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His appearance was striking in so many ways.
Was he beautiful? Absolutely, and Kagome felt she could spend endless hours staring at him and never grow tired of the view. She thought everyone should recognize his beauty and grace and appreciate it at least half so much as she did.
But he was also strange.
She'd never met a person before with eyes his color. Flashing yellow-gold with pupils too round to be animal but too narrow to be human, that alone was enough to set him apart from the rest of them as "something other." But on top of that he had shimmering white hair with twitchy dog ears, glinting fangs and long, pointed claws that could never be confused with even the most elaborate of cosplay tricks. It all looked too natural for that. Too supernatural.
She could see why simple village folk who lived their entire lives in the confines of their little huts and farms would balk at the sight of him and turn their children back into the safety of their homes. It wasn't right, but she could see it. Humans had a hard enough time accepting other humans who looked different, and he obviously wasn't a human. What she didn't understand for a long time, was why he was also ostracized from youkai society, as well. She'd asked, and he'd simply said it was obvious he wasn't one of them. She hadn't really understood- not until she'd met his brother.
She'd seen other, less powerful youkai of course. Mistress centipede had been large and strong, but she'd been unmistakably youkai with her long, wormy body and a zillion spindly legs, and Yura of the Hair had been a solitary character who spent her time with a mass of hair and skulls, so neither of those encounters had helped her understand any further. Surely Inuyasha was demon enough that youkai would simply overlook him if not accept him? But then she'd met his brother. 'Half brother.' Her mind corrected in Inuyasha's gruff voice, making her chuckle to herself.
It was upon that encounter that it finally clicked what he'd meant by it being obvious he wasn't a youkai. If Inuyasha's appearance said "I am not human," Then Sesshomaru's appearance screamed it, rang it with bells and knocked a hole in your skull to cram it right in. He was completely other worldly. Mesmerizing like the hypnotic eyes of a serpent, there was almost nothing about this being that would suggest any connection to humanity at all save that he walked upright, spoke words and had skin. Skin that bore exotic markings that pushed him even further outside the realm of the human species. He even had pointy ears like an elf from a fairytale book.
It was then that she realized what he meant. Next to a human, Inuyasha looked positively feral. In fact, the first time she'd seen him in his completely human form had been a shock because of just how much he changed physically without his youkai blood and features. But next to a being like Sesshomaru, Inuyasha looked almost... ordinary. He really didn't belong to either side. And her heart ached for him.
It solidified her desire to give him a new place to belong. To be a person he could rely on to back him up, support him, accept him... love him.
It helped her understand his aversion to vulnerability, why he turned to insults and posturing instead of just talking about things with her. Why he clung so hard to the reanimated image of the first person to act like maybe he wasn't a total social pariah even though she had wanted to change him. Why he insisted he didn't need her, didn't want her around, hated her fussing, thought she was a burden. She didn't like any of it and Kami knew she didn't always handle it all in the best way. But she was young herself and she was doing her best and he was changing.
Right before her eyes his scowls softened, his shoulders relaxed, his fists unclenched and his smiles came a little easier and a little more often and stayed a little longer. And the way his face would light up with genuine happiness or his fangs would flash in the firelight as he laughed with their friends or his ears would swivel as he listened for threats, protecting them even in his sleep became precious treasures to her. She knew no matter what happened, where she ended up, how long she lived these images of him would sparkle just as clearly in her memory as they did right now.
As the walls around his heart crumbled bit by bit his eyes glowed with so many things she wanted to lose herself reading. As the tension of distrust melted from his spirit his casual posture gave him an attractive swagger that made her cheeks flush and her heart race. The more they all fought together, laughed together, mourned together the more he came alive as a complex person and not just a ticking time bomb with a short fuse.
He was still gruff and embarrassed and easily spooked by anything too emotional but he'd begun trying to be softer, trying to talk or comfort instead of going on the harsh defensive and running away. It meant so much to her and gave her the resolve she needed again and again to weather all the trials that came with her quest and stay by his side.
It was why she kept trying to touch his ears, why she looked him square in the eyes even when his scowl was darker than night, why she held his hand without flinching at his claws. She hoped to send a clear, bold message. She hoped he'd receive it one day, if not now. 'You are very different. I can see it. But I like it.'
The way he'd started looking at her, eyes clear and cheeks softly blushing, she suspected her message had begun filtering through all the trauma in his head. That her quiet, constant acceptance and appreciation of his inhuman characteristics was finally chiseling through the remnants of harsh whispers, jeering taunts, and unprovoked attacks that still swam in his memory and tried to drown him. She just wanted to help keep him afloat. More than anything she wanted to love him.
Then after three years away the utter softness in his otherworldly gaze as he pulled her from the Well stole her breath. The way he held her so tenderly and openly with no hesitation thrilled her. And the -almost- eloquent way he confessed his desire to live with her and marry her when all prying ears had finally fallen into slumber brought her to tears. He was undeniably half dog and half human, never quite belonging fully to one side or the other. But he was all hers. And she'd spend the rest of her life making sure he knew that.