He stood outside her small makeshift home, a single claw gently tapping her doorframe. She pushed the straw mat to the side, "Oh, Sesshomaru!" Her smile reached her eyes, "You look nice."
He nodded gently, "Thank you." He moved the may for her to exit, her curled hair gently bouncing.
"Alright," she smiled, folding her hands behind her back, "Lead the way." She walked quietly behind him. He looked smaller than she was used to without armor. He wore a lovely violet shade, adorned with his wondrously fluffy pelt. Oh, she wanted to pet it.
They walked in silence for some time when he finally came to a stop. His golden eyes meeting her own, "What's up?" When he said nothing, she smiled softly, "Come on." She waved him to follow her down the dirt road. "There it is," she pointed to the small roadside tavern, "Let's get a drink."
He followed her in, being seated in a back room.
Kagome smiled, "I'll be right back." She rounded the corner to the front, requesting a few dishes to be sent their way. When she returned, she found him standing at the sliding door with a slight frown on his face.
He stared off into the woods, his feelings conflicted. He felt foolish. He didn't know what to do on this so-called date. What was he supposed to do? Was she unhappy with him? So caught up in his own turmoil, he startled at the hands rounding him.
She'd knocked back a cup of her own, steeling her courage when she'd returned. "Hey Sesshomaru," her cheek softly pressed to his shoulder, "It's okay."
He gulped thickly.
"You're going through with this 'date', you don't even want to," her smile was somber. "Don't force yourself, okay," she squeezed lightly. "Besides, I kinda thought you just agreed to it because you didn't want to back down to anything - Not that that's a bad thing. It's just, you don't have to do this, you know?"
His fingers gently quivered, holding the small dish, "Woman." He felt his voice shake tremble.
Her arms loosened around him, "Sorry, you looked like you needed a hug."
Summary: Kagome enjoys her job at the animal shelter, but there's more to the lonely beast who keeps her company than meets the eye, and after she decides to take him home, she realizes he means to keep her as well.
Prompt: Ache
700 words. AO3.
Trigger warnings at the end of the post!!!
Kagome lay on her futon. Sunlight painted the shouji screen luminous white, mocking her with its warm and bright cheer. She would have much rather swathed herself in full dark but turning to face the corner would have required too much energy. So, she stared helplessly at the playful sunbeams while resentment bubbled like venom in her veins. She punched the tatami floor as the throbbing ache started again in her left leg, like being stabbed by thousands of pins and needles. Would it ever end? she wondered glumly. She would have cried if she had any tears left in her.
But the only things remaining in her soul were pain and bitterness and those deep shadows she wanted to lose herself in. She craved the oblivion of sleep; wouldn’t have minded too much if she never woke up again. But the sun was in her eyes and even sleep had abandoned her.
A door slid open behind her, and Kagome squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t deal with them; Inuyasha, Shippou, Sango and Miroku. Their well-meaning encouragement, their soft and sympathetic murmurs, all their glasses half full. She wanted none of that. She had seen the gleam of pity in their eyes.
“Go away.” Her voice, unused for however long, was a sorry rasp. Whoever it was, she didn’t want to see them. Whatever they had to say, she didn’t care to listen.
“This has gone on long enough, miko,” a cold voice spoke from directly above her.
She stiffened, her gaze flickering up. She hadn’t expected a visit from him, of all people. But there Sesshoumaru was, towering over her and pinning her down with his sharp gold stare.
“Agree to disagree,” she muttered and turned back to stare at the shouji screen and the stupid sunlight.
“You have lain here for three weeks now and from the smell of it you have not bathed in all that time. You have not touched your food for the past five days. Your friends are worried.”
“I don’t care.”
“They might coddle you and let you drown in your own misery, but this Sesshoumaru will not. This will end now, miko.”
“Why do you care?”
“Because this is not like you. Because you can get over this. Because I have been where you are, right now.”
Kagome’s hand clenched into a fist but she did not rise to the bait.
Sesshoumaru’s feet entered her line of vision. Two perfect and healthy appendages that steadily supported his weight.
And he growled out his impossible command: “Get up.”
The broken thing inside of her rattled and a dry, horrible laugh bubbled to her lips.
“Can’t.” She bared her teeth at him. “Didn’t they tell you?”
“They told me all about the attack,” he told her, matter of fact. Then, he was crouching beside her and pulling the heavy quilt off her.
She didn’t protest, simply stared at him in mute defiance. Let him see. He’d understand, then.
Sesshoumaru tilted his head, studied what was left of her leg. “The wound is healing well,” he commented, claw-tipped finger gracing the healing skin.
Kagome hissed out a breath as the toes that no longer were there curled at the contact.
“It still hurts,” she snarled through gritted teeth.
“I know,” he answered simply. “It is a cruel irony, that constant ache of limb one has lost. It is akin to living with a ghost.”
Kagome’s gaze flickered to Sesshoumaru’s left arm and then up to meet his eyes. His steady gaze trapped her. There was no pity there. His golden eyes were clear and what she saw in them stole her breath. The numb corners of her heart shivered. Something that had drowned deep within poked through the murky waters and glimmered.
He held out his hand to her, his stare still boring to her very soul, seeing all of her. And accepting, understanding what lived there now.
“Come, Kagome,” he said. And though it still was a command, his voice was gentler now. “It is time to get up.”
Kagome’s fingers trembled as she settled her hand into his. Tethered by his gaze, supported by his strength, she let him pull her up.
-----
Trigger Warnings: : references to depression, major injury, references to loss of limb (leg/foot)
He'd never felt such an overwhelming feeling. He was so unsure of himself, so unlike the great Sesshomaru. He didn't exactly understand human courting. This was unknown territory.
He watched her push her sleeves up to her elbows, her attention on the laundry.
A slight tug on her sleeve gave her pause. Her azure gaze meeting a normally certain uncertainty. "Sesshomaru," she spoke about to ask if he was alright, stopping. She didn't want him to assume she thought he was weak. Would he take it that way?
Seeing her attention was not his, he finally spoke, "This one will come for you in three days' time."
"Eh?"
"At sunset," he spoke.
Before she could process his words, she joked lightheartedly, "Like a date?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she snapped her mouth shut, "Oh, um. Just kid-"
"Yes," he spoke far too sure of himself.
Eh...?!?
Hahahahaha, I spent a good 10 minutes just laughing at tiny lips and a pout because I am mature.
Happy Birthday to our super mod & friend @sereia1313 🥳🎂🥳
Together with @cat-zchen, @moon-ion, and @thepadawanartist, we made a little something for her!!!
Click here to check it out: "Cave In"
(Also featuring amazing spicy art by @thepadawanartist!!)
Summary: Sesshomaru may be in his rut, but there's always enough time to properly care for his mate.
Excerpt from fic:
"What do you think?" he asked with quiet pride when she didn't immediately speak up. Surely she loved it. Surely she saw how hard he'd worked—
"It's—" she turned around, pressing herself close to him, "it's wonderful, Sesshomaru. It's clear how much thought you put into this for us." She smiled softly at him, the thought of how much labor he had put into this cozy den pulling at her heartstring. Standing up on tiptoes, she pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "It's like our own private vacation hideaway," she whispered, her breath ghosting over his lips.
He inclined his head before he met her lips in a fierce kiss, no longer in the mood to discuss the cave when there were far more enjoyable things the two of them could be doing. "Come," he said against her lips. "Lay on the bed."
"Don't you think I have too many clothes on to lie on the bed?" A mischievous smile pulled at her lips, hands fiddling with the hem of her top, pulling at the lapels as she sank down on the bed.
He arched his brow, lips curling into a slight smirk. His hand reached to pull on the knot of her hakama, undressing her until the layers of her clothing pooled around her feet. Her skin was exposed to the warm glow of the fire, rendering it burnished gold...
Summary: Kagome accidentally gets herself caught in her own trap, inadvertently offering up more than just her miko skills when Sesshoumaru happens upon her.