For Dross and Stormie, who are enabling enablers.
******
Kagome had been Inuyasha's best friend since middle school.
By this point, she was like family – except Sesshoumaru's feelings for her hadn't been exactly familial for several years now.
He'd suppressed and hidden those feelings away, refused to acknowledge them.
But much as he loved Rin, she would never have persuaded Sesshoumaru into such ridiculousness if those unwanted, unrequited, inappropriate feelings for his younger half-brother's best friend weren't there.
Of course, while he did not expect anything from Kagome and would never presume to act on those damn inconvenient feelings, with this stunt he would surely ruin all his meagre chances forever.
Rin was five and had recently come to the conclusion that princesses were the best thing ever and that ballet dancers were basically real-life princesses.
The pink tutu Kagome had got Rin for her last birthday was her very favourite thing to wear, and if Rin could decide (and Sesshoumaru was forced to admit to his shame that she got to decide much too often) she would be wearing it and pretending to be a princess ballerina 24/7.
So, it shouldn’t have come as a huge shock to Sesshoumaru, that when he gently suggested to Rin that they should do something nice for Kagome, like buy her a gift and make a nice card, Rin’s thoughts had turned to ballerinas.
Solemnly, she’d informed Sesshoumaru that while gifts and cards were nice, she had something much better in mind.
They should invite Kagome over, Rin had told him. They would do dress up and have a tea party together. And then they would have a special show for Kagome.
Sesshoumaru had his doubts about this entire plan, of course. But then nothing would as effectively take Kagome’s mind off of the loss of her grandfather than a day spent indulging Rin.
Then again, he hadn’t factored in two things when he had given Rin the green light: that he would, himself, have to participate in this “special show”, and that Rin had his wardrobe all ready and picked out for him.
Kagome accepted the invitation gladly.
When the doorbell rang and Rin rushed to the door to let their guest in, Sesshoumaru noted that Kagome’s blue eyes looked bruised, the smile she offered Rin a little hollow.
“Welcome, Kagome-nee-chan!” Rin gushed, fiercely hugging Kagome’s legs.
“Hello, Rin-chan. Thank you so much for inviting me,” Kagome replied, ruffling the girl’s head.
Sesshoumaru stepped forward as Rin sped away towards her room.
He wanted to hug so bad – and for precisely that same reason did not give her one.
“How have you been?” he asked, his low voice laced with concern.
“Not great,” Kagome said, offering another wan smile. “One day at a time, right?”
Sesshoumaru only had time to nod, and then Rin was back.
Beaming, she proffered her favourite plastic tiara to Kagome.
“Here! You’re the princess today!”
That lured a little laugh out of Kagome. “Am I? How wonderful!”
With great care, she placed the tiara on top of her dark hair.
Rin took her hand, reached for Sesshoumaru’s next.
“Let’s play dress up!”
Over her head, Sesshoumaru’s gaze met Kagome’s and he offered her a wry smile. “Let’s.”
******
Losing her grandfather had not come as a huge shock. His health had not been the greatest for a while, and he had been getting on the years. Her whole family had known it was coming, and yet… He had been the first family member she had lost since her father.
So for a while, life had seemed to dull into grey numbness.
When the invitation had arrived, it had shocked a smile out of her.
For one, Kagome had not expected an invitation from Sesshoumaru. Secondly, he had obviously given Rin free hands with it, as the invitation had been pink and decorated with copious amounts of flower stickers and glitter.
The fancy handwriting inviting her to a tea party and a dance recital was all Sesshoumaru’s, though.
Her heart had fluttered with anticipation, for the first time since her world had grown grey.
And so far, Kagome hadn’t been disappointed.
When Rin had offered the pink tutu and feather boa for Sesshoumaru at the very beginning of their dress up game, Kagome hadn’t quite managed to stifle her giggle.
She’d been pleasantly surprised when Sesshoumaru had accepted the items without complaint and put them on. He looked ridiculous, but Kagome’s heart also melted a little at how wonderful he was with Rin, how willing to engage with her and the things she enjoyed.
How many dads played dress up with their daughters?
Besides, Sesshoumaru could make that pink feather boa work.
Grinning from ear to ear, Kagome added her own touch by placing a flower crown on Sesshoumaru’s head, earning a raised eyebrow.
Rin had donned a set of fairy-wings and was now digging through her jewellery box, handing a plethora of bright plastic bead necklaces out to Kagome.
She obediently draped them over her neck.
Kagome found a sparkly scarf which she tied around her neck to serve as a cape. Princesses should have capes.
Then, Rin got out her makeup. All kids stuff, in bright colours. Her brown eyes were dancing with delight and Kagome silently thought that she must be the sweetest kid ever.
Sesshoumaru, however, groaned aloud.
He had good cause, because Rin didn't enthusiastically begin to apply makeup on herself, but focused her efforts on her father.
Kagome slapped a hand over her mouth so as not to laugh outright as Sesshoumaru sat patiently and with only the faintest frown creasing his brow as Rin hummed and smeared lines of magenta red on his cheeks with her chubby fingers.
Mischief sparkled inside Kagome then, and when Rin pulled back, she announced it was her turn, holding her hand out for the makeup palette.
Rin beamed at her as she passed it over.
Sesshoumaru sighed but offered no protest or complaint.
Kagome studied her choices, finally deciding on magenta eyeshadow matching the stripes Rin had drawn.
"Close your eyes," Kagome told Sesshoumaru, scooting closer.
He rolled his eyes first, but did close them, and sat perfectly still while Kagome carefully applied the eyeshadow on him.
"You can open now," she told him once she was done.
Oddly enough, it seemed to suit him, it made his eyes seem a bit lighter, a bit brighter. Like molten pools of gold.
For a moment, they simply stared at one another.
Then, Kagome hastily turned her attention to the makeup palette.
"Now, for a final touch!" she declared, trying for a joke.
She chose another eyeshadow, this one a glittery blue.
On a whim, she traced a crescent moon on Sesshoumaru's forehead, biting her lip in concentration.
“There,” she whispered, leaning back. “Perfect.”
And somehow, it really was.
“Right then,” Sesshoumaru murmured. He slanted a glance at Rin. “I think we’re ready for the tea party.”
******
Kagome gushed over the selection of cakes, frosted cupcakes, cookies, ice cream and mochi that Sesshoumaru had ordered while Rin kept pointing out her favourites and insisting that Kagome try everything.
Sesshoumaru sat in silence and poured the tea, half-surprised that his hands were steady.
When Kagome had taken over Rin to apply that silly makeup on him, every nerve-ending had suddenly been standing at attention. His heart had raced madly in his chest and for a few critical seconds he had forgotten how to breathe.
She had been right there, in his reach, her fingers warm and soft as they’d danced on his skin.
Somehow, he’d managed to rein in the impulse to lean in, to kiss her.
The tutu and the feather boa had probably helped with that, as it was impossible to forget what a horrid sight he must be.
Sesshoumaru served the tea and even managed a bite of mochi while he listened to Kagome’s and Rin’s chatter, occasionally weighing in on the discussion.
It felt good, to have Kagome here with him and Rin, Sesshoumaru thought, as he watched Kagome brush off a bit of frosting smeared on Rin’s cheek.
It felt right.
If only.
All too soon, however, Rin and Kagome had eaten their fill.
Rin all but glowed with excitement as she turned to Kagome and told her they had prepared a special show for her.
Rin took Kagome’s hand, pulled her along to the living room.
Sesshoumaru trailed after them, resigned to his fate.
All too soon, Kagome was settled on the sofa, looking expectantly at him and Rin.
It was time to dance.
Rin hadn’t laid out any choreography for their grand performance, so Sesshoumaru tried to just imitate his daughter the best he could.
He hopped. He pranced. He twirled.
Perhaps, if Kagome squinted, it might even be called dancing.
Sesshoumaru felt like a prize idiot.
And yet, perhaps, he was an even bigger fool because he did not care.
Not when Kagome was clapping and grinning.
Not while her beautiful laughter rang in the air, sweeter than any sound.
To hear that now, after the grief she still carried within, was worth a hundred pink tutus.
When their dance show wound to its end and Rin dropped into an exaggerated curtsey, Kagome got up to her feet and clapped wildly.
“Bravo! That was amazing!”
They had a little more tea and a few more bites of cake after the dance, and then, finally, came the dreaded hour when Kagome had to leave.
She crouched down and took off the tiara and gave it back to Rin. Then she gave Rin a big hug and thanked her for the invitation.
When Kagome straightened, her eyes met Sesshoumaru’s. She came to him but offered no hugs.
Instead, feather-soft and all too brief, her lips brushed against his cheek.
Sesshoumaru froze.
“Thank you,” Kagome breathed. “This was everything I didn’t know I needed.”
“You’re welcome,” Sesshoumaru replied when he finally found his voice again and remembered how to use it.
“Also,” she added, her blue eyes twinkling, “you look great.”
With one last bright grin, Kagome left.
Sesshoumaru bent to pick up Rin and cradled his daughter in his arms, pressed his nose to the crown of her head.
“Thank you, Rin. Your idea worked really well.”
“We should invite Kagome-nee-chan over again soon,” Rin said, hugging Sesshoumaru.
“That we should,” Sesshoumaru agreed, his heart full.