Disclaimer – I don't own the Inuyasha characters.

Only You

Sesshomaru would never understand his half-brother. "You're really leaving?"

"Yeah."

His father throws a party so his half-brother, Inuyasha, can form proper social relations, and only half an hour into it, Inuyasha decides to sneak out. "So she snaps her fingers, and you go running like some whipped dog."

"Shut up! It's not like that."

Sesshomaru snorted. "Whatever." He headed back to the main room where the gala was going on.

"Wait," Inuyasha hissed after him. "What are you gonna tell Dad if he asks where I am?"

Sesshomaru stopped. "When he asks where you are, I'll tell him to ask you when you get back."

"Sesshomaru!"

Paying his protesting half-brother no mind, Sesshomaru slipped back into the main room. Voices washed over him, and he made his way to the bar, walking through the groups of people that mingled amongst red and white decorations; a color theme chosen by his lovely but tasteless stepmother.

"I'd like bottle of Scotch and two glasses," he told the bartender. And then he turned to stare at the black haired beauty across the room, Kikyo. Inuyasha's ex. "I'll never understand him," he muttered.

Kikyo stood amongst a small group of acquaintances, listening vaguely to their conversation. She was trying to concentrate on what they were saying, but the moment Sesshomaru had walked back into the room her attention had gone to him. Heck, her attention had been on him even when he'd left for the hallway with Inuyasha. She'd been unable to stop her eyes from flitting to the door they'd left through, waiting, hoping for his reappearance.

Funny that, just half a year ago, it was Sesshomaru's younger brother who held her interest. She and Inuyasha got along fine then, her affection for him growing every day. During their seven month relationship, Kikyo grew so fond of Inuyasha that she thought she might be in love. Then she met Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru had been abroad, starting up a new business for his father. And while she sometimes heard mention of him from Inuyasha, she knew little about him. Just that he was stubborn, selfish, and cold. So she never expected the reaction she'd had upon seeing him, never expected her heart to start pounding, her mouth to go dry, and her body to call out to his. The day she met him she knew what she felt for Inuyasha did not go beyond fondness. And so they broke up.

They remained friends, however, and soon Inuyasha became acquainted with her younger cousin, Kagome. Those two quickly developed a romantic relationship. While Kikyo was happy for them, she was the tiniest bit jealous. Kagome and Inuyasha were growing closer and closer everyday. She and Sesshomaru, however, were no closer than the day they'd met.

Sesshomaru made his way to the woman whose shapely body drew the eyes of every male in the room. Part of him felt foolish as he walked toward her with a bottle of Scotch in one hand and two shot glasses in the other, but a larger part felt bold. About a week ago, Inuyasha had offhandedly told him that Kikyo might start dating again. There was some guy Kikyo worked with who'd been hanging around her; a guy who seemed to blush whenever she looked at him.

The thought of some other man pulling Kikyo close and crushing his lips against hers made Sesshomaru wild. And yet for half a year, he'd been denying his attraction to the woman.

When he'd first met her, he could only congratulate his half-brother for snagging such a beautiful woman. Then he'd gotten to know her through chance meetings and get-togethers Inuyasha dragged him to. The congratulatory feeling quickly turned to jealousy. How had his half-brother managed to secure a relationship with someone so wonderful? Then Inuyasha and Kikyo broke up, and all Sesshomaru could feel was disgust. How could Inuyasha let a woman of her caliber get away? If he were Inuyasha, he told himself, he'd fight to keep her.

But he wasn't Inuyasha. So he didn't. Love—a fleeting emotion resulting in the foolish actions of those who felt it—was beneath Sesshomaru. For he was no fool.

Yet, he continued accompanying Inuyasha on outings that included Kikyo. He thought of her when she wasn't near him, longed to hold her when she was. He wanted to punch a man for having the audacity blush when speaking to her. He was a fool.

He didn't care.

"Kikyo?"

Standing on the second story balcony, Kikyo could hear the noise of the party below. Sesshomaru sat at the small round table behind her.

When he'd asked to speak privately with her, she could have sworn he was looking at her possessively. But no, every time she thought Sesshomaru was feeling anything close to what she felt, he made it obvious that she was wrong with a startling flare of coldness.

She would never understand this man; how he could sometimes seem so caring, tender, and almost loving, only to become aloof. She wanted to warm his heart with her love. Love…Yes she loved him. Despite all his coldness, she loved him. For, she'd seen those rare glimpses of compassion that he tried so hard to hide.

Gently rocking her glass, she watched its contents swish. Then she lifted the glass to her lips and downed its contents. She turned and faced the man behind her. His eyes glittered gold. "What did you want to talk about?"

"It's been awhile since we've seen each other," he said. This wasn't an answer, but his silky voice wrapped around her and made her not care.

"Has it?" She longed to go to him, tangle her fingers in his milky tresses, and press her lips to his. Instead she set her glass on the table and refilled it.

"I've been hearing things about you Kikyo."

"Really? What kinds of things?"

"Things like you've finally gotten over my brother and are looking to start dating again."

"What?" She turned confused eyes on him. "Sesshomaru, my break up with you're brother was mutual. There were no hard feelings and nothing to get over."

He smiled up at her, and her heart hammered against her chest. "That's good to know." He refilled his glass. "But then what about the last part of the rumor? Have you started seeing anyone?"

Kikyo set her filled glass down and turned around. She wanted to believe that Sesshomaru was asking these things because he wanted to be that someone, but she knew better. He'd simply heard something that piqued his interest and wanted to clarify its truth. And that hurt. It shouldn't and she was stupid to let it, but knowing he didn't love her hurt.

She turned her back to him. "So you drag me out her to confirm some stupid rumor."

After a heartbeat of silence, Sesshomaru huskily asked, "So then it's true?"

Kikyo had had enough. She whirled around and pinned Sesshomaru with flaring eyes. "You know something, Inuyasha was right. You are selfish. Without considering my feelings you…you…" She turned and stomped toward the balcony's opened doors.

Sesshomaru's strong hand stopped her. "I am selfish," he whispered in her ear. "Very selfish." He turned her to him and slipped an arm around her waist, holding her to him.

She gasped, and he lowered his mouth to her, slipping his tongue through the open entrance. He pulled back before passion completely clouded her mind. She moaned. He smiled.

"I'm selfish, because I don't want to see you with anyone but me." Kikyo's eyes widened. Sesshomaru lowered his mouth to her ear and said, "I love you Kikyo."

Tears brimmed her eyes and she pressed her face against his warm, hard chest. "I love you too. I love you too."