Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or its characters; that right belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Nor do I own Bleach or its characters; that right belongs to Tite Kubo.

Author's Notes: This is a birthday present for my friend (and fellow author) Apostle of the Dawn. Thank you for being a good, patient friend. As well as a kind and generous soul that has gifted me with much artwork!

Author's Notes 2: This story is an AU (Alternate Universe) and there will be OOC (Out of Character) moments. As well as the fact that certain characters have been changed to human status with spiritual powers. So, if you don't like thisSo if you do not like that, I politely ask you toturn around and leave now. Because I don't see the point in you wasting your time and mine.

He had never expected to find what he had. Nor had he wanted it to be ripped away from him either. But such was life, especially when one was from a prestigious family, with a long lineage such as his own. Still, as he sat there looking out the window of his mother's Limo, Sesshomaru pondered how things could go so wrong? He had been under the belief that his parent's marriage was stable, full of what could be taken by the humans around them as love and faith. Nope.

"Stop your moping."

Tilting his head ever so slightly, Sesshomaru flicked his eyes to his mother, who looked as calm as ever. But to his trained eye, he could see the rage simmering underneath in her golden eyes. Not saying anything, he looked back out the window as the Limo pulled up to what would be their new home, a condo in downtown Tokyo. It was what had been given in the divorce settlement. While his father got to keep the mansion, he'd been born and raised in for his new wife and son.

If this was what love was or could do, then he didn't need it.

She wasn't sure what to think or even do with the scene before her. Giving a small shake of her head, Tier Harribel gathered up her three younger sisters, Appaci, Mila Rose, Sung-sun. Their soft cries were making her heart feel as if it was being ripped out. All that mattered was to get out of what was left of their home, away from the bloody mess that had been their mother.

Her mind was replaying the events that had just left them all alone in the world, as she walked out of the house towards the flashing lights from the cop cars. Dinner had been just like any other night; their father had seemed to be in a decent mood for once, then out of nowhere, he was up, attacking their mother with a steak knife. The sounds of her three younger sisters screaming in fear and panic as she grabbed the cordless, diving under the table and hitting the speed dial for 911.

It wasn't the first time she had to do this. Her father, Sosuke, was a violent, manipulative man. Though he never touched any of them, Tier knew he was not to be trusted. Glancing to the side as a cop met them and began to soothe them, Tier felt her heart grow cold. Men were cruel and unfeeling people. She saw what her father's friends could do to their own friends and families.

She knew at that moment that she wanted nothing to do with men or love.

Ten years later

A gentle breeze blew through the courtyard of the school, playfully tossing long silver-white hair as golden eyes focused on the sound of teasing laughter. It was not the first time this laughter rang out in the courtyard of the school. No, that sound had been a constant for almost eight years now.

Giving a small shake of his head, Sesshomaru turned and began to walk back towards the entrance of the school. It was almost time for closing ceremonies. He hated this time of the year when the scent of cherry blossoms was in the air, and the girls started to act like lovesick idiots. It mattered not to him that they fawned over him, desired him in one capacity or another. It had been Spring when his father left his mother for his human wife and half-breed son, his spoiled, arrogant little brother.

"Tier, would you at least explain why?"

Pausing Sesshomaru took a deep breath. He was very familiar with that high pitched voice. It belonged to none other than Kagura Onigumo. A female that he would love to behead. But as that was against the law, so he did his best to exercise his patience. And his instincts told him to stay still and hidden amongst the cherry trees.

"I do not have to explain myself to you, Onigumo."

"Tier! I thought we were friends? Why won't you tell me who you like!"

Sesshomaru felt this conversation was pointless. It was one that happened every morning. He knew who Tier Harribel was. The whole damn school did. She and her sisters were the grandkids of the Dean Genryusai. And eight years ago they'd been admitted to the school after their situation had calmed down. He detested humans already for the fact that they were home wreckers. But the Aizen family situation had made the new nationwide.

Their father had been a scientist who had gone off the deep end. During the investigation (when he'd been imprisoned the first time), his abusive nature to his wife had come out. The fact that all four girls had been witness to the brutal murder of their mother hadn't helped. Then after a prison break, the girls had been put into witness protection. Because their estranged father wanted them back (later found out to experiment on by implanting demonic blood into them) under the pretense, he was their sole parent, and it was his right.

The sad thing was that they'd been found, and he had been doing that to them their whole lives, secretly. It was tragic, and he had heard the rumors of how Tier Harribel had rejected every guy to ask her out. He had long ago figured out that with a father like that, witness to the slaughter of their mother and the experiments, Tier had no interest in dating for the sake of it. He respected that.

"A chance taken is not one missed."

Jerking his head around, Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and looked for who had whispered to him. Seeing nobody, he tried to sense anyone nearby. When he found nothing, he stiffened and decided he didn't want to stay there anymore. That whisper had his flesh crawling, and leaving was worth risking exposure and drawing Kagura's attention to himself.

She had patience in spades. But after the last five years of the same thing every morning, Tier was about ready to punch the heiress before her in the damn face. Despite the claims of them being friends, she knew for a fact that Kagura Onigumo was a two-faced, back-stabbing harpy. The only reason the woman had latched onto her was because of who her grandfather was, and the face her family had made the news for almost six months.

Biting back a sigh, she stared at Kagura, who now seemed to be distracted. When movement drew her attention, she rolled her eyes. Of course, if Kagura wasn't trying to mine information to blackmail or spread nasty rumors about people, she was a gold digger. And who she was watching walk out of the cherry trees was the prime target of many girls in the school.

It was tempting to do something embarrassing to Kagura, but Tier knew better. What her father had done had been against the laws of nature on several levels. Her grandfather had helped her, and her sisters learn to cope and adapt. To master the strange abilities that were given to them in their youth. Her own with water and a slight physical change was not too bad. At least not compared to her younger sisters.

Then again, she was well aware of the scandal that had surrounded one Sesshomaru Taisho. And she wasn't stupid, even though he put on a polite face, pretended to be interested in what was being said by the girls and women around him, he wasn't. To her keen gaze, having to learn to read her father, who was just as emotionless unless provoked, he detested women. And she was sure he hated humans as a general thanks to his step-mother Izayo.

Watching as Kagura dashed after him, along with several other girls, Tier shook her head and turned to make her way to the auditorium for the closing ceremonies. She did not want to waste her time thinking more about the subject. Tier respected Sesshomaru for making the best of his situation and wearing a mask to make others believe that everything was okay.

"When one door closes, another opens for wounds to heal."

Tier went stiff, a chill running down her spine as she took a furtive look around her. Seeing no one, her eyes narrowed as she continued on her way to the closing ceremonies.

The sound of water crashing upon the sandy shore was soothing, calming. The way the sun cast its fiery glow of oranges, reds, and yellows across the sky and the surface of the ocean reflective of the emotions he was trying to repress, again. Sesshomaru wasn't amused that his short vacation for Spring had been ruined. His father had first asked him to come to the vacation house, and he had refused. Then his father had demanded he be there or be disowned. It was cold and ruthless. Something his father hadn't been since he took his human wife.

But at his mother's urging, Sesshomaru had agreed to come. He had been tolerant of his brother, Inuyasha, and his little human friend, Kikyo. The girl made him want to kill something. Everything about her was off, from the impassive look she gave to the cold manner in which she spoke. He knew she was human by her smell alone; that was something no one could fake. And it was made worse by the fact that his brother preened about having a girlfriend and that Sesshomaru, himself, didn't have one.

Which was the reason his father had wanted him to come to the vacation house? He didn't need his father meddling in his personal affairs or lack of a love life. The whole situation had devolved when Izayo had spoken up, and Sesshomaru had finally lost what little patience he had. Snapping at the woman, telling her it was her fault, he didn't want anything to do with love. Because to him, all females, except his mother, were home-wrecking bitches. Especially the human variety.

He didn't have to look in a mirror to know he'd be sporting a dark bruise for a few days. His father had told him to leave and cool his head. To think about what he had said and how it had hurt others. Of course, he didn't say another word, just looked at his father and let him know that there would be no apology. The pain he had seen in his father's eyes had hurt him in a way Sesshomaru hadn't thought possible. His heart long hardened and made impregnable to those stupid emotions.

With a sigh, Sesshomaru stopped and sat down and looked out over the ocean. His mind was slowly calming as he began to focus on other things. Like that strange voice, he heard whisper to him on the last day of school.

"Oh, I didn't know anyone else was here."

Slowly turning his head, Sesshomaru blinked a few times to make sure he was seeing the person before him.

"I didn't mean to bother you, Taisho; I will just go."

He didn't know why, or how Tier Harribel was there, but Sesshomaru lifted his hand and waved for her to stay. The look of surprise that flashed for but a second across her face was amusing to him. Then her face was a blank mask like his own as she made her way to him and sat down.

Spring Vacation at the ocean was ideal. Her sisters were running rampant with their grandfather's aide in the town, so she had some free time to herself. Tier had decided that a walk on the beach was her best bet. Her mind had been unable to calm since they'd arrived. Tier loved her grandfather, as grateful he took them in and loved them as he did. He is providing them with food, shelter, clothing, and education. Never looking at them like they were disgusting monsters as other family members had done when they had found out about their father's experiments on them.

But, his purpose for bringing them to the ocean this year was not all pleasantries. He had brought up her lack of a social, let alone love, life. That they were his only legacy, and he wanted to pass his holding on to Tier as she had shown him that she was capable of being in charge and keeping a calm head. It had stroked her ego a lot. Because he had recognized she was a strong, independent woman who didn't need to rely on a man to protect or provide.

Of course, that had been brought low when he said she had to start dating or not receive the inheritance he was offering. It had hurt her in a way that she thought impossible. And she knew he wasn't trying to be cruel. No, he knew how she felt and why, and had accepted it a long time ago. His family lineage was just her and her sisters. While Appaci was the eldest, and still remember things fairly clearly of what happened. While Mila Rose and Sung-sun had been too young to know that mommy died, not how, Tier had hopes that they'd grow up and find someone to love and have a family with.

She believed she was beyond any hope of every loving a man, or anyone other than her sisters and grandfather. So, when she had passed an outcropping of rocks to her favorite thinking spot, Tier had been a bit shocked, to say the least at finding not just anyone there, but Sesshomaru Taisho. The irony of the whole situation wasn't lost on her. Tier knew that many other girls and women would kill to be sitting, as she was, next to Sesshomaru.

"Your scent says that your upset or hurt."

She was blinking as her head whipped around to look at him. She knew he was not one for talking in general, let alone small talk. But that was what he was doing and of his own volition. Tier didn't know what to think or how to feel, because she hadn't been aware that her natural scent could be used as an indicator of her moods and feelings. Though she knew this was a rare opportunity and she wasn't one to let those slip by, Tier figured if she kept her reply short and to the point, she might be able to actually have a conversation with him. Something she had wanted to do for a while, but approaching him at school or in public would spell disaster from the media and the girls and women who stalked him.

"You're not wrong. Bad news is all."

All she got was silence, which was fine with her. Since Tier had no idea how to tell someone that her grandfather was forcing her to date or lose her inheritance? Then again, something said to her that Sesshomaru might understand. How or why she didn't' know. It was almost like the little voice she heard the last day of school was telling her without speaking. Though, just sitting there in silence with someone was actually kind of nice, since she didn't want to be alone.

Sesshomaru chuckled as he listened to Tier rant about her youngest sister and the guy she had a crush on. It had been seven days since she had appeared and he had invited her to sit next to him and watch the sunset. He had been pleased when all she did was give him a few words to explain and nothing more. And every day since they'd met to watch the sunset and just enjoy each other's company. At some point, they'd started to talk.

He was surprised to find out that they had a lot more in common. That they both had parental figures, who laid down an ultimatum that was less than pleasant. Sesshomaru wasn't talking to his father still, and he barely left his room. Being allowed to take his meals in solitude was okay with him. Because he had made it clear upon his return to the house that he'd not apologize for what he said. That he was entitled to his opinion, and if Izayoi couldn't handle how he felt, then she shouldn't have butted into a conversation between them.

His father had relented on that at the very least. Turning his head, he watched as the salt tinted, evening air blew Tier's short blond hair from her face. Fighting to keep the smile from appearing as she reached up and pulled the few locks of hair, she kept to cover her forehead and nose. Sesshomaru found her easy to be around and very intelligent. She seemed to know when he didn't want to speak or hear her speak. That she just enjoyed the solitude of quiet was terrific.

Today he felt the need to hear her speak since it was apparent that she was at her wit's end, meaning her siblings. Something he understood very well with his younger brother, who was still gloating and lording his cold-fish girlfriend over him. While his situation was different based on several factors, Sesshomaru was left fascinated by how Tier saw the world very much as he did.

Tier took a deep breath and leaned back on her hands, letting her head tip back as she stared at the darkening sky. She felt better now that she had gotten off her chest. Yes, Tier could admit that she was happy Sung-sun had found a guy she liked. It meant there was hope that she wasn't too scared mentally on a subconscious level. The boy was a damn thug wanna-be. Of course, there was no accounting for personal taste or the ability to judge a person. Something she figured Sung-sun got from their mother, who she had been told wasn't good at judging others.

Glancing at her companion as she finished fixing her bangs back into place, she saw the calm and amused. The latter intrigued her, but she knew if she asked his face would become a Noh mask, very hard to read. Yet, she enjoyed these moments. Glad that some quirk of fate had kept her here instead of leaving and to sit by him. Tier had found a kindred soul in the last week, one she wanted to keep.

"At least your sister isn't chasing my brother."

Unable to help herself, Tier snorted rather rudely. She had gotten to meet his little brother Inuyasha by random chance when she had gone with her sisters to the local theatre in the town. It was safe to say she wasn't impressed with his personality. The boy was quick to act and blame without thinking and then act like a victim. And she agreed that Inuyasha's girlfriend was a cold, damn near-emotionless enabler for the boy.

"That is true. First impressions last a lifetime, or so they say," Tier said, giving another snort.

Hearing another chuckle from him had Tier smiling wider as she continued to look at him, watch him. When he looked at her, she shook her head and turned her gaze back up to the sky. When silence enveloped them once more, Tier was okay with it. Happy to just enjoy the quiet and the companionship. Since tomorrow they'd be leaving to return to their daily lives and school.

"You should take the chance. Nothing gained nothing lost."

Sesshomaru tightened his grip around his pen, fighting the urge to snap it in half. Having another ink stain on his school uniform again was something he'd like to avoid. In the month he'd been back at school since the Spring vacation, that strange voice had been back with a vengeance. And he had been unable to find anything that could link it to anyone. And with each passing day, the voice was sounding a bit more annoyed with him, he hypothesized.

He wanted to know who the voice belonged to and why they chose to bother him with these slightly cryptic, yet pointed messages. Sesshomaru had come to realize that the voice only spoke to him after he had been around two particular people. Either way, he was done with what or whoever was pulling this elaborate prank.

Tier felt her head start to droop, and she snapped it back up. She was forcing her eyes to go wide as she attempted to focus on paying attention to the lesson. It was so hard since the last few weeks had been deprived of sleep. She had made a muttered comment about the little voice distracting her purposely from school and other essential things. Now, she had very realistic and vivid dreams. Dreams that appeared suddenly when her eyes closed, and it didn't matter if she was asleep or not.

It had her on edge, frustrated, and snappish. This week alone, she had already been in her grandfather's office for punching a fellow student. The poor guy hadn't done anything wrong other than tap her shoulder because she had dropped a notebook while leaving a classroom. Her violent reaction had one good perk to it; her fellow students were giving her a wide berth. The solitude was great.

"Tier?"

She hadn't believed it possible to feel her body lock up as the blood in her veins ran cold. There was no mistaking that voice, even if it was a whisper, not after listening to it for a week on vacation. Her instincts were telling her to run far and fast. But she refused to run like a frightened mouse. No, she wouldn't do that. Biting the inside of her mouth, Tier turned and looked at her silent companion, lifting her chin a little in acknowledgment.

"I have a question and would like you to answer as honestly and truthfully as possible."

She flinched internally at the tone he was using to address her. She knew this was serious. And a part of her said she wasn't going to like what he was about to ask her.

Three sets of eyes watched as the two teens sat amidst the trees of the courtyard conversing happily with flushed faces — two wearing contented smiles, while the third had their eyes narrowed as they listened to the conversation.

"You two owe me a lot for this!"

The smiles were immediately wiped from the two watchers' faces. Soon gazes of dark gray and gold were directed to the third person, who just arched a black eyebrow and glared back with a sapphire gaze.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I had to waste my whole damn quiver of arrows, directly interact with two individuals whose hearts were closed off. Make them paranoid or damn near fearful to get them to this point!"

The way the two flinched back at the outburst was telling.

"Well..."

"No! Just not, Toga! I may be one of the many cupids and was specifically selected for this mission. But I will be damned that this feels a bit wrong. Forced. Because you wanted what you wanted!"

Silence seemed to fall heavily in the office as both men looked ashamed. Each was knowing that they had taken the choice from the two teens in the viewing orb. Both had been told at the beginning that Cupid's arrows were only so powerful.

"What can we do to make reparations, Kagome?"

The smile that appeared on the tiny, raven-haired woman, as her sapphire blue eyes practically glowed. Leaving the two to feel ill at ease as she cackled loudly. Asking a Cupid to grant love to those who had hearts cold and sealed off was a dangerous game.

"Oh, I will come for that price after those two become a power couple and are married and produce an offspring."

Before either could protest, the tiny woman was gone, as was the scrying bubble. She was leaving them to look at each other and then towards the window that overlooked the courtyard. Both had seen the way the two looked at each other in passing. Felt the chemistry (as did everyone else) as they silently passed each other in the hall. There was no mistaking the fate match between the two, except neither had an inclination, due to pain, hurt and sorrow, for falling in love.

THE END!