DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN INUYASHA

Chapter 11: Stories

The feel of Ah-un's lumbering gate beneath her was attempting to lull Kagome into the sleep that had eluded her the night before. The openness with which Sesshomaru had spoken with her had pushed all hopes of slumber from her mind. The lack of rest made it difficult for her to travel at the speed she normally used, so when Rin had suggested her ride on Ah-un, and neither the youkai-lord nor the dragon had protested the request, she had heartily consented.

Subconsciously, Kagome's finger's traced the path that Sesshomaru's digits had worn across her palm the night before. She had many conversations with the stoic youkai recently, but this one…she felt like she had known the lord for his entire life. Kagome repositioned her head agains't the dragon's scales and allowed her gaze to fall on Sesshomaru's back. He acted so cold, so uninterested, when they were around others. When any conscious being was within hearing distance Sesshomaru was impenetrable. When they were alone though…what was it about her that brought out the real soul of the unreadable youkai?

Kagome's mind drifted back to the conversation they had the night before. Her eyes focused inwardly on the memories of his face. The softness that had adorned his features made him look so approachable, so loving…so in need of another's presence. He had spoken of his childhood; of his mother, his father, their forced mating and their eternal unhappiness. He spoke of his father's affair with the human hime, Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother. When Sesshomaru spoke of his half-brother there was a moist twinkle in his eye. Yes, she had told the youkai about her childhood and her home, but his history was something new to her. She had never expected to be able to understand him so well. They were exact opposites. He was dark, she was light. He was storm clouds and she was sunlight. How could she identify so well with someone so different?

Sesshomaru could sense Kagome's exhaustion. He mentally reprimanded himself for keeping her awake all night. His youkai blood made him tire less easily. He didn't need sleep, she did. Her weak human body would not last without rests rejuvenating qualities. The youkai lord turned his head and glanced at the miko who was laying languorously across Ah-un's back. Her smell was intoxicating. He had noticed it the night before. She had always smelled sweet, like sunlight, or honey, but when she had returned from her visit with her friends her scent had changed. The stench of despondency which had covered her scent like a fowl coating seemed to be lifted.

Sesshomaru's lips lifted into a gentle smile as he watched the woman's hand tracing the place his fingers had touched the night before. She was staring at him, but her eyes were unfocussed, like she was looking right through him. Sesshomaru slowed until he fell into step beside the lumbering beast of burden. Kagome's eyes hadn't followed him. They were still trained on the spot he had been occupying. Sesshomaru, eyes not leaving the Miko's face, trained his ears on the sounds of Jaken and Rin's conversation. The small girl was trying desperately to make the imp believe some fairy tale that the miko had told to her. Sesshomaru's eye twitched as Jaken's screeching voice pierced his sharply focused hearing, he relaxed, bringing his senses back to his immediate surroundings. Inhaling deeply, Sesshomaru allowed himself to revel in the new-found pleasure of Kagome's scent.

There was something about it that called to him. She had listened to him so intently the night before. Her obvious interest in his life story had somehow prompted him to continue. He was unused to being open with others. This unexpected acceptance was somehow revitalizing. He had never needed anyone before; never felt as though he were missing out on anything by having no one to converse with. This woman however- this human miko, by very definition meant to be his enemy - this woman identified with him. Understood him. Cared for his feelings.

Sesshomaru's eyes strayed back to Kagome's hand. She was no longer running her fingers over her palm, but her right hand had settled into a position on her left suggesting that she was trying to emulate his grip. The miko's eyes slowly slid closed and he sensed her drift into slumber. Once he was certain that she was asleep, Sesshomaru's eyes sought out his other companions. Finding the two small beings far ahead, and in no way paying any attention to either himself or the miko, Sesshomaru reached his hand out and brushed a hair from Kagome's cheek. He traced a faint crescent moon across her temple with his claw, being cautious to not harm her. Sesshomaru's eyes darted back towards the diminutive beings ahead of him, their attentions were still elsewhere. Sesshomaru untied his obi and gently draped it around the sleeping woman's still form. Satisfied with his attentions, Sesshomaru picked his pace back up and resumed his previous position, walking halfway between the two demons and their human companions.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin cried, turning towards the silent youkai.

Sesshomaru heard Kagome's breathing change and knitted his brows together. He lifted his finger to his lips and Rin fell silent, still running to his side. Sesshomaru dropped his hand and Rin slid her small one into his. He looked down at his small ward and she beamed up at him. He felt himself melt ever so slightly at the smile, but kept his face emotionless.

"What is it, Rin?" He asked gently.

"Jaken-sama will not believe that Pinocchio exists." the little girl whispered back. "Tell him that Pinocchio is real! Tell him, Sesshomaru-sama!" In her passion, Rin had turned to face the youkai and her other hand had joined the first. Her eyes were pleading. Sesshomaru laughed inwardly. She was quite gullible to believe so readily in fictional beings.

"And who is this Pinocchio that is supposed to exist? I have never met such a being." He said softly.

"He's a puppet who wants to be real, and every time he tells a lie his nose grows longer, but then he figures out how to do good things instead of bad and a fairy makes him real!"

Sesshomaru blinked. He had never heard such a tale. He glanced back towards the miko, leave it to her to come up with such a story. Perhaps it was a tale from her time.

"What other stories has the miko told you?" he questioned.

"Well, there was Cinderella, and Peter Pan, The Pea Princess, and Robin Hood. Tom Sawyer, and Pocahontas, oh, and my favorite was Beauty and the Beast!"

Sesshomaru stared. He knew none of these tales. They had to be stories from her time.

"Oh, and why is this Beauty and the Beast your favorite?"

"Well!" Rin repositioned herself to walk comfortably beside him, her argument with Jaken completely forgotten. The imp in question was sulking up ahead, his gate slowing so that he could get closer to his lord and hear the story that the small girl was about to tell.

"There was this prince. He was the most handsome and powerful prince in the whole land! Well, he wasn't very nice. He was really mean to people, especially poor people. I think he was a youkai lord just like you, Sesshomaru-sama! But Kagome said he wasn't. Anyways, he said something mean to a priestess and she cursed him. She said he was gonna be a beast until he could love someone and get them to love him back. For real love too, not just friend love. That's what Kagome said." The little girl stopped to gather her thoughts.

"Go on," Sesshomaru prodded.

"Well, he turns into this big monster and he's really scary. Most of the people who were ok with being around him when he was a person were really scared of him when he was a monster. Well, umm, there was this girl who lived in a nearby village, and her name was Beauty, and her daddy got stuck in the beasts castle, and she went to save him. She traded herself for her daddy because she didn't want her daddy to die. She was really nice and really pretty and really loving. The beast was really scary to her but she was brave and stood up to him. But the longer she stayed with him the more the beast fell in love with her. She found out that her daddy was sick and the beast told her she could leave and that he wouldn't keep her against her will anymore. She promised she'd be back and went to make her daddy all better. But, when she got back to her village, a bad guy there was in love with her and wanted her for himself. He heard the way she talked about beast and got jealous so he went to kill beast. Beauty found out where he went and ran back to beast to protect him but she was too late. The man had hurt beast really bad and beast was dying. Beauty told him not to leave her, he said he loved her and she said she loved him too and didn't want him to die. Then there was a big burst of light," Rin yanked her hands from the startled youkai and threw them above her head to symbolize the flash of light, "then the beast was a prince again! He kissed Beauty and told her that she was the one fated to break his spell and they lived happily ever after!"

Sesshomaru stared thoughtfully at the little girl. The mind of a female was so easily swayed towards romance.

"That is a nice tale, Rin, but why is it your favorite?"

"Oh. I don't know." The little girls eyebrows furrowed in thought and she pursed her lips. Sesshomaru smirked at the adorable expression. "I guess it's because beast is a lot like you."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly in surprise and Rin smiled up at him.

"You pretend to not like anyone or anything but you are really nice deep inside, and you can turn into a monster too!"

Sesshomaru growled softly at this little outburst then just shrugged faintly.

"Hnn." He looked at the small girl. She was meaning no disrespect. "If I am this Beast, who is my Beauty?"

"I don't know yet, Sesshomaru-sama. But she's real, I know she's real." The little girl smiled contentedly and slid her hand back into the grip of her lord's.

Sesshomaru looked ahead again his eyebrows pulled slightly in concentration. He was thinking about the tale.

Jaken's needly voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Foolish girl, how could you compare Sesshomaru-sama to such a demeaning creature as that Beast? To think Sesshomaru-sama would allow anyone to cast such a spell on him and to think that and mere ningen woman would be enough to make him whole!…"

Jaken continued but Sesshomaru had blocked out his voice. Could Rin be correct? Certainly he was under no curse, but what if he were, metaphorically speaking. What if his newfound desire to be understood and accepted by someone had merely brought it to light? Until now he had never had the desire to be in other people's company. He had accepted Jaken's presence simply because the imp had been unwilling to take no for an answer. He had been under an obligation with Rin, and once he had saved her life he felt as though she was his responsibility. He had never cared for others. He had always thought they were too inferior to be of any importance. He was no monster though, was he?

Rin released his hand and started arguing with Jaken again. Sesshomaru slowed then turned to look at the sleeping miko. Maybe he had been a monster. She had been terrified of him. Every time they had met she had fought back first and asked questions later. The first time that fear had dissipated was the night of Inuyasha's death, the first night he sat beside her and shared in her sorrow. She was certainly a relief to his pain, certainly becoming a friend. But was she an answer to his own personal curse?

Kagome sat on a tree branch looking down into the void of nothingness. She knew she was dreaming, but she felt like she was watching herself, she had no control. Inuyasha was perched beside her looking towards the sky with longing. She tried to reach out to him but her hand passed through him like he was air.

Inuyasha looked at her with a sad smile.

"You need to be happy, Kags." He said.

Kagome tilted her head. What? Her voice wouldn't work.

"You need to love again. I can't come back, no matter how much I want to." His eyes were looking at her with longing and pain.

Tears welled in Kagome's eyes. I told you I'm happy, I told you I'd let you go, didn't you hear me?

"Kagome…" Inuyasha reached a clawed hand out towards her. "I love you. You deserve to be loved. You deserve comfort. You deserve honor and respect."

The tears started flowing now. Gently at first but they slowly grew. Kagome reached out her fingers to touch Inuyasha's hand but they went right through. She scowled.

"Be happy, be loved." Inuyasha was disappearing now. He was little more than a shadow of himself.

"NO!" Kagome finally found her voice and she threw herself at her hanyou, his form bursting around her like a bubble. She collided with his body and wrapped her arms around him tightly, crying into his kimono. His silver hair flowing around her, entangling with her black hair. He cupped her head with his clawed hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist. She heard him inhale her scent and let out his breath against her skin. His heartbeat was so strong, so firm beneath her. He pulled her closer. A gentle blossom of recognition registered in Kagome's mind and she smiled into the kimono beneath her face. She inhaled the scent of storms and lifted her head to make eye contact with Sesshomaru.

Kagome's eyes shot open. She was no longer on Ah-un's back, but curled on the ground beside a tree, her backpack pillowing her head. She looked down at the obi that was wrapped around her and sat up, eyes searching for the youkai. She found him, crouching beside a dead deer, his claws filleting the meat from it's bones. A fire burned some yards from her and Rin sat boiling water over it. Jaken was untying Ah-un's saddle and muttering something about 'foolish women.'

Kagome glanced back at Sesshomaru.

"Did we wake you?" his voice carried louder than she had expected over his shoulder and across the space to her ears.

"Umm…no….I had a dream…" She blushed, not sure why.

"Kagome! You're awake!" Rin ran over and jumped on the older woman who in turn hugged the small girl tightly. "I was hungry and wanted to get some fish for you and me, but Sesshomaru-sama said he would get our lunch today, isn't he wonderful!"

"That will be enough, Rin." Apparently Sesshomaru didn't want his random act of kindness to be talked about. Was he embarrassed?

Kagome, smiled mischeviously, then bowed low in the direction of the youkai-lord, "Arigato gozaimasu, Sesshomaru-sama."

The youkai was pulling her to her feet a second later, a snarl on his lips and his hand twisted in the neck of her haori.

"You will not grovel to me, miko. You will not mock me." She smiled playfully at him and his look softened.

A few months ago this reaction would have terrified her. She knew him better now though. He was most definitely embarrassed.

"Gomen." Her smile deepened and she thought she could discern the slightest blush on his cheeks. "I was only teasing you."

Sesshomaru released his hold on her clothes and combed his fingers through her hair as he pulled his hand away from her. The movement was unnoticeable to anyone else and meant only for her, as an acceptance of her apology as well as her explanation.

Sesshomaru set the meat over the fire and turned towards Rin. He lifted the girl under his arm and deposited her by Kagome.

"Miko." She looked at him and he stared back. "While the meat is cooking you will tell us a story. One that you have not yet told to Rin." He seated himself and Kagome looked at him with curiosity. His eyes sparkled. He was teasing her back.

"Very well," she seated herself, turning towards Rin. "Have I told you about Rumplestiltskin?"

The girls eyes widened and she shook her head, Kagome smiled up at Sesshomaru and began her tale.

Hey Everyone!

So this chapter's a little different.

Sorry, but it just flowed from me.

I don't write the story…it just uses me.

LOL Anyways…back to the main story

in the next chapter

THANKKKKSSSS R & R