A/N: I can't stay away from challenges! I put the rating as 'M' just to be safe. I hope you wonderful folks enjoy this and please leave a review.
Hot Springs Hijinks Challenge
Word Count: 908
How had it come to this? Honestly, the furiously blushing miko had no idea what sequence of events had led her to be in this situation. Not only was she in the presence of one of the most terrifying opponents she had ever faced, but they were both stark naked and no more than ten feet from one another. Any young woman from this era would be scared out of their wits if the Lord Sesshoumaru had joined them in a hot spring, but Kagome was not from this era, and as such; felt nothing but acute embarrassment.
It wouldn't be so bad if the unbelievably gorgeous kami-in-disguise were directing his attention elsewhere, but he had taken it upon himself to make this experience as uncomfortable as possible (or so it seemed to her), and was gazing at her nude shoulders with such conecentration that Kagome felt like she would spontaneously combust. The air felt heavy with her unvoiced questions, and it took all of the miko's willpower not to bolt from the water like a startled fawn.
The demon and his pair of followers had joined the shard-hunters a few weeks ago, and since then they had all managed to get along smoothly- apart from Inuyasha's desperate attempts to eject his half-brother from the group. Normally, Sango, Rin and Shippo would also be bathing with her; but for some inexplicable reason, she was bathing with Sesshoumaru. But why on earth would she- why would he- ever want to do something so excrutiatingly awkward?
Peeking at him from the corner of one eye, Kagome couldn't help but redden even further as her inquisitive look revealed a firmly muscled torso, highlighted by a wonderfully heavy frame of hair spun from silken strands of moonlight. As her glance turned into a full out stare, the inuyoukai shifted a little, and her eyes widened as the corded muscles in his arms moved under the flawless, porcelain skin, and tiny water droplets streaked down the planes of his abdomen, only to disappear once they reached the surface of the water just above his hips.
Hearing a heavy chuckle, Kagome's eyes snapped up to his, and she was chagrined to find that he had seen her oogling his fine physique; a heavy smirk spread across his succulent lips like oil on water, golden irises flashing with amusement.
"Why so nervous, miko? This one is doing nothing but soaking himself."
Kagome jumped a little at the sound of his voice, surprised that he was addressing her. Hesitantly, she choked out an answer,
"I am unused to bathing with males, Lord Sesshoumaru."
His smirk widened. The Western Lord stood, and Kagome hurriedly averted her gaze, not brave enough to look at what he was unashamedly displaying. She heard him surging through the water towards her- slowly, like a basking shark, and gulped when he sat down on the underwater ledge beside her, their hips almost touching. He spoke then, and the young woman knew then that he was no kami, but a devil-in-disguise.
"You regularly bathe with the kitsune- is he not a male?"
Kagome desperately tried not to shiver as his warm breath caressed her heated skin. Annoyed at her body's treacherous reaction, she looked her companion directly in the eyes as she let loose all the tension and frustration that had been building up in the warm air.
"Stop being pedantic, Sesshoumaru-sama. You knew I meant grown men, and are just doing this to see me squirm. Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I got in here to wash and relax, alone, so I shall be leaving now."
Abruptly, Kagome found herself straddling a naked, searingly hot and firm lap, Sesshoumaru's arms around her waist and her face on a level with his. Her skin flushed a deep crimson, as she desperately pushed at his firm chest, trying to escape. A warning growl stilled her movements, and the daiyoukai tightened his grip on her, claws piercing her delicate skin.
"I advise you stop struggling, Kagome; it arouses me." His husky voice shocked the miko more than his blunt words, and she could only blink as his mouth descended on hers.
Gasping, she opened her eyes only to pause in her movements when the woman realized that she wasn't naked but fully-clothed, sitting on downy grass rather than muscled thighs, and her shoulders were being shaken by a concerned-looking Sango. She had been asleep the whole time! Coming to her senses, Kagome smiled at Sango before asking,
"Is everything okay?"
Sango gaped at her. "That's what I should be asking! You must have been having a terrible nightmare Kagome- you were groaning and mumbling and thrashing your arms. What was it about?"
Kagome's blush returned in full force as images of her steamy dream assailed her. Glancing around, the miko cringed as she took in the watching eyes of all her friends- Rin and Shippo looked worried, whilst Inuyasha looked extremely embarrassed and Miroku had a perverted grin on his face. Standing, she grabbed her backpack before looping her arms through Sango's, muttering, "I'll tell you at the hot spring."
As the two women left the clearing, Sesshoumaru emerged from the treeline, staring directly at her, a knowing grin on his perfect face. Kagome almost tripped over her own feet at his parting words, that came floating back to her as he entered the campsite,
"I hope you have a most pleasurable bathe, miko."