Travelling with Seshoumaru felt strange. Kagome was so used to Inuyasha's loud rants and the sound of Miroku getting slapped by Sango, that this blissful quiet felt unnatural to her. Seshou squeezed her hand and she gave hima forced smile.

He gave her a quiet look of concern, "Are you all right?"

Kagome nodded, and sent a swift glance towards the tall inuyoukai heading the group. The wind was playing gently with his silver hair, and she felt a twinge of jealousy at all that silky straight hair. Seshou's hair was still not long enough. His hair stopped midway on his back.

"Miko."

Kagome jumped, startled.

Seshoumaru's back was still to them as he walked on, "You will stop staring at this one."

Kagome paled and gave a shaky laugh, "Sorry." A distinctive 'Hn', met her ears and she sighed with relief. Seshou looked up at her and once again squeezed her hand, offering comfort. His gaze wandered towards the red haired youkai and the human girl. They were sitting on the two headed dragon, which kept giving him strange looks.

The dragon reminded the young inuyoukai of Kateru, the old inuyoukai in charge of the stables. The inuyoukai had told him of a strange dragon who had lain four eggs. Kateru had stolen one of the eggs when the female dragon had started eating them. He had given it to Seshou as a gift. Before leaving, Seshou had handed the egg to the inuyoukai for safe keeping.

He missed the gray haired stable keeper and wondered if he would ever get back home.

He once again eyed the brown eyed human girl. She and Shippu were talking and giggling in hushed whispers. It reminded him of the children of the nobles, back at home. They all shunned him, because of his father. The taiyoukai frightened them so they stayed away from his son as well. Swallowing, he looked away, trying to find some other point of interest.

It hurt. He had realized this a long time ago. Wherever he went he was alone, and the lonliness hurt, so distractions were most welcomed. His eyes fell on a blue flower, a little farther off. It immediately reminded him of the blue eyed priestess walking alongside him. He wanted to give it to her. His determination warred with his nervousness as he didn;t want to attract attention to himself. However, he got the chance, when Rin asked his future self for a break to drink water. Seshoumaru immediately nodded and went to sit under the shade of a tree while the children rushed off to drink water, taking Kagome's strange container with them for her.

Although, he too was thirsty, Seshou stayed, and as soon as the children were out of sight, he started inching towards the location of the flower. Kagome had closed her eyes and was resting in the shade. Even his future self had closed his eyes. The heat was excruciating.

He had barely taken a few steps when Seshoumaru's voice stopped him in his tracks, "Where are you going?" The words held a barely veiled warning, and Seshou stilled. His eyes darted towards the flower and back. Seshoumaru's eyes were open as he studied the boy.

He felt intimidated by this fully grown youkai. He was arrogant, strong, and completely confident. For a monet, Seshou forgot his plan, and looked in wonderment at him.

"How?"

Seshoumaru raised a brow in askance and the pup clarified.

"How did I grow up to be you?"

The question was a strange one and the first conversation the young inuyoukai had ever initiated with his future self. Seshoumaru understood what he meant though. How did he become so confident, so sure of himself? When did he start fighting to survive?

The reply was quiet, "Endurance, patience and a sacrifice." After a moments thought, he closed those piercing eyes again, "Go do what you will, and return."

Seshou blinked and then raced off. As Seshoumaru opened his eyes and watching the figure of the young inuyoukai, he exhaled softly, and his thoughts went to his old mentor. How he had protected him, shielded him. Closing his eyes to ward of the twinge of grief, he returned his eyes to the miko.

She had fallen asleep, it seemed. She must have been more exhausted than he had realized. He blinked twice as his vision became a little blurry. Scowling, he gripped his head and tried to will the headache away. He heard someone laugh, a soft tinkling laugh and turned around swiftly. There was no one there.

He frowned and expanded his youki to get rid of all wandering youkai in the area. His headache had vanished as soon as it had been felt and he wondered about it. His golden eyes once agains hifted towards the sleeping miko. She was no remarkable beauty but she had simplicity about her which was very appealing. Her loving nature was alien to him and yet he would find himself fascinated everytime he encountered her group.

The first time he had laid eyes on her, he had scoffed her affection, her caring for Inuyasha. But as time went by and he saw more of her, it began to irritate him. The hanyou was selfish, he did not deserve this pure hearted priestess. When she had begged him not to kill Inuyasha, had given him a horrifed look, when the moth demon had forced Inuyasha to revert to his demon self, he had left the half breed alive. He didn't know why he listened to her, why he didn't want those blue eyes shimmering with tears, but the fact was he had done it for her. And it irriated him to no end to realize the extent of this slip of a girl's influence on him.

When he had felt the presence of another inuyoukai with her, something inside him had snapped and he had felt a jolt of fury. He refused to call it possessiveness as she did not belong to him. He didn't like the way she showered attention over the pup, holding his hand letting him scent mark her. The child was too young to know what he was doing but Seshoumaru could see he was claiming her, fending off others.

It occurred to him, belatedly that since the pup was him, it was his scent that was covering the miko. However, he often had to fight the urge to restrain himself from snarling at the boy and teaching him his place. It had pleased him, he realized later, that now she was away from the half breed. What did she even see in him? He cheated on her. He continuously engaged in physical activities with the undead priestess. Was the girl still in love with him?

Hearing a soft sound, he narrowed his eyes as he saw his past self approach. On seeing the blue flower in his hand, Seshoumaru's eyes widened. Was the pup honestly going to present the flower to the miko?

Seshou approached quietly and stood over the slumbering miko. He wanted to give it to her, but part of him shied back. He could just leave it there, beside her for her to find when she woke up. He looked around wildly. This had been a bad idea. Now what was he to do!

He could hear the others approaching and he flexed his claws nervously, careful not to harm the fragile flower.

Seshoumaru watched as the pup fretted on what to do. How old was he? He hadn't bothered to find out. He seemed very young yet. Too young. Sighing, he decided to do something that he would never have done in a normal situation. He rubbed his youki against the miko's aura. His eyes widened and he lurched forward on recieving something akin to static shock. However, instead of hurting, it was pleasurable. He narrowed his eyes fractionally and rubbed again. He clenched his jaw when he felt the beginnings of arousal from the girl and she moaned softly. His own body hummed with pleasure.

Mood darkening, he wrapped his youki around himself tightly, and brooded. Something he was very good at.

Kagome purred in her sleep and tried to latch onto those wonderful remnants of sleep that were slowly fading. As she drifted back into reality, howver, the first thing she noticed was the agitated aura of the Seshou. The child seemed to be in conflict and his youkai was all over the place. Still half-asleep, she stroked his youkai, trying to calm him down. However, it just served to make him even mor eflightly. Now concerned, she opened her eyes. The first thing that swam into her vision was a beautiful cerulean blue.

She blinked.

It was a flower.

Her eyes slid upwards to rest upon Seshou's flaming red face and it dawned on her. Biting back, a chuckle as he thrust the flower towards her, she accepted it gracefully.

Burying her nose in it to capture its exclusive scent, she sighed with pleasure and then sent him a beaming smile.

"Where did you find this? It's beautiful, Seshoumaru."

He blushed again and mumbled something. Kagome laughed this time and slid the flower to rest in her hair. Instantly a low growl filled the surrounding area. Seshoumaru was scowling, "Remove that useless ornament, woman."

Kagome gave him an incredulous look, "What?"

"Remove it."

"What is wrong with you? I'm not removing it. I like it."

"I will not repeat myself."

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest, her cheeks flushed with anger, "You won't have to! This has nothing to do with you, so butt out."

"Watch your tone, girl."

Growling at the warning tone in Seshoumaru's voice, Kagome narrowed her eyes at him, "I. Like. It. So I'm keeping it."

It was a battle of wills. However, before Seshoumaru could repeat himself, Rin and Shippu emerged into the clearing, giggling. Rin immediately spotted the flowers and cooed at its beauty while Shippo gazed at Seshou with a strange look in his eye. Seshou stared back, not knowing what to say till Shippou muttered, "It's pretty. Where'd you find it?"

"It was growing on the jagged rocks a little farther off."

Shippou smiled hesitantly and Seshou mirrored him, both not knowing how to act around the other.

Everyone refreshed, they continued their journey. As Seshou walked alongside Kagome, he caught Seshoumaru studying Kagome's flower with a narrowed look. Seshou immediately snarled softly, his eyes flashing red. Startled, Seshoumaru's eyes widened fractionally and then he growled back, using his youki to push the other's into submission.

And so began the rivalry between the two, each unconsciously vying for Kagome's attentions.

A.N: I should be studying right now. And someone asked me a question abotu Kagome's eyes. HER EYES ARE BLUE.

I like that colour and in the manga that is her eyes colour. Plus a Kagome with blue eyes is pretty. So, you know...blue.

Reviews please...I crave them like I crave Kitkat. Not that I can eat Kitkat.