Theme 31: Flowers

"So, you're saying you found Sesshomaru's sword?" Kagome asked incredulously.

Sesshomaru's had said no such thing. Kagome had just assumed it and he had chosen not to deny it.

"I can't imagine Sesshomaru just abandoning his sword" Miroku said, scratching his head.

"Maybe he just got bored of it" Shippo said "I mean, he did call it useless all the time"

Kagome looked unsure and Sesshomaru found that interesting.

When the rest had gone on their daily chores for setting up their campsite, finding firewood and hunting Kagome got things ready and Sesshomaru chose to watch over her, Shippo went with the monk.

He asked "You find it strange that Sesshomaru would abandon his blade?" he asked.

Curiosity was something that had taken time to remember. Sesshomaru had not felt it in his own body since his pup years, that Inuyasha's blood should make him so curious explained so much. Another thing he was getting use to was referring to himself, as if he were not himself.

"You noticed?" she asked "Yeah, I kinda do. You know Inuyasha; I've never been able to understand why Sesshomaru never wanted his sword."

Sesshomaru sat down "It is a sword that does not cut"

"Oh so you remember that?" she said laughing "But not anything important?"

She tended the fire "I remember Totosai telling us about how he shuddered at the very thought of its immense powers when he was making it. A sword that can bring people back, don't you think that is amazing?"

"It is amazing to be unable to cut down enemies?" Sesshomaru asked, raising his brow, the Miko's logic was incomprehensible.

"You know, when I think about it, I think Inuyasha's father had the right idea about which sword should go with which son."

Sesshomaru frowned, she believed the sword worthy of him? Impossible "Explain"

Kagome leant back and gave her shoulders a little shrug "I don't know, it's just…Sesshomaru's strong enough without his sword, and he has Tokijin now. He doesn't need Tetsaiga's power. But Inuyasha…the Inuyasha you were, does need it, Tetsaiga is a sword that protects, Inuyasha finds it hard to make friends, so now that he has us he needs Tetsaiga to protect what's precious to him. But Sesshomaru…" she trailed off.

Kagome shivered "I don't like Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru was silent. Deep inside, something twinged painfully. Surprised, he touched his chest. What was that? He felt…angry? No, it was something else.

"Every time we meet him" Kagome continued "All he has is that slimy toad. And he's always going on about how bonds aren't important, how there's nothing more important than power"

"There isn't" Sesshomaru found himself saying.

Kagome shook her head "Sesshomaru feels like a void, there's nothing there. When he smiles, it's like one of those demon masks you wear at festivals; it's terrifying, but really empty. He scares me a little, like he is nothing and has nothing. At the same time, I feel a little sorry for him. Maybe…maybe the sword Tensaiga is with him because his father hopes that when and if his son ever finds something worth caring for, he'll have everything he needs to keep them with him forever. In order to bring something to life, you need to really want them to live."

'Tell me, do you have something you want to protect?' His father's words suddenly came to Sesshomaru as he listened to the Miko's words.

"Inuyasha, I want to ask you something" she suddenly said. Sesshomaru broke out of his reverie to find the Miko leaning on her hands and knees towards him so their faces were too close. To Sesshomaru's surprise, though the proximity wasn't anything special, he was becoming increasingly aware of it. Once again, as it had over the past few weeks, something in his chest felt so warm.

"I want to know more about you" she said "Not the Inuyasha you were before, the person you are now"

'She wished to understand this Sesshomaru?' he thought shocked.

"I know so little about you and the person you've become. So I wanna ask you, what's important to you now?"

"Important?" Sesshomaru echoed, absentmindedly. To his frustration, his gaze was increasingly slipping towards the females lips.

"Yeah" she said, returning his attentions to her eyes, "What's important to you. Because to me, nothing's changed. You're still one of the precious things I hold dear."

X-X-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-XX

Something important to him? The thought bothered him throughout their journey.

They set up camp in front of a forest field in boom. The Kit and the fire Cat partook in the scenery gleefully, and after a while the Miko…Kagome, was enticed to join them in their frolicking.

Sesshomaru sat back and watched over them while the others hunted. He could have provided the meal instead, he knew this area better than they did and even in this body, his claws were swifter than a staff. But he wanted to watch over them and ponder this new conundrum.

Power, power was what was important to him. Becoming powerful had always been what was most important to him. All his life, Sesshomaru had strived to live as his namesake, a killing perfection and nothing less, to be weak was unacceptable. That was his answer.

And yet as he thought this, his eyes once again found the form of the Miko collecting herbs amongst the flowers for their meal. Amongst his colourful visions of glory, she was a very dull picture. Yet when she smiled, he found himself unable to look away as his face became slack with wonder and his heart became very warm.

He touched his chest. What was this…feeling? He'd never experienced it before.

She claimed that he was important to her. That thought pleased him. Kagome and his priorities were very different. He wanted power, while she sought only to devote herself to those she cared for. It was a weak desire, and yet she suffered no implication that the weakness upset her. She revelled in this and seemed happier for it.

What made him happy? Her question from before.

This Miko was making Sesshomaru think of things he'd never even wondered about for thousands of years.

As he watched her, he noticed something nearby. A rat youkai, its beady red eyes were focused on his Miko.

Sesshomaru snarled. The rat pounced and in the same moment, Sesshomaru was beside it and its head was rolling along, lost in the flowers. It was no allowed near her.

"Inuyasha?", Kagome raised her head in question "What is it?"

Sesshomaru looked down into those blue eyes of hers, something warm in his chest.

"Nothing" he said softly "Continue what you were doing"

She gave a shaky smile "Um…Ok" and returned to her work choosing herbs.

Sesshomaru watched her work. Never had he known such peace as simply wishing for the safety of someone else and seeing it so.

At that moment he came to a realisation and a answer for her question.

'Kagome, you are important to this Sesshomaru.'

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