Between Us
By: HalcyonMoments11
You are a call to motion;
There, all of you a verb in perfect view,
Like Jonah on the ocean.
When you move, I'm moved.
-Hoizer (Movement)
Chapter 22: Between Canines
Kagome's breath shudders as she breathes out; her body trembles in echo. She feels the exhaustion settling into her limbs, the strain of her senses. She's certain if she could call her reiki into a corporeal form, she'd see where the edges are frayed and fading with her exertion.
Today, they are testing limits.
Between travelling, sneaking in time for studying for end-of term exams, and continuing to teach Rin and Shippō how to read and write, Kagome has been training with Miroku and Sango—at the insistence of the daiyoukai, she's certain—to enhance her reiki and martial arts abilities. The taijiya has been teaching her how to interpret and volley an opponent's movements, how to anticipate and dodge their blows. With her houshi companion, she has learned to call on her reiki with intention, extend it beyond herself as if another sense to not only recognize but feel an opponent's intent.
Over the past few weeks, she has felt the inu-bothers watching curiously, carefully. In addition to periodically teasing her when her clumsiness gets the better of her—"Keh, all that balancing and agility Sango's been teaching ya and ya still trip over your own damn feet?"—and occasionally complaining about her inability to reign in her reiki, Inuyasha has increased the frequency of their breaks during their travels, obviously seeking out locations closer to hot springs and bodies of water. Kagome has expressed her gratitude in bright smiles, gentle knocks of her shoulder against his, a brief grasp and squeeze of his hand, because she knows to voice her appreciation out loud would draw an embarrassed and agitated response, a subtle recognition of the purpose behind these simple choices—not just that he cares, but because Sesshomaru is watching.
The daiyoukai's observations have been far more subtle, watching from afar as she trains with the taijiya and houshi, offering a small nod of his head in recognition of her efforts when she happens to cast her gaze in his direction while working with her friends, stealing her breath with a delicate tug on the connection between them when she has accomplished something significant.
Sesshomaru has taken up the position opposite her today, insisting that she show him "what she has learned". As they progressed, the rest of the inu-tachi gathered slowly to watch.
Another shaky breath and he is a blur of movement in front of her almost impossible to track with her eyes, so she extends her reiki once more, waits to feel the electric, hair-raising flush of his youki against her ki, to feel the wind he carries with him on her skin, and just barely dodges his strike at her right side. Out of the corner of her eyes she sees him shift, pivot to reach out with his other arm, and she dives to the ground, summersaults to evade him once more.
When she finds her footing once more, she feels his presence at her side before she can reorient herself, turn her gaze toward the heady force of his youki. She is too slow to avoid the sweep of his foot beneath hers, sending her to the ground once more. She lands on her back with a grunt and wince, but moves quickly when his claws follow her descent, twists to her side, throws a kick of her own in defense, feels her heel brush the fabric of his hitatare.
He has put distance between them by the time she makes it back to her feet. Her body shudders when her azure hues find his honey gold and she's not sure if it's the aftermath of the adrenaline and exhaustion, or the brief surge of amusement and satisfaction that flutters across the threads between them that fuels it.
She has admired him while he has periodically sparred with Inuyasha over the past few weeks, marveled at his effortless gracefulness in each movement. He is beyond compare and so she can't quite convince herself of the hint of approval she sees in his gaze. She knows she cannot hope to match him, even now she's not sure how much more of this she can take.
She raises a shaky hand to brush her sweaty bangs out of her eyes and he is moving again. She breathes in, calls on the dwindling reserves of her reiki once more, but stills when she feels a surge of power as familiar to her as breathing—Shikon no Kakera, two of them. Suddenly, the daiyoukai's movements appear slowed, sluggish in that she can see the way his body feints to one side, arm raised to strike at her shoulder. She eludes him with a single step, an shimmering wall of her reiki visibly flaring up between them in hues of blue and pink, forcing him to twist away from her, reenforce space once more.
She only sees the flash of what could be surprise line his expression out of the corner of her eyes as she turns her attention in the direction of their companions.
"Inuyasha, two shards approaching fast!" She points in the direction she feels their presence and steadies herself, whatever surge of energy she had momentarily felt fading quickly.
She startles slightly when Sesshomaru abruptly appears a pace in front of her, body between her and the presence of the Shikon no Kakera. When he glances back at her over his shoulder, eyes assessing her, she allows the tension in her shoulders to fade slightly and nods in response to his unasked question: Are you well?
The rest of the inu-tachi join them quickly, armed and ready.
A few moments later Kagome sighs exasperatedly, recognizing the youki flaring around the shards. This too draws the daiyoukai's attention and he spares her another look over his shoulder as he senses the tension ease in the houshi and taijiya as well, regardless of the way Inuyasha's youki spikes.
The miko offers him a small smile and steps out from behind him. "A friend" is all she is able to offer him in response before the stench of ōkami reaches him, a flush of barely-familiar youki streaks past his hanyou half-brother, and Kagome is swept into the arms of the youkai that follows.
Sesshomaru recognizes him quickly as the wolf-cub of the Yōrō clan who recently took over domain of the Eastern lands they neared, the same pack that had once killed Rin and the ningen of her village. He hears his ward whimper faintly, watching them from where they had set up camp earlier, hears Jaken hush her and A-Un shift to block her view. He recalls that the ōkami had once saved Rin as well, deterring any retributive actions he may have taken then.
He turns to face the ōkami as he cheerfully asks the miko, "How's my woman?"
The daiyoukai quirks an eyebrow at the flaunted claim, skeptical and unimpressed; he has not scented a mated claim on the onna, though he is surprised by another declaration of interest toward her, from a full-fledged youkai no-less.
Inuyasha growls, "She's not your woman!"
Ignoring the hanyou's shout, Kagome offers the ōkami a soft smile. "I'm fine, Kōga-kun. Could you put me down, please?"
Inuyasha is quick to snap, "You heard her, get your hands off her ya mangy wolf!"
"Shut it, mutt-face!" The wolf bites back at the hanyou, before obliging the miko's request with a flourish, eyeing her carefully as she slips from his arms.
"I was patrolling with Ginta and Hakkaku when I felt your aura. What has you so worked up?" he asks her, noting her flushed features, the sweat glistening on her skin.
Kagome is suddenly sheepish, one hand settling at the back of her neck and the other waving him off. "O-oh, I was just training with Sesshomaru-sama."
The ōkami seems to fully take note of the daiyoukai, his eyes finally following the slight angle of his body, the subtle awareness of a powerful presence his instincts had portrayed. Kōga nods once in recognition, a greeting Sesshomaru doesn't return.
"Training?" His question is directed toward the miko despite his gaze.
Before Kagome can respond Inuyasha interrupts, forcing himself into the wolf's line of sight. "What's it to you, wolf-cub?" he demands, voice still an irritated grumble.
This riles Kōga, who replies with a show of teeth, "I came to make sure you were taking care of my woman and learn she's being trained? Trained for what? Are you no longer capable of protecting her?!"
Inuyasha's fury is visible, a retort on the tip of his tongue, but it's Kagome who responds with venom, drawing the attention of all the canines present. "I'm training because I don't need to be taken care of."
Inuyasha's ears twist back at her tone; Kōga flinches. Amusement quirks the corner of the daiyoukai's lips, fascinated by the way her reiki practically crackles around her. He admits to himself that it is a sight to behold, a ningen onna and untrained miko facing down an ōkami youkai and inu-hanyou with a show of force that is pure determination and furious will, persisting as she is on the depleted amount reiki she retained after training with him for some time.
"O-of course not!" Kōga states. "I'm just making the point that you shouldn't have to—"
"I want to." Kagome cuts him off once more, the full force of her glare on the wolf now.
Sesshomaru is surprised he manages not to tuck his tail between his legs.
Kōga tries again, "And you should! I can't believe it's taken so long for you to start and that mutt-face hasn't offered to train you himself."
"Hey! How the hell was I supposed to know? She could've said something about wanting to train instead of sitting back and watching me do all the work all the damn time!" Inuyasha replies indignantly.
Annoyance becomes a twitch in the corner of the miko's eye. She doesn't even look at Inuyasha before she growls "osuwari" and he crashes to the ground.
"I think the miko has made her intentions clear." Sesshomaru notes, drawing the other's attention. He doesn't miss the way the tension leaves the miko's shoulders when she turns her gaze to him even as his attention remains on Kōga.
"As you have no claims that I can scent here, perhaps it is best if you be on your way ōkami."
"I don't scent any claims on her either. So, I'll only leave if Kagome wants me to."
Before their youki can spike further, or be perceived as a threat, Kagome reaches out to place a hand on Kōga's forearm, drawing his gaze back to her.
She offers him the same soft smile as before, taking the wolf's guard down in one small gesture. "I think I can see Ginta and Hakkaku; why don't you meet them part of the way here? You know, so they don't have to run all the way here to catch up with you."
After a moment, Kōga smiles and nods, his hand rest over hers where it is still perched on his forearm. "You're always so kind, always thinking of the pack first. That's why you'll always have my heart."
Sesshomaru watches curiously as she flushes slightly and pulls her hand away with a gentle slap at the wolf's, in response to which Kōga barks a laugh.
"You always have a place with my pack if you get tired of these dogs, Kagome." He says brightly, and before Inuyasha can rouse himself from the ground to shout a retort the ōkami disappears in a cloud of dust in the direction he'd come.
With him gone, the hanyou turns his attention on the miko with a grumbled "What the hell was that for?!"
Kagome rolls her eyes and turns on her heel in response, brushing past the daiyoukai and strolling in the direction of an amused looking houshi and taijiya who had returned to the camp some time ago.
"H-hey! I'm talking to you! Where are you going?!"
"To the hot springs!" Kagome bites back, effectively silencing the hanyou.
Sesshomaru watches her go, ignoring the grumbling antics of his half-brother still on the ground beside him, amusement and intrigue still piqued. This onna never fails to surprise him.
A/N: Apologies for my very slow update this summer. In addition to working a 6 day/week job, there was an unexpected death in my family, and it threw me off a bit when it came to writing. I've got the next few chapters planned out and pieces in the works, so more updates will be coming soon!
Vocabulary: youkai – demon; hanyou – half demon; inu- dog; inu-tachi – dog pack; ōkami – wolf; miko – priestess; houshi – monk; taijiya – demon slayer; youki – demonic aura; reiki – spiritual powers; ningen – human(s); onna – woman; osuwari – sit; daiyoukai – demon lord; Shikon no Kakera – shards of the Sacred Jewel