The pair had set out early to investigate the beast's remains, leaving Kagome with nothing to do but study. Since there was no chance of her being snatched from the cave, Inuyasha had brought her collection of textbooks from Kaede's village, not wanting to risk Kagome travelling to get them herself.
Kagome had argued the point, proving to them that she was capable of more challenging tasks than running a lap around the cave, but neither were convinced, telling her to stay put until they knew they could make an uninterrupted trip back to the well.
With nothing else to do and no one else to talk to, Kagome settled down with her school books, slowly reviewing vocabulary and applying it to recent events so she'd remember it easier. She'd slowly been strengthening her stamina since she'd woken up, managing to keep the barrier at the mouth of the cave steady for the last several hours. Usually, she could do it without even thinking, but right now, she had to actively concentrate on keeping it intact.
It actually helped with her recall, as she was forced to take deep breaths between paragraphs, giving her extra time to revisit what she'd just read. She wasn't sure when Inuyasha and Sango would return, but it would be a few days at least.
They'd stocked up on a week's worth of supplies just in case, ensuring she'd have enough strength to keep the barrier going. Considering the cave's location, they didn't think she'd need it, but they weren't taking any chances.
Inuyasha also said he'd find Sesshoumaru and get him to check in. Sango gave her a meaningful look over his shoulder when Kagome rolled her eyes at the thought of him coming back at all. He'd alleviated his guilt by bringing her back from the brink. There was nothing left for him here.
Aside from his pelt, but that was easily returned once she saw Rin again. According to Inuyasha, she was safe and sound back with Kaede, and Kohaku hadn't left her side. The young woman feigned annoyance, but everyone could tell she was basking in the attention.
Kagome wished she could see it but knew she would have to wait a while before she returned to the village. They still needed details about the creature, and she wanted to check on all the kidnapped women. There hadn't been time to find out where they'd all come from, but the surrounding villages would be their best starting point.
She wanted to talk to Miroku and update him on the latest developments. They'd come across more than one place that held significance, and she'd be a fool to ignore it. But she needed another set of eyes, one that would remain objective and keep her grounded.
The barrier wavered, and she placed a finger under the paragraph she'd just finished, centring herself as she closed her eyes. Her power felt different, but maintaining a barrier was the same, the intricate webbing locking together as her focus shifted. She enjoyed having more control over it but didn't want to rely on it all the time, so she continued her studies.
Feeling a spur of daring, she let her power wander, tendrils slithering through the grass outside the cave and rippling each time they came in contact with something. For now, it was nothing but insects and plants, but something larger brushed against the edge of her senses, and she pulled her power back before releasing the barrier.
Sesshoumaru stepped into the cave, eyes narrowed, and Kagome raised an eyebrow in question. A pair of rabbit carcasses were held in his hand, their skinned bodies dangling as he stalked toward her. Kagome propped herself up against the wall, textbook still open in her lap. "I didn't expect you to come back," she said, not pulling any punches.
He stoked the fire, poking at the embers as he strung up the rabbits, then turned his hardened gaze on her. "You released the barrier."
She blinked, waiting for him to continue. When he didn't, she cocked her head to the side. "I knew it was you," she replied.
"Your power should not have been out that far." He stepped closer, looming over her, and she shrugged.
"I have to get back into the swing of things sooner or later. I can't rely on other people protecting me all the time." It wasn't meant as a barb, but she saw him stiffen, and she got to her feet. "I've been getting better, thanks for asking."
His scowl deepened, his arm shooting out as he grabbed her elbow. "You still require rest," he stated.
Kagome tried to pull away, but his grip was ironclad, and she glared up at him. "We still don't know what that thing was, and I don't plan on waiting for answers to magically appear in front of me."
His grip tightened. "You push yourself too far."
"I know my limits!" she snapped. "I wasn't fighting anyone; I was just studying." She held up her textbook to emphasize her point. "And practicing the normal things I do while I'm here." She didn't understand why he was mad, but she didn't care. She was restless, and the studying wasn't helping. All she'd tried to do was extend her powers. A little exploration never hurt anyone.
He'd backed her up against the cave wall, his hand on her arm denying her any means of escape, and she pushed at his chest plate with her book. "Are you planning on adding anything to the conversation? Or can I go back to studying now?" She'd hoped the action would gain her some space, but it only shrank as he plucked the textbook from her fingers.
"You are too pent up to retain any knowledge," he said.
Kagome bristled, reaching for it, but he was too fast. The book now lay at her feet, his fingers wrapped around her other wrist. She struggled against his hold, pulse quickening under the slow stroke of his thumb. There were too many things left unsaid, and he couldn't have meant it that way, but he'd yet to move away, and she found herself leaning into the touch.
Since she regained consciousness, her mind had been on a rollercoaster. The sensation of his power wrapped around her was a balm to her nearly broken soul, but she hadn't let herself dwell on it. There were too many factors to consider, too many people at risk, so she'd ignored the pull, ignored the need for human touch.
For his touch.
Everyone else had been pussyfooting around her, treating her like an invalid who could break at any moment, and she was sick of it. She needed something tangible, something earthy that would remind her she was still in one piece—that she'd survived.
Tension continued to rise, his body unmoving as golden eyes glinted in the firelight. His mask was firmly intact, waiting for her response, and though her mind screamed that it was a bad idea, that she should demand answers instead, her body turned traitor, heat pooling in her stomach.
"What do you suggest?" she breathed, eyes lowering.
His thumbs paused before pressing into her pulse points, her hands spasming as reiki flowed easier. "You have only shown improvement through one method." He wasn't wrong. Her grades had definitely gone up since he'd started his treatment, more so after they'd started getting naked. They couldn't even claim it was an excuse, as she'd seen the proof, so why shouldn't she use it to its full extent?
She nodded, a whispered plea escaping her lips, and he lowered her to the floor, his pelt softening the blow. His hair fell around them like a shimmering curtain, shielding her from the elements.
"Strip," he commanded.
She flexed her hands. "Kind of hard to do when you're holding onto me." He growled but released her, and it didn't take long for her to be laid bare beneath him. His armour sat beside them, though his clothes remained intact, and she moved to turn around, but his hand on her neck stopped her.
She looked up at him in question, but he gave nothing away save his fingers against her throat. Unsure what he wanted, she found the stripes on his wrist, tracing them slowly to help him relax. He was just as pent up as she was, his anger simmering below the surface, but he hadn't denied her request, or pushed her into the dirt, so she'd take as many liberties as she could—for now.
Pushing his sleeve out of the way, she continued her ministrations, watching his pupils dilate as her fingers made it further up his arm. Reiki teased his skin, coaxing him to relax, and the pad of his thumb eventually brushed the underside of her bottom lip.
Latching onto the opportunity, she opened her mouth, flicking her tongue out. His gaze zeroed in on the contact, and she lifted her head, taking his entire thumb into her mouth and sucking softly. A soft growl escaped, and she looked up through dark lashes. "I thought you were going to help me."
He gripped her jaw, forcing more of his thumb into her mouth. She dragged her teeth down his knuckle before he could respond, reaching into his hakema with her free hand. He was warm to the touch, silken skin pulsing under her fingers, and she stroked him languidly, squeezing harder each time she got to the base.
Each pass of her fingers begged him to come closer, and she kept expecting him to lose control, preparing herself for bruised knees. But it never came. He continued to watch with half-lidded eyes, jaw clenched shut, so Kagome took her time. The fire didn't produce much light, especially with the hour growing late, but it was enough for her to explore each set of stripes. And if he wasn't going to argue, she was going to enjoy herself.
She almost laughed. She never expected to enjoy herself around Sesshoumaru, but then again, she never expected to be naked around him either. And she found she liked it. There was no judgement, no comparison, just the simple act of them using each other until they found release. She was experienced enough to know what she was doing, and he seemed willing to try new things.
Another pulse of his flesh reminded her of her current goal, and she squeezed again. "You can hardly call this helping if you're not going to do anything," she murmured.
Muscles rolled along his jaw, and he swallowed slowly. "I do not wish to hinder your recovery."
Kagome clicked her tongue. "Careful, Sesshoumaru-sama," she cooed. "It almost sounds like you care."
Her hands were shoved away from his erection, and she found herself flat on her back, his body settling over hers. Silk rasped against her skin, and she shuddered, hips automatically lifting off the ground. She was more than ready for him, the constant stroking making her imagination run wild, and though she knew she should've prolonged it on the likelihood of this being the last time, she couldn't quell the impatience coursing through her veins.
And since he showed no indication of switching their positions, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, ankles locking against the small of his back. She suddenly felt empty, the attack and his outright dismissal pressing down on her shoulders. She'd tried to ignore it, and it had been easier to do when he wasn't around, but he kept coming back.
As soon as she'd rid his scent from her system, he showed up again, this time with proof that he was concerned for her well-being and the lines of their arrangement were beginning to blur.
She shook her head, eyes squeezing shut as she focused on the feel of his body against hers. This weight was delicious, the rock of his hips coating his cock in her arousal, and she whimpered, thighs clenching in anticipation. "Please," she begged, nails digging into his back, and the last line of his resistance finally fell.
Reaching under her, he adjusted the angle, taking her to the hilt in a single thrust. Kagome cried out, back arching as pain and pleasure mingled together. They both looked down at their connected flesh, shuddering in unison. Power sparked, but she wasn't given the chance to replenish as he fell into a steady rhythm.
She could barely concentrate with how his body covered hers, and she tightened her grip around his shoulders, muscles rippling under the thin layer of silk. She wanted him naked but wasn't about to give him a reason to stop. Plus, it gave her something else to hold onto when he hit a particularly sensitive spot.
She moaned in his ear, and his pace increased. The coil within her stomach wound tighter, and she fell back against his pelt, writhing as she scrambled for purchase. His claws dug into her hips, keeping her steady as he continued to thrust, taking her to the hilt each time.
The sound of skin slapping against each other echoed around the cave, punctuated by the crackling fire each time his hips snapped forward. He never slowed, and she pretended he needed the reassurance just as much as she did. She knew what this was, knew what he was getting out of it, but a tiny, treacherous part of her mind wanted more.
She squashed it down, concentrating instead on the way he felt inside her, the head of his cock sending delightful shivers coursing along her limbs. She could feel the release coming, the telltale signs of his clenched thighs and erratic thrusts luring her closer to the edge. She appreciated that he refused to leave her behind, one hand delving between them to fund the bundle of nerves above her opening, the other lifting her into each thrust.
She wasn't sure what to make of it, other than him being an attentive lover, but even that was a strange thought, considering what he'd told her about his previous encounters. He'd never sought the release of his partner before; why did he do it with her?
She wasn't able to dwell on it for too long, heat exploding through her as he pinched her clit. Kagome bucked, body tensing in mid-air as she arched, and he yanked himself out of her, finishing himself off on the cave floor. She wanted to congratulate him for remembering their earlier conversation, but her heart was beating too rapidly, chest heaving as she struggled to breathe.
He leaned over her, a fine layer of sweat covering his skin, and she groaned at the sight. Even after rigorous exercise, he still looked put together. She could only imagine what she looked like. Her baths consisted of stepping outside the cave when it rained, and she was close to running out of soap.
He didn't seem bothered by it, brushing her dishevelled hair from her face. "You need to take better care of yourself," he murmured.
Kagome snorted, pushing herself up onto her elbows. "Why should I bother when you're just going to get grumpy and tell me I'm doing it wrong?" His eyes narrowed, and she waved him off. "I'm just kidding. I don't expect you to do anything."
You've done enough, went unsaid, but she wasn't about to push her luck considering the service he'd just provided. He'd forgiven her enough for this, which was enough for now.
Patting his chest, she sat up completely, then motioned to the fire. "Can I put you on food duty while I clean up? My legs are feeling a little wobbly at the moment." A wave of smugness washed over his face, the edge of his mouth quirking, but he pushed her down onto his pelt.
"Rest. I will take care of the rest." His tone left no room for argument, and Kagome shrugged, letting him pamper her as she dozed.
She'd deal with reality after she'd eaten.