InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Midwinter Dream ❯ A Spark In The Dark ( Chapter 10 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

A/N: My muse decided to strap itself to this chapter big time, so if you read this and get shocked, then just know that I was shocked too.

Chapter 10

A Spark in the Dark

Kagome didn't necessarily cherish life when Sheng began to act as though he was in on this idea of introducing her to a Sesshomaru who didn't actually loath her... The first time he did as much, she was at his side in a casual meeting and stuck imagining how much she made the room reek of embarrassment when the inugami daiyÅkai came in. Sheng and Li Hua made it impossible for her to leave though, and the odd thing was that Tao and Shu Fang seemed quite happy to watch her squirm over apparently nothing in her seat. Then there was Sesshomaru, who seemed to get progressively more annoyed by her nervousness.

Once that near death experience was over, Kagome tried to walk quickly for her room where she could demand that Jia bring more of that tonic so she could sleep until the fight, but someone walked more quickly than her.

“Oh,” she almost squeaked when her arm was grabbed by Sesshomaru, who looked rather confused and angry because of it. His confusion was most likely not helped in the least by her furious blush. “Um, hi, I need to go now.”

“Not until you tell me why you are acting so strange,” he informed, not releasing her.

... Some higher power absolutely loathed her, didn't it...

She managed a half hearted frown at him, more focused on his hand being on her than on her immature anger with him. “It's nothing important, now let me go.”

“Do not lie to me,” he almost seethed, his eyes searching hers. She felt like a little sparrow that was bound to go 'splat' soon... “What happened so suddenly that made you like this?”

... “Like what?” she asked, almost panicking.

He actually scoffed, and she fancied that her scent was quite the puzzle to be able to make him produce such a noise. ... Oh, kami, she hoped that he couldn't smell how cute she suddenly thought he was.

He looked at her, and she made an 'eep'. Did he?! This WASN'T fair!!

“It's just-!” she began, having thought something brilliant would spew from her mouth as per usual. It didn't, which left him quirking an eyebrow at her as she looked at everything but him and uttered odd letters and fragmented sentences. She finally was in risk of hyperventilation, and needed to flare her energy to make him let go so she could flee. When she felt safe in her room, she turned to lean against the door and sighed, but in her falling back motion it clattered open and she leaped away with a scream when she landed briefly against Sesshomaru's chest.

“For kami's sake!!” she shrieked, stumbling to a stop an uncomfortable ten feet away from him. He wasn't even wearing armor that day! He stepped inside. “Ah! Don't come near me!”

... What in the world was she thinking supposing such a statement would every be heeded by him...

“Miko,” he warned her, now three feet away and almost glaring death at her. Death was never confused though, hence the 'almost'. “Whatever you are thinking to render such a drastic change in your personality and scent, I highly suggest that you correct it before something bad happens.”

“Oh,” she replied, nodding up at him like an idiot. “I completely agree, and I'm glad to know you see things my way!”

He looked absolutely baffled and studied her.

“I am not a Rubik's cube!” she screamed at him. “Now stop trying to figure me out and get out of your room!!”

Both of his eyebrows raised at that, and Kagome thought she was going to die of humiliation, or just die, when he stepped closer and put the back of his hand to her forehead.

Then she realized what he was doing... “I do NOT have a FEVER!!”

“Then your only excuse for this behavior is gone,” he told her.

“Well, fine!” she replied, trying to smash down fond memories of the last time they were this close to one another. “Now get out!!”

“Sesshomaru, that is enough,” Li Hua chuckled from the still open entrance to Kagome's room. “You may kill the poor thing by being near her too long...”

That obviously made no sense to Sesshomaru, and Kagome used the moment of his looking over his shoulder with confusion at the woman to dash for the safety of her bed. She made it, and felt immensely safer when she could sit comfortably and watch him leave with a shake of his head.

Li Hua waved hello, and Kagome frowned at the delighted yÅkai before she disappeared after her son.

After twenty minutes of trying hide from the world like it was a monster, Kagome had the blankets pulled from over her head and was hauled to her feet by Sheng to enjoy the day and teach yÅkai how to play soccer. He dragged her off multiple times, every day, until the final time when Kagome was literally hauled out to the courtyard to meet Sesshomaru and leave for the blasted mountain, a trail of far too happy children following her so she would play with them. Their reaching hands seemed a more promising fate than being stuck in a mountain with Sesshomaru again.

“What do you mean you're not coming?!” she almost wailed to Sheng, who was currently smiling while keeping the playful children away from their new best friend.

“There is no need to,” he answered.

Sesshomaru seemed to have better things to do, and she was lifted off her feet and far away from the o-shiro so that they could be done with the seal strengthening and get on with life. As she was pulled away, she could swear some of the young girl yÅkai blushed at her and Sesshomaru and giggled behind their hands.

Those little...! Did everyone thing they were a couple?!

Sitting fully upright, she didn't care how much it felt like she would fall off that funny little cloud of his, she was not leaning against him this time.

...

“Miko,” he finally began, sounding exasperated with her. He seemed to notice her trying to inch even further away from him on the roiling energy. “This is becoming ridiculous.”

“Tell me about it,” she stated.

“Stop your antics before I am forced to do so in your stead,” he threatened. After a moment he looked at her, as though wondering why she didn't start yelling at him. She looked away with a blush, and he sighed and looked ahead. She almost felt sorry for the guy, but he was an ass and didn't deserve her pity.

...

“Miko,” he began again, sounding like he was three seconds away from rubbing his temples.

“Don't!” she yelled, on her hands and knees when her vision completely failed in the belly of the cave. She was not going to fall off that bridge again, as soon as she found it... “I'll catch up. Just don't touch me or offer help, because I refuse it.”

Her not being able to see was to his great advantage, and she began yelling at him when she felt herself be picked up and slammed onto a shoulder. Once she got some air back into her lungs, she began to yell at him to put her down and tried to kick and punch the yÅkai who dared touch her frazzled self. After an hour of doing that, she decided to try and get comfortable, but it was absolutely impossible. Muscle was not a good thing to be on for a long duration of time.

“Sesshooooooomaruuuuuuu...” she groaned again. “It huuuuuuuuurts...” She swore she was walking away from this with two bruises on the front of her hip bone and a few out of place floating ribs.

“Deal with it,” he told her. She huffed, hearing her voice echo. Well, at least she wouldn't fall, but the feeling of his right hand on the back of her left thigh to hold her in place was enough to keep her mind off of such worries. She tried to think about something completely unrelated to this scenario.

...

... ... Everything in her head related to this scenario...

She groaned once more, this time with resignation. They hadn't even come to the barrier yet, which meant there was a long way still to go.

...

“I'm a little teapot, short and stout,” she sang an hour later, voice a tad raspy from all the self-entertaining songs she had thought of. She then began motioning her arms to the tune, “here is my handle, here is my spout.”

Her 'handle' accidentally elbowed Sesshomaru in the back of the head.

“...”

“... I am not apologizing for that,” she finally told his silent self.

He gave a thoughtful hum to the dark.

“And I am not insane.” He was thinking that, wasn't he?? ... Then again, she was singing about being a teapot.

“I have yet to see evidence of that.”

She scoffed, the noise echoing. Were they on the bridge?? “If I was insane, I would...” She would, what? Not be at the o-shiro? Nope, she was already living there. Not be in this predicament? Too late... “... Uuuuuuugh...” She let her head flop and hit her brow against his armor, which made quite the 'doom' noise and reverberated off the walls and in her ears.

Sesshomaru chuckled, and she tried to knee him, but got another 'doom' for it and began to drum 'doom' all over the place with her frustration and fists against his torso armor.

“Settle down, miko,” he finally told her, squeezing the back of her thigh. That move was quite effective in making her go completely still, and shocked her before she could give an angry reply.

“This is NOT fair!” she yelled at him, now resigned to slapping his armor for the hell of it.

“Life usually is not, for the inane.”

She gapped at the darkness. “You are abastard.”

The ass chuckled at her again.

“Agh!” she yelled. “Why are you so happy?! I hate it when you're happy!”

“Hm. I suppose your statement on who makes me laugh has some ring of truth to it.”

She was so offended that she was silent. “Not to laugh at me, you jerk!”

She flinched when he really did laugh, listening to it echo off the interior of the cave, and she elbowed him again.

“Stop that! It's freaky!”

“Is it?” he asked, sounding a tad enlightened. That, or still humored. Kami, why did he take such delight in her misery? ... Then again, was something coming off her scent? Ah, shit, what the hell was he thinking?

“Yes, it is!” she confirmed.

“And to think you have said before that laughter suits me.” He still sounded entertained. Stupid self-righteous arrogant... Something!

“Well, not at my expense,” she told him, pouting. “I expect a little more respect than to be laughed at over something I can't help.”

“Which is?” he prompted.

She gave a horrible blush, considering that in a way she just admitted that she had some interesting feelings for him. “Which is none of your damn business!”

“It is my business if it has something to do with me,” he stated. She almost had a heart attack.

“You presume the worse,” she tried to scoff, bluffing it. He chuckled again, and she was rudely reminded that he could smell her true emotions. “This isn't fair... I'm even being hauled off like a Viking prize...”

Sesshomaru knew who and what the Vikings were, which made her all the more embarrassed as their conversation went downhill for her, uphill for him.

When they had reached the barrier Kagome demanded to be let down, and after a few more persuasive songs he set her on her feet in the absolute dark and continued walking.

She stared, and began to follow. Five steps into it she hit a stalagmite.

“Do you require assistance?” he asked from up ahead.

“No!” she yelled, stubbornly marching forward and clobbering her other knee. She bit her tongue and squealed through clenched teeth. He dropped her off in a mine field, not on the path. That sounded so like him. She reached out, and her knuckles scraped against the formation which would have claimed her forehead. “... Yes...”

He came and fetched her, but didn't throw her over his shoulder again. He merely led her by the wrist, and she felt humiliated and tried to think of something else. “So... Do you smell magnesium again?”

He was silent for a second. “No.”

Her face scrunched up. She thought that was a stupid question of hers because of her certainty in getting a 'yes'. “Isn't it suppose to be part of the rock?”

He was silent as they continued forward, but she was excited about finding something which took her mind off certain things and happily opened her mouth to continue with it. Then she sensed Bashamon, who had spent four years and some months completely alone save for with enemies as visitors.

“The lovely young couple returns,” the strange yÅkai commented, making Kagome flush an undoubtedly deep scarlet as she frowned for wherever the freaky, chest grabbing man was. She felt her hand begin to sink through the barrier, and something felt horribly wrong and she yanked her hand away and out of Sesshomaru's grasp.

“I had thought that even newbies would be accustomed to barriers,” Bashamon commented from some distance as she stumbled back and landed on her rump. She stared forward as footsteps drew closer.

“Get up,” Sesshomaru ordered. She shook her head, her long bangs flopping. “Do I need to drag you through the barrier?”

“Don't you feel that!?” she asked, probably looking like a blind person as she looked for his voice but not focusing on him. There was something wrong again, like last time, only now it was far more urgent.

“No,” he replied. “And do not unleash your energy over it. Doing so can disrupt the cave.”

“I'm sure...” she replied.

A second passed, and her skin still prickled.

“Bashamon is no longer in the small area, he left through the wall,” Sesshomaru offered. “Care to stand now?”

She shook her head, and tried to resist being lifted to her feet. That was like trying to swim up the rapids though.

“Sesshomaru, please!” she yelled, her hands shaking in his grip as he pulled her forward. “There's something dangerous here! Trust me, I have a very acute sixth sense!” She shivered when she went through the barrier, and she froze to count seconds.

“There is nothing here that can possibly hurt you,” Sesshomaru replied, loosening his grip. One. “Even if there was, you would remain safe.”

Two. She almost felt comforted, but as her labored breathing began to echo she became even more afraid. Three. “Sesshomaru, I just-”

Four.

She crossed her arms over her eyes.

There was a brilliant flash, even through her fingers, heat, and a force so strong that it blew Kagome off her feet and into the wall. The sudden noise had deafened her in an instant, and she instinctively raised a barrier around herself before anything could attack her already burnt self. She opened her eyes. There was another flash, imprinting the image of a crumpling ceiling and floor into her mind, Sesshomaru catching himself on a far wall, and she was hit by the rapid expansion of air again. There was darkness, the bright image glowing in inverted colors in her sights still. She fell forward as her collision with the wall reached its max and let her go. There was another flash, showing rocks the size of heads and larger rain mercilessly down onto anything below. There was a strange and tailed figure in the dark, in mid leap, and Sesshomaru didn't see it. There was darkness, and another slight shock wave smacked Kagome again. She expected a hard landing on the floor, but there wasn't a floor. Another flash showed she was facing down. There were odd shell-like portions of rock, falling for a landing that was impossibly far away yet too close for comfort. There was also a dark glint, showing that stake she had to hold the last time as it was falling amongst everything. Then the place went dark again, air hitting her relentlessly as it passed through her barrier. She spun, falling, and although she knew she was screaming she couldn't hear it. Everything was silent, and she couldn't see. She was left to guess when she would collide with the ground which would take her life.

When she presumed she was about twenty feet away, something lurched and she was pressed into warm fabric.

Kagome blinked her eyes open to wince, and realized quickly that she was not falling. Her entire front hurt though from burns and the landing, which she didn't remember, and what she had landed on was certainly not rock. It was softer than that, and warm. She moved her hand across the odd surface, not able to feel properly, and wondered why something was beating steadily against her hear.

... Oh, shit...

She pushed herself up onto her arms, feeling a few ribs crack painfully into place, and something heavy slid from her upper back to above her buttocks.

“Oh...” she whimpered, horrified as she felt at what, or who, was under her. She noted her burnt lips split painfully while using them, making her taste blood, but she overlooked it. “Shit!” Why wasn't he moving? Why was his armor gone?

She was breathing irregularly, scared, as her hands quickly felt in the dark. There was his chest, and his shoulder, and her sore fingers stroked up his neck, a vein pulsing regularly beneath her touch. He was at a normal temperature, which relieved her in some regard, but he didn't react to her. She stroked past his jaw bone, pinkie catching his left ear momentarily, and gently felt his eye. It was closed, and didn't twitch from her gentle probing. She could hear him breathing too, so he certainly wasn't dead. Not that she ever thought he was... ... Hopefully not.

“Hey,” she began, smacking his left cheek lightly. If he wasn't facing away, then she'd have slapped both his cheeks. “Get up.”

He didn't hit her back, which was both good and bad. She licked her cracked lips, which stung horribly.

“Hey,” she tried again, hitting the side of his face three times in a row with quick slaps. “Wake up!”

He still didn't reply.

She began to worry, since the very thought of him being rendered unconscious from the impact was nigh unthinkable, and began to search him for injuries. She remembered once before him being unconscious, propped up in a corner at the bottom of the well with her. He had been bleeding a lot, and because of that he lost energy. Plus he had mentioned something about poison. Her hands felt around his chest again, which revealed nothing save for how built he was. She went to his sides, his shoulders, his shoulder blades, down his arms, and finally moved a hand next to his hip to lift herself off of him.

Her hand hit something cold, wet, and sticky.

“Ew,” she immediately said, bringing her fingers up to smell what it was and accidentally touching her nose. It smelled like blood. Well, so did her lips, but the lack of a different odor made her certain as to what it was.

...

She wasn't bleeding... Well, not enough for a stream.

She quickly got off of him, and discovered that she had a broken ankle. She pushed the pain away though, she couldn't think about herself when he could bleed to death. Once she was to his side, nestled between some short stalagmites, she worked a hand under his back, and didn't have to look too long to find something. There was a cut in his haori, long and drenched, right across his lower back like the slice of a blade, and feeling upwards she would have gagged if she wasn't too afraid to do so.

“Oh, kami,” she began, the side of her hand hitting something hard sticking into his back. “No...” She continued past it, and felt another. “No...!” She quickly checked the back of his head and neck, and was relieved that the ground had been clear there.

She carefully got to his other side, groped the earth, and when she was sure that there was a decent clearing save for a very large stalagmite she felt around the floor and found him again. She needed to move him, right? She needed to move him so he could heal himself, especially any pierced arteries since something was currently lodged under or even in his heart. Right. She was right. Still...

Her hands were on his left side, ready to roll him over, and she realized how dumb that was since she had no idea how long those damnable rock formations were.

“Sesshomaru,” she tried again, patting his face rather hard now. “Sesshomaru, wake up!!”

There was an evil chuckle, and Kagome looked over to see- ... Well, nothing. It was Bashamon though, and he sounded just five feet away. She was shocked that she hadn't noticed him.

“What to do, what to do,” the thing commented, enjoying this.

She became infuriated, and her energy coiled around her to light the area in an almost electric blue glow.

The evil yÅkai was standing at the edge of the small stake's barrier, watching them. His eyes were focused on her, and she was alarmed by how hungry they looked. He was held behind that same barrier, and in its center lay the dark stake which looked like polished black stone. Apparently, wherever the stake went he followed, and Kagome wanted the thing gone.

“I would not do that if I were you,” Bashamon warned when she lifted a rock and aimed.

“Fuck you,” she told him, throwing and hitting the stake. It went with a wild clatter, making the madman roll away in his barrier like a spider trying to avoid the lip of the glass it was under, and then the clatter stopped and Kagome listened. Was there a ledge??

She heard an almost muted splash, and listening one could discover a rumbling river.

But that wasn't important.

“Okay,” she told herself, clenching her hands repeatedly. “Okay. Okay, I can do this. I can do this, because I have to.” She could see Sesshomaru now, her energy bathing him in a soft glow. His expression was so... Natural. His brow and eyes were completely relaxed, his lips parted to reveal teeth and then some, his chest actually moving with every breath... He almost looked human, and that terrified her. This was a being who was never supposed to be weak, and here he was, bleeding a small steam where her hand had been at his side. The sight completely freaked her out. “Okay... I'm ready, let's do this...”

She put her hands under this back again, which was somewhat difficult because of how absurdly heavy he truly was, and kept burying deeper until her forearms held him by his shoulder blades and lower back. She came to terms with the fact that she would need to put some energy into this to make sure she only had to lift him up once.

“Okay,” she began again, shaking but determined. She really didn't want to hurt him, but... “On three... One... Two...” She winced, and lifted as strongly and quickly as she could.

There was a strangled growl of pain and shock, and Kagome pulled Sesshomaru to herself so he wouldn't go falling back down. She was knocked back from a kneeling position to her rump, her left arm flinging back to catch herself whereas her right held him tightly, and thusly she had a suddenly conscious yÅkai's face in her chest.

...

Once she got over the agony of going from her knees to her bottom with a broken ankle she glanced down, blushed furiously, and loosened her grip so he could lay in her lap instead of in her cleavage. Sure, she was well covered, it was the principle of the matter that counted though. “Are you alright?” she asked, not wanting to guess why his eyes were still somewhat wide and staring. She glanced away to think of other things... Did dislodging him have to hurt enough to yank him into consciousness? “Um, I'm sorry, but I just couldn't leave you there...”

She was shocked when his hand reached up and cupped under her chin, his thumb rubbing slightly over her cut lips. It hurt, and she pulled back quickly. Why did he-? Oh, right, she was still burnt, and she felt something flake away from her cracked skin. It was probably dried blood. Damn flashing lights.

Kagome flinched, seeing how persistent he was when he pushed himself up to get the leverage to reach for her face again. The worse part about this was the worry shivering slightly in the background of his sights.

“S-stop that!” she yelled, her supporting arm moving to try and get him away from her. Then again, it had been supporting her, so she found herself grabbing his wrist and pulling as her body weight happily obeyed gravity and sent her to her back.

She was absolutely shocked at how much he didn't care about her personal space when he followed her fall and leaned over her.

“You are hurt,” he informed her.

“I know that,” she told the face which was less than a foot from hers, her arms uselessly up over her fanned out hair. It was quite the Kodak moment, and it made her mouth dry. “So are you.”

“I can deal with it,” he said, verbally brushing the fact away. He began feeling at the various burns on her face where her arms had failed to shield from the flashing heat. The contact stung, but it wasn't entirely unwelcome. “Hold still.”

Kagome flinched when the fierce and hot waves of his power washed over her face, lapping at the burns and cuts. It felt strange, yet good at the same time. It was the type of good that you needed to relax into and close your eyes for, but she opened them slightly when he brushed her bangs to the side, apparently searching for more injuries. She stared at him, fascinated by this odd expression he bore and how it made her want to reach out and hug him. He was still bent over her, his right arm up against the left side of her torso as a brace. Every breath she took made her upper abdomen press into his side, and she found herself taking very deep and slow breaths.

“Where else are you injured?” he asked, staring down at her, completely unabashed.

She opened her mouth to speak, closed it again, swallowed, thought to herself how good his energy felt, and answered. “Just my limbs.” She sounded far more calm than she felt. This position reminded her of how a few of her favorite dreams started. “And, my ankle. I think it's broken.”

He didn't need to look away from her to focus his energy to those places, making her groan briefly. It was like a massage, just without contact. Kami, why did it feel so good? She was hurt there, and it was yÅkai energy, it just didn't make any sense!

Her face was feeling immensely better, and the more her skin returned to normal across her chin and lips the more his energy receded from those spots. She regretted for half an instant when it fully left, now coursing across the burns in her limbs and, oddly enough, to her collar. His warm fingers brushed her cheek, and this time his thumb passed over smooth, unbroken lips, as though making sure they were fine.

Her throat pulsed, and a tingling heat coiled all around her groin. It felt odd yet delightful, and made her sigh.

She watched as Sesshomaru's expression dulled ever so slightly, as though his mind was on something else, and it reminded her of the time in the guest bedroom...

The faster her heart beat, the more she needed to breathe, until it was labored enough to make her part her lips. Her body shifted, uncomfortable, and his chest turned fractionally so that her movements brushed across him.

He... Did he just do that? She took in a choppy inhale, the air coming out again past her lips more heated than usual, and her eyes widened slightly. Was he responding to her? ... He had the most captivating eyes... She felt like the heat of his stare was making her melt, and a voice very deeply hidden in her muddled head was telling her that it was alarmed. Her body wanted to kicked that voice out onto the streets, but her mind was supporting it.

She opened her mouth further to disturb the heavy ambiance, but all that came out was a far too feminine sigh as he slowly began to lean in closer, his chest warm and heavy on top of hers, holding her down securely. It was nice...

It all seemed too slow for her to not have reacted to. She could feel his domineering weight with every shallow breath, the individual pulses of her heart which made her whole body throb, his equally hot breath caressing her skin for how close he was. Still, she stared at him, into those golden orbs which glistened with her glowing energy yet dulled with an emotion she couldn't figure out. She watched through lazy lids until her eyes couldn't focus anymore, and a moment later she surrendered her sight and felt the tickling brush of his lips against hers.

It was soft and barely there before it was gone, and if she wasn't so lost in herself she would have been shocked at how her hands deftly found the sides of his face and pulled him back down.

Her whole body shivered so hard that it almost hurt, fading quickly to a blissfully hot aftershock as their mouths collided. She sighed heavily through her nose next to his own, his lips motionless against hers. She moaned when they moved, making her nerves fire off far too quickly to be healthy in every square inch of her being.

'Oh... Kami...' she thought to herself, her mouth responding and her head tilting slightly. A breath escaping him in a very low rumble of a growl, summoning a shiver to course powerfully up her spine. She moaned in a wanting manner to Sesshomaru when she felt his right hand slowly slide under her upper back, his left stroking up her cheek and then down to the back of her head, his body leaning urgently in to hers. After so many years of just dreaming of this... Her skin felt like it couldn't get enough blood, tingling with a need to be touched, and her still healing hands knew no shame. Her left brushed past his ear, the silken strands of his hair parting willingly to her touch, and her right felt down his neck to the messy V of his clothing, feeling his heart racing beneath his far too hot skin.

It was an amazing feeling to know an eternity in the course of ten seconds, and it was interrupted by the both of them.

He pulled back slightly, as though just now registering what had been happening, and she opened her eyes again. This wasn't a dream, nor a fantasy. It was far better than either could ever be, because he was there. He was really there, and they had just kissed...

She blushed, and he pulled further back so they could focus on one another's faces. She decided to remove her fingers from his hair as his own hands drew themselves back, but kept her right palm on his chest. It made her feel better that she had a say on whether or not they continued, holding him back.

She smiled. That was, by far, one of the best experiences of her life, but it was enough for now. She didn't want to take things any further, despite how great a possibility it was, and she was more than certain that he didn't want to be attempting heirs soon.

... Which was quite the shocking thought, and she looked up at the inugami daiyÅkai in an altered light. He could be a father one day...

It was obvious he was willing to continue where they left off, his fingers twitching on her upper arm and side, but she knew he couldn't. What they were, when they were, why they were... It was all too different, too clashing, and they both had their own lives to remain in. She had thought of the forbidden what-ifs far too many times to not know all the reasons why them being intimate at all was ludicrous, no matter how pleasing it seemed. Wanting the pleasure of someone's company was one thing, but to lose control during such a moment was another thing. Besides, it's not like she brought rubbers with her... ... Not that she would allow things to go that far... She thought... It would probably be very fun to do outside of her imagination, but there was too big a risk with it.

She shifted, and noticed that everything but her bones were fully mended.

He breathed heavily through his nose, and lifted himself off her. She took a deep breath, finally able to, and for some reason couldn't keep a smile off her face. He definitely responded to her. Weren't they just fighting?

“Well,” she began, needing to disrupt the uncertain air around them, “that was fun...”

He smirked, and sat up a few feet away, cross-legged. Yeah, it was just a kiss... People kissed all the time.

She lay there for a few more seconds, willing her body to want to obey her thoughts rather than their desires, and finally summoned the strength to move. She sat across from him, and felt oddly light. Not light headed, or out of breath. Just, light. Like a weight was taken off her conscious. It made her feel very good, no matter how much a small voice in her said that what had just happened was a fling. A whim driven by two people in their sexual prime. Things like this happened, and only idiots took them too seriously.

Still, she now had fantastic material to go to sleep to for the rest of her life... Her mind began to wander onto how the next half hour would have been if they both hadn't needed to breathe at the same time. ... Oye, such thoughts were not good for her. She was far too prepared and too willing to think such things near Sesshomaru. Not now. Later would be good, but not now.

She sensed his energy had moved to his own injuries as well, and glancing up she noted that he sat perfectly still and kept his eyes closed. Apparently, he had some thinking to do. She couldn't help but think that he looked like he was meditating, it was so cute.

She hummed to herself, and glancing backwards revealed that mighty stalagmite not five inches away. She scooted and reclined into its bumpy slope, her arms crossed under her breasts and knees drawn upwards. She wondered how anyone in the slayer's village would take to seeing what had just happened. Even she was still shocked, yet elated.

Did he, the cold Lord of the Western Lands, like her? Or was he being a typical guy? Guys loved kissing, it meant the fist base was covered.

She hoped for the prior, but felt it was merely the latter. If he did like her, she would have noticed by now, right? Unless, he liked her and didn't want to, which would explain both his irritability and his freedom to laugh around her. The only question she didn't have to answer right now was her feelings for him, or so she thought. She'd have to sleep on it to be sure she was thinking properly.

“How's your back?” she asked after what felt like ten minutes, her energy still making her a lantern. She enjoyed the full flexibility of her right arm, the bone completely healed, and felt another ankle bone shift back into place with a pop when she moved her foot experimentally. She was completely fine.

“Mending,” he replied.

“Any way I can help?” she offered. She didn't know what she could do, maybe lend some energy?

“I am fine,” he told her, sounding to be comfortable with everything in life.

“Alright,” she replied. ... There wasn't much to say, so she kept thinking. Maybe if she got to know him better, they'd- No, that was impossible... It was still fun to think about though. Not only did he prefer her alive, but this was his third time suggesting that they'd at least be great kissing partners. About being alive though... “By the way, thanks for catching me.”

He was quiet for a moment. “Do not thank me.”

She looked up at him, but he was still concentrating on himself. “Why not?”

He spared her a glance, and she wanted to shift as a grin yank at the corners of her mouth. “Because it was neither a favor nor a gift.”

... Alright, she could see the odd logic in that. “Well, then accept my being grateful.”

He nodded minutely, and continued with what he was doing.

Kagome sucked her lower lip between her teeth. She wondered why he was keeping his eyes closed. They were definitely open while he was healing her -or, from what she saw, since she had closed her eyes for most of the experience- so why were they closed now? ... Kami, he was so odd... And for some reason, it made her smile. She liked odd people, they were usually the most interesting.

The air was cool once more, tickling her cheeks. “It's cold down here...”

He chuckled, which made her heart hop.

“What?”

“You complain about everything.”

She tossed her head. “And you keep it all bottled in until it explodes onto innocent onlookers.”

She couldn't help but think he had the sexiest laugh she had ever heard.

“You don't act like this at the o-shiro,” she told him, cocking her head to rest it on her knees and watch him. “It's a shame.”

“And why is that?” he asked of her.

She shrugged, then sighed and settled her chin on her knees instead. “You're just so closed off there. Like no one can get in, and nothing can get out. You're just... I dunno, stagnant, and to a human that's not natural...” She giggled. “I guess that's why they made yÅkai ticklish, is to get past that cold exterior every now and then...”

“If said yÅkai leaves itself open to such assaults.”

She giggled again, thinking this whole circumstance to be utterly ridiculous let alone their conversation. “I have yet to tickle you in front of everyone at the o-shiro like I said I would...”

He was silent, which was the best answer she could have hoped for.

“This reminds me of four years ago,” she continued, feeling content and at ease. “Well, not the cave or the blood, but just talking like this...” She sighed, looking straight ahead since there really was nothing unappealing to look at. The air really was cool and nice, now that she thought about it. “Even though we never really spoke then either...”

“Silence has a tendency to become the best conversation.”

She regarded him. “Then I guess we've had some pretty good chats.”

He gave a soundless chuckle, and she kept on grinning like an idiot. There was a long pause then, and she found herself listening to the very faint rumbles of the river below. That stream probably made the nearby ledge in the first place, like a great canyon.

“By the way, what happened earlier?” she asked. “Before I fell. I still don't know why everything crumbled, or why I got so burnt, or who that figure leaping at you was.”

He sighed, which was more than audible from five feet away.

“The four explosions were from thunderbolt-balls,” he began. “It is a type of bomb commonly used to destroy a city wall, and three had been stolen from the southern regiment not long ago.”

Kagome's brow furrowed. “I guess that makes sense... How did they get them here though? I thought Sheng said that no one willing to help Bashamon could make it through the mountain after having to climb for the entrances.”

“That was the situation,” Sesshomaru acknowledged. “We just failed to guess how thick the walls of that room were.”

Kagome's mind re-played the image of shell-like pieces of rock falling. “Were we in an ancient lava bubble or something?”

It made sense, which meant they had just fallen into an unexplored cavern. And a deep one at that.

“... Wait, they just took three? Didn't you say there were four explosions?”

“Both are correct,” he replied. “One bomb was already brought here, some time before our first visit.”

“... Hm...” she thought. “Is that why you smelled magnesium?”

“It was not magnesium,” he replied.

It was a bomb... She supposed he felt a tad foolish for not having guessed as much sooner, so she didn't press it.

“How did you sense that there was something wrong?” Sesshomaru randomly asked her.

“... Huh?”

“Before the bombs went off.”

“Oh!” she replied, quickly recycling through her thoughts. “Oh... Well, I've always been pretty keen on those sorts of things...”

...

“... You sound sad,” he stated.

“Huh,” she huffed, looking in the opposite direction of him. “That's because it brings up a really sad memory.” There was silence, but she talked to fill it. “I was seven years old when I first experience it. My mom was having a hard time getting me into the car for a trip to the beach, not knowing why I was freaking out over 'bad feelings' since swimming was my favorite thing. I cried the whole way there, screaming that they stop the car and looking out the windows, and when my dad pulled near the sidewalk to unload I jumped out and ran as fast as I could. My mom went after me, and since my dad was in charge of driving he- He was in the car when it was hit from the side...” There was more silence, and Kagome almost felt the sting of tears. This happened a very long time ago, but it still hurt to talk about. “Another driver had lost their brakes coming downhill, and tried to turn. They hit though, and my dad died before paramedics could pry the doors open.” She took a deep breath, but that didn't help. “It almost seemed like fate with how the metal bars sticking up out of the walkway were so perfectly placed as to smash in the other doors as well...” She wiped her eyes. “A month later, my mom went to the hospital because of odd vomiting sessions and discovered she was two months pregnant with Sota... We moved in with my grandpa, my father's dad, to compensate for no one helping at the shrine, and to help with finances with a new baby on the way. My mom sold the small house I had grown up in while the market was bad, so we got way less money back from it than what we had paid for it. ... Anyway, this isn't important. I discovered a sense then, and have always trusted it. That's your answer.”

They were both quiet for a while, and she began pondering herself again. “Why were you able to heal me so quickly?”

“Skin damage and fractured bones are easier to mend than muscle,” he informed.

That was odd... “Why's that?”

“It simply requires more precision,” he replied. “Entertain yourself.”

... She felt like Rin... Apparently he would be a while longer though, so she bottled up her energy and got herself comfortable against the cave formation and thought. If she had brought her sword or even bow, she'd be practicing, but she didn't have them and didn't feel like using her energy, so she talked to herself. Internally. Thoughts led to memories, and as video quality footage played on the wide screen of her lids she felt comfortable, and her memories shifted off the path of reality to play with her creativity.

...

... ...

“Mm?!” she squeaked, turning quickly to see whatever had touched her shoulder. There was darkness, and she instead reached out to grab it automatically.

She felt his hand, and immediately took hers away from it.

“Did I sleep?” she asked, feeling rather sore and groggy as she lifted herself off the ground. Apparently she had fallen over and found the rock rather comfortable. He must have had a good laugh at seeing that.

“For a few hours,” he informed her.

“Are you kidding? Have you been healing all that time??”

She sparked up her energy just in time to see him in a kneeling position nearby and giving her a flat stare.

“Of course not,” he replied, looking away and standing as she giggled once at him and his expressions. “I have been searching.”

“Mm, what for?” she asked, stretching. Oh, that felt good... Bringing her arms back down hurt though, and she stood with limited grace. Sleeping on stone hurt, and she was stiff for it.

“The seal,” he replied. “I cannot find it.”

She was suddenly washed out with guilt, and he glanced at her.

“Um,” she began. Damn that nose of his. “It landed in the river down there...”

“Shit.”

Kagome flinched violently and openly gapped at him. “Did you just-”

“You are contagious,” he supplied. “We have to retrieve it.”

“... Shit...”

“Indeed.”

“What are you talking about?” Kagome demanded. “You can fly down the cliff!”

He almost glared at her, reminding her that now wasn't the time to be angry since this was her fault. Mostly... It was like shattering the Jewel all over again. “It landed in a river.”

“... And?”

He rolled his eyes, and she crossed her arms and huffed.

“What? Can't you swim?”

He blinked a few times. “That is not the only problem. I cannot find it by scent now.”

“Oh...” she replied, thinking how very bad that was. “... Wait, does that mean-?”

She paused when her feet were suddenly swept from under her, and she quickly grabbed his left shoulder over the sudden movement. ... She loved how soft his pelt was... He interrupted her though.

“Does that mean you can't swim??”

He giving an answer as he walked for something.

“Holy Buddha, you can't!!”

“Is that surprising?” he asked.

“YES!” she fired off, and he came to a stop. “You live on an ISLAND!! Why can't you swim?!”

He smirked. “And? You live with air, so why can you not fly?”

She held a finger up at him. “Now just one minute, that's completely di-”

He stepped off the ledge, and once she calculated the fact that her hair and heart were lifting at extraordinary speeds she instantly latched around his neck and began shrieking her head off. She managed a full out 'I hate you' before he coiled enough energy for a gradual, midair landing.

She swore, her heart was using her rib cage as a drum, and it was having ample fun without her. She lifted her face and loosened her hold, and opened her mouth to scold the life out of him. His energy disappeared, and she shrieked when they began to fall again. It was, sadly enough, only about two feet.

“Stop laughing at me!” she yelled when he began to chuckle, setting her down. “Just you wait until I teach you how to swim! I'm going to tell you about SO many freaky animals that live in that water!!” Perhaps even the mythical ones...

“You wish to teach me how to swim?” he asked lightheartedly.

“Of course,” she replied with a soured tone, flaring her energy back around herself. She had been so scared of falling again that she lost control of it.

His figure suddenly appeared, and she caught him give a nod.

“Alright,” he accepted, beginning to walk. “Then in turn, I shall teach you how to fly.”

...

She waited for a heartbeat, and when it went 'ba-thump' she decided to breathe again.

“No.”

He stopped walking, and turned halfway to face her. “Why not?”

She glared at him. “In case you haven't noticed, I'm simply petrified of heights.”

He smiled, almost evilly. “That is easy to fix.”

Her eyes went wide. She knew exactly why it was 'easy to fix'.

“If you even think about it,” she warned him, marching boldly forward. “I'll...” She reached him, and lost her train of thought completely. He was smiling down at her, and she was about to blush.

“You will, what?” he asked, the hint of taunting in his voice.

... There wasn't much to do to a witty lord without having it backfire on you... She came up with something though, and said it before thinking about it.

“I will kiss you in front of your entire o-shiro,” she finished, absolutely refusing to be embarrassed by it. His reputation was on the line with that, not hers, and they had already kissed so it was fine now. ... Right? “And you will enjoy it.”

... For some reason, he seemed to not care about his reputation that much, considering the remaining smile on his face.

Damn... She had utterly failed... He was suppose to be threatened, not pleased, or happy, or even looking forward to it. ... ... Was he looking forward to it??

“Where's that damn stake?” she demanded, needing to change the subject. He knew how to push her buttons, in a way that was far too playful to be considered fair. Truthfully, she actually enjoyed this, because she was capable of looking forward to such a thing too. She was still human, after all. But she was not going to be the first to admit it, because to do that would open herself to far too much.

She looked at him with a fixed frown, and it wavered greatly at the remaining hit of a smile to his lips. He was too happy... He was never happy though, so... Did he like her? She blushed furiously, and began to follow the riverbed.

“Well, we can at least start moving... We should sense the barrier, the stream can't be that deep.”

She heard him begin to walk after her, and she couldn't get a grin off her face. Maybe living at his place for another week wouldn't be so bad...

A/N: Seriously, I had no idea that was coming either. This is something like my internal dialog now:

Muse: “Haha!! They have KISSED!!” -does a grand victory dance- “I am SO good!”

Logic: -_-; “Yeah, but wasn't it rather abrupt? I don't want to seem out of character...”

Muse: “SO?? It's still exciting?! You care too much. Come on, let's post it and get your hesitation over with!”

Logic: “I want to re-read it though...”

Muse: “You always re-read it. If you had it your way, updates would take weeks. Come on, the reviews will tell you what was wrong and you can sort things out in the next chapter. Now POST it!”

Logic: “...”

Muse: “... We can make her eat brownies after this to make you feel better.”

Logic: “Okay. Post it.”

Me: “... I'm outvoted on this, aren't I...?”

Muse: “Two to one! Post it, and then you can eat.”

Me: “But, there are no brownies here...”

Muse: “Cake?”

Me: “Nope.”

Muse: “... Cookies??”

Me: “No.”

Muse: O.O “What is wrong with you?! Get baking!! Post this first though, and then you may don thyn kitchen wench apron.”

(Feels very random for writing that)

You can tell who wears the pants in that mental relationship. Also, it makes my muse smile and laugh insanely thinking what kind of reviews a few of those scenes will bring in.

I don't know if anyone would be interested, but for the majority of this chapter I was listening to the song Praan by Garry Schyman, which is wonderfully used in a video on YouTube called 'Where the Hell is Matt? (2008)'. I love that video, it's so inspirational to me. Then I showed it to my friend, and she scoffed and said 'whatever floats your boat...'. I slugged her, right in the pressure point in the side of the arm where your deltoid tappers off to the triceps. That one left her whining for hours. If anyone makes you mad punch your knuckles right there on them, it hurts like hell. :D Even pushing for a few seconds and letting go leaves an odd sting. Go ahead, try it. If it doesn't sting for an annoying two minutes, you didn't get the right spot. That, or you handle yourself with great care...

...

-giggles- I wonder how many people actually did it... If you did, wait eight hours, then press that spot again. Sometimes, it will still be sore. ... And yes, I know, that was also completely random and highly unnecessary to talk about. :P Ugh, I'm in that mood...

Another thing that just crept into my mind, is it just me or is this summer REALLY hot?? I personally can't complain too much, I live on top of a mountain, but even here temperatures are way higher than normal. I've been taking cat naps in the middle of the day just to stay sane (since my legs are too long to lay comfortably in a bathtub with ice). Oh, that sounds SO good right now... ... I wonder what people will think of these comments a year after this chapter is posted...

...

Alright, I'll stop scaring you now. Thanks for reading! Review, please!