One of the things I like when I'm reading a fic is that I get to use my other sense - smell. Especially in those brief, elusive paragraphs where it casually yet seductively mentions Sesshoumaru's natural scent. I'm not talking about wild Pine, Sandalwood or spicy Cinnamon, because heaven knows that nobody's smells like a flower or a kitchen spice when they aren't wearing perfume/cologne. I'm talking about the personal, cozy scent that's only detectable if you're really, really close to that individual.

*coughhuggingleaningintimatemomentscough*

So I'm very curious, because I've seen Sesshomaru's scent being described in all sorts of manners. Some in which are inexplicable, some in which are stirring, some in which are commonly familiar ... and some in which Kagome's more like the guy XD I'm curious to hear what all you Dokugians think of Sesshomaru's "real" smell. All flowers, herbs and spices aside, what does /or would Sesshoumaru smell like to you? (Provided he's tranquilized enough to let you come near lol)

I agree with teana - sesshoumaru would smell earthy and kinda musky! Since he's always on the road and traveling, i also think he would smell kind of woodsy - Not the pine/sandalwood/romance novel smells...etc. but the smell of the woods right after a giant rain fall... *sigh*

I always thought Sesshoumaru would smell like (not sure if this is crazy or not) the smell in the air when a big thunder storm is coming with some earthieness and musk.

To me, I always thought he would smell like the fancy kimono he wears. Not that gross never-washed-your-clothes kind of smell, but of clothes that's been worn many times which will have a tiny trace of his own masculine scent. Maybe a little bit of woods mixed in there too. As a sensitive reader, I always find subtle, natural scents more stimulating than mixed ones.

Teana wrote:
I always thought Sesshoumaru would smell like (not sure if this is crazy or not) the smell in the air when a big thunder storm is coming with some earthieness and musk.

Thats exactly what I was thinking! I've always thought that Sesshoumaru would smell like the air before a storm!

yeah, this forum actually reminded me of resmiranda's epic fic HotM when Kagome asks Sesshoumaru about what she smells like...


I think Kagome tells sess that he smells like a thunderstorm or something to that extent... dont remember exactly...

Leather..... Dear God, Leather!

Whether it is from Ah-Uh's saddle or whatever..... *big goofy grin*

MMmmmmmmmmmm..... leather.......

I imagine he would also have that lovely muzzy smell just after he wakes up in his futon. The one some men get (at least my hubby does) after a good night's sleep. The kind that makes you wanna bury your nose against their side.

<_<

>_>

@_@

I think I just scared or scarred everyone. *giggles* my bad.

i think, personally, he would smell something akin to what your brain would call a layered scent. It was smell: Male. Primal. Dangerous. And seductive. I can't say it would have a specific scent, b/c that would imply that he has bathed in something, or had something washed on him.

He'd probably smell of Blood as well.

I've never really been a fan of peoples' scents in fan fiction, most likely because of how often the same ones are over used. And a lot of time the writer has Kagome being able to smell him from quite a few feet away, and the only time I can smell my hubby from that far is when he takes off his slippers *cough* and let me tell ya it is not akin to sandalwood or the air after a thunder storm hehe.

Anyways, I prefer rather than using a scent, it's more like a feeling. Not sure if that makes any sense lol, but my favorite for Sesshoumaru was the one from my one-shot Balance, Kagome described his aura as 'like arctic winds blasting across a barren wasteland.'

Though I have to agree with Sugar, if anything he would smell like blood.

I agree with a lot of what's been said.

Though as he obviously washes between killing others he probably outside of battle doesn't smell like blood.

I picture him, in a non-battle moment , to smell like water. Fresh water in the springtime. I guess it's sort of like the idea of the rain, but more after a rain than before I guess.

Most of you are probably too young to remember those days, but when I was a young girl, many of the older men would carry some kind of signature candy in their pocket. It was before we were all terrified of molesters, and there were nice men who patted you on the head and gave you a lint-covered candy. My father, who was a salesman and a woodsman, wore wool suits or Pendleton shirts, and spent a lot of time at bars. He would fill his pockets with those old-fashioned, crumbly black anise candies they kept in a little bowl on the bar back then, and would give one to children he met, including me. I always associated his scent with warm wool, leather (yeah, phishbones) and anise mints. An old farmer I worked for carried those round red-hot cinnamon atomic fireballs. Whenever I smell that candy cinnamon smell, I think of him. To make a long story only semi-long, I DO think there is a primal thing about a person's scent. I guess we just need to exercise a little self-control, so we can impart that sense, but readers don't feel like our characters smell like a bathroom being cleaned (OMG, Sesshy smells like Pine-Sol!), or Glade air freshener (Kagome often smells like a combination of vanilla, peaches, and roses or whatever).

Pine sol...lol

that's too funny...

Thyme.

I can't explain why.

I think it's because I'd spilled some and was cleaning it up the first time I saw Sesshoumaru on my TV, and the smell is tied to that first memory. It's a spice you cook with and it has a faint, distinct scent that is pleasant or unpleasant depending on your sense of smell. I find it to be a pleasant "green" smell.

That sounds nice! Or how about heather? I have no idea what heather actually smells like, but from reading "The Secret Garden" and "Wuthering Heights", it must smell lovely...

I definitely agree with the "before a storm" smell!

Pending beauty tinged with danger? Haha.. something romantic like that, I suppose!

i think sesshy would smell like the good like sandalwood or vanilla maybe the woods i just kno he would smell amazing ekkk!!!!

I think he would smell like nature, sweat and power!

Thunderstorm and evergreen. I don't know. Thunderstorm represents power and evergreen represents masculinity with a touch of feminine to me.

I always imagined that cool earthy scent beore a thunderstorm as well. Combined with that sweet musky scent that some men just naturally have.

When I imagine Sessh, the first thing that comes to mind is burying my nose in his hair and inhaling deeply. I don't know if people notice this, but on the shore (a clean, unpolluted one) on a clear sunny day there is this scent carried on a breeze, the scent of salt, a pinch of water and other things that can only be described as the scent of sea. That's what I think Sessh's hair smells like

As for how he'd smell, for those of you that sunbathe, do you know the smell of your skin after a good bout of laying under the sun (and I mean 'till the moment your just about overheated and rushing to cool off)? I dunno how to describe it, it's kinda like the smell of salt mixed with the smell of... 'overheated, sunbathed skin' or 'fried' skin (don't know how to put it ). Well' that's how I imagine him smelling, + a pinch of 'the smell of a male' (I don't know how to categorize that smell either, I just know that no girl has it).

~lily

i like to think the first rain of the season. but realistically i say probably woodsy and like campfire since he travels with rin and all

Hmmm... I've always hated cloying mixed scent perfumes too. I prefer rich natural type scents. Or similar scented oils when I can get them.
When I think of Sesshomaru's scent I've always envisioned that masculine scent some men have blended with a sharp winter wind and the scent left by Texas heat lightning after a strike.

Call me crazy but it always seemed to fit.

Wet Dog

Have any of you been in the mountains on a warm autumn day with a little chill to the wind. If you have you know the smell. That is what I think he probably smells like. It's kinda a masculine smell but distant and calm smelling at the same time.


But he could also smell like my dog, he gets a warm corn-chip like smell, when he's warm and comfortably sleeping. (It reminds me of a scene from Mulan also. )