Ch 3
The next morning, Inuyasha slowly made his way out of the well, searching for any sign of his brother before reaching back down to Kagome.
"No sign of him. Lets get to the village before he shows up."
Kagome took his hand and let him pull her up before dusting off her pants and fallowing him.
"Got everything?" Inuyasha asked, wary of everything as his hand rested on tetsusaiga.
"yes, I got everything. Like I said ten minutes ago." she shrugged, also on alert.
He nodded, leading her into the village, only to freeze on seeing Kaede's hut.
"Fuck." He growled, glaring at his brother.
"Hello, Kagome." The older demon bowed to her.
"Well...I mean we didn't actually think he'd be completely gone" she muttered.
"I hoped..." Inuyasha scowled.
"I thought it would be better to remain in the village, where the children could play." Sesshomaru gestured to Rin and Shippo playing nearby.
"And nothing I can say will talk you out of this?" She asked.
"It cannot." He nodded. "There is no better mate than you."
Ok well that was a nice complement she supposed. "Ok, well, we should get going" she said as Miroku and Sango stepped out of the hut raising a brow at her.
"Just ignore it." Inuyasha muttered, looking to the monk and slayer.
"I'll get the kids" she said, heading towards them.
"Oh we know what's going on" Miroku said.
"Good. The sooner he leaves, the better." Inuyasha growled.
Sesshomaru ignored the half-breed, focusing his attention on the miko. His miko. Kagome.
"We will see" Miroku said, placing his hand on Sango's back to urge her forward.
Kagome walked in front with Sango, Shippo on her shoulder and Rin at her side, smiling and talking with them, while Miroku walked in the back, closer to Sesshomaru.
"Is there a reason you are not walking with your woman?" Sesshomaru asked the monk.
"She is talking to Kagome. Had they wanted me to add to their conversation they would not be walking so far out" he said simply.
"And so you walk alongside myself. You could join Inuyasha."
"I could." He nodded.
"But you have something to say to me."
"I did not say that"
"You need not. It is plain you have something to say, given your relationship to the Miko."
"My relationship?"
"she is your friend, is she not?"
"Kagome is...well let's say I see Kagome as my sister. It is not so rare I would be weary of a man trying to court her."
"I am aware." The demon nodded.
"So, why all of a sudden do you feel the desire to marry Kagome?" He raised a brow.
"Because she is a good woman. One who would take the time to save an enemy." Sesshomaru said softly. "To say nothing of her treatment of Rin and the kit."
"I would imagine plenty of women would treat miss Rin very well." He said, though he knew Kagome's treatment of the girl was special.
"Lady Kagome is exceptional, in every sense of the word." Sesshomaru said firmly. "She is an angel."
He nodded, understanding. "And you are intent to marry her, though you do not know her."
"I know what I need to know."
He shook his head. "If that is how you feel, you are wasting both yours and her time." He said before walking faster, and smiling as he caught up to the woman.
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes after the monk. Just what was that supposed to mean?
That evening, after camp had been made and dinner eaten, Sesshomaru approached Kagome.
"Lady Kagome, may I have a word with you?"
"Uh...ok..." she said, having thought maybe he'd have forgotten..."Sango will you keep an eye out?" She asked, meaning on the kids.
"Of course" she nodded.
The demon escorted her through the trees to small clearing for them to sit.
"Every evening, we will spend some time alone, just the two of us."
"Yeah I was advised of that" she said.
"Advised by whom?" Sesshomaru asked, brow arched. Inuyasha would have been ignorant of any such nuances to courting.
"Someone back home. After explaining how I do not like being taken against my will places he agreed to educate me on things I don't know"
"And what did he educate you on?" He asked, not liking her talking to another male.
"That I can't ask you to stop this as a favor nor can sexual favors be asked."
"Both true." He nodded. "Since I am the one who initiated the courting, you get the first favor."
"I don't really have one right now." She said honestly. While Kagome and Sango has talked about how to get this to end faster, neither had cone up with something.
"There is nothing you would ask of me?" Sesshomaru asked, more than somewhat surprised.
"What do you think I want from you?" She asked.
"Jewels, furs, other such gifts, displays of attraction." He listed off several options most women wanted during courting.
The first one surprised her. "Why would I want jewels? I mean, you barely see me but I don't even wear earrings or anything. Just the jewel shards. What would I do with them?"
"Wear them, keep them as a sign of my dedication?" He suggested. This was one of several ways he could display his ability to provide and care for her.
"Again, I don't wear jewelry. And my bag is full enough with supplies. Keeping them would just weigh me down." She said. "And I hate to burst your bubble but giving me some kind of gem does not mean you are dedicated to me, it means you have money. That's not the same thing."
"So you would prefer different gifts. This I can understand." He nodded.
"Your not getting it" she shook her head.
"Would you care to enlighten me to what I am not understanding?"
"I don't want anything from you. I'm not even sure what you actually want from me"
"I want... you." He said simply.
"You don't know me." She said.
"I know what I need to." He said simply. "That is all that matters to me."
"Really? Ok then, what's my favorite color" she asked.
"I do not know." He said with a shrug.
"How about my favorite animal?"
"Cats." He said confidently. Something about her struck him as very... feline.
"That would be a good guess, but no"
He grunted in response. "I suppose the point of these questions is to say that because I do not know you I cannot want you?"
"Because you don't know me you can't love me, which is the only reason people should be deciding to get married." She didn't miss his scoff at the word love.
"Love is not material to your being a good choice for a mate. You are strong, beautiful, take care of the children despite neither of them being of you blood. You even saved a demon you claim to be afraid of. What more reason do I need?"
She shrugged "I guess you don't. But I do" she said.
"And what do you need?"
"Someone who loves me." She said standing. "I'm going back to camp. We can add more time tomorrow, I'm just really tired. If we have to do this every day we might need to do it while dinner cooks."
"As you wish. Think on your favor. I cannot ask mine until you ask yours." He said simply, remaining seated.
Kagome stepped back into camp and made her way over to her backpack, pulling out her sleeping bag, along with one for Shippo and Rin. "Bedtime you two" she called.
"Everything ok?" Inuyasha asked, noting his brothers absence.
"As ok as it can be" she shrugged, handing the kids their sleeping bags.
"Think he'll give up and leave?"
"...no" she shook her head and sat on the sleeping bag.
"Damn." Inuyasha scowled, watching as his brother returned to camp and sat beneath a tree separate from the group.
"Jewel shard isn't moving. Still about two days walk" she said.
"Good. The sooner the better." Inuyasha nodded.
She nodded. "There aren't many more left" she said.
Miroku and her had been speaking about not completely forming the jewel to keep it from working but she hadn't bridged the idea with Inuyasha. Yet.
"Good. Almost done, then."
Kagome didn't respond. They needed to find a way to tell him they weren't going to complete it.
Sesshomaru watched the group from his seat, though he kept his focus largely on Kagome.
Once the kids were settled the three older humans settled themselves in for the night, Kagome the last after making sure everything was put away and safe.
"Sleep well, Kagome." Sesshomaru murmured softly as the woman tucked herself into the bedroll she used.
"Why don't we break for lunch?" Miroku suggested as they neared a good hour past midday.
"That sounds good" Kagome nodded.
"Fine." Inuyasha grumbled, angry that they were stopping when they were still so far away from the jewel shard.
"We're still a day out and it's still not moving" Kagome said as they stopped.
"Yeah, yeah..." Inuyasha muttered, hopping into a tree.
"Is there anything I can be of assistance with?" Sesshomaru asked, looking to Kagome.
"Uh, I'm not sure I think we got it" she said gathering up the large kettle and water bottles. Shippo took a couple of bottles and handed half to Rin, both kids fallowing Kagome.
Not bothering to ask, Sesshomaru followed them, standing guard as they gathered water.
"Can we color while you make lunch?" Shippo asked as Kagome filled the bottles.
"That's fine" Kagome nodded.
"Coloring?" Sesshomaru asked with a frown.
"Kagome has coloring books she brings." Shippo said.
Sesshomaru grunted in acknowledgment, keeping an eye on their surroundings.
"I try keeping Shippo entertained." Kagome said finishing the last bottle.
"Wise. Rin usually picks flowers."
"Not always. Some times I play tag with ah-un" Rin said walking with Shippo ahead of them.
"That is true." He nodded. "Sometimes you play with the dragon."
"Well now we can play" Shippo smiled.
"Yes, I suppose you can." Sesshomaru nodded, suspicious of the boys' interest in his ward.
Kagome shot him a look, hearing the tone. "You two can play while I cook."
"Stay in the clearing." The demon lord added in a firm tone.
Shippo looked at him before looking at Kagome. She reached down and ruffled his hair, "you know to stay close. It's alright."
Once back in camp while Kagome started boiling water Shippo pulled out the coloring books and crayons from Kagome's bag.
Sesshomaru stood next to Kagome, watching the children chatter merrily as they colored.
"You can sit you don't have to hover" she said.
He grunted in reply, taking a seat where he had been standing.
Kagome rolled her eyes at Sango's snicker.
"Do not mind her" Miroku said taking a seat on Kagome's other side. "You know she doesn't mean anything by it."
"Yeah yeah" Kagome nodded.
"Did I miss something amusing?" Sesshomaru asked, brow arched.
"Nothing" Miroku said.
Sesshomaru grunted, not believing them.
"What are you making?" He asked, the particularly strong scent of the food reaching his nostrils.
"Ramen. Quick and easy so we can get on the move again."
He grunted at the strong beef aroma. Stronger than he was used to. "It smells strange. Concentrated."
"That's because it's instant" she said.
"I see." He grunted, watching her busy herself about the kettle.
Once the water was boiled she added it to the cups, feeding the kids first before passing them around for everyone else, serving herself last. Sesshomaru noticed this. It was common for her, making sure the rest of her pack was taken care of over herself. As an alpha should. He raised his brow at the soup but, as everyone else was eating, he took his own taste. He found it surprisingly good, though he couldn't outright call it food. It was something…in between.
"after this shard, is there another close by?" Miroku asked as they started to finish their lunch.
"yes….but I think we should wait before acting on it…"
"why is that?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Kagome doesn't want Koga and Inuyasha to fight again" Shippo said.
"we might as well just hunt the wolf down now." He growled.
"we are not hunting him." Kagome snapped.
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "Koga? The wolf alpha?"
"yes." Miroku said. "he has his heart set to mate Kagome."
"do not stir the pot." Sango said rolling her eyes at him.
"how many suitors do you have?" Sesshomaru asked. He was not surprised there would be others, she was beautiful…for a human. But this was information he needed. As the one to state a claim.
"I don't have suitors." Kagome said.
"Koga." Miroku said.
"sometimes Inuyasha" Shippo said.
"there's that boy we met when Kaguya attacked." Sango said. "and the young man from back home."
"and her new friend" Inuyasha muttered.
She had five other suitors! Obviously the two he did not know were weak idiots if they had done nothing yet.
"Koga is not a suitor, Inuyasha and I are just friends. And neither of the Hojo's are interested in me like that." Kagome said.
"I believe if your entire pack has stated otherwise you may be the one who is wrong Kagome." Sesshomaru said, noting her lack of denial of the last one.
"I'm actually looking forward to the mangy wolf showing up." Inuyasha smirked.
"why?" Kagome frowned.
"two birds one stone."
"explain." Sesshomaru said.
He smirked. "well, if you're so serious about this, you'll end up killing the wolf. Which gets rid of him. And that will upset Kagome. Which gets rid of you."
"Inuyasha that's low." Kagome said crossing her arms.
But true, Sesshomaru thought. Should the wolf try something he wouldn't hesitate to kill the cur. He was responsible for Rin's death once after all. And…the way Kagome was reacting…it might hurt her…fuck! His brother actually had a brain.
"no one is killing anyone over this stupid courting thing." Kagome said shaking her head.
"should he show himself, I will try not to. But if he challenges me for your hand, I will have to fight." Sesshomaru said. He didn't want her to worry, but he was not going to deny how it was gong to end should it happen.
Inuyasha smirked. Two birds, one stone.