Yellow eyes stared into an abyss, right foot moved forward followed by the other to step into a cave, ears twitching from the eerie sound of his footsteps echoing. Venturing further, his clothes rustle as he moves when light beckons him forward and sees a green wavy hair sitting behind the table with a big pearl on it.

Stopping in front of her, face was covered by veiled as her lips were exposed, looking at him, her lips stretched in feral grinned as teeth were barred at him.

"Welcome!"

Venturing in the woods, as blue eyes scan her surroundings before looking at the long silver-white hair of his companion, awkward silence remains between them as they continue their stride back home. Downcast, she felt guilty about the event earlier.

Flashback

A man stumbled into her hut, wearing simple hakama and straw sandals. Black eyes observing his surroundings when he catches a woman wearing a priestess garment, running towards her, he didn't notice the demon companion.

"Miko-sama!"

Raven hair bounces as her head turns towards the man, blue eyes widen.

"Hello sir, what did you need me for?"

"Miko-sama, I need you-... ekkk!"

Black eyes widened when he saw a demon with long hair colored silver-white standing beside her, trembling.

"Ar.. uhm…"

"It's okay, umm?"

"Renko, Miko-sama"

"It's okay, Renko-san. He is…. my friend, so what do you need, that you stumbled into my hut? And please call me Kagome"

"Kagome-sama, please help our village there were demons terrorizing our livestock and children were being hunted at night"

"I see, then, I will travel with you"

Violet slitted eyes looked at her, shocked at her immediate response, opening his mouth to retort when blue eyes glanced at him, sighing.

"Okay, I'll accompany you Kagome"

"But what about Shippo-chan?"

"I'll leave my foxfire spirits here just in case something happen to him"

"Renko-san, is it okay to go with my friend here?

"Umm…"

"I can guarantee, he won't hurt you or anybody in the village"

Black eyes glance once more at Tomoe before nodding at her.

"Then, please wait for a while I'm going to gather my things and guide us there Renko-san"

Arriving at the village, blue eyes scan the devastation; houses were destroyed and some villagers were splayed on the ground, bloodshed evident from their body, and some were livestocks. Glancing at Renko, shedding tears upon seeing the condition of his village, before wiping them and telling them to wait as he fetched their elders.

Upon waiting, Kagome asks Tomoe to check the parameters in case there's an ambush once again.

"But, Kagome!"

"I'm fine Tomoe, just go I have my bow with me and of course I already my powers"

Nodding at her, violet slitted eyes glance at her before leaping in the air, as Tomoe went to do his task, glancing she saw Renko return with their headmaster.

"Ah, thank God you're here Miko-sama. I'm Kato, headmaster of this village, please help us Miko-sama"

"Okay, Kato but, first, where are the other villagers?"

"The women were moved in the safest place together with some of the children, but the men stayed to defend the village and preserved some food"

"I see, then-"

Kagome glance back to the forest, expanding her aura when it clash with youki running at them in full speed as the footsteps grew louder, up close she saw two onis and 3 eel like creature, gripping her bow and notching an arrow from her quiver, she fired, white light envelope her arrow as it streak forward to the demons purifying them at once, getting a sutra from her hakama, she place a barrier around the village before stabilizing it with the sutra, glancing back she addresses Renko and Kato.

"Kato-san, please gather your men and tell them to bury the bodies immediately. Perhaps, the demons smell the blood from them as they decide to descend from the mountain and attack this village. I will be placing a barrier here until we found out who would kidnapped the children at night"

"Ah, yes!"

Returning from his task, he relays the information to Kagome before they make a plan to lure the one who kidnaps the children at night.

Tomoe glanced at his companion, her raven hair fluttering behind her as the sunset highlighted her blue tint, meeting blue eyes before averting first, and going towards the temporary hut - outside the barrier, they'll be staying for the night. Lifting his right clawed hand before placing them on his chest.

'What is this?'

As the night came, Tomoe pretended to be a child staying with Kagome, blue eyes snap open feeling a dangerous youki began to envelope the village as mist appeared while a soft sound allure the children to sleepwalk based from Kato's description - their eyes stayed blank open; mothers or siblings that tried to shook their bodies doesn't pull them to conscious. Following the same pattern, Tomoe went outside in his perfect disguise while blue eyes stayed vigilant on his movement and went deep into the forest.

Beneath the green eyes, violet slitted eyes saw the entrance of the cave, urging him to go inside, he reached a dungeon where children were huddled away from the barrier. Voice echoed as the captors footsteps grew louder.

"Oh my, what a beautiful child you are"

Glancing at the red eyes of the woman, looking directly at him before he smirked.

Meanwhile, Kagome decided to follow the trail as a leaf flew in her direction, seeing a note embedded on it - indicating the direction of the cave, before it was engulfed in blue fire.

'Thank you, Tomoe'

Not sensing the man behind her, raising a weapon to strike her head, whilst smiling, when a green whip flew in his direction and decapitated his head, hearing the thud behind her, eyes widened at the sight of a headless man before turning towards the man who killed him. Shocked, her blue eyes widened at the appearance of a youkai wearing a floral kimono paired with sashinuki hakama and black ankle-high boots, while his mokomoko was draped on his right shoulder with his armor strapped on his chest.

"Sesshomaru…sama"

Vibrant golden slitted eyes glance at her - this woman was once his ally, accompanied by his half brother during their quest of Naraku's defeat and the curse bubble jewel called Shikon- no-Tama, before pivoting in his feet and following a trail.

"Hn"

"Ah, thank you, Sesshomaru-sama. But, why have you come to this place?"

Silence stretched between them, as Kagome stayed in her place while glancing at the silver hair of this male whilst walking away from her.

'I envy how those hair stayed untangled, sighed, lucky youkais'

"Rin"

"Can I come with you? You see, the children from near village were also missing as they were being kidnap by a youkai luring them with a lullaby sound"

"Do as you wish"

Smiling at him for she was grateful before following him and both venture towards their foe. Reaching their destination, they went inside when a barrier prevented them from entering. Suddenly, tons of demons appeared in front of them.

Green eyes glanced at the female demon in front of him, observing him with ecstasy before guiding him inside the cell, seeing a young woman wearing a checkered kimono huddled at the corner of the cell.

"Ah, I see a demon Lord and a miko, hahahahahaha… Now I guess this is my lucky day, eh"

"...sama.. defeat… you"

Red eyes glanced at his companion, before pointing at her.

"You girl! What are you saying? Talk louder"

Black tuft of hair covered her brown eyes as she stayed in the corner.

"Rin said Sesshoumaru-sama won't be defeated by you!"

"Tsk, insolent child! Be grateful that I'm in a good mood"

"Sesshomaru-sama will save me!"

"Hmph, let's see"

Walking away from the cell, Rin crouched on the wall while Tomoe went near her.

"Girl, don't worry a priestess called Kagome will come this way and rescue other children"

"Kagome-sama! You know her?"

"Yes, and don't talk loudly, she will come."

Brown eyes widened when she saw his eyes fade to violet slitted eyes as a small index finger raised on his mouth, smiling.

True to his words, her Lord and Kagome-sama defeated the female demon while the boy- no, male fox youkai helped her release those children from their confinement, brown eyes glanced at him - just like Sesshomaru-sama, walking towards him before bowing.

"Thank you Tomoe-sama"

Nodding back at her, as she went back to Sesshoumaru's side, greeting Kagome on her way.

"Kagome-sama, how are you?"

"I'm fine Rin, these scratches would easily heal after I put some poultice on it."

"I see, take care Kagome-sama. Bye Kagome-sama and Tomoe-sama!"

Pivoting on her feet to follow her Lord - who glances at Tomoe-sama before walking away; whilst waving her hand at them. Bright blue eyes watched her back before meeting an annoyed violet slitted eyes, his face half covered by his paper fan.

After bringing the children to the village, Renko and Kato gave their gratitude by asking them to stay for the night. Now, walking quietly beside him her mouth started to part when a voice stopped her from speaking.

"Kagome"

Tomoe glanced at her, facing her fully while looking down.

"Tomoe, I-"

"Are your wounds okay?"

"Yes, Tomoe I- I'm sorry…. I'm sorry for worrying you"

Lifting his head to glance at her bandage arm; it's his fault for not being there for her during the ambush - blaming himself for lacking, he grimaces, hearing footsteps go near him before arms wrapped around his waist.

"It's okay Tomoe, don't blame yourself, my wounds will heal"

Resting his chin on the top of her head, before she broke from his embrace and met his eyes, smiling brightly at him to reassure him when a pair of lips met hers, gasping, her eyes widened.

Tomoe glanced at bright blue eyes smiling at him, suddenly he lowered his lips and kissed her with eyes open, delving deeper as he closed his eyes and embraced her tightly, making it hard to breathe yet he continued to kiss her.

Minutes passed when he separated from her, her flushed face and rosy lips were embedded in his mind as lust filled his eyes on her image, watching her raise her right hand to touch her lips, before seeing regret on her blue eyes - making them dimmer. However, his eyes hardened as determination showed on them.

"Tomoe…"

"Kagome… last time you asked me a question 'what are you to me?' But I wasn't able to give you an answer. However, this time I'm finally able to say them, so, please listen. To tell you the truth, the time I asked to court you.. It was because I heard from your friend that it will tarnish your reputation… Yes, I did it as an obligation, because… because I'm in debt to you, you save me and the person who helped me and so, I don't want rumors to circulate around, I.. I - you… I consider you as a friend"

Unshed tears on her eyes, looking at him with anguish. Turning her back on him, when someone reached for her wrist, stopping her from walking away.

'I see. I'm just a friend'

"Friends don't share a kiss like that"

"Please, Kagome let me finish. I did consider you as a friend then and now, but my feelings for you changed… I-I like you! You are my friend, you are important to me, you are generous not like any other human I ever met, you are pure, you're not like her, you're different, and you are you. Kagome, I'm not Inuyasha, I will not place you as a second, but, I cannot promise that I won't hurt you but please trust me, you're my friend… but, I want you to be my lover, I want to know you more, please will you give me a chance to court you?"

Silence went through them, he looked down waiting for her to answer, when her other hand removed his hand on her wrist, he felt devastated.

"Tomoe, would you please lift your head?"

Lifting his head as his violet slitted eyes met bright blue eyes looking at him softly, extending both arms to caress his face before nodding at him whilst smiling. A wide smile stretches on his face while pulling her into his chest and embracing her tightly, basking in her peach scent.

Meanwhile, yellow eyes -flashing from red to gold watch them embrace from the dark, gripping his sword tightly, controlling himself before leaping away.