Standard disclaimer applies

Standard disclaimer applies.

The votes are in, and yes folks, I'm turning this into a full story instead of just a jumble of one-shots. I hope you all enjoy!

Secrets

Two

By: Luna

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Sesshoumaru watched the little ningen with a slight frown. He couldn't help it; his curiosity was just too strong to resist. It was, no doubt, his greatest weakness. But as he watched her, he wondered how she could go on without any worry that Kagura would spill whatever secret she's keeping. And if she did worry, she hid it very well.

If it had been him, Sesshoumaru would have just killed the bitch.

Well, no, probably not. Well, maybe. It depended on if he was in the mood and how badly she pissed him off. He didn't really like Kagura half the time, but even he had to admit that there was something about her that stopped him just short of ending her existence. Perhaps that was the way the miko worked, only she was much nicer than he. She was human, for one, and ruled by her emotions. Then there was the fact that she was a miko, and loved all forms of life – even those that were born from darkness.

But even that wasn't true – not for all miko's, anyway. Miko's in general hated all demons and tried to purify them on the spot. They certainly didn't fall in love with half breeds and travel around the country with them. He found himself frowning even fiercer at the thought – and who wouldn't? – for even he couldn't see anyone falling in love with a half breed like that – or any half breed at all.

She saw them as equals, which was a very stupid and unwise thing to do. But she was human, and that was as good of an excuse as any.

"Inuyasha, for the last time I said leave me alone! I'm going home and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes when the half breed got up in the miko's face, barely even an inch away as he growled, "You've been wanting to go home way too often! We don't have time for you to sit around in your time and pamper yourself while there are jewel shards to be found!"

In her time? What the devil did that mean?

"Those jewel shards aren't going anywhere! And they can wait a few days while I go home! I have exams, Inuyasha. I can't flunk out of school!" Kagome's blue eyes were narrowed into slits, and her cheeks were starting to flush with an unhealthy shade of red.

Sesshoumaru was once again impressed. The miko was educated. He should have known.

Inuyasha looked as if he wanted to strangle her, but rocked back on his heels so there was more space between them and glared at her in a surprisingly cool manner. "I guess I should just go ask Kikyo. She never shirks her duty."

There was a flash of hurt behind the miko's eyes, but she merely crossed her arms and lifted a brow. But her eyes still flashed a murderous blue, and her aura practically screamed her displeasure. "Go ahead." Then she turned on her heel and yelled over her shoulder, "Then you'd literally be able to go to hell – and not just figuratively!"

The half breed seemed shocked by her outburst, and barely managed to jump out of the way of the slayers Hiraikotsu. "You jerk!" The slayer seethed. "Why do you always have to piss her off? If you really want her to help unconditionally, give a little! You can't just have it your way all the time."

Inuyasha growled low and deep in his throat as he transferred his glare from the retreating miko to the slayer. "Stay out of it." Then he thought better of it and snapped out, "And what the hell do you mean, 'give a little'? I give all the damn time! She goes home practically whenever she damn well wants!"

"Really?" The slayer asked sarcastically. "Do you know the last time she went home had been over two months ago?"

Inuyasha was being stubborn, and didn't seem to want to listen to her. "She tries to go home all the time!"

"The key word being 'tries', Inuyasha. You always catch her and bring her back to camp – like she's a prisoner!" The slayer – what was her name? – practically growled before throwing her arms up in exasperation and walking back to the monk.

Sesshoumaru watched Inuyasha and determined he wasn't going to go after the miko, which was really foolish because they were at least two or three miles away from their village. A good alpha would look after his pack better, even ones that disobeyed. He considered for about two seconds before he started to follow her. She carried herself almost an entire mile on steam alone, stomping through the forest in the direction of the village with mad eyes and softly spoken words of anger.

He was surprised she wasn't more hurt about Inuyasha's comment about the undead girl, Kikyo. It was true that she was effected, but she was more upset that he wouldn't let her go home than anything. For some reason, he thought she was more hurt at the fact that Inuyasha accused her of shirking her duty than actually being replaced.

That was something he would ponder about later.

There has been some distance between the two, Sesshoumaru knew, ever since Kagura had made her infamous appearance a few weeks back. He only knew that from the brief periods of time he felt the urge to fight his little brother. Not, he assured himself, because he's been practically stalking the little miko. Sesshoumaru would never do anything as undignified as that.

He watched Kagome as her stomping abruptly stop, and she blinked before looking around her nervously. Was she lost? She shouldn't be. She was heading in the right direction. When she reached for the bow and arrows at her back, Sesshoumaru blinked in appreciation before watching her more closely. She didn't actually sense his presence, did she?

She started looking around her with narrowed eyes filled with suspicion, not fear. She kept the arrow knocked as she once again started walking towards the village, and Sesshoumaru started following once again. He was impressed at this new miko; this was not the side she showed everyone around his brother.

The miko she showed around his brother was still courageous, loud, and sometimes annoying, but she always needed constant protection from one of her friends because she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings and her aim consistently sucked. This miko had the look of someone alert and knew exactly what they were doing, and didn't need protection from her friends. Why would she pretend to be different?

Sesshoumaru rather liked the fact that she was this way. Perhaps playing stupid made Inuyasha feel better for being so dumb. But if that was true then Sesshoumaru was disappointed in her, because she should never feel she has to change herself in such a way just to please an ignorant half breed.

Sesshoumaru almost smiled, because he felt as if he was the only one that knew this new miko, and he was rather glad of the fact.

It was a shame, Sesshoumaru thought amusedly, that she didn't realize that she stood at the bottom of a steep incline; he had the perfect bird's eye view of her from at the top of the hill. She should have taken in the tactical disadvantages before she stomped away from the rest of the pack.

She truly didn't need his protection – not that he was giving it – for she made it safely to the village. Sesshoumaru waited on the outskirts, not willing to reveal himself to the humans and be detained by their earthly dramas. He kept track of her aura, however, and frowned when she didn't stop in the village but went straight through it, heading for the bone eaters well.

He skirted the village, keeping an eye out in case he was mistaken, before something made him completely give up all pretenses of staying hidden and run full speed in the direction the miko's aura had suddenly and completely disappeared. He searched the surrounding area for her scent and power almost worriedly (which he assured himself he was not worried) but it was no use.

The miko was gone.

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Luna