"Sho...?" Her voice was quiet as the rest of the occupants in the cave slept.
Sesshomaru looked over to the furs where the two women had slept most of the night, the moon barely reaching its highest point now. His pelt was wrapped around Rin to prevent her wiggling across the futon as she constantly searched for something to cling to. Seraphina had claimed the other side, but now was propped up on her elbow looking at him were he sat near the cave entrance.
"When... sleep... last...?" She murmured as she rubbed her eyes, careful of the gems in her left cheek.
"This one is fine," he replied and she moved to sit up completely, revealing that she had taken her hamakas off, wearing her undergarments and top only.
"Body... show... tired..." she frowned. "Wards... in place... Sleep."
"You wish this one to join you?" He mused, expecting her to say no but saw her scooting towards the the middle of the furs.
"Sleep..." she whispered and patted the furs she had been laying on.
He got up and walked over to her and her eyes never wavered as they glowed gently in the dark as the fire low. Placing his weapons beside the edge of the furs, he kicked off his boots and and removed his haori, folding it and placing it on her cloak that had her hamakas folded. Once he moved to the furs, she finally laid down and pulled a fur up to cover her legs, watching as he finally laid down.
"You continually full of surprises," he spoke quietly and saw a fanged smile in response as she got comfortable on her back. "This one cannot promise control over physical reactions."
"All... male bodies... react... come sunrise... Natural..."
"It would not be because of the sun, but because of a beautiful female," he growled quietly as he moved to lay on his side to look at her.
"Liar... Rest..." she murmured as she rolled away from him and ended up mostly on her stomach.
"This one does not lie," he whispered close to her ear before getting comfortable, feeling a shiver come from her as he allowed himself to fall into a light slumber.
Jaken stirred from where he had slept beside Ah-Un and looked around. Noticing the fire having burned down to embers, he got up and moved over to place a couple logs back on it to reawaken the flames. Looking over at where Sesshomaru had been when he had gone to sleep, he frowned seeing his absence as the early morning rays of morning peaked into the cave. Checking on Rin and the strange female, he found himself choking down the sound of surprise that tried to escape.
Rin was still wrapped in the white pelt but had draped her arm over the side and was touching the strange female's forearm. Seraphina mostly on her stomach, the arm she laid on near her face that Rin was touching and other near her waist where it was touching an arm draped over her waist that held several magenta stripes around the wrist. He adverted his eyes from her as he realized that she had kicked off the fur over her legs, but a leg was between hers, hiding anything.
As he focused on the third obvious occupant, he saw Lord Sesshomaru sound asleep and had removed his haori. His chest was pressed to the female's back as his other arm was under her head and tucked under her pillow. Seraphina shifted slightly rolling back onto her side and Jaken watched in horror as he watched his lord adjust to her movements, pulling her closer as his head moved to bury into her strangely braided hair.
Hearing movement beside him as the two-headed dragon awoke, he looked over to see one head lift to look over at the furs before snorting softly and going back to sleep. He glanced at the furs one more time before taking Ah-Un's example and moved back to lay down beside the beast. If his lord had been upset with curling up around a ninngen female, he would have never laid down beside her so figuring that it was none of his business and got comfortable.
Having woken when Jaken had to tend to the fire, Sesshomaru was grateful that the kappa silenced his surprise before tending to the fire. When Seraphina had rolled off her stomach, he had subconsciously pulled her closer but now regretted that decision as it caused blood to rush to his groin, making his length press against her bottom. She had been correct in assuming that his body would have reacted come morning, but his erection was painfully hard being curled around her.
Not long after Jaken had gone back to sleep, Seraphina stirred and he opened his eyes. He saw her slowly remove Rin's hand from her arm and propped herself up on her elbow. Her eyes went to the fire before focusing on her current predicament and crimson eyes widened as she finally lifted her eyes to his molten orbs.
"M-morning..." she whispered and he hummed in reply, tightening his arm around her waist to prevent her from moving to add further to his issue. "Um..."
"It will pass," he spoke as he used his arm under her to pull her off her elbow and pulled her closer. "Return to sleep."
"Can't... discomfort..." she murmured. Loosening his arm around his waist, he moved so he wasn't pressed against her and she snorted in amusement before moving so she was lying on her back his arm still under her head and he watched as her body tensed. "Back from... how... slept..."
"It still causes you pain?" He inquired quietly.
"Position... does..." she nodded, her breathes quick and shallow.
Keeping his forearm under her, he moved to prop himself up on his elbow. Her eyes watched him carefully as he brought his hand up to push her top from her shoulder, exposing the scars on the right side of her neck. She tilted her head to give him more access, realizing what he was planning and he lowered his head to her neck before biting into her scared neck. She inhaled sharply and her hand shot up to grab his arm that moved to rest on her stomach before he pulsed his jaki into her.
A quiet sigh left her lips and he felt her body relax under him before releasing her neck. Licking away any blood before it rolled down her body, he saw the wound heal instantly before pulling back to look at her. Glazed eyes that had been lifted to the ceiling, shifted to look at him and focused slowly.
"Cold water... will... ease... discomfort..." she whispered as he watched the high quickly fade, a light blush dusting her cheeks.
"This one is aware," he mused, well aware of his erection now pressing against her side since moving to bite her neck. "This one had a question."
"Okay..." she nodded.
He moved his hand down her stomach and slid it under her top before his hand touched skin. She flinched at the contact and he moved his thumb past the waist of her undergarments to touch the scar across her lower abdomen. Her eyes widened slightly but remained silent as he saw a hint of sadness.
"Apart from Youkai bites, this is the only other scar on your body..." he murmured, not even feeling a trace of hair as he continued to run his thumb over the scar. "Why?"
"Ash..." her voice faltered for a moment before she quietly cleared her throat. "Used...to cut... open..."
"Strange procedure. Dangerous," he spoke as he moved to lay back down and she shifted her head to his upper arm and turned her head to keep her eyes on his, their noses ending up inches apart.
"Common... many... choose... over natural..."
"The miko has mentioned much of her era, the technology and discoveries from books she would bring before the portal closed."
"Lived... similar... to this... Only... knowledge... passed wards..."
"Hn."
"Sho...? Why... help...? Would... have managed...?"
"This one witnessed a falling star hit the ground and curiosity led this one to the crater where you woke up. From there, the curiosity has only increased," he spoke softly. "Even now, with what is known, that hasn't changed."
"Makes... no sense..." she frowned and he nodded, his nose brushing against hers at the movement.
He heard her heart quicken as he watched her slitted pupils dilate. Curious at that reaction, he moved his head closer and her eyes lowered a couple inches. Bending his elbow, he pulled her head even closer as he pressed his lips to hers and heard her inhale sharply but she didn't pull away. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her so she was on her side facing him and felt her hands on his chest.
Hearing Rin stir, he pulled back a couple inches. Crimson eyes opened, full of humor as they listened to Rin stretching loudly. Keeping his arms around Seraphina, he relaxed his body and closed his eyes as he saw Rin start to sit up.
"Oh...? And he complains that I'm clingy," he heard Rin mumble before the sound of her footsteps moved towards the cavern.
"Busted..." Seraphina whispered and he opened his eyes to look at her and saw a fanged smirk, making him growl. "Was that... the real... reason...? You... feared... being caught... cuddling...?"
He pushed her back and moved to hover over her, his knees trapping her hips in place. Her smirk only widened as he growled again, grabbing her wrists and pinning them above her head. A small part of him was actually irritated that she could understand the meaning behind her growls, but the fact that she didn't even fear him when being pinned down also amused him.
"Woof..." she mocked quietly before getting control of her expression as Rin could be heard humming as she was returning.
"Lord Sesshomaru? Please don't get angry at Nina," Rin's humming stopped and she ran over to kneel on the edge of the furs. "You know that you tend to cuddle when you don't have Mokomoko."
"Hn," he spoke coolly.
Releasing Seraphina's wrists, he got to his feet but still stood over her, his legs keeping her hips pinned. She made a show of rubbing her wrists where he had been holding and was trying hard to make herself look scared, though he could see the corner of her mouth threatening to tilt up. Rin reached out to grab her hand and pain crossed her eyes and jerked her hands away, breathing hard.
"Nina...? I'm sorry! Did I hurt you...?"
"Holy... energy..." Seraphina groaned and he moved to the side as she rolled onto her side.
"Rin."
"I didn't do anything, I promise...!" The child was suddenly panicked.
"This one is not angry with you. Were you being taught how to become a miko?"
"Lady Kaede said I had potential..." Tears welled up and quickly spilled over. "Was that wrong...?"
"Rin..." Seraphina moved to her knees, pulled her sleeves over her hands before cupping the panicked child's face. "Shh... no fault... no wrong... Nothing... you did..."
"But... my touch... it hurt you..." Rin sobbed.
"Not... purpose... Breathe..." she murmured gently to calm her. "Will... explain... Calm first..."
Sesshomaru dressed and moved to take up his place near the fire, propping his swords on his shoulder as his erection finally started to fade. After the mock attack, he knew it would be best to not add to his ward's hysteria. He was confused as to why he had not sensed the holy energy within his ward, but knew he wouldn't get that answer until speaking with the elder miko. Once Rin stopped crying, Seraphina quickly pulled on her hamakas and grabbed a handful of ash from the edge of the fire pit before moving to sit beside Rin.
"Taught... by sprites..." Seraphina spoke and the ash in her hand moved to hover in a mini tornado in her palm. "Piercings... hold sprite... gems... that heal... injuries to spine... but require... Youkai jaki. Holy energy... messes with... that... Not... fault..."
"Oh... so as long as I don't touch your skin...?" Rin asked and she nodded with a smile. "Are you okay? Lord Sesshomaru tends to overreact when actually sleeping..."
"I... good... Startled..." she replied and he saw the humor in her eyes as she glanced at him.
"Jaken," Sesshomaru spoke as the kappa let out an obnoxious snore and he jerked awake. "You are neglecting your duties."
"Lord Sesshomaru, forgive me!" Jaken groveled. "Come Rin, let us find breakfast."
"Coming Master Jaken," Rin smiled and jumped up from the furs and ran after Jaken as he grabbed his staff and the reigns for Ah-Un.
"Are you well?" He asked once they were passed the wards and got to his feet.
"I... okay... She... undertrained... but strong... Sapped seals... some..." she spoke as she got to her feet and walked over to toss the ash into the fire. "Scale... zero to ten... ten being... full charge... at three."
"The Sprite said you had been near half," he frowned. "If using this scale, she took two levels?"
"Strong..." she nodded. "Be... proud... of pup..."
"This one is," he growled gently as he wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her off the ground.
Her arms came to his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his waist, causing his erection to return. He had expected some surprise in her eyes but found himself surprised instead when she did not hesitate to pull herself closer and pressed her lips to his. Tossing his swords onto the furs, he slid his free hand into her hair, deepening the kiss as he carried her to the furs and lowered them down, pressing her gently into the furs below her.
She kissed back with a fervor as her hands slid into his hair and pulled. Growling against her lips, he ran his hand down her side while he propped himself on his elbow and gripped her hip. She moaned and rocked his hips, rubbing his painful erection against her clothed core causing her to cry out in appreciation.
"Sho..." her voice was full of need as she pulled back from the kiss and the scent of her arousal hit him hard. "No... time..."
"Unfortunate timing," he agreed, his breaths fast and in sync with her own panting. "Now it not just this one's issue."
"Yeah..." she chuckled, letting her legs drop from his waist. "I... go clean... up."
"No one will interrupt you this time," he smirked as he pulled her to sit up as he sat on his knees between her legs.
"Okay... if... you..." she mused before moving to stand up. She looked at him for a moment before running her hands through his hair and smiled before disappearing down the tunnel to the spring.
"Slow down, you impatient child!" Hearing Jaken's voice as the rest of his pack returned, he moved to sit beside his swords, hiding the obvious tent in his hamakas before they came into view, carrying several fish and fruit.
"Lord Sesshomaru, we found peaches!" Rin cheered before frowning as she looked around. "Where's Nina...?"
"Cleaning up," he spoke coolly.
"Then shouldn't you be with her? She did mention that her family cleaned up together and we are her family now, aren't we? Wouldn't she be lonely?" She asked innocently and he smirked internally.
"This one will check on her," he spoke and got to his feet and quickly retreated to the spring while Jaken and Rin started to prepare the food.