I do not own Inuyasha.
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'I killed someone!' That was the first coherent thought that ran through Melissa's mind. True, he had not been dead yet when she'd seen him. But he was dying, and it was because of her. He might have survived Sesshomaru taking his arm, but she had stabbed him in the chest and he was coughing up blood.
She had not seen Sesshomaru end his life. Nor did it fully register that he now carried her. Her thoughts were confused and chaotic.
'Murder is against the 10 commandments, against the Wiccan Rede. Self defense isn't murder. Sesshomaru stopped him, I didn't have to kill him. I didn't know he could move that fast. I killed a man.'
She leaned her head against Sesshomaru's pelt and clutched his chest plate as her mind whirled. Then it suddenly dawned on her she was in his arms, covering his chest in the vomit all over her. She looked up at him, his face was the same, stoic and calm. He didn't seem to mind the blood or puke.
She should demand to be put down, but how could she communicate that? Would he even comply? She knew she couldn't walk yet, she was trembling to violently to hope her legs would hold her. That was why he was carrying her in the first place.
Then the thought returned 'I killed a man. It wasn't murder. Wasn't it though? NO, it wasn't...'
Sesshomaru set her down in the cool grass of the river bank and gently pulled her hands from his armor. He stroked the top of her head for a moment then ordered Jaken to build a fire. He removed his armor for Jaken to clean later then rinsed the blood from his arms, sleeves, and rinsed the woman's vomit from his mokomoko.
"M'lord, is Merissa injured?" Jaken asked, watching the silent woman huddled on the bank.
"I believe she is in shock. We will go no further today, make sure you gather wood to last through the night."
Then Sesshomaru took to the air so that the wind might dry his clothing. He didn't go far, rather flew in a few circles so that he could keep an eye on his pack. Jaken was capable of protecting her, but he still wanted to be close.
When he landed Merissa was still where he'd left her. Jaken was trying to coax her into looking for vegetables, his concern obvious. Eventually he left on his own and returned with vegetables but she didn't eat once he placed the stick he'd cooked them on in her hands. The little kappa gave up and set them to the side in case she was hungry later.
A couple hours past midday he was again trying to comfort her when the woman finally moved. He was stroking her head while Jaken tended to his armor when she looked up, her eyes impossibly wide. She spoke a few words and her voice trembled.
Though he didn't understand her words he had a fair idea what she'd said. "Yes, you stabbed a man. You acted in self defense, he was attempting to kill you. Put it from your mind an be at peace."
Then she stood and walked away from him. She walked straight in to the river fully clothed and began wiping the vomit and blood from her skin and her kimono. Honestly he should have seen that coming, he knew how she felt about dirt and filth.
Jaken was on his feet ranting at her to get out of the cold water before she fell sick. When she ignored him he added more wood to the fire and went to gather more. When she came back to the bank Sesshomaru didn't give her a choice where to sit, he took her arm and led her forcibly to the fire side to stay warm.
Before long he realized she was still shivering. Though the sun was out it was getting low and the air was cooling. Her wet clothing was pulling heat from her faster than the fire could give it. The last thing he needed was for her to fall ill.
"Merissa, undress." He had already seen her naked after all. She didn't understand that word, she'd never heard it before. He couldn't remember if he'd ever said it before. Certainly he'd never said it to a woman. But her wet clothes had to come off.
He motioned for her to stand. When she did he moved her arms from her sides. Then with a speed only he possessed he reached around her and pulled lose her obi and slid the clothing down her arms and whipped it all away from her.
She yelled in protest and grabbed at her clothing. He held up a hand to stop her. Before either of them realized what had happened his hand was cupping one of her breasts. For a split moment surprise was evident on his face and he quickly pulled his hand away. Almost as quickly she brought one hand across her breasts and the other across his face.
'The woman struck me.' He was unsure what to do. He'd killed for much less, but he couldn't harm Melissa, could he? She should have been punished for striking one of his standing, but she was only protecting her body. He had touched her accidentally, but she had reacted instinctively.
He threw her kimono at Jaken who was staring slack jawed. "Make sure these are clean then spread them in the grass to dry. And you..." He poked her in the chest harder than he meant to and she started to fall. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against him to keep her from falling into the fire.
"Stay near the fire." He growled. He released her and turned to stalk away. He turned at the tree line. She was sitting with her back to him. She struck him out of instinct, but she trusted him enough to turn her back to him. Even when he was angry.
How were the images on her body still so clear? Was the skin permanently stained? How had that been done? There was a figure of a winged woman holding what appeared to be a swaddled child on her back. Around that image were flowers, butterflies, and symbols he didn't know. Those images must have taken forever.
He continued into the forest. He had touched her breast. He always imagined the first time he touched a woman in such a way would be under slightly different circumstances. The first breast he'd touched was by accident, and a human's breast at that.
It wasn't that he'd never had the opportunity. Many youkai females had presented themselves to him with a willingness that repulsed him. Offering too freely what a man ought to earn. Interested less in him and more in his status. There was no honor or dignity, only greed and ambition in those women. He chose to keep himself for one who was worthy.
In all the centuries he'd live he'd only found one he would have found worthy. Kagura had no desire for power, only freedom. She'd been clever, shrewd, and beautiful. And though she was forced to do evil against her will she'd had a good heart, she'd risked her life to protect Kohaku.
Kagura's breasts had been bigger. Not that there was anything wrong with Melissa's, they were perfect for her frame. She appeared to be in her early 20's, but her body showed no signs of ever having bore a child. Her stomach was flat and tight and she had no stretch marks. And her breasts were still perky and firm.
He shook his head, he had no right to think about her breasts. Or to compare her to Kagura. He had no right to think about Kagura's breasts either. But they had been exposed to him once when he'd saved her from a river. And he was a man after all. Proof of that was evident in the way his nether regions were responding to all these thoughts about breasts...
He didn't go to far. Instead he walked in wide circles around the camp until he'd gotten his mind back under control. His body had been a little more stubborn, he'd had no choice but to take matters into his own hands there, literally.
It was night and his little pack was already asleep. The woman was still nude and shivered though she slept close to the fire. He went a felt her kimono, it was still damp. He went back to look at her.
She was curled into a tight ball. It was a cold night, unseasonably cold. And until they reached his brother's village she was under his protection, his responsibility. As little as he liked to do it he pulled the mokomoko from his shoulder and laid it over the woman. She sighed and cuddled into the warmth.
It took the woman a couple of days to get back to normal. It also took a couple of days for her scent to fade from his mokomoko. He looked over his shoulder at his companions. Melissa was in good spirits but appeared tired. She'd been having night mares since the attack.
"Jaken, we will make camp here for tonight."
"We are close to the village M'lord." Jaken informed him. He glared and Jaken ran to do his bidding. Yes, they were close. He could smell his brother's scent from where the hanyou patrolled the woods earlier that day. He wanted Melissa to be well rested before they arrived. He was sure tomorrow would be a taxing day for all.