11Chapter Five: Horror
"Well met, travelers!" Kagome boomed in her best impression of a burly blacksmith. "Word has already spread of your heroic deeds in our city's House of Healing—."
"Yeah!" Shippou exclaimed, tally marks carved in dirt by his knee. "We dispatched all the evil cultists posing as healers. I took the brunt of the damage from their prelate guy," he stole a shy glance at the girl between he and Sesshoumaru. "But managed to foxfire him straight to oblivion."
Rin leaned close, inspecting the marks denoting his current hit points with a critical eye. "Don't worry Inu-Brasha, I'll treat your wounds soon."
Shippou beamed, and Sesshoumaru heaved a gusty sigh.
"Indeed," Kagome continued in her exaggerated register. "I am Macgrim, the town farrier. On behalf of the residents of Pernith, I thank you. We are indebted to you for your bravery and service."
"Indebted?" Sesshoumaru curved fingers over his knee, speaking from the side of his mouth as he stared off at trees darkening in the fading, afternoon light. To any passerby, it might seem he merely sat with them, indifferent and uninvolved.
Kagome knew better – he had listened and engaged through every encounter, though with more reserve after she'd complimented his interactions by the House of Healing's door. Maybe the acknowledgment had made him self-conscious, aware demon lords did not usually partake in diverting, human nonsense.
She was catching the stupid niceness of his face again, excessively defined and otherworldly, and found it harder and harder to ignore the longer he went along with the adventure. Kagome had never seen this side of him – indulging, patient, conversing without a barrage of insults – and had a feeling he had a soft spot for children.
"Of course, Lord Sesshoumaru," she replied as the farrier. "Do you have need of my services? A sharpening of your fine blade, perhaps?"
"Tessaiga needs nothing from you, human."
"Are you sure, sir? I have heard tales of a strange artifact in the woods around here that can grant your demonic fang new, untapped powers."
Even in a game of pretend, the tantalizing promise of unclaimed masteries enticed the daiyoukai. "What artifact?"
Kagome smiled. "While you glean information from Macgrim, what are Inu-Brasha and Kagome going to do?"
"I want to cast 'cure light wounds'," Rin answered immediately. "And then I'd like to give Inu-Brasha a token of my esteem from my backpack."
Sesshoumaru pulled his lips back, flashing fangs in displeasure. "You cannot!"
"Nu-uh," Kagome tutted. "You're chatting with the blacksmith, and aren't privy to their exchange."
"I am still a youkai in this world, and therefore would overhear them," he shot back flatly.
Kagome blinked.
Sesshoumaru rounded on Rin. "You are not old enough to be handing out tokens of affection!" He growled, full of blatant paternal umbrage; after a half day of roleplaying, his guarded veneer had started to crack. "Those are courting practices!"
Rin crossed her arms in a pout and looked to Kagome. "How old are you Kagome-sama?"
The woman shifted in discomfort, keenly aware golden eyes had flicked to her, willing her to corroborate his stance. "I just turned seventeen. Today actually."
Sesshoumaru cocked his head. "You know the exact date of your birth?"
"Yes. It's a celebrated day in my time."
He regarded her, surprise evident. "Then why are you here?"
Kagome cleared her throat, suddenly very interested in rubbing the scuff marks from her shoes. "Look Rin-chan," she addressed her loafers. "Even if you're seventeen in the game, that's still a bit young to be giving out special gifts to boys, especially if they carry a lot of meaning."
A frown creased Sesshoumaru's features. "Miko, you have evaded my question."
Kagome thumbed furiously at the leather of her right toe. "Huh?"
"Perhaps you do not realize," he intoned dryly. "But I am well-versed in deflection tactics, especially from human females," he shot Rin a sharp look.
Miroku was the only perceptive male she'd ever spent any time around, and Sesshoumaru's insight made her stop scrubbing in a jerk of stiffened fingers.
Unfortunately for the daiyoukai, she was far more experienced at avoidance than the ten-year-old at his hip. "Inu-Brasha, what do you think of Kagome giving you a gift?" She asked innocently, sinking into the comfortable mantle of a removed dungeon master, returning to the part of the conversation that would surely quell Sesshoumaru's sudden curiosity.
Shippou scooted closer to Rin, nudging her shoulder with his own. "I would accept it eagerly and think it was really sweet."
Horror filled Sesshoumaru's face as his ward blushed bright red.
Prompt: Horror (Day 5)
Date: Originally posted 7/25/20 on Dokuga
Words: 760
