Fandom: Inuyasha
Title: Like lightning
Author/Artist: Scarlet_foxs (Orange Kisses)
Theme(s): (#18 Disheveled; In the Rain; Thunder)
Pairing/Characters: Sesshomaru/Kagome
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer/claimer (if needed): Do not own
Summary (if needed): Pt. 2 of Bubbles series
---She had no idea why he was bothering to help her. He had no idea why she didn't grate on his nerves like other humans. The fact that she'd gotten mud all over him though was not going to be forgotten any time soon though. (Sess/Kag)
She hadn't meant to slip and fall, honestly! The fact that she'd taken the demon lord down in the mud with her was all the more embarrassing. She knew the fates had some hand in this because honestly, who else could be out to get her?
The next time that Sesshomaru saw Kagome, she wasn't carrying a bottle of bubbles but was fighting for her life in the middle of a thunder storm. Late spring brought on the cold and hard rains that chased the flowers into bloom and trees to bud new leaves. It was also mating season, and the larger and stupid demons were very cross with trespassers in their territory. His little half brother wasn't only stupid; he was a full blown idiot for camping so close to the small mountain. Goat demons were known for head butting each other to death to get a mate, but sensing competition or other females in the area, and you had yourself a large brawl.
In a twisted way it amused him to no end. Inuyasha, being beaten up by ornery goats. Who would have imagined? At first he watched, slightly annoyed that Inuyasha hadn't learned from the sparring he'd had with him over a month ago. Maybe then he would have landed more blows. However, on the rocky terrain and the mud, it seemed the hanyou and his troops of humans were having a hard time keeping their footing.
Sesshomaru watched with a blank expression, eyes searching one member out in particular but not seeing her anywhere. His eyebrows barely lowered but he remained where he was against the back drop of trees unnoticed. The fight went on, each member of the party in a different area on the mountain. The sound of fighting was interrupted by a light yell, and it had him glancing up towards the top of the small mountain.
Kagome had crawled after Inuyasha at the top of the mountain, bow and arrow in hand and aiming at the large ram that was charging Inuyasha from behind. She loosed the arrow and pink light enveloped it, taking the ram down. It crashed down a few rocks, causing them to slide before it came to a halt in a pile of rubble and mud. She let out a triumphant yell and subsequently attracted the attention of the largest ram of all. The half man and half goat stomped its foot on the rock before leaping down different rocks, straight for Kagome. Kagome noticed the new opponent and her hand reached for another arrow but found her quiver empty. The ram was getting closer and let out a cry as it lowered its head to ram into her. She jumped out of the way and narrowly made it onto another rocky ledge as the ram over shot and crashed into another rock. Inuyasha was fending off another ram's sharp claws and teeth with his sword, swearing as three more rams ganged up on him and it was four against one. Miroku was sucking at the air, trying to knock them off balance while Sango protected Shippo at the base of the mountain where a few females had joined the fray.
Sesshomaru watched as Kagome pulled herself up on the rock, her bow falling to the rocks below her and down the mountain. The large ram shook its head and let out a short roar before leaping onto the same rocky ledge as her. By the look on its face, it was more than furious. Thunder cracked loudly above them and lightning lit up the sky as the ram grabbed Kagome by her shirt front and lifted her into the air before she could dart away. Pink light started to envelop her and she let out a loud war cry as she slammed her purified hands into the ram's arms. He screeched as the purifying powers burned at him and wound up his arms. He threw her over the side and clawed at his arms, trying to wipe the burning powers away but to no avail. It consumed him and he turned into ash on the rocky ledge.
Kagome fell through the air with a scream and Inuyasha watched her fall, fending off the mad rams with his sword. "Kagome!! No!"
Kagome felt like she was falling slowly through the air and she squeezed her eyes shut, curling into herself. Of all the things I would die from, falling off a cliff wasn't what I had in mind! Kagome braced herself to hit the rocks below but something grabbed her from behind, making her let out a gasp of air as that same something wrapped around her waist. Metal shoes landed gracefully in the mud and the rock, sliding as the rain made mud slide down the mountain and other ledges become unstable. Kagome opened her eyes cautiously to find herself face to face with a white ball of fluff. Leaning back a little, Kagome found that the white fluff wasn't fluff, but a pelt instead. Leaning back even further, she found the owner of that pelt staring down at her with an unreadable expression.
Kagome gave Sesshomaru a relieved smile with her hands holding onto his shoulders for balance. "Thanks! I thought I was a goner." He didn't say anything, just watched her for a moment as the rain came down even harder. She was shivering from the cold and her hair was clinging to her face and her neck. Some mud had managed to find its way onto her and as he loosened his hold, he found that the mud down her front had been exchanged to his front. Kagome let out an embarrassed laugh as she tried wiping the mud off of her front. "Sorry about that, um, I'll clean it for you if you like. To, um, make it up to you." She didn't want to displease her newest ally because she'd gotten mud all over silk. Oh boy, that was going to be hard to get out. Kagome was distracted from her thoughts when a muted rumbling was heard and Sesshomaru looked up as it steadily grew louder. The top of the mountain was sliding down with a new flow of mud and boulders. It was gaining speed and heading straight towards them on their small, shaky ledge.
Kagome let out a yelp as the grip around her waist tightened and Sesshomaru bent his legs and jumped with a powerful kick into the air. Kagome tucked herself into a ball as they flipped once through the air and over the large cap of rocks and mud that slid over where they once stood. They landed on a small rocky ledge further to the side. The sudden grip on his haori had him looking down at the girl who was clinging for dear life to his top. Frazzled and cold, the girl looked at the point where they had once been and then back up at him. Flying through the air suddenly and with out warning wasn't her idea of fun, especially with her friends fighting for their lives in the mud down there. Her brow furrowed a little and she acted before she really thought about it. "Don't do that!! You scared the life out of me!!" Kagome lightly hit his shoulder to prove her point and Sesshomaru looked down at the offended shoulder and then at the shaking girl. Kagome slipped out of his arm and went to her knees on the rocky ledge, still feeling a little dizzy from flipping through the air and the new altitude they were at. She looked down towards the base of the mountain as her eyes eagerly searched for her friends. "Sango!! Miroku! Shippo! Inuyasha! Are you okay!?" Kagome's loud voice rang in Sesshomaru's ears as she called for her friends in a loud voice. She barely noticed the lord's affronted look at her behavior but tried looking through the curtains of rain to see if she could spot her friends. Everything was silent as the rain pounded and more thunder made itself pronounced.
Sesshomaru looked through the rain as well, not seeing the red that was his brother's loud outfit or anything else moving in the rain. Apparently the battle was over. "We must leave." Kagome looked up when the deep voice spoke and shook her head while her hands tried to shield her eyes from the rain.
"I can't leave them here!"
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed slightly again for a moment. "You can not stay out here. Your human body can not sustain the freezing rain and mud."
"Well I'm not leaving!" Her stubborn exclamation reminded him suddenly of Rin as she looked up at him determinedly. Perhaps Rin's stubborn streak had been taught, not inherited. He would keep a closer eye on Rin the next time she wanted to visit her favorite Miko. His hand reached down and hauled Kagome up by the arm, careful to not accidentally jerk her arm out of place. Sesshomaru looked back towards the mountain and saw that the mud slides had dislodged the hiding place of a small cave. His arm tightened around her waist until he was sure he had a good grip before he jumped to another ledge. It gave away under them and he jumped further and faster until he reached the mouth of the cave and the solid rock it sat on.
When he let go of Kagome, she stumbled forward and into the dry haven and nearly went to her hands and knees from the slippery floor. It was dark inside the cave and his eyes adjusted quickly, finding it empty of life but full of different boxes and clothes. A supply room of sorts is what it appeared as.
Kagome seemed to have the same idea because she wrung her hair out near the entrance before pulling her shoes and socks off. With a hiss she looked down at her legs and saw they were bruised and bleeding from various cuts. The muddy water that ran into the shallow cuts didn't help much either. Sesshomaru ventured in after Kagome and left watery foot prints in his wake as he looked around cautiously. He didn't sense any other presence aside from their own and the air was stale as if it had been shut in for a long time.
Like a squirrel looking for nuts, Kagome moved through each box, finding food and some weapons or scraps of fabric. She set those out and went about looking for actual clothes while pulling things here and there or setting them aside. After a moment she arose from one large crate with a triumphant sound and held up bundles of what looked like cloth. Grabbing a handful of the clothes she found, Kagome looked at Sesshomaru over her shoulder. "Turn around so I can change clothes." Sesshomaru lifted an eyebrow coolly at her arrogant tone and she flushed in embarrassment. "Please?" Satisfied, the taiyoukai turned around and could hear the girl's wet clothes hit the floor with wet plops. "No peeking either!" She said over her shoulder. Miroku was horrible about that and more often than not, Inuyasha was dragged into it too. The last thing she needed was Inuyasha's brother getting any ideas.
The lord almost turned around to inform the girl that he didn't stoop to his brother's level before he caught himself and looked straight again. "There is nothing worth peeking at." He calmly informed her. Kagome let out an insulted sound and started muttering under her breath as she pulled a sleeveless shirt over her head. Wool pants were the next thing to be pulled on before she cleared her throat.
"Alright, you can turn around now." She called out quickly, fishing blankets and clothes for him out. Sesshomaru didn't turn around immediately but set to work loosening the belt that held his swords. He carefully put them aside before pulling the wet shirt off of his frame. It was laid out on the floor and Sesshomaru ran a hand through his hair to move it out of his face. Kagome found herself watching him and felt heat creep up immediately onto her face. Why was she staring?! It wasn't as if she hadn't seen Inuyasha shirtless on more than one occasion. Granted it was usually to wrap up his wounds or attempt minor healing, but they were brothers! They should be the same, right! To her astonishment, they were definitely not the same. The taiyoukai was leaner than Inuyasha and taller too. His wet hair stuck to some of his back and when his hand went through the long tresses, she could see some of the muscles defined in his back. Her face flushed twice as hard as she shook herself. And she had only seen his back! What would happen if she saw his front, explode?
"Are you quite done staring Miko?" Kagome let out a small 'eep' as she looked up and saw he had turned his head a little and had caught her staring at him. She blushed ten fold and held up a large wool shirt she had found in one of the crates in front of her face so he couldn't see it.
"H-Here! Just, um, take it, okay?" She said with a slight stutter. Sesshomaru took it easily and pulled it over his head with his one arm. It would have to do for now. He didn't mind the rain as much as the human did or being wet, but seeing how violently she was shaking, he assumed she was cold. She began poking through the different boxes again and found a blanket but no logs or kindling to use to light a fire. Finding only one blanket after another ten minute search, she looked at it and then at Sesshomaru as he made himself comfortable against the wall. He kept one leg bent and the other stretched out so his arm could rest on the bent knee. He looked up to see why she had grown silent and saw the indecision on her face. She looked so unsure standing there that Sesshomaru turned his full attention to stare at her coolly. "Sesshomaru?" Her timid voice had him lifting his head a little more to show he was paying attention. "Um, I don't mean to um, be rude or anything, but… Do you mind if we share?" She fumbled a little with her words, holding up the blanket to show what she meant. She couldn't very well wrap it around herself into the cocoon she so badly wanted—that would be rude. The last thing she wanted to do was insult her savior.
Sesshomaru watched her small fingers fumble with the dark blanket and he glanced away from her and to the mouth of the cave. "Do as you wish, I have no need for it." Kagome frowned a little at his bland answer and took a few steps towards him. Her face creased in worry as she looked at his damp clothes and his bare arms. Sesshomaru sensed her scrutiny and looked up at her briefly for a moment to see her openly staring at him, again. He lifted an eyebrow and Kagome shook herself, sitting down next to him and spreading the blanket over the both of them. Her face still registered worry on it but it didn't seem to be for herself. No, if he had to guess, it would be that her friends were still missing in the mud slide and she didn't know where they were or how to help.
As if sensing his thoughts, she looked up at him and drew her knees up under the blanket. "Do you think they're alright?" Sesshomaru had never been one to offer comfort, but the look on her face also reminded him of Rin when she wanted assurance on something. Perhaps the two human women were more alike then he had first realized…
"You really want to know this Sesshomaru's opinion?" Kagome looked up at him and the worry moved to confusion.
"Of course, why wouldn't I?" He could think of several reasons why she wouldn't want to listen to him, namely his half brother. No matter what he said (even the clues mixed in with the insults), his brother didn't have a lick of sense to pay attention and just listen. Every well delivered line was said with a purpose.
"They will be fine. My half brother has uncanny luck to not get killed." Kagome watched him for a moment before her face brightened considerably.
"You're right! I guess I shouldn't worry too much. Thanks Sesshomaru, I feel a lot better now." The girl stretched her arms above her head before curling up further into the blanket. She was careful not to touch the demon lord and as she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help but lower her guard. Surely with Sesshomaru there, nothing would harm her.
The demon lord watched her drop off to sleep next to him and watched her quietly. She was a puzzle that was for sure. She was shivering and freezing with only wool clothes to keep her warm, trapped in a cave with her best friend's older brother that had on more than one occasion tried to kill them all. And yet there she slept right beside him, curled up like a kitten trying to stave off the cold. He looked away after a moment and watched the rain outside and it was quiet for a few moments. Thunder boomed loudly outside and he felt the girl next to him jump a little in her sleep. She curled up even further in a ball and shivered once before going still again in her sleep. He glanced down at her when she jumped but then turned his head to look out at the rain again when she didn't wake.
Minutes ticked by and he vaguely went over what he should do next when he felt something shift next to him. To say he was surprised when he felt something soft rest on his whole arm was an understatement. The demon subtly tensed before looking down at the girl who had migrated towards the nearest heat source—him. He shifted slightly away from her but her head followed, resting comfortably against his shoulder. For a moment he sat there, unsure for the first time in his life what he should do. If he moved she was bound to follow him in her exhausted state, and if he stayed… well, she wouldn't do anything. He decided that not moving was the best option, under the circumstances. He looked towards the mouth of the cave again and watched the rain as it grew darker and darker outside.
The rain and her soft breathing filled the small cave and he found that the warmth she provided wasn't all that horrible. Kagome shifted in her sleep and nestled more into his side unconsciously. Sesshomaru shifted and moved his arm and she immediately moved to his side. Surprised for a moment, Sesshomaru frowned in the darkness before putting his arm back down. It happened to rest on her shoulders and she sighed softly in her sleep before calming down and going still again. Sesshomaru remained slightly tense and stiff, looking away from her and outside to where he could hear the rain begin to lighten slowly. Thunder rolled further away but the girl at his side didn't stir. Closing his eyes, Sesshomaru leaned his head against the wall of the cave. He might as well rest.
Slowly though he fell asleep and his form relaxed as his deep breaths matched Kagome's in sleep. His arm tightened around her warm form and she moved closer to have one arm around his waist in sleep as if she were hugging her own pillow. The thunder rolled on and the pair slept, oblivious to the world around them.