prompt: a kiss on the jawline.
Inuyasha knew.
Or at least, Kagome was almost completely sure he must. There was only so much vicious scrubbing she could do and trying to wash Sesshoumaru's spicy, masculine scent with a hint of magnolia off her proved difficult. It was like his smell would infuse into the fibres of her hair and she'd catch herself ducking her nose into the dark strands and inhaling softly just to catch a whiff of him.
The Hanyou hadn't confronted her about it, but their communication had been somewhat strained lately.
Ever since he'd gained an interest in a farmer's daughter.
Now, Kagome knew and accepted that her relationship with Inuyasha had only lasted for a month. Their breakup had been amicable, necessary- if they were going to continue being friends. But that didn't help the niggling feeling inside her mind that he'd moved on from their romance a little too quickly. After all, he'd been glimpsed kissing this new woman not one week after they'd broken up. Miroku had mentioned seeing them sneaking off to a hut together, before he'd been hushed by Sango.
I should be happy for him.
Kagome was, in a way. Her friend deserved happiness after all the tragedy in his life. But in the same breath, the idea awakened something she'd prefer to leave buried; inferiority- and the ugly, intrusive thought that perhaps the Hanyou had just been biding his time for a month. Had he actually been longing for the young woman for three years but denied himself out of loyalty to the miko?
She hadn't known what to do with such complicated feelings. Turbulent thoughts had churned chaotic and loud within her head for many months. Somewhere in that stretch of time, she'd dated a guy named Asahi from her era as a kind of rebound. Needless to say, it hadn't worked out.
And then I ran into Sesshoumaru.
Kagome shook away the memory of heavy rainfall, forcing a smile while passing the Hanyou. He paused in fixing a farmer's fence, nose twitching and lip curling faintly.
She paused, clutching her firewood a little tighter. "Something wrong, Inuyasha?" she asked, eyes remaining on his as though daring him to call her out on any disreputable behaviour.
White ears flicked, pressing back against his skull. "Feh- no," came his answering grumble.
Kagome opened her mouth, before thinking better of it and continuing to walk along the path that led further into the village.
"He'll hurt you."
Her heel skidded across dry earth, halting. "Excuse me?"
Inuyasha had turned back to his task, fiddling with some rope around wooden fences. "He's gonna break your heart- and then I'll damn kill him for it. You're being stupid getting mixed up with him."
Blue eyes sparked and narrowed. "I didn't ask for your opinion," she bit out. "And that won't happen- my heart isn't on the table."
"Ah please, Kagome!" he barked, whirling to glare at her. "You got attached to every damn stray we came across while journeying to defeat Naraku. You're gonna catch feelings!" a clawed finger pointed accusingly in her direction.
"I am not going to catch feelings!" she insisted, pitch rising higher with every word. Anger pumped hard and fast through her veins, but Kagome took a steadying breath, remembering her calming exercises. "We're both adults. This is just an...arrangement. I'd appreciate it if you didn't spread it around the village that we're a...thing."
"Why, because Sesshoumaru would be ashamed to be caught with you?"
Kagome stopped, feeling as though she'd been slapped. It might've hurt less if she had been. Inuyasha's face drained of colour, clearly registering his mistake and regretting it instantly.
"Kagome, I didn't mean-"
"I'm done talking to you," turning on her heel, the priestess squeezed her hands into fists against the firewood- soon dumping it by the path and hurrying back the way she'd come towards the forest.
She knew he hadn't meant it that way. He'd likely been intending to say 'Sesshoumaru wouldn't be caught dead with a human,' but as usual, the Hanyou's impulse control had seized his tongue, causing him to blurt out the first thing that came to mind.
Fighting tears that stung her lashes, Kagome was half-way back to their rendezvous point between the two twisting willow trees when she realised how pathetic it would be to return to him a few minutes after she'd left. This was Sesshoumaru, what did she expect him to do? Comfort her? She'd resolved never to cry in front of him. Besides, Inuyasha hadn't said anything revolutionary, there was no need to get upset.
Pressing clammy palms to her face and ducking down to her knees, Kagome squeezed watery blue eyes shut.
Casual, casual, casual. Idiot. What am I doing? I thought I was past all this drama from when I was 15. Just- just go cry alone somewhere if you have to, don't bother him with it-
Warm, firm fingers wrapped around her wrists, tugging them away. The scent of spice and smokey magnolia filled her senses. Kagome's breath hitched and her head shot up.
The blurry image of wobbly magenta lines and misshapen gold circles registered first, before tears rolled free, vision clearing enough to reveal Sesshoumaru in all his splendour.
His jaw clenched, firm fingers moving to hook beneath her chin, tilting it so that he could regard her crying face more closely.
"What ails you?" a quiet, tense rumble tinged his words. Dark youki crackled over his body, subdued, but laying in wait like a deadly viper.
Kagome shook her head, not trusting her voice. She stifled a sob, swallowing thickly and trembling.
Golden eyes roved over her face with confusion. Giving a dusty exhale, Sesshoumaru bent his head, ghosting gentle lips over her jawline in soft butterfly kisses. A low noise escaped his chest, crooning softly as he kissed her firmer, gathering the miko closer. "Foolish miko."
Shaking fingers curled into lavish silks, gripping tight as she leaned into his familiar warmth, muffling the full extent of her hurt into his shoulder. She'd always tried to be strong in front of him, full of bravado. She'd tease and be sexy, tenacious, fun, amiable. But there was also this side to her.
Strong hands soothed her as they slid over her waist, and Kagome lost herself within the demon's embrace all over again.