The sky had turned a deep indigo by the time they arrived back at the cozy house, stars twinkling faintly above as if to welcome them home. Sesshoumaru insisted on preparing their dinner, his tone leaving no room for argument as he shooed Kagome toward the bath to wash up and change.
She obeyed, but each time she passed by his bedroom on her way down the hall, her heart skipped a beat. Her gaze would flicker toward the slightly ajar door, and without fail, a blush crept up her cheeks. The image of his silk-covered bed and the way his golden eyes had burned into hers earlier—all of it ignited a cascade of thoughts she wasn't sure she was ready to confront.
Now that they were back on good terms, the question lingered in her mind, persistent and teasing: would he expect her to stay with him tonight? Did she want to?
Kagome clutched her bathrobe tightly, her knuckles white around the fabric. Her bag of soaps swung against her side as she hastened her steps, avoiding the temptation to peek inside that room even one more time. She didn't trust herself. The memory of his hands on her earlier—his whispered promises—had her heart pounding all over again.
Reaching the washroom, she slipped inside and leaned heavily against the closed door. Her reflection in the small looking glass stared back at her, cheeks flushed and lips slightly parted as she tried to steady her breath. Shaking her head, she muttered under her breath, "Don't overthink it, Kagome. Just… don't."
She poured water into the basin, focusing on the familiar, soothing motions of her routine. But even as she washed the day away, her thoughts kept circling back to him.
Her fingers stilled as she realized something: she wasn't just nervous about what might happen tonight. Deep down, she wanted to know what it would feel like to do more than just kiss or feel heated touches, to give herself over fully to him, to wake up with the sun filtering through that sacred place, his arm draped possessively around her.
"Get a grip," she whispered fiercely to herself, shaking off the thought and splashing cold water on her face.
With Kagome occupied with her bath, the scent of wild boar roasting over the fire and the side dishes neatly prepared, Sesshoumaru finally found himself with a rare moment of solitude. It was a chance to prepare—not for battle, but for something far more daunting: understanding the intricacies of a human courtship.
He moved to a locked cabinet in his study where stacks of old leather-bound journals lay hidden among other relics of his family's past. One was the diary his father had kept during his time courting Izayoi, the human princess who had become his mate. Though Sesshoumaru had spent much of his life disregarding his father's choices as foolish indulgences, now, as he traced the worn cover of the book, he felt a flicker of curiosity and perhaps even humility.
His father had spoken to him countless times about human females—advice that Sesshoumaru had arrogantly dismissed. And yet now, with Kagome in his life, he found himself reaching for that wisdom he had once scorned.
Settling at his desk, Sesshoumaru flipped through the journal. His father's bold, confident script filled the pages, detailing everything from conversations to intimate moments shared with Izayoi. Sesshoumaru's expression remained stoic, but his golden eyes narrowed as he skimmed through passages that were, quite frankly, more personal than he had anticipated.
"Humans crave tenderness," one entry read. "They are creatures of emotion as much as they are of the flesh. To win her trust, I learned to hold her close without expectation, to kiss her tears away before seeking her lips in passion."
Sesshoumaru frowned, his fingers pausing on the page. This was so unlike demon courtships where interactions were often instinctual, primal, and devoid of unnecessary sentiment. Demonesses required little forethought—they presented themselves to a male when ready to conceive, their unions brief and mechanical. Kagome, however, was entirely different.
His mind drifted to her, the way she gasped when his hand brushed her skin, the way her body seemed to melt into his when he touched her just so. She responded to him not out of obligation or biological need but because of trust—trust he had earned, and trust he could just as easily lose if he was careless.
He continued reading, his father's words becoming a blend of advice and vivid recollections:
"At night I learned about her body as though it were a sacred text, for it is. Each sigh, each tremble of her fingers against mine, was a language all its own. It is strange how humans seek connection, not just consummation. It was difficult to not merely take her; but instead show her she is cherished."
Sesshoumaru leaned back in his low chair, the journal resting in his lap. His clawed fingers tapped against the armrest as he considered the wisdom within these pages. Kagome had already surprised him in countless ways—her strength, her resolve, her endless capacity for compassion. And now, as he prepared to deepen their bond, he realized he had much to learn if he wished to honor her as she deserved.
After reading several more pages, the scent of Kagome's soap reached him before the sound of her soft footsteps. He glanced toward the hallway, hearing the faint rustle of her movements as she changed into something more comfortable for the evening.
Closing the journal, Sesshoumaru set it aside and went to make sure the meat was cooked enough before plating it.
Dinner passed in an almost unbearable quiet. Kagome poked at her food, stealing glances at Sesshoumaru between bites. He mirrored her actions equally as disinterested in the food. The meal might as well have been an afterthought.
But hunger lingered in the air—hunger for something other than boar.
All day, Kagome had busied herself, picking flowers, playing in the creek, climbing giant trees, in an effort to distract herself from their earlier conversation. Mating. The word echoed in her mind, a rush of heat through her each time she let herself think about it.
His pine-and-cedar scent wrapped around her. She shifted slightly, hoping to focus on anything but the wetness between her legs. Yet her movements seemed to draw his attention like a predator catching the scent of his prey in the shifting wind.
Sesshoumaru's nostrils flared, his eyes dilating ever so slightly causing Kagome to freeze mid-bite. The rice in her mouth suddenly felt like sawdust, and she swallowed hard, her cheeks flushing under the heat of his stare.
Without a word, Sesshoumaru set down his chopsticks and stood. Walking around the low table, he came to a stop before her, towering over her seated form.
Kagome tilted her head up, her breath catching in her throat as his hand extended toward her. His claws gleamed faintly in the soft lantern light, but there was no threat in the gesture—only an invitation.
Her breathing came out in short pants as she stared at his hand. It would be so easy to reach out, to place her hand in his, and let him guide her. But taking that step meant there was no turning back. No more pretending they could remain on the fringes of something deeper. If she took his hand, it meant she was choosing him—choosing this.
Summoning all the courage she could muster, Kagome glanced up at his face. To her surprise, his expression wasn't one of smug confidence or lust. Instead, his gaze held a gentleness that made her chest ache. His eyes, though still burning with desire for her, softened at the edges, silently reassuring her.
Her hesitation melted away. Slowly, she raised her hand, her fingers trembling slightly as they met his. His claws brushed against her skin, cool and feather-light, as he folded his hand around hers. The moment their palms connected, a jolt shot through her, warm and electric, as though something unseen had just clicked into place.
Sesshoumaru pulled her to her feet with ease. Neither spoke as he led her toward the sliding doors that opened to his bedroom.
Inside the moonlight poured through an open window, casting silver beams across the room, while the warm glow of a few lanterns added a soft, golden hue. Sesshoumaru turned to her and before Kagome could say a word, his hands slid to her waist. With an ease he lifted her, cradling her weight as though she were made of something infinitely precious. The cool silk sheets embraced her as he gently laid her down, their texture a sharp contrast to the warmth of his touch.
Sesshoumaru sat back on his heels, his gilded eyes raking over her. This moment was unprecedented for him. Never before had he brought anyone into this private sanctuary—his home, his personal bed. The sight before him was a revelation. Kagome, bathed in moonlight, looked more ethereal than ever.
Her simple white yukata clung to her figure, its modest design doing little to hide the allure of the woman beneath. Her dark hair spilled across the sheets in waves, a stark contrast against the pale silk. Half-lidded sapphire eyes locked onto his, their depths a mixture of nervousness and excitement. As she shifted slightly, her small pink tongue darted out to moisten her lips, a gesture so innocent yet undeniably seductive.
The front of her robe had loosened just enough to reveal the glint of the Shikon Jewel nestled between the soft curves of her chest. Its faint glow only accentuated the rise and fall of her breaths, each one steady but shallow. His eyes traveled lower, to the sash tied around her slender waist, accentuating the hourglass figure she seemed blissfully unaware of.
Sesshoumaru allowed himself a moment to simply admire her—this human woman who had once been nothing more than a nuisance in his father's tomb somehow turned his world on its head.
Sesshoumaru's hands slid around her waist in a firm grip as he pulled her closer. She instinctively parted her legs, her thighs now resting on either side of his as he knelt before her. The movement caused her yukata to slip further open, revealing the soft expanse of her tab skin.
Amber eyes darkened, drinking in the sight before him as his hands moved, trailing down to gently stroke her plush thighs. His touch was reverent, as though he were memorizing the feel of her under his calloused fingers. When Kagome sucked in a sharp breath, his hands tightened, his claws pressing into her skin just enough to make her gasp.
"Tell me this is what you want," he growled, the scent of her arousal thickening the air between them. "Tell me you will be mine."
His claws teased the sensitive flesh of her thighs making it a struggle for Kagome to form any coherent words. But when she heard the distinct snap of his jaw, the sound laced with his growing restraint, it jolted her back to clarity.
"Y-yes," she stammered, her voice breathless and trembling. She reached up as he leaned closer, cupping his face in her trembling hands.
"I want you," she whispered, her voice firmer this time. She swallowed hard, as though the next words were a mountain she needed to climb. "I… I love you."
Her declaration was so quiet it barely disturbed the stillness of the room but Sesshoumaru heard her—every syllable.
His hands stilled, the claws that had been teasing her skin now resting gently, as though afraid to harm her.
"You…" His voice was tinged with an emotion that even he couldn't name. "You love me?"
Kagome nodded, her cheeks burning as she looked away, suddenly shy. "I think I've loved you for a while now," she admitted. "Even when I didn't realize it, even when you angered me or scared me… I still couldn't stop myself."
Sesshoumaru's hand abandoned her thigh to cradle the side of her face in turn, his thumb brushing against her cheek. Then, without another word, he leaned forward, capturing her lips in a kiss that was unlike any before.
It wasn't rushed or fueled by desperation. It was deep, slow, and filled with an unspoken promise. Sesshoumaru kissed her as though she were the most precious thing in the world, as though he were laying claim not just to her body, but to her heart and soul.
When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against hers, their breaths mingling in the space between them. "Kagome," he murmured, her name rolling off his tongue like a prayer. "You will never know the depths of what you have given me. I will cherish you, protect you… and love you, in my own way."
Tears pricked at Kagome's eyes, but she smiled, her hands sliding to rest over his heart. "Then show me," she panted.