AN/ the story continues.
Lopsided
Gentle steam misted the air of this new landscape, the surrounding greenery growing sparse with the receding tree line. Unable to move quite yet, and the Taiyoukai impartial to wasting time - although she had no idea just where he had been taking them - Kagome watched the changes from her lopsided view, draped like a human rug over his arms. They couldn't have been walking long, yet everything had changed.
In more ways then one.
Her heart gave a lurch, and with a shaky breath, Kagome's eyes closed. Different. At the ripe age of eighteen, she had died. The reality of the dangers of the feudal times had not escaped her before, but she had at least expected to go among her friends. With her friends. Her eyes pricked behind their lids, and she swallowed the small lump that rose in her throat. Instead of.. well, him.
It was with a jolt and startled shock that Kagome slipped clumsily away from painful thoughts, as warm breath crested the nape of her neck, soft lips cresting the shell of her ear.
Her intake of breath was sharp and indignant when teeth closed, nipping her lightly, a soft abrasion flicking against her skin, before his touch was gone as abruptly as it had appeared.
The long, rocking motion of his gait stopped, the securing grip around her knees and shoulders loosening, and starting, not-quite-awake, her eyes caught his stare, long and bland, and not directed her. Her attention followed his focus, and settled on their destination with a jolt. Surprise flickered in her chest, accompanied by a small flare of comforting warmth. A hot spring.
-xo-
"Awaken."
Tired, bloodshot eyes blinked open, barely managing to focus on the dim outline of the man. Dusk had fallen since they had settled here, and kept awake by certain painful memories, she had settled on spending it watching the steam. Without noticing, she had lulled into a stupor, and eyelashes now heavy, they fluttered awkwardly towards him, finding difficulty in catching his gaze. Her response seemed almost ironic: "I'm awake."
"Kagome." Quiet claw tips touched against her collarbone softly, gliding smoothly across her throat before his grasp around her chin inclining her head upwards. "If you attempt an attack again, it will be your last."
Understanding cut across her lethargy, bringing to mind with sharp triumph the pink flare that she had thought, thought she had seen before the fall. An attack? The nature of her powers had always been unpredictable, but she had never expected it to manifest. Could she purify from a distance`?
A smile twitched onto her face, the first image to mind considering a double whammy solution to Inuyasha's punishment and Miroku's masochism – before the pain of the associated memories closed down that line of thought.
A cool, guiding touch on her face returned her from her thoughts, the hard gaze of the stare that the man directed at her feeling distinctly nonplussed. The apparent lack of amusement was echoed in the light tone of his call of her name, without honorific and all. "Kagome."
"My reiki has never responded that way before, Se-Sesshoumaru-san."
His expression indicated he knew as such, and that was not what he had meant. Exasperated, tired eyes implored the stoic lord to make the point he had been trying to impress with little success, and with the tightening of pale skin around his eyes, subtly changing the angle of scarlet markings, his thoughts on this were less than pleased. Tension thickened the air (or maybe it was the steam), her panted breaths feeling heavier than before.
Just as Kagome had decided to regret her decision to challenge him – again, her mind interjected - she was surprised, the smooth tenor cutting through the rising tension easily. "Your powers are not to be used for this purpose. You should save your strength."
"Then what are my powers to be used for?"
"The shikon no tama shards."
"But that makes no sense?"
"Neither do your abilities."
Her brow falling sharply, indignant consternation rose within her as, to her stupefaction, he said nothing else. Eyes narrowing in disbelief, her mouth hung open limply, speechless and unable to say anything else as her eyes followed his movements towards the hot spring. An elegant hand raised to follow the line of his armor to the ties at the shoulder, and as his fingers undid the clasp, her exasperation waned in acknowledgement of his refusal to elaborate. Forcing her focus back onto herself, she glanced down at the dirt-and-blood streaked clothing she had been wearing for the past weeks, considering her options as she pushed away her rile at the rude dismissal. This man didn't talk much, as he had made perfectly obvious, but, like their conversation the other day, he did seem to be taking more notice of her needs. A small smile made it's way onto her face, before with a shake of raven hair, she pushed all other thoughts away, focusing on what she could be doing now.
At the rustle of productive movement, a dark eye glanced back, approval gleaning the gaze at her quiet acquiescence. The change of behaviour was well received, and noted, and the dark eye had slid away before the slip of her clothes reached the floor, and the woman sank with a sigh into the water.
-xo-
The first item to hit the ground was the long sash of fluff that warmed his neck, and for that, Kagome was grateful. She didn't think she could bare the smell of wet fur ever, ever again. Quick to follow with a heavy clunk, were the collar guards of his armour, the ring of the metal circling around to the barely visible chest guard, laid to rest peacefully against the grass.
It was the rustle of silk, soft and tantalisingly slow, that alerted Kagome to the fact he wasn't just removing 'a few' items of clothing.
Red flushed her cheeks as her mind leapt, inevitably, to the conclusion of this little show. He wouldn't. Wide eyes flicked away immediately, casting around for something, anything, to focus on apart from the stripping (striped, her memory interjected helpfully) man before her. Settling eventually on a nice mossy stone, she made a harried bid towards it. The paddled movements were clumsy, sudden tiredness preying her with ill-conceived timing, and she flopped to an awkward stop. "This, Sesshoumaru, was not the best plan you could have come up with."
"-Sama." At her ill-tempered dead pan, his smooth tenor patient as he obliged her an elaboration: "You will use the correct honorific, Kagome…chan."
She may be exhausted, but the indignity was not lost on her. Indignant, half-forgotten pride rose up in her. "I… I'm not Rin, Shesshoumaru."
With a choked gasp and a whoosh of air, Kagome's feet swept from beneath her, and she dunked into the water with a loud splash. Gasping to the surface, her eyes fell on the gleam of amusement that quirked his smooth lips, the gentler expression relaxing the hard lines of his face into something more… handsome.
She flushed abruptly at the thought, dunking hurriedly back into the spring. She had no time to entertain such thoughts. Although, as her eyes slid unerringly back to the glimpses of rigid muscle that glistened between strands of silver as he ducked to rinse his hair. The tantalising ripples of muscle sent a shiver down her back as a lazy claw reached up with a fistful of hair, sending a short gasp of air into her - he had chosen to make himself naked in front of her. The thought wheedled at her reserve, playfully convincing. Surely, as he had refused to hide his actions, he was inviting her to peek?
Ears burnt with self-conscious anxiety, her fingers tightened on her mossy rock, clinging to her perch for dear life.
-xo-
Darkness in a clearing, a small haven blessing the curling grasp of gnarled wood. It was peaceful, so peaceful, she couldn't remember the last time she had felt this calm. A deep happiness blossoming within her at this happy scene, Kagome sprang forward without a seconds thought, bare feet sinking into grass just as sweet under her feet as she had imagined it to be.
She couldn't remember why she felt the need to be in this clearing, but with startling clarity, she knew she was happy for it. Happy for the sun, for the beautiful flowers, for the pale form lounging in the center, coveted by beauty even as scarlet blood streaked the naked length of his torso.
With a smile bright with the sun, Kagome changed the amble of her steps towards him. This was her task. Kneeling neatly under the lazy watch of complacent gold, containing no hostility even now, as her attention flitted around the innards of compartments of her first aid kit, guestimating largely at the extent of his wounds, or rather, the extent he'd let her help. Fingers wrapped triumphantly on the gauze, she fixed her gaze confidently back on her patient. As her eyes glanced over his, her brow raised, waiting, gleeful mock impatience threatening to break into a smile on her features.
'Your consent?'
Softly, the long, silver strands of his hair brushed across the back of her hands, pale skin gleaming along his beautiful long neck as he inclined graciously. The tenor was warm and bemused from under the bowed head.
'Proceed.'
-xo-
With a sharp sound that seemed to stretch for a long breath, Kagome exhaled in an explosion of air, shooting upright, heart beating a sharp rhythm in her chest as her ragged breaths punctuated the air. Hand steadying her racing heart, her eyes flew to the cowl of pure-white fur around her shoulders, following the trail of fur to where it disappeared into steam of the spring, the smell of wet animal thick in the air. Sensing when she wanted him seemed to be one of her companions many talents – the calm silence of the night sent an almost palpable relief through her. For the first night that she knew, she was alone.
A tremor ran down to her fingers, breaking up into a shaken hiss as she stuffed them hurriedly into her clothes. Thank god.
A breeze stirred air warmed by the spring swirled around her resting place, which wasn't, she now noted with a tired quirk of a brow, where she remembered falling asleep. Hazily, enticed by the warmth, the last images of her dream swam back into a focus; the outstretched hand, gleaming claws white in moonlight. The dream was vivid with it's details, down to the livid scarlet streaking his wrists, to the dwarfing size of her hand laid comfortably in his.
Heavily, her sigh drowned her thoughts; her head burrowing into her arms until she had burrowed firmly into the cradle of hers arms. The fatigue that had plagued her these last couple days since her deat- since her return, her mind preferred, had made it hard for her to be awake for more than a few short hours at a time, before sleep claimed her once more.
The cold fingers of the wind clutched at her clothes, clawing at her warmth in uncomfortable similarity to the wave of nothingness that she had descended into only a few short days before, and with a shudder, she pulled her mind back to the subject of her awakening: dreams.
Her frown increased, puckering her brow, recongition dawning that maybe this wasn't really a better topic. The dream left her... out of sorts, and uncomfortable, with its strangeness. She didn't like it.
On top of that, apparently, herthoughts couldn't seem to pick apart dream from reality either; and with a sigh of frustration, she pushed her face into her fingers.
Kagome, you are in tatters.
Embracing her tiredness, she closed her eyes again, settling back into the folds of fur. Trembling, she easily feel the edge of consciousness, comforting and tempting, narrowly missing the first vibration of sound until it was closer, sending the hairs rising along the back of her neck. With a shiver, her eyes shot open, breath catching her throat. Danger.
Nothing appeared to have moved. The air was still, the peace of the night unbroken - but there was a rustling, softly, on the edge of her senses, not a sound. Something else. Taking a breath, she focused inward, eyelids slipping shut. Somehow, she recognized this, although it had been longer than usual since she had felt this feeling. Small teeth closed over the delicate skin of their upper lip in thought. It was -
The breath catching in her throat, her eyes flew open, catching a glimmer of movement in the long trunks skirting the pool. A second later, the pale figure revealed itself, unpausing as it swept past the pool, and before she could right herself, stopped in front of her, dark eyes glimmering.
After minute of silence, his light tenor broke across, soft amusement in his tone. "You aren't asleep."
Her response was hushed, cautious gaze flicking up to his. "You have a shard of the shikon jewel?"
In a soft sweep of silk, he moved forward again, coming to a stop at the edge of the tree line. Turning slightly, his mokomoko dropped in a rustle of fur, creating an improvised seat, before he sat, eyes gleaming through the darkness. His voice had lost his amusement with his next low murmur.
"Come here."
There was a gleam of scarlet, her eyes glancing to a gore splattered sleeve, and ignoring the sudden reminiscent image that hit her, she followed him slowly. When she was near, his golden gaze flitted upwards, catching hers in a long look, before with a rustle of movement, the sleeve of his clothing slipped to his elbow, the shard gleaming between pale fingers.
Wordlessly, his other hand slipped forward to grasp hers, lowering the shard with slow precision onto her palm.
After the pink flare of purity died down, his grip dropped, slipping the shard back from sight into his sleeve, before turning back to her. Her eyes were steady and watchful, and his brow arched, the taiyoukai watching her face in turn, golden eyes gleaming as they flitted across her petite features. She was completely oblivious.
Shifting minutely, his fluid motion of his prior action continued, reaching forward until he grasped her sleeve. Caught unawares, she fell with him, landing unceremoniously in his lap.
Heart skipping a frantic rhythm, confused eyes immediately shot back up to his, revealing to him the signs of exhaustion that she herself seemed unaware of just yet. Soft, sputtered words broke the silence. "Just... what..."
Energy leaving her, the small woman's form crumpled, sinking slowly onto his shoulder, as she fell into resurrection-induced darkness. Dark eyes watched the dark crest of her head for a few seconds, before they closed as well, and Sesshoumaru lowered himself to rest against the trunk. "Sleep, Kagome-chan."
-xo-
Dark strands of hair tangled uncomfortably between her fingers as her eyes stared persistently, awake, at the ceiling, Kagome finally threw herself to side with a small huff of frustrated exasperation. Her fingers wrapped around the thick, fluffy stem of fur thing that wrapped insistently around her waist, curling close to her despite her efforts to move away from it the past few nights. It's closeness brought a heat that was stifling; steadily, but surely, suffocating her.
With a soft sigh, the fur shawl was shoved to the side viciously. She needed out.
In a series of deft movements, (involving a shimmy, two small hops, and one embarrassing moment where she was sure she would fall over), she took her first unhindered breath of the night air, eyes closing gratefully at the cool caress of the breeze. Taking another careful step, she padded softly to the pool, a small smile twisting her lips as her toes met the water.
Standing there, the stone cool under her the soles of her feet, water cresting around her ankles, eyes focused on the ripples that disrupted the crystal surface, she let the mass of her thoughts that she had avoided finally catch up to her, messily tumbling through her mind. The fear that had been preying at the back of her mind since the last lingering glimmer of his gaze had turned from her flared, spiking a chill deep into her chest until it reached her heart. He had wanted her, because he had wanted the shards. She didn't know what she would do with that.
A shiver ran along her arms, sending her hands smoothing down her cold skin comfortingly, a smile breaking on her lips despite herself at how nice it was that it was clean. Here at least was a small mercy.
"...Wait."
Her bottom lip slipping between her teeth, poised half-in and half-out of the water, the small form of the woman paused, eyes narrowing slowly as Kagome thought's centred on the half-formed memory .
She had fallen asleep – stupidly, dangerously - in the steamy, bubbling warmth of the hot spring. She hadn't had a chance to bathe.
When did she get so clean?
Inexpressible fury welled, impotently in her chest, as the fiery gaze shot narrowly to the pale figure reposing calmly opposite her on the other side of the pool, thoughts catching immediately on to the sequence of events that must have led to this.
That dog.
-xo-
"Why are you awake?"
Head rising from her seated position on the pool bank, dark eyes glanced startled to the matching golden gleam circling closer along the curve of the bank. Feet dipped in the water, her stance instinctively stiffened in response to the predatory glean of the advance, eying him warily through the mist.
"I have a lot on my mind."
The long loping pace slowed to a stop, what she could discern of his face considering her. "Do you require something?"
"Some wiggle room." Confusion flared with a strange gleam in his eyes, steps moving a pace closer in silent observation, and breaking into a half-smile at his incomprehension, she amended quietly: "space."
Evenly, his strides took him past the pool, pausing alongside the pool. Tilting her head back, she caught his silhouette, stark against the lightening sky, expression solemn as it observed the water. Without thinking about it, her whisper broke the silence.
"What are you thinking about?"
His gaze met hers for a moment, before glancing back to the horizon. The smooth calm of his expression was unchanged as his eyes slowly took in the breadth of the landscape, his response quiet a moment later.
"Dawn."