She knew he'd been shaken by what she'd done, but to know this was the reason—
The cage that she'd placed her heart in rattled.
Kagome had resigned herself to another round of heartbreak after coming to terms with why her eyes followed him everywhere he went.
She'd been able to culminate a lasting friendship with Inuyasha, especially after Kouga shifted his attention and started pursuing him for real.
But Sesshoumaru was different. Signs of affection within an inuyoukai pack were different. He didn't have friends. Acquaintances, sure. Allies, when needed. But friends?
Or even something more?
She'd never dared to hope.