SESSHOMARU'S SECRETLY DESERVED SLAP AND A SEXY LITTLE GAME.
Music filled Akane's soul as she twirled and swayed to the tunes playing loudly in her head.
The new earbuds she had gotten this trip home to her modern time were a good investment indeed.
The last pair didn't sound half as clear, and she even had invested in a better phone so that she didn't need both the MP3 and her old one anymore, everything on one device.
A song by INXS played as she made her way from the Bone Eaters Well and towards the place Sesshomaru had said to meet. He trusted her enough to make the half hour hike herself at this point, and he decided to start picking her up this way rather then risk running into Inuyasha at the village each time she had to go home for school.
This new routine leaving Akane to skip and dance without worry about him coming to get her like normal, and thereby catch her being silly.
She had gotten new music while she was away as well, a whole playlist of her favorite movie scores from Lord of the Rings to Tim Burton soundtracks.
That music was for Sesshy, and for herself was a new batch of eighties music, rotating out some of the ones she'd had for a long time.
She swayed and twisted, her arms moving like water while she walked. Mouthing the words to George Michael's song Too Funky as it filled her ears so loudly, if Shen tried to talk to her, she wasn't sure she'd be able to hear even his voice in her head. But she wasn't too worried, between Inuyasha at the village and Sesshomaru patrolling the outskirts while she was gone, Akane was pretty sure any dangerous yokai had hightailed it out of the forest.
Continuing to dance and skip while walking the path down a hill, black backpack bouncing at her shoulders, she was so into the song that when something yanked on her sleeve from behind, she yelped and twirled around. Palm open and ready to bitch-slap whatever was behind her.
To her horror, the person who now had a solid hand print forming on the left side of his face, was none other then a wide eyed Sesshomaru.
Her first response was a nervous and hysterical laugh as those golden eyes flashed RED. It was both the deadliest AND sexiest look ever to be directed her way since she had met him.
"Fuck my life…" She was so dead.
…
At first he hadn't even registered what happened. One minute he was pulling on her shirt, and the next his whole head was facing the other way.
The sound of the slap still ringing in his ears as the sting began to set in all along the left side of his face, alerting him to the fact this human had just slapped him hard enough that it actually hurt.
Sesshomaru snapped his head back in a rage at her audacity, growling from deep within his throat at the gaping girl in front of him. A look of pure horror on her face as she fumbled with the strange new device her music came from.
Never having been slapped by anyone other then his Mother, it took everything he had not to strike in retaliation. His cheek stung a great deal, and he certainly had not expected that reaction when he had reached out to get her attention.
The moment her music ceased, she began a ever flowing rant of apology, fluctuating between English and Japanese in her frazzled state, which showed that she truly hadn't known he was the one behind her.
"Oh my gosh! Sesshy-sama, I'm SO sorry! I didn't know-didn't hear-oh my gosh-I am totally sorry! Your face! Bad, bad, Akane, just so STUPID!" Her hands kept reaching up and going back down as if she wished to touch the mark she had no doubt left on his face. He could feel it throbbing.
Sesshomaru frowned at her, calming himself now that he understood he had scared her and the slap had been reflex, not a direct attack. He felt his eyes fade back to normal and she stopped trying to touch him, now looking at her feet with a deep blush of embarrassment.
The girl continued to babble and apologize, trying to explain that where she was from, being grabbed from behind like that normally required that kind of response, and she did it without even thinking it could possibly be him since he had told her they were to meet up ahead.
Despite the instinct at first to punish her for striking him, her reaction of regret and shame was calming it away. The girls heart was racing, and he had never shown her that side of his anger before. Clearly she was a bit more frightened then she wanted him to know, he didn't like it.
With a breath, and a count to ten, he stepped back and spoke calmly to try and ease her nerves.
"This Sesshomaru knew from the loudness of the music that calling your name would do no good. However, I should have walked around you to get your attention, I should not have startled you. So perhaps the fault is partly mine."
That seemed to do the trick. Her heart rate was slowing back to normal at least. But now she was gaping at him like a fish for some reason...
…
Akane openly jolted at his round about apology for scaring her. And after she had even left a mark on his pale skin too!
Saying it was partly his fault? And after he had just scared the hell outta her?
This was something she never seen coming!
"No, really, I shouldn't have been wearing headphones in the first place-" She tried, but he quickly raised his hand to silence her words.
"It is done." He snapped in frustration at her persistence before turning to walk away.
With a sigh, at least grateful he wasn't going to yell or be too angry about the little slappy mistake, Akane followed in obedient silence for a while, still feeling guilty about the legit hand print that was still bright red on his beautiful face.
~That's gonna be there a while. You have a fantastic right hook, Akane, and just imagine if you had actually punched instead of slapped?~
"Did you know he was there, Shen?" She whispered to her pendant while following close behind, watching Sesshomaru's hair sway with each step like waves of white water.
~Child, whenever you blare music like that in your ears, I go lock myself in my room. I'm not always present at the window of my prison, but even if I had been, you were facing ahead. I can only see what the pendant faces. ~
His tone was one of sympathy and apology, the stone changing to a dark blue, and she offered a tiny smile down to the pendant in her hand before releasing it to hang again.
"Makes sense. I just feel really bad for slapping him so hard that it left a mark. Stupid me, I really should have known better-"
"I said it is done, so be silent." Sesshomaru snapped from over his shoulder, causing her to jump, not knowing he could hear her despite the short distance.
He hadn't taken that nasty tone with her in a long while, and it made her shrink a little. Her mistake had ruined the mood completely, he had come to greet her despite saying he wouldn't, and what does she go and do? Freaking slap him.
~Don't take it too personal. He did just get slapped by a human, naturally he's upset.~
Sure, it made sense that he would be at least a little angry about it, but that tone was twice as cold as when he was normally annoyed with her.
Was he gonna go back to not talking to her now, after all the progress over the last month and half?
Would her stupid slap send him all the way back to not talking to her at night? Would she go back to falling asleep alone on the cold ground?
Was he THAT mad? And damn it, why was she in such a panic about it?
"DAMN IT, I SAID I WAS SORRY!" She yelled in English, fists flung to her sides like a fit throwing child as she stomped her foot in frustration, then felt ashamed of her actions right away.
But she rarely had any normal teenage emotional outbursts, and this was such an awkward situation, she should be allowed to be upset…
Sesshomaru paused to glance behind to her, eyebrow raised, looking a bit less annoyed and more amused by her outburst.
"I understand that you are, Akane." He answered back in English, no trace of an accent just like the first time she had heard him speak it.
She looked to her feet again, the two of them going back to walking in the late spring afternoon, following what looked to be an animal trail through the trees and brush.
Oh sure, he said that he understood, but then why had he snapped at her so bad? She stared down at her feet with a scowl, angry with herself for giving in to teen angst at the worst possible time.
The last thing she wanted was for him to see her as some kind of child, and this wasn't helping!
Akane seen the shadow just seconds before noticing that Sesshomaru had slowed in his walking, now beside her. She glanced up at him to see an amused glint in his eyes, like he had been watching her facial expression and could tell exactly what she was thinking.
"Y-yes?" She asked. How had he gone from pissed off at her to amused so fast?
"I noticed that the music was louder today then normal, so much so that I could make out more then just the high pitched sounds before attempting to get your attention. You seemed to be enjoying it as well…"
Akane froze mid-step, feeling like she was the one to have been slapped as she came to the sudden realization that Sesshomaru must have seen her dancing before he had reached out to her.
The glint in his eyes was almost teasing as he watched her expression change with this new and terrible information.
How LONG had he been watching her before he got her attention?! Had he seen the…
Oh gawd, yeah, by the look on his face he had to have seen her stupid spins and twirls.
No wonder he seemed so damn happy all of a sudden. This man enjoyed embarrassing her as some kind of twisted punishment!
~Ooooohh… You are so busted. I wonder if he liked watching those little hip wiggles you tend to do? You did do them right? I wasn't watching so please tell me he seen those!~
It took everything Akane had not to yell at Shen to shut the hell up as her face turned tomato red, knowing full well he HAD seen those.
…
Sesshomaru watched her face turn three shades of pink before settling on a rather impressive red.
He could not hold back a smirk from making it's way onto his face at what she must have realized, and the embarrassed look on her face was enough to completely forgive the sting his cheek still felt.
Amazing how she could get away with treating him so. Any other would have had that very hand removed for the act of touching him, mistake or not, it would have been a severe punishment.
How he tossed his pride aside for her still bothered him somewhat, and yet, he could not help it. Toying with her was more satisfying then the thought of removing her hand.
Aside from that, a tiny part of him knew he more then deserved the slap, for something she did not even know he had done.
Sesshomaru had watched her far longer then she might suspect, and in a very inappropriate way.
{Flashback}
He had actually been there at the well when she first arrived back to this world. Intentions to fetch her despite saying he wouldn't, for some reason wanting to see her and not wanting to wait at the agreed upon meeting place as they had planned.
He had watched her get out of the well from a distance away, music louder then she had ever played it considering he could hear it from his place in the trees. And Sesshomaru had full intention of making himself known at the time. But as Akane began walking away from the well, dusting herself off, the song changed to a new one. This one was faster paced and had her moving her hips and swaying in a way that he had not yet seen her do before.
She had danced with Rin, and occasionally danced by the firelight when she thought he was still off hunting, but the girl had never moved in such a hypnotic way before.
Without realizing it, Sesshomaru had followed the movement of her hips with his eyes, trailing along her curvaceous body the more she moved, feeling what was becoming a familiar heat.
She had been wearing skirts as of late, no longer dressing in pants as often as in the first month they had been together. Claiming that if people in this time thought she was a cross dressing girl, she didn't want to embarrass him for being seen with her that way.
Not that it had actually bothered him before, in truth, it had made it easier to ignore the fact she was a girl at all. Her male clothes had hidden her curves and still growing breasts from his view.
Now though, with these clothes, not so much.
While the teal colored shirt was fine, not incredibly tight and simply hinted of the busty figure beneath it, this blue skirt happened to be the shortest yet. Too high above her knees, and with the way she danced it moved even more teasingly then that torturous green one ever had.
This thought made Sesshomaru realize just what he had been doing, following behind her and watching her ass like some pervert.
Something was wrong with him, obviously.
It was illogical how hypnotizing the sway of her hips had been and he didn't understand why.
Akane wasn't an ugly human, but she wasn't an overly pretty one either. Still in that place between girl and young woman, with hints of how she might look once she grew into herself.
His being so drawn to her, the way his inner beast was so alert to every movement the girl made whenever he was around her, it was ridiculous. Despite deciding to try and fight it, putting distance between them was growing more and more difficult by the day.
Now even more ashamed of his actions, for watching a human as if she were the only thing in the world in that moment, his face heated and he'd purposely looked away.
A part of him was unnerved at how he had slowly been becoming more attracted to this girl.
This HUMAN girl.
But he liked her kindness, feisty nature, the way she would play with him and challenge his word, treated him like his title of Western Lord meant nothing. All of that drew him in just as much as her curves and scent did.
He HATED it.
Or… he was supposed to hate it.
Conflicted anger began to fuel him and he'd tossed all the pointless thoughts from his mind, needing to move on and ignore them.
Sesshomaru had picked up the pace and got closer, calling Akane's name to try and catch her attention and distract himself from the frustration growing from trying not to watch her anymore.
But the more she moved, the harder it had been for him to NOT watch. So he had reached out in a rush and yanked on her teal shirt sleeve. Needing her to stop dancing at once.
In truth, he deserved that slap more then she knew for how he had been shamelessly watching the curves of her young body.
{Flashback End}
….…
Akane was flush with horror at the thought of him watching her dance, having no clue how long he had been behind her and hoping he hadn't seen the majority of her stupid dance moves that she only did when completely alone.
Serves her right for not paying attention to her surroundings…
But despite him telling her this as his odd way of punishing her for slapping him, getting some kind of rise from her embarrassment, the Western Lord had gone quiet again, all the teasing amusement gone as those golden eyes were now looking at her but not actually seeing her.
He tended to do this often, but she didn't think she'd ever get used to the empty stare.
"So, um, I got new music for the next time you want to listen. Want me to play some along the way?" Akane said with a gulp. Wanting to get her mind off of everything, the dance and the slap, and hoping he was done teasing her about it.
Sesshomaru seemed to have been lost in thought after his last comment, but he focused his golden gaze on her again with a blink.
His seemed to consider her offer, but instead of answering, he turned and began walking ahead down the small path once again.
~Seems that watching you dance has the boy's head in the clouds.~ Shen teased, and she knew the spirit had to be grinning.
"Shut up or you're going in my pocket!" Akane hissed while following behind Sesshomaru, feeling the pendant go cold at her threat as if the spirit dreaded being in darkness again.
~Fine, fine, alright. Sorry, I'll be quiet.~
Akane felt sorry for the spirit, knowing the dragon had been locked not only in the pendant for centuries, but had spent a good portion of that time alone in a dark and silent box.
"Okay, I'll only do it if you REALLY piss me off, promise. But dang it, I don't always need your sarcastic commentary." She said with a flustered breath, not bothering to try and keep her voice down when this close to the yokai man.
~Point made, and I will think before I speak. I should be grateful you tolerate me at all.~
"Don't be like that, I've had enough drama for one day, and I'm sorry for snapping." Akane groaned and gave up, knowing that the dragon would stay silent for a day or two before they would start talking again as if nothing happened.
Sesshomaru at this point, had purposely slowed, walking beside her and glancing down now and then with that curious look.
"Do the two of you always bicker?"
His question caused her to grin a bit, happy he was talking again and even more happy that he showedinterest.
"About as much as Rin and Jaken. He's like an annoying Uncle you can't help but love, who is constantly giving advice and commenting on my life… Actually, the two of you have something in common, since he also watches us like a television show. But unlike you, he makes comments about it all." Akane replied with a huff, poking the pendant while speaking.
The jewel turned almost purple, and grew warm, making her wonder if Shen was blushing.
"Is that not bothersome?" Sesshomaru asked, his tone almost annoyed on her behalf.
"Hmm? Well yeah, from time to time. But that's what happens with close family, they get all up in your business don't they?" She replied, not fully sure why he was looking annoyed again.
"Indeed. But only if you let them, if he bothers you too much remove him from your person. Is that not far easier then dealing with most intrusive family members?" He was practically glaring, but she had a feeling it wasn't towards her, but some memory of his own family.
This had to be the most he's spoken to her in days and she wasn't gonna waste the opportunity.
"Well it's not exactly his fault that I'm literally the only person he can speak with, and it's only been a short time since we began talking. We're still learning each other." She pointed out, hoping her mentor knew she wasn't really annoyed with him.
"But to answer, yes. Technically if it was that bad, dealing with Shen would be way easier then say, keeping my Mother out of my business. If she was around of course."
To her surprise, Sesshomaru let out a short and sarcastic laugh, nodding in agreement before looking back ahead with that continued glare.
"Yes, mothers are the worst when it comes to assuming your whole life is their business. In a way you are rather lucky to have good reason to avoid the one you have."
The statement was laced with such underlying frustration that Akane couldn't help herself from asking the most obvious question.
"You and your mother don't get along I take it?"
His glare became a scowl as he stopped walking, looking ahead in contemplation and making her think she had hit a nerve. She was beginning to think he wasn't going to respond at first but…
"That woman is the strangest mix of aloof and overbearing you will ever come across."
It was like the world had stopped.
Akane blinked and held back the urge to laugh.
He sounded like any other normal person in that moment. Complaining about his parents.
Sesshomaru had said it in such a deadpan tone that a giggle managed to escape her lips despite her efforts, making him look down at her as if just now realizing that he had given an open honest answer for once.
"Ah…Never mind that. Talking is slowing our progress, and the child will be hungry soon." He said in what was close to a shy and embarrassed huff, now making a point of only looking ahead and avoiding all eye contact with her.
Akane simply followed alongside Sesshomaru with the biggest smile on her face.
It wasn't everyday she learned something new and personal about him, and it was even MORE rare for him to drop the ice mask and be so open.
…
The foolish girl wouldn't stop smiling.
Anytime he even glanced her way she still had that overjoyed look on her face. And for the life of him, he had no idea how his complaining of his frustrating Mother, like a child, had pleased her.
He didn't even know what possessed him to say what he had at the time.Thankfully though, the moment they arrived at the camp site, Jaken changed her mood the moment he got a look at Sesshomaru's face.
The green imp all out gawked at him, reminding him of the first embarrassing thing to happen that day, which he had blissfully forgotten and had hoped would be faded away.
Pointing a green finger at Akane as he stomped over, Jaken screeched at her accusingly, loud enough to make Sesshomaru want to flinch from the gods awful noise.
"How DARE you strike Sesshomaru-sama! You have marked his perfect face! How dare a human do such a thing! How are you still alive?"
Sesshomaru ignored the imp and glanced at the human girl blushing by his side.
"Yes, how indeed..." He mused almost playfully, unable to resist the urge to toy with her.She HAD laughed at his comment before, so in all honesty, he should be allowed a little more fun with her today as payment.
Akane's lips tightened as she studied him, those sapphire eyes growing wide as she finally realized he was only teasing her again.
"Oh wow, Lady Akane, why did you do that?" Rin asked with a tiny giggle as she tended the fire.
Blue eyes looked down at her feet, fingers tugging on a strand of that sunny hair, Akane obviously didn't want to repeat the situation aloud.
"W-well, it was just an accident and-"
"It matters not." He cut in, giving a look to Jaken that made it clear to drop it and keep the child from prying to much, before walking over and sitting with his back against a tree.
"She will make it up to me later." He added simply and matter of fact.Now it was Akane's turn to gawk at him, as Jaken whipped his head around so fast he nearly fell, and Rin paused in her work.
"And how will I do that, Sesshy-sama?" Akane gulped as he seen all manner of things run through her little head. Fear mixed with curiosity in her eyes making both the animal and the man in him want to tease her more.
"Later tonight you shall see." He said calmly, but allowed a predatory look into his eyes just to see what she would do.
Jaken coughed and fell to the ground at his open ended response, for once the imp was speechless.Rin just smiled and went back to her fire tending, too young and innocent to think much of it.
But Akane? Oh, her reaction was comical. That guilty look she got whenever her mind wondered into dangerous and perverted places...
She might still be between girl and woman, but it was obvious by her expression that she was not completely innocent. Her eyes lit up with an inner fire at his words, and the way she swallowed, he could not help but smile.
Indeed, toying with her was VERY fun.
…
Oh. My. God.
Did he, IS he?
Is Sesshomaru making a sexual innuendo? Akane thought as the honest to goodness teasing smile played across his handsome face.
He knows exactly the kind of thoughts that sentence caused. Had said them just to get her reaction, she could tell.But what she COULDN'T tell was if he was doing this to try and scare her, or if it was part of his odd enjoyment of embarrassing her?
"Sesshomaru-sama, I do believe you are toying with me. Because those words could mean just about anything." She stated with narrowed eyes.
"Oh? Such as?" He played at innocent, but no amount of calmness in his voice could hide away the gleam in his golden eyes.
Hmmm…
So this was just a game to him then?
Was she supposed to be the prey to his predator?Is that what the other night was about too, when he had licked her blood and stared into her eyes?
The big bad yokai playing with the human?
Akane looked him in the eyes, taking in how he was watching her so intensely.
This WAS a game to him, she realized, and one she would not let him win. She could make him just as uncomfortable if she wanted too.
At least, she sure hoped she could.
Sesshomaru's smile vanished as she looked him up and down with her best sultry look, copying everything she'd ever learned from Jessica Rabbit as she raised her shoulders and bit her lower lip.
"Let me think, what could a big man like you want from little old me?" She mused in English.
Oh how she loved the way those golden eyes went wide with baffled surprise, and seeing that was the only reason she wasn't dying right now from how stupid she felt.
It didn't help that the pendant around her neck felt like it was vibrating from the laughter Shen was kind enough not to let her hear.
Jaken, though he had no clue what she just said, suddenly sensed her change in mood, grabbing Rin by the arm and announcing they were leaving to get more wood, the girl protesting as she went.
The moment they were out of earshot Akane got the nerve to turn her hopefully still sultry gaze back to Sesshomaru and continued her game.
"So then, do you intend to have me please you later? Is that how you want me to make up for that little red mark on your cheek? Hmm?"
He blinked that slow blink once, then twice. The shock still in his eyes a few seconds, but as he stared at her, he must have sensed something, because the shock faded and a knowing smirk came to his face.
The damn dog could most likely hear how fast her heart was pounding. And by that smirk, clearly, he had excepted her challenge.
"Yes, you will please me." He said smoothly.
Akane kept a straight face as she walked over to him, but couldn't stop herself from swallowing.
"And just how," she paused as she sat down beside him, so close she was touching his knee as she crossed her legs and leaned closer.
"How do you want me to please you?" She managed to say in a breath, voice steady.
Again with the almost arrogant smile as he leaned in, face inches from hers, eyes gleaming.
"Tell me, human girl, just what do you think this one might want from you?"
Oh gawd…
She wasn't sure she could win this.
What was she supposed to say to make him give up and back down? He clearly liked pushing her, but how far is he willing to go with this before his yokai pride makes him stop flirting with her?
This was Sesshomaru, and while he liked to toy with her, she KNEW there had to be a limit to how much he would even fake flirt with a human girl.
All she had to do was hit the right button…
Wanting desperately to see him squirm for a change, she placed her hand on what was left of her slap mark, cupping his cheek despite knowing how he was against being touched.
She knew exactly what to say next.
….
Sesshomaru stilled when Akane's hand rested gently against his face, unable to pull away as he normally would without admitting defeat.
Her current behavior was fascinating, making him wonder how she learned to act this way. Not from past experience, she was practically radiating too much nervous energy underneath the mock lust for this to be something she'd done before.
He was used to her backing off at his teasing, without it even being this sexually intense. She was supposed to be getting all shy and flustered.
Not this time. Instead she shocked him with her choice to try fake seducing him in this daring little game he hadn't known he'd like.
For a split second he'd thought to have won, had seen the wavering conviction. But now the brave girl was all sexy blue eyes and pouty mouth as she ran her thumb across his lips, causing an involuntary shiver down his spine.
He had asked her what she thought he wanted, and it looked like she finally had the answer, those sapphire blues locking onto him and going a shade darker as a wave of honest lust came from her mere seconds before she spoke.
"Will you let me strip you bare and lick you down?"
Sesshomaru jolted backwards.
His could feel his face go red all the way to his pointed ears as he played that very image in his mind so perfectly clear. Heat filling every inch of his body to the point he thought his blood on fire.He couldn't even speak despite how his mouth was trying to form words, to say anything, feeling utterly ridiculous while gaping at her.
In all the seven hells! What had just come out of her mouth?! Where had she even heard that?!
His reaction had caused that sexy look in her eyes to melt away instantly. Akane was now laughing so hard she was leaning over on one arm.
All traces of the alluring seductress gone as she giggled and cackled as if she had lost her mind.
Sesshomaru let out a sound of frustration as he ran his hand over his face, trying to hide the fact he was still red. Both impressed, shook, and ashamed at how easily she had effected him.
"GOT YOU!" She cackled loudly, "I so got you!"
Admitting defeat in their little game was something he would not do aloud.
Glaring at her, he lightly growled and watched her as she calmed herself, only to look at his annoyed stare and laugh some more.
"I am not amused, Akane." He gritted out through clenched fangs, hating being laughed at.
She stopped laughing slowly, taking deep breaths and looked him in the eyes with a grin.
"Did you know that you are so cute when you pout? I've never seen this look before."
He blinked at her bold and disrespectful words, scoffing as he dismissed them with a flick of his claws through the air.
"This Sesshomaru does NOT pout." He stated.
She shook her head with another giggle, pointing at his chest and grinning playfully.
"I hate to break it to you, but THIS Sesshomaru, the one right here? He is so totally pouting."
His could feel his face going red once more, and he quickly stood up and glared down at her.
"I am not. How dare you-"
Akane stood and placed her finger on his lips, taking his mind back to minutes ago, when she had ran her thumb across them. He swallowed.
"No worries, Sesshy-sama, I won't tell anyone how cute you are when pouting. Or blushing for that matter!" She winked at him with those blue eyes, no longer darkened with lust and back to their vibrant shade. Then the girl turned on her heels to walk over to her backpack.
Sesshomaru hated to say that he could not punish her for her bold actions, as he had been the one to not only start but continue the game.
And only to himself would he admit that she had without a doubt beat him at it. But he would be more prepared for her next time…
If there WAS a next time.
…
Akane couldn't believe she'd managed to do that without fucking it up. And had even freaked the hell out of the stone faced man in her attempt!
His look of pure shock at her boldness, and how quickly he had turned bright red, it was priceless. Completely priceless and completely worth the gut wrenching embarrassment she had felt while pretending she was some kind of sex goddess.
And if she didn't know any better, she thought it might have been working a little bit on him…
That might be just wishful thinking on her part, but he HAD pouted that she had got him so good!
It was amazing that he hadn't killed her yet for how she treated him at times, even Akane knew that. But by treating him so, especially when alone, she got to see other sides to him.And she liked that.
Looking back over her shoulder as she rummaged through her pack, she seen him return to the tree, face back to it's neutral fallback expression.
Thankfully, her handprint was all but gone on his perfectly creamy skin, yet another thing that should have gotten her into SO much trouble.
Sesshomaru glanced her way, growled, and looked back at the fire. She laughed to herself as Jaken and Rin returned, and she wasn't all that surprised when he got up and left not long after.
About two hours pass and not only were Rin and Jaken asleep by the fire, but Ah-Uhn too.
Leaving her alone with her thoughts since Shen was still silent and pouting from earlier.
So Akane went off looking for Sesshomaru, it wasn't hard, she caught him on his way back as she thought she might. The man kinda somehow had a decently timed routine despite not having a watch, or any means to tell time.
He came to her only a few minutes into her walk, the light of the half moon making his hair silver and his eyes shine in that inhuman way, causing her take pause in appreciation of his beauty.
….
Sesshomaru had caught her scent the moment she had left the camp, curious to why she was venturing so deep into the trees, and had come to meet her. He watched her stop walking as the light hit him, revealing his presence, eyes trailing him in a way he was still not used to.
Many females stared at him, but not like how Akane did, and he still couldn't figure out what the difference between them was just yet.
Despite seeing him, she said nothing while those sapphire blues seemed to be trying to pull everything about him into their sea like depths, a somewhat unnerving thing that he did his best to ignore while pondering on why she was out walking in the dark.
Night was not a safe time to wonder about the woods for his female…
No, not his, this human didn't belong to him.
The thought shook Sesshomaru, and he wondered why he had just thought of her like that.
"What has you out so late, Akane?" He asked to fill the silence and stop her from watching him.
"I wanted to come get you." She smiled up at him, seemingly oblivious to her previous silent stare, hands behind her back as if hiding something.
He blinked curiously at her, head tilted to the side. For some reason his action caused her to smile wider, like every time he did it. Strange.
"I still need to make something up to you remember? You made it very clear!"
He frowned down in suspicion. "Hn."
"Oh, don't look like that." She teased and took his hand in hers as she pulled him along without a second thought, and he wondered just when he had gotten used to her touching him so casually.
What was she intending to do with him?
"I assume it's all clear right? You can settle for the night at camp?" Akane asked rather eagerly while still keeping something purposely from his view, feeding his curiosity about it.
"Yes... why?" He didn't protest as she led him to the tree, where she had set up her blanket.
Did she intend to sleep by him? Sleep... with him?
Was this a continuation of their game?
"Akane, what-" he was cut off as she revealed what she had been holding behind her back.
"You kinda seen it earlier today, but I got a new phone! And I also got this little cord thingy that let's a person use two sets of headphones!" She happily waved the shiny black device.
Sesshomaru let out a breath and watched as she set the thing up after they sat down side by side.
So this wasn't to be a continuation of their previous game after all. Good, because it would be at least a day before he was ready for that.
Akane placed the old set of the earbuds in her own ears with a little hum, and he was surprised when she placed the new ones in for him, the action nearly had him red again despite how often they had been doing this.
"I have some new classical music you'll like." She said as she settled by his right side, leaning her head against his shoulder and wrapping his fur boa around her own shoulders to be closer.
He should shove her away, or take his fur back, or SOMETHING to stop her from getting more and more close to him physically each night.
At first there had been a gap, even as they sat close and she fell asleep against him, there had been some feeling of distance. But that was going away each time he let her do this, and he didn't know how to stop it.
Didn't know if he wanted to stop it.
But before he could decide to act or not, a lilting, almost eerie classical song started playing as the girl nuzzled close to him for warmth.
The scent of orange blossom and jasmine mixed with the music was calming him more then he ever would care to admit, and with a sigh of defeat he decided to allow her this close for at least one more night.
What harm would it do?
…
Akane smiled to herself as she felt Sesshomaru finally relax against her with each new song, to the point she thought him asleep by the sixth.
Why he had been so tense when they sat together, she could understand, having pushed things a little by touching and using his fur boa like a fluffy blanket. But she thought that after the odd day they had, he'd be more at ease with her considering the little bonding moments.
He hadn't pushed her away though, and eventually relaxed, which was a good thing.
Akane had made a playlist specifically hoping it would help him sleep, and it was working, since this was the fastest he had ever drifted off.
As a matter of fact, he NEVER was the first one to fall asleep, even when they weren't having a music night. The man always seemed to want to make sure everyone else was out before, and IF, he got any sleep at all.
And she felt a wave of pride at her handy work.
Akane felt Sesshomaru release a deep sleep filled sigh before his body drooped, his head now on top her own in such a sweet and intimate way it made every molecule of her being catch on fire.
Trying not to move to much, she set the music on repeat and snuggled closer until fully comfy, breathing in that forest rainstorm scent until she felt drunk from it. Sleep took her soon after.