Kagome sighed as she leaned on the balcony. She was starting to feel like a pet. A week had passed since she first arrived at Sesshoumaru's ancestral home. Everyday she would go outside to play with Rin. Every night she would have dinner with the youkai and the little girl. Like a pet, she was well fed and, she supposed, well taken care of by Sesshoumaru's servants. Strangely enough, she had yet to see any servants but she knew they were there. Somehow, new clothes would be lying on her bed whenever she returned to her room. Everyday now, she had gotten a new kimono to wear to dinner. Kagome looked down at the formal kimono that she wore. It was nothing like she had ever worn before. The material felt so smooth and light on her skin, making her wonder how anything so elegant could feel so comfortable. Too bad my okaa-san couldn't see me looking like this. Kagome thoughts wandered to wonder if Inuyasha would like the way she looked in clothes from their time. She frowned as she remembered the way he had looked at her the first time she wore clothes from his time. Kaede had dressed her in miko robes. All Inuyasha could think of was that I looked like Kikyo. Kagome scolded herself mentally.
You're not supposed to think about him anymore. Why are you torturing yourself this way? He chose Kikyo, after all this time, he chose her and not you. You promised yourself to give up on him. Besides, it's not like you could have been with him anyway. You're from the future, and he's from the past. When the jewel is completed what would you do then? You don't even know what he would do with the Shikon no Tama once it is complete. Would he decide to become a full youkai like he keeps saying or would he maybe wish for Kikyo's life. Tears began to well up in Kagome's eyes and she shook her head furiously. Don't cry, don't cry, do NOT cry. Kagome felt a single tear fall and hugged herself tight.
"Kagome onee-chan, daijobu desu ka?" Kagome quickly rubbed her eyes with her fists like a child and looked up. Standing in the doorway behind her, Sesshoumaru was studying her intently. She saw that Rin was watching her with wide eyes. "Ne, Sesshoumaru-sama, why is Kagome onee-chan crying?" Kagome was relieved when Sesshoumaru turned his attention to the little girl.
"I do not know why she cries Rin."
"Daijobu. Daijobu. I just got something in my eye Rin." Smiling tremulously, she rubbed her eyes comically making the little girl laugh. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her words. Kneeling beside Rin, Kagome hugged the little girl. "So Rin-chan, what shall we do today?"
"Tomorrow is Sesshoumaru-sama's birthday Kagome onee-chan." The little girl leaned forward and whispered in Kagome's ear. "Onee-chan, can you help Rin make a gift for Sesshoumaru-sama?" Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru in surprise, which he ignored as he lounged at the door. She suddenly had the insane urge to giggle. This kid is just too cute. He's trying to look as if he's not interested but I have a feeling he is. Kagome smiled brightly at Rin and nodded enthusiastically. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sesshoumaru turn towards the door and Rin turned to follow her idol out. As Sesshoumaru and Rin turned to leave, Kagome realized that Jaken was glaring at her as he followed behind his master. Kagome shivered, the look in Jaken's eyes disturbed her.
* * * * * *
"Sesshoumaru-sama, commands that you join him for dinner." So saying, the small youkai started tapping his feet impatiently as he waited for Kagome to follow him. Kagome stood and stared down at the youkai with her nose in the air and flounced off down the hall while Jaken ran to catch up. Kagome giggled to herself as she imagined the look on Jaken's face. Serves him right, thinks I'm below him, does he? Eventually, the snooty youkai managed to catch up and led the way to the dining room.
Kagome never failed to be amazed by the magnificence of this castle. The dining room was huge and had a long table in the center. Hanging on one of the walls was a depiction of a distinguished white dog, which Kagome assumed was Sesshoumaru's and Inuyasha's father, the Taiyoukai. Kagome took her place at the table opposite Rin and winked at the little girl. Rin giggled and turned to the head of the table where Sesshoumaru was seated.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, close your eyes. Rin has a surprise for Sesshoumaru-sama." Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at Rin but closed his eyes to humor the child. Rin waved her hands in Sesshoumaru face a couple times and then nodded at Kagome. Kagome put her fingers to her lips and then grabbed Rin's hand. Together they ran back to Kagome's room and looked at the gift they had wrapped earlier. Kagome had no wrapping paper so she had settled for wrapping the gift in a silky red cloth that Rin had brought her. The two girls had had a hard time deciding on what they would make for Sesshoumaru yesterday, as they had no clue what the youkai liked. Kagome knew Sesshoumaru liked the Tetsusaiga but no way was she going to get him that. The gift they had decided on had taken them all day but Kagome was satisfied with the way it came out. And so they headed back to the dining room to find Sesshoumaru with his chin resting on his hands with eyes still closed. Rin giggled as she and Kagome placed the youkai's gift in front of him.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama, open your eyes!" Rin and Kagome looked on in anticipation as Sesshoumaru looked down. The youkai had no expression on his face whatsoever but then again that was normal for Sesshoumaru. The lord glanced at Rin to find the girl hopping from foot to foot in excitement as she waited for him to open her gift. His brother's wench seemed to have momentarily forgotten that she was his captive and looked excited to see him open the gift. Sesshoumaru gazed at his birthday present curiously. It was wrapped in a silky red cloth that greatly resembled a certain set of curtains in Rin's room. He'd never received a birthday present before.
He remembered a time when the human wench that his father married had thrown a fit because Inuyasha wasn't getting a gift from otou-san. He didn't understand why Inuyasha was getting a gift from their otou-san when it was an occasion that happened every year. Sesshoumaru remembered glancing at their father and the exasperated look in otou-san's eyes as he tried to placate the woman. Right after, otou-san had ruffled the young Sesshoumaru hair and laughed as he joked about humans and their customs. Not that Sesshoumaru had never gotten a gift before from their parents, it just wasn't a birthday present. Gifts from his okaa-san had been for special occasions, like the first time he managed to fully control his demon's rage. His father had been proud and relieved that he had learned to control his demon's rage. The then young youkai's father had been relieved to know that the same incident that happened would not occur again. Sesshoumaru's eyes went glacier cold at the distant memories.