Kagome was startled when he actually did ask for her name, and she realized, what was she supposed to refer to herself as? Definitely wasn't her smartest move to demand he call her by name when she couldn't give away her real name. Wow. She needed to work on this whole undercover thing. Like a name...a name...Ah! That's a pretty one, and even close her real name...
"Kiyomi. My name is Kiyomi."
Sesshoumaru grunted, "It seems even you did not want to refer to yourself by your own name Ki-yo-mi." He broke apart the syllables in an attempt to annoy her, but she didn't mind. She was just relieved she had thought of a name, but no need to let him know that.
"Hmph." Kagome walked off ahead, trying to look properly insulted - it wasn't all that hard to, he was rather arrogant. But after she distanced herself from him the murmured words left her lips, too bitter to be kept inside, "Maybe you're right. Maybe I don't want to refer to myself by my name." Her name. More like her cage.
Once the moment of bitterness had been set free an amused smirk tugged at her lips, hidden from the demon trailing behind her. Her thoughts ringed with silent laughter. "Besides, it would give too much away. I'm shocked you haven't noticed who I truly am mi lord."
Kagome could practically feel the busyness of Sesshoumaru's thinking mind and hoped his thoughts weren't anything about her. A shudder raced down her back at the thought of what would happen if he discovered who she truly was. She couldn't go back.
When night covered the land the two made camp, purely for Kagome's sake considering the demon lord didn't need as much sleep. His shoulders were relaxed as he surveyed the area and sniffed the air for predators. Nothing. Content that camp was secure, he turned his gaze to the sleepy miko.
"Miko," he had to correct himself after the sleepy albeit tired glare from said miko, "Kiyomi, why is it this Sesshoumaru does not detect any scent coming from you?"
Kagome yawned, her hand patting her mouth in absent reprimand before managing to reply, "I have my," - yawn - "scent masked so demons and even humans can't smell me." - yawn - "Why do you ask?"
"It is disconcerting to this Sesshoumaru to be unable to detect any scent coming from you."
"Mi lord?"
"Hn?"
"Why do you talk," - yawn - "in third person?"
"Go to sleep miko, you need to be up early in the morning."
"But I want to know," Kagome insisted stubbornly even as she fought to keep her eyes open like a child reluctant to be tucked in.
Sesshoumaru made his way over to her, his demon power speeding him to her side faster than she could see. Troublesome miko. He lowered himself beside her, stretching one leg out before him while the other remained bent, allowing him to prop his arm against it. Humans needed sleep. Wordlessly his hand pressed against her shoulder, pushing her to the ground with ease.
He voice though quiet was undeniably a command, "Sleep, miko."
She made an incoherent sound, her head searching for a pillow and ending up on his outstretched leg. She then muttered something.
"What was that miko?"
"Kiyomi. You're supposed to call me Kiyomi."
He gave a chuckle, positive she couldn't hear him, before realizing the position he was in. It was a good thing his family was nowhere near otherwise he would never hear the end of it. Kagome's breath had slowed to a steady rhythm, lulling the demon lord into a complacent state of being and he magnanimously allowed her to continue using him for her pillow. Besides, if he tried to move her she might wake up and that was the last thing he wanted to do considering he had finally gotten her to fall asleep. His gaze strayed over her limp and trusting form with distant curisoity. Her long ebony tresses flowed over her shoulders and surrounded her face, as though forming a frame. Her soft and inviting-looking lips were slightly parted as the air came and went from her body. She had long, dark eyelashes that fluttered gently as she shivered. The features called to some part of him, stirring a feeling he could not name nor did he care to investigate what that feeling might be.
His eyes fell shut in a quick blink as he watched with idle fascination to see her body tremble from some unknown force. Did she suffer from her dreams? His hand fell on her shoulder, ready to wake her but stopped short of shaking her. She was freezing.
His eyes rolled up to the sky with a silent protest. "Why did I have to get stuck with this human?"
Content with his moment of exasperation he turned his attention back to the problem at hand. Warmth. Humans need warmth. With no blanket in sight he pulled the miko's petite form closer to his own, giving her the warmth she needed. A wordless murmur escaped her quivering lips as she burrowed into his embrace, nestling against his chest with familiarity that would have shocked her had she been awake. Thankfully it didn't take long for her trembling to stop but even so she didn't seem inclined to move anytime soon.
Very well. He would put up with it, it was good for her that he actually found something about her appealing. Her ways, so welcoming and refreshing, even in her sleep, made it easy to hold her close to him.
He tried to inhale her scent only to let out a low growl. Of course, the miko has masked her scent and even did so in her sleep. Why did she see the need to do that? But a more important question came to his mind uneasily. Why did he even care? He could have growled as he realized he just asked another question he didn't have an answer to. Or so he thought until his beast finally spoke up,
You're attracted to her. Of course you wanna be able to take in her scent! It's an intimate thing you know, being a dog demon. Gosh, do I gotta explain everything to you?
I don't need you to explain everything to me, Sesshoumaru silently grumbled.
Then why is it you still haven't realized what's right in front of you?
Now what is that suppose to mean?
You know what, I give up! I wonder if you'll ever figure out what's right in front of your nose
Why will you not tell me? Sesshoumaru growled at his demon, with no response from his inner beast.
Kagome tossed about in his arms, efficiently stopping the vexed demon lord's train of thought. His eyes softened as he looked down at the miko asleep in his arms. To be the source of her protection was pleasant. Being able to provide for an attractive woman soothed his very instincts in the most interesting ways.
A thought then came to him unbidden, "I can't be attracted to her. Once I find the princess I must court her. Kiyomi and I will never be."
He then openly growled at the sky, as though it was somehow to blame. Looking back at sleeping face, he took a moment to commit the image to mind knowing that as soon as she woke he would have to distance himself from her. He did not need any emotional attatchments when he was going to pledge himself to the princess.
If only he knew... If only he knew...
Kagome awoke, still asleep in the taiyoukai's arms. She gave him a sleepy smile as she mumbled her morning greetings. He turned his head to look at her, and Kagome could have gasped in shock at the cold distant look in his eyes. So much different than last night when they had been having a conversation when his eyes were open and so much gentler. Kagome practically jumped out of his arms as she stumbled to her feet. Sesshoumaru just continued looking at her with those forbidding eyes.
Kagome bowed, "I apologize mi lord. I don't know how that happened. I assure it you it will not happen again."
"Hn."
Kagome peeked up at Sesshoumaru, to see he had walked off, already starting their journey. She followed behind, silently, even though she was the one who was suppose to be leading, considering she was the guide. She wondered what had evoked the change in him and was surprised how desperately she wanted the Sesshoumaru from last night, back. She held her head high though and after an hour or so, she politely took the lead, refusing to act on the hurt she felt.
A few more hours of silence passed and Kagome could feel the eyes of the demon lord boring into her back. They pressed upon her with an unrelenting force that only built as the sun slowly crept by overhead. Any initial embarrassment had faded. Any amused she had conjured was dead. Any wall of denial she had built was thoroughly crumbled. She couldn't take it anymore. She snapped.
"What is your problem?" she more or less yelled.
Sesshoumaru quirked a regal eyebrow. "Problem?"
"Yes, your problem! We go from having an easygoing conversation to hours on end of silence. I thought we were going to work together! Not act like total strangers. And whats up with the staring, huh? I could feel your eyes pretty much on me the entire time!"
"Hn."
"Hn! All I get is, Hn? Well then, I'm getting sick and tired of your eyes being glue to my back so - "
She was cut off as she suddenly felt the presence of a horde of demons surrounding them. The groan was meant with no resistance, "Oh great."
Sesshoumaru calmly took out his sword and twirled around gracefully to face his opponents as Kagome brought out her bow and strung it with a multitude of arrows. Both were silent as their eyes scanned the perimeter for the presences they felt but could not see. The very wind held its breath and the tree appeared to grow in anticipation. Then the demons attacked.
