.

"I'm Kikyou by the way. It means Chinese bellflower." She said proudly. "What's your name?"

"Oh, uh...Inuyasha. It means...dog spirit."

She giggled again and smiled. Soon, we reached a beautiful open field. The sun was almost finished setting, the purple and navy blue dancing and weaving together through the almost night dusk.

"You're weird looking, what's with the ears?" she asked as we approached the village she lived in.

"Oh, I dunno. I was born with them. I'm a half-breed." I said.

I knew she would reject me after I told her, like everyone else did.

"Cool!"

I smiled. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yep. Never met a half breed before."

As we neared the huts and the families outside enjoying the night around their fires, they all stopped when they saw me.

"A hanyou! a hanyou!" I heard some of them screaming.

Some of the men drew their swords and pointed them into my face. I was frightened. Kikyou stood in front of me.

"Leave him alone!" she screamed.

She was standing up for me?

"But, Ms. Kikyou, it's a hanyou!"

She didn't budge.

"He's not a hanyou. He's a half-breed!"

Before the men could utter another word, a harsh female voice came from behind them.

"Stop! Withdraw your weapons!"

The men recognized the voice and drew their swords back to their holders.

"Mama." Kikyou acknowledged the older female.

The woman was young, only about 25 or so. She wore the robes of a miko.

"Kikyou, how dare you lead such a beast to our village." She said, half scolding, half screaming.

"Mama, I found him lost in the forest. He was being attacked, I heard him screaming, but then I must of scared him because he attacked me. But he's done nothing to hurt me. He's only a half-breed."

Kikyou's mother glared to her daughter and me.

"He's a hanyou, foolish child. He's half demon!"

One of the villagers stepped forward. "He must have come from the village to the west, I hear a hanyou is the child of the princess there."

Hearing them talk about my mother brought tears of worry. My mother, how could I have forgotten? She probably was worried sick about me. I stood up and the villagers who were now gathered around Kikyou's mother and us, backed away slightly.

"We must take him back, he's too young to find his way back on his own." one of the men finally said.

"We'll take him back at dawn." The miko said, grabbing Kikyou's hand and turning to leave. "Let him sleep in no one's hut. Do not associate with the beast."

She then dragged away my newfound friend and the villagers put their fires out, and shut their huts tight. As the darkness consumed me, all I had left was the light of the stars and the moon. I laid upon a huge boulder near the edge of the village, and I curled into a ball the best I could to keep warm, and fell asleep.

I awoke just before dawn. I yawned and shook my whole body, starting from my head. I went to a nearby river and washed my hands, that were still stained with demon and human blood. I washed my face, and then shook one more time. I sniffed the air once I had gotten out of the water. I smelled a demon's scent on the cold morning wind. I looked around to see if I could spot the demon lurking in the shadows. I finally saw it. I only saw it's gleaming eyes, and then it rushed away, as if the wind had drove it mad with the passion to run. I gasped, startled as I heard the hooves of a horse approach me.

"Come along, hanyou."

A man with armor on approached me cautiously but with purpose. He grabbed the top of my kimono and placed me on the back of the horse. The horse took off into the morning sunrise of purple and pink, as the sun peeked over the horizon. I noted the way to come back and forth from my village to hers. I wanted to see her again. My only friend wasn't going to be separated from me that easily.

We approached the familiar village soon enough and I was surprised to see many of the men screaming out my name. "INUYASHA!" "INUYASHA!" They stopped when they saw the horse approach.

"I'm here!" I waved.

They greeted the man as the horse stepped aside and stopped. A villager picked me up off the horse and carried me into the village.

"Here's the rascal. A man from the village to the east brought him back to us."

The man who had plucked me off the horse and carried me into the village dropped me onto the dirt ground. I landed on my knees and hands before my mother.

"Mama...." I looked up to her with tears in my eyes.

I was dirty, my hair was knotted, I looked like a mess.

"Inuyasha..." her eyes were tear filled too. "My little boy.."

She scooped me up in her arms and held me close to her. I burst into tears.

"Mama...the woods was so dark...the demon hurt me...and then Kikyou took me to her village...and they hated me mama...they hated me!"

I sobbed into her hair and she rocked me. I could feel the eyes of many villagers on us. She whispered to me once I had calmed down.

"What demon honey? Where is he now?"

I swallowed hard. "I killed it..."

I heard gasps from people around us, and my mom held me closer. She knew this was going to happen to me eventually. As the whispers and gasps continued around us, my mom took me into the palace.

"Come here honey..."

She took my fire rat haori and examined my legs that had the claw mark of the demon on it. She cleaned it and dressed it, even though she knew it would heal in a day or so.

"There you go, come dry your tears now."

She wiped my face with a cold cloth, hoping to soothe me and clean my dirty face. I was home now, and nothing else mattered to me. I yawned, and my mom took me to bed.

"Mama, will anyone ever love me?"

She smiled down at me and kissed my forehead.

"Of course, my little boy."

She tucked me in, and left the door open so the firelight would fill my room dimly. As I dozed off, my thoughts drifted to Kikyou. Her shrill voice filled my head as I dozed off.

Kikyou's POV

Three years had passed since I met the hanyou called Inuyasha. I was forbidden to see him, but we would meet outside the village and play together. We would tumble together through the grass, playing tag and hide and seek until dusk fell, then he would hurry away quickly, and I would go home to my mother, who would scold me for putting grass stains in my kimono top. Then, I would practice my archery. My mom said it was important for my survival. I was semi good at it, but I was getting there. One night, after my day of play with Inuyasha, I approached home, the sun casting a fiery glare across the land.

"Mama, I'm here!" I beamed up at her.

She managed a small smile to me, then handed me a bucket.

"Go fetch some water from the river for supper."

I trotted away with the bucket on my arm, and walked out of the village to the nearby river. As I knelt down to catch some water in the bucket, I felt another being standing across the river. I looked up and I saw him for the first time. He looked like a bigger version of Inuyasha, only his amber eyes were colder, and his hair was longer. He didn't have dog ears like Inuyasha did, and he had strange markings on his face. He must have been a youkai. He wore a fluffy thing on his shoulder. I had once read in my teachings that Canine youkais wore them as a sign of lordship. He wore armor as well. Our eyes met, and I could feel his glare bore into me. He watched me hungrily, and I took up my bucket of water, and started to walk off, I glanced back, and he was gone.

I had wondered if that youkai I had seen had been a figment of my imagination. Then why had it felt so real? I moved it to the back of my mind, and went the next day to meet Inuyasha. "Inuyasha, I saw something weird last night. A real live youkai, and he was watching me!" Inuyasha looked a little disturbed. "A real live youkai? Why would he be watching you?" I shrugged. "I have no idea, but..." I leapt onto him and we fell into the grass, laughing and I bolted off, beginning our daily game of tag. Little did I know someone was watching our innocent game.

Sesshoumaru's POV

I had stumbled upon the small village by fate, I had noted the young female human bounding around with my younger hanyou brother, and I wanted to see what was so special about this young girl. She was the daughter of the village miko, I could tell by the robes she wore. I watched her one evening fetching water. I will never forget that moment for as long as I exist in the world. She was small, delicate, but she glowed like a phantom in the dusk. When her mahogany brown eyes met mine, I thought I'd die right there. She was absolutely gorgeous, but she was too young. I needed to wait a few more years, then I could make her mine, and mine alone. I growled softly as I felt myself growing aroused by the sight of her. As she turned to leave, I ran off as swift and as quiet as the wind, never wondering if she'd tell anyone of our encounter.

I watched her the next day run off to meet my brother in a field. They talked and then they began a game of tag. I watched, envious of my brother, and his ability to be so close to her. The wind was unusually faster that day, or maybe I had never taken the chance to notice it. They tumbled, arms wrapped tightly around each other in a friendly embrace. I lowly growled in my throat, and I slunk away, distraught that my brother was all over that beautiful young miko.

I watched the young girl grow to be 10 years of age, her body starting to fill out. She and Inuyasha had continued to be close friends, and Inuyasha was starting to change as well. I learned her name was Kikyou. A perfect name for one so beautiful. I never crossed my line into the village, I always kept myself hidden. Inuyasha was too dull to figure out what the smell always was.

I finally spoke with her one night in late fall. Kikyou was with her now one year old sister Kaede as they watched their mother perform rituals around a huge bonfire. The Miko chanted and threw powder into the fire causing it to grow with every pinch. Kikyou knelt on a tatami mat, showing no sign of emotion as she watched her mother perform the ritual. As the ritual ended, the villagers started to party, and I advanced behind Kikyou, not very far out of the bushes.

"Miko-sama, may I speak with you?"

She looked at me wide eyed and nodded. I dragged her behind the bushes and began to talk softly, so as the others wouldn't hear, even if there was loud music from drums and sitars being beaten and strummed, and shouts and chatter of joy from the villagers.

"Miko-sama, do you remember me? I saw you many moons back, at the river."

She squinted at me, as the remind herself. Then, her eyes lit up in recognition.

"You're that youkai I saw that night, right?"

I nodded, a feeling of warmth overtook me, she remembered me.

"Yes, that was me."

Her eyes glistened and she giggled.

"Wow, you're an actual Youkai!"

I smiled and sat a little proudly. I had no shame. We sat on the ground for fear if we stood, we'd be seen. I was very tall, after all.

"So, youkai-sama, why do you wish to speak with me?"

I blushed slightly at the way she addressed me, but I dare not tell her my name. She would know in time if things worked out the way I wanted them to.

"I just wanted to see if you remembered me, young Miko-sama."

She nodded, as if she understood every single word I said. Her eyes told me differently.

"Now, I must go." I started to slink away, but was stopped by a small hand on my arm.

"Youkai-sama, will we meet again?"

My amber eyes looked down to her sweet brown eyes. Her eyes had the youth, the sweetness, the look of admiration; all aimed toward me. I looked to her with a look of guilt. Why did I want her? She was so young....she deserved better. My guilt subsided for a moment and I mumbled to her in my gruff voice, "I'm sure we will, Miko-sama." And I left like the wind does, swiftly and silently.

Kikyou's POV

My teen years had seemed to start flying by me. I was now sixteen, my mother had been dead and gone for about two years now. I was now the village miko, and apparently very good at it. Kaede is now 7 years old, and is following in my footsteps, just as I followed in my mother's.

I had introduced Inuyasha to my village, and its occupants shortly after my mother's death. The villagers seemed nice toward him, but I knew deep down, they were horrified.

I hadn't seen that youkai since that day at the celebration, and he did promise to come back. I'm still waiting for him to return.

I met Inuyasha at request one day outside the village in the field we used to play in when we were younger. We met at dusk, Inuyasha seeing it more secretive if we did it this way.

"Inuyasha..." I walked slowly behind him. He turned around slowly to face me.

"Kikyou..." his eyes looked serious, then a fire of playfulness sparked between him and I. He tagged me quickly before bounding off. "You can't catch me!" He screamed tauntingly at me. I ran after him laughing, bounding off of boulders, as fast as I could to catch the hanyou. I finally ran out of breath and he ran around me, both of us still giggling like youth. He wrapped his arms around me and I fell backwards, landing so that he was on top of me. We giggled until it dimmed to closed mouth chuckling, to nothing. Silence brought a big gap between us. Then, I saw it in his eyes. This was not friendship anymore. No.

Inuyasha and I were in love.

We spent that summer together. We met in the afternoons, being generally flirtatious with one another. We went for boat rides, we climbed trees together, even tussled when we were really playful. But one thing still bothered me about him. He wanted to be a full demon, to be powerful. I wanted him to be human. I confronted him one day about my fear.

"Inuyasha?" I asked one day when he was holding me in an embrace before our departure.

"Yes, Kikyou?" He asked, his soft gold eyes looking to me with so much love.

"Do you still want to become a full demon?" I asked warily.

He looked to me a little dumbfounded. "Yes, I do."

"Well, I don't want you to."

He tensed up in my arms. He pulled away from me.

"Well, Kikyou, I'm sorry. You either love me for what I want, or maybe this won't work out."

My anger was flaring.

"Fine, Inuyasha. I love you, but this won't work."

I kissed him on the cheek and left him in the increasing darkness. Inuyasha and I had split so soon. The fall wind nipped at me, the summer nights becoming cold with the oncoming of autumn. I had no sooner reached the outskirts of my village when I heard a few twigs snap in the bushes. I stood straight as a board, and drew my bow and one arrow out toward the sound. The thing in question came out of the bushes. It was the youkai I hadn't seen for six years. My eyes widened as I drew my arrow back and dropped my bow.

"Hello, Miko-sama." he half growled at me. I shuddered.

"Hello, youkai-sama." I said, my eyes narrowing.

We looked to each other for a few moments, before an actual connection began to form between us. I felt at ease with him. Especially since what just happened with Inuyasha.

"My name is Sesshoumaru. I am a youkai lord from the western lands." He stood still, his fluff blowing slightly behind him, making him look majestic.

I took this as an invite to introduce myself as well.

"I'm Kikyou, miko of this village, and guardian of the Shikon no Tama."

He nodded slightly before he continued, "I have a confession Kikyou. I've been watching you for many years now, and you seem to have a special connection with my brother."

I didn't know which part I should be more shocked at; the fact he was watching me or the fact I knew his brother. "Brother...?" then it hit me. Inuyasha was Sesshoumaru's brother. "Oh, you mean Inuyasha?" I questioned.

He nodded.

"Oh, well Inuyasha and I have been friends for a very long time, Sesshoumaru-sama. We recently were lovers, but just this evening we broke it off."

'Good, she's free for the taking, then.' Sesshoumaru thought to himself.

He slunk so that he was very close to me. "Kikyou, there's something I see in your eyes. Passion. Desire. Want." I started breathing a little faster. "What is it you desire, Kikyou?" His breath was upon my neck now, his voice never wavering. "What is it you want?"

I swallowed hard as I started to speak. "I want a lover to look after me, but Inuyasha was too reckless, not kind enough to me."

Sesshoumaru's POV

"I could be that kind lover you need. Come, my dear Kikyou." I flicked my tongue out to taste her skin. She tasted as sweet as honeysuckle. She shivered underneath my touch. Humans surrendered to the smallest acts of intimacy. All of a sudden, I smelled Inuyasha's scent coming closer to us, and I backed away from her.

"Sweet Kikyou, may we meet again soon." and I bounded off before he could sense me.

Inuyasha's POV

I bounded to Kikyou, as I watched her tremble and breathe heavily.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Kikyou's eyes stayed wide, her breathing becoming a little steadier, but still heavy enough to make me wonder what the hell had happened to her.

"Damnit Kikyou, what the hell happened? TELL ME! I have every fucking right to know!"

Kikyou's eyes began to water, and she looked away from me. "Why...didn't...you..tell me?"

I looked curious. "Tell you what?"

Kikyou looked at me, angry that I didn't know what the hell she was talking about. "That you had a brother!"

I growled. "You met Sesshoumaru then?"

Kikyou's anger was growing, I could tell in the way her eyes narrowed with every word she spoke. "Oh, I did much more than meet him..."

It was my turn for my eyes to narrow at her words. "What?! What did he do Kikyou? Tell me!"

A slight smile played on Kikyou's face. I knew what she was about to tell me I wouldn't like.

"Well, he's entrancing, Inuyasha. So handsome. He offered to take your place in my heart."

I growled low in my throat. This meant war. If Sesshoumaru and I had nothing to fight about, we did now.

Little did I know we had much more to fight about then who got to be Kikyou's mate.

Kikyou's POV

I was trying to process this all in my head. Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha.....oh my god. My head was spinning with the longing for a loving touch. Inuyasha was fuming over something, probably what I had just told him. I had stretched the truth a tiny bit to make him jealous. Oh, how I got glee out of watching him anger so.

"Well Inuyasha, I must be getting back to my hut. It's growing quite dark, and you know how the villagers don't like you around at night."

Another excuse to make him leave. He said nothing, just glaring at me, before he bounded off into the forest. I looked to the village, the last candles being extinguished. I needed to see him again. The connection between us no less than an hour ago was too strong to ignore. I looked over my village once again, knowing if they ever knew, I'd be exiled with no second thoughts. A miko seeing a demon, preposterous! I wasn't even sure I'd find him. But, I set out anyway. I picked my arrow and bow I had planned to use on Sesshoumaru in our previous encounter, and set the arrow back with the others. I then headed into the dark forest, the moonlight my only source of light. The dark never creeped me out like it did so many others. Soon I had found myself at the semi-large lake that marked the middle of the forest. I peered over the ledge above the lake and looked into the water. My face looked pale. To others, I may have looked dead. All of a sudden, I felt him. He was near. Any tension I felt at that moment had disappeared and I felt so relaxed. He appeared at the other side of the lake. He looked up to me, mahogany orbs colliding with amber ones. My heart sped up to twice it's normal rate. This youkai could be different than the others....he had to be. We just stared at each other silently, our eyes doing the talking. After a few moments of staring and hearing my breath increase it's rate, he made his way toward me. My heart's rate increased more if that was humanly possible, my throat becoming dry, heat blazing through my body. Before I knew it, the tall youkai lord was in front of me, looking down to me. I looked up to him a bit shyly.

He spoke first. "Well, your curiosity got the better of you I see." he muttered gruffly to me, as if he knew someone was watching us.

I felt no one's presence though.

"I just couldn't ignore it any longer Sesshoumaru. You felt it too, I know you did. That moment when we connected so many years ago, I didn't feel it then, but a few years when I was older, I understood. I felt a rush a few hours ago when you touched me. I know you felt something too, don't deny it."

He said nothing to me, just looked to me, very content and concentrated on what I was saying.

I continued. "Just answer one question for me Sesshoumaru. Why? Why me?"

Before I knew it, the gap between us was closed. I was pulled to him softly yet quickly, and he embraced me, mumbling only three words. "Every little thing."

Tears leapt into my eyes, and I gazed up to him. He smiled to me. That smile would be imprinted on my heart for eternity. Our faces neared one another's, and that's when it finally happened. Our lips touched softly and innocently at first. He pulled away from me, my breath ragged, his breath never faltering. That was it for both of us. We let it go. Our mouths met more forcefully this time, his hands running up my back, and mine up his, neither of us dare break away for air. I felt his fingers going through my hair, so I did him the same favor, letting my fingers wander through his silky hair. Our tongues introduced themselves to each other, the passion rising in our caresses and kisses. I moaned into his mouth and he brought his hand lower...lower...

Inuyasha's POV

Kikyou had told me to leave, quite rudely I may add. I leapt into some brush absentmindedly when I made my escape, accidentally colliding with some thorns and snarled vines. Infuriated, I slashed at the thorns with my claws, cutting them quickly. I shook my head fast, getting the thorns out of my hair and what was left stuck in my haori. I cursed at the bush angrily, before dashing off to eat something. I attacked a small demon, eating him hungrily, before becoming thirsty. I then dashed to the water hole. Before approaching, I remembered not to make any sudden or fast movements at the waterhole, for other creatures could be there, and they didn't like to be disturbed. I slunk slowly to the clearing, noticing two others were already present. I could see one was Sesshoumaru. He was standing nearest to me. He was looking toward the other being. Nothing happened for many moments, and finally Sesshoumaru made his way toward the other being. I crept out a bit slowly, but not into eyeshot. I leapt silently to get closer to see what was going on. I hid under the ledge they stood upon, listening to their conversation silently. I heard him speak first, and then I heard Kikyou's voice. So, the other being was Kikyou. My anger increased. I listened until it became quiet. I peered up to see something I hoped to never see. There they were, my brother and the girl I cared most for in the world, kissing. My anger was at it's peak now. I leapt up once Sesshoumaru's hand started to make it's way toward her most treasured area.

"Sessh...shou...maru!!" I growled, making every part of his name accented and dripping with my newfound hatred toward the full blooded youkai.

He pulled away from Kikyou. Kikyou looked scared, almost surprised. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, and he growled right back.

"Inu...YASHA!!!" he snarled, his eyes gleaming with a slight tint of red.

"Get. Your. Filthy. Paws. Off. HER." I roared at him. I had never felt so much anger. I could feel my nails growing longer, my teeth turning into fangs, my eyes growing red.

"Back off, Inuyasha. Kikyou's chosen me over you. Leave in peace. Or, is it a fight you want, little brother?" he smirked at me. His eyes had grown red as well.

"Bring it on, Sesshoumaru!" I roared.

Kikyou's POV

I gasped as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru started to circle each other in a threatening manner. Inuyasha had grown into his full demon state again, the full moon hanging heavy in the sky. The usually docile Sesshoumaru had grown angry, and he looked like a wild beast. All of a sudden, they lunged at each other, digging their claws into each other shoulders. Their teeth met in a clash for power over the other. Inuyasha pushed Sesshoumaru over, dislodging Sesshoumaru's claws from his shoulders. He growled and showed his fangs to Sesshoumaru threatenily, but Sesshoumaru smacked Inuyasha across the face with his claws unexpectedly causing him to flinch and flail backwards. Sesshoumaru sent a whip forward from his claws, smacking Inuyasha across the chest as he fell backwards. His fire rat haori blocked the blow, but one more hit to the same spot and he was a goner. Attacking once again, Sesshoumaru leapt on top of him, drawing his claws toward the jugular vein in Inuyasha's neck.

"Leave now, or I'll kill you."

Inuyasha's claws retracted, his eyes growing back to normal, and his teeth became normal once more. I sighed with relief as Inuyasha gave up. Sesshoumaru got off Inuyasha, his claws becoming normal as well, his eyes now white again.

"Get out of here Hanyou." Sesshoumaru growled threateningly once more.

Inuyasha looked to me sadly, growled at Sesshoumaru one last time, then bounded off quickly. I ran toward Sesshoumaru as he staggered a bit.

"Sesshoumaru!" I said as he teetered forward.

I held him up an he slumped onto me.

"I won, Kikyou. You're mine now..." he muttered to me.

"Shh...don't talk." I helped him back to my village into my hut.

Kaede awoke and was frightened to see a youkai in our hut.

"Sister! There's a demon!" she shrieked.

I covered her mouth and told it was all right.

"He's a friend, Kaede. He's hurt, I'm just going to take care of him. Go back to sleep."

Kaede eased up a little. If I trusted the youkai, than he was okay. But still, I wanted privacy with Sesshoumaru. I took Kaede to our neighbor's hut and asked if she could stay. They said of course, and let her bring her futon in and got her settled. When I was sure she was okay, I went back to Sesshoumaru.

"Kikyou.."

I placed a finger over his mouth. "Shh...rest. I'm just going to clean your wounds."

I took off his armor and set it aside. I took his fluff off as well laying it beside his armor. Taking his kimono off was the hardest. Once I got the top half off, I cleaned his shoulders, which had deep puncture wounds.

"Kikyou...it's fine...I'll heal."

I had to remind him to stay quiet. As I rubbed the medicine in the wounds, he exhaled heavily, bringing his hand up to my shoulder.

"Kikyou, I want you to know I'd do anything for you."

I smiled as I started to clean his face.

"I can see that." I said softly, finally finishing my cleaning process.

I took bandages and wrapped them around his chest and shoulders. "There, all done."

He smiled to me and brought his hand up to caress my cheek. I held his hand between both of mine, tears lining my eyes. Not tears of sadness, no. Tears of love.

"It might be too soon, but...I love you Sesshoumaru."

Another smile crossed his face and he repeated the declaration. "I love you too, Kikyou."

I dropped his hand and gently as to not hurt him, I laid my head on his chest, getting myself close to him. He loved me. My youkai-sama loved me.

EPILOGUE

A few months passed before the message came. He could feel it in the wind. Sesshoumaru was being called by his father to battle. He looked troubled as he watched Kikyou with the village children, telling them about legends past. How could he leave her now? He felt Naraku's presence stronger and stronger each day over the past few months. Naraku was a very strong hanyou with feelings stronger than he possessed towards Kikyou. If he left now, it was the opportunity for him to strike. It was a slim chance, but he had to help his father. One night at their regular meetings, Sesshoumaru hugged Kikyou and sighed.

"Kikyou, I have been summoned from lands to the west of here. My father is in terrible danger, and I need to fight alongside him if we are to be victorious."

Kikyou felt a stab of pain through her body. She knew this wouldn't be good. Sesshoumaru felt her uneasiness.

"I'll stay if that is what you wish."

She looked up to him as he spoke these words.

"No, go Sesshoumaru. This is important. I'll be alive when you get back. Then, we can be together."

Kikyou was surprised at what she said. She knew they would never be together, not in the way she wanted.

"Kikyou, this is our last night together for a long while. Let's make it worth remembering."

Sesshoumaru kissed her deeply before pushing her down to the forest floor.

The next morning, Kikyou awoke in her hut. Sesshoumaru had apparently brought her back. She knew he was gone, she could tell in the way her body ached. Kikyou went to seek Inuyasha.

"So, my brother flat out left you, huh?" Inuyasha asked coldly. "I knew it."

"Inuyasha he didn't leave me, he went to help your father, his father."

Kikyou looked to Inuyasha then away again. The wind tussled their long hair, the silence between them deafening. Inuyasha then spoke.

"I still love you, you know." he said softly.

"I know you do, Inuyasha. But, I'm Sesshoumaru's now."

"You're not his until you two mate." he said rather coldly.

"Inuyasha, mating is an animal thing. For humans, you are the others once you show each other affection. Besides, how do you know if we've "mated" or not yet?" she shot back, just as coldly.

He kept his mouth shut. Finally she got up to leave. "Goodbye Inuyasha." she said.

'Kikyou wait..." he stopped her and she looked down to him, her eyes following him as he stood up. "I will change for you. Bring me the Shikon no Tama, and I'll wish to become a human."

She looked a little doubtful. "How do I know you'll not wish to become full demon?"

"Listen, Kikyou. We've been friends for many many moons now, and I promise I'll keep my word."

Kikyou had her doubts but said it was okay. She thought it the better for everyone. the jewel would be gone and she could live a normal life, and he could be a human, and kinder. She nodded and walked off toward her village. Tomorrow, Inuyasha's life would change, and her life would change. This was to good to be true.

Yes it was.

The next day, on her way to deliver the jewel to Inuyasha, the wind stopped. The silence was creepy. The place they had promised to meet was empty, the silence finally getting to her,. She turned to look for him, when it happened. She was struck down by Inuyasha. He stepped on her hand and declared he'd make good use of the jewel, by becoming full demon. Kikyou could only watch sadly as he dashed off with the jewel. Little did she know Inuyasha had been brainwashed by Naraku.

Inuyasha was making his way to meet Kikyou. He couldn't believe he was going through with this. Before he could get to their meeting place, an arrow shot past him, barely missing him.

"Inuyasha!"

It was a heavily bleeding Kikyou, and she looked awfully angry.

"How dare you betray me Inuyasha!"

Another arrow came flying at him, and he ran.

'Betray her?! She betrayed me!' he thought, running to the miko's village, stealing the jewel, and making his getaway.

Kikyou found him not far after.

"INUYASHA!" she screamed, shooting an arrow at him, pinning him to a tree.

The biggest tree in the forest.

"Kikyou....I thought..." his eyes shut, and the jewel dropped to the ground.

Kikyou dropped her bow, staggering forward, she dropped to her knees in front of the jewel, picking it up in her hand.

Kaede and many villagers came running to her. "Sister!"

"Kikyou are you all right?" a villager asked.

She winced. She knew her wounds were fatal, and she was dying.

"Kaede, burn this jewel with my body, it cannot get into the wrong hands...." she winced before falling onto her side.

The village doctor rushed to her and checked her over, everyone watching content. She bowed her head silently toward the priestess, as a sign of acknowledging her passing. Kaede wailed and hid her face in a nearby villager's thigh. Everyone bowed their heads silently toward the priestess, before four villagers carried her body toward the shrine. She was burned not long afterwards, the jewel along with her.

Sesshoumaru returned to the forest a year later. Inutaisho was dead, and he saw no more reason to fight. So, he went to return to Kikyou. Coming across her village at night, the villagers were asleep. he looked to see Inuyasha pinned to the tree, as he slunk by him, he saw an arrow was pinning him. Kikyou's arrow. He knew what had happened to his unfortunate brother. Coming toward the shrine, he couldn't feel the jewel's presence anywhere, nor Kikyou's. He thought it strange. That's when he saw it. The gray slate stone, a pot before it. He bent down to a crouching position to read the stone. Kikyou's name was upon it. Offerings were in front of it, and he looked to the pot. He shook his head and stood up.

"So, you couldn't stay alive for a year huh Kikyou?" he muttered, looking to the moon and stars.

Sesshoumaru turned, and walked away. He never glanced back. Kikyou was in the past now, and he would never get close to a human again, for they were taken away too easily.

Never again.......

OWARI