It was the first day of winter and the snow fell gracefully from the sky covering everything in sight. Winter time was an especially difficult time for Kagome it made her reminisce of the many cherished memories of winters like this one spent which in turn made her terribly didn't regret her decision to come back to the feudal era but she did missed certain luxuries on mornings like this what she wouldn't give to be able to sip on a cup of delicious hazelnut coffee.

Kagome tried her best to distract herself with a small glimmer of nostalgia by indulging in her childhood tradition of making a hot beverage to commemorate the first day of winter. Since there was no coffee or cocoa available she decided to make the next best thing green tea. She filled the kettle with water and placed it onto the fire. While waiting for the kettle to boil she gathered cups, the matcha powder that she had previously ground up, painstakingly she added as an afterthought, and a bamboo whisk meticulously set it on onto a wooden tray. She carefully measure the powder into two cups and once the water was ready she poured until the cups half filled and she whisked away until it was a perfect foamy frothy green.

Kagome couldn't help but recall all the times she would do this at shrine for her grandfather. He had been the one to teach her his flawless technique hence why they were one of the few shrines to survive into the modern era. People came from all over Japan just to partake in their famous tea service.

Kagome paused for a second and looked down with bewilderment at the tray she didn't even know it but out of routine she had prepared two cups. It had been 3 months since Inu Yasha had left the village and now it was just her and yet as if by muscle memory or practiced motion here in front of her was tea for two. She felt a stabbing pain and she couldn't help but acknowledge the loneliness that enveloped her. She understood why his initial reaction had been to leave once they had spoken the words of their inevitable parting. They both needed space and time to accept their new roles in each other lives.

The two had decided to part amiably but there had been so much frustration and resentment towards one another in the end Inu Yasha had made the right and mature decision in allowing them the necessary time to heal and forgie. He did promise to return when he was ready but that didn't mean she wasn't painfully counting down the days. She couldn't hide from it anymore she missed her friend, his companionship and most of all she missed having someone to share her things with. He was the only one in this time that had seen her world, the only one who would understand her quirks and special brand of humor. The only one who would understand or even want to do some of her most beloved activities.

A light bulb went off in her head and an idea sprung to life as Kagome stared at the second cup of tea. She knew Rin was the one person who would be ecstatic to welcome her traditions as if they were her own. What could be better than sharing old traditions with new friends. After all, tea was universal and it didn't need time travel for one to appreciate.

Kagome hummed to herself as she diligently pack the tray up before making her way towards Rin's hut. After placing the second cup onto the tray she keenly wished she had some hato sabure that would have been the perfect addition to tea time. Another forlorn thought that increased the bitter longing for some small piece of nostalgia or familiarity.

She sighed dolefully before completely doing a 180 banishing her melachony thoughts and entered into Rin's home with nothing but a cheerful warm smile gracing her lips. Kagome's cheeks were flushed with a pink rosy blush when she entered, snow sprinkled on her haruka and tray in hand.

"Good morn…oh no…Rin!" The girl was laying there motionless with labored breathing. She quickly placed the tray down and rush to Rin's side placing her hand to feel Rin's forehead. Gah, either my hand is freezing or Rin is having a unusually high fever she thought to herself.

"That feels nice, Lord Sesshomaru" Rin mumbled weakly.

"You're burning up dear, I'm afraid it's just me Kagome, Lord Sesshomaru isn't…" The words caught in her throat when she suddenly saw a figure in out of the corner of her eye, the stoic youkai asleep sitting in the corner. The thought of the impassive demon lord showing his concern enough to stay by her side it practically filled her heart with joy for the young girl knowing she had someone who truly cared for her and loved her as if she was his own. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever imagine papa Sesshomaru but here he stands, or sits to be more accurate.

He could hear the soft voice speaking to his sick ward but the recent lack of sleep had delayed his awareness. He instinctively growled dangerously before the familiar scent invaded his senses. He peeked an eye open to see the miko ringing the cloth dry before placing back on Rin's forehead. "Get some rest, I will make you some herbal tea to bring down that fever."

He didn't quite understand it but he found himself visiting his young ward the fourth time this month. His visits becoming increasing frequent and he found himself hopeful for her presence each time. Kagome had an air about her, the warmth she projected was the same as the rays of sunlight hits your skin, gently shielding you from the cold, pulling you out of your thoughts and distracting you with her radiant smile. The contradictory thoughts plagued him and left him in a state of confusion and irritation. His frustration for his newfound curiosity for the miko insidiously shimmering to the surface.

The western lord lowering himself to a human, it was shameful, yet the scent of her hair invaded his senses eliciting him to wonder what the taste of her mouth would be like, the feel of her ivory soft flesh, and finally if her raven tresses were luxurious as he imagined. The unrelenting onslaught of foreign feelings she invoked in him was certainly an unwelcomed one. When was it his pride had became his prison?

He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt a blanket placed on his person. He opened his eyes and caught the miko's wrist who was kneeling before him. She gasped when she felt the contact and offered a bright smile at him.

"Good morning, she greeted timidly, I didn't mean to wake you." He offered no words other the soften of his molten golden pupils.

"I didn't know you were visiting and I had accidently made two of cups of tea so I thought to share it with Rin on this cold winter morning but."

"Tell me miko, how does one make two cups of tea by accident? he interrupted while smirking up a storm at her. It seemed like forever ago when he was nothing more than an enemy turned unreluclant ally via enemy of enemy is my friend turned blossoming friendship that if someone had previously told her that aloof Lord Sesshomaru, the killing perfection liked to tease and joke, she surely question their sanity and laughed until she was blue in the face.

Kagome couldn't help the soft laughter that emitted and filled the room upon seeing his trademark smirk. "Oh you know, it's something that would only happen to a total scatterbrain like me but there is still my current dilemma of two cups of tea and only one me. Would his lordship be inclined to join one scatterbrain miko for a cup of green tea this morning? she said sweetly with a blush advertised on her face in full force."

A/N: originally this was meant to be chapter two but then writer's block happened and new inspiration was found for chapter two! Can't say that I'm displeased with it at all but I do wonder if maybe I should of waited to write a lemon chapter, HAHA! I have few chapters planned for this story but writer's block usually has it's iron grip on me so I don't know when I will update again. As always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the story thus far! XOXOXO