She was not trying to impress him.
She was merely proving his point about her not needing his help. And that his training hadn't been a waste of time. She was enjoying their little sparring sessions and didn't want him to call them off because he thought she wasn't taking them seriously.
Besides, Kagura and his mother seemed content to chat amongst themselves whenever they stopped, so the breaks didn't seem to bother anyone.
Glancing over her shoulder, she couldn't help but smile at how well the two females were getting along. Inukimi hadn't revealed much about herself—though she was more than willing to offer up little details about her son—but Kagura seemed to be flourishing under her attention.
In all the times they'd come up against her, she'd always struck Kagome as a reluctant adversary. She'd thought about offering up shelter more than once, though she knew Inuyasha and Kouga would've argued against it, especially after the attack on Kouga's pack. And she doubted Kagura would've accepted anyway, even though she'd given them a few warnings at the end.
And then she'd disappeared.
Kagome had always feared the worst; Naraku was known for sacrificing even his most loyal creations, so the fact that Kagura had been given a second chance gave her hope that the scars he'd caused weren't binding.
And if anything, Kagura would get a few new friends from their journey, along with her freedom. The reminder of why they were travelling together had her teeth chewing on her bottom lip. They were still a day away from Bokuseno, and no one had talked about what would happen if he didn't have a solution.
Kagura deserved to be free, to make her own decisions, and start the life she'd been denied while under Naraku's control. If they could only find someone who understood the bond that currently flowed between her and Inukimi.
"Is it a habit of humans to eat themselves when anxious about something?" Sesshoumaru's voice cut into her thoughts, and she looked up at him, the open curiosity on his face making her laugh.
"I don't think I've ever heard it put that way, but now that I think about it, we kind of do." She held up her hands. "Humans can chew on their lips, fingers, or even hair as a nervous habit. And I'm not anxious, per se, just worried."
"I fail to see the difference."
Sighing, she motioned towards Kagura and Inukimi, the two resting under a nearby tree. "I want to find a solution, but I'm worried your friend won't have any information."
"Bokuseno is not my—"
"You've known him for years, and go to him for advice. He's your friend." She grinned as his frown deepened. "You also call him by his name instead of a title. Definitely a friend." She didn't realize until that moment that she was a little jealous of whomever Bokuseno was.
It wasn't often that Sesshoumaru relied on anyone, and the reminder that she hadn't been able to breach that wall even though they'd fought against Naraku together, that she'd woken up inside the vile creature's bowels with Sesshoumaru defending her, made her wonder what miraculous event had connected him with the other youkai.
She considered him for a moment, her head tilting as her mind raced. What would it take for Sesshoumaru to think of her as a friend? The memory of his pelt around her shoulders had her blushing, and she quickly looked away, clearing her throat before rolling her shoulders.
"Are we training today?" she asked, inching away from the questions she really wanted to ask.
"It is unnecessary."
"Oh? I figured you'd take every opportunity to get a session in."
Sesshoumaru smirked, glancing over her head. "It is unnecessary because you will be able to use the impending nest of crow youkai as targets instead. We seem to have stumbled into their territory."
Kagome perked up, immediately sending out her reiki to scan the area. Sesshoumaru gave her an approving nod, then moved out of range, taking the void of his youki with him. He wasn't going to help her, but she wasn't expecting him to—didn't want him to.
This one she'd tackle herself.
Alone, crow youkai was insignificant, the one that caused her to shatter the jewel notwithstanding, but as she widened her senses, a hoard darkened the horizon, swirling together in an ominous tornado of feathers and youki, screeching at her in unison.
She nocked an arrow, the light surrounding it dispersing the swell for a moment before they regrouped, diving at her. The quickest burned into ash as they hit her barrier, the bubble increasing in size to take out a few more before they returned to the sky. Kagome worried about Kagura and Inukimi for a moment, but when she glanced behind her, she found Sesshoumaru standing between her and them, the threat of extinction cutting through the air if any of the crows even got close.
Were a daiyoukai's protective instincts stronger than others, even when there was nothing in need of protection? His mother could easily take out any of the youkai that had crossed their paths, but she seemed content to let Sesshoumaru do the dirty work. At least today.
On the other hand, Kagura looked like she was itching for a fight, but Inukimi's fingers were wrapped firmly around her wrist, and Kagome gave her a grateful smile before turning back to her foe.
The hoard had retained its tornado-like appearance, the dark shroud bearing down on her, and she let another arrow fly, dispersing them before darting out of the barrier. It took a few more of their pack turning to ash before they realized she was no longer inside, and she almost grinned when she opened it from across the clearing, taking out half the hoard as the barrier closed behind them.
The crows switched tactics, splitting up into smaller groups and going after her limbs. Kagome ducked, eyes widening as reiki crackled along her bow, and she lifted it above her head, spark flying in all directions as the glowing wood cut through the rest of the hoard. The remaining survivors were quickly dispatched, not having enough brain cells between them to think about escaping, and Kagome stared at her hands in wonder.
She knew her power was different—especially with how in tune she was with the elements—but she'd always required an object before, a weapon, automatically relying on her arrows because it was expected.
Letting her bow drop to the ground, her brow furrowed in concentration, the familiar tingling sensation from using her reiki sliding down her arms instead of collecting in her chest. Cupping her hands together, she pushed.
Reiki arched between her fingers.
Something warm burst in her chest, and she leapt at Sesshoumaru when he got close enough. "Did you see that? I can use the reiki without a conduit! I don't have to worry about always having my bow anymore!"
He jerked at the initial contact but remained still, his eyes contemplative as he stared at her. Too excited to realize she was still hugging him, she pulled one hand back, holding it up to him as she pushed her reiki through her fingers once more, her smile only widening when the same sparks appeared.
"You don't think it's a one-time thing, do you? It has to be the training. We should keep at it. Maybe I can even create one of those whip things like you use!"
Sesshoumaru snorted. "It is unlikely—that skill is exclusive only to my kin. And I have never seen a human master it."
Still reeling from the high of her new ability, she lifted her chin, eyes sparkling with mirth. "Maybe I'll be the first one to accomplish it then." It wasn't until he raised an eyebrow that she realized how close they were—and that her arm was still around him.
Blushing fiercely, she released him, tucking a wayward curl behind her ear. It was a natural response to be physical with affection, especially with friends, but as she was painfully aware, they weren't friends, so she needed to be more careful with how she acted around him.
She flexed her fingers, taking the discovery as a win regardless and making a mental note to put aside time for meditation before she went to sleep. She didn't want it to end up being a fluke.
"There is much potential left to discover," he murmured, hand resting on the hilt of Bakusaiga. "So do not waver in your journey of self-improvement." Biting back a sigh, she nodded in agreement, the few sparks she'd managed now seeming insignificant.
"Do not lose heart, miko," he said, moving passed her. "Your progress has not gone unnoticed."
His praise was minimal, but it still did the trick, making the weight on her shoulders a little lighter as she followed him, Kagura and Inukimi grinning at each other from the sidelines.