Ichigo was having a tick under his left eye as he stared in disbelief at the sight in front of him. Ishida was glaring and Chad was…well, Chad. Orihime was humming though. Why? That was because during the holiday, several Hollows attacked her while she was with Ulquiorra. Due to that, he stepped out of his child-like skin and devoured each of them. A few days later, he was his normal size. Now, he stood at the front of Karakura High School's gate waiting for the Onna and the Miko.

Ichigo shouted, "When did HE grew up?!"

Ulquiorra sighed, "His stupidity knows no boundary,"

Ishida nodded, "Agreed,"

Ichigo glared at them, "Hey!"

Chad nodded, "The Gigai looks good on you,"

Ulquiorra huffed, "Obviously,"

Ichigo growled at him, "Vain bastard,"

"I could not help that you looked like trash, trash,"

"Are you looking for a fight?!"

Ulquiorra stepped aside as he suddenly flung forward by a kick to the back of his head. Rukia slapped her arms in satisfaction, "Evening, Ichigo!"

He stood up and yelled, "What kind of greeting was that?!"

"My kind of greeting,"

"You don't have to look so smug about that!" He then sighed, "Okay, what are you doing here anyway?"

She pointed at Ulquiorra, "To evaluate him. Yamamoto-taichou wanted a word with the Espada," Ichigo frowned at her reason, "He's not going to kill or imprison him, is he?"

Ulquiorra sighed, "I believe the trash has gotten stupider since the last minute,"

"Oi, I was concerned about you, bastard!"

Ulquiorra ignored the barking Strawberry and turned his attention to Rukia. The petite Shinigami nodded at him, "Shall we?" He nodded and started to follow her when he felt Orihime pulling at his sleeve. He turned to see her wide silver eyes smiling up at him with a slight worry shaking the light in her eyes, "Come back soon?"

He nodded, "Of course, Onna. Who else would make sure you finish your homework with little error?"

Kagome slapped his shoulder, "Hey, what am I, chopped liver?" She grinned up at him, "Don't worry about us. We'll wait for your return here with a warm welcome. If they delay you with no exceptional reason, I'll ask Sesshoumaru to take us where you are,"

Ichigo watched the way they interacted and remembered his own experience living with the scariest man alive. He make Aizen looked like a little ballerina. The thing that made him respect Sesshoumaru was that his fury was justified. Hell, he can't even blame Sesshoumaru for looking down on human. Unlike Ulquiorra, he looked down on human who caused nothing but chaos on earth. But as was proven with his interaction to those around him, he looked up to human who make a stand for a good reason.

He looked at Orihime, "You know about this Inoue?"

She nodded, "Apparently Yamamoto-taichou know Sesshoumaru,"

Ishida frowned, "My dad know him,"

Ichigo scratched his head, "Now that you mention him, both Urahara and my dad knows him,"

Kagome chuckled, "He is the representative for all youkai after all!"

The group stood silent at her announcement. Chad suddenly spoke up, "Lunch anyone?"

Ichigo grinned, "Oh yeah! Let's head out to Sesshoumaru's house. Kenshin cooked something fierce!" Ishida nodded, "Agreed, I have questions concerning the Wizarding Society around the world. It seemed that Luna have a lot of knowledge about it," Chad nodded, "I want to visit Chihiro,"

Kagome and Orihime stared as the boys started for their home. Kagome sighed, "I wonder what Sesshoumaru think about their frequent visit?"

Orihime shrugged, "Just that he hasn't exploded yet?"

"True,"

Sesshoumaru growled low as voices floated to his attic from the sun room where Kagome and her school friends collected. Ulquiorra has some business in the Soul Society and the three magicians were out with Chihiro buying her necessary items for her stay here with Haku. Said dragon was out as well but this time he did not mention his destination.

He growled again as the laughter interrupted his meditation. Standing up, he was about to storm the sun room but upon opening the door to his attic, he found the miko standing just outside with her fist up as if to knock. He glared at her, "What?"

She blushed and apologised, "I figured that they make too much sound so I came here to apologise and to…I don't know…I just felt like coming up here…" She peeked at him. He stared at her and sighed, "Come in,"

She blushed, recalling the last time she was up in his attic. He noticed her blush and recalled the memory as well. He sighed, "Maybe the drawing room,"

She nodded, "Yes, of course! The drawing room is way better,"

The two headed for the second floor when Kagome stopped in front of the weapon room. Sesshoumaru noticed her standing in front of the door and asked, "What is it, miko?"

She looked at him, "I'm curious about the weapons in this room,"

Sesshoumaru stepped closer to her, "Would you like to go in for a tour?"

With his eyes boring into hers like that, if he had asked if she wanted to follow him to Purgatory, she would have said yes. So instead of trusting her lost voice, she nodded instead. Sesshoumaru gave her one of his rare smiles and Kagome felt like gravity have been defeated by that one smile. She took his offered hand and he pulled her through the weapon room. As he opened the light, she asked, "What is behind the locked room?"

He answered her question as though she was inquiring about the weather, "The reptile room," Before she asked, he elaborated, "There are no more reptiles in the room but there are more poisons and toxics in that room than you can find in any universities in Japan," He gestured, "After you?"

Kagome stared at the weapons in the room and gasped at the size and quality of each weapons. She looked around in wonder, "I don't think they make half of what you kept in this room,"

"Precisely the reason why I kept them,"

She looked at him, "You collect what is rare as a hobby huh?"

He nodded and as she touched the weapons with careful fingers under his scrutiny, Sesshoumaru find himself envying his collections. He stopped her when she gravitated to some of the poisonous blades and kept her from touching them. When they reached the back of the room where he kept his chest plate and armours, she stopped to stare at the fur that lay limp on the silk covered desk. She gasped, "Your moko-moko,"

He smirked, "You seem delighted to see it,"

She nodded, "I kind of miss it on you," She stroked the furs and Sesshoumaru almost moaned; it felt as though she was stroking him. Leave it to the miko to make the most innocent of gesture the most erotic of his dreams. Sighing, he stepped closer to her. Kagome stiffened when she felt the heat of his body warming her skin and his breath prickling the hairs on her neck. She gasped, "Sesshoumaru…"

He raised his claw tipped fingers and laid them heavily on her neck, as if claiming her as his. She looked up, surrendering. Kagome let out a sigh as her eyes slid close when he stroked her with the tips of his deadly claws. His other hand landed on her stomach, above her womb. He growled deep in his chest, causing her torso that connected with his to tremble as it echoed through her. She looked at him with heavily lidded eyes, "Sesshoumaru…what are we doing?"

He looked at her, his sclera seeping crimson and his golden eyes brightening to acid green, "You don't know, miko?"

She looked into his changing eyes and shook her head, "Do you?"

He lowered his face to hers, his hot palm stroking the skin of her neck and landed under her chin, holding the tilt of her head in place. He breathed, "I don't," He looked at her, "Will you run miko?"

She sighed, "From you? Never,"

He licked her lower lip and she shivered in his embrace. She gasped, "But you and I…we were enemies…"

He grunted, "Were being the keyword miko…it's in the past,"

She felt her tears dripping the corner of her eyes, "The past…" She asked, "What am I to you?"

He stiffened and looked at her, "To me, miko?"

She nodded. Sesshoumaru stared into her gaze, endless blue depth like the ocean and the sky. He had heard of her stories from the monk and the slayer through Rin. He knew about Inuyasha and her. He knew too that if he were to play with her and treat her like just another female with benefit, she will crumble. No, he had too much respect for her to treat her as another bed partner. He stared at her and knew that he could give up anything for her, even his life.

He smiled, eyes for once softening with his gentle smile, "You are to this Sesshoumaru, irreplaceable,"

He loved the way her eyes grew large. He loved the way her blue, blue eyes brightened like the sea at dawn as it filled with happy tears. She gasped, "Oh Sesshoumaru…" And he loved how her lips pouted with the shape of his name. It tasted even sweeter on her lips than on his.

Kagome thought that it was strange that her first kiss with Sesshoumaru would be in his weapon room rather than in his study or the drawing room or even the music room. Then again, she was kissing and talking about a man whose morbid taste rivalled the beauty of his face. But there was a something different about his kiss when compared to her hanyou friend. There was something deeper to it than those chaste kisses shared 500 years ago…

Irreplaceable…something irreplaceable…

Nothing can take her place in his heart and in his life…

Not even all the rare treasures in the world even if it was placed right before him. Yes, she was irreplaceable…