A/N:
Happy New Year, my dear readers! Let this year be much, much better than its former one; full of love, good health, luck and success. I cannot thank you all enough for your beautiful support, and for those who I still owe a response via PM, I will get to your messages soon.
As per usual, this update is late. Quite possibly the most delayed one until now, forgive me. And, as I already know the start of this new year will keep me extremely busy still, I truly do not even know when the next update will be, haha.
However, for this specific reason I am leaving you all a very long and very special chapter to hopefully sustain you. ;) For those with innocent eyes, please note that the rating for this story has now been changed to M.
Enjoy, and please review!
Chapter Forty-Four
"Have you finished choosing the preferred apples, Rin?" Kikyo calmly called over to the child sitting on the wooden veranda, outside of the familiar tearoom she was currently occupying.
Climbing to her feet in response, Rin heaved the small basket to her chest and then carried it into the room, presenting it to the kneeling priestess.
"Yes, Rin made sure to throw all of the bad-looking ones away!" She confirmed with a smile.
Relieving her from the contents in her hold, Kikyo's gaze lowered to the batch of fruit, inspecting it for a moment and eventually setting it aside, next to the large bowl of dry rice, the sealed spices and herbs and various other ingredients the two of them had already successfully gathered.
"Very well." She said, mahogany once again rising to meet with large dark brown, "Now we shall wait for Kohaku to return with the water in order to prepare a decent meal for everyone."
Hearing that, Rin nodded.
However, the undeniable sound of the child's stomach rumbling in clear protest to that statement soon caught both of their attention.
Surprised, Rin placed her hand on her belly, and Kikyo simply chuckled in return.
"It is fine if you wish to eat something in the meantime." The priestess said, tilting her head slightly to the side, "How about you try one of the pears and determine if they are indeed as ripe as they look?"
The child's eyes widened to the suggestion, and she quickly detected the appealing basket of freshly picked pears located to her right side. Hungry and guided by her new purpose, Rin sat herself down next to Kikyo and reached into the straw-weaved container, choosing a single green-colored fruit from the pile, proceeding to eat it with no time to waste.
"It's delicious!" Rin declared happily between her eager bites.
"That is good to hear." Kikyo answered with a smile, watching her small companion thoroughly enjoy her improvised meal in peace.
Directing her attention past the open shoji doors and onto the serene view of the garden's colorful trees swaying in the midday wind, Kikyo inhaled as the soft breeze soon entered the room to brush softly against her features and through her long hair, making the steady fire burning in the square hearth cascade for a single moment, then regain its even form.
Eventually, the priestess' calm gaze found the girl once again.
"Is Kohaku speaking to his family member?" She asked, studying her.
Chewing her impressive mouthful, Rin blinked up at the woman.
"Yes, Kikyo-sama." She confirmed, swallowing while she shifted to stare out to the view of the outside garden, as well, "Rin thinks Kohaku-kun probably wanted to do this for a while now... but he wasn't really sure how to."
Nodding once to the information, Kikyo kept her line of vision aimed at her young companion for another wordless moment.
And it wasn't long before the priestess noticed a small bit of the child's meal hanging on her chin in plain sight, prompting an amused breath to escape her to this consistent talent she possessed; of somehow always managing to get herself dirty, in one way or another.
"Hold still." Kikyo instructed, sending one hand to Rin's face as her fingers gently hunted the pale shred of fruit.
And Rin could only squirm and giggle before her in response to the sudden close proximity.
However, observing the child for another moment, Kikyo inevitably came into an unfortunate realization regarding Rin's recent reactions whenever she chose to make contact, causing her to lower her unreadable gaze down to her hand as she slowly called back on her limb;
A certain fact that by now had managed to completely slip from her mind.
"I apologize, Rin." Kikyo said, mahogany brown flickering up to the girl, "My touch must be quite unpleasant, since I lack any warmth..."
Much to her surprise, it was merely puzzlement which next crossed Rin's expression to her unwarranted apology.
"That's not it, Kikyo-sama. Rin is just ticklish." She explained with nonchalance, "Your skin hasn't been cold for a very long time."
Hearing that, the priestess' eyes widened with shock as she took a moment to process the unlikely knowledge.
And she simply returned her glance down to her fair hand as her eyebrows knit together in confusion, attempting to make sense out of her words.
Right then and before she could dwell on the unexpected revelation for long, Kikyo suddenly sensed Kohaku's familiar presence steadily return to their current location... however, among the not so far distance of the outer trail surrounding the entrance to the mansion were two steadily approaching unrecognized readings as well, causing her to swiftly reach for her bow, then smoothly rise to her feet.
"Kikyo-sama?" Rin watched as the woman exited the room with sure strides, stepping down from the elevated porch and onto the gravel ground of the garden, her focused gaze traveling the space before her and quickly detecting Sesshomaru, who was already moving in her direction, aware of the occurrence, himself. Exchanging their quiet glances, both the daiyoukai and the priestess came into a calm stop before the opened gates of the vicinity, turning their strict attention towards the purple hinged boards and the continuation of the path, patiently awaiting the unfamiliar presence to soon reveal itself there.
And sure enough, two fairly ordinary-looking men hesitantly came into view before them, their tanned faces stricken with both awe and fear altogether once they noticed the unlikely couple that now inhabited the estate.
"Hmph." Sesshomaru spat with both disdain and boredom under his breath, letting go of Tenseiga's hilt.
Poised, Kikyo inspected the men for another moment, allowing them to approach closer while they steadily neared their spot.
Once they were close enough for her liking, she lowered her head with intent.
"State your business." Kikyo firmly asserted, the authority reinforcing her tone causing them to immediately halt right in their tracks.
Swallowing harshly, the older of the two quickly bowed with deep respect, his shoulders tense with urgency.
"F-Forgive us for the intrusion," He stuttered, then cleared his throat, "But last night, we're quite sure we've witnessed the use of great spiritual powers coming from this area, and our village is currently in need of a powerful miko... is there one here that can possibly help us?"
Hearing that, Kikyo raised her chin.
"Yes, I am one." She calmly said, "What do you require assistance with?"
"My, are you the miko who purged the terrible youkai that dwelled in this mansion?" The villager's eyes widened with amazement, eventually glancing over to the silent Sesshomaru, as well, "You two brave warriors must be truly powerful, thank you so much for ending their long reign of terror."
Scoffing loudly to his honest gratitude, the daiyoukai quickly turned away from the unnecessary exchange and stepped back to the peacefulness of the garden behind him, towards the rest of his companions.
Kikyo, however, remained composed and attentive in her spot.
"It is of no trouble at all." Sesshomaru heard her simple reply.
Crossing the ground as the pale stones shifted beneath the weight of his dark-clad feet, he eventually stopped in the center of the lush garden, under the consistent veil of trees and among the bushes, right next to the curious Rin, Kohaku and Jaken, who were quietly following after the sudden event from afar.
"Lowly humans, huh..." Jaken muttered, his face contorting with disgust, "They must have climbed the mountain all the way from the village located at its base."
But Sesshomaru ignored his servant's complaints, keeping his fixed attention forward, pointed ears tuned and listening to every single word of the conversation.
After a few more moments, the group witnessed Kikyo nod once before the two men, then elegantly turn as she made her way back in their direction, the sun shining its gentle rays upon her figure as if illuminating her trail before her and coloring an aesthetic scene to behold. Now with eased steps, she soon reached their combined spot, veiled by the dappled light which filtered through the density of trees above, all until stopping before Sesshomaru, who never once steered his even gaze away from her being.
"I was asked to come stay at their village for about two days in order to assist with both healing and purification." Kikyo explained up at him, their eyes locked together, "A vicious youkai had passed through their grounds and left many injured men in its wake, some are now in dire need of proper medicinal care."
A worried drop of sweat already fell down Jaken's temple before the woman could even finish her statement, already fairly expecting his master's next disapproval... yet, Sesshomaru's following answer struck all listeners with undeniable surprise.
"Do as you see fit." The daiyoukai answered simply, his oddly cooperative reply swift and prompting a single eyebrow to lift beneath straight-cut dark bangs.
Studying him for a stretched moment in silence, Kikyo attempted to read into his features, yet with little success.
She did not expect him to so easily accept this unplanned proposition, and especially based on past experiences, all in which Sesshomaru typically exhibited more than just displeasure to the notion of her distancing herself from him...
However, the priestess ultimately found that this time, perhaps his amicable reaction was indeed for the best;
Naraku was still cowardly hiding somewhere, and Inuyasha's group is seemingly following after that same hostile youkai's tracks further to the east, for one reason or another. Sesshomaru and Kikyo, however, already knew that blindly chasing after each and every suspicious reading with no clear goal in sight was a meaningless waste of their time, therefore staying in this beautiful estate for another mere two days was perhaps the most preferable option in the meantime.
"Then, we shall meet again in two days' time." She confirmed, her gaze leaving Sesshomaru to venture over Kohaku and Rin, nodding once before them.
"Come back soon, Kikyo-sama." Rin said, a hint of disappointment tugging on her expression to the information while Kohaku accepted with no protest, already knowing the priestess well enough to comprehend her dedication to her duty.
And before she turned on her heel in order to finally depart from her companions, mahogany brown eyes glanced up to the inu daiyoukai for the last time.
But his impassive features still granted her with no further clues on his thoughts.
Eventually, Kikyo broke from his presence and ultimately shifted her calm attention back to the two men patiently waiting behind her, beginning to step in their way and steadily leave the grounds of the gaudy estate, through the open gates and into the sandy trail of the forest.
Once the woman disappeared entirely from their sight, Jaken, Rin and Kohaku could only curiously glance up at their cryptic master, all three of them sharing the same, exact certain thought.
With the weight of duty easily filling nearly all of her spare time, the two promised days passed evenly, and soon came the second night in her stay, causing Kikyo to exhale with relief while her hands slowly smoothed the clean and damp mo-bakama she was now hanging to dry, serving as her humble proof that each and every one of the injured villagers was successfully treated. Thankful for this rare moment of peace and solitude, she breathed in deeply and straightened herself, turning her head to the humble hut she was standing outside of; a small, secluded luxury which she was granted with during her temporary visit, providing a place to sleep and for her general own private affairs.
The chilly wind slithered along the grassy earth beneath her feet, cooling her form with more ease as she was now left only to the single layer of the burgundy kosode, tied at her high waist using the red obi of her priestess attire. And as the crowns of the trees danced amidst the rhythm of the breeze above, Kikyo sent her calm gaze upwards, fixing her vision onto the peering crescent moon, looming high in the middle of the endless, starry sky.
Keeping her stare up at it, her thoughts inevitably drifted to each and every one of her companions, eventually settling on her latest conversation with Rin, along with the surprising information she still found herself rather confused by, even now...
"Your skin hasn't been cold for a very long time."
The child's voice bubbled into her thoughts, making Kikyo blink and tilt her head slightly to the side as another string of questions inevitably followed.
For how long was she exhibiting this impossible phenomenon?
Was Sesshomaru aware of it?
If he was... then why did he not say anything?
And as if on cue, just as the priestess allowed herself to further wonder about him...
Kikyo released an amused breath into the cold air to the sudden and familiar flare of her senses, then raised her chin, her mind focusing to the well-known reading sourcing from somewhere not far behind her.
"I'm afraid there is no conversation for you to eavesdrop on this time, Sesshomaru." She teased casually and turned her head over her shoulder, locking with his calm golden gaze all the way from his concealed position.
Hearing that, Sesshomaru quietly strode out from the shadows and into the pale moonlight, eventually stopping at her side, his unreadable attention fixed down on the priestess.
Staring up at his tall form in silence, Kikyo couldn't help but notice the sudden warmth that seized her at that moment, the relief which veiled her like a soft blanket and soothed her mind, sourcing from somewhere unknown in her chest. And the longer she observed the man beside her, the tougher it was for her to stray her line of vision from him, his sharp golden eyes and handsome features bathed in the moon's pale rays and the way his youki fizzled into the air in small and calculated ripples enhancing the magnetic pull between them, their conflicting auras as if resonating with each other in harmony.
Perhaps, Kikyo mused and softly cleared her throat, their time apart was beginning to take its toll on her, as well.
"How are Rin and Kohaku?" She eventually asked, more to disperse the quickly building tension between them than anything.
"Both are asleep." Sesshomaru stately informed, his voice low.
The late night breeze found their location again, flowing through their unbound, long locks of hair behind them.
"Then, what is the purpose of this visit?"
Refraining from answering for another long moment, Sesshomaru simply tore his gaze from her to the hut positioned beside them, inspecting the structure.
"They've provided you with shelter for the time being." He observed, "Is it sufficient?"
Kikyo blinked with mild puzzlement to his sudden interest.
"Yes, it is quite serviceable and its secluded location grants me with peace from unwanted attention." She complied regardless.
Yet, at that instance, the woman managed to catch the odd flicker of a mysterious resolve lurking in the depths of his gold, the same one she had noticed in him before, only somewhat stronger in its presence, this time.
And that small but avid find was enough to push her to finally investigate upon it.
"What is on your mind, Sesshomaru?" Kikyo asked.
With that, the daiyoukai returned his unyielding stare to her, his broad shoulders rising with a single soundless inhale.
And the words that shortly followed, caused dark eyebrows to lower with both shock and bewilderment altogether;
"Remain in this village for the time being." Sesshomaru finally said, "We shall continue on without you at first sign of dawn, however, should Rin and Kohaku wish for it, I shall see that they stay with you here, as well."
Taking a moment to process his unthinkable statement, she quickly poised herself before him.
"Explain yourself." The priestess demanded, sharp eyes boring into him.
But Sesshomaru only raised his chin, never once breaking her eye contact, his sudden mask of indifference nearly impossible to read into.
Kikyo, however, did not let that negate her need for a proper clarification on the matter, turning fully in his direction.
And as she further examined the man standing before her, the answers seemed to approach her all on their own, all of the instances in which Sesshomaru had acted suspiciously to the bits of information she had shared with him regarding the level of her potential involvement with the various upcoming and inevitable confrontations with Naraku, his displeasure with Midoriko's plans and his unnecessary instinct to shield her from a strike she already possessed well under her control... all of them suddenly making sense...
Even his silence regarding her continuous and secret display of body heat.
"You wish for me to entirely step aside from the danger." She spoke on his behalf, lips forming a hard line.
The truth hung heavy and dense between them like a screen of smoke, and Sesshomaru's continuous silence brought nothing but confirmation to her theory.
Speechless, Kikyo could only stare up at him, sensing the disappointment gradually numb her mind.
What could she even say, now?
How should she respond?
To think that this man of all people would prove just like everyone else... putting her on a pedestal of a pure saint and a pristine image that needs to be protected and sheltered by trying to prevent her from fighting this battle along with him...
After all of this time... truly, what a tasteless joke.
Stilled in his place, Sesshomaru studied the woman through her deafening silence as the information settled on her, the undeniable hurt already lurking in her pools of clever brown before him, sending his gut twisting in agony.
Yet, despite himself, the daiyoukai found the words somehow entirely escape him, leaving him a fool, unable to articulate an explanation suitable enough for her to accept;
How could he voice to her that Naraku was simply unworthy of her time? That as he saw it, this woman was better off severing her cursed bond from the vermin and letting go, freeing herself and finding true peace from the battlefield she was so wrongly pulled into ever since she was young... letting him carry out her revenge plan for her, trusting him to complete it while not granting their vile enemy the luxury of her potentially stepping right into one of his desperate traps...
But as the thoughts ran rampant in his head, Sesshomaru shortly arrived at a single, secret conclusion, the most pressing reason behind his actions which he was now able to quietly admit, a feeling so unlike him and one which made him tense his jaw before her... the same which turned his tongue into lead in his mouth.
Before he could dwell on it long, however, came Kikyo's definite verdict;
"I refuse to cower in fear." She dismissed entirely, both her voice and face blank and distant, devoid of any emotion.
Seeing no further point to the conversation for the time being, Kikyo averted her eyes from him and turned away, preparing to leave –
Yet, before the woman managed to get very far, fuelled by an instinct which he knew was already far stronger than himself, the daiyoukai's sole hand already sent in the direction of one of her own, grabbing her wrist in order to halt her untimely withdrawal.
"Kikyo." Sesshomaru firmly called, clawed fingers wrapped tightly around her skin exposing every bit of desperation and need he attempted to conceal from his voice...
And the moment she heard her name leave his lips for the very first time, somehow carrying in it everything his words lacked, was the moment the priestess felt an unparalleled wave of energy flow through her from their shared contact, making her eyes widen as her breath hitched in her throat, her entire body shortly engulfing with the comforting, pulsing warmth of the feeling as it effortlessly climbed along her wrist, arm, chest and head, quickly filling every section to the brim while the sensation settled into her flesh, every throb restoring that which was lost and propelling blood through her veins while the steady pulse of her own heart reached her ears, scent and taste and all she had already nearly forgotten was now somehow once again hers.
Letting go while small bolts of lightning left to tingle atop the skin of his palm, Sesshomaru's expression crossed with a mixture of surprise and confusion to the occurrence as Kikyo turned to face him, shock overcoming her fair features.
Then, he watched as the woman lowered her gaze to her open hands, brows furrowed with disbelief.
"How...?" She uttered, mahogany rising to once again clash with gold.
Maintaining her eye-contact for the longest time, the daiyoukai's line of vision eventually fell down to the still rattling Tenseiga secured tightly at his hip, exhibiting traces of Kikyo's spiritual aura all over it.
And a certain, old string of words shortly surfaced in his mind, making him narrow his eyes with quiet realization;
"Even the slightest bit of hidden truth would sabotage any attempt of accomplishing the resurrection you so seek to achieve."
Observing him closely like that, Kikyo could do little but exhale deeply into the chilly air between them, understanding that while fiercely absorbed in their own disagreement, they had both ironically managed to unlock the method without even particularly trying.
However, it was cold and late, and the tired priestess did not wish to proceed with their heated argument nor agree to Sesshomaru's suggestion.
"We shall discuss this further in the morning," She decided, irritation still avid in her voice, "However, know that my answer will stay the same."
With that, the woman abruptly ended the exchange and simply turned on her heel, proceeding to step in the direction of the wooden hut located behind her as she sent her hand to move the bamboo curtain aside, making her way in without sparing the daiyoukai another word nor looking back in his direction, leaving his side chilled in her absence.
But her rejection was hardly enough to deter his need for mutual understanding on this crucial subject.
And guided by a force well beyond his control, Sesshomaru wordlessly resumed his movement, managing to steel his own expression and rid any trace of frustration from his proud features as he silently stepped in her tracks until entering the humble hut, as well. Stern gold immediately clashed with cold deep brown once he found her existence through the dim light of the four candles placed at each corner of the room, jasmine and fresh sage plant wafting in the air from previous use of incense, along with the depth of Kikyo's alluring scent, already well-absorbed into the wooden walls and making his pulse significantly accelerate.
In stillness, the priestess watched him move towards her, her heart beating faster with each stride Sesshomaru covered to quickly close the distance between them, fixed golden eyes burning her with his unspoken thoughts while eventually coming to a smooth halt right before where she stood, his impressive form towering over her own.
"I have nothing more to say to you tonight, Sesshomaru." Kikyo dismissed harshly up at him, collecting herself while eliminating any telling emotion she possibly could from her voice, "I reckon it is best that you leave."
However, Sesshomaru held his ground to that assertion, his keen senses detecting every beat of her heart, every breath and every scent she was exuding into the air; a fact that the woman herself was unfortunately highly aware of...
"Is that truly what you desire?" He tested, gaze narrowing.
"Do not test my patience." Kikyo hissed.
"I am not leaving, Kikyo." The daiyoukai immediately concluded.
Silence fell between them as neither said another word, the small fires of the candles echoing softly through the space as their intermittent light casted upon their two forms, dividing their shadows and making out just enough of their features to the other. And staring up at the persistent man before her like that, Kikyo had to admit that her once more than sufficiently large hut suddenly seemed very small with his impressive being inside of it, his close presence as if driving away the freezing cold of the late hour, spreading enough warmth to sustain her through the entirety of winter, all by himself.
And as they both stood there, basked in the quiet of the night and effortlessly spellbound by the other's presence, temporarily detached from the exhausting chaos of the outer world and what tomorrow may bring... somehow, at that particular moment, the concept of putting all of her doubts and uncertainties aside, of letting go and giving in if only for one night... suddenly did not seem so daunting.
Not to mention, she was already keenly aware that there was no way to dissuade this man's stubbornness, at any rate...
Lips parting, Kikyo released a small, defeated breath before her lover, knowing that at this point all she could do was melt under the burn of his gold;
A clever, determined gaze that once only filled her with annoyance... and now so effortlessly managed to draw her in, captivate and excite her in far more ways than one.
Unable to resist the magnetic tension any longer, Sesshomaru raised his sole hand up, clawed fingers moving with purpose closer towards her to enter below strands of purplish-black long hair and reach deeply, all the way to the back of her head as his large palm entwined with her silky hair, never failing to make Kikyo flinch in response to his electric touch.
She tried her best to control the swirl of emotions stirring deep within her, yet as much as the priestess attempted to steel her own expression and somehow ease the escalated pulsing of her heart, a traitorous hint of bashful red still inevitably formed in her cheeks, ultimately caught by his perceptive gaze even under the dim light of the few burning candles.
And wordlessly taking in the rare sight of the embarrassed priestess in his hold for another moment, the daiyoukai could only resign himself to the suffocating impulse he had been suppressing since longer than he could even remember and quietly lower down to the woman standing before him, firmly seizing her lips.
Golden eyes closing shut to the strong, addicting sensation, Sesshomaru tilted his head to the side, gradually deepening the slow but sure kiss and already feeling Kikyo reciprocate to his actions in return, her unoccupied palm rising to cup the side of his face and the soft feel of her touch on his skin prompting him to move even closer, forcing the priestess' back against the nearest wall, pinning her soft body using his own in a tight press.
Exhilaration spread through them both like the fiercest of fires...
But the harsh armor hitting her chest area forced the priestess to shift uncomfortably in his strong capture, and they broke from their shared kiss for a single moment, faces inching apart as their heavy breathing escaped through their parted lips, half-lidded eyes locked with silent and unbreakable anticipation.
With a swift movement and no time to spare, Sesshomaru called back on his hand, reaching somewhere under his own long rivers of silver to the back of his dark armor, disconnecting a single piece and causing the breastplates to snap in two, the weight of those along with his secured sword all clashing against the wooden floor with a loud thud. Now down to his two layers of pale kimono, mokomoko and pants, the daiyoukai only took another step towards Kikyo while leaning down to immediately lock his lips once again with hers, striped arm finding its way around her lithe waist to pull her tightly against him with perhaps a tad too much force, this time.
A startled gasp escaped the priestess to the somewhat aggressive action, yet she simply proceeded to kiss him more harshly in return. Urgent and curious, her right hand moved up to feel his neck and then shamelessly explore down to his collarbone beneath pristine robes, sensing the heat of his body slowly but surely climbing higher than ever before, as if further flowing into her as well.
And soon enough, his long fingers slid up from her waist to grab at the collar of her kosode, pulling the fabric aside while allowing the cloth to fall further down and now reveal both of her fair shoulders before him, along with a generous amount of her cleavage.
Almost completely lost in the intensity of his kiss, Kikyo felt her own body temperature skyrocket to the concept of someone as virtuous like herself appearing so bare before him, his firm grip now placed on her high waist keeping her safely taut in her place. He smelt masculine, strong and fresh like cedar and pine, and his scent assaulted her without mercy as the woody blend filled her lungs and invited dizziness to plague her coherent thinking.
These sensations were hardly this strong before when they had shared all of their previous brazen kisses, she noted.
Was it because she now finally had her real body back along with all of her heightened senses, that both Sesshomaru's presence and his touch proved so impossibly effective like this?
Flesh, blood, bones, heat... and a beating heart.
All of them were now once again in her possession.
And perhaps while being devoid of those assets for so long... Kikyo had somehow also forgotten of how hard they were to control.
At that moment and as if planning to further test her iron composure, Sesshomaru broke from her lips, head moving down to bury his nose deep into the curve of her neck while his hot breath skimmed over her skin, sending shivers down her spine from the sudden closeness.
And once his lips made contact with that particular sensitive place which he had already claimed so many times before, Kikyo couldn't help but bite back a soft moan.
Sesshomaru continued with his painstakingly-slow exploration, showering her with one attack after the other while feeling the woman arch her back into him, her fingers and long nails reaching up to dig into the back of his silvery head with the same type of moderated roughness that he never knew he favored so much.
However, the more he felt Kikyo react to him, listening to her muffled sounds and inhaling the intoxicating warm scent of her arousal, was the lighter his head felt.
And still, he did not wish to ever stop.
Right hand shifting its position, his grip found the knot of the obi securing her garbs, using one finger to untie the red fabric and send it falling to the floor circling her bare ankles, leaving Kikyo to the single, draping layer of the kosode now.
And without further warning whatsoever, Sesshomaru moved back from the priestess' neck, sole hand sliding behind her back as his mokomoko slithered under her knees, effortlessly lifting the woman up to his chest and causing her eyes to widen with shock. Swallowing harshly to this man's unpredictable and resourceful actions, she released a small breath and quickly sent her hand to grab at the loose collar of his kimono out of sheer instinct.
"Still wary, huh..." He determined through ragged breaths in response, golden gaze aimed at his new destination as he strode through her hut, crossing the wooden boards until he arrived at the wide futon placed on the floor at the very back, stopping before its foot and then smoothly lowering himself on one knee.
Now pressed against his mokomoko, Kikyo merely stared up at him in silence for a long moment, recalling that time in which he saved her from Naraku's lethal attack, carrying her away in his arms from the dangerous area and into safety through the unknown darkness of the night.
Arms that even then and before she, herself, was prepared to admit it... granted her with nothing but honest safety.
"No." She eventually replied, grabbing his attention as gold lowered to meet with deep brown, "You have already managed to earn the full extent of my trust long ago... before I had even realized it, myself."
Staring down at her through a still unreadable expression for a moment, Sesshomaru said nothing as he simply kissed her once more in response, deeply, harshly and more hurriedly as the wild hunger steadily building inside of him seemed barely even tameable at this point.
Without ever parting from her lips, the daiyoukai steadily lowered Kikyo onto her back on the pale futon before him, moving to place himself between her now bare, porcelain legs as he hovered above her on all fours, one clawed hand enough to prop himself up, his long hair falling to their right side like smooth waterfalls of shimmering silver.
Yet, as much as he wished to just take her right then and there... Sesshomaru suddenly felt himself almost frozen in his stance, heart pounding so strongly against his chest that its restless buzzing climbed all the way up to his ears, an invisible lump shortly forming in his throat.
Inhaling sharply, he drew back from her, rising to stare down at her reddened face and misty eyes soon opening up to study him in confusion.
"Sesshomaru...?" Kikyo breathed, raising one hand from his shoulder to cup the side of his face, thumb moving in slow circles over the two magenta stripes embedded on his high cheek bones.
But the daiyoukai refrained from answering, scorching golden gaze observing the beautiful woman beneath him for the longest time under the subdued light of the low-burning flames, eyes drinking in the sight of her endlessly long hair spread like the starry night sky around her being, soon traveling down her fair neck, shoulders and then nearly exposed breasts, barely covered by the loose fabric of the rich-colored kosode she was still wearing.
And clenching his jaw, he only swallowed harshly to her enticing presence and the way her deep brown filled with readiness and want for him;
A sight that he never truly realized just how much he longed for, until now.
Calmly watching him like that, Kikyo tilted her head in silence, breaths still departing unevenly through her open lips.
Then, she blinked with realization.
"Are you nervous?" She voiced her following theory.
Golden eyes widened ever so slightly to the unthinkable possibility, and Sesshomaru only raised his chin before her, the absurd and preposterous notion as if rattling his entire being and breaking him out of his own cursed, frozen state altogether.
"Ridiculous." He immediately denied, clearing his throat.
But Kikyo's lips simply curved up into a soft, understanding smile in return, maintaining her evaluating quiet for another moment, reaching a certain conclusion of her own.
"I am, as well..." She eventually admitted, taking in a deep breath as mahogany brown stared deep into his gold, "...However, a certain stubborn inu-daiyoukai had taught me not to let uncertainty scare me from forging a path to that which I desire."
Processing her words, Sesshomaru felt his unexpected troublesome veil of doubt gradually vanish as if it was never even there in the first place.
And scoffing loudly before her, sharp eyes simply narrowed with quiet irritation.
"You dare call I, Sesshomaru, 'stubborn'?" He voiced his opinion on the concept of her, of all people, granting him with the title.
Poised, Kikyo only straightened below him, deep brown eyes mimicking his actions once she caught the obvious allegation behind his inquiry.
"Yes." She confirmed in her usual unwavering and confident way of diffusing his obvious attempts of provocation.
Mouth forming a thin line, Sesshomaru moved back to sit on his knees, sending his hand to grab at the loose collars of his kimono and lower them down to lazily hang at his waist, his mokomoko falling to meet with the floor and lay in a long fur stripe sorrounding their shared position. Then, he leaned himself down slightly, clawed fingers reaching for Kikyo's kosode and spreading the garment at each of her sides, exposing her body before him.
Silent, he studied her refined shapes and edges now presented in full-view, the way the faint firelight danced across her aesthetic curves and pristine alabaster skin, caught in the strands of her rich hair and shining through the few pearls of sweat running down her ample breasts and stomach, all of it causing his senses to heighten and heart to miss a single beat.
How many times and with how many partners had he shared a similar situation through hundred of years before... and how none of them could ever hope to compare to this single, impressive woman laying beneath him.
However and unbeknownst to him, the more he let his intense staring rest upon her exposed figure like that, the more Kikyo sensed herself strangely conscious of her own existence, feeling the hot embarrassment burn through her face and climb all the way to her ears.
And she only lifted one fair arm up, fingers curling as the back of her hand met with her mouth.
"Sesshomaru... must you stare like that...?" She tentatively asked him through her small attempt of concealing herself from him, raising a single eyebrow.
And lifting his head to her sudden words and the hint of urgency in them, his vision immediately focused, making the daiyoukai once again dive towards her, sending his large hand to grab at her wrist and move her palm away from the course of his next deep kiss.
With her other hand free, Kikyo admired his bare chest in slow movements, palm traveling down his refined body, firm abs, then under his arm and all the way to the center of his broad back, sensing every muscle as her slender fingers slid down his spine, the enhanced sensation of her smooth touch roaming him this hungrily prompting a low and rare groan to escape Sesshomaru's lips, catching her attention. And hearing the sound for the very first time in reaction to her hands on him, Kikyo's eyes opened partially as she momentarily broke from his kiss.
"You... can make these kind of sounds as well..." She struggled to speak through her heavy breathing, but her words were enough for him to clench his jaw before her.
Burying his face in her neck once again, Sesshomaru only inhaled her addicting scent deeply, involuntary making her shiver.
"So, what?" He hissed against her flesh, placing a slow kiss on the place he already knew would cause the woman to voice out the same kind of melody.
And sure enough, Kikyo bit back another muffled moan in response.
"I want to hear more of you..." He heard her say despite that, slim fingers digging into his broad back as their bare bodies meshed against one another.
Keeping silent to her wish, Sesshomaru's lips suddenly began working their way from her neck to her collarbones and then her exposed chest, kissing his path down and releasing her wrist to cup one of the perky mounds in his hand, the sensitive firm tip of her breast trapped between his index and middle fingers causing Kikyo to shudder and let out a loud cry of sheer pleasure that she most certainly didn't plan.
And smirking against her fair skin, the daiyoukai lifted his eyes up to watch her for a single moment.
"I shall hear every sound you have to offer before that, Kikyo." He informed, proceeding with his actions.
Her eyebrows lowered into a frown at his copious amounts of nerve, yet Kikyo could do little but submit to his teasing and feel her head spin the lower the daiyoukai reached in his current agonizing journey, his clawed hand and lips searing her wherever those chose to touch, prompting a hot and unnamed sensation to reverberate deep inside of her.
And once he got to the priestess' loincloth, Sesshomaru sent a single impatient claw to snap the fabric in two, letting it fall and reveal her privates before him. Her scent was inviting, sweet and musky, coursing through his mind and compelling him to attempt something he had never tried before as he soon leaned himself down, sliding his arm under her in order to prop her lower half slightly higher before himself for better access.
"Ah...!" Understanding his unthinkable intentions a tad too late, Kikyo flinched as his tongue made contact with that already aching place, mouth gaping and eyes going wide while her trapped legs quivered in his impossibly strong grip, her head thrown backwards from the intense feeling and she quickly covered her own mouth with both of her hands in a desperate attempt to block some of the highly indecent loud and uncontrollable moans that escaped her, yet with little success.
Pleased, his golden eyes shot up to carefully witness her every reaction, the idea of himself finally possessing this much control over this powerful and mysterious woman filled him with a sense of the greatest superiority known to any living creature.
And he kept on slowly tasting her like that while her toes perched and curled helplessly on his shoulder and back, watching her writhe and shiver under his tongue's careful motions, tremble and sing to the intense pleasure...
All until he stroked a tad higher, causing Kikyo to very soon reach past her limit and release a single long cry as her hands sent to the top of his head, fingers burying into his soft silver while her entire body shook, bursting with her achieved orgasm before him.
Licking his lips with satisfaction, Sesshomaru lifted from her, using the back of his hand to wipe his mouth clean with a single, swift motion and then once again move himself closer towards the panting woman still experiencing the aftershocks of the tantalizing feeling.
"That was your first, I presume..." He guessed through a husky voice, favouring the notion of himself being the only one who had ever made her feel this way.
Kikyo only swallowed, glazed eyes fluttering open to glance up at him.
"Of course..." She answered, chest rising and falling as she still worked to regulate her air intake, "A holy priestess... can never engage in any acts of the sort... not even alone..."
Hearing that, Sesshomaru sent his hand to grab at her waist, firmly yanking the surprised priestess towards him as her spread thighs now rested over his bent knees.
"Then, I, Sesshomaru, shall now claim you." He declared while a single hand reached down to quickly untie the white cloth surrounding his waist and release himself from the layered fabric at long last, exposing his fully-erect member before her.
Staring at it for a while in silence through a fairly composed expression, Kikyo could only swallow harshly.
And the longer she rested her clever eyes upon him like that, observing him in all of his male glory, was the more Sesshomaru felt the remaining bit of his willpower fade, driving him crazy with desire.
Yet, he managed to conceal his thoughts entirely before her, instead simply resuming his actions and shifting closer to the woman, placing his tip at the entrance to her wet slit and using his hand to guide and adjust his manhood.
Then, he carefully slid it inside her most private place.
Kikyo tensed and then cried out loudly to the sudden, strong sensation, hands clenching the futon at each of her sides while her legs instinctively spread wider the deeper she felt the length of his member steadily fill her inside, pressing on sensitive buttons that evoked sensations she never even knew existed.
And with that, Sesshomaru drew in a sharp breath through bare teeth and lowered himself down to her being once again, finding her lips and kissing her more fervently than ever before as her arms rose to envelop him tightly in acceptance, slender fingers and long nails pressing into his damp back with still moderated firmness.
"Ease yourself." He whispered hoarsely into her mouth, resuming the kiss and doing his very best to clear his face and calm his own voice from the way his skin prickled to the intense charges of lightning shooting through his mind at that very moment.
He was finally one with this woman;
Physically and mentally, she was his and his alone in this level of mutual intimacy which he never thought was even possible, regardless of species.
Heeding his advice, Kikyo inhaled deeply and then released her shaky breath, calming herself as much as she could while Sesshomaru simply placed his forehead onto hers, staring down at the woman beneath him in silence and eventually beginning to move back and forth, drinking in the sight of her appearing so unfiltered before him; so beyond the mask of unreadability she had always presented everyone else with.
"Sesshomaru..." The priestess moaned his name while the pain gradually eased into sweet pleasure, long eyelashes closing to the registration of his lips on her fair neck once more, leaving another burning trail of his kisses there while picking up his pace and hearing her release more of her spellbinding noises to the steamy air in return... all until stubbornly calling back on one of her hands and shielding her own mouth and her cries of delight, yet again.
Maintaining his now quicker rhythm, Sesshomaru's own clawed hand quickly hunted hers, grabbing her troublesome palm and pinning it above her head once and for all as his long fingers interlocked with her slim ones, causing the priestess to gasp and then bury her face into the connection between his broad shoulder to his neck, instead.
However and against his best calculations, sensing Kikyo cling to him so closely and desperately this way, Sesshomaru couldn't help but let out a loud groan of high pleasure right next to her ear.
Eyes opening partially, Kikyo chuckled in response to the unexpected achievement, causing him to bite his lip at his own carelessness.
And her free arm moved up his back to swim through endless rivers of silver, palm settling on the back of his head and her fingernails digging into his nape as she neared herself to him, beginning to slowly kiss and claim his neck as well, successfully earning a few more rare grunts out of the ever-so-proud inu-daiyoukai.
But he had no intention of losing the match, just yet.
Quickly counter-attacking her teasing, Sesshomaru called upon his right hand as clawed fingers grabbed her breast, squeezing it lightly while thrusting himself harder into her, making Kikyo cry out and ease her close grip on him, then plop the back of her head to the futon. With her face flushed red and straight-cut bangs matted with sweat, she closed her misty eyes to the waves of the strong feeling, unable to contain her voice any longer.
He basked in his own victory at long last, eyes intensely captivated by her existence, by the raw sounds she was letting out so freely and carelessly, unfiltered, genuine and responsive under his actions.
However, watching the dignified priestess finally unravel before him in that euphoric state, the daiyoukai soon felt his own self-control crumble to the idea of himself being the only one who had ever managed to unlock these sensations within her, all of these intimate gestures that she kept sealed behind countless walls of iron composure, unknown to any man less deserving than he is.
Truly, he had never wanted anyone as much he wanted her in his entire life.
"...Kikyo." The low groan left his lips, a name that he would never tire of calling.
Hand leaving her breast to firmly grab her inner thigh, his clawed fingers pressed into her plump flesh as he positioned her leg a bit higher, shifting the angle of his entry and movement altogether.
And the priestess whimpered to the sudden act, her teary eyes fluttering open once more to witness his honest expression, drops of sweat decorating his forehead and soaking his silver bangs, a hint of red present on his cheeks and smouldering heavy-lidded golden orbs fixed down on her, his dark eyebrows straining under the unparalleled weight of every current emotion swirling inside him, and yet his mouth still firmly set, desperately suppressing his own voice from escaping him.
"Stubborn... man..." Kikyo barely managed to breathe up at him, sending her hands to cup each side of his damp face, pulling him down for another passionate kiss as her legs moved up to lock safely around his waist.
Much to her surprise, Sesshomaru suddenly slid his arm between her lower back and the futon, moving backwards and lifting both himself and Kikyo up vertically so the priestess was now sitting on his thighs with her long locks of hair falling all the way to the floor behind her, the new position causing her to gasp at the new depths he was reaching and arch her back into him with pleasure as a result, letting out a loud moan before him.
And possibly guided by a dormant instinct fuelled by her wild passion at that moment, Kikyo's hands glided from his firm chest to the back of his neck, fingers entangling deep into his silver locks as the priestess began rocking her hips back and forth, resuming the addicting sensation which was disrupted in such an uncalled-for manner.
"Let me... hear you..." She insisted, placing her wet forehead against his, lips remaining parted to the uncontrollable sounds which she could not suppress any longer and especially under the knowledge of herself now attempting to actively break his resolve in this shameless way.
Wordlessly, his fingers moved up to wrap around her long, silky hair, pulling on the priestess' locks and craning her head backwards, presenting himself with a clear path as he darted to kiss her neck once more, his lips grazing alabaster flesh in an painstakingly-slow rhythm until he reached her round breasts, capturing one of the hardened, pink tips into his mouth.
Kikyo's fingers dug into his silver while the moans escaped her with no possible hope for restraint now, head buzzing and impossible heat piling at the pit of her stomach with every new thrust of her hips against him.
However, just before she finally accepted her defeat in this long-lasting battle;
Sesshomaru suddenly groaned loudly against her flesh, moving with urgency to once again lower the woman on her back and shift the closest he possibly could to her, clawed hand sliding across the futon until stopping beside Kikyo's head, resuming the control of the act with renewed speed that left even him without a proper mask for his overwhelming sensations.
And his lips found hers once again, as if to engrave this moment into his mind and heart, forever.
Moaning hoarsely into each other without any chains of solemnity now, both Sesshomaru and Kikyo lost themselves in their combined pleasure like that, knuckles pale, hearts racing, damp bodies tangled, molded closely together and thoughts rendered completely blank, giving in to the full capacity of their mutual yearning, at long last.
However, both also knew their limit was rapidly approaching, and Sesshomaru eventually broke from Kikyo to bury himself in the curve of her neck one last time, lips quickly detecting the wanted spot and biting it lightly, making her eyes widen to the sudden, unexpected sensation.
With that small addition sending her over the edge, Kikyo burst beneath him for the second time, arms and legs gripping him closely and tightly while her entire body convulsed under the exhilarating feeling, her head tossed backwards as she lost herself to the familiar waves of uncontrollable pleasure that overcame her one after the other. And once Sesshomaru felt her drenched walls clamp down on him in the height of her ecstasy, golden eyes squeezed shut as his sharp teeth sunk deeper into her flesh with a single yet firm smothered growl, sensing himself tip over the edge as well, mind going numb as the liquid rushed to the tip of his member, proceeding to release deep inside of her.
Tense muscles finally easing, they both limply collapsed into each other; spent, satisfied and tired, the heated atmosphere of the hut filling with their ragged, loud panting as they lay muted like that for a few more moments, their long strands of hair blended together in intermittent streams of black and silver while fanned smoothly all around them.
The candles in the room eventually burned down to their base, flames now barely cascading over stilled surface of melted wax and making the space seem even dimmer than before.
And after a few more moments of silent resting, Sesshomaru moved back from the priestess, turning and falling to lie on the futon next to her as a single exhale of deep relief escaped him.
But his heavy-lidded eyes never left her being for even a second, his golden gaze studying her beautiful profile and unique expression, the way the laboured breaths parted from her reddened lips and how she laid beside him remaining ever-so-graceful even after enduring the entirety of their intense coupling.
Once the unparalleled high subsided, allowing her to somewhat regain her coherent thought process, Kikyo turned her rosy face slowly towards him, exhausted gaze collided with his, neither of them uttering a word into the heaviness of the air between them for the longest time.
Eventually, the priestess blinked with newfound understanding;
Compared to this... compared to what both Sesshomaru and her now possessed between them... compared to everything they had been through until this moment and all that they managed to overcome and achieve...
What importance did her quest for revenge truly hold, anymore?
Should it even place at the top of her priority list, still?
Perhaps, she noted, it was truly time to distance herself from this ongoing corruption.
"My answer to you from before..." Kikyo finally breathed and nodded once, "...I shall give it more thought."