InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Collected Works ❯ Point of Contention ( Chapter 51 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: LuxKen27 
Written for the challenge community Inuyasha Quotes, May 2009 Week 1:
"It ain't braggin' if you can back it up." - Dizzy Dean
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 05.03.2009 | Updated On: 05.03.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.9K | Visits: 856 | Status: Work In Progress
Written for the challenge community Inuyasha Quotes, May 2009 Week 1:
"It ain't braggin' if you can back it up." - Dizzy Dean
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 05.03.2009 | Updated On: 05.03.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.9K | Visits: 856 | Status: Work In Progress
Title: Point of Contention
Author: LuxKen27
Genre: General
Universe: Canon
Rating: T
Warnings: Language, violent imagery
Word Count: 2600
Summary: Kagome learns a subtle truth about pride – and Sesshoumaru – during an emotionally arduous quest.
Entry for: inuyashaquotes May 2009, Week 1: “It ain’t braggin’ in you can back it up” – Dizzy Dean
Author’s Note: This is another piece of the story The Wrong Ending, which encompasses the drabbles “The Wrong Ending,” “Indulgence,” and “Searching for Answers” (all available in my Collected Works collection). More information about this storyverse can be found in my author’s notes entries at LJ.
Disclaimer: The Inuyasha concept, story, and characters are copyright Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media.
Kagome hadn’t thought to question him then, so exhausted was she from the relentless pace of their travel. Between the horror that was waiting for her after finally breaking the well’s time barrier, and the emotional upheaval that had accompanied the decision to make this impulsive journey, she was only too grateful to finally have the chance to stop – sit – lay – and drift into unconsciousness.
She’d slept fitfully that first night; replaying scenes from her all-too-recent memory: the slaughter in the village she’d come to know and love; the agony of picking through the wreckage, only to find no one she recognized; the dread that filled her when she threw herself back down the well, only to hit the bottom with a nauseating thud. Each time she shook herself awake that night, she saw him, sitting upright against a nearby tree, his swords resting against his shoulder in a stance eerily reminiscent of his brother. His golden eyes followed her every move, and somehow…somehow, she found reassurance in that steady gaze, even though he offered her no comfort or even acknowledgment.
He was surprisingly patient with her, allowing her to set the pace of their travel as they moved further and further away from the lands of Musashi and the village she had once thought of as a second home. They drifted west, following the call of Tenseiga and his own youkai senses, occasionally stopping in a village to inquire after the missing hanyou. Recognizing her miko garb, Kagome was sometimes asked to stay and help the villagers in some way, be it youkai slaying, or medicine, or midwifery. Sesshoumaru left her to her own devices if she chose to help them, realizing he was not welcome in their settlements, and not wishing to stay even if grudgingly offered an invitation.
She always met back up with him as darkness fell, however. She feared never being able to sleep if left alone, even in the nicest inns or taverns.
It was always the same, no matter where they stayed – under the cover of stars in an open field or clearing, in a safer clutch of trees near a forest’s edge, or even seeking shelter from the weather in a naturally-carved cave: she would make her meager pallet from whatever items she had, and he would sit nearby, swords at his shoulder, and wordlessly watch over her as she slept. For all she knew, he left her in the middle of the night, to do whatever it was that youkai did instead of sleep, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was that he was there as she fell asleep and there when she awoke the next morning, his golden gaze steady on hers.
They travelled in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts as they followed the whims of sword and wind. Kagome found herself studying him out of curiosity as much as boredom, wondering what had happened to the rest of his little trio in the ensuing years she was away. If the loss of Rin in the village massacre affected him at all, he didn’t show it: his impassive expression was like a mask, unchanging, no matter what awaited them on the trail.
For the first time in weeks, his expression shifted, as they came to the edge of a bustling city. He wrinkled his nose and rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. “Tenseiga, why did you bring me here?” he murmured, eyeing the scene before him with obvious distaste.
Kagome halted beside him and followed his line of vision. “You sense him here?” she asked, almost breathless as unexpected hope clawed up from her gut.
He closed his eyes and lifted his nose to the breeze. “The aura of Tessaiga is strong. If he’s not here, he has only recently departed this place.”
Kagome frowned. What would he be doing in a huge city like this, surrounded by a sea of humanity? Inuyasha was a forest spirit, and had always been more relaxed during the jewel quest when they steered clear of human settlements. After all, his treatment at the hands of her race was even worse than Sesshoumaru’s – while they might have feared the elegant taiyoukai, they felt only disgust for a half-breed.
“Shall we go?” she asked, only to find her companion already five strides ahead of her. She hurried to catch up to him, absently latching onto his sleeve as they drew closer. She could feel him tense ever so slightly as the scents and sights of the lively city assailed him, and her quickly-dwindling hope was chased away by fear and dread as they entered the city gates.
Sesshoumaru ignored any curious looks cast his way, pushing through the crowds, concentrating on following the trace of the scent he’d spotted from afar. Kagome tightened her grip on his billowing sleeve, determined to keep pace with him, holding her chin high as they passed through the crowded streets. She began to relax incrementally as they wandered deeper into the city and no one accosted them. It seemed city dwellers were either accustomed to strangers or just mindful of their own business; maybe that explained how or why Inuyasha had come to this place.
They spent the rest of the waning day in fruitless pursuit, save one scare. Sesshoumaru came to a halt near a temple on the other end of the city from whence they started, his eyes narrowing and his youki flaring somewhat as they brushed against a spiritual barrier. Kagome’s heart was in her throat as he directed her to go inside, informing her that this place was what had lured Tenseiga, but a thorough search of the grounds yielded only a confused shrine priest and a few grateful monks, who looked at her with shining eyes and knowing smiles.
“He was here,” Kagome said grimly as she rejoined Sesshoumaru, now a safer distance away from the holy place. “He slayed a demon that had been terrorizing the shrine.”
“So he’s alive,” Sesshoumaru murmured, eyeing the torii gates at the top of the hill.
Kagome gave him a haunted look. “He was,” she replied softly. “They said it had been weeks since he was here.” She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists, willing her frustrated tears to abate. It seemed they were always at least two steps behind their prey, and she just couldn’t wipe away the gnawing feeling that they were chasing a ghost. A gruesome memory of the blood-soaked village filled her mind’s eye, and she shuddered.
Abruptly, she heard him walk away, so she swallowed her disappointment and followed, her heart beating painfully in her chest. “Where are we going?” she asked a few moments later.
He glanced back at her sharply. “You need to sleep soon, no?” he asked, his tone betraying the slightest hint of exasperation, as if it bothered him that he was more in tune with her weak human needs than she was. “We should leave this place, unless you wish to rest here.”
She looked up, about to reply, before looking past him. “Actually, I do,” she said, her eyes falling on a small but well-appointed inn near the city walls. “I could really use a bath.”
His eyes narrowed into an assessing glare, as if in challenge, but he said nothing as he faced forward again, leading her off the beaten path and to her desired resting place.
“I’ll leave you here, then,” he grunted, turning away as she came to a halt beside him.
“No, wait!” she cried, grasping one of his hands between both of hers. “Please, don’t go.”
“I do not wish to stay in a human dwelling, even for an evening,” he replied lowly.
She bit her lip, tightening her grip on his hand. “We’ve not yet been separated at night,” she said softly, “and I don’t wish for us to be now, in the middle of some strange city.”
“I have no need to sleep,” he reminded her darkly.
Something in his tone made her snap. Why couldn’t he understand that she just didn’t want to be alone? Her eyes flashed as she glared up at him. “And I suppose you have no need to bathe, or piss, or eat, either! AUGH! I’m sorry for being such a weak human being, unworthy of your time or patience or concern!”
He wrenched away from her, his eyes narrowing into slits as he regarded her. “You’re an adult. You can take care of yourself for one evening.”
Dimly, she could feel the rage that simmered just beneath his surface, but she was too upset herself to care.
“And if I was Rin, would I be so easy to leave behind?” she burst out, a beat before the horror of her statement hit her. She pressed her lips together and dropped her gaze to the ground, her cheeks flaming as a wave of self-hatred crashed over her. Sometimes her mouth got the better of her, and this was very definitely one of those times – even if he hadn’t said anything about Rin since that first, awful day when she’d returned, such a selfish and petty accusation was likely to hit a nerve.
Indeed, it had. A low growl caught her attention, and she dared to glance up – only to see him baring his fangs. For one brief second, she wondered if he was going to end her life right there, perhaps with his bare hands – such was the anger that radiated from his otherwise well-controlled form.
Instead, he whirled around and took off, faster than her eyes could follow, leaving her alone in front of the inn.
She took a few deep breaths, willing the tears to stay back and her blood to calm, before going inside and inquiring about a room and a bath. The innkeeper was delighted to welcome such an honored guest – she supposed mikos didn’t make it their business to stay at travellers’ inns – giving her a room at the far end of the establishment and drawing her bath himself, even giving her a fresh yukata to sleep in so she could wash her clothes. She accepted his hospitality gratefully, taking her time in the delightfully hot bath, soaking until the water was lukewarm before changing and washing her small bundle of clothes. She wandered back to her room, hanging her laundry to dry in front of the fire pit before absently combing her fingers through her hair. The sun had long since set, and exhaustion slowly crept over her body. She eyed the provided futon warily, unsure of how she would be able to sleep alone for the first time since coming back to this era.
Sesshoumaru had his pride, after all. She had to have faith that he wouldn’t leave her stranded. In the event that they found Inuyasha dead, he needed her to help him break the spell that kept him from wielding Tessaiga. She was the only one who could do it; after all, she was the only one who’d been able to free it in the first place.
I know he can protect me, even grudgingly, even from afar, she reminded herself. I’ll apologize the minute I see him; taunting him about Rin was completely uncalled for.
The swift opening of the side door caused her to nearly jump out of her skin. She whirled around, clutching the snow-white yukata closed across her chest. Her eyes widened as she realized who it was now standing in her room.
“I’m sorry,” she blurted out. “I didn’t mean to say those awful things.”
“Hmph,” Sesshoumaru grunted by way of response. He closed the door, moving along the far wall between her and the fire pit, reaching down to unstrap his swords before sliding gracefully to the floor.
She watched with no small amount of trepidation as he completed this now-familiar routine. He settled back against the wall, under a window, resting the swords in the grooves of the armor at his left shoulder before crossing his arms over his abdomen.
“Why did you come back?” she finally asked, wincing at the wavering quality of her voice, hoping he would understand her curiosity and keep firm hold over his wrath.
He gazed at her steadily. “Let’s just say, I learn from my mistakes,” he replied.
Relief swelled over her, and she gratefully relaxed the death grip on her yukata. She turned away, busying herself with preparing her futon so he wouldn’t see the grateful smile that graced her lips.
“Are you sure that’s comfortable?” she asked a few moments later, glancing from the corner of her eye at him as she stoked the fire one last time. “I mean, resting against your armor and all?” The solidness of the wall wouldn’t be nearly so forgiving as the bark of a tree or the natural rock of a cave.
“If I wanted to be comfortable, do you think I’d be travelling with you?” he countered.
She chuckled. “I suppose not,” she murmured, climbing into bed. She turned on her side to face him, pulling the sheets up to her nose, her eyes steady on him, as they were every night, as she drifted off to sleep. The last thing she remembered was the reflection of the firelight casting shadows across his face, making his golden gaze almost glow.
She awoke sometime deeper in the night, the cool air floating over her, the fire having long since died. She opened her eyes and glanced at the silhouette across the room, some hazy sense of security still strong within her. It took her a moment to realize she had not met his gaze; indeed, it seemed as if he wasn’t looking at her at all.
“Sesshoumaru?” she whispered, peeling the sheets away from her body and sitting up on the futon. She narrowed her focus, her eyes adjusting rapidly to the lack of light in the room, and she called his name again.
When he didn’t respond, she slid away from the bed, moving on silent feet as she drew nearer to him. She knelt at his side, almost amused when she realized that his eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling in soft rhythm. Moonlight from the window cascaded over him, crowning his silver hair, shimmering at the hilts of his swords, making the spikes of his body armor glitter.
Her expression softened as she gazed at him. He looked somehow gentler in repose, more approachable, more relatable. She leaned closer, reaching out hesitantly, brushing her fingers through his hair and over the luxurious fur of the mokomoko at his shoulder. Both were surprisingly soft and silky to the touch, so unexpected a sensation to associate with such a cold and ruthless warrior.
When these ministrations didn’t seem to wake him, she grew a bit bolder, sliding her hand along the side of his neck, brushing her thumb along the markings on his cheek. He sighed, his grip on his swords tightening even as he tilted his head into her caress.
Youkai don’t need to sleep, he’d once informed her. We are different from you.
Her heart thumped heavily in her chest as she curled up beside him, sinking softly into the warmth of mokomoko, letting her hand fall away from his face and rest against the cool plates of metal on his chest.
Maybe not as different as you think, she mused, her eyes closing as the siren call of sleep drifted over her once again.
Author: LuxKen27
Genre: General
Universe: Canon
Rating: T
Warnings: Language, violent imagery
Word Count: 2600
Summary: Kagome learns a subtle truth about pride – and Sesshoumaru – during an emotionally arduous quest.
Entry for: inuyashaquotes May 2009, Week 1: “It ain’t braggin’ in you can back it up” – Dizzy Dean
Author’s Note: This is another piece of the story The Wrong Ending, which encompasses the drabbles “The Wrong Ending,” “Indulgence,” and “Searching for Answers” (all available in my Collected Works collection). More information about this storyverse can be found in my author’s notes entries at LJ.
Disclaimer: The Inuyasha concept, story, and characters are copyright Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media.
~*~
Youkai don’t need to sleep, he’d once informed her. We are different from you.Kagome hadn’t thought to question him then, so exhausted was she from the relentless pace of their travel. Between the horror that was waiting for her after finally breaking the well’s time barrier, and the emotional upheaval that had accompanied the decision to make this impulsive journey, she was only too grateful to finally have the chance to stop – sit – lay – and drift into unconsciousness.
She’d slept fitfully that first night; replaying scenes from her all-too-recent memory: the slaughter in the village she’d come to know and love; the agony of picking through the wreckage, only to find no one she recognized; the dread that filled her when she threw herself back down the well, only to hit the bottom with a nauseating thud. Each time she shook herself awake that night, she saw him, sitting upright against a nearby tree, his swords resting against his shoulder in a stance eerily reminiscent of his brother. His golden eyes followed her every move, and somehow…somehow, she found reassurance in that steady gaze, even though he offered her no comfort or even acknowledgment.
He was surprisingly patient with her, allowing her to set the pace of their travel as they moved further and further away from the lands of Musashi and the village she had once thought of as a second home. They drifted west, following the call of Tenseiga and his own youkai senses, occasionally stopping in a village to inquire after the missing hanyou. Recognizing her miko garb, Kagome was sometimes asked to stay and help the villagers in some way, be it youkai slaying, or medicine, or midwifery. Sesshoumaru left her to her own devices if she chose to help them, realizing he was not welcome in their settlements, and not wishing to stay even if grudgingly offered an invitation.
She always met back up with him as darkness fell, however. She feared never being able to sleep if left alone, even in the nicest inns or taverns.
It was always the same, no matter where they stayed – under the cover of stars in an open field or clearing, in a safer clutch of trees near a forest’s edge, or even seeking shelter from the weather in a naturally-carved cave: she would make her meager pallet from whatever items she had, and he would sit nearby, swords at his shoulder, and wordlessly watch over her as she slept. For all she knew, he left her in the middle of the night, to do whatever it was that youkai did instead of sleep, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was that he was there as she fell asleep and there when she awoke the next morning, his golden gaze steady on hers.
They travelled in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts as they followed the whims of sword and wind. Kagome found herself studying him out of curiosity as much as boredom, wondering what had happened to the rest of his little trio in the ensuing years she was away. If the loss of Rin in the village massacre affected him at all, he didn’t show it: his impassive expression was like a mask, unchanging, no matter what awaited them on the trail.
For the first time in weeks, his expression shifted, as they came to the edge of a bustling city. He wrinkled his nose and rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. “Tenseiga, why did you bring me here?” he murmured, eyeing the scene before him with obvious distaste.
Kagome halted beside him and followed his line of vision. “You sense him here?” she asked, almost breathless as unexpected hope clawed up from her gut.
He closed his eyes and lifted his nose to the breeze. “The aura of Tessaiga is strong. If he’s not here, he has only recently departed this place.”
Kagome frowned. What would he be doing in a huge city like this, surrounded by a sea of humanity? Inuyasha was a forest spirit, and had always been more relaxed during the jewel quest when they steered clear of human settlements. After all, his treatment at the hands of her race was even worse than Sesshoumaru’s – while they might have feared the elegant taiyoukai, they felt only disgust for a half-breed.
“Shall we go?” she asked, only to find her companion already five strides ahead of her. She hurried to catch up to him, absently latching onto his sleeve as they drew closer. She could feel him tense ever so slightly as the scents and sights of the lively city assailed him, and her quickly-dwindling hope was chased away by fear and dread as they entered the city gates.
Sesshoumaru ignored any curious looks cast his way, pushing through the crowds, concentrating on following the trace of the scent he’d spotted from afar. Kagome tightened her grip on his billowing sleeve, determined to keep pace with him, holding her chin high as they passed through the crowded streets. She began to relax incrementally as they wandered deeper into the city and no one accosted them. It seemed city dwellers were either accustomed to strangers or just mindful of their own business; maybe that explained how or why Inuyasha had come to this place.
They spent the rest of the waning day in fruitless pursuit, save one scare. Sesshoumaru came to a halt near a temple on the other end of the city from whence they started, his eyes narrowing and his youki flaring somewhat as they brushed against a spiritual barrier. Kagome’s heart was in her throat as he directed her to go inside, informing her that this place was what had lured Tenseiga, but a thorough search of the grounds yielded only a confused shrine priest and a few grateful monks, who looked at her with shining eyes and knowing smiles.
“He was here,” Kagome said grimly as she rejoined Sesshoumaru, now a safer distance away from the holy place. “He slayed a demon that had been terrorizing the shrine.”
“So he’s alive,” Sesshoumaru murmured, eyeing the torii gates at the top of the hill.
Kagome gave him a haunted look. “He was,” she replied softly. “They said it had been weeks since he was here.” She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists, willing her frustrated tears to abate. It seemed they were always at least two steps behind their prey, and she just couldn’t wipe away the gnawing feeling that they were chasing a ghost. A gruesome memory of the blood-soaked village filled her mind’s eye, and she shuddered.
Abruptly, she heard him walk away, so she swallowed her disappointment and followed, her heart beating painfully in her chest. “Where are we going?” she asked a few moments later.
He glanced back at her sharply. “You need to sleep soon, no?” he asked, his tone betraying the slightest hint of exasperation, as if it bothered him that he was more in tune with her weak human needs than she was. “We should leave this place, unless you wish to rest here.”
She looked up, about to reply, before looking past him. “Actually, I do,” she said, her eyes falling on a small but well-appointed inn near the city walls. “I could really use a bath.”
His eyes narrowed into an assessing glare, as if in challenge, but he said nothing as he faced forward again, leading her off the beaten path and to her desired resting place.
“I’ll leave you here, then,” he grunted, turning away as she came to a halt beside him.
“No, wait!” she cried, grasping one of his hands between both of hers. “Please, don’t go.”
“I do not wish to stay in a human dwelling, even for an evening,” he replied lowly.
She bit her lip, tightening her grip on his hand. “We’ve not yet been separated at night,” she said softly, “and I don’t wish for us to be now, in the middle of some strange city.”
“I have no need to sleep,” he reminded her darkly.
Something in his tone made her snap. Why couldn’t he understand that she just didn’t want to be alone? Her eyes flashed as she glared up at him. “And I suppose you have no need to bathe, or piss, or eat, either! AUGH! I’m sorry for being such a weak human being, unworthy of your time or patience or concern!”
He wrenched away from her, his eyes narrowing into slits as he regarded her. “You’re an adult. You can take care of yourself for one evening.”
Dimly, she could feel the rage that simmered just beneath his surface, but she was too upset herself to care.
“And if I was Rin, would I be so easy to leave behind?” she burst out, a beat before the horror of her statement hit her. She pressed her lips together and dropped her gaze to the ground, her cheeks flaming as a wave of self-hatred crashed over her. Sometimes her mouth got the better of her, and this was very definitely one of those times – even if he hadn’t said anything about Rin since that first, awful day when she’d returned, such a selfish and petty accusation was likely to hit a nerve.
Indeed, it had. A low growl caught her attention, and she dared to glance up – only to see him baring his fangs. For one brief second, she wondered if he was going to end her life right there, perhaps with his bare hands – such was the anger that radiated from his otherwise well-controlled form.
Instead, he whirled around and took off, faster than her eyes could follow, leaving her alone in front of the inn.
She took a few deep breaths, willing the tears to stay back and her blood to calm, before going inside and inquiring about a room and a bath. The innkeeper was delighted to welcome such an honored guest – she supposed mikos didn’t make it their business to stay at travellers’ inns – giving her a room at the far end of the establishment and drawing her bath himself, even giving her a fresh yukata to sleep in so she could wash her clothes. She accepted his hospitality gratefully, taking her time in the delightfully hot bath, soaking until the water was lukewarm before changing and washing her small bundle of clothes. She wandered back to her room, hanging her laundry to dry in front of the fire pit before absently combing her fingers through her hair. The sun had long since set, and exhaustion slowly crept over her body. She eyed the provided futon warily, unsure of how she would be able to sleep alone for the first time since coming back to this era.
Sesshoumaru had his pride, after all. She had to have faith that he wouldn’t leave her stranded. In the event that they found Inuyasha dead, he needed her to help him break the spell that kept him from wielding Tessaiga. She was the only one who could do it; after all, she was the only one who’d been able to free it in the first place.
I know he can protect me, even grudgingly, even from afar, she reminded herself. I’ll apologize the minute I see him; taunting him about Rin was completely uncalled for.
The swift opening of the side door caused her to nearly jump out of her skin. She whirled around, clutching the snow-white yukata closed across her chest. Her eyes widened as she realized who it was now standing in her room.
“I’m sorry,” she blurted out. “I didn’t mean to say those awful things.”
“Hmph,” Sesshoumaru grunted by way of response. He closed the door, moving along the far wall between her and the fire pit, reaching down to unstrap his swords before sliding gracefully to the floor.
She watched with no small amount of trepidation as he completed this now-familiar routine. He settled back against the wall, under a window, resting the swords in the grooves of the armor at his left shoulder before crossing his arms over his abdomen.
“Why did you come back?” she finally asked, wincing at the wavering quality of her voice, hoping he would understand her curiosity and keep firm hold over his wrath.
He gazed at her steadily. “Let’s just say, I learn from my mistakes,” he replied.
Relief swelled over her, and she gratefully relaxed the death grip on her yukata. She turned away, busying herself with preparing her futon so he wouldn’t see the grateful smile that graced her lips.
“Are you sure that’s comfortable?” she asked a few moments later, glancing from the corner of her eye at him as she stoked the fire one last time. “I mean, resting against your armor and all?” The solidness of the wall wouldn’t be nearly so forgiving as the bark of a tree or the natural rock of a cave.
“If I wanted to be comfortable, do you think I’d be travelling with you?” he countered.
She chuckled. “I suppose not,” she murmured, climbing into bed. She turned on her side to face him, pulling the sheets up to her nose, her eyes steady on him, as they were every night, as she drifted off to sleep. The last thing she remembered was the reflection of the firelight casting shadows across his face, making his golden gaze almost glow.
She awoke sometime deeper in the night, the cool air floating over her, the fire having long since died. She opened her eyes and glanced at the silhouette across the room, some hazy sense of security still strong within her. It took her a moment to realize she had not met his gaze; indeed, it seemed as if he wasn’t looking at her at all.
“Sesshoumaru?” she whispered, peeling the sheets away from her body and sitting up on the futon. She narrowed her focus, her eyes adjusting rapidly to the lack of light in the room, and she called his name again.
When he didn’t respond, she slid away from the bed, moving on silent feet as she drew nearer to him. She knelt at his side, almost amused when she realized that his eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling in soft rhythm. Moonlight from the window cascaded over him, crowning his silver hair, shimmering at the hilts of his swords, making the spikes of his body armor glitter.
Her expression softened as she gazed at him. He looked somehow gentler in repose, more approachable, more relatable. She leaned closer, reaching out hesitantly, brushing her fingers through his hair and over the luxurious fur of the mokomoko at his shoulder. Both were surprisingly soft and silky to the touch, so unexpected a sensation to associate with such a cold and ruthless warrior.
When these ministrations didn’t seem to wake him, she grew a bit bolder, sliding her hand along the side of his neck, brushing her thumb along the markings on his cheek. He sighed, his grip on his swords tightening even as he tilted his head into her caress.
Youkai don’t need to sleep, he’d once informed her. We are different from you.
Her heart thumped heavily in her chest as she curled up beside him, sinking softly into the warmth of mokomoko, letting her hand fall away from his face and rest against the cool plates of metal on his chest.
Maybe not as different as you think, she mused, her eyes closing as the siren call of sleep drifted over her once again.