Encounters In Small Meetings by Angelic Memories

Fortunate Set-Up

My fifth entry to Skye’s Weekly Challenge…

This week’s theme: Fortune

Minimum 800 words: 1 057 words used.

Thanks to Reannaleco for betaing

Fortunate Set-Up

Kagome groaned. Her eyes didn’t adjust to the first rays of light right away, and she was left to stare as immense white light blinded her ability to see. A few blinks proved to be the cure and she noticed the heavy weight on her chest was none other than Rin. A small smile from the girl put the miko on guard. There was no doubt about it, Rin was up to something. If she wanted to make money she would have betted Shippo was part of the plan.

“Rin was wondering if Kagome wanted to go fishing for breakfast this morning,” the child chirped.

The lively attitude was usual. Her bounce to her movements was normal. The hidden gaze of mischief was rare, and for some reason Kagome felt the girl was just a bit perkier than usual. There was a glow about the child. Her voice rang with a song. Any other person who didn’t know her as well as Kagome did probably would have thought as things being normal. Yet there was something off about the entire thing. Rin was a happy child, yet Kagome sensed there was a darkness she was hiding. Today that darkness seemed to be gone with whatever she was planning.

“Of course,” the miko whispered. Don’t let them think I am on to something.

A week of travelling with her new pack meant seven days of moving over the landscape with Sesshomaru. Since that night by the lake she hadn’t receive any more chances of speaking with him alone. On her third night with the group, Kagome was shocked as Shippo pounced into the clearing from the sky, shifting from his large pink bubble like creature into his semi human form. He had run from the village and chose to spend his time with her. The inu alpha said nothing, his silence proving to be an acceptance.

Rin and Shippo took up most of her time as she began to help them learn to read and write. Shippo caught on fast. Rin needed a bit more work; mainly because she’d much rather do other things. However, Sesshomaru insisted the young girl listen during the miko’s lessons so Rin tried her hardest. The pack never spent more than a couple of hours of day travelling. Mostly during the late afternoon when the sun had past its zenith and the heat didn’t bore onto them.

“Where’s Shippo?” Kagome asked as she rose from her makeshift bed. Rin and Shippo always cuddled next to her during the night. It was strange to wake to one and not the other.

“He went with Jaken. They are looking for apples. Rin wanted some.”

“Oh,” Kagome sighed. Maybe I was wrong. “Well why don’t we head to the river?”

“Hai,” the young girl jumped up and down with excitement, “Rin is going to catch the biggest fish ever today.”

Kagome chuckled. As the two made their way to the large body of water, Kagome listened to Rin. She responded to the child at all the right moments while letting her own thoughts fly through her mind. Never had she questioned the areas they camped at, but it always seemed they were near water all the time. If not a hot spring, then a lake or river, sometimes a small stream or brook. Yet never had they gone a night without being near water. The miko supposed Sesshomaru cared about the human more than he led on. Kagome was always grateful to hear him announce the water source. She loved her baths too much to give them up.

Speaking of which… it was too hot for hot springs and a cool refreshing dip in the river was looking rather inviting.

“Rin, let’s go for a swim first.”

The miko didn’t know what the child’s wide smile was for, but she ignored it as she began to discard her clothes. Without warning, she jumped into the cool water and sighed. A dunk beneath the surface cooled her face and wet the long annoying locks of hair. As she bobbed back up to the surface she noticed that Rin had yet to join her. Not only that but the girl wasn’t on the bank anymore. As concern melted into the crevasses of her face, she looked to the edge where she left her clothes only to find they were gone.

“Rin?” she shouted, “Rin? Where are you?”

Something tightened around her ankle. The mere shock of sudden contact caused her to scream long and loud. It released her, but she continued to let loose her cry of warning as she attempt to swim to the bank. However something caught her around the waist and dragged her from the water. This caused her fear to heighten, but a hand around her mouth muffled the high-pitched shriek. Once placed on solid ground, she whipped around to face her saviour.

Sapphire eyes fixed upon golden hues. She immediately realized Sesshomaru had come to her rescue, and it slipped her mind the state of dress she was currently in.

“Miko, you will explain your actions.”

“Something grabbed my ankle.” She looked down to see if there was any lasting damage. A red tint crawled across her cheeks as she realized she wasn’t wearing anything. Her eyes noticing the slight drift of the inu’s gaze forced her to take action. “Hentai,” she shouted. Her hand reach to smack the inu’s cheek, much like her friend slapped a certain perverted monk, but it was intercepted.

“This Sesshomaru saved you miko. It is your fault you endangered yourself while lacking attire. Your less than average body matters not to this Sesshomaru.”

Kagome’s mouth gapped. Yet she knew she picked up on his previous gaze. Though he had turned his back, she knew that he had looked. If only to salvage some dignity, she decided to use what she could.

“You should feel fortunate that you received the glance that you did, because it will never happen again,” she turned and crossed her arms.

A few seconds passed in silence as Kagome contemplated. Shivers from the cold ran down her spine as her arms tightened around her breasts.

“Ah… Sesshomaru,” she whispered, knowing he was still there. “Can you get my pack?”

“Hn.”

For a second time Kagome found herself wrapped up in the inu haori.

*************

Ja ne

Angelic Memories

© 2009

 edited 2010