Hi everyone, I'm new here. Please bear with me as I try to get this story out of my brain and into the universe. I have a large family and a lot of responsibility. I will try to upload twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but I can't guarantee 2 new chapters EVERY week. This isn't something I'm aspiring to (writing) just a hobby, and I have very limited time, so the writing itself might not be that good anyways, but I hope you enjoy the storyline at least. HAHA I guess I should add the disclaimer, though it will NOT be at the beginning of every chapter. I don't own any of the characters from InuYasha. I only have the ideas for the fanfictions that are in my own head, but thank you to Rumiko Takahashi for giving us such amazing characters and stories to fall madly in love with.
Chapter 1
Kagome's eyes widened as the silver-haired daiyoukai broke the water's surface. His long silver hair flew through the air above his head, a spray of water flinging in every direction reflecting the light in a pattern of rainbows and diamonds, his eyes closed, his face pointed towards the sun. Sesshomaru ran a clawed hand across his face, removing the remaining vestiges of moisture from his eyes and turned towards her. He had caught four fish in just one dive. Kagome watched in fascination as he strode from the river, the water running in rivulets down his chest and abdomen, pooling in the folds of his belt. He strode to a nearby tree to retrieve his Haori, his silken white hakama sticking so closely to his legs that Kagome could see every line of sinewy muscle in his calves and thighs. Kagome's eyes suddenly met his and she turned to look down at the fire demurely, embarrassed to have been caught staring. Sesshomaru tossed the fish into her lap and shrugged his arms into the sleeves, pulling his long hair from beneath the silken garment. He tucked the sash into his obi.
The embarrassed Miko glanced back up at him and nodded her thanks. He spun and started walking away. Kagome sighed. He wouldn't be joining them for dinner, yet again. These fish were for her and Rin. He probably didn't like eating in front of other people. Being a dog, he probably had bad table manners. Kagome stifled a giggle at the mental image of the huge inu-youkai chest-deep in a dog bowl, kibble flying every-which-way. Sesshomaru stopped and turned his head, glaring at her from the corner of his eye. She blinked an apology and turned to put the fish onto spits over the fire. She heard him huff his acceptance as he turned away again. The immaculate daiyoukai was still an enigma to her. In the several months since she had joined his little pack, she had managed to learn very little about him. He preferred silent communication, he seemed to be cold and heartless but in truth, it was more like he just had a very strong control over his emotions. Kagome glanced at his back as he disappeared in the forest vegetation and sighed again. He would go retrieve Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un from the flower-filled meadow and bring them to camp for dinner and sleep. He himself would disappear back into the woods going who knows where.
Kagome took a deep breath and focused on the meal she was preparing, turning the spits so that the fish wouldn't burn on one side. She looked back towards the peaceful river imagining the way Sesshomaru had burst through the serene surface, sunlight glistening off of him like stars. He was so beautiful. Too beautiful for a male. It wasn't fair. She wished she had had a camera and had caught the moment on film. None of her friends from the modern era would have believed her about what a gorgeous guy he was. Men shouldn't be beautiful, what was the purpose of it? To make the women jealous? None of the other male yokai she had befriended looked like him. They were thicker, more rugged, like Koga-kun and InuYasha...Kagome felt a lump form in her throat. She had allowed herself to get distracted too much, she had thought of him. What was the matter with her today? She quickened her ministrations with the fish trying to keep the burn at bay, but she could feel the lump growing, the tears brimming, threatening to spill. She wiped her eyes and nose on her sleeve, dropping her hands into her lap and allowed herself to feel.
It had been several months since her beloved hanyou had died in her arms. It still hurt to think of him. Still hurt to remember. She took a deep breath, the grief shaking her entire frame. InuYasha had always been so quick to a fight. He always thought he was invincible. To be honest, she had thought he was as well. How many times had he had a hole through his chest, through his gut, and still lived? A rustle of leaves informed her of the imminent arrival of the rest of her merry band and she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. Sniffing away the moisture that had built in her sinuses.
Rin burst through the tree-line giggling and spinning. "Kagome-chan! Did Shesshomaru-sama get us lots of yummy fish?! Look, I made you a crown!" Kagome ducked as the flower wreath plopped on her head, a smile slowly spreading on her face. "Jaken-sama tripped and fell in the mud," Kagome heard the imp squeal in indignation but Rin kept going without acknowledging his cries, "he looked so silly! Ah-Un gave him a bath in the stream to wash it off with." "Dumped me in the creak more like," the imp complained. Rin continued to prattle on about the fun she had had that day as Kagome silently served the food, a small smile on her face. It was nice to hear such youthful joy when her heart was breaking.
The sun was starting to set behind the nearest mountain and the air had taken on a bit of a chill. Kagome added another piece of wood to the fire, and grabbed her second fish, sitting with her legs underneath her, and continued listening to Rin as she finished telling all about her day and switched over to singing. The Miko shifted her weight on her arm and jumped as her arm brushed silken hakama and she realized Sesshomaru stood just behind her shoulder. She looked up to see his golden eyes looking down his nose at her. She swallowed the bite of fish that was in her mouth, "Is there something you need, Sesshomaru?" The daiyokai's eyes narrowed and she blushed under his assessing gaze. After what felt like an eternity he broke eye contact and spun on his heel in a flurry of silk and fur, strode to a nearby tree, sinking gracefully to the ground beneath it. Kagome blinked. Was he actually staying for once? She stared at him, not even caring if it would be taken as rude, she was trying to figure him out. So many times when she had just thought she'd figured him out, he'd do something suspiciously out of character. She obviously didn't truly understand what made the great Lord of the West tick. "Kagome-chan, did you like my song?" Rin's voice pulled her thoughts back to the small group still seated around the fire. "Yes, Rin-chan, it was beautiful." Rin smiled at the praise and dug into the fish on her lap. Kagome glanced at Jaken, the small yokai shoveling rice as quickly as he could into his mouth. Ah - or was it Un - yawned from the other side of the clearing and his brother looked at him before laying his head down. Kagome turned back to the daiyokai leaning against the tree. His headed now tilted back and his eyes closed in gentle repose. She smiled again, this time at the graciousness of her silent host. No doubt he knew she was having a rough day and that's why he chose to stay close in the clearing. Again, proof that he had feelings.
Kagome spent the next hour bathing Rin in the river and getting the little girl ready for bed. All the bit a mother to the child as she had always been to Shippo. Kagome crawled into her sleeping roll, she missed the look in the golden eyes staring intently at her as she closed her own and slid off into slumber.