It's not very long still, but my Muse has been playing hide and seek quite a lot lately.

VI

The next morning, the group set off after breakfast, packed up and enjoying the cool breeze of the early hours. Sesshomaru walked in the front as usual, the children in the middle with Jaken and Ah Uhn, with Sango and Miroku bringing up the rear. Kagome flittered back and forth between playing with the children, and chatting with Sango and Miroku.

Sesshomaru listened to it all, and he rumbled quietly in appreciation. She is very loving. She makes sure to visit with everyone in the pack. His beast whispered. Sesshomaru scoffed inwardly. Except this Sesshomaru. He replied, but just then, she stepped to his side and began humming a quiet tune.

Sesshomaru looked over at her, and when she looked back, she smiled at him. Not one of her mega-watt smiles, but still a warm smile.

"How's it going up here in the front all alone?" she asked and he hinted a bit of amusement.

"Quiet." he replied. She smiled at his simple answer.

"Well, would you like some company?" she asked. He almost scoffed.

"This Sesshomaru has no need for company." He said, before he could even think on the words. Her face dropped, then became angry.

"Was auch immer. Sei alleine wenn di willst, es ist mir egal." She said, turning around and starting to walk back to the children. With a growl, Sesshomaru grabbed her arm to stop her. Turning towards the others, he said, "Taijiya, monk. Lead on. Continue straight, we will catch up."

Sango and Miroku looked at each other before racing to the front. With one last look at Kagome, who nodded firmly, they took Ah Uhn's reigns and continued down the road. When they got out of hearing range, Kagome turned towards the demon towering above her. He was staring at her intently, eyes bright.

"What?" she asked irritably. His brow raised.

"What was that dialect you spoke? What did you say?" he demanded. She stared at him incredulously.

"You're kidding." she deadpanned. He looked her in the eyes. "You don't kid. Right."

"It was German. I said, 'Whatever. Be alone if you want, I don't care.' Happy?" she sighed, looking at him. Something she couldn't quite catch flittered across his eyes before he hid it.

"Very well. Though you should know, that while I do not need company, and while I have only one, I would like a friend." he said, barely loud enough for her to hear. She gasped quietly as he started walking away, catching up with the group. Quickly she ran to catch up to him.

"You're asking me to be your friend?" she asked, approaching him and grabbing his sleeve to stop him. She released it when he turned around to look at her.

"No. I am saying, that I would willingly accept a friend." he said smoothly, the smallest of smiles twitching at the corner of his mouth.

"So I have to ask to be your friend? Das ist ein Schwachsinn." she hissed. Again, he grabbed her arm and glared at her. "That's bullshit!" she repeated.

"Would you rather I ask to be your friend?" Sesshomaru asked sarcastically, a single brow raised again. Kagome huffed in annoyance, looking him straight in the eyes.

"You know what? Yes! I would! Just-Jeez! Just for once, I want someone to want me! To want to be my friend!" she yelled, grabbing fistfulls of her hair. "Why can't anyone just want me for me!? Not for who I look like, or who they want me to be, but just me!?"

Sesshomaru stared at her, his eyes just barely showing his surprise at her outburst. Before he could question her, though, she ran back to the group. He followed at his leisure, catching up quickly enough.

He indeed quickly caught up, but the Miko was walking with the children; Shippo cuddled into her side as she held him with one arm, and Rin held onto her other hand, talking a mile a minute. Sesshomaru watched them for a while, as he walked at the back. The slayer and Monk were just a couple paces in front of Ah Uhn, Sango holding the reigns.

Rawr! Some of that sassy mouth we love so much from Kagome