Tumblr prompt: "If I asked you to stay, would you?"
Chapter Two (end)
Inserting a spare key into the lock, Sesshoumaru casually let himself into Kagome's apartment the next day around noon after hearing a loud groan answer his knock.
Stepping over some discarded heels and shedding his human glamour mid-step, he found Kagome messily sprawled over her bed.
Blue eyes cracked open, and she winced.
"Sesshoumaru...I think I'm dying."
"I did tell you to drink water before passing out," he intoned flatly, lifting a bag of food from Zubway into view.
Kagome groggily sat up, rubbing her head and sighing. "You did, huh? Was I really bad?"
"The usual amount of drunk, I'd say," thin lips quirked as he left to grab some water, bringing a full glass back.
Kagome accepted it, along with a painkiller. "Thank you so much. You're the absolute best."
Sesshoumaru's golden eyes flickered. They strayed away, and he fell quiet as they both dug into their food. Kagome barely had the stomach for it, but forced herself to eat, knowing it would make her feel better in the long run. She managed half of her sandwich, before leaning back against her pillows with a hungover sigh.
"You know...I think some things are coming back to me," she mumbled, squinting.
Sesshoumaru hummed, hardly expecting anything miraculous to be remembered.
Kagome blanched after a moment, blue eyes widening. "D-did I...say something weird about your butt?"
A wicked smirk came to his lips, delighting in her humiliated whine of defeat.
"Oh nooo- go on. Lay it on me."
"This one seems to recall you wanting to bite my 'cute butt.'"
"Nooooo!" she fell face first into her pillow, the noises coming out muffled.
"And then you wished to lick me-"
The sounds of embarrassment rose higher.
His tone dropped into a low whisper, "you also said that you loved me."
Kagome's head rose, fumbling with her dishevelled hair, "hm? What was that last one? Your voice was too quiet."
"I said you wanted to lick honey from my person-"
"Nooooooooo!"
Smirking, Sesshoumaru rose from the bed to dispose of their trash, glancing at her rumpled form furtively from the corner of his eye.
It was for the best. If she'd really meant it, then surely Kagome would've told him by now. The only reason he kept his own silence was because of how fragile it all felt.
Because this- spending easy time with her- being her companion, all of it was more than enough. The inuyoukai had been alone for so many years, by design of course. Only a select few were permitted close.
Ultimately, his relationship with Kagome Higurashi was too precious to be mishandled. If he confronted her- only for the miko to become awkward around him, he couldn't...take it.
Sesshoumaru reached down, hooking his claws under the strap of her tight black dress that had slipped decadently off one shoulder, staring into her eyes- mascara smudged on her lashes. "You should change out of the clothes you wore last night," he said softly.
Kagome blinked, reddening a little. Eventually she gave a nod, watching him walk to the threshold of her door.
"Sesshoumaru?"
He paused, "hn?"
"Was there something else? Any other odd things I might've said?"
Turning to face her, he couldn't quite keep the intrigue from his voice. "Such as?"
"...I dunno, but…" Kagome chewed on her bottom lip maddeningly. His chest flared, hunger rising in his throat. Fangs ached. She was such a tease- no- he shook himself firmly.
"If any stuff I said when I was drunk made you uncomfortable, we could talk about that."
"None of it made me uncomfortable."
"I guess you are pretty difficult to embarrass," she mumbled, bowing slightly. "But still, I'm sorry for any trouble I caused."
Sesshoumaru smiled slightly, assuring her, before continuing out of the room. A sense of missed opportunity heavily pervaded the air as he let out a slow exhale, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Foolishness.
The next time she got drunk was strangely two nights later, which was very odd in itself. Kagome did not drink so frequently.
And especially not alone.
"Come overrr," she'd slurred down the phone. "We can have a sleepover!"
Sesshoumaru's claws bit into the leather of his armchair, considering this, "I do not think that wise-"
"I'm gonna run through the halls, naked~"
"I will be right there," he grunted, hanging up.
Her apartment lay on the fifth floor, and when Sesshoumaru reached her door, hearing nothing from inside- a sense of disquiet filled him with dread.
Kagome was a happy drunk. She was a stupid fool who loved everyone and showered them with affection.
Finding her inside sitting on the sofa- with the glassy look of unshed tears in her dark eyes, Sesshoumaru stopped and wondered how well he even knew her at all.
She collapsed into his arms the second he offered them.
Making low noises of comfort, Sesshoumaru lifted the miko onto his lap, combing deadly claws through her hair.
"What ails you?" he rumbled, kissing her behind the ear. He then winced, reminding himself not to take liberties with her person.
"I-I feel so happy," Kagome sobbed, clinging tight around his shoulders.
Sesshoumaru blinked, rubbing her back in soothing circles using his large palm. "That is an issue?"
"It is!" she wailed, hiding her face. "B-because, I feel so guilty for it, all the time...all the time," the words trailed off into a whisper.
"Why, miko?"
"Because I loved Inuyasha…and you're his brother," she breathed. "Because I miss my friends, but if someone asked me to give you up in order to see them again- I...I couldn't."
Her grip tightened around him, shoulders shaking.
"And because -when we're doing friend stuff, I don't think of you as a friend- well I do-" she stumbled over her words. "Only I- I can't help but hope for more. Wishing- and that's not fair! It's not fair to you! I never...thought I'd be happy again after the stupid bone well shut, but you fill me with...joy."
Kagome stared at him suddenly, her face much too close.
Before Sesshoumaru could react, or do much of anything since he was already rendered speechless by her chatter- she'd pressed her soft lips to his. The action sent him reeling. His attention focused razer sharp on the sensation- of the tight grip she kept on his clothes. How she trembled with want of him.
Sesshoumaru inwardly purred, feeling a glow light up inside him. He reached for her hair- before she abruptly pulled away.
"And I just really think your butt is cute! I wanna grab it so bad that I feel like I've turned into Miroku! I-I'm sorry."
"Don't be," he panted, a strange warmth dusting his cheeks. "Is this why you only tell me such things when you're drunk? You're too ashamed to say them in the cold light of day?"
"Guess so. You're so smart," she slurred, resting her cheek against his shoulder and tiredly booping his nose. "Love you."
"Hn, so you have mentioned," Sesshoumaru uttered, casting his frazzled mind back. "Many times."
But now a sense of understanding filled his rattled senses, and his own fears were swiftly being laid to rest.
Kagome hugged him tight, and Sesshoumaru returned it, cradling her close.
"If I asked you to stay, would you?" she murmured.
Midsummer eyes slid shut, confessing a very real truth. "I would do anything you asked of me, miko."
When Kagome rose that morning, clinging to his solid body tightly and lifting her head to meet his gaze, Sesshoumaru cupped her cheek.
"Sesshoumaru, what-? Mmfh?!"
A warm mouth fiercely crashed into hers, arms wrapping around her. She tasted terrible, and the kiss was sloppy- not at all perfect. He adored it anyway the second she tentatively kissed back- touching his hair gingerly.
She'd been like him, he realised, purring with satisfaction as he deepened the kiss, hitching her thigh over his waist. Too afraid to pursue anything, for fear of harming what they had.
Grabbing Kagome's hand, Sesshoumaru forced it to the curve of his ass, permitting her to grope it. She could bite it if she wanted, he hardly cared. She squeaked, eliciting a devilish smile against her mouth.
He wanted to reassure her. He wanted her to know that she didn't need to get drunk anymore to permit herself to love him. She could confess her deepest desires and he'd listen to each and every one.
Kissing her hard, Sesshoumaru inhaled her scent and dragged his lips across her cheek, hissing lowly in her ear;
"I love you too, foolish woman."
End