In a nearby stream, Kagome scrubbed herself raw with strong-smelling soap. She scoured every inch of her exposed flesh, over and over again. Inuyasha had once remarked sourly, after she had used this particular product, that he couldn’t even smell her through it. Surely, the cleanser’s overpowering floral fragrance would be enough to mask him.
Sesshoumaru—even thinking his name in conjunction with her naked skin made Kagome cringe in shame. As her slick fingers dipped inside her, her cringe became one of pain. Kaede had told her that, for humans at least, mikos healed quickly because of their potent reiki. Even so, Kagome’s inner walls were stinging and chafed. Her outer folds were tender to the touch.
She still wondered what had possessed him this past week. Mollifying as it was to know that he didn’t hate her, his admission only raised more questions in her mind. With difficulty, she dismissed them, focusing on the task at hand: purging him from her body as thoroughly as she possibly could.
The sun burned unrelentingly down upon her as she emerged from the stream at last. Clothed once more in the garments of her station, she breathed in deeply, bracingly. Spots flecked her vision as she straightened and began her long trek back to Edo.
Honestly, Kagome couldn’t remember how much she had slept this past week, but she knew it hadn’t been nearly enough. Every bone and muscle in her ached. Her eyelids drooped as she continued on. Mercifully, the shade of the trees provided her a reprieve. Beneath the awning of one, she took a moment to readjust her pack and quiver across her weary shoulders. Praying to Kami above that she wouldn’t encounter any malevolent youkai on her trip, she kept her eyes bent to the trail ahead—though strangely enough, over the past month or so, there had been an abrupt decline in demonic presence around, in general.
Each sunbreak hit her like a slap to the face, scalding her bleary eyes. Increasingly, she paused to gather her strength. She sagged against the trunks and boughs of ancient trees. Maybe it was her exhaustion, or the monotony of her surroundings, or perhaps a combination of the two, but as she trudged on, the way ahead began to blur.
Images passed before her—half dream, half memory. Sweat beaded on her furrowed brow as she struggled increasingly to separate hallucination from reality. She felt as though she were in a dream herself. Her feet dragged through imagined quicksand. Her heart beat slow and loud in her ringing ears.
Golden eyes stared out at her from the shadows of the trees—keen and measured and still.
“You said…you told me that you owed me a debt,” she began, not quite facing him. “What did you mean by that, exactly?”
“That if it is within my power to repay you, I will.”
His voice was so disconcertingly even. She drew in a bracing breath.
“This…this is difficult to say…I—I don’t even know where to begin, really…”
Kagome paused to collect herself. Her dirty nails dug into rough tree bark once again.
“You know that Inuyasha and I…that we haven’t been able to have children.”
Heavily, she leaned forward. Her leaden eyelids strained to shut. She could feel her nails bending as they clung persistently to the bark.
“Well, I have reason to suspect that…that it isn’t because of me. In my time…well, we have ways of determining if a woman is fit to conceive.”
His jaw clenched as he glanced aside. “What is it that you want from me?”
Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself off from the tree, stumbling forward a few steps.
“Would you be willing to…will you help me”—her voice fell to the faintest of whispers as she forced herself to say it—”will you help me have a child?”
Sharply, he met her gaze, his eyes as fierce as she had ever seen them.
A trickle of fear ran down her spine, before he turned from her and walked away.
Her knees hit the ground. Her palms followed suit as her bow clattered to her side.
She was hanging up the washing when she felt him approach. Surprised, she turned.
Youki pulsed from him in dark, heated waves. He stopped just before her. His expression betrayed nothing.
“This Sesshoumaru will do as you ask.”
Her left arm buckled, and she collapsed onto her side. Her cheek scratched against the prickly underbrush. With a tired sigh, she shifted. Her half-closed eyes stared up at the sun-soaked canopy of leaves.
His face hovered above her now—so bright and piercing. She wanted to turn from it—to turn from him, but she didn’t have the strength. She closed her eyes instead, whispering his name as the darkness stole her away.
When her eyes opened again, it was Inuyasha’s face looming above hers. His usually brash features softened in concern. She felt the downy padding of their bed beneath her back, the silky slide of her nightgown against her skin.
“Kagome,” he breathed out in relief. Callused hands took her by the shoulders as he touched his forehead to hers. “Fuck. I was so worried…”
But all Kagome could feel was fear and confusion. “Inuyasha…w-what happened? I don’t remember…”
Her husband drew back. His thumb traced across her bare collarbone. Kagome struggled not to flinch away.
“You collapsed just outside the village—Sesshoumaru found you, if you can believe it,” he snorted. “You’ve been out for two days straight.”
“Sesshoumaru…”
The heel of her hand ground hard between her pounding eyes. Shakily, she sat up. Inuyasha’s hands fell to her upper arms to steady her.
“Here, drink this,” he said gruffly, pressing a cup into her palm.
She drank deeply, greedily. As water leaked from the corner of her mouth, a clawed finger rose to banish it. She stared at the wet gleam of his nail—watched, transfixed, as moisture welled and beaded at the tip.
He was watching her in turn. His tawny eyes darkened in time with her own. He took the cup from her and set it aside, bringing her face to his as he kissed her, slow and lingering. Kagome groaned. A shiver ran through her as his fangs dented her lips with pure need. His hand smoothed up along her thigh, slipping beneath the hem of her nightgown and stroking across her naked hip.
She felt disoriented and vaguely ill—aroused, but latently, reflexively, as though the events of the past week had wired her for this response. In truth, sex was the last thing she wanted right now, but how could she refuse him? She had never refused him.
He broke from her lips and slid down the length of her body. Her legs parted as he settled between them. The short nightgown bunched at her hips as he shoved it up. Hungrily, his mouth descended upon her dampening flesh. Kagome gasped. Her back arched as she braced a hand against the wall behind her. Growling into her, he deepened his invasion.
She couldn’t remember the last time he had gone down on her like this—had he ever? Her thoughts jumbled in a feverish heap as his lips and tongue worked against her, within her. And now she was back in that miserable hut again, spread and dripping, shamelessly seeking her pleasure against him. Her eyes screwed shut. Try though she might to replace it, it wasn’t Inuyasha’s face that she saw.
Helplessly, bitterly, she writhed and moaned—pleading for it to stop, pleading for him to stop. Yet even now the end was coming upon her, welling up from the depths of her treacherous core, from the pit of her poisoned mind, in a savage, sickly, overwhelming rush.
And when it was over, when she was spent and faintly weeping, when he raised himself up and looked at her with longing in his eyes, she saw his brother still.
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
Revised 7/12/22
Haha it seems my previous speculation is correct. Indeed Sesshoumaru is following(stalking) her. And I think the decline of demon has something to do with his prolonged stay in the village. His presence alone can intimidate lesser demons away.
Kagome tried to imagine Inuyasha in part 1. Now she is thinking about Sesshoumaru when having sex with her husband. How the tide has turned. 😉
Physically she may leave the hut, but in truth, she is with Sesshoumaru. Mind and body.
Even though Inuyasha acts like a perfect husband in this part, I believe that he will never change. It is just like old times. He would be attentive and sweet when Kagome left him. But after a while he would revert to the ass he was.
I’d like to know more about the past. Is it possible that Kagome harboured some feelings for Sesshoumaru before the pact? Knowing her, she can be that oblivious.
As for the baby, I doubt anyone knows about what a half-demon’s child will look like.
In canon, half-demons are rare. Even worse, most of them are either killed or detested by both demons and humans. I think Inuyasha may be the very first hanyou who has a chance for marrying someone and having any offsprings. But Kagome is a miko. Pls tell me her reiki is not the reason why they can’t have a baby. (Ah, that reminds me of Fugue. I love that story, it always makes me sad, though.)
I love your way of thinking, can I pick your brain about something though? Do you think Inuyasha my know or suspect that something maybe going on between our two ‘love shack’ love birds? She leaves, comes back passed out, and less than 15 minutes of being awake, he’s going down on her with a fierceness! What do you think about that?
BTW love Fugue too. It’s a beautiful story. ^_^
I clicked post without proofreading!!!! I’m sorry!!!!
Thank you! You makes me blush 🙂
Yeah Inuyasha’s odd behaviour is suspicious. However, being sweet is not his way to deal with jealousy. I mean, it’s INUYASHA we’re talking about. If he knows about their affair, hell will break. I’m not sure why he acts like this, but i have a theory. Perhaps he is f**king someone behind her back as well? He had a entire week to do so, after all. He feels guilty and wants to compensate his oblivious wife. That can explain a lot.
Sounds crazy, right? 😉
Excellent insights!! OMG I love reading your reviews <3
You know, I've been re-watching the anime recently, and I had forgotten just how much of an utter JERK Inuyasha is to Kagome (at least in the beginning lol). Although, I really do sympathize with him for his lot in life 🙁 poor guy
Also I found myself crushing over Sess all over again. If I were pact!Kagome, I wouldn't stand a chance hahaha
Anyway, thanks so much for sharing, girl! <3
Yeah i wouldn’t stand a chance either! 😉 The last time i re-watched anime, I enjoyed watching Sesshoumaru’s early appearances. I don’t know why, but he’s even more attractive when he was mean and dangerous. Back then, at least he spoke more than 5 words. lol
lol yeah, I couldn’t agree more – early sesshoumaru 4 EVA!!
early sesshomaru has the sexy mean look of 90-00 animation that the later animation got rid off. truly a shame.
ah, reading this takes me back to step one. yes, inuyasha can be an ass. but i hate cheaters with passion. and dont get me on faking a child, for gods sake, lol. but kagome’s situation is pretty unique: modern girl putting up with edo culture. pretty harsh. but hey, that was her choice (at least its heavily implied that she can still go through the well and all).
not only kagome’s honesty and golden heart, but also her history (re: bad gangster two timing boyfriend inuyasha, lol) clashes with this kagome’s intentions. i mean, yes, it started for a baby and not for getting laid, but girl thats fucked up. then again, we are in the dark regarding a lot of things, and this is fanfiction, lol. lots of crazier things have happened.
also, regarding inuyasha: the boy cant lie to save his own life. kagome always knew when he was fucking around with kikyo. so i dont think he is cheating, he is being his usual self: a brat who still misses and protects kagome.
last note: im all in for sesshoumaru cleaning the entire forest up.
second last note: how many updates until he smells the lie on her? lol
thanks for sharing!
and by “he” i meant inuyasha: how much until he smells that kagome is hiding something? i re read and thought it wasnt clear!
Yes, you have a point. I hope Inuyasha isn’t cheating. And honestly i think the possibility is not very high. It’s just one of the many theories that popped in my head 🙂
Still, it’s weird that he has not suspected anything. Wasn’t Kagome covered in bruises? It’s just two days, sure there must be a few left to be seen.
I had that theory because it reminded me of a Japanese tv series called Hirugao. One of my all time favs. In the tv series, the main character would be more patient with her husband after her trysts.
While the chemistry and characters are very different, i find some similarities in Kagome’s and her predicament.
She had been married for a few years and her husband paid more attention on his pets than her. They didn’t have a child and their sex life was nearly non-existent. Even worse, she had a naggering mother-in-law.
Then she met someone. And suddenly she was no longer the wife who served the role as cooking food and washing clothes. She was wanted and loved. She felt like a woman again.
Ring any bell?
But i digress.
Yeah it’s unlikely that Kagome would make such a decision. Which is why i’m wondering if she had feelings for Sesshoumaru before the pact. It’s not like she would ask just anyone to perform that task. They were friends. Well, with Sesshoumaru, that means you got close.
I share your hatred for cheaters. While i have absolutely zero tolerance of cheating in real life, strangely it doesn’t bother me as much in fictions. Not that being fictional makes it right. But i’m willing to say goodbye to my conscience for the chemistry. 😉 Likewise, non-cons are wrong but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying a good story.
early sess melts my heart with his poison claws <3
and yep, at the end of the day, Kagome makes her choices, like we all do. make your bed, gotta lie in it - as they say
also LOL at sess cleaning the forest up - now i'm imagining him with a broom XD
love all the "notes," girl!! thanks so much for the feeback hehe <3
Ah, the wording…”Will you help me have a child?” and not “Will you help me have a child for me and Inuyasha?”
I wonder then, if Sesshoumaru will think he has rights to the child after it’s born… Or if there’s some miscommunication that happened, where Kagome doesn’t realize that she might have offered herself to Sesshoumaru after declaring Inuyasha unfit to father children and her wish to have children? Maybe that’s why he marked her, because she’s somehow “on the market” now?
Hi! Thanks so much for commenting!! 🙂 A very interesting theory 😉 It’s always fun to explore the significance behind what marks like the one Sesshoumaru gave her might mean…! I like how you think 🙂
Thanks again for sharing! Hope you enjoy the updates to come <3