Prompt: Blue, Luck, Stability, Femininity/Fidelity

Timeline: Canon, Feudal Era

Sapphire Summons

What had started off as a drizzle was now an outright deluge.

Kagome quickly collected the herbs she'd hung from the roof of her hut, placing them in a basket on the small table so they'd continue to dry. The laundry she'd laid on the grass was now soaked, and she'd have to wash them again tomorrow, the sudden rainfall causing mud to stain the back of her extra robes.

Sighing, she bundled up the now dirty clothes, squeezing out as much water as she could before throwing them in a heap in the corner. She loved living in the feudal era, but certain modern conveniences—like a washer and dryer—were thoroughly missed.

Opening her door one last time, she placed two jugs at the edge of the overhang, watching them slowly catch rainwater. It would mean one less trip to the river later. Turning to head back inside, a flash of white caught her eye and she squinted through the pouring rain, gasping when she realized someone was out in this weather.

"Sesshoumaru!" She called the daiyoukai over, grumbling when he didn't move. "Come inside, you'll get sick if you stay out there too long!" She was pretty sure youkai didn't get colds—least of all Sesshoumaru—but she wasn't going to be responsible for the Western Lord coming down with the sniffles.

He slowly made his way towards her, somehow still looking graceful as the rain plastered his silks to his body. Hovering a few feet from her doorway, Kagome reached out and grabbed a sleeve, yanking him inside before shutting the door behind him.

"It's lucky I was here, or you'd have had a hell of a trip back home." She looked out the only window in her hut. "I know you're strong, but I doubt even you could see through this. Inuyasha mentioned that water tends to wash away the scents of things. The rainy season always puts him on edge."

She walked over to her fireplace, propping up a few logs before striking her flint into some kindling. "I'll get us warmed up in just a second. I'm not sure how to wash youkai clothes, but you should take off your haori, it'll dry quicker that way." Brushing her hands off, she turned to face him, suddenly noticing the flowers in his hand.

"Are those for Rin? They're so pretty! I'm sure she'll love—"

The small bouquet of hydrangea was thrust into her hands, the sudden movement causing the water caught in the petals to jump onto her clothing. She stared up at Sesshoumaru in shock, his bangs plastered to his face and covering his eyes.

"Oh, are these for me?" Her hand closed around the stems. "Thank you, what is it you need in return?" She brushed the remaining water off, a few petals fluttering to the floor as she looked around for a vase to put them in.

"Though if it's any kind of remedy, it may have to wait. I wasn't able to gather all my herbs today and most of them got a little soggy." She gave him a sheepish grin over her shoulder, then frowned. Sesshoumaru hadn't moved from his place just inside her doorway and his claws were slowly curling and uncurling at his sides.

Since when does Sesshoumaru get nervous?

She stared at him for a moment, his golden irises darting around the inside of her hut before finally landing on her, the pelt on his shoulder bristling as the colour from his facial stripes seemed to bleed into his cheeks. Her eyes widened as she darted over to him.

"Are you feeling alright?" She went up tiptoe to touch the back of her hand to his forehead. Maybe he needed the herbs for himself and was too proud to ask.

"I didn't think youkai could get sick, but your face is all flushed. How long were you out in the rain? Were you feeling sick before? What other symptoms do you—"

Sesshoumaru grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand away from his skin. "I am not ill."

Her shoulders sagged in relief before confusion pinched her brows together.

"What are the flowers for then? I'm not much use for you other than—"

"They reminded me of you."

She managed to keep a firm grip on the bouquet as she stepped back in shock, the movement pulling her hand out of his grip. She half expected him to correct himself, or Inuyasha to pop up behind him and tell her it was a cruel joke.

When neither happened—the truth in his eyes boring into hers—a dark blush spread across her cheeks. They stood in silence, neither moving as the tension settled over them like a fog, drowning out the sound of the storm outside.

And then she was moving, shifting furniture out of the way and looking under her table as she searched for the item she needed. She felt his eyes on her; could taste the confusion and apprehension in his aura. She found what she was looking for under the pile of now dirty laundry and she placed it next to him, the blooms still in her hand as she stepped up onto the stool, now the same height as the illustrious daiyoukai.

Flashing him a shy smile, she leant in, brushing her lips against the stripes on his cheek, her mouth hovering next to his ear before pulling back.

"Thank you."

Sesshoumaru's eyes went wide with shock.

Kagome bit her lip to keep from laughing, focusing instead on the obvious and unnatural movement of his usually emotionless features. The expression remained on his face as she hopped off the stool, finally locating a vase and placing the hydrangeas inside.

"Would you like some tea? It always makes me feel better during a day like this." Not bothering to wait for a response, she puttered around the kitchen area, the blue and violet petals catching her gaze every few moments and causing a smile to tug at her lips.

After the tea had been brewed—and Sesshoumaru's outer layers laid out near the fire—Kagome busied herself with preparing her evening meal while the Western Lord sat next to her kotatsu, tendrils of steam riding from his cup.

"Had you seen them before?"

A raised silver eyebrow was his only reply, and she couldn't stop herself from giggling this time, still on the high from knowing he'd brought her a gift solely based on the fact that it had made him think of her.

"The flowers," she said, motioning to the vase. "They're lovely by the way. I'm just curious if this was the first time you'd come across them."

"No. They are quite common in my travels to the village."

"But you only brought them today?"

"Hnn."

"You should've brought them sooner." She felt his eyes on her before his youki slid along the floor, searching, teasing her heels as she continued to move about her kitchen.

"Why?"

A fresh blush donned her cheeks as she turned around, bracing herself against the counter behind her.

"Then I could've kissed you sooner."

His reaction was immediate. Mokomoko was left forgotten on the floor and his claws dug into the wood on either side of her, the stripes on his face turning jagged as he loomed over her. Their breath mingled as she met his intense gaze, throwing caution to the wind and giving him a sultry smile.

"We could've had lots of kisses since then if you hadn't waited until now to give them to me."

His pupils dilated, his youki swirling around them as her reiki did the same, their auras mingling, stroking, enticing.

"Tell me Kagome, how would you kiss me if this had been the tenth time, the twentieth time, the hundredth time I had brought you flowers? If I decorated your home in the blooms that cause images of you to dance through my mind every time I see them?"

The blush in her cheeks spread throughout her entire body, her heart hammering against her ribs as she continued to smile up at him. Not bothering with the stool this time, she grabbed his still-damp hair, pulling him down to her level before claiming his lips with her own.

It took a solid two seconds before he reacted, his armour bruising her flesh as he pinned her against the counter. Kagome arched against him, her hands releasing his hair to slide slowly up his neck. Slanting her head, she flicked her tongue out against his bottom lip, moaning at the taste of him when he granted her access.

She could've stayed like that forever, and would have, if not for her lungs screaming at her for oxygen a few moments later. Leaving her fingers buried in his hair, she pulled back slightly, sucking in a quick breath before meeting his gaze, the sultry smile returning at the half-lidded expression on his face.

"Unacceptable."

"Oh? I thought it was pretty good actually."

Placing his forehead against hers, he growled softly. "I regret missing the ones in between."

Kagome grinned at him, brushing her nose against his. "I guess you'll just have to visit more often so we can make up for lost time."

"Indeed. I will inform you when we have made it to one hundred."

Her laughter echoed around the room before being swallowed by his lips again.