It was a widespread belief that a yōkai, especially a daiyōkai, did not require much sleep. In normal circumstances, one would be correct to assume so. However, Sesshōmaru, the inu daiyōkai of the West, did take particular enjoyment in a nap during the coldest days of winter.
Just like today.
The snow flurries that raked the Plains of Musashi had just stopped. Heavy with cold air, snow, and wind, the storm had raged on for days, but now it was past. The sky was a dim gray, and the ground was covered in a coat of white. Even the shadows were hidden beneath it, and the world was cast in a flat white light. The wind no longer howled like a mad beast; it had calmed to a light breeze and left the world bereft of sound, except for scattered birdsong and the quiet crunch of some woodland animals in the snow.
The sky gradually cleared, but the sun felt faint and feeble. Even when it finally emerged from behind the clouds, it did little to thaw the frosty air as winter swept over the land like a thick blanket. When the temperature decreased to just above the freezing point, and all the trees and branches that had lost their leaves dripped with icicles, he knew it was time to close his eyes and settle in for a long, well-deserved nap.
It had been a while since he indulged in luxury such as rest. The last few years were filled with wars and skirmishes. Only recently, they began truce and ceasefire negotiations, leading to several treaties amongst the different factions of the demonkind. After a long time of constant struggles, he finally believed they were headed toward a progressive era of peace and prosperity. He felt he could finally take some time for self-care and rest.
Sometimes when he slept, especially in this frigid weather, he preferred to sleep in his beast form, which enabled him to regulate his body heat better. The thick white fur covering his body served as a second skin, keeping him warm even in the freezing cold. The dense growth that coated him from head to toe was an incredible insulator and provided protection from the elements. Snow, sleet, and rain slid off his chest and back as if he had donned a coat of armour. His senses became sharper, keeping him a few steps ahead of any creatures in the vicinity — humans or yōkai.
Sesshōmaru felt the exhaustion settling in his bones the moment he laid his head down upon his paws. He had chosen a snug cave not too far from the village as his place of rest. It was one of the places he had claimed and transformed into one of his shelters, filled with necessities any yōkai might need. He had reduced his size intentionally to fit inside this cozy interior, morphing himself into a large dog the size of a male horse. Though he was not in his full form, he still looked fearsome and intimidating, as a demon of his calibre should be.
Thus, when he unexpectedly found a white cat snuggling up against his flank, he could not help but frown in confusion. The cat was small and slightly plump, but not to the point of being considered fat. Its fur was long, but not long enough to keep it warm. Its eyes were green and narrowed, as if to pierce right through him and see what lay inside. Sesshōmaru did not remember ever inviting a nap companion, yet somehow this tiny, furry creature had managed to slip through his defences and joined him inside this cave.
His great, white, furry brows creased into a deep frown. It simply would not do. For him, sleeping was an exceedingly private endeavour. He treasured his time asleep, just as he cherished his time eating, and he believed it should only be done in solitude. Certainly not with a cat in the same vicinity.
The daiyōkai growled to warn the fur-covered rodent, hoping it would scamper away and leave him in peace, yet it did not. It was not at all afraid. In fact, it looked up at him with something that looked suspiciously like an annoyance. The animal's eyes narrowed slightly, and its mouth dropped open as if it were about to utter a loud scoff. It didn't move, but its body language spoke volumes: it wasn't happy with the situation. It glared at him as though commanding him to return to his original position.
‘How dare you move?’ the little puss seemed to say.
Sesshōmaru’s eyes glinted with a dangerous spark that would have made even the fiercest yōkai generals quake in their boots, but the cat remained defiant.
'Who do you think you are looking at, pest?’ the daiyōkai growled at the cat.
It did not answer. Perhaps it was non-verbal, but it certainly found no difficulty continuing with that uncouth, unflinching stare. Fierce energy surged between them as though the cat was daring him to make the first move. Sesshōmaru's gaze narrowed as he squared off with the feline, challenging it to see who would blink first.
Just as Sesshōmaru was raking his brain, thinking about what he should do to chase the creature away without abandoning his comfy position, a woman’s voice, a familiar scent, and an even more familiar reiki, reached him.
His head perked up at the sensation. He sniffed, trying to place the fragrance. It was a dainty smell, mixed with the woodsy. The scent was feminine, but also earthy. Floral with a bit of backbite.
Could that be…?
Sesshōmaru had yet to complete his line of thoughts when her melodic voice reached his ears.
“Shiro…! Shiro! Where are you, Shiro?!”
The sound of footsteps lightly treading on the ground made its way to him, and the daiyōkai’s ears twitched at the aggravatingly familiar voice still calling for the cat, aptly named 'Shiro', for its snowy white coat. When the unmistakable scent of hinoki cypress and shrine incense reached his nose, all traces of doubt vanished from his mind.
It was her.
Not long after, a lithe female figure dressed in the white and crimson priestess uniform, half-covered by a heavier white jacket, appeared at the mouth of the cave. His demon form was swathed in shadows, but her glittery blue eyes found him immediately.
“Sesshōmaru," her soft voice called him. "Is that you in there?”
He expected she would leave on her own if he ignored her question, but she did not. Instead, she stood by the cave’s mouth, arms folded across her bosoms, waiting for him to respond. The daiyōkai huffed a breath of annoyance. His brother’s former betrothed had as much manners as the cat if she thought she could barge into a private space uninvited and demand answers from him.
When she simply would not leave him alone, he sighed and transformed back into his humanoid form, sitting on the cave floor with his mokomoko spread underneath him.
“Oh, it is you,” the woman said, her voice lilting upwards with surprise.
Sesshōmaru fastened a dry, unamused glare on her. “Miko, do you know any other demons capable of assuming that form?”
She shrugged nonchalantly. “I just didn’t want to assume, you know.” She looked around. “You didn’t see a white cat, did you? I just adopted him, and he’s proven to be quite flighty.”
Sesshōmaru sighed again. She evidently failed to spot the cat curling up at the end of his mokomoko. Humans and their inferior eyesight, he grumbled silently. He picked up the animal enjoying the plush comfort of his pelt too much, grabbed it by the scruff of its neck, and offered it to the woman.
“Take your malodorous fur-ball with you and leave This One in peace,” he ordered, glowering at her, growing increasingly irate now that his much-needed nap had been postponed. She accepted the cat and cradled it in her arms.
“Malodour—“ She had the gall to glower back at him, lifting her chin and regarded him with a stiff glare. “Shiro is not smelly. In fact, he smells—“ She paused to sniff the cat’s head, frowning. “I was going to say he smells like oats, but… well, now he smells like you.”
Sesshōmaru’s lips twitched into a smirk. “A vast improvement,” he said drolly before flicking his hand towards the cave's entrance, bidding the miko and her cat to leave him in peace.
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A little while later…
Sesshōmaru was back in his demon form, curling into a tight ball to keep himself warm, chin cushioned on top of his great paws. He was just beginning to return to that relaxed state, that very delicate state between waking and slumber, when he felt tiny sharp claws — like needlepoints — piercing the thick fur along his tail.
The pinpricks jolted him awake. Rousing, he spotted a little white cat's head poking its way out of his fur. Everything was dark, but he could clearly see the thin slits of green from the cat’s eyes, like tiny cracks of light gleaming in the abyss. He growled at it. The cat’s face was mere inches from his own, its whiskers nearly brushing his muzzle. Sesshōmaru could smell it: a deep, earthy aroma with hints of hinoki cypress and shrine incense.
Like her.
Strangely, Sesshōmaru knew he would have found the scent pleasant if the cat wasn’t currently sinking its claws into his fur.
Moments passed as he glowered in silence, watching the cat taking a mouthful of his furs between its insignificant jaws and continuing to knead. His glare did nothing to deter the tiny pest. If anything, the pressure mounted, and the claws dug in a little more. For one so minuscule, its talons were remarkably sharp.
He considered eating the cat. Barring indigestion, that would solve the problem, the shortcut to his much-needed nap. But, the thought of the miko's mournful face rooted him to the spot, though he did not understand why. Instead of sad, she should be grateful he rid her of this pesky animal.
A sudden wave of exhaustion came over him. His eyes began drooping again, but he swatted at the cat before surrendering to the lure of sleep. The white cat finally stopped mauling his tail, instead choosing to climb over him and settle in with its head resting on his back. The cat's four paws were planted firmly on either side of his spine. Not only did the cat refuse to leave, but it was also making its home on top of him!
He growled and swatted at the cat again. It reacted by snuggling closer, rumbling a contented purr as it buried its face in his fur. The daiyōkai could not believe the pest was using him as a pillow. It felt much too snug, far too close for his liking; the cat was practically encroaching upon his personal territory.
Its mistress appeared soon after, rushing into the cave with a burst of sweet-smelling scents and sunshine.
"Shiro!" She ran to his side, though her concern was not for him but for the pesky animal who had disturbed his sleep not once, but twice. Her fingertips brushed against his back as she petted the cat, who lifted its head to bask in her adoring caress. "I told you to stay inside the hut! Why did you go out again?"
When her knuckles touched him again, sending alarming jolts of awareness throughout his body, Sesshōmaru transformed into his humanoid form. Even the slightest graze made him feel too aware of her, and the effects were too overwhelming for too little a gesture.
Her gaze was level as she looked up at him. Her blue eyes, the colour of a cloudless sky, met his golden ones.
“Sesshōmaru. I’m so—“ The miko pursed her lips when she caught sight of his darkened expression. If she caught a glimpse of gleaming fangs as he struggled to suppress his snarl, she did not mention it.
Wordlessly, he turned towards Shiro, scooped the small feline in his arms, and handed it over. By mere accident, their fingers intertwined for a moment, and a spark of lightning seemed to jump between them. He felt an unusual warmth in his chest, and a chill travelled down his spine as her skin brushed against his.
The miko went still at the contact, but soon started to murmur words of gratitude as Sesshōmaru dropped the cat into her arms. He felt a tugging sensation in his gut that seemed to come from their intertwined gazes, but he quickly shook it off. At least she and the cat could leave now.
Good riddance, he thought to himself as he watched them leave the cave. His lethargy and exhaustion must have messed with his senses. He felt a strange pull towards the miko, something he couldn't explain. He was so out of character, feeling a strong fascination he hadn't felt before. He was both captivated and intimidated by it, unsure if what he was feeling was right.
After she left with the cat the second time, Sesshōmaru did not bother to transform into his beast form again. He was too tired and sleepy, and transforming to his true form took too much energy to accomplish properly. Instead, he lounged on the cave floor, back leaned against the wall. Mokomoko — slightly worse for wear but mostly intact — provided a soft and comfortable cushion, surrounding him in warmth and softness. He had just begun to fall asleep again when the miko’s voice reached his ears once more.
Shiro…! Shiro! Where are you, kitty cat? Come back… Geesh, I just found you, and now you’re gone again. I hope you didn’t go back to Sesshōmaru’s cave. You know he might eat you, or end your with his poisonous claws, you daft cat…
Sesshōmaru rolled over and growled inwardly, sincerely hoping she would go away. But she did not. She was… meandering, her presence too close to the cave for him to feel secure enough to fall asleep. When he still heard her shuffling around outside moments later, he huffed, rose to his feet, and went outside.
His boots crunched upon the snow's crust, the patter of his footsteps on the ground mixed with the harshness of the wind. He let himself be noisy, the sounds announcing his approach. When she turned, she appeared surprised to see him. She was red-faced and squinting, her breath fogging in the cold. The wind must have nipped at her cheeks and nose while snowflakes dusted her hair and eyelashes. She must have been out here for some time, looking for her damned cat.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” the miko said, though… funnily, she did not sound the least remorseful. “Did I wake you again?”
Sesshōmaru scoffed. “Hnn. To be woken up would have been a fine chance. I had not slept a wink since you and your cat disturbed me.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice low and full of regret. Her gaze softened, and she reached out a hand as though to touch his arm, but after a moment of awkward stillness, she pulled back. “You must be exhausted. When I find Shiro, I promise I’ll keep him away from your cave so you can have a chance to rest. And I'll drop off a bag of herbs to help with the fatigue. Jinenji and I worked on the recipe. It's been proven to be tremendously helpful. Even for yōkai."
At first, his face was clouded with irritation, but then, his expression softened as he looked into her eyes and registered the honesty of her words. His vexations seemed to evaporate.
“It seems you require assistance finding your fugitive pet,” Sesshōmaru said.
She bit her lip and nodded. “I’m looking for a white cat in the middle of the snow.” She laughed, the sound melodic and crisp. “Not exactly an easy feat for a human like me.”
He lifted his nose to the air, inhaling deeply. Faint traces of the cat’s musky scent lingered in the air, and as he breathed in deeper, he also picked up a hint of Shiro’s unique smell —mixed with the familiar smell of his own. He pointed ahead, gesturing for the miko to follow him.
The scent trail guided them to a remote clearing in the forest. A small, shallow pond partially iced over was in the middle of the clearing. The trees surrounding the frozen water were all skeletal; their branches hung heavy with frozen dew and icicles. It was a mesmerizingly still winter scene.
And on one of those icy branches perched Shiro, the mischievous cat, who seemed to have gotten stuck. When it saw them, it began to meow piteously. The miko rushed to the tree, staring up pleadingly at her pet. She made soothing noises in her throat and tried to coax the cat to come down, but it was too scared to do so.
Sesshōmaru's lips tightened into a thin line as he watched the woman hike up the fabric of her red hakama, revealing a pair of shapely calves. She grabbed ahold of the tree's trunk and began to scale it, paying no mind that it was crusted with ice.
"What are you doing?" he demanded, his sharp tone reverberating through the still, brisk air.
“I can help Shiro down,” the miko declared, turning to face him with a determined expression.
“Miko,” he replied, trying to keep his voice from showing frustration. “The branch is too thin, and it's slippery. You’ll break it if you try to help the cat.”
He had thought she would appreciate his practicality, but he was disappointed when she furrowed her brow and crossed her arms.
“Certainly not!” Her previously calm voice was now laced with edges of sharpness. "I am not that heavy," she muttered. Her hands shook as she smoothed the creases on her white top and crimson hakama, her face turning an even brighter shade of pink in embarrassment.
He examined her as her sudden burst of indignation made him look at her differently. He had never realized that her frame was so voluptuous and curvy - the type of figure he secretly admired. The curves of her hips, the fullness of her chest and the suppleness of her waist promised hours of delightful pleasure and indulgence in their furs. His primal instinct was piqued; the thought of it caused a wave of desire to course through him. Alarmed, he quashed it.
"I mean—“ she muttered, cheekbones still pink. "I indulged a bit too much on the sweet red bean rice cakes during the New Year's celebration, and I swore I would've been able to shed off the excess pounds in a month, but..."
She shook her head vigorously as though to stop her rambling, her long, wavy dark hair flipping around her shoulders. Then, taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and marched determinedly towards the tree. Sesshōmaru watched, intrigued, as she settled her foot into the first crevice, her slim fingers tightening their grip on the bark as her other foot found another hold. He was about to interject, but stopped himself.
As he had predicted, with a loud snap, the branch broke. No matter; he was underneath it within a blink of an eye to catch her as she fell. The cat yowled; the miko screeched, and they both landed into the cradle of his arms with a soft grunt. He tried to hold them all, but he felt his legs buckling. He was so exhausted, his body was near its breaking point, yet the feel of the miko in his arms was both the best and worst thing he had ever experienced. His world spun on its axis, and he felt himself losing balance, his arms tightly holding the miko and the cat, seemingly unable to stop himself from tumbling backwards.
The thin layer of ice covering the pond's surface gave way under their combined weight with a sickening crack. In seconds, the ice shattered, and the three of them plunged into the icy depths below with a loud splash.
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Sesshōmaru grabbed her and Shiro and hefted them out of the icy water. As soon as they were out, he dragged them back to his cave. Once there, Kagome noticed that her clothes were sticking to her skin. She could only shiver, unable to move her limbs, thinking she would freeze solid. Sesshōmaru went to the back of the cave and returned with a handful of clothing. He handed them to her without a word, and she could only stammer a quiet "Thank you" before quickly changing out of her wet things.
He only scoffed and turned around to work on the fire. Despite being visible in his displeasure, he gave her some space to cover herself with the fabric of his hankimono.
“Thank you, Sesshōmaru,” Kagome repeated, wrapping the silken fabric around herself, and with a bit of warmth on her cheeks, noticed how much larger it was compared to her own clothing. “And thank you… for letting me borrow your clothing.”
Kagome felt his eyes on her as she fastened the length of his heko-obi around her waist. His golden gaze seared her skin, but what unsettled her more was the hardness of it, an emotion she could not place. There was a tension between them that seemed to be escalating by the second, and as much as she wanted to break it, he looked away first, scoffing almost inaudibly.
Was it because he was upset that she dared to wear something that belonged to him? Or was it because he feared that her human ‘stench’ would ruin its delicate silk?
“To leave you in your soaked clothing will be akin to leaving you to your death,” Sesshōmaru told her, staring at the fire. “Humans are so much more susceptible to illnesses after all.”
That was surprisingly kind — for him, at least. It certainly wasn’t his style to be so helpful, and it could have been easier for him to just leave them outside in the snow. But instead, something made him pause. He had hesitated, and in that moment, chosen to go out of his way to be generous and provide them shelter from the cold.
Kagome went to the fire and sat beside the sullen, unmoving daiyōkai. Shiro seemed to have taken to Sesshōmaru. The cat had not left his side since they returned to the cave and this time, he did not seem to mind. The darned feline even leaned its head on his hand, purring slightly, and he had not shoved it away.
When the wind blew, Kagome wrapped her arms around herself and involuntarily shivered. Wordlessly, Sesshōmaru held out his mokomoko. His face was coldly inexpressive, but something in his eyes told her to accept his offer. Her fingertips grazed his knuckles when she took it from his hand. Shiro got up, stretched before it sauntered over to join her, and she bundled them both within the warm, soft confinement of the daiyōkai’s pelt.
“I’m sorry once again, Sesshōmaru,” she said as the cat rubbed its head against her chin. “We’ll go as soon as my clothes are dry. Or— if you want us to leave you in peace now, perhaps I can borrow these clothes and return them to you later? Don’t worry, I’ll wash them really thoroughly, and—“
“Miko,” he interjected, his voice low and stern. He turned, his large frame leaning in until his nose almost touched hers. His gaze shifted between her and the white cat still curled in her arms. “You and this mangy cat have caused This One much grief today.”
Kagome's limbs seemed to have been locked in place, her mind a prisoner within her own body. His golden eyes glowed with a light of their own, and the carmine shade along his eyelids mesmerized her more than anything. She felt like she was being pulled into his gaze, unable to look away or move even a single inch. In the depths of her mind, she knew that she should go, but the power of his gaze kept her entranced, unable and unwilling to move.
“I’m… I’m sorry,” she stammered. “We’re both very sorry, aren't we, Shiro? We didn’t mean to disturb you. Shiro was an outdoor cat, and he wasn't used to staying inside, so he ran away. I promise it won’t happen again. Is there… anything we can do to make it better?”
“Yes,” the daiyōkai said plainly. Then, as if he had heard her thoughts, he explained: “You will remain inside this cave with me. Both of you.”
Kagome felt her breath catch in her throat as he scooped her and the cat up in his arms before rolling them onto the ground. A weighty warmth pressed down on them as he wrapped mokomoko around their bodies, forming a protective cocoon, the most comfortable sleeping bag she had ever known. The cat did not seem to mind at all. Within a short few minutes, it melted into Kagome’s embrace, quickly drifting off to sleep, its loud purrs reverberating against her chest.
“Uhhh… Sesshōmaru,” Kagome mumbled under the soft, thick pelt. “What exactly are we doing?”
“I am holding you — and the cat — hostage,” he rumbled against the back of her head. “So I can finally take a nap.”
As his strong arms embraced her, she inhaled the crisp scents of winter surrounding them. Notes of crushed pine needles and the smokiness of the bonfire mingled with the freshly fallen snow. She felt the hard, muscular planes of his chest pressed against her soft body as the fluffy mokomoko tightened its hold around them. The cat's purring in her arms completed the cozy and contented feeling, so much that she lost any will to move.
Kagome watched the orange and yellow flames as they glowed and lulled her into a peaceful trance. Her breathing slowed rhythmically as fatigue began to tug at her mind and body. Then, as drowsiness swallowed her, she felt something unexpectedly warm wrapping around her waist: Sesshōmaru's powerful arm drawing her closer to his chest. His face was so close she could feel his breath on her hair. When she turned her head, she saw the slightest of smiles at the corner of his lips.
Wordlessly, Kagome settled back down and closed her eyes, the same smile curling at the corners of her mouth
Outside, the cold wind whipped across the trees and, in the distance, the sky turned gray as another bout of snow began to fall. The blizzard started anew, but within the cave, they were out of the reach of nature's wrath.
Within the cave, as they settled in for a long nap with the cat, neither of them cared.