Ch 1
Kagome sighed heading towards the river to wash out the clothes. They'd played cards and Kagome had lost the most hands, making laundry her job that night. She frowned, hearing something groan. She carefully fallowed the sound, wincing when she found the cause. Sesshomaru. He was sitting under a tree, still looking terribly wounded from the fight with Inuyasha that afternoon.
The dog demon growled, vaguely aware of the miko's presence. "Leave me be, woman." He fumbled with his sword, drawing the blade and aiming it at her, arm trembling with the weight.
"Put that away before you hurt yourself more" she said looking around. "Where's Rin?"
"Home." He growled, sword dropping to the ground, his wounds draining his stamina to the point of feeling faint.
"At least she's safe" she nodded, walking over and setting the clothes aside before opening her backpack and unpacking her first aid kit.
"Go away." He growled, trying to get to his feet.
"Your going to do more damage to yourself just sit" she said. She wasn't nearly as afraid of him as she would have been had he not been so weak.
"I do not take orders from you, miko." He scowled, though he lowered himself back to the ground.
"then don't take it as an order. Take it as a suggestion." She said. "This will sting" she warned before starting to clean his wounds.
He growled in pain at first, before settling into unhappy muttering. "Why are you doing this? I am your enemy, am I not?"
"...I'm doing it for Rin" she said. "Demon or not you could bleed out."
"You would be wiser to let me die."
"for me, probably. But then Rin would be without another father Figure" she said, bandaging his wounds.
"Too nice for your own good." He muttered, unconsciousness threatening to overtake him.
"Your probably right" she said, before leaning over to place a bandage over his cheek.
"You smell pretty. Like flowers." He muttered, looking at her through bleary eyes.
"And that's a sign you've lost a lot of blood" she said, blushing slightly. She shouldn't take the comment seriously. He was half dead after all.
"I am fine." He said. "My brother is a fool for waiting..."
"Waiting for what?" She frowned.
"Mating you"
"I think your confused. Inuyasha and I aren't like that." She shook her head. "we're friends."
"Doesn't mean... I'm wrong..." he trailed off, drifting in and out of consciousness.
She sighed pulling out a pack of aspirin and a water bottle leaving her next to him, before leaving to the river. Once the clothes were washed she quickly headed back to camp.
"What took so damn long?" Inuyasha snapped. "We're ready to go to bed, but we cant while you're off in Lala land."
"I was washing clothes. And your not going to sleep anyways sense you're on first watch" she rolled her eyes hanging the clothes around the fire, Sango helping.
"That ain't the point." The half demon grumbled, leaping into the nearest tree.
She smelled odd... but he attributed it to the soap she used for the clothes. It always made her smell off.
"Everything ok?" Sango asked.
"Yeah. Just farther than I thought" shrugged.
The half-demon grumbled to himself, but didn't make anymore comments. Of course, only Kagome could get lost going straight to a river. She was lucky Sesshomaru hadn't found her.
Kagome sighed setting up her sleeping bag. She wondered if she should tell Inuyasha about finding Sesshoamru…but then that might lead to a fight. And they didn't need that right now.
Inuyasha kept his attention on their surroundings, wary of another attack from Sesshomaru.
"Let's just get some sleep. We still have half a days walk" Sango said.
"Yeah, yeah, get your sleep, then." Inuyasha muttered, settling back while the rest of them went to sleep.
Kagome climbed the ladder out of the well and made her way to the house. She was glad Inuyasha hadn't insisted on fallowing so she could get a nap in before getting new supplies. Once in the kitchen she heard her mom talking to someone. "I'm back" she called wondering who'd be visiting.
"Kagome! Come in and say hi" her mother called from the dinning room.
"Hello, Kagome." The older man smiled coolly at her, bowing his head.
His dark hair didn't fool Kagome. She quickly grabbed the knife next to her mothers plate "what are you doing here?"
"Kagome what has gotten into you?" Her mother asked trying to lower the younger woman's arm "Sesshomaru I'm sorry I don't know what's wrong with her"
"Its quite alright, Sakura." He chuckled, waving the woman's concerns away. "She has every reason to be leery of me. I am not exactly pleasant to her in the feudal era. I'm sure you remember the stories."
"Mom you know who this is?" Kagome looked at her mother like she was crazy.
"Of course I do. Sesshomaru Taisho. Inuyasha's older brother. He's been having Wednesday tea with me for a few years now."
"You have nothing to fear from me, Kagome." He assured her with a chuckle.
"Put the knife down" her mother said finally lowering Kagomes arm. "You have manners"
Kagome couldn't stop staring at her mother. The woman had lost her mind!
"Its quite alright, Sakura, I assure you. I don't blame her for being so wary." He chuckled. "Were I in her shoes I would have done much the same."
"Sit" Sakura said to her daughter before taking the knife and cutting off a slice of the small coffee cake. "Here you're pale." She giving her a cup of tea as well.
"Mom he's dangerous" Kagome said.
"I am no longer any danger to you, nor your mother, Kagome." He said earnestly. "I would never dream of hurting you."
"If he was going to do anything he'd have already done it" Sakura said. "Like I said, he's been visiting for 2 years"
"Exactly. I bare you no ill-wishes." He nodded his head. "Not that I could ever dream of harming such lovely ladies as yourselves." He smiled charmingly.
"Are you flirting with my mom?" Kagome asked.
"Not with me" Sakura said sipping her tea.
"I am simply being polite." He smiled warmly. "Though I would never be so crass as to deny that Sakura is a gem."
"If not for Sesshomaru I'd be tearing out my hair worrying about you going back and forth. He has kept me up to date on most of what has gone on"
"I do my best, though some things are fuzzy." He admitted.
Kagome was still confused when a car honked. "That's my cab. I have a doctors appointment then Souta has a soccer game." She told Kagome. "You relax and talk, don't rush off" she assured Sesshomaru as she stood.
"As you wish. Tell Souta good luck." He smiled to the woman.
"Why do I feel like that was planned" Kagome said very on edge as her mother left.
"It may be. Your mother has quite the mischievous side, you know. She and Shippo do get along fabulously." He shrugged sipping his tea.
"What? So your the only one who showed up?" She raised a brow. "Why are you here?"
"Shippo is usually pretty busy. Bakeries take a lot of effort. I'm fortunate to have a lot of free time, so I visit more often." He said with a soft smile.
"You didn't answer my question. Why are you here" Shippo had a bakery? What about Inuyasha?
"I am here because it is Wednesday and I have been coming for tea with your mother for ten years. And I wanted to see you." He said simply.
"And why is that?" She asked, not sure why he'd want to see her for anything now.
"Because I enjoy tea with your mother and enjoy seeing you." He explained with a smile.
"The last time I saw you, you pointed a sword at me. I'm not sure I believe that" she said scraping the cake back onto the tray and carrying the dirty dish to the kitchen.
He nodded, following her. "While that is entirely true, the one who pointed the sword at you was a me that's 500 years younger than I am now. And had not begun to see the light you are. Hey."
"You've still tried killing me" she said washing the dish. She didn't want to admit she was scared of him.
"True." He nodded. "I had. Nothing can ever change that. However, that does not mean that I would still do so." Sesshomaru watched her clean the dish a moment before stepping closer behind her. "You need not be so afraid of me, Kagome." He assured her.
Her back straightened. She wished she'd grabbed the knife. "You say that but I have almost a year of history saying the opposite"
"Then I suppose I should start building a different history, then, shouldn't I?" He asked softly as before slipping his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.
"What are you doing?" She asked hands freezing in the water.
"nuzzling your neck. something you enjoy." He said, knowing they obviously hadn't done this yet. But he had missed it. Holding her. Breathing in her scent.
"And...you think you should be doing that?"
"perhaps not…but you have not told me to stop yet." He pointed out.
She needed to put space between them. She needed to get away and figure out what his plan was.
"Do you want me to stop?" He whispered into her ear. He wanted her to say no…wanted to kiss her…
"I-I don't think you should be touching me" she said.
He smirked "you could touch me"
"What?" What had he said?
"Do you want me to stop?"
"Yes, you need to stop" she said, trying to sound firm.
"As you wish." He sighed, pulling away, and smiled warmly down at her.
Kagome still didn't trust him. She quickly set the plate in the drainer and dried her hands. "I think you should leave"
"If that is what you want." He nodded.
He was being too nice..."I think that would be best" she said.
"As you wish." He smiled, gathering up his jacket and briefcase. "Your mother has my phone number, but here is my card." He said laying the fancy business card on the table before bowing his head and leaning.
Kagome made sure the door was locked before she went to her room. She sat on her bed trying to process everything.
Sesshomaru made his way down the stairs to his car, setting his bag and jacket in the backseat.
"Your really pushing it" Inuyasha said leaning against his own car.
"Hello, little brother. Personally, I think I am doing no such thing." Sesshomaru said pleasantly.
"You've tried this before. It didn't change the last time"
"Doesn't mean I wont keep trying. The only true failure is when you stop trying. And I'm not going to give up on her. On them."
Inuyasha lip cruller in a snarl before he pushed off his car "you know what happens next. It won't change"
"I don't believe that." Sesshomaru shook his head. "If you don't want to be involved, you don't have to be."
He shook his head. "we've tried. We can't change the past and I won't watch them die again."
"Then you don't have to. This is my burden to bare."
Inuyasha shook his head "leave her be. She's got enough to deal with"
"I cant do that, Inuyasha. You know that."
He shook his head and moved to get in the car.
"See you later." He waved his brother off before climbing into his car and pulling away aswell.