Household of Three (aka My Boyfriend's Brother)
folder
InuYasha › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
2
Views:
1,482
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
InuYasha › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
2
Views:
1,482
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.
Household of Three (aka My Boyfriend's Brother)
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A/N: This story originally appeared in the Sesshomaru/Kagome section. As time went on I decided to expand Inuyasha's role. The reason I am re-submitting it under another name is because I always hated the title and it needs serious editing. The chapters are a bit long and I'm unhappy with some of the scenes. So here's part of the original chapter one with some slight additions. I'll add a note to let those of you who have already read know when new the story line actually moves forward again.
Summary: Kagome wakes up and realises that she's been dreaming of "him" yet again. The next day when they run into "him" something unexpected happens...
Chapter One
Kagome awoke with a cry. She was breathless and her body was clammy with sweat. Between her legs she was wet and her face was flushed. It had been another one of those dreams. Just how long had this been going on? She could not remember. She threw back the blankets that covered her and tried to get her breath back. The cool night air was like a balm. Inuyasha’s concerned, curious face appeared over hers. His unkempt white hair hung down, mingling with her own dark hair.
“Are you okay?”, he said, “You cried out...”
“I’m fine. Go back to sleep.”
“Okay…”
He did not look so convinced. He sniffed the air. Could he smell her arousal? She caught her breath. She certainly knew that he could smell a lie. He said this was because the person would begin to sweat and the heartbeat would quicken. He could only tell if he was standing right in front of the person. His nose and ears were not quite as good as Sesshomaru’s.
His gaze trailed downwards and fixed on a point on her chest. His golden eyes went a little wide. She frowned at him. She followed the direction of his gaze and realised that under her summer-weight t-shirt her nipples were hard, standing in relief from the soft mounds of her unrestrained breasts.
She screamed and grabbed the blankets. She held them against her breasts. Besides the t-shirt she wore only her underwear. Her clothes were drying on a makeshift clothesline strung across the cave because their party had been caught in a downpour earlier in the day. He fell backwards in alarm. His face reddened. Sango roused herself.
“Inuyasha, what are you doing in our room?”, Sango demanded sleepily.
“I’m not in your room!”, he cried, “We’re camping in a cave on a hillside. Remember?!”
“Oh, right… What did you do to Kagome to make her scream at you like that?”
The demon slayer managed to look menacing, despite the fact she was half-asleep. Miroku shook his head.
“Inuyasha, you have to be more subtle than that if you want to get results”, he said.
“Inuyasha’s a pervert”, Shippo said in a singsong voice.
Inuyasha’s face reddened. He made a grab for Shippo’s tail. The Kitsune fox cub scuttled across the floor and cuddled up to Kagome.
“I’m not a pervert!”, Inuyasha cried, “And I wasn’t doing anything to her! She was moaning and thrashing about in her sleep. She woke me up!”
Kagome’s face flushed.
“I was having a bad dream”, she lied, “I’m alright now.”
Her blush became even deeper as all eyes turned towards her. She was such a bad liar.
“Let’s all just all go back to sleep.”
She rolled on to her side facing Sango’s bed. She felt Shippo lean on her hair as he rolled himself into a cosy little ball by her middle back. He was like a living, breathing hot water bottle. She squeezed her eyes shut. She listened to her friends shuffle about as they settled down to sleep once more.
“Hey, Kagome! Psssttt!”
Sango was trying to get her attention. The little miko opened her eyes.
“What?”, she whispered.
“What were you really dreaming about?”
Sango’s eyes were bright with amusement. The corners of her mouth were turned up in a knowing smile. Kagome’s face flushed anew. The demon slayer laughed softly.
“I hope it was a good one!”
She lay back and pulled the blankets around her. In moments she was sleeping. Kagome stared at the patterns the dying fire was making on the wall, trying to stop the stream of images passing through her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut again, as if that would make them go away. Eventually she slept.
The next day was clear and bright after the rain the day before. A cool breeze swept across the open countryside, drying the fields. It made her shiver. Storm clouds were chased across the sky or pulled apart leaving wispy, candyfloss strands in their wake.
Kgaome stopped pushing her bicycle. She kicked down the stand and pulled up the collar of her jacket. She jammed her hands into her pockets, wishing she had a heavier coat. Then she took them out and rubbed them together for warmth. It was nearing the end of autumn. Once the month came to an end they would be plunged into the bitter cold of winter.
Shippo had managed to contract a cold. They were heading towards a patch of healing herbs, Inuyasha knew of. Miroku had grumbled but he stayed behind to baby sit the little Kitsune at the cave. She was angry with herself for not realising he was feverish the night before. She was the closest thing to a mother to the orphaned fox cub had and she felt as though she had failed in that duty.
“Brrr!”, Sango said, hunching her shoulders, “Cold! I hate the cold. I wish we only had to travel in the summer time…”
“Me too”, Kagome said with a tight smile.
“Women! Always complaining…”
It was Inuyasha who spoke. Kagome started. Her face flushed, remembering the night before. She had managed to get through the morning without saying very much to him. He pushed his face closer to hers.
“Why is your face all red?”, he said.
“Is it?”
She stepped backwards away from him. He frowned.
“Yes, it is… What’s wrong with you?”, he said, “You’ve been acting weird all morning.”
“I have?”
Sango nodded.
“He’s just been pretending not to notice, as usual”, she said.
She rolled her eyes. The half-demon shot her a dirty look.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion!”, he cried.
“Well, you got it anyway!”
Sango knew it was childish but she stuck her tongue out at him anyway. The look on Inuyasha’s face was murderous. He had such a short fuse.
“Stop it, you guys”, Kagome said, “Don’t fight because of me. I’m just a little tired. I didn’t sleep very well last night…”
She pushed her bicycle forward leaving them to bicker. Her face was flushed. She really was such a bad liar. Behind her she heard Sango cry out in alarm and Inuyasha shout a curse.
“Dammit!”, Kagome cried, “I told you guys to…”
She turned quickly. Her words died in her throat. Sesshomaru was there, casually holding Inuyasha by the throat. The half-demon’s feet dangled about a foot off the ground. His arms flailed, trying to grasp his older half-brother’s arm. He and Inuyasha had always had an uneasy relationship but they were supposed to be on slightly better terms these days. Still, somehow she was not surprised to see Sesshomaru behave so violently.
What’s set him off this time?
The wind whipped the demon lord’s long silver hair around his face. It rippled the white kimono with its blood red and white Ume flower detail on the shoulders and the sleeves, and the legs of his white hakama, but he remained immobile, unmoved. His serene expression belied his outward behaviour.
Kagome’s bike clattered to the ground. The front tyre spun. She ran towards them. Then she saw Sango signalling frantically to her. The demon slayer shook her head. She was sprawled on the ground looking a little dazed. Kagome stopped, realising it would be foolish to get any closer.
She fitted an arrow into her bow.
Please hit!
The arrow skimmed past Sesshomaru’s head, went wide and buried itself in a tree. Threads of silver, hanging from the tree bark glinted in the sunlight. She realised that she had cut off some strands of his hair.
Crap! That’ll only make him madder!
She looked back to the feuding brothers. She could only watch as Inuyasha’s face turned from red to green.
“Sesshomaru”, she cried, “Stop it! You’re killing him.”
The daiyoukai’s head turned sideways. He looked at her out of the corner of a wide golden eye.
“Do not shoot any more of those purifying missiles of yours at me, wench”, he spat, “You do not want to incur my wrath.”
His voice was a growl. She held up her bow defiantly. Her hand scrabbled for an arrow behind her. Fear was making her clumsy. Abruptly, Sesshomaru let Inuyasha drop. The half-demon hit the ground with a sickening thud, gasping for breath.
“Eeep!”
Kagome stepped backwards, tripping over a rock. Sesshomaru was suddenly in front of her, hand clamped around her arm to prevent her from reaching her arrows. He stopped her from falling.
“Eeekkk!”
She had not seen him move. He wrenched her arm away from the arrows, almost tearing it out of the socket. The arm went numb. He let go of her arm to tear the quiver off her back.
The sleeve of his white kimono brushed her cheek. His armour pressed against her breasts and stomach. His hakama brushed her bare legs. Fear loosened her grip on the bow. It slipped from her fingers and fell uselessly to the ground. Her quiver hit the ground and the arrows scattered. The sound seemed far away as she stared into his face.
The demon lord’s face was only inches away from hers, close enough to kiss. She was facing imminent death, but it did not stop her from observing the magenta stripes on his cheeks and eyelids, and the royal blue crescent on his forehead peeking out through the parting in his fringe.
She had always imagined that the markings were slightly raised, like scars. They were smooth as the surface of his perfect skin. She felt compelled to touch them. She was dimly aware that his poison claws were poised, ready to strike. She watched her hand reaching out, like it was somebody else’s hand.
He was so tall she had to strain to touch the crescent moon in the centre of his forehead. Her fingertips trailed down the perfection of his nose and across his cheek to trace the stripes across his cheekbone. His skin was warm to the touch. Involuntarily he shivered under her ministrations. At this her eyes went wide.
Huh?! Did he really just tremble?
The daiyoukai was still, as if it had never happened. She met his eyes. He was staring at her in surprise. Then a small furrow appeared between his eyebrows, signalling his recovery. He gripped her shoulder, claws cutting through the cloth of her denim jacket and polo shirt and sinking into her flesh.
She made a small sound but she hardly felt the pain. She was too focused on his nearness, still reeling from the fact that she had made him shiver. The life came back into her numbed arm. Brazenly she reached out and touched the white fur pelt he carried. It was soft under her fingers. Confusion showed in Sesshomaru’s eyes.
“Incorrigible human wench”, he said, “Have you no reason? I am here to punish you for trespassing on my lands but you call me Sesshomaru. I threaten you with death but caress my face like we are on more intimate terms! I am moments away from crushing your shoulder and you touch my attire!”
Wow! That was an entire paragraph. Usually it’s all one-liners with you…
Outwardly Kagome was silent. She stared up at him, into his golden eyes, eyes that at first glance were so like Inuyasha’s. When you looked more closely you realised that they were wider, narrower, world wearier with a colder kind of awareness in them, the eyes of demon who would cut you down and feel no remorse for taking your life. They made Inuyasha’s eyes look like the eyes of a harmless puppy.
She made no move to remove her hands from his face or pelt. Her fear of him had vanished. He stared back at her. The furrow between his eyebrows deepened and a small frown line appeared across his forehead as a realisation hit him.
“Stupid female”, he said, “You are not afraid of me, anymore…”
The idea seemed to disturb him. His voice was soft, deep and wonderful. The sound caressed her ears. She found her voice. It came out as a near whisper.
“No”, she said, “I’m not...”
“That does not entitle you to take liberties with my person. I demand that you remove your hands immediately. Your touch is repugnant as your human stench and visage!”
The usual mask was back in place. The light in his eyes and the tone of her voice told her he was angry. Her eyes widened. Was the touch of her soft human fingers really so repulsive to the demon lord? Could he really not tolerate the smell of her skin nor her appearance neither? It was hard to accept.
Especially after that little shiver…
When they were travelling it was hard to keep clean but she washed everyday and bathed at every other available opportunity. She knew she was no raving beauty but her pretty face and slim figure with its ample breasts, tiny waist, long legs and small hands and feet drew admiring glances. Those who knew her well would not describe her as a vain person but his words made her angry.
“If I’m so horrible, why don’t you let go of me first, huh?!”, she cried.
He regarded her with those cool eyes. As she watched a kind of warmth seemed to leak into them, making them glow. The corner of his mouth twitched. He grunted softly, as if in approval. Her eyes went wide at the change in his expression.
“My brother comes.”
He let go of her shoulder and shot upwards. Kagome lost her equilibrium and landed painfully on her buttocks. She grunted. Inuyasha whirled around in mid-charge. Sesshomaru kicked him in the face. The half-demon staggered backwards. He tripped over her feet and fell on top of Kagome, knocking her flat on her back. Tetsusaiga plunged into the ground dangerously close to her head.
“Eeekkk!”
Inuyasha’s face was red as his armour. Somehow he had ended up facing her. The press of his hard body, though not entirely unwelcome, was unsettling after the incident with Sesshomaru moments before. She struggled to free herself from underneath his body. She slapped at his face and shoulders. Her knees impacted with the softer tissue of his legs.
“Get off me, you big lummox!”, she cried.
“Stop slapping and kicking me!”
He seized one wrist, and then the other.
“God, it’s not like I’m enjoying it! I got other things on my mind right now…”
He released her wrists. The pressure on her body eased. She was surprised when she realised just how heavy he had been. He was only a few inches taller than she was and puffed out fire rat robes made him look bigger than he was.
The body underneath them was lean and corded with sinewy muscle. She had seen him bare-chested enough times to know. Once she had seen him naked but she had been too panicked to make any lasting memories.
He sprang to his feet and started pulling his sword out of the ground. Kagome stared up at the sky overhead.
Rejected by two men in one day… Great!
She felt a breeze around the upper part of her legs and groin. She looked down her body and realised her skirt had worked its way up to her hips.
“Eeep!”
She scrambled to her knees and struggled to pull her skirt down, wishing she had not chosen today to wear her Hello Kitty underwear. She could feel intense eyes on her. She looked up and met Sesshomaru’s golden gaze. He was still hovering above them observing the whole spectacle. His eyes were filled with amusement. Her face flushed. She was aware that Inuyasha was shouting at him but her ears filtered the sound out. There was only room for the demon lord in her private little universe at the moment.
He was looking at her like she was suddenly interesting. If he paid any attention to her at all when he encountered her, he looked at her like she was particularly unpleasant bug. Saving her from being raped and killed by one of the undead Seven they had encountered had only been incidental. He was interfering with their conversation… Other than that, he usually ignored her. This was new. He broke eye contact and looked at Inuyasha. The corners of the demon lord’s mouth twitched.
“As usual you are too slow, half-breed”, he said.
His voice held a scornful edge. Inuyasha emitted a wordless roar and jumped upwards, swinging his sword. Sesshomaru moved sideways out of reach. The half-demon swung his blade repeatedly. His older brother avoided the blows easily. Inuyasha’s feet touched the ground. Sesshomaru stared down at him.
“You bore me”, he said, “Why are you so boring, Inuyasha?”
He made a show of yawning. Inuyasha muttered obscenities and charged him again. Sesshomaru moved easily out of the way. He punched him in the stomach and he landed face first on the ground with a painful thud. Kagome put a hand to her face to stifle the giggles that rose unexpectedly in her throat. Her eyes went a little wide.
Just whose side am I on?
She looked at Sesshomaru. He was watching her again with those cool eyes of his. Then he was gone in a white blur of speed.
Sango limped to Kagome’s side. She knelt on the ground. Worry made the demon slayer’s dark eyes huge in her pretty face. In an unusual display of affection, she hugged the little miko. The pain in her tender shoulder caused Kagome wince.
“My shoulder…”, she said.
“Let me see…”
Kagome did not resist as her friend unzipped her jacket and unbuttoned the neckline of her polo shirt. She pushed the shirt off one shoulder to examine the wound.
“I was so worried”, Sango said, “I saw what he was going to do to you but there was nothing I could do… Then he just seemed to stop…”
The demon slayer looked confused. Inuyasha was walking towards them but he stopped and turned his back as soon as his eyes fell on Kagome’s exposed flesh.
“How bad is it?”, he said.
He glanced over his shoulder.
“I’ll tell you in a moment…”, Sango said.
Kagome stared at his back, resentment filling her.
“Did you know we were in his territory?”, she said.
He was silent.
“Inuyasha, answer me or I’ll say the o word!”
Inuyasha snorted.
“Maybe…”, he said.
She shot daggers into his back with her eyes. His shoulders twitched under her gaze.
“You are so unbelievable!”, she said, “How could you put us in danger like that?”
He turned towards her. His nostrils flared. His expression was arrogant not unlike that of his half-brother. It was eerie.
“I handled it”, he said, “He’s gone, isn’t he?!”
Kagome rolled her eyes.
“Baka!”, she cried, “Osuwari! “Osuwari! Osuwari! Osuwari!”
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Inuyasha’s face became acquainted with the ground repeatedly. When the onslaught was over he drew his body out of the small crater he had created and sat back on his haunches with a dazed expression on his face. He spit out grass.
“Bitch”, he muttered under his breath.
Kagome sighed and gave him a withering look. Sango giggled unkindly.
“That never gets old!”, Sango said.
“Believe me. It does…”
Kagome watched Inuyasha stand up and dust down his robes.
If you were giving me what I need would I be fantasizing about your brother? Would I have gotten myself into a potentially fatal situation like that?
Her eyes widened when she realised that the answer to both questions was yes. She stared down at her knees as Sango examined the wound on her shoulder. The demon slayer blotted it gently with a handkerchief. The little miko tried not to flinch.
“Hmm… The puncture wounds aren’t that deep at all!”, Sango was saying, “I don’t think it will even scar. He didn’t poison you because the wound isn’t discoloured. You’re lucky. It could have worse, much worse….”
Kagome sighed again. She was half-listening to her friend’s words. She stared at the threads of silver hanging from her arrow buried in the bark of the tree. They caught the light as they moved in the breeze.
Inuyasha put his hand out to retrieve the arrow, then thought better of it and withdrew his hand. He lapsed into his usual crouch and stared up at it with a scowl on his face. She wondered if those silver strands were as soft as they looked…
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Please review, whether you're a first time reader or somebody who read it before and liked it. I appreciate a little feedback. Flamers will be ignored.
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A/N: This story originally appeared in the Sesshomaru/Kagome section. As time went on I decided to expand Inuyasha's role. The reason I am re-submitting it under another name is because I always hated the title and it needs serious editing. The chapters are a bit long and I'm unhappy with some of the scenes. So here's part of the original chapter one with some slight additions. I'll add a note to let those of you who have already read know when new the story line actually moves forward again.
Summary: Kagome wakes up and realises that she's been dreaming of "him" yet again. The next day when they run into "him" something unexpected happens...
Chapter One
Kagome awoke with a cry. She was breathless and her body was clammy with sweat. Between her legs she was wet and her face was flushed. It had been another one of those dreams. Just how long had this been going on? She could not remember. She threw back the blankets that covered her and tried to get her breath back. The cool night air was like a balm. Inuyasha’s concerned, curious face appeared over hers. His unkempt white hair hung down, mingling with her own dark hair.
“Are you okay?”, he said, “You cried out...”
“I’m fine. Go back to sleep.”
“Okay…”
He did not look so convinced. He sniffed the air. Could he smell her arousal? She caught her breath. She certainly knew that he could smell a lie. He said this was because the person would begin to sweat and the heartbeat would quicken. He could only tell if he was standing right in front of the person. His nose and ears were not quite as good as Sesshomaru’s.
His gaze trailed downwards and fixed on a point on her chest. His golden eyes went a little wide. She frowned at him. She followed the direction of his gaze and realised that under her summer-weight t-shirt her nipples were hard, standing in relief from the soft mounds of her unrestrained breasts.
She screamed and grabbed the blankets. She held them against her breasts. Besides the t-shirt she wore only her underwear. Her clothes were drying on a makeshift clothesline strung across the cave because their party had been caught in a downpour earlier in the day. He fell backwards in alarm. His face reddened. Sango roused herself.
“Inuyasha, what are you doing in our room?”, Sango demanded sleepily.
“I’m not in your room!”, he cried, “We’re camping in a cave on a hillside. Remember?!”
“Oh, right… What did you do to Kagome to make her scream at you like that?”
The demon slayer managed to look menacing, despite the fact she was half-asleep. Miroku shook his head.
“Inuyasha, you have to be more subtle than that if you want to get results”, he said.
“Inuyasha’s a pervert”, Shippo said in a singsong voice.
Inuyasha’s face reddened. He made a grab for Shippo’s tail. The Kitsune fox cub scuttled across the floor and cuddled up to Kagome.
“I’m not a pervert!”, Inuyasha cried, “And I wasn’t doing anything to her! She was moaning and thrashing about in her sleep. She woke me up!”
Kagome’s face flushed.
“I was having a bad dream”, she lied, “I’m alright now.”
Her blush became even deeper as all eyes turned towards her. She was such a bad liar.
“Let’s all just all go back to sleep.”
She rolled on to her side facing Sango’s bed. She felt Shippo lean on her hair as he rolled himself into a cosy little ball by her middle back. He was like a living, breathing hot water bottle. She squeezed her eyes shut. She listened to her friends shuffle about as they settled down to sleep once more.
“Hey, Kagome! Psssttt!”
Sango was trying to get her attention. The little miko opened her eyes.
“What?”, she whispered.
“What were you really dreaming about?”
Sango’s eyes were bright with amusement. The corners of her mouth were turned up in a knowing smile. Kagome’s face flushed anew. The demon slayer laughed softly.
“I hope it was a good one!”
She lay back and pulled the blankets around her. In moments she was sleeping. Kagome stared at the patterns the dying fire was making on the wall, trying to stop the stream of images passing through her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut again, as if that would make them go away. Eventually she slept.
The next day was clear and bright after the rain the day before. A cool breeze swept across the open countryside, drying the fields. It made her shiver. Storm clouds were chased across the sky or pulled apart leaving wispy, candyfloss strands in their wake.
Kgaome stopped pushing her bicycle. She kicked down the stand and pulled up the collar of her jacket. She jammed her hands into her pockets, wishing she had a heavier coat. Then she took them out and rubbed them together for warmth. It was nearing the end of autumn. Once the month came to an end they would be plunged into the bitter cold of winter.
Shippo had managed to contract a cold. They were heading towards a patch of healing herbs, Inuyasha knew of. Miroku had grumbled but he stayed behind to baby sit the little Kitsune at the cave. She was angry with herself for not realising he was feverish the night before. She was the closest thing to a mother to the orphaned fox cub had and she felt as though she had failed in that duty.
“Brrr!”, Sango said, hunching her shoulders, “Cold! I hate the cold. I wish we only had to travel in the summer time…”
“Me too”, Kagome said with a tight smile.
“Women! Always complaining…”
It was Inuyasha who spoke. Kagome started. Her face flushed, remembering the night before. She had managed to get through the morning without saying very much to him. He pushed his face closer to hers.
“Why is your face all red?”, he said.
“Is it?”
She stepped backwards away from him. He frowned.
“Yes, it is… What’s wrong with you?”, he said, “You’ve been acting weird all morning.”
“I have?”
Sango nodded.
“He’s just been pretending not to notice, as usual”, she said.
She rolled her eyes. The half-demon shot her a dirty look.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion!”, he cried.
“Well, you got it anyway!”
Sango knew it was childish but she stuck her tongue out at him anyway. The look on Inuyasha’s face was murderous. He had such a short fuse.
“Stop it, you guys”, Kagome said, “Don’t fight because of me. I’m just a little tired. I didn’t sleep very well last night…”
She pushed her bicycle forward leaving them to bicker. Her face was flushed. She really was such a bad liar. Behind her she heard Sango cry out in alarm and Inuyasha shout a curse.
“Dammit!”, Kagome cried, “I told you guys to…”
She turned quickly. Her words died in her throat. Sesshomaru was there, casually holding Inuyasha by the throat. The half-demon’s feet dangled about a foot off the ground. His arms flailed, trying to grasp his older half-brother’s arm. He and Inuyasha had always had an uneasy relationship but they were supposed to be on slightly better terms these days. Still, somehow she was not surprised to see Sesshomaru behave so violently.
What’s set him off this time?
The wind whipped the demon lord’s long silver hair around his face. It rippled the white kimono with its blood red and white Ume flower detail on the shoulders and the sleeves, and the legs of his white hakama, but he remained immobile, unmoved. His serene expression belied his outward behaviour.
Kagome’s bike clattered to the ground. The front tyre spun. She ran towards them. Then she saw Sango signalling frantically to her. The demon slayer shook her head. She was sprawled on the ground looking a little dazed. Kagome stopped, realising it would be foolish to get any closer.
She fitted an arrow into her bow.
Please hit!
The arrow skimmed past Sesshomaru’s head, went wide and buried itself in a tree. Threads of silver, hanging from the tree bark glinted in the sunlight. She realised that she had cut off some strands of his hair.
Crap! That’ll only make him madder!
She looked back to the feuding brothers. She could only watch as Inuyasha’s face turned from red to green.
“Sesshomaru”, she cried, “Stop it! You’re killing him.”
The daiyoukai’s head turned sideways. He looked at her out of the corner of a wide golden eye.
“Do not shoot any more of those purifying missiles of yours at me, wench”, he spat, “You do not want to incur my wrath.”
His voice was a growl. She held up her bow defiantly. Her hand scrabbled for an arrow behind her. Fear was making her clumsy. Abruptly, Sesshomaru let Inuyasha drop. The half-demon hit the ground with a sickening thud, gasping for breath.
“Eeep!”
Kagome stepped backwards, tripping over a rock. Sesshomaru was suddenly in front of her, hand clamped around her arm to prevent her from reaching her arrows. He stopped her from falling.
“Eeekkk!”
She had not seen him move. He wrenched her arm away from the arrows, almost tearing it out of the socket. The arm went numb. He let go of her arm to tear the quiver off her back.
The sleeve of his white kimono brushed her cheek. His armour pressed against her breasts and stomach. His hakama brushed her bare legs. Fear loosened her grip on the bow. It slipped from her fingers and fell uselessly to the ground. Her quiver hit the ground and the arrows scattered. The sound seemed far away as she stared into his face.
The demon lord’s face was only inches away from hers, close enough to kiss. She was facing imminent death, but it did not stop her from observing the magenta stripes on his cheeks and eyelids, and the royal blue crescent on his forehead peeking out through the parting in his fringe.
She had always imagined that the markings were slightly raised, like scars. They were smooth as the surface of his perfect skin. She felt compelled to touch them. She was dimly aware that his poison claws were poised, ready to strike. She watched her hand reaching out, like it was somebody else’s hand.
He was so tall she had to strain to touch the crescent moon in the centre of his forehead. Her fingertips trailed down the perfection of his nose and across his cheek to trace the stripes across his cheekbone. His skin was warm to the touch. Involuntarily he shivered under her ministrations. At this her eyes went wide.
Huh?! Did he really just tremble?
The daiyoukai was still, as if it had never happened. She met his eyes. He was staring at her in surprise. Then a small furrow appeared between his eyebrows, signalling his recovery. He gripped her shoulder, claws cutting through the cloth of her denim jacket and polo shirt and sinking into her flesh.
She made a small sound but she hardly felt the pain. She was too focused on his nearness, still reeling from the fact that she had made him shiver. The life came back into her numbed arm. Brazenly she reached out and touched the white fur pelt he carried. It was soft under her fingers. Confusion showed in Sesshomaru’s eyes.
“Incorrigible human wench”, he said, “Have you no reason? I am here to punish you for trespassing on my lands but you call me Sesshomaru. I threaten you with death but caress my face like we are on more intimate terms! I am moments away from crushing your shoulder and you touch my attire!”
Wow! That was an entire paragraph. Usually it’s all one-liners with you…
Outwardly Kagome was silent. She stared up at him, into his golden eyes, eyes that at first glance were so like Inuyasha’s. When you looked more closely you realised that they were wider, narrower, world wearier with a colder kind of awareness in them, the eyes of demon who would cut you down and feel no remorse for taking your life. They made Inuyasha’s eyes look like the eyes of a harmless puppy.
She made no move to remove her hands from his face or pelt. Her fear of him had vanished. He stared back at her. The furrow between his eyebrows deepened and a small frown line appeared across his forehead as a realisation hit him.
“Stupid female”, he said, “You are not afraid of me, anymore…”
The idea seemed to disturb him. His voice was soft, deep and wonderful. The sound caressed her ears. She found her voice. It came out as a near whisper.
“No”, she said, “I’m not...”
“That does not entitle you to take liberties with my person. I demand that you remove your hands immediately. Your touch is repugnant as your human stench and visage!”
The usual mask was back in place. The light in his eyes and the tone of her voice told her he was angry. Her eyes widened. Was the touch of her soft human fingers really so repulsive to the demon lord? Could he really not tolerate the smell of her skin nor her appearance neither? It was hard to accept.
Especially after that little shiver…
When they were travelling it was hard to keep clean but she washed everyday and bathed at every other available opportunity. She knew she was no raving beauty but her pretty face and slim figure with its ample breasts, tiny waist, long legs and small hands and feet drew admiring glances. Those who knew her well would not describe her as a vain person but his words made her angry.
“If I’m so horrible, why don’t you let go of me first, huh?!”, she cried.
He regarded her with those cool eyes. As she watched a kind of warmth seemed to leak into them, making them glow. The corner of his mouth twitched. He grunted softly, as if in approval. Her eyes went wide at the change in his expression.
“My brother comes.”
He let go of her shoulder and shot upwards. Kagome lost her equilibrium and landed painfully on her buttocks. She grunted. Inuyasha whirled around in mid-charge. Sesshomaru kicked him in the face. The half-demon staggered backwards. He tripped over her feet and fell on top of Kagome, knocking her flat on her back. Tetsusaiga plunged into the ground dangerously close to her head.
“Eeekkk!”
Inuyasha’s face was red as his armour. Somehow he had ended up facing her. The press of his hard body, though not entirely unwelcome, was unsettling after the incident with Sesshomaru moments before. She struggled to free herself from underneath his body. She slapped at his face and shoulders. Her knees impacted with the softer tissue of his legs.
“Get off me, you big lummox!”, she cried.
“Stop slapping and kicking me!”
He seized one wrist, and then the other.
“God, it’s not like I’m enjoying it! I got other things on my mind right now…”
He released her wrists. The pressure on her body eased. She was surprised when she realised just how heavy he had been. He was only a few inches taller than she was and puffed out fire rat robes made him look bigger than he was.
The body underneath them was lean and corded with sinewy muscle. She had seen him bare-chested enough times to know. Once she had seen him naked but she had been too panicked to make any lasting memories.
He sprang to his feet and started pulling his sword out of the ground. Kagome stared up at the sky overhead.
Rejected by two men in one day… Great!
She felt a breeze around the upper part of her legs and groin. She looked down her body and realised her skirt had worked its way up to her hips.
“Eeep!”
She scrambled to her knees and struggled to pull her skirt down, wishing she had not chosen today to wear her Hello Kitty underwear. She could feel intense eyes on her. She looked up and met Sesshomaru’s golden gaze. He was still hovering above them observing the whole spectacle. His eyes were filled with amusement. Her face flushed. She was aware that Inuyasha was shouting at him but her ears filtered the sound out. There was only room for the demon lord in her private little universe at the moment.
He was looking at her like she was suddenly interesting. If he paid any attention to her at all when he encountered her, he looked at her like she was particularly unpleasant bug. Saving her from being raped and killed by one of the undead Seven they had encountered had only been incidental. He was interfering with their conversation… Other than that, he usually ignored her. This was new. He broke eye contact and looked at Inuyasha. The corners of the demon lord’s mouth twitched.
“As usual you are too slow, half-breed”, he said.
His voice held a scornful edge. Inuyasha emitted a wordless roar and jumped upwards, swinging his sword. Sesshomaru moved sideways out of reach. The half-demon swung his blade repeatedly. His older brother avoided the blows easily. Inuyasha’s feet touched the ground. Sesshomaru stared down at him.
“You bore me”, he said, “Why are you so boring, Inuyasha?”
He made a show of yawning. Inuyasha muttered obscenities and charged him again. Sesshomaru moved easily out of the way. He punched him in the stomach and he landed face first on the ground with a painful thud. Kagome put a hand to her face to stifle the giggles that rose unexpectedly in her throat. Her eyes went a little wide.
Just whose side am I on?
She looked at Sesshomaru. He was watching her again with those cool eyes of his. Then he was gone in a white blur of speed.
Sango limped to Kagome’s side. She knelt on the ground. Worry made the demon slayer’s dark eyes huge in her pretty face. In an unusual display of affection, she hugged the little miko. The pain in her tender shoulder caused Kagome wince.
“My shoulder…”, she said.
“Let me see…”
Kagome did not resist as her friend unzipped her jacket and unbuttoned the neckline of her polo shirt. She pushed the shirt off one shoulder to examine the wound.
“I was so worried”, Sango said, “I saw what he was going to do to you but there was nothing I could do… Then he just seemed to stop…”
The demon slayer looked confused. Inuyasha was walking towards them but he stopped and turned his back as soon as his eyes fell on Kagome’s exposed flesh.
“How bad is it?”, he said.
He glanced over his shoulder.
“I’ll tell you in a moment…”, Sango said.
Kagome stared at his back, resentment filling her.
“Did you know we were in his territory?”, she said.
He was silent.
“Inuyasha, answer me or I’ll say the o word!”
Inuyasha snorted.
“Maybe…”, he said.
She shot daggers into his back with her eyes. His shoulders twitched under her gaze.
“You are so unbelievable!”, she said, “How could you put us in danger like that?”
He turned towards her. His nostrils flared. His expression was arrogant not unlike that of his half-brother. It was eerie.
“I handled it”, he said, “He’s gone, isn’t he?!”
Kagome rolled her eyes.
“Baka!”, she cried, “Osuwari! “Osuwari! Osuwari! Osuwari!”
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Inuyasha’s face became acquainted with the ground repeatedly. When the onslaught was over he drew his body out of the small crater he had created and sat back on his haunches with a dazed expression on his face. He spit out grass.
“Bitch”, he muttered under his breath.
Kagome sighed and gave him a withering look. Sango giggled unkindly.
“That never gets old!”, Sango said.
“Believe me. It does…”
Kagome watched Inuyasha stand up and dust down his robes.
If you were giving me what I need would I be fantasizing about your brother? Would I have gotten myself into a potentially fatal situation like that?
Her eyes widened when she realised that the answer to both questions was yes. She stared down at her knees as Sango examined the wound on her shoulder. The demon slayer blotted it gently with a handkerchief. The little miko tried not to flinch.
“Hmm… The puncture wounds aren’t that deep at all!”, Sango was saying, “I don’t think it will even scar. He didn’t poison you because the wound isn’t discoloured. You’re lucky. It could have worse, much worse….”
Kagome sighed again. She was half-listening to her friend’s words. She stared at the threads of silver hanging from her arrow buried in the bark of the tree. They caught the light as they moved in the breeze.
Inuyasha put his hand out to retrieve the arrow, then thought better of it and withdrew his hand. He lapsed into his usual crouch and stared up at it with a scowl on his face. She wondered if those silver strands were as soft as they looked…
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Please review, whether you're a first time reader or somebody who read it before and liked it. I appreciate a little feedback. Flamers will be ignored.
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