Kagome sprinted down the street.
'Inuyasha should have been at school today! We got our grade back!' Kagome thought excitedly.
Kagome bubbled with excitement as she shifted her pack on her shoulder, rounding the corner with a skip in her step.
'Mom's gonna be so happy! I can't believe it!' Kagome grinned madly and giggled hysterically, gasping for breath as she came out of her laughing fit.
She hopped up the steps and caught her breath, donning a smile that lightened her fizzing root beer colored eyes by five shades.
She gave herself one more moment of careless bliss and then rung the doorbell. She was greeted by a stoic Sesshoumaru.
"Good afternoon Sesshoumaru! Where's Inuyasha? He wasn't at school today, and I was really worried. We got our paper back and we got a 97%! We got a few points off because of some grammatical problems and one or two spelling errors, but the teacher really liked our story! I'm so happy!" Kagome spun once on the porch and then pounced into Sesshoumaru's arms, hugging him with a catlike smile on her lips and her closed eyes in two ecstatic thick black upward arcs.
She yelled though and recoiled when she felt a burning cold against her stomach and almost all traces of pure happiness were lost in the depths of curious chocolate orbs to replace the emotion.
Sesshoumaru fought a smile as he shifted his hand up so she could better see the paper container of ice cream in his hand, labeled "moose tracks". It probably had a three inch diameter across the bottom and could have been five inches tall. It was obviously store bought because of the horribly tempting pictures of perfectly posed ice cream decorating the front and a brand name etched in bold letters across the top.
Sesshoumaru's face lightened with amusement (slightly) when he observed her envious dazedness. She was drooling. She was out of it.
He opened the door further in a silent invitation to enter, and she walked in as a zombie would, in a trance, her eyes staring motionless at his hands and what they held.
By the time he led her to the table, she had forgotten what she had come for.
"Do you like ice cream, Kagome, or have you finally turned into a female in the face of my good looks?" Sesshoumaru couldn't help but taunt.
She swallowed once, as if she had forgotten how to talk. He smiled menacingly.
He sat across the table from her and put the ice cream on the surface of a smaller table behind him.
She whimpered.
"Inuyasha was sick today." He either said this matter-of-factly or as if she was a child who did not understand some trivial detail. She could not tell the difference while waves were rushing in her ears and the promise of cold sweetness loomed on the horizon.
"I went to the store a while ago… I've been being my brother's slave all day. My father insists that I remain home when my little brother is sick - probably for fear the rat will destroy something valuable." Sesshoumaru sniffed in sudden distaste, but soon returned to the conversational tone, hoping that she would soon begin begging. It would be so amusing after the hectic day of being reduced to maid-servant.
"I decided I needed a bit of a… relief from the day that seems will never end." He smirked as she leaned over the table, but his eyes widened when she seemed to snap out of it.
"I'm sorry about that - for your hardship and Inuyasha's pain. Is he sleeping? I could stay and… keep you company." He couldn't miss how her eyes wandered longingly to the ice cream cup for a moment, falling back into their sluggish desire.
"Indeed, the brat is asleep. You may keep me company - you should call your mother. I'll get you the other one." They both knew what he was talking about and a wonderful smile alit her features as she nodded deferentially and turned to the phone.
"Sesshoumaru!" A hoarse voice called from upstairs.
"Perhaps he will die." Sesshoumaru mused under his breath, just before he turned away from Kagome and toward the staircase. He had been about to bid Kagome farewell; the sun was setting and the ice cream was gone. He closed the door and cast a slightly apologetic glance at Kagome, who only smiled at him in return. She could be patient - she wanted to say goodbye to him for real!
"That's mean Sesshoumaru!" She hissed reprimanding, but there was a hint of laughing in her voice that had been acquired over the last few hours of laughing endlessly with Sesshoumaru over cool ice cream.
They had watched a sappy romance movie to bide their time (after Kagome remembered what she was there for), and they both laughed tearfully when the kissing parts came - well, Kagome did. Sesshoumaru managed a few barely contained smiles, and his eyes danced with glee when she laughed. They had fun mocking the characters in the new film - it was terrible.
Sesshoumaru looked at her with a raised eyebrow, but if the sparkle in his eyes was any hint, he would have smiled.
Kagome dashed to the foot of the steps and swung around the corner, a hand cupped around her mouth and the other holding onto the wall so she wouldn't fall.
"We got an A on our assignment Inuyasha! Get well soon!" Kagome called up the stairs and then skipped back to Sesshoumaru.
"Sesshoumaru! Kagome! - eh!" Inuyasha sounded flustered and confused, but Kagome was already at the door with Sesshoumaru again.
"Control your selfish whining for ten minutes, Inuyasha, I'm going to drive Kagome home. If you die, it's because you have no endurance and because you are an insufferable weakling." Sesshoumaru's voice was bitter and hateful, and Kagome shrunk back meekly from the tone.
Inuyasha yelled indecipherably but Sesshoumaru had closed the door already.
The buildings passed them by with a 'swoosh', and Kagome watched the yellow streaks on the asphalt shoot past with seemingly infinite interest.
"Thanks for letting me have ice cream with you today Sesshoumaru - I had fun watching that movie with you too!" Kagome said absently, but a smile unconsciously lit her lips at the memory.
"I was thankful for your presence as well. I would have murdered Inuyasha in his sleep had I no potential witnesses." Sesshoumaru said nonchalantly, and Kagome tore her eyes from the road to observe his face.
Why did he hate Inuyasha so?
Sesshoumaru had lost his mother when he was very young, and Kagome had lost her father when she was very young. All they had spoken about their deceased parents… Had been simple sentences.
A mere acknowledgement of their absence from the world.
Kagome shook her head and smiled again.
"Thanks for the drive too, Sesshoumaru, you're so nice!" Kagome smiled and tossed her hair. He could not help a small smile.
"This is it Sesshoumaru!" Kagome cried, and he slowed and pulled over next to the park.
"I can easily get home from here." She grinned and opened the door, sliding out.
"I'll see you later Kagome." He said with a nod.
"Yeah, hopefully tomorrow if Inuyasha comes to school."
He nodded curtly and then drove away.
Kagome looked after him and then turned toward the direction of her house, sprinting to reach the shrine before the last ray of light retreated behind the mountains.