Kagome smiled to herself as she landed on the other side of the well and patted her bag full of goodies. It was Valentine’s Day and she was well equipped to show her friends that she cared about them in the tradition of her time.
Frowning and grumbling about the unreliability of her Hanyou friend, she hauled herself out of the well and onto the well lip with an ease born of years repeating the same motion.
It was a strange February in the feudal era, the sort of February that was neither cold enough to neither warrant frost nor warm enough to be classed as spring. The schism between the two.
Starting the long trek back to the village, she smiled softly as she thought of the expressions on their faces. It had been a delight to make chocolate for the members of their newly extended group – Sesshoumaru’s group having joined theirs a few weeks ago for reasons Sesshoumaru had not deigned to inform them of.
The children were already obsessed with the delectable chocolate morsels Kagome would bring them, Ah-Un had developed a penchant for them too and Jaken was prone to stealing them from Rin to eat in private. Inuyasha ate them like there was no tomorrow and threw-up for a long time afterwards. Since them he’d called them Naraku’s latest Weapon and glowered at Kagome when she gave them to anyone.
After the Inuyasha incident she hadn’t dared give them to Sesshoumaru in case, like normal dogs, he was allergic as Inuyasha might be. In Inuyasha’s case she wasn’t sure whether it was the speed with which he ingested the chocolate or his doggy disposition that made him vomit, so she was playing it safe with the demon lord that was liable to melt her with his poison should she commit such a crime upon his person.
Sango also indulged in the stuff from time to time and Miroku came to have a select fondness for dark chocolate. But to each their own.
So, armed with chocolates for everyone except the two dog demons in the group, Kagome walked into Kaede’s hut and greeted her friends. The only people who were missing were, understandably, Ah-Un who was too large to fit inside and Sesshoumaru who often disappeared after delegating Jaken the irksome (in his opinion) duty of protecting Sesshoumaru’s ward.
“What took you so long wench?” Inuyasha’s customary greeting was muffled as he spoke it around a large mouthful of the stew Kaede had made him.
Kagome grinned at him “I was getting everyone presents for a holiday in my time... but I didn’t get you any!” she taunted her easily baited friend.
He rose to the challenge miraculously “Yeah? Why the hell not wench? I’m the one who saves you from all the damn demons and you don’t buy me a present?”
She grinned and patted his angry head “but, Inuyasha, you don’t like chocolate, though you’re welcome to have some!”
He glowered at her. “Keh, got any ramen?”
She giggled and handed him his preferred dietary staple before passing out the boxes of homemade chocolates to everyone crowded into the small hut.
“This holiday, Miko, what is it?” Sesshoumaru’s voice startled everyone in the hut, they had not seen him arrive.
“Sesshoumaru-sama!” Rin squealed as she attached herself to one of his legs “Rin missed you!”
He patted the child on her head, his most flamboyant gesture of affection.
Kagome smiled at the scene they made and answered his question. “It’s called Valentine’s Day, it’s a holiday in my time where people buy chocolate or another gift signifying their love for the people they care about. Most people generally buy chocolate for their lovers, but I got some for all my friends.”
He frowned minutely as he processed this. “It is a ritual to initiate courtship?”
“Sometimes yes, but it’s also done by couples to show they care.” She paused as she dug around in her never ending bag “and because chocolate is probably not a good idea for you or Inuyasha I got Inuyasha extra Ramen,” she tossed some at Inuyasha who caught it gleefully “and I got you this.” She handed him a notebook.
Carefully, with an unidentifiable expression on his face, he reached out and took the book from her and inspected it. He had seen the like before, the Miko used them to study.
He regarded her thoughtfully before turning back to his present. Opening it he frowned at the blank pages.
“Hn”
Kagome giggled “It’s a notebook, you’re constantly writing scrolls and such, and I thought that would be easier for you.”
He raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled unsurely.
“It is acceptable.” he reassured.
Her answering smile was dazzling but the girl had left him with a conundrum.
What to get her in return?
Her culture believed in the exchanging of gifts to initiate the courtship and so did his people. So this was the perfect opportunity to stake his claim on the Miko.
He had only recently realised the Miko’s worth. In the beginning he had merely admired her endurance; she had put up with Inuyasha for longer than anyone before her. Then, as he joined the little shard hunting group he had begun to see more intricacies to the Miko that he admired. She was a fierce warrior when the children were threatened, she refused to give up on anything or anyone, her determination was unparalleled, she had a deep sense of duty and honour pertaining to the jewel and she was unwaveringly loyal to those she considered her friends.
She was Kagome.
And she was breathtaking.
Those attributes were rare amongst any species and to find them all in one woman was highly unusual. In his shiro he had a large collection of portraits, magical artefacts and weapons that all had one thing in common; they were one of a kind. And Kagome fell into that category, she was unique and he had to have her.
He was a collector of the exquisite and she was the only person he knew that could fulfil that category. After all, not only was she unusual for a ningen, she soothed him made him relax and her slight body, lush curves and brilliant blue eyes didn’t exactly hinder her appeal.
Yes, she would be his.
All he had to do was find her a Valentine’s gift. Which was easier said than done. What did one procure for a Miko who time travelled?
Perhaps he should get her Hanyou repelant? Yes, the idea of Inuyasha never being able to go near what was his was an appealing one. He would revel in it. But he doubted she really needed that.
If she had been a demoness the path would have been simple. Demonesses normally wanted a show of power or wealth, but the Miko was not one to be swayed by such things.
He did not doubt that skinning the ookami that pawed her would result in her refusal to talk to him for weeks.
If he bought her something expensive he knew she would merely refuse it, she had no such want for things of extravagance. Though he would delight in giving them to her.
For the next few days Sesshoumaru was impossible to engage in conversation, not that he was usual a conversationalist per say, but he usual would talk to Kagome or Rin from time to time. He seemed to be deep in thought about something. But no one knew what it was.
Eventually, three days after Kagome had gifted the Taiyokai with the notebook, he disappeared from camp.
They were left confused and bombarded Jaken – the only one with details – who remained silent and yet seemed disgruntled for reasons that he also wouldn’t disclose.
Kagome put her foot down and refused to travel anywhere whilst Sesshoumaru was absent and so they spent a pleasant day in a secluded meadow that was depressingly bare of any flowers.
It was a balmy day, unusual for February and everyone, save Kagome, was relaxed and enjoying the break.
Kagome was uncomfortable, ever since she had gifted the demon lord with the notebook he had become even more withdrawn and she really didn’t know what to do. Had she offended him in some way?
As she mulled this over the sky darkened suddenly and Kagome looked up in surprise; it was not night time yet.
Above the entire meadow there was a giant cloud, but it wasn’t the sort of cloud that usually blocked the sun.
“It’s Sesshoumaru-sama’s cloud!” Rin cheered as the rest of the group looked up in awe.
“What in the world?” Kagome asked, face turned upwards at the cloud “Why is it so big?”
They soon found out, the cloud dissolved into nothing and suddenly it was raining. But it was unusual rain.
It was flower-rain.
Literally hundreds of flowers fluttered down from the skies and landed in the meadow carpeting it in a blanket of colour.
Rin gasped and Kagome threw back her head and laughed, a free laugh – a laugh full of happiness and wonder, as she spun into the meadow and twirled her way through the falling blossoms.
“Magnificent.” She whispered to the sky, softly.
“Thank you, Miko- Kagome” Sesshoumaru spoke and she turned around to smile softly at him.
“Hey, what brought this on Sesshoumaru-sama?”
He quirked a brow and stepped closer “Is it not a ritual? To give a gift and initiate a courtship?”
“Huh?” she blinked a few times. There was no way she had just heard what she thought she had just heard. Right?
Smirking very slightly at her completely bewildered expression he pulled a red rose from the sleeve of his kimono and tucked the blossom behind her ears gently. His fingers brushed across the rose’s petals and then down across the curve of her cheek to the point of her chin. He held her face gently and brushed a finger across her lower lip.
“No way.” She whispered her gaze never leaving his.
“Hn.” He leant forwards and kissed her gently on the lips.
Jaken dropped his staff of two heads, Inuyasha hit himself in the forehead, Rin squealed, Miroku leered, Sango hit Miroku and Shippo rolled his eyes and pretended to throw up. But those reactions paled in comparison to Kagome who promptly lost the ability to stand.
Sesshoumaru wound an arm around her waist, supporting his swooning Miko. She had responded beautifully to his kiss and he would take it as an acceptance to his offer of courtship.
She was his now.
No Hanyou repellent necessary.
Elsewhere the Kamis clapped themselves on the back for a job well done. And the Inu no Taisho had said his son would never fall in love!
Ha!
He’d never met their secret weapon: Kagome.
A/N: I don’t own Inuyasha. Thanks for reading and please review!