A/N: For the 'Tremor' theme on Dokuga's LJ comm - 300 words, no more no less. Originally posted on October 4, 2010.

This fic won third place in the AU/AR category over at Feudal Association! Thanks, guys!

A 'bear hug' is when an attacker throws his arms around a person. There are several types of bear hugs, but none of them are particularly dangerous for the person getting attacked, because the attacker has his hands busy with the hug. However, it is often the prelude to something far more dangerous like getting carried to another location or for yet another person to come up to hit the person attacked. So although not serious in and of itself, it is an attack to be defended.

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Bear Hug

"Quite the crowd tonight," Kagome observed, pulling her hair up and away from her neck as they found a spot in the packed room. "Nervous?"

Sesshoumaru scoffed. "This hardly compares to my smallest audience from my professional days," he replied.

"True enough." She glanced around - one of Naraku's thugs seemed to perch like a vulture at every column, corner and crevice. It could only mean that he was already here. He'd come early to see the fights before meeting his newest cash cow - Sesshoumaru.

The betting slips suddenly turned damp in her sweat-slicked hands. "Guess it's a good thing I bet on you!" she said, hastily tucking them into her pocket.

He bent to look at her fully in the face, sniffing delicately. "Why are you anxious?"

"I don't want you to meet Naraku," she said. It was a true enough statement. "Besides, it is a large crowd. For me, at least. I'm glad that I don't have to go up in front of all of these people. I have stage fright." Again, a truth - memories of presenting her projects and papers in front of a class of judging schoolmates had haunted her long past their prime. "I don't imagine you ever suffered through that."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "It is a moment of power," he murmured. "Everyone's attention is upon you, and if you are adept, you can wield that attention like a weapon. You may do what you wish. You may ask what you wish. You have lordship over them."

"And you are adept, as you put it," she said.

He turned his golden eyes to her. "Anyone can be so, if they possess the will," he said. "And a truly gifted individual can even make the audience feel powerful in turn."

Kagome smiled. "Yes, he can."

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A/N: Don't worry, guys. A one-shot is coming next. And soon. ;)