Disclaimer: Erm…maybe I should give up on my Sessy-be-real scroll… But hell, 'Katie should' and 'Katie does' are two very different concepts!

His Past, Her Present, Their Future

Chapter 7 - Urges

A week had passed in their journey, rather uneventful but for the collection of four jewel shards. Kagome was in awe of how quickly it was going this time around, without Naraku's interference and with the seemingly invincible youkai lord at her side. Today though…today had been a mess. Kagome whined softly as she picked more youkai guts from her hair, trying not to breathe too deeply. Her blouse was in tatters - though thankfully still covering - and there was a grass stain in the knee of her favorite jeans. All she wanted now was a bath. A long, hot, bath. Which, thankfully, Sesshoumaru was currently trying to provide her with.

When he finally returned from the treetops he didn't speak a word, just turned a pointed look to Jaken and wrapped his arm around her waist, shooting off into the sparse forest. The onslaught of vertigo was merciless, since she hadn't expected him to just grab her, and she clung to his neck. Her face was buried against his skin and one of her hands was tangled in his long, silver hair. He blinked back the thoughts running through his mind and raced towards the spring he had found.

Currently, the demon lord was experiencing one of the emotions he had told Kagome he had - guilt. When they had stopped for lunch, everything had been fine. The recent days had been improving from the dreary mess they had started in, and the entire mood of the little group seemed to be lifting slowly. There was a cheer to them that hadn't been there in days. Then, lunch. A rare apple tree was full of ripe fruits, and Kagome had picked several for herself and the children, settling on the ground for a relaxing rest. Sesshoumaru decided to leave them for a while, needing some time alone.

The more time spend with Kagome, the harder it was becoming to reign in his emotions and urges. This was not a good thing. It was an hourly occurrence now that he had to re-imprison his beast, as it screamed and raged at him. He was unwilling to submit to the urges that told him to take her, to make her his, that she already was. So, he took a walk, trying to clear his mind and develop a better restraining method for his primal impulse.

It was then he had heard her scream. He leapt into action immediately, darting through the dense forest with all the grace of his long years, only to discover her form lying across that of his ward's, shielding her, cringing in wait for the imminent blow. But it did not come. With a fluid motion Toukijin was out and long streaks of blue lighting poured from it, the demon exploding on its impact.

So, that led to Kagome being rather irritable and covered in demon matter, glaring at Sesshoumaru and muttering about how, if she didn't get a bath right away, she would be the next to explode. Without thinking, Sesshoumaru had immediately set out to find a hot spring. So, now here they were, flying through the afternoon sky while Kagome's face was pressed distractingly against his neck. He sighed in relief as the small spring came into view, settling his passenger on the ground.

"Make haste."

Kagome scowled and stared at him. "Well excuse me! I'm sorry, but after almost dying and then being covered in the flesh of a smelly demon, I think I am allowed a few moments of respite!"

Sesshoumaru winced inwardly, the feeling of guilt coming back strong. His eyes met hers, and the tightening of his jaw was all she needed to see to know what he was thinking. She softened and laid a hand on his arm, smiling weakly. "Thank you for saving me, Sesshou. Now, care to give me some privacy so I can undress and get this goop off me?"

His beast screamed but outwardly he remained collected. "I will not leave you again."

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "I need to bathe!"

"Then I will turn my back." Sesshoumaru turned, and knew this was a very bad idea as he heard her sigh at his back. The whisper of her strange clothing over skin reached his sensitive ears and he concentrated with all his might on a bush at his feet. It was a nice enough shrub. Healthy, green, and assuredly not a pleasant smelling, nude female.

Kagome moaned in delight as the water slipped over her bare skin; it was on the verge of being too hot, but she wasn't planning to stay in long. The stiffening of Sesshoumaru's back went unnoticed, as did his fists clenching into balls and drawing his own blood as she mewed in happiness as she massaged her now gut-free wet hair. In respect for her companion, knowing he was probably uncomfortable with the situation, she hurried through her bathing, finishing in half the time it would have normally taken her. The lack of her bathing supplies also sped the process, and with that thought she stepped out of the steaming water and looked around.

"Umm… Sesshoumaru?"

"What is it, miko?"

"Ahh… you grabbed me before I could get my clothes…"

If she could have seen his face, she may have noticed how all color drained from it and his eyes widened, but from behind, all his stiffening looked like to her was annoyance. He jerked out of his armor without his usual grace, dumping it unceremoniously onto the ground and yanking off his obi and outer haori in one fluid motion. He held it back to her with downcast eyes, but even with his head turned she could see the red tint.

She stepped back, uncertain as to why he was so angry with her. It wasn't like she had wanted to get that demon's insides splattered all over her. Her wariness was obvious in her scent, only driving Sesshoumaru madder. "Kagome, please, put on the haori. Now."

The miko bristled and stomped back to him, forgetting her nudity and snatched the garment, "You know what? I actually felt guilty for a minute that I had upset you, but now I don't care what I did to make you angry. I don't know why you decided now was a good time to turn into bastard Sesshoumaru, but I would like the one that is my friend back now, if you please!"

He began to walk into the shelter of the trees, desperate to avoid what his mind was screaming. She was still shouting, but he had blocked her out in favor of the blood rushing in his ears. He needed to calm down.

Meanwhile, Kagome simply threw up her arms and yanked the haori on, tying the obi in a crude bow before telling him she was ready. He didn't meet her eyes, though his own were once again their golden hue, as he reattached his armor and snaked his arm around her, vaulting back into the sky to return to Jaken and the children. He was dead silent as was she, though for different reasons. Sesshoumaru was mentally berating himself for his conduct, while Kagome just fumed to herself over his perceived arrogance.

It was going to be a long day.

The day seemed to drag on with no end, the tension between the youkai and miko thick enough to be tangible. The children were in a rare quiet spell, and Jaken had fewer annoying questions for his master than usual. It wasn't until evening set in that the aura of rigidity began to lessen, and by the time Kagome was set into making ramen for the small group, she was all smiles once more. She told the children another chunk of the fairytale she was dictating to them; the last few days it was Cinderella. Even Jaken sat to listen, his bulbous eyes glimmering as Kagome told the story.

Rin, of course, decided that her Lord Sesshoumaru was Prince Charming, and Cinderella was most defiantly pretty like her Kagome. Kagome blushed deeply at this, but trudged on. Once the pair had dozed, she kissed their heads and pet Shippou's tail idly for a moment. Even after all the events of the day she was not yet tired. So, she decided the best course of action would be to do what she always did to pass the time - talk.

"Sesshou?"

"What did this Sesshoumaru tell you about calling me that?"

"Sorry Sesshou… maru," she said with a grin, plopping down beside him and cocking her head. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

He sighed and locked onto her dark blue eyes. "What is the question?"

"What's with the moon?"

His head tilted ever-so-slightly to the side. "What do you speak of?"

She reached out a hand to him and he refrained from leaning into her as she ran her fingertips across his forehead. "Your crescent moon, I've always wondered why you have it."

"It is the make that indicates me as heir to the Western Lands."

Her brow furrowed as she thought about it, not aware that her hand was still tracing her companion's marking. "Wait, the heir? I thought you were the Lord?"

"That I am. But until such a time as I have a son, this mark remains."

"Wouldn't it make more sense for the lord to be the marked one?"

Sesshoumaru sniffed, "Any being in his right mind would know a Ruler of a Cardinal Point, but for an heir it can be harder. This makes youkai aware whom they are facing and the consequences of any unfriendly actions. Usually before an heir actually becomes lord they would have a mate and heir already."

"Then why don't you?" she asked, then clapped a hand over her mouth and met his eyes sheepishly.

"That, Kagome, is for another night," he said softly, such a change from his usual tone.

She blushed at the implications his simple phrase turned up in her mind, and the crimson turned even darker when she realized how enjoyable said thoughts were. She coughed to cover her discomfort and looked to the children, trying to hide her burning face.

Sesshoumaru smiled to himself as she tried to hide her embarrassment; he knew that she knew he could smell and feel it, but she still always tried to hide. His smile only widened as she squirmed and an all too familiar scent hit him. But after the battle earlier in the day with his instinct, he was tightly in control.

He just reminded himself that his day would come. Maybe it would be another month, or two or six, but he would get what he wanted. Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands, son of the Inu no Taisho, always got what he wanted.