AUTHOR'S CORNER:
Just like I promised... two chapters!
OK! A bit if fluff in this chapter, I hope I kept them in character enough, please let me know.
YOU ALL ARE AWESOME! X3 I HAVE THE BEST REVIEWERS IN THE WORLD!
Chapter 17
Sesshomaru rolled over in his mind his last conversation with the little miko. She really made things too easy for him. The young woman had gotten all flustered, just barely catching the innuendo he'd left in his words, which was so unlike him, but he couldn't seem to help himself. She had stalked off extremely red in the face and vacillating between being angry at him and being embarrassed. Yes, indeed, he was enjoying his stay in the future greatly.
Although, that thought made him stop and think for a moment. The future, that's right, he still had to find out what happens to all the demons. Sniffing elegantly, he determined that she was still in her room after stomping away earlier and he headed in her direction to get some answers.
Meanwhile Kagome was closed in her room, trying desperately to get herself under control. That stupid, stuck up, extraordinarily sexy demon with the over inflated ego! Fuming, she tried to make herself busy around her room, but only succeeded in pacing around angrily, though truth be told she was really trying to just calm her heated face down.
He did that on purpose! "I will simply find other ways of making you submit," who does he think he is? Sesshomaru obviously. Her pacing brought her to her desk where she started sifting through papers making more of a mess than anything else. Growling in frustration she resisted the urge to stamp her foot when a whole bunch of the loose papers flitted to the floor. Muttering to herself under her breath about stupid demons with really pretty hair she crouched down and started gathering the papers up again.
She had just crawled under her desk to get the last one that had managed to float to the very back of the floor way under her desk by the wall when she got the scare of a lifetime.
"Miko," a soft voice whispered right in her ear making her jump dramatically and squeak. Unfortunately for her, the desk was still above her, so when she jumped she slammed her head upward into the desk. Grabbing her head with both hands and closing her eyes to keep from seeing the dizzying stars floating through her vision, she had somehow forgotten that two out of the four appendages that had been holding her up were now no longer supporting her, but were grasping her head.
Sesshomaru watched in amusement as the miko grabbed her head and did a face plant into the floor where she seemed to become boneless and slump as close to the floor as possible groaning pathetically, still holding her head.
He had come into the room just as she'd dropped the papers everywhere, and couldn't help but watch her in amusement and interest as she'd gotten down on all fours and started gathering the papers up. Of course, when she had crawled under the desk to get the last one, he knew it was his opportunity to set her off balance again, so he'd hidden his youki and gotten close enough to the girl to whisper in her ear. Yes, this meant that the great lord Sesshomaru was on all fours under her desk as well, but the reward for such a small inconvenience was too much to pass up. Besides, no one was there to see anyway.
"Miko," he repeated louder this time and his only response was another pained groan from within the mass of raven hair that covered her head and shoulders completely and mostly hid the hands still holding the aching body part, the occasional finger poking out awkwardly from the tresses.
In another moment he heard a mumbled reply, but her face was pressed into the carpet and her hair was blocking the sound so even with his demon hearing he couldn't make out what she had actually said.
"Miko, you will need to remove your face from the carpet in order for me to understand you," he pointedly ignored the fact that the way she landed had left her round derriere up in the air slightly, the back of her short skirt pulling up a little in her crouched position leaving the backs of her upper thighs very much exposed.
The miko moved just then, tipping over and away from him to let her body plop down on her side, her hair hanging in her face and her hands still holding her head.
"I SAID, you are without a doubt THE most infuriating creature I have ever met," one blue eye cracked open and glared at him before sliding shut again, "now my head is going to be hurting me all day and it's your fault." The demon settled on his side with his elbow on the floor and resting his head against his hand.
"Well, if you had been a better miko then you would have felt my presence and it wouldn't have been a surprise to you," he said bringing the claws of his free hand up to his face to study the perfect appendages. Kagome cracked one eye to glare at him again.
"You were hiding your youki and you know it! Don't even give me that crap about being a bad miko. That's like standing behind a door and accusing someone of being blind because they can't see you!" Sesshomaru's gold eyes slid slowly from inspecting his deadly claws to the miko's face.
"You can't see people who are hiding behind a door? You must be blind," he said lazily. Kagome made a frustrated sound that made him wish he was someone who smiled.
"Ooooh! I'm gonna end up purifying your ass straight to the Kami's if you keep it up!" a silver eyebrow raised and he studied her amusedly for a moment.
"That sounded like a challenge to me…" he began and was pleased to see both beautiful blue eyes crack open and glare at him this time.
"Anything that's not said in a simpering tone with a girly sigh and a Sesshomaru-SAMA at the end of it sounds like a challenge to you!" her voice took on a high pitched imitation of ladies at court while saying his name and title. Sesshomaru's golden eyes twinkled with mirth, making Kagome's breath hitch in her throat. He was gorgeous to begin with, but when he let emotions show he was absolutely breathtaking.
"I do not think this Sesshomaru is going to put up with your insolence for much longer," he retorted, taking on his coldest tone of voice, though his eyes betrayed his true meaning.
"Oh, sure, and I'm a dog demon," she said rolling her eyes and flopping onto her back. "Oh, get over yourself, my lord, not every girl is going to swoon and throw herself at your feet in submission at the sight of you or your stupid hair." Suddenly the stupid hair she'd been referring to fell in molten silver waterfalls all around her blocking her view of everything but the demon looming above her. The desk above them forced his head closer to her than made her comfortable and she squirmed slightly at his proximity and the intensity of those golden eyes staring down at her.
"You said it was pretty when I first came in," he said, with a barely suppressed smile. This woman did things to him and made him do things that really shouldn't ever happen. Like crawling under a desk in a most unseemingly manner and crouching over a very attractive human female. Cocking his head slightly he looked down at her making her swallow heavily. "So you do not like it then? I was under the distinct impression that 'many girls would kill for my kind of hair'," he said bringing a hot flush to her cheeks.
Stupid demons and their stupid good hearing. He must have overheard me saying something like that a day or two ago.
"You know, eavesdropping is rude," she said and wanted to smack herself the moment the words came out of her mouth, realizing she'd just admitted to saying it and a look of triumph crossed his eyes. Glaring up at him and trying to regain her composure and force the hot flush from her cheeks. No good, it just spread to her neck. Great. Change the subject!
"Why is the great lord Sesshomaru under my desk anyway? Isn't it a little beneath you to be crawling around under a desk like a child?" she asked him pointedly still glaring up at him from her position on the floor as he continued to lean over her in a most disconcerting manner.
"This Sesshomaru does what this Sesshomaru pleases," he said haughtily, "and this Sesshomaru decided it was worth it to make you jump so hard you banged your head into the desk above you," he said with a trace of a smirk making her flush darker and glare harder up at him.
"You'd better be careful," she retorted, "because sometime that Sesshomaru," she said poking a finger into the steel chest that was too close to her for comfort, "is going to do something to piss this miko off," she said, repeatedly poking him in the chest. The thought briefly flashed through her mind that the stoic demon had improved in leaps and bounds. The old Sesshomaru would have removed her hand in the most painful manner possible for poking him, but instead he was now looking down at her with that teasing hint of amusement lurking in the golden depths of his eyes.
Deciding to retaliate in kind, he poked her in the ribs with one clawed finger, making sure not to hurt her with the razor sharp extension of his finger. He was quite surprised and pleased to see her squeak in the most amusing manner and squirm away from where he'd poked her. Interesting. He did it again and was rewarded with a louder squeak and more squirming.
Kagome for her part was surprised the demon had touched her, but was now trying really hard not to act ticklish and looked up at him blankly, fighting down the giggles as he looked at her curiously. Obviously he'd never been in a tickle war. Unexpectedly he grabbed her side with all five fingers and squeezed. It was too much for the little miko, she giggled enticingly and squirmed further away, now no longer underneath him, but making a beeline for the wall.
Without thinking, she grabbed his hand to keep it away from her side and controlled her giggles long enough to speak.
"Stop that! That tickles!" Sesshomaru cocked his head a little more, realizing that Rin had giggled like that when she was poked or touched a certain way on her sides and he assumed it was a sensitive area on females. Now he realized it must create a sensation that caused her to laugh in such a bubbly manner and he rather liked it.
His hand shot out causing Kagome to squeal in surprise as he dragged her back over to himself and grabbed her sides.
"I do not understand, you will need to explain this to me why you are reacting this way," he said, holding her in place and torturing her sides, being careful not to hurt her. Kagome dissolved into uncontrollable giggles and desperately tried to pull his hands away from her and failing miserably. "Miko, tell me why you are laughing, I do not understand," he said knowing full well there was no way she could talk while giggling so hard.
He continued to tickle her until he felt a stinging sensation along the tops of his hands and snatched his hands away. Kagome lay panting on the floor, trying to re-catch her breath as the demon inspected his hands which now had small red spots on the top of each one that looked suspiciously like the tips of small fingers. Kagome glared over at him, though the effect was ruined by the huge grin on her face.
"Serves you right. Torture a miko and you'll get burnt," he looked down at the girl appraisingly since she was now back underneath him again. She stared up at him for a few moments before speaking again. "Wow, who would have thought that anyone would ever see the great lord of the west under a ningen's desk tickling her. I didn't think you even knew how to tickle."
He looked down at her as if it was the dumbest thing she'd said in a while.
"You thought that this Sesshomaru didn't know how to do something?" Kagome rolled her eyes and he continued, "I think you'd be surprised to know exactly how much this Sesshomaru knows," he had moved closer while he had been speaking and was now so close their noses almost touched making the girl beneath him swallow tightly. He nearly smirked when he heard her heartbeat increase two fold and now could see it beating in her neck.
Suddenly he was gone and Kagome let out the breath she didn't even know she had been holding, now staring up at the underside of her desk instead of the gorgeous face of the demon she'd become attracted to.
Well… it was certainly an improvement from before. In one day he'd gone from almost killing her to tickling her under her desk. What was next?
Sesshomaru now stood in his room down the hall wondering what had come over him. I was flirting with a ningen on the FLOOR under her DESK and I almost KISSED her just now. I must be ill. He sat down heavily on the floor, which would be equivalent to someone else flopping down on the floor in a huff. Why is it that when I'm around her I feel intoxicated? Her smell seems to draw me in and make me do things that I would never EVER consider doing. I was just acting like I was courting her in there. I was acting like a lovesick puppy. Father would be so pleased. He crossed his arms with a scowl. His father had always been a soft one for ladies. Once he had even accused his own son of being gay for his lack of interest in the females around him. He wasn't gay, he just preferred a female who had a backbone and wasn't a simpering, power hungry, back stabbing whore. Someone who wasn't afraid of him, who could stand on their own two feet and defend herself against enemies and even against him. Someone who could see him behind all the ice he used to protect himself, who was powerful in her own right. Someone with beautiful blue black hair and deep ocean blue eyes that flashed every time he said something to irk her… someone… Oh, Kami. His eyes hooded in irritation. Not again.
Kagome began crawling hesitantly out from under her desk, her mind trying to comprehend everything that had happened just now. Sesshomaru had been acting friendly, even flirtatious. The thought made her stop cold. Was he FLIRTING with me? Her face flushed deep red.
She was still in the process of crawling out from under the desk with the paper clutched in one hand when the demon foremost in her thoughts came sweeping back in her room and sat cross legged right behind her, leaving her trapped still half under her desk. Suppressing a surge of irritation, she waited for the demon to speak.
"Miko Kagome, I require history books from this time," he said stoically, ignoring the fact that she was still half under the desk with her rear end facing him.
"Sesshomaru, if you do not move and let me get out from under this confounded desk then I really will purify your ass into the afterlife!" she said gritting her teeth and very aware that in this position her skirt probably did not cover her appropriately. Sesshomaru for his part did not mind the view at all and decided to make things difficult on the already flustered miko.
"I highly doubt you could follow through on that threat without doing something drastic and completely embarrassing yourself. Nor could you reach me effectively, so therefore, you will answer my demand and if this Sesshomaru is pleased with the result then I will consider listening to your request," he retorted, keeping his face completely blank though Kagome caught the twinkle that flashed in his eyes briefly.
That HENTAI! He's actually enjoying this! Making up her mind, she decided to go the drastic route.
She's not really going to, is she..? Before he could finish the thought, she had shifted in her crouched position and thrown herself backwards… and landed right in the taiyoukai's lap. Twisting around in place and causing rather unseemly thoughts to run rampant through the poor demon's head, completely unbeknownst to her, she settled herself on him so she was facing him and pressed her fingertips to his chest with an evil look.
"Now, my lord, you cannot move without making my aura flare and burning yourself. Since your old burns still have not finished healing, I would think this would be rather painful," Sesshomaru was more focusing on controlling other parts of his anatomy so that the woman sitting on him wouldn't be aware of what she'd done to him. Honestly, the threat of her burning him again didn't faze him a whole lot, though the burns did hurt greatly and he didn't look forward to acquiring more.
Kagome was pleased to hear and feel a rumbling under her fingers showing that he was not pleased at all. After a moment of staring each other down she began to become keenly aware of the position she'd put herself in. Though she was indeed in a dominant position, she had also put herself in a very sexy taiyoukai's LAP, straddling his hips with nothing now but her white panties and his own pants and undergarments between them since her skirt was now bunched up around her hips. A deep flush parked itself in her cheeks again and he resisted the urge to smirk, pleased that he didn't even have to speak to cause her to blush.
Something familiar off to the side caught his eye and he glanced down at the piece of paper she'd dropped in her sudden lunge at him. He noticed that in Kagome's elegant script and the middle of a paragraph was his own name. Well, well, well, what do we have here? Ignoring the now confused looking miko, he snatched up the paper and brought it closer to his face.
Kagome glanced at the slightly crumpled paper in confusion before realizing exactly what it was and felt her heart leap into her throat. She had to get that paper away from him before he read it! Reaching out to try and take it from him, he pulled it out of her reach and slowly turned his amused eyes toward the young woman.
"Oh, little miko, is something wrong?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from every word. Kagome glared at the demon.
"Give me that paper back, I need it for my studies," she lied, hoping he would just give it back but not expecting much.
"Oh really? That is why my name is in the middle of the page? Interesting. So I am a topic of study at your school now? Fascinating, I knew I was amazing, but now I am flattered," his eyes bore into her and her flush deepened.
"Just give it back, Sesshomaru," she was starting to get really annoyed and reached for it again, but he held it back and out of reach. The thought briefly ran through the youkai's head that he was acting with the mental maturity of a two year old. This did not stop him however.
"Not until I have the chance to read whatever interesting information you may have written about me," he said, letting a little bit of a smirk show on his face. Kagome was blushing painfully red now and was reaching harder for the paper, resulting in pressing herself up against him in a manner disconcerting to them both.
With a frustrated huff she sat back down and blasted him with a light pulse of miko energy in the chest. Unfortunately for her, all this accomplished in doing was knocking him backward onto the floor and taking her with him since his other arm was around her waist. When did that hand get there?
Great, now she was on top of the taiyoukai sprawled on the floor, the paper was still out of reach and she just knew he was laughing at her internally!
Sesshomaru was indeed laughing at her internally. The little fire cat had knocked him over and put herself in an even worse position! Could the girl be any more amusing? Or appealing? That thought was squashed quickly and he returned to the situation at hand. Though she was making it very hard on him. His tiny miko was squirming against him in an effort to stretch above his head enough to reach the paper he was still holding out of her reach, filling his vision with a thin, creamy neck and set of collarbones.
This was very unlike him, but he couldn't seem to help himself. The girl drew out reactions in him that he never knew he had. Shifting underneath her he suddenly threw her off balance and she squeaked, trying to right herself. Taking advantage of her momentary diversion, he dropped the paper, buried his fingers in the hair at the back of her head and brought her face down to his, capturing her lips in a heart stopping kiss… and that's exactly what it did to the poor unsuspecting miko.
The girl's heart stopped in her chest and all breathing ceased while her mind tried to comprehend what was happening. His lips were softer than she ever could have imagined, his eyes were closed, unusual silver lashes rested against equally pale cheeks and his hand was held her in place, buried in her hair.
Her eyes slid closed as he deepened the kiss, making her shiver slightly against him. A small gasp escaped her when she felt his tongue snake out and lick her bottom lip giving him the chance he needed to invade her mouth and conquer its warm depths. She almost giggled at the feeling of his tongue against hers, it was rougher than a normal human's, but it wasn't quite as rough as a real dog's and it caused more delightful shivers to run amok down her spine.
Kagome's brain refused to work. The only thoughts that ran through her head were disjointed realizations that really didn't have a whole lot to do with one another. Oh Kami, I'm kissing the demon lord of the west! …who is the brother of the first guy I ever kissed… so this is only my second kiss… but KAMI is he a good kisser!
Sesshomaru was having only slightly better luck with his own brain. Why am I kissing a ningen? This Sesshomaru doesn't kiss ningens… unless it pleases this Sesshomaru…and YES, it pleases this Sesshomaru very much… by the way, she tastes even better than she smells… his youki growled in agreement.
The sudden need for air finally forced them apart, breathing heavily and trying to catch their breaths. Blue stared into gold as both realized what an awkward moment this created, but neither wanted to break the silence yet.
What felt like an eternity of staring at each other passed and because she's Kagome, the silence was too much for her.
"Um, Sesshomaru?" golden eyes blinked once up at her.
"Yes?" Kagome shifted on top of him nervously, making him think things that the demon ought not and grit his teeth silently.
"Um… you had a question you had come in here and asked… and I um… I forgot what it was…" she blushed, but refused to look away.
"I was asking about history books. I want to know what happened to the demons," he replied, fascinated by how frequently she blushed around him and how it couldn't be healthy to have so much blood rushing to her face constantly.
"Oh, yes, right…" she thought for a moment before her eyes widened lightly and she looked down at him again, "um, I don't think that's a good idea, Sesshomaru," she shifted again and he clamped down on her waist with his arms, forcing the girl to stay still.
"And why not?" he asked raising one silver eyebrow.
"Well…" nervous shift, more teeth gritting, "um… I think for one, the history you're looking for is so old that it's basically legend now and wouldn't be all that accurate anyways, and two it's never a good thing for someone to know the future," Sesshomaru watched her, listening intently. "As it is, you'll probably live to this era and you already have quite an advantage over other people. So, I guess I don't think it's a good idea…" Kagome shifted and made as if to move off of him, but his arms clamped down around her once again.
"Where do you think you are going?" he asked in a cool voice.
"Well, I… uh… I thought… that uh… it was… or that you… I mean…" her blush deepened and Sesshomaru couldn't resist the small smirk that played across his lips drawing Kagome's eyes to them in fascination.
"Are you not comfortable where you are? Am I that uncomfortable that you wish to get up?" he asked, knowing it would throw her completely off balance.
"No! I mean…of course I am! Or rather…you are… I just… I thought that you…"
"Good, then you will remain where you are," he said with a satisfied look on his face. Kagome just blushed more and nodded. The hand that was still entangled in her hair pulled her head down to rest in the hollow between his neck, shoulder and hard chest. "I would assume you are correct," he said and Kagome closed her eyes, reveling in the fact that she could hear his deep voice vibrating in his chest and his heartbeat in her ear. "What you have said makes sense," he said slowly.
Kagome nodded slowly her eyes remained closed when she felt his hand running through her hair, the fingers combing themselves through the silky raven tresses to return to the back of her neck, brushing the sensitive skin and making her shiver before continuing back to the lightly curled ends.
"You're worried," she said suddenly, surprising herself. The fingers ceased movement for a few moments before continuing their soothing strokes.
"Perhaps," he said slowly, "I am not used to the fact that there might be a future that I am not a major part of," he couldn't believe he was confessing this to her, but it felt so natural. Her head came up and she looked down at him, her mesmerizing blue eyes so deep and understanding, making him feel as if he could lose himself in them and always be safe. No, this particular taiyoukai had never met another human like her, nor did he believe another could possibly exist.
Almost imperceptibly she moved closer, then stopped uncertain, her eyes searching his face for any clues to his thoughts before moving closer again, her eyes beginning to close as she came closer.
Just then the door opened. Kagome's head snapped up and Sesshomaru looked over his head at the woman standing in the doorway. Mrs. Higurashi looked at them with a look that shifted from shock, to amazement, to amusement, back to shock again, and through a few other phases before the silence was finally broken.
"Have no fear, Higurashi-san. Though a tumble off the bed can sometimes prove to be fatal, this Sesshomaru made sure Kagome-san never touched the floor," Sesshomaru said in a voice that spoke of lordly seriousness, despite the girl currently laying on top of him, straddling his hips with his hair spread out like a silver blanket all around him and that he was looking at Kagome's mother from upside down.
Kagome's head dropped onto the taiyoukai's shoulder, her own shoulders shaking from the intensity of trying to contain her laughter while Mrs. Higurashi was covering her mouth with one hand to try and force the chuckles that threatened to surface back down.
"Well then, Sesshomaru-sama, you have my eternal gratitude that you were there in such a timely fashion to save my daughter from certain doom," her eyes flitted to the bed that was across the room and completely out of range of the two on the floor.
Sesshomaru nodded with a deadly serious look on his beautiful features.
"I was simply coming up to inform you both that I'm starting dinner and it will be ready in about an hour," the woman couldn't bring herself to be angry at the pair on the floor, especially since she knew Sesshomaru was a man of honor. Bowing to the pair with a barely suppressed grin of amusement, she let herself out and closed the door behind her.
Kagome collapsed on the demon's chest laughing hysterically while the demon being laughed on just stared at the ceiling, his eyes sparkling in amusement. Since when did he joke around with ningens? Since when did he joke at all? Oh, this was becoming quite vexing… but he found he couldn't quite bring himself to care as he looked down at the miko still giggling against his chest. No, it was actually quite satisfying to the stoic demon.