Vulnerable

[luxken27]

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Pairing: Inuyasha/Kagome
Rating: T
Inspiration: iyfic_contest Week 170 | [No Theme]
Based upon: Manga chapter 187, Bloodstained & "Someone to Protect"

This is getting a bit too meta, methinks: contest entries based off other contest entries!

Honestly, the drabble, written for prompt #15 over at dokuga_contest, was going to get an expansion, no matter if I merely posted it on its own or tried to enter it into another contest. I've had a few ideas batting around my head for this "free for all" themeless week over at iyfic_contest, but ultimately this is the one that won out.

I'm definitely obsessed with this point in the manga, as it represents what I feel is a crucial turning point in Sesshoumaru's character. He realizes that Inuyasha needs the Tessaiga for reasons besides its use as a weapon -- he needs it to help seal his youkai blood, and essentially preserve his human soul. I don't think he's all that happy to come to such a realization, still not completely understanding his father's will, but he's also unwilling to let Inuyasha die for such a cause.

In short, Sesshoumaru's heart grows a little compassion, LOL.

I also like this idea of Kagome defending and protecting Inuyasha, something that doesn't happen often enough for my liking, especially as the manga progresses. She's the only one who can get through to him when he transforms, so it's obvious she's the only one who can "protect" him during this vulnerable time. As happened in Chapter 187, even her voice and presence isn't enough to stop Inuyasha's rampage this time, and I think that scares them all. I took that scenario and heightened it, bringing them closer to the edge of fear and wonder. Hopefully the urgency and desperation of the situation came through in the opening. It was a bit awkward to try to integrate the flashback scenes in, considering Kagome is supposed to be thinking in fits and starts as she wonders what she's going to do, now that she's found Inuyasha alive.

Sesshoumaru finds the mislaid sword and returns it to Inuyasha, following the scent of the transformed blood. I wanted to delve more into Sesshoumaru's thoughts in the original drabble, so I indulged here instead. I'd say he's surprised to feel compassion for someone he supposedly despises, and is maybe a bit jealous of Kagome's devotion to someone he deems completely worthless. I wanted to include some sort of thought like "I hope he acknowledges your feelings for him", but it didn't really fit here. Sesshoumaru doesn't strike me as the talkative type, especially when it comes to feelings, haha. But, maybe you got that sense of it anyway, since that's what I intended :)

Maybe one day I'll realize I can write expansions and just post them without having to go through the contest rigmarole first, LOL...maybe if this one had been longer, I would've done just that, but it turned out to be a rather good length for a oneshot contest entry.

Comments

[landofthekwt.livejournal.com]

The Onemanga translation has some interesting lines. Kagome's body is draped over Inuyasha holding Tetsusaiga in one hand crying and yelling "Stay back,Idiot" at Sesshoumaru. Miroku cannot figure out why Sesshoumaru did it.
Sesshoumaru will not admit that he came to save Inuyasha from himself. All he will say is that he won't kill him while Inuyasha does not know himself, but he will kill him eventually. Kagome comes to realization that Sesshoumaru actually came to save Inuyasha. Inuyasha is never aware that Sesshoumaru was there or that he stopped him.

[luxken27]

Inuyasha is never aware that Sesshoumaru was there or that he stopped him.

And I, personally, think that's the best part of the whole situation :)

Yeah, the OneManga scans are kinda batty, but alas, they are the best online source I have for the early stuff.

[kmoaton.livejournal.com]

Not too meta I think. Sometimes, one small idea leads to a bigger story. I really enjoyed the way you explored the feeling during this incident. Everyone was so used to Kagome being able to bring Inu back with her voice and at this moment it didn't happened. I think they all were stunned by that. This is also one of the first moments we see what could be considered compassion from Sesshomaru. I'm fairly certain he surprised himself as much as he did the gang.

[luxken27]

As I said, this was an idea that wouldn't go away; I was probably a bit too pleased with its original form as a drabble. It's not gotten any comments over at the contest comm, though, so *shrug*

I'm glad you enjoyed it :) As I said, it was a chance to show a few things we don't get to see enough of - Kagome's sense of protectiveness, and Sesshoumaru's blooming compassion. Considering what it meant for Sess in particular, I just couldn't leave this incident alone hehe :)

I'm fairly certain he surprised himself as much as he did the gang.

No doubt. It's a lesson he didn't particularly want to learn, methinks.

[jzeiggy.livejournal.com]

random:

I was reading for class yesterday (The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood) and in the 4th or 5th chapter, I believe, I found "memento mori," which caused my mind to jump from the future uber puritan land of Gilead to your fanfic. :p I obviously had no clue such a phrase would show up elsewhere. And thus, I continue to learn.

[landofthekwt.livejournal.com]

memento mori means "Remember that you are mortal" in Latin.

[luxken27]

Wow, even though I chose that name for other reasons...somehow, it fits :)

[jzeiggy.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[luxken27]

LOL!! I bet that was jarring.

It's also (as I found out later) the name of the short story that the movie Memento was based on. That's the one that threw me for a loop!

/will never google the crazy names she picks for her stories *after the fact* again