InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ To Bear Witness ❯ Tell Me a Little About You ( Chapter 4 )

{Disclaimer: See chapter one. If you can't find chapter one see chapter one.}

Kikyou Dead: 8

Kikyou Alive: 1

Chapter Four: Tell Me A Little About You

Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean,

Tears from the depths of some divine despair

Rise from the heart, and gather to the eyes,

In looking on the happy autumn-fields,

And thinking of the days that are no more.

-Tennyson, 'The Princess'-

*9:30 AM Saturday*

Kagome yawned and stretched lazily as she struggled to adjust to the waking world when she heard a slight chuckle in front of her. She cracked one eye open, then the other before smiling.

"Good morning, Mr. Takamada. How did you sleep?"

Sesshoumaru watched her as she took in his form on the bed before her. He woke up an hour earlier than she, and decided to spend the time studying her. So he stretched out, propped his head in his hands, and watched her from the foot of his bed as he tried to decide if she would be a threat to him or not.

Sesshoumaru nodded as her eyes finally refocused on his face, and was startled by the intensity in the blue orbs.

"I slept fine. Nearly as good as you, if I do say so myself."

Kagome blushed, and sat up as Miroku walked into the room.

"Have you never heard of knocking?" Sesshoumaru asked as Miroku sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Nah, not really. Hey Boss, why don't you take a shower. I'll look after Mr. Takamada until you get back."

Sesshoumaru shook his head, the low braid flopping to the side. "Not necessary." He turned to Miroku. "Could you bring her things in here?"

"For what?" Miroku asked.

"So that she may shower in my bathroom." Sesshoumaru nearly rolled his eyes at the scandalized look on Miroku's face.

"You want her to move in? Wow, that's fast."

"Shut up and do what he says," Kagome huffed as she tossed one of the easy chair pillows at his head. Miroku ducked and strolled out the room. Kagome shook her head at him before returning her attention to Sesshoumaru.

"Mr. Takamada, why do you want me to stay so close to you?" she asked.

Sesshoumaru stood up and walked to his closet. "Because you've proven to be effective. I only want the best if I'm to be protected."

"Oh," Kagome answered as Miroku dragged Kagome's luggage into the room. Sesshoumaru turned around and quirked an eyebrow.

"Is that it?" he asked as Miroku, eying the rolling suitcase with the two smaller bags strapped to it. Miroku nodded. "Yup, this is it. If only Sango packed as little. She brought at least five bags."

Kagome thanked Miroku and turned back to Sesshoumaru. "Where do you want me to put these?"

"In the closet beside the door."

Kagome nodded and hung up her clothes as Miroku kept watch in the easy chair. Sesshoumaru insisted that Kagome shower first, then went in after her. Kagome and Miroku stepped into the living room as Sango came into the room.

"Why are the three of you in here?" Kagome asked.

"Because the FBI are doing a sweep of the area," Sango answered. "So Mr. Hitame's safe for the moment. I want to ask you something."

"Shoot," Kagome said as she adjusted the red racer back tank top.

"Well," Sango started, ignoring Miroku completely as he made faces from behind Kagome's back. "What does you're dream guy look like?"

"This again," Kagome groaned as Miroku stared at them curiously. "What dream guy?"

"He has golden eyes," Kagome said, ignoring Miroku's question. "Long, sliver hair. I mean, long silver hair. It reaches his knees. Oh yeah, he has these really cool markings on his face."

"Markings?" Miroku repeated. Kagome nodded. "Yeah, a pair of purple stripes on each cheek and a blue crescent on his forehead."

"You know who that sounds like?" Sango replied as she sat down on the sofa. "It sounds like the taiyoukai your grandfather used to tell us about."

"What's a taiyoukai?" Miroku asked.

Kagome sighed and sat down beside Sango. "It means 'demon lord.' In the stories Grandpa used to tell us, a dog taiyoukai ruled the west and exterminated mikos with a vengeance. Any miko that crossed his path met a very messy death. He hated all mikos, or that's what Grandpa said."

"Yeah," Sango interrupted. "We read some books inside Grandpa's library that said different. It was more like the mikos tried to exterminate him. He was only trying to defend himself, but he was rather ruthless about it. "

"So you're telling me," Miroku said as he sat down in the easy chair across from them. "That Kagome used to be a miko, and is dreaming about a miko-exterminator? Sounds like you're a sucker for punishment."

"Shut the hell up, Miroku," Kagome groaned as Inuyasha walked in the door. He gave Kagome a shy smile as Sesshoumaru came into the room from his bedroom.

"Um, I need to pick up a suit," Inuyasha said as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Kagome nudged her head at Miroku and Sango. "Bye."

"What do you mean 'Bye'?" Miroku said as Sango gathered her purse and headed for the door. Kagome smiled at him and motioned for him to follow Sango.

"You're going to drive."

"Awwwww!" Miroku whined as he followed Sango and Inuyasha out the door.

"Don't forget your shades!" Kagome called after them. Sesshoumaru watched them as they walked out the door. Kagome sighed and slid from the sofa to the floor, moving to a cross-legged position. She smiled up at him a moment before closing her eyes.

"I have work to do, Higurashi," Sesshoumaru said as he crossed the floor to the study. "You are aware, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir, Mr. Takamada sir!" she said with a salute. Sesshoumaru ignored this as he watched her a moment longer, then opened his study door and disappeared behind it.

*10:05 AM*

"Yes, I'm here to pick up a suit," Inuyasha said to blonde woman behind the counter of the men's clothing store.

"Name please?"

"Inuyasha Hitame."

She flips through the order book quickly, then comes to a stop by his name. "Ah yes, Mr. Hitame. The double-breasted, chocolate Kenneth Cole, correct?"

"That's right," he said as he watched Sango out of the corner of his eye. She fidgeted slightly, moving from one foot to the other as she waited for him to finish. The clerk nodded and walked through a door behind the counter that lead to the back of the store.

"Stop that," Inuyasha hissed as Sango swayed again.

"I can't help it! I don't like these places!" Sango answered back.

"Why?"

Sango shrugged. "I don't know. They just make me nervous." Inuyasha shook his head and walked away to look at a pair of shoes. Just as he turned around to walk back to the counter

>BAM!<

Inuyasha crashed into something…or someone. The collision barely phased him, but the girl lying on the ground obviously got the worse of things. Inuyasha stooped down to help her up as she attempted to gather the suit that fell from her arms.

"Thanks," she whispered as she reaches for a box of cufflinks. Inuyasha shrugged. "No problem. Can't you watch where you're going?"

The girl's head snapped up instantly, her sliver-gray eyes flashing angrily at him. "I didn't mean to run into you! It's not like I stood behind the counter saying 'Gee, here's a sucker! I'll run into him and knock myself down!' God, what a jerk!" She jerked the parts of the suit Inuyasha collected from his hands and attempted to pick up the rest before Inuyasha placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Wait a minute…don't be mad. I'm sorry." He helped her to stand and took the suit from her to drape over the counter. "It's my fault."

She smiled, brushing a chestnut lock out of her face as she held out her other hand. "How about we call it a truce?"

Inuyasha smiled and shook her hand. "Only if you go to dinner with me."

She blushed lightly, then turned to straighten the haphazard suit. "I don't know you're name."

"Inuyasha."

"Not Inuyasha Hitame?" she said with a squeak. Inuyasha nodded his head. "Yes, why?"

She finally put the suit back on the hanger, adjusted the plastic protector and handed it to him. "This is your suit," she groaned.

Inuyasha smirked and accepted it. "Thank you. Now about dinner?"

"You still want to go? Even after the mess I made of your suit?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Of course, as soon as you tell me your name."

She smiled slightly and handed him the box of cufflinks. "Katrina."

"Well, Katrina, how about Friday, say 7:00?"

"Friday's fine."

"Great," Inuyasha fished inside his jeans pocket for a business card and motioned for a pen. "Here's my office number and my cell phone number. Now what's yours?"

Inuyasha and Sango left the store after he and Katrina exchanged numbers and promised to call each other. Inuyasha groaned as he sat in the back seat of the limo with Sango and Miroku, placing a hand over his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha cracked an eye open and said "I don't know what to get her."

"Who?"

Sango explained as the driver pulled into traffic. Miroku looked at Inuyasha and smiled. "You need pointers, mate? I can give you a few."

"Oh no," Sango countered. "No way. You'll get him beaten up." She smiled at Inuyasha reassuringly. "I'll help you. Next stop, the mall!"

Inuyasha and Miroku groaned as the driver made his way to the local mall.

*11:00 AM*

'That was faster than I thought,' Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he turned the computer off. 'I didn't expect to finish the financial report so soon.' He turned away from the computer and moved to the recliner in the corner of the room.

'Now for the miko problem,' he said to himself as he placed a set of headphones on his ears. Sesshoumaru waited patiently for the music to begin and sighed in contentment when Mozart's Fifth Symphony swirled into his ears.

'Higurashi isn't aware of how powerful she is. She might be a threat, but she did save my life last night.' Sesshoumaru shivered in disgust. 'Protected by a human, and a female no less. I could break the girl in half with my right hand, and yet she manages to pierce through a silence spell and thwart a skilled assassin. Maybe there's more to the little thing than I thought.'

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end suddenly. Sesshoumaru ripped the headphones off and glanced at the door. An all too familiar purple glow came from under the door, seeping into the room like smoke. Sesshoumaru cursed, stood and opened the door carefully, then widened it. He stood in the threshold, his breath in his throat at the sight ahead of him.

Kagome sat, deep in meditation, as the purple energy swirled around her and all over the living room. Objects on the coffee table nearest to her floated mere inches from their perches. Sesshoumaru cursed again as he thought about what to do.

'If I let this continue, she'll purify me,' he thought. Decision made; he streaked toward her, intending not to kill her but knock her unconscious. When only inches separated him from her face, the light changed to a soft pink.

Sesshoumaru stopped beside her, blinking owlishly as a comforting wave of energy enveloped him. He visibly relaxed, sinking into the chair nearest her. The pink caressed his work-worn nerves soothingly, like a lover's embrace. Sesshoumaru mentally tried to shake himself out of it, but found the warm feeling hard to escape as he propped his elbow on the arm of the chair and rested his chin in the palm of his hand.

Kagome drew in a cleansing breath, then slowly drew the energy back inside her. The knick-knacks she unknowingly levitated returned to their glass table homes. She opened her eyes and gasped when her gaze fell on Sesshoumaru as he sat watching her.

"Welcome back," he whispered silkily, sending a shiver up Kagome's spine. She blushed slightly and thanked him.

"Sorry about that. Anything strange happen?"

"No. Just this pleasant feeling."

Kagome nodded and stood up. She stretched some before sitting in in the lounge chair nearest him.

"Tell me a little about yourself," Sesshoumaru said. Kagome twiddled her fingers a little, curious about the request.

"Why?"

"Curiosity. And I need to know a little about you, since you're my new assistant."

'Oh," Kagome nodded. She smiled suddenly and stood up. "You hungry?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I could stand for a meal. I'll call room service."

"You'll do no such thing!" Kagome cried. She grabbed his hand and lead him to the kitchen. She pushed him onto one of the bar stools overlooking the kitchen stove, then rounded the corner into the kitchen.

"This kitchen is fully stocked! I'll cook!"

"You can cook?"

Kagome huffed and opened one of the cabinets. "That shouldn't surprise you. I'm a girl, remember?"

Sesshoumaru mentally sighed. "My comment when you first arrived was unnecessary. I do apologize."

"I get the feeling you don't do that a lot," Kagome said as she filled a pot with water and placed it on the stove.

"I don't," he said absently as he watched her reach for a bag of rice in one of the high cabinets.

Sesshoumaru noticed for the first time since her arrival her shape as she fiddled for the illusive bag. He became distracted by the way her long, lean legs stemmed from the denim shorts, the way the shorts seemed to hug her hips and the flash of her lower back as the tank top rode up-

"Mr. Takamada?"

Sesshoumaru blinked, then turned to find Kagome staring at him. "Yes?"

"Help?"

Sesshoumaru fought a chuckle, but let a signature smirk show through as he stood up and entered the kitchen. Kagome pointed to the rice, then gave him a 'help-I'm-so-short' look. Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, placed his hands on her waist and lifted her effortlessly toward her prize. When Kagome gave the signal, he slowly lowered her back to the floor. His hands lingered a little longer than necessary when she finally touched earth. Kagome blushed and cleared her throat, and Sesshoumaru let go and returned to his seat.

"What did you want to ask me?" Kagome asked as she poured the rice into the pot.

"Your name first."

"Kagome," she said before she turned around and searched another cabinet.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Where are you from?"

"Atlanta."

'OK,' Sesshoumaru sighed mentally. 'She isn't giving any extra information.' "Did you do any travel as a child?"

"Yeah, I visited my grandfather in Japan in the summers. I loved it there," she sighed wistfully, stopping mid-chop with a far-away look in her eye. Kagome sighed again and returned to her chopping.

"What I loved most was my training."

"What training?"

Kagome reached under the sink and pulled out a frying pan. "My grandfather taught me archery, how to use various weapons, and how to be a miko."

"Miko?" Sesshoumaru said quizzically. 'Like I don't know.'

"Yeah," Kagome said nervously. "Um, it's like a magical priestess. Anyway, I stopped at fifteen."

"Why?" Sesshoumaru asked. Now this he was interested in.

"Um, not long after I returned from Japan that summer our house was robbed. It was one of those home burglaries, you know, where they aim to scare the living daylights out of the homeowner. Well anyway, my mom and I were the only ones home. My brother was at a friend's house, but he was too young to do anything anyway." She tugged on her ponytail nervously, seemingly for some sort of comfort. Sesshoumaru waited patiently for her to continue.

"They reached my mother first, then dragged her into my room." She gave a small laugh suddenly, shaking her head. "They scared me out of a dead sleep and just in case you don't know, that's always a bad thing to do to a miko. When I woke up, I somehow raised a shield around myself. They tried to break through it, then finally settled for beating my mother. I tried to stop them, then tried to raise a shield around her, but nothing worked. A neighbor finally heard me screaming and called for help."

Kagome sighed and tossed something green into the frying pan. "I healed my mother's wounds after the police arrested them, but I couldn't heal her nose. It's twisted, and no amount of surgery can make it what it was. I decided then to become a police officer. It was through a stroke of good luck that I became a marshal."

"So you gave up on being a miko?" Sesshoumaru asked as Kagome reached inside a cabinet for a couple of plates.

"Yeah. I mean, what good is having a power that's only for youkai. They're only legends anyway. I needed something for humans."

"I thought mikos could defend themselves from both."

Kagome sighed as she spooned some rice on a plate. "Everyone but me. I never broke through my power."

"So you quit."

"Yeah," Kagome said as she handed him his plate. "I quit."

"You don't seem like a quitter," he muttered as she handed him a fork. Before Kagome could respond the front door opened with a bang and Miroku and Sango ran in dragging a confused Inuyasha.

"Kagome cooked? Yay!" Sango said as she sat down beside Sesshoumaru. Miroku shoved Inuyasha to a stool and sat down on the other side of Sango.

"Food! Food! Food!" they chanted as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru looked on. Kagome shook her head and served them, then passed Inuyasha a plate as well. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru eyed the meal warily. It was some kind of risotto, with a leafy green stuff beside it. They glanced at Sango and Miroku, and after a few moments decided to try it. Inuyasha went first, taking a bite out of the risotto.

"Woah! This ain't bad!" he said before diving face first into the plate. Kagome giggled at his antics, then glanced at Sesshoumaru.

"What do you think?"

Sesshoumaru gingerly at a little of the risotto as well, and was pleasantly surprised. 'Not half bad,' he said as he tried the green stuff. 'A little spicy, but not bad either. Maybe she missed her calling.'

"Not bad."

"What is it?" Inuyasha asked between mouthfuls.

"The green, spicy stuff is arugula and the yellow stuff is saffron risotto with shrimp," Sango said. She slumped in her chair with a blissful sigh. "Ooooo…so good. Kago-girl, you're the best."

"You never tell me that," Miroku kidded with a pout, earning a slap upside the head in response. Inuyasha looked on as the two argued, while Kagome went on like usual.

"Your co-workers are…unusual, Kagome," Sesshoumaru told her, missing the strange look on Inuyasha's face. Kagome rolled her eyes and ate on the other side of the bar. The group exchanged a few stories about themselves as Sesshoumaru watched on. When they separated and Kagome walked out to the balcony, Sesshoumaru mentally praised the decision to keep her close to him.

'This little miko is different than her ancestors. She might make a good ally.'

-------

SF: Ok, I let a little cooking get in there, but I think it made a perfect background for what Kagome was saying. Plus the risotto is a kind of comfort food, so it fits.

Inu-chan: I don't care about that stuff. I just want to eat! {::dives into plate::}

SF: {::sigh::} Why do I bother? If anyone wants the recipe, email me and I'll email it to you.

Sesshou: This is not a cooking show. Get it over with.

SF: Ok, ok. Damn. Um, anyway, the next chapter is called 'My First Day On the Job' and its summary is below.

Kagome and Sango go to work, and Kouga rubs off on Sesshoumaru.

Responses:

Fanfiction:

Fluffy'slova4life: Don't do that! I'll keep going, I promise! I'm glad a lot of people like this fic. It's not finished like the rest of them, so it might be a little longer than the others.

Tsukitani: Thanks so much! I loved their demon forms too, so I just couldn't make them human for anything. As for 'HttaT', please look for its sequel, 'Chosen...' when you finish it.

Kidoairaku: Thanks! I love the reviews like I love my muse, even though she's evil. SF's Muse: Muhahahahahahahahaha!

AkxTp: Yes, my sister is a trip. I can't believe her! Um, as for your question (s): Sesshoumaru knows about Kagome being a miko b/c Rin did research on her, along with Sango and Miroku. As Inu-chan said in the fic 'Rin's always right'. Ah-Un won't be seen until later in the fic, after I do some things. Kagome's miko senses are called 'Spider-sense' in this b/c I couldn't think of anything else. I just roped in everything else to explain it.

Cinderelly, Sess-lover, Hyperchica11 & Saiyuna-san: Thanks!

Del_Kaidin: Yup, this is the same Inu and Sesshou from the show, except Kagome never went down the well, Sango and Miroku aren't in the past, Rin is about 19 and Miroku's an Aussie. I love Miroku as an Aussie.

Em: Thanks so much! You're right, Sesshou doesn't sleep in the nude at my house either. He's so mean! {::whaps Sesshou in the back of the head::}

Nankinmai: I would send you one, but he won't stay still! {::whaps Sesshou upside head::} Be still! You're going whether you like it or not!

Tenshi no Yami: I know! Sesshou's so funny!

Tiffany: My brother and I have you beat. He somehow tripped my grandmother up, making her mad and ended up being chased around the house with a frying pan. Again, somehow he made it worse and the pan went through the window. Now when she gets mad she just kicks us out. Oh yeah, for your question, um, damn what was it? Oh, here it is. Yes, Sesshou and Inu-chan are disguised, (you were close) and it is rather important. They're protected from even miko radar by a sealing spell that they control individually. The only time they can be detected is when they use their youki. One more vote for a dead Kikyou.

Sesshyangel: YAAAAAAAY! {::glomp::} I've missed you! {::glomp::} Did you have fun? Yes, you do catch me, but its cool b/c I need someone to make sure I don't confuse people. And you do make my work enjoyable.

Mediaminer:

Bise b: Thanks so much! Sesshou's such an undercover perv!

Soudesuka_Shurikens: Sesshou said that, the pervert. I swear, and we worry about Miroku.

Yoli: Thanks, that's one more vote for a dead Kikyou!

Blankis: Thanks so much! One more vote for Kikyou worm food!

Lady Sesshoumaru: Any review is a good review, especially from you. Thanks so much.

Smiley: Thanks! I tried to be as original as possible. One more dead Kikyou vote!