InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Syndrome ❯ Into the Morning Light ( Chapter 43 )

I do not own Inuyasha and Company, no matter how happy it would make me. Rumiko Takahashi does. I make no money from these fics.

 

Chapter 43 - Into the Morning Light

 

 

No matter how hard she tried to keep her mind off of him, her thoughts kept returning to her dream, reminding her of his hands on her flesh, of how wonderful it felt to have him touching her. Her lips absolutely tingled with the memory of his passionate kisses. Kagome sighed. Her brain was apparently on his side.

 

As Sesshoumaru climbed the stairs, both his nose and his cock twitched. The most enticing aroma had reached him and the taiyoukai began to panic. He couldn't see her, not now! Visions of his dream still danced in his head like proverbial sugarplums. There was absolutely no way he could keep from popping a woody if he laid eyes on her. Just her scent was sufficient to make him hard enough to cut diamonds.

 

Her scent... Sesshoumaru froze halfway up the staircase. Why hadn't he realized it during the dream that had, until now, seemed one hundred percent realistic? She'd had no scent! If Kagome had really been in the room with him, sharing his bed and engaging in such luscious activities, he would have been drowning in the delicious scent of her arousal. How could he not have noticed its absence?

 

He took several slow deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself before he realized that with her scent in the air there was no way he could. He knew he couldn't just stand there on the stairs waiting for her to go away. She had to be aware of his presence and she was probably wondering what the hell he was doing. He needed to suck it up and face her. Maybe he could make a quick excuse and then go hide in his room. If only he was that lucky...

 

He closed his eyes and thought yucky thoughts until he was sure he was no longer visibly aroused and then resumed his climb up the steps. He forced a playful smirk at her as she came into sight in an attempt to distract her from the fact that it had just taken him five minutes to go up one flight of stairs.

 

"Trouble sleeping?" he asked her, taking the seat opposite hers at the table. Her nervousness was tangible and he couldn't help but take in an obvious deep breath. "Something that perhaps I could help you with?" he teased.

 

Kagome grinned. She liked his playful side, now that she knew it existed. "Not so much trouble sleeping as trouble going back to sleep now that I've woken up. My brain refuses to be quiet."

 

"A problem I know all too well. Thoughts of you, my dear Kagome, have kept me up for many, many nights after I have been woken from my dreams." Seeing the way her cheeks flushed a beautiful pink, he continued. "Very... enticing dreams."

 

"Enticing, eh? So, tell me, Sesshoumaru, what exactly happens in these dreams of yours?" Sure, she was embarrassed beyond compare but she couldn't resist the chance to make him just as embarrassed as she was. It was only fair after all.

 

Her efforts were definitely worth it as his jaw dropped slightly and his pale cheeks reddened. He stared at her for a moment before realizing that she wasn't just teasing but that she really expected some kind of answer from him.

 

"Well, I... Um, you... We..." he stammered, unable to form even a simple phrase.

 

Kagome took pity on him and laughed. "That good, huh? Still, I bet it couldn't hold a candle to the dream I just had. I think we're about even here. You have your beast pushing you. I have my own brain doing the same thing."

 

Sesshoumaru lifted a brow at her with interest. "Your brain is pushing you? To do what?"

 

"To be with you, what else?" she blurted out without thinking. Her cheeks flushed a darker shade of red and she covered her face with her hands. "Just ignore me. I need to have the filter between my brain and my mouth serviced. It seems to be broken."

 

"But it is so much more convenient for me when you say what you are really thinking," he said with a smug smirk. There was a moment of silence before he continued, nervousness seeping into his tone. "If your brain desires for you to be with this Sesshoumaru, then what is holding you back?" He wasn't sure he really wanted to know the answer to that question. What if it was her heart? What if she didn't truly love him like he loved her?

 

Kagome sighed. "Nothing and everything," she answered honestly. Desperate to change the subject, Kagome gave him a curious look. "What in the world were you doing down there anyway? You weren't poking around in my stuff now, were you?" she joked.

 

"Nothing so tempting," he replied, thankful his brain was ready with a plausible explanation that just happened to be true. "It is difficult at times to get one's laundry done in this house. Your friends have a tendency to put their things in the washing machine, run it, and then never return to move them to the dryer."

 

"Ewww," Kagome said with a grin. "Then the stuff starts smelling like mildew and you have to wash it again."

 

"Exactly. It is just as unlikely to find the dryer empty. I suspect that they prefer going down two flights of stairs to get a single article of clothing out of the dryer daily than have to actually fold and put away their laundry."

 

"You're probably right," she said with a laugh. "So you're doing laundry in the middle of the night? How fun."

 

"Loads," he replied sarcastically.

 

"I'm surprised you're not asleep. After everything you've been through the last few days, I'd think you'd be exhausted."

 

"I am," he answered honestly. "My mind, however, refuses to give me peace.” He paused for a minute, evaluating what he wanted to say before going for it. “I quite enjoyed sharing my bed with you, even if it was only in my demon form, and it was very difficult to find sleep without you." He paused again, unsure if he should continue. A nudge from his beast pushed him on. "It was not helped by the knowledge you were in bed with another male."

 

Kagome was a little surprised by his words. She'd known her staying with Inu would irritate him a little, but she never imagined it would prevent him from sleeping. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I just... I wasn't quite comfortable with the thought of sleeping with you... like this. It was different when you were a dog. You know Inuyasha is only a friend. I know you don't get along, but I chose to stay with him tonight because he needed a little reassurance that I wasn't going to abandon him, that's all. I didn't think it would keep you up all night."

 

Sesshoumaru could feel the guilt and concern rolling off of her and began to feel guilty himself. He didn't mean to make her feel bad. He just wanted her to know he missed her. "You need not apologize. Where you sleep is entirely your choice. You do not owe me an explanation."

 

"If it's any consolation, I had trouble sleeping too. I... I missed you."

 

Sesshoumaru smiled and her heart skipped a beat. "You are always welcome in this Sesshoumaru's bed," he said in a heated tone that had Kagome squirming in her seat.

 

"Do you think you could go back to sleep now?" she asked. When he gave her a curious look she grinned. "I'm tired and I have a class tomorrow morning. Take me to bed, Sesshoumaru."

 

The taiyoukai's heart was racing at her suggestive words and he lifted a brow at her playfully. "I never thought I'd live to hear those words pass your lips."

 

She was so nervous she was shaking like a constipated Chihuahua, but she managed to fill her voice with false confidence. "Well, do I need to say it again or are we going upstairs?"

 

In fact, she didn't need to repeat herself, as the inu was already on his feet holding out his hand to her. She took it and allowed him to help her stand up, her nervousness melting at his touch. Their fingers locked together so easily it was like they'd been doing so for years, and the pair started towards the staircase hand in hand.

 

It wasn't until they reached his door that Sesshoumaru realized there was a problem.

 

"You're washing your sheets? That was what was so important to wash in the middle of the night?" She frowned. "That doesn't make any sense. If you were having trouble sleeping because you missed me, wouldn't you be happy your sheets were covered in my scent?" All at once Kagome's fears and insecurities rushed back to her. "I knew you would regret letting me use your bed. You had to hurry and wash my stink off your sheets the first chance you got."

 

Sesshoumaru was silently cursing himself for not realizing how his stripped down mattress would look to her. He was speechless for a moment, not having a clue how to respond, until his beast gave him a nudge in the right direction. "Kagome, if I did not enjoy your scent in my room and on my bedding, why would I invite you into my bed once again?"

 

“You didn't really. I kind of invited myself,” she said softly, her voice full of hurt.

 

“So quickly you forget. Less than a minute ago I said you were always welcome in my bed,” he reminded her. Why, oh why hadn't he put new sheets on the bed before heading downstairs? Perhaps she wouldn't have noticed the change. They were just beginning to build trust and he definitely didn't need her thinking he disliked her scent or that he'd lied to her. Their relationship was so very precariously balanced and just one misstep could ruin everything.

 

The corner of her mouth quivered as she tried to make sense of conflicting information. "Then why?"

 

Now he was in serious trouble, with not a clue how to answer her, and the taiyoukai began to wrack his brain for some excuse.

 

'Honesty is always best,' his beast said in his head.

 

'Not now it isn't,' he thought back. 'I can't tell her the truth!'

 

'Why not?' the beast prodded.

 

'Because I can't just come out and say, "I had a wet dream about you and woke up sticky with cum all over the sheets so I had to wash them."' Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at the sound of his own voice, and he turned to look at Kagome. The strange expression on her face answered his question before he'd asked, but he still found himself asking anyway. "Did I just say that out loud?"

 

Kagome nodded slowly and Sesshoumaru turned his back to her, wishing he could make himself invisible. Meanwhile he was mentally screaming at his beast. The creature still held a good bit of control and was the cause of his accidental admission.

 

'Why would you do such a thing? Why did you force me to embarrass myself? Do you realize the damage you have done? She's got to think that this Sesshoumaru is a filthy pervert!'

 

'If she thought that, would she still be holding our hand?' the beast asked smugly, knowing that he'd done the right thing, even if his other half didn't agree. 'We promised her we would never lie to her. Honesty is always best, even if it causes humiliation. Besides, the monk gets away with stealing her panties. She has a high tolerance for perversion.'

 

Kagome fought hard to keep the grin off her face. "So, it sounds like the filter between your mouth and brain needs servicing too, huh? Maybe we can get a discount." When he didn't turn to look at her, Kagome placed her free hand gently on his shoulder and faked a yawn. "I'm tired. Do you have another set of sheets to put on the bed?"

 

That got his attention. She was still willing to sleep with him after his tactless confession? "Yes, I have another set," he replied slowly.

 

"Well then let's get to it." Kagome gave their clasped hands a little tug and allowed him to lead her into the room where he then regretfully released her hand to grab the sheets from the closet. Kagome smiled as she noticed that the old pillowcases remained on the pillows. He'd obviously been telling the truth. Why else would he wash the sheets but not the pillowcases, if not to maintain her lingering scent on them?

 

Sesshoumaru tossed the flat sheet on his desk chair and set out to put the fitted sheet on the mattress. Kagome surprised him when she moved to the opposite side of the bed and grabbed her side of the fabric. It was amazing how much easier it was to make the bed with her help. It was such a little thing but it made a big impact on him.

 

He wondered how many other things would be easier with her by his side. He'd been alone for so long, forever really, and he'd never once truly believed that it would ever change. Now it was possible. He had a good chance of winning her over and making her his mate and he knew instinctively that being with her would change everything. All of life's little chores would fly by with ease. They would be partners, tackling everything together, and they would be unstoppable.

 

“Do you sleep on a certain side?” Kagome asked, pulling Sesshoumaru out of his thoughts. “I know you said before that you didn't, but… well, things were a little different then.”

 

The taiyoukai couldn't help but smile at her constant desire to make sure everyone was comfortable and happy. She could have just plunked herself on the bed and claimed a side without even considering his preference, but she didn't. “I usually sleep towards this side of the bed but in all honesty, this side or that makes no difference to me so long as you are filling the other.”

 

Kagome grinned. “Huh,” she said thoughtfully. “I usually sleep on this side. I guess we won't have any problems side-wise then.”

 

“It is as if we were meant to share a bed,” he said with a lift of his eyebrow that rather reminded Kagome of Miroku, not that she would tell Sesshoumaru that.

 

“Flirt,” she muttered under her breath in mock annoyance. “Just get in bed, Mister.”

 

“It would be my pleasure,” he purred, flicking off the light and slipping under the fresh sheet. He watched with thinly veiled awe as Kagome willingly climbed into bed beside him.

 

She laid still for a several long minutes while having an internal debate before she worked up her nerve and scooted closer to the god of an inu taiyoukai in bed beside her. Getting no complaints from him, and reminding herself that there was a snowball's chance in hell he'd even consider complaining, she moved closer still. She played his romantic words of devotion through her head and then reached under the sheets, taking hold of his wrist and moving his arm out of her way. Kagome laid her head nervously on his shoulder and smiled as she felt his arm wrap around her back, pulling her even closer.

 

He was absolutely certain he'd died and gone to heaven as her hand came to rest on his abdomen. He was quickly reminded that his heart was still pounding in his chest and circulating blood throughout his body as her leg slid up his until her knee rested on his upper thigh, dangerously close to where he was sure every drop of blood he had, had suddenly relocated. She shifted slightly and her leg brushed his obvious arousal. Humiliation rolled back over him again and it only increased when he heard her giggle.

 

“You don't have to be embarrassed,” she whispered, hoping to reduce the tension that had developed in his entire body at her not so accidental touch. “It's actually a compliment, if you think about it. So was your dream.” When he didn't say a word, she set out to level the playing field a bit. “You weren't the only one to have a wet dream tonight,” she admitted, ignoring how every fiber of her being screamed for her not to speak such an embarrassing truth.

 

The tightness in his muscles relaxed almost instantly and she could feel his eyes burning into her as he studied her in surprise. He couldn't believe she'd just said that! Not only did it make him feel better about his unintentional blurting of highly classified information, but it turned him on more than anything ever had before. The tension returned only moments later as a concern arose in his mind. “About who?” he asked, not really expecting a reply, but hoping nonetheless.

 

“About you, silly. No more talking. Sleepy time,” she mumbled in hopes of ending the discussion for good. Besides, she was more comfortable all snuggled up to him than she'd been in a long time and she was having trouble staying awake. There was always morning to continue embarrassing herself.

 

Sesshoumaru obeyed and didn't speak another word, but he had a difficult time falling asleep. It was like he was in a dream and afraid to wake up. Having her there, snuggled up against him, was better than he'd ever imagined and he didn't want to close his eyes and miss a second of it. Exhaustion won out, however, and the taiyoukai drifted off to sleep against his will, praying she'd still be there when he woke.

 

 

@@@@@The Syndrome@@@@@

 

 

Tired golden eyes opened slowly as a clawed hand reached clumsily for the empty side of the bed. When he found nothing but cold sheets, he sat up quickly and looked around his room. She was gone!

 

Inuyasha leapt out of bed and stumbled into the hall in only his boxers, his nose working overtime. He could tell that quite a while ago she'd gone downstairs, and that she'd come back up not too long afterwards. She hadn't, however, returned to his room and climbed back in bed with him as expected. Instead, his nose told him she'd gone into another room and had yet to leave it.

 

He sucked in a calming breath and knocked softly on his half-brother's door. Sure, he knew she was alright but he still needed to check, to see with his own eyes, even if he ended up pissing her or Sesshoumaru off. Besides, she needed to get out of bed and get ready for class soon anyway. She was going to be late.

 

 

@@@@@The Syndrome@@@@@

 

 

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and found a mess of black hair dominating his vision. With a smile on his face he turned to check the clock. A light knock on the door caught his attention and his smile faded. He was not ready for a jealous Inuyasha to throw a fit over Kagome's presence in his bed. It was too early in the morning for that. Still, the hanyou didn't seem upset and if he was, it was unlikely he would have knocked in the first place.

 

Hoping for the best, Sesshoumaru whispered a nearly silent, "Come in". The door opened slowly and his half-brother stepped into sight.

 

Seeing the position they were in, Inuyasha chuckled. "How long has your arm been numb?"

 

"Hours," the taiyoukai replied, surprised by Inuyasha's cordial attitude. "I am no longer sure of the existence of my left arm.

 

"Just wait until she moves and the feeling starts to come back. That's hell, but it's still worth it to be able to bury your nose in her hair, eh?"

 

"Definitely."

 

"Did she drool all over you?" When Sesshoumaru shook his head Inuyasha snorted. "Lucky you. Be careful when she wakes up," he said with a smirk. "Kagome is not a morning person."

 

"Inuyasha," Kagome grumbled without opening her eyes, "If you don't shut up and get out of here, you're going to regret it."

 

He laughed. "And just what are you gonna do to me, huh?"

 

"I will never make you ramen again," she said in a flat and yet still terrifying tone.

 

Inuyasha's hands shot up instantly in surrender. "Alright, alright, you win, Kaggie. I was just playing." He turned to leave the room but turned back again. "See, definitely not a morning person."

 

"Inuyasha!" In an instant he was gone and the door was closed again. "I don't drool," she grumbled.

 

"If you did I am certain you would be absolutely radiant while doing so," Sesshoumaru teased.

 

Kagome laughed and finally picked up her head and opened her eyes. "Is your arm really numb?" He nodded and she sighed. "Why didn't you say something? I would have moved!"

 

"That is exactly why," he replied with a smirk. "If this Sesshoumaru had wanted you to move I would have told you so."

 

Kagome pulled back from him and Sesshoumaru had to fight back a whimper at the loss of physical contact with her. He was surprised when she quickly straddled his legs before dropping to lie on the opposite side of the bed. He was delighted when she then returned to her original position, only mirrored, and nuzzled her cheek against his upper arm.

 

"See? I can move easily enough. No need to suffer the pains of pins and needles for a snuggle."

 

"I will keep that in mind," he purred in her ear as he nuzzled back.

 

"What time is it?"

 

Sesshoumaru peeked at the clock before replying, "Eight thirty."

 

"Shit!" Kagome hissed, throwing back the covers and rolling out of bed. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!"

 

"Is there a problem?" he asked in an amused tone as he watched her frantically pace the room like a chicken with its head cut off.

 

"My first class this morning starts in fifteen minutes and there's no way I'll make it in time!"

 

"Calm down. It is not the end of the world. You are a diligent student, and missing one class will not ruin your grade. Take the day off and spend it with me."

 

Kagome stilled and gave him an appraising look. "And do what?"

 

"I intend to go speak with my father today. There are some things that need explanation and others that need clarification and I would like to have you by my side while I do so, if possible. Father and Izayoi would be pleased to see you as well."

 

Even though he didn't say it, Kagome could see him pleading with her to agree in his eyes. Actually talking to his father was a big step for Sesshoumaru and if he needed her with him for moral support, she couldn't deny him. He wouldn't have to do it alone.

 

"I guess one day of missing classes won't matter much. I'll get the notes from Sango and Ayame and it'll be fine."

 

Sesshoumaru sighed an internal sigh of relief. The beliefs that were central to the very core of his existence and his concept of self were breaking down and he had a feeling his father's words would shatter them completely and he couldn't face that without her. Hell, he wouldn't even be considering such a conversation if it weren't for her in the first place.

 

“Come back to bed, Kagome,” he said with a tired smirk. “There is no reason we cannot sleep in.”

 

“Yes, there is,” she said in an apologetic tone.

 

“Is there a problem?”

 

“I can't go back to sleep now.” When she didn't continue, he raised a brow at her in question. “I'm hungry.”

 

Sesshoumaru chuckled and Kagome's knees went weak at the sound. “I can rectify that. Make yourself comfortable,” he said as he rose from the bed. “I will return shortly.”

 

“Can't argue with that,” she said with a grin as she plopped back onto the bed.

 

 

@@@@@The Syndrome@@@@@

 

 

“So she's up there in bed with him and you didn't freak out?” Miroku asked with his voice full of wonder.

 

“Oh, shut the fuck up. I don't freak out.” Bankotsu snorted in his cereal and Inuyasha snarled. “I don't freak out!!”

 

“You appear to be `freaking out' right now, brother,” Sesshoumaru said in what was almost a teasing tone as he entered, surprising everyone at the kitchen table.

 

“Fine, fine, if everyone wants to be like that then fine, I freak out. Whatever,” the hanyou said while trying not to be visibly pouting. “But I didn't freak out a little while ago, did I?”

 

Bank, Miroku, and Shippo all turned to look at Sesshoumaru who had his head inside the refrigerator. “No, if you are speaking of when you came to my room, you did not freak out,” the taiyoukai replied without pausing in his task.

 

“Whatcha doin'?” Shippo asked curiously.

 

“I am attempting to find the ingredients for a nutritious breakfast for Kagome,” he answered, trying very hard to be patient. It was going to take a while for him to get used to not treating his roommates like lower life forms, even if he still considered them so… mostly. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like maybe they didn't deserve nearly all the shit he gave them over the years. Sesshoumaru shook those thoughts from his head before he gave himself a headache. The rest of the day would likely be spent dealing with those issues. He didn't want to allow them to ruin his morning with Kagome.

 

“Nutritious? Good luck getting her to eat it then,” Bankotsu said with a laugh. “If it's not covered with sugar, and I'm talking snowcapped mountain peaks covered, then she doesn't want it, at least not for breakfast. I'm pretty sure she runs off sugar alone for the first few hours of the day until she really wakes up.”

 

“Hn… Do you not desire for her to be healthy?”

 

“Does she look sickly to you?” Bank asked in response. “She's always eaten crap for breakfast, either sugary cereals or reheated leftovers with `rot your teeth' sweetened coffee. The girl has a high metabolism. Besides, from what I've seen over the years, she's damn near indestructible. If you want to make her happy, take her a bowl of cereal.”

 

Sesshoumaru ran his eyes over the boxes lined up atop the fridge. Spotting the least offensive, the taiyoukai grabbed it and quickly poured a bowl, not at all enjoying having to take advice from his half-brother's friends.

 

Shippo jumped up to stand beside him. “If you want her to eat that one, you have to sprinkle some sugar on it.” When Sesshoumaru shot him a death glare he took a few steps back. “I'm just trying to help you. She won't eat that without sugar. She says it tastes like cardboard.”

 

The taiyoukai sighed and stepped back from the counter, waving for the kitsune to show him. Shippo happily added the necessary toppings before pouring her a big glass of orange juice. “That's as close to a healthy breakfast as you're gonna get.”

 

“You'd better hurry, too, if she's waiting for you. When that girl is hungry she is definitely not patient,” Miroku added.

 

They all watched as Sesshoumaru left the kitchen carrying her breakfast while not looking all too pleased. When they were sure he'd made it upstairs, they returned their focus to their own breakfasts and their conversation.

 

“I still can't believe you didn't freak out,” Miroku teased.

 

“Yeah, I'm a little surprised too,” Inuyasha replied honestly. “She really likes him. There's nothing I can do about that but support her, even if I'm not happy about it. Can you believe he came down to make her breakfast?”

 

“I can't believe he thought he could get her to eat a healthy breakfast! Did he not see the powdered sugar snowstorm on her French toast?” Bank asked.

 

“He was still a dog then,” Shippo replied.

 

“Ah, well, even though he thinks he knows everything there is to know about her, he's got a lot to learn.”

 

“This might just be entertaining,” Miroku said with a grin.

 

 

@@@@@The Syndrome@@@@@

 

 

Sesshoumaru's breath caught in his throat as he stepped into his bedroom. Kagome was lying on her stomach, knees bent with her feet swinging in the air above her. Unbeknownst to her the t-shirt she was wearing had crept up her back, revealing to his eager eyes her pristine white cotton panties. It was a sight to behold and the taiyoukai went brain dead for a few moments, only coming back to himself when the glass of orange juice began to slip from his fingers. He stopped it just in time and quickly set the glass and bowl on the desk, regretfully startling her from her position.

 

Kagome rolled over and sat up, smiling at him. “A girl could get used to this.”

 

“I imagine you could. I think we can work something out.”