Sesshomaru stopped mid step. She was following him again. The wind picked up around him, shaking the trees and moving the tips of his hair.
He sighed and turned to face her. "What do you want from me, miko?"
Why don't you run from me?
She tilted her head. "Something's different. With you."
Sesshomaru raised a brow. "It is? What could have possibly changed, little miko?"
What are you wondering? What do you know?
When had she become comfortable enough around him to follow him and then make accusations about his mental state. He'd started spending more time around Inuyasha's clan when the final battle with Naraku felt more eminent. It seemed the natural order of things, to fall into company with Kagome. Inuyasha had Kikyo, the monk had the slayer. Even Rin found a friend in Shippo. And Kagome was bright, contemplative and kind. She had no issue passing time in silence. When Sesshomaru thought back, they'd spent many quiet evenings sitting by the fire, saying nothing. There was a closeness to it. That was probably what made Kagome feel like she could just ask him whatever she wanted.
"Rin."
Ah. True. "What about her?"
"You've seen it. Her closeness with Shippo. She needs you less. It bothers you." Kagome had the smallest smirk on her lips. Does it please you, miko, to see me flounder?
"I am happy for her. She was in need of another companion," Sesshomaru said.
Kagome's dark eyes locked onto his. "Don't lie. I've learned to tell when you're being dishonest." She took a few steps closer until she was within reaching distance from him.
Sesshomaru looked away from her. "I owe you no explanation."
"True." The fabric of her school uniform ruffled as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Will you be lonely once Rin finds her own family?"
Sesshomaru growled. "I will always be her family."
"Of course, but you know what I mean. What will you do when she grows up? I know you've been thinking about it," Kagome said.
Why aren't you scared of me? Why do you care for me?
Sesshomaru grew annoyed by her questions. He reached for her hair and pulled a few strands through his fingers. As they fell away, he lightly traced his claws over her cheek. Kagome's breath caught. He heard it and it made him smirk.
"I will find other ways to amuse myself, I am sure."
Kagome glared at him.
"While we're on the subject of different, something has changed with you as well. What is it?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Naraku. It'll be over soon," Kagome said. "When he's dead. We'll do... something. Clean up. Bury our dead. Finish the jewel. Eventually we'll go to sleep."
"And then what?"
"Exactly. When we all fall asleep, where do we go?"
Come here.
At some point Kagome had become reckless. But when? Maybe it was because she had a choice to make. Soon. I didn't think it would affect me like this. Kagome would need to decide if she was going to stay in the feudal era or go home. It messed with her head. She was always so cheery, but now she just felt a void in her chest.
Kagome looked across the fire at Sesshomaru. They'd been doing this weird dance since she'd confronted him in the woods. There was something he didn't want to say to her.
Say it, spit it out, what is it exactly?
Kagome's eyes drifted over Sesshomaru's pointed ears and down his throat. He had removed his armour and her eyes travelled along the length of his arms to his clawed fingers.
Today, I'm thinkin' about the things that are deadly.
Kagome ran her bottom lip through her teeth. When she looked back up at him, Sesshomaru stared back at her. She averted her gaze
The way I'm drinkin' you down,
Like I wanna drown, like I wanna end me.
She was hungry for him. She knew it. When had it started? She couldn't remember, but it hadn't been too long ago. I can't have him. Kagome knew it. Sesshomaru didn't like humans. It was fun to tease him though. Kagome loved to say things to him just to watch his face. Like when she'd brought up Rin in the forest. She knew it bothered him and she knew he'd be annoyed by her bringing it up. Get mad, Sesshomaru. Kagome had hoped for it.
She was hopeless.
Kagome got up and gathered her bathing supplies. She needed a bath and to scratch an inch she couldn't properly scratch in public.
Listen
Sesshomaru wondered how long she would wait to pounce. As the weeks went on the miko grew more and more reckless. She tested his temper every chance she got and she stole glances at him when she didn't think he was looking.
Usually Sesshomaru would find this kind of behaviour appalling, but he and the miko shared other moments too. Moments where she seemed to forget her... afflictions. They would talk and Sesshomaru had never felt so engaged in conversation with another person.
They often sat and listened to music together. Kagome had a devise that could play any song she wanted. They used Kagome's headphones to listen together.
"This is a song by Billie Elish," Kagome said. "She's absolutely huge right now."
Keep you in the dark, what had you expected?
Me to make you my art and make you a star
And get you connected?
I'll meet you in the park, I'll be calm and collected
But we knew right from the start that you'd fall apart
'Cause I'm too expensive.
"She's better than those girls you showed me yesterday. Babymetal," Sesshomaru said.
"Fair." Kagome smirked. "This might be easier for your sensitive yokai ears." Kagome ran her fingers along the shell of Sesshomaru's ears. For the first time in his memory, he couldn't breathe.
"The background sounds in music from your time is too complex," he said.
"It's all done with... technology." That was usually what Kagome said when she knew it would be too complicated to explain something to him. It wasn't that Sesshomaru was incapable of understanding, but as they had discovered, how could he imagine what having a cell phone is like if he's living hundreds of years before electricity was made. Sesshomaru thought he might be able to imagine electricity due to its similarities to yokai, and electric lights were only candles that burned until you turned them off with a level, but some of the other things it powered in Kagome's time were harder to understand.
"What do you think she means by I'm too expensive?" Sesshomaru asked. He liked to ask her about the meaning of song lyrics. Kagome often had to make things up and that was when her eyes became the most animated.
"Hm, I think it means she's a higher quality person than him," Kagome said.
"Ah, like I am to you."
Kagome hit him in the bicep. "Shut up." She laughed. They no longer had to worry about the reaction of other's to Kagome's openness with him. Inuyasha had been annoyed at first. The slayer had been apprehensive. But the longer Sesshomaru stayed with the group, the more everyone trusted him and he had watched what happens when someone tried to tell the miko what to do. Inuyasha had eaten a lot of dirt.
"I think it's meant to be seductive," Sesshomaru said.
"She certainly says it that way," Kagome said. She stared into the forest surrounding them. Then her brows knit together. "Although I don't know how it would be."
"No?" Sesshomaru leaned down to whisper in her ear. "What about this part." He moved her hair away with his clawed fingers to press his lips against the shell of her ear. "We knew right from the start that you'd fall apart."
Kagome breath seemed caught in her throat. She swallowed thickly. "Yup. Yeah. I can see it now." Sesshomaru smirked against her ear and pulled back.
"What's next on the playlist, miko?"
Kagome cleared her throat. "How about some Spice Girls?"
Kagome sometimes whispered things in his ear. She was trying to break him.
"Do yokai lovers kiss?"
"How do they manage their claws?"
"Where is their favourite place to be touched?"
She kept her questions general, but Sesshomaru knew better.
Your talk'll be somethin' that shouldn't be said out loud.
"Miko, why do you persist?" Sesshomaru asked. But she knew he wanted her too so it was a pointless question.
"It's fun. And with your temper, honestly, I thought that I would be dead by now," Kagome said.
Careful.
They were alone at the moment. They had been sent on an errand for the rest of the group. Everyone had run out of supplies, but not enough to warrant a full stop over in a town, just a few things to be picked up. Kagome volunteered to go and Inuyasha insisted Sesshomaru accompany her for protection. They had just stopped for the night since they'd left too late to get to the village in one go. The town was a couple hours away and they'd make the rest of the walk in the morning and be back with the others by the afternoon.
"Tell me. What's your favourite place to be touched?" Kagome looked up from the fire and met his gaze.
"Miko."
"What?" She had a small smile on her lips. "If you won't tell me I can find out on my own." Kagome got up and walked over to him. He didn't stop her as she grabbed his wrist and slid her small hand up his arm.
The debt I owe, gotta sell my soul.
'Cause I can't say no, no, I can't say no.
Then my limbs all froze and my eyes won't close.
And I can't say no, I can't say no.
She found her way to his shoulders. "I've always wondered if you like having your hair touched." Kagome threaded her fingers into his hair. "I've seen you let Rin braid your hair before. Your eyes always close after a while."
Sesshomaru shuddered under her touch. "You have been more observant than I realized. But my hair is not my favourite."
Kagome slid her fingers along the shell of his pointed ears. Sesshomaru let out a growl. "Ah, I've found it. I noticed it the other day. The way you stilled under my touch."
"Yes, you have." Sesshomaru's voice was deep. He pulled the miko into his lap. She squeaked at the sudden movement. "Let me answer some of your other questions."
Sesshomaru captured her lips. Kagome arched into him. He held her close as he nipped and nibbled on her bottom lip. "Yokai lovers do kiss." He found her tongue with his when she opened her mouth in a moan.
Sesshomaru slid his hands down her body. He found her wet for him already. That would make answering her next question easy. He slid his fingers inside her and Kagome melted in his arms. She looked up at him with a glassy expression as she panted under his touch. "And see? As long as I am careful of my claws, they are not a problem. Understood?"
Kagome nodded her head, unable to speak. Sesshomaru only moved his hakama and Kagome's underwear aside to enter her. There would be time for more slow paced interactions later. This was not romantic and nothing could wait.
Kagome gasped with relief when he was all the way inside her. "So long, I've- so long," she whispered against his shoulder. Kagome held onto his biceps as he impaled her over and over. It didn't take long before she clamped down around him. Sesshomaru followed shortly after.
Kagome rested her forehead against his shoulder while she caught her breath. Once her breathing calmed, she raised her head. "I thought I'd never sway you."
Sesshomaru kissed her. "Try and sway me again, miko."
Thanks for reading!
My ebooks:
The Priestess and the Yōkai: /dp/B07G74GWRK
Book II: /dp/B07TYBP8KS