Unspoiled by forthright

K - I - S - S - I - N - G

Disclaimer: I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this penultimate chapter... especially for the one who’s a romantic down to the core. A nod of recognition is bent towards Rumiko Takahashi for her creative prowess.

K – I – S – S – I – N – G

“Are these good?” Shippo asked as he crouched in front of Kagome.

“Yes... perfect!”

With a boyish grin, he laid the bundle at her feet, then asked, “What color now?”

“More yellow?” she suggested.

“Sure!”

As he bounded towards a nearby clump of wildflowers, Kagome returned her attention to the lacy sprays of white flowers she was collecting. Traditions are important. Nodding to herself, she glanced towards the thick forest they would soon enter. He likes flowers; he told me so. It would be a shame to visit empty-handed.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Sesshoumaru, who strode purposefully along rows of saplings that had been planted just inside a deceptively flimsy-looking fence. According to Hisoka-sensei, for every ‘No Trespassing’ sign, there were at least three kinds of wards to keep humans from wandering in where they didn’t belong. In fact, they would need to pass through a powerful barrier in order to enter the forest sanctuary that was Bokuseno’s home.

Shippo plopped back down beside her to show off an array of yellow blooms, then nodded towards the inu-youkai. “He’s marking his boundaries,” he announced with a waggle of his brows.

“With youki,” interjected Hisoka with a chastising look. The neko-youkai contributed a small bunch of fern fronds to Kagome’s collection.

“Is this the same meadow where we used to stop?” she asked.

“More or less. This area is quite changed, but we’ll pick up the old trail once we enter the wood,” Hisoka replied. Nodding meaningfully towards the power lines that marched across farmland towards a small town, he remarked, “We were able to create a boundary before the humans encroached any further than that. Sesshoumaru-sama relinquished other lands in order to secure these, so Bokuseno’s forest is officially a part of his territory.”

“A compromise?”

“Of sorts,” Hisoka acknowledged with an odd smile.

“A promise kept,” corrected Sesshoumaru from directly behind her.

Kagome started and turned, a little embarrassed that he’d managed to sneak up on her.

With a mildly exasperated look, she inquired, “You promised to keep Bokuseno-sama safe?”

“I did.”

Shippo quipped, “Sensei-dono says our pack is so eclectic, we even have a tree in our family tree!”

■▪■▪■▪■▪■

When they entered the deep part of the forest where Bokuseno held sway, it was as if time ceased to matter. The air was still in the green-gold half-light of sunlight through leaves, and birdsong seemed to have been hushed to whispers. Everything was as she remembered it, and Kagome found her heart bursting with pride. Sesshoumaru-sama defended this place, and it’s safe! It’s perfect!

Her steps quickened as the ancient magnolia came into view, but then, her steps slowed in awe. The tree demon was much larger than she remembered, which was only natural since it had been over a thousand years since last they spoke. As they approached the mammoth trunk with its hummocky sprawl of roots, a face emerged from the mossy bark, wizened and familiar. “It does these old eyes good to see your face once more, young one.”

“Bokuseno-sama!” she exclaimed, wondering if it was appropriate to hug a tree. “I’m glad to see you, too!”

The tree demon’s gaze dropped to the abundance of flowers both she and Shippo carried, and a deep chuckle set his leaves to rustling. “You would make a bower of this hollow?”

She smiled brightly and carried them closer. “Do you like them?”

“I do,” he acknowledged, once again studying her face with sharp eyes. “Long I have waited to hear the balance of your tale.”

“No one told you where I went?” Kagome asked in surprise.

“The pup was too crestfallen, and the cat was too careful.” With a smile that deepened his wrinkles, the old demon added, “Come and sit amongst my roots as you once did.”

She accepted his invitation, choosing a comfortable niche, and Shippo crouched to tuck his own armload of blooms amidst the roots, cheerfully greeting, “Hey, Tree-sama! Isn’t this great? Kagome’s back!”

“A gratifying turn of events,” agreed Bokuseno. “She has come full circle, and the lordling has come into his own... and protects his own... as a lord should.”

“They brought me here several times. This is where Sesshoumaru-sama liked to train,” Kagome offered.

“Say, Tree-sama... did Sensei-dono really teach Sesshoumaru how to use a sword?” Shippo asked doubtfully.

“A few tricks, nothing more,” Hisoka quickly demurred. “Milord’s father was master of blade and fang; my duties lay in book and brush.”

“Which is why I could best you before I reached your shoulder!” Shippo boasted. With a mischievous smile, the kitsune bounded over to Sesshoumaru and wheedled, “Spar with me?”

A brow quirked. “We brought no weapons.”

“No excuses!” exclaimed Shippo, who whisked away and returned seconds later with two stout sticks, which he proffered for the inu-youkai’s inspection. “Choose!”

With a soft huff, Sesshoumaru accepted the five-tail’s challenge, and soon, the small clearing was filled with the clack and crack of a mock battle. After a few passes to test the mettle of their makeshift weapons, the combatants grew more serious. Youki flared impressively, and speeds sometimes exceeded what Kagome could follow. Glancing nervously at Hisoka, she asked, “This is just a game, right...? They’re not serious.”

Orange eyes flashed with amusement. “They are quite serious, Cricket. It will be interesting to see how far each of them will go to impress you.”

“Me?”

“Hnn... son or suitor,” he inquired lightly. “Which shall earn your regard?”

Bokuseno’s deep laughter thrummed through the trunk at Kagome’s back, and she marveled at how large and high and deep the tree-youkai’s presence felt. He and Hisoka listened quietly as she retold her story, short as it seemed for the many changes it had wrought. When she had finished, Bokuseno had a few questions, which led to further speculations—the source of the Well’s power, the role Kagome had played in the history of both demonkind and mankind, the ripples of cause and effect.

As the discussion slipped over her head, Kagome contented herself with listening... and watching the impressive display Sesshoumaru and Shippo were putting on, apparently for her benefit. The inu-youkai was swift and stealthy; the fox-youkai was all sass backed by skill. At first, Kagome worried for Shippo, but as their little war game played out, she began to see that it was just as Hisoka said. They really are just showing off.

Smiling at the very idea, she kept her hands busy as she had once before, shaping wreaths from the bevy of blossoms they’d gathered. When the first was done, she held it up and eyed it critically, and Hisoka inquired, “A prize for the winner, perhaps?”

Her gaze flicked towards the silver-haired demon crouched high in the branches of a nearby tree, and skeptically replied, “If he’ll claim it.”

“Try and see,” prompted the neko-youkai with a faint smile. “Many a male has willingly done foolish things for the sake of a female he admires.”

She hummed noncommittally and carefully set the circlet aside, beginning a second, which she donned as soon as it was complete. The third was hung from a knot on Bokuseno’s trunk just above his face, and by the time Kagome was finishing up a fourth, Sesshoumaru and Shippo left off their sparring and swaggered over. “You have been busy,” the inu-youkai remarked indulgently.

Lifting the first wreath, the one she considered the prettiest of the set, she asked, “Would you like it?”

“We have had this discussion, Kagome,” Sesshoumaru replied solemnly. “I am male.”

“Mm-hmm... I remember. Though I still wonder why it’s acceptable for males to wear flowers on their kimono, but not in their hair.”

He glanced down at his attire, which was liberally festooned with a floral pattern, and Shippo piped up, “I’d wear your flowers, Kagome!”

“Hnn,” agreed Hisoka. Then, the two of them turned expectant gazes on Sesshoumaru.

With a soft sigh, he met her gaze and declared, “If it pleases you, I will permit it.”

Unable to resist the opportunity, Kagome stood, and when he bowed his head, she went up on tiptoe to settle the circlet in place. “There!” she breathed, delighted to have been accepted.

Sesshoumaru straightened and quirked a brow. “Satisfied?” he inquired in a voice that betrayed nothing.

The young woman tilted her head to one side, admiring his crown. Rather than making the inu-youkai look foolish, Sesshoumaru lent the nodding flowers a certain dignity. With an approving nod, she replied, “I am pleased.”

“Kagome,” Shippo whined... or at the least, he pretended to whine. “Can I have the other one?”

“Unless Hisoka-sensei wants it?”

The neko-youkai rose smoothly to his feet, the last finished wreath in his hand, and he dropped it over the kitsune’s head. “It becomes you more,” he declared. “Shall we avail ourselves of the spring?”

“Sure,” Shippo agreed readily. Green eyes sparkled as he blithely suggested, “Should we consider first dibbs the winner’s prize?”

“I think not,” Sesshoumaru corrected.

“Thought not,” Shippo conceded with a crooked grin. “You can stay here with Kagome then. And don’t worry about Sensei-dono. I’ll check behind his ears for you!”

As Hisoka and Shippo disappeared in the direction of the spring, her startled gaze swung to the inu-youkai, who stiffly announced, “He is teasing.”

“Really? Because last time....”

In an aggrieved tone, Sesshoumaru pointed out, “I was only one hundred.”

“So you were,” she replied with a soft smile.

Bokuseno’s low laugh reminded Kagome that they were not alone, and she glanced apologetically at the tree-demon. He only smiled and said, “I well remember the pup that spent many an afternoon caught up in my branches. Why don’t you show her your favorite spot, Western Lord?”

Sesshoumaru inclined his head, offering, “If she wishes...?”

Kagome gazed up into Bokuseno’s widespread canopy, asking, “Do you have a tree house, too?”

“No,” he said with a small shake of his head. “Merely a hiding place.”

“Are you sure there’s room for two?”

“Quite sure.”

“Okay, then,” she agreed, lifting her arms invitingly.

Sesshoumaru took his time gathering her up and adjusting his hold, and it occurred to her that the inu-youkai hardly ever touched her during the day. Since she spent every night tucked up against him, she was certainly accustomed to the proximity, but he was dawdling far more than Shippo had when he’d carried her up into his special tree. Is he dragging his feet because he wants to hold me longer... or because he’s reluctant to show me something that’s too personal? Tipping her head to catch his lowered gaze, she murmured, “We don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Golden eyes snapped to hers. “I am willing.”

She nodded, and he sprang into the air. Kagome never ceased to be amazed by a demon’s ability to defy gravity. The powerful thrust that sent them upward was a testament to Sesshoumaru’s physical strength, and she could feel the moment when their upward momentum was traded for youki-enhanced flight. With all the grace and agility of his kind, he leapt lightly from branch to branch, carrying her through an evergreen corridor that seemed to open before them... and close behind them. When Sesshoumaru finally slowed, he strolled towards a place where three limbs joined; the fork was curved, and she could easily see that it would make a comfortable seat. For one. So long as they don’t mind heights.

Still holding Kagome close, Sesshoumaru sat down and arranged her across his lap. “This is it,” he announced with a small shrug.

Again, Kagome could only nod. There wasn’t much else to say.

Sitting amidst the limbs of a sentient tree was decidedly different than perching in just any old tree. Bokuseno’s youki was more serene than those of her other friends. He’s strong, but not in a flashy way. He doesn’t fight; he endures. Being near someone so deeply anchored and steady was amazingly calming, and Kagome was startled to realize that the thrumming energy that whispered through the wood was a little like the Bone Eater’s Well—powerful and persuasive. It tugged at her soul, making her feel welcome. As she relaxed into Sesshoumaru’s embrace, she could feel a slow sway, as if the tree-youkai were rocking them, and the soft creak of his branches almost seemed like a song. “I like it here,” she whispered.

“Yes,” he replied gravely. “You smell happy.”

“Naturally,” Kagome replied glibly. “Since you are near.”

“You remember your rote?”

“It hasn’t been that long since I....” she faltered. Sighing softly, she patted the arm that circled her waist. “Of course I remember, Sesshoumaru-sama. It was a very important promise.”

The silence that followed wasn’t exactly awkward, but it wasn’t exactly comfortable either. Humming softly to himself, the inu-youkai calmly spoke into the lull. “My father told a story once,” he began in a distant voice, as if his thoughts were far away. “There are many such stories, but this was his favorite. It pleased him to believe it, so it must be true.”

“What kind of story?” Kagome asked curiously.

“It is said that the first inu-youkai who took human form did so out of envy.”

“Jealous of humans?”

Sesshoumaru nodded seriously, saying, “He looked upon mankind and longed for one thing above all else.”

Kagome considered for a moment, then asked, “Was it speech?”

“Nothing so grand.”

Half-joking, she ventured, “Opposable thumbs?

“Something even simpler.”

Truly teasing now, Kagome inquired, “The chance to wear flowered kimono?”

The inu-youkai’s eyes warmed, as if he was enjoying their little guessing game, and then his head tilted just a little to one side. “He wanted a kiss.”

A hush fell. Kagome hadn’t quite realized until that moment that they had been in this position before... or nearly so. Recollection drew her gaze to his mouth, and for a fleeting instant, she wished he would smile; he didn’t, which was a trifle disappointing. Lifting her gaze to his once more, Kagome whispered, “I have a question.”

“Ask it.”

“Erm... does this mean something?” And with that, she leaned up and brushed a quick kiss on the underside of his jaw.

Sesshoumaru’s eyes took on a shine, and his voice deepened. “It does have meaning. One you did not know... one I foolishly misinterpreted.”

Blushing furiously, she murmured, “I didn’t know. Was it something... inappropriate?”

With a soft rumble of reassurance, he explained, “It is simply a request... one that can be interpreted in different ways depending on persons or circumstances.”

“I still don’t understand,” she admitted with a discomfited wriggle.

“Between parent and child, siblings, close friends, and lovers, the touch is a request.” With a rueful expression, he continued, “Food, shelter, protection, forgiveness, affection—the meaning is usually clear given the situation. I saw what I wished to see, and I drove you away. For that I am sorry.”

“I wasn’t driven,” she stubbornly countered, wondering at the odd inflection in his last statement. “Wait... are you saying that you’re sorry I left, but you’re not sorry you kissed me?”

His gaze drifted to her lips, and he replied, “Hnn.”

■▪■▪■▪■▪■

Sesshoumaru tested and re-tested the young woman’s scent, wanting to press his advantage but unwilling to risk everything by being hasty. Kagome’s head tilted as she searched his face, unwittingly presenting the curve of her jaw to him, but he dare not make his request in the inu-youkai fashion. Finding his voice, he announced, “I want to kiss you.”

Her expression grew strangely solemn, but then she glanced at the ridiculous crown of flowers he still wore for her sake, and a smile teased at the lips he wanted to taste. “If it will please you, I will permit it,” she replied, echoing his own words.

With a blink, he hesitated, for he had not wanted to wear flowers in his hair. Did that mean Kagome was merely making a concession? As much as he wanted her, he much more wanted her to want him. A kiss is not something to be endured. Or... is she teasing again? There was a definite sparkle in her eyes, so it was possible.

“Sesshoumaru-sama?”

“Yes?”

She reached up and brushed her fingertips under his chin, like a feathery kiss to reinforce her request. “Please?”

With infinite care, he ghosted his lips across hers, and when her eyes slid shut, he angled his head for a firmer press. The next kiss lingered even longer, for Kagome’s hand wound its way into his hair, keeping him close. Sesshoumaru’s arms tightened around his betrothed, holding her but holding back just the same. He dared not lose himself in kisses. She is not ready. It is too soon. Just a taste.

When Kagome drew back and opened her eyes, he was startled by the confusion that was plain on her face. With a short huff, she blew her bangs out of her eyes, and then, she did something that took Sesshoumaru completely by surprise. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled his head down in order to place a series of pleading kisses along the underside of his jaw. His eyes slid shut as the sensation sent both his instincts and his pent up longings into disarray. Does she know...? Of course she knew. He’d just finished explaining. “Kagome?” he asked in a tight voice, struggling for control. “What do you want?”

“A kiss.”

“I did kiss you.”

“No,” she replied, a troubled look in her eyes. “That was more polite than any kiss has a right to be.”

A brow quirked at her criticism, which offended him deeply. “You are dissatisfied?”

Kagome pursed her lips, but the answer was plain on her face. “You kissed me once before,” she quietly reminded. “I remember it clearly.”

Sesshoumaru blinked several times, taking slow breaths as he contemplated the tang of frustration in her scent and the hint of longing lurking in her expressive eyes. With a small inclination, he accepted her reprimand, for an alpha should not be stinting in his affections. She wanted more; he was quite capable of more. “So be it.”

This time, he did as he pleased, and it pleased him to be lavish.

It was not enough to touch her lips; he wished to surround Kagome—arms, fur, hair, youki—showing her that he had grown strong enough to give her everything a mate should provide. With lips, teeth, and tongue, he did his utmost to steal her breath, to stir her blood, to snare her heart. This was seduction, and her every response was a triumph. Soft sighs soon gave way to small hums, then a moan. It was a mercy that they were in a tree, otherwise, he may have forgotten himself entirely. As it was, the temptation to whisk Kagome away grew more insistent as her scent grew richer... and riper.

He would happily have remained lost in kisses, but Sesshoumaru’s protective instincts spiked, warning him that other males were approaching. Amused voices filtered through his haze, and the inu-youkai recalled himself with a measure of chagrin. They are back.

“Aw, man! You’re a lousy chaperone, Tree-sama!”

It was easy to hear the smile in Hisoka’s tone. “Have you forgotten your lessons, kit? Trees are notorious for encouraging lovers.”

With a snicker, Shippo opined, “They’re voyeurs.”

“Romantics,” chided Hisoka. As the tree-youkai’s gentle laughter surrounded the caught couple, the neko-youkai politely called, “Milord, the hour grows late. We should consider turning homeward.”

“Soon,” Sesshoumaru agreed, grimacing at the telltale huskiness in his voice. Oh, there would be teasing. Glancing at Kagome, he found her watching him expectantly and decided this little interlude was worth a few jibes. Lowering his head, he indulged in a long, sweet kiss that ended in a slow smile. Kagome’s awed expression helped tip it into a smirk. “May I interpret your response as attraction?”

“Yes,” she managed a little breathlessly. “Yes, of course.”

She gasped when he tipped her head back and pressed several urgent kisses along her jawline. “Wh-what do you want?” she whispered.

“Promise you will stay like this. Here... and happy.”

Catching on, Kagome nestled against him and coyly replied, “I am happy to be here with you... but I’m not sure that’s a promise I can keep... yet?”

Sesshoumaru nodded solemnly. Summer’s end was drawing near, and Kagome would be returning to her family’s shrine. “Promise me?” he begged huskily.

She reached for his hand, twining their pinkies together before hugging it to her heart. “I promise that when Sesshoumaru-sama is near, I will have a reason to be glad.”

When he was a boy, he was so certain that his Higurashi’s promise would keep her close; he knew better now. It was still an acceptable rote, but he needed something more this time. Curling around her, he asked, “Will you rebuff me today?”

“I haven’t been pushing you away,” she replied, not understanding.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. “I wish to mark you as my own... properly. I wish to tell those here that I intend to court you. They will bear witness.”

Kagome touched her shoulder uncertainly. “But... don’t they all know...?”

“It is traditional,” he replied loftily.

“I think it would be really nice to honor your traditions.”

The taiyoukai warned, “By allowing me to do this, you are accepting my pursuit.”

“Hisoka explained it before,” she replied slowly. “It’s a declaration of intent... sort of like being engaged?”

“Hnn.”

“Okay,” she replied simply.

“Come.” He stood and strode back along Bokuseno’s many limbs, carrying her lower before dropping into the clearing. Setting her down, he took a position behind her, hands resting lightly on her shoulders, his thumb occasionally brushing over a tender spot on her shoulder. Once all eyes were on them, Sesshoumaru lifted his voice so that it rang through the woods. “I am Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West. Our people are proud!”

Bokuseno’s bark brows lifted, Hisoka straightened, and Shippo’s eyes widened in astonishment. “This is the... the thing!” he squeaked.

Taking a deep breath, the inu-youkai continued, “Our pack is strong! I will add to our strength!”

Shippo’s tails switching so fast, they tangled up behind him. He looked to Hisoka and exclaimed, “The rote!”

The neko-youkai calmly fitted his arm around the redhead’s shoulders, then firmly clapped his hand over his mouth. “It is. Now, hush.”

Sesshoumaru slipped his arms around Kagome, pulling her back against his chest; she accepted his embrace without resistance, tipping her head to give him a small smile. His deep voice throbbing with emotions he rarely showed, he completed his declaration. “Here is my choice! This is my mark! She shall be mine!”

End Note: Posted on May 6, 2011. 3,776 words.