Ok i hope that i am posting this in the right place. (i still get confused).

So i having been reading some stories that relate to Kagome or Sesshomaru or both of them being in heat. In the back of my head I am remembering something that someone on dokuga once said to me about how they didn't think that should happen or they were confused on how that could happen.

To me Sesshomaru is a demon which can be likened to the animal kingdom in a way where many species go through periods of fertility (normally in the females its called heat)
As for Kagome when she is human in stories and called 'in heat' all i can think is that she has to be ovulating at the time.

So what I would like to discuss is what does the term "In Heat" in relation to our favourtie couple mean to you? Do you have a problem when you read stories that refer to either of the couple being in heat?

Not really. I think in male animals it's called 'Rutt' or just named as a need to rutt since they seasonally respond to the fertility of the females of their species when they come into their heat or estrus, estrous, or oestrous cycles.

So Sesshy responding to Kagome's fertility would make sense. What doesn't makes sense to me is that he would respond to her on that instinctual level. He's youkai and she's human. The only logical I can understand him being all randy for Kagome is if she wanders in during a seasonal youkai mating cycle, which some authors have used.

Otherwise I doubt he'd be very attracted to her regardless of her human ovulation/menstruation cycles, unless moon phases affect youkai too. Could be since Sesshy has that moon on his forehead. I dunno. If you could twist canon to convince me I'd believe it if not.

Nope.

The only other thing I dislike about Sesshy being in heat in a story or rutt, is that alot of the time the story focuses too heavily on the smex. Yes we know it's going to end up there eventually, but I doubt Kagome, as a humanbeing, would be comfortable with a randy youkai dog being ready to hump her leg. She's human even if she is incredibly extraordinary. She'd have a tonne of very human sensibilities, expectations, and values that would hinder her being ready to jump into the sack with Sesshy.

There has to be cultural and personal choices there that might make Kagome feel less inclined towards being Sesshy's snuggle-monkey.

Some might say 'What's there to think about? It's nekkid Sesshy!'

But you have to realise that he's not human. Youkai courtship could be being very rough. A youkai can heal. Kagome, suffering even basic injuries, would be torn apart, literally, that's if she even survives the first wave.

There's also considering that Sesshy might not find her a pleasing potential mate. She's human. She's not going to know the right social cues like another youkai would. There's also saying that Sesshy might manage his 'heat or rutt' cycles differently. He might play the hermit during that time of the year or season. Could also be the reason why he wanders around hunting and killing things. He's escaping the attentions of all those lovely youkai women.

Woof.

I would like to see a story, with this at its heart, that shows Kagome maybe being more human as she either tries to avoid Sesshy, help him find a potential mate, or even *laughs* tries to get him to focus on a suitable youkai female to breed with if he has instinctively managed to slot her into the equation.

He is beautiful, yes, but if I were her, I'd be trying to avoid him like the plague.

He's damn scary.

A youkai that likes you and wants you to have his babies is even scarier.

It would be more hilarious if she invented ways to try and keep him at bay rather than just jumping in the sack with him.

Why not make Sesshy work for it?

~ Pyre

Thank you Pyreite! People (and by people, I mean us fangirls) are often too quick to jump to the "he is a youkai and that's so hawt" to actually stop, realise and appreciate the fact that he is of a complete different species, and that could warrant all sorts of complications. Cultural differences could be difficult enough, but at least we're all human - unlike Sess... Seriously, you could write a deep and thoughtful story about the matter.

But yeah, I don't see Sess going into heat, that's what the fertile females do, but he would most likely respond or react to females in heat. As for Kagome, she is not a dog (unless the writer has made her into one) so I really can't see her being "in heat" like animals / demonesses would.

Well I do understand cultural differences or species. I do sometimes think things move to fast in some fan fics. I do like feedback why he goes into heat or rutt. But it is always something to do with how she smells or ovulation, etc. There are some fics where she's at the wrong place and wrong time. Where he goes into rutt or heat, however the author is depicting it.

I do feel like feelings and emotions need to be developed before she or he falls in love. A one time thing and all of a sudden goes head over heels is not personally my cup of tea. A good example is BloodStained by Madison rated MA No YIMS. A great story where they don't fall in love right away, and later feelings developed.

Not a lot of people like to read rape scenes or sexual situations in detail. There are some stories that are weaved really well without them. But for me personally I don't condone rape, but I read it. I'm a smutt gal at heart and I do like angst and tradegy weaved into stories I read.

So to answer your questioned, finally lol. I would read a story like that as longs it keeps me interested. Where feelings develop, feedback is provided, and the plot is good. Every author say their own style of writing, and etc. I appreciate every good story that comes my way or I run into. I hoped this helped somewhat.

Hmm, very interesting topic and one I have pondered on myself over the years. Whenever I read a fic that had Sesshomaru going in ‘heat’, I had to scratch my head. Yes, he is a demon dog (basically) and has animalistic tendencies, but going into ‘heat’ is a female animal thing, not a male. While the males respond to a female in heat, I believe the right term (if there is one) would be ‘rut’. However, again, I don’t really like this plot plunnie. Just my preference is all and not meat to bash any writer or reader who likes the idea. Sesshomaru’s character seems too in control to let his lust take control over him. Even if an outside source prompted him to act.

Another issue that has me scratching my head is the whole rape thing these stories tend to have along with the whole ‘heat/rut’ thing. I personally do not believe that a person can fall in love with their attacker—ever. While there is such a thing as Stockholm syndrome, that is not love in any sense of the word. Whenever I come across a story that has this type of scenario going down, I refuse to continue reading, no matter how good the author is at writing. Rape turns my stomach, especially when it is written in great detail and meant to ‘arouse’ people with a lemon. Nope. Don’t agree with this personally.

On another note, I adore plot, so when a story just focuses on the smut and allows the plot to suffer or be nonexistent, I just can’t read it. Plot is everything to me. If you want limes and lemons, they should be an added perk without sacrificing the plot and character development.

However, I would like to see a story that has the concept of ‘rut/heat’ that doesn’t make it where Kagome ‘jumps into the sack with Sesshomaru’ or ‘where he rapes her’. Sesshomaru IS a demon dog (basically) so he COULD have such tendencies as rut and reacting to Kagome's ovulation cycle, so my interest would be perked if an author could weave a believable tale with this plot bunny.

I hope this doesn’t sound like a rant, but my personal opinion on the subject at hand

Love your idea Prye. Challenge excepted.... though I was already planning on an alternate plot for the classic "beast takes over trope". Hahha. I really wanna do a reluctant "How about this cute yokai" Kagome.

Oh and it can also be called Musk. Male elephants go into a state of musk where they hunt down every potentially fertile female and go at it. They also become extremely violent and dangerous. Still I don't think dogs do that, so it just never made sense to me that Sesshy would go into a musk or rutt. A female Dog dosen't have a mating season either so male dogs have to be ready whenever they are fertile. Which makes more sense for him to be attracted to Kagome's cycle then having one of his own.

I still don't see Sesshoumaru as DOMINATED by his instincts. They would be more powerful to him, more influential, and maybe even stronger. But he is an intelligent, willful being. He would still be in control of himself unless his ... heart.. was in it as well. It would be harder I think for him to reist his heart than his instincts, he doesn't have much experience with it. (Kinda like Yasha)

I also have a simulare feeling to that of Beloved Stranger. I'm not anti any kind of story. I believe in support all writers. But sometimes I feel as if people use "the beast" or Sesshoumrou in heat, to have a rape story where Sesshoumaru isn't the bad guy. (this is not a criticism, just an observation). Because if he wasn't in control of his actions due to an alternate part of his personality or his instincts, he is not guilty of hurting Kagome and therefore Kagome can love him. I just don't think Kagome would see it that way. I was reading a fic (can't remember the title though I am sure someone will) that is still ongoing. It was interesting because it was a rape fic, and the beast was in it. And after a but load of chapters Kagome still hated Sesshouamru, strongly. I found that more realistic in my opinion. Of course I have never cared much for the "talking beast" trope. And I know a lot of people agree and a lot of people disagree. It's just one of my preferences. We all have tropes we like and dislike.

One thing that also bugs me sometimes... Although as trope, it is an interesting concept to have Kagome compete for Sesshoumaru (great potential for Kagome's character growth), it is an unlikely setting.

To my understanding, in the animal world it usually tends to be the other way around, with males competing each other for the chance to mate with the fertile female.
Therefore, I have a hard believing that demonesses would vie for the right to have sex with Sesshoumaru.

Of course, it's completely a different matter to compete for the right to be Sesshoumaru's mate/wife. Forgoing instincts and beast and what not, and try to appeal to him in a more civilized manner, like presenting their many skills etc.

If I remember correctly, I believe early on in the manga Myouga (?) mentioned Sesshoumaru was more in control of his baser and youkai instincts because he was full-blooded (unlike InuYasha who's human and youkai aspects are at odds with one another). So I always figured InuYasha would be the one to struggle with those kind of things than Sesshoumaru. Males of any species do have hormonal cycles, but it's with spikes in testosterone, not estrogen, making them more aggressive and confrontational, not necessarily amorous.

Dogs will fight over a female in heat, and generally become more horny, but only around the female's scent. Mostly the Sesshoumaru in heat scenario makes me think of the Vulcan's pon farr from Star Trek.