Against his better judgment, Toga remained at the village's edge, waiting for Kagome. The time she had taken stretched long; night would fall by the time they made their way back to the demon camp. The young demon lord let out a weary sigh, resting his forehead against a tree. He could still feel the phantom imprint of her form on his back. He embraced the trunk, lost in a whirl of conflicting emotions - a battle between his rationale and newfound feelings that left him unnerved. He loathed how he had allowed this human to make him dance to her whims. He felt reduced, like a mere servant eagerly awaiting a reward for each task performed on her behalf. With each favor granted, he felt a chip taken from his pride. Such behavior was unbecoming of him. He should have been the master, making her bend to his will, devoid of any undue sentiment. He buried his face in his hands.
Kagome hardly took note of the setting sun and the emerging moon. She trudged back towards the forest, her mind grappling with disbelief. From her interactions with the locals, she gleaned that she had been catapulted thousands of years into the past. Here, in this unfamiliar realm, she was bereft of friends, with seemingly no route back to her own time. The well, her potential passage home, wouldn't even exist for millennia. She came to a halt, almost unconsciously, at the spot where she last saw Toga. Battling the tears threatening to spill and a burgeoning sense of panic, an emptiness settled within her. Would she ever again embrace her mother, quarrel with her little brother, journey with her friends, or be held by Inuyasha? Would these memories fade, becoming mere dreams lost to time, as she faced the challenges of this ancient world?
At least she had secured a kettle by trading her necklace. It felt like a good exchange, considering the jewelry was a mere trinket won from a gashapon machine. Yet, the kettle couldn't replace the warmth and comfort of home and familiar faces.
Almost imperceptibly, Toga jumped down from the tree she was slumped against. "If you're finished with your inquiries, we must depart. There are demons nearby," he cautioned.
"You're right," Kagome responded, her gaze distant.
Toga crouched low, so that Kagome could more easily climb on his back. Snuggled against his back, Kagome felt the world fall away as Toga leaped into the sky, soaring above the treetops.
In the dead of night, they reached the dog demon encampment. Kagome was no longer astride Toga's back. She had nodded off repeatedly, causing her to slip several times, dropping the kettle twice. Out of irritation and concern, Toga had chosen to carry her in his arms and attach the kettle to his waist.
As he passed male inu youkai, Toga caught the predatory gleam in some of their eyes. It was evident they were no more immune to the scent of a ripe untouched fruit than he was. However, unlike Toga, they felt no ethical restraint.
Toga flashed his fangs, a not-so-subtle warning: she was his charge, and his alone. While most of the male demons averted their gaze, a few more daring ones tracked Toga from the shadows, licking their lips with anticipation.
Toga entered Kagome's hut and tenderly laid her on a bed of fur. He had to gently uncurl her fingers from his attire, his worry for her deepening. She had a snowball's chance in hell if a pack of demons decided to sully her, powerful as she may be. Extracting himself from her grip, Toga looked down at her — so small and fragile.
He positioned himself directly at the hut's entrance. He could easily go without sleep during the time her heat needed to pass. He rather faced the snickers and snide comments from his pack than let them rape and rip her apart. A sentiment he hadn't expected to hold, yet felt so fiercely.
Having kept vigil the entire night, Toga was fairly certain no one would dare challenge his authority, as horny as his companions might've been. The humidity was getting thinner, and Toga knew that the sun was only few moments away. Right when he was sure that Kagome would still have her maidenhood intact in the morning, he felt a strong demonic aura near him.
An older male approached Toga. Despite his calm exterior, Toga sensed his ill intentions.
"Yanagi-san, reconsider your actions," Toga warned, muscles coiled.
The one called Yanagi merely smiled lazily, showcasing his white fangs. "Toga-san, this isn't your kingdom. You have no first claim to any prey here, whether you're the general's son or not." His languid voice sounded almost gleeful. "Need I remind you, by age and rank, I stand above you."
Toga rose to his full height, confronting Yanagi directly. He noted the dangerous red tint in Yanagi's eyes. "While there's merit in your words, this woman is taken. She's mine."
The other demon scoffed. "Save your lies. I can easily smell from here that she is unspoken for."
As Yanagi tried to proceed, Toga blocked him with his blade.
"Don't worry, Toga, if you so wish, I won't take her life." Yanagi lowered his voice to almost a whisper "I'll even save some for you."
The very thought of Yanagi, or anyone, laying a hand on Kagome made him ill with rage. "Consider this a final warning," Toga growled, feeling his own eyes becoming hot with blood rushing to them.
Yanagi unsheathed his sword, replying coolly, "So be it."
Without hesitation, Toga engaged. Their blades met with a sizzle of sparks. Both demons refrained from revealing their swords' true forms, aware that a full-blown demonic onslaught could devastate their camp. Instead, they engaged in a swift dance of fencing. Toga believed he could overcome Yanagi using special maneuvers or mere hand-to-hand combat, yet he hesitated. He had no desire to kill. However, Yanagi's skills required Toga to maintain focus and evade the older demon's swift attacks.
Yanagi's katana danced around Toga, leaving him primarily on the defensive. Suddenly, a flash of silver sent white strands tumbling to the ground—Toga had lost a chunk of his hair.
"Why risk yourself for her? She's merely human," Yanagi jeered, slicing away more of Toga's hair before the latter could react. Yanagi's deceptive maneuver caught Toga off guard. Attempting to retaliate, Toga's thrust missed as Yanagi sidestepped. An unexpected strike sent Toga sprawling face-first. Before he could recover, Yanagi straddled him, yanking his head back by the hair.
"Trust me, she might enjoy what I intend to do," Yanagi's words came out hot against Toga's cheek. Just as he poised to strike, the tables turned. Toga disarmed Yanagi and had him pinned, claws threateningly close to Yanagi's throat.
"You will leave now," Toga ordered, resisting the urge to sink his claws all the way through the neck up to his's advisory's spine.
When Yanagi didn't reply, Toga let his claws sink even deeper. "And not come back until a week has passed." Yanagi started to have trouble breathing and could only produce gurgling noises.
Toga moved his face so close to Yanagi's that he could taste the blood that was gathering in Yanagi's throat and mouth.
"A week. Nod if you understand."
Yanagi's eyes slowly began returning to their aureate color and he weekly nodded. Toga let go of his throat and let him lay on the ground. Reclaiming his katana, Toga reentered Kagome's hut, not sparing a backward glance.
The sun was up, and the first light crept to walls of the hut. Toga wiped beads of sweat from his brow. It was hot in the hut. Partially because the sun was getting warmer by the day, partially because two persons in a small, confined space created heat on their own. But mostly because Toga hadn't shaken off the adrenaline rush from the fight moments ago, and Kagome smelled like a banquet to a starving man. Toga tried to moisten his dry mouth and reached for a small clay cup which served as Kagome's refreshment. He downed a few gulps of water and leaned back to the wall of the hut.
Toga had contemplated all night about the enigmatic human and what to do with her. Leaving her alone or returning her to her village was out of the question — demons would prey on her, and her unique abilities and appearance would make her an outcast among humans.
She was better off with him, Toga sighed and succumbed to the thought. But as long as she was in heat, it posed a threat, not just from his brethren, but also from himself. Glancing at her, he noted her exposed legs, since Kagome had kicked off the fur blanket in the heat of the night. Sweat trickled down her smooth thighs in small streaks. She tossed her head in her sleep and grabbed the animal skins beneath her body. Her chest was rising and descending as her breath quickened. She murmured in her dreams, speaking of foreign concepts.
"Mama, the air conditioning isn't working. Can I buy an ice-cream?"
Unable to resist, Toga brushed her lips with his thumb. Their softness brought a smile to his lips. But suddenly, as if driven by a lash of whip, he backed away from her. Clenching his trembling hand, he chided himself for his lack of control. How had a mere human stirred such feelings within him? Humans were frail, inferior beings. He'd rather burn in hell than defile himself with a weaker constituent. Just as he grappled with these thoughts, having almost convinced himself to resign his duties as the human woman's aid and guard, Kagome let out a small sigh and murmured a name in her sleep.
"In...sh."
Toga lingered in the shadows, observing Kagome intently. He had thought humans to be filthy, but her scent was absent of odors he usually associated with humans. Rorearu? He faintly recalled Kagome mentioning a soapy scent earlier. Regardless, the allure was irresistible. He leaned in, letting her scent envelop him. The rich aroma caused a shiver of longing to cascade through him.
As he immersed himself in the fragrance of her dark hair, Toga found his hands drawn to her thighs, marveling at their silky texture. He rationalized his actions, convincing himself that this momentary indulgence would satiate his curiosity.
Yet, when his fingers lightly caressed her skin, Kagome responded by parting her legs, murmuring, "In...sh," followed by a soft sigh. The air fused with the scent of her arousal and fertile state, amplifying Toga's own longing. A sizeable bulge strained the front of his umanori. His hands stopped their venture on her body and he squeezed a wisp of her silky hair in his fist.
In moments, Toga had shed his garments, retrieving the clay cup next to Kagome's bed. One hand moved over his own body, while the other traced patterns on Kagome's. Slowly his hand sought for his throbbing member and began ministering strokes on the hardened organ. As he leaned in, tasting the soft skin of her neck, her sighs fueled his fantasies. The tempo of his self-indulgence quickened, leading him to a world where only they existed.
Kagome awoke refreshed, the pleasant remnants of a dream still lingering. Despite the primitive environment, she had managed a good night's sleep. She stretched. Maybe she was starting to get used to the prehistoric setting she was stuck in. Maybe things wouldn't...
"Gyaaaaaaah!" She shrieked when her train of thought was cut by the realization that a man was standing in her hut. After the frantic brain of the scared-shitless miko realized that it was Toga, she gave up on trying to find whatever suitable to throw at the intruder.
"Good Lord, Toga!" She huffed. "You took years off my life just now."
Toga remained in his stoic stance and stared at her blankly. It seemed to Kagome like the poor man hadn't had a wink of sleep for a week. His complexion was pale...er than usual and his eyes bleary. And his expression was somewhat... constipated.
"Are you okay?" Kagome asked with genuine concern.
The question seemed to snap Toga out of his trance. He cleared his throat and picked something up from the ground. It was a small clay cup, her drinking cup as a matter of fact. Rather it wasn't filled with water but with a thick murky ooze. Toga hastily placed it next to her bed and leapt away.
"Use it." He murmured under his breath, barely audible.
Kagome picked up the cup and examined the ooze.
"What is it?" She placed the cup under her nose and took a sniff. It smelled like salt and protein. Toga buried his burning face into his hands, but Kagome was too busy to notice.
"Smells like egg whites. Looks like, too." The miko mused aloud and dipped her index finger in the cup. The ooze clung to her finger like mucus. She pressed her thumb and index finger together and when she parted her fingers, a thin string of the ooze appeared between them.
An increasingly agitated Toga interjected, "Stop toying with it! Just apply it to your skin."
She wanted to retort, but his expression stopped her. Was he... blushing or having a stroke? She asked him, her confusion evident, "What's wrong? Why do you look so... flushed?"
Toga quickly turned his back at Kagome and spoke sharply back at her, "Never mind me. You need to use that on your skin."
She persisted, "But why?"
Toga slapped both of his hands on his forehead and tried to restrain himself from going over at her and either smacking her on the head or trying out another way to get his scent on her. The idea of the latter sent a shiver of longing through him, making his attire uncomfortably restrictive.
"Can you, just once, do as you're told?" he pleaded, desperation evident in his voice. Sensing the genuine urgency in his tone, Kagome chose not to challenge him.
"Alright," she began hesitantly, "Where exactly do you want me to 'apply' this?"
With a visible effort, Toga responded, "Your inner thighs and abdomen." Before she could question him further, he swiftly exited her dwelling, leaving Kagome holding the clay cup, a look of bewilderment on her face.
Outside, Toga took a deep breath, his tension momentarily alleviated. The fact that he had spent the night in Kagome's quarters was clear to all. Now, with his scent masking her untouched state, none would dare challenge his perceived ownership of her. He hoped that having his own scent on her might quell his escalating desires. Ideally, his instincts would interpret it as a sign that he had already 'conquered' and thus dampen his impulses.
Short while after, Kagome pushed her way out of the hut. Dressed in one of those strange futuristic clothes of hers. This time she was wrapped in all the colors of the rainbow, like a human canary. Making her stand out like a sore thumb in the forest that was muted green. That creature's vanity rivalled her stupidity, Toga chided silently. Did she despair to be an easy target for hostile demons and predators? With those strange pants that were practically glued to her shapely long legs. And that whimsy, totally weather inappropriate shirt that did absolutely nothing to hide the shape of her bosom. Toga stared at Kagome's ass and smelled the intense scent of his sex on her body. In less than three blinks, he had gone from flaccid to painfully hard. Against his earlier forecast, instead of holding his sexual instincts at bay, smelling his own semen on her just made him want her even more badly. It made him want to take her right there and then.
"You seem off today. Is everything okay?" Kagome's voice seemed distant, her words barely registering. Toga, unable to articulate a response, abruptly fled. She called out after him, but he was soon lost to the dense trees.
Baffled, Kagome exclaimed, "What the hell?!" drawing the curious glances of some nearby demons.
A/N: Rereaders might remember that originally this chapter had a wanking scene (yup, another) at the beginning where Toga thinks about Kagome, but upon revising and reuploading the chapters, it felt off.
Maybe I'll add it as a bonus chapter after the story is complete?