Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha
Her hands moved with practiced ease, twisting the pestle to grind the herbs down into a paste to treat swollen joints. Her eyes stared blankly at the wall, these were motions she'd done so often that they could stare at the wall and prepare this particular ointment. There in her hut not far Kaede's, there in her hut alone.
How long had it been?
She couldn't bring herself to remember, Sango and Miroku left some years ago and visited every couple months when Sango wasn't pregnant. It wasn't a bad routine, she had grown used to it. Just as she had everything else.
"Oi, bitch! Come on! We got a job to do a couple towns over," his shadow appeared in her door. Still clad in that red haori and hakama, still wearing that sword on his hip. With that woman on his arm.
She didn't hate Kikyou, it was by her own will that Kikyou was brought back after all. That woman wasn't even a miko any longer, she was brought back without her powers. Why? Kagome hadn't the slightest idea but it didn't change anything. Kikyou was back and that meant she became second best, always the copy.
"Sesshoumaru will be by with the children this afternoon so I'll stay here. I have lessons to teach Rin and I want to see Shippou," it didn't sound like her voice. It was, but it didn't sound like it.
When had her voice become so empty?
"Feh! Whatever bitch, you'll make this up to me," then just as quickly as they arrived they vanished. Disappearing into the afternoon sun, it was almost strange to be left behind. Almost.
Kagome had things to do, she wasn't sure what they were but she had things. She did at one time, have suitors. Men who came from villages all around, at one time she thought she might move past Inuyasha. Find a husband and have children of her own and with a life of her own as well. None of the men ever met her more then once, even Kouga gave up after a while.
Then they stopped coming altogether, even the men in the village avoided her unless they need to be healed. The women always talked in low tones, their hands covering their mouths once she walked past. She wasn't stupid, she knew Inuyasha had something to do with it. The women called her 'The Half-Breed's Whore.'
But what could she do?
Nothing.
Even though Kaede had taken another apprentice so Kagome could find a life of her own, she could never go anywhere else without Inuyasha and Kikyou dogging her heels. So after a while, much less time then she would like to admit, she gave up. At first she cried, sobbed, and made herself sick. Then she stopped caring, she had two children already. Even if she only saw them rarely.
Thanks to her, Shippou was learning to fight. He was five years into it and Sesshoumaru had proven to be an excellent instructor. Rin became her charge, and she taught her everything she knew and with help from Kaede she would make an excellent healer one day. They were her children and even though they spent months on end with Sesshoumaru and only a couple weeks with her, it was enough.
A single tear spilled from her eye, wiping it away quickly. She couldn't be sad, Shippou would smell it and she wouldn't have him being hurt again. This was her doing and her doing alone, she choose to chase after Inuyasha and now she was left alone.
"Kagome-sama!"
She snapped from her thoughts rising and leaving the hut to find Rin and Shippou waiting, Sesshoumaru not far behind. "How have you guys been?" Dropping down to hug them, it was some of the little physical contact she had with other living beings.
Sesshoumaru watched as they exchanged greetings and stories. It had been nearly a year and half since they had last been here. He caught it, the tightening of her arms when they tried to pull away. The way she pressed her face against their combined shoulders. Narrowing his eyes, "Miko. This Sesshoumaru would like to speak with you."
Even then, he noticed, she was reluctant to release the children. Then finally she did, her hands shaking slightly as she drew back. It was odd, he'd only seen that a few times and then only with women who were mated to neglectful males. His eyes narrowed further, the half-breed.
Watching as the children went off to Kaede's hut, she felt alone again. She wanted to sit down with them and talk for a little while, it could wait though. If Sesshoumaru wanted to talk then it would be important. Turning her head as she stood up, she froze. The backs of his fingers brushing ever so gently across her cheek, without thought she turned into the light contact. Whimpering slightly, a reaction she couldn't stop.
He was right, even after all this time. Even with the fear he could smell on her now, she would willingly accept his though. "Miko, come." Uncurling his fingers and holding his hand open for her to take it. The half-breed treated her like less then a whore, at least a whore was touched by the man she served.
She hesitated, "why?"
"You will come with This One and the children back to the House of the Moon."
Her eyes widened, then fell. "I have no place outside of this village." Her eyes darting to the side, "Inuyasha and Kikyou will simply come to retrieve me."
He thought for a moment, "I have no reason to fear the half-breed and his ningen whore. She isn't even a Miko."
He spoke casually, her hand shook. Kagome so wanted to take his hand, wanted to feel the touch of a man even if he wanted nothing more then to take her somewhere else. Even if he never touched her after this, just this once to be touched by him. To be touched by Sesshoumaru. Slowly, her trembling limb rose and her small fragile hand rested in his much larger stronger one.
She couldn't believe it, he was smiling.
Sesshoumaru, The Killing Perfection, was smiling at her. His fingers curling so gently around her own, holding it firmly but lightly as though he was afraid she would break. At that moment she feared she might, a gentle breeze may have snapped every single bone in her body.
"Where is my little brother?"
Her mind froze and then the gears began to turn, "gone. Two days."
He hated the look in her eyes, those blue eyes that used to shine with fury and defiance like the sun shining down on the swelling waves of the sea were now flat and dark like a placid lake. "We will remain till tomorrow and then we will leave for the House of the Moon."
She could do nothing but nod, he still hadn't let her hand go. It felt so good, the warmth of another being. She wanted so much more, "will you hold me?" The words left her lips against her will, like so many things. Her needs pushed forward no matter what she wanted. She need him to hold her close, she needed to feel needed again.
Slowly, gently, easily, he pulled her closer. Pressing her against his unarmored side, watching as her head fell into crook of his shoulder.
Her arms wrapped around the edges of his armor, fingers digging into the plates. Knuckles white, the frailty gone. She couldn't let this go, then the arm which had held her hand settled across her back. Long clawed fingers resting on her hip, her eyes closed. This was what she wanted, intimacy even if it wasn't what she really wanted. It was contact, touch, warmth, a man.
He would never admit it out loud but found the woman attractive. For a human she was beautiful, even when compared to some demoness'. He wouldn't admit that he liked the feeling of this slip of a woman pressed to his side. He wouldn't admit that he would like to know what this slip of woman could do were she writing in pleasure beneath him. He would however admit that he would kill the half-breed because of the dishonor against her.
"Come," taking a small step. Each one bringing them closer to the hut she used. He couldn't smell anything but her, even though the half-breed clearly kept everyone except those absolutely necessary away her hut smelled clean as did she. She still bathed daily if not more often, she still smelled pure, untouched.
The hut wasn't small, it was one built for a family. Most likely one the villagers built for her, they expected someone who was such a natural mother to have many children. If he was right, she would have if the half-breed hadn't interfered with her life.
Kill the half-breed.
The words of his beast, more growled then anything.
Better, take her as mate.
His eyes widened slightly at the sudden words, his beast wanted the woman. He wouldn't lie to himself, he wanted the woman. But as a mate?
Yes.
It made sense, she was beautiful. Powerful as well, motherly, loyal, honest, clean, and most of all had honor. She would make the perfect mate, she had everything he was looking for. However he wouldn't have a half-breed heir, even with her power he wouldn't take the chance of making something like Inuyasha.
Thinking back there were words his father once told him, when he was to be mated to a demon of another line. A cat, if he remembered correctly.
"Sesshoumaru my boy," a deep chuckle that he remembered, "as long as you are the more powerful and she has power it will bend to your own and give you a pure inu."
But would that work for her holy power as well?
He couldn't be sure, but even a hanyou with her holy power would never lose themselves to their demon halves. They would never be torn between the two, they would be decisive like their mother, like their father.
"Sesshoumaru," her voice was so weak he nearly missed it.
"Hn."
Her hands trembled, "please don't make me let go."
"For but a moment," her hands slid free and her aura filled with despair. He hated that, his beast hated that. Moving with greater speed then he normally would have he released the clips that held his armor in place letting the heavy metal fall aside to the floor. "Come."
Her eyes widened, as he lowered himself to the ground sitting before the hearth without his armor. Thinking back to something Rin had told her.
When a demon like Lord Sesshoumaru removes his armor, it's a great honor. He should only ever remove it for his mate.
Her legs carried her closer, carried her until he gathered her and landed her between his legs. Gathered her against his chest and let a low rumble vibrate through her, her eyes closed once more. This was...
Bliss.
Heaven.
"Miko," he paused thinking, "Kagome."
Snapping to attention, the use of her name enough to ensure she focused completely on him.
"I wish you to become my mate."
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AN: I have been thinking an considering this. There is more I can do with this, there is but I will only add to it if enough people want me to. I would also welcome ideas if you have any. So please drop a review, let me know what you think.