SUGAR WEATHER

He was going to drive her up the fucking wall.

"From everything I hear," Momiji said, running an ivory comb through her hair, "he's never been easy to read."

An understatement.

"He's a dog, isn't he?" Hotaru chimed in as he dug through a pile of his robes. "Just make yourself super fragrant, like, just start blowing your scent everywhere, he'll pick up on it eventually."

Kagura crinkled her nose. "That sounds gross."

"What?" Hotaru thumbed his nose. "It ain't like I can't already smell you from here, if he's into it, he's into it."

Momiji giggled and Kagura rolled her eyes, dropping her chin into her hand and tapping her finger against her cheek.

Saying that things had been uneventful in the dog's castle wasn't much of an understatement, at least, as far as Kagura was concerned. There was the odd scrap here and there, usually between dogs, their tempers running hot as the night of the festival neared, it wasn't unusual for someone to get tossed through a wall or into the main yard, spilling blood in the snow. So far there had been no casualties, and while Kagura held no guilt for destroying a part of the castle, she was a little smug that at least she wasn't the only one.

Sesshoumaru's mother had moved on to more entertaining victims, a small blessing, at least now the old bitch mostly ignored her to the point that Kagura got the feeling she might have fucked up her way into her good graces. If she was around, his mother always seemed to find something to snark to her about, or simply gave her a look whenever someone else did something a little too forward. Kagura still wasn't quite sure how she felt about that, unnerved by the thought that his mother might actually like her. And as for her son…

While she'd never claimed to be good at reading Sesshoumaru, she'd thought that maybe she'd been a little better at it than most, save for the toad and the girl. After the night they'd fought and he'd made amends by fixing her up along with getting her new clothes, she'd thought that his opinion of her had simply gone from mildly tolerant to the sort of camaraderie of two former accomplices. He was certainly kinder to her than he was to most, and she'd taken even that with a grain of salt, that maybe his annoyance with his family had translated to a preference for her company, that she was marginally more tolerable than them. She'd been careful not to let it get to her head, Sesshoumaru was still an unapproachable asshole at the best of times, thinking that he did anything more than tolerate her presence out of sheer boredom was stupid.

At least, that's what she'd been telling herself until the night she'd felt a little bold and reached out for his hair, and Momiji had been the one to ask the question:

"So, when's that happening?"

"What?" She'd scoffed. "Nothing's happening."

"Really? Please."

And then Momiji had gone into great detail―starting off first by saying that she and Hotaru had already started a betting pool on how long it would take―talking about how even his uncle had made some comments about Sesshoumaru getting cozy with her.

Cozy had been too comfortable a word for Kagura, so she'd brushed Momiji off and had intended to push it to the back of her mind if not for her next comment:

"Alright, fine, but take notice of where his attention is at tomorrow, you'll see."

And of course, she'd already noticed his looks, had attributed them either to curiosity or annoyance or one of the other few emotions he allowed himself to feel. But she'd been in a decent mood and had decided to indulge Momiji's whims for once, so she'd paid attention the next night.

And the night after that.

And the one after that.

And each time, when she felt that little tickle of awareness of being watched, she'd turn and find him looking at her. And of course, he wasn't the type to shy away from being caught staring―probably some predator's instinct telling him never to back away from a challenge―so she'd be stuck with that stare until one or both them were interrupted by someone else or until Kagura honestly couldn't handle it anymore, until the back of her neck got too hot or the shivers running down her spine were too obvious, the heat of his stare too severe for her to stand under too long and completely rewriting every expectation she'd ever had of him.

Because the reality was so bizarre, so earth-shatteringly impossible, that she'd refused to believe it until she'd sat there and fully absorbed the implication―

He'd been looking at her like he wanted to fuck her for weeks.

Kagura wasn't stupid. She wouldn't let herself get too far ahead in that line of thinking without proof, and acting on it was out of the question. If she'd misunderstood, well, he'd already implied that he wouldn't raise a hand to her, there wouldn't be a fight, but it would certainly cut her time in the castle short, and she'd probably never be able to face him again out of sheer embarrassment.

So she had to settle for the next best thing: pushing boundaries until he told her to stop.

As loath as she was to admit it, she tested out Hotaru's hypothesis first. She started spreading her scent in the banquet hall, the barest traces laced into a breeze, and sure enough, his gaze would be on her in the next breath. Emboldened, she started stretching the distance, until she could be on the other side of the castle when she started and within minutes he'd be walking around a corner, looking confused as to how he'd ended up there.

Next was touch. She'd already seen how he'd reacted to that bitch Ginhime's handling of his hair, and she'd tested how he'd felt about her doing so, so she already knew that he didn't mind her touch, wouldn't shy away from it, at least, but she needed to know if it was tolerance or his pride or more than that. She started with his arm, over his sleeve, nothing too forward or too intimate. She'd moved on to the back of his hand, his wrist, his shoulder; once, she'd ran her hand over the fur at his shoulder and found it to be much softer than she'd have imagined, and ever since her focus had been on restraining that imagination from wondering what it would be like to be wrapped up in it.

Their little field trip had come after that. She hadn't intended for him to come along, she had wanted to get out of the castle and had thought he'd simply open the gate for her and be on his way, but he'd surprised her. Not to his detriment, it seemed he'd gotten as much out of leaving the stuffy air and oppressive atmosphere as she had, and she'd thought that maybe, finally, she'd be able to finally get a definitive answer… but he'd walked away.

And ever since, he'd been quieter, had stopped indulging her little whims, had started to shy away from her touch. But that fucking stare was still the same, still just as heated and predatory as before, which meant he was just trying to keep away from her on purpose. It stung, a little, but she couldn't help the feeling that he was hiding rather than uninterested, and the idea of him holding himself back was more than a little heartening, a little thrill that went straight to her head and wouldn't let her leave well enough alone.

There had always been a tender spot in her heart for him, ever since that day she'd been dying. He'd come to her, had carved a place for himself between her ribs that even four years later she still couldn't gouge out, that still ached if she thought on it for too long. But as tender as it was, she wouldn't delude herself with some grand notions or feelings. He had some admirable qualities besides his looks and his strength, but she wouldn't let herself dwell on them long enough to get attached.

They were adults, and Sesshoumaru was Sesshoumaru. It'd be stupid of her to think that his attraction to her was anything more than physical, and being honest, she was fine with that. If a good fuck was all he wanted, she'd be more than happy to oblige him. Kagura was nothing if not an opportunist, and if the opportunity to get mad and moody Sesshoumaru up against a wall, well, it'd be a shame to let it go to waste, wouldn't it?

It seemed he just needed a little… coercion.

Which, for once, had resulted in her wandering the halls of the castle, looking for him.

Just like Byakuya had taught her. She draped herself with the wind, wrapped it around her form like a cloak, used threads of varying temperatures, hot and cold mixed over her skin, blended together to form a disguise that if looked at closely enough, looked like the shimmers of heat stroke. Her technique wasn't as refined as her brother's, she'd be found out if anyone looked close enough, but with the direction of the wind diverted to mask her scent, she doubted anyone would bother. She supposed that was a blessing when dealing with dogs: if they couldn't smell it, it didn't exist.

As usual, he was taking his time in going to the banquet. She didn't know why he bothered in the first place, a scuffle was one thing, but he looked like he was on the verge of homicide half the time, especially when his mother started pestering him. Another blessing then, that he'd taken his time, because she found him standing alone in one of the branching gardens, staring at nothing and smoking a long pipe.

She paused at the garden's threshold, watching as the smoke curled around his head, untouched by the wind she held at bay. He seemed relaxed, his posture languid, his shoulders a little slumped, she wondered if that was to ward off the cold or if it was because he thought no one was watching. She savored the moment just a second longer, before calling on a breeze that would bring her scent to his nose. He lifted his head, and just before he turned his neck, she dropped the illusion.

If it was possible for him to allow himself to look shocked, she thought this would certainly be one of those few times. His posture went rigid, his eyes widened by a hair, and his mouth thinned into a hard line, as if he was trying to bite his own tongue. That little thrill shot down her spine and she hid her grin behind her fan.

"Picking up your mother's habits?"

He sneered and rolled his eyes.

"Someone's not in a good mood." But then again, when was he ever? She shook the question from her mind and gently stepped up beside him. She called on the wind when she was close, strong enough to disperse the cloud of smoke, but weak enough that it did not bring the cold in with it. It had been a colder night than usual, so it was a bit surprising to find him out here, with the way the icy air stung even her nose. "Cooling off?"

He exhaled, spewing smoke, and then his gaze slid to her, half lidded and hot. "You aren't the only who finds the inside of this castle oppressive."

"That so?" A shiver ran down her spine, she hid it behind her fan. His eyes narrowed. "I think standing out here freezing is less comfortable than keeping warm somewhere inside, isn't it?"

Sesshoumaru huffed and Kagura reminded herself to be patient.

"I wanted to ask your help with something, can you come with me?" she asked, trying to sound as innocent as was possible for someone like her. He didn't look like he bought it, given the unconvinced quirk in his brow as he took another puff from his pipe.

"I don't know what you could possibly need my help for," he said, and would have blown smoke straight into her face if she hadn't shoved her fan at his mouth.

"Maybe I don't need it." The smoke seeped out, swirling around his head and haloing his hair in the dull candlelight. His pupils had gone a little wide as he peered at her over the paper's edge, his gaze still just as heavy. She smirked. "Maybe I just want it."

There was just the slightest waver, a flicker, a twitch in his eye, and when she pulled her fan away the barest part between his lips that felt like pure victory.

He lifted his chin, the debate he was having with himself clear in his expression, but then, finally:

"Fine."

Kagura kept her smirk as inconspicuous as possible as she spun on her heel. She heard him tap the pipe against his palm before his footsteps followed, thumping against the wooden planks with assured steps.

She hadn't lied, she did need his help, or more like his assurance, but she knew her excuse was flimsy, and could almost feel his annoyance seep into the air the further she led him into the depths of the castle. Careful not to catch the eyes of anyone else, she stopped several times, waiting for someone to pass them by, which earned her several indignant huffs from her shadow. He kept several feet of distance between them, but still she could feet his heat at her back, his stare on her spine. She was still a little surprised that he'd agreed to come with her, especially when she found the opening in the wall that would lead to their destination. The passage still granted her access, she'd noticed a few times, that she hadn't been blinded to its existence, she'd wondered if that had been on purpose or a fluke, but had decided that asking would probably just get her excluded for good.

"Kagura."

"Hn?" She stopped, just a few feet beyond the barrier's edge, the static still clung to her skin, and she turned to face him. His eyes were narrowed at her, despite the gloom of the tunnel she'd led them into, and he looked like he was holding his breath.

"Where are you going?"

"Am I missing something?" He tilted his head. "Aren't you coming, too?"

His gaze shifted, slowly sliding from her face to the rock walls surrounding them and the space just beyond the top of her head, as if making sure they were alone. A tiny trickle of guilt flooded her belly, like she'd inadvertently lured him into a trap, which was only partly true, she supposed, but still. Finally, his eyes met hers again and he gave her a minute nod to continue.

"Don't look so suspicious," she chuckled when she turned to continue, emphasizing her words with her fan over her shoulder. "You act like I'm dragging you away to eat you or something."

A soft huff was the only response he gave, and she supposed that was enough.

"You know, I never actually found out what this little festival of yours was."

"The oni never told you." The gentle rumble of his voice echoed around her, warmed by the heat of the earth and pressing in on her just as much as the rocky walls.

"I never bothered to ask."

He hummed lightly, a barely there sound that was almost lost amongst the soft echo of their footsteps. The path to their destination wasn't long, but it certainly felt far with the silence; she could feel the damp draft from the cavern up ahead, a subtle ghost of wind kissing her skin and bringing the smell of water with it.

"A hunt."

Her steps didn't falter, but she did pause to glance at him over her shoulder. His eyes were hard to make out in the dim light, but he wasn't looking at her anyway.

"A hunt for what?"

He made a noncommittal sound. "It doesn't matter."

"But you have to do it in the winter? That seems… well, seems damn stupid." She supposed that was probably true, so long as they hunted it didn't matter what the prey was. She tapped her fan against her shoulder and he was silent for several breaths, as they rounded a turn the cavern opened, just as eerie as the last time she'd been, but his voice interrupted the silence:

"Longest, darkest night; dogs howl to a moonless sky; ghosts are free to run."

Kagura stopped and turned back to him, where he'd paused just on the threshold of the cavern, still framed by the tunnel's entrance. She mulled over his words, even as she leaned back and her calves came into contact with the femur of a something she didn't care to know.

"A moonless sky? I suppose that's why a certain someone wasn't invited."

He scowled and finally stepped out into the cavern. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Maybe I just wanted your company," she mocked. She twirled her fan, feeling the threads of air that slipped between bones, she called on them, bringing forth a medley of parts to make something that looked like it could have been a living thing once. A hard task, given the way that most of the bones that had been stacked here had long since fallen and chipped into the dust that littered the floor, only half cracked splinters for fingers, a rib cage that was missing several ribs, no feet to speak of, a skull that had been bashed in; but her little puppet could still dance to her tune. A flick of her wrist and it was twirling circles around him. Sesshoumaru ignored it, his gaze going hard as he met her eyes. Kagura sighed.

"I wanted to ask you if I could use them."

He quirked a brow.

"The bones." She gestured to the cavern behind her, all the skulls and bones stacked high. "I wanted to use them on the night of the festival, for a performance."

His eyes finally left hers, Sesshoumaru moved past her, his footsteps crunched against the splinters littering the floor as he took the few steps further down into the cavern, the puppet followed after him, exaggerating each step with a sway in its hips. It stopped when he stopped, looking out over the hoard his family had accumulated over the years, a wall stacked high with skulls just beside him.

"I hardly see how I needed me to come for you to ask me that."

She shrugged. "Maybe you just looked so cold out there by yourself, like you needed some warming up."

"I was fine," he snapped, "this should have been a question for my mother, not for me."

"Oh, my mistake for thinking you're the big dog around town," she rolled her eyes, "with the way everyone talks about you I thought you had some say in things. Guess not."

He looked like he might start snarling, with how quickly his head whipped back to look at her, a grimace on his face and his brows pulled together so severely the line between them was nearly a chasm. Kagura let the puppet fall to the floor with an echoing clatter, the bits of bone bouncing off each other in a staccato beat.

"What's up?" She went to him, stopped when she was only an arm's length away and found them eye to eye, her a little higher due to the cavern's slope. "You seem to be in an even worse mood than usual."

He straightened, raised his chin as if that would make up the difference, but she couldn't help but notice that he was holding his breath.

"Something wrong?"

His lips parted as if he might answer, but no sound came, the air still trapped in his lungs and his gaze still half lidded, heavy; she almost looked away, intimidated by the intensity of it, but she reached for his face, running the backs of her knuckles along the moon on his forehead and attempting to smooth the furrow in his brow. He let her, holding his breath again, she traced the line of his hair, down across the marks on his cheekbones until she came to the line of his jaw, she stopped there, and his hand finally snapped up. His claws pressed against the tender skin on the inside of her wrist, not quite digging in, but just enough pressure to cause her pulse to quicken.

"Kagura."

Something acidic laced his voice, a deep rumble that sent a shiver down her spine. A threat or a promise, she wasn't quite sure, but it was the deep inhale he took, his nostrils flaring as his eyes never left hers; the glare softened, and she… her heartbeat did not slow, still beating fast in her breast, but not out of fear as she leaned forward, closing the distance between them and kissed him.

His lips were warm, soft against hers, and for several moments she stayed like that, holding herself steady against him. He'd hardly moved, and she'd closed her eyes, unable to tell if he still had them open, or if he'd just stood there, frozen when she'd―

A hand settled on her waist, and then she did feel the prick of claws digging into her skin, the sensation muted by the layers of her robes, but it was enough to pull her closer, knocking her off balance, she had to steady herself against him, one hand still on his jaw and the other burying itself in his fur. His lips parted, she could taste a hint of smoke, not nearly as intolerable as it had been burning down her throat, could feel the barely there brush of a fang against her lip.

A moan worked its way up her throat, and suddenly she found herself cold.

Sesshoumaru had backed away from her, his eyes half-lidded and cloudy, his breathing still heavy as he stared at her. Her own lungs expanded rapidly, taking in much needed air for her thundering heart. Along her wrist the ghost of his touch lingered, leaving a chill. She brought a hand to her chest, pulling her kosode tighter to ward off the sudden exposure.

"Sesshoumaru…?" Her voice trembled. She hated sounding so meek, but he―

He broke her gaze, submissive, shook his head and then left her standing with her jaw on the floor.

"And then?"

"Hm, well, let's see, it's been a few years but…"

Shippou should've known that listening to Myouga was, usually, not a good idea.

Especially, when the path the flea had led him on sent him nearly colliding straight into Sesshoumaru's legs. Quick reflexes had him tumbling back and away from the dog who was giving him a positively menacing glare that growled "move, worm".

And it wouldn't have surprised Shippou, as the dog was known for his bad attitude, but the red stain smeared across his mouth made him all the more terrifying.

Blood. Had to be blood.

So Shippou jumped to the side, made himself as small as possible, and waited for Sesshoumaru to keep walking, only breathing a deep sigh of relief once he'd disappeared around a corner.

Myouga grumbled something from his perch in Shippou's hair. The boy shrugged, deciding it was better to not worry about whoever the moody dog had devoured. So long as he wasn't next on the menu that was fine by him.

Too distracted, he didn't sense the static of the barrier until Kagura appeared from the wall and tripped over him, sending them both sprawling on the ground.

"You―!" She shrieked. On her belly, she slammed a fist against the floor and grimaced at him. Slightly less menacing, though no less terrifying. But there was something…

"Uh," Shippou made a gesture with his finger, waving it around his own mouth. "Your, um, lipstick…"

Kagura's eyes bulged and her face turned nearly the same shade as her eyes as she brought a hand to her mouth, examining her palm when it came back smudged pink.

"Fuck!" Her eyes focused on him, and she lunged, grabbing him by the collar and giving him a good shake. "Tell anyone, brat, and I will fucking end you. Got it?"

He nodded his head vigorously until she seemed satisfied and dropped him before storming off in the opposite direction of Sesshoumaru, leaving Shippou on the ground and rubbing his neck, mind racing.

"You don't think…?"

"I'd prefer not to meddle in that."

And even though he had just stumbled upon possibly the biggest secret he'd been privy to in years, Shippou figured it was just plain safer agreeing with the flea.

"I think we'll just stay here for now."

"...Right."

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