The first thing Juuroumaru realized when he awoke, was that the mattress beneath him was feather and very soft. Naraku had never bothered with such luxuries, which meant he was free of his cruel master at last.
Dazedly, he tried to sit up, but was pulled back by his right arm; which he found chained to the bed frame. He growled and pulled harder eliciting a yelp from his own lips as the muscle in his hip was strained and a painful gash re-opened. At this, he became more panicked and pulled harder, growling angrily though the shackles wouldn't give. His ankles as well had been shackled and these too he began to pull until cuts and gashes had reopened and he was bleeding freely, growing more and more desperate like a caged wild animal. "Stop," said a deep baritone voice from the door. Juuroumaru didn't hear in all his panic and continued slashing at the wooden frame. A hand whipped out and hit him hard across the cheek.
Juuroumaru cringed away from the tall figure, standing over him- the inu youkai whose face betrayed little emotion. "Do not disobey me again, else I shall kill you."
Juuroumaru backed away, watching horrified as the youkai's eyes raked down his body with a calculating look- not touching, just staring. Juuroumaru stared back, feeling the same sense of awe at the attractive, strange demon. The inu youkai's hair was once again it's blinding shade of silver and his loose, white kimono hid all of the healing cuts and bruises. Juuroumaru's eyes slowly slid up to meet the honey colored inu youkai's.
At last the demon lord moved forward, melting the chains with the same green poison that he had intended to use on Juuroumaru earlier. Juuroumaru watched in shocked fascination as he was slowly unbound and he gained freedom of his limbs. The youkai left his mask on giving the first sign of emotion as hesitation crossed his face. He sat down on the side of the bed, running one of his pale long fingers along the gash on his hip. It was then that Juuroumaru realized that he only wore pants and that his chest was entirely exposed to the demon. He whimpered in confusion. What was happening? Where were his clothes? What was the inu doing? Naraku had never touched him; not even acknowledged his wounds…
He cried out as the hand slid into the gash on his hip painfully, digging sharp nails into tender skin. His hands immediately went to pull at the other's wrist. He dug his claws into the pale, unblemished wrist. He released his poison into the demon's arm but it didn't seem to have any effect.
He whimpered trying to pull away as whimpers gave way to gasps and then tears as he found that the more he tried to get away, the deeper the nails sunk.
He was fighting with all his might though he was unable to heave himself away from those cold hands. The hand released and he gasped nearly blacking out. "I own you now, and I do not like my possessions to be flawed. You will be punished when you harm yourself or others and believe me, there are many ways to punish you without physically marking you. You will be more thoughtful when you decide as to whether or not you intend to hurt yourself again. Understood?" Juuroumaru trembled. "If I do not have your consent, then I can simply kill you," Sesshoumaru said offhandedly and Juuroumaru knew he would do it too. He looked up, still seeing black spots from pain, desperation clear in his amethyst eyes.
Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows, his rose colored lips slightly parted. "Do you not speak?" Juuroumaru shook his head.
"Hn. Then I suppose this will prove to be very interesting. Assuming, of course, you have accepted my offer and intend to live?" Juuroumaru frowned and then nodded. "Good. You need a bath."
The inu youkai stood up, towering alarmingly over Juuroumaru. "Come," was all he said before walking to the door. Juuroumaru followed with his eyes, the ethereal youkai, captivated by the suggestive sway of his hips and the soft, white pelt that seemed to blow in a non-existent breeze.
Sesshoumaru, realizing the demon wasn't following turned to face him, irritation clear on his otherwise beautiful face. He hid his surprise at the look of awe that the demon had worn the previous night. Juuroumaru slid out of bed, wincing at the way his body protested, pulling in every direction.
Sesshoumaru turned away again in a dismissive manner, making his way to one of the natural hot springs within the palace and waited until the youkai was in the room, before circling around him and closing the door.
Juuroumaru gulped and took a nervous step back, keeping his eyes fixed on the dangerous beauty. "Remove your clothes and get in the water," said Sesshoumaru. Juuroumaru almost argued but remembering the way Sesshoumaru had bested him back in the clearing, and the pain he had inflicted, Juuroumaru forced down the urge to fight back and obeyed. He hesitated as he undid the knot on the silk pants and slipped into the water as fast as he could.
The inu youkai stripped as well and Juuroumaru caught himself staring at the perfectly sculptured body. The inu youkai slipped into the water beside him indifferently. Juuroumaru shied away, staring at the inu youkai accusingly.
Sesshoumaru's lips quirked up in a smirk when he caught sight of the scowl on the other youkai's face. "I take it you've never bathed with another?" Juuroumaru wet his lips nervously and shook his head. Sesshoumaru chuckled and moved forward. Juuroumaru moved a step back almost instantaneously. However, Sesshoumaru wasn't about to give up and they continued their moving until Juuroumaru was backed up against the edge, looking up pleadingly. Sesshoumaru leaned forward and slit the leather that bound Juuroumaru's mask. No threat was needed, for Juuroumaru to know that if he tried anything the inu youkai would punish him severely. Backing up, Sesshoumaru lay the mask down on the edge of the rock. He then tilted his head back again the rocky edge, his pale throat exposed, as if daring Juuroumaru to attack. It was a cruel taunt Juuroumaru decided, to tempt him so, knowing full well that he had no chance in his current condition.
Sesshoumaru knew the youkai wouldn't attack and even if he tried; Sesshoumaru was in much better condition, having had a full day to regain strength, while the other was still trying to heal his many wounds. He brought his head back up and walked over to the youkai who in turn backed away. This annoyed him and he impatiently grasped the youkai's wrist and pulled him back towards him.
Juuroumaru winced when the deft fingers pressed down firmly on the chaffing skin of his wrist. The inu youkai took up a bar of scented soap and began lathering it on Juuroumaru's skin and lifting layers of dirt and grime. It hurt a little, but in a good way, Juuroumaru decided.
When the inu youkai cupped the hot water and poured it over Juuroumaru's skin, he felt a slight tingling sensation. Next, the inu youkai took both of his hands in his own and began to wash the dried blood from beneath his fingernails. "Lean back your head," came the uncaring order and Juuroumaru obeyed, feeling cool fingers slipped into his hair and lathering it with soap. Juuroumaru couldn't help but murmur in pleasure as the slender hand slid effortlessly through his violet hair. These hands were not hurting him, caressing him more like, and he couldn't help but relax and smile a little, marveling at the foreign gentleness.
After repeating the process a few times, Sesshoumaru was finally satisfied with the silver-violet strands that pooled around the comparatively smaller body.
He stood, retrieving a robe for himself. He turned and looked expectantly at Juuroumaru who stood, a pink tinge to his otherwise pale cheeks, which Sesshoumaru found rather amusing.
There was a long pause. "You will get awfully cold if you intend to just stand there. Come over here if you would like a towel…" Sesshoumaru said in a daring voice, a mischievous glint to his eyes he watched Juuroumaru blushing a deeper shade of red. Bowing his head, he stepped forward and then another step until he was out of the spring and standing vulnerably before the inu youkai who had a small smirk playing across his lips.
Sesshoumaru leaned down until his lips were close to the small quaking youkai's ear. "You are very pretty when you blush," He whispered. He saw the small ripple that coursed through the youkai's body. He ran a hand suggestively down the curves of his body, lingering over his protruding hips. "Although it would be nice if you could put on a bit of weight…" he whispered, hands ghosting over his sunken belly just above the spot where Naraku had slashed him.
Juuroumaru whimpered at the odd sensation as the hands left trails of fire and ice with every touch, causing him to twitch unintentionally. He tried to shy away but Sesshoumaru held him firmly in place at the small of his back with one hand.
The other hand was gently petting his hair, gathering it up and moving it aside to reveal the pale swan neck. Sesshoumaru placed a small kiss on the side of the youkai's neck. The kiss, the insignificant kiss, sent a thrilling rush through both youkai. Sesshoumaru trailed kisses all the way up and began nibbling on the slightly pointed earlobe. Juuroumaru let out a soft moan, having forgotten his fear after the first kiss- his first kiss. The soft lips moved to his cheekbone, nuzzling it and kissing it. Juuroumaru's lips parted and his eyes closed.
Suddenly, the lips moved away as did the warm body that had been slowly pressing against him. Straightening, Sesshoumaru handed him a towel and began to walk out briskly as if nothing had happened at all. His face was the perfect mask of calm, but inside he was desperately trying to stem the overwhelming lust he had felt the moment the youkai had slid into the water.
Juuroumaru stood for moments, trying to collect himself and clear his thoughts of the odd sensation the inu youkai had caused to run through his body. Slowly, feeling as if he'd tip over, he followed the strange, inu youkai.
Juuroumaru's mask lay forgotten on the rocky edge.
When they had returned to the room, Sesshoumaru faced him for the first time since what had happened in the bathroom.
"Sit down," he said, void of any emotion. Juuroumaru obediently sat down on the bed. Sesshoumaru left, returning with a small clay bowl. Sitting down beside Juuroumaru, he gently rubbed cool, greenish salve from the bowl all of Juuroumaru's wounds. Again, Juuroumaru found himself marveling at the sensation of the inu youkai's gentle hands. He rubbed the salve along a bruise that bloomed from his cheekbone across the whole left side of his face, making Juuroumaru's eyes flutter shut. He rubbed his neck and Juuroumaru could almost forget that it had been the youkai who had inflicted the small puncture wounds in the first place.
After, despite Juuroumaru's whine of protest, the beautiful inu youkai swept from the room, locking the door and setting a guard outside.
