Collide
Chapter Two: Your Eyes (I Can Witness Your Eyes)
-A line indicates a new event or day occurring-
-A space between paragraphs insists that a small amount of time has passed, or a different point of view enters-
Notice: Due to some technical difficulties with fan fiction, please forgive any odd errors you may find within the story. If this does occur, please Private Message me as soon as possible.
The loud, annoying, and very irritating alarm rang right next to her head. Instead of turning the switch off, she unplugged the damned thing. Her head was still fogged up with sleep, her mouth in a deep frown, her eyes painfully pulsing below her eyelids.
She was sick.
Her throat seemed to get worse and worse, because every breath she took, it sent a shiver of a scratchy pain to her head and back. She was congested, had a headache, and oh – she had a fever. Oh, and how her body ached when she moved her arm to unplug the alarm. The muscles cried as she accidentally rested her arm on the edge of her mattress. She couldn't believe it herself that she had such a low tolerance for pain.
Opening one of her eyes, she peered at the dead alarm clock, the time not blaring at her like it usually would when she woke up. She groaned, which only caused her throat to hurt even more. Her eyes strained to look at everything or anything with detail, so she lifted her fists to her eyes to try to rub the sleep out of them.
After rubbing them, she opened her eyes to see that she had a small black out, and then everything became clear, but too bright. She thought about what the day was, and almost fooled herself when she thought it was Monday. Oh no, it was not Monday. It was actually Friday. The day before... something important.
She sprouted up, and the pain that vibrated through her head left her to believe that she hit her head on a wall, when really she just moved too fast for her own good. Slowly descending back onto to sheets and pillows, she stared up at the ceiling sleepily. She needed to talk to her mom, but moving just seemed like too big an accomplishment.
She sighed, ignoring the pain, and lifted a hand to her burning forehead. Just great, the greatest thing of all great things that could have ever occurred! And now she was sounding like a delinquent. She figured that in a few moments her mother would come into to her room to check up on her, since she was unable to shower and than skip down the stairs to breakfast. Skipping... oh, what a dreadful thing that sounded like at the moment. She wondered where she ever had the strength to do such a fun thing.
After a boring and painful thirty minutes passed, she heard he mother walk up the stairs. See? Kagome predicted her mother just like a satellite predicted the weather. There was a knock on the door, a little less gentle than the normal 'concerned mother' knock, but she didn't take notice. After letting out a soft but painful 'come in', the door opened to reveal someone tall. Her mother was not tall at all.
Sesshomaru looked down on her like he would Rin when she would try to trip him. And that, Kagome decided, was not a good look.
"Hey... I know you." she said groggily, the sleep not even considering leaving her head.
"You are sick." he stated the obvious.
"Uh, yeah. I think I am." she said, her voice reflecting her throat's irritation.
"You are... not the most intelligent person." he replied, choosing his words carefully.
"Eh, how so?" Kagome asked, tilting her head towards his direction as he floated to the right side of her bead.
"Last night, you walked from the elementary school to your house. In the rain, without a coat on. You should have called me." he said as he sat on the cushioned layers of blankets, a look of seriousness plastered onto his features. Kagome threw a confused look at him, totally clueless as to what he was talking about. Sesshomaru, who got the vibe that she probably forgot the whole event, grew slightly frustrated.
"Last night, you decided to go and pick your brother up at school, and walked. By the time you got there, he had already walked onto the bus and went home. So you decided to take a small short-cut, but then found a little boy. Then you proceeded to walk home with him in your arms, in the newly pouring rain." Sesshomaru rubbed the bridge of his nose. When he had said that she was an accident-prone girl a while back, he didn't know that he had been 100 correct.
A smile brightened Kagome's face. But with the sick look in her eyes, it didn't really help him to lighten up like her smile always used to. "Really? Wow, am I courageous or what?" she giggled. Delusional she was, but then again, her words spoke the truth.
"Your mother wishes that you get well before tomorrow night, so you will stay home, get all your rest, and gain your strength back in time." Sesshomaru stood, ruffled her hair as a goodbye, and started for the door when Kagome spoke up.
"What's tomorrow?" He couldn't believe that she had forgotten. Actually, it was quite believable, he just didn't like it. He spun around, giving her the most 'I can't believe you forgot' glare that he could muster. She cringed, despite the warm feeling she gained every time he acknowledged her presence.
"Tomorrow you will be attending a party with my father, mother and I. You will dress nicely. And don't forget, for I will not repeat myself again." with that said, he left. Kagome, who was utterly stunned the first time she heard him invite her, was now smiling up at the ceiling.
"Hmm... what a wonderful thing for him to do. Invite me on a date with his parents. Cute." she said to it. After hearing herself voice her thoughts to a inanimate thing, Kagome was certain that the longer she was away from medicine, the more lost her mind would become.
--
Sesshomaru sat, alone, in the library. It was well after school, and it would be at that exact moment that Kagome would leave for her training session for ice skating. But since she was at home, sick, he didn't hear her voice calling to him. It slightly unnerved him, because he had adapted to the way of life that included a constantly talking girl at his side.
He sighed. No, he wasn't depressed because she wasn't there to accompany him. It just seemed as if she was missed. Now that the silence talked to him, he understood why people had friends. After being alone for so long, he had started to appreciate the fact that she bugged him all the time.
And now he was being a tad clingy. No, he can't be that way. He had to detach himself, forget that feeling of warmth he gained when she was being friendly with him. Such as that kiss on the forehead he had delivered to her. Where did that come from? Since when did he even have an ounce of care in him? He didn't. Of course he didn't. He was his mother's son, after all.
--
"Ah! Sesshomaru! How surprising it is to see you here!" Mr. Amou stated happily as he skated towards the door of the rink itself. Sesshomaru stood there, holding a warm cup of tea in a Styrofoam cup.
"I came here to tell you that--"
"Kagome is sick?"
Sesshomaru blinked. "You knew?"
"Of course I knew! The poor girl called me just a few minutes ago." Mr. Amou laughed. "I really feel sorry for her condition. She doesn't deserve it as far as I'm concerned."
"You know then? About why she is ill in the first place?" Sesshomaru asked, shifting his cup into his free hand and digging his gloved hand into his coat pocket.
"Why yes. My wife is a social worker, and she is the social worker of that same young boy Kagome had saved. And now, with more than enough witnesses, my wife can finally take the boy out of his mother's custody and put him into a good home, or a good orphanage." Mr. Amou scratched his head as he continued. "I am truly proud of our Kagome."
Sesshomaru didn't realize how important Kagome was at that moment. She was already doing well in school, despite having only very few people she knew; and not to mention that she was soon going to a local competition for ice skating. And now she was helping out those in need, without thinking of herself first. Indeed, he too was proud of their Kagome.
"Now, Sesshomaru, I have a question." This seemed to wake Sesshomaru from his thoughts, and he gave his full attention to the older man.
"What is your relationship with Kagome? You always drive her to and from her sessions with me, and I did see that cute little kiss you gave her on the forehead after the preliminaries." Mr. Amou was a very cunning man. So cunning, it was almost annoying.
"My relationship with Kagome is what it should be after a three week period of knowing her."
"So, you two are all lovey dovey?" Mr. Amou insisted.
"No. Three weeks I wouldn't even consider to be enough time to become the best of friends." Sesshomaru replied with much reason behind his words. Or perhaps, there was no reason at all?
"But, you do know, love can bud ever so quickly? Romeo and Juliet fell in love in three days." Mr. Amou really had an imagination, but sadly, it wasn't enough to make Sesshomaru rethink his ways of how relationships develop.
"But that, Mr. Amou, is why they perished so horribly."
--
Kagome opened her mouth a small length when she tried to yawn without stretching her rough throat. Oh boy, she didn't think she would be this sick! If she knew that, she would have just taken a night-time pill so she could recuperate her body as she slept. But no, she decided against taking a pill, and stayed up watching a romantic but bloody movie. (And the couple had died in the end. )
She really regretted not taking the pill.
Tears formed at the corner of her eyes like they usually did when she got sick. She took a tissue and wiped them away, and then blew her nose. This position was regrettable also.
Earlier that day, her mother came into her room during her lunch break and talked to her about the night before. She recovered a few memories of the event, but they weren't vague with any details. So her mother just patted her on the head and told her that Shippou, the boy that she 'saved', was in the government's custody now. Kagome questioned about why he wasn't at home with his mother, and her mother almost broke out into tears when she told Kagome that he was a victim of child abuse.
Kagome felt extremely bad, and Kagome's mother said that she would have the chance to see him once she was all better.
But at the moment, Kagome was staring at Souta's TV that he had brought upstairs for her and had placed on her desk to the right of her bed. She looked at the pile of movies she had to watch, but held no desire to watch Where The Heart Is, a story about a pregnant teenage girl who gets ditched by her child's supposed father.
And she definitely had no desire to watch Star Wars, her brother's suggestion and current obsession about guys with laser toys.
What she desired to do was to have a conversation with someone. But who could she talk to? It wasn't as if she had any 'girl friends' where she lived.
And now someone was knocking on her door. Kagome sighed and gave them permission to come in. As the door opened, Kagome watched as her friend stepped through the doorway, closing the door behind him. A smile lit up her face as she slowly sat up, fixing the pillows so they would hold her up.
"Hey there, Mr. Savior." Kagome teased as he drew closer to her right.
"How are you?" he asked in reply, sitting again on her bed. She continued to smile.
"Oh, you know. A cough here, a sniffle there, and a really annoying feeling of loneliness." she said, her eyes reflecting a small longing for companionship, but the feeling was quickly erased when she raised her head to look directly into his eyes. "But how was your day? Interesting?" she hoped too much.
"It was like most days, only without someone talking to me every time I opened a book." Kagome felt guilty. Was it just her, or was she getting the vibe that she was just a nuisance?
"Oh...ha ha... that's nice." she lied. She tied her fingers together in her lap, and stared at her nails as they pressed against her skin.
"But, like yours probably seemed, it was a bit empty. After having someone talk to you a lot, and then not having them there, that person becomes missed." He stared at the way a smirk replaced her nervous smile. She looked up from her hands and looked into his eyes once more.
"So, I should talk more, is that what you're saying?" He glared at her. Apparently that wasn't what he wanted.
"Heh, just kidding!" Sesshomaru mentally rolled his eyes. Why did he stop on his way home to see her?
"Tomorrow, you will stay home and rest before the party. I'm sure it will take just slightly more than 24 hours for most of your symptoms to disappear." Kagome sighed as she watched Sesshomaru fill her in with all this information.
"Why am I going to this party with you?" Kagome asked, just as clueless as she was before. Sesshomaru's eyes seemed to grow tired at the thought. He must have explained this now quite a few times.
"Because, if I don't bring you with me, then my parents will probably try to pair me up with a fruity and overly dramatic woman- who will then attempt to flirt at me relentlessly." He explained.
"So I'm doing you a favor?" she kept coming with all these questions that caused him to actually sigh out loud. The answer he was about to give up wasn't something he wanted to lose.
"Yes, you would be helping me avoid a torturing night." was his reply. Kagome smiled evilly, and this did not go unnoticed by him. He wondered what she would want in return.
"Alright, then you have to do something for me."
"It's only fair." He agreed.
"Can I have a hug?"
A few seconds passed in time where Sesshomaru sat next to her stunned and silent, and Kagome wondering if he wouldn't hug her because she had a bad cold. But then, he nodded in response to her question with a small smirk. Kagome smiled, and leaned forward to wrap her arms around his strong frame. For Sesshomaru, he was careful not to squeeze her too tight as he softly circled his arms around her fragile body.
Kagome, who enjoyed being locked in his hold, held him tightly for those few minutes. She rejoiced in the feeling as it swept through her body, and the lonely feeling was quenched with the feeling of total comfort. The way his strong body seemed to be a barrier around her, silently promising her safety. This is the type of comfort she sought, the one she could trust.
For Sesshomaru, he silently admired the way her body filled the emptiness between his outstretched arms. The way her soft body accepted his cold emotionless exterior was surprising, because many other girls who were interested in him eventually saw that his cold feelings toward other humans wouldn't help them fill their feeling of longing when seeking a boyfriend. So as this girl hugged him and promised him her friendship, he was just glad he could help her. But there was something else that stood strong when he hugged her – it was trust. A trust that he didn't find in any other person who stood as his friend.
He accepted that thought. She was his friend, and if later he would try to deny it, then he would know the truth deep down. He only wished that those thoughts would last forever.
It was Saturday morning, and Kagome was feeling just grand. The only signs of a cold that had stayed through the night and until the morning were a small headache, a pinch in her throat now and then, and a small cough that was immediately stifled with a cough drop. So she had everything under control.
Well, that was an over-statement. Kagome had nothing under control. Her mother was away at the police department in her place, attending a session with a lawyer about the small child, and as soon as she got home Kagome would be darting out the door in a pretty dress, going to the 'party' with Sesshomaru and his parents.
As she carefully shuffled through a box of nice dresses that were all folded in a way so she could get a good clue about what they would like on her, she was being so very stubborn and picky. Blue? Of course not. She had to look like a woman who is beautiful even in the darkness. Yes, a dark color would do. Black? No no, too flashy. What about a maroon-ish brown? Yes, that could work. And she had a pair of heels to go with it.
She laughed victoriously as she hooked the hanger on the door to her bathroom, and then darted to the shower that was already spewing warm water for her.
After taking a nice, clean shower and then wrapping herself in her robe, she applied moisturizer to all the proper places, and then dried her hair lightly with a towel. Taking out all her evil and devious hair tools (which were actually just a normal hair dryer, straightener and curling iron) she began to work on her hair.
The plan was to look so magnificent, that even Sesshomaru (the 'dark' prince, she thought up in her mind) would have a double take when he saw her. She had to blow dry her hair, then carefully straighten it, and then find the place on the back of her head where a bun would be placed, small curls of hair now and then falling from it, and some strands of hair near her ear would become curled.
The whole thing seemed like a ridiculous idea, because she barely knew anyone who she would meet that night, but she wanted to be able to show Sesshomaru that even she, the sometimes lazy and other times energetic person, could look outrageously... devious and beautiful at the same time.
(At this point, she realized, that she shouldn't watch any more dark and bloody vampire/evil romance movies. )
She laughed at herself. She didn't consider herself pretty enough to be on some guys minds, but she knew that she was worthy of at least trying to look nice. Her other plan was to dress up in the dress and seem very mature, just like her beautiful mother, who still attracted men from across the street.
After an hour on working with her 'evil' plan, her hair was ready... but she had 5 hours until she was being picked up. Looking at her (now plugged in) alarm clock, it showed that she had indeed missed breakfast and she needed to go eat her lunch.
As she made her way down the stairs, she listened for the sounds of her brother. After a few yells and a computer man's voice shouting " K. O.", she knew that her brother was down-stairs, having a dandy time. Making her way into the kitchen, she pulled on the refrigerator handle. The fact that she still didn't seem to recall all her strength enough to open the refrigerator was quite a pathetic feat.
But she was someone who wouldn't give up without a fight, so she gripped the handle with a new goal in hand, and yanked at the handle. This next jest proved extremely pathetic. It turned out that she misjudged the situation and had opened the refrigerator door with much force. Actually, she used so much force, that when the door propelled toward her, she stumbled backward and fell. The door slammed against the counter beside it, knocking over a few cups that were sitting patiently, waiting to be loaded into the dishwasher.
But with the dirty cups came old liquids spilling out of them, the drops flying off and landing on Kagome's shirt, and the heavy liquid that spilled onto the floor proceeded in soaking her pant leg and fluffy sock.
Blinking at the current situation she dragged herself into, the bright light that shined from within the fridge woke her up from her shocking fall. She bolted onto her feet, ignoring the feeling of nausea, and tore her sock from her foot. She stuck out her tongue in disgust as her wet pant-leg clung to her leg like a suction cup, and hopped over to the basement door and walked down the stairs.
As she did so, she proceeded to the laundry room and received a confused look from her brother as she passed. Once she was out of sight, Souta then turned back to his game to find that this alien had thrown a grenade at his guy, and it stuck to him just like Kagome's pants had stuck to her leg. He screamed an angry "No!" and a blast partnered with a death-scream rang through the speakers of his television. He sat on the couch with a look of shock, staring at the 'game over' screen.
Grumbling out loud, he followed his sister into the laundry room to find her in a new pair of jeans, the other soggy ones hanging on the brim of a hamper. She sighed as she headed towards the door, ignoring her brother's curious look.
"Sis, what happened?" Souta asked as he shut off the light to the small room and closed the door behind them.
"I don't wanna go there."
--
Sesshomaru stood in front of a tall mirror in his father's room, staring at the bow tie that remained untied around his neck. His mother, a tall woman who was almost his height, paced behind him. She kept mumbling something about no time, and how everything was already a mess and she couldn't get anything right. Sesshomaru continued to neaten himself up, tucking in a loose part of his shirt and making sure he could turn without feeling stiff, and brushing the sides of his pants that seemed to have something on them. And as Sesshomaru did these things, something happened that had shocked him almost to the point of actually showing emotion in his family's presence.
His mother acknowledged him.
She stood next to him, staring at his profile as he ignored her. He pulled out a small comb and brushed it through his smooth hair and managed to pull his hair into a long pony tail using a handy band that used to be placed on his wrist.
"Sesshomaru?" she asked, trying to sound sweet. He peered at her through the corner of her eye, making sure that she knew that he didn't want to talk to her.
"Yes?" he asked back coldly. She acted as if she took offense, placing her delicate hand on her revealed chest in a shocked manner.
"I was just wondering how you were getting to the ball." Again with the sweet talk. He looked back at the mirror and ran is fingers through his bangs.
"I am driving myself there." He turned away from the mirror to walk towards the bed and picked up a black jacket that went with the suit. His mother turned to him with a decisive look, and crossed her arms across her chest.
"Not true. You will be arriving with your Father and I." This earned Sesshomaru's full attention as his slipped his arm into a sleeve.
"I am picking up a friend--"
"No, you aren't. I thought I made it clear that you would be attending with someone whom I chose. Not someone who won a raffle." Sesshomaru glared at the woman. They had never agreed to her controlling whom he befriended, and he would never hold a raffle to gain a date. And not only that, Kagome didn't have the luck to win something such as that. She'd end up losing her ticket.
"I never agreed to that."
"You don't need to agree with what I say. I am your mother, everything I say goes." And with that, she turned around to look at the mirror to admire her beauty in her dark red dress. Sesshomaru glared at the woman, but he had a solution to this whole problem. After buttoning up the jacket, he headed towards his room. He would show his mother that he could control his life, whether she liked it or not.
Finding his cordless phone that rested on a night stand next to his bed, he pressed the 'talk' button, and dialed a number out of a small phone book that was sitting on his end table.
A few rings later, someone picked up with a formal tone. "Hello, how may I help you?"
"I would like to rent a limousine for a few hours, please."
--
Kagome ran down the stairs, her glittering maroon dress and one-inch heels almost causing her to fall down the stairs with a heart attack. She grabbed the matching purse off the coffee table that sat in front of the couch her mother had just settled herself on, and sprang for the front door right as the door bell rang for a second time.
"Bye mom; I have my cell."
"Have fun dear."
As she opened the door, she expected Sesshomaru to be all dressed up and ready with a smart-ass comment on how long it took her to get to the door, and with a hand that would help her down the driveway and to his Dorango. But she wasn't even close.
A man stood there, in a gold-buttoned tuxedo with a black formal cap sitting atop his head. Smiling, he greeted her with a bow and the words, "Hello Miss Higurashi, your limousine is waiting."
She gaped. This was not how Sesshomaru said it would be. The whole limousine and limo driver was way beyond her understanding; Wasn't it just a small gathering that had a few relatives and friends? Some music? Apparently not, because if you attended such a small party in the style she would be arriving in, you would be considered crazy.
The way this man predicted her behavior was also astonishing. He reached forward and gently led her to the limousine, closing the door behind them and then gently nudging Kagome into the backseat after opening the door for her. Once he was back in the driver's seat, he proceeded in warning her not to touch any buttons, and to remain calm as he drove to their destination. To his surprise, she woke up from her shock before they started out and onto the street.
"Where is Sesshomaru?" Obvious question.
"Mr. Sesshomaru apologizes for not driving you to the ball this evening, and hopes that you forgive him for this inconvenience. You will see him at the ball, ma'am, so please remain calm."
"Why wouldn't I be calm?" Kagome was freaking out. This was a predicted action on Sesshomaru's part, and that is why he warned this limo driver.
"Please keep all questions for the ride home, Ms. Higurashi. We will arrive soon. If you wish, you may watch the TV as I drive."
Kagome relaxed against the comfortable seat and looked to her side to grab the remote. She understood that she didn't need to freak out, and that she trusted Sesshomaru. But anyways, she was in a limo. She should enjoy herself.
About ten minutes and a funny sitcom later, Kagome arrived at the 'party' in a good mood. Her hair had proved to stay in place, and she was in a perfect condition. A tall man stood outside the place where the party was taking place, and opened the door and held out a helping hand. Smiling and thanking him, she took it with her gloved hand and stepped directly onto the sidewalk, where a canopy covered her all the way to the entrance. Sadly enough, she did it alone.
It was dark out already, the moon shining down on her as another man opened the door for her to enter.
Stepping inside, she found herself in a Victorian-style entrance room, that appeared to be about the size of her own room. It held furniture for people to sit on as they waited, a coffee table in front of two couches that held mints in a glass bowl.
She saw two men on the other side of the room, looking like they had just dealt with an angry mob, blocking two doors that held much promise behind them. Walking forward and around the coffee table, her hands clenching her small purse, she smiled to them in thanks as they bowed and opened the doors for her.
She was flooded with sound and light as she entered the gigantic room. Of course, she had never in her life imagined such a room existed, let alone finding herself experiencing such an event. She stood atop a gigantic staircase that swerved down and into a floor that held many tables to each side, and a dancing floor in the middle where people danced to a small orchestra that played directly across the bottom of the staircase.
People littered the dance floor, dancing slowly to what sounded like Beethoven, and other people stood around or sat down at tables where they chatted with others. Some people, who appeared to be teenagers, stood at the bottom of the staircase chatting. After taking all of this in, she became determined to find Sesshomaru amongst all this hustle and bustle. But then again, when one is lost, they should stay where they are until they are found, correct?
To her disappointment, she knew that Sesshomaru would probably talking with someone important, and wouldn't have the time to find her and hold her hand like a child. But to her even further disappointment, she didn't feel excited. She really did feel like a lost child.
But a wave of confidence hit her as a thought flowed through her mind. If Sesshomaru trusted her to behave herself as she found him, then she would do just that. She wasn't about to let her friend down.
She started to descend the stairs, one at a time, her hand gliding down the wooden railing beside her as she did so. Some people looked at her with utter curiosity, some muttered things to those beside them, but she ignored them. Suddenly, she saw a head of hair that she would never mistake as anyone else's.
--
Sesshomaru stood next to his mother as she chatted to someone who seemed to be his age. His eyes stared at the staircase warily, wondering why Kagome had not arrived yet. It was already thirty minutes past the time he had arrived, and his mother had already accomplished in making his night miserable.
A girlish giggle erupted next to him, causing him to look down at the young girl his mother was so determined to pair him up with. She looked in his eyes, trying her best to dazzle him, but he didn't even give her the time of day.
"Oh, Sesshomaru, why don't you go dance with this girl?" his mother spoke softly, but Sesshomaru ignored her. The girl slowly curled her hands around his arm, and took a step closer to him,
"I bet he is shy." the girl commented, blushing as he stared down at her with a cold look that she didn't even notice.
Shy? Hardly. Sesshomaru simply just didn't want to waste his energy replying to this girl whom he had no interest in. Looking up, he saw Kagome sitting a good ten feet away, staring directly at him. Smiling, knowing what he was going through. Sighing, he released his arm from the girl's clutches and excused himself from the conversation to move away from them, and made sure that he was out of sight before he headed towards Kagome. She stood up, grabbing her purse and headed towards the east wall where she would rendezvous with Sesshomaru.
And once she met him, she smiled brightly up at him. He didn't seem to appreciate this, and stared down at her, the question obvious to all.
"Yes, I know, I could've bailed you out of the conversation with them... but I had to get back at you for the torture you caused me." Kagome stated in a matter-of-fact way. Knowing that he had no clue about what the heck she was talking about, she crossed her arms across her chest and smirked. "You sent a limo to my house, when you could've just left a message on my phone telling me that I should drive myself there."
Kagome was someone who didn't like charity. She felt that she could stand on her own two feet.
"I'm a big girl." she continued after noticing that Sesshomaru stood still in disbelief. What he did was actually a punishment? Amazing.
"...," was what he came up with for a reply. Kagome stood there, and waited for a smart remark that she predicted him to make. But after a minute, all they accomplished was staring into each other's eyes, having no clue about what would happen next. But as Kagome stood there, just as emotionless as Sesshomaru was, a giggle tickled at her stomach, and she started laughing. And this laugh, Sesshomaru recognized, was a heart-felt laugh. One with true joy, playfulness, and innocence. And it seemed that he too caught the bug.
And so they stood there, Kagome laughing and Sesshomaru chuckling at nothing at all. Onlookers probably would have figured that they were crazy, but then again, the two of them thought the same thing. They were crazy, and they loved the thought of it.
--
A girl by the name of Amy stood a few tables away from the wall, watching the couple intently. She watched as they exchanged words, (well, rather, the only one who was talking was the mysterious girl) and then a silence was shared. And it annoyed her, because while she wanted to steal Sesshomaru's heart, it seemed as if it wasn't even available. She watched as the events took place right in front of her eyes, and couldn't quite believe it.
Sesshomaru was known to be unemotional, a flower that never opened up to anything or anyone. The only thing he was accused of having was determination, and that was only directed towards his future in which he was going to work very hard for. She thought that it would be beneficial for herself if she just got to know his habits, and then eventually their families would plan a twentieth century arranged marriage. Then her future would be locked into place, and she would be happy.
As for Sesshomaru, he would go on in life with a beautiful wife like herself, proud to have skipped the whole dating process and just got over that ordeal (which was assumed to be dreadful for him)that allowed him to just go on in life.
All these thoughts were lies. Sesshomaru had friends, and he was a person who indeed kept his personality in tact. He sometimes frowned, sometimes he smirked with a flicker of admiration in his eyes. And now, she learned, that he could laugh. And what a beautiful laugh it was.
Slowly, she reached down to strongly grip the back of a chair, and lowered herself onto it. She took in a large breath, noticing that it had receded, and calmed herself. She stared down at the white table cloth in fear. She thought that maybe if she looked up to see the girl wrapped in an intimate hug with Sesshomaru, she would break out into tears.
Blinking multiple times, she rubbed her arms in order to wake herself from this reality. It seemed as if her world was being torn apart, piece by piece, and that every reason for living was slowly disintegrating. This was not like her, she thought. She had her own standard of living: If she lost one expectation, she would simply come up with another; whatever the reason- she just couldn't stop living.
Now that she had this thought crossing through her mind, she looked up with confidence to see the girl talking about something with little breath as she wiped a tear from her eye that had accumulated on her cheek from laughing so hard. Sesshomaru was once again straightened and looked like he usually did, with one small exception.
He looked as if he was comfortable around this girl.
Once again, there was a little feeling of worry shooting from her head to her heart, making her pulse quicken. Staring at the girl, she couldn't find out how he was so friendly with her. This girl was so simple, pretty, and just... normal. She herself was beautiful, extravagant, and exotic. How did she get his attention?
But as this little event made a big impact on her life, a new goal was set for her: Steal Sesshomaru... steal him from this girl. The girl was not worthy of him, only she herself was allowed to become Sesshomaru's partner in life, and that was a fact. She would get him, and she would enjoy it as she mercilessly tore him from the girl's grasp forever.
--
Sesshomaru decided earlier that he would ride with Kagome home, instead of face that wrath of his mother. He explained to his father an hour before he was supposed to leave that he would be going home in a different form of transportation, and his father nodded. He could trust his son, but still, Inutaisho smirked evilly.
He had seen Kagome walking around with him, Inutaisho informed him before Sesshomaru left for a section of tables. Sesshomaru didn't really care much, but Sesshomaru told his father that he wouldn't like for his mother to know that he had still brought a friend against her wishes. His father just kept laughing and waved him off.
Later, Sesshomaru left early with Kagome, meeting the same limo driver out front with the limo. After extending their thanks to him for helping them into the back seat, they chatted quietly in the back seat and they drove off. Sesshomaru talked about how he hated sneaking around from his mother. And Kagome quickly understood him, so he didn't explain further. For once, he didn't have to explain anything thoroughly, to his enjoyment. Even though Kagome could be dense at times, she was definitely one who could understand and relate to you.
And after that, Kagome snapped her fingers and spun to the side and looking at him directly. Obviously she still had energy after dancing, walking, sitting, and basically wearing herself out at the party.
"I am going to mow my lawn tomorrow." Kagome giggled. "And I'm going to use one of those riding tractors. Well, maybe not a tractor necessarily, but a riding lawnmower." She seemed to beam with pride at this statement, like a child who got to ride their first extreme roller coaster.
Sesshomaru on the other hand was not surprised at how excited Kagome was feeling. He himself had once had the job of riding a lawnmower for a long time in order to cut his own lawn, and he didn't find any joy in it. (Although his childish self was excited to have such a privilege) So he didn't think lowly about how childish her happiness seemed to be.
A conversation and a half later, they arrived in front of Kagome's house. Kagome said goodbye and thanked the limo driver, and climbed outside after he opened the door for her. She backed up from the road and onto the grass, looking down at Sesshomaru as he got out of the car.
"Sesshomaru?" she asked, watching as he just stood next to the open door, the driver already jumping back into his seat.
"I would like to ask you a favor."
Kagome smiled as she took a step forward, arms distance from him. Looking down at her, Sesshomaru finished. But not before he noticed the glitter in her eyes, and how they reflected the emotion that he would never be able to show.
"May I have a hug?" he asked, the words falling from his mouth as if they were someone else's. He actually didn't even expect that he was going to ask such a question- it was truly unexplainable. But nevertheless, the request was still spoken aloud, and Kagome was staring at him, the smile no longer on her face.
"You want a hug?" she asked, almost as shocked as he was. He nodded curtly. Little did he know, Kagome must have had rabbits for ancestors as she sprung up to lock her arms around his neck, a bright smile shining on her face again. Quite surprised but ready for anything when it came to her, he smirked back. He circled his arms around her frame again, remembering this pose quite well from before.
After a few seconds, Sesshomaru let Kagome go hesitantly, but dared not show it in his features.
Kagome, who still kept her palms upon his shoulders, stood on her toes to press her mouth to his cheek, and then to whisper sacred words into his ear.
"You will never have to ask me for a hug." And with that, she turned and ran up her driveway, disappearing into the darkness, beyond Sesshomaru's watchful eyes. A few minutes after that small transaction, Sesshomaru leaned against the limo in a daze. His mind was a jungle of thoughts and questions, lists of things to ponder and large empty spaces.
--
Kagome's face was beat red with embarrassment when she dug her keys out from her purse and opened the front door. She stepped into the living room, admiring the warmer air and the smell of her mother's fine cooking. She closed the door behind her and looked at her mother who sat on the couch, still quite awake.
"Well, hello there Kagome. Did you have a good time?" she asked casually. Kagome nodded, walking over to sit next to her mother on the couch, looking at the clock on the cable box below the TV her mother watched. It was currently 9:30. Quite early to come home before a party, but then again, they (Sesshomaru and herself) had to avoid certain people on their way out.
Taking off the heels from her aching feet, Kagome proceeded to tell her mother than she couldn't believe how uncomfortable shoes were nowadays.
"Hey mom! Is Kagome home?" She heard her brother call from somewhere upstairs. Her mother called back up to him that his sister was indeed home, and she heard rushed steps come down the stairs. She sat on the edge of the couch as her brother came into the living room, smiling brightly, and hugged her.
She smiled and ruffled his hair, but then looked over at the platform of the staircase when she heard a small hiccup. There, hugging the pole that was connected to the railing, stood a small boy with dirty orange hair that was hanging loosely around his shoulders. He wore one of Souta's pajama shirts, which was obviously too big for him, but reaching his knees to reveal socks that were also too big for him.
He stared at Kagome with admiration, and almost started crying as he ran up to her and clung to her leg like it was the only thing keeping him alive. Kagome finally realized who this small boy was, and looked at her mother in disbelief.
"His name is Shippou. And today, we found him a good home."
Kagome looked down at the boy who was staring up at her with a worried look on his face. Noticing how he was observing how she treated him, she smiled and picked him up to embrace him in a gentle hug that she seemed to be giving a lot of lately.
"Hi Shippou, my name is Kagome." She introduced as she released him to stare down into his bright green eyes. He smiled back after a moment, his giggle ringing throughout the room.
"Hi Kajome!" he answered gleefully. Kagome blushed at his absolute cuteness, and didn't even bother correcting him. She continued to smile as she turned to her mother and asked:
"Where is his new home?" It was quite obvious to everyone that it would be tough to let the little Shippou go, even if they only knew him for less than a day, and less than five minutes for Kagome. Kagome's mother just smiled though, and asked a question in return.
"Where do you think?"
With that, she told Souta to go brush his teeth and get ready for bed, and looked at Shippou to do the same.
"So, Shippou is staying with us?" Kagome asked, her eyes wide with shock.
"Shippou staying?" Shippou followed, his expression filled with happiness. After a small nod of confirmation, Shippou jumped up and laughed his way to the bathroom. Kagome sat on the couch, though, now alone in the living room. She was happy that he was staying, but why exactly would he be?
Monday – 10:30 PM
Kagome was brushing her soft hair carefully, lost in thought as she stared off into nothingness. She heard a small knock on the door, and turned toward her room door to see it open slightly. A small head suddenly appeared, looking around the room for her. She smiled and called to him.
"Shippou, I'm in here."
He turned his head happily at the sound of her voice, and skipped over to her despite the time of night. He planted a grin on his face as he looked happily up at her, showing his complete admiration for her. She chuckled in silent delight and bent down to ruffle his hair.
"What can I do for my favorite little man?" She asked, moving the brush from her hair to his.
"I'm not tired." he answered. Kagome smiled as she groomed his caramel hair, a feeling of importance filling her.
"Well, everyone needs their sleep. Would it help if I read you a story?" she asked as she opened a nearby drawer, and pulled a small green hair tie and ribbon from it.
"Yes please." he answered politely, smiling as he looked in the door mirror. His facial expression seemed to beam with pride as he poked at his new ponytail and ribbon.
Kagome picked him up and balanced him on her hip as she walked over to a bookshelf full of large looking books. She pulled out a large book, with the title 'Bedtime Stories: A Revised Collection', and walked over to her bed to place Shippou on it. As he crawled to the left side, Kagome slipped under the blankets in the middle, where her pillow rested amongst an abundant others. Shippou himself slipped under the covers, and snuggled up to Kagome's side as she opened the book.
Licking her index finger, she quickly sorted through the many golden pages of the book to find a story that she herself had known since she was Shippou's age. Smiling down at him as they made themselves comfortable, she began telling the story.
"The story is about a brilliant prince, one who ruled a large and peace-filled country..."
After a good 20 minutes, Shippou was well trapped within Sleep's hold; and Kagome too, was trapped. They slept there, together for the rest of the night, with no one to bother them. Not even the bogey man.
The Following Sunday
She couldn't contain her joy. She was going to explode. Any minute now. With a small smile gracing her lips, she slowly inhaled a large breath of air. And then slowly, very slowly, let out the breath again. And that's where she lost it.
She erupted into a fit of giggles as she hugged herself and turned from three people's gazes. She covered her mouth as she continued to shake with laughter, trying to bite her tongue to try and not interrupt the heavy conversation between her mother and the dealer. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, excused them and led Kagome outside as Kagome's mother closed the deal.
Taking hold of Kagome's elbow, he led Kagome out of the two-story glass building with a large sign on front. Now, if she had lost it before – then she was already insane by the time she got fresh air. She lunged herself at Sesshomaru, her arms tightly strapped around his neck as she smiled widely. Sighing (in a way that wasn't annoyance or impatience), Sesshomaru hugged her back as she relied on him to hold her off the ground.
"Thank you for coming Sesshomaru. Your judgment means a lot to me, and without your business intellect, the dealer probably would have priced a car we wanted a lot more than we wanted." Kagome stated. Smirking, he lowered herdown to the ground so she could stand on her own two feet.
She let him go and straightened her shirt, Sesshomaru looked up to see Ms. Higurashi proudly walking out of the dealership, her purse on one shoulder and pair of keys in her hand.
Kagome looked up also to smile brightly at her mother. As she joined the two, she took hold of her daughter's hand and held her palm upwards. Placing the keys in her hand, she smiled at her. "Kagome Higurashi, you are now the owner of your very own – working – car."
Closing Kagome's palm around the keys, tears started to creep up on Kagome's eyes as she hugged her mother tightly.
"Thank you so much mama."
Smiling and hugging back, she told Kagome that it was no trouble at all, and that she deserved a better car than the one that was slowly rotting away in their driveway. They had fixed it up, and gave it a good cleaning before trading it in (along with a few thousand) for a new car. This all had been possible, though, because of Sesshomaru and his intelligent arrangements with the dealer.
As the two women separated, Kagome looked at Sesshomaru and hugged him again. He almost - almost – smiled. As quickly as she hugged him, she let go and ran towards the car that was currently awaiting them. Because Kagome had driven her mother there, as well as with Sesshomaru (whose car was in Kagome's driveway), they all jumped into the car willingly.
Although Ms. Higurashi was hesitant to get in the car with Kagome, Sesshomaru was quite calm by now, used to the back seat and Kagome's 'easy going' driving. As they drove out of the parking lot and onto the main road, Kagome and her mother chatted happily as fresh air streamed into the car through their windows. Kagome made a comment about not liking the 'fresh and new' smell that the car had, and quickly shoved the 'air freshener' into her purse to try and get rid of the car smell.
Unfortunately for the women, the temperature outside was about fifty degrees Fahrenheit, so after two minutes of bathing in the rushing cold air, they closed the windows with much haste, Kagome reaching reluctantly towards the dashboard to turn the heat on.
This caught Sesshomaru's attention, and he smirked at the amusing fight Kagome was having with her past experiences. After a moment though, the smirk faded away and looked outside to stare at the passing buildings and cars as they headed back towards Kagome's house.
Kagome looked at him through the rear-view mirror above her head, and smiled when Sesshomaru appeared to be off-guard, keeping his thoughts to himself. She continued to smile as she turned the radio up and an old song flowed through the speakers.
Smiling at the song, both women started singing, causing Sesshomaru to doubt their sanity. He actually considered panicking, because he had allowed them full control of the car. Sooner or later, it seemed, he would probably have to throw himself out the door in order to avoid a troubling car crash. The last thing he needed was a bruised cheek or any broken bones.
As the song continued to flow throughout the car, the whispering voices of the girls in the front of the car seemed to become even more welcoming. Slowly they sung the lyrics, Sesshomaru closing his eyes as they enjoyed themselves in each other's company.
Eventually Sesshomaru opened his eyes, noticing the familiar surroundings as they neared their destination. Sitting up from his resting position against the seat, Sesshomaru dug out his cell phone his father to tell him that he would be at Kagome's house, for how long he didn't know.
Kagome smiled as she continued to eye a certain someone through the rear-view mirror. The song had ended a few moments earlier, but the words stilled repeated themselves in her head. Inside her head she continued to sing, and she could hear her mother humming the tune to herself after turning the annoying commercial – owned radio off.
Kagome pulled the car up in front of the lawn, not wanting to have her car in the way when Sesshomaru needed to go home. Putting the car into park and turning the key to turn the car off, she followed the others' actions and climbed out of the new car. She smiled at Sesshomaru as they walked side by side towards the door, her mother grabbing the mail from the mailbox at the corner of their driveway.
But then Sesshomaru suddenly stopped next to his parked car and urged her to stop with him. Standing patiently as he opened the passenger door, he grabbed a small wrapped box and closed the door behind him. Kagome stared, confused, when he stood in front of her, the box her held catching her eyes immediately.
"For you. It's a gift to congratulate you on getting your first working car." Sesshomaru spoke softly, a smirk evident in his features. Stepping closer to her and handing her the present, he straightened himself, bracing himself for anything she could give or throw at him.
But she just stood there, her head bowed down in a way that he could not see her eyes because of her bangs. Her hands shook as she held the present, a tear or two falling to drop on the light blue paper. Sesshomaru stiffened.
"Kagome?" he asked placing a hand on her shoulder, hoping to find out what was wrong. Was it something he did?
"Why? Why do I deserve a present Sesshomaru?" she choked out as she raised a hand to wipe the tears on the back of her palm – her eyes were still not visible to his own amber gaze.
Sesshomaru opened his mouth to respond, when she suddenly looked up, a sincere smile complimenting her sparkling, tearful, eyes. She brushed her bangs from her eyes, she sighed.
"Thank you." she stated happily, and slowly leaned forward to catch him in a gentle and fragile embrace. She cried happy tears into his shoulder as they stood there for a moment. Sesshomaru rubbed her back in a comforting fashion, waiting until her tears stopped flowing to speak. But before her tears stopped and before he spoke, it started to drizzle.
Inside of Kagome's head, she cursed her luck as she separated from Sesshomaru. Looking up into his amber eyes, she noticed something she hadn't seen since she had ever known him.
It was softness. Worry even, as he looked down at her and reached to brush her bangs back. She raised a hand to her mouth as it began to rain, but she didn't care. They just kept staring into each other's eyes – her admiration for him growing even more as his eyes seemed to show more emotion in them than she had ever seen.
Sesshomaru, though, was seeing her eyes like they were normally – full of emotion. And one thing that he admired most about her eyes were that they seemed to be windows to her soul; To her personality. He could see how she loved the very thought of his kindness, and he himself could see the kindness that she always radiated in any situation.
Leaning down, he gave her another one of those golden kisses on her forehead, and gently led her into the house and out of the rain.
After drying themselves off and hanging up their coats, Sesshomaru sat on the end seat of the couch, stretching his arm to rest on the top rim of the couch. Kagome sat close to him, but not too close for fear of embarrassing herself. Her mother sat next to her as she asked her daughter where she got the present, and that's when the conversation started.
Kagome held the package tightly in her lap, running a finger along it's mysterious blue wrapping. She listened intently to the conversation between her mother and Sesshomaru, her mother complimenting Sesshomaru for being so generous when it wasn't necessary, and Sesshomaru telling her mother that it was a gift of his appreciation.
"There are only a few people in the world who can hang around Sesshomaru and not get annoyed. Although I get annoyed a lot, he's the best friend I've ever had." Kagome admitted to her mother, turning her head as she tried to cover her blush. Her mother chuckled in understanding, and Kagome looked up from the present to see that her mother was assuming too much. But it made her smile back.
Suddenly, rushed footsteps could be heard upstairs, and then rush down the stairs. Kagome smiled at the light footed boy who came into view at the foot of the staircase.
"Kajome!" he cried happily, giggles following afterward. He started to run over to her, using his small legs, and proceeded to hug her leg adoringly. But Kagome was not put on earth to be hugged 24/7, and she smiled as she picked him up to place him on her lap, moving the present to the side.
"How was my Shippou today? Was Souta good to you?" Kagome smiled.
"Souta was a stupid-head." Shippou pouted. And then brightened as he continued. "Kajome is better than him." That earned him a tickle as Kagome played her fingers across his stomach. After a few seconds Shippou was tired out from all the laughing and leaned against Kagome for support as he let out a small laugh.
But then his gaze met emotionless amber, and he gasped. Leaning forward, Shippou got a better look at the man. His smooth pale skin made his eyes stand out, their gaze ever-observing. His silver hair, tied up behind his neck as if to be contained, was one thing Shippou started to obsess over in his mind.
"A man with jray hair. Is he old?" Shippou asked. Sesshomaru lifted an eyebrow swiftly, throwing Kagome a questionable look.
"No, Sesshomaru is not old. Sesshomaru, this little guy is Shippou." Kagome introduced with a smirk. Sesshomaru returned his stoic look to the small boy, holding out his hand for him to take. Smiling brightly, Shippou reaching out both hands and shook Sesshomaru's large hand vigorously. Laughing at Shippou's playful behavior, Kagome ran her fingers through his hair as it flowed down to his back.
"Shippou, where did your ribbon go?" she asked curiously. He gasped and covered his mouth, looking up at her with despairing eyes. She just smiled and raised an eyebrow in question.
Slowly uncovering his mouth, and whispered "It's in Souta's room." And shut his mouth up, hands securely clamped to his mouth again. Kagome sighed, the smile still on her face and picked Shippou up to place him on his feet on the floor.
"Shippou, you have a mission." she said with a firm voice.
"Yes yes! Mission." Shippou responded, removing his hands from his face to form fists of excitement that he held up in front of his chest.
"You need to go and get your ribbon, and defeat the evil Souta. Can you do it?" She urged.
"It be honor!" He swallowed, holding out his chest as he bravely stomped back to the stairs and proceeded to fulfill his mission. Laughing, Kagome and her mother looked at each other.
"I can't believe he is so cute and open." her mother started. Kagome nodded and turned to Sesshomaru with an expectant look. He just stared back with an equally expectant look.
"So? What do you think of him?" She prodded.
"He has a lot of energy." 'And I fear that may not be a good thing. If he learns things from Kagome, we could end up with more than one Kagome.' Sesshomaru stated, half out loud and half in thought. Kagome just smiled back and picked up the present.
"So, what did you get me?"
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow and said with a very 'smart ass' tone, "A box with some contents in it." It earned him a playful smack on the arm.
Slowly, and carefully, Kagome peeled the wrapping from the box. After handing the trash to her mother who tossed them in a nearby trashcan, Kagome stared at the present in wonder. The words Satellite Radio were printed in large letters on the cover, and then a picture of the radio itself. Kagome gasped and whispered 'wow' as she leaned against the back of the couch, her head resting below Sesshomaru's arm.
"Aren't those really expensive?" Ms. Higurashi asked, tipping her head forward so she could look at Sesshomaru. He didn't answer.
"Sesshomaru!" Kagome yelled, looking at him with disappointment. Sesshomaru predicted this. "Why would you get me something so expensive?" she asked, but she said it in a tone that demanded that he remain silent. He just looked at her eyes and he could tell that she was going to cry again.
Sighing, Kagome leaned over and against him. She resisted the tears and just whispered a sincere "Thank you." Sesshomaru let a small smile escape onto his lips and moved his arm from it's resting place to wrap around Kagome's shoulders protectively.
After a moment, Kagome closed her eyes and fell asleep against Sesshomaru. Her mother noticed this as she looked up from reading a magazine she had picked up, and smiled.
"It's only seven, and she falls asleep. She is so silly." her mother announced in a small whisper as she stood. Walking over to her daughter, she kissed her cheek and walked upstairs to get Shippou.
Sesshomaru sat there, running his finger through Kagome's soft hair as she breathed slowly in her sleep. He watched as her chest rose slowly, every other few seconds, and smirked. He moved into a more comfortable position on the couch, gently lifting Kagome so she was sitting on his lap and so her head was resting on his other shoulder. With switched to his other hand as he combed her hair again, admiring it's silky texture.
Her sighed and looked down at this beautiful girl as she slept. He wondered how she managed to be so care-free while so many things could easily trouble her. Shippou, the boy she saved was a boy who suffered child abuse. Yet, now that he was living with Kagome, he was beaming with joy every time he saw Kagome. Kagome didn't show sorrow in her eyes when she looked at him, but it seemed as if it sometimes did hurt her when he disappeared from sight.
Yet she always stayed happy around him. It seemed she was always happy, and smiled on so that Shippou knew that everything was okay. And that the same thing happened to him too, she was always confident and always fine, and she never stopped smiling - unless she had pouted in playfulness. Or had gasped in surprise. But even if her face was blank, happiness was sprinkled in the color of her eyes.
There was only one time when he had seen her truly sad. And it was the one and only time he saw her think of her own depression, and was actually worrying about herself in another's presence.
"Don't eat my muffin..." Kagome whimpered in her sleep, bringing a smile to Sesshomaru's face. And when he worried about her, it seemed she always wanted to avoid any selfish behavior on her part.
"Sesshomaru..." she mumbled again and curled up closer to him. His heart seemed to stop for a moment and stared at Kagome with surprise. She smiled after she mumbled his name, and watched as her hand gripped part of his shirt in an attempt to stay close to him. He sighed, and stopped playing with her hair to wrap his arm around her shoulder.
Turning his head, he found a blanket on the couch where Ms. Higurashi was sitting, and quickly took it and laid it across himself and Kagome in an attempt to warm her. After a few moments, Ms. Higurashi walked into the room, holding a small brown paper bag. She smiled at the scene, and picked up the remote control from the coffee table to give to Sesshomaru, nodded in thanks. She smiled, asked him politely to watch Kagome, Souta, and Shippou for about an hour as she went out, and he nodded.
After thanking him, she left silently through the side door. He turned his attention to the remote in his hands, and turned the television on, instantly muting the volume, so her wouldn't wake the sleeping angel who clung to him. He turned the channel to a classical music channel, and turned down the volume and then de-muting the TV. Very softly, piano sounds and flutes floated throughout the room, calming down Sesshomaru once the noise reached his ears.
He had been tense ever since that morning, when he learned that Rin had stolen more than half his bed and he was confined to a small space on the side of the bed, just so he wouldn't wake her. But now that he had a chance to relax, he was in the best place in the world to do so. And he was afraid to admit to that.
(About an hour later.)
Kagome's eyes fluttered open, to find that she was comfortably warm. But she didn't feel the silky texture of her pillow on her cheek. She felt something almost softer. She looked around, and found out that she was sleeping on top of someone. She lifted her head to meet Sesshomaru's cheek, as they leaned against the back of the couch. She was half on his lap, her legs laying over the the middlepillow of the couch. Her head was resting on his shoulder, with his arm holding her up safely against him. He had pulled a blanket over her generously.
Sesshomaru noticed the movement but didn't think much of it, because she had been fidgeting during her sleep. So when he felt her breath on his cheek, he woke up from his trance. Looking down at her, their faces a few inches apart, she smiled. She pulled him into a hug and apologized for being such a burden.
He brushed it off and responded saying that it didn't bother him, but she just smiled. She continued to hug him closely, and Sesshomaru felt himself loving every moment. The smell of her hair, the feel of her body next to his – or even against his. It was all unreal.
"I'm home!" Ms. Higurashi trashed the moment, but not on purpose. Kagome smiled and released herself from the entanglement she and Sesshomaru were in, and folded the blanket as Sesshomaru stood and placed the remote back onto the table after turning the TV off.
"I should go. Rin will probably be needing me." Sesshomaru announced to both women, who in turn nodded. Kagome gave him a small hug, thank you, and smile before he turned to get his coat from the coat closet. She went into the kitchen to talk to her mother when Sesshomaru stepped into the room. Kagome's mother grabbed her paper bag and handed it to him, and then said goodbye as she went upstairs. Although Kagome was curious, she didn't ask. Following him to the door, she opened it for him and watched him walk out the door, digging out his keys to unlock his Dorango. After waving goodbye and after he pulled out the driveway, Kagome closed the door.
She leaned against the door and started to giggle uncontrollably.
--
Sesshomaru was now laying in his own room, having finished reading Rin her bed time story and said goodnight to his father. He found himself trying to relax in his bed, but failed. It was useless to try and find comfort in such an uptight home.
He took the paper bag Ms. Higurashi had given him, and turned the bag upside down so the contents emptied into his other open hand. What fell out surprised him in a heart-stopping way.
There lay a pile of pictures, the top picture he was surprised that was even captured on film. As he looked at the picture, he recognized it as the picture of Kagome and himself standing in front of her fridge the day his family had gone to eat at her house. You could see Kagome's profile, and she was smiled as she looked up at him. He didn't know she smiled at him like that.
The next picture that he flipped to was the picture of Kagome jumping on him for a hug when he had escorted her outside of the dealership that afternoon. Kagome was smiling in such a way that it seemed as if she herself was the sun. He held her tightly in their hug, and he never noticed how gentle it seemed he was when he handled her.
He flipped to another picture, the one of Sesshomaru in the back seat as he stared out the window. He looked too calm. And the next picture was almost the same, but his eyes were closed and he wore a smile. That moment seemed to be a rare one, andMs. Higurashiwas lucky to have captured it.
Then he switched to another picture, one he was even more astonished to see. He was looking down at Kagome with a worried look while Kagome's head was bent down, her bangs covering her tearful eyes. But there was a smile on her face that made him feel alright.
Then there was another picture of the same scene, only they were hugging. Then he flipped to another picture, and he was shocked to see the picture of himself kissing Kagome's forehead. But that didn't shock him. It was the look on Kagome's face. Her eyes were closed in a peaceful manner, and she had a happy grin gracing her lips.
Moving that picture to the side, because he found it to be special, he found a picture of when Kagome had just fallen asleep against him. The next picture pretty much the same, only she had been moved on his lap, and he was staring down at her. The rest of the pictures were just copies, and Sesshomaru proceeded to put them back in the bag when a picture slipped out of the pile. He picked it up and could not help the smile that appeared on his face.
Kagome was sticking her tongue out in a silly fashion as Shippou made a face with puffy cheeks and was pulling on his eyelids. He turned the photo over to see Ms. Higurashi's writing:
I thought that you might have wanted this.
During the remainder of the week, Kagome no longer needed Sesshomaru to ride to and from school. She still arrived at school, though, at the same time Sesshomaru did – but sometimes there were mornings where she had to show up only a few minutes before 'homeroom' bell, and those days were usually messy days.
Kagome had started to stay for shorter times in the library after school also, so she barely saw Sesshomaru apart from a study hall on Mondays and Fridays, and sometimes in the morning. She was rather busy, too, because she had her first ice skating competition against other district skaters to determine who was going to Semifinals.
Kagome missed Sesshomaru immensely, because he was the only person who she knew at the school. Even though she had been there for well over a month, people still hadn't introduced themselves to her, or were not interested in beings friends. She did every paper or project solo, and was proud that she could accomplish everything on her own. But sooner or later, the feeling of not having a girl to talk to would take a toll on her emotions. And she wasn't sure she was ready to deal with that along with the pressure of winning the upcoming competition.
But Sesshomaru could not be left out. He had called her now and then at night, but not obsessively. He called to check up on her, and to get information on the upcoming competition and to just listen to her babble on and on about nothing in particular. He was suffering from the lack of a passenger in his car, and had started to put his bag in the passenger seat to try to fill the emptiness it left him feeling. But after only a few days, he realized that it was useless. He just needed to get used to it.
But something else was missing. It was the feeling of being needed, the feeling of being relied on. He felt proud that he could make Kagome's day by simply spending time with her while they drove to school. He also felt glad to being a necessity of Kagome's, but now it was as if he could just be thrown out like a used tissue. She could rely on herself now, and it was almost painful to see her happier that way.
Right now it was the first Friday since Kagome had received her car, and she pulled into the parking lot next to Sesshomaru's Dorango. She opened her door after putting the car into park, and a flow of loud music greeted the ears of a waiting Sesshomaru, who leaned against the driver's door of his own ride. Kagome took the keys from the ignition, and clamped them to the side of her bag as she lifted the long strap onto her shoulder and closed the door.
She smiled at her friend, but noticed he was not looking at her. She walked over to him, her bag rubbing against her thigh as she did so. In Sesshomaru's hands was a small photo, but before she could catch a glimpse of the picture, Sesshomaru tucked it safely back into his wallet. She pouted when he did so, and he pretended he didn't notice. He had learned Monday that Kagome did not receive any pictures of her own, and it was a secret between himself and her mother that he had possession of them.
"Come on, no fair." Kagome complained, tugging on his sleeve to try to get him to show her.
"You have your secrets, and I have mine." he retorted plainly, looking at her with a hint of curiosity about what she might do next.
"We're friends though; and friends tell each other their secrets. It has to be a really good secret if you won't allow me to see it – so just let me see it!" Kagome pleaded. But Sesshomaru was stubborn and had replied in a dead-pan tone:
"No."
Kagome pouted again. She then reached for his wallet, but he only held it above her head tauntingly. She cried out that it was unfair, but he was amusing himself as she stood on her toes to try to reach it. But Sesshomaru was taller than her, so it was useless. Sighing, she stood in front of him with a defeated look plastered on her face. He proudly placed the wallet in his back pocket, his ego growing slightly because of his small victory.
Kagome raised an eyebrow when he did so. "You think putting it in your back pocket is going to stop me?" she asked evilly, and laughed when Sesshomaru's eyebrows furrowed at the statement.
"That would be rather disrespectful if you took something that was not yours." he replied, just as amused at the face she made back at him. Sighing, she shook her head and brushed a few strands of her hair behind her ear.
"I didn't think I'd have to come to this." she confessed, and the stepped forward to hug Sesshomaru. She leaned against him and rubbed her nose up against the corner of his jaw, in a form of cuddling. Of course he was caught off guard, the action obviously shocking him into defenselessness. Kagome took that moment to relentlessly slip her fingers into his back pocket and grab the slim leather wallet, and put it into her own back pocket. Sesshomaru had too much pride to do what she did.
She giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thanks Sesshomaru!" And with that, she let him go, turning her back to him and stood where she was. Sesshomaru was angry, behind her and spoke into her ear with such a tone, it could have scared anyone else away.
"That was uncalled for." Kagome just turned around, pushed him against his door, and leaned her back against his chest to keep him pinned and quiet. She took out his wallet and looked at the pictures he had. One of Rin, one of James, and one of ... her and Shippou. She gaped at it, and was more than surprised to see it. She only remembered her mother taking that picture the night after the party she went to with Sesshomaru. How did he get it ...?
"Satisfied?" Came Sesshomaru's voice. Kagome closed her mouth and just kept staring at the picture in wonder. After a moment, Kagome slipped the picture back into his wallet and closed it, turned around and handed it to him.
"I'm sorry. I didn't..." She was out of words to say. She avoided his gaze as he put the wallet back in his pocket, and stared at her. Sesshomaru then nodded his forgiveness, and Kagome let a small smile escape onto her lips. But now she felt really bad about digging into his personal things – a wallet no less. What if there was something in there that was so private no one in the world was allowed to look at it other than him?
"It's alright. You are less curious now?" Sesshomaru replied after a moment, and Kagome looked up with a smile.
"Less curious? Who do you take me for?" She giggled when Sesshomaru's emotionless features supported a frown. "In fact, I have more questions to ask you." She smiled. He continued to frown. Was it possible that his day could be any more ruined?
"Why don't I have a picture of you? Huh?" Kagome asked in a spunky tone, stepped away from him and folding her arms across her chest. He raised one of his perfectly sculpted eyebrows in question.
"What? You think you can just have a picture of me and get away with it? Either I take that one away, or you give me one. It's simple." was all that she said as she waited. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, didn't know what to do. He was in a mix of emotions ever since she pulled that stunt, and now he was left between giving up a picture of her, or giving up something that no one else could ever willingly obtain.
Slipping a hand into an outer pocket of his bag, Sesshomaru pulled out a picture and handed it to Kagome without further thought. He wasn't going to give up Kagome's picture any time soon, and definitely not to her.
Kagome smiled, accepted the picture, and her smile grew into a grin at the picture. "Aww, my Sesshomaru looks so cute when he smiles." Kagome blushed at the picture and hugged it to her chest. Sesshomaru mentally sighed at the sentence, bewildered at how many emotions she could stir up inside of him.
Kagome looked up at his emotionless face and smiled for the umpteenth time that morning.
"Thank you so much Sesshomaru." And with that, they returned to reality which was high school and beyond.
--
Kagome gasped. She, along with a few other students were reading the notices on a bulletin board outside the guidance office. One notice, that took Kagome's immediate attention, shouted at the whole student body to go to the School Dance that a Garden and Maze company was hosting that evening. Kagome smiled and along with the other students, were looking forward to that night. Sighing, Kagome lifted her hand to hold her head in her palm.
"It's so romantic." she and another said simultaneously. Looking at each other, they both laughed.
"I heard they're holding it in a garden where the dance floor is surrounded by beautiful flowers and roses." the girl stated as both girls erupted into giggles.
"That's so cool. I heard that they were going to have live music too." Kagome added. Both of them sighed at the image. But they were knocked out of their trance-like state soon after, and the girl introduced herself.
"Hi, I'm Ayame Makimura." she greeted, holding out a warm hand. Kagome smiled, and they shook hands.
"I'm Kagome Higurashi." With a raised eyebrow, Ayame quickly responded.
"Kagome? I like that name. But do you happen to be the same Kagome... who is rumored to be going out with Sesshomaru?" Kagome laughed nervously, thinking that it was typical of rumors to spread. Old memories started to resurface, but Kagome shook them from her thoughts to respond.
"Well, yeah, I'm that Kagome, but I'm not dating Sesshomaru." She replied, a blush creeping onto her cheeks as she rubbed the back of her head. Ayame just smiled and understood.
"I've known Sesshomaru for years, but he never really had a friend. Despite everyone knowing who he is and wanting to be friends, no one ever got the chance. It's just surprising to see a newcomer who can affect him in such ways." She continued. But Kagome was confused.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean when you say 'affect him in such ways.'."
Ayame stood there for a moment, staring at Kagome, and then laughed. "Oh! Well, no one has ever seen him smile. Well, some might have seen an evil smirk or two from him; but since you've come he smiles at least once a week now," They laughed. "He's more polite – more open." And with that, she looked at her watch.
Kagome, who was thinking about those few little words, watched as the girl fretted. "Oh, I gotta go. My boyfriend is gonna be mad if I don't meet him at lunch right when the bell rings. I'll talk to you later, then?" she asked, and Kagome nodded. Waving goodbye to each other, Ayame left with haste.
Kagome smiled at the idea having met someone new. Although their first conversation practically started because of a rumor, it relaxed her that at least someone didn't listen to everything they heard. Changing the subject back to the dance, Kagome took out a small notebook from her pocket and wrote down the location.
After that, she quickly made her way to the library, where she knew she could find Sesshomaru. Opening and closing the door to the large room, Kagome walked around the tables and placed her bag in her old chair, sitting in a chair next to Sesshomaru. He didn't look up, but it seemed as if he already knew it was her.
"Watcha doin'?" Kagome asked in a mischievous tone. Papers were scattered around Sesshomaru's spot on the table, and he was currently flipping through a packet.
"I'm finding out if they can get rid of the library system we have in this school."
Kagome blinked. "What a sec, you mean they're actually still talking about that stupid prank pulled by that jerk?" After Sesshomaru nodded, Kagome huffed and puffed about how stupid it was. He was just as frustrated as her, only he was doing something about it.
"I'm guessing you're looking at the requirements for someone to do so?" she asked, and only got another nod. She sighed. As much as this was interesting, it was equally annoying. If Sesshomaru was going to ignore her while she missed lunch to spend time with him, then he had another thing coming.
"There is a dance tonight." she mentioned, and looked at her nails. Sesshomaru 'hmm'ed in response. Kagome sighed and folded her hands in her lap.
"Sesshomaru?"
"Hmm?"
"Wanna come with me?"
Finally! He actually looked at her, sitting back in his chair – his mind exhausted. But he didn't respond, and they ended up having a staring contest sort of thing. Only Kagome was losing, and she looked away with a frown. When Sesshomaru won, he raised an eyebrow as something caught his attention.
"What is this? Is Kagome blushing?" he teased. Kagome was actually blushing, the light pink turning to a dark rose color on her cheeks.
"N-no." she muttered in anger. But she couldn't look at him, and just stared at the papers in frustration.
"I'll go." After giving such a plain and simple answer, Kagome smiled and thanked him as he returned to the papers in front of them. Even though it made her happy that he would come to a social event with her, she became annoyed again. Growling silently, she crossed her arms on the table and looked at him angrily. Sure, she made him avoid this dull work for a second, but it seemed as if he was bent on being bland. But she didn't stop glaring at him.
Shortly after boring a hole into Sesshomaru's forehead because of her intense stare, Sesshomaru looked up at her. She blinked in surprise, not knowing that her stare actually affected him, and they found themselves in another staring contest. But before Kagome lost, she spoke.
"Is there something on my face?" she asked, clueless as she lifted a hand to search her face.
"No. But is something bothering you?" he asked, throwing her a bored look. She sighed and rubbed the side of her head in exhaustion.
"Yeah, kinda." she replied, avoiding his gaze. "Um, did you know about that rumor spreading around about us?" she asked, her voice a now more soft and relaxed tone. Sesshomaru on the other hand was quite annoyed.
"Yes. Don't worry, I took care of it." was his reply, and before he looked back at the work in front of him, he continued on. "Anything else?"
Kagome fidgeted visibly as she stared at her hands. "Yeah. Why the heck would a simple rumor worry me?" She looked around the room trying her best to not look at the source of her embarrassment.
"Because you're blushing again, Kagome." he replied. Kagome blushed even darker and grumbled.
"I am not blushing. Why would I blush?" The ceiling was so beautiful. The wonderful white tiles, kinda... moldy in all of it's brilliance of not letting rain through and into the building. Oh, yes, staring at it was getting her absolutely... nowhere.
Standing up, Sesshomaru walked over and stood behind Kagome's chair as she looked at the ceiling. He bent down so he could meet her gaze, amusement dancing in his eyes as Kagome twitched. She bent her head to face forward again, bringing her legs up to hug them closely to her chest as she muttered something under her breath.
"I can't believe you have prettier hair than me." Unfortunately, Sesshomaru was still bent over her and was listening intently to every word she said.
"Is it really that hard to believe?" Sesshomaru asked, and earned a smack to the cheek as Kagome sprang up in her chair, shocked that he had heard her – and her heart beating so fast that it rang in her ears. Sesshomaru stood up straight, his face remaining emotionless as he raised a hand to caress his sore cheek.
"That hurt." He admitted amusingly, almost tauntingly. Kagome knelt in an odd position in her chair, staring at Sesshomaru who still stood behind her.
"Well it's not everyday that people stand behind you, listening to everything you say. Especially when it's not meant for their ears." She stated angrily, yet guiltily as she took his hand from his face to look at the damage she caused.
"Yes, blame me for you stating your thoughts aloud." He said back in a dull tone as he watched her examine his red cheek. The way her lips curved into a frown amused him even further, and he jerked his head out of her palm. Kagome growled again, only this time she felt a weird motion from under her as she noticed her world slowly turn upside down.
Grabbing the closest support she could find, she grasped Sesshomaru's elbow and dragged him down with her as the chair tipped over sideways, Kagome rolling out of it, and Sesshomaru with her.
Kagome, who had hit her head on the hard carpet was battling her brain for control and to figure what happened. Sesshomaru, who had landed on her, was recovering from the same confusing state Kagome was in. After a moment, they both found themselves in a very... interesting position. Kagome laying on the floor, with a Sesshomaru kneeling over her, his hands planted to the floor above her shoulders.
Blushing even darker than Kagome ever thought possible, she stared up at the emotionless statue over her. He stared down into her blue pools that were only explaining her every thought to him, his mind whirling with the possibilities of what could happen next.
"Umm, I h-had n-nothing to do with this." Kagome stuttered, but Sesshomaru smiled as he cocked his head.
"Oh really? And you think it is my fault that you grabbed me?" He asked, a corner of his lips turning up in that famous smirk of his. Kagome could hear her heart beating in her ears once more, and wouldn't have been surprised if Sesshomaru heard it too.
"Yeah! It is all your fault." She fought back, but Sesshomaru brought his face closer to quiet her.
"Oh, yes. I am devious enough to do that." he teased as Kagome stared at him, her gaze hauntingly hovering over Sesshomaru's curved lips. Realizing the thoughts that were going through her head at the moment, she gasped and looked into Sesshomaru's eyes to see his amusement. Of course, he could read her thoughts and was finding it very - very – funny.
She opened her mouth to scold him, but the words wouldn't come out. She just laid there, her mouth agape as Sesshomaru read every emotion of hers.
"Tell me Kagome, is it possible that you could blush any more?" he asked, once again teasing her as he cooked up a plan in his mind. She took note of his eyes slowly leaking the emotion that he felt inside.
"What are you talking about? I'm n-not..." she quickly swallowed, licking her dry lips as she realized that lying would only make her look more foolish. "Y-you can't make me blush, Sesshomaru." Kagome shook her head, but her chest was swelling with emotions that she hadn't felt in a very long time. And her gaze was brought down to his lips again, and she frowned.
"I can see that." He was enjoying this! The bastard! He just watched her unfold before him – rather, below him (heh heh) – as she squirmed with uncertainty. He could tell that she was willing for something to happen, and yet was slowly trying to deny every feeling that flashed through her brilliant eyes.
Leaning down, Sesshomaru gently kissed Kagome on the cheek, and nuzzled her jawline playfully, his chest almost bursting with laughter that he would never let escape his from within him. After a moment of playing with her, he whispered silently into her ears:
"That was payback for this morning." And with that, he stood up, brushed himself off and held out a hand for her. She was still stunned about that stunt he so cunningly pulled. But as she looked at the hand he held out for her, she snorted and stood up without his help. She grabbed her bag and looked at Sesshomaru, who seemed to already know why she was so flustered.
"That was uncalled for." Kagome repeated the same words he had told her that morning after she had pulled a similar, but less impressive, trick. She turned her head to the side, and looked at the papers on the table.
"I'll let you return to your work." she said rather coldly, and took a step forward to leave when a pair of arms restrained her. Dropping her bag to the floor, she noticed how closely Sesshomaru was holding her. She could hardly breathe as he kissed her hair, and wrapped his arms around her waist.
He knew that he could control his emotions, know what he would do in any situation and how what he felt at all times. But unlike him, Kagome was a free spirit who didn't know what to think. She was always uncertain about what to feel, whether it was okay to feel something for someone, or to push them away and run away in fear for being hurt.
Sadly enough, Sesshomaru saw the hurt in her eyes when she told him that he could return to his work just so she could run off and maybe do something stupid in her mind boggling mood.
"Kagome, I'm sorry." Could he really apologize? How come he didn't calculate the damage he could inflict on her?
"I have to go. P-please." Kagome whimpered as she held tightly to his shirt, not actually wanting to let go of him- but being too emotionally unstable to be in anyone's arms at the moment.
"Kagome - -" Sesshomaru started, but she pulled herself from his embrace and ran out of the library empty handed. A dark frown on his face, Sesshomaru observed a large spot on his shirt that was wet due to Kagome's tears. At that point, Sesshomaru was deeply ashamed for having caused the stain.
Sitting back into his chair, and for the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do.
Next Chapter: Your Doors (Behind Your Hidden Doors)
YourDoors (Beyond Your Hidden Doors) Preview:
Kagome is very confused emotionally and mentally, especially when a new girl appears!
How does this girl affect Sesshomaru? And what does Kagome have to say about it? Find out next chapter!