Chapter Thirty-Five

"So...just to set everything straight- I wasn't uh...violated."

Sesshoumaru blinked, glancing away from the cave entrance they'd taken refuge in. The tortoise shell lay not too far away, but they'd delayed returning immediately. After flaring his youki, apparently Jaken had gotten the message that they'd be having a 'talk' before reuniting with everyone.

"No?"

"Nope," Kagome shook her head, expression falling. "But another woman was. I climbed on top of the guy when I was...killing him," she said quietly, setting down her spear. "Was that why you thought I'd been raped too?"

"Hn, your scents were mingled. There are traces of him left behind upon your person."

She winced, hugging her knees as she lingered by a cool wall, the rock feeling chilly on her back. The ceiling wasn't terribly high, making their rest stop feel enclosed, infused with lingering, fresh scents of petrichor. "Well, I probably would've been if you hadn't shown up. Thanks for the save, by the way."

Boots crunched upon gravelly stones littering the ground, a shadow falling over her face. Sesshoumaru knelt gracefully, grasping her chin and turning it to inspect red, puffy bruising flaring up over her eye. They'd managed to find a river before settling in the cave, allowing Kagome to carefully wash her face. However, everything felt sore, fragile. Her head throbbed, nose flaring with continuous aches.

Her own hand drew out, gingerly touching his elbow. "What happened?" she asked, blue eyes roving over the burns licking across Sesshoumaru's bicep. It felt strange to see the length of his remaining arm exposed, sleeve having been reduced to blackened tatters.

"Nothing of consequence."

"Stop that," Kagome frowned. "You're hurt. I have nothing on me right now, but there's ointment in my backpack-"

"Must you continue to be so vexing?" Golden eyes flashed. Suddenly he loomed much too close, damp silver locks swaying forward as his voice darkened with displeasure. "Look at yourself, miko. Are you incapable of prioritising your own wounds? Will you run out blindly again if you hear someone scream? Continue on foolishly, and you will collapse from exhaustion."

The force of Kagome's glare was dampened significantly by her second eye being sealed shut. "I was just concerned about you! What's your problem?"

"You," Sesshoumaru uttered, sweeping a critical gaze over her. "It is as though you possess no inclination for self-preservation. You place the importance of others higher than yourself."

Lean shoulders fell, and she drew back. Her head rested against smooth, damp rock, the fight abruptly leaving her all at once, leaving Kagome as nothing but a bruised, beaten, ash-coated priestess."... The way you're putting it makes me sound like a martyr. Maybe even a good person," she mumbled, chin resting on her drawn up knees. "But I'm not. Not really. Earlier, I told you there wasn't time to call out for you. The truth is, the thought didn't even occur to me. I was... thinking about the people in the villages Inuyasha killed because I didn't go after him when I should've. Guilt and anger were my motivators. And my actions hurt you- don't argue. You got hurt because of me, right?"

Sesshoumaru remained silent, his mouth clicking shut.

"So it's not like I'm some selfless, pure person. The guilt is always there. It's so...loud. Actually doing something about it felt cathartic for once; Fighting evil. It reduced everything down, made me remember simpler times. I kind of enjoyed fighting today in a way I can't understand," she admitted softly, shame touching her features. "Does all that sound like a good-hearted person?"

Kagome caught his eye and noticed the softness of his features that he was trying to hide; the crinkle of his forehead and lack of haughtiness in his tawny eyes. "The people we left behind in that district would not care what your motivations were, miko. Merely that you saved them of your own volition would be enough for them."

She blinked. A tingly, warm feeling crept up her neck. Smiling wanly, a teasing note slipped into her tired voice. "That makes you a good person too, then."

He cut his gaze to the ceiling. "Hn, that soldier with my acid in his belly would beg to differ."

"You did that for me…" she stated the obvious out loud. Sesshoumaru appeared briefly uncomfortable, before Kagome continued talking, musing to herself. "I felt kind of... scared, seeing you like that. But I already knew that ruthless side to you exists, and ultimately it felt protective instead of frightening."

Thin lips tugged up at the edges as Sesshoumaru tipped his head to one side slightly. "Do not try to weasel out of your punishment with fluffy words, miko."

"P-punishment?"

That smile turned positively wicked, delight dancing in his eyes. "Indeed, you disobeyed me. Did you think you could avoid suffering the consequences?" he purred. "Now that I know you were not defiled, I do not have to hold back… "

"Now wait a sec! I was still beat up!" she crawled backwards along the wall. "Y-you should be nicer to your weapon!"

"Ah, so you admit that you are mine? Now that is refreshing," a silvery chuckle escaped him, easing closer with dark, malicious intent twinkling in his gaze.

Kagome squeaked, freezing up. Sure, his bloodthirsty revenge upon her account had felt protective, but this was still Sesshoumaru. What kind of punishment would he dish out? He could be a pretty ruthless demon.

Bracing herself, Kagome held still, various grim scenarios playing through her head. Is he going to bite me?

Sesshoumaru's face stopped a few inches away. Golden eyes remained steady, gravely serious.

Kagome swallowed thickly.

A clawed finger unfurled and pointed to his jaw, "you will put your mouth here."

"... What?"

Sesshoumaru exhaled shortly through his nose. "Since you demonstrated the inuyoukai way of showing assurance, you are clearly capable of performing others. I require an apology."

"O-oh!" Kagome rested a hand over her heart, breathing an enormous sigh of relief. "So… kissing your chin is an apology in inuyoukai language?"

"It is not a kiss," he said flatly. "Unless of course, you cannot hold back your passion for me and must give in to the need to slobber on my person."

"Skip to the explanation," she matched his tone.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru smirked, "resting your mouth on this area is dangerous should favour not be granted," he brushed claws lightly over his jaw, looking at her soberly. "They put you in range of my fangs. Do not take this gesture lightly should you attempt it again, miko. This one may not be so magnanimous next time."

Kagome nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

Heat briefly touched her cheeks, before she shook herself. Just like a peck on the cheek. It didn't mean anything weird. This was just another way in which they differed in communicating, and she needed to understand and respect that.

Besides...

Blue eyes flicked to his burned bicep, imagining lightning ricocheting off his sword too late as he became distracted. Distracted because of her.

Summoning her resolve, Kagome shifted on her knees, raising herself slightly. Her hand found purchase on a sturdy shoulder. It tensed beneath her palm, but gradually relaxed. He was like that last time, she thought, bringing her face closer to his and remembering the stiffness of his frame when she'd brushed her cheek along his. How often was he touched?

Sesshoumaru held himself steady, attention much too heavy upon her face. Kagome gently, carefully bridged the distance between them, resting her lips on the underside of his jaw. His skin felt warm beneath the soft pressure of her mouth.

He immediately jolted like she'd sent a bolt of electricity through his system. Sesshoumaru jerked away with a quiet snarl, flashing sharp teeth. "I specified the jaw," he seethed, mokomoko puffing up.

"T-that's where I did it!"

"No, you did not," Sesshoumaru rested a hand over his eyes, magenta markings strangely flared as red dusted his cheeks- gone the second he dragged his palm down his face. Exhaling in a rush, he stood. "Forget what just transpired."

"B-but..." her voice lost strength, and Kagome sighed. "Well, okay..." she mumbled, decided to ask about it later when she wasn't so exhausted. Had she really messed up that badly?

Gracefully sweeping over to the cave entrance with a flurry of flustered silks, Sesshoumaru watched the skies. He'd become stiff once more, mokomoko finally settling down like a riled cat.

"You wish to return home, do you not?"

"Yeah...I really do."

"See to it that your visit is brief."

Kagome's head snapped up. "I-I can go?"

"Hn, tomorrow this one will take you."

So soon? Kagome bit her lip, wondering if she'd royally screwed up this time. Settling against the wall, Kagome wrapped her arms around herself, heavy lids feeling like crumpled paper. Tired eyes slid shut, and she figured with the uncomfortable surroundings and awkward atmosphere that a nap would be impossible. However, the miko slumped into dreamless sleep in a matter of moments.

Heavy, cloud-like furs settled over her knees the second she began to shiver, brushing her chin and swathing Kagome in exquisite warmth.