A/N: This was my first attempt to participate in Dokuga_Contest. It didn't win anything, but I had a blast nonetheless. It actually was at first meant to be entered for Weekly Perfection (Prompt: Longing, I think) but it ended up being...a lot longer, lol. So I entered it in the Oneshot contest instead.
EDIT: OH MY CHERRY BLOSSOMS! Or shall I say OH MY STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE!! You guys nominated me for Best Humor/Parody and Best Oneshot?! THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH! You all are so wonderful! I love you guys!
Prompt: Pajamas
~~**^**~~
She wanted it.
She needed it.
Closing her eyes, she imagined the waves of pleasure that would course through her blood if she let herself give in, like she ached to. Her mind longed to give in to her body’s demands, to surrender itself to the awaiting paradise. She opened her eyes again, gazing at the object of her desire with yearning. It would be so easy. All she had to do was reach out and…
An amused cough sounded from behind her.
Kagome whipped her head around, glaring at whoever dared to interrupt her fantasies. “What?” she snapped.
The tall youkai raised one eyebrow, one corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk.
“What’s so funny?” she demanded.
“May I ask why you appear so conflicted over…a pastry?” He eyed the cheesecake in the window of the patisserie that they had been walking past until Kagome had stopped in her tracks. Sesshomaru had watched as she approached the window, looking hypnotized, until her nose and hands were pressed against the glass. He did not care about the strange looks they received from passer-bys, but he figured he should stop her before she marred the pristine glass with her drool. Doing otherwise would have been a disrespectful to the owner of the establishment.
“No you may not ask,” Kagome replied, “but since you already have, I will say – this is not a pastry. Are you blind? It’s a cake. A strawberry cheesecake no less. The wonder of all cakes.”
“I see. If that is the case, what exactly, is stopping you from going inside and buying it?”
Kagome stiffened. She bit her lip and averted her gaze. “Never mind. Let’s just go, or we’re going to be late.”
Sesshomaru’s eyebrow made another trip up his forehead at the girl’s reaction. Curious, he wondered the reason for her self-restraint. It couldn’t be that she was insecure about her weight. She never had been before, even when Inuyasha had tactlessly commented about her eating habits. Before he could voice his questions, Kagome took his hand and led him to the limousine waiting for them at the corner.
It turned out that he didn’t need to ask. He recieved his answer at the company dinner. Throughout the entire affair Kagome had a constant possessive grip on his arm or hand, glaring at a certain lean model his office had recently hired for advertising their new product. Everything became clear, though, when that same model, nibbling a salad like a rabbit, remarked “I always keep a careful eye on my diet. I mean, I think people who just pig out are disgusting, frankly. I don’t know how men can stand them,” answering someone’s question about her figure. He had never noticed this model before, he didn’t even recall her name, but this time he did notice the meaningful look that she threw his and Kagome’s way, as well as how the miko scoffed but said nothing, looking down at her plate uncomfortably.
Ah. Sesshomaru almost chuckled at her silliness, but made a mental note to fire the model later. No one belittled Kagome, for no one was above her.
For the rest of the evening, Sesshomaru indulged her possessiveness, letting her show everyone to whom he belonged, just for this one night. As well as remind everyone to whom she belonged, he mused as he coolly regarded an insignificant male whose eyes had lingered longer than the second allowed on his miko’s form. Said male then caught a glimpse of the lord’s piercing glare, and immediately began scurrying away. Satisfied, Sesshomaru returned to half listening to some company executive, hand resting firmly on Kagome’s lower back.
Later in the evening, daiyoukai and miko were in their limousine, heading home, when Sesshomaru spoke softly toward the divider between them and the chauffer. The driver, being youkai himself, heard his master easily and obeyed, taking a turn and stopping about five minutes later. Confused, Kagome peaked out of a window only to see the pastry shop they had passed earlier that evening.
Her eyebrows shot up as she turned to look at the demon. “Why are we here? I said I didn’t want to buy the cake.”
He arched an eyebrow. “And who, miko, told you that we are here you?”
“You don’t eat sweets, Sesshomaru.”
“This one decided that tonight would be an exception.” By that time the chauffeur had opened his door and he slid out. Kagome could only watch wide-eyed as he entered the store, made his purchase, and slid back into the limousine within five minutes.
The rest of the way home, Kagome shot furtive glances as the daiyoukai, who remained stoic as ever, though inwardly he smirked at the miko’s antics. He purposefully met her gaze each time she tried to sneak a look at his expression, and each time she’d quickly look away, only to eye his pastry box a moment later. Glance. Look away. Pastry box. Repeat. He suppressed a chuckle, staying as expressionless as ever.
Finally they reached his estate. Inside, the pair immediately retired to their shared room, changing out of their formal wear. Kagome, clad in her comfortable, cloud-printed winter pajamas, joined a bare-chested Sesshomaru (who seemingly never got cold, not that Kagome was complaining) in their king-sized bed. She smiled as she snuggled against him (contrary to popular belief, the daiyoukai was quite snuggable). “Movie?” she inquired.
“If you’d like.”
Kagome grabbed the remote off the nightstand and scrolled through some movies they kept in the TV. Selecting one, she turned it on, and settled back to watch.
About ten minutes in, however, Sesshomaru shifted, reaching toward his own nightstand to pick up the pastry box from earlier.
Immediately, Kagome’s gaze snapped to it, eyes burning with curiosity. The corner of his lip twitched up ever so slightly, he slowly opened the box to reveal the strawberry cheesecake from before.
Kagome’s eyebrows went all the way up her forehead. “Sesshomaru…You aren’t going to eat that are you?”
“Would this Sesshomaru do something as unnecessary as buy food that he will not eat?” He quickly slipped a pre-cut slice onto the plate he had had brought to him by one of the servants while Kagome was washing up and placed the box back on the nightstand. Picking up the complementary fork, he scooped off a small piece.
The miko watched with saucer eyes. “Sesshomaru…you don’t eat sweets!”
He arched an eyebrow. “You have said that before. I believe I’ve already given a sufficient response.”
“But…”
He regarded her as her eyes remained locked on his fork. Suppressing another twitch of his lip, he said slowly, “Would you like a piece, Kagome?”
She flinched, and quickly swiveled her eyes back to the TV screen. “No, thank you.”
“Very well.” His own eyes returned to the screen as his fork crossed the distance to his mouth.
I see why humans like this so much. Very rich.
He found that the taste was elegant enough that, despite its sweetness, he could handle very small bites. In any case, the expression on Kagome’s face as she attempted to inconspicuously track the movement of his fork was worth the small discomfort to his tongue.
Kagome couldn’t believe it. The Lord of the West was eating cheesecake. Strawberry cheesecake. Delicious strawberry cheesecake. She could tell just by looking at the soft, creamy fluffiness, the seductive red sauce, the perfectly sculpted crust. She felt the ache from before – if she would only give in…there was almost an entire cake on the nightstand…surely a few bites wouldn’t hurt….
Finally, after watching about a third of the slice disappear bit by bit, Kagome had enough.
“Sesshomaru…”
The smallest grin appeared on his perfect mouth. “Yes?”
“…Would you like to share?”
“Of course.” Kagome immediately reached for the fork, but he pulled back just so slightly. “But first…”
She looked into his eyes, confused. “First what?”
"Tell me, miko, why you would not purchase the cake before.”
The girl immediately blanched, an embarrassed flush covering her cheeks. “I just didn’t feel like it, that’s all.”
“You know better than to lie to this Sesshomaru, Kagome.”
Her eyes wouldn’t meet his gaze. “…I may be trying to lose some weight.”
He had her. “Why?”
"It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with,” she muttered, “I just feel like I need to take off a few pounds.”
“Why, Kagome?”
“Sesshomaru, could you please just drop it?” her voice grew a little angry.
“No, miko. Obviously something is upsetting you. This Sesshomaru demands you tell him what.”
“It’s nothing!” Her eyes finally snapped up to his, glittering in frustration.
He met her angry gaze full on. “Lies.”
Their eyes stayed leveled at each other for several long moments, before finally, Kagome caved.
“It’s that stupid model you hired alright! That stupid, stick figure model! Happy?”
Far from it. “And what does my employee have to do with you diet? You’ve never been bothered by thinner women before.”
“That ditzy model wants you Sesshomaru!”
"And you feel threatened by the likes of her?”
“No! Yes! Not her herself…”
“Then what, miko?” He wouldn’t let her turn her eyes away, trapping her in his gaze.
Slowly, her shoulders sagged, and she looked down dejectedly. Without turning, Sesshomaru reached behind him and put the plate of cake on the nightstand. Then he cupped her cheek with one hand, raising it back up to look at him. His thumb stroked the skin there gently as he said, “Tell me, Kagome,” his voice soft.
She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand. “At the Red Cross benefit last week, I ran into her in the ladies room with one of her friends. They were praising and fawning over you, of course, and gossiping about me. I ignored them at first, I’m used to stuff like that, but then she saw me washing my hands. She looked right at me, but told her friend ‘I have no idea why someone like him is with a fatso like her. He could do so much better.’”
“And you let that affect you?”
Her eyes opened and looked at him desperately. “Because she’s right, Sesshomaru! You’re the Lord of the West, the most feared and respected daiyoukai in Japan. You’re gorgeous, strong, intelligent. And look at me. I’m plain. I’m not skinny. I’m not tall. I’m not smart. You deserve so much better, I always knew that. You deserve someone beautiful.” She pulled back from his hand and turned away.
He growled. The harlot was definitely fired now. More than fired. He would ruin her career. But for now, there were more pressing matters.
Sesshomaru reached for her face again and gently turned it back toward him. “You are right.” He watched as her blue eyes darkened with sadness. Continuing, he said, “This one does deserve someone beautiful. I would not settle for anything less, Kagome. I never settle.” He brushed her lips with his.
“And I chose you,” he whispered, “I chose you.”
Kagome’s eyes began to sparkle under a light sheen of tears.
“You are beautiful, Kagome. You are clever, strong, and dazzling.” Another brush of the lips. “That ningen is worthless, and far below you. Never let her reach you, for she does not deserve to.” Another brush. “This Sesshomaru is, as you said, intelligent. Thus you will trust my decisions.” Another brush. “And I decided on you. You are mine. Only my regard, only my opinion matters.” A lingering kiss. “You are mine, just as I am yours.”
By this point, a steady stream of tears marked Kagome’s face. “Yes,” she whispered, and snaked her arms around his next neck to press her mouth fiercely against his.
The kiss was deep, slow, passionate. His arms locked around her was, pulling her on top of his chest. She straddled his hips, never letting their lips part while her hand traveled down his neck, over his pectorals, ghosting his abs. She felt them lightly shudder under her touch.
“You are mine,” she breathed against him.
“Yes,” he stated, moving his lips to the crook of her neck. Gently he bit the skin there.
“I am yours,” she gasped.
“Yes,” he repeated, kissing his way along her collarbone. His hands came up to unbutton the top of her pajamas as his lips reached her cleavage.
“Show me,” she whispered.
“Yes.”
--
“So, is strawberry cheesecake the cake of all cakes or what?” Hours later, the couple lay tangled together as the girl enjoyed the rest of the forgotten slice.
“Hn. It is tolerable.”
“That’s like saying it’s god-sent, coming from you,” she giggled. He nipped at her neck lightly in punishment.
“Far from it, I assure you. However, this Sesshomaru admits, it does have its merits.” His hand ran down the curve her waist.
Finishing the last bite, Kagome put the plate aside to stroke his chest. “Oh really? And what is that?” she said seductively.
“It make’s a perfect meal for a certain cat.”
Kagome’s head snapped around to see Buyo perched on the nightstand, face burrowed into the cake.
She jumped out of the youkai’s arms to swat at her cat. “Buyo! Stop that! You’ll get even fatter!”
At last, Sesshomaru chuckled. Downstairs, a servant pressed a hand to her laboring heart, fighting off the sense of foreboding. Someone was going to die.