Chapter Text
This fanfic features Adele's Cry Your Heart Out for this chapter.
Not that he cannot keep himself away, but after that close call with the reanimated poison-wielder, and the impressive defense the recovering miko offered for him, Sesshomaru had less reason to not keep an eye on the inutachi.
The hanyo's haphazard approach in battle leaves much to be improved in his defense tactics as well. As the de facto alpha of the hanyo, Sesshomaru's alpha responsibilities extend to the inutachi's members. In his current level, it's inevitable that Inuyasha would slip-up at the expense of his pack. Not to mention the disruptions caused by the spider becoming more pressing, as well as his personal vengeance demanding he annihilate the offender for trying to subjugate him, the looming threat Naraku had posed against Rin, and the manipulation over Kohaku.
Or so you reason.
Sesshomaru was surreptitiously tailing the inutachi, observing them for the terms he'll offer and demand in his proposal for alliance.
His beast snorts.
Only he had seen the miko vanish. This is fact, for Sesshomaru has his eyes trained on Kagome; as they always do in his fact-gathering incognito surveillance.
Travelling through time to discover the existence of yokai, hanyo and the holy power of sohei and miko in action did not prepare her for the possibility of teleportation. That's what happened, or something close to it. The sun is at the same position it was before she was transferred to this island. Kagome is grateful that she has her bow and arrows on her person.
Walking around, Kagome ascertained that she's the only human inhabitant. Aside from a few scattered and bleached human bones, sparse coconut trees and thorny bushes with broad round leaves, she's alone.
Good thing I travel with a group. They would notice my absence. The only dilemma is contact. How will they know where I am, there is no trail to follow? And what if the teleportation trigger not only sent me to a different place, but a different time? To tamp the arising panic as she thought more of her possible future of joining those bleached-out bones, Kagome released a whooshing breath. Focus on the present. Right.
Kagome examined herself, running her eyes all over her body, twisting her arms, then sitting down to check the back of her legs before she ran both hands from her head downwards, feeling for possible cuts, bruises or broken bones.
Sesshomaru was already contemplating revealing his presence after he sensed the panic and smelt salt from the miko.
She admirably scoured the premises upon arrival, automatically scouting the landscape for possible threats and sources of sustenance. That caused Sesshomaru to wonder if such immediate transport was a regular occurence for Kagome. She was doing marvelously for a reiki-wielder trapped by the Western Land's guard markers in that isolated island.
The guard markers were installed by his forebears as protection after a group of sohei banded together to attack the Western citadel, transporting reiki-bearers through ancient enchantments to deserted islands where they are left to live until their natural deaths overtook them. It was a clever defense, as the ruling inuyokai passively left their enemies at the mercy of nature; they did not have to bother retaliating by physically removing the enemies on their path and banishing them.
Miroku noticed when Kagome disappeared, immediately followed by a blink of youki. So that's why he's been following us. Nothing to worry about Kagome's safety and whereabouts then. He was certain both would be joining them when they camp. Or not, as he waggled his eyebrows and walked on quietly.
Sesshomaru was expecting the monk to join the miko shortly, but after a considerable time passed, no sohei appeared.
He was a travelling monk and was aware of the backlash unleashing his holy powers could create for him.
Sesshomaru remembers how the inutachi's monk masks his powers in on a daily basis in their travels. Not that he needed convincing for the alliance, but this type of experience is a boon - his brother's inutachi displaying more of its potentials.
Kagome, in particular, does not fail to mesmerize Sesshomaru. The more he knows about her, the more he wants to know more. In this moment, from seeing her instinctive warrior's mindset at work in unknown territory, Kagome's composure was now crumbling out of nowhere, urging him to comfort her. Before Sesshomaru could make up his mind to approach her, she had considerably calmed herself and sat on the sand, caressing her body.
This shifted Sesshomaru's attention, which now follows her hands as they traverse her long curling black hair, lingering down to her nape and back. Beside her, from afar, Sesshomaru notices how her hands travel, her fingertips brushing her face, sliding through her slender neck before criss-crossing as they connect with her shoulders, down to her arms, to her elbows and wrists, followed by her eyes looking at the back of her hands.
Kagome moves them back to her torso, passing through her breasts in parallel, her belly now, then resting on her hips, a perfunctory glide through her backside before swooshing through her legs to her ankles. She ended up standing, bent at her stomach, her rump jutting out and her head level to her knees.
Sesshomaru conceded that his ancestors were wise to anticipate the dangers holy humans possess, as his heart, now at his throat, thumped arrhythmically at that display.
All good. No scratches, bruises or injuries and that was a good stretch, Kagome mentally remarks before straightening up. She recalls feeling something solid, and pulls out of her right skirt pocket, "A music player!" before she goes jumping around in place. "At least I have some entertainment," Kagome declares as she attaches the headphones to the jack.
Is this still part of that captivating ritual? Sesshomaru wonders as his eyes train on how Kagome's breasts defy gravity as they bounce and continue much gently on the motion after she stopped pushing her body against the sand with her legs. She's now visibly overjoyed, evident in the scent she emits when she's happy and content.
Aptly, Adele's Cry Your Heart Out is the first song that plays. Kagome definitely deserved to decompress and joined Adele through the song, calling out the lyrics to the sea. She kicked her shoes and socks off earlier and rested them by the roots of a coconut tree, determining that it would remain dry there even if the tide rises.
Kagome was now stomping through the waves on the shore, singing with Adele her frustations about how overwhelmed she is with her situation and how she's holding out to be rescued by her friends. Of course Kirara could fly overhead anytime soon and her rowdiness from down here might call her attention.
What surprised Kagome is that she did call attention, but of a different kind, as she was starting the first parts of the second song.
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Dolphins swam near her on the shore and they were all trilling or whatever dolphins making those high-pitched sounds was called. Then, they dispersed. And Kagome was sure it had nothing to do with her.
She turned around apprehensively, berating herself for leaving her bow and arrows beside her shoes and socks.
"Sesshomaru." Kagome utters disbelievingly. Of all creatures she was expecting to be behind her, it was not this tall, otherwordly gorgeous daiyokai-Sesshomaru-complete in his regalia of fine silver hair swaying to the gentle land breeze, blue crescent moon and purple eyelids and markings glowing in contrast to his flawless complexion, and the pristine condition of his armor and swords atop his silk clothing. When had she ever seen him appearing as less than perfect? Even when his arm was cut off, he carried on with the demeanor of having plenty of arm reserves to choose from in his warehouse!
"What ritual are you partaking in, miko?"
'His voice, was it always this sensual?' Kagome thought, the question carried to her ears.
"What are you doing here?" Kagome inquired in turn.
"This island is part of my ancestors' possessions," Sesshomaru rejoined," and you've yet to answer my question," then he paused before adding for emphasis, "miko."
"Oh, ah," Kagome was floundering on how she was going to answer. She had already incensed him by not answering, and now she's definitely charged for trespassing on private property regardless of being deposited here by accident. Of course Sesshomaru would not tolerate her lying to him, but she should phrase her story so that it would appeal to him.
She would accentuate that he would gain from fulfilling her request. What she needs most is to clear this out with him, posing it as a win-win situation where she would be out of his property if he leads her friends where she is to pick her up. She would be reunited with her friends and he would have no trespasser on his ancestral land.
Kagome summoned her diplomacy persona after a breath and continued, "I've been sent here by some enchantment. If you could lead Inuyasha here, they'd surely come and keep me away from here, leaving your island at peace."
After being rendered parched beyond explanation, Sesshomaru was enjoying the miko's nervousness. It mollifies him that it is now the miko's turn to be out of sorts, and gratifyingly, because of him. However, this was short-lived, as the miko's quick wit resurfaced, now negotiating her deliverance from isolation in the island in the guise of leaving his property alone.
"Is that what the ritual was for?" From Sesshomaru's bored tone, it was apparent that he asked not out of insistence, but on the principle of not being used to repeating himself.
"Apologies Sesshomaru-sama," and she bowed low before him on the wet sand, powdered white sand covering not only her feet and ankles, also peppering her legs, knees and arms. "What you witnessed was no ritual, but simple singing," Kagome was speaking against the sand.
Sesshomaru was again perplexed. No one made him as unsure of his emotions and decisions as this miko has. He is enjoying that she displays subservience to him but is thoroughly conflicted with the instinct of not wanting to see her humble herself in this manner, even if it's for him. He crouched to where she was bowed and lifted her until she was standing. She was so much shorter than he is that even with her chin held up by his forefinger, she was still looking up at him on tiptoe. "I believe mere singing does not involve active gesticulation and movements," their eyes connected as he spoke.
Kagome kept holding his eyes, "I did not mean anything by it other than to express myself."
"And what were you trying to express?"
"Frustration. Hopelessness. Faith. I have no idea how I came to be where I am and wanted to leave but didn't know how to rejoin my friends," Kagome responded without pause. Without even blinking.
If someone here should be in trial for voodoo, it should be Sesshomaru. She could not take her eyes off him, like she's been compelled by a vampire. Maybe that's part of his yokai heritage, holding their prey's attention so they would be defenseless when attacked. She was not supposed to reveal her cards. They were to deal on even footing, not like this, where he knows she's desperate. She just gave him the upper hand. And she's sure she'll be charged with more than she could pay.
"I'll bring you to the inutachi tomorrow." Sesshomaru decrees before walking away from the shore.
Kagome has no choice but to follow. She wanted to protest that they could leave for the inutachi this very moment, without delay.
It started to drizzle. Before her counterarguments were voiced, slivers of rain were falling from dark clouds and she trudged to her belongings before following where Sesshomaru disappeared to.