FicWad

Title: Unexpected Endeavors
Author: scottishfae
Rating: R
Pairing: Sesshomaru x Kagome
Word Count/Page Count: 6,945 Words // 17 Pages
Summary: The shard hunting group is rocked by an unexpected request from Sesshomaru and forced to endure the deal when, by mistake, Kagome agrees to his offer. Now the group must not only deal with the end of their quest but a moody Kagome, an irritated Taiyoukai, and a very jealous half-demon.


Unexpected Endeavors is now over a year old. Kind of sad that I haven’t finished it yet, I know, but I’m still trying to balance my life enough so that I can write regularly. Harder than you would think, really!

On top of having its first birthday, UE has also been nominated for several awards. This year it has placed in the top three for all of the awards it was nominated for.

1st Place, Best Romance: Fiction – Feudal Association
2nd Place, Best Romance: Other –IYFG, 2nd Quarter
3rd Place, Best Original Character –IYFG, 1st Quarter

I want to thank everyone who participated, supported, and believed in UE so that these honors could be given. I appreciate it greatly!

Thanks go to /yuki-hime who beta-ed this chapter even while busy with RL. All love and adoration should be sent her way!/


-----

Chapter 17: Unexpected Nudity

-----

“Inuyasha watch out!”

The hanyou's head turned back around. He cursed as he saw the arrow heading towards him and for not noticing the people that were coming out of hiding around them. Sango, the person who had screamed, was fighting them off with the others who had left earlier.

Dodging the arrow that was coming towards him, he jumped to the side. Kagome's grip had been off since she had pinched the hanyou's ear and she slipped from his back at the sudden movement. Inuyasha watched, horrified, as the arrow struck into her flesh below her left shoulder. She screamed, both from pain and from her plummet towards the forest floor below. “Kagome,” Inuyasha yelled.

He flipped so his feet met the tree trunk he was heading towards. Pushing off he tried to make it to Kagome before she fell to the reach of the enemies that were now flooding the area.

-----

Sesshomaru glanced around the clearing, his eyes narrowing at the site of the people who had come to challenge him. They were lower class youkai; none of which would be a problem for him. And this was his first clue that something was off.

He cursed himself under his breath. The army was large but would be nothing but carnage in a few seconds. They were merely a distraction and the Taiyoukai wanted to be sure he took care of the insolence that was challenging him on his own lands.

His unmarred face began to distort as the transformation to his more natural form began. Fear wafted through the area, only feeding into his youki that was calling for the death of those around him. Many of the youkai in the back were beginning to slink away and escape. He would allow none of that.

With a final growl, his transformation to his large, inu form was complete. The poison was pouring from his jaws down to the ground. The offending youkai in the front ranks screamed as their flesh began to dissolve under the acidic fluids and air.

/No mercy/, Sesshomaru thought to himself as he brought a giant paw down on the scattering youkai around him.

-----

Kagome had always heard that your life flashed before your eyes when you were moments before death. After all the attempts at her life, she had yet to have that happen. Though, this was probably the most scared she had ever been when her death seemed imminent. It was probably because, for the first time, there seemed to be no way Inuyasha—or anyone else—could save her.

Her throat constricted as the ground grew closer, her scream dropping off in a sad whimper. She could hear her friends scream her name. She merely shut her eyes and prepared for the inevitable.

Fortunately for Kagome, the inevitable for her was always her rescue. She felt her skin crawl as three shinidamachu wrapped around her. They couldn’t stop her descent but she could feel them slowing her until she could safely land on the ground with only a slight discomfort.

Arrows volleyed into the men that approached her once she was on the ground. Kagome looked over to her right. Kikyo stood there with her bow notched and ready. The men were stayed off by the fiery vision of the angry woman.

“Kagome!” Inuyasha yelled, landing near her.

He helped her up, steadying her when she cried out and brought her right hand up to cradle the wound on her opposite shoulder.

“Get her out of here, /now/,” Kikyo commanded calmly and with authority.

Inuyasha fumbled, looking at the dead miko. “Kikyo?”

She didn't look at him, keeping her cold eyes focused on the men around her. Their youki was rising at the presence of the two powerful mikos. Miroku had joined them as well, adding to the clashing of angry powers.

“She will need to be treated quickly,” the elder miko said. “Take her and leave.”

“But you--”

“Will be fine.”

Kikyo risked a look at the hanyou who was cradling Kagome to his body. A cold sweat had broken out and droplets were running down her brow. There were many questions etched on both of their faces.

“She has use for me yet, and that arrow was poisoned. Take her now and get to where you are supposed to meet her Taiyoukai. He will know how to rid the poison that is flowing through her body.”

Shippo was screeching from where he was being held on Kirara by Sango. Miroku looked down anxiously at Kagome. “Let's go, Inuyasha.”

He nodded. “Haru,” he called out. “Clear us a way.”

“Ok. Follow me.”

Inuyasha looked over to Kikyo. “I'll come back for you, once she's safe.”

“It matters not.”

She shot off another arrow at one of the youkai who decided to break the circle in which they had formed. She grabbed another arrow and notched it. Her shinidamachu were rapidly descending from the higher canopy and circling the heads of the the youkai, waiting.

“Inuyasha,” Miroku yelled to him.

The hanyou waited no longer and jumped to the branches once more. This time he made sure to keep his eyes forward and intent on their path. He would drop Kagome off and then return for Kikyo. He owed her at least that much.

-----

He followed their scent still in his true form. He paused above the woods in which he smelt her blood. The undead miko stood there attacking the remaining youkai, obviously stronger than those who had attacked him. Taking trees and enemy alike, Sesshomaru dug his paws into the dirt and sent them flying.

Kikyo looked up and nodded her thanks. “They took her on ahead,” she shouted, with all the calm aloofness that made up her current existence. “She was hit by an arrow, poisoned. See to it that she does not die.”

The feral Taiyoukai growled. She didn't even flinch. “I am no threat to your miko, Lord Sesshomaru. But she will die soon if you don't go and fix her.”

Looking skeptically at the miko once more, he continued to follow the scent of the group. At the moment, there was no time to question the intentions of the miko who had been so hostile to his bearer so recently. The stench of sickness and death was everywhere, and its intermingling with the natural scents of Kagome was greatly disturbing. He increased his speed, bounding over the great plains and woods of the Western lands so that he could catch up with those he was pursuing.

When he did finally catch up with them, he was angered at what he saw. Kagome was resting against Kirara with Sango and Shippo huddled around her. The Taijiya was wiping her head with a wet cloth, trying to keep Kagome awake.

Haru and Inuyasha were arguing only a few yards away, with the monk trying to calm them both down.

“Get out of my fuckin' way. You can take care of her, I'm going to go back and help Kikyo.”

“But Kagome is still in danger.”

“So is Kikyo!”

“Maybe not. Maybe she was the one who set them upon us? It was rather convenient for her to show up at the nick of time, don't you think?”

Inuyasha growled, dashing forward and grabbing the blue silk of his shirt. The delicate fabric ripped under the powerful claws, leaving five large gashes on its front. “Say that again, bastard,” Inuyasha threatened. “She helped us and I'm going to go and help her in return.”

“Let him go,” Miroku said, the first to take note of Sesshomaru's looming entrance. “It's fine now.”

Both inuyoukai looked over at the monk. “You're just going to let him go so easily?” Haru asked.

Miroku nodded. “Yeah. Let him go to her. Kikyo's always held a special place in his heart, it's not that big of a deal,” he said, his tone free of malice and spite. “Sesshomaru's here now, Kagome will be fine.”

Inuyasha looked up and then stepped back from Haru. “What took you so fuckin' long?” he growled.

The Taiyoukai transformed into his humanoid form and walked briskly over to the fallen miko and taijiya. As he passed his brothers he spoke, “I had things to take care of. Your bitch is fine. Go to her or stay, it matters not.”

Sesshomaru stooped low and wiped Kagome's bangs from her eyes. He watched as she tried to focus on his form. She smiled when she realized who it was.

“Sesshomaru,” she said, her voice rough and quiet. “Are you hurt?”

“This Sesshomaru is not, but you are,” he said, leaning forward a bit to scoop her from the ground. “We must remove the poison from you.”

He glanced around the area. “You three, take care of the kit and watch the area. We will return shortly.”

“Wait a minute,” Sango said. “What are you going to do to get the poison out?”

Sesshomaru glanced down at the woman. He ignored her impertinence for the time being, more worried about the growing stench on the woman in his arms. “I will be back shortly. Watch the kit and look out for enemies.”

He switched his focus to look over at Inuyasha. “Do what you wish, half-breed, but if you are not with us again within the next two hours, then we will leave for the palace without you. And do not make me remind you of the night which looms before you.”

The hanyou grumbled something under his breath. His eyes were set on Kagome and how she leaned against the Taiyoukai who held her. Her skin was pale and clammy and her eyes looked dull. She smiled at him though. “Be careful, Inuyasha,” she said. “Kikyo helped me, please make sure she’s safe.”

The hanyou blinked his eyes a couple times, looking at the teen. He nodded, waiting only a second to make sure she didn't have anything else to say, before dashing off the way he had come. No one protested when he left, though he could feel several eyes on him.

-----

“Where are you taking her?” Sango demanded.

Sesshomaru had turned as soon as his half-brother was out of sight. He had no intention of explaining himself to anyone. He had already given his orders and that should all that was required.

Sango, however, was not happy with this. Balling her fists at her side, she took after the Taiyoukai, determined to figure out what he was trying to do.

“Let him be,” Haru said, stepping in front of the Taijiya with a frantic look to the houshi.

Miroku too came up and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Sango-san,” he said. “Please allow him to take care of her.”

“Why are you two so willing to just let him do whatever?” she demanded. “Kagome-chan is dying!”

“What has he done thus far to indicate that he would hurt her? In fact, everything he has done since he first asked Kagome to bear his child indicates that he will do anything to protect her,” Miroku said, trying to placate her.

She slapped away the hand on her shoulder and turned around.

“Please think reasonably, Sango,” Haru said. “He's only going to protect her.”

“Then why didn't he explain things further.”

“Time isn't on our side. He's going to take care of Kagome-chan now, and later he can explain it, if he wishes. We have to trust him, even if only for Kagome-chan's sake.”

Haru gave a small smile, his eyes dull. “You've noticed it too, then?”

Miroku nodded.

The Taijiya looked over her shoulder, taking in the two men. “What?”

“Her attachment to him grows,” Haru explain.

Miroku added, “That look that used to be reserved only for Inuyasha...well, it’s not reserved for him any longer.”

“That's just who Kagome-chan is.”

“Well yes,” the houshi agreed. “True, but...”

“But?”

Miroku smiled at her before stepping up and throwing his arm around her shoulder. “Let us not worry about such things now,” he said, his tone smooth as silk.

Sango’s eyes narrowed and she stepped out of his grasp. “I don’t like that tone houshi,” she warned. “And I won’t be deterred from my worrying over Kagome-chan.”

Miroku sighed as she walked away towards her belongings. Both remaining men looked at each other, neither sure how else to continue. “What now?” the monk said under his breath.

“We wait until Sesshomaru returns.”

“That was what I was afraid of.”

“Oh? You don't enjoy the present company?” Haru teased. “I must say I feel quite insulted.”

“I'm sure you are, but you can't admit that the prospect of not exploring the area a bit more hasn't crossed your mind?”

“Oh? Why should it? I have the company I prefer right here,” Haru finished with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Miroku chuckled. “No thanks, my friend. For once, this is one thing that I haven't in common with you. My love is very strictly bound.”

Haru pouted though his light, crystal blue eyes sparkled in mirth. “I'm sure I don't know what you mean.”

“Oh?”

“Yes,” he smiled. “Your wandering hand disputes any concept of your love being 'strictly bound'.”

Miroku laughed, his head thrown back and his arms encircling his waist. “I appreciate beauty—”

Haru stepped forward, his lids sinking to fall half over his eyes and his voice dropping an octave, “As do I.”

The monk’s laughter stopped abruptly and he stared at the inuyoukai before him. Sweat fell down his temples and he looked anxiously around the clearing for some way out. His eyes fell on Sango with adulation. As if feeling his eyes on her, she turned to look at the two men.

“Would you two stop flirting and come help me?”

“F-flirting?” Miroku said, flinching as his voice cracked.

“S-Sango,” he paused to clear his throat to even his voice and to hide his embarrassment. “How could you say something like that? You know I have eyes only for you!”

She snorted. “But hands for everyone? Stuff it houshi and help me out.”

He looked over at Haru who was looking amused in his own right, though there was obviously something lurking beneath the surface, something…dangerous. Miroku didn’t stare long though, wanting to distance himself from that which Sango was teasing him with.

“Sango-san,” he bemoaned as he trotted away from the inuyoukai and towards the taijiya.

His staff jingled in the area. It was the only sound.

Haru stood, watching the two friends before looking over to where his elder brother has disappeared. Masking his youki, and glancing once more to the two people who were once again in an argument, he slipped out of the clearing to follow Sesshomaru and Kagome.

-----

The river was cool and slow moving. The water was a murky brown colour, indicating that the area had had rain recently, drudging up the sediment further upstream and washing the normally pristine waters dirty. It would serve his purposes, Sesshomaru knew, so he didn’t bother over the workings of nature.

The Southern bank was covered in a fine blanket of pebbles and rounded stones, washed there from seasonal floods. The Taiyoukai jumped the bank to the Northern side where there was less sediment and instead a covering of moss. It was wet and held only slightly under his weight, but it would be much more comfortable for Kagome to lie on.

“Miko,” he called to her.

Her gaze was unfocused and she was trembling slightly in his arms. “Kagome,” he said again.

When she still did not answer, he allowed his arm to relax and she tumbled to ground with his support. The moss squelched under her weight and she was jarred into a more focused consciousness from the impact.

With much effort, she turned her body to stare up at him. Her exhaustion from her body’s own attempt to dispel the poison was evident from her attempted glare, among other things. “Why d’you,” she paused to take a long breath. “Drop’m?”

“It was necessary for you to be awake.”

“M’wake.”

“I am aware of this,” he said off-handedly, as one does with a child to appease them without giving in. “Can you manage to divest of your clothing?”

“Eeh?” Kagome nearly screeched.

It seemed that even in the haze of the poison, her modesty still remained strong. Sesshomaru looked at the floundering miko on the moss as she tried to gain enough control over her limbs to back away from the imposing Taiyoukai.

“I will take your actions to mean that you cannot.”

“Why’yre going—”

“It is necessary that you enter the water. You would have to remain in wet clothes until the evening, if you should enter as you are now.”

Kagome deflated, understanding. She was breathing harshly, both from the exertion and from the poison.

“Not to mention, you now smell horrible.”

Amusement shone in the Taiyoukai eyes as he looked down at the now angry miko. She was huffing about on the ground, upset that she was once again told she was odiferous. So preoccupied with her inner mind’s fight, Kagome paid no heed to Sesshomaru as he began removing his own clothing.

With the practiced agility living with one arm had taught him, he removed his armor and let it fall to the ground. It fell to the moss, sinking in and remaining upright. Sesshomaru nudged the armor with is foot until it fell to lie flat. Moss remnants and dirt clung to the spikes but, for the moment, he ignored it.

The removal of his armor had brought Kagome’s attention to him. She watched him, eyes still struggling to focus, as he slipped his arm out of his haori and let it too flutter to the ground. He worried even less about the silk fabric as it came to lie on the moist ground. One of the smaller benefits of being a youkai of his status and power was that the he could spare some of his youki easily to cleanse his clothing of dirt and blood. It was for this reason he wore white clothing, pristine white, as proof of his status.

Next, and with much more care, Sesshomaru took both of his swords from the waist of his hakama. His yellow sash had already been removed and lay on the ground next to his haori. The Tenseiga he placed gingerly on top of his haori. His Tokijin he took in hand and thrust into the moist earth. The power of the sword crackled, obeying unspoken commands, and put up a barrier around the area that they were immediately located. Kagome whimpered as the evil aura crawled over her skin.

The Taiyoukai, hearing the sound, looked over to the woman. He bent down, still clad only in his haori and shoes, and reached out for her. A charge, like lightning, sprung out between the two. It blackened Sesshomaru’s hand on impact. Kagome looked horrified and tried to apologize but could not.

“Do not fret,” he told her softly. “It is only a response to Tokijin and this Sesshomaru. The poison is breaking down the barriers of your miko abilities.”

Kagome nodded, tears welling up in her eyes as she still stared at the blackened mark. The Taiyoukai didn’t bother to reassure her any longer. Time to save her was running slim and he needed to begin the extraction at once.

Not wasting any more time, Sesshomaru reached up to the waist of the haori and pulled at the fabric. He toed off his shoes in the process so that, when the fabric fell to the moss, he could easily kick them off.

The young miko on the ground gasped as she stared wide eyed at the fully naked inuyoukai before her. She had caught glimpses of the men from the group naked before (and always on accident) but never had she been directly in front of her like this. If the fever hadn’t already caused her face to flush, she knew that she would be red as a tomato; and yet still, while her eyes traveled over the expanse of pale, hard flesh, she kept her eyes adverted from the one area that she would, given her agreement, become the most intimately acquainted with in the near future.

“Kagome,” he said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

There was a flash of humour in his eyes, but above all, suspicion and worry. “Let us begin.”

He reached over and picked up Kagome once again. She threw her arms around his neck, as there was no fabric to cling to anymore. “Clothes?” she said, not having the ability to say much more.

“Someone is watching,” he whispered into her ear. “You will remain clothed.”

Kagome looked around, not seeing anyone nor sensing them. She was upset though, but for completely different reasons. “But Y’re nak’d.”

“It matters little now.”

He walked into the water, which at its deepest only reached up to his waist. Kagome gasped as the liquid soaked into her behind and the small of her back. Her shoes, still on, were flooded with water; but Sesshomaru soon took them off. She whimpered as he dropped them into the water and they were taken by the current.

“Your clothes will be replaced once I am guaranteed that you are well,” he said.

He carefully exposed more of the miko to the water, attentive of her sensitivity to the chill. He angled her body down so that she was standing in front of him, still clinging to him. Her modesty for the moment seemed forgotten even as he was keenly aware of the feeling of fabric against him.

“Miko, you must listen carefully,” he said, again quietly.

She nodded.

“Concentrate on the feel of the water flowing past you. Can you do that?”

She shook her head. Sesshomaru released his grip on her. She whimpered and clung tightly to him.

“Hands up, Kagome,” he said.

She looked up at him, confused.

“We must remove your shirt, hands up or I will tear it from your form.”

He flexed his claws and dragged them down her back with just the slightest amount of pressure. It was a warning to let her know he would follow through with his threat. Obeying, she allowed herself to rest fully against him as she withdrew her arms and lifted them above her head.

“Very good,” Sesshomaru said, as if praising a domesticated puppy.

Swiftly, he removed the white and green shirt. He then threw the article of clothing over to the bank where his clothes rested.

Once her shirt was removed, Kagome wrapped her arms around herself. The only vestige of clothing remaining on her upper body was the white, lacy bra she wore regularly, but in the water, half the purpose of said bra was counteracted.

“This modesty is unneeded in this Sesshomaru’s presence,” he said.

He took one of her arms and pulled away from her and wrapped it around his person. When she did not follow willingly with the other arm, he repeated the process until she was wrapped around him once more.

“Now, once again,” he began. “Concentrate on the water flowing past you and the feeling it leaves on your skin.”

Trembling violently now, Kagome nodded and closed her eyes. Sesshomaru brought his hand down to cup her face, angling it upward so he could look at her. “Your eyes must remain open, Kagome,” he said, gently. “I must know that you are remaining in this world.”

Again she nodded before complying. They stared into each other’s eyes for a brief second before Sesshomaru continued. “This may be painful, that is why you must always concentrate on the water. I am going to let my youki flow through your body, your blood, to remove the poison. As this happens, concentrate on the water, the flow of everything around you and just let things wash over you.”

Sesshomaru wrapped his arm around her and pulled her tightly to himself. “Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she said between heavy pants in her breathing.

“Okay, I will begin.”

Concentrating his youki into the palm of his hand, he allowed it to flow over her back. His claws had left small marks on her body earlier, when he was discarding her shirt. Within those shallow marks his youki flowed and entered her body. Kagome gave a sharp gasp, the beginnings of pain hitting her. She bit her lip and clung tighter to the Taiyoukai before her.

More and more Sesshomaru funneled his own youki into Kagome’s body. He kept an attentive eye on her face to gauge her pain, as well as keeping up with her heart rate and breathing. Nothing was very dangerous yet, but the chance of things going horribly wrong still existed. If the pain was too much, or she panicked, the chances that her miko abilities would flare up would increase. As it was, Sesshomaru felt the burning sensation on his skin everywhere she touched, but the damage done to his person would be even more so if the purification powers were released in an explosion due to this procedure.

“S’shomru,” she whimpered.

“Quiet, miko, things will be fine,” he said.

Her eyes had remained open, as asked, and her fear and pain was quite evident. Her body, though still trembling, was healing itself. Unfortunately, all she could feel was the pain of his youki pouring its way through her body.

Feeling pity for her plight, and admiration for her strength, the Taiyoukai bent down so that he was mere inches from her face. Quietly he spoke, “you are doing well, Kagome. I am very proud. It will only be a little longer.”

Without waiting for a response, he bent the rest of the way down and sealed her lips with his. Her smell was sickly and unpleasant for his nose, but it did not deter him enough to pull away. He pressed against her lips, inexperienced himself in such matters of intimacy, and encouraged her to return the sentiment. It was a few seconds, probably more out of shock than anything, before she responded.

“S’shomru,” she said, once they had separated.

“Hm?”

He bent down again and reclaimed her lips. Whatever she had intended to say was forgotten as she threw herself into the kiss once again. She moved her arms, unwrapping them from his waist, to wrap them again around his neck. She gasped when a tongue lapped at her lips, caressing over the marks where her teeth dug into the flesh earlier.

Taking advantage of the open orifice, Sesshomaru moved his tongue from the injured lip to explore the inner confines of the miko’s mouth. He grunted as she jolted against him, rubbing against his naked form, surprised at the new sensations. He explored her mouth, taking in each tooth. He took note of the odd sensations some teeth had, as if there was metal embedded into the tops.

Eventually, he began lapping at her own tongue, coaxing it out to respond to him. Like the original kiss, it took a bit for her to respond. The two appendages tangled with each other, he leading her.

Kagome broke the kiss first. A spasm rocked through her body and she pulled away screaming. Sesshomaru held her tightly, preparing himself to be hit with a massive bit of energy. He could feel her reiki building up within her; however, most of the poison had already been extracted and what was left would be purified with the release of her powers.

“Sesshomaru,” she called about to him.

Her body was taking on an unearthly, pink glow and her panic began to grow.

“Do not worry about this Sesshomaru. Allow the power to flow out of you into the water.”

“But, why is this happening?”

“Someone tampered with my barrier. Between my youki and Tokijin’s increase of youki to strengthen the weakened barrier, your powers reacted.”

“But won’t you be hurt?’

Sesshomaru looked down at the girl. He allowed his grip to go lax and he brought his hand to cup her face. “I will be fine Kagome,” he said. “Now just make sure you take care of yourself.”

He had barely finished speaking when a violent force pushed against him and he flew backwards from Kagome. He skirted over the top of the water until he reached shore. With the grace known to him, Sesshomaru flipped himself over. He sat crouched on the bank of the shore looking at a panicking Kagome who was still glowing an illuminate shade of pink.

“Relax and allow your powers to flow into the water,” he called to her.

She looked at him, seeing that he was okay (though still very much naked) and tried to concentrate on what he had said. She closed her eyes, ignoring Sesshomaru’s earlier demand, and released her reiki as slowly as she could. It felt like a flood dam had been opened and a current stronger than she could stand whipped out of her body and into the water.

For a second, the water flowed pink as well, lighting up the area so that the area was a barely visible. Sesshomaru felt his hackles rise instinctively from the challenge of power. He distantly realized that the barrier around Tokijin had shattered with the initial release of power that had also sent him flying.

At its peak, Sesshomaru was forced to shield his eyes from the light. When the light finally began to ebb, he looked to find Kagome. He stood and extended his senses when he couldn’t find her. Walking briskly out onto the water, focusing his youki so that he walked on top of it, he made his way over to where he last saw Kagome.

He scanned the area again, but there was still no sign of her. “Kagome,” he called out.

“Looking for someone?”

Sesshomaru turned to the South bank to see Haru standing there with Kagome in his arms. She was unconscious and turning slightly blue. “I’m impressed,” he said. “You managed to get all the poison out. But what good does it do if she drowns?”

The Taiyoukai narrowed his eyes and began to approach the two. Each step was with predatory precision. “You were the one who tampered with my barrier?”

“It seems so.”

“You could have killed her.”

“I could have killed you.”

Haru smiled, his grip increasing on Kagome. He looked down at her when she whimpered. “She’s a bit skinny, don’t you think? Some more meat needs to be put on her bones to be a proper bearer,” he said. “But her hips are wide enough and her breasts are beautiful.”

“Lay her down on the ground,” Sesshomaru commanded.

Haru returned the nefarious gaze at his brother, his twisted smile not leaving his face. “But the pebbles would dig into her back. Surely you thought of such a thing when you choose the North bank earlier.”

Sesshomaru paused, still several feet from them. He took in his younger half-brother. There was something off about him, something uncontrolled and yet…/controlled/.

“I warn you one last time, put her down.”

“No.”

The Taiyoukai wasted no time. He released his youki to sweep out /en mass/e over the area. Haru had no time to respond, nor did he really fear the energy. Kagome, however, reacted violently to the energy and bucked up. Her reiki, still not completely spent from its earlier expulsion, pushed back at the youki.

Haru howled as the purification energy hummed over his skin, charring bits of flesh and clothing. Reacting to the pain, he dropped the miko from his grip and jumped back. Sesshomaru, anticipating the move, was there to catch her before even a hair made it to the ground.

Standing, Sesshomaru scanned the proximity, looking for the other inuyoukai. He had fled the area that still hummed with the mixture of demon and miko energy. The Taiyoukai smirked.

“Sesshomaru?”

He looked down to Kagome who was groggily waking up in his arm.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Tired.”

“That is to be expected. Come, you must change out of those clothes.”

“I don’t have my bag with me, there isn’t anything for me to change into.”

Sesshomaru jumped across the bank. Once landed, he eased Kagome to stand on her own, though she still leaned heavily on him. “You may wear my haori for the time being.”

Kagome’s eyes widened. She looked more carefully at him and realized, for the first time outside of her poisoned state, that the youkai in front of her was completely nude. She blushed furiously and backed away from him. Nervous habit made her bow her head to avoid eye contact.

She gasped, though didn’t look away, at what she saw. Her blush intensified and spread from her cheeks, down her neck, to her chest. Sesshomaru allowed himself to chuckle as she openly ogled his private areas.

“Here,” he said, interrupting her thoughts and focusing her gaze back to his face. “You must get dressed quickly. Remove your wet clothing.”

“What!?”

“Do not question this Sesshomaru, remove your wet clothing.”

“But what am I supposed to wear?”

The Taiyoukai stared at her deadpan, having already gone over such things. He moved over to where his haori lay and picked it off the ground. He let his youki clean the fabric before picking up the yellow sash and doing the same. “Until proper clothing can be attained, you shall wear this.”

His stern look left no room for argument and she nodded, nervously. “Fine, but turn around, I don’t want you watching.”

Sesshomaru didn’t budge.

“Sesshomaru,” she bemoaned.

“Cease such futile attempts and change.”

She put her hands on her hips and looked at him through narrowed eyes. “Turn. Around.”

He walked up to her, bearing down on her with his presence alone. “No,” he repeated once he was stopped right in front of her.

Kagome chewed on her bottom lip for a second, trying to hold her ground but the slight chill in the wind, on top of the cold water that still remained, urged her to compromise.

“Fine,” she said.

She turned around, taking one step away from the demon behind her. She reached behind her and unhooked the button that held the skirt tightly synched to her waist. Pushing the skirt past her hips, she allowed it to flutter to the ground. She was keenly aware that Sesshomaru was still behind her, staring.

“Um,” she said, looking over her shoulder. “Is it okay if I keep on—”

“No. You will catch a cold if you keep any wet clothing on.”

She nodded. She turned back around and took a big breath. It was unnerving to have to undress in front of someone, especially of the opposite sex; however, as Kagome thought about it, she would be in a similar, much more intimate situation soon, and that greatly helped stamp down her nervousness.

Taking one last big breath, she reached behind her and unclasped her bra. She held it to her person for a second before slipping it off her body and letting it fall to the ground too.

Next she hooked her fingers into her panties. Again the nervousness came back.

“Hurry or I will remove this last piece of clothing for you.”

She clenched her eyes shut, trying to remember he was trying to help her at the moment. In one quick movement (so as not to draw out her embarrassment) she pulled her panties down and let those too drop to the ground. Her arms instinctively came to cover her private areas.

“Turn around,” Sesshomaru commanded.

“Are you kidding me? This is embarrassing as it is.”

She was forcefully turned to face the Taiyoukai and then her arms too forced to her side. “You will not hide yourself from me,” he said.

He wrapped his haori over her, allowing her to put her arms through. It fell down just past her mid-thighs. He handed the sash to her so she could close the make-shift dress. “You are beautiful,” he said, trailing his hand down her face.

She blushed as his hand moved down her neck to her chest. He slowly explored the valley between her breasts before he moved his hand down her body to her navel. He removed his hand there and stepped back. Stirrings in his own groin urged him to continue but they had a time constraint and the moment wasn’t right.

“Get dressed,” he said. “We must rejoin the group soon.”

She nodded, tying the haori before gathering up her own clothes. Sesshomaru turned to dress himself.

“Where are my shoes?” Kagome asked, realizing she didn’t see them anywhere on the bank.

He didn’t answer.

“Sesshomaru,” she all but growled. “Where are my shoes?”

Tokijin and Tenseiga sheathed and returned to their places at his side, Sesshomaru turned to look at her. He was bare-chested still but still looked the picture of perfection. “I assume they washed downstream. We do not have time to retrieve them.”

“Downstream? Do you even know how much those costs? I got them for my birthday! We have to go get them.”

Sesshomaru briskly walked over to her and placed a hand on her cheek. “Do you forget who I am? I will supply you with all you need, /all that you desire/. Just trust me to take care of you.”

Kagome blinked a few times, backing away from him as tears came to her eyes. Sesshomaru looked at the response, confused. From his observations of the young miko, he had figured his comments would have made her happy. He wasn’t expecting the tears.

“Have I said something to upset you?”

She shook her head. Looking up at him, she smiled. “Thank you,” she replied.

Rushing forward she threw her arms around his neck and raised herself to her tip-toes. Realizing what she wanted, he bent down and claimed her lips.

“Thank you,” she said again, once they had parted.

Sesshomaru could only guess at one of a million things in which she had due cause to be thankful for him for. He accepted the thanks, sealing it with another, searing kiss before urging her to allow him to carry her back to camp. She was still tired from all the dealings of the day thus far and caved without much encouraging.

Planted firmly against Sesshomaru’s naked torso, her own arms wrapped tightly around her still wet clothing and his armor, the two of them headed back to camp to find the others. Sesshomaru only hoped that the group was ready to leave once they returned. They would have to keep a fast, steady pace to reach the palace before the sun set.

-----

…TBC…

Reviews are love!

Quick Notes:

1) I thank demonlordlover and paynesgrey (quirkyslayer) for their friendship, encouragement, and inspiration. Without these two pushing me along and keeping me from going insane, I do not know where I, nor Unexpected Endeavors, would be.
2) Another thanks goes to demonlordlover who inspired, in her award-winning fiction A Sentinel Mother, the last section scene. I appreciate you giving me the go to use it (especially since it helped me not have to rewrite a large chunk of my chapter—though I did some of that anyway).
3) Another thanks goes to all those people who have supported, reviewed, and “pimped” Unexpected Endeavors. I can’t tell you how much it means to me to know that my fic is so well liked and that, even when I’ve gotten so sporadic with updating, people still like it enough to support it. Thank you so very much!
4) I will try to get the next chapter out ASAP. I can’t guarantee anything as I have a lot going on in my real life but I’m going to try all the same. If you ever want to chat with me about UE (or anything) feel free to email me or IM me (all of which can be found in my profile.)
5) I hope to start writing a side-fic (one-shot) for my yaoi couple soon, but again, that all depends on my class, work, and extra-curricular mode for the next few weeks.

Again, thanks to everyone for being so supportive!