Hawk
Chapter One: Kiss Me
()()()
Kagome
Kagome was struggling with her backpack—yet again. Even though she'd quit her studies, it was somehow just as big (if not bigger). But she knew it was because Inuyasha and Shippo realized she had more room in her pack for their things. She did love them both, but her mother's enthusiasm for their well-being on their journey was starting to get in the way of her family's finances. She huffed as she struggled to push the pack over the edge of the well, while still trying to maintain her balance on the ladder.
"Need some help?" a voice chuckled above Kagome's head. She looked up to suddenly feel the weight of the hideous yellow bag gone, and her dog-eared friend peering over the lip of the well with a bemused look on his face.
Her eyes narrowed. "Yes, please," she said sarcastically. He laughed and helped her out, setting her down gently. She felt him staring at her as she dusted herself off.
"What are you wearing?" Inuyasha asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.
Kagome looked down at her state of dress: a pair of dark blue jeans and a crimson turtleneck sweater. She decided to abandon the skimpy green school uniform, seeing as she was no longer going to school.
And the fact that nearly everyone she knew in the Feudal Era had seen her underwear.
They'd been travelling a long way when they started to cross through a large canyon; their path was one of many that led to its center. This was how they came across Kouga and Sesshomaru, both coming from separate paths to the canyon. The battle started seconds after the groups became aware of one another.
What appeared to be a massive rock was actually a turtle demon. It rose from the canyon floor with a loud screech and towered over them all. Its immense size and power caused the ground to rumble beneath them. Inuyasha commanded Kagome and Shippo to get back. Miroku, Sango, and Kouga readied themselves, while Sesshomaru simply appeared uninterested toward the demon.
And then everything was a blur. Kouga went for its legs, trying to throw it off-balance. Inuyasha immediately tried slicing the shell in two with the Wind Scar, causing scratches in his shell but nothing more.
Sesshomaru simply walked beneath the demon, strolling towards its head with that same indifferent look. When he reached the demon's head, he jumped high above him. Kagome saw the flash of his poison claws. Sesshomaru's expression became a deadly sneer as the whips dug deeply into the creature's eyes, thoroughly blinding him. Landing, Sesshomaru drew his blade. Kagome ran to climb a small arrangement of rocks, positioning herself on the plateau, level with the demon's height. She quickly positioned an arrow, aiming confidently as she glared at the demon.
It was then that Sesshomaru caught her eye. She felt… something. There wasn't time to process what it was, because in the next moment, his sword was glowing with demonic energy. Kagome nodded at him. He released it, Dragon Strike ripping through his flesh and shell. Kagome fired her arrow.
The holy light in combination with the demonic energy was a powerful blow, unlike anything she or the rest of the group had ever seen—even when Kagome combined her spiritual power with Inuyasha's Wind Scar. They all stared at it: Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Inuyasha, and even Kouga all looked up in awe.
The turtle demon's shell shattered completely in a spectacular explosion, causing a violent tremor and a great gust of wind.
Incidentally, this also caused the skimpy skirt of Kagome's uniform to rise and reveal her deep magenta panties—and with her current position on the ledge above all her friends (and Sesshomaru), everyone had an excellent view of them.
While not a favorite pair of Kagome's (they were simple, high-cut, and a little too tight), they proved to be the best kind to wear during their journeys as their simplicity suited her needs better. But that didn't make it any less embarrassing. Normally when explosions happened, Kagome was good about keeping her skirt down. But today, she'd been firing an arrow. Her hands hadn't been able to protect herself from that in time.
Not that the guys around her seemed to mind. Miroku was very excited by the sight, earning a sound smack from Sango when she realized he was staring. Inuyasha turned red, but didn't seem to mind staring for a long while before looking away. Kouga had a similar reaction, only he never looked away.
But Sesshomaru's reaction was the most puzzling. He was smiling at her. A genuine, un-deadly smile. Almost warm, even. Their eyes met and Kagome felt that... something, again. She wasn't sure what it was, but her breath hitched and all she wanted was to come closer.
And during this whole incident, Kagome became more and more aware of the fact there were a lot of people staring at her, and of the fact the wind seemed to blow for a cruel amount of time.
By the time the wind stopped and the dust settled, the damage had been done. Kagome looked to the group and patted her skirt, sighing. "Alright then," she said, her cheeks thoroughly red with embarrassment, but there was nothing she could do at that point. "That's done. Let's go."
When she turned back to the canyon, Sesshomaru had disappeared and Kouga was strolling towards them with a smirk on his face. Inuyasha cut him off, arguing with him about the demon.
For once, she was grateful for the fighting.
Inuyasha continued to stare, "Why are you wearing these jeans?"
Kagome gave him a look, "Because, Inuyasha, it's getting colder and I wanted to be comfortable. Besides I quit school, so it's not really appropriate for me to wear that uniform anyway."
Inuyasha still stared suspiciously, "You've never worn those before when it was getting close to winter…"
Kagome gave him a crooked smile, "Why are you so upset about my outfit?" The look on his face was priceless.
"I'm not! It's just new, that's all!" He quickly changed the subject, grumbling, "Come on, we still have a few hours of daylight. We can probably get pretty far if we hurry."
Kagome nodded and slung her backpack over her shoulders, laughing and agreeing.
()()()
Later on that day, the group finally stopped for a rest. There was a hot spring nearby, and Kagome wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to soak in its warm comfort. She wanted to think, though. There were a lot of things she needed to process, so she asked Sango if it was alright if she bathed alone tonight. The demon slayer didn't mind at all, and told her she'd be along with Shippo in a little while, to trade off using the spring.
Kagome sighed softly as she waded into the warm water, sinking when she was deep enough. The heat soothed her aching joints and back. Even though she was still young, the constant stress on her twenty year old body wasn't doing her any favors, and she was prone to an array of aches and pains. Mostly, they were in her neck, arms, and shoulders—all earned from her archery.
She'd gotten a lot better with her bow. She was a bit of an eagle eye now, and if there was anything she could feel proud of, it was that. Sango had even shown her a few hand-to-hand combat moves, but she was still less than a novice in the martial arts department.
As for her priestess abilities, Kagome had learned a lot more. She'd learned to harness the light in her hands and use it in ways she hadn't before. She could purify water, sense auras from a larger distance, and even use the light to heal certain wounds. Kagome found it hard to describe, but in the last few months, she felt more… herself. And the more like that she felt, the stronger her abilities seemed to get.
The jewel was nowhere near being complete, though. They had five shards—a truly pitiful amount for the years she'd spent searching for them, she thought. Naraku was surely getting stronger by the minute, and they had so little to show for all this time.
Though, it was odd. For the moment, Naraku hadn't shown himself. They hadn't run into him or his minions for months now, and Kagome didn't know what to make of that. It was unsettling.
She knew Inuyasha was antsy about it, too. He spent a lot of time pensive and quiet in the group. When he did perk up, it was only because the Soul Collectors were around, and he'd immediately run off to see their caller.
That really didn't bother Kagome anymore. When she was younger, she was more sensitive about those moments, but now she'd grown. She knew whatever Inuyasha and Kikyou had was strong. It had to be, because that bond they created ended up being the bond that tied him to Kagome as well. As long as Kikyou still walked the earth, there would be no way for Inuyasha to move on, and it was unreasonable of Kagome to expect anything different when she was younger.
They loved each other, and deeply.
Kagome wondered if she would ever love someone that much, or if someone would feel that way about her. And it wasn't that she didn't love Inuyasha, no—she loved him so much, in so many different ways. It was a strong kind of love, a dependable kind of love—and she knew from the way they'd gotten closer over the years that Inuyasha returned some form of the same love towards her.
Small victories, she thought.
But it wasn't romantic. Not really. At least, Kagome didn't think so. It was complicated.
Kagome sighed, sinking down low so that her mouth went beneath the surface of the water, but no further. She let out a breath, blowing bubbles out of boredom.
With this strangeness of Naraku's apparent absence, Kagome couldn't help but think about the future. Her future. If Naraku swooped down tomorrow, and the final battle happened, what would she regret if, say, her time in the Feudal Era ended—or worse, if she were killed?
Her life in the modern era was screwed up, that was for sure. She'd dropped out of school, and she was barely in her friends' lives anymore. That was a big regret, she thought. She hadn't asked for all this strangeness to befall her life. None of it would have happened if she hadn't gone in the wellhouse that fateful morning. In theory, anyway.
But then…
She wouldn't have met her friends on this side of the well. She wouldn't have learned all the good she was capable of, all the strength she had in her. She would have just gone on with her life, studying for tests and talking about boys.
Boys…
The last time she'd seen her friends, Kagome found herself jealous of Yuka, who'd gone on and on about a guy she was seeing. She'd slept with him, and was recounting the evening with Kagome, Eri, and Ayumi. It irked Kagome, privately. All her adventures in the Feudal Era, all the amazing things she'd done and seen… and yet she was still a virgin.
Truth be told, until that moment, Kagome didn't think about sex at all. Any thoughts of romance had faded over the years, and she simply focused on getting jewel shards and preparing for Naraku.
That was the true regret she would have, Kagome realized, letting out another puff of bubbles under the water.
She wanted to have sex.
With her life in the modern era being almost non-existent, and with Inuyasha still running after his first love, there really weren't any options for her to pursue that goal. Miroku and Sango had grown closer, and it looked like it was just a matter of time before they truly became an item.
Kouga was an option, sure. The wolf demon would probably be ecstatic to aid her in that pursuit, but he would also expect her to commit to him, more than likely—and Kagome wasn't ready for that. Or at least, she didn't want that with Kouga.
Her mind wandered toward someone else...
...toward Sesshomaru.
She thought of the look on his face that day. Sesshomaru wasn't a boy, not like some of the others she'd been thinking about. Far from it—he was a man. An extremely powerful demon man.
Handsome. Deadly. Serious.
What if he could be an option?
Kagome felt her face burn at the thought. Of course it would be welcomed if a man like him wanted her, but it seemed so impossible, implausible—wishful thinking! She was being ridiculous! All of this was just her being petty and jealous of her friend, she told herself.
And yet...
She wondered what could have possibly been going through his mind when her skirt blew up, when he just smiled up at her. The smile was barely there, barely perceptible—but she could feel it.
Sesshomaru had made other expressions in the past, beyond his usual indifference, or hateful sneer at his half-brother. She'd seen him smirk before, and even heard him chuckle—but those were dark, meant to taunt Inuyasha. The smile at the canyon was… different.
Maybe he just thought it was funny.
Maybe she was just misreading the whole thing.
But then that strange feeling was there. What was that? It couldn't have just been her. It wasn't just attraction, but something beyond that. He'd left without a word after the battle, but she knew there was something drawing them together, and something inside her told her she would see him again.
Soon.
()()()
Sesshomaru
Sesshomaru stared off in the distance, sitting at the base of a tree, contemplating. Jaken and Rin weren't far away, sitting by the fire they'd built when the sun went down. They chatted quietly (though most of the conversation was coming from Rin's side).
The demon lord's mind was plagued by thoughts of the human woman with his half-brother. His initial interest had been piqued when her arrow helped disintegrate that turtle demon—in a spectacular fashion. But then... her bravery, and the deadliness in her eyes bewitched him.
And there was something that had passed between them, he was sure of it. More than his curiosity, more than her heart pounding inside her chest when they locked eyes. There was a spark—a tingle. It felt good, and for a moment, he let his guard down.
He had smiled.
It disturbed him to his very bones. It shook him. A human had turned his head—a human. Sesshomaru prided himself on his control, on not letting his emotions control him. Rage was a powerful tool in battle, for certain, but anything else was a distraction.
And yet, for all his turmoil, he could not bring himself to feel angry towards the girl.
Kagome.
That was her name, he remembered.
And she wasn't a girl—not anymore—but a young woman. A young priestess.
Powerful. Beautiful. Brave.
Sesshomaru didn't think she was any more beautiful than any other woman, in truth—whether they be demon or human. He'd had demon women in his life when he felt the need for sex, and when he felt a demoness was worthy of his body—but nothing more would come of their union. They would never see his palace, they would never see his bed, and they would never see him again afterward.
He would not take a mate.
But why think on this, he thought to himself, when the priestess was on his mind? Did some part of him consider her… worthy?
He could tell from her scent she was pure. Unbedded. That thought was… intriguing.
A smirk played at his lips (a smirk—not a smile, he reminded himself).
Yes. Indeed intriguing.
"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked from the fire. "You are most quiet this evening."
"Hn," he murmured in response.
Jaken spoke up. "Milord, might I ask what you are thinking about?" his vassal asked curiously. "You have been pensive for several days now, a-and have said very little."
"Do not concern yourself, Jaken," Sesshomaru replied coolly.
"Yes, milord."
When he thought about Kagome's scent, his mouth watered. It was undeniably addictive, and when it got caught on his tongue… Gods, the woman must taste incredible, he thought. An involuntary shiver went down his spine at the thought of his tongue on her skin…
…and between her legs.
This was driving him mad. He didn't know how to feel about this, other than utterly confused. Then he realized she must feel the same. She had to have felt what he felt that day, and Kagome must be thinking along the same lines as he. Before that day, it was likely she was afraid of him, as so many others were (and he'd been perfectly content with that perception before).
He'd been a shadow to her. Something dark and unknown.
Perhaps he could change her mind, somehow. Perhaps he could convince her he meant her no harm (and he really didn't—then and now). If he could manage that, then perhaps he could bed her and be done with her constantly running around his thoughts, as well as rid himself of this strange pull she had on him.
With that idea, Sesshomaru stood. "I'm going for a little while," he announced. "Jaken, look after Rin."
He was in the air before the imp could reply.
()()()
Sesshomaru found her soaking in a hot spring, not far away from his camp. He stayed in the shadows of the trees, watching her with great interest as she stood and washed herself with some kind of sweet, floral-scented substance on a strange pink puff, sweeping it over her pale skin.
He found himself rethinking his earlier assessment about Kagome's beauty, that he didn't think her appearance was remarkable in any special way.
He was wrong.
Now, she stood before him naked, in the moonlight, and he took the time to look at her all he wanted. She looked healthier than many of the humans he'd seen, her body well-fed but toned with muscle. She was strong, he saw. Not just as a priestess, but no, she looked physically strong for a human woman. And what was more, her skin looked smooth and unblemished. As his eyes drew upward, he appreciated the shape of her breasts, large but perky, with pink nipples that pebbled from being wet in the cool night air. When he looked upon her face, he saw her perfect lips, and he decided they were his favorite part of her, but then he saw her eyes—a rich, deep blue that stilled him.
And her scent. Gods, her scent, he thought helplessly. His hand gripped the trunk of the tree he was hidden behind, claws sinking into the bark. He fought for his control. Lust would not win. It was unbecoming of a demon lord such as he.
He would not be his father. Never.
That feeling was still there. Stronger, now that they were closer than the day in the canyon. If it was this strong at his current distance, there was no way Kagome didn't feel it, too. She knew he was here, he realized. She was letting him look at her.
Sesshomaru stepped out into the clearing, watching her dry off with a cloth from her pack.
"Hello, Kagome," he murmured, as she wrapped her body in the cloth. He stood a comfortable distance away from her, but the connection, the draw… it wanted him closer.
She stood, unafraid. It surprised him, and made him curious. "Hello, Sesshomaru," Kagome greeted in return. She lifted an eyebrow, "You know my name."
"I do," he said. "As you know mine."
She seemed skeptical, "I didn't think you cared enough to know my name, or address me with it."
He took a step forward. "Truthfully, before that day, I did not. It was as you say."
"And now?"
Sesshomaru sped over to her, faster than she could see, and stopped inches from her face. She took a sharp intake of breath through her nose, startled into the large rock behind her. She stumbled onto it, still holding her cloth around her body.
His eyes darted over her, greedily drinking in her appearance up close. "Now," he murmured, "you haunt me. You cling to me."
Kagome's blue eyes looked into his, searching them for something. "Do you feel it too?" she asked. She lifted her free hand, as if to touch him.
Sesshomaru met her hand with his own, pressing their palms together. He nearly moaned. The tingle gained a new strength. It was singing with sensation all throughout his body. "Yes," he breathed, amazed.
She was biting her lip, watching their hands. "It shouldn't feel like this, should it?" she asked him. "When we touch, I mean. The light in me, and the demonic energy in you… It shouldn't react like this."
"Oh?" he asked curiously.
"I don't know," Kagome confessed. "I really don't. I just would have thought we would repel each other, not the other way around." Her brow furrowed, "I can feel your energy."
"I feel yours."
She swallowed, looking up at him, "It's strong."
"As is yours," Sesshomaru admitted with a nod.
He was drawing closer to her, he realized, his mouth just a touch away from hers. He could feel the sweet breath coming from her perfect lips. It was too much.
Sesshomaru kissed her.
They gasped. Their energies blended even stronger when their lips touched, and it was almost more than he could take. Kagome was trembling, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly, pulling her near-naked form to him. Every part of his body was screaming to feel her against him, and he gave a soft growl of frustration.
Kagome pulled away at the sound, "Did you get hurt?"
"No," he answered at once. "A moment…" Quickly, Sesshomaru unfastened his armor and removed it along with his boa. He turned back to her and his hands went into her wet ebony tresses, possessing her face, capturing her lips again. "I want to feel you," he murmured to her. He pressed himself to her, his mouth opening to flick his tongue at her bottom lip.
The breathy little noise she made drove him crazy, and he just sank against her body. Kagome's hands left her body cloth and went to his chest, at first staying above his haori, but then her fingers pushed it aside and she put her hands on his skin. They pressed into each other more firmly, and the cloth around Kagome loosened, falling away.
Sesshomaru ran his hand down her front, running his thumb over her nipple. Kagome gasped again, letting out a small cry of surprise and pleasure. He kissed along her jawline, towards her pulse, and gave her neck a taste with his tongue, indulging his need to taste her skin.
It was far better than he could have imagined.
"Sess… Sesshomaru," she whispered, her hands still clinging to him underneath his haori. "W-Wait."
They were both breathless. Sesshomaru stopped to look into her eyes again. "What is it?" he asked gently.
Kagome swallowed, "I… I haven't done this before. Sex."
He nodded, "I know. It's there in your scent." He tilted his head, "You wish to stop?"
"No!" she breathed earnestly.
"Hn," he murmured with a smirk. "Yes, that's in your scent too."
Kagome blushed, and Sesshomaru felt something in his chest react to the sight of it. He was… endeared.
"I want to," she told him, sounding as if she wanted to reassure him. "But my friends are coming soon." Her blush intensified, "We would be… interrupted."
"Hn," he sighed, disappointed. "Not ideal."
"No," Kagome agreed.
Sesshomaru looked at her, cupping her chin between his thumb and forefinger, "But you want this, yes?"
She nodded.
"Then we must part ways for now," he told her. His thumb ran over her bottom lip, and Kagome wrapped her lips around it, claw and all. Sesshomaru hummed agreeably, nodding as she flicked her little tongue against it, "But I will return to you."
Her mouth freed his thumb. "You will?" She looked doubtful.
"Oh yes," Sesshomaru said, meaning it. His eyes drifted over to her pack and then back at her. "Shall I take something of yours to return to you, as reassurance?"
Kagome's eyes followed his and she met his gaze curiously, "What did you have in mind?"
Sesshomaru sped over to her pack in a blink, rummaging through it. Her clothes were in here, surely. And then he saw it…
A flash of dark pink.
Kagome gave a short laugh when he produced the garment, "My panties?"
He looked at the odd piece of clothing, "Is that what this is called?" She nodded. "And do you have any objections to me taking this?"
She laughed again, gathering herself in her cloth, "No, I guess not."
Sesshomaru reorganized his haori, and then donned his boa and armor again. He stuffed the 'panties' down his armor's front.
When he looked back at Kagome, she was wearing what he perceived to be sleeping attire. He came close to her once more, "Till we meet again, Kagome."
The priestess smiled up at him, touching the edge of his armor, "Kiss me?"
"Once more," Sesshomaru agreed, brushing his lips against hers. Even the light touches made their energies hum with delight, sending waves of pleasant tingles down his back, down his fingers, and down his cock.
He had to force himself to break away, hearing her companions walking in their direction. "I'll see you soon," he promised, and then spun away in his ball of light.
His mind was reeling.
That… did not go as I intended.
But perhaps this was better.
()()()