Warmth by Sereia

Chapter 1

Prompt: Discord Drabble Nights September 2022

Inspiration: I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by Sleeping At Last

Sequel to Hide and Seek

Change

The amount of time needed in the den had changed, though it took a few months before they were able to cut his visits down to a weekly occurrence.

He had sensed the miko's hesitation, her offer of providing him relief whenever he required it unyielding.

He'd almost taken her up on it.

Several times.

Instead, he'd stated that he would return every seven days, the soft touch of her hand on his arm lingering just as long as her words of concern.

"Let me know if it needs to be sooner," she repeated.

Sesshoumaru frowned. She had refused any remuneration, claiming doing favours for friends didn't require compensation, which only caused his frown to deepen.

When had they become friends?

Falling Leaves

He caught himself drifting, his eyes flitting to the falling leaves outside the meeting room window. Rows of crimson leaves lined the shiro, the yellow tips like flames reaching toward the sky.

The lack of orange only reminded him of the den, of her, and her preference for mandarins.

"My lord?"

Sesshoumaru sighed, turning his head back towards the subject at hand. "You have not convinced me that this will end in our favour," he stated, levelling the northern lord with a stern glare.

"They are only human. They can't compare—"

"They outnumber us one hundred to one," he said. "You are a fool if you think a full-out war will leave you unscathed."

Fireplace

Sesshoumaru stared at the fireplace, an autumn breeze blowing a few silver strands towards the flames, the ends singeing up to the root.

He supposed he was too close, but right now he was uncaring, claws twitching at the thought of continuing with the fruitless endeavour that was the current negotiations.

Of missing his time with her.

It had been seven days, but instead of heading out at twilight, he'd been forced into another long, illogical round of arguments, the northern lord unable to see anything past his own realm of stupidity.

Growling, he got to his feet. Was he not the lord of his domain? Was his word not law? He grabbed his pelt, the soft fur barely settling on his shoulders before he was out the door.

He had better places to be.

Apple/Cider

The smell of spiced apples wafted out of the den. He'd flown by the village first, assuming she'd given up on their rendezvous, but her scent had been stale, signalling that she hadn't been there in several hours.

Tendrils of reiki greeted him as he entered the cave, her strange concoction bubbling over open flames. "I wasn't sure you were coming," she said, looking up from the book in her lap.

"The other delegates have proven themselves useless in this particular area."

"Is it something important?"

It was, but she didn't need to know that. The miko was the type to overact; she'd probably try to send him back—

Her fingers brushed against the marks on his cheek, concerned sapphire gazing up at him. "Have you slept at all?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head, and she grabbed his hand, leading him toward the bed.

Crisp

He managed to rest for three hours—just enough time for Jaken to discover his absence and follow his trail.

"My lord, you must return! The other delegates require your experience and wisdom—" The grating sound of his voice was cut short as bulbous eyes found his master.

And the lap he was currently residing in.

"Insolent wench! Release him this instant! You are not worthy of being in his presence, let alone—" A crisp apple core hit him between the eyes, and Sesshoumaru turned to look up at her, raising an eyebrow.

"What? He was being annoying," she huffed, returning to her book. "And if you had any issues with me being here, you would've told me a long time ago." She turned the page, leaning against the wall before placing a hand over his eyes. "Go back to sleep."

Feast

Sunlight streamed in through the mouth of the cave when he woke, the miko tucked against his side. They'd never adhered to the formalities for personal space, Sesshoumaru often finding his face buried in her hair or against her neck.

And he was loathed to admit that he enjoyed it.

She was soft and pliant, shielding him from obligations and nightmares from the past.

Because they were friends.

Friends.

One arm was draped around his waist, her hold on him tightening before she stirred, her stretches pressing more of her body against his as dark lashes fluttered open. He feasted on her half-lidded expression, drinking in her smile when she realized he was already awake.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked, not moving from her place at his side.

"Indeed." He always did when she was near, though he was beginning to think it wasn't only due to her scent.

Blanket/Quilt

The miko chose a blanket over his pelt as she puttered around the den, pouring them each a cup of something she called 'cider' before collecting items for her breakfast.

"Did you really leave in the middle of a meeting with the other lords?" she asked, returning to the bed.

Their bed.

"I got tired of them running themselves in circles," he said, taking a sip of his drink. "And we have an agreement."

She gave him an incredulous look. "You can't run away from treaty negotiations just to take a nap with me!"

He raised an eyebrow, earning him a pillow in the face, his reflexes barely saving the cider from spilling over the sides of his cup.

"I'm serious!"

"As am I."

Moonlight

"You know you can visit me anytime, right? I told you that from the beginning." They'd gone outside with the intent of hunting but had ended up strolling through the moonlight instead.

Jaken had long since returned to the shiro, first at Sesshoumaru's behest, and then at the brandishing of his claws, but the message had been clear.

His presence was needed elsewhere.

"We had an agreement," he reiterated. "A schedule—"

"Sesshoumaru." Her hands went to her hips as she faced him. "You can come and see me anytime you want."

He pursed his lips. "You are telling me to go back."

"I'm telling you that I'll be here when you're finished." She flipped her raven curls over her shoulder, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "I mean, I know my company is better than some stuffy old lords, but the treaty is important."

Wood

The lords were in an uproar when he returned, silenced only by crimson eyes and powerful youki, proving once again why the negotiations were being held in his home.

It took him two days to convince them it was possible for all their species to live in peace, or at least for their existence and proximity to be tolerated enough to prevent mass casualties.

They thanked him for his time and patience, bowing low as they took their leave. Jaken scuttled around the meeting room, tapping his staff on the wooden tables as he barked orders at the servants.

"My lord, now that this matter has been settled, will you be seeing to the—" He trailed off, then screeched in surprise, his master nowhere in sight.

Harvest/Homecoming

He could've waited to return; there was no reason, no rush, to get back—to get back to her.

And yet here he was, once again searching for the sweet scent of citrus as he crossed the den's threshold.

She hadn't left.

The lateness of the hour told him she'd be fast asleep, so he silently removed his armour, depositing the pieces next to the fire before adding another log to the dying embers.

The miko was curled on her side, the position and relaxed expression youthening her features, and he found himself stroking the lines of her face before crawling into the bed next to her.

He could've waited, but nothing felt more like home than being in her arms.

Sleep quickly claimed him, awareness only pausing his descent into content darkness when lips brushed across the moon on his brow, a soft voice whispering, "I missed you too."