Hatori eyed the couple in the gardens below, his neko ears twitching at every sound. Kagome and Sesshomaru weren't killing each other, at least. But the energies the youkai lord gave off were not of a favorable nature. Pulling his head back inside, Hatori closed the window. Rin and Shippo sat on the other side of the room, playing with Shippo's Tinker Toys. Shippo was enthralled, but Rin seemed a tad bored. At eleven years old, she felt herself too grown to play with building blocks and the like. Hatori sat next to them, putting arbitrary pieces together.

"Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Kagome seem to be getting on well," he said, sticking his pieces onto the current structure. "They are not in a disagreement at the moment."

Rin took apart a few sticks from the top and repositioned them on the side of their tower. "Lord Sesshomaru doesn't hate her, I think." Rin paused, and nodded to herself. "He wouldn't talk to her at all if he did."

"And Mama's trying really hard." Shippo set his sticks down, running to the small dresser and taking more supplies from the bag Kagome gave him. When he returned, he said, "I think she knows she doesn't have options and she's making the best of it."

Hatori pondered on this for a moment. "But she has to feel frustrated."

Shippo shrugged, putting three wooden wheels together and adding them to the top. "Yeah, probably. At least Sesshomaru won't sneak around with other women. Inuyasha sucked with that."

"And who is Inuyasha?" Hatori asked, putting his toys aside. They were too distracting from the conversation.

Rin answered eagerly, "He was the inu hanyou, right?"

"And a jerk," Shippo scoffed. "He loved this miko, Kikyo, for years, and she ended up dying. Sango explained it 'cuz Mama didn't wanna talk about it." He shook his head. "It was really sad for Mama. She was traveling with Inuyasha to fix the Shikon no Tama, and he met Kikyo, back from the dead. She was a clay corpse or something." Shippo scratched his head. "It was a long story, but basically Inuyasha fell in love with Mama, but still had feelings for Kikyo and kept running around with her, in that clay body. Mama cried when he was gone and got mad when she saw him again afterward. I thought she should have dumped him right away."

"But," Hatori said, "that would make it worse, to be bound to his brother, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah." Shippo sighed. "They act different, but Sesshomaru kinda looks like Inuyasha. I wonder if Mama still thinks about Inuyasha sometimes."

"But Lord Sesshomaru is amazing," Rin said, frowning. "He's powerful and smart, and super nice to me. Although he does kill people who get in his way." Rin lowered her eyes. "Kagome probably doesn't appreciate that."

"Nope." Shippo crossed his arms. "Mama hates killing. But Inuyasha did a lot of it, and Mama herself killed some youkai, so maybe she can overlook it." He turned to Hatori. "Why are you asking about it, anyway? You barely know Mama and Sesshomaru."

"Oh." Hatori looked away. "I was curious, I suppose. Seeing them in the Mating Dance, the way they act, arose my suspicions about how they ended up in the situation."

"Magic!" Rin shouted, smiling and giggling. "Kagome found a rose that bound them together as mates, is what Jaken said to me. That's why they don't act friendly all the time."

"I heard about that." Hatori pulled the tie from his hair, and redid his ponytail. "It was all over the countryside, a youkai and human bound with the Hana no Shukumei. I thought . . ." Hatori paused, looking at the window again. "I thought it might be them."

"Mama will make it work," Shippo said confidently, patting a hand to his chest. "She has a strong heart. And she always finds the best in everyone. I bet she'll find the good in Sesshomaru, too."

Rin suddenly gasped, and jumped up. "I know!" she said. "Let's help them!"

"And how?" Shippo asked. "Mama won't want us interfering, I think."

Rin rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "They need to realize that they're compatible. The Hana says they are, so it must be true. We can help them with that."

Hatori wrinkled his brow. "I don't know about this, Rin. Shippo is probably right."

"Oh, come on!" Rin sighed, and glared at the boys. "You two are boring. I'm doing this myself if you won't go with me." She turned, prepared to walk out the door. Shippo yelped, knocking the Tinker Toys down as he stood and grabbed Rin's wrist.

"Wait," he said. Rin turned, smiling. "I'll help," he conceded.

"I guess I'm helping as well." Hatori stood and joined the pair. "What will we do?"

Rin giggled again. "Kagome will see the truth about Sesshomaru very soon."

()

Sesshomaru watched Kagome take out the final item of their meal, turning her words over in his mind. She was trying to understand him because she had no other options. But the way she said them, 'What else can I do?' was not the tone of someone who had given up on finding an escape. Rather, they were the words of someone seeking a solution. And I, Sesshomaru thought, have grudgingly allowed her to put in all of her energy, with none of my own to add.

"Dessert!" Kagome announced, breaking his chain of thought. She set down a plate holding four mochi, two for each of them. "I asked Koneko for something sweet, but not too overwhelming," she said, taking one and biting into it. "Mm! They're good!" Kagome said, after swallowing.

Sesshomaru took one, but did not pay attention to the taste as he ate. He searched for something to say, to restart the conversation. Is that concern in your thoughts? His youkai laughed. Nothing from you, Sesshomaru replied. It would be in bad taste to allow Kagome to create a one-sided bond. He lowered his mochi, contemplating. The other lords will notice if I disregard my future mate entirely. They would not think highly of me for it. Yes, his youkai replied, give yourself that empty excuse if it makes you feel better.

"You remind this Sesshomaru of Rin," he said, breaking away from his youkai. "With your liveliness."

Kagome stopped, and tried to smile. "Thank you. I like Rin a lot." To herself, she thought, Sesshomaru is a lot more talkative than usual. I thought he would just sit here the entire time.

"She is kind and untainted by human life," Sesshomaru said, turning the mochi over in his hands. "She bore marks of abuse when I came upon her, and yet her smile has never wavered."

"What?" Kagome said, a hand flying to her mouth. "That's awful, that she was abused." She shook her head in disgust. "I can't imagine what kind of person would do that to a child."

"Humans are harsher in this world," Sesshomaru said, taking another bite. "If your mother is any indication, the changes in society between this era and your own are severely dissimilar. Rin was an orphan, and orphans in this time are simply extra mouths with no parents to teach them how to be useful. An unwanted burden."

Kagome scowled. "How can you say that? Children are a blessing!"

"I simply state the opinion of the majority," Sesshomaru said, finishing the dessert. "That is perhaps the one way in which human and youkai are alike. Many of them will not pause to rid themselves of nuisances like orphans. Rin may have died, had she not come with me."

"And why did you take her in?" Kagome asked. Sesshomaru glared, and she froze, afraid she had crossed a line. But the glare diminished, and Sesshomaru turned away from her.

"Rin . . ." Sesshomaru hesitated. "She was pathetic. Bringing me berries as if it would heal me. She refused to stop smiling at me.

"Heal you? When was this?" Kagome tried to think back. "Was this after your arm was hurt? No, we saw you again without her-"

"It was after an attack by my half-brother," Sesshomaru said, "before my opinion of Naraku dropped low enough for the spider to deserve to die. Rin found me in the process of healing and attempted to help. And she died."

There was a long pause.

Kagome stared at Sesshomaru, and her eyes flicked to his sword. "Tenseiga."

"I revived her as a test of my father's fang, and she chose to follow me. It has been that way since." Sesshomaru looked Kagome in the eye. "Is that the story you wished to hear?"

She nodded slowly. "Thank you," she said, "for letting me hear that. It's a tad sadder than I thought it would be. I guessed at why you had Rin . . . I never thought it was anything like that."

Sesshomaru observed the trees in the darkening sky. Creatures were crawling out of holes and caves to hunt. Stars illuminated the area. "Someday I will give her back to her own kind." The words escaped his lips before he could stop them. Rather than halt his speech, Sesshomaru thought for a moment, and continued, "She deserves a normal life. After Naraku is dead, I will bring her to a village and leave her there, where she may grow among them."

"And will she be happy?" Kagome brushed her hair aside, thinking of her own adopted son. "Will she want that?"

"It is what is best for her," Sesshomaru replied. He detected a hint of salt, and turned to see Kagome shedding a single tear. "Why do you cry?"

"I was thinking of Shippo." Kagome wiped her face. "It's selfish, but I can't help thinking about him when you speak of Rin. I've thought about leaving him to a youkai family, or something. The way you said that is right. It might be best to leave them with their own kind."

Sesshomaru watched a range of emotions cross her face, a mixture of hope and fear. The emotions of a mother wishing her child could stay in her arms forever. "He is young," he said, "and there will be time to think of what may be good for the children. Enjoy his company and care for him while he is with you."

Kagome nodded. "Yes, I can't be sad." She took another mochi, keeping it in her hand. "Especially not tonight." Kagome looked around as Sesshomaru had, taking everything in with eyes that could see more than her human vision ever would. "It's beautiful. The trees are starting to change color. I can't wait to see it in a month or so, when it's covered in orange and red."

"Hn." Sesshomaru didn't care for the colors. The changing of trees between seasons were noticeable, and nothing more.

"I suppose it's getting late now. We should be going soon." Kagome set the mochi back on the plate, and prepared to put it away.

A hand grabbed her wrist. Kagome looked up, startled. Sesshomaru let go, and took another mochi. "You must not let the dessert go to waste," he said, biting into it.

Kagome watched him eat for a moment. "Go on," he said after another bite. "Do not waste my food, Kagome." His use of her name, a rare occurrence, sparked Kagome awake. "Yes," she answered, taking the other mochi and beginning to eat it.

Crickets were chirping in the background. Kagome reached up to feel her elven ears, absorbing each sound as it happened. The mochi was slightly sweet, the rice paste one of the most delicious Kagome had tasted in quite a while. She peeked at Sesshomaru again, and saw the coming moonlight reflected off his hair. If he can't be kind, at least he's beautiful, Kagome thought. He's always been handsome, even when I thought he was evil. Say so, her inner youkai prodded. Kagome hadn't heard the voice in a while. It was still mildly disturbing.

"You've probably had people tell you," Kagome said, hoping he wouldn't criticize her, "but I think you're a handsome youkai." She peered into his eyes. "I think the only thing I might have ever complimented you on before is your battle strength."

Sesshomaru paused, and said, "Thank you. Women are often commenting on my appearance."

"Oh!" Kagome blushed. "I didn't mean it like that! It's just, I didn't want to give you the same thing you'd heard from me already. And . . . I sincerely meant it," she said finally. "It wasn't an empty compliment like those noble women may have given you."

Sesshomaru finished the mochi. "Hn."

"Um . . ." Kagome struggled with what to say next. "I, uh, have nothing else to add, I guess," she said, giving up. "We should probably just pack up for the night." Kagome finished the mochi and began putting things away. It wasn't the best end to the conversation, but Sesshomaru talked more than she'd ever seen, which was an accomplishment in and of itself.

She stood, and said, "Would you mind moving? I have to put the blanket away." Sesshomaru complied, and Kagome put the blanket over the empty dishes in the basket. Kagome smiled at the daiyoukai warmly, and said, "Thank you for coming to eat with me, Sesshomaru. I know you didn't have to. It was nice to have a real talk with you." And it was true. Kagome didn't have to lie, because she enjoyed herself. Sesshomaru had been civil and more open than usual. It was a surprising and pleasant change in his normal demeanor.

"You are welcome," Sesshomaru said, beginning the walk back to the castle. Kagome followed by his side, the basket swinging slightly in her right hand. Sesshomaru looked at her from the corner of his eye, and focused on the moon glinting on her forehead. The mark exactly like his own. If the miko were to accept the mating fully, she would gain additional marks to individualize herself as a youkai and as his mate. His mother gained the crescent moon, but his father lost the family mark after betraying their mating with a human. Kagome's mark might disappear, if she were to leave him.

As of yet, that seemed impossible. Sesshomaru was unable to force Kagome to leave, due to the influence of the Hana. Whether Kagome would have the choice to abandon the mating of her own volition was a different question. If he had to guess, Sesshomaru would say that Kagome was not going to try anytime soon.

When they arrived at the castle entrance, Kagome turned to face him. "Thank you again," she said. "I had a nice time tonight, Sesshomaru."

He nodded, and said, "Yes. It was . . . a pleasant experience." He hadn't found it unpleasant, at the very least.

Kagome brushed her hair back, thinking of her own time. The picnic would be a date, as far as her modern friends were concerned. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, probably thought it a burden. "I liked talking about Rin," she added. "And everything else."

"Hn." Say something else, you imbecile, Sesshomaru's youkai urged. She's trying hard to end this on a nice note. Sesshomaru looked at Kagome. What he wanted was to go back to his work. Kagome stared back, her deep blue eyes probing his. "If you wish," Sesshomaru found himself saying, "I would be willing to do this again." They were out before he could stop them, but to his surprise, Sesshomaru did not regret saying them. The twinge he felt when making an offer he did not care for, was not present.

Kagome's eyebrows shot up, and she stood in shock for a moment. "I, I'd like that!" She touched her hair again out of nervous habit. "Thank you." A pause. "For offering, I mean."

"Indeed. I have work to do." Sesshomaru turned and left, Kagome still standing by the door.

"Well that was quick," Kagome huffed, following.

Sesshomaru walked as fast as he dared, noting the number of servants busy attending to his guests. Dinner was over, and many of them would take baths and prepare for bed. The servants would be busy for quite a while. The moment he reached his office, Sesshomaru darted inside and locked the door.

"Curse you," Sesshomaru mumbled, and sat at his desk. You needed it, his youkai replied. Besides, you wanted it. I did not want to offer another outing, Sesshomaru said in his mind, while beginning paperwork as a distraction. Once was enough. And yet, his youkai said, and chuckled, you admitted to yourself that you felt no regret in the offer. Sesshomaru did not answer.

Some minutes passed. Sesshomaru put away several complaints about food supply, and signed a few land agreements that had been awaiting a name for months. He picked up another paper, and stopped. What his inner youkai said was true. For a change, he thought, I do not loathe the thought of meeting with her again. In fact . . . I may be looking forward to it.

()

Hi, everyone! This concludes another chapter. I hope you all liked it!

And so, it looks like our dear Sesshy may finally be warming up. As well, the children are becoming mischievous. I can't wait to write more and see where I can take the plot. Kagome and Sesshomaru are getting along better, though making their conversation flow naturally was the hardest part of the picnic to write.

For those who don't know, mochi are sweet treats made with rice paste. I wanted something really Japanese in their meal.

I don't have much else to say besides that. Other characters will be joining in the fun of the SessKag-ness very soon! Thank you so much for reading this, I really appreciate it. Don't forget to review! Review, review, review! They feed my writing soul! Thank you again!

Ja ne~