Lessons Learned
Author: Shortey 83
Chapter: 43 – Transformations
Disclaimer: I do NOT own InuYasha or Skyrim!
Story Start:
It took Takara another hour before her head was back where it needed to be, and as much as she thought she wouldn't ever tease Sesshomaru like that again, the high she got from the lovemaking afterwards was like a drug. And she was an addict.
"So," she pondered, laying on their futon while Sesshomaru sat on the porch with the screen open. "What was your assessment on the state of affairs below deck?"
He didn't bother to turn around. "You seem to have healed nicely,"
"Nicely enough to start considering which positions I wanna try?"
He looked over his shoulder and met her eyes. She grinned and wiggled her eyebrows until she saw a hint of a smirk creeping on his face as he turned away from her. Not to be ignored, Takara threw her blanket off her, ensuring Kuromaru was still wrapped up and warm, and crawled over to Sesshomaru.
He didn't react as she got to her knees behind him, crowding into his space until her breasts pressed into his back, her arms sliding around his neck as she nuzzled his head. "What are you thinking about?"
"Many things, My Treasure."
"Anything I can help with?" She nuzzled the side of his head, lightly licking and kissing the pointed tip of his ear.
"It…" he began, but stopped, almost as if he couldn't find the correct words. She waited patiently for him to continue. "It…upsets me that you were so embarrassed to be on display."
Takara winced as if he'd slapped her, and she felt horrible that she had disappointed him. She started to move away, but he grabbed her hands before she could. "No, Takara," he stopped her. "I am trying to find the correct words. Give me a moment."
She did as he asked, wrapping her arms around his neck as she waited.
"It upsets me, because I feel like I have… done you a disservice because I did not say the things to you my father said." He paused, his hand grabbing her arm to stroke it. "I felt as if you were ashamed of the changes your body has been through, and it is my responsibility as your mate to ensure you know you are always desired."
"It's not that I don't think you desire me," her hesitation made him turn towards her, but she didn't meet his eyes. "I just don't want other people to look at me and my flaws and judge you for choosing me."
He didn't answer, but she felt his brief inhale as he laughed at her. "I don't see what's so funny." She grumbled.
"Why would I care what others think of me and mine?"
"Well, some of us lowly peasants are concerned about what others would say in an attempt to tarnish your reputation."
"Gold doesn't tarnish."
Takara was certain the entire valley heard the sound of her eyes rolling.
"You know what?" She sighed, sliding off his back, turning to crawl back to their futon. "I changed my mind. I'm going to sleep now because I can't handle being double teamed by you and your ego."
His hand clamped around her ankle before she could go anywhere and pulled her backwards, nearly causing her to fall flat on her face. She squealed in surprise before she attempted to crawl away from him trying not to laugh so loud that they would wake Kuromaru. "Let me go," she laughed, ineffectively slapping his hand until he released her. Unfortunately, he was only adjusting his hold to pull her into his lap.
Not one to go down without a fight, Takara struggled, laughing, slapping, and biting him until she was able to wriggle out of his grasping hands. "No, Sesshomaru. No. I'm going to sleep now."
"You are not." He reached for her again and she barely slid far enough out of his immediate reach and onto the porch.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you 'No' before? Do you know what that means?" The solid feeling of wood on her back told her she had slid as far to the edge of the porch as she could go.
He went to his knees, tensed as if in preparation to pounce her when his head cocked to the side as he considered her question. He shook his head. "No."
Her laugh was probably a little too loud as he crawled forward enough to drag her to him by the ankle. "The lies you tell!"
When he reeled her in that time, he made sure he had a tight hold on her wrist before he released her ankle. She never stood a chance as he easily overpowered her until her legs were on either side of his hips and her arms crossed in front of her while she laughed.
"As I was saying, before you so rudely dismissed me," he continued as she giggled, still trying squirm out of his lap. "I could care less for the 'reputation' you think I have because there won't be a single person in that court or my territory that is worth my concern."
She leaned back as far as her arms would allow while he held her. "It's crushing me!" she whispered in quiet urgency.
His brows furrowed in confusion. "What is?"
"Your ego…" her voice trailed off, but it appeared her overdramatized death did not impress him.
"Disrespectful female," he growled, lowering her to the floor of the porch before he released her. "What I am trying to say is that I do not care what people say in regard to our mating, and the sooner you realize that the sooner you will overcome public aversion."
He watched a flush brighten her cheeks as she smiled at his praise, and he only wished she could understand how the thought of others watching him please her, his female, appealed to him. She started to walk back inside to their bed, dragging her fingertips lovingly across his face before she bent down to press a delicate kiss to his lips. It was getting dark, and he could hear the sounds of the servants walking the grounds of the mansion, lighting the night lanterns when it an idea came to him.
He turned, still sitting on the porch and faced their rooms. "Takara," he called to her, his voice deep with authority. She paused at the edge of their futon, just about to kneel down and faced him. "Come here."
That she knew when she could be playful and when he expected her obedience always stirred something within him. Quickly she closed the distance between them, but he stopped her before she could sit down. "Loosen your clothing and come closer."
That flush lit her face as she glanced around to see if anyone was watching. "Do not concern yourself with anyone here." Her sapphire eyes locked on his and she only hesitated a moment more before she did as instructed. The rise and fall of her breasts grew as she obeyed, her yukata still tied shut, but it was loose enough to do as he pleased.
"Good girl, My Treasure. Now put a foot here," he indicated on one side of his hips. "And here." He indicated to the opposite side. She took a breath and only a heartbeat of hesitation lingered as she did as he instructed, putting her sex in perfect alignment with his face. Somewhere off to his right, he heard a light female gasp as he suspected one of the servants spied them.
He paid the female no mind as he parted the yukata of his mate, until her sex was bared to him. He held the folds of fabric back, baring her from the waist down as he cupped the fleshy mounds of her ass, tilting her hips slightly to give him better access.
She may have protested the thought of a public display, but her body did not match the words her mouth spewed. He found the nest of dark curls damp with moisture as he buried his nose into them, inhaling the scent of her arousal, an aphrodisiac to his primal side.
The access her stance granted him wasn't quite enough for him to bury his face where he needed, so he lifted one of her legs and hooked it over his shoulder. She gasped, one of her hands reaching down to tangle in his hair as she steadied herself and the other he heard slap the wooden post behind him.
Now with her right where he wanted her, Sesshomaru went to work, lapping at her sex and coaxing a flood of moisture from her sweet center. A glance upwards showed her eyes screwed shut, biting her lower lip to keep herself quiet. That just wouldn't do.
He allowed his tongue to focus on her clit before loosing a deadly growl, sending the vibrations directly to where she wanted them. The hand in his hair tightened and she gasped, allowing her head to fall back as a moan slowly tore from her.
He heard other gasps too, from in the garden as it seemed they had drawn a small audience of the female staff trying to stay out of sight as they watched. For their unknowing assistance, Sesshomaru felt he should give them a small show.
His lips seal around the little bundle of nerves that had her writhing in blissful agony and sucked hard and rhythmically until he felt her knees trembling and her hands trying to pull his head away. He didn't stop nor did he allow her to move away until she gasped with orgasm.
"Are you trying to kill me?" She panted while he wiped his mouth on the inside of her thigh. She didn't go far, leaning forward to rest on the post she'd been gripping.
"No, My Treasure. Just a little practice." Her body tensed as she realized his meaning, that they were being watched. "They are upset their males do not use their mouths on them too."
Her laugh sent the tension fleeing as she carefully maneuvered off his shoulders. She still flushed, but her wide smile firmly in place as her eyes dropped to his lap. "Well," her voice tentative, "I wouldn't want them to think that our coupling is one sided."
Pride stirred within him as she dropped to her knees and untied the fabric to loosen his hakama enough to free his cock. He fought to control his groan of relief, but before he could grab her to position her how he desired, a delicate hand pressed on his chest, a request to stop him.
"I want to try a position. Can we?"
The way her voice trembled as she spoke her request made his cock twitch. "What did you have in mind, My Treasure?"
She smiled, standing where she had been while he licked her, and squatted down to sit in his lap with her legs over his thighs. Understanding what she wanted, Sesshomaru reached behind her, grabbed her buttocks, and lifted her slightly.
"Place me," he ordered, her slight weight of no consequence to him. Eager for their combined pleasure, she reached between them and guided his cock to the wet heaven of her hot, silken sleeve. He lowered her, impaling her on his throbbing length until he was swallowed by her depths.
He lost the battle to contain his groan as she squeezed her muscles, gripping him tightly. "Oh, I like this." She moaned in his ear, panting and eager as she gave her hips an experimental, shallow grind against him until she gasped. "Oh, I really like this."
He didn't respond with words, only lifting her and pulling her back down on him. Bracing herself for a wild ride, Takara's arms wrapped around his shoulders, tangling her hands in his hair as she moaned from the friction between them.
"Yes, yes, yes," She chanted each time she was filled with his cock. "Ah Sess- Ah!" He found her loss for words intoxicating and he felt his balls tightening as he too raced towards orgasm.
She struggled in his gasp until he took the hint to loosen his hold on her, allowing her to adjust her hips the barest fraction, manipulating his thrusts until he was able to touch the spot inside her sleeve she needed. As soon as he hit the spot she was seeking, her head fell back, her jaw dropping while she panted gasps of pleasure.
"Sess-oh! Hard-Ah harder! Please, please!" She begged him. Who was he to deny his mate the pleasure she begged so politely? Still cautious to avoid injuring her, he increased the power he used to pull her down on him. Luckily, that was all it took before her passage tightened, convulsing around his cock, and drawing his own climax from him.
He snarled, as he poured his essence inside her, liquid fire turned pleasure as he poured within her. But it was the sigh she released as she came down from the high of her climax that had his beast purring in contentment to hear his mate so thoroughly pleased.
"Thank you," she sighed and sagged boneless into him.
"Anything for you, My Treasure."
She leaned back until she could kiss him, delving her tongue into his mouth to taunt him into an eager kiss. "I'll remember that" she laughed, pulling away. "Because I have a few positions that put me on top that I want to try."
He didn't get a chance to respond before a whimper came from their room. Had it been a typical cry, he would've kept holding her, but something about his son's cry was different this time. Carefully, he removed her from his cock and helped her stand to go and check on their son while he righted his own clothing.
As soon as she sat beside him, her hand stroking his back did Sesshomaru feel the change in the air. "Takara, pick him up, and grab the blanket, quickly."
He could feel her worry, but she did as he said and quickly grabbed their son and the blanket. Before she could do anything else, he had her, lifting her into his arms as he flew up to the cliff above them.
"What's wrong?" she asked, feeling her worry through their bond wasn't something he enjoyed, but he quickly carried the two of them into the thickest part of the grove of trees on the cliff. He watched as their son struggled uncomfortably in her arms but removed his fur from his shoulder to wrap around them both. "Is he alright, Sesshomaru?"
"He will be fine in a moment, Takara. Wait here and stay silent. I will grab the mat from earlier."
Takara tried to calm herself at his assurances, but the way Kuromaru squirmed uncomfortably in her arms had her struggling to do so. As quickly as he promised, Sesshomaru came back with the sleeping mat and set it on the bed of moss in a tiny alcove against the mountain rock between the roots of two large, ancient trees. He settled her down with their wriggling pup and wrapped them both in his fur while Takara wrapped her pup in the blanket she had brought from their room.
"Forgive me, My Treasure. I will be better prepared the next moon cycle."
She met his amber eyes and found them hard and covered in ice as he turned his back to her and settled himself in front of where she sat, his sword drawn. Confusion mixed with her worry before a new noise came from her son.
A wail replaced his whimpers and Takara finally understood what was happening. Her son was a half demon, and like InuYasha did, he would also lose the powers his father's demon blood granted him on a particular night. However, unlike InuYasha's transformation on the night of the new moon, it seemed her son lost his on the night of the full moon.
The revelation was unsettling seeing as demon and human activity seemed to kick up on those nights from what she had seen. Gently she unwrapped the blanket to take a look at her son's human form. He didn't appear any different from a human child, but she could tell even then, despite his softer features, he shared a striking resemblance to his sire. What was also striking was that he appeared older than he should've been. He looked closer to six months as opposed to four weeks.
"Shhhhhh, it's alright now," she soothed him, rubbing her hand over his soft dark hair. She rocked him a moment until he finally settled in her arms. Once more, she felt herself fall in love with her child all over again when he finally opened his eyes to look at her. It seemed as though her genes had been strong enough to pass on her eyes to Kuromaru in his human form as well, whereas InuYasha's turned into a soft brown. The icy blue that met her own sapphire blue already had her planning on finding a big stick in the near future… to beat the females away from him.
"This isn't good," she sighed, the smile on her face not matching her statement.
Her husband's head whipped around to her. "What isn't?"
Takara scooted closer to him, holding their son where Sesshomaru could better inspect him. "He looks like you,". Had she not already been smiling from ear to ear from pride, she had no doubt she would've been when she watched her handsome mate's face tilt up to her, his expression disapproving.
"And why isn't that good?"
She shifted their son so that he was cradled in one arm and placed a friendly hand on her husband's shoulder. "Sesshomaru, look at him."
He did.
"It a disaster waiting to happen! I mean, look how big he is already. He's growing at the rate of a pup as opposed to a human. He could be fully grown within two or three years!" Her pride at her son's appearance was slightly edged out by anxiety at that point, but it didn't look like it had any plans of retreat. "And then, he has your looks, those eyes, and the slight possibility of ending up a flirt like Sahloknir…" She brought a hand to her suddenly worried face. "Sesshomaru, we could end up grandparents before I'm twenty-five and I'm not ready for that. I'm going to have to beat the women away from him."
She watched her husband's eyes roll at her dread, but he didn't seem as worried as her. "No, we won't, My Treasure."
"And you're sure of that, how?"
"Because half demons hide when they lose their powers, so there will be no one to see him change."
He had a point.
"I will also ensure that he is able to determine when a female is fertile to avoid breeding. And I will fight him if he thinks of breeding in my territory before he has established himself. You will have a lot of pups and I will not have you burdened further by raising those he would be irresponsible in creating."
When she just stared at him, his brow raised in question. "You've thought this all out, haven't you?" His nod only made her laugh.
Her head still shaking, she leaned back onto the sleeping mat and settled in for the night. The most novel experience of the evening was nursing him. After feeding him as a pup for the first four weeks, it took her a few tries to get him to nurse as a human. The upside was he ate more than he usually did.
Part of her wanted to stay up with him all night, but after a particularly taxing day, Takara found herself struggling to stay awake into the wee hours of the morning.
"Sleep, Takara. I won't let the two of you come to harm." Sesshomaru finally told her after she caught herself drifting off.
"I know you won't," she yawned. "It's just I won't get to see him like this anymore at the rate he's growing." She stroked her hand down his hair again as he slept, admiring how it was just as soft and silky as his puppy fur. "I probably won't be able to hold him in a couple of months."
When he didn't respond, she knew she'd hit the nail on the head. "I'm torn," she mused, holding him tighter to her. "Part of me is… sad I won't get to baby him for as long as I would like."
"And the other part?"
"Thinks the first part is stupid for looking a gift horse in the mouth." When his brows drew together she elaborated. "In other words, it is much easier to care for him as a pup than like this and I'm dumb to be so sentimental."
He watched her for a moment, searching her eyes for something until she looked down at her sleeping son. "You truly don't mind him being a pup, do you?" It was more of a rhetorical question he spoke aloud to himself, almost as if he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.
"If I wasn't terrified that you would potentially transform mid mating, and that there was a way for them to change their form at will once they were older, I'd probably insist they all be born as such."
His head cocked to the side as he finally reached out and carefully stroked his son's head. "I am not trying to upset you, My Treasure, but you've made it a point to make sure neither of us regret the form he was born with. Why are you now concerned for that form?" He waited to see that tiny twitch on her cheek when she was upset but it never came.
"I don't wish he was born any other way, but I do worry it may not be easy for him to find a mate of his own when he's grown." She'd had the thought running through her mind all night. Takara pictured her son growing into the picture she was sure every mother had in mind for their son, perfect in every way, but at the same part of her also saw the possibility of Kuromaru being alone despite doing everything right.
The thought of how lonely her son could end up being made her heart break a little. Demons weren't often fond of mating with humans, let alone half demons, and humans were much the same. She considered herself lucky to have found such a love with Sesshomaru, but she wondered if her children would be the ones to pay the price for that love.
Sesshomaru's hand moved from their son's head to gently cup her face, turning it so her eyes met his. There was no uncertainty in his gaze. "He will, My Treasure. All of our pups will because you are too loving and too stubborn for them to do otherwise."
Her fears momentarily eased, Takara smiled and leaned in for a gentle kiss. "I just hope I'm up to the task."
"You are," he reassured her. "But while we are speaking of what is to come, I want an answer from you, and I want your complete honesty in the matter." She considered his request for a moment before she nodded. "Would you rather not participate in a public breeding?"
She was silent while she thought and he seemed to understand that her silence wasn't avoidance, but contemplation. "You know, I've been thinking about that, a lot if I'm honest, but I just don't know what to say. I'm a lot less worried now since this past afternoon, but now my concern is, what if I get too afraid and chicken out? Wouldn't that be bad for you?"
His silence was her answer. "I thought so." She took a deep breath, holding and releasing it before speaking again. "However, I promised you that I'll try anything you want me to, but I would just need to know more about what's going to happen. So, why don't you give me a rundown of what to expect, in detail, before I give you an answer?"
"I am not sure what to tell you, My Treasure. I assume the breeding will take place in the palace's center courtyard. While we wait for the guests to settle, I will be in the courtyard with Kuromaru. From there, I will introduce him to the court and then pass him into my mother's keeping while my father keeps watch over them both. Once they are settled, I will call you to me, introduce you as my mate and we will have our breeding in whatever manner we desire."
Takara considered what he said but needed some clarification. "When you say we will 'have our breeding' that doesn't tell me much. Does that mean until mutual satisfaction or… a full show?"
His head gave a little tilt as he considered the question. "Full Show?"
"Foreplay and a few rounds?"
He nodded. "Much like today or Kuromaru's conception." A sly smirk slowly crept onto his face. "The better we please each other, the better the court will be pleased."
"They won't… interact with us, will they?"
"They will speak amongst themselves and potentially to us, but you are free to ignore or indulge their requests. No offence will be taken either way and I will not permit them to touch us or our son. That will be stated from the start."
Overall, it didn't seem so bad, especially considering they would eventually turn to themselves for pleasure. "What about how I'm supposed to behave?" She gave him an apologetic grin. "I often get that part wrong and end up doing something to earn myself some punishment."
"Would you be opposed to punishment?"
"Can you promise to keep a tight rein on your control, so we don't have another scare?" Takara countered.
He chuckled as he pulled her closer for another kiss. "Yes, even if you choose to be disrespectful, so long as you don't make me chase you around the palace. My beast can only take so much torture." He waited a moment while she settled Kuromaru who'd decided to remind his parents of his presence before he continued. "Besides, if I tie you, it will only be once the court is engrossed with themselves. I doubt they will enjoy waiting until we can separate to continue."
Sesshomaru seemed to get wind of her thoughts just as the grin on her face grew. "No, Takara."
"Oh, come on! What happened to the give and take we had going?" She laughed.
He growled but he didn't refuse her again. "I will tie you so long as you do not torture me until I am no longer able to perform." It was compromise.
"I need a number, Sesshomaru." She pressed.
His eyes narrowed as he observed her. "No more than three once you are tied."
"I can work with that." She gave him her sweetest, most sincere smile. "And I will enjoy every minute of it."
"So, am I to take that as your acceptance of the breeding?"
"You are, and oddly enough, I'm actually a little excited now."
"You would be. Troublesome female" he chuckled.
"Yes, but I'm your troublesome female and you have no one to blame that on but yourself." She laughed at his feigned snarl. "So, when's all this going to happen?"
"I will send word to my mother. We should arrange for someone to watch over the village and Rin while we are away."
Takara considered their options before she was struck with inspiration. "You know, Kagome is really close to being ready to deliver…" She waited, preparing for his disapproval, but was surprised at his nod. "She would be more comfortable here and Rin loves her too. Miroku could watch the village with Kaede, and Sango could stop by long enough to help her if the need arises, and we aren't back?"
"Do you think she would?"
"Yes, I do. Allow her to be waited on hand and foot for a while until she recovers and offer up the hot springs? I think she'd go for it."
"Very well, Takara. Send word to them once you've rested and I will send word to my mother. We shall arrange the breeding a week from today." His molten honey eyes met hers and something in them made her nether regions clench. "I will ensure to reward you for allowing me this."
Of that, she had no doubt.