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This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He'd never planned on involving himself, but Naraku had undermined his resolve, forcing his hand until he'd had no choice.
Sesshoumaru winced as the pain spread throughout his body. It was nothing compared to when Inuyasha cut off his arm, and he was struggling to remember why. Sounds were muted, lights dulled, and then suddenly, the pain was gone, and he could move again.
Blinking, he sat up. A breeze ruffled his hair, silver strands lifting off his shoulders, and he idly wondered where his armour had gone. Everything was brightly coloured, his clothes returning to their usual lustre, and he flexed his hands, knuckles popping.
A frown marred his brow. This wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to be there, but he wasn't supposed to be here either. He spread his hands out on the grass, relying on more than one sense to test its reliability, then slowly rose to his feet. Perhaps it was another illusion. The spider was known for preying on the hope of the weak, using it as a means to—
"Hello, son."
His shoulders stiffened at the low tone before a sigh escaped his lips. Ah, so that was it.
Sesshoumaru slowly turned around, the image of his father coming into focus, and it took him a moment to recognize him. All of his memories, all of his depictions by others, had included the general's armour, so seeing him without it was jarring. Knowing where he was, where they were, helped, though.
She would be so angry with him.
"I hadn't thought I'd be seeing you for a while," his father said, clapping him on the shoulder. The ethereal quality of their surroundings did nothing to distinguish the strength of his sire, and Sesshoumaru had to brace himself. "I didn't train you enough."
"My being here has nothing to do with my training," Sesshoumaru replied.
An eyebrow rose, and the general let out a bark of laughter. "Obstinate to the end. Your mother would be proud." Considering the circumstances, Sesshoumaru wasn't so sure. She'd likely chastise him for being caught off-guard, for giving into such a human emotion as self-sacrifice, but he could not regret it.
Not if it meant others lived.
The two men walked side by side, the ground appearing to move though the horizon never came into view. "I didn't mean to leave so soon," his father eventually said. "There were plans in place, but everything fell through after the dragons attacked."
Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if he was looking for forgiveness or just trying to get it off his chest, so he remained silent, breathing in the fresh air. He'd never sought his guidance after his death, assuming he'd learned everything he needed to survive.
He snorted. Surviving. That's all he'd been doing. It wasn't until he'd crossed paths with his brother that he'd seen the error of his ways. Well, it had taken several encounters before that thought had begun to root.
The edge of his mouth quirked to the real reason behind his change, and he couldn't school his features quickly enough, his father's brow raising again. Sesshoumaru cleared his throat. "You will be happy to know Inuyasha has exacted revenge on your behalf," he said, deflecting.
Both brows rose in surprise. "You refer to him by his name?"
The question had Sesshoumaru pausing. "Should I not?"
His father continued to stare, then smacked his shoulder, his features lighting up. "So then, things are well between you?"
There was a stilted shrug of his shoulder. "Well enough that we are not at each other's throats." His father's grin was wide, eyes bright as the light of the horizon materialized in front of them. The doorway wavered as it solidified, the sparkle of after luring them closer. Warmth spread within him, lightening his steps, but he stopped before he could cross the threshold.
The general nudged him forward. "It's not so bad, son. And with your reconciliation with Inuyasha, there's nothing left for you here."
Sesshoumaru shook his head, emphasizing the movement by taking a step backward. "There is nothing for me there."
His father chuckled. "What could be better? You will want for nothing. You have redeemed yourself enough to have earned it." The pride in his voice was something Sesshoumaru never thought he'd hear, and while it settled something in his heart, it wasn't enough to pull him forward. The door wavered again, adding to his father's concern. "What is better than heaven?"
The image of sapphire eyes and an obnoxious mouth filled his mind. "I have already found it."
The general shook his head. "Whatever you have left behind will be replaced. It will be easier here."
Sesshoumaru ran his fingers through his hair. "When have I ever taken the easy route?"
His father stood in the doorway, appearing to hold it open, possibly in the hopes that he would change his mind, but even now, Sesshoumaru could feel the pull in the other direction. Back toward a world filled with hate, grime, and hardships.
Back toward her.
"I appreciate the offer," he said, inclining his head. "Perhaps the gods will favour us with meeting again, but even if it is only valid for this moment, I will still choose to return."
"Even if it means you will lose your status as a warlord?" his father asked.
"Especially then."
Surprise turned to understanding, and the general chuckled, rubbing the back of his head in a way that was all too familiar. "Have you found something to protect?"
A knowing smirk tilted his lips, his father's expression soon matching even as his eyes widened in surprise. He could answer, but she protected him as much as he did her, and the notion shifted his smirk into a smile. "Tell the princess her son has found happiness. And family." The air became thick as the image of his father grew faint, burning his throat as he struggled to breathe.
"She will be glad to hear it." His voice was low but warm, muffled by the growing stench of smoke and decay. "As am I."
Sesshoumaru blinked, the edges of his eyes watering, and the pain that had been dulled by the between came back with a vengeance. His knees hit the ground, power crackling around his hands as he sought to control it. The pain spread out from his side, splintering through his limbs before retracting, and he welcomed the impending darkness if only to rid himself of it.
Was he being punished for rejecting the offer? His teeth gnashed together as he struggled to stay upright.
No.
He would make it back.
He would make it back to her.
Miasma filled his nostrils as the ringing between his ears increased, a headache forming as shouts and screams filled the blessed silence. The pressure in his lungs spread to his entire chest, and his arms gave out, leaving him to collapse on the ground. He managed to roll onto his back, his body screaming at him to give in—to give up, but he refused.
He'd seen worse. Felt worse. This was nothing.
She was everything.
He focused on that—on her—reaching for her reiki as the image of blue eyes and a delectable pout forming in his mind. She would definitely be angry with him, especially considering how often she'd told him she could protect herself. But she should've known he wouldn't listen.
Couldn't listen.
Instincts could not be ignored. Not when it was a matter of life and death. He would never be able to live with himself if he'd been forced to watch her die. And Naraku had been intent on forcing everyone to do so.
There had been too many distractions, too many attacks for them to watch all sides. He'd only seen it coming because he'd been focused on her. Nothing else had mattered—not even him.
He wondered if she'd ever forgive him, the thought interrupted by a harsh thumping on his chest, followed by a wail. His face scrunched up, but he couldn't pull away from the intrusive noise, his hands refusing to move as he tried to cover his ears.
The thumping continued, and he inhaled, the poignant scent of salt assaulting his senses as his eyes fluttered open. He couldn't remember closing them; everything was a blur of shifting shades of grey, but a pair of tear-filled eyes came into view, and he finally found the strength to lift his hand.
Her name escaped his lips in a raspy whisper a moment before his fingers brushed her cheek, her hands gripping his as she hiccupped. Her power shimmered around them, cleansing the air, and he blinked again.
"I told you not to do anything stupid," she hissed, smacking his chest again, though with less force than before.
"You were in danger," he replied simply.
She shook her head, still holding his hand against her cheek. "We had a plan. He had to be close enough for it to work."
"I could not chance it." He pulled her down, his lips smudging the dirt across her forehead. "You are mine to protect."
"And you are mine." Her voice warbled, tears and emotions overflowing as she cupped his face. "Don't you ever do that to me again."
His chuckle was strained. "I will strive not to." He could still feel where Naraku's tentacles had pierced his body, but the bleeding had stopped, leading him to believe they'd won—or at least had a reprieve. "The others?"
"Safe," she said. "We weren't sure what his reaction would be, so everyone else took to higher ground." Her barrier rippled, and he finally noticed the reason he'd thought night had fallen.
They were completely submerged in miasma, toxic, purple waves crashing against the pearlesque bubble. Her power stood firm, the air clear and breathable, and he couldn't sense any worry from her.
She nuzzled his jaw, sensing his disquiet. "It's not as bad as it was. You can see the sky a little now. I'm not sure how long it'll take, but we'll be able to find the others soon."
He hummed softly, enjoying the skin-on-skin contact. "I expect there will be a lecture."
"A big one," she agreed. "From more than just me."
"But we won."
"We won."
He tilted her head back enough to claim her mouth. It wasn't as hungry as he would've liked, his energy still low from coming back from the brink of death, but it was enough to settle his heart. "I will make it up to you."
She finally relaxed. "You're damn right you will." She wouldn't enjoy the fact that he was looking forward to it, so he kept his mouth shut—aside from small whispers of gratitude followed by kisses reassuring her he wouldn't be leaving her again.
Reclaiming what had been lost would be difficult even with the spider vanquished. It would take time and effort; blood, sweat, and tears would saturate the ground whereupon their lives would be built, but he would have it no other way.
As long as she was by his side, it would be heaven.