Chapter Two: Hot

Groaning, she rolled over and looked at the moon. It was dark, the middle of the night once more. She honestly just couldn't sleep. She was exhausted from the rather long day. It was simply too hot and tiring all day long. It had felt like they really hadn't gotten anywhere. There were no jewel shards in this immediate area, there weren't even any demons that she could sense. For once, Inuyasha had been able to fall fast asleep tonight. He *never* falls asleep *anywhere*. It was as if the boy didn't know how to take a rest.

As for the rest of the group... everyone was all knocked out after a rather satisfying dinner. Kagome had pretty much decided that everyone needed a load off and cooked a bit of a variety to allow everyone to rest easy. Even Inuyasha had gotten so relaxed as to fall asleep. Now, being the only one awake, she couldn't seem to relax long enough to actually sleep. Go figure. If it wasn't Inuyasha that was watching over the group at night, it was her.

Sighing, and being careful to not disturb Shippou who slept beside her each night, she slipped from the makeshift "bed" that she had made with her sleeping bag. It was just too hot and humid to even cuddle up and snuggle into it's depths. Looking over the camp once more to make sure she hadn't woken anyone up, she stretched and looked up at the half demon in the trees. His ears were drooped, his posture slouched, and she could see his hair and clothing swaying a bit in the wind that passed high above them all. He looked exhausted - and he hadn't even broken a sweat over the hiking he had put them all through.

She guessed with all of the extra stamina or "metabolism", she figured if anyone would be worn out, it'd be him. It was tiring trying to keep up with his pace. She was sure that if she weren't around, Kikyou would be, and the pace would continue for at least a couple of days until-

She halted her thoughts and cleared her brain. What in the world had gotten into her? She must be overheating if her thoughts were jumbled this badly. Ever since Sesshomaru had decided to have personal "audiences" with her, she had been a bit... out of tune. She couldn't really blame him, either. She would think that being a Lord meant keeping your lands safe, signing treaties, creating treaties, discussing political business with people, group gatherings, and all kinds of other stuff. She supposed he needed a way to escape sometimes, too. Perhaps that's why she always saw him traveling.

Then her thoughts wondered to Rin. Where in the world had the little girl even come from? As far as she knew, Rin had been dying and Lord Sesshomaru saved her. And that was another thing - she herself had taken to calling him Lord. She wondered - had the demon lord finally earned his respect from her? Or had she simply gotten use to seeing him every so often?

Shaking her head, she decided that going for a swim would be the best thing to do. She could use the cool water to lower her temperature - plus, it would actually relax her. Perhaps she will run into a certain someone during her swim...

Pausing a moment as she dug through her bag for a towel, she had to wonder just why she had thought that. Could she be actually...? No. It wasn't possible. For heaven's sake, he is Inuyasha's *brother*, and if that wasn't enough - he tried killing her in the past! Should either of those things say anything?

Then again... she always said to keep moving forward and don't look back. Maybe that same saying applies to this scenario as well?

She cleared her thoughts once more with yet another shake of the head. She couldn't even stop thinking about demon lord. She knew he only saw her as a means to entertain himself with until he grew bored - at least, that's what she assumed anyway. She didn't think he'd ever have those sorts of feelings when it came to her person. Besides... if the brothers were anything alike... she knew she was setting herself up for heartbreak anyway.

Quickly taking off toward the stream they had been following, which she knew was nearby, she felt...anxious. It was a feeling she couldn't help but to feel. She wanted to see him again, even if she didn't fully understand why. She grumbled to herself briefly before looking around to make sure no one was watching. She quickly stripped, leaving her clothes strewn about on the bank of the stream.

It was quiet there. The miniature waterfall that was a little ways away was a relaxing sound. You could hear crickets beginning to chirp and grasshoppers singing. You could see the fireflies buzzing about, lighting up the area with an ethereal sort of glow. She smiled to herself. If this were the future, this would be the perfect spot to go for a date.

Looking at her reflection in the water, she noticed her hair had gotten much longer than what she remembered. It had been so long since she had a trim and she was sure she had tons of split ends. Her bangs were long enough to place behind her ears and flow over her breasts. Perhaps she will ask her mother next time she sees her if she could cut it for her.

"Priestess," a cold monotone voice called from behind her. She turned, her face growing red as she noticed Sesshomaru staring at her. She quickly ducked down beneath the water to cover herself from his intense gaze.

"Y-Yes?" She stuttered. She was happy, and just a little bit surprised, that he had actually shown up. She had begun to think he was too busy to even come to her. And she was just a little bit excited to see him. "Do you need something?"

"Why are you in a freezing stream?" He asked, clearly confused. "Would you not catch a cold?"

Like it should matter, Kagome thought to herself. And didn't he use that line once before? "Not really," she said, "it's actually warm. The humidity in the air along with the heat warmed the water up nicely. Unlike many, I am immune to most things. So, I can handle it." She gave him a smile, whether it was to reassure him or herself, she didn't know.

"Why are you awake at such a late hour?"

"I couldn't sleep," Kagome admitted nervously. "It's weird really, everyone was able to fall asleep except for me. It's... not normal."

"Hn," he said, "may This Sesshomaru join you?"

She hadn't even replied as he begun taking off his armor and swords. She turned around quickly to give him some privacy, her face a shade of red she was sure would make strawberries jealous. Not the best impression she would have liked to give him, but hey, she was rolling with it.

She felt the water move around her and she knew that he was now submersed in the water. She turned around to peak at him and found that he was directly behind her. She almost cried out when his hand touched her naked arm, surprised at his proximity. "How did you get over here so fast?"

He raised a single, delicate eyebrow as if to say, "Isn't it obvious?" She sighed and sank deeper into the water, only to realize that she was still rather close to him, and he was much taller than she was. Certain aspects of a male's body are very...noticeable when one was shorter than the other. He sunk lower into the water and she noticed something float up around them. She reached out and found that it was Sesshomaru's "fluff" that was always hanging around his shoulders.

"What is this?" She asked, stroking it gently, "It so soft." She practically cooed at the simple thought of having such a soft and fluffy material around all the time.

Sesshomaru growled softly as his tail twitched beneath her fingers. She gasped and jerked back a tad, but continued to stroke it nonetheless. He didn't say anything, which she took as the initiative to continue her ministrations. Kagome noticed his "purr of pleasure" and realized that it was actually connected to him. The fluff that she called it was actually a tail. Who would have guessed that Sesshomaru had a tail in his humanoid form? Then again, she didn't think it was that hard to believe. After all, he is a dog.

Kagome stopped stroking it and uncrossed her arms from her chest to begin swimming. After all, that was what she was initially here for. Sesshomaru watched her every movement. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I am on my way back to the Western Domain," he replied, keeping it short and sweet.

"I see," she replied, deciding to swim in circles around him. She wanted to back float, but she knew that her breasts would poke above the water, eliminating her chances of relaxing with her eyes closed.

"Why do you remain by my half brother's side when he treats you unjustly?" He asked, watching her intently.

That threw her off. "W-Well," Kagome said, blushing furiously, "I don't know. I'm loyal, and even though I could drop him like a rock... I'm just... I guess I'm too nice not to just leave."

She stopped swimming for a moment to really think about her answer. "Do you think... I mean... I know I'm not the most beautiful creature in the world, but..." Her eyes began to tear up as she looked down at her reflection. "I know I'm not ugly but... he compares me so often to Kikyou. A-And..." Her bottom lip began to tremble, and she quickly looked up at him. "Am I not good enough? Do you think I'm not good enough?"

She was surprised when he reached forward, grasping her hand. His tail floated up around the two of them, and she softly touched it with her free hand. "I-I just..."

"You are a rather transfixing individual with a body that could rival many a demoness," she heard him say quietly. He raised her chin to look him in the eye, "And while I am incapable of feeling such straightforward emotions publicly," he let his hand trail across her cheek and put her hair behind her ear, "I am not without them. That having been said, I am a male - and I say my fool of a brother has missed his best chance. There are others who would find that you have the perfect necessities for baring pups."

"Pups?" She asked, quirking her head to the side. "You mean babies?"

"If this is the human term for it, than yes," he said with a firm nod. Then he pinched her belly, making her giggle and splash him wholeheartedly.

She had caught him completely off-guard, so in return, he lifted her from the water before throwing her over his shoulder and into the water behind him.

She came sputtering to the surface, clearly surprised that Sesshomaru had done such a thing. "Okay, that was completely uncalled for," she said as she splashed water at him. She looked at him and laughed wholeheartedly. He was absolutely drenched with water. She could see water droplets flowing down his chin, dripping from the tips of his ears and bangs and sliding down his broad shoulders. She laughed at his "stunned" expression. He never truly showed any emotions, what with that stoic facade that he wore practically twenty-four, seven. It was nice to see a different expression coming from him, even if it was just a small difference.

Then again, he had shown a little bit of emotion before, too. She jsut hadn't always acknowledged it back then.

Sesshomaru frowned before leaping forward. She had just enough time to "eep" before the two of them were both dunked beneath the surface of the water. She barely had enough air before being pulled under, too. She opened her eyes and saw Sesshomaru floating above her. It was, perhaps, the most magical visage she had ever seen.

His hair had a green hue and flowed around them like a barrier, his fluffy tail barely visible with the moonlight the flowed in through the refractions of the water. Sesshomaru had a smirk on his face, staring down at her own surprised, yet happy, expression.. His golden eyes looked even darker than normal beneath the water.

Kagome gave him a smile. She was finally able to get over the naked modesty that she was so focused on, and simply enjoyed herself. Not as a girl, but as an adult - as a woman. She was much more relaxed and comfortable while in his presence now. And she couldn't help it... she felt... it felt like they had a connection.

When she broke the surface of the water, she gasped for air, her hair flinging toward her back and draping over her shoulders, past her breasts, and covering her from prying eyes. When she finally caught her breath, she splashed him before taking off. "You are so not getting away with what you just did!" She said, laughing making a bee line for the shore. He quickly swam around the stream, allowing her to remain just out of her reach.

When their play time was over, Kagome quickly washed with her soaps, even going so far as to let Sesshomaru check them out himself. Of course, all he did was sniff at them and set them before setting them down. She supposed she'd probably be able to use them on him one day - just not today. When they were both dressed, she said her goodbyes, leaning forward and giving him a hug before taking off, grabbing some rosemary leaves on the way back.

She hoped she never forgot those rosemary leaves.

Alterations Made:
Rewritten.
Grammatically Corrected.
Added Scene.

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