A/N I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. I just had a fun idea and I am running with it.
Kagome woke up against warm skin that was soft on top, but had a defined layer of muscle rippling beneath the surface. She also realized that she had apparently drooled on said skin while sleeping. As she lifted her head her vision was met with soft gold and she melted a little. He had held her the entire time she slept. Apparently, he had gotten a little warm and removed his shirt, but he had held her again afterwards. It seemed like such a long time since she had been held and she almost wanted to cry.
Unfortunately, his enhanced senses picked up on it, and a look of concern overtook his face.
"Hey, come here. I've got you. I don't know what you were thinking about, but you're safe. I promised I'd protect you."
His arms wrapped tightly around her, and she knew in that instant that she was more safe than she had been for the last two millennia. She felt herself sigh against his chest and she realized her arms were wrapped around him too. She hadn't let anyone get close to her since her mother died. She never let others touch her. It was part of keeping herself safe. But somehow he had managed to knock down all of her walls she had spent over 2000 years building, in a matter of days. Why did she trust him so implicitly? And by the Gods, was she going to suffer for it? She really didn't think she could handle it.
His hot breath against her neck sent shivers down her spine and she felt her thighs clench in response. She didn't feel like she had much control when a soft moan escaped her lips. Then she felt a soft rumble and she could barely control the need it seemed to awaken in her. She needed to get herself back under control. And quickly, before she did something she might regret.
Inuyasha was lying in bed and dragging his fingers across her back. He loved the feel of her against him, and his demon was purring in his head. So content to have his mate with him. Then she began to stir, gently raising her head, and wiping the drool from her chin and from his chest. He just smiled and let her go. He couldn't care less that she had drooled on him in her sleep. Then he could smell her emotions change, not quite a deep sadness, but a sadness all the same, and then tears.
"Hey, come here. I've got you. I don't know what you were thinking about, but you're safe. I promised I'd protect you."
He wrapped his arms around her again, and her arms went around him in response. He placed his head against hers and his nose was on her neck, right behind her ear. She smelled so good, and he took a deep sniff and let it out slowly. Then he felt her shiver. He was trying not to growl, but her scent took on such a deep smell of arousal. Then she moaned. He pulled back the growl to a low rumble, but he couldn't stop it completely. She smelled so fucking good. He felt his groin tighten in response. He wanted her so badly. He had to behave. She had been assaulted less than 24 hours previously. She didn't need him thinking with his dick!
He took a deep breath but when he released it slowly, he must have breathed it into her ear because she let out a tiny whimper and then rocked against him. FUCK! She was teasing him. Holy hell. What was he going to do? His demon was back and no longer purring, but growling loudly. Then she rocked again. He couldn't think. He needed her. He needed her badly.
She could barely hold back. He was so sexy and sweet. His arms were caressing her back and she needed them somewhere else. She needed him to touch her. She dragged her hands down his back and then around his sides. Then up and down his abs. His muscles were perfect. She couldn't help but trace the lines of his pecs and then gently rubbed her thumb across one of his nipples. His rumble got louder and deeper. She could feel her panties getting wet in response. She was going to have a hard time telling herself no.
Then his hand snaked around and molded itself to her breast. She moaned loudly. And his lips latched onto her neck. His kisses were soft, and his tongue and teeth were gently dragging across her skin. It was too good. How could she stop? Everything about him felt perfect. She hadn't been this attracted to someone in centuries, if ever. She wanted him to touch her everywhere.
He was so lost in the feel of her. Her body pressing against his, it was enough to leave him breathless. All of his senses were on this beautiful creature in his lap. A soft knock on the door stopped everything. She pulled away as if she had been burned. And it broke his heart.
The knock on the door sounded again and Yash stood up and went to answer it. A slightly snarled, "what?" came out before he could stop it.
Sesshomaru paid it no mind and strode in purposefully. He stepped closer to the woman huddled in the corner of the couch and stopped short with a piece of paper in his hand.
"It seems we were correct to be concerned. Your apartment has been broken into. And luckily for us, I have better sentries than they do. We have a picture of the culprit. We're running her image through the databases but so far no one knows her. She's a demon but we're still guessing that she is a pawn. It seems unlikely after hiring one mercenary that the perpetrator would just come out so easily."
He turned from her smoothly, "Inuyasha, do you recognize this woman or the scent?"
He handed over a photo and an article of clothing. The main scent on it was Kagome's, so it must've been hers, but there was another scent on it as well. He tried to place it and it did smell slightly familiar, but he couldn't place it. It was different somehow. The picture had a woman dressed in a kimono that he didn't recognize.
"I don't recognize the scent. It seems a bit familiar, but it's not the same and I can't place it. Nor do I remember seeing the woman in the picture, but Kagome might."
As the last line was uttered he heard a slight gasp and realized what he had said. Fuck, he was an asshole. He had just given away her secret. Again. He needed to stop doing that. First, he outed her as a gorgon to his brother, which was a dick move but still necessary, and now he just told him that she could see. It seemed that all of her attempts at protection were just nonexistent with him.
"Do you mean to tell this one, that she is able to see? This one recalls she had blinded herself to protect the innocent. Was she somehow able to remove that part of her curse and still maintain vision?"
He heard her let out a long, drawn-out sigh behind him. Her voice was soft and defeated. "No, I am still, actually, blind."
She reached up and removed the ring around her snake's neck, and her onyx waves vanished, suddenly replaced by the black scales that shimmered with a blue sheen. They nuzzled her hand lovingly, and she rubbed them affectionately.
"I discovered a long time ago that I could harness their sight. It's hard to focus usually, since you are looking through so many eyes, but I can see. Though not like everyone else can. I can take a look at the photo though, I can also see if my snakes might recognize the scent, but I have never tried to do that before."
She placed her hand out for the items and waited patiently. He watched his brother sneer for a second, irritated that he had not been given all the information when he felt it would have helped him, but Yash just felt like an ass. He didn't deserve her. She was going through something terrible, and he just kept hurting and betraying her. She had never told anyone her secrets in 2000 years and now she told him and he's already blown both of them in less than a day. She took the items and split them one in each hand. She lifted the piece of cloth towards her head and let several of the snakes stick their tongues out and taste it. A few seemed bothered by the situation but most of them just took it in stride, as she kept the picture in her left hand, studying it carefully.
"I don't know her, but the scent is somewhat familiar, but it's not the same. It has a different quality to it. I can't explain more than that. It's not quite a conversation, more like a feeling. They can recognize it to a point, like it might be related to someone who has a similar scent, but not this person. Sorry, I couldn't be more helpful."
She hunkered down deeper on the couch, but this time she kept the ring off and continued to pet and rub her snakes. They all seemed to wait patiently for their turn for attention. They were a part of her, but not quite. They weren't pets either, though. Yash had no idea how to describe the relationship she had with them. They loved her rubs, though that part was clear. They enjoyed getting her attention and not being trapped in a disguise. He wondered what it felt like to them. He knew his ears were hidden in his disguise, but this was like hiding an entire being. Did they resent her for having to hide them? Did they have those kinds of emotions? He would have to ponder this some more, maybe after things were safe and his mind was free to ponder.
Her voice cut through the silence, "Was anything taken, do you know? I know I can't go back there, but I'd rather not lose everything I have, if I can help it."
Sesshomaru stayed absolutely still for a moment, "She did not take anything that we saw, and we were watching. If you would like I can hire movers to bring your things to a storage facility, and you can retrieve it at a later date. I would not want her to find you so you cannot go back there at this time. I can however get you to a safe location where you can wait until we get this all figured out."
Kagome just nodded, never raising her eyes from the floor. Of course, she probably didn't want anyone to stare at the scars that marred her beautiful face. She had to hurt herself so terribly in order to remove that part of the curse. How she had the strength to stab out her own eyes over and over, he'd never know. But she was definitely the strongest person he could ever remember meeting.
"Thank you, Sir. I appreciate all of your help. I know you have no reason to do so. If I can repay you, in any way, just let me know. It seems you have amassed great wealth so I doubt money is in order, but I suppose with my unique skills I can find some way to make it up to you, can't I?" She laughed but Yash could tell it was watery and fake. It broke his heart to hear her sound so defeated again.
"If this one has need of your assistance you will be informed, however, as for right now, you are in this one's territory and we can not allow things to happen out of this one's say so. The one's acting out of turn must be punished before they do something that will hurt others. You are not indebted to this one, yet. I will see to it that a meal will be sent up. Do you have any specific requests or requirements for your meals?"
She smiled a small but genuine smile, "Thank you, sir. No, I think I would be fine with anything."
A small nod to her and he began to turn away. Then he made eye contact with Yash and jerked his head towards the door. Yash followed him into the hall.
"Is there some reason you didn't tell me she could actually see? Was it a part of her blending in?"
Yash felt his shoulders droop. How could he actually answer that? "I was trying not to give all of her secrets away, but I fucked that up obviously. It was her secret to tell. I already blabbed to you about her being inhuman. It didn't seem fair to tell you that one too, and I didn't think it was pertinent. I think it takes up too much of her energy to see through their eyes and so she doesn't do it all the time. It's more of a reflex when she needs to, but I really don't know. If I find out anything I will let you know, but I really don't want to betray her confidence, or blow every secret she tells me. Although, to be fair, she's told me two and I've already blown them both. She's not likely to trust me again. I'm such a shit."
Sesshomaru was staring at him as he ranted, then delivered a soft, "hn." in response.
"Inuyasha, does she know any of your secrets? Perhaps if you would like to maintain her trust, you should start by trusting her. I know you do not often speak of things like that, but if this woman is to be your mate, she deserves to know all of the details of your 550 years. That way she will know you trust her with your secrets. You have taken all the power so far and left her very vulnerable. SHe was already in a vulnerable position. Perhaps you need to give her some of the power back, so to speak."'
Yash felt his jaw drop open, "Sesh, holy shit! That was brilliant! Yes! Of course, that's what I have to do. I have no idea how to start, but that's what I have to do. Thank you. Can I just say, Rin has softened you up a lot in the last few centuries. I owe her a thank you. I doubt we would be friends if it wasn't for her, ya know? I'm glad you found her. She's been good for you. Thank you for helping me to try to get that. I know that's why you're helping her. But it means a lot to me. So, thanks."
Sesshomaru rarely smiled. But the slight twist of his lips was enough to make Yash break into a grin.
"Inuyasha, I know that in the past I have been unkind towards you. I regret that I acted in such a manner. I also know that when Rin and I have children, they will be hanyou. I would like them to know they too will have a place in this world. If to start seeing that change I need to work towards it, then so be it."
He turned and walked away, leaving Inuyasha floored. His brother never spoke so openly about these things. He didn't even know how to respond to that kind of sentiment from his normally stoic and reserved brother. He turned silently and reentered the room where Kagome was waiting for him. She still sat huddled on the corner of the couch, trying to make herself small and petting her snakes. As he entered the one looked up at him and seemed to glare angrily. Maybe they could understand more than he realized, and he had just betrayed their mistress. How in the hell was he going to fix this?
She couldn't believe Yash had just blurted that out. Wasn't it enough that she had trusted him with her secret? Did he really have to tell his brother too? Maybe she was wrong to trust in him. Maybe she was just lonely and scared. She allowed his desires for her and his attractiveness to color her perspective. She refused to put her spell back on. It wasn't what she wanted.
She knew she was a monster. Perhaps if she could remind him of that, he would keep his damn hands off her and stop trying to make her feel so good. He couldn't protect her anymore than he could keep her secrets. She was going to have to leave. He had made that absolutely clear. The one person she wanted to trust had broken that trust twice in less than a day. Sure, it was a mistake this time, but she knew he didn't go blabbing about his disguise to everyone he knew. But maybe it was because it was his brother. Maybe they had no secrets, and so it was just natural to tell him everything. But it wasn't his secret to tell. He had already called and told his brother about the monster he'd saved on the subway and sure it had been a good decision at the time, but didn't she have a right to make some of the decisions about her secrets and who knew them?