A Story for Us by Yabou
A Story of Us
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[Title] 1- Purity and Perfection
[Theme] Snow
[Issuer] Priestess Skye
[Summary] She never realized exactly what a child's game could bring out in the stoic demon lord. Until now...
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"What kind of flower would Lord Sesshoumaru be?" the youngest female spoke, interrupting the silence as little girls were often prone to do.
The two older women shared at smile at her antics as they walked several steps behind the dancing child. The demon lord remained silent, but Rin would not be dissuaded.
"Lord Sesshoumaru..." she began to voice her question again, but the smallest nod from him had her giggling and changing methods. "Kagome, what kind of flower would Lord Sesshoumaru be?"
"A Chinese parasol flower," Kagome responded. "It's specific name is Melliodendron Xylocarpum, and they're really rare. It's actually found in China."
"Why that one?" Rin asked, stopping to walk by the other humans' side.
The miko allowed her fingers to interlock with the small hand tugging at her own before continuing down the road. "They're not supposed to be very hardy, but I saw one once in a big garden called a botanical garden that managed to live through the middle of winter. It was the only flower still alive. It was the strongest."
Rin beamed her agreement. "Just like Lord Sesshoumaru!"
"Just like Lord Sesshoumaru," Kagome laughed.
Sesshoumaru's eyes strayed to Kagome's face. Something about her laugh seemed to draw his attention away from the task at hand. However, with the slightest straightening, he tightened his jaw and returned his attention to the narrow road.
"What else would Lord Sesshoumaru be?" Rin wondered, tugging on Kagome's hand to beg for a response. Anything was better than walking without talking.
Kagome frowned. "What do you mean?"
The young girl shrugged. "Anything. What else would Lord Sesshoumaru be? Rin thinks Lord Sesshoumaru is like leaves. Always moving."
Kagome grimaced and noticed that she now held the attention of the entire group, save Sesshoumaru. "He's like snow." The words were out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop them, and a light blush heated her face as if to proclaim the uncertainty behind it.
"Snow?"
Kagome smiled at Rin and grasped at an answer. "Yeah," her gaze drifted toward the white banks flanking the less traveled fields. "He's all white anyway, and it seems like he's everywhere sometimes... just like the snow."
The demon lord's step actually wavered for the briefest of moments.
"And perfect," she thought to her self, not realizing how the words slipped through in only the softest of whispers. "Just like the snow."
- - - - -
"This Sesshoumaru is not the snow."
It had been nearly three days since her childish game with Rin, and Kagome was amazed that he even remembered the comparison.
Shock registered on her face as she struggled to find the voice to speak. "W-what?"
"Snow," he evenly replied, stepping closer until she felt her personal boundaries being breached and backpedaled quickly to escape his consuming presence. "Is purity. This Sesshoumaru is anything but pure." Silver hair danced over her shoulder as he bent forward, his mouth almost brushing her ear. "It is not my place to maintain such. That honor would belong to you, Miko."
Her trembling hand clutched at her chest, watching him walk away and wondering why his tone seemed to hold a hint of challenge.
- - - - -
[Title] 2- Hilarity in All Forms
[Theme] Outrageous
[Issuer] Wiccan
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'Okay, be cool, Kagome. You can do this.' Even with the internal cheering, the miko still worriedly tugged at her lower lip with her teeth while her eyes followed the demon lord's route. 'Just act natural. Nothing happened. If it doesn't concern him, it doesn't concern you.'
With a resolute nod, Kagome reflexively balled her fists and fell into line behind her friends. There were rumors of creatures, offspring of Naraku, invading the East, and since the demise of the evil hanyou, it had become their mission to destroy the bits and pieces that had managed to escape with a few precious jewel shards upon his defeat.
‘Two, maybe three more,' she distractedly thought, all the while keeping her gaze on the slowly swinging length of silver hair. 'What was he thinking? Gah! Stop it, Kagome. It was nothing. Get. Over. It.'
The behavior of the stoic youkai had managed to keep her on her toes for the better part of a week, and Kagome's poor, frazzled nerves were two seconds away from taking a flying leap. There were just some things that you tended to file away under 'never going to happen' and an almost kiss - or whatever it was - from Sesshoumaru was at the very top.
Subsequently, when this particular list was betrayed, it tended to put the believer on edge.
“Kagome,” Rin interrupted her internal dialogue with a slight tug on her sleeve. The girl had the most somber expression she had ever seen. “Is something wrong?”
Kagome frowned. “Of course not, Rin. Why would you think that?”
Glancing around at the other members of their traveling party, her small eyes grew wide. “Everybody is so quiet today.”
The miko took a moment to soak in her surroundings and realized the truth behind the girl's statement. Not only were they silent, it seemed as if everyone was waiting for something. 'Waiting for what?'
Suddenly, a wayward little thought sprung up in her mind. 'Did they see?' Had one - or all - of them happened across the seemingly intimate scene? They wouldn't say anything to her... but they would share amongst themselves.
'Oh no,' Kagome stopped dead in her tracks. 'They couldn't have... could they?' Glancing at her companions, she caught Sango's gaze for the briefest of moments before the demon slayer blushed and turned away. 'They did see! Oh my gods! They think... they think,' her brain sputtered to a complete halt. 'They think there's something going on between me and Sesshoumaru.'
'Great,' Kagome scowled. 'This is just great. Stupid youkai. He probably did it on purpose.' Mumbling under her breath about all male kind and stupidity in general, she failed to notice when the rest of the group stopped and turned to watch her ramble on like a crazy woman.
"Is something wrong with Kagome?" Shippou whispered into the monk's ear, perched precariously on his shoulder.
Miroku's upper lip twitched into a small smile. "Of course not."
"Oi, Kagome," Inuyasha growled, not liking this situation one bit. He'd heard what Sango and Miroku had been talking for the past few days. It was unimaginable to think about a relationship between icy ass and Kagome. "What the fuck is your problem?"
Aforementioned miko silenced the hanyou with a stern glare. She could only deal with one annoying male at a time, and it wasn't his turn. Attention shifting sharply, she stepped up to the demon lord and firmly poked him in the chest with her forefinger. "You-," Kagome started only to press her lips into a thin line at the quirked eyebrow.
Huffing loudly, Kagome swiveled on her heel and stalked down the pathway. "Well come on," she bit out. "We don't have all day."
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[Title] 3- To Remember
[Theme] Into the Night
[Issuer] Demonlordlover
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He kept his distance, planning every movement he made to draw her attention even as he held himself out of arms’ reach. Over the years, his awareness of her had grown in nuances.
Something she said.
Something she did.
There was always something hanging in the air around her that made him look - made him notice.
Interest forced him to act, but honor and pride shaped his actions. They would accept nothing less than utter devotion, and he was a youkai of many years. Forever was so much more than a lifetime of living.
Even in leaving, Sesshoumaru made sure that remembrances of himself were running through her mind.
A small skirmish between two of the ruling damiyo in his territories called him away, but he would not be forgotten. Rin would stay. It would ensure that she was properly cared for and that he would be able to travel infinitely faster.
Patience and confidence, they were an integral part of the pattern he weaved around the miko.
His hand passed within a breath of her face as he grasped the shoulder piece to his armor hanging on the wall behind her head. It was uncomfortable and unnecessary, but humans relied more on appearances than his own kind. The fierce form of the breast plate and swords bound at his side gave some reason to pause - those who were too stupid to ignore his otherworldly attributes.
“You’re leaving,” Kagome whispered, her body flushing from the almost contact. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately.
Sesshoumaru’s golden eyes slid down to allow him a proper view of her face. “I am. Rin will stay.”
Carefully nodding, the miko felt herself being backed into the wall by his heavy stare. “You’ll be back?”
The demon lord’s head lowered, and he could practically feel her pulse leaping out of her throat. She swallowed thickly and attempted to evade his movements, but she froze when his hand rose to rest against the curve of her neck. Closing his eyes, he drew in her scent one last time before removing himself completely and leaving the hut.
There was business to attend. The miko could wait, and even in his absence, he knew that his memory would remain.
- - - - -
[Title] 4- To Forget
[Theme] Migraine
[Issuer] Snowfall
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She could feel the pounding growing stronger in her temple. This was his fault. Everything was his fault. If he hadn’t pulled that little stunt right before his disappearing act, she wouldn’t be saddled with two of the nosiest children on the face of the planet.
“Kagome,” Rin innocently wondered, not realizing the internal debate the miko was having. “Lord Sesshoumaru never gets close to anyone, but he was like this.” The young human explained, holding her hand a mere inch in front of her face to signify the appropriate distance. “Why did he do that?”
Shippou tapped Rin on the shoulder and smiled up at their caretaker. “Maybe they were sharing secrets.”
“Oh,” the girl’s eyes lit with understanding. “What kind of secrets would Lord Sesshoumaru have?”
Kagome resisted the urge to smack herself in the head when Sango attempted to hide a giggle behind a well placed hand. This was all his fault.
“He’s a taiyoukai,” Shippou explained. “He’s probably got lots of secrets. Rulers have to be sneaky like that.”
“Indeed,” the demon lord’s voice sounded from just behind Kagome.
Gasping, she turned quickly and raised her hand with thoughts of protection racing through her mind only to watch her own fingers betray her by clutching the swath of white silk covering his chest. ‘Uh oh,’ Kagome tried to tamp down her blush as her gaze rose to the face of the youkai. ‘This can’t be good.’
Sesshoumaru’s head tilted slightly to one side as his left brow lifted in silent question. “Miko.”
“Hi,” Kagome took a deep, nearly steadying breath.
Without another moment’s hesitation, the demon lord lowered his head and brushed his nose against her cheek, reveling in the return of her scent. Withdrawing slowly, he untangled her hand and turned away, taking his place in front of the group so that they could continue their journey.
“Y-you,” the miko stuttered. “You can’t do stuff like that in front of people.”
The taiyoukai threw a knowing look over his shoulder, but it was the monk who actually spoke. “Lady Kagome, are you suggesting that you would like to find a more private place? Surely, we can find somewhere to relax while you reacquaint-.”
“Shut up, Miroku,” Kagome nearly growled, feeling the throbbing between her eyes grow to massive proportions. This was all his fault.
- - - - -
[Title] 5- Within and Without
[Theme] Missing
[Issuer] Mickeythemousey
- - - - -
Something was different.
Staring at the enigmatic demon lord and wondering for not the first time exactly what it was that ran through that devious head of his, Kagome ‘hmm’ed’ quietly while tapping two of her fingers against the swell of her lower lip. He had been distant, in a different sort of way, the past few days.
Their travels had been very productive, bringing down two more of the smaller offspring of Naraku in the course of only a few days, but an air of dissatisfaction seemed to hover around the youkai male.
It was as if a piece of the Sesshoumaru puzzle had been misplaced, and while its presence was not necessary, it still left a vacancy in its wake. ‘Like a corner piece or something. Nah… Sesshoumaru would be a 3D puzzle for sure. So technically, it could be any piece. Wait… do you have to have all the pieces to put together one of those? I don’t think you do…’
“Get a move on already,” a grating voice sounded from up ahead, and Kagome felt a frown surface.
Huffing loudly, she crossed her arms over her chest and stopped walking altogether. “Don’t be such a jerk, Inuyasha. It’s not like we’re going anywhere in particular anyways.”
Distracted from her previous study, Kagome failed to notice the way the demon lord’s eyes slid over her form, or the way he silently edged closer to her.
He, too, knew that something was missing.
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[Title] 6- Tremors
[Theme] Claw
[Issuer] ElegantPaws
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She woke with a start, covers dropping to gather at her waist with a damp flop as she struggled to sit up. The beginnings of spring had brought an unusual predawn humidity throughout the previous few days, and the air was still struggling to thin as the sun peeked over the distant hills. Gasping for air, Kagome could almost feel the phantom touch of her vibrant dream lingering against her heaving chest.
Chancing a not-so-subtle glance at her dozing companions, the miko prayed no one else had seen, sensed, or smelled her wayward thoughts. There were some things that a girl just needed to keep to herself - no matter what her body told the animals in the room.
After satisfying herself that no one was privileged to her private thoughts, Kagome eased back into the flannel and cotton coverings, knowing all possibilities of sleep were beyond her grasp for the night.
A cool palm against her ankle almost caused the young woman to jump out of her skin. As it was, a slight yelp escaped her tightly pinched lips before she noticed just whose hand it was.
“Sesshoumaru,” she called out in harsh whisper, trying in vain not to wake the others.
Languid gold eyes shifted in her direction while a lethal claw traced a delicate circle over her calf.
Kagome tried not to choke. “W-what are you doing?”
Again, the demon lord chose not to respond. Instead, memorizing fingers retraced the muscle downward toward her foot. A careful, steady exploration that left her more than a little breathless - and even more irritated.
‘Just what, exactly, does he think he’s doing?’ the rational side of her brain fumed. ‘He can’t just… take advantage of me! Definitely not while I’m sleeping!’
Rolling on to her side, Kagome twisted away from the youkai’s antics and determined to force herself back to sleep.
‘But,’ her leg tingled in disappointment. ‘No! I’m not doing this. It’s… completely inappropriate.’
A light ‘hnn’ sounded from her otherwise silent companion. Apparently, he noticed her retreat.
‘But,’ the miko pouted. ‘It did feel… good. And he’s not really… evil, right? He’s helping us. He’s been helping us for nearly a year now. That’s got to count for something… right?’
Unbeknownst to Kagome, her lustful leg and curious foot slipped away from its partner and snuggled up against Sesshoumaru’s still lingering hand while she drifted back into her dreams.
Sesshoumaru smirked into the darkness and lifted his unoccupied hand to his nose, smelling the remnants of the sweat from her chest.
It was, most definitely, time for a change.
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[Title] 7- Lines
[Theme] Slow and Sensuous
[Issuer] Royal_bk
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It was like being tortured. His own silent, personal hell.
Kagome smiled.
Sango laughed.
Shippo lazily chased Rin around the steadily progressing group.
Inuyasha scowled.
And, Miroku talked amicably to the only one who would listen at present - Kirara.
And no one saw.
The miko’s hand dipped once more to touch the slight curve behind her knee, and Sesshoumaru thought he might just twitch.
Just once.
Only once.
And he would enjoy it.
“Is something wrong, Kagome?” Sango questioned, stopping to examine an impossibly tiny pink line that followed the curve of her leg.
Kagome smiled and stood, waving away her friend’s inspection. “It’s nothing. I must have scraped against something when I was getting up this morning. Don’t worry.”
Sesshoumaru felt his jaw tighten when the miko’s gaze briefly flashed in his direction. She was teasing him.
She had to be teasing him.
There was no other way to explain the coy little smile that twisted its way through her lips when the group started to walk once more.
And Sesshoumaru followed the line once more, his hands remembering the slow, lusty tracks his fingertips had played over her skin only hours ago.
They itched for more, and he felt the need to twitch rising once more.
It was going to be a long day.
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[Title] 8- Prey
[Theme] Hard and Fast
[Issuer] Shon7
- - - - -
It had been so close. Kagome felt her heart thumping against her ribcage and hoped being scared to death couldn’t cause any permanent damage.
The spear still vibrated in the tree trunk beside her.
A final screech assured the miko that their foe had been eliminated, but the pounding inside her soul still didn’t slow. These things took time, and she could feel the panic rising - tears burning behind tightly closed eyes.
‘Why do these things still come as a shock?’ she wondered. Adaptation was easily one of her best traits, but she could never get over almost dying quite as effortlessly as some of her companions. Raising a hand to where her heart - thankfully - still resided, she lifted her gaze to the remnants of the battlefield.
Acid dripped from Sesshoumaru’s fingertips as he watched the demon melt into oblivion.
Kagome let her expression tell him what her lips struggled to say. ‘Thank you. If it hadn’t been for you…’
His nose lifted with a disdainful glance and the remainders of a now dead demon were flicked away without a thought, but while he turned away from the miko, his thoughts stayed with her.
She could have died.
It would have been so easy for her life’s blood to fall away, leaving only the empty shell to remain.
And what then?
Sesshoumaru paused while Kagome finally pushed away from the tree and took the space at his side.
“Thank you,” she breathed, her cheeks coloring when he turned in her direction.
Stopping for only a moment, the demon lord lifted his hand and barely brushed her shoulder, dropping a small piece of bark to the earth. “It was nothing,” he simply replied and began walking once more.
His thoughts continued to echo as the group distanced themselves from the scene, and Kagome’s compatriots picked up the broken pieces of conversation.
What then?
- - - - -
[Title] 9- Waiting
[Theme] Slick and Wet
[Issuer] Elle6778
- - - - -
The smell of rose water lingered in the air.
Sesshoumaru watched her reenter the campsite - hair damp and wild.
Her skin seemed to glow in the early evening moonlight, and he was drawn to the way her lips parted in frustration as she sought new and inventive places to put her bath products in that monstrous yellow bag.
It was during times like these that he could almost forget the underlying hint of age and death that hovered around her because of the mortal that she was.
Giving up with a small, frustrated sigh, Kagome shoved the towel down on top of her pack and slid closer to the fire, taking a seat within arms reach of the noticeably quiet demon lord.
“What are you thinking about?” she wondered aloud, losing herself in the dancing sparks over the fire even as her cheeks tinged a slight pink.
He tilted his head in her direction. “I do not know.”
Kagome shifted, peeking at his long silver hair. That answer was, most definitely, unexpected. “What?”
An indistinct noise of frustration escaped his lips.
“Okay,” the young woman held her hands up in defeat, deciding to change the subject instead. “When do you think they’ll be back?”
“You are human,” Sesshoumaru stated, bluntly.
Kagome blinked, unsure if he was asking a question or just… stating something… Sesshoumaru-like. “Yes,” she began in hopes of gaining a little more.
In years to come, Kagome would never quite understand what happened next. The only thing she could remember was that in one moment she was in her own space several feet away, and, in the next…
Warmth pressed against her mouth in a most unexpected way. It moved, pressing and teasing. Drawing away only to return with a force that made her gasp in surprise and welcome. A slick heat pushed against her lips, and the miko opened to his explorations.
Some were quick nibbles only meant to introduce, but others were steady and demanding, pulling everything they could from her very soul.
Kagome would never know quite how it happened, but in that moment, the steady path she and the ever enigmatic demon lord had begun to weave came together in a bright collision in that moment.
And for that, she was grateful.
- - - - -
[Title] 10- Warmth
[Theme] Weather
[Issuer] Danyealle-sama
- - - - -
Jitters.
She had jitters.
Nervous butterflies were busting through her stomach like a tornado, and she felt her breakfast beginning to turn sour.
“Sango,” she squirmed. “I don’t feel so good.”
The older woman laughed and patted her head. “It’s okay, Kagome. You’re going to do just find. Stop worrying so much.”
Letting her breath go in a quick ‘swoosh,’ the miko stood and made an effort to smooth the cool silk of her kimono. “I know. It’s silly.”
“It’ll be fine,” Sango reassured, taking her hand and leading her to the doorway.
Busting into the room like two twin balls of energy, Rin and Shippou hurtled their way toward Kagome only to be stopped at the last possible second by a stern word from the demon slayer.
“Careful,” she warned.
“But Sango,” Shippou chirped. “Sesshoumaru told us to get this to her before it started.”
Kagome frowned, “Get what?”
Glancing around in dismay, Rin poked the fox demon in the arm. “You dropped it!”
With a quick turn, he had darted out the door only to return a mere moment later, yelling a swift apology and shoving a small flower into the bewildered woman’s hands. “Here. This is for you.”
A soft smile overtook her lips as she fingered the small, white and purple flowers on a delicate green stem. “Thank you, Shippou.”
“What is it, Kagome?” Sango questioned, curiously touching the fragile gift.
Lifting the curtain and stepping out of the hut, the bride began her trek toward her groom, and her future. “ A Chinese parasol flower.”
The sun momentarily blinded her view, but when her eyes adjusted she took in the lush green of the grass, and the beautiful white and purple flowers that dotted her path.
It was going to be a wonderful day for a wedding.
- - - - -
[The End.]