The last thing Kagome remembered before waking was the feel of large hands upon her and warm breath on her forehead. Opening her eyes, she was greeted by Rin's small sleeping face.
Kagome tried to sit up, only to collapse back onto her futon. Pain shot up through her right arm, causing her to let out a low hiss. The noise must have woken Rin because soon she was leaning over the priestess with a worried look.
"Are you okay?" Rin had been so worried about Kagome that she refused to leave the old priestess's hut. Once Sesshoumaru had brought the woman inside, he promptly left, leaving Rin to deal with a flurry of questions from the other humans.
"Yes. I am just sore." Kagome gave the girl a tired smile and used her good arm to sit up straight.
Someone stepped into the small hut and sat on the other side of Kagome. He opened his mouth to speak, but an icy glare from Rin made him quickly close it.
With shaky hands, Inuyasha mimicked the words Rin taught him and spoke to Kagome.
"I'm sorry." The half-demon kept his eyes downcast and ears flat on his head. He was ashamed of himself for hurting Kagome and hoped she would forgive him.
A small hand on his chin made him look into soft sapphire eyes. Kagome smiled back, taking in his black and blue face. Sesshoumaru didn't hold back this time, and she honestly couldn't fault him.
Over the next few days, Rin never left Kagome's side. The young girl was like a baby duckling. When the priestess went to the bath, Rin did, too. If she needed to put on new bandages, Rin was happy to do it for her.
Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku still kept their distance from her and had left a day before following a rumor of a possible jewel shard. Shippo wished to stay behind, and each night, he would cuddle up with Kagome as she and Rin tutored him in JSL.
Today, the three set out to enjoy the sun. Kagome had packed a light meal and some books about Japanese flora. The children quickly devised a game to see who could name the most plants while Kagome watched with a smile.
As the kit and small girl chased after butterflies, Kagome felt the gentle brush of Sesshoumaru's aura against her lower back. Looking behind her, she saw the tall demon lord approaching. He sat beside her on the blanket she had spread over the grass for their picnic. They watched the young play together until Kagome deemed it time to eat.
Waving her good arm, the priestess tried to get their attention, but neither child noticed. A large hand reached out, grabbed her left wrist, and pulled it back into her lap. Kagome looked up into Sesshoumaru's honey-warm eyes and couldn't stop the heat from rising in her cheeks. She watched as he turned his head and called out for the young to join them, the whole time being very aware of his hand still holding on to her.
Feeling movement before her, Kagome whipped her head forward and watched Shippo and Rin dig into the basket of goodies she had made. The hand still holding her hostage gave a slight squeeze before releasing. Kagome looked at the demon lord once more.
"Are you not hungry?" The way he moved his large hands with such grace and confidence was hypnotic.
"I'll eat once the children have had their fill." Movement was still difficult with the stitches in her right arm. She felt clumsy and awkward next to Sesshoumaru.
The proud demon continued to stare at her with narrow, unblinking eyes. Without removing his eyes from her, he spoke aloud. "Rin, prepare a plate for the priestess."
Before Kagome knew what was happening, the young girl had placed a tray of rice, meat, and sweets onto her lap. She thanked Rin and picked at her food while trying to rid herself of the blush spreading to her ears.
The children chatted away, switching between JSL and speaking aloud so Kagome could join in on the conversations. It was a pleasant lunch they all shared, and soon, Shippo and Rin were off again in search of wildflowers.
"Would you like some?" Kagome asked Sesshoumaru when she saw him eyeing the sticks of strawberry pocky still left on her plate. His long-clawed fingers reached out to take one. Bringing it up to his curious gold eyes, the demon lord sniffed it before taking a bite with his fangs. Kagome was rewarded with the sight of his widening eyes as he quickly devoured the rest.
"Do you like it?" She was confident he did but wanted to hear it.
"Yes." Simple and to the point.
When he began to search through the basket for more, Kagome couldn't contain her laugh. The great power, Lord Sesshoumaru, had a sweet tooth.