A.N. I do not own Inuyasha. Read, enjoy, and please comment!
Ayame straightened her appearance as best she could as her jade colored eyes flickered toward the door. She'll be coming soon. Kagome-chan... It's been too long.
"Why aren't you eating? Aren't you hungry? Is the food not good enough?" Etsuko's wide jade colored eyes stared at her miko with worry as she ate her own dinner.
Shippou stared at the younger child with concern before meeting his okaa-san's gaze. She's way too attached already. What has Okaa-san gotten us into?
The miko gave the child's head a gentle pat. "I'm not hungry just yet. There is no need for you to worry for me."
Akimi let out an obnoxious snort at the woman's words. "Yeah, don't worry about the bitch. Not like she's going to be hanging around with you hanging all over her as if she's your okaa-san. Right Miko-sama?"
Kazeji's eyes widened as his imouto ran from the table with tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'll-"
Shippou shook his head and hopped up to block the older male. "Nah. I'll do it."
Pale pink lips pulled into an ever so slight smile as the miko watched her son go to comfort the younger youkai girl. "Akimi... Why do you lash out at her like that? She loves you."
Embarrassment colored her cheeks which soon turned to anger. "FUCK YOU! Why don't you just pick up and go? We don't need you."
A frown pulled at the male ookami's lips as he watched the two females. "Akimi-nee-chan, why don't we all just sit down and finish eating?"
"What, now you're on her side? Etsuko I'd expect but not you!"
Kagome put a hand on the teen's shoulder, trying to calm her down. "Why-"
"DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!" Akimi roared before stomping out of the room.
Kazeji's jade irises became slightly soft when he stared at the beautiful miko his parents had told him many stories about. "Arigatou Kagome-sensei."
Sapphire orbs darted towards the young male curiously. "Hm?"
He let out a slow sigh, schooling his features into a mask of polite gratitude. "You have been kind to my sisters. Also, you remembered the ookami style of martial arts. No one has been continuing that portion of our training."
Soft blue eyes met his green ones with concern. "Kazeji, come here."
The ookami teen stood and walked over to the miko obediently, surprise flashing in his eyes as he felt her arms around him.
She pressed her cheek to the top of his head as she held him. "Don't keep everything inside. I know you want to be a strong leader and a good brother. But you don't have to do it this way. Kouga was free with the way he felt. What he said was often blunt but it was always true. You don't have to tell me how you feel but please don't wear that mask of indifference."
Tears stung his eyes blurring his vision as he shut them quickly. She truly is all the legends say. His arms wrapped around her as he laid his ear to her chest to hear her heart beat.
Tenderness entered her features as she stroked his hair. "I'll always be here for you Kazeji."
"Arigatou."
Etsuko sobbed into her hands, her shoulders shaking.
"Etsuko-chan? Can I talk to you?" Shippou yelled from the base of the tree where the youkai girl sat.
"G-go a-a-way!"
Frustration and sympathy combined in the kit's features as he jumped onto the branch. Funny, she's actually the closest to my age but I fit in better with the other two. His claws ran through her silky reddish hair gently. "It's alright Etsuko-chan."
"S-s-she w-won't leave, w-w-will s-she?" she sobbed in a broken inquiry. Red rimmed pools of sparkling jade seemed to beg him to say no.
"Look, Etsuko, I barely know you and neither does my okaa-san! We both want to help you but you've got to pull yourself together."
She jerked away from the kitsune angrily. "You don't understand! Leave me alone! You sound like Akimi!"
A sigh passed through Shippou's lips as he pulled the struggling girl into a reluctant hug. "I won't pretend I like your onee-chan, but she does have a bit of a point. You get attached way too fast and it isn't good for you. But I do understand."
Surprise stilled her struggles as she looked up into his eyes. "How do you understand?"
His arms loosened around the ookami girl as she sat in his lap peering at him intently. "Well, you might have heard about it in stories... But, you see, Okaa-san adopted me. Before that I had another okaa-san who died giving birth to me. Then my otou-san was killed by the Thunder Brothers. I was lost and alone inside."
"And it felt like you were the only one who felt it. The emptiness," she whispered with distant eyes.
He nodded in understanding. "Yeah."
Affection entered Etsuko's features as she leaned in to give him a tight hug. "W-will you be my onii-san?"
The kit looked up at the sky as he thought and finally gave her a nod. "Sure."
Kagome carried a tray set for two up the stairs quietly. Something tells me that anyone finding out I am actually seeing Ayame would make me unpopular with the kids.
Silence seemed to echo in the barren halls only to be shattered by the sound of Kagome's hesitant knock on the door.
"Come in," Ayame's voice called from within the room.
She felt a smile form on her lips as she walked in with the food. "Hey."
Ayame waited barely a second after the miko set down the tray before embracing her, her nose falling into her sweet smelling hair. "Kagome-chan... You haven't changed at all."
Her arms wrapped around the older female gently. "It's been awhile, huh?"
Soft giggles fell from the red head's mouth as she grudgingly let go of the pretty miko. "Over five centuries for me. Though I was surprised when you returned to this time. I thought for certain you had adjusted to that time period."
Plump pink lips curved downward slightly at that. "I had. Come on, let's eat and catch up."
Calm yet warm silence fell between the two as they ate their meal together, Ayame more hungrily as she suddenly felt she had a full appetite.
Ayame finished first and watched the miko girl eat calmly. She looks exactly the same. So perfect and beautiful. Kouga-kun had reason to think of her as his mate. Even so many years later.
Sapphire orbs flickered to meet jade as she ate the last bite of oden. "Ayame-chan?"
A gentle hand came up to touch the miko's cheeks, longing and affection entering her expression. "Kagome-chan..." Her thumb began to trace her lips tenderly.
Crimson stained her cheeks as the miko jerked away, jumping to her feet instantly. "I think I should go."
"No! I'm sorry I just-" the ookami woman began, her hands resting on the ningen woman's shoulders. Suddenly she paused her eyes falling to Kagome's lips once more.
Kagome pushed her away gently. "Ayame, just settle down. I think you are just clinging to me because I'm here. Calm yourself... I'll stay for awhile longer."
Her lips pulled into a relieved smile as they sat down across from one another once more. "So, why did you come back here?"
The miko sighed softly a hand beginning to tug at her hair nervously. "It was Inuyasha. I told him I wanted to stay. He got angry and told me that I didn't belong to that time, that as long as I was there Kikyou couldn't find peace. I begged him to let me stay and told him I would help in whatever way I could. But he forced me through the well and sealed it."
She let out a gasp her eyes going wide. "He told everyone you chose to go. How did Shippou get here then?"
"Sesshomaru helped me adopt him in the youkai way before Inuyasha forced me through. When he heard he jumped down the well and our bond brought him to me."
"But how?"
"Inuyasha only sealed it so no one could come from this time," Kagome responded with a slight smile of gratitude for fate.
Soft green eyes wandered the miko's expression before meeting her blue ones. They're so gorgeous. An even more vivid shade of blue than Kouga's.
Light pink appeared on her skin as the miko leaned forward, not realizing she was offering herself to the Lady of the house.
Excitement surged through her body as she took in her unconscious offering. Her lips were tilted upwards towards her own, her hand was resting mere millimeters from her leg, and her legs were pressing against hers. One hand came up to cup her cheek.
Tingling spread throughout Kagome's body from the point at which they were touching. "Ayame I-"
She claimed her lips tenderly. Mine.
Kagome grabbed the wrist of the hand that held her face and tugged weakly, unable to truly fight her.
Ayame slid her other arm around her waist to bring her closer, her lips growing more insistent as her tongue brushed against the miko's lips. The hand on her face moved to her throat, her fingers resting on her pulse point.
Electricity shot through her rapidly warming body from every place that the youkai woman made contact with. Her hands tangled themselves in her hair seeking more contact as she pulled her closer.
Knock, knock!
Low growls fell from Ayame's lips as she grudgingly let go of the woman. "What?"
Ginta hesitantly poked his head in, shock registering in his features at how close the two were. "I-I was only coming to make sure that you were eating. I didn't know. I-" His cheeks went bright red.
Embarrassment colored the miko's cheeks as she moved to stand only to be pushed back gently by Ayame.
"You are not to speak of this Ginta. You are dismissed for the evening."
Ginta nodded awkwardly and retreated.
Kagome scooted away from Ayame before leaping to her feet. "I need to get to bed. It was great talking to you. Night!"
Ayame felt empty once more as she was left alone in the room.
Kagome splashed her face with water and pressed a hand to her heart. So fast... I didn't think that my heart could go this fast. What was she thinking? What was I thinking?
