InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sword of Supreme Conquest ❯ Chapter 15 ( Chapter 15 )

Author's Note: This is fair warning that this chapter is pretty fluffy...at least it seems that way to me. It kinda makes me teeth hurt to read it near the end but my heart is as black as coal ;) If you like it please leave a note. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Until next time...

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The night was quiet but for the noisy crickets chirping outside her bedroom window. Kagome let out a gentle sigh, her hundredth of the evening, and turned the page of the cheesy romance novel she was reading. The small collection of naughty books had been an unexpected present during her last trip home. After groaning about Sesshomaru's repeated absences over a cup of hot jasmine tea, her mother had disappeared out of the kitchen only to return a few moments later carrying a small bag of books. She'd handed them to her with a wink and Kagome had reluctantly accepted them, completely certain at the time that she would never read a single one.

 

 

Relaxed in bed with a small wall of pillows at her back, she skimmed the pages describing steamy trysts and passionate love by candlelight, all the while trying to forget that her own love life was in shambles. The books were a nice temporary escape though. She was on her third one in the series; a story about a girl who accidentally travelled back in time to 18th century Scotland and fell in love with a roguish Highlander. She nibbled on her bottom lip as she read a particularly steamy passage about the heartthrob (Logan) grabbing the heroine mid-fight and kissing her passionately to still her words.

 

 

Kagome sighed again and glanced askew at the empty bed next to her. She felt her heart drop as she realized that, unlike the characters in her story, she would be spending the night alone in a bed that was much to big and far too cold without another body in it.

 

 

Hearing footsteps closing in from down the hall she dog-eared her page and glanced expectantly at the door. It was late and the moon was already high in the sky. She wondered briefly who could be coming to her at this hour, especially with Sesshomaru gone. The footsteps stopped outside her door and after a brief pause the rice paper panel slid open and Sesshomaru stepped inside.

 

 

Kagome blinked at him and her mouth fell open in shock. She hadn't expected to see him for days, or weeks even. Returning this soon was practically unheard of for him. She felt her residual anger towards him dissipate somewhat as she took note of the weary sag of his shoulders and the worn expression on his face. He didn't look up at her at first. He pushed the door shut with his foot and rested his back against the wall with his eyes closed.

 

 

To Kagome it appeared as though he was taking a moment to collect his thoughts before confronting her, but he was simply breathing in her scent. Her warmth wrapped around him, soothing away his anxiety and fear despite the fact that neither of them had said anything at all. It was a good minute before he opened his eyes and lowered them to meet hers. She stared at him from the bed with her body frozen, a book hanging forgotten from her hand. Her mouth offered no words of comfort but her eyes, those deep pools of chocolate, were filled with concern and longing and…love. He exhaled the breath he'd been holding in his lungs and pushed his body off the wall.

 

 

 

Kagome felt her mouth open and close as she stared at him. What had happened to make him look that way? His eyes were so sad she felt her heart clench in her chest. Was this because of her? Had she done this to him? Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and she found her voice at last. “Sesshomaru…what are you doing back so soon?”

 

 

He took a step towards her and stopped. Reaching his hand up, he slowly peeled the armour off his body and dropped it to the floor. It was followed closely by his swords, which clanked noisily against each other as they hit the wood. Normally he didn't abuse his weapons so, but he was too exhausted to care. He was exhausted from the travelling and the constant fighting. For the moment the only thing he wanted was to wrap his arms around her and just be. She moved over on the bed and he closed the distance between them before easing himself down onto the plush futon mattress. Letting out a silent groan, he hunched his body forward and rested his arm across one knee. In the silence that followed he waited for the right thing to say, the words that would magically bridge the gulf that had formed between them, but his mind was blank.

 

 

Kagome's brows knit together with concern as she stared at her husband and the way his posture indicated complete and utter defeat. He hadn't been gone long enough to have lost on the battlefield so she could only assume his current mood had more to do with their situation than anything else. This was surprising, since he rarely communicated anything to her via body language. She'd learned the subtle indicators or his moods over time, but this…this some something entirely new. With a pitiful frown on her face she knelt behind him and began to massage his neck and shoulders in slow, rhythmic motions. He sat up straighter at her touch and hung his head, allowing himself to relax beneath her hands.

 

 

“You never answered my question,” she pointed out, her voice surprisingly gentle. It lacked any hostility whatsoever, as if their previous fight and his hasty departure had long since been forgotten. She felt him heave a sigh and stilled the movement of her hands across his back.

 

 

“I am weary Kagome,” he admitted, his voice equally quiet. “Negotiations are vital to ensure peace. I am obligated to protect these lands by birthright and I will continue to do so but it is…difficult.” He reached up and settled his hand overtop hers where it sat atop his shoulder. When he spoke again his voice was even quieter than before. “Do you know how long it's been since you've touched me this way? How long since there was no anger behind your words? I will not succeed without you by my side. I will perish.”

 

 

Kagome pulled her hand from his and for a fleeting moment he thought she'd rejected him. What he'd said was the truth. He didn't know how to be melodramatic. Without her he would perish; whether from loneliness or an enemy's blade he couldn't be sure, but it would happen. The scent of her tears hit him just before her arms wrapped around his midsection. Resting her hands lightly against his chest she planted a tender kiss against his neck before burying her face into his shoulder.

 

 

“I thought you had forgotten about us…your little family,” she whispered against his skin. “I thought…I thought maybe you'd grown tired of me and that was why…”

 

 

Kagome stopped herself from continuing the rest of that sentence and breathed in the smell of him. He was right. It'd literally been months since they'd been this close to each other. She'd almost forgotten the way his body felt strong and powerful beneath her hands and the way he smelled earthy yet clean. She rested her cheek against his shoulder and revelled in the way the silken texture of his hair caressed her skin. Now that she was voicing her thoughts aloud they sounded so childish. It was obvious to her now…he'd never stopped loving her. Not for a day, not for a moment - never. It'd been her own insecurities driving them apart all along.

 

 

“A man can never forget his heart,” Sesshomaru responded philosophically as he gently rested his clawed hand atop her arm. She was warm and alive beneath his touch and her scent was all around him, entwined with his own. He felt tear drops trickle down onto his shoulder and yearned for two arms to hold her. He'd done this to her. He'd caused her so much pain. He'd seen it in the way she looked at him and carried herself. His foolish pride had kept his mouth silent but if he'd told her, even once, how he felt they might've avoided all of it.

 

 

“I'm so sorry,” she sobbed, sniffling as she wiped at her tears with the back of her hand. “I've been so horrible to you. Can you forgive me?”

 

 

The dog demon's eyes lightened as he turned towards her, the only outward sign of the warm emotions that spread through his chest. His relief that the rift was finally gone, that the Kagome he'd made his mate and his lover had finally returned, was enough to make him forget that his country was still on the brink of war. It was enough to make him disregard every bad thing that occurred between them over the past year to tear them apart. All he could focus on now was making a fresh start and her scent…her scent drew him in like a moth to the flame. He would be completely unable to resist her if she asked him.

 

 

“Kagome,” he said her name gently, lifting his gaze to meet her tear laden eyes. “We are equally to blame. There is nothing to forgive.”

 

 

She smiled gratefully, the first genuine smile he'd seen from her in longer than he cared to admit. Grasping her chin gently between his fingers, he gently pulled her towards him for a kiss. Her lips were soft and pliant as they met his, and he could taste the salt of her tears upon them. He kept the kiss chaste, not wanting to push for anything she was not yet willing to give. He'd abandoned her for months; he had no right to demand anything from her so he resigned himself to being patient.

 

 

With a gentle sniffle and a nervous laugh Kagome pulled away. It felt as if a great weight had been lifted from between them. The hatred and resentment she'd borne towards him evaporated with their kiss as if it'd never been there at all. She shot him a watery smile and panned her eyes across his half turned body.

 

 

“You know,” she began to say in a playful tone, her smile turning into a devious grin. His eyebrow cocked upwards at her but she ignored it and reached her warm hands inside the open folds of his kimono. Stroking her fingertips across the smooth muscles of his chest she continued. “Since we're making a fresh start and all maybe it's time we got…re-acquainted?”

 

 

“Hn,” was his response but the hungry glint in his eyes matched her intentions perfectly. He held her gaze as he pulled one of her small hands from inside his shirt and slipped the tip of her index finger in his mouth, gently flicking it with his tongue. She gasped as he pulled it further into the warm, wet space before releasing it.

 

 

Pulling her hand out of reach, Kagome fixed him with a devious smile and put her hands on her hips. “It's about time you fulfilled your duties as a husband! I think it's high time Ronin had a little brother or sister to play with, don't you?” He turned towards her and she held his gaze. Her eyes were alight with mirth as she crawled backwards across the bed on her hands and knees.

 

 

Cocking an eyebrow, Sesshomaru stood and shrugged his kimono off his shoulders into a puddle of white silk on the floor. Kagome gasped inwardly and a smile spread across her face as she took in her perfect view of his naked chest. She'd almost forgotten the way candle light made his alabaster skin glow and defined his toned muscles. She curled her fingers into the sheets to keep herself from flying across the bed to fulfill a desperate need to run her hands across them. If she was going to toy with him she couldn't give in so easily. Besides, he liked it when she played hard to get.

 

 

All the exhaustion seemed to have evaporated from his body as Sesshomaru quickly joined her on the bed. Before she could react he pinned beneath him, her hands held prisoner above her head. “There's no escape,” he pointed out with a dangerous smile tugging at his lips. With the hunger of a man half starved, he captured her mouth in a needy kiss and listened contentedly to the soft moans elicited from her throat.

 

 

Since it'd been so long since they'd last made love, both of them thought it entirely necessary to re-acquaint themselves again and again. After their initial night together they remained in bed for three days, barely even stopping for food in between romps. It was only because of Kagome's consistently grumbling stomach that Sesshomaru even relented for food - he, of course, insisting that he didn't need anything as long as he could devour her.

 

 

After one particularly intense session they collapsed next to each other satiated, out of breath and with a sheen of sweat glistening across their skin. Kagome curled up under Sesshomaru's arm and rested her head against his chest.

 

 

“I'm happy we did this,” she said as she wrapped her free arm around his stomach.

 

 

He chuckled softly, something she heard far too little of from him. The sound of his laughter reverberated against her ear and she wondered how many people had heard him laugh like she did. “As am I,” he replied, his tone filled with sincerity.

 

 

Turning serious, Kagome looked up at him, the afterglow of their lovemaking starting to wane from her features. “How long are you going to stay this time? I know negotiations are important…I was just hoping that maybe you could stay a little longer than before.”

 

 

Looking down at her, Sesshomaru's amber eyes filled with a tenderness reserved solely for her and he kissed her forehead. His hand gently rubbed her arm in an unconscious gesture that she found both endearing and comforting.

 

 

“I will stay as long as I am able and if I must leave it will not be for long,” he reassured her. Kagome smiled at his words and happily snuggled into his warm embrace. Ghosting her hand over her flat stomach she felt her heart skip. With any luck, she would soon be with child again and then they really could start over. Hopefully the second time around they would get a chance to do everything right.

 

 

“So are you ready for sleep yet?” she wondered as she trickled her fingers overtop of his stomach.

 

 

“Hardly,” he scoffed, snatching her fingers up. “Giving up?” He fixed her with a mock glare of disappointment and Kagome laughed.

 

 

“Never! I was just making sure you weren't getting weak in your old age.” He let out a growl as he flipped her over and pinned her to the bed beneath him. With her arm still held prisoner within his grasp she could do nothing to defend herself against the onslaught of kisses that were suddenly planted along her neck. Giggling she squirmed beneath him in a futile attempt to gain freedom.

 

 

“No one calls me weak and gets away with it,” he growled out against her skin. When he pulled away she could see the laughter behind his eyes and smiled up at him. Those eyes…those endless pools of molten gold were her key to understanding him. Without them she'd never know what was truly in his heart. She let herself become lost in them, as she so often did, and melted into the kisses he pressed against her waiting lips.

 

 

Long forgotten, a romance novel slipped to the floor from the edge of the bed. Kagome didn't take notice, though it hardly mattered since the Highland heartthrob tucked within its weathered pages paled in comparison to the man above her. For now, she was content to get back to living her own fairy tale romance.