A/N: Hey, before I continue, I've had a question as to whether or not I am a photographer. Sadly, I'm not, and certainly not a professional. But, I enjoy taking pictures of varies sceneries that strike me and the descriptions I used for what Kagome was explaining was my own opinions on some drawings and photographs I've seen in the past.

Photograph

The next day was slightly different; she had went for a peaceful stroll down to the lake in the twilight where she could gather some water to boil to make Inuyasha his ramen and to cook the fish they had caught the previous day, and when she leaned down to gather the water into the wooden bucket a presence tickled her back, wheeling her around, to see the taiyoukai standing there. Startled, Kagome dropped the bucket, spilling the water and soaking her clothes.

Grumbling obscenities, she gathered the bucket in her arms and stood, giving him a glare. "Thanks," she said petulantly, "you made me drop this all over myself."

The taiyoukai merely said, "I did not make you do such an act. I am standing here."

Kagome sniffed. "Whatever. I was going to give you something, but since you got me all wet, I don't think I'll give it to you anymore."

With that last note, and feeling rather proud of herself, she filled the bucket up unhampered by his presence and began to walk away confidently, happy she was affective in giving him the cold-shoulder. As she brushed past him, his hand came to her shoulder to halt her in place, almost causing her to spill the contents of the bucket a second time.

Kagome reeled, and looked him straight in the eyes, undaunted by his vibrating youki. "What?" she asked blandly.

"This Sesshoumaru will not tolerate such impudence." Kagome would have guffawed had she not have wanted to spill the bucket again.

Instead, she said, "Well, I'm ever so sorry, but I must be off to cook supper." She started to walk forward, found she couldn't, then met his stare again. "Now what? Why won't you let me go?"

Sesshoumaru took the bucket from her hands and set it on the ground, surprisingly not spilling it, and squared her shoulders to face him. "What have you brought for my person?"

"Forget it. I'm not showing you now," Kagome huffed, giving him the universal 'hands-on-hips' gesture that displayed she was too stubborn to give into his demands.

The demon lord seemed to recognize the gesture, didn't appear impressed. "Show me what you have for me, miko." He said coolly.

"And why should I?"

At first the taiyoukai seemed to be at a loss of an answer. Then, it sort of hit Kagome that he was just genuinely curious, and if she had to guess once more, it seemed as though he was really interested in her proposal of a gift to him. Internally snickering, Kagome said, "Fine, I'll show you." She made it appear like she was going to move, and when she didn't, Sesshoumaru arched a brow.

"What are you waiting for, miko?"

"I'll show you," Kagome sang, "if you stop calling me 'miko' and start calling me by my name. Ka-go-me."

"Such a waste of time," scoffed the demon lord.

"No, I'd like to be called by my name, Sesshoumaru-sama." She gave a little victorious grin.

"Fine," he said. "I shall concede, Kagome."

For a reason unknown to her, the way he pronounced her name sent chills up her spine. He let her shoulder free, and allowed her to walk away.

"Let me just run this back and get my knapsack, all right?" she said, and when he nodded passively she grabbed the water bucket and trotted as fast as she could without upsetting the water.

A few minutes later she returned, in fresh new clothes that suited the warm climate, and an object wrapped in strange colored paper he had never seen before. She held it out to him, with a smile on her face. "Here!"

Cautiously, Sesshoumaru took the small item, and gave it a subtle sniff. He began to turn it around in his palm, inspecting it.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "It's not going to detonate, and it has no special sutras on it or any purification spells. It's safe."

He seemed to deem her trustworthy, and tore into the paper with his fangs. Sesshoumaru gazed at the new white camera in his palm for quite a while before he actually answered. "You bought me a camera?"

"Yup!" Kagome chirped. She bounced up to him. "It's sort of the same as mine, so you shouldn't have a problem with it. You can take one-thousand pictures, so you won't have to worry about running out of memory space for long. If you want them enlarged as actual photographs I'd be happy to do it for you."

When he still didn't say anything, she became a bit worried. Did he not like it? Was white not his favorite color? Did he possibly prefer black or grey instead? Maybe--

"Thank you,"

The gesture took her off guard, thinking she'd heard wrong, she got him to repeat it.

"Um, you're welcome. And...it was no trouble?" she wasn't actually expecting him to thank her, much less repeat it twice.

One question remained for the taiyoukai though. "Why did you get me this?"

Kagome was glad she actually knew that answer. "Well, I thought you would like one to take pictures of yourself and other things. Like, maybe a picture of Rin to keep as a memory. You seem to enjoy it."

"Enjoy?" he said it like he was tasting a new flavor. "I do not enjoy trivial acts." He tucked the camera into the pocket of his armor. "But I will use it, granted that I can take a picture of you with it."

Cheeks flushing, Kagome didn't know what to say to that. "Sure." Was what came out of her mouth.

Sesshoumaru made a move as if to leave abruptly, but instead he stalked toward the miko with purpose and leaned over her, searching her eyes. If she was correct, he seemed to be judging something, or maybe inspecting. Oh, god, did she have a pimple on her forehead!? The thought vanished when Sesshoumaru's clawed hand tipped back her chin just enough so that she was eye level with him, staring straight into his sun-kissed eyes. She didn't know how long they remained like that, before slowly, he lowered himself to her, so that their breaths mingled and if she were to just lean forward slightly she'd feel his lips on hers.

However, her image was short-lived when he pulled back almost too quickly, flashed the camera at her, and began to stalk away, leaving her in a stupor. Kagome stood there, chin up, eyes wide, looking like a moron. How had he turned it on so fast? Once she thought she could breathe, she started back to the village, where she was wondering what he'd do if she got him a flat-screen TV.