Tradeoff by Trynia Merin
Chapter 1
As Kagome struggled up the sides of the well, she gripped the vines spilling down into it. She remembered the joke about a snail that climbed two feet up only to slide one foot back. Perhaps it was not a joke, but it was a logic puzzle she remembered in one of the books at school.
“Hardly a joke,” she grunted, struggling under the weight of the pack. She normally anticipated Inuyasha, but lately…
Two feet from the top she let out a squeak as the vine tore out from its roots. Flailing, she reached for anything to get a handhold and gain purchase. Then her sense of falling stopped abruptly with pain in her shoulders from the straps on her pack pulling taught. What she did not anticipate was the hand that thrust into the well, arresting her fall. Rather it grabbed the back her pack, Kagome lamented. Reaching up she grabbed the sleeve, surprised to see it was white instead of red. Not only that, but trimmed in red with a triple honeycomb pattern.
“Hey!” she yelped, reaching for the wrist. “Let go, my arms hurt!”
“Do you really wish that, Miko?” asked the rumbling voice that caused her heart to pound even more in her chest then the fall did. Not questioning why, she latched her hand around his arm.
“Let go! Just take my hand if you’re gonna pull me out, sheesh!” Kagome called up, her shoulders aching.
“You should be careful what you ask,” the voice responded. Promptly the claw released and Kagome pitched back. Fortunately, she had a good hold on the arm with her right hand, which she squeezed reflexively tight. Claws latched around her wrist, and her arm felt as if it would yank out of its socket.
“That… was a mistake, I didn’t mean that!” Kagome called up.
“You are annoying,” huffed the voice from above. Again, her body jerked but it was upwards as the arm smoothly drew her out enough so she scrambled onto the ledge with her body hanging over the side of the well.
Now both hands gripped the side for life as Kagome panted. The fact that it was Sesshoumaru’s arm registered in her panic numbed brain. She hastily scrambled out by first laying one knee on the well side, hoping her skirt did not flip up. His shadow fell over her, moving to enough of a distance that his silver haired head blocked the sun.
“Thanks a heap for your help,” she mumbled, annoyed that he went to the trouble of grabbing her out only to let her scramble undignified like a crab. Swinging around she dropped to her bottom, panting.
“It’s your fault for bringing so much with you when you cross over,” Sesshoumaru commented. Kagome’s breath rasped as she glanced up at the tall elegant figure standing still as a statue. Only his hair moved when a gust of wind happened to catch the strands and send them scattered.
“How did you know about the well?” she happened to ask before his exasperated sigh registered.
“I make it my business to know the location of the half breed’s pack members, though I do not care. It is only instinct,” he said in a bored tone.
“What are you doing here, Sesshoumaru?” Kagome asked, finally steadying her heartbeat. She scrambled to her feet, still wearing the heavy pack.
“Must you ask so many pointless questions?” Sesshoumaru countered.
“You’re the one answering a question with a question,” Kagome bantered back, daring to glance up into the impassive gold eyes. Something twinkled in them, resembling amusement if Kagome did not know any better.
“Where does that well lead?” Sesshoumaru then asked as Kagome clutched hold of her pack straps and glanced around. Her bow and arrows were nowhere to be found, and she started to edge away from him. Sesshoumaru had inadvertently shown up in the middle of the poisoning episode with Mukotsu, and while she was glad for this, she still felt wary. He had his own reasons for doing anything.
“To my homeland,” Kagome answered quickly, afraid to remove her eyes from him for an instant. Within her body buzzed senses that cautioned her to never underestimate that predatory stance of his.
“Is that so? This one is not going to waste his time killing you or anyone Miko. It would be a wasted effort,” Sesshoumaru informed her, eyes watching her every movement.
“Now that we’ve established that, just how long have you been here?” she asked quietly, convinced of his sincerity. If anything, his youki was placid as his neutral frozen expression, reassuring her that he was probably bored and the well was possibly a riddle.
“Long enough to smell you and see the aura from the well,” Sesshoumaru answered.
“I see,” she commented, sliding the pack down and letting it drop. Unfortunately, the Velcro holding the top down came unfastened and she grabbed the bag just in time to stop it from toppling over and spilling its contents. Immediately she dropped to her knees and saw that already a textbook had dropped into the grass.
“Oh great, this is not my day…” she sighed, scooping her trigonometry book up. Dusting it off she had a strange thought. What if his being by the well was just a logic puzzle to occupy a bored mind? Just what did Sesshoumaru do to fill his time other then hunt Naraku?
“You dropped this as well,” Sesshoumaru said, his hand extended. Held in his claws was another textbook, her English one.
“Thank you,” she murmured, reaching out to take it. He continued to stand there watching her with her backpack.
“You say you came from your homeland. That is not entirely true is it? Those books are not of this era,” he remarked. Kagome tugged her pack top down and backed away. She hesitated answering.
Deep sapphire eyes fixed on the pommel of both swords thrust into his belt she knew his hand could move like lightning. Those claws tensed a bit, and she thought quickly about just how to answer. If he already suspected that about her textbooks, he probably could see through any hastily concocted excuse. She glanced wildly about, realizing that there was no sign of Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, or even Shippo. That worried her even more because usually the kitsune at least waited for her.
“This Sesshoumaru asked you a question, Miko,” the daiyokai said impatiently. “You would find that those that serve me learn to tell the truth because this one can see through any pitiful attempts to lie.”
“All right,” Kagome relented. “This well connects to Tokyo, in the future. 500 years from now. So now that you know that what are you going to do with that fact?”
“Nothing,” Sesshoumaru sniffed. “It was to satisfy one’s sense of curiosity.”
“I guess you also know that from the way I smell I’m not from this time?” she asked, remembering how Inuyasha often commented about how her modern perfume made her stink.
“This one suspected you were not from this era long before he watched you climb out of the well. You are correct that it is your smell that gives you away. Just why a human would smell like a fake essence of sakura along with dozens of other ingredients unknown to this Sesshoumaru suggests it.”
“You can smell chemical additives. Great. Figured,” Kagome nodded; amazed that she was even having such a conversation with anyone who was genuinely interested. Sure, her friends were, but Inuyasha just brushed such explanations aside, more concerned with the ramen she was bringing than anything else did.
“Chemical additives,” Sesshoumaru repeated, annunciating each syllable with unfamiliar hesitance. Yet his eyes shone with something Kagome figured was interest.
“Sesshoumaru, where’s my friends?” she asked him. If he were in such a magnanimous mood, he probably would tell her.
“They are delayed,” Sesshoumaru answered. “Rin expressed worry that you were not among them.”
“Where are they?” she persisted, becoming annoyed that he may know something and not give her a clear answer though she demanded them from others.
“The slayer and the monk are in search of the half breed. The kitsune is playing with Rin under Jaken’s watch. He grew too irritating to wait with,” Sesshoumaru recounted, rolling his eyes.
“Back up, you’re not making sense,” Kagome said, but Sesshoumaru had already vanished, only to reappear by her side. “Why would he even let you wait let alone…”
“This Sesshoumaru came across your party earlier today. They were unsuccessful in barring an attack from a hoard of samyousho. Since they were so insistent upon barring the path to this well, they were protecting something of great value to them that Naraku wished. Now they owe this Sesshoumaru for saving them,” he explained carefully, not moving an inch from where he stood.
“Back up… back up!” Kagome stammered, waving her hands wildly. “What about Inuyasha?”
“He is searching for traces of the dead Miko who reeks of graveyard soil and dead souls,” Sesshoumaru answered.
“Are you expecting me to believe that they just sat by calmly while you waited for me and then just left? Are you nuts?” Kagome snapped, not believing her ears.
“You are not convinced? Come and this one will prove it since it is pointless to argue with you, and his ears are hurting,” Sesshoumaru said with a labored sigh.
“Hey let GO of me you!” Kagome protested as Sesshoumaru simply took hold of her arm. She struggled to wrench it out of his grasp, and managed to do so. Unfortunately, the same arm wrapped around her waist and the world tilted sideways.
“Enough, be silent,” he informed her, as she hung over his right shoulder, fluff fluttering in her face. She kicked and squirmed, only to feel a sharp slap on her skirt covered backside.
“Ouch that hurt you pervert!” she growled.
“Do you wish this one to drop you?” Sesshoumaru asked, with a laugh in his voice that surprised and flustered her even more. Before she could protest, again the world around them streaked like a watercolor. A few seconds later and they stood in walking distance of Kaede’s village.
***
“Kagome!” yelled Shippo from somewhere beyond the blurs. She gasped when the single arm hauled her up and dropped her into a patch of grass covered with sakura blossoms. In the shade of a tree arching overhead she spotted Shippo bolting towards her and Rin scrambling to her feet. A few of the kitsune’s toys lay scattered here and there as if they were indeed playing.
Kagome panted for air, hugging her foster child who buried his face in her neck and clung tightly to her with his small hands. Meanwhile she heard Rin calling,” Sesshoumaru sama… you brought Kagome san!”
“Of course, she did you stupid girl! Did you question him for a moment? Must you state the obvious?” chimed in Jaken’s petulant voice.
“Oh Kagome, I’m so glad you’re back! I was trying to keep calm but it was hard because I’m just a kid but he ordered me to play with Rin… and…” Shippo babbled. She blinked, the reality of his words sinking in. “I was so worried Kagome then stupid Inuyasha wouldn’t come back and then you took so long and…”
“Shippo, slow down. What’s going on? Where’s Inuyasha and the others?” she asked, cutting him off as she glanced around her in disbelief. Rin and Jaken were chasing one another while Sesshoumaru glanced down at them impassively, following them with his eyes alone.
“Didn’t Sesshoumaru-sama tell you?” Shippo asked, pulling back and blinking at her with those green eyes of his.
“This one informed the Miko but she did not believe him, so here she is,” Sesshoumaru answered.
“He said something about you owing him?” Kagome began, trying to wrap her head around the circumstances though the pieces were falling into place.
“Stupid Inuyasha didn’t come back! We were waiting by the well for you but you were a day late, and then Sango and Miroku started fighting with Kilala and there were so many of them we had to stop them from getting to the well. Kagome I was so scared, I mean I tried my very best to help but I’m just a kid and then he came and wiped them all out!”
“Whatever it was that attacked you?” Kagome supplied, heart pounding faster with each passing word he managed to get out. It sounded as if his brain worked far faster than he could articulate from the way he stumbled over some of the syllables.
“Uh huh! WE were all fine, but then Sesshoumaru said that we owed him because he saved our lives and Inuyasha didn’t,” Shippo said, trailing off as he looked down.
“Miroku and Sango just accepted this?” asked Kagome, as she waved her hands, palms facing up at the sky in disbelief, feeling all reason sinking away with each passing word. She wondered if she had crossed the line into an alternate reality where logic was turned on its head.
Shippo’s voice was serious and worried as he said, “Sango said it wasn’t smart to go against a daiyoukai like him. And Miroku was worried sick and since we hadn’t heard or seen from Inuyasha we had no choice. He did save us, and he said he didn’t’ want to kill us. He said as long as we did everything he said we’d be fine and then he ordered me to play with Rin.”
“And you just took him at his word...” she murmured.
“This one has no reason to deceive you. You serve him now,” Sesshoumaru said, voice low but rumbling at the pitch of thunder. “Since Inuyasha has abandoned his pack, he no longer has any authority over you.”
“Can he do that? Are you serious?” Kagome asked, climbing to her feet as she let her backpack drop down. She marched up to Sesshoumaru glaring up at him.
“This one is deadly serious, Miko,” Sesshoumaru said, fixing his full gaze on her. The weight of those eyes pulled her down as if she were held with lead weights.
“Inuyasha won’t take this you know,” Kagome snapped. “Once he finds out that you did this he’ll…”
“He will accept it for he has no choice. He abandoned his pack and his failure to act in fashion as its leader proves my point. All of them owe this one their lives till he sees their debt suitably paid,” said Sesshoumaru.
Kagome fought the urge to smack him as she fisted her hands at her sides. Around her she felt her own power tingling. Rin moved away as Jaken pushed her behind him. “Get back milord, she is going to purify…”
“And that means me too? What makes you think I want to serve an arrogant pompous jerk like you, huh?” Kagome seethed, pointing at him.
“You already served the half breed who displays said characteristics. This one only excuses you speaking in such an insulting tone because you are unaware of the change,” Sesshoumaru said, striding forwards to within a foot of her.
“Apologize to Sesshoumaru sama immediately if you want to live, you brazen hussy!” Jaken reprimanded, waving his staff wildly at Kagome.
“Sesshoumaru sama she looks scared," Rin said quietly, her dark eyes searching the teenage girl's expressions.
“Don’t hurt her Sesshoumaru sama!” Shippo blurted out from Kagome’s shoulder. “She doesn’t know how youkai laws work! Don’t get angry please!”
“Shippo!” Kagome gasped.
“Kagome, just do as he says. He won’t hurt any of us. Please Kagome, listen,” Shippo pleaded.
“Jaken, take Rin and wait for this one to explain things to the Miko,” Sesshoumaru ordered, turning his head. Shooing Rin away, Jaken retreated to the bushes. Still Kagome stood defiantly glaring up at Sesshoumaru, her hand glowing pink.
“I don’t know what this is all about, but I can’t just accept this. I don’t belong to someone like a thing! You can’t keep me here!” Kagome said shakily, though she tried to keep her voice from showing the fear pounding through her.
As Sesshoumaru regarded her, his eyes were not cruel or hard, merely serious and devoid of emotion. Speech delivered as if he were announcing the results of a failed exam. “You have no alternative, Miko. Your life and the lives of your pack belong to this Sesshoumaru.”
Seeing Kagome’s distress and confusion, her foster son shifted on her shoulder, saying, “It’s for keeps Kagome.”
Since he put things so simply, the entire implications crystallized in Kagome’s mind. She looked from the elegant nod Sesshoumaru gave her to the quick bobbling of Shippo’s red-haired head. Pressing a hand to her mouth, she gasped, “For keeps? That’s ridiculous! As if I was some old bicycle you found and had dibs on!”
“The kitsune is correct. This one will keep you. He and the others are now the followers of this Sesshoumaru.”
“What could you possibly want with us? As I recall you said you didn’t NEED anyone except Jaken over there, and Rin may be your foster daughter but what would YOU want with humans?” Kagome huffed, struggling to appeal to his sense of discrimination. If she could remind him of how much he despised humans maybe he would see he was making a big mistake.
Shippo’s grip on Kagome’s shoulder and hair tightened at the forward step of the daiyokai. Mokosama swaying behind him he advanced to within two feet of her. Kagome backed away, feeling herself collide with the trunk of the sakura tree. It pressed to her back hard and scratchy. “You are mistaken Miko. I have uses for all of you in my party.”
“Uses… in your party,” she repeated, raising a hand with the palm facing him, glowing pink. He stopped, freezing in one place.
“We’re going to travel with him Kagome, like we traveled with Inuyasha till he LEFT us,” Shippo grumbled, pulling a face.
“I’ve got a life back in my own world. I have to go home every so often!” Kagome protested, feeling her knees shaking from the cold burst of wind that whipped her dark hair up and over her face. Grabbing her bangs, she pushed them behind her ears.
“You are permitted to return to your homeland for whatever business you must attend to provided you return promptly,” Sesshoumaru explained, raising his claw as he curled his fingers slightly. Kagome clung to Shippo, her blue eyes narrowing at him, anticipating any movement.
“And what will you order us to do?” she asked.
“Pursue and destroy Naraku is the main objective. The monk’s powers are useful as are those of the demon slayer. The kitsune provides a suitable companion for Rin so that Jaken is freed for other obligations and you…”
“You’ve got this all figured out. What makes me think you waited for the moment to conveniently save our lives when Inuyasha was gone?” Kagome wondered, still quaking from fear and anger. Now all of it was directed at a certain hanyou who was absent and whose quest to search down traces of Kikyou had indeed left them all in danger.
“You were also gone, compromising the protection of your pack. Yet your reasons were understandable considering you have responsibilities in your homeland. For this one you will have the responsibilities of watching Rin since you care adequately for the kitsune. As well as assisting in matters of healing when needed, and whatever other duties this one sees fit to assign you.”
“I can’t believe Inuyasha just… just… he usually screams at me for being late. And you’re sure he isn’t somewhere… why would he just…” Kagome trailed off.
“You were late. He got mad,” Shippo answered softly when Sesshoumaru fell silent.
“I can’t believe it, I refuse to believe it. It’s ridiculous!” Kagome yelled, stamping her foot. “That self centered two timing JERK!”
“Cease your shouting Miko. Or must I explain things in simpler terms?” Sesshoumaru snapped harshly, his voice cutting into hers. His hand shot forwards and grasped hers as Kagome turned to run away. The long furry mokosama extended from his shoulder and twined around her wrist while he pulled her towards him.
“Don’t hurt her!” Shippo shouted, his jaw barely quivering though his tail and muscles in his legs twitched.
“This one has no intention of physically harming the miko, kitsune. She is the one making this difficult not he,” Sesshoumaru said coldly. Kagome found both her arms bound at her side as the mokosama tightened, holding her just inches from him.
“She’s scared!” Shippo insisted, green eyes daring to still keep contact with the penetrating gold.
“You’re damn right I’m scared. I’m scared, hurt, and confused, and I don’t get WHY you’d do this!” Kagome cried, fighting back her panic.
“Calm yourself, Miko. This one has no intention of harming you, but if you persist in this hysteria he may resort to dropping you in the nearest lake till you cool off,” Sesshoumaru informed her. One of her hands squirmed free of the mokosama around her, moving towards him. His hand grasped hers, giving it a squeeze as it tightly.
Kagome glanced down, hot angry tears slipping past her lashes though she tried to stop them. Around her bare legs, the rest of his mokosama twined, oddly covering her from the gusts of cold wind that whipped through the trees. More cherry blossoms scattered and fell from overhead, showering them all with a rain of pink petals. Shippo said, “It’s all that stupid Inuyasha’s fault. He left us Kagome. Left us for HER. Sesshoumaru-sama didn’t. And next time I see him he’s gonna cry for making you cry…”
Shippo’s angry words only tossed more fuel on the fire. Kagome shivered from head to toe, biting her lip to stop herself from screaming. Still Sesshoumaru’s hand held hers, the fingers still yet warm as the fur wrap imprisoning her.
“Do not waste your tears on the idiotic half breed. Your purpose will be better served under this one’s command,” Sesshoumaru repeated, voice low. “If you behave you will be well treated. However if you act as a petulant child you will be treated as one.”
“That stupid jerk, he is so dead,’ Kagome gritted, squeezing her eyes shut. Sesshoumaru said nothing else for a long moment, nor did Shippo. He clung to her neck tightly hugging it, his own growls suppressed as he fought tears as well.
“Miko, stop crying. Enough time is wasted,” Sesshoumaru said coldly, his impassive eyes fixing into hers. However, the tears blurred him and all she saw was smudges of red amongst white and silver, along with the darkness of his armor.
Kagome buried her face in the nearest part of Mokosama, hiding her tears from him. It released her upper body, winding around her legs now, whether to imprison them or cover them from the chill of oncoming night she was not sure. As she moved, she stumbled, landing against something hard and solid. His arm steadied her, bringing her so she fell against his tall body.
“Miko, enough of this,” Sesshoumaru grunted.
“I’ll do what you say, Sesshoumaru-sama,” Kagome answered quietly. “But… this is too much to take in. I have to get used to this. It’s still so… unbelievable. I thought that… Inuyasha was the one to protect me…”
Sesshoumaru cut her off, his sharp canines visible as he frowned. His voice rumbled like thunder as he said, “This Sesshoumaru has no one to protect, Miko. You will be expected to pull your weight in the party. Your proficiency in the use of the bow and arrows, and your purification powers have been observed. They will be sufficient.”
She stammered, “Where are my weapons? I left them at the well…”
“K…Kagome, its okay. They’re over by that tree. I hid them for you,” Shippo chimed in, his small eyes wide as saucers to see the daiyokai so close to them.
“Stupid Inuyasha, how could you do this to me,” Kagome lamented, voice partly muffled by Mokosama. She hated the fact that Sesshoumaru saw her in tears, certain that he already considered her weak.
“Why do you waste tears on him?” Sesshoumaru asked. “This display of emotion is pointless. There is work to be done.”
“I’m sorry okay, Sesshoumaru-sama? I am just a weak human after all. I can’t be any use to you crying like this, so give me a few minutes will you?” Kagome sobbed, sarcasm still edging her voice. The irony was not lost on Sesshoumaru for his gold eyes widened slightly.
“Don’t cry Kagome, please don’t!” Shippo pleaded his own voice cracking.
“Infuriating woman, this one realizes he must endure your displays of emotion for you to be of any use,” Sesshoumaru murmured. He did not push her away when her other freed hand rested against the breastplate of his armor.
Kagome rested her face against the cool metal, finding it as unyielding as the body that supported her. His hand still clutched hers, neither pushing her away nor moving to embrace her. Instead, Sesshoumaru let out another labored sigh and stared straight ahead. Curling against his body because he was the largest object and she hated anyone seeing her tears Kagome continued to try to keep herself from crying. It was futile to fight the tangle of anger, hurt and betrayal rising inside of her, twisting her stomach into knots.
Unsure of what to do, Sesshoumaru stood as still as he could, his nostrils twitching. At least the miko had ceased her horrible discordant crying. Sometimes Rin clung to Jaken, other times him. He tolerated Rin touching him for he knew he was her parent, and it was only natural to allow the young to cleave to their caregivers. No one would see Rin curled up in his arm when she would not sleep, and Jaken continued to irritate him and nothing else would make her able to relax.
The same urge came over him seeing Kagome clinging to his armor, hiding her face in it. He took her hand and placed it awkwardly on his sash, then transferred his grip so it rested on her shoulder. She seemed to relax when embraced by Mokosama so he let it twine around her more thoroughly. Again, she turned her cheek to bury her tear stained face into the soft fur, stroking it with her fingers. Feeling his hand at the small of her back was some reassurance and Kagome accepted it.
“It is growing late. You should assist Jaken in making a fire, and preparing something for Rin, the kitsune and yourself to eat. If the monk and the demon slayer have not returned this one will inquire into their whereabouts,” Sesshoumaru relented.
Kagome merely nodded, still in shock at the emptiness she felt inside. Nudging her away from his body, Sesshoumaru saw her glance up at him. She rubbed at her tears with the sleeve of her long sailor blouse, her body still wrapped in his mokosama.
“It’ll be okay Kagome,” Shippo said as he swallowed hard. “I’ll keep it together and we’ll be okay.”
“Kitsune, take the Miko and fetch firewood. We shall wait for the other members to join us,” Sesshoumaru said quietly. Then the embrace of his mokosama left Kagome, his hand brushing her hair out of her face. The touch of his knuckles on her forehead made Kaagome’s breath hitch. She caught hold of his hand and squeezed it impulsively.
“Right Sesshoumaru sama,” Shippo said, leaping off Kagome’s shoulder. He scurried off towards the trees, stopping only to wait for Kagome. Sesshoumaru released her hand, and then nudged her away from him.
“Go,” he grunted.
Turning around Kagome inclined her head and stumbled off, her loafers kicking through the cherry blossoms scattered about. Spring was here, but she felt as if her own was ending. Certainly, she would do as he said, until she got a better story from Inuyasha. Once she had sat him a hundred times and demanded one. For now, she had firewood to collect, and an uncertain future to face in a quest to destroy Naraku.
As well as come to terms with a daiyokai to whom she owed allegiance. One who was not unkind but frigid, frozen in his emotions as an icicle? Still something in the way his hand touched hers and the softness of his fur contrasted with the hard armor. He could be ugly even though he was incredibly handsome. Instinct told her at this point that his presence was going to be a constant in an unchanging world.
***
Much later, she held up her hands to feel the warmth of the crackling heat radiating from just in front of her. Several long sticks angled into the fire thrust through centipedes, fish, and scorpions. Jaken reached for one and shoved the scorpion into his beaked mouth. Kagome sat with her knees folded on top of the spread out sleeping bag keeping her from the cold wet grass. A small tripod sat near the fire over which rattled the metal kettle.
“It’s ready, Kagome,” Shippo said, pointing to it. He scurried over and pulled several cups of ramen out of her pack, setting them in a line. Kagome poured the boiling water into four containers after she ripped the foil open.
“These are indeed interesting containers, Kagome sama,” Rin observed, swirling the water in each so they mixed.
“Ninja food,” said Shippo, his mouth watering. “Kagome brings all sorts of great stuff from her world. Just you wait till you try these…”
“I refuse to eat any of that food, woman,” Jaken snorted rudely. From beneath a tree a few yards back Sesshoumaru sat with his left leg stretched out, the other bent at the knee. He braced his back up against the sturdy trunk, standing his swords up next to him. Tokijin was thrust into the ground while Tenseiga in its sheath leaned nearby.
“Then more for us,” Kagome said, sticking her tongue out at the diminutive servant.
“Master Jaken don’t be rude. Kagome sama made it especially for us!” Rin reproved him. She thrust another sharpened stick through a fish she had helped Kagome catch earlier, and then planted it net to the line of others.
By now, Kagome had slipped into a pair of leggings to cover her bare thighs from the chilling wind. In addition, Sesshoumaru had commented on how immodest her garb was and she had no desire to get into an argument with him. She still wore her school uniform though. Kagome passed out pairs of chopsticks, showing each of them how to break the top so they were separate. She stood up, carrying one of the containers over, then sat down next to the daiyokai, curious if he would eat any or not.
Rin had told her he didn’t eat human food. Still she figured she would give him the option. Therefore, she set it down near him with the pair of chopsticks and waited. Sesshoumaru reached down to pick up the cup of ramen Kagome sat near him, turning it in his hand. To her surprise, he picked up the pair of disposable chopsticks and set the cup in his arm to hold it as he ate.
“Milord, be careful!” Jaken howled.
“Be silent,” Sesshoumaru snapped at him. A rock soon shot from near where he was sitting, after he set down the Styrofoam cup.
Kagome looked at the line of water bottles she had filled, glancing over to see Sesshoumaru picking one up, and turning the bottle back and forth, as she remembered Gu-oh doing a while ago. He held it by the middle, curiosity in his intense eyes. Jaken huffed and ate his roasted fish and centipedes, then finally relented and ate one of the containers.
“You call this plastic,” he said, sniffing it. “It smells of oil.”
“It’s an oil based product, we call it petroleum in our time,” Kagome said, with a slight smile, nodding. At least he didn’t call her stupid and wave off her explanations like those that Inuyasha did.
“And the white material these cups are made from also smells of unnatural things,” Sesshoumaru commented, nodding towards the ramen noodle cup she held in her hand.
“Styrofoam. Don’t crush them because the gas will cause cancer,” Kagome warned. Her sleeved brushed against his empty one, yet she did not move away from him. She had chosen to sit on his left side rather than his right because the swords were in the way. He had not told her where to sit, nor had he told Kagome to leave. She was answering his questions and he had not shrunk away from her presence. Rin and Shippo finished their food and stacked the cups to the side so Kagome could put them back into her pack and dispose of them later.
“Woman, how dare you sit so close to Sesshoumaru sama? Do you want to be killed?” Jaken howled again. Shippo rolled his eyes and Rin watched wide eyed as Sesshoumaru picked up another rock and hurled it towards the kappa.
“Silence. The miko will sit where she wishes,” Sesshoumaru announced, while Kagome shivered in surprise.
“Don’t you want to sit on your blanket Kagome-sama?” Rin asked.
“You and Shippo sit on it. I’m fine,” Kagome said with a friendly smile, feeling some sense of warmth from the two children sitting by the fire together.
“Your legs are now covered sufficiently,” Sesshoumaru commented, pointing to them. “That pleases this one. You will continue to wear them in the travels.”
“It does get hot,” Kagome protested, sniffing at him. “If I’m going to follow you, I’ll wear what I want to wear, okay? You don’t want me passing out do you? Those are the only clothes I have.”
“Tomorrow you will be provided with more suitable attire, when your companions return and meet us at the appointed rendezvous place,” Sesshoumaru said sternly. “Or you will wear the leggings. This one has seen you wear blue cloth often.”
“Jeans? Oh I guess I could wear those,” Kagome relented. “Why does it matter so much to you what I wear?”
“Because it is not seemly for any female to show so much of her leg in such a manner. And it is an order,” Sesshoumaru responded, his fur suddenly twining around her legs and hip as if laying claim to her. Kagome’s heart stopped at the action of the fur constricting her so there was no space between the two of them.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Kagome asked, frowning.
“Keeping you from running away in the cover of night,” Sesshoumaru answered.
For a moment, Kagome felt a pang of irritation, and then realized he had a valid point. She could decide to grab Shippo in an escape attempt. Sitting so close to him, she felt her cheeks growing hot because even though he was deadly he was still male, and she was female. Plus his fur was very warm over her shivering form that already leaned next to him as she would if it were Inuyasha.
“How long do you think you can keep me with you?” Kagome asked suddenly in the silence. Shippo and Rin stretched out on the sleeping bag, already rubbing their eyes. Jaken moved off towards Ah-Un to sulk, carrying his staff over his shoulder. He had no desire to be pelted with rocks constantly.
In the dimming light of the fire his red stripes were crimson, his silver hair transformed to gold. The Prussian blue moon on his brow was only partly hidden by the bangs of hair pulled to either side. He stared ahead as he answered, “For as long as this one wishes he will keep you.”
Kagome was not sure how to answer this because speech left her. She swallowed the lump in her throat, sorting through fear towards her future, anger towards Inuyasha, and relief that he had not threatened to kill her. Without constantly arguing with Inuyasha or playing referee between Shippo and the hanyou, her night had been peaceful for a change. She wondered how long he would keep Miroku and Sango once they returned.
Weary and cramped she found her head drooping to rest on the cloth of his empty sleeve. Sesshoumaru continued to sit as still as the rocks and trees, watching the dancing flames licking over the stacked triangle of firewood. He murmured, “This Sesshoumaru will keep you, and keep you well… Miko.”