Inuyasha 1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

Title: A Mere Digression  
Author: elle6778  
Rating: M (For sexual content)

Category: Inuyasha  
Genre/Warning: Umm… A somewhat angsty dub-con lemon?  
Summary: A digression was what Sesshoumaru called it. 'It' being the heated encounter(s) between him and Kagome which took place simply because neither of them could resist.

A/N: Yup, this is a digression from A Little Faith - not a proper story, just a short one. There's barely any plot in it and don't expect anything original or mind-blowing because I'm mainly concentrating on the lemons! And since ffnet doesn't allow explicit descriptions of adult themes, I've toned this down a little. The story won't be warm and romantic - some would even say that it is non-consensual.

It starts off loosely from the scene in episode 104 when Mukotsu kidnapped Kagome.

* * *

**A Mere Digression - Part 1**

The smell, it was killing her.

Much as she tried, Kagome could not avoid breathing in the fumes from the incense. Eyes watering from the effort of pushing against whatever that was paralyzing her, she snuck a glance towards the end of the room. That awful resurrected Shinchinintai was bent over something, and she had a feeling it was some sort of poison.

Even though she knew that it was useless, she glared at Mukotsu's wide back. She would kill him when she got out of this. And definitely before the madman succeeded in forcing her to marry him. All she had to do was to wait until he left the hut.

She tried to move again, and to her delight, she managed to move her fingers. The poison must be wearing off, she decided as hope grew within her. Concentrating hard, she focused on moving her toes, but realized to her disappointment that her feet were still paralyzed.

The smell from the incense was growing stronger, filling the small space with thick, grey smoke. She felt lightheaded but strangely languid, her mind gradually clouding over. There was something buzzing through her veins, heating her up, sapping away her determination to break away from this ridiculous situation. She could feel a trickle of sweat running down her forehead but much as she wished to, she could not wipe it off.

Something was happening outside. Dimly, she noticed Mukotsu rushing to the door. Soon, she was all alone in the hut. The only thing which accompanied her was the sound of shuffling outside. There was something she should do, but she could not remember what it was.

Oh, yes.

Escape.

She jerked slightly when a loud noise exploded outside, bringing her a brief moment of awareness. Desperate now, she tried to move her legs, only to end up falling onto her side. Her frustration mingled with something else she could not name as she tried to summon the strength to get up.

A shadow fell over her.

Blinking rapidly, Kagome managed to make out the silhouette of a figure standing at the doorway. She recognized the person standing there, but her lips refused to cooperate.

Sesshoumaru, she called out wordlessly.

* * *

Sesshoumaru stood there at the threshold, simply watching as the miko stared up at him mutely. His nose itched at the unbearable scent which overpowered the scent of everything within the hut including the miko. There was poison in the fumes, but he did not know what it was and he did not care as it would not affect him. 

The miko, however, would be affected.

Considering the role she played in the entire Shikon-no-Tama debacle, it might be wise to ensure that she remained alive. In which case, it was best if he removed her from the hut. His lips tightened in distaste at the notion of touching the human wench. It could not be helped, he told himself as he stepped into the hut.

The miko was still staring at him mutely, her brown eyes wide in her face.

He frowned when he noticed the glazed look, just before he lifted her up using his one arm. Her body was limp, offering him no resistance. She had succumbed to the paralyzing poison, he surmised. How weak. But what else did one expect of a mere human? Especially one as small as this one.

He stepped out of the hut, lifting his face to the sky to savor the relatively clean air before he glanced downwards at the miko. She was staring up at him with wide brown eyes filled with apprehension and something else.

It was only then that her scent hit him fully.

He was instantly paralyzed by the implication of her scent. One could not mistake the thick waves of pheromones which emanated from her body.

His own body began to react without his consent, and Sesshoumaru released a growl of annoyance. Instincts warred with reason, and he could do nothing but to hold himself immobile, lest he did something unacceptable. Still cradled in his arm, the miko blinked at him slowly.

Her voice was husky when she called out his name. "Sesshoumaru…"

A violent shiver ran up his spine and his throat went dry. Involuntarily, his arm tightened around her small form. He could not help but notice the flush in her cheeks and the dewy moistness of her lips, and the sight ignited a further reaction from his body. He immediately frowned. This situation was intolerable. He refused to allow his body to react in such a shameful manner at the sight of a human miko. The miko who accompanies his hanyou brother, no less.

Forcing the desire to the back of his mind, Sesshoumaru glanced around, noticing that they were surrounded by trees. It crossed his mind to simply leave the miko there, but he was uncertain of Inuyasha's arrival. The stench of incense and poison was still lingering in the air, and considering the hanyou's diminished capacity, he might not be able to find the miko.

The miko shifted in his arm for the first time. Her eyes were still somewhat unfocussed, but it appeared that she was regaining the ability to move. Much to his consternation, her next move resulted in her legs wrapping around his waist. Sesshoumaru grimaced. He did not wish to be discovered with the miko while she was in this abhorrent state.

Still, he could not leave her here. However, if he could help it, Inuyasha would not have the satisfaction of realizing that he, Sesshoumaru, had assisted in saving the miko. He needed to leave her somewhere safe for Inuyasha to find.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Sesshoumaru launched them both into the air. He kept his one arm around her even though it was unnecessary as her legs were still wrapped tight around his waist in the most unsettling and improper manner. As he scanned the terrain below for a suitable location to place the miko, she trembled in his arms. A waft of thick, spicy pheromones reached his nostrils, sending another jolt of desire through him. It was almost as if she was in heat. But he knew without doubt that it was simply something which was caused by the poisonous fumes.

"S-something is wrong w-with me," she choked out almost incoherently.

She was simply stating the obvious. Not having the inclination to converse with her, he simply scowled and continued his search, all the while attempting to ignore his rising arousal.

To his consternation, the miko slid lower, whether deliberately or not, he could not tell. But she was now pressed intimately against his hardening length. He tensed and immediately willed his body not to react. This was intolerable.

"You will cease your movements," he bit out.

"C-Can't…" she whimpered piteously.

Her hands were now clutching his shoulders in a surprisingly strong grip. The torture on his willpower worsened when she began to shift against him. Soon, the slight movement turned into a rhythmic grinding of her hips against his. Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat. His entire body was already protesting against the strain of resisting the lure of her pheromones. He did not need additional physical enticements to worsen his situation.

He ground his teeth together, realizing that she was far too weak to resist the poison. The urge to throw her off his person warred with the desire for her to continue her enticing motions, warning him that the situation had become increasingly dire.

His desperation had reached its peak when he finally spotted a small, secluded clearing at the base of a cliff, surrounded by large boulders. He instantly swooped down, ignoring the miko's gasp of alarm.

The short trip had taken much and his desire for her body was becoming unbearable. He needed to distance himself from her. The moment his cloud dissolved under his feet, Sesshoumaru released his hold on her. To his annoyance, she continued to cling on his person with her arms and legs.

"Get off," he ground out tightly.

Appearing not to have heard him, she simply tightened her hold around him, biting her lips as she did so. The scent of her pheromones was overpowering and he realized that he was much too aware of the curves pressed against him.

"You will remove yourself from this Sesshoumaru's person this instance!" he snarled harshly.

Her only response was to bury her face deeper in his neck. A groan broke from him when she continued to grind against him. The friction was unbearable. He tried to pry her arms away from his body to no avail. The small body was deceptively strong. Her hot breath against his cheek drew his attention. Eyes glazed with undisguised lust, cheeks flushed and lips parted as she drew in a shaky breath, the miko bucked against him.

He knew that he had to stop this before it went too far.

Extending a claw, he tore the white fabric of her sleeve and raked a shallow line down her arm, hoping that the pain would bring her to her senses. A hiss sounded from her, but she did not release her hold on him. Instead, her legs tightened around his hips. A heated shiver ran up his spine when his lower regions felt her heat through his layers of kimono and armor.

"S-Sesshoumaru… I don't know what to do."

His eyes widened. It was the first coherent sentence she had uttered in a long while. Perhaps the shock of being wounded by his claw had succeeded in awakening her capacity for speech. Reaching up to her hair, he yanked her head back such that he could look into her eyes.

"You will get a hold on yourself, Miko," he hissed. "Your behavior is most unacceptable."

Her face twisted as if she was in agony, then to his astonishment, a drop of tear trailed down the corner of her eyes. "I-I can't! I c-can't help it. P-Please stop this…" she pled.

Her fingers were now tangled in his hair, and he had to forcibly refrain from closing his eyes at the pleasurable sensation of her digit massaging his scalp. Kami help him, this was possibly the worst thing that could happen to him. His mind was clouded from the scent of her pheromones and she was offering herself, demanding that he took her, even though he was certain that neither of them would have wished for such a thing if they were in the right frame of mind.

"P-Please, Sesshoumaru…" Desperation tinged her tone even as she continued to grind against him.

He shuddered involuntarily when a particularly violent move pressed against a highly sensitized spot beneath the silk of his hakama. He would resist this, he decided firmly. There was no other option.

He clenched his fist tighter around her silky strands of hair. "You will stop this," he gritted out.

Unfortunately, it appeared that the poison had taken full control of her. Her demanding lips latched onto his neck, nibbling and sucking at the responsive flesh. An erotic shiver ran up his spine as her blunt teeth scraped up to his ears. A growl appeared from his throat.

The limit of his control was drawing closer. His body was crying out for fulfillment, urging him to bury himself in her, to thrust into her warm, welcoming depths and slam into her repeatedly until he sated himself.

It was imperative that he removed her from his person before it was too late.

Fisting his hands at the back of her attire, he jerked hard. Obviously shocked, her hold loosened. Desperate to remove her, he threw her down on the ground none too gently, but the soft grass cushioned her fall. A gasp of protest escaped her lips, and she immediately bent her legs in an attempt to rise, causing the green fabric to slide down her thigh to pool above her hips.

Sesshoumaru growled at the view before him. All that was separating his gaze from her flesh was a piece of thin fabric stretched between her thighs. The fabric drew his attention, beckoning him to approach. To tear it to shreds so that he could feast himself upon what was hidden underneath.

Teasing him.

Taunting him.

Challenging him.

Blood roared in his ears.

His last, tiny shred of control snapped.

* * *

One moment she was touching him and the next, she was on the ground, cold and alone. The loss of the heat of his body was unbearable. Why did he reject her? 

She needed to get to him, to touch him, to feel his muscles under her fingers. Something at the back of her blurry mind told her that this was not what she wanted, that this was wrong, but her body refused to obey. Instead, she strained to get close to him, even as her mind continued to tell her to stop this madness.

Before she could push herself off the ground, Sesshoumaru streaked towards her, landing between her parted legs. Though still clad in his clothes, she noticed absently that his armor was now laying down forgotten to one side.

Eyes blazing with unmistakable desire, Sesshoumaru reached out a hand.

Her breath quickened in anticipation.

The first touch of his fingers against her inner thigh seared her skin, almost as if he was branding her. Biting her lips, she struggled to push herself closer to him, to feel more, only to be greeted by a warning growl. Instinctively, she froze, but the sharp stabs of desire continued to course through her.

"Please…" she whispered.

He did not respond. Instead, his hooded eyes remained fixed on the junction between her legs. In a move she did not quite see, he ripped the flimsy strip of fabric from her and tossed it carelessly to the side. Cold air brushed against her, making her shiver. Incapable of speech, she offered no resistance when he pushed her legs apart. Heated blood roared through her veins as she watched him untie and then lower his hakama to reveal himself.

Her breath was growing shallower by the second as she continued to stare at him. She knew what was going to happen and yet, she was helpless to prevent it.

Deep at the back of her mind, she knew that she should feel scared at the sight of Sesshoumaru in this state, but all she felt was an overwhelming desire for him. Her entire body screamed out for it, wanting nothing more than for Sesshoumaru to ease this overpowering ache within her.

Without conscious thought, she reached out to touch him, only to be thwarted by his hand. Her fingers twitched as he tightened his grip around her wrist briefly before placing her hand on his chest.

Her gaze lifted to stare right into his red-rimmed golden orbs. The light within his eyes was intense, as if he was struggling determinedly against something. Dimly, she realized what it was. Sesshoumaru did not want to do this, but he was helpless to prevent it just like she was.

"Miko…" he growled low in his throat, his voice sounding tortured to her ears.

Remorse momentarily distracted her from the calls of her flesh, just before his arms went around her. The next thing she knew, she was on her hands and knees with her skirt bunched up around her waist, exposing her fully to him. Vaguely, she noticed that she was flattening the grass under her palms, even as the rest of her awareness was fixed on the hot body pressing behind her.

Then all thoughts evaporated from her mind when she felt him touching her. Her fingers curled around the grass in response to the wave of desire which coursed through her and she pushed herself backwards, trying to feel more.

A soft, furry appendage snaked around her hip, stopping her movements, holding her in place so that he could do whatever he wanted with her. The very thought of it further inflamed her hunger. She whimpered helplessly, wanting more, not satisfied even when his fingers found her and stroked her. The heat was growing more intense and there was a coiled tension which was not there before. A whine of protest escaped her lips when he removed them only to move into place at her entrance.

A sharp stab of pain jolted through her when he entered her, drawing a strangled gasp from her. She felt so full, so stretched.

He did not pause.

He simply moved into her over and over again. Pain mingled with a tight pleasure and she could only bite her lips in response to the assault on her senses. Then her breath caught in her throat when the raw, stinging feeling receded, leaving only a sensation of burning pleasure throughout her entire body. She could not see what he was doing. Her arms strained from the sheer force of his thrusts. Not able to hold herself up any longer, she dropped to her elbows with her backside still raised.

Still, he continued to drive deep into her with wild abandon, pushing her elbows hard against the ground. Her breaths came in increasingly shallow gasps as spikes of pleasure bombarded her.

Something was happening. She could feel her entire body tensing further. Not knowing what to do, she could only moan continuously as the aching coil within wound tighter, begging to be released. She needed more.

"More…" she whimpered involuntarily.

A snarl sounded behind her as the furry grip tightened around her hips. The speed of his thrust immediately increased to a frantic pace. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut as she drew in open-mouthed gasps, helpless to do anything else.

A jolt of intense pleasure rocked her when his fingers slid lower. His motions were rough, untamed, but she wished for nothing else as his fingers rubbed her. She felt the heady rise of something and her body wound up even tighter. The ache within was almost painful now. She arched her back, pushing desperately against the body behind her. Wanting more.

Then everything exploded around her in a rush of release, sending the warmth of her miko power spreading outwards. Waves upon waves of pleasure crashed over her.

Behind her, Sesshoumaru snarled triumphantly as he pulsed into her in completion.

When he withdrew abruptly, a brief moment of clarity presented itself to her, sending shockwaves slamming into her. Her eyes widened in horror as comprehension sank in. It was _Sesshoumaru_ who had been inside her. A growing panic overwhelmed her even as her pleasure-weakened knees gave way and she slumped bonelessly to her side.

What has she done? What should she do now?

Tormented by indecision, she glanced backwards. Kneeling on the ground, Sesshoumaru's chest was heaving erratically as he stared at her with a pair of unreadable red-rimmed golden eyes.

"Sesshoumaru…" she whispered.

However, exhaustion overtook her before she could form another coherent word. Willingly, she gave in to the welcoming darkness.

* * *

He welcomed the rain on his face. 

As the soft, gentle drops turned into a heavier, more persistent downpour, Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and tilted his head up. The sound of the rain thundered in his ears and the forceful drops stung his cheeks. His attire was soaked through, sticking tight to his skin.

And yet, he welcomed it.

He welcomed it because it washed away the scent of her pheromones and it removed the evidence of their rutting. It cleansed away what he considered an act which should not have occurred.

An act which he should have tried harder to prevent.

Still, he could not help but admit, albeit angrily, that the intensity of their frantic coupling had astounded him. Even though part of the act had been lost to him in the haze of his lust, he could not recall experiencing something as potent prior to this event. Whether or not this was the result of her miko heritage, he could not tell. When she had found release, a pure warmth so unlike her previous offensive powers had washed over him, instantly bringing him to his peak.

It did not matter, as such an act would not happen again. This was simply an aberration. Something which he had accidentally let slip.

He should leave before she awakened. The rain should have washed away the evidence Inuyasha would have recognized otherwise. Opening his eyes, Sesshoumaru pushed himself up.

Involuntarily, his eyes honed in on the sleeping miko not far from him. The rain did not seem to bother her either, or perhaps she was overly exhausted by their coupling. He grimaced when he recalled just how uncontrolled he had been earlier. There had been no restrain on his part and yet, from what he could tell from the even rise and fall of her body, she was merely exhausted. It was truly astounding.

He did not realize that he had approached her until the scent of blood reached him. Only then did he remember the wound he had inflicted on her earlier in the attempt to wake her from her mindlessness. Her strange white kimono was tinged red around her arm where he had slit it, telling him that the bleeding had not stopped.

His lips tightened. It would not do for her to bleed to death from his poison. He would have to heal her, regardless of how distasteful the notion was. A disobedient part within him nudged him, mocking him about how he had enjoyed her flesh earlier, that he had not found her distasteful when he was driving himself into her repeatedly.

Leaning down towards her, he raised her limp arm. She stirred slightly, but did not awaken. Deciding that he should make haste lest she woke, he parted the slit in her sleeve and lowered his mouth to it. His saliva should heal the wound.

Extending his tongue, he lapped at the gaping flesh.

He immediately froze.

Too late, he realized his error.

All his senses were filled with her; her blood, the scent of her skin and the residual pheromones which he did not realize was still seeping out of her. Spreading out from his mouth to the outer extremities of his body. Realizing that his lust was awoken once again, Sesshoumaru groaned inwardly as he attempted to suppress it.

He managed to pull himself away a short distance from the miko only to tense when a small hand snaked around the back of his neck. His eyes shot towards her face. The miko's eyes were dilated as her lips parted soundlessly. Raindrops adorned her, clinging on to her flushed skin.

Heat rushed down his body at the inviting look on her face.

Lust, thick and demanding, permeated the air.

He needed to fight this. He could not let it happen again. Once was disturbing enough. Twice would be…

"Sesshoumaru… I need…" She sucked in a sharp breath as her expression tightened in what appeared to be agony. "Please help me," she choked out, rolling abruptly towards him.

Her unexpected movement dislodged his hand from the ground, sending him to his back as she climbed onto him. A growl escaped his lips as her legs went around him. The only thing which separated them was the fabric of his hakama. The barrier was too small, too insignificant to offer any kind of shield.

"Miko, you will regain control of yourself," he gritted out, restraining the small hand which had snuck between the lapels of his kimono. He should throw her off but his body was not obeying his mind. His body wanted this.

Cheeks flushed, she bit her lips as their eyes met. He could see the turmoil and remorse in those brown orbs and it mollified him somewhat. The miko did not want this and like him, she could not resist the demands of her body.

Indecision coursed through him, even as she pressed her hot mouth against his throat. A groan broke from him when he felt her velvety tongue running down to the side of his neck. The miko would not relent until she was satisfied. Perhaps he should simply leave her now to her own devices. However, leaving her in this state would be unwise. What should he do? It did not help that the taste of her pheromones was clouding his mind, urging him to satisfy his own desire.

He should oblige.

Just this one more time.

His train of thought was broken when the miko ground against him, instantly sending more heat rushing though his entire body. Her lips traveled down his chest. A hiss escaped his lips as he fought to think past the lustful haze.

He would definitely leave after this, he insisted firmly to himself, forcing the thought though his sluggish mind.

But for now…

He reached out to touch her, growling when the wet fabric of her garment hampered his movements. He wanted it gone. He wanted to feel her slick, wet skin sliding against his while he feasted his eyes upon her naked form.

Abruptly, he sat up with the miko in his lap, and then twisted around to land on his knees. Flipping her over onto her back, he hitched her hips onto his thighs and proceeded to slice open the fabric covering her body. The miko did not remain still. Pushing his kimono off his shoulders, her greedy hands roamed his chest, sending shivers of pleasure skating up and down his spine.

Their eyes met momentarily before he returned his attention to her body, removing every bit of fabric until she was completely exposed. Her form was slight, but it curved at all the right places. His breath suspended in his chest, he took note of her creamy thighs parted around his hips, up to her small waist and then up further. He twisted his Mokomoko-sama around her wrists, holding them in place over her head as his eyes took in her heaving breasts. Giving in to the urge, he reached out to he fill his hand with her rain-slicked flesh, kneading it roughly. He could smell the spike in her desire even through the downpour, drawing his attention downwards to her parted thighs.

Quickly, with shaky hands, he untied his hakama, pushing it down his hips. As he shed his remaining garments, she drew her legs up to wrap around his hips, her back writhing on the grass. Sesshoumaru swallowed a groan as she ground herself recklessly him. He could smell the evidence from their previous encounter, mixed with her own fluids and the rain, and for some reason, it excited him further.

His mouth watered to taste her but through the haziness of his mind, he knew that he had to refrain from the urge. For doing so would mean that her taste would linger in his mind long after this encounter. And he had no intention of allowing thoughts of the miko to settle in such a private place. It was bad enough that he had tasted her blood.

The miko moaned in discontentment when he withdrew his hand. A surge of male pride rushed through him as she eyed him longingly, licking her lips as she did so.

"Let me go," she pled, struggling against the damp fur around her wrist which stretched her arms above her.

Finding himself strangely incapable of speech, he simply shook his head.

"I want to touch you," she breathed out raggedly. "Please…"

Something broke inside him. With a snarl, he released his Mokomoko-sama from her wrists only to secure them around her waist. In a blink of an eye, he sank backwards into a sitting position and lifted her up. The miko's eyes shot open to connect with his as he entered her swiftly.

Growling at the pinpricks of pleasure shooting through his body, Sesshoumaru gnashed his teeth and began to surge up into her. He did so once, twice and then losing count, he pounded mindlessly up into her tightness.

Hands released, the miko began to touch him feverishly, sliding her hands over his rain-slicked body. He felt her everywhere, her blunt nails scraping down his back even as her teeth bit his chest, uncaring that she had broken his skin. He hissed at the sharp pain only to find that her violence excited him.

Frenetically, they moved together as one. Her breath was shallower now, telling him that she was nearing the peak. Knowing that he was about to do the same, he quickened his pace as his hand reached down. As he continued to pump up into her, his fingers stroked her over and over again.

She immediately went rigid.

As she cried out in release, her walls convulsed around him. Her miko powers surged outwards, hitting him with waves of ecstasy. Helpless to do anything else, Sesshoumaru threw his head back with a snarl as his body jerked.

Breathless from the intensity of his climax, he remained buried in her, feeling her muscles spasm around him. Pulse pounding in his ears, he could only rest his head against her shoulders as he attempted to regain his composure. Less affected by the pheromones this time, he had felt every touch and every shiver. Or perhaps it was simply because her flesh was bared.

He could feel her hot, uneven breath brushing against his hair as her hands clenched spasmodically on his shoulders. Absently, he noted that the rain was slowing.

With unfamiliar gentleness, he lifted her off him with his Mokomoko-sama, hissing as her swollen flesh dragged along his length. When their eyes met, he was unsurprised to find the consternation in her brown orbs. The effect of Mukotsu's poison must have dissipated for her to exhibit such a reaction, Sesshoumaru surmised.

Abruptly, she scrambled away from him. Turning her back to him, she wrapped her arms around her naked body. A myriad of unfamiliar feelings swept over him at the pitiful sight she presented; remorse, sympathy, anger.

Still, what was done was done.

He eyed the tattered remains of her clothing and grimaced. Those were hardly serviceable and it would not do for her to remain in this unclothed state. Glancing at the white under-layer of his kimono, he decided that it would have to suffice. The rain had washed his scent away. A moment later, using his youki, he dried the dampness off.

Without a word, Sesshoumaru stepped towards her and extended his clothing. She tensed before she turned around, eyeing the white fabric with undisguised uncertainty.

When she finally took it, the miko raised a pair of troubled eyes at him.

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru," she whispered.

He tensed. The miko was apologizing? This was the last thing he had expected. Perhaps he had expected her to scream at him, to blame him for what had just happened, even though he had decided that the responsibility laid with neither of them. The circumstances had been beyond their control.

"Your apology is unnecessary," he said stiffly.

Her eyes widened in patent astonishment.

There was no reason for him to draw this out. It was time to leave. Without another word, he spun around and walked away, leaving her to sit alone against the cliff face.

When he was certain that she could no longer see him, he paused and launched himself up into a tree. Through the gaps in the foliage, he could see her small, huddled form. He did not understand his own actions, but he remained motionless where he was as he watched over the motionless form of the miko.

The sun slowly descended down into the horizon and still, he remained seated on the branch, his eyes not straying from the miko's lone form. The only time he shifted was when he saw her shoulders shaking, a telltale sign that she was crying.

He continued to watch when Inuyasha appeared.

His eyes never left the couple, even when it appeared that a tense argument had begun. As it grew more and more heated, their voice grew louder. The balmy breeze brought their words to him, informing him that the miko told Inuyasha nothing of the truth.

He continued to watch when Inuyasha swept the miko into his arms, launching in the opposite direction.

It was much later when he finally jumped off the tree, mentally marking the end of yet another incident in his long life. He would move on from here. The incident was simply a deviation from the norm. A mere digression which he had no intention of repeating.

It was something he would never speak of to anyone.

But he knew that it was something he would never forget.

* * *

A/N: That's it! Hope you liked it. If you can, please drop me a review to tell me what you think of it. Thanks! 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing the previous chapter of this story! Yes, I know it took me a while, but bear with me because this is terribly hard to write, believe it or not. It's not my usual kind of fic. I guess my lemon skills/ideas are not quite up to scratch yet, hehe! Anyway, please enjoy this one…

* * *

**A Mere Digression Chapter 2 – by elle6778**

Riding on Inuyasha's back as the hanyou sped back to the village, Kagome could not prevent the torrent of despair mingled with shame from crashing over her. Now that her mind was clear, she knew that what she and Sesshoumaru had done was nothing short of disgraceful. They had… rutted like two mindless animals in heat, uncaring that they were out in the open. It had felt so good at that time, but now…

It was not wrong to feel like this, right? After all, what had just happened could only be described as forced, even though neither of them were to be blamed.

And the last thing Kagome wanted was to answer any questions. It was hard enough for her mind to cope with what she and Sesshoumaru had done. Voicing it aloud would make it even worse. But Inuyasha was persistent.

"What the hell are you doing here? We've been looking all over for you!" the hanyou asked belligerently.

"I... I got away from Mukotsu…" she responded haltingly.

"I know that. But what are you wearing? Where are your clothes?"

Think, Kagome. Think! "Mukotsu… forced me to change…" she finally improvised.

A growl sounded from Inuyasha. "That bastard is a pile of ashes outside the hut. What happened?"

"I… Don't know…"

The hanyou's tone was nothing short of incredulous when he exclaimed, "What do you mean, you don't know! What's going on, Kagome?"

She could not take much more of it. "Inuyasha, please stop. I'm too tired to deal with this," she bit out tightly.

The hanyou fell silent for a moment. And then he asked gruffly, "Are you alright?"

She swallowed past the lump in her throat. "I'm fine now. Just need to rest a little."

A short paused followed before he asked, "What's that smell?"

Kagome blanched. "What smell? You mean the incense and all?" she said, surprised at how calm she sounded. "Look, Inuyasha. I know you're worried. But I'm fine now. Really."

Inuyasha's steps faltered slightly, and then he simply grunted.

She was glad that Inuyasha could not see her face when he asked the last question. Had she missed something when she cleaned up between her thighs? Had Inuyasha managed to sniff out the evidence of what she had done with Sesshoumaru? Whatever it was, there was no way she was going to tell Inuyasha what had happened between her and his brother. He would probably fly into a blind rage.

Soon, they arrived at Kaede's village. When Inuyasha set her down, she was immediately swamped by her other friends. With a gasp, Shippou launched himself into her arms.

"I was so worried, Kagome!" the kitsune exclaimed tearfully.

"Keh!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "She's here now, isn't she?"

As Kagome patted his back, Shippou suddenly froze and looked up at her with a pair of anxious eyes. Before she could ask him what was wrong, Sango and Miroku came up to them.

Miroku spoke first. "We couldn't find you when we woke up."

"Are you alright?" the taijiya said, concern lacing her words.

Not up to uttering another false sentence, Kagome simply mumbled something incoherent.

Sango placed a reassuring hand on her shoulders. "Let's talk in Kaede's hut. She's out gathering herbs at the moment."

Nodding, Kagome walked towards the familiar wooden hut with a strangely silent Shippou in her arms. Her friends would surely want to know what had happened, but she did not know how she could deal with the questions if she told them the truth.

"Kagome-chan, are you sure you're alright?" Sango asked quietly once they entered the warm hut.

Kagome nodded, forcing a smile to her lips. "Yes, just a little tired," she said, sitting down on the tatami mat in front of the small fire pit with Shippou in her lap. Extending her arms, she allowed the comforting warmth to seep into her skin. But she could not help but feel that she was still chilled inside.

Miroku shook his head slowly. "We should have been more alert. The Shinchinintai is more devious than I expected. You could have been greatly injured. It is fortunate that you've escaped unscathed."

Unscathed? Hardly, Kagome thought morosely. "I'm fine now," she assured them, wishing nothing but for them to drop the topic.

"But how did you escape?" Sango asked.

Kagome averted her eyes. Hating to lie to her friends, but knowing that she had no choice, she muttered, "When I woke up, Mukotsu is… gone. Dead. So I walked away to find you all."

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, a frown adorning his forehead. "Something is not right. How the hell did he just drop dead like that?"

"Maybe Naraku took back the shard, hence killing him?" Miroku suggested thoughtfully.

Kagome's eyes widened. What happened to Mukotsu's shard? She did not remember seeing it when they left. Had Sesshoumaru taken it when he killed the Shinchinintai? But she had not sensed it. How could that be?

Then she felt a hand on her arm. Looking up, she noted the worried look Sango wore. Glancing around, she realized that Inuyasha and Miroku were wearing the same expression. Shippou simply watched her with an uncharacteristic seriousness, but he said nothing, asked nothing. The kitsune simply wrapped his little arms around her, providing her with silent comfort which she was truly grateful for.

She bit back a sigh. She knew that they were concerned, but she could tell them nothing of the truth.

So she forced another smile to her lips.

"Quit worrying, you all! Honestly, I'm just tired. I'll be fine after a nap."

* * *

Kagome stood at the foot of the hill, staring unseeingly at the foggy outline of the crumbling Mount Hakurei. 

She was distraught when she had not been able to enter the sacred grounds. At least, not without feeling really queasy. What could have possibly caused such a thing? Was it because she was now considered… impure? Evil? Lover of a demon? Why? Or was it because she had hidden the truth from her friend? Lying with a straight face to hide the despair, anger and guilt?

So now she was standing a safe distance away with an unconscious Shippou in her arms while Inuyasha and the rest went in. Left alone with her failure to approach the holy grounds, everything that she had suppressed for the last three weeks began to surface.

Kagome lowered her eyes, remembering how things had been ever since that fateful day. Initially, Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku had constantly prodded her about it, their continual concern making her feel even more guilty. But as days turned into weeks, they had stopped asking her. Perhaps it was because she had gone out of her way to smile, laugh and tried her best to put on a 'normal' façade to ease their concern, all the while suppressing the sour, bitter taste of her own shameful actions. No one seemed to have heard the hollowness in her voice for the last three weeks. It was good, wasn't it, that they did not realize that there was still something wrong with her?

All except for Shippou, who continued to be by her side without any demands.

He had not questioned her at all about it. Shippou simply stayed with her, offering nothing but his silent comfort. Maybe he had realized the truth and had chosen to keep quiet about it. Perhaps his senses were more sensitive than Inuyasha's, seeing that Shippou was a full demon. She would never know, because she could never get the nerve to ask him. It was still too painful.

Kagome glanced down at the still unconscious kitsune in her arms. The mist was thinning and the rest should be out soon. And since she did not feel as queasy, she guessed that Shippou would awaken soon. As her eyes swept over his features, it suddenly struck her that he seemed to be more grown up after that incident, moving away from his childlike behavior into a more serious mode. She could even swear that he had grown a couple more inches.

Yes, one did have to grow up eventually, right?

Childhood, adolescent, puberty, marriage…

A lump lodged in her throat as more thoughts bombarded her mind. She had never expected her first time to be like that. Come to think of it, she had not thought much about it past the fact that it should be gentle and romantic. She snorted inwardly. Gentle and romantic was not how she would describe her first time. Still, she could not deny that it had been explosive, beyond what she had expected. But it was Sesshoumaru, someone who was a practical stranger to her. Not to mention he was forced into it as well.

The whole thing made her feel… dirty.

And angry.

Her eyes narrowed. The bastard Mukotsu had subjected her to a despicable poison, stripping her of her innocence. If he was not dead, she would gladly drive an arrow into his heart, if he had one.

Then she sagged as remorse coursed through her. Remorse at the fact that she had dragged a reluctant Sesshoumaru into it especially after the taiyoukai had saved her. The worse thing was, Sesshoumaru had not been unpleasant about it. That very fact made her feel even more guilty. It would have been better if he had blown up or said something harsh to her. Maybe she would even welcome him pressing his claws to her neck to warn her never to lay a single finger on his exalted person.

But he had not done so. He had simply given her some of HIS clothes and left. It had baffled her then, stunned her into a complete muddle until it sank in that she had had sex with Sesshoumaru. Kagome's lips twisted bitterly as she remembered how she had curled into a ball and cried in despair until Inuyasha arrived.

She sighed.

At least she was not pregnant.

For the past three weeks, while Inuyasha and the rest worried about the Shinchinintai, she had been worried about being pregnant, only to cry in relief when her period started two weeks ago. Inuyasha had simply keh-ed in his usual gruff manner but she knew that the rest were rather confused by her mood swings.

In a sudden fit of irritation, she kicked a pebble at her feet viciously.

Would she never stop thinking about it?

She gritted her teeth in determination. Time healed everything, right? If she just carried on like normal, sooner or later the memory would fade, right?

Yes, she would be fine. She just had to stop thinking about it.

* * *

It had taken an unacceptably long time for him to find Naraku, but as Sesshoumaru approached Mount Hakurei, his senses tingled with anticipation at the knowledge that his target was finally within reach. 

But there was another presence.

The undead miko was with Naraku.

Sesshoumaru instantly quickened his steps until he caught sight of the undead miko standing by the cliff with Naraku, a broken bow laying uselessly at her feet. Her expression was one of disbelief as Naraku retracted his clawed hand from her chest. A fraction of a second later, the miko's limp body fell backwards into the smoky crevice next to the cliff.

Naraku turned to him. "Ah, Sesshoumaru. You've come to join us, I see."

Taking a step forward, Jaken squawked indignantly, "You will address Sesshoumaru-sama with the title he deserves!"

Eyes narrowing, Naraku shot Jaken a cold look.

"Step back, Jaken," Sesshoumaru cautioned. It would not do for his retainer to be in the way when he attacked. If Naraku dared to venture out of his barrier after all this time, it must mean that the hanyou had gained strength.

"Why, are you here for a fight?" Naraku asked, quirking a brow.

"Hn."

Toukijin slid out of its sheath with ease and a moment later, Sesshoumaru launched himself upwards. The blade hissed through air before it came down, slicing Naraku into pieces.

As he landed back on his feet, Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed slightly. The hanyou had not bothered to avoid the blow. Which could only mean…

Naraku's head floated into sight. "It will not work, Sesshoumaru!" he declared smugly as his broken flesh recomposed and melded together. "I'm stronger now," he added with a laugh, and then sped away.

Naraku was simply testing his renewed strength. Sesshoumaru's lips thinned in annoyance. And once again, the filthy hanyou had succeeded in escaping him.

Then he shifted slightly when he detected the presence of others some distance away. Inuyasha and his… friends were there as well. This hardly surprised him, for they were all hunting down the same hanyou.

Unbidden, the image of the miko flashed across his mind, reminding him of their coupling with unsettling clarity. It baffled him that that particular encounter still haunted him even though it had happened weeks ago. His mind had been unwilling, but his body had betrayed him. Still, it should not bother him unduly. Perhaps his reaction was due to the fact that she was a human miko, and not his occasional female youkai companions.

Frowning, Sesshoumaru banished the thought from his mind to concentrate on his current task. Naraku's strength had increased, as evidenced from their short-lived battle. It would seem that normal physical attack no longer sufficed. It was time to locate other means of destroying the hanyou.

"Oi, Sesshoumaru!"

His half-brother's unwelcomed voice pierced his thoughts, but Sesshoumaru did not turn around. Beside him, Jaken sputtered indignantly. But he knew the moment Inuyasha saw the bow.

"Kikyo's bow? Where's Kikyo?"

Sesshoumaru turned around to find Inuyasha glaring at him, the bow held tightly in his hand. Before he could answer, Jaken spoke, "Naraku threw her into the crevice."

Inuyasha's lips parted in a soundless gasp.

A choked sound drew Sesshoumaru's attention to the miko standing not far behind. She was staring at him with those large, liquid eyes. He immediately remembered how those eyes had begged him to take her, to ravish her. His blood heated at the notion and he had to forcibly suppress the urge of desire his wayward body was suddenly experiencing.

Their gaze only broke when Inuyasha's voice pierced the air.

"What did you do, just stand by and watch? Did you just sit there and watch her die?!" Inuyasha accused heatedly, his fists clenching around the broken bow.

Deciding that it was pointless to remain there any longer, Sesshoumaru spun around and began to walk away. "Come, Jaken."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Damn it, Sesshoumaru! Get back here! Why didn't you save her?"

Sesshoumaru paused. Perhaps he would have stopped Naraku had he arrived in time. However, it was a moot point. He frowned inwardly, suddenly irked at himself for even contemplating such thoughts.

Without looking back, he simply said, "She was not my responsibility."

* * *

She knew she was staring, but she could not help it. 

But Kagome did not expect everything to come crashing down on her at the mere sight of Sesshoumaru. Just when she thought that she was about to get over it, she saw him standing there, as composed as ever.

She saw him staring down impassively as Inuyasha yelled at him for not saving Kikyo from Naraku. They had just narrowly escaped the collapsing Mount Hakurei, only to find Sesshoumaru standing at the edge of the cliff next to Kikyo's broken bow. Unfortunately, Naraku had managed to escape.

Kagome tried to avert her gaze when Sesshoumaru's eyes landed on her. She did not want to look at him, but she could not help it. And she could not help herself from reacting when their eyes locked. It was as if seeing him had set something off in her body. Something which felt so much like desire.

Transfixed by his familiar form, she could only continue to stare as Sesshoumaru told Inuyasha that Kikyo was not his responsibility. Meaning that Kikyo was Inuyasha's responsibility. Kagome's lips twisted bitterly. It was not as if she did not know it. Inuyasha had never given up on Kikyo. But Inuyasha had given up on asking her about what happened after Mukotsu when she was reluctant to speak about it.

Sesshoumaru lifted into the sky soon after, leaving Inuyasha to stare furiously at his departing form. When Inuyasha came back to them, Kagome took in the obvious distress in the hanyou's eyes. He wanted to look for Kikyo, she decided in resignation. It was only right, she supposed.

"Go, Inuyasha," she said in a quiet voice.

He blinked at her. Then Inuyasha lowered his eyes. "I have to. You understand that, right?" he finally said.

Not knowing what else to say, she simply nodded.

As the figure in red streaked off, Kagome felt a soft touch on her arm. She turned around to find Sango giving her a sympathetic look.

"Let's go, Kagome."

With that, they mounted Kirara and flew off.

Kagome sighed as she closed her eyes, allowing the wind to blow harsh against her face. She did not have the heart or the mind to be worried about Inuyasha and Kikyo at the moment. She had her own problem to deal with.

Namely Mukotsu's poison.

Kagome bit her lips anxiously as she pressed down low on her belly in an attempt to ease the growing pressure. It was faint, but there was definitely something there still. It seemed that Mukotsu's poison was still running around in her system. The prick must have decided to make sure that his 'wife' would desire him at least once every few weeks.

It was not long before they landed in a clearing, preparing to make camp for the night. She noted that they were not too far from Kouga's lair.

"Kagome? Are you alright?"

Raising her eyes, she found Sango crouching beside her. Forcing a smile to her lips, she said, "I'm fine."

Miroku joined them, his worried eyes skating over her. "You seem to be distressed."

"Miroku, I'm fine," she reiterated tightly.

The two of them were obviously unconvinced, but decided to relent. Shippou simply stared up at her wordlessly with a pair of concerned eyes. It was as if he knew what was wrong with her. How could that be? After all, he was a child, wasn't he?

She glanced at the kitsune, noting how his clothes seemed to be much tighter than before. They had to find him some new clothes, she thought absently.

* * *

It took three more days before her unsatisfied lust grew and grew until it became a physical pain. Hunting shards were out of the question as she was worried that she might latch on to any available male. The funny thing was, her body seemed to know that Miroku was out of bounds. And Inuyasha… 

Her lips twisted. She had nothing to worry about there. Inuyasha was not even around. He was still out there searching for Kikyo.

Curling up against a tree at the edge of their camp, Kagome groaned in frustration. She knew that there was only one thing she could do to ease the desire and that was to have sex with someone. Much as the idea repulsed her, she knew that she could not afford to be in this state all the time because she would not be able to concentrate long enough to survive in a fight. And with Naraku out and about, it was growing increasingly urgent that they obtained the Shikon shards before he did.

Beside her, Shippou was twitching anxiously.

"D-Don't worry, Shippou. I'm fine," she tried to assure him through clenched teeth.

She saw his eyes flare momentarily before the kit strode up to her, clad in his new clothes which was strangely similar to his old one, only larger. Absently, she noticed that the hand on her knee was no longer so small, but appeared to resemble a normal humanoid hand.

"Kagome, you need to find help."

She glanced sharply at his serious face. This was the first time he addressed her problem. What did he know about it?

"It'll pass," she whispered. "It's nothing."

Once again, his eyes flared. "It won't pass. You need someone, Kagome."

She looked away, not able to face the kit's knowing expression. Now it was confirmed. Shippou knew what was going on. For how long had he known? Like she had thought, it must be because he was a full demon and could sense what Inuyasha could not. Suddenly, she felt a wash of intense affection for the kit. Shippou had known but understood her enough not to press her for the details.

Still, something had to be done, she decided. Shippou was right.

There was only one other person she trusted enough to help her with this. She would be involving another innocent person in this mess but she had no choice.

"Shippou? Can you get Miroku?"

The kit's eyes widened incredulously. As she comprehended his silent reaction, she shook her head swiftly. "No, I'm not… doing anything with him. I just need him to find someone."

Wordlessly, Shippou nodded and left. Soon, he returned with a bewildered Miroku.

"Kagome? Are you still feeling unwell?" the houshi asked with gentle concern, placing his hand on her clammy forehead.

The stabs of desire were growing more intense now, and she tried valiantly not to let it show. "Miroku, please. Find Kouga," she pled, curling deeper against her knees.

The houshi's eyes widened in shock. "Why Kouga? I'll find a healer."

"No. Just get him here. I need to… talk to him."

* * *

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed when a scent reached him. It was the houshi who traveled with Inuyasha. What astonished him most was the familiar but faint scent of the miko's arousal. He was not aware that the miko had such relations with the houshi. As far as he was aware, the miko was infatuated with Inuyasha, not this human. 

The houshi's steps faltered as their eyes met.

"Sesshoumaru-sama."

Noticing the distinct discomfort in the human's features, Sesshoumaru simply stared at him. The fact that miko was physically close to the houshi should not affect him, therefore his sudden flare of annoyance at the notion unsettled him.

"Pardon my interruption to your journey, Sesshoumaru-sama. But have you seen Kouga, by any chance?"

Sesshoumaru paused, deliberating if he should deign to respond. Seeing no harm in it, he finally said, "The wolf prince?"

The houshi nodded. "I need to find him."

"No. I have not seen him."

Deflating visibly, the houshi bowed. "Thank you for your time."

Perhaps it was the miko's scent which compelled him to do take such an usual step. But before he could reconsider his words, Sesshoumaru asked, "To what purpose do you seek the wolf?"

A hesitant look crossed the human's face before he replied, "Kagome. She wanted to see him."

Sesshoumaru frowned inwardly. Could the miko be experiencing the same thing as she did few weeks ago? Could it be that she wished for the wolf to relieve her of her desire?

Telling himself that the matter does not concern him, Sesshoumaru simply inclined his head at the houshi moments before the human walked away.

* * *

Kouga arrived in his usual manner, kicking a trail of dust up behind him. By then, the burning desire within her was so intense that it was hard for her to focus on his face. 

"Kagome, my woman!" Kouga greeted, drawing her up into a hug.

Kagome smiled weakly. His touch only served to heighten her need. "Kouga, take me somewhere else, please?" she asked in a strained voice. "I don't want… anyone to see me for a while."

"Kagome?" Then his eyes widened in realization. "You're…" he faltered uncertainly even as a gleam of desire entered his blue eyes.

"I'll explain on the way."

So, as Kouga carried her, she spoke quietly in his ears, explaining about the poison. She left out the part about Sesshoumaru, deciding that the proud taiyoukai would not thank her for spreading around something like this. She had caused enough problems for him and she did not want to make it worse.

When they landed by the side of a gurgling stream, Kouga spun around to face her. His expression was troubled when he said, "You are saying that you need me to…"

She interjected quickly, "I'm sorry to ask something like this from you, Kouga. But I need to…"

His expression clearing, Kouga placed a hand on her lips. "You're my woman. If you desire me, you only need to say so and I will do anything in my power to satisfy you."

Guilt wracked through her. Kami-sama, this was unbearably difficult. She did not want to lead Kouga on but she needed someone to take away the pain. "Kouga, this doesn't mean that…"

Her eyes rounded when Kouga's lips touched hers. Instantly, her body melted into his, her hands searching for any bare skin she could touch, all manner of sensible thoughts deserting her. When her hand found Kouga's bare thighs, she heard him growl low in his throat.

A small voice in her head kept telling her that this was wrong.

But it was silenced by the burning desire coursing through her body.

* * *

Sesshoumaru froze when the unmistakable scent reached him. 

Glancing down at his retainer, he said, "Take Rin and Ah Un to the cave in the west and wait there."

Jaken blinked up at him questioningly, and then nodded. When the small youkai and his ward was out of sight, Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to the scent.

It was the miko and she was not alone. The wolf prince was with her. Curiosity piqued despite himself, Sesshoumaru made his way stealthily towards the origin of the scent. As he neared, his ears pricked at the soft, passionate moan of the miko followed by a lustful growl from the wolf.

Cloaking his presence, for the wolf would sense it otherwise, Sesshoumaru ventured closer until the two figures came into view.

Still fully clothed, the miko was clinging on to the wolf as he ran a hand down her backside to her thighs. A sigh escaped her lips just before she latched her mouth onto the top of his bare chest. The wolf growled and Sesshoumaru instantly smelled a further spike of arousal in the air.

Where was his hanyou brother, Sesshoumaru thought irritably. This wench was Inuyasha's responsibility. Something told him that Inuyasha might gave gone to look for the undead miko. How foolish. The other miko obviously did not belong to this world and yet, Inuyasha cared so much for her that he was willing to leave this miko in the state she was in.

Unless, of course, Inuyasha was not aware of the miko's predicament. It was possible, considering the hanyou's inferior senses.

A loud moan drew Sesshoumaru away from his contemplations. His breath caught in his throat when he saw the miko's bare breasts. Clad only in the short green garment, the rest of her clothes were now lying on the grass, leaving her top bare. The wolf lowered her down the grass as he trailed his lips down to suckle the tip of her rosy peak.

What they were doing should not concern him and he certainly should not be viewing such private acts. However, he found himself unable to move away even as his body began to react to the sight. Involuntarily, Sesshoumaru clenched his hands. Incensed at his own reaction, he stifled a growl.

Still, his eyes followed the wolf as the dark-haired demon scraped his fangs up her chest.

The wolf intended to mark her, Sesshoumaru realized with surprise. One could not mistake the lengthening of the gleaming fangs against the soft skin of the miko's neck. Was the miko aware of what was about to occur? Remembering how delirious she had been during their coupling, Sesshoumaru doubted it. The miko was incapable of coherent thoughts at the moment.

Uncertainty coursed through him. Should he interfere?

Without another thought, Sesshoumaru stepped out, revealing his presence. Outwardly impassive, he watched as the wolf jumped and then swirled around. The miko moaned at the lost of contact before she fell weakly to the ground, curling into herself.

"Sesshoumaru! What the hell are you doing here?" Kouga snarled, obviously agitated at the interruption.

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened at the other demon's tone. "You will not mark the wench without her express permission."

Kouga's eyes bulged. "WHAT?!" He took a step forward, his youki swirling angrily around him. "This is none of your concern, Sesshoumaru. Get lost before I sink my claws in you."

Foolish wolf. Did he really expect to best this Sesshoumaru? Irked at the challenge, Sesshoumaru stepped forward. "You are not capable of such a feat, wolf."

With a snarl, Kouga launched towards him with his claws extended. Sesshoumaru simply sidestepped and retaliated with his own claws. Kouga was instantly thrown back down to the ground. Lips thinning, Sesshoumaru watched impassively as the wolf pushed himself shakily to his feet. It would seem that Kouga intended to persist with his foolishness. Still, Sesshoumaru could not help but wonder why he was even getting involved in such a matter.

Glaring at him, the wolf unsheathed his katana. "I don't know why you're even here, but NO ONE stands between me and my woman! You'll die today!" With that, he charged.

Unperturbed by the threat, Sesshoumaru waited until the blade was almost upon him before he swiped it to the side effortlessly. Truly, one such as the wolf should not even contemplate challenging those above his station.

A hiss of frustration escaped Kouga as he readied himself for another attack. Growing weary of the 'battle', Sesshoumaru decided that it was time to end it. When Kouga rushed at him again, Sesshoumaru unsheathed Toukijin to release a blast of youki, throwing the surprised wolf hard against a tree. A crack sounded and the tree broke into half at the impact.

With a small whimper, Kouga slid down to the ground, alive but unconscious.

* * *

A pair of familiar booted feet came into view. 

Kagome glanced up to find her eyes locked on Sesshoumaru. The shock of seeing him momentarily washed away the pounding unsatisfied lust in her veins. His expression betrayed nothing as he stared at her. Only then did she realize that her top was laying some distance away. With a gasp, she wrapped her arms around chest and shot to her feet. Before she could retrieve her top, however, Sesshoumaru was right in front of her.

"Do you intend to couple with any available demon?" he asked flatly.

Anger began to boil at his words. Gritting her teeth, she retorted, "I can't very well go around like this! I have shards to hunt and I can't be distracted."

"The shards are more important than your honor?"

Her anger flared. "How dare you? How can you stand there spouting things like honor." She swallowed hard. "It's not like you don't know what it's like! You were involved too, remember?"

His lips thinned. "And it justifies involving others?"

A stab of guilt coursed through her. But she forced herself to meet Sesshoumaru's condescending stare. "Why do you care? It's not you I'm forcing this time right?" she retorted, feeling her heart clench at her own words. She had sank so low as to force someone to have sex with her. Did it really matter that the someone had no objections to it?

"One should deal with their own problems."

"I can't, alright!" she choked out.

"Yes you can," he hissed.

In a blink of an eye, she found herself pushed against a tree. His clawed hand was on her stomach, pressing her back almost painfully. Her eyes shot up to meet Sesshoumaru's blazing orbs and she immediately felt a frisson of fear running up her spine. What would he do? Would he…

To her horror, she felt herself growing wet between her legs. No… Not again…

Without breaking their gaze, she felt the pressure on her stomach disappear as he released her, only to suck in a sharp breath when she felt his claws scraping her inner thigh just a second before her panties were ripped off.

Unlike the first two times, her mind was no longer as clouded. It was not necessarily a good thing because she was completely aware of what he was doing. Did he intend to have sex with her again? Did he intend to drive into her with as much abandon as he had done weeks ago? Another surge of heat pooled between her thighs at the thought.

"S-Sesshoumaru?" she breathed out nervously.

To her surprise, he grasped her left fingers, guiding her hand beneath her skirt. Her eyes widened. What was he doing?

Then her breath shot out of her when he pushed one of her fingers inside her hot, wet heat. Mortified, she could only stare wordlessly as him, watching his eyes gleam with some unnamed emotion. Streaks of pink began to stain his eyes, and his tightly clenched jaw told her that he was trying hard to control himself.

Before she could form another coherent thought, he pulled her fingers out only to pushed two of her fingers back in again. A gasp escaped her lips as she flushed in embarrassment. This was so wrong, so personal with Sesshoumaru pushing her own fingers into her. But still, she could not deny that it felt good. The sticky fluid running down her fingers onto her palms told her that much.

As if uncomfortable with her perusal, he dipped his head lower until she felt his heated lips closing around the peak of her breast, the tip of his tongue flicking against her sensitive flesh. The onslaught of sensation tore a loud moan from her, and continued to do so until he raised his eyes to hers.

"THIS… This is what you can do," he hissed almost viciously as he withdrew and pushed her fingers back in again. "Do you understand?" he reiterated by adding one of his own fingers to hers.

She released an open-mouthed moan at the increased fullness inside her. Her knees began to grow weak as he continued to pump those fingers into her. She could feel the telltale tightening in her lower regions. And the tightening intensified when she felt him thumbing her nub, sending jolts of pleasure running through her entire body. The rough pad of his thumb were drawing circles around her even as he continued to thrust their combined fingers into her depth.

A strangled gasp escaped her lips when she felt it, felt herself spiraling to the peak. And when it exploded, her lips parted in a silent scream while her muscles spasmed around their fingers.

Then everything was still.

The only thing which could be heard was the heavy rasping of their breaths as they stared at each other. Now that the desire had abated, she felt a growing embarrassment in the pit of her stomach. But it was different this time. He just... helped her. She glanced down at the arousal tenting his hakama. He had not tried to have sex with her. Why?

"You are fertile," he announced flatly, as if he understood her unspoken question. "I assume you do not wish to be pupped."

It was strangely considerate of him. But then again, he might just be averse to the possibility having more half-demons running around, she thought a little cynically. That could only be the reason, right? Still, something about it did not ring right. His words, to be exact. It was strange. It almost sounded as if he was thinking about her welfare, not just about the possibility of another half demon running around.

Not knowing what was the appropriate thing to say in such a situation, but knowing that she should say something, she finally mumbled, "No." A little pause followed before she added quietly. "Thank you for your consideration."

She could not tell what he was thinking from his usual stoic expression. Then, after a while, he took a step back and inclined his head. Without another word, he spun around and retreated away from the area.

* * *

A/N: That's it for now until more hentai ideas pop up in my mind! Please review if you can. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing this story! Yup, the next chapter is up, at long last. I was stuck at the lemon part, but thanks to LazyWolf from AFF, who fed me a lemon plot bunny for this chapter, and Kagehime who guilt-ed me into updating, here it is…

Warning: Sexual situations up ahead.

* * *

**A Mere Digression Chapter 3 – by elle6778**

Once the sun had completed its descent into the horizon, the forest began its journey into the night as the traveling group set up camp. The newly built burning fire crackled merrily, supplying them with some light in the dark forest.

Having dealt with dinner, Kagome sat staring at the fire with Shippou seated beside her. The kitsune rarely left her side nowadays, she thought with a small smile before she glanced around. Sango and Miroku were some distance away, trying to fix a small damage done to Hiraikotsu in their last battle with some random youkai. As always, Inuyasha was nowhere to be seen. With some amount of resignation, Kagome decided that he must have gone off either to find Kikyo, or to simply sit down to brood like he usually did nowadays.

It was just as well he was not around.

Because it was that time again.

Once again, Kagome could feel the pressing tingle in her lower regions. She immediately flushed with embarrassment when she remembered what she had done just last two nights in the hotsprings. It was an understatement to say that she was severely embarrassed by what she had to do. But it could not be helped. Sesshoumaru was right, she should not involve others.

Under the cover of darkness, she had sunk into the hot water and reached down, remembering what Sesshoumaru had 'taught' her. Remembering what he had looked like when he added his own finger to hers. The image of his molted gold eyes and the slight flush around his magenta marking had been firmly burnt in her mind. Recalling how his low, but forceful voice had sounded and felt against her cheeks, it had taken only a short while before her inner muscles convulsed around her own fingers.

Like the last time with Sesshoumaru, finding release had helped a little, even though it did not stop fully stop her wanting more. But at least the affliction was more controllable. At least it allowed her to function somewhat normally on a daily basis.

But now, it seemed that the strength of her need was intensifying, for she had gone to the hotsprings for the last two nights in a row and she still had the urge to…

"Uh… Kagome?"

Drawn from her disturbing thoughts, she glanced around at the kit seated next to her. "Yes, Shippou?"

A pair of intelligent green eyes stared back at her. "You should... do something before Inuyasha gets back. He can sense it if he gets close enough."

She blanched at the kitsune's words, and began to shift uncomfortably. Shippou, in her eyes, was still a kit even though he had been growing at an incredible rate over the past month or so. It was unsettling to hear him talk about such an intimate problem of hers. But at least he was tactful about it. She never knew that he could be tactful, nor act so maturely considering the circumstances. In fact, just yesterday he had walked in on one of her sessions to warn her that Inuyasha was searching for her, but not without making an inordinate amount of noise to alert her to his approach.

Giving the kitsune a strained smile, she mumbled, "I know."

Obviously embarrassed, Shippou averted her eyes to stare into the fire.

Deciding to voice the question which had been plaguing her mind ever since Shippou began his growth spurt, she asked, "Ne, Shippou… How come you're suddenly growing so fast?"

Shippou's wide eyes snapped towards her, and then he glanced away almost guiltily, spiking her curiosity. Why should he look guilty at all for growing up? Could it be that there was something more to it, she wondered.

"Shippou?" she prompted softly. "You can tell me, you know."

The flames reflected in his green eyes as he continued to stare into the fire. Then haltingly, he said, "You will hate me if I tell you."

Kagome blinked. She did not know what she had expected him to say, but this was definitely not it. He sounded so upset at the idea of her hating him, she thought with a small smile. Considering how much support he had given her over the last months, she was surprised that he would even think of such a thing.

Turning away from him to study the dancing flames, Kagome murmured, "You know, Shippou… Everyone kept asking me about what happened, but I just couldn't tell them. And I felt so guilty because of it. I still do. But you've always been there even though I'd never explained everything to you. And I never really thanked you properly for it."

He glanced up at her, and then flashed her an understanding smile. "It's alright," he assured her, pulling up his knees to wrap his arms around them.

"So, whatever secret you're keeping, it's okay if you don't feel comfortable telling me. I was just curious, that's all," she finished with a shrug.

Shippou took a deep breath, as if he just reached a decision. "You're right. I've been growing real fast recently." He paused for a moment before he continued, "I'm not really a kit anymore."

Confused, Kagome simply waited for him to continue.

"Youkai… Each youkai grows at a different rate. I don't know why. But in my case, I'd wanted to remain a kit."

She could not help but ask, "Why?"

The corner of his lips curled slightly, then he lowered his eyes to his knees. "I suppose because I like to be… spoilt."

A gasp of astonishment escaped her before it turned into a chuckle. Knowing that she probably should not laugh, Kagome quickly slapped her hand to her lips.

Shippou grinned at her. "It worked, right?"

This time, she let out her laughter. Vaguely, she realized that this was the first time she was laughing genuinely in a long time. "I suppose it did," she admitted between chuckles. "So, how old are you, actually?"

His forehead scrunched up in thought. "I don't remember exactly. But when I was born, the Shikon no-Tama had disappeared for a few decades. I think I'm maybe around twenty human years."

Kagome's eyes bulged. Images of Shippou laying on her lap and her cuddling Shippou against her chest instantly came to mind. Sputtering in disbelief, she squeaked, "Twenty? Shippou! You're older than I am?"

Shippou blinked. "Maybe nineteen?" he ventured tentatively.

Groaning, Kagome buried her face in her hands. All this time she had treated Shippou like a kid, when in fact he was older than she was. No wonder he knew so much about what was happening to her. He had to, after living so many years.

A small hand patted her shoulders and she looked up to find Shippou giving her a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry, Kagome."

"Don't worry about it," she said weakly. She still could not believe it. "So, now you're catching up?"

He nodded.

"Why?"

The smile disappeared from his face to be replaced by a thoughtful frown and once again, he averted his gaze. Something was obviously bothering him.

"Shippou?"

Indecision crossed his still-chubby face before he spoke. "I want to grow up now." When he turned to her, his green eyes were blazing with determination. "I want to be able to protect you."

Kagome's breath hitched in her throat. Shippou's words touched her, making her realize the depth of his care for her. He had thrown away his selfish desire to remain a child to _protect_ her.

"Shippou…" she faltered, unsure of what she should say.

"Go to the hotsprings. I'll keep watch for you," Shippou said, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Their conversation had distracted her from her need, but now that Shippou had mentioned it, she realized that she had better go take care of her little problem.

And so she found herself heading towards the hotsprings again. Her friends must be wondering why she took so many baths these days and she was worried that one of them might find out what she was doing. Her cheeks heated at the thought. Even in her future Japan, such things were not discussed openly, let alone in the Feudal Era. She could not imagine how they would react. Whatever it was, she was certain that the shame would be like nothing she had ever experienced before.

Pausing at the edge of the hotsprings, Kagome stood staring at the steaming water. Slowly, almost without her notice, a drop of hot tear trailed down the side of her cheek.

She was so tired of hiding. So tired of deceiving her friends. Her innate sense of honesty refused to allow her peace and so, with each lie, she shrank inwards further. With each lie, her smile grew more forced, her voice grew more brittle. When would this all end? How could she get rid of the poison from her system? Was it simply a matter of time and she just had to wait it out?

How long, though?

With a heavy sigh, she dashed the tears away from her cheeks and stripped away her clothes. Soon, she was submerged in the hot water up to her neck.

* * *

Fate must have something against him. 

For nothing else could explain why he once again detected the miko's presence.

He had gone out of his way to avoid temptation in the past few weeks. But she made it truly difficult for him to do so. He was aware that she had not done it deliberately. It was simply because both him and her companions were following the same route in tracking down Naraku.

Coming across her in the hotsprings for the third time in just as many days since their last encounter, however, was ridiculous. And highly troubling. Not to mention torturous for his already deprived body.

Especially considering what she was doing.

Still, for the third time in just as many nights, his eyes refused to leave the sight before him. It was truly appalling that a mere human was causing such a reaction in him. He should be disgusted by what he was seeing, but his body refused to agree.

She was standing on the back, slowly stripping off her attire. The white top left her followed by the green wrapping around her hips, revealing her form to his gaze. Then she slipped off her odd-looking chest binding, allowing it to flutter to the ground.

Her naked form glowed in the moonlight, enticing him, beckoning him. As it had done the last few times, her pure scent mixed with a smoldering hint of arousal taunted him, daring him to approach. Daring him to sink himself into her and abandon his senses to the feel of her tight heat until he roared his completion into the night.

Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth, forcing himself to remain still even as his body began to react to his thoughts. He would not give in to this carnal desire. His prior aberrations had been enough. There was no need to compound his mistakes.

However, it appeared that sheer will was not enough to suppress his desire. For nothing else explained why his feet made its way towards her, completely without his consent.

Before he knew it, he was standing right behind her. He saw her shoulders tense the moment she realized that there was someone behind her, but strangely enough, she did not turn around. His brows furrowed slightly. Did she know that it was him? Or was she did not care as long as someone was there to satisfy her urge? To his puzzlement, he felt a twinge of annoyance at the notion.

"You did not run. Is your need so strong that you would rut with any available male?" he asked quietly.

A moment of silence passed before she spoke. "I know it's you, Sesshoumaru."

"Hn."

His attention was drawn to the smooth slope of her shoulders, bathed in the hazy moonlight. She stood still before him as he trailed a hand down her bare arm, feeling the rise of goosebumps against the tips of his fingers. A strangled sigh escaped her when he left her arm to slide his palm over the silky skin of her stomach.

His entire body vibrated with anticipation as he slid up slowly, knowing what he would encounter soon. This time, a needy moan rang through the air when he cupped her rounded flesh, the sensation of against his palm urging him to turn her around so that he could see his hand against her pale skin. To look into her eyes as he continued to touch her.

"I..."

"Do not speak," he warned quietly.

"I need to."

"It can wait."

"No!" she protested with surprising vehemence. "I need so say it."

He waited for her to continue, resigned to the fact that she would not relent until she had said what she wished to say.

She took a deep breath, and he almost groaned out loud when her naked backside pressed against his growing length. "Sesshoumaru, I don't mean to involve you in this. I've done what you… taught me. But… it's… it's not going away."

"Hn."

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes as the images of her pleasing herself for the last two nights flashed over his mind. Head thrown back, glistening breasts arched up into the sky, she had gasped his name in completion. HIS name. He choked back a growl of masculine pride, telling himself that it was ridiculous to concern himself with her fantasies. That it was completely unacceptable to take her gesture as a compliment.

Still, it was clear that his mind and his body were not cooperating when it came to her. For what else could explain his current actions? Perhaps this time he should give in fully, to satisfy his lust for every inch of her skin. To touch and taste every dip and arch without the restraint he had imposed on himself during their previous encounters. This time, he would allow himself to lose the restraint and lose his senses in the act. Perhaps then, he would be rid of this bothersome craving for her.

Mind made up, his body began to thrum in anticipation. His fingers tightened around her rounded flesh before shifting to the other one, instantly finding and rolling her stiff nub between his fingers. A strangled gasp came from her as her hands flew up to grip his wrist, and then pressed back against his groin. Stifling a groan, he pushed towards her, grinding his throbbing arousal against her rounded backside.

Suddenly impatient for more, Sesshoumaru spun her around and lifted her onto a flat, waist-height rock. Her eyes flew wide, meeting his, forcing him to grit his teeth to control himself at the sight of the fevered lust shining in those brown orbs.

"S-Sesshoumaru?"

Tearing his eyes away when he realized that he was staring, Sesshoumaru fixed his attention on the pair of breasts he had been playing with earlier. The erect peaks stared back at him, beckoning him, taunting him to taste them.

He gave in to the desire, cursing himself as he did so, knowing that her taste would remain with him long after this encounter. But all thoughts of self-recrimination left his mind when the taste of her skin exploded on his tongue. She released a half-gasp half-shriek when he suckled her hard for the first time, only pulling back to flick the tip of his tongue repeatedly against her.

He heard a growl which sounded like his own when her fingers tangled in his hair, flexing against his scalp. Mind hazing quickly at the rising scent of her arousal, he nipped at her, leaving red marks before he trailed down her body. Her stomach quivered under his lips, and shivers ran up his spine in reaction. Growling low in his throat, he descended lower, absently realizing that the smoldering scent of her arousal was growing even stronger now.

He straightened abruptly, pulling his hand away from her back, allowing her to fall onto her back on the rock. His clothes were disposed of swiftly, left in a pile of white silk beside them, leaving him completely nude. Without pause, he pushed her knees up on the rock and apart, completely exposing her to his gaze. Shallow breaths left him as he trailed his eyes up from her folds to her heaving chests and then her flushed face.

He watched as her attention wandered from his face to scan down his body with obvious hunger, telling him clearly that she appreciated the view. A moment of masculine smugness coursed through him before it was replaced by the discomfort of realizing that he was allowing this human to view him in such a manner. He had not undressed completely during their previous encounters, but this time, he wished to feel her skin against his.

"Sesshoumaru… I…"

"Do not speak," he murmured as his hand trailed from her knee down the inside of her trembling thigh.

She quivered in anticipation as his fingers hovered over her. Bent close to the juncture between her legs, he could clearly see the evidence of her desire. She was more than ready, but he was adamant that this time, he would satisfy each and every one of his craving before he sank into her depth.

With that thought, he captured her sensitive flesh between his fingers and began to rub. She immediately reared off the rock, releasing a throaty moan which sounded like his name, sending a sharp jolt of desire straight to his groin. Suppressing the groan which threatened to escape, Sesshoumaru moved on to trail two fingers down.

And then he sank his digits into her.

This time, a choked scream broke out as she arched off the rock once again. When he began to pump in and out, her hips ground into his hands while the rest of her body writhed erratically. Their eyes met, and Sesshoumaru felt another wash of molten heat at the expression in hers.

"Sesshoumaru, please…" she gasped. "I need… I need more… Please…"

His mouth went dry at her needy tone, and he forcibly held his own desire in check even though her pleads came close to snapping his fraying control. There was one more thing he wished to do. There was one more thing he wished to indulge in and he would not stop until he was satisfied that he had enough.

Breaking their gaze, he lowered his head and flicked his tongue out, right above his own fingers. A cry pierced the air. This time, her forceful jerk almost forced his fingers out.

"Be still," he ground out, withdrawing and then pushing his fingers hard into her as a punishment.

A whimper was the only answer he received. Returning his attention to her beckoning folds, he breathed in her scent and began to taste her. Her thighs shook but she was obviously trying to obey him by not moving. Growling against her flesh in approval of her submission, Sesshoumaru continued his rhythmic movements.

Soon her walls were tightening around his fingers, and Sesshoumaru knew that she was close. Her breath was turning into pants as she thrashed side to side, choked moans and gasps breaking from her lips. At the obvious signs, Sesshoumaru drove deeper into her, urging her closer to completion.

A shaky scream rend the air as she convulsed, the sucking motion making him groan out loud.

Soon, his movements stilled and he straightened to look at her. Face flushed, she was staring at him with a hazy look of satisfaction, but there was no mistaking the slight furrow between her brows.

"Sesshoumaru… You didn't…"

"It's not over."

Her eyes widened at his statement, and Sesshoumaru had to suppress a smirk when he caught the scent of her renewed arousal. Was she naturally such an insatiable creature or was her reaction simply the product of the poison in her body? Whichever one it was, it did not matter to him. He would simply allow himself to truly indulge in this one last time.

Her legs were still parted, her pulsing centre exposed to him, ready for him. Reaching down, he grasped his painfully aroused length, running a thumb over the head to find it already coated thickly with his own fluids. Bending down slightly, he aligned himself, hearing her gasp as he made contact.

Their eyes met then, and right at that instant, Sesshoumaru pushed in. Her folds parted around him, stretching to accommodate him. As he strained to suppress the groan which threatened to escape, he saw her eyes shooting wide open as she let out a choked moan.

Not wishing to wait any longer, he began to move within her, slowly at first, and then faster. Her eyes closing, she pushed against him, meeting him thrust for thrust. Then those words came out of his mouth, without his consent.

"Open your eyes," he growled, driving his length harder into her.

Gasping, her eyes shot open, fixing onto his. The gleaming lust in those brown orbs sent another jolt of molted heat through him and Sesshoumaru drove himself harder into her. Was this why he wished for her to look at him?

Wanting to bury himself deeper, he reached his arm around her back and lifted her without withdrawing. Swiftly, he repositioned them so that she was straddling his lap while he sat on the rock. Her arms came around him, gripping his shoulders tight as she ground herself onto him, her eyes half-hooded as she bit her bottom lip. Muffled cries came from her, urging him on as he stared at her flushed face.

Then, gritting his teeth together so that he did not do something he regretted, Sesshoumaru pressed his lips to the pulse against her neck as he continued to thrust upwards repeatedly, his arm tightening around her waist as he did so. His blood was pounding erratically through his veins and his mind was clouded with the strength of such desire that he had never felt before. And when her walls began to clamp around him tightly, he pulled back and then pressed his lips to hers, swallowing her cries of completion.

Absently, he realized that he had just kissed her for the first time. But before he could consider the implication of his action, his shuddered with the sensation of her constricting walls around him.

Sensing his own release, Sesshoumaru drove up into her with growing urgency. It did not take long for him to reach the peak. The explosion which came almost blinded him with its intensity, and a growl of satisfaction burst from his lips as the immeasurable pleasure skated up and down his body.

Then the only sound he could hear was his own thundering heartbeat. To his consternation, he found himself unable to move, wishing to remain there buried in her heat, with her breast pressed against his chest. Knowing that he should not remain in that position for long, he compromised by pulling slightly away from her, detaching their upper bodies but leaving the lower ones connected.

Their eyes met.

"I… um…" she faltered, her eyes shifting uncertainly. Then she took a deep breath. "I'm sorry to drag you into this again." Her voice was sincere, and held no deception.

"Hn."

She averted her eyes completely. "Thank you… again, for… helping."

An odd feeling tightened his chest at her words, but Sesshoumaru simply stared down at the female in his arms. He did not know how to respond to her. It did not help that his mind was still clouded from the strength of his release.

A sudden sound from the distance caught his attention. Eyes widening when he realized who was approaching, Sesshoumaru instantly lifted the miko up, hissing as her wet walls slid against him. Standing up, he tightened his arm around her and jumped into the hotsprings.

When he released her, she shook the water out of her face and stared at him in bewilderment. "Sesshoumaru? What-" she gasped.

"Be quiet," he hissed. "Unless you wish for Inuyasha to discover you in this state."

Her eyes widened in alarm. "H-He's here?" she whispered apprehensively.

"Hn."

Despising the manner in which he had to handle this situation, Sesshoumaru stood up and pulled the miko with him deeper into the hotsprings. Part of him balked at the notion that he was _hiding_, almost _running_ from his hanyou brother. But another part of him insisted that this was necessary, seeing that Inuyasha would certainly not take this well. Strangely enough, it was not so much Inuyasha's reaction that concerned him, but the result of the hanyou's reaction towards the miko.

In fact, knowing all this made Sesshoumaru wonder why he even allowed himself to be caught in such a situation. For he could blame no one but himself for approaching the miko. It was clear that she was still unable to control her lust, but how should he justify his own weakness?

"Cleanse yourself," Sesshoumaru instructed.

Her expression displayed her anxiety as she glanced around the hotsprings. "I can't believe this is happening," she groaned, cupping some water in her palms to wash herself. "Inuyasha would kill me."

"He will not know."

She grimaced. "I hope so," she muttered as she continued to wash herself.

Sesshoumaru watched, transfixed by the trickles of water which trailed silvery lines down her naked skin, only to end up as ripples circling her rosy peaks. It was fortunate that she was too preoccupied with her distress to notice the direction of his attention. It would not do for her to realize that he had been staring.

Dragging his eyes away, he dipped fully into the water and swam a distance away before he resurfaced. He turned around to find that the miko had paused in her motions. Instead, she was staring at him with an expression which could only be described as troubled.

"I'm sorry to drag you into this again," she repeated quietly.

His lips thinned in annoyance. Her habit of apologizing repeatedly was beginning to grate upon him. Where was the feistiness that he had come to expect from her from their past encounters, those encounters before the fateful day of her poisoning?

"Do not apologize. This…" He gestured at the bank before he continued, "… would not have occurred if you were left to your own devices."

Her lips parted in astonishment, but before she could respond, Sesshoumaru decided that it was time to leave. Inuyasha was drawing closer to them and he did not wish for a confrontation. At least not of this nature. Much as he enjoyed taunting his half brother, Sesshoumaru knew that the subject of the miko was not an appropriate one to exploit.

* * *

Kagome could only stare, almost mesmerized, as Sesshoumaru stepped out of the water dressed on the other side of the bank. And then, without a backward glance, he disappeared into the darkness of the forest. 

Biting her lips, she quickly continued to scrub herself, hoping that it was enough to remove any telltale signs of their encounter.

He had been the one who initiated it this time and for obvious reasons, she had been unable to resist. But did she want to resist in the first place, considering that her thoughts during her private moments consisted of no one else but him? And considering the intensity of their most recent encounter, she was sure that she would find it hard to think of anyone else but him.

The first two times had been almost violent, but this time, it was different. This time, it almost seemed as if Sesshoumaru wanted to touch every part of her with his fingers and tongue. A flush rose up her face when she remembered how he had brought her to her first orgasm, and then the heated look on his face when he told her to open her eyes. And this time, he had kissed her. She had been too far gone by that time to process the fact, but now that she thought about it, it was the first time she had touched his lips.

Her shoulders slumped as she paused in her washing. Although Sesshoumaru seemed willing enough, it did not excuse her from giving in to her urges. What she was doing with Sesshoumaru was not right. She was in no illusion that neither of them had wanted something like this to happen in the first place. But they had been pulled together and now, it looked like they had fallen into some strange trap.

Unable to escape.

Unable to forget.

What was she doing to herself?

What was Sesshoumaru doing to himself?

"Kagome?"

The familiar voice instantly jolted her out of her thoughts. She glanced up to find Inuyasha standing at the bank, staring at her with complete disregard for her nudity. A furious Shippou was struggling his side, held by his neck.

"Let me go, Inuyasha!" the kitsune shouted angrily. "I told you she was bathing!"

With a shriek of embarrassment, she turned her back to him and dunked back into the water.

"Go away, Inuyasha!" she screamed.

Nothing but silence greeted her. Alarmed by Inuyasha's uncharacteristic lack of response, she quickly glanced over her shoulders to find him still staring at her, this time with a look of disbelief. She quickly turned away as her heart began to beat faster. Why was he looking at her like that? Did he suspect something? After all, she and Sesshoumaru had had sex not far from where Inuyasha was standing.

Then his voice reached her. "Get out and put your clothes on. I'll wait for you in the forest." He sounded strained.

Gulping, Kagome willed herself to remain calm.

Did Inuyasha suspect something?

* * *

A/N: Hopefully, my hentai-muse would cooperate and come up with some more ideas for lemons, otherwise, I'm afraid the next chapter will be lemon-less, lol. I guess it is up to you readers, really. Do you want the next chapter up faster, but without lemons, or wait until a lemony plot comes up? Please review and let me know. 

:elle6778:


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews for the previous chapter. I loved reading it all. And since most of you don't mind if there are any lemons in this chapter, I managed to get it out a little sooner than usual:p. Anyway, enjoy…

**A Mere Digression Part 4 – by elle6778**

Gulping, Kagome willed herself to remain calm.

Did Inuyasha suspect something?

Nerves made her tremble as she pulled on her clothes, her earlier pleasure had dissipated completely, leaving only trepidation. She would not know what to do, what to say if Inuyasha really found out what was going on. Should she deny it or should she just admit the truth? How would he take it?

Fully clothed now, she turned to the direction Inuyasha had gone to earlier. Slowly, she picked her way through the forest to her hanyou friend. When his tense red form came into view, her steps faltered.

Then she saw the small, unmoving body nearby.

With a gasp, she ran towards the unconscious Shippou. What did Inuyasha do to him? Shippou had been okay just a while ago. She bent down to pick him up, only to find that he was too big for her to lift up easily.

"Shippou!" she called as she shook the small form gently.

A muffled moan escaped the kit, but he did not wake up. Growing angry at Inuyasha, Kagome snapped towards him.

"Why did you hit him so hard?" she shouted as she straightened.

Inuyasha's shoulders were tight, and his voice strained when he spoke. "What were you doing back here, Kagome?"

Her anger immediately deflated. Swallowing past the dryness in her throat, she replied, "Bathing."

She stared at him as he slowly turned to face her. His expression slowly switched from disgust to pain, and it instantly brought forth a sick feeling of guilt within her. A derisive snort sounded from the hanyou as he gestured to the hotsprings.

"Bathing? That's what they call it nowadays?" he jeered.

Something fell to the pit of her stomach at his cold words and Kagome paled. So he knew. There was no mistaking his tone or that expression of disgust gracing his features. Right now, he was just waiting for her to confess.

For a long, tense moment, they simply stared at each other. Her pulse picked up as her anxiety grew. She felt choked by all this, by how things had gone so wrong, by how she could not fix it. There was no doubt that this would affect things between her and Inuyasha. Their relationship was already shaky at the best and she knew that this was not going to help matters.

"Inuyasha… Let me explain."

His face twisted in anger and he hissed, "You're going to lie to me again? I'm not stupid. I can smell Sesshoumaru. And I can smell what the two of you have been doing. So, you still want to explain?"

Her breath began to come in broken gasps as her stomach twisted painfully. "Inuyasha…" she began haltingly.

His voice cracked when he asked, "H-How? How could you do this? How could you do THAT with Sesshoumaru?!"

There was a strange ringing in her ears, in her head. Why was he accusing her like this? Could he not tell that she did not want it to turn out this way in the first place? Why could he not hear her out first?

She inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself enough to find the correct words to explain. "I was poisoned.

His eyes widened in surprise, and then suspicion. "Poisoned? When?"

"B-Back when we Mukotsu kidnapped me."

"That was weeks ago," he ground out.

She nodded. "I don't know what it is, but it made me want to… to…" she swallowed, unable to get those words out. Forcing herself to continue, she forced out, "Sesshoumaru found me and I just… I just couldn't… I couldn't stop myself…"

Inuyasha cheeks reddened in fury, his fists clenching by his side.

"You couldn't STOP YOURSELF?" he bellowed. "You couldn't stop yourself from _fucking_ Sesshoumaru?!"

She winced at the harshness of his words. "I told you, I was poisoned," she defended desperately.

"And what about him? He can't stop himself either?! What the hell is this all about?" Inuyasha snarled. "Sesshoumaru is an ice-block! Why can't he stop it?"

Getting a little angry at Inuyasha's refusal to even _try_ to understand her predicament, Kagome glared at him. "I don't know, alright! Things were all mixed up and blurred at that time, and I wasn't thinking too clearly."

"So you just gave in," he spat.

Her eyes began to water with the mix of disappointment and anger. She was telling the truth and he was reacting in the worst way possible. Her voice was shaky when she finally spoke. "You weren't there, Inuyasha. So don't start judging me like this."

"No I wasn't there, but why Sesshoumaru?" he shouted, his eyes flashing with anger. "That bastard let Naraku kill Kikyo!"

Kagome's breath caught in her throat. Even at a time like this, Inuyasha was _still_ thinking about Kikyo? Was that how much Inuyasha valued her friendship? That he did not even care about how she felt about this whole thing?

"Kikyo, huh?" Kagome muttered bitterly. "You might have missed it, but Sesshoumaru was not the one who let Naraku kill Kikyo."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "What the hell do you mean?"

Kagome shook her head slowly. "Kikyo is dead, Inuyasha. She has been dead long before that day at Mount Hakurei," she said dully.

"Don't say that!"

"But that's the truth, isn't it?" Kagome pressed on, her voice rising.

Inuyasha glared venomously at her, his hands clenching and unclenching at his side. The fact that he did not reply meant that she had gotten her point across, but at what cost? This was the first time she had been so blunt with Inuyasha when it came to the sensitive topic of Kikyo, after all. It was not surprising that he was not taking it well.

"Look, Inuyasha. Let's just leave Kikyo out of this, alright?" she finally said with a resigned sigh. "This has nothing to do with her."

"Yeah, it has nothing to do with her." His words were flat.

Kagome grimaced at his uncharacteristic tone.

Then he snorted as he pinned his gaze at the hotsprings. "Keh! So this is what you've been doing every time you said you were bathing, huh? Almost every other day."

Recoiling at his accusation, she denied vehemently, "NO!"

"So it happened more than once with Sesshoumaru?"

Kagome averted her eyes. There was no point in lying now. Her voice was strained when she replied, "Yes."

A heavy silence filled the air.

…………

Sesshoumaru could not comprehend what it was that compelled him to mask his scent and return to the hotsprings. Like everything else which involved the miko, he found himself unable to suppress the urge to do so. It was most unsettling.

When he arrived, he noted that the miko was no longer there, but his senses easily picked up her trail. Without pondering much upon his own actions, Sesshoumaru began to track her scent, which soon mingled with Inuyasha's. Keeping his own presence masked, he made his way through the forest until the sound of a heated conversation reached him.

"Keh! So this is what you've been doing every time you said you were bathing, huh? Almost every other day."

"NO!"

"So it happened more than once with Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes."

A long pause followed while Sesshoumaru made his way closer. Once they came into view, he stilled his movement and began to observe the tense figures through the gaps between the leaves.

The argument between the miko and Inuyasha was not unexpected. After all, the hanyou had traveled with the miko for some time, and thus Inuyasha must have developed some amount of possessiveness towards the miko. Unless, of course, Inuyasha's inuyoukai pack instinct was that underdeveloped. If his pack instinct was operating as it should, the miko would be facing a difficult time handling the irate hanyou.

Then Inuyasha broke the silence. "I see… You wanted it."

"Yes, I want it. He didn't force me. I want it because this _thing_ is too much for me to deal with on my own."

"Why did you hide it from us?" Inuyasha demanded.

She planted her hands on her hips. "Look at how you're reacting now!"

"How do you expect me to react? This is _Sesshoumaru_ you're talking about!"

"So what?!"

Sesshoumaru was surprised when he heard the miko's firm tones. It appeared that he had underestimated the strength of her character. She seemed to be handling the situation adequately.

Her voice rising, the miko continued, "At least Sesshoumaru helped, alright! Willingly or not, he helped without making it worse, without throwing accusations at me the way you're doing now, Inuyasha! And you call yourself my friend?!"

Sesshoumaru blinked as something which felt oddly like remorse course through him. Perhaps he should have kept a stronger hold on his desire. Still, he was somewhat puzzled by his own concern of the miko's welfare. He could tell that this conversation was upsetting her, even if she was standing up to Inuyasha. And he could not help but feel that he was somewhat responsible for this entire debacle.

But did he wish to do anything about it? Did he wish to involve himself further? 

Inuyasha's voice was condescending when he said, "Friend, huh? Why would my friend fuck my brother? If you needed help, why don't you come to me?"

Voice shaking with anger, the miko hissed venomously, "Are you listening to yourself, Inuyasha? Come to you? You weren't around, remember? You were looking for Kikyo all this time. Your mind was not even with us when you're around. Kikyo is all you can think of."

"I thought we agreed to leave her out of this," Inuyasha hissed.

"I can't if everything you do revolves around her," she shot back.

"That's my business!"

"Then you stay out of my business! What happened between Sesshoumaru and I has nothing to do with you, alright!"

Inuyasha released a mirthless chuckle. "I see. So it's all about you and the bastard now. Last I checked, you were on my side, not his." His voice cracking, Inuyasha shouted, "All it took was for this _thing_ to happen between you and the bastard to change everything. Is that it?!"

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. He could no longer stand by and simply watch. Honor demanded that he fixed this. To do this, he had to cease the acts between him and the miko. Unfortunately, there was this issue of the miko's lust – it needed to be assuaged or dispelled. As long as she tempted him with her body, Sesshoumaru knew that they would inevitably find themselves in similar situations.

Therefore, the only way to put a permanent halt to this was to stop the source of her desire. By now, it was obvious that she had not been able to find a cure, therefore to solve this issue swiftly, he had to take control of the situation.

With that thought, Sesshoumaru streaked straight at the miko. In a swift move, he curled his arm around her waist, ignoring the small voice in his mind which pointed out that the little movement felt disturbingly natural.

"S-Sesshoumaru?" she gasped against his chest and he caught a glimpse of her surprised brown orbs before he turned his attention to Inuyasha.

"You will calm yourself," Sesshoumaru intoned flatly, firmly pushing the miko behind him and holding her there with his Mokomoko-sama.

Glaring at him, Inuyasha sneered, "I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes. Are you actually trying to protect Kagome? What happened to humans being lower than you?"

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened slightly. "One must take responsibility for his actions."

The miko emitted a loud gasp of surprise while Inuyasha's expression turned incredulous. It was clear that they did not expect his words. The hanyou was the first one to recover his ability for speech.

"Responsibility? For _fuck-"_

"You will curb your foul language," Sesshoumaru interjected icily. There was a limit to what he could take from his foul-mouthed brother. And Inuyasha was reaching that limit swiftly.

"I'll say what I want to say! You don't have the right to butt in over here!" Inuyasha snarled. "Kagome is my business."

"And what gives you the right to dictate what this human does, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked smoothly, ignoring the tightening of the miko's hands around his Mokomoko-sama.

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Inuyasha pointed a shaky finger towards the miko behind him. "She's my friend!"

"Is that so? That was not the impression you're portraying. Or is this simply because you're incompetent in this so-called 'friendship' as you are in your pursuit of everything else?" Sesshoumaru's tone was disdainful. "How pitiful."

Predictably, Inuyasha's eyes bulged and his cheeks reddened in fury. "Sesshoumaru…" he growled, taking a step forward as he unsheathed Tetsusaiga. "All these years, you treated me like some worthless shit. Now you'll pay for it!"

With that, Inuyasha streaked towards him.

"Inuyasha, no!" the miko gasped.

Reacting swiftly, Sesshoumaru pushed her away from him before he faced the hanyou.

"What insolence," Sesshoumaru remarked flatly as he brought Toukijin forth to deflect the other blade.

Inuyasha sprung back and immediately took on a familiar stance. The air swirled around them, faster and faster as the fang prepared to execute the Kaze-no-Kizu. Then a bright flare erupted from it. Eyes sharpening, Sesshoumaru streaked to the side before the youki-filled wind attack could reach him, drawing a loud curse from the hanyou.

"Why don't you stay the hell out of this, you bastard!" Inuyasha shouted furiously.

"It cannot be avoided," Sesshoumaru responded blandly as he swung his whip around.

Leaping away to avoid the attack, Inuyasha glared at him. "What, you cannot avoid _touching_ her?!"

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. As much as he wished to deny it, he could not refute the truth in Inuyasha's claim. He had lost control when it came to the miko, giving into the temptation of her body and her scent. But it did not mean that he would dishonor himself by neglecting his responsibility. Whether it pleased him or not, he would ensure that the issue was resolved.

"That is now irrelevant." His tone was impassive. "The priority now is to resolve the problem."

"Keh! What makes you think you can fix this?" the hanyou mocked. "Or maybe you're just using this as an excuse to use her body until you're satisfied, huh?"

Irked by those words, Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to kill his brother outright. He simply settled for knocking the hanyou down with a lash of his whip. Spitting out a loud curse, Inuyasha hit the ground hard, sending a cloud of dust up into the air.

"She will come with me until she is rid of the poison," Sesshoumaru declared firmly.

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he jumped to his feet. "I won't let you take her!" he shouted.

"The decision is hers, is it not?" Sesshoumaru intoned flatly.

The hanyou immediately spun towards the bewildered-looking miko. Pointing to Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha asked harshly, "Tell the bastard you're not going anywhere with him!"

Hands clasped to her chest, the miko only stared back at Inuyasha with troubled eyes. Sesshoumaru watched silently. It was her decision. If she chose to reject his aid, he considered himself freed from any obligations concerning the miko. The thoughtful expression on her face told Sesshoumaru that she was thinking it over.

"Damn it, Kagome! Answer me!"

"I-Inuyasha… I don't know." Her eyes shifted uncertainly. "Sesshoumaru, you really think you can help me fix this?"

"Hn."

Inuyasha interjected harshly, "So you'll go with him?! I can't believe it! What the hell happened to you, Kagome?!" 

The miko winced. "Look, Inuyasha…"

"NO! I don't want to hear it!" the hanyou declared before turning around to face him. "This is all your fault!"

Eyes narrowing as his patience wore thinner and thinner, Sesshoumaru ground out, "Perhaps it is yours for neglecting your own companion."

Inuyasha's eyes bulged. Then, with a snarl of outrage, he charged.

Deciding that he had graced Inuyasha with enough lenience, Sesshoumaru brought Toukijin before him. Channeling his youki, the blade pulsed once and then twice, before it released a blast of energy straight at the hanyou.

The attack connected directly with Inuyasha, sending him crashing into the nearest tree. With a loud snap, the trunk cracked with the impact and slowly, Inuyasha slid down the jagged surface.

"I… I w-won't let you… take her," Inuyasha choked out.

Stepping closer, Sesshoumaru stared down condescendingly at the almost unconscious hanyou.

"She will be returned once the problem is resolved."

….………

Rooted to the spot, Kagome could only stare wordlessly at the two brothers. Everything was happening so fast that she could not help but feel overwhelmed by all of it. Sesshoumaru was wearing his usual impassive expression and despite his condition, Inuyasha still managed to glare at the taiyoukai. She should go help Inuyasha, but considering what had been said between them earlier, she really did not feel like it.

Sesshoumaru shifted, and in a blink of an eye, he was beside her. Kagome gasped in shock when he wrapped a hand around her waist. It was clear that he was about to lift off into the air with her.

"Sesshoumaru," she called out, pulling at his wrist in an attempt to dislodge his steely hold.

He ignored her, but she could see his jaw twitching. It was obvious that he was uncomfortable with this entire situation. She did not blame him, really, considering what he had taken upon himself. As strange as it was, Sesshoumaru was trying to help her. He had told Inuyasha that she would be cured, but how? As long as the poison remained in her system, she would be struck by this terrible urge every few weeks.

His innate sense of responsibility was forcing him to do something about her situation, something which he did not want to do under normal circumstances. She understood that much from the conversation he had with Inuyasha.

But he was wrong. Sesshoumaru was not responsible for this whole mess. And much as she wished to be cured, she could not impose on him like this.

"You don't have to do this, Sesshoumaru," she said quietly. "I'll find the cure myself."

His brows furrowed slightly, but still, he refused to respond to her words. Letting out a huff of exasperation, Kagome finally decided that there was nothing she could do to change his mind. After all, this was Sesshoumaru. He tended to do what he liked no matter what anyone else thought of it. And it looked as if he was bent on helping her find a cure.

That was what she wanted, wasn't it? So it made sense to go with Sesshoumaru, right? Besides, with Sesshoumaru's centuries of experience, she would probably be cured in no time. And when everything was fixed, she could come back to Inuyasha and explain things properly. Surely Inuyasha would have calmed down enough to listen by then.

"Inuyasha," she called out.

Her throat tightened when her hanyou friend refused to even look at her. Taking a deep breath, she pressed on, "Tell Sango and Miroku that I'll be okay, alright."

Still, Inuyasha refused to respond. With a resigned sigh, her eyes shifted towards the unconscious kitsune. She definitely could not leave without Shippou, especially considering how much he had done for her. Not to mention she refused to leave him to deal with an irate Inuyasha all by himself.

But even as the thought crossed her mind, Sesshoumaru's traveling cloud was already forming beneath her feet, preparing to launch up into the air.

"Sesshoumaru, wait!" she pressed, gripping his shoulder hard.

He cast her an impatient look. "What is the matter, miko?"

She pointed at the unconscious kitsune. "Shippou. I can't leave him here," she said, her eyes taking on an uncompromising look. "I'm not going with you if it means leaving him behind."

He stared at her contemplatively for a long time before he finally nodded, "You may bring the kitsune."

Relieved that Sesshoumaru had agreed so easily, Kagome nodded her thanks at him.

Without another word, Sesshoumaru brought her towards the unconscious kitsune and waited until she picked Shippou up, her arms straining with his weight as she did so. To her surprise, Sesshoumaru plucked the kitsune's body out of her arms, depositing the unconscious body on the cloud. Before she could protest that Shippou might fall off, the taiyoukai wrapped the end of his furry Mokomoko-sama around the kitsune, effectively silencing her.

Moments later, they were up in the air. Kagome held her breath as the ground fell further and further away beneath her. Vaguely, it registered that this was the first time she had ever traveled so fast up into the air and it unnerved her a little.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

He did not answer her. Instead, he simply flew onward, obviously expecting her to follow his lead without question. She felt a spark of annoyance at his arrogance, until she remembered that he had gone out of his way to help her.

"Sesshoumaru?" she tried again in a more respectful tone.

Silence was the only response she got from him, but she knew that he had heard her. How could he not? She was practically talking right into his ear. There was something she needed to make clear. Taking a deep breath, she decided to press on.

"I can't be following you around forever. Sooner or later, I'd have to go back to Inuyasha."

He stilled. Without looking at her, he said, "You will, once the antidote is found."

"Do you know where to find the cure?"

"Hn."

Her eyes widened. She waited for him to say more, but he remained silent. Kagome groaned inwardly. Apparently he had said enough to her, so he turned his attention back to his path of travel. Sesshoumaru might have decided to help her, but it was clear that he did not intend to be friendlier towards her than he had done before. She supposed it did not matter because after this, they would be going their own separate ways after all.

With that thought, she pushed her worries to the back of her mind and focused on the landscape below. Treetops flew by at a blinding speed, and Kagome had to yank her gaze back up to avoid being dizzy. Finally, she kept her attention fixed to one of the spikes on Sesshoumaru's armor.

Somehow or other, she managed to doze off, secure within the circle of his arm. She did not know how long she had slept, but the sudden jolt under her feet woke her. Peeling her eyes open, she found herself standing in a secluded clearing that she did not recognize. The faint sound of moving water reached her, telling her that she must be near a river.

"Your kit is awakening," came the low masculine voice from above her.

As the arm around her retracted, Kagome glanced down to find Shippou stirring at their feet. Immediately kneeling down, she lightly tapped Shippou's not-so-chubby cheeks.

"Shippou?"

The kitsune's lashes flickered, and then lifted to reveal a pair of bleary green eyes. "Kagome?" he muttered, sounding confused. Then his eyes cleared and he jolted upright. "Are you alright? Inuyasha, he-"

"I'm okay, Shippou," she quickly interjected. Then she gathered the kitsune into a hug. "I'm sorry you got beaten," she mumbled into his hair.

He patted her head. "It's okay."

Then he suddenly froze. Lifting her head up, she saw him eyeing Sesshoumaru warily. It was obvious from the expression on his face that he was not sure what to make of the taiyoukai's presence.

"He's helping me find a cure, Shippou," Kagome explained, rising to her feet.

"But…" Shippou trailed off uncertainly.

"Don't worry, alright."

Before the kitsune could respond, a loud childish cry reached them.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Kagome spun around to find a little girl dashing towards them, her steps only slowing when she almost reached Sesshoumaru. Then the little girl bowed respectfully before turning towards them to do the same. Kagome could only stare in astonishment. What was Sesshoumaru doing with a human girl?

"I'm Rin," she introduced with a large smile on her face.

The bushes behind shook and a moment later, Sesshoumaru's familiar retainer burst out of it, looking disgruntled. "I told you not to run away, you stupid human child!"

Rin beamed at the diminutive youkai. "But I won our race!"

Jaken bristled.

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru called out levelly.

His retainer snapped back to him and bowed low. "Sesshoumaru-sama. This human child, she…" he broke off at the sudden furrowing of the taiyoukai's brows. "Forgive your lowly servant for speaking out of turn, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Jaken took care of me like you asked, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin chirped. "He made sure I ate well, and bathed everyday."

Blinking in disbelief, Kagome continued to stare at the scene playing out before her. Beside her, Shippou was doing the same. It was hard to wrap her mind around the fact that Sesshoumaru was taking care of a human girl. On top of that, Rin looked so happy and healthy, which meant that Sesshoumaru was doing a good job of it.

Sesshoumaru turned to his retainer. "You will watch Rin and the kitsune. This Sesshoumaru and the miko have matters to attend to."

Kagome's eyes widened. Sesshoumaru planned to leave Shippou behind? Obviously, from the looks of the faces around her, the idea did not appeal to everyone. Jaken let out a horrified squawk while Shippou gasped.

Rin, on the other hand, bounced happily and exclaimed, "Oh, I have someone else to play with!"

"I'm not leaving Kagome!" Shippou declared stubbornly.

Sesshoumaru cast the kitsune a stern look. "You will obey."

Shippou gulped, shrinking back in alarm. Slightly annoyed at the way he was scaring her kit, especially after what Shippou had gone through with Inuyasha, Kagome glared at Sesshoumaru. "Look, can't he just come with us?"

"He will be a hindrance." His tone was uncompromising.

"But-"

"Do not argue, miko."

Kagome closed her eyes and willed herself to remain calm. Sesshoumaru was not the type to make rash decisions, so he must have a reason for wanting to leave the kids behind.

"Are they going to be safe here?" she finally asked.

"Hn."

She turned to the kitsune, who was eyeing the taiyoukai with undisguised trepidation. "Shippou? You'll be okay here, alright. Just stay close to Jaken and Rin."

"But Kagome…" he whined in protest.

"He'll bring me back once we cure this… this thing inside me," she explained. "I'll be fine."

A pair of worried green eyes stared back at her as she stared back, willing the kitsune to understand. For some reason, she trusted Sesshoumaru. Whilst the taiyoukai had threatened her more than once in the past, ever since the start of this entire mess, he had done nothing but to help her in his own way, willingly or not. That told her a lot about the strength of his honor and she wanted Shippou to believe in the taiyoukai as she did.

Finally, after a long while, Shippou sighed in resignation and nodded. "I guess I'll wait here then."

Kagome gave him a grateful smile. "I'll be back in no time."

…………

A/N: Hope you liked it. Please review if you could, okay. And for those of you who are reading A Latent Destiny, I'm very sorry to say that I'm putting it on hiatus until I complete A Mere Digression.

:elle6778:


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

Warning: Minimal plot with a lot of lemon. Do not read if you are underaged.

A/N: As always, thank you to all who reviewed. Also, many thanks to WiccanMethuselah for betaing this chapter. :) It is much appreciated!

* * *

**A Mere Digression Part 5 – by elle6778**

The clouds sped by as Sesshoumaru traversed the sky with the miko in his arm. They had been traveling for two days. Although he had required no sleep, the miko obviously did; she had simply done so by slumbering within the circle of his hold.

It was during such time that he allowed himself to study her without her knowledge. Peace overcame her in her sleep, the furrows between her brows easing visibly, and he could not help but notice how appealing she looked.

Each time he did so, he grimaced in distaste.

His honor had demanded that he rectify the situation. His body, however, was having an entirely different reaction. The warmth of the miko nestled against him elicited thoughts that he should not be entertaining, for it had been those very same thoughts which led to this situation between them. Still, he was unable to halt his desire for her.

Was this simply the reaction of the poison in her body? The poison that brought forth her need to copulate? It could not be, for she was currently asleep and should not be emanating any pheromones. He could not comprehend it. The entire situation puzzled him.

He was drawn from his musings when she stirred in his arm suddenly, her eyelids fluttering. He immediately peeled his gaze away from her, not wishing to be caught staring. Perhaps she would fall asleep again, he told himself.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He flicked a quick glance down at her, noting her sleep-glazed eyes, which reminded him of the time when said eyes were glazed with lust instead. Then his entire body tensed slightly when her fingers fisted in his clothes.

"Where are we?" she asked huskily.

"Over the west," he replied shortly.

Her eyes drifted away from his to stare down at their surroundings. For a long while, she remained silent as they continued their journey. They would arrive at their destination in a few days, and Sesshoumaru was puzzled by the growing uncertainty in his chest. Soon, they would find the solution to her predicament, therefore he had no reason to be unsettled about it. So why was he reacting in such a manner?

"He is really angry with me now, isn't he?" she suddenly murmured.

Knowing exactly who she was referring to, Sesshoumaru decided that there was no point in answering. Besides, she already knew the answer to that question.

A heavy sigh left her, and she pressed closer to him, as if seeking comfort. He allowed her the privilege, for it was simply a minor thing if such an action would settle her. And, once again, silence descended upon them.

What seemed like mere moments passed before she shifted again. This time, Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed at what his senses were telling him. It was faint, but there was no mistaking the now-familiar scent of arousal drifting up from her body as she pressed closer to him.

His hand clenched into a tight fist when he heard a small whimper from her. Knowing what would follow if he did not restrain himself, Sesshoumaru forced himself not to react. The scent of her pheromones assaulting his senses, coupled by the manner in which she had taken to pushing against him, was causing his mind to cloud over in lust.

Cursing his wayward body, Sesshoumaru pulled back abruptly, even though he was careful not to dislodge her from his cloud.

"Miko." His voice carried a tone of warning.

Stricken eyes came up to meet his. "Sesshoumaru…" she trailed off uncomfortably as her hands clenched tighter against his chest.

He could not tear his eyes away from the beseeching look on her features. What she needed from him was clear and, to his consternation, he simply could not summon the willpower to resist.

Or, perhaps he simply did not wish to resist.

* * *

Closing her eyes, Kagome rested her forehead against Sesshoumaru's armor plate as he continued to fly them onwards. He only had to address her with a single word for her to know that he was warning her against doing anything. 

Being so close to him was difficult because it kept bringing back memories of their prior physical interactions. If she was honest with herself, she knew that she wanted to feel his skin on hers again. And to see his usually impassive expression contort with pleasure.

A shiver ran up her spine, and it had nothing to do with her being cold. The imagery was enough to send a rush of heat between her thighs, forcing her to press them together to ease the ache. But no, this was not the time to think of things like this. She had to focus on getting the cure. Besides, her desire did not feel as acute as it had been the first couple of times, so she should be able to control herself.

A growl sounded, drawing her attention upwards.

Her breath caught in her chest when she took in Sesshoumaru's expression. There was a slight tinge of red circling the gold of his eyes and the heated look he was directing at her was unmistakable.

"Sesshoumaru?" His name came out as a husky whisper.

They were still standing on top of his cloud high in the air, even though the cloud had stopped moving completely. Surely he was not considering anything right now. She directed a questioning look at him. He only continued to stare down at her, but now she could see the flicker of uncertainty in those orbs. Was he really thinking of doing something right now?

Her body flushed at the thought of it and her tongue darted out to lick her lips.

Sesshoumaru's gaze instantly dropped down, and she almost whimpered when the hand around her waist flexed, pushing her tight against him. Then she watched, mesmerized, as his head descended closer down until his lips brushed against her ear. Goosebumps exploded on her skin when she felt the warmth of his breath.

"Do not move," he instructed smoothly.

With her body humming with unbearable tension, she could not move even if she wanted to. Then she felt the soft fur of his Mokomoko-sama snaking around her left ankle. Before she could consider the implication of his action, her leg was lifted and parted, leaving her inner thighs exposed to the cold breeze. And then his furry appendage came up to wrap around her waist securely.

"What are you doing?" she asked shakily, even as she felt the growing sense of anticipation within her.

He did not respond verbally. Instead, his hand lowered past the roundness of her backside and then further down past the hem of her short green skirt. Her eyes shot wide open when she felt his fingers brushing the bare skin high on her inner thighs. Almost immediately, the ache between her legs spiked in anticipation.

He just paused there, as if he wanted to see how she reacted. And then those fingers slipped deftly inside her underwear, sending a jolt of arousal through her. Hands now clutching his shoulders tightly, Kagome let out a needy moan as he began to stroke her slippery flesh. Her hands tightened further each time the tips of his fingers brushed against her sensitive nub, and she tried to press down to feel more.

He assented by pulling down her underwear completely, lifting it up with the tip of his Mokomoko-sama before it disappeared into the folds of his clothes.

Their eyes locked, and Kagome found herself drowning in the intense heat of his amber gaze. His chest rumbled with a growl just before she felt his lips crashing upon hers. He tasted her fully, letting his tongue explore hers, drawing helpless moans from her. She could not think of anything but him, his tongue in her mouth, and the rhythmic stroking inside her underwear which urged the pressure between her thighs to increase.

Just as she thought she could not take anymore, he slid two fingers into her.

Kagome tore her lips from him in an open-mouthed gasp. Then she cried out softly as he began to pump those fingers in and out. Closing her eyes, her forehead fell on his armored chest as her entire body shook with the need for fulfillment. Her inner muscles clenched around his fingers, wanting to keep him there and yet, wanting more.

She felt him shift and then his fingers retracted, drawing a distressed whimper from her. Her eyes shot open when he lifted her up with his Mokomoko-sama, holding her in place as her legs went around his hips in reflex. She could feel his hand shifting to the front of his hakama, pushing the fabric aside, exposing his aroused flesh which bumped against her inner thigh.

Their eyes locked just a brief second before he slid his length into her wet passage.

Kagome cried out at the sudden fullness.

Without giving her a chance to acclimatize, he began to thrust deeply into her. Kagome's breath left her shakily as she clutched his tense shoulders, seeking more contact as he penetrated her over and over again, hard and fast. She felt so full, so stretched that it was bordering on pain, but with each stroke, she also felt herself growing wetter and hotter. Both of them were still fully clothed, except where they joined and something about the entire situation inflamed her further.

His chest rumbled in a growl and through her lustful vision, she watched his face contort as he strained for control. He looked beautiful when he was like this, when he displayed his emotions.

She felt compelled to call his name. "Sesshoumaru…"

His entire body jolted at the sound. Then, as if the word had set something off, he snarled softly once and clamped his hand behind her neck. Her eyes widened as his Mokomoko-sama tightened around her waist. Pulling her down hard onto him, he drove up at the same time, grinding them together, pressing against her swollen nub over and over again.

Her lips parted and her eyes fluttered shut when the core of her body coiled up tight, signaling the impending approach of her climax. He continued to pound into her relentlessly, stoking the fire, pushing her closer to the peak.

With a strangled cry, she came hard. Ripples of pleasure coursed through her as she threw her head back. She could feel her inner flesh squeezing Sesshoumaru repeatedly, and vaguely registered that his lips were pressed against the junction between her neck and her shoulder.

He followed soon after, muffling a guttural groan against her neck as he jerked erratically into her. His seed hit her womb in thick spurts, drawing a gasp from her.

Then everything went still.

The only sound which surrounded them was the slight hum of the light breeze blowing past them. They stood motionless on top of the floating cloud with her hands still secured around his shoulders; his face was still buried in her neck, and her slick depth still clutching his slightly softened arousal.

All of a sudden, their odd position registered in her mind.

She could not believe that they'd had sex up here in the middle of the sky.

Feeling inexplicably dizzy, she began to giggle.

* * *

Her scent mingled with his own permeated his senses as Sesshoumaru allowed himself to rest against her. His release had been intense and he was still straining to compose himself. Idly, he wondered how he had managed to keep enough control to maintain the cloud in his state, as distracted as he had been. 

Then he felt it.

At first, it was slight. And then her movements intensified, making it impossible for Sesshoumaru to ignore the way her tight flesh was clenching around him. The action was sending jolts of heat rushing through his body, renewing his arousal. With an inward groan, he pulled away to look at her, only to find that she was giggling.

"I'm sorry," she choked out breathlessly. "It's just that… I mean, look at where we are."

"Hn."

Perhaps she had a point, seeing that he was still buried within her. They were still up in the air after all and, if she did not cease her movements, they would end up copulating again. He felt himself hardening already, and was now reluctant to pull out of her hot, slick sheathe.

However, this time he might not possess enough strength and concentration to keep them afloat.

"Uh, Sesshoumaru?" Cheeks flushed, she directed a pointed look down at their joined body. "You think, maybe you could put me down?"

"No."

Her eyes widened visibly. "No?"

Without responding, he began to descend, still holding her securely to him. Spotting a large tree beneath, and deciding that it would suffice for his purpose, Sesshoumaru guided the cloud towards it. He had decided that the location was relatively secure for what he had in mind. Even though they had just coupled, he realized that he wished for more. And he refused to be denied.

"Sesshoumaru?" She sounded puzzled.

Their approach to the tree saved him from responding.

It was only when the cloud had dispersed from their feet that he released his hold on her. Pressing her back to the large tree trunk, he pulled out of her and took a step back. Swiftly, he discarded his armor and his clothing, leaving himself clad only in his hakama.

"What are we doing here?" she asked, her face flushed as she eyed his bare chest.

"Finishing what was started."

A small gasp escaped her when he relieved her of the bottom half of her clothing, and a fresh wave of arousal from her instantly filled the air.

His gaze was drawn to her legs, and he knelt down for a closer look. For some inexplicable reason, the sight of his seed running down her thighs aroused him further. He reached out, allowing the fluids to coat his fingers as he brought them closer to the junction between her legs.

"Part your legs," he instructed quietly.

She hesitated momentarily before she obeyed, revealing her glistening pink flesh to his gaze, her nub already swollen in anticipation. Without pause, he brought his thumb to it and began to rub in circles as two of his other digits drove up into her opening.

Her reaction was instantaneous. A needy cry burst from her lips, her legs trembling slightly as he began to twist his fingers into her repeatedly. The wetness leaking down into his hand reiterated just how ready she was for penetration.

However, he had every intention of exploring further this time, he thought, as he leaned forward to flick his tongue against her protruding nub. He could taste himself mixed with her juices, but it did not concern him. In fact, the mixture drove him to suck her flesh between her lips, drawing a breathless moan from her.

With every thrust of her hips against his mouth, Sesshoumaru found himself losing more of his strenuous control. He wished for nothing more than to slam her against the tree and then drive himself into her repeatedly.

With that thought, he retrieved his fingers, deliberately scraping past her nub as he did so. Her heaving chest drew his attention when he stood up to face her. In a swift move, he pulled the fabric concealing her body up over her head, tossing it to a nearby branch to join the bottom half of her clothing. Her rounded breasts were now bared to his gaze, and Sesshoumaru's mouth watered at the sight of her protruding nipples.

Unable to deny himself, he lowered his head to capture a peak with his lips, eliciting a hoarse cry from the miko. Her hands clenched in his hair as he flicked his tongue over the tip, his arm wrapped around her waist securely.

He was so involved in his task that he did not notice that one of her hands had left his hair until he felt searching fingers in front of his hakama. When those fingers closed around his hard length, Sesshoumaru bit back a groan. Burying his face between the valley of her breasts, he strained to keep control of the lust coursing through his veins as she began to move her fingers up and down.

"Let me go," a husky whisper came from above.

He stilled at her words, and then pulled back to study her, uncertain what she had meant. The miko's expression was suffused with an odd mix of shyness and desire, but she met his eyes unflinchingly. Her hand continued to move against his hardness, and Sesshoumaru found himself unable to form a coherent thought.

"Why?" he finally managed.

Her eyes flickered, and then her tongue darted out to lick her lips. "I want to try something."

Curiosity overcame wariness, and he only hesitated for a mere second before his arm unraveled from her, allowing her freedom. Then his eyes widened when she dropped to her knees in front of him, her lips tantalizingly close to his arousal.

He gazed intently down at her dark head, hardly believing that she was truly going to do this. A second later, his entire body tensed as she licked him once, and then twice. He gritted his teeth, fighting to keep still as she proceeded to flicked her tongue repeatedly against him. When her lips closed around his engorged tip, his entire body jerked and he released a snarl. His reaction only spurred her to take him deeper into her mouth. He fisted his fingers in her hair, torn between pushing her away and pulling her closer to take in more of his throbbing flesh.

Before he could make up his mind, she moaned deeply, her tongue and throat vibrating around him.

It was too much.

Mind clouded with overwhelming lust, Sesshoumaru dropped down to sit on the branch and, in a swift move, impaled her onto his aching length. As she cried out at the suddenness of the move, his eyes squeezed shut at the sensation of her flesh rippling around him. Her arms came around to lock behind his neck, and the scrape of her fingers against his skin drew a shiver from him.

He abhorred the fact that he barely possessed any control over his body, but he could not stop himself from surging up into her repeatedly, holding her in place with his arm around her waist. With each of his hard thrusts, a whimper escaped her, eroding his control further. It did not help that her breasts were bouncing right before him, tantalizing him with the hard tips.

Still thrusting deeply into her hot, wet depths, he captured a nipple with a growl. Her fingers were now threading through his scalp, pulling him closer but Sesshoumaru found that he did not mind in the least. His entire attention was focused on how their skin slid together each time he drove into her, and the taste of her peak in his mouth.

The pressure within him was growing and, from the irregular gasps of the miko's breath, he knew that she was close too.

Pulling away from her nipple, he once again pressed his lips to her neck as his arms tightened around her waist. The urge to open his mouth and mark her was almost overwhelming, but he gritted his teeth hard to ensure that he would not give in to it. His thrusts became more erratic as he felt himself drawing closer to completion.

A broken cry escaped from the miko just moments before he felt her muscles kneading him, pushing him towards his own release. Gritting out a snarl, he thrust hard once, twice, then the pressure broke. As waves of intense pleasure washed over him, he spilled his seed deep into her.

* * *

Still reeling from her second orgasm in the day, Kagome felt limp and found herself unable to move. The rough bark of the tree branch scraped lightly against her skin, contrasting with the softness of Sesshoumaru's hakama as he shifted her slightly. His softening arousal slipped out of her, leaving her feeling oddly bereft at the loss. 

As she laid against his naked chest, his heartbeat drumming against her ear, her mind began to clear, allowing coherent thoughts to filter through.

She felt guilty.

The urge had not been very strong this time. In fact, it felt different from the previous times. She had been lucid, and her actions were her own. Thinking back, she should have resisted it. But she did not know why she did not even try very hard this time. The whole encounter could have been avoided in the first place.

Why?

Could it be simply because she wanted it to happen? That it had nothing to do with Mukotsu's poison anymore? She could not deny that it was likely. Now that she thought about it, after the first couple of times, she only thought of Sesshoumaru and no other male. Why was she so drawn to the stoic taiyoukai? What did she feel for Sesshoumaru? Was this just sex, or was it something more?

She did not love Sesshoumaru, did she? No. She loved Inuyasha, but she could hardly believe that her physical attraction towards Sesshoumaru felt so much more intense that what she had ever felt for Inuyasha. Each time she had the urge for physical satisfaction, the first person she thought of was Sesshoumaru, not Inuyasha.

Could it be that she was harboring a little crush on the taiyoukai? Was this why she felt like she could never get enough of him?

She shook herself inwardly. No, she was just being silly. They had just had sex and she was, obviously, still not thinking clearly. All she had to do was see how it went for the next few days, then she would think about this again.

* * *

Ever since their heated coupling two days ago, Sesshoumaru had noticed that the miko often cast him thoughtful glances. The odd light in her eyes unsettled him and he could not explain what it meant. Hence, he had chosen to simply ignore it. 

Besides, they were already close to his source of information, and it meant that soon she would be cured, and then leaving his company to return to his hanyou brother.

Somehow, the notion did not please him as much as he thought it would.

Brushing the thought away, Sesshoumaru focused on a familiar area beneath them. Wordlessly, he guided his cloud to descend, while the miko clutched her fingers tighter behind his back. For two days now, she had held on with both her arms around him. And, for two days now, he had said nothing to stop her from doing so.

When they landed, the miko turned around to survey their surroundings warily.

"Where are we?" she asked in a soft voice.

Inclining his head towards the west, Sesshoumaru said, "Come."

Certain that she would follow, he began to make his way through the forest without waiting for her response. As anticipated, he could hear her subtle footsteps behind him.

The walk was short, and Sesshoumaru soon found himself in front of an ancient tree demon. Joining him, the miko released a surprised gasp when the surface of the tree rippled and the tree youkai's features sharpened to reveal two intelligent eyes.

"Ah, it's you, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru inclined his head, and then gestured to the miko. "She seeks your advice."

Those eyes shifted towards the miko. "Oh? A miko." After a short pause, he continued, "I'm Bokusenou. And you are?"

"Kagome. Higurashi Kagome," the miko replied, studying the tree demon curiously but not without a hint of wariness.

Turning back to him, Bokusenou remarked, "I'm surprised that you're aiding a human."

Displeased by the question, Sesshoumaru replied icily, "It is you who will be aiding the human."

Bokusenou's expression twisted in what appeared to be amusement before he returned his attention to the miko. "Then how may I be of service?"

Ignoring the tree youkai, Sesshoumaru directed a pointed glance at the miko. He had brought her here and it was time for her to do her part. For a moment, her expression betrayed her trepidation. And then she took a deep breath, turning fully towards Bokusenou.

"I was… poisoned by Mukotsu, one of the resurrected Shinchinintai. And I want to find a cure for it. Can you help?" she asked politely.

"Poisoned by the Shinchinintai?" A pause followed before the tree youkai spoke again. "Let me taste your blood."

The miko recoiled visibly. Irritated that she should fear such a minor thing, Sesshoumaru simply watched as the old tree youkai chuckled.

"Child, I only require a drop. Prick your finger on this thorn." A sharp thorn appeared next to Bokusenou's face. "Here."

Taking a deep breath, the miko stepped forward and extended her finger to the thorn. She paused just in front of the tip, hesitating briefly. Sesshoumaru found himself growing impatient, and was about to chide her for her uncertainty when she straightened visibly. Features set in an expression of determination, she pressed down on the thorn, allowing a drop of her blood to seep through the tree before she retrieved her hand.

Bokusenou closed his eyes in concentration.

When those eyes opened, Sesshoumaru found himself in the unusual position of being anxious about what the ancient tree youkai might say. With his vast knowledge, Bokusenou would be able to direct them to the correct path to resolve the miko's issues.

So he waited for the tree youkai to speak. But Bokusenou appeared to be more interested in studying the miko, much to Sesshoumaru's disgruntlement. The miko only stared back at him questioningly, without saying so much as a word.

Deciding that he'd had enough of waiting, Sesshoumaru bit out pointedly, "Bokusenou. Perhaps you wish to inform us of what you have learnt."

"It is… interesting." Wearing a contemplative expression, the tree youkai turned his attention away from the miko. "I detected traces of a poison, an aphrodisiac in nature. I take it that you're involved because you succumbed to its influence?"

Lips tightening, Sesshoumaru brushed aside Bokusenou's latter statements. Instead, he focused on the first. "Traces?"

"What do you mean by traces? How much of it is still inside me?" the miko pressed anxiously. "And how can I get rid of it?"

"When was your last encounter, Kagome?"

Cheeks reddening, the miko averted her eyes. "A couple of days ago," she murmured uncomfortably.

"Hmm… that is what I find interesting."

Another pause followed and Sesshoumaru grew increasingly impatient with the delay. "What appears to be so interesting?" His words carried a hint of warning.

"What is interesting is that there are only faint traces of the poison left in the miko. Not enough to drive either of you to seek each other."

Sesshoumaru barely heard the gasp escaping the miko before his own eyes widened in disbelief.

* * *

Kagome could hardly believe what she was hearing. The poison could not possibly be gone. No, what Bokusenou meant was that the amount left in her was not enough to cause any effect on either her or Sesshoumaru. 

The implication of those words was clear; that she and Sesshoumaru had acted on their own without the influence of Mukotsu's poison.

She swallowed hard as she recalled her suspicions right after their heated coupling. Her thought then should have alerted her that something was not right. Under normal circumstances, she shouldn't even have such thoughts about Sesshoumaru.

But she did. And, now that the truth was displayed clearly right before her eyes, she did not know how she could brush it aside any longer.

"What should I do?" she murmured, barely realizing that she had voiced the question out loud.

Then the ancient youkai smiled at her. "There is nothing left for you to do. The traces of the poison will be completely flushed from your body in a week at the most."

"I see..." Her voice came out shaky, and Kagome hated it.

She braved a glance at Sesshoumaru only to find him wearing his usual indecipherable expression. The only difference was that, this time, his expression appeared frozen. One did not need to be a genius to know that the taiyoukai was mulling over the implications of their actions. She had no doubt that Sesshoumaru had come to the same conclusion as she had done.

That they'd had sex with each other because they wanted to and not because they were under the effect of some unknown aphrodisiac.

What would he do, now that what they had assumed was no longer true?

* * *

A/N: That's it for now. Hope you liked it and, if you could, please drop me a review. Thanks! 

:elle6778:


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

Warning: Minimal plot with a lot of lemon. Do not read if you are underaged.

A/N: I know it's late. But at least it's here now, right? (smiles sheepishly). Anyway, thanks for all the reviews and I hope that you will enjoy this chapter.

* * *

**A Mere Digression Part 6 – by elle6778**

What would he do, now that what they had assumed was no longer true? All this time, she had been under the impression that her actions were dictated by what Mukotsu had done to her. Sure there had been times when she had wondered about it, but to have it confirmed by Bokusenou was another matter altogether.

Then a deep voice broke through the silence.

"That conclusion in unsatisfactory."

Kagome glanced sharply at Sesshoumaru, confused by his words. What did he mean by that?

"Oh?" The bark forming Bokusenou's features contorted into a thoughtful look. "I suppose it is possible that I missed something. In any case, as a miko, her blood alone would naturally dispose of any poison after some time."

"Don't I need some spells or something?" Kagome asked slowly.

Bokusenou chuckled. "No. Any remnants of the poison would dissipate on its own."

Somehow, his words did not make her feel any better. Instead, it made her feel as if she was about to lose something. She knew that her reaction was odd considering the circumstances but she could not help it.

Feeling rather bewildered, she asked, "So what do I do now?"

"Nothing." A pause followed before the tree youkai continued, "Of course, while you are still experiencing the… effects, your taiyoukai would certainly be able to… assist."

Kagome blushed to the roots of her hair. Bokusenou's insinuation was not lost on her, but why must he make it sound like Sesshoumaru was hers? The taiyoukai certainly did not belong to anyone, let alone her. Slanting a glance towards him, she noted that Sesshoumaru's expression was set in its usual unreadable mask but the way his jaw was twitching ever so slightly gave away his displeasure.

"Sesshoumaru?" she ventured hesitantly, wondering what he was thinking.

"We will leave now."

Kagome's eyes widened. Leave? But what about the things Bokusenou had said?

The tree youkai chuckled. "Very well, then."

Glancing from the amused Bokusenou to the impassive Sesshoumaru and then back to the tree youkai, Kagome sighed. Whatever it was, she had better just follow Sesshoumaru's lead. Perhaps he had a good reason for doubting Bokusenou.

"Thank you for your advice."

"My pleasure, miko."

Then she turned around to find that Sesshoumaru was already walking away from them, his steps swift and purposeful. Suddenly fearing that he might leave her behind, Kagome ran after him until she reached him.

Uncertain of his mood, she glanced up at his surreptitiously. Only his side profile was visible to her. But she could tell that he was angry. Was it because of what Bokusenou had said to them? Did Sesshoumaru feel as if he had been deceived or something? There was no way of guessing what the taiyoukai was thinking. The only way for her to find out was to ask him.

"Sesshoumaru?" she called out quietly.

He flicked a glance at her but said nothing.

Deciding to risk it, Kagome ventured, "What do you mean when you told Bokusenou that it was unsatisfactory? You don't believe him?"

His lips tightened visibly.

"Sesshoumaru?" she prompted quietly. "Please, I need to know what's going on."

Stopping abruptly, the taiyoukai simply stared into the distance wordlessly. He appeared to be deep in thought. When he finally spoke, his voice was flat.

"It is inconceivable that we would willingly couple without external influences."

When his words sank in, Kagome felt her heart twist. The meaning behind those words did not escape her. It should not surprise her. After all, it was no secret that Sesshoumaru despised humans.

But he could have fooled her, the way he behaved each time they had sex. It was as if he could not get enough of her. Maybe that was why it was so hard to believe that he was reluctant to do it in the first place.

Then something occurred to her.

The information they obtained from Bokusenou basically meant that she could go back to Inuyasha now. Sesshoumaru was under no obligation now to take care of her and would no doubt be pleased to be rid of her. So maybe Sesshoumaru was behaving so strange because he was waiting for her to say something about leaving. Her breath lodged painfully in the chest when she realized that this was the end for her and Sesshoumaru.

She closed her eyes briefly and then drew a deep breath before she spoke. "Bokusenou said that the poison is almost gone now. It's probably alright if I go back to Inuyasha and the rest, don't you think?"

"No."

Her eyes widened in shock. "W-What? B-But-"

"You're not to return… yet."

She blinked at his curt response but before she could open her mouth to ask why, the forbidding expression on his face stilled her tongue. He was angry about something. Sighing in resignation, she decided that she should just let him calm down a little before bringing up the topic again.

His refusal to allow her to go back to Inuyasha baffled her. It was almost as if he wanted to keep her by his side. But that was ridiculous. Sesshoumaru felt nothing for her. Except for lust, maybe.

But what did she feel for Sesshoumaru? It was hard to say because she really did not know him that well. However, all the preconceptions she had of him prior to this was completely destroyed after their recent interactions. Sesshoumaru might be ruthless, but he was far from cruel, at least not without a reason. His sense of honor which had prompted him to help her was another thing she admired about the taiyoukai. And needless to say, her body craved his from the moment they had touched from the first time.

Why was she thinking of such things anyway? It was not as if there was a possibility of a future with Sesshoumaru beyond what they had now. To think that way was to invite trouble and heartache.

Kagome stiffened. Heartache? Did that mean that somewhere along the way, she had developed some feelings for Sesshoumaru? A feeling of panic rose in her. Surely she could not have fallen for Sesshoumaru in such a short time. It was not possible, right?

"Come, Miko."

She blinked out of her contemplations to find that he had extended an arm to her, fully expecting her to join him on his cloud.

"Where are we going?" she asked as she accepted his hand and stepped on.

Sesshoumaru did not answer. He simply stared into the distance and guided his cloud up into the air.

* * *

They had been traveling together for the last few days and much to Sesshoumaru's consternation, he had no specific destination in mind. He did not understand why he was compelled to continue traveling like this with the miko, especially after she had asked to be returned to his hanyou brother. His own actions puzzled him and he did not like it.

Their journey, however, had been rudely interrupted by the appearance of the one called Sara. Once a human wench who was infatuated with him, she had been foolish enough to allow herself to be possessed by demons.

To gain his affections, she had thought to steal Tetsusaiga for him, not knowing that he had decided that the blade was not something he required any longer.

Predictably, Inuyasha had turned up. The awkwardness and tension between the miko and the hanyou's group was palpable when they had laid eyes on each other. However, setting aside their own problems, they had fought the human-turned-demon until nothing was left of her but ashes.

While the rest watched on, Sesshoumaru stared down silently at the pile of ashes. He recalled the beautifully haunting sound of her flute and the thought drew his attention to the discarded instrument laying some distance away.

"Kagome."

Sesshoumaru did not need to look at the hanyou to know that he was still angry with the miko. However, his tones were not as harsh this time, leading Sesshoumaru to believe that Inuyasha had calmed down somewhat from his previous rage.

"Inuyasha," the miko acknowledged in a quiet voice.

A moment of silence passed before Inuyasha spoke again. "Where is Shippou?"

"He's safe with Rin and Jaken."

Sesshoumaru glanced out of the corner of his eyes to find a look of surprise on the hanyou's face. For a moment, it appeared as if Inuyasha would lose his temper again but somehow, he managed to control it.

Smirking inwardly, Sesshoumaru wondered if it was a sign that Inuyasha was finally maturing. It almost seemed as if Inuyasha had learnt something from his previous outburst.

"Come back with us." The hanyou's tone was gruff.

"Kagome-chan, Inuyasha told us what happened. Come back and we'll find a way to fix it together, alright?" This time the plea came from the taijiya.

The miko hesitated and Sesshoumaru immediately felt the weight of her stare on his back. It was clear that she was seeking his opinion. However, like before, this decision was something she had to make on her own. He could only offer to assist in her quest to cure this poison, therefore if she wished to reject it, he would not stand in her way.

Bokusenou's words came to him then, mocking his thoughts. However, Sesshoumaru brushed them to the back of his mind. The tree youkai was wrong. If the miko was truly free of the poison, then why were they still so drawn towards each other? Therefore, Bokusenou must have made a mistake. And that meant that he, Sesshoumaru, would continue to travel with the miko until she was rid of the poison.

"Kagome," Inuyasha prompted impatiently.

A heavy sigh left her before she replied, "Soon, Inuyasha. Just… not yet."

"Why?" The taijiya sounded bewildered. "Listen, if you don't want to be near Inuyasha, then Miroku and I will help you."

The miko interjected quickly, holding her hands up for emphasis. "It's not like that. There are… things… that none of you could help with."

A terse silence descended upon them when the meaning of her words became clear. Sesshoumaru turned away from the pile of ashes to face the group of uncomfortable hanyou and humans, noting that they were looking everywhere but at the miko.

Oddly, he was rather displeased by the sight. The miko was simply attempting to rectify her own issues and therefore should not be subjected to such a reaction from her so-called friends. But then again, humans in general had always been uncomfortable with their own bodies.

It was then that he decided to speak.

"Leave."

His uncompromising tone was enough to snap their attentions to him. For a while, they only stared at him, their features displaying identical looks of surprise. Then, as he expected, Inuyasha was the first one to break the silence.

"Stay out of this, Sesshoumaru."

Keeping him expression impassive, Sesshoumaru was about to respond when the miko interjected, "Please don't fight. I know you're all worried but honestly, I'm okay."

"Kagome…" the taijiya began slowly.

Wearing an obviously forced smile, the miko shook her head. "Don't worry. I'll find you once this whole thing is fixed."

Inuyasha's expression turned impatient. "Look-"

"Inuyasha," the houshi interjected abruptly, pulling the hanyou aside. "Let's go. I'm sure Kagome knows what she's doing."

Inuyasha averted his eyes. His voice was tight when he finally gritted out, "Keh! If she wants to stay with the bastard, then she can stay!"

With that, the hanyou spun around and walked away briskly, leaving the rest to follow him. However, before they did, the houshi and the taijiya both turned to the miko, casting her encouraging smiles.

"Come back soon," the taijiya said.

The miko nodded. "I will."

Sesshoumaru found the houshi's gaze on him. "I trust you will keep her safe, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Hn."

Evidently, that was sufficient to convince the houshi, for the human nodded before turning around to follow the hanyou. The taijiya went shortly after bestowing the miko with a hug.

Sesshoumaru waited until he could no longer detect their presences before he took a few steps towards the flute laying on the ground. Picking it up, he allowed his gaze to run over the smooth wood and then brought it to the remains of its owner. He knelt down and pushed the flute into the pile of ashes.

This would honor the memory of the human who had been manipulated by those despicable demons, the type of demons which spawned ones such as Naraku.

When he stood up, Sesshoumaru found the miko's eyes on him, and there was something familiar about the manner which she was looking at him.

"What now?" she asked.

"Come," he intoned, wishing to leave before Inuyasha thought to return.

As they walked in the opposite direction to the one Inuyasha and his companions had taken, the miko's expression returned to him. Puzzled, Sesshoumaru continued to contemplate the matter. They had reached the edge of a cliff when Sesshoumaru finally realized what it was.

Now that he thought about it, one could not miss the similarities between the expression on the miko's face and the one worn by Sara. Could it be that the miko was similarly infatuated with him?

He immediately tensed. No. This is unacceptable. He would not tolerate such… affections from the miko. He was only involved in this because honor demanded that he did so. Such a union would never be successful, anyhow. She was a miko and he was a taiyoukai. They were at two extreme ends of their own species.

He would have to discourage her, whatever it took.

Stopping abruptly, he turned to face her and cautioned, "Miko… Do not apply your affections on this Sesshoumaru."

* * *

Kagome's steps ground to a halt at Sesshoumaru's sudden proclamation. She did not know what had brought this on but the forbidding look on his face told her everything. His quiet words only reinforced it.

Was she so transparent? How could he tell?

The sting of rejection was more painful that she had expected, even though she had not pursued him or anything like that. Still, she should have expected it. After all, the last few days had confirmed to her that she was growing more and more attached to the taiyoukai. It was so utterly stupid of her but she could not help it.

Sesshoumaru was perceptive and must have caught on to the fact that she was a little attracted to him. Faced with something like this, there was only one thing he could do. He was a pure-blooded taiyoukai who had the history of despising anything weak. To him, humans were weak. So it was understandable that he would not reciprocate her little crush.

Was it really just a crush? It felt like something more than that. Something which he had just broken with his words and was now crashing down on her like an avalanche. Weighing her down, forcing her to sag into a puddle of confusion and disappointment.

Her eyes widened when a sudden thought occurred to her.

She could not have possibly fallen in love with Sesshoumaru in such a short time, could she? If that was the case, then she was in serious trouble. Why must this always happen to her? First it was Inuyasha and Kikyo. Now it was Sesshoumaru. Would she be forever doomed to seek those who she could not attain?

Stoic and reserved, the taiyoukai barely paid her any attention unless it was something to do with her predicament. Yes, he spoke to her to inform her that they were resting and such, but nothing beyond that. The only time he exhibited any kind of real response was during their coupling. Then, he would growl as his face contorted into an almost painful expression as he pounded into her. He was distant and she did not expect otherwise.

After all, they were effectively strangers brought together by a cruel twist of fate.

No, Sesshoumaru was right to caution her. He was just trying to make sure that she did not make a fool out of herself. She had to grow up and stop having these silly little crushes on those she traveled with.

But something told her that the situation would get worse if she continued to travel with him. It would be like Inuyasha all over again.

This time, she would have to be stronger.

Straightening in determination, Kagome lifted her eyes to the taiyoukai's golden ones.

"I understand, Sesshoumaru," she said slowly.

"Hn."

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a long while. It was as if he was trying to see through her. Kagome let her gaze sweep over his face, taking note of the perfectly smooth features marred only by the markings of his heritage. Sesshoumaru was truly beautiful and her heart twisted a little at the thought of leaving him. But what else could she do?

Nothing.

But before she left, she wanted to touch him once more.

Just once more.

* * *

Sesshoumaru did not know what to make of the play of emotions on her features. It was too unfamiliar to him, too… human. But what was most unexpected was the resolute expression she now wore.

His eyes widened slightly when she took a step towards him, her gaze fixed firmly to his face. Her intent was clear by the way her pheromones washed over him as the distance between them shrank. He had just warned her to distance herself emotionally from him and now she wished to copulate?

He stilled completely when her hands reached out to his chest. The heat of her palms seared him as those small appendages slid up to his shoulders.

"Sesshoumaru…" she murmured. "Do you think we could…"

She left the sentence unfinished but shivers were already skating up his spine at the sound of her soft voice. Wanting to touch her, his hand went around her waist and roughly pulled her towards him. He heard a sharp intake of breath from her when their bodies met.

This was why.

This was why Bokusenou was wrong about the poison. The heat between him and the miko could not be explained any other way. He had just warned her and yet, she still wished to be close to him. If the miko was not still affected, she would not have approached him.

Would she?

His thoughts were suspended when he gazed upon her face. The desire in those soft brown orbs sent a surge of masculine pride through him. She wanted him and from the quickening pulses of his blood, he knew that he reciprocated fully, even though he knew that he should be distancing himself from her.

Sesshoumaru kept his eyes fixed to hers as she trailed her fingers up to his neck to pull his head down. He offered no resistance, merely lowering himself until her breath ghosted against his lips. A tentative flick of her tongue moistened his lower lip, sending a shiver up his spine.

With a low growl, he pressed down, capturing her tongue and then proceeded to draw her into a deeper kiss. It occurred to him rather absently that kisses were not something he had particularly enjoyed until the miko came along. But now, with her soft lips sighing into his and her tongue sweeping against his, it was clear that he had grown rather fond of the activity.

As fond as he was of it, he needed more. With that thought, Sesshoumaru moved his hand between them. In moments, he had divested her of her attire completely, leaving the miko flushed and with lips parted in want.

His body reacted instantly at the sight of her standing there nude, staring at him with those eyes. The scent of her arousal was strong, reaching him in waves. He wanted nothing more than to throw her down to the ground and drive himself into her until he was sated but he refrained from doing so.

Instead, he simply reached a hand between her legs. A gasp let her the moment he came into contact with her slippery wetness. She was ready for him, he thought as his fingers rubbed circles around her nub. More than ready, he added, sliding a digit up into her.

"Wait," she whispered breathily. "I want to undress you."

He stilled, surprised by her words. But he did not stop her when she reached for him. The pressure in his loins grew further as she took hold of his kimono and slowly slid the fabric down his shoulders, planting hungry kisses as she exposed his skin. Her tongue flicked over his flat nipples before she moved down to nip at his stomach softly. His entire body shuddered at the sensation.

Then his top was completely bared and her fingers loosened the knot of his hakama, freeing him from the fabric. Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth as he felt her touch on his hardened flesh. He glanced down to find her eyeing his arousal with eager fascination as she circled him. And when she brushed her thumb over the sensitive head, a hiss of pleasure escaped him.

Sesshoumaru tensed in a mixture of astonishment and anticipation as the miko dropped to her knees before him, her intentions clear. She had only done this once before, but he recalled what her lips had felt like around him and the urge to feel it again was strong.

The first flick of her tongue sent a jolt of heat through him. The second flick of her tongue caused him to throw his head back, just before he felt himself being engulfed fully within her mouth. He was unable to refrain from groaning out loud at the sensation brought on by her insistent sucking and licking, but he knew that if it went on for longer, it would soon end.

Not intending to allow such a thing to happen, he reached down with his Mokomoko-sama and forcefully pulled her up. Spinning her so that she was facing away from him, he buried his nose in her hair, taking in the peach scent that was uniquely hers. His hand skimmed up her flat stomach, pausing briefly to cup the underside of her breast.

Her breath hitched as he allowed a thumb to graze a stiffened peak. Smirking in satisfaction at her instantaneous reaction, he rolled her nipple between his fingers, drawing more cries of pleasure from her.

"Sesshoumaru-"

Her words were cut off when he lowered his head to suck on the exposed skin of her neck. He could feel his fangs lengthening in response to his primal instincts, but Sesshoumaru dismissed it. The taste of her skin was something he could never get enough of but he would not allow himself to mark her.

"Sesshoumaru! Please!"

He lifted his head, but his fingers did not cease their ministrations. "What is it, Miko?"

She pressed herself backwards, grinding her rounded backside against his throbbing arousal. He gritted his teeth, trying to maintain some form of control of his body as her movements drove him closer to distraction.

"I need more," came her soft admission.

Deciding to acquiesce to her request, Sesshoumaru took his hand off her breast and slid it down to her hips to hold her in place.

Without a single warning, he slid between her parted legs and drove his entire length into her.

A strangled cry of pleasure broke from her as her slippery walls rippled around him, drawing a growl from his throat. He had stilled within her, but he could feel himself throbbing in reaction of being wrapped in her slick heat and his fingers tightened on the curve of her hip.

Succumbing to an uncharacteristic need to speak, he hissed quietly, "Do you know how wet you are?"

His words brought forth a shudder from her. "W-What?"

His only response was to withdraw slowly and then drive himself back into her swiftly. Her wet flesh clamped around him, as if it was not willing to let him go. The urge to move was strong and he finally gave in to it fully, driving hard and fast into her.

"D-Don't stop," she breathed out.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he thrust up into her repeatedly, feeling her tight, slick sheath clamping around him with each movement. Her hair bounced, sliding past her shoulders to her front, revealing the graceful curve joining her neck and shoulder. Unable to help himself, Sesshoumaru pressed his gritted teeth against that tempting junction. Once again, the urge to mark her was strong. In fact, it was stronger than what he had ever felt.

Why was he so drawn to her? Was why his instincts clamoring for him to make her his?

The clamping of her inner muscles around his hardened flesh broke his train of thought and Sesshoumaru growled out loud at the sensation. Small cries of pleasure was escaping her lips with every breath as she pushed back against him insistently, telling him that she was close.

He sped up, pumping harder into her, growling low in his throat as he did so. The sound of her voice calling his name in breathless whispers was sending waves of possessiveness coursing through him. At that very moment, he wanted nothing more than to remain in the position, buried within her heated sheath.

It occurred to him that something about their coupling was different this time, although he was unable pinpoint what it was. His mind was too distracted by the sensations coursing through his body for him to make much sense of anything except the miko's body.

Holding her securely around the waist with his Mokomoko-sama, he reached around and found her curls. His fingers combed through them until he felt her slick, swollen nub.

"Sesshoumaru!" she choked out as he caught her sensitive flesh between his fingers.

It was not long before he felt her muscles contracting around him, pushing him to his limits. As she cried out in the throes of her climax, he sped up, his movements becoming erratic as he too, reached the peak. With a snarl, he emptied himself into her, his body jerking at each pulse of pleasure.

His heart thudding in the aftereffects of their coupling, Sesshoumaru pressed his face to her neck until he felt calmer. Then, noticing that he was still buried within her, he slowly withdrew.

As always, they dressed in silence. But Sesshoumaru could not help but notice the surreptitious look the miko was casting him. It was a troubled, but thoughtful look. Why was she looking at him in such a manner?

When she was dressed fully, she sank down to the ground to stare out into the sky. From their location on top of the cliff, they could see the sun setting in the distance. Without a word, Sesshoumaru joined her. They sat in silence as the sun continued its descend.

Then the miko broke the silence.

"You know, Sesshoumaru. I think you might me right about warning me earlier."

His eyes widened at her words.

Her lips twisted slightly, almost in self-mockery. "I don't know how you feel, but I think I feel more for you than just…" She gestured in the space between them before she continued, "…just this."

He frowned. Surely she would not persist in her affections after what he had said.

"Miko…"

"Hear me out just this once," she interjected quickly. Then, taking a deep breath, she continued, "I don't expect anything from you, but I cannot lie to myself and I cannot lie to you like this. I can't pretend that I'm feeling nothing for you. And whatever you say, I know that you're affected… somewhat."

He stared at her, his entire body still. Allowing himself to be completely consumed by the overwhelming lust for her during their sessions was already difficult for him to accept. Then, knowing that she was growing emotionally attached told him that he should caution her and he had done so. The last thing he expected now was to hear this admission from the miko.

She turned away from him to stare into the distance before she continued, "But like I said before, I don't expect you to do anything about it. I just want to get this off my chest even though you don't feel anything for me."

Did he feel anything for her apart from lust? He could admit that he was attracted to her physically. Was there something more to it? Was that why he felt a sudden wash of warmth at her admission?

However, something told him that time had run out for them. Her words earlier had carried an odd note of finality in them. If he had to guess, he would say that she was contemplating leaving him to return to Inuyasha. He should be pleased because it meant that he would be free of this obligation.

However, Sesshoumaru felt nothing like that.

They continued to stare out into the sunset, but there was an odd tension in the air now.

"I know that if we continue to travel together, things are going to get complicated. So, I'm going to go back to Inuyasha."

Sesshoumaru felt his jaw twitch at the verbal confirmation of his suspicion. The first thing which crossed his mind was to stop her from leaving, to forcibly keep her by his side. However, such a thing was dishonorable. The only reason that they were together was because he wished to rectify the situation for both of them. Therefore, he had no reason to force her to remain if she wished otherwise.

"Hn," was his only response.

Eyes still fixed into the horizon, she continued quietly, "Thank you. For everything. Inuyasha and the rest wouldn't travel at night like this, so they would have set up camp somewhere nearby. I'll find them."

Uncertain how to respond, he simply remained silent. She was leaving and it was clear that she did not expect him to follow.

"If it is not too much trouble, can you send Shippou back to us?"

"Hn."

She nodded absently. Then her small frame shook as she took a deep breath. The air around him shifted as she stood up abruptly.

"Goodbye, Sesshoumaru."

With that, she spun around and began to walk away. Sesshoumaru allowed his eyes to follow her movements. Slowly, her form became smaller and smaller until she entered the forest and out of his sight.

Sesshoumaru sat there long after her scent had faded in the breeze.

He sat there even after the sun had completely disappeared down the horizon, only to rise again. The passage of time did not mean anything to him. Suddenly, everything seemed so bland, so monotonous. He would not deceive himself. He knew that the reason behind it was the miko's departure.

It had begun as a mere digression from the norm.

But now, it could no longer be described as such.

Now, he did not know how to describe it.

* * *

A/N: And that's the penultimate chapter of this story. The next will be the last. As always, please review if you could. Thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi. This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

Warning: Minimal plot with a lot of lemon. Do not read if you are underaged.

A/N: I wonder if anyone even remembers this story (smiles sheepishly). It has taken forever, but here is the final chapter of this story. I hope that you'd enjoy it.

* * *

**A Mere Digression Part 7 – by elle6778**

Three months had passed since she left Sesshoumaru by the side of the cliff.

Kagome sighed as she sat by the edge of yet another cliff, one close to Kaede's village. Staring out at the sprawling farmland before her, she could not help but recall how she had once viewed the landscape from a much higher vantage point.

Three months had passed and yet, she still could not get Sesshoumaru out of her mind. He remained with her even though she did not know where he was. There had been times when she looked around during her travels to see if she could catch a glimpse of him, to just see if he was okay, but there had been no signs of the taiyoukai. If he happened to be travelling along the same route as them, he must be masking his presence.

As she often did nowadays, Kagome's mind went back to the last day she had seen the proud taiyoukai. More often than once, she wondered if she could have handled things differently. Perhaps in her despair, she had acted rashly. So much that she had not given him a chance to explain himself.

Would he explain himself even if she had waited? No, she doubted it. As always, her thoughts looped back to the fact that she had made the right decision. There was no point in remaining with Sesshoumaru when it was clear that he was not interested. If she had stayed longer, she would suffer more at their parting.

Then why was she missing him so much after all this time?

Maybe she had not left soon enough. Maybe by the time she had realized what was happening, it was already too late for her to do anything. She had fallen hard for Sesshoumaru. Yeah, that was very likely considering the emotional state she was in now.

The rest of her companions had certainly noticed.

After she left Sesshoumaru, it had not taken her long to backtrack and find her friends. Fortunately, as she had predicted, they had set up camp nearby. It was an understatement to say that Inuyasha and the rest had been surprised to see her so soon after her refusal to return to them. But she had noticed not a single moment of hesitation before they welcomed her with open arms.

Even Inuyasha.

Kagome frowned slightly when she thought of her hanyou friend. Their relationship had been strained for a while, but soon, Inuyasha slowly returned to his old self. What surprised her most was the fact that she seemed to have gotten over what she had felt for Inuyasha.

She guessed it was just her luck that she had swapped her infatuation from one brother to another. Inuyasha seemed to have sensed the change and whilst he had been his usual gruff self with her, he had, much to her surprise, refrained from speaking about Sesshoumaru. Her lips twitched slightly, but not quite forming a smile. It seemed that her coarse hanyou friend actually had some tact after all.

"Kagome!"

The sound of Shippou's voice drew her out of her contemplations. Turning around on the log she was sitting on, Kagome watched the kitsune as he approached the cliff.

Shippou's growth had been nothing short of astounding. In those weeks she had travelled with Sesshoumaru and the last three months, he had grown up to her shoulders. And from the looks of things, he would grow even more and would soon bypass her in height. His little fox hands and feet had transformed into humanoid-looking ones, and while he still retained much of his baby fat, his features had matured.

He skidded to a halt before her. "Kagome!"

Wondering what had gotten the kitsune so excited, Kagome asked, "What is it, Shippou?"

Eyes wide with glee, he reached behind his back. "Look what I've gotten just now," he exclaimed before he swung his arms forward.

Kagome's lips parted in surprise when she saw the curved blades held in each of Shippou's hands. It glinted in the sunlight, and even with her inexperienced eyes, she could tell that the workmanship was superb.

"They are beautiful," she murmured, standing up so that she could inspect the blades closer. It gave out some sort of familiar youki and Kagome felt compelled to ask, "So, where did you get them from?"

"Totousai made them for me. He told me that it's time I learnt to wield weapons. And this is my own special one, made from my own fangs," he announced, puffing up in pride.

Kagome's eyes shot to his mouth, quickly noticing that the two sharp tips at the corners of his mouth were still intact. "Umm… Your fangs?"

Shippou nodded enthusiastically before he pulled down his bottom lip, revealing two gaps in the row of white. Releasing his lip, he explained, "They will grow back in a few days. Totousai said that when I'm older, I should get blades made from my top fangs. They are stronger."

The thought of Shippou entering battles with his blades brought forth an immediate wash of anxiety. Although he _looked _older now, she still saw Shippou as a child. But she should really stop thinking about him like that. After all, Shippou had lived just as long as she had. And as a youkai, he was definitely physically stronger than her.

Still, she could not keep from asking, "Is it safe, Shippou?"

The red-head straightened. "Of course. I've been practicing."

Yes, she noticed. Shippou had spent many hours during their travels practicing with similar weapons which he had taken off one of the demons Inuyasha had defeated.

"I told you I'm going to protect you, Kagome." His expression turned resolute. "You took care of me long enough."

She felt herself warm at his words. "Shippou…"

"Oi! Kagome! Shippou! Where the hell are you two?!" a familiar voice reached them, breaking the mood.

Shippou scowled. "You'd think he couldn't sniff us out."

Kagome smiled as she stood up. "You know what he's like. Let's go."

Shippou simply rolled his eyes.

000

* * *

000

It was her again.

Moments ago, he was trailing one of Naraku's detachments. Until he neared this hotsprings, where his steps simply halted. Her scent was unmistakable, almost as if it was burnt into his senses, rendering him unable to move.

Sesshoumaru did not know how long it had been since they had spoken by the cliff. Months perhaps. That was not to say that he had not come across her and her travelling companions since then. And it was not to say that she had not been on his mind the rest of the time.

Each time he had caught a glimpse of her, he experienced an odd surge of what felt like desperation within him. It took a while before he acknowledged what it meant. His instinct was urging him to find her and take her, to keep her for himself. It was only by pure will that he had managed to stop himself from approaching her when he sensed her the last few times.

Irked by his own reaction, Sesshoumaru wondered if he should approach her this time. Perhaps his instincts would be appeased, and he would be able to remove her from his thoughts. It was unsettling that a mere miko could affect him to this extent.

Tilting his head slightly, he expanded his senses to scan his surroundings. The miko was alone apart from the small fox youkai. Dismissing the kitsune's presence, Sesshoumaru came to the conclusion that he should approach her.

Decision made, Sesshoumaru streaked forward towards the hotsprings. His blood rushed in heated anticipation of seeing and touching the miko again.

However, his path was suddenly interrupted by a small, familiar figure.

Green eyes flashing, the kitsune hissed, "Stay away from her."

Sesshoumaru directed a disdainful stare at the insolent kitsune. "Move aside."

A spark of fear appeared, and then it was gone. "You're not going to hurt her again."

Sesshoumaru tensed. The kit was accusing him of hurting the miko? When had he done such a thing?

"Do not speak of what you do not understand."

"Oh, I understand, alright. Kagome was sad before she left with you. But after that, when she came back, she's all broken. You broke her!" the green-eyed youkai accused heatedly.

Incensed, Sesshoumaru streaked forward. In a blink of an eye, the kitsune's throat was caught in his clawed hand. Fueled by anger, the green eyes flashed in defiance. Sesshoumaru flexed his fingers, allowing his claws to bite into the skin but the kitsune refused to bow to his will. When had the kit become so hardened? From what he could remember, the kit had been rather timid.

"Put him down."

Sesshoumaru stilled at the quiet, but menacing voice. It was the miko. He could feel her aura slamming into his back, threatening him. Bringing him a rush of heady desire, even as he bristled inwardly at her disrespectful tone.

"I said, put him down, Sesshoumaru!" Her voice now shook with repressed rage.

Uncurling his fingers, Sesshoumaru allowed the kit to fall to the ground. Slowly, he turned around.

Something twisted in his chest as his gaze landed on her familiar form. Even though she was fully-clothed, it was clear that she had just emerged from her bath. Expression betraying nothing, he took in her wide eyes, set in her little face, her lips and then, lower down to her body. A flash of heat jolted through him at the recollection of what she had felt like against him during all those times they had been close.

Then he raised his gaze to meet her eyes again, and this time, he saw those brown orbs flickering uncertainly. The mix of uncertainty and determination was odd, but compelling. It was… arousing. Not only in the physical sense, but something more. Something which brought forth a fierce possessiveness within him.

"What are you doing here, Sesshoumaru?" she asked warily.

Not bothering to respond, he simply continued to take in her features. This close, he noted that she had lost some weight over the last few months. Had she not been taking care of her own well-being? The thought irritated him.

"Sesshoumaru?"

When he continued to remain silent, she began to fidget. The kit was now by her side, still staring at him warily.

"Let's get out of here, Kagome," the kit urged, pulling at her arm.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at the action, displeased that the kit wished to remove her from his sight. He was not done with her yet, even though he had not decided on what he should do next.

"Leave us," he instructed the kit imperiously.

A slight tremble ran up the small form, but the kit remained unmoving, glaring at him angrily. Foolish youkai, Sesshoumaru thought, taking a step towards him with every intention of providing the kit some assistance in leaving.

To his surprise, the miko stepped into his path. Her eyes were flashing in determination and what appeared to be protectiveness for the kit. The stray though that she would be a fierce protector to her pups came to mind suddenly.

"You're sadly mistaken if you think I'm going to let you bully him," she bit out.

Bully? "Send him away," he instructed firmly.

She stiffened. "Why?"

"He is in the way."

"No, Kagome!"

"Do as I say," he intoned flatly.

She regarded him warily. "What do you want, Sesshoumaru?"

He did not like to justify his actions, but he knew that in this case, he had to respond, or the miko would not heed his words. "Just a moment of your time," he finally said.

The miko's brows furrowed as she contemplated his response. And then she turned to the small youkai by her side. "Shippou, can you leave us alone for a while?"

The kitsune's green eyes rounded. "What? NO!"

"Shippou…"

A mutinous look came over the kitsune's features. "After what happened last time, how upset you were when you got back-"

"Shippou!" she interjected quickly. "I just need to talk to him, okay? In private."

The kitsune scowled, obviously displeased. Then, directing a glare at him, the small youkai turned around and walked away. Sesshoumaru kept his eyes on the departing form until the kitsune was no longer within hearing distance before he shifted his full attention to the miko.

Wearing a wary look, she asked, "So, what do you want to say?"

Now that they were alone, he gave in to his instincts. In a flash, he was in front of her. She gasped in shock, her eyes wide as she stared up at him.

Reaching behind her, he clamped a hand around the back of her neck to hold her in place before his head descended. He felt the oddest sensation when their lips met. All of a sudden, he was awash with a comforting heat. He realized that it was something that he always occurred during his encounters with this miko.

Her lips were as he had recalled. Soft, pliant and tasted fully of the miko and nothing else. It was something that he had not realized he had been craving all this time they were apart.

Without much thought, his hand slid from her neck down her back. Lower still, until he reached the soft curve of her rear. Her short attire was not enough of a barrier to prevent him from slipping his fingers up between the top of her bare thighs.

She gasped against his lips when he squeezed her smooth flesh.

000

* * *

000

Her core was burning with a familiar molten heat, the heat that she had tried so often not to recall or pay any attention to. But with a single touch of his hand, everything came crashing back to her. Panic engulfed her at the realization of where this could lead.

No.

No, she could not let this happen again.

Kagome found herself panting when she finally summoned up enough willpower to pull away from Sesshoumaru. Then, stunned by what she had almost let happen, she stared in horror at the silent taiyoukai.

No. This should not have happened. She should be trying to get over him, damn it. Not making things worse by kissing him. What the hell was she thinking?

She pushed him away from her.

"We can't do this."

He stared at her.

She shook her head. "Not again."

For a long moment, he remained silent. Then, in an even voice, he asked, "Why?"

Why? Her brows furrowed in confusion. What did he mean, why? Because if they carried on like this, where would it end? It had begun because of something she could not control, but she was no longer in the same position. If they did something like this, they would be doing it out of their own free will.

Would that be so bad, a small voice at the back of her mind asked.

Would it?

Confused, she looked away from him. Yes. It would be really bad because whatever it was that had happened between them, there would be no happy ending for it. She knew that she was already falling hard for him, and it was obvious that Sesshoumaru felt nothing of the sort. They were simply too different. Was that not why she had left in the first place?

"We are too different," she finally said. "And I'm done wanting something that I couldn't really have."

"What do you want?" he asked quietly.

"Something you can't give me," she whispered.

He eyed her intently, not saying a word. She had no idea if she had offended him with her words or not. But she meant what she had said. Sesshoumaru could not give her what she wanted in the long run, and it was best that they remained apart from each other.

Besides, time healed everything, right?

Eventually, he took his eyes away from her. Without another word, he spun around and took to the air.

It was only then that she squeezed her eyes shut against the sting of tears behind her lids. Would she ever get over him?

000

* * *

000

They crossed path again in two weeks.

In those two weeks, Sesshoumaru had finally arrived at a conclusion; that he would never rid his mind of the miko. Her features and the last words she had spoken to him taunted him daily, telling him that he had to act on it if he wished for a different outcome.

It left him with only one option. His instincts told him that he had made an acceptable decision, and his instinct had to be trusted.

So, he had left Rin in the care of Jaken and Ah-Un. They were currently in the Western Lands, in one of the secluded accommodations he had procured over the years. This left him free to pursue what he desired.

And what he desired was the miko.

It did not take long for Sesshoumaru to track down the miko's travelling group. And when he did, they immediately faced him in their respective defensive stances. Fools, if he truly wished to harm them, he would have done so before they even saw him.

He simply stood there, studying their tense forms one after another.

"What are you doing here, you bastard?!" Inuyasha snarled.

"Inuyasha…" the taijiya warned.

Lowering his staff slightly, the houshi took a step forward. "It doesn't look as if he's here to fight." Then, meeting his eyes, the houshi asked, "Isn't that right, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Hn."

"What is it, then?" the taijiya asked warily.

There was a moment of pause before Sesshoumaru spoke. "We have a common target. It would not be unreasonable to travel together."

The five pairs of eyes stared at him with varying degrees of shock and confusion.

"What the hell are you going on about, Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha growled.

"Wait, Inuyasha. I think Sesshoumaru means for us to combine our efforts to find and fight Naraku," the houshi said. "Isn't that correct, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Hn." The human was perceptive, at least.

"Ah, an alliance then," the houshi murmured thoughtfully, lifting a hand to rub his chin.

"The hell I'll work with him!" the hanyou promptly exploded. His golden eyes went from one of his travelling companions to the other. "You can't seriously be considering this!"

The taijiya continued to eye him skeptically, while the miko studiously avoided his gaze. Sesshoumaru could tell that she was discomfited by the proposal, even though she had kept silent all this while. And yet, she should realize the truth of what he spoke. It would be beneficial for them to travel together, even though he was merely using this as an excuse. That what he truly wished was to be close to the miko.

Sesshoumaru turned back to the human. "Your decision, Houshi?" he prompted.

Before the human could respond, Inuyasha bristled and snarled, "It's not his decision to make!"

Finally turning to address his irate brother, Sesshoumaru murmured, "Perhaps you're under the impression that it is yours then, little brother."

Inuyasha lunged at him, only to be intercepted by the taijiya's Hiraikotsu. Frowning, the slayer cautioned, "Just calm down, Inuyasha. We're not getting anywhere on our own, so maybe teaming up is not a bad idea."

Eyes rounding in disbelief, Inuyasha sputtered, "B-But… It's Sesshoumaru! He's the one Kagome-"

"Shut up, Inuyasha!" the kitsune hissed.

It was then that everyone turned their attention to the miko. She was staring at the ground, frowning thoughtfully. For a long while, no one moved.

Finally, the taijiya approached her. "Kagome?"

The miko finally looked up. "Hm?"

"What do you think of Sesshoumaru joining us?"

Sesshoumaru remained still as the miko turned to him. Her eyes pierced him, as if she was attempting to read his intentions. There was no mistaking the suspicion in her, but he had expected it. Still, he kept his expression impassive as he returned her gaze. Her eyes flickered briefly, and then she looked away.

Haltingly, the miko responded, "I suppose it's good to have him on our side."

The houshi clapped his hands together, beaming as he did so. "That's what I thought. So, it's settled then."

"NO!" Inuyasha protested.

"You'll get used to it, Inuyasha. After all, he's your brother," the houshi placated.

"We can try it for a while, and if it doesn't work out, we can go our separate ways again," the taijiya added.

Sesshoumaru simply quirked a brow as Inuyasha shot him a murderous glare. Like it or not, the hanyou would have to accept his companions' decision. Slowly, he slanted his eyes towards the true reason for his presence.

The miko was staring into the trees, deliberately ignoring him.

It did not matter.

Soon enough, she would be forced to acknowledge his presence.

000

* * *

000

Kagome snuck a glance over her shoulders.

Despite Inuyasha's constant protests, Sesshoumaru was now part of their travelling group.

She could not believe that they were doing this, that Sesshoumaru was actually travelling with them. Granted, he kept to himself, staying some distance behind them, but he was actually THERE. She could feel his presence so acutely that her nerves remained constantly taut with….

With that? Anticipation? Fear? She had no idea what she was feeling or what she should be feeling.

She sighed heavily.

At least he was not making this more awkward than it was. At first, she thought that he had decided to join up with them because of their… unfinished business. But so far, they had been travelling for the last one week, and in those seven days, he had made no sexual advances towards her. So perhaps he was truly doing this because like them, all he wanted was to destroy Naraku as soon as he could.

They continued to travel until the sun began to descend in the horizon. With the darkness approaching, they decided to set up camp beside a shallow river. As he had done for the last one week, Sesshoumaru remained apart from them. Although he travelled with them, he had never joined them for their meals. Kagome did not even know where he slept at night.

As they began to cook, Sango turned to her and whispered, "Do you think we should offer him something?"

"Huh?"

Sango's eyes flicked briefly in Sesshoumaru's direction. "The taiyoukai. Doesn't he need to eat or something?"

"I don't know," Kagome muttered. She knew so little about him.

"Keh! He knows how to feed himself," Inuyasha spat. "Don't bother wasting food on him."

Kagome closed her eyes in resignation. If any of them offered Sesshoumaru anything, Inuyasha would definitely throw up a huge fuss. She was not sure if anyone wanted to deal with such a thing. It took too much effort.

Slanting a glance at Sesshoumaru, she noticed that he was walking away from them, effectively resolving the issue. It was then that she released a sigh of relief, for the taiyoukai's departure meant that they had just avoided another potential confrontation between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha.

One week had passed, and Kagome could not help but wonder just how long this fragile truce would last.

Or if Sesshoumaru would ever approach her the way he had done in the past.

000

* * *

000

Seated at the base of a tree, Sesshoumaru's gaze followed the miko's slender form as she busied herself preparing the evening meal by the campfire. The taijiya was nearby, tending to the fire while the houshi prepared the fishes Inuyasha had caught earlier.

One week had passed since he began travelling with these humans, but he found that it was not unbearable. Being close to them gave him a new insight of how they interacted with each other and they were not as… repulsive as he had once assumed. However, this could be the miko's influence. After all, she had the strangest effect on those around her.

He was surprised to find that it was almost enough to simply be close to her, to see her daily. Physical contact would be welcomed, of course. However, the miko was never alone, making it impossible for him to approach her in that manner.

Still, he was satisfied, for now.

He had made the first move to approach her by joining up with her travelling group. Knowing how discomfited she was by the situation between them, he realized that he had to allow her to decide the next step. He did not intend to wait forever, but he was content to do so for now. At least, as long as his instinct allowed him to.

A low growl caught his attention then, and Sesshoumaru shifted his gaze to find Inuyasha glaring at him. Arms wrapped across his chest as he leaned back against a nearby tree, Inuyasha's golden eyes gleamed with unmistakable animosity. Unperturbed, Sesshoumaru returned his gaze to the humans.

It was then that he caught the miko's eyes. Their gazes held for a moment, and Sesshoumaru did not fail to detect a hint of desire in hers before she quickly turned away. The fact that she was still affected by him gave him a sense of… satisfaction. Perhaps it would not be long before she approached him.

"Why are you really here?"

His chain of thought interrupted, Sesshoumaru turned to face the owner of the harsh voice. Inuyasha was still glaring at him, but that was not surprising. After all, the hanyou had done it every day for the last one week.

"Resting," Sesshoumaru finally responded, his tone even.

A snort of disbelief escaped the hanyou before he pushed himself away from the tree. "I'm not stupid. You're here for Kagome, aren't you? You've been eyeing her all this time."

Sesshoumaru did not bother to respond to the remark. Inuyasha could form any opinion he wished, he thought as he stood up. Without a single word, Sesshoumaru turned away and began to walk towards the river. If he could not watch the miko in peace, there was no reason for him to be there.

"Oi! Where the hell are you going?"

Sesshoumaru simply continued to walk away.

Soon, the sounds of metal hitting tree reached him. He glanced around until he detected the source of the commotion. Pausing, he stood still to watch.

The kitsune was practicing with his blades. It was obvious from his moves that the blades were new, and the youngster was unused to them. As he continued to watch, Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed slightly at the uneven movements. The kitsune was not employing the correct method, wasting the potential of the blades.

It would not do.

"Do not lock your wrist," he intoned quietly.

The kitsune immediately stilled, and then slowly, turned to him. Blinking in confusion, green eyes looked down at the blades before looking back up at him.

"Uh… don't lock my wrists?" he ventured uncertainly.

"Hn." After a short pause, Sesshoumaru added, "You must keep your wrists loose."

"Oh." The kitsune darted hesitant glances left and right before he nodded. "Thank you."

The small youkai continued to practice, and this time, his movements were more fluid, even though there was certainly room for improvement. Still, it was acceptable as a first attempt. With practice, the kitsune would no doubt become a passable warrior.

When Sesshoumaru realized just what he was thinking, his brows drew together. It was unusual for him to ponder over such matters that had nothing to do with him. The kitsune's progress did not matter to him, did it?

But it mattered to the miko.

000

* * *

000

Once again, they made it out of a battle intact.

As they left the battlefield, Kagome darted a quick glance towards the youngest member of their group. Shippou was walking tall, his chest puffed out with pride and confidence as he chattered excitedly.

The battle with Kagura and the undead bodies she controlled had been vicious, as usual. However, this time, they had more fighters than usual. To everyone's surprise, Shippou had managed to hold his own against the enemy forces. So it was not long before the wind demoness had fled on her cloud.

Once they were in the clear, they made camp to recover from the battle. It was then that Kagome found herself listening to Shippou's recount of his part of the battle as she rested against a tree trunk.

"I thought he'd rip my arm off, but I brought my blades around in time!" the kitsune exclaimed excitedly. "One swipe, and he was down!"

She gave his hair an affectionate ruffle. "Well, you've been practicing hard, haven't you?"

Shippou blinked, and then shot a glance into the dense forest. Kagome knew who he was looking at, but she kept her eyes trained on the kitsune as she wondered what he was thinking. Just as she was about to ask, Shippou shifted his attention back to her and lowered his voice.

"I didn't just practice alone," he whispered.

A little confused, Kagome asked, "What do you mean, Shippou?"

The kitsune looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, Sesshoumaru had been giving me pointers."

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise at the revelation. She did not expect this at all. Sesshoumaru did not strike her as someone who would take the time to guide another youkai in the art of battle. But then again, if someone asked her months ago, she would say that Sesshoumaru would never touch a human female the way he had done to her. The thought made her flush, as usual, and she quickly brushed the memories away.

Still, this latest revelation was most unexpected. The fact that he did this for Shippou meant that perhaps Sesshoumaru was actually not as cold as she had assumed. Had she misjudged the taiyoukai?

Focusing on Shippou, she asked, "How long has this been going on?"

Shippou's brows furrowed slightly. "Maybe a few weeks. A month?"

So long? "And no one knows?" she murmured, more to herself than anything else.

Shrugging, Shippou responded, "Well, at first it was a little strange, you know? I didn't know if I should say anything, so I kept it to myself."

Strange was an understatement, she thought dryly.

"But after a while, I got used to the practice sessions." A pause followed, and a sheepish look came across Shippou's face. "He's a good teacher."

Kagome nodded absently.

"He's not as bad as I once thought," Shippou ventured hesitantly.

Of course the kitsune would say so. It was beginning to look as if Shippou had a mild case of hero-worship. This was unbelievable. And she bet if Inuyasha caught wind of it, the hanyou would blow his top. However, she had to admit that what Sesshoumaru had done was a good thing, for Shippou's skills had advanced. And with the advancement, Kagome could tell that Shippou was happier and more confident of himself.

"Kagome?"

Thoughts broken, she turned to face him. "Hm?"

"You're not angry, are you?" he asked somewhat nervously.

She sighed, smiling. Reaching out, she ruffled his head again, much to his chagrin. "Now why would I be angry? I'm happy you're a fully fledged warrior now. It must have taken some hard work, though. I'm proud of you."

Shippou beamed in pleasure. "Thanks, Kagome."

They chattered for a while longer about inconsequential topic, but Kagome had to admit that her mind was elsewhere. Shippou must have sensed it as well, because soon afterwards, he excused himself to go help Inuyasha and Miroku hunt for some wild game for dinner.

Sesshoumaru's action kind of made her realize that as aloof as he was, the taiyoukai was actually not deliberately distancing himself from the rest of them. It made her feel a little bad that they always excluded him from their daily things, even though he was actually travelling with them.

Perhaps she should go speak to him.

Or was this merely an excuse on her side to get closer to him again?

Kagome bit her bottom lip, wondering if that was the case. It had been a while since they had spoken face to face, even though she was always hyper-aware of his presence. And each time their eyes met, she could almost read the feral need in those golden orbs. The thought of it made her shiver.

He clearly wanted her in the carnal sense. But was that the only thing he wanted her for? Was he even capable of more? More importantly, what exactly did she want from him?

Groaning, Kagome buried her face in her palms. She was just going around in circles, and she was just as confused as before.

Perhaps it was time to take some risk.

With that thought, she stood up abruptly. She should speak to him before she lost her nerves. The silence had dragged on long enough. What had she got to lose anyway?

Recalling where Shippou had glanced towards earlier, Kagome pushed her way through the dense forest growth. With each step she took, her heart seemed to thump harder in anticipation. She could hardly believe that she was doing this.

Soon, she caught sight of a mass of silver hair. Her breath hitched in her throat as she ran her eyes over his form. Sesshoumaru resting against the base of a tree trunk, his eyes fixed to some unknown point in the distance. He did not move a muscle, but she was sure that he knew that she was there.

Slowly, she approached him.

"Sesshoumaru?" she ventured hesitantly.

He slanted a pair of golden eyes at her, but said nothing. Kagome steeled her spine, telling herself that this was something she had to do. Besides, she was sick of letting things just HAPPEN to her. It was time that she took control of things a little. And she would start by patching things up with Sesshoumaru.

Taking a deep breath, she went on, "I just want to thank you for watching over Shippou. He told me that you helped him with his training."

"Hn."

A moment of silence passed as she wracked her mind for something else to say. Sesshoumaru was still staring at her, obviously waiting for her to continue speaking. The first thing that came to her mind was food.

"Inuyasha and the rest are hunting for food now. Would you like to join us?"

His eyes flickered slightly, and then he said, "I have no need for food at the moment."

"Oh."

Feeling rather discomfited by the intensity of his gaze, she looked away. "Well, that's it, really. I'll leave you to…" She gestured around in no apparent direction before finishing lamely, "… to meditate."

Spinning around, she began to walk away, only to be halted by his smooth voice right behind her. She stilled immediately, the fine hair behind her neck standing on its end. When had he gotten up?

"Stay."

Her eyes widened at his single word. Stay? He was asking her to stay?

Slowly, she turned around until they were face to face. She tried to read his thoughts, but it was futile. His expression was as blank as ever. It was infuriating to say the least. How was she supposed to know what to do next if the only thing he did was stare at her?

"Why?" she finally asked.

When he continued to regard her silently, she let out a huff of frustration. "Never mind. I'll-"

"You said once that if we continue to travel together, there would be complications."

She blinked at the unexpected sentence. The words sounded vaguely familiar. And then she recalled when she had said it. The memory of it brought a pang to her chest and she looked away from him. She had said that just before they had parted ways in an attempt to save herself from more heartache. Did the fact that he had remembered meant that those words were important to him?

"I know I said that," she murmured, and then she glanced back up at him. "But don't you agree?"

"We are travelling together now," he pointed out evenly.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's not the same."

"There is no complication," he went on, as if she had not spoken.

"But…" she faltered, uncertain what to think of his proclamation. This was the last topic she had expected him to bring up. She was so confused, as it was.

Suddenly, she felt a little angry. Hands clenching by her side, she pinned a glare at him. "Why are you doing this, Sesshoumaru?" she hissed. "Why are you bringing that topic up?"

He regarded her silently.

Irritated, she jabbed a finger in his chest, ignoring the fact that it was possibly a foolish thing to do to a taiyoukai who could snap her into half with one of his clawed fingers. But he was confusing her like hell, and she had had enough of it. It was time that he came clear about his those cryptic comments and silent looks.

"I don't know what's going on in that mind of yours, Sesshoumaru. Why are you really travelling with us? You never needed travelling companions before. Are you really here for that, or for something else?" she demanded loudly.

His response was unexpected. The flicker in his eyes, followed by the almost imperceptible twitch at the corner of his lips, was not what she had expected to see. She had expected him to lash out at her for daring to question his motives, to threaten her into silence. Stunned, it was her turn to stare at him wordlessly.

"Will you object if it was something else?" he finally asked, reaching out with one clawed hand.

She froze when his fingers touched her cheek, and then slowly stroke downwards to her chin. The heated look in his eyes was tempered with something else this time. Not so much lust, but something subtler. He had pretty much implied that he was not travelling with them only to hunt down Naraku. But did it mean that he was there for her? Faced with this possibility, she did not know how to react.

"Do you wish for me to leave if that was the case?" he asked quietly, his fingers holding her chin so that she could not avert her eyes.

Her breath hitched slightly. "Will you? Will you leave if I asked you to?"

His golden orbs hardened. "No."

She swallowed past the dryness of her throat. If she was honest with herself, she did not want him to leave at all. Having him there with her all these weeks, even though they barely spoke, had not been unwelcomed. But what did this mean for them? What would happen if he continued to stay?

"So where does this leave us?" she whispered, not sure if it was the right question to ask.

The gleam of possessiveness in his eyes sent a shiver up her spine. Then, in an unrelenting tone, he declared, "I will claim you as mine."

Her lips parted in surprise. Was he saying what she thought he was saying?

"Claim?" she echoed.

"Hn."

She blinked. Needing to make sure that there was no miscommunication here, she pressed on, "I don't understand. 'Claim' as in 'mate'?"

"Hn."

Shock ricocheted through her. Sesshoumaru intended to make her his MATE? This was happening too fast. WAY too fast. Throwing her hands up in the air, she exclaimed in an exasperated tone, "But we hardly know each other!"

A flicker of impatience could be seen in his eyes. "What else do you wish to know, miko?"

"I don't know!"

Once again, he gave her that thoughtful look. When he next spoke, his tone was imperious, "You may ask what you wish to know, and I will provide the necessary answers. But by the next full moon, we will be mated."

Her eyes widened at his tone. Why, the…

"Our current situation is no longer acceptable," he added evenly.

"You can't just ORDER me to be your mate, Sesshoumaru!" she snapped, hardly believing that they were having this conversation.

"Then, are you objecting?"

She stilled. "Well…"

He raised a questioning brow, his thumb stroking her chin idly as he waited for her to respond. It was as if he was confident that she would say yes, and was merely waiting for her to confirm it to herself.

Releasing an exasperated breath, she averted her eyes. He could be right after all. Was this not what she wanted in the first place? She had wanted more than sex from Sesshoumaru, and now that he wanted to make her his mate, why was she raising such a fuss about it? Was it because she was not sure why Sesshoumaru was doing this?

"You think too much, miko," he murmured, dipping his head down to hers.

Before their lips met, she held her hands to his chest to stop him. "Is this really what you want?"

He gave her a mildly impatient look, and that was when she realized that he had no reason to do such a thing unless he wanted to. This was Sesshoumaru, for goodness's sakes! He did this out of his own volition, tying himself down to her and her alone, for that was what it meant for a youkai to be mated. The fact that he had chosen to do this was enough proof that he felt deeply for her, even though he would probably never verbalize such a thing.

With that thought, she released the pressure on his chest, allowing him to close the distance between them. When their lips met in the gentlest kiss she had ever received from him, she could not help but let out a soft sigh of happiness. The strain of the last few months instantly dissipated.

When their lips finally separated, she looked up at him to find him staring down at her with a pair of possessive golden eyes. It was as if he was telling her that she was his now.

Smiling slightly, she leaned forward to wrap her arms around him. "You know you won't be able to get rid of me now, right?" she murmured into his chest.

"Hn."

As his arms tightened around her, Kagome's smile widened.

When she had left him by the cliff all those months ago, she had never thought that they would end up this way. But she was happy that it did. Everything had happened so fast now that she thought about it, and she knew that the journey ahead would be far from smooth, especially considering how Inuyasha would react to this development.

Still, it would be worth it.

Because she knew now that she would have Sesshoumaru by her side.

000

* * *

:The End:

* * *

000

A/N: And that brings us to the end of this story. Hope you've enjoyed it. Unfortunately, there would be no sequel to this story. Please review if you could. Thanks!

:elle6778:


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