Masaru led the way back to camp, his steps careful as he fought the growing urge to look back at Kagome. Every fiber of his being screamed to comfort her, to offer something—anything—that might ease the thick cloud of irritation, confusion, and frustration he could feel radiating from her like a heatwave. Each time she muttered under her breath about needing a shock collar, it sent a chill down his spine. He didn't understand the reference, but the tone in which she said it left him feeling uneasy, maybe even a little afraid.
He barely registered when they reached the edge of camp. It wasn't until Kagome brushed past him that he realized they had arrived.
She marched straight into the tent Masaru had stopped in front of. Leaving him blinking as the flap fell closed behind her. He hesitated for a moment before moving to follow, his mind filled with the questions that had been bubbling up inside him since they started their trek back.
But before he could cross the threshold, he was met with an invisible force, a barrier stopping him dead in his tracks. Masaru stumbled back, the sudden shock of it forcing him to take a step away.
"I want to be alone!" Kagome yelled from the other side of the barrier.
A few snickers from nearby soldiers echoed in the camp, but the lieutenant paid them no mind. He had completed his task and returned with the Alpha Bitch to camp.
Not far off his father was approaching with Lord Sesshoumaru. Katsu nearly groaned when he saw his son crouched in front of Sesshoumaru's tent, a twig in hand, doodling absent-mindedly in the dirt like a scolded pup.
When Masaru finally noticed the two males. He shot up, flinging the twig away, then snapped into a stiff, awkward salute.
"Lady Kagome is inside, my lord," he reported, struggling to keep his voice steady. Then, with an involuntary twitch, he added, "She… uh, requested to be left alone."
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously, his molten gaze locking onto the young demon. He didn't miss the way Masaru's eyes flitted nervously between his blood-stained claws and his father's stern face. Sesshoumaru knew where Masaru's loyalties lay—with Kagome, whether the boy admitted it or not. But Sesshoumaru would not be refused access to his own quarters.
"Move aside, lieutenant," came the cold command.
Masaru hesitated but only for a moment. Then, with a low bow, he stepped aside, retreating from his post with as much dignity as he could muster.
Both Katsu and Masaru watched as Sesshoumaru approached the shimmering barrier that surrounded the tent, his aura pulsing with irritation. His gaze flickered over the glowing wall of holy energy, as if calculating its strength.
When he reached out to touch it, a sharp spark of holy power sent his hand recoiling ever so slightly. His lip curled faintly, a growl threatening to rise in his throat.
"Drop this barrier at once," Sesshoumaru ordered. He had no patience for Kagome's tantrum, not today.
From inside the tent, Kagome's shouted reply hit him like a slap to the face. "No! Now piss off before I come out there and make an even bigger scene!"
A ripple of shock passed through the camp. The soldiers nearby exchanged nervous glances, watching the standoff between their lord and the fiery priestess unfold.
Sesshoumaru's eyes darkened, a faint red glow bleeding into the edges of his golden irises as he glared at the sealed tent flap. He could feel the temptation to push her further, to provoke her into making good on her threat. He could almost imagine her storming out, ready to challenge him in front of the camp, daring to defy him. A part of him craved that, the chaos of it.
With a final low snarl, Sesshoumaru turned on his heel, barking at Katsu. "Find the half-breed!"
Masaru exhaled a shaky breath, watching as Sesshoumaru stalked off into the camp. Kagome had won this round, but everyone knew this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
Katsu shot his son a warning glance, muttering, "Stop drawing in the dirt next time."
Masaru gave a sheepish nod, muttering back, "Could've been worse. She could've come out."
Katsu didn't smile, but Masaru thought he saw the ghost of amusement flicker across his father's face before he turned to follow their lord.
Back inside the tent, Kagome was trying to make sense of the chaos that lay before her. Did Sesshoumaru honestly expect the two of them to stay in this dump? How could someone who always seemed so composed, put together, and perfect live like this? At the Shiro, there were always servants to pick up after him, maintaining the pristine order Sesshoumaru commanded. But here… here it looked like he had simply thrown clothing, parchment, and miscellaneous items around for ten years without a second thought.
With her arms overflowing with silks and linens, Kagome added more clothing to the growing pile in the corner. She let out a deep breath, feeling her frustration ease slightly. At least cleaning was cathartic.
Now that she could almost see the rug-covered floor, Kagome moved on to the scrolls and scattered parchments littered everywhere. She stacked them neatly on the desk, trying to bring some semblance of order to the chaos. As she placed another stack down, her fingers brushed against something hard beneath a map. Her curiosity piqued, she shuffled things around, uncovering a forgotten relic amidst all the mundane clutter.
A small gasp escaped her lips as she picked it up. Nestled between battle plans and dusty missives sat a delicate teacup, one she recognized instantly. The little sun etched into the side had faded, but it was undoubtedly the same one she thought she'd lost the day Sesshoumaru left. Her heart skipped a beat. How on earth was it here? Had he gone back to find it after all this time?
Kagome turned the cup gently in her hands, her mind spinning. As her gaze drifted back to the desk, she noticed a familiar-looking parchment underneath it. Frowning slightly, she pushed a few more papers aside, and what she found made her breath catch in her throat. It was the letters she had sent to him, all carefully bundled together. Some looked more worn than others, as if they had been read countless times, the edges frayed and soft from being handled. Her heart softened at the thought.
The anger that had been simmering within her seemed to melt away completely as she carried the letters over to the rumpled bed and sat down. She had never once considered what he might have done with them. But seeing them here, a treasured collection of words she had poured her heart into, filled her chest with warmth. She lay back, her eyes drifting across the cluttered room.
That's when she noticed it—a small table beside the bed, and on it, a Polaroid stood propped up. Kagome's brow furrowed, and she reached for it. It was a picture of her she didn't know had been taken, wearing Sesshoumaru's haori and reading peacefully in her old hut. The way she looked so at ease made her smile softly. Rin must have taken it and slipped it into the stack she sent to Sesshoumaru. Did he fall asleep every night looking at it? The thought caused a blush to creep across her cheeks at the idea of Sesshoumaru missing her just as much as she had missed him.
Rolling over on the bed, Kagome tucked her hands beneath a pillow, only to feel something odd. She lifted the cushion to find another piece of their story—a familiar red scarf and yet another Polaroid. But the sight of this one made her whole face turn crimson. It was that picture, the one she'd told Rin to burn! The one where she was wearing her old school uniform, and it was embarrassingly obvious how short the skirt had been—how much of her ass was on display.
Mortified, Kagome quickly shoved the photo back under the pillow, covering it as if hiding it could erase it from her mind. But the realization that Sesshoumaru had kept it—that he'd wanted it—lingered, sending her heart into an erratic flutter. Any doubts she had that Sesshoumaru hadn't desired her all those years they were apart, seemed to evaporate in an instant.
Laying back down, Kagome felt her eyes growing heavy, the emotional turmoil of the day catching up to her all at once. Between fighting with Sesshoumaru, chasing after Inuyasha, cleaning up this disaster of a tent, and being overwhelmed by this unexpected glimpse into Sesshoumaru's heart, she was exhausted. All she wanted now was sleep, to close her eyes and drift away, letting today become nothing more than a memory to deal with later.