SUMMARY: Middle of the night conversations and antics...
It was the little things. Small touches. Brief looks. A text. The smile he fought to hold in or the laugh that took her by surprise before warming her heart.
It was the shared bathroom counter and the empty bottle of primer—hers—that he stole out of necessity. Or maybe it was the frenzied morning dash to the kitchen, the hair-raising wait for coffee to gurgle before the first morning growls better than any source of caffeine for keeping her awake.
All these things—these precious, little things—were hers to cherish, and there wasn't one she'd give up.
Especially not this one.
Shortly after midnight, Kagome woke, bleary and disoriented. The fan spun overhead, its hum a familiar comfort in the dark. But there was something missing—something not right. And as she turned over onto her side, she realized what that was.
They weren't touching.
A tiny frown tensed her sleep-relaxed face, and Kagome blinked at the hazy image of her mate beside her. He was too far away, the gap of space between them colder and emptier than she was used to, and the lack of contact had pulled her from out of a deep sleep.
"Why are you over there?" she mumbled, snaking out a foot. Wiggling a bit, her skin slipped over cooled sheets—lonely, searching. She shivered as her foot crossed that empty space, seeking the warm skin it was missing.
Her toe glanced off his calf, and she sighed. There.
She didn't like waking without his skin against hers. Every night, one way or another, they touched and managed to stay connected. It had been their norm for centuries, and she wasn't about to let that change.
Without another thought, she tucked her toes under his leg and settled again to sleep.
Or so she thought.
The mattress suddenly creaked and shifted, and Kagome opened her eyes just in time to see Sesshoumaru turn and reach out, and a second later she was wrapped in his arms.
"You move excessively in your sleep," he murmured, voice thick with fatigue.
Kagome gave a pleased little hum when his lips pressed to the top of her head and burrowed closer, tucking her face into his chest. "It's not like I try to."
"Unconscious avoidance is not ideal, Miko." A leg slid over hers, effectively locking them together, and he tightened his hold. "Not ever."
"You can't blame me for what I do in my sleep." She slipped her leg further through his and curled her arms around his back. "That's not fair."
"And yet I remember being held accountable for what I have done in your dreams."
"That's different." Pinching him lightly, she smiled. "Dream you is a whore."
A deep chuckled rumbled against her cheek, and Sesshoumaru looked down tipping her chin. "It was one dream."
She snorted. "One was enough."
"Hn." He bent and pressed a light kiss to her lips. "Am I still not forgiven?"
"Not until you divorce that bitch."
He laughed out loud then, rolling to his back and dragging her with him. "That would require you fall back to sleep."
"Bah." Laying her head over his heart, she took his hand in hers. "I'm awake now. You'll just have to survive the doghouse."
"Trite, Miko."
"But apt." Her head popped up then, and they smiled at each other, hers softening a moment later. "How did I get so lucky?"
"Kismet, kairos." Sesshoumaru tucked an arm behind his head, humming thoughtfully as she traced the tattoo banded around his bicep. "An inevitable collision of both."
"You sound very sure."
"Perhaps I am."
And then for a moment, they didn't talk. The fan still ran, its whirr the only constant in the background as little creaks and settling sounds whispered in the dark. But they just stared at each other, and Kagome began to wonder if it all really was as simple as that.
Meant to be.
"You know," she finally said, breaking the silence, "it doesn't matter." With a shake of her head, she leaned up and rubbed her nose lightly against his before kissing his mouth. "I wouldn't change it."
His look turned tender.
"Even your dream whoring."
With a cheeky grin, she whirled away, diving under the blankets as he huffed and made a grab at her.
"You cannot escape, Miko."
Kagome, in the middle of inchworming her way to her side of the bed, felt his hand grasp her ankle, and she laugh-screamed as she tried to kick free.
It was useless.
"Surrender." Sesshoumaru ripped the blanket off and pinned her down, a self-satisfied smirk on his face as his chest slammed her back. "You cannot win."
She kicked again, laughing harder when he growled and playfully placed his teeth on her shoulder. "No. No biting!"
A muffled laugh echoed in her ear, and he increased his teeth's pressure a bit more just as youki rose, effervescing around them.
Along with his hair.
Kagome gasped, tears of hilarity streaming down her cheeks, and watched the claws on the hands pinning her down lengthen. "Don't you dare!"
More dark laughter.
"Sesshoumaru!"
He nipped her ear then, she shrieked in half-hearted outrage as he flipped her to her back and re-pinned her.
His eyes were red.
"Oh, for…" Kagome gave one last useless struggle before blowing her bangs out of her face. "Your sense of humor is awful."
Sesshoumaru didn't say anything. Simply lowered himself to his elbows over her and licked her cheek.
Kagome blew in his face. "Don't even think about it."
He growled. "And why not, Miko?"
"Because this you has more energy than dream you." When he arched a brow as if to say so what, she rolled her eyes. "It's three in the morning!
"And?"
She glared. "And it will be six before we go back to sleep."
"Incorrect."
"Oh really? What makes you say—"
"It will be seven."
Her look darkened, and she tried again to escape—and failed. "You're impossible!"
"Perhaps." His voice took on a gravelly edge, and he lowered his lips to her ear, eyes still glowing as he kissed her there and deepened his tone. "But impossible will order in breakfast."
Fangs grazed over her neck and shoulder then, hot, open-mouth kisses trailing in their wake, and Kagome closed her eyes, feeling her resolve crumble and her belly tighten. "A really big breakfast?"
Sesshoumaru chuckled and trapped her arms over her head, breathing her in as she squirmed. "You do not care about breakfast." His tongue dragged along her neck, and she moaned. "But whatever you want."
"I want breakfast, a shared bath with the smell-good stuff, and a four-hour nap. Together."
"Such simple requests, Miko." Hauling her up, Sesshoumaru settled her in his lap and began working the buttons on her top. "Can you not do better?"
Claws grazed her skin, and Kagome's breath caught. It had been a while since he'd had a day off, and she realized he was letting her plan how they spent their time together. "Dinner at Chez Henri."
He peeled her top off her shoulders and tossed it aside. "I will make the reservation before our bath."
"Dessert at Amelie's."
"It will be done."
He sliced her pajama bottoms and panties clear off, and she looked daggers at him. "A trip to Victoria's Secret before we come home."
Smirking, Sesshoumaru dropped the shredded garments to the floor. "Deal."
"You better hope there's a sale. I'm buying extra because you rip everything to shreds."
"Buy whatever you want."
His lips sealed to hers then, and a small sound caught in her throat as he lay her back, stripping his own clothing off before dragging the comforter over them.
Kagome groaned. "You know, I would have fucked you without you spoiling me."
"Hn." Sesshoumaru pushed back, his hair curtaining them, and smirked down at her. "This One would have spoiled you without fucking you."
She laughed, tugging a strand of silver. "Looks like we both win."
"That appears to be the case." He leaned down to kiss her again, but she pressed a hand to his mouth, and his crimson gaze narrowed. "Yes?"
Biting her lip, Kagome reached up, brushing his cheek. "I love you."
Red eyes softened. I love you, Miko, he mouthed.
"Mmm." Another touch to his cheek and she unleashed a grin. "Okay. You can fuck me now."
"Finally."
A/N: Happy weekend, Everyone!
