InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ What A Girl Needs ❯ What A Youkai Wants ( Chapter 7 )

Originally posted May 17, 2005. Minor typos fixed September 10, 2005.

 

Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns everything and I humbly bow to her genius.

 

…

 

What a Girl Needs

 

by Souta's Sister

 

Chapter 7 -- What A Youkai Wants

 

…

 

“So Eri said you broke up with Akio last month?” Kagome asked. “Are you okay with that?”

 

Yuka looked up from her salad with a slight grimace on her face. She didn't answer right away and Kagome regretted asking about it. She didn't mean to put Yuka in a bad mood or bring back bad memories. Judging by her expression, she thought Yuka must really be bitter about it.

 

Yuka set her chopsticks down and glanced around the small café where she and Kagome were having lunch. It was one of her favorites and she hadn't been there in about two months. The last time she had eaten there, Akio had been with her. She frowned thinking about it. She'd been so stupid…

 

Kagome decided to apologize to Yuka for introducing the subject since it appeared that Yuka was really angry with her ex-boyfriend.

 

“Yuka-chan…I'm sorry. We don't need to talk about it. I'm sorry he hurt you---”

 

“He didn't, Kagome-chan. He was wonderful and sweet and he loved me. He never would have hurt me…. But I hurt him…and I just get angry with myself for doing it. I didn't have the right…” Yuka cut Kagome off in a low harsh voice.

 

Kagome was taken aback. Yuka -- bossy, well-meaning Yuka -- would never deliberately hurt anyone! She always championed her friends and tried to make sure everyone around her was happy. Sure, she misjudged what would make them happy sometimes, but the caring behind her pushiness was never in doubt.

 

“Yuka-chan, I don't believe you would hurt someone on purpose… I'm sure it was a misunderstanding…” Kagome tried to tell her.

 

“No, I did it deliberately even if I didn't think I was doing it at the time…” Yuka said and she hung her head shamefully. She took a shaky breath trying to reign in her emotions.

 

“I don't understand…” Kagome finally replied after it became clear that Yuka wasn't going to continue. “But you don't have to tell me…I can see it upsets you. I'm sorry I brought it up.”

 

“It's okay, Kagome-chan. Maybe I can tell you…I haven't felt comfortable telling our other friends because…I'm around them all the time, but you…you won't tell anyone or give me pitying looks...”

 

There was a slight question in Yuka's statement and Kagome shook her head and answered, “No, I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to…and maybe I can help you…”

 

Yuka smiled. “You're always willing to help people, Kagome-chan. You've always been so nice and you try not to hurt anyone's feelings, even when you're angry. And though you say you lose your temper with that guy, Inuyasha, you always defend him too. You've stuck by him. You've loved him even when you say you can't be with him because his ex-girlfriend interferes. You never give up on someone you love…I wish I could have been like that too,” she finished sadly.

 

Kagome blushed, feeling guilty, and answered, “I'm not perfect, Yuka-chan…and I'm not so sure giving up is the wrong choice if you know you can't be with someone. Maybe it would be best to find someone else…”

 

“No, Kagome-chan, it's not best. It doesn't work and it isn't fair to anyone involved,” she said with conviction. “Believe me, I know….I know…”

 

“Tell me, Yuka-chan…because I don't understand,” Kagome requested, hoping she could pay attention to Yuka and keep her own guilty thoughts from running away with her mind.

 

Yuka sighed and visibly relaxed her shoulders. She looked at Kagome for a minute and then began her story.

 

“I had a crush on someone in middle school but he never liked me like that. We have mutual friends and interests so, over the years, I've continued to see him at school and now in college. My crush never went away. I figured out that I loved him when we were in high school but he still never showed any signs that he liked me as anything more than a friend…”

 

Her voice trailed off and she studied her unfinished salad for a moment. Then she looked up at Kagome with regret in her eyes and continued a little brokenly.

 

“I'm wicked, Kagome-chan. I knew he liked…someone else…and I know the girl he liked…and I used it as an excuse to talk to him…a lot. And, one time, when we were at a friend's house…I knew he was going to use the bathroom …so I ran in there first and…I took off my shirt…and left the door unlocked so he could…see me in my bra…because I thought it would make him like me…but he just covered his eyes and apologized and slammed the door…I was so ashamed…and he pretended it never happened.”

 

“Yuka-chan…don't be ashamed…I've done…stupid things too,” she confessed thinking of the times she let Inuyasha see her naked on purpose, “and it's okay, because we are allowed to make mistakes, aren't we? He was probably just embarrassed, and…would you have really wanted him to like you -- or use you -- because he saw your bra or would you want him to like you because you are his friend? Don't worry about it…”

 

`Oh, Inuyasha, I'm glad you were always a gentleman with me,' she thought to herself. She studied Yuka's downcast eyes and asked, “Was it a pretty bra? All mine were quite ugly back then…” Kagome gave a nervous laugh, trying to lighten her friend's mood.

 

Yuka laughed a little too, and wiped her eye as she replied, “You know, I thought it was really cute at the time, but now I wonder what possessed me to ever buy a lime green and pink plaid bra. It probably blinded him because it was sort of florescent, I think.”

 

She smiled at Kagome for a moment and silently thanked her friend for making her see the humor instead of the heartache in the situation.

 

She sighed and continued, “And, you're right. I would have hated to be used…which is why I can't forgive myself for doing it to someone else….Akio didn't deserve it.”

 

She looked out the window of the café, not really seeing the traffic or pedestrians, lost in her thoughts. Kagome gave her a minute to gather herself together since it was clear that her emotions were in turmoil again after that last statement.

 

“Akio had liked me for a while, Kagome-chan, before I really knew it. He was always very kind and attentive, and maybe he knew I liked someone else but it didn't stop him from being there for me all the time. About a year ago, I decided that…the other guy…would never love me like I loved him…so I decided to get over him…with someone else…and Akio was right there…being nice to me…”

 

Yuka paused for a moment again and Kagome waited for her to continue, all the while feeling guilty about her own `plan' to get over Inuyasha and wondering if it would be fair to a guy to use him to get over someone else, even if she liked that guy too and had no intention of hurting him.

 

Would he feel that he would always be second best like she felt she was with Inuyasha? Would he resent Inuyasha like she resented Kikyou? Could she tell him about Inuyasha at all without making him feel used as just a shoulder to cry on? If she couldn't share her heartache about Inuyasha with the guy, then she'd still have to suffer about it alone…

 

“I liked him as a friend and I thought that maybe I could like him as more if I just gave him a chance. So….I let him love me and…I slept with him…and all the time…I still thought of…the other guy. Akio figured it out too. He knew I wasn't…completely with him. He never said anything about it but…I could tell that it bothered him….and I felt so guilty…like I was cheating on him…and…in my heart, I was. And still, Akio was always so nice to me…I couldn't take it anymore…so I broke up with him. And I feel like…I shouldn't have started sleeping with him because…I hurt him. What I did was wrong and if I could take it back, I would….” Yuka finished with a tear running down her face.

 

Kagome wiped at her own eyes, feeling deep empathy with Yuka and feeling stupid for making up her `plan' to prepare for losing Inuyasha. That could easily be her sitting in Yuka's chair, telling her regretful story, and Kagome knew herself well enough to know that she would feel guilty for sleeping with someone if she didn't love them like she loved Inuyasha…and she'd never love anyone like she loved Inuyasha…she realized that now.

 

“Yuka-chan…I'm so glad you told me this…it has…helped me more than you will ever know and I only wish that I could help you too…but that will take time…” Kagome told her friend, trying to get past the lump in her throat.

 

“Poor Akio is the one you should feel sorry for….not me. The sad thing is that my heart is already recovered…but I don't know if my conscience ever will.”

 

Kagome sighed, “I think he'll be okay, Yuka-chan…and you will too eventually. I'm sure other people have survived heartache, and we can too. Good grief, we're not even twenty years old yet!”

 

“What do you mean `we'? Did you and that Inuyasha guy break up, Kagome-chan?” Yuka asked, suddenly switching to pushy-but-caring-friend mode. “He's a jerk, Kagome-chan, and you can do better!”

 

“No, it's not like that really. It's just that I realized that we'll probably never be more than friends and…I had wanted to be more to him. He hasn't done anything wrong, Yuka-chan, I promise. I know you understand now,” Kagome explained.

 

Yuka smiled sadly at Kagome and agreed, “Yeah, I understand and I'm sorry that you feel that way too… I always thought you and Houjou would be happy together if you just got to know him better and since he liked you so much. I wanted you both to be happy… I guess Houjou never had a chance, did he? ”

 

“No…not while Inuyasha is around…” Kagome answered, again feeling guilty for contemplating using Houjou, or anyone, to get over Inuyasha.

 

Before Yuka could reply, her cell phone rang and she dug in her purse for it while Kagome picked at her food.

 

“Speak of the devil…” Yuka muttered as she saw the Caller ID on her phone. “Hello, Houjou. What's up? ….Yeah, she's with me. ….We're almost finished with lunch. ….Shopping. ….Yes, but I don't know, Houjou-- ….Wait-- ….No, she-- …Alright, fine. Pick us up in two hours. …Okay. Bye.”

 

Yuka sighed and gave Kagome an apologetic look. “I'm sorry, but he insisted on meeting us and even if you don't want to go to the party, he wants to give us a ride home.”

 

“It's okay, Yuka-chan. He's still my friend and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable just because I don't like him like you think I should,” Kagome smiled back at her.

 

“I didn't mean to push you on him so much, Kagome-chan. It's just that I knew he liked you and I couldn't understand why any girl wouldn't like him too. I wanted him to be happy and I thought you could be happy with him too…” Yuka trailed off awkwardly and a suspicion sprang to life in Kagome's brain.

 

“So you and Houjou are still close friends then? He has your cell phone number,” Kagome asked.

 

“Yeah, we see each other almost every day at college. We have two classes together and he's a part-time tutor in the Math Department. I go there to get help with Advanced Calculus and he comes over to my house to help me too. Oh, and the party tonight is at another tutor's house,” Yuka replied.

 

Whatever Kagome envisioned for the party tonight, it did not include a congregation of math tutors, but she pushed that thought aside for the moment to ask innocently, “Wow, that's kind of lucky to get two classes together, don't you think? Especially since his major is business, I think, and yours is graphic design. How'd that happen?”

 

Yuka blushed, “Oh, well…it just sort of ended up that way.” She laughed a little and shrugged her shoulders.

 

“He's a math tutor, huh? I bet he's dull to be around that much,” Kagome fished.

 

Yuka took the bait. “No! He's very smart and interesting! He always holds my attention and it's never boring to talk to him or spend time with him!” she insisted.

 

Kagome smiled slyly at her friend and Yuka blushed even more, realizing that she had over reacted. She grabbed her soft drink and nervously drank a few sips, trying to avoid Kagome's eyes.

 

“Why don't you tell him that you love him?” Kagome asked and Yuka choked.

 

She recovered quickly and heatedly asked, “Have you told Inuyasha that you love him?”

 

Kagome's eyes widened at the swift comeback and she blushed, opening her mouth to reply but then closed it, took a deep breath, and smiled at her defensive friend.

 

“I guess it's not that easy, is it? Aren't we a pair…,” Kagome said softly.

 

Yuka relaxed her fierce expression, lowered her eyes, and slumped a little in her chair. She sighed and looked back up at Kagome, returning her smile.

 

“It's not so bad, you know… I get to see him almost every day and he's never really dated anyone, so I don't have anyone to be jealous about. He's always comfortable with me and I feel…at home with him…so I'll hang onto that for as long as I can,” Yuka told her quietly.

 

“I…I think I will too,” Kagome replied, coming to a decision -- again - about Inuyasha and hating herself for ever thinking that she could carry out her `plan'. She felt relieved almost to not have to worry about hunting down a potential sex partner and scolded herself again because it wasn't all about the sex.

 

She'd have to figure out what to do about the longings she felt for Inuyasha and try not to think those things about him and what it would be like to be with him like that. Still, she'd rather deal with erotic dreams than have regrets like Yuka.

 

Suddenly Yuka clapped her hands in front of her and said brightly, “Enough of that! You still need to exchange those awful clothes and we have to meet Houjou outside the mall in…,” she glanced at her watch, “an hour and a half, so let's get going!”

 

An hour later Kagome paid for her new dress and felt good about her purchase. It covered everything that should be covered but still managed to make her feel desirable and pretty when she looked at herself in the mirror. It also had the Yuka stamp of approval, which wasn't a bad thing either.

 

She'd reluctantly returned the `awful outfit' under Yuka's watchful eyes but had no real regrets…after all, when would she really get to wear something suggestive like that? A brief fantasy starring an awestruck Inuyasha came to mind, but she pushed it away. She sighed and followed Yuka out of the store, wondering if a vibrator would help. Nobody's feelings could get hurt if she used a vibrator, right?

 

A little while later, Kagome sat beside Yuka at a bus stop, waiting for Houjou to pick them up. She wondered about the party, dithering as to whether or not she wanted to go and feeling apprehensive about willingly subjecting herself to a gathering of math tutors. She'd face youkai any day rather than math.

 

“What can I expect tonight, Yuka-chan? They aren't going to discuss Algebra all night, are they?” Kagome laughed.

 

Yuka laughed too and replied, “Well, not all night, but you might hear some of them talking about it because it's what they know…” She smiled a little apologetically at Kagome.

 

“Oh, gods! I thought I'd gotten away from all that in high school…” Kagome moaned.

 

Yuka laughed again, “Well, it's not that bad. They'll have a movie playing, usually something with a lot of action, and they'll have some music playing by the pool too. Someone will bring beer, I'm sure, and there might be other drinks too. Okay, I guess that sounds sort of boring but, Kagome-chan, I promise you it's not. We always have a good time when we get together. You'll know some people there and you'll meet some new people and it will be fun, I promise!”

 

“Well…I don't know…” Kagome began but Yuka cut her off.

 

“Oh, come on, Kagome-chan! We never see you anymore since you go visit that other shrine with Inuyasha, and Eri will want to talk to you too! Please?” she begged.

 

“Okay, I guess I'll go, but don't go trying to push me off on Houjou, okay? Because I have a friend that likes him and I don't want to upset her,” Kagome teased.

 

Yuka blushed, “Alright, I deserved that.” She laughed a little nervously and continued, “We might have enough time to go visit Ayumi before the party. You need to see her; she's as big as a house and still has a month to go before she delivers.”

 

“I'd like that! What are they having?” Kagome asked.

 

“A boy and --- Oh, here's Houjou!”

 

Kagome looked up in the direction that Yuka was pointing and saw Houjou pull up to the curb a little ways down the street. She and Yuka got up and walked to his car. Yuka got into the front seat with him after a subtle push from Kagome and Houjou looked confused for a moment, but greeted them both enthusiastically just the same.

 

It was already late afternoon and they decided to go to the shrine first so that Kagome and Yuka could change since both girls had new clothes to wear.

 

Kagome and Yuka took turns changing in the bathroom, freshening their faces and fixing their hair while they were in there. Houjou stayed in Kagome's room and had fun looking at her photo album and reminiscing about junior high and high school with each girl while the other got ready in the bathroom. They left to go see Ayumi just before dark.

 

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 

Inuyasha's heart felt like it burst in his chest. She was already with that boy. Pain overrode everything else, swirling within him and around him. She had really meant it. All hope left him at the realization that she didn't want him. He had clung to the belief that he had misunderstood something, that she really would never seek comfort in the arms of another man. Now that hope shattered.

 

He looked around, feeling disoriented. He stumbled out her window and back to the well house, down the steps, and into the well. Numbly, he crawled out on the other side and slowly walked to the God Tree. He sank to his knees in front of it, his palms resting on its familiar bark. The lump in his throat rose suddenly and he lifted his head to scream his pain to the moon.

 

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 

Miroku tightened his grip on Sango's hand as they stopped mid-step on their way back to the village and turned to look in the direction of the scream. The pain in that scream was a tangible thing. It was an inhuman scream. They felt it physically and shivered as the hair on the backs of their necks stood up.

 

Sango looked at Miroku with questioning eyes. “Was that...Inuyasha?” she whispered.

 

“I'm not sure…. Do you think she refused him?” His voice, equally quiet, held disbelief.

 

“She may have already...been with another. You heard everything she said the other night; I know you did. What if he was too late? What should we do?” She was scared.

 

Miroku thought for a moment. “Let's go back to the village. He may be dangerous right now. We'll wait for him there. Or if he doesn't come back…I don't want to try and approach him until morning.” They hurried down the path toward the village, Miroku supporting a still tipsy Sango along the way.

 

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 

Inuyasha finally dropped to the ground at the base of the God Tree and slumped against it, not really knowing where he was or what he was doing. He sank into despair, sitting there unmoving as the night deepened and darkness covered him. He vaguely thought that Kikyou's arrow had been better than this…he preferred the nothingness to this pain.

 

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 

Kagome sat watching her friends and the strangers around her. How had she ever thought that she could feel a connection to one of these boys? She realized that she belonged to another world now.

 

At first it had been enjoyable and flattering to be sought out by several of the guys at the party, both the ones she had known in school and the new faces. But after a few minutes of conversation, they ran out of things to say to each other.

 

She didn't go to college and could only give vague answers about her shrine training. She knew a little about music but not really much about recent hit songs. She knew about some TV shows but only if they were four or more years old. She'd seen a few movies - okay, just one - in the last year but couldn't remember the name of it. Trying to find a topic that both she and each boy could converse about became awkward. It became embarrassing for her…and them.

 

So here she was, sitting near Yuka, Eri, and Eri's boyfriend, only half listening to their conversation and watching the people around her. She'd had two glasses of wine and was feeling relaxed, maybe a little giddy, as she thought about her life versus theirs.

 

While Kaede and Miroku were teaching her how to put up a simple shield, these people were having fun at arcades and movie theaters. While she was camping in the mud, trying to keep at least one pair of dry socks on hand at any given time, they were having slumber parties and pretending to be someone else on the Internet. While she was trying to meet the expectations of an impatient, sour tempered hanyou, they were trying to pass their college entrance exams. She had nothing in common with her own generation anymore. She wasn't one of them. She was officially weird.

 

And yet…she felt okay about that. She didn't envy them or lament everything she had missed. Music groups, TV shows, and movies would come and go. She could hear them or see them later. Even college would still be there if she ever needed it. But she would never regret giving all of it up for the chance to follow one grumpy hanyou to the ends of Japan and back. She wouldn't trade her time with Inuyasha for the world….

 

A tap on her shoulder brought her back from her thoughts. She looked up and smiled at Houjou and he smiled back and asked her to dance by the pool. She agreed and got up to follow him outside.

 

Several college boys lived in the three downstairs apartments in front of the pool and all three apartments had their doors open for the party. Kagome noticed people drifting in and out of the apartments and pool area as Houjou led her to the impromptu dance floor, which was really just the open concrete area near the deep end.

 

A slow song was starting and Houjou blushed a little as he loosely encircled her waist and she put her hands on his shoulders.

 

“Higurashi, how long will you be home this time?” he asked.

 

“Call me `Kagome', Houjou-kun, like you call Yuka-chan by her name,” she replied, wondering why he was always so formal with her.

 

“Oh, well, o-okay…Kagome. I guess I'm just used to Yuka being with me. We are kind of casual with each other…,” he told her uneasily.

 

“That's a good thing, Houjou-kun…to be so comfortable with her and to know you can be open and casual with her. Don't you think so?” she asked.

 

“Well, we've been friends for so long…I guess so,” he trailed off confusedly, but then redirected the conversation back to his original question. “How long will you be home this time, Hig…er…Kagome?” he asked, smiling his confident smile again.

 

“Probably only until tomorrow afternoon,” she answered, hoping he wasn't going to try to ask her out.

 

“Then would you be able to go to lunch with me tomorrow?” he asked, still holding that handsome smile.

 

“No, Houjou-kun, I'm sorry, I can't. You see…I like a boy very much and I don't think it would be right to go to lunch with you.”

 

There! She'd said it and she was darn proud of herself. No more polite and vague refusals. She'd help pave the way for Yuka if she could.

 

“You have a boyfriend? Yuka didn't say…anything about that,” he frowned, glancing around as if looking for the girl.

 

Kagome sighed, “Yuka-chan wants her friends to be happy. She doesn't always…approve of my boyfriend because…he's…a little rough around the edges. So she somehow got it stuck in her head that I needed a new boyfriend and there you were. `Sorry…”

 

He frowned some more and Kagome wondered if she ever remembered seeing him look like this before.

 

“She…she shouldn't have done that…,” he started to say but she cut him off.

 

“Yuka-chan was just trying to do what she thought would make us happy, Houjou-kun. Don't be angry with her. She cares about us, that's all. Wouldn't you try and make her happy if you thought you could?” she questioned.

 

He nodded almost reluctantly it seemed, but his frown lessened a little.

 

Kagome realized the music was ending and rushed to finish what she wanted to say. “Well, then why don't you take her to lunch tomorrow instead? And ask her to dance tonight too. That would make her happy.” She smiled as they stopped swaying to the music and started to remove her hands from his shoulders.

 

He dropped his hands from her waist and insisted, “Yuka doesn't want to dance with me. We're just friends.”

 

She gave a low laugh and told him suggestively, “You'd be surprised what Yuka-chan wants to do with you, Houjou-kun. You'd be surprised…”

 

She turned and walked away, leaving him blushing with his mouth hanging open.

 

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 

Hours later, Kagome yawned widely as she unlocked the front door to her home. She kicked off her shoes and made her way to the kitchen, thinking about her night.

 

Fifteen minutes after she'd shocked Houjou, Yuka had angrily questioned her about what she did to Houjou-kun.

 

“We danced one dance. Why?” Kagome asked innocently.

 

“Because he's blushing around me and I think he was checking out my breasts! That's why!” Yuka forcefully whispered, blushing bright red.

 

“You already know you're his friend. Are you going to pass up this opportunity to be more if he wants it?” she asked.

 

Yuka looked scared and angry at the same time and Kagome continued, “Look, I might have pushed him a little, but is it so bad that he's becoming aware of you as a woman and not just as a friend? Maybe he's felt that way all along but thought you wanted to only be friends, Yuka-chan.”

 

Yuka still looked upset, but seemed to be thinking about it.

 

Kagome sighed. “I'm sorry if this upsets you and I didn't mean to cause you any hurt…but I promise you, Yuka-chan…if I ever catch Inuyasha checking out my breasts, I'm jumping him before he gets a chance to look away! Now go take your chance! Go!”

 

She looked earnestly into Yuka's uncertain eyes and watched the hope rise. She smiled as Yuka closed her eyes a moment, took a deep breath, and gave a firm nod of her head. She opened her eyes and squared her shoulders.

 

“I'm going….and I'll name my first child after you if this works…but if it doesn't, you're dead!”

 

She marched away to battle as Kagome laughed.

 

Forty-five minutes later, Kagome watched Yuka lead a dazed, well-kissed Houjou by the hand out of a dark hallway. She winked at Kagome as she passed and pointed at Eri, mouthing the words, “Eri will take you home,” as she and Houjou left the party.

 

Kagome had turned to Eri only to discover her watching Yuka and Houjou's retreating backs with a shocked look on her face.

 

She turned to Kagome, looking just as dazed as Houjou had, and asked, “What just happened?”

 

Kagome answered with a straight face, “Yuka's going for a ride.”

 

Eri blinked and Kagome burst out laughing. Eri smiled too and finally asked, “Are they…?”

 

“Yes, they are…and I'm glad for them. I like to see my friends happy,” she smiled.

 

“You're okay with it though?” Eri asked tentatively.

 

“Why wouldn't I be? I don't want to date either of them,” Kagome replied, laughing and feeling happy for the couple and giddy still from the wine she drank.

 

Eri started laughing too and then apologized, “I'm sorry, Kagome-chan. We did always push Houjou-kun at you, didn't we? But Yuka-chan always believed it would make you both happy…”

 

She paused for a minute and her eyes got big as it really hit her. “Gods! Yuka-chan and Houjou-kun! What time is it, Kagome-chan? We have to call Ayumi-chan!”

 

Kagome was still smiling as she came out of her thoughts to see the light on the answering machine blinking. She pushed the button and listened to her mother's voice fill the kitchen. Her mother talked to Souta who let her know Kagome was home. Jii-chan would be home tomorrow, she said. Kagome glanced at the clock on the wall and realized her grandfather would actually be home today. Her mother wouldn't be home until the weekend because she planned to stay and help Kagome's great uncle for some reason. Kagome couldn't remember if the note they'd left for her actually said why they were visiting her great uncle or not, and she was too tired to think about it at the moment.

 

She figured she'd sleep late and visit with her grandfather for a while before she went back through the well.

 

She slowly climbed the stairs and turned on the light to her room…and screamed.

 

“INUYASHA!”

 

What had he done to her room?

 

“Oh, you wait until I get my hands on you --- you --- you BIG JERK!” she shouted as she forcefully slid the window closed with a loud bang.

 

She started picking up items from the floor and grew angrier and angrier while taking in the mess.

 

“Gods! What were you doing? You just break things and break things!” she muttered to herself, thinking about ways to murder a half-youkai jerk.

 

“Kikyou won't get a chance to take you to hell because I'm going to KILL YOU TONIGHT!” she raged as she marched down the stairs and fumbled with the back door.

 

She had to switch on the light to see better and realized it was too dark to chase him down tonight. She sighed and went back upstairs, deciding to clean her room and take a shower now since sunrise was only a few hours away and she planned to crack his head open at the crack of dawn.

 

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 

Her scent. It brought him back from his dark thoughts. He caught his breath. His heartbeat jumped to a faster rate. He stood, sniffing the air. All he smelled was Kagome - angry Kagome - but still, only Kagome. She was untouched. She had not chosen another…yet. He'd make damn sure she never did, because today he'd claim her for good.

 

Irrationally, he felt angry again. What's this shit? Why the fuck did she have an angry scent? What the hell did she have to be angry about? She's the damn bitch that made him want to die last night! Now she pops through the well like nothing happened, acting like she didn't just see that human bastard only hours ago? Well he was going to have to teach her a thing or two about reasons to be angry…

 

Inuyasha started walking determinedly toward the well.

 

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 

“Do not scream. I will not harm you.”

 

Kagome felt the youkai behind her and caught sight of the sleeve covering the arm connected to the hand that was pressed against her mouth and knew it was Sesshoumaru even without hearing his voice. Her heart pounded in her chest and she started to tremble.

 

He sniffed her and seemed to let out his breath as if relieved about something. It confused her even more.

 

Slowly the hand moved from her mouth and firmly took hold of her upper arm. Kagome was in such a state of shock that she was not sure she could scream if her life depended on it, and in this situation it just might.

 

`Inuyasha, where are you!' she thought desperately.

 

“W-what do you want?” she asked shakily.

 

“We will talk---” he started to say but was cut off by Inuyasha's yells.

 

“Sesshoumaru! Get your fucking hands off her! Kagome!” Inuyasha was racing across the clearing toward the well, drawing Tessaiga as he ran.

 

Sesshoumaru sighed in what Kagome thought sounded like a very resigned manner before his arm suddenly encircled her waist tightly, turning her to face the side of his chest. She had a second to feel that furry thing he always carried against her face and notice the spike on his armor just above her eye level, and then they were rising straight up on his flying cloud thing, high above the well as Inuyasha skidded to a stop in the spot where they had just stood.

 

Inuyasha tried to leap to them but Sesshoumaru was too fast. She heard Inuyasha screaming below her. She grabbed onto the front of Sesshoumaru's robes wanting to push away from him but hanging on instead, afraid to fall.

 

“Miko, I would have you speak with me. Will you do so?” Sesshoumaru asked her calmly, ignoring Inuyasha's curses and shouts below them.

 

“You mean I have a choice?” she asked incredulously.

 

“Yes…however, if you decline, it will be necessary to bring you back down there and a confrontation with Inuyasha will not be avoided. If you agree to speak with me now, you will be returned unharmed to this location within a few hours.”

 

Despite her fear, she became angry and couldn't stop herself from sarcastically saying, “Oh yeah, some choice! Talk to you or let you and Inuyasha try to kill each other. Hmmm…”

 

She looked down at Inuyasha and could see that he was in no state to fight anyone. He looked crazed and had taken his anger out on a couple of trees.

 

Torn between wanting to go to Inuyasha now and wanting to keep him from clashing with Sesshoumaru, she chose to keep the two brothers apart for the time being.

 

“Alright, let's go,” she told the youkai.

 

“I, Sesshoumaru, will return her here soon,” he told Inuyasha with only a slight rise in the normal volume of his voice. Inuyasha heard him, even from that distance, and she heard him screaming her name and cursing Sesshoumaru as Miroku, Sango, and Shippou ran into the clearing.

 

Kagome could sense the fear and rage emanating from Inuyasha. Her own fear overpowered her anger again as her backpack, the well, Inuyasha and her friends quickly faded from view.

 

Sesshoumaru's speed was unbelievable. She felt like she was hanging onto a shooting star, streaking across the sky. She looked up at his emotionless face and shuddered as his eyes briefly glanced down at her but his head did not move. `Creepy,' she thought. Her fear spiked at the brief eye contact and his grip on her waist tightened. She tried to control her breathing, hoping she would not hyperventilate.

 

`Wait!' Kagome thought. `If he wanted to kill me, he'd do it in front of Inuyasha and didn't he say that he would return me to the clearing with the well soon? What was he up to?' She felt another surge of indignation and anger.

 

“Hey, where are we going, Sesshoumaru? I won't let you use me against Inuyasha!” she stated loudly.

 

“We will talk when we reach our destination,” was all he replied in his unemotional voice, well aware of her anger and secretly impressed with her ability to overcome her fear.

 

Her attempt at a retort was cut off by the sudden warning pressure of his arm on her rib cage, causing her to involuntarily expel the air from her lungs. It startled her into silence and caused her to clutch his robes convulsively. She also realized that he had not done anything to actually cause her physical harm. He wasn't even that rough about his restraints on her, just firm. She decided to keep quiet for the time being.

 

She looked back down at the ground, noting that they were headed for a barren mountain. Within fifteen minutes, Sesshoumaru started descending to a wide sheltered ledge on the side of the mountain. Kagome could see Jaken, Rin, and his two-headed dragon beast in the shadows of the overhang above the ledge. She wondered what would happen to her now. Would Inuyasha come to save her? Would he be able to find her? She knew she was many, many miles from the Bone Eater's Well. She gulped with fear.

 

They landed in front of the dragon, and Sesshoumaru released Kagome immediately and she staggered a little. The wind whipped her hair around her face and sent a chill down her spine. She watched as Rin ran to Sesshoumaru with a happy smile on her face. She hugged his waist and looked into his eyes while exclaiming her joy at his return.

 

Kagome thought she saw something in his eyes, a softening perhaps, when he returned Rin's gaze, but then it was gone as he turned to her, and Kagome thought she must have imagined it. Rin's presence calmed Kagome's fear a little.

 

While still hugging Sesshoumaru, Rin turned her head to smile at Kagome and quietly greet her. “Hello, Kagome-sama. How are you?”

 

Feeling that the scene was a little surreal and still unsure of the situation, Kagome just managed to answer the girl. “I'm fine, Rin-chan, and you seem happy yourself.”

 

“Rin is very happy, Kagome-sama,” Rin giggled and started to say more but Sesshoumaru spoke first.

 

“Stay here, Rin. Keep Jaken out of trouble.” Rin laughed up at him with adoring eyes. Jaken grumped behind her.

 

“Come,” Sesshoumaru told Kagome without inflection as he gently disengaged Rin's arms from his waist. She let go, and he turned and walked away from the group, taking it for granted that Kagome would follow. And she did, starting to feel anger again.

 

When they were near the edge of the cliff, he stopped and stared out over the landscape below. She stood near him, but a little behind him, not wanting to be too close to him or the edge. She waited for him to say something, while she nervously glanced around for an escape route. She could see none.

 

Finally he looked at her and she thought he was ready to talk at last, but he only stared at her face, which made her self-conscious as well as fearful again. After another full minute of enduring his scrutiny, her fear turned to anger again. She couldn't take it anymore.

 

“What is wrong with you? Say what you are going to say or kill me but quit leaving me in suspense!” she ground out with frustration.

 

She was completely surprised by the slight smile and the brief flash of something -- maybe respect? -- in his eyes. No, it was probably amusement at her expense, she thought.

 

“You will promise me not to reveal this conversation to Inuyasha until I give you permission…Kagome,” he stated flatly.

 

“Hey, you know my name? And why would I promise that? I don't keep secrets from Inuyasha!”

 

His smile turned sly and his eyes narrowed as he answered, “Don't you?”

 

The first thing that crossed her mind was that he seemed even scarier when he smiled. And then Kagome could not keep the blush from rising to her cheeks. She suddenly remembered that he had been lurking near the camp the other night when Inuyasha had been human....the night she and Sango had had that interesting conversation.

 

He watched the changing emotions pass over her face and said, “I won't tell Inuyasha anything you said if you promise not to repeat this conversation to him for the time being.”

 

Sesshoumaru did not tell her that Inuyasha had heard part of the conversation anyway. She did not need to know that yet.

 

She fumed a moment, anger evident in her glare, but eventually said, “I promise not to repeat anything you say to me unless it endangers Inuyasha or my friends.”

 

“I will accept that. I have refrained from confronting Inuyasha for some time now and it is not my intention to renew aggression with him.”

 

He looked past Kagome to where Rin and Jaken stood next to the dragon beast. Kagome felt completely confused.

 

“What do you want then?” she asked.

 

His eyes returned to her but he was silent for a moment.

 

“You are a strong miko. You will be very powerful once you have realized your full potential, and you will not need Inuyasha to protect you. Inuyasha's mother was a normal human. She could not protect herself after Father's death. I despised her and her weakness.....”

 

“Sesshoumaru, I don't understand your point. I know you hate humans. You've made that very clear.” Kagome was feeling frustrated. “Did you bring me all this way just to remind me that you hate me?”

 

He was slow to answer but his eyes never left hers and his voice was almost gentle and she thought she detected a bit of regret when he finally spoke.

 

“I do not hate you, miko. In fact, I would teach you to control your powers better. To protect yourself…and others.”

 

She was speechless and she knew her face reflected her stunned condition.

 

He continued on, ignoring her lack of response, “I want to spend a few hours with you, perhaps every other day, training you.”

 

She nearly choked on her disbelief. Finally she sputtered, “B-But, you hate humans! Inuyasha said you hated his mother and…and…” Her tired brain was really going to shut down, she thought, if she received any more shocks.

 

He interrupted her with, “I no longer despise Inuyasha's mother or my father for claiming her as his mate. I have come to understand him.” He glanced toward Rin.

 

Kagome followed his gaze and her thoughts started spinning in astonishment again as she processed this information. She blushed as disturbing images of Rin - a child! - with Sesshoumaru flashed through her head.

 

She rounded on him, furious. “She is a child! What have you done!?”

 

He looked back at her, an angry blush rising on his cheeks as he growled, “Curb your imagination, wench! She is untouched and is under my protection. No harm will come to her from my hands.”

 

She looked into his eyes and knew he spoke the truth. She looked back at Rin and studied the girl for a moment. She was actually different from the last time Kagome had seen her about a year ago. Her body was slimmer and she was getting taller. She had a pretty, happy face. She was clean, looked healthy, and her kimono looked to be of good quality. Sesshoumaru obviously took good care of her.

 

“How old is she?” Kagome asked him without turning to look at him.

 

“About twelve years old, I think.”

 

Kagome turned back to him. “What are you going to do with her?”

 

“She will be old enough to take a mate in a few more years. I will claim her then.” He said this possessively, his eyes on Rin. Kagome studied him intently and was relieved that she could detect nothing of a sexual nature in his gaze at the girl, just…ownership perhaps. She reminded herself that this was the feudal era and in elite circles, girls were promised to a man from birth.

 

Kagome suddenly had a strange visual in her head of Sesshoumaru as `Prince Charming', complete with sword and armor, leaning over a cradle, kissing the infant girl found there on the forehead, and promising to protect her so that she could be his bride when she came of age.

 

She shook her head and decided that Inuyasha, lack of sleep, and now Sesshoumaru had finally driven her insane. Sesshoumaru and a human girl? She glanced out over the valley below them looking for flying pigs.

 

But then again, he clearly cared about her and took good care of her, but…did he love her? He must! Why else would he change his mind about hating humans?

 

Kagome knew her eyes were as big a saucers at the realization and she blurted out, “You're in love with a human?!” before she could stop herself. Her shock and disbelief were very evident.

 

Sesshoumaru turned his head to scan the landscape again. A slight blush rose on his cheeks again. He quietly stated, “As I have said, I have come to understand my father. I was shamed when he took a human mate...but,” He paused. “It is...comforting to have a gentle presence at my side. Her scent calms me. I trust her. She will never betray me. Her beauty will grow as she matures. She will be mine for eternity.” He said this with fierce possessiveness, like the future was already set.

 

Eternity? But Rin is mortal. Kagome let that pass for the moment and asked what she thought was a more important question. “What if she doesn't want to be your mate?”

 

He looked back at her with supreme confidence and merely raised an elegant eyebrow in response. She got the impression he was questioning her intelligence.

 

Kagome studied his face a moment. He was beautiful like Inuyasha. Inuyasha had bulkier upper body muscles, but Sesshoumaru's body was well formed too. His height and graceful manner gave him an elegance and presence that Inuyasha would never have.

 

She looked over at Rin again. Rin was a pretty girl and, as Sesshoumaru said, she would be a beautiful woman in a few years. Kagome remembered the joyful smile on her face when she saw Sesshoumaru return earlier. Rin had absolutely no fear of him. It was obvious that Sesshoumaru has treated her gently and with kindness even if he was rather stiff. Maybe his confidence wasn't misplaced. She looked back at Sesshoumaru, taking in his beauty and aura of power. Okay, so he was right; Rin would definitely accept him in a heartbeat.

 

Absurdly, the vision of Sesshoumaru calmly stating, “I'm not conceited, just convinced,” flittered through her brain. She glanced away and she had to bite her lip to stifle a giggle. She'd definitely lost too much sleep and her sanity…

 

After a moment, Kagome turned back to Sesshoumaru. “How long will you wait? She is still very young.”

 

“You were old enough when you freed my imbecile brother from that tree.” He paused a moment and then abruptly changed the subject. “Why has he not claimed you yet? I sense his desire to do so.” He continued to watch her with curiosity in his eyes.

 

Kagome dropped her eyes and studied her shoe, feeling the heat on her cheeks and knowing she was blushing excessively. “He doesn't want me like that. It's complicated,” was all she would say.

 

“Would you reject him?” He knew this not to be the case but wanted her to confirm it.

 

She looked up briefly and seemed ready to make a heated reply, but at the knowing look in his eye, her eyes dropped and after another sad sigh, she quietly replied, “No,…if I thought he loved me.”

 

After a moment of silence, he offered, “I can kill the undead miko for you.”

 

Her eyes flew to his and her jaw dropped. She almost immediately snapped it back closed and replied angrily, “No, you will not! It would hurt Inuyasha and I won't let you do it.” Her shock and anger made her miss the fact that he knew a lot about her situation.

 

His expression held slight amusement but his reply was serious. “I will not promise not to kill her, however I will not seek to do it deliberately, or at least not without provocation, whether you think you may allow it or not.” He paused a moment then continued. “Why would you protect her?”

 

He seemed genuinely curious to Kagome and she answered him honestly.

 

“I am not protecting Kikyou; she can protect herself, but I will always protect Inuyasha from hurt and pain if I possibly can. If she dies again, his heart would break.”

 

“What of your heart?” he asked.

 

“When you love someone, you put his or her needs before your own,” she stated calmly.

 

Sesshoumaru studied her face a moment, noting the sadness in her eyes. He glanced at Rin and slowly nodded his head, agreeing with Kagome, and said, “My brother is a fool.”

 

She looked away and did not answer.

 

He turned to look back out past the edge to the valley below before he continued. “Inuyasha always makes things difficult.”

 

Kagome sighed, silently agreeing with him. “I still don't know what's going on here. What do you want with me, Sesshoumaru?”

 

“I need you to mate with Inuyasha.”

 

“What!?” she shouted. Her blush was painful.

 

Sesshoumaru watched her curiously. “You are strong and loyal. Inuyasha needs you more than you need him. He draws strength from you when you are near. You soothe him and keep his youkai in check. His youkai side has already recognized you as its mate. His human side also desires you.”

 

Sesshoumaru paused watching Kagome's face turn even redder as she studied the tip of her shoe.

 

She suddenly looked up at him with a hard look in her eyes, distrustful.

 

“What does it matter to you? Why would you want Inuyasha to be stronger?” Kagome was getting irritated and confused. She did not want to discuss the question of whether or not Inuyasha wanted her with Sesshoumaru and talking of being his mate, a dream she had all but given up on, was painful.

 

“I need both of you to align with me. When I take Rin as my mate, she will be in more danger. Naraku has already targeted her, but if he learns of how deeply I care for her, her life will be in jeopardy. I want Naraku destroyed before I claim her, but he is not the only threat. There are many who will wish to harm my mate, and just as Inuyasha has come to depend on the houshi and the taiji-ya to help him protect you, I cannot protect Rin alone.”

 

The last sentence was uttered harshly, through gritted teeth and Kagome's mouth fell open in astonishment again. Did Sesshoumaru just admit to a weakness? And was that strong emotion actually visible on his face? Now she was certain he truly loved Rin. Why else would he swallow his pride and lower himself to ask her, another `lowly human', and Inuyasha, a `loathsome hanyou' in his eyes, for help? She snapped out of her thoughts when he spoke again.

 

“It is another lesson I have learned from Father, but I, Sesshoumaru, will protect my mate better than he. For that purpose, I wish to form an alliance with Inuyasha. Your friends are strong for humans. I have watched you for a long time and I have come to respect you and them. There would be advantages on both sides when the alliance is formed. You must convince Inuyasha to accept this alliance and you must bond with him so that he will always have your strength to support him,” Sesshoumaru commanded.

 

Kagome was completely shocked. Never, never would she have dreamed that Sesshoumaru, of all people, would ask to be aligned with Inuyasha…and his human friends. Could he be trusted? Kagome looked deeply into his eyes. Her instincts told her that, yes, he was sincere, perhaps even anxious. Wait, Sesshoumaru anxious? Nah! She decided she was imagining that, but regardless, Rin had changed him for the better, at least in her opinion.

 

But then again, she thought cynically, he hasn't changed his feelings about Inuyasha at all. He's just found a use for Inuyasha that suits his own purposes. It angered her but she held it in, thinking of the advantages for Inuyasha if conflict with Sesshoumaru ceased forever and if they could count on him to help them defeat Naraku.

 

Something else occurred to her. Kagome was fiercely adamant about one thing and told Sesshoumaru so. “I can't force Inuyasha to choose me over Kikyou. I think you were listening that night I told Sango my feelings so you know my reasons. I will not try and make him do anything against his will. If he comes to me, it will be his decision and only his.”

 

“Does this mean you would not support an alliance?” His displeasure was evident, but she showed no fear of him now.

 

“No, I think anything that would keep you two from killing each other has my support, but I have no control over what Inuyasha decides to do,” Kagome said with heat. Talking with Sesshoumaru about becoming Inuyasha's mate and the whole situation had a unreal quality to Kagome. This whole experience was bizarre…

 

“You underrate yourself, miko. He wants you and you have the power to force him to make a decision. As long as he doubts your feelings, he will not claim you. That would change if you would assert yourself against the undead miko and make your feelings clear to him.”

 

She glared at him silently, so he tried another tactic.

 

“He watches you bathe. He watches you sleep. He watches you every waking moment. You could easily seduce him if you took an aggressive approach.”

 

Her face was so red it burned, but she remained unmoved.

 

“I will not manipulate him. I will not act like Kikyou.” She glared at him crossly.

 

Sesshoumaru studied her calmly, meeting her glare.

 

“You must get past your fear of being her copy,” he stated quietly, almost gently. “You endanger yourself and Inuyasha by taking such a position. He does not confuse you with her. If pushed, he would not choose her over you. She knows this, and her actions in the past suggest that she seeks to destroy you…and him.”

 

He really was not certain what the undead miko's intentions were at the present time, but reminding Kagome of her fears and of past events served his purpose at the moment.

 

She sucked in her breath feeling like she had been hit in the stomach. Was her refusal to interfere actually helping Kikyou? Hurting Inuyasha? Was she afraid that she would lose him completely if he was forced to choose? She felt confused. She needed time to sort this out in her head.

 

Her eyes scanned the horizon, not really seeing it as she thought about everything Sesshoumaru said, going over the conversation in her mind, her thoughts racing around each other giving her a headache. Suddenly she thought about something he had said, something that she had always seen as an obstacle to her being Inuyasha's mate.

 

She looked back at Sesshoumaru to see he had been patiently watching her. “What did you mean that Rin would be yours for eternity? She is mortal. She will die centuries before you, won't she?” she asked.

 

He studied her for a moment. Something of her fear of dying before Inuyasha showed in her eyes. He told her, “There is a way to bond her soul to mine. I have it in my power to tie her life to mine. She will age at the same rate I do. Her life will end at the same moment as mine, no matter how long my life may be.”

 

“Can you do this for Inuyasha and me…if we mate?” Her face held hope.

 

“No.” He watched the hope die on her face as she dropped her eyes, before he had a chance to continue. “But you can.”

 

Her eyes jerked back up to his again. “How?”

 

“You and he have the power between you to complete a bonding. You must bind your souls together at the right moment. You will know when and how.”

 

“What do you mean I will know how? Can't you tell me more than that?” frustration was evident in her voice.

 

“His youkai side will have the instinct to do it. You must follow its lead.”

 

“Oh thanks, that's really helpful,” her frustration giving way to sarcasm. She looked away and missed his amused glance.

 

He realized she did not fear him anymore. He was uncertain if that pleased him at this time or not.

 

“I will return you now. It grows late.” He turned abruptly and walked back toward Rin and Jaken. Kagome was startled by his sudden decision but followed him immediately.

 

A short time later, she was atop his youkai cloud and heading back to the well. They passed Inuyasha, who was running through the treetops, and Miroku and Sango on Kirara not too long after they started. She watched them turn around and chase them back toward the well.

 

Kagome immediately asked, “Can you set me down here? Inuyasha can take me back.”

 

“No, I told him I would bring you back to the clearing and that is what I will do.”

 

Kagome saw right through him. “Isn't that rather spiteful on your part? It'd be less trouble to just hand me over to him now. You're just doing this to make him angry, aren't you?”

 

“I will return you to where I found you, as I told him I would,” was all he said, but she suspected he took great delight in deliberately irritating Inuyasha with this action and there was nothing she could do about it.

 

They reached the clearing around the Bone Eater's Well a little while later and he set her down near it.

 

“I will come for you in three days. Be ready early in the morning. We will begin your training,” he commanded and she was immediately angry just because he thought he could tell her what to do.

 

“You're not my master and you can't tell me what to do!” she stated in a fit of pique, feeling overwhelmed by the day's events.

 

“You refuse to improve your skills? You do not wish to better protect your friends and the fox kit? You would endanger them with your stubbornness?” he asked cunningly.

 

Damn, he was smart, she thought.

 

“Alright, I'll meet you to train,” she conceded, “But don't think you can always tell me what I can and can't do.”

 

Satisfied that she would meet him to train, he ignored her assertion that he could not command her to do his will, and as he rose into the air again he said, “You will not associate with any other adult males besides Inuyasha, myself, and the houshi, and you will encourage my brother's attentions. I will come for you in three days time.”

 

“Hey! You can't---” she started to yell, angry that he still insisted on issuing edicts to her, but he was already gone.

 

“YOU AND YOUR BROTHER ARE JERKS!” she screamed in frustration.

 

…

 

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~ End Chapter 7 ~ oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

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Thank you for reading my story and please remember to leave a review.

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Author's Notes:

 

Thank you to everyone who has left reviews and sent emails. It really means a lot to me to be able to read your comments and I really appreciate the feedback. I hope you continue to read and enjoy my story.

 

Kagome fears Sesshoumaru, that is shown again in the latest manga chapter, but she also has never hesitated to stand up to him despite her fear. Way back in manga chapter 17, in the tomb of Inuyasha's and Sesshoumaru's father, when the brothers were fighting and Kagome accidentally pulled Tessaiga from its pedestal after neither brother could do it themselves, Sesshoumaru sprayed her with poison and it looked like she died. Then, much to the brothers' surprise, she crawled out from it and immediately berated Sesshoumaru for attacking her. “Hey! You seriously tried to kill me, didn't you! I'll make you regret that!” she yells at him.

 

She's yelled at him at other times too, such as when Inuyasha turned full-youkai and killed the bandits and Sesshoumaru was fighting him. When Inuyasha was knocked unconscious, she ran to him and shielded him from Sesshoumaru and told Sesshoumaru to stay away.

 

So in this chapter, I wrote her switching from fear to anger a lot. In some ways, she's just like Inuyasha and she rushes in recklessly if her temper flares or if her friends are in danger.

 

I'd also like to point out that in that in manga chapter 17 (the first time Sesshoumaru encountered Kagome), just before Sesshoumaru sprayed her with poison, he asked her, “What/who are you?” When it looks like she died from the poison, he says, “So, she was just an ordinary girl after all.”

 

That seems odd to me. He could smell that she was human but there was something about her that made him unsure.

 

And he is shocked when she survives his poison and gives Tessaiga to Inuyasha. It's right after that that he transforms into his canine form. Why would he transform then when Tessaiga remained a rusty katana in Inuyasha's hands? Was he just mad that Inuyasha had Tessaiga and he didn't, or was he also feeling threatened by Kagome? Hmmm…..

 

I'll update in about a week. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

 

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