Everything was perfect once more. It's been a few months since the last mission and everything had been perfect. InuYasha has been more affectionate towards me than ever before, winter was here which means that Shippo would be returning soon, Sesshomaru had been learning about humans with Rin and has gotten a better veiw of us, thanks to me. It was hard but I did it. Everything was great. InuYasha went with Miyoga to somewhere neither could tell me where.
It was in the middle of the night when Rin woke up.
"Kagome, look! It's snowing!" I looked out of the small window and saw that Rin was right. This was the first snowfall of winter, meaning Shippo shod be back come morning time.
I got to my feet and snuck out with Rin, trying not to wake up Kaede and be scowled, she doesn't like us to be up this late at night. Little did we know that she was awake already and watched us both leave out with a smile on het face.
Once we were outside, we ran to get some distance away from the hut, giggling jovially. We found a goid clearing and started our fun in the snow. I taught her about building a snow man and we did snow angels together. Our Hantens that Kaede made us were keeping us warm enough while we had a snowball fight that Rin started. When things slowed down, Rin yawned with a smile so I picked her up and put her on my back before walking away.
"Kagome," she said tiredly, "this was fun."
"Yeah, we'll have even more fun tomorrow when everyone else comes over."
"I'm glad Lord Sesshomaru got to join in too."
"Sesshomaru? What do you mean?"
"He threw a snowball at your butt when you went to make another one." I blushed at the news and stayed quiet.
"He likes you Kagome," she said yawning before drifting off, "he likes you a lot." I heard her soft snores and smiled a bit. She probably sees how much Sesshomaru has changed and is talking about friendship like. No need to over think these things.
The next day, Kaede scowled us because she knew we went out late. She made us rake the snow from the front door. After that was over, Rin and I was about to go back to the forest but Shippo had arrived.
"Kagome!"
"Shippo, your back!" I hugged the little fox demon close as he began sobbing.
"I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too. Me and Rin are going to get the twins and play in the snow, you can tell me about school while we do so." He nods and dries his face.
I watched as the twins and Rin turned Shippo into a snowman. We started off with a snow angel contest and they ended up with the idea for have Shippo be in the snowman. I watched his try and protest in amusement, he was begging me to help him.
"Kagome, don't let them do this please!"
"You'll be fine, Shippo. The snow shoes I made are guaranteed to keep you warm."
"Awe come on!" I chuckled but stopped when I felt a familiar presence. I looked up and saw Sesshomaru turned away from everyone in a tree.
"Sesshomaru? When did you get here?"
"I've been here the entire time. You all disturbed me when you came here."
"Whoops, sorry about that. I guess you blend in with the snow." He turned slightly and gave me an annoyed glare.
"What? Did I say something?" He turned away once more and huffed.
"Jeez, some people are just so touchy."
Shippo let out a shout and jumped out of the snow man and shook out his fur.
"Hey, Shippo," Rin said. I watched them argue in amusement. It sort of reminded me of me and InuYasha when we first met.
A gust of wind rushed over us and I yelped and shivered violently.
The kids didn't seem phased by it at all but I felt like I was going to become a popsicle! I curled up but it didn't work, since I was sitting in the snow.
I didn't want to ruin they're fun, however, so I just decided to withstand it as best I could. After a moment I heard a tsk sound before feeling warmth wrap around me like a blanket. I looked back to see Sesshomaru facing away from us and his mokomoko was what is keeping me warm.
"Your too careless," he told me as he glanced at me with side eyes, "were you going to freeze to death because you didn't want to interfere with they're activities?" I was shocked.
How did he figure it out? Wait, was he watching me the entire time?
"Sesshomaru you-"
"Thats enough, get warm. It would be troublesome for me if you were to get sick for something so trivial." I stayed quiet, in case he decided to change his mind, and snuggled into his mokomoko.
For the next few days, Sesshomaru did the same once more; he let me stay warm in his mokomoko while the children played together. While Rin and I did chores and ran errands he'd watch or join us, If we had trouble with something he'd help us with it even though he uses those to tease me and make sly comments. It was like he was an entirely different person.
Today, Rin and I had to go into the village to help a sick girl and Sesshomaru tagged along with us saying he was intrigued by my methods of getting him to understand humans.
When we made it to the young girls house, one look at her and I knew what she had.
"Rin, stay back. Don't go near her."
"Why not?"
"Lady Kagome, will she be alright," the girl's mother asked while clinging to the father.
"What she has is very contagious. I don't want you catching it."
"But what about you? Will you catch it?"
"No, I'll be fine since I've had it already." She looked at me confused and I sighed.
"I'll explain it later. Right now I want you to find me thick cloth, they honey and boil water." She nodded and went off.
"Have you touched her since she got sick," I asked the parents. Both shook there heads and I sighed in relief.
"We didn't know what was wrong so we didn't come near her," the father said.
"Don't worry, she'll be fine in a few days, I promise. What your daughter has is something called the varicella. There is a huge chance that this will be her last time having it."
When I had the chickenpox back home, mom made me put honey all over my body and taped oven mitts on my hands so that I couldn't scratch. Right now she was in the first stages of it which means she has a fever and the blisters are forming. If her immune system is strong enough then this will be her last time with this stupid disease.
After treating her I left her parents with strict instructions of caring for her. I also did my best to sanitize the room. I noticed that Sesshomaru was watching the entire time, following every move I made with his cold gaze.
Finished with that, we moved onto our next errand, going to the next village and getting a few herbs. What Kaede needs is rare and only grows in that village.
"Kagome, you were amazing back there," Rin said, "you knew what to do as soon as you looked at her!"
"It's nothing really," I told her blushing, "I told you that I've had it before so I knew what to do."
"Who taught you what to do?"
"My mother did." I looked forward with a sad smile on my face. Rin noticed this and said nothing more. I miss talking to her like I used to. I missed everyone, actually.
I felt something a tug on my hair before it came undone from it's tie.
"What the-"
Sesshomaru walked past me with my hair tie in his hands.
"Hey, whats the big idea! Give that back."
"Its not necessary for you to wear." He let it go and the wind carried it off before I could catch it.
"That was not okay! I needed that hair tie!"
"For what purposes?"
"Because I don't want my hair getting in the way of my work!"
"Your work is mediocre anyway, your hair won't hinder you much more than your lack of skill."
"You take that back you jerk!"
When we finally arrived to the village I was relieved. It was noon now but hopefully the herbs weren't all gone.
"Okay, we need to find the merchant that sells the herbs. Rin, your going to ask around."
"What? Me?" I almost told her nevermind when I saw her scared face. But Kaede had strict orders for me to make her do this and I had a feeling that Kaede will know if I didn't.
"It'll be fine," I said crouching to her level, "I'll be right there the entire time. All you have to do is ask for a merchant that sells herbs."
"But-"
"Now lets practice," I interrupted. I turned to Sesshomaru and made a devious face. He saw my face and looked at me with annoyance.
"Whatever your plotting, I will not partake in it."
I was now back with Rin and Sesshomaru was turned away from us so she couldn't see him.
"Okay Rin, Sesshomaru will be a stranger and you will ask if he knows were the merchant is." I looked past her and smiled innocently at Sesshomaru.
"Sesshomaru this will be your training as well. You have to answer like any human would." He huffed in irritation but said nothing at all.
"Alright Rin, you can do it." Rin looked at Sesshomaru and hesitantly walked over to him. She tugged on his cloths and stuttered.
"E-excuse me, can you h-help me?" Sesshomaru turned around and his facial expression was that of pure irritation. He glared at Rin and she started to back away from him.
"What do you need," he bit out and I decided to intervene.
"No Sesshomaru, you can't glare down at her like she's a bone to chew," I said annoyingly. I took the bandana from his head and tied it to mine. I even smudged my face and hands with dirt like I did with his.
"Okay, now Rin I'm the stranger now. Sesshomaru you just watch." He turned away defiantly and I lost it.
"Hey, I'm training you right now!"
"This is all pointless." He grabbed me and put me over his shoulder and picked up Rin by the collar of her cloths.
"Sesshomaru, put me down! What are you doing!"
"Rin, yoh will go and ask the woman for the merchant."
"Lord Sesshou-"
"I don't believe it was a request." He let go of Rin and she slowly walked over to the woman.
"Sesshomaru, this is a big step for her! You can't just throw her out there like that!"
"Rin is different for ordinary commoner children, Miko; remember that."
"He put me down and I turned to see Rin asking the woman with fear. The woman had a pleasant smile on her face and pointed towards the other side of the village. Rin smiled back and thanked her and the woman gave her an apple before she ran back to us.
"Kagome, I did it! She even gave me an apple!"
"Great job Rin, I'm proud of you!" She looked to Sesshomaru who wore his usual cold expression.
"I did it Lord Sesshomaru!"
"Where is the merchant," he asked coldly. I hit him softly, earning a look of irritation but I match his face with my own glare.
"He's at the edge of town preparing for the lantern release tonight."
"A lantern release?"
"Yeah, can we go, Kagome? Please?"
I thought for a second and noticed the sun was going down anyways.
"Well, its too late to go back. We might as well stay." For the smile she gave me, I would have told her yes a million times.