Chapter Five: A Long Night

Tiny diamonds sparkled in the navy blue silk sky. Heavens breath blew across dark green blades of grass and the musical sounds of the night animals added to the romantic atmosphere. The crescent moon sent its celestial light lovingly down on a happy couple lying on a hill enjoying the night's calming talents.

Kagome lay on her back with her hair fanned out underneath her, gazing up at a star strewn sky. Sesshomaru laid in the opposite direction with his head next to Kagome's. Sesshomaru's eyes were not looking up at the stars, but at the beauty next to him. so many thoughts swept through his mind at that moment. He couldn't believe how easy it was to just be when he was with Kagome. Their friendship became so strong in the past few weeks and he wanted to be more than a friend to the caged bird by his side. His clawed hand reached inside his kimono and grasped the fragile chain he had stowed away in his haori.

Kagome, who as speaking to him the whole time, realized that her audience was currently distracted. Sesshomaru had a far away look in his sparkling golden eyes. As Kagome sat up her midnight hair rippled into its naturally wavy state. She tapped the pondering demon on his white silk clad shoulder and waited patiently for her friend to come back to reality. But waiting patiently wasn't an option for the young miko.

Sesshomaru was startled out of his thoughts when a small slender finger touched his person. He sat up quickly with tense muscles and his hand resting readily on the hilt of Toukijin. He soon realized that it was just Kagome trying to regain his stolen attention.
"This Sesshomaru sincerely apologizes for your fright." His golden pools swam with his sincerity and his shoulders dropped ever so slightly with his guilt. Kagome just smiled brightly, put her small hand over his and said:
"Don't worry about it. The next time you zone out I'll try not to startle you. I'm just lucky that you didn't kill me." She laughed lightly, but stopped once she saw that Sesshomaru was not laughing with her.
"Kagome that wasn't funny. I am very fortunate that I didn't kill you."
"You're fortunate?"
"I don't know what I would have done if I was the cause of your death." Kagome sat up straighter and held his other hand and said, "Oh Sessho, don't beat yourself up over a possibility! It didn't happen and that's something to be happy about." Sesshomaru seemed to relax with that information.
"Will you walk with me, Kagome?"

They strolled through the woods for a while catching sight of many of the night animals and harmless youkai. The night still held its calming spell over all the creatures and heaven's breath still blew gently through the leaves and grass, bringing the sweet scent of lunar flowers with it.
"Kagome, I would be honored if you would accompany on an outing tomorrow evening."
"Sessho, are you asking me out on a date?" Kagome asked teasingly.
"This date, is it like courting?"
"Yes, I guess you could say that."
"Then, yes I am asking you out on a date."
"WHOA! Are you serious? Because I was only joking about the date... thing." Sesshomaru turned to face her and held both her hands in his.
"Kagome will you court this Sesshomaru?" She stared for moments at a time into his hopeful eyes, but couldn't bring herself to answer. ' Hello, Kagome! He's asking you to be his girlfriend aren't you going to say yes?' A few more moments passed and Sesshomaru began to give up hope. 'Kagome answer him damn it!'
"Y...yes, Sesshomaru. I a...accept your o..offer of court... courtship." Kagome stuttered through her answer, but at least she managed to get it out. Sesshomaru smiled so brilliantly that she actually swooned. Suddenly, she felt something cool resting in her palm. She looked down and saw that she held a silver anklet with crescent moons that matched the color of her eyes. She turned her curious gaze up to the smiling taiyoukai before her.
"What's this for?"
"It's a symbol of our courtship. You'll wear that until I mark you."
"Mark me?"
"When we mate I will mark you. Being my mate is the same as being my wife."
"Wait a minute! Rewind! Who said anything about marriage... or mating? You only just asked me to be your girlfriend."
"I was only mentioning the possibility, Kagome. There's no need to be upset over a possibility." Kagome just stormed off into the trees. "Earth to Kagome, over." Seto's voice broke through Kagome's thoughts. She shook her head to clear away the memories.
"Kagome, we're here." In front of them was a picnic dinner for two.
"You made all this, Seto?" Her amazement was obvious in her voice.
"I thought you'd like it. You do like don't you?"
"Of course I do! This is wonderful!"
"Are the candles too much?" Seto feeling a little nervous because of the vision and having Kagome so close, and deceiving her like he was. He needed to tell her who he was, but how? These things need to be done delicately.
"Oh Seto this is a wonderful view of the ocean. I never knew that the park was so close to it."
"You must really like this then."
"Why do you say that?" She didn't turn away from the sight, but her expression was definitely of the curious sort.
"You've said the word 'wonderful' more times than necessary."
" I did, really?" At his small nod she seemed to be surprised. Then she took a look at him and saw his profile. For a second he seemed like a dark-haired Sesshomaru. 'But that can't be. Could it?' "Inuyasha, may I ask why you are all alone during this jubilant celebration." Miroku walked up to the lonely hanyou with his staff ever present by his side.
"Why would I want to celebrate my brother's courtship to my best friend?"
"Maybe because it's your best friend celebrating her courtship to a man worthy of her affections." Miroku sat down next to Inuyasha while sipping a bowl of sake.
"Why couldn't she find someone else to be worthy of her "affections"?"
"You mean someone like you?"
"Yes! I mean, no!"
" So you are jealous of Lord Sesshomaru."
"I'm not jealous!"
"Brooding and accusations of betrayal are not signs of your jealousy then?"
"Of course they are!" Inuyasha froze at that moment."But that doesn't mean that I'm jealous."
"If you're not jealous then join the party." With that the wise monk rose from his place beside Inuyasha and went back to the celebration. Inuyasha sat there for while mumbling to himself.
"I don't see why everyone has to rejoice when a cold-hearted bastard finds love." "Wow! I'm so full! Thank you so much Sess..um Seto!" A bright pink blush crept over Kagome's cheeks at this slip up. Seto, who at first was alarmed by her mistake, managed to arrange his his features so that it appeared that he hadn't heard it.
"I am pleased that you enjoy my cooking, Kagome." Catching sight of Kagome's slight shiver he said, "My house is not too far away from here. If you'd like we can head over there and talk over coffee."
"Oh, I don't drink coffee." Kagome chirped then looked quite embarrassed that she'd let that little detail slip. She hastily tried to make amends. "Not that I don't appreciate the offer, Seto, but I really should be going home after this."
"You could always be provided with something more to your liking. Tea perhaps or even that sweet colored beverage they call Kool-aid."
"Oh no, I really don't want you to go through all that trouble for me."
"It's no trouble at all, Kagome." Kagome sat for a moment trying to think of a way to get out of this situation, not seeing any reasonable excuse she agreed to go to his house. Seto's car stopped before a beautiful mansion. Very few lights were on, but the moonlight gave the house a surreal look. Tiny vines wiggled their way up the outer walls of the magnificent house, giving it an ancient look as well.
"This house has been in my family for generations. At one time this place housed three large families at once." Kagome was too preoccupied with the house to notice a motorcycle speeding her way. The sudden feel of being jerked back and the sound of screeching tires brought her back to the present.
"RINA! What the HELL is wrong with you! You could have killed Kagome!" Seto yelled so loudly at the woman, who seemed to in mid-adolescence, that Kagome could have sworn it was a roar.
"I didn't see her, Uncle, I swear." The girl seemed not to cower before which only reminded Kagome of another girl. The one who once travel led with her beloved. Just then a patch of bright light came from the front door and Blinded her momentarily. Once her eyes recovered from their shock she watched as two figures ran towards them.
"Rina is everything alright?" the two men said in unison and then glared at each other.
"Seto, what happened?" This again was said in unison. Then the man on the right looked at Kagome. The other man went to check Rina over for injuries.
"Miss Higurashi, surprise seeing you here." From the sound of the voice Kagome could tell that it was August. At this moment Seto decided it was time to step in.
"Everything is fine so go back in the house." His voice was cold and sent a shiver of recognition down Kagome's spine.
"Don't be so rude Seto. You haven't even introduced her to the others." August walked over to the other man and the young woman and stood behind them, putting a hand on each one's shoulder. "This," He said, nodding towards the man, " is my twin brother Seijin and this," he nodded toward the woman, "is my younger sister Rina." Last he pointed towards himself, "And as you already know, I'm Hachigatsu, but I prefer you call me August."
Kagome's shock was indescribable, there were two Miroku look-a-likes in the world. This has to be a girl's worst nightmare. One Miroku was bad enough, but two, TWO! 'Kami help us all.' was all Kagome could think about.

Seeing that Rina was in one piece Seijin went over to Kagome and began to check her over as well. He almost made the mistake of groping her until a slight rumbling noise put his mind back on track. Kagome was deep in conversation with August and had not noticed the noise.
"So August, how did you all come to live with Seto?"
"Oh well, our families have always been close and lived together in this house. Their friendship dates back centuries."
"Centuries? Wow that is a good relationship then. I don't think even a handful of people in the world can say that." Now finished with his patients Seijin turned abruptly to the door and said over his shoulder, "We should probably go inside where it is warmer."
Everyone foll wed Seijin into the house and as Seto was closing the door hr thought, 'This going to a long night.'

AUTHOR'S NOTE
I know that all of you have been waiting patiently for this chapter and some of you not so patiently, but I have my reasons as to why I'm so late. I was grounded, yep grounded. For most of the summer I was punished with babysitting my demonic cousins for 9 hours a day 5 days a week for $70 a week. There's three of them and they're horrible.

Rina's name is pronounced- Reena, not Rin-a
and Hachigatsu means August as in the month. Wouldn't you want the English translation instead of that, I decided that August would prefer the English because in some countries it is fashionable to have the English translation. Why the name August? ... well that's for later chapters.
Check Youkai Yume's pic " Yin and Yang" for an image of Kagome and Sesshomaru at the beginning of this chapter. http/pa.

Sorry for the wait. Please review. Flames are welcome.