This is actually super cute. Without a plot, it's easier to focus on the romance and

Sesshomaru is really fun to write.

-Inuyasha-

My ears twitch with irritation as the fire-daemon paces up and down the clearing, the sun hadn't set yet, so I had no need to hide my condition from him.

"We're wasting time. Why can't we get going already?"

"Inuyasha will be… indisposed this evening." Kagome says carefully.

He stops and looks at Kagome. "Indi- Indi whatsit?"

"Indisposed." She repeats.

"I don't even know what that means!" He sounds exasperated. "Lucy's probably terrified, all alone. And," He shakes the keys in Kagome's face. "She doesn't have these so she can't protect herself."

"Don't talk to Kagome like that." I snap. "And no-one said you had to stay with us."

He growls at me, teeth bared, and I reciprocate, getting to my feet.

"Inuyasha!"

"Good. I'm gonna go find my friend."

"Great. Don't come back."

"I won't." He hisses, turns on his heel and stalks off.

"Good!" I shout after him.

"Fine!" He yells back. My nose and ears twitch again. You wanna have the last word huh?

"It is fine."

He turns and faces me. "Yeah it's fucking stupendous isn't it you stupid dog!" He roars. "My best friend is missing and you don't give two fucks. FUCK YOU!" With that, he sprints off into the cover of the trees. Furious, I open my mouth to retort, but Kagome, eyebrow trembling with anger, stops me.

"SIT!"
I face plant and she strides over and slaps me across the face.

"Inuyasha you idiot. Don't be so cruel."

I sit up, unashamed. "He started it."

"Don't you pout at me, the poor guy." She looks over to where the guy had disappeared.

"I'm not going after him."

She sighs and walks over to Shippo, leaving me to wonder why she on earth she thought he needed protection of any kind.

-Lucy-

I glance up at Rin, unlike me, she seemed completely comfortable riding A-Un, where as I had opted to walk. She chatters happily, about this and that, content with an occasional, 'Really?,' or 'Then what?' to keep her going. Occasionally when she was telling a story, Jaken would snap at her to not give away too much information, but it's not like I was listening properly anyway. As far as I could tell, they were looking for pieces of a magic item that had shattered a few months ago, Rin had hinted that it enhanced one's abilities, before Jaken swooped down on her, warning her to not say anything else about it.

While Rin babbles on, I realize that I am in a predicament, Caught between looking out for my keys, and staring at Sesshomaru. I'd do a quick scan, and my eyes would lock onto his back. If he felt my eyes on him, he didn't comment. I snort derisively, probably was used to staring women, and he seems like a man that wouldn't be fazed if his world crashed down around him.

"And then Kagome too, she's really nice, but she wears different clothes, and has weird food, and she's probably not from around here."

"Huh." I say.

Jaken sneers at me. "A lady shouldn't say 'huh.'" He reprimands me.

"Good thing I'm not a lady." I retort.

"You're a man? No wonder you're so large." I glower at him, and he snickers, hurrying in front of me. I pull back a foot to stomp on his head, when Sesshomaru beats me to it, though I wasn't sure if it was intentional or not.

"Don't insult the Lady, Jaken." And that was it. The imp turns and makes a 'how dare you face' and I stick my tongue out and wiggle my fingers. Something Asuka always found amusing, and apparently Rin too. Her laughter echoes and I grin up at her, giggling.

"Lucy-nee. You're so funny."

"-Nee?"

"Yeah 'coz you're my big sister, I never had one before."

"Why not?"

"Uh."

"Hm?" I look up at her, her face suddenly downcast.

"Um, um. My family was killed when I was little. Well, littler. About a year ago."

"Oh." I bite my lip. I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't been wondering why Rin was wandering around with a large, tattooed man and a green hobgoblin. "My mum died when I was little." I say, in a feeble attempt to console her.

"Did you have a papa?"

I crinkle my nose. "Yeah, my dad never liked me much. He hated me."

"Hated? Does he like you know?"

"Not really, he's dead now."

"I'm sorry."

"That makes us the same right?"

Rin looks down at me from A-Un and her face splits into a wide smile. I notice she has a tooth missing. "Yeah!"

-Sesshomaru-

I glance up at the sky, night is falling and with extra company, setting up camp is harder. We'll have to stop here, there's water near by and it won't be cold. Convenient.

"Jaken, set up camp."

"Yes my Lord."

I walk over to the beast of burden and remove Rin from his back. She takes the older girl by the hand and picks up the bucket, beginning her task of gathering water.

"What do you think of the girl Jaken?" I ask.

"She's impudent, seemingly lazy, and frankly I think she's a burden."

"Really?" I study the back of her head. This girl, Lucy, is not of any order either human, daemon or priestess. She is of her own order.

Her hair, the strangest blend of colours, like golden silk and the honey coloured sweets that Rin favoured, and abnormally large eyes, like marbles, but they were deep, almost as if she carries an enormous burden in her heart, perhaps she does. I wouldn't know. But, I find myself earnestly wishing that I could share that burden with her. This girl, with bright eyes has a terrible secret that she will not give up easily. This girl with shining hair, is someone who cares too much. This girl with soft curves, has seen things not fit for one so young. This girl with hardened hands, fights. This girl somehow, makes me want to know her.

And perhaps that is why after the sun had set, and she lay beside A-Un, I position myself close to her, close enough to touch but far enough to see danger from all sides.