Sesshoumaru was vaguely aware of the bandage wrapped around his shoulder as he began to open his eyes. He could feel a cool hand against his forehead, the scent of cherry blossoms, spring breezes, and waterfalls greeting his senses. Looking up through his blurry vision, he saw something black, long, and silky falling near his shoulder. Naraku… His thinking was somewhat slowed, too. Groaning slightly, he lifted a tired hand to his forehead, placing it on top of the cool hand already there. Kagome? Blinking, his vision cleared, and he was able to discern the blue-gray eyes looking down with concern at him.
"You've been out for a while," she said softly, brushing her hand against his striped cheek.
He moaned. The bandaged shoulder screamed with pain when he moved it.
"Don't move," Kagome said sternly, holding down his uninjured shoulder, "It'll open up your wounds."
Sesshoumaru's lips moved, but no sound came out. Kagome started to get nervous. "You didn't lose your voice, did you?"
He shook his head, his neck muscles tightening as they moved, portraying his obvious soreness. For the first time, he noticed that he was lying in Kagome's bed, the sheets pulled over him, and he had no shirt on. Well, that would be necessary for a bandage now, wouldn't it? Finally, he found his voice.
"What happened?" he rasped, his voice hoarse.
"Mmm, you need some water," Kagome answered, quickly bustling out of the room.
When she came back, she held a pitcher of water and a glass. Pouring the water into the glass, she used one arm to raise him off the bed, supporting him, and the other to hold the glass to his lips. Reluctantly, he drank it, feeling slightly ashamed that a human was helping him. The fact that it was Kagome relieved him somewhat, knowing she would be the only one to see him ever weakened. He drowned the glass quickly, and Kagome poured him another one, propping him up against the pillows at the headboard. As she filled another glass, Sesshoumaru flexed his fingers and uninjured arm. The girl must have defeated Naraku by herself. She has more power than I thought. Either that, or Naraku let us go, which he has no reason to do. Kagome, again, lifted the glass to his lips, letting him take small sips at a time. When he had finished that glass, his voice had come back full strength.
"What happened?" he repeated.
"Mmm, are you sure you want to know?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Alright, then. You tell me your part of the story, first."
"Very well. To be direct, you were knocked out with miasma that didn't harm youkai, then I got angry and transformed. After that, I tried attacking Naraku but succeeded in only tearing up his tentacles and ripping apart his chest. Then, my air ran out because I had been holding it, due to the miasma he was releasing. So, I was knocked out. That was right after you regained consciousness."
"Mmm," she said, thinking. Yeah, now that he mentions it, Naraku's chest was bleeding profusely in Sesshoumaru's form. "Okay. I'll tell you the rest. After you were knocked out, Naraku turned into you. He had come over to me and acted like you, saying that you were defeated and all. Somehow, I knew it wasn't you, so I looked for any signs of his real form. It was a good transformation, really. He had dressed like you, too. Except for one detail," she said, bringing her hand to his neck and fingering the Yang pendant, "he forgot the necklaces." She also indicated the prayer beads, which she had not yet removed. "So, I before that, I couldn't see his neck, so I had to," she coughed slightly, "kiss him."
Kagome saw an unknown emotion flicker across Sesshoumaru's eyes before continuing. "Well, in the duration of the kiss, I rammed my hand through his back, and somehow, my hands were clawed when I tore his head off." She saw him smile slightly when she said the last part. "And then, you were knocked out for a day. Lucky for us, yesterday was Friday. So, we don't have school today!" she chirped.
Sesshoumaru's mouth opened slightly in surprise. "A whole day?" he questioned.
"Mmm! It's not so bad. The gas that weakened you, powered me!" she exclaimed, "My powers are gone, now, but I was by your side the whole time!"
His cheeks tinted a little at the comment.
"Hmm, have you healed fully, yet?" she mused to herself, unwrapping the bandage from his shoulder.
The cloth dropped to the ground, revealing his smooth, flawless skin, untouched, it seemed, by blood.
"Mmm! You heal fast!" she chirped, tossing the bandage away. "Must be handy."
"Yes, very," he replied.
"Let's get rid of this, shall we?" she mused, bringing her hands around his neck.
Sesshoumaru raised a confused brow at her. "Get rid of…"
Untying the prayer beads, she brought them in front of him. "These!"
He stared at the enchanted necklace for a while, forgetting that he had it on in the first place. Then, he looked at Kagome, questioning her action with his golden eyes.
"Mmm…I never used them anyways after the first week. I never get mad at you, either. What's the point in wearing them?" she reasoned.
"I guess you are right," he sighed, fingering the silver chain still around his neck.
Kagome flashed a bright smile at him. "I always am!"
"Sure you are," he mocked, waving a hand in the air to dispel her comment.
"Oh! You don't think so?" she said, jumping onto the bed, on top of his legs.
"Maybe I don't," he said, wincing slightly at the pain.
"Oh?" she said, leaning in so she was nose-to-nose with him.
"Yeah," he replied, pushing her back with his head.
"That's how you wanna play it, huh?" she asked, pushing back.
"So what if it is?" he replied, intertwining his fingers with hers, then pushing her arms back.
"Do you answer everything with questions?" she asked, annoyed.
"Maybe I do it to annoy you," he said.
"For what reason?" she taunted, pinning him against the headboard.
"It's fun!" he shot back, pushing her down against the soft mattress.
"Really?" she mused, flipping him onto his back, pinning him down to the mattress.
"Of course! You always react so violently," he replied, flipping her over.
They teetered on the edge of the bed. Kagome smirked, tossing him over the edge and pinning him down to the floor. "And that's fun?" she taunted.
"Quite," he replied, pulling her down and tossing her beside him. Then, he sat on top of her back, locking her arms behind her. "Give up?"
"Hmph!" she huffed, her face into the soft carpet of the floor, "That's a new move."
"Mmm, like it?"
"Not particularly," she said, voice muffled by the soft, plushy, fabric on the ground.
"Hmm, didn't think so," he said, releasing her.
Sesshoumaru sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing the back of his head.
"Awww," Kagome called as she got up from the ground, dusting herself off, "did Sesshie get hurt?"
"Where did you get that nickname from?" he asked irritably.
"I made it up!" she chirped, "Do you like it?"
"No," he answered bluntly, still rubbing his head.
"Awww," she pouted, "Now you've hurt my feelings."
"Aren't I sad?" he said mockingly.
"Don't be cruel, Fluffy-chan," Kagome said pointedly.
"I was always cruel," he replied monotonously.
"You shouldn't be," she said, walking into the bathroom and grabbing the hairbrush.
She sat behind Sesshoumaru, brushing out his hair. "Where shall we go today?" she asked, separating the longs strands.
"Shouldn't we study?" he asked, "We have our finals in a couple weeks."
"Mmm!" she pouted, whipping his hair slightly, "I don't want to!"
Sesshoumaru sighed, "Such a child…"
"What was that?" she said, yanking on half the braid she had made.
"I said you are a wonderful person to be around," he mocked.
"That's what I thought," she said, smirking.
Kagome continued to braid his hair. "You know," she said after a while, "if I keep braiding your hair everyday, your hair will get really wavy."
"So?"
"You'll look even more like a girl," she said, smiling smugly.
"Don't even start," he warned, closing his eyes to calm down.
"Oh, but it would be fun! I hardly spend any time with my other friends now that you're here! I've got to have some fun!" she pouted, tying his hair with a gold ribbon.
"Don't you think you have enough fun?" he asked, eyes still closed. "You drag me out shopping with you almost every day."
"Oh, pleeeeeeease!" she begged, hanging over his shoulders, her face next to his.
"You. Are. Not. Putting. Makeup. On. My. Face." He said slowly.
"Pretty pleeeeeeeaaassseee?" she begged, an arm snaking around his neck.
"No," he was totally composed…before she started hanging all over him.
"Why not?" she asked seductively, rubbing her cheek against his.
"Because," he answered, starting to get a little nervous.
"That's not good enough," Kagome whispered in his ear.
Her breath tickled his ear, creating a strong urge to give in to her antics. "No," he said, stubbornly refusing.
"Why?" she repeated, massaging his shoulder softly with the arm snaked around his neck.
"Damn it, girl!" he said, trying to pry her off of him.
"Such language," she gently scolded, stroking his cheek. "No reason to use such nasty words."
"Stop. It." He was losing his cool.
"Why should I?" she questioned, fingering his bangs.
"I'll kill you," he replied coolly.
"I don't think you will," she answered, nuzzling his neck.
He shivered slightly under her touch. "Isn't your mother home?"
She had noticed his shivering. "No, everyone's out. It's the weekend, you know. Are you cold?" The top half of his body was still not clothed. "Mmm, I see." She wrapped her arms around him, still behind him. "Better?" she whispered in his ear.
"Fine!" he exploded. "Just STOP it!"
"Deal!" she chirped happily, releasing him from her grasp.
He immediately missed the warmth she emitted, but of course, he didn't show it. Also, he regretted having let her play with his face. She dragged him into the bathroom, taking out the many makeup accessories that she possessed. The things I do to keep her happy… He sighed, closing his eyes so she could outline them with a strange-looking pencil.
"How much are you going to put on?" he asked, sighing.
"I'm going to do your eyes, that's it!" she reassured, coating his eyelids in a powdery substance.
"Maybe you're not so different from other mortal girls…"
"I know you don't think that," Kagome said, twisting off the cap to her mascara. "Open your eyes so I can put this on," she commanded.
He silently submitted to her words, glancing past her at the large mirror in the bathroom. His jaw almost dropped to the ground. I…can't…believe…this.
"What did you do to me?!" he screamed as he stared at his reflection.
"I made you look like a girl!" she said happily, placing her hands on his shoulders.
"It washes off, right?" he asked desperately.
"Yeah," she said slowly, examining his made-up eyes. He really does look like a woman. She watched, smiling, as he washed his face in the water, scrubbing at the eye shadow. Good thing I put on the easy-remove kind.
Once he had gotten it all off, he turned to Kagome. "You…" he said with an edge. "You…"
Kagome looked back at him calmly. "I…what?"
"Never mind," he said, his temper not leaving him. This girl is really working my nerves. "I'm going to take a shower. Get out."
"As you wish, Fluffy," she said, smirking.
His temper rose a notch before slamming the bathroom door. "I love you, too!" Kagome yelled mockingly.
"I'm sure!" he yelled back hotly.
So, their relationship continued to develop as best friends until the end of high school. We now fast forward to graduation day, three years later. Both were named valedictorians, and both chose not to speak at the ceremonies. The stage was lavishly decorated with carnations and chrysanthemums, flocked with flower garlands. Red silk curtains stood at the sides of a wooden stage in an outdoor auditorium. Spring was just beginning to show itself, pink blossoms of cherries started to form on the branches of sakura trees. Lush green grass was growing back after the dormant winter months. The sun shone its warmth down onto the graduates, seeing them off to college.
Kagome wore a white graduation gown sitting next to Sesshoumaru, in dark green one. She nervously played with the diploma in her hands as well as the framed certificate, certifying that she had been a valedictorian. Sesshoumaru was much more composed, masked in a face of indifference as neither gave ear to the master of ceremonies. They sat dully through the rest of the ceremony as the names of a thousand or so students were called to receive their honors. Once done, Kagome's friends ran up to her and Sesshoumaru in a flurry. He stood monotonously as her friends congratulated them both.
"Congratulations!" one shouted.
"We're finally on our own!" another said.
"Off to college!"
"Let's go celebrate!"
Kagome heard the last one. "Sorry, guys. I have to go home and celebrate with my family," she said.
The girls started to turn to Sesshoumaru. "Him, too," Kagome cut in. They turned back to Kagome with sad eyes, each remembering their own family celebrations.
"Are you guys official, now?" Machiko asked quietly. She had also been proclaimed one of the valedictorians.
"Eh?" Kagome asked, mouth agape.
"You and Sesshoumaru-san," she said. Machiko was always direct and to the point. She was one of the friends that Sesshoumaru had approved of, not that his approval mattered to Kagome.
"Uhhh, no. We were always just best friends!" Kagome said happily. "Why? Are you aiming to take him yourself?" she asked slyly.
"EH?! No!" her friend replied.
"Don't hide it, Machiko!" Akane chirped.
The two girls, along with the rest of the group walked off to their families.
"Have fun!" Tsuya called.
"You, too!" Kagome called back.
Soon after, Kagome and Sesshoumaru were driving home. Kagome was in the driver's seat, Sesshoumaru in the passenger's. He rested his chin on his hand, gazing out the window. Riding in cars wasn't cup of tea.
"Oh, come on," Kagome cheered, "You're supposed to be happy! We've graduated!"
Sesshoumaru had gone in and out of high school, scoring hundred percents in every class since freshman year. Kagome had done her best to keep up with him, staying in ninety-five percent and above. She struggled a little in math, but he helped her as much he could without breaking his pride.
"Yes, graduated," he replied absently.
They both had taken off the rented gowns and were now in normal attire. Really, they did have a family celebration, which Sesshoumaru felt awkward about going to, since he wasn't really part of the family. Even though they had accepted him, he had never really quite accepted himself into the simple family. He had, however, started to treat Kagome as almost a sister, yet something more.
"What's wrong, Sesshou?" she asked, concerned, as she turned the corner.
"Nothing," he sighed.
"Come on, Sesshou. I've lived with you for four years. I know when something's not right."
"It's…nothing," he repeated, sitting back into the leather seat and running his hand through his long, white hair. Kagome had cut it when it had grown too far beyond his waist. It was still long, falling to his waist. She never cut anymore than what was needed. Kagome knew he liked his long hair.
"Tell me," she said firmly.
"What am I supposed to do, now?" he asked dully, staring out the window. "I don't really want to pursue anything."
"Homesick, huh?" she asked sympathetically.
"No, this is my home, now," he replied.
"Oh, I get it now," she said, stealing a glance at him, "You're afraid to be alone."
He remained silent, giving a definite confirmation to her words.
"Don't worry!" she chirped. "I'll stay with you in college!"
"And afterwards?" he questioned.
She looked at him in amazement. "You can't expect me to stay with you for the rest of my life, do you?"
Sesshoumaru winced, bringing back the depressing thought of Kagome's short life. Other than that, he made no response to her words.
"Well, we'll see. Don't worry about that right now!" she exclaimed, parking the car on the driveway. "Be happy! Worry about college later. We'll celebrate now!"
Kagome took the key out of the ignition and stepped out of the metallic blue convertible she had gotten as a gift from her family for her high grades. It was more like a gift for both her and Sesshoumaru, who could also drive. He didn't like to but was quite an excellent driver. He preferred Kagome to drive. Getting out of the car, he walked over to Kagome, and they strolled up to the house together.