After discovering the origins of their current location, Kagome and Inuyasha had agreed they needed to leave as soon as possible, but they'd been low on supplies and counting on coming across another village to restock them. Sango offered to go with him, and he hadn't argued. Kagome's reiki was out of control and would have been too distracting if she'd tried to go with him.
She wandered into the neighbouring trees, trying to put as much distance between her and the place where her soul had been ripped from her body. She'd forgiven Kikyou, eventually; it wasn't her fault she'd been brought back to life against her will.
Her actions against them during their hunt for the shards notwithstanding, she'd pitied the woman. Kikyou had already been confused about her feelings for Inuyasha—she'd been taught miko weren't meant to have such thoughts—and as soon as she'd made up her mind to walk away from the life created for her, she'd been attacked by the person who loved her.
It was enough to make anyone go crazy.
Sighing, Kagome sat down on the ground, uncaring of any possible stains. Closing her eyes, she attempted to centre herself, focusing on her shoulders, then arms, and finally her hands. Urasue was dead, as was Kikyou. There was no one to harm her here.
Her breathing evened out, the blocks in her power dissipating. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to do it herself, but Sesshoumaru wasn't the type to deal with human emotions like this. He didn't need the extra weight of her trauma.
She wouldn't wish that on anyone.
Besides, she could handle this on her own. Sango and Inuyasha would return with new supplies, and they'd be able to—
"You are upset."
Kagome jumped, hissing as rocks dug into her palms. "Damn it! Stop sneaking up on me like that!"
Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "You are the one who was too focused on your own plight to notice my presence."
She brushed off her hands, then regained her position, closing her eyes. "Shouldn't you be praising me for being focused enough to deal with the blocks myself?" She expected his power to find hers to confirm, but he remained unmoving, and she sighed. "What? Not going to check?"
"You have stated before that you are working on asking for things," he replied.
"And yet you're still here."
He considered her for a moment, then glanced back to the cave. "Inuyasha refused to speak of why that place is important."
Both eyebrows raised. He'd actually tried to get information out of Inuyasha? There was no reason he was worried about either of them. Was this that curiosity at work again? She slowly got to her feet, brushing off as much dirt as possible. "Important is the wrong word. It's more like…an event of great significance happened there, and we're both still suffering from it."
"You do not appear to be suffering."
This time, it was Kagome who rolled her eyes. "Suffering comes in many forms. Right now, we're both avoiding the area because it brings up too many painful memories—and sensations." She rubbed her chest, then moved past him, walking away from the cave and deeper into the forest. Sesshoumaru fell in step behind her, and for once, she was grateful for the company.
"Pain should be met with perseverance, miko. You must not allow wraiths to get the better of you." His views were so logical, and she couldn't fault him for it. Aside from his issues with his father, which couldn't be any worse than Inuyasha's, she doubted he suffered from any trauma at all.
"You met Kikyou," she said, clenching and unclenching to relieve any lingering pressure as his head dipped once. "She died before I got here—before I even met your brother—and she should've stayed dead, but a witch brought her back to life." She pointed over her shoulder. "At that very spot."
"And you feel it will happen again?" he asked.
Kagome snorted. "No. She's finally at rest now. Plus, I'm too powerful to let any part of my soul go again."
"I should think not, considering it was never hers to begin with." She should've known he'd know, especially with his knowledge of pressure points and the flow of power in general, but she couldn't keep the shock from her face as he passed by her.
"Was it that obvious?"
"Only to those keen enough to look past what the spider wished you to see." Sesshoumaru ran a hand through his hair. "Your power is nothing alike."
A smile touched her lips. "Thanks." She'd had an inclining, especially with how obsessed Naraku was with the dead miko. There was a possibility that she was Kikyou's descendant, but the only reason why her soul was pulled from her body in the first place was because it was powerful enough to survive such an ordeal.
"It was not meant as a compliment, merely an observation."
"Maybe, but I'm going to take it as one all the same!" They meandered between the trees, and Kagome kept expecting him to turn around and leave, but for once, there seemed to be something on his mind, and she finally grabbed his sleeve. "You know you can be honest with me, right? It goes both ways."
His sideways glance was barely more than a flicker, but she held fast, tugging on his sleeve expectantly. If he didn't know already, he was about to find out she was just as stubborn as he was.
"I knew you did not require my help with your reiki," he admitted, and just like that, her body became aware of how close he was. If it wasn't to do with her power, then there was only one reason he'd sought her out. It actually made things easier because now she knew it wasn't just her.
He wanted it just as much as she did.
"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" she asked, voice husky.
"I assumed you wished for realignment." He rolled a shoulder, and she released his sleeve only for his fingers to wrap around her wrist. Power sizzled along her skin, her heart hammering against her ribs. He'd barely touched her, but now that she'd accepted whatever it was between them, she was no longer fighting the anticipation.
"And when you realized I didn't?" He gave her a knowing look, and she let out a breath laugh. "You can ask too, you know. I won't say no." She looked around, but the ground was uneven and covered in roots. Not the ideal place to lie down, but maybe if they kept going—
Glancing up at him to voice her intent, she caught sight of amber eyes glinting in the fading sunlight, and his pupils dilated as he backed her up against the nearest tree. Bark dug into her back, but Kagome wasn't given the chance to acknowledge it, Sesshoumaru quickly grabbing her other wrist and pinning them both above her head.
Breath hitched in her throat as his free hand slid under her hakama, tugging them over her hips before they pooled around her ankles. She might've protested, but she was more interested in where his hand was. A knuckle brushed her clit, and she arched, raising her hips as she sought more friction.
His eyes were on her, watching her every expression, but Kagome was too aroused to be embarrassed. Her breasts ached, but not as much as the area between her legs—the place where she wanted him most.
"Please—" The word barely left her lips before he parted her folds, one finger quickly followed by another. She hadn't even noticed him trimming his claws, but the pads of his fingers pressed against a spot that left her gasping. Muscles clenched around the intrusion, but it only egged him on, and he thumbed the bundle of nerves as he pumped his fingers into her.
Pleasure shot through her, leaving her keening as she was quickly brought to completion, her body writhing as she bit back a moan. He continued to move his fingers, prolonging her release until she slumped against the tree, chest heaving. He stared at her, face impassive, then slowly pulled away.
In a moment of daring, Kagome yanked a hand free, catching his wrist before sliding her tongue along his fingers. She hummed softly, enjoying how his mask cracked, gold shifting to crimson as he watched her. Taking both fingers into her mouth, she sucked them dry, dragging her tongue between them before nipping at the tips.
His power spiked, and she smiled, glad she could affect him just as much. "Can I touch you?"
"Why?" His response was barely more than a growl, and she would've laughed, but she didn't want him to take it the wrong way.
She motioned to his pants, tracing the line of his erection through the silk. "Don't you want to feel good too?" Kagome didn't bother waiting for an answer, pulling on his obi to give herself better access. His flesh was hot to the touch, and she half expected him to pull away, but he twitched against her fingers, and there was a sharp intake of breath next to her ear.
"There is no point in an activity without purpose," he said, but his claws dug into the tree behind her, and she squeezed him in retaliation.
"The point is to relieve stress, if I'm quoting you correctly." Her thumb grazed the tip, tracing each crease without being able to see him fully. She wanted to ask, wanted to taste, but this was only the first time after coming to an agreement, and she didn't want to push her luck.
Not yet.
"We have already relieved your stress," he said, pushing himself into her hand.
"So relieve it again." One hand was still on her hip, biting into her skin, and she shifted slightly, spreading her legs to give him better access.
He finally looked down at her, their breath mingling as confusion creased his brow. "You have already found release."
She pumped him firmly, tugging at his wrist to get him to move. Touching him alone was a heady experience, and she wanted more. "So? I can go again." He still looked confused, and Kagome bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing. "Sesshoumaru, people can climax more than once during—" She hesitated to use the word sex, as they hadn't reached that point. "—sexual encounters. That's half the fun."
"It has never happened before."
This time she couldn't contain a giggle. "Did you ever stick around long enough to try?" The way his jaw clenched was answer enough, and she stroked him again. "Trust me, I can keep going. Multiple times if you do it right."
His fingers twitched before they found her core, a soft growl escaping when they slid easily between her folds. Kagome went up on tiptoe, moaning to encourage him before matching his pace.
The only sound was that of their ragged breaths, and she managed to finally pull him out of his pants, though he was too close for her to appreciate the sight of him—and so was she. The fever built again quickly, and she was on the tip of falling over the edge when he stopped.
Kagome gasped in frustration, hips bucking as she tried to claim the release he'd been more than willing to give her. "Why are you stopping?" she snapped.
"You seek it too quickly." One finger pressed into that delicious spot, but without the friction, the flames started to fade.
She wriggled against his hand. "Keep going. Please. Don't leave me like this." She didn't pause in her ministrations, stroking him from tip to base, her grip tightening every time she went down. "Come on, we can do it together." She pressed against him, muscles clenching around his fingers.
His head fell onto her shoulder, and he started moving again, thrusting deeper than before. Kagome hissed, fingers tightening around him. They were both so close, power mingling around their ankles as reiki sparked, setting off his climax. He spilled into her hand as he twisted inside her, causing her to cry out as pleasure shot through her.
It took a moment for them to come down from their high, breathing heavily, their hands still touching each other. Kagome was loathed to release him, enjoying the heat from his proximity, but knew someone would come looking for them if they didn't return soon. "Just remember, you can ask for this for yourself. I don't mind returning the favour."
"Hnn."
She chuckled at his lack of an answer, then reached down with her free hand. "Come on, let's find a spring and get cleaned up. I do want to get out of here as soon as possible." She righted her clothes enough to be decently covered, then offered him a small smile. "And thanks for checking up on me."
