Kagome finds Sesshomaru standing stiffly by the edge of a cliff; still adorned in his armor and weapons even though everyone else has settled down for camp. He never settles, never lets down his guard.
He stands apart. Always.
He doesn't acknowledge her presence but, she knows that he's aware of her. With his senses he's likely aware of everyone's movements and conversations back at camp.
"You look like you could use a hug," Kagome says softy.
His glare shifts to her but it doesn't stop her as he likely intends.
Smiling softly, she steps up to him from behind and wraps her arms around him. Her hug is greatly impeded by the bone armor and spiked pauldron but she finds a way to slip past the swords and spikes and align herself behind him.
He doesn't move, doesn't breathe.
She doesn't let go.
"Miko," he warns.
She doesn't heed him, "she didn't mean it."
He sweeps his golden glare back to the vast night sky.
Kagome sighs and pulls back, feeling his breath return to him as she relinquishes her hold.
Again, Kagome does what no other creature has dared that was not his pack. She takes his hand in her own. Her warm hands curling around his own. Her fragile skin so close to deadly claws.
He refuses to acknowledge it.
"You do not know of what you speak," he finally says.
She squeezes his hand gently, "maybe not completely but, I was her age not that long ago. She loves you like a father and therefore she treats you like one." Her thumb rubs against the edges of his tapered magenta stripes. "Which means saying things she doesn't mean in anger because she trusts that you know she doesn't really mean it."
He sneers, "humans."
"You do know that, don't you Sesshomaru?" She tries to catch his skittish gave. Once she's successful she can see the pain buried deep inside. She rubs his hand soothingly and steps closer.
"She has not declared such," he responds, his fingers twitching in her grasp.
Kagome smiles gently, "you haven't said so either and yet your love for her is known."
His gaze runs from hers again, "humans are verbose creatures."
"We speak more with our actions than you give us credit for demon," her hold on him tightening.
He looks back at her and she can feel him regarding her, maybe for the first time as he would one of his own species. She waits patiently, daring to be an open book. Maybe she'd learned to read him because he didn't think she'd pick up on his silent language.
She waits for him to recoil.
He pulls his hand away and she pushes away the disappointment as she respectfully steps back to give him space.
Clawed fingers catch her chin.
She stills and waits. He applies pressure on her chin and she bears her neck to him, though she keeps her eyes on him; curious not challenging.
His nostrils flare as he leans in closer, bending over her. She closes her eyes as strands of his soft silver hair tickle along her exposed skin. Her body reacts and she embraces the warmth pulling lower in her body, letting him see and smell her desire.
Poisonous claws drag down her throat causing her body to shiver but not in fear. She has never feared him.
And then he is gone, his warmth, his tickling hair and dangerous claws are removed so quickly that she has to catch herself from stumbling forward. She opens her eyes to find herself alone on the cliff above the sea. Her shoulders slump but, she remains there as the camps guardian until she feels Inuyasha approach.
"Idiot," he chides.
She smiles despite the tears trying to push past her lids and nods. "Completely."
"Get some sleep before you fall off the cliff." His hand squeezes her shoulder In support and she returns the gesture gratefully.
"Goodnight," she leaves the cliff and walks back to the camp, curling up with Rin and Shippo against AhUn. Sleep takes her quickly, the scent of her tears not quite masked by the ocean breeze.
Harmony returns to the group the next day as Rin greets the returning demon lord with a small bouquet of flowers and a happy grin. He accepts it with a small nod and moves to the head of the group as if his presence had never been absent.
That night they are in a village, bellies full and spirits high as they celebrate a successful exorcism and acquisition of another jewel shard.
Kagome slips out, past the town walls to the edge of the forest. She finds a sturdy tree and sits beneath it, her back against the bark as she allows her heart to ache.
Not too long later, Sesshomaru lands before her, his armor and swords elsewhere.
She stares up at him, trying to understand.
"You look," he wets his lips. "Like you could use a hug." His deep voice is soft with a new uncertainty.
She smiles through her tears and nods.
They meet each other halfway in their first true embrace. His arm secures her against his warm, solid form. Her own grip the back of his silk hoari and squeeze him close.
—
So um I wrote a thing. It's a quick thing but it's the first I've written in years. It's unedited because if I go back to edit it I won't post it so, apologies.