Disclaimer: No own, though I do wish I owned some allergy meds. Every time I go out to smoke I end up sneezing like crazy! Damn Washington and the fluffy cotton thingies…in my 7 years in Cali I forgot how annoying Hayfever was. -dies-

His Past, Her Present, Their Future

Chapter 22 - Control

In all people's lives there is a turning point. This is the point in time in which even in death a person can look back on their lives and know that from that point forward, their life had changed its course. For Kagome, this had been the day she had fallen into the Bone Eater's Well and unpinned the hanyou InuYasha from the Goshinboku. From that day forward she had ceased being a normal modern teen and instead become a catalyst for all things good and evil.

She was a target and always had been. From the Mistress Centipede to the Dark Miko Tsubaki to Naraku to Midoriko, she seemed to be the centerpiece for all events. Why? What had she done to deserve the center stage? Why had she never been asked if she wanted it? Instead she was tossed headfirst into strange adventures, the tragic heroine of her very own fairytale.

She had often wondered what her life would have been like if she never would have gone to get Buyo from the well house. She would have gone to school, kept up her grades, graduated at the top of her class, dated Hojou, gone to some prestigious university, and remained blissfully unaware of magicks and demons and days upon days of walking in the blistering summer heat.

Then again, she might have been hit by a car and killed the same day she would have fallen down the well. Who knew?

At this moment, it was the walking-in-the-scorching-heat part of her complaints that was eating at her. They had been walking since dawn and it was already well past noon, and Sesshoumaru seemed perfectly content to just walk silently ahead of her. Yes, she knew youkai were not as affected by temperatures, and she knew he was still pissed off that his parents had made him escort her, but was any of that her fault?

"Sesshoumaru?"

"What?" He didn't turn to look at her.

"Is there a source of water nearby? I need to cool down badly."

Kagome heard him snort. "It is not any problem of mine if your frail mortal body cannot keep on."

"But it will be when I die from dehydration and heatstroke, idiot! Find me water!"

"This Sesshoumaru has already been made into a guard dog today, he will not become your puppy as well," he growled out.

"Please, Sesshou! I can't take this anymore, I haven't had anything to drink all day and its disgustingly hot! I want a nice cold bath!"

Sesshoumaru growled low in his chest and narrowed his eyes at the pleading girl. Her large blue eyes shimmered and she chewed her lower lip with hope shining on her face, and he found himself unable to refuse her. He sighed out loud and pulled his long hair over his shoulder, crouching to the ground.

She did not take the hint, so he looked back over his shoulder at her shocked face. "Woman, this will be a lot faster and I grow weary of waiting on you."

Kagome could not believe her eyes. Sesshoumaru, feared future Lord of the West, and even as his one and only friend she had never even dared to imagine asking for something like this, wanted her to ride on his back. Kagome wasn't sure whether to shout in glee or feel afraid. She chose to do neither and wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing him to extend his elegant clawed hands around her thighs, both of them shivering just a little at the contact.

He had been right, of course; a trip which would have taken another ten or fifteen minutes on foot took less than two clung to the damnably comfortable back of her companion. His silken hair caressed her face and she was having a very difficult time ignoring how wonderful his muscles felt bunching beneath her… that is, she was having a difficult time until she was unceremoniously dumped on her back end on the bank of a stream. Kagome glared.

"You could have just let me down, you know," she said, dropping her backpack beside her.

"Could have, but did not."

Her glare deepened and she huffed loudly as she stood. "Well, fine. Just… go away so I can cool off in peace."

Sesshoumaru growled. "You will not order me around."

"I will too, now go before I find some way to make you a komodota rosary!"

"A… what?"

"Ask InuYasha and me in about five hundred years, and we'll be happy to demonstrate."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes dangerously, his already worn patience for the day paper thin. "I do not like being left in the dark, miko."

"It's actually rather light out here, youkai."

"Show respect, bitch." Sesshoumaru desperately reigned his youkai, his eyes bleeding red at the corners.

"I will not, you pompous ass!" Internally, Kagome decided she had spent far too much time in InuYasha's company over the prior years, because when her temper overcame her it was seriously difficult not to tap into the new dictionary he had so graciously helped her to acquire.

Kagome noticed the gradual tint of his eyes, but this was nothing new to her. Especially in her captivity and a few times thereafter, she had angered him enough to bring out his more bestial side, but Sesshoumaru was nothing if not a creature of control. She tried to ignore the little voice in the back of her head that reminded her that he was centuries younger and that said control might not be so perfect, but it became difficult as his shoulders began to shake in his rage.

Kagome paled but did not back down from her snarling adversary. She had dealt with this before… though she was rather aware of the differences in this particular situation. This was not InuYasha, she could not 'sit' him or hug him into reality, and she was really, really angry. Sure, she could back off and lower her head submissively, but she would be damned if she would let him better of her. So instead, she tilted up her chin and raised her lip in a very unimpressive human version of a snarl right back at him.

That was a terrible idea on Kagome's part. She wasn't even able to blink before he had her on her back on the edges of the stream, straddling her. Her wrists were pinned over her head in the cold water. He lowered his snarling face to her. "Submit, bitch."

She locked her stormy blue eyes with his scarlet ones, any predilection for fear forgotten, and Kagome writhed under hi., "Forget that!" She felt his claws puncture the delicate flesh around her wrists, but paid it no heed. Kagome kicked and squealed for all she was worth. "Let me go, you jerk!"

The snarl was completely inhuman now, and he nipped her jaw hard enough to break skin, only making Kagome kick harder at him. His hand that was not clamped against her wrists backhanded her harshly. "Sumbit to your better, wench!"

Kagome's head was spinning from the force of the blow, and she was no longer able to pick it up from where it laid to the side. Something akin to a whimper escaped her as she tried to regain her foothold on consciousness, and her adrenaline-fueled breathing came in pants.

In the next moments, precisely two thoughts entered Kagome's head simultaneously. One was that inuyoukai had rougher tongues than she'd realized, and the other was a panicky little squeal in the recesses of her mind that informed her that, yes, Sesshoumaru was licking her.

In a normal situation, Kagome felt she would not have minded this development, considering the sparks it sent shooting through her body. Though the owner and action were distinctly canine, the action was soft and languid.

Through her lustful thoughts, though, was the very real knowledge that the man sitting on her waist giving her the delicious tingles had just hit her, hard. She had never let anyone hit her and not get purified directly after! Now, in this age that was rather acceptable though lacking in honor, and normal women just took it, but she was not a woman of this age. And she did not take crap.

Purposefully locking away all traitorous, pleasant thoughts, Kagome shoved away the now relaxed demon and backed away… into the stream. Well, she'd wanted to cool off, hadn't she? She stayed there, waist deep in the cold water staring at the inuyoukai directly in the eye as she waited for his beast's control to fade. Sure, she knew it was not Sesshoumaru's fault, just as it was not InuYasha's fault when he did things when his demon nature took over, but that would not stop her from being very upset with him. After all, as a full demon, he had knowledge of his actions while his youkai was in control, it was just instinct driven.

As Sesshoumaru's eyes finally faded to their usual tawny gold, he was met with a disheveled and glaring Kagome. The side of her face was an angry shade of red, and he winced for her. He knew exactly what he'd done, "Kagome, I…"

She held up a sopping arm. "Don't. Just don't. Go away now, please."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No, I won't. You are going to let me apologize."

"No, I am not. I don't want your apology, I just want to be alone, alright?"

He winced again, this time sorrowfully. "Please, Kagome, I am very sorry… I did not intend for that to happen."

She shook her head vehemently. "No! Just don't, okay?"

Deciding to give her time to cool off, he rose to his feet and walked away from the stream, leaving Kagome to peel out of her saturated tee and jeans. She had planned to change into something cooler anyway, but that did not make her feel any better. Logically, she was well aware that she shouldn't hold it against him. To top it all off, he'd even apologized sincerely to her! How could she really stay angry at him? She would certainly make it clear that there was no way he'd ever get away with that again, but she wasn't a youkai. She really couldn't fathom the kind of control it must take to keep such instincts and urges suppressed.

Kagome glared and finished her cooling dip, not even bothering to get out her soap. When she was finished, she selected a thinner pair of pants and a tank top, though she was loathe to wear it. It hadn't taken her long in her travels in the Feudal Era to realize exactly how she was viewed in her skimpy futuristic clothing, and opted to keep her legs and shoulders covered, at least. But they would not arrive in the village until sometime tomorrow, so she thought it alright to wear something to keep her cooled off.

The afternoon went on in silence that was unnerving to even Sesshoumaru. He hated to admit it even to himself, but he missed her chatter after only a few hours. He snuck a glance from the corner of his eye for the fiftieth time in as many moments, and was caught again. She stopped in mid-stride and placed her hands on her hips.

"Sesshoumaru, why do you keep looking at me?"

He wanted to glare, but the memory of what he had done was a hardly faded red across her face and several scabbed wounds, so he diverted his gaze. "You are being unnaturally quiet."

"I thought you would prefer that."

"Hn."

Kagome rolled her eyes, "Well, if you want me to talk, let's talk then."

"I am sorry for earlier…"

She sighed deeply. "No, don't apologize, really. After dealing with InuYasha all those years, you'd think I would know better than to challenge a raging youkai. If I could forgive him, I can forgive you. Just... don't do that again. If you hit me, I will hit you back and it will be with holy power on my fingertips. I'm not like the women in this time. So let's just forget it, okay?"

Sesshoumaru nodded and they started walking in a much less awkward silence before he spoke again. "Who is InuYasha? You have spoken of him several times."

Kagome stumbled and he could smell the fear and uncertainty pouring off her. Obviously this was something he could not overly question. She spoke slowly. "My best friend, an inuhanyou. You did not like him very much, but neither of you would ever tell me why you hated each other so badly."

"Ah. Then would that be why you and I were not friends for a long period of time?"

Kagome smiled, glad he did not question further about InuYasha. That was dangerous territory. "Yes, it is."

"Tell me…" Sesshoumaru paused as they walked, as if choosing his words carefully. "How am I seen, when you know me? Am I well known?"

His companion took a sharp breath, a hissing sound, and Sesshoumaru braced himself for the worst. Kagome mulled over what she could possibly say… but she guessed the truth wouldn't hurt. The events to come would make him into this, regardless of her prior information. She sighed. "You are feared. I think there are few beings in all the territories who do not know your name, and just to hear it strikes fear into most. I was once attacked by a lesser youkai while I was on my own, and all I had to say was that I was under your protection, and out of the fear of it being true and the traces of your scent on me at the time, he left me be. Your efficiency in battle is legend and few are stupid enough to challenge you, and you are seen as a cold-hearted murderer. I admit to having thought the same."

Sesshoumaru was shocked, to say the least. At the moment, he was skilled at hand-to-hand combat, yes, but he was hardly to par with legend. It was something to look forward to. But cold? "Why cold-hearted?"

Kagome laughed ruefully. "You show no emotion but to mock those at your mercy, mostly InuYasha. You kill any who get in your way and show no remorse. You let no one close to you, ever. Until I got to know you, I despised all you were, until I finally saw beneath the masks. Then I saw a totally different person. That is why seeing you this way is hard for me… your smile is rather amazing." Realizing what she said Kagome blushed fiercely. "I-I mean, to see it at all, because I hardly ever have and never so freely!"

Sesshoumaru chuckled. "I understood, though if you find me handsome you needn't lie so boldfaced."

The blush darkened and she walked on, mumbling under her breath about jerks and arrogant princes. Amused, Sesshoumaru followed for several minutes in contented silence before she spoke again. Night was falling, and they paced side by side in the growing dimness.

"I once saved a young fox youkai and, after several years, he became like my child."

Sesshoumaru smiled, hoping this game would end better than the last. "I once saved a newborn drago. from a predator and kept it as a pet."

"Ohh!" she exclaimed. "Ah-Un?"

"I thought you said no questions?"

She scowled. "I'll let you ask one if you answer mine."

"Fine, yes Ah-Un. You know them then?"

"Yes, I do. They like potato chips."

"Potato… chips?"

She giggled. "Yep. Too bad I don't have any left… you'll have to wait a few centuries to try one." He did not seem satisfied, but Kagome continued anyway. "I have pretended I was ill to get out of my studies."

"I injured myself to get out of mine many times."

This provoked another giggle. "Nice. I lied to my best friend once to save his heart."

"I lied to my parents to keep a guard from possible execution."

"I have pulled a sword from a stone, where others could not even touch it," she said, imagining what he would think hundreds of years hence if he remembered her words.

"I once put a sword through a tree to anger my father during training."

As she opened her mouth to give her next 'secret', Kagome yawned impossibly wide, her arms stretched over her head. Sesshoumaru noted this. "We will make camp now."

She smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Sesshou."

After a quick dinner, when she was curled within her thin blanket next to a small fire, she smiled at him. "Goodnight."

"Not yet."

"Why not?" she asked, raising her head.

"You gave me a question."

Kagome groaned. "Go ahead, then."

"Who was it you kissed and ran from?"

Kagome stilled and forgot to breathe, her face turning a brilliant red. "Why do you have to ask that?"

"Because you would not tell me before."

She sighed and mumbled incoherently. "Itwasmmphper…"

"I did not hear you."

"Arg! You already know, anyway, I know you're not stupid. You, obviously. Now goodnight!"

Kagome hid her head under her blanket, and missed the wide grin that spread over Sesshoumaru's face. It was probably lucky she missed it, for she might have fainted from the sight of such a smile gracing those lips that were currently in her mind, no thanks to the bearer of them. He looked down at the little bundle she made on the mossy ground and his grin faded to soft smile. "Goodnight, Kagome."