InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unbridled, Unvoiced Passions ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

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Unbridled, Unvoiced Passions

A bittersweet love story

In the depths of a hidden room, a library aged with the written works and family trinkets of a long forgotten tale. Scrolls, held captive from the brutal maturity of paper, told the secrets of lost time, of forgotten battles, of legends and myths, but mostly of his unbridled, unvoiced passions.

The room, sealed by an ancient magic, is opened after nearly three centuries of dormancy. A girl's curiosity and utmost respect for all things lost to time discovers the secrets of the hidden chambers; a secret she was unknowingly a part of. However, opening the chamber just might have been the biggest mistake of her life.

Chapter 7

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Why? It just didn't make any sense. Even to those that understood the honor of fulfilling a debt, his was carved from a double-edged blade.

He was saved in the end, given life anew years after his grave would have, should have accepted him. Yet his captor, his murderer and puppet master of malicious intent was ultimately his savior; he chose to follow in freedom.

Still after the enlightenment of salvation, Kagome could not understand serving the man that steals you from your life and puppeteers you to murder your family. Kohaku's choice, though justified darkly, just did not come together. And how was his survival insured after the shard was so ruthlessly removed? Something was still missing, a key they had overlooked, and it was obviously something very important.

Thoughts plagued her every step, the one child that kept her friend just on the brink of sanity had quite effectively cut that tie intentionally. She saw the look he had spared Sango just before answering Inuyasha's inquiry; it was cold and lifeless to her pleading soul.

She shook herself mentally to dispel the images that brewed beneath the surface. The meeting with Kanna and Kohaku did not go well at all. What's worse was the position it placed her in; the friendship that stood on a wire was now threatened with her prohibiting Sango to pursue her younger sibling.

Kagome closed her eyes in another attempt to ward off the images. No matter the effort, Sango and Kohaku weighed heavily in her mind. The remaining few in her group no doubt held ill thoughts about her brash handling of the situation, but what's done is done.

She decided that there would be no reprieve; her mind would circle the problem until it was resolved. However, looking to Sango's broken form as it sprawled the back of her Cat Demon Kirara, Kagome realized that she could not mend that bridge just yet. Her friend was deeply wounded, and years ago she would have jumped to her aid in a heartbeat. But then again, those years ago, she would not have been the cause, indirect as it might be, of such suffering.

A soft sigh escaped her lips. This day was quickly exhausting her every reserve. They needed to make camp and soon, lest she lose her direction and spin them all off course of their destination.

"Inuyasha"

Her soft melody called out to him, piercing the unsettled silence. He didn't look at her, simply kept walking with his slowly determined steps to make it as far as possible. It was obvious what she was going to ask anyhow.

"Hm?"

"It's time we stopped. Night will fall soon and…"

He looked to her then, she had hesitated. A quick glance was all he needed to see that her attention was not on him, rather on the broken girl behind them. His resigned sigh echoed around them as he decided that this once he could let it go, Sango had had a rough day.

He nodded his assent and discreetly sniffed the air for a bearing on their surroundings. To the left was a forest that harbored a river not too far in, Kagome would be happy for that, and just ahead was the faint smell of rice patties. They were close to a village, but not so close that it should irritate Sesshoumaru's senses, no matter how superior they were.

Inuyasha suppressed a light growl, forcing it into a small groan at his consideration for his older brother. They may be traveling together, but as he had stated earlier, they didn't have to like it. In the end though, it was enough to know that Sesshoumaru wouldn't be in an irritable mood simply because Inuyasha chose to ignore the sensitivity of his brother's finer blood. That of course didn't mean that he couldn't brood about the inconvenience of it all.

Choosing that route, Inuyasha leapt into a nearby tree and settled himself onto a thick branch, consequently signaling their campsite for the evening. He would stop for Sango and the lowered demeanor of the group tonight, but tomorrow they were pressing on harder to make up for the loss of time. The group could usually continue on until well into the night, so long as no enemies or reckless wanderers crossed their path.

Kagome had better realize all that he was doing for her. Enduring his enemy, blood ties or not, was not something he was accustomed to, nor was he going to become such any time soon. The woman just better appreciate the leeway he was giving her.

Inuyasha's mind circled back to the conversation he and his brother had just the other night. `It's always the bitch that runs the pack. The leader is there for the looks.' Well that signified two things. One, Sesshoumaru realized that Kagome ran that group whether she liked it or not, and two that Inuyasha was the leader. He didn't quite know what to think of that last part.

He glanced down to see Sesshoumaru lounging at the base of a tree not too far from him. The older demon was watching something across the fire from him…staring was more like it.

Inuyasha followed his line of view and spotted the girl that currently robbed his thoughts. If anything, he could definitely tell that Sesshoumaru had become quite taken with the little vixen.

Unfortunately for him, he would not admit that little fact even to himself, let alone tell her about it. But then again, even if he did admit it, it's not like Inuyasha was going to sit by and watch Kagome get reigned into the world of demons; they're brutal, especially so in their mating rituals.

He had to stop and wonder if it was her destiny or her curse, though. She seemed to attract a lot of male attention, a lot of unwanted male attention if you asked her, and it was mainly from the demon species.

Sure she had her fair share of mortals that tailed her every once in a while, but the demons were something else. For a race that despised the `lesser' humans, they sure did have a thing for his little friend over there.

It's a wonder the girl wasn't claimed or killed by now, what with all the attentions she brewed up. Willing or not, the girl was just a magnet for men; his brother proved to be no exception. Once again Inuyasha found himself at a loss for what to think of his brother.

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Kagome watched Inuyasha from the corner of her eyes as he brooded in his customary spot in a tree. He had been unusually restless and quiet since the conversation with Sesshoumaru, more so than he was when it was only Kikyou he was fretting over, and that was saying something.

Kagome wasn't worried about the undead priestess' whereabouts. The odd connections they linked through the miraculous sharing of her soul were a good key to not only the whereabouts of each other, but also the intentions they held. Emotions were riding fine waves of strong currents that both women could feel, whether they wished to or not.

Kagome had first noted the connections about a year and a half ago during a battle with one really stupid ogre. The thing actually believed that if he asked nice, after attacking the group mind you, that they would all simply hand over their jewel shards and go along their merry way.

Kikyou wasn't too pleased with him when he decided that the niceties were over and attacked her Inuyasha, especially since Inuyasha was nearly fatally wounded during their last battle not a day earlier.

At first all Kagome could feel was hatred, but then a new feeling snaked its way underneath. She had to concentrate on it a while before she recognized the worry and realized that it wasn't from her. Kikyou had noted the surprise in Kagome's own emotions and locked eyes with her.

It was the first time the two had come to any familiar grounds peacefully, and quite possibly the last time at that. They had agreed then and there that theirs was a secret only meant for them. In the end neither of them spoke of it and no one else knew about it; it was how they liked it.

Kagome sighed inwardly when she saw the tell-tell signs of Kikyou's soul stealers over head and watched with a sour bit of amusement as Inuyasha went running like her lap dog. It was no secret to her that the undead woman was nearby, but that did nothing to suppress the discontent she felt whenever the other one was around.

"Kagome, want to go take a bath?"

Kagome started at the request and gave Sango a searching gaze. Was the woman not mad at her for her earlier transgressions on their friendship? Still, she didn't want to go anywhere near the springs Inuyasha had pointed out earlier.

"No thanks Sango."

She glanced to the forest behind her and noted where all the soul stealers seemed to gather the most.

"I don't want to go anywhere near that. Gross…"

She shuddered dramatically and let out a curt laugh before turning back to her book. It was an enthralling book, really. One that held her attentions so well that she was on page two hundred and seven, but could only remember the first few sentences of the chapter she was reading, which started on page one hundred and ninety three.

Her brows furrowed as she peered over the top of her book to see Sesshoumaru watching her again. It was just so creepy having someone `observe' you, as he had so eloquently put it.

She saw him look to the forest, then back to her. It was almost as if he was asking her why she didn't want to bathe. Was he dense? Did he not smell Kikyou and Inuyasha, or what they were doing? Dear Gods she would die if she had to actually smell it; knowing about it was bad enough.

Deciding he was actually questioning her, she shrugged her shoulders and stood. After motioning for him to follow her, she told Sango and Miroku that they would return soon. Shippou was thankfully asleep and so she wouldn't have to find an excuse for the runt not to follow.

She paused at the borders of their camp and whispered lightly to him.

"You'll want to mask yourself"

Turning to leave she tossed over her shoulder quietly.

"And cover your nose"

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He had expected her to take him off to the side to talk, but this was far more entertaining. Though he couldn't watch for very long, he could still laugh inside at the idiocy of his sibling.

How on earth could he lay with a woman's memory when he had a perfectly good one right in front of him? His brother was pathetic, he knew that, but this far surpassed even his low expectations.

Sesshoumaru turned to Kagome and watched as she slipped her hand under a low-lying bush, then pulled out a rock that was just a bit bigger than her hand. He raised a brow at her and waited to see what she would do. Her voice was light and low as she whispered conspiratorially.

"Just watch. This is the fun stuff"

She stood and motioned for him to do the same.

"You'll get wrinkles"

He smirked at her continual protest of his `gaining wrinkles'. It was cute, and annoyingly amusing.

Sesshoumaru watched her hand as it rose behind her head, her body following in an almost fighting stance. She reeled her hand forward, releasing the rock and turning to run at a near breakneck speed.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he heard a resounding thud and his brother's not-so-quiet string of cursing. He didn't want to wait around for her childish antics to be blamed on him so he ran.

The consequences would be painful; he knew he would kill anyone that even dared interrupt him during something so intimate, and he had more control than Inuyasha. He had to wonder if the woman he was tailing had a death wish.

His brother was catching up fast, and Kagome was right next to him now. With her slower speed, they would definitely be caught.

He grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her high into the air, glaring a warning to keep quiet when a small squeak escaped her lips. His red cloud formed beneath his feet seconds later so that he could set her down.

He put a finger to his lips in a small gesture for silence and pointed to the ground just where Inuyasha was crossing. To her he was nothing more than a red blur, but the colorful words were enough for her to follow.

They watched in amusement as Inuyasha burst through the forest edge, top missing to boot, and searched the grounds for them. It was enough to make them both laugh, but they held it in for safety's sake.

Kagome turned her head and pointed to a lone figure walking towards the fuming half-demon with his top in hand. Both of them watched as she paused behind a layer of trees to entice Inuyasha back to her.

The undead woman's plan worked and Sesshoumaru watched alongside Kagome as the two lovers made their way back to the springs, infraction forgotten for the moment. Kagome turned her eyes to Sesshoumaru, nearly bubbling over with overwhelming laughter.

"I am…never going to bathe in that water for as long as I live!"

Her laughter was nearly contagious in its bell like charm. Sesshoumaru had to fight hard not to smile let alone laugh. The girl obviously had a thing for practical jokes.

It was childish he knew, but he couldn't bring himself to chide her for the behavior. She was too cute when she was running from Inuyasha doing her best not to laugh or give away her exact location.

The event was one he would not have taken part in had it been anyone else, but the woman was just that alluring. She had a way of making even him forget that he was a superior being that was above the childish antics.

"Thanks for helping me back there. He would have caught me this time for sure"

He raised his brow and waited for her to make her usual quip about wrinkles. When none was forth coming he questioned her outright.

"You do this often?"

"No. I haven't done it in years, but…well, it just looked like fun, and I could definitely use that right now."

The last part was mumbled under her breath, but they both knew he had heard it. Mumbling seemed like her way of saying, don't comment on that part. Something else caught him in her statement, though.

"Years?"

She looked at him as though she didn't understand what he was asking.

"Has he truly been coupling with that thing for that long?"

Her eyes lit up in understanding before they were cast back to the ground, in the direction of Inuyasha and Kikyou he noted.

"Yeah. It's been a long time since those two had made their promises final."

He had a only faint idea of what she meant by that, but then after seeing her demeanor drop so much from that one statement, he wasn't so sure he wanted to know the details. It dawned on him that he liked it better when she was happy; he felt uncomfortable when she was upset. Still, curiosity brought him here, and so curiosity won the small inner-battle.

"Were you and he not a couple once before?"

She looked up at him, startled at his observation to the point that it made him question it himself.

"I suppose we were to everyone else. Really, we were never more than good friends…I always wanted more, but it wasn't supposed to be that way I guess."

He watched her with guarded curiosity and suppressed the urge to inquire anything more of her past with his brother. It made sense now why Inuyasha had avoided the subject during their conversation the other night. The two of them obviously had a past more than they were letting on, but neither of them wished to elaborate on it any more than a memory.

That was all fine and dandy for him, except for the fact that it bordered on the agreement he and Kagome shared. To understand her, he would have to understand her past, and that was a piece of her puzzle she was trying to hide.

Not for long little one, just you wait. I'll figure you out, and then we can be done with this. You are an enchantress, no doubt, but I will dispel your allure.

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The night shifted peacefully into a cool morning that was awaiting the wake of its passengers. Sango and Miroku both lay close to the fire with the small cat demon and kit fox positioned between the two for warmth. Inuyasha and Kikyou chose not to return to camp that night, but what currently held his attentions was the priestess with him.

When they had returned from the `prank' last night, the rest of the group had already fallen asleep. Kagome had denied her fatigue, deciding instead to try to coax him into a conversation, which was funny in its own right but was also the reason for their current `position'.

Flashback

"Do you like to read?"

Sesshoumaru looked to her questioningly. He only read every once and again, but then it was only when it was necessary, never for leisure.

"Well, I love to read, but I'm a bit of a sap!"

"A sap"

"Oh, yeah…um…how about…hopeless romantic?"

He watched her rummage through her bag and pull out a small white book. It was in a different language he noticed, but couldn't place it for the life of him.

"Hopeless yes, but romantic? I would hardly consider you romantic."

She shot him a glare and planted her hands on her hips.

"Well if you're just going to pick on me, then I'm going to ignore you"

He shrugged and watched as her resolve dropped to disbelief. Obviously she was under the impression that he cared. Where would she get an idea like that? Her mumbles met his ears moments later and for the third time that night alone, he had to suppress the urge to laugh.

"Okay, not the right angle"

She walked up to his feet and paused, shifting her weight from one foot to the other nervously and sighed.

"Do you mind?"

She motioned to a cozy looking patch of grass next to him and waited. At first he had intended to cast her away, but then he realized how open she was being and that her willingness was the key to his intentions.

He nodded for her to sit and waited for the predictable thanks and babbling about this and that. All nonsense, that's all women ever talked about, nonsense. The shock came most when he realized that she wasn't going to talk at all.

He would have preferred the quiet, really he would have, but with her it was just so unnatural and he found that it was another thing about her that bothered him.

"Why do you read such nonsense?"

Without looking up, Kagome firmed out a reply and resumed her reading.

"Why do you care?"

She was being difficult sure, but why? Wasn't she the one that asked to sit with him?

"It is part of the reason I am here"

This time she looked up, a smile lighting her eyes and nodded.

"I almost forgot"

Then she went back to her reading. He realized she had no intentions of answering his previous inquiry and that boiled his blood beyond comprehension. How dare she ignore me!

It was unnerving the many ways this woman could unravel his tightly wrapped thoughts and emotions. He had thought that by learning more about her, he might understand her, and then these feelings, this discontentment, would leave him alone. It seems he might have been wrong.

Her quiet laughter brought him from his musings as he stole a glance at her from the corner of his eyes. She was still pressed into the book, but her eyes were on him. Damn it, she knew what she was doing…she was playing hard to get!

And he fell for it!

He should have been enraged at that, and was to an extent he supposed, but then he looked at her again. For some reason, all of his anger left him whenever he would look at her. It wasn't the same on a mortal battlefield, but on an intellectual front line…he just couldn't be angry with her.

"What is it you're reading?"

He watched her smile in triumph and replied with a scowl, but kept his mouth shut all the same.

"That will give you wrinkles too!"

Four…that was it, the fourth time and he couldn't take it anymore. She had already driven him mad with anger, then incredulity, then curiosity, and now laughter. Four times tonight that he would have fallen over in laughter were it not for his tight control over himself.

How did she manage that?

"Winner takes all"

He turned to her to see what she was talking about. Like he said, women always talk nonsense. Then he noticed the little book she held up for him and eyed it curiously.

"It's called Winner takes all. It was written by an American author. Nora Roberts, brilliant woman and hopeless romantic."

Her wistful sigh brought on yet another raised brow from him.

"She's the queen of romance, and she writes it with so many twists that it's a wonder her characters ever fall in love."

"What's American?"

Kagome stopped as though confused about the question and then stopped all thoughts completely. This era didn't know about the United States…it wasn't even called that yet! Oh boy, how was she going to explain this one?

"Eh heh, well, you see…it's a, um, a bunch of people that live on a really big island called America. They speak English, see?"

She pointed to the words on the book and continued her ranting over some lie or another. Large island indeed.

"That's the language they use. So, yeah…"

"A really big island."

Oh yeah, he was really going to buy this ticket to insanity…right after he announced his love for his brother.

She sighed then, almost in defeat. Kagome wasn't what you would call a quitter, especially if you were her enemy. The woman always made sure that her point was taken and most unquestionably her word made law whenever possible.

So what changed? Certainly it wasn't her extended absence. Which reminded him, where did she go that he couldn't find her? That was another mystery about her that both annoyed and intrigued him at the same time.

"You're lying"

She was pissed, down right royally pissed. He could see it in her eyes; the flames danced beneath the surface, ready to lash out at her call. For a moment, he actually considered taking back what he said, but only for a moment.

"Say it again Sesshoumaru…I dare you"

He looked at her with an almost triumphant glare and settled against the tree behind him.

"Prove me wrong then"

Her stuttering and stumbling was cute, but she was only proving him right. She was lying…she had to be. He had never heard of such a place and there was no way that this slip of a girl would know of something as vital as new land before him, and they were obviously intelligent if the book was anything to go by.

"I'm not lying"

"Prove it"

"I don't have to prove anything!"

"Then you admit that you're lying!"

"No"

"Hmm"

He closed his eyes and waited for her to fabricate a new lie. At least that was what she would think. Really, he was only trying to get away from the flames that seemed to lap at his aura with painful spite. Kagome was obviously very upset.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you the truth, so it doesn't matter"

He cracked an eye open and observed her almost broken form as she slouched over her bent knees in the grass next to him.

"Try me"

Her eyes locked onto his and nearly pleaded with him. When she sighed, he knew he had won. Whether she was going to tell another lie or not was up to her. He won their little argument and that was all that really mattered right then.

"Fine, I'll tell you on two conditions. No laughing at me…"

He sent her a flat stare as though to tell her, `right, cause I laugh too much as it is". She rubbed the back of her neck and continued.

"Right. And no calling me a liar."

She was back, the spitfire from only seconds ago had returned to claim her thrown. Well, he thought, at least this will be entertaining.

Kagome proceeded to tell him of her origins and the marvels of the future. Throughout the entire recital, Sesshoumaru couldn't think of one time he had heard of a wilder lie.

However, when she finished he stayed with her conditions and did not call her a liar. It took a lot not to laugh at her, but that was beside the point…he didn't laugh either way.

She seemed to understand his reluctance and left the matter as it was. Her lie was not something so critical that it should bother him anyway.

Sesshoumaru kept quiet for the remainder of the night, leaving her to read her book as she lounged closer to him than any other being had ever been before. It was an odd sensation just knowing that he was enjoying her company, but a nice revelation when he realized that she returned the sentiment.

That little detail became obvious when she fell asleep and accidentally `fell' onto his shoulder.

He sighed in resignation and moved the girl to rest on his knee. He would have left her to the grass, but then he didn't want to hear the complaints from her headache in the morning.

End Flashback

Sesshoumaru looked down to the girl that found her way into his lap even further. She seemed to have been able to crawl her upper torso into his lap and was now precariously posed over both knees with her legs on the ground still.

Irritation was such a small word to describe the sensations he got just from her contact, but something else was riding underneath it and he didn't want to put a name to it. There was only so much `human' he could handle.

No the things weren't all that bad, but they smelled horrible. They were rude, indignant little creatures that had very little intelligence and knew nearly nothing about cleanliness. He couldn't find the patience, even in his vast expanse of self-control, to tolerate them. They were insufferably bound to this earth like worms and cowered before him as such. They were everything she wasn't!

They only real link he could put to her and humanity were her `romanticism' of life and her short life span. It was a shame really that the one human that was truly worth spending any time with at all had to endure such a cruel fate as only a few decades of life in this realm.

Sighing at the inevitability of life, he lifted his self from the comfort of the tree and sat up straighter. He could smell Inuyasha and the whore of his coming closer and didn't honestly think it would be a good idea to have her lying across his lap when they broke through the foliage; they had enough to pay for from last night.

"You should wake her"

Sesshoumaru started at the deep yet quiet voice of the monk. They locked eyes, and in that brief moment, Sesshoumaru knew that no amount of patience was going to keep him still for long. If that monk gave him one more `knowing' look, he was going to rip his bowels out and feed them to the buzzards.

He turned his attentions back to Kagome and let out a small sigh of resentful resignation. Whatever had prompted him to leave the girl there was going to eat poison the next time it showed up because he would not suffer her undignified contact ever again.

The backside of his finger stroked her slightly incandescent cheek lightly. He watched in fascination as her arms lifted out to stretch and her mouth lazed open, much like a cat he mused.

Her yawn was soft and extended. Each muscle rippled with her movements until she froze.

Solid and rigid, Kagome raised her eyes to his before jumping up and running to the opposite end of their camp and busying herself with breakfast.

Sesshoumaru smirked at her embarrassment but also noticed the surge of fear that ran through her the moment she froze. It wasn't because it was him she was lying on; else the fear would have presented itself when she realized that little fact.

No, she was afraid not because of him but because she was on someone; it didn't matter who it was, she was afraid to sleep with someone.

Inuyasha chose that moment to saunter into the group with the dirt mound trailing him. He didn't seem to remember the night before by some miracle that Sesshoumaru was sure to thank because he didn't want to deal with that right now.

Sesshoumaru saw Inuyasha stop suddenly and turn accusing eyes on him. So much for the miracle, he thought. But then he turned his sights to Kagome and sniffed. Could he still scent her fear too?

He watched as Inuyasha bent to Kagome's ear and for once was able to keep his voice low enough for Sesshoumaru not to hear. It bothered him even more when Kagome glared at him and stalked off into the forest, presumably for a bath, with Sango hot on her heels.

What bothered him wasn't that she had gone, or even that Inuyasha had angered her, but that her eyes were sporting a light glimmer of liquid that melted his brother's face in understanding. Their secret just let out another clue.

Sesshoumaru scowled inwardly at the events that had played out in the last few hours. He had been heralded into a childish prank, suckered into a conversation, and forced to evaluate his own emotions for a small mortal woman that he could break with one finger.

The past few hours were degrading and annoying. It would not happen again!

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Kagome wiped forcibly at her tears as they fell unmercifully down her skin. She hadn't meant to fall asleep on Sesshoumaru, and she wasn't so sure he was too happy about it either.

She had enjoyed the night with him; having the chance to let go of her worries was something she direly needed then. But at the same time, Kagome couldn't bring herself to be comfortable with the close companionship of anyone, let alone that cold demon lord.

Kagome sighed and settled into the water further. It was freezing from this spot, but she had to go upstream a bit to avoid `the spot' from last night.

She let out a bitterly amused chuckle and reached for her shampoo. Sango came floating back over to her and grabbed her own bottle of the sweet scented chemicals; she liked the berries mix better than the summer fruit passion of Kagome's bottle.

They towel dried, dressed and made for camp a few minutes later. No words were exchanged, only the slight `knowing' glances and occasional `thank you' when they passed each other their soaps. Neither of them really wanted to talk, but then they didn't quite know what to say anyhow.

Kagome was thankful for the lack of prying of Sango's part, but at the same time was slightly disappointed that their friendship had gone so awry in the past few years. She had always thought of Sango as an older sister, and still did, but that did nothing to save the problems that arose and placed a rift on their relationship.

When Sango spoke up, Kagome could only smile and nod. She didn't know what to say to her just yet.

"Are you alright?"

There was so much she could have said to that, but then it would have opened up the older wounds that Kagome just wasn't ready to face yet. Sango must have understood because she left it at that.

When they finally made their way back to camp, Kagome looked down to the small item she found. She didn't really want to upset the rest of the morning until she was able to get a good head start on her run.

Breakfast was done fairly quickly and camp broke at what she guessed was somewhere around eight in the morning. Not bad for a long spent night, but still not early enough.

She looked back to Sesshoumaru and let out a small sigh. What happened last night would stay there; she had no intentions of acting so childish, or so open, ever again. Deep down she knew that Sesshoumaru would be thankful for the decision.

She and Sesshoumaru had sparked a bargain that would ultimately lead to a victory over their common nemesis; that was the only sparking she intended to do.

Kagome glanced down to her little treasure and back to Sesshoumaru in silent warning. She caught his questioning gaze and revealed an edge of her secret. When his eyes widened, small as it may have been, she knew he understood.

She waited for him to gather his red cloud and ascend above the group. When she was sure he was ready, she called out to Inuyasha.

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Inuyasha paused his run and let the group catch up to him. When they got there, he turned to Kagome and scowled.

"What do you want, wench? We haven't got all day!"

Kagome's smile set him on edge and he subconsciously took a step back in slight fear. When he realized that the rest of the group was watching, he stepped forward and regained his footing.

"Oh don't worry. I just thought you might like this back. Oddly enough, I found it by the river this morning. Wonder why…hmm. Any idea?"

He watched in horror as Kagome pulled out his white undershirt from her sleeve and waved it around like a banner. She tossed it at him and took off at a break neck sprint.

The shirt landed on his head, momentarily blinding him, before he realized that she was running away from his wrath. He pulled the shirt off and tossed it to an almost amused Kikyou.

"Get back here Kagome!"

The birds in the surrounding forest fluttered into the sky from the shock of loud words. Everyone in the group began walking again, this time trying to hold in their laughter and doing a poor job of it.

Inuyasha leapt from treetop to treetop in a chase that would have been fun, were he not so peeved. He knew it was Kagome that threw the rock last night, but for the life of him couldn't figure out how she had gotten away.

The answer to that came to him only moments later when he saw his brother's cloud descending. He watched as Sesshoumaru held out a hand to Kagome. She accepted it and stepped onto the magic before turning to wave.

The irate half-demon watched his friend soar into the air with one hand gripping his smirking brother's armor. Those two were going to get it later…

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Kagome looked up to see Sesshoumaru smirking and couldn't help but smile. Maybe they could be friends…she could use one of those.

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