Through the breezeway, they entered the tower’s inner courtyard. Silvery trees with long trailing branches loosely ringed a circular pool at the center, above which shimmered a thin layer of glittering steam. Pinnacles of white stone rose from the pool, in no particular pattern, but there was something artful to the arrangement nevertheless.
“You’d really just give me this place?” Kagome murmured, slipping off a sandal and dipping her toe into the primordial spring. Through the crystal-clear water, she gazed down at the white sand shining below. “It must be ancient. How long have you had it?”
“It has always been mine,” Sesshoumaru said, in a way that told Kagome nothing at all.
Her lips pursed. In this realm, of course, time was pretty much irrelevant, but she had the feeling he was messing with her. Like most of his so-called jokes, this one wasn’t funny—just exasperating.
“Does that mean you…”
But as Kagome glanced back to question him, the sight of him stripping off his clothes and armor drew her short. Heat rose to her cheeks. Though it was nothing she hadn’t seen before, she felt strangely skittish. As he shouldered out of his haori, exposing the naked breadth of his chest and shoulders, Sesshoumaru’s look was disarmingly cool.
“Set down your burdens,” he said, reaching for the ties of his hakama, “and take off your clothes. Let’s have a soak.”
Kagome’s spine went pin-straight. She couldn’t help but stare at him for a moment, uncertain whether she was indignant or impressed at such a bold, blunt directive.
“We’re all alone here, aren’t we?” she asked, letting her gaze stray to the scattered heap of his fur, arms and attire—as he strode past her, totally bare in her peripheral vision, except for the rosary beads that gleamed from his neck.
Sesshoumaru didn’t bother to answer. As he entered the pool, Kagome looked back at his tall, statuesque figure in profile, the play of light and shadow over his cut physique making her bite the inside of her cheek. Catching her eye lingering on the sculpted curve of his ass, Sesshoumaru arched a brow. With a huff, Kagome tore her traitorous gaze away.
“Turn around,” she said, slipping her bow from her shoulder. “No peeking.”
A smirk played at Sesshoumaru’s lips, as he continued to wade into the pool. “…Yes, my lady.”
Kagome shot him a glare. With his back to her, he raised his hands from the pool, to rake his claws through the sheening, half-drenched mass of his hair. Diamond droplets seemed to bleed from the slashes of his wrist stripes, to skitter like beads of glass down the slopes of his muscled back and arms.
It almost annoyed her, how sexy he was without even trying. Well, Kagome thought narrowly, as she tugged loose her obi while he drew out a flexing stretch, maybe he is laying it on a little thick.
It occurred to her that she’d never seen him unclothed in broad daylight before. That must be the reason for her nervousness, she told herself. Her outer kimono fluttered to the paved stone floor. Stepping out of the pale inner robe beneath, Kagome pulled the wine-red ribbon from her hair.
“Okay,” she said, slipping down chest-deep into the far end of the pool. Even though the water was piping hot, gooseflesh peppered her skin. “You can turn back now.”
Sesshoumaru turned. She caught the golden flash of his eye before she blinked—and he was across the pool in an instant. Kagome gasped, backpedaling a splashing step.
“Hey—what’s the big idea?” she exclaimed, her eyes snapping up to his. “Are you trying to give me a heart-attack? You know I hate it when you teleport around. If you pull that stunt again, I’ll make you regret it.”
Sesshoumaru smiled back down at her, fanged and broad. All the blood that had rushed to her face abruptly rushed out. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him grin like that before, and it was perhaps the scariest thing she’d ever seen.
“S-stop it, Sesshoumaru,” she squeaked out, turning to bolt. “I mean it!”
She made it about a foot from the ledge before he seized her by the shoulders, and dunked her under completely.
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
If you think about it, this is a very domestic scene Sesshomaru may have always wanted. A soak in a hot spring with his mate. It’s kind of sweet. I maybe miss reading this scene completely but I’m taking him dunking her as playful.
“If you think about it, this is a very domestic scene Sesshomaru may have always wanted” :’)
Thanks for sharing!! <3
My girl’s thinking about the offer!! Take it!!! You deserve a nice ass home👏🏻 I also took the water dunking as playful, but I guess it could be threatening? Not sure, Sess is a hard creature to read! That hot spring sounds dope af tho, I wish I had one at home 😆
“Not sure, Sess is a hard creature to read! ” – haha that he is! 😉
Thanks, mim!! <3
Man, she really works hard to justify his intent as anything but true affection lol. Must be tiring XD
Is nice to see them playing around a bit. I feel like he is trying to get her goat to distract her from her troubles, and showing it doesnt always have to be about sex. But… 😉
Hahaha yeah, ‘but’ 😉
Kagome’s a tough nut to crack. Thanks for sharing, susie!! <3
Ok, they’re wet and naked, and kags is about to be in high dudgeon…is the next part going to be explicit? Hint, hint…
😉
All the elements are there XD
Thanks, theresap! <3
Trying to currently imagine myself in Kagome’s body right now. Lawd. Naked in the hot spring and Sesshoumaru grabbing me. 🤣🤣🤣 She is truly the luckiest gal in the world right now. Sesshoumaru almost seems like a different being it’s weird but I’m loving it.
Lol yeah he’s a strange guy XD
Thanks for sharing, Blackberry & hope you enjoy the next part! <3
“It has always been mine,” Sesshoumaru said, in a way that told Kagome nothing at all.”
—Something tells me he’s not just talking about the castle 👀.
I know I read too much into everything, but there’s a definite preoccupation with bathing and water in this story. It connects Kagome to her transcendence, it is how she died, it is how Hirokin ferried away Sesshoumaru’s victims. It is a place of meditation and rebirth. For a second, this moment between them felt almost baptismal, sacred. They are washing away the sins and shame of the past to start anew. Together.
…Then of course Sesshoumaru ruins it lol. Kagome’s maidenly modesty is so cute. Reminds me of the old days—she is still herself in there. Perhaps, like respecting her modesty, he hopes a little playfulness can bring back those aspects of Kagome. Remind her that there are still good things in life, and that she still has someone to share them with.
“Something tells me he’s not just talking about the castle” 😉 I like it!
“For a second, this moment between them felt almost baptismal, sacred. They are washing away the sins and shame of the past to start anew. Together.” – a lovely image <3
And yep Sess still has to go and be the worst XD Thanks so much, Alex - hope you enjoy the next installment!! <3
I’m digging the fact that Kagome is the one who is being disarmed now-physically with Tessaiga at the lake, and emotionally in the spring.
Reading Control has made me develop something I’m lovingly calling “Pepe Silva Conspiracy Complex” because I immediately try to piece everything together after reading a chapter based off of the most obscure (and seemingly intentional) details…I fucking love it. On that note, thank you for all of the recent daily updates!
“I’m digging the fact that Kagome is the one who is being disarmed now-physically with Tessaiga at the lake, and emotionally in the spring.” – an excellent way to put it!!
So glad you’re enjoying how things in Control are coming together! 🙂 I’ll try to keep up the regular updates as best as I can – I love writing so much, and sharing this story with y’all <3 It's been so much fun!