A/N: So I have hit a bit of an impasse.

I have 12,000 words written of the next Event that the Host Club does (a talent show), and Kagome and Kyoya have some character changes in it, but it's not exactly related to the main plot. Everything so far has at least *kind of* been related to the plot, but this talent show story line is pretty much just a happy diversion.

Should I cut it and just jump to the Christmas party planning, or should I post it anyway?

Let me know what you'd prefer!


Sesshomaru's eyes were sharp with fury.

"We cannot allow this boy to live!"

"You are not killing someone just because he knows about miko and youkai! Or because he knows about me!" Kagome yelled, her hair flying, her hands on her hips. "Especially not when he is part youkai himself!"

"He is not part of the pack." Sesshomaru's eyes flashed. "That makes him an enemy."

"He doesn't even know about packs!" Kagome spat back. "How can you possibly expect him to join one?"

Sesshomaru's youki flared. "It is not our responsibility to make sure all demon kin are properly aligned; only to eliminate them when they are not."

"So you think they should all just be killed?!"

Koga and Shippo exchanged uneasy glances as Kagome and Sesshomaru faced off – Kagome's holy energy roiling around her, Sesshomaru's jyāki burning from of him. They both looked back at the pair, ready to intervene (or run) if need be.

"It is not safe!" Sesshomaru roared. His eyes bled to red. "We cannot keep our society secret if every little person with an inkling of youkai blood is allowed to know our secrets! Is allowed to know of you!"

"He figured it out on his own!" Kagome retorted. "It's not as if one of us leaked it to him! And even if he did tell people, which he won't, he'd be considered insane! No one would believe him!"

"And if he showed them his meager abilities?" Sesshomaru countered. "If he spread miasma among them and proved his claim of birth?"

"…I don't know," Kagome admitted. "But you can't kill someone because of what they might do!"

"I can, and I will." Sesshomaru turned to Koga. "Koga, see to it that the boy-"

"Don't you dare!"

Kagome hurled herself at Sesshomaru, and there was a bright flash as the physicality of her purity collided with the manifestation of Sesshomaru's youki. When Koga was able to see again, blinking rapidly to clear his eyes, Kagome was beating on his chest, tears leaking from her eyes.

"You're better than this, Sesshomaru," she said angrily, glaring at him, but the heat was gone from her eyes. "You don't need to kill your enemies anymore."

"You don't understand, Kagome." Sesshomaru's voice was uneven, rough, and his eyes held emotion Koga didn't often see. His hand came up to run through her hair. "I would do anything to protect you. Anything."

Kagome hiccoughed.

"Then let me protect myself." Her eyes held Sesshomaru's, and Koga looked away, feeling like a voyeur to watch them both. "At the slightest hint of a threat, I swear, Sesshomaru, I'll let you know. I'll come straight to you."

Koga heard Sesshomaru suck in his breath sharply, but Koga managed to resist the temptation to look and see what Kagome had done to cause Sesshomaru's reaction.

"You promise?" Sesshomaru asked. His voice had dropped to a rough whisper. "You will vow this to me?"

"I promise," Kagome said. "Sesshomaru, I tell you everything. I would not keep such a thing from you. I promise."

There was a pause, and Sesshomaru sighed – not a sigh of exasperation, but a small sigh of resignation.

"Then I will hold off on killing the boy," he said. "This I vow to you, Kagome."

Koga felt the flare of purification and youki as they sealed their promise, and he heard Kagome pull away and Sesshomaru stride from the room. Finally feeling safe, he looked up to see Kagome looking torn.

"Do you think I did the right thing?" she said, looking from him to Shippo. "Was he right? Would it be better to… no." She broke off, looking away. "It can't be right to prematurely kill someone just because they might be a threat. It can't."

Shippo sighed.

"Your way of thinking is very different than how demons think, Kagome," he told her. "Even now, with a massive empire at his fingertips, Sesshomaru's first instinct is to crush his opposition. It takes his human advisors and massive self-control for him to make business moves like compromises and mergers."

Kagome laughed hollowly. "That sounds like him."

"He's getting better, Kagome. But realize, for over a thousand years, his instincts have served him well," Shippo told her gently. "It will take a long time for him to not immediately jump to violent conclusions."

Kagome lifted her head and offered them both a small smile, and Koga felt himself relax.

"In that case, I can't be mad at him anymore," she told them with her weak smile. "I suppose it will just take time."


Please, review! Let me know what you think! It only takes a moment for you, but it means the world to me :)