Chapter 09: Sweat
Sesshoumaru stood at the base of Goshinboku, staring blankly up at the ancient tree as his mind wandered lazily. The days had grown warmer, nearing the height of summer; and with the heat came the eventual humidity. While he didn't usually notice the subtle changes in the seasons, his heavy silks and armour still became oppressive during times such as these. Luckily the clearing kept most of the stifling heat at bay.
Footsteps along the beaten path that led towards the Bone Eater's well heralded his visitor, but long before then, her scent had carried to him on the slight breeze, reminiscent of dewdrops on a crisp spring morning, just as the sun crested the horizon.
"I thought I'd felt you nearby," her voice called out to him. He turned slightly as the miko stepped up to his side, golden eyes meeting with brown brimming with mirth. He nodded to her in greeting, glad to see she was in good spirits this day.
His gaze lingered on her figure as she turned to look upwards towards the God Tree, taking in her profile. Her hair was piled atop her head in a long tail, though a few tendrils seemed to have escaped and lay plastered to her sweaty face. He watched, transfixed, as a bead of sweat trailed from her temple, down her jawline and throat, and disappeared beneath the collar of her yukata. It was then that he noticed how the heat had made parts of the thin material cling to her lithe body.
Wrenching his eyes away, he looked back up to Goshinboku's boughs, trying desperately to erase the images from his mind's eye. What on earth was he thinking? About his half-brother's woman, no less.
A/N: Hopefully you saw that I just posted 2 new installments! Enjoy!