Chapter Twenty-Nine
Trailing a wet hand over her shoulder, Kagome grabbed a cloth and scrubbed hard at grimy skin. It would probably be weeks before she successfully washed the putrid stench off.
Shuddering, she sank back into blissfully warm waters. Steam licked at her forehead, sweat beading on a furrowed brow. Tense muscles relaxed.
The hot spring had become quiet after Rin left. The little girl seemed to understand something was bothering her, but neither spoke about it. Instead, Rin had combed her hair and jabbered on excitedly about the fight. 'No one is as strong as Lord Sesshoumaru, but Rin thinks you'll give him a run for his money one day! You were amazing!'
'Were you scared, Rin?' she'd asked.
'Not at all!'
Such blind faith. Kagome closed her eyes. She'd once had that kind of faith in a Hanyou. She'd believed he'd never let her get hurt. Not ever.
"I guess I'm still in one piece," Kagome muttered jadedly.
That wasn't fair. Inuyasha himself wouldn't have harmed her. It was something that had happened beyond his control.
Control...
She supposed that was what she feared most. Dangers, variables, hidden things that would never cross her weary mind, all were waiting eagerly to snatch away any new, kindling happiness.
Hearing a twig snap, Kagome sat up with a splash, picking up her bow from the side of the pool. "Who's there?" she asked, nocking an arrow as she stood.
A shadow moved, peeling out from the darkness of the surrounding, dark forest, evening having swept in. Silver hair caught the light of a flickering torch she'd set nearby.
"It is a cruel type of woman that would sully a man's clothes and then not offer to remove them. I seek my own bath after that fight, miko," Sesshoumaru uttered flatly.
Kagome breathed out a long sigh, setting down her bow. "Do it yourself. You could take off your armour just fine before I came along, as you've made a point to mention."
Noticing his eyes start to stray down her wet form- water droplets glistening as they glided along firm thighs, Kagome growled and ducked into the water, folding her arms over her chest.
"That was not part of our deal," Sesshoumaru smoothly continued, as though nothing had occurred. "We had an agreement."
"More like you ordered me but I agreed to help you anyway because I'm not a jerk."
"Indeed," he hummed, musing to himself. "As I recall, you are 'always happy to help out a friend.' Yet you deny me now?"
She hated his stupid, smug face and his stupid accurate words. When Kagome didn't answer, Sesshoumaru gave a light sigh. Sloshing water caught her hearing, and she jolted, finding him standing in the shallows of the pool- boots and lower part of his hakama pants submerged. "What are you doing?" she hissed.
"Since you will not aid me, this one has no choice but to bathe fully clothed," he took another step in. Then another, water lapping around his knees.
Grabbing a fluffy towel, Kagome rose with a rippling growl, wrapping it around her torso and securing it into place. Wading through the hot spring, she roughly grabbed onto his armour, blue eyes narrow.
"How old are you exactly?" she grunted, fingers minding the edges of his armour aside to locate secures, picking hard at the knots.
"800 summers."
Kagome snorted, tugging some red threads loose. "So we're confident that you are not- in fact- a petty toddler?"
Pale lips lifted, exposing sharp white teeth. "Mind your tongue, woman. I can remove that too whenever I please, along with your eyes. Then you would be mute and blind," he purred.
Kagome fell silent, opening the secures as she eased around his body, ducking beneath his arm- which he helpfully raised. Crickets and cicadas chirping within the undergrowth eventually became too loud in the hushed atmosphere. Her sudden silence seemed to disquiet him.
"...What ails you?"
Her fingers halted, head bowed.
"I-I'm afraid," the words came out haltingly. "I'm so afraid of failing when lives are on the line. The adrenaline kicked in when that ogre attacked, so I was able to get in position and defend everyone, but I was still so scared. I guess that's why I felt pissed at you for endangering them just for the sake of training me. I'm not worth that."
The heat of his intense stare combined with the steam trailing lazily in the air made goosebumps rise on exposed skin.
"One does not need the absence of fear to fight- merely control over it."
"But... I could've frozen up."
"You did not. Cease this cycle of doubting yourself."
She bit her lip, wincing. "I like them," Kagome confessed quietly, as though it was a sinful secret. "Rin, Jaken, Ah-Un. In such a short amount of time, I've come to really like them. I'm not scared of what could happen to me- just them. Failing other people again isn't something I can handle."
"Miko-"
"I want to protect you, too."
Sesshoumaru stopped, looking as though he'd had the wind knocked out of him. Like no one had ever said such a preposterous thing to him before. The Killing Perfection did not require nor need protection. He was an assassin. The deadly one who moved with grace and skill on the battlefield, refusing to allow even a single drop of blood to besmirch his white silks.
And now this mere slip of a woman stared at him earnestly, seeking to protect a predator. She wasn't lying. Conviction simmered within her arresting blue eyes.
"It's okay, I know we're not friends in your eyes, but this is just how I feel. I want to protect everyone. I thought you did too- that's why what happened today shook me up a little," Kagome murmured. She then continued loosening then secures, having said what she needed to.
"... Perhaps, in the future…" he started out slowly, considering. She felt her entire being halt, listening intently. "This one will... ensure the others are somewhere secure, while we engage more dangerous foes for training purposes."
Kagome paused, straightening slowly, tapping his armour. Sesshoumaru lifted it off with one hand, setting it down on the pool's edge.
He stiffened as she moved in close- unexpectedly quick- pressing herself against his torso. Kagome hugged him fiercely, briefly. So brief he could scarcely bite at her for it. The indomitable Daiyoukai stood perplexed and stiff after she'd pulled away.
"Sorry- I was... uh…" fussing with her hair, blue eyes flew away, watery.
"Another show of thanks, miko?" he drawled.
"No," Kagome turned to face away from him. "That was just a selfish breach of boundaries for me. I wanted to hug you. My bad."
He stepped closer, a smirk colouring his voice. "You seek to embrace me? Protect me? Earlier you ask that I bite you. Careful, miko. One might suspect you of being interested."
"You know that's not it. Gah, I knew I shouldn't have said anything! Just forget it."
His rich, silvery chuckle caressed her hearing, doing funny things to her lower stomach. Water lapped against the backs of her knees as he moved- a hand straying around a slim shoulder. Kagome blinked as long fingers ensnared her chin, turning her head as a presence radiated heat at her back.
Sesshoumaru leaned down- tilting his head- a striped cheek meeting and bumping against hers. The bizarre action had Kagome gawking at nothing, feeling his sharp cheekbone glide against hers, skin dragging. A low crooning noise rumbled from deep within his throat, vibrating. It sent her heart racing.
When he released her and pulled away, Kagome worked her mouth a few times, no sound coming out until she cleared her throat. "What was that?"
"A show of assurance."
"Oh," she touched her thrumming cheek. Oddly, she felt a little better. "I think it worked?"
"Hn."
Adjusting the towel around her mid-section, Kagome eased away, noticing him beginning to fiddle with the bow of his obi. Sesshoumaru caught her stare, lips curving. "You may assist this one with disrobing further if you wish."
Jolting, Kagome growled, climbing out of the pool and sticking her tongue out at him. "Way to ruin a nice moment. You're such a jerk."
Sesshoumaru's eyes danced, rendered lazy and content by the wafting, humid steam. "Bite me."
Blushing hotly, Kagome gathered her things into her arms, huffing and grumbling loudly as she stomped away, the cadence of his chuckle haunting her swift footsteps away from the hot springs.