She'd tried to ignore the rumours at first, the hushed voices following her down the hallway whenever she met up with him, but they were steadily getting louder, especially after Jaken had been the one to discover them in the garden.
She'd wanted to take her time, to convince him that being with her was the right thing—or at least try things out, though she knew her heart was too far gone. But the whispers about how he was just like his father steadily worsened.
If they'd known anything about him, they never would've questioned his ability to rule, but the fact that Yakeru had been one of his top generals sparked speculation about the reasons behind his betrayal.
There were those still loyal to the phoenix who questioned why someone of such high esteem would throw away everything he'd worked for. None of the parents of those who attended her school questioned Kagome's loyalty. They'd seen her power firsthand and had never sensed any deceit from her. She hadn't thought anything of it, especially with the wounds being so fresh, but when the rumours started to circulate Sesshoumaru, she was at a loss for what to do.
Most were brushed off, especially when a band of well-known youkai-hating mercenaries was discovered in Azamuku, but residents of the shiro were still traumatized from something happening within the safety of their walls.
Sighing, she looked around before slipping into the bathhouse. Offering to wash his hair had seemed like a good idea at the time, especially with how vital grooming was, but now she was having second thoughts.
It was a blatant move, one she'd hoped he'd understand, but Jaken kept making jabs about how everything she was doing was meant to be done by his intended mate—and how unqualified she was for the position.
She wanted to fry the little amphibian every time he came near.
"Do you normally linger in doorways?" Sesshoumaru called, already lounging against the stone walls of the spring.
Kagome raised her chin and strode through his room, pointedly ignoring his lavish bed. "I wasn't sure if you were ready yet." One eye peeked at her from his restful position, and she bit back a groan at how beautiful he was. "Did you get all your work done?"
A sigh tensed his shoulders. "I am still waiting on word from Hokori. Shima and Taiki have both checked in, but the weather to the south had been treacherous, so he is likely having to take shelter before doing so."
She knelt behind his head, pulling his hair out of the messy knot at the top of his head before she could think better of it, running her fingers through the silver strands to dislodge any knots. "I'm glad they didn't side with Yakeru."
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he looked up at her. "I told you not to speak the traitor's name."
"Fear of a name creates fear of the person itself." He clicked his tongue, and she laughed. "I can call him a worthless pond slug if you like."
His eyes closed, and he leaned back against the stones. "It is more suited for his present state." Considering he didn't have a state at all, Kagome shrugged, pouring water over his head before lathering up the soap he'd pulled out.
She sat in silence, eventually rolling up her yukata so she could dip her feet in the water. Sitting on her feet had proved too uncomfortable, and Sesshoumaru didn't seem to be in any rush for his treatment to end, leaning into her touch as she massaged his scalp.
She'd quickly figured out which areas he enjoyed the most during the massages in his study, focusing on his temples and the back of his neck before rinsing him off. He caught her wrist before she could pull away, amber eyes crinkled with curiosity and concern. "You are quiet today."
Her stomach rolled, but she forced a smile. "Is that so abnormal?"
"Perhaps for Jaken, though I would welcome the reprieve," he replied with a snort. He looked at her hand, one claw tracing the lines of her palm. "What is on your mind, Kagome?"
Her name was nearly her undoing. How could he make a single word so earth-shattering? He was so vulnerable in this moment; all it would take would be a simple dip of her head to touch their lips together, and everything would change.
Everything would change.
Desperation clawed at her, power buzzing along her nerves, but in the end, she couldn't find it in her to do it. He'd just suffered the loss of his general, and he didn't need the added stress of falling into his father's shadow.
He'd striven to rise above it, above him, and she refused to be his downfall.
"Kagome?"
Keeping the smile plastered on her face, she slowly removed his fingers from her wrist. "I'm fine; it's just all the travelling catching up with me. I think I'll call off classes tomorrow and take a break." A frown lined his perfect features, and he turned around in the spring to argue, but she was already on her feet. "I'll get Jaken to inform the parents."
His eyes never left her as she bowed, hands clenched at her sides, and she turned around without meeting his gaze, head held high. Every part of her wanted to stay—
Which meant she had to leave.
She thought about leaving him a note, but it would only give him reason to follow her, so she packed up what little she had and left the next morning. She knew it was the coward's way out, but this would give her enough time to come up with a plausible explanation when he caught up with her.
If he caught up with her.
Her heart broke all over again at the thought of it all being in her head, of him just brushing off their time together, but for all she knew, it was. The favour he'd shown her could've just been from spending so much time around him.
Kagome paused, a horrifying thought occurring to her—could this just be the type of person he was, and no one knew it because no one had spent enough time with him to realize it?
Groaning, she ran a hand through her hair. She wanted nothing more than to turn around and demand answers, to see if she was special, but she shook her head and kept going.
There was no point. She'd already made her decision.
She'd been walking for almost two hours when something grabbed the back of her robes, and she turned around in panic. There was no way he'd discovered her gone already. But instead of intense amber, she was greeted by two sets of onyx, Ah-Un beating the ground as they tried to pull her back. Kagome sighed and tried to shoo him away, but they were relentless, refusing to release her clothes.
"It's time to move on," she said solemnly, digging her heels into the ground. Both heads snorted, bobbing in disbelief, and she couldn't help but laugh. "I appreciate the sentiment, but if you've noticed things, it's only a matter of time before your master does." She ran a hand over one of their necks. "It'll only hurt more later."
The one latched onto her robes sniffed, finally retracting his teeth to nuzzle her face, and Kagome suddenly realized she was crying, letting out a choked laugh. "I was hoping this wouldn't happen until nightfall," she groused, wiping them away angrily, but they continued to fall, and she eventually wrapped her arms around their necks, sobbing against their scales.
All that training, all that power, and she was still reduced to a quivering mess over a broken heart.
"This is so stupid," she muttered. The dragon seemed to agree, and they grabbed her, quickly lifting her into the air as they headed back to the shiro. Kagome started thrashing. "Put me down! The whole point was to get away before he noticed!" Her words were ignored, claws digging into her sides. She hissed in pain, reiki skittering along their scales, but the beast seemed to be immune, completely undeterred.
There was a pulse of power, and Ah-Un descended into the gardens, dropping her unceremoniously into Sesshoumaru's lap, leaving them a tangled mess of silk and confusion as the beast snorted in satisfaction.
Kagome let out a string of curses, shaking a fist at the beast before Sesshoumaru grabbed her shoulders. "Are you injured?" he asked, looking over her clothes.
"No," she groaned. 'Aside from my pride.'
He continued to inspect her, and she tried to pull away, a fresh wave of tears pricking her eyes, but the western lord proved to be more stubborn than the dragons, holding her in place. "You were not in your chambers this morning."
She yanked herself out of his grip. "I'm fine."
His eyes narrowed at her tone, and he grabbed her chin, the pad of his thumb wiping away a tear that had slipped free. "You are not." The branches of the wisteria swayed above them as if to agree, and she ground her teeth together. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, his gaze sliding to her mouth.
"I was trying to leave," she said in panic, not trusting herself with how close he was.
He jerked back in alarm. "Why?"
She crossed her arms. Her plan had been sound until Ah-Un had interfered. "It was time to move on. I've never stayed in one place this long, and—"
"Without saying goodbye?" he asked, eyes narrowing when she didn't respond. "Do you not owe This One a debt?"
The bite in his tone had her turning back to him, arms tightening across her chest and her shoulders hunched. "Haven't I paid back all the training with taking care of Yakeru?"
His eyes narrowed. "You have a job at the shiro that you have yet to fulfill, miko. No other could run the school save you."
She shook her head. "I'm sure there's someone who could step in." She'd been looking forward to teaching the children, but she couldn't spend every day in his presence when she felt the way she did.
Especially when everything reminded her of him. If she could just get away, at least for a little while, she'd be able to heal enough to be around him.
Maybe.
She looked up to find him scowling at her, taken aback by the unfiltered emotions flickering through his eyes, and she swallowed slowly. "There are other teachers."
"What about when my shoulders are stiff from answering missives?"
Her mouth fell open. If he was trying to convince her to stay, he was using the worst reasons. "I'm sure people would fall in line to do that," she said, rolling her eyes.
His fingers wrapped around her wrists to keep her from escaping—and escaping was precisely what she was trying to do. "And when my hair requires cleaning?"
Reiki crackled between her fingers as she shoved at his chest. She wouldn't be made a fool of, especially when she'd done so much for him in the last few months. She'd saved his shiro from being overthrown, and he was mocking her. "I did that one time!"
His hand shot out, grabbing the back of her neck to pull her against him, eyes boring into hers. "And when I am lonely?"
All the previous ire drained out of her, the silk of his kimono bunching between her fingers as she tried to steady herself. "What?" she whispered. He couldn't possibly mean—
His lips brushed her forehead, and her tears overflowed, heart clenching painfully as she tried to push him away. "Do you not wish to comfort me during these times?" he asked. His mouth followed her tears, which only made her cry harder.
"Of course I do!"
A pale eyebrow raised. "Then I do not understand why you wish to leave." He pulled back only enough to meet her gaze. "Your place is here."
Garbled laughter bubbled up as she shook her head. "You've already had to deal with Yakeru. There was almost an uprising!" She struggled to control her breathing, the blossoms on the wisteria tree glowing as reiki burst from her chest. "They're already talking about how you're following in your father's footsteps. I refuse to be the weak link in your—"
The grip on the back of her head tightened, and Kagome was helpless to resist as his mouth covered hers, silencing any further protests. Whimpering at the taste of plum blossoms and melted snow, her hands slid into his hair.
Sesshoumaru growled in approval, leaning back against his pelt. His arms settled around her waist, claws drawing comforting circles on her back as he took his time in ravishing her mouth. Her power swirled around them, mixing with his as it wove their hair together in a tantalizing breeze.
Her eyes were still watery when she pulled back, but the urge to run away had been suppressed, and a soft smile tugged at his lips as he brushed her hair away from her face. "The only time you weaken me is when you are not here, Kagome."
She flushed, playing with the collar of his kimono. "What about all the rumours?"
"It is a moot point if you are my mate."
"Yeah, but what if—" Her eyes widened. "Mate?"
"Is that a no?" he asked in amusement.
Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to process what he'd just said. She'd gone from leaving the shiro to avoid him entirely to him proposing within the span of less than an hour, and it was making her head spin.
Latching onto the last bit of her ire, she sat back on his thighs, raising her chin as she crossed her arms. "You still owe me an apology for locking me up when I first got into it with Yakeru."
He chuckled, catching a lock of her hair and lifting it to his lips. "If you agree, I will spend a lifetime making it up to you."
Kagome clicked her tongue as she gave him a sideways glance. "A lifetime's worth of apologies? That might be worth it." She tapped her elbow. "I also want to go flying whenever I want. And your mother is not allowed to send us another castle!"
Sesshoumaru made a face. "Agreed."
She couldn't hold back her smile anymore, leaning forward to kiss him again, tongue sliding along his bottom lip. A cascade of petals rained down on them as he pulled her close, a new power blossoming in the roots beneath them.
The petals increased but were ignored, the newly formed couple too engrossed in each other, and the whirlwind that would be their life together.
