A/N: I'm back on the fanfiction writing wagon! WOOT! I got some inspiration for this after listening to some Les Miserables songs, some sad and sappy musical pieces [such as piano version of Sadame from X, Affections Touching Across Time from the first Inuyasha movie, To Zanarkand from FFX, etc.], and depressing fanfics. Well, anyway, here's some important info you should know!
-AU.
-Still during Sengoku Jidai
-Based on a combination of stuff [mostly the play Les Miserables]
Eh...I think that's it. I'll let you know if there's more!
Disclaimer: Not mine! Not mine! DON'T SUE!! If you do, the only way I can pay you is in manga!
A Little Fall of Rain
Chapter 1 – On My Own
He was staring again. He always was. He would watch her anywhere, except when she was in the bath and her own room. His father was too busy and never noticed what his youngest son was doing. His mother was always practicing her kenjutsu in the dojo in the Western Tower. Only his half- brother saw what he was doing.
Inuyasha is pathetic, Sesshoumaru thought. He sat in his balcony that looked over the entire estate in front of the castle: the stables, the courtyard, the garden, etc. Kikyo was sitting in a stone bench in the garden and Inuyasha was in a sakura tree a distance away from Kikyo. Kikyo would surely feel his aura from her miko powers. Even I can smell their auras from here. Sesshoumaru smirked. His half-brother was so stupid sometimes. Scratch that. He was always stupid. If he was going to watch her and not want her to know he was looking, he should conceal his aura. That dumb, irrational ass. Hanyou will be hanyou, I suppose.
There was a faint knock on the door.
"Your tea is here, as you requested, Sesshoumaru-sama," a female voice said.
"Set it down on the table," Sesshoumaru ordered lazily, gesturing to the low, black lacquered wooden table with blue flower carvings.
There was a chink as the tray carrying the teapot and teacups were placed carefully on the beautiful table.
"Thank you, Kagome," Sesshoumaru said, pulling out a delicate white porcelain teacup decorated with purple drawings. Just as she turned to leave, he added, "Why don't you join me?"
"Um...I should get back to work," Kagome said hurriedly. "Please excuse me."
"But aren't you tired? Rushing around the palace all day...You could use a break."
"Not really. You get used to it after a while. Besides it's only around midday; I haven't done that much work yet."
"Why don't you just have a cup of tea with me? I don't bite. Not in this form anyway."
"But I should really be working-"
"Just have a cup of tea, enjoy the view for a little while, and you can get back to work," Sesshoumaru said in a final tone through his expressionless voice. He poured another cup for Kagome and set it down on the table. Kagome sighed and took up his offer. She pulled out a chair from the table and sat down. An awkward silence settled in.
"So what were you doing before I came in?" Kagome asked, trying to brighten up the mood. She fingered her cup of tea.
"Don't play with your food," Sesshoumaru said, ignoring her question.
"It's not food, it's drink," Kagome pointed out.
"They're practically the same. You consume both so there's no difference, really."
"Are you going to answer my question or what?"
"I was admiring the view."
Kagome stood up and looked over the balcony.
"Well, you do have a nice view," Kagome admitted, "but there's a nasty sight I see."
"And what would that be?" Sesshoumaru inquired, guessing it was probably Inuyasha staring at Kikyo.
"There is a wine stain on your stone balcony."
Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes mentally.
"That's it?"
"There's more."
"Like what?"
"Dirt, ants..."
"My kami, woman, can you not see them!?" Sesshoumaru walked over and pointed a long finger toward the right, where Inuyasha and Kikyo were in the garden.
"Whatever. Is this what this tea-time-being-nice-to-me-telling-me-to-enjoy- the-view thing is about?" Kagome asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"You're in love with my poor excuse of a hanyou brother," Sesshoumaru said simply. Kagome blushed slightly and looked away.
"No, I'm not," she lied. "I like him, but not like that. We're just good friends, that's all."
"Ah, but you wish it was something more." Sesshoumaru leaned against the balcony. His fluffy shoulder wrap flapping slightly from the wind.
"I have to get back to work," Kagome said abruptly. She shivered, but not from the cold autumn weather. Sesshoumaru watched her as she walked out of his room and shut the mahogany doors behind her.
"What do you want, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked without turning around. He could smell his brother jump up to his room.
"What did you do to Kagome?" Inuyasha demanded.
"Nothing. Why do you care?"
"She's one of my best friends. How could I not care?"
"Because you're a half-wit, little brother."
.:Nighttime:.
"Sayonara! I'll see you tomorrow!" Kagome called over her shoulder as she trotted down the steps. She could've just lived at the castle with the other servants but she had to take care of her sick father, withering grandfather, mother, and little brother. She made enough money to provide for her family. Her mind wandered as she walked closer to the village which was a few miles away from the villa.
How did Sesshoumaru know I like Inuyasha? she wondered. I never told him. I rarely have a conversation with him. Am I that obvious? The wind howled. Kami, it's scary at this time of night. So cold too. Kagome rubbed her palms together to create some heat in her palms. It would be hours until she reached home to get some rest. Sighing deeply, she thought of a song that reminded a lot of herself. Before she knew it, she began singing softly to herself.
And now I'm all alone again
Nowhere to turn, no one to go to
Without a home
Without a friend
Without a face to say hello to
And now the night is near
Now I can make-believe he's here
Sometimes I walk alone at night when everybody else is sleeping
I think of him and then I'm happy with the company I'm keeping
The city goes to bed
And I can live inside my head
On my own
Pretending he's beside me
All alone I walk with him till morning
Without him I feel his arms around me
And when I lose my way I close my eyes
And he has found me
In the rain
The pavement shines like silver
All the lights are misty in the river
In the darkness
The trees are full of starlight
And all I see is him and me forever and forever
And I know it's only in my mind
That I'm talking to myself
And not to him
And although I know that he is blind
Still I say
There's a way for us
I love him
But when the night is over
He is gone
The river's just a river
Without him
The world around me changes
The trees are bare
And everywhere the streets are full of strangers
I love him
But everyday I'm learning
All my life I've only been pretending
Without me
His world will go on turning
A world that's full of happiness
That I have never known
I love him
I love him
I love him
But only on my own
She sighed loudly, not knowing that Inuyasha had followed her and heard her sing.
"Kami...she's in love with..." Inuyasha said to himself softly. "Oh my god, I have to tell Miroku." He quietly turned back and leaped away.
.:Next day:.
"Ohayo, mina," Kagome said in a tired voice as she ate breakfast in the castle.
"Kagome-chan, it looks like you haven't slept a wink," Sango chirped as she observed her best friend's face.
"Gomen, but I was born with this face," Kagome replied sourly as she spooned rice porridge into her mouth.
"Ohayo," Miroku said happily, sitting across from the two girls.
"Keep your hands to yourself," Sango warned him.
"Dear Sango, why do you insinuate that I might do something I shouldn't?" Miroku said in a feigned hurt voice.
Miroku was the houshi the Emperor hired to keep away evil spirits. Since Miroku was also a houshi who broke his concentration for a difficult spell easily to watch a pretty girl walk by, the Emperor also hired Kaede, a first-class miko. Sango was one of the cooks and had to keep Miroku away from stealing food and groping women.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Sango replied icily.
"Hey, that reminds me! I have to tell you something. Come with me," Miroku said. He grabbed Sango by the arm and dragged her off to the side. He looked around to make sure no one was listening.
"What is it? Did Shippo set something on fire again?" Sango guessed. "I swear, he is such a bad cook-"
"Hush!" Miroku said in a low voice, holding up a hand to quiet Sango. "Okay, yesterday around midnight, Inuyasha woke me up to yak about something and he mentioned Kagome-"
"Oh, kami, what about her?" Sango whispered.
"I'm getting to that. See, it turns out he was following her to make sure she got home safely when he heard her sing some song that had some lovey crap in it or something and now he thinks she's in love with somebody."
"Oh my god, does he know that she's in love with him?"
Japanese words used this chapter:
kenjutsu: sword technique. Heh, I thought Inu's mom would be cool if she could kick butt. What's cooler than a sword?
dojo: kind of like a room to practice martial arts in
miko: priestess
hanyou: half-demon
kami: god, deity
sayonara: goodbye, farewell
ohayo: good morning
mina: everyone
gomen: sorry
houshi: monk/priest
A/N: And that is the end of chapter one! I know it kinda sucked and ended with a cliffy [teehee?] but review and you'll get another chapter. You might be wondering why Kikyo lives in the castle when only Miroku and Kaede are the ones using their holy powers and Kikyo has miko powers also. That will be explained in the future.
Tune in to see if Inuyasha figured it out or he was too dense. I'm not making fun of him but he does jump to conclusions.
As for the conversation between Sesshoumaru and Kagome, I don't know where the hell that came from. I had to make it known that Kagome likes Inuyasha [cause then it would be Kag/ and I don't like that blank to be filled with someone other than Inu!] so why not have it be explained by someone who is emotionless? Hmmm
Anyway, REVIEW! Please don't flame. As for the song, I don't own that. It's called On My Own from Les Miserables. It sounds pretty nice, especially the version sung by Lea Salonga
REVIEW!!