Heehee, well, I was just editing this monstrosity and guess what - big lemon came up from behind and juiced me right in the face!! Damn that tasty lemon!! Anyhoo, be prepared - this is what all our time spent reading some chick's deluded way of letting out her frustrations has led to... the good part! Enjoy now, or I will be unpleasantly unhappy, ya hear??

Deds:

Nimeway - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhackhackcoughhack (evil cackle goes downhill) He is sooo jealous he can't see straight, that drunk bastard!! Lol, j/k, he's not drunk - officially. Not on rage-ahol anyway. Thanks for the wonderful compliment, you're precious!!

DemonDog113 - Yes, I planned it that way, just to keep you pasted to the screen, hahahahahahahahahahack. Thanks!

Jennie (aka Kitsune's Lover) - Heehee, I have to make him suffer, it can't all be donuts and sprinkles and rainbows for Sessh-pants!! He has to learn, grow, and, well... learn!! But there's a treat in there too. WHO'S BEEN A GOOD DOGGIE?? Oh, and fyi, this story's finished. I'm just posting it in increments to make everyone else suffer too, HAHAHAHAHACKHACK!!

Mystical Hanyou - Sigh, unfortunately Sessh-pants won't be ripping off any wolf heads, but he will be ahem "engaged" in other strenuous activities... involving... rivers... and the rocks that line them... ahem Hope this is just as good reading as it was the other day, heeheeheeheehee I'm evil laughing too much. Makeup!! I need my Jim Henson ensemble!! Where the hell did that little bitch get to, I swear I'm gonna...

Question Existing

The fire crackled pleasantly as Kagome and Raidon sat before it, waiting for their meat to cook. Kagome was telling him about the time she and Sango had caught Inuyasha and Miroku spying on them at the hot springs, for like, the hundredth time, and he was laughing.

"Honestly, it's like they think they have to spy on us. It's pathetic."

He grinned. "There's nothing wrong with trying to catch a peek or two, Kagome. Couldn't you just have been nice?"

She guffawed, then laughed. "I never thought of it that way. I just don't understand why they can't give us our privacy. We don't spy on them." More quietly, she admitted, "Much."

He pointed at her and exclaimed, "Ah HA! So you admit to doing the same thing?"

She blushed. "Maybe... Sango and I just don't get caught."

"Still, you freely admit you spy on them, right?"

She chewed her lip, hesitating. "I guess so."

"Well, then you can hardly fault them for doing the same thing! That would be like the pot calling the kettle black."

She crossed her arms, unable to keep the smile off her face. "So? I don't care if they spy. I just don't want to know about it!"

"Oh, I see. You'd rather remain ignorant, then?"

She tried to kill her smile, but failed miserably. "Yes! I prefer to be blessedly ignorant! Then I wouldn't be embarrassed."

"Ignorance is unbecoming of a lady, Kagome."

The new voice made Kagome look up, and caused Raidon, upon seeing Sesshoumaru, to bow immediately. "My Lord."

Kagome glanced at Raidon, momentarily confused by his behaviour, before smiling brightly and calling, "Sesshoumaru! I thought you'd never come back. Where did you get to?"

He was prepared for this question. However, as Lord of the land, he was above answering it, especially in the presence of an underling. Instead, he ignored it. "Did you find your meal in order?"

She raised a brow at him, for refusing to answer her, but let it slide. "Yes, thank you. Sesshoumaru, do you know Raidon, of the Southern Wolf Tribe?" Raidon was still bowing, having had no instruction to cease. He remained that way until Sesshoumaru acknowledged him.

"Yes, I believe Raidon and I have met once or twice." In fact, he had met Raidon twice, and both encounters had been bad for the wolf, but only because he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sesshoumaru recognised him almost instantly.

Raidon sat up, nodding deferentially to Sesshoumaru, who seated himself gracefully across from them, the fire crackling happily in between.

An awkward silence fell. Kagome determinedly picked up the conversation. "Raidon and I were just talking about spying while we waited for the venison to cook. Would you like some?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head once.

"Fine. I think it's done." Removing the meat from the spit, she laid it on a fresh piece of bark and cut it in half with her knife, and offered the other half to Raidon, who took it gently.

Soon the only sound was the chewing and swallowing of meat, and Sesshoumaru's ominous silence. Raidon, to Kagome, seemed almost uncomfortable, and, when he finished his meal, bowed once again and excused himself.

Before he went, however, he took up Kagome's hand, much at his own risk, for only he could hear the low growls of Sesshoumaru as he did so, and said, "It was a pleasure making your acquaintance, Kagome. Hopefully we will meet again someday, under more favourable circumstances."

She smiled, and replied, "Yes, hopefully. Good night, Raidon."

"Goodnight, Kagome. My Lord." He disappeared into the darkness.

Sesshoumaru visibly relaxed after that. Kagome would sneak glances at him every now and then, before finally working up the nerve to ask, "What was that all about?"

He looked at her dully for a moment, before looking away again and replying, "That was a wolf who recognised a superior demon when he met him."

She raised a brow. "Are you always so formal, or rather, uptight?"

He brought his eyes back to her once more, and bore them into her like a laser. "I am not uptight. I am disciplined."

Kagome snorted. At risk of her life, she retorted, "You were wound up tighter than a spring in a pig's ass, Sesshoumaru. A while ago I saw a side of you I never thought existed. What happened to that Sesshoumaru?"

He refused to meet her gaze after her angry words, and, hardening his resolve to resist her, replied, "I killed him."

"Humph." She got up to roll out her sleeping bag and crawled into it. "Too bad. I liked him a lot better."

Sesshoumaru frowned at her back as she rolled it away from him. His inner torment was acute. A part of him, a small part, was begging him to release the rigid hold he kept of his discipline and just court the woman, while a bigger, more rational part of him argued that that would only put both of their lives, not to mention their reputations, at stake. She would surely get hurt, or killed, and he would suffer knowing he was the cause. The words of his father came back to him, clear and resonant: "As a leader, Sesshoumaru, one can't really do anything except rule. An iron fist is what they expect from you; any less, and they'll dethrone you. It is not for a ruler to want, or love, my son. They'll expect an heir from you, not from a woman you love, but a woman they've chosen for you, someone you won't even know until after you're already married. If you deviate in any way from the royal protocol, your peers will take you for weak, and they will eat you alive. There is no middle ground. It is kill... or be killed."

He wondered if his father had recalled this speech when he'd fallen in love with the human hime, Inuyasha's mother. Was it in his nature to seek the companionship of a human? Was he fooling himself, thinking he could evade a natural inclination? Dogs were a highly sociable animal, he knew. And these past years had been lonely. Depressingly so.

The fire died slowly before his eyes without Sesshoumaru even seeing it. His thoughts were jumbled and mixed up; he didn't know anymore what he wanted, what his purpose was. In almost every sense of the word, he was lost.

The night passed uneventfully. Kagome awoke slowly, rolling over and stretching lazily like a cat. Opening her eyes, she was almost relieved to see Sesshoumaru nowhere in sight.

Getting up, she gathered up a bar of soap and her shampoo before stripping down and wrapping herself in a towel, on her way back to the river to wash before they left. It occurred to her that Sesshoumaru had abandoned her completely; it would serve her right, she supposed, after the harsh way she'd berated him last night. She frowned to herself. He'd been so kind to her, in those moments, when they were alone...

She snapped her head up. Sesshoumaru had been kind to her, alright. He'd been downright flirty, up until Raidon had come into the picture. She knew it was a presumptuous thought, but... was he jealous? She wondered what exactly was going on behind those luminous eyes of his.

She came to the bend in the path through the brambles and had her first clear view of the river - and its lone occupant.

Sesshoumaru waded out of the water, giving her a view she'd only ever fantasised about. His skin, pearl-white, gleamed in the rising sun, gilding him a sort of reddish-gold. His hair hung limp and heavy, but shimmered like mercury. She barely noticed his missing arm as he took one clawed hand and dragged it through his hair to pull the wet, clingy strands of silk off his face.

She held her breath; if he heard her, she didn't know what he'd do. It almost killed her, but she managed to tear her gaze away and back down the path without making any noise.

Sesshoumaru, of course, had known she was there, and in a moment of manly pride, had made no effort to hide himself from her gaze. He would pretend he was oblivious, if only to save her the embarrassment, but he had nothing to hide, and was not ashamed of his body. Others' opinions of his appearance had always been of little consequence to him. However, he suddenly felt the need to have her approval, much to his growing annoyance.

His resolve to keep her out from under his skin was already crumbling. He dressed slowly, and with difficulty, but finally managed the task and made his way back to camp.

Upon his return he found Kagome, still ready, but refusing to meet his gaze, instead pretending to study her maps. She finally looked up at him and said, "Oh, you're back. My turn!" and dashed away before he could reply.

Kagome couldn't stop the red stain that crept up her throat as she recalled the image of Sesshoumaru in the river to mind. He was... beautiful, for lack of a better word. His muscles, perfectly formed, gathered and bunched under taut skin, and his... well, she giggled, turning even redder, even that part was well-formed, despite the coolness of the water. She was a little intimidated as she wondered what he must look like when he was really wound up!

Entering the water, she was almost grateful for the cold. It helped cool off her hot-blooded thoughts. She lathered shampoo in her hair and leaned backward to wash it out when a strange sight captured her attention.

At first, it made no sense at all, because it was upside down. But the more she looked at it, the more sense it made, though it's purpose there eluded her.

On the shore, sitting on a rock in nothing once more, dangling his foot in the water, was Sesshoumaru. His face was blank, but soft. There was no trace of the anger and cold stone she'd seen last night.

That was fast.

She wondered what he had in mind. A part of her was excited, while the other was afraid. What was he planning?

Sesshoumaru had made the split-second decision to rendezvous at the river again on an impulse, and he was not disappointed. Kagome had the curves of a woman, and she was clearly cold; the thought of warming her up was more appealing than he wanted to admit. She continued to stare at him, her soapy hair half-submerged in the dark water. He stared back at her, his lip lifting in a small smile.

Kagome saw it, and returned it. Adjusting her position, and being bolder than she felt, she faced him, hiding naught but her most intimate part beneath the water. He stared at her hungrily, and she let him.

For a long time, neither of them moved. Her heart began to beat faster as more time passed; his slowed down in anticipation, his blood all gone to parts well-known.

Kagome was no longer curious about Sesshoumaru's reaction to a naked woman - he was just as impressive as she'd imagined. Her own self-consciousness reared its head the longer she admired him, and she finally tore her gaze away. A moment passed. When she looked up, he was gone again.

She frowned. What was that all about? Her disappointment was a surprise to her. Just what had she been expecting?

A hand on her shoulder made her start, but the familiar sight of ghost-white skin reassured her of the identity of the demon behind her. Lifting a strand of her still bubbly hair, he drew in the scent slowly. Kagome remained still, her heart whamming like a trip-hammer on an anvil.

Sesshoumaru slowly turned her, and tipped her chin up to meet his gaze. Her scent was laced with excitement, but there was a hint of fear there; nervousness and anxiety were also prevalent. Gently, he gripped her, and bent her backward, toward the moving water. When did you get so completely under my skin, miko? His thoughts were fuzzy.

Kagome let him dip her in, washing away the remnants of her shampoo. Bringing her back up, he skimmed his hand delicately over her cheek before drawing her close to his chest, running his fingers down her spine, then grazing it once more when they came back to thread themselves through her wet hair.

Sesshoumaru smelled her nervousness spike when he firmly knotted his claws in her hair, holding her fast. There was no turning back now.

She looked up at him, and, on a whim, decided to trust him. Sliding her arms up, she wound them around his neck and pressed her chest flush to his, their nipples brushing each other. A bolt of pure desire knifed through her at the intimate contact, setting her skin afire.

His desire was just as great. Leaning in, he slid his tongue out to slide between her lips, which yielded easily, and drew his tongue over hers, slowly, with finesse.

Kagome felt light-headed with lust. Suddenly, she wrapped her tongue around his and they battled fervently, tasting each other with appreciation, until Kagome wrapped her legs around his waist in an effort to be as close to him as she could, her blood pumping wildly through her veins.

He felt the molten heat of her pressed against his thigh, and Sesshoumaru could stand their teasing no more; gently he disentangled his fingers from her hair and carried her back to the rock he'd previously occupied, and set her at waist-level upon it.

Leaning back on her arms, Kagome, for the second time, bared herself for his perusal. He eyed her eagerly, her wanton pose cooking his blood. She smiled, and looked up at him from under hooded eyes, her foot sliding slowly up and down the back of his hard thigh. His own eyes were undulating with a gentle, hazy look to them.

There's the sensitive Sesshoumaru, she thought, languidly.

Lifting her hand to his lips, he lightly sniffed her nails, snaking his tongue out to taste them. Gently he bathed her fingers, one by one, making his way up her wrist to her inner elbow, worrying the pulse point there, then moved on to her shoulder, nibbling the skin, perusing a hot path to her neck, which still smelled faintly of an oft-used perfume.

Kagome let him traverse her skin, the light, butterfly touch of his lips barely registering, yet tickling deliciously at the same moment. It was obvious he'd done this before; she imagined someone as old as Sesshoumaru would have at least some experience under his belt, but he seemed to sense that this was her first time and was taking it slow. She knew he was never so solicitous in other aspects of his life - sure, he could cut off some demon's head and make it look like an ornate dance, but she doubted that he planned it that way, specifically. Things just panned out for him that way. Now, though... she could see in his eyes how hard he was restraining himself with her. She ached to tell him to let go, to just let the beast out, but did not. She feared he might go too far, be too rough. She didn't want to have to purify him for getting too lusty.

Making his way from her neck to her mouth, he once again monopolised her lips and tongue into duelling his own, all the while he leaned her back, settling between her parted legs as if he'd always belonged there. He watched her close her eyes in delight as he traced her jaw with his tongue and planted butterfly kisses on her eyelashes. He was beginning to wonder what had happened to all his self-control. Had she bewitched him? If she had, he didn't care. For the moment, he was going to let down his guard. For this short time, he was going to do what he wanted to do.

Kagome skimmed his ribs, his lean hips, and then ducked her fingers under, brushing hard, silken skin. His face never changed, but his steady pulse missed a beat.

Sesshoumaru held himself over her with his only arm, noting with a kind of absurd pride that the stump of his missing limb seemed not to perturb her.

Kagome brushed her fingers down his solid length, a blush staining her cheeks as she felt his hand cover hers, and guide it over his skin, over and over again until he stood proud and hard above her, ready.

Withdrawing her hand, she laid it behind her head as Sesshoumaru, balancing on his right hand, eased himself back off the rock and settled his face at the apex of her thighs, and took a deep draw of air through his nose, simply enjoying her warm scent. She was moist, but he would soon make her sparkle with her lust.

With a gentle claw, he edged her folds apart, revealing her hidden secret, a quivering bump of flesh that glistened a light pink before his hot gaze. He snaked out his tongue, and lapped at her. Kagome gasped quietly, and he smiled up at her, the first true smile she'd ever seen him give. It was so unexpected she grinned back, momentarily, before he picked up his pace, lapping at her feverishly.

Kagome was a healthy girl, and had experienced sexual pleasure at her own hand, but what he was doing to her now seemed to make her own efforts pale in comparison. He was skilled, indeed; as innocent as she was, even she could tell he possessed quite a clever tongue.

Soon she was squirming, and she had slickened thoroughly at his intimate insistence. As she climbed her third peak, after he kept easing off, he abruptly ceased his ministrations and was above her again, his lips crushing hers, the taste of her own musk thick on his lips.

He positioned himself, and before she could regain any equilibrium after his passionate ministrations (she was reminded of how passionless she'd thought he was; she was so wrong), he thrust himself into her, slowly at first, gaining entrance, for she was unused, and pushed until he came up against her barrier.

Kagome tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling of being fuller than what seemed possible; it wasn't exactly painful, just different. And tight. Fleetingly she hoped he wouldn't get stuck, then giggled inwardly at the thought.

When he was in as far as he could go, Sesshoumaru knotted his fist in her hair and whispered in her ear, "Ready?"

She hummed an affirmative, trying to encourage him by sucking his bottom lip, and at that moment he thrusted - hard.

Kagome released his mouth to gasp. The pain was sharp and intense. Pain radiated outward in waves of sensation, but quickly ebbed away as he waited, unmoving.

After a moment, the pain receded, not completely, but Kagome opened her eyes, a single tear slipping out before she asked, "Are you ready?"

Sesshoumaru had to laugh at the almost-cocky grin on her face, and admired her spunk. Chuckling deeply, he began to move in response, and, soon enough, she learned to move too, finding her rhythm pushing against him as he thrust forward.

As a rule, in his past Sesshoumaru had not kissed a woman he'd rutted with; it was so personal an act and he'd not wanted any strings attached to him, but in Kagome's case he made an exception. It just seemed right to occupy her mouth while she allowed him the pleasure of her body - as inexperienced as it was - but deeper down, he just didn't want their time together to be impersonal. It seemed imperative that he not treat her as he had others; in some small way, he feared he was falling in love with his brother's miko.

Kagome was in heaven. She never imagined that sex could feel this good; she and her friends had discussed it often enough, and none of them, she now realised, had had any idea. Even she and Sango had spoken at length about it, each wondering what it would be like. She smiled inside; she knew now, and it was wonderful.

He moved against her, faster and faster, and her earlier pain blossomed into pleasure as her muscles contracted helplessly around him, urging him on. Kagome reached her climax first. Cascading down the silver-lined mountain of satisfaction, she shuddered under the intensity of it; sensation shattering out from her very core, settling in waves until it eased off.

Sesshoumaru was a little behind her, his satisfaction, born of years and years of experience, taking a bit longer. He had thought briefly of holding himself back, but found this one time he was unable; spilling a torrent of his seed inside her, he too shuddered, his good arm trembling just a bit as he struggled to prevent himself from crushing her in his exhaustion.

After a short while, both recovered, tangled still in each other's limbs. Sesshoumaru slowly withdrew from her, and kissed away the sweat beaded on her brow.

Kagome smiled up into his golden eyes, liquid like sunset, the sun beating down on them, giving him a kind of halo about his silver head, two silky chunks falling over his shoulders; her eyes flew open.

He hovered over her again, drinking in her satisfied expression, when her eyes widened, as if she were suddenly afraid. "Kagome?" he murmured, puzzled.

She pushed up on him, knocking him aside, and sat up, trying in vain to cover what he'd already seen. "Oh my Gods," she breathed, her breath coming in pants. "I forgot all about Inuyasha!"

Sesshoumaru frowned. Honestly, who gave a damn about Inuyasha!? Especially now!?

He reached out to touch her, and she shied away from him, and it hurt him more than he wished to admit. Her opinion of him shouldn't matter. But infuriatingly, it did. He loathed the thought of her fearing or even being ashamed of him. He narrowed his eyes. She was only human... nothing to get worked up over.

But you are worked up, his inner voice whispered, and it only infuriated him more to have to agree. He was Sesshoumaru, damnit! Human women did not affect him!

She seemed distracted, and talked rapidly to herself: "He's going to kill me, oh no... What will I tell him? Shit... shit, shit! Now what?"

She turned to seek reassurance from Sesshoumaru, then mentally smacked herself on the forehead for even having that thought. He was a Taiyoukai, for heaven.s sake. She was sure his Highness would find such action beneath him, but he was no longer there. She immediately felt bad for thinking that. Distressed, she called, "Sesshoumaru?"

Receiving no answer, she quickly washed herself off, gathered up her things, and ran back to camp, finding him dressed, his back turned to her. He did not greet her upon her return.

It saddened her that the sweet, gentle demon from moments before was gone. She only hoped she hadn't seen the last of him.

"Sesshoumaru, I'm sorry if I-"

"Think naught of it," he cut in, as nonchalantly as he could manage. "A simple roll in the hay is not at all uncommon for two people." He stopped there, almost saying, As attracted to each other as we are, but deciding against it. Now was not the time to comfort her. He felt used. He'd never felt this way, and he hated it. He hated knowing that he'd almost let himself love a human, and now he took out his anger on the very person he'd so briefly been close to.

Kagome felt her lips tremble. A simple roll in the hay, hmm? Was that how he thought of her? An easy fuck??

She dropped where she sat, and tried not to cry. Looking away from him, she reminded herself that they were two very different people, and that she really had no right to think that he might have feelings for her, but... still, just the thought that their encounter meant nothing to him stung like iodine on a fresh cut. He sure knew how to cut to the quick. She guessed he'd had a lot of experience in that, as well. He was, after all, the Prince of Ice.

Sesshoumaru felt what was probably regret knifing through his heart, but it burned him that the girl would discard him so quickly because of Inuyasha. Just the thought of his brother laying with her now boiled his blood, but he would never admit it. She was a human; she wasn't worth the air she breathed, yet the fact that she thought of another while laying with him cut more deeply than the sharpest sword ever could. He was glad suddenly that he'd caught himself before he could become besotted with the woman.

Glancing back at her, his anger renewed, he saw her small form tucked into itself, turned away. After today, they would walk faster to reach her destination. The quicker he was rid of her, the better.

Kagome closed her eyes in a mixture of anger, regret, and resentment when he gritted, "Tomorrow we dawdle no more. We will reach your destination before nightfall even if I have to carry you there myself."

She sniffled, giving away her pain, but she no longer cared. Inuyasha had been right: Sesshoumaru really was a cold-hearted bastard.

"Fine," she hissed, wiping her nose on her sleeve, uncaring how disgusting that was. Unrolling her sleeping bag, she crawled inside, even though it was only mid-afternoon; the sun was not long past its zenith. She turned her back on him and cried quietly to herself, trying to forget all his pretty words, the way his hand felt on her body, and the wonderful sensations he'd elicited from her. She made up her mind that Sesshoumaru was a cruel man before giving in to her pounding headache and allowing sleep to envelop her.

Sesshoumaru leaned against his tree, watching her. He was torn in two over her; half of him wanted to do the unthinkable and comfort her, forgive her for her sin, yet the other half adamantly refused to be consoled. There was nothing more insulting than to be compared, nay, forgotten, for that bastard half-breed brother of his, and he resented her deeply for it.

Yet he still felt that tiny voice in his mind crying out to be heard, but he squashed it in his anger. He would not be used; he was Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Domain, and he would remind her of her place.

And it wasn't easy to forget that he'd forgotten his, either. His father had been right: he couldn't do what he wanted.

This had been a hard lesson, one he wouldn't allow himself to forget again.

Well, I guess the smooth pavement has given way to gravel, Sessh-pants!! So hopefully that wasn't a horribly cliched river sex-scene that you've read a million times before (honestly, in Feudal Japan, there are only so many places to get down!) and was, in fact, a little enjoyable. I can only hope, I guess. Right??