InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unexpected Circumstances ❯ Again ( Chapter 18 )

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN- AGAIN

 

 

A week later Kagome decided, after four long hours of watching Sesshoumaru gracefully swing his sword in an attempt to show her what she was doing wrong…again, that training was indeed long. If she stepped with the wrong foot, he was there. If her grip loosened and slipped, he made sure she knew it. If she tripped on her own feet, he laughed. Okay so he didn't really laugh, but she could clearly see the hidden amusement in his eyes when she had stepped on her priestess robes and took an ungraceful tumble in the dirt. Jerk.

 

It didn't help matters any that Sesshoumaru looked good - really good - when he was showing her how to properly wield her sword. Images came unbidden to her mind about the kisses they shared over the last week and it left her feeling warm inside. Kagome shook herself from her sinful thoughts that were definitely not good for a priestess to be having, and focused her attention once again on the demon lord who was arcing his sword downward in attempts to slice through the invisible foe in front of him.

 

“Be sure you have your balance,” here Sesshoumaru gave her a pointed look, “placed on your front foot. Otherwise you will end up on the ground and at the mercy of your opponent.” He nodded then towards Takahiro who was waiting patiently for the return of his pupil. “Again.”

 

Kagome sighed as she once more took up her ready battle stance in front of Takahiro. She took in Takahiro's posture, subtly noticing that he was favoring his left leg a bit more than his right as he slowly circled around her before coming to a stop and lifting his sword. Kagome did the same and just before she went to attack she was interrupted again by Sesshoumaru's voice.

 

“Stop,” Sesshoumaru commanded. “Priestess, pull your elbows away from your body; you look as if you've never held a sword before.” Kagome did her best impression of a feral growl but did as she was told. “Again.”

 

Kagome fixed her stance…again, and waited for Sesshoumaru to give his nod of approval. When she received it, she once again charged at Takahiro. Their swords struck once up top and then quickly they both lowered their arms to clash swords again down below. Takahiro was giving her menial instructions as they went, seeing as how Sesshoumaru had told her of her main problems already. There were a few words of approval from Takahiro, but Kagome did not let them go to her head; the only one she was worried about impressing was currently looking on with no emotion on his face per usual.

 

Kagome pushed Takahiro back with her sword, but he quickly recovered and returned her challenge. Their blades crossed and Takahiro forced Kagome's down, but did not hold her there for long. Kagome twirled her wrist as she had been taught and effectively switched their positions. She aimed to place herself on his right side so that she could throw him off balance, but it was proving a bit more difficult than she had anticipated. Takahiro spouted out a few instructions for her to follow and she complied while never taking her attention off of fighting him.

 

Sesshoumaru continued his observance and was able to decipher Kagome and Takahiro's movements before either of them made any motion; he had many, many years of sword training to be able to do so. He knew just before Kagome made her move that she was going to strike to Takahiro's right, `So she noticed he was favoring his left side…good'. Kagome struck out, but missed her target by scant centimeters. It was still a very impressive attack and both Sesshoumaru and Takahiro allowed flashes of surprise to cross over their faces.

 

“Very good Kagome, very good!” Takahiro praised her.

 

Kagome blushed at his compliment and Sesshoumaru repressed a scowl. He had already admitted to himself that he enjoyed watching the priestess's face flush, but only when he was the cause of it. Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome absently tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and smiled a little in Takahiro's direction and then saw as Takahiro nervously scratched the back of his neck. Deciding that he had seen enough, Sesshoumaru interrupted the seemingly innocent display of open flirtation between the two.

 

“Again.”

 

 

****

 

 

 

The next morning as promised, the small group of mismatched warriors had set out towards the village where they had left Kagome for her training. They were expecting a nice reprieve from their previously tedious mission of trying to find Naraku but for the last week, since Inuyasha so dubbed him self the leader of the pack, there was no rest for the weary.

 

“Inuyasha would you please slow down and let us catch our breaths; Kagome and the village are not going anywhere,” Sango pleaded with the stubborn half-demon. For half of the day they had been practically running to keep up with Inuyasha's pace and Sango was tired of it.

 

Inuyasha looked back at her and then looked towards Miroku and Shippou as well, taking in their current state of fatigue. He threw his hands up in the air in defeat and then stopped in his tracks. “Feh! Just don't make it a long break. The sooner we get to Kagome and you guys say your hellos and the sooner we can get back to huntin' down Naraku!”

 

All the tired group had heard was `feh' before they plopped themselves down to the ground in heaps. It was all or nothing when it came to their dog-eared friend and it was wearing them out quickly. They were still a couple weeks away from reaching the northern valley which housed the small village in which Kagome stayed, but Inuyasha acted as if running them to the point of exhaustion was going to get them there sooner.

 

Inuyasha grumbled a bit but sat down next to Kikyo who had yet to say a word. Her eyes were closed and she had a look of deep concentration on her face as she stayed still while leaning against a tree. Miroku got a slight chill up his spine and he rubbed his arms unconsciously.

 

“Are you alight?” Sango asked him quietly.

 

“Yes, I'm fine,” Miroku comforted her. “You…you don't feel anything odd do you?”

 

Sango shook her head negatively and gave him a slightly confused and concerned look. “Are you sure you're okay?” Before Miroku had a chance to answer, his reason for discomfort made themselves known as they gently and gracefully glided into their camp; their aim being the undead priestess.

 

“Kikyo's soul collectors,” Sango stated absently. They watched as one by one the glowing blue soul collectors deposited small orbs of light into Kikyo's chest. Sango shifted uncomfortably and looked over to Shippou who had a very unnerved look upon his face. Sango straightened up a bit and hardened her voice ever so slightly before she spoke up to the undead priestess. “I don't suppose you could continue that elsewhere? It's a bit unsettling.”

 

Kikyo slowly opened her eyes to look at the occupants of the camp. Although she did not outwardly display her dissatisfaction at being dismissed so readily, inside she was put out more than she cared to admit. She gracefully stood from her spot against the tree and walked back into the surrounding woods to continue with her rejuvenation.

 

Inuyasha rapped his fingers on his crossed forearms, and glared at his friends across from him. When he was sure that Kikyo was far enough away so that she would not be able to hear their conversation he spoke. “What is your fuckin' problem?”

 

Sango returned his glare head on and replied, “My problem was that it is creepy to watch as she takes in the souls of dead women. It's bad enough that she does so, but I don't have to watch it and neither does anybody else here.”

 

“Keh! You do whatcha do to survive; it ain't her fault she's gotta do that,” Inuyasha said in Kikyo's defense. Sango snorted lightly at this and Inuyasha frowned at her a bit more.

 

“No, it's not her fault that she has to do so,” Miroku conceded which earned him a glare from the demon slayer. “But,” he added quickly in hopes of saving himself some pain, “she is the one that chooses to use those souls instead of letting them pass on to the afterlife.”

 

“Would you guys just back off already?! She's been traveling with us for over a week now and you two haven't even made a single attempt to talk to her and now you're putting her down just `cause she's gotta do that.” Inuyasha sat back and gave them a look that dared them to deny his statement. Sango and Miroku dropped their shoulders a little in shame; they couldn't deny that fact, neither of them had tried making conversation with her; she was just so stand-offish that it was difficult to approach her without feeling belittled.

 

“But she hasn't talked to us either,” Shippou supplied harmlessly. Inuyasha grumbled to himself and sat back roughly against the tree. He couldn't deny that fact either; he knew that Kikyo wasn't really the chatty type. It seemed as if they were at an impasse.

 

Sango sighed loudly and then closed her eyes in contemplation. “Look, I'm sorry Inuyasha. I'll try and get along with her from now on, but understand that I do not want to watch while she has her soul stealers around. Just convey that to her, and I think things will be a bit smoother.”

 

“Whatever,” Inuyasha said as he stretched and then got more comfortable in his position. His ears twitched atop his head as he heard the sound of footsteps that signaled Kikyo's approach. He opened his eyes a little to watch as she entered camp again and sat down next to him.

 

“I apologize if I have made the kit and yourselves uncomfortable,” Kikyo said to them in an emotionless voice. “In the future I will collect the souls elsewhere, if that is your wish.”

 

Still not quite happy with their new travel companion Sango, Miroku, and Shippou slowly nodded their heads in reluctant acceptance of her offer. Inuyasha smirked happily at his friends' half-hearted attempt and then looked over to Kikyo. He gave her a grateful look in which he received a small smile in return from the priestess.

 

“I think it best to set up camp here for the night. I have no desire to return to traveling any more today,” Miroku said as he stood to gather firewood before it got dark. The others agreed and set off to carry out their own tasks. A short while later there was a small campfire going and the occupants of the group sat around it in silence, wishing that their trip would go by quickly.

 

 

****

 

 

Kagome walked towards her hut with a slight limp in her gait. Sesshoumaru had been extremely brutal in his instructions and had pushed her to her limit; her only solace was in her soothing bath afterwards. She winced when a particularly sharp pain shot through her lower back. `I'm really gonna feel that tomorrow,' she thought distantly as she continued her walk to her small temporary home. Her feet dragged beneath her heavily and she fought to keep her eyes open against the tiredness in her limbs. She sighed happily when she saw the hut come into view and then furrowed her brows a little when she saw that there was a fire lit inside. `I don't remember starting a fire.' Kagome pushed the bamboo mat aside and looked in to see a nice warm fire already blazing and a complacent Sesshoumaru sitting against the far wall.

 

“Did you do this?” Kagome asked him as she motioned towards the fire. Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and looked towards her with a raised eyebrow that stated, `who else would have lit a fire?' Kagome shook her head and quickly replied, “Right, right, stupid question I know.” The eyebrow went a little further up his forehead at Kagome's ability to read his thoughts at that moment.

 

“You took long at the springs priestess; you should have been resting by now,” Sesshoumaru said to her. Kagome huffed a little but made her way to her mat to lie down. Her steps were again slow as she stepped over and around some of her things in her path, `I really should put that away,' to get to the other side of the small hut. She lowered herself carefully to the floor and groaned in pain as an exceptionally tight muscle protested the action.

 

“It's your fault I took so long to get back from the spring; I can hardly walk thanks to the torture you like to call training,” Kagome returned sharply. She let out a long breath of relief as she settled down on her mat to lie on her stomach. “Ow, even breathing hurts. You're evil to treat me so badly.”

 

“It is essential for your training that you be in shape; your performance today clearly showed me that you are not,” Sesshoumaru remarked.

 

“I would say something to that, but right now I'm wasting too much effort just to tell you I'm not going to reply…so there,” was Kagome's clever -in her opinion- retort.

 

“Hn.”

 

Kagome sighed loudly and then winced again as the muscles in her lower back tensed in a harsh spasm. “Ow.” She closed her eyes and rested her head on her folded arms, willing herself to go to sleep so the pain would go away. She heard a light rustle of fabric but paid no heed to it. However, when she felt her shirt being lifted off her back, her eyes flew open and she squeaked.

 

“What do you think you're doing?!” she screeched at Sesshoumaru. He flinched unnoticeably at the high pitch of her voice but continued on with his self-appointed task.

 

“Calm yourself, there is no need to wake the dead,” Sesshoumaru told her as he forcefully tried to lift her shirt off her back. Kagome was having none of it so he stopped his actions and audibly sighed. “Do not make me rip the cloth priestess,” was his only warning before he continued on his course of action. Kagome sighed and relented to helping him remove her shirt, being careful not to reveal more than she was comfortable with.

 

“I do not need you complaining tomorrow about sore muscles. You will continue training regardless so it is best that you are in sound shape,” Sesshoumaru said as he rubbed his hands together to create a warm friction.

 

“Still, this isn't necessary. A good night's sleep and- mmmm…that feels goooood,” Kagome managed to get out as Sesshoumaru began kneading her back. She closed her eyes once again and relaxed underneath his soothing touch, thankful that he had been adamant in doing this for her. She moaned when he hit a particularly sore spot on her lower back and Sesshoumaru grit his teeth together. Did she have to make those noises while he was doing this?

 

He ran his hands over her- not surprisingly- smooth skin and closed his eyes. Why did he think this was a good idea again? Kagome groaned for a second time and he felt something twitch that he did not want to be twitching right now. Slowly he proceeded with his ministrations, now admiring the tiny birthmark she had on her right shoulder blade.

 

Sesshoumaru, beginning his silent inspection, took in her curvy figure starting from her neck and gradually worked his eyes downward to where the waistline of her pants was. There were two dimples at the small of her back and he brought his fingers down to touch them. He was fascinated by her body. He had seen many nude women, it was nothing he wasn't familiar with, but he had never really taken the time to study them so closely. His eyes were once again drawn to the birthmark on her shoulder blade and he found his mouth had gone a little dry. His hands continued to roam over her back and he splayed his fingers over her shoulders and squeezed firmly in an attempt to loosen the muscles there.

 

“Oooooo…do that again,” Kagome moaned out. Sesshoumaru's head ticked ever so slightly to the side and then he once again squeezed her shoulders. She let out another breathy moan and shivered. Sesshoumaru watched in fascination as the skin of her back became covered in tiny goose bumps and her scent changed slightly. He captured a small intake of breath and slowly released it along with the spicy and musky smell that had permeated the small hut.

 

Once again Sesshoumaru found his attention drawn to the small birthmark on her shoulder blade. No longer willing to resist the urge, he bent forward and placed his lips over it before giving it a languid stroke with his tongue. Sesshoumaru felt Kagome stiffen underneath him, but that wonderful smell was now back tenfold. So he did it again.

 

Kagome was more than surprised when she felt Sesshoumaru's mouth on her shoulder blade, but it felt so good that she didn't make a move to stop him. He had been working wonders on her back with those magnificent hands of his and she could only hope that he didn't realize she had been a bit turned on by him touching her. Her breathing became a bit harder then as Sesshoumaru continued to suck gently on the junction of her neck and shoulders. His hands never stopped moving, still rubbing circles over her back.

 

Sesshoumaru continued to place slow kisses across her back and soon moved his hands to her hips. He grasped them firmly before he ran his hands up her sides and then underneath her to capture her breast in his hands. Kagome gasped at the incredible feeling this produced and unguardedly lifted herself up a little to accommodate him. She was still lying on her stomach, but now Sesshoumaru was almost lying over her back. He was straddling her hips while resting slightly on her bottom, trying to keep his full weight off of her.

 

Kagome panted lightly since she was no longer able to draw in an ample amount of air by breathing through her nose. Her face was flushed with arousal and she moaned lightly when she felt Sesshoumaru's mouth latch onto her neck. His lips were warm and soft against her tender skin and his hands left tiny fires wherever he touched her. She could feel the evidence of Sesshoumaru's arousal pressed firmly against her backside and it wrought another delightful shiver to run up and down her spine. Her hips pushed back against his of their own accord and Kagome breathed out an “oh god” when she felt him trail kisses down her spine.

 

Sesshoumaru growled out his pleasure of her movement against him and it vibrated through her. He thrust his hips gently into her backside and she ground herself against him, creating a sensuous friction. His hands were moving once again over her back in light, feathery strokes with his tongue following closely behind. He kissed the small of her back and his fingers were working their way underneath the waistline of her pants when the bamboo mat door of the hut was flung open.

 

“Oh! I'm so sorry; please excuse me. I didn't know I was interrupting!” Takahiro said quickly, his eyes about to pop out of his head and roll across the floor at the sight of a half naked Kagome being sensually assaulted by Sesshoumaru.

 

Kagome squeaked loudly and pressed her body as firmly to the mat as she could while searching around for her blanket. Sesshoumaru repositioned his body in front of Kagome so that Takahiro's view of her was blocked. When the man simply stayed rooted to his spot Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at him.

 

“Get. Out.” Sesshoumaru demanded darkly. Takahiro's eyes widened and he bowed several times in rapid succession and then backed out of the hut so fast that he lost his balance and fell on the ground outside.

 

“Oh man, that…was embarrassing,” Kagome groaned out as she slipped her shirt on back over her head. Sesshoumaru remained with his back towards her in order to give her some semblance of privacy. Kagome could not believe that she had been doing such things with Sesshoumaru; one small kiss to her shoulder and she came undone. As embarrassed as she was, Kagome was almost thankful for the interruption; she wasn't exactly sure if she would have stopped herself, or Sesshoumaru for that matter, if they'd gone any further. What was it about him that completely made her lose her inhibitions? When Kagome finished dressing she slowly stood and walked to the doorway. A clawed hand on her shoulder stopped her movement and Kagome looked back to where Sesshoumaru was standing. “What?”

 

“The village residents are outside of your hut,” Sesshoumaru informed her. He felt her back stiffen and saw flash of fear pass over her features before relaxing again.

 

“It's okay. They wouldn't try hurting me with you around. You really scared them the other night,” she said giving him a small smile. Sesshoumaru nodded and released her, but followed along as she headed for the bamboo mat.

 

Sesshoumaru fought the urge to run a hand across his face. He was entirely too liberated when around this female. First it was the hot springs, then a few kisses here and there, but this…this was too much for even him to grasp. Her skin was just too soft and her scent too intoxicating. Sesshoumaru found it almost hard to believe that this was the same girl that had followed his idiotic half-brother around Japan's countryside for the past few years; she had definitely done some growing up-in more ways than one. His eyes followed her curvy form as she made her way out the door flap.

 

It was as Sesshoumaru had said; the entire village was gathered outside of her hut and Kagome approached them with trepidation. “Is there something I can do for you?” she asked the group, looking straight at Takahiro who seemed to have been chosen as the spokesman for the group.

 

Takahiro walked up to her, a slight blush on his face as he remembered how he had found her, before he dropped to his knees and bowed low to the ground. “On behalf of the village and myself, we would like to humbly ask your and the demon lord's forgiveness for our horrible transgressions,” Takahiro pleaded to her, silently adding in his transgression that he had yet to carry out.

 

Kagome looked slightly taken aback; they were apologizing to her and Sesshoumaru? Whatever it was she was expecting for him to say, this certainly wasn't it. “Um, I…uh…” Kagome said brokenly. She turned towards Sesshoumaru for help, but he was merely staring at the crowd of people, wordlessly daring anyone to try something. Kagome frowned a little but turned back around, this time with a little more confidence.

 

“I wouldn't be much of a priestess if I could not forgive those whom I've sworn to protect and aid. So, I forgive you all; I just hope that another incident such as this does not occur ever again,” Kagome stated strongly. She watched as the villagers all bowed and nodded their thankfulness and acceptance and she released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

 

“Um, if you all don't mind,” Kagome started, “I really need to get some rest. Thank you for coming here, I know-”

 

“Actually Kagome,” Takahiro spoke again as he rose from the ground, “our apology was not the only reason we came here tonight. To show our sincere regret for what happened, and our less than hospitable acceptance of you in our village, we would like to hold a dinner in your and the demon lord's honor.”

 

This was becoming way too much for Kagome to handle; now they wanted her and Sesshoumaru to be the guests of honor at a dinner? She was torn between being ecstatic and being embarrassed at receiving so much attention. She did not want to make the decision by herself, so once again she turned towards Sesshoumaru. He would answer this time.

 

“What do you think Sesshoumaru?” she asked him softly. Sesshoumaru quietly contemplated the villagers' request while trying to decide whether or not he wanted to actually attend this function. He looked over at Kagome who had a pleading look in her eyes that told him she did not want to do this alone and he resigned himself to his fate. Sesshoumaru turned fully towards the crowd and then answered.

 

“Do as you wish,” was all he said before disappearing back into Kagome's hut. Kagome breathed out a sigh of relief and then smiled at the villagers.

 

“I guess that means yes,” she giggled nervously.

 

Takahiro approached Kagome nervously and lowered his head so that he didn't have to look her in the eyes. “Uh, Kagome…I just want to say that I'm sorry for just barging into your hut as I did. I didn't mean to, uh…interrupt whatever it was you and Lord Sesshoumaru were doing.”

 

Kagome's face flushed red in embarrassment as a couple of the villagers who had stuck around after the announcement looked curiously at her. She was brought back into reality and suddenly became aware that Takahiro had continued on with his very uncomfortable apology.

 

“…and I mean, I know it's none of my business what you do in the privacy of your own home, I'm just saying that you should be careful when you decide to give yourself-”

 

“Takahiro!” Kagome squealed.

 

“Eh?”

 

“Please, um, it's-it's okay, I know you didn't mean to do it. Let's just forget that it happened okay?” Kagome didn't think that her face could get any hotter as she saw that a few stragglers from the group stopped and were staring disbelievingly at her after Takahiro's rambling. He looked up at her and blushed himself at having been so forward in his blathering.

 

“I'm sorry,” he said again. “I think I should probably just get going now.” Kagome nodded absently and Takahiro wasted no more time in getting as far away from Kagome as he could. Kagome closed her eyes to try and will away the headache that was trying to push its way through her skull. When she opened her eyes again she sighed.

 

“Nope, still here,” she told herself. A couple more curious stares had her making her way back to her small home.

 

“Well…good night,” Kagome said as she waved awkwardly at the last few villagers. She then walked back into her hut as well; trying hard not to wince at every step she took as once again her muscles protested every movement she made. She looked at Sesshoumaru who had now taken a seat against `his' wall on the opposite side of the fire from her bed.

 

`I guess that means my massage is over,' she thought in resigned disappointment. `Perhaps if I work extra hard during next week's training he'll do it again?' With that promising thought, Kagome lowered her tired limbs to her bed and drifted happily off to sleep.