Title: The Greatest Love

Author: Jillian

Summary: This is really more of a teaser, thought I might put it out and see what kind
of a reaction it receives. The pairing is pretty obvious, and it is going to contain
romance, humor, angst, drama, and hopefully a love scene if I can work up
my courage.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for the plot and the idea of the book
"The Greatest Love," along with it's quotes, even though those are pretty
generic...

Author's Notes: Er, enjoy?

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Kagome sighed as she gazed up at the blue sky, her book clutched between
two petite hands. A line from the book appeared in her mind.

Sometimes, the greatest love is unattainable.

She smiled sadly as she unconsciously stroked the book. She shook
her head, and kept reading.

"Sometimes, the greatest love is unattainable. There are those who
spend every waking moment
feeling the utter truth of this. Some
come to the conclusion that there is no great love, that there is only
mediocrity. And in this mediocrity they are content. And then there
are those who realize their great love,
and spend every waking
moment, pining, crying on the-"

"Wench, what are you doing?"

Kagome slammed the book shut as she lifted her head to see an
irritated Inu Yasha bearing down on her. She got up quickly, shaking
the grass off her skirt.

"N-nothing, Inu Yasha. Nothing important."

She glanced at the book wistfully. Inu Yasha snorted in disgust.

"Whatever. The wind brings a tale of a massacre, two days north of here.
As good a place as any to continue our shard-hunting."

Kagome heaved a sigh.

"Sure. Let me go down to the village and pick up my stuff. Have the others
been informed?"

"Keh. No. Do it while you're down there. I've got something to do in
the meantime."

Saying so, he took off towards the west, heading into the dying sun,
casting a bloody taint to his silver hair.

Kagome ground her teeth angrily as she began the walk down to the village,
away from Inu Yasha's forest.

Away from Inu Yasha.

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They decided to set up camp down by the river that night, so as to get
a cooler breeze. The days were getting longer and hotter, leaving them
all exhausted from the long day's trek. The small group had begun to change.
No longer as tight-knit, they all sat, bereft of one another, as though miles
away from the next person, although almost right beside them.

Kagome sat, with Shippou asleep in her lap, reading. Inu Yasha sat up in a
tree, as was custom, looking out across the river, as though straining for a
glimpse of something through the sweltering darkness. Sango sat with her
head bent, polishing her weapon feverishly, while Kirara lazed at her side.
And Miroku, well, Miroku was bored.

He missed the earlier days. When had they started to drift? He gazed into
the same area of sky that Kagome had stared into earlier that very day, as
though trying to divine answers from it. What had happened to the old
camaraderie? He found that he missed the human contact, not this
monotonous association with people he once felt he knew so well.

Especially...

His gaze softened as it came to rest on Kagome through the dying embers.
He missed her empathy, her understanding. There was no one to share
his worries with now. He stared broodingly at his hand, and then lifted his
gaze. And met with Kagome's. She gave a shy smile, and waved. He smiled
back and, encouraged, got up to sit closer by her. Inu Yasha, with his
sensitive hearing, turned to see what was going on, "Keh"'d and returned
to his fascinating study of the scenery. Miroku plopped down next to her
with a roguish grin.

"Hi, Kagome-san." He whispered.

She grinned back. "Hey, Miroku-sama."

"May I inquire to what you are reading?" He asked curiously.

She glanced at the book she held tightly in her hands. Her cheeks flushed
lightly. Miroku took all this in with puzzlement.

"It's called..." She looked around to make sure no one was listening.
"It is called "The Greatest Love.""

"Ah, Kagome-san, this book sounds delightful. Tell me more."

He smiled in an innocent manner. She looked at him suspiciously.

"Th-there is really nothing more to tell. It's a book about the greatest love."

She flushed once more as she said this, and his eyes twinkled.

"I see."

Though really, he did not.

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Like I said, this is more like a test run. Reviews would be nice. Love you all!

-J.