Gardenia by Sereia

Chapter 1

Hanakotoba Matsuri 2023 Week 03: Passion & Longing

Prompt: Gardenia (secret love), Snow, Flirting under fire

Level: Blossom

..::**::..

"Are you sure we're safe?"

"They will not find us here."

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing against the wall behind her, heart still beating wildly against her ribs. The evening had started out normal enough, but they'd quickly found themselves outnumbered, having to take shelter in a closet in hopes the danger would pass them by.

"I could put up a barrier," she offered, squinting through the darkness.

"Unnecessary," Sesshoumaru muttered, keeping his youki contained. "Plus, it will give away our location."

"How long do you think they'll keep looking?" she asked, playing with the sleeves of her yukata. It was supposed to be a pleasant night, a layover while they waited for the snow to melt, but a few wrong words from Inuyasha, and things had quickly spiralled, forcing the group to split up within the walls of their host's abode, all hoping to escape unscathed.

"It will depend on their determination to exact justice."

"Justice?" she squeaked. "But they were the ones who—" His hand covered her mouth a moment before a myriad of footsteps rushed by the door, Kagome holding her breath and praying they'd keep going.

The footsteps paused, dread sinking low in her stomach, but a muffled cry down the hall stopped their pursuers from trying the door, the voices disappearing around the corner. Letting out the breath she'd been holding, she tapped Sesshoumaru's hand, signalling him to pull away, then squeaking again when his body pressed against hers.

Silken hair brushed her nose before the collar of her yukata was pulled down, his mouth latching onto her neck. "What are you doing?" she hissed.

"It is pointless to wait here and do nothing," he said, fangs dragging. Heat shot to her core, and she grabbed his haori.

"Not the time or the place, Sesshoumaru!"

She felt his lips twitch, smirking against her skin. "You are not pushing me away, mate."

Kagome flushed, then attempted to do so, the daiyoukai not even moving an inch. "We're supposed to be hiding!"

"And we are." He nudged her legs apart, his mouth travelling up her neck. "But we are confined to a small space, and your scent is intoxicating."

"Horny old dog," she groused, biting the inside of her cheek to stifle her moan as his fingers dipped into her collar, teasing the top of her breast.

"You cannot hide your reaction from me," he said, tone smug. "Not then, and not now."

"You would bring that up—" The rest of her retort was swallowed by his mouth covering hers, Kagome helpless to do anything but sink against him, hands sliding into his hair. He knew exactly what he was doing, the thrill of being caught only adding to her oversensitive flesh.

"We c-can't—" she gasped, tearing her mouth away, shoving a fist between her teeth as he rolled a nipple between his fingers.

"Only if you continue to make so much noise," he said, breathing heavily against her ear. Kagome shook her head, pressing herself further against the wall. If he tried anything else, there was no way she'd be able to hold her tongue.

And he knew it.

The footsteps returned just as his mouth made its way back to her neck, sucking softly as she struggled to stay quiet. Voices murmured, and Kagome's heart stilled, eyes on the door, light pouring in after it was wrenched open.

"Found you!"

"Ew!"

"Mama! Grandpa's kissing Grannie again!"

Sesshoumaru sighed, slowly pulling back. Three sets of golden eyes stared up at him, all buzzing with excitement at having wound the next round. "I think that was a new record." The triplets cheered then darted away, crowns of gardenia lopsided as they chattered about who they would find next.

"You're terrible," Kagome said, adjusting the collar of her yukata. "Why can't you ever just play the game normally?"

"I am only raising the stakes, mate. It is more entertaining that way." He smirked, kissing her forehead before leading her out of the closet.

"Maybe for you," she said, crossing her arms. "But I, for one, don't feel like explaining to our grandchildren why Grannie always ends up with more marks at the end of the game than the beginning."

"They will learn soon enough."

"They're four."

"In human appearance only," he countered. "And it is not as if my brother has not been caught in similar circumstances."

"Not helping."

He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her down the hall to the waiting area with the other losing couples. "I will make it up to you later."

"Damn right you will." He leaned down, whispered promises of what was to come heating her blood, and she ground her teeth together. "We'll need to go to the springs for that."

"Naturally."

She punched him in the side. "That was your plan from the start, wasn't it?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you denying I have enticed you to follow?"

"That is beside the point."

Sesshoumaru chuckled, fingers stroking as they waited for the triplets to find the rest of the adults. "No, mate. That is entirely the point."