Kagome had stormed off one afternoon. She was angry with InuYasha, but more angry with herself for not seeing the signs.
He's been pulling away for some time, she admitted to herself. You can't act like you're not surprised that he found someone else. In this area, a man—even a hanyo—who could keep his wife and children save was a valuable commodity, more so if he was willing to take in and protect his wife's mother and sisters.
And InuYasha had thrived on the attention, adoring the way the sisters, mother, and even the young woman seeking his attention all catered to him, fawning over him.
Kagome couldn't bring herself to act so subserviently, but she wasn't surprised that InuYasha relished in it. He had always tried to push her as far as he could to get his own way.
She walked through InuYasha's forest, letting it take her wherever it led. She wasn't ready to go back to the village and wish him well after he'd told her of his engagement, not yet. Doing so meant finally acknowledging that wherever her fate led, it wasn't with him like she'd once believed.
She still loved him and he loved her—but it wasn't romantic and it never would be again.
It's probably for the best. She sighed to herself. He could never see me without seeing Kikyo, anyway. And... I'm not mad he found his own happiness. I just wish he'd said something to me first. I'm his friend.
She stopped short when she saw Sesshomaru leaning against a tree, one hand resting on his propped knee as he dozed.
He...He looks so vulnerable.
She couldn't help but stare at him. He was alone—or at least, he appeared to be, since she saw no signs of Jaken or the two headed dragon who'd often accompanied him, and Rin was safely back in the village with everyone else—but he looked so defenseless. His long hair flowed around him, several strands escaping to drape over his eyes, partially hiding his crescent moon and eye markings from view.
His fluffy...Well, whatever it was, was curled around him, cushioning his head against the hard tree, and though he wore his armor and his swords, she'd never seen him look so defenseless before.
Her fingers itched with the desire to move those silvery strands out of his face.
They would be so soft, an insidious voice whispered in her mind. Like silk.
Without realizing it, she found that she'd approached him. She then squatted down before him without stopping to think about the consequences should Sesshomaru awaken and find her there, staring at him at his most vulnerable, her hand outstretched to touch.
Has anyone ever touched him before? She considered the idea but couldn't think of anyone that Sesshomaru would believe would be worthy enough to touch him in the first place. She suspected that he found most women—if not all—beneath him and unworthy of the privilege of being allowed the right to touch him.
Kagome wanted to touch him.
If I touched him, he wouldn't see anyone else, that tiny voice whispered seductively. He might take her hand off for the offense—though Kagome was reasonably sure that she'd grown enough in her abilities and reiki to stop him from doing so—but it wouldn't be because he saw someone else.
And who would care if she touched him, anyway? If he was sleeping as sounds as he seemed to be, he wouldn't notice, and it wasn't like there was anyone else to notice and tell him later. Everyone was gone.
It was just the two of them...
And when was the last time you did anything for you? that voice in her head tempted. You always put yourself last...
She reached out and gently brushed the hair from his face, her fingers gingerly caressing his cheek as she tucked the strands behind his ear.
Her eyes darted over to him. No reaction, she noted, watching as he slumbered on.
Now that she'd started, it was impossible to stop. Her fingers left his hair and traced the outline of his ear, her touch as light as a feather. Part of her desired to tweak his ears, as she did with InuYasha still from time to time, but the rest of her knew that would probably be the last thing she ever did.
I wonder how his markings would feel...
Her fingers moved from his ear to follow along the marking on his left cheek, caressing the skin lightly as she moved.
He shivered and she froze, afraid he'd awakened, but instead, he simply let out a quiet sigh and leaned into her touch.
She gaped, surprised that not only had he accepted her touch—asleep, but accepted it all the same—and even seemed to be seeking it out. Just what is he dreaming of?
But she couldn't stop, not now that she was touching him. His skin was softer than anything she'd ever touched before and the markings of his seemed to be even more sensitive than her own skin. Or maybe he's just more sensitive, period, she reflected as her fingers moved to run the length of his jaw as he shivered again.
She moved her free hand to cup his cheeks, wanting the full sensation of his skin against hers. His skin was warmer than hers was and it was sinfully seductive to feel against her own hands. She wanted to keep petting his face, secure in the knowledge that he wasn't likely to wake up, but she also wanted to run her fingers through his hair as he was wont to do himself...
What would it feel like to have that hair surround me like a curtain?
She jolted, abruptly yanking her hands back at the thought. Oh gods. Now that she'd gone there, she couldn't seem to stop. She pictured him naked, leaning over her as his hair fell around them. The look in his eyes was seductive as he moved to kiss her and unbidden, her hands moved to touch his bare chest...
"Priestess."
She fell back on her rump in astonishment as his eyes opened to pin her with an intense golden gaze.
"Um..." She licked her lips. "H-hello, Sesshomaru."
He didn't say a word as he moved one hand to grasp hers.
She swallowed back a lump in her throat, wondering how he might choose to reprimand her for daring to sully his person with her own human flesh.
But, to her surprise, he brought her hand back to his cheek, cradling his face in her palm.
"You will continue," he commanded. Though his tone was imperious, his touch was gentle, almost pleading, as he held her hand to him.
She bit her lip but now that she was touching him again, she couldn't stop. Her other hand moved to cradle his face and she heard the quiet, almost inaudible, sigh that left his lips as he leaned into her touch.
Now that she had his permission, she couldn't rein in her desires. Her fingers traced every part of his face, from the angled lines of his jaw to the softness of his eyelashes. She caressed every marking on his face and then sighed herself in pleasure as she let her fingers run through his hair, pushing his bangs back from his face before letting the long strands of his hair slide through his fingers.
The more she touched him, the more he seemed to desire it. At some point, he'd removed his armor, letting his obi loose enough to allow his lapels to fall apart. He then guided her hands to his chest and let her stroke and pet the hard muscles she found there—she didn't let her hands dip lower, though she had to admit that she was tempted.
He might have allowed her to touch him but somehow she doubted that he would ever desire her, let alone wish for her to touch him more intimately than she already was.
She pressed her lips together for a moment, pretending that she didn't notice how soft his lips looked. Would he feel as warm to the touch if she hugged him?
She shifted her gaze from his muscular chest to his face and saw a quiet look of bliss awaited her. His eyes were half-lidded as he stared down at her and, she realized, no matter how he'd claimed to feel about humans before, he clearly enjoyed her touch.
She considered the idea brewing in her mind for another moment and then decided if he allowed her this much freedom with his person, she might as well indulge herself more, too. She wrapped her arms around him, leaning into him even as her hands pulled him closer.
He allowed her to do so, voicing no protest to her embrace as she pulled him into a hug.
She settled across his lap, moving to pull his unprotesting arms to wrap around her before she returned to wrapping her own around his back.
Unbidden, his chin settled atop her head and she heard another quiet sigh leave his lips as his hands tightened, encouraging her to settle more firmly against him.
"This is nice," she whispered, not wanting to disturb the mood by speaking too loudly.
She'd never felt so warm and protected with a man before. Not even InuYasha could make her feel so powerful and yet so doted upon by simple touch. Yet with Sesshomaru, though he'd taken little action himself, she'd felt both.
"Hnn." He moved his hands slightly to cradle her more closely to his warm body.
She sagged against him, shifting so that she was sitting sideways on his lap and found that position more comfortable. One hand slid around his waist but the other moved to stroke his hard bicep, enjoying the feeling of the firm muscle beneath her skin.
He was suddenly spurred into action. His fingers began gently, almost idly, stroking her hip and her back as he held her, and she felt all the remaining tension leaving her body.
I could sit here like this forever, she admitted to herself.
She chanced a glance up at the daiyokai holding her and saw his eyes had fully closed with pleasure, and she resolved that, whatever his issues about humans, she wasn't going to let go of this piece of heaven she'd found. She had her grips on his weakness now and, like it or not, he was going to be hers.
InuYasha had moved on. There was nothing holding her back from doing the same.
She grinned to herself as she settled more firmly against him again. He may act all big and bad, but he's just like any dog. A little affection and they're yours forever.
And trust me, Sesshomaru. You're going to love every minute of it.