A/N: I'm sorry about taking a little longer than a week to update. I'll try and to really get the next one out in a week's time.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything so please don't sue me.

Ch. 4 Closer

Some of the first things Kagome realized as she began to awaken were exactly how warm, comfortable, and soft the bed made her feel. In fact she was so content with everything that she was about to go back to sleep when suddenly she was pushed unceremoniously off the bed.

"What the…" Kagome gasped as she hit the floor.

"I was beginning to think that you would never awaken miko." Sesshomaru said coolly from the bed she was just tossed out of.

"Why did you push me!?!?"

"You had chosen at some point in the night to attach yourself onto this Sesshomaru. I was thus kept here until now."

"So why didn't you just ask me to let go or to move?!"

"You do not seem to respond when asleep."

"You could have tried harder!"

"How do you think you came to be on the floor?"

Kagome opened her mouth to say something back but was stopped.

"Now if you are quite finished I am going to bathe and dress. I suggest that you do the same and then go to the dining hall." He said as he got off the bed.

"Fine." Kagome agreed reluctantly as she returned to her spot on the bed.

Sesshomaru then left as she relaxed for a few moments so she could fully wake up.

She hadn't been laying there for more than a minute when she heard a knock on the door.

"Ugh Hmm. Why me?"

She then got up and walked to open the door. Standing before her then was the same servant from the day before.

"Good morning. Your lord has asked of me to see to it that you were bathed and dressed as soon as possible."

'Oh really? Pompous ass!' Kagome thought as she nodded at the girl.

"OK, well my name is Kagome and for the most part I only need directions to the bath there is no need for anything else."

"My name is Kumiko and I assured my lord that I would see to everything and anything asked of me, so I am still required to assist you."

Kagome sighed realizing that it was just too early for another argument so she gave in and grabbed her bathing supplies out of her bag before leaving the room.

~*~*~*~

Sesshomaru was relaxing in the quiet hot spring when he heard someone approaching.

"Here we are, your lord should be in there still."

"Wait, Sesshomaru-sama? I can't take a bath with him!"

"Why not? My lord said that I should keep you two together as often as possible."

Sesshomaru growled in frustration. 'That impudent meddling cat, He just wants me to kill him.'

"Well you see I'm too tired right now and if I go in there I won't be able to regain the rest I need."

"Wow he must have had you up all night then? I'm sorry I did not think about that. Well you can use the other spring, I won't tell my lord."

Kagome mentally rolled her eyes but managed to smile and say, "Thank you so much Kumiko."

Kumiko smiled back and lead Kagome to the door on the other side of the spring which was boarded off from the other side.

Sesshomaru relaxed again as he heard their footsteps retreating, 'The miko is more resourceful than I thought.'

~*~*~*~

Kagome stepped into the warm water sighing as she felt her muscles relaxing. "Now that feels great."

"We try to keep the spring full of herbs and minerals that help with the muscles, cleanliness, and health so it should feel good." Kumiko said from the side of the bath.

Kagome nodded, "So how old are you anyways? I mean I know that demons don't age regularly but you still seem a little too young to be a servant."

Kumiko nodded, "Yes, well my parents work and live here and ever since I was a child I have helped them to serve my lord. Our entire family actually for a few generations has been his loyalists of servants."

"Oh, so you are young then."

"Well for a demon yes, I am only 46 years of age but that is the equivalent for you humans as 23 I believe."

"Wow, and are you also a cat youkai?"

She smiled as she shook her head, "No I wish, I am only a fox youkai."

Kagome was surprised for a second, "Why would you rather be a cat youkai?"

"Fox youkai are known deceivers and tricksters. We can change our appearance and we tend to be smaller in comparison to other youkai. So life is hard for us because other youkai don't trust us and tend to fight us over anything they want."

"I'm sorry I had no idea. I have a friend who is still a child and he is a fox youkai. He never let me know how hard it really is for him."

"His parents allow you to see him? He must not be that young."

"His parents are dead, so I am the one who mainly looks after him really. From what you say he must be about 18 in youkai years for his appearance is that of a 9 year old human boy."

"You are very kind Kagome to take care of an orphaned youkai. I do not know of many humans that would do such a thing. Where is he now?"

"He is with my other friends. They are looking after him while I am away."

"That's good."

"So is this your real appearance then?"

Kumiko smiled, "Yes for the most part but I am a bit shorter."

Kagome laughed, "Ya I would definitely be taller if I could."

Kumiko laughed too causing Kagome to laugh more.

Sesshomaru couldn't hear their words clearly but when they started to laugh he could hear loud and clear. 'Women,' He thought as he began to exit so as to get away from their laughter, 'should be seen more and heard less.'

~*~*~*~

Jaken unlike everyone else was having quite an enjoyable morning. First he had awoken from his first full nights rest in a good bed in what seemed like months more than days. Then he had found new clothing set aside his bedchambers for him to wear instead of his dirty rags.

"Me lord should be pleased that I look more clean now."

He then went on his way to the seamstress to thank her for her work on the kimono the night before and for his new clothes. They talked for a bit and had tea when he realized that they would need another kimono for the girl today. The seamstress shook her head at his worries and said she had dealt with it so he had nothing to worry about. Then he relaxed and had thanked her again before going on his way.

Yup everything was going right for once! (Should have knocked on wood)

"Jaken."

The little toad jumped at his lords sudden venomous voice, "ye ye yeee yes me lord?"

"How is it that you have had the time to ask for the miko to have new clothes and for you to have your own but there have been none requested for me? Am I not your lord still? Or have you so chosen that you rather stay here now?"

"But but me lord I promise you it was not I that requested anything but what you had asked of me the evening before. I just asked the seamstress about the rest of our stay me lord and she said it had been dealt with."

Sesshomaru stopped he knew that Jaken was telling the truth and that his lack of clothing was not his own servants doing. 'That cat is either testing me or perhaps he is just an idiot.'

"Ah! Lord Sesshomaru, I was beginning to wonder if you had disappeared with that little woman of yours."

He was beginning to opt for the second explanation.

"No, I am here."

"That I can see, so sorry to by the way about your clothes but I told my seamstress that you deserved no less that the same quality of apparel as my own and since I had recently had a new wardrobe made…"

"You are out of cloth?"

"Yes! How did you know?"

Sesshomaru was truly starting to consider the pros and cons of killing the lord in front of him.

"I will accept clothing from your new wardrobe then Arisugawa temporarily then."

Arisugawa was not expecting that move from Sesshomaru so he had no choice then than to give him what he wanted.

"I will have the servant bring you a few then to appease you Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru nodded in thanks and left to go back to his room.

Arisugawa turned to Jaken, "Your lord is of no fun perhaps you will amuse me then?"

Jaken who had been forgotten until now looked to lord Arisugawa for an explanation.

"I know how about we talk about that lovely young woman he has brought here with him."

"Umm Sesshomaru-sama would not be happy if I were to talk directly to you Arisugawa-sama without his consent."

"Oh but he did just leave you with me so that is consent enough."

Jaken was stuck and he knew that he would be in pain before the day was out.

"What does Arisugawa-sama wish of me?"

"I just have a few questions."

~*~*~*~

Kagome and Kumiko walked leisurely back to Kagome's chambers after the long soak and discussion about stupid men and their cheating, perverted, and avoidant ways (i.e. Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sesshomaru).

"And this one time when I had gotten back from my home he was waiting on the road into the village fuming about how I had been gone that time for a week."

"My, he does sound quite controlling. Where ever do you meet all of these men Kagome-chan I do not know."

"Ya I know right?"

"Your accent when speaking tells me though that it must be far from here."

Kagome smiled shaking her finger in warning, "Nope those guys aren't that far from here Kumi-chan."

She laughed, "So how did you meet Sesshomaru-sama? He seems to be a good man."

Kagome stopped for a second, "Ya he is, but the first time I met him he actually wanted to kill me I think."

"He couldn't have otherwise you would not be here."

Kagome nodded as they continued down the hall, "I think I was just lucky but that's in the past."

"Oh definitely, you serve him now so your relationship must have improved."

Kumiko move to open the door to the room but instead it was thrown open by Sesshomaru.

'Today must not be his day.' Kagome thought as she began to fear for her life at the look on his face.

~*~*~*~

Sesshomaru had gone back to his room and had decided he would relax as he waited for the servant to come with his clothes. He didn't have to wait long until a knock came at the door.

"Enter."

The door opened and a male servant entered the room with a large parcel in his arms. He walked over to an empty desk in the room and placed the parcel on top of it before leaving.

Sesshomaru stayed on the bed relaxing for a few more minutes before getting up to inspect the clothes that Arisugawa had sent for him.

Upon opening the package he found that there were three hakama and three matching kimono. The first of which was a deep blue color with leaves and rippling water. The second was a lighter brown color with various dyed patterns decorating it. The last was a simpler black kimono with a red trimming and gold treads woven in it.

Sesshomaru was somewhat surprised that the other lord had given him such a nice selection.

'Perhaps this is his way of begging for is life?'

He then chose the black Kimono and began to dress himself. At first the kimono seemed to fit perfectly and everything seemed fine but then as he began to try and put on the hakama he found that they were very loose. 'The fat fool didn't even tie them so they would fit normally.'

Then he reached for the ties but found none. Then he looked for the obi hoping that he could at least tie the kimono with that but it too was missing.

'That is it I have had enough of his pranks!' Sesshomaru thought as he grabbed his own obi and tied the kimono before going on his way to kill the other lord.

This is where Kagome and Kumiko came face to face with him.

~*~*~*~

So here is the next chapter for AYWFD! I'm sorry that's all I will say and the next one will be up soon. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far you have al been a great support.

-Vamp