Once Upon a Diary by insomniac_amy

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the Inuyasha characters.

A/N: To Wiccan for Mod appreciation month. One gentle Sesshoumaru and one happy ending all wrapped up in a ball of fluff.

Also I want to give a huge thank you to critter for doing the beta work on this. I’m sure it took hours to correct all my errors (especially the commas, as I’m very fond of them.)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

He could hardly believe his luck. There, lying innocently on the ground beside the well, was the object that he had desired to get his hands on since learning its purpose. It was a book that belonged to the little miko: a “diary” she called it.

As bad as he hated to admit it, he was curious about her. She was a puzzle that he wanted to figure out, and he thought that perhaps this diary would give him the answers he sought.

Flashback

“Kagome, I thought you said you weren’t supposed to write in your books,” stated a very puzzled-looking Rin.

“This is a special book. It's called a diary, and you are supposed to write in it,” Kagome replied with a smile.

“Oh.”

Kagome could tell that the child was still confused, so she went on to explain its purpose. “A diary is a book that you use to write down your deepest thoughts and secrets, your most private thoughts that you wouldn’t dare admit aloud.”

Leaning in close and lowering her voice, Rin said, “You mean like when Lord Sesshoumaru smiles at Rin when Rin picks him flowers?”

Surprise clear on her face, Kagome replied, “Yes, Rin, things like that.”

End flashback

Excitement coursing through his blood, he picked it up and discreetly tucked it into the sleeve of his kimono. The little miko was due to return soon, so he would have to wait until later to read it.

~~0~~

“Geez, Inuyasha, let’s make camp already. You’ve not let us have a break since I got back,” Kagome said, taking in the grateful looks of Sango and Miroku. She wasn’t stupid. No matter what he said she knew he was in a rush to find Kikyo.

“Oi, wench, I’m not pushing you too hard. You humans are just too weak. We’ve got jewel shards to find and…”

“Find Kikyo,” Kagome mumbled under her breath.

“What was that, Bitch?”

“Sit boy! How many times have I told you not to call me a bitch?” Kagome shouted angrily, “I don’t care what you think. We are going to find a place to make camp whether you like it or not.”

Staring down at the prone hanyou, Sesshoumaru said, “We will make camp. The humans are tired, and we will be able to cover more ground once they have rested.” Rin had long ago tired from the pace the half breed was setting and was now swaying precariously on the back of the dragon as her eyelids drooped. Stopping would serve a dual purpose. Not only would it allow the humans to rest, it would give him a chance to start reading the diary.

With a grateful look, Kagome turned to the western lord, “Sesshoumaru? Is there a hot spring nearby?”

“Hn.”

She could only assume that “hn” meant “yes” because he turned from the road and began walking towards the tree line with Jaken and the dragon following.

A short time later they emerged in a clearing, and she could see the steam from thehot springsrising up from the far side.

“Thank you, Sesshoumaru,” Kagome squealed. Inuyasha had griped so much when she told him she needed to go home that she had only had time for a quick shower. A nice long soak in the hot spring would be heaven.

The others had long ago stopped trying to analyze the strange relationship between their friend and the stoic lord. Sesshoumaru rarely interacted or paid heed to the request of anyone in the unusual pack. However, he seemed to always acquiesce to requests made by Kagome.

~~0~~

High in a tree close to camp, Sesshoumaru pulled out the small book from his sleeve. He was usually a very patient being, but he had been impatient since finding the diary. The camp was quiet as everyone was sleeping, so he was finally going to get his opportunity to assuage his curiosity and hopefully get a better understanding of the miko. She was unlike any female he had ever met.

The book itself was rather nondescript. Now having seen many of the miko's other books, this one was rather plain in comparison. Light brown with the word diary written on the cover, the only unique feature was the tiny golden lock holding the biding together, presumably to keep unwanted beings from discovering the treasures inside.

Like a tiny lock was going to keep him from his prize. Using a small drop of his poison he made quick work of the lock, a look of satisfaction on his face as he watched it melt away. With more than a little anticipation he opened the book and began to read.

Monday, March 26

Today was so warm. I think Spring might finally be here. There are flowers starting to bloom all along the road and in all the clearings we’ve passed, not that I’ve had much time to admire them. Inuyasha has been pushing us hard. He says it’s to look for jewel shards, but I know he is also looking for her. He thinks that I don’t notice the way he looks around, sniffing the air. He only does that when he is searching for something other than shards. It used to bother me, but lately it doesn’t bother me as much as it used to, and I’m not sure why. Yes, I still care about Inuyasha, but I’m starting to wonder if I’m really in love with him. It’s so confusing.

Sesshoumaru and his pack have been travelling with us in our search for Naraku. I’m happy they are with us. Shippo has someone to play with and Rin is adorable. I could do without Jaken though. That nasty toad is more annoying than Inuyasha; I wonder how Sesshoumaru can stand to have him around.

He couldn’t help but chuckle at her thoughts on Jaken. She was right. The toad was annoying. The only reason he kept him around was because he was loyal to a fault, almost like the miko. It irritated him that she was so loyal to the half breed. Inuyasha didn’t deserve any of her loyalty or devotion, and yet she freely gave him both. With a small sigh he continued reading.

Sesshoumaru is a puzzle to me. He’s so quiet and never shows emotion other than his death glare, if that could be called an emotion. Yet he fights with such passion. I suspect that there is a very passionate personality hiding behind that emotionless mask.

She would probably be surprised if she knew just how close to the truth she was. Most thought he either didn’t have emotions or was unable to express them. Those in his household knew different. The stoic mask was like a private joke for him. It amused him to strike fear into the hearts of his filthy half brother and the humans. Sometimes he found it hard to keep up the charade, especially around the miko. She was so cheerful, and when she would smile he had to fight hard to keep from smiling back. Maybe soon he would show her just how passionate he could be.

It's late and nothing else really interesting happened today, so I think I’ll go to bed. Until next time.

The next several chapters were mostly fights they had, things the children had done and worries about this or that. He was starting to get some insight into the little onna’s head. This would be very helpful as she seemed to write about everything, what she was feeling as well as likes and dislikes. He had a feeling that those would be useful.

Sunday, April 1

Today has been very interesting. I had complained that I was tired of ramen and would like some venison for supper, but Inuyasha took off as soon as we made camp, telling me to shut up and eat ramen. I know he was going to Kikyo because I saw her soul stealers. Anyway, right after Inuyasha left so did Sesshoumaru. It’s not unusual for him to leave. We all wonder where he’s going and what he’s doing. Sometimes when he’s gone we think up different ideas about where he goes. We’ve made a little game out of it. Some of our guesses are truly outrageous, but it helps to pass the time. He would probably kill us if he knew.

He almost laughed out loud at this. They would be disappointed to know that it was often to hunt or just to take a walk. It gave him the solitude he desired so he could think. While it was true that he had earned his name “The Killing Perfection,” he only killed when necessary and never for minor slights against his person. Maim yes, torture maybe, but never kill.

Anyway, imagine my surprise when he showed back up in camp carrying a small buck on his shoulder. He had cleaned it and everything! All we had to do was put it on the spit to cook.

I’ve noticed several things about Sesshoumaru. He’s very different from Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru is reserved and regal whereas Inuyasha is harsh and brash. Sesshoumaru is surprisingly considerate of others while Inuyasha only seems to think about himself. Ha! I never thought I would say such nice things about Sesshoumaru. But they are true. He always calls for us to stop just when I’m beginning to get tired. It’s like he notices that I’m starting to get tired.

'So she has started to notice,' he thought with a pleased grin.

He also finds us camp spots near hot springs. I’m not sure if it’s for me or if it is for himself. Haha, I can only imagine how we all smell by day's end.

Kagome never smelled bad. He found her scent pleasing even after a day of travel. She always smelled pure and clean, like dew on roses. She smelled even better when she was happy. Taking her long baths made her happy, so he made sure to find springs for her to bathe in. Not only that, but he preferred his ward to be clean, and Kagome always took her and the kit with her when she bathed.

Something else I’ve noticed is sometimes when he looks at me there is something soft in his eyes, almost a look of longing. Crazy I know, but geez I’ve got to get a grip. I think I’ll go to bed now because I’m obviously delusional. Until next time.

It looked like she was more observant than he gave her credit for. He should have expected it though. Yes, he had tried and wanted to kill her, but after the second attempt he began to wonder what it was about her that let her successfully avert his attempts. So he began to study the miko, discreetly following the group and showing himself only for the occasional spar with Inuyasha, all in an attempt to learn about the miko.

At first, he had fought his curiosity. It would never do for one such as him to become obsessed with a human, but as he observed her he began to realize that, for a human, she possessed many desirable qualities. She was loyal, powerful, beautiful and kind, to name a few. He could go on and on about her positive traits. Now with the diary he could learn even more about her and her thought processes, and he was finding that the more he learned about her, the more he wanted to learn about her.

It wasn’t long after he started watching her that his beast sat up and took notice. It was extremely bewitched by her scent and always tried to convince him to get closer so he could get a better smell of her. Of course when his beast got involved he knew that he was doomed. He hadn’t thought of the miko as a possible mate at first, but his beast had other ideas. It was constantly showing him very vivid mental pictures of the miko’s face, some of her smiling at him and others of her writhing in pleasure beneath him. When it wasn’t showing him pictures, it was pointing out all of her qualities, such as how gentle she was with the kit and how she would be a good mother to their pups, followed by a mental show of the priestess heavily pregnant while she held a silver haired pup in her arms. It had only gotten worse since he began travelling with the motley group.

He wasn’t sure if it was his beast that finally wore him down or if it was just the charm the miko unknowingly possessed, but he had finally given in. No one had ever been able to hold his attention as well as the miko could. Consciously he hadn’t been actively looking for a mate, but he had always taken notice of favorable traits that a mate should possess. The miko was the only one who met all qualifications that he considered a mate should have. While it might have started as a decision based on traits, he found that he was quickly falling for Kagome. The more time spent in her company only solidified his decision to make her his.

~~0~~

Monday, April 2

I passed my test! That was the last one I will have to take for a while. I’m so glad because now I can spend more time in the Feudal Era. I never thought I would say this, but I miss being around Sesshoumaru. It’s funny but lately he’s been talking to me more. I’m hoping that he’s finally starting to see me as a friend, but I’m beginning to think that there might be more to it.

Besides finding hot springs and making Inuyasha stop whenever we are tired, he goes hunting almost every night. I would say that he is only doing this for Rin, but he always presents his kill to me. When he first started traveling with us, he didn’t hunt often, and when he did, he would give it to Jaken and tell him to prepare it. This is so confusing! Maybe I am just imagining things. But…..

Yes, there was more to it. By presenting her with his kill, he was showing her that he could take care of her. It was the beginning of the courting process. Right now, she didn’t understand demon courting rituals, but he was sure that it wouldn’t be long before someone informed her.

As we were talking today he had that strange look in his eyes again. It makes me feel funny. My chest feels warm, my heart beats quicker, and I feel butterflies in my tummy. Am I starting to like him? As in like, like him? It’s the same feeling I used to get around Inuyasha, only much stronger.

I will admit that I’m attracted to him. I mean who wouldn’t be? He has to be the most beautiful man I have ever laid eyes on. Add to that the things I’ve learned about him. He’s still cold and stoic at times, but little by little he is showing me the true person that lies behind the façade.

Ugh! My brain hurts. Until next time.

He shut the diary and slipped it back into his sleeve as he heard the humans stirring. With a small sigh, he leapt from the tree. He would continue reading after they made camp for the night and the others were asleep.

~~0~~

Standing in the middle of the battlefield, Kagome stiffened as she sensed two shards headed their way fast. She was covered in the evidence of the battle they had just fought, and she was tired. All she wanted was a nice long soak in a hot spring. She didn’t want to deal with Koga and his “my woman” crap right now.

Inuyasha growled, and his hand went to the hilt of his sword just as Koga blew in.

“How’s my woman?” Koga asked as he gathered Kagome’s hands in his.

Two low growls sounded at Koga’s proclamation. Surprised, everyone looked to find Sesshoumaru glaring at Koga, red starting to seep into his eyes as he growl menacingly.

“Get your filthy hands off of Kagome before I rip them off!” Inuyasha shouted.

One minute she was trying to pull her hands away from Koga, and the next she was standing behind a very angry-sounding daiyoukai. Sesshoumaru had seen enough and wasn’t happy that another male was touching his female.

“What do you want, Wolf?” Sesshoumaru snarled.

“I just wanted to make sure Dog Shit was taking care of my woman.”

“I’m not your woman! How many times do I have to tell you this?” Kagome huffed as she peered around Sesshoumaru.

“Ah, Kagome, you know it’s only a matter of time before you're mine,” Koga said with a sly grin.

Before Kagome could open her mouth to once again tell Koga that she would never be his, Sesshoumaru said, “Wolf, you would do well to stay away from the miko. She has made it clear that she has not accepted your suit, and I will not have my pack members harassed.”

Kagome’s jaw dropped. Had Sesshoumaru just stood up for her?

“What do you mean your pack, Asshole? This is my pack.” Inuyasha glared at Sesshoumaru, Koga completely forgotten. Who did that bastard think he was trying to come in and take over?

“I am the strongest, so that makes me alpha,” Sesshoumaru said with an air of arrogance. So far he had been content to let the half breed lead the way. It was easier to observe the miko as she tended to walk toward the back of the pack, but no more. He had grown tired of the way the hanyou took care of his pack, especially how he treated his intended.

“Like hell you are! This has been my pack for two years, and I’m not gonna let you walk in here and start running things.”

“Inuyasha, please. We’re all tired, and I want a bath to get all this blood off of me,” Kagome pleaded.

“Shut up, Kagome. You're not gonna die just 'cause you got a little demon blood on you,” Inuyasha rolled his eyes and muttered, “The bitch thinks that if she gets the tiniest speck of dirt on her, then she needs a bath.”

“SIT, SIT, SIT!” Kagome screamed at Inuyasha before turning around and asking sweetly, “Would someone please show me to the nearesthot springs?”

For a moment Sesshoumaru was torn between asserting his dominance over the half breed and caring for his intended mate. Caring for Kagome won out. It was his job to take care of her and make sure all of her needs were met, even if she didn’t know it yet. Plus, he didn’t want that wolf taking her and being anywhere near her when she was unclothed. Mind made up, he shot Inuyasha and Koga scathing glares before turning to Kagome and saying, “Come.”

He could settle the dispute with Inuyasha later. Right now he had more important things to take care of.

~~0~~

Sitting in the steaming water with her eyes closed, she thought back over the events of the day. She would definitely have to write about them in her diary.

“Kagome? Have you noticed Sesshoumaru acting a little strange?” Sango asked.

Sure, she had noticed plenty, but she wasn’t sure if she was imagining it, so she decided to play it safe and ask, “What do you mean by strange, Sango?”

“Well, today he got angry when Koga put his hands on you, and then he walked away from a dominance fight with Inuyasha. Kagome, pack demons will only do that to care for their mate and are sure of their dominance with the challenging male.” Sango replied hesitantly.

“Okay, so he’s sure of his dominance with Inuyasha.”

“No, Kagome. Yes, he is the more powerful male. It’s not that, though. Have you ever known him to walk away from a fight with Inuyasha?” She continued when Kagome shook her head no, “Kagome, it’s like he’s courting you. He would never have walked away from a fight with him for any other reason.”

“Maybe he didn’t feel like fighting with him,” Kagome offered.

“No, I think he is trying to court you,” Sango said with a smile on her face. While she hadn’t really cared for Sesshoumaru at first, like Kagome she had gotten to know him a little better through watching his actions. She liked what she saw. She knew that if Sesshoumaru was courting Kagome, he would take care of her. She also knew that he would be faithful to Kagome.

“Something else I’ve noticed is that he always presents you with his kill each night. That too is part of the demon courting ritual. He’s trying to prove to you that he is a good provider and can take care of you.”

Kagome stared at her blankly for several minutes while she tried to decide what to do. Should she confide in Sango about the things she had noticed as well? Sango was like a sister to her, and she knew she could trust her friend to keep her secrets. Kagome proceeded to tell her about all the small things she had noticed, and both women compared notes.

Much contemplation and many giggles later, the two headed back to camp.

As they got back into camp, they noticed a bruised, bleeding, unconscious Inuyasha lying on the ground and a smug-looking demon lord sitting at the base of a tree on the edge of the camp. Miroku confirmed their suspicions that the two demons had settled their dominance issues, and, to nobody's surprise, it was the Western Lord who had come out on top.

~~0~~

‘Where is it? I know I put it back in my bag the last time.’ Kagome was almost to the point of panic as she searched for her diary. Taking a deep breath, she sat back and tried to reason with herself. ‘Okay, girl, you must have left it at home. Yes, that’s got to be it.’ Calming herself, she made a mental note to look the next time she went home. They were starting to run a little low on supplies, so she would make a trip home soon.

Sesshoumaru watched the tiny onna as she frantically dug in her bag. He suspected she was looking for the diary that was safely tucked in his sleeve and felt the tiniest pang of guilt. Thankful for all the years of discipline, he managed to keep his indifferent mask in place.

~~0~~

Inuyasha was still passed out from the ‘lesson’ in dominance that he had given him, and the humans were finally asleep, so he once again ascended his chosen tree, opened the diary and began to read.

Thursday, April 5

Today we stopped for lunch beside the most beautiful field of wildflowers. Inuyasha complained about stopping, but Sesshoumaru insisted. I wonder how much longer it will be before they fight for dominance? So far Sesshoumaru has been content to let Inuyasha lead. While he lets Inuyasha lead, Sesshoumaru has been the one to call for all our breaks, no matter how much Inuyasha complains. I’m off track, so back to the wildflowers. I think that Sesshoumaru stopped there because of Rin and her love of flowers, but I’m glad he did because I love them too. We took a very long break because Inuyasha ran off almost as soon as we stopped. It is starting to bother me less and less. Today it didn’t bother me at all. In fact, I was thankful for the peace and quiet after he left.

Shippo, Rin and I had the best time playing in the flowers. We played tag and then we made flower crowns and daisy chains.

After we had played and rested, Sesshoumaru called for us to pack up. Inuyasha still wasn’t back yet, but Sesshoumaru said that he would be able to follow our scent and catch up. It is very different following Sesshoumaru. He doesn’t get in such a hurry as Inuyasha does, and he doesn’t complain when we need to stop for breaks. It sure does make for a more pleasant journey.

Sesshoumaru lead us to a youkai village! I was so excited. It’s the first all youkai village I’ve ever been to. Sango and Miroku were uncomfortable going into the village, so it was just Sesshoumaru, Rin, Shippo and myself. He told us that since we were with him that no one would bother us.

The kids and I looked around the market place while Sesshoumaru did whatever business he needed to do. They had some of the most exquisite silk I have ever seen. It was made by a spider youkai. It was so soft against my skin. It looked expensive, so I didn’t even ask the cost.

There were so many things to see. I think I could have spent all day there.

Inuyasha finally caught up to us after we had made camp for the night. We were eating the boar that Sesshoumaru had caught, and Inuyasha complained that we weren’t having ramen. He makes me so mad sometimes. That’s all he does is complain. Either that or complain about how unlike Kikyo I am. When he started in on me, I just tuned him out! I wish I would have done that a long time ago. I think I’m finally over him. Wonder what he will say when I tell him? Okay, enough for one night. Until next time.

He remembered that day very well. It was so relaxing and peaceful without the hanyou. Sesshoumaru had needed to commission a piece of jewelry. It looked like when he went back to pick it up, he would need to procure some of the spider silk as well. As long as he was breathing, his mate would never want for anything. He knew that she would never ask for such frivolous things for herself, but he was sure that she would appreciate them nonetheless; and it would please him to spoil her.

He came to the last entry in the diary. It was written only a few days prior. Tear stains seemed to dot the page. This entry wasn’t dated.

It’s been so long since I last wrote, and I have lots to say. I think I’m falling in love, and it makes me want to cry. How could I do this? My mother always worried that I would fall for some bad boy who would just use me for sex. Instead, I have to fall for guys who don’t want me. I’m beginning to wonder what is wrong with me. I must like being heartbroken. First, I fell for Inuyasha, and he’s still hung up on Kikyo. Now I’ve gone and fallen for Sesshoumaru. That’s even worse! He doesn’t even like humans. Why did he have to be so wonderful? Over the past few weeks that we’ve been traveling together I have gotten to know him. Not through his words, but through his actions. I think after this whole Naraku thing is over I’m just going to go back home and try to get over my broken heart.

His beast was howling, demanding that they comfort their intended. While it was true that he had never made it a secret how he felt about humans, there were a few that he respected, and the priestess was one of them. She doubted her self worth, but Sesshoumaru felt that he had been showing her through his actions that she was worthy. Perhaps he hadn’t done enough. His little onna was going to need more. He would whisk her away to a private location, and then he would present her with his gifts and his suit. He would explain it so that there would be no doubt in her mind what he wanted.

Jumping down from his perch, he walked over to the object of his affections. Leaning down he softly nuzzled her hair, breathing deeply of her scent, and placed a feather light kiss on her cheek. “Soon, Koi.”

~~0~~

Inuyasha was still recovering from the sound whipping he had received the day before, so they would not be traveling. Everyone was looking forward to a day of rest.

Sesshoumaru left shortly after the group awakened and didn’t return until well after lunch. Taking in the state of his pack, he was satisfied to find everything as it should be. The monk and slayer were sitting beside one another, quietly talking as the monk made ofuda’s and the slayer polished her weapon. Inuyasha was once again passed out. His ward was in the nearby field, playing with the miko and kit, and Jaken was leaned against a tree, sound asleep.

Kicking Jaken awake and telling him to look after the pups, he strode into the field where Kagome was and said, “This Sesshoumaru wishes to speak to you in private.”

She blinked up at him and blushed before taking the hand he offered. He pulled her close, being careful of his armor, and formed his cloud beneath their feet. He had spent the morning preparing for this, including scouting out the perfect setting for his plan.

Excitement coursed through her as she looked down at the landscape; it was beautiful. She had always wanted to ride on his cloud with him. It was different than anything she had ever experienced. Glancing up at the stoic demon lord, she felt a bit of trepidation as she tried to figure out what it was that he wanted to talk about, especially since it involved privacy.

She was brought back to the present when she felt them slow and begin the descent back to earth. The sight that met her eyes took her breath away. Tucked into the corner of a field full of wild flowers was a small hot spring surrounded by a grove of cherry trees in full bloom. The air was filled with the sweet scent of the blossoms. Soft pink petals swirled and spiraled their way towards the ground. It was beautiful.

Sesshoumaru was very much enjoying the awed look on her face. He smirked then gently guided her into the flurry of petals. He shed his armor and helped her sit before seating himself beside her.

For a moment he just admired her. She was so beautiful to him.

“Kagome, this Sesshoumaru desires to court you.”

She felt her heart race as she processed his words.

“Wh..What?” she managed to stutter out. She obviously didn’t hear him right because she could have sworn that he just asked to court her.

Taking in her incredulous look, he repeated himself. “This Sesshoumaru wishes to ask your permission to court and mate you.”

She couldn’t believe her ears. He wanted to court her AND mate her! She had admitted to herself that she had fallen in love with him, but she never dreamed that her feelings might be reciprocated. A silent tear slid down her face as she shut her eyes and murmured, “I must be dreaming because Sesshoumaru would never want me.”

This was not the response that he had hoped for. Not only did she not believe him but she thought she was dreaming. He was very unhappy with the half breed for all the emotional damage he had done to his miko. He would be sure to make him pay for every slight he had ever committed against her. He would just have to make her believe what he said was true.

Kagome sat there, willing herself to wake up. It was such a heartbreakingly beautiful dream, and she knew that if she let the dream progress, then that is what she would find upon waking: more heartbreak.

Every so slowly, he softly grasped her chin and leaned in to tenderly brush his lips against hers. Kagome’s eyes flew open at the feel of his lips caressing hers.

He stared deeply into her eyes, pouring all the love and longing into his own so that maybe she would see that he did indeed want her.

She pinched herself and decided she was indeed awake, and from the look in his eyes, he did want her. She smiled softly and brought her hand up to caress a striped cheek.

He closed his eyes at the feel of her touch. He had longed for her to touch him for so long, and it was finally happening. Threading his clawed fingers through her hair, he brought her to him for another kiss. He finally pulled back slightly, letting their breaths mingle before giving her another quick kiss.

“Do you accept this Sesshoumaru’s suit?” he asked huskily.

“Yes.”

Then the most amazing thing happened. Sesshoumaru smiled at her. If she thought he was beautiful before, the smile made him positively godlike. Her answering smile was as bright as the sun, and he decided that he wanted to bask in its light for all his days.

When she had calmed from their kisses, he placed a rather large package in her lap and bid her open it.

Inside was the most beautiful kimono she had ever seen, made from the spider silk she had seen in the village. She stroked the silk, reveling in it’s softness before setting the package aside and throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace. He returned the gesture and nuzzled her neck before pulling away.

Sitting back, he fished into his sleeve, pulled out a small silk bag, and handed it to her. Inside the bag was a silver charm bracelet. The charm was a round, yellow sapphire surrounded by a blue sapphire crescent.

“The yellow represent you. You are bright and shining like the sun. The blue crescent moon represents this Sesshoumaru. This Sesshoumaru will wrap himself around you and protect you from all harm,” he said softly, “Know that this Sesshoumaru will always love and take care of you”

She didn’t know what to say. She had never had anyone say such beautiful words to her, and it left her speechless. The look in his eyes was so sweet and tender that it brought tears to her eyes.

“I love you, Sesshoumaru.”

His chest swelled with joy at her words, and he swiftly pulled her into his lap. Wasting no time, his lips found hers. When his tongue tapped against her lips, seeking permission to enter, she opened her mouth and granted it. The kiss started slow and sensual but quickly turned frenzied and passionate as each sought to consume the other.

They spent the rest of the afternoon in each other's arms. When night fell Sesshoumaru, made love to Kagome, marking her as his for all eternity. He spent the rest of the night proving to her over and over again just how much he loved her.

When the newly-mated couple returned to camp and broke the news, they were received with open arms and congratulations from Sango and Miroku. Rin and Shippo were both ecstatic and were already making plans about all the things they would do once they returned to Sesshoumaru’s palace.

Inuyasha was angry and sulked for days, but after many “sits” and arguments, he finally admitted that he and Kagome were better off as just friends.

~~0~~

Sesshoumaru smiled at the scene before him. Sitting against a cherry tree in their private garden was the miko, his mate. The scene was very reminiscent of the ones his beast would show him when he was trying to convince him to take the miko as their mate. She was asleep, and their five year old son sat beside her, silently keeping watch. His eyes roamed over her features, making sure she was alright, lingering slightly longer on her growing belly. He finally had everything he never knew he wanted but found that he could no longer live without.

As he stood there contemplating the turn his life had taken, he decided that it was finally time to tell her about her diary. He hoped that her pregnancy hormones were not running rampant, or he might find himself sleeping in the adjoining chambers.

With a deep sigh, he gently gathered her in his arms and carried her inside to their chambers. She awoke as he laid her down and smiled up at him.

“Kagome, I have a confession to make.” His face was so solemn, but she had to smile once again at the fact that he had finally dropped the weird third person speech. She held back a laugh at all the heated arguments it took to accomplish the feat.

Gaining her attention once again, he held out something for her to take.

“My diary? Where did you get this?” Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at him, and she decided to add, “When did you get it?”

“I found it beside the well. It was right before I asked to court you.”

“You didn’t read it did you?” she asked when she noticed the missing lock and what looked to be tiny burn marks where the lock should have been.

“I did,” his face showed no hint of remorse as he continued, “I read it to discover more about you. I learned many of your likes and dislikes. It aided me greatly in our courtship.”

He then smiled the special smile that he reserved only for her, knowing that she always forgave him quickly when he did.

‘Damn. He knows that smile always gets me,' she thought. She was a little miffed by the fact that he had read all of her most secret thoughts, but she loved him so much and knew that she couldn’t stay mad at him for long. Thinking back over their courtship, she realized that much of what he did could only be learned from observing her and not from reading her diary. Still, she felt she should at least let him know that she didn’t appreciate it.

'I’ll show him,' she thought.

“You can smile all you want to, Mister. It’s not going to get you off the hook this time.”

For a moment, he had an almost panicked look. Quickly recovering, he gave her a roguish grin before stalking up to her and gently pushing her back onto the bed, settling himself above her. Starting at her mouth, he planted a trail of kisses and traveled downward.

Stopping at her ear, he whispered huskily, “Perhaps I can find another way to ‘get off the hook’ as you put it,” then continued his explorations, being sure to linger on all of her most sensitive spots.

Moaning from the attention he was paying her body, she decided that maybe she should withhold her forgiveness a little more often. Losing her train of thought, she gasped as he found a particularly sensitive spot. She gave up trying to think and instead focused solely on getting lost in the man she loved.

To think that a little diary started it all. Well, maybe not started it all, but it helped to move things along. Later, when they told the story of how they met, it would start with “Once upon a diary.”